Avocado Tomato Salad

This is a quick and easy salad that only consists of 4 ingredients and can be thrown together in minutes!

Ingredients:

2 large tomatoes, chopped
2 avocado, diced
1 pkg. pearl Mozzarella balls (Bel Gioioso)
1/2 c. Balsamic Vinaigrette

Mix all of the above ingredients together in a large bowl. It is THAT easy!

Bruschetta "Caterpillars"

I am a huge fan of caprese salads and bruschetta. These little bites use all of the same flavors only are packed down into little bite size bundles. I think next time I make these, I will make the balsamic into a thick reduction so that it stays on the tomatoes a little bit better. And also add a lot more basil!

Ingredients:

1 pint Cherry tomatoes
20-30 Mozzarella Pearls
1 Tbs. (approx) balsamic vinegar
Fresh Basil, chopped

Slice the tomatoes hasselback style, slicing about 3/4 of the way through. Make 4 or 5 slices in each cherry tomato. Slice the pearl Mozzarella balls into thin slices. Place a slice of Mozzarella cheese into the hasselback tomatoes. Top with a fresh piece of chopped basil, and drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

(Above picture is from a 4th of July party)

Spinach Mozzarella Egg Sandwich

This recipe uses four alike ingredients, and just by changing the bread between the two styles, they taste like completely different recipes. This recipe is also very budget friendly.

 Ingredients:

1/2 c. Egg Beater's Four Cheese liquid egg (approximately)
Fresh Spinach
1/2 c. reduced fat shredded Mozzarella cheese
2 Low fat Pita Pockets
2 English Muffins, whole wheat

Heat a small pan to medium low heat. Spray the pan with non stick cooking spray, pour about two tablespoons of egg into the pan and turn the pan to completely coat the bottom. Add a handful of fresh spinach (stems removed) and about two tablespoons of shredded Mozzarella on top, and cover with a lid. After about 30 seconds, the top of the egg should be cooked. 

  

Use a spatula to fold the eggs in one of two ways. For the pita sandwiches, fold one side over and tightly roll into a burrito shape. Then cut in half after they have had time to cool slightly, spray the inside of the pita pocket with spray butter, and stuff with the omelet. For the English muffins, cut both of them in half and toast in the toaster. Spray the insides with spray butter. Repeat the egg process above, but fold each side over towards the middle, forming a square. Place on top of the English muffin and add the top. 

(The pita pocket sandwiches are 4 points per pocket, the English muffin sandwiches are 5 points each.)

Bruschetta Bread Loaf

Ingredients:

1 container Pillsbury French Loaf bread dough

1/2 large tomato, seeded and chopped fine

1 Tbs. dried basil, give or take

1 ball fresh Mozzarella cheese, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking sheet or jelly-roll pan with non stick cooking spray. Unroll the dough and sprinkle with approximately one tablespoon of the dried basil. Top with the chopped tomato and Mozzarella, leaving an inch around the edges with nothing on them. Roll the dough back up tightly with the filling inside, and end seam side down. Sprinkle the top with dried basil and spray with non stick cooking spray. Add four slices to the top of the bread for steam to escape (when it cooks, the cheese will get slightly messy, but that's fine). Bake for 23-27 minutes until the top is golden brown. Let cool slightly before slicing.

Caprese Pasta

 

Ingredients:

8 oz. Cavatappi noodles, cooked as directed on the box
2 Tbs. margarine
2 Tbs. flour
1 1/4 c. milk, 1%
1/2 c. heavy cream
8 oz. fresh mozzarella, shredded
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
3 Sapori tomatoes (or large cherry tomatoes, chopped
1/4 c. fresh basil, chopped

In a medium saucepan, heat the butter on medium heat until melted. Whisk in the flour until the mixture forms a roux, and it all sticks together in a ball. Immediately pour the milk and heavy cream in, and whisk until everything is smooth and there are no lumps. Add the Mozzarella a small amount at a time and continuously stir. Increase the temperature to medium high and keep stirring until the cheese is fully melted and the sauce is thick (about 5 minutes). Season with salt, pepper and garlic salt. You may need to add more garlic salt depending on your preference. Top with the chopped tomatoes and fresh basil.

