Roast Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic

I made this for the first time 3 weeks ago, and have made it twice since then. Oh my god, it's good! It tastes like you're getting something way richer than you actually are and the sauce is so good, I get some extra bread to soak it up after I'm done with the chicken. Other than peeling the garlic cloves, this recipe is pretty easy, too.

• 1 TB extra virgin olive oil
• 4x 1/2 lb bone in chicken breast halves
• 4/ 1/2 lb bone-in chicken thighs
• 1/2 c dry white wine
• 1/2 c reduced sodium chicken broth
• 2 TB tomato paste
• 40 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375.

Heat oil over medium in an ovenproof skillet large enough to hold all the chicken in a single layer. Add the chicken, skin side down, to the oil and cook until browned on all sides. Transfer chicken to a plate.

Discard any fat from the skillet and set over medium-high heat. Add wine, broth and tomato paste. Cook, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Remove the skillet from the heat, stir in the remaining ingredients. Add the chicken and toss to coat with the sauce.

Cover the skillet tightly with foil and bake until the chicken is cooked through and the garlic is soft, 1.25-1.5 hours. Remove chicken skin before eating.

Yields: 4 servings, 2 pieces chicken, 10 garlic cloves, 5-6 TB sauce

6 points

Turkey and Black Bean Chili

This is a great hearty meal now that the weather is getting colder, but I find that the portion size is a little small on this recipe, so I add an extra can of tomatoes to stretch it out. One other suggestion - eat the chili with a baked potato for an additional point, YUM.

• 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 lb ground turkey
• 1x 15oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1x 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 TB chili powder
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 c shredded fat free sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/4 c fat free sour cream
• 1/4 c sliced scallions

Heat the oil in a large nonstick saucepan over medium high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the turkey and cook, breaking up the meat as you cook, until it is no longer pink.

Stir in the beans, tomatoes, spices, bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are very tender, about 30 min. Serve with the cheese, sour cream and scallions.

Yield: 4 servings, 1 c chili, 2 TB cheese, 1 TB sour cream, 1 TB scallions

4 points (242 cal, 4 g fat, 8g fiber)

Penne with Sausage and Roasted Pepper Sauce

Made this for the first time last week - excellent leftovers and very simple.

• 2 c uncooked whole wheat penne
• 6 oz low fat ground sausage (I usually get Jimmy Dean's from HEB, since they have a low fat variety in the refrigerated section near the bacon.)
• 1.25 c bottled spaghetti sauce with mushrooms and olives
• 1/2 c diced roasted red bell peppers
• 3/4 tsp sugar

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well.

While pasta cooks, cook sausage in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until brown and crumbly. Drain.

Add spaghetti sauce and bell peppers, bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer uncovered 5 min or until slightly thick. Remove from heat, stir in sugar. Serve over pasta.

Yield: 4 servings, 1c pasta, 1/2 c sauce

7 points each (322 cal, 9.3g fat, 2.1 g fiber)

Chicken and Asparagus in White Wine Sauce

Haven't actually made this one yet, but I plan to. It's from Cooking Light.

• 4x 6oz boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 2 TB butter
• 1/2c all purpose flour
• 1/2 c dry white wine
• 1/2 c fat free chicken broth
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 lb asparagus spears, trimmed
• 2 TB fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 TB lemon juice

Place each chicken breast between two sheets of plastic wrap. Pound with a tenderizer, meat mallet, small heavy skillet, or alumnium can down to 1/4 in thick. Sprinkle chicken breasts evenly with salt and pepper.

Melt butter in a large, nonstick skillet, over medium high heat. Place flour in a shallow dish. Dredge chicken in flour, add to pan. Cook 3 min on each side or until done. Remove from pan, keep warm.

Add wine broth and garlic to pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Cook 2 min. Add asparagus. Cover and cook 3-5 min, or until asparagus is crisp-tender. Remove from heat. Stir in parsley and lemon juice. Serve asparagus and sauce with chicken.

Yield, 4 servings, 1 chicken breast, asparagus and 2 TB sauce

6 points each (289 calories, 2.8g fiber, 8g fat)

Microwave Potato Nachos

Made the family the less healthy version of this, and had this version myself.

• 1 large baking potato, scrubbed
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/3 c bottled chunky salsa
• 1/2 c canned black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/3 c shredded low fat cheddar cheese
• 1 scallion, sliced

Cut the potato into 3/8 in slices, arrange in a single layer on a microwaveable dish. Sprinkle the potatoes with cumin, salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap, prick a few times to vent. Microwave on high until tender, 6 min.

Spoon the salsa over the potatoes, sprinkle with beans and cheese. Microwave, uncovered, until the cheese is melted, 2 min. Sprinkle with the scallion and serve at once.

Yield 4 servings, 1 point each

Baked Ziti Casserole

This one is super easy and can be made mostly with stuff you already have in the house.

• 6 oz uncooked penne or ziti pasta
• 2c basic marinara sauce
• 1 c part skim mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1/4 c Asiago cheese, divided
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 6 oz ground turkey breast

Preheat oven to 350.

Cook pasta according to package directions

Combine all ingredients except half of mozzarella and asiago cheeses in a casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray. Stir well. Top with remaining cheese.

Bake at 350 for 3 mins, or until cheese is slightly browned. Let stand 5 min before serving.

Yield 4 servings, 1 cup each, 7 points

Catfish Sandwiches with Creole Mayonnaise

I made this the other night and it's not only delicious, but really easy. This is one of the best new recipes I've tried in a while. You can also cook the fish on the grill or, as I did, in a skillet with some olive oil.

• Cooking spray
• 4x 6-oz catfish fillets
• 1.5 tsp cajun seasoning
• 4x 1.5 oz hamburger buns
• 3 TB fat free mayonnaise
• 1.5 tsp shallots
• 1.25 tsp whole grain dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• 4 curly leaf lettuce leaves
• 4 thick slices tomato
• 8 tsp sweet pickle relish

Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle fish filets with cajun seasoning on both sides. Add fillets to pan, cook 4 min on each side.

Place buns, cut side down, in pan. Cook until toasted, remove.

Combine mayonnaise, shallots, mustard and lemon juice, stirring well. Line bottom of each bun with mayonnaise mixture, lettuce and tomato (1 TB mayo per sandwich). Place fish on top, and cover with top bun.

Yield, 4 servings, 7 points each