Breakfast Casserole with Biscuit Crust

Breakfast Casserole with Biscuit Crust
Found on Food.com
Makes 8 Servings

1 can biscuit dough
1 pound reduced fat sausage
2 oz. Cabot 75% reduced fat cheddar cheese
6 eggs, well beaten
1/2 cup fat-free milk
1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 425. Spray a medium-sized pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add to medium heat, and cook sausage for 7 – 8 minutes until no longer pink. In the meantime, spray a rectangular baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Press biscuits into bottom of dish, sealing areas to make a crust. Mix eggs, milk, salt and pepper together. Sprinkle now-cooked sausage on top, then cheese. Pour egg mixture over the meat and cheese. Bake for 15 minutes or until firmly set in center.

Nutritional Information: 344 calories, 26 carbs, 19 fat grams and 16 protein grams.

Review: Fab - easy, peasy, 8 filling servings, not a lot of work - YES, a keeper. And bonus, it looks pretty and puffy and reheated well. Done and done and quickly to the top of our always-in-rotation dishes!

Loaded Scalloped Sweet Potatoes

Loaded Scalloped Potatoes
Recipe adapted from Skinnytaste.com
Makes 4 Servings

22 oz. peeled, raw sweet potato, sliced
3 tsp olive oil
2 tsp paprika
½ tsp chili powder
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp cumin
Sea salt to taste
4 slices turkey bacon
1 tsp minced garlic, jarred
6 oz. raw sirloin, diced into tiny pieces
2 oz. Cabot 75% reduced fat cheddar cheese
4 tbsp green onion
1 tbsp diced pickled jalapeno, jarred
2 tsp jalapeno juice (from jar)
4 tbsp reduced fat ranch, divided

Preheat oven to 400. Line two baking sheets with foil for easy clean-up. Lightly coat with cooking spray. Add all potatoes, olive oil, and spices (down to sea salt) to a gallon size bag. Toss to coat. Place potatoes in a single layer on baking sheets. Bake uncovered for 12 minutes; flip each potato over, then bake for another 12 minutes or until tender crisp. While potatoes bake, heat a large pan over medium heat. Spray with nonstick spray and add bacon. Cook about 2 minutes on each side. Remove to a plate and add garlic to pan. Stir for 30 seconds, then add steak and cook for 3 – 5 minutes until no longer pink. Add to plate with bacon. Dice now-cooled-off bacon into bite-size pieces. Remove potatoes from oven; place them into two piles in one large ovensafe dish. Top each of the two piles with 1 oz. cheddar cheese, ½ tbsp. jalapenos, 2 tbsp green onions, 2 strips diced bacon and 3 oz. steak. Spoon jalapeno juice carefully over the top of each pile and return to oven for 2 minutes, or until the cheese melts. Serve each serving with 1 tbsp ranch.

Nutritional Information: 339 calories, 39 carbs, 12 fat grams and 18 protein grams.

Review: Tasted great! Loved the idea and it had a lot of flavor from the potatoes, jalapenos and spices. I will say that because I used the food processor to slice, it made it to where you almost had to eat it with a fork (even though the original intention was "fries" that would be eaten with your hands). Oh well - we made it work and loved the loaded scalloped potatoes (even if the original name was texas cheese fries. hehe).

Baja Pork Stir Fry

Baja Pork Stir Fry
Recipe Adapted from Dinners for a Year and Beyond/Cooking Light
Makes 4 Servings

1/2 cup chicken stock
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp minced garlic, jarred
3 tsp olive oil, divided
1 pound lean pork, sliced in strips
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup sliced red onion
½ red bell pepper, diced
1 thinly sliced jalapeno
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
4 cups jasmine rice, cooked over stove per package instructions

First, prepare rice to cook and set for 15-20 minutes (so it cooks while you do the rest!). Combine first 4 ingredients in a small bowl; stir well and set aside. Season pork with salt and pepper. Heat a large pan over medium high heat and add 2 tsp of olive oil. Add pork and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side. Remove from pan and set on plate. Heat same pan over medium heat and add last tsp of olive oil. Add onion, bell pepper and jalapeno and stir fry for 3 - 5 minutes. Return pork to pan along with chicken stock mixture and toss to combine. Cook for 1 minute until sauce coats all the ingredients. Stir in tomatoes and cilantro. Serve over rice.

