Weight Watchers Wednesday: Apple-Oatmeal Cookies

We can pretend that today's still Wednesday, can't we? It's my blog so it's Wednesday here (too bad I can't rewind real life).

The weather might disagree, but the calendar says that it's fall. It's almost October and when it's fall (regardless of the ridiculous heat) I want to make fallish things. Apple things, pumpkin things, squash things. You know, fallish things.

And this week I wanted a sweet fall thing. I had an apple in the fridge, oatmeal in the pantry and this recipe in my cookbook. The stars aligned and thus, I made these cookies.

They're good; they're a nice light bite of sweetness. With only 1/4 cup of sugar, they aren't overly sweet, but just enough. And the small amount of fat means that there's not a lot of dough to this cookie; it's mostly a lot of oatmeal and apple bundled together. But they are good! We've really enjoyed them this week - and guilt free because they are low fat and low calorie! I'll definitely make these again.

I hope you enjoy these little light bites of fall!

Sorry for the crummy photo; I took it with my phone. But a crummy photo is better than no photo, right?

Apple-Oatmeal Cookies
Recipe courtesy of the Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats, toasted until lightly browned*
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 apple, peeled, cored and coarsely grated
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons dark raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two baking sheets with nonstick spray (don't spray if sheets are nonstick). (I use parchment paper instead - love the stuff.) In a large bowl, combine the oats, flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. In a medium bowl, with an electric mixer on high speed, cream the brown sugar and butter until pale and fluffy. Add the apple, egg, and vanilla; beat until combined. Add the oats mixture, stir to blend, then stir in the raisins (if you use them ... I didn't). Drop the dough by tablespoons onto the baking sheets, forming 12 cookies on each sheet; flatten with the back of a spoon. Bake until lightly browned, 12-15 minutes Cool completely on a rack. Store in an airtight container.

*Toasting oats brings out their nutty flavor. Spread the oats in a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet and set over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until lightly browned and toasted, 2 to 3 minutes.

Asian Grilled Salmon

In my continuing effort to cook healthier meals (once or twice a week), I thought it wise to try to add some fish to our diet. We both like fish, but I never cook it because I'm not comfortable with it, and, frankly, it's stinky. I have a super sensitive sniffer and a lot of smells bother me, especially bad smells. And I just happen to think that fish is one of those bad smells, especially when your bedroom, clothes, etc. all smell like fish. I like to eat fish, but I don't want to smell like it ... especially three days later!

Thus, we tend to only eat fish when we eat out. Which, since we have a four-month-old baby and live on a budget, isn't often.

But, my wise mom suggested that we grill the fish instead of cooking it on the stove or in the oven, and I thought it was a great idea. Plus I got to hand Patrick the cooking reins for the evening. Win-win!

This was super easy. It has only five ingredients, four of which I always have on hand. All I had to buy was the salmon. (I was shocked at how much it cost, though - $14 for two fillets. They were large, but still.) Patrick was very careful while he was grilling; he didn't want one ounce to fall through the grates! We ate these with roasted asparagus and roasted potatoes. The next day I had the chilled leftovers on a salad. Yum!

Asian Grilled Salmon
Recipe courtesy of Ina Garten, aka Barefoot Contessa (who bears a striking resemblance to my mom)
1 side fresh salmon, boned but skin on (about 3 pounds)
For the marinade:
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons good soy sauce
6 tablespoons good olive oil
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

Start grill or light charcoal; brush the grilling rack with oil to keep the salmon from sticking.

While the grill is heating, lay the salmon skin side down on a cutting board and cut it crosswise into 4 equal pieces. Whisk together the mustard, soy sauce, olive oil, and garlic in a small bowl. Drizzle half of the marinade onto the salmon and allow it to sit for 10 minutes.

Place the salmon skin side down on the hot grill; discard the marinade the fish was sitting in. Grill for 4 to 5 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. Turn carefully with a wide spatula and grill for another 4 to 5 minutes. The salmon will be slightly raw in the center, but don't worry; it will keep cooking as it sits. (Patrick was concerned about ours being undercooked so he cooked them a bit longer, probably 7 minutes on each side.)

Transfer the fish to a flat plate, skin side down, and spoon the reserved marinade on top. Allow the fish to rest for 10 minutes. Remove the skin and serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled.

Weight Watchers Wednesday: Goat Cheese & Roasted Corn Quesadillas

I weighed myself this morning and was not completely disgusted. I now have about 10 pounds to go before being at my pre-pregnancy weight. I'd love to lose a little more, maybe a total of 15 pounds, but I won't push my luck. Ten will do for now, I suppose (although I do have to fit into a bridemaid's gown in May ...).

