Spicy Reddened Shrimp with Papaya-Lime Salsa

THIS IS 4 POINTS :)

1 ¼ pound shrimp (I used 1 pound)

For the RUB (throw in a bag)

1 ½ teaspoons paprika

1 /2 teaspoon thyme (I didn’t)

¼-1/8 teaspoons cayenne pepper (depending on how HOT you like it)

salt & pepper

Ry’s EXTRAS

cumin

Garlic powder

Old Bay’s seafood seasoning

GOYA

In a large zip-close bag, combine all the spices add the shrimp and SHAKE!

Meanwhile in a small bowl combine 2 cups of cubed papaya (I used mango), scallions, and 1 limed peeled and dice..set aside. (This is your salsa for the shrimp) WAIT I added some red onions..

Preheat the grill or broiler. (I used BROILER). Spray a grill basket or the broiler rack with nonstick cooking spray. Grill the shrimp or broil them 6 inches from the heat until pink and cooked through, about 3 minutes on each side. Serve with the salsa on the side!

This really turned out good. Jim wasn’t too big on the sweet salsa, but I thought it went well with the spicy shrimp.

MY RATING: 9!!

Jim’s: 8.5

TA DAA!

Ry's Journey

Classic Steamed Lobster with Special Dipping Sauce

¼ cup of butter

1-tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 ½ teaspoons finely chopped parsley, and tarragon.

1 ½ finely chopped watercress (I didn’t have any)

salt & pepper

4 lobster tails (I used 2 because leftover lobster isn’t my favorite)

4 lemon wedges

(Recipe doesn’t call for GARLIC, but of course I added some)

1) To prepare the sauce, in a small skillet over low heat, melt the butter, lemon juices, parsley, tarragon, watercress, and salt & pepper. (I added garlic!)

In a large pot of boiling water, cook the lobsters until bright red, NOW weight watchers said 10-12 minutes, if I would have listened to them it would have ruined the tails, I cooked them for 5 minutes. Never over cook your lobster, it ruins the meat. When the lobster tails look like this (red and curled) their done!

With tongs transfer to a platter…Serve with lemon wedges and sauce.

Rating: 9 from the both of us

I forgot to take some pictures of the finished product. It was delish!

Tip #1 I use cooking scissors to slit the back of the lobster open, so the butter can run all over the meat.

Tip #2 If you don’t want your lobster tails to curl, stick a skewer in the belly of them, running it from the top all the way down to the bottom of the tail. I will try to take pictures to explain better later.

Asian Halibut

Before (each fish is wrapped in its own foil package)

AFTER

It was yum!

Here is the Asian Halibut recipe I posted last week. I made it again for Memaw on her birthday, it was a hit!


The recipe is on the posts below.

Ry's Journey

Weight Watchers didn’t make a good chili…so I added some stuff :) Here is MY VERSION to good WW chili, and I only bumped the chili up one point! 5 points per serving.

RY’S RATING: 8.5
Husband: 8
Memaw & Mom: 10


· 2 tsp olive oil
· 1 medium onion, chopped
· 3 medium garlic clove, minced
· 1 or 2 carrots
· 1 pound(s) lean ground sirloin or 93% lean ground beef
· 3 tbsp chili powder
· 3 tsp ground cumin
· 2 tsp dried oregano
· salt and pepper to taste
· 2 cans of crushed tomatoes
· 2 cup canned beef broth
· 8 oz tomato sauce
· 30 oz canned kidney, chili, or pinto beans, rinsed and drained
· 1 can of tomato soup J I’m not sure why I added this, it just needed something and I think this is the secret to good chili J
· If you like some heat throw a minced jalapeño in

1. Heat oil in stockpot over medium-high heat., add carrots, garlic, jalapeno, and onion. Then sauté everything until tender and onions are translucent. This should take about 4 minutes. Then, add the beef and sauté until cooked completely. Break up the meat as it browns. This should take about 5 minutes.
2. Step 2
Add the chili powder, salt, cumin, oregano…well everything else!
Then you need to coat the vegetables and beef with spices by stirring. Then, add the remaining ingredients (tomatoes, broth, tomato sauce and beans) and bring to a boil. Simmer partially covered for at least 30 minutes.
I garnished with scallions. The recipe said it makes 4 servings…It made 6 for us. It’s 5 points per serving.

SPICES (I like to mix all my spices before I throw them in)

TAA DAA!!!

My Kitchen

Whenever I see pictures of homes and kitchens I always have wanted to see a video because you can get a better picture of what things look like. SO I thought I would share a video of my kitchen with you since I will be cooking my way through the WW Cook Book. I made the WW Chili last night and will blog about it soon! HAPPY FRIDAY!!

The Skinny on Pork

Pork is a healthy choice. 4oz of pork loin roast provides 158 calories and 7 grams of fat only slightly more than the 140 calorie 5 grams of fat in a 4oz chicken breast.

And that's not the only reason to go hog wild for it: Pork is also high in potassium, a nutrient that may help lower blood pressure

Recipe #3/Ry's Journey

These burgers really turned out GREAT! I was a little worried after my Orange Chicken wasn’t as I expected, but THESE, they were delish! I was worried they would turn out dry or fall apart, neither happened. I served them with oven fries, which are 3 points for a serving size. I just had another burger for lunch and I think it was better today than last night! One thing I did do was after I made the patties, I stuck them in the fridge for 30 minutes so that they could firm up and so the flavors could soak in. I will DEFINITELY be making these bad boys again! I also had 1 point hamburger buns, which are VERY easy to find.

