Kid-Proof Asian Turkey Noodles

My husband and I often like to eat late, once the kids have gone to bed. We enjoy the quiet, relax environment that allows us to have an uninterrupted conversation. On night's like that, I often whip out some quick child favorites for the kids. My little critics love this concoction! It might not look so appealing to adults, it looks kind of "blah" an colorless... but I've learned that with my kids the less different colors the better. They seem to prefer a uniform dish (like mac n cheese). Might not be the case with you children, but this sweet dish should please them either way!


Ingredients
(3 servings)
350 g ground turkey
100 g dry wok noodles (straight to wok noodles) *
1 onion, diced
2 tsp hoisin sauce
2 tsp garlic-ginger paste
salt to taste
Pam spray
water

Directions
1- Spray deep pan, or wok with Pam and heat.
2- Add onions and cook on medium heat until soft.
3- Add ground turkey, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks.
4 - When turkey is cooked, add hoisin sauce, ginger-garlic paste and fast cooking wok noodles.
5 - Add a few tablespoons of water, not too much, just enough so that the pasta gets cooked and that it evaporates when pasta is ready (about 2-3 tbsp, and 4-5 minutes of cooking)

* Wok noodles; I use noodles that are to be added directly to the wok unboiled. You can also use ramen noodles, they cook quickly. Or if you don't have straight to wok noodles, then some precooked egg noodles should please the little critics ;)

Nutritional Data
1 serving
6 WW points
278 cal
14.1 g fat
37.4 g chol
22.8 g carbs
2.2 g fiber
0.3 g sugars
13.4 g protein

Asian Meatball Stir-Fry

If you made the Asian Meatballs and are wondering how to use them... here's my concoction. The whole family enjoyed this and I will be making it again. I think it would be really good with chicken or pork pieces as well... if you're not into beef or meatballs! This recipe uses hoisin sauce, which gives the recipe a niice sweet flavor.


Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion
1/2 large red or orange sweet pepper
1 cup green beans
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
2 cups fat-free chicken broth
2 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 tbsp cornstarch
2-3 tbsp water
20 Asian Meatballs

Directions
- Heat oil in a large skillet or wok.
- Cook onions, peppers and green beans until softened
- Add ginger-garlic paste, chicken broth, and hoisin sauce and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to low and add meatballs.
- In a small bowl, mix cornstarch with water and add to skillet.
- Simmer on low until sauce has thickened.

Nutritional Data
excluding meatballs!
(4 servings sauce)
2 WW points
87.5 cal
3.8 g fat
0.3 mg cholesterol
11.1 g carbs
1.3 g fiber
0.6 g sugar

with 5 meatballs = 8 WW points
1.6 g protein

Cream of Mushroom Soup for Two

No one in this house enjoys mushrooms but me... Well, my daughter loves them raw, but doesn't want any cooked ones in her food. The worst part about this is that I LOVE mushrooms, crave them even. I must get my fix every once in a while. I had a pack of mushrooms in the fridge that had to be consumed before they died. Pressed for time and starving I concocted this cream of mushroom soup. It did it, I was pleased, I had my mushroom dose! I fed the soup to the mushroom hatin' kids, didn't tell them what it was, and they ate it ALL! Suckers!! I think its a texture thing and not a taste thing. That gives me the liberty to make some cramy mushroom sauce next time we have pasta... poor Papa Tomata, he'll be all alone hatin' on the mushrooms!


Ingredients
small container fresh mushrooms (1/2 lb)
3 cups vegetable broth
2 tbsp dried onion flakes
1/4 tsp dried thyme
2 tbsp fat-free cream cheese

Directions
- Add mushrooms, broth, onion flakes, and thyme in a medium pot and bring to a boil. Let simmer for about 10 minutes until mushrooms are soft.
- Remove from heat and stir in cream cheese.
- With a hand mixer, puree the soup.

Nutritional Data
1 WW point
77.4 cal
0.4 g fat
2.5 g cholesterol
12.9 carbs
1.8 g fiber
5.6 sugars
6.5 g protein

African Couscous Salad

I love couscous, especially cold couscous salad. This couscous salad has a nice sweet North-African taste to it, and a little tang from the red wine vinegar. I think that cider vinegar would also taste fantastic! This is best if completely chilled before serving, giving the flavors time to meld ;)
My 3 critics enjoyed it, as did I.... definitely will be making it again. It is quite filling, therefore, I think it would be the perfect packed lunch. It makes a great side dish too!


