Supper Time, Supper Time, Supper, Supper, Supper Time!

It has been a long time since we had a traditional Sunday dinner of roast chicken, mashed potatoes, peas and carrots at our house, but here is a compromise! Those roasted Deli chickens sure can go a long way, and proof of that is the leftover breast languishing in the frig - not quite enough for three on its own though!


This is about 12 points for the whole recipe, divide it how you will! It is good over baked potatoes, noodles or even oven fries, if you have the points to burn! MMMM comfort food. So here it comes...

Chicken a la Green!

1 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 T finely diced onion(s), give or take
2 chicken bouillon cubes
8 oz chicken breast, cooked, skinless
3 cups of fat-free chicken broth (or as much as it takes to get the right consistency for the sauce)
1/2 cup frozen peas and carrots
trimmed raw spinach

Stir finely chopped onion into butter...add flour, then milk, broth and flavour cube (if needed) to make a light cream sauce, add chicken and vegetables - simmer until warmed through. Add a couple of handfuls of trimmed raw spinach just before serving to wilt down into the sauce. Gotta love that spinach! Today, I am going to serve it with potatoes baked on the barbecue and a pan of roasted mushrooms, onions, red and green peppers.

For dessert? We are having Mini angel cakes from Sobey's with a mixture of fresh fruit and a bit of Light Cool Whip on top! Sweetened with Splenda, the points came in at less than 2 for the whole dessert!

One Point Strawberry Shortcake?

Yep! I bought little angel cakes from Sobey's, and they came in at one point each. I sweetened the strawberries with Splenda, so they were free! And, the light Cool Whip? Also very, very free! You know, when I wasn't on WW, we never had desserts, so this is a pretty wonderful concept to a formerly dessert less couple!

The menu for the day really seems rather tame, compared to the dessert! I finally got around to making the stuffed zucchini and it was a definite hit. It never ceases to amaze me how the best recipes come out of our leftovers! Tonight, our dinner was made even more enjoyable, because we ate out on the deck. Ahhhh summer!

Slight Change of Plan

Well, yesterday's lunch of tortilla "pizzas" was so good, I just had to make them for supper, too! My intention was to take a picture but before I knew it, they just vanished! Not only did this happen at lunch time, but at dinner time too, so you will have imagine what these tortillas looked like in all their crispy goodness! For 6 1/2 points for two, from start to finish, they can't be beat!

I am not a great fan of tomato sauce, so I used a teaspoon of pesto as a base on each tortilla. Before serving, I added a very light dusting of Parmesan and some red pepper flakes while they were hot out of the oven. "Real" pizza is just not worth all the points for one piece when these are so much easier on the digestive tract! Next time I am going to try this with spinach and feta. Can't wait!

We had strawberries dipped in Splenda for dessert - I needed a "sweet fix". I was amazed that the Splenda tasted sooooooooooo good! I am now officially a convert. If you can eat the stuff on a strawberry, and it tastes great? What else can you do with this miracle of modern science? Dare we bake????

The menu for today is very simple:

Morning

All Bran and milk with my new friend, Splenda.

Midday

Top Dogs and Wonder Bun for lunch. I never ate hot dogs before WW but now? This treat is my new summertime favourite! I use two hot dogs in one bun, just to make sure I am not stuck with an empty bun for my last bite! Slathered with mustard, relish and onions? Mystery meat at its finest! Sauerkraut salad on the side. I have been making this for years, and it is always a big hit. If you like marinated salads, I think you just may like this! Turns out that it is a freebie, too! No points! If you were running short of points, I think you could lose the bun, and make a good lunch of just the hot dogs and sauerkraut salad. It would be pretty tasty for four points, wouldn't you say?


Sauerkraut Salad
2 cups sauerkraut, well-drained
1 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup Sugar Twin (Splenda!)
2 tbs. chili sauce
1 tsp. dried parsley flakes


In a large bowl combine sauerkraut, green pepper, onion and celery. In a small bowl, combine vinegar, Sugar Twin, chili sauce, and parsley flakes. Add vinegar mixture to sauerkraut mixture. Mix well to combine. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Gently stir again, just before serving.

Evening

Stuffed zucchini with tomato sauce, with a tossed Greek salad. Since I used the sausage on the tortillas yesterday, I will just use the leftover pork tenderloin in the stuffing. Maybe add some mushrooms, celery and onions into to the mix, too. There are so many "freebies" that you can use to really plump out a menu! And, since I am making a mess chopping for the salad, I may as well prep the veggies for the zucchini at the same time.

Snacks

V8, fresh apricots, nectarines, grapes, Susie's Flat Bread with Laughing Cow Cheese.

Thursday's Plan

So, here is my plan for today - the main objective is to use up the leftovers in the frig! All of this comes to 24.5 points. I know that you are supposed to be eating all of your points, plus flex points, but really, it is hard on the jaws to munch through all of this! If it weren't for this heat, I would make a big pot of vegetable soup, and just eat that for a day, to give my face a rest!

Morning

All Bran cereal & milk

Midday
Ham, mushroom, mozzarella & pineapple 'pizza' (made on WW a Tortilla - 4.5 points!)

Evening
Stuffed Zucchini
1 T olive oil

1/2 cup cooked Basmati rice
1 cup mushrooms, 1/2 cup onion, 1 cup celery, coarsely chopped

tomato sauce (I used leftovers from another dinner)

2 oz German Swiss Cheese

Parmesan Cheese to finish
3 oz Pork finely sliced, then cut in slivers

Stir fry vegetables in olive oil, then add to food processor to chop finely. Add rice and pork to fry pan, and add a little tomato sauce to bind, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Mix in the finely chopped vegetables, and 1 oz of the Swiss cheese, then stuff "nuked" zucchini that has been scooped out to allow for filling. Drizzle with tomato sauce, and sprinkle with 1 oz of Swiss cheese, and 2 T of Parmesan. Finish in the oven or on the barbecue, until warmed through. 6 servings.

(I finally got around to making this on Saturday nightbut I thought it best to put the picture here with the recipe!)

Serve with a chopped Greek salad (fresh cucumbers, vine tomatoes, fresh basil, olive oil & balsamic vinegar) and a French Baguette.

Snacks

Nectarine
Susie's Flat Bread and & Laughing Cow Cheese
1 cup of grapes

They say....

that building a new habit takes three weeks. I am inclined to believe it. But another fact is that it only takes stepping out of the traces a couple of times to completely erase one! The habit I will be working on for the next three weeks, is making specific daily menu plans. Here is what I have planned for today.

Wednesday, August 01, 2007

Morning
cheese toast made with 2 serving FF Swiss Cheese
1 serving Stone Ground Thin Bread 2 slices
1/2 cup All Bran w 1 1/2 glass skim milk



Midday

1 medium nectarine(s)
Smoked Turkey Sandwich

Evening
2 Chicken Feta Sausages from Costco (only 3 points each or special deal, 2 for 5!)
1 8 oz barbecued potato & sliced onion, brushed with 2 tsp butter

green beans

Snacks
1 cup of grapes @ 11

Sliced Tomatoes @ 3
4 fresh sliced tomato(es)
sprinkled with

1 tsp homemade basil pesto
30 g Feta Cheese
2 tsp olive oil & S&P, balsamic vinegar to taste

(this platter is for two, so that makes a pretty hefty snack for 2 1/2 points per person)

1 wedge Laughing Cow Cheese with 1 serving (3 pieces) Susie's Multi Seed Flatbread @ bedtime