Weight Watchers has a new meeting feature: Weight Watchers Weekly. This is their weekly handout for meeting members and it includes discussion on the current week’s topic, some inspiring stories, a coupon or two, and at least one good recipe. This week’s recipe is Slow Cooker Lasagne.

I got my copy last night and immediately went out and bought the ingredients to make this recipe – it looked THAT good! The recipe tells us that their prep time is about 20 minutes, and that’s close. I think I prepped this in more like 15 minutes.

Serves: 6
Weight Watchers Points: 8 per serving

Ingredients:

• 1 lb uncooked lean ground beef (with 7% fat)
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 medium garlic clove, minced
• 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes (this is one large can)
• 15 oz canned tomato sauce (this is one medium can)
• 1 tsp table salt
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
• 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1-1/2 cups part-skim mozzarella, shredded, divided
• 6 dry lasagna noodles, no cook
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, such as Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano

(I omitted the salt to lower the sodium count and used Romano cheese in the last ingredient option.)

Instructions:

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef, onion, and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon as it cooks, about 5-7 minutes.

   (I thought it odd at first that they didn’t have you drain the grease from the beef, but since it’s lean beef, I think the grease helps somehow. I also wondered at the significance of using a wooden spoon versus any other type of spoon – but that’s just the editor in me editing their writing. LOL)
   
   

2. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, salt, oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes; simmer 5 minutes to allow flavors to blend.
   
3. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together ricotta cheese and 1 cup of mozzarella.
   
4. Spoon 1/3 of the beef mixture into a 5-quart slow cooker. Break 3 lasagna sheets in half, and arrange over beef mixture; top with half of the ricotta mixture. Repeat with another layer and finish with the remaining 1/3 of the beef mixture.

   (I found that either I have a small crock pot or three lasagna sheets broken in half more than covered the mixture. I actually had a sheet too much for a single layer of lasagna noodles. )

    

5. Cover slow cooker and cook on low setting for 4 to 6 hours. Remove cover; turn off heat and season to taste, if desired.
6. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 cup of mozzarella and the parmesan; sprinkle over beef mixture. Cover and set aside until the cheese melts and the lasagna firms up, about 10 minutes.

The Verdict:

Oh. My. God. If you love lasagna, then this is a great recipe. And I love lasagna. One of the things I used to eat – heartily – was Italian foods. And, since my oven is broken and won’t bake (and I’m in no hurry to get it fixed since the stove top and broiler still work) being able to make this in a slow cooker and enjoy something that’s typically baked is a pure treat for me.

Did it look like the picture in the weekly handout? I think so. I also think that the serving size was very generous. The plate in the picture below is a *huge* plate, so look how one-sixth of the recipe fills up nearly half that plate.

If you feel that you might want a more filling serving, you can always add zucchini or broccoli or other vegetables to your meat sauce before cooking. I didn’t do that and chose to make the recipe exactly as written, and I was not disappointed.

Give it a try, and let me know what you think.

I’ve been using up the vegetables in my fridge and stretching one package of stew meat as far as I can, and I’ve succeeded in getting about 8 meals out of it. Yesterday I made a three-bean chili with the lean stew meat (feeds 4), and today I made this hearty stew (feeds 4 also). The twist? Instead of white potatoes I used yams. Adds a different taste, just a little bit of sweetness to the dish. I ran the ingredients through the Weight Watcher’s online recipe builder to calculate the points – you’ll need to recalculate your own points if you alter the ingredients. As listed below, this dish is 4 points per each generous cup serving.

Tip: If you use cooking spray instead of the olive oil, you can reduce the points per serving to three. Don’t forget,though, that olive oil is a healthy oil and healthy food guidelines recommend 2 teaspoons per day.

Ingredients

• 7 oz beef stew meat
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 white onion, chopped
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1-1/2 cups chicken broth (I used chicken not beef only because I only had chicken on hand)
• 1/2 cup baby carrots
• 1/4 medium head green cabbage
• 9 oz raw yams, cubed
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Brown the meat in the olive oil, add the garlic and onions and cook until the onions are translucent. Add the remaining ingredients and cook until the yams are tender. Makes 4 generous one-cup servings. Prep time took me about 15 minutes; cooking time took about 45. Dinner in an hour!

