Pecan Pesto Shells with Sausage

Pecan Pesto Shells with Sausage
Recipe inspired by Real Simple
Makes 6 Servings

12 oz. dry pasta, small shape
3 cups fresh parsley leaves
1/2 cup pecan halves
16 tsp grated Parmesan
4 tbsp olive oil
1 pound Hot Italian Turkey Sausage

Cook pasta according to package instructions, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water. Drain pasta and return to pot. In the meantime, pulse parsley, pecans, parmesan, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper in food processor. With machine running, add olive oil to the top and process until smooth. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Spray with nonstick cooking spray. Add sausage and cook, breaking it up, until browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Add pesto, sausage, and 1/4 cup of cooking water to pasta. Toss to coat. Sprinkle with fresh parmesan as garnish if desired.

Nutritional Information: 511 calories, 48 carbs, 26 fat grams and 24 protein grams.

Review: Such a rich, creamy dish! Very filling between the sausage, nutty sauce and pasta. The original recipe called for regular sausage, but I thought the turkey sausage was great. It is definitely a higher calorie meal for me, but well worth it for a hearty, homemade pesto with our homegrown basil! I will definitely make this again, especially in the fall for a nice, heavy pasta dinner!

Ricotta Shells with Homemade Marinara

Ricotta Shells with Homemade Marinara
Recipe inspired by Real Simple recipe
Makes 4 Servings

8 oz. jumbo pasta shells (28 shells)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tsp minced garlic
1 28-oz. can whole peeled tomatoes
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 1/4 cup fat-free ricotta cheese
6 tbsp fresh basil leaves, diced; divided
4 tsp reduced fat grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package instructions (make an extra shell or two in case they stick!). Drain and return to pot. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 15 seconds. Crush tomatoes in hands (be careful - wear an apron!) and ad them and their juices to the pan. Season with 3/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 15 minutes. Mix together ricotta with 4 tbsp basil.. Stuff each shell with about 1 tbsp ricotta mixture. Place 7 stuffed shells on each plate/bowl/etc.. Top with 1/4 of the tomato sauce, 1 tsp of the parmesan cheese and a portion of the remaining basil. Top with additional salt or pepper as needed/to taste.

Nutritional Information: 440 calories, 56 carbs, 16 fat grams and 17 protein grams.

Review: We just loved this. I was at first very nervous about using so much olive oil, but it really made the sauce, which is the star of this recipe, as is the fresh basil. This was wonderful and reheated very well. For those who want less fat grams:  I feel certain that 3 tbsp would taste the same! For those who want to sub those fat grams out for something else: If you took out the tbsp of olive oil, I feel like you could replace it with light ricotta cheese (vs. fat-free) and that would be great.For those who hate stuffing shells: You can use a short pasta  (like rotini or farfalle) and just drop in balls of ricotta/basil vs. stuffing the shells - would be quicker!

Shitake & Sirloin Stroganoff

Shitake & Sirloin Stroganoff
Recipe adapted from Cooking Light
Makes 4 Servings

6 oz. wide egg noodles
1 tbsp olive oil
1 pound sirloin, diced
3/4 tsp salt, divided
1/2 tsp black pepper, divided
1 cup thinly sliced leek
1 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp minced garlic
1 5-oz. package presliced shitake mushrooms
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp paprika
1 cup beef stock
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
2 tbsp fresh parsley, diced

Cook noodles according to package instructions (approx. 9 minutes). Drain. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Swirl to coat. Add beef; sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Cook 4 minutes or until all sides are browned. Remove from pan. Reduce heat to medium-high. Add leek, thyme, garlic and mushrooms. Saute 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle flour and paprika on top and stir constantly for 30 seconds. Add stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes or until sauce is thickened, stirring frequently. Stir in remaining 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper and sour cream. Stir in beef. Serve over noodles and sprinkle parsley on top.

Nutritional Information: 489 calories, 44 carbs, 15 fat grams and 42 protein grams.

