If you’re from the NY Metro area, then right away you know what I’m talking about But if you’re not, you’re probably scratching your head. Taylor ham is a very regional item – I have never found it anywhere other than the Northeast and only part of the NE ! It is a compressed product of pork and spices / flavorings. It comes presliced or in a roll like a big roll of bologna. It has a flavor like NOTHING ELSE. It is served as a side to eggs (like bacon or sausage) or on a roll. A BIG breakfast sandwich here is Taylor Ham, Egg and Cheese on a hard roll. (Don’t even get me started about a HARD roll – in the NE it is a type of roll, it does NOT mean a stale roll – hehehehe).

I’ve skinnied up the extras so that this sandwich comes in at only 265 calories per serving. To my fellow NJ and NY peoples, enjoy (those of you out of state will have to wait to you visit the area – when you do, be sure to try this incredible product).

Taylor Ham and Cheese

1 serving
265 calories per serving

2 slices light wheat bread (Stop and Shop has a great one that is only 35 calories per slice)
1 slice Kraft fat free singles cheese
2 thin slices Taylor Ham (pork roll)

Brown the pork roll in a hot skillet. Make a sandwich. Enjoy

(I cut into the pork roll a couple of times before frying – this helps it to not curl up during the cooking process).

Minestrone meets Stracciatella in this soup full of beans, spinach, cheese and yummy sausage ! To make this a dinner serving instead, just add some pasta or rice to bring it up to 400 calories.

Sausage Soup

4 servings
264 calories per serving

10 oz. sweet sausage
Pam
1 c chopped shallot (onion will do if you do not have shallots)
2 t minced garlic
½ c water
15 oz. cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
24 oz. can fat free chicken broth
2 c baby spinach
1 T fresh basil or parsley, chopped
2 T grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Remove casing from sausage (or buy it without the casing). Spray pan with Pam and cook sausage on high heat until brown stirring to break up the pieces well. Add shallot and garlic and cook 2 more minutes. Stir in water, beans, tomatoes, broth, salt and pepper and cover and bring to a boil. Uncover and cook 4 minutes or until it has thickened up a little bit. Remove from heat and stir in spinach and basil and then place in bowls and sprinkle with cheese.

For years I used MY standard chicken cacciatore recipe and I was very wary of trying a new one. Let me tell you, this one really fits the bill for a tasty, flavor packed, nutritious version that will quickly become one of your favorites.

Chicken Cacciatore in a Snap

4 servings
297 calories per serving

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small pieces
1 t oregano flakes
1/2 t basil flakes
1/4 t red pepper flakes
Pam
2 c sliced mushrooms
3/4 c chopped bell pepper
1 1/2 c fat free marinara sauce
1/4 c water
½ t garlic powder
½ t onion powder
1/4 t salt
1/4 t black pepper
1/2 c shredded Parmesan cheese
2 T sliced fresh basil

Heat a large skillet on medium high and spray with Pam. Add chicken to pan with oregano, basil and red pepper. Saute until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and pepper and cook 5 minutes. Stir in sauce, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and water and bring to a simmer. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat, sprinkle with cheese and fresh basil. Serve immediately.

Crock pot recipes are super for busy days – just get it all together in the morning and leave it to cook for hours. This one is especially easy to prep and tastes just delicious !

Beef and Mushrooms (Crock Pot)

4 servings
215 calories per serving

1 lb. lean beef cut into stew sized pieces
1 can low fat cream of mushroom soup
1/2 c water
1 pack of dry onion soup mix
8 oz. fresh mushrooms

Brown meat in a skillet over medium high heat. Place meat in crock pot. Top with mushrooms. Make a sauce with the soup, water and onion soup. Pour over the meat and cook on low 5-6 hours.

The flavor from the sauce just explodes in your mouth – paired with sweet, low fat shrimp, it’s a combination made in heaven.

Shrimp with Spicy Sauce

4 servings
233 calories per serving

2 garlic cloves
1/2 c roasted red peppers, drained
1/4 c light mayonnaise
1/2 t salt, divided
1/8 t crushed red pepper
1 1/2 lb. shrimp
1/4 t fresh ground black pepper
Pam

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mince garlic in good processor. Add peppers, mayo, 1/4 t salt and red pepper. Process well. Rinse shrimp and pat dry. Sprinkle with the rest of the salt and black pepper. Spray a baking sheet with Pam and place shrimp in a single layer. Bake 7-8 minutes or until done. Spoon sauce onto a platter and plate shrimp and serve immediately.

