Creamed Spinach

Creamed Spinach, LT04, 4 points

Ingredients

1/4 cup diced onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1-1/4 cups fat-free half-and-half
4 ounces fat-free cream cheese, cubed
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 package (16 ounces) frozen leaf spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon shredded Parmesan cheese, divided

Directions

In a large nonstick skillet, saute onion and garlic in butter until tender. Stir in flour until blended. Gradually whisk in half-and-half until blended. Bring to a boil over medium-low heat; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until slightly thickened.

Add the cream cheese, salt, nutmeg and pepper, stirring until cream cheese is melted. Stir in spinach and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese; heat through. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately. Yield: 5 servings.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving (1/2 cup) equals 131 calories, 4 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 12 mg cholesterol, 704 mg sodium, 13 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 10 g protein.
Diabetic Exchanges: 1 vegetable, 1 fat, 1/2 fat-free milk.

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Made March 6th. I used neufchatel cream cheese instead of FF, so the points may be a little bit different. I thought about buying the FF, but decided to go with the product that had more natural ingredients.

I made this as a side dish to the Grilled Mango Glazed Ham. This reminded me a lot of a spinach dip. I felt like it needed artichoke hearts :) In fact, I ended up putting chips and crackers on the table. It's ok by itself, but my favorites were with the Ritz Whole Grain crackers and tortilla chips.

I didn't get shredded parmesan for this but used the grated I had on hand. The asthetics probably would have been a bit better for the final look with the shredded vs the grates.

Ham and Noodle Casserole

Ham and Noodle Casserole LT04, 151, 4 pts for 8 servings

Ingredients

6 ounces uncooked yolk-free fine noodles
1-1/2 cups (12 ounces) 1% small-curd cottage cheese
1 package (10 ounces) frozen mixed vegetables, thawed and drained
1 cup cubed fully cooked lean ham
3/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/4 cup fat-free milk
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon dill weed or 1 tablespoon snipped fresh dill
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

Cook noodles according to package directions; drain. In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Add noodles and toss to coat. Transfer to a 2-qt. baking dish coated with cooking spray.

Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover; bake 5-10 minutes longer or until heated through. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Yield: 4 servings.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving (1-1/2 cups) equals 266 calories, 5 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 21 mg cholesterol, 702 mg sodium, 32 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 21 g protein.
Diabetic Exchanges: 2 lean meat, 1-1/2 starch, 1 vegetable.

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Made Feb 24th. The recipe was pretty easy to put together, and it got a thumbs up from everyone but Aaron.

I accidently added the whole 8 oz bag of noodles when it only required 6, and the same happened with the mixed vegetables. I ended up using the entire 16 oz bag instead of just 10 oz. As for effecting the recipe, it didn't really - only in the point value. But, it evens out because it creates more servings which in turn lowers the point value.

I have no idea how the published nutritional info only equals 4 points for 4 servings because there are a lot of high calorie items in the recipe: ham, sour cream, cottage cheese, even the noodles are pretty high point. Oh well. This recipe is a keeper.

Sweet Potato Lentil Soup (Crockpot)

Sweet Potato Lentil Soup LT04, 183, 5 pts

Ingredients

4 cups vegetable broth
3 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed (about 1-1/4 pounds)
1-1/2 cups lentils, rinsed
3 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro or parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

In a slow cooker, combine the first nine ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or until vegetables are tender. Stir in the cilantro and salt.
Yield: 6 servings.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving (1-1/3 cups) equals 247 calories, 1 g fat(trace saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 785 mg sodium, 48 g carbohydrates, 13 g fiber, 14 g protien.
Diabetic Exchanges: 2-1/2 starch, 1 very lean meat, 1 vegetable.

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Made Feb 21st. This is one of those rare recipes that didn't make it to the website which didn't seem like a big stroke in its favor, but I was pleasantly surprised. I prepared this for our Sunday meal, so the house was smelling really good when we got home from church. Matthew and I liked it, Jared thought it was so-so, and Aaron wouldn't touch it.

This recipe is my first really good experience with lentils. They turned out so soft, and the sweet potatoes and carrots blended into a really good flavor. This dish is really filling and hearty too. I would be willing to make this again.