This is the third dish I made out of a single store-bought roasted chicken, which means I was able to have three meals for $5.99. My first meal used one of the chicken breasts with a salad, the other meal used the other breast chopped up to make chicken salad (on an Oroweat Double Fiber english muffin), and now this.

I took the carcass and boiled it until all the remaining meat separated from the bones. This resulted in about one cup of good meat for the soup, and about four cups of stock. Note that the amount of stock you yield depends on how much water you add in the beginning. I let the homemade stock sit overnight in the refrigerator so that I could separate out the fat. (Grossed me out to think that yellow stuff used to go in my body – ewww.) Next, I added the vegetables and pasta, cooked over a low heat until the noodles were tender, and voila!

Ingredients

• 4 cups chicken broth (homemade or canned)
• 1 cup carrots, chopped
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 1 cup zucchini
• 1 cup roasted, skinless, boneless chicken
• 2 oz (about 3/4 cup dry) Barilla Whole Grain Rotini pasta
• Seasonings to taste (I used dried basil, and could have used more flavoring)

Yields: 4 generous 1-1/2 cup servings
Points per serving: 3*

*You’ll want to do your own calculation if you alter the ingredient quantities any.

I found this recipe in Prevention magazine and since I absolutely love creamy tomato soup – especially with grilled cheese sandwiches – I had to give it a try. It’s super low in points and very filling because instead of heavy cream you use white beans to thicken the soup. Interesting concept. You get thickness, plus the added fiber brings the points value down and fills you up.

And I would have taken a picture but my camera is out of batteries, so I promise, next time.

Ingredients

• 2 14.5 oz cans stewed tomatoes (or chopped)
• 28 oz fat free, sodium free chicken broth (I just used the empty tomato cans to measure
• 1 14.5 oz can cannellini beans or white northern beans
• 1 cup fat free milk (or 2% milk, but changes the points value
• Several bay leaves
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

These are not the exact directions from the magazine, but my adaptations and how I cooked the soup. Heat up the tomatoes along with the bay leaves in a medium pan over medium heat. Let it cook for about 15 minutes, allowing the bay leaves to flavor the tomatoes, and the tomatoes to cook down. Rinse and drain the cannellini or white northern beans, mash them, and then set them aside. Add one cup fat free milk to the tomatoes and simmer another 15 minutes. Stir frequently. Remove the bay leaves and stir in the mashed beans. Remove the soup from the stove and put it in the blender and puree until smooth.

Using the quantities above, I had to split the soup into two batches and I pureed it twice by putting the once-pureed mixture into a bowl, pureeing the next batch, stirring it all back together, and pureeing again. This is because the beans settle at the bottom of the soup when first added.

Claire’s Review

Very filling soup. You can definitely taste the bean texture in the soup, but it’s a healthy alternative. Next time, I’d add some basil for more flavor, I think. The bay leaves didn’t seem to do too much. Also, this yielded nearly 8 cups, and the original recipe said it served 4. So, when I ran it through the Weight Watchers online recipe builder, that calculated to 3 points for a 2 cup serving. That’s a whole lotta soup. You could reduce the serving size and consequently lower the points, if you wanted. I’ll freeze the leftovers and will have a nice hearty soup to have in a pinch.

This recipe comes from the newest Weight Watcher’s cookbook, Comfort Classics, on page 108. The original recipe makes 4 servings at 6 points per serving. I made some substitutions and halved the recipe, but the points per serving was probably still 5-6 points. It said prep time was 10  minutes and cook/broil time 15 minutes, and that’s probably about accurate.

Skillet Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients

• 8 oz whole wheat macaroni
• I tablespoon plus 2 tsps all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 cups fat free milk
• 1 cup shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1 tablespoon plain dried bread crumbs
• 1 tbsp grated parmesan

Instructions*

1. Cook the macaroni according to box instructions. Drain.
2. Melt the butter in a sauce pan (WW recipe has you do this in an ovenproof skillet)
3. Add the flour and whisk constantly for about 1 minute.
4. Add the milk and keep whisking until sauce starts to thicken (about 5 minutes).
5. Add cheese, salt and pepper. Stir until the cheese is melted
6. Mix in the cooked macaroni.
7. Place in an oven-safe dish and sprinkle the breadcrumbs and parmesan on top and broil until golden brown.

