Deep Dish Pizza Casserole

Deep Dish Pizza Casserole 
Recipe adapted from Real Mom Kitchen
Makes 6 Servings

1 onion, diced
1 pound 96/4 ground beef
1 tbsp minced garlic
⅛ tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 cup low-calorie spaghetti sauce
1 tube reduced fat crescent roll dough
¼ cup parmesan cheese
 ½ cup reduced fat mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a skillet, cook onion, beef, and garlic until beef is fully cooked. Drain off and excess grease. Add red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, and pizza sauce to beef mixture. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, Meanwhile, spray a 9 x 13 pan with non-stick cooking spray. Line bottom of pan with crescent dough and press to seal seams. Sprinkle dough with parmesan cheese. Spread meat mixture over crust and top with mozzarella cheese. Bake at 400 for 18 minutes until golden brown. 

Nutritional Information: 267 calories, 21 carbs, 10 fat grams and 22 protein grams.

Review: Pretty yummy! Super easy to make and it reheats well. We served each with a big Caesar salad (lettuce, a bit of parm, and light Caesar dressing) to boost up the calories. I’ll definitely make this again – may even add some more red pepper flakes for extra spice!

Paleo Spicy Eggs and Chicken with Homemade Salsa

Paleo Spicy Eggs and Chicken with Homemade Salsa

Makes 4 Servings

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light Recipe

¾ cup tomato, diced

3 tbsp diced red onion, diced

2 tbsp fresh cilantro, finely diced

1 jalapeno pepper, ribbed and deseeded, finely diced

1/4 tsp kosher salt

2 tsp lime juice, divided

1 tsp minced garlic, divided

8 large eggs, beaten lightly with 1/2 tbsp water and a few dashes of hot sauce

16 oz. chicken, cooked with ½ tsp chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, and cumin

1 avocado, divided into 4

Combine first 5 ingredients in a food processor. Stir in lime juice and garlic. Process until smooth. Break eggs into a medium bowl; stir with a whisk and add a splash of hot sauce. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add eggs; cook 3 minutes until almost cooked, stirring constantly. Add already-cooked chicken and stir until combined. Remove from heat. Top with homemade salsa and serve with avocado.

Nutritional information (per serving): 287 calories, 5 carbs, 12 fat grams and 40 protein grams. 

Review: Nothing beats homemade salsa and the food processor makes it so. dang. easy! From there, it was just cooked chicken, whipping up scrambled eggs and cutting up an avocado. This is great for leftover chicken, which is what we used! So just make a bunch of 'taco chicken' and you can have it for breakfast, salads, or even snacks (cut them in long strips and dip in guacamole). This also reheated well which of course makes it a winner!

Kielbasa Breakfast Fried Rice

Kielbasa Breakfast Fried Rice
Inspired by Lynn’s Kitchen Adventures
Makes 4 Servings

1 tsp + 1 tbsp olive oil
4 eggs
4 tablespoons soy sauce
8 oz. Jennie-o Lean Turkey Kielbasa cut into coins
90 grams (1/2 cup/2 servings) Trader Joe’s Jasmine rice cooked, boxed and refrigerated for at least 4 hours)
2 tablespoons rice vinegar

Mix together 2 tablespoons of soy sauce with the eggs and beat well. Heat 1 tsp of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add egg mixture to pan. Swirl and scrape egg to cook until almost solid; err on the side of not done because you will be adding this back to the pan later. Remove soft eggs from pan and set aside on a plate. Return pan to stove. Add 1 tbsp oil. Add rice and cook for 4 minutes, stirring constantly, until rice is starting to lightly brown. Add remaining 2 tbsp soy sauce and the rice vinegar. Stir for 1 minute. Then add egg back to the pan along with the meat. Cook for 4-5 minutes until meat is heated through.

Nutritional Information: 310 calories, 59 carbs, 13 fat grams and 18 protein grams.

