Ceci Fritos

Snack time! Ceci is italian for garbanzo beans. This treat is a great alternative to popcorn or potato chips. I often make these instead of popcorn on movie night. They are simple and versatile. My favorite version is finished with cracked black pepper and parmesan cheese, but any flavors can be added to these little gems. Curry, chili powder or feta are some options I've tried in the past. Get creative!

Ceci Fritos

Makes 4 servings
WW Points Plus: 4

Ingredients

1 15oz can garbanzos beans

2 tsp olive oil

Cracked black pepper

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions

Rinse and drain garbanzos beans. Pat dry with paper towels. Make sure they are completely dry. 

Heat olive oil in a saute pan. Add garbanzos beans and saute. Beans will start to pop. Continue heating, shaking pan until beans are toasted. Place in a bowl. Season with lots of cracked black pepper and toss with parmesan. Best when hot, but can be kept in the fridge for 3 days or so. 

Baked Pasta with Butternut Squash and Ricotta

This is one of my favorite new weight watchers recipes. Jennifer Hudson isn't the only modern thing they have going on these days! This casserole is vegetarian but hearty and delicious. When I am craving my grandma's lasagna I make this instead! It also works great as leftovers. 

Baked Pasta with Butternut Squash and Ricotta
Makes 8 servings

WW Points Plus: 7

Ingredients
2 spray(s) cooking spray
20 oz butternut squash, fresh, peeled and cubed*
1/8 tsp table salt, for cooking pasta
12 oz uncooked whole-wheat pasta, penne
1 1/4 cup(s) fat-free skim milk
2 Tbsp white all-purpose flour
2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste
1 Tbsp basil, fresh chopped or 1tsp dried
1 Tbsp oregano, fresh or 1 tsp dried
2 tsp rosemary, dried
1/2 Tbsp Italian Seasoning
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp thyme, fresh, fresh, chopped, divided
1/2 cup(s) part-skim ricotta cheese
1/3 cup(s) grated Parmesan cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano recommended
1/4 cup(s) chopped walnuts, toasted

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Coat a 2 1/2- to 3-quart baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Place squash on prepared baking sheet; roast until tender, about 20 to 30 minutes. Place in a large bowl and mash.

3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. After squash has been roasting for about 10 minutes, cook pasta according to package directions; drain and return to pot.

4. In a medium saucepan, whisk together milk, flour, garlic, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking frequently; reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring often, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in mashed squash and 2 1/2 teaspoons of thyme. Add sauce to pasta; toss to mix and coat.

5. Transfer pasta mixture to prepared baking dish; dot with spoonfuls of ricotta and then sprinkle with Parmesan and walnuts. Bake until top is lightly browned in a few spots, about 15 to 20 minutes; remove from oven and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon of thyme. Yields about 1 cup per serving.

Notes
*Look for a 20 ounce bag of fresh, already peeled and cubed squash from your supermarket. If you can't find any, cut a medium squash in half lengthwise and place cut-side down on prepared baking sheet; roast until tender, about 45 minutes. Scoop squash out of skin into a large bowl, mash with a spoon and proceed as above.
Alternatively, you can microwave cubed squash, covered, in a shallow microwave-safe baking dish or container with 1/4 cup of water, until cooked through; mash squash in a bowl.

DIPitty do da

My boyfriend's family has a lake house in Houghton Lake, MI. There is small local grocery store there called Best Choice Marketplace which is famous for its feta cheese dip. It is available by the pound. And by the time you get to the end you will be licking the container. It is so fabulously addictive. After having to wait months between my visits to the lake in order to have feat dip got to be too much so I decided to come up with my own version. Of course it isn't the same (Corey reminds me every time I make it) but it is a fabulous substitute that will have you licking whatever bowl you decide to serve it in. 

Feta Cheese Dip

Should serve 8 or more, but most likely won't!

Ingredients

1 package cream cheese, room temperature

8 oz feta, crumbled

3/4 cup sour cream

Salt

Fresh Cracked Pepper

Oregano

Basil

Italian Seasoning

1/2 cup roasted red peppers, finely chopped

Combine all ingredients and serve with pita or tortilla chips.

NOTES: 

Instead of roasted red peppers, chopped olives or sundried tomatoes can be used. 

For a fancier presentation (read: cheese ball):

Do not use the sour cream which thins out the dip. Mix together the cream cheese, feta and seasonings. Line a small bowl with saran wrap. Add 1/3 of the cheese mixture to the bottom of the bowl and press down firmly. Next add the roasted red peppers (or olives or sun dried tomatoes or whatever you are using). Top this layer with the remainder of the cheese mixture, pressing firmly. Cover the cheese ball with saran wrap. Refrigerate overnight to set up. When ready to serve open saran wrap and turn out onto a serving dish, removing the remainder of the saran wrap. 

