Homemade Spinach Manicotti

I wasn't really sure how this one would turn out at all, but once again Gina did not dissappoint!  Monicotti with Crespelles rather than noodles as I know them. 

Crespelle

• 1 cup flour
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 2 large egg whites
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• spray

Blend all ingredients (minus spray).  Heat 6" frying pan on medium low heat.  Spray pan.  Pour 2 Tbsp of batter into the pan.  Slowly swilring batter around the pan to cover evenly.  Cook about 30 seconds. Flip and cook another 10 seconds.  Remove and place on plate.  Repeating process until batter is gone.

Manicotti

• 16 oz part skim ricotta cheese
• 1 cups fat free moz
• 1 large egg
• 10 oz frozen package spinach, thawed and drained
• 1/4 cup parmesan
• salt and pepper
• 16 crespelles
• 32 oz spaghetti sauce
• 1 lb ground beef (90% or better)

Preheat oven 375

In large bow, combine ricotta, 1 1/2 cup mozzerella, egg, spinach, parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper

Brown beef and mix with sauce

Fill each crespelle with 1/4 cup filling and roll.  Place seam side down in baking dish cover with sauce and remaining  moz cheese. cover with foil and bake about 25 -30 minutes.

Serves 8 - 2 manicotti for 7 points

Day Eighty-one

Cheesy Quesadillas
Homemade Spinach Manicotti with rolls
misc snacks
cookie dough Icecream sandwich
special K with berries/nonfat milk

Francese - Lightened Up

This is another dish that I've never eaten, so I have nothing to compare it to, but I sure like this version of it.  Light and fresh... I've really never cooked with lemon...

• 3 large chicken breast thinly sliced in 3
• 1/2 cup unbleached flour
• 1/2 cup egg whites, beaten
• 1 lemon, juice of
• 1/2 lemon sliced thin
• 1/3 cup white wine
• 1 15 oz can chicken broth
• cooking spray
• salt and pepper
• 3 Tbsp chopped parsley
• 2 Tbsp butter

Season chicken with salt and pepper.  Place the flour in a bowl, and beaten egg whites in another bowl.

Heat large non-stock pan over medium heat.  When hot lightly spray

Lightly flour chicken, then dip in eggs and add to the hot pan a few at a time.  Saute 2-3 minutes on each side.  When cooked, transfer to a plate.  Spray pan again and repeat until all chicken has been cooked.

Once all chicken is cooked, place the chicken broth in the bowl w/remaining flour and whick.  Add to pan along w/juice of lemon, white wine, lemon slices, parsley and butter and simmer on low heat for about 2 minutes so it reduces slightly and thickens.  Turn off heat.  Return chicken to pan to combine with the sauce.  Serve immediately....

3.5 points each piece

Serve with a nice salad, or over egg noodles.  We had some nice biscuits...

Day Eighty

Coffee with creamer
Special K yogurt/berries w/nonfat milk
leftover Spanish Rice with water
Chicken Francese with buscuits
spinach stuffed shells
chips ahoy 100 calorie pack
honeynut cheerios/nonfat milk

Day Seventy-nine

Feeling particularly good today.  I've made a nice rebound from last week's bumpy ride.  It's also very nice hat my back is not hurting like it was.  I can actually move around without much pain.  Don't worry... I'm not pushing it. I don't wanna hurt it again.


Coffee with creamer
Special K yogurt/berries/nonfat milk
Turkey taco and fresh fruit
Chicken Spanish rice (1 1/2 serving)
popcorn
Breyers cookie dough icecream sandwich

Day Seventy-Eight

Leftover stuffed shells with meat sauce and water
Cousin's turkey sub baked chips
honey nut cheerios/nonfat milk
popcorn
breyers cookie dough ice cream sandwich.

Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas

I tell ya... Enchilada must mean filling or something cuz everytime I eat one I am just stuffed afterwards.  This time I followed one of Gina's Recipes for Turkey and Clack Bean Enchiladas (but I used ground chicken breast... the ground turkey around here is too high in fat for me right now).  Her enchilada sauce is FANTASTIC! I was talking to Chris at the dinner table tonight wondering how I could make this stuff in larger batches and can it!  It's tasty.  I am officially a fan of Chipotles in Adobo sauce to be sure!

