Cube Steak with Mushroom Gravy

This recipe is a recipe my mom has made for years and is one of my absolute favorites.  I decided to make the recipe a little healthier.  

For the Cube Steak with Mushroom Gravy you will need:

4 Cube Steaks (about 5 ounces a piece)

1/4 cup of flour

Season Salt

Pepper

Cream of Mushroom Soup Fat Free

1 tsp of Olive Oil 

Combine flour, season salt and pepper.

Place the cube steak in the flour on both sides.

At oil to skillet and brown cube steak on each side.

Once the cube steak is brown remove the steak and place on a plate.

Pour in the can of the mushroom soup.

Add a can full of water.

Blend the water and soup until smooth.  Bring to a boil.

Return steak and cook on low for about 20 minutes. 

For around 7 points you will get one steak and 1/4 cup of the mushroom gravy.  I served the steak with green beans and the Weight Watcher Sour Cream and Garlic Mashed Potatoes.  Delicious!

Cucumber, Tomato and Onion Salad

Sometimes I get tired of eating the same salad over and over so I am always on the hunt for a new refreshing summer salad especially in the summer.  The Weight Watcher Cucumber, Tomato, Onion Salad is simple and absolutely delicious.

For the recipe you will need:

½ cup chopped uncooked onions

1 ½ cup fresh tomatoes, sliced or cubed (I also removed the seeds)

1 ½ cup cucumber, thinly sliced

6 tsp SPLENDA No Calorie Sweetener

½ cup red wine vinegar

½ cup water

1 tsp dried dill weed (I didn’t use this because I don’t always like dill)

Place cut up vegetables into a bowl.


Mix remaining ingredients together and pour over vegetables.


Refrigerate at least one hour (longer is better).


Serve with a slotted spoon so that liquid remains in the bowl.  Yields about 2/3 heaping cup per serving for 1 point. 

Bubble Up Pizza Casserole

Want a recipe that is also kid friendly?  Try the Weight Watcher Bubble Up Pizza Casserole.  This recipe gives you the taste of pizza for the fraction of the points.

For the recipe you will need:

1 pound 96% lean ground beef

2 teaspoons onion powder, or 1 onion, chopped

16 ounces tomato sauce

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

15 ounces refrigerated buttermilk biscuits, each biscuit cut into quarters (this is 2 of the small tubes)

1 1/4 cups part skim milk mozzarella cheese, shredded (I used fat free shredded but I would recommend the part skim)

I also used cap mushrooms

Preheat oven to 350 F.  

Cut buttermilk biscuits into quarters.

In the skilled add the oil and cook onion until golden brown. 

Then added mushrooms (if you are using them).  Cook the mushrooms until soft. 

Then add ground beef.

Brown meat over medium high heat until browned, stirring to crumble.  Stir tomato sauce, basil, garlic and Italian seasoning (I seasoned my tomato sauce like I do when making spaghetti).

Add quartered biscuits; stir gently until biscuits are covered with sauce.

Spoon mixture into a 9x13 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.

Bake for 25 minutes.

Sprinkle with cheese.

Bake an additional 10 minutes or until biscuits are done. 

Let stand 5 minutes before serving.  Cut into 12 pieces.  One piece of the Bubble Up Pizza Casserole is equal to 5 points.  

Chicken Parmigiana

As I mentioned in my last post this week is pasta week.  The second great Weight Watcher recipe that I tried was the Weight Watcher Chicken Parmigiana.  After making this recipe, I must say it probably one of my favorite recipes.  The meal was so delicious and only 7 points for the piece of chicken and sauce.

For the recipe you will need:

3 spray olive oil cooking spray

1 pound uncooked boneless skinless chicken breasts

2 egg whites (lightly beaten)

½ cup dried plain bread crumbs (I used Italian Seasoned bread crumbs)

1 Tbsp Italian seasoning (since I used Italian Seasoned bread crumbs I didn’t use this)

½ tsp table salt, or to taste

1 tsp olive oil

1 ½ cup canned tomato sauce

½ cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (I used fat free)

2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat a large baking pan with cooking spray.


Place chicken between two sheets of wax paper; using a rolling pin, pound chicken to 1/4-inch thickness.

Place egg whites in a shallow bowl.  In another shallow bowl, combine bread crumbs with Italian seasoning and salt.  

Dip chicken in egg whites; turn to coat.  Dip chicken in bread crumb mixture; turn to thoroughly coat.

Coat a large skillet with cooking spray and add oil; heat over medium-high heat.  When hot, add chicken and cook until lightly browned and no longer pink in center, about 4 minutes per side (cook chicken in batches if necessary).


