Kelly's Healthified Kitchen

Southwest Chicken Wontons

2012-02-29T08:27:00.000-05:00

Southwest Chicken Wontons
Recipe inspired by Picky palate
Makes 4 Servings

1 tbsp olive oil
½ cup white onions, finely diced
½ red bell pepper, finely diced
1 tbsp minced garlic, jarred
1 12 oz. can chunk chicken, drained
¼ cup packed fresh cilantro, finely diced
¼ cup salsa (green or red)
2 tbsp light ranch dressing
32 wonton wrappers (half of pack)
1 egg white whisked with 2 tbsp water

Preheat oven to 375. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté onions and bell pepper for 5 minutes. Stir in garlic for 1 minute and remove from heat. In a large bowl (or food processor), add onion mixture, chicken, cilantro, salsa and ranch. Mix (or process) until well combined . Lay out all 32 wonton wrappers on wax paper. Place 1 tablespoon chicken mixture in center of each wrapper. Dig fingers in egg white wash, fold over filling and press edges together firmly, forming a triangle. Repeat with remaining wontons. Lay each on a baking sheet sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Brush tops with remaining egg white wash. Bake for 10 minutes, flip each over (brush with egg white wash again), then bake for 5 – 10 minutes or until crispy. Serve with salsa or ranch if desired.

Nutritional information (for 8 wontons not including dips): 311 calories, 37 carbs, 7 fat grams and 24 protein grams. To freeze, prepare as stated above (even cook them). Place wontons in freezer bag and freeze. To prepare after freezing, bake from frozen at 350 for 15 minutes.

Review: Um, YUM. I’m a huge fan of wontons of course, so these didn’t disappoint. I used my processor to mix the whole filling into a spoonable dip, and then spooned it on to each one, dipping into a tbsp of ranch. Fabulous! We each had 8 for the serving, then froze the last 16 to test the freezing. It froze wonderfully and tasted just as good as the first time. I’ll be making these again! Love that all 8 make a little meal, but you could also serve as an appetizer of course!

Before folding!

Sausage, Potato & Edamame Breakfast Scramble

2012-02-27T08:05:00.000-05:00

Sausage, Potato & Edamame Breakfast Scramble
Recipe adapted from Slim Shopping
Makes 4 Servings

1 tbsp coconut oil
12 oz. sweet potatoes, thinly sliced
1/2 cup finely diced onion
5 links Chicken sausage, cooked
½ cup edamame, beans removed
4 eggs, cracked and whisked together
Siracha, salt and pepper (to taste)

In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp coconut oil. Add onions and sweet potatoes, and sauté for 5 minutes. Add bell pepper and 2 tablespoons of water and cover for about 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are softened. Add the edamame and sausage. Cook for another 5 minutes, covered. Remove from the pan, wipe it clean and cook the egg mixture. Serve on the side of the hash.

Nutritional Information: 328 calories, 23 carbs, 17 fat grams and 23 protein grams.

Review: Very good! Different, not what I would think of when I think for breakfast. You could easily sub in a lima bean or a butter bean, but the soy beans were great with the sweet potatoes. The sausage was great too, and went well with the sweet potato and beans. Definitely an easy one and it reheated well at work the next day!

Stuffed Green Peppers

2012-02-25T14:16:00.002-05:00

Stuffed Green Peppers
Recipe adapted from Blog Chef
Makes 6 Servings

½ tbsp olive oil
½ tbsp. minced garlic
1/3 cup onion (chopped)
1 pound 96/4 ground beef
salt and pepper (to taste)
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
½ cup uncooked long-grain rice
½ cup water
6 green bell peppers
salt ( to taste)
2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed tomato soup
4 oz. shredded 75% fat-free cabot cheddar cheese, divided

In a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil and garlic. Heat until fragrant, then add ground beef and onions. Cook for 5 minutes or until beef is browned. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in tomatoes, rice, ½ cup of water and Worcestershire sauce. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. In the meantime, bring a large pot of water to boil. Cut the tops off the peppers. Remove the seeds, discard the tops, and place the bottoms into the boiling water; boil for 5 minutes. (you may need to do in batches) Drain and sprinkle salt inside each pepper. Once done, remove meat mixture from heat. Stir in half of the cheese. Preheat oven to 350. Stuff each pepper with the beef and rice mixture, and place peppers open side up in a baking dish. In a medium bowl combine tomato soup with just enough water to make the soup a gravy consistency. Pour the soup over the peppers. Cover with foil (spray inside with nonstick cooking spray) and place in the oven for 25 minutes. Uncover, top with remaining cheese and bake for 5 minutes.

Nutritional Information: 323 calories, 36 carbs, 8 fat grams and 26 protein grams.

Review: Awesome! Loved the tomato soup topper and they reheated wonderfully - even brought them to work in a tub! I will say they take a while, between boiling the pepper to making the mixture to scooping it in, etc. - it can be a bit much. But I think it's worth it and fun for a weekend meal when you have a bit more time. We made it during the week and it took a bit too long for me! Regardless, great, yummy recipe and we'll absolutely have them again.

Tortellini Arugula Salad with Balsamic-Tomato Vinaigrette

2012-02-18T11:44:00.001-05:00

Tortellini Arugula Salad with Balsamic-Tomato Vinaigrette

Recipe adapted from My Kitchen Café
Makes 4 Servings

9 ounce package refrigerated cheese tortellini
8 cups arugula, divided
¼ cup sun dried tomatoes
2 oz. crumbled fat-free feta cheese
¼ cup diced red onion
Dressing:
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp minced garlic, jarred
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp tomato paste
1/8 tsp salt and pepper
1/4 cup olive oil

Cook tortellini in boiling water until al dente. Drain and let cool in colander. In a small bowl that has a lid, toss all the salad ingredients together. Shake until well blended (process in a blend if you prefer). Prepare 4 bowls; each with 2 cups arugula, 1 tbsp sundried tomatoes, 2 tbsp fat-free feta cheese and 1 tbsp red onion. Top each with 1-2 tbsp of dressing.

Nutritional Information: 377 calories, 36 carbs, 20 fat grams and 15 protein grams.

Review: WOW - this tasted like something I would order at a restaurant! I've never had tortellini in a salad but just love it, and the homemade dressing was AWESOME. I just truly believe that the feta, red onion, the tomatoes - it all just blended and went together perfectly. Note: the original recipe called for spinach as opposed to arugula and a can of artichoke hearts but I went without that. And I think you could TOTALLY had chicken to this for more protein - yum!

Mom's Lemon Chicken

2012-02-17T08:57:00.000-05:00

Mom’s Lemon Chicken
Makes 4 servings

16 oz. chicken, raw, diced
1 can fat-free cream of chicken soup
½ tsp salt
½ tsp paprika
1/8 tsp tarragon leaves
Juice from 1/2 lemon (about 2 tbsp)
Zest from 1 lemon (about 2 tsp)
¼ cup water
2 cups white microwavable rice, cooked
4 cups green beans, cooked

Heat a large pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray over medium heat. Add chicken, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook until brown, about 6 minutes. In the meantime, mix soup, salt, paprika, tarragon, lemon juice and water. Pour mixture over chicken and simmer for 1 hour covered. Stir occasionally. Serve over rice with green beans on the side.

Nutritional Information: 368 calories, 50 carbs, 3 fat grams and 30 protein grams.

Review: Yum - I grew up eating this gravy-like dish and just love it. I requested it so much as a little girl, and it was great to eat it again, albeit a healthified version of it. I thought it tasted pretty dang close to 'the real thing' - and was so glad that I pulled it out of the recipe archives from my mom! Thanks, mom, Austin liked it a lot, too! :)

Pork Sesame Noodles

2012-02-13T09:48:00.001-05:00

Pork Sesame Noodles
Recipe inspired by Stacey Snacks
Makes 4 Servings

½ tbsp canola oil
1 tbsp minced garlic
8 oz. spaghetti
16 oz. raw pork medallions, sliced thinly
Sauce:
3 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp siriacha sauce
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
2 carrots, grated
3 green onions (scallions), diced
handful of fresh cilantro (optional)

Cook pasta per package instructions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds stirring constantly. Remove from heat and put garlic in a bowl. Add sauce ingredients and stir together with a whisk. Set sauce aside. Put pan back on heat (will likely have garlic/oil remnants – that’s great!). Add pork to pan. Cook about 3 minutes on each side, until no longer pink. Pour sauce over pork, and add veggies. Cook for two minutes, stirring constantly. Then add pasta, stirring well with tongs, 1-2 minutes. Serve garnished with cilantro.

Nutritional Information: 463 calories, 55 carbs, 11 fat grams and 37 protein grams.

Review: Easy, spicy, simple and filling! Love them - will definitely use this easy sauce again, with any meat or with rice instead of pasta. I also loved the veggie blend, and thought it was plenty of sauce for the dish. The cilantro was a nice to have but definitely not a must have. I think this would be a fun one to make your own - thrown in other peppers or onions - cabbage would also be good! Great stir fry - we're adding to the rotation! And FYI - my new food processor was AMAZING for this dish - threw the pepper, carrots and cilantro in there together - easy peasy!

Italian Wonton Bites

2012-02-09T16:12:00.001-05:00

Italian Wonton Bites
Makes 12 Appetizers

12 wonton wrappers
24 turkey pepperonis
12 tbsp reduced fat spaghetti sauce (3/4 cup)
56 grams reduced fat mozzarella cheese (for inside cups)
28 grams reduced fat mozzarella cheese (for on top of cups)
4 tsp fresh, shredded parmesan cheese
Fresh basil, diced, as garnish
Red pepper flakes to taste

Preheat oven to 350. Spray nonstick spray into muffin tins. Add one wonton wrap to each muffin cup and add 14 grams of cheese for each 3 cups/serving. Bake for 8 minutes – checking frequently to make sure they don’t burn. Remove from oven, add 1 tbsp sauce and 2 pepperonis to each cup. Top with final ounce of cheese across each cup, 1 tsp of parmesan across each set of 3 cups and sprinkle each with basil.

Nutritional Information (per cup): 55 calories, 9 carbs, 2 fat grams and 4 protein grams.

Review: Yummy! These were saucy, so they were a tad messy! I'd suggest using less sauce to make them a little bit easier to manage, or doubling up the wontons so they can hold it better. Other than this, I'd make them exactly the same - great little bites, fun appetizer and flavorful. Good bites - LOVING making recipes with wontons!

Eggs & Sweet Potato Hash

2012-02-06T08:45:00.000-05:00

Eggs & Sweet Potato Hash
Recipe inspired by Paleo Plan
Makes 4 Servings

2 tbsp coconut oil
12 oz. sweet potato, diced into 1/2" cubes
1 cup yellow onion, diced
2 links Jenie-O Sweet Italian turkey sausages, sliced
1 cup green bell pepper, diced
4 eggs
Dash of pepper
Optional side: mushrooms

In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp coconut oil. Add onions and sweet potatoes, and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the sausages and continue to cook until sausages are browned and sweet potatoes are slightly softened. Add bell peppers and 1 tbsp of water. Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are completely soft; stir frequently to ensure it doesn't stick. Meanwhile, cook eggs in remaining coconut oil. Season eggs with black pepper and serve on the side of sweet potato hash.

Nutritional information (per serving): 301 calories, 23 carbs, 17 fat grams and 15 protein grams.

Review: Amazing! Seriously - my first time using coconut oil and I will absolutely be using it again. It goes so well with sweet potatoes, and gave the hash an amazing, almost sweet, flavor. This reheated well, too - I just heated it for 1 minute on medium heat, then 30 seconds on high heat. I also had a steamed mushroom on the side, just for fun. :) Austins's mom gave me a steamer a while back, and i've been using it left and right for potatoes, veggies and more - good stuff.

North Indian Style Chicken

2012-02-01T08:15:00.000-05:00

North Indian Style Chicken
Recipe inspired by Sunset Magazine
Makes 4 Servings

3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cayenne
1 large onion, chopped
8 ounces mushrooms
2-in. piece fresh ginger
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 tsp each ground coriander and cumin
2 tsp kosher salt
1 ½ pound boned, skinned chicken thighs, cut into 1-in. chunks
1 14-oz. can diced tomatoes
5 - 10 oz. baby spinach
8 tbsp cilantro
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (1/2 of lemon yields)

In a large pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Meanwhile, mince ginger. Add ginger, garlic, turmeric, cayenne, coriander, cumin and salt to pan; sizzle a few seconds. Add chicken and cook, stirring often, 3 minutes, or until no longer pink on the outside. Add tomatoes and simmer, covered, 8 minutes. Stir in spinach and simmer, covered, until wilted, about 3 minutes. Meanwhile, chop enough cilantro to yield 1 cup. Stir into pan, along with lemon juice.

Nutritional Information (per serving): 389 calories, 17 carbs, 19 fat grams and 39 protein grams.

Review: WOW. First of all, chicken thighs are awesome. I've never cooked with them as I've always gone for lean meats, but with paleo, fattier meats are on the menu! This dish made me not even miss the carbs - I loved all of the flavors, the spicy sauce, the mushrooms - just a great dish. I could easily see having this over cauliflower rice next time - having some "rice" would be great!

Mini Paleo Muffins

2012-01-29T09:35:00.000-05:00

Mini Paleo Muffins
Makes 6 Servings

12 eggs
2 tbsp minced garlic
3 Jennie-O Sweet Italian Sausage links, cooked and crumbled
¼ cup Red bell pepper, diced
¼ cup Mushrooms, diced
2 tbsp Sundried tomato, diced
2 tbsp Scallion, diced
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 tbsp water
Optional toppings: 2 avocados, divided into 4; salsa

Preheat oven to 350. Spray 6 ramekins with nonstick cooking spray. In a bowl, beat the eggs. Add garlic, sausage, vegetables, salt, pepper and water; stir to combine. Carefully pour into ramekins. Bake for 35-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out almost clean.

Nutritional information (per serving; without toppings): 250 calories, 5 carbs, 16 fat grams and 22 protein grams. (per serving; with toppings): 325 calories, 10 carbs, 23 fat grams and 23 protein grams.

Review: Fabulous! I served each of mine with 1/4 of an avocado and dipped it in salsa - yum! It was very filling and had a good kick from the spicy sausage. I liked how easy these were, too, and that you can easily make more (assuming you have the ramekins) or less. They reheated well, and were a great 'work' breakfast, too. I just brought one (wrapped in foil) to work (along with a bag of toppings!) and it was great. And note: It may be easier to put sausage and vegetables into the ramekins first, then pour egg over it.

Pesto Butternut Squash Pizza

2012-01-25T19:22:00.000-05:00

Pesto Butternut Squash Pizza
Makes 4 Servings
Adapted from Cooking Light

6 (1/4-inch-thick) slices peeled butternut squash (about 1/2 pound)
2 tsp splenda
1 tsp olive oil
Cooking spray
1 pound pizza dough OR 1 Pillsbury crust (thin)
2 oz. shredded reduced fat mozzarella
2 tbsp reduced fat parmesan cheese
1 14.5-ounce can finely chopped tomatoes, drained well
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 cup pesto (12 tsp)
10 grams (4 tsp) shredded fresh Parmesan cheese
Red pepper flakes to taste

Preheat oven to 400°. Combine first 3 ingredients in a medium bowl. Place squash mixture on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake for 20 minutes or until squash is tender. If using Pillsbury dough, pre-bake on its own for 5 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle dough with mozzarella and grated parmesan. Top with squash mixture, tomatoes and oregano. Drop Pesto by 12 level teaspoons onto pizza; sprinkle with shredded fresh parmesan. Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly browned.

Nutritional Information: 428 calories, 58 carbs, 19 fat grams and 15 protein grams.

Review: YUM! I never would have thought about putting squash on a pizza, but it tasted wonderful and i'm so glad I did it! The pesto went well with it, as well as the parmesean. Although, next time, I will spread the pesto across the top instead of the drops. The drops were fun, but I wished I'd had pesto in every single bite! I will definitely make this again - loved the colors, the taste, how filling it was and think it's a great seasonal meal.

Creamy Cajun Chicken Alfredo

2012-01-21T17:43:00.000-05:00

Creamy Cajun Chicken Alfredo
Recipe adapted from Food Network
Makes 6 servings

1 pound raw chicken (3 boneless skinless chicken breasts)
1 tbsp blackened seasoning (Seasoning: 1 tbsp salt, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, thyme; 1 tsp cayenne pepper, black pepper, basil and oregano; you will have extra – I jarred mine for later use!)
2 tbsp minced garlic, jarred
½ cup sundried tomatoes, minced
¼ cup chicken broth
1 jar light alfredo sauce
1 tbsp creole seasoning
8 tsp parmesan cheese
11 oz. linguine, cooked
½ cup green onions, diced

Place chicken and blackening seasoning in a bag and toss to coat. In a nonstick pan over medium high heat, cook chicken until blackened on the outside; 3 minutes on each side. Remove chicken and let it cool for 10 minutes before slicing into bite sized pieces (if it is still a bit pink in the middle do not worry, it will cook more in the next step). In the meantime, reduce heat to low. Add garlic to pan and tomatoes; sauté 1 minute until garlic browns. De-glaze pan with chicken broth. Add alfredo sauce and creole seasoning, stirring 3-4 minutes until warm and bubbly. Add chicken back to pan. Turn heat to medium for 4 minutes while chicken continues to cook. Add parmesan cheese and stir for 2 minutes. Stir in linguine and green onions for 2 minutes until mixed well.

Nutritional Information: 392 calories, 46 carbs, 11 fat grams and 28 protein grams.

Review: Great dish! Very spicy, but not too spicy. It was definitely a cream sauce, that tasted very sinful and like something I wouldn’t order at Olive Garden for fear of it being calorific. The sundried tomatoes added a lot, and with the small chicken bites it blended well. The parmesan at the end really helped thicken it up. All in all, a new favorite around here. Very filling, sinful-tasting and something I would make for guests for sure! To make it easier to eat, use a smaller pasta shape. To reduce spiciness, use ½ tbsp blackened seasoning and ½ tbsp of creole seasoning. (and note: I froze a serving of this to test it - it reheated SO well - just as creamy!)

Butternut Squash Black Bean Burritos

2012-01-14T11:47:00.000-05:00

Butternut Squash Black Bean Burritos
Recipe Inspired by One Heatlhy Apple and Dinners for a Year and Beyond
Makes 4 Servings

1/2 pound ground turkey
1 tsp olive oil
salt, pepper and paprika to taste
1 4 oz. can green chiles
2 oz. Cabot 75% reduced fat cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup cooked butternut squash
1/2 can black beans
1 batch homemade enchilada sauce (add 1 can tomato paste; ¾ cup water; 1 ½ tsp cumin, ¼ tsp chili powder to a small sauce pan over medium heat; whisk together for 1 minute; Add in 1 14 oz. can vegetable stock and ½ tsp kosher salt; Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes)
4 large tortillas
Cilantro to garnish (optional)

Brown turkey in a skillet with olive oil, salt, pepper and paprika, and set to the side. Mix cooked turkey with chiles, shredded cheese, butternut squash and black beans in a bowl. Pour a layer of enchilada sauce at the bottom of your baking dish. Stuff each tortilla with 1/4 of the stuffing and roll up; repeat until finished. Pour remaining enchilada sauce on top and sprinkle with cheese. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and browned. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Nutritional Information: 397 calories, 56 carbs, 9 fat grams and 25 protein grams.

Review: I find these amazing. Not going to lie – the sauce absolutely makes them. Typically I’m not a big fan of ground turkey, so to be able to ‘mask’ it in this soft tortilla and yummy sauce is wonderful! The beans went really well with the squah, and like always, the squash made this super filling. It reheated very well, and is a winner with us. Definitely make this your own – try other squash or veggies, try chicken or beef – it’s easy to mix this one up and make it your favorite. Just make the sauce and you’ll be fine!

