Dijon Roasted New Potatoes

Tonight I had an epiphany.  While eating my delectable home-made meal, it hit me - why do I love cooking?  As I've said time and time before, Singaporeans find it unusual to cook.  They say to me, "Wow...you cook?  Why???"  Simply walk outside of your home, your work, your gym - there's food everywhere in Singapore.  And it's cheap.  So when they ask why, my typical reason is "I enjoy it" or "I'm on a special diet".
But that's not the true reason, is it?

I cook because, after that very first bite, when I close my eyes and savor every flavor, every texture, and every single bit of that food, I know that I made it.  I accomplished that dish.  I put my own time, and my own energy into creating something that is not only healthy, but tastes amazing.  And lately, everything has been tasting amazing!

Did Weight Watchers develop better recipes?  Or did Sarah just become a better chef?  I'll go with the latter.

Tonight's delectable and savory delight takes so few ingredients I guarantee you'll find most of them sitting in your kitchen.  It's also incredibly easy, not at all hands-on, and tastes like a million bucks!

They look fried, but they're not!  Delicious!

A Weight Watchers Online recipe
Makes 4 servings; Yields about 1 1/4 cup per serving
Points+ value = 4

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 3/4 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds uncooked new potatoes, red or white, quartered or halved  (I used red)

Preheat oven to 425F (220C).  Coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together mustard, oil, paprika, salt, thyme, and pepper; add potatoes and toss to coat.

Transfer potatoes to prepared baking dish and roast 15 minutes; stir and roast until tender on inside, about 15 to 20 minutes more.

*If your potatoes do not get crispy enough, coat them with cooking spray and then bake them for a few more minutes.

Sour Cream, Chive, and Garlic Mashed Potatoes

I have this tendency of buying 5lb bags of potatoes, using two or three, and letting the bag sit on top of my microwave and rot.  So this past week, I used up most of my remaining potatoes and tried this Weight Watchers online recipe, with a bit of a Sarah twist.

You may find it slightly bland, but adding extra salt and pepper, and maybe a saucy topping from an accompanying dish will do the trick.  These are super light and fluffy, and hit the spot for my mashed potato craving!  I served them with left over Teriyaki-Marinated Chicken and Gina's Roasted Asparagus (note the Points+ value = 1).  Yum!

Serves 4.
Points+ value: 4

• 1 1/4 pounds uncooked potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced in half
• 3 Tbsp fat-free sour cream (I used light instead)
• 3 Tbsp chives, chopped
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Combine the potatoes and garlic in a large saucepan; add enough water to cover.  Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, covered, until the potatoes are tender, 20-30 minutes.  Drain, reserving 3/4 cup of the cooking liquid.
2. Mash the potatoes and garlic in the saucepan.  Stir in the sour cream, chives, oil, salt, and pepper.  Gradually stir in enough of the cooking liquid, 2 or 3 tablespoons at a time, until the potatoes become creamy.

Yields about 3/4 cup per serving.

Lemon-Sauteed Green Beans with Parsley

I can finally walk like a normal person!  It's AMAZING.  As of this morning, there was no pain and no tightness in my calves, and I've got a spring in my step.  Clearly this got me uber excited for some healthy cooking.  Digging into the fabulous Weight Watchers cookbook (courtesy of my amazing friend Lauren), I found this tart green bean recipe and couldn't wait to dig in.
I left my beans long, and used dried parsley rather than fresh; I do think this would taste even better with fresh herbs, though.  When subbing dried herbs for fresh, you want to quarter what the recipe calls for.

Makes 4 servings
Points+ value:  1

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 pound green beans, cut into 2-inch lengths
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp water

In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, heat the oil.  Saute the beans until bright green, about 3 minutes; add the parsley.  Cook, stirring frequently, 3 minutes.  Stir in the lemon juice and water.  Reduce the heat and cook, covered, 2-3 minutes.  Uncover and cook, stirring frequently, until the beans are crisp-tender, 2-3 minutes longer.

Greek-Style Twice Baked Potatoes - 4 Points

This is another Weight Watchers online recipe to satisfy that Mediterranean craving!  I made a full batch of these and had them as a side dish for lunches and dinners throughout the week.  I actually thought they were better as leftovers!  You can always switch out the yogurt for light sour cream, and use a different cheese, such as cheddar.  Throwing in bacon bits would be yummy too!  (This will affect points values)

• 20 oz potatoes, 4 Idaho variety, scrubbed
• 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup low-fat plain yogurt, at room temperature (I used Greek yogurt)
• 1 Tbsp butter, melted
• 1 Tbsp chives, freshly snipped

1. Preheat oven to 425F (220C).  Bake the potatoes on the oven rack until a knife can easily pierce the center of each potato, about 45 minutes.  Remove potatoes and let cool slightly on a rack; reduce the oven heat to 375F (190C).
2. Split the potatoes in half horizontally (use oven mitts to protect your hands).  Scoop out the flesh from each potato half, leaving a 1/4-inch-thick layer still in the shell.  Transfer the potato flesh to a medium bowl.
3. Add the feta, yogurt, butter, and chives to the potato flesh and mash well.  Stuff the filling into the shells and arrange filling-side up on a baking sheet.  Bake until the filling is hot in the center and the edges are lightly browned, about 12 minutes.

