Orecchiette, Cauliflower, Arugala & Proscuitto

I found this recipe on Pinterest recently and made it for dinner last night.  Mike and I both really liked it, despite the fact that I had to make quite a few adjustments.

Recipe
Orecchiette, Cauliflower & Proscuitto

Comments
 - Here are my swaps:
       Arugala --> Fresh baby spinach
       Proscuitto --> Thinly sliced deli ham
       Grape tomatoes --> Whole tomato, cut into pieces about the size of grape tomatoes
       Fresh sage --> Dried sage (about 1/2 tsp)
       Orecchiette --> 8 oz Dreamfield's rotini pasta
 - For the most part I think my swaps were fine but I think you'd definitely get a different flavor by using arugala and proscuitto instead of baby spinach and ham
 - Make sure to save some of the pasta water as the recipe says - I ended up using about 1/4 to 1/3 C

Rating
4/5

WW PointsPlus
6 (makes 4 servings)

Cajun Chicken Pasta

Skinnytaste again! This was one of the top 25 recipes from 2012.

Recipe
Cajun Chicken Pasta

Comments
 - I think I cooked my veggies a bit too long because the tomatoes started to break down which added a lot of liquid to the dish.  I only used 2/3 C. chicken stock but that was still too much.  I tried to reduce the sauce a bit before serving.  Next time I will not cook the tomatoes as long, and will also cut back on the broth.
 - I used fat free cream cheese and about 2/3 the amount of chicken that she calls for

Rating
4/5

WW PointsPlus
8 (5 servings)

Chicken with Fire Roasted Tomato Sauce

This was inspired by a few different recipes that I found on my Spark Recipes app.

Recipe
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (4 oz each)
1 can Hunt's Fire Roasted Tomatoes
1 medium carrot, sliced
1/4 large onion, diced
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
garlic salt
1/4 lb angel hair pasta

Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in skillet.  Season chicken breasts with garlic salt and brown them slightly in the pan, about 2 minutes per side.  Remove from skillet and set aside.  Add 1/2 Tbsp olive oil to skillet, then add carrot and onion.  Saute until slightly tender.  Add garlic and saute with the vegetables for 1-2 minutes.  Add the entire can of fire roasted tomatoes.  Put the chicken breasts back in the pan and immerse them in the sauce.  Simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes, until chicken breasts are cooked through.  Serve over cooked angel hair pasta.

Comments
 - I served these with Italian Green Beans.
 - This would be good by itself without the pasta as well - maybe with a side of risotto instead

Rating
4/5

WW PointsPlus
10 (could cut back on the EVOO to lower the Points value)

Macaroni & Cheese

I made this last night for a potluck that I have today.  My plan is to reheat this in the crock pot.

Recipe
Macaroni & Cheese

Comments
 - Next time I would cut back on the dry mustard...maybe 2 tsp instead of 2 heaping tsp
 - I didn't have whole milk but I did have leftover heavy cream from some baking I did earlier in the week, so I ended up using about 1 1/2 C heavy cream and 1 C skim milk
 - I used 2 C cheddar and 2 C colby jack

Rating
5/5

Thai Peanut Noodle Bowls

Who needs Chin's or Noodles & Co. when you can make your own lower fat, lower calorie version at home?

Recipe
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces (4 oz each)
1/4 C. chicken broth
1 head of broccoli, cut into bite size pieces
1 large carrot, sliced
1/4 medium onion, diced
4 Tbsp. Thai peanut sauce (I used Leann Chin's)
2 bundles Udon noodles
1-2 Tbsp. hot water
2 Tbsp. peanuts, chopped

Heat olive oil in a wok, then add onion and carrots.  Saute for a few minutes until onions become slightly translucent.  Add chicken broth and chicken.  Cook over low heat until chicken is no longer pink.  Add broccoli and cook until broth has almost entirely evaporated.  In a bowl, whisk together Thai peanut sauce and hot water - this is just to thin out the sauce a bit.  Add cooked Udon noodles and sauce to wok.  Toss until thoroughly combined.  Top with peanuts just before serving.

Comments
 - I added a bit of sriracha sauce to my bowl as well for a little extra kick
 - Could also use angel hair, soba or spaghetti in place of the Udon noodles
 - I added the chicken broth on a whim since the chicken cooks quickly in the wok; the broth kept the chicken moist and tender
 - Next time I might marinate the chicken for a few hours to give it a bit more flavor, using something simple like olive oil, soy sauce, and maybe a bit of sriracha

Rating
4/5

WW PointsPlus
10 (4 servings)

Baked Spaghetti w/ Spaghetti Squash

I like baked spaghetti but since I'm doing WW I thought I'd try a healthier version using spaghetti squash instead of pasta.  Halfway through dinner I couldn't hold in my "secret" any longer and had to tell Mike that he was eating spaghetti squash.  He had no idea!

Recipe
1 medium spaghetti squash, cooked (yields ~ 4 C. of squash)
1 24 oz jar marinara sauce
1 lb. extra lean ground beef
1 egg
1/4 C. parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 C. onion, chopped
1 C. part skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
Garlic salt

Brown ground beef in a frying pan with the onion and a dash of garlic salt.  Add marinara sauce and combine thoroughly.  Meanwhile, beat the egg and pour over spaghetti squash.  Add parmesan cheese and toss to coat.  Grease a 9x13 pan with cooking spray, pour the spaghetti squash mixture into the pan and spread it out evenly.  Pour the meat sauce over the spaghetti squash, and then sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over the top of the dish.  Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.  Remove foil and bake for 15 more minutes.

Comments
 - Next time I make this I'll have to figure out a way to remove some of the water from the squash before starting the recipe
 - This recipe makes 8 servings, which I've calculated to be 5 WW PointsPlus per serving

Rating
3/5

WW PointsPlus
8 (6 servings)

Linguine with Zucchini & Chickpeas

I got this recipe from my Real Simple recipes app.

Recipe
Linguine with Zucchini & Chickpeas

Comments
 - I used 1/2 pound of Dreamfields low carb spaghetti instead of 3/4 pound
 - I added a few tablespoons of minced onion to the zucchini as I was sauteeing it

Rating
3.5/5

Sesame Noodle Salad

I love the taste of sesame oil, and a little bit really goes a long way.  This dish goes really well with grilled chicken breasts marinated in Newman's Own Light Sesame Ginger salad dressing and a side of sauteed spinach.  I don't like the taste of ginger but this marinade is really good.

Recipe
Sesame Noodle Salad

Comments
 - This dish also works with soba noodles or spaghetti, but I think the angel hair really soaks in the flavors since it is so thin
 - I used sriracha in place of the hot chili oil.  I also added a few shakes of red pepper flakes.
 - I scaled waaaay back on the sugar because I really like the taste of vinegar.  Instead of 1/4 C. sugar I used 1 packet of Splenda.
 - I served this for a party once and used 1/3 yellow bell, 1/3 red bell and 1/3 green bell pepper to give the dish some color.
 - For a protein boost, add 1/2 C. of shelled edamame

Rating
4/5