Finally Friday!

Oooh, you all have no idea how happy I was to wake up this morning after a fabulous night's sleep, knowing that I have the whole day off and tax season is OVER! Yippee!!
I still have a couple more weeks of Quarterlies but that's a regular thing, nowhere near the pressure & stress that occurs from Jan 1 - April 15th!

Now, I promised you some recipes and failed to deliver, I'm so sorry! I'll post them below right after I pour a big mug of fresh coffee and bask in luxury of a day completely to myself! Ahh....

Moroccan Slow-Cooker Stew

POINTS® Value: 4
Servings: 6
Preparation Time: 15 min
Cooking Time: 365 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

Though delicious on its own, our cumin-scented stew can also please heartier appetites when spooned over whole wheat couscous and sprinkled with minced cilantro.

Ingredients
1 spray(s) cooking spray
1 small onion(s), chopped
1 medium garlic clove(s), minced
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch cubes*
1 cup(s) carrot(s), baby
1 cup(s) canned crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup(s) vegetable broth
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
15 oz canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 tsp table salt
Instructions

* Coat a small skillet with cooking spray. Add onion and garlic; sauté for 5 minutes.

* Place squash in a 3-quart or larger slow cooker (crockpot). Add sauteed onion and garlic, carrots, tomatoes, broth, cinnamon, cumin and red pepper flakes. Cover and turn on to low heat; simmer for 6 hours.

* Add chickpeas and salt. Stir, cover and heat for an additional 5 minutes. Yields about 1 1/3 cups per serving.

Notes

* *Partially cooking a hard-shell squash makes it easier to peel. Pierce the gourd in several places with a fork, microwave on HIGH for 6 to 10 minutes, depending on size, and then peel.

Top with plain, fat-free Greek yogurt to help cut the spice (may affect POINTS values).

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Shrimp Scampi with Spaghetti

Was POINTS® Value: 14
Now POINTS® Value: 8
Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 20 min
Cooking Time: 10 min
Level of Difficulty: Moderate

Traditional shrimp scampi is loaded with butter. Our version eliminates most of the fat, but still packs in all the flavor.

Ingredients
2 tsp olive oil
6 medium garlic clove(s), minced
1 tsp dried oregano
1 pound(s) shrimp, medium, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup(s) wine, dry white or vermouth
2 tsp cornstarch
3/4 cup(s) reduced-sodium chicken broth
3/4 tsp table salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste
8 oz uncooked linguini, cooked and kept hot
1/4 cup(s) parsley, fresh, chopped
2 Tbsp basil, fresh, thinly sliced

Instructions

* Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add oregano and stir to coat. Add shrimp and sauté until bright pink, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes. Add wine and simmer about 1 minute.

* Dissolve cornstarch in chicken broth in a small cup and whisk until blended; add mixture to skillet and simmer 2 minutes, until sauce thickens. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

* Transfer cooked linguini to four individual shallow bowls and spoon shrimp and sauce over top; sprinkle with parsley and basil. Yields about 1 1/3 cups of pasta, 1/4 cup of sauce and 3 ounces of shrimp per serving.

Have a Beauty-Full Day,