This is rich and savory and a perfect lunch soup for a cold winter day.
Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Soup
2 servings
365 calories per serving
1 can water
½ can low fat cream of mushroom soup
3 c low fat chicken broth
5 oz. cooked boneless, skinless chicken breast cubed (Perdue Shortcuts work great here !)
1 6.5 oz. can sliced mushrooms and their juice
½ c frozen mixed vegetables (peas, corn, carrots, etc.)
Salt and pepper to taste
½ t onion powder
½ t garlic powder
1 t parsley flakes
4 oz. whole wheat egg noodles
4 T fat free half and half
Combine water, soup, broth, chicken, mushrooms and juice and spices and bring to a boil. Add vegetables and bring back to a boil. Add noodles and cook 5 minutes or until tender. Lower to a simmer and add half and half and cook a few moments longer.
To me, there is nothing more heavenly on my tongue than a melting morsel of brie. Now add in that I am a carb hound and cannot live without pasta…follow me to Pasta and Brie courtesy of Baltimore International College School of Culinary Arts. This recipe is PERFECT !! It combines 2 of my most favorite things in the world. I don’t know who at the Baltimore International College School of Culinary Arts came up with this recipe, but it outranks any pasta and cheese recipe that I have ever tried. It is true heaven.
Along with the perfect brie flavor, the fresh herbs and pine nuts are just a flavor explosion. This is definitely one of those meals that will impress…and it’s not hard to put together at all.
I tweaked their version just a bit to bring this in under 400 calories. It’s a bit high on the calorie count, so serve as a side to a light piece of fish – or have it for lunch. The portion size is definitely enough for a filling lunch and you won’t forget the cheesy brie goodness.
PASTA AND BRIE (BALTIMORE INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE)
Baltimore International College School of Culinary Arts has many, many recipes for you to try out (just go to the menu option ‘Programs” and then you will see a link to the recipes. And if you know someone with a passion for food looking for formal schooling, pass along the link. So make sure to visit – just click the banner below 🙂
4 servings
387 calories per serving
4 oz. brie (I removed the coating but you don’t have to)
1 T olive oil
3 T chicken broth
15 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
2 t minced garlic
1 T chopped parley
4 basil leaves, sliced thinly
1 oz. pine nuts, toasted
Salt and pepper to taste
6 oz. FiberGourmet pasta (penne, rotini or short fettuccine) – without FiberGourmet, you have to add 80 calories per ounce of pasta)
Heat oil and broth and add in the tomatoes. Add in the garlic, parsley, basil, nuts, salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Stir brie into tomato mix and mix well to melt then pour it over the pasta and serve immediately.
Meals that you start in the morning and then come home to much later are so convenient ! This soup has that great all day simmer flavor. And like many soups, it is so versatile – – have some extra peas this week, throw them in. Have vegetable broth, but not chicken broth, switch it out. Have chicken instead of turkey…no problem ! Make this one your own !
Asian Turkey Soup
6 servings
166 calories per serving
28 oz. chicken broth
1 ½ c water
1 lb. turkey breast or boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
2 c sliced mushrooms
2 medium carrots cut into short thin strips
½ c chopped onion
2 T soy sauce
2 T grated fresh ginger
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ c sliced bok choy
1 c instant brown rice
Salt and pepper to taste
2 T Asian hot garlic chili sauce (optional – stir it in at the beginning stages if you like a spicy soup)
In a 4 qt. crock pot mix turkey, broth, mushrooms, water, carrots, onions, soy, ginger and garlic (and optional chili sauce). Cover and cook on low 7-8 hours or high 4 hours. If cooking on low, turn to high heat after 7-8 hours and stir in bok choy and raw rice. Cover and cook 15 minutes more.
When you’re in the mood for a spicy patty on a bun try a veggie patty instead of meat once in a while. Black bean burgers have always been a favorite of mine – now I have an alternate….garbanzo burgers. At only 56 calories, add a 100 calorie bun and have two 🙂
Garbanzo Burgers
4 servings
56 calories per serving
1 15 oz. can garbanzo beans (also called chick peas or cece beans), rinsed and drained
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 carrot, grated
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 red chile pepper, seeded and minced
2 T chopped cilantro
1 T tahini paste (a sesame seed paste much like peanut butter is a peanut paste)
Salt and pepper to taste
Pam
Place garbanzos, peppers, carrots, garlic, red chile pepper, cilantro, tahini, salt and pepper in a food processor and pulse until ingredients are mixed evenly. If the mix is too dry, add a few drops of water. Refrigerate the mix 1.2 hour or more.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with Pam. Make 4 burgers out of the bean mix and place on sheet. Bake 20 minutes, flip and cook another 10 minutes. You can also fry these in a medium skillet sprayed with Pam.