Egg and Cheese Breakfast Tacos with Homemade Salsa

2012-01-09T11:55:00.001-05:00

Egg and Cheese Breakfast Tacos with Homemade Salsa
Makes 4 Servings
Recipe adapted from Cooking Light Recipe

½ cup tomato, diced
2 tbsp diced red onion, diced
1 tbsp fresh cilantro, finely diced
½ jalapeno pepper, ribbed and deseeded, finely diced
1/8 tsp kosher salt
3 tsp lime juice, divided
1 tsp minced garlic, divided
1 can fat-free refried beans
¼ tsp cumin
1 tbsp fat-free milk
6 large eggs, beaten lightly
¼ cup green onions, diced
8 small flour tortillas
2 oz. Cabot 75% reduced fat cheddar cheese
8 tsp fat-free sour cream, divided

Combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl. Stir in 1 tsp lime juice and ½ tsp garlic. Combine beans, remaining 2 tsp juice, remaining ½ tsp garlic and cumin in another bowl. Combine milk and eggs in a medium bowl; stir with a whisk. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add green onions to pan; sauté 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in egg mixture; cook 3 minutes until scrambled, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Warm tortillas in microwave. Spread 2 tbsp bean mixture on each tortilla. Spoon 2 tbsp egg mixture down center, and top with ½ tbsp tomato mixture, ½ tbsp cheese and 1 tsp sour cream.

Nutritional Information per serving (2 tacos): 386 calories, 46 carbs, 10 fat grams and 25 protein grams.

Review: At first I was like really? Make my own salsa? But it added so much to these beans and eggs! I was also nervous about refried beans but they went so well with the green-onion eggs and everything had a lot of flavor. I wouldn't change a thing - it was a wonderful, filling breakfast that tasted excellent! I will say that it had about 10 minutes of prep work, and I think it would be best served on the weekends so that all servings are eaten when made - we had to box up half of the bean mixture, the egg mixture and the salsa for next time, which was kind of cumbersome. Although it did reheat well, it was just kind of a pain. All in all, i'd make these again and i'd make them for a crowd if you had visitors on the weekend! Great, meatless meal!

Turkey & Squash Risotto

2012-01-03T20:54:00.001-05:00

Turkey & Squash Risotto
Recipe inspired by Closet Cooking
Makes 4 Servings

2 tbsp light butter in canola oil
1 onion, raw, diced
1 cup butternut squash, raw (cut into bite sized pieces)
1 cup arborio rice
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground allspice
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp cumin
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup dried cranberries (optional)
1/2 pound turkey (cooked, cut into bite sized pieces)
12 tsp parmesan cheese (ground)
10 grams parmesan cheese (fresh)

Melt butter in a large sauce pan. Add onions and squash and simmer for 5 minutes to start softening them. Add rice and spices and coat with butter. Add wine and stir until evaporated. Add 1/4 cup of stock at a time and stir until it has evaporated over 20 minutes of cooking time. Add cranberries after 1 cup of stock has been added (after about 10 minutes). Once it’s done, add turkey and parmesan; stir until turkey is heated.

Nutritional Information: 369 calories, 46 carbs, 10 fat grams and 18 protein grams.

Review: Excellent! Such a great fall/winter dish. The turkey added a lot to make it more filling, and the risotto and butternut squash blended together so well. I did add a bit of salt, but that was about it! You would be fine to sub 96/4 ground beef for it if you preferred, but the turkey was a nice change of pace. I don't normally like the taste of turkey, so it's great to find recipes that have enough flavor to mask it a bit - and this did - so it's a winner with me! Also, while I said the little cranberries were optional, I must say I really liked these surprise bites of sweetness!

Slowcooker Mexican Beefy Mac

2011-12-28T08:58:00.006-05:00

Slowcooker Mexican Beefy Mac
Makes 4 Servings

1 pound ground beef
1 tbsp minced garlic, jarred
salt and pepper, to taste
1 can fat-free cream of chicken soup
½ cup fat-free sour cream
1 can rotel
1 packet taco seasoning
1 tsp hot sauce
8 oz. pasta (short shape of your choice)

Add beef to slowcooker. Mix soup, garlic, sour cream, rotel, taco seasoning and hot sauce. Stir well and pour over beef. Cook on high 3 hours. Stir, ensuring beef is cooked/no longer pink. If cooked, stir in noodles. Cook for 20 minutes until noodles soften.

Nutritional Information: 457 calories, 60 carabs, 7 fat grams and 32 protein grams.

Review: This was super easy, yummy and spicy! I liked being able to just add raw meat and a few cans/packets to a slowcooker and then having a yummy meal. To reduce the spice, simply remove or decrease the hot sauce - easy peasy. I liked this dish too because I LOVE slowcooker dishes and that cook the pasta for me - gives the noodles a lot of great flavor. This one is an easy one and will definitely be repeated. To make it 6 servings I'd consider just adding a can of corn or a can of black beans! This is definitely one of those you can make your own by adding salsa instead of rotel, topping with guac or jalapeno, etc.

Christmas Breakfast Round Up!

2011-12-26T17:15:00.000-05:00

I posted this over on my other blog and thought I should add it here too - LOVING these Christmas-breakfast-recipes!
1. Breakfast Wonton Cups

Breakfast Wonton cups
Makes 4 Servings (12 cups)
Recipe adapted from Cooking with Mel
Nutritional Information (for 3 cups): 262 calories, 14 carbs, 12 fat grams and 21 protein grams.
I LOVED these little bits of fabulous. I loved that you could have 3, I loved the flavor. I hearted the crispy on the outside fluffy egg in the inside. Make these! All you need are simple ingredients and a muffin tin! You could even let guests make their own with a toppings bar! Recipe is here!

2. Italian Egg Bake

Italian Egg Bake
Makes 6 Servings
Inspired by a Pillsbury recipe
Nutritional Information: 353 calories, 24 carbs, 17 fat grams and 24 protein grams.
Tastes great and is very filling - didn't take long either which is always nice. I'd pre-cooked the sausage, so it was already in a box cooked and ready, and the cheese was already grated too - this helped! I liked the add of the Italian bread crumbs - the crunchy topping was nice with the softer, fluffy egg/potato layer. It's also great that it makes 6 servings AND reheats well. Recipe is here!

3. Spicy Potato & Bacon Breakfast

Spicy Potato and Bacon Breakfast Casserole
Recipe adapted from Our Best Bites
Makes 4 Servings
Nutritional Information: 308 calories, 27 carbs, 12 fat grams and 22 protein grams.

Really easy, pretty (in my humble opinion) and made very healthy sized servings. Especially for 300 calories - I felt more like it tasted like a 400-calorie meal! It's a keeper, and I think you could really make it your own with more veggies, too! Recipe is here!

4. Ricotta Tomato Toast & Italian Eggs

Ricotta Tomato Toast and Italian Eggs

Makes 4 Servings
Nutritional Information: 295 calories, 16 carbs, 16 fat grams and 25 protein grams.

LOVE the basily eggs - so good! The toast is great too, but just make sure you're okay with the fact that it's a bit cold (if that makes sense). The eggs are warm (obvi) but the toast isn't due to the cold tomato! Recipe is here!

5. Breakfast Nachos

Breakfast Nachos
Recipe from My Bizzy Kitchen
Makes 2 Servings
Nutritional Information: 337 calories, 32 carbs, 15 fat grams and 18 protein grams.

YUM. Seriously - I loved the flavors of the eggs, bacon and salsa and the crunch of the nachos, which made them really fun to eat. It filled me up to - while the calories aren't super high the fat helped as well as the protein. Just double, triple or quadruple for a crowd - just get out your baking sheets and go! Recipe is here!

There you have it - Christmas Breakfast round-up!

Breakfast Wonton cups

2011-12-23T19:18:00.002-05:00

Breakfast Wonton cups
Makes 4 Servings (12 cups)
Recipe adapted from Cooking with Mel

12 Wonton Wraps
2 oz. (56 grams) Cabot 75% reduced fat cheese, shredded (divided)
5 eggs
½ tbsp garlic powder
2 tsp hot sauce
½ tbsp onion powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
¼ cup fat-free milk
½ red bell pepper, diced
2 tbsp fresh parsley, diced
½ tbsp minced garlic
8 slices turkey bacon
1 oz. Sargento Reduced Fat Mexican Cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 400. Spray nonstick spray into muffin tins. Add one wonton wrap to each muffin cup and add all of the cabot cheese at the bottom (14 grams of cheese for each 3 cups/serving). Bake for 5 minutes. Combine eggs, garlic powder, hot sauce, onion powder, salt and pepper and milk. Whisk together. Dice pepper into small pieces and add to egg mixture along with parsley. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic. Stir for 30 seconds, then add bacon. Heat 2 minutes on each side until crisp. Remove from pan and dice. Remove pan from oven. Sprinkle 2 pieces of now-diced bacon each over each 3 cups/serving. Pour egg mixture evenly across each cup, and top with final ounce cheese across each cup. Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes (or until the eggs are set).

Nutritional Information (for 3 cups): 262 calories, 14 carbs, 12 fat grams and 21 protein grams.

Review: Seriously?! I LOVED these little bits of fabulous. I loved that you could have 3, I loved the flavor. I hearted the crispy on the outside fluffy egg in the inside. I worried the spice would be too overpowering but it was JUST right. To make this easier, just dice up some ham and use pre-shredded cheese and/or pre-cut veggies. I think I am about to try a TON of variations of these – SO exciting!

Slowcooker Chicken, Chickpea & Potato Curry

2011-12-22T12:50:00.000-05:00

Slowcooker Chicken, Chickpea & Potato Curry
Adapted from allrecipes.com
Makes 6 Servings

22 oz. chicken (frozen or raw)
1 tbsp canola oil
2 cups carrots, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 onion, sliced
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp curry powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 can diced tomatoes (not drained)
4-5 red potatoes, quartered (24 oz.)
2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 cups vegetable stock
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup light coconut milk

Spray slowcooker with cooking spray. Add chicken. Heat oil in a pan over medium. Add garlic. Stir constantly for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add carrots and onion; sauté 3-4 minutes. Add spices and tomatoes to the pan. Continue to cook for an additional 2 minutes or until the spices become fragrant. Remove from heat and pour into slow cooker. Add potatoes, chickepeas, vegetable stock and a bay leaf. Set slow cooker on high for 3 hours. Add milk and continue to cook for 15 minutes. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Nutritional Information: 409 calories, 51 carbs, 7 fat grams and 33 protein grams.

Review: So hearty! This is a great, filling recipe that reheats very well. I loved the use of potatoes - I don't use them enough! And the shredded chicken tasted wonderful. For more spice, simply add red pepper flakes - it had enough for me as is, but Austin added a bit to his! For the carrots, I used pre-cut match sticks - less work! Everything else was pretty much ready to go - just add to the slowcooker and walk away. I also liked that it made 6 servings - and the nutritionals were right in line with my goals for meals.

Oven Chili Dogs

2011-12-11T12:48:00.000-05:00

Oven Chili Dogs
Makes 4 Servings (8 hotdogs total)
Adapted from Real Mom Kitchen and Blog Chef

8 hot dog buns (120 calories or less for each)
8 light hot dogs (100 calories or less for each)
4 tsp mustard
½ cup 98% fat free Hormel Turkey Chili with Beans, divided
2 tbsp white onion, diced
2 tbsp green onion, diced

Preheat oven to 350. Squirt ½ tsp mustard into each hot dog bum. Fill buns with hot dogs in a rectangular baking dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray (6 across and 2 on side). Top each with 1 tbsp chili (save remaining chili in container for another recipe) and white onion. Bake for 40 minutes. Remove from oven and top with green onion. Serve.

Nutritional Information: 446 calories, 53 carbs, 16 fat grams and 22 protein grams.

Review: LOVED. I crave food like this, but don't give in. Now I can! If only I can figure out a way to get these into football games.... that's when I really crave them. LOL But really, great taste, not soggy at all, I loved how it cooked the hot dog in the bun - very tasty.

1 serving - 2 dogs!

Cheeseburger and Fries Casserole

2011-12-01T20:17:00.000-05:00

Cheeseburger and Fries Casserole
Recipe adapted from Lauren’s Kitchen
Makes 4 Servings

1 pound 96/4 ground beef
¼ tsp salt and pepper
¼ tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 can condensed cheddar cheese soup
8 tbsp fat-free sour cream
8 oz. frozen French fries
2 oz. 75% Cabot reduced fat cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375. Bake french fries on baking sheet for 10 minutes while preparing beef. In a skillet over medium heat, brown beef in half of Worcestershire sauce. Cook, stirring occasionally until beef is no longer pink. Drain excess grease, and add seasonings and remaining sauce. Return to heat, and stir in the cheese soup and sour cream until blended. Heat through, 3 minutes, and remove from stove. Transfer to an 8x8 inch baking dish. Cover the ground beef mixture with a layer of partially cooked French fries. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove casserole from oven and sprinkle cheese on top. Return to the oven and bake until cheese has melted, 5 minutes.

Nutritional Information: 403 calories, 26 carbs, 17 fat grams and 31 protein grams.

Review: It really tasted like a cheeseburger! I loved the recipe, the Worcestershire sauce went a long way and the dish was super cheesy and creamy. I worried about how it would reheat, but while the fries did lose their crispiness, it wasn't mushy like I'd feared! The serving size filled me up, and it's definitely a fun, childlike dish. I wouldn't make it for guests (it's just too silly of a dish!), but would definitely make it again for us and think it would be a great meal for kiddos.

One serving!

Thanksgiving Club Sandwiches

2011-11-27T09:54:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving Club Sandwiches
Makes 2 Servings

2 rolls (about 200 calories each)
2 tbsp fat-free mayonnaise
2 tsp minced garlic, jarred
6 oz. cooked turkey, room temperature or warmed in microwave
2 pieces turkey bacon, cooked in microwave
1 slice reduced fat provolone cheese, cut in half
2 tbsp dried cranberries
1 handful arugula

Set oven to broil. Cut rolls in half and lay open side up on a baking sheet. Mix together mayonnaise and garlic in a small prep bowl. Spread on the inside of each roll. Top with turkey, bacon, cheese and carefully place cranberries on cheese. Broil for 3-5 minutes, keeping an eye on the oven to avoid overcooking. Remove when cheese has melted. Add arugula on top and put lid on.

Nutritional Information: 390 calories, 51 carbs, 9 fat grams and 25 protein grams.

Review: LOVED. Super creamy due to the mayo blend and cheese, soft and still crispy due to broiling and the cranberries and arugula added a nice twist. This was a yummy way to use our leftovers - it makes me want to keep cooked turkey around! You could easily take this down in calories by using a less caloric roll. This way you could add a side salad to make up those calories. While it was filling, it may be more filling this way.

The inside!

Lemony Chicken & Rice Soup

2011-11-25T09:19:00.000-05:00

Lemony Chicken & Rice Soup
Makes 4 Servings
Adapted from What’s Cookin’ Chicago

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp minced garlic
1 cup onion, diced
1/2 cup carrot, finely diced or matchsticks
1 pound chicken
1 cup long grain rice
5 cups chicken stock or broth
1/4 cup lemon juice (fresh - juice from 2 lemons)
2 tbsp heavy cream
1/2 cup spinach (optional)
2 tbsp minced fresh parsley (optional)
8 oz. mushrooms (optional)

Heat a large pan (with lid) over medium high heat; add oil. When oil is hot, add garlic and onion. Cook until softened, 5 minutes. Add chicken and brown slightly, then add carrots and rice. Stir to toast the rice for a minute. Add chicken broth and lemon juice to the pot. Bring to a boil and stir. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the rice cooks completely. Add cream. Continue cooking and stirring for 2-3 minutes, then garnish with parsley and serve.

Nutritional Information: 358 calories, 44 carbs, 5 fat grams and 35 protein grams.

Review: Big fan! I will say that the mushrooms gave it a different taste, but I made it without and you got much more of a lemony taste. I thought it had a great flavor, and loved the parsley with lemon taste, and that little bit of cream went a long way, too. I think it's a great fall dish and of course anything with rice is a win for me. My recommendations would be to make sure the chicken is more shredded then diced, use fresh lemon juice, and make sure you cook the onions and carrots to where they're soft not crunchy (which is why i'm a fan of matchstick carrots - easier to cook!).

A bite - yum!

Crockpot Chicken Parmesan

2011-11-22T12:09:00.002-05:00

Crockpot Chicken Parmesan
Inspired by Recipe Shoebox
Makes 4 Servings

1 pound chicken, 4 4-oz. chicken breasts (or 8 2-oz. chicken tenders) - defrosted/not cooked
¼ cup Italian bread crumbs
8 tsp grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 egg, beaten
¼ cup reduced fat mozzarella, grated
1.5 cups spaghetti sauce
8 oz. pasta (long shape of your choice)
Parsley, fresh for garnish (optional)

Spray crockpot with nonstick cooking spray. In a medium bowl, beat egg. In second medium bowl, mix bread crumbs, spices and grated Parmesan cheese together. Dip chicken in beaten egg and then toss into bread crumb mixture to coat on both sides. Place chicken on bottom of crockpot; add mozzarella on top. Cover chicken with sauce. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours. Serve over cooked pasta.

Nutritional information: 457 calories, 56 carbs, 8 fat grams and 41 protein grams.

Review: WOW - we have a new favorite slowcooker recipe! I loved not having to cook the chicken - just drip it in egg, dip it in bread crumb mix, drop on cheese, pour on sauce and walk away while it cooks into yumminess! Austin was a BIG fan - even better than when using the oven. The chicken just falls apart and the breading added a lot to the dish. We'll be having this A LOT - I think it's Austin's favorite slowcooker dish!

Chicken Lo Mein

2011-11-19T11:59:00.001-05:00

Chicken Lo Mein
Makes 4 Servings
Recipe inspired by Blog Chef

1 pound chicken
5 tbsp soy sauce
5 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tsp fresh ginger
1 tbsp fresh garlic
4 tsp sesame oil, divided
1 cups carrots, shredded
1 cup cabbage, sliced thin
8 ounce fat-free chicken broth
3 green onions (sliced)
1 package (10 oz.) Somen noodles (Japanese noodles; cooked and drained)

In a large bowl combine chicken, soy sauce, cornstarch, ginger, and garlic. Mix well and set aside for 10 minutes. Heat 1 teaspoon of sesame oil in a skillet over high heat. Remove chicken with a slotted spoon reserving marinade. Add to the skillet and stir fry until chicken is no longer pink (7-8 minutes). Remove from the skillet and set aside. Add another teaspoon of sesame oil to the skillet and add carrots. Stir try for 1 minute. Remove from the skillet. Add remaining 2 teaspoons of sesame oil and add cabbage and cook for 1 minute. Add chicken broth and the reserve marinade to the wok. Add the cooked chicken and vegetables. Cook until the sauce has thickened (about 1 minute). Mix the chicken and sauce mixture with the cooked linguini and mix in green onions.

Nutritional Information: 467 calories, 63 carbs, 6 fat grams and 37 protein grams.

Review: First, Somen noodles are kind of awesome. Even without any sauce, they have a lot of flavor straight out of the pot plain. I found them at Publix and couldn’t wait to use them. Now, I didn’t have to use 10 oz. (i.e. 5 servings) – but I figured I’d try them all. You can easily take this dish down in calories & carbs by using 4 servings instead. On to the dish – it was a lot of food and very filling. The veggies added a lot of crunch and flavor, and the sauce made up of spices and cornstarch had a great taste and went well with the somen noodles. Great dish, Austin was a fan, we’ll be having it again!

Supreme Pizza Lasagna

2011-11-06T19:06:00.001-05:00

Supreme Pizza Lasagna
Makes 6 Servings

½ cup red onion
8 oz. mushrooms
1 large bell pepper, diced
2 large tomatoes, diced
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp olive oil
400 grams fat-free ricotta cheese
1 egg
150 grams mozzarella cheese, shredded (divided)
2 tbsp parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp dried oregano
2 - 4 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
3 ½ cups low-calorie spaghetti sauce
12 no-boil lasagna noodles
¼ cup progresso Italian Bread Crumbs
50 turkey pepperonis
Optional for spice: red pepper flakes

Preheat oven to 475. Toss onion, mushrooms, bell pepper, tomatoes, garlic and oil in a bowl. Season with salt to taste. Place vegetables on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Spray cooking spray lightly over top of vegetables. Roast for 22 minutes, until golden brown.While they’re cooking, in a medium-sized bowl, add ricotta, egg, 60 grams of mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Combine until mixed thoroughly. Layer a rectangular baking pan with one cup spaghetti sauce. Lay four noodles on top. Spread half of ricotta mixture on the noodles. Then, once done, spoon half of vegetable mixture on top. Repeat with one cup sauce, four noodles, remainder of ricotta mixture, remainder of vegetable mixture and one cup sauce. Top with 50 turkey pepperonis spread evenly, then last four noodles, remaining ½ cup sauce and remaining 90 grams of cheese. Sprinkle on bread crumbs. Bake covered in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 minutes.

