Monthly Archives: May 2010

Lunch, Sandwiches, Vegetables

Grilled Garden Sandwiches

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For only 260 calories you get a big, beefy sandwich just packed with veggies that are sooooo flavorful. And the mozzarella cheese is just the ‘icing on the cake’ here !

Grilled Garden Sandwiches
Grilled Garden Sandwiches

4 servings
260 calories per serving

8 slices whole wheat bread
1 medium zucchini cut lengthwise into ¼ inch thick slices
1 small red bell pepper halved
½ small eggplant, peeled and cut into ½ inch thick slices
½ c fat free Italian dressing
¾ c shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat broiler. Brush one side of the veggies with dressing and broil dressing side up for 5 minutes. Turn, recoat and broil another 5 minutes. Then cut everything into bite sized pieces. Toast bread and sprinkle 4 pieces with cheese then top with the veggies and cover with the rest of the bread.

Chicken, Dinner

Chicken Satay

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Satay is a Thai preparation of skewered meat served with a peanut sauce – here I’ve taken away the skewers to make things a bit easier and it doesn’t change the taste of the dish one bit 😉

Chicken Satay
Chicken Satay

8 servings
132 calories per serving

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 8 oz. each, sliced lengthwise into 6 strips each.
1 t toasted sesame oil
1 t low sodium soy sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 t red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 c creamy peanut butter
2 T rice vinegar
2 t lime juice
1 t brown sugar
Vegetable oil

Toss chicken with sesame oil, soy, garlic and 1/4 t pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper. Heat grill pan or skillet on high heat. Work in batches brushing pan with vegetable oil and then cooking chicken until done, 3-4 minutes per side. Serve with dipping sauce.

Create dipping sauce by mixing peanut butter, vinegar, lime juice, brown sugar, the rest of the pepper flakes and 2-3 T water.

Kid Friendly, Snacks

Caramel Popcorn

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This has a subtle sweetness that builds with each bite rather than a thick, in your face coating of sweet on the popcorn. It’s a great alternative to kettle corn and at only 90 calories per serving, eat up !

Caramel Popcorn
Caramel Popcorn

6 servings
90 calories per serving

6 c popped popcorn
2 T margarine
2 T honey

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spread popcorn in a large pan. Melt margarine and honey and pour over the popcorn and bake 10 minutes stirring often. Let cool then store in an airtight container.

Dinner, FiberGourmet, Italian, Kid Friendly, Pasta

Pasta Dinner

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Thanks to FiberGourmet pasta – I can have a whole plate of food like this – and that makes me feel satisfied. Hunger is definitely gone after a plateful like this.

The first part about ‘dieting’ that kills me is the so so small portions of pasta you get – – that is until I found FiberGourmet. You can order it off their website at www.fibergourmet.com or you can get it on Amazon.

Because of it, I can sit down to a plate like this for UNDER 425 CALORIES !! And my daughter is oh so happy to have ‘pasta night’ back again 🙂

1 serving
424 calories per serving

2 oz. pasta cooked and tossed with your favorite low cal marinara sauce
Anchovy Bibb Lettuce Salad (tastes much like Caesar Salad)
Garlic Toast

Dinner, Mediterranean, Pasta, Sides

Spinach Orzo

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Sometimes nothing will do but pasta ! And orzo is one of my favorites ! This recipe is great served next to a lighter fish or chicken dish and you get in lots of veggies along with the pasta. Sometimes I leave out the parmesan if it will not match well with the flavors of the other dinner components – and it tastes just as great without it.

Spinach Orzo
Spinach Orzo

8 servings
160 calories per serving

2 t margarine
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ c coarsely shredded carrot
4 c fat free chicken broth
2 c orzo
3 c thinly sliced fresh spinach
3 T grated parmesan cheese
1 T chopped basil
Salt and pepper to taste

Melt margarine and cook garlic and carrot 2 minutes then stir in broth, pasta and spinach. Heat to boiling and then reduce heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes or until broth is absorbed. Stir in the rest of the ingredients just before serving.

