Shannon's Kitchen Creations

Watching what I eat is a daily struggle. I love sweets, chips and have difficulty saying “No” to bacon, cheese fries. My goal on a daily basis is to record all of my points and try to make the best decisions I can. One of my readers, Lori, has asked me to give her some ideas on what I eat on a daily basis to keep me full, satisfied and not wanting to stick my head in a bag of Cheetos. Here are some meal ideas that are yummy, easy and keep me full! Lots of protein and less carbs are key! Snack at least 2 -3 times a day! I have this list posted on my fridge. Print it out and choose as you go!

Try and add veggies to every meal – stock your fridge with your favorites

Things to avoid or use VERY moderately-

• white potatoes
• chips
• red meat
• bread
• oil
• butter
• mayo
• cheese
• flour
• sugar
• Baked Goods
• Fried Foods
  

Breakfast-

• 1 cup Kashi Go Lean Original cereal and 1 cup of vanilla almond milk – 4 points +
• egg sandwich – a egg, 1 wedge light laughing cow cheese, 1 Arnold’s thin bread and 2 slices of ham – 7 points +
• Omelet – 2 egg whites. 1 wedge light laughing cow cheese. 2 slices ham, veggies (mushrooms, tomatoes, peppers) – 2 points +
• Egg, 2 slices bacon, 1 piece of high fiber toast with 1 tsp butter – 7 points +

Lunch-

(Use Arnold’s thins for bread – 3 points + each)

• veggie burger with lettuce, tomato, pickles, mustard and ketchup – 6 points +
• Turkey or ham sandwich with laughing cow cheese wedge, lettuce, tomato – 5 points +
• Salad with grilled chicken or cut up lunch meat with small amount of low cal dressing – no cheese, olives etc. (I like to toss the chicken with buffalo sauce to make it spicy)
• add a piece of fruit, fresh veggies, pita chips or pickles for a side.

Dinner-

• a palm size piece of grilled low fat protein (chicken, fish, pork) 3 -5 points +
• for sides -
• Big salads
• Brown rice – 4 points + a cup
• lentils, cooked with onions, garlic and simmered in chicken broth 4 points + a cup
• Whole grain Pasta – 4 points + a cup
• Limit breading, cheeses, sauces etc.

Snacking- at least 2 a day

• 5 pita chips with ¼ cup hummus – 5 points +
• 10 pita chips with salsa - 4 points +
• laughing cow cheese wedge with 10 mini pretzels – 4 points +
• Kashi granola bars – 4 points +
• Fruit 0 points +
• Veggies and dip (low calorie/ fat dressing- I love Bolthouse ranch) 2 points +
• Smart Pop individual Popcorn 2 points +
• Snackwell protein bars – the chocolate ones are awesome! 3 points +

Desserts

• Jello Mousse cups 1 point +
• 1 dove chocolate square 1 point +
• fruit Popsicle 1 point +
• 90 calorie fiber one brownies 2 points +

Hopefully this list will help you with some ideas!

Here is a super low point dinner or side recipe for you!!! It is very filling and just as satisfying as a big bowl of pasta!

Zucchini “Pasta” with a Fresh Tomato Sauce

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So, I have been experimenting with Butternut squash lately and I have decided that I love it. When you roast it with a little olive oil, salt and pepper, the flavor is amazing. It gets all caramelized and the balance between salty and sweet is just heavenly. A few years ago I got a pasta maker for Christmas and decided I would only make and eat homemade pasta. I found a recipe in the Food Network magazine for homemade ravioli. The process was long, messy and my kitchen looked like a bomb had dropped. The end result however, was totally worth it. Homemade pasta has a amazing texture, slightly chewy and my husband and I decided it was one of the best meals we have ever eaten. My pasta maker is now in the back of my cabinet waiting for the day I have enough time to take it out again, however I have found a new trick to making homemade ravioli that is easy and very quick. Wanton wrappers can be found in the produce section of your grocery store and they are the perfect size to make your own homemade raviolis. You don’t have to worry about making the dough, rolling it out, cutting it etc. It is all done for you! This recipe was delicious and quick, you can customize your own fillings as well. The possibilities are endless! Enjoy!

Roasted Butternut Squash Goat Cheese Ravioli

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This time of year fresh fruits and vegetables are hard to find. The oranges I bought the other day were from South Africa and my tomatoes were from Brazil. It is hard to buy local when you live in a cold climate. Especially in a place like Connecticut that gets slammed with 9 inch snow storms in October! Yuck!!! You can however find one type of vegetable everywhere and that is SQUASH. I was never much of a squash fan growing up. I like zucchini and yellow squash, but never really knew what to do with the spaghetti, acorn and butternut varieties. My mother always would roast them with butter and salt and pepper, which was okay, but nothing that I craved. I picked up two butternut squash at a local farm stand for 1.00 each. If you are not sure what a butternut squash looks like here is a picture.

To prepare a butternut squash you must peel it. (I used a vegetable peeler) Cut it in half, scoop out the seeds and then cut it into bite size pieces. I have 2 amazing recipes for you coming up this week. The first Roasted Butternut Squash Saffron Risotto and then Roasted Butternut Squash Goat Cheese Ravioli with a brown butter, caramelized onion, bacon sauce. And yes…they are ww friendly!!! So the next time you see those strange looking squash in the grocery store, grab one! They are delicious and really good for you!!

