Asian Cucumber Salad

Asian Cucumber Salad

When I cook, I like to serve a variety of dishes so that each meal will have a variety of contrasting but complimentary flavors, textures and temperatures.

With many meals, that simply means that I put a nice green salad on the table with my entree and some bread. But, a salad made out of lettuce just doesn't seem to "go" with most Asian-Style meals.

Inspired by the actual salads I have enjoyed at Asian restaurants over the years, I created this simple salad. It became a huge hit at our house!

Here's how to make it:

Asian Cucumber Salad
Slice cucumbers lengthwise, then slice each half into semi-circles'
(I use one large English Hothouse Cucumber OR 3 small Salad Cucumbers)
Add
3-4 Tablespoons Seasoned Rice Vinegar
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Dark Sesame Oil

Toss & Serve
*If you have them handy, you could sprinkle on a few Sesame Seeds, too 

This dish is best chilled, but usually cucumbers are in the fridge anyway, so that detail takes care of itself.

This post is being shared on:
Hello Monday
Inspire Me Monday
Melt in Your Mouth Monday
You're the Star
Modest Monday
Happiness is Homemade 
Tasty Tuesdays
Food on Fridays

Fat Free Vinaigrette and Italian Pasta Salad

Oil Free Vinaigrette & Italian Pasta Salad

Here's how you can make a wonderful Italian Pasta Salad with little or no oil.  This amazing recipe for Fat Free Vinaigrette has a flavor & mouth-feel that gives the impression that there's oil, but it's way healthier!

Pasta Salad is delicious, but the normal Pasta Salad is drenched in fat - either mayonnaise or oil. This option now becomes a healthy choice to put on your family's table.

This is a great recipe because your add-ins can come from what you have on hand- or even leftovers in the fridge! You can vary add-ins according to the taste of your family members.

I chop, cook pasta, and make sauce whenever, then combine the ingredients just before serving. This may be served either at room temperature or chilled.

I make the dressing right in a 2 cup Microwavable glass measuring cup. If you don't use a microwave, you can do the first step quickly and easily on the stove top in a saucepan.

Fat Free Vinaigrette
Combine in microwavable glass measuring cup:
1/2 Cup Water
1 teaspoon Tapioca Starch
Cook 30 seconds, stir. Repeat. Stir. Repeat. Stir.
(I find this takes 60-90 seconds total, you want it to bubble and turn clear)
Remove from heat/remove from microwave.
Next Add & Stir
1/2 Cup Red Wine Vinegar
Then,
1 teaspoon Dry Basil
1 teaspoon Sugar
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Minced Garlic (or 2 cloves, minced)
1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
Stir. May be used immediately, or chilled. Stir again before using if chilling.
If you like, you may add:
1-3 teaspoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil - that still keeps the oil content VERY low compared to a normal pasta salad. 

Pasta Salad
Cook according to directions and drain.
1 pound Pasta (shapes like Shells or Bowties are nice for Pasta Salad)
Rinse several times in cold water
Add your choice of the following, according to what you have on hand. I like to choose ingredients with flavor & texture contrast - crunchy, sour, salty, sweet, beany.
Green Peas (fresh or frozen)
Sweet Corn
Chopped Fresh Tomato
Chopped Fresh Cucumber
Chopped Fresh Celery
Chopped Fresh Bell Pepper, in various colors
Snow Peas or Sugar Snap Peas
Rinsed, Drained White Beans
Capers
Black Olives, Sliced
Green Olives, Sliced
Carrots, Sliced
Chopped Onion
Scallions
etc, etc, etc

Top with dressing & toss just before serving time.

Tip for dining with Omnivores:
You may choose to add the following to the portions of Omnivores:
Parmesan Cheese
Diced Ham
Diced Salami
Diced or Shredded Chicken

This is being shared on:
Clever Chicks
You're the Star
Modest Monday
Inspire Me Monday
Happiness is Homemade
Tasty Tuesdays

Bacon Seasoning Salt Recipe

MYO Bacon Seasoning Salt Recipe

Do you love the salty, smoky, sweet, spicy taste of Bacon? But would rather not eat actual Bacon for
some reason - perhaps you're observing Lent, you're Vegetarian or Vegan, you keep Kosher, or your doctor has told you to take better care of your health?