Mozza-Balsa-Basil Meatballs

Ingredients:

1 1/4 lb. ground turkey, lean
0.75 oz. pkg. basil, chopped (save some for garnish if served with pasta)
1/2 c. Panko, plain
1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. fresh cracked pepper
2 Weight Watchers string cheese, sliced


Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Combine the turkey, basil, Panko, balsamic, olive oil, garlic salt and pepper together with hands until well combined (you can use a spatula if you don't like to get your hands dirty).

Eyeball approximately 1 1/2 tablespoons worth of filling and flatten in your hand. Place a slice of string cheese in the middle. Bring the turkey up around the cheese and roll into  a ball. Place on the parchment paper. Repeat with the remaining meatballs. Bake for 23-25 minutes in the oven. Let cool slightly before serving.

(Makes 25 meatballs (1 WW point each. Divided into 8 servings, of 3 meatballs each, is 3 WW points.)

(Great when served on top of Spinach Roasted Garlic Pasta)

Italian Turkey Meatball Sliders

Ingredients:

1 ball fresh Mozzarella, sliced in half, and then into thin slices
Pizza sauce
Slider buns
Garlic Parmesan Turkey Meatballs


If you made the meatballs up ahead of time, heat them in the microwave or oven until they are hot. Spread about 1 Tbs. of pizza sauce on the bottom of each bun. Top with a meatball, slice of fresh Mozzarella, and the top bun. These are very easy (including the home made meatballs), and delicious!

Mini Tomato Mozzarella English Muffin Pizzas

                                                                                  

Ingredients:

4 English muffins, cut in half to make 8
1 large tomato, cut in half, seeded, and sliced thin
16 mini fresh mozzarella balls, marinated in olive oil and herbs
Pure garlic spray (or garlic infused olive oil)
1/2 c. fresh chopped parsley
Garlic salt
Fresh grated pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lay the English muffin slices out on a non stick baking sheet or jelly roll pan. Spray the tops with the garlic spray (or drizzle with the garlic olive oil).  Slice the mini mozzarella balls each into three slices, and use 6 slices to top each English muffin. Add three slices of tomato on top of the mozzarella. Sprinkle each English muffin with the chopped parsley. If you used the garlic spray, drizzle some of the extra oil and herbs from the mozzarella container on top of the muffins. Season with garlic salt and pepper. Bake for 5-7 minutes until the crust is just starting to turn golden brown and is slightly crunchy. Serve warm.

(Makes 8 servings, 3 WW points per serving)

Tomato Basil Panini

Ingredients:

1 large tomato, sliced thin
1/4 c. basil, chopped
2 Tbs. pesto (any flavor, I used walnut pesto)
1/2 c. shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
4 slices of wheat bread
Parkay butter spray

 

Preheat a skillet or grill pan on medium heat. Spray two sides of bread with the Parkay butter spray and place butter side down on the heated skillet. Spread 1/2 tbs. on each slice. Add half of the sliced tomato and basil to each slice of bread. Top with the shredded Mozzarella cheese. Spread the remaining pesto on the other two pieces of bread and place, pesto side down, on top of the Mozzarella. Spray the tops of each slice of bread with the butter spray. Flip both sandwiches and continue to cook on the other side for 2-3 minutes until golden brown and until the cheese is your preferred consistency. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly before cutting in half. (Makes 2 sandwiches, I used Sara Lee 100% wheat bread, which bumped the points up to 8 WW points per sandwich. If you use Taystee white bread, or a lower point bread, it could be as little as 5-6 WW points.)

Mozzarella Sticks

Ingredients:

3 slices white bread
1 tsp dried thyme
8 Weight Watchers String Cheese
1 Tbs. honey
1 Tbs. mustard

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a flat bowl, combine the honey and mustard together. In a food processor, pulse the white bread until small crumbs form. Pour the bread crumbs into another flat bowl and combine with the dried thyme. Spray a large cooking sheet with non stick cooking spray. Dip each piece of string cheese into the honey mustard. Place into the bread crumbs and using your hands, press the crumbs down onto the string cheese to make sure the breading sticks. Place them onto the baking sheet. Spray the top with non stick cooking spray, and bake in the oven for 4-5 minutes. Let cool slightly before removing from the plates. (Makes 4 servings, 2 Mozzarella sticks per serving, 4 WW points per serving.)

