Balsamic Vinegar Pork Chops

4 pork chops
S and P
2 T. EVOO
2/3 C. Balsamic Vinegar
2 tsp sugar (count points)

Season chops wtih S and P. Heat oil in pan over Med-high heat for 1 min. Cook chops for 5 minutes, turning half-way through. Remove chops, place on a clean plate. Turn down heat to Med. Cook Vinegar and sugar in same pan. Cook until slightly thickened (about 2 minutes). Return chops and any juices from chops into vinegar mixture. Cook 4 minutes, turning to coat with sauce. It smells really strong, but tastes very mild.

Taco Soup

1 lb hamb (93%)
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 C. frozen corn (can also use canned)
1 Quart home-canned tomatoes, pureed in blender
1/2 C. salsa
1/2 pkg. taco seasoning (not actually core-I have a recipe posted that is core)
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

Brown hamb, onion and green pepper until onion and pepper are done. Add everything else. Heat through. Top each bowl with FF sour cream, FF cheese and crumbled tortilla chips (count points for chips).

Italian Zucchini

Basically Core

Zucchini, sliced

Italian Spray Salad Dressing, 10 sprays (not core, but 0 points)

Fry Zucchini in pam until browned. Spray with dressing.

Meatloaf

Core

This is my regular meatloaf recipe that I have always made. The only adjustment to make it core is to use 93% hamburger.

1 lb. 93% hamburger

1 C. oatmeal

1 can tomato sauce

1 egg

1 pkg dry onion soup mix

Mix with hands. Bake in muffin tins at 350 for 30 minutes or loaf pan for 1 hour. If desired, top with ketchup when you remove from oven.

Potato's with Onions

Core

(pictured on the right)

5 med potatoes, peeled and diced
1/2 med onion, cut into pieces the same size as the potatoes
1 pkg. onion soup mix
1 T. EVOO

Mix all together. Place in a 9 X 11 glass baking dish bake until potatoes are tender, about 45 min at 350 degrees. I think it would be good to add hamburger and carrots to make it a main dish.

Egg Muffins

Core

15 eggs (for silicone pans) or 12 eggs (for metal muffin tins) You can use less egg yolk and more egg white if counting points

1-2 tsp. spike seasoning

1-2 cups FF cheese

3 green onions, diced (optional, but highly reccommended)

Veggies, diced (optional) (such as blanched broccoli, red pepper, zucchini, mushrooms, etc...)

Meat (optional) (such as diced canadian bacon, lean ham, crumbled cooked ground turkey)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. If using silicone pan, spray with pam. If using metal tins, put two papers in each and then spray papers. Put a layer of meat in first, then veggies, then cheese and green onions. You want the muffin cups to be 2/3 full with just enough room to pour a little egg around the other ingredients. Break eggs into a large mixing bowl with a spout. Add Spike and beat well. You can also add some milk to the eggs, if desired. Pour egg into each muffin cup until 3/4 full. Stir lightly with a fork. Bake 25-35 minutes until muffins have risen and are slightly browned and set. Muffins will keep at least a week in the refrigerator without freezing. Egg muffins can be frozen and reheated. For best results, thaw in refrigerator before reheating. Microwave on high about 2 minutes to reheat.

I made with ham, green peppers, chopped yellow onion, mushroom, FF mozarella, egg and salt and pepper. I did not have green onions or spike. They were fabulous. I love these. I must have overfilled mine, because it only took about 8 eggs. For the kids I just used ham and cheese. They were good too. I have not tried freezing them or putting them in the fridge. Mine took 30 minutes at 350 (I didn't see 375 written on my recipe until later on).

Core Breakfast Ideas

These are things I eat for breakfast:

Oatmeal with splenda or splenda and maple flavoring and always with FF milk
Banana
Grapefruit
Peaches
Pears
Applesauce
Cantalope
FF Yogurt
Whole Grain Cereal with no added sugar and FF milk
Yogurt with cereal on top
Pancakes (see recipe)
Muffins (see recipe)
Diet Hot choco
Cream of Wheat
Malt O Meal
Smoothie (see recipes)
Bananas and Milk (slice up banana in bowl top with splenda and top with milk)
Omelets
Scrambled Eggs
Fried Eggs
Scrambled eggs with ham and/or cheese
Egg Muffins (see recipe)

Peach Puree

Core

1 can peaches, drained

splenda, to taste

ice

Blend peaches. Add splenda (maybe 1/4 C.). Add ice and blend until there are no more ice chunks. The more ice you add the more people it will serve and the fewer points per serving.

