Hostess Banana Twinkies

I am a banana dessert lover ... if it has banana in it (flavoring or actual banana) I am compelled to try it. Case in point: Hostess Banana Twinkies. I have seen these from time to time and one day on a quick trip through Wal-Mart I decided to pick up a box to give a whirl.

Coinciding with the whole minion craze, the Twinkies are individually wrapped (which is better for portion control) and have little minions on each of the wrapper. Based on sight alone, these look exactly like your average Twinkie and no one would know they were banana if you didn't tell them (the package isn't labeled as such).

Taste wise, it's your classic sponge cake, whereas instead of the regular vanilla cream in your average Twinkie, the cream in these are banana flavored. It's artificial but it's not a grotesque banana flavor. It's smooth, mild and actually quite enjoyable. Truthfully, I'm not the biggest fan of Twinkies ... but I quite enjoyed these, as did everyone that also gave them a try (my boyfriend, my mother, my niece and nephew - who exceptionally loved them). Overall they were quite the win in my opinion.

A serving, 2 cakes, is 270 calories or 7 points plus values or you can have 1 cake for 4 points plus values.

Lean Cuisine Vermont White Cheddar Mac & Cheese

I'm not usually one to have a frozen dinner for lunch, particularly mac & cheese (because I have a picky palate).  But after hearing how great the Lean Cuisine Vermont White Cheddar Mac & Cheese was I decided to pick some up after finally finding them at a local Target.

According to the box the meal is made with organic pasta, no GMO ingredients and no preservatives. Granted, the sodium level is a little high - but I feel if it suits your lifestyle and you're getting in water a little extra sodium at one meal isn't going to hurt you.

All that aside, I have to say, this is one of the best frozen mac & cheeses I have tried to date. I enjoy the reduced guilt mac & cheese from Trader Joe's - but I find this one is a lot creamier in consistency. The pasta in this isn't your normal run of the mill elbow macaroni, this is a cavatappi pasta (corkscrew). The shape of the pasta certainly helps the cheesey goodness stick to the noodle. The creaminess of the dish certainly make it delicious - it'd be great with a little broccoli added to it to bulk it up, or even alongside some grilled protein. Admittedly the shape of the container it is does make it seem like you're getting gypped for the calorie intake but it's satisfying so it's well worth it.

I think the thing I like the most, outside of it being tasty, is that it has 14 grams of protein in it! That's pretty good considering it's a frozen meal. I did pair this alongside a turkey burger - but I've also had it for a 'lighter lunch" with a greek yogurt on the side. Either way, it's been satisfying and I'd undoubtedly repurchase again.

A serving, 1 container, is 260 calories or 7 points plus values.

Thomas' Banana Bread Bagels

On a quick lunchtime trip through Wal-Mart I noticed a display of Thomas' bagels. I know Thomas' likes to come out with limited edition bagels and since it had been some time since I've had a bagel I decided to see what was to offer. Low and behold I stumbled upon the Thomas' Banana Bread Bagels and immediately was sold.

The bagels themselves smell amazing through the bag. They smell very reminiscent of banana bread. There's a banana and cinnamon scent clearly evident running throughout the bag which was just a heavenly scent.

Unfortunately that tickle on the senses doesn't as smoothly run over into the taste of the product. They certainly don't scream banana bread when you eat it. It's got a plain bagel flavor, perhaps even a cinnamon raisin (without the raisin) flavor to the bagel itself. Although you do get a banana flavor when you bite into one of the banana pieces within the dough itself. I guess you can say they're a hint of banana bread to it but certainly not quite. I'd say, don't bite into it expecting to taste the real deal banana bread because you'll be disappointed.

They're certainly not a bad bagel, but they're not as flavorful as I may have hoped for. Although I did find I enjoyed them most with some peanut butter and a few pieces of sliced banana on it. It made for a killer tasty, peanut buttery banana filled breakfast.

Each bagel is 260 calories or 7 points plus values.