Expresso Cereal Bars

This recipe is for you mommas! Forget about the Quaker Oats guy and make the kiddos homemade snack bars! To make a delicious grown up version substitute expresso granules for the cocoa powder in the coating (or use both!). I'm making the expresso version for our ski trip this weekend. Nothing like a cereal bar to keep your tummy happy on the slopes :)


Cereal Bars
Makes 12 bars
WW Points Plus: 5


Ingredients
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 Tbsp cocoa powder
1 Tbsp hot water
1/2 cup peanut butter (reduced sugar)
2 cups Basic 4 cereal
1 cup broken pretzel sticks
1/3 cup dried chopped cherries (or dried cranberries or dried apricots)


Directions
Whisk together corn syrup and brown  sugar. Heat to boiling over medium high heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Dissolve cocoa powder in hot water. Mix cocoa mixture and peanut butter into sugar mixture until well combined. Add cereal, pretzels and dried fruit. Toss until evenly coated. 


Butter bottom and sides of a 8x8 inch pan. Place mixture in pan and press evenly. I usually cover in plastic wrap and then press with a heavy bowl to make sure the bars stay together. Let stand at least 2 hours to set up. Cut into 12 bars and enjoy!

Greek Chicken Salad with Feta and Roasted Red Peppers

There is nothing I love more than a delicious recipe that uses ingredients I almost always have on hand. This spin on chicken salad is exactly that. At the end of the week, these are the things I can count on being in the fridge on the verge of going bad, just begging to be used. This recipe is an en"lightened" version of classic chicken salad that I can't wait to have for lunch the next day. I serve this on a toasted reduced calorie hot dog bun, but any bread or wrap would work.

Greek Chicken Salad

Makes 4 servings

Weight Watchers PointsPlus Value: (1/4 recipe plus 1 bun): 8

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil

12 ounces of chicken (breasts or tenderloins)

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1 1/2 tsp oregano

1 cup celery, diced

1 cup red bell pepper, diced

1/2 tsp minced garlic 

1/2 cup roasted red peppers packed in water
4 oz feta cheese

1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream
2 Tbsp reduced calorie mayonnaise

Directions:

Heat the oil on medium high heat. Season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, italian seasoning and oregano. Saute until done. Set aside to rest. 

In the same skillet, quickly saute celery, red bell pepper and garlic. 

Dice chicken, feta and roasted red peppers.

Combine sour cream and mayo in the bottom of a medium bowl. Add chicken, veggies and feta and mix until well coated with sour cream. 

Serve on toasted bread, in a wrap or on a salad. 

NOTE: After sitting this can get a little bit watery. Try to strain the watery sauce away before adding to bread.

My favorite thing to eat with this is cheesy mashed sweet potatoes. The Babybel Light cheese melts beautifully and is a fabulous way to make a healthy dish taste naughty!

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Makes 4 servings

WeightWatchers PointsPlus: 5

Ingredients:

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled 

1 Tbsp butter

1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream

2 Babybel Light Cheeses, grated

Directions:

Roughly chop sweet potatoes and cover with cold water. Add some salt to water and boil until fork tender. 

Drain potatoes and mash with butter.

Either mix cheese and sour cream into mashed mixture or top each serving with 1/4 grated cheese and 2 Tbsp sour cream. 

Valentine's Day Chocolate Truffle Cookies

I figured my first post needed to be something classic MJ. For me there is nothing better than whipping up a batch of cookies and sharing them with the ones you love. I made these as my Valentine's Day gifts this year and they were a big hit.They are really more like brownies than cookies. They  are so rich and decadent- the perfect way to satisfy a serious chocolate craving.  Enjoy with a glass of sweet red wine!

Chocolate Truffle Cookies

Makes 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

4 oz chopped bittersweet chocolate

8 oz chopped semisweet chocolate, plus 1 cup chopped semisweet chocolate

6 Tbsp butter

3 eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup all purpose flour, plus 1/2 Tbsp

2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Melt bittersweet chocolate and semisweet chocolate (set aside 1 cup) and the butter in a double boiler. Remove from heat and let cool.

2. In the meantime whip eggs and sugar until pale yellow (about 3min).

3. Add vanilla and melted chocolate mixture. Combine until well mixed. 

4. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. 

5. Gradually add to chocolate mixture.

6. Toss chocolate pieces in 1/2 Tbsp flour. Fold into batter.

7. Cover and chill 2 hours or overnight. 

8. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

9. Either roll dough into 1 inch balls or measure with a small ice cream scoop.

10. Place cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet 2 inches apart.

11. Bake for 9-11 minutes. 

12. Remove from oven and let rest on baking sheet for an additional 5 minutes to finish cooking.

13. Remove from pan and place on a wire rack to cool completely.