photo credit: the daily green

As many of you know, I’ve always been a fan of Miracle Noodles. They are a 0 calorie pasta that are so versatile, they can be used in a variety of low calorie recipes. Recently, Rachael Ray prepared a fabulous Hot or Cold Sesame Noodles Recipe using Miracle Noodles, and it is truly an awesome dish. Traditional noodle recipes can rack up a LOT of calories and Weight Watchers Points. However, this slimmed down version, has just a 6 Point Total per serving, and the serving is HUGE!!! It’s half of the entire recipe!! And though this is not an official one of Rachael Ray Weight Watchers Recipes, it’s a great alternative dish that any dieter will appreciate. Sesame noodles are one of my favorite Asian Recipes, but I usually avoided them because of the calorie count. But now with this awesome Rachael Ray recipe, I can enjoy them once again!

Hot or Cold Sesame Noodles Recipe

Ingredients:
- 1 or 2 7oz. bags of Miracle Noodles (the less noodles you use, the more the sauce is distributed, and the more flavorful the noodles are)
- 1/4 cup Kikkoman – Tamari Soy Sauce
- 1/4 rounded cup smooth peanut butter or crunchy peanut butter, softened in microwave 15 seconds on high
- 2 tbsp cider or rice wine vinegar
- 1 tsp dark sesame oil
- 2 tbsp Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce
- 2 cups shredded cabbage and carrot mix
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- 4 scallions, chopped
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds

Directions:
Open bag of Miracle Noodles into a colander and rinse with warm water for a couple of minutes and boil for one minute, pat dry with a paper towel or small hand towel. Cut noodles with scissors to make smaller pieces.

In the bottom of a large bowl, whisk together soy, peanut butter, vinegar, sesame oil, and hot sauce. Add noodles and veggies and toss to combine the noodles and coat them evenly with sauce.
Sprinkle scallions and sesame seeds throughout the salad and serve.

Or you can heat the sauce for a couple of minutes in a sauce pan, then add noodles and serve hot! It’s makes great leftovers the next day!!

Entire Recipe makes 2 servings
Each serving = 6 Point Total

P.S. If you are interested in seeing the Rachael Ray Clip with Rocco DiSpirito and Miracle Noodles it is here

This Greek-Style Pasta Casserole Recipe is truly a unique and flavorful dish. I love almost all Mediterranean recipes, so I was excited to give this one a try. And I was NOT disappointed. It’s a pretty easy dish to prepare, and it packs a lot of flavor. With each serving only having a 3 Point Total, this is a wonderful low point dinner recipe that the whole family will enjoy. It’s also a great , original dish to take to a potluck as well. If you like mediterranean flavors, you’ll like this casserole…it was delicious. You can also add in some toasted almond slivers for added crunch, but make sure to factor that in to the Point Total. Though this is not an official one of Weight Watchers Recipes, it’s a great meal that just about any dieter will enjoy. You can also prepare this dish cold as a great greek pasta salad recipe!

Greek Pasta Casserole Recipe

Ingredients:
- 8 oz dried, low calorie pasta like Ronzoni Smart Taste, penne or rotioni
- 1 1/2 cups butternut squash, peeled and sliced into small pieces
- 3 handfuls spinach, chopped
- 2 cups fat-free, plain Greek yogurt
- 2 large egg yolks
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 8 large Kalamata olives, pitted and torn into pieces
- 1/4 cup Feta cheese, crumbled
- zest of one large lemon
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray an 8×12-inch baking dish with non-fat cooking spray. Sprinkle with lemon zest and set aside. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add salt and cook the pasta until al dente. 10 seconds before the pasta is cooked, stir in the spinach and butternut squash; drain quickly and carefully. Run cold water over the pasta, squash and spinach (just enough to stop it from cooking), shake off any extra water and set aside. While waiting for the pasta water to boil, whisk together the eggs, yogurt, garlic, pepper and salt in a large mixing bowl. Set aside until the pasta is ready, then add the pasta-squash-spinach mixture to the yogurt mixture. Scoop the mixture into the prepared baking dish, sprinkle with Feta cheese and the olive pieces and bake for about 25-30 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve sprinkled with some chopped fresh mint.

