Honey Baked Spiral Ham

Spiral hams are perfect for the Holidays because they are precooked and sliced which makes for easy serving when it comes out of the oven. This simple homemade glaze is made with fresh orange juice, honey, pineapple juice, dijon mustard and a touch of brown sugar reduced down until it thickens.

Honey Baked Spiral Ham
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: about 12 • Serving Size: 3 oz • Points: 4 pts
Calories: 170.6 • Fat: 7g • Protein: 16.1 g • Carb: 13.1 g • Fiber: 0 g  

• 8-9 lbs (fully cooked) spiral bone-in ham

Glaze:

• 1/3 cup pineapple juice
• 1/2 orange, juice of
• 2 tsp dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 tbsp brown sugar

Preheat oven to 275°. Place ham in a roasting pan, cut side down. Cover tightly with foil or place in a baking bag. Bake ham in oven at 275° 12-15 minutes per pound, depending on the size of your ham. (Approximately 2 hours)

In a small sauce pan combine brown sugar, honey, orange juice, pineapple juice and dijon. Whisk well and simmer on low 8-10 minutes, stirring often until it reduces down and thickens into a glaze.

Remove ham from oven 15 minutes before the ham is ready and brush the glaze onto the ham. Finish cooking the ham for the last 15 minutes uncovered.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Sauce

Oh how I love Spring time! All of my favorite foods are in season right now. Stop by your local farmers market (check here for locations near you) for super fresh produce.

This sauce takes just 15 minutes to make! I make a big batch and keep some handy for topping on yogurt, waffles and ice cream. Rhubarb has a fresh, tangy taste that pairs excellent with strawberries. I use agave nectar in place of sugar to balance out the tang.

To Make:

I used 7 or 8 stalks of rhubarb and 1 pint of strawberries. Wash.  Cut of the ends of the rhubarb (just like celery) then chop into 1 inch pieces taking care not to peel the skin off.

Hull strawberries then slice in half.

Put into large pot with 1 1/2cup of filtered water and 3/4 cup agave nectar.

Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring often. Cook for about 10 minutes till rhubarb is soft.

Keep unused portion refridgerated or freeze.

Makes about 2 quarts.

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Health and Nutrition Benefits of Eating Rhubarb (found here)

Wow!

Studies have shown that rhubarb has anti-cancer properties and might help in cutting down the risk of cancer.


Fresh rhubarb stalk is a very good source of dietary fiber and is beneficial for those suffering from indigestion.


Eating a cold piece of rhubarb stalk can help counterbalance stomach acid and thus, restore health.


Regular consumption of fresh rhubarb has been seen to have a positive effect on lowering of blood pressure.


It is believed that regular intake of rhubarb extract can help in diminishing the problem of hot flashes.


Rhubarb has anti-bacterial properties and when applied topically, can inhibit the problem of staphylococcus aureus.


Researches have suggested that rhubarb can prove to be beneficial for those suffering from high cholesterol.


Rhubarb has been found to have anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-allergy properties.

Yogurt-Marinated Chicken Kabobs with Mint Quinoa

You are going to love me for this one! It's my new favorite for sure. It is a combination of a couple of different recipes I've found from Cooking Light and Sunset magazine. I altered it a bit using herbs from my garden and a few extra veggies... of corse.

The smoky char flavor that the chicken, onion and peppers get from the grill pair wonderfully with the tangy yogurt-feta sauce. I am in love with garam masala right now! It is a very popular spice used in India in all kinds of dishes. It is a mix of cumin, coriander, cardamom,  black peppercorns,  cinnamon, whole cloves,nutmeg and saffron. It isn't as pungeant as a curry. The cinnamon, cloves & nutmeg make it very mouth watering, especially as a rub on chicken.

