Simple Hummus

Simple Hummus

Makes 8 100-calorie servings OR

16 50-calorie servings

1 can garbanzo beans, do not drain
3 tbsp tahini
Juice from 1 Lemon
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 tbsp minced garlic, jarred
1/8 tsp paprika
1 tsp fresh parsley, diced

Add garbanzo beans, tahini, lemon juice, salt, garlic and ½ tbsp olive oil in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Transfer to a serving bowl. Drizzle remaining olive oil over the top and sprinkle with paprika and parsley.

Nutritional Information: 98 calories, 5 fat grams, 10 carbs and 3 protein grams.

Review: I was really happy with it! A lot of the recipes I found said to drain the beans - so I drained most of the liquid and rinsed. However, this hummus wasn't as smooth as I wanted it so I edited above and suggested to not drain/rinse at ALL. I think this will make a significant difference. Again, still loved, still ate it because of the flavor, but I heart a creamy texture. I tried this with pita crisps, as well as spread on a flat out wrap with feta cheese and lettuce - wonderful snack.

Microwavable Egg Process for Breakfast Sandwiches

These are GREAT for mornings when you don't have anything pre-cooked or feel like having something fresh. I also like these at work - easy peasy!

I use these small, Ziploc containers about the size of a muffin

See - the bottom is the perfect diameter

So crack an egg in the tupperware and add milk and salt; I also add some Tony's creole seasoning

Now whisk it. (if you're transporting to work - don't whisk until you arrive)

Cook in microwave until done - they vary. With my microwave at work it was ready in 35 seconds. At home, it took 45 seconds. I covered it loosely with the plastic top set off the center.

Remove by first running a fork around the edges to ensure it all comes out in one piece, then drop it on your muffin - PERFECT size. I'm so obsessed

Top it with your bacon and cheese (I use 1/2 slice of Kraft singles and 2 slices of turkey bacon). Microwave it for 20 seconds to melt the cheese and soften the toasted muffin.

Yummy perfectness inside

That's how it's done! I don't know if I'll ever scramble eggs in a pan again! LOL

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

Adapted from Mom of 5

Makes 4 Servings

Sauce:
1 can fat-free cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
1/2 tsp salt
1 (4 oz) can diced green chilies
1 pound chicken, cooked and shredded

Other ingredients:
12 mission corn tortillas
1 (10 oz) can green enchilada sauce
1/2 cup fat-free grated cheese (60 grams)

1/2 cup 75% reduced fat Cabot cheese (60 grams)

Fresh cilantro (optional topping)

Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray. Drizzle ¼ to 1/3 of enchilada sauce on bottom, spreading with a spoon. Stack tortillas on a clean kitchen towel, wrap them up and microwave them for 30 - 60 seconds until soft. Spread sauce across center of each tortilla. Roll each tortilla and place seam-side down in sauce in baking dish. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over the top. Sprinkle with cheese, cover with foil and bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 15 more minutes until bubbly.

Nutritional Information: 437 calories, 47 carbs, 8 fat grams and 40 protein grams.

Review: November 2010 Notes: Loved it! Super creamy and very filling. I will say that I’d rather mix less fat-free cheese and “reduced fat” so that it will melt better (for looks!), but other than that I’d make it as is next time! I'll update the calories when I fix this. :) February 2011 Notes: FIXED! I changed it up, made it look more 'melty' and removed the 2 tsp of oil so the calories, carbs and fat grams actually went down - i'm really happy with the new recipe - even topped it with fresh cilantro!

Sausage and Spinach Breakfast Pie

Sausage and Spinach Breakfast Pie
Makes 6 Servings
Adapted from Healthy Cooking Magazine

1 frozen deep dish pie shell
½ pound Italian Turkey Sausage links, casings removed
1 cup egg substitute
1 package frozen chopped spinach, squeezed and dried
½ cup mozzarella cheese, grated (60 grams)
½ cup cabot 75% reduced fat cheese, grated (60 grams)
¼ cup fat-free ricotta cheese (78 grams)
1/8 tsp pepper

Defrost pastry shell for 10 minutes while oven preheats to 375. Leave pastry shell in foil pan, but poke holes in the bottom of the shell (do not go through foil). Bake at 400 for 4 minutes. Remove foil and bake 4 minutes longer. Remove from the oven. Reduce heat to 375. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, spinach, cheeses, pepper and sausage. Pour into crust. Place high on a baking sheet. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.