Claire’s Review

I substituted whole grain rotini for the macaroni and used light butter instead of real butter. I also didn’t use a skillet like the original recipe called for. I also omitted the breadcrumbs and the grated parmesan, using cheapo parmesan (because I had it on hand) and a little bit more of the shredded reduced fat cheddar on top to brown the dish and make it kinda crispy.

Essentially, this recipe is exactly how I used to make mac and cheese using a basic roux sauce, only now I’m using whole grain pasta and reduced fat cheese. The whole grain pasta definitely gives it a different texture and flavor than I’m used to, but it’s not bad.

I added grilled chicken to the side of the dish for extra protein and to balance out all the carbs. Yup – definitely comfort food.

*These are my instructions, not verbatim from the recipe due to copyrights.

This recipe came to me with my Weight Watcher’s membership card this month – just in time for a potluck that I was going to. At the potluck there are always chips (Fritos, Kettle Chips) and full-fat sour cream-based dips. I usually arrive to these functions early to help out, and consequently it’s easy for me to stand around and nibble. Kettle Chips are my downfall – so addictive. This time, I wanted an alternative to the usual fare on the table so I tried this recipe out. Plus, I love red peppers!

Sour Cream and Roasted Red Pepper Dip

Here’s the Weight Watcher’s recipe. Makes 10 servings. 1 point per serving.

Ingredients

• 15 oz roasted red peppers, packed in water, drained (about 2 cups)
• 1 cup(s) fat-free sour cream 
• 1/2 cup(s) basil, fresh  
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder 
• 1/2 tsp table salt, or to taste 
• 1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste 
• 2 tsp cilantro, fresh, finely chopped 

Instructions

In a blender, combine roasted peppers, sour cream, basil and garlic powder; puree until smooth. Season to taste with salt and black pepper; garnish with cilantro. Yields about 1/4 cup per serving.

Claire’s Review

This was definitely a quick and easy recipe. Definitely a standby to have on hand when you don’t know what to take to a potluck. I also took asparagus spears and sugar snap peas to accompany the dip.

I didn’t use canned roasted red peppers – in fact, I didn’t know they came that way. I used fresh red peppers and roasted them in the oven. I am also not sure if I used the right amount of basil. I just used one package from the grocery store. I also doubled the recipe so that I’d have more servings for my potluck.

It took a long time for this to blend up creamy-like – and it never was creamy, but a little chunky. Overall, it came out nicely. It’s better on day two after it’s been sitting for a bit, allowing the flavors to mingle more. I think it would be awesome as a spread on quesadillas or tacos, or a topping on a veggie omelet.

What I’d do differently next time – Nothing. A friend commented that the taste was really subtle. I think it was perfect with the freshly smoked salmon that I dipped in it – watching my serving sizes, of course.

Try it and let me know what you think.

I’m going to try to do more of these kinds of posts where I take a recipe and either alter it to make it lower in Weight Watchers points, or low-fat, or I’ll try a Weight Watchers recipe and rate it. So, here goes #1.

I altered this recipe from one I found in Food and Wine magazine while sitting in my chiropractor’s office. What intrigued me was using balsamic vinegar instead of mayo with the tuna. I used regular chunky white tuna in water, and their recipe called for albacore tuna (is that the same thing?) I also haven’t calculated the Weight Watcher’s points value for this recipe. I do know that the Sandwich Thins are only one point each, so this is a relatively low points value meal.

Thin Tuna Melt

Ingredients (makes 2 sandwiches)

• (1) 6-oz can tuna in water, drained
• 1/8 cup diced red onion (optional)
• 1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1/3 tablespoon minced fresh basil (approximately, or to taste)
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (or to taste)
• (2) Oroweat Sandwich Thins
• 1/2 tablespoon light mayonnaise (for spread on bread)
• 1/2 tablespoon coarse ground Dijon mustard (for spread on bread)
• (2) thin slices Swiss cheese (2% preferred)
• (2) dill pickles sliced lengthwise (optional)

Instructions

Drain the water from the tuna and mix in a bowl with the olive oil, vinegar, basil, crushed red pepper, and diced onions. Heat the griddle or sandwich press. Spread the mayonnaise and the mustard on the sandwich thins. Spread 1/2 of the tuna mixture onto one sandwich thin and add one slice of Swiss cheese (and the pickle, if you like pickles). Do the same for the second sandwich. Place on the grill and cook both sides until the cheese is melted. Serve with a tossed green salad.