Taco Soup

Taco Soup LT04, 40, 4 pts

Made on Feb 11th. I happened to have exactly the 4 cups of V8 sitting in my fridge which is one of the reasons I chose this recipe. This tasted similar to a crockpot taco soup I like, but it was so much quicker. I added a can of kidney beans and a can of corn to give it so more umph. Matthew said it made it seem more like a chili though. We all really liked it. Definitely a keeper!

Spinach Stuffed Pizza

Spinach Stuffed Pizza LT04, 183, 5 pts

Made on Feb 13th. The recipe says it makes 6 servings, but I divided it into 8 pieces.

This was my first experience using frozen bread dough, but it wasn't too bad. I was surprised that I liked the flavor of the pizza (and the crust was delicious), but I couldn't eat more than the 2 pieces for my serving. It isn't a pizza where I liked it so much I couldn't stop myself. I had a hard time stomaching the idea of eating a leftover piece later. It was good, but not that good. Interestingly, this is one of the few meals that Aaron seemed to like. He actually ate all of his two pieces. Jared barely made it to the end of his first piece.

I like the concept of the stuffed pizza, but if I made it again I would probably make a more traditional pizza.

Ranch Ham n Cheese Pasta

Ranch Ham 'N' Cheese Pasta LT04, 185, 7 pts

Made on Feb 3rd. I really liked this recipe! I could have eaten the whole entire bowl of it. The boys seemed to like it too, but the penne seemed too cumbersome for them. I thought the flavor was comparable to a boxed ranch flavor pasta, but so much better. I would definitely make this again!

Lemon Blueberry Pancakes

Lemon Blueberry Pancakes LT04, 98, 7 pts for 2 pancakes

Made on Feb 14th along with Ham and Cheese Strudel (LT02, 102, 8 pts). Normally I make smaller pancakes because the batter goes farther, but this time I decided to do the full 1/4 cup pancake and ended up with the exact number the recipe gives - 8. Amazingly, these were actually filling! I'm sure it was because they were thick and hearty. We liked the yogurt and berry topping too.

I'm sure one could change the flavors up by substituting another flavor yogurt and fruit, such as peaches or raspberries.

Broccoli Wild Rice Soup

Broccoli Wild Rice Soup LT04, 262, 4 pts

Ingredients

5 cups water
1 package (6 ounces) long grain and wild rice mix
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) reduced-fat reduced-sodium condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1-1/2 cups fat-free milk
1 package (8 ounces) fat-free cream cheese, cubed
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
1 large carrot, shredded
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Directions

In a large saucepan, combine the water and rice mix with contents of seasoning packet; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the soup, milk, cream cheese and salt; stir until cheese is melted. Add broccoli and carrot; cook over medium-low heat for 5-6 minutes or until vegetables and rice are tender. Sprinkle with almonds. Yield: 6 servings.

Editor's Note: This recipe was tested with Uncle Ben's Original Long Grain and Wild Rice mix.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving (1-1/2 cups) equals 232 calories, 5 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 10 mg cholesterol, 927 mg sodium, 35 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 14 g protein.
Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 starch, 1 lean meat, 1 vegetable, 1/2 fat-free milk.

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I made this tasty soup tonight, Feb 23rd. Everyone liked it. Well, Aaron only ate the broccoli out of it, but that's more than he's been doing at dinner. This is a quick meal to put together. I toasted the almonds in the oven and over did it, so they added a smokey kind of flavor to the soup.

Black Bean Chicken Salad

Black Bean Chicken Salad LT04, 64, 7 pts

Made on Feb 21st paired with the Sweet Potato Lentil Soup (LT04, 183, 5 pts). Matthew and I really liked the salad. It's the first time I've really given red onions a chance and discovered I actually like them!

I used Tyson Teriyaki Chicken fillets for the chicken which worked really well. I'm disappointed that the point level is so high, but between the chicken and dressing it is reasonable. A full serving is 2 cups, but 1 cup (3.5 points) with another low point item makes a decent meal without a lot of points.

Apple Chicken Quesadillas Recipe | Taste of Home Recipes

Apple Chicken Quesadillas Recipe | Taste of Home Recipes

Made Feb 25, 2010. Calculated at 4 points. I used 6 inch tortillas and ended up with 10 servings (1 quesadilla = 1 serving). This recipe was really easy to put together and delicious! Definitely one I'd make again.