Summer Recipe Swap

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This past week, lots of recipes were shared in the meeting room! With Weight Watchers we have the freedom to eat whatever we choose, so our options are endless. However, we tend to eat the same foods over and over again. We fall into a rut and before we know it we start wondering towards extra snacks and treats because we are bored with our food choices.

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This article from the Weight Watchers website does a great job of summarizing what we talked about in the meeting room on Saturday, August 11, 2012.

Summer Menu Makeover
Liven up a "lazy" summer menu with fresh and delicious seasonal recipes.
Article By: Michelle Fowler & Lisa Thomas
Have you considered that one of your favorite light summer recipes might be just what someone else needs to bust out of a menu rut? Or perhaps one of your fellow meeting members has an idea or cooking technique that can revive one of your once-loved summer classics? If you're like most members, chicken and mixed greens are in heavy rotation during the warm-weather months. But how many times can you prepare the same old grilled chicken breast recipe for dinner or eat a no-frills green salad for lunch?

Wake up your taste buds!
You don't have to reinvent the wheel to give summer classics a fresh twist. For example, something as simple as swapping a spice or an herb can make a difference. Or roasting and grilling to bring out the natural sugars in foods, rather than boiling or steaming. Seasoning food before cooking it, as well as properly salting water for rice or pasta can dramatically boost flavor. And using fresh seasonal produce is a great way to highlight different flavors and textures in your recipes.

What are some of the foods you look forward to eating this time of year? Salads? Jazz them up by topping your greens with meat, seafood or chicken leftovers. Corn? Roast and season kernels for a light and flavorful finger-food snack. Watermelon? Blend it into a frozen cocktail. And sure, grilling may be the unofficial cooking technique of the season because you can get food on the table quickly and keep the house cool, but using a toaster oven is a comparable alternative. And if your slow-cooker is on the shelf or in the closet gathering dust, pull it out, place it on the counter, and use it to create fuss-free weeknight dinners.

Along with your weekly meeting, eTools is also a treasure trove of member-tested, member-approved, plan-friendly recipes and meal ideas! Here are a few good places to start.

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Here are a few of my all time favorite recipes!!

My favorite dessert: Berry Cobbler

Just a few ingredients, but it tastes great!!

My favorite Crock Pot meal: Crockpot Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti

I love chicken spaghetti and I'm glad that there is a Weight Watchers friendly version out there for me to enjoy!

Our family's favorite chicken dish: Chicken and Rice

This is a staple in our home, even before I started Weight Watchers.

What are some of your favorite recipes?