Review: Excellent, hearty recipe! The mushrooms added a lot to this recipe - definitely don't do the white ones. If you want to, sub 'hot paprika' for the paprika - the recipe called for it but I didn't have it - an extra kick would be fine but it was great as was. This was my first time cooking with a leek and it added a lot of flavor, too. I am very happy with this recipe and will definitely make it again. I also liked that it only took 20 minutes from start to finish - always a plus for us!

Slowcooker Pork Ragu

Slowcooker Pork Ragu 
Adapted from Real Simple
Makes 6 Servings

1 cup carrots, diced finely
1 medium onion, diced finely
1 tbsp minced garlic
 2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
kosher salt and black pepper
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
24 oz. (1.5 pounds) boneless pork butt, trimmed and cut in half
12 oz. fettuccine
6 tbsp parmesan

 In a slow cooker, combine carrot, onion, garlic, tomato paste, thyme, oregano, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Add tomatoes (and juices); add pork and turn to coat. Cover and cook until the pork is very tender, on on high for 5. Remove pork, shred it with two forks, and add it back to the slowcooker for 20 minutes. During this 20 minutes, cook fettuccine according to package directions; drain and return to the pot. Toss pasta with ragù and sprinkle with Parmesan.

Nutritional Information: 525 calories, 52 carbs, 20 fat grams and 31 protein grams.

Review: Excellent! Has lots of flavor, probably from the pork shoulder vs. a tenderloin or more lean meat. Loved the tomato taste and it made a nice broth for the noodles. We will definitely have this again – very simple. Make sure to buy the boneless pork butt if you can! (if you can’t, throw it bone-in to the slowcooker and let the meat fall off the bone – don’t waste time cutting it).

Tex Mex lasagna

Tex Mex lasagna
Recipe adapted from Cooking Light
Makes 4 Servings

3/4 cup bottled salsa
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 (14.5-ounce) can no salt-added diced tomatoes, drained
1 (8-ounce) can no salt-added tomato sauce
Cooking spray
6 precooked lasagna noodles
1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can chicken, drained
2 oz. Cabot 75% reduced fat cheese
1/4 cup chopped green onions

Preheat oven to 450. Combine first 4 ingredients; spread 2/3 cup sauce in bottom of an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 2 noodles over sauce; top with 1/2 cup corn, half of beans and half of chicken. Sprinkle with a bit of the cheese; top with 2/3 cup sauce. Repeat layers once; top with remaining 2 noodles. Spread remaining sauce over noodles. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover and bake for 30 minutes or until noodles are tender and sauce is bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes. Sprinkle with onions.

Nutritional Information: 439 calories, 61 carbs, 8 fat grams and 32 protein grams.

Review: Super easy, really good! This one took no time at all to put together, especially since you can use canned chicken. We did have to add some hot sauce afterwards, so if you're a fan of spicy i'd say to add it in the beginning! Other than that, easy, good and filling - love Tex Mex!

Spaghetti with Bacon Meatballs

Spaghetti with Bacon Meatballs 
Recipe adapted from Real Simple
Makes 4 Servings

 1 small onion
4 slices raw turkey bacon, coarsely chopped
1 tbsp minced garlic
1/4 cup fresh parsley
1 pound 96/4 ground beef
2 tbsp reduced fat parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons Italian bread crumbs
1 large egg
kosher salt and black pepper
7 ounces spaghetti
1.5 cups marinara sauce

Heat broiler. Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. In a food processor, combine onion, bacon, garlic, and parsley; pulse until finely chopped, 10 to 15 times. Transfer to a medium bowl, add beef, Parmesan, bread crumbs, egg, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper, and mix gently to combine. Form beef mixture into 16 meatballs (about 2 tablespoons each) and place on a foil-lined broilerproof rimmed baking sheet. Broil, turning once, until cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes. Cook pasta according to package directions. Heat spaghetti sauce in a large skillet over medium heat, 2 to 3 minutes; add the meatballs and toss gently to coat. Serve over the pasta and sprinkle with parmesan. 

Nutritional Information: 458 calories, 50 carbs, 10 fat grams and 40 protein grams.