Trader Joe's Low Fat Chinese Style Salad with Chicken

Every time I go to Trader Joe's I check out their premade foods sections ... particularly their salad varieties. I've always wanted to try them, but checking out the nutrition facts on some of them has shied me away from trying it. That is until I spotted the Trader Joe's Low Fat Chinese Style Salad with Chicken.

The salad comes packaged with everything you would need to have a satisfying lunch/dinner (well, aside from a fork - but you can pick those up on the way out of your local Trader Joe's). The toppings are assembled in sections across the bed of lettuce, with a container of dressing to use as sparingly or as much as you wish. It was convenient enough that if I didn't like something I could easily pick it off the top because it wasn't all combined freshly opened.

The salad is a mixture of romaine lettuce, grilled white chicken, green cabbage, snow peas and crispy noodles all served alongside a sesame soy dressing. I opted to pour some dressing over the top, close the container and give it a little shake, then opened it up and combined all the toppings with one another with my fork to disperse the flavors and textures evenly. Overall, I found it to be a pretty decent salad and a good thing to grab if in a pinch on the go. The only thing I wished is that there would be a little more protein on top, but overall it was satisfying.

A serving, 1/2 the container is 140 calories or 3 points plus values OR you can have the entire container for 7 points plus values.

Trader Joe's Oven Ready Breaded Cod Fillets

Every once in a while I'm in the mood for fish. I'm not a seafood buff but I do like an occasional piece of fried fish. Since I don't like having fried foods very often, I typically resort to the frozen fish department in Trader Joe's to see what might be available. One afternoon I spotted the Trader Joe's Oven Ready Breaded Cod Fillets and decided to give them a shot.

 

Usually I go for haddock because I'm a white fish kind of gal, but since I have had fried cod in the past I figured eh, why not? The fillets are pretty decent in size and cooking is a breeze. All I do is spray a little non-stick spray in a baking pan, place my fish in the pan and top the fillets with a spray of non-stick cooking spray. I pop them into the oven and bake per package directions and once done they come out cooked to perfection with a nice crunchy crust. I definitely don't miss the extra frying with this because it gives it that nice crunch with fried fish dishes.

 

The fish is nice and flaky without that fish taste. It's very mild and pairs perfectly with a little homemade tartar sauce on the side.  The one downside I found was that the skin was on some fillets, which made the picky eater in me shudder and pick apart the fish - giving the skinned pieces of fish to my dogs. That alone was a downer because it would be a perfect fish dish for the picky fish eaters. Although, if you can get past the skin in a fillet here or there - these are quite good and filling.

 

A 5.3 oz serving (typically 2 fillets) is 280 calories or 7 points plus values.

Emily Bites Bubble Up Enchilada Casserole

Enchiladas are one of those foods I've always been "iffy" with. I think particularly because the few times I have had enchiladas out they have been bland, tasteless and far less then stellar. Admittedly, having a mediocre/bad dish time after time can make one weary to want to try it again. But after I'd heard rave reviews on the Emily Bites Bubble Up Enchilada Casserole I decided to give it a try. I mean, after all, I had all the ingredients on hand except for the enchilada sauce.

 

Whipping up the dish itself took not much time at all. Then after that it was a quick trip into the oven to bake off to perfection. Before the dish went into the oven, I got stellar responses from family members - because again, not huge enchilada fans. Once it came out of the oven, opinions began to sway slightly. But once the dish was cut up, plated and served ... all of our prior opinions on enchiladas as a whole shifted - drastically.

 

This dish is absolutely delicious! It totally transformed my opinion on enchiladas and made me realize that just because I've had less than stellar dishes in the past, it doesn't mean enchiladas are all plain and boring dish. It's filling, it's delicious and it's a perfect meal alongside a tossed salad.

 

A serving is 1/6th of the dish which is only 7 points plus values.

 

You can find the recipe here: http://www.emilybites.com/2012/01/recipe-makeover-bubble-up-enchilada-casserole.html

Trader Joe's Very Green 100% Juice Smoothie

Since I've introduced myself to green juice a while ago and since  hadn't had any in a while I decided to have pick up a bottle. With that the Trader Joe's Very Green 100% Juice Smoothie leaped into my shopping cart. Admittedly, I had been looking at it for months and always passed on it.

