Weight Watchers Angel Hair Pasta with Prosciutto and Mushroom Cream Sauce

Makes 4 servings of 1 and 1/2 cups each. Per serving: 377 calories, 10.5g fat, 8 points, 20.9g protein, 51.4g carbs

1 package (9 oz) refrigerated angel hair pasta
olive oil cooking spray
1 package (8 oz) mushrooms, quartered
1/4 cup julienne-cut ready to eat sundried tomatoes
1 1/2 tbsp minced garlic
2 oz very thinly sliced prosciutto (about 4 slices), sliced crosswise into 1/2 inch strips
1/2 cup dry white wine or fat free reduced sodium chicken broth (I used sauvignon blanc)
1/2 cup fat free reduced sodium chicken broth (if you use chicken broth instead of wine for the ingredient above this one, you will still also need this amount of chicken broth in addition to the broth used as the wine substitute)
1 cup frozen baby green peas, thawed
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 container (10 oz) refrigerated light alfredo sauce (such as Buitoni)
1/4 cup shredded fresh Parmesan cheese (I completely forgot to add this at the end! and it tasted just fine without that addition)

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat (keep in mind, fresh pasta only takes a couple of minuted to cook). While pasta cooks, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, coating pan with cooking spray. Add mushrooms, saute' 5 minutes or til tender. Add sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and prosciutto; saute' 2 minutes. Add wine and broth; bring to a boil. Boil 3 minutes or til liquid is reduced to 1/2 cup. Stir in peas, pepper, and alfredo sauce. Drain pasta, and return to pan. Add sauce and toss gently to coat (or if your skillet is big enough, just add the pasta directly to the skillet with the sauce in it). Spoon into individual bowls and sprinkle with 1 tbsp cheese each.

Weight Watchers Gnocchi with Pumpkin and Sage

This might sound a little weird or gross, but trust me, it is DELICIOUS. It does not taste like pumpkin, I promise! It's just nice and creamy and mushroomy and just good. Makes 4 servings, 1 cup is a serving. Per serving: 7 points, 324 calories, 8.9g fat, 9.3g protein, 53.6g carbs

1 package (16 oz) vacuum packaged potato gnocchi
1 tbsp olive oil
1 oz pancetta, finely diced
1 package (8 oz) sliced baby portabella mushrooms
1 1/2 cups chopped leek (about 1 medium)
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 cup refrigerated light alfredo sauce (such as Buitoni)
1/3 cup canned unsweetened pumpkin
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 black pepper
1/2 cup fat free, reduced sodium chicken broth
1/4 tsp rubbed sage
Fresh sage leaves (optional)

Cook gnocchi according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. While gnocchi cooks, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pancetta, and cook 3 minutes or til crisp. Add mushrooms, leeks, and garlic; saute' 7 minutes or til tender. Reduce heat to low. Stir in alfredo sauce, pumpkin, salt, and pepper; cook 2 minutes or til thoroughly heated. Stir in broth and rubbed sage. Drain gnocchi. Add gnocchi to sauce in pan, and toss gently. Spoon into individual bowls, and garnish with fresh sage if desired.

Weight Watchers Hamburger Mushroom Pizza

The recipe says to crumble the ground beef onto the bread without cooking first, however, I'm not down with that, so I cook it a few minutes in a skillet first. It is so so so good! It's supposed to make 6 servings, 1 slice each, but we normally eat 2, so sue us :P Per serving: 6 points, 301 calories, 15.1g protein, 9.7g fat, 35.4g carbs, 2g fiber, 542mg sodium.

