Some of the simplest snacks are the best – adding ranch flavor to popcorn is just a match made in heaven. And this is so easy to do !
1 serving
184 calories per serving
6 c air popped popcorn (you can use microwave popcorn, but the calorie count goes up a bit)
2 t Molly McButter
2 t Dry ranch dressing mix
ICBINB Spray
Pop popcorn and spread out on a cookie sheet then spray with ICBINB and sprinkle with the Molly McButter. Then spray again and mix with the ranch dressing mix.
Talk about a satisfying soup ! This one has meat, spice, veggies, cheese and 3 DIFFERENT CARBS! Lentils, rice and tortellini. Oh how good 🙂
13 servings
275 calories per serving
20 oz. turkey Italian sausage with casings removed
13 c water
1 c chopped carrots
2 c chopped celery
½ c diced green bell pepper
2 t onion powder
¾ t oregano flakes
1 t garlic powder
1 t basil flakes
2 t chicken boullion
½ t seasoned salt
¼ t pepper
2 c dried lentils, rinsed
½ c dry rice
22 oz. canned crushed tomatoes
2 ½ c cheese tortellini (refrigerated)
Salt and pepper to taste
Crumble the sausage and cook in a skillet until done (keep crumbling as you cook it). In a large soup pan mix water, vegetables and spices then add lentils and rice and bring to a boil then reduce heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes or until lentils are tender. Stir in tomato sauce, bring to a boil again and add the tortellini and sausage and cook 4 minutes or until tortellini are done. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Savory umami goodness all in a nice little puff pastry package. These make great appetizers, sides, and snacks. The gruyere cheese is a perfect complement to the shallot and mushroom. This is a crowd pleaser !
9 servings
185 calories per serving
2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed and cut into 18 rounds
1 T oil
1 shallot, diced
1 lb. sliced mushrooms
Kosher salt to taste
Pepper to taste
2 T chopped basil or parsley
¾ c grated Gruyere cheese (use sharp cheddar instead if you wish)
Pam
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Keep pastry rounds in the frig on a baking sheet so they remain cold. Heat oil and cook shallot 4 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook 10 minutes then season with salt, pepper and herbs. A baking sheet with Pam and place 9 rounds on the sheet. Divide mushrooms onto the rounds. Then top with cheese and then with a pastry round. Bake 25 minutes.
The flavors in this dish remind me of a chicken and sausage casserole that my Mom used to make in the winters. This is a very filling meal – real comfort food ! 🙂
4 servings
360 calories per serving
2 t oil
½ pound turkey sausage, casing removed and crumbled up
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (10 oz. total)
Kosher salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1 onion, diced
1 lb. potatoes, quartered
3 ribs celery cut into 1 inch pieces
1 c chicken broth
2 T red vinegar
1 T chopped parsley
In a Dutch oven or large soup pot, heat oil then add sausage and cook 5 minutes. Remove to plate. Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to pan and cook until golden, about 6 minutes, flipping half way through. Move to plate. Add onion and celery and cook 5 minutes, then add potatoes and season with salt and pepper and cook 15 minutes. Add sausage back to pot and then chicken and broth. Bring to a boil them cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes or until potatoes are done. Take off the lid and bring back to a boil and cook until liquid equals only ½ c. Place chicken on a platter and add vinegar and parsley to pot and stir. Then add the rest to the platter with a slotted spoon.
How nice to place some ingredients in a slow cooker/crock pot and come back 4 hours later to a perfectly cooked meal ! Serve with a small side of mashed potatoes for a great meal.
4 servings
237 calories
8 5-ounce boneless pork chops
Salt and pepper to taste
Pam
1/2 c BBQ sauce
14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes
10 oz. frozen vegetables
Sprinkle chops with salt and pepper. Spray a warm skillet with Pam and return to heat. Add chops and cook until brown on both sides. Pam a crock pot and place the chops in the crock. Mix the sauce, tomatoes and vegetables. Stir well and pour over the chops. Cook on high 4 hours.
The BBQ sauce is what really makes the dish – make sure to choose one of your favorites and to embellish it with extra garlic, lemon, vinegar….whatever makes it good to you !
