Main Dish

Beef Stir Fry

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Occasionally, I find myself in a bit of a cooking rut.  When I realize we’ve had some sort of taco five of the last ten days, it’s time to get a little more creative.  My husband had been craving Asian food recently, and since we have reached the ripe old age of “don’t want to go anywhere unless we have to,” I decided I’d get a little more adventurous with our dinner.  I’ve made this Beef Stir Fry a few times now and it is really is fool-proof! It turns out great every time and you can adapt the veggies to whatever you happen to like best (if there are no teenagers eating with us, I always add extra broccoli).  The ingredients are easy to find, and if you’re lucky enough to have grocery delivery or pick up where you live, you can feel like you’ve had a dinner at a trendy Asian restaurant, without ever having to get out of your pajamas (#goals). ~Tracy

Ingredients:
  • ½ of a yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • ¼ of a large green bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • ¼ of a large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • ¼ of a large yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1 package frozen broccoli florets (I use 10.8 oz. of Birds Eye Steamfresh)
  • 1 ½ lb thinly sliced Sirloin steak
  • 2 large cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 t. minced or grated fresh ginger
  • ¼ c. + 1 T. lower sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tsp. Sugar
  • 1 ½ T. corn starch
  • 2 tsp. red pepper flakes (use less if you don’t like a little spice)
  • brown or white rice for serving with the stir fry

Instructions: 

  1. In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, sugar, corn starch, and red pepper flakes. Set aside.
  2. Lightly salt and pepper the steak. Set aside.
  3. Generously spray a large, deep skillet with nonstick canola oil spray.
  4. Saute onion, peppers, and broccoli for several minutes on medium heat until veggies begin to soften. I sometimes throw in an ice cube with the veggies so that the melting ice provides a little steam to assist in their cooking.
  5. Remove the veggies from the pan and set aside while you cook the meat.
  6. Add the steak, garlic, ginger, and soy sauce mixture to the skillet.
  7. Saute over medium heat for approximately 5 minutes. Sauce will bubble and begin to thicken.
  8. When the meat is almost done, add the vegetables back to the pan so that the meat and vegetables can finish cooking together. Cover the skillet with a glass lid.
  9. The final cooking stage will take approximately 5 more minutes, but check the meat and vegetables frequently.
  10. Vegetables should be fork tender and meat should be cooked through when done.
  11. Serve the stir fry over your favorite brown or white rice, if desired.

WW Freestyle Info.: This recipe makes 5 generous 1-cup servings. Each serving is 6 points. Be sure to add points if you serve the stir fry over rice.

 

Lower Carb Chicken Noodle Soup

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Have I mentioned that my sisters and I are big fans of old fashioned comfort food?  Especially during the winter, I’m capable of carb loading like your average pre-hibernation bear.  Bread, noodles, and baked goods take the place of all other food groups. I have lovingly joked that I am blessed with a large, loud, and loving family….but not blessed with the genetics of a fast metabolism.  I also have two teenage boys to feed who have inherited their mother’s love of carbs. So, in the interest of health for all of us, I always look for ways to cut even the smallest amount of fat or carbs from our diet without sacrificing flavor.  Bless the hearts of those of you can be successful on seriously low or no carb diets. You have the will power of Super Woman (or man) in my opinion, but the reason I love Weight Watchers – now known as “WW” with the tag line of Wellness Works, because it really does work – and I can still eat the carbs!!

This recipe is born from one of my taste tests of a pasta product called Carba-Nada Egg Fettuccine from the Al Dente Pasta Company.  One cup of regular cooked egg noodles is 6 WW Freestyle Points. These Carba-Nada Fettuccine Noodles are only 4 WW Freestyle Points for one and a half cups!  More for less is always great in my book, and nobody in my family had any clue that they were a little bit healthier, and a little lower carb, than regular egg noodles.  

You can find the egg noodles using this link.  I highly recommend them! 

