Zucchini Tots

I love zucchini. It’s one of my favorite vegetables and it’s so versatile. I’ve made Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins, Zucchini Squares, Parmesan Zucchini Rounds, Sausage-Stuffed Baked Zucchini and Baked Zucchini Fries. I’ve also used it in collaboration with other yummy vegetables in recipes like my White Vegetable Lasagna and Barley Beef Skillet. Zucchini goes with everything, but my favorite pairing has always been Parmesan cheese. Zucchini and Parmesan are the new peanut butter and jelly, trust me. The original recipe for this used sharp cheddar (which is one of my favorite cheeses), so I decided to make a double batch and try it both ways. Parmesan was so much better. You can use any cheese you want really, but I highly recommend you go with Parmesan.

This recipe comes together very quickly and makes a perfect side dish or hors d’oeuvre. The tots are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside and they make a great healthy replacement for tater tots. If you have kids who usually turn up their noses at vegetables, these zucchini tots could be a great solution. At only 27 calories each, these are tots you can feel great about!

Source: slightly adapted from The Two Bite Club

Ingredients:
1 cup shredded zucchini (I shredded mine on the large holed side of a box grater)
¼ medium onion, chopped
1 large egg
¼ cup dry bread crumbs
1 oz Parmesan cheese, freshly grated (I use the smallest holed side of a box grater. Alternately, if you want to use canned grated Parmesan cheese you can use ¼ cup of that.)
Salt & pepper to taste

pre-baking

Directions:
1.    Preheat the oven to 400. Mist a 12 cup mini muffin tin with cooking spray.
2.    Wrap the shredded zucchini in a paper towel (or clean dish towel) and squeeze to extract any excess moisture from the zucchini.
3.    In a medium bowl, stir together all ingredients until combined. Spoon the mixture evenly into the prepared mini muffin tin and press down on the filling in each cup with the back of the spoon to compact them together.
4.    Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the tops are beginning to turn golden. Run a plastic knife around the outside of each top while still in the muffin tin and they will come right out.

Yields 12 zucchini tots. WW P+: 1 per tot. 2 tots are still 1 P+, 3 tots are 2 P+. (P+ calculated using the recipe builder on weightwatchers.com)
Nutrition Information per tot from myfitnesspal.com: 27 calories, 2 g carbs, 1 g fat, 2 g protein, 0 g fiber

Raspberry Chocolate Chip Frozen Yogurt

Sweet, tart, and oh-so-creamy, this frozen yogurt recipe is a perfect healthy treat for the hot summer days ahead. I’ve always loved raspberry and chocolate together, and I have been craving frozen treats lately, so this seemed like the perfect solution. With only four ingredients, this recipe is simple and refreshing with nothing artificial or hard to pronounce. Using mini chocolate chips ensures chocolate in every bite, and the combination of tangy raspberries and sweet chocolate is a real treat. I will definitely use fat free Greek yogurt to make similar recipes again, because it produced a really smooth, creamy, thick consistency. This dessert tastes too decadent to be so healthy. Go ahead and fool your taste buds!

I absolutely recommend the ice cream machine I have. I use a Cuisinart model (available for purchase through Amazon – see the “My Store” tab at the top of the page to add the exact model to your Amazon cart) and it’s so fast and easy to use. You simply keep the machine’s bowl in your freezer and whenever you want to make ice cream, frozen yogurt or sorbet you mix up the ingredients, put the bowl on the machine, start it up, pour in mixture and in less than 20 minutes you have ice cream! No rock salt or ice required.

Source: adapted from Eating Well

Churning/freezing in the Ice Cream Maker

Ingredients:
3 cups frozen (or fresh) raspberries (I used frozen. You can use either, but evidently it freezes faster if you use frozen)
2 cups fat free plain Greek yogurt
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1.    Combine the raspberries, yogurt and sugar in a food processor and run until thoroughly combined into a smooth, thick yogurt.
2.    Put the entire mixture into an ice cream freezer/maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions. In the last few minutes of freezing add the chocolate chips. Freeze any leftovers in an  airtight container.