Ingredients
1 cup whole-wheat couscous (makes 3 cups cooked and fluffed with fork)
1 1/4 cup hot fat-free chicken broth
290 g jar of chickpeas (210 g just chickpeas), drained and rinsed
1 medium carrot, shredded
1/2 cup diced celery
2 tbsp finely chopped onion
1/4 cup raisins, not packed!
1/4 cup dried apricots, chopped (approx. 25g)
1 cup red bell pepper, diced
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp garam masala
1/4 cup red wine vinegar

*To make it vegetarian, substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth.


Directions
- Boil the chicken broth in a small saucepan. Once broth is boiling, remove from heat.
- Add couscous, stir to fully coat couscous and cover.
- While couscous is sitting, prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the remaining ingredients (see note below on optional olive oil).
- Fluff couscous with a fork and let cool. (if you add the hot couscous, it will absord too much of the liquid in the mix... including the water in the vegetables... so it is best to wait till it has cooled).
- Once couscous has cooled to room temperature, add to the salad mix.
- Mix and refrigerate.

Nutritional Data
3 WW points
187.5 cal
1.1 g fat
41 g carbs
4.2 g fiber
3.3 g sugar
6.3 g protein

Add 1 tbsp Olive Oil to the recipe (when you add the vineagar) and the values change too
4 WW points
207.4 cal
3.3 g fat
41 g carbs
4.2 g fiber
3.3 g sugar
6.2 g protein

Breakfast Burritos

I make most meals around here, but when it comes to breakfast my husband takes over the kitchen. He's a breakfast kinda guy! He whips up the best scrambled eggs, cooks up perfect crispy bacon, master pancake and french toast maker, and he makes the most delicious breakfast burritos. I made him tell me every single ingredient as he was making them this morning so that I could share his yummy recipe with all of you!


Ingredients
2 eggs
2 egg whites
1 oz fat free milk
1 tbsp taco sauce
1 small onion, diced
1/4 cup diced red pepper
2 tbsp Light Cheez Whiz
salt and pepper to taste

2 (10 inch) flour tortillas
2 tbsp taco sauce (or salsa)
1/4 cup grated fat free mozzarella or cheddar

Directions
- In a bowl, beat eggs with milk and 1 tbsp taco sauce.
- Heat a non stick frying pan, and spray with Pam cooking spray.
- Fry up onions and peppers until soft.
- Add eggs and cheez whiz and mix.
- Keep mixing as you would to make scrambled eggs.
- Once eggs are cooked, split mix into 2 portions.
- Put each portion on a tortilla, top with half the cheese and 1 tbsp taco sauce (or salsa) and roll up serve hot!

Enjoy!!

Nutritional Data
8 WW points
412.8 cal
11.4 g fat
195 mg cholesterol
52.9 g carbs
3.6 g fiber
23 g protein

Quick & Easy Chicken Quesadillas

Quesadillas are a favorite in our household. Basically, if you like grilled-cheese sandwhiches, then you'll love the Mexican (or Tex-Mex) variety as well. We enjoy all kinds, even sweet breakfast ones filled with bananas and Nutella! Tonight's quesadillas were whipped up quickly and scarfed down just as fast.

Sorry for the horrible shot.. I wanted to eat it while it was still hot! ;)

Ingredients
4 medium corn tortillas (6 inch)
1 chicken breast (250 gr)
1/2 cup salsa
1 cup low-fat mozzarella, Cheddar, or Colby cheese

Directions
- Cut chicken breast in 2 pieces (so that it cooks faster).
- In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil and add the chicken pieces.
- Boil until cooked (about 10 minutes)
- Remove chicken from water and shred with 2 forks. In a small bowl, mix shredded chicken with the salsa. Split chicken mix into 4 portions.
- Split cheese into 4 portions (1/4 cup).
- Put 1/2 of a portion on 1/2 a tortilla, add chicken mix on the cheese, top with the rest of the cheese portion and fold the tortilla over. Repeat steps for the remaining 3 tortillas.
- Cook in a ungreased heated pan for 1 minute on each side, or until cheese is melted. Be careful not to burn the torilla, keep heat to medium-low.

Serve with salsa and fat-free sour-cream (if desired)... it is very good as is ;)

Tastes delicious with a fresh corn salad!

Nutritional Data
4 WW points
183 cal
3.3 g fat
42.2 g cholesterol
14.2 g carbs
12.2 g fiber
23.2 g protein