 

SERVES 6  TIME 45 minutes 
Ingredients:


10-12 metal or wooden scewers
2 cups plain fat free yogurt, divided

3 tsp garam masala

1 tsp Madras curry pwdr

2 garlic cloves, minced
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
2 red bell peppers, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 small yellow onion, cut into 1 inch pieces

1/3 cup crumbled low-fat feta

3 TBSP minced red onion
1 tsp grated lemon zest
2 TBSP chopped mint leaves, divided

1 cup quinoa

Directions:

1. If using wooden scewers, soak them in water for at least 20 minutes so they don't burn on the grill.

Meanwhile, combine 1 cup yogurt, garam masala, curry and garlic in a zip lock bag. Add chicken, seal bag and shake to coat. Let sit at room temp for 20 minutes.

2. In a small bowl, stir together remaining yogurt, feta, onion, lemon zest and 1 TBSP mint. set aside.

3. Bring 2 cups water to boil in a pot. Rinse quinoa very thouroughly in a seive to rinse off the naturally "soapy" coating it has. Bring quinoa to a boil, turn down heat to a simmer and cook covered for 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Remove lid, stir, cook for about another 5 minutes. Cover when done and remove from heat.

4. Prepare grill for medium-high heat. Thread chicken, onion & bell peppers onto scewers. discard marinade. Grill kabobs, turning only once ( it's easier to pick them up with a large tong in the middle, not by the stick.) cook till juiced run clear, 10-15 minutes.

Pile quinoa on platter, sprinkle with mint ( I used parsley too) serve with kabobs and sauce.

PRINT THIS RECIPE

This is a very flavorful, mouthwatering dish! Enjoy!

Super Moist Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Here's a super moist, low fat carrot cake recipe perfect for Easter or anytime of the year. This is made with a can of crushed pineapple which makes it very moist. I baked this in my new 8 inch round cake pan which I love because it's 3 inches deep but you can use a bundt cake pan or 2 smaller round pans for this instead (baking time will vary). I noticed other ww carrot cake recipes had much smaller serving sizes, but I think it's easiest to cut this into 16 equal slices however if you want to make this into cupcakes or 24 slices, it would be 4 points each.

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Spring Rice Salad

Makes about 8 servings. Makes great leftovers for lunch

You Will Need:

1 cup Arborio or Basmati rice
2 bunches fresh asparagus
2 cups frozen edamame, shelled
1 large red bell pepper

1 lemon, juiced

Freshly ground black pepper

Herbamare (a great alternative to salt)

1/4 cup plus 1 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup thinly sliced basil leaves

2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf Italian parsley 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

1/2 cup small diced boiled ham (low sodium) found pre-packaged in your grocery store. You can also use shrimp.
Freshly grated Pecorino Romano for sprinkling on top

Directions:

Rinse rice in a seive under cold water to remove extra starch.

Bring rice to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer (medium-low) and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent rice from sticking to bottom. When done, spread rice on baking sheet to prevent continued cooking ( Oh stop it, it's not that much work!). You don't want sticky rice, you want fluffy rice. Fluffy rice is happy rice.

In a large bowl, combine rice, all veggies, ham and herbs. In a seperate small bowl, mix EVOO, lemon juice & rind, herbamere and pepper. Add to rice mixture. Take a good deep breath of the wonderful spring flavors and enjoy the pretty colors, then serve to your grateful, loving family.
Oh, don't forget to sprinkle the Pecorino Romano on top!!

!

Veggie Nutrition Facts

asparagus info found here.

Asparagus is one of the most nutritionally well-balanced vegetables in existence. It leads nearly all produce items in the wide array of nutrients it supplies in significant amounts for a healthy diet.

Asparagus is the leading supplier among vegetables of folic acid. A 5.3 ounce serving provides 60% of the recommended daily allowance for folacin which is necessary for blood cell formation, growth, and prevention of liver disease. Folacin has been shown to play a significant role in the prevention of neural tube defects, such as spina bifida, that cause paralysis and death in 2,500 babies each year.

Its wealth of nutrients, fiber and very low sodium and calorie content make asparagus a nutritionally wise choice for today's health-conscious consumer.

Asparagus is:

Low in calories, only 20 per 5.3 oz. serving, less than 4 calories per spear.

Contains no fat or cholesterol.

Very low in sodium.

A good source of potassium.