Nutritional Information: 410 calories, 49 carbs, 12 fat grams and 22 protein grams.

Review: YUM – it tasted just like pizza to me, but then lasagna. I just really liked it. I always get nervous making my own recipes, but I had all of the vegetables to roast (they were about to go bad!), then the pepperonis were on hand and it just kind of hit me – supreme pizza lasagna! The servings were filling and me and Austin both liked it a lot. I’ll definitely make this again, good dish for a crowd!

whole dish

Vegetables to roast! You can do a huge tray, and then use for several recipes!

Peppery Pork in Creamy Tomato Sauce

2011-11-03T11:29:00.002-04:00

Peppery Pork with Creamy Tomato Sauce
Makes 4 Servings
Recipe adapted from For the Love of Cooking

2 tsp olive oil
1 pound Pork cutlets
1 tbsp light butter
1/2 sweet yellow onion, diced
8 oz of button mushrooms, sliced
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp flour
1 tbsp paprika
1 cup of beef broth
1/4 cup fat-free sour cream
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
8 oz. Egg noodles, cooked per instructions
Handful of baby spinach

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Season both sides of the pork with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Cook pork for 2-3 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Set meat aside to rest under a tin foil tent. Add butter to the same skillet and add onions. Cook for 3 minutes or until slightly tender. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add tomato paste, flour and paprika. Stir well and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add beef broth and stir. Simmer until thickened, then add sour cream and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook egg noodles per package instructions while the sour cream sauce is cooking. Once noodles are done, drain water then toss noodles with fresh spinach. The hot noodles will cook the spinach just slightly. For each serving, place 2 pork cutlets on top of noodles and spinach, then top with the sauce.

Nutritional Information: 432 calories, 51 carbs, 8 fat grams and 38 protein grams.

Review: We've now made this one twice - it's just so good! I love the soft egg noodles and how well they go with the beefy/tomato/creamy sauce. The spinach and mushrooms boost up the veggie quotient (which I'm really trying to get better at!), and it came together quickly. I think it's a great, easy recipe that reheats well, and I'm happy to be finding more pork recipes that I enjoy. I had no idea how calorie-friendly pork cutlets are, or how quickly they cook up due to how thin they are - perfect! I highly recommend this one. And if you worry about the sour cream, don't! Austin made it without it one time and it was great - just a little less creamy and a little more tomatoey!

BBQ Chicken Pizza Cups

2011-10-30T21:12:00.000-04:00

BBQ Chicken Pizza Cups
Makes 4 Servings or 12 appetizers
Recipe Inspired by For the Love of Cooking

Cooking spray
1 tube of refrigerator biscuits
2 oz. 75% reduced fat Cabot cheese, grated
2 oz. reduced fat mozzarella cheese, grated
6 oz. cooked chicken
1/2 cup BBQ sauce
¼ cup red onion, finely diced
¼ cup parsley, finely diced

Preheat the oven to 375. Coat a 12-hole muffin tin with cooking spray. Cut each biscuit in half then press dough into the bottom and sides of each muffin tin. Repeat with remaining dough. Shred chicken. Add 2 tbsp BBQ sauce to chicken and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir. Add 2 more tbsp of BBQ sauce and microwave for 15 seconds. Stir. Spoon 2 tbsp BBQ chicken onto each biscuit. Microwave remaining 4 tbsp BBQ sauce for 20 seconds. While it cooks, mix together cheeses, and top each BBQ chicken biscuit with 10 grams cheese and 1 tsp red onion. Spoon a dollop of BB sauce on top of each. Bake for 10 minutes; remove from onion, sprinkle on parsley, then bake for remaining 5 minutes or until the crust is brown. Let sit for 5 minutes to cool down, then use spoon around edges to ensure each biscuit stays in tact.

Nutritional Information (for 3): 448 calories, 49 carbs, 16 fat grams and 25 protein grams. For 1 (appetizer): 149 calories, 16 carbs, 5 fat grams and 8 protein grams.

Review: LOVED THESE LITTLE GUYS! I had 3 for a meal and was filled up and happy - the flavor was great, the fresh parsley gave it a nice twist and I really liked that BBQ chicken flavor, especially with the blend of cheeses. Awesome little bites - think they would make a great appetizer and tested them - they reheat well. I'm loving the biscuit cup idea I got from Pam, and hope to try more mix ins to the biscuit bites! Try these if you're a fan of BBQ pizza.

Asian Peanut Pesto

2011-10-21T21:30:00.001-04:00

Spicy Asian Peanut Pesto
Inspired by Café Lynnylu
Makes 4 Servings

40 basil leaves
1 tbsp soy sauce
7 tbsp Jif extra crunchy peanut butter
1 tsp siracha hot chili sauce
1/4 cup hot water (or pasta water)

Add all ingredients and pulse until well blended. If too thick, add more hot water and pulse.

Additional Items to make Meal:

12 oz. chicken, diced and sprinkled with salt
8 oz. pasta, cooked per package instructions

Heat large pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray over medium heat. Add chicken. Cook for 5-6 minutes until chicken is just cooked, still a little pink. Add pesto. Stir until blended well. Add cooked, drained noodles. Stir until well coated. Add 1 tsp of hot water at a time to loosen up the mixture if need be. Divide into four servings. Top with additional basil as garnish if desired.

Nutritional Information (with Chicken & Pasta): 464 calories, 49 carbs, 16 fat grams and 34 protein grams.

Review: Really good recipe, but definitely not a normal/standard pesto! It has the consistency of a pesto, but it has a heavy peanut taste. The peanut butter provided a solid base, and you could tell that PB is in there, so if you're not a PB fan stay away! Austin said it's like pesto with an infusion of heavy peanut flavor. We liked that it was so saucy due to the water, and that it was different. It made a lot of sauce, froze well, and reheated well. - we'll definitely make this again!

Hot Chicken Salad Pasta

2011-10-16T17:00:00.000-04:00

Hot Chicken Salad Pasta
Adapted from a Fabulessly Frugal recipe
Makes 4 Servings

1 pound chicken, cooked and shredded
1 tbsp lemon juice
½ cup fat-free mayonnaise
½ cup celery, finely diced
1 can fat-free cream of chicken soup
½ tsp minced onion, dried
28 grams Cabot 75% cheddar cheese, grated (1/4 cup)
1 oz. potato chips, crumbled
8 oz. pasta, cooked

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix all the ingredients except cheese, potato chips and chicken. Add chicken and stir well. Place mixture in baking dish and add cheese then chips to the top of mixture. Bake for 20 minutes.

Nutritional Information: 446 calories, 57 carbs, 8 fat grams and 37 protein grams.

Review: So I had originally made this recipe but without pasta - instead it was in a wrap. I liked it, but wanted to try it with pasta - it just sounded good! So I tweaked the recipe a bit and here goes! It was super creamy, and I liked the little bites of celery - gave it some flavor but make SURE to dice the celery very finely so it adds flavor without too much crunch/vegetable awkwardness. I think what I liked best about this one was that it was really creamy. I think if you wanted to avoid potato chips, you could easily put panko bread crumbs on top, or even crushed reduced fat ritz crackers! I like it and will make it again!

whole dish

Quinoa Crusted Quiche

2011-10-09T20:21:00.001-04:00

Quinoa Crusted Quiche
Inspired by a Lynn's Kitchen Adventures recipe
Makes 6 Servings

1.5 cups quinoa cooked in chicken stock
3 tbsp butter, melted
1 pound (5 links) Italian Turkey Sausage, cooked
3 oz. 75% reduced fat cheddar cheese
1 tbsp Frank’s cayenne pepper sauce
3 eggs
1/2 cup fat-free milk
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1 tsp minced garlic

Cook quinoa in chicken broth per package instructions. Meanwhile, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Remove sausage from casings and cook until no longer pink, 7-8 minutes. Once quinoa is cooked, press quinoa into the bottom of a rectangular pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Drizzle with melted butter. Combine sausage, cheeses, and hot pepper sauce and spread over quinoa. Beat eggs, milk, garlic powder,
onion powder and garlic. Pour over sausage over mixture. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Nutritional Information: 405 calories, 32 carbs, 18 fat grams and 28 protein grams.

Review: I loved it. Austin said, "it's good, but it's weird to eat quinoa for breakfast." hehe I personally like a grain at breakfast time, it kind of reminded me of the breakfast risotto. Anyway, I thought the spicy sausage added a lot of flavor, and as usual the Cabot cheese melted well and tasted great without adding too many calories and fat grams. I couldn't really taste the egg, but it did help keep it all together and made the quinoa a bit more crispy than usual. All in all, i'd make it again, but maybe next time in a rectangular dish so it would be easier to eat then the deep oval dish!

One serving!

Cheesy Chicken Broccoli & Rice Bake

2011-10-03T12:09:00.000-04:00

Cheesy Chicken Broccoli & Rice Bake
Found on Meet the Dubien’s
Makes 4 Servings

1 can condensed cheddar cheese soup
1 can water
3 oz. shredded cheddar cheese, plus additional for topping if desired
1 cup uncooked regular white long-grain rice
2 cups broccoli florets, chopped small
16 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, raw/defrosted
salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup Italian Panko bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 375. Whisk together soup and water in a large bowl until there are no lumps. Add shredded cheese, broccoli and rice and mix well. Stir in salt and pepper. Place raw chicken in a square baking dish and add soup/rice mixture. Sprinkle bread crumbs on top. Cover with foil. Bake for 55 minutes or until chicken is cooked.

Nutritional Information: 435 calories, 48 carbs, 6 fat grams and 39 protein grams.

Review: Cheesy is right! The cheese soup with shredded cheese made a great sauce that went well with the rice and broccoli. I loved that this one pot meal cooked the chicken and the rice in the baking dish - awesome! The bread crumbs also added a nice crunchy kick. This was easy to put together, and great for pre-cooking as I could make other meals on the stovetop while this one baked! We'll be having this again for sure - it reheated well, too!

Whole pan of yumminess

Asian Basil Pesto

2011-09-29T13:54:00.001-04:00

Asian Basil Pesto
Recipe found on Food.com
Makes 4 Servings

2 cups fresh Thai basil leaves
2 tbsp dry-roasted peanuts
1 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tbsp dark sesame oil
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
½ tsp crushed red pepper
1 ½ tsp minced garlic
¼ tsp salt
8 oz. spaghetti
16 oz. chicken, diced and salted

Cook spaghetti per package instructions. Drain, reserving ¼ cup pasta water. In the meantime, place all ingredients in a food processor, process until smooth. Add pasta water and process again. Heat large pan over medium heat. Spray with nonstick cooking spray. Add chicken, cook until no longer pink, about 6 minutes. Add pesto and pasta. Stir 3-4 minutes until thoroughly mixed and heated through.

Nutritional Information: 417 calories, 43 carbs, 10 fat grams and 38 protein grams.

Review: Wonderful, nutty and flavorful pesto! I loved all of the Thai basil and what great flavor it gave (without the calories and high sodium from other sauces/mixes). It was super easy to put together with a small blender and ingredients we already had on hand - easy peasy! I highly recommend this. And note, it reheated well, but I did have to add a dash of water before microwaving, and a dash of salt to enhance the flavors that we re lost during reheating.

Thai Basil from Austin's garden!

Slowcooker Buffalo Chicken Mac

2011-09-25T19:00:00.001-04:00

Slowcooker Buffalo Chicken Mac
Makes 4 Servings

1 pound chicken, raw
2 tsp minced garlic, jarred
4 tbsp Frank’s Red Hot Wings Sauce
4 tbsp Fat-Free Ranch Dressing (Hidden Valley)
2 tbsp reduced fat parmesan cheese
1 cup fat-free milk
2 oz. Cabot 75% reduced fat cheese
1 tbsp Frank's Cayenne Pepper Sauce
1 tsp hot sauce
8 oz. pasta (small shape)

Add chicken to slowcooker sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Mix garlic, Frank’s hot wing sauce, ranch dressing, milk, and parmesan cheese; pour over chicken. Cook on high for three hours. Remove chicken, shred it, and add back to slowcooker. Stir in cheese, frank's cayenne pepper sauce, hot sauce and noodles; stir until noodles are coated in sauce. Cook on high for 25 minutes until noodles soften. Top with diced green onions or blue cheese crumbles as desired.

Nutritional Information: 428 calories, 54 carbs, 5 fat grams and 42 protein grams.

Review: Great recipe! Loved that it didn't have any 'cream of' anything - nice sauce based on the milk. I will say that I used penne, and I'd prefer it with a smaller shape like macaroni. Next time! I think my favorite part was that the recipe was one pot - everything cooked in the slowcooker so it was easy peasy - tough to mess up. And the calories/fat grams were great for a filling serving.

Skinny General Tso’s Chicken

2011-09-20T18:04:00.000-04:00

Skinny General Tso’s Chicken
Adapted from Coup De Pouce Magazine (as seen on Tracey’s Culinary Adventures, who saw it on La Table de Nana)
Makes 4 Servings

1/3 cup light brown sugar (5 tbsp + 1 tsp)
2 tbsp hoisin sauce
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp ketchup
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/3 cup water
2 tsp olive oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 tbsp cornstarch
2 tsp sesame oil
6-8 green onions chopped, plus more for serving
3 tbsp fresh ginger, finely chopped or grated
1/4 tsp each hot pepper flakes and sesame seeds (optional)
1 cup basmati rice, dry

In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, hoisin sauce, rice wine vinegar, ketchup, soy sauce and water. Set aside. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Dredge the chicken in the cornstarch and shake off any excess. Cook the chicken in the olive oil until browned. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside. Using a paper towel, wipe skillet clean. Add sesame oil, green onions and ginger. Cook for 30 seconds. Add sauce mixture and bring to a boil. Simmer mixture for 2 minutes, or until sauce thickens a bit. Add chicken back into the skillet, toss to coat with sauce, and continue cooking until the chicken is cooked through, about 4-5 minutes. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes if desired. Serve over rice and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds (if desired).

Nutritional Information: 441 calories, 65 carbs, 6 fat grams and 30 protein grams.

Review: Okay - yes, it's ~~a bit~~ high carb, but it made that thick, textured sauce you find in those little white square to-go boxes. Awesome. Plenty of sauce that went a long way - you could easily add your favorite Asain veggies - enough sauce to go around. I liked the extra breading, too - a little bit of cornstarch goes such a long way - good stuff! A new household favorite for sure - but next time i'll make sure to save some green onions for garnish - oopsie!

Buffalo Chicken Wontons

2011-09-15T20:15:00.002-04:00

Buffalo Chicken Wontons
Makes 28 appetizers

12 oz. raw chicken
4 tbsp Frank’s Red Hot Wings Sauce
60 oz. Cabot 50% reduced fat jalapeno cheese (if you can't find this subbing for regular reduced fat cheese should be fine but this adds an extra kick!!)
4 tbsp Fat-Free Ranch Dressing (Hidden Valley)
2 tbsp reduced fat parmesan cheese
28 Wonton wrappers (Nasoya)

Boil water. Once rolling, add chicken and reduce heat to medium. Cook for 7-8 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink. In the meantime, add hot sauce, cheese, ranch and parmesan to a bowl. Stir together. Remove chicken from water; drain any excess water on chicken until mostly dry. Add chicken to bowl and, with two forks, shred chicken finely while blending into sauce. Stir well. Refrigerate for 2 hours until mixture is thick. When ready to prepare, heat oven to 375. Lay out sheets of wax paper, and spread wontons across the surface until all are out. Using your hands, add clumps (about 2 tbsp) of chicken mixture onto each until all have the same amount. Roll each up (to roll, turn into diamond shape with point facing you; fold point over to other point, tucking in mixture; tuck sides in and flip over). Use small bowl of water to seal each with your fingers/water. Lay all on baking sheet sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Once all are on tray, spray tops with cooking spray. Cook for 18- 20 minutes until crispy.

Nutritional Information: Whole recipe – 1,332 calories, 153 carbs, 19 fat grams and 122 protein grams. 7 wontons each (for 4 people to split) – 334 calories, 38 carbs, 5 fat grams and 31 protein grams. Each single wonton – 47 calories, 5 carbs, <1 fat gram and 4 protein grams.

Review: LOVED. These were great, came together pretty quickly and went FAST. The boys loved them, and us girls had a couple, too, and they’re great. I told the boys they were low-fat/fat-free and they laughed. I don’t think they quite believed me. Oh well. These were great baked, still had a ton of flavor with the hot sauce/ranch and didn’t require dipping since the ranch was inside (still could have served with dip/fat-free dressing if you wanted to). I will absolutely be making these again – great bite-size poppers. Just note: they are SUPER hot out of the oven and need about 5 minutes to cool down. And yes, I will get a picture of the inside next time - sorry!

Black Bean Fiesta Burgers

2011-09-13T08:42:00.002-04:00

Black Bean Fiesta Burgers
Makes 4 large burgers or 12 mini burgers for sliders

1 15-oz. can black beans, drained, rinsed and given time to dry
1/2 green bell pepper, cut into 2 inch pieces
1/2 onion, cut into wedges
1 tbsp minced garlic, jarred
1 egg
Taco seasoning packet
¼ cup salsa
1 tsp hot sauce
1/2 cup bread crumbs
(Sliders: 6 tbsp fat-free sour cream, divided; 12 small potato rolls)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and lightly oil a baking sheet. In a medium bowl, mash black beans with a fork until thick. In a food processor, finely chop bell pepper, onion, and garlic. Strain mixture. Then stir into mashed beans. In a small bowl, stir together egg, taco seasoning, salsa and hot sauce. Stir egg mixture into mashed beans. Mix in bread crumbs until mixture is sticky and holds together. Divide into 8 small patties. Place patties on baking sheet, and bake for 10 minutes on each side.

Nutritional Information: one large pattie - 205 calories, 38 carbs, 2 fat grams and 9 protein grams; one mini pattie – 66 calories, 12 carbs, <1 fat gram and 3 protein grams. For sliders, adding potato buns and sour cream, each: 161 calories, 30 carbs, 2 fat grams and 7 protein grams. I had two mini patties on two potato rolls which each had ½ tbsp fat-free sour cream. This comes out to: 322 calories, 60 carbs, 4 fat grams and 14 protein grams.

Review: Loved them! They tasted kind of like Amy’s breakfast burritos – so much so that Austin suggested we take the big pattie and use it to fill a medium-size tortilla for breakfast burritos! Great flavor, love the fiesta flavor, and truly think that you could take the breadcrumbs down if you want to reduce the calories a bit – up to you. I’m a huge fan and love that it was so filling, but yet had no meat. New favorite for us – so glad we tried it! We even reheated them for breakfast and I found two to be a great, filling breakfast - fabulous!

Creamy Slowcooker Pork Chops

2011-09-10T07:56:00.001-04:00

Creamy Slowcooker Pork Chops
Makes 4 Servings
Recipe adapted from AllRecipes.com

1 pound pork chops, boneless medallions
Salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste
8 tbsp all-purpose flour, seasoned with pepper, garlic powder and paprkia
1 large onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
2 cubes chicken bouillon
2 cups boiling water
1 tbsp minced garlic, jarred
10 tbsp fat-free sour cream

Season pork chops with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste, and then dredge in 6 tbsp seasoned flour. In a skillet sprayed with nonstick cooking spray over medium heat, lightly brown chops. Meanwhile, boil water in microwave. Once boiled, dissolve bouillon cubes in water. Stir in garlic. Place chops in slow cooker, and top with onion slices. Pour sauce over chops and onions in crock pot. Cover and cook on high 3 to 4 hours. Once done, add sour cream and stir. If still too thick, use cornstarch/cold water to thicken. Serve over egg noodles.

Nutritional Information: 452 calories, 58 carbs, 7 fat grams and 36 protein grams.

