Soy Glazed Salmon

Soy Glazed Salmon
Makes 2 Servings
Recipe adapted from MarthaStewart.com

1 tbsp light brown sugar
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (juice from ½ lemon)
½ tbsp dry white wine (or water)
8 oz. salmon, skin removed
½ cup basmati rice, dry
optional topping: sesame seeds

Cook rice per package instructions on stove. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, stir sugar, oil, soy sauce, lemon juice and wine until sugar has dissolved. Spray nonstick cooking spray in square baking dish. Add fish in a single layer. Pour glaze over fish and turn to coat evenly. Bake until fish is opaque, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve over basmati, spooning remaining glaze on top as a sauce. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired.

Nutritional Information: 401 calories, 43 carbs, 14 fat grams and 26 protein grams.

Review: The glaze was very tasty, and it made plenty to allow for the sauce to give the rice flavor. I liked how easy this was, too – I had all of the ingredients on hand! I did use wine, only because I happened to have a bottle open already, but I feel certain it would be fine with water instead like the recipe suggested as an alternative. I will definitely have this again, and think it would be great with other grains, too, like couscous or quinoa, or with an Asian-inspired salad!

Sweet Chili Fish Tacos

Sweet Chili Fish Tacos
Inspired by a taco I had at Cheeky Taqueria; help with the tilapia from a Food Network recipe
Makes 2 Servings

2 tbsp all-purpose flour
½ tsp spike seasoning (or a seafood seasoning)
¼ tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
½ pound tilapia fillets
1 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp garlic
4 small flour tortillas (about 80 calories each)
Toppings:
2 tbsp fat-free sour cream, divided
1 cup romaine, shredded, divided
2 tbsp sweet chili sauce, divided (we use Frank's brand)
2 tsp sesame seeds, divided

 In a shallow dish, combine flour, seasoning, salt and pepper. Add tilapia and coat on each side, flipping six times. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic to pan and stir 10 seconds until fragrant. Place tilapia in skillet. Brown for 3 minutes on each side. Meanwhile, heat tortillas and get toppings ready (I heat tortillas by flipping them one at a time directly on the stove eye grate, then stack them up and microwave for 10 – 15 seconds just before prepping.) For each tortilla, spread ½ tbsp sour cream, then top with one quarter of the fish and lettuce, ½ tbsp sauce and ½ tsp seeds.

Nutritional Information: 412 calories, 48 carbs, 12 fat grams and 29 protein grams.

Review: Loved! The sweet chili sauce definitely made them - a great, jelly-like Asian-inspired topping. The tacos were very tasty and had a lot of flavor, and best of all - they were QUICK! From start to finish, I'd say maybe 15 minutes. I'll definitely be making these again, especially since I picked up the tilapia today for only $2.50 - woo! To make this 4 servings, simply double it. And note, I included all of the flour in the nutritional information, but at least 1 tbsp was left in the pan/not eaten. To make the recipe more filling, I'd just add more fish! We will absolutely be having these again!

Pork Fried Rice

Pork Fried Rice
Recipe inspired by Nutmeg Notebook
Makes 4 Servings

2 tsp olive oil, divided
16 ounces pork, diced and seasoned with salt and pepper
¼ cup fat free chicken broth
2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1 tsp dark sesame oil
¼ tsp salt and pepper
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tbsp ginger
2 tbsp garlic
2 cups microwavable white rice, cooked (and chilled in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours)
1 cup small broccoli florets, defrosted

Heat 2 tsp oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Spray with nonstick cooking spray. Cook pork for 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove from heat and set aside on plate. In the meantime, combine broth, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt and pepper in a measuring cup and stir with a whisk. Set aside. Also, add broccoli to a small covered microwavable dish, and steam for 1-2 minutes. In same pan, add remaining tsp of olive oil. Add eggs and stir for a minute; add onions and ginger; stir for 1 minute; add garlic, rice, pork and broccoli. Stir until heated through, about 3-4 minutes. Add broth mixture. Remove from heat, and stir well to combine.

Nutritional Information: 382 calories, 39 carbs, 10 fat grams and 31 protein grams.