Entire recipe makes 8 servings
Serving size is 1/8th of dish
Each serving size = 3 Point Total

I can never get enough pasta. But being a Weight Watcher, I have to find ways to create healthier, low-Point pasta recipes that will taste good and satisfy my carb cravings, but that will also keep me on track of my Weight Watchers program. One of my favorite food products to use when I cook is the Miracle Noodles. I’ve blogged about them many times before, but now I’ve got another super delicious low calorie recipe to share using these 0 Point pasta noodles. This pasta with mushrooms and garlic recipe is fast and easy and can be ready in 15 minutes. It’s the perfect healthy pasta recipe to serve up in a pinch. For this dish, I used their 0 calorie fettucini noodles, but you can use any shape of pasta that you want. You can also used Ronzoni Smart Taste Pasta instead, if you prefer, for an additional Point Value (see recipe note).

Light Pasta with Mushrooms and Garlic Recipe

Ingredients:
- 12 oz portabello mushrooms, roughly chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, diced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 2 8.7 oz packages Miracle Noodle Fettucini Noodles
- 2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
- Kosher salt and fresh pepper to taste

Directions:
Rinse pasta VERY WELL in strainer. Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling, and then drain and dry well.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until soft, about 1 minute. Add the sliced mushrooms, salt and pepper and sauté about 2 minutes. Add white wine and cook another 3 minutes.

NOTE: You can also cook this with 8 oz (uncooked) Ronzoni Smart Taste Pasta, but that will make each serving a Point Total of 5

Entire Recipe makes 4 servings
Each serving = 2 Point Total

Parsley and Lemon Zest Pasta Recipe

Ingredients:
- 2 packs Miracle Noodle Mini-Pearls
- 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp. coarse (kosher) salt
- 1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
- Grated zest from 2 lemons
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup chopped scallions
- 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

** You can add more salt and pepper to suit your taste
** Feel free to throw in some other 0 point veggies to jazz it up. I loved it with tomatoes added!

Currently, Miracle Noodles can only be purchased online. CLICK HERE TO BUY MIRACLE NOODLES!!

Directions:
Drain and rinse the pearls well; transfer to a serving bowl. Add oil and remaining ingredients;
toss to combine flavors. Spoon 1 cup onto each of 4 dinner plates and top with the Weight Watchers chicken recipe or Weight Watchers fish recipe of your choice.

Entire Recipe makes 4 servings
Serving Size is 1 cup
Each serving = 0 point value

*This is not an official Weight Watchers Side Dish Recipe or a Weight Watchers Pasta Recipe.

I know I’ve talked about this yummy, 0 calorie pasta before, but I love it so much, I just can’t help talking about it!! These zero calorie, zero Points noodles are made by Miracle Noodle and can be ordered online in a variety of shapes like rigatoni, orzo, mini-pears, spaghetti, fettucini and more! So today I want to share a super delicious spaghetti recipe made with Miracle Noodles that has just 2 Weight Watchers Points per serving!! Not only is this pasta recipe delicious and low in calories, but it’s healthy too! Loaded with fiber and made with fresh ingredients, this Italian favorite packs in lots of Vitamin C and antioxidants too. And again, we are talking about a 2 Point Pasta Recipe here, people!! This is a MUST try!!! You’ll love it!

Low Calorie Garlic and Tomatoes Pasta Recipe

Ingredients:
- 3 packs Miracle Noodle Spaghetti
- olive oil non fat cooking spray
- 8 cloves garlic, very thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
- 3 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced fine.
- Kosher salt to taste
- ground black pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 cup fat free chicken broth
**Optional: Add a tsp of fresh grated Parmesan cheese to each serving for 1 additional Weight Watcher Point

ORDER MIRACLE NOODLE TODAY by clicking HERE!!!!

Directions:
Spray a large skillet with the olive oil spray and heat at low to medium temperature. Add the garlic and gently roast on low to medium heat, be very careful not to brown garlic. This should take approximately 3 to 5 minutes. Add the basil, tomato, salt and pepper. Now add the wine raising the heat slightly and cook for about 1 minute. Pour in chicken stock and cook until sauce reduces to a gravy-like consistency, raising the heat again if necessary. At this point reduce heat to low. Drain and rinse pasta, toss in sauce and serve.

