A Cozy Recipe ~ Tuna Noodle Casserole

I'm on a roll!  My second recipe this week with calculated Weight Watchers Plus Points!  :)

I absolutely cannot remember where I originally saw this recipe.  I've tried tuna noodle casserole a variety of ways.  After a *few* (meaning about 10) attempts, I think I finally have it!  

Again, please ignore the terrible pictures.  I found my camera and my battery is charging.  Unfortunately, it still wouldn't turn on when I was ready to take these pictures.  

So ... this recipe is one of the few that The Mister asks for regularly.  I made several adjustments to make it just a smidgen healthier than my previous versions.  In this version, I used whole wheat noodles instead of egg noodles, and I left out the butter.  It's not as heavy as some other casseroles I've tried, but it's definitely just as filling.  Not to mention ... these portions are HUGE!

I served it with a simple bag of iceberg lettuce and carrots and Kraft Green Goddess dressing.  Super easy, right?  I thought so.  

Tuna Noodle Casserole

serves 4

1 can cream of mushroom soup (I used reduced fat.)

1/2 cup skim milk

2oz. jar chopped pimientos, drained

1 (15oz.) can green peas, drained

3 (6oz. each) cans solid tuna, drained

2 cups uncooked whole wheat pasta (I used rotini.)

2 teaspoons celery salt

1/4 cup bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Boil the pasta.  Drain and mix all ingredients except for the bread crumbs in a 9x13 pan or casserole dish.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Top with bread crumbs and bake for another 5 minutes.  

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

365 calories

5.6g fat

46g carbohydrates

6.5g fiber

36.6g protein

8 WW+ points

Happy eating!

A Cozy Recipe ~ Mushroom Bacon Quiche

This was the very first quiche I ever made.  For some reason, I always thought they were hard to make. Wrong!  This is a super yummy, super filling recipe.  And the best part...?  It's only 6 Weight Watchers points!  6!  That's less than most of the lunches I eat!

Please ignore the *terrible* picture.  I know I've said it before, but I am NOT a photographer.  I was using my iphone to take a quick picture, and my camera lens has gotten scratched, so it came out blurry.  I tried to use the framing feature to hide it, but it didn't work.  I'll use my regular camera from now on.  Note to self, phones without cases should not be dropped (repeatedly).  Also, holding them in my lap while driving tends to lead to phones falling out when I stand up and forget it's there.  :(

Anyway, food talk....  When I originally found this recipe, it called for canned mushrooms and bottled bacon bits.  I love the smell of pretty much anything sautéing on the stove.  Mushrooms are no exception!  I tried the recipe straight from the book when I first made it, but then I made a few adaptations to make it more "me."  

Mushroom Bacon Quiche

serves 6

1 9-inch frozen pie crust

1/3 cup evaporated milk

3 eggs (using egg white equivalent)

1 cup shredded low-fat cheddar

6 slices turkey bacon (cooked and crumbled)

3.8 oz can sliced black olives

8-10 oz sliced baby bellas (chopped into small pieces)

Preheat the oven to 325.  Saute the chopped mushrooms in olive oil until thoroughly cooked (almost carmelized).  I used the microwave to cook the bacon and I did that at the same time.  When cool enough to handle, mix all ingredients (except for the pie crust) in a large bowl.  Stir until well-combined.  Pour into the pie crust and bake for 35 minutes.  

The beauty of this recipe is that ingredients could easily be swapped, added, or left out.  As is, this recipe completely fills the pie crust to the point that it almost looks like it will overflow.  Next time, I want to try adding spinach instead of the bacon... with maybe some feta???

Nutrition Facts

Healthy recipe fail.  I completely didn't think about writing out all the individual facts.  However, I did calculate it enough to determine the points plus value.  If you cut the quiche into six equal slices, then each slice is worth 6 points.  I served it with mixed fresh fruit and a baby spinach salad with fat-free French dressing, which made the whole meal only worth 7 points.  

If you try this recipe, I'd love to know what you think!

Happy eating!