**Official week 5 thread**

soccerella

I'll preface this by stating I havent watched the show yet, just am going by a summary I read - and it seems like something fairly shocking happened last night!

Week four definitely showed some improvement for alot of people! We had some teams where everyone lost at least 1% and several people who lost over 5 pounds! As a group we have lost a total of 183 pounds since the start, 44 pounds just last week and EVERY TEAM has a positive percentage lost this week. Nice work guys, lets see if we cant keep it up this week too!

I apologize for not posting more over the weekend but i was gone friday afternoon-monday afternoon and the house didnt have internet. I did do a little browsing this morning in some of the threads and saw a couple things that were interesting regarding the challenge. Here are a couple :

"i'm going to a restaurant tomorrow night to celebrate a friend's birthday & figured i'd have a piece of chocolate cake... however i already put it in my diary because i wanted to see how much i'd need to work off and it's over a 1000 cals (!!!!!!) for a slice of their chocolate cake.... and since i don't want to work off 1000 cals, figure i'll either opt not to have it or just have a couple bites of it. what i find interesting is that if i didn't look it up ahead of time, i would've just eaten the entire piece (i'm sure) having no idea how many calories (& empty ones at that) i was putting into my body so know that i know, i can make a more informed choice tomorrow night"

"I never logged my alcohol. I stated logging it. Wow, lots if calories Yikes! "

"Wow did not know that 1 cookie could have so many calories!!!!! "

Several people decided to avoid foods that are "bad" when realizing how many calories there are, others found that they pushed a little harder to get an extra calorie burn in, and others really struggled with it. I think alot of people learned something from it though and hope that will continue!

This weeks biggest loser is Katonaroof from the Purple team, and the Blue team was the bean highest BL. Team winners are:

Red: Jamiegephart 
Orange: mentalmunchie 
Yellow: Progressnotperfection84 
Green: jessecpwrs
Blue: Justformel 
Purple: katonaroof

I just wanted to reiterate that every team this week had an overall loss for the week, even with some teams having 1% penalties for some late players. That is a great step in the right direction. If you're like me and gained this past week or just arent seeing a change on the scale yet, try not to get frustrated or discouraged. Please let me know if there is something I can do to help motivate the group. I want us all to be successful!

And as a side note I want to give a shout out to jessecpwrs who had a goal to lose 100 lbs before her anniversary and she reached that this week!

Last night's challenge was to come up with a healthful, kid-friendly meal that uses lots of fresh fruit and vegetables. While all three teams came up with tasty choices, the blue team won with its Backyard Quesadillas and Fiesta Fruit Salad. Our challenge this week is to post a healthy recipe for others to try here. It can be one youve done for years, or one you just googled on the internet 5 minutes ago. It must however contain fruits and/ or vegetables, must be a complete recipe with all instructions, and you must include the nutrition facts of at least calories and fat, but more if you know them. Please post your recipes here

Additionally I'd like each team to come up with a meal and PM it to me by tomorrow evening at the latest. I will then post a new thread with all of the meals and not tell you which team came up with each. You can then comment on the thread with the meal you want to win. Each team that gets me their meal by 8pm EST tomorrow night will each receive 2 bonus points and the team that wins the vote will get 5 bonus points. The meal itself must contain a starter(appetizer), a main course, at least one side, and a dessert and must be below 1000 calories. Discuss within your team thread until you are satisfied with the components of your meal and then the coaches (or whatever representative you choose) will need to send me the information for the meal. Please message it to me in a format like this

Starter: house salad with dressing (300 cals)
Main course: Baked chicken breast (235 cals)
Side dish: steamed broccoli (60 calories)
dessert: fresh berries (80 calories)
total for meal: 675 calories

House salad
mix in a large bowl the following:
2 cups iceburg lettuce
1 cucumber, sliced
...etc

Baked chicken
preheat oven to 350
trim fat off a 4 oz chicken breast
top with cracked pepper
bake for 30 minutes
....etc


basically all recipes, both for the individual challenge and the team challenge must be able to be followed if someone wants to. This is always a favorite challenge as alot of us get some great new recipes to try. Remember to include any spices, oils, butter, etc when posting your recipes and try to include as many fresh ingredients (ie less processed items) as possible. Get creative (my example meal is super boring) and try to make it something healthy that you would enjoy eating. The meal contest will be judged on calories, creativity, and how delicious it sounds!

****Challenge summary*****
1) post in the main week 5 thread a full recipe (all directions and include nutrition information) that includes fruit and/or vegetables
2) consult with your team to create a full meal (starter, main dish, side, dessert) under 1000 calories and submit one meal as a team through PM to soccerella by 8 PM EST thursday
3) Teams meals will be posted anonymously and voting will take place for best meal (based on calories, creativity, appeal, etc)
4) you do not HAVE to vote to get credit this week, challenge completion is based on posting your recipe correctly in the week 5 thread
********************************

coaches you do not need to keep track of challenge completions this week - ill be doing it as we go along. Why? This is one people always cheat at! Its so silly but I always have at least one person say they completed this challenge but never posted a recipe. Remember I can see this thread and check up on you! It would be helpful to record them on your team spreadsheets to make sure I didnt miss anything, but remember its going off what is posted in the main thread, not your team ones.

