Pasta Primavera- 7 points

This is a family favorite of my husband's side. It works best with no long pastas, such as penne or shells. 
Serves 4, 7 points per serving.

• 1/2 box of pasta
• 1/2 lb of ground beef
• 1/2 chopped onion (optional)
• 1 jar of pasta sauce
• 1 large bag of frozen California mixed Veggies (broccoli, carrots and cauliflower)
• 1/4 c parm cheese

It can be made 2 ways no difference in points.

Stove and Oven: Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook up the ground beef and the chopped onion. Suggestion to use the Italian Sausage Seasoning mix to give your meat more flavor. Cook up pasta to almost done -still a bit hard. Defrost bag of veggies in the microwave. Mix pasta, meat, and veggies in a oven baking dish. Pour the pasta sauce over it and cook in oven for 15 minutes. You can sprinkle Parm on before or after putting it in the oven. 

Stovetop: Cook up ground beef and onions (suggested Italian Sausage Seasoning Mix) and then pasta in a separate dish. When pasta is ready drain off water and mix in the cooked ground beef. Mix in thawed veggies. Pour in Pasta sauce, mix and let sizzle. Serve hot off stove with parm sprinkled on it.

ideas for lowering points:

Double recipe, serve 8 but still only use 1/2 lb of ground beef. It would take each serving down to 5 points. To make up the difference and fill it more, add more veggies- specially more broccoli and cauliflower. Maybe us one mixed bag and one bag of all broccoli or cauliflower. If you did it just pasta and veggies it takes the serving to 4 points per serving. 

Thanks for stopping by.

Sweet and Spicy Chicken Orzo -7 points per serving

Sweet and Spicy Chicken Orzo

7 points per serving, 4 servings

• 6 oz Orzo pasta
• 1/2 c chopped onion
• 6 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground red pepper
• 1 3/4 c tomato sauce
• 1 tbs  honey
• 15 oz boneless skinless chicken breasts

Boil water for the orzo, once its boiling cook orzo. Orzo only needs to cook around 9 minutes. Put to the side once its cooked and drained. Meanwhile, cook up the onions and garlic in a sauce pan, add cinnamon,salt, ginger, and pepper. Cook over medium heat, once onions are cooked add the tomato sauce and honey. Cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes until boiling. Remove from heat. If you can multi-task enough, spray skillet, cook chicken that has been cut into strips over high heat, cook until fulling done, remove from heat. Serve orzo, with chicken strips on top, all covered by the sauce. 
Each serving is 3 oz of cooked chicken, 1/4 th of the Orzo, 1/2 cup sauce.
Suggested Veggie side: Broccoli, California Veggie mix, Veggie Mix

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).

Chicken Stir Fry- 6 pts

This is the Stir Fry I've always used. I was really wanting it last night. So I made it up and figured out the points. I like to use a pre-made stir fry veggie mix. To make it less points I only used 1- 8 oz chicken breast. I used about half the amount of rice I normally use, and filled it with veggies. I used a bit too much soy sauce and it looked really yucky- tasted fin, but I didn't want to put a picture up.

Stir Fry

• 1-8oz chicken breast, cut into cubes
• various veggies- carrots, green beans, zucchini, peas, yellow squash, celery, peppers, onion, broccoli, anything that sounds good to you.
• 1 cup cooked rice
• 4 tbs soy sauce

Cook up the chicken, when almost cooked turn heat to low, add 2 tbs of soy sauce, let simmer. When the chicken is done, add in the veggies, and the last 2 tbs of soy sauce. Mix well, then add rice, mix well and serve. Makes 2 servings (to make more servings just double the recipe). If you aren't up for rice, this could also be made with 1 package of Ramen noodles, if you use Ramen instead of rice the total is 7 points (its actually more like a point and half).

Fajitas-7pts

I love Mexican food. I've lived in Arizona almost my entire life. When I haven't been in Arizona I have felt the loss in my life of good Mexican food. This is not an Weight Watchers recipe. Instead only inspired by one. It was inspired by the Zesty Beef Fajitas recipe found in my book 'Weight Watchers New 365 day Menu Cookbook'. I saw it and got thinking. This recipe also complements the stuffed peppers, in that you can use the same stuff. For example: Black beans- open one can and you still won't use it all up and Rice- make a couple cups at one time and only use a cup at a time, used the other half of lb from the peppers, the other half of onion, and sweet bell peppers (we buy them in bulk or you can buy them pre-cut with onions in the frozen veggie section).

Arizona Girl's Fajitas

• 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1 c cooked long grain rice
• 1/2 c black beans
• onion cut into medium pieces
• sweet bell peppers cut into medium pieces (I used 3 large halves-red, green, yellow)
• 1 c water
• 1 tbs cumin
• 1/2 tbs chili powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tbs cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp paprika

Directions: cook on the stove top the onion and bell peppers (how you oil the pan is up to you, I use spray butter, olive oil (add the points), or Pam). When the veggies are almost done add in the 1/2 lb of ground beef. Make sure it is broken up as best as possible. Add salt and pepper. Let it will simmer until all the meat is browned. Once all is browned add the water, cumin, chili powder cayenne pepper, and paprika. It helps to mix all the seasons into the water first then add the water. You can use the Taco seasoning mixes but you'll have to check out what points it will add, many contain molasses and other preservatives. After you get all the seasonings spread around and simmering add the beans and rice to the pan. Let simmer for a minute or two (until all the water is absorbed).

Serving: Makes 6 servings (2/3 c each) at 4 points a serving, add in your own tortillas (our large cook yourself tortillas are 3 points each). Can be served as is or with lettuce, tomatoes, salsa (check for points), and cheese (add points).