 

One day my stomach wasn't feeling the most fabulous so I decided to pick up a bottle of green juice to have. I've heard from numerous people that some green juice when you're feeling under the weather or just not at your best can help perk you up. So, I gave into the theory.

 

The juice itself is more liquidy than thick (along the lines of Odwalla juice). It is sweet, which can be a little overwhelming on the taste buds (partly because it contains fruit juices in it and I am not a juice drinker) - so I find I have to drink it very slowly. Although I do admit I'd prefer this over some of the more bland, straight green juice/no fruit green juices. Regardless, it is refreshing and tasty so it's a nice drink to pick up to have once in a while - particularly for convenience.

An 8 ounce serving is 130 calories or 3 points plus values - or if you want to have the whole bottle it's 260 calories or 7 points plus values.

Skinnytaste Turkey Pastelon (Sweet Plantain Lasagna)

I live in a predominantly hispanic area so I've grown up incorporating spanish dishes into my palette since I was a kid. Prior to joining Weight Watchers I've had my share of pastelon, although to save time we'd make Canoas - which are stuffed sweet plantains. The plantains were peeled, cut down the middle, lightly fried, then placed into a casserole dish, topped with a ground beef mixture, topped with cheese and baked off in the oven for the plantain to cook through. The "lazy mans lasagna" of pastelon.

 

As an avid fan of the Skinnytaste website/cookbook I've had the Skinnytaste Turkey Pastelon (Sweet Plantain Lasagna) dish pinned and printed for quite some time. My boyfriend at the time wasn't a fan of cheese, so avoiding having to make two dishes for dinner I opted to just not make it. That is until I stumbled upon the recipe again and decided I was going to prep it for dinner one night.

 

Prepping the dish was quite simple. Although I find after assembling began that I should have sliced my bananas thinner to make for a "lasagna" effect but since they weren't thin enough I only had enough bananas to cover 2 layers worth instead of 3. That fact aside it didn't cut back on the taste or flavor.

 

I have to say this dish is absolutely delicious! It's flavorful, packed with delicious flavors, topped with a wonderful cheese and egg mixture which truly does help hold the dish together. It's filling, packed with protein and is satisfying enough to have alongside a side salad for dinner.  I shared the dish with my parents and they both equally enjoyed it - so it was undoubtedly a crowd pleaser and something I will be making again when the craving strikes!

 

If you'd like to make the dish yourself, you can find the recipe on the Skinnytaste website: http://www.skinnytaste.com/2013/09/turkey-pastelon-sweet-plantain-lasagna.html.

 

A serving is 282 calories or 7 points plus values.

Weight Watchers Bacon Meatloaf

I picked up the Weight Watchers Comfort Food Cookbook at my meeting with the intention on making a few recipes from it. With fall (and now winter-like weather) upon us comfort foods are where it's at. I have a fan favorite meatloaf that I always tend to make but seeing a Bacon Meatloaf I knew I had to give it a try.

So one evening I whipped up a meatloaf for dinner and I have to say it was delicious! My sister-in-law even said that it was one of the best meatloaves she has ever had (she may have even said it's better than the one her mother made). I personally found it to be one of the better meatloaves I have had in a while. It was juicy, flavorful and an overall crowd pleaser. It was so good I reinvented it into mini meatloaves which came out fabulously.

The recipe itself takes a small amount of prep work but everything comes together quickly and effortlessly - and before you know it, dinner is on the table.

Weight Watchers Bacon Meatloaf

Serves 6. 7 Points Plus Values/serving. 2 slices per serving. 257 calories.

Ingredients:

* 1 tbsp canola oil

* 3/4 lb white mushrooms, finely chopped

* 1 onion, finely minced

* 1 1/2 lbs ground lean beef (&% fat or less)

* 1/2 cup plain dried whole wheat bread crumbs

* 1/4 cup ketchup

* 1 large egg, beaten

* 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

* 1 tsp salt

* 2 slices center cut bacon, cut lengthwise in half

1. Preheat oven to 350*F. Spray small roasting pan with nonstick spray

2. Heat oil in large heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and onion, cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 8 minutes.