  Review: I can honestly say that i'd never thought to put bacon in my spaghetti - but this tasted great! I loved how easy these cooked in the oven, too, and the macros made it a nice, filling meal with lots of protein - awesome! It reheated great at work, and made a nice lunch and dinner. I'll be making this again - too easy not to.

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.

One Pot Spaghetti

One Pot Spaghetti
Makes 4 Servings
Recipe adapted from Lynn’s Kitchen Adventures

1 pound 96/4 ground beef
8 ounce fresh mushrooms, diced
1 onion, finely diced
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 14-ounce can chicken broth
1 1-pound jar light spaghetti sauce
½ cup water
7 ounces uncooked pasta, broken into pieces
2 tbsp reduced fat Parmesan cheese, divided
parsley for garnish (optional)

In a large saucepan cook meat and onion until onion is tender and meat is browned. Add mushrooms and garlic and cook until mushrooms are tender. Add broth, spaghetti sauce, and water and bring to a boil. Add noodles and reduce heat.Cover and cook 17-20 minutes or until noodles are tender. Stir occasionally and add more water if necessary (I didn't have to!). Stir in Parmesan cheese.

Nutritional Information: 455 calories, 8 fat grams, 55 carbs and 38 protein grams.

Review: So easy and so good! Loved that it cooked the pasta in the sauce (nice to not have to get tons of dishes dirty!), and it made large, hearty portions. This one was too easy to make, we'll definitely be having it again. Great weeknight meal, too - ready in under 30 minutes and only required onion chopping. And lastly, it reheated well - haven't tried the one we froze for testing - i'll keep you posted!

Simple Sausage and Squash Pasta

Simple Sausage and Squash Pasta
Makes 4 Servings
Recipe adapted from Real Simple

8 oz. egg noodles
1 tbsp olive oil
3 Italian-style turkey sausage links, casings removed
1 pound summer squash
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
kosher salt and black pepper
2 tbsp reduced fat parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves

Cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve ½ cup of the cooking water; drain pasta and return it to the pot. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 1 tsp of oil over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and, 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Reduce heat to medium and add 2 tsp of oil to the skillet. Add squash, onion, garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until vegetables are golden and tender, 10 minutes (reduce heat if pan begins to darken). Toss pasta with sausage, vegetables, Parmesan, oregano, and ¼ cup of the reserved cooking water (add more cooking water if the pasta seems dry). Serve with more parsley to garnish.

Nutritional Information: 429 calories, 51 carbs, 15 fat grams and 24 protein grams.

Review: Great, simple recipe! Ready in under 20 minutes, so another great weeknight meal! The sausage and garlic gave it great flavor, and I didn't miss a heavy sauce at all. It was a great, light meal that reheated well the next day and was too easy to make. I'll be making it again!

Pork Sesame Noodles

Pork Sesame Noodles
Recipe inspired by Stacey Snacks
Makes 4 Servings

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

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

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

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

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!)

Slowcooker Mexican Beefy Mac

Slowcooker Mexican Beefy Mac
Makes 4 Servings

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

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

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

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

Crockpot Chicken Parmesan

Crockpot Chicken Parmesan
Inspired by Recipe Shoebox
Makes 4 Servings

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

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

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

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

Chicken Lo Mein

Chicken Lo Mein 
Makes 4 Servings
Recipe inspired by Blog Chef

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

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

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

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

Supreme Pizza Lasagna

Supreme Pizza Lasagna
Makes 6 Servings

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

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

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

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

whole dish

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

Peppery Pork in Creamy Tomato Sauce

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

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

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

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


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

Asian Peanut Pesto

Spicy Asian Peanut Pesto
Inspired by Café Lynnylu
Makes 4 Servings

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

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

Additional Items to make Meal:

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

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

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

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

Hot Chicken Salad Pasta

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

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

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

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

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

whole dish

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!

Slowcooker Buffalo Chicken Mac

Slowcooker Buffalo Chicken Mac
Makes 4 Servings

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

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

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

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