Mexican-Style Brown Rice Casserole

Course: main meals PointsPlus™ Value: 8 Servings: 6 Preparation Time: 12 min Cooking Time: 30 min Level of Difficulty: Easy

Like a burrito in a bowl, this dish is great for parties. Serve a big salad on the side.

Ingredients

	1 spray(s) cooking spray
	4 cup(s) cooked brown rice
	1 1/4 cup(s) salsa
	1 tsp Durkee Ground Cumin Seed, or other brand
	15 oz canned refried beans
	10 oz frozen corn kernels, thawed
	4 oz canned green chili peppers, mild, diced
	1 Tbsp chili powder
	10 oz chopped frozen spinach, or collard greens, thawed and set to drain in a strainer over a bowl
	3/4 cup(s) low-fat shredded cheddar cheese, divided
	2 Tbsp cilantro, fresh, chopped (optional; for garnish)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375ºF. Coat a 2-quart rectangular, round or oval baking dish with cooking spray
  
  
• In a large bowl, combine rice, salsa and cumin. Spoon 2 cups of rice mixture into prepared baking dish and spread out to evenly cover bottom of dish.
  
  
• In another large bowl, combine refried beans, corn, chili peppers and chili power. Using a rubber spatula, scrape bean mixture on top of rice layer and smooth out top.
  
  
• Squeeze out any excess water from spinach or collard greens and then spread on top of bean layer; sprinkle with 6 tablespoons of cheese. Top with remaining rice mixture and smooth out top; sprinkle with remaining cheese.
  
  
• Place casserole on a large rimmed baking sheet to catch any spillage. Bake until heated through and cheese is browned and bubbling, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro (if desired), cut into 6 pieces and serve.

I couldn't find mild chili peppers at our store and I didn't have any cumin, but it was pretty good without those two ingredients. I also used chopped fresh spinach in it.

Callie said that it was the best, Mike said that it was okay, and I liked it alright. We ended up putting it in tortillas with a little bit of sour cream. Added a few more points, but I thought that it was better that way.

Chicken Fried Rice

Chicken Fried Rice

4 large egg whites
1/2 cup chopped scallions (both green and white parts)
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
12 oz uncooked chicken breast, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 cup carrots, diced
2 cups cooked brown rice, warm (not cold out of fridge)
1/2 cup frozen green peas, thawed
3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set pan over medium-high heat. Add egg whites and cook, until scrambled, stirring frequently, about 3 to 5 minutes; remove from pan and set aside.

Recoat skillet with cooking spray and place back over medium-high heat. Add scallions and garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add chicken and carrots; sauté until chicken is golden brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Stir in reserved cooked egg whites, cooked brown rice, peas and soy sauce; cook until heated through, stirring once or twice, about 1 minute. Yields about 1 cup per serving.

Makes 6 servings. 3 pts a serving.

filling foods: egg whites, scallions, chicken breast, carrots, brown rice, peas

Chicken Teriyaki with Broccoli

Chicken Teriyaki with Broccoli

	2 medium garlic cloves, minced
	1 pound uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
	4 medium scallions, chopped (green and white parts)
	1/2 cups fat-free chicken broth
	2 Tbsp teriyaki sauce
	2 cups cooked brown rice, regular or instant, kept hot
	4 cups broccoli, fresh, florets, steamed

(filling foods: chicken, scallions, chicken broth, brown rice, broccoli)

Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add garlic; cook, stirring, about 1 minute. Add chicken; cook until golden brown on all sides, stirring often, about 5 minutes.

Add scallions; cook until soft, stirring, about 2 minutes. Add broth and teriyaki sauce; simmer until chicken is cooked through and sauce reduces slightly, about 5 minutes.

Spoon 1/2 cup of cooked rice into each of 4 shallow bowls; spoon about 1 cup of chicken mixture and 1/2 cup of broccoli over each serving.

4 servings. 5 points a serving (including the rice)

I added steamed carrots on the side.

My kids ate this so well. I couldn't believe it. Bryan ate almost as much chicken as I did. I think that I only had a little more than 1/2 cup chicken on mine, not the full cup it calls for.

Rice and Beans

1/3 cup brown rice

1/3 cup black beans
1/3 cup frozen peas
1/3 cup frozen corn
1/4 cup sweet mini peppers
1/4 cup onion
1 tsp olive oil
1/8 cup fat free shredded cheese
1/3 cup salsa

5 points total

This was too much for me to eat, but the portions I wrote down is what is on the plate. I sauteed the onion and the peppers in the oil. YUM! That is my favorite way to eat my oils. This is one of my favorite meals of all time. My husband and kids roll theirs up in tortillas to make "tacos." They use ranch and BBQ sauce with theirs. This meal keeps me feeling very satisfied for a long time. I love it.

Lasagna Soup

This was tonight's dinner and the kids did okay with it. It's not their favorite but I really enjoy it. The picture is what was left in the pot after feeding our family of 6. You can freeze this in 1 cup portions and have lunch or dinner for another day.

Lasagna Soup
1 pound hamburger (I use elk, it's lower in fat and better for you)
1/2 cup onion
Brown these two together.
Hamburger Helper Lasagna Seasoning mix
5 cups Water
1 can (14 1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes-undrained
1 can (15 oz.) corn-undrained
Add to meat and Simmer 10 minutes
2 Tablespoons Parmesan
1 small zucchini
Noodles from the Hamburger Helper Lasagna Mix
Add and Simmer another 10 minutes or until the noodles are tender.

1 cup serving is 3 points.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

POINTS Value: 7 Servings: 4 Preparation Time: 15 min Cooking Time: 40 min Level of Difficulty: Moderate

Ingredients

	4 spray(s) cooking spray, or enough to coat chicken
	1 pound(s) uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, four 4-oz pieces
	3 oz Boar's Head Smoked Ham, or other brand, four 3/4 oz slices
	3 oz low-fat Swiss cheese, four 3/4-oz slices
	1/4 cup(s) all-purpose flour
	1/4 cup(s) honey mustard
	1/2 cup(s) seasoned bread crumbs, Italian-style

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a baking sheet with olive oil cooking spray.
  
  
• Place chicken breasts between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound to 1/4-inch thickness; remove plastic wrap. Arrange 1 slice of ham and 1 slice of cheese on each chicken breast.
  
  
• Starting from shorter end of chicken, roll up breast into a tight pinwheel. Tuck in ends. Secure with toothpicks.
  
  
• Place flour, honey mustard and bread crumbs in 3 separate shallow bowls. Add chicken to flour; turn to coat. Transfer chicken to honey mustard; turn to coat. Place chicken in bread crumbs; turn to coat.
  
  
• Transfer chicken to prepared baking sheet and coat with cooking spray. Bake until chicken is golden brown and cooked through, about 40 minutes. Remove toothpicks and serve.