Crispy Peppermint Treats

This recipe is a spin-off of Rice Krispy Treats. I found it on the WeightWatchers website, while I was looking for new lower fat dessert recipes to try out. I made this for a pot luck at work, and there were only a couple left by the end of lunch! :)

36 serving (2 treats/balls per serving)
1 WeightWatcher PointsPlus per serving

Ingredients:
1 tbsp margarine
30 large marshmallows
1/2 tsp mint extract
5 cups crispy rice cereal
20 pieces hard peppermint candy, crushed
Butter-flavored cooking spray (for coating hands)

Step 1: Melt margarine in nonstick Dutch oven or large saucepan.
Step 2: Add marshmallows and cook over low-medium heat until melted, about 5 minutes.
Step 3: Stir in extract and cereal.
Step 4: Remove from heat; stir constantly until cereal is coated with marshmallow.
Step 5: Stir in candies.
Step 6: Coat hands with cooking spray. Roll cereal mixture into 1-inch balls and place on foil-lined cookie sheet.
Step 7: Refrigerate 2 hours or until firm.

Recipe times: Prep - 15 minutes; Cook - 8 minutes
My times: Prep - 30 minutes; Cook - 8 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 38 minutes


It took me a long time to crush the peppermint candies, and to form all the balls. That is why the prep time is so long. If you're quick, you can do it in the 15 minutes the recipe says.

Ingredients

Step 2

Step 2 - melted

Quinoa Caviar

I made this recipe at the beginning of December. I just had to try it with a name like "Caviar"!! I found this recipe on Yahoo! Shine; the benefits of quinoa was one of their headliners that day: see Quinoa Caviar. It turned out pretty well, although using the blender for the eggplant mixture was a pain. I recommend using a food processor! It may not look it, but it was very tasty! And good for you too!!

Serves 4
7 WeightWatchers PointsPlus per serving

Ingredients:
1 medium eggplant
1 cup quinoa, uncooked
1/2 cup cilantro, or any other fresh herb, minced (I made the mistake of using Italian parsley)
2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce OR 1 tbsp miso paste
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
1 medium onion, minced
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
1/4 tsp hot pepper sauce
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

Step 1: Roast the egg plant - cut off ends and peel. Cut in half lengthwise drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil, and bake at 400F until white flesh is lightly browned and tender, about 30 minutes.

While eggplant is roasting:
Step 2: Saute onions in 1 tbsp olive oil until soft.
Step 3: Stir in quinoa and cook, stirring, for about 1 minutes.
Step 4: Add chicken broth and salt, bring to a boil.
Step 5: Cover pan, reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.
Step 6: Remove pot from heat and let stand for 10 minutes; remove lid, let cool, and fluff with fork.

Once eggplant is done:
Step 7: Puree eggplant with herbs, soy sauce/miso paste, and lemon juice.
Step 8: Add eggplant puree to quinoa.
Step 9: Add hot sauce and any extra seasoning desired. Garnish with remaining herbs.

Recipe times: Prep - 10 minutes; Cook - 45 minutes
My times: Prep - 20 minutes; Cook - 35 minutes
Total time: 55 minutes 

Ingredients

Step 1

Step 3

Eggplant roasting done

Step 7

Garlic Chicken Stir fry with Quinoa

I've been really lazy about posting here the past couple of months....so now that it's the new year, it's time to play catch up!!

I made this dish back in November. I found it on the package of Trader Joe's Organic Quinoa; at the time, I was trying to find a pasta/rice-like filler that was lower WeighWatcher's points. Quinoa is an amazing food, high in protein and yet a grain. I also wanted to try this recipe because it sounded so simple, and it was! It is also an all-in-one dish, with veggies, meat, and starch.

