WW-Friendly Fish Tacos! 2 POINTS EACH!

This was really easy, fast, and yummy!

I had always eyed the Walden Farms line of "Zero Calorie" products with a wary eye. I'd pick them up, look at the ingredients, and decide I didn't need another nearly-full but forgotten bottle taking up space in my fridge. Then Judy, the Patron Saint of All That Is Natural and Organic insisted I try one. She suggested the Chipotle Ranch because it has a "little kick".

I was honestly surprised at how good it was! Not as thick as a traditional ranch, but it really has a nice tangy, spicy flavor. I had it on salad a few times, and then I decided to get creative.

"Now", she thought as she rubbed her hands together mischievously, "what shall I doooooo with it?"

The answer? Fish tacos! And just for the fun of it, lets make healthy ones. So I spent the better part of a morning comparing the nutritional value of every corn tortilla we carry at Pete's. (FYI- Corn tortillas can be found in about 4 different locations in the store. Don't be bashful about asking for help.)

The verdict? Mission Extra Thin Corn Tortillas (You'll find 'em in the Ethnic Foods Section in Aisle 3.) They come in at only ONE POINT per tortilla! (You're welcome. I know each point you can shave off is a small victory.)

Then I scoured the frozen foods department to find the best fish sticks per point. These Trident Ultimate Fish Sticks ended up being ONE POINT each!

All you have to do is bake the fish sticks, microwave the tortillas, and put those babies together! The Chipotle Ranch dressing really makes this awesome- don't skip it!

Garnish liberally with:

The cilantro adds a LOT of flavor- don't leave it out! If you want to be really fancy, serve it with a wedge of lime and grilled green onions!

Enjoy!

Megan

Pizza Margherita

I'm not sure if it's a new product or not, but I noticed these ready-made thin pizza crusts in the deli and bakery at Pete's. They're a great deal- $2.99 for three crusts!

So I had my kids help make our favorite- pizza margherita!  I sliced up some beautiful tomatoes and fresh basil, drizzled with good olive oil, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Then the best part- fresh mozzarella!!  At Pete's, you'll find this in the cheese section of the deli, and it's really best to use the real thing and not shredded.  It comes in a ball, and I cut it in half and then slice it in my egg slicer. Because I'm unapologetically lazy.

Throw it in a good hot oven for about 10 minutes, and  it is DONE, baby!

This crust is very very good- nice and crispy!  The tomatoes got a little watery, so if that bugs you, just drain the slices on paper towels for a bit before you put them on the crust. Or halved grape tomatoes would be great too!

Enjoy!

Megan

Radicchio!

These little guys aren't always in stock, and it's sometimes a puzzle what to do with them. Raw, these red cabbage-y guys are BITTER. Like, WOW bitter.

But when you grill them, they turn nutty and yummy and wonderful. Give this a shot!

Cut the radicchio through the core so they leaves stay attached- I started out cutting it in quarters, but ended up cutting it into eighths so that more surface area would be on the grill.

 

I drizzled them with a little olive oil and sprinkled generously with salt and pepper and laid those babies on the grill over medium flame.  WATCH THEM! Like, don't walk away! It only take a couple minutes and they go from raw to charred very fast! Once they look brown-ish, flip 'em on the other side until their brown-ness matches.

Bring them inside, chop them up a little, and drizzle with a good balsamic vinagrette? vignegrette? vinegrette? vinaigrette (thanks, google!) dressing and a handful of fresh parmesan.

 This is my attempt at a super-arty close-up photo. Humor me.

The radicchio loses a lot of the bitterness and takes on a nice nutty flavor. The kids may not love this, but if you feel like being a super-sophisticated grownup, this is easy enough to try out!

Enjoy!

Megan

No-Bake Lemon Curd Desserts

Are you freaking out about Easter right around the corner? Have you been so obsessed with ham and Easter eggs and chocolate bunnies, you haven't given dessert a thought?

Guess what. These two words are going to give you incredible peace of mind: LEMON CURD.

Oh... here's two more words you're going to love: NO BAKE.

Here's the formulas. You can't mess this up. Pinkie swear. In fact, print this out, give it to your kids, and put them to work!

Pssst... Lemon curd is one of those things you can't find everywhere. Save yourself a headache and find it in the baking aisle at Pete's County Market.  :)

Heavenly Lemon Ice Cream

Whip a pint of heavy whipping cream. Gently beat in half a can of sweetened condensed milk and two jars of lemon curd. Freeze. That's it. No ice cream machine. I used an ugly old cottage cheese container and put it the back of the freezer behind a big bag of peas. The family will never find it. Throw a few berries on top or a few thin crispy ginger cookies on the side and you can't go wrong!

Luscious Lemon Trifle

Find a great big pretty clear glass bowl. Got it? That was the hard part. Mix a jar of lemon curd with a container of Cool-Whip. Cut up an angel food cake from the bakery. Wash some berries. Layer to your hearts content.  Nifty, huh?

Darling Lemon Fruit Pizzas

Mix a jar of lemon curd with a block of cream cheese. Spread that lemony goodness on sugar cookies from the bakery. Top with your favorite fruit. Pat yourself on the back.

Fancy-Schmacy Lemon Cheesecake Tarts

Beat a jar of lemon curd with a block of softened cream cheese. Spoon into mini fillo shells (found in the frozen desserts section at Petes) and top with berries or fruit. They're definitely fancy, but also earned that extra "schmancy", don't you think?

Happy Easter!

Enjoy!

-Megan