Yields 2 potato halves per serving.

Tasty Hummus

This is perfect as a sandwich spread, or a dip for fresh veggies and pita slices.

Anyone who lives in Singapore understands how difficult it is to find good hummus.  Luckily, one of my favorite cookbooks, 1000 Jewish Recipes, has a few to choose from!  I took tidbits from each recipe and adapted them into my own, delicious version.  You can add lemon juice and/or water to achieve your desired consistency, without affecting the points value.  Adding olive oil will increase the total points (1 point per tsp).
You can also sprinkle toasted pine nuts over the hummus - note this will affect the points value.

• 3-4 medium cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 3 Tbsp tahini (sesame paste, or sometimes called sesame butter), stirred before measuring
• 1/4 cup strained fresh lemon juice (start with this and add more to taste)
• 1/2 cup water
• salt, to taste
• cayenne pepper, to taste
• 2 tsp olive oil

1. Mince garlic in food processor.  Add chickpeas and process to chop.
2. Add tahini to food processor.  Add 1/4 cup lemon juice and 1/4 cup water; puree until finely blended.  Add more lemon juice if desired.  Add more water as necessary so that the hummus has consistency of a smooth spread.
3. Drizzle with olive oil; season with salt and cayenne

Total Points = 30
Don't ask me how, but Weight Watchers online determined the following...
Points per serving (for 10 servings) = 2
Points per serving (for 8 servings) = 3

Yum Yum Yum Yum!

I had one hell of a weekend, to say the least.  Aside from the extreme party at the US Embassy on Friday night, hosted by the Marines, with numerous canned Bud Lights (so gross now that I drink Sapporo and Asahi constantly) and a double whammy of Jager Bombs, the weekend could be described as intense.  Saturday night we attended a friend's Fondue Party, only after I hosted pre-drinks and an assortment of dips (including a hummus recipe which I proudly perfected) at my place.  Needless to say I was feeling like a fatty times seven when I woke up on Sunday morning!

I then proceeded to make Egg McSarah's...English muffin, topped with scrambled eggs, a slice of SmartBeat American (if you happen to be lactose intollerant), and one MorningStar Farms "sausage" pattie.  A whopping 7 points and worth every single bite!  Brian got real bacon, but I'm not complaining.

We spent the rest of the afternoon walking and sweating out the previous night's food and drink intake at the Japanese and Chinese Gardens.  I had never been, and it was fabulous!
Me and Brian at the top of the pagoda in the Chinese Gardens

That night I tried out Zucchini Casserole, which was a huge hit!  Brian doesn't usually comment on my food without me prying for his opinion.  That night, mid-bite, he looked over and said, "This stuff is friggin' good, baby!"

We also chowed down on some Cuban Beef Picadillo and a failed attempt at Italian and Greek style tomatoes.  Once I've got those where I want 'em I'll post the recipe for your enjoyment!

This is me slaving in the kitchen (still sweaty from the gardens) to make the picadillo.

And this is the finished product! 

All said and done I managed to maintain 135.5 - despite the weekend extravagance.  And of course this week I have the appetite of a horse and Cold Storage has Reduced Fat Wheat Thins.  Dear God, those are totally my weakness.  Well, that and anything delicious.  I also splurged on the Snack Packs, but went ahead with the Fat Free Chocolate just to be safe.  Ahh hell, I got the Triple Layer Chocolate Caramel ones too.

Keep your fingers crossed for next Tuesday morning's weigh-in.  Only 14 days until Phuket and I'm starting to freak out...mega time!

Green Beans with Tomatoes and Garlic

I make String Beans with Garlic all the time, but I've been looking for a good way to mix things up (and lighten things up a bit).  Then I found something on Plan To Eat that got me thinking!  What about tomatoes???  It's shocking, I know!  Sarah...eating tomatoes?!
Thanks to Brian, I eat 'em!  Definitely not raw - eew.  But cooked, bring it!

Adapted from Gina's Weight Watcher's Recipes - String Beans with Garlic and Oil (see link above)
Servings:  4
Points:  1 per serving

• 1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2-4 cloves garlic, slivered (depending on your taste)
• cherry or grape tomatoes, halved (use however many you want!)
• salt and freshly ground pepper

Steam green beans until tender; remove from pot and briefly run under cool water.
Heat olive oil in a nonstick skillet; saute garlic and tomatoes.  Shut off flame, add green beans, and toss to coat.  Season with salt and pepper.

YUM!