Do you guys want a physical challenge this week? I know people really like having a physical challenge to add to workouts, but since I havent seen the show yet I dont have any idea of fun workouts they may have done so if you have a suggestion for an optional physical challenge feel free to post it here

Lastly I know I'm behind on the points in the main spreadsheet but I'll update this afternoon or tomorrow!

soccerella

This is the winning recipe from last nights show and an example of what would earn a "complete" for the challenge this week. The recipe can be replicated, contains fruits and/or vegetables, and includes nutrition information


Backyard Quesadilla with Fiesta Fruit Salad

For the fruit salad:
1 fresh mango, peeled, pitted and cut in ½ inch cubes
1 ½ cups fresh strawberries, sliced
½ cup fresh blueberries
1 tablespoon dark honey
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

For the quesadilla:
1 whole wheat tortilla
1 cup white onion, chopped
½ medium green bell pepper, seeded and diced
½ medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 ounce chicken breast (boneless and skinless), diced
½ tablespoon cooked black beans
1 slice reduced fat Provolone cheese

Garnishes:
2 tablespoons fat free salsa verde
2 tablespoons light sour cream

For the Fruit Salad:
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the fruit. In a small bowl, stir the honey and lime juice together. Pour over the fruit and toss gently. There will be about 3 cups of fruit salad. Set aside while preparing quesadilla.

For the Quesadilla:
-Place medium nonstick sauté pan over medium high heat. Add diced onion and bell peppers and cook for three to four minutes or until vegetables are soft, stirring regularly.
-Add diced chicken and garlic and cook for a few minutes longer, stirring until chicken is just cooked and no longer pink. Add black beans and stir to combine.
-Place tortilla on a sheet pan and carefully spoon the chicken mixture over it. Top with cheese and bake in preheated oven for about 7 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
-Remove from oven and allow to cool for one to two minutes. Fold quesadilla in half and cut into four wedges.

Transfer to a dinner plate and place salsa and sour cream on the side. Add ¾ cup of the fruit salad. Serve immediately.

Nutritional information (per serving):
Serving size: 404g
Calories 280
Fat calories 50
Total fat 6 grams
Sat fat 2 grams
Cholesterol 10 mg
Sodium 280 mg
Total carbohydrates 47 grams
Fiber 8 grams
Sugars 27 grams
Protein 12 grams

xoemmytee

My go-to snack---proscuitto panino
1oz prosciitto (60cals)
1oz fresh mozzarella (preferably in small balls) (80cals)
1 lettuce leaf
Total: 140 cals

Wrap the proscuitto around the mozzarella. For a meal eat more than one serving. Munch on the lettuce leaf because that makes it healthy.It is of utmost importance that you eat the lettuce leaf because without it the snack will clog your arteries or raise your blood pressure or something.

Tolstoy26

Mexican "Rice" Bowl- I adapted this recipe from PaleOMG so if you want to see the full version you can go to http://paleomg.com/mexican-rice-bowls/

Ingredients
1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
1/3 cup water
handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
1 pound ground turkey
1 white onion, diced
2 avocados, diced (I use 1/2 advocado for each serving, but can use more or less depending on taste)
1 packet low sodium taco seasoning
salsa of choice (I use about 4 tbsp per bowl, but again this can be altered depending on taste)

Instructions
1. Run florets of cauliflower through a food processor using the shredding attachment, to rice the cauliflower. Or use a grater and grate the cauliflower until you have small pieces.
2. Place a small saucepan over medium heat, add cauliflower and water (can add a bit of salt, but I don’t think it really needs it) and cover to let steam for about 10 minutes. Mix a couple times to keep from sticking to the bottom.
3. While cauliflower is cooking, place a medium skillet over medium-high heat and cook ground turkey. Break up into small pieces, when halfway done cooking add taco seasoning, onions, and cilantro, and cook until cooked through completely.
4. Dice onion and avocado.
5. When cauliflower rice and meat are done cooking, add 1 1/2 cup rice, 4 ounces of meat and onion mixture, avocado, and salsa to a bowl.

Nutritional Information (Disclaimer: this isn’t exact, but I think a pretty close estimation)
Calories: 373
Carbs: 27
Fat: 10
Protein: 31
Sodium: 875
Sugar: 11

AshleyMeggg

My main meal. I found a recipe online that describes it slightly different, but way better than I could.

1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs $
Cooking spray $
12 (6-inch) white corn tortillas
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced green cabbage $
1/4 cup (1 ounce) shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese (such as Tillamook)
Low-fat sour cream (optional)

Preparation
Prepare grill.
Combine first 4 ingredients in a small bowl; rub spice mixture over chicken.
Place chicken on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 10 minutes on each side or until done. Let stand 5 minutes; chop.
Heat tortillas according to package directions. Divide chicken evenly among tortillas; top each tortilla with 2 tablespoons cabbage and 1 teaspoon cheese. Serve with sour cream, if desired.

soccerella

Remember guys, you have to include nutritional information for this to count! Only one has done that so far

Aprilstar480

Last night they showed one of the contestants struggling in the pool... We could do a challenge that either requires us to try something new or something that we might have been afraid to try in the past.

jesserunsfree

So here is my main course recipe, straight from my blog... jesserunsfree.blogger.com

Chicken Pot Pie

chicken pot pie

One of my favorite fall meals is Chicken Pot Pie. I love its warm gooey comfort. What I don't like is the amount of calories in it. The average Chicken Pot Pie is 600 calories.

So I decided today was a day to find a way to make my favorite meal, in a way I can eat.



For any dish you need a good base.



