Roasted Herb Potatoes

While intending to track "roasted potatoes" on my itouch, I came across this recipe & saw I had all the ingredients on hand so I figured I'd try it! Came out delicious. Will definitely make it again in the future!



2 Tbsp dijon mustard
1 tsp olive oil
1 Tbsp oregano
1 Tbsp parsley
1 Tbsp rosemary
salt & pepper to taste
1lb new potatoes - I cut up several red potatoes into cubes

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Add potatoes & mix to coat. Bake at 425 for 25-30 minutes, turning occasionally.

It's a New Year. . .

It is now 2011 and like most people my New Years resolution was to get healthier. Yes, I'd like to lose 30lbs and I'd like to have the body of Jennifer Aniston but I know that isn't reality. But what I can commit to is cooking & eating healthier for me. I don't want the diabetic gene in my family to creep up on me in 10-15 years.

Weight Watchers has launched a new Points Plus plan and so far I am loving it. How can you not when a banana is no longer 2 points & now is 0!!

Here's a recipe I got at my meeting last week for Taco Soup. So easy, so delicious & so filling:



1lb ground beef
1 onion, diced
1 package taco seasoning
1 package Hidden Valley ranch dip mix
1 can corn, undrained
1 can black beans, drained
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 can pinto beans *i didn't use these
1 can diced tomatoes *I used real tomatoes, didn't have canned
1 can rotel (tomatoes with chilis)
1 can tomato sauce
1 cup water . . . I used less. . depending on how thick or thin you want your soup

Brown meat, drain fat. Stir in onions, cook until translucent. Add taco seasoning, stir. Add all other ingredients & simmer for an hour or more.

I topped my 1 cup bowl with a pinch of fat free shredded cheddar. Was delicious! You can also stir in some fat free sour cream to thicken the soup up.

I calculated this as 10 1cup servings for 4 points plus.

Mini Cheesy Meatloaves

I fell off the food wagon. . again. But I did try a few new recipes this week and this one is worth posting. They were all gobbled up!

1lb ground beef
1 egg
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup rolled quick oats
8 Tbsp Ketchup
3 tsp yellow mustard
4 Tbsp bbq sauce
2 oz cheddar, cut into 12 cubes


Preheat oven to 375. Combine all ingredients *except* cheese. Mix well. Form mixture into 12 muffins. Place into sprayed muffin tins or a baking sheet (easier clean up!). Place 1 cube of cheese into each muffin center. Press down & cover with meat. Bake 30 minutes.

These went so fast I didn't have time to take a picture! Next time. . .

Tortellini Primavera

1 9oz package cheese tortellini
1 cup sliced asparagus
1 cup cubed yellow squash
1 cup cubed zucchini
1/2 cup sundried tomato halves
2 Tbsp pesto
2 tsp minced garlic
2 Tbsp minced fresh basil
2 Tbsp parmesan cheese

Cook tortellini 8 mins. Add asparagus, squash & zucchini. Cook another 2 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup liquid.

While pasta cooks, heat skillet over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes, pesto & garlic. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook 1-2 minutes; stirring constantly. Add reserved liquid, pasta, vegetables & basil. Toss. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Makes 4 1 1/2 cup servings. 6pts each.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Searching through my recipe box to plan meals for the week and I came across this recipe which is sooooooo good and so simple to make. It's probably not very point friendly but every once in a while we need to splurge right?



3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened & 1 tablespoon butter, melted
2 large egg whites
1 1/4 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350°. Brush a cake pan (springform, as I have used, or 8- or 9-inch square or round pans will all work fine) with the melted butter and set aside.

Combine first 3 ingredients; set aside.

Place granulated sugar and softened 1/4 cup of butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well-blended (about 5 minutes). Add egg whites, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in sour cream and vanilla. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, stirring well with a whisk. Gradually add flour mixture to sugar mixture; beat well.

Spread half of batter into an the prepared pan. Sprinkle half of walnut streusel over batter. Spread remaining batter over streusel. Top with remaining streusel.

Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool the cake on a wire rack. If using a springform pan, allow the cake to cool completely before releasing the outer ring.

Fiber One Banana Bread

2 cups Fiber One® Honey Clusters® cereal
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk *I used fat free milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 egg
1 cup mashed very ripe bananas (2 medium)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom only of 9x5-inch loaf pan. Place cereal in resealable food-storage plastic bag; seal bag and crush with rolling pin or meat mallet (or crush in food processor).
2. In large bowl, beat sugar and oil with electric mixer on medium speed until well mixed. On low speed, beat in buttermilk, vanilla and egg until smooth. Beat in bananas. Beat in flour, baking soda and salt until will blended.
3. Stir in cereal just until mixed. Spread in pan.
4. Bake 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 2 hours, before slicing.



I made muffins out of this recipe, because that's how Miss Em likes to eat banana bread. She brought one in to one of her teachers who thought it was delicious. I baked them for 18 minutes. They were perfectly cooked.

Orange Beef with Broccoli Stir Fry

1/4 cup low sodium beef broth
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp corn starch
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1lb top round london broil, cut into strips
1 10oz package broccoli, thawed & drained *I used broc/cauliflower, it's what I had
1 Tbsp orange zest
1/4 cup orange juice *I used the lower calorie one
salt & pepper to taste

Whisk together broth, soy sauce, lemon juice & corn starch; set aside.

Warm oil in wok. Add beef. Turn heat to high & cook, stirring constantly, until no longer pink. Add broccoli & cook until warmed through.

Stir in reserved sauce, oj & zest. Cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened.

Serves 4.