So much flavor !!! And I just love using cucumber instead of lettuce on a sandwich. This is a great lunch.
Greek Sub
1 serving
399 calories per serving
1 small club roll
4 slices thin deli sliced lean ham (Oscar Mayer pre-packaged meats are great)
4 slices thin deli sliced lean turkey (Oscar Mayer pre-packaged meats are great)
2 T low fat crumbled feta cheese
4 thin slices cucumber
3 kalamata olives, slices (or black olives)
1 T low fat balsamic vinaigrette
¼ t oregano flakes
Place meats on roll. Top with cucumbers. Combine cheese, olives and dressing and pour over sandwich. Sprinkle with oregano.
This reminds me of a good old Arby’s Roastbeef sandwich. This is a SUPER portion of meat combined with tangy BBQ sauce and it makes a great lunch ! Just meat and bread – that’s the way it should be sometimes !
Barbecued Beef Sandwich
1 serving
325 calories per serving
8 slices thin deli sliced lean roast beef (Oscar Mayer pre-packaged meats are great)
2 T barbecue sauce
1 small club roll
Place meat in a small skillet with barbecue sauce and quickly heat. Place on roll and enjoy !
Easy as pie and so much better for you then the predone ones you get in the freezer section. These take just a moment to prepare and are done cooking in 3-4 minutes. You just can’t go wrong with this crowd pleaser. Serve as an appetizer, lunch, or a quick after school snack !
Mini Pizzas
6 servings (1 bagel per serving)
120 calories per serving
6 mini bagels
1/4 c pizza sauce
1 t oregano flakes
1 t basil flakes
3/4 cup part skim shredded mozzarella cheese
Preheat broiler. Split the bagels and toast them lightly. Then spread with sauce and sprinkle with spices. Finally add the cheese and then broil 3-4 minutes to melt cheese. Add some crushed red pepper if you like it spicy !
A great sandwich that doesn’t send you over the top with calories – tasty, filling, and a great portable lunch.
Submarine Best
1 serving
395 calories per serving
1 small club roll
4 slices thin deli sliced lean ham (Oscar Mayer pre-packaged meats are great)
4 slices thin deli sliced lean turkey (Oscar Mayer pre-packaged meats are great)
2 slices Kraft fat free singles
½ green pepper, sliced thinly
2 slices tomato
2 T sliced black olives
1 T fat free balsamic vinaigrette
Place meats and cheese on roll. Top with peppers, olives and tomatoes then drizzle with dressing.
The avocado topping brings back much needed moisture to an often dry turkey burger. Feel free to add tomato and onion slices – they carry a minimum of calories. If you can’t get your hands on a nice ripe avocado, substitute Wholly Guacamole (a super fresh guac available in the refrigerator section of your market).
Turkey Burger with Avocado
2 servings
330 calories per serving
2 turkey burgers (Jennie-O)
2 100 calorie buns (Arnold Select Sandwich Thins – multi grain)
Pam
1/2 c worth of avocado slices (about 6 slices) – or use some Wholly Guacamole (available at most markets)
garlic powder
salt and pepper
Heat a pan on medium high. Remove from heat to spray with Pam. Heat frozen burgers according to package instructions (you can alternately grill or broil the burgers, but cook them slow so they do not dry out). When done, place on a bun and add 3 slices of avocado on the top.
This makes the job of making avocado slices a breeze – tools such as these make perfect slices all the time !
FLAVOR EXPLOSION ! There are tons of bold flavors in this salad and dressing – and they mix to perfection ! Feta cheese, mustard, orange, radicchio, basil, feta cheese, sun dried tomatoes – – all mingling together to serve up a big, bold salad.
Chicken Salad with White Beans
4 servings
398 calories per serving
Vinaigrette
1 clove garlic, chopped and mashed
¼ teaspoon salt
4 T oil
6 T orange juice
¼ c vinegar
1 T Dijon mustard
Salad
15 oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 ½ c diced cooked chicken breast (Perdue Shortcuts work great here !)
2 c diced zucchini
1 ½ c cups diced celery
¼ c crumbled low fat feta cheese
¼ c chopped, sun-dried tomatoes (rinse them off in water and dry them with a paper towel first)
1 c coarsely chopped basil
Salt and pepper to taste
2 c torn escarole or romaine
2 cups torn radicchio
Mash garlic with ¼ t salt and then whisk in the oil. Add juice, vinegar and mustard and whisk to combine. Add more salt if necessary. Prepare all salad ingredients and toss with dressing. Season with salt and pepper.
