Whew, the Holidays are almost behind us, I can finally exhale and slow down for the next few days and reflect about what a great year it has been for Skinnytaste and myself in 2011.
When I started this blog back in 2008, it was just a hobby that I really enjoyed. Never in my dreams would I have imagined what was to come.
In March of 2011, I left my full time job and career in the city which allowed me to give my 100% to Skinnytaste and spend more quality time with my baby. It was scary and exciting at the same time, but I wouldn ‘t change a thing!
And to my surprise, Skinnytaste even won some awards this year! I was so honored to win the SHAPE Magazine Best Healthy Eating Blogs 2011 and the Kitchn’s The Homies: Best Home Cooking Blog for 2011 . But of course, none of this would have happened without you, and for that I am humbly grateful.
So now it’s time to do my yearly round up of your favorite recipes for 2011. I asked all of you on facebook and twitter to share your favorite recipes from 2011, and I narrowed it down to these top 20, in no particular order… Thanks for all your feedback!! Hope you enjoy the recipes I have planned for 2012!!
Top 20 Skinny Recipes For 2011
- Chicken Rollatini with Spinach alla Parmigiana
- Healthy Baked Chicken Nuggets
- Chicken Pot Pie Soup
- Baked Potato Soup
- Stuffed Pepper Soup
- Coconut Chicken Salad with Warm Honey Mustard Vinaigrette
- Chicken and Mushrooms in Garlic White Wine Sauce
- Pollo in Potacchio
- Crock Pot Sweet Barbacoa Pork
- Crock Pot Asian Pork with Mushrooms
- Asian Peanut Noodles with Chicken
- Pasta with Italian Chicken Sausage, Peppers and Escarole
- Baked Broccoli Macaroni and Cheese
- Thai Green Curry Coconut Shrimp with Basil
- Carne Guisada (Latin Beef Stew)
- Meatloaf Cupcakes with Mashed Potato Frosting
- Easy Garlic Cheddar Biscuits
- Pineapple Bliss Cupcakes
- Pumpkin Cupcakes with Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting
- Low Fat Peanut Butter Banana Muffins
Trailblazer!! Found your blog today searching for something healthier to prepare for my family. Your recipies use common items, educate about low fat items, ingenious use of spices to enhance flavor instead of adding more fat. i’m super excited how you clearly show substitutions for GF and slow cookers and points! The love and time you put into your recipies really shines! I have said enough but also want to add thank you for making accurate and appropriate portion sizes! You bring healthy eating back in fashion!! Hugs. –Nurse G
Can I use fresh spinach? if so how much?
Thanks.
Can't wait to see what you have for us in the upcoming year. I love all of your recipes. Thank you
looking great if any one Interested in more curry recipe this website may be helpful
http://indianrecipeking.com
While I am grateful for all of your fabulous recipes, my friend and I are beside ourselves because we cannot seem to find your pumpkin scone recipe that you featured around this time last year! We made them multiple times over the fall season and are having a horrible time finding one that can compare. Would you be willing to direct us to it?
Just discovered your site. Sooo looking forward to trying your recipes. In fact, making the jalapeño poppers today!. Thanks
It would be SUPER awesome if you had an app :)) i love all of you recipes!!!!
Does anyone have these recipes in a PDF you can email me? My computer is VERY SLOW and keeps crashing, but I want to print these top 20 recipes! If anybody does please email me @ peaches0855@yahoo.com THANKS!!!!!!!!!!
My sister-in-law recommended your site to me. Wow! So excited to try some of these recipes! Yum!!!
Would love to see more meat-free recipes!! 🙂
Gina, we tried the Zucchini Sticks and marinara last night…My husband, who says he can't and won't eat zucchini…ATE THEM ALL UP! They were awesome, thank you for a great recipe, and for converting my husband to someone who WILL eat zucchini! YUM, and low points! Yea! 🙂
Our favorite recipe is the chicken nuggets. We have that at least once a month. I even made it on vacation with my in-laws.
So yummy!! I absolutely love your site. I share it with all of my friends, especially when they are looking for WW recipes or great ways to sneak in more veggies in a super yummy way. 🙂 I'm so glad you blog!!
What a great year! Here's to 2012
Just want to tell you that I LOVE your website! The photos are beautiful and the recipes are not too difficult. I perused this list and made the chicken pot pie soup and pineapple cupcakes yesterday and they are still amazingly good today. Happy New Year and thanks so much for spreading good food!
I use one of your recipes at least on a weekly basis if not more frequently. Thanks for all that you do!
I love this blog and I have even gotten a couple of my friends addicted to it too. Can't wait to see what you have in store for 2012!
