Soooo….yeah.  Weight Watchers.  I’m in my fifth week, and while I still feel a little odd about it, I think it’s working for me.  Mostly, it’s been a good way to balance my indulgences, and an extra motivator to… Read the rest of this post

Soooo….yeah.  Weight Watchers.  I’m in my fifth week, and while I still feel a little odd about it, I think it’s working for me.  Mostly, it’s been a good way to balance my indulgences, and an extra motivator to help me decide if I really NEED that extra glass of wine or cookie on any given night.

It’s also making me cook more, and try new things.  This is actually a standby – my all time favorite dressing/marinade.  I’ve used it for chicken before, but decided for this to expand it to a dressing.  So I marinated chicken breasts overnight, then grilled them, and sliced them thin.  Shredded half a head of red cabbage, and dressed the whole thing with a few extra tablespoons of the dressing.  It’s stayed crispy in the fridge all week for my lunches and fast dinners.

Best-Ever Dressing/Marinade

6 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons apple cider vingar
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons very grainy mustard
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

Put all ingredients in a jar and seal tightly.  Shake well to mix.  Excellent as a dressing or marinade for chicken, pork, and fish.

Makes about 3/4 cup – 2 tablespoons ~ 3 WW Plus Points

Chicken and Red Cabbage Salad
Serves 6

Best-Ever Marinade (you will use about 2/3 of it)
1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts
1/2 head of red cabbage

Marinate the chicken overnight in enough of the marinade to cover.  Grill until done, and slice crosswise into thin strips.

Quarter and thinly slice the red cabbage.  Toss with the chicken and enough dressing to coat.

One Serving ~ 7 WW Plus Points

My favorite summer meals require a minimum of time in front of my stove.  The combination of spices and cool yogurt in this chicken salad make it a staple in my fridge for the hot months.   I like… Read the rest of this post

My favorite summer meals require a minimum of time in front of my stove.  The combination of spices and cool yogurt in this chicken salad make it a staple in my fridge for the hot months.   I like it best layered up with some cucumbers and toasted bread, and washed down with a limoncello lemonade (recipe to come soon!).

It’s a fairly basic recipe – the fillings can be changed or left out depending on what’s in your fridge.  I’ve filled it out with chopped green apples, red onions, celery, carrots, and almonds…really anything you like.  I particularly like the addition of the lime zest and the chili powder – it adds a citrusy bite.

Read on for the recipe!

Curry Lime Chicken Salad
serves 4

Prep: 20 minutes total: 30 minutes

ingredients:
2 cups chicken broth
4 cups water
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup nonfat greek yogurt or plain yogurt
3 teaspoons curry powder
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
zest of 1/2 lime
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger or 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup cashews, chopped
about 10 large mint leaves, roughly chopped

how to:
1. Bring the chicken broth and water to a simmer in a pot.  cook the chicken breasts for 6 minutes, then remove from the heat and cover. Let the chicken finish cooking for 10 minutes, until white all the way through.  Remove the chicken to a plate, and let cool.  Tear into small pieces and set aside.

2. Cover the raisins with hot water and set aside.

3. In a small bowl, mix together the mayo, yogurt, curry powder, lime juice, zest, honey, ginger, chili, salt and pepper.

4. Mix the chicken and the sauce in a bowl. Drain the raisins and add them to the chicken. Add the cashews and chopped mint and stir until well combined.  Add more salt to taste.