A source of fiber (3 grams per 5.3 oz. serving).

An excellent source of folacin.

A significant source of thiamin.

A significant source of vitamin B6.

One of the richest sources of rutin, a compound which strengthens capillary walls.

edamame info found here.

"Edamame" are edible, green, immature soybeans.
They are a good source of complete protein, high in fiber, a source of essential omega 3 fat, and rich in calcium, iron, zinc and B vitamins.

Edamame Calories, Shelled Per 1/2 cup:
100-130 calories
9 g carbohydrate
8-11 g protein
3 g fat
4 g fiber

Prioritize buying organic soybeans whenever you can.
Soybeans are one of the crops most likely to be genetically modified.
You should be aware of these monstrous creations and try to avoid them for better health.
100% organic foods are not permitted to be genetically modified.

Snack on, cold or hot, any time of day.
Keep a bag of dry roasted edamame with you in the car and when you travel.

Substitute mashed soybeans for mashed potatoes: Puree with low sodium vegetable stock (ratio 3:1) and a little salt and pepper.

Add to stir fry or salads.

Add to rice and pasta dishes.
Use in place of garbanzo beans in hummus recipes.
Use in place of peas in recipes.In a large, non-stick pot, combine 1 cup rice, 2 1/2 cups water, 1 TBSP EVOO, and 1 tsp salt. Let sit for 15 min. while you chop veggies.

Bring another large pot of water to boil, meanwhile, rinse all veggies very well. Chop RBP into small bite size pieces. Cut bottom half of asparagus off, throw away bottom half. Cut the top half in half again.... does that make sense? ;-) Blanch asparagus and edamame in boiling water for 1 minute 30 seconds. Drain and spread onto baking sheet lined with towel to avoid continued cooking.

Thai Coconut Curry Shrimp

Here's another shrimp dish with the sweetness of coconut milk which compliments the spiciness of the red curry paste in this simple dish. Serve this over jasmine rice for a complete meal. If you've never used fish sauce before, don't let the smell fool you. It blends with the other flavors and really adds to this dish.


Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

BLT's and Tea

A Classic

Since the weather out here has been just perfect the last couple of weeks we decided to have a picnic in our back yard. I know I know, BLT's don't exactly qualify as a super healthy food, but they sure are yummy!

To make them as healthy as possible, choose Center Cut, NO Sugar Added bacon (they add sugar to everything!) You can use Turkey Bacon if you really want to, but it just isn't the same as real bacon in my opinion. We don't ever have bacon for breakfast so I don't feel so bad about it. Also, I skipped the mayo and used a good quality Dijon Mustard, Yum!

Try tomatoes on the vine or Campari Tomatoes, found at your grocery store, they have much more flavor and vitamins than the hot house and roma varieties. Use your favorite crusty artisian bread instead of packaged bread, it makes all the difference, very rustic.

I am just loving my iced teas that I've found! Especially when the weather gets hotter and I want something refreshing and full of flavor but not sweet. If you are a soda drinker you really should give iced tea a try! There are so many wonderful varieties and flavors out there! Your sure to find one you love.

My two favorites are Ginger Peach Tea by Republic of China, and Japanese Cherry Green 


Tea by Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. Try your local Whole Foods Market, World Market or Sprouts for lots of variety. If you have a Coffee Bean near you, you get a FREE drink with purchase of a tin of tea! Score!

Avocado Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

I always have haas avocados in my house. I love them in my soup, in my sandwiches, in guacomole or in a simple salad such as this.This healthy salad makes a perfect side dish for shrimp, chicken or steak.


Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Personal Pizza Party Friday

This is really very easy and a lot of fun for the kids. They thought they were pretty special picking out whatever toppings they wanted and making their very own pizza! I bought a few yummy ingredients from Trader Joe's, all were $2-$3 each and then chopped up a few different veggies that I had in the fridge. Much cheaper than 3 $25 pizzas it usually takes to feed this bunch. I bought most everything you see below for about $20. You could use just about anything on pizza. It's really fun to do it this way and try out different combinations!
I love "weird" pizza so I made my very own pesto, sun dried tomato, goat cheese and onion pizza. Spectacular if I must say so myself! The little boys just piled on everything as high as they could which is a very sneaky way to get a few servings of vegetables in! Britton spent a lot of time making funny faces out of veggies for his pizza Picasso. I have made these before and the problem with so many fun toppings is that after you sprinkle on the cheese they fall off creating a mess. So I tried sliced, part skim Mozzarella this time, laying it on top of the ingredients and it turned out great! The cheese melted right over the top and the boys ate their pizzas virtually mess free.

You will need:

French Bread Rolls, cut in half length wise, or English muffins etc.

Lots of different chopped veggies, try some new ones!
ideas:

onion, zucchini, sun dried tomatoes, eggplant, Roma tomato (be careful, regular tomatoes are very moist and will make your pizza mushy), mushrooms, olives, fennel, bell peppers, spinach, whole garlic cloves, artichoke hearts (my favorite!) radicchio pineapple, pears, pine nuts.... basically anything, get creative.

Pizza sauce (look for one with little or no sugar, should be less than 3 grams or close to last on the ingredients.

You also just use tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes. This will work especially well if you are using fresh herbs!

Cheese. Choose part-skim, low moisture Mozzarella, goat cheese, or low-fat feta.

Fresh Herbs if possible! This really is the best part of pizza in my humble opinion! Try, oregano, thyme, basil (of course!) sage or rosemary.

Meat: Sometimes I'm nice and buy meat for the boys. ;-) I try to stay away from pepperoni and sausage, but if you love it use a little!

Other ideas are: prosciutto ( a thin cut cured ham from Italy), Canadian bacon, cubed or ground chicken, shrimp (goes great with pesto), Italian sausage, mortedella (an Italian pork almost like bologna), Copa salami, Genova salami, you get the picture.

Pile on toppings, place on foil lined baking sheet, place in pre-heated 400 degree oven for 10-13 minutes until cheese is golden brown!

Roasted Broccoli with Smashed Garlic

Here's a great way to make broccoli if you are tired of making it the same old way. Roasting broccoli with garlic creates a sweet, nutty delicious flavor and the aroma that wafts through your kitchen will make everyone asking when's dinner ready. This is a simple, yet elegant side dish. I like it topped with shaved Parmesan but you can also add red pepper flakes or top it with fresh lemon juice.

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Whole Grain Energy Bars

I am so excited to share this recipe! The list of ingredients are super healthy and as a bonus they taste really really good! I found this recipe online. It is a version of health bars from Harvest Bread Company. They package and sell theirs for $2 each. You can make a big batch of these for the same price minus the preservatives! They freeze well (if you don't eat them all up first) and are a GREAT healthy breakfast on the go or mid afternoon pick-me-up snack! Great healthy snack for kids!

Here is a quick rundown of the nutrition facts.

Kashi 7 Whole Grain Puffs: 0 grams sugar, All whole grains in here plus sesame seeds.

Kashi Go Lean Crunch: Naturally sweetened multi grain cluster with Almond Flax. 9 g protein, 8 g fiber plus 500 mg Omega-3.

Wheat Germ: Yummy! A great source of Vitamin E & Folic Acid and dietary fiber. You can also sprinkle wheat germ on oatmeal, yogurt and add it to muffins and cookies.

Organic All Natural Peanut Butter: Kirkland and Laura Scudder's have great tasting, healthy pb. Both contain NO added sugar, NO preservatives and No partially hydrogenated vegetable oil like most other brands. Just Roasted Peanuts and a very small amount of salt.

Millet: A whole grain it is highly nutritious, non-glutinous and like buckwheat and quinoa, is not an acid forming food so is soothing and easy to digest. In fact, it is considered to be one of the least allergenic and most digestible grains available and it is a warming grain so will help to heat the body in cold or rainy seasons and climates. click here for more good info on millet.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Honey
1/4 cup Puffed Millet ( or Go Lean Crunch)
1/2 cup Wheat Germ
1/2 cup Puffed Kashi
1 cup Oatmeal
1 cup Natural-Style Peanut Butter
1 cup Craisins or Raisins

Mix everything together in a food processor or by hand. Shape into small bars and refrigerate at least 1 hour. That's it! Super easy!
Enjoy!

