Roll up your sleeves and dig into some of the best recipes of the season. Inspired by top-notch ingredients and practical techniques, we've put together menus and serving ideas for the food you want to cook right now.

Finger food or fork-food? Room temp or chilled? However you like to picnic, we have your menu. We've packed these three moveable feasts with our favorite WeightWatchers.com recipes—the summer's best fresh, portable fare. And we've tossed in real-life tips for keeping the basket and the blanket neat and cool.

Go Forkless
Just bring napkins. And pack these cookies in a container rather than plastic bag so they don't break.

Festive Feta Spread


snacks
POINTS® Value: 3
Servings: 16
Preparation Time: 15 min
Cooking Time: 0 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

This holiday-themed dip was a favorite at a recent recipe tasting. It stays fresh in the refrigerator for up to five days so it's great for unplanned gatherings.

Ingredients
7 oz roasted red peppers, packed in water, drained
1 pound 1/3 less-fat cream cheese, two 8-oz blocks, softened, cut up
4 oz reduced-fat feta cheese, crumbled
1 large garlic clove(s), peeled
1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
3 Tbsp dill, fresh, chopped
1/4 cup dill, fresh, whole sprigs
10 1/2 oz baked low-fat tortilla chips

Instructions
Remove a 1 1/2-inch piece from one of the roasted peppers (to use for garnish); wrap and refrigerate. Combine remaining roasted peppers, cream cheese, feta cheese, garlic and black pepper in a food processor; process until smooth. Add chopped dill; pulse until evenly distributed.
Scrape mixture into a serving bowl; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour (or up to 5 days) to firm up slightly and for flavors to blend.
To serve, smooth surface of spread with a spatula. Arrange dill sprigs on top in a circular fashion to form a “wreath;” cut reserved piece of roasted pepper into tiny “berries" and place on wreath. Or create any other decorative pattern you desire. Yields about 3 tablespoons of spread and 8 chips per serving.

Notes
This recipe can be cut in half to serve 8, but it keeps so well (up to 5 days refrigerated) that it makes sense to make the whole batch to have on hand for those unexpected holiday guests. Serve with pita wedges, whole grain crisp breads or crackers and/or raw vegetables. (The dip alone is 2 POINTS values for 3 tablespoons.)

Tarragon Chicken Salad Wrap


sandwiches
POINTS® Value: 5
Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 15 min
Cooking Time: 0 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

Fresh tarragon is a delicious addition to chicken salad. Serve this fresh, flavorful wrap with a bowl of your favorite soup.

Ingredients
2 cup cooked chicken breast, diced
3 Tbsp reduced-calorie mayonnaise
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped
1 cup sugar snap peas, chopped (or blanched first if desired)
1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste
4 medium tortilla, flour, fat-free, 6 inches each
8 piece lettuce

Instructions
Combine chicken, mayonnaise, lemon juice, tarragon and snap peas together in a large bowl; mix until chicken is well coated. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Lay tortillas on a flat surface. Place 1/4 of chicken salad in center of each tortilla; top each with 2 lettuce leaves and roll up, folding in ends.

Yields 1 wrap per serving.

Lemon-Lime Cookie Crisps


desserts
POINTS® Value: 1
Servings: 10
Preparation Time: 15 min
Cooking Time: 11 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

These ultra-thin cookies are super crunchy and flavorful. Swap orange zest for the lemon or lime if you prefer.

Ingredients
3 1/3 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1/2 Tbsp sugar
2 large egg white(s)
1/3 cup cake flour
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp lemon zest, finely chopped
2 tsp lime zest, finely chopped

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Place parchment paper on 2 cookie sheets.

Using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar in a medium bowl until light and fluffy. Add egg white and stir until just blended. Sift cake flour over butter mixture and mix with a spoon; fold in vanilla.

Remove half of batter and place in a medium bowl; set aside. Fold lemon zest into one bowl and lime zest into other bowl.

Drop heaping teaspoons of batter onto prepared cookie sheets leaving at least 3-inches between each cookie. When cookie sheet is full, flatten out cookies with back of a spoon so cookies look almost translucent and measure about 3-inches across. (You may have to do this in batches depending on the size of your cookie sheets.)

Bake until edges start to brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from oven and quickly transfer cookies to a cooling rack using a thin metal spatula.

