Festive Feta Spread & Tarragon Chicken Salad Wrap

Dana Huckabay from Weight Watchers offers up two recipes for everyone's picnic, Festive Feta Spread and Tarragon Chicken Salad Wrap.

Monday, June 15th 2009, 9:59 am

By: News On 6


Festive Feta Spread

POINTS® Value: 3
Servings: 16
Preparation Time: 15 min
Cooking Time: 0 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:
7 oz roasted red peppers, packed in water, drained
1 pound(s) 1/3 less-fat cream cheese, two 8-oz blocks, softened, cut up
4 oz reduced-fat feta cheese, crumbled
1 large garlic clove(s), peeled
1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
3 tbsp dill, fresh, chopped
1/4 cup(s) dill, fresh, whole sprigs
10 1/2 oz baked low-fat tortilla chips
• Slice off a 1 1/2-inch piece of roasted pepper to use for garnish; wrap and refrigerate. In a food processor, combine remaining roasted peppers, cream cheese, feta cheese, garlic and black pepper; process until smooth. Add chopped dill; pulse until evenly distributed.
• Scrape mixture into a serving bowl; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour (or up to 5 days) to firm up slightly and for flavors to blend.
• To serve, smooth surface of dip with a spatula. Arrange dill sprigs on top in a circular fashion to form a "wreath;" cut reserved piece of roasted pepper into tiny "berries" and place on wreath. Or create any other decorative pattern you desire. Yields about 3 tablespoons of spread and 8 chips per serving.


Tarragon Chicken Salad Wrap

POINTS® Value: 5
Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 15 min
Cooking Time: 0 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients
2 cup(s) cooked chicken breast, diced
3 tbsp reduced-calorie mayonnaise
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped
1 cup(s) sugar snap peas, chopped (or blanched first if desired)
1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste
4 medium tortilla, flour, fat-free, 8 inches each
8 piece(s) lettuce

• Combine chicken, mayonnaise, lemon juice, tarragon and snap peas together in a large bowl; mix until chicken is well coated. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Lay tortillas on a flat surface. Place 1/4 of chicken salad in center of each tortilla; top each with 2 lettuce leaves and roll up, folding in ends. Yields 1 wrap per serving.

Lemon-Lime Cookie Crisps

POINTS® Value: 2
Servings: 10
Preparation Time: 15 min
Cooking Time: 10 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:
3 1/3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup(s) sugar
2 large egg white(s)
1/3 cup(s) cake flour
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp lemon zest, finely chopped
2 tsp lime zest, finely chopped

• Preheat oven to 350ºF. Place parchment paper on 2 cookie sheets.
• Using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar in a medium bowl until light and fluffy. Add egg whites and stir until just blended. Sift cake flour over butter mixture and mix with a spoon; fold in vanilla.
• Remove half of batter and place in a medium bowl; set aside. Fold lemon zest into one bowl and lime zest into other bowl.
• Drop heaping teaspoons of batter onto prepared cookie sheets leaving at least 3-inches between each cookie. When cookie sheet is full, flatten out cookies with back of a spoon so cookies look almost translucent and measure about 3-inches across. (You may have to do this in batches depending on the size of your cookie sheets.)
• Bake until edges start to brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from oven and quickly transfer cookies to a cooling rack using a thin metal spatula. Yields 4 cookies per serving.

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Summer vacations seem to have taken on a whole new meaning. With the economy in its current state, more and more families are running away from the runway and heading for the car, the local beach and even their own back yard. With "staycations" on the rise, sticking with healthy eating and fitness habits is as important as ever. Weight Watchers offers the below tips to help you stay on track this summer from grilling and cookouts to the beach and road trips.

1 - Beach Bum! This summer, try a different kind of day at the beach. It's about getting off your beach towel, having fun and getting fit! Make sure your kids take part in a variety of beach activities, too. Not only is it good for all of you, it also instills healthy lifestyle habits in your children, improves self-esteem and develops sports skills that your children will carry with them for life.

  • Playing Catch - Burn 175 calories an hour
  • Snorkeling - Burn 340 calories an hour

• Beach Volleyball - Burn 545 calories an hour

2- Road Trip! Plan to bring along your own healthy snacks and light meals. That way you can eat right whenever your stomach tells you it's time for an on-the-go bite.

  • While you're shopping for store-bought goodies, look for whole-grain cereal and protein bars. Read the labels and avoid bars whose ingredients start with sugar or corn syrup.
  • Air-popped popcorn is the perfect travel companion. For a spicy variation, toss 2 cups 94% fat-free microwave-popped popcorn with 1 teaspoon canola oil and 1/4 teaspoon each salt, ground cumin and chili powder.
  • Most rest stops offer the typical fast-food options: burgers, fried chicken, maybe Mexican. If you're lucky, you'll happen upon a diner or a fast food chain that offers a wider range of foods. No matter where you end up, here's a basic rule of thumb: Keep portion sizes, unhealthy fats and sugar levels in check. Top Picks include caffeine free beverages, pass on the nachos and grab some string cheese for a low fat source of protein that's neat to eat, swap the hotdog for beef or turkey jerky - this is fast food at its finest.

3 - Danger Zones. When it comes to hot-weather hazard spots like fairs and family picnics, planning isn't just helpful, it's crucial.

  • Pack healthy snacks so you don't leave anything to chance
  • Prepare mentally before you go because we all know it's hard to say no to foods you used to indulge with
  • And finally, make sure to pick wisely - choose items that will satisfy your cravings but that will also keep you fuller longer so you don't feel the need to overindulge.
  • If you like to enjoy a funnel cake each year at the fair, go for it! A typical funnel cake, however, has about 12 Weight Watchers Points, or about 600 calories. Sharing it with a friend cuts that in half!

• Great choices include Kebobs, Corn on the Cob, pretzels, peanuts and homemade potato and macaroni salads

Recipes: Go forkless. You can always pack a summer picnic to ensure some healthy, delicious options for the whole family whether you are hitting the road or your own backyard.

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