Lighter Baked Macaroni and Cheese

I am seriously kicking myself for not blogging this sooner since now I can't remember much about it. I do remember that everyone ate it and enjoyed it and I remember that we decided we would make it again substituting with smoked gouda to add another good flavor. We also substituted panko for the bread crumbs and froze half for another day. We had decide on 4 out of 5 stars so I guess that means it was pretty good.

Source: www.skinnytaste.com

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 12 oz high fiber elbows like Ronzoni Smart Taste
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp light butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup minced onion
• 2 cups skim milk
• 1 cup fat free chicken broth
• 8 oz Sargento 2% reduced fat mild cheddar
• salt and pepper
• 4 cups baby spinach
• 1/8 cup grated parmesan
• 1/4 cup seasoned whole wheat bread crumbs
• Pam butter flavored spray

Directions

1. Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions. Spray a baking dish with buttered flavor Pam. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. In a large, heavy skillet, melt butter. Add flour and cook over low heat stirring with a whisk. Add onion and cook another 2 minutes. Add milk and chicken broth and continue whisking, raising heat to medium-high until it comes to a boil and becomes smooth and thick. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Once it becomes thick, remove from heat, add cheese and mix well until cheese is melted. Adjust salt and pepper to taste, add cooked macaroni and baby spinach. Pour into baking dish. Top with grated cheese and breadcrumbs. Spray a little more buttered flavor Pam on top.
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes, then broil for a few minutes to get the breadcrumbs golden.

Amount Per Serving

Servings: 8 • Serving Size: 1 cup • Old Points: 6 pts • Points+: 7 pts

Calories: 296.67 • Fat: 9.7 g • Protein: 15.8 g • Carb: 34.5 g • Fiber: 5.3 g

Crock Pot "Baked" Potatoes

Never making baked potatoes the old fashioned way again! Cooked perfectly!!! We did 8 small potatoes and it worked great. Nothing more to say. 5 out of 5 stars.

Source: www.skinnytaste.com

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4 medium russet potatoes
• aluminum foil
• Toppings (extra pts): light sour cream, fresh chives, bacon bits, broccoli, cheese

Directions

1. Wash and scrub potatoes until clean. Dry thoroughly. When dry, prick potatoes with a fork and wrap in aluminum foil.
2. Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4.

Amount Per Serving

Servings: 4 • Serving Size: 1 potato • Old Points: 2 pts • Points+: 4 (large is 5 points+)

Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup

Yeah! Another crock pot meal that is super yummy! This had a little kick so I didn't give it to the kids but it wasn't too spicy for me and I'm a wimp. It was similar to a lot of the other taco soup type things we've made in the crock pot but it had a lot more flavor. Husband was a genius and used the fire roasted diced tomatoes which always make a meal better. We ate this with a few tortilla chips and it was great. 5 out of 5 stars and no complaints here!

Source: http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/12/crock-pot-chicken-enchilada-soup.html

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cups low sodium fat-free chicken broth
• 8 oz can tomato sauce
• 1-2 tsp chipotle chili in adobo sauce or more to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro plus more for garnish
• 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 8 oz skinless chicken breasts 16 oz total
• 1/4 cup chopped scallions, for topping
• 3/4 cup shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese
• fat free sour cream optional

Directions

1. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until soft, 3-4 minutes. Slowly add the chicken broth, tomato sauce and chipotle adobo sauce and bring to a boil. Add cilantro and remove from heat. Pour into crock pot.
2. To the crockpot, add drained beans, diced tomatoes, corn, cumin, oregano and stir. Add the chicken breasts; cover and cook on low heat for 4-6 hours.
3. Remove chicken and shred with two forks. Add chicken back into the soup, adjust salt and cumin to taste. Serve in bowls and top with fat free sour cream, cheese, scallions and cilantro. You can also top with avocado or crushed tortilla chips. Enjoy!

