Low-Point Spinach and Cheese Soufflé

Breakfast, lunch, or supper -- perfect for any meal; this spinach souffle' is very tasty and easy to make. Too hot to bake inside? No problem, just bake right on the grill and enjoy!


Low-Point Spinach and Cheese Souffle'
Ingredients:
- Cooking spray
- 1 1/2 Tbs bread crumbs
- 1, 6 oz. package fresh baby spinach
- 2/3 cup 1% milk
- 2 Tbs flour
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 2 large egg yolks
- 4 large egg whites
- 1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
Place baking sheet in the oven or on the grill. Preheat oven/grill to 425 degrees. Coat 4 (6-ounce) ramekins with cooking spray and sprinkle with breadcrumbs, coating sides completely. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly coat skillet with cooking spray. Add spinach and cook for 2 minutes or until spinach wilts. Stir or toss constantly. Drain and press excess liquid from spinach. Coarsely chop. Combine milk, flour, salt, nutmeg, and pepper in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir with whisk until smooth and mixture starts to thicken. Spoon mixture into a large bowl. Let stand 10 minutes. Stir in spinach, cheese, and egg yolks. Combine egg whites and cream of tartar in a large bowl and beat with a mixer at high speed until soft peaks form (do not overbeat). Gently fold in egg whites into the spinach mixture and spoon mixture into prepared dishes. Place dishes on preheated baking sheet in oven or on grill and immediately turn the heat down to 350 degrees. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until puffy and golden brown. Serve and enjoy! If you'd like a printer-friendly version of this recipe, Click Here.
Total servings - 4
Serving size - 1
Total points per serving - 3.5

"The only person who can limit your possibilities is you." - Jon Gordon

Low-Point Chicken Parmesan Squash Boats

Our garden has really flourished this season and we have an abundant amount of squash and zucchini! We're never left wanting for fresh summer squash; however, I have had to do lots of homework researching delicious recipes we can use with all this squash. Come to find out, this recipe that I made up has been deemed a winner, at least to my family! Hope it's a winner for yours as well. Enjoy!


Low-Point Chicken Parmesan Squash Boats
Ingredients:
- 2 medium to large yellow summer squash or zucchini
- 2, 4 oz. chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
- 3 Tbs bread crumbs
- 3 Tbs butter (Land O Lakes Light), melted
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. kosher salt or sea salt
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan
Heat oven or grill to 400 degrees and bake or grill chicken breasts for 15 minutes (turning once or twice) until done. Chop into small pieces and set aside. Cut squash in half widthwise and then again in half lengthwise (leaving 4 pieces). Cut or scoop out squash from center, setting aside the hallow squash boats. Chop squash filling into small pieces. In a bowl, mix chopped squash with bread crumbs, butter, garlic, salt, pepper, and parmesan. Add pieces of chopped chicken and mix until combined. Spoon mixture back into squash boats and grill or bake on a piece of aluminum foil at 400 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes. Enjoy! If you'd like a printer-friendly version of this recipe, Click Here.
Total servings - 8
Serving size - 1
Points per serving - 2

"At its very essence, change is a process of self-discovery, of finally learning to love ourselves." - Edward Grinnan

Low-Point Shrimp Orecchiette with Creamy Herb Dressing

Who doesn't like shrimp? I don't... or so I thought. Admittedly, I hadn't tried shrimp for years. My memory of it wasn't too pleasing. That must have been the way it was prepared because this recipe will have your taste buds wanting more!