1 loaf (16 oz) unsliced Italian bread
1/2 cup bottled traditional pizza sauce (our favorite "pizza sauce" is actually a spaghetti sauce, it's either Bertolli or Barilla, I can never remember til I see it, Marinara with Burgundy Wine)
8 (1/8 inch thick) slices onion, separated into rings
1 cup presliced fresh mushrooms
6 oz ultra lean ground beef
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1 1/2 cups (6 oz) preshedded pizza double cheese (a blend of part skim mozzarella and cheddar)...I just use shredded mozzarella or some type of Italian or pizza blend

Preheat oven to 500. Yes, 500. Cut Italian loaf in half horizontally. Place both halves, cut side up, on a large baking sheet. Spread 1/4 cup pizza sauce over each half of bread. Divide onion rings and sliced mushrooms evenly over bread halves. Crumble ground beef and divide evenly over bread halves. Sprinkle Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and crushed red pepper evenly over bread halves. Top each with 3/4 cup cheese. Bake at 500 for 9 minutes or til ground beef is done and cheese is melted. Cut each pizza half into 3 pieces. Makes 6 servings, 1 piece per serving.

WW Chicken or Turkey Tettrazini

10 oz uncooked vermicelli
2 tsp veg oil
1 lb turkey breast cutlets or chicken breasts
3/4 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt, divided
1/4 tsp pepper, divided
2 tbsp dry sherry or white wine
2 (8 oz each) pkg sliced mushrooms
3/4 c frozen peas, thawed
3/4 c FF milk
2/3 c FF sour cream
1/3 c grated parm
1 can RF cream of mushroom
cooking spray
1/3 c dry breadcrumbs
2 tbsp melted butter
sauteed celery and onion

Preheat oven to 450. Cook pasta according to pkg directions. Drain. Heat a little butter or oil in a skillet, saute a little bit of onion and celery (the recipe is weird, it doesn't specify an amount, nor does it have the oil or butter needed for this step listed in the ingredients. I just use 2-3 stalks of celery and about 1/2 an onion, diced). Put celery and onion in a bowl and set aside. Heat oil on med-hi. Sprinkle turkey with 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp pepper. Cook in oil til done, remove from pan. Add1/4 tsp onion powder, sherry, and mushrooms to pan. Cover and cook til tender, about 4 minutes. Combine peas, milk, sour cream, cheese, and soup in large bowl. Chop turkey (or chicken). Add 1/4 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp pepper, pasta, turkey, celery and onion, and mushroom mixture to soup mixture, tossing gently to combine. Spoon into greased 13x9 baking dish. Combine butter and breadcrumbs; sprinkle on top. Bake at 450 for 12 minutes or til bubbly and hot.

WW Chinese Hot and Sour Soup

This is part of dinner tonight along with the recipe that is posted after it, Sesame Tofu.

3 cups fat free, less sodium chicken broth
1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp chili garlic sauce (such as Lee Kum Kee)
1 (4 oz) package gourmet blend mushrooms (baby bella, shiitake, and oyster mushrooms), sliced (I can find these at Publix with no problem, but haven't seen them anywhere else where I live)
1/2 of a 16 oz. package firm tofu, drained and cubed (if you don't know how to drain tofu, then read through the next recipe for sesame tofu, it tells you how)
1/4 cup drained sliced bamboo shoots, cut into julienne strips
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar (I've used both seasoned and unseasoned and both work fine)
1/4 tsp ground white pepper (this isn't something I keep on hand, so I just use black pepper)
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp sesame oil
sliced green onions, optional

Bring first 4 ingredients to a boil in a Dutch oven. Reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes. Add tofu and next 3 ingredients. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes. Combine water and cornstarch in a small bowl; stir well with a whisk. Add cornstarch mixture to soup. Bring to a boil, and cook 1 minute or til soup begins to thicken. Reduce heat to medium. Pour egg in a slow, steady stream into simmering soup, and stir. Stir in sesame oil. Garnish with green onions, if desired. Serve immediately. Makes 5 servings, 1 cup each.

WW Broccoli Cheese Soup

For a lighter broccoli cheese soup, give this one a try. It isn't as thick and rich as the previous broccoli cheese soup entry, but is just as good. Again, gotta have hot, fresh bread with it.

Ingredients:
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup onion(s), minced
16 oz frozen chopped broccoli
29 oz canned chicken broth
4 oz Kraft Velveeta Light Reduced-Fat Pasteurized Processed Cheese Product, cut into cubes
1/2 cup fat-free skim milk
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup cornstarch

Instructions:
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook 3 minutes, until soft. Add broccoli and broth and bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium and simmer 3 minutes, until broccoli is tender.
Reduce heat to low, add cheese and stir until cheese melts; stir in milk and garlic powder.
Whisk together water and cornstarch. Add mixture to pan and simmer 2 minutes, until thick. Serve hot. Yields about 1 1/2 cups per serving.

