Lime-Laced Chilli Verde with Shrimp
PointsPlus™ Value: 6
Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 15 min
Cooking Time: 25 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Jarred green salsa makes this chili a snap. Serve with sliced mango and a little low-fat sour cream for garnish.
Ingredients
1 spray(s) cooking spray
1 large raw onion, chopped
1 large sweet red pepper(s), seeded, cored and chopped
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1 clove(s) garlic clove(s), minced
2 cup(s) salsa , jarred, green, mild or medium-flavor
10 oz Birds Eye® Baby lima beans, or other brand, frozen, thawed
2 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp Durkee Ground Cumin Seed, or other brand
3/4 pound(s) shrimp, medium-size, peeled and deveined
Instructions
1. Coat a large saucepan with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and zucchini; cook, stirring often, until somewhat softened, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic; cook for 20 seconds.
2. Stir in the salsa, beans, water, lime juice, and cumin; bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer 15 minutes.
3. Stir in the shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are pink and firm, about 2 to 3 minutes. Yields about 1 1/2 cups per serving.
Chicken Pad Thai
PointsPlus™ Value: 9
Servings: 6
Preparation Time: 25 min
Cooking Time: 22 min
Level of Difficulty: Moderate
A traditionally prepared Thai classic, lightened up. Also great with shrimp or cubed tofu instead of chicken.
Ingredients
7 oz Noodle, rice, packaged
1 pound(s) Chicken, breast, raw, without skin, without bone, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
¼ cup(s) Sauce, fish, ready-to-serve, divided
4 cup(s) Broccoli, uncooked, florets
1 medium Carrots, uncooked, finely sliced
¼ cup(s) Juice, lime, fresh, divided
3 Tbsp Sugar, white
3 Tbsp Water or mineral water
1½ tsp Ginger root, raw, fresh, finely minced
2 spray(s) Cooking spray
4 tsp Oil, peanut, divided
1 tsp Peppers, hot chili, green, raw, or red chili pepper, Thai-variety, deveined, seeded, minced*
1 clove(s) Garlic, fresh, minced
1½ cup(s) Sprouts, bean
2½ oz Peanuts, dry-roasted, salted, minced (about 1/2 cup)
½ cup(s) Cilantro, raw, fresh, minced
Instructions
1. Soak noodles in cold water for 1 hour.
2. Place chicken in a small bowl and cover with 1 tablespoon of fish sauce; set aside.
3. Steam broccoli and carrot until crisp-tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Immediately immerse in cold water; drain and set aside.
4. Meanwhile, in another small bowl, combine remaining 3 tablespoons of fish sauce, 3 tablespoons of lime juice, sugar, water and ginger; mix well and set aside.
5. Coat a large wok or skillet with cooking spray and warm over medium-high heat; add 2 teaspoons of oil. When hot, add chicken; cook, stirring occasionally until chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and cover to keep warm; set aside.
6. Drain noodles thoroughly. Off heat, coat same wok or skillet with cooking spray and warm over medium-high heat; add remaining 2 teaspoons of oil. When hot, sauté garlic and chili pepper until just fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add noodles and fish sauce mixture; cook, stirring, until sauce is mostly absorbed, about 3 minutes. Stir in chicken and peanuts; remove from heat. Add remaining tablespoon of lime juice, bean sprouts and cilantro; mix well. Serve immediately. Yields about 2 cups per serving.
15- Minute Vegetarian Chili
PointsPlus™ Value: 8
Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 7 min
Cooking Time: 8 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Stock up on canned beans, corn and tomatoes for super-fast, one-pot meals.
Ingredients
1 tsp Oil, canola
1 clove(s) Garlic, fresh, minced
14½ oz Tomatoes, stewed
15 oz Beans, kidney, canned, all types, rinsed and drained
15¼ oz Corn, yellow, canned (vacuum packed), drained
15 oz Tomato sauce, canned
1 Tbsp Chili powder
½ tsp Dried oregano
½ tsp Pepper flakes, red, crushed
¼ cup(s) Onions, dehydrated flakes
¼ tsp Pepper, black
4 Tbsp Cheese, cheddar, shredded, low-fat, sharp-variety
Instructions
1. Heat oil in a large, nonstick, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add garlic; cook, stirring frequently, until aromatic, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, beans, corn, tomato sauce, chili powder, oregano, red pepper flakes, onion and pepper; stir well.
2. Increase heat to high and bring chili to a boil; cook, stirring frequently, until chili is thick and flavors are concentrated, about 5 minutes. Spoon into serving bowls and sprinkle with cheese. Yields about 1 1/4 cups chili and 1 tablespoon cheese per serving.
Baked Beef Ziti
(You can use the left over Ziti from last week)
PointsPlus™ Value: 7
Servings: 8
Preparation Time: 20 min
Cooking Time: 50 min
Level of Difficulty: Moderate
If you thought you couldn't indulge in your fattening favorites and still lose weight, you'll be thrilled to know that baked ziti is not a thing of the past.
Ingredients
12 oz Uncooked ziti
2 tsp Oil, olive
2 clove(s) Garlic, fresh, minced
⅓ pound(s) Lean ground beef, raw
1 tsp Dried oregano
1 tsp Dried thyme
1 tsp Rosemary, dried
½ tsp Salt, table
½ tsp Pepper, black
28 oz Canned crushed tomatoes
1 cup(s) Cheese, mozzarella, part skim milk
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and set aside.
3. Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat; add garlic and sauté 2 minutes. Add beef and cook until browned, breaking up meat with a spoon as it cooks, about 3 to 5 minutes; drain off any fat and set pan back over medium heat.
4. Add oregano, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper; stir to coat beef. Cook until herbs become fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Spoon a small amount of beef-tomato mixture into bottom of a 4-quart casserole dish (just enough to cover surface); top with half of cooked ziti. Next, layer with half of remaining beef-tomato sauce and half of mozzarella cheese. Layer with remaining ziti and then top with remaining beef-tomato sauce; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake until cheese is golden and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Slice into 8 pieces and serve. Yields 1 piece per serving.
Three Bean Salad
PointsPlus™ Value: 4
Servings: 6
Preparation Time: 9 min
Cooking Time: 0 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy
This dish takes on a new profile with fresh slivers of basil, tangy lemon juice, and green soybeans(edamame) for their sweet flavor and bright color- Great for Spring!
Ingredients
1 tsp Lemon, zest, raw, grated
1½ Tbsp Juice, lemon, fresh
1 Tbsp Oil, olive, extra-virgin
½ tsp Salt, table
⅛ tsp Pepper, black, freshly ground
15 oz Beans, black, canned, rinsed and drained
15 oz Beans, white, canned, rinsed and drained
¾ cup(s) Edamame, shelled, cooked
⅓ medium Onion(s), vidalia, finely diced
⅓ medium Peppers, sweet, red, raw, finely diced
5 leaf/leaves Basil, fresh, thinly sliced
Instructions
Combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, oil, salt, and ground pepper in a medium bowl. Add the black beans, white beans, soybeans, onion, bell pepper, and basil; toss to coat evenly. Serve at once, or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Yields 3/4 cup per serving.
