Tag Archives: carrots

Veggie Squares

How come the ‘Veggie Tales’ song is stuck in my head now? LOL This one seems a little weird, but the final product is great. The ranch flavor comes through proud and strong and mixes so well with the veggies. Serve as a healthy appetizer or as a side next to a dinner portion of meat or fish.

Veggie Squares
Veggie Squares

12 servings
104 calories per serving (1 serving = 2 pieces
)

8 oz. tube crescent rolls
3 oz. fat free cream cheese, softened
½ c low fat buttermilk ranch dressing
4 c raw veggies (cauliflower, bell peppers, carrots, broccoli)
Pam

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Unroll crescent rolls. Spray a cookie sheet with Pam and press crescent roll dough into pan to form a crust. Bake 10 minutes or until golden. Let cool 15 minutes. Combine cheese and dressing and spread over crust. Place the veggies over the top, cut into 24 squares and serve immediately.

Potato Pancakes

These are more vegetable pancakes than potato pancakes, but there’s still enough potato in there to call them ‘potato pancakes’ and hopefully get the kids to eat them 😉 They are sooooo nutritious and so good.

Potato Pancakes
Potato Pancakes

8 servings
148 calories per serving (1 serving = 2 pancakes)

2 large potatoes (1/5 lb.)
2 medium zucchini
2 large carrots
½ c finely chopped onion
2 eggs, lightly beaten
½ c flour
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ t salt
½ t basil flakes
½ t garlic powder
½ t onion powder
1 T oil

Coarsely shred the potatoes, zucchini and carrots and drain on paper towels. Mix ½ the potato mix with ¼ c onion in a food processor and chop finely then move to a bowl and add the eggs, flour, garlic, basil, salt, onion powder, garlic powder and rest of the onion and rest of the veggies. Heat oil in a skillet and drop batter by ¼ cupfuls and flatten then fry until golden brown turning once.

Ginger Shrimp and Broccoli

This recipe calls for cashews, but that raises the calorie count quite a bit, so depending on what I am serving on the side, sometimes I just leave off the nuts. Try serving next to a side of brown rice or some Homemade Flat Beads. Your family will love the fantastic authentic Asian flavors !

Ginger Shrimp and Broccoli
Ginger Shrimp and Broccoli

6 servings
270 calories per serving

1 lb. raw, cleaned, peeled medium shrimp
1 T minced peeled ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ c light teriyaki sauce
¼ c chicken broth
¼ t crushed red pepper
¼ t garlic powder
2 t oil
4 c broccoli florets
2 carrots, thinly sliced
1 c cashew halves
Pam

Mix shrimp with ginger and garlic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Cook veggies in oil with red pepper and garlic powder. Stir fry for 5 minutes them remove from pan and keep warm. Combine teriyaki and broth. Spray skillet with Pam and cook shrimp 5 minutes or until they turn pink. Add in the teriyaki mix and the reserved veggies. Cook 2-3 minutes. Just before serving, mix in nuts.

Crock Pot Beef Stew

Nothing is better in winter than a pot of beef stew. And when you make it in the crock pot, the meat is so super tender. This one is a little more work than your typical crock pot recipe since different things have to happen at different times. But it is well worth it – the meat is super tender and the flavor is just great.

Crock Pot Beef Stew
Crock Pot Beef Stew


8 servings
240 calories per serving

1 ½ lb. boneless chuck roast (trim off any fat)
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
½ t pepper
6 c water
2 c red potatoes, cubed
8 carrots, cut into chunks
1 c frozen peas, thawed
1 c frozen corn, thawed
5 T cornstarch
6 T water

Put beef in crock and sprinkle with soup mix and pepper. Pour water around meat and cover. Cook on high 5 hours. Remove meat and cut into cubes. Return to crock with veggies and cook on low 2 hours or until veggies are soft. Combine cornstarch and cold water and then stir into crock. Cover and cook on low one more hour. If the gravy does not thicken up enough, you can take a bunch of the liquid and add another cornstarch mix, bring to a boil and then simmer 2 minutes. That will get it nice and thick. Then just add back to the stew pot and serve immediately.

Asian Turkey Soup (Crock Pot)

Meals that you start in the morning and then come home to much later are so convenient ! This soup has that great all day simmer flavor. And like many soups, it is so versatile – – have some extra peas this week, throw them in. Have vegetable broth, but not chicken broth, switch it out. Have chicken instead of turkey…no problem ! Make this one your own !

