Pork and Fennel Ragu

This is easy to make (start to finish 38 minutes), I use the food processor to cut down on chopping time. While the fennel and onion cooks, measure out your spices and chop the tomatoes. Yes you can freeze this sauce, as it is moist. Gets raves from all who have tried it, including my parents who are very plain eaters!

Cooking spray
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped fennel
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
8 ounces lean ground pork
2 cups chopped tomato
1/2 cup fat-free low sodium chicken broth
4 cups hot cooked rigatoni (about 1/2 lb uncooked pasta)

Heat a large skillet coated with cooking spray over medium high heat. Add onion, fennel and garlic, cook for 5 minutes. Add fennel seeds and next 7 ingredients (through to pork), stirring to combine, saute 3 minutes.

Add tomato and broth, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve over hot pasta.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size 1 cup ragu and 1 cup pasta)

Per serving: 408 calories (30% from fat), 13.7 g fat, 5 g fibre

Bruchetta Chicken Bake

Prep: 10 minutes
Total cooking time: 40 mins

1 can (540 mL) stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 package (120 g) Stove Top stuffing mix for chicken
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 tsp dried basil
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 400F. Place tomatoes in medium bowl. Add stuffing mix and garlic, stir until stuffing mix is moistened. Set aside.

Place chicken in a 13x9 inch baking dish, sprinkle with basil and cheese. Top with stuffing mixture.

Bake 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Serve with cooked green beans, and salad. Makes 6 servings, 1 cup each.

9 pts per serving.
Freezes well.
Very easy to make.

Butternut Soup

This recipe is from the Loonie Spoons Cookbook.

1 tbsp reduced-fat butter or margerine (not fat free)- I used vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tsp curry powder
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup apple juice
4 cups peeled, cubed butternut squash
1 cup peeled chopped pear (I only had 1 pear so I used an apple as well)
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup low-fat sour cream (optional)
Parsley for garnish (optional)

Melt butter in a saucepan (or if you use oil, just heat it up). Add onions and cook over medium heat until tender, about 5 mins. Sprinkle curry powder over onions and cook 1 minute more.

Add broth, apple juice, squash, and pears. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer 15-20 minutes until squash is tender.

Transfer soup to a blender and pulse until mixture is pureed. Return to pot. Add salt.

To serve, ladle soup into bowls and spoon a tablespoon of sour cream in the center. Garnish with parsley if desired.

Makes 4 servings. The entire pot is 5 points, not including the sour cream.

Noodles with Peanut Sauce

My mom makes this recipe often, and I really like it. Lara you'll have to wait to try it unfortunately!

8 oz spaghetti
1 bunch of green onions, sliced
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp minced ginger root
1/3 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup soya sauce
1/4 cup hot water
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1/4 ts crushed red pepper flakes

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water. Drain. Meanwhile combine the oil and onions in a small skillet. Saute over low heat until tender. Add ginger, cook and stir for 1-2 minutes. Mix in peanut butter, water, vinegar sugar and pepper flakes. Remove from heat. Toss noodles with sauce and serve.

Yummy beef stir fry

This is a beef stir fry I made at a dinner a party a couple of months ago and it was a big hit.

1 lb sirlong steak, trimmed of fat, thinly sliced (I've used other types of steak and it worked just as well)

Marinade:
3 tbsp asian fish sauce
2 tbsp reduced sodium soya sauce
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp grated gingerroot
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp red pepper falkes

1 tbsp peanut or canola oil
1 large red pepper, cut into strips
1 medium red onion
Lots of fresh basil leaves (at least 20)

Place steak spices in a bowl. Whisk together marinade. Pour over steak and let sit for 30 minutes at room temperature.

Heat oil over medium high heat. Remove steak from marinade, shaking off the excess liquid. Reserve marinade.
Cook steak until just cooked through and transfer to a bowl. Add onion and peppers and cook for about 5 minutes until veg are tender. Return beef to wok and add basil and reserved marinade. Cook 2 more minute until basil leaves are wilted and beef is hot.

I add extra veg, green pepper, bamboo shoots, etc.

We serve it over rice and for 4 servings over a cup of rice we figured this is 9 points.

