Try the Alfredo in the Orzo stuffed Peppers- 3pts per half

The other day I tried making the Orzo Stuffed Peppers for dinner (see previous post) instead of red sauce I used  the Alfredo sauce. It was tasty. And it only adds 1 point per full pepper or 3 pts total for each half. Another great way to mix things up. I have an Alfredo recipe for making it from scratch that is a low-fat version. I need to see if that could cut points down.
Hope you are all doing well in your low-fat cooking. Thanks for reading.

Spinach and Pasta Stuffed Peppers (5pts or 2.5pts)

I have wanted to try these for a while now. The idea came to me one night when I made made traditional Stuffed Peppers for dinner and had been talking about my lasagna. Its the rice in the Stuffed Peppers that make you feel full, the meat gives it that hearty taste, and the peppers that give the range in flavor. So on that day I was thinking, I wondered, 'how would it work if I used orzo pasta (rice like pasta) instead of rice. It intrigued me and I started thinking what would be different and what would work, and what would it taste like. The more I thought about it the more I was sure this was going to taste wonderful and they did. Here is what I came up with.

Spinach and Pasta Stuffed Peppers 

(5pts whole or 2.5pts halves)

• 3/4 orzo (make according to box directions)
• 2 cups steamed spinach
• 1/2 lb of ground beef
• 1 tbs Italian seasonings
• 1/2 c chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 chopped large tomato (Sun dried would also work well)
• 4 peppers (red, yellow, orange, green-your choices)
• 2 tbs parm cheese
• 2 cups pasta sauce

Directions:

Turn on the oven to 375 F. While the oven heats, heat the water for the orzo pasta, start steaming the spinach. Steam only until starting to wilt. Start cooking the onion, minced garlic, and ground beef. Prepare the peppers by cutting out the center. You can leave them whole (just cut off the top) or cut them in half. A whole one is 5 points each or 2.5 for the halves. I like to cut them in half. When the oven is heated, place the peppers into the oven to start cooking, cook for about 10 minutes. When your pasta is cooked, also the the ground beef, and the spinach. Mix them together, add the pasta sauce and tomato. When your peppers are ready, spoon the pasta-meat mixture into the peppers. Place in oven. Cook for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle a little parm on each, and serve. Can be served as a half or as a whole. Can be a great meal as a half with two low point sides.

suggested sides: salad, zucchini, baby carrots. 

Beef Kebabs-6pts

When I saw this recipe I remembered the kebab racks that we got for our wedding, the ones we used once and have been sitting in our cupboards since. What a wonderful idea, make use of things we own. The recipe only had meat, onions, red peppers, and mushroom caps. But I like my skewers with lots of veggies. The recipe also suggested marinading the meat overnight, I decided to make it with less time than that and instead I only marinaded it for 30 minutes.

Beef Kebabs

(4 servings)

• 1 onion cubed
• grated zest of lemon
• 2 tbs lemon juice
• 4 tsp olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
• 1 tsp chopped mint
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• dash of cayenne pepper
• 1 lb boneless beef tenderloin, cut into ~1inch cubes. (I used chuck roast, to cut cubes, other beefs can be used, just make sure the points are right).
• 1 bay leaf
• veggies cut into 1 inch sizes (mushroom caps, green peppers, red peppers, yellow peppers, orange peppers, yellow squash, zucchini, onion, tomatoes, cauliflower, carrots, cucumbers, just about anything that sounds good to you. My mom likes to put pineapples on her skewers-put that changes the points just a big).

directions: blend in a food processor the onion, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, cloves, cumin, thyme, mint, paprika, cayenne pepper. Place sauce and meat into a plastic bag. Place in the fridge overnight (or 30 minutes but it won't be as juicy). Remove meat from fridge, take meat from bag, pour all extra juices into a small sauce pan, add bay leaf to sauce and bring sauce to boil, let boil for 3 minutes. Take meat and veggies, place on skewers. Broil. I cut everything smaller pieces, and stuffed it on the skewers. It made a lot more skewers. In fact I used only 8 oz of meat, and got 6 skewers out of it. Cook throughly. Baste skewers with left over marinade while cooking, any marinade leftover at that point serve on the side. Each skewer (when making 4 skewers with the full lb of meat) is one serving.

