This came from the Weight Watchers website and sounds like a really yummy grilled meal. It's Core (low energy density) as prepared below, however if you eat it on a bun then that's considered part of the weekly 35 points.
Core Recipe
Servings | 4
Preparation Time | 18 min
Cooking Time | 9 min
Level of Difficulty | Easy
Grilled pineapple adds a sweet balance to these savory burgers. We serve them bunless but you can turn them into sandwiches as well. (Add points for the bun.)
Ingredients
* 1 pound uncooked lean ground beef (with 7% fat)
* 1/4 cup scallion(s), sliced
* 3 Tbsp teriyaki sauce
* 1 Tbsp ginger root, freshly grated
* 2 tsp minced garlic
* 4 slice pineapple, four 1/2-inch-thick rings
* 1/2 medium vidalia onion(s), cut into four 1/4-inch-thick rounds
* 4 sprays cooking spray
* 1/4 cup cilantro, fresh, chopped
Instructions
* Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high.
* In a medium bowl, combine beef, scallions, teriyaki sauce, ginger and garlic until thoroughly mixed; form into four 3/4-inch-thick patties.
* Off heat, lightly coat burgers, pineapple and onion with cooking spray; place on grill. (Never spray cooking spray onto an open flame.)
* Grill pineapple, turning once, until lightly charred, about 4 minutes; remove from grill and cover to keep warm. Grill burgers and onions, turning once, until burgers are desired degree of doneness and onions are lightly charred and tender, about 7 to 9 minutes.
* To serve, place 1 burger on each of 4 plates. Top each with 1 slice of onion (separated into rings) and 1 slice of pineapple; sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon of cilantro. Yields 1 burger per serving.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Alternative to ginormous deep-fried onion thingees
You know those ginormous deep-fried onion thingees served at chain restaurants? The one you order and pretend it's a good thing because it's a 'vegetable'? Believe it or not they are 2,710-calories and they are only an appetizer! CRAZINESS! The newsletter from Hungry-Girl.Com has a re-work for this tempting little devil in disquise and I thought I'd share it with you today. (Note: If you haven't checked out their website yet I highly recommend it.)
Here it is:
This swap for those notorious fried onion appetizers is slightly more complicated than our other recipes -- but it is SO, SO, SOOOO worth it! And if you share this giant thing with 3 pals (instead of 1), each serving'll have just 96 calories, POINTS® value of 1*. Rock on, Bloomin' Blossom!
Ingredients:
For Onionn:
1 jumbo sweet onion, not peeled
1 cup Fiber One bran cereal(original)ground to a breadcrumb-like consistency in a blender or food processor
1/2 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Original Egg Beaters)
1/4 tsp. seasoned salt (like Lawry's)
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. black pepper
For Sauce:
3 tbsp. fat-free mayonnaise
2 tsp. ketchup
1/8 tsp.seasoned salt
dash chili powder
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine ground cereal with the seasoned salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Mix well and set aside.
Cut the top half-inch of the onion off (from the pointy side, not the flat one). Leaving the root (bottom) intact, carefully peel the outside layer off.
Next, starting from the top, carefully cut the onion down and across the middle, stopping about a half-inch from the root. Repeat to make a criss-cross, cutting the onion down the middle again and stopping a half-inch from the bottom. You should now ha ve 4 sections still attached at the bottom. Cut each of those sections down the middle (from the top), again stopping before you get to the root.
Place the onion, cut side up, in a large bowl, and cover completely with ice water. Allow to sit for 5 - 10 minutes, or until "petals" open up. (You can use your hands to gently help pry them open once they've been soaking for several minutes.) Remove the onion, and dry both the onion and the bowl.
Once both are dry, place the onion back in the bowl, with the petals up. Pour the egg substitute evenly over it, making sure to get in between all the petals (use your hands to separate them). Swirl egg substitute around so the bottom and sides of the onion get coated. Then flip the onion over to drain excess egg substitute. The entire surface of the onion should be covered lightly with egg substitute. Transfer onion to a separate, dry bowl. (You'll likely have about half the egg substitute left in the first bowl.)