Nutritional Information (per serving): 359 calories, 42 carbs, 7 fat grams and 30 protein grams.

Review: So fresh and spicy! Loved all of the veggies and the chicken stock mixture really added a nice blend. The jalapeno was spicy, but tamed by the chicken stock, and I loved the cilantro combined with the pork. Overall, great, easy recipe ready under 20 (especially easy if you have a food processor!). Could do with or without the rice – for Paleo peeps- just leave the rice out and make it 2 or 3 servings!

Sausage, Potato & Edamame Breakfast Scramble

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

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.

Italian Egg Bake

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) :)

Baked Turkey Egg Rolls

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!).

Biscuit Soufflé Breakfast

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!)

Thai Basil Chicken

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!

Egg & Veggie Breakfast Pockets

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!

Shrimp with Feta Tomato Sauce and Rice

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!

Healthy Cobb Salad (or wrap!)

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.

Breakfast Broccoli and Pasta Pie

Breakfast Broccoli and Pasta Pie
Makes 4 Servings

Recipe adapted from Cooking with My Kid

6 oz. angel hair (dry)
1 1/2 cups chopped broccoli (200 grams)
1/4 cup onions, chopped
1 cup 75% reduced fat cheddar cheese (112 grams)
2 tsp minced garlic, jarred
2 tsp olive oil
3 large eggs
3/4 cup fat-free milk
¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
dash of paprika

Preheat oven to 375. Cook pasta per package instructions. Sauté onions in olive oil until translucent. Add garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. In a large bowl whisk together eggs and milk. Add broccoli, cheese and onions. Add pasta, salt and pepper to taste. Toss to coat. Transfer to a greased 9 inch pie dish and sprinkle with paprika. Bake for 25 to 30 minute or until egg is set and top pieces of pasta are slightly crunchy and brown. Remove from oven and let rest before slicing.

Nutritional Information: 348 calories, 38 carbs, 11 fat grams and 24 protein grams.

Review: Yum!! SUCH a fun breakfast idea, and come on, who doesn't love pasta! I enjoyed it and think lots of variations would work (meat versions like ham & onions or sausage & basil; other veggie versions like tomato, feta & spinach, etc.). I can't wait to make it again - and what a cheap "quiche crust" - pasta! It stayed together well and cooked up perfectly. The original recipe didn't call for bread crumbs, but we agreed it needed something crunchy and landed on bread crumbs so I factored them into the nutrition above. YOU GUYS - I'm so excited I found this - bring on more breakfast pasta pies!

whole pie!

Breakfast Potato Skins

Breakfast Potato Skins

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

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

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

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

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

Baked Mini Quiches

Baked Mini Quiches
Makes 1 Serving
Make 4 of below for 4 Servings

2 eggs + ¼ cup egg whites
1 oz. Cabot 75% reduced fat cheddar, grated
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
¼ tsp siracha sauce
1 strip turkey bacon
2 slices Oscar Mayer ham

Preheat oven to 350. Spray ramekins with nonstick spray. Cook bacon in microwave and dice. Dice ham. Combine ingredients in a bowl and stir until blended. Pour mixture into a ramekin. Repeat 3 more times until you have 4 full ramekins. Bake 30 - 40 minutes, or until eggs are cooked through (when you insert a knife it should be dry).

Nutritional Information: 317 calories, 2 carbs, 15 fat grams and 39 protein grams.

