Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup golden seedless raisins
3/4 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup uncooked couscous
1 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion(s), chopped
2 medium garlic clove(s), minced
2 small zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch (1.25cm) wedges
1/2 cup frozen green peas, thawed
2 Tbsp slivered almonds
1 tsp orange zest, grated

Instructions:

• In a medium saucepan, combine orange juice, raisins, 1/2 tsp salt, the cumin, ginger, 1/8 tsp pepper and the cinnamon. Bring to a boil.

• Add couscous and stir. Cover, remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes.

• Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat oil. Sauté onion and garlic until they begin to soften, about 2 minutes.

• Add zucchini and cook until vegetables begin to brown, about 3 minutes.

• Stir in peas, almonds and remaining salt and pepper. Heat to serving temperature, about 1 minute.

• Transfer couscous to a bowl and fluff with fork. Add vegetables and orange zest. Toss to combine.

POINTS® Value: 6
Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 16 min
Cooking Time: 15 min
Level of Difficulty: Moderate

Use this fruity light sauce on desserts such as fruit salad or sponge cake. When mangoes are unavailable, make the sauce with ripe peaches, plums, apricots, and/or fresh raspberries or blackberries.

- 1 medium mango, ripe
- 1 cup nonfat yogurt
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 medium lime, zest and juice

Peel the mango and cut the flesh off the pit. Squeeze the pit to release the juice. Place all the ingredients in a food processor or blender, and blend until smooth. Refrigerate until serving time.

1 POINT per serving

For a filling and fresh lunch, combine mango, turkey, and spinach!

INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup plain non-fat yogurt
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 bag (10 ounces) mixed salad greens, chilled

1 pound honey roasted deli turkey breast, cut into thin strips
1 mango, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
3/4 cup green onions, sliced
4 Tablespoons lightly salted roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

DIRECTIONS
In small microwave-safe bowl, combine yogurt, peanut butter, brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger and hot sauce. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and microwave at 50% power 1 to 1-1/2 minutes, until brown sugar is dissolved. Allow to cool while preparing salad. In large bowl, combine chilled salad greens, turkey, mango, bell pepper and onion.

To serve, combine salad and dressing, tossing to coat. Top with peanuts.

If fresh mango is unavailable, look for jars of peeled and sliced mango in the produce department. Cut slices into cubes to equal 2 cups.

3 POINTS

• 1/3 cup reduced-calorie margarine, soft
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 1/4 cup dried mixed fruit, such as raisins, apples and cranberries
• 1 cup uncooked quick oats
• 1 3/4 cup uncooked old fashioned oats, coarsely crushed
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:Combine margarine, sugar and honey in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil; boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in remaining ingredients.

Press mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch square baking pan coated with cooking spray. Allow to cool and then cut into 16 pieces. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator.

POINTS® Value: 3

Servings: 16

Preparation Time: 15 min

Cooking Time: 0 min

Level of Difficulty: Easy

• 1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
• 2/3 cup corn flakes, crushed
• 3 Tbsp honey
• 1/3 cup nonfat dry milk

Directions:Knead ingredients together. Form into 6 sticks and wrap individually in wax paper. Store in an airtight container.

4 POINTS each

These can be made in double or triple batches and frozen (I actually like them right out of the freezer)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400ºF. Coat a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray or fill pan with paper liners.
• Combine flour, oats, 1/4 cup of sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Mix well with a fork, make a well in the center and set aside.
• Whisk yogurt, milk, egg substitute, margarine and vanilla together in a small bowl. Fold mixture into dry ingredients until blended; fold in cranberries. Spoon batter into prepared pan, filling each cup about 2/3 full.
• Bake for 20 minutes; sprinkle tops of muffins with remaining tablespoon of sugar.
• Bake until a wooden toothpick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean, about 5 minutes more. Allow to cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes; remove from pan and cool completely.

Makes 4 Servings (yields 8 cups)

6 Points per Serving

½ lb refrigerated fresh cheese tortellini

1 C frozen peas

¼ lb deli-sliced Prosciutto, chopped

2 Tbl all-purpose flour

1 C Whole Milk

½ C grated Parmesan cheese

½ tsp coarsely ground black pepper

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the tortellini and cook according to package directions. Stir in the peas during the last 2 minutes of cooking; drain.
2. Meanwhile, coat a large nonstick skillet with nonstick spray and heat over medium heat. Add the Prosciutto and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 2-3 minutes. Remove and reserve the Prosciutto.
3. Dissolve the flour in the milk in a small bowl and add to the skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, 8-10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese and pepper.
4. Add the Prosciutto, tortellini and peas, and toss to coat.

Per serving: 358 Calories · 10g Total Fat · 6g Saturated Fat · 66mg Cholesterol · 1,236mg Sodium · 38mg Total Carbohydrates · 4g Dietary Fiber · 25g Protein · 324mg Calcium

To vary the different heat levels in chili, add different chile peppers to suit your tolerance. Habaneros are the hottest; Scotch bonnets pack a little less heat and have undertones of fruit and smoke; serranos have a biting heat and some acidity; while jalapenos have a vegetable flavor, and in this group at least, can be considered mild.

1 lb lean ground beef (10% or less fat)

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 Tbs chili powder

1tsp ground cumin

1 28oz can crushed tomatoes

1 15oz can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 sweet onion, chopped

¼ C Diced Chiles

2 Tbs Tomato paste

Oregano sprigs

1. Cook the ground beef and garlic in a nonstick skillet, breaking apart the meat with a spoon, until browned. Drain off any fat. Add the chili powder and cumin and stir to coat the beef.
2. Mix the tomatoes, beans, onion, chiles, and tomato paste in a slow cooker. Stir in the beef mixture. Cover and cook on High until the flavors are blended, 4-5 hours. Garnish with the oregano and serve.

Per serving: 142 Cal, 5g Fat, 2g Sat Fat, 35 mg Chol, 166g Sod, 10g Carb, 4g Fib, 14g Prot, 43mg Calc.

Points: 2

Notes: if you don’t have diced chiles, you can use a can of Rotel with chiles. Although this recipe says serves 8, 4 servings is more reasonable.

Cook: 40 minutes

Serves: 4

1 7oz can tomatillo sauce or 1 cup prepared salsa verde

1C fat free sour cream

¹/₃C chopped fresh cilantro

1 lg shallot, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

8 fat free corn tortillas

1 ½ C cooked chicken breast, shredded

¾ C Shredded fat-free Monterey Jack or Cheddar Cheese

1. Preheat the over not 350°F. Spray a 2-quart shallow baking dish with nonstick spray.
2. Combine the tomatillo sauce, sour cream, cilantro, shallot and garlic in a large bowl.
3. Place 4 tortillas in the bottom of the baking dish, overlapping as necessary to cover as much of the surface as possible. (You can cut them to fit, if necessary) Spoon half the tomatillo mixture over the tortillas. Sprinkle the chicken evenly over the sauce; sprinkle ½ cup of the cheese over the chicken. Place the remaining 4 tortillas on top, then spoon on the remaining sauce, spreading it evenly to the sides. Top with the remaining ¼ cup of cheese.
4. Cover the baking dish and bake 25 minutes. Uncover and bake until golden brown and bubbly, about 15 minutes. Let stand about 5 minutes before serving.

Per serving (¼ of casserole): 346 Cal, 4g Fat, 2g Sat Fat, 0g Trans Fat, 48mg Chol, 702mg Sod, 46g Carb, 4g Fib, 30g Prot, 476mg Calc.

Points value: 6

Note: If you can’t find fat free corn tortillas, using regular corn tortillas adds 1 point.