Quinoa and Spinach

I just discovered quinoa this weekend when I tried this recipe.  The best word to describe it is unique.  I've never had anything quite like it...and I think it's pretty good!
Lucky for me, quinoa happens to be incredibly healthy, high in fiber, gluten-free, and SO easy to make!

From Weight Watchers
Servings:  8
Points:  1 per serving

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, minced
• 1 medium garlic clove, minced
• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes (optional - I used them!)
• 4 cups baby spinach, packed, coarsely chopped (I didn't chop it)
• 1/2 tsp salt

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, until onion is tender, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Add quinoa to skillet; cook, stirring frequently, until quinoa starts to turn golden brown, about 2 minutes.
Add broth, black pepper and red pepper flakes to skillet; bring to a boil.  Cover skillet and reduce heat to low and simmer for 13 minutes; stir in spinach.
Cover skillet and cook until spinach and quinoa are tender and liquid is absorbed, about 3 to 5 minutes; season with salt.

Yields about 1/2 cup per serving.

Chag Sameach!

Wow.  I am exhausted.  Completely and utterly!  Spin class tonight kicked my ass, but I pushed hard the whole time and even turned up the resistance!  I'm always amazed at the amount of sweating I do in that class...I'm not completely sure that it's normal!  Some of the ladies in my class go straight from spin to the 7:30pm Body Tone class.  They are clearly on crack.

So I tried my best to lose but not lose too much this past week, and I ended up just staying right in the same spot.  I know it could be worse (I could have gained!) but I was still totally disappointed on Tuesday morning when the scale looked up at me with that big 136.5.

A few different things could have led to it, and honestly I know exactly what it was.  Was it the movie theater popcorn I had on Friday night?  Yeah.  Was it the scrambled eggs with toast and potatoes at Epicurious for breakfast on Saturday morning?  Probably.  How about the high tea buffet lunch at Lao Beijing with dan dan noodles, black pepper chicken, fried noodles, and dumplings?  Yep.  Or maybe the splurge on a few glasses of wine, breaking that 2-week detox, alongside the cheese and sausage platter at Wine Company that evening?  Totally.

Sunday morning I desperately needed some healthy goodness, so I went for a Baked Banana.  YUM!  You basically bake a banana drizzled with cinnamon and honey/agave nectar.  I prefer it for breakfast, but it would be fantastic with ice cream for dessert as well!

This was my first time using the agave, and I definitely prefer it to honey.  The banana comes out a bit sweeter, and there is less of a sticky mess :)

Monday evening was the start of Passover, so I've had to watch my intake this week.  I had no idea that one sheet of matzo is 2 points.  I could eat a whole box of those things!  Given that Passover is my favorite holiday of the entire year, and I have a secret love of matzo, this whole points thing has been a mega issue for me the past couple days.  Today I just subbed matzo for my usual wrap with turkey.  It's the greatest and best wrap on the planet.
1 whole wheat wrap (2 pts)
2 oz turkey (1 pt)
1 tsp basil pesto (0.5 pts)
romaine lettuce (0 pts)
1/4 cup semi-dried tomatoes, drained of oil (1 pt)
Seriously - try it.  You'll love it.

I had this plan to adapt Passover recipes from my cookbook, but I'll have to postpone that idea - I leave tomorrow night for BALI!  It's going to be super tough counting points, but my goal this week is MAINTAIN!  If I can spend three days in Bali, come home, weigh in, and still be 136.5 I will be a very happy camper!

Before I get to packing, there are a few noteworthy items from this past week that every single one of you needs to know about!
1.  Cilantro Lime Rice - made it, ate it, loved it!  Try adding some chopped fresh jalapenos for an extra kick!
2.  Broiled Fish with Garlic - I used Cream Snapper, loved it!
3.  Chocolate Dipped Macaroons.  Holy shit.  Amazing!  Perfect for Passover, but be very careful - you'll be tempted to eat the whole batch!  (And my dumb ass forgot to take a picture...oops)

Chocolate Dipped Macaroons
From Weight Watchers
Points = 1 per serving
Serving Size = 1 macaroon
Yield = 32 servings

• 3 large egg whites
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
• 2.5 cups packaged shredded coconut, unsweetened
• 3 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small bits (I used semisweet mini chocolate chips and it was fine)

1. Preheat oven to 350F.  Line one or two large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, whisk egg whites with sugar.  Add vanilla and coconut; stir to combine.
3. Scoop up a level tablespoon of batter and form into a ball with your hands; repeat with remaining batter.  Place each ball about 1-inch apart on the prepared cookie sheet.
4. Bake until tops just start to turn light tan, about 15 to 18 minutes.  Remove cookies to a cooling rack for about 30 minutes.
5. Place chocolate in a double boiler or heavy pot; melt over low heat, stirring occasionally (do not allow to burn).  Keep chocolate warm and pliable as you dip tops of cookies into chocolate.  Place dipped cookies on a metal tray; freeze until chocolate sets (about 20 to 30 minutes).