Minestrone Soup - 4 points

Ingredients

• 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch rounds
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1/2-1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1/2-1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 (14 ounce) can vegetable stock
• 1/2 cup small macaroni noodles or other small pasta
• 8 ounces spinach (fresh or frozen), cut into thin strips
• 1 (16 ounce) can kidney beans, undrained
• 1/4 cup packed fresh parsley or 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• grated parmesan cheese (for topping)

Instructions

1. Combine the carrots, garlic and onion in a large soup kettle or pot, and cook, covered, over low heat for about 10-15 minutes (until the onion is soft and translucent).
2. Stir occasionally and add a little stock or water if necessary to prevent scorching.
3. Add the vegetable stock, tomatoes, basil, marjoram, oregano and pepper and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
4. Add the pasta and cook for about 10 minutes (until tender).
5. Add the spinach, parsley, beans and their liquid, and cook for about 5 more minutes (until heated through).
6. Serve with grated parmesan cheese on the side to sprinkle on top, if desired.

Servings: 6

Shrimp Louie Salad

Ingredients:

• 2 cups shrimp
• Lettuce
• Endive
• 8 Tomato wedges
• 2 hard boiled eggs
• 20 black olives
• 8 lemon wedges

Louie Dressing:

• 1 cup mayo
• 2 tbsp. parsley
• 2 tbsp. chili sauce
• 1 tbsp. catsup
• 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp. A-1 sauce

Instructions:

1. Chill dressing
2. Arrange lettuce and endive on salad plates
3. Place shrimp on greens
4. Add tomato wedges, eggs, olives, and lemon wedges
5. Spoon dressing over shrimp

Tortilla Soup, 2 points+

Ingredients:

• 4 medium corn tortilla(s)
• 1/2 tsp garlic salt
• 1 small uncooked onion(s), chopped
• 1 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), minced
• 2 medium fresh tomato(es), cored and chopped
• 1 average serrano chile(s)(average), cored, seeded and minced (use 1 chile)
• 1 medium yellow pepper(s), cored and chopped
• 3 cup(s) fat free chicken broth
• 2 Tbsp cilantro, minced
• 1/4 tsp table salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF.
2. Sprinkle each tortilla with 1/8 teaspoon garlic salt, then cut each into 6 wedges.
3. Place on cookie sheet; bake until crisp, about 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Remove from oven and set aside.
5. (no)In a food processor fitted with a steel blade, combine onion, garlic, tomatoes, chile and pepper.
6. Process until vegetables are finely chopped.
7. Coat a 3-quart pot with cooking spray.
8. Add vegetables; sauté until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.
9. Add chicken broth; simmer until vegetables are tender and flavors are blended, about 5 minutes.
10. Stir in cilantro, salt and pepper.
11. Spoon soup into 4 bowls. Top each with 1/4 toasted tortillas.
12. Yields about 1 1/2 cups per serving.

Mexican Style Weight Watchers 0 Points Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 cups fresh green snap beans, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 small zucchini, cubed
• 1 cup tomatillos, chopped
• 1 medium jalapeno, chopped fine
• 14 oz canned tomato, diced (Mexican)
• 1/2 medium poblano chili pepper
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp fresh oregano
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 2 roasted red peppers in water
• 1 Tbsp chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro

Instructions:

1. Puree roasted peppers with chipotle in blender
2. Add to pan, along with vegies
3. Cover, bring to a boil
4. Reduce to low, simmer for 10 minutes
5. Stir in salt, lime juice, cilantro
6. Serving size: 1 cup

Banana Bread - 1 Point

Ingredients:

• 3 bananas, mashed
• 1 cup Splenda sugar substitute
• 1/2 cup natural applesauce
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a mixer, mash bananas, add Splenda and mix.
3. Mix in rest of indgredients.
4. Pour ingredients into a bread pan sprayed with non-stick spray.
5. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes; cake tester should come out clean when done.
6. Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack.
7. *If using a dark coated pan, bake at 325 degrees and bake a little longer; cake tester to should come out clean when done.

Italian Sausage and Pepper Pasta - 7 Points+

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound Italian sausage
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 2 peppers, cut into long thin strips
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1 1/2 tbsp. garlic
• 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes, fire-roasted
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
• pinch salt

Instructions:

1. Bring water to boil
2. Large non-stick skillet, cook sausage breaking it up. Remove to plate
3. Heat oil in skillet. Add peppers and onion; cook about 5 minutes
4. Add wine and garlic; cook until most liquid evaporates (1 minute)
5. Add tomatoes, crushed red pepper, salt, sausage
6. Bring to boil
7. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer
8. Add pasta to water; cook until done
9. Toss pasta with sauce
10. Serve: 1 1/3 cups

Low-Fat Chicken Enchiladas, 4 points

Ingredients:

For the sauce:

• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1-2 tbsp chipotle chilis in adobo sauce
• 1-1/2 cups tomato sauce
• 1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 3/4 cup fat free chicken broth
• kosher salt and fresh pepper to taste

For the chicken:

• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• 8.5 oz (2 breast halves) cooked shredded chicken breast
• 1 cup diced onion
• 2 large clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• kosher salt
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp chipotle chili powder
• 1/3 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce

• 8 (7-inch) reduced carb whole wheat flour tortillas (la tortilla factory)
• 1 cup shredded low fat Mexican cheese
• non-stick cooking spray
• 1/2 cup chopped scallions or cilantro for topping

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, spray oil and sauté garlic. Add chipotle chiles, chili powder, cumin, chicken broth, tomato sauce, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Set aside until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Heat the vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté onions and garlic on low until soft, about 2 minutes. Add chicken, salt, cilantro, cumin, oregano, chili powder, tomato sauce, chicken broth, and cook 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Spray a 13 by 9-inch glass baking dish with non-stick spray. Put 1/3 cup chicken mixture into each tortilla and roll it.
Place on baking dish seam side down, top with sauce. Then top with cheese.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the oven on the middle rack for 20-25 minutes. Top with low fat sour cream or scallions if you wish. (Extra points) Makes 8 enchiladas