Yields 4 cookies per serving.

Notes
Store cookies in an airtight container to retain crispness.For a nutty flavored-cookie, skip the zest and add 1 teaspoon of almond extract instead.These cookies can be curled for a special-occasion look. Just remove the cookies from the cookie sheet straight from the oven and drape them over a rounded surface like a small bottle or rolling pin. The cookies will wrap around the rounded surface and cool in a curl.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Small Bites, Big Flavors
Cut the pasta ingredients into small pieces and you won't have to bring knives.

Tomato, Basil and Smoked Mozzarella Pasta Salad

main meals
POINTS® Value: 4
Servings: 6
Preparation Time: 15 min
Cooking Time: 9 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

Vine-ripened tomatoes, fresh basil and smoky mozzarella have natural affinities—add balsamic-infused pasta and you've got a wonderful meal.

Ingredients
8 oz uncooked fusilli, or other spiral pasta
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar, or more to taste
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 cup cherry tomato(es), or grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup basil, fresh, chopped
1/2 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, smoked, diced
1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste

Instructions
Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and transfer to a large bowl. Add vinegar, oil and oregano; toss to coat.
Fold in tomatoes, basil and mozzarella; season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm or chilled.

Yields about 1 cup per serving.

Notes
For an interesting flavor boost, add sun-dried tomatoes to this recipe. Place 1/4 cup of dried sun-dried tomatoes in a bowl and cover them with boiling water; set aside for 10 minutes to allow the tomatoes to plump up. Drain well and substitute them for half the cherry tomatoes in the recipe.

Mini-Pita Snackwiches

sandwiches
POINTS® Value: 2
Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 5 min
Cooking Time: 0 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

These filling little tidbits are a little like tea sandwiches. If you can't find three-pepper hummus (look in the natural-foods section of your supermarket, or try a natural food store), use regular hummus.

Ingredients
4 small wheat pita(s), toasted and halved
1/4 cup store-bought hummus, three-pepper flavor
1/4 medium cucumber(s), cut into 24 slices
2 small radishes, cut into 12 slices
1/2 cup alfalfa sprouts

Instructions
Spread each pita half with 2 teaspoons of hummus. Fill each half with 3 cucumber slices, 3 radish slices and 1 tablespoon sprouts.

Mini Brownie Candy Bars

desserts
POINTS® Value: 3
Servings: 16
Preparation Time: 10 min
Cooking Time: 30 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

These delectable morsels are the perfect after-dinner party treat. Freeze leftovers individually for easy portion control — if there are any!

Ingredients
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cup unpacked brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 Tbsp water
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 large egg white(s)
1/3 cup milk chocolate chips

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
Combine flour, brown sugar and baking powder in a large bowl; mix well. Add applesauce, water, vanilla extract and egg whites; blend well. Spoon batter into pan and smooth top; sprinkle with chocolate chips.

Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool completely before cutting into 16 pieces.

Soup and Sandwiches
Serve the soup in paper cups or plastic bowls.

Eggplant Sandwich Provencal

light meals
POINTS® Value: 5
Servings: 1
Preparation Time: 20 min
Cooking Time: 5 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

Make this sandwich the night before, roll it tightly in plastic wrap, and leave in the refrigerator so the flavors can blend together.

Ingredients
1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
1/4 medium raw eggplant, about 2 slices, 1/2-inch-thick each
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 slice high-fiber bread, multigrain or sandwich roll
12 medium basil, leaves
1/2 cup canned pimento, or about 6 pieces roasted red pepper

Instructions
Sprinkle salt on both sides of eggplant slices. Allow it to sit on a wire rack or in a colander for 20 to 30 minutes. This takes out extra moisture.

Preheat grill, grill pan or sauté pan. Brush eggplant slices with olive oil.

Grill or sauté eggplant slice until cooked but not mushy, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Allow eggplant to cool, then drizzle balsamic vinegar on bread slices and assemble the sandwich: bread, eggplant, basil, red pepper, bread.

Cold Cucumber Soup

soups
POINTS® Value: 1
Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 10 min
Cooking Time: 0 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

Turn your veggies into a frothy, flavorful soup in minutes: simply place all the ingredients in a blender and puree.