Nutritional Information: 292 calories, 32 carbs, 9 fat grams and 21 protein grams.

Review: We loved this. It really tasted SO bad for you - the pie crust did this I think, but it congealed so nicely, the sausage added nice heat, and the cheeses made the eggs taste "real" if that makes sense. It really blended well and was a great pie. It also reheated VERY well - tasted almost as fresh as the first time. When I bought the pies they came with two, so I hope to try another blend with ham or turkey, or maybe even a Mexican-inspired one with salsa and/or beans. Very exciting to just put items into a pre-made pie! I recommend trying this recipe, or your own variation.

One Serving

Mushroom and Sausage Stuffed Shells

Mushroom and Sausage Stuffed Shells
Recipe adapted from For the Love of Cooking
Makes 4 Servings

2.5 links of Italian turkey sausage (1/2 pound), removed from casings
8 oz white button mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup sweet yellow onion, diced finely
2 tsp minced garlic
½ tsp nutmeg
¾ cup fat-free ricotta cheese (186 grams)
1 egg, beaten
60 grams mozzarella cheese, shredded, divided
2 tbsp reduced fat Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup of fresh spinach, chopped
2 ½ cups low-calorie spaghetti sauce
16 jumbo pasta shells, cooked per instructions
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add sausage and cook until crumbled. Remove from heat. Add mushrooms and onions then sauté until brown, 5-6 minutes. Add garlic and continue to cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Remove from heat and mix with sausage. In a large bowl combine ricotta, 1 oz. mozzarella, Parmesan, the egg, spinach, nutmeg, salt and pepper, to taste. Mix thoroughly then add the sausage mixture. Pour 1 ¼ cups of spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a baking dish that has been coated with cooking spray. Place the 16 cooked shells in the pan. Stuff each shell with the mixture. Pour remaining sauce over the stuffed shells. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and top with remaining mozzarella. Bake for 3-5 minutes.

Nutritional Information (4 shells): 441 calories, 49 carbs, 14 fat grams and 32 protein grams.

Review: AMAZING. New favorite Italian recipe. Seriously. Just the right amount of food, great mixture of cheese, the mushrooms and garlic gave it extra bite and texture and the spicy sausage was perfect - added a lot of flavor for not a lot of calories. This was a an easy recipe to put together and will DEFINITELY be made again! I'm so excited that I tried these and while I loved my last stuffed shells recipe (with 96/4 ground beef and frozen spinach), this spicy Italian turkey sausage and fresh spinach mixture blew that one out of the water. For real! I hope you try this and love it!

one serving

Chicken Tortilla Casserole

Chicken Tortilla Casserole
Makes 6 Servings
Recipe from me! (so exciting to make one!)

1 pound chicken
1 package taco seasoning
9 small Mission flour tortillas
1 can spicy chili beans
1 can red enchilada sauce
½ cup fat-free sour cream
2 oz. Cabot 75% reduced fat cheddar

hot sauce (optional)

Preheat oven to 350. In a large skillet add chicken, taco seasoning and 1/4 cup water. Cook until chicken is no longer pink. Remove from pan, shred with two forks, then add back to pan and stir for 1-2 minutes until blended. Mix chicken with beans. In a bowl, mix enchilada sauce and sour cream. Spread ½ of the sour cream mixture onto the bottom of a rectangular casserole dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Tear up 3 tortillas and spread them over the sour cream mixture. Put ½ of the chicken mixture on top of it. Sprinkle on hot sauce. Add remaining layers as follows: 3 tortillas; sour cream mixture; 3 tortillas; chicken mixture; hot sauce. Sprinkle cheese over the top and place in oven uncovered for 25 minutes.

Nutritional Information: 388 calories, 46 carbs, 6 fat grams and 29 protein grams.

Review: Awesome! Austin liked this one more than the burrito casserole! I know! This one was great - super spicy - loved the hot sauce and the enchilada sauce and sour cream mixture was very good - kind of made a thick sauce that congealed well with the flour tortillas. We'll definitely have this one again - super easy. And the chicken was CRAZY easy (I tossed it and 2 more pounds of chicken in with the taco seasoning packs - now I have "mexican" chicken for this, tacos, salads, etc.). Great, easy recipe - so glad to have another solid mexican recipe!

whole pan!

