Barley Risotto with Butternut Squash

This tasty treat comes from a recipe found in the October issue of "Country Living" magazine...the recipe practically begged to be made as the only change necessary was the exchange of olive oil for cooking spray! The use of barley for risotto would ordinarily not cross my mind but after tasting its sweet and nutty flavor and learning that it packs almost twice the amount of protein found in regular rice I will be looking to use it in future risotto dishes as a replacement. The butternut squash gets its own baking treatment prior to joining the risotto and I have to say the pieces that had a bit of burn to them had the best flavor; I think if I make this again I will let the squash go under the boiler for a few minutes to crisp burn the majority of pieces. The dish itself is a combination of sweet squash, nutty barely, fresh thyme, lemon, garlic, parmesan cheese, wine, onions and of course a subtle broth of rich stock. Perfect dish to make on nights when you are in the mood for something light yet filling, at only 5pts per serving gotta try: Barley Risotto with Butternut Squash

Hunter's Stew

The first time I had hunter's stew (bigos) was at a Polish festival...for those of you that have never heard of or had this delightful dish it is basically a very meaty/thick stew. The popularity of this stew lies in its utility in using up all the "odds and ends" remaining in one's cupboard as well as any mixed meats remaining from hunting parities. So of course wanting to please my Polish love I began to make bigos at home following traditional recipes and ingredients and achieved excellent results; however when made in this manner bigos is more like heart attack stew rather than a heart healthy selection. The challenge then became adapting a traditional recipe into something WW friendly...to accomplish this task I merged two separate bigos recipes from, "The Art of Polish Cooking"  into one health conscious concoction. The end results were a very flavorful combination of vegetables, fruits and meat that not only resembled bigos but got a W stamp of approval! The mixed textures of apples, sauerkraut, onion, mushrooms and carrots alongside the smoked turkey sausage simmered together in a hearty wine and tomato broth made this dish a new household favorite at only 5pts per serving! If you have never had bigos, now's the time to try! Hunter's Stew

p.s. If you have the points serve this up with a hunk of fresh, crusty bread to soak up all the juices!

Linguine with Red Clam Sauce and Bruschetta

Yes, yes I do realize it's been a good while since my last post...so in the spirit of re-energizing your cooking prowess with a show stopper, I bring you Linguine with Red Clam Sauce and Bruschetta! This fantastic meal comes from WW Online and serves up great flavor with gourmet flair for only 5pts! For those of you that are reluctant about cooking with clams let me assure you that it is super simple and easy to do; the combination of savory clams alongside spicy red pepper flakes, rich wine and tons of fresh herbs make this Italian staple a sure crowd pleaser for your next get together. The bruschetta I served alongside added to the decadence of the meal with tangy balsamic, fresh basil and garlic and fantastic rosemary and olive bread for only 1 additional point. This is a must try sensation: Linguine with Red Clam Sauce and Bruschetta

Peanut-Butter French Toast

Crossing fingers that the stomach bug has left the building! Hopefully our home will resume an normal cooking and more importantly eating schedule this week...feeling a hankering for something sweet I opted to make breakfast for dinner! This recipe comes from "Pure Comfort" and provides a fresh twist on the french toast classic by stuffing peanut butter in between layers of bread before dipping in the familiar vanilla egg french toast batter. The original recipe calls for the toast to be browned in butter but by replacing with cooking spray the total pts drop from 6pts per serving to 5pts! I served alongside scrambled eggs with cheese for an additional 2pts making an all around great breakfast/dinnertime meal! Do try: Peanut-Butter French Toast

Note: Wojtek caught me walking to the dining table and insisted on my posing in apron for this dish! I'm including the foodshot as well for those wanting the close-up!

