Loaded Cauliflower

 • 2 heads of cauliflower cut into bite size pieces

• 1.5 packages of bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled

• 1 bunch of scallions, green parts sliced thinly

• 3/4 c mayonnaise

• 1/2 c (ish) of milk of your choice

• 3 c of mild cheese of your choice (I use Manchego because it's sheep and I can't have cow dairy anymore)

• 1 c of sharp cheese of your choice, I use Pecorino Romano because it's sheep)

•  1/2 t (ish) of pepper

• I don't add salt as the Romano cheese and bacon are very salty on their own.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425º

In a large pot boil or steam cauliflower until tender, drain

In a small bowl mix: mayo, 1/2 of the crumbled bacon, half the scallions, 1.5 cups of mild cheese. You will notice that this will be pretty thick. Use the milk to thin it out as you will be mixing the cauliflower in, so eyeball it to something that will mix easily!

Pour the mixture into a 9x13" pan and add cauliflower. Mix until the cauliflower is coated. 

Cover with the remaining 1.5 cups of mild cheese and the 1 cup of sharp cheese. 

Top with the second half of the bacon crumbles.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is melted.

Top with the second half of scallions and enjoy!

Chicken Stock

It seems Weight Watchers has two thoughts on this, either 0 PointsPlus or 1 point per cup. I'm going with 0 because it's just too good for you. I have a few issues with the way they do things. A diet Coke is 0 and a healthy fat avocado is 8 POINTS?? Really? There have been studies that show that fake sugar stimulates your appetite and reduces your good bacteria by 50%-ugh. I do a modified version. They say all fruits and veggies are "free" and I include avocados in that list. I don't do low fat and I do use coconut oil. It's all good and it still works :-)

So, onto the recipe!

I have a HUGE stockpot--16-20 quarts maybe? I bought it at Wal-Mart and it doesn't say how big it is because it was cheap but I love it anyway.

3 (5 lb-ish) whole chickens, or whatever inexpensive parts you like. If you can, at least buy chicken that didn't have antibiotics. I bought 2 whole chickens and 5 lbs of leg quarters.
3 large onions, washed, root cut off, unpeeled and quartered
6 carrots, washed, unpeeled and halved
4 stalks celery with leaves, washed and cut into thirds
4 parsnips, washed, unpeeled and cut in half
20 sprigs of fresh parsley
15 sprigs of fresh thyme
20 sprigs of fresh dill
1 head of garlic, root cut off, unpeeled and cut in half crosswise
2 T kosher salt
2 t whole black peppercorns

If you have more carrots, or less celery stalks, or bought a box of fresh thyme that has double that amount, don't worry about it--it all turns out just fine!

Place the chickens, veggies, herbs, etc in the pot. Add 7 quarts of water and bring to a boil then lower to a simmer. Set the timer for 1.5 hours. Take out 2 chickens or 2/3 of the chicken parts you put in the pot and take all the meat off, return carcasses to pot and set timer for another 2.5 hours. Let the chicken meat you just pulled off cool and put in whatever size bags you'd like and freeze. I had two freezer bags with about a pound of chicken each. One bag I'll use in chicken stew. The other...don't know yet.

The goal is to simmer for 4 hours total. Strain the entire contents of the pot through a fine mesh strainer (mine looks like a big bowl covered in stainless mesh) and discard all the solids. You may be tempted to keep the meat but I can tell you from experience--there is NO flavor left, it's all in the stock. Fill your containers however you'd like. I use quart glass canning jars and a funnel to pour the stock in. Freeze, make sure there is about an inch of headroom in the jar as the stock expands a bit when frozen. Before you use it skim off the fat.

This recipe makes about 7 quarts (28 cups) of stock or GOLD as I like to call it. It is delicious and is NOTHING like the water they call stock at the grocery stores!

Adapted from an Ina Garten recipe.

Sweet and Sour Chicken (the non-breaded kind)

 

Weight Watchers PointsPlus--10 points/serving
(Points for each ingredient in parenthesis below)

1 1/2 cups uncooked rice, I like Jasmine rice (You will have leftover rice, 20 points for rice used in this recipe) (20)

1 T cornstarch (1)
1/4 cup sugar (4)
1/4 cup gluten free soy sauce (0)
1/4 cup white vinegar (0)
1 T coconut oil (3)
1 1/4 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 inch pieces (20)
2 bell peppers (any color), seeded and chopped into 1 inch pieces (0)
1/2 lb snow peas, sliced in half (0)
5 scallions, thinly sliced (0)
2 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced (0)
4 garlic cloves, minced (0)

28 points total divided by 5 servings=5.6 points rounded up.
6 points per 1 cup serving of chicken mixture and 4 points per 3/4 cup rice.  10 points/serving.

