It's Berry Season... and I love it!  Berries are one of my favorite summer fruits.  There is nothing like the perfectly ripe and juicy strawberry or raspberry!  I think that easier and more affordable access to delicious fruits and veggies during the summer actually make following Weight Watchers easier for me during the summer!

Recently I was asked to try out a new berry recipe on the Driscoll's berry site.  I had a really hard time deciding between all the delicious recipes, and while I really wanted to try the Superstar Blueberry and Raspberry Lemon Cake, I settled for something I knew I could make fit more easily in the Weight Watchers plan, Tiramisu Mixed Berry Trifle

Of course... with all recipes, I tend to take the idea and make some changes to make it healthier. 

So I swapped out Cool Whip Light for the heavy cream and confectioners' sugar...
I eliminated the mascarpone altogether...
And I used sponge cake instead of ladyfingers...

The results were a delicious hit with both my family and friends!
An easy and delicious 4 PointsPlus summer dessert!
 

I'm really excited for Monday this week.  2 reasons:  #1 - Its my birthday week, and #2 - in honor of my birthday week I'm giving a present to you.  And its a GOOD one!

A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of trying out 2 different Anolon skillets.  Now, you guys know that I love to cook, so I was thrilled to try these pans.

I received these 2 beauties

Anolon Nouvelle Copper Non-stick 12" Skillet

Anolon Nouvelle Copper Stainless Steel 12" Skillet

Even as I lifted them out of the box, I was immediately in LOVE.  They are so incredibly heavy and well constructed.  A bit of drool might have actually escaped my lips as I quickly thought of what I should cook with them.

I decided on a sesame shrimp stir fry in the stainless skillet.

Sesame Shrimp
Serves 5 @ 5 Points+ each



Add to skillet and heat to just simmering.  Cook 1-2 minutes until thick.

Serve with steamed rice and maybe an egg roll for good measure!  Just remember to count the extra points.

The results?  Delicious and nutritious!  The skillet is absolutely as drool-worthy as I thought it would be at first glance.  Its heavy, and heated both quickly and evenly on my gas stove.  The skillet is large and can accommodate a lot of food, without stuff spilling out the side or getting goop all over your stove top.

I've also since used the non-stick skillet for everything from french toast to grilled cheese sandwiches, and it heats evenly and needs no oil!  I can honestly say it is the best non-stick skillet I've ever used!  Oh, and I almost forgot... one of the best things about the non-stick skillet is that it is metal utensil safe!  No more cheap plastic flippers melted to the side of your pan.  Oh?  I'm the only one that does that?  OK... that's a bit embarrassing.

So... lucky you on my birthday week.  One of you is going to win your choice of either the non-stick or the stainless steel skillets from above!  So listen up, here's what you have to do to win:

1) Mandatory (which means you have to do this before you can enter any of the other ways):  Subscribe to my blog - either via Google Friend Connect or RSS Feed.  Then, visit Anolon's website and leave me a comment on this post, telling me what other piece of cookware you are drooling over?

2) "Like" Fat Little Legs on facebook.  Like Anolon too!  In fact, I have a link to their page from mine.  You must leave me a comment on this post letting me know you did this for a second entry.

3) Follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway:  I entered @fatlittlelegs @Anolon cookware giveaway: http://tinyurl.com/7fsdmsy You should too!  Leave me a comment telling me you tweeted.

Contest open to residents of the U.S. only.  Contest will run until next Monday, 3/26 at 9:00 pm Central Time and the winner will be chosen randomly from all comments received and announced on Tuesday 3/27.

Disclosure:  Thank you to Anolon, who provided me with both skillets free in return for my review and giveaway.  And aren't you excited they are going to give you one too?

Did you miss me?  Ah... yes... that's what I thought!

