Meal Prep 2/4/20

February 4, 2020 / productivemidlifecrisis / Leave a comment

This week, I made a dozen Zero Point Hash Brown Egg Muffins for breakfast. I also prepped a batch of Baked Bacon to use in my Brussels Sprouts Hash with Runny Egg. Perfect for breakfast, lunch or a light dinner. Meal prepped my lunch, and it was the delicious Big Mac Salad! Also prepped a larger version of my Italian Chicken Mini Meatballs and cooked them up in my air fryer, and adjusted the points. Served with my Quick Marinara and Spaghetti Squash. Also made a batch of filling to make my Southwestern Stuffed Peppers to put together for this weekend. Best of all, I made a pan of One Point Brownies! They were DELICIOUS!

Breakfast:

Lunch:

Brussels Sprouts Hash with Runny Egg
(and hot sauce!)

Dinner:

Dessert:

This is a game changer! One Point Brownies! Do not be afraid of the unexpected ingredients! (Beans anyone?)

Please note: I am not a fitness or health professional. I will be listing recipes and meal plans on this blog which follow the WW program, This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical or nutritional information. Before starting any diet program, be sure to consult your medical or health professional.

Big Mac Salad

February 4, 2020 / productivemidlifecrisis / 4 Comments

This salad tastes exactly like a Big Mac, without all the fat and calories of the original! 6 points, including “secret sauce,” on WW Blue Plan. A great substitute!

Assemble sauce first by mixing together the following:

1/2 cup Light mayo

1 Tbsp Ketchup

1 tsp Sugar

1 Tbsp Sweet Relish

2 tsp White Vinegar

1 1/2 tsp Dried Minced Onion

5 pieces Dill Pickle Chips, chopped fine

Mix all ingredients. Let sit in refrigerator for at least an hour to meld flavors. Makes 4 servings. 3 points per serving.

Ingredients for salad:

8 oz. 95% lean ground beef

1/2 onion, diced small

1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

Shredded Iceberg Lettuce

Thinly sliced white onion

1/2 cup Fat Free Cheddar (I used Kraft)

6 dill pickle slices, chopped

Directions:

Spray non-stick pan with cooking spray and saute onion until soft. Add the ground beef and Worcestershire sauce and cook until the beef is no longer pink.

2. Let beef cool and then assemble 2 salads, with lettuce on bottom, ground beef on top, a few slices of thinly sliced onion and cheese. I put the pickles in a separate compartment of my container, so as not to make the lettuce soggy. If serving right away, simply place on top.

Makes 2 salads, each 6 points including one serving of dressing on the WW Blue Plan.

Southwestern Stuffed Peppers

February 4, 2020February 4, 2020 / productivemidlifecrisis / 2 Comments

This recipe doubles the filling, so you can freeze it to cut your prep time the next time you make these. And you will make them again! Makes 10 servings (1 stuffed pepper), at 1 point per serving.

Ingredients:

1 pound lean ground turkey (99% fat free)

Taco seasoning mix

1/2 red onion, diced

12 oz package frozen corn

1 can (14.5 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (14.5 oz) Fire Roasted tomatoes

1/2 cup salsa, fat free (make sure it is 0 points, some have sugar)

1 cup cooked white rice

12 small bell peppers, cored

About 1 cup crushed tomatoes

1.5 cups Kraft Fat Free Cheddar Cheese

Directions:

To make filling:

In a large skillet, saute onions with ground turkey breast until turkey is cooked through. Add the can of tomatoes and taco seasoning. Cook until heated through.

2. Add corn and beans. Cook over medium heat until corn is heated through, and all ingredients are thoroughly mixed together.

3. Add rice and salsa. Mix and heat through. Set aside while you prep the peppers.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and fill the peppers:

4. Place enough crushed tomatoes at the bottom of a casserole dish to cover. Season with salt, onion and garlic powder.

5. Divide half of the mixture among 10 small/medium peppers and place in casserole. You could also use 6 large peppers, but the point value per serving would change to 2. Freeze the other half of the filling mixture to use at a later time. Use within 2 months.

6. Divide cheese evenly over the peppers.

7. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Makes 10 servings at 1 point per serving. If you use 6 large bell peppers, the points would be 2 points per pepper on the WW Blue Plan.

Brussels Sprouts Hash with Runny Egg

February 4, 2020 / productivemidlifecrisis / Leave a comment

This is a delicious and forgiving recipe! I needed to use up a few veggies, starting with Brussels Sprouts. Feel free to experiment! Perfect for breakfast, lunch or a light dinner.

Delicious at 7 points per serving. To lower points, you could use turkey bacon in place of the regular bacon., or lessen the amount of olive oil used.

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 onion, chopped small

2 1/2 cups Brussels Sprouts, shredded (I used a chefs knife for this)

1 small zucchini, shredded

2/3 cup Alexia Hash Browns (different brands will change point value)

4 slices cooked bacon, chopped (Check out the easiest way to cook bacon HERE )

Directions:

In a large non-stick pan, saute the onion and hash browns in the olive oil for 3 minutes over medium heat. Add the Brussels sprouts, bacon and zucchini. Cook through, until a few crusty bits form. Divide mixture in half and place into bowls.

Wipe out the pan, spray with non-stick spray, and cook two eggs over easy, or to your liking. Place on top of each bowl.

I love serving this with hot sauce (no hot sauce is better than Truff!) and breaking the yolk open to eat. Delicious!

Baking Bacon

February 4, 2020 / productivemidlifecrisis / Leave a comment

Life Hack! Easiest way to make bacon – on a sheet pan in the oven!

Directions:

Place bacon directly onto a sheet pan.

