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!

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!

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.

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!

Lemony Chicken & Rice Soup

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

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

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

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

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

A bite - yum!

BBQ Chicken Pizza Cups

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

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

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

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

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

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!

Greek Stuffed Chicken with Lemon Orzo

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

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

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

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

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

Chicken & Cheese Crescent Pockets

Chicken & Cheese Crescent Pockets
Recipe inspired by Blog Chef
Makes 4 Servings

1 (8 ounce) can reduced fat crescent rolls
1 (10 3/4 ounce) can fat-free cream of chicken soup
½ cup cabot 75% reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese

Filling:
2 ounces fat-free cream cheese (softened)
2 tbsp light butter with canola oil (softened)
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
16 oz. chicken breasts, cooked in salt and pepper and shredded
¼ cup Cabot 75% reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese
¼ tsp seasoning salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
2 tbsp fat-free mayonnaise
Topping: ¼ cup Cabot 75% reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese; optional topping: fresh parsley flakes

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a rectangular casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. In a saucepan mix cheese and soup. Heat until the cheese melts, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. To make the filling- in a bowl mix cream cheese and butter until smooth, add garlic powder. Add in chicken and cheese. Mix until well combined. Add mayonnaise. Stir. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle a small amount of the chicken soup mixture on the bottom of the casserole dish. Unroll crescent rolls on wax paper, and separate into 4 rectangles. Press seams together. Divide mixture into four, and top on each crescent rectangle, 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, flip it over and put it seam side down in the dish, then use your fingers to press the sides closed. Repeat with the other three. (make sure to put the four pockets as far away from each other as possible in the pan). Drizzle remaining soup mixture on top and sprinkle cheese on top. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

Nutritional Information: 453 calories, 32 carbs, 16 fat grams and 43 protein grams.

Review: Loved! So creamy and fabulous. I used to eat a recipe similar to this in college - but it was all-fat! I liked combining the crescents into one large (rather than two small) -it made the filling stand out more and it was more fun to eat. The shredded chicken went well with this, and the garlic powder gave it a nice kick. I also couldn't get over how creamy the mayonnaise and cream of chicken made this dish - it was definitely comfort food to the max an something I would crave if I was ever tired or just wanted something "bad for me." :) I could see myself doubling this and freezing half!

Simple Hummus

Simple Hummus

Makes 8 100-calorie servings OR

16 50-calorie servings

1 can garbanzo beans, do not drain
3 tbsp tahini
Juice from 1 Lemon
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 tbsp minced garlic, jarred
1/8 tsp paprika
1 tsp fresh parsley, diced

Add garbanzo beans, tahini, lemon juice, salt, garlic and ½ tbsp olive oil in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Transfer to a serving bowl. Drizzle remaining olive oil over the top and sprinkle with paprika and parsley.

Nutritional Information: 98 calories, 5 fat grams, 10 carbs and 3 protein grams.

Review: I was really happy with it! A lot of the recipes I found said to drain the beans - so I drained most of the liquid and rinsed. However, this hummus wasn't as smooth as I wanted it so I edited above and suggested to not drain/rinse at ALL. I think this will make a significant difference. Again, still loved, still ate it because of the flavor, but I heart a creamy texture. I tried this with pita crisps, as well as spread on a flat out wrap with feta cheese and lettuce - wonderful snack.

Chicken and Mushroom Risotto

Chicken and Mushroom Risotto
Adapted from a Taste and Tell Recipe
Makes 6 Servings

4 cups fat-free chicken broth, room temperature
1 pound mixed fresh mushrooms of your choice
3 tbsp olive oil
4 tsp minced garlic, jarred
4 tbsp light butter
1 cup onion, diced
9 oz. skinless, boneless chicken breasts, diced
1 ½ cups arborio rice
2/3 cup dry white wine
salt and pepper

To garnish:
12 tsp Kraft parmesan cheese
¼ cup fresh Italian parsley

Heat olive oil in a second, large skillet. Add mushrooms and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove to a plate. Heat butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add chicken and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Reduce heat, add rice, and stir to coat in butter. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes. Add wine, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Gradually add stock, a cupful at a time. Stir constantly and add more liquid as the rice absorbs it. Increase heat to medium so liquid bubbles. Cook for 17 minutes, or until all of the liquid is absorbed. Stir in mushrooms and cook for 3 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide into six servings and then stir parmesan cheese into each and top with parsley.