Review: There is nothing better than fried rice to me, so this of course was awesome. I loved that it used chicken broth, which really cut down on the amount of soy sauce needed. Great, easy recipe, and the broccoli helped add some green! Could have also used carrots, peas, etc. - but I just used the veggie I had on hand. Great, easy recipe, ready in under 20 minutes (assuming you already had rice in the fridge of course - important to note that! We always have a tub of cold rice in the fridge - you're not surprised, right?:) ))

Shrimp Etoufee

NO! this is not paleo... but i'm still finding some recipes I never posted pre-paleo!

Shrimp Etoufee 
Adapted from Family Circle Magazine
Makes 4 Servings

2 tbsp all purpose flour
2 tbsp olive oil 
1 cup onion, diced 
½ cup green pepper diced 
1 cup celery, finely diced 
2 tbsp mincd garlic 
1 8-oz. can tomato sauce 
3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 
2 tsp Cajun seasoning 
1 pound shrimp, peeled/tail-off 
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped 
1 cup Jasmine rice (dry) 
1 lemon, cut into wedges 


 In a large pot, whisk together flour and oil until combined. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and cook for 3 minutes until reddish-brown in color. Add onion, green pepper, celery and garlic. Cook 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Stir in tomato sauce, 1 cup water, Worcestershire sauce and Cajun seasoning; simmer 15 minutes until celery is soft. Cook longer if it’s still ‘crunchy.’ Add shrimp and simmer 4 minutes. Stir in parsley. Serve shrimp over rice. Squeeze lemon wedges over each plate. 


Nutritional Information: 407 calories, 53 carbs, 9 fat grams and 28 protein grams. 


Review: Powerful dish! It had so much flavor and everything mingled together great! We used fresh shrimp and it was excellent. Shrimp dishes typically don't reheat well, but the heavy sauce made this one do well, just heat at 50% so that the shrimp doesn't become rubbery. I thought this dish was easy to put together, although my processor made it easy to dice up all of the veggies. Make SURE you dice the celery well - no one wants a crunchy bite in the etoufee! I still can't get over the calorie counts - it tastes much more calorific.

Paleo Buffalo Chicken Dip

Paleo Buffalo Chicken Dip
Recipe adapted from Katie Did
Makes 4 Servings

1 pound chicken
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp mustard
½ cup lite olive oil
¼ cup hot sauce

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cover chicken breasts in water and bring to boil for 3-4 minutes until white; cook through. Drain and allow to cool. Meanwhile, in a food processor, blend together egg yolk, lemon juice, garlic and mustard. Slowly stream in olive oil until thick mayonnaise is made. Add hot sauce and chicken. Pulse until blended and chicken is shredded. Pour into small casserole dish and bake for 25 minutes. Serve with celery.

Nutritional Information: 389 calories, 1 carb, 30 fat grams and 27 protein grams.

Review: WOW. This tastes amazing. I’ve eaten it straight, as well as over lettuce as a Buffalo Chicken Salad. The dip is great with celery, and you can just make it 8 servings for 8 snacks. We’ve already made this twice and it’s easy to double for more meals or snacks!

As a salad!

Paleo Coconut Curry Chicken

Paleo Coconut Curry Chicken
Recipe adapted from Cosmopolitan Girl
Makes 4 Servings

1 ½ pounds chicken thighs(still in tact), skin on
1 cauliflower (to make the rice)
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 cup onion, finely shopped
5 tsp minced garlic
1 red chili pepper – seeds removed, chopped
1 can light coconut milk
2 tbsp curry powder

In a large skillet, heat coconut oil to a med-high heat. Put chicken pieces into the skillet and cook until each side golden-browned (about 3 min per side). Remove chicken and set aside.Add onion, garlic and chili – saute for about 3 min or until soft. Add the coconut milk and curry powder – mix together thoroughly. Add back chicken and simmer at medium heat covered for about 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. (The coconut milk the chicken is simmering in should cover about 1/2 of the chicken; if it doesn’t add chicken stock.) For the cauliflower rice, use your food processor to chop the cauliflower to a rice consistency. Cook, covered, in microwave for 3-5 minutes (no need to add water).

Nutritional Information: 379 calories, 18 fat grams, 18 carbs and 40 protein grams.

Review: We love this one! Next time, I will probably use full-fat coconut milk, but other than that it was great and super creamy. The minced garlic added a lot, as did the chili pepper. If you can't find the chili pepper, use red pepper flakes and/or hot sauce for some kick. Great paleo recipe!

