Read an Excerpt
Weight Watchers What to Cook Now
300 Recipes for Every Kitchen
By Weight Watchers St. Martin's Press
Copyright © 2014 Weight Watchers International, Inc.
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4668-4292-2
CHAPTER 1
breakfasts and brunches
Savory Swiss Chard and Feta Tart
poached eggs with green chile–tomato sauce
Serves 4 • Vegetarian
½ teaspoon olive oil
1 onion, halved lengthwise and sliced
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (14½-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
4 large eggs
½ cup shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese
2 whole wheat English muffins, split and toasted
1 Heat oil in medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, and jalapeño and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 30 seconds.
2 Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, and salt. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir in cilantro.
3 With back of spoon, make four wells in sauce and carefully break 1 egg into each. Cover and simmer until whites are opaque and yolks are set, 5–6 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover and simmer until cheese melts, about 1 minute.
4 Place a muffin half on each of 4 plates; top each with an egg and spoon sauce evenly around muffins.
PER SERVING (1 egg with sauce and ½ muffin): 238 Cal, 10 g Total Fat, 4 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 220 mg Chol, 914 mg Sod, 26 g Carb, 5 g Fib, 14 g Prot, 249 mg Calc.
PointsPlus value: 6.
cook's note
If breakfast time is too early in the day for you to enjoy spicy foods, skip the jalapeño and use regular canned diced tomatoes in this recipe.
cremini, spinach, and goat cheese frittata
Serves 4 • Vegetarian • Ready in 20 minutes or less
4 large eggs
4 large egg whites
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 (6-ounce) bag baby spinach
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
1 Whisk together eggs, egg whites, ¼ teaspoon salt, and pepper in large bowl.
2 Spray 10-inch nonstick ovenproof skillet with nonstick spray and set over medium heat. Add mushrooms and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and most of liquid evaporates, about 8 minutes. Add spinach, in batches if necessary, and cook, stirring constantly, until wilted and most of liquid evaporates, about 2 minutes.
3 Preheat broiler.
4 Pour egg mixture evenly over vegetables. Reduce heat and cook until eggs are set, 7–8 minutes (but do not stir).
5 Top eggs evenly with tomatoes; sprinkle with cheese. Place skillet under broiler and broil frittata 5 inches from heat until top is lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Cut into 4 wedges.
PER SERVING (1 wedge): 164 Cal, 9 g Total Fat, 4 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 193 mg Chol, 504 mg Sod, 7 g Carb, 2 g Fib, 15 g Prot, 105 mg Calc.
PointsPlus value: 4.
cook's note
This colorful frittata, packed with fresh veggies, is perfect for a casual brunch or lunch. It's as delicious at room temperature as it is hot, so you can even make it ahead.
how to sauté
To cook food quickly in a skillet over medium-high heat in a small amount of oil.
what you need
• A large heavy-bottomed nonstick skillet big enough to hold the food you are cooking in a single layer.
• Plastic-tipped tongs, wooden spoon, or silicone spatula for turning or stirring the food without harming the surface of the skillet.
how it's done
Heat small amount of oil in the skillet over medium heat (2 teaspoons of oil is enough for a 12-inch skillet). Season meats or seafood or dredge in seasoned flour and add to the skillet. For vegetables, just add them to skillet. Wait 1 to 2 minutes to turn or stir. Meats and seafood should develop a brown crust before turning.
Turn meats several times (fish is the exception; since it is delicate, turn it only once) and stir vegetables often until they reach the desired degree of doneness.
sausage and pepper breakfast wraps
Serves 2 • Ready in 20 minutes or less
4 frozen fully cooked turkey breakfast sausage links (3 ounces), thawed and sliced
½ cup diced red onion
½ cup diced red bell pepper
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Pinch salt
2 (8-inch) whole-grain tortillas, warmed
1/3 cup shredded fat-free Cheddar cheese
1 Spray medium nonstick skillet with nonstick spray and set over medium heat. Add sausage, onion, and bell pepper to skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
2 Meanwhile, whisk together eggs, egg whites, black pepper, and salt in small bowl. Pour evenly over sausage mixture. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook until eggs begin to set, about 1½ minutes, pushing egg mixture toward center of skillet to form large, soft curds. Continue cooking until eggs are just set, about 3 minutes longer.
3 Spoon half of egg mixture along center of each tortilla; top evenly with cheese. Roll up each tortilla and cut in half.
PER SERVING (1 wrap): 324 Cal, 12 g Total Fat, 3 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 229 mg Chol, 792 mg Sod, 27 g Carb, 4 g Fib, 28 g Prot, 183 mg Calc.