Directions:

Preheat Oven : 425* F
4 servings

Ingredients:

Filling:
1 Can Cream of Chicken
1 Cup Fat Free Milk
3 tbsp Whole Wheat Flour
1 tsp Herbs de Provence

Biscuit Crust:
1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
4 tsp I Can't Believe It's Not Butter
1 tsp baking powder
3 tsp Fat Free Milk

Meat & Veggie Mix:
1/2 a bag of Steamfresh Brown & Wild Rice with Broccolli & Carrots
1/2 a bag of Steamfresh Sweet Peas
1/2 a bag of Grilled & Ready Oven Roasted Chicken Breast, Diced

Directions:

Filling, in a sauce pan combine all filling ingredients and whisk together. Bring filling to a boil, and continuously whisk for 2 minutes. Turn to low and let filling cook for 5 minutes.

While filling is cooking, create biscuit crust, mix in a small bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Mix meat & veggie mix into filling.

Using 4 small loaf pans put 1 cup of filling mixture into each pan.

Divide Biscuit Crust into 4 even sections. Create rectangular biscuit and place on top.

Poke wholes in top of biscuit.

Lastly, place in oven & cook for 15 to 20 minutes.



Eat & Enjoy.

Stats: Per Serving

Calories: 364
Total Fat 9.5g
Cholesterol 62.5 mg
Sodium: 742.7 mg
Potassium: 395.8 mg
Total Carbs 42.5g
Dietary Fiber: 6.1 g
Sugars: 7g
Protein: 28g

Aprilstar480

Dessert, No Bake Cheese Cake

222 Calories, 17 grams Sugar, 6 grams Fat

Whip 1 package LOW FAT CREAM CHEESE with 1/4 cup SUGAR and 1tsp VANILLA. Fold in 1 tub LOW FAT COOL WHIP. Pour into GRAHM CRACKER PIE CRUST. Chill in the fridge for an hour. Top with FRESH BERRIES if desired *note this will raise the sugar content*

I'm pretty sure you could lower the sugar content in the crust if you make it yourself instead of buying it premade

dillyg08

~Angel Hair Pasta with Garden Vegetables Recipe~

Ingredients:

•8 ounces uncooked angel hair pasta
•1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
•1 cup thinly sliced fresh carrots
•1 cup fresh snow peas
•1 cup chopped sweet yellow, red or green pepper
•1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
•2 garlic cloves, minced
•2 tablespoons California Olive Ranch® Olive Oil
•2 teaspoons cornstarch
•1 cup vegetable broth or chicken broth
•1/4 teaspoon salt
•3 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped
•1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in large nonstick skillet, saute the mushrooms, carrots, snow peas, yellow pepper, basil and garlic in oil for 2-3 minutes or until crisp-tender.

2. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch, broth and salt until smooth; gradually stir into the vegetable mixture. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender and sauce is thickened.

3. Remove from the heat; stir in tomatoes. Drain pasta; divide among four plates. Top with vegetable mixture; sprinkle with cheese. Yield: 4 servings.

Nutritional Facts:

Makes 4 servings

One serving (2 cups) equals 333 calories, 11 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 5 mg cholesterol, 714 mg sodium, 49 g carbohydrate, 5 g fiber, 14 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch, 2 vegetable, 1-1/2 fat, 1 lean meat.

Enjoy:-)

Aprilstar480

Appetizer: Tortilla Veggie Pizza



Approximately 115 Calories, 3 grams fat for half the pizza * Will vary with the different veggies used

Spread 2tbsp MARINIA on a 10in LOW FAT WHEAT TORTILLA. Sprinkle with REDUCED FAT ITALIAN BLEND CHEESE. Top with any veggies you desire (my kids like pineapple, spinach, and olives). Bake at 300 degrees for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the shell is crispy.

dillyg08

Appetizer: Tortilla Veggie Pizza



Approximately 115 Calories, 3 grams fat for half the pizza * Will vary with the different veggies used

Spread 2tbsp MARINIA on a 10in LOW FAT WHEAT TORTILLA. Sprinkle with REDUCED FAT ITALIAN BLEND CHEESE. Top with any veggies you desire (my kids like pineapple, spinach, and olives). Bake at 300 degrees for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the shell is crispy.

Looks yummy:-)

FieryVixsin

I love my slow cooker easiest way to make super tasty meals. I haven't tried this one yet but it's been bookmarked forever and with the cooling weather it seems perfect. And I love the 1 pot makes cleanup a breeze.

Spicy Chicken Stew

makes 6 servings

Ingredients

2 baking potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled and cut into chunks (3 1/3 cups)
1 (10-ounce) package frozen whole-kernel corn
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks (1 cup)
1 onion, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup bottled salsa
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast
4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 10.5 ounces)
2 1/2 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
4 (6-inch) fresh corn tortillas, cut into strips
Chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Preparation

1. Place first 6 ingredients in an electric slow cooker. Stir in salsa and next 3 ingredients (through pepper). Place chicken on top of vegetables, and add broth. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours.
2. Remove chicken from slow cooker; shred with 2 forks. Return chicken to slow cooker. Stir tortilla strips into stew. Garnish with parsley, if desired.

