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!

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!

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!

Spicy Beef Lo Mein

Spicy Beef Lo Mein
Makes 4 Servings
Recipe adapted from Cooking Light

8 ounces uncooked wide rice sticks
1 tbsp canola oil
1 cup thinly sliced green onions
12 oz. top sirloin steak, diced
4 oz. sliced mushrooms
2 tsp minced garlic
1-2 oz. spinach, diced
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
3 tbsp lower-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp fresh ginger, jarred
1 tbsp Sriracha
1 tbsp dark sesame oil
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp sesame seeds, toasted

Cook noodles according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and rinse under cold water; drain. Heat a large skillet or wok over high heat. Add canola oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onions and steak; stir-fry 1 minute. Add mushrooms and garlic; stir-fry 1 minute. Add spinach; stir-fry 1 minute or until greens wilt. Combine rice vinegar and the next 4 ingredients (through Sriracha) in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add vinegar mixture to steak mixture; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in noodles, sesame oil, and salt; cook for 1 minute or until noodles are thoroughly heated, tossing to combine. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Nutritional Information: 437 calories, 50 carbs, 11 fat grams and 32 protein grams.

Review: Spicy is right! That word wasn't in the original title but I felt I had to add it -the sriracha went a long way! (easily reduce to take out some heat). This was my first time cooking with sirloin and I have to say, it was very easy and tasted great! The portion was just right and definitely tasted like something I'd order (well, I wouldn't order it because it would probably double the calories at a restaurant). Anyway, great recipe, a favorite for Austin and quick - put it together in less than 20 minutes from start to finish.

Spinach and Ricotta Pizza

Spinach and Ricotta Pizza
Recipe adapted from Cooking Light
Makes 4 Servings

16 oz. Trader Joe’s plain pizza dough
Cooking spray
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 cup low-calorie spaghetti sauce
2 tbsp grated, full-fat Parmesan cheese
1 cup spinach leaves
1 tsp minced garlic (from jar; or grate a bulb of roasted garlic)
100 grams fresh, full-fat mozzarella cheese
85 grams fat-free ricotta cheese
2 medium-sized tomatoes, sliced

Remove pizza dough from refrigerator, cut open bag and let stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Coat pizza pan with cooking spray. Spread dough on pan. Brush evenly with oil. Spread sauce evenly over dough. Sprinkle with Parmesan; top evenly with spinach and garlic. Sprinkle mozzarella over spinach. Spoon teaspoonfuls of ricotta over mozzarella. Bake at 500° for 4 minutes. Turn, and bake for 6 more minutes, or until crust browns (keep your eye on it!). Remove from oven and carefully add tomato slices. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Nutritional Information: 416 calories, 56 carbs, 14 fat grams and 16 protein grams.

Review: Awesome - broiling pizza is genius - more crispy but not too crispy. The spinach was a nice add as was the garlic. The olive oil went a long way, and each bite tasted juicy. Austin (our tomato grower) suggests that this not be made in the off season. Since tomatoes are the star of the recipe, definitely go with fresh, in-season tomatoes - so just make it while it's hot! The cheeses blended well, and that tiny bit of Parmesan still made an impact. We will absolutely be making this one again - may add fresh basil next time but honestly, it didn't need anything else!

Individual serving = yummmmm!

Spinach & Mushroom Frittata

Spinach & Mushroom Frittata
Makes 6 Servings
Recipe adapted from Finecooking.com

2 tbsp light canola butter
8 oz. mushrooms
3 oz. baby spinach leaves, thinly sliced
½ cup thinly sliced fresh chives
Kosher salt
10 large eggs
2 tbsp heavy cream
6 slices turkey bacon
6 English Muffins

In a large skillet, melt1 tbsp butter over medium heat. Add mushrooms and sauté for 6 minutes. While mushrooms cook, heat bacon in microwave and dice. Set bacon aside. In a large bowl, toss hot mushrooms with sliced spinach. Stir in bacon, chives and ¼ tsp salt. Heat broiler on high. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, cream, 2 tbsp water, ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper. Stir in mushroom mixture. In the same skillet, heat remaining tbsp butter over medium-high heat, swirling pan so butter coats the sides. Add eggs to pan and sprinkle with ¼ tsp pepper. Cook until eggs begin to set and the bottom turns brown, occasionally lifting the sides with a spatula to let uncooked egg run underneath, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to oven-save rectangular dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, and put in broiler.Broil until eggs are almost fully set and the top puffs and browns, 1 to 5 minutes. Check frittata every minute to avoid overbrowning. Divide into 6 servings and serve in toasted English muffin.

