Kale & 'Bacon' Frittata

Though I am good for fixing a hot breakfast during the week, Sunday mornings (if we aren't joining friends for brunch) will bring out something that is slight more involved. Thanks to the handout at yesterday's Weight Watchers meeting, we discovered a new recipe that got a whirl this morning.

Here is what you will need on your cutting board to make four, five Points Plus value servings.

• 2 slices turkey bacon
• 2 shallots
• 6 cups chopped kale
• 4 large eggs
• 6 tablespoons egg whites
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
• Salt & pepper

1. THE PREP WORK: Preheat the broiler. Using medium heat the oil on the stove and cook the bacon until crisp. Remove, bolt dry with a paper towel, and chop. Thinly slice the shallots and add to the pan that you cooked the bacon in. Cook, stirring frequently, until softened (roughly 2-3 minutes).

2. ADD THE KALE: Start adding the kale, a few handfuls at a time, to the shallots. Toss with tongs adding more kale as it cooks down. Cook until tender (roughly 3-5 minutes), if the skillet gets dry, just add a little bit of water.

3. MIX THE EGGS: In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, egg whites, cheese, chopped bacon, salt, and pepper. Pour over the kale mixture, stirring to distribute the ingredients. Cook, undisturbed,  over over low/medium heat until set (roughly 3-5 minutes). Transfer the skillet to the broiler and broiler until browned (30-60 seconds).

When you plate this up you could sprinkle some chopped scallions or dill (we did the scallions - don't think it added much), if desired. While we liked the end product, there are a couple of tweaks we think we would make for the next time...including; just using egg whites, cooking the bacon/shallots in cooking spray, and reducing the kale by half and adding some mushrooms.  For a spicier version, substitute out the olive oil for red chili oil. 

Eat Well My Friends...

Faux (But Healthy) Lasagna

Ironic, isn't it?

Look at the photo to the right of this, looks great doesn't it? Layer upon layer of gooey noodles, meat, and cheese. Except - it is all a giant lie, there is not one honest pasta noodle in the lot. 

This all started out as a one of the meals from our latest +HelloFresh US box.  Yes - we made a couple of tweaks to their suggested recipe and I am going to make note of a couple of changes we are going to make the next time we make this.  No - the irony of having a Faux Lasagna on this blog is not lost on me.

Here is what you will need on your cutting board to make 2, 16 Weight Watchers - Point Plus, 599 calorie servings. Note, my additions and future substitutions could impact the values stated above.

• 10 ounces of 90/10 ground beef (next time, we will replace with ground turkey)
• 1 large yellow onion
• 2 cloves garlic (two is good, four is better)
• 2 large zucchini
• 8 ounces crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella (resist the urge to replace this with a 'skim' version - it doesn't like to melt)
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano (sigh, if you do not want your wife's Italian ancestors haunting you, get fresh oregano)
• 1/2 tablespoon red chili flakes (if you are using Turkey & can stand the heat, up this to 1 tablespoon)
• 8 ounces ricotta cheese (will be swapping this out for the skim version)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt & Pepper (hello, are you still not using +flavorgod seasonings?  Just flipping buy them already and use the 'Garlic Lovers' + the salt and pepper)

1. THE PREP WORK - preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Halve, peel, and dice the onion. Grate the garlic. Using a wide vegetable peeler, shave the zucchini into ribbons lengthwise - make sure you discard the seedy cores.

2. COOKING THE MEAT & VEGGIES - heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion to the pan and cook, tossing frequently, for 5 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and chili flakes to the pan and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant.  Season with salt and pepper. Add the meat to the pan and cook, breaking the meat up into small pieces, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until cooked through. Season with salt, pepper, and the Garlic Lovers FlavorGod.

3. TOMATOES, OREGANO & RICOTTA - slowly stir the tomatoes and oregano into the pan and cook for 5 minutes, until it starts to bubble. Season with salt, pepper, and the Garlic Lovers FlavorGod.  Season the ricotta with salt and pepper.

4. ASSEMBLE THE LASAGNA - in the bottom of a well oiled (we used olive oil cooking spray in a 9x9 inch stoneware) pan, place two layers of zucchini ribbons (I would suggest that you overlap them). Next add 1/2 of the ricotta in an even layer and then all of the tomato/meat mixture, add the rest of the ricotta to the top of the meat. Crown with another dual layer of zucchini ribbons and top the whole affair with the mozzarella.

5. COOK & SERVE - place in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the zucchini has softened and the cheese is bubbling. Once cooked, pull from the oven, cut into slices, and enjoy.

There are a couple of variables to consider here, the size of the zucchini and pan can impact the number of layers you ultimately have.  What you see above is what worked for us but, if you get more just be sure to use an equal amount of overlapping ribbons, ricotta, and tomato/meat - making sure to repeat for each layer.  We did not miss the pasta component one bit and I suspect that this will become one of my hip-pocket meals...there aren't a ton of ingredients, the prep isn't that horrible, it is easy to clean as you go, and it was damn tasty.

Eat Well My Friends...