Chocolate crunch cookies

2 large eggs
1/4 cooking oil
1 devil's food cake mix
3 chocolate covered buttery toffee bars (skor, 39g), coarsely chopped

Beat eggs and cooking oil. Add cake mix and beat until just moist.

Add chocolate bar pieces, mix until stiff dough. Roll into 2tsp sized balls. Arrange 2 inches apart on silpat (trust me, a greased cookie cheat didn't cut it)
Bake at 350Ffor about 10 minutes until tops are domed and cracked. Let sit for 5 minutes on cookie sheet and then move to cooling rack. Makes about 4 dozen.

1 cookie: 47 calories; 3g fat
1 point each!

Peanut-free Pad Thai

This is my mom's Pad Thai recipe and it's super easy to make.

1/2 pkg rice noodles (angel hair)
1/2 brick firm tofu (or you can use shrimp)
3 large carrots grated
2 cups bean sprouts
1/4 cup soya sauce
2 inch cube of fresh ginger, grated
1 tbsp hot pepper flakes
1 tsp sesame oil
1-2 tbsp cilantro
lime wedges
olive oil

1. Cube the tofu and marinate in the soya sauce for 30 mins.
2. Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles until tender. Drain them and set aside.
3. Put 2-3 tbps olive oil in a frying pan and add half the ginger and half the hot pepper flakes. Don't let it burn, but fry for a couple of minutes stiring often.
4. Add the tofu and soya sauce, and continue to stir fry until brown on all sides. Then remove the tofu and set aside. If there isn't enough oil in the pan, add a little bit more and then add the remaining ginger and pepper flakes. Let it cook a little bit, without burning.
5. Then add the grated carrots and bean sprouts, and a squirt of soya sauce, and the sesame oil. 6. Stirfry everything together at high heat for a minute or two and then return the tofu to the pan. You want the bean sprouts to remain crunchy.
7. Turn off the heat, and add the noodles to the pan. Mix everything well. Add the cilantro at the end, and garnish with lime.

(If you find your frying pan isn't big enough, you can add the veggies to the pot the noodles cooked in instead)

Moroccan Burgers

This is one of my favourite things to make for supper. It came from a cook book I got at a Weight Watchers meeting. You can serve them with couscous and some butternut squash steamed in the microwave. You can also double the recipe and freeze half of the patties.

12 ounces of extra lean ground beef
2 tbps currants or raisins
1 tbsp tomato paste (I have used ketchup and it works just the same)
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper

1. Combine the beef, currants, tomato paste, cumin, cinnamon, salt and pepper and form into 4 burgers (1/2 inch thick).
2. Spray a large non-stick skillet with pam and set over medium heat. (You may need to add a bit of oil so they don't stick- as they cook, sugar from the raisins is released and will stick to the pan). Cook burgers turning once, 3-4 mins per side or until cooked through.

2 points per burger

Lemon-Roasted Greek Potatoes

4 medium potatoes
3 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 olive oil
1/2 tsp oregano and salt

Preheat over to 375F. Combine ingredients, toss to coat. Turn onto baking sheet and roast, uncovered, turning after 25 minutes until deep golden and tender. 40-45 minutes.

4 servings

I also added carrots, but didn't add more sauce. Pretty low in points if you do that, about 4 points per serving.

Down-Home BBQ Pork

2 tbsp dark brown sugar
2 tsp Mexican seasoning
2 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 boneless pork tenderloin
1/3 cup fat-free bbq sauce

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray it with pam.
2. Combine brown sugar, Mexican seasoning, cumin, salt and pepper in a bowl. Rub the mixture all over the pork and place it on the baking sheet.
3. Roast the pork for 20 mins. Brush the pork with half of the remaining bbq sauce and roast for 10 more minutes. Brush the pork with the remaining sauce until it reaches an internal temperature of 160F (15-20 mins longer).

Makes 6 servings
5 Points for a 3 oz serving
10/10
Super easy to make

Rachelle's Crocpot Chicken

Mitch's Aunt Rachelle gave me this recipe.

2 cans low fat cream of chicken soup
1 can low fat cream of asparagus soup
1 pound chicken, cubed
2 cups chopped carrots
2 cups chopped celery

Serve on egg noodles or pasta of your choice.