Slowly sprinkle ground cereal mixture evenly over the onion, making sure to thoroughly coat each petal -- again, use your hands to separate them -- flipping the onion upside-down once you're almost done coating, so that the entire surface gets coated in crumbs. (If needed, spread a little more egg substitute on any dry spots to get the crumbs to stick.) Spray a baking dish with nonstick spray, and place the onion in it with the petals facing up.
Place dish in the oven and bake for about 40 minutes (until outside is crispy and inside is soft). Meanwhile, combine sauce ingredients. When onion is done, allow it to cool slightly. If you like, carefully cut out the center of the onion (so petals are easy to remove). Serve with sauce and enjoy! MAKES 2 SERVINGS
Serving Size: half of recipe (including half of the sauce)
Calories: 192
Fat: 1.75g
Sodium: 700mg
Carbs: 54g
Fiber: 17g
Sugars: 13g
Protein: 7g
Points value 3*
Here it is:
This swap for those notorious fried onion appetizers is slightly more complicated than our other recipes -- but it is SO, SO, SOOOO worth it! And if you share this giant thing with 3 pals (instead of 1), each serving'll have just 96 calories, POINTS® value of 1*. Rock on, Bloomin' Blossom!
Ingredients:
For Onionn:
1 jumbo sweet onion, not peeled
1 cup Fiber One bran cereal(original)ground to a breadcrumb-like consistency in a blender or food processor
1/2 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Original Egg Beaters)
1/4 tsp. seasoned salt (like Lawry's)
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. black pepper
For Sauce:
3 tbsp. fat-free mayonnaise
2 tsp. ketchup
1/8 tsp.seasoned salt
dash chili powder
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine ground cereal with the seasoned salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Mix well and set aside.
Cut the top half-inch of the onion off (from the pointy side, not the flat one). Leaving the root (bottom) intact, carefully peel the outside layer off.
Next, starting from the top, carefully cut the onion down and across the middle, stopping about a half-inch from the root. Repeat to make a criss-cross, cutting the onion down the middle again and stopping a half-inch from the bottom. You should now ha ve 4 sections still attached at the bottom. Cut each of those sections down the middle (from the top), again stopping before you get to the root.
Place the onion, cut side up, in a large bowl, and cover completely with ice water. Allow to sit for 5 - 10 minutes, or until "petals" open up. (You can use your hands to gently help pry them open once they've been soaking for several minutes.) Remove the onion, and dry both the onion and the bowl.
Once both are dry, place the onion back in the bowl, with the petals up. Pour the egg substitute evenly over it, making sure to get in between all the petals (use your hands to separate them). Swirl egg substitute around so the bottom and sides of the onion get coated. Then flip the onion over to drain excess egg substitute. The entire surface of the onion should be covered lightly with egg substitute. Transfer onion to a separate, dry bowl. (You'll likely have about half the egg substitute left in the first bowl.)
Slowly sprinkle ground cereal mixture evenly over the onion, making sure to thoroughly coat each petal -- again, use your hands to separate them -- flipping the onion upside-down once you're almost done coating, so that the entire surface gets coated in crumbs. (If needed, spread a little more egg substitute on any dry spots to get the crumbs to stick.) Spray a baking dish with nonstick spray, and place the onion in it with the petals facing up.
Place dish in the oven and bake for about 40 minutes (until outside is crispy and inside is soft). Meanwhile, combine sauce ingredients. When onion is done, allow it to cool slightly. If you like, carefully cut out the center of the onion (so petals are easy to remove). Serve with sauce and enjoy! MAKES 2 SERVINGS
Serving Size: half of recipe (including half of the sauce)
Calories: 192
Fat: 1.75g
Sodium: 700mg
Carbs: 54g
Fiber: 17g
Sugars: 13g
Protein: 7g
Points value 3*
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Bulgaria's (Шопска салата) Shopska Salad - yummy!
I'm back and have to share this absolutely yummy salad that we ate while in Bulgaria. The ingredients are fresh and it makes for a very refreshing meal. The cheese is made locally in Bulgaria and I'm not sure if it's available in the USA; however I'm told feta cheese works well for it also.