Review: If you like super soft, fall-apart pork chops in a creamy sauce you're good with this recipe! It was super creamy and I loved the softened onions - they added a lot. The first time I made it (sans minced garlic) I felt it needed something - so I added the garlic and it made the difference. I like a lot of flavor, and this was a great dish. I will say I could see how this would be good on the stove, too, but without the crockpot the onions and pork chops wouldn't be as soft. I also think you could put the pork chops in to the crock pot raw to cut out that step. I'm going to try that next time! Either way - yummy slowcooker dish!

Honey Lime Enchiladas

2011-09-06T08:16:00.000-04:00

Honey Lime Enchiladas
Makes 5 Servings
Recipe adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Café (found on Stephanie Cooks)

1 tsp olive oil
2 tsp minced garlic
½ cup onions, diced
1 pound raw chicken tenders, not diced
6 tbsp honey
5 tbsp lime juice (juice from1 large lime)
1 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
10 small flour tortillas (La Banderita)
4 oz. Cabot 75% reduced fat cheddar cheese
16 ounces green enchilada sauce
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream

Set a large skillet over medium heat. Add oil, garlic, and onions. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add chicken and cook until no longer pink. Remove chicken from skillet and shred it. Mix the first four ingredients and toss with shredded chicken. Let it marinate for at least 1/2 hour. Pour 1/2 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9X13 baking pan. Add 2 oz. cheese to chicken mixture. Fill flour tortillas with chicken and shredded cheese, saving about 1 cup of cheese to sprinkle on top of enchiladas. Mix the remaining enchilada sauce with cream. Pour sauce on enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until brown and crispy on top.

Nutritional Information: 442 calories, 59 carbs, 7 fat grams and 35 protein grams.

Review: Loved. Austin loved more, he's a big lime guy, but I loved a lot, too. They have a distinct flavor with the honey mixed with lime, and I loved how cheesy and saucy they came out. I like the idea of a different enchilada, and to save time can easily see making this a casserole. I liked that it had flour instead of corn tortillas - mixed it up a bit! I also thought the serving was filling. Normally I do 4 or 6 servings, but 5 came out right to stay somewhat true to the original recipe, but not too over- or under-caloric for me! These will be made again, and I think they would freeze/reheat very well!

Spicy Chipotle Meatballs with Rice

2011-08-31T21:33:00.000-04:00

Spicy Chipotle Meatballs with Rice
Recipe adapted from Real Simple
Makes 4 Servings

2 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 28-oz. can whole tomatoes
3 canned chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, diced
1 cup jasmine rice, cooked per package instructions
1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
1 large egg, beaten
1 tsp ground cumin
kosher salt and black pepper

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and half the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add tomatoes (with their juices) and chipotles; using a potato masher, break up the tomatoes. Simmer, partially covered, until the sauce has thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. If the sauce becomes too thick, add up to ½ cup water. Meanwhile, cook the rice according to the package directions. While the rice is cooking, in a medium bowl, combine beef, cilantro, bread crumbs, egg, cumin, the remaining garlic, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Shape the mixture into 16 same-sized meatballs. Heat broiler. Place meatballs on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil, turning once with tongs, until almost cooked through, 7 minutes. Add meatballs to the sauce. Cook 2-3 more minutes in sauce. Serve over the rice and sprinkle with additional cilantro.

Nutritional Information: 426 calories, 53 carbs, 8 fat grams and 31 protein grams.

Review: We really liked these! Very filling, good nutritional values for the amount you get and a great, adobo-spiced flavor. I will say spicy was RIGHT, if you're not into spice, I'd simply take out one pepper and you'd be good to go! I thought the cilantro added a lot, and I liked that it was over rice, almost like a jambalaya (but without the cajun seasonings!). We'll make this again for sure, and because it was so saucy I think it would freeze very well - bonus.

Mexican Quinoa Skillet

2011-08-27T16:03:00.001-04:00

Mexican Quinoa Skillet
Inspired by a $5 Dinners Recipe
Makes 4 Servings

2 tsp minced garlic, jarred
1 pound 96/4 ground beef
½ cup onion, diced
1 packet taco seasoning
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 large tomato, diced
2 small summer squash, diced
hot sauce, to taste
1 cup quinoa, dry
1 1/2 cup water
Optional: 2 green onions and fresh cilantro leaves for garnish

Add large pan to medium heat. Spray with nonstick cooking spray. Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add beef and onion and stir until beef is mostly browned, about 5 minutes. Add taco seasonings and stir for 1 minute. Add black beans, tomato and squash. Drop in a bit of hot sauce. Stir, and then add quinoa and water. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to simmer, and cook for 20 minutes. Remove lid, stir, then add lid and cook for another 5 minutes until quinoa is done and most of the liquid is gone. Remove from heat, divide into four servings, and top with green onions and cilantro.

Nutritional Information: 450 calories, 59 carbs, 8 fat grams and 36 protein grams.

Review: Awesome, healthy, filling, rainbow recipe! I was really happy with this one, especially since it's a one-pot (or skillet!) recipe - I love when you don't have to cook the carb in a separate pot! I especially enjoyed all of the colors and flavors from the tomatoes, squash, black beans and green onions. And of course - finding another quinoa recipe we love makes me very happy. This one is a winner and will be made again, and again.

Beef & Noodle Toss

2011-08-23T21:13:00.000-04:00

Beef & Noodle Toss
Makes 4 Servings
Recipe adapted from Better Homes & Gardens

8 oz. lasagna noodles
12 oz. boneless beef sirloin, cut into bite size pieces
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cups grape tomatoes
8 oz. mushrooms
2 tsp minced garlic
1 14-oz. can beef broth

Break noodles in half. Cook according to package instructions. Drain (do not rinse). Meanwhile, season beef with ½ tsp each salt and pepper. Toss with flour. Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add meat, any remaining flour, add tomatoes to the skillet. Cook 3-4 minutes until beef is browned, stirring often. Add mushrooms and garlic. Cook 5 minutes more. Add broth; cook 3-4 minutes more or until beef is done and liquid is slightly thickened. Add cooked noodles to skillet; stir gently to coat. Heat through. Spoon into pasta bowls to serve.

Nutritional Information: 430 calories, 46 carbs, 12 fat grams and 37 protein grams.

Review: We liked this one a lot, but I will make a change next time. Basically, the sauce is thin, so the big lasagna noodles made it a bit difficult to eat. SO, I will either leave the lasagna noodles but thicken up the sauce with cornstarch/water OR go to a smaller pasta shape. Other than this future change, I will leave it EXACTLY as is. The steak was great, the fresh tomatoes were yummy and the sauce blended well. Great, easy recipe with common ingredients so easy to throw together at the last minute!

Italian Egg Bake

2011-08-20T12:09:00.003-04:00

Italian Egg Bake
Makes 6 Servings
Inspired by a Pillsbury recipe

1 pound reduced fat sausage
4 cups frozen hash-brown potatoes, thawed
4 oz. (1 cup) Cabot 75% reduced fat cheddar cheese
6 tbsp diced sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil)
6 large eggs
¾ cup fat-free milk
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
¼ cup Progressso Panko Italian bread crumbs
4 tsp (10 grams) shredded fresh Parmesan cheese
¼ fresh basil, diced
Red pepper flakes, garlic powder, Italian Seasoning to taste

Heat oven to 450. Spray rectangular baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In large nonstick skillet, cook sausage over medium-high heat until browned, stirring occasionally. In medium bowl, combine potatoes and 2.5 oz. cheese. In baking dish, layer potato mixture, sausage, tomatoes and half of the basil. In medium bowl, beat eggs. Add milk, salt and pepper; beat well. Add optional seasonings to taste (red pepper flakes, garlic powder, Italian seasoning). Pour evenly over potato mixture. Top with bread crumbs. Cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining 1.5 oz. Cabot cheese and Parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered for an additional 3 minutes until cheese melts.

Nutritional Information: 353 calories, 24 carbs, 17 fat grams and 24 protein grams.

Review: Winner! Tasted great and was very filling - didn't take long either which is always nice. I'd pre-cooked the sausage, so it was already in a box cooked and ready, and the cheese was already grated too - this helped! I loved the addition of the fresh basil, it definitely made the recipe along with the sundried tomatoes. I also liked the add of the Italian bread crumbs - the crunchy topping was nice with the softer, fluffy egg/potato layer. I will absolutely make this again, and of course it's great that it makes 6 servings AND reheats well. And I've added it to my new favorite breakfast - move over brunch pizza squares- there's a new casserole in town! (forgive my cheesy lameness) :)

Lemon Basil Almond Pesto

2011-08-18T09:39:00.001-04:00

Lemon Basil Almond Pesto
Adapted from Tastespace
Makes 4 Servings

1 tsp lemon zest, finely grated
Juice from ½ lemon
50 grams almond slivers
1 packed cup basil (about 40 leaves)
1 tbsp minced garlic, jarred
1/8 tsp salt
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp hot water

Add almonds to food processor. Puree. Add remaining ingredients except for water and pulse until well blended. If too thick, add hot water and pulse.

Additional Items to make Meal:

16 oz. chicken, diced and sprinkled with salt
8 oz. pasta, cooked per package instructions

Heat large pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray over medium heat. Add chicken. Cook for 5-6 minutes until chicken is just cooked, still a little pink. Add pesto. Stir until blended well. Add cooked, drained noodles. Stir until well coated. Add 1tsp of hot water at a time to loosen up the mixture if need be. Divide into four servings. Top with additional basil as garnish if desired.

Nutritional Information (with Chicken & Pasta): 418 calories, 46 carbs, 11 fat grams and 36 protein grams.

Nutritional Information (pesto only): 94 calories, 4 carbs, 9 fat grams and 3 protein grams.

Review: Awesome. I'm a huge fan of lemon and basil anyway, so knew this would be a favorite. I was intrigued at using the almonds instead of the pinenuts, but it gave it a sweeter, nuttier flavor. I liked it a lot! This was more of a lime green than a deep green, but of course I could have added more basil. That's kind of the beauty of making your own pesto - you can add more amounts of low-calorie or no-calorie ingredients like lemon juice and basil to make it your own. We tasted as we made it (with cooked noodles - just dipped them into the blender). So while the above mixed worked for us (i.e. half a lemon of juice was plenty!), mix it up - just know that if you add more almonds or olive oil the nutritional information WILL be impacted. I hope this helps, I hope you try it and I hope you enjoy it as much as we did. I'll let you know how it freezes. :)

Baked Turkey Egg Rolls

2011-08-16T21:51:00.002-04:00

Baked Turkey Egg Rolls
Makes 4 Servings (of 2 egg rolls each)
Recipe adapted from Annie’s Eats

2 celery stalks
½ head cabbage, shredded/diced
1 tbsp canola oil
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
½ cup onion, diced
1 pound purdue 99% fat-free ground turkey breast
5 tbsp soy sauce
½ tsp red chili pepper flakes
1 tsp siracha
8 egg roll wraps

Chop celery into small chunks in food processor. Combine in a microwave safe bowl with cabbage and microwave, covered for 5 minutes. Add onion to food processor and chop until slushy. Add garlic and ginger until all are blended. Heat large pan over medium heat with oil. Spoon mixture into skillet and sauté in oil for 2-3 minutes. Add ground turkey and 3 tbsp soy sauce; cook until no longer pink, breaking up turkey further as you cook it. Drain any excess liquid and return to skillet. Add cooked cabbage and celery, remaining soy sauce and red chili pepper flakes. Stir until combined, remove from heat and allow to cool for 4-5 minutes. Heat oven to 400 degrees, spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray and get out a small cup of water. Lay 8 egg roll wrappers on a big sheet of wax paper. Spoon mixture onto each, ensuring they have the same amount of filling. Roll each and seal with water. Bake for 10 minutes, turn and bake for 5 minutes or until browned.

Nutritional Information: 354 calories, 42 carbs, 5 fat grams and 34 protein grams.

Review: The outside was really crispy and they had a nice spicy taste. I thought the turkey added an interesting twist - I liked how much it broke up - the pieces were tiny and so every bite tasted meaty rather than cabbagey if you know what I mean! The ginger/garlic/onion mixture was a great add too, and made the turkey taste extra juicy. I also liked that the meal was two packed egg rolls, very filling and a good, light eat. I worried it wouldn't reheat well, but we tested it with a George Foreman and it crisped right up! So good to reheat at home, but not at work (unless you can bring a panini maker to work!).

Margarita Pasta

2011-08-10T18:26:00.006-04:00

Margarita Pasta
Makes 4 Servings
Recipe adapted from Real Simple

10 oz. spaghetti
3 large beefsteak tomatoes, each cut into 4 thick pieces
2 tbsp olive oil
4 oz. reduced-fat mozzarella, grated
6 tsp full-fat grated parmesan
2 tsp minced garlic
½ tsp crushed red pepper
¾ cup fresh basil leaves, plus more for serving
Salt and Pepper

Heat broiler. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and return to pot. Meanwhile, arrange tomatoes into a single layer on a baking sheet sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Season with ¼ tsp each salt and pepper. Dividing evenly, sprinkle the slices with mozzarella and parmesan. Broil until cheese is bubbly and golden, 3 to 5 minutes. In a small saucepan, warm oil with garlic and red pepper over medium heat until fragrant, 2 minutes. Add the garlic oil, basil, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper to the pasta and toss to combine. Serve topped with tomatoes and additional basil.

Nutritional Information: 449 calories, 56 carbs, 15 fat grams and 23 protein grams.

Review: What's not to like? I'm a huge margarita pizza fan so I figured i'd be a fan of this! The pasta really gets a lot of flavor from the garlic mix, and the tomatoes came out super juicy and cheesy. Just make sure to use large ones so you have enough surface for the cheese to go on! We thought this one reheated well, too. The tomatoes weren't as crispy, but still good, and since the pasta had so much juice with the tomatoes and "sauce' it didn't dry out, always a must for reheating! This was also a 20 minutes or less recipe for sure - and another yummy meatless dish. To reduce the calories/fat, I'd suggest using 2.5 or 3 oz. of mozzarella instead, I don't think it would be missed! I would definitely leave the olive oil at this level though.

Egg and Bean Breakfast Tostados

2011-08-08T17:46:00.000-04:00

Egg and Bean Breakfast Tostados
Recipe adapted from a nacho recipe at My Bizzy Kitchen
Makes 2 Servings

4 small corn tortillas
2 eggs and ¼ cup egg beaters (1 egg and 2 tbsp egg beaters for each)
1 tbsp fat-free milk, divided
½ oz. Cabot 75% reduced fat cheddar, grated
1 can black beans, drained
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp hot sauce
Cilantro, diced (for garnish) or dry
2-4 tbsp salsa, divided

Preheat oven to 350. Lay corn tortillas on cookie sheet and spray them with Pam. Sprinkle with sea salt and bake for 9 minutes. Cook bean/garlic/hot sauce mixture in pot for about 10 minutes. Mash beans with potato masher. Set aside. Whisk half of egg mixture with milk and a bit of salt; microwave in bowl (about the size of tortillas). Repeat with second serving of eggs. When tortillas are done, divide bean mixture. Spread half of bean mixture carefully onto one tortilla, then top with second tortilla, then round, now-cooked egg. Add cheese. Repeat for second serving. Broil until cheese melts, about 4 minutes (watch it or it will burn!). Then top each with cilantro and salsa if desired, or serve on the side.

Nutritional Information: 383 calories, 57 carbs, 9 fat grams and 26 protein grams.

Review: This meatless breakfast is insanely filling – must be all of those beans! I loved the garlic and hot sauce in the beans – great kick, but not too spicy. The tostado was crunchy, but the beans helped soften it. To make the tostado less crunch, I’d suggest lightly spreading salsa on one side of each tortilla. I would consider this one a weekend recipe – I worry it would lose its crunch on the reheat. This is a great recipe, ready under 20 minutes, and a great, filling start to the day! We will make this again. And it's easy to double if needed!

A look at the inside! I cut mine in half and dipped each bite in salsa!

Creamy Chicken Noodle Skillet

2011-08-03T08:58:00.000-04:00

Creamy Chicken Noodle Skillet
Makes 4 Servings; Total Time: 20 Minutes
Adapted from Slim Shoppin' and My Bizzy Kitchen

2 tbsp light butter
2 tbsp flour
2 cups skim milk
8 oz. egg noodles
2 tsp Dijon mustard
¼ cup parmesan cheese (4 tbsp)
16 oz. raw chicken, diced and sprinkled with salt and pepper

Cook noodles according to package directions and drain. Reserve 1/4 cup cooking liquid. While noodles cook, in a large skillet, cook chicken over medium heat. Brown on all sides but don’t cook all the way through. Remove chicken from skillet and set it aside. In the same large skillet add butter. Once melted, add flour and, using a whisk, break it up. Add skim milk, salt, Dijon mustard and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese. Whisk until sauce starts to thicken. Add partially cooked chicken into the sauce and continue to cook until no longer pink in the middle. Add noodles and stir to coat all the noodles. If it’s too thick, add reserved pasta liquid to thin it out.

Nutritional Information: 455 calories, 52 carbs, 8 fat grams and 40 protein grams.

Review: Crazy creamy - almost like an alfredo sauce but better. I love the difference that little bit of dijon mustard makes. I used very little pasta water (maybe 1 tbsp) - everything cooked up well and blended together great. Definitely used the whisk - I tried at first to use just a fork but it didn't work nearly as well. I used the wide egg noodles and really liked the texture over regular pasta. Great comfort food, great classic chicken dish - and super easy to put together. Austin said it was almost like an 'alfredo gravy' - yum.

Creamy Taco Mac

2011-07-31T08:48:00.000-04:00

One serving

Creamy Taco Mac
Adapted from Annie’s Eats
Makes 4 Servings

1 pound 96/4 ground beef
8 oz. dry pasta
½ cup onion, chopped
2 tsp minced garlic, jarred
1 (14 oz.) can plain or mexican/zesty diced tomatoes, drained
1 pack taco seasoning
3 oz. fat-free cream cheese, softened
½ cup fat-free sour cream
Salt and pepper
1 oz. Cabot 75% reduced fat cheddar cheese
Fresh cilantro (optional)

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving ½ cup of pasta water. Set aside. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook onions over medium-high heat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add beef and cook until beef is no longer pink. Once meat is cooked, mix in garlic and cook for 30 seconds.Mix in tomatoes and taco seasoning and simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes. Stir in cooked pasta, cream cheese, sour cream and reserved pasta water, and continue stirring until the cream cheese is melted and the sauce is well blended. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer over medium-low heat 4 minutes to reduce the sauce. Turn off heat. Top with shredded cheddar cheese and cilantro. Cover and let it sit off the heat until the cheese melts, about 2 minutes.

Nutritional Information: 457 calories, 58 carbs, 7 fat grams and 34 protein grams.

Review: Creamy is right - the sour cream/cream cheese mixture made the red sauce a lighter color - it was so creamy! I loved it with the pasta shells - it was really like Mexican Mac and Cheese! Big fan. I will say I only had Italian diced tomatoes on hand (boo) so I drained them, but next time would like to use zesty jalapeno diced tomatoes - or just plain. This is a great recipe and makes HUGE servings - I couldn't even eat the whole thing! We'll definitely put this one in the rotation!

Whole pan!

Spicy Beef Lo Mein

2011-07-27T17:47:00.000-04:00

Spicy Beef Lo Mein
Makes 4 Servings
Recipe adapted from Cooking Light

8 ounces uncooked wide rice sticks
1 tbsp canola oil
1 cup thinly sliced green onions
12 oz. top sirloin steak, diced
4 oz. sliced mushrooms
2 tsp minced garlic
1-2 oz. spinach, diced
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
3 tbsp lower-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp fresh ginger, jarred
1 tbsp Sriracha
1 tbsp dark sesame oil
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp sesame seeds, toasted

Cook noodles according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and rinse under cold water; drain. Heat a large skillet or wok over high heat. Add canola oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onions and steak; stir-fry 1 minute. Add mushrooms and garlic; stir-fry 1 minute. Add spinach; stir-fry 1 minute or until greens wilt. Combine rice vinegar and the next 4 ingredients (through Sriracha) in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add vinegar mixture to steak mixture; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in noodles, sesame oil, and salt; cook for 1 minute or until noodles are thoroughly heated, tossing to combine. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Nutritional Information: 437 calories, 50 carbs, 11 fat grams and 32 protein grams.

