Manhattan Clam Chowder (Crock Pot)


Manhattan Clam Chowder (Crock Pot)

Serves 8

Blue – 2

Purple – 0

Green – 4

  • 4 slices center cut bacon
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 carrots, thinly sliced
  • 3 ribs celery, sliced
  • 1 Tbsp dried parsley
  • 28 oz canned petite diced tomatoes
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 18-24 oz canned clams, with liquid
  • 2 whole peppercorns
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 1/2 tsp dried crushed thyme
  • 1 pound potatoes, peeled and cubed
  1. Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker

  2. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours





Creamy Honey Mustard Chicken


Creamy Honey Mustard Chicken

Serves 4

Blue – 4 points

Purple – 4 points

Green – 6 points

  • 1 pound (4 breasts) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded down a bit
  • 2 Tbsp honey
  • 2 Tbsp dijon mustard
  • 3 Tbsp fat free sour cream
  • 3 Tbsp fat free half and half
  • 3 thyme springs – leaves finely chopped OR 1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 3/4 cup chicken broth
  • 1 Tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 Tbsp light butter
  • 3/4 tsp salt, divided
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 2 Tbsp parsley
  1. Combine honey, dijon, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper in a large zipper bag. Place chicken in bag, seal and toss to coat chicken. Let marinade at least 15 minutes.

  2. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook for 7-8 minutes on each side until nice and brown. Reserve marinade. Transfer chicken to a plate.

  3. In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in 3 Tbsp of chicken broth

  4. To the pan, add in remaining chicken broth, thyme, sour cream, half and half, cornstarch mixture, remaining marinade** (see note below) and 1/4 tsp of salt. Stir well, scraping bottom to release the brown bits on the bottom of the pan.

  5. Add chicken back to pan and cook until chicken has reached 165 degrees internal temperature and the sauce has thickened.

  6. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

NOTE: Cooking the marinade in the skillet will kill off any bacteria from the raw chicken. 





Chicken Corn Chowder (Crock Pot)


Chicken Corn Chowder (Crock Pot)

Serves 4, easily doubled

Blue – 5 points per serving

Purple – 3 points per serving

Green – 10 points per serving

  • 4 slices center cut bacon
  • 1/2 cup onions, chopped fine
  • 2 cups potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 20 oz frozen corn
  • 1 cup canned cream-style corn
  • 1 Tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp seasoned salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1 cup water
  • 12 oz cooked, shredded chicken breast
  1. In a skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon, reserve drippings

  2. Add onion and potatoes to skillet and saute for 5 minutes. Drain well.

  3. Combine all ingredients, except cooked chicken in slow cooker, mix well.

  4. Cover and cook on low 5-6 hours. Add chicken, cook an additional hour for a total of 6-7 hours.





Creamy Chicken and Pasta with Bacon


Creamy Chicken and Pasta with Bacon

Serves 4

Blue – 12 points

Purple – 8 points (if you use whole wheat pasta)

Green – 14 points

  • 6 strips center cut bacon
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 Tbsp light butter
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup diced grape tomatoes
  • 2 cups fresh spinach
  • 1 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 cups fat free half and half
  • 3 oz fresh parmesan cheese, grated
  • 8 oz penne pasta – NOTE: to keep points lower I use Ronzoni 150 pasta, it is 4 points for 2 oz. uncooked. Adjust points to whatever kind of pasta you use. If you are on Purple, use whole wheat for 0 points
  • 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley, optional
  1. Cook bacon until crispy. Set aside on paper towels to drain. Chop into 1 inch pieces

  2. Pat dry the chicken with a paper towel. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder and set aside

  3. Heat olive oil in a large deep skillet. Add chicken breasts and cook on each side on medium high heat for about 4-5 minutes per side for a total of 8-10 minutes or until nicely browned and cooked through. Remove chicken from pan. Let rest 5 minutes and then slice.

  4. Add butter to the hot pan and once it melts, add chopped garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

  5. While preparing the sauce, start pasta cooking. When done, drain, but do not rinse.

  6. Add tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes on high until tomatoes release their juices. Add fresh spinach and cook until it wilts.

  7. Season with paprika, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes and salt. Mix.

  8. Add half and half and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce to simmer and slowly add the parmesan cheese – stir until the cheese melts and the sauce is creamy.

  9. Add the sliced chicken, bacon and pasta. Next add chopped parsley. Stir until fully coated in sauce. Adjust seasonings to your taste. Serve.