This week I had the pleasure of finding FRESH Alaskan Cod at a nicer grocery store near my house.  Now maybe finding fresh ocean fish might not be a big deal to you, but remember I live in the smack dab of the country as far away from most of the oceans as you can get.  Frozen fish abounds, but good fresh fish - especially found at a regular grocery store - doesn't always happen.  We made it on Saturday night for dinner and it was delicious, plus we got 2 filets for $7.99, which seemed like a steal to me.

This week we are busy!  So a couple of nights won't be spent eating at home, thus the abbreviated menu plan for this week.

The recipe I'm sharing with you this week is Pizza Lasagna.  When Lily was a baby, a coworker brought a Pizza Lasagna to us.  It was delicious.  This is my adaptation of a couple of recipes I found, rolled into one in a try to recreate the deliciousness!  Make one for yourself, and freeze one, or bring to a friend with a new baby - which is actually what I'll be doing this week - my way of paying it forward!

Lemon Butter Cod, Butternut Squash Risotto (made from a box), roasted veggies
Pizza Lasagna, Bread, Salad - Recipe below
Paninis with Mozzarella, Tomatoes and Pesto, Caesar Salad
BBQ Chicken Pizzas on Naan Bread, fresh fruit
Fish and Chips (made from frozen fish, and Alexia Sweet Potato Fries)

Pizza Lasagna
Makes 8 servings @ 10 Points+ each

9 no cook Lasagna Noodles (I used Barilla)
15 oz can of pizza sauce (I used Ragu)
15 oz can of diced tomatoes with Italian Seasoning
8 oz Italian Sausage, browned and drained
1 pillow pack of Hormel turkey pepperoni
4 oz cut up mushrooms
small can of sliced olives
1 green pepper, diced
15 oz container part skim ricotta
1 tsp Penzey's pizza seasoning (or your favorite Italian seasoning)
1 tsp Penzey's granulated garlic (or garlic powder of your choice)
2 cups part skim, shredded mozzarella cheese

Mix Together the pizza sauce and diced tomatoes.
Mix Together Ricotta, garlic, and pizza seasoning.

In a 9 x 13 pan spread 1/4 cup of the sauce mixture, top with noodles, top with 1/2 of the ricotta mixture, 1/2 cup of the cheese, 1 cup of the sauce, 1/2 of the Italian sausage, 1/3 of the pepperoni, 1/2 of the mushrooms, olives and peppers.  Repeat.  Top the last layer with the final 3 noodles, the rest of the pepperoni, remaining sauce, and remaining cheese, sprinkle with Parmesan.

Bake for 45 minutes at 350 or until bubbly!  Let stand for about 8-10 minutes before cutting and devouring!

What's your favorite meal to share with a friend?

A repost from last Thanksgiving... here are my favorite Thanksgiving recipes - PointsPlus values included!  ENJOY!
Cranberry Orange Relish

There is nothing I love more than a tasty cranberry sauce. It is SO easy to make… and tastes 1000 times better than the canned stuff. This is awesome as a condiment for sandwiches, and even a dessert topping. This is the recipe I’ve used for the past several years. I’ve lightened it by subbing some Splenda for the sugar and using Light Orange Juice.

Makes approximately 4 cups of sauce.
1 serving = ¼ cup = 1 Weight Watchers PointsPlus Value

½ cup Splenda
½ cup Honey
2 cups Orange Juice – I use Trop50 Light Orange Juice
2 Tbsp peeled and grated fresh ginger root
2 Tbsp fresh orange zest
1 cinnamon stick
3 cups fresh cranberries – basically 1 bag
1 tsp sea salt

In a medium saucepan over low heat, combine the Splenda, honey and orange juice. Simmer until everything is completely dissolved. Add the ginger, orange zest and cinnamon stick. Stir. Next, add the cranberries and simmer stirring occasionally for 45-60 minutes. The mixture should become thick. Remove from heat and stir in the salt.

This can be made several days in advance and kept in the refrigerator.


Sarah’s Stuffing

This is an adaptation of a recipe I found about 5 years ago on www.allrecipes.com. I’ve changed some of the ingredients to my tastes, and lightened it a bit, eliminating unneeded butter, and using reduced-fat sausage.

