Roasted Chicken and Vegetable Pasta Primavera

1 1/2 pounds asparagus spears
1 c. matchstick-cut carrots
1/2 medium sweet onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 t. minced garlic
1 t. olive oil
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. freshly ground pepper
1 pint grape tomatoes
8 oz. uncooked penne
2 c. sliced rotisserie chicken breast
3/4 c. whipping cream
2/3 c. shaved fresh Parmesan

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Snap off tough ends of asparagus and cut into 2" pieces. Combine asparagus, carrots, onion and garlic in jelly roll pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss gently to coat. Bake for 10 minutes or until vegetables begin to brown; stir vegetables. Add tomatoes and cook an additional 5 minutes.

While vegetables roast, cook pasta. Drain well, reserving 1/3 c. pasta water. Keep past and reserved water warm.

Combine chicken, vegetables, pasta, reserved pasta water, and whipping cream; toss gently to coat. Sprinkle with cheese and serve immediately.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size 1 1/4 c.)

*Note: I used Costco grated parmesan with great results. This dish tastes too rich to be a WW recipe (7 points)!

Black Bean, Corn, and Avocado Salad

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 c. corn kernels (fresh or canned shoepeg is great)
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 avocado, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1/4 c. fresh lime juice
2 t. grated lime zest
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 t. salt

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and serve at once with tortilla chips.

(6 points for 1 1/2 c. of salad)

Grilled Chipotle Salmon Tacos

1 pound skinless salmon filets or whitefish
8 oz. medium round red or white potatoes, cubed
1 1/2 t. ground chipotle chile pepper
3/4 t. sugar
1/2 t. salt
1 c. purchased mild green salsa
3 T. lime juice
3/4 c. thinly sliced green onions
1/2 c. snipped fresh cilantro
12 6" or 16 4" corn tortillas, warmed
1/2 c. light dairy sour cream
lime wedges

Thaw fish, if frozen. Rinse, pat dry, and set aside.

In covered saucepan, cook potatoes in enough salted boiling water to cover for about 15 minutes or until tender. Drain and cool.

In small bowl combine chipotle chile pepper, sugar, and 1/4 t. of the salt. Rub pepper mixture into fish. Grill or broil 4-6 minutes per 1/2" thickness of fish or until it flakes easily with a fork. Cool slightly and break fish into chunks.

In a medium bowl, combine salsa, lime juice, and remaining salt. Add potatoes, fish, green onions, and cilantro; toss gently to coat.

Divide fish mixture among tortillas. Top with sour cream; fold tortillas. Serve with lime wedges.

(2 tacos = 6 WW points)

Double Chocolate Chews

1 ¾ cup Flour
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 ¼ tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1 c semisweet chocolate chips, divided
3 tbs vegetable oil
1 cup brown sugar
2 ½ tbs light corn syrup
1 tbs water
2 ½ tsp vanilla
3 large egg whites, beaten

Preheat oven to 350. Combine flour, powdered sugar, cocoa, baking powder and salt and set aside. Melt ¾ cup chocolate chips and oil in a sauce pan over low heat until melted. Pour melted chocolate into mixing bowl and cool for 5 minutes. Add brown sugar, syrup, water, vanilla and egg whites to chocolate and stir well. Add flour mixture and remaining chocolate chips.

Space cookies 2 inches apart on parchment lined cookie sheets. Bake 7-8 minutes or until just set. Cool on pans 2 minutes then transfer to wire cooling racks.

1 point!

Pasta with Grilled Vegetables

10 oz. short pasta (I used whole wheat penne -- Target makes ww pasta that is both inexpensive and tasty)
2 bell peppers (I used yellow and orange), cut in large chunks
1-2 c. cherry tomatoes, halved
1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1" pieces
3 t. crumbled blue cheese (I used 3 tablespoons!)
1/4 c. white wine vinegar
1 t. sugar
1/2 t. minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste

The recipe calls for grilling the vegetables, but since we still have snow, I just sautéed them in a little olive oil. Either way, cook the peppers and asparagus while the pasta is cooking.

In a medium bowl, mix the vinegar, garlic, sugar, salt, pepper, blue cheese, and tomatoes. Add the drained pasta and the cooked vegetables and mix well. Add a little of the pasta cooking water if necessary.

Fast, easy, good. Enjoy!