Review: Spicy is right! That word wasn't in the original title but I felt I had to add it -the sriracha went a long way! (easily reduce to take out some heat). This was my first time cooking with sirloin and I have to say, it was very easy and tasted great! The portion was just right and definitely tasted like something I'd order (well, I wouldn't order it because it would probably double the calories at a restaurant). Anyway, great recipe, a favorite for Austin and quick - put it together in less than 20 minutes from start to finish.

Mexican Breakfast Burritos with Avocado

2011-07-25T08:41:00.003-04:00

Mexican Breakfast Burritos with Avocado
Makes 4 Servings

4 large La Banderita tortillas
1 can black beans, drained and very lightly rinsed
1 tsp canola oil
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp hot sauce
4 eggs
4 tbsp egg substitute
1 tbsp fat-free milk
4 tbsp salsa
1 avocado, removed from skin, sliced long and divided
4 tbsp fresh cilantro, diced and divided

Set pot over medium heat. Add oil and garlic. Stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add black beans and hot sauce. Cook for 7-10 minutes over medium to low heat, then mash with potato masher and divide into 4 servings. Meanwhile, combine eggs, egg substitute and fat-free milk – sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook in a large pan over medium heat until cooked.* Wrap tortillas in a towel and heat in microwave for 20 to 30 seconds until warm. Top each with black beans (mine came out to 64 grams each), salsa, one quarter of the egg mixture, one quarter of the avocado and cilantro. Sprinkle lightly with salt again if desired. Repeat with other 3. Roll them up and enjoy.

*If making an individual serving, I’d suggest using the microwave. Combine 1 egg, 1 tbsp egg substitute and a bit of milk in a small bowl and cook in 30 second increments until cooked, then slice into long pieces. This way, you can easily take a tortilla, a serving of cooked beans, a cut avodcado, diced cilantro and salsa to work, and then just make the egg at work so it’s fresh.

Nutritional Information: 414 calories, 56 carbs, 15 fat grams and 20 protein grams.

Review: My favorite kind of recipe - fresh ingredients, good fats, colorful and filling. I really enjoyed this recipe and think it's a pretty awesome start to the day. It made a big, filled burrito, but the calories weren't too high. My favorite meatless breakfast recipe for sure!

All wrapped up! (microwave egg process shown - long egg pieces)

Mexican Lasagna

2011-07-23T09:34:00.003-04:00

Mexican Lasagna
Recipe from Mel’s Kitchen Café
Makes 6 servings

1 pound 96/4 ground beef
1 yellow onion, coarsely chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
1 small (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
dash of cayenne pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 8-oz. cans tomato sauce
1 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
2 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
8 no-boil lasagna noodles
3 oz. Cabot 75% reduced fat cheddar cheese
½ cup fat-free sour cream, light or regular
5 ounces fat-free cream cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch pan. In a large skillet, brown beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add minced garlic and tomato paste. Stir to combine well and cook for a minute. Stir in chili powder, cumin, cayenne, oregano and salt and pepper. Mix well. Add diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. Stir to combine. Add black beans. Mix well and heat through, about 5 minutes. Remove skillet from heat. Spread 1/2 cup beef mixture in the bottom of the prepared pan. Layer four noodles on top. Spread 1/2 of the remaining beef mixture over the noodles. Dollop 1/2 of the sour cream and 1/2 of the cream cheese (pinch off chunks) across the top. Repeat layers (4 noodles, remaining beef mixture, remaining cream cheese). Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Uncover, add all cabot cheese on top, and bake 12 minutes, until lasagna is hot and bubbly.

Nutritional Information: 421 calories, 56 carbs, 6 fat grams and 36 protein grams.

Review: We loved this! The little bits of cream cheese added a lot, and the sour cream added a lot, too. I was so glad to find a Mexican lasagna recipe that used lasagna noodles. It seemed like all of them used smaller pasta shapes, no layers, etc. This one was great, made a lot of food, hearty servings and had a lot of flavor. Note, the original recipe called for corn, but I just doubled the black beans and was glad I did -I loved that every bite had beans! This was a fairly simple recipe with common ingredients - I have no doubt we'll make it again!

Crispy Honey Chicken

2011-07-20T14:08:00.001-04:00

Crispy Honey Chicken
Makes 4 servings
Recipe adapted from How Sweet It Is

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts diced
2 tbsp egg substitute
1/3 cup cornstarch
½ bag frozen Asian vegetables
2 tsp minced garlic, jarred
1 tbsp olive oil, divided
2 tbsp soy sauce, divided
1/4 cup honey
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup basmati rice, cooked per package instructions

Se rice to cook (takes about 20 minutes). In 2 separate bowls, add egg substitutes and cornstarch. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add ½ tbsp olive oil. Add veggies with a sprinkle of salt and pepper and saute for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add in soy sauce and garlic and stir so veggies are coated, about 60 seconds. Remove from skillet and set aside in a bowl. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the same skillet over medium-high heat and add remaining oil. Dip chicken pieces in egg and then lightly dredge in cornstarch. Add to sheet of wax paper. Once done, add all of the chicken to the skillet and let brown for 2-3 minutes, then flip and add half of honey, stir. Once chicken is cooked, add veggies back in the skillet. Add remaining honey and red pepper flakes; mix to combine. Season with salt, pepper and remaining soy sauce. Serve over rice.

Nutritional Information: 425 calories, 63 carbs, 5 fat grams and 31 protein grams.

Review: Great, light dish! I made this for Austin, my mom and my sister and we all enjoyed how light it was and how nice that honey made it taste. Super simple, quick to put together (under 20 minutes including rice) and a definite keeper. We each did add some salt - but that's all. I think it will reheat nicely too, so long as you really mix the rice into the chicken mixture so it's all coated in sauce.

Spinach and Ricotta Pizza

2011-07-12T23:32:00.003-04:00

Spinach and Ricotta Pizza
Recipe adapted from Cooking Light
Makes 4 Servings

16 oz. Trader Joe’s plain pizza dough
Cooking spray
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 cup low-calorie spaghetti sauce
2 tbsp grated, full-fat Parmesan cheese
1 cup spinach leaves
1 tsp minced garlic (from jar; or grate a bulb of roasted garlic)
100 grams fresh, full-fat mozzarella cheese
85 grams fat-free ricotta cheese
2 medium-sized tomatoes, sliced

Remove pizza dough from refrigerator, cut open bag and let stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Coat pizza pan with cooking spray. Spread dough on pan. Brush evenly with oil. Spread sauce evenly over dough. Sprinkle with Parmesan; top evenly with spinach and garlic. Sprinkle mozzarella over spinach. Spoon teaspoonfuls of ricotta over mozzarella. Bake at 500° for 4 minutes. Turn, and bake for 6 more minutes, or until crust browns (keep your eye on it!). Remove from oven and carefully add tomato slices. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Nutritional Information: 416 calories, 56 carbs, 14 fat grams and 16 protein grams.

Review: Awesome - broiling pizza is genius - more crispy but not too crispy. The spinach was a nice add as was the garlic. The olive oil went a long way, and each bite tasted juicy. Austin (our tomato grower) suggests that this not be made in the off season. Since tomatoes are the star of the recipe, definitely go with fresh, in-season tomatoes - so just make it while it's hot! The cheeses blended well, and that tiny bit of Parmesan still made an impact. We will absolutely be making this one again - may add fresh basil next time but honestly, it didn't need anything else!

Individual serving = yummmmm!

Breakfast Sausage & Gravy Pizza

2011-07-11T11:23:00.003-04:00

Breakfast Sausage and Gravy Pizza
Recipe adapted from Real Mom Kitchen
Makes 4 Servings

1 package Trader Joe’s pizza dough
2.5 servings Jimmy Dean reduced fat crumbles
1 envelope country gravy mix, prepared (takes 4 minutes, 1 pot and 1 cup water)
4 eggs
1 tbsp fat-free milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 oz. 75% reduced fat cheddar cheese (Cabot)
2 green onions, diced

Preheat oven to 500. Remove pizza dough from refrigerator, open bag and let stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.Coat pizza pan lightly with cooking spray. Spread dough on pan. In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt and pepper. In a large skillet sprayed with nonstick cooking spray over medium heat, add egg mixture; cook and stir until just solid, not set. Spread prepared gravy mixture over dough. Top with sausage, eggs and cheese. Bake for 6 minutes, until eggs are set and cheese is melted. If needed, bake in additional 1 minute increments but watch carefully. When complete, into sprinkle with green onion. Wait 5 minutes before serving (the heat from the pizza will 'cook' the onions).

Nutritional Information: 466 calories, 56 carbs, 15 fat grams and 19 protein grams.

Review: A-mazing. This is one of my higher calorie breakfasts but well worth it. It was SO filling with the eggs, gravy and sausage, and I loved how it all meshed together with cheese on top. The green onions added a nice crunch, but if you're not a big green onion fan I wouldn't worry - it would be great without them! This was my first time cooking with gravy and won't be my last - it added a nice country kick and made the breakfast recipe more traditional. If you wanted to lower the calories on this, I think you could take the cheese down by an ounce, and sub 1 of the eggs for egg substitute! This reheated well and will be made again for SURE.

Inside Out Egg Roll Stirfry

2011-07-06T20:26:00.001-04:00

Inside Out Egg Roll Stirfry
Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com
Makes 4 Servings

1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 pound 96/4 ground beef
½ tsp siracha
½ tsp lawry’s seasoning salt
1/2 small head cabbage, shredded
1 red or green bell pepper, diced
4 tbsp light soy sauce
3 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 cup beef broth
1 tsp ground black pepper
2.5 cups white microwavable rice, cooked with 2.5 cups beef broth and 1/2 tsp lawry's

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add oil. Sauté garlic for 5 seconds, then add ground beef, siracha and lawry’s. Stir-fry until beef is just brown, 5 minutes. Add cabbage and bell pepper, and cook until vegetables are tender, and beef is fully cooked, 7 minutes. Stir in soy sauce and cornstarch mixture. Season with pepper. Cook, stirring, until sauce has thickened.

Nutritional Information: 438 calories, 58 carbs, 8 fat grams and 29 protein grams.

Review: This was unexpected! I'd never cooked with beef broth before, so to cook it into the rice and meat dish added a lot of flavor. The lawry's added a lot to both dishes. It tastes just like an inside out egg roll (original recipe name: Beef & Cabbage Stirfry). It had lots of sauce and if you'd replaced the rice with an egg roll wrapper, I swear it would have been an egg roll. The servings were large so it was super hearty. Between the rice, beef and cabbage it was filling - almost like a chili.

Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls

2011-07-05T12:54:00.003-04:00

Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls
Makes 4 Servings
Adapted from Sweet & Savory

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
6 tbsp Frank's Cayenne pepper sauce
3 tbsp reduced fat parmesan cheese
12 pasta wraps (egg roll wrappers)
8 tbsp fat-free cream cheese, softened
1 packet ranch seasoning

Preheat oven to 400. Combine shredded chicken, Frank's and parmesan cheese. Stir well. Combine softened cream cheese with ranch seasoning. Stir well. Lay out wax paper and place 12 pasta wrappers on top. Top each with about a 1/4 cup chicken mixture and a little less than 1 tbsp of cream cheese mixture. Roll up, sealing with water. Cook for 10 minutes, flip, then cook for 10 minutes.

Nutritional Information (per serving/3 wraps): 436 calories, 2 fat grams 56 carbs and 36 protein grams.

Review: Awesome. I loved that you got three wraps for one serving - lots of bang for your calorie count. The cream cheese/ranch mix added a great kick, and the buffalo chicken really was awesome - that parm/frank's paste gives it a lot of flavor, which helped balance the plain, crunchy shell. These are winners - Austin is a HUGE fan. I haven't tried reheating yet, but plan to microwave for 30 second on medium, then "toast" on the George Foreman, so these will be best for dinner meals, rather than lunch (unless you're home for lunch - lucky!). OR just have the chicken mixture and cream cheese mixture ready/mixed, but don't wrap in roll/bake until you're ready to eat.

Chinese Garlic Chicken

2011-07-02T15:49:00.000-04:00

Chinese Garlic Chicken
Makes 4 Servings
Recipe adapted from Blog Chef

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp minced garlic
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup water
¼ cup honey
4 tsp canola oil, divided
1 tbsp cornstarch
¼ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
3 tbsp green onions, diced
2 ½ cups white rice, divided
Optional: 1 cup broccoli florets, fresh or frozen/defrosted

In a bowl combine garlic, soy sauce, water, honey, 2 tsp vegetable oil, cornstarch, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Mix well. Stir chicken into marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Cook rice per microwave instructions. In a large skillet, heat remaining 2 tsp of oil over medium heat. With a slotted spoon remove chicken from marinade and add to the skillet (reserve marinade). Stirfry chicken for 3 minutes. Add green onions (and any other veggies) and stirfry for 2 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked. Add reserved marinade and cook until thickened.

Nutritional Information: 451 calories, 66 carbs, 6 fat grams and 28 protein grams.

Review: Seriously authentic! I'm SO excited. This is what I order at restaurants: "white rice, chicken and brown sauce." I never thought it was made with soy sauce, garlic and honey - go figure! And marinating the chicken overnight in this sauce made it extra tender - I may try this with other Asian-inspired recipes. Me and Austin were both really happy with this dish, didn't change a thing, and are excited about adding more veggies next time - I think broccoli and water chestnuts would be great. Even edamame - it would all taste great!

Step By Step Meal Plan #1: 40 Meals in 3.5 Hours

2011-06-29T20:49:00.003-04:00

You may remember this picture... 40 meals in 3.5 hours!

Then my lazy bum had tweaks to make to the meal plan (i.e. which ones froze best, etc.) and I just sat on it, forgot, and procrastinated. But here goes, and i'm trying a new document upload site so i'm interested to see how it works!

These are the recipes featured!!

And here is the meal plan!!
Detailed Meal Plan #1

Biscuit Soufflé Breakfast

2011-06-27T10:25:00.001-04:00

Biscuit Soufflé Breakfast
Recipe inspired by Cooking with My Kid
Makes 6 Servings

6 ready to bake biscuits (reserve other 2 for breakfast sandwiches)
4 large eggs

1 cup egg substitute
1 1/2 cups nonfat milk
½ cup Cabot 75% reduced fat cheddar cheese
3 servings Jimmy Dean crumbles

1/2 tsp creole seasoning

Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a rectangular baking dish with cooking spray. Line the bottom of the dish with unbaked biscuits. Mix eggs, egg whites, milk, creole seasoning and cheese together and then pour it over the biscuits. Sprinkle with crumbled sausage (and salt and pepper to taste) and bake for 45 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown and egg is set.

Nutritional Information: 328 calories, 30 carbs, 14 fat grams and 17 protein grams.

Review: Good stuff! I love how the biscuits bake into the egg/sausage/cheese mixture - it really tasted great and was very filling. A nice twist on breakfast, and probably one of the easiest recipes to put together (didn't even have to cook any meat - nice!). We'll definitely be having this again soon. (and FYI - I just cooked the extra two biscuits in the oven with the casserole, and we just froze them for later breakfast sandwiches!)

Southwestern Chicken Pasta Salad

2011-06-24T09:24:00.000-04:00

Southwestern Chicken Pasta Salad
Recipe adapted from Cooking Light
Makes 4 servings

8 oz. pasta, short shape/dried
1 pound chicken, cooked with salt, pepper and lemon juice
2 oz. 75% reduced fat cheddar cheese
½ cup green onion
½ red or green bell pepper, diced
1 small tomato, diced
¼ cup orange juice
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
½ tsp salt

Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and place in large bowl. Add chicken and next 5 ingredients (through tomatoes). Toss to combine. Combine orange juice and remaining ingredients, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle over pasta mixture; toss gently to coat. Cover and chill.

Nutritional Information: 441 calories, 53 carbs, 7 fat grams and 39 protein grams.

Review: Really tasty recipe - definitely best cold! It had plenty of flavor, the onions added a lot of crunch and the OJ combined with the adobo gave it a spicy after taste. The serving is very large and filling - a big serving for this amount of calories and fat grams makes me happy! We'll definitely make this again, I think it would be good for an event too. Note: if you don't like chipotle chiles in adobo sauce do not try it - I think this definitely made the recipe/sauce so without it I don't know that this recipe would have much flavor. Just a head's up!

My Main Blog

2011-06-22T11:58:00.002-04:00

I debated on whether or not to link my two blogs. I mean, obviously the original blog links to this one, but this one could technically stand alone. Anywho, I know that sometimes I comment as Kelly, sometimes as Healthified Kitchen and sometimes as Fitting Back In so I thought i'd just bridge the gap in case anyone came here first not knowing about my other one!

Fitting Back In is my main blog - it's more of a personal diary with everything from pics of family and friends, book reviews and shopping to workouts, organization tips and home decor. The Fitting Back In tab "Recipes" links over to this blog, where I post recipes and meal plans only. Healthified Kitchen really grew out of Fitting Back In as a place for me to drill down by ingredient and more easily plan meals!

I hope this clears up some of the confusion I've gotten in emails. :) Fitting Back in, Healthified Kitchen and Kelly are all the same person- me, the big cheeseball smiling at you at right! I know many of you know this, and thank you again for coming over here for my recipes!!

FYI - the link to the blog is also now available in the top navigation bar. Thanks so much!

~Kelly AKA Fitting Back In AKA Healthified Kitchen :)

Mexican Bake with Cilantro-Lime Cream

2011-06-20T08:54:00.001-04:00

Mexican Bake with Cilantro-Lime Cream
Makes 6 Servings
Recipe adapted from Diabetic Living

10 oz. rotini
16 oz. 96/4 ground beef
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 15-oz. can black beans, drained
1 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
¾ cup bottled salsa
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp chili powder
2 oz. 75% reduced fat cheddar cheese
6 tbsp fat-free sour cream
3 tbsp green onions, diced
1 tbsp fresh cilantro

1 tsp lime juice

Preheat oven to 350. Cook pasta according to package instructions, drain and return to pot. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook meat and garlic until meat is brown, stirring to break up meat as it cooks. Drain any fat. Add cooked meat into pot with pasta. Stir in beans, tomatoes, salsa, oregano, cumin and chili powder. Transfer to rectangular dish. Bake covered 30 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with cheese, bake for 3 minutes until cheese melts. In a small bowl, stir together sour cream, 2 tbsp green onions, cilantro and lime peel. To serve, top each serving with a spoonful of the sour cream mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining green onions.

Nutritional Information: 393 calories, 59 carbs, 5 fat grams and 30 protein grams.

Review: We really liked this one! The 'dressing' added a lot to it and it was really just a fun, simple pasta dish that was filling and EASY. Was it our favorite? Probably not - but definitely one that we'll keep in the rotation! Suggestion: when reheating - leave the dressing out of the microwave. Keep in a separate bowl then spoon on when it's hot and ready to eat. Also, note that the original recipe suggested you switch the beans up - use pinto, navy, whatever - not necessarily black.