Nutritional Information: 403 calories, 43 carbs, 12 fat grams and 24 protein grams.

Review: Creamy and delicious! I'm such a huge risotto fan now. I really like the thick, richness of it, and it makes a great, healthy serving that is very filling. As you can imagine, if you're not a mushroom fan don't go for this recipe (I mean come on - a pound of mushrooms made me smile but if you're meh on them - pass on this). I thought the mushrooms added a lot of flavor, as did the minced garlic. I'll be making this again!

Greek Style Shrimp with Christmas Quinoa

Greek Style Shrimp with Christmas Quinoa
Inspired by an April 2010 Fitness Magazine recipe
Makes 4 Servings

1 pound shrimp, raw and defrosted
2 tbsp olive oil
Juice of one lemon
1 ½ tsp minced garlic
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup parsley, coarsely chopped
3 oz. fat-free feta
4 servings quinoa, cooked per package instructions with chicken broth
2 cups chicken broth (for quinoa)

Place shrimp, 1 tablespoon of oil, half of lemon juice, 1 tsp garlic, ¼ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper in a large ziplock bag. Let it sit. In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, parsley, feta and remaining olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper. Add cooked quinoa and mix well. Heat a pan over medium-high heat. Place shrimp in pan in a single layer and cook for 2 minutes. Flip and cook for 2 more minutes. Serve with quinoa.

Nutritional Information: 392 calories, 36 carbs, 12 fat grams and 34 protein grams.

Review: Awesome! I really liked the flavors and it blended well (and quickly). I liked how the warm quinoa softened the tomatoes and parsley and almost melted the feta. I'm not sure how well this would reheat (i'm not a huge fan of reheating shrimp), but I think you could easily cook the shrimp for 2 and then reheat the quinoa the next day and cook shrimp for 2 again. It's just heating it up since the shrimp are already cooked. Just a thought - it's a great one though!

Greek Salad Bites

Greek Salad Bites

Recipe Girl recipe

1 oz. fat-free feta cheese crumbles
½ cup fat-free sour cream
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tbsp oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp cracked black pepper
¼ cup finely shredded fresh basil
¼ cup chopped Kalamata olives, finely diced
1½ medium English cucumbers

In a small bowl, stir together all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours or overnight. Slice cucumbers on a slight diagonal into ¼-inch slices. Spoon ½ tbsp of the cheese mixture onto each cucumber slice. Arrange on serving platter. Serve immediately.

Yield: 20 to 30 appetizers

Sausage and Pasta Soup

Recipe adapted from For the Love of Cooking’s Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
Sausage and Pasta Soup
Makes 4 Servings
Note: with it being 4 servings it makes it very soupy like – we like that and add noodles (baby wheels!) and eat it with a spoon.

1 tsp olive oil
3 links of chicken Italian sausage, diced
1/2 sweet yellow onion, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
8 oz button mushrooms, sliced
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp of dried basil
1 tsp of fennel seeds
1/2 tsp of dried oregano
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
1 28 oz can of whole tomatoes and juices
1 14 oz can of tomato sauce
1/2 tsp splenda
3-4 fresh basil leaves
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Reduced Fat Parmesan cheese
8 oz. pasta (we used wheels!)

Add olive oil to slowcooker over high heat. Add sausage, onion, red bell pepper and mushrooms. Add garlic, and stir for 60 seconds. Add basil, fennel, oregano, salt and pepper. Mix to combine well then add the sugar, tomato sauce and whole tomatoes and their juice; crush tomatoes with your hands. Cover sauce and cook on high for 3 hours. When you’re ready to eat, prepare the spaghetti per instructions. Taste meat sauce and re-season if needed. Add the fresh basil and parsley, stir and serve over your favorite pasta.