3. Transfer mushroom mixture to large bowl; let cool slightly. Add beef, bread crumbs, ketchup, egg, Worcestershire sauce, and salt; mix until blended but not over-mixed.

4. Transfer meat loaf mixture to prepared pan; shape into a 4 x 8 inch loaf. Lay slices of bacon on top. Bake until instant-read thermometer inserted into center of load registers 160*F for well done, about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting into 12 slices.

Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Tahitian Vanilla Caramels

Whenever I'm in a chocolate or candy mood ... I find myself gravitating towards with Trader Joe's has to offer. There's something about the quality of the confection that comes out of the store that leaves my taste buds happy. Since I tend to enjoy caramels I was intrigued when I spotted a bag of Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Tahitian Vanilla Caramels. So of course they had to come home with me.

 

The bag describes them as "Creamy vanilla caramels covered with premium dark chocolate". Admittedly, I'm not a huge dark chocolate fan ... but what I was buying these for was the caramel, not the chocolate. I cracked open the bag to share with my mother and ate a few and was not impressed. Truthfully, I did not like them. They were what I would call ... power house vanilla (and I like vanilla) while also maintaining a certain level of saltiness. The caramel was very, very soft and not really chewy. It was coated in a semi-thick coating of dark chocolate. My mother enjoyed them, so I happened to give her the whole bag because I had my fair share after a few pieces.

 

A bag is a serving, which is 270 calories or 7 points plus values.

Lightened Up: Cuban Sandwich

I've grown to really enjoy Cuban Sandwiches. In my area there's a diner that makes one of THE best Cuban Sandwiches around. It's made on a special cut of bread they have delivered to the diner ... while it's also loaded with cheese, butter and packed with delicious cuts of meat that it can be a very, very heavy meal. Never mind the fact it's served alongside a plate of french fries.

 

If you've never had a cuban sandwich it's a sandwich that's made of ham, roasted pork, swiss cheese, mustard, sliced pickle and sometimes salami. In my area, the salami is nixed and is instead replaced with sliced turkey. The sandwich is then grilled to a crispy perfection and the sandwich is plain magical.

 

In order to skip on the bulky bread, I tend to try to lighten it up. This time I used a lavash bread, which I grilled up with some sliced deli ham, deli pork and deli turkey alongside a slice of fat free cheese. I added some mustard, sliced pickle and for a little more oomph I added a few pieces of romaine lettuce.

 

I folded the sandwich up, gave is a spritz of spray butter and grilled it on a grill pan. When done it was a perfect, crunchy sandwich which was all cuban sandwich without the added heaviness.  Quite the winning combination if you ask me!  The whole sandwich was only 7 points plus values.

 

You can make it more like the original and make it on an italian stick bread that's grilled ... but to save a few calories/points I make it on flat bread to boost up on the protein aspect of the sandwich.

Tastee Candy Apples

One of my all time favorite snacks during fall season at the grocery store are hands down Tastee Candy Apples. They come in a variety of flavors and all are pretty much calorie/point "safe" and are such an enjoyable treats. As we all know, fall is pretty much fair/carnival time all around the United States. What one food item is available at nearly all fairs/carnivals? Fried dough ... uhhmm... yes, but ALSO candy apples!

I remember as a kid going to visit my godmother in Ohio. There was this candy shop that made THE best caramel apples. Whenever I'd leave from visiting her OR she'd come to visit me ... these candy apples came along for the plane ride. Sadly with no connection in Ohio any longer I've had to "settle" for candy apples in my area. In the past I've made them at home ... but a treat I've been purchasing for years at the grocery store are Tastee's Candy Apples.

The candy apples come in a variety of flavor combinations: caramel with peanuts, candy apple with peanuts, jelly with shredded coconut and turtle candy apples. They also sell "gourmet" versions of these apples which I find in my area sold at wholesale retailers ... but these particular candy apples aren't as friendly as the original variety sold at the grocery store.

I just happened to find the caramel and the candy while shopping so I picked them up. I wanted the jelly but they didn't have it ... yet I'm sure I'll find it someplace soon. All of them are delicious but as it tends to go we all have our "favorites."