Sesame Ginger Salad (Paleo)

Sesame Ginger Salad 
Makes 4 Servings
Recipe adapted from crossfitcda.com

½ cup red onion, thinly sliced
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
1 pound 80/20 ground beef
4-6 cups romaine lettuce
1 cucumber, deseeded and diced
1 tomato, diced
Dressing
1/2 tbsp garlic, minced
1/2 tbsp ginger, minced
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp tamari
2 tsp sesame seeds
1/2 tsp each: salt, pepper, red pepper flakes

Whisk dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. Sauté red onion and garlic in olive oil. Stir constantly for 3 minutes. Add beef. Once beef is cooked all the way through, 4-5 minutes, place it in a bowl to cool. While the beef cooks, prepare a salad with romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, cucumber and avocado. Once beef has cooled, add to salad and add dressing on top.

Nutritional information (per serving): 420 calories, 8 carbs, 34 fat grams and 21 protein grams.

Review: LOVED - I had tried a few recipes like this and wasn't a fan - I felt this needed a bold dressing and i'm not a fan of the ones with fish sauce. This one was perfect, had a lot of flavor and the cucumbers added a nice little crunch. I will say that it was SPICY - so i'd suggest taking the red pepper flakes down a bit - maybe to just a dash or to 1/4 tsp. It's like the dressing activates the spiciness!

Mongolian Beef

Mongolian Beef
Adapted from Taste & Tell
Makes 4 Servings

Marinade:
4 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tsp hoisin sauce
2 tsp rice wine vinegar
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp sesame oil
3 splenda packets
1/4 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
Other:
20 oz. sirloin, diced
2 tsp olive oil
2 tbsp minced garlic, jarred
2 tbsp fresh ginger, finely diced
3 green onions, cut into 2-inch lengths
4 servings Jasmine rice, cooked per package instructions

Combine marinade ingredients in a bowl. Stir in beef. Marinate for 15 minutes. Heat 1 tsp of olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Stir fry beef until the outside is brown, but the inside is still pink. Remove from pan and set aside. In the same skillet, add remaining oil. Add garlic and ginger; stir constantly for 30 seconds. Add beef back in and cook until cooked through, about 2 minutes. Add green onion and stir to combine. Serve immediately with rice.

Nutritional information: 400 calories, 44 carbs, 8 fat grams and 35 protein grams.

Review: AWESOME. Me and Austin agreed though, it didn't EXACTLY taste like Mongolian Beef, however, it was a great Asian beef dish that was easy to cook, reheated well, and will be made again. I could also see making this beef and serving it over lettuce with a homemade ginger dressing - the beef had a great flavor and was, again, so easy to make!

BBQ Ranch Chicken Pasta

BBQ Ranch Chicken Pasta
Recipe adapted from Picky Palate
Makes 4 Servings

1 pound defrosted chicken tenders
3 tbsp barbecue sauce
½ tbsp olive oil
8 oz. spaghetti (dry)
1 cup red onion, diced
1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning
3 tbsp cilantro leaves

Set two pots of water to boil. In one, cook spaghetti noodles according to package directions; drain. In another, add chicken and cook 7-8 minutes until cooked. Remove from water, shred and stir in barbecue sauce. While chicken and pasta are cooking, place olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Saute red onions until softened and golden. Add now cooked spaghetti to onions; mix and add dry Ranch Dressing seasoning and cilantro leaves. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Place noodles onto serving plates and top with warm shredded BBQ chicken. Garnish with cilantro leaf and serve.

Nutritional Information: 402 calories, 50 carbs, 5 fat grams and 37 protein grams.

Review: At first I was like what? BBQ ranch pasta? But alas, I had a TON of red onion that needed to be used, so this was a perfect way to not waste an onion! The BBQ sauce combined with the carmelized red onions was great, and I loved the ‘cool’ that the ranch and cilantro brought to the recipe. This reheated well, and we froze/reheated, too, and it was great! Like so many recipes, the only downside was that it used 2 pots and a pan – I heart my one-pot meals – less cleaning afterward! Still a quick, easy recipe that you can have done in under 20 minutes.

Tortellini Arugula Salad with Balsamic-Tomato Vinaigrette

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

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! :)

North Indian Style Chicken

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!

Creamy Cajun Chicken Alfredo

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

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

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

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!

Thanksgiving Club Sandwiches

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!

Supreme Pizza Lasagna

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!

Quinoa Crusted Quiche

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!

Asian Basil Pesto

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!