Nutritional Information: 380 calories, 63 carbs, 7 fat grams and 20 protein grams.

Review: So yes, a little high on the carbs but so filling! You could easily take the pasta down to 1 oz. or 1.5 oz. per serving (instead of 2) and just add more sausage! (maybe one more link!)

Mediterranean Wrap

Mediterranean Wrap
Recipe adapted from eatingwell.com
Makes 4 Servings

½ cup water
1/3 cup couscous
1 cup parsley
½ cup mint
¼ cup lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp minced garlic
¼ tsp salt, divided
¼ tsp pepper
1 pound chicken
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 cup chopped cucumber
4 10-inch spinach or sun-dried tomato tortillas

Bring water to boil. Stir in couscous and remove from heat. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with fork. Meanwhile, combine parsley, mint, lemon juice, oil, garlic, 1/8 teaspoon salt and pepper in a small bowl. Toss chicken tenders in a medium bowl with 1 tbsp of parsley mixture and the remaining 1/8 teaspoon of salt. Place tenders in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Remove from heat and cut into bite-sized pieces. Stir remaining parsley mixture into couscous, along with tomato and cucumber. Assemble wraps with a quarter of the couscous mixture and a quarter of the chicken. Roll like a burrito and cut in half.

Nutritional Information: 468 calories, 50 carbs, 13 fat grams and 35 protein grams.

Review: SUPER filling - I felt downright stuffed after eating which is great! I liked the addition of couscous and had truly forgotten how easy that is to cook! I like the fresh herbs and the addition of mint was really nice too. I think it will be even better after the flavors mingle overnight. (I put mine straight into the wrap last night - the rest are in tubs as I didn't want to wrap them up until ready to eat to avoid sogginess). Edited to add: SO much better the next day - less bitter, more 'mingled' and had a better flavor! This is a new favorite wrap! (just give the flavors time to mingle or it's a bit bitter if that makes sense!)

Shrimp Arrabbiata

Shrimp Arrabbiata
Cookinglight.com
Makes 2 Servings

4 oz. linguine
1 tbsp olive oil, divided
6 oz. shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/8 tsp salt
¼ cup onion, chopped
1 tsp bottled minced garlic
¼ tsp dried basil
¼ tsp crushed red pepper
1 tbsp tomato paste
½ (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 tbsp fresh parsley

Cook pasta according to package (10 minutes), and drain and keep warm. Heat 2 tsp olive oil in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle shrimp with salt and add to pan, cooking for 2 minutes on each side until shrimp are done. Transfer to plate. Heat remaining tsp of olive oil. Add onion, garlic, basil and red pepper; sauté for 1 minute. Add tomato paste and tomatoes; bring to boil. Cook for 3 minutes until sauce thickens. Return shrimp to pan and mix with tomato mixture for 1 minute until heated. Add parsley to pan, stir well, then serve over pasta.

Nutritional Information: 392 calories, 54 carbs, 9 fat grams and 25 protein grams.

Review: We REALLY liked it – those red pepper flakes made such a difference as did the fresh parsley. I was definitely a fan – it was SO filling. I'm all for a filling recipe and find it hard to get shrimp/seafood to a filling point!

Baked Shrimp in Tomatoes and Feta

Baked Shrimp in Tomatoes and Feta
Found on Aggie's Kitchen
Makes 4 Servings

1 tbsp olive oil
½ cup onions
1 tsp minced garlic
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with their juices
2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely diced
1 tbsp fresh basil, finely diced
2 tsp dried oregano
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
4 oz. crumbled Fat-Free feta cheese
8 oz. angel hair pasta

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes, until tomato juices thicken. Remove from heat and transfer to 8x8 baking dish. Stir in parsley, basil, oregano and shrimp. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle feta over the top. Bake until the shrimp are cooked through and cheese melts, about 12 minutes. Serve with pasta.

Nutritional Information: 419 calories, 52 carbs, 6 fat grams and 39 protein grams.

