A little gooey, a little chocolately, and a whole lotta fun to eat ! This toffee made with matza is very good.

Toffee Matza

30 servings
135 calories per serving

4 1/2 sheets matza
1 c margarine
1 c dark brown granulated sugar
8 ounces chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9×9 baking dish and cover the bottom of the dish with matzas (breaking up pieces to fit exactly) and make layers to use up all the matzas. Heat margarine and sugar until bubbly, about 3 minutes. Pour over the matzas and bake about 15 minutes or until the top is thickened and bubbly. Sprinkle with chips right when it comes out of the oven and then let sit for 5 minutes. Spread the chocolate and then cool completely and break into pieces. This can be a bit tough since once it hardens up, it gets very brittle. I usually don’t cool it quite all the way and take large pieces out onto a clean flat surface and then make it into smaller bits from there.

Guacamole is the perfect sandwich spread – anywhere you would add some avocado slices, think about using some guac instead. There is a prepared one that is just fantastic – Wholly Guacamole. It is super fresh tasting and available in the refrigerated section of your grocery store. The guac adds great flavor, moistness, and a healthful amount of MUFAs for your diet

Turkey Sandwich with Guac

1 serving
210 calories per serving

2 slices light wheat brad (40 calories each)
6 slices thin deli sliced turkey breast (Hillshire Farms thin sliced is great !)
2 slices tomato
2 T Wholly Guacamole

Spread guac on bread then add turkey and tomato. Enjoy !

This is more like an asian noodle bowl with a bit of broth than it is a soup with some noodles. It is filling and scrumptious.

Asian Chicken Noodle Soup

4 servings
290 calories per serving

1 T oil
1 T minced garlic
1 T bottled or fresh grated ginger
1 t lemon pepper seasoning
2 c water
28 oz. chicken broth
1 lb. chicken breast tenders, cut into bite-sized pieces (Perdue Shortcuts or leftover chicken pieces work great here !)
4 oz. uncooked fine (spaghetti-like) asian rice noodles (I use Japanaese Somen rice noodles)
1/4 c cilantro, chopped
1 T lime juice
1 t lemon zest
1/2 t salt
1.4 t pepper
2 scallions, thinly sliced

Heat oil and sauté ginger, garlic and lemon pepper 3 minutes. Then add water and broth and bring to a boil. Add chicken, zest and pasta and cook 4 minutes then remove from heat and stir in cilantro, juice, salt, pepper and scallions. Let stand 5 minutes for flavors to mingle. If you like it spicy, add 1 t of hot chili and garlic sauce (available in the Asian section of your market).

This is a great healthy side salad that is sure to please. It’s nice to find *different* sides and this is definitely one of them !

Barley Salad

6 servings
189 calories per serving

3/4 c barley, uncooked
1 ½ c frozen corn, thawed and roasted
1 small green pepper, chopped
1/2 c zesty fat free Italian dressing
1/4 c chopped cilantro
2 T lime juice
Pam

Preheat broiler. To roast corn, spray a baking sheet with Pam and place corn on sheet. Broil 3-4 minutes or until it begins to blacken. Cook barley as directed. Spray a baking dish with Pam and roast corn 5-10 minutes or until starting to blacken. Let cool. Mix all the ingredients and refrigerate one hour so flavors mingle.

Add a quick mustard sauce to chicken before baking and you end up with a zesty dinner in no time at all !

Deviled Chicken

4 servings
244 calories per serving

4 4 oz. boneless skinless chicken breasts (Perdue Perfect Portions work great here !)
1/2 t pepper
1/4 t salt
Pam
2 T spicy brown mustard
1/2 t ground red pepper
½ c bread crumbs
I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Spray

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and place on a baking dish sprayed with Pam. Bake 15 minutes. Brush chicken with mustard and sprinkle with red pepper. Sprinkle with crumbs and press a bit so they stick well. Spritz with ICBINB Spray and return to oven for 10 minutes or until chicken is done

Smores – sweet, delicious and they bring out the kid in you – here we do it all without the camp fire !

PB and Chocolate Smores

9 servings
170 calories per serving

3 T creamy peanut butter
9 reduced fat Honey Grahams, broken in half to make 18 squares
3 T hot fudge sauce
1/2 c mini marshmallows

Take 9 squares and spread each with 1 t peanut butter, then 1 t fudge then place 3-4 marshmallows on top. Cover with another cracker to make a sandwich.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place Smores on a baking sheet and cook 9-11 minutes or until chocolate is melted and marshmallow are puffed.

Chicken salad is great. Israeli couscous is great. Add the 2 together and you get a perfect portable lunch.

Chicken Salad with Couscous

4 servings
345 calories per serving

1 c uncooked Israeli couscous
1/4 c chopped kalamata olives
2 T chopped parsley
2 T oil
1 T lemon juice
1 t grated lemon zest
Salt and pepper to taste
1 garlic clove, minced
14 oz. boneless skinless chicken, broiled and cut into slices (Perdue Shortcuts work great here!)

Cook couscous according to package directions the drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Mix olives, parsley, lemon, oil salt, pepper and olives. Add couscous and chicken and toss.

This is like a cross between a stroganoff and a goulash – very, very good and quite satisfying. The cream sauce is just delicious

Creamy Beef Dinner

4 servings
390 calories per serving

1 T oil, divided
1 lb. boneless beef sirloin steak, cut into strips
1/2 t pepper
3 c whole wheat egg noodles, uncooked
1/4 c Light Zesty Italian Dressing
2 onions, chopped
1/2 lb. Portobello mushrooms, sliced
3 T minced garlic
1 T paprika
3/4 c beef broth
1 c frozen peas
1/2 c light sour cream
1 small tomato, chopped

Heat 1 ½ t oil in a skillet and add beef. Sprinkle with pepper and brown meat 2 minutes. Work in batches with the rest of the meat and oil so as not to overcrowd the pan and make sure meat is patted dry – these 2 things will help make sure it browns nicely. Cook noodles according to package instructions. Heat dressing in skillet and add onions and cook 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, garlic and paprika and cook 12 minutes. Stir in broth and peas and simmer 2 minutes then add meat and cook 5 minutes to heat through. Stir in sour cream at the very end and serve over noodles with the tomato sprinkled over the top.

Just enough tuna, just enough beans, just enough of everything to make this a great lunch. This travels well as long as you keep it refrigerated. A great, healthy lunch !

Tuna Antipasto Salad

4 servings
320 calories per serving

15 oz. can chick peas, drained and rinsed
2 cans fancy white tuna packed in water
1 large red or green bell pepper, finely diced
½ c chopped parsley
1/2 c lemon juice, divided
4 T olive oil, divided
Salt and pepper to taste
8 cups mixed salad greens

Combine beans, tuna, bell pepper, parsley, 1/4 c lemon juice and 2 tablespoons oil in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Mix the rest of the oil and lemon and toss with greens. Plate greens and sprinkle with salt and pepper then top with the tuna mix.

Chili / Lime is one of my favorite flavor combinations. Put it on just about anything and you get a smile from me Add it to shrimp for a quick dinner that tastes anything but quick !

Chili Lime Shrimp

4 servings
186 calories per serving

Pam
¾ cup scallions, chopped
1 ½ lb. raw peeled cleaned shrimp
1 t chili powder
2 T lime juice
2 T buttery spread
½ t salt
1/ t garlic powder

Heat a skillet and spray it with Pam. Add ½ c scallions and cook 1 minute. Add 1 T hot water if needed to keep the scallions from getting dry. Add shrimp and spices and cook 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in juice and spread. Garnish with the remaining scallions.