Nutritional Information
Amount per serving
Calories: 403
Calories from fat: 0.0%
Fat: 4.5g
Saturated fat: 0.9g
Monounsaturated fat: 1g
Polyunsaturated fat: 1.4g
Protein: 35g
Carbohydrate: 55.5g
Fiber: 4.4g
Cholesterol: 85mg
Iron: 2.8mg
Sodium: 643mg
Calcium: 70mg


http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/spicy-chicken-stew-50400000124385/

khearron26

Rachel Rae's Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese

SUPER yummy. My sister-in-law made it for us and I was PRETTY skeptical about it.... but I tried it and it was sooo delicious.


1 lb macaroni with lines (e.g. tubatini, mini penne, etc.)
T tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
2 tbsp butter
½ medium onion, grated
2 tbsp thyme
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken stock
10 oz. butternut squash, cooked (boil like a potato)
1 cup cream or half-and-half
8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, grated
½ cup Parmesan, grated
¼ tsp nutmeg
Salt & Pepper

Boil Pasta in water (Add salt to te water before the pasta). While that cooks, heat EVOO and butter in a medium-large heavy bottomed pan. Add thyme and onion to pan. Cook 12 minutes, then add flour and cook another 1-2 minutes. Whisk in stock. Mash butternut squash and add to pan. Mix thoroughly, then combine with cream and bring sauce to a bubble. Stir in cheese in a figure-8 motion. Complete with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Drain the pasta when it is finished, and combine it with the cheese mixture.


Assuming this serves 8 people....

1 Serving is:
385 Calories
51g Carbs
17g Fat
6g Sat Fat
250mg Sodium
5g Sugar

Pfil

Pesto "Pasta" with Baked Chicken and Broccoli
Serves 2 very hungry people for under 500 calories each but it could pretty easily stretch to 4 if you add a salad or dessert.

Ingredients:
2 packages of fettucini Tofu Shiratake Noodles (follow the directions on using them here if you haven't tried them before: http://www.hungry-girl.com/biteout/show/2157)
4 servings of skinny pesto (almost entire recipe below) (you can cut out 86 calories and 8g of fat if you halve this amount, but I loooooove pesto)
1 crown of broccoli, cut into small florets (about 2 cups worth)
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (~8 ounces each) I use the Kirkland individually wrapped frozen ones and they usually weigh in 7-10 ounces each.
salt & pepper (or your favorite salt-free or low-sodium substitute like Mrs. Dash)


First, make some skinny pesto from http://www.skinnytaste.com/2012/07/skinny-basil-pesto.html
Skinny Basil Pesto Skinnytaste.com
Servings: 5 Serving Size: 1 tbsp • Old Points: 2 pts • Points+: 2 pts
Calories: 86 • Fat: 8.3 g • Protein: 2.3 g • Carb: 0.8 g • Fiber: 0.3 g • Sugar: 0 g Sodium: 94 mg (without salt)

Pesto Ingredients:
1 cup basil *(or you could use a mix of herbs you have in your garden - cilantro is a great addition as is sage)
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup grated parmesan
salt & pepper to taste
2 1/2 tbsp olive oil

Pesto Directions:
In a food processor pulse basil, garlic, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper until smooth. Slowly add the olive oil while pulsing. Store in a sealed container and refrigerate until ready to use or you can freeze this in ziplocks bags to use at a later date. *(I usually make a BUNCH and freeze in icecube trays then pop into a ziptop bag in the freezer to grab for a quick meal.)

Directions:
- Place the chicken breasts in a pyrex dish, season with salt & pepper and bake at 350*F 20-30 minutes (longer if cooking from frozen) until a thermometer reads above 165*F in the thickest part or when you slice into it the juices run clear.
- While the chicken is cooking, rinse the two packages of noodles following the directions at the hungry girl website. Trust that the funky smell will disappear and they will be yummy!
- When the chicken is nearly done, heat the noodles in the microwave or a frying pan until warmed through and set aside
- Bring a pot of lightly salted water to the boil and cook the broccoli for a couple of minutes until the color has turned into a lovely bright green but not until it turns a gross sad army green.
- Drain the broccoli, slice the chicken, mix the pesto with the warm noodles - it'll melt and warm on its own from the heat of the noodles, no need to heat but you could microwave it super quick if it is frozen.
- Plate up half the pesto noodle mix, top with one sliced chicken breast and half the broccoli.

Devour!

Total nutritional content per serving (half recipe):
476 calories
6g net carbs (16 carbs, 10 fiber)
61g protein
21g fat
sodium will vary depending on the chicken you use and how much salt you put in the broccoli water and on your chicken

tambam72

As I was flipping through my Weight Watchers cookbook, which I have to be honest I rarely use, i came across this recipe. What struck me was the description. Here is what it said"Pizzas-the perfect kid-friendly cuisine!! (I agree what child does not love pizza). Let your children's creativity run wild by providing the toppings-try pepper strips, sliced olives, carrot coins- and let them do the decorating. If you prefer, use four small pitas instead of two large ones." So cool, you could let the children shop for what they want to put on their "pizza" and then they could make it. This is the recipe:

Tomato Mini Pizzas:
2 large pocketless pitas
2 large plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tbsps. chopped basil
2 tsps. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a large non-stick baking sheet with non stick cooking spray. Place the pitas on the baking sheet.
2. In a small bowl,mix the tomatoes and salt;stir in the basil, oil, and garlic. Top the pitas with the tomato mixture, drizzling any liquid in the bowl over the toppings. Bake until the tomatoes are hot and softened, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle with the cheese; bake until the cheese is melted, about 3 minutes longer. cut the pitas in half before serving.