Ingredients
1 large cucumber(s), peeled and cut into chunks
4 medium scallion(s), trimmed and cut into pieces
2 Tbsp dill, fresh, sprigs
1 1/2 cup plain fat-free yogurt
1 cup fat-free skim milk
1/2 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 medium orange pepper, or yellow, finely chopped

Instructions
In a blender, combine cucumber, scallions, dill and yogurt; purée. Pour mixture into a bowl; stir in milk, salt and pepper.

Pour mixture into 4 bowls and top each with 1/4 of peppers. Yields about 1 1/4 cups per serving. (Note: Serve soup at room temperature or chilled.)

Lemon-Raspberry Pound Cake

desserts
Was POINTS® Value: 8
Now POINTS® Value: 4
Servings: 10
Preparation Time: 25 min
Cooking Time: 40 min
Level of Difficulty: Moderate

Wow! Buttery-tasting pound cake without all the guilt! We omitted lots of fat and sugar and added the sweet and tart flavors of lemon and raspberry.

Ingredients
2 sprays cooking spray, or enough to coat pan
2 1/4 cup cake flour, sifted
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp table salt
5 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 Tbsp sugar
1 large egg(s)
2 large egg white(s)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp lemon zest, finely grated (zested)
1 cup fat-free vanilla yogurt
1 cups raspberries, frozen (keep frozen until ready to use)

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat a 6-cup tube pan or Bundt pan with cooking spray.

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter until creamy; gradually beat in sugar, about 2 to 3 minutes, until mixture is light in color. Gradually beat in egg, egg whites, extract and lemon peel. Beat in flour mixture and yogurt, alternating each, beginning and ending with flour mixture; fold in raspberries.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean, about 30 to 40 minutes. Cool in pan, on a rack, for 10 minutes. Slide a thin knife around the edges of cake to loosen, invert pan onto rack and cool completely; slice into 10 pieces and serve.

Chef Tips
We renovated Lemon-Raspberry Pound Cake by:
Using considerably less butter than normal.
Opting for nonfat yogurt instead of the full-fat variety, and using it to replace most of the butter.
Coating the pan with cooking spray instead of butter.
Cutting back on sugar and replacing the sweetness with natural flavors.

Pack Your Things and Go
When making a wrap, keep the filling on the dry side so your sandwiches won't get soggy. Roll up your wraps in foil then, as you eat, you can fold down or peel away the foil and nothing falls out.
– Leslie Fink, nutritionist/recipe editor

Freeze small bottles of water or juice boxes to use in place of ice packs. Your drinks will be frosty cold, and you'll save on space.
– Lisa Chernick, executive food editor

Round out any picnic with fresh fruit from a farmer's market—white nectarines, juicy plums, and sweet cherries, etc.
– Leslie Fink, nutritionist/recipe editor

Watermelon doesn't have to be heavy and messy... Cut it up into bite-size pieces and bring them in a covered plastic bowl. Serve with toothpicks.
– Lisa Chernick, executive food editor

Salad Bar Savvy article form WW.com

It's just lettuce and some vegetables, right? Wrong. Some of today's salad bars are mini buffets, dishing out everything from fried chicken strips to macaroni salad to mozzarella balls marinated in flavored oil. If you're not careful with your pickings, what could be a healthy, fresh flavorful meal can turn into a high POINTS® values nightmare—and we haven't even talked about dressings yet!

Topping
Measurement
POINTS Value

Grilled, skinless chicken
1/2 cup
3

Seasoned croutons
1/2 cup
2

Raw broccoli florets
1/2 cup
0

Chopped bacon
3 slices
4

Sliced avocado
1/4 cup
2

Canned chickpeas
1/2 cup
2

Cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup
0

Shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup
3

Creamy white dressing
2 Tbsp
4

Balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp
0

We all know that fast food ranks low when it comes to nutritious eating. But how many of us know that some salads can be worse for them than a burger and fries? There are wise salad choices. Use the information below to see how salad bar items measure up and to learn how to keep your bowl on the light side.