Ingredients:
  • 2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1T. reduced calorie margarine
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. black pepper
  • 1/2 c. finely chopped white or yellow onion
  • 3/4 c. finely chopped celery
  • 1/2 c. chopped baby carrots
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 5 cups fat free chicken broth
  • 1 10 oz. can Campbell’s 98% Fat Free Cream of Chicken Soup
  • 10 oz. fat free milk (one soup can)
  • 2 c. chopped or shredded chicken breast (I use shredded rotisserie chicken breast)
  • ~1 10 oz. package Carba Nada Egg Fettuccini

Instructions:  

  1. Gently heat the olive oil and margarine in a large stock pot.
  2. Once heated, place your celery, onions, and carrots into the stock pot.
  3. Cook over medium heat until vegetables begin to soften slightly.
  4. Add salt, pepper, the bay leaf, chicken broth, cream of chicken soup, and milk.
  5. Stir gently to combine and bring to a low simmer.
  6. Add chicken breast and the entire package of egg noodles.
  7. Simmer slowly until the noodles are cooked to an al dente texture. Probably no more than 6 or 7 minutes, but check them frequently.
  8. Remove the bay leaf and discard it before serving.

WW Freestyle Info.:  This recipe makes approximately 9 one cup servings. Each serving is 3 points using the Carba-Nada pasta. Using regular egg noodles, each serving is 5 points.

We would earn a fraction of the funds should you choose to order your egg noodles via our Amazon affiliate links, though it won’t cost you any extra.

Honey Garlic Shrimp

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Have you seen the meme on social media that says “January was a hard year but we made it.”?  That makes me chuckle because it must be the universal feeling everyone is having, me included.  It was LONG month. Not bad, just long. I guess because November and December just flew right by, the slower pace of the new year seemed to crawl in comparison.  

January has finally come to a close and, while I’m not one to wish time away, I’m happy to see February… mostly because it’s one month closer to Spring.  

Food-wise, winter has been a season of belly-warming comfort foods for me.  I have fully enjoyed all the foods and have about 7 pounds to show for it. Time to stop eating like I’m participating in hibernation.  While I love comfort foods, I truly appreciate a dinner that is not so heavy. This Honey Garlic Shrimp is sweet and spicy and, of course, garlicy… hence the name.  It’s also super-fast to make. We’re talking like 15 minutes start-to-finish. Can’t beat that! I can throw this on the table after work in no time and have a meal everyone will enjoy!  That’s why it’s part of my weeknight dinner rotation. I’m confident it will soon be part of yours as well. ~Erin

Ingredients:
  • 2 lbs. medium-sized shrimp that have been shelled and de-veined
  • 1 T. minced garlic
  • 2 tsp. sesame oil or olive oil
  • ¼ tsp. grated ginger root or 1/8 tsp. dry ginger
  • ½ c. less-sodium soy sauce
  • ½ c. water
  • 1 T. cornstarch
  • 2 T. honey
  • Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste; optional
  • Chopped green onion
  • Cooked rice, for serving

Instructions: 

  1. Add the shrimp and cook about 4 minutes.
  2. Flip the shrimp and add the remaining ½ tsp. of oil, the garlic, and the ginger. Cook for 3 or 4 more minutes, until the shrimp is cooked and the garlic and ginger are fragrant.
  3. Remove the seasoned shrimp from heat and transfer to a plate.
  4. Return the skillet to the stove and turn the heat up to medium-high. Immediately add soy sauce and water to the skillet. When it begins to bubble, add the cornstarch, whisking continuously, until thickened. This will take just a couple minutes.
  5. Turn off the heat and whisk in the honey.
  6. Return the shrimp to the skillet and stir to coat the shrimp and warm through.
  7. Serve over rice. Garnish with green onions and sprinkle with crushed red pepper flakes, if desired.

WW Freestyle info.: This makes 4 servings. Each serving is 3 points, not counting rice.

Cuban Style Red Beans and Rice

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Most of the time when people talk about red beans and rice, the Cajun version is what comes to mind, at least for me. The flavors of this Cuban version are unique and amazing.  Not your standard red beans and rice!  You can adjust the heat by choosing mild, regular or hot Ro-Tel tomatoes and adjusting the amount of cayenne pepper.  The addition of cilantro and the hint of lime are perfect.  I’m thankful that I have a family that enjoys the adventurous recipes that roll across our table.  This one is a keeper.    ~Kathy

1 c. bell pepper (any color), chopped

½ c. onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

2 (16 oz.) cans light red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 (10 oz.) can diced tomatoes with green chilies (Ro-tel), undrained

1 c. broth (vegetable or fat free chicken broth, water will also work)

1 tsp. salt

1 ¼ tsp. cumin

¾ tsp. oregano

¼ tsp. black pepper

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

1/3 c. cilantro, chopped

2 T. fresh lime juice

3 c. hot, cooked rice; for serving

Add bell pepper, onion, garlic, beans, tomatoes, broth and seasonings to the pot of a slow-cooker; stir well.