12 servings
1 serving = ½ cup = 4 Weight Watchers PointsPlus Values

12 oz Jimmy Dean reduced-fat sausage
2 cups chopped onion
2 apples – peeled, cored, and chopped
2 cups chopped celery
1 Tbsp poultry seasoning
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 cup dried cranberries
14 oz Pre package stuffing mix – like Pepperidge Farm
2 cups fat-free chicken broth
1 Tbsp fresh sage leaves
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet over medium heat cook the sausage until brown. Transfer the sausage to a large bowl. Now, use the same skillet over medium heat and add the onions, apples, celery, and poultry seasoning. Cook, stirring frequently for about 10 minutes. Stir in rosemary, cranberries, and sage.

Mix the onion mixture with the sausage mixture and Stuffing Mix in the large bowl. Add the chicken broth and salt and pepper to taste.

I’ll be honest; I usually don’t stuff the turkey… I actually make this the day before, and then put it in my crock pot on low to reheat on Thanksgiving Day. Easy Peasy… and delicious!


Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes – aka Drunk Potatoes
Makes 8 servings
1 serving = ½ of a full potato = 6 Weight Watchers PointsPlus Values

My husband is Canadian, and last year he went to his sister’s house in Vancouver for Canadian Thanksgiving… which is in October – usually the same day as Columbus Day in the US. They made sweet potatoes that were glazed with a mixture of Kahlua, butter, and sugar. I took the same ingredients… added in a streusel topping and decided to make twice baked potatoes with it instead… here’s the yummy result:

4 medium-sized sweet potatoes/yams
3 Tbsp Light Butter
3 Tbsp firmly packed brown sugar
¼ cup Kahlua or other coffee flavored Liqueur

For the topping:
3 Tbsp packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp all purpose flour
2 Tbsp Light Butter, softened
¼ cup chopped pecans

Cut the potatoes lengthwise in half; place the cut-sides down on a non-stick baking sheet. Bake 30 to 35 min. on 425 degrees or until tender.

Remove from oven and cool a few minutes until you can handle them, and then scoop out the centers of potatoes into a bowl, leaving behind the shell.

Add 3 Tbsp of the light butter, 3 Tbsp of the brown sugar, and the Kahlua to the sweet potatoes. Mash until everything is well combined, and mixture is fairly smooth.

Fill the shells with potato mixture;

In a separate bowl, combine the topping ingredients: 3 Tbsp brown sugar, the flour, 2 Tbsp Light Butter, and the chopped pecans. Mix together until crumbly. Top each potato with about a Tbsp of the mixture.

Return the potatoes to the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the filling is heated through and the crumb topping is just starting to brown.


Green Beans with Yellow Pepper Butter
This is a classic recipe that makes an excellent substitution to the traditional Green Bean Casserole that is found on many Thanksgiving dinner tables. This recipe was taken from the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook, and adapted by me to lighten it up. I think it tastes just as great as the original.

Serves 8
Servings Size = ½ cup = 3 PointsPlus Values

1 tablespoon butter
1 medium yellow sweet pepper, coarsely shredded
4 tablespoons margarine or butter, softened
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
4 cups green beans, trimmed
1 large yellow sweet pepper, cut into thin strips

In a small saucepan melt the 1 tablespoon butter. Add the shredded sweet pepper. Cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Set aside.

In a blender or food processor bowl combine the 4 Tablespoons softened butter and the pine nuts. Cover; blend or process until almost smooth. Add cooked sweet pepper, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. Cover; blend or process until almost smooth. Set aside.

In a covered saucepan cook beans in a small amount of boiling water for 12 minutes. Add the sweet pepper strips the last 3 minutes of cooking. Drain the beans and sweet pepper strips.

To serve, transfer beans and sweet pepper strips to a serving bowl. Add the blended margarine mixture; toss to coat.