Yogurt Parfait Comparison

I have heard about how healthy Kashi cereals were but figured they probably tasted like cardboard. I recently came across a recipe for protein breakfast/snack bars that sounded yummy (will be posting this soon) and it called for a couple of different Kashi cereals. I bought this box also because it looked yummy and the ingredients and nutrition facts were impressive. I must say it was very yummy!
Not to hard like granola and was naturally sweetened by the berries.
Try It, you'll love it! I will be eating this for breakfast on top of my plain fat free yogurt or Greek yogurt, which is thick and creamy, when I don't feel like making something or am in a hurry.


Kashi cereals are filled with whole grains, fiber and protein. One cup of Kashi go Lean contains 140 calories, 10 grams of fiber and 13 grams of protein.


Compare that to Quaker Oats Honey Granola, it may sound healthy but with 210 calories, 6 grams of fat and 12 grams of sugar per 1/2 cup serving you would be better off eating a Pop Tart!

Mexican Slow Cooked Pork Carnitas

I know a lot of you share my love for Mexican food, so I think you will agree this is the most amazing pork recipe for the crock pot. Coming home from work and smelling this when you walk in the door is heavenly.

Browning the pork first is essential so don't skip this step. Pork shoulder is very inexpensive and you can make a few meals out of this. Be sure to buy the boneless pork shoulder blade roast, as it is leaner than the pork shoulder picnic. The prep for this is about 15 minutes the night before. Get it ready and refrigerate it so you simply take it out and plug it in when you get up. Serve this with tortillas, use in burritos, or simply have this with cilantro lime rice. You can make your own Chipotles burrito bowl with lettuce, sour cream, corn salsa, guacamole, or whatever else you usually put in yours!

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

{giveaway} Crockpot, Hand Blender or Bamboo Cutting Board

ONE great prize will be given away to ONE lucky winner!!



I love giving stuff away so when I was approached with an opportunity to give away a lovely kitchen item of my choice from CSN stores, I got excited! CSN sells everything from kids beds, to kitchen appliances, to home decorating and more!

The winner will receive a choice between a few of my favorite items, the Hamilton Beach Stay or Go 6 Quart Slow Cooker, the Cuisinart Smart Stick Hand Blender or a beautiful eco friendly Totally Bamboo Cutting Board. I know, very tough to choose from! To enter, simply visit their site then come back here and leave a comment telling me which prize you would want. One entry per person, the winner will be chosen by random.org. Be sure there is a way for me to contact you via email if you win. Contest ends 8:00 pm (EST) Sunday, March 21st, 2010. (US and Canada only)

Good Luck!!!!

*** CONTEST CLOSED *** Congratulations broberts2, YOU WON!!!

Creamy Cauliflower Purée

A perfect low carb alternative to mashed potatoes with a creamy buttery taste and less than one point. If you don't have buttermilk, low fat sour cream also works great.

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Corned Beef and Cabbage with Horseradish Cream

What's St. Patrick's Day without Corned Beef and Cabbage!

A simple way to prepare this classic Irish dish. Top it with horseradish cream or mustard and serve it with a side of creamy cauliflower puree as a low carb alternative to potatoes. Keep in mind the meat shrinks down to almost 1 lb when cooked.

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Italian Beans & Greens

Green leafy vegetables such as kale, chard, collard greens, spinach, parsley, arugula and dark green and red leaf lettuce are high in carotenoids, vitamins and fiber. Best eaten raw in salads, on healthy sandwiches, lightly steamed or in nutritious soups.


O.k. so you know they're good for you. Now what do you do with them? I'm surprised at how many people say they've never tried most leafy greens other than salad. We love them so much at our house that I decided to grow some in pots in our little backyard so we would always have some available for last minute Kale or Collard cravings. You can throw them in so many dishes.


