photo credit: sweet beet and green bean

If you are looking for a tasty, low point spread recipe to spice up your sandwich or to dip your veggies in, this Cilantro Almond Dip Recipe is a fabulous option. Creamy and flavorful, it can be used anywhere! Make it as a cracker spread for a party, use it as a dip for raw vegetables or pita chips, or spread it onto a low calorie turkey sandwich to kick up the flavor notch. It’s super easy to make and can be prepared the night before it’s being served. It’s an ideal appetizer recipe or sandwich spread. With just 1 Point Total for 2 tbsp, this low calorie dip recipe is a great addition to any weight watchers recipes collection.

Cilantro Almond Dip Recipe

Ingredients:
- 1 cup raw almonds
- 1/4 cup chopped cucumber
- 2 tbsp low fat mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup low-fat sour cream
- 2 large cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp chopped red onion
- 1 medium jalapeno chopped, seeds and membrane removed
- 1 cup fresh, chopped cilantro
- zest from 1 lime
- 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- dash of white pepper

Directions:
Purée all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Refrigerate for 2 – 3 hours before serving.

Entire recipe makes 2 cups
Serving size = 2 tbsp
Each serving = 1 Point Total

photo credit: elev8

Mashed potatoes is one of my favorite foods…you can make them so many ways and they are just the perfect comfort food. But most homemade mashed potatoes recipes come with lots of fat and calories, which can add up to lots of Weight Watchers Points. This alternative dish -Cauliflower Mashed ‘Potatoes’, is a great substitute. While I won’t lie and tell you that it’s as fabulous as traditional mashed potatoes, it definitely makes for a great low point substitute. Just by replacing the potatoes with cauliflower, you eliminate most of the calories. You’ll notice that this Mashed Cauliflower Recipe still uses one small potato. This helps the dish to keep a texture similar to that of regular mashed potatoes and helps add a bit of potato-y flavor. The end result is really quite tasty! And though this is not an official Weight Watchers Mashed Potatoes Recipe, it’s a great meal idea for anyone who wants to eat more veggies and cut excess calories.

Mashed Cauliflower Recipe

Ingredients:
- 1 small head cauliflower, trimmed, core removed, cut into small florets (should yield about 2-3 cups of cauliflower
- 1 small red potato, unpeeled and chopped
- 1 cup turnips, trimmed and cubed
- 2 tbsp fat free half & half
- 1 tbsp fat free sour cream
- 1 tbsp light butter (I used Brummel & Brown)
- Salt and pepper to taste

Top with chives or green onions if you’d like!

*OPTIONAL: add in freshly chopped thyme, sage and rosemary for a fabulous Fall- like flavor

Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and add about 1 tbsp salt; add the cauliflower, potato, and turnips as they’re prepped. Reduce heat to maintain a fast simmer, cover and cook for about 20 minutes or until vegetables are cooked through. Drain well and transfer to a food processor. Process until smooth. Return pureed cauliflower to the hot pan on medium high heat. Stirring often, cook off the excess liquid, about 5 – 10 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients. Transfer to serving bowl. Serve and enjoy!

Serving size is 3/4cup
Each serving = 1 Point Total

photo credit: the whole life nutrition kitchen

This tasty, 1 point salad dressing is not only super easy to make, but it’s a really unique flavor combination that will definitely add a kick to your greens whenever you’ve got the salad blah’s. I really like a LOT of dressing on my salads, so I like to use dressings that are so low calorie, I can use a lot of and not have to worry about adding on those extra Weight Watchers Points. It’s rich and creamy, and full of flavor, and most importantly – doesn’t taste like it’s a diet salad dressing. Though this is not an official one of Weight Watchers Salad Dressing Recipes, anyone who wants to lose some extra calories in their salad dressings will definitely dig this recipe!

Buttermilk Balsamic Salad Dressing Recipe

Ingredients:
- 1 cup low fat buttermilk
- 4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp honey (warmed to pour more easily)
- 1 tbsp light mayo
- 1/2 tsp basil, finely chopped
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt

Directions:
Blend together until smooth and transfer to a seal tight container. Refrigerate overnight to blend flavors.