Thanks for creating great, nutritious recipes. You deserve awards just for providing nutritional info and WW points! You have made my life much easier and I enjoy being in the kitchen because I can still have some of my favorite recipes. You are very talented and have filled a much needed niche.
Gina, thanks for all the fantastic recipes, and especially, thank you for providing both old and new WW points. That makes your site so special (along with the great recipes). And the pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting rock! Happy New Year!
Gina I love your blog! I'm so glad my friend told me about it. I always look forward to trying the recipes and seeing what you have for us Thank you!
Congratulations on your Shape award. That's impressive! You deserve it. I look forward to the encouragement bringing many more new recipes!
Gina, I swear I could live on fiesta lime rice alone. I am THRILLED to have found your blog and all my friends are thrilled too, everytime I make your skinny buffalo chicken dip.
The chicken pot pie soup has become a favorite in our house! Yummm!
Happy New Year, Gina!
I found your site in June, 2010 and have made and shared countless recipes.
One of my go-to favorites STILL is your pumpkin pie dip. I make it several times a year for kids and adults and serve it with apple slices, bananas, or low fat graham crackers. It is a hit every single time and I've never had to change a thing.
Looking forward to the good eats that 2012 brings.
Happy new year Gina! All the best for you and your friends and dear family.
I like to thank you for all the delicious recipes you offered us resulting in great and tasty dishes on my diner table.
Big hugs.
Jürgen
Wow. It's been a very eventful year for you! I genuinely think leaving your full-time job was a good idea. Sometimes only by closing one door will another open. And congratulations on your awards. I think that proves you made the right decision! All the best in 2012!
Happy New Year Gina! I loved reading your post today. I am happy for you and all your wonderful success.
As silly and as chain-mailish as this may seem, I have nominated you for the versatile blogger award. http://inherchucks.com/2012/01/01/another-blogging-milestone/. It is a way for me to say thank you for being such an inspiration and for having the courage to chase your dream.
Looking forward to many more delicious recipes in 2012!
Just made the chicken pot pie soup on Friday. It was yummy 🙂
Made these tonight. WONDERFUL!!!!! I can't wait for my husband to get home and try them. My one year old and almost 3 year old ate two of these each! I snuck in a handful of shredded carrots and they were so moist!!! Does anyone have any tips on freezing these and reheating later? I don't want to experiment and mess them up in the freezing/reheating process. 😉
Happy New Year! Thanks for all you wonderful recipes.
GREAT recipe recap. I will probably be making all of these at some point during the new year… thanks Gina for all your delicious recipes!
Wishing you an amazing 2012! Congratulations on all your success in 2011!
I love your website! I found it doing a search for WW points plus recipes and now it's my "go to" site for recipes. (You have officially surpassed Allrecipes for my searches!) I made the meatloaf cupcakes and pumpkin cupcakes for the last bunco club at my house and everyone raved over them and wanted the recipes! Best wishes for a great 2012!
I love everything I have tried. Everyday I look at your website to see what's new or see what I fancy cooking! Have a wonderful new year, all the best for 2012 xx
The chicken and mushrooms in garlic white wine sauce is AMAZING . . . we're actually making it for dinner Monday night. 🙂 I can't wait to try the rollatini, sounds yummy!
I have a cookbook of your recipes in a 3 ring binder. There has not been one recipe that has not received rave reviews. Thanks for doing such a great job.
Gina, you make such a positive difference in my life. Thanks for sharing your extraordinary talent with all of us. As we say in my family, "Gina's a genius!" Warmest wishes for continuing success and recognition.
I love your year-end lists! Thanks for all your work. I've never made one of your recipes that I didn't like.
Thank you so much for the wonderful recipies. You've made Weight Watchers so incredibly enjoyable. No more boring tasteless diets. My friends and I love the fact that everything is broken down and has a points system. Congratulations on a marvelous year to both of us. You on this site, and to me because I'm down 24 lbs thanks to your site (honestly) 🙂
Happy New Year. I cant wait to see what's next (for both of us)!!
Thanks to you, your wonderful recipes have helped me in cooking and eating healthy. I look forward to cooking more of them in 2012. Happy New Year y Prospero año nuevo!
Gina, I L-O-V-E your site. Thank you for all your creative ideas and lightening up of old favourites. (Canadian spelling ;o)) I've referred many friends to your blog with great enthusiasm.
All the best in 2012!