So this isn't the best-looking photo in the world (a quesadilla is a quesadilla, right?), but a bad photo is better than nothing, I guess.

This isn't a Weight Watchers recipe, but it's from Cooking Light. Close enough, eh? I found this while wading through recipes looking for something healthy but not too off the wall. You know my love for cheese, so I thought we'd give this a try.

We enjoyed this; the flavor was good and it wasn't heavy like most of the quesadillas I make (with lots of regular cheese). I followed the recipe and only used one ear of corn, which yielded only 3/4 cup of corn. Next time I make this I'll use two ears of corn - I think this could have used more. And if you want to add more substance, you could add grilled chicken, too.

All in all, this was a pretty good meal. Healthy, easy and if you like goat cheese, tasty. Enjoy!


Goat Cheese & Roasted Corn Quesadillas
Recipe from Cooking Light, March 2009
1 cup fresh corn kernels (about 1 large ear)
2/3 cup (5 ounces) goat cheese, softened
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1/4 cup chopped green onions (about 1 green onion)
10 tablespoon bottled salsa verde, divided
Cooking spray

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add corn; sauté 2 minutes or until browned. Place corn in a small bowl. Add goat cheese to corn; stir until well blended. Divide corn mixture evenly among 4 tortillas; spread to within 1/4 inch of sides. Sprinkle each tortilla with 1 tablespoon green onions. Drizzle each with 1 1/2 teaspoons salsa; top with remaining 4 tortillas. Heat pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Place 2 quesadillas in pan; cook 1 1/2 minutes on each side or until golden. Remove from pan; keep warm. Wipe pan clean with paper towels; recoat with cooking spray. Repeat procedure with remaining quesadillas. Cut each quesadilla into 4 wedges. Serve with remaining 8 tablespoons salsa. Serves 4.

Calories per serving (serving size: 4 wedges and 2 tablespoons salsa): 223; Fat:8.9g; Protein: 9.9g; Carbohydrate: 28.6g; Fiber: 3.2g; Cholesterol: 16mg; Iron: 1mg; Sodium: 266mg; Calcium: 75mg

Chicken Burgers & Couscous

So I know that the title of this post may not draw you in (chicken burgers, really?), but it is a seriously good meal. Seriously. We just ate it tonight and were both very pleasantly surprised at how much we liked it. The flavors were so different than what we usually eat (couscous, for one, and dried cranberries, for another), but we loved them. And did you notice -- not one ounce of cheese in either recipe! Ha!

I found these recipes the other day I was flipping channels and saw Giada on Food Network. I stopped and watched for a while and this is the meal she was making. At first I was a little leery of chicken burgers, but like I've said before, we're fans of burgers, and I am always on the hunt for something new to try, so I figured we'd give it a whirl and see how we liked it. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?

Well, Giada, you've done it again. The chicken burger was moist and full of flavor, and the couscous was nutty, hearty and flavorful. We had never eaten couscous before, but we both loved it. Patrick and I kind felt like we were eating California food ... I don't really know what that even means, but it's how we felt!

We've eaten regular beef burgers, turkey burgers and now chicken burgers. I'm thinking next might be bison burgers. What's your favorite burger, and do you have any non-beef burger recipes you like?


Chicken Burgers with Garlic-Rosemary Mayonnaise
Recipe courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis
Garlic-Rosemary Mayonnaise:
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 clove garlic, minced

Burgers:
1 pound ground chicken
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 sandwich rolls or burger buns (we used whole-wheat buns)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup arugula, divided

For the mayonnaise: In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, garlic, and rosemary; set aside.
For the burgers: Preheat a gas or charcoal grill or place a grill pan over medium-high heat. In a large bowl, add the ground chicken, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1/2 of the mayonnaise mixture. Using clean hands, gently combine the ingredients and form the chicken mixture into 4 patties. Place the burgers on the grill and cook for about 7 minutes on each side. Transfer to paper towels and let rest for a few minutes.
Brush the cut side of each roll with the olive oil and 1 teaspoon of the mayonnaise mixture. Grill for 1 to 2 minutes until slightly golden.
To assemble the burgers: Spread a dollop of the remaining mayonnaise mixture on the tops and bottoms of the toasted buns. Place the chicken burgers on the bottom halves of the buns. Top each with 1/4 cup of arugula and finish with the top half of the bun.