Cover and cook on low 4 hours.  Add cilantro and squeeze in lime juice.  Serve over rice.

 

Chicken Fajita Meatballs

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Like all great ideas, this recipe inspiration came to me in the middle of the night.  Every cloud has a silver lining – even a little short-lived insomnia. Surely I’m not the only one who makes meal plans when I can’t sleep!  Anyway, I love meatballs of all flavors and I thought a chicken fajita meatball sounded pretty tasty! After some experimenting in the kitchen (during daylight hours), these babies were born.

These are delicious served with sour cream and your favorite salsa, but they are even more amazing with this zero point Creamy Cilantro Sauce.  If you like cilantro, that is. I find that most people either love it or hate it. I happen to love it. This sauce is easy to make in your blender and will store in the fridge for up to a week. Try them together for the perfect healthy meal.  ~Erin

Ingredients: 

  • 1 lb. 98% lean ground chicken (or turkey) breast
  • 1 medium onion, finely diced
  • 1 bell pepper (I used half a red and half a green for color), finely diced
  • 1 T. olive oil
  • ¾ c. plain breadcrumbs
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 2 tsp. chili powder
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. paprika
  • ½ tsp. onion powder
  • ½ tsp. garlic powder
  • ¼ tsp. ground cayenne pepper
  • ½ tsp. cumin
  • The juice of half a lime

Optional serving choices: corn tortillas warmed in a skillet, chopped onion, cilantro, additional lime wedges for squeezing over meatballs, sour cream, salsa, and of course Creamy Cilantro Sauce

Instructions:

  1. If cooking in a conventional oven, preheat to 375° F.  If cooking in an air fryer, there is no need to preheat.
  2. In a medium skillet, sauté the onion and peppers in the olive oil until the onions are tender (about 5 minutes); set aside to cool to room temp.
  3. In small bowl, mix the breadcrumbs with the spices (chili powder, salt, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, and cumin) until combined); set aside.
  4. In a large bowl, mix together the ground chicken, the sautéed veggies, egg, and lime juice.  Then work in the bread crumb mixture.
  5. Roll the meat mixture into 18 golf ball sized balls and place on a cookie sheet lined with foil or parchment.
  6. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or in the air fryer at 350° F for 12-13 minutes.   
  7. Serve as an appetizer with dipping sauces or on tortillas.

WW Freestyle info:  This recipe makes 18 meatballs.  Each meatball is 1 SmartPoint.

Taco Pasta Salad

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I don’t know about you, but I feel like my family eats a ton of spaghetti and lots of tacos, mostly because they are family friendly, tasty, quick and economical. Personally, I get bored with the same-old, same-old for dinner so I try to mix it up when I can. This dish marries two of our favorites together — tacos and pasta! This would be a great “meatless Monday” dinner or as a side dish. We love it served with grilled chicken as our main course too. One of my boys says we should call it “Paco Salad,” mashing “pasta” and “taco” together.   Whatever you want to call it, it’s delish! ~Kathy

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. orecchiette (ear shaped) or medium shell pasta
  • 1 can (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 c frozen corn, thawed and drained
  • ½ c. (loosely packed) cilantro
  • 1 c. cherry or grape tomatoes, roughly chopped
  • ¼ c. red onion, finely diced
  • 1 jar (15.5 oz) salsa (roughly 1 2/3 c) – I used Tostitos Restaurant Style
  • ¼ c. olive oil
  • 3 T. lime juice
  • 3 T. taco seasoning, dry
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 Hass avocado, ripe but slightly firm, diced
  • 2/3 c. cheddar cheese, diced to about 1/4” cubes (a good ww friendly option is Cabot sharp light cheddar 50% reduced fat)*

Instructions: 

  1. Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions.  Drain, rinse in cool water and set aside to cool. 
  2. In a large bowl, add the pasta, beans, corn, cilantro, onion, tomatoes and salsa.  Mix gently together. 
  3. In a small bowl whisk olive oil, lime juice, garlic and taco seasoning.  Mix well.  Pour over pasta and mix to coat. 
  4. Gently fold in cheese and avocado just before serving. 

WW Freestyle Info.:  Makes 12 one-cup servings at 7 points each.  You could  also add grilled chicken breast for zero ww points if desired! 