Per Serving: 131 calories, 4 g Total Fat, 1 g Saturated Fat, 4 mg Cholesterol, 346 mg sodium, 18 g Total carbohydrate, 1 g Dietary Fiber, 6 g Protein, 118 mg Calcium. Points per serving: 3.

Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook. MacMillan:New York. 1998. found on page40.

tambam72 aka Tammie:flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:

jfea

Veggie Chili - 10 servings

1 Green Bell Pepper, chopped
1 Red Pepper, chopped
1/2 c. Onion, chopped
1 c. Celery, chopped
1 c. Carrots, chopped
2 Garlic cloves, minced
2 T. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
28 oz. can tomatoes undrained, (I put mine in the blender, but you could just chop up the tomatoes)
16 oz. jar Picante sauce (I buy Pace Picante Sauce - mild, but you can buy spicier)
1 1/4 c. water
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. beef flavor bouillon (I use Herbox Sodium Free Instant Broth & Seasoning)
Can of Chili Beans, undrained (not canned chili)
Can of Black Beans, Drained (or you can use Garbanzo beans)
3 c. Brown Rice, cooked
Toppings: Shredded Cheddar cheese (You could also top with black olives, sprouts, sour cream - all optional)

Saute onions, garlic, celery, carrots, and peppers in oil until crisp-tender. Stir in tomatoes, picante sauce water, bouillon, and cumin. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve over 1/4 c. of brown rice and top with 1/4 shredded cheddar cheese.

Suggestions: 1. I usually make this one night for dinner and then put in servings in individual tupperware and take it to work for lunch several days. Vegetable choices and amounts are endless - my mom used zucchini. I often use more vegetables than I included in the recipe above. What adds the flavor is the picante sauce, chili beans, cumin and bouillon. You don't have to use rice - I just like the texture it adds.

Number of servings: 10
Calories per serving: 332
Carbs per serving : 40 (includes brown rice - don't have to use rice)
Fat per serving: 13 g (you could use a lowfat cheese)
Protein per serving: 13 g

SouthernGirlStarving

Broiled Swordfish with Mango Salsa

(4) Prep time: 20 min Total time: 1 hour 6 min Makes: 6 servings

What You Need 3 swordfish steaks (1-1/2 lb.) 3/4 cup A.1. STEAKHOUSE Marinade for Seafood Mango Chipotle 2 mangos, peeled, chopped 1/2 cup chopped red peppers 2 green onions, thinly sliced 1 tsp. finely chopped seeded jalapeño peppers 3 Tbsp. lime juice

Make It Place fish in resealable plastic bag. Add marinade; seal bag. Turn bag over several times to evenly coat fish with marinade. Refrigerate 30 min. to marinate. Meanwhile, combine remaining ingredients; cover. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Preheat broiler. Remove fish from marinade; discard bag and marinade. Place fish on rack of broiler pan. Broil, 4 inches from heat, 6 to 8 min. on each side or until fish flakes easily with fork. Cut steaks in half. Serve with the mango mixture.

Nutritional information per serving Calories 240 , Total fat 5g , Saturated fat 1.5g , Cholesterol 45mg , Sodium 640mg , Carbohydrate 26g , Dietary fiber 2g , Sugars 22g , Protein 24g , Vitamin A 25%DV ,

Veganmafia

:flowerforyou: Ginger-Citrus-Maple Roasted Beets & Apples
vegan, makes 4 cups - (nutrition info based on 4 servings)

4 cups of fresh beets, chopped roughly into large cubes (two large or three medium beets)
1 apple, diced into large cubes
2 Tbsp maple syrup, grade B
1 tsp raw ginger, grated using microplane
1/2 tsp orange zest
2 Tbsp fresh orange juice (or substitute with apple cider vinegar for zestier beets)
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
coarse pink sea salt + fine black pepper to taste (a light sprinkling should do it. Delicious salt-free too!)

garnish:
2-3 Tbsp raw pumpkin seeds, sprouted + salted (or raw pumpkin seeds lightly toasted in a warm skillet)
1 Tbsp finely chopped parsley
a few pinches raw grated ginger

**extra sweet beets: add a sprinkling of brown or coconut sugar over top the beets just before placing in the oven.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Grease a baking sheet with olive oil.
3. Wash and scrub your beets, remove and rough spots and stems if attached. Chop beets into large odd-shaped cubes. Set aside.
4. Wash and chop apple into same sized cubes as beets. Remove seeds and/or apple core.
5. Add beets, apples, maple syrup, extra virgin olive oil, ginger, orange juice and zest, salt and pepper to a large mixing bowl and toss until beets and apples are coated. Transfer mixture to the baking sheet and pour excess liquid and spices over top. Scrape the bowl for any seasoning and make sure it gets on the beets or in the baking pan.
6. Bake at 400 for 25 minutes. Flip and toss beets and apples a bit. Continue to bake until a tested beet is tender when sticking a fork in it. Roast longer for softer, more caramelized beets. Finish the cooking off by turning your oven to broil. Broil beets and apples for 1-3 minutes or until blackened edges form.
7. Transfer mixture to serving platter. Sprinkles pumpkin seeds around the edge, add a few pinches of fresh raw grated ginger over top and parsley for a splash of green color. You can serve these beets warm or chilled! I actually love them chilled because they firm up in the fridge and the flavor intensifies a bit. But warm is delicious too.