Nutritional Information: 317 calories, 27 carbs, 14 fat grams and 20 protein grams.

Review: I loved this! I thought the little bit of whipping cream added a lot, and it tasted fluffy and flavorful. I think my favorite part were the big mushrooms! Sometimes I would eat this in the muffin, or sometimes on the side of a muffin cut in half with a bit of fat-free cream cheese. It reheated well and tasted great. I also liked that it didn't require a cast iron/oven-ready skillet, since I still don't have one yet. I will say that it took a bit of prep, but not too much, especially considering that it feeds 2 people breakfast for 3 days! I'd make it again for sure.

Egg & Veggie Breakfast Pockets

Egg & Veggie Breakfast Pockets
Recipe adapted from Better Homes & Gardens
Makes 4 Servings

5 eggs
2 tbsp egg substitute, divided
1 tsp olive oil

2 tsp minced garlic
½ cup chopped onion
1 package reduced fat crescent rolls
1 ½ cups baby spinach leaves
¼ cup fresh basil, diced
4 tsp grated parmesan cheese
2 oz. fat-free feta cheese
½ cup low-calorie spaghetti sauce

Preheat oven to 400. In a bowl, whisk together eggs, parmesan, 1 tbsp egg substitute, ¼ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion. Cook and stir for 3-4 minutes until tender. Add spinach and basil, then pour egg mixture into skillet. Cook without stirring until mixture begins to set around edges. With a large spatula, lift and fold partially cooked egg mixture so the uncooked portion flows underneath. Cook until heated through. Unroll crescent rolls on wax paper, and separate into 4 rectangles. Press seams together. Divide egg mixture into four, and place one serving on each crescent rectangle. Top with feta, then pick up one side and fold over to the middle. Pick up the other side and do the same. Press together the new seam, and fold over the ends, using your fingers to press the sides closed. Repeat with the other three. Brush top of each with egg substitute. Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes. Serve each with 2 tbsp spaghetti sauce.

Nutritional Information: 325 calories, 27 carbs, 16 fat grams and 18 protein grams.

Review: Love this flavor! This was my first time having spaghetti sauce for breakfast but wow - it works great with this! The pocket was just crispy and soft enough - the onions added nice crunch and the spinach mixed in well. The garlic helped give it a bit of kick, and the egg filling went well in the crescent. All in all a good breakfast. Yes, a bit high in fat, but it kept me full for hours. It also reheated very well - it wasn't as crispy but it was just as good and didn't lose its flavor.

the outside before cutting!

Vegetable Tortellini Soup

Vegetable Tortellini Soup
Recipe Adapted from For the Love of Cooking
Makes 4 Servings

1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup sweet yellow onion, diced
4 7” carrots, diced
2 10” celery stocks, diced
3 tsp minced garlic
6 cups of chicken broth
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
2 cups zucchini, diced
1 9-oz. package refrigerated cheese tortellini
3 cups sliced fresh spinach (about 3 ounces)
2 oz. Cabot cheese, shredded, divided
Salt and Pepper to taste

Place olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add onions, carrots and celery and cook 4-5 minutes until softened. Add seasonings and garlic, then stir constantly for 60 seconds before adding tomatoes and broth. Let simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Increase heat to medium high, then add the tortellini, zucchini and squash. Cook for 10 minutes or until tortellini is cooked through. Stir in spinach and simmer until it’s wilted, about 1 minute. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with cheese.