Review: I loved it! I think it's going to reheat well, too (even though I used angel hair pasta which sometimes doesn't heat up the best). Definitely going in my recipe book FOR SURE!

Spaghetti & Meatballs

Spaghetti & Meatballs

Meatball Recipe from Biz (Biggest Diabetic Loser blog)

1 pound 96/4 ground beef
1/2 cup Italian style bread crumbs
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 egg
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
¼ tsp Salt, ¼ tsp pepper and ¼ tsp dried basil for taste
Other: 1 cup low-fat spaghetti sauce, 4 oz. spaghetti, 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, salt and red pepper flakes to taste

Mix together ingredients and roll into equally sized meatballs (I did mine about 1.5” in diameter). Put half in the refrigerator for another recipe. Set water to boil, and cook 4 oz. spaghetti according to package. Drain and divide into two servings. Spray a pan with olive oil nonfat cooking spray. Drop in the remaining meatballs and brown turning with tongs until the outside is brown. Add sauce to pan and continue turning meatballs until they cook through, about 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and red pepper flakes. Stir and then serve over spaghetti. Top with parsley.

Nutritional Information: 532 calories, 64 carbs, 12 fat grams and 40 protein grams.

Review: TBD

Garlic Ranch Chicken Pizza

Recipe by Favorite Family Recipes
Garlic Ranch Chicken Pizza
Makes 1 Personal Pizza

4 oz. Trader Joe’s Pizza Dough
2 tbsp fat-free ranch dressing
1 tsp minced garlic
28 grams Trader Joe’s Mozzarella cheese
2 slices butterball turkey bacon, cooked and crumbled
1.5 oz. chicken, cut into bite size pieces (rub with ¼ tsp olive oil and sprinkle with Montreal Chicken Seasoning on both sides; pan fry until chicken is cooked through)
3 slices tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely diced

Mix ranch dressing and garlic together. Spread evenly on pizza dough. Add chicken and bacon. Sprinkle cheese over that, then add tomatoes. Put in the oven at 425 degrees for about 12-15 minutes or until crust is a nice golden-brown. Top with parsley.

Nutritional Information: 492 calories, 62 carbs, 12 fat grams and 26 protein grams.

Review: It was so good you guys! So FILLING! I could only eat ¾ of it, so Austin ate the other quarter. Good stuff, added to my fave recipes for sure! I liked the "white" sauce and found that I didn't miss the red sauce as much as I thought. Great, solid non-traditional pizza recipe!

Chicken in Tomato Sauce with Feta

Recipe by For the Love of Cooking
Chicken in Tomato Sauce with Feta
Makes 4 Servings

1 tbsp, divided
16 oz. chicken
Salt, Pepper and Oregano to taste
3 tsp minced garlic, jarred

2 tsp fennel seeds
2 14 oz can of Hunt’s diced tomatoes
1/2 cup of fat-free chicken broth
8 oz. barilla macaroni
30 grams fat-free feta cheese
28 grams fresh mozzarella
parsley, garnish

Heat 1 tsp of olive oil in a medium-sized pan over medium heat. Once hot, add garlic and fennel seeds. Stir constantly for 60 seconds, then add tomatoes, broth, salt, pepper and oregano, to taste. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes. While simmering, heat remaining olive oil in large pan sprayed over medium heat. Season each piece of chicken with salt, pepper and oregano, to taste. Once hot, add chicken and brown for four minutes then flip and brown for an additional 2-3 minutes. Now add tomato sauce to the chicken pan, lower heat to medium low and simmer for 10 minutes. While simmering, boil water and cook macaroni. Then taste and re-season sauce with salt, pepper and oregano if needed. Drain macaroni and divide into two servings. Pour sauce and chicken over top of macaroni and add cheese and parsley on top.

Nutritional Information: 443 calories, 56 carbs, 7 fat grams and 39 protein grams.

Review: GREAT recipe - the feta mixed with the fennel seeds gives it a strong flavor. The sauce reheats well too and didn't seem salty, but still flavorful.