Here are a few of our favorites! Check back frequently for more yummy recipes with greens!

Italian Beans and Greens (collard greens)

1. Cut the stems of the collard greens out. They are thick and tough to chew.

2. Chop them into about 1 inch slices

(this pic was before I cut the stems out, it's easier to do that first or you'll waste a lot of the leafy part.)

3. Rinse them under cold water very well. Sand sometimes hides in between all of the leaves.

TIME     30 MINUTES        SERVES 6-8

Ingredients:
1 bunch Collard Greens1 medium yellow onion, chopped2 15 oz. cans Canelinni Beans (white kidney beans)1 14 oz can Organic Tomato Sauce1 15 oz can (about 2 cups) Low Sodium Chicken Broth2 Mild or Hot Italian Sausage Links1 TBSP EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
Directions:
Prepare collard greens as instructed above.Meanwhile, heat a large ceramic coated cast iron skillet (or similar large stock pot) over medium-high heat. add EVOO.

Take the casings off of the sausage & discard. Add sausage into pot. Using a spoon, break up the sausage and brown, about 4 minutes.

Add onion and cook about 3-4 minutes more, crumbling sausage as you go.Remove sausage & onion, keeping a TBSP or so of the grease in the pan.Add the Collard Greens to the pan and turn them to coat with the oil. Stir occasionally while they cook down. About 10 minutes.Add the sausage mixture, beans, tomato sauce and broth. Turn heat down to medium-low, cover and cook another 15 minutes stirring occasionally.Serve with my herb bread or another crusty bread.serves 8-10. makes great leftovers!

Pomegranate Martini

Pomegranate Martinis are the new black. Cosmos are so last year! If you are looking to try a new cocktail that is dee-licious and fun to serve at a party, give this a shot (no pun intended)! But be careful... one is never enough!

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Cheddar Broccoli Soup

It's been raining and cold here lately, which is very unusual for us this time of year in Arizona. So we decided to make a yummy broccoli soup to warm us up. It was really really yummy and totally hit the spot!

I got the base of this recipe from my mom. I use Organic Vegetable Broth instead of Chicken broth just because I love the combination of flavors and natural spiciness. I also added the extra veggies which makes it a bit heartier. I added the cheddar which thickens it and lets face it, just makes it a yummy comfort food.

Ingredients:

1/2 lb broccoli chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 cup diced yellow onion
4 cups vegetable broth
2 garlic cloves, crushed then minced
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons unbleached flour
1 cup low-fat milk
1/2 cup chopped green onion (to garnish)
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Directions


1. In a medium sauce pot over med. high heat, place broth, broccoli, onion, celery and garlic. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer 3 minutes. Take off heat and cover.


2. In a ceramic coated Dutch oven melt butter over medium heat. When melted, sprinkle in the flour. Cook stirring constantly using a slotted spatula or whisk till roux is bubbly and a golden brown color, about 3 minutes.


Slowly add  broth mixture while whisking. Keep whisking or stirring constantly until soup is bubbly and thickened about 3 minutes. Add milk, stir till combined.


3. Take off heat and add grated cheese. Stir in till melted. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with salt and pepper and garnish with green onions.

serves 6-8

Calories 410, Calories from Fat 280, Total Fat 31.2g,
Cholesterol 92mg
Sodium 416mg
Potassium 430mg
Total Carbohydrate 15.3g
Dietary Fiber 2.4g
Sugars 5.1g Protein 19.1g

Low Fat Irish Soda Bread

I love to have Irish Soda Bread for breakfast hot out of the oven with some low fat spread and a cup of tea. This is very easy to make, even if you have no experience baking. If you prefer to make a bread to serve with dinner, omit the raisins and sugar and you can add caraway seeds.

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Sheperd's Pie, Lightened Up

Celebrate St. Patrick's Day with this lightened Sheperd's Pie, filled with lean beef, skinny mashed potatoes and lots of vegetables. You can make this a day ahead and bake it when you are ready to eat. This would also be great with chopped turkey.

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...