Nutritional Information: 372 calories, 47 carbs, 12 fat grams and 19 protein grams.

Review: I liked it a lot! The tortellini bites were my favorites, and all of the veggies really meshed well - almost like vegetable soup but SO fresh with big bites. I'm not a huge carrot person, so my first thought was to reduce the amount, but Austin said leave as is - he loved it! So maybe i'll just scoop more carrots into his bowl next time. :) I'd also like to try vegetable broth instead of chicken broth - I had purchased for the recipe but accidentally used the wrong one. oops! Either way, a success, and you guys - the servings are HUGE and filling.

in the pan!

Indian Chicken and Spinach Curry

Indian Chicken and Spinach Curry
Recipe adapted from Food and Wine Magazine/Cooking Light
Makes 4 Servings

1 tsp canola oil
½ cup onion, diced
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp minced ginger
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp coriander
½ tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
2 jalapeno peppers, seeds and ribs removed, minced
½ cup tomatoes, diced
½ cup heavy cream
¼ tsp cinnamon
1 cups water
3-5 oz. spinach
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into strips
1 cup basmati rice

Cook rice per package instructions. In a large pan, heat oil over low heat. Add onion and cook for 3 minutes. Add garlic and ginger; cook for another 2 minutes. Stir in cumin, coriander, paprika and salt. Cook 1 minute, then stir in jalapenos, tomatoes, cream, cinnamon and water. Add spinach, then cover, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove lid, stir in chicken, cover again and simmer for 10 minutes until chicken is no longer pink.

Nutritional Information: 410 calories, 44 carbs, 12 fat grams and 31 protein grams.

Review: WOW!!! We loved this one - had a lot of fire with the jalapenos and the cream just really made it taste super sinful and "restaurant-like" per Austin. It tasted almost Thai like, but of course without the coconut taste from coconut milk since it used heavy cream instead. We loved it over the basmati rice, and the chicken was super tender from being cooked in the sauce. Use as much spinach as you like - I stuck on the low side because I worry about it's strong flavor's impact. But honestly, it blended so well and just added great, filling protein - yay! This dish is an absolute keeper - there is nothing I would change!

P.S. I apologize in advance for the not-so-fabulous pic - I left my camera at work and had to use a low-pixilated one! :(

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!

Three-Cheese Chicken Florentine

Three-Cheese Chicken Florentine
Adapted from Cooking Light
Makes 6 servings

8 oz. penne pasta
1 tbsp olive oil
8 oz. mushrooms
1 cup onion, diced
7 oz. roasted red peppers, drained and chopped (used jarred)
10-ounce package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 (16-ounce) carton 2% low-fat cottage cheese
20 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts cooked and loosely shredded
3 oz. Cabot 75% reduced fat cheddar cheese, divided
4 tsp parmesan cheese
1/2 cup fat-free milk
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can fat-free cream of chicken soup

Optional for more kick: 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes and 2 tsp jarred minced garlic added to the vegetables while cooking.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Coat a rectangular dish with cooking spray and set aside. Cook penne according to package directions to al dente, drain and set aside. Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, onion and 'optional' ingredients. Sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Add red peppers, spinach, oregano, and black pepper; sauté 3 minutes or until heated through. Process cottage cheese in a food processor or blender until very smooth. In a large bowl, combine spinach mixture, cottage cheese, pasta, chicken, 2 oz. cheddar cheese, milk and soup. Mix thoroughly. Spoon mixture into baking dish. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and remaining cheddar. Bake for 25 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly.

Review: We really enjoyed this dish! Super creamy and flavorful, I think it will be even better on the reheat! It was my first time cooking with cottage cheese and I have to say - YUM! Loved how much protein it added too. This is a great 'rainbow' dish and I will certainly be making it again! This was filling, fabulous and while it wasn't the quickest dish to make, it makes 6 servings which always makes me happy. Because of the creaminess I wouldn't shy away from freezing this one either. Head's up: this one takes a while to put together with the dicing, cooking spinach and cooking chicken!