Chop mince chop mince! and set aside in 2 bowls.
-Chicken and bell peppers in one bowl.
-Snow peas, scallions, ginger, and garlic in another bowl

Cook rice according to package instructions.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together cornstarch, sugar, gluten free soy sauce, and vinegar and set aside.

In a large skillet or wok, heat coconut oil over high. Add chicken and bell peppers and cook, stirring frequently, until peppers begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add snow peas, scallions, ginger, and garlic, stirring frequently, until chicken is cooked through and veggies are tender, about 4 minutes.

Whisk soy sauce mixture again and add to skillet, and cook, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Fluff rice with a fork. Serve over rice.

Serves 5

Grandma's Potato Soup

My Grandma, Wilmetta, used to make this and when I was a teenager I asked her for the recipe. It was so simple, and even with my additions it's still simple. I think my Grandma made it to see her teenage grandkids ;-) We couldn't stay away if she was cooking. My own tradition is to make it at the first snow and, of course, any time I think of my Grandma.

Now that I know it's so light on points, I'll be making it more often!

Weight Watchers PointsPlus--4pts/1 cup serving
(Points for each ingredient in parenthesis below)

3 lbs potatoes, 48 oz, chopped into 1/2" cubes (24)
4 cups milk, I use goat milk (16)
32 oz box of chicken stock, or 32 oz of water (0)
10 celery stalks, thinly sliced (0)
1-2 T garlic, minced (0)
1 onion, chopped (0)
1 T salt (0)
4 t pepper (0)
4 oz finely shredded cheese (I use a sheep cheese called Lamb Chopper) (12)
1/4 cup gluten free flour (Currently I use Pamela's or King Arthur) (4)
3 T of the bacon grease (12)

Total points value of potato soup without the bacon on top=68 points. This recipe makes 16 cups. 68 divided by 16 is 4.25 points. 4 points/1 cup serving.

8 slices bacon (12) (For why this isn't added to the above points, read bottom of recipe.)

Pour the chicken stock into a small stockpot. Peel and chop potatoes and put in pot and bring to boil. Turn down to a slow boil and cook for 15 minutes. (Do NOT drain when done!)

Thinly slice the celery, set aside in bowl. Chop the onion, set aside. Mince garlic, set aside.

In a large stockpot on medium high heat fry the bacon however you'd like--I like to chop it up and fry it. It seems to take less time and I don't have to try to crumble it afterwards. Remove with slotted spoon to a paper towel. Leave 3 T of the bacon grease in the pan.

On medium high heat saute celery and onion in the 3 T bacon grease, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and saute for another minute. Lower heat to medium and pour in the 4 cups of milk. Stir occasionally until the mixture begins to simmer.

Add potatoes with the stock they cooked in, just pour the whole stockpot into the larger pot.

Finely shred the 4 oz of cheese.

Put gluten free flour into a jar with a screw top or a small rubbermaid container. Add about a 1/2 cup to a cup of HOT water and shake until no lumps are left. Slowly pour into potato soup and stir until incorporated.

Add shredded cheese, salt and pepper. Stir, stir, stir so nothing sticks to bottom and cheese melts into soup. Turn down to low. Make a salad :-)  I add this because it's something I'm trying to remember myself! Make some toast or warm some bread--I like the crunch of toast with soup.

I make this for my family of four so I divide the bacon crumbles into four piles and sprinkle it on top. I don't like to add the bacon to the soup because it gets squishy in the leftovers. Depending on how many people you are serving, you may want to make more bacon or just use it as a garnish instead. In my recipe it's 2 slices of bacon per person=2 points each.

Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

Weight Watchers PointPlus--7 pts/serving
(Points in parenthesis)

Yummy, fast, easy, and my kids love it!