I have tried the four varieties (candy, jelly, caramel and turtle) and I have to say ... the caramel and the jelly are my favorites. The caramel is a soft, runny/gooey caramel that's got a boatload of nuts around it. The jelly is a soft, jelly style coating that has a yummy shredded coconut around it. The candy apple is a soft candy apple coating that's got peanuts around it. Whereas the turtle if your classic soft caramel that's covered in chocolate bits and peanuts.

The caramel, candy and jelly candy apples are 4 points plus a piece and are 160 calories. While the turtle is 239 calories and 7 points plus values. Today I actually saw a plain caramel apple which has no peanuts on the outside and was 130 calories or 3 points plus values.

If you want to see all that Tastee has to offer you can do check out their website.

Trader Joe's Organic Milk Chocolate Truffle

I've seen an array of new organic chocolate bars but the one thing that swayed me away from them was the fact most are dark chocolate and/or they have dark chocolate in them. I'm not a huge dark chocolate fan so I was hesitant to try. On one trip, I finally decided to give it a go, so I picked up a bar of the Trader Joe's Organic Milk Chocolate Truffle.

 

The description on the back of the wrapper reads: "this milk chocolate bar is made with special caramelized milk, resulting in an extra creamy smooth texture. Rich milk chocolate surrounds an intense, velvety smooth dark chocolate truffle center. A sumptuous bar with a classic taste."  I stand firm in my belief that Trader Joe's provides some of the best chocolate. I have to say, this chocolate bar doesn't sway me from that belief what-so-ever.

 

The milk chocolate is smooth and creamy, while does give off a buttery/caramelized flavor to it. The truffle is a smooth rich dark chocolate which gives the bar an added softness. I enjoyed this and would recommend allowing this to melt on your tongue rather than just chewing it. Allowing it to melt the flavor categories come to life more-so.

 

The bar is sweet and I found 3 squares to be more than enough, otherwise it can be a bit too rich on the taste buds. Even though the dark chocolate truffle helps cut back at the natural milk chocolate sweetness, this is one of those candy bars I'd recommend sharing with a friend or two. Whether that being to share the chocolate love ... or to avoid eating the whole thing on your own.

A serving, 5 squares, is 250 calories or 7 points plus values.

Sweet Pepper Nachos

I would have never dreamed up this combination if it weren't for my Weight Watchers leader sharing the idea. She picked up the idea from a member in her meeting... she enjoyed it so much she shared at my meeting. It just happened to be during one of our meetings where we were talking about boosting up the fiber in your diet. I was sitting in my chair, intrigued because ... I was actually having tacos that night after my meeting. Before my meeting, I planned on having soft shell tacos ... but that idea went out the window when I heard this because I HAD to give it a try.

The end result was a delicious concoction that was not only satisfying, filling and very tasty ... but it was unique. So unique that I had it the next day for lunch as well. I did find I enjoyed the dish more chopping the peppers up into small pieces (it allowed the peppers to cook faster). I found allowing the peppers to cook in the oven for a bit before adding the toppings onto the peppers. While having the peppers whole I found I had to cook them longer (some of the larger peppers stayed crunchier in comparison to the smaller peppers).

Assembling the peppers – either chopped or in half, is simple. I popped my chopped or half peppers into a 350 degree oven for 5-8 minutes just to pre-cook them slightly. After that it’s merely ½ cup fat free refried beans spread equally into the peppers or over them. I then topped the refried beans with 3 oz of scrambled taco meat. Topping it off with ¼ cup fat free shredded mozzarella (I’d have used cheddar but I didn’t have any). I popped the assembled nachos oven and baked for roughly 15 minutes. When done, I plated it up, garnished with some shredded iceberg (for added crunch), diced tomatoes and some chunky salsa.

Delicious, fabulous, filling and only 7 points plus!

Trader Joe's S'Mores Frozen Sandwiches

I'm a frequent shopper of Trader Joe's ... and there are many products I see from time to time but have passed up for one reason or another. Evidently I had a very soft spot in my heart this past weekend because I finally picked up a box of the Trader Joe's S'Mores Frozen Sandwiches.