    Saffron Butternut Squash Risotto

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We have eaten a lot of eggplant this summer. I loved making the roasted eggplant dip for a quick snack and sandwich topper and I love grilling slices of it as a quick side. One of my favorite ways to eat eggplant is an eggplant Parmesan or eggplant rollatini. These cheesy dishes are a ww No No, each dish can pack up to 20 points +! I however created a delicious and easy dish to make for only a few points per serving! My entire family loved it. I served it with brown rice. Yummy! Enjoy!

Image from Ava Catau

Light Eggplant Rollatini

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One of my favorite comfort foods in Spaghetti and Meatballs. But portion size is key to enjoying this meal at home. Most restaurants serve you a HUMUNGOUS plate and the amount they give you could probably feed a family of 4. These meatballs are delicate and juicy. Your family will never guess they are filled with veggies and are low fat. There are some great alternatives to regular pasta. One of my favorites is the Smart Taste line by Ronzoni. It is high in fiber and low in points and tastes great!

I also use Ragu’s light sauce. It is delicious and has no added sugar. Enjoy!

Meatballs

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Indian food is one of my favorites. But, I am not a fan of the smell or taste of curry powder. A few years ago on of my Mom’s friends, Indira, came to her house to visit. She was born and raised in Nepal which is very close to India. The flavors are similar and the dishes are mostly vegetarian. She loves to cook and decided to treat us all to a traditional Nepalese meal. Dumplings with a tomato, chili sauce, curried vegetables with yogurt sauce, Chicken Curry and rice. It was amazing and she didn’t use curry powder in anything. This recipe is very easy to make and extremely healthy! I used a bunch of my fresh tomatoes from our garden. You can serve it as a main course over rice or as a side. Enjoy!

Curried Vegetables with a Yogurt Cream Sauce

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 can of chickpeas drained
• 1 head of cauliflower cut into small pieces
• 1 zucchini sliced
• 4 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 small piece of fresh ginger (1 inch) chopped or 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tbsps plain, fat free greek yogurt
• 1 tsp olive oil

Directions

1. Add the oil to a large pot. Saute onions and garlic until soft.
2. Add chickpeas, cauliflower, zucchini, tomatoes and spices. Stir well and let simmer on low for 30 minutes. Stir often to help tomatoes break down.
3. Check that chickpeas and cauliflower is softened.
4. Add greek yogurt and stir well.
5. Serve over rice. (add points for rice)

Amount Per Serving 1 cup

3 points + per serving (with out rice)

Nutritional Information

Calories

131

Total Fat

1.2g

Sodium

321mg

Total Carbohydrates

24.4g

Dietary Fiber

4.7g

Protein

5.9g

I love chicken pot pie. It is a perfect fall meal and this time of year you can buy the crusts on sale everywhere. The average frozen single serving chicken pot pie from Marie Callender’s nutritional information is as follows:

Serving Size 1 pot pie

Amount Per Serving Calories 670, Total Fat 41g, Total Carbohydrate 55g, Dietary Fiber 3g, Protein19g

One little pot pie is 19 points +! Yikes!

I was able to shave off eight points + and I know what the ingredients are. I used organic chicken, milk and frozen veggies and Pillsbury’s rolled pie crusts. One mini pie is very filling, so all you need to serve it for a meal is a salad. Enjoy!

Mini Cheesy Chicken Pot Pies

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My family loves Roast Chicken especially this recipe, but it can be a messy and time consuming process. You need to clean the bird, wrap it in twine, baste it, carve it and then of course there is all that cleaning! I decided to make the process super easy, fast and there is only one pan to clean up! Yeah! A whole chicken cut up at the store is very inexpensive and you can make Chicken Pot Pie with the leftover meat and vegetables. I did leave the skin on and YES it was totally worth it! You can use boneless, skinless breasts for a lower points value. Did you know that the skin only adds 1 point + per piece of chicken. In my mind the skin all crispy and delicious is totally worth it! This is a perfect fast evening meal and it is even perfect for a Sunday dinner. Enjoy!!

One Pan Roast Rosemary Garlic Chicken and Vegetables

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I love macaroni and cheese!  I love the creamy, cheesy sauce and the warming feeling the dish gives me. It reminds me of childhood. My Mom always made the best mac and cheese. We had the boxed variety sometimes, but it was always special when my Mom made it from scratch. She also browned hot dog slices in butter and threw those in. Ahhh childhood!! Of course now I actually have to watch what I put in my mouth, but I still want to eat my favorites. I have created some amazing mac and cheese dishes. If you love buffalo wings with blue cheese, you will love my Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese and the most amazing, low point invention ever Super Cheesy Low Fat Cauliflower Macaroni and cheese. You will not be able to even tell there is cauliflower in it! (cut the pieces really small) Here is my version of my Mom’s famous Mac and cheese with hot dogs, with a fall spin. I used apple chicken sausage and added some nutmeg for a warm homey feel. Enjoy!

Tomato and Apple Chicken Sausage Macaroni and Cheese

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