Bathing suit season is among us peeps. With the coming of the nicer weather means the going of our favorite layers that we’ve been sporting through the winter and spring. And sometimes it’s not until the clothing layers go away that we realize we’ve added a few ‘non-clothing’ layers that aren’t as easy to shed.
Summer BBQ’s are the best – burgers – dogs – beers – friends. But it’s hard to keep that bikini ready bod when you’re workin’ the bbq circuit every weekend.
Here’s a great ‘lightened up’ menu for your next summer cookout, whether you’re the hostess with the mostest or simply a guest looking for something to bring.
Summer Brucschetta
Fresh tomatoes, basil, and fat-free feta cheese – the ENTIRE bowl (minus the bread/crackers you serve it on) is only 1 Weight Watchers point!
Ingredients
- 1 large package of heirloom tomatoes, chopped or pulsed a few times in the food processor (about 2 cups - I like to use the different colored ones, but all red would do too)
- 1 tablespoon lite italian dressing
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 1/4 cup (2 ounces) fat-free feta cheese
- 8-10 large basil leaves, chopped
Instructions
1) Chop tomatoes into small pieces or pulse in the food processor a few times until they reach your desired size. Place in a mixing bowl and set aside.
2) In a small mixing bowl, whisk together italian dressing, balsamic vinegar and minced garlic. Pour mixture over the chopped tomatoes and fold in with a spatula.
3) Add fat-free feta cheese and chopped basil and fold into tomato/dressing mixture.
4) Let the mix sit for at least 1/2 hour. I personally like letting it sit at room temperature (cold tomatoes = yucka) but you could also chill it in the refrigerator.
5) Serve on sliced french bread or crackers!
Notes
Nutritional Info: *Per 1 cup serving (total of 2 servings) without crackers/bread
Fat - 1.4
Calories - 63
Protein - 9
Carbohydrates - 11
Fiber - 2.5
WW Points - 0.5
Black Bean, Corn and Tomato Salad
Two of summer’s best treats – fresh tomatoes and corn mixed with black beans in a light, tangy dressing
Ingredients
- 1/4 red onion, chopped fine
- juice of 2 limes (about 2 tablespoons)
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 cup fat free Italian Dressing
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 medium vine ripe tomatoes, diced (about 2 cups)
- 1 cup canned black beans , drained and rinsed
- 1 cups frozen corn (or canned, or fresh, whatever ya have)
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
Instructions
1) Combine red onions, lime juice, minced garlic, chili powder, italian dressing, and salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Set aside.
2) Add chopped tomatoes, black beans, corn and cilantro, mix together and let sit at room temperature for about 1/2 hour.
Notes
Nutritional Info: *Per 1 cup serving (total of 3 servings)
Fat - 1.5
Calories - 174
Protein - 9.5
Carbohydrates - 43.6
Fiber - 9
WW Points - 4
Spicy Black Bean Burger
Who said your burger has to be made of meat, slapped with bacon, cheese and ketchup? These Black Bean Burgers pack just as much of a flavor punch for probably a fraction of the fat and calories you’d get in a regular burger.
Ingredients
- 2 cups of Black Beans, pureed or mashed
- 1 small onion, minced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 cup kernel corn
- 1 egg white
- 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more if you prefer a little more heat)
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- *condiments/roll/bun of your choice
Instructions
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
2) In a food processor, puree your black beans. If you don't have a food processor, you can just mash them with a wooden spoon. Place pureed black beans in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
3) Mince your onions and garlic and add to the black beans. Then add the corn.
4) Whisk together the egg white, tomato paste and all of your spices (including salt & pepper - a couple shakes of each will do). This will become a very thick paste. Add it to the beans/onion/garlic/corn in the mixing bowl.
5) Finally add your breadcrumbs to the mixture and mix it all together with a spatula (or even your hands) until all ingredients are combined. (Initially it may seem that the mixture is too dry, but if you really get in there and mix well, it will come together. You could always add another egg white though)
6) Take about 1/2 cup of the mixture (for the larger size patties) or 1/3 a cup (for the medium sized ones) and form it into 4 or 6 patties on a foil lined baking sheet.
7) Bake at 375 for ten minutes - flip the burgers - then cook on the other side for another 10 minutes.
8) Top with your choice of condiments - I sprinkled some fat-free feta and spinach and ohhhh baby!
Notes
Nutritional Info: (without condiments and bun)
Fat - 1.7g (lg. size patty) Fat - 1.1g (small size)
Calories - 206 Calories - 137.3
Protein - 10.7g Protein - 7.1g
Carbohydrates - 35.7g Carbohydrates - 23.8g
Fiber - 7.6g Fiber - 5.1g
WW Points - 4 WW Points - 2.7
Skinny “Ice Cream” Sandwiches
And now for dessert – who knew that fat-free cool whip sandwiched between 2 chocolate graham crackers would taste strikingly similar to a real ice-cream sandwich?
Ingredients
- 4 full Chocolate Graham Cracker sheets
- 8 tablespoons Fat-Free Cool Whip
Instructions
1) Line a cookie sheet with wax paper.
2) Snap each full graham cracker sheet in half and lay out on the wax paper.
3) Place 2 tablespoons of fat-free cool whip on one of the 2 graham crackers and then top with the other.
4) Sprinkle with rainbow nonpareils (or any ‘decoration’ of your choice – nuts, chocolate chips, the options are endless!)
5) Place in the freezer for about an hour in order for cool whip to freeze.
Notes
Nutritional Info: *Per 1 Sandwich (total of 4 - as is without toppings/extras)
Fat - 3.3g
Calories - 95
Protein - 1.1g
Carbohydrates - 17.2g
Fiber - 0.7g
WW Points - 2
1 comment
So trying those cool whip sandwiches, how smart.
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