1 Sauce, Endless Possibilities

I decided to use three sauces or toppings for these dishes.  You’re getting a good deal with this one blog but three recipes.  I made pesto, mango salsa, and Chinese veggie mix! Two of the three recipes I dished out of a copy of Weight Watchers NewComplete Cookbook.  This recipe book has some yummy dishes of specialty foods that are made in healthier versions with nutritional value.

First, I made a pesto sauce that can be topped on so many different plates.  I love pesto and the idea that it can be so versatile.  Tonight, I plan on adding it on top of a salmon fillet layered over another recipe to be posted soon J (a veggie pancake).  The recipe calls for 2 cups basil, 3 tbsp pine nuts, 1 tbsp olive oil, 2 cloves garlic, salt, 2 tbsp water, and ½ cup + 2tbsp parmesan cheese.  For nutritional values and other information refer to the Weight Watchers Cookbook.

Here are some hints to keep in mind when making pesto:

1.     I nixed the pine nuts and cheese because of my nutritional needs; however, they add a second dimension to the sauce. 

2.     It is a simple recipe to follow that allows for you to add all the ingredients into a food processor and hit one button.

3.     Some ideas to use the pesto are on top of chicken breasts, polenta, pasta, spaghetti squash, shrimp, salmon, and many other recipes. 

4.     I added lemon juice to my pesto to replace the cheese and pine nuts that I had deleted.

Next, I made a mango salsa.  This was a recipe of my own making.  Again it is so versatile that you can add it to many different meals.  I used ½ a tomato, 1 mango, ½ cup onion, a splash of lemon juice.  Here are some tips to add to the making of this salsa:

1.     You can add cilantro for move of a salsa feel; however, I don’t care for cilantro.

2.     You can add lemon or lime juice depending on the flavor context you want to develop.

3.     The salsa can be added on top of salmon, shrimp, and steaks.  The mango and acidity pairs well with more fishplates.

4.     You can add as much mango or tomato as you want depending on how much you like either of the ingredients.  But, keep the onion limited because of its strong flavor when raw.

5.     For a sweeter version, you can sweat the onions via stovetop before adding them to the salsa that drains some of the harsh flavors.

Lastly, I used the Weight Watcher’s Cookbook for a Chinese Stir Fry.  The recipe calls for ¼ cup chicken broth, 1 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce, 2 cloves garlic, 1½ tsp ginger, 2 tsp oil, 2 cups bok choy, 1 red bell pepper, 1 cup snow peas, ½ carrot, ¼ cup bamboo shoots, and ¼ cup water chestnuts.  It makes a great side dish to oven-cooked chicken breasts for a lighter version of Chinese food.  Here are some tips to remember when attempting this recipe:

1.     You can replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth for vegetarian recipes.  I suggest using a low sodium broth to make it healthier.

2.     I nixed the oil and replaced it with just spraying the skillet with pam.

3.     I was unable to use bok choy and bamboo shoots because they weren’t available at the store.  I suggest going to a Trader Joes or a whole foods store to find these ingredients.

For more information or cooking tips, check out the Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook.  It has several other delicious recipes and healthy ways to enjoy restaurant style foods.  Enjoy these diverse recipes!  More recipes are coming soon J