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Low Calorie Spaghetti with Meat sauce

28 Jun

I’m not sure that I can even call this a “recipe” since it’s really just a list of pre-packaged ingredients thrown together to make a “much more calorie friendly version” of something we all already know how to make. This is more just a “calories figured for you” documentation of what you can use to lighten up this comfort food!

Editors note: Make this a “real” recipe by using my homemade marinara!

Serves 4

Ingredients:
-1 (12 oz)box of Ronzoni Smart Taste Spaghetti (the purple box)
-1 jar of Prego SmartLight* spaghetti sauce
-1 package of Butterball turkey italian sausage (5 links)

Mushrooms, Onions, Green pepper, fresh garlic- all optional

Directions:

1. remove sausages from casing, and fry meat on medium heat, crumbling into peices as you go. Now’s a good time to add those optional ingredients like mushrooms or onions as well.
2. Drain excess grease from meat mixture.
3. Add spaghetti sauce, and any additional spices you like (I add about 1 tbsp oregano and some garlic powder)
4. Cook sauce on low in a covered pan, stirring occassionally.
5. Break pasta into manageable pieces and add to boiling water (with 1 tbsp salt if you like).
6. Cook pasta until it reaches your preferred texture.
7. Serve with sauce over drained pasta, in 4 equal parts.

4 Servings= 525 Calories per serving

*Note: Prego SmartLight is the key here. this suace has about 1/2 the calories of any other pasta sauce i’ve found out there, and it tastes good too.

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Red Beans and Rice- Crockpot

22 Jun

Ingredients:
Red Beans- 2 cans
-1 can kidney beans
-1/2 package turkey smoked sausage, sliced
-1 onion, diced
-1 can of diced tomatoes
-5 bay leaves
-salt, pepper,
-1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tbsp. minced garlic

3 cups cooked white rice (I like to use jasmine rice)

Directions:
1. Add all ingredients except rice to crockpot, and cook on low 8 hours.
2. If beans are not “thick” remove from crockpot and cook in a pan on medium-high on the stove (no lid) until they thicken.
3. Cook rice separately, according to directions on package.
4. Serve Beans over rice.

4 Servings= 488 Calories

*** By 1/2 package of turkey sausage I mean this: They come in either 1 long, u shaped link, or 2 separate straighter links…. use 1 straight link, or cut the U shaped link in half.

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Roasted Red Pepper and Swiss stuffed Chicken Breast

18 Jun

Ingredients:
– (4) 5 oz chicken breasts
– 2 wedges of light laughing cow swiss cheese
– Roasted Red Peppers, diced (about 1/4 cup)
– 4 tsp fat free mayo
– 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs, seasoned with salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425, and spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray.

2. with a fork mix together laughing cow wedges and red peppers until blended.

3. Use a knife to cut a small pocket about 2/12 inches long, into the side of each chicken breast. Fill pocket with 1/4 cheese/pepper mixture, and press the edges closed (use a toothpick if needed)

4. brush the top of each chicken breast with Mayo, and then press the mayo side of the chicken into the breadcrumbs.

5. Place on baking sheet, coated side up, and spray top of chicken lightly with nonstick spray.

6. Bake until golden brown and done in the middle. About 25 minutes.

**Variation: this works great with sundried tomatos too, instead of roasted red peppers.

4 Servings= 230 Calories per serving

Appx 6 weight watchers points plus

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Grilled Lemon-dill Cod

2 Jun

Ingredients:

1 lb cod fillet
1 fresh lemon, cut into 6 pieces
Fresh dill, to taste
spray butter
salt and pepper

Heavy duty foil

Directions:

1. Lay out large piece of aluminum foil, then lay another piece on top of that.
2. spray the top piece of foil with nonstick spray.
3. Lay Cod fillet out on top of foil.
4. Season with salt and pepper. Spray with fat free butter spray. Squeeze juice of 3 lemon pieces on top of fish.
5. Lie the lemons you sweezed onto the foil, and flip the fish over so seasoned side Is on top of lemons.
6. Season the other side of the fish, just like the first side.
7. Fold/roll the sides of the foil up tight encasing fish into a tight fitting package.

Grill on medium heat, 7 minutes per side. Fish is done when it’s white and flakey.

Serves 4= 125 calories per serving

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Grilled Chicken and Mango Salsa Salad

26 May

Ingredients:
– mixed greens (I use spring and romaine)
– goat cheese (2 tbsp. per serving)
– vinaigrette (raspberry, pomegranate, strawberry, etc)
– 4 oz grilled chicken per salad

Mango Salsa
– 2 mangoes (peeled, seeded and diced)
– 3 small tomatos diced
– 1 small purple onion, diced
– 1-2 fresh jalapeno peppers (seeds removed) (to taste)
– 1-2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar (to taste)
– salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Make Mango Salsa: Mix all ingredients for salsa together, and refrigerate.
2. Lay lettuce on foundation of salad.
3. Top with 1/2 cup mango salsa, 2 tbsp. of goat cheese, chopped chicken, and 2 tbsp. dressing.\

1 Salad= 310 Calories

** calories calculated using hidden valley farmhouse originals pomegranate vinaigrette- 2 tbsp.

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Black Bean Burritos

20 May

Ingredients
– 1 tablespoon olive oil
– 1 ½ cups chopped yellow onion
– 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
– 1 cup Muir Glen canned fire-roasted chopped tomatoes or 1 cup tomato sauce
– 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
– 1 bay leaf
– 1 teaspoon chili powder
– 1 teaspoon ground cumin
– 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano or ½ teaspoon dried
– 1 teaspoon salt and additional to taste
– 1 cup fat-free, low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
– 3 cups cooked black beans or 2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
– 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
– 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
– Ground black pepper to taste
– 1 teaspoon red chile flakes (optional)
– 8 tortillas (I use the ones that are 110 calories each)
– 1 cup shredded low- or reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
– 1 cup tomato salsa
– 2 tablespoons chopped scallions

Instructions:

1. Add the olive oil to a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat.

2. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft.