Nutritional Information: 426 calories, 44 carbs, 8 fat grams and 44 protein grams.

whole pan

Greek Pasta Salad

Greek Pasta Salad
Makes 4 Servings

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mushroom and Sausage Stuffed Shells

Mushroom and Sausage Stuffed Shells
Recipe adapted from For the Love of Cooking
Makes 4 Servings

2.5 links of Italian turkey sausage (1/2 pound), removed from casings
8 oz white button mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup sweet yellow onion, diced finely
2 tsp minced garlic
½ tsp nutmeg
¾ cup fat-free ricotta cheese (186 grams)
1 egg, beaten
60 grams mozzarella cheese, shredded, divided
2 tbsp reduced fat Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup of fresh spinach, chopped
2 ½ cups low-calorie spaghetti sauce
16 jumbo pasta shells, cooked per instructions
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add sausage and cook until crumbled. Remove from heat. Add mushrooms and onions then sauté until brown, 5-6 minutes. Add garlic and continue to cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Remove from heat and mix with sausage. In a large bowl combine ricotta, 1 oz. mozzarella, Parmesan, the egg, spinach, nutmeg, salt and pepper, to taste. Mix thoroughly then add the sausage mixture. Pour 1 ¼ cups of spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a baking dish that has been coated with cooking spray. Place the 16 cooked shells in the pan. Stuff each shell with the mixture. Pour remaining sauce over the stuffed shells. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and top with remaining mozzarella. Bake for 3-5 minutes.

Nutritional Information (4 shells): 441 calories, 49 carbs, 14 fat grams and 32 protein grams.

Review: AMAZING. New favorite Italian recipe. Seriously. Just the right amount of food, great mixture of cheese, the mushrooms and garlic gave it extra bite and texture and the spicy sausage was perfect - added a lot of flavor for not a lot of calories. This was a an easy recipe to put together and will DEFINITELY be made again! I'm so excited that I tried these and while I loved my last stuffed shells recipe (with 96/4 ground beef and frozen spinach), this spicy Italian turkey sausage and fresh spinach mixture blew that one out of the water. For real! I hope you try this and love it!

one serving

Tomato and Mozzarella Press

Tomato and Mozzarella Press
Makes 1 sandwich

1 Arnold Sandwich Thin
½ tsp fat-free mayonnaise
1 tsp Trader Joe’s pesto
8 grams Fat-Free Feta Cheese
8 grams Fat-Free Mozzarella, shredded
4 grape tomatoes, diced
8 spinach leaves, halved
4 basil leaves, finely diced

Spread mayo and pesto on both sides, and top one side with cheeses, tomatoes, spinach and then basil. Put top on and drop it on the George Foreman for 3-4 minutes. Enjoy.

Nutritional Information: 182 calories, 30 carbs, 4 fat grams and 12 protein grams.

Review: I was a huge fan of this little guy! Austin was jealous so about an hour later I went down and made 2 more (I had another half – Austin had the other one and a half!). He loved it too! They’re just simple, yummy and quick – I’ll def be making these again!

Lemon Basil Shrimp and Pasta

Lemon Basil Shrimp and Pasta
Adapted from Cookinglight.com
Makes 4 Servings

8 oz. spaghetti
16 oz. peeled, deveined large shrimp
15 leaves fresh basil, finely diced
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
¼ tsp sea salt
2 tsp minced garlic
Dash red pepper flakes
2 cups fresh baby spinach (80 grams)

Bring water to a boil in a pot. Add pasta; cook 10 minutes. Add shrimp to pan; cook 3minutes or until shrimp are done and pasta is al dente. Drain pasta reserving 1 cup cooking liquid. Leave pasta in strainer, and add cooking liquid, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, sea salt and red pepper flakes to the pasta pot. Place pasta mixture in a large bowl. Stir in basil and sauce mixture. Place 1/2 cup spinach on each of 4 plates; top each serving with 1 1/2 cups pasta mixture and ¼ of shrimp. Heat will wilt spinach. Season with salt to taste.

Nutritional Information: 389 calories, 40 carbs, 10 fat grams and 34 protein grams.

