It seems that winter demands warm comfort food. But we also have to keep an eye on our health, too. Four of these five recipes are from various Weight Watchers' emailing lists. They're several years old, and Weight Watchers has gone through several changes, from Points/Core, Points Plus, and now their new 360 program. Does this make W.W. wrong? No. Like all good programs, it changes to both keep up with the times (while helping people lose weight and get healthy), while finding new ways to help (while teaching members how to learn how to eat well). While I know others love other diet plans, W.W. helps you keep the weight off and learn how to maintain. You simply have to remember what you've learned.
Disclaimer:No, I am not a paid spokesperson for W.W., nor am I receiving any compensation for writing what I've just written. I just know what works by the results I've seen.
And now, food!
Roasted Autumn Vegetable Soup
This warm, comforting soup will stick to your ribs on cold days. Roasting the vegetables helps bring out their natural sweetness.
Points: 2 Servings: 8
1 large onion(s), cut into large chunks
4 large carrot(s), peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
6 medium parsnip(s), peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
4 cup winter squash, such as butternut, peeled and cubed
2 sprays cooking spray
3 cup fat-free chicken broth
1/2 cup fat-free evaporated milk
1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste
Preheat oven to 400ºF. In large roasting pan combine onion, carrots, parsnips and squash; coat with cooking spray. Roast for 15 minutes. Place vegetables in large pot. Add broth & milk; season to taste. Cook over medium-high heat for 10 minutes to allow flavors to combine. Transfer mixture to blender or food processor, or use an immersion blender in pot, & blend until smooth. (Puree soup in batches if necessary to prevent hot liquid from splattering. Or allow soup to cool before pureeing.) Yields about 1-1/2 cups per serving.
From: Weight Watchers
You can add more water or broth to the pureed soup to achieve desired thickness.
Spiced Carrot Soup
Points: 2 Servings: 4
Who says home cooking takes hours? We used canned carrots in this curry & chili powder-seasoned soup to save on both preparation & cooking times.
2 tsp canola oil
1/4 cup shallot(s), or red onion, chopped
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/8 tsp chili powder, chipotle-variety
29 oz canned carrots, sliced (undrained)
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tsp fresh lemon juice, divided
1/4 cup fat-free sour cream
Heat oil in medium saucepan; add shallot, curry powder & chili powder. Cook over medium heat until shallot is tender, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes. Add carrots, including can liquid, to saucepan.
Pour buttermilk into saucepan; swirl milk in pan to ‘pick up’ any remaining spices. Add salt, pepper & 1 teaspoon of lemon juice; puree in saucepan using an immersion blender. (Or puree in batches in a blender, careful not to splatter hot liquid). Taste soup & add remaining teaspoon of lemon juice, if desired.
Divide soup among 4 bowls & garnish with sour cream. Yields about 1 cup of soup & 1 tablespoon of sour cream per serving.
We used canned carrots because they cut cooking time considerably (you may use fresh carrots though, if you prefer). If you prefer a tangy-tasting soup, swap 1/2 cup of buttermilk for 1/2 cup of plain fat-free yogurt (may affect POINTS values).
For a festive look, spoon sour cream in the center of each serving. Using a toothpick, draw out "spokes" of sour cream from the center to create a starburst design.
From: Weight Watchers
Crockpot Maple BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
1/2 C. maple flavored syrup
2 T. prepared mustard
2 T. Worcestershire sauce
2 t. lemon juice
1/2 t. chili powder
1/4 t. garlic powder
4 boneless, skinned chicken breasts
Place all ingredients in crockpot & cook on LOW for about 7 to 8 hours or until chicken is done.
You can either eat the breasts whole or shred them on buns or rice for more points.
4 servings = 225 calories, 4g fat, 1g fiber.
5 points per serving
From: Weight Watchers crockpot email list
Irish Honey Oat Quick Bread
2 tablespoons plus 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats or quick-cooking (not instant) oats, divided
1 1/3 cups whole-wheat flour or white whole-wheat flour (see Tip)
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 8-ounce container (scant 1 cup) nonfat or low-fat plain yogurt
1 large egg
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup clover honey or other mild honey
3/4 cup nonfat or low-fat milk
Position rack in middle of oven; preheat to 375°F. Generously coat 9-by-5-inch (or similar size) loaf pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon oats in the pan. Tip pan back & forth to coat sides & bottom with oats; set aside another 1 tablespoon oats for garnishing the loaf.
Thoroughly stir together whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda & salt in a large bowl. Using a fork, beat together the remaining 1 cup oats, yogurt, egg, oil & honey in medium bowl until well blended. Stir in milk. Gently stir the yogurt mixture into the flour mixture just until thoroughly incorporated but not over-mixed (excess mixing can cause toughening). Immediately scrape batter into the pan, spreading evenly to the edges. Sprinkle the reserved 1 tablespoon oats over top.
Bake loaf until well browned on top & a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes. (It's normal for the top to crack.) Let stand in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a table knife around & under the loaf to loosen it & turn it out onto the rack. Let cool until barely warm, about 45 minutes.
Makes 12 slices; 4 points
Nutrition Information: Per slice: 192 calories; 6 g fat (0 g sat, 3 g mono); 18 mg cholesterol; 31 g carbohydrate; 6 g protein; 2 g fiber; 395 mg sodium; 64 mg potassium. Nutrition bonus: Iron (15% daily value).
2 Carbohydrate Servings
Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 fat
TIP: White whole-wheat flour, made from a special variety of white wheat, is light in color and flavor but has the same nutritional properties as regular whole-wheat flour. Two companies that distribute the flour nationally are King Arthur Flour (kingarthurflour.com) and Bob's Red Mill (bobsredmill.com).
MAKE AHEAD TIP: Store cooled bread, tightly wrapped, for up to 1 day at room temperature. If desired, warm (wrapped in foil) at 375°F before serving.
This bread has a pleasant flavor and divinely moist, tender crumb. It goes well with almost any soup or chowder. Plus, the recipe requires minimal mixing and cleanup, calls for ingredients usually stocked in the pantry, and is tasty yet healthful.
Baked Macaroni and Cheese
12 oz uncooked macaroni, elbow-type
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
12 oz fat-free evaporated milk
8 oz low-fat cheddar or Colby cheese, shredded
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
2 Tbsp dried bread crumbs
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Cook pasta according to package directions without added fat or salt; drain & transfer to a large bowl. While pasta is still hot, stir in sour cream; set aside.
Heat milk in small saucepan over medium heat until tiny bubbles appear just around the edges. Reduce heat to low, add cheese & simmer until cheese melts, stirring constantly with wire whisk, about 2 minutes; remove from heat & stir in mustard, salt, pepper & nutmeg.
Add cheese mixture to pasta; mix well. Transfer to a 4-quart casserole dish. Combine bread crumbs & Parmesan cheese; sprinkle over pasta. Bake until top is golden, about 30 minutes. Yields about 1 cup per serving.
Serves: 8; 5 Points
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