What's in Yours? Here are the POINTS values for seven pre-made salads often doled out by the scoopful:

Half cup of…
POINTS Value

Shrimp salad
3

Three-bean salad
3

Potato salad
4

Macaroni salad
6

Chicken salad
6

Tuna salad
7

Egg salad
8

And some ready-made salads:

3 cups of…
POINTS Value

Chef's salad, with dressing
6

Caesar salad, with dressing
7

Greek salad, with dressing
9

Spinach salad, with dressing
10

Dressings are often where the calories add up:

2 tablespoons of…
POINTS Value

Balsamic or red wine vinegar
0

Fat-free Italian salad dressing
0

Fat-free salad dressing (not Italian)
1

Reduced-calorie Italian dressing
1

Reduced-calorie dressing
2

Creamy salad dressing
4

Italian-type salad dressing
4

When you're in a rut, give your salad a boost with a small amount of crunchy or highly flavored items:

For a POINTS value of 1 you can have…

Amount

Sesame seeds
1 Tbsp

Sliced water chestnuts
1/2 cup

Dried cranberries
2 Tbsp

Chopped avocado
2 Tbsp

Fried noodles
2 Tbsp

Crumbled feta cheese
5 tsp

Imitation bacon bits
2 Tbsp

Olives
10 large

And don't forget that fresh vegetables have a POINTS value of 0 per serving. They're loaded with fiber, which can help you feel full, and packed with nutrients. And make sure to include some fat in your salad since you need fat to absorb any of the fat-soluble vitamins the vegetables may contain.

Salad Bar Strategies
Look for beads of oil. If the container of peppers or chickpeas has oil droplets floating on the top, you know they've been marinated in something fattening. Each teaspoon of oil has a POINTS value of 1, which can add up quickly.

Look for fresh or raw items instead. Or take a small spoonful of the marinated item and mix it in with the rest of your salad, using the oil as dressing.

Pay attention to shape. Small pieces of foods can be mixed into a salad much easier than items that are whole or in big strips. You can get more flavor with each bite while using a lesser amount of fattening foods. Look for shredded cheese, not cubes; sliced or slivered almonds, not whole ones; and crumbled bacon, not roughly broken slices.

Make tasty compromises.

Looking for crunch? Swap chopped apples for croutons. Want something more exciting than plain, grilled chicken? Opt for barbecued strips; not fried ones.

Hate the store's low-fat or fat-free dressings? Keep your favorite low POINTS value dressing or flavored vinegar at your office.

Love cheese? Go for soft varieties like crumbled feta and goat cheese since ounce for ounce, they're lower in calories than hard cheeses like Swiss and Cheddar.

Ask for dressing on the side. This way you control how much you eat. Some of the ladles used to portion out dressing can hold as much as 1/4 cup. That's 4 tablespoons—the equivalent of a POINTS value of 9 if it's a creamy dressing.

Eat more filling items. A little protein and fat can do wonders for appetite control, so make sure your bowl contains more than just lettuce and fat-free dressing. Plus, items like beans and lean animal protein are nutrition powerhouses. For a POINTS value of 2, you can have:

1/2 cup of shelled edamame

1/2 cup of chickpeas

1/2 cup of teriyaki tofu

3 ounces of shrimp

2 ounces of skinless chicken breast

1 large egg

You are bound to make a meal out of these recipes!

Vegetable Barley
4 servings
3 pts/Core

1 2/3 C water
½ C medium pearl barley
½ t salt
1 C fresh snow peas
1 small sweet red pepper, chopped
1 T canola oil
4 green onions, thinly sliced
2 T lemon juice
1 t grated lemon peel

In a large sauce, bring water to a boil. Stir in barley and salt. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 45-50 minutes or until tender.

In a small skillet, sauté snow peas and red pepper in oil for 2 minutes. Add onions; sauté 2 minutes longer or until vegetables are tender.

Remove barley from the heat; stir in the lemon juice, lemon peel and vegetable mixture.