Review: WOW. I was nervous about using on 2 servings of rice for 4 servings. I was concerned about using rice vinegar, as opposed to my normal stand-bys of garlic, ginger, onions and hot chile sauce. I was wrong - this was fabulous! Loved the consistency, how far the oil went to make it feel authentic, the spiciness of the kielbasa - forget just breakfast, this would work for any meal! It was ready in under 20, BUT that's only if you have rice already made (which we did) - so you would definitely have to plan ahead with this one so I won't be adding it to my quick recipes list because of that. However, if you have leftover rice you can make this in 15 minutes for sure!

Southwest Chicken Wontons

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!

Eggs & Sweet Potato Hash

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.

Mini Paleo Muffins

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.

Breakfast Wonton cups

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!

Black Bean Fiesta Burgers

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!

Spicy Potato and Bacon Breakfast Casserole

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!

Spinach & Mushroom Frittata

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.

Two Cheese Naan Breakfast Pizza

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

Easy Ham & Cheese Breakfast Pockets

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!

Greek Pasta Salad

Greek Pasta Salad
Makes 4 Servings

Dressing:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
¾ tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp oregano, dried
¼ tsp basil, dried
1 tsp minced garlic, jarred
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
½ packet splenda
1 oz. fat-free feta cheese
1 oz. fresh tomatoes, diced

Other:
1 oz. fat-free feta cheese
8 oz. pasta, small shape
3 oz. fresh tomatoes, diced
2-3 cups spinach

Optional:
1 cucumber, deseeded and diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
30 Hormel Turkey Pepperonis, quartered

Cook pasta per package instructions. Drain and set aside. Combine all ‘dressing’ items in a blender or food processor. Mix pasta with ‘other’ ingredients – feta cheese and tomatoes. Add ‘optional’ ingredients if desired. Toss with now-blended dressing. Serve on a bed of spinach.

Nutritional information (without pepperonis): 293 calories, 46 carbs, 8 fat grams and 11 protein grams.

Nutritional information (with pepperonis): 324 calories, 46 carbs, 10 fat grams and 11 protein grams.

Review: I think this one tasted best right after we made it. When we reheated it, it was a little bit dry. Probably because I didn’t use more oil. I added tomatoes in to the dressing part, and think it will improve the dryness. Or, I would suggest adding a 1/4 cup of nonfat Greek yogurt (like Fage). Regardless, this was a great, flavorful recipe – I love the dressing and it’s a super colorful and tasty dish. I think it’s going to make a great spring and summer staple around our casa. The pepperonis can be a fun add on, but of course no biggie to keep it meatless, which is what we're moving toward doing 1-2 days per week at our place!!

Sausage and Spinach Breakfast Pie

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

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

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

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

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

One Serving

Breakfast Risotto with Tomatoes and Mushrooms

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

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

Optional: parsley for garnish

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

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

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

Ricotta Tomato Toast and Italian Eggs

Ricotta Tomato Toast and Italian Eggs

Makes 4 Servings

4 slices whole grain bread
½ cup fat-free Ricotta Cheese (124 grams)
10 fresh basil leaves
8 slices tomato
11 eggs
1 tsp Italian Seasoning
1 tbsp parmesan cheese

Set a pan to medium and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Whisk together eggs, Italian seasoning and parmesan cheese. Add to pan and scramble until cooked. While cooking eggs, toast bread. Spread each slice with two tablespoons of fat-fat ricotta cheese and top with basil leaves and tomato slices.

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

Review: 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!

Tomato and Mozzarella Sammy

Picture coming soon!

Tomato and Mozzarella Sammy

Makes 1 Sandwich

2 basil leaves, finely diced

2 slices of Nature's Own wheat bread

1/4 tsp olive oil

2 slices of tomato

2 tsp light butter

1 tsp minced garlic, jarred

2 tbsp low-calorie spaghetti sauce

55 grams fresh mozzarella

Turn George Foreman on to heat up. Spread butter on one side of each piece of bread. Place butter side down in grill, then quickly add sauce, cheese, tomato, basil and a drizzle of olive oil. Top with second piece of bread (butter out) and close the lid. Heat for 4-5 minutes until desired crispiness.

