Happy Goddess Tuesday!!!
Today is yet another awesome installment of Family Dinners with Weight Watchers. A friendly battle of the Weight Watcher recipes between my Mother and me.
Our plan is that every week (day to be announced because getting everyone together one set day a week was proving to be harder than quantum physics) we would take turns buying, preparing, and serving a Weight Watcher recipe meal to one another.
Our goal is to step outside of the box and try various healthy alternatives instead of eating the same old stuff we ALL tend to get into the rut of eating while on our respective weight loss journeys all while having a healthy meal as a family!
Tonight it was turn to cook and on the menu:
Today is yet another awesome installment of Family Dinners with Weight Watchers. A friendly battle of the Weight Watcher recipes between my Mother and me.
Our plan is that every week (day to be announced because getting everyone together one set day a week was proving to be harder than quantum physics) we would take turns buying, preparing, and serving a Weight Watcher recipe meal to one another.
Our goal is to step outside of the box and try various healthy alternatives instead of eating the same old stuff we ALL tend to get into the rut of eating while on our respective weight loss journeys all while having a healthy meal as a family!
Tonight it was turn to cook and on the menu:
Baked Winter Squash, Raisin, and Pine Nut Lasagna taken straight from the Weight Watcher website!
Ingredients
1/4 cup(s) all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cup(s) fat-free evaporated milk
2 medium garlic clove(s), minced
1/3 cup(s) grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste
10 oz dry lasagna noodles, cooked al dente (about 12 noodles)
10 oz cooked winter squash, thawed if frozen
1 cup(s) part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
3/4 cup(s) golden raisins
2 Tbsp pine nuts, chopped
Instructions
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Place flour in a small saucepan and very gradually whisk in milk and garlic. Warm over low heat, stirring constantly, until sauce simmers and is thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.
• Spread 1/4 cup of cheese sauce over bottom of a 9 X 13-inch glass or metal pan and cover with 3 lasagna noodles; top with 1/3 of squash and 1/2 cup of cheese sauce. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup of raisins. Cover with 3 more lasagna noodles and spread with 1/3 of remaining squash and 1/2 cup of cheese sauce; sprinkle with 1/4 cup of raisins. Cover with 3 more lasagna noodles and top with remaining squash and raisins; cover with last 3 lasagna noodles, pressing sheets firmly down. Top with remaining cheese sauce; sprinkle with pine nuts and remaining mozzarella cheese.
• Bake until lasagna bubbles around edges and is browned on top, about 30 minutes. Slice into 8 pieces and serve.
Notes
• You can add color and flavor to this lasagna recipe by using a medley of dried fruit. Use 1/4 cup of dried cranberries, 1/4 cup of dried cherries or blueberries, and 1/4 cup of golden raisins instead of 3/4 cup total of raisins.
Now…
Prep wise, like all Weight Watcher recipes, I thought it took longer than indicated by the *moderate* level of difficulty the site promised. Obviously in order to keep the Point value accurate I had to follow the recipe to a “T”. Hence, why I believe it seemed to be a lot of prep… I am still not used to measuring every little thing in a recipe being a former *eyeballer* when it comes to measurements.
Other than that and having to bake my butternut squash in the oven for about 45 minutes… it was relatively easy.
Now… I also doubled the amount of squash and added some cinnamon to the mixture after reading some of the recipes reviews on the Weight Watcher website. Most of the reviews said that the recipe as is seemed a little bland, hence the need to spice things up a bit. Overall the added squash added about one point to the entire dish and truly not enough to add to the value per serving.
The verdict:
I personally completely disliked the dish. Individually the components were fine. I thought the cheese sauce made with the fat free evaporated milk, garlic, salt, pepper, parmesan cheese, and flour was superb!
The squash was also delicious.
Added the two together along with golden raisins, mozzarella cheese, lasagna noodles and pine nuts and something definitely gets lost along the way. The flavor medley was bizarre to say the least and I have to say my least favorite part was the lasagna noodle, oddly enough.
Sadly I had two bites and pushed the dish aside. My oldest son Hunter was in complete agreement and the rest of the family found it mediocre at best. Needless to say… the dish was a flop and I will never make it again.
Cook and learn, right?
So there you have it.
And I must admit to being completely bummed in that the recipe sounded so much more appetizing than it actually was and my Mom remains on top of the recipe challenge!
Drats!
So now I must run along and get *witchy* for my Goddess Group’s Dress Up Field Trip!!!
Details to follow…
Blessed Be…
♥Cyn ♥
Laughed out loud! Thank goodness I read your review of the recipe and saved myself much time and energy.
ReplyDeleteThere are just some recipes that we get so excited about just to get let down! Kudos to your family for trying healthy new meals each week. I have been on a kick for several months on trying new recipes.
ReplyDeleteThis is great! Sometimes you've got to have a definite MISS in the kitchen! Glad to hear you're trying new things, and keep em coming!!
ReplyDeleteYou are ALL so right -- gotta fall A LOT in order to get it right. And I FELL SO DANG HARD with this one! It really was horrible... *heh*!
ReplyDelete