Back in December my husband decided we desperately needed these pans.  I have to say in all honesty that they are simply amazing pans!  We haven't had them for more than a few months, but we love them so far!  And, no, neither Todd English nor HSN paid me to say that, just my opinion.
Anyways... with the set we purchased we got a crepe pan.  Now, you might wonder... what the heck are you going to do with a crepe pan?  Because I'm sure like us you make crepes everyday... right?  Right...
Well, we quickly discovered the crepe pan makes a mean omelet, but until Sunday we never used it for its intended purpose - crepes!

And then on Sunday... this happened!  And it was amazingly delicious!
Crepes
Makes 10 crepes - including blackberry sauce at 2 PointsPlus each (I ate 3! - if you eat three the total is 7 instead of 6 points)
1-1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups fat-free milk
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
2 large eggs
Powdered sugar for sprinkling...
Reddi Whip for squirting

Combine flour, milk, sugar, and egg in a blender; cover and process until smooth. Pour batter into bowl;

Preheat crepe pan or nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Remove pan from heat. Pour about a 1/4 cup batter into pan; quickly tilt pan in all directions so batter covers pan with a thin film. Cook about 1 minute.

Carefully lift edge of crepe with a spatula the crepe is ready to turn when it can be easily turned and the underside is lightly brown. Turn crepe over; cook 20-30 seconds on other side.

Repeat - until you use all the batter up.  You can stack complete crepes on a plate with paper towel or waxed paper in between to prevent sticking.

Blackberry Sauce:
1 cup blackberries
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp whipped butter
1/4 cup water

Mix all together in a sauce pan and bring to a simmer... simmer on low until berries are soft and broken - maybe 5-10 minutes, then mash up with a fork - it will be like chunky syrup.

Now assemble the crepes - Put about 1 Tbsp of the fruit filling in each crepe, along with a small sprinkle of powdered sugar - maybe 1 tsp?? fold up and top with any remaining fruit filling and another sprinkle of powdered sugar.  And... if you want to be completely sinful... add a squirt of fat-free Reddi Whip (one of my all time favorite 0 Points Plus products - what your serving size) to the top, because well, it looks awesome and seriously who doesn't like a breakfast that has a whipped cream component.

Just a quick note to let you know that I've got all of my recipes (under the Recipe tab) updated with the PointsPlus values now.  If you have something printed out from any time earlier than right now you should probably go back to get the updated PointsPlus values.

Welcome to day 3 of Healthy Living During the Holidays week. Today is ALL about recipes. For me, the best way to control my eating during the holidays is to make healthier alternatives of my favorite foods. That way I don’t feel a bit of deprivation, and I can still eat on plan. This post contains the best of my favorite tried and true Thanksgiving side dishes along with the Weight Watchers Points values. Please remember to always double check the points with your ingredients, as sometimes nutritional information among specific brands varies greatly. I’ll be adding these to my recipes archive, and adding pictures (after Thanksgiving) next week.


Now on to the recipes…ENJOY!

Cranberry Orange Relish

There is nothing I love more than a tasty cranberry sauce. It is SO easy to make… and tastes 1000 times better than the canned stuff. This is awesome as a condiment for sandwiches, and even a dessert topping. This is the recipe I’ve used for the past several years. I’ve lightened it by subbing some Splenda for the sugar and using Light Orange Juice.

Makes approximately 4 cups of sauce.
1 serving = ¼ cup = 1 Weight Watchers Points Plus Value

½ cup Splenda
½ cup Honey
2 cups Orange Juice – I use Trop50 Light Orange Juice
2 Tbsp peeled and grated fresh ginger root
2 Tbsp fresh orange zest
1 cinnamon stick
3 cups fresh cranberries – basically 1 bag
1 tsp sea salt

In a medium saucepan over low heat, combine the Splenda, honey and orange juice. Simmer until everything is completely dissolved. Add the ginger, orange zest and cinnamon stick. Stir. Next, add the cranberries and simmer stirring occasionally for 45-60 minutes. The mixture should become thick. Remove from heat and stir in the salt.

