October Menu

This month I'm going to do a little something different. I found this adorable menu at eighteen25. 

Download it here.

Baked Ziti

Baked Ziti
WW Points = 5 From WW Meeting

Ingredients:
12 ounces uncooked ziti pasta
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1/3 lb raw lean ground beef
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
28 ounces canned crushed tomatoes
1 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook pasta according to package directions without added fat or salt; drain and set aside. Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat; add garlic and sauté 2 minutes. Add beef and cook until browned, breaking up the meat as it cooks, about 3 to 5 minutes; drain off any fat and return pan to heat. Add oregano, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper; stir to coat beef. Cook until herbs become fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Spoon a small amount of tomato mixture into the bottom of a 4-quart casserole dish (just enough to cover the surface). Top with half of the cooked ziti and then layer with half of the remaining tomato sauce and half of the mozzarella cheese. Layer remaining ziti on top and top with remaining sauce and mozzarella cheese. Bake until cheese is golden and bubbly, about 30 minutes. 5 Points yields about 1 cup per serving.

Nutritional Info

Servings Per Recipe: 8
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 189.4
Total Fat: 9.5 g
Cholesterol: 44.6 mg
Sodium: 309.8 mg
Total Carbs: 13.0 g
Dietary Fiber: 0.5 g
Protein: 12.7 g
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Low Fat Baked Ziti with Spinach
From Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes  
Servings: 8 • Serving Size: 1/8th • Points: 6 pts • Points+: 9 pts
Calories: 331.9 • Fat: 7.1 g • Protein: 17.5 g • Carb: 54.7 g • Fiber: 7.8 g  

• 1 lb high fiber ziti such as Ronzoni Smart Taste
• 28 oz crushed tomatoes (she prefers Tuttorosso)
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic,minced
• 10 oz frozen spinach, thawed
• 1 tsp oregano
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
• salt and fresh pepper to taste
• 8 oz fat-free ricotta
• 1/4 cup Parmesan
• 2 cups (8 oz) part skim mozzarella
• Spray olive oil (she used her Misto)

Preheat oven to 375°.Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with oil spray. In a large pot of salted water, cook pasta according to instructions until al dente. Drainand return to pot. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, add olive oil and sauté garlic. Add chopped spinach, salt pepper and chopped tomatoes. Season with basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Add sauce to the pasta and combine the ziti. Add half of the mozzarella, Parmesan cheese and ricotta. Mix well then transfer to the baking pan. Pour the pasta mixture into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Top with the remaining mozzarella. Bake for 30 minutes, or until mozzarella is melted and the edges are lightly browned.

This can be made up to a day in advance and stored, tightly covered, in the refrigerator. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking.

Cream Cheese-and-Pesto-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Cream Cheese-and-Pesto-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

From Living Locurto

•4 chicken breast halves
•1 egg white
•1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
•2 teaspoons olive oil

Filling
•2 tablespoons reduced-fat cream cheese
•1 tablespoon pesto
•Freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 400°F.
2.Combine cream cheese, pesto and pepper in a small bowl with a fork.
3.Cut a horizontal slit along the thin, long edge of a chicken breast half, nearly through to the opposite side. Open up each breast and place one-fourth of the filling in the center. Close the breast over the filling, pressing the edges firmly together to seal. Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts and filling.
4.Lightly beat egg white with a fork in a medium bowl. Place breadcrumbs in a shallow glass dish. Hold each chicken breast half together and dip in the egg white, then dredge in the breadcrumbs.
5.Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts; cook until browned on one side, about 2 minutes. Place the chicken, browned-side up, on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake about 20 minutes.

Serve with rice and broccoli.


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Another diet option

As always, I watch new fads and diet options available.  Here is one that I saw on one of my fav follows Making it Lovely.  It is called the Steve Ward diet.  It is basic and easy to follow. I agree with Nicole though, I do not think on the up days you should only eat broccoli.  I would say eat lighter on the days your weight falls above the line. 

It is worth checking out.

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What's for Dinner?

What's for Dinner?

Sunday: chicken tetrazzini

Monday:  Poor Boys, chips, veg tray 

Tuesday: BLT's, Potatoes, Green Beans

Wednesday: Chicken taco chili

Thursday: Baked ziti, bread, salad

Friday: cookout

Saturday: Eating out - Homecoming

I'm proud to post my menus on Org Junkie. Come join us for others like me that menu plan.  There are great recipes and ideas out there!

Crunchy Tuna Wrap

Crunchy Tuna Wrap

From That Mama Cooks
Ingredients:
4 ounces (by weight) of white albacore tuna packed in water (drained)
1 handful of premade broccoli cole slaw
1 tablespoon fat free, light or heart healthy mayo
1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
1 Multi-Grain with Flax Flatout Flatbread Whole Grain Wrap

Directions
1.Combine and mix tuna, slaw, mayo and relish.
2.Spread evenly on the wrap and roll up.
3.Cut into sections or eat like a burrito.


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Crock Pot Chicken Taco Chili

Crock Pot Chicken Taco Chili

From Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 10 • Size: 10 oz • Prep Time: 5 minutes • Calories: 202 • Points: 4 ww points

1 onion, chopped
1 16-oz can black beans
1 16-oz can kidney beans
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
10 oz package frozen corn kernels
2 14.5-oz cans diced tomatoes w/chilies
1 packet taco seasoning
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
24 0z. (3) boneless skinless chicken breasts
chili peppers, chopped (optional)
chopped fresh cilantro

Combine beans, onion, chili peppers, corn, tomato sauce, cumin, chili powder and taco seasoning in a slow cooker. Place chicken on top and cover. Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Top with fresh cilantro. Also try it with low fat cheese and sour cream (extra points).
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Chicken Pot Pie

Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie
From Betty Crocker

Ingredients

1 lb - 5 pieces chicken thigh or chicken breast
1 tbsp onion powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup celery, chopped (2 medium stalks)
1 (10 3/4 oz) can Campbell's Cream of Chicken (98% Fat Free)
1 (10 3/4 oz) can Campbell's Cream of Chicken with Herbs
2 1/4 cup Heart Smart Bisquick
2/3 cup milk, 1%
1 (14 oz) bag Birds Eye Classic Mixed Vegetables
1 Reynold's Slow Cooker Bag
Directions

Place bag in slow cooker, this makes clean-up a breeze, however, not the easiest way to get left overs out as you are not to lift the bag before contents has cooled.

Place chicken in 3.5 to 4 quart slow cooker. Mix soups in bowl and add onion powder and black pepper. Mix until smooth; pour over chicken.  Place chopped celery over gravy mixture. Cover and cook on LOW heat setting 8 to 10 hours.
About 30 minutes before serving, make and bake biscuits using Bisquick mix and milk as directed on package. While biscuits are cooking, gently stir frozen vegetables into chicken mixture, breaking meat apart as well. Increase heat setting to HIGH. Cover and cook 15 minutes. For each serving, split biscuit and place in soup bowl or tart pan. Spoon about 1 cup of chicken mixture on top.
Number of Servings: 8
Nutritional Info


Servings Per Recipe: 8

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 223.0
Total Fat: 4.4 g
Cholesterol: 9.9 mg
Sodium: 901.5 mg
Total Carbs: 38.5 g
Dietary Fiber: 2.4 g
Protein: 6.9 g


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