Yields 8 (1/2 cup) servings. WW P+: 3 per serving (P+ calculated using the recipe builder on weightwatchers.com)
Nutrition Information per serving from myfitnesspal.com: 120 calories, 21 g carbs, 2 g fat, 6 g protein, 3 g fiber

Mexican Pizza

There are only 6 days left until Cinco de Mayo, so I figured it was just the right time for a new Mexican-themed recipe! I’ve been meaning to do a pizza like this for a while now, and I’m happy to say this one is bursting with Mexican flavors. Juicy tomato salsa, spicy taco sauce, seasoned ground beef, hearty black beans, sharp cheddar cheese, black olives and green onions give this pizza a varied and developed flavor profile. Served on a crispy wheat crust, each slice is quite filling and tastes incredibly indulgent for only 5 Weight Watchers Points+ or around 200 calories. This pizza comes together quickly and would be perfect for an easy weeknight meal or served alongside ice cold cervezas at your next Mexican fiesta. 

Source: Emily Bites Original

Ingredients:
3.25 oz uncooked 95% lean ground beef (according to my calculations – I weighed before and after - this makes about 3 oz seasoned & cooked, so if you decide to brown up a whole pound with a packet of taco seasoning and just use some for this recipe, weigh out 3 oz cooked for this pizza)
2 t reduced sodium taco seasoning (again, if you are going to cook the whole pound of beef so that you have leftover taco meat, just use the whole packet)
Boboli 12” Whole Wheat Thin Pizza Crust
½ cup chunky salsa (I used mild)
2 T taco sauce (I used medium)
1/3 c canned black beans, drained and rinsed
¾ c reduced fat 2% shredded sharp cheddar cheese
4 medium black olives, sliced
1 medium scallion (green parts only), chopped

Directions:
1.    Preheat the oven to 450.
2.    In a large skillet, brown the ground beef over medium-high heat, breaking up with a spatula or wooden spoon as it cooks. Add taco seasoning and stir to thoroughly combine. Set aside.
3.    In a small bowl, combine the salsa and taco sauce and stir together. Spread the mixture evenly across the surface of the pizza crust, leaving at least a ½ inch edge around the outside. Sprinkle the black beans across the top of the salsa layer and then follow with the reserved taco meat. Sprinkle the cheese evenly across the top and then follow with the sliced olives.
4.    Place pizza on a foil covered baking sheet, a pre-heated pizza stone (my preference) or straight onto the oven rack (depending on how you like your crust) and bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oven, slice and sprinkle the chopped scallions over the top.

Yields 6 slices. Weight Watchers Points Plus: 5 per slice (P+ calculated using the recipe builder on weightwatchers.com)
Nutrition Information per slice from myfitnesspal.com: 206 calories, 28 g carbs, 5 g fat, 11 g protein, 5 g fiber

Caesar Salad Parmesan Cups

Sometimes simple recipes can produce elegant results. That’s how I feel about these salad cups. Ever since I made Parmesan Crisps for my Roasted Tomato Basil Soup recipe, I’ve wanted to make them into cups (surprise, surprise…you know me and my muffin tins!). When I was thinking about what to put into the cups, Caesar salad was the first thing to pop into my head. I found a great light Caesar dressing recipe on Cooking Light and reduced the quantity and I think the tangy flavor works really well here. If you want to make these super easy you could always use your favorite light Caesar bottled dressing, but the one below is easy to throw together and really flavorful. These fancy little Caesar cups would be great as a first course at a dinner party, an appetizer, a side dish, or even just a fun snack. At only 47 calories each, you may want to eat them for all of the above!

Source: Emily Bites Original, dressing adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients:
3 oz Parmesan cheese, grated (freshly grated from a block, not the kind that comes in a can – use the small-hole side of a box cheese grater to grate your own)
3 T fat free plain Greek yogurt
1 ½ t fresh lemon juice
1 ½ t extra virgin olive oil
1 t red wine vinegar
1 t Worcestershire sauce
½ t anchovy paste (omit if making this vegetarian)
½ t Dijon mustard
¼ t black pepper
1 small garlic clove, minced
4 cups chopped Romaine lettuce