Mathematical calculation for points

This is the formula used to figure out the points per serving

(Calories/50) + (Fat /12) - (fiber up to 4 / 5) = points value per serving

I'll try to simplify it...

Take the calories and divide by 50= we'll call this A

Take the fat and divide by 12= we'll call this B

Take the fiber (only up to 4) and divide by 5= we'll call this C

Now take A+B-C= points value

Grilled Salsa Chicken

Core, OR 3 points per serving (with cabbage, add extra poionts for rice)
Serves 4
Taken from Weight Watchers My TurnAround Program Cookbook. P 126. Grilled Chicken with Salsas

1/2 C. FF Tomatillo Salsa (I could only find Salsa Verde, which I'm not sure if it's the same)
1/2 C. FF Tomato Salsa (hot, med or mild)
1/4 C. finely chopped onion
1 tsp. grated orange zest
1/8 tsp ground cumin
4 (1/4 lb.) boneless, skinless, chicken breast halves
4 cups shredded green or red cabbage
OR Brown Rice

Combine the salsas, onion, orange zest and cumin in a ziploc baggie. Add the chicken. Put in fridge for 20 min. Remove chicken from marinade, shake off as much marinade as possible. Grill chicken on George Forman Grill or in a skillet over med heat (about 250 degrees). Cook until done about 10-12 min. Bring marinade to a boil in a separate pan. Boil for 2 min. Remove marinade from heat. Shred chicken and add to marinade. Reheat all and serve over steamed or raw cabbage. Can buy coleslaw mix (cabbage) to be faster.

I served mine over rice instead. I thought it was really good. Hubby thought it was okay, but not his favorite. I did not shred chicken and I liked it, but next time I will try shredding it. I would like to try it with hot salsa, instead of mild. Could also serve with noodles, or just as a main dish. I think next time I will double the marinade, so I have more to serve over the top.

Chocolate Yogurt

Core

FF Vanilla Yogurt
1 pkt. Diet Hot Chocolate

Mix and enjoy.

Spaghetti Sauce

Core, or 3 points
Serves 4
Recipe found on RecipeZaar.com #261756

2 T. EVOO
1/2 medium onion
1 lb mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp. dried parsley
2 tsp garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
28 oz. crushed tomatoes
6 oz tomato paste

Heat oil in large skillet on med. Add onion, mushroom, garlic and herbs. Cook until onions are transparent. Reduce heat to low, add tomatoes and tomato paste. Cover and cook for 15-20 min. Stir occasionally.

I added 1 lb. 93% hamb. I omitted mushrooms. I used a garlic press and did 3 garlic cloves instead of mincing. I used 5 large fresh tomatoes in place of crushed tomatoes. First I blanched them, peeled them, removed seeds, boiled for 15 min, then put in a blender.

Why I love Core

"Unlimited" fruit
Limited tracking
Easier to say NO to non-core foods (ie: sweets)
More selection when eating out at a sit-down restaurant
Don't feel like I'm dieting
I feel like I'm eating more
The foods are more filling
Meat
Milk
No measuring
Potlucks are easier as long as there are fruits and vegetables
Buffets and salad bars are very core friendly

Core Lasagna

Core

WW noodles, raw
FF cottage cheese
FF mozarella cheese
Spaghetti sauce (not core unless you make your own, so I just count a point for sugar)
about 1 lb. Hamb 93% seasoned with onion or dried onion and garlic salt and pepper

In a glass baking dish (for easier cleanup) pour some spaghetti sauce in the bottom and spread to barely cover. Put a layer of raw noodles, do not overlap. Top with sauce, then meat, then cottage cheese, then cheese. Repeat starting at the noodles. After this second layer do one more layer of noodles, sauce, cheese. Cover with foil. Bake at 350 for an hour. Pull back foil, pierce lasagna with fork to see if noodles are done. When I make for my family I make one portion that is made this way, the rest I make with regular (not WW) noodles, regular cottage cheese, regular cheese, regular hamburger. I mark mine with spaghetti noodles laying on the top. THe reason I make theirs with regular food is for the cost difference and there is a slight taste difference, but mainly the cost.

