Soft Pretzels -- 5 Smart Points

PRETZELS

Makes 12 pretzels – 5 Smart Points each

1 ½ cups warm water (110°)

2 T. oil

2 tsp. yeast

2 T. packed dark brown sugar

Mix and set aside for 3 minutes to let yeast bloom.

3 ¾ c. bread flour

4 tsp. salt

Add flour and salt to yeast mixture.  Using dough hook, knead at low speed for 5 minutes.

Remove from bowl onto floured surface and knead by hand for 1 minute.

Cover and let rise about 1 hour until doubled.

Divide dough into 4 equal pieces.  Then divide each quarter into 3 equal pieces.

Spray work surface with Pam.  Roll each of the 12 smaller pieces into 22” long ropes.  Shape into pretzels. 

Place onto cookie sheet sprinkled with flour and let rise 20 minutes.

Boil together 4 cups of water and ¼ cup baking soda. Drop pretzels into boiling water for 30 seconds, turning after 15 seconds. 

Drain on wire rack for 5 minutes.

Oil cookie sheet and sprinkle with kosher salt.  Place pretzels onto cookie sheet and sprinkle tops with kosher salt.  Bake at 425° 15-20 minutes, rotating pan half-way through baking time.

This recipe is from America's Test Kitchen.  If you do not roll the dough into the 22" length ropes, you won't have the open spaces in a traditional pretzel.  The dough will rise as it bakes and look more like a knot.  Still tastes, good, just not a traditional pretzel shape.

Taco Soup --- 5 Smart Points

Now that the weather is cooling off, it's soup time!  This super simple recipe is one that I really enjoy.  It's very filling and goes great with some corn bread or even tortilla chips.

The Smart Points I calculated are based on the ingredients I used.  Check your labels and calculate the points based on the brands you use.

Some taco soup recipes call for a packet of Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix.  I've made it using it as well as omitting it and found I prefer to leave it out.

You can add a can of Rotel tomatoes if you like it spicy or a can of green chilies if you prefer it to be mild.

You can have this ready and on the table in under 30 minutes.

TACO SOUP

Makes 9 cups

5 Smart Points per cup

10 oz. 85/15 ground beef

1 medium onion, diced

1 can Ranch Style beans

1 can Bush yellow hominy

1 can Bush pinto beans

1- 14.5 oz. can Hunt’s diced tomatoes

1-15 oz. can Hunt’s tomato sauce

2 T. Tone’s taco seasoning

1 T. Williams chili seasoning

Salt and pepper to taste

Brown ground beef with onions.  Add remaining ingredients and

heat thoroughly.

Smart Points

Ground beef                 20

Hominy                        7

Pinto beans                   7

Ranch beans                 12

If you use 90/10% ground beef = 13.3 Smart Points

If you use 95/5% ground beef = 10 Smart Points

If you use 93/7% ground beef = 13.3 Smart Points

If you use 80/20% ground beef = 20 Smart Points

If you use 92/8% Harvestland Ground chicken = 10 Smart Points

Black Bean Soup -- 5 Smart Points

I like black bean soup, but not whole black beans so I use a stick blender to make a rough puree of the beans when I make this soup recipe.  Once the beans are pureed, if you don't add some extra water, the soup will be really too thick.  I estimated adding 1 cup of water, you may want to add more.
 



BLACK BEAN SOUP
Makes 5 1/2 cups
5 Smart Points per cup

3 cans Bush's black beans
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. cumin
1 T. chili powder
1/2 tsp. oregano
1 cup water

Sweat the onion and garlic in a non-stick pan with a small amount of water.  Cook and stir until the onion is tender.

Put beans into a mixing bowl and puree using a stick blender, or, pour into a blender and puree them.  Don't over do it, you'll have no texture left in the soup.

Add pureed beans, 1 cup water, and spices to the onion and garlic mixture.  Cover and simmer abut 15 minutes.  Serve topped with sour cream, chopped cilantro, jalapeno peppers, or lime slices if desired.

Zucchini Carrot Mini-Muffins -- 5 Smart Points

I was bored tonight and decided to occupy myself by trying another new recipe.

These turned out pretty good.  Next time I make them I want to use part brown sugar Truvia and part Truvia for baking to see how the flavor changes.


You can add up to 1 cup of grated zucchini and use 1/2 cup grated carrots if you like.

I'm not 100% sure how to calculate the Smart Points for using Truvia.  If you read the information on the back of the package, you'll find there's an error in their calculations on the number of tablespoons in a cup.

Since the Truvia is so low in calories and it's divided between 24 portions, I omitted it in the calculation of Smart Points. 

These seven muffins are on a saucer, not a dinner plate.

ZUCCHINI-CARROT MINI-MUFFINS

Makes 24

15 Smart Points for entire recipe

8 muffins = 5 Smart Points

1 cup flour

½ tsp. cinnamon

1/8 to ¼ tsp. nutmeg

¼ tsp. soda

¼ cup unsweetened applesauce

¼ cup brown sugar Truvia

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

¾ cup grated zucchini

2/3 cup grated carrots

Combine dry ingredients.  Stir in the applesauce, Truvia, egg, and vanilla.  Mix well.

Fold in grated zucchini and carrots.

Using a small scoop, fill 24 mini muffin cups.

Bake at 350° for 15 minutes.

Smart Points

Flour                12

Egg                  3