Orzo, chicken, piccata sauce – - pure heaven ! This is one of my favorite dishes. It is definitely restaurant worthy and it’s so easy to do. It’s a great dish to make when entertaining – your guests won’t even know they are eating healthy

Chicken Piccata and Orzo

4 servings
346 calories per serving

1 c uncooked orzo
2 t grated lemon rind
4 4 oz. boneless skinless chicken cutlets
Salt and pepper to taste
1 T olive oil
1/4 c white wine
1/2 c chicken broth
1 T lemon juice plus 1 t lemon juice
1 T chilled butter, cut into small pieces
2 T chopped fresh parsley

Cook orzo according to package instructions. Stir in the lemon zest. 1 t lemon juice, salt and pepper and keep warm. Heat oil in a skillet. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and then cook chicken 3-4 minutes each site or until done. Remove the chicken from the pan and keep it warm. Add wine to pan and cook 2 minutes then add broth and 1 T lemon juice and bring to a boil and cook another 2 minutes or until it’s reduced to ½ c total. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley and butter until the butter is melted. Serve chicken over orzo.

When you add in a lot of veggies to bulk up mac salad, you can really bring down the calorie count and this one is so creamy !

Low Fat Mac Salad

16 servings
121 calories per serving

8 oz. multi grain pasta, uncooked
3 c small broccoli florets
1 red or green pepper, chopped
1 c low fat mayo (I like using the olive oil one!)
1/4 c low fat sour cream
2 T Dijon mustard
1 T red vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
2 hard boiled eggs, chopped

Cook pasta according to package instructions and add the veggies into the water during the last 2 minutes of cooking time. Rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process and then drain well. Add mayo, sour cream, vinegar, salt and pepper, and mustard and stir well then add eggs. Chill at least 3 hours so the flavors mingle.

Spaghetti. Sausage. ‘Nuff said !

Spaghetti with Sausage

4 servings
380 calories per serving

8 oz. hot Italian turkey sausage
8 oz. FiberGourmet spaghetti (if you use regular spaghetti, you have to add 80 calories per serving)
28 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 T oil
1/2 t red pepper flakes
5 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 t kosher salt
½ t onion powder
½ t basil flakes
½ t oregano flakes
1/4 c basil, chopped
2 oz. shaved Parmesan cheese

Preheat broiler and cook sausage 5 minutes per side or until completely cooked. Slice sausage into ¼ inch thick pieces and arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet and broil another 2 minutes to get them nice and brown. Cook pasta according to package directions. Heat oil in a skillet and add pepper and garlic and sauté then add tomatoes, salt, pepper, basil, oregano and onion powder and cook 5-7 minutes. Add sausage and cook another 5 minutes. Garnish with cheese and basil.

Sometimes baking prepared pasta and sauce makes it taste like a whole different meal – and when you add in a layer of decadent cheese, then it really feels special This is super easy to do and tastes GREAT !

Pasta and Beef Bake

4 servings
392 calories

8 oz. Uncooked FiberGourmet penne or rotini (without using FiberGourmet pasta, you add 80 calories per serving)
½ lb. extra lean ground beef
2 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
4.5 oz. jar sliced mushrooms, drained
1 t basil flakes or 1 T fresh basil, chopped
½ t oregano flakes
½ t salt
¼ t pepper
½ t onion powder
½ t garlic powder
Red pepper flakes if you like it spicy
½ c fat free shredded mozzarella cheese
Pam

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 8 inch baking dish with Pam. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Brown ground beef and drain then add tomato sauce, tomatoes, mushrooms herbs and spices and bring to a boil them remove from heat and stir in pasta then turn into the baking dish and cover and bake 15 minutes. Then uncover and sprinkle with cheese and bake another 5-10 minutes.

This dish uses yogurt to make a delicious and creamy sauce. But you don’t even know it’s yogurt ! Try this for a great filling one dish meal.

Creamy Beef and Pasta

4 servings
300 calories per serving

5 oz. uncooked FiberGourmet Penne or Rotini
¾ c low fat plain yogurt
1 T cornstarch
1 T oil
¾ lb. beef round steak cut into thin strips
1 onion sliced thin
2 T flour
½ c beef broth
1 can diced tomatoes
1 green bell pepper in 1 inch squares
1 c fresh mushrooms, quartered
1 t basil flakes
½ t parsley flakes
½ t salt
¼ t pepper
½ t garlic powder
½ t brown sugar

Cook pasta according to package instructions. Combine yogurt and cornstarch and mix well. In a large skillet heat oil to medium high heat and cook beef and onion until beef is brown then add all the rest of the ingredients other than the pasta and yogurt sauce. Cover and cook on medium 8 minutes or until veggies are beginning to get tender. Remove from heat and gradually add 2 c meat mix into the yogurt sauce then return it to the skillet and stir over medium heat until well heated. Add pasta and toss to combine.