Gina, I been struggling to stay on track ( my own fault,too), I'm rededicating this new year to following up with making more of your recipes and staying focused on my goals,, so I can accomplish them. You have done your part (giving all these wonderful recipes) , now the ball is in my court. Thank you and God bless you for all you do for all of us desiring better healthy eating.
I love this site! The recipes are so yummy!! I haven't tried all of these…but I am working on it! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!
I only found your blog site a couple of months ago but have passed it on to family and friends! I've tried numerous recipes and have found them delicious and easy. I'm taking your Skinny Taco Dip tonight to a party in fact! Thanks for putting so much time and effort into making your blog so awesome! Happy New Year and look forward to following you in 2012! JGL, St. Simons Island, GA
Happy New Years and you are a inspiration in the leap of faith you made to do this full time.
Love your effort for great photos and step by step instruction.
Cheers to your future success♥
Thank you for sharing all this:) Your blog is really really great:) I hope you have a great and happy New Years Eve:)
Congrats! I love your recipes there so good and I love that there healthy for you!
Just found your site and have already "pinned" about a dozen recipes! LOVE it! I'll also make sure to give your site more than enough credit when I blog about how great your recipes are! Thanks for everything you do to create such amazing, healthy, REAL food!
Thank you so much for all you given us this year. As others have said you are my "go to" for a new recipe. I so love it that I don't have to figure the WW pts. EVERY thing I have made has been wonerful ! Just finished a bowl of the Stuffed Pepper Soup. Used only red peppers ( green ones don't like me)! Also used ground buffalo and a sparse sprinkle of cheddar cheese as that is what I top my stuffed peppers with. A new favorite <3
I loooooove your site! The potato soup is my favorite. It was so easy to make and so good! I live on my own, and usually can't finish all of the leftovers before I get tired of something, but I finished the entire pot of soup before it went bad. Thanks for taking time to share all of your recipes!
I wanted to say thank you! I've been following your blog for several months. The Healthy Chicken Nuggets are one of my favorite recipes I've tried from your site. It's so nice to have a place to get delicious recipes that are healthy too!
Ginna thank you for a great site. I just stumbled upon your site with in the last month and love everything I have made. Please keep up the wonderful job you do and thanks to your family for allowing you to continue this site.
Congratulations Gina.. You've had quite a year! Your chicken rollatini with spinach is definitely a family favorite in this house! Made it 3-4 times and my siblings are still requesting it weekly!
A wonderful list of tasty recipes. I personally love the baked potato soup.
Thank you so much for helping me on my Weight Watchers journey. You are truly inspiring me to cook and cook in a healthy way. Thank you again for all the effort and time you put into Skinnytaste. Trust me when I say that so many of us look to you for help and inspiration every week!
I found your site about 2 months ago and you became my instant favorite!!
I wish you a blessed 2012 with your baby, your blog biz, and everything else great that comes your way!
Happy New Year & thanks for all your efforts!
I've had at least 1/3 of these recipes and I have to say that they are amazing! Some of which have even became a staple as a weeknight dinner!
I've made your pineapple bliss cupcakes sooo many times and I never tell people that they are healthy until after they've eaten them, and I always get requests to bring them to the next get together. In fact, I usually have a freeze a few so that I don't inhale them all myself that same week!
I'm very much looking forward to more of your recipes in 2012 and to hit the ground running (literally and figuratively) back on Weight Watchers in the new year. Now that I have more resources than I ever, I have a good feeling about 2012! I couldn't have lost all the weight I lost without your wonderful recipes…I'm definitely not that creative.
Hope you have a great NYE and NYD. Much thanks and looking forward to all that's to come from you!
-Samantha in Michigan
Congratulations on your awards. All are well deserved – I love your recipes, especially the Thai & South American.
Best wishes to you in 2012.
That's great post. I'm new to your blog, so your post makes it easy for me to find where to start (there is so many good recipes!). Thank you and Have a happy new year!
What a great round-up of recipes! Glad 2011 was such a good year for you. Hears to wishing you another great year in 2012 (full of more healthy and tasty recipes)!
Thank you for all your kind comments! They really made my day. It was hard to narrow it down to 20, so if I missed one you like let me know, and I will add the photos to the side bars. The turkey chili soup is always a winner!
Great round up! Happy New Year! Hopefully we can meet up again in 2012:)
My 4th grade son had to pick a recipe to share with his class and he chose baked potato soup. He LOVES it. Thank you for all you do and have a blessed 2012.
WOW! just found your site via Skinny Mom's Kitchen FB site. MAN! There are lots of recipes here just in time for the New Year's Resolutions!! I want to lose about 20# (I am not overweight, but want to lose to feel a little better) and hope that I can use many of your recipes for my family.. They will be on my "diet" w/o knowing it! Here's to good recipes and lots of pounds shed in 2012! HAPPY NEW YEAR!