Asian-Inspired Menu for 10

2011-06-18T11:15:00.000-04:00

I used this menu for a book club I hosted for 10. There was plenty of food! If anything - I noticed that i'd make a bit less rice and a bit more of the Szechuan Chicken - it went fast! So these changes are included below. Also, I had made the egg rolls the night before and thought I could just bake them the day of. WRONG. They weren't bad, but they weren't as good as they are when you same day make and bake. So this change is included, too. :)

Appetizers: Shrimp Eggrolls and Edamame

Sides: Bowl of White rice, Bowl of Brown Rice and Asian Vegetable Stirfry

Main Dishes: Szechuan Chicken and Rice and Spicy Sesame Noodles with Chicken

RECIPES

Eggrolls
Makes 10 egg rolls

10 egg roll wrappers
1 bag of cole slaw mix
1 can of mushrooms
1 tbsp garlic, minced
1/4 tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp fresh ginger
1 tablespoon of soy sauce, more to serve
salt and pepper
cooking spray
small bowl of water
1 cup of alfalfa sprouts
1 can of tiny shrimp
Dipping sauce: Soy sauce mixed with rice vinegar

Preheat oven to 375. Put cole slaw in a large microwave-safe bowl, cover, and microwave 3-6 minutes. Chop mushrooms and add to mixing bowl. Add optional fillings. Splash in 1 tbsp soy sauce. Add garlic and fresh ginger, and sprinkle in dried ginger. Now, cole slaw mix should be cooked. Drain it to get out any excess liquid, then combine cole slaw mix with the rest of the ingredients. Place a row of filling in the center of each wrapper. Fold in two of the corners. Put a bit of water on the top edges with your finger. Fold up the bottom, and roll as tightly as you can to the edge. Repeat for the rest of the wrappers, and place the egg rolls on a baking sheet sprayed with non-stick spray or olive oil. Spray the tops of the egg rolls with the oil, too. Bake 15 minutes, then flip the egg rolls over and bake an additional 10-15 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving (this will let the wrappers get a little more crisp too). Serve with soy sauce mixed with rice vinegar. (do NOT make the night before! :))

Edamame
1 pound edamame
Salt
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add edamame and continue boiling until the beans are crisp-tender, about 10 minutes. Start checking for doneness after 7 minutes. When done, run cold water over. Drain well and pat excess moisture off. Sprinkle with kosher salt to taste (start with ½ tsp).

Szechuan Chicken and Rice

22 ounces chicken
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup ketchup
2 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce
4 1/2 tsp cornstarch
2 1/2 tsp honey
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
3/4 teaspoon minced ginger, jarred
1.5 tbsp canola oil
4 1/2 tsp minced garlic, jarred

In a small bowl mix together water, ketchup, soy sauce, cornstarch, honey, crushed red pepper flakes and ginger. Heat oil in a wok over medium heat. Add garlic and stir fry for 30 seconds. Add chicken and toss to coat with oil. Heat for 3-4 minutes. While it’s still a bit pink, pour in sauce. Heat until sauce is thick and bubbly, 3-4 minutes, then reduce heat to simmer and cook until chicken is no longer pink. Serve over white rice.

Spicy Sesame Noodles with Chicken

3 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp canola oil
1 tbsp sesame oil
½ tbsp of Sriracha chili sauce
½ tsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced ginger
8 oz. of spaghetti, cooked per instructions
16 oz. chicken, diced and cooked on nonstick spray with ½ tbsp soy sauce and ½ tsp minced garlic
1 cup red bell pepper, sliced
3-4 green onions, sliced
1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
sesame seeds, for garnish

Combine vinegar, soy sauce, canola oil, sesame oil, Sriracha sauce, garlic and ginger. Mix well and set aside for 30 minutes to allow flavors to mingle. Cook spaghetti per instructions. Cook chicken per instructions above until no longer pink. Drain noodles and return to pan along with now-cooked chicken, bell peppers, green onions and the sauce; toss until noodles, chicken and vegetables are evenly coated with sauce. Remove from stove then add the basil and cilantro and toss to combine. Serve immediately with sesame seeds for garnish.

Easy Asian Vegetable Stirfry

1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp water
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
3 tbsp nonfat chicken broth
3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 bags frozen Asian vegetables

In a large skillet or wok, combine oil, water garlic and ginger. Cook on medium heat for 1 minute. Add stir fry and cook for 4-5 minutes until vegetables are cooked. Whisk together broth, soy sauce and cornstarch; add to vegetable mixture and stir fry for two minutes.

White Rice and Brown Rice

2-3 cups of each, microwavable

2-3 cups of water

Cook per package instructions.

TO-DO LIST

Weekend Before

Make grocery list and buy all ingredients you need.
Make sure you have plenty of plates, napkins, silverware, etc. - especially if you're using paper products

Day Before

Mix sauce for spicy sesame noodles with chicken
Make sauce for Szechuan chicken and rice
Slice green onions, red bell pepper and cilantro
Measure out microwavable white rice and brown rice (2-3 cups of each); get bowls ready
Defrost chicken and Asian vegetables.
Make eggroll mixture and store in container (do not roll egg rolls)
Get out all serving dishes you plan to use, and place on counter how you want them displayed
Make sure dishwasher is empty (especially if you're not using paper products)

Day Of

Remove egg roll mixture from refrigerator. Preheat oven to 375; roll egg rolls and coat them in canola oil; cook eggrolls for 15 minutes; then flip for another 10 – 15 minutes. Mix dipping sauce (soy sauce + rice vinegar)
Dice chicken.
Set pot of water to boil and boil edamame for 10 minutes (15 minutes total). Run cold water over them and then sprinkle with kosher salt.
Cook white rice in microwave for 8 minutes and 30 seconds. Leave wrap on.
Cook brown rice in microwave for 8 minutes and 30 seconds. Leave wrap on.
Cook chicken for spicy sesame noodles. Remove from heat.
Cook noodles on stove. Drain.
Make Szechuan chicken; add to server; cover with foil
Make Spicy sesame noodles; add to server; cover with foil
Make vegetables; add to server; cover with foil
Add egg rolls to server; cover with foil
Once everyone starts arriving, remove foil and serve.

Spicy Potato and Bacon Breakfast Casserole

2011-06-14T08:37:00.000-04:00

Spicy Potato and Bacon Breakfast Casserole
Recipe adapted from Our Best Bites
Makes 4 Servings

4 c. Southern/country-style hash browns (cubes), completely thawed
12 strips turkey bacon
4 oz. Cabot 50% reduced fat jalapeno cheese
3 stalks green onions, finely diced
3 eggs
1 cup fat-free milk
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp siracha sauce

Preheat oven to 350. Begin cooking bacon on stovetop (not microwave). While bacon cooks, place potatoes in a deep-dish 9″ pie plate. Sprinkle cheese over potatoes. When bacon is done cooking, remove from pan but leave any drippings. Add onions to pan in the drippings for 2-3 minutes. Spread onions over cheese, dice bacon and then sprinkle top with bacon. Whisk together eggs, milk, salt, pepper and siracha sauce, whisking constantly, pour egg mixture evenly over the potato mixture. Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes or until cheese is bubbly but not brown.

Nutritional Information: 308 calories, 27 carbs, 12 fat grams and 22 protein grams.

Review: Pretty fabulous! I loved how the flavors went together and the siracha was awesome. I will say that I took the black pepper down (called for 1 tsp) - I got one too-much-pepper bite so I may even suggest saving that and sprinkling on so it doesn't concentrate in one area - just a thought. But really easy, pretty (in my humble opinion) and made very healthy sized servings. Especially for 300 calories - I felt more like it tasted like a 400-calorie meal! It's a keeper, and I think you could really make it your own with more veggies, too!

one slice - yum!

Spicy Orange Chicken

2011-06-08T20:38:00.000-04:00

Spicy Orange Chicken
Recipe adapted from Cooking Light
Makes 4 Servings

1 pound chicken, diced
1 tbsp cornstarch
¼ cup orange juice
1 ½ tbsp soy sauce
1 ½ tbsp honey
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp siracha
1 ½ tbsp canola oil
1 tbsp minced ginger
1 tbsp minced garlic
1/3 cup chopped green onions
4 servings basmati rice

Make rice per package instructions. Add chicken to medium bowl. Sprinkle with cornstarch; toss well to coat. Set aside. Combine juice, soy sauce, honey, vinegar and siracha. Stir with a whisk and set aside. Heat canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add ginger and garlic; stir fry for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add chicken and stir fry for 3 minutes. Add juice mixture and onions; cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens and chicken is no longer pink. Divide rice into 4 servings; divide chicken mixture into 4 servings and serve over rice.

Nutritional Information: 372 calories, 49 carbs, 7 fat grams and 30 protein grams.

Review: Yes - another Asian-inspired winner! The cornstarch made the chicken so thick and juicy - loved that addition, and the sauce got just thick enough to cover the rice and give each bite the sauce's unique flavor- which was citrusy and spicy. The siracha gave it the spice on the aftertaste rather than the front - it was great though, subtle but had a kick. If you're timid about spicy, just reduce the amount of siracha! I love this recipe and will absolutely make it again. I think it would taste great over an Asian salad too rather than rice!

Slow Cooker Coconut Chicken Curry

2011-06-03T10:09:00.003-04:00

Slow Cooker Coconut Chicken Curry
Makes 4 Servings
Adapted from Salt & Paprika

½ cup onion
1 small green bell pepper, seeded & quartered
½ tbsp minced garlic
1 small can tomato paste
1 can light coconut milk
1 ½ tsp salt
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp Garam Masala
1 pounds chicken breasts, cut into big chunks
Salt & pepper
1 tbsp water
3/4 tbsp cornstarch
4 servings jasmine rice, cooked per package instructions

Place onion and bell pepper into a food processor. Process until finely chopped. Add in garlic cloves, tomato paste, coconut milk, salt, curry powder and garam masala, then process until smooth. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Combine with sauce and cook in a crockpot on low for 4 hours. After 4 hours, stir water and cornstarch together then add into the crockpot. Keep the lid cracked and cook on high for 10-15 minutes. Serve over a bed of rice.

Nutritional Information: 419 calories, 49 carbs, 9 fat grams and 31 protein grams.

Review: Okay, this is officially the best curry I've ever made. And probably one of the easiest too. Austin is a fan of thick curry, but that's still has a lot of sauce. A lot of curries are thick, but not saucy, or are saucy but thin. This one is PERFECT. And it has so much flavor - the garam masala with the curry powder adds a lot, and it's not too spicy (although you could make it spicier by slow cooking it with some dried red chiles.) It also had a nice creamy consistency; it tasted like it was cooked with whipping cream even though it wasn't. Next time I plan to double the recipe and freeze half of it - I have no doubt it will reheat fabulousness. If you want to try an Inidian recipe or a slow cooker one I strongly suggest this one - and yes, it's too bad it's not prettier in photos! :( **Edited to add: we froze half in a plastic container and a week later, just made rice and defrosted it - awesome!

Breakfast Ham Sliders

2011-06-02T07:11:00.001-04:00

Ham sliders
Adapted from Say Cheese
Makes 4 Servings

8 small potato/slider buns
8 servings Oscar Meyer black forest ham, sliced
4 slices Jarlsberg light Swiss cheese, cut in half
4 tbsp reduced fat chive and onion cream cheese
2 tbsp light butter with canola oil
1 tsp died onion flakes
½ tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp parmesan cheese

Slice rolls in half, place bottoms in a baking dish. Layer ham and cheese on each roll. Spread ½ tbsp cream cheese on each roll top and complete sandwich. Melt butter and stir in Parmesan, Worcestershire and onion flakes. Brush on top of sandwiches. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight. Heat oven to 350, cover baking dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes.

Nutritional Information: 412 calories, 35 carbs, 13 fat grams and 37.5 protein grams.

Review: Love these little guys! The cream cheese and swiss cheese mix so well together, making this a very tasty little sandwich. I also love how the ham, worcestershire and onion work together, adding a lot of flavor and a nice salty kick. You could serve these as appetizers, but I really liked it as a great, filling breakfast with lots of flavor and lots of protein.

Thai Basil Chicken

2011-06-01T09:03:00.001-04:00

Thai Basil Chicken
Recipe adapted from Sweet Tea in Texas

Makes 4 Servings

2 cups thai basil leaves, divided
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp siracha
2 ½ tbsp fish sauce, divided
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp splenda
1 tsp white vinegar
1 pound chicken, diced
2 tbsp olive oil
¾ cup onion, diced
4 servings basmati rice

Place garlic, 1 cup basil and the siracha sauce in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped, scraping bowl one time. Transfer 1 tbsp of this mixture to a small bowl with 1 ½ tablespoon fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar and vinegar. Stir and set aside. Place remaining garlic/basil mixture into 12" skillet and set aside. Place chicken in a bowl with the remaining fish sauce and refrigerate for 5 minutes. Add add olive oil and onions to the skillet, and sauté over medium heat until onion softens, about 5 minutes. Add chicken, stirring constantly, until it’s no longer pink. Add garlic/basil sauce mixture that you made previously. Cook for 1 minute. Meanwhile, dice remaining basil, add to the pan and cook 1 additional minute until basil wilts. Serve over rice.

Nutritional Information: 348 calories, 38 carbs, 8 fat grams and 30 protein grams.

Review: Yum! So glad to find another go-to Asian-inspired recipe. This one tasted wonderful, and I was so happy to use the Thai basil Austin has been growing in the backyard! The splenda is once again a great substitute for sugar, and I left out the oyster sauce since I didn't have it on hand - worked great for me. The onions and the sauce went a long way, and while it's not a huge serving, it's filling, healthy and definitely curbed my appetite for wanting to order out! I also thought it was a pretty simple, short ingredient list - I had everything on hand without planning! I'll make this one again for sure but be forewarned, this one, like the pad thai that used fish sauce, does smell funny when you cook it but then tastes amazing and the smell goes away - so weird!

Pepperoni Pizza Cups

2011-05-31T09:02:00.001-04:00

Pepperoni Pizza Cups
Recipe adapted from For the Love of Cooking

Makes 12 appetizers or snacks

Cooking spray
1 tube of refrigerator biscuits
1 ½ cups low-calorie spaghetti sauce
4 oz. 50% reduced fat Cabot cheese, shredded
24 turkey pepperoni slices
30 grams Parmesan Cheese, shredded
dried oregano
dried red pepper flakes

Preheat the oven to 375. Coat a 12-hole muffin tin with cooking spray. Cut each biscuit in half then press dough into the bottom and sides of each muffin tin. Repeat with remaining dough. Spoon 2 tbsp sauce into each cup. Top each with 2 slices of pepperoni, 10 grams cheddar cheese, 3 grams Parmesan cheese, and oregano and red pepper flakes. Bake for 15 minutes or until the crust is brown.

Nutritional Information (per cup): 140 calories, 15 carbs, 7 fat grams and 5 protein grams.

Review: Perfection in a cup! I love the biscuit bites and know these will become a standard, fabulous little snack, much like the big pigs in a blanket. You could toss anything in here, but I loved the simple pepperoni, cheese and sauce mix. They were also SO easy - it took me about 5 minutes to assemble - the same time it took the oven to preheat. They tasted well reheated, too. Can't wait to make these again!

pan of yumminess

Spinach & Mushroom Frittata

2011-05-29T15:31:00.000-04:00

Spinach & Mushroom Frittata
Makes 6 Servings
Recipe adapted from Finecooking.com

2 tbsp light canola butter
8 oz. mushrooms
3 oz. baby spinach leaves, thinly sliced
½ cup thinly sliced fresh chives
Kosher salt
10 large eggs
2 tbsp heavy cream
6 slices turkey bacon
6 English Muffins

In a large skillet, melt1 tbsp butter over medium heat. Add mushrooms and sauté for 6 minutes. While mushrooms cook, heat bacon in microwave and dice. Set bacon aside. In a large bowl, toss hot mushrooms with sliced spinach. Stir in bacon, chives and ¼ tsp salt. Heat broiler on high. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, cream, 2 tbsp water, ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper. Stir in mushroom mixture. In the same skillet, heat remaining tbsp butter over medium-high heat, swirling pan so butter coats the sides. Add eggs to pan and sprinkle with ¼ tsp pepper. Cook until eggs begin to set and the bottom turns brown, occasionally lifting the sides with a spatula to let uncooked egg run underneath, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to oven-save rectangular dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, and put in broiler.Broil until eggs are almost fully set and the top puffs and browns, 1 to 5 minutes. Check frittata every minute to avoid overbrowning. Divide into 6 servings and serve in toasted English muffin.

Nutritional Information: 317 calories, 27 carbs, 14 fat grams and 20 protein grams.

Review: I loved this! I thought the little bit of whipping cream added a lot, and it tasted fluffy and flavorful. I think my favorite part were the big mushrooms! Sometimes I would eat this in the muffin, or sometimes on the side of a muffin cut in half with a bit of fat-free cream cheese. It reheated well and tasted great. I also liked that it didn't require a cast iron/oven-ready skillet, since I still don't have one yet. I will say that it took a bit of prep, but not too much, especially considering that it feeds 2 people breakfast for 3 days! I'd make it again for sure.

Egg & Veggie Breakfast Pockets

2011-05-25T12:50:00.001-04:00

Egg & Veggie Breakfast Pockets
Recipe adapted from Better Homes & Gardens
Makes 4 Servings

5 eggs
2 tbsp egg substitute, divided
1 tsp olive oil

2 tsp minced garlic
½ cup chopped onion
1 package reduced fat crescent rolls
1 ½ cups baby spinach leaves
¼ cup fresh basil, diced
4 tsp grated parmesan cheese
2 oz. fat-free feta cheese
½ cup low-calorie spaghetti sauce

Preheat oven to 400. In a bowl, whisk together eggs, parmesan, 1 tbsp egg substitute, ¼ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion. Cook and stir for 3-4 minutes until tender. Add spinach and basil, then pour egg mixture into skillet. Cook without stirring until mixture begins to set around edges. With a large spatula, lift and fold partially cooked egg mixture so the uncooked portion flows underneath. Cook until heated through. Unroll crescent rolls on wax paper, and separate into 4 rectangles. Press seams together. Divide egg mixture into four, and place one serving on each crescent rectangle. Top with feta, then pick up one side and fold over to the middle. Pick up the other side and do the same. Press together the new seam, and fold over the ends, using your fingers to press the sides closed. Repeat with the other three. Brush top of each with egg substitute. Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes. Serve each with 2 tbsp spaghetti sauce.

Nutritional Information: 325 calories, 27 carbs, 16 fat grams and 18 protein grams.

Review: Love this flavor! This was my first time having spaghetti sauce for breakfast but wow - it works great with this! The pocket was just crispy and soft enough - the onions added nice crunch and the spinach mixed in well. The garlic helped give it a bit of kick, and the egg filling went well in the crescent. All in all a good breakfast. Yes, a bit high in fat, but it kept me full for hours. It also reheated very well - it wasn't as crispy but it was just as good and didn't lose its flavor.

the outside before cutting!

BLT Flatbread with Maple Vinaigrette

2011-05-17T18:23:00.000-04:00

BLT Flatbread with Maple Vinaigrette
Adapted from a Can you Stay for Dinner recipe
Makes 4 Servings

2-3 cups arugula, divided
1 small tomato, diced and divided
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced and divided
8 slices bacon (I used Hormel ready bacon)
1 cup fat-free feta cheese
Maple bacon vinaigrette (below)
4 pieces Naan

Dice bacon. Set aside 1/4 of one strip and mince. Add to vinaigrette. Gently toss greens, tomato, onion, remaining bacon, and feta cheese with the vinaigrette in a large bowl. Broil naan for 2-3 minutes per side, until charred and crispy. Divide salad mixture among the four warm naans, slice each into 4-5 pieces and serve immediately.

Maple Vinaigrette
1 tbsp olive oil
1 ½ tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp minced bacon
1 tbsp fat-free maple syrup
2 tsp spicy brown mustard
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper

Whisk ingredients in a medium bowl until well combined.

Nutritional Information: 428 calories, 55 carbs, 12 fat grams and 17 protein grams.

Review: We are fans! The vinaigrette was really tangy, and mixed with the bacon, feta and maple it had a lot of flavor. The mustard also added a good punch. The mix was good fresh, and after refrigerating it was just as good, maybe better because the flavors had more time to mingle. The vinaigrette went a long way, and the recipe was very filling. I liked how it could be eaten almost like bruschetta. I could see this being a great appetizer, too, to serve on small, 3" pitas. We will definitely have this again - a great, summer recipe!

Two Cheese Naan Breakfast Pizza

2011-05-15T19:22:00.002-04:00

Two-Cheese Naan Breakfast Pizza

Makes 2 Servings (above is one serving!)

1 piece of naan
3 tbsp low-calorie spaghetti sauce
2 eggs

2 tbsp egg substitute
¼ tsp dried basil, divided
1 tbsp fat-free milk
40 grams 75% reduced fat cabot cheese
5 grams grated parmesan cheese
1 serving Jimmy Dean Turkey Sausage crumbles

Turn on broiler. Whisk together eggs, milk and half of basil. Heat sausage in microwave per package instructions. Pour egg mixture into a small pan over medium heat. Add in sausage, and cook until eggs are just done; should still be wet. Remove from heat. Place naan on a baking sheet sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Spread sauce on naan with the back of a spoon. Top with egg mixture, shredded cheese and sprinkle with remaining basil. Broil for 5-7 minutes until cheese is just browned. Keep an eye on it to avoid burning.