Amount Per Serving

Servings: 6 • Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups + cheese • Old Points: 5 pts • Points+: 7 pts

Calories: 260.9 • Fat: 6.6 g • Protein: 25.4 g • Carb: 29.9 g • Fiber: 6.7 g • Sugar: 4.1 g
Sodium: 572 mg (without salt)

Spinach Tortellini en Brodo

Ok, Husband and I disagree about this. I concede that it is good but I don't think it as good as our other tortellini soup recipe and he says it is better. I think he prefers this one because the other one has a tartness from the balsamic vinegar and this one has a more "chicken noodlie" taste. I obviously did like as we made it a few days ago and I just ate more for lunch today. That's the really good news... makes lots of leftovers. The other good news: it is surprisingly kid friendly. Thing 1 ate a little and then moved on to something else but Thing 2 kept on eating. I've actually given him this several times since we've made it but I mostly just fish the tortellini out and cut it up for him. Still, if I can make something for us and tweak it a little so the kids will eat it I'm a happy mom. As always we left out the celery. You can pretty much bet that if something contains celery it will be left out. It is my compromise with Husband. I get to keep olives if I give up celery. DEAL! Anyway, I really liked the freshness of this soup and it came when I had a yucky cold so it was a very welcomed dish. I will go with Husband on this one and give it a 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Source: http://www.skinnytaste.com/

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 2 tsp butter
• 2 stalks of celery, choppeds
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled & chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 3 cups water
• 1 small Parmigiano Reggiano Rind optional
• 18 oz spinach cheese tortellini Buitoni
• 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 2 cups baby spinach
• salt to taste
• Parmigiano Reggiano, grated

Directions

1. In a large pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat. When melted, add the celery, onion, carrot & garlic. Cover and reduce heat to low and cook for approximately 8-10 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
2. Add the chicken broth, water, rind and increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. When broth boils, add salt (to taste), pepper and nutmeg. Stir to combine. Reduce heat to low and add tortellini. Simmer until tortellini cooks to al dente.
3. Once cooked, remove the rind, and add the baby spinach. Stir to combine. Garnish with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano!
4. Makes 12 cups

Amount Per Serving

Servings: 8 • Serving Size: 1-1/2 cups • Old Points: 5 pts • Points+: 6 pts

Calories: 226.6 • Fat: 5.3 g • Carb: 33.8 g • Fiber: 0.9 g • Protein: 11.3 g

Spinach Stuffed Shells with Meat Sauce

I'm not going to lie this was not my favorite. I think the problem was the spinach. I don't like frozen spinach. Next time I think we will use fresh spinach and wilt it ourselves which will hoping make it less soggy and more fresh tasting. At the very same moment that I was eating it saying "meh" Thing 1 DEVOURED his whole plate full and wanted seconds. That's an epic win. Not to mention Thing 2 (who is my not so picky child) not only ate it all up and had seconds but he did his little 1 year old happy dance while he was eating it so I knew that was a win. All in all this was considered a win in our house which is good because we split it and have a pan in the freezer. I will definitely substitute the spinach but as it is I would give it a 4 out of 5 stars. I didn't like it as much as I had hoped but the kids did and I would definitely eat it again.


Source: http://www.skinnytaste.com/

Ingredients

• 27 (9 oz) Barilla Jumbo Shells
• 1 cup onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, choppeds
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 lb 99% lean ground turkey
• 32 oz crushed tomatoes I used Tuttorosso
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
• salt and pepper
• 2 cups part skim ricotta cheese
• 8 oz reduced fat mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 egg
• 16 oz package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed well
• 1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano

Directions

1. Boil water and cook shells according to package directions, make sure to make them al dente.
2. Meanwhile, saute onions and garlic in oil. Add turkey and salt and brown until cooked, breaking up in small pieces. Add tomatoes, salt, pepper and basil, then simmer on low, covered, about 15 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 375°.
4. In a large bowl, mix together ricotta, egg, spinach, mozzarella, and parmesan.
5. Once shells are cooked and cool, fill each shell with (about 2 heaping tbsp) cheese mixture and place on a large baking dish, or two smaller dishes, covering the bottom of the dish with a little sauce.
6. Top shells with half of the sauce, cover with foil and bake 40 minutes; uncover foil and bake 5 more minutes.
7. Serve with additional sauce on top.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 360.9 • Fat: 12.8 g • Protein: 28.4 g • Carb: 34.3 g • Fiber: 3.3 g

Servings: 9 • Serving size: 3 stuffed shells • Old Points: 7 pts • Points+: 9 pts

Slow Cooked Pork Carnitas

Husband loves pulled pork and I usually can't stand it but this I loved! The great thing about it is you can use it any way you want. We made the tacos you see here the first night and then I used some of it for a taco salad for a pot luck at work and it went pretty fast. We will most definitely be making this again! 5 out of 5 stars.