Cheese "Crackers" or "Chips"

Core

FF cheese (I used Mozarella)

Make little piles of cheese on a non-stick griddle. Grill them until they turn brown. Mine were chewy (which was good), but I think if you cooked them longer, then they would be crispy. Dip in salsa, guacamole, dip. The picture is of the "crackers", salsa and salsa verde salsa.

Chocolate Smoothie

about 1/2 C. FF Milk
1 pkt. Diet Hot Chocolate
1 1/2 handfuls of ice

Put all in blender, enjoy! It is not very chocolatey, but I still liked it. You could also add some FF yogurt and/ or some vanilla.

Foods I always have on hand

Apples
Bananas
Pineapple (canned)
Applesauce-No Sugar Added
FF Sour Cream
FF Cottage Cheese
FF Cheese
Vegetarian Chili
Vegetarian Pork N Beans
Splenda
Whole Grain Cereal-No Sugar Added
FF Milk
Eggs
Lettuce
Onion
Garlic
Spices
Dry Onion Soup Mix
Boulion Cubes
Chicken
Hamburger-93%
Lemon Juice
Mustard
Spicy Brown Mustard
FF Ranch
EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
Pam
Blue Bunny No Sugar Added Fudge Lites (Popsicles)
Green Peppers
Ham, not Deli
94% FF Popcorn
Spray Butter
Brown Rice
Potatoes
WW Noodles
Diet Hot Chocolate

Sometimes
Grapefruit
Oranges
Other Fruit
Pork Chops
Roast
Other Veggies

Almost Core Stroganoff

Almost Core (Cream soup is not a core ingredient)
Core plus 1 point per serving.
Serves 6

Brown Rice or Whole Wheat Noodles, cooked
Browned Hamburger 93 % seasoned with Garlic Salt, Pepper, onion or dried onion
FF Sour Cream
FF Milk
1 can Cream soup (Cream of Chicken or celery or mushroom)
Soy sauce

Brown Hamburger, add spices and onion. Add a can of cream soup and a little milk (maybe 1/4 C.). Heat through, then add about 1/4-1/2 C. sour cream. Serve over cooked rice or noodles. Top each plate with soy sauce. Itried doing it without the soup and it did not taste good.

Vegetarian Chili with a twist

Vegetarian Chili (Store Bought)
FF sour cream or FF cottage cheese

I usually mix FF Sour Cream with my chili, but I was out. So I used FF cottage cheese. Both are good.

A Sample Daily Menu

Here is what I have eaten for today... (Remember I do Core and I am on Maintenance, so I get 63 weekly points)

8:30 AM (1) Grapefruit with salt
(1) Slice of wheat toast, dry---dipped in hot choco (count 1 points for toast)
(1) Cup of Diet Hot chocolate made with water

11:00 AM (1) Apple (Gala) with salt

11:30 AM Skim Milk (about 8 oz)

1:00 PM Bean Burrito
Pam
Tortilla (cook at home kind) (count 3 points)
FF Refried beans
Salsa
FF Sour Cream
Lettuce
(2) glasses of water

5:30 PM Baked Potato
(1) Baked Potato rubbed in 2 tsp oil
2 tsp. canola oil
FF Sour Cream
1 T. light butter spread (count 1 point)
Cheese 1 T. grated (count 1 point)
Hamburger 93% with garlic salt, dried onion, pepper
Fresh Green Beans
Butter Spray (10 sprays-0 points)
salt and pepper
(2) glasses water

8 PM Fruit Smoothie
(1) banana
(1) orange
1/2 can pinapple, drained
splenda (about 1/4 C.)
8 oz skim milk
I blended them together. Then poured 1/2 out to save for tomorrow (before adding ice). Then added three handfuls of ice and blended. I probably could have saved out 2/3.

8 PM skim milk (about 8 oz)

Totals for day
water 4
veggies/fruits 6 1/2
milk 3
oil 2 tsp
multivitamin 1
weekly points 6