Review: Austin loved it - I was so so. I think my problem with it is that it doesn't reheat well and, for me, it was a bit too much spinach. I AM glad that I added some flakes to spice it up, and think i'll definitely try it again with less spinach!

Spinach-Mushroom Pizza

Spinach-Mushroom Pizza
Recipe adapted from Fitness Magazine
Makes 4 Servings

16 oz. dough
1 cup pizza sauce
1/3 of 10-oz. frozen spinach pack, thawed and drained well
¼ cup red onion, diced
2 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese (60 grams)
½ cup mushrooms, sliced
6 tbsp fat-free ricotta
2 tbsp parmesan
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Preheat the oven to 450. Spread dough. Top with sauce, spinach and onion. Sprinkle with mozzarella and mushrooms. Dollop ricotta over pizza and sprinkle with parmesan. Drizzle olive oil all over. Bake until pizza is puffed and cheese melts, 10 minutes. Take the pizza out and preheat the broiler. Broil the pizza until cheese is browned, 5 minutes. Sprinkle with balsamic vinegar, then broil for 2 more minutes. slice into wedges and serve.

Nutritional Information: 397 calories, 10 fat grams, 58 carbs and 14 protein grams.

Review: We REALLY liked it – I personally think that dropping dollops of ricotta on ANY pizza is absolutely genius and makes it look fancy. I’m such a dork. Since we have spinach left over from that pack I’m probably going to make this pizza again Sunday for next week – woo!

one serving

Mushroom and Spinach Lasagna

Mushroom and Spinach Lasagna
Recipe from For the Love of Cooking
Makes 4 Servings

1 tbsp olive oil
8 oz shitake mushrooms, sliced
8 oz button mushrooms, sliced
½ cup sweet yellow onion, diced
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 - 4 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
1 to 1 ½ cups spinach
1/2 tsp dried oregano
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
400 grams fat-free ricotta cheese
1 egg
2 tbsp parmesan cheese
6 no-boil lasagna noodles
160 grams mozzarella cheese, shredded (divided)
3 cups Classico Tomato & Basil spaghetti sauce

Preheat oven to 375. In a skillet over medium heat, add olive oil and cook mushrooms and onion for 10-12 minutes or until tender; add garlic and cook for 60 seconds, stirring frequently. Season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper. In a large bowl, add ricotta, egg, 60 grams of mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, oregano, basil, sea salt and pepper to taste. Combine until mixed thoroughly. Layer an 8 x 8 inch baking pan with one cup spaghetti sauce. Lay two noodles on top. Spread half of ricotta mixture on the noodles. Then spoon half of mushroom mixture on top and finish by layering on spinach leaves. Repeat with one cup sauce, two noodles, remainder of ricotta mixture, remainder of mushroom mixture and remainder of spinach leaves. Top with last two noodles. Then top with remaining cup of sauce and remaining 100 grams of cheese. Bake covered in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 minutes.

Nutritional Information: 434 calories, 42 carbs, 16 fat grams and 32 protein grams.

Tip: When covering with foil – spray foil well with nonstick cooking spray so the cheese doesn’t stick when removed.

Review: Amazing, amazing, nothing short of amazing. And you guys - it's meatless! Shock! But it was so filling with all of those mushrooms and it tasted absolutely sinful. Austin said he "didn't even miss the meat." WOO! This is a regular. Fo sho. It also marks my first time using no-boil noodles - i'm NEVER going back. They made this SO easy and much less time consuming.

Margarita Pizza

Margarita Pizza
Makes 1 Personal Pizza

4 oz. Trader Joe’s Dough (1/4 of bag)
1 tsp olive oil
3.5 tbsp low-calorie spaghetti sauce
30 grams (1/4 cup) Kroger Fat-Free Mozarella Cheese
14 grams (1/8 cup) Trader Joe’s Fat-Free Feta Cheese
10 grape tomatoes, chopped in half
7 spinach leaves, shredded
2 basil leaves, diced
1 tsp reduced fat parmesan cheese
Garlic salt, Salt and Red Pepper Flakes to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray pan with olive oil fat-free spray. Spread dough on pan with palms of hands and fingers. Once it’s spread to your likeness, spread olive oil on dough. Sprinkle garlic salt, salt and red pepper on dough. Spread sauce over dough, then add cheese. Top with tomatoes and spinach, and put in oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and add basil and parmesan. Cook for another 3 minutes. Remove from oven, cut into pieces and serve.