Store leftovers covered in fridge for 1-3 days.

Calories:188
Fat:7.3g
Cholestrol:0
Sodium:132mg
Carbs:30.7g
Protien:2.9g
Vitamin A: 2%
Vitamin C:20%
Calcium: 4%
Iron: 9%

loveme445

~I found out about these muffins on mfp. I use ground turkey instead of the ground beef & sometimes, I use progresso italian bread crumbs to give them a little extra flavor My family 's these muffins! My 4 and 5 year old boys request these for dinner & we know it is hard to please kids at this age. Enjoy!

Diner Meat Loaf 'Muffins'

Cooking Light MARCH 2006

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 2 "muffins")
Ingredients
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup ketchup, divided
1 1/2 pounds ground beef, extra lean (raw)
1 cup finely crushed fat-free saltine crackers (about 20)
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
Cooking spray
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°.

Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion, chopped carrot, dried oregano, and minced garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Cool.

Combine onion mixture, 1/2 cup ketchup, and the remaining ingredients except cooking spray in a large bowl.

Spoon the meat mixture into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Top each with 2 teaspoons ketchup. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until a thermometer registers 160°. Let stand for 5 minutes.

77chantelle

skinnytaste.com has a lot of fun recipes. I haven't tried this one yet but I will soon, my daughter loves spaghetti squash.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AVCAdzlZRIs/UPl_GCI2vzI/AAAAAAAAKOc/OeFsOpHnQe4/s1600/Cheesy-Baked-Spaghetti-squash-casserole.jpg

Baked Spaghetti Squash and CheeseSkinnytaste.com
Servings: 7 • Serving Size: 1 cup • Old Points: 4 pts • Points+: 5 pts
Calories: 165 • Fat: 8 g • Protein: 10 g • Carb: 16 g • Fiber: 2 g • Sugar: 6.5 g
Sodium: 278.5 mg (without salt)


Ingredients:


5 1/2 cups cooked spaghetti squash (from about 2 small)
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup minced onion
1/4 cup flour (use 2 tbsp corn starch for gf)
2 cups skim milk
1 cup fat free chicken broth (vegetable broth for vegetarian)
8 oz Sargento 2% reduced fat mild cheddar
salt and pepper, to taste
4 cups (about 4 oz) baby spinach
1/8 cup grated parmesan


Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375ºF.

Cut the squash in half lengthwise; remove and discard seeds. Place squash on a baking sheet. Bake until tender, about 1 hour. Separate the strands of squash with a fork and place in a medium bowl; discard shells. Maintain the oven temperature.
Heat butter and oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and cook about 2 minutes. Stir in flour. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring continually 3 - 4 minutes.

Add milk and chicken broth and continue whisking, raising heat to medium-high until it comes to a boil and becomes smooth and thick, about 2 minutes stirring; season with salt and pepper.

Once it becomes thick, remove from heat, add cheddar cheese and mix well until cheese is melted. Adjust salt and pepper to taste, add cooked spaghetti squash and baby spinach, pour into a baking dish and sprinkle parmesan cheese on top. Bake until bubbly and golden 25 to 30 minutes.

Makes 7 cups

kaylikee

Wow mine seems so small and simple compared to some lol I feel I should find a better one but I'm too tired to worry about it now. I eat this a lot and it's easy.
strawberry eggs

1 large egg
1/2 cup egg whites
1 cup strawberries cut up
1 tsp vanilla
1 packet truvia

mix eggs, vanilla and truvia together in bowl. If you want to use butter to coat the pan you may but I don't. put mixture in frying pan. sprinkle strawberries on top. cover with lid. cook on low heat til it bubbles in the middle.

cal-194
Fat-5
Carb-17
Sugar-9
Protein-20
Sodium-259 (ouch I know)

I don't always add the vanilla and truvia either. just depends on how I feel I guess...

BMP9713

Greek salad
Ingredients
1 head romaine lettuce chopped
3 Roma tomatoes chopped
1 cucumber chopped
1 small red onion chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
4tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
1 cup crumbled feta cheese 6 black Greek olives pitted and sliced
In shallow bowl combine lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber,and onion. Sprinkle with oils , lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle feta cheese and olives on top and serve

Calories:114
Total fat:6.7g
Protein: 4.9g
Vitamin A: 15.9%
Vitamin C:16.2%
Calcium:14.2%
Iron: 3.7%

Oh_Allie

One of my favorite recipes!



Put boneless, skinless chicken breasts (they can be frozen) in the bottom of the crock pot, cover with brown rice and soups. Wrap each corn on the cob piece in tin foil and set around the side of the crock pot. Cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 6-7 hours. If you like your chicken a little moist, shred it with a fork and cook on low for an additional 20-30 minutes.

kyoung1908

lol oops I deleted my first post! It contained no vegetables or fruit!!

Cranberry-Pineapple Sauce

Servings: 12 • Serving Size: 1/4 cup

Calories: 54.5 • Fat: 0.2 g • Protein: 0.2 g • Carb: 13.9 g • Fiber: 1.2 g

8 oz fresh cranberries
20 oz can pineapple in pineapple juice
1/3 cup sugar (or agave)

Drain liquid from pineapples into a measuring cup. Add water so that you have a total of 1 cup liquid. Add to sauce pan with sugar and bring to a boil.

Place cranberries in a food processor or chopper and chop fine. Add to pan and stir well. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until thick (about 10 minutes).