These all look delicious! Happy Almost New Year!
My fiance and I make your pasta with chicken sausage, peppers and escarole at LEAST once every two weeks– and he always gets excited when we decide to make it for the week! Thank you so much for doing this, I really couldn't have come so far in my WLJ without you! Happy new year!
I recently found this blog, and I can't tell you how amazed I am with the recipes! I'm a 21 year old college student who has recently started weight watchers, and some of these recipes have been such a help! I'm a complete newbie when it comes to cooking. Does anyone have any suggestions for easy beginners recipes that I could practice with? Thanks in advance!
LOVE this list – the Chicken Rollatini with Spinach alla Parmigiana was the recipe that got me hooked on your site and I immediately subscribed to your daily recipe after trying that one. Thanks! Looking forward to what 2012 brings 🙂
Can't believe Turkey Chili Taco Soup didn't make the list! Have to say that's an alltime fave in my house! I have it for lunch today acutally lol
Thank you for sharing your recipes with all of us! You've made cooking more fun for this girl, and I'm forever grateful. Have a wonderful 2012!
It's been a great year, and i am thankful for your blog and delicious food! Happy New Year!
Thank you so much for your website! A friend introduced me to your blog about a year ago. My husband and I both needed to lose weight but we struggled with finding healthy food that we still enjoyed eating. We now cook AT LEAST one of your meals every week. I have lost over 35 pounds and my husband has lost 20 pounds. Your recipes have truly helped us in our lifestyle change! And we still get to eat delicious food!
Our family found skinny taste in 2011 and it is now our first place to look for recipes! I am so thankful for the time you put into creating these delicious dishes. Everytime I make one of your recipes my husband gives it a thumbs up by asking it to "go in the rotation".
I really appreciate that the recipes are healthy – unless you have no self control with chocolate chip oatmeal cookies- easy to make, quickly and our whole family can enjoy them.
I love turning friends and family on to your site and the fun phone call that follows when they make their first recipe. I always get to say "I told you! It amazing!"
Looking forward to more skinnytaste in 2012!
I'm so glad you did another top 20 list! I love the one from last year! I've made most of these, but I can't wait to try some of these *new to me* recipes!!! As always, great work this year! I can't wait to see what 2012 brings!
Thank you for the amazing recipes ~ my family has enjoyed them. Happy New Year!
I make your slow cooked Pernil all the time – I love it!!
Asian Peanut Noodles with Chicken are my absolute favorite! Thanks for all the amazing recipes, happy new year!
I just found your blog today, and I am loving everything about it!! I want to try every recipe in your top 20, especially the meatloaf cupcakes with mashed potato frosting. How clever!! I'm looking forward to following you and your recipes in 2012. A very Happy New Year to you.
You should be proud! I love your recipes. Thanks for the dedication. I trust your opinion and have bought two of your products reccomended. I got the scale and just ordered the crockpot. I have been looking and looking for a good crockpot because I hate mine so much. I know the one you reccomended will work great and then I will be ready to do some of your crockpot recipes! Thanks for all your hard work. It is much appreciated!…Liz in Lompoc ca
What wonderful eats, Gina! The chicken & mushrooms in the garlic wine sauce looks like the perfect date-night at home recipe. Thanks!
I'd like to invite you over to our best recipes of 2011 party going on this week; I do hope you'll come and share these recipes with us!
http://joyinmykitchen.blogspot.com/2011/12/countdown-to-2012-best-main-dishes-of.html
Love your ideas- all the time! So happy you were able to leave your job and work on the site full-time. I know you were working toward that! yay! Hope to see you at an event this year!
So glad we have connected and to be working together! Looking forward to 2012!!!
Thank you for sharing your amazing & wonderful recipes our house is TRULY a Gina Recipe loving house & I must thank you to my success for losing 45 pds along w/ Weight Watchers in 2011 So BIG thanks to you.. OH & I see my fav. recipe is #3 MAN I could eat that all week if they let me Ha… 🙂 Happy New Year darling & can't wait to see what you bring us in the new year!
I loved the chicken pot pie soup & can't wait to try the other 19 recipes 😉
You are such an inspiration to me. I love your recipes, your site, and the success you have accomplished. Great job! And I hope 2012 bring even more happiness and success to you and your family.
I want to join…but don't know how.
We make the crockpot barbacoa pork all the time! LOVE IT. Thanks for a great year of recipes 🙂
Great post- so convenient, thanks! Just "pinned" it ;P