Nutritional Information: 432 calories, 65 carbs, 8 fat grams and 21 protein grams.

Review: This recipe is just a great standby. We tend to have all ingredients on hand and without meat it makes it easy to whip up quick, especially during the week. Who doesn't love a simple tomato and mozzarella pizza?!

Chicken Sausage Farfalle

Chicken Sausage Farfalle

For the Love of Cooking Recipe
Makes 2 Servings

2 tsp olive oil
4 tbsp yellow onions, diced
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
4 garlic and herb chicken sausages, chopped into ½” pieces
2 tbsp yellow baby bell peppers, diced
2 tbsp red bell peppers, diced
10 grape tomatoes, cut in half
Handful of baby spinach leaves (about 20)
5-6 fresh basil leaves, chopped
1.5 oz. fat-free feta cheese
4 oz. farfalle, cooked per instructions

Salt and pepper to taste

Spray large, deep pan with olive oil flavored cooking spray, and set a pot of water to boil. Drop in ½ teaspoon of olive oil in pan over medium heat. Once hot, add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes or until browned. Season with salt and set aside on a plate. Add ½ teaspoon of olive oil to the same skillet over medium high heat. Once hot, add mushrooms. Stir for 3-4 minutes, then season with salt and add minced garlic, stirring constantly for 60 seconds. Set aside on same plate as onions. Add dry pasta to boiling water for 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. While pasta cooks, add sausage to skillet over medium heat and cook until brown, about 6-7 minutes then add mushrooms, onion, tomatoes, bell peppers and spinach to pan. Drizzle 1 teaspoon olive oil over mixture. Cook over medium heat until tomatoes are soft and spinach is slightly wilted, about 3-4 minutes. Drain pasta and add to skillet along with basil and feta cheese. Stir, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix well for 1-2 minutes then serve.

Nutritional Information: 495 calories, 54 carbs and 17 fat grams.

Review: We LOVED it – so light! We even think it would taste good cold as a pasta salad. This will definitely be one we take for lunch and we think it will become a family favorite!

Chicken Alfredo Lasagna

Chicken Alfredo Lasagna
Inspired by an allrecipes.com recipe
Makes 6 Servings

12 barilla no-boil lasagna noodles
24 oz. chicken, cooked in a bit of salt and pepper
1 10-oz. package frozen chopped spinach
1 15-oz. jar Light Ragu alfredo sauce
496 grams fat-free ricotta cheese
100 grams Trader Joe’s Fresh mozzarella cheese, grated
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350. Cook spinach according to package directions; drain. In a medium bowl, combine chicken and half the jar of alfredo sauce, stir together. In a separate bowl, combine ricotta and drained, cooked spinach, and stir. In a 9 x 13 baking dish, place one layer of lasagna noodles, edges overlapping. Pour chicken/alfredo mixture over noodle layer and spread evenly. Top with another layer of noodles. Spread spinach mixture evenly over noodles. Pour remaining alfredo sauce over spinach mixture, spread evenly. Lay on the final noodle layer and top with mozzarella and salt and pepper to taste. Bake 50 to 60 minutes, until top is brown and bubbly.

Nutritional Information: 431 calories, 34 carbs, 11 fat grams and 45 protein grams.

Review: Yum!! I really liked this! Next time I'll add a bit of nutmeg but other than that it's a keeper! I'm glad I was able to find lower-calorie sauce - I had missed my alfredo. :) I'll definitely try some more recipes with this light sauce! And can I tell you how much i'm loving no-bake lasagna noodles? Talk about easy peasy!