Tonight were headed out to dinner so I won’t be getting my Weight Watcher cookbook out, but will defiantly get back to cooking this weekend. Enjoy your WED! HALF WAY TO FRIDAY!

Monterey Jack Turkey Burgers
6 points for 1 burger :)
Ry's Rating: 9!!
My Husband: 8.5, and he doens't like turkey burgers :)


3/4 pound ground skinless turkey breast
2 scallions, minced
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon ketchup
2 garlic cloves
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
4 strips turkey bacon (I used salad bacon bits, they are better for you and taste better)
4 hamburger buns, split and toasted

NOW WHAT I ADDED EXTRA, :)
1 tablespoon of Worchestershire Sauce
1 tablespoon of Dale's Seasoning
Goya seasoning
onions



1. In a large bowl, combine the turkey, bacon bits, scallions, soy sauce, ketchup, garlic and pepper. Blend in the cheese, then form into 4 burgers.

2. Heat an indoor ridged grill sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Cook the burgers until cooked through, 6-8 minutes on each side.

TA DAA!!!

Ryan's Journey through the Weight Watcher Cook Book

Last nights dinner was Orange Chicken w/ Broccoli!!
MY RATING: 6
My Husbands Rating: 7

It reminded me of a basic stir-fry, the orange flavor was barley there. If I were to make this again I would add more orange juice and less water, and maybe some orange and lemon zest. I served it with a ½ cup of white rice, which is worth 2 points.

Below is my first video EVER!

Orange Chicken with Broccoli

Makes 4 servings

4 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 pound skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut crosswise into ½-inch strips
2 cups broccoli florets
¼ cup water
½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
¼ cup orange juice
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch, dissolved in 1 tablespoon water
1 orange, peeled and sectioned
(I of course jazzed it up with salt, pepper, garlic, and some other spices I had on hand)

1. In a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the ginger and sauté, stirring often, 2 minutes. Transfer to a small plate with a slotted spoon.
2. In the same skillet, sauté the chicken until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer to another plate. In the skillet, combine the broccoli and water, stirring to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan; cook, covered until tender-crisp, 3-4 minutes. Return the chicken to the skillet; stir in the broth, orange juice, and soy sauce. Add the dissolved cornstarch; cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture boils and thickens slightly. Add the orange; heat through. Top with the ginger and serve.

Per Serving (about 1 cup); 221 Cal, 6 g Fat, 1 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 66 mg Chol, 389 mg Sod, 12 g Carb, 3 g Fib, 29 g Prot, 49 mg Calc.

Points Value: 4

The best damn fish I’ve ever made

(I want to start off and say this week I lost a pound. I also purchased Jillian Michaels Detoxify and burn pills and started them today. I will let you know how it goes.)

OK... MY IDEA…..For Christmas Jim got me a weight watcher cook book, so over the weekend I tore it open and was flipping through the pages. To my surprise they had some good stuff. So I thought I would give it a try…the recipe was named, Asian Sea Bass. I ran to Publix to buy my sea bass but there was none to be found, the nice seafood man said try halibut, it has a similar taste. So I brought it home and that night I made the best fish I had EVER cooked. Jim and I were amazed that it came from my weight watcher cook book! SO this has sparked something. I loved the movie Julie & Julia and wouldn’t it be neat if I blogged my way through the Weight Watcher cookbook…well I do! SO I’m starting…I’m posting my Asian Halibut recipe below, with no pictures. But from here on out I’m taking pictures and rating them on a scale from 1 to 10, 10 being WONDERFUL for a diet. This weeks menu from my WW cook book, Monterey Jack Turkey Burgers & Orange Chicken with Broccoli. Hope everyone had a wonderful New Years! I’m thinking 2010 is going to be a great and exciting year!

CHEERS! RYAN

Ryan’s Modified Asian Halibut
Ryan's RATING 10

3 points for 1 fillet, juices, and ½ cup rice

1 pound of Halibut fillets, cut into 4
6 Scallions
1 Tablespoon fresh ginger (I used pickled ginger)
2 Teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons Asian dark sesame oil (I had this but I’m sure olive would be fine)
2 cups cookie white rice
It didn’t call for garlic but I added some anyways

Place halibut on foil square, make them large enough to wrap tight into a package

Sprinkle with half scallions, all of ginger, 1 tablespoon of soy, oil, and garlic, wrap them up tightly.

In a large skillet, bring 1 inch of water to a boil. Place the packet in the skillet, reduce heat and steam, tightly covered, until the fish is just opaque in the center, it took me exactly 10 minutes.

Place fight on top of rice, and then pour remaining juices over the rice and fish, garnish with remaining scallions and soy. THIS SHIT IS GOOD!

High Energy Snacks

Just say NO, to excess sugar and caffeine!

If you need an energy boosting midafternoon snack try one of these healthy picks!

Soy Chips

Turkey Jerkey

Homemade trail mix

Low fat yogurt

High-fiber crackers & peanut butter

Edamame

Potassium Power

Cutting back on sodium can be one way to lower high blood pressure. Now there's another drug-free way you can reduce your numbers: adding potassium to your diet. What really helps is simultaneously cutting back on your sodium intake while consuming more potassium-rich foods. For the greatest benefits, limit sodium to 2,300 milligrams a day and get at least 4,700 milligrams of potassium.

Potassium Power Food
1 baked sweet potato 694 mg
1 small baked potato 610 mg
8 ounces nonfat yogurt 580 mg
3 ounces halibut, cooked 490 mg
1 banana 422 mg
1 cup milk 380 mg
3 ounces lean center rib pork loin, roasted 371 mg
1 cup cantaloupe 368 mg
1 cup orange juice 355 mg
1 cup oatmeal 120 mg