Pour 1/2 cup of sauce into prepared baking dish; place chicken in pan in a single layer. 

Pour remaining sauce evenly over chicken.

Sprinkle with both cheeses. 

Bake until chicken is cooked through and cheese is bubbly, about 25 minutes.  Yields 1 piece of chicken per serving.  I served the Weight Watchers Chicken Parmigiana over whole wheat pasta (making the point total 11 points).

Spaghetti and Meatballs

This week is pasta week.  I absolutely love pasta although I didn’t eat the coming recipes in the same week I will definitely be making them again in the future.

Although I love my pasta bake, I wanted to try something new.  So I first tried the Weight Watchers Spaghetti and Meatballs. 

For the recipe you will need:

1 tsp olive oil

1 medium uncooked onion chopped

2 cloves garlic minced

28 oz canned crushed tomatoes

2 Tbsp, basil

½ tsp sugar

¼ tsp table salt

¼ tsp black pepper

1 pound uncooked ground turkey breast

1 slice white bread made into crumbs

1 large egg

2 Tbsp uncooked onion minced

1 clove garlic minced

¼ tsp table salt

¼ tsp black pepper

6 oz. uncooked spaghetti (I used whole wheat)

4 tsp grated Parmesan cheese

When I made this recipe, I used this as a basis for my own recipe.  Instead of ground turkey, I used 97/3 ground beef (which is the same points value).  I also substituted the loaf of bread for ¼ cup of Italian Seasoned Breadcrumbs.  My final variation was using my favorite tomato sauce Classico Tomato and Basil.  This sauce is really delicious and also healthy.  

If you want to follow the Weight Watchers recipe here is the directions:

In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil.  Sauté onion and garlic until softened, about 5 minutes.  Stir in tomatoes, basil, sugar, salt and pepper; cook, stirring as needed, until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes.  Remove from heat; let stand, covered, 15 minutes.
 (For my recipe I heated my sauce and seasoned as desired)

Meanwhile, to prepare meatballs, preheat oven to 350°F.  

In a large bowl, combine turkey, bread crumbs, egg, onion, garlic, salt and pepper, mixing lightly. 

Form into 24 meatballs; place on a baking sheet. 

Bake until browned and slightly pink on inside, 15-20 minutes.  

Add meatballs to sauce; cook, stirring as needed, until heated through, about 10 minutes.


Cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain and place in a serving bowl. Serve, topped with sauce; sprinkle with cheese.

For 10 points you will get 1.5 ounces of spaghetti and 6 meatballs.  This recipe was very filling and really delicious.

Barley-Asparagus "Risotto" with Balsamic Vinegar

I personally love risotto (which can be healthy) but when I discovered the Weight Watcher Barley-Asparagus “Risotto” with Balsamic Vinegar I knew I had to try it.  This recipe says that is it less intensive than regular risotto but I disagree.

The recipe is really delicious but is labor intensive.

For the recipe you will need:

2 tsp olive oil

1 medium uncooked onion, minced

1 cup uncooked barley – use quick-cooking variety

3 cups fat-free chicken broth

½ pound uncooked asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces

¼ cup chives, fresh sliced (I used green onions)

1 ½ Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1/8 tsp table salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Warm oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  

Add onion and cook, stirring, until onion is tender, about 6 minutes. 

Stir in barley and cook, stirring, about 1 minute more.


Add broth, cover and simmer over low heat for 8 minutes.  In my experience (I have cooked this recipe twice), it takes longer than 8 minutes for the barley to absorb the broth.  I also left the saucepan on medium heat to help absorb the barley.  The barley should look similar to this when cooked.

Stir in asparagus and simmer 2 minutes more. 

Remove from heat, stir in chives and vinegar; season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.

One cup of the “risotto” is worth 4 points.  I served the Barley-Asparagus "Risotto" with Balsamic Vinegar with a piece of grilled chicken. 

Skinny Chunky Monkey Cookies Recipe

I love to bake so I am always looking for healthy desserts.  When I found the Skinny Chunky Monkey Cookie Recipe, I knew I had to try it.  Based on the recipe, I knew it would be similar to no bake cookies only healthy.

For the recipe you will need:

3 ripe bananas

2 cups old-fashioned oats

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Mash bananas in a large bowl. 

Then stir in remaining ingredients.

Let batter stand for approximately 20 minutes, then drop by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheet (should make 30 cookies).

Bake 10-12 minutes.

One cookie is equal to 1 point.

These cookies are good but I wish there was a little more peanut butter taste.  I will make them again but not all the time.  I liked the Chocolate-Fudge Cookie Bites better.