Favorite Salad of the Moment

Did I tell you that I love my spiralizer?!?!?!

My favorite salad of the moment is one zucchini, 1/2 cucumber and a carrot all spiralized together. I also add 1/3 of a chopped red bell pepper. It looks like this before I add the spicy Thai peanut dressing.

Spicy Thai Peanut Dressing

1 TBSP creamy peanut butter

1/2 TBSP rice vinegar

1/2 TBSP honey

1 tsp water

1 tsp soy sauce

1/2 TBSP sesame oil

pinch of cayenne pepper

pinch of salt

more than a pinch of red pepper flakes

Whisk everything together. Add the oil last and continue whisking until smooth. 

I don't measure the ingredients too closely. I like the heat balanced with the sweetness of the honey and peanut butter.

Simple Veggie-Wonton Soup

Simmer one box of chicken or vegetable broth.

With one package of frozen vegetables (I use Trader Joe's Harvest Hodgepodge)

and one package of frozen wontons (again, I use Trader Joe's).

Simmer until the vegetables and wontons are heated through. You may want to defrost the wontons before hand, but I don't bother.

Spinach & Beans

I made Fitnessista's Bean & Spinach dish. So simple. So good. If I remember correctly, saute 1/2 onion in a little olive oil. Add garlic. Stir in lots of baby spinach (almost 1lb) until wilted. Add desired amount of beans. Season with salt, pepper & lemon juice. I used hot sauce instead of cayenne. 

Graham Crackers Topped with Ricotta

When I am craving sweets, I spread low-fat ricotta cheese onto graham crackers to make a sweet and satisfying dessert.

This idea came from Jacques Pepin's Fast Food My Way. He adds an extra layer of dried fruits and a drizzle of honey. I imagine this to be sweeter than candy. 

Cottage Cheese Enchiladas

Cottage Cheese Enchiladas are my new favorite "after the gym" meal. 

The first time I made these I filled 3 corn tortillas with a dallop of fat-free cottage cheese, a pinch of shredded cheddar cheese, and green onions. It helps to heat the tortillas first (15 seconds in the microwave) to prevent them from tearing. Fold the tortillas and place them seam-side down in a baking dish. Cover the enchiladas with salsa verde and bake at 400 degrees until the cheese melted. Heaven. 

I started omitting the cheddar cheese (and the green onions when I don't have them on hand). Simply fill the tortillas with cottage cheese, top with salsa and bake. Still delish, if you ask me.

Pineapple Angel Food Cake

I finally made the famous WeightWatcher's Angel Food Cake. Well, famous on the WW boards... I would make it again. I may even mix in low-fat coconut milk to make it a Pina-Colada cake. The cake is one million times better than the infamous Diet Coke cake.

Angel Food Cake

Simply mix together a box of Angel Food cake mix with a can of crushed pineapple. Bake in a 9 X 13 baking dish as directed on the package.

Serves 12 at 3 points a serving. Or make 1-point cupcakes.

Wasabi Coleslaw

Wasabi coleslaw is my new favorite summertime salad. I have made this coleslaw using extra wasabi and I loved the heat. I have also used less wasabi and more brown sugar; creating a sweeter taste. I prefer it the "wasabi way"; whereas my partner prefers the sweeter version. Either way it tastes light and refreshing.

Wasabi Coleslaw

Mix together 2 TBSP of wasabi paste with 3 TBSP rice vinegar, 1 TBSP vegetable oil, 2 TBSP (or less) brown sugar, and a pinch of salt. Stir in 1 package of broccoli slaw. Yum!

Makes 3 - One cup servings.

The wasabi dressing would also taste great mixed with cucumbers as an alternative to the broccoli slaw.