The Best Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa

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Over the years I’ve seen lots of different recipes for Barbacoa.  Some had ingredients that I thought were a little weird, some had sugar, and some had dizzyingly long lists of ingredients.  The version that I’ve created has the perfect amount of spicy flavor, and it cooks to fall apart tender. It’s tasty enough that my oldest, who usually doesn’t care for shredded beef dishes, asked me to make him his own batch to take back to college with him.  He’s also not a fan of leftovers, so here’s hoping that this helps keep him (and his debit card) out of the Chick-Fil-A drive through! But let’s be honest, one of the best things about this dish is that it takes a few minutes to dice two ingredients and the rest is simply tossing stuff into the slow cooker.  My favorite way to eat this is on a soft taco with a little cilantro, a squeeze of lime juice, and of course, cheese, but it also makes a great base for shredded beef enchiladas. I think it’ll quickly become one of your favorites (and it’s only 3 WW points per serving)! ~Tracy

Ingredients:
  • ~One beef rump roast, approximately 3 lbs., with fat trimmed
  • ~1, 5 oz. can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (I use Embasa brand)
  • ~1, 4 oz. can diced green chiles
  • ~1 cup diced white or yellow onion
  • ~5 large cloves garlic, minced
  • ~juice of one lime, freshly squeezed
  • ~2 T. apple cider vinegar
  • ~3 to 4 bay leaves
  • ~1 ½ tsp. salt
  • ~1 tsp. black pepper
  • ~1 T. ground cumin
  • ~1 ½ tsp. oregano
  • ~1 c. fat free beef broth or prepared beef bouillon
  1. Place rump roast in slow cooker (I highly recommend using slow cooker liner. They make cleanup so much easier!)
  2. Remove the adobo peppers from the can and roughly chop them. Use the entire can if you like things fairly spicy. When cooking for my family, I use the entire can, but if you don’t love things very spicy, or are cooking for others, use half the can.
  3. Add the peppers (including seeds and some of the sauce) to the pot with the roast.
  4. Add all other ingredients.
  5. Place lid on slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours.
  6. Remove the roast from the slow cooker using tongs or a large spatula.
  7. Remove the bay leaves from the pot while you have the meat removed.
  8. Shred the meat and return to the slow cooker to let it simmer in the juices for another 15-20 minutes before serving.
  9. Remove the meat from the liquid and serve.

WW Freestyle Info.: This recipe makes 15, 3 oz. servings that are 3 points each.

Skillet Cube Steak

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My 11-year-old daughter recently shot her first deer. We hunt for the meat, not for the sport, but I will say there is something rewarding about harvesting your own dinner. My girl was excited and proud to get her first buck!

Venison is delicious, not to mention good for you. It’s a very lean red meat with hardly any fat. Our meat processor tenderizes ours for us so that, it’s so tender, you can cut it with a butter knife. If you don’t have the luxury of hunting your own venison and having it tenderized, you can buy beef cube steak (also known as tenderized round steak) at your local grocery store. We like either/or in this house! ~Erin

Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ lbs. cube steak, carefully trimmed of all fat and cut into small (approximately 2 inch) pieces
  • ½ c. all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. black pepper
  • 3 T. olive oil, divided

In a gallon-sized baggie, place all the trimmed meat along with the flour, salt, and pepper. Keep a lot of air in the bag and seal it well. This allows space for the meat and seasonings to shake around in the bag. Flip and shake the baggie until all the meat is coated evenly. Lay the meat out in a single layer on wax paper or plastic wrap near the stove and let it rest for 3-5 minutes. This helps the flour adhere to the meat.

Preheat a medium-sized heavy nonstick or well-seasoned cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add one Tablespoon olive oil and swirl to distribute evenly. Allow the oil to get hot for about a minute; then add about 1/3 of the meat in a single layer, being careful not to overcrowd the skillet. My skillet would fit about 1/3 of the batch of meat so I used 1 Tablespoon of oil per batch for a total of 3 Tablespoons. If you have a large skillet, you may be able to cook it all in two batches, using half of the 3 Tablespoons of oil for each of the batches.

Do not move the meat around after laying it in the pan; let it cook for 4-5 minutes undisturbed. Flip each piece and continue to cook for 3-4 more minutes or until the pieces are golden brown on both sides. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. My family would organize an uprising if I didn’t serve this with mashed potatoes and cream gravy so I suggest you do too. 🙂

WW Freestyle Info.: This recipe makes 5 servings of about 4 ounces each. Each serving is 7 points, whether you use venison or beef.