Give this one a try!

Enchiladas

• 1 lb ground chicken breast
• 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 4.5 oz can chopped green chiles
• 15 oz can crushed tomato
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1-2 tsp cumin  (I used 1 1/2)
• salt
• 10 fat free flour tortillas - 8"
• 1 cup fat free cheddar cheese
• nonstick cooking spray

Sauce

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp Chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
• 1 15 oz can tomato sauce
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 3/4 cups chicken broth
• salt and pepper

Sauce: In medium pan, spray oil and saute garlic.  Add chiles in adobo, chili powder, cumin, chicken broth, tomato sauce, salt and pepper.  Bring to boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes.  Set aside.

Enchilada Filling: In large skillet, brown chicken and season with salt.  Add onion, cilantro, garlic, black beans, green chiles, tomatoes, cumin and chili powder.  Mix well and simmer on low, covered for 20 minutes.  Remove lid and simmer another 5-10 minutes to reduce liquid.

Preheat oven to 400. Spray 9x13 pan.

Put 1/2 - 3/4 cup mixture in each tortilla and fold.  Place in pan seam side down.  Top with Sauce and cheese.  Cover with foil and bake for 20-25 minutes.  Top as desired (count your points!)

10 enchiladas at 6 points plus each!  I had one and it was enough... Chris ate 2 and they must have been good cuz he cleaned his plate!

Day Seventy-Seven

Special K w/berries/nonfat milk
banana
leftover stuffed shells
Chicken and black bean enchiladas
black bean brownie
banana
Breyers cookie dough ice cream sandwich

Day Seventy-Six

HoneyNut Cheerios/nonfat milk
Smart Ones Cheesy Quesadilla
banana
lowfat cheesecake
Spinach stuffed shells with meat sauce

Spinach Stuffed Shells with Meat Sauce

• 12 oz Jumbo Shells
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2 tsp garlic, chopped
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 lb ground chicken breast
• 1 Tbsp sweet basil
• salt and pepper
• 3 packets splenda
• 2 cups light ricotta cheese
• 2 cups fat free mozerella
• 1 egg
• 10 oz package chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 1/4 cup parmesan, grated

Boil water and cook shells to al dente

Meanwhile, saute onions and garlic in oil.  Add chicken and salt, brown until cooked.  Add tomatoes, salt, pepper, basil, and splenda.  Simmer on low, covered.

Preheat oven to 375.
Strain noodles and rinse with cold water.

In large bowl, mix together ricotta, egg, spinach, mozzerella, and parmesan.

Fill cooled shells with cheese mix and place in baking dish with a little sauce in the bottom.  Cover shells with sauce, cover dish with foil, and bake 40 minutes.  Uncover bake an additional 5 minutes.

Calculations based on 37 shells...4 shells for 7 points

Lightened up Strawberry Cheesecake

Another dessert from Gina.  It is really tasty... give it a shot!

• 16 reduced fat honey graham crackers
• 1 Tbsp fat free I can't believe it's not butter
• 8 oz package fat free cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 6 oz fat free vanilla Greek yogurt
• 2 large egg whites
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp flour
• 1/2 cup strawberry pie filling or jam

Heat oven to 350.  Spray 8 inch square pan or 9" pie pan

crush graham cracker and mix crumbs with butter until evenly moistened.  Press evenly into bottom of pan.  (I used a sandwich bag as a glove and I sprayed it with cooking spray so the crumbs wouldn't stick)

Gently beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth using an electric mixer.  Gradually beat in fat free yogurt, egg whites, lemon juice, and flour.  Do not over beat. 

Pour over graham cracker crust. 

Stir jam until smooth.  Drop spoonfuls over the surface of filling.  Using knife, swirl jam gently through the filling to create a marble effect.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until center is almost set.  Cool to room temp...  Chill a few hours in fridge.

serves 9 - 5 points each.

Week 11 Weigh In

Well... Not too happy with the scale today, but I can't really blame the scale.  Last week was a difficult one for me.  I had a really hard time staying within my points and threw caution to the wind a couple of times throughout the week.  I've been back on track since Saturday so results should continue again.

Went up .6 (not much and I'm not freaking out... don't worry)