Great Recipes from Weight Watchers

Vegetable Quesadillas

8 (6-inch) flour tortillas

½ teaspoon olive oil

1 medium red onion, thinly sliced

1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 cup frozen corn kernels

1 teaspoon ground cumin

¾ teaspoon dried oregano

¼ cup chopped cilantro

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1½ cups shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese

1 cup salsa

¼ cup reduced-fat sour cream

Once Americans discovered quesadillas in the eighties, there was no turning back. Our version is baked in the oven, making it an extra-easy choice for a weeknight supper. If you’d rather not heat up the oven, prepare the quesadillas one at a time in a nonstick skillet sprayed with nonstick spray.

1. Adjust the oven racks to divide the oven into thirds; preheat the oven to 375ºF. Arrange 4 of the tortillas on a baking sheet.

2. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Swirl in the oil, then add the onion and pepper.

Sauté until softened, 6 minutes. Stir in the corn, cumin, and oregano.

Cook until the vegetables are tender-crisp, 4 minutes more. Remove from the heat; stir in the

cilantro and lime juice.

3. Sprinkle half of the cheese evenly over the tortillas on the baking sheet, leaving a 1/2-inch border.

Spoon the vegetable mixture on top, dividing evenly among the tortillas and spreading level. Sprinkle on the remaining cheese and top with the 4 remaining tortillas, pressing lightly on top.

4. Bake until golden brown and the cheese is melted, 10 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through.

Cut each quesadilla into 8 wedges and serve with the salsa and sour cream.

Classic Red Velvet Cake

2 cups cake flour

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

¾ cup low-fat buttermilk

¾ cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons canola oil

1 large egg

2 teaspoons red food coloring

Frosting

1 (8-ounce) package fat-free cream cheese, at room temperature

1¼ cups confectioners’ sugar

½ cup fat-free Greek yogurt

¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ cup chopped pecans

The original incarnation of this cake was most likely a devil’s food cake that obtained a subtle reddish hue from the combination of cocoa powder and buttermilk. When food dyes became popular with home bakers in the 1930s and ’40s, however, the cake got a scarlet boost from the addition of red food coloring. Today red velvet is enjoying a resurgence and is wildly popular.

1. Cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray an 8-inch round baking pan with nonstick spray.

2. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together the buttermilk, granulated sugar, oil, egg, and food coloring in a medium bowl. Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and stir until well blended.

3. Scrape the batter into the pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 35–40 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan on a rack. Run a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen it from the pan. Invert onto the rack.

4. Frosting: With an electric mixer on high speed, beat the cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, yogurt, and vanilla in a medium bowl until smooth, about 1 minute.

5. Cake assembly: Split the cake layer in half with a long serrated knife. Place the bottom layer, cut side up, on a serving plate. Spread 1/2 cup of the frosting over the layer, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Place the remaining cake layer on top, rounded side up.

Spread the remaining 1 cup frosting over the top and side of the cake. Sprinkle the pecans onto the side of the cake, pressing to adhere. Cover the cake and store in the refrigerator up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Buffalo Chicken Wings

3 pounds (12–14) chicken wings, skinned

3 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 tablespoons reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce

¼ cup crumbled blue cheese

¼ cup plain fat-free yogurt

1 tablespoon reduced-fat mayonnaise

6 celery stalks, trimmed

Invented at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York, in the late sixties, the original version of this popular bar snack is a fat-rich nightmare.

Our version manages to trim quite a bit of fat by skinning and broiling the wings and marinating them in a wonderfully tangy sauce.

1. Wash and pat the wings dry with paper towels; cut off the tips and reserve for another use. Halve the wings at the joint.

2. Combine the vinegar, broth, oil, and pepper sauce in a large zip-close plastic bag; add the chicken. Squeeze out the air and seal the bag; turn the bag to coat the chicken.

Refrigerate, turning the bag occasionally, 30 minutes. Drain and discard any remaining marinade.

3. Spray the broiler rack with nonstick spray; preheat the broiler.

4. Broil the chicken 5 inches from the heat, turning once, until golden and cooked through, about 10 minutes per side.

5. Meanwhile, combine the blue cheese, yogurt, and mayonnaise in a small bowl. Serve with the chicken wings and celery.

The wings can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to two days or frozen for up to three months. They’re great to have on hand for an impromptu get-together.

Fish Tacos with Chipotle Cream

½ cup light sour cream

1 teaspoon minced chipotles en adobo

½ teaspoon chili powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 pound firm-fleshed skinless cod or halibut fillets, cut into 1-inch pieces

8 (6-inch) corn tortillas, warmed

½ cup thinly sliced green or red cabbage or a combination

They may sound Mexican, but almost everyone agrees that the fish taco has its origins in the surf towns of Southern California.

Traditionally, the fish was battered and fried, but today beachside stands and restaurants are just as likely to grill it. Our recipe calls for broiling the fish so that the dish comes together quickly and easily year-round.

1. Spray a broiler rack with nonstick spray; preheat the broiler.

2. Stir together the sour cream and chipotles in a small bowl. Set aside.

3. Sprinkle the fish with the chili powder, salt, and pepper. Spray lightly with olive oil nonstick spray and place on the broiler rack. Broil 5 inches from the heat until the fish flakes easily when tested with a fork, 3–5 minutes. Divide the fish among the tortillas, and top with the sour cream mixture and cabbage.