3. Add the tomatoes, garlic, bay leaf, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and 1 teaspoon salt, and simmer for about 3 minutes. Carefully add the broth and beans.

4. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring regularly, until the mixture is thickened and most of the broth has evaporated.

5. Remove from the heat and discard the bay leaf.

6. Stir in the vinegar and cilantro. Season to taste with salt, black pepper, and chile flakes, if desired. Keep the bean mixture warm.

7. Transfer the tortillas one at a time to a nonstick skillet over low heat and heat them for several seconds on each side to soften and warm them. Transfer them to your work surface.

8. Sprinkle each warm tortilla with 2 tablespoons of the cheese. Top with ½ cup hot bean filling in the center of each tortilla.

9. Fold 2 sides of the tortilla in over the bean filling, then roll up the burrito from an unfolded edge.

10. Place 1 burrito, seam side down, on each of 8 plates. Top with salsa and scallions.

8 servings= 330 Calories
4 servings= 660 Calories

*HINT: I like to serve with a little reduced fat sour cream on top, and jalapenos. YUM-O!

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Unstuffed Peppers

17 May

Ingredients:
– 1 lb lean ground beef (90%)
– 1 onion, diced
– 2 cloves of garlic, chopped (or 2 tbsp minced)
– 1 can diced tomatoes
– 1 1/2 cups brown instant rice
– 1 bag frozen mixed peppers
– 3 tsp worcestershire sauce
– 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
– 1 tsp italian seasoning
– 1/2 tsp salt
– 1 cup of cheddar cheese

Directions:
1. Cook Beef, garlic, and onion together, and drain fat.

2. Mix all remaining ingredients except for cheese, and pour into a 9X13 pan.

3. Top with cheese, cover with foil and bake at 375 for 30 minutes.

4. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. This is important. Don’t skip this step 🙂

6 Servings= 343 Calories per serving

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French’s Fried Onion baked Chicken

12 May

I can’t take credit for creating this recipe, but I will take credit for sharing it with you 🙂  It’s delicious. One of my family’s favorites.  My daughter dips hers in honey.

Ingredients:

– 2 1/2 cups French’s Fried Onions (regular or cheddar)

– 1 egg

– 2 tablespoons flour

– 4 (4 oz) boneless chicken breasts

Directions:

1. Clean and dry chicken breasts.

2 Put fried onions into food processer, and grind until they’re well chopped.

3.  Mix onions and flour.

4. beat egg in a shallow bowl.

5. Dip chicken into egg; then coat with onion crumbs, pressing firmly to adhere.

6. Place chicken on baking sheet. Bake at 400°F for 20 min.

4 servings= 365 Calories per serving

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Beef Burgundy with Egg Noodles

9 May

This makes just exactly 4 servings, and it was a little higher in calories than I like to do for dinner, but it was pretty darn yummy, and I’ll make it again.

Ingredients

– 2 slices turkey bacon, cut into squares

– 1.25 lbs Top Round Steak

– Salt and Pepper

– 1/4 cup flour

– 1/2 tsp seasoned salt

– 1/4 tsp dried marjoram

– 1/2 tsp dried thyme

– 1 clove minced garlic

– 1 beef bullion cube, crushed (I used my garlic press to crush it)

– 1 cup red wine (I just sued the cheap cooking wine from Kroger)

– 1 package fresh sliced mushrooms

– 2 tbsp corn starch

– 2 tbsp cold water

– 4 cups uncooked egg noodles

Directions:

1. cook turkey bacon in skillet.  Remove and place into crockpot.

2. coat Sirloin on both sides in flour.  Salt and pepper beef. Brown all sides in remaining bacon grease.

3. Combine all ingredients except: mushrooms, noodles, corn starch, and water in crockpot.

4. cook on low 6 hours, then add mushrooms.

5. continue to cook 1-2 hours.

6. In a separate container mix corn starch and water together until liquid is thin and smooth.

7. Boil Egg noodles while sauce thickens.  (it thickened very quickly, and I actually added some more water to thin it out)

8.  Divide noodles and Beef into 4 servings.  Serve Beef over noodles.

9. Add corn starch “slurry” to crockpot to thicken sauce.

4 servings= 655 Calories

 

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Chicken Cordon Bleu

6 May

I adapted this recipe from one of my favorite sites, skinnytaste.  They always have great recipes, and you will likely see many more of their recipes here in the future.

Ingredients:

– 6 Thin sliced Chicken Breasts (appx 3 oz each)

– salt and pepper

– 1 large egg

– 2 egg whites

– 1 tbsp water

– 1 1/4 cups italian seasoned breadcrumbs

– 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (optional, mix with bread crumbs)

– 6 slices of thin deli ham (i used Hillshire farms)

– 3 slices swiss cheese (peppridge farm thin slices) cut in 1/2

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450.  Spray a large non-stick baking pan with PAM.

2. wash and dry the chicken, and season with salt and pepper.

3. Lay the chicken flat on a plate, and place 1 slice of ham and 1/2 slice of cheese in the center of each breast.

4. Mix all eggs with 1 tbsp water.  Set aside in a dish.

5.  Tightly roll chicken breasts until ham and cheese are tightly rolled in the center.

6. Holding the chicken “roll” tightly together, dip chicken into egg, and then coat with breadcrumbs.

7. Place chicken seam side down on baking dish.

8.  Spray tops of chicken lightly with PAM, and bake 25 min.

6 servings= 280 calories each

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