What sold me on these ice cream sandwiches was not only the picture on the box, but the description: "Graham crackers with marshmallow-chocolate swirl gelato & milk chocolate flakes." Heaven! S'mores are one the most genius desserts known to man (and so simple!) … plus ice cream always finds a way into my heart from time to time.  Ideally a combination of the two, I felt would be a match to write books about.

I took a sandwich out of the freezer for dessert one day and passed a sandwich around to everyone who wanted one. Unfortunately ... these just didn't do anything for me.  The marshmallow flavor wasn't really there for me. The chocolate was, in every bite, and the graham cracker was slightly there ... but this just didn't scream "s'mores" to me.  It was evident it was gelato as it wasn’t isn’t as hard as traditional ice cream … but it was just a bit of a miss and not worth the calories/points associated with them.  The general consensus around these throughout the house was that they're alright ... but nothing to brag about. Personally, I find Skinny Cow's are tastier than these.  I wasn't a fan ... and I certainly won't be repurchasing these.

Each ice cream sandwich is 250 calories or 7 points plus values.

Trader Joe’s Traditional Meatloaf

Meatloaf is one of those comfort foods … it’s a dish, that at least when I think of it, it makes me think of home, mom cooking in the kitchen, etc.  I’ve learned over time that I’m a bit of a meatloaf snob, because no two people make meatloaf the same. I’m fond of the meatloaf I grew up eating, as well as a Weight Watchers miniature variation that I’ve recreated time and time again and find it equally enjoyable every time. So needless to say, I have seen the Trader Joe’s Traditional Meatloaf in the refrigerated meals section of Trader Joe’s numerous times but always skipped on it … until my last trip there.

Admittedly the thing that kept me from purchasing it was the “in a classic tomato sauce” description. I’ve never been a fan of meatloaves with a tomato sauce over them … but I do like meatloaf that has ketchup over the top. I scanned the ingredients section on the label and was pleased when I saw the word “ketchup” and put the meal into my shopping cart. I had it in the refrigerator for a couple days and heated it up one day for a quick lunch.  I have to say … this meatloaf is “money”, meaning it’s absolutely delicious! It truly reminds me of the miniature meatloaf recipe I recreate.  The sauce is a sweet and tangy mix which is very complimentary to the meatloaf itself. The meatloaf is meaty but not heavy and a perfect quick meal.

I served this alongside some mashed potatoes and fresh steamed carrot sticks. I merely served this up asking if anyone wanted meatloaf. The general consensus after eating was “that was really good!” and “did you make that?” After letting the cat out of the bag that it was actually a Trader Joe’s refrigerated meal it as noted that we should most definitely pick that up again … and on my Trader Joe’s list it went!  Without further ado I highly recommend this if you’re a meatloaf lover.

A 5 ounce serving is 280 calories or 7 points plus values.

McDonald’s Southwest Salad with Grilled Chicken

While running a bunch of errands I was away from the house initially a lot longer than I anticipated. When my stomach started grumbling I realized it was well past lunch-time and I needed to eat something before a case of hangry set in. So pulling into McDonald’s parking lot, I parked my car and pulled up my Weight Watchers app on my phone. To avoid just ordering whatever sounded tasty on the menu I looked thru the menu on my phone for something that was point comfortable and ultimately decided on the McDonald’s Premium Southwest Salad with Grilled Chicken.

The salad itself is served as McDonald’s salads typically are – mixed greens and shaved carrots. It’s presented alongside fire-roasted corn, black beans, roasted tomatoes and poblano peppers, cheddar and jack cheese, chile-lime tortilla chips, and grilled chicken all alongside a fresh lime wedge. The salad is a pretty decent size, is pretty to look at due to the vibrant colors and is mighty tasty and filling. The salad has a little bit of spice to it, but there’s nothing overwhelming or uncomfortable about it.

The salad typically is served with Newman’s Own Southwest Dressing but I find that to be a little spicier than I prefer my dressing to be … so I opted to go with the Newman’s Own Low Fat Balsamic Vinaigrette. Drizzling about ¼ of the package over my salad, I found it to be more than enough.

