Teriyaki Grilled Shrimp

Shrimp isn't a common item found in my kitchen, but after making this WW recipe it will be! This shrimp was fantastic and by far the best I've made.

Ingredients:
1 1/4 lbs large shrimp (peeled and deveined; tails optional)
1/4 cup teriyaki marinade ((see previous post)
1/2 pineapple (cut into 1 inch chunks)
1 red bell pepper (cut into 1 inch chunks)
Serve over brown rice

Directions:
1. Combine shrimp and teriyaki marinade in large plastic bag.

2. Refrigerate for 2-4 hours; rotating bag every so often.
3.Preheat grill (or broiler on low).
4. Spray broiling pan with nonstick spray.
5. Remove shrimp from marinade. Alternatively thread shrimp, pineapple, shrimp on skewers.

6. Cook in broiler; 4 minutes on each side.

7. Serve over brown rice or salad.

Teriyaki Marinade

This is a great teriyaki marinade recipe by WW.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp dark brown sugar
1 tsp Asian sesame oil
1 clove garlic (I used minced fresh garlic)
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in jar (with tight lid), cover and shake well.
Use for marinade immediately, however it can be refrigerated up to 5 days.

(New) Weight Watchers Cookbook

Another new cookbook!

"Popeye's" Pasta

Have you ever tried sweet italian chicken sausage? I hadn't until this recipe!

I get (almost) daily recipe updates from skinnytaste.com and this recipe for Baked Pasta with Sausage and Spinach came across in the beginning of the month. I just had to try it!

It turned out well and made a fairly large casserole. The dish did have an (in my opinion) overwhelming italian seasoning taste. My second eater also wasn't too impressed with the green spinach though I didn't mind it - he isn't impressed with any veggies. Actually, he cringes with "green things" in food. I have found that so many recipes these days are laden with veggies, which makes it sometimes hard to cook healthy for someone who really doesn't appreciate them.

Lessons Learned: Try LESS sausage as I think I had too much. I would also reduce (to make it less noticeable) or eliminate the spinach.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup grated Romano
8 oz fat-free ricotta
8 oz part-skim mozzarella, shredded
14 oz uncooked sweet Italian chicken sausage, removed from casing (I think I had more...)
12 oz WW rigatoni pasta
1 tsp olive oil
2 cloves smashed garlic, roughly chopped (I used a little diced garlic)
10 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed of excess liquid
salt and fresh pepper to taste
4 cups Marinara Sauce

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Spray 9 x13-inch baking dish with olive oil spray.
3. Bring a large pot water to a boil (salted)
4. In medium bowl, combine ricotta, 6 tablespoons of the Romano cheese and half of the mozzarella cheese. Set aside.

5. In a large (deep) skillet, brown sausage making sure to break it up into small pieces until cooked through.

Remove from skillet.

6. Add the oil to the skillet and sauté garlic about a minute.
7. Add spinach (if you are using) and season with salt and pepper; cook another minute.
8. Return the sausage to the skillet and add the marinara sauce; cook on low about 2-3 minutes.

9. Cook pasta according to directions for al dente, but undercook by 4 minutes. Drain and return to pot.
10. Put half of the cooked pasta into the baking dish and top with half of the meat sauce.

11. Spoon ricotta mixture over the sauce evenly.
12. Cover with remain pasta and sauce.
13. Top with rest of mozzarella and romano.
14. Cover with foil; bake for 20 minutes.
15. Remove foil; bake for an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and edges are slightly browned.

Enjoy!

Mini Hawaiian Pizza

I love pizza! I have also found recently that I am a huge fan of pineapple so when I came across this Hungry Girl recipe for Pizza Luau - I was totally in!

The original recipe called for chopped ham and pineapple - oops - maybe next time! It was delicious anyway :)

Ingredients:

1 light English Muffin, split
2 tbs of low-fat marinara
1 stick of light string cheese (or low fat mozz measured out)
2 slices of shaved deli ham, chopped
1 pineapple ring (packed in juice), chopped
1 tbs chopped red onion

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Spread sauce onto each muffin half
3. Cover with cheese
4. Top with ham, pineapple, onion
5. Bake on baking sheet for 8-10 minutes

Swiss Chicken Casserole

Cheese, chicken and rice? How can it not taste good?

This casserole turned out well, though I could have eliminated the ham and would have enjoyed it just the same.

This recipe came from the Betty Crocker 300 Calorie Cookbook (p.87).

Ingredients:

4 cups boiling water
2 boxes (6oz each) florentine long grain & wild rice mix
4 large boneless skinless chicken breasts (~2 lbs)
8 slices of ham
1/4 cup diced bell pepper - any color (I used green)
4 slices swiss cheese, halved.

Directions:


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spray glass baking dish (13x9) with cooking spray.
3. Combine boiling water, rice and seasoning mix in baking dish.
4. Cut chicken breasts in half (lengthwise) and wrap ham slice around each piece of chicken.
5. Stir bell pepper into rice mix.

6. Place wrapped chicken over rice.

7. Cover with foil; bake for 40-45 minutes.
8. Uncover, bake ~ 10 more minutes (or until liquid is absorbed and juice of chicken is clear).
9. Top each piece of chicken with cheese; bake uncovered 3-4 minutes (or until cheese is melted.

It comes out like this - yum!

Betty Crocker's Low Calorie Cookbook

I also have been looking through this cookbook from Betty Crocker.

It looks to have some good recipes with servings less than 300 cal. Like everything, it is hard to stick to the serving size so you still have to be careful.