Ideas as sides- couscous, wild rice, hummus.

Chicken Orzo with Roasted Peppers-6pts

I was skeptical that I'd like this, I mean it sounded okay but I didn't know about it. I gave my husband 3 options and asked which sounded yummier for dinner. This is what he chose. Once he made he thought this was DELICIOUS. I thought it was good, I'd eat it again, but I wouldn't call it wonderful. Not because it isn't a good recipe, only that its not the sort of thing I normally choose. But it was good.

Chicken Orzo with Roasted Peppers

(serves 4)

• 1 med green bell pepper (cut in half and seeded)
• 1 med red bell pepper (cut in half and seeded)
• 6 oz orzo pasta
• 8 oz skinless boneless chicken breasts
• 2 tbs minced parsley (recipe recommends fresh parsley, we just used dried)
• 1 tbs minced mint leaves (again recommends fresh, we used dried)
• 1 tbs lemon juice (recommends fresh, we used jarred from the fridge)
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 ground black pepper (or to taste)
• 1.5 oz feta cheese (we skipped this, if you leave it out it takes a point off per serving=5pts per serving w/out feta, or check out your feta, lower fat ones will change this-calculated on 75 cal per oz)

Directions: Heat oven at 400 degrees F. Place cut-side down on a "jelly-roll" pan roast for 25-30- or until the skin is blistered and charred. When its done place into a paper bag, let sit for 5 minutes (until cooled), and then peel. (I only peeled half of mine, I gave up after they didn't want to peel, couldn't taste the difference). While the peppers are being made ready, cook the Orzo, and poach the chicken. (I had never poached chicken before. The recipe contained directions, apparently all you do to poach a chicken is place the chicken in skillet with shallow boiling water-3cups-cover it and cook for a few minutes-10minutes or so.) To make the sauce- in a jar or a bowl, add parsley, mint, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, ground black pepper. Shake jar or whisk it all well. When the chicken is done cooking, let it cool a bit and then cut into "bite-size" pieces. Mix chicken, roasted peppers, sauce, orzo in a serving dish. Toss, make sure everything is evenly coated. Then mix in the optional crumbled feta. Makes 4 servings.

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).

Stuffed Peppers-5pts

These were yummy. I'd make them again. I think next time I will try using Worcestershire sauce instead of the tomato sauce and then add actually chopped tomatoes. Sorry I forgot to take a picture. I will have to get into a habit of doing this.

Stuffed Peppers

(4 servings, double everything for 8 servings)

*denote not being in the original recipe

• 1/2 lbs of lean beef (90 or above, if you use lower make the adjustment) you do not need to brown it before adding it to the mixture, although if you are using a fattier beef I would recommend browning it and draining off the fat.
• 1 c cooked long grain brown rice (you can used white rice, I used long grain brown and was able to add the beans for the same number of points)
• *1/4 c black beans (cooks/canned and rinsed--if you use white rice add a point for the beans)
• 1/4 c green peas (thawed if frozen)
• onion-finally chopped (I used 1/2 of a large onion, if it is small use the whole thing)
• 1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tbs tomato paste (next time I want to try Worcestershire sauce doesn't change the points)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp basil
• 1/2 tsp sage
• 1/2 tsp rosemary
• *1 tsp cumin (we love cumin and next time I might add even more)
• 4 large sweet peppers (red, green, orange, yellow-its your choice), cut off the tops and clean out seeds
• 1/2 c tomato puree or tomato sauce

Mix the beef, rice, onion, peas, beans, rice, cheese, seasons and 2 tbs or tomato paste (or Worcestershire sauce)- mix together, fill peppers with mixture. Bake at 350 degrees, covered with foil and just enough water to cover the floor of the baking pan, cook for 30 minutes and then remove the cover and continue to cook for 20min more. Cool a bit before serving.