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Weight Watchers – Cook It Fast 

As the end of summer approaches, chances are many of us are transitioning back to a busier schedule filled with work, school and endless activities.

Here are some tips that will have you creating a delicious healthy meal for your family – including dessert – in 30 minutes or less!  These are just a few of the hundreds of  tips and recipes you can find in the new Weight Watchers Cook It Fast cookbook  that will help you put food in the table in only 15, 20 or 30 minutes.

First, let’s go over some tips that will help minimize your kitchen time:

  • Make a menu and a shopping list: Mapping out a weekly menu and shopping list will save trips to the supermarket, save time spent shopping and take away the stress of what to cook for dinner every night. Some grocery stores now offer time-saving online shopping and grocery delivery for a nominal fee.
  • Maintain a quick-meal pantry: When you shop each week, check for long-lasting pantry staples that are on sale and stock up. Keep your shelves replenished with canned beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce and broths; dried pastas and quick cooking grains like quinoa and bulgur.  With these mealtime building blocks, you can make a healthy dinner in minutes.
  • Have the right tools: Stocking your kitchen with the right tools can save you lots of time. A slow cooker is one that can help you make fast meals in no time.  With a few minutes prep in the morning, you can come home to a ready-made dinner.  All you have to do is set the table.  The Weight Watchers Cook It Fast Cookbook has 19 delicious slow cooker recipes, so you won’t feel like you’re making the same dish over and over again!

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Linguine with White Bean Puttanesca 

Ingredients:

  • 6 ounces of whole wheat linguine
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • 12 pimiento-stuffed olives, sliced
  • 1 tablespoon drained capers, chopped
  • 1 (15.5 ounce) can small white beans, rinsed and drained
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Instructions:

  1. Cook linguine according to package directions, omitting salt if desired; drain and place in large serving bowl.
  2. Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.
  3. Add onion, garlic, oregano and crushed red pepper flakes; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion softens, 2-3 minutes.
  4. Stir in tomatoes, olives, and capers; simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens, 6-7 minutes.
  5. Add beans and salt; cook until heated through, about 1 minute.
  6. Pour beans and sauce over linguine, sprinkle with parsley and serve at once.

Per serving (1 ½ cups): 324 Cal, 6 g Total Fat, 1 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 0 mg Chol, 897 mg Sod, 57 g Total Carb, 10 g Fib, 15 g Prot, 139 mg Calc.  PPV: 8

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While the pasta dish is cooking, you can carve out some time to make dessert!  Here we have a decadent Mixed Melon with Honeyed Ricotta.  This seasonal fruit dish only takes minutes to prepare!

Mixed Melon with Honeyed Ricotta 

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups fat-free ricotta cheese
  • 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon honey
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 4 cups cubed cantaloupe
  • 4 cups cubed honeydew
  • 4 cups cubed watermelon
  • ¼ cup toasted wheat germ

Instructions:

  1. Stir together ricotta, honey, vanilla, and nutmeg in medium bowl.
  2. Toss together cantaloupe, honeydew, and watermelon in large bowl; divide evenly among 4 dessert dishes.
  3.  Spoon ricotta mixture evenly over fruit and sprinkle evenly with wheat germ.

PER SERVING (3 cups melon cubes, ½ cup ricotta mixture, and 1 tablespoon wheat germ): 211 Cal, 1 g Total Fat, 0 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 8 mg Chol, 101 mg Sod, 38 g Total Carb, 3 g Fib, 14 g Prot, 159 mg Calc.  PPV: 5

 

All of these recipes, and so many more, can be found in our new Weight Watchers Cook It Fast cookbook, available where all books are sold starting August 5th.  To learn more great tips, check out a Weight Watchers meeting for free.  Go to weightwatchers.com to find one near you.

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