WW Chicken Piccata

Yes, another Weight Watchers recipe. I made this just the other night. I hadn't made it in quite some time, and GI Joe requested it, it's one of his favorites. The kids don't like the sauce, but that's ok, more for us! And I actually double the sauce ingredients, it's really yummy and we like to have enough to go over egg noodles with the chicken.

4 (6 oz.) boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 tbsp minced shallots (I double this)
1/4 cup fat free reduced sodium chicken broth (I double this)
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (I double this)
1 tbsp capers (I double this)
2 tsp chopped fresh parsley, divided (I double this)

Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/2 inch thickness with meat mallet or rolling pin. Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt and pepper; dredge in flour. Heat 1 1/2 tsp olive oilin large nonstick skillet over med-high heat. Add half of chicken; cook about 3 minutes each side or til done. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm. Repeat with remaining olive oil and chicken, removing chicken when done. Add shallots to pan; saute' 1 minute or til tender. Add broth, lemon juice, and capers. Increase heat to high and cook 1 minute. Stir in 1 teaspoon parsley (I probably use a tablespoon or more). Spoon sauce evenly over chicken (we spoon it on ourselves on our plates, like I said the kids don't like it so I don't need the sauce on all of the chicken). Sprinkle with remaining teaspoon parsley. Yield: 4 servings.

WW Mushroom Couscous

This is part of dinner tonight. Along with a whole roasted chicken seasoned with Tuscan chicken seasoning and a sliced lemon stuffed inside, sliced carrots roasted along with the chicken, salad, and Hawaiian rolls. Another weight watchers (WW) recipe. Mmmmm.

Butter cooking spray
4 cups fresh sliced mushrooms (about 3/4 pound)
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp minced fresh thyme
1 cup fat free, reduced sodium beef broth
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
2/3 cup uncooked couscous

Heat a 4-quart saucepan over med-hi heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add mushrooms and next 3 ingredients; coat veggies with cooking spray. Saute' 2-3 minutes or til tender. Stir in broth, salt, and pepper; bring to boil. Stir in couscous and remove from heat. Cover and let stand 5 minutes; fluff with fork. Yield: 4 servings (serving size about 3/4 cup).

WW Shepherd's Pie

This is a weight watchers recipe. You'll probably end up seeing a lot of these, and trust me, just because it's "diet food" or "healthy food" does not mean it sucks! Quite the contray!! I have about 10-12 WW cookbooks, and have tried many, many recipes, and I am serious when I say that every single one has been absolutely delicious. I've used ground beef and ground lamb in this, the ground beef tastes just fine, but I'm a purist and I prefer ground lamb. It's personal preference, and price can definitely make a difference sometimes on whether or not I buy beef or lamb.

1 tsp olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 1/2 lbs ground round or lamb
2 cups frozen mix veg (I don't like frozen mixed veggies. I just use a couple of handfuls of frozen peas and dice up a few fresh carrots to equal about 2 cups)
3 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 (14 oz) can Fat Free Reduced Sodium beef broth
2 tbsp AP flour
1 (20 oz) pkg refrig mashed potatoes (such as simply potatoes, or make your own)

Preheat oven to 375. Heat oil in large skillet on med-hi. Add onion and carrots, saute 5 minutes. Add meat, cook til done, then drain. Returnto skillet. Add peas, tomato paste, salt, and pepper, cook on medium 5 minutes or til veg are hot, stirring frequently. Combine broth and flour, stirring with a whisk. Add broth mixture, bring to boil, and cook 3 minutes or til thick, stiring constantly. Spoon into an 11x8 baking dish. Spread potatoes on top, sprinkle with cheddar (ok, this isn't in the ingredient list, but I gotta have cheese on my shepherd's pie!) . Bake at 375 for 20 minutes or til browned.