We had it both homemade and in restaurants and it was a big hit every time. The Shopska salad is Bulgaria’s most popular salad and was named after the Shoppi, or natives of Sofia (the capital of Bulgaria). This salad is perfect any time of year and it's easy to make!
Шопска салата - Shopska Salad
4 tomatoes
2 cucumbers
2 roasted peppers or fresh green peppers
2 spoonfuls chopped parsley or cilantro
2 spoonfuls chopped onion or green onion (optional)
half a pound of white cheese (ie: brined sheep's cheese, feta cheese) - grated
olives (optional)
salt, vinegar, sunflower or olive oil to taste
Preparation:
Cut the tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers in bite-size pieces. Mix well with the parsley and onion. Sprinkle salt, vinegar and oil to your personal tastes. Arrange on the plate like a pyramid and top with the white cheese and olives.
In case you'd like to check out what we did while in Bulgaria here's a link: newhopedepere.blogspot.com.
Also - Thanks Katie for your additions to the blog while I was gone. I hope you'll continue to add more posts in the future!
We had it both homemade and in restaurants and it was a big hit every time. The Shopska salad is Bulgaria’s most popular salad and was named after the Shoppi, or natives of Sofia (the capital of Bulgaria). This salad is perfect any time of year and it's easy to make!
Шопска салата - Shopska Salad
4 tomatoes
2 cucumbers
2 roasted peppers or fresh green peppers
2 spoonfuls chopped parsley or cilantro
2 spoonfuls chopped onion or green onion (optional)
half a pound of white cheese (ie: brined sheep's cheese, feta cheese) - grated
olives (optional)
salt, vinegar, sunflower or olive oil to taste
Preparation:
Cut the tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers in bite-size pieces. Mix well with the parsley and onion. Sprinkle salt, vinegar and oil to your personal tastes. Arrange on the plate like a pyramid and top with the white cheese and olives.
In case you'd like to check out what we did while in Bulgaria here's a link: newhopedepere.blogspot.com.
Also - Thanks Katie for your additions to the blog while I was gone. I hope you'll continue to add more posts in the future!
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
chocolate smoothie
Here's one more core smoothie idea that can help satisfy a sweet craving :
1 banana
1/2 C. nonfat yogurt (plain or any flavor of choice)
1/2 C. water or milk (depending on thickness)
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (2 tbsp = 0 pts)
2 packets stevia (natural herbal sweetener- you can add more if you prefer sweeter chocolate, this has a nice rich dark flavor)
blend and enjoy!
1 banana
1/2 C. nonfat yogurt (plain or any flavor of choice)
1/2 C. water or milk (depending on thickness)
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (2 tbsp = 0 pts)
2 packets stevia (natural herbal sweetener- you can add more if you prefer sweeter chocolate, this has a nice rich dark flavor)
blend and enjoy!
Monday, June 16, 2008
green smoothies- they're core!
Hi everyone!
My name is Katie, and I'm Patti's daughter-in-law. Patti invited me to contribute to her blog and I'm really excited to put some of my favorite recipes up. I hope you guys like them as much as I do!
I'm doing the core plan, so most (if not all of my recipes) will be core. I will also try to note the points values, too, when I can.
To start today: Green Smoothies! Or any smoothie, really , but they're more fun when they're green . Try not to be scared! This is an easy way to get in your fruits and veggies. I like them for an afternoon snack.
Easy as pie: fruit + leafy green + water or ff yogurt: toss in a blender = green smoothie! Generally I think these run 3 or 4 points apiece, but all you have to do is count what you toss in.
A few suggestions:
banana + 1 C. strawberries + 1 C. spinach, washed
banana + apple + 2 large kale leaves, stems removed
strawberries + ff yogurt + leaf lettuce
You can start with just fruit and yogurt if the green stuff freaks you out. It really does taste good, though! If you're feeling courageous, experiment with your fruit/greens ratio- you'd be surprised how many greens you can stuff in...A little milk is nice too, and some ice cubes can make it a little thicker. (They're a little hard on my blender, but Patti has no problem with hers.)
Feel free to also experiment with vanilla, cinnamon, stevia extract, or other spices/sweeteners for a little extra something.