This can be made several days in advance and kept in the refrigerator.

 
Sarah’s Stuffing

This is an adaptation of a recipe I found about 5 years ago on www.allrecipes.com. I’ve changed some of the ingredients to my tastes, and lightened it a bit, eliminating unneeded butter, and using reduced-fat sausage.

12 servings
1 serving = ½ cup = 4 Weight Watchers PointsPlus Values

12 oz Jimmy Dean reduced-fat sausage
2 cups chopped onion
2 apples – peeled, cored, and chopped
2 cups chopped celery
1 Tbsp poultry seasoning
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 cup dried cranberries
14 oz Pre package stuffing mix – like Pepperidge Farm
2 cups fat-free chicken broth
1 Tbsp fresh sage leaves
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet over medium heat cook the sausage until brown. Transfer the sausage to a large bowl. Now, use the same skillet over medium heat and add the onions, apples, celery, and poultry seasoning. Cook, stirring frequently for about 10 minutes. Stir in rosemary, cranberries, and sage.

Mix the onion mixture with the sausage mixture and Stuffing Mix in the large bowl. Add the chicken broth and salt and pepper to taste.

I’ll be honest; I usually don’t stuff the turkey… I actually make this the day before, and then put it in my crock pot on low to reheat on Thanksgiving Day. Easy Peasy… and delicious!

 
Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes – aka Drunk Potatoes
Makes 8 servings
1 serving = ½ of a full potato = 6 Weight Watchers PointsPlus Values

My husband is Canadian, and last year he went to his sister’s house in Vancouver for Canadian Thanksgiving… which is in October – usually the same day as Columbus Day in the US. They made sweet potatoes that were glazed with a mixture of Kahlua, butter, and sugar. I took the same ingredients… added in a streusel topping and decided to make twice baked potatoes with it instead… here’s the yummy result:

4 medium-sized sweet potatoes/yams
3 Tbsp Light Butter
3 Tbsp firmly packed brown sugar
¼ cup Kahlua or other coffee flavored Liqueur

For the topping:
3 Tbsp packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp all purpose flour
2 Tbsp Light Butter, softened
¼ cup chopped pecans

Cut the potatoes lengthwise in half; place the cut-sides down on a non-stick baking sheet. Bake 30 to 35 min. on 425 degrees or until tender.

Remove from oven and cool a few minutes until you can handle them, and then scoop out the centers of potatoes into a bowl, leaving behind the shell.

Add 3 Tbsp of the light butter, 3 Tbsp of the brown sugar, and the Kahlua to the sweet potatoes. Mash until everything is well combined, and mixture is fairly smooth.

Fill the shells with potato mixture;

In a separate bowl, combine the topping ingredients: 3 Tbsp brown sugar, the flour, 2 Tbsp Light Butter, and the chopped pecans. Mix together until crumbly. Top each potato with about a Tbsp of the mixture.

Return the potatoes to the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the filling is heated through and the crumb topping is just starting to brown.


Green Beans with Yellow Pepper Butter
This is a classic recipe that makes an excellent substitution to the traditional Green Bean Casserole that is found on many Thanksgiving dinner tables. This recipe was taken from the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook, and adapted by me to lighten it up. I think it tastes just as great as the original.

Serves 8
Servings Size = ½ cup = 3 PointsPlus Values

1 tablespoon butter
1 medium yellow sweet pepper, coarsely shredded
4 tablespoons margarine or butter, softened
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
4 cups green beans, trimmed
1 large yellow sweet pepper, cut into thin strips

In a small saucepan melt the 1 tablespoon butter. Add the shredded sweet pepper. Cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Set aside.

In a blender or food processor bowl combine the 4 Tablespoons softened butter and the pine nuts. Cover; blend or process until almost smooth. Add cooked sweet pepper, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. Cover; blend or process until almost smooth. Set aside.

In a covered saucepan cook beans in a small amount of boiling water for 12 minutes. Add the sweet pepper strips the last 3 minutes of cooking. Drain the beans and sweet pepper strips.