Low-Point Shrimp Orecchiette with Creamy Herb Dressing
Ingredients:
- 8 ounces uncooked orecchiette pasta
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1/2 pound medium shrimp, peeled, deveined and cut in half
- 1/3 cup fat-free mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup fat-free buttermilk
- 2 Tbs fresh minced chives
- 1 Tbs fresh chopped dill
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt or sea salt
- 1/2 tsp. grated lemon rind
- 1 Tbs lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- 1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
Cook pasta according to directions. Add peas and shrimp during the last 3 minutes of cooking. Drain and rinse with cold water. Drain and pour into bowl. In another bowl, mix mayonnaise, buttermilk, chives, dill, salt, lemon rind, lemon juice, pepper, red pepper flakes, and garlic. Combine and pour over pasta. Serve warm or chilled. Enjoy! If you'd like a printer-friendly version of this recipe, Click Here.
Tip* - Serve cold next day on a bed of lettuce for a light, yet filling meal.
Total Servings - 9, (1/2 cups)
Serving size - 1/2 cup
Total points per serving - 2.8

"Blessed are those who can give without remembering and take without forgetting." - Susan J. Decuir

Low-Point Chorizo Ragout (Ragu)

By definition, Ragout means "well seasoned meat and vegetables cooked in a thick sauce". That's just what this is; a terrific and tasty meal that has everything you need for full-flavored enjoyment.


Low-Point Chorizo Ragout (Ragu)
Ingredients:
- 1 tsp. olive oil (and cooking spray if you need extra oil)
- 1/2 can (7 1/2 oz.) black beans (rinsed and drained)
- 4 oz. Chorizo (pork sausage) - I used Hot Mexican Style for this meal
- 1 green onion, chopped (white and green parts)
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
- 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- 1/4 tsp. cumin
- 1 large tomato, chopped
- 1 cup brown, whole-grain rice
Heat olive oil in large skillet. Add onion, garlic, red pepper, salt, pepper, and cumin. Cook for 5 minutes. Add chorizo and cook/stir for 6 minutes or until chorizo is fully cooked, breaking up chorizo if it came in links. Add black beans and tomatoes and heat through. Cook rice according to directions. Serve chorizo mixture over rice and enjoy! If you'd like a printer-friendly version of this recipe, Click Here.
Total servings - 3, (1/2 cup servings of chorizo and 1/2 cup servings of rice)
Serving size - 1/2 cup chorizo and rice
Total points - 4.8

"If you're not thoroughly living, you're slowly dying. Live like you mean it!" - Anonymous

Happy One-Year Anniversary to "Points in My Life"

Many years ago, the very first time I made deviled eggs to take to a friend's party, I cut the eggs widthwise instead of lengthwise. For those who remember Weebles (they wobble but they don't fall down?) can picture what these deviled eggs looked like, except these were Weeble rejects because they did fall over. However, I was pressed for time so I took them anyway; and good thing I did too because everyone so enjoyed making fun of me and my deviled eggs the whole night!
Who would have thought, many years later, I would create my own cooking/recipe blog? One year ago today, I posted my first blog! Click Here if you'd like to read. 
I remember telling my husband that although I hoped someone would read my blog, it really didn't matter because I enjoyed just typing up new recipes and writing about my life's experiences. That must have been a little white lie because when my husband told me 1000 different people have viewed this blog, I wanted to go celebrate at our favorite restaurant! :) So to my visitors and over 120 Facebook fans, I want to say THANK YOU! 
I do have to confess, not only was my starting this blog due to the encouragement of my husband, but also to one of my favorite movies, "Julie & Julia" (with Meryl Streep and Amy Adams). After watching that movie for the umpteenth time, I thought "You know what? I could blog!" I had been taking and altering recipes or creating my own for quite sometime; tweaking each one to make them low-point and low calorie. My husband and I started watching what we ate and had great success in just three months. That's when I started thinking that there had to be more people out there who wanted to lose weight but not forego taste in order to achieve their goals. With these simple and delicious recipes anyone can cook, bake, and enjoy all of this low-point, low-calorie, food virtually guilt-free!
A year ago today, with only the thought of creating a blog that might only be viewed by me, and seeing how many visitors and Facebook fans I have today, is a real surprise. It's because of the advice from those Facebook fans that I have created my first cookbook, "Recipes for a Healthy Lifestyle, Volume 1". Having sold over 30 cookbooks in less than a month made me realize even more what a difference one year can make! Makes me anxious to see what's in store for year two of "Points in My Life".


Happy Anniversary to me!

"Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone." - G. B. Stern