Entire recipe makes 3 servings
Serving size is 1/3rd of recipe
Each serving = 2 Weight Watchers Points

This Roasted Vegetable Lasagna Recipe puts a new twist on a favorite Italian dish. Traditional lasagna recipes can be a weighty issue – loaded with fat and calories. But this Weight Watchers Recipe offers a healthier, new version that tastes fantastic but has a lot less calories and fat and has just 5 Weight Watchers Points per serving. Plus, the vegetables provide tons of fiber and antioxidants, and help keep the Points value low, while still making the serving a good sized portion. If you want to try a healthy lasagna recipe that is so yummy, the whole family will enjoy it, then this Weight Watchers Roasted Vegetable Lasagna Recipe is the one to try!

Weight Watchers Lasagna Recipe

Ingredients:
- 3 medium raw eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 3 medium sweet red peppers, chopped
- 4 small tomatoes, plum, seeded and chopped
- 4 medium garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp table salt, or more to taste
- 1/4 tsp black pepper, or more to taste
- 9 servings dry lasagna noodles, 9 noodles, cooked and drained
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 3/4 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425°F.
In roasting pan, combine vegetables and garlic with olive oil. Bake until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 to 25 minutes.
Place half of vegetables, salt and pepper, and 1/2 cup water in food processor and process until smooth.
Spoon 1/2 cup of vegetable purée into bottom of a 9 X 13-inch baking dish.
Place three noodles over purée. Top with 1/2 cup of purée, 1/2 of remaining vegetables, 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese and 1/4 cup of mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers and then top with remaining 3 noodles, purée and cheese.
Bake until bubbly, about 40 to 45 minutes. Slice into 6 pieces and serve.

Serving size is 1 piece (1/6th of recipe)
Each serving = 5 Weight Watchers Points

Another Fabulous Food Finds Friday is here, and today, I want to tell you about an amazingly yummy pasta that has only 3 Weight Watchers Points per 2oz serving (which is at least 1 Weight Watchers Point less than all other pasta). It’s Ronzoni Smart Taste Pasta! Ronzoni Smart Taste is a new member of the New World Pasta family of brands. What’s so special about it? Read on to learn more!

Weight Watchers Low Calorie, High Fiber Pasta

This is the first white pasta to be enriched with fiber and calcium-and lots of it. Three times the fiber and calcium equal to an eight-ounce glass of milk. Studies show that many diets are lacking in these two important nutrients. Plus, Smart Taste is lower in calories and fat than traditional pasta. That means Smart Taste has the same great taste of pasta that you and your family love but with greater nutritional value. This low calorie pasta is super high in fiber – it packs in 6 grams per serving!! But here’s the best part — it tastes EXACTLY like regular pasta!! And with just 3 Weight Watchers Points per 2 oz serving, it’s definitely lower in Points than regular white pasta, so if eating the whole wheat pasta isn’t really your thing, Smart Taste will knock your socks off. So rather than eating the empty calorie white pasta, give this one a try. The noodles come in many traditional pasta shapes, so you can incorporate it a lot of Weight Watchers Recipes!

Today is Fabulous Food Finds Friday, and I’ve got a great one to share – I have found the world’s healthiest macaroni and cheese!! This amazingly good for you, yet still incredibly yummy, boxed, low calorie Light Macaroni and Cheese made by Fiber Gourmet. So, you’d make it exactly the same way you’d make your traditional boxed macaroni and cheese. Its tastes JUST the same, but this version is a LOT better for you! Keep reading…!

Low Calorie High Fiber Macaroni and Cheese

Not only is it lower in Weight Watchers Points, but it has a WHOPPING 18 grams of fiber!!! That is a tremendous amount — it’s 72% of your Daily Recommended Value! It has 35% less calories than regular mac and cheese (which has about 270 calories), it’s made with no artificial colors or flavors, and it’s Kosher. Not only is the Fiber Gourmet Light Mac and Cheese a great meal for any Weight Watcher who loves macaroni and cheese recipes as much as I do, but this is a nutritious and healthy meal to serve to your kids! It tastes fantastic, and they will have no idea how much nutrition they are getting from it. And this is great meal to prepare if you are following the Weight Watchers Momentum Plan, because the insane amount of fiber, REALLY makes you feel full, so you are less likely to let the Hungry Monster tempt you into eating something bad. With just 3 Weight Watchers Points per serving, this is a super quick and easy meal to make and is a great food to help you stay on track of your weight loss goals.

