Thursday, February 3, 2011

Whole-Wheat Chili-Mac

Review from boxerfan: As I was making it, it kept reminding me of something, and I couldn't figure it out. Then it dawned on me: It looked liked hamburger helper. Thankfully it tasted better than it looked.

It's definitely comfort food, so if that's what you're in the mood for it's a good choice. My H said that he couldn't believe it was a WW recipe, which translates to him really liking it.

The only thing I changed in this recipe is that I used regular macaroni instead of whole wheat.


PointsPlus™ Value: 6
Servings: 6
Preparation Time: 18 min
Cooking Time: 30 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

This one-pot hearty meal can easily be altered to meet your family's tastes. Try subbing ground turkey breast for the beef and whole-wheat spirals for the elbows.

Ingredients
12 oz uncooked lean ground beef (with 7% fat)
1 medium onion(s), chopped
14 1/2 oz canned stewed tomatoes, Mexican-style, undrained
1 1/4 cup(s) canned tomato sauce
2 Tbsp canned green chili peppers, diced, drained
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp Ground Cumin aeed
1 cup(s) dry whole-wheat elbow macaroni
15 oz canned kidney beans, rinsed and drained

Instructions

* In a large skillet, cook beef and onion until meat is browned, about 10 minutes; drain off fat. Stir in undrained stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, chili peppers, chili powder and cumin; bring to a boil.

* Stir in uncooked macaroni and kidney beans. Return to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until macaroni is tender, about 15 minutes. Yields about 1 1/4 cups per serving.

Notes

* Serve with grated parmesan topping, fat-free sour cream and low-fat or fat-free shredded Mexican cheese, if desired (could affect PointsPlus values).

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Baked Rice and Peas

From Melissa: This was a really great side to add to our rotation. The peas add some bulk so you don't miss having a huge serving of rice.

Servings: 5 • Serving Size: 3/4 cup • Old Points: 3 pts • Points+: 4 pts
Calories: 173.7 • Fat: 1.5 g • Protein: 5.5 g • Carb: 34.4 g • Fiber: 2.0 g
1 cup uncooked long grain rice
14.5 oz can fat free chicken broth
1 tsp butter
2 tbsp parmesan cheese
5 oz (1/2 package) frozen peas
Preheat oven to 350°. Combine all ingredients in a oven-safe baking dish with a lid. Place a piece of tin foil between the lid and the dish to ensure no steam escapes. Bake 45 minutes (do not open, do not peek, do not stir to rice). When 45 minutes is up, remove from oven and let it sit for 10 more minutes to allow the steam to finish cooking the rice, (do not open, do not peek, do not stir to rice). After 10 minutes, remove lid and fluff with a fork.

Makes 3 3/4 cups

Broccoli and Cheese Potato Soup

Review from Christin - I made per the recipe but may have added just a bit extra cheese. This was such a delicious, creamy, hearty soup. I can't wait to have a bowl for dinner tonight.

Servings: 4 • Serving Size: 1-1/4 cups • Old Points: 5 pts • Points+: 7 pts
Calories: 281.6 • Fat: 8.0 g • Carb: 33.0 g • Fiber: 5.0 g • Protein: 20.4 g


1 small onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
2 1/2 cups fat free chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
1 cup fat free milk
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced small
salt and fresh pepper
4 cups (about 2 heads) broccoli florets, chopped into small pieces
1-1/2 cups 2% shredded sharp cheddar
2 slices 2% American cheese
1 tbsp parmesan cheese

Chop onion, carrot, celery, garlic in a chopper or mini food processor.

In a large soup pot, melt butter. Add chopped vegetables and sauté on low heat until soft, about 5 minutes.

Add flour, salt and pepper to the pot and stir until smooth.

Add chicken broth, milk and potatoes and set heat to high until it comes to a boil, then cover and cook on low until potatoes are soft, about 10-15 minutes.

Add broccoli florets, parmesan cheese, and stir well. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Cook uncovered until broccoli is cooked, about 5 minutes. Add cheddar and American cheese, stir well and remove from heat.

Using an immersion blender, quickly blend part of the soup for a quick second or two. If you don't have an immersion blender, remove about 1-2 cups of potatoes and broccoli, place it in your chopper, then add it back to the soup. This helps thicken it a bit.