Directions:
1.    Preheat the oven to 300. Lightly mist a 12 cup muffin tin with cooking spray and set aside. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
2.    Working in batches (I did 3-4 per baking sheet, so 3 batches) make 10 piles of 2 tablespoons of Parmesan each onto the parchment paper, leaving several inches in between. If there is extra Parmesan set it aside. With the back of a spoon, flatten each pile until evenly spread into a thin circle. Bake each tray on the middle rack in the oven for 3 - 3 ½ minutes until cheese is bubbly but not yet golden/crisp. Remove from oven and immediately life each cheese round off the sheet with a metal spatula and transfer it into a cup in the prepared muffin tin. Use your fingers to push the cheese into the cup to shape it. When all 10 piles have been transferred to the muffin tin, place the tin into the oven and back the cups for an additional 5 minutes or until the cups are golden and crispy. Allow the cups to cool for a minute and then remove them from the tin to cool.
3.    While the cups are baking, combine the yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, anchovy paste, Dijon mustard, pepper and garlic in a bowl and whisk together until thoroughly combined. In a large bowl, combine the dressing and lettuce together and toss to coat.
4.    When the Parmesan cups have cooled, fill each one with about ¼ cup of the dressed salad and sprinkle any remaining grated Parmesan over the tops of the cups. Serve immediately.

*You can store the Parmesan cups in a Ziploc or airtight container in the refrigerator for several days. Only dress the portion of salad you plan to use and store any leftover dressing, lettuce and Parmesan cups separately. Assemble as needed.

Yields 10 cups. WW P+: 1 per cup (P+ calculated using the recipe builder on weightwatchers.com)
Nutrition Information per cup from myfitnesspal.com: 47 calories, 1 g carbs, 3 g fat, 4 g protein, 0 g fiber

Strawberry Shortcake Cookies

Spring has sprung and in between bouts of rain, everyone’s anxious to step out into the sunlight and enjoy the sun, the plants and the Spring air. Since food is so close to my heart, to me this brings about images of the beginning of outdoor eating season. Picnics and potlucks and cookouts, oh my! It seems like everyone is always looking a for a good spring or summertime dish to bring to these events. I have several good side dish options on my blog (I highly recommend either the Pasta with Feta and Roasted Vegetables served cold as a pasta salad or the Zucchini Squares for an outdoor potluck) and though I have lots of yummy cupcake recipes one could bring to such a soiree (my Lemon-Lime Cupcakes have Spring written all over them), I realized I only have one cookie recipe on my whole site! That oversight needed to be remedied immediately.

These truly are a cross between strawberry shortcake and a cookie. The texture is light, soft, pillowy and cake-ier than your average cookie (a little more like a muffin top), but the edges get slightly crisp. I loved the fresh, light citrus flavor that the orange juice and zest added to the batter and the bursts of sweet juicy strawberries in each bite. You can substitute lemon zest/juice for orange if you prefer. I’m sure either way will be delicious. You could also easily halve the recipe to make less cookies if you aren’t baking for a crowd. Bring these little handheld strawberry shortcakes to your next Spring or Summer gathering and watch them disappear. Who doesn’t want a bite of Spring?

Source: slightly adapted from Pinch of Yum and Bakergirl

Ingredients:
12 oz strawberries, hulled and diced into ¼” pieces
1 T fresh juice from an orange
½ cup plus 2 T sugar
½ t orange zest
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup white whole wheat flour
2 t baking powder
½ t salt
6 T cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2/3 cup fat free half and half

Directions:
1.    Preheat the oven to 375. Lightly mist 2 baking sheets with cooking spray or line them with parchment paper.
2.    In a medium bowl, combine the strawberries, orange juice and 2 tablespoons of the sugar. Stir until combined and then set aside.
3.    In a large bowl, add the other ½ cup of sugar with the orange zest and massage them together with your fingertips until well combined and fragrant. Add the flour, baking powder and salt and whisk together to combine. Add the cold butter and cut the butter into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter or two sharp knives, the way you do when making scones, until the butter is cut very small and you have coarse crumbs. Add the half and half and stir together to form the dough. Add the strawberry mixture and gently fold it in until well combined.
4.    Drop 36 heaping tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10-15 minutes until lightly golden.

Yields 36 cookies. WW P+: 2 per cookie; 3 P+ for two cookies. (P+ calculated using the recipe builder on weightwatchers.com)
Nutrition Information per cookie from myfitnesspal.com: 60 calories, 9 g carbs, 2 g fat, 1 g protein, 1 g fiber

Mediterranean Chicken Wraps

 

 This may not be the prettiest dish I’ve ever posted, but oh man, is it delicious. There’s a local “dive” restaurant near me that has a wrap with chicken, hummus, Feta and tomatoes and I’ve been meaning to recreate it at home for a while. Between the strong roasted garlic flavor of the hummus, the tangy, salty Feta, the juicy tomatoes and the herb-coated chicken, this wrap is packed with intense Mediterranean flavor. This recipe comes together really quickly, and it’s great because you can make the chicken once and then assemble the wraps as needed for lunches or leftovers.