Very Berry French Toast Casserole


Serves 6
Blue – 4 points
Purple – 4 points
Green – 8 points

Compote Ingredients

  • 3 cups assorted berries of your choice (if using strawberries or large raspberries or blackberries, cut into smaller pieces)
  • 3 Tbsp zero calorie sweetener of choice (or 3 packets)
  • 2 Tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 Tbsp water
  • 2 tsp lemon zest, optional
  • 2 tsp fresh lemon juice, optional

French Toast

  • 12 slices 1 point bread (647 Bread, Sara Lee 45 Calorie, cubed)
  • 2 cups 1% milk
  • 8 eggs
  • 1 Tbsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup zero calorie sugar substitute that measures like sugar (Lakanto Monkfruit, Swerve)
  • 2 Tbsp light butter

Compote

  1. Place water, sweetener and cornstarch in a medium saucepan. Stir with whisk until combined. Add berries and mash them a bit with a potato masher to release juice and make them a chunky "jam like" consistency.

  2. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture comes to a boil. Turn heat down and let cook about 5 minutes or until thick. Add lemon zest and juice. Stir. Set aside to cool.

French Toast

  1. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with non stick spray. Sprinkle bread evenly over the bottom of the dish.
  2. In a large bowl, beat eggs. Add milk, sugar substitute, vanilla, and spices. Whisk until all ingredients are combined.
  3. Pour egg mixture over the bread. Dot with butter.
  4. Cover and refrigerate 1/2 hour.

  5. After a 1/2 hour, take cooled compote and pour evenly on top – you may not need the entire amount – start at one end and judge as you pour. Once you have all the compote on, take a spoon and swirl/fold it gently into the bread mixture. You don't want it sitting on top, but don't want it at the bottom either. Let chill another 1/2 hour or at this point you can cover and refrigerate overnight.

  6. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375. Bake for 35-40 minutes.





Copycat KFC Bowls


Copycat KFC Bowls

Serves 4
Blue 8 points
Purple 5 Points
Green 11 Points

Potatoes

  • 1 1/2 pounds potatoes (peeled and cubed (weigh after peeling))
  • 1 Tbsp light butter
  • 1/4 cup 1% milk
  • salt and pepper to taste

Chicken

  • 1- 1 1/2 pounds boneless (skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces)
  • 1 envelope Shake and Bake of choice (I use extra crispy)

Other Ingredients Needed

  • 1 12 oz bag frozen corn
  • 1 12 oz jar chicken gravy

Potatoes

  1. Peel and cube potatoes

  2. Put in pot, cover with water
  3. Bring to a boil and reduce heat and let cook until tender – 10-15 minutes
  4. Drain. Add butter and mix with an electric mixer.
  5. Add salt, pepper and milk. Mix until creamy
  6. Weigh or measure the entire amount and divide into 4 servings

Chicken

  1. Place cut chicken, a bit at a time into bag with Shake and Bake.
  2. Shake bag to coat. Repeat until all chicken is coated
  3. Preheat air fryer or oven to 400. Air fry chicken at 400 for 8-11 minutes or until done. If making in oven, bake for 15 minutes or until done.

Other

  1. Heat corn and gravy

Assembly

  1. Place mashed potatoes on bottom on bowl
  2. Top with corn
  3. Add chicken
  4. Top with 1/4 cup of chicken gravy
  5. Serve immediately





Peasant Bread


Peasant Bread

Makes 2 loaves, each loaves gets cut into 12 pieces – cut down the middle and then slice each half into 6 pieces

1 piece on Blue, Purple and Green – 2 points

  • 4 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 cups lukewarm water – 110 to 115 degrees
  • 1 Tbsp zero calorie sugar substitute that measures 1:1 like sugar. I use Lakanto Monkfruit (**if you use regular sugar, the bread is 2 points for 1 slice and 5 points for 2 slices**)
  • 2 tsp active dry yeast
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, mix the sugar into the water until the sugar dissolves. Sprinkle the yeast over top. Set aside while you prepare the flour

  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and the salt.

  3. Mix the yeast gently into the water with a whisk.

  4. Add the water/yeast mixture to the flour. Stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. The dough will be sticky.

  5. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap sprayed with non stick spray. Put in a warm place to rise for 1 1/2- 2 hours. ***See note below on how to create a warm place

  6. After the dough has risen. Grease two 1 to 1 1/2 quart oven proof bowls.

  7. Using two forks, punch down the risen dough, scraping it from the sides of the bowl, which it will be clinging to. Ad you scrape it down, try to turn the dough up onto itself. You want to loosen the dough entirely from the sides of the bowl, and you want to make sure that it was punched down (deflated). Take the two forks and divide the dough into two equal portions – eyeball the center of the mass of dough and staring from the center and working out, pull the dough apart with the two forks. Then scoop up each half of the dough and place into your prepared bowls.