Once you have this stuff, you can put it on anything your heart desires. Imagine Bacon Popcorn, Bacon Rice, Bacon Oven Fries, Bacon Veggies, or even a Bacon Salad! Or, just keep it at the table, and use it like salt! Your imagination is the limit!

I recently noticed ads online for Bacon Seasoning Salt. There are a few different brands out there, like Deliciou's Bacon Seasoning and J & D's Bacon Salt, but they have two things in common: a higher price than I care for, and they're only available online - at least in my area. So, I've never tried them - but like the idea : )

Then I looked for a recipe, and found precisely one (it was on more than one website, but the recipe was identical). It calls for a lot of exotic ingredients that I don't keep on hand, and using that recipe would probably double, or maybe even triple, the price of purchasing this stuff online.

So, I decided it was time to craft my own recipe.

And of course, once I craft a recipe, I like to share it!

Now, when my daughter has friends over, she tells them to  smell the Bacon Seasoning Salt. Their eyes light up. They say things like, "Mmmmm!" and "It's BACON!"

This one used all ingredients that I already had on hand, and had purchased fairly cheaply. Here it is!

Bacon Seasoning Salt
1 Tablespoon Sugar (or measures-the-same Sugar Substitute of your choice)
1 Tablespoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Smoked Paprika
3/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
3/4 teaspoon Onion Powder
3/4 teaspoon finely ground Black Pepper (use less if you don't like heat, but don't omit)
1/3 teaspoon Sumac (a Middle Eastern or Arabic spice)*

OR Large (or Small) Batch Bacon Seasoning Salt: 
Choose your size of Scoop (for instance a 1 teaspoon, or a 1/4 cup scoop), and use:
1 Scoop Sugar (or measures-the-same Sugar Substitute of your choice)
1  Scoop Salt
1 Scoop Smoked Paprika
1/4 Scoop Garlic Powder
1/4 Scoop Onion Powder
1/4 Scoop finely ground Black Pepper (use less if you don't like heat, but don't omit)
1/8 Scoop Sumac (a Middle Eastern or Arabic spice)*


Measure the ingredients into your upcycled Spice Jar (I re-used an Onion Powder jar)

Close & Shake

Label (I use masking tape, and write "Bacon Seasoning Salt" on the front of the jar, and the recipe on the back - for easy refills : )

This is SO easy - and SOOO Bacony! My bacon-loving daughter was delighted with it : )

Add this to any recipe that would benefit from a bacon-y flavor - soups, beans, grains, veggies, etc.



*If you cannot find Sumac in your area, I think you could omit it without ruining the recipe. It lends a little tart or lemony taste, which gives the flavor a little "pop" : )

If you'd like an idea for using this recipe, try this:

Vegan Bacony Bowl

This is being shared on:
Inspire Me Monday
Clever Chicks
Melt in Your Mouth Monday
You're the Star
Happiness is Homemade
Tasty Tuesdays
Tuesdays with a Twist
Happy Now
Funtastic Friday
Snickerdoodle Create, Make, Bake

40+ Meals. WW Freestyle Zero Points. Vegan, Gluten Free

Zero Points, 40+ Meals, Vegan, Gluten Free

Looking for WW Friendly, Zero Freestyle point recipes that are Vegan and/or Gluten Free? 

I've compiled a huge list for you! 

With these recipes, you could eat dinners that were centered around Zero Point entrees for more than a month! 

There are also several side dishes here, in addition to the 40+ entrees.

Keep reading & find some that appeal to you : )

A few caveats are listed at the bottom of this post.

Breakfasts

 

Almond Milk, Two Minute

 

Kids' Favorite Breakfast Ice Cream

 

Scrambled Tofu

Lunch and Dinner Entrees

Chinese Restaurant Food (rice & nuts not included in zero points)

 

Claire's Southern Delight (rice not included in zero points)

Curried Chickpeas over Rice (rice not included in zero points)

Eggplant Stew (rice or bread not included in zero points)

Greek Broad Beans (Koukia) or
Fava Beans

Greek Style Black-Eyed Peas ( Louvia )

Greek Chickpea Stew ( Revythia )

Greek Giant Beans ( Gigantes ) 

Greek Green Beans ( Fasolakia Yachni )

Greek Okra & Tomato Stew ( Bamies Yachni )

Greek White Beans, Easiest Ever (Fasolia Vrasta)

Indian Chickpeas in Ginger Sauce over Rice (rice not included in zero points)