Serves 4
1 serving = 15 WeightWatchers PointsPlus

Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 lbs chicken breast
4 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped or thinly slice
1 medium red bell pepper
1 medium yellow bell pepper (I used green instead because it was on sale)
5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced or pressed
20 basil leaves
1/4 grated Parmesan cheese

Step 1: Prepare quinoa with chicken stock, according to package intructions.
Step 2: Cut chicken into one-inch pieces.
Step 3: Heat large skillet over high heat and add oil.
Step 4: Add chicken and saute for 5 minutes or until golden brown.
Step 5: Add onions and bell peppers; saute for 1-2 minutes.
Step 6: Add garlic and saute until peppers are slightly limp, but still bright (about 1-2 minutes).
Step 7: Season with salt and pepper.
Step 8: Remove pan from heat; add basil and quinoa. Toss until basil silts; garnish with cheese.

Recipe times: Prep - 15 minutes, Cook - 10 minutes
My times: Prep - 45 minutes, Cook - 10 minutes
Total time: 55 minutes

Ingredients

Step 4

Step 5

Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake

I love fall and winter because of all the yummy pumpkin recipes there are to make!! This is one I found last year on Yahoo! Food (they have since taken the link down), and I've made it several times since and everyone how's tried it has loved it!! It's delicious and is relatively easy, aside from the crushing of the gingersnaps.

Ingredients:
25 ginger snap cookies (Nabisco), finely crushed
1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped
1/4 cup butter, melted
4 (8 oz) pkgs cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar, divided
1 tsp vanilla
4 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves

Recipe makes 16 servings/slices
Weight Watchers points: 9 points per serving

Step 1: Preheat oven to 325F.
Step 2: Mix ginger snap crumbs, pecans, and butter until crumbs and pecans are completely moistened.
Step 3: Press crumb mixture firmly onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan.
Step 4: Beat cream cheese, 3/4 cup of the sugar, and the vanilla with electric mixer until well blended [I hand mixed and it works fine, but does take longer and more energy]
Step 5: Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each additional just until blended.
Step 6: Remove 1 1/2 cups of the batter and place in small bowl; set aside.
Step 7: Stir remaining 1/4 cup sugar, pumpkin, and spices into remaining batter.
Step 8: Spoon half the pumpkin batter on top of crust. Top with spoonfuls of half of the reserved plain batter.
Step 9: Repeat layers.
Step 10: Cut through batter with a knife several times for marble effect.
Step 11: Bake 55 min to 1 hour 15 minutes, or until center is almost set. Cool completely.
Step 12: Refrigerate at least 4 hours, or overnight.

Recipe's times:
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook time: 55 minutes
My times:
Prep: 1 hour
Cook time: 1 hour 15 minutes

My prep time includes crushing of the gingersnaps. Because they're such hard cookies, it does take a while, and destroys the bag I use while crushing. But it make a delicious crust!!

Ingredients

Crushing ginger snaps

Step 2

Step 3

Step 5

Step 7

Step 8 A

Step 8 B

Step 9 A

Step 9 B

Step 10

Right out of the oven

Roasted Tofu

Now that I've started Weight Watchers online, I've been seriously cutting back on the miscellaneous snacks and trying hard to stick to vegetables only (0 point foods). But I'm getting tired of carrots and cucumbers, so I wanted to see if there was a simple recipe for tofu that could be used as a snack, since it's a lean protein and delicious! I found several meal recipes using tofu, but none that was a Tofu only recipe, so I used a combination of several different methods I found online and came up with this Roasted Tofu recipe! Easy and low points for how much you get to eat (and protein!).

Ingredients:
1 lb (16 oz) Lite Firm Tofu
1/2-1 tbsp soy sauce
cooking spray

Weight Watchers points: 5 (for whole recipe)

Step 1: Place tofu on several layers of paper towel, top with more paper towels, and place one or more heavy objects on top. Let it sit for 20-30 minutes. This presses out all excess water from the tofu.
Step 2: Preheat oven to 450F. Cut tofu into 6 1/2-inch slices, then cut each slice into 8 cubes.
Step 3: Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray. Arrange tofu cubes on sheet so that the pieces don't touch.
Step 4: Brush each cube with soy sauce (you can do just the top or each exposed side).
Step 5: Spray light layer of cooking spray over tofu cubes.
Step 6: Place cookie sheet into over, bake for about 25 minutes.