PointsPlus value: 8.
smoky sweet potato, canadian bacon, and corn hash
Serves 6
3 medium sweet potatoes (about 2 pounds)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 teaspoon minced chipotle en adobo
¼ teaspoon salt
4 slices Canadian bacon, diced
1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 Pierce potatoes in several places with fork. Place potatoes in microwavable dish. Cover with wax paper and microwave on high until potatoes feel soft when pressed, but are not fully cooked, about 10 minutes. Carefully transfer potatoes to cutting board, cut in half lengthwise, and let cool.
2 Meanwhile, spray large nonstick skillet with nonstick spray and set over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring often, until tender and lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
3 Peel and chop potatoes and add to skillet. Stir in chipotle and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender and golden, about 8 minutes. Stir in Canadian bacon and corn and cook to heat through, about 2 minutes. Stir in scallions and cook 1 minute more.
PER SERVING (generous 1 cup): 122 Cal, 2 g Total Fat, 0 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 8 mg Chol, 362 mg Sod, 23 g Carb, 4 g Fib, 6 g Prot, 33 mg Calc.
PointsPlus value: 3.
cook's note
Serve each portion of the hash topped with a poached egg (1 egg will increase the per-serving PointsPlus value by 2.)
italian baked egg and vegetable ramekins
Serves 4 • Vegetarian
1 pound plum tomatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 red bell pepper, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut crosswise into 3/4-inch chunks
1 onion, halved lengthwise and sliced
2 large garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
4 large eggs
¼ cup grated fat-free Parmesan cheese
1 Preheat oven to 400°F and spray a large shallow roasting pan with nonstick spray.
2 Put tomatoes, bell pepper, zucchini, onion, garlic, basil, salt, and pepper in pan and spray with nonstick spray; toss to coat. Roast, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are browned and crisp-tender, about 30 minutes.
3 Spray four 8- or 10-ounce ramekins or custard cups with nonstick spray. Divide vegetables evenly among cups. Make well in center of vegetables and carefully break 1 egg into each cup. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Place cups on baking sheet and bake until eggs are just set, 20–25 minutes.
PER SERVING (1 ramekin): 157 Cal, 6 g Total Fat, 2 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 191 mg Chol, 455 mg Sod, 15 g Carb, 3 g Fib, 12 g Prot, 142 mg Calc.
PointsPlus value: 4.
cook's note
To make it a meal, serve the baked eggs with reduced-calorie whole-wheat toast (1 slice of reduced-calorie whole-wheat toast per serving will increase the PointsPlus value by 1).
Italian Baked Egg and Vegetable Ramekins
wake-up call
Even though eating breakfast has long been linked to good health and a nutritious diet, skipping the morning meal may seem like an easy way to cut calories when trying to lose weight.
Yet breakfast eaters tend to weigh less than breakfast skippers and some studies have even found that skippers can end up eating more calories through the course of the day compared to those who have an a.m. meal. If you're missing out on breakfast, stop: you're more likely to be famished by lunch and end up eating too much.
Eating breakfast is one of the key strategies for maintaining lost pounds. It can also help to reduce hunger later in the day, as well as provide key nutrients that may enhance physical activity, another key strategy for maintaining weight loss.
The bottom line: Making breakfast part of your daily routine can help you achieve long-term, sustainable weight loss. An ideal breakfast is a combination of protein (which slows digestion) and carbohydrates (which deliver a quick shot of energy). Here are some good choices:
• low-fat cheese and tomato slices on a whole-wheat English muffin
• high-fiber cereal with fat-free or low-fat milk and dried or fresh fruit
• peanut butter and jelly on multigrain or whole wheat bread
• hard-boiled or scrambled eggs (or egg whites) with a slice of whole-wheat toast
• low-fat yogurt and a grain-rich cereal bar
• a banana and a small handful of peanuts or almonds
five easy breakfasts that follow Simple Start
1 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt topped with ½ cup sliced fresh strawberries and 1 slice reduced-calorie rye toast
PointsPlus value: 5
2 slices reduced-calorie whole-wheat toast topped with ½ cup fat-free ricotta cheese and ½ cup fresh raspberries
PointsPlus value: 5
1 cup unsweetened oatmeal (cooked in water) and topped with ½ cup fresh blueberries
PointsPlus value: 5
½ cup Fiber One Original Bran with ¾ cup fat-free milk and ½ of a sliced banana
PointsPlus value: 5
2 poached eggs with 1 slice reduced-calorie whole-wheat toast and ½ cup cherry tomatoes
PointsPlus value: 5
savory swiss chard and feta tart
Serves 12 • Vegetarian
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup olive oil
4–5 tablespoons cold water
1½ pounds Swiss chard, stems and leaves separated and each coarsely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup reduced-sodium vegetable broth
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 large egg
2 large egg whites
¼ cup crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese
8 oil-cured black olives, pitted and chopped
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts
1 Preheat oven to 400°F.
2 To make crust, put whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, and salt in food processor; pulse until blended. Pour oil through feed tube and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Pour water, 1 tablespoon at a time, through feed tube and pulse until dough forms. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; roll out to 13-inch circle and ease it into 11-inch tart pan with removable bottom, pressing dough evenly onto bottom and up sides of pan. Prick dough all over with fork. Roll rolling pin over rim of pan to cut off overhanging dough.
