vegetarian

Summer Zucchini Skillet

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We started a Quarantine Garden!  Is that what we are going to call them in history books?  Folks during WWII had victory gardens; we have quarantine gardens.  We planted zucchini squash, sweet banana peppers, jalapenos, tomatoes, basil, and cilantro.  Y’all, we had zucchini running out our ears from only a few plants!  One of my favorite dishes to make with our plentiful harvest is this Summer Zucchini Skillet.  It’s so fresh and summery, hence the name.  It pairs perfectly with some grilled chicken and sliced avocado.  I chop my chicken and avocado in small bites and mix everything together on my plate.  It’s a perfect summer meal!  ~Erin

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1 – 1 ½  lbs zucchini, stems cut off and chopped into 1-inch pieces

1 T. olive oil

1-2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

2 small-medium tomatoes (such as Roma), seeded and chopped

½ a small red onion (about 1/3 c. chopped)

1 – 2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped

10 ounces frozen or fresh corn kernels, thawed if frozen

1 T. chopped fresh cilantro

The juice of half a lime

Chili Lime salt to taste (I like Tajin brand, low sodium version)

Heat olive oil in a large, high-sided skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook a few minutes, until it starts to look translucent.  Stir in the garlic and corn and cook until fragrant (a couple minutes).  Add the zucchini, tomatoes, and jalapeno and cook until zucchini starts to soften, about 3-4 minutes.  Lastly, add the cilantro and lime juice and stir until heated through.  Remove from heat and add chili lime salt to taste. This is delicious served with grilled meat and avocado (will change the WW points).

WW info:  This recipe makes 4 large servings.  On Green plan, each serving is 4 points.  On Blue or Purple, each serving is 1 point.

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! 

Roasted Broccoli & Garlic

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In case you haven’t noticed from my recipes (case in point:  Roasted Garlic Hummus), I LOVE garlic.  I eat it so much, vampires would probably pass me up… mostly I eat it for supper though, so I don’t lose friends.

It’s no surprise that this Roasted Broccoli & Garlic is one of my very favorite vegetables/side-dishes.  My kids eat it well too so that’s a plus.  The crunchy edges on the broccoli and the crispy bits of garlic are a match made in heaven.  ~Erin

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Ingredients:

  • 2 medium heads of broccoli, washed
  • 1 small head of garlic
  • 1 T. olive oil
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • cooking spray for the pan

Instructions: 

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  2. Spray a large sheet pan with cooking spray; set aside.
  3. Cut the broccoli into small florets.  For more crispy surface area, cut each floret in half longways, so each one has a flat side to place on the pan.
  4. Separate the garlic cloves & smash them with a heavy object.  I use my cast iron skillet or a large can of vegetables.
  5. Remove the papery skins from the garlic and cut the larger cloves in half.
  6. Toss the broccoli & garlic with olive oil and spread in a single layer on the sheet pan.
  7. Lightly salt the broccoli & garlic
  8. Roast in the preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking time, or until broccoli is tender and golden browned on the edges.

WW Freestyle Info.: Makes 4 servings at 1 point each.

Watermelon Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

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I had a watermelon salad in a bistro several years ago while on vacation, and I could not believe how much I loved it (I’m normally not the biggest lover of watermelon). In this salad, though, the chilled watermelon and vinaigrette dressing were exactly what I needed on an unusually hot day in the mountains, and the sweetness of the melon is balanced by the saltiness of the pepitas and feta.  And it had such a gourmet feel to it, as it was absolutely gorgeous.  Impress your summertime guests with this wonderful salad I recreated with my very own, easy peasy vinaigrette that has a bright and beautiful honey citrus flavor.  ~Robin

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Ingredients for dressing:
  • ⅛ c. extra virgin olive oil
  • ⅛ c. lime juice (usually 2 limes)
  • ⅛ c. honey
  • 1 T. balsamic vinegar
Ingredients for salad:
  • 5 oz. bag of spring mix salad
  • heaping ½ c. chopped red onion
  • 2 oz. fat free feta cheese, crumbled
  • ¼ c. salted, roasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
  • 10 oz. cubed watermelon
  • 1/4 c. minced cilantro (optional)

Instructions: 

  1. Chill salad mix, watermelon, and limes before you begin to make this recipe nice and cool upon serving.
  2. Whisk together olive oil, lime juice, honey, and balsamic vinegar. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, combine salad mix, chopped red onion, pepitas, feta, and cilantro (if desired).
  4. Gently lay cubed watermelon on top of salad mix.
  5. Whisk dressing once more and drizzle dressing over salad (I start with about a 1/3 and gradually add a little more…if you over-pour you can be left with a pool of dressing in the bottom. You’ll typically only need about half the dressing or a little less). Points are figured for a little over half the dressing to be on the safe side.
  6. Then gently toss together to coat salad and mix in watermelon.
  7. Serve immediately.