Black Bean & Beef Green Chile Bake

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Black Bean & Beef Green Chile Bake
from Four Sisters Dish

I created this recipe because I wanted something new, but I also wanted something healthy that did not take any time to cook. Before I come across as too lazy, my kids had called me on the sugar cookies I promised before the school break had ended. Operation sugar cookie was already in full swing as dinner approached.

So on my wee end of the counter, I decided I could throw something Mexican together, and I realized I had never tried anything with beef and green chiles together, which I absolutely love. (I’m pretty sure Santa Fe, NM, might be heaven – at least during Hatch chile season…)

What emerged took only few minutes of prep and about 10 minutes of cooking in the oven. And it tasted like it should have been an old family casserole that had taken FAR more time. When it comes to meal prep, I’m always for fabulous foods making it seem like I worked harder than I did! ~Robin

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb of 97% lean ground beef
  • 1 package of taco seasoning (I use Taco Bell brand)
  • 1 can of black beans, rinsed
  • 2 8-inch tortillas (Tumaro’s 8” White Low-in-Carb Wraps)
  • 2 7-oz cans of chopped green chiles (I use Old El Paso brand)
  • 1 4.5-oz. can of chopped green chiles
  • ½ cup shredded reduced-fat Colby Jack (I like Kraft Natural)
  • 1 jalepeno pepper, sliced (if desired for garnish)
  • ½ c. cherry tomatoes, sliced in half (if desired for garnish)
  • Taco sauce or salsa, if desired, for serving 

Instructions: 

Preheat oven to 350° F.  In a 9”x 9” pan, take one 8” tortilla and tear it up into 1.5-2” square-ish chunks and spread across the bottom of the pan; set aside.  In a large skillet, cook lean ground beef until browned. Drain any fat that cooks out.   Add taco seasoning and ¾ c. water according to taco seasoning instructions (except I don’t let it cook down for a full 10 minutes – just until most of the water is cooked out).  Add drained green chiles and drained black beans.  Stir gently until mixed well and heated well throughout.  Then turn off heat.  

Into the 9×9 pan, pour ½ of the beef mixture into the pan over the tortilla chunks, spreading evenly.  Then do another layer of torn up tortilla spread evenly across the beef mixture.  Pour the rest of the beef mixture over this and spread evenly.  Sprinkle the top with your ½ c. of cheese.  Bake for about 10 minutes – until bubbly hot and cheese is melted well across the top.

WW Freestyle Info.:  This recipe makes 6 very filling portions at just 4 points each. 

Crock Pot Chicken Pot Pie

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My crock pot and I could really be best friends.  When it comes to dinner, I rely on that one appliance as much as anything else.  There’s nothing better than coming home to dinner that is near ready when you walk in the door from a busy workday.   A few basic ingredients and you will be enjoying this slow cooked version of a classic.   Just before you want to have dinner, bake your favorite biscuits and serve it over top of one!  Here’s a great biscuit recipe to try:  Mama’s Flaky Cream Biscuits.  Delish!!

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Ingredients:

  • 5 medium potatoes, peeled and diced to 1 1/2”
  • 3 large carrots, peeled and diced
  • 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts – any fat trimmed (about 1 ¾ to 2 pounds)
  • 2 T minced dried onion (or ½ c fresh onion chopped)
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • ¼ tsp. black pepper
  • 2 cans (10 ½ oz each) Campbell’s Healthy Request cream of chicken soup
  • 1/3 c. water or low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 c. frozen corn
  • 1 c. frozen peas or green beans

Instructions: 

Place diced potatoes in 6-quart crock pot.  Add carrots and seasonings.  Lay chicken breasts on top of vegetables.  Pour in cream of chicken soup and water over chicken.  Do Not Mix!  (Corn and peas are added later.)  Place lid on crock pot and cook on high for approximately 4 hours or on low for approximately 7 hours.  Remove chicken from crock pot to a heat proof plate and shred; set aside.  Add corn and peas or beans to the crock pot.  Thin sauce in crock pot with up to an additional ¼ c. chicken broth, if needed.  Return chicken to pot.   Allow frozen vegetables to heat through, about 10 minutes.  Serve over a baked, warm, split biscuit.

WW Freestyle Info: Makes 8 servings of 1¼ cups each.  4 points per serving, not counting your choice of biscuit.