Put everything in a crocpot. Do not add water. I put the setting for 4 hours because I was home, but you could easily put it for longer. Makes 4 servings.


Rating: 9/10
Difficulty: Super easy
Freezes: Yes

Sizzling Rivalry

This recipe is in the Looney Spoons cookbook. I made it last night and it was delish!

1 pound of chicken, cubed (1 package)
4 medium red potatoes, cubed with skin left on
1 cup canned kernel corn
1 cup black beans
3/4 cup chopped green onion
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 1/2 cup salsa (your choice, mild, med or hot)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro (optional if you don't like cilantro)

In a microwave steamer, steam the cubed potatoes (about 10 mins). While they are cooking, spray a non-stick skillet with cooking spray. Cook the chicken until no longer pink. Once cooked, remove it from the pan and set aside. Add the vegetable oil, and cook the potatoes until they start to brown. Return the chicken, and add the corn, beans and green onion. Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the salsa and continue to cook until heated through. Add the cilantro at the end, and serve immediately.

Makes 2 generous servings with enough left over for lunch.

Rating: 10/10!
Difficulty: Super easy
Freezes: Hmm.. not sure, but I don't see why not!

Sicilian Supper

This one was a big hit with Vicky and Eric. I thought it was good too.

From Linda Larsen,Your Guide to Busy Cooks.FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now!
This recipe has become a favorite at my house. The cream cheese sauce and ground beef and tomato mixture combine for a fabulous casserole.
INGREDIENTS:
1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
15 oz. jar spaghetti sauce
2 cups elbow macaroni
8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, cubed
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown ground beef and onion in heavy saucepan, stirring to break up ground beef. Drain well. Add spaghetti sauce and stir well to blend. Let simmer for 10 minutes to blend flavors.

Meanwhile, cook elbow macaroni as directed on package. While macaroni is cooking, combine cream cheese and milk in medium bowl. Cook in microwave on medium power for 2-3 minutes, stirring once halfway through cooking. Remove from microwave and stir with wire whisk until sauce blends. Drain noodles and add to cream cheese sauce along with sour cream, green pepper, and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.
In 2 quart casserole dish, place all of cream cheese mixture. Top with all of the ground beef mixture and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes until casserole is bubbly.
To freeze, add 1 Tbsp. cornstarch to the cream cheese sauce. Prepare casserole as directed, except instead of baking, chill in refrigerator. Wrap well and freeze up to 3 months. To thaw and reheat, thaw casserole overnight in refrigerator. Bake, covered, for 25-30 minutes until hot. Uncover, sprinkle with more Parmesan cheese, and bake 5-10 minutes longer until bubbly. 8 servings

Ham stuffed manicotti

This recipe came from busycooks.about. com and it was quite good.

Ingredients:
- 14 manicotti pasta shells (that's conveniently how many were in the box I bought)
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1/4 butter
- 3 cups cooked cubed ham
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 6 tbsp butter
- 6 tbsp flour
- 3 cups milk
- 2 cups shredded swiss cheese (I used cheddar because I hate swiss)
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Preperation:
Cook manicotti as directed on package. drain , rinse in cool water and set aside. Meanwhile, cook onion, garlic, and bell pepper in butter (or us oilive oil) until tender. Add ham until everything is hot. Then set aside to cool for ten minutes and stir in 1/3 cup of parmesan cheese.

In a heavy saucepan cook 6 tbsp of butter until foamy. Stir in 6 tbsp of flour, stirring constantly, until mixture bubbles (about 3 minutes). Add milk and cook, whisking constantly, until sauce thickens. Mix 1/4 of the cheese sauce in with the ham mixture.

Fill manicotti shells with ham mixture (your fingers work best). Spread about 1/2 cup of cheese sauce into a greased 13x9 glass baking dish and arrange filled shells over sauce. If there is any leftover filling (I didn't even use all 14 shells in the end) just sprinkle it over the top. Pour remaining sauce over top of manicotti. At this point the casserole can be cooled in the refrigerator, then wrapped up and frozen for up to 3 months. To thaw and reheat, thaw casserole overnight in refrigerator, then uncover, sprinkle with 1/2 cup of parmensan chese and bake at 350F for 40-50 minutes. If not freezing the casserole, sprinkle with 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese and bake at 350F for 30-35 minutes until bubbly.

