I always give a healthy cooking tip to my Weight Watchers Members each week. Here is my tip for this week.
Try cooking your food En Papillote. That is a French technique that means to seal the food in parchment paper and bake it in the oven. What happens is the food steams in its own moister (with perhaps a bit of wine or juice added). This gives you a light product that is nutritious and healthy.
If you think about it, you may already use or have used this technique. Maybe you have wrapped something in foil and baked it or grilled it. This is actually the same thing (effect). I use this a lot because it is quick, easy, low calorie (points) and delicious. And you don't have to worry about the parchment paper, just use the foil, it is easier to work with. It is also fun for everyone to get your own individual package of food that you can unwrap at the table! (kids love this)
Try these simple and tasty variations on this theme or come up with your own:
Pesto Salmon: Lay down a few slices of fresh tomato seasoned with salt and pepper on a sheet of foil. Place a 6 oz fillet of salmon on the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Place a tablespoon of pesto on the salmon. Pour 1 teaspoon of wine on the pesto. Wrap the package tightly, folding all the edges together. Bake on a tray at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Allow to rest for 5 minutes and eat.
French Onion (like the soup!): This is so good, you will have to make one for each person!
Take a large onion and peel it, cutting off each of the ends. Core out the center with an apple corer almost, but not quite, to the bottom. Place a beef bullion cube in the bottom of the whole you have created. Place the onion on a piece of foil. Season the onion liberally with salt, pepper and thyme. Place 1/2 to 1 tsp of butter in the core of the onion. Pour 1 tsp of sherry or brandy over the onion. Seal the package and bake at 425 degrees or on a hot grill for 45 - 60 minutes (until completely softened).
When you open the package the onion with be sweet and taste like French onion soup, but it only has a 1 pt value from the butter!
Grill Roasted Potatoes: Scrub the dirt off of 1 lb of russet potatoes. Slice them thin. Slice one small to medium onion very thin and toss with the potatoes. Toss in salt and pepper and any other spices you like (thyme, rosemary, cumin, Cajun, garlic, etc) and place on a large sheet of heavy duty foil. Spray with cooking spray liberally (you can dot with butter if desired). Wrap up the package tightly and grill for 45 minutes on a hot grill (or you can bake in the oven).
All of these ideas can be expanded upon or changed to meet your needs and taste profile. Once you start doing this, it will become a regular part of your cooking routine. All of these things are also great the next day in your lunch so make an extra one to bring with you.
Enjoy!
Try cooking your food En Papillote. That is a French technique that means to seal the food in parchment paper and bake it in the oven. What happens is the food steams in its own moister (with perhaps a bit of wine or juice added). This gives you a light product that is nutritious and healthy.
If you think about it, you may already use or have used this technique. Maybe you have wrapped something in foil and baked it or grilled it. This is actually the same thing (effect). I use this a lot because it is quick, easy, low calorie (points) and delicious. And you don't have to worry about the parchment paper, just use the foil, it is easier to work with. It is also fun for everyone to get your own individual package of food that you can unwrap at the table! (kids love this)
Try these simple and tasty variations on this theme or come up with your own:
Pesto Salmon: Lay down a few slices of fresh tomato seasoned with salt and pepper on a sheet of foil. Place a 6 oz fillet of salmon on the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Place a tablespoon of pesto on the salmon. Pour 1 teaspoon of wine on the pesto. Wrap the package tightly, folding all the edges together. Bake on a tray at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Allow to rest for 5 minutes and eat.
French Onion (like the soup!): This is so good, you will have to make one for each person!
Take a large onion and peel it, cutting off each of the ends. Core out the center with an apple corer almost, but not quite, to the bottom. Place a beef bullion cube in the bottom of the whole you have created. Place the onion on a piece of foil. Season the onion liberally with salt, pepper and thyme. Place 1/2 to 1 tsp of butter in the core of the onion. Pour 1 tsp of sherry or brandy over the onion. Seal the package and bake at 425 degrees or on a hot grill for 45 - 60 minutes (until completely softened).
When you open the package the onion with be sweet and taste like French onion soup, but it only has a 1 pt value from the butter!
Grill Roasted Potatoes: Scrub the dirt off of 1 lb of russet potatoes. Slice them thin. Slice one small to medium onion very thin and toss with the potatoes. Toss in salt and pepper and any other spices you like (thyme, rosemary, cumin, Cajun, garlic, etc) and place on a large sheet of heavy duty foil. Spray with cooking spray liberally (you can dot with butter if desired). Wrap up the package tightly and grill for 45 minutes on a hot grill (or you can bake in the oven).
All of these ideas can be expanded upon or changed to meet your needs and taste profile. Once you start doing this, it will become a regular part of your cooking routine. All of these things are also great the next day in your lunch so make an extra one to bring with you.
Enjoy!
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