Review: Not going to lie - LOVED them fresh, not a fan of them reheated. It didn't bother Austin but something about all of that egg, in a mound, behind reheated didn't sit well with me. However, they were very good fresh and I loved the flavor the meat added. These would be great for a brunch or if you had overnight guests who were staying for breakfast. They are super cute and again - WONDERFUL fresh. Just don't try to reheat them (unless that doesn't bother you - it bothered me!)

In the Ramekin

Sausage Breakfast Casserole Recipe

Sausage Breakfast Casserole Recipe
Makes 6 Servings
Recipe inspired by My Bizzy Kitchen

1 pound reduced fat Jimmy Dean sausage
160 grams Italian French bread, day old, broken into 1” cubes
2 oz. Cabot 75% reduced fat cheddar cheese
8 eggs
2.5 cups fat-free milk
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp onion powder
¼ tsp black pepper

Heat large skillet over medium heat. Spray with nonstick cooking spray. Add sausage. Heat until no longer pink, breaking up with a spoon, about 7 minutes. In the meantime, place bread in a rectangular baking dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle with cheese. Combine eggs, milk, dry mustard, salt, onion powder and pepper. Pour evenly over bread and cheese. Sprinkle sausage and tomatoes on top. At this stage you can cover and chill overnight, if you want to prepare ahead. If not, let sit for 10 minutes before putting in the oven. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Bake uncovered for about one hour. Tent with foil if top begins to brown too quickly.

Nutritional Information: 340 calories, 19 carbs, 18 fat grams and 25 protein grams.

Review: WOW. No longer will a loaf of bread in our house go stale, or better yet, when it does it will be put into this. Fantastic! I had to do a bit of tweaking to make it healthified, but at the end of the day, it still tasted great! Next time, I plan to toss in some tomatoes and/or spinach - maybe mushrooms! Yes, it takes an hour to bake, but this is great to reheat if you want to bake ahead, or would be good for a weekend if you're not the kind of person to wake up starving!

Skillet Chili Mac with Corn

Skillet Chili Mac with Corn

Recipe adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Café

Makes 6 Servings

1 tbsp canola oil
1 pound 96/4 ground beef
1 onion, minced
3/4 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 tablespoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp light brown sugar
1 14-oz. can tomato sauce
2 cups water
8 ounces elbow macaroni
1 11-oz. can corn, drained
1 4.5-oz can chopped green chiles
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
3 oz. Cabot 75% cheddar cheese, grated

Heat oil in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add beef, onion, chili powder, coriander and salt. Cook beef until it is no longer pink. Drain any excess fat or grease. Stir in garlic and brown sugar and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomato sauce, water and macaroni. Cover and cook, stirring often and keeping the heat at a steady simmer until macaroni is tender, about 10-12 minutes. Stir in corn, green chiles and cilantro and sprinkle cheese over the top. Cover and let it sit off the heat until the cheese melts, about 2 minutes.

Nutritional Information: 357 calories, 43 carbs, 8 fat grams and 27 protein grams.

Review: Wonderful! I liked that it's lower calorie but still filling, and the macaroni came out great. I love recipes that cook the macaroni for me - nice! I will say that I had to add a bit of salt to mine, and next time I might add some hot sauce to the mix to give it a little more heat. It had flavor, but I like mine a bit more spicy. Regardless, this one was a winner, and I love that it makes 6 servings and only takes 25 minutes tops, including prep!

In the skillet!

Breakfast Nachos

Breakfast Nachos
Recipe from My Bizzy Kitchen
Makes 2 Servings

5 small corn tortillas
3 eggs
1 tbsp fat-free milk
½ oz. Cabot 75% reduced fat cheddar, grated
4 slices turkey bacon
4 tbsp salsa

Cut corn tortillas into 6 triangle pieces and spray them with Pam. Sprinkle with a bit of sea salt and bake for 12 minutes at 350. Cook bacon in the microwave per instructions, and dice it up. Scramble eggs with milk and a bit of salt. When the tortillas are done, split them into two piles of 15 triangles and divide the eggs over the top. Then sprinkle bacon over each pile and add cheese. Broil until the cheese melts, about 3 minute (watch it or it will burn!). Then top each pile with two tablespoons of salsa (I used Trader Joe’s 3-Pepper Salsa).