148 cal, 4 g fat, 6 g fiber, 302 mg sodium, 25 g carbs, 0 chol


Milk Free Cornbread
9 servings
3 pts

1 C all purpose flour
1 C cornmeal
¼ C sugar
2 t baking powder
¼ t salt
1 egg*
1 C rice drink (I like Rice Dream Original Enriched)
2 T canola oil
2 T unsweetened applesauce

In a small bowl, combine the first five ingredients. In another bowl, whisk the egg, rice drink, oil, and applesauce. Stir into the dry ingredients just until moistened. Transfer to a 9” square baking pan coated with cooking spray.
Bake at 425° for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Serve warm.
*You can use Ener-g Egg Replacer to make vegan
178 cal, 4 g fat, 2 g fib, 173 mg sod, 31 g carbs, 24 mg chol

Cheese Straws
4 dozen
0 pt per (every 2 = 1 pt)

1 C all purpose flour
1 ½ t baking powder
½ t salt
½ C shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
2 T plus 1 ½ t cold butter
1/3 C fat-free milk
2 t paprika

In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir in cheese. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add milk, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball.

On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 12” square. Cut in half lengthwise; cut each half widthwise into ½” strips. Sprinkle with paprika.

Place 1” apart on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 6-8 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.
1 Straw = 19 cals, 1 g fat, trace fib, 2 g carbs, 52 mg sod, 2 mg chol


Fettuccine Slaw
14 servings
2 pts

8 ozs. Uncooked fettuccine*
3 C finely chopped cabbage
4 celery ribs, sliced
2 C thinly sliced cucumbers
2 C shredded carrots
1 C reduced-fat plain yogurt
½ C reduced fat mayonnaise
2 T white vinegar
1 t sugar
½ t salt
½ t ground mustard
¼ t white pepper

Break fettuccine into thirds. Cook according to package directions; drain and rinse in cold water.

In a large bowl, combine the noodles, cabbage, celery, cucumbers, and carrots. In a small bowl combine the remaining ingredients. Pour over the fettuccine mixture and toss to coat. Refrigerate until chilled.
*Use whole wheat to help meet good health guidelines
Could be Core if you use WW noodles and fat free yogurt and mayo

¾ C = 112 cals, 4 g fat, 2 g fat, 17 g carbs, 188 mg sodium, 4 mg chol

Fiesta Salad
4 servings
1 pts
2 C torn romaine
¾ C frozen corn, thawed
1/3 C canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
1 medium carrot, thinly sliced
¼ C torn curly endive
1/3 C salsa
2 T reduced fat sour cream
2 T prepared reduced-fat ranch salad dressing

In a salad bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. In a small bowl, combine the salsa, sour cream, and ranch dressing. Drizzle over salad and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

¾ C = 100 clas, 3 g fat, 4 g fib, 16 g carbs, 235 mg sod, 5 mg chol, 1 Veggie serving
I’ll take this over a 100 cal pack any day!!!!!!!


Couscous with Feta ‘n’ Tomatoes
6 servings
3 pts

1 C boiling water
½ C sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil)
1 can (14.5 ozs) vegetable broth
1 ¼ C uncooked couscous
½ C crumbled feta cheese *
¼ C minced fresh parsley
1 ½ t minced fresh oregano or ½ t dried oregano
3 t lemon juice
1 t water
1 t olive oil

In a small bowl, pour boiling water over tomatoes; let stand for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring broth to a boil. Stir in couscous. Remove from the heat; let stand, covered for 5 minutes or until broth is absorbed.
Drain and chop tomatoes; add to couscous. Gently stir in the remaining ingredients. Serve warm or chilled.

*You can use fat free feta cheese to save some cals and fat grams
Could be core if you used another tomato instead of sundried, and if you use FF feta.
¾ C = 187 cals, 3 g fat, 3 g fib, 33 g carbs, 481 mg sod, 5 mg chol

Dijon Chicken with Grapes
4 servings
5 pts

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts halves (4 ozs. each)
1 t olive oil
½ C refrigerated nondairy creamer
2 T Dijon mustard
¾ C seedless red grapes, halved
¾ C seedless green grapes, halved

In a large nonstick skillet coated with spray, cook chicken inoil over medium heat 4-5 minutes on each side or until juices run clear. Remove and keep warm.

Add creamer to skillet; cook over medium-low heat, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan. Whisk in mustard until blended. Add grapes; cook and stir until heated through. Serve over chicken.

224 cals, 7 g fat, 1 g fib, 16 g carbs, 245 mg sod, 63 mg chol, and 1 fruit serving!