This is a rich, delicious dish. The whole ‘ravioli splitting in the boiling water’ hazard is gone and this is something you can put together ahead of time and then bake just before serving. Very easy, very convenient and very good !

Baked Ravioli

8 servings
355 calories per serving

28 oz. jar marinara sauce
25 oz.package frozen cheese ravioli
2 c shredded no fat mozzarella cheese
2 T grated parmesan cheese
1 c sliced mushrooms (fresh or canned)
9 oz. frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry in a colander
½ t salt
½ t pepper
½ t garlic powder
½ t onion powder
Pam

Heat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 13×9 pan with Pam. Spread ¾ c sauce in bottom and arrange ½ the ravioli in the dish. Top with the spinach and mushrooms and then sprinkle with salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder. Top with half of the remaining sauce and 1 c mozzarella cheese. Add another layer of ravioli, then the rest of the sauce. Finally add the rest of the mozzarella and then sprinkle with parmesan cheese and cover and bake 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 15 minutes until hot and bubbly. Then let sit 15 minute before serving.

This is a great dinner – you can serve this warm, at room temperature or even cold. The cheesy tortellini are the perfect base for a savory dressing and tons of flavorful tomatoes and rich artichokes and asparagus. The arugula and fresh basil top it off perfectly.

Tortellini with Tomatoes

6 servings
400 calories per serving

2 9 oz packs fresh cheese tortellini
1 lb asparagus, sliced into 1 ½ inch long slices
3 T red vinegar
1 T balsamic vinegar
1 T olive oil
Salt to taste
1/4 t pepper
4 c baby arugula
1 1/2 c cherry tomatoes, halved
3/4 c grated parmesan
1/3 c thinly sliced fresh basil
14 oz can artichoke hearts, drained and cut in fours

Cook tortellini according to package instructions. Add asparagus into the pasta water during the last 2 minutes of cooking time then drain all. Mix vinegars, oil, salt and pepper and mix with pasta, arugula, tomatoes, cheese, basil and artichokes.

Mark this down as another of those recipes that you will make again and again. Some of the noodles get a little crunchy from the oven and it makes the dish that much more enjoyable. Tetrazzini is usually made with spaghetti, but I like using fettucine noodles sometimes !

Chicken Tetrazzini

6 servings
400 calories per serving

7 oz. FiberGourmet pasta (fettuccine noodles or spaghetti) – without FiberGourmet pasta, this dish will not come in under 400 calories !

¼ c margarine
¼ c flour
½ t salt
¼ t pepper
1 c chicken broth
3/4 c heavy cream
¼ c skim milk
2 T water
1 ½ lb. cooked chicken in bite sized pieces (Perdue Shortcuts work great here!)
1 can sliced mushrooms
½ c parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Melt margarine on low heat and stir in flour, salt and pepper and stir constantly until smooth and bubbly then remove from heat. Stir in the broth and cream and then heat to boiling stirring constantly and cook 1 minute. Then stir in water, pasta, chicken and mushrooms. Put into a baking dish and sprinkle with cheese and bake ½ hour.

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.

A dish that many order in a restaurant – but you can do it for so many fewer calories at home…and it tastes great !

Fettuccine Alfredo

5 servings
340 calories

12 oz. FiberGourmet fettuccine (I used their tomato flavored fettuccine)
2 t buttery spread
1 t oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ c finely chopped red bell pepper
¼ c sliced green onions
¼ c chopped parsley
1 T flour
12 oz. can fat free evaporated milk
½ t basil flakes
¼ t oregano flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ c parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package instructions. Melt spread and oil in a skillet. Cook garlic on medium high heat for one minute then add pepper, onions, parsley and flour and cook another minute. Gradually add milk and blend and bring to a boil stirring constantly. Cook 5 minutes or until sauce thickens. Remove skillet from heat, stir basil, oregano salt and pepper and then toss with pasta. Sprinkle with cheese and serve immediately.