Weight Watcher Wednesday: Zucchini Risotto with Sun Dried Tomatoes

This is a fabulous dish of deliciousness.  Really it does not get any better than this.  Well, maybe with all fresh vegetables from the garden.  For sure I will be making this in the summer.  And it would be so nice on the grill.  It's a meal in itself but I dont see why you couldnt add a grilled piece of chicken along side.  For me, I was totally content just having the risotto.

Zucchini Risotto with Sun Dried Tomatoes
Recipe adapted from Weight Watchers New Companion Cookbook; WIley Publishing, Inc.

3 1/2 cups vegetable broth/stock
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup tomato juice
1/2 cup onion, chopped
4 medium zucchini, chopped
1/2 dry white wine
1 1/3 cups Arborio rice
16 sun dried tomatoes, snipped into small pieces with kitchen sheers
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
1 tablespoon fresh marjoram or 1 teaspoon dired
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Bring tomato juice and veegtable broth to a boil in a seperate pan.  Cover and keep on low simmer.

In a fairly large sauce pan or a stock pot, saute the onion in oil until soft.  Add chopped zucchini and wine.  Cook five minutes.  Add the rice cook and stir one minute. 

Add a cup of the stock mixture, sundried tomatoes, parsley, pepper, marjoram and cook stirring untilt he moisture is absorbed.  Add broth 1/2 cup at a time.  Repeat this step of adding broth until the rice is tender.  Stir in the parmesan.

1 1/2 cups is 360 calories.

Weight Watcher Wednesday: Southwestern Style Chicken Stew

This past Sunday we had this for dinner along with some cornbread!  Delicious.  I loved it.

Southwestern Style Chicken Stew

6 thighs, skin and fat removed
1 cup dried Pinto or Northern beans
1 cup corn
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon cumin
1 clove garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro
2 pints (4 cups) salsa

Soak beans overnight.  Or if you are in a hurry like I was- soak them for an hour and then simmer them in some water until nearly tender.  Add chicken, cumin, bay leaf, onion and garlic.  Put enough water in the pot so that the chicken is covered.  Simmer stew until the chicken is falling off the bone.  By that time your beans should be perfect.  Add salsa and at the last minute add cilantro.  (Boiling cilantro will remove a lot of its flavor). 

about 250 calories for 2 cups

Weight Watcher Wednesday: Chicken Curry

Photo courtesy of Weight Watchers

Yes, I am still having trouble with getting into Google- blog comments, google docs, any of it.  It is a royal pain in the neck.  In order to get onto my blog I have to sign in and out and in and out and so on and so forth.  If any of you have any suggestions I would appreciate it.  I am pretty sure it has to do with my search proxy.  One of these days I will figure it out or I will end up having to pay someone to do it for me. 

What I can do now is tell you about WW's Chicken Curry.  It is very flavorful.  Which of course is how curry should be.  I did enjoy this one and if I were eating these all the time this one would probably be a regular.

There is quite a bit of chicken in this one.   I have to say one of the best parts of any of these meals are the sauces that go with them.  Except for the salmon one, I loved them all and they are very plentiful in the package.

If you like the idea of chicken curry and would like to make your own, you might want to try this one.  Sounds delicious.  View source here.

Chicken Curry

½ cup plain low-fat yogurt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon curry powder, I like to use a garam masala mix
1 inch piece of ginger, grated
¼ teaspoon salt
1 dash ground red pepper
1 ½ lbs chicken parts, skinned
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
½ cup chopped tomatoes
1 bay leaf


In bowl, combine yogurt and seasonings; add chicken parts, turning to coat. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes to one hour.

In a skillet heat oil; add onion and saute until lightly browned. Add tomatoes and the bay leaf - let simmer for 5 minutes; add chicken and marinade mixture and stir to combine.

Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and let simmer, turning once to twice, until chicken is tender, about 30 minutes; remove bay leaf before serving.