To serve, transfer beans and sweet pepper strips to a serving bowl. Add the blended margarine mixture; toss to coat.

Just a short note to let everyone know that I've updated the recipes section of my website to consolidate the recipes I've posted so far on this blog.  I'll be adding even more in the coming days and weeks.  I only want to post stuff for you that is tried and true, so please be patient with me.  I'm also working on adding pictures of the existing recipes, as well as making sure pictures are provided for any new recipes.

ENJOY!

Earlier this month I was visiting my out-of-town family.  My sister begged asked to guest post on my blog.  After much suspense may I introduce my oldest sister Cathy - she loves wine, is the best voice teacher in Kalispell, MT, and makes a kick-ass pasta dish!  So without further ado... Losing Sarah - a guest post:

Fat little legs came to visit . . . 

Don’tcha just love the “hot stuff” printed on the t-shirt!

though I discovered I couldn’t call her that anymore. Let me introduce myself—My name is Cathy and I am Sarah’s “much older” sister—by sixteen years to be exact.


I think it would be fair to say that all of us in this family struggle with weight. I, too, am a member of Weight Watchers, losing 25+ pounds while I was in college. So, the journey has not been as intense for me as for Sarah. I also came down with an auto-immune disease related to my gastrointestinal system about 12 years ago. It’s not the best way to keep my weight in check—although I’ve learned to live with it.


But back to Sarah’s visit—Sarah loves to shop.

Sadly this was one of my suits—I can’t believe I wore this!

Maybe you haven’t figured that out yet, but she does. I also love to shop so we headed out on Saturday to the local farmer’s market and then off to a home decor store. The darnedest thing kept happening. I could not find Sarah anywhere. I would scour the aisles of the farmer’s market and then turn around and find she was right next to me all along! Sarah is a mere ghost of her former self—and I, her own sister, could not recognize her!!

So, losing Sarah . . . her weight, her baggage, her bad habits, losing her while shopping but finding she is walking right next to me, . . . I/we are so proud of her and she has truly changed into the “found” Sarah. I wish I could/would measure out my food, run miles every day, make healthy choices. She is an inspiration to us all. So, Sarah, here’s to you!!



O.K. I only drank a little while I wrote this

 And as a little extra bonus I am posting the recipe for the dessert I am making for our family dinner tonight. It will consume lots of “points” and probably kill off my diabetic brother-in-law.

Dump Cake

Preheat oven to 350. In a 9x13 pan layer a 21-oz can of cherry pie filling and a small, drained can of crushed pineapple. Sprinkle an 18.5 oz package of yellow cake mix over that. Pour 1 to 2 sticks of melted butter over that. Sprinkle the top with 1 cup of flaked coconut and ½ cup chopped walnuts. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until browned and bubbly. Serve warm or cold with whipped cream, ice cream, or if you are counting those points some non-dairy whipped topping.

This is why I am the “evil” sister. BAHHHHHAAAHAAAA!!

Anything I post after Thursday's goal post seems anti-climatic, so let's go with the recipe tonight.  Sorry about the lack of pictures.

Super Sloppy Joes
Serves 6 @ 4 PointsPlus a serving - that doesn't include a bun or bread.

This is what we had for dinner tonight.  I adapted the recipe from one of Rachel Rays... just to give full credit where it is due.  Easy and fast, and kids should love it!

1 pound 93% lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp vinegar
1 Tbsp Worchestershire sauce
2 cups tomato sauce (15 oz can)
Garlic Salt, Seasoned Salt, and Fresh Ground Pepper to taste

In a skillet, brown the ground beef along with the onion and pepper.  Add in the rest of the ingredients and simmer for about 15 minutes on medium low heat.


I like to serve with Famous Dave's Pickles and 2% American Cheese Slices, and Ore-Ida crinkle fries on the side!

My 3 year old ate 1/2 of one these tonight... and there is even veggies snuck in, which I love :-)