Egg White Couscous Breakfast Benedict

If I am honest, then I will confess, there are things that one will 'miss' if you embrace a healthy lifestyle.  For us, one of those things is Eggs Benedict - from the selection of the bread base (croissant), the perfect pork (prosciutto), the way the poached egg runs when pierced with a fork, and the richness of the Hollandaise sauce - it really is one of those perfect breakfast foods. However, if one is on the Weight Watchers Points Plus program, an average Eggs Benedict is anywhere from 17 to 25 points - way more than I am willing to spend regularly on breakfast.

So the challenge became to create something that had many of the components of the dish that we missed and do so for under 15 Weight Watchers Points Plus. Here is what you will need on your cutting board to make a serving that is just 12 Points...

• 1/2 cup egg whites
• 1/2 cup tri-color pearl couscous
• 4 oz boneless ham steak
• 1/4 cup white mushrooms
• 1 scallion
• 2 teaspoons Sriracha sauce
• FlavorGod 'Everything' Seasoning
• Olive Oil Cooking Spray
• Fresh ginger
• Salt & Pepper

1. START THE COUSCOUS & COOK THE HAM STEAK - Cook the couscous as per the instructions on the package. For some depth in the flavor profile, I make sure to season the couscous with salt, pepper, and fresh grated ginger.  While this cooks, add a couple seconds of the cooking spray to a small non-stick skillet and start to cook the ham steak, for roughly 2-3 minutes per side. Once cooked, remove and thinly slice into strips.

2. PREP THE VEGGIES - Remove the stems from the mushrooms and cube the crowns. Thinly slice the scallion, separating the white from the green parts.

3. COOK THE EGG WHITES - In the same pan that you cooked the ham steak, add some additional cooking spray and saute the mushrooms and scallion whites. Once cooked, add the egg whites and season with the FlavorGod 'Everything'.  Cook to desired level of firmness.

4. PLATE - The couscous on the plate.  Add the sliced ham steak and sprinkle with about half of the sliced green scallion.  Place the egg whites on on the top of the couscous and ham, sprinkle the remaining green scallions. Drizzle the Sriracha over the top.

Okay - so we don't have a Hollandaise sauce however, we really didn't miss it.  We lean towards the savory end of the spectrum for our breakfast and this fit the bill rather nicely.

Eat Well My Friends...

The "I Don't Want To Cook Dinner" Dinner...

Let's face it, there are nights that you just don't feel like dealing with cooking dinner...tonight was one of those nights. Sure, I could have taken us out for dinner or let my fingers do the walking across the smart phone screen but, I was struck by an inspiration while passing the meat counter at our local grocery store...Turkey, Spinach & Feta patties.

Not including the protein that you select, here is what you will need on your cutting board to create this very simple meal...

• Spinach, kale, or a leafy green that you like (we used spinach & kale)
• Cherry tomatoes (we picked some yellow and red ones)
• Olive oil
• Balsamic vinegar
• Baguette
• Fresh ginger
• Flavorgod 'Everything' Seasoning

1. MAKE THE CROUTONS - Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Cube the bread and place  cubes on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with the Flavorgod 'Everything' seasoning. Place in the oven for 8-10 minutes, or until a toasty, golden brown.

2. COOK THE PROTEIN - Be sure to cook all meats to a safe temperature.

3. MAKE THE SALAD - Mix (I used a glass jar) three parts olive oil to one part balsamic vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Using a zester, grate the ginger until you have two or three tablespoons. In a large bowl, add the mixed greens, tomatoes, dressing, and the fresh grated ginger - put the lid on and toss.

4. PLATE YOUR FOOD AND ENJOY - Plate the protein and salad, making sure to top the salad with your croutons. 

You might be thinking that it is a huge pain in the rump roast to make your own dressing and croutons but, it really isn't and you have full control over what ingredients craft your end product. Give it a whirl and I suspect that you will find that it takes moderately more effort than selecting, buying, and opening that bottle or box. Oh, the end-to-end time for this Undinner? Just twelve minutes...

Eat well my friends...

Prosciutto-Wrapped Chicken w/Spinach & Garlic-Sage Pan Sauce

If you are a fellow carnivore, I am willing to bet that you have a chicken breast or two in your kitchen right now. It tends to be our 'go-to' protein, and until tonight, I thought I had cooked it just about every way imaginable. 

Give yourself five minutes to prep and twenty minutes to cook. Here is what you will need on your cutting board to create two, 583 calorie, 15 Weight Watchers Point Plus servings.

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 sprig of Sage
• 1 lemon
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 ounce of chicken stock concentrate
• 4 ounces of prosciutto
• 1/2 pound of red grape tomatoes
• 2 shallots
• 8 ounces of spinach
• 1-1/2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

1. COOK THE CHICKEN - Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Top each breast with two sage leaves and wrap with two slices of prosciutto.  Place the wrapped chicken, seam side down on a lightly oiled (or Silpat lined) baking sheet and cook in the oven for 20-25 minutes/165 degree internal temperature.

2. PREP THE PRODUCE - Thinly slice the garlic, shallots, and remaining sage leaves. Zest the lemon and cut the lemon in half - juice the halves. Cut the grape tomatoes in half.