Start the new year off right with this delicious and healthy Chicken and Spinach Lasagna Recipe from Weight Watchers. It’s loaded with fiber, protein, and tons of vitamins and minerals — so not only is it low in Points, but it’s really good for you too! This fabulous pasta recipe is full of delicious flavors and has so many beautiful colors that it is something your whole family will enjoy and will be a fantastic dinner presentation. With 8 Weight Watchers Points per serving, this healthy lasagna recipe would work great served with a low calorie or low Point salad, or perhaps even my 1 Point Weight Watchers Garlic Bread! Whether you are starting off a new diet, restarting an old one, or just trying to eat better, this Weight Watchers Recipe should be a staple in your recipe book. It will NOT disappoint!

Weight Watchers Chicken and Spinach Lasagna Recipe

Ingredients:
- 1 sprays cooking spray
- 32 oz Marinara sauce, store-bought
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onions, chopped
- 1 pound uncooked ground chicken breast
- 30 oz fat-free ricotta cheese
- 2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 9 dry lasagna noodles
- 20 oz chopped frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
- 1 ½ cup shredded Kraft Natural Cheese Low-moisture part-skim mozzarella, or other brand (about 12oz)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat a large, deep lasagna pan with cooking spray. Measure 2 cups of marinara sauce; set aside. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook and stir until almost tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add chicken; cook until no longer pink, stirring frequently, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add remaining marinara sauce to skillet and stir until well combined; set aside. Mix together ricotta cheese, egg whites, garlic powder and Italian seasoning in a large bowl until well combined.To assemble lasagna, place 2 cups of reserved marinara sauce on bottom of dish. Layer with 3 noodles, 1/3 of ricotta mixture, 1/3 of spinach, 1/3 of mozzarella cheese and 1/3 of chicken-sauce mixture; repeat layers ending with chicken-sauce mixture. (Make sure to spread ingredients to edge of noodles.) Cover baking dish with aluminum foil. Bake lasagna for 20 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese and bake until cheese is melted and edges are bubbly, about 20 minutes more. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes before slicing into 8 equally sized pieces.

Makes 8 servings
Each serving = 8 Weight Watchers Points

Macaroni and cheese is such an amazing comfort food recipe, and one of my favorites at that. But being pretty high in calories and fat, it’s not really the most Points friendly food. But I’ve just been craving it lately and I HAD to have some!! So, over Thanksgiving Day weekend, I spent some time creating an AWESOME Mac & Cheese recipe that has just 2 Points for a huge serving. Quite honestly, I’m a big fan of the basic Kraft Mac & Cheese in a box, so I created this low calorie version to be as close to the taste of that as possible. Granted, this is no fancy schmancy macaroni and cheese dish that you’d get at a good restaurant, but it’s pretty darn good, is super easy to make, and for the gigantic difference in Points, this Weight Watchers Macaroni and Cheese recipe truly takes the cake. I mean, you can seriously chow down on this and not feel the least bit guilty. It is a really, really big serving, but if you enjoy eating that much and the calories are low, why not? :) If you can no longer deny your macaroni and cheese cravings, give this low calorie recipe a try immediately!

Low Calorie Macaroni and Cheese Recipe – 2 Points

Ingredients:
- 2 packages of 0 Calorie Miracle Noodle Rigatoni Pasta (this was the closest noodle time they had to macaroni)
- 1 tbsp light butter ( I used Balade Light Butter)
- 1/8 cup fat free skim milk
- 1/4 cup Barry Farm Cheddar Cheese Powder, 1 lb.

Directions:
Start by draining and rinsing your noodles VERY well. Next pat noodles as dry as possible with paper towels. It’s very important to really squeeze the liquid out of these babies and get them as dry as you can. In a microwave safe bowl, nuke your noodles for about 2 minutes on high. Then, transfer noodles to a medium sized sauce pan and turn on medium heat. Add butter and stir until melted. Then, add in cheese powder and milk, and stir until cheese has fully dissolved. Makes one HUGE serving. Eat it all yourself, or share!

Serving Size = whole recipe
Each serving = 2 Weight Watchers Points