Nutritional Information: 303 calories, 16 carbs, 10 fat grams and 16 protein grams.

Review: It's my new favorite breakfast dish. Seriously! The spaghetti sauce added a great base, and I loved the egg/sausage mixture. The cheese mixture was great too - loved the difference that a tiny bit of fresh, grated Parmesan cheese made. And the naan is still succeeding as the best pizza "crust." Don't get me wrong - this recipe would be great with a pita (although it would take the calorie counts down A LOT), but the crispiness of the naan helps make this breakfast special. And short of the awesome taste, it filled me up. Perfect breakfast!

whole pizza before slicing into 2 servings

Chipotle Bean Burritos

2011-05-13T15:09:00.004-04:00

Chipotle Bean Burritos
Adapted from Pearce’s Kitchen, Cooking Light and Pink Parsley Catering
Makes 4 Servings

1 tsp canola oil
2 tsp minced garlic
1 1/4 tsp chili powder
1 tbsp chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, minced
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/3 cup chicken broth
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
½ cup salsa (like Pace medium)
4 burrito-size (large) tortillas, warmed in microwave for 10-15 seconds
2 oz. Cabot 75% reduced fat cheddar cheese, divided
4 tbsp fat-free sour cream, divided

Optional: 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, divided; 4 tbsp green onion, diced and divided

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, chil powder, chipotle chile, cumin, and salt, and cook for 1 minute. Add beans and broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in salsa, and mash with potato masher. Lay out tortillas. Top each with 1 tbsp sour cream, spreading on with the back of a spoon. Divide bean mixture into four equal servings, and spoon onto tortilla. Then top each tortilla with ½ oz. shredded cheese, 1 tbsp green onion and ½ tbsp cilantro. Roll tightly and serve immediately, or crisp outside in panini maker or pan.

Nutritional Information: 429 calories, 74 carbs, 6 fat grams and 23 protein grams.

Review: I made these for dinner on Sunday and loved them! It originally called for cherry tomatoes inside but I omitted these - I preferred to have them on the side or not at all! I thought the bean mixture had a nice spicy, without being too spicy, taste. I'm loving those chipotle chiles in adobo sauce - they are perfect. The sour cream was a nice add too, and helped cool it down. Total winner and i'll be making these again!

Asian Meatball Pasta with Lime Sauce

2011-05-11T10:10:00.000-04:00

Asian Meatball Pasta with Lime Sauce
Adapted from a Gina's Weight Watcher Recipe
Makes 4 Servings

1/4 cup panko crumbs
1 pound 96/4 ground beef
1 egg
1 tbsp minced ginger
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 green onions, chopped
1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil

Dipping Sauce
4 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp water
1 chopped green onion
Other: 8 oz. long pasta; green onion (garnish)

Preheat oven to 500°F. Mix beef, panko, egg, salt, scallions, cilantro, 1 tbsp soy sauce, and 2 tsp oil and mix with your hands until combined well. Shape 1/4 cup meat mixture into a ball and transfer to a baking dish. Repeat until you have 12 same-sized meatballs. Bake in a deep cooking sheet sprayed with nonstick cooking spray until cooked through, 15 minutes. While meatballs bake, cook pasta per package instructions. Also, mix together sauce. Remove meatballs from oven. Drain pasta and add back to pot over medium heat. Toss with sauce. Divide pasta into 4 servings. Top with meatballs. Garnish with green onion if desired.

Nutritional Information: 451 calories, 46 carbs, 12 fat grams and 37 protein grams.

Review: The meatballs were awesome - they seemed bad for you because of the oil, and really heated up quick, maybe could have even done 12 minutes! Gina (original recipe) used them as apps and dipped in the sauce, but I liked the idea of using that sauce to coat pasta and making it a main dish rather than app. The sauce had a great flavor - next time I may even add some lime zest to give it even more of a kick, or maybe some red pepper flakes. I would also consider doing 16 so each serving would have 4 (but definitely cut the cooking time down). Anywho, just some thoughts - we were happy with it and I LOVE that i've found another Asian-inspired keeper!

Sausage, Tomato and Argula Pasta

2011-05-10T16:16:00.001-04:00

Sausage, Tomato and Argula Pasta
Recipe adapted from For the Love of Cooking
Makes 6 Servings

1 tsp olive oil
5 turkey Italian sausages, removed from casings
3 tsp minced garlic, jarred
1 cup chicken broth
1 tsp dried oregano
1 ½ cups grape tomatoes
1 ½ cups arugula
3 oz. fresh mozzarella, rolled into small balls
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
12 oz. pasta, cooked per instructions

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Remove sausage from casings and form into small balls. Place balls into the skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes. Add minced garlic and tomatoes then stir constantly for 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, oregano, salt and pepper. Break up a few of the tomatoes with the spatula. Cook for 8-10 minutes while pasta cooks.
Drain pasta and add to sauce, toss to coat. Add arugula and balls of cheese then serve immediately.

Nutritional Information: 373 calories, 43 carbs, 12 fat grams and 24 protein grams.

Review: This dish packs SO much flavor and is really filling. I love the addition of argula for color, and the cherry tomatoes were great, too. Do be careful breaking up the tomatoes - don't wait to get a squirter and wind up with tomato juice all over you! This one reheated well, too - which made me happy because i'm always nervous heating up lettuce you know? But it meshed well in here and I wouldn't make this dish without the arugula. I also liked the idea of sausage balls and cheese balls - I ended up just throwing the sausage in more roughly (no perfect balls) but will do that next time. I did like the add the little cheese balls made though. Great, quick, filling recipe - good for a weeknight!

full dish in pan while I stirred it - almost looks plain but the sauce had a lot of flavor. I love how much chicken broth can enhance a dish!

Southwest Salad and Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

2011-05-08T19:12:00.006-04:00

Southwest Salad with Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

Makes 40+ side servings

Adapted from For the Love of Cooking

Dressing:
2 cups of fresh cilantro, chopped
1 cup canola oil
½ cup fresh lime juice (juice from 2 limes squeezed to death)
¼ cup red wine vinegar
Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste
2 tsp jarred minced garlic
2 tsp oregano

Add to blender. Blend. Refrigerate until ready to serve. (pulse one more time before adding to salads)

Salad:

4 bags romaine lettuce, divided
2 cans corn, drained, divided
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained, divided
2 cups Kraft 2% Mexican cheese, divided
1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered (depending on size), divided
1 cup of red onion, diced and divided in half
Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette (recipe above), divided in half

Take out two large bowls. Add 2 bags of lettuce to each bowl. Drain corn and black beans. Add a can of corn and a can of black beans to each. Add 1 cup of cheese to each. Add ¾ cup diced tomatoes to each. Add 1/2 cup of diced red onion to each. Pulse salad dressing to ensure it’s mixed. If you plan to serve both at the same time: Drizzle each with half of the salad dressing. If you plan to serve one first and the other when it runs out: Drizzle half with salad dressing. Put the other salad and ½ dressing in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve.

Nutritional Information (for each huge bowl of salad including dressing):2,023 calories, 158 carbs, 136 fat grams and 65 protein grams.

Review: We LOVED it and it seemed to go over really well! I made it the night before, left it in the mini processor and put it in the fridge. Right before I served the salad (both at the same time), I dropped it on top of the mini processor, pulsed it again, then poured half over each salad.

Just so you know, for less salad dressing, simply divide the recipe above by 4. This is what I did (I multiplied Pam's recipe by 4!) - Pam's Recipe:

1/2 cup of chopped cilantro
1/4 cup canola oil
1-2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp oregano

Best Ever Chicken Soft Tacos

2011-05-06T09:44:00.004-04:00

Best Ever Chicken Soft Tacos
Recipe adapted from My Bizzy Kitchen Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen
Makes 4 Servings

1 tsp canola oil
2 tsp minced garlic, jarred
2 tbsp canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, diced
1/2 cup cilantro, diced and divided
½ cup orange juice
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp yellow mustard
Pinch of salt/pepper
8 small soft tortillas (about 80 calories each)
Toppings: 2 oz. Cabot 75% reduced fat cheddar cheese, 4 tbsp fat-free sour cream and 1 cup lettuce, grated (I used arugula) - all divided into 4

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and chipotles and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds. Stir in 1/3 cup cilantro, Worcestershire sauce and orange juice. Nestle chicken into skillet, cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for 7 minutes. Remove lid, flip each piece and cook for 7 minutes. Cook for additional 2-4 minutes if still pink. Remove chicken from pan with slotted spoon and transfer to a cutting board. Continue to simmer sauce over medium heat until it starts to reduce, 5 minutes. While sauce reduces, shred chicken loosely using 2 forks. Remove sauce from heat; stir in mustard and remaining cilantro. Add in chicken and stir. Serve chicken on tortillas (147 grams of chicken for each serving/2 tacos) with desired toppings.

Nutritional Information: 421 calories, 37 carbs, 6 fat grams and 51 protein grams.

Review: These were amazing. So flavorful and tangy - we loved the kick. I'd never used chipotle peppers in adobo sauce - I can't wait to find more recipes with it. I've also never cooked with orange juice but it added such a nice citrus zing. I can't WAIT to eat the leftovers and to make this again - next time i'll be doubling for even more leftovers - seriously - it was THAT good.

Shrimp with Feta Tomato Sauce and Rice

2011-05-03T22:55:00.000-04:00

Shrimp with Feta Tomato Sauce and Rice
Adapted from a Dinners for a Year and Beyond Recipe
Makes 4 servings

1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
1 14.5-oz. can fire roasted tomatoes, diced
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste
2 ounces fat-free feta cheese, plus more for sprinkling on top
1 1/4 cups jasmine rice, cooked to package directions for 'firm' rice and kept warm

Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat. Add onions and saute until softened, about 3 - 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds more. Add tomatoes and bring the sauce to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium and let simmer for 5 minutes. Add the shrimp and continue simmering until the shrimp are just cooked through, about 4 - 6 minutes. Add the herbs and feta cheese and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately over hot jasmine rice and sprinkle with extra cheese if desired.

Nutritional Information: 360 calories, 44 carbs, 5 fat grams and 30 protein grams.

Review: Yum! Because of the 'fire' in those tomatoes it had more of a Cajun thing going on - almost like a jambalaya. Austin actually put some hot sauce on his! It was great and reheated well (make sure to reheat on 50% power so it doesn't overcook the shrimp). Also, cook the rice so it's more firm than watery since the sauce is watery (so it makes a different texture/contrast). I thought this was a great recipe and pretty easy to make for a weeknight. I also like the low calorie and fat counts on this, especially since it made so much food and was so filling. It reminded me a little bit of this Baked Shrimp in Tomatoes And Feta recipe, but heavier with the dense rice and more spicy/Cajun with the seasonings!

Vegetable Tortellini Soup

2011-05-01T15:25:00.000-04:00

Vegetable Tortellini Soup
Recipe Adapted from For the Love of Cooking
Makes 4 Servings

1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup sweet yellow onion, diced
4 7” carrots, diced
2 10” celery stocks, diced
3 tsp minced garlic
6 cups of chicken broth
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
2 cups zucchini, diced
1 9-oz. package refrigerated cheese tortellini
3 cups sliced fresh spinach (about 3 ounces)
2 oz. Cabot cheese, shredded, divided
Salt and Pepper to taste

Place olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add onions, carrots and celery and cook 4-5 minutes until softened. Add seasonings and garlic, then stir constantly for 60 seconds before adding tomatoes and broth. Let simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Increase heat to medium high, then add the tortellini, zucchini and squash. Cook for 10 minutes or until tortellini is cooked through. Stir in spinach and simmer until it’s wilted, about 1 minute. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with cheese.

Nutritional Information: 372 calories, 47 carbs, 12 fat grams and 19 protein grams.

Review: I liked it a lot! The tortellini bites were my favorites, and all of the veggies really meshed well - almost like vegetable soup but SO fresh with big bites. I'm not a huge carrot person, so my first thought was to reduce the amount, but Austin said leave as is - he loved it! So maybe i'll just scoop more carrots into his bowl next time. :) I'd also like to try vegetable broth instead of chicken broth - I had purchased for the recipe but accidentally used the wrong one. oops! Either way, a success, and you guys - the servings are HUGE and filling.

in the pan!

40 Meals in 3 1/2 Hours

2011-04-27T14:34:00.003-04:00

Step-by-step meal plan coming soon!

Bacon-Balsamic Deviled Eggs

2011-04-25T09:58:00.002-04:00

Bacon-Balsamic Deviled Eggs
Recipe adapted from My Bizzy Kitchen and Recipe Girl
Makes 24 appetizers

12 large eggs
4 slices bacon, cooked until crisp and chopped finely
1/2 cup fat-free mayonnaise
1 tbsp red onion, finely grated
1 tsp granulated white sugar
1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper, freshly ground

Carefully put eggs in a pot and cover with tap water until eggs are submerged with an inch of water over them. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, set a timer for 10 minutes. While boiling, prepare a bowl of ice water. When the timer goes off, remove pot from heat and use a slotted spoon to transfer one egg at a time to the cold water. Leave them alone for 7 - 8 minutes as they come back to room temperature. Once cooled, dry them and put them in a bowl in the fridge, or peel under cold water and eat. Halve length-wise. Place the cooked yolk in a medium bowl and place the white halves on a serving platter (cut-side up). Mash yolks with a fork. Add bacon, mayonnaise, onion, sugar, vinegar, celery salt and pepper. Stir until thoroughly combined. Use a piping bag with a star-shaped tip to fill egg white halves. Refrigerate, lightly covered, until ready to serve.

Nutritional Information (each appetizer): 43 calories, 1 carb, 3 fat grams and 3 protein grams. (could have 2 for a under-100 calorie snack!).

Review: Okay, so my first time making deviled eggs and my first time eating them. WOW. Where have I been? Loved the addition of bacon and the balsamic and grated onion really added a fun kick! Austin, a seasoned deviled egg eater really liked them, too. I also got to use my new cake decorator pump/piping tool - fun. I can't wait to make these again and can't get over how yummy it was. I even used the leftover on some crackers - WOW. If you like deviled eggs or want to try a new recipe - i'd suggest this one!

Easy Ham & Cheese Breakfast Pockets

2011-04-23T15:37:00.000-04:00

Easy Ham & Cheese Breakfast Pockets

Makes 4 Servings

1 can reduced fat crescent rolls
1 9 oz. container deli ham, thin, divided
2 oz. cabot cheese, sliced and divided

1 jalapeno, finely diced
1 tbsp egg substitute

Preheat oven to 375. Spread out a sheet of wax paper, and open crescent rolls into 4 rectangles. Press down on crescent rectangle (2 triangles) to make larger rectangle. Press jalapeno pieces into dough, then add 1/4 of the ham on one side. Roll halfway, then and ½ oz. cheese. Finish rolling and repeat process with remaining three. Add to cookie sheet sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Brush egg substitute on top of each. Cook for 12-14 minutes until top is golden brown.

Nutritional Information: 279 calories, 25 carbs, 11 fat grams and 19 protein grams.

Review: Um, yum! Huge fan of these little guys. Loved how easy they were to put together -I had everything on hand and it just sounded good, so I whipped it up in under 10 minutes. They were also pretty - and the ham made them juicy which made them taste bad for you. Love that! I also liked how well the cheese melted in the crescent. I will definitely be making these again, and have no doubt they will reheat well! I would suggest serving them with a side of fruit to add some sweet and some color. I would do strawberries & pineapples!

Note: If you prefer, you can make 8 smaller ones instead of 4 bigger ones. I think it's easier to do 4 big ones, but it's all what you prefer! Also, if you wanted to add turkey bacon or more cheese to up the calories I think there is room for it, just be careful about upping the fat more than it is!

Indian Chicken and Spinach Curry

2011-04-20T18:16:00.000-04:00

Indian Chicken and Spinach Curry
Recipe adapted from Food and Wine Magazine/Cooking Light
Makes 4 Servings

1 tsp canola oil
½ cup onion, diced
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp minced ginger
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp coriander
½ tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
2 jalapeno peppers, seeds and ribs removed, minced
½ cup tomatoes, diced
½ cup heavy cream
¼ tsp cinnamon
1 cups water
3-5 oz. spinach
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into strips
1 cup basmati rice

Cook rice per package instructions. In a large pan, heat oil over low heat. Add onion and cook for 3 minutes. Add garlic and ginger; cook for another 2 minutes. Stir in cumin, coriander, paprika and salt. Cook 1 minute, then stir in jalapenos, tomatoes, cream, cinnamon and water. Add spinach, then cover, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove lid, stir in chicken, cover again and simmer for 10 minutes until chicken is no longer pink.

Nutritional Information: 410 calories, 44 carbs, 12 fat grams and 31 protein grams.

Review: WOW!!! We loved this one - had a lot of fire with the jalapenos and the cream just really made it taste super sinful and "restaurant-like" per Austin. It tasted almost Thai like, but of course without the coconut taste from coconut milk since it used heavy cream instead. We loved it over the basmati rice, and the chicken was super tender from being cooked in the sauce. Use as much spinach as you like - I stuck on the low side because I worry about it's strong flavor's impact. But honestly, it blended so well and just added great, filling protein - yay! This dish is an absolute keeper - there is nothing I would change!

P.S. I apologize in advance for the not-so-fabulous pic - I left my camera at work and had to use a low-pixilated one! :(

Cheese Giveaway!

2011-04-18T19:54:00.003-04:00

The lovely people at Cabot, Wendy and Kelly, generously offered TWO cheese gift packs to you guys and I am so excited to be able to pass this on! Yes, that's $25 worth the reduced fat cheese - EEEEEE. :) Enter to win on my main blog, Fitting Back In. Just leave a comment on this Fitting Back In post telling me your favorite thing to make with cheese by 11 p.m. EST Saturday, April 30. I'll use random number generator and give TWO readers THIS:

Summer Vegetable Enchiladas

2011-04-15T09:29:00.000-04:00

Summer Vegetable Enchiladas
Adapted from a Dinners for a Year and Beyond Recipe
Makes 6 Servings

1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 cup flour
1 6-oz. can tomato paste
1 14 – ounce can vegetable stock, reduced sodium
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp canola oil
1 yellow or red bell pepper, diced
1 zucchini, diced
1 15-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can corn, drained
½ cup scallions, diced and divided
12 Mission small flour tortillas
2 oz. 75% reduced fat Cabot cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 400. In a small saucepan, combine cumin, chili powder, flour, tomato paste and ¾ cup water. Whisk to combine and cook for 1 minute. Add in stock and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes until sauce is slightly thickened. Remove from heat and set aside. Heat a pan to medium high heat and add oil. Add bell pepper and zucchini and sauté for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and place in a large bowl. Cool slightly. Add black beans, corn and half of the scallions and stir to combine. Spray a rectangular baking dish with cooking spray. Add enough sauce to cover the bottom (about ¼). Lay wax paper on the counter and top with 12 tortillas. Fill each with vegetable mixture. Then roll one at a time and place seam side down in baking dish. Pour remaining over the enchiladas, using the back of a spoon to spread, and top with cheese. Bake for 15 minutes until cheese is melted.

Nutritional Information (for 2 enchiladas): 396 calories, 67 carbs, 7 fat grams and 15 protein grams.

Review: Okay, so I’m going to make my own enchilada sauce from now on – AMAZING. Seriously. So flavorful and thick – it really made this dish. Especially combined with the flour tortillas. Normally I use corn tortillas for enchiladas, but the flour really made it thick, almost like a burrito, and the vegetables just popped. Talk about another meatless dish where I didn’t miss the meat at ALL. I didn’t even need any toppings like sour cream or salsa – perfect as is! This has now knocked off one of the lasagnas to be in the top two for meatless recipes – filling, flavorful and will be made again – very soon! Seriously, I don't even know that the pictures do it justice!

whole pan - YUM

Chinese Noodles with Beef

2011-04-13T14:00:00.000-04:00

Chinese Noodles with Beef
Recipe adapted from Fitness Magazine
Makes 4 Servings

6 oz. pappardelle noodles
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp minced garlic, jarred
1 tbsp minced ginger, jarred
1 pound shitake mushrooms, stems removed, sliced into 1/4” strips
1 pound 96/4 lean ground beef
6 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 ½ cups shredded carrots
1 cup chopped scallions

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add pasta and cook per package instructions. Drain, reserving ¼ cup liquid. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, ginger and mushrooms until somewhat softened. Add beef and cook, crumbling, about 3 minutes. Mix in hoisin sauce and cook 3 minutes. Add carrots and cook 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in scallions. Toss meat mixture with noodles and reserved cooking water.