Frozen Lemon Meringue Torte

Frozen Lemon Meringue Torte
1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup butter
1 Tbs grated lemon rind
1 cup lemon juice
6 eggs
1-1/2 cups whipping cream

Prepare this semifreddo first as it must cool completely. In sauce pan over medium-high heat, heat sugar, butter, lemon rind and juice, stirring until sugar is dissolved. In bowl, beat eggs; whisk hot lemon mixture into the beaten eggs (DON'T add eggs TO hot lemon mix). Return mixture to the saucepan and cook, stirring, just until boiling; simmer for 1 minute. Pour into clean bowl. Place plastic wrap directly on surface and chill in refrigerator to room temperature. (Mixture can be refrigerated up to 1 day.) When ready to assemble, whip cream just to stiff peaks and fold it into the cold lemon mixture.

Meringues
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 Tbs cornstarch
2 tsp grated lemon rind
6 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla

Trace four 8-inch circles on parchment paper or brown paper (do not just trace the bottom of the spring-form pan because the meringues will be too big); place, pencil side down, on upside down baking sheets or ones with no sides (you can trim the paper to ~10" or 11 circles which will allow the meringues room to expand beyond the 8" circle. DON'T attach the paper to the baking sheet with anything). Combine 3/4 cup of the sugar with the cornstarch and the lemon rind; set aside. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in remaining 3/4 cup sugar until stiff peaks form. Add vanilla; fold in reserved sugar mixture. Spoon meringue onto circles, smoothing tops. Bake in 300 oven for 1 hour or until dry and lightly golden. Let cool. (Meringues can be stored in cool, dry place for up to 3 days.)

Assembly: I line a 9" or 9 1/2" springform pan (bottom and sides) with plastic wrap to prevent torte from taking on a tinny taste from the metal - if your pan is non-stick don't bother lining. Set aside the least attractive of the 4 meringues to use to decorate. Fit 1 meringue into the springform pan (trim if necessary). Carefully spread 1/3 of the lemon-whipped cream mixture over top. Add second meringue, and spread 1/3 lemon mix. over top. Add third meringue, and spread last 1/3 of lemon mix. over top. Crumble the fourth meringue and arrange some of it decoratively over top. You can also decorate with sprinkles if desired.

Freeze uncovered for at least 8 hours. Torte can be frozen, well wrapped, a week or more. Let soften in the refrigerator for 45 minutes before removing sides (and bottom if necessary) and serving.
Makes 12 servings.
*NOTES:
The first time I made this, I put all four meringues in the oven at the same time. The two on the bottom started to burn long before the ones on the top were cooked. You may want to cook them two at a time.

Orange Cilantro Black Bean Salad

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 medium red onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, pressed

1/4 tsp cumin

2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can mandarin oranges, rinsed

juice of half a lemon

Salt & pepper to taste

Combine oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, onion, cumin and cilantro in a bowl. Add black beans and mix. Add oranges at the end, and be careful not to over mix, as they can break easily. The longer you let this salad stand, the more the flavours will blend together. Enjoy!

From Vicky

Seb's Famous Dip

Put a nice coat of Philly cream cheese on the bottom of the bowl (getting it at room temp makes it easier to spread with a spoon)
Add a healthy coat of HOT salsa sauce
Add a healthy coat of sour cream (you can mix in to the salsa to get a nice rose color)
Add a healthy amount of your favourite shredded cheese all over the top so cannot see the sauce anymore
Add diced vegetables (mix on green onions, white or red onions, red & green peppers, tomatoes).

Very easy to make and people really like it!

From Lori

Vegetable Quiche Cups

This is a great snack or breakfast or appetizer. One serving is two quiches, which I love. Don't try to make this without the foil baking cups- trust me.

INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup liquid egg substitute or 3 /4 cup egg whites (I use the flavoured kind of substitute for more flavour- yum, yum. Get this in the dairy aisle next to real eggs.)
1 package frozen chopped spinach (10 oz.)
3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat / low-fat cheese
1/4 cup diced red or green peppers or mixture of both
1/4 cup diced onions (I use a bit more for that lovely onion flavour)
A shake or two of hot sauce (if you want)
Bit of salt and pepper
Foil baking cups (please, please use these. At my grocery store they are in with the plastic containers, and one-time pie plates, roasting trays, etc.)
Cooking spray

PREPARATION:Makes 12 mini-quiches
1. Heat oven to 350F
2. Thaw and drain spinach - just microwave it for two minutes-ish. Drain that spinach REALLY well- squeeze ALL the juice out. I mean it. You do not want wet quiche.
3. Line 12 cup muffin pan with foil baking cups, and spray the cups with the cooking spray.
4. Mix the spinach, egg substitute, cheese, peppers, onions, hot pepper sauce in a bowl.
5. Fill the foil cups with the mixture. This mixture is not runny, you can spoon it into the cups, and not pour it. Actually, I just used my hands and put big gobs of the mixture into the cups.
6. Bake at 350F or 20-30 minutes, testing so that a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. You don't want them to be wet, but you don't want them to be dried out either.
7. Remove from cups to serve. You can reheat these for about a minute in the microwave. Just chuck those puppies in a baggie and bring 'em to work. Also, you can eat them cold.

WW POINTS: either ONE point or TWO points depending on the low-fatness of your cheese, and the calories in the egg substitute. I use a bit less cheese to make it one point. One serving is two quiches. This is from the South Beach cookbook. I would try to freeze these, but I haven't tried yet.
Difficulty: Easy Peasy but give yourself time to cook them, and cool them before storing.
Rating: 10/10 so yum, and so cheap on WW points
Freezable: Sure, why not?

Pizza meatloaf

• 1 1/4 lbs extra lean ground beef
• 8 oz light mild italian sausage, casing removed
• 1/3 cup italian bread crumbs
• 1/3 cup minced onions
• 1/3 cup + 1/2 cup pizza sauce
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1/4 tsp each salt and black pepper
• 1 cup packed shredded light cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
• 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 2 tbsp chopped green onion

- Preheat over to 375 F. Spray two 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray
- Combine ground beef, sausage, bread crumbs, onions, 1/3 cup pizza sauce, parmesan cheese, egg, garlic, salt, pepper into a large bowl. Mix together with hands. Divide mixture in half and press into two cake pans. Bake for 25 minutes until the meat is no longer pink.
- Remove pans from oven and drain liquid. Transfer to cookie sheet and blot dry with paper towels. Spread half of remaining pizza sauce on each pizza and top with cheese, tomatoes, bacon and green onions.
- Bake fore 10 more minutes until cheese is completely melted.

Note: Recipe originally from Eat Shrink and be Merry cookbook. (go buy the cookbook, it rocks:)

Rating: 10/10 YUM!
Difficulty: easy/moderate
Freezable: yes, but without toppings.

Mexican Lasagna

Layered Mexican casserole with beef, beans, tortillas, and cheese

• 1 1/2 lbs (680 g) extra-lean ground beef (you can use ground chicken)
  
• 1 cup each diced red onions and diced green bell pepper
• 2 tsp garlic
• 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup frozen or canned corn
• 1 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 2 cups tomato sauce
• 1 cup medium salsa
• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro (I use the frozen cubes)
• 4 large or 8 small whole wheat flour tortillas
• 1 1/2 cup shredded light cheddar
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 1 cup light sour cream (I skipped this)

- Preheat overn to 375 F. Spray a 9x13 casserole dish with cooking spra and set aside
- In a large pot cooke beef, onions, green pepper and garlic until meat is no longer pink.
- Add black beans, tomatoes, corn, chili powder, and cumin. Cook and stir for 2 more minutes. Add pasta sauce, salsa. Bring to boi. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cilantro and remove from heat.
- To assemble lasagna, spread 1/3 sauce mixture over bottom of casserole dish. Top with 1/2 tortillas, overlapping as needed. Top with 1/3 mixture, then 1/2 the cheese. Cover with remaining tortillas, then sauce and the top with remainder of cheese and green onions
- Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Uncover and make 10 more minutes. Let lasagna stand 10 minutes before serving. Serve with sour cream.

Note: Recipe originally from Eat Shrink and be merry cookbook.

Rating: 9/10
Difficult: Moderate - it takes awhile.
Freezable: yes