3 Line tart shell with foil; fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until dough looks dried around edges, about 20 minutes; remove foil and weights. Return tart shell to oven and continue to bake just until crust is golden, 10–12 minutes longer. Cool crust in pan on rack 10 minutes.
4 Meanwhile, to make filling, spray large nonstick skillet with nonstick spray and set over medium heat. Add Swiss chard stems and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes. Add Swiss chard leaves and broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until stems and leaves are very tender, 10–12 minutes. Pour mixture into large sieve set over bowl; let drain 10 minutes.
5 Whisk together ricotta, egg, and egg whites in large bowl. Stir in feta, olives, and thyme. Stir in chard mixture. Spoon filling into cooled crust and sprinkle with pine nuts. Bake until top is browned and puffed, about 30 minutes. Let cool at least 10 minutes. Remove tart ring and cut tart into 12 slices. Serve warm or at room temperature.
PER SERVING (1 slice): 170 Cal, 8 g Total Fat, 2 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 25 mg Chol, 321 mg Sod, 18 g Carb, 2 g Fib,7 g Prot, 109 mg Calc.
PointsPlus value: 4.
coconut-almond french toast with tropical fruit
Serves 8 • Vegetarian
1¼ cups almond milk 1 cup fat-free egg substitute 4 tablespoons packed light brown sugar ¼ teaspoon almond extract 8 slices whole wheat sandwich bread 1/3 cup flaked sweetened coconut 2 large bananas, halved lengthwise and sliced 1 mango, peeled, pitted, and diced ½ pineapple, peeled, cored, and diced ½ (1-pound) container strawberries, hulled and diced 1 tablespoon lime juice 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
1 Whisk together almond milk, egg substitute, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, and almond extract in large shallow bowl or pie plate. Dip bread into egg mixture, one slice at a time, until evenly soaked. Sprinkle evenly with coconut.
2 Spray large nonstick skillet with nonstick spray; set over medium heat. Add soaked bread to skillet in batches; cook until browned, 2 minutes on each side.
3 Meanwhile, stir together remaining 2 tablespoons brown sugar, bananas, mango, pineapple, strawberries, and lime juice. Divide French toast among 8 plates; top evenly with fruit. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.
PER SERVING (1 slice French toast with ½ cup fruit): 231 Cal, 3 g Total Fat, 1 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 0 mg Chol, 235 mg Sod, 46 g Carb, 5 g Fib, 8 g Prot, 136 mg Calc.
PointsPlus value: 6.
cook's note
You can use any fruit to make the fruit topping for the French toast, depending on what you have on hand. Try blueberries, raspberries, grapes, or orange segments.
Coconut-Almond French Toast with Tropical Fruit
corn and gruyère spoonbread
Serves 6 • Vegetarian
2 cups fat-free milk
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup cornmeal
1 (10-ounce) package frozen corn kernels, thawed
4 scallions, thinly sliced
½ cup shredded Gruyère cheese
½ red bell pepper, minced
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
2 large egg yolks
4 large egg whites
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
1 Bring milk, oil, and salt to boil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Very slowly whisk in cornmeal. Reduce heat, switch to wooden spoon, and cook, stirring, until mixture is thickened and smooth, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in corn, scallions, cheese, bell pepper, and jalapeño. Stir egg yolks in one at a time, stirring until blended. Transfer mixture to large bowl and let cool slightly.
2 Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray 8-inch-square baking dish with nonstick spray.
3 With electric mixer on high speed, beat egg whites until foamy; add cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form. Stir one fourth of egg whites into cornmeal mixture. Fold in remaining egg whites with rubber spatula. Scrape mixture into baking dish; level top. Bake until puffed and cooked through, about 30 minutes.
PER SERVING (generous 3/4 cup): 207 Cal, 7 g Total Fat, 3 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 72 mg Chol, 304 mg Sod, 25 g Carb, 2 g Fib, 11 g Prot, 209 mg Calc.
PointsPlus value: 5.
cook's note
Spoonbread is almost like a soufflé, achieving its light texture and puffy appearance from beaten egg whites. It's an ideal dish for brunch, or you can serve it as many Southerners do, as a dinnertime side dish.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Weight Watchers What to Cook Now by Weight Watchers. Copyright © 2014 Weight Watchers International, Inc.. Excerpted by permission of St. Martin's Press.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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