Take an already rich pound cake and add a sour cream mocha frosting – then get your forks ready !
8 servings
279 calories per serving
10 oz. frozen low fat Sara Lee pound cake
1 t instant coffee powder
1 t hot water
8 oz. light sour cream
1 c semisweet chocolate chips, melted
Let cake thaw a bit and cut into 3 horizontal layers. Combine coffee and water and stir to dissolve the coffee, then add sour cream and whisk well. Gradually add melted chocolate and stir until all smooth. Place the bottom slice of cake on a platter and spread 1/4 c of chocolate mix over the cake. Cover with the next layer and repeat, and then do it once more ending with a layer of chocolate on the top. Spread this layer evenly over the top and sides of the cake. Refrigerate 30 minutes or more.
This has some of the best flavor you will find in a pasta dish ! The sauteed peppers and onions (much like you add to sausage and peppers) quickly impart their tremendous flavor top the pasta and you end up with a dish that completely satisfies your taste buds.
4 servings
320 calories per serving
8 oz. FiberGourmet Penne, Spaghetti, or Fettuccine (without FiberGourmet pasta, you have to add another 80 calories per serving to this)
1 T oil
1 medium onion in thin slices
1 medium orange bell pepper in bite sized strips
1 medium yellow bell pepper in bite sized strips
1 medium green bell pepper in bite sized strips
1/3 c prepared pesto
Salt and pepper to taste
1 t onion powder
½ t garlic powder
1 t crushed red pepper flakes
¼ c shredded parmesan cheese
Cook penne according to package directions. Heat oil and cook onion 2 minutes then add peppers and spices and cook 10-15 minutes or until they are very tender. Add pasta and then remove from heat and stir in pesto. Add salt and pepper and sprinkle with cheese.
For those that like a little sweet with their savory, this is a great quick pork dish. The meat comes out nice and tender and the caramelized glaze is quite good ! Try Serving with Mushroom and Zucchini Orzo.
4 servings
200 calories per serving
1 lb. pork tenderloin cut into 1 inch slices
2 t canola oil
2 cloves garlic minced
2 T brown sugar
1 T orange juice
1 T molasses
½ t salt
¼ t pepper
Flatten the pork slices to ½ inch thick each (place between pieces of plastic wrap and pound with the bottom of a heavy skillet). Brown the pork in oil on medium high heat and then remove from the pan and keep warm. Saute the garlic in the same skillet for 30 seconds and then stir in the brown sugar, OJ, molasses, salt and pepper then return the pork to the pan and cook 4 minutes.
This recipe gives you a simple seafood soup that has such a deep flavor ! Using all the shells in the broth preparation makes such a difference. You will love this one !
6 servings
301 calories per serving
8 oz. medium shrimp, shells on
Pam
2 c onion, chopped
12 cloves garlic, minced
½ green bell pepper, halved
1/4 c chicken broth
6 c water
1 T butter
2 T flour
3/4 c heavy cream
1 t salt
1 lb. red snapper fillets, cut into bite size pieces
3 T chopped cilantro leaves
Peel and clean the shrimp. Reserve the shells. Heat a soup pan on medium high and spray with Pam. Add shells, onion, garlic, and pepper and saute 5 minutes. Add broth and cook 3 minutes. Add water and bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer 40 minutes or until liquid equals about 3 cups. Strain liquid into a bowl and discard all the solid pieces. Clean the pot and heat to medium high again. Melt butter and stir in flour. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Slowly add shrimp broth whisking constantly. Stir in rest of the broth and salt and bring back to a boil. Cook 5 minutes and then drop in shrimp and fish and cream. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes or until fish is done. Promptly remove from heat. Top each bowlful with cilantro.
Cheese and cauliflower go together so nicely. Adding it makes cauliflower so much better – it even makes it kinda festive ! Give it a try 🙂
4 servings
162 calories per serving
1 head of cauliflower, broken into florets
1 T oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 c grated low fat cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix cauliflower with oil, salt and pepper. Cook 20-25 minutes or until tender then sprinkle with cheese and cook another 2-3 minutes.