Place pineapple in a food processor and chop. Add crushed pineapples to cranberry sauce and cook one more minute.

Allow to cool then place in a covered container and refrigerate overnight.

Makes 3 cups.

justformel

I got this recipe from the Practical Paleo book, which I highly recommend even if you don't do Paleo. There are some amazing things in this book, tested by my children and they LOVED it.

Chicken Thighs with Honey-Mustard Sauce

6 Chicken Thighs (Bone In, skin on)
2 tbsp melted butter or coconut oil
1-2 tbsp stone ground mustard
1 tbsp raw honey
1/2 tsp of paprika
Sea Salt to taste

*Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.
*Combine melted butter, mustard, honey paprika and salt in a small bowl to create a sauce for the chicken.
*Dredge each chicken thigh in the sauce, spreading it evenly onto the skin and bottom side. Use a brush if you find it helpful.
*When the skillet is heated, place the thighs skin side down into the pan. Allow the thighs to cook for approximately 2-4 minutes until golden brown on the skin side.
*Flip the thighs over for about 2 minutes in the skillet, then transfer to a cookie sheet and place into the oven until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. (Approx 20 minutes).
*Remove the chicken from the oven and allow it to cool before eating or storing.
*Note: upon cooling, the butter and sauce will become hardened. Scoop a portion of it out when you re-heat the chicken to eat later. Place it on top of the meat and it will melt back into a delicious sauce!

Serves 6, nutritional info is per thigh with sauce:

Calories-172.3
Total Fat-13
Saturated Fat-5
Cholesterol-57.8
Sodium-161.8
Total Carbs-3.7
Dietary Fiber-0.5
Sugars-3
Protein-10.3


For a side dish to accompany chicken: Spicy Baked Cauliflower and Sweet Potatoes

1 head of cauliflower, stem and leaves removed, roughly chopped,
1 sweet potato, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
4 tablespoons fat of choice, melted (i used bacon fat)
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt and pepper, to taste


*Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
*Add all ingredients to a 9×13 glass baking dish. Mix well.
*Place in oven to cook for 30-35 minutes until sweet potatoes are tender.

Serves 3-4, for nutritional info I'm using 4 servings, and this will be per serving:

Calories-191.5
Total Fat-13.5
Saturated Fat-5
Cholesterol-12.3
Sodium-81.3
Total Carbs-12.8
Dietary Fiber-6
Sugars-6.3
Protein-3.8

Note: I do believe this can be split up to more than 4 servings which will lower facts per serving. The info was calculated using a medium head of cauliflower, medium sweet potato, and large yellow onion.

For another side or dessert, Easy Fruit salad:

1 pint strawberries-cleaned, hulled and sliced
1 lb seedless grapes, halved
3 kiwis, peeled and sliced
3 bananas, sliced
1 (21 oz) can peach pie filling

*In a large bowl, combine the strawberries, grapes, kiwis, and bananas. Gently mix in peaches.
*Chill for 1 hour before serving

Serves 10, per serving facts:

Calories-151
Total Fat-0.4
Saturated Fat-0
Cholesterol-0
Sodium-30.3
Total Carbs-36.7
Dietary Fiber-3
Sugars-22.7
Protein-1.1

Note: I also believe this can be more than 10 servings.

It was easier for me to put a meal together with fruits and veggies, than have one recipe total. Sorry for the long post and I hope this is ok for the challenge. :happy:

soccerella

Here is who has completed the challenge so far:

77chantelle
AprilStar480
BMP9713
dillyg08
jessecpwrs
jfea
kaylikee
kyoung1908
loveme445
Oh_Allie
Pfil
rhearron26
sexyparti
SouthernGirlStarving
tambam72
Tolstoy26
Veganmafia


If your name is not on there, but you've posted, go back and check your post against the rules. You likely didnt include nutritional information or any fruits/veggies

Anne0209

APPETIZER:
Deviled Eggs
Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 4 • Serving Size: 2 halves • Old Points: 3 pts • Points+: 3
Calories: 96.8 • Fat: 7.5 g • Carb: 1.0 g • Fiber: 0.0 g • Protein: 6.3 g • Sugar: 0.3 g
Sodium: 156.1 mg

4 large hard boiled eggs, cooled and peeled
2 tbsp low fat mayonnaise
1 tsp dijon mustard
paprika
salt and fresh pepper to taste
2 tbsp chopped chives

Cut eggs in half longways. Remove yolks and put them in a bowl. Add mayonnaise, mustard, salt and pepper. Stir well and pipe them back into egg whites. Top with chopped chives and paprika.

MAIN DISH:
Weight Watchers Southern Style Oven Fried Chicken Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- Pam Butter Flavored Non-Fat, Nonstick Cooking Spray
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp granulated onion powder
- 3 oz buttermilk
- 1/2 cup cornflake crumbs, crushed finely
- 1 pound uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, four 4-oz pieces*
* You can use chicken wings and drumsticks with this recipe as well, just make sure to remove the skin
Directions:
Preheat oven to 365ºF. Lightly coat an 8 X 8 X 2-inch baking dish with the butter flavored nonstick, non-fat cooking spray; set aside.
Combine flour, salt, pepper, onion powder and cayenne pepper together in a medium-size bowl. Place buttermilk and corn flakes crumbs in 2 separate shallow bowls.
Roll chicken breast halves in flour mixture and evenly coat each side. Next dip chicken into buttermilk and then corn flakes crumbs.
Place coated chicken breasts in prepared baking dish. Spray chicken with a light coating of the Butter Flavored non-fat cooking spray. Bake until chicken is tender and no longer pink, about 25 to 30 minutes (there is no need to flip the chicken during baking). Makes 4 servings.
Serving size is 1 chicken breast