Entire Recipe makes 1/1/2 cups
Serving size is 4 tbsp
Each serving = 1 Point Total

With all the holiday parties coming up, it’s easy to be tempted by all the fabulously delicious food, and to let yourself be seduced into an all you can eat holiday buffet. But just by making some healthier versions of the holiday favorites, you can save yourself some calories and weight watchers points! If you are hosting a holiday party this year, and are in need of a good, low calorie Christmas appetizer recipe, this Spinach Puffs Recipe is a must try. Full of flavor, but low on fat, I found them to be much more yummy than I expected. And it’s a quick and easy Christmas recipe to make if you need something in a pinch. Just prepare it the night before, them pull them out of the freezer, pop them into the oven, and you’re good to go. Though this is not an official one of Weight Watchers Christmas Recipes, I think it’s a great holiday appetizer for anyone who is watching their weight, but wants to serve an appetizer that tastes good enough to serve to everyone.

Spinach Puffs Recipe

Ingredients:
- 10 ounces frozen spinach, thawed
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 small onion (I used red onion)
- 3 egg whites, slightly beaten
- 1 cup dried bread crumbs
- 1 tsp basil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp marjoram
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 tablespoons light butter, melted (I used Balade Light Butter)

Directions:
Squeeze liquid from spinach very well. Chop garlic and onion in food processor and process until finely chopped. Add spinach and remaining ingredients. Pulse two or three times, leaving spinach in distinct pieces but the mixture well combined. Chill 2 – 3 hours or overnight. Roll into 1-inch balls and place on baking sheet. Freeze. When frozen, transfer to freezer bags.
To serve, bake at 300F for 30 minutes.

Entire recipe makes 36 puffs
Serving size is 1 puff
Each serving = 1 Point Total

This hot summer has got me craving the lighter fare of fresh summer veggies. This is course is wonderful for my Weight Watchers plan! But, having veggies all the time can get pretty boring, so I’m always on the lookout for healthy vegetable recipes with flair. When I came across this light Ratatouille recipe, I was really eager to give it a try. It sounded SO delish and with just 1 Point Total per serving, this recipe was on it’s way to be a staple in my collection of Weight Watchers Recipes! It certainly turned out just as tasty as I had anticipated. So if you are a Weight Watcher looking for some low Points recipes, this Ratatouille recipe will definitely fit the bill.

Ratatouille Recipe

Ingredients:
- 1 medium eggplant, cut in 1” cubes
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 large tomato, cut in 1/2-inch pieces (or 14 oz canned diced tomatoes)
- 1 small zucchini, chopped in 1/2-inch pieces
- 5 garlic cloves, sliced thinly
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 cup black olives (Kalamata if available), pits removed and halved
- 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, quartered
- 1/2 red or green pepper, chopped
- Parmesan cheese (fresh if available)

NOTE: For more flavor, I actually roasted my eggplant and red pepper before adding into the recipe

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400F. Place 1 tablespoon water in a large skillet and bring to boil over medium heat. Add the eggplant and onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes or until beginning to soften. Meanwhile, clean and cut the remaining (including optional if using) vegetables. Add as ready, stirring occasionally. Simmer for 10 – 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and season with paprika, and salt & pepper to taste. Add balsamic vinegar, stirring to distribute. Transfer to a baking dish lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Bake 25 minutes. If desired, after baking 20 minutes, remove dish from oven and top with Parmesan. Return to oven for final 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

Entire Recipe makes 8 servings
Serving size = 3/4 cup
Each serving = 1 Point Total

Roasted Red Pepper Dip Recipe with Chick Peas

Ingredients:
- 1 15 oz can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 medium roasted red pepper, skin and seeds removed
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, leaves only
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- juice of 1 lemon
- Kosher salt and fresh pepper to taste

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Add a little water if it is too thick. Blend until smooth. Serve with fresh vegetables like cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, or whatever you prefer.

Entire recipe makes 4 servings
Each serving = 4 Point Total

This recipe was created by Gina’s WW Recipes.

Another Fabulous Food Finds Friday is here, and today, I’m sharing my all time favorite salad dressing! It’s a super delish Low Fat Sesame Ginger Dressing that has a mere 35 calories calories and 1.5 grams of fat for a two tbsb serving! That means that even if you love salad dressing as much as I do, you can DOUBLE the serving size and it’s now only 2 weight watchers points per serving!! If you are satisfied with the standard serving size of 1 tbsp, then even better – you’ll keep it at just 1 weight watchers point. And the best part? IT TASTES SO GOOD!!! I am love with Asian Sesame Salad Dressings, and this tastes even better than the higher calories/fat ones! Yippee!!! Keep reading to learn more about this super awesome low calorie salad dressing!

