Dinner, Sides, Vegetables

Portobello Mushroom Caps

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Mushrooms are so low cal – and so delicious ! When you have an extra 50 calories left over in a meal and you want to fill it up with something savory, why not pan fry some Portobello mushroom caps ! It is simple to do and you can easily change up the flavor by substituting different dry and fresh herbs and spices.

Portobello Mushroom Caps
Portobello Mushroom Caps


4 servings
36 calories per serving

4 Portobello mushroom caps (4-5 oz. each)
Pam
Salt and pepper to taste
Onion powder
Garlic powder
Worcestershire sauce
Fresh parsley chopped (for garnish)

Heat a skillet to medium high heat and spray with Pam. Place mushroom caps in pan underside facing down. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder and ½ t of Worcestershire. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Flip and re-season the same way and continue cooking another 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat, sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Kid Friendly, Lunch

Mushroom and Pepper Pizza

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Lotsa different toppings can go on here to change it up. Anything that goes on a real pizza tastes good here. Extra veggies really don’t push up the calorie count much…mushrooms, peppers, onions, broccoli, etc.

Mushroom and Pepper Pizza
Mushroom and Pepper Pizza

4 servings
235 calories per serving

4 6-inch whole wheat pitas (Arnold’s Sahara are a good low cal choice)
3/4 cup marinara sauce
1/4 t crushed red pepper
1/4 t garlic powder
1/2 t oregano flakes
1 c shredded low fat mozzarella cheese
½ green bell pepper in thin slices
½ c mushroom slices
1/2 T olive oil mixed with 1 t water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush oil on the pitas. Spread with sauce and sprinkle with oregano, pepper and garlic powder. Sprinkle cheese over the tops. Add mushrooms and peppers. Cook for 15 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and starting to brown.

I like it extra spicy, so I also add some red pepper flakes right on top of the sauce.

Dessert

Chocolate and Toffee Bars

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Toffee and chocolate together – a combination you just can’t beat ! These bars are very rich and a great party treat.

Chocolate and Toffee Bars
Chocolate and Toffee Bars

30 servings
160 calories per serving

Crust
1/4 c unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 c Splenda brown sugar
1 egg yolk
1 c flour
1/4 t salt
Pam

Toffee
1/4 c unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 c Splenda brown sugar
1/2 c light corn syrup
1/2 c evaporated milk
1 1/2 t vanilla

Topping
3 1 oz. square unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 T Splenda brown sugar
1 c chopped pecans, toasted (to toast just heat for 5-7 minutes in a dry skillet on medium high heat)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13×9 pan with Pam.

For the crust, beat butter and brown sugar at medium speed until blended and then add egg yolk and beat until combined, Add flour and salt and beat on low until blended. The mix will be very dry and look like fine bread crumbs. Firmly press the mix into the bottom of the pan to make a buttery crust. Bake 16 – 18 minutes or until golden. Cool in the pan on a wire rack.

For the toffee, combine butter, brown sugar, syrup, milk and vanilla in a saucepan on low heat stirring constantly until the sugar all dissolves. Then bring it to boil over medium heat and cook about 10 minutes. Pour over the crust and spread and then bake another 10 minutes. Cool on a rack 5 minutes.

For topping, mix chocolate and sugar in the top of a double boiler until mixture is melted. Alternately, you can melt this in the microwave 10 seconds at a time stirring in between each cooking – be sure not to overcook. Drizzle this over the toffee and sprinkle with nuts. Cool completely on a rack and when firm, cut into bars.

Asian, Dinner, Kid Friendly, Pork

Hoisin Pork

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Hoisin sauce is available in your market’s Asian section – it is a sweet preparation that is used in many Asian dishes. This almost sounds too easy – but the results you get are phenomenal ! Out of all the ‘diet’ dishes I have been making over the months, this is the one I have made the most.

Hoisin Pork
Hoisin Pork

4 servings
228 calories per serving

1 lb. pork tenderloin
4 T hoisin sauce
3 T minced garlic
2 T ketchup
2 T water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put all the ingredients in a zip loc bag and mush them all around to make sure the meat is evenly coated. Refrigerate at least 2 hours. You can also freeze the bag at this time and then defrost and use within a few weeks. Place meat on a wire rack and then place rack on a baking sheet (or you can just place directly on the baking sheet if you don’t have a rack). Squish out the rest of the sauce on top of the meat and then bake 1 hour.

Asian, Dinner, Sides

Fried Rice

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This is soooo extraordinarily GOOD and filling and it is such a healthy side dish. Serve with Asian inspired dishes or alongside just about anything !