WW Freestyle Info.: Serves 4 and is 4 points per heaping cup.

African Sweet Potato Stew

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Are you all still using up Thanksgiving leftovers?  I know I am!  If you have extra sweet potatoes still in your pantry, this is the recipe for you.  My husband brought this recipe home from work one day years ago.  I was skeptical at first because… peanut butter in stew?!  Too weird!  But he assured me it was good so I tried it.  He was right! (Don’t tell him I said that.)  The flavors in this are different than anything I’d ever had, for sure, but they all complement each other so well.  The peanut butter just adds creaminess and a nutty background to the spicy stew.  Garnished with some chopped peanuts (if you like the extra salty crunch) and hit with the juice of a lime wedge, it’s a seriously delicious flavor profile!  ~Erin

Ingredients:

  • 1 ¼ lbs. (4 to 5 cups) peeled and cubed sweet potatoes
  • 2 (10 oz. each) cans diced tomatoes & green chiles (I use one regular and one mild, Ro-Tel brand.)
  • 1 (16 oz.) can red beans, drained & rinsed
  • 1 (14.5 oz.) vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
  • ½ c. water
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
  • 1 tsp. fresh ginger or ginger paste OR ½ tsp. ground ginger
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • ¼ tsp. black pepper
  • 3 T. creamy peanut butter
  • Optional garnishes (but highly recommended):  chopped dry roasted peanuts, lime wedges, chopped green onions

Instructions:

Combine first 12 ingredients (all except peanut butter) in a slow cooker.

Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 4 hours, until vegetables are tender.

Spoon ½ cup cooked stew liquid into a small bowl.  Add peanut butter to liquid and whisk until well combined.  Stir mixture into the stew.

Garnish each serving with chopped dry roasted peanuts (trust me on this – it’s good!) and lime  (also good!).

WW Freestyle Info.:  Recipe makes 8 servings at 9 ounces (about a cup) per serving.  Each serving is 4 points.

Greek Quesadillas

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  Posted by Robin 

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I make these as a (very filling) vegetarian dish, but if you want to throw in some shredded rotisserie chicken, you could. My husband Barry usually complains about all-veggie meals because he doesn’t feel like they are filling, but he loves this one – and stays good and full. It’s one of our daughter Emery’s favorites too!  These are so rich tasting and super easy, but I also love how absolutely gorgeous they are. We all deserve a pretty meal now and then!  

Ingredients: 

8 8-inch tortillas*

2 c. shredded mozzarella*

1 red onion, thinly sliced

2 c. fresh spinach

1/2 c. feta cheese, crumbled*

1 red bell pepper, chopped** 

12 Kalamata olives, pitted & sliced (I usually buy them sliced and count 2 or 3 slices as one olive depending on size)

Cooking spray

*Weight Watchers-friendly ingredient substitutes:  

8 8-inch Ole Extreme Wellness High Fiber low carb tortillas wraps

2 c. shredded part-skim mozzarella

½ c. fat-free feta (Nikkos is my brand)

**You can do sun-dried tomatoes instead of red bell peppers; I don’t think they go as well together so I recommend either/or – the bell pepper is definitely the healthier option and is my preference – the sun-dried tomato can be too dominant a flavor for me, but Barry loves them.

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Directions:

Spray non-stick pan with cooking spray; begin heating to medium heat.  Place a tortilla on a plate and build, using about a half cup of mozzarella per quesadilla (it’s the glue that will hold it all together).  Pile on what you’d like (for Weight Watchers, no more than 9 slices of olives – about 3 olives); place carefully in the pan and top with another tortilla. Brown on both sides; cut and serve.

Weight Watchers Info.:  For a whole 8-in. quesadilla, this is just 8 SmartPoints (serves 4).

Cheesepic

Fiesta Salsa Dip

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I first shared this recipe with my sisters at my baby shower, and we recreated it to enjoy many times over. It’s a summer sensation all year long.  Healthy, filling, and full of flavor. It’s great as an appetizer, over grilled chicken, or as a meal on its own. Plus you can eat it on a chip; how can you go wrong? ~Kathy 

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Ingredients:

  • 6 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
  • 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
  • 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can white corn, drained
  • 1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can black eyed peas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 medium red onion, finely chopped
  • 1 jalepeno, seeded and finely chopped (optional–do more if you like a kick)
  • 1 clove garlic, pressed or finely minced
  • ¼ teaspoon lime zest (optional)
  • 3 avocados, peeled, seeded and chopped
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice
  • ½ cup of fat free Zesty Italian dressing (bottled, not powder)
  • Salt to taste

Instructions: 
Combine all ingredients well except the last three. Add lime juice and Italian dressing; then gently fold in avocado. Cover and chill.  Serve with tortilla chips.  

WW Info.:  

Freestyle plan:  2 points per cup

Old SmartPoints plan: 7 points per cup

This recipe serves ten.