Newman’s Own Lighten Up Low Fat Sesame Ginger Dressing

Paul Newman salad dressings deliver!! Newman’s Own Lighten Up! Sesame Ginger Dressing. It is the absolute best salad dressing to use if you want a fabulous tasting, low calorie, low Point salad dressing that will help keep you within your daily Weight Watchers Points range. I even take this stuff with me when I go to restaurants, so that I know exactly how many calories and Weight Watchers Points I’m using. With just 35 calories and 1.5 grams of fat per two tablespoons, it simply can’t be beat.This dressing is truly every dieter’s best friend. And if you are a fan of Asian salad dressings as much as I am, you will LOVE it!

Stay tuned for super yummy low calorie recipes that incorporate this fantastic low fat salad dressing!

If you want a quick and easy, low calorie garlic toast to serve up with dinner, this Fabulous Food Find is a must try! It’s pre-made and ready to go – just pop it in your oven for about 5-7 minutes and it’s ready to serve! When I found this Italian Texas Toast in my local grocery store, I couldn’t wait to try it. And once I did, I was SHOCKED at how incredibly tasty it was, yet it has just 65 calories, 2 grams of fat and 3 grams of fiber per slice — which equates to just 1 Weight Watchers Point!! Needless to say, I was hooked, and couldn’t wait to share this Fabulous Food Find with my readers.

Low Calorie Garlic Bread – Italian Style Texas Toast

This Light Garlic Bread is none other than the fabulous Joseph Campione Texas Toast in Lite Garlic! This Italian favorite starts with 1″ thick Texas Toast brushed on both sides with sweet cream buttermilk, crushed garlic and fresh parsley. The Garlic Lite Texas Toast has all the taste of their traditional garlic bread with only 65 calories, 2 grams of fat and 3 grams of fiber!!!! That’s just 1 Weight Watcher Point! I love it! This light and healthy Italian Style Texas Toast is great with any meal, salad, or appetizer, served alone or with your favorite Weight Watchers marinara sauce recipe for dipping. Each box of Campione Italian Style Texas Toast contains eight slices packed in a convenient resealable inner poly bag. Woo hoo!! Get to your local grocery store immediately and give this garlic bread a try! You can find it in the frozen foods aisle.

1 Weight Watchers Point Non-Dairy Milk Drink

This fabulous low calorie soy milk is nothing other than the ultra fabulous Almond Breeze Unsweetened Vanilla! It’s a non-dairy beverage made from real almonds, all natural, smooth and creamy with a hint of almonds. It has a great taste without the thin, chalky after taste of rice and soy milk. Almond Breeze even won the 2004 Best Taste Award from the prestigious American Culinary Institute (ACI). The Vanilla flavoring gives it a nicer taste than the original, but it’s still unsweetened, so you are saving a lot of calories. Now, I’m not saying that I’d pour a big glass of this and drink it as milk, but it makes an excellent substitute for fat free milk in cereal, smoothies and any Weight Watchers recipes that call for milk. You can actually have 2 servings of this and STILL have it just be 1 Weight Watcher Point!! Gotta love it. This product is a MUST try!
NOTE: just make sure to get the Unsweetened Vanilla kind, as the other flavors have more calories.

With just 1 Weight Watchers Point, this super delicious Tri-Color Roasted Peppers and Onions Recipe is the perfect side dish to go with any meal. Not only is it low calorie, but it’s a super healthy choice too — loaded with fiber, vitamins and antioxidants. I love the colors and textures of the vegetables, which makes this Weight Watcher vegetable recipe an aesthetically appealing dish that looks great on the table! Because the peppers and onions have such flavor themselves (and the roasting really enhances that), they really don’t need too much seasoning or preparation. This is truly a fantastic Weight Watchers Recipe to have in your arsenal as it’s sure help you reach your weight loss and healthy eating goals!

Weight Watchers Roasted Peppers and Onions Side Dish Recipe

Ingredients:
- 3 sprays olive oil cooking spray, divided
- 1 medium sweet red pepper, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 medium yellow pepper, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 medium orange pepper, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 large red onion, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
- 1 tbsp olive oil, extra-virgin
- 2 tsp rosemary, fresh, or 1 tsp thyme, fresh
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
Place peppers and onion in a large bowl; coat with cooking spray. Add oil, rosemary or thyme, salt and pepper; toss to coat.
Spread vegetables in a single layer on prepared baking sheet. Roast for 10 minutes and then stir vegetables. Roast for 10 minutes more and then check for doneness. If peppers are very brown in spots and fragrant, remove from oven. If not, stir vegetables, roast for 5 to 10 minutes more and then check again.

Serving size is about ¾ cup
Each serving = 1 Weight Watcher Point