Source: Emily Bites Original

Ingredients:
1 T extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
½ t dried basil
½ t oregano
½ t fresh rosemary, minced
1 lb raw boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into thin strips
6 low carb, high fiber tortillas (I used La Tortilla Factory’s Smart & Delicious Low Carb, High Fiber)
12 T hummus (I used Tribe brand Roasted Garlic hummus)
12 T crumbled Feta cheese
1 large plum tomato, diced

Directions:
1.    In a large skillet, bring the oil over medium high heat. Add the garlic, basil, oregano and rosemary and stir into oil. Cook for about a minute until garlic is fragrant. Add the chicken to the pan and stir to coat chicken with the oil and herbs. Cook for 5-7 minutes until chicken is cooked completely through.
2.    Warm the tortillas slightly in the microwave for a minute or so to make them more pliable. Spread 2 tablespoons of hummus across the center of each tortilla. Divide the chicken strips evenly amongst the tortillas (I weighed my chicken strips after cooking and they were a little over 12 oz total, so each wrap should get about 2 oz of chicken). Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of feta cheese over the chicken on each wrap and then follow with tomato pieces. Fold the ends of the tortilla in and then roll the sides over. Cut in half and serve.

Yields 6 servings. WW P+: 8 per serving (P+ calculated using the recipe builder on weightwatchers.com)
Nutrition Information per wrap from myfitnesspal.com: 286 calories, 24 g carbs, 14 g fat, 28 g protein, 13 g fiber

Thai Chicken Biscuit Cups

I’m always on the lookout for new main course “muffin” ideas, and after using the Bisquick Heart Smart Mix a few weeks ago to make my Banana Pancake Bites, I was excited to stumble across a recipe using it to make chicken cups. These cups are delicious, filling and hearty. The Bisquick mixture holds everything together and adds a nice biscuit flavor and a sturdiness to the cups, but the bulk of them is made up of the chicken, onions, scallions and cilantro. This gives you a great combination of flavors, packed with protein and low in carbs. The salty, crunchy toasted peanuts on top are the perfect complement to the Thai flavor from the red curry paste. If you’re looking for something filling and tasty with a bit of an Asian twist, this recipe is for you.

Source: adapted from Betty Crocker

Ingredients:
2 t canola oil
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
½ c scallions (green onions), sliced (plus additional for garnish)
¼ c cilantro, chopped
1 t Thai red curry paste (found with the other Asian ingredients)
1 T fresh lime juice
1 cup 2% shredded Mozzarella cheese
½ cup Bisquick Heart Smart Baking Mix
½ cup skim milk
2 large eggs
1/3 cup salted cocktail peanuts, chopped

Directions:
1.    Preheat the oven to 375. Generously mist a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray.
2.    In a large skillet, bring the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and cook 5-7 minutes until the chicken pieces are cooked through. Add the chopped onion and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add the scallions, cilantro, curry paste and lime juice. Stir until completely combined and cook for another 1-2 minutes until mixture is heated through. Remove from heat and cool for five minutes. Mix in Mozzarella cheese.
3.    In a medium bowl, whisk together the Bisquick, milk and eggs until thoroughly combined and smooth.
4.    Spoon a tablespoon of the Bisquick mixture into each cup of the prepared muffin tin. Top that layer with about ¼ cup of the chicken mixture. Spoon another tablespoon of the Bisquick mixture over the top of each cup until it’s all used up.
5.    Bake in the oven for 5 minutes and then remove from the oven and sprinkle the peanuts over the top of each biscuit cup. Return the cups to the oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes until the cups are browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for a few minutes and then slide a knife around the edges of each cup to loosen it and remove it from the tin. Top each cup with scallions for garnish.

Yields 12 biscuit cups. WW P+: 3 per serving (7 WW P+ for 2 cups) (P+ calculated using the recipe builder on weightwatchers.com)
Nutrition Information per cup from myfitnesspal.com: 138 calories, 7 g carbs, 6 g fat, 13 g protein, 1 g fiber