Pepitas are raw, shelled pumpkin seeds. Roast with a bit of salt and butter for a GREAT snack.

Roasted Pepitas

6 servings
83 calories per serving

1 1/2 c raw whole pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
2 t butter, melted
Kosher salt to taste

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Toss seeds with butter and place on a large cookie sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt. Bake 30 minutes or until golden brown.

I love desserts that are quick and easy – there’s nothing like opening a box, melting and drizzling, and ending up with a dessert that makes your mouth water for more ! These are a cross between a cookie and a candy and at only 87 calories per serving, I like them even better

Nilla Deluxe

18 servings
87 calories per serving (2 treats)

18 Nilla Wafers
8 caramel candies
1 square Baker’s semi sweet chocolate
18 pecan halves

Place cookies flat side up in a single layer. Microwave caramels to melt, stiffing frequently. Let stand 5 minutes. Melt chocolate. Spoon 1/2 t caramel on to each cookie then top with a nut and drizzle with chocolate.

You can taste the pepperoni in each and every bite and it makes this soup just a bit different from the usual minestrone. It’s a welcome change. All the veggies add up to a nice low cal soup that leaves plenty of calorie room open for adding a nice spoon of parmesan cheese

Very Veggie Minestrone

6 servings
206 calories per serving

1 T oil
1/2 c green bell peppers, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 c beef broth
3 c water
1 1/2 t oregano flakes
1 t thyme flakes
1/2 t garlic powder
1/2 t onion powder
2/3 c small pasta
1 lb. frozen mixed soup vegetables (including corn, peas, carrots, celery, onion), thawed and chopped
1 c frozen baby lima beans, thawed
15 oz. can diced tomatoes
1/2 c diced turkey pepperoni
3 c lightly packed escarole, rinsed and roughly chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 c chopped basil
Grated Parmesan cheese for garnish (not in calorie count above)

Heat oil in a soup pot. Saute peppers 3 minutes. Add garlic and saute another 30 seconds. Add broth, water and spices and bring to a boil then add pasta and cook according to package instructions minus 3 minutes. Mix veggies and beans and add to soup and bring back to a boil and cook 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, pepperoni, basil and escarole and simmer 3 minutes to wilt escarole. Garnish with cheese.

The layer of pesto mixed with spinach and mushrooms adds an incredible layer of flavor and also bulks up the recipe with more nutrition. This is a FANTASTIC lasagna recipe – lots of cheese, lots of flavor and the perfect comfort food.

Pesto Lasagna (Crock Pot)

8 servings
395 calories per serving

4 c spinach, chopped coarsely
3 T water
2 c sliced mushrooms
1/2 c prepared low fat pesto
3/4 c shredded low fat mozzarella cheese
3/4 c shredded provolone cheese
15 oz. fat free ricotta cheese
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3/4 c grated parmesan cheese
25 oz. bottle marinara sauce
8 oz. tomato sauce
Salt and pepper
½ t garlic powder
Pam
9 oz. (12 noodles) no bake lasagna noodles
1/4 c packed basil leaves, chopped

Place spinach in a glass bowl with 3 T water. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave 3 minutes to wilt. Squeeze it dry in a colander then mix with mushrooms and pesto. Mix mozzarella, provolone, ricotta, ¼ c of parmesan and egg. Mix marinara sauce and tomato sauce with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Spray an oval crock pot with Pam. Place 1 c sauce in the bottom then place 3 noodles on top covering the bottom of the pan. Add 1 c of cheese and 1 c of spinach. Then start the layers again – - add sauce, noodles, then cheese and spinach. Finally end with a layer of noodles and spread the rest of the sauce over the top. Sprinkle with ½ c of parmesan and basil. Cover and cook on low 5-6 hours.

This turns out a creamy, delicious side dish that goes great with beef, chicken, pork or fish. The ranch dressing gives it a nice tang and an unexpected flavor.

Broccoli and Rice

8 servings
113 calories per serving

1 c Minute brown rice, uncooked
1 c fat free chicken broth
1 ½ c frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and drained (or you can use fresh)
2/3 c shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 c light ranch dressing
½ c egg beaters
Pam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fix rice according to package instructions but use broth instead of water. Cool rice a bit and add in the rest of the ingredients. Spoon the mix into a casserole dish sprayed with Pam and bake 25 minutes or until browned.