Breakfast Potato Skins

Breakfast Potato Skins

Recipe adapted from Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Makes 5 Servings

5 medium russet potatoes
Olive oil spray
9 large eggs
1/3 cup fat-free milk
12 thin slices lean ham, diced
4 pieces turkey bacon
½ green bell pepper, diced
salt and fresh pepper
3 oz. Cabot 75% reduced fat cheddar, grated

Pierce potatoes with a fork a few times all around. Place in microwave and cook for 5 minutes per potato. When finished, allow to cool enough to handle. Cook bacon in microwave per instructions. Cut potatoes in half horizontally. Scoop out potatoes leaving about 1/4 inch thick wall. (Each skin should weigh 2.5 oz after scooped.) In a large bowl, whisk eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Add pepper, ham and bacon and mix well. Spray a medium nonstick skillet with olive oil spray and cook the eggs, mixing often. Heat oven to 450. Lightly spray potato skins on both sides with oil. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Fill with eggs and top each one with cheese. Place on a baking sheet and bake 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Nutritional Information: 362 calories, 35 carbs, 12fat grams and 26 protein grams.

Review: These are great! I'd be lying if I said they weren't a good bit of work. Between the microwavable cooking of each potato, the scooping of each potato, the adding of topping to each potato, etc. - it takes a while. No lie. Here's a tip: use bigger potatoes so that once you scoop you have more room for the egg filling. If you do this, cook the potatoes longer. I have to be honest, while they are a lot of work they're VERY yummy and, to me, worth it, especially if you're cooking on Sunday/when you have time and have the potatoes going while other things are cooking in the oven, slowcooker and on the stove. They also reheated well. I served mine with 2 tbsp fat-free sour cream on the side (added 20 calories) and 'dipped' them in there. I think salsa would have been wonderful too! These are fun and you can definitely have fun with them, mixing up the filling and toppings! For the leftover potatoes (what was scooped out), I made mashed potatoes for Austin by tossing them in a pan with 1 tbsp light butter, 3 tbsp fat-free sour cream and 2 tsp minced garlic. I added some salt and pepper and stirred for about 5 minutes, then topped with chives.

Breakfast Risotto with Tomatoes and Mushrooms

Breakfast Risotto with Tomatoes and Mushrooms
Recipe adapted from a Lauren’s Kitchen
Makes 4 Servings

1 14.5oz can diced tomatoes
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp of minced garlic, divided
½ cup chardonnay
1 ½ cup fat-free chicken broth
1 cup Arborio rice
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 8 oz. package sliced mushrooms
8 tsp parmesan cheese, divided

Optional: parsley for garnish

Add tomatoes to colander. Season drained tomatoes with the salt and stir to combine. Allow mixture to drain while prepping other ingredients. Place a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add rice to the saucepan and stir to evenly coat with oil, about 1 minute. Add 2 tsp garlic, wine and broth and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring once. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook rice for about 20 minutes: you want the rice to be tender, but still slightly firm. While the rice is cooking, heat a small pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, remaining 1 tsp of garlic and mushrooms. Sauté until moisture has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and stir until rice is done, then add mixture to cooked rice. Stir to combine. Taste and add more salt if desired. Divide into four servings and top each with 2 tsp parmesan cheese. Garnish with parsley if desired.

Nutritional Information: 312 calories, 45 carbs, 8 fat grams and 8 protein grams.

Review: YUM - I am a huge mushroom fan, which I think you must be to enjoy this recipe. The rice cooked quickly and easily without all of the stirring - I was able to make another recipe while it cooked itself! And while I was a bit nervous about using canned tomatoes instead of fresh since there were so few ingredients - it worked out great and tasted wonderful. The parmesan cheese on top added a lot - I tried it without it but it was definitely missing it - but the little bit went a long way. I'd definitely eat this again, it was easy to make, and I like the 300-calorie mark - perfect for breakfast. I do wonder if I could add almonds are some kind of nut to up that protein. Hmmmm. I'll keep you posted!