Inside Out Cabbage Rolls
6 servings
5 pts

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 lg. onion, chopped
1 lg. green pepper, chopped
1 sm head cabbage, chopped
1 10 oz. can diced tomatoes and green chilies
1 C reduced-sodium beef broth
1 can (8 ozs.) pizza sauce
1 C cooked brown rice
½ C shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

In a Dutch oven, cook the beef, onion, and green pepper over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.

Stir in the cabbage, tomatoes, broth, and pizza sauce. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until cabbage is tender, stirring occasionally.

Stir in rice; heat through. Remove from the heat. Sprinkle with cheese; cover and let stand until cheese is melted.

1 1/3 C = 244 cals, 8 g fat, 5 g fib, 23 g carbs, 502 mg sod, 45 mg chol

Tomato-Walnut Pesto on Linguine
8 servings
5 pts

½ C sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil)
½ C boiling water
12 ozs. uncooked linguine
2 C loosely packed basil leaves
¼ C grated parmesan cheese
1 garlic clove, peeled
1/3 C reduced-sodium chicken broth
¼ C chopped walnuts, toasted
¼ t salt
1/8 t pepper
3 T olive oil

Place the tomatoes in a small bowl; add boiling water. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Meanwhile cook linguine according to package directions.

Place the basil, parm cheese, and garlic in a food processor; cover and pulse until chopped. Add the tomatoes with liquid, broth, walnuts, salt and pepper; cover and process until blended. While processing, gradually add oil in a steady stream.

Drain linguine; toss with pesto. Serve immediately.

¾ C = 244 cals, 9 g fat, 3 g fib, 33 g carbs, 212 mg sod, 2 mg chol


Summer Fruit Crisp
10 servings
5 pts

4 C fresh dark sweet cherries (about 1 ¼ pounds), pitted
4 C sliced fresh peeled peaches
1/3 C sugar
2 T all-purpose flour
1/8 t salt

Topping:
½ C old fashioned oats
½ C packed brown sugar
1/3 C all purpose flour
¼ C chopped pecans
¼ t salt
¼ t ground cinnamon
3 T cold butter

In a large bowl, combine the cherries through salt. Transfer to a 9 x 13 sprayed baking dish.

For topping, in a small bowl, combine the oats through cinnamon and cut in the butter, until crumbly. * Sprinkle over fruit mixture.

Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until filling is bubbly and topping is golden brown. Serve warm.
*I use earth Balance in place of butter, vegan (tastes just like butter)

234 cals, 6 g fat, 3 g fib, 128 mg sod, 45 g carbs, 9 mg chol

Blueberry Shortcake
4 Serv
4 Pts

4 T sugar, divided
2 t all purpose flour
1/8 t ground cinnamon
1 C plus 2 T reduced-fat biscuit/baking mix
1/3 C fat-free milk
1 C fresh or frozen blueberries

In a small bowl, combine 2 T sugar, flour and cinnamon; set aside. In another bowl, combine the bicuit mix. Milk, and remaining sugar.
Spread half of the batter into a 1 qt. baking dish coated with cooking spray; top with half of the blueberries and half of the reserved sugar mixture. Repeat layers.
Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Serve warm if desired, or cool on a wire rack.

1 piece = 209 cals, 2 g fat, 1 g fib, 44 g carbs, 403 mg sod, trace chol


Head to Head knock-out fight!
2 T of guacamole and 2/3 C salsa both have 50 calories. You decide who wins this match! Personally, I think it is a tie, as they both taste great. When counting pts, Salsa is the hands down winner. Of course, you can make a Core guac, but do keep in mind, do you need to eat the whole bowl since it is Core. That would be a lot of extra cals and fat grams!

3 ¼ C air-popped popcorn and 1 C potato chips both have 100 calories. You choose!

Flooding continues

I would like to put a message out to Lisa S. in Cedar Rapids. I do not know if you are safe from the flooding, but I hope you are. I doubt you will see this, but I want you to know I am thinking aout you, in case you do.

For those with family in the Midwest dealing with the tornadoes and floods, my thoughts are extended to you and your family. May everyone be safe and find the strength and resources needed to recover.

For all those in Indiana that are continuing to face the flood waters, you are in still in my thoughts.

Floods

My thoughts and prayers are extended to those who were affected by the floods of this weekend. I do hope that everyone is okay and dry. Please know that I am thinking of those suffering through this terrible catastrophe.