Thyme Bacon Mozza-Parm Pasta

Ingredients:
Pasta of choice
3 long slices of bacon, cut in half
1 1/2 yellow onion, small diced
Olive oil
Garlic salt
1/2 c. fresh Mozzarella, chopped or ripped into small pieces
1/4 c. grated Parmesan
2 Tbs. fresh Thyme leaves

Fill a large pot 3/4 of the way with water. Start to heat on high heat. Season the water with salt and about 2 Tbs. olive oil. When the water starts to boil, reduce temperature to a medium-high and add the pasta. Cook the pasta for about 7-10 minutes depending on how thick it is. (Cook the bacon while the pasta is cooking). Set the bacon on a paper towel to drain. Drain the pasta, and place the pasta back into the pot that you cooked it in. Add the chopped onion to the bacon grease, and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until the onions are transparent. Pour the cooked onion into the pasta pot, and season with garlic salt. Break up the bacon into small pieces and add tot he pasta. Add the Mozzarella, Parmesan and thyme and stir together. If the pasta is too dry, drizzle with olive oil right before serving.

Mozza-Mushroom Arugula Pizza

 Ingredients:

1 can Pillsbury pizza dough

Olive oil

1 1/2 c. Bocconcini Mozzarella (small Mozzarella balls)

1 c. mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 c. fresh arugula (washed and dried)

Garlic salt

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Roll out the pizza dough to fit a large baking sheet, that has been sprayed with non stick cooking spray. Bake for about 7 minutes. Drizzle the dough with olive oil. Top with the mushroom, arugula, and Mozzarella cheese. Bake for 5 more minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is fully melted. When it comes out of the oven, sprinkle with garlic salt. Allow to cool before slicing. 

Bruschetta Pumpernickel Crostini

Ingredients:

Pumpernickel Bread, thinly sliced and halved 

Olive oil

Garlic salt

Sliced tomato

Basil, chopped

Bocconcini mozzarella balls, sliced

Set oven to broil. Assemble the crostini in the order of the ingredients listed above. Broil for 1-3 minutes, depending on how close the pan is to the heat. Let cool slightly and serve.

Chick-onion Submarine

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts, halved
1 packet French onion soup dry mix, divided
Pam (cooking spray)
1/2 c. chicken stock
3 Portobello mushrooms, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
Orange Pepper, sliced
Fresh Mozzarella
Submarine buns

Heat a large skillet on medium heat. Divide the French onion soup packet in half. Using half of the mix, sprinkle on both sides of each piece of chicken. Add chicken to the heated skillet sprayed with Pam, and cook on each side for about 5 minutes or until fully cooked in the middle. Slice the chicken and set aside. In the same pan, add the mushrooms, onion and the chicken stock mixed in a glass with the rest of the French onion soup mix. Cook until the onions are tender and the chicken stock has mostly evaporated. Add the chicken back in and mix together. Slice some fresh Mozzarella and set aside, along with the orange pepper. Cut your submarine buns in half (makes 4 subs) and place on a baking sheet. Heat oven to boil (low boil if you have the option). To assemble the sub, place the chicken and veggie mixture on the bottom, add the fresh Mozzarella, then a few slices of the orange pepper and set under the broiler for about 2 minutes or until the cheese is melted. I packed this up in tinfoil and enjoyed it cold today at work for lunch! 

Baked Eggplant Penne

Ingredients:
3 Japanese eggplants
1 jar of your favorite pasta sauce
1/3 c. Asiago
1 ball fresh Mozzarella, sliced
1 box Penne Pasta
3 garlic cloves
1 tsp. olive oil

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place your eggplants on a non-stick baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes until the outside of the eggplant is really dark, almost burnt looking. Let cool. Cut the ends off and cut the eggplant into cubes. Set aside.

Cook pasta according to directions. After draining, place back into the pot that you boiled them in. Mince the garlic and place in a saucepan with the olive oil. Brown the garlic at medium heat. Add the pasta sauce and turn down to low. Stir the eggplant in with the garlic and sauce until combined. Spray a 13x9 pan with non-stick cooking spray. Pour the sauce over the noodles in the pot and mix together. Pour into the greased baking pan. Top with the sliced Mozzarella and sprinkle the Asiago in an even layer on top of that. Bake for 30 minutes until the Mozzarella starts to slightly turn brown. Let cool for five minutes before serving.