Chinese Sausage and Tofu over Rice

This is a recipe I came up with on my own. Since I enjoy chinese sausage so much, I tried to think of other ways I could use it other than in Sticky Rice. And I thought that I could throw it in with the rice in a rice cooker. And to make it a little healthier, I figured I'd add tofu!! So here it is!! Quick, easy, and delicious!

Ingredients:
1 cup rice, white or jasmine
1 1/3 cup water
1 Chinese sausage link (lop chong)
1 scallion/green onion
8 oz extra firm tofu

Serves 2-3
Weight Watchers: 7 points per serving (serving = 1/3 of dish)

Step 1: Put rice and water into rice cooker bowl (you can rinse the rice beforehand or not, your preference).
Step 2: Slice Chinese sausage thinly, about 1/4 inch in width; add to rice cooker.
Step 3: Slice scallion; add to rice cooker.
Step 4: Cut tofu into 16-24 pieces (depending on how large you want your tofu pieces); add to rice cooker.
Step 5: Stir ingredients in rice cooker to mix slightly.
Step 6: Let the cooker run a normal cycle for rice; once it's on "Keep Warm" let it sit (additional steaming) for about 15 minutes.
Step 7: Season with soy sauce to taste; serve.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: about 30 minutes (depends on rice cooker)
Total time: 35 minutes

Definitely a quick and easy dish, especially good for those days when you are rushed and tired after work, and yet don't want to eat fast food.

Triple Chocolate Tofu Brownies

I recently joined Weight Watchers Online, and have been looking for "healthier" or lower fat dessert to make....since I love desserts, but the girls at work don't seem to be eating as much of the stuff I bring in anymore, and I've heard some grumbling about fat and diet. Weigh Watchers had a note that said tofu can be substituted for heavy creams and such, so I decided to look into it, and I found this recipe on AllRecipes.com: Triple Chocolate Tofu Brownies. Now I admit, I was skeptical. Tofu in brownies? But I tried it, and it turned out pretty good!! I modified it slightly, so if you want to see the original recipe, visit the link!

Ingredients:

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/8 tsp salt

10 oz pkg silken tofu, drained

1/4 cup olive oil

1 cup white sugar

4 tsp vanilla extract

4 1-oz squares Baker's unsweetened chocolate

1/2 cup Ghiradelli bittersweet chocolate chips

Weigh Watchers points: 3 per bar

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350F. Grease 8-inch square baking pan.

Step 2: Combine flour, baking soda, cocoa powder, and salt in a bowl.

Step 3: Place tofu in a blender; puree until smooth [the blender didn't work so well for me; next time I will try a food processor].

Step 4: Add olive oil and sugar to blender; blend for 1 minute.

Step 5: Pour tofu mix into mixing bowl; stir in vanilla extract.

Step 6: Melt unsweetened chocolate (using double broiler or microwave).

Step 7: Mix melted chocolate into tofu mixture until well-blended.

Step 8: Stir in flour mixture until thoroughly combined.

Step 9: Fold in chocolate chips.

Step 10: Pour into baking pan; bake about 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Step 11: Cool before slicing into bars (24 bars).

Recipe times:

Prep: 20 minutes

Cooking: 40 minutes

My times:

Prep: 30 minutes

Cooking: 30 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 1 hour

This turns out very dark-chocolate-ty. Not bad, but a litter bitter for my taste (I don't go out of my way to eat dark chocolate). But if you are into dark chocolate, you will love this!!! You can't even tell there's tofu in it!!! Two thumbs up!

Ingredients

Step 2

Step 3

Step 5

Step 7

Step 8: Not mixed

Step 8: Mixed

Step 10