Place pan into a cold oven. Set oven to 350 degrees. Check after 15 minutes, and turn bacon over. Cook until desired crispness.

Drain on paper towels. All done at once!

Use in my Bacon Cheddar Ranch salad, or in my Cobb Salad, or anywhere! Is bacon ever wrong??

One Point Brownies

February 3, 2020 / productivemidlifecrisis / Leave a comment

This recipe may sound unbelievable, but it is true! No flour at all! Do not knock these until you try them! I am not a fan of most artificial sweeteners, but I must admit, using Swerve did not give these guys any bitter aftertaste. Makes 9 large, chocolaty brownies at 1 point each on Blue Plan.

Ingredients:

1 can (15.5 oz) black beans

3 eggs

2/3 cup Swerve granulated sweetener

1 Tbsp canola oil

2 Tbsp unsweetened applesauce

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla

60 of Lily’s Dark Chocolate Baking Chips

Directions;

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Drain and rinse black beans. Place into a blender with the three eggs and blend until smooth.

4. Add all other ingredients except for the chocolate chips and blend until smooth.

5. Spray an 8 x 8 baking pan with cooking spray. Pour batter into pan, and top with chocolate chips.

6. Bake for 40-50 minutes until baked through. I started checking the pan at 35 minutes, but they were not completely cooked through until 47 minutes had passed. Your time may differ.

You would never believe that beans are the secret ingredient! That being said, I would definitely not eat too many at one sitting to avoid any possible, ahem, issues. 😉

This recipe makes 9 large brownies, at 1 point per brownie on the WW Blue Plan.

Sausage & Pepper Calzone

January 31, 2020 / productivemidlifecrisis / Leave a comment

This recipe is a lightened up version of a cheesy snack! I use chicken sausage and fat free mozzarella to lessen the points. Each calzone is only 5 points for the whole thing on WW Blue Plan!

Ingredients:

Two Ingredient Dough (1 cup self rising flour, 3/4 cup non-fat Greek yogurt)

1 Bell Pepper, sliced

1/2 Onion, sliced

1/2 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 cup Fat Free Mozzarella (I used Kraft)

Chicken Sausage (I used Nature’s Promise Spicy Italian Sausage)

Directions:

Saute sliced bell pepper, sliced onion and sausage in olive oil until onions and peppers are soft.

2. Divide dough into 4 equal parts. Roll out on floured surface or Silpat.

3. Measure 1 ounce of sausage, some onions and peppers and place onto dough, towards center. Place 1/4 cup of mozzarella on top.

4. Fold dough over filling, sealing the edges. Repeat for the other 3 balls of dough. Spray the top with cooking spray.

5. Place into basket of air fryer. (Can also be baked in a regular oven.) I baked mine for approximately 9-10 minutes at 380 degrees. Check crust for browning, and follow your manufacturer’s guidelines.

Can be served with my Quick Marinara Sauce as a dipping sauce, or eaten as is! 5 points for an entire calzone on WW Blue Plan.

Marinara Sauce

January 31, 2020 / productivemidlifecrisis / Leave a comment

Great on pasta, or as a sauce for my Italian Chicken Mini Meatballs! This is a quick sauce, not an all day traditional meat sauce. No more buying jarred sauce once you see how easy it is to make! Way less sugar as well. Serves 4 at 2 points per serving on WW Blue Plan.

Ingredients:

28 oz can crushed tomatoes

1 Tbsp tomato paste

1/2 onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 Tbsp Olive oil

1 oz red wine

1 Tbsp Basil

1 Tsp sugar

Salt to taste

Directions:

Place olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Saute onion until soft. Add garlic and saute a few minutes.

2. Lower heat to a simmer and add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, salt to taste, sugar and wine. Stir.

I store leftover wine in ice cube trays to use in recipes.

3. Simmer for 20 minutes and enjoy!

Pairs perfectly with Spaghetti Squash, or my Italian Chicken Mini Meatballs!

Serves 4 at 2 points per serving on WW Blue plan.

Instant Pot Chicken Chili

January 31, 2020 / productivemidlifecrisis / Leave a comment

Lighten up your chili by substituting 99% fat free chicken breast in place of fatty ground beef. This recipe has another surprise – cocoa powder! Great for depth of flavor. Can be made in the crockpot or on the stovetop as well. Serves a crowd, easy to make and delicious to eat! Serve with raw onion, cheese, hot sauce and sour cream! Best part is it is zero points on WW!

Ingredients:

1 pound Ground Chicken Breast (99% lean)

1 can kidney beans

2 14.5 oz diced tomatoes (may substitute Rotel if you want heat)

1/2 cup chicken stock (not pictured)

1/2 onion, diced

3 cloves of garlic, chopped

2 Tbsp Chili Powder (I use Penzeys)

1 tsp Cocoa Powder

salt, to taste

Directions:

On saute setting, spray pot with cooking spray and cook onion until soft. Add in chicken and garlic, and cook until chicken is cooked through.

2. Add in diced tomatoes, drained and rinsed beans, and chicken stock.

3. Add in salt to taste, chili powder and cocoa powder. Stir to combine.

4. Cook on bean/chili setting, or 30 minutes on High Pressure. Release pressure when done.

Serve with raw onion, sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese and/or hot sauce. Great for parties! Serves 6 at zero points a serving on WW Blue Plan. Adding toppings will alter the points.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

January 31, 2020 / productivemidlifecrisis / Leave a comment

A great recipe that everyone loves, and it happens to be WW friendly! Adjust the heat by adjusting the amount of hot sauce. Makes 8 servings, at only 1 point per serving! Excellent with celery!