229 Calories, 10 g Fat

SIDE DISH:
Weight Watchers Classic Roasted Vegetables
Ingredients
2 medium red bell peppers, seeded and cut into 4 panels
1 medium zucchini, trimmed and cut on the diagonal into 1/4 inch thick slices
1 medium yellow squash, trimmed and cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
1 medium Vidalia onion, root end left intact, cut into 8 wedges
1 lb thick asparagus, trimmed
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 tsp EVOO
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp dried basil
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 450. Place one oven rack in the upper third of the oven and one in the lower third. Spray 2 baking sheets and set aside.

2. Cut each pepper panel on a diagonal into 2 triangles. Transfer to a large bowl and add zucchini, squash, onion, asparagus, oil, vinegar, basil, salt, and pepper. Toss well to evenly coat with seasonings. Divide the veggies between the 2 baking sheets.

3. Bake the veggies, tossing from time to time, until tender and lightly browned, 25-30 minutes. Serve at once or at room temperature.

Notes:
4 servings

107 calories
5g fat
4g protein
2 Point

DESSERT:
Weight Watcher Cupcake Brownies

Ingredients
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar, plus
1 tablespoon brown sugar, firmly packed
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons margarine, melted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°.
In a bowl, stir together flour, brown sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt.
In a second bowl stir together remaining ingredients.
Pour water mixture over flour mixture and,.
Stir until batter is smooth.
Pour into a nonstick 12 hole muffin tin coated with cooking spray.
Filling until half full.
Bake until toothpick inserted in center of cupcake comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes.
Remove from oven.
Let stand 5 minutes then turn out onto rack to cool.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 (35 g)
Servings Per Recipe: 12
Amount Per Serving:
Calories 77.6
Fat 0.7g
Sugars 10.5 g
Carbohydrate 17.4g
Dietary Fiber 0.7g
Sugars 10.5 g
Protein 1.1g

worsleys13

SPINACH AND MOZZARELLA EGG BAKE

Serves 6

Ingredients:

Nonstick cooking spray
1 to 2 teaspoons olive oil
4 packed cups spinach
1 1/2 cups shredded low-fat mozzarella
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions
8 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon Spike seasoning (or any all-purpose seasoning mix that's good with eggs)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray an 8 1/2-by-12-inch glass or crockery casserole dish with olive oil or nonstick spray. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat, add spinach, and stir just until wilted, about 2 minutes. Transfer spinach to the casserole dish, spreading it around so the bottom of the dish is covered. Layer cheese and sliced onions on top of spinach.
2. Beat eggs with seasoning, salt, and pepper, and pour into the casserole dish. Use a fork to gently stir so eggs, spinach, and cheese are evenly combined.
3. Bake for about 35 minutes or until mixture is completely set and starting to lightly brown. Let cool about 5 minutes before cutting and serving. (The dish will settle down some as it cools.)

Nutrition per serving:
160 calories
10g fat
2.5g carbs
14g protein

health1971

Fig and Walnut Energy Bars :bigsmile:

Makes about 12 two-inch bars

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups raw walnuts
1/3 cup whole-wheat flour
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 cup dried Turkish figs
1 large egg
1 tsp puree vanilla extract

Directions:

1). Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, across the bottom and both sides.
2). toast the walnuts at 325 degrees for about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
3). Blend together flour, baking soda, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon, salt, and half of each dried fruit.
4). Transfer the mixer to a large bowl and mix in the walnuts and the rest of the dried fruit with your hands.
5). Whisk the vanilla and egg together, then add it to the fruit mixture.
6). Blend well and spread into the pan, packing it down with your fingers to even it out.
7). Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack by lifting the bars from the pan by the edges of the parchment paper. When cooled, use a sharp knife to cut into 12 pieces. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 10 days.

Per bar:

* 200 cal
* 10 g fat (1 g sat)
* 28 g carbs
* 70 mg sodium
* 4 g fiber
* 5 g protein

This is my go to energy bar after/before a good workout


Taking a step at a time to reach my goal always :flowerforyou:

gtdattitude

This is one of my favorite recipes. I am a vegetarian but you can easily add grilled chicken or steak to this dish. Also the vegetables can be swapped out for your favorite veggies. The nutrition info is based on how I make it.

Peanut Noodle Sauté

Ingredients:


8 ounces whole grain spaghetti

1 bunch green onions, sliced (set aside green parts for garnish)

1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root

2 tablespoons of all natural peanut butter

1/4 cup of tamari (or soy sauce) - I use low sodium

1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons of veggie broth

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 sliced carrots

4 sliced spears of asparagus

1/2 cup of ****ake mushrooms

Directions:
1. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water until done. Drain.
2. Meanwhile, combine veggies and onions in a small skillet. with 2 tablespoons of veggie broth. Saute over low heat until tender. Add ginger; cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes. Mix in peanut butter, soy sauce, water, vinegar, and red pepper flakes. Remove from heat.
3. Toss noodles with sauce, veggies, and serve.
4. Garnish with green part of green onions

Serves 4
Calories - 265
Fat - 6 grams
Sodium - 474 mg
Protein - 10 grams