Weight Watchers Cook it Fast l Healthy Living l Healthy Recipes l Quick and Easy Recipes l Recipes With Less Calories l Weight Watcher Meals

Admit it. There’s something thrilling about serving up a delicious, home-cooked meal in 15, 20, or 30 minutes flat. Lucky then that, in this book, you’ll find dozens of dishes and lots of clever tricks and shortcuts that will help you do just that.

Because we want you to cook. It’s healthier, it’s usually less expensive, and you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment and delight in knowing you created something delectable in a snap. There’s nothing more enjoyable than gathering your family and friends around a table and serving a fresh-from- the-oven roast, a nourishing soup, or a scrumptious pie. Why deny yourself these pleasures?

Check out these five delicious recipes from Weight Watchers Cook it Fast.

Quick Turkey Tostadas

SERVES 2

1 teaspoon canola oil
2 (6-inch) corn tortillas
2 cups thinly sliced romaine lettuce
4 (1-ounce) slices low sodium skinless deli turkey breast or chicken breast, cut into strips
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
½ avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and sliced
¼ cup fat-free ranch dressing
¼ cup fat-free salsa

1. Heat oil in small skillet over medium-high heat. Add tortillas to skillet, one at a time, and cook until lightly browned and crisp, about 2 minutes on each side.

2. Place 1 tortilla on each of 2 plates and layer evenly with lettuce, turkey, tomatoes, and avocado.

3. Drizzle dressing evenly over tostadas and serve with salsa.

PER SERVING (1 tostada): 271 Cal, 10 g Total Fat, 1 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 51 mg Chol, 477 mg Sod, 27 g Total Carb, 6 g Fib, 21 g Prot, 77 mg Calc.

Points Plus value: 7

Light and Luscious Cobb Salad

SERVES 4

3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 teaspoons olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
6 cups lightly packed torn romaine lettuce
2 cups diced cooked turkey breast
2 large tomatoes, diced
½ avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and diced
2 large hard-cooked egg whites, chopped
6 slices turkey bacon, crisp-cooked and coarsely crumbled
¼ cup crumbled blue cheese

1. To make dressing, whisk together vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper in small bowl.

2. Spread lettuce on platter. Arrange turkey, tomatoes, and avocado in rows on top of lettuce. Sprinkle with egg whites, bacon, and blue cheese. Serve dressing on side.

PER SERVING (about 1½ cups): 292 Cal, 14 g Total Fat, 4 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 85 mg Chol, 939 mg Sod, 8 g Total Carb, 4 g Fib, 32 g Prot, 94 mg Calc.

Points Plus value: 7

Cook’s Note: To save the other half of the avocado, drizzle it with lemon juice, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. If the exposed fl esh does darken, just cut away a thin layer to reveal the bright green avocado below.

Quick Chicken Satay with Asparagus

SERVES 2

2 (5-ounce) skinless boneless chicken breasts, each cut into 6 long strips
5 teaspoons reducedsodium teriyaki sauce
16 asparagus spears, trimmed
2 teaspoons reducedsodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons canola oil
Lemon wedges

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line baking sheet with foil and spray with nonstick spray.

2. Toss together chicken and teriyaki sauce in medium bowl.

3. Th read 2 pieces of chicken on each of 6 (12-inch) metal skewers and arrange on baking sheet. Place asparagus next to chicken in one layer. Brush asparagus with soy sauce and oil. Roast until chicken is cooked through and asparagus is tender, about 15 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.

PER SERVING (3 skewers and 8 asparagus spears): 256 Cal, 9 g Total Fat, 2 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 86 mg Chol, 700 mg Sod, 7 g Total Carb, 3 g Fib, 35 g Prot, 49 mg Calc.

Points Plus value: 6

Cook's Note: If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes to prevent them from burning.

Lentil and Sausage Soup

SERVES 4

2 teaspoons olive oil
2 carrots, thinly sliced
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ pound turkey kielbasa, thinly sliced
1¼ cups brown lentils, picked over and rinsed
5 cups water
1 (14½ -ounce) can diced tomatoes
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add carrots, onion, and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, until soft ened, about 5 minutes.

2. Add kielbasa, lentils, and water; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until lentils are tender, about 30 minutes.

3. Stir in tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes longer.

PER SERVING (1¾ cups): 296 Cal, 6 g Total Fat, 1 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 15 mg Chol, 760 mg Sod, 44 g Total Carb, 12 g Fib, 21 g Prot, 95 mg Calc.

Points Plus value: 7

Cook’s Note: Turkey kielbasa is a great ingredient for the shortcut cook to keep on hand. As you’ll see in this recipe, just a small amount is so flavorful that you don’t need to add other herbs or spices to a dish to make it satisfying and delicious.

White Wine–Poached Pears

SERVES 8

4 cups water
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup sugar
Zest of 1 lemon, removed with vegetable peeler
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
4 large firm-ripe Bartlett or Bosc pears, peeled, halved, and cored

1. Combine all ingredients except pears in large saucepan and bring to boil over high heat; boil 10 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat.

2. Add pears to saucepan. Reduce heat and gently simmer, covered, until pears are tender when pierced with fork, about 15 minutes. Using slotted spoon, carefully transfer pears to large shallow bowl.

3. Bring poaching liquid to boil over high heat; boil until reduced to about 2 cups, about 15 minutes. Pour poaching liquid over pears and refrigerate until cool before serving.

PER SERVING (½ pear and ¼ cup syrup): 172 Cal, 0 g Total Fat, 0 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 0 mg Chol, 8 mg Sod, 44 g Total Carb, 4 g Fib, 0 g Prot, 17 mg Calc.

Points Plus value: 5

Do it Faster: Peeling and coring pears is quick and simple to do. Use a vegetable peeler to cut away the skins, then cut the pears in half lengthwise. To scoop out the core, use a teaspoon or a melon baller.