Nutritional Information: 301 calories, 25 carbs, 16 fat grams and 20 protein grams.

Review: LOVE this sammy. Great flavor and love the fresh basil and tomatoes. The addition of butter and olive oil makes it taste very bad for you! For extra calories/protein - consider adding turkey pepperoni slices!

Buffalo Chicken Salad

Buffalo Chicken Salad
Recipe from Hungry Girl
Makes 4 Servings

16 oz. chicken, diced
2 tsp olive oil
½ tsp cumin
6 tbsp Frank’s cayenne pepper sauce
3 tbsp reduced fat parmesan cheese
8 turkey bacon strips, divided
1 large tomato, diced
8 cups romaine lettuce, divided
8 tbsp fat-free ranch, divided

Spray large pan with nonstick spray and add olive oil. Cook chicken with cumin, stirring until no longer pink. While it cooks, combine Frank’s and parmesan, cook bacon in microwave and dice tomatoes. Once the chicken is cooked, add to sauce/parm mixture and stir until the chicken is coated, then cook in microwave for 1 minute. Then put ¼ lettuce in each bowl, and top each with ¼ chicken mix, ¼ bacon, and ¼ tomato mix, then 2 tbsp of fat-free ranch.

Nutritional Information: 275 calories, 18 carbs, 5 fat grams and 33 protein grams.

Review: To beef this up, I added a slice of nature’s own bread with a ½ tsp of light butter – your call! We LOVED it! I also thought it looked so pretty with the toppings organized in thirds. The little things, people.

Roasted Chicken Pattie & Guacamole Pita

Roasted Chicken Pattie & Guacamole Pita

Inspired by a Trader Joe's sample test

Makes 2 Servings

2 6-inch pitas (about 120 calories each)

2 Trader Joe's roasted chicken patties

4 tbsp Trader Joe's spicy pico/guac servings, divided

Toast pitas in the toaster. While toasting, heat the chicken in the microwave for 1 minute. Put chicken onto pita, and then spoon guac/pico on top.

Nutritional Information: 295 calories, 29 carbs, 7 fat grams and 27 protein grams.

Review: We LOVED it. Amazing. It’s not much to look at but AWESOME. Would be a good snack to split with someone too (split one of them!).

Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

Pulled Chicken Sandwiches
Recipe adapted from cooking light
Makes 2 Servings

8 oz. raw boneless skinless lean chicken breasts, halved
1/2 cup canned tomato sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp chili powder
.75 tbsp. plus ½ tsp. brown sugar
.75 tbsp. plus ½ tsp. cider vinegar
.75 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp olive oil
Red pepper flakes, to taste

In large non-stick skillet over medium high heat, add olive oil then chicken tenders and continue to cook until browned. Add paprika and chili powder to chicken mixture and cook through. Remove all the chicken and place it in a bowl. Shred each piece using two forks -- one to hold the chicken in place and the other to scrape across the meat and shred it. Return the shredded chicken to the pan. In small bowl combine tomato sauce, ketchup, cider vinegar, garlic powder and brown sugar. Add sauce to chicken and stir. Cook for about 5 minutes until sauce is warmed through and starts to thicken. Serve on whole wheat bread. If you like, season to taste with red pepper flakes.

Nutritional Information: 296 calories, 37 carbs, 5 fat grams and 33 protein grams. Without bread: 216 calories, 18 carbs, 4 fat grams and 28 protein grams!

Review: It was yummy and really filling! Next time I’m going to use less tomato sauce and add diced onions! To make it more low carb, I think it would taste good in a low-carb tortilla like La Tortilla Factory – next time I’m def going to wrap mine up.

in the pan