Chicken Curry in a Hurry

Chicken Curry in a Hurry
Recipe adapted from Cooking Light recipe
Makes 4 Servings

2 tsp olive oil
½ cup yellow onion
2 tsp curry powder
½ cup fat-free plain yogurt (fage 0%)
¼ cup heavy cream
½ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp pepper
1 pound chicken, cooked in salt and pepper and shredded
3 cups white rice, dry
¼ cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 7 minutes. Sprinkle with curry powder and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add yogurt and cream and simmer gently for 3 minutes. Stir in salt and pepper. Remove from heat. Divide the rice (and chicken among individual bowls, spoon the sauce over the top, and sprinkle with the cilantro.

Nutritional Information: 464 calories, 60 carbs, 8 fat grams and 30 protein grams.

Review: YUM! This one wasn't as good as the tikka masala I made the same night, but hello - it was 'in a hurry' so obvi a lot less went into it. Also, they're so different, this is a yellow, curry powder-based sauce whereas that was a red/tomato-based sauce. I did think this has a lot of flavor - the onions came out nicely at the end and the sauce, while there wasn't a lot, was thick and easily covered all of the rice and chicken once stirred. I will definitely have this and won't change a thing - i'm also so glad I was able to use heavy cream, but still have the recipe around 450 calories - YUM!

Chicken Tikka Masala

Chicken Tikka Masala
Recipe adapted from My Bizzy Kitchen
Makes 4 Servings

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced
6 oz. Nonfat, Plain Greek Yogurt, divided (Fage 0%)
1 tbsp lemon juice
4 tsp ground cumin, divided
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp table salt
1 tbsp light canola butter
1 tsp minced garlic, jarred
2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp curry powder
6 dried red chiles
1 14-oz. can tomato sauce
1 small jalapeno, cut in half, seeded and finely diced
1/4 tsp Sriracha Chili Sauce
3 cups rice

Mix 3 ounces of yogurt with chicken, lemon juice, 2 tsp. cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, salt and pepper. Let sit for an hour. Melt butter and add jalapeno pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add remaining 2 teaspoons cumin, paprika, garlic, curry powder, sriracha sauce and stir for 2 minutes, until fragrant. Add chicken and cook for five minutes. Add tomato sauce and chiles and simmer for 15 minutes until chicken is fully cooked. While simmering, cook rice per package instructions. Remove chicken from heat, stir in remaining 3 ounces of Greek yogurt. Divide rice into four servings. Top with chicken and garnish with cilantro.

Nutritional Information: 458 calories, 58 carbs, 8 fat grams and 40 protein grams.

Review: So this was the most involved Indian recipe I've ever made in the fact that I felt like I was using real Indian ingredients- I had to go to an Indian grocer for the red chiles! The recipes makes a lot of sauce - easily enough for each serving to have 3/4 cup. I liked how much it made, and it wasn't soup, but it wasn't thick either - perfect really! The yogurt mix in at the end really cooled it down, but it was still very spicy! We have decided that this is my best Indian recipe ("by far" Austin said - I tried to not be offended. hehe). There isn't one thing I would change and can't wait to eat it again - it even reheated VERY well at lunch today! So if you're up for thick red curry with a kick - go for this dish!

Cheesy Broccoli & Chicken

Cheesy Broccoli & Chicken
Recipe adapted from About.com recipe
Makes 4 Servings

1 can broccoli & cheese soup (not fat-free)
1 pound chicken, frozen
1 14-oz. bag frozen broccoli
½ cup skim milk
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, use more to taste
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons parsley, dried
Salt and pepper to taste
3 cups white rice, cooked per microwave instructions

Place chicken in crockpot. Cover with frozen veggies and soup. Add seasonings to taste. Cook on high 3 hours. Add milk and cook for another 30 minutes. Divide cooked rice into four servings, and spoon ¼ of the recipe onto each serving of rice.

Nutritional Information: 467 calories, 68 carbs, 4 fat grams and 32 protein grams.

Review: This tasted like Thanksgiving - for real! I loved how it tasted like cheesy broccoli, and the chicken just shredded right up and blended in to the mix. It tasted best fresh - super creamy and was great over the rice. Reheat wasn't bad, but I definitely had to add some water and salt to get it back up to par, so I'd suggest making this to eat that day (I would even bring this to a Thanksgiving pot luck - i'd just add cooked white rice at the end, stir, and turn it to warm! All in all, a recipe i'll make again.