Chicken and beef meatballs

I hadn't even finished dinner before I got bombarded for the recipe tonight!  These are pretty good.  Tonight we had them in meatball subs, tomorrow I'm throwing the rest in the crockpot to make soup :)

Prep time: ~20 mins
Cook time: 10 mins
Serving: ~50 meat balls
Points Plus: 1 point per meatball

	1 pound uncooked extra lean ground chicken breast
	1 pound lean ground beef
	2 egg whites
	2 cups italian bread crumbs   2 tbsp chicken bovril  (condensed chicken broth)
	1 tsp table salt   1/2 tsp black pepper
	1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
	1 tsp Italian seasoning
	1 tsp dried parsley
	4 tbsp light parmesan cheese 2 tsp olive oil Mix ground chicken and beef with bread crumbs, spices, 1 tbsp bovril and parmesan. Roll them into balls about 1 1/2 inches in diameter.  I used a tbsp measuring spoon to portion them out.  Makes about 50.  Then heat up 2 cups of water, 1 tbsp bovril and 2 tsp oil  on medium heat until a low boil, and place the meatballs in, cook one side then flip them after about 5 mins (once the sides start to look brown) to cook the other.  Cut into one to make sure they're cooked through.

Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wraps

I made the mistake of posting a pic of this to facebook before I posted the recipe!  Sorry if you've been waiting!

These are so freaking tasty!  And I had seconds and still didn't use a whole lot of points for how much I had!  Awesomesauce!

Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time:20 mins
Serving: 8
Points plus: 4 per serving (the picture is one serving).  9 for 2 servings

2 pounds extra lean ground chicken
1 cup scallions (green onion) white and green parts, diced
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp ginger root, shredded
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 cup sweet red pepper
2 cups fresh mushrooms
one head of iceberg lettuce split into leaves


Brown the chicken in half of the sesame oil on medium heat, drain
crumble the chicken up well.
add the rest of the sesame oil, green onion, mushrooms, garlic, ginger, vinegar, honey and soy sauce.
stir around until the mushrooms begin to soften, about 5 mins, add the red pepper and stir until they\re cooked but not soggy, another 5 mins.
Serve on lettuce leaves, about a heaping tbsp or so on each.

I also made a bit of a sauce for it to add a little more to it and added a little bit of crumbled roasted cashews as well.  These aren't included in the points plus above.  Hubby put hot sauce on his :)

Sauce recipe\

1 point per 1 tsp serving

2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp rice vinegar

Pumpkin pie phyllo pastries

I've had a few requests for this recipe and I figured posting it BEFORE thanksgiving was helpful to those Canadian weight watchers needing a fall dessert and some calorie sanity this coming weekend!

Prep Time: 25 mins
Cook time: 15 mins
Servings: ~40
Points: 1 point each pastry

2 cups canned pumpkin
1 package of phyllo pastry (the one I have is a 1 pound package)
3 large eggs
1 cup low fat evaporated milk
3/4 cups unpacked brown sugar (set aside 1/4 cup for topping)
pam cooking spray
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (set aside 1/2 tsp for topping)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

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Prehead oven to 375.
-Mix together the pumpkin, eggs, 1/2 cup of the brown sugar, evaporated milk, and spices.  Set aside.
-Lay out phyllo so it's laying long ways side to side 2 sheets at a time, spray between them lightly with pam (I folded one side of the top layer of phyllo, sprayed, replaced it back and did the same with the other side).
-Slice the phyllo into 5 equal width columns.  This will make 5 pastries.
-Place about 2 tbsp of pumpkin mixture on the bottom portion of the piece of phyllo.
-Now here's where you fold up the phyllo into triangles.  Might get a bit confusing, I'll post pictures this weekend as it's hard to explain!  You just want to keep folding it to make a triangle.  Take a bottom corner (both pieces of phyllo) and pull it up to the side so it makes a triangle.  Then grab the lower point of that triangle and pull it over to the other side so it again makes a triangle.  Keep doing this until you have finished the whole piece of phyllo.
-Keep repeating steps until you either run out of phyllo or pumpkin filling.
- Mix together the remaining brown sugar and cinnamon.  Sprinkle the tops of each of the pastries evenly.
-Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  Bake until top is lightly browned and phyllo is crispy on the loose edges.  About 15-17 minutes.

Serve warm if you can, but they are still REALLY good when they've cooled down and aren't crispy anymore.  I even froze them and thawed them a week later and they held up!  Enjoy!