One last suggestion- if you have the WW smoothie packets and you found them a little chalky like I did, try mixing them with a ripe banana and the same amount of water or milk. The banana adds the creaminess I think they're missing, takes care of the chalkiness, and adds a fruit to your health guidelines in place of a dairy serving. You'll get a couple of extra grams of fiber, too. I particularly liked it with the chocolate and the caramel latte mixes. (Also, if you mix water with the banana, it's the same number of points (3 total) as if you used only milk, for those on Flex.)
Happy blending!
My name is Katie, and I'm Patti's daughter-in-law. Patti invited me to contribute to her blog and I'm really excited to put some of my favorite recipes up. I hope you guys like them as much as I do!
I'm doing the core plan, so most (if not all of my recipes) will be core. I will also try to note the points values, too, when I can.
To start today: Green Smoothies! Or any smoothie, really , but they're more fun when they're green . Try not to be scared! This is an easy way to get in your fruits and veggies. I like them for an afternoon snack.
Easy as pie: fruit + leafy green + water or ff yogurt: toss in a blender = green smoothie! Generally I think these run 3 or 4 points apiece, but all you have to do is count what you toss in.
A few suggestions:
banana + 1 C. strawberries + 1 C. spinach, washed
banana + apple + 2 large kale leaves, stems removed
strawberries + ff yogurt + leaf lettuce
You can start with just fruit and yogurt if the green stuff freaks you out. It really does taste good, though! If you're feeling courageous, experiment with your fruit/greens ratio- you'd be surprised how many greens you can stuff in...A little milk is nice too, and some ice cubes can make it a little thicker. (They're a little hard on my blender, but Patti has no problem with hers.)
Feel free to also experiment with vanilla, cinnamon, stevia extract, or other spices/sweeteners for a little extra something.
One last suggestion- if you have the WW smoothie packets and you found them a little chalky like I did, try mixing them with a ripe banana and the same amount of water or milk. The banana adds the creaminess I think they're missing, takes care of the chalkiness, and adds a fruit to your health guidelines in place of a dairy serving. You'll get a couple of extra grams of fiber, too. I particularly liked it with the chocolate and the caramel latte mixes. (Also, if you mix water with the banana, it's the same number of points (3 total) as if you used only milk, for those on Flex.)
Happy blending!
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Bulgaria!
I will be in Bulgaria with six other members of New Hope United Methodist Church for the next week and a half. I'm SO excited! A couple months ago we joined into a partnership with the Methodist Church in Russe, Bulgaria and we are going there to meet them and discover how we can best be in partnership together.
So while I'm gone, my sweet daughter-in-law, KT, who is a creative wiz in the kitchen is going to post a number of recipes and ideas for your enjoyment.
Have fun and I'll see you the end of June!
Thanks KT!
Patti
So while I'm gone, my sweet daughter-in-law, KT, who is a creative wiz in the kitchen is going to post a number of recipes and ideas for your enjoyment.
Have fun and I'll see you the end of June!
Thanks KT!
Patti
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
CHOICES!
I have been know to say that (over and over) that this is all about a lifestyle choice. Everything is a choice. Just how MUCH do you really want __________ (fill in the blank)? (ie: to wear your skinny jeans, to breathe easier after a flight of steps, to eat that ooey, gooey, goodness bar?)
Let's take a Little Debbie Cake for example. Yes, you can have one.... if you want to. But did you know the following:
One Little Debbie Cake EQUALS
(and when I say EQUALS I mean all the following items totalled together!)
1 apple, 1 banana, 1 orange, 5 cups light popcorn, 2 slices light bread, 1 cup grapes, AND 1 container unsweetened applesauce
So - you can have one Little Debbie Cake OR you can choose to have ALL those other things.
Everything is a choice - how hungry are you?
Let's take a Little Debbie Cake for example. Yes, you can have one.... if you want to. But did you know the following:
One Little Debbie Cake EQUALS
(and when I say EQUALS I mean all the following items totalled together!)
1 apple, 1 banana, 1 orange, 5 cups light popcorn, 2 slices light bread, 1 cup grapes, AND 1 container unsweetened applesauce
So - you can have one Little Debbie Cake OR you can choose to have ALL those other things.
Everything is a choice - how hungry are you?
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