Indian Mung Beans

Indian Spiced Blackeye Peas over Rice (rice not included in zero points)

Marinated, Grilled Tofu

Mediterranean Chickpeas & Vegetables (for zero points, use capers instead of olives, and omit rice)

Mushroom Kabobs, Grilled ( Manitarakia )

Peas & Artichokes Yachni

Red Lentil & Artichoke Stew 

Shiitake Rice Bowl (for zero points, omit rice)

Skyline Black Beans and Rice over Spaghetti, Copycat (for zero points, serve without pasta)

 

Tofu Creole

 

Side Dishes

Cauliflower & Capers

Chinese Restaurant Green Beans

Corn on the Cob, Three Minute

Corn, Urban Grilled

Jicama, Simply

Refried Beans, Easiest Healthy

Sauerkraut

 

Sesame Broccoli

Simply Zucchini Saute

 

Veggies Vinaigrette

 

Salads

 

Better than Coleslaw (omit nuts for zero points - add carrot or red cabbage for visual interest, if desired)

 

Black Bean and Corn Salad (omit avocado for zero points)

Black-Eyed Pea Salad (on left)

Carrot Raisin Salad without Mayonnaise (use pineapple in place of raisins for zero points)

Fruited Black-Eyed Pea Salad

Glysterida Salad (use oil free version and omit cheese for zero points)

Mediterranean Two Bean Salad (omit olives for zero points)

Orange Beet Salad (omit nuts, and substitute orange juice for oil in dressing)

Refreshing Diced Salad

 Simply Greek Dressing (Traditional or Fat Free)

Super Simple Salad (use capers in place of olives for zero points

White Bean Salad

Soups

 

Black Bean Soup (Slow Cooker)

 

Broccoli Soup 

Butternut Squash Soup, Justin's

Chili

Family Favorite Lentil Soup

Greek Bean Soup, Favorite (Fasolia Yachni)
or
 Greek Bean Soup, Easy ( Fasolia Yachni )

Hot & Sour Soup

Lemony Dal

Masala Dal

Mediterranean Zucchini Soup 

Minestrone (omit pasta for zero points)

 Moroccan Carrot Soup

Spinach Soup

 

 Red Lentil Soup - Moroccan or Sephardic Styles

Split Pea Soup

Three Bean Dal

Appetizers, Snacks, Sauces, Dips & Spreads

Marinara Sauce, Quick and Easy

Salsa from your own Mix or 
Vat O' Salsa

Vat O' Spaghetti Sauce

Desserts

Fruit Salad

Ice Cream

A few Caveats:

WW International is the trade name and Weight Watchers and WW are the trademarks and service marks of WW International.

I am not affiliated with WW in any way, so these recipes are not endorsed by them, and I'm not an expert on the program. I believe that these are all zero points on the new Freestyle program. Of course, I'm a human being subject to error. So, if you find a mistake please leave a gentle note in the comments so I can fix it : ) If you have doubts, please contact your local group leader and ask.

Nothing in this post, or in my blog in general is intended as medical or nutritional advice. I am not a medical professional or expert of any kind, nor am I a Registered Dietician.
 
In many of these meals, oil is an optional ingredient. For zero points, omit the oil. If you prefer, add the oil, and appropriate points. The only exception to this is Dark Sesame Oil - it cannot be omitted without changing the flavor of the dish substantially - but then again, it is usually used very sparingly.

A few recipes have a trace amount of sugar. I believe it's negligible in the calculation. If I'm wrong, please let me know.  

Many of these links suggest omitting rice, olives or various other ingredients for zero points. If you choose to keep those ingredients, go for it! You still have a VERY low-in-points meal. 

Pictures below are "serving suggestions" - so rice, bread & olives, etc,  in the pictures aren't  included in "zero points." 

If you follow a Gluten Free diet, be sure to use all Gluten Free ingredients. Things like Soy Sauce are available with or without gluten, so read your labels carefully.  

ENJOY! : ) 

Zero Points, 40+ Meals, Vegan, Gluten Free

This is being shared on:
Menu Plan Monday
You're the Star
What'd You Do This Weekend?
Clever Chicks
Modest Monday

Tuesdays with a Twist
Tasty Tuesday
Penny Pinching Party 
Homemaking Linkup
Happy Now 
This is How We Roll
Traffic Jam Weekend
Home Matters
Pretty Pintastic Party
Dare to Share
Healthy and Happy Living