Shepherd's pie

Prep time 10 mins
Cook time: 45 mins
Servings: 8
Points plus value: 8


1 lb lean ground beef (you could sub in 1/2 lb ground chicken 1/2 lb ground beef to make it even less points, but I have low iron so I'm enjoying the full beefyness)
1 onion diced
5 cloves garlic peeled and minced
1 tbsp beef bovril
1 tbsp Worchestershire sauce (we call it Wooster sauce in our house!)
1 small carton button mushrooms sliced
2 cups frozen mixed veggies
3 medium potatoes
1 head cauliflower
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1/4 cup skim milk
salt. pepper, garlic powder to taste
1 tbsp flower

(add or takeaway whatever spices, this is just what I used/had on hand.  I'm not watching sodium as I have low BP, so you may want to adjust that too)

Peel and cube potatoes and put them on to boil.
Put cauliflower in steamer and steam for 30 minutes.  You want them mushy.
Brown the ground beef and drain.
Add in the olive oil, onions, garlic and mushrooms, they'll release water, keep that in there.
Once the onions are clear, add the wooster sauce and bovril and mix in the flour to make the gravy.
Spread beef mixture in the bottom of a large baking dish.  Cover with mixed veggies.
Drain potatoes, add in cauliflower, butter garlic powder salt and pepper and mash until relatively smooth.
Spread potato mixture over meat and veggies.
Bake in oven uncovered at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 mins or until gravy bubbles up the edges and potatoes are slightly brown on top.

Enjoy and think of me!

Tuna greek salad

This is a really easy dinner or lunch.  Usually I'd make one portion and split in in two for two lunches.

Prep time 5 mins
Cook time: 7 mins
Servings: 2
Points plus value: 6


1 red pepper
1/2 english cucumber
1 serving no yolks egg noodles
1 ounce low fat feta
1 can flaked light tuna in water
2 tbsp Kraft greek feta and oregano dressing

Cook pasta according to directions.
chop up pepper and cucumber into bite size pieces.
Split pasta up into two dishes.
Divide veggies, place on top of pasta.
Crumble feta and tuna, divide and put on top of pasta and veggies
Pour in one tbsp of salad dressing onto each serving, toss.

That's it!  Quick, healthy and tasty!

Stuffed prosciutto wrapped chicken

I combined a few different recipes to come up with this one.  My sister's co-workers requested this recipe :)  Hi Annie's Co-workers!

Prep time: 20 mins
Cook time: 1 hour total
Servings: 8 (or 4 if you're generous)
Points Plus value:  7

3 tablespoons olive oil
4 small boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 an onion, diced
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp oil from a jar of sun-dried tomatoes
110g log of low fat goat cheese (I used PC blue menu)
1/2 tsp basil
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp garlic salt
2 tbsp parmesan cheese
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
8 slices prosciutto

Preheat oven to 350.
Slice chicken breasts into two fillets, pound flat until thin.
put olive oil into pan, heat on medium.
Fry the onions until soft, add the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes and stir.
In a bowl, mix the goat cheese, basil, garlic powder, pepper, salt and parmesan cheese.  Add half of the the onion mixture and stir all together.
With the remaining onion mixture, add the white wine and chicken broth, reduce on medium-high heat until liquid is boiled down.
Divide cheese mixture evenly and place on chicken fillets, roll up.  Then wrap chicken rolls in prosciutto.
Place in baking pan loosely.
Drizzle wine/onion sauce over chicken.
Bake in oven about 40 mins or until chicken is cooked through.
Serve immediately.


I served this with tomato rice.

Prep time: 1 min
Cook time: 10-30 mins depending on type of rice you use.
Servings: 4
Points Plus value: 3


4 servings rice (according to package)
chicken broth (however much rice package dictates)
1 small can diced tomatoes (I mince them a little before adding to rice, I don't like huge tomato chunks!)

Cook rice according to package directions (sub in chicken broth for water)
When chicken broth is boiled down, add diced tomatoes.  Mix in and cook on low until hot stirring frequently.  Serve.

Shrimp and snap pea stirfry

Well February has been a write-off for many reasons and I've obviously been neglecting this blog!

Here's one of my go-to recipe's.

Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 15 mins
Servings: 4
Points Plus value: 10

2 boxes of the cheapest shrimp rings in the store, thawed, de-tailed and rinsed.
2 servings of angel hair pasta (according to box)
1 carton (4 cups?) low sodium chicken broth
4-6 cloves garlic
4 cups sugar snap peas
1 tbsp butter
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp dried parsley
2 tbsp grated parmesan (or more/less according to taste)

Cook pasta in chicken broth, drain and set aside.
Melt butter in wok or large sauce pan on medium heat.  Add in minced garlic.
When garlic is starting to brown add parsley, olive oil, shrimp and peas.  Toss until peas are semi-soft and shrimp is heated through.
Throw in pasta and parmesan.  Toss to coat.
Serve immediately.