Caprese Pasta Salad

Those attending WW meetings know that the challenge this week was/is to incorporate fresh herbs into your meals; I use fresh herbs nightly from my very small patio garden but I thought I would find a recipe that truly placed all emphasis on fresh tasting herbs and veggies. This recipe comes from, "WW Savoring Summer," and is both easy to make as well as a big crowd-pleaser! The ingredients in this recipe are very simple making it essential to get the best quality ingredients that you can; very ripe fresh tomatoes, good olive oil and if possible try to purchase handmade orecchiette. The simple flavors of the freshly pressed garlic and sweet basil combined with the full flavor of ripe tomatoes and handmade pasta make this a stunning example of how herbs can make a meal. The original recipe totaled 6pts per serving but by exchanging reduced fat mozzarella with fat free the points drop to 5pts! Happy Cooking and be sure to try: Caprese Pasta Salad

Turkey Tamale Pie served with Guacamole Salad

Last night's meal was inspired by my intense craving for Mexican...don't get me wrong I still go out to Mexican restaurants but now that I am on WW it's just not as fun when your order includes: no sour cream, no cheese, no meat, no sauce, etc etc. When cooking Mexican at home, however, all the fixings can be had when in moderation and no-fatness making this meal feel, taste and look like something very not WW indeed! The Turkey Tamale Pie begins with a layer of red pepper roasted refried black beans, moves up to spice-i-fied ground turkey mixed with black olives...goes higher with a layer of cornbread/jalapeno mix and tops off with caramelized red onion and cheddar cheese. Yum..yum...yum! This fantastic pie will only cost 5pts per slice and for a great accompaniment try serving with Guacamole Salad for an additional 4pts. I realize this is a pointsy meal but if you're like me you try to save points for your favorite meal each day. If you don't have the points try for a simpler approach by whipping up a salsa vinaigrette (2tbsp salsa + 1tbsp vinegar) to top off your shredded lettuce for a 0pts salad. Either way gotta try: Turkey Tamale Pie as well as Guacamole Salad

Cajun Shrimp with Succotash

When I think of summer I think of farm fresh veggies...what better dish to show off the season's finest than succotash? There are countless ways of making succotash but for the sake of brevity this simple version uses three classic summer staples: corn, zucchini and sweet red pepper. Mix in loads of Tabasco, Creole seasoning and a dash of freshly ground black pepper for a seriously spicy punch. Serve alongside Creole spiced shrimp grilled to order and top off with a squeeze of fresh lemon for an overall amazing meal on a hot summer night for only 5pts! Gotta try: Cajun Shrimp with Succotash

Grecian Pizza

Friday night is pizza night! We all know this to be true, so why should life on WW be any different? The best thing about pizza made at home is that the options are endless! I will have to share with you some of my favorites as time goes on but last night we had a lovely Grecian Pizza for a mere 5pts! I used a round pita bread in lieu of crust and proceeded to top with an assortment of complimentary Greek staples: black olives, roasted red peppers, feta cheese, fresh tomatoes, basil, sauteed spinach, mushrooms, and of course artichokes. The only points come from the cheese, black olives and the amazing 1pt only pita. If you have been missing out on pizza night give this 5pointer a try! Grecian Pizza

Spicy Jack Cheese and Spinach Quesadillas with Refried Beans

Though not having picked this particular selection I was curious nonetheless to see what sort of flavor combination lime and spinach would produce; this recipe comes from the, "WW Stir It Up! Super Skillet Cookbook." The best thing I can say about this dinner is that it is very quick and very easy to make...I can also mention that the recipe makes four servings and Wojtek ate three of these four! Overall the taste just seemed like it needed something...perhaps a bit more salt to bring out the flavor of the spinach, or maybe even nutmeg? I don't know...honestly it was really not that bad, kind of good...great if you're a Wojtek, but for me I think not a repeat. I paired the quesadillas with a 1/2cup serving of lime and chili flavored fat free refried beans for a great 1pt side dish. Topped everything off with 1tbsp of salsa and 1tbsp of fat free sour cream to make things festive without adding points. Total for the meal: 5pts! Try it and tell me what you think Spicy Jack Cheese and Spinach Quesadillas