Fried Rice
Fried Rice

5 servings
169 calories per serving

2 c cooked brown rice
2 c frozen diced carrots and peas
1 c chopped bean sprouts (canned are fine)
1 c chopped mushrooms
3/4 c Egg Beaters
1/4 c chopped scallions
1 packet fried rice seasoning mix
2 T soy sauce
3 T warm water
1/4 t garlic powder
1/4 t ground ginger (dried spice)
Salt and pepper to taste
Pam

Cook the rice according to package instructions and then refrigerate it so it is cold when you start cooking this recipe. In a small dish mix seasoning packet, garlic powder and ginger with soy and water until well dissolved. Spray a large skillet with Pam and heat to medium high heat. Add egg and scramble. Remove from pan and set aside. Add mushrooms, peas and carrots to pan and cook until all veggies are hot, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside. Re-spray pan with more Pam and increase heat to high. Add rice and seasoning then add sprouts, scallions, and the set aside ingredients. Cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Kid Friendly, Lunch, Summer

Hot Dog Platter

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For 400 calories you can have a hot dog on a bun with mustard and sauerkraut, a side of veggies and some dessert ! There is just no reason to feel deprived eating 400 calorie meals !

Hot Dog Platter
Hot Dog Platter

1 serving
260 calories per serving

1 hot dog (100 calorie light dog)
1 100 calorie bun
Mustard
1 Pickle (maybe a homemade one! )
1/2 c baby carrots

Cook the hotdog (either boil, grill or fry in a skillet sprayed with Pam). Place on bun (toasted, if you want). Top with mustard. On the side, have a pickle and a half cup of baby carrots.

Lunch, Summer

Tuna with Lemon

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This lunch is really quick and a great one to pack in a lunch bag and bring to work. Serve over lettuce if you wish, but I prefer to eat it next to a salad with a zesty low fat dressing.

Tuna with Lemon
Tuna with Lemon

1 serving
60 calories per serving

1/2 can white albacore tuna, drained well and flaked
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

Put tuna on a plate and squeeze juice over it. Season with salt and pepper.

Dinner, Italian, Vegetables

Eggplant Parmesan

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This makes a nice crispy eggplant parm that is tasty and satisfying. You can always substitute regular breadcrumbs, but I think this comes out better with the panko breadcrumbs.

Eggplant Parmesan
Eggplant Parmesan

4 servings
355 calories per serving

1/4 c skim milk
2 large eggs
1 1/2 c panko breadcrumbs
1/2 t salt
1/2 t parsley flakes
1/2 t garlic powder
1/4 t oregano flakes
1/4 t pepper
1 large eggplant, peeled and cut crosswise into 1/4 inch thick slices
Pam
1 T oil
24 oz. marinara sauce
½ c shredded mozzarella cheese
½ c shredded or grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Combine milk and eggs in a bowl. In another bowl combine breadcrumbs, salt, parsley, garlic, oregano and pepper. Dip eggplant slices into the egg mix, then into the breadcrumbs to coat. Press down on the crumbs to make sure they stick well. Spray a baking sheet with Pam and place the eggplant slices on it, drizzle with half the oil and bake for 15 minutes. Turn slices over and drizzle with the rest of the oil and bake another 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees. Place 1/2 c sauce in an 11×7 baking dish and place half the eggplant slices in the pan and then spoon 1 cup sauce over. Sprinkle with ½ of each of the cheeses and then repeat the layer. Bake 20 minutes or until bubbly.

Lunch, Salads

Chickpea Salad with Yogurt Curry Dressing

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Very creamy and very yogurty – this is a very refreshing salad. The curry flavor is subtle – if you like more curry flavor, just up it to 2 t or more.

Chickpea Salad with Yogurt Curry Dressing
Chickpea Salad with Yogurt Curry Dressing

6 servings
337 calories per serving

Dressing:
1/3 c chopped cilantro
2 T oil
1 T lemon juice
1 ½ t curry powder
¾ t salt
½ t minced garlic
¼ t black pepper
8 oz. plain fat free yogurt

Salad:
2 c finely shredded carrot
1 ½ c thinly sliced yellow bell pepper
1 ½ c chopped plum tomato
¼ c finely chopped red onion
15.5 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
12 c chopped romaine lettuce

Combine dressing ingredients and whisk to mix well. Combine salad ingredients and mix with ½ c dressing. Split salad between 6 plates and drizzle with 1 T more dressing each.

Try serving with a half of a toasted pita or a few packaged pita chips.

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