I LOVE cooking!

So I tried my first recipe from my new cookbook and I'm VERY please - not only were the servings HUGE, but it was SO YUMMY and low enough in points that I ate it on some sweet italian bread :)

Breakfast:
1 cup cheerios with 1 cup skim milk and 3 tsp sugar - 6 pts

Lunch:
Roast Beef & Swiss on Pumpernickel/Rye swirl bread with 1 tsp mayo and a ton of banana peppers - 8 pts
1 serving Fresh Express Lite Caesar Salad - 2 pts

Dinner:
1 serving Turkey Sausage & Peppers - 3 pts
2 servings Sweet Italian Bread - 6 pts

Snacks:
1 serving Quaker Mini Caramel Rice Cakes - 1 pt
1 small (tiny) Oatmeal cookie - 1 pt
1 cup coffee with 1/4 cup Vanilla Chai Spice creamer

Total Points Used: 33.5 (3.5 pts left for a snack - WOO!)

Turkey Sausage & Peppers

Points value: 3
Servings: 4

3/4 lb Italian Turkey Sausage, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 onion, sliced
1/4 cup chicken broth (I used reduced sodium)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

Spray a large nonstick skillet with nonstick spray; heat. Cook the sausage, stirring frequently, until no longer pink, 4-6 minutes. Add the bell peppers, onion, broth, garlic, red pepper, and oregano; cook, stirring frequently until most of the liquid evaporates, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the peppers are tender, 3-4 minutes.

Per serving (about 1 cup):
145 calories
5 grams fat (o grams trans fat)
2 grams fiber
15 grams protein

Spicy Orange Chicken

Holy crap - I have to try this! I'm weak when it comes to Orange chicken.

From SparkPeople:

Spicy Orange Chicken

ingredients

• 2 skinless chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup spicy Szechuan sauce
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Corn starch for dusting chicken
• 1 1/2 cup snap peas - or vegetable(s) of choice
• 1 cup rice
• Grated zest from one (sm) orange

Cut chicken into bite size pieces & dust with corn starch.
Pre-heat saute' pan, add oil and chicken when hot.
Cook chicken for 5-7 min.
Add Szechuan sauce, water, honey and orange zest, simmer 3-5 min.
Add vegetables and saute' together.
Serve over 1/2 cup of rice.

Number of Servings: 2

Fat: 9.8g
Carbohydrates: 44.4g
Calories:392.3
Protein: 29.4g

Calculating Calories in Marinades

Yesterday, I wondered:

Hmm - I wonder how you calculate the calories with a marinade?

I got my answer from Allrecipes.com, while looking for yummy seafood recipes:

The nutrition data for this recipe includes information for the full amount of the marinade ingredients. Depending on marinating time, ingredients, cooking method, etc., the actual amount of the marinade consumed will vary.

Good Eats

I watched an episode of Good Eats this morning about Avocados. Alton made Avocado Compound Butter, Avocado Ice Cream, and Avocado Buttercream Frosting. Be still my beating heart!

Dinner Tonight: Mediterranean Turkey Pita Fold

From the Jennie-O Turkey Store:


Mediterranean Turkey Pita Fold
Servings: 6

• 1 package JENNIE-O TURKEY STORE® Lean Ground Turkey (20 oz.)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano flakes
  
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
  
• 2/3 cup light ranch dressing
  
• 3/4 cup peeled chopped cucumber
  
• 6 (6 inch) pita flat breads
  
• 1 cup chopped fresh spinach
  
• 1 large tomato, chopped
  
• 1 can (2¼ oz.) chopped black olives, drained (I'm substituting these with a handful of chopped klamata olives - since that's what I have onhand)
  
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
  

Directions
In large, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, cook turkey until no longer pink, about 4 minutes; drain. Add oregano and garlic salt; mix well. In small bowl, mix ranch dressing and cucumber. To assemble, place one pita flat bread on each dinner plate. Top each pita with approximately 1/2 cup turkey mixture. Drizzle approximately 3 tablespoons dressing mixture. Top with spinach, tomato, black olives and feta cheese equally over each pita.

Nutritional Values (as calculated by SparkPeople) :
Fat: 19.6g
Carbohydrates: 42.1g
Calories:442.3
Protein: 27.2g