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)

German Chocolate Cupcakes

German Chocolate Cupcakes

These are the best cupcakes I've made all week (Wednesday was Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting AND Cream Cheese Frosting and Thursday was Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting).

This has a few steps but it's worth it!

King Arthur Flour Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Mix.
Follow the directions. It's easy and you end up with 24 cupcakes that the gluten folks won't be able to tell are gluten free.

Halfway (11 minutes) through the baking time (22 minutes total works in my oven) turn the cupcake tins around 180 degrees so they bake evenly. Once the cupcakes come out of the oven, let them cool for 10 minutes in the pan and then take them out and put them on a cooling rack.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

Pamela's Dark Chocolate Frosting Mix and make Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 bag of frosting mix (which is just sugar, cocoa, vanilla powder)
2 T butter, room temperature
8 oz block of cream cheese, softened
A few tablespoons of water in a cup nearby

Allow butter and cream cheese to soften. Mix together with a hand or stand mixer on medium speed. Add the frosting mix and a bit of water. Continue to add water until the frosting is smooth and you have the right consistency. I think a little stiffer is better, that way when it's piped onto the cupcake it holds its shape.

Using whatever tip you like create a pretty barrier for the coconut pecan frosting by piping the chocolate cream cheese frosting around the edge of the cupcake.

Coconut Pecan Frosting

1 cup evaporated milk (not skim)
4 egg yolks
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup salted butter (2 sticks)
1 t vanilla
2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
1.5 cups chopped pecans (I bought chopped but chopped them a little finer)

In a medium pan melt the butter and then add the evaporated milk and brown sugar. Whisk the egg yolks in a small bowl and then temper them with a little of the butter mixture.

Tempering: Once the egg yolks are whisked take a tablespoon of the hot butter mixture and whisk quickly into the eggs. Repeat this process with 8 tablespoons of hot butter mixture and then pour the eggs into the butter mix. This keeps you from having to strain this mixture through a fine mesh strainer (at best) or from having scrambled eggs (at worst).

Cook mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened--anywhere between 5 and 15 minutes. Mixture should almost come to a boil and when you swipe a rubber spatula along the bottom of the pan you should see the pan for a second.

Remove from stove and stir in vanilla. Stir in coconut and pecans. Allow frosting to come to room temperature.

Scoop 1-2 tablespoons onto tops of cupcakes.

Sprinkle a little coarsely ground salt on top and you're done!

Or just call me and I'll make you some :-)

What to do with leftover coconut pecan frosting? Ha, as if there's an option!

Grilled Lamb Chops

 Grilled Lamb Chops
Adapted from a recipe by Giada De Laurentiis

We recently bought a whole lamb from Nancy Penley at http://www.naturallambcoop.com. Grass fed, all natural, and YUMMY! Also much less expensive than buying the same at Whole Foods. Nancy is in Loveland, CO.


Ingredients

    • 2 large garlic cloves, crushed
    • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves
    • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
    • 1/8 to 1/4 t. cayenne pepper (depending on your tastes)
    • 1 t. coarse sea salt
    • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    • 6 lamb chops, about 3/4-inch thick

Directions

In a small, cup sized food processor fitted with a metal blade add the garlic, rosemary, thyme, cayenne, and salt. Pulse until combined. Pour in olive oil and pulse into a paste. Rub the paste on both sides of the lamb chops and let them marinate for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.

Remove from refrigerator and allow the chops to come to room temperature; it will take about 20 minutes.

Heat 2 T canola oil in a pan over high heat until almost smoking, add the chops and sear for about 2 minutes. Flip the chops over and cook for another 3 minutes for medium-rare and 3 1/2 minutes for medium.

Plate and cover with aluminum foil if you want the chops to continue cooking a little longer so they are just pink on the inside and not bloody (I'm not a big fan of bloody, gives me the willies!)

I made a box of gluten free parmesan risotto and swiss chard from our garden to go along with the chops.