Israeli Couscous with apples, cranberries and herbs
Recipe courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups Israeli couscous (or barley or orzo)
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 medium green apple, diced
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted, see Cook's Note

Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil

For the couscous: In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil on medium-high heat. Add the couscous and cook, stirring occasionally until slightly browned and aromatic, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 to12 minutes or until the liquid has evaporated. Transfer the cooked couscous to a large bowl and set aside to cool. Add the parsley, rosemary, thyme, apple, dried cranberries, and almonds.

For the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, maple syrup, salt, and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil until smooth. Pour the vinaigrette over the couscous and toss to coat evenly.

Cook's Note: To toast the almonds, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Arrange the almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely before using.

I've read that Israeli couscous is different than regular couscous, but I couldn't find it at Publix so I just used the regular, plain, boxed couscous, and since I don't know anything different, I thought it was great! I also used dried herbs instead of fresh cause I was being lazy and cheap. I pretty much used 1 teaspoon dried herbs for every tablespoon of fresh.

To be a better cook part II - DEAL ALERT!

Have you seen Top Chef? I'm a fan. Love that show. But I don't get Bravo (sad), so I haven't been able to watch this season (outside of a few weeks where we randomly got the channel. Then it went away. Tease).

But, even though I don't get Bravo anymore, I can still watch some of the Top Chef chefs in action through Top Chef University, an online cooking school. And even better, right now they're offering a month-long membership for half of - $12 instead of $24.95.

The deal is through the Wichita Groupon.

To get these deals:
1. Go to Groupon
2. At the top click “Visit more Cities”
3. Pick Wichita and order. “Side deals” are found on the right next to the main deal for the day.

Wichita- Month-long membership to Top Chef University. 23 online cooking lessons for $12

This Groupon is for the Basics & Techniques class only.

Act quick if you're interested - you only have two days to purchase this offer.

And ... sorry about no Weight Watchers Wednesday post. Wednesday was our three-year anniversary and we enjoyed a nice dinner out, so it was a no-cook Wednesday for me. But it'll be back next week.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

I found this recipe a while back while looking for another pasta recipe, and just tried it tonight. I'm kicking myself for taking so long to make it - it's so good! It's definitely on the spicy side, but the kick of heat was a nice change for us. We both really enjoyed it and I'll be making it again.

Oh, and I was just too lazy to take a photo. Sorry. Maybe I'll take a pic of the leftovers.

Cajun Chicken Pasta
From Southern Living 2007
12 ounces uncooked linguine
2 pounds chicken breast strips
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning*
1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
1/4 cup butter
1 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced**
1 small green bell pepper, thinly sliced*
1 (8-oz.) package fresh mushrooms
2 green onions (white and light green parts only), sliced**
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Garnish: chopped green onions

Prepare pasta according to package directions. Sprinkle chicken evenly with Cajun seasoning and 1 tsp. salt. Melt 1/4 cup butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add chicken, and sauté 5 to 6 minutes or until done. Remove chicken. Add bell peppers, mushrooms, and green onions to skillet, and sauté 9 to 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender and liquid evaporates. Return chicken to skillet; stir in half-and-half, next 3 ingredients, and remaining 1/4 tsp. salt. Cook, stirring often, over medium-low heat 3 to 4 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Add linguine; toss to coat. Garnish, if desired, and serve immediately.

*To make your own Cajun seasoning, combine 2 1/2 tablespoons salt, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 1 tablespoon paprika, 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper, 1 tablespoon ground black pepper.

**1/2 (16-oz.) bag frozen sliced green, red, and yellow bell peppers and onion may be substituted.

To be a better cook ...

We were out of town this past weekend, so I didn't cook Friday, Saturday or Sunday, and tonight I ate a salad while Patrick ate two bowls of Lucky Charms. Sad, I know. But I'm just keeping it real. I am glad that I have a husband who doesn't mind eating cereal for dinner every once in a while. I think he actually enjoys it.

I might not have cooked, but I did find a good article on CookingLight.com. I went there on a search for healthy salmon recipes and found this article instead (I also found what looks to be a good salmon recipe. I'm going to attempt to incorporate fish into our diet and my cooking repertoire).

I love to cook, but I am so very, very amateur. If I had the time, the money, a maid and a nanny, I would love to take cooking classes. But, alas, I am the maid and the nanny - er, mommy - and sometimes my lack of knowledge and experience means that I wing it in the kitchen. But I love to learn, and I would like to be a better cook, so I hope that reading this helps me have fewer kitchen foibles.

I've made at least 10 of these mistakes (but never, never #9), and have learned from them. Hopefully reading this list will help me avoid the other 15!