Claire’s Review

I don’t have a proper sandwich press and my griddle gets hot too quickly, hence the darker toasted buns above. However, that didn’t bother me and it made the sandwich thins just a little crunchy, which I actually liked. I loved the flavor that the balsamic vinegar and basil gave to this, and the olive oil was just enough to keep the tuna together (for the most part). I limited the olive oil to 1/2 tablespoon (2 teaspoons) as that fits within the Weight Watchers Good Health Guidelines for the daily amount of healthy oils to consume. If you aren’t concerned with that, then you could add more olive oil to the mixture. The original recipe called for 1/4 cup olive oil for 2 cans of tuna, so you can see that I reduced that significantly. I also forgot to add the diced onion or dill pickle, and I’m sure that would have added bulk and more flavor to the sandwich.

What I’d do differently next time – Not much. I might add garnish with sliced tomato and lettuce to make the sandwich bigger. I’d also make a better side salad to fill me up more. Alternatively, I could add my tasty sweet potato fries that are so chewy and yummy. I ended up being so hungry (not because the sandwich wasn’t filling, but because I waited too long to eat) that I ate both servings.

If you try this recipe, please come back and let me know what you thought of it, or what you did differently. I’m always looking for variety and healthy options to add to my menus.

I posted the other day on Facebook that I was going to make this since the weather was feeling more like Fall than Summer. I’ve had a couple requests for the recipe, so here you go. I didn’t take pictures, but in the future, I will – or, you can make your version of the recipe and send me your pictures and I’ll post them here.

Basic ingredients

• (1) 15-0z can no salt (or reduced sodium) black beans
• (1) 15-oz can corn
• (1) 15-oz can stewed tomatoes (sometimes they have these with Mexican or Italian seasonings – you can go that route, if you choose, but I used the standard kind)
• (2) large frozen chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
• 1/3 jar Southwest flavored salsa

Note: You can use dried beans, but soak them overnight and adjust the cooking time accordingly. Also, you’ll need to add additional chicken stock and/or water as well in proportion to how many beans you add. I used canned because it was faster.

Optional ingredients

• Red kidney beans
• Pinto beans
• Fat free chicken stock
• 1/2 cup wild grain rice
• Chipotle mustard (added on top of the chicken for flavor)
• Cilantro
• Celery
• Onions
• Bell Peppers (any color. I find the red ones give a bit of a sweeter taste when cooked)
• Zucchini (green or yellow)
• Other veggies to taste and bulk up the chili)

Instructions

Drain the juice from the can of corn, and add to the other canned ingredients in the bottom of the crock pot. Add optional ingredients as desired. Place the frozen chicken on top of the ingredients and cook for a minimum of 4 hours. When done, break up the cooked chicken to spread it throughout the chili mixture. Serve warm topped with melted 2% Mexican style shredded cheese (or other), chopped onions, and one tablespoon fat free sour cream. This fills up my crock pot half way and made about 6 –8 one cup servings.

Leftover variations

• Drain some of the juice from your chili and make chili burritos or tacos.
• Add to low fat tortilla chips and make nachos.

Cook’s Comments: Sometimes I’ll add other beans, but I add them in equal parts – that is, one can each, and I have  a large crock pot. Often I’ll add the various other vegetables for variety, just to use up what’s in my fridge. If you notice that your chili is looking a little dry as it cooks, add some fat free chicken stock. I did this last time starting out and my mixture was a bit too soupy for my liking, so I added some wild rice about 2/3 through the cooking time.

Let me know what you think and what variations you use. I’m totally open to suggestions to make the flavor more interesting – that seems to be my biggest handicap when making up recipes.

Enjoy!