Dinner, Fish

Cayenne Shrimp

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The seasoning here is JUST PERFECT. Not overpowering, but definitely not bland. It was one of those meals that was JUST RIGHT.

Cayenne Shrimp
Cayenne Shrimp

4 servings
220 calories per serving

2 c cooked instant rice
1 lb. shelled, cleaned, raw, medium sized shrimp
2 T buttery spread
1 t paprika
½ t salt
1/2 t cayenne pepper
2 T lemon juice
Pam

Cook rice according to package directions. Heat skillet over medium high heat and spray with Pam. Add shrimp and cook 5-6 minutes or until shrimp turn pink. Reduce heat to medium low and add spread, paprika, salt and cayenne and stir well to coat shrimp. Add lemon juice and mix well. Place rice on dishes and spoon shrimp over to serve.

Asian, Lunch, Salads, Sides

Asian Salad

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Though the dish packs some calories, it is all good MUFA calories – olive oil, seeds, nuts. So I go ahead and eat it as a lunch instead of a side. The dressing is just superb – the soy added to the Italian dressing gives it such an Asian flair. And the added crunch from the ramen noodles make this a great salad !

Asian Salad
Asian Salad

12 servings
260 calories per serving

1 envelope Good Seasons Italian Salad dressing mix
1/3 c sugar
2 T soy sauce
2 3 oz. Packages of ramen noodles
2 16 oz. bags of coleslaw blend
4 green onions, sliced
½ c roasted sunflowers
½ c sliced almonds

Prepare salad dressing mix according to package instructions. Stir in sugar and soy. Break noodles and discard seasoning packet. Add coleslaw, onions, seeds and nuts, Mix and add dressing and toss to coat well.

Dinner, FiberGourmet, Italian, Kid Friendly, Pasta

Fettucine Carbonara

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Once again, FiberGourmet Pasta makes it possible to have a serving of this PLUS a side and that makes me a happy camper 🙂 This carbonara is very tasty and without any oil, it comes in at just 300 calories per serving. Enjoy !

Fettucine Carbonara
Fettucine Carbonara

4 servings
300 calories per serving

8 oz. FiberGourmet fettuccine noodles (without FiberGourmet pasta, you have to add another 80 calories per serving to this)
2/3 c fat free chicken broth
1 medium onion, chopped
3 oz. Canadian bacon, in thin strips
3 c sliced mushrooms
1 c frozen peas
¼ c grated parmesan cheese
2 T fat free sour cream
Salt and pepper to taste

Bring the broth to a boil then add onion and cook 3 minutes. Then add the bacon and mushrooms and cook another 5 minutes or until mushrooms are very soft. Add the peas, salt and pepper and heat through and then stir in the cheese and sour cream. Cook pasta according to directions and serve with sauce.

Chicken, Lunch, Mexican

Chicken and Cheese Tostados

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I always find tostados a bit hard to eat – do you crack the tortilla and scoop? Do you pick it all up and eat it like a pizza? For this one, I folded the shell over like a taco 🙂 The flavors in this dish mix incredibly well and this is a GREAT lunch.

Chicken and Cheese Tostados
Chicken and Cheese Tostados

6 servings
280 calories per serving

6 6 inch flour tortillas
1 package (1.4 oz) taco seasoning
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts in bite sized pieces
½ c water
2 large tomatoes, chopped
7 oz. shredded non fat cheddar cheese
6 T low fat sour cream
¼ c chopped cilantro
Pam

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and place tortillas on a cookie sheet and spray with Pam. Sprinkle with 1 t taco seasoning and bake 8 minutes or until tortillas are crisp and golden. Mix chicken with the rest of the seasoning mix and water and bring to a boil in a skillet then simmer 5 minutes or until chicken is done. Add 1 ½ c tomatoes and cook another 2-3 minutes them remove from heat and stir in 1 ¼ c cheese. Place the mix over the heated tortillas and then top with the rest of the tomatoes and cheese.

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