When the Weight Watchers Core program was introduced, I immediately switched plans and began collecting recipes that fit well within the Core Food lists. In a nutshell, the program emphasizes meals that are rich in grains, legumes, vegetables and lean proteins (animal or soy). No flour, no sugar and no baked goods. All of these are Core, can easily be made Core with some minor modifications, or where the non-Core ingredient is a point or less per serving or easily separated from the rest of a dish (e.g., bread in a sandwich where the filling is Core.
Some of my most common substitutions include using olive oil instead of butter whenever possible (will also reduce the oil to meet the 2 teaspoon allotment in most recipes); using arrowroot in place of flour or cornstarch in thickening sauces; yogurt and yogurt cheese instead of sour cream and cream cheese; Splenda for sugar; replacing white rice with brown rice or couscous; whole wheat pasta instead of regular; chicken broth for small amounts of white wine, and the use of flavorings and extracts in lieu of some ingredients (e.g, maple extract for small amounts of maple syrup). Where I've tried the recipe, see my review for the modifications made.
Great flavors are key to being satisfied and these fit the bill. If you have questions about a recipe and how to prepare it with modifications, just z-mail me.
(cover photo by PaulaG -
Chicken and Barley Chili)