12 oz of quinoa/corn pasta (currently my favorite, nice tooth, doesn't fall apart) (30)
1 T butter or coconut oil (3)
1/2 large onion, finely diced (0)
3 cloves garlic, minced (0)
1-2 jars (One 15 oz or two 12 oz) roasted red peppers in water, drained and roughly chopped (0)
1 cup chicken broth (0)
1/2 t salt (0)
1/2 t pepper (0)
8 oz cooked chicken, chopped (8)
1/2 cup whole milk, I use goat (2)
3 oz (1/2 cup) favorite cheese, grated, I use Lamb Chopper (12)
Parsley, minced (0)
Basil, chopped (0)
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts (0--I don't count nuts)

55 points total divided by 8 servings=6.8
7 points/1 cup serving

In a large skillet over medium high heat melt 2 T butter. Add onions and saute until they began to soften. Add minced garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add the chopped red peppers and cook for a few minutes, until hot.

Toast the pine nuts by tossing them in a skillet (no oil) until golden brown.

Remove the skillet from heat. Pour the contents of the skillet into a blender or food processor. Puree the mixture until blended.

Pour the puree back into the skillet, medium heat. Add 1 cup broth, 1/2 t salt, and1/2 t pepper and stir until heated. Add milk and stir. Taste and add salt and pepper if you need to. Add cooked chicken. Keep on simmer..

Make the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and add to the skillet. Add cheese, parsley, basil, toasted pine nuts and stir.

Serve in bowls with a sprinkling of cheese and parsley on top.

Adapted from a Ree Drummond recipe.

Weight Watchers!

On January 2, 2014 I joined Weight Watchers. I did it back in 2003/2004 and lost 35 lbs. I kept it off until about 2 years ago. Over that 2 years I gained almost 15 lbs back--gack. So, I'm back. I'm slowly converting my recipes (and digging out old ones) to the Weight Watchers PointsPlus system. There are a few things that I probably just won't be making too often anymore. I converted a wonderful potato salad recipe and found that a half a cup was 10 points--yikes, that's a ton for a side dish! Maybe for a special occasion. But most things I've been making are turning out just fine, like the rich Beef Bourguignon recipe I posted earlier--wow, yummy!

Beef Bourguignon

Weight Watchers PointPlus--12 pts/serving
(Points in parenthesis)

1.5 lbs chuck roast, trimmed of all hard fat, about 1.25 lbs, cubed (20)
4 slices bacon, roughly chopped (4)
2 medium onions, chopped (0)
2 T garlic, minced (0) 
10 carrots, scrubbed, ends trimmed, cut into 2" pieces (0)
2 cups baby bella mushrooms, stems removed, sliced 1/4" (0)
1 cup Italian parsley, roughly chopped (0) 
1 t. fresh thyme, minced or 1/2 t. dry (0) 
2 t. salt (0) 
2 t. pepper (0)

Follow directions above and set it all aside in bowls 

2 T safflower oil (8)

1 T tomato paste (1)

1 box, 32 oz (4 cups) beef stock (0)

15 oz of nice Pinot Noir (12)

1/8 cup gluten free flour (I used King Arthur) (2)

1/8 cup room temperature butter (I used goat butter) (6)

53 total points divided by 8=6.625 points, so 7 points per 1 cup serving

I found a 9 oz box of gluten free egg noodles by Jovial (x 2 if you are serving 8). 4 servings per box=5 points per 1 cup serving

Prep everything and set aside. Heat a large, heavy dutch oven on medium high. Pour 2 T oil in pan and let it get hot. Cook bacon until it's crispy, remove with a slotted spoon. Pat beef cubes dry, sprinkle with salt and pepper and place in dutch oven, turn until all sides are browned, remove with slotted spoon. 

Cook onions and mushrooms, until onions are lightly browned, about 10 minutes. add carrots. Add 2 T. garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add 1 T. tomato paste and sauté for 1 minute. 

Return bacon and beef to pot, pour in the wine and the box of beef stock. Add 1 t. of thyme, 1 cup of parsley, 2 t. salt and 2 t. pepper. Stir and bring to simmer. Turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. 

Toward the end of the 2 hours, make a salad to go along with this heavy meal! :-) Get the water going for the pasta. 

After 2 hours, place softened butter in a small dish and add flour. Mix together with a fork and swirl into dutch oven. Cook another 5 minutes. 

Make pasta. Serve a cup of pasta with a cup of beef bourguignon on top. 

Instead of egg noodles (1 cup=5 points) you can substitute mashed potatoes (1 cup=6 points) or rice (1 cup=5 points)