3. COOK THE TOMATOES - After the chicken has been cooking for about 10 minutes, heat 1/2 Tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan.  Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, or until fragrant Add the tomatoes and a bit of the lemon juice, half the zest and cook until softened (about 1-2 minutes).

4. MAKE THE PAN SAUCE - Heat 1 Tablespoon of olive oil in a small pan. Add the shallots and cook, tossing frequently, until softened (roughly 3-4 minutes).  Add the sliced sage and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds).  Stir in 1/2 cup of water, the rest of the lemon juice, and the stock concentrate. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, until thickened. Season with salt and pepper.

5. COOK THE SPINACH - While the sauce is simmering, add the spinach to the pan of tomatoes and cook over low heat, tossing in the rest of the zest, and cooking until slightly wilted (about 1-2 minutes). Season with salt and pepper.

Plate the chicken and spinach mix, add the shallots, and drizzle with the pan sauce.  I was gobsmacked that we turned plain chicken into a meal that took every ounce of restraint to keep from licking the bowl at the end of the meal.

Eat Well My Friends...

Fresh Cherry Tomato Salsa

Here in Phoenix, the mercury has crawled up to the 104 degree mark. About the last thing I want to do when this happens is cook over a hot stove.  I could resort to using the microwave but, that just is not my style...

Give yourself ten minutes to prep this and a half hour to let this zero (you read that correctly friend) Weight Watchers Points Plus dish to stand.  Here is what you have to have on the cutting board to pull this off;

• 1 Cup Yellow Cherry Tomatoes
• 1 Cup Red Cherry Tomatoes
• 4 Scallions
• 1 Jalapeno Pepper
• 1 Bunch Cilantro
• 1 Lime
• Flake Seas Salt
• Flavor God 'Everything Spicy'

1. PREP WORK - Cut both the red and yellow tomatoes in half. Cut off the root end of the scallions and thinly slice the red and green parts. Remove the jalapeno meat from the seeds/stems and dice the meat. Finely chop the cilantro - combine everything in a medium bowl and season with a pinch of salt and the Everything Spicy to taste. Zest the lime, adding the zest and juice from the lime into the bowl.

2. MIX & WAIT - Toss the ingredients until thoroughly combined. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to stand for 30 minutes.

Though we used this salsa as a side for some chicken sausages, it could punch up grilled chicken, pork, fish, or just plain old baked pita chips.  All around a rather useful addition to the summer cooking kit.

Eat Well My Friends...

Orecchiette Pasta with Lemon Ricotta Cheese & Veggies

Given that we have embraced a healthier lifestyle, pasta tends to be a real treat for us.  We recently fixed a dish with English Peas/Tips a couple of weeks ago and really, really liked them - so much so, that they may just become a staple in our pantry.

Here is what you will need on your cutting board to make two, 19 Weight Watchers Points Plus servings;

• 8 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 8 ounces orecchiette pasta (you can use any pasta you prefer if you can't find it)
• 3 ounces pea tips
• 6 cloves garlic
• 1 lemon
• 1 red onion
• 1/2 pound English peas
• 1 bunch fresh mint
• 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1/3 cup grated pecorino cheese
• Olive Oil
• Red Chili Sesame Oil
• Flavor God Garlic Lovers Seasoning
• Flavor God Everything Seasoning

1. PREP WORK - Heat a large pot of salted water to boiling. Add the pasta and cook for 8 or so minutes (until al dente); drain once cooked but, reserve 3/4 cup of the pasta water. Flatten the chicken breast and season both sides with salt/pepper and the Everything Seasoning. Wash all fresh produce. Shell the peas, discard the shells. Peel and thinly slice the garlic. Peel, halve, and thinly slice the onion. Zest the lemon, juice once zested. Pick the mint leaves off the stems and discard the stems.

2. MAKE THE LEMON RICOTTA - While the pasta cooks, combine the ricotta, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Stir to combine, adding Garlic Lovers to taste.

3. COOK THE CHICKEN - In a medium pan, heat the red chili sesame oil on medium heat. Add the chicken breast and cook four minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Remove from pan and allow to rest 5 minutes on a paper towel lined cutting board.  Cut chicken into strips once it has rested

4. COOK THE VEGETABLES - While the chicken cooks, add 2 teaspoons of olive oil to a large pan and heat on medium heat. Add the garlic, onion, and peas. Season with salt/pepper to taste and cook for 3 minutes, or until slightly softened.

5. FINISH THE DISH & PLATE - To the pan of vegetables, add the cooked pasta, pea tips, lemon ricotta, half the pecorino cheese, chicken, and roughly 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water. Cook stirring occasionally, 3 or so minutes, or until the pasta is thoroughly coated (you can gradually add more water if the sauce seems dry). Remove from heat and season with Everything to taste.  Divide the finished pasta between two dishes and garnish with the mint and remaining pecorino cheese.

Next time we do this, it will be with a salmon and whole wheat pasta. Also, this was a decent base so, you could throw in asparagus, mushrooms, even kale and wind up with a pretty solid meal.  Pasta may just make a comeback in our home...

Eat Well My Friends...