The 25 most common cooking mistakes
Click here to read the entire article
1. You don’t taste as you go.
2. You don’t read the entire recipe before you start cooking.
3. You make unwise substitutions in baking.
4. You boil when you should simmer.
5. You overheat chocolate.
6. You over-soften butter.
7. You overheat low-fat milk products.
8. You don’t know your oven’s quirks and idiosyncrasies.
9. You’re too casual about measuring ingredients.
10. You overcrowd the pan.
11. You mishandle egg whites.
12. You turn the food too often.
13. You don’t get the pan hot enough before you add the food.
14. You slice meat with―instead of against―the grain.
15. You underbake cakes and breads.
16. You don’t use a meat thermometer.
17. Meat gets no chance to rest after cooking.
18. You try to rush the cooking of caramelized onions.
19. You overwork lower-fat dough.
20. You neglect the nuts you’re toasting.
21. You don’t shock vegetables when they’ve reached the desired texture.
22. You put all the salt in the marinade or breading.
23. You pop meat straight from the fridge into the oven or onto the grill.
24. You don’t know when to abandon ship and start over.
25. You use inferior ingredients.

What have you learned from your time in the kitchen?

Weight Watchers Wednesday - Southern Oven "Fried" Chicken

So, yeah, it's not Wednesday anymore. Whoops. But better late than never, right?

Living in the South, fried chicken is a big deal. It's everywhere. And it's mighty tasty. But not healthy. Not at all. But sometimes you just get a craving and want that delicious flavor. When the mood hits and nothing else will do but fried chicken, here's a yummy and guilt-free alternative to the artery-clogging and button-popping original.

Southern Oven "Fried" Chicken
Courtesy of the Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook
5 points
1/2 cup fat-free buttermilk
1/2 cup cornflakes, crushed
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 pounds chicken, skinless
4 teaspoons canola oil (it's important, flavor-wise, that you use canola oil)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a large baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Pour the buttermilk into a shallow bowl. On a sheet of waxed paper, combine the cornflake crumbs, flour, salt and pepper. Dip the chicken in the buttermilk, then dredge in the cornflake mixture, coating completely. Place the chicken on the baking sheet and drizzle with oil. Bake 30 minutes, then turn the chicken over. Bake until cooked through, 15-20 minutes longer.

Per serving (about two pieces): 229 calories, 10 g. fat, 2 g. sat. fat, 0 g trans fat, 64 mg chol, 295 mg. sodium, 11 g carbs, 0 g fiber, 23 g protein, 49 mg calcium.

Weight Watchers Wednesday - Honey-Mustard Pork Chops

How fitting that this post should come right after my cheese-and-bacon laden Bacon Quiche recipe.

But don't be fooled. It's only a once-a-week commitment that I'm making to eating healthier.

Unfortunately for me, these pesky 20 pounds I've been holding onto since Nora was born don't seem to be going anywhere. And I want them to go. Anywhere. Somewhere. Just far, far away from me. Apparently, though, it sometimes requires a change in habits to lose weight, and I haven't changed a single habit. Just wishing and hoping the pounds away isn't cutting it anymore. Thus, Weight Watchers Wednesday was born.

Every Wednesday I'm going to make a new and healthy recipe. It might come from my Weight Watchers cookbook (I'm gonna start there) or it might come from Cooking Light or another healthy food source. Wherever it comes from, though, it's gonna be healthy.

No heavy cream, no half-and-half, no "four cups of cheese" or "1/2 pound of bacon."

We'll see how this goes.

Thank goodness it's only once a week.

Honey-Mustard Pork Chops
Courtesy of the Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook
4 Points
4 teaspoons honey
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon cider or wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
4 (5-ounce) bone-in loin pork chops, 1-inch thick

To prepare the marinade, in a small saucepan over low heat, heat the honey until it liquefies. Stir in the mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper; cool to room temperature. Place the pork chops in a gallon-size Ziploc bag; add the marinade. Seal the bag, squeezing out the air; turn to coat the chops. Refrigerate, turning the bag occasionally, at least 8 hours or overnight. Remove the chops from the refrigerator 30 minutes before broiling. Preheat the broiler. Discard the marinade. Place the chops on the broiler rack and broil 3-4 inches from the heat until cooked through, 6-7 minutes on each side. Makes 4 servings.

Per serving (1 chop): 178 calories, 7 g. fat, 3 g. saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 10 mg. cholesterol, 124 mg. sodium, 2 g. carbs, 0 g fiber, 26 g. protein, 27 mg. calc.