Baked Salmon

This was the first time I had ever made fish. I'm not a big fan of eating fish, but my husband loves it. Since its expensive to buy good fish (and impossible to buy it really fresh) in Arizona, I use that as an excuse not to make it for my husband. But with Lent ongoing, fish is a more reasonable price. I decided to try my hand at it.

Baked Salmon

2 serving, 8 points

4 servings, 4 points

1 lbs Salmon (salmon is about a point per oz)

1 tbs spray butter

1 tbs lemon juice

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp kosher salt

Place a sheet of tin foil onto a baking sheet. Place the salmon scale side down on the tin foil. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the fish. Drizzle spray butter on the salmon, and drizzle the lemon juice. Let it sit out for 5 minutes before putting it into the oven. Broil fish or bake it on a high heat. Watch carefully, do not over cook. Remove from heat once fish meat because flaky. I didn't understand what this ment until it got to this point, you can take your fork and run it over it and it will break apart in the flaky fish cooked texture. Remove from oven and serve. I actually enjoy eating fish in small amounts and when it hasn't been in the freezer yet. Fish is tastier the closer in time since they left their home in the water. 

Sorry no picture. They are on the computer that is on the fritz.

Party Food

Since starting Weight Watchers whenever we have a gathering at our home or if I'm going to someone's home and am suppose to bring a side or treat to share.

Here are 3 recipes that can be made low-point to share at parties, or for a fun evening at home.

Italian Dressing Pasta Salad

6 servings (1 cup), 5 points each

12 servings (1/2 cup), 3 points each

• 1 bag/box Spiral pasta (my bag has 6 servings in the bag)
• 5 tbs Light Zesty Italian Dressing
• 1/4 c Light Miracle Whip
• 3 servings of sliced ham (diced)
• 1 c diced Tomatoes (or more if you like, it doesn't add points)
• 16 Olives (black or spanish)- if you dice them it will feel like there are more
• 1 package (~8oz) Fat Free Feta cheese
• optional*-1/4 c chopped onion, 1/4 c chopped green peppers- neither add points its just up to your taste

Directions: Cook up the pasta, drain, and place in the fridge. While pasta cools in the fridge, chop up the veggies and place them in a large bowl to serve in. Add in the measured dressing, miracle whip (some find it useful to mix dressing and miracle whip till blended then add to the mixing bowl), ham, and Feta. When the pasta is cold (do not add hot it will melt your cheese),  add it to the bowl, mix and toss till everything is covered. Serve. 1/2 is 3 points, 1 cup is 5 points.

Soda Cake

12 servings, 3 points each

• 1 cake mix (doesn't matter which type)
• 1 can of diet soda (which one doesn't matter, you might find you like the taste of one over the other when added to the cake

Take the cake mix, add the can of soda, mix well and place in pan, Bake at the temperature directed by the box's direction.  Cut the cake into 12 slices, each slice is 3 points. Ideas for topping-  fat free cool whip, powdered sugar lightly sprinkled, light chocolate syrup, or make frosting and figure out its points.

Strawberry Limeade

each 12 oz glass = 1 point

Personal Serving Size

• 1 can diet Sprite/7-UP
• 1 1/2 cup strawberries
• 1 1/2 c crushed ice

Take your strawberries, and place them in a blender or food processor. Blend them. Crush your ice. Pour your soda into a glass. Add the strawberries and ice to your glass. Mix and drink.

Party Serving

• 1 2-liter of diet Sprite/7-UP
• 1 package of strawberries
• 8 cups crushed ice

Process the strawberries and ice, add soda. Serve in a pitchers, glasses, or punch bowl. Fresca works well too.

Have fun at your parties.

Chicken and Corn Bread Pie-6pts

This is really cheap to make and super feeling for so little points. My husband says its a winner because it tastes great and is really filling, and  points that leave room for a skinny cow for dessert.

Chicken and Corn Bread Pie

6 points, 2 servings

• 2 tsp spray butter
• 5 oz diced chicken (start with pre-cooked or un-cooked)
• 1/2 c diced carrots (I like to put more)
• 1/2 c diced celery (I like to put more)
• 1/4 c diced onion (again I do more)
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp thyme
• 1 cup canned ready-to-serve chicken broth* or 2 cups of water
• 1/4 c flour (divided- 1tbs, 2tbs)
• 1/2 c buttermilk**
• 1 egg whites (if you use the yoke, add a point to each serving)
• 1/3 c uncooked yellow cornmeal
• 1/4 tsp baking soda

*Instead of canned broth, I use water. I put it in much earlier and let the seasonings flavor my water, saves both the calories of the broth (not much but still) and is cheaper than buying another ingredient.
**If you use ready made buttermilk from the store the points are drastically different. At 2 points to each serving. If you make it yourself, using milk (any but whole milk) and either lemon juice or vinegar (1 cup to 1 tbs).


Preheat over to 400 degrees. In a pot on the stove top, take your diced chicken. If it hasn't been cooked yet, cook it now. Brown the chicken. Now take your chicken, already in the pot, add the water (if you plan on using broth, don't add the broth, instead add 1/4 cup water), carrots, celery, onion, garlic, spices, and 1 tbs of flour. Let it all simmer, cook until the chicken is finished cooking and the veggies have softened.  Since I use water instead of broth, I let it all simmer a bit longer to flavor the water. If you are using broth, turn off the heat and add the broth. Next prepare the corn bread. Do this by mixing the butter,  buttermilk, and egg whites in small bowl. In another bowl mix the dry ingredients, 2 tbs of flour, baking soda, cornmeal. Mix the wet and dry together, stir until all mixed. Pour chicken stew into two sprayed casserole bowls, then pour cornbread mixture over the top of the chicken stew. Cook for 10-15 minutes. Side note about casserole bowls, I used 2 cup pyrex bowls, this was my second time making it. The first time I used one 2 1/2 qt corning-ware dish, so instead of two separate servings I made one two servings. The only problem is the dish was too wide, keep in mind that your corn bread mix is exactly enough to cover the top of a pot pie size dish, but otherwise its it won't change the taste. 
If you make this the same as I did (broth doesn't matter), this is only 6 points. If you use a whole egg, its 7 points. If you use store bought buttermilk and non spray butter the whole thing is 9 points. If you only substitute back in the butter then 7 points (unless its another light butter).