Servings: 8 • Serving Size: 4 oz (1/2 cup) • Old Points: 4 pts • Points+: 4 pts

Source: www.skinnytaste.com

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 2.5 lbs pork shoulder blade roast, lean, all fat removed I used Smithfield
• 6 cloves garlic, cut into sliver
• cumin
• dry adobo seasoning I used Goya
• garlic powder
• 3/4 cup 99% fat free chicken broth
• 2-3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauces to taste
• 2 bay leaves

Directions

1. Season pork with salt and pepper. In a medium sauté pan on medium-high heat, brown pork on all sides for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
2. Using a sharp knife, insert blade into pork, cutting small holes and insert garlic slivers. Season pork generously with cumin, adobo and garlic powder all over.
3. Pour chicken broth in the crockpot, add bay leaves and chipotle peppers. Place pork in crock pot and cover. Cook low for 8 hours. After 8 hours, shred pork using two forks and combine well with the juices that accumulated at the bottom. Remove bay leaves and adjust salt and cumin (you will probably need to add more). Let it cook another 15-30 minutes.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 176 • Fat: 7.7g • Protein: 25.8 g • Carb: 1.3 g • Fiber: 0.1 g

Asian Peanut Noodles with Chicken

We are suckers for some good Thai food so we are always looking for new pad thai recipes. I don't care what you call it, this is pretty much pad thai. I really wanted to like this. Unfortunately this was far too spicy to even taste. The chicken had really good flavor which says a lot coming from me since I am not a fan of chicken. I think we will make this again but try to tame down the spice. Suggestions welcome. 3.5 out of 5 stars as is but we may re-rate if we can get it tamed at all.

Servings: 6 • Serving Size: 1/6th of recipe • Old Points: 6 pts • Points+: 8 pts

Source: www.skinnytaste.com

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 14.5 ozs fat free chicken broth vegetarians use vegetable broth
• 5 tbsps better'n peanut butter
• 1 tbsp Sriracha chili sauce
• 2 tbsps honey
• 2 tbsps soy sauce use Tamari for gluten free
• 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 16 ozs chicken breast, cut into thin strips
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp Sriracha chili sauce more or less to taste
• juice of 1/2 lime
• 5 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
• 1 tbsp soy sauce use Tamari for gluten free
• 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
• 8 ozs rice noodles
• 3/4 cup green onion, chopped
• 1 1/4 cups shredded carrots
• 1 1/4 cups cup shredded broccoli slaw
• 1 cup bean bean sprouts
• 2 tbsps chopped peanuts
• 1 lime, sliced
• cilantro for garnish optional

Directions

1. For the peanut sauce: Combine 1 cup chicken broth, peanut butter, sriracha, honey, 2 tbsp soy sauce, ginger, and 3 cloves crushed garlic in a small saucepan and simmer over medium-low heat stirring occasionally until sauce becomes smooth and well blended, about 5-10 minutes. Set aside.
2. Boil water for the noodles cook pasta according to package instructions.
3. Season chicken with salt and pepper, sriracha, lime, garlic, ginger and soy sauce.
4. Heat a large skillet or wok until hot. Add oil and sauté chicken on high heat until cooked through, about 2-3 minutes; remove from heat and set aside.
5. Add 2 cloves crushed garlic, scallions, carrots, broccoli slaw and/or bean sprouts and salt, sauté until tender crisp, about 1-2 minutes.
6. Drain noodles and toss with peanut sauce and additional chicken broth if needed to loosen the sauce. When chicken is cooked, toss with noodles.
7. Divide noodles and chicken between 6 bowls, top with sauteed vegetables, bean sprouts, chopped peanuts (or you can toss everything together to hide the vegetables so your family members don't push them aside!) and garnish with cilantro and lime wedges.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 337.9 • Fat: 4.6 g • Carbs: 51.4 g • Fiber: 3.7 g • Protein: 21.1 g