Nutritional Information: 440 calories, 53 carbs, 10 fat grams and 35 protein grams.

Review: We loved this one! It was my first time cooking with hoisin sauce which, apparently, is used in lots of Asian-inspired dishes like Mongolian Beef. I love the flavor it adds, and liked that this dish used ground beef and noodles, instead of chicken and rice like most of my Asian dishes. I'm not a big fan of "hot carrots" - Austin isn't either - but we liked them in this and really didn't notice them. I will definitely make this again, and if you can't find pappardelle I think it would be great with any noodle, long or short!

Chipotle Chicken and Rice

2011-04-12T15:38:00.003-04:00

Chipotle Chicken and Rice
Adapted from a Dinners for a Year and Beyond Recipe
Makes 4 Servings

1 cup jasmine rice
1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken stock
¼ tsp chili powder
2 tsp olive oil
20 oz. chicken, diced
½ cup onion, diced
1 red or orange bell pepper, diced
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp cumin
½ cup tomato sauce
1/8 tsp salt
hot sauce to taste
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely diced
1 tsp lime juice
4 large Romaine lettuce leaves

In a medium pot over high heat, add rice, chicken stock and chili powder. Bring to a boil and then turn down heat, cover pot, and simmer for 15 minutes. While rice cooks, heat a large pan to medium high heat. Add oil and then add chicken. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic and cumin and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce and cook for a minute, then season to taste with salt and hot sauce. Stir in cilantro and lime juice. Place lettuce leaf on plate. Divide chipotle rice and chicken into servings and add to each lettuce leaf.

Nutritional Information: 374 calories, 42 carbs, 4 fat grams and 37 protein grams.

Review: We really liked it! The rice had a nice flavor with a hint of spanish rice, without the grease and calories. The chicken was flavorful, the onions added a lot and I liked the hot sauce blended in to give the tomato sauce a kick. The lime juice and cilantro also added a great flavor and after taste. I will DEFINITELY make this again - super easy and I have no doubt it would freeze well too since it's a soupier dish. Also, I wouldn't be scared to add even more hot sauce for more heat!

DIY Fruit Cups

2011-04-11T19:26:00.001-04:00

DIY Fruit Cups

25 grams banana
45 grams apple
70 grams grapes
75 grams strawberries
50 grams pineapple

Lemon juice (to keep the fruit pretty)

Weigh out and cut all fruit. Add to container. Squirt with a bit of lemon juice. Shake container and voila - a perfectly portioned fruit cup.

Note: If you don't like apples but LOVE bananas, try this mix: 75 grams banana, 70 grams grapes, 100 grams strawberries and 40 grams pineapple for 145 calories, 42 carbs and 1 fat gram.

Nutritional Information: 123 calories, 37 carbs and 1 fat gram.

Review: Yummy of course! And it’s way cheaper to make your own than buying the cups in the store!

All 8 cups with extra strawberries in one!

Hoisin Chicken Rice Bowls

2011-04-08T08:25:00.002-04:00

Hoisin Chicken Rice Bowls
Adapted from a Dinners for a Year and Beyond Recipe
Makes 4 Servings

1 tbsp canola oil
1 large red pepper, diced small
1 10-ounce package baby portebello mushrooms, diced small
2 tsp minced garlic
1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced small
1 8-ounce can water chestnuts, drained, diced small
2 tsp teriyaki sauce
4 tbsp hoisin sauce
4 servings (190 grams) Jasmine rice, cooked per package instructions
4 large romaine lettuce leaves
sesame seeds to taste
3 scallions, thinly sliced

Heat oil over medium heat in a large pan. Add red pepper and mushrooms and sauté for 5 - 6 minutes until tender. Add garlic and sauté an additional minute. Add chicken and cook for 6 - 8 minutes or until cooked through. Stir chicken and red pepper mixture occasionally while it cooks. Add water chestnuts, teriyaki sauce and hoisin sauce and stir to coat the chicken and vegetables. Continue cooking until heated through. To serve, line each plate with a large romaine leaf. Top each with a quarter of the rice, a quarter of the chicken mixture, and a sprinkle of the sesame seeds and scallions.

Nutritional Information: 433 calories, 62 carbs, 6 fat grams and 33 protein grams.

Review: OMG. This tastes so light but it's very filling. I loved the sauce, the mixture of the rice with the mushrooms and peppers, and while I normally dislike water chestnuts, I LOVED this them in this. I liked the crunch they offered, along with the scallions and peppers. The hoisin and teriyaki also blended well, and I liked the jasmine rice over my usual microwavable rice. It helped make this dish and I will definitely be making it again!

Pad Thai

2011-04-07T11:56:00.000-04:00

Pad Thai
Makes 4 Servings
Recipe adapted from Stephanie Cooks

4 servings pad Thai rice noodles
1 tbsp canola oil
2 tsp minced garlic
16 oz. chicken
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tbsp cilantro, roughly chopped
1 tbsp almonds, chopped (7 grams)

Sauce: 4 tbsp lemon, 3 tbsp. fish sauce, 3 tbsp splenda, 1 pinch red pepper flakes and 4 green onions diced

Cook noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, combine sauce ingredients together in a small bowl, stir well, and set aside. Heat oil over high heat. Add garlic and chicken. Transfer to a plate once cooked. Add egg. Cook for 1-2 minutes until done, then break into small pieces. Reduce heat to low, add sauce, noodles, and chicken back to the pan. Toss well to combine. Add cilantro. Toss well. Garnish with almonds.

Tip: Time it to where noodles are drained then immediately added to sauce. If not, they stick together.

Nutritional Information: 394 calories, 47 carbs, 7 fat grams and 32 protein grams.

Review: We loved it. I will say that it smelled funny while we were cooking it until we added the green onions – then it smelled amazing. So we changed it to add them to the sauce. Also, we used lemon juice but you could have used lime juice – just our preference. I loved the rice noodles – it was my first time cooking with them. This recipe just seemed super easy and made for a great, flavorful dish. I loved the combination of cilantro and green onions, and the sauce really went a long way. I will make this again for sure!

Healthy Cobb Salad (or wrap!)

2011-04-04T16:30:00.002-04:00

Healthy Cobb Salad
Recipe adapted from The Master Your Metabolism Cookbook
Makes 4 Servings

1 oz. blue cheese, crumbled
¼ cup nonfat Greek Yogurt (like Fage)
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp water
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
4 slices turkey bacon, diced
1 pound chicken, diced or thinly sliced; cooked in salt and pepper
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and quartered
1 avocado, pitted, peeled and thinly sliced

Romaine or spinach leaves

Blend cheese, yogurt, vinegar, water and pepper until smooth; reserve. Cook turkey bacon until crisp; reserve. Arrange lettuce in 4 bowls. Scatter bacon on top of lettuce followed by chicken, tomatoes, eggs and avocado. Drizzle with dressing.

Nutritional Information: 336 calories, 14 carbs, 16 fat grams and 39 protein grams.

Review: I really liked it. Lots of different flavors. I will say I preferred it with romaine lettuce, and when I ate it the second time, I was STARVING so I put it in a taco-size Mission tortilla. I just spread the sauce on first, then topped with the ingredients and a bit of romaine - it was wonderful this way and, for me, more satisfying. The salad was filling as is, but just not satisfying for me - I guess it was just too healthy rather than being healthified! :) I would definitely make this again, but would probably plan on having it in a flat out wrap or tortilla.

Notes: when dividing, each salad gets 78 grams chicken, 38 grams eggs, 38 grams avocado, 7 grams bacon and 26 grams dressing.

Hard Boiled Eggs

2011-04-04T16:29:00.003-04:00

Hard Boiled Eggs

Recipe from My Bizzy Kitchen

3 eggs (or more)
Tap water

Carefully put eggs in a pot and cover with tap water until eggs are submerged with an inch of water over them. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, set a timer for 10 minutes. While boiling, prepare a bowl of ice water. When the timer goes off, remove pot from heat and use a slotted spoon to transfer one egg at a time to the cold water. Leave them alone for 7 - 8 minutes as they come back to room temperature. Once cooled, dry them and put them in a bowl in the fridge, or peel under cold water and eat. I checked online, and it seems that if you don't peel them, they last for 5-6 days. If you do peel them, they last for 1-2 days.

Chicken Vindaloo

2011-04-01T12:27:00.000-04:00

Chicken Vindaloo
Recipe adapted from a Cooking Light.com recipe
Makes 4 Servings

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tbsp minced fresh ginger
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground cardamom
2 tsp chili paste
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp minced garlic, jarred
4 tsp canola oil
1 cup diced onion
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into strips
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
3/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp water
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 cup basmati rice (dry)

Combine first 9 ingredients (through garlic) in a zip-top plastic bag. Marinate in refrigerator at least 4 hours, turning occasionally. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 4 minutes. Add chicken mixture and bell peppers; sauté 5 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly browned on all sides. Add broth and salt; simmer, uncovered, 12-15 minutes. Combine cornstarch and water in a small bowl; stir well. Add cornstarch mixture to chicken mixture; simmer 2 minutes until sauce thickens. Stir in cilantro. Divide rice into 4 servings (each 140 grams). Divide chicken mixture and serve over rice.

Nutritional Information: 375 calories, 48 carbs, 7 fat grams and 31 protein grams.

Review: AMAZING. I mean it -that cardamom work was absolutely worth it and yes, I think it helped make the recipe. This dish has SO much flavor, and even tasted better second day, which we didn't think was possible. It's strong, not spicy, and really had a lot of focus on ginger, which I happen to love. I will absolutely make this again! And next time, i'll toss in some red pepper too (it called for it but I didn't have it so yellow it was!). I seriously can't believe the stats on this dish - it had enough flavor and 'soupiness' to where i'd easily assume it had at least double the calories and fat!

Whole pan

Mint Chocolate Brownies

2011-03-30T11:46:00.000-04:00

Mint Chocolate Brownies
Makes 24 brownies

1 box Betty Crocker Dark Chocolate cake mix
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup oil
2 tbsp water
4 oz. Andes crème de menthe baking chips
6 oz. semisweet chocolate morsels
1 can vanilla frosting
¼ tsp green food color

Preheat oven to 350. In a large mixing bowl, add cake mix, eggs, oil, and water together. Use mixer until a dough forms. Stir in morsels and baking chips. Add to rectangular dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 20 minutes until set in the middle. Use tooth pick to ensure the middle is cooked. While brownies bake, mix together vanilla frosting and food color until it’s green. Once brownies are done, add frosting on top.

Nutritional Information: Again, NOT healthified, but fun and festive nonetheless. :)

Review: These were SO minty fresh - loved that. I only had a small bite of one and it was like danger danger danger! They were super thick and chocolatey, and the andes added minty crunch. The frosting was such a gluttenous add but they weren't "green enough" without it so why not? They went FAST. I think I should have worked on the presentation, and they would look cute with flags (which I felt were too much of a disconnect with a "beer fest" hehe.) Great recipe though - could see myself making it again for an event!

Pasta Bar Menu for 30

2011-03-29T08:50:00.002-04:00

I hosted a January baby shower for my sister and a little over 30 of her closest friends. The cold weather meant I wanted to serve hot food, so the sternos, pans and stands (purchased at Costco) came in handy. I also made signs for each side of the pan, so guests could see the name of the dish, including main ingredients. Lastly, instead of one big pan of each dish, I used two smaller pans in each one and allowed guests to serve from both sides. I also made sure to include one meatless dish and one meatless salad - hoping there would be a little something for everyone. Please note, this menu does NOT include desserts. I ordered cupcakes for the event. As usual, if you notice anything missing or have any questions please let me know!

Main Dishes: Pasta with Sundried Tomato Pesto; Baked Italian Sausage Pasta; Pasta Fagioli (meatless)

Salad: 'That Good Salad' - one meatless one with meat

Bread: 2 loaves of French bread with spread

Bread close up

Pasta Close up

Salad (same salad - one with bacon and one without for our non-meat-eating buddies)

Signs show which has bacon and which is meatless

Dessert: Hire out! :) Unless you're a baker, which, i'm not!

RECIPES

Pasta with Sundried Tomato Pesto

Makes 12 Servings (x3 of normal recipe)

24 oz. rotini
3 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomato halves, drained (300 grams)
¾ package basil leaves cut into ribbons
6 tbsp slivered almonds (42 grams)
6 tbsp reduced fat parmesan cheese
3 tbsp minced garlic
1 1/2 tsp salt
¾ teaspoon black pepper
6 oz. fat free feta cheese
36 oz. Chicken
3 tsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste (for chicken)

Cook pasta according to the package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain through a sieve over a bowl, reserving 2 cups cooking liquid. Return pasta to pan. While pasta cooks, add chicken, olive oil and salt and pepper to a large pan. Cook chicken until no longer pink, about 4-6 minutes. While pasta and chicken are cooking, place tomatoes and next 6 ingredients (through black pepper) in a food processor; process until finely chopped. Combine tomato mixture and the reserved cooking liquid, stirring with a whisk. Add pasta to chicken pan, and add mix to pan. Stir well. Serve in tray and sprinkle top with feta.

Baked Italian Sausage Pasta
Makes 12 Servings (x2 of normal recipe)

2 packs of 5 Jennie-O Hot Italian Turkey Sausage links, casings removed
22 oz. pasta of your choice (I used Ziti), cooked per package instructions
6 tbsp parmesan
200 grams fat-free ricotta cheese
4 tbsp fresh basil, finely diced
4 cups low-calorie spaghetti sauce
100 grams Fresh Mozzarella, grated
2 tsp dried basil

Preheat oven to 400. Set a large pan (that has a lid) to medium and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Add sausage to pan, and top with lid. Cook sausage for 15 minutes, turning and breaking up with a spoon every few minutes. In the meantime, in a large bowl, combine parmesan, basil, ricotta cheese and 3 cups spaghetti sauce and mix thoroughly. Add cooked pasta. Stir. Shred now-cooked sausage with two forks. Add to mixture and stir. Divide mixture into two rectangular baking dishes that have been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Spread remaining 1 cup sauce on top. Bake for 12 minutes. Spoon into serving pans, pat the tops flat with a spoon, and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and dried basil.

Pasta Fagioli Recipe
Makes 8 Servings

2 tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, small to medium size
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 celery stalk, diced
2 15 oz can cannellini beans
2 15 oz can tomato sauce
2 large bay leaf
2 tbsp basil, dried
2 tbsp parsley, dried
2 tsp oregano, dried
8 cups fat free chicken broth (or 2 cans)
4 cups water
Sea salt and pepper to taste
16 oz. small pasta (I used mini fusili)
4 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
80 grams fresh mozzarella, grated

In a deep pot, saute onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat. Blend can of beans with one cup water in electric blender until smooth. Repeat with second can of beans and another cup of water. Add blended beans to pan then add the tomato sauce, celery, chicken broth, basil, bay leaf, parsley, oregano, sea salt and pepper. Add 2 cups water and bring to slow boil. Let simmer for 20 minutes stirring occasionally. Add pasta and cook uncovered until pasta is al dente*, according to pasta directions. Ladle into pan, and top with parmesan and mozzarella.

*Do NOT cook pasta early on this recipe. It's important that it cooks in the other ingredients to make it less soupy/easier for guests to eat.

That Good Salad (double it for two salads)

Dressing (Make TWO of mixture below for two salads if you do one meatless):
3/4 Cup EVOO
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup lemon juice

Salad (Make TWO of mixture below for two salads if you do one meatless; just omit bacon from second one):
2 bunches Romaine Lettuce
2 cups tomatoes, diced
1 cup swiss cheese, shredded
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
8 strips bacon, fried & broken into pieces
1 cup caesar salad croutons

Mix ingredients together; cover & refrigerate until ready to serve. Pour dressings over salads just before serving and mix well.

Bread

2 loaves Italian bread, sliced to 1-inch thick

Spread for bread: 10 tbsp butter, softened; 4 tsp olive oil, 2 tbsp minced garlic, 2 tsp oregano, salt and pepper. Preheat broiler. Mix all ingredients except cheese. Spread on bread. Arrange on baking sheets and broil for 5 minutes. Add to bread basket.

TO-DO LIST

Weekend Before

Make grocery list and buy all ingredients you need.
Make sure you have plenty of plates, napkins, silverware, etc. - especially if you're using paper products

Day Before

Dice package of basil and two tomatoes
Defrost 36 oz. chicken
Defrost 2 packs of Jennie-O turkey sausage
Cook 22 oz. ziti and put in large zip lock bag
Make ALL Pasta Fagioli – put in large Tupperware dishes and store in refrigerator
Mix dressing for salads and store in plastic containers on counter
Clean lettuce using salad spinner. Dice lettuce and store in large zip lock bags
Shred cheeses if not purchased shredded

Day of

timeline to have food on sternos at 6 p.m. (adjust timeline for time of event start)

3 p.m. Put out plates, sternos, etc., where you want to serve them
3:15 p.m. Remove Pasta Fagioli from refrigerator
4 p.m. Make salad in bowls you plan to present them in – put in fridge (do not add dressing yet)
4:30 p.m. Make spread and spread on bread
4:45 p.m. Start pasta with sundried tomato pesto (important that this cooks day of as you need to reserve pasta liquid, helps for consistency, etc.)
5:20 p.m. Start baked Italian sausage pasta (noodles are already made for this)
5:30 p.m. Start microwaving pasta fagioli to get it heated up a bit before it goes on sternos; stir in between heat
5:40 p.m. Remove salads from refrigerator, place on counter for serving and drizzle with dressings
5:45 p.m. Bake bread and add to basket
5:50 p.m. All pastas, bread and salad should be in dishes ready to go. Top each dish with cheese if desired and cover loosely with foil to keep warm before serving.

Greek Stuffed Chicken with Lemon Orzo

2011-03-28T08:19:00.001-04:00

Greek Stuffed Chicken with Lemon Orzo
Recipe adapted from Fitness Magazine
Makes 4 Servings

5 oz. fresh spinach
2 tsp minced garlic, jarred
Pinch nutmeg
4 4-oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
¾ cup fat-free feta cheese
1 tsp fresh basil
1 tbsp olive oil
8 oz. orzo
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tbsp lemon juice
¼ cup parmesan cheese (Kraft)
¼ cup fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 350. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Warm a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add spinach and cook, tossing, 3 minutes until wilted. Add garlic and nutmeg and cook, tossing, 2 minutes. Transfer to a colander. Once cooled off, squeeze liquid from spinach and then add to a bowl with feta and basil. Use a knife to cut feta and spinach into smaller, easier to stuff, pieces. Butterfly chicken and open like a book. Cover with wax paper and pound to an even ¼-inch thickness. Place a quarter of the mixture along the center of the breast; roll and secure with toothpicks. In the skillet, heat 1 tsp oil over medium-high heat. Add stuffed chicken and cook 4 to 5 minutes or until the bottoms are golden. Turn and cook another 5 minutes. Transfer chicken to baking sheet and cook for 15 minutes. Bring pot of water to a boil; add orzo and cook according to package instructions. Drain, reserving 2 tbsp of liquid, and toss with lemon zest, lemon juice, parmesan, parsley and remaining 2 tsp olive oil. Use liquid if needed.

Nutritional Information: 421 calories, 45 carbs, 8 fat grams and 43 protein grams.

Review: Whoa! It was a great recipe. The chicken was super tender and juicy, and the stuffing was flavorful. The garlic gave the spinach a nice flavor. The pasta paired perfect with it - the parmesan thickened up the orzo, and the parsley, olive oil and lemon zest (more so than the juice) gave it a lot of punch. It was a nice, light meal with lots of color that was very filling!