  8. Let the dough rise again for 30 minutes or until it has risen to just below or at the top of the bowl. While the dough is on it's second rise, preheat the oven to 425

  9. Once the dough has completed it's second rise, bake at 425 for 12 minutes, then reduce heat to 375 and cook 12 minutes longer or until golden brown.

  10. Remove from oven and turn out onto a cooling rack. Cool for 10 minutes before cutting

***To create a nice environment for the dough’s first rise,  turn your oven to preheat and set it at 200.  Let it preheat for JUST ONE MINUTE and then turn it off.  The temperature will probably not change, it just heats it up a bit.  Place dough in oven WITH OVEN OFF to let rise.  Remember, just preheat for one minute – you don’t want the oven to reach 200***





Ham and Cheese Breakfast Bubble Up


Ham and Cheese Breakfast Bubble Up

Serves 6

Blue – 6 points

Purple- 6 points

Green – 9 points

  • 8 eggs
  • 1 cup 1% milk
  • 8 oz cooked lean ham (can substitute canadian bacon, adjust points accordingly)
  • 8 oz mushrooms, cooked
  • any veggies of your choice – onion, peppers, etc, sauteed until softened.
  • 8 oz Cabot 75% reduced fat cheese, grated
  • 1 7. 5 oz can biscuits (these are the SMALL buttermilk biscuits not the Grands, etc) they come 10 to a can
  • salt and pepper to taste
  1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9×13 casserole with non stick spray

  2. Cut each biscuit into 8 pieces, sprinkle on the bottom of the casserole dish. Set aside

  3. In a large bowl, beat eggs with milk, salt and pepper.

  4. Sprinkle veggies, 1/2 of the cheese and ham over biscuits.

  5. Pour egg mixture over top.

  6. Top with remaining shredded cheese

  7. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until top is browned and the biscuits are cooked through.





Sausage Gravy Breakfast Bowls


Sausage Gravy Breakfast Bowls

Recipe adapted from Kim at A Girl and Her Phone. Here is the link for the original recipe. I cannot get the country gravy mix she uses, so I made my own. https://agirlandherphone.weebly.com/breakfast.html

Blue – 4 points

Purple – 2 points

Green – 9 points

For bowls

  • 400 grams shredded hashbrowns (about 4 1/2-5 cups, thawed)
  • 8 eggs

For Zero Point Turkey Sausage

  • 1/2 pound 99% fat free ground turkey
  • 1/2 tsp ground sage
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp white pepper (you can use black)
  • 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • pinch marjoram
  • **You can substitute 1 tsp poultry seasoning for sage and marjoram**
  • 1/4 cup flour

For Gravy

  • 1 cups 1% milk
  • salt and pepper to taste

For Turkey Sausage

  1. In a small bowl, combine sausage spices and mix well.

  2. In a medium bowl, place turkey. Add spices in and with your hands, mix VERY well until spices are evenly distributed throughout meat.

  3. Cook turkey sausage in a skillet. I use a little oil and non stick spray, breaking it apart in little crumbles as it cooks. When done, begin making gravy.

For Gravy

  1. Add flour and stir into turkey sausage. Slowly add milk and cook over medium high heat until gravy is smooth and thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside and keep warm

To assemble

  1. Cook hasbrowns to your liking

  2. Scramble eggs

  3. In a bowl, place 1/4 of the cooked hashbrowns, top with 1/4 of the scrambled eggs, then 1/4 of the sausage gravy. Repeat for 4 bowls.

  4. To serve, either serve as is or mix all ingredients in the bowl. Serve immediately or refrigerate and heat up as needed.





Crab Bisque


Crab Bisque

Serves 4

Blue, Purple – 5 points Green – 6 Points

I serve with a slice of crusty bread and a side salad

  • 3 Tbsp light butter
  • 1 small onion, very finely chopped
  • 2 stalks celery, very finely chopped
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 3 Tbsp flour
  • 3 1/2 cups fat free vegetable broth or seafood stock
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 cup fat free half and half
  • 1 pound crab meat, reserve 4 Tbsp
  • chopped fresh parsley for garnish
  1. In a large, heavy pot over medium heat, heat butter. Add onion and celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and Old Bay, then stir in garlic and tomato paste. Cook until garlic is fragrant and tomato paste coats vegetables, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle over flour and cook until absorbed, 1 minute more.

  2. Pour in vegetable broth and wine, then stir in bay leaf. Reduce heat and let simmer until liquid is reduced and flavors meld, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes.

  3. Remove bay leaf and puree soup with an immersion blender on high (if you do not have an immersion blender, puree in batches in a regular blender) until very smooth. Return to medium low heat and stir in half and half and the crab, reserving 4 Tablespoons of the crab for garnish. Cook until just warmed through, about 5 minutes.

  4. Divide among bowls and garnish with remaining crab and parsley.