The salad with grilled chicken is 290 calories or 7 points plus values. With my choice of dressing my whole meal was 8 points plus values. Quite worth it for lunch out on the go!

Sautéed Banana topped French Toast, Eggs & Sausage

French toast is one of my favorite breakfast dishes, but it’s also a breakfast dish I don’t have very often. Typically I make it when I’m craving it … and one night I decided to make French toast for dinner for my boyfriend and I. I of course, make my French toast using lighter ingredients (light bread and egg substitute).  It comes out perfectly, is delicious and is filling.

I placed a little more than 1/3 cup of egg substitute in a bowl, added in 2 tablespoons of skim milk, a dash of vanilla and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Beat it together, then dipped three slices of light bread and cooked it up in a nonstick skillet.  Since I had a banana that was well past ripe, I decided to make myself a quick sautéed banana cooked in a non-stick skillet with a sprinkle of cinnamon. Once done I layered that over my French toast.

The remaining egg mixture (I used ½ cup total) I decided to make myself a little scrambled eggs and served the dish alongside 3 turkey sausage links.

It was a delicious meal which was only 7 points plus. Quite a bang for my buck!

Scrambled Egg w/ Peppers and Onions, Hash Brown & Bacon Breakfast Wrap

Back in the day, I used to occasionally order a McDonald’s Sausage Burrito before heading into work.  It was 300 calories worth of egg, sausage, peppers and cheese on a white tortilla. Now that’s the calories for 1 sandwich (which is awfully small might I add). So because of its size I would typically order 2, plus a side of hash browns. The sandwiches were “filling” in the moment, but 2 or so hours later I felt hungry again.

These days I create healthier alternatives to breakfast items at home (which I have also been known to eat as a lunch). The sandwiches can be eaten when prepared and/or even brought out with me on the go.  The greatest part is they’re filling, healthier and I know exactly what’s in it.

These wraps are made on Joseph’s Flax, Oat Bran & Whole Wheat Flour Tortillas. The filling is made with ½ cup fat free egg substitute (Egg Beaters) tossed with diced onion and green pepper, 2/3 cup Simply Potatoes Diced Potatoes, and 1 ½ slices of bacon.  Topped off with sriracha for an added bit of spice/flavor.

The entire meal (both tortillas) are only 7 points plus. Not bad for a filling and delicious meal!

Pot Pie Stuffed Acorn Squash

One day while shopping at Trader Joe’s I noticed they had an acorn squash which was stuffed with pot pie filling, turkey and had a golden flakey crust on top of it. I wanted to purchase it, but it had 2 or 3 servings in it and I felt cutting it to share with someone would make the inside just ooze out. So I put my thinking cap on and decided I’d make my own version at home.

Since I had all the ingredients at home, I decided to make this for myself for dinner one night. It was so easy to put together because I roasted my acorn squash beforehand and baked off my chicken breast. Admittedly this does take a bit of time to put together … but the end result is well worth it!  After that it was just combining ingredients, and returned it back to the oven to finish baking and to cook off the crescent roll.

The entire dish was only 7 points plus values!

Ingredients:

½ cup Libby’s mixed vegetables

½ cup chicken gravy

1 Purdue Simply Portioned chicken breast, seasoned & baked

½ roasted acorn squash

1 sheet reduced fat crescent roll, rolled out

Cut acorn squash in half, remove the seeds and place onto a baking sheet – cut side up. Season with salt and pepper and place into a 350 degree oven for roughly 30-40 minutes until you can poke the top with a fork gently.

Season raw chicken breasts with poultry season and bake in a 350 degree oven for roughly 25 minutes until chicken breast is cooked completely.

Cut up 1 chicken breast into chunks and combine with vegetables and gravy. Toss then spoon into the center of the acorn squash.

Gently roll out 1 serving of a crescent roll and place that over the top of the squash.  Cut a few slits into the top of the crescent roll and return to the oven for 15-20 minutes until the crescent roll is cooked through completely.