Classic Macaroni Salad - 4 points per serving

Another one from WW website. 




Salads
Points per serving: 4
Yield: 8 servings
Difficulty: easy
Prep Time: 12 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients
8 oz uncooked macaroni, elbow-variety 
1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste (for cooking pasta) 
1/2 cup(s) reduced-calorie mayonnaise 
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard 
1/2 tsp garlic powder  
1 cup(s) celery, chopped
1/3 cup(s) red onion(s), finely chopped   
2 Tbsp parsley, fresh, chopped  
1/4 tsp table salt, or to taste   
1/8 tsp black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste

Instructions

• Cook macaroni in salted water according to package directions; drain and transfer to a large bowl.
  
• Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard and garlic powder; stir mixture into cooked macaroni. Fold in celery, onion and parsley; season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm or chilled. Yields about 2/3 cup per serving.

NOTES: This is made with regular pasta - I would swap out for whole wheat pasta, though I'm not sure how it would effect the points values.  Comments on the WW said it's a good recipe to build on, add tomatoes, shrimp, etc. if you wanted to. 

Spinnach Artichoke Dip - 2 points plus per serving

This one comes to us from WW.  I have NOT tried it yet.




Snacks
Yield: 12 servings
Difficulty: Easy
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20-30 minutes

Ingredients
 2 spray(s) cooking spray
 1/2 pound(s) spinach, baby leaves, washed and dried*
1 1/2 cup(s) canned artichoke hearts, without oil, drained
1 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), minced (or more to taste)
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
1/2 tsp table salt   
1/2 cup(s) grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup(s) reduced-fat sour cream 4 oz low fat cream cheese, at room temperature

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat a 7 1/2-inch deep-dish glass or ceramic pie plate (or oval oven-proof dish) with cooking spray.
• In a food processor, combine spinach, artichokes hearts, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, Parmesan cheese, sour cream and cream cheese; puree until smooth. Using a spatula, scrape dip into prepared dish; smooth top into an even layer. Bake until golden on top, about 20 to 30 minutes, depending on desired doneness. Serve warm. Yields about 1/4 cup serving.

NOTES: I saw in one of the comments where someone said they were going to use this to fill a portabello mushroom cap - what a brilliant idea for the fourth of july!

Curried Egg Salad Sandwich: 3 or 4 points per serving (without bread)

This one is from Weight Watchers, I haven't tried it myself yet, but I will review it as soon as I do!  It looks simply WONDERFUL!


 Servings: 2
Points per serving (see below)

Curry powder adds great flavor to egg salad. The yellow color also fools the eye into thinking there are more than only 2 egg yolks in the recipe.

Ingredients

4 Egg Whites (large, boiled)
2 Egg Yolks (large, boiled)
2 1/2 Tbsp reduced-calorie mayonnaise (using Reduced Cal = 4 points per serving, 9 points for total recipe not including any bread)
OR . . . 2 1/2 Tbsp Fat Free mayonnaise (using Fat Free Mayo = 3 points per serving, 6 for total recipe not including any bread)
1 Tbsp raisins, chopped   
1 Tbsp red onion(s), finely chopped   
3/4 tsp curry powder   
1/4 tsp table salt, or to taste   
2 leaf/leaves Boston lettuce   

Bread not included in the point total for this recipe so that you can figure out what YOUR favorite bread would add to the points total.  Consider making a lettuce wrap instead, if you're short on points! 

Instructions

• In a bowl, combine egg whites and yolks, mayonnaise, raisins, onion, curry powder and salt.
  
• Place 1/2 cup egg salad on each of two slices of toast; top each with a lettuce leaf, torn or folded to fit bread. Top each sandwich with a second slice of toast. Yields 1 sandwich per serving.

Notes

• Instead of the red onion, you could use either sliced scallions or snipped chives.