Nutritional Information: 337 calories, 32 carbs, 15 fat grams and 18 protein grams.

Review: 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. This, to me, is definitely more for the weekends as i'm not sure how it would reheat, but it could be easily switched to during the week if you made it more like a quesadilla or even a tostado. Regardless, I want mine in nacho form. It filled me up to - while the calories aren't super high the fat helped as well as the protein. Great recipe that i'll be making again!

Fiesta Sliders

Fiesta Sliders
Makes 12 mini burgers
Recipe adapted from Lauren’s Kitchen

1 pound 96/4 ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning
½ cup salsa
¼ cup breadcrumbs, plain
¼ cup onion
12 tbsp fat-free sour cream
12 slider rolls I like Martin's potato rolls (90 calories each)
Optional topping: 24 tsp salsa I don't think you need it!

inside

Preheat oven to 375. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray. Combine meat, taco seasoning, salsa and onions. Mix with a fork. Add breadcrumbs. Form into 12 mini burger patties and cook for 8 minutes on each side, or until done. Meanwhile, smear 1/2 tbsp sour cream on the inside of each bun. Add the patty and top with bun. Option: serve with toppings like diced tomatoes and lettuce.

Nutritional Information (per slider): 173 calories, 23 carbs, 2 fat grams and 12 protein grams.
Nutritional Information (for 2 sliders as a meal): 345 calories, 46 carbs, 5 fat grams and 25 protein grams.

Review: I thought these were excellent! The boys (Austin & his bros) gobbled them up! They definitely weren't traditional sliders as they had the mexican flavors, but they were yummy - loved sour cream as the spread instead of mayo on a traditional burger - I thought it was neat! Austin did note that they were more like sloppy joes than burgers, I don't think there was enough bread crumbs to hold them together so I upped it above. Great appetizer, and I think it would be a great meal if you had two and maybe a side of some chips!

Upside Down Pizza

Upside Down Pizza
Recipe adapted from an allrecipes.com recipe
Makes 6 Servings

Ingredients
1 pound 96/4 ground beef
½ cup onion, chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
2 cups jarred low-calorie spaghetti sauce
125 grams (a little over 1 cup) fresh mozzarella cheese, grated (divided)
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, grated (divided)
1 (8 ounce) light crescent rolls
¼ tsp Italian seasoning
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
Salt to taste
1 egg white
Dried basil for garnish


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat oil in a large pan. Add garlic and stir constantly for 30 seconds. Add onions and continue stirring for 2-3 minutes until translucent. Add beef, Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring every few minutes, until beef is no longer pink, 6 – 8 minutes. Once done, add spaghetti sauce and stir. Add salt if desired. In a 9x13 inch baking dish, spread a layer of sauce. Top with half of the mozzarella and half of the parmesan cheese. Add remainder of sauce then remainder of cheeses. Top with crescent rolls, pinching seams together. Brush egg white on top. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the top is brown. Sprinkle with dried basil as garnish.

Full pan cut and ready to eat - 6 servings

Nutritional Information: 367 calories, 24 carbs, 18 fat grams and 29 protein grams.

Review: We loved it! I was a little worried about crescent on top and truth be told I probably could have closed the seams better, but I was ready to stick it in the oven and try it! The sauce mix with the layered cheeses was really good - almost tasted like a parmesany spaghetti. And the breaded top added a lot to it - the crescents really baked up when on top, whereas i'm sure if they were on bottom it would have been much less doughy. We really liked it and wouldn't change it a bit - i'm glad I added the red pepper flakes and seasonings - the extra heat made it even more appealing!