Serve this thick and hearty chili with your favorite baked tortilla scoops and you won’t even need a spoon! Add some jalapeno peppers if you want a little more “kick.”

1 pound ground turkey

1/2 cup chopped onions

1 cup chopped celery

1 green or red pepper (or a combination)

One 28 ounce can diced tomatoes

One 8 ounce can tomato sauce

One 15 ounce can black beans drained and rinsed

One 15 ounce can dark red kidney beans drained and rinsed

2 teaspoons chili powder

1/2 package Taco Seasoning Mix

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Brown turkey and onion on medium heat in a non-stick dutch oven (or dutch oven lightly coated with cooking spray).
2. Drain and rinse the beans; add to the chili.
3. Chop and add the celery and green/red peppers.
4. Add the diced tomatoes and the tomato sauce.
5. Add the chili powder, taco seasoning mix, salt, and pepper.

Garnish with shredded cheese and a sprig of Cilantro, if desired.

12 servings (approximately 1 cup per serving)

3  ww Points Plus per serving (add extra points for tortilla chips or cheese)

This recipe is in response to  my Sunday morning chocolate craving! It is nutritious enough for breakfast and yummy enough for dessert. Try it…for a fun and easy chocolatey delight!

If it wasn’t February in WISCONSIN I’d serve this parfait out on my deck. For those of you that embroider, please notice the placemat. I used a simple embroidery design and some inexpensive outdoor placemats. If you’re interested in the How-tos please respond. I’ll consider an “easy embroidery” blog just for you.

Ingredients

1/4 cup fat-free or lite whipped topping (such as Cool Whip)

One 4 oz. container chocolate Greek yogurt (I love Oikos!)

1/2 cup (or more) cut-up strawberries (leave one strawberry whole to slice for the top)

1 Tbsp. chopped pecans (Try granola, if you prefer. )

Instructions

1. Layer whipped topping, yogurt, and strawberries. Repeat twice.
2. Garnish with the last dollop of whipped topping, 1 Tbsp. chopped pecans, and a sliced strawberry.

Simple!

One large serving

5  Points Plus

221 Calories

Wheat Bran Muffin with Apricot Fruit Spread

If you’re watching your weight or just trying to eat healthier, you’ll love these tasty home-baked muffins. They freeze well too! So, make up a batch, eat a few, and freeze the rest for a healthy treat on a busy day! If you’re like me you don’t always have all the right ingredients on hand. I’ll show you some simple substitutions that will save a trip to the store.

Read through the ingredients and recipe thoroughly before you start.

Ingredients:

• Cooking spray, such as Pam.
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 2/3 cup uncooked wheat bran (You’ll find wheat bran in the grocery store with other grains that are purchased by weight.  Wheat bran is best for this recipe, but you may substitute “Wheat Germ” from a jar such as Kretschmer’s.)
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup light butter, softened
• 2/3 cup brown sugar (You may substitute Splenda brown sugar blend for the brown sugar. It has half the carbs and half the sugar as regular brown sugar–yet it tastes just as sweet!)
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup buttermilk (Substitute 1 Tbsp. lemon juice plus enough skim milk to equal 1 cup. Leave juice and milk substitute sit for 5 minutes to sour the milk. Or, use 4 Tbsp. buttermilk powder in 1 cup water to equal 1 cup of buttermilk. Either substitution is better than buying a quart of buttermilk and using just 1 cup!)
• 1 cup raisins (Yellow raisins can be substituted, or substitute some walnuts in place of the raisins.)

 

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
2. Spray 12 unit muffin tin with cooking spray.
3. Measure and combine flour, wheat bran, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon; set aside.
4. Soften butter in microwave being very careful not to melt it. I use a #1 setting for about one minute, but microwaves vary.
5. Combine softened butter and sugar with an electric mixer; add egg and beat thoroughly.
6. Add 1/3 of bran mixture and 1/3 cup of buttermilk; mix until combined. DO NOT OVERBEAT! Repeat, alternating bran mixture and buttermilk.
7. Fold in the raisins or nuts.
8. Fill each prepared muffin unit 2/3 full of the batter.
9. Place in center of oven; bake until toothpick inserted in center of muffin comes out clean. (It takes about 15 minutes to bake.)
10. Remove onto a cooling rack.
11. Serve warm or cooled with your favorite spread. I enjoy “I Can’t Believe it’s not Butter,” or 1 Tbsp. of Simply Fruit.

Yum! They’re hard to resist!

Recipe yields 12 servings (one muffin each).

4 Weight Watcher Points Plus per serving (not including the spread or the nut substitution).

Enjoy!

Dee

• 1/2 cup fat-free skim milk
• 1/3 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
• 1/2 cup water
• 4 packets Splenda No Calorie Sweetener
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 6 cups ice cubes

Instructions:

1. Place all ingredients in a blender.
2. Blend until smooth.
3. Pour into glasses and serve with colorful straws.
4. Garnish with mint sprigs and orange wedges, if desired.

It’s cool and nutritious! A great rival to an Orange Julius!

Dee