Asian Turkey Soup
Asian Turkey Soup

6 servings
166 calories per serving

28 oz. chicken broth
1 ½ c water
1 lb. turkey breast or boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
2 c sliced mushrooms
2 medium carrots cut into short thin strips
½ c chopped onion
2 T soy sauce
2 T grated fresh ginger
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ c sliced bok choy
1 c instant brown rice
Salt and pepper to taste
2 T Asian hot garlic chili sauce (optional – stir it in at the beginning stages if you like a spicy soup)

In a 4 qt. crock pot mix turkey, broth, mushrooms, water, carrots, onions, soy, ginger and garlic (and optional chili sauce). Cover and cook on low 7-8 hours or high 4 hours. If cooking on low, turn to high heat after 7-8 hours and stir in bok choy and raw rice. Cover and cook 15 minutes more.

Meatball and Mushroom Soup (Crock Pot)

This did not photograph particularly well – but let me tell you, the meal was DELICIOUS ! You can’t eat this fast enough – you just want more of that awesome broth and the meatballs in your mouth ! You can also use predone turkey meatballs and take a whole lot of the work out of this recipe. Just make sure to do the broth like it says – you won’t be disappointed !

Meatball and Mushroom Soup (Crock Pot)
Meatball and Mushroom Soup (Crock Pot)

4 servings
200 calories per serving

½ lb. ground turkey
½ t garlic powder
½ t onion powder
¼ t pepper
¼ c Egg Beaters
1 T oil
1 c carrots, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 c sliced mushrooms
1 can fat free beef broth
1 can fat free cream of mushroom soup
2 T tomato paste
Parmesan cheese for garnish

Mix together turkey and seasonings and then add egg and still until well mixed. Make small meatballs and heat in a skillet coated with the oil. Put meatballs in crock and all the rest except the cheese. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours or on high 3-4 hours. Garnish with Parmesan cheese once in individual bowls.

Sausage and Lentil Soup

Talk about a satisfying soup ! This one has meat, spice, veggies, cheese and 3 DIFFERENT CARBS! Lentils, rice and tortellini. Oh how good 🙂

Sausage and Lentil Soup
Sausage and Lentil Soup

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.

Fried Tofu Salad

I’m not a huge fan of tofu, but this is a really good salad. You feel so full, but there is no bloated feeling at all after you eat. This is a good skinny day lunch 🙂 Make sure you use sesame oil – it really gives the tofu a nice flavor.

Fried Tofu Salad
Fried Tofu Salad

4 servings
312 calories per serving

14 oz. package water packed firm tofu, drained between paper towels
2 T sesame oil
½ c low fat sesame ginger dressing
16 oz. package frozen petite peas, thawed
1 c matchstick carrots
8 oz. can water chestnuts, drained
¼ t pepper
1 medium head Bibb lettuce, torn (or other greens)
4 t roasted unsalted sunflower seeds
Salt and pepper to taste
4 t chopped lemon basil (or regular basil)

Press moisture out of tofu and cut into 1 inch cubes. Heat oil and add tofu and cook 5-6 minutes each side or until golden. Season with salt and pepper. Combine with dressing, peas, carrots, chestnuts and pepper and then place on top of lettuce. Garnish with sunflower seeds and basil.

Ham and Barley Bake

There is something so homey about this dish. It is savory, filling, and sooooo does not say ‘diet’ – – it makes a fantastic dish to serve guests.

Ham and Barley Bake
Ham and Barley Bake

8 servings
222 calories per serving

1 T buttery spread
1 c uncooked barley
1 c chopped carrots
4 scallions, sliced
2 ribs celery, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. cooked smoked ham, cubed
2 t basil flakes
1 t oregano flakes
¼ t pepper
28 oz. beef broth
½ lb. fresh green beans cut into 1 inch pieces
Pam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13×9 baking dish with Pam. Melt buttery spread in a skillet on medium high and add barley, carrots, onions, celery and garlic and cook 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in ham, basil, oregano and pepper and then pour into the baking dish. Bring broth to a boil in a saucepan and then pour over ham mix. Cover tightly with foil and bake 20 minutes. Remove from oven, stir in beans, recover, and bake another 30 minutes or until barley is tender.

Chicken and Dumplings (Crock Pot)

This recipe confirmed all my earlier suspicions – – I REALLY REALLY don’t like dumplings ! heheheh But I know there are lotsa people out there who do and my husband (who is a bona fide dumpling lover) said these were quite tasty !

Chicken and Dumplings
Chicken and Dumplings

8 servings
400 calories per serving

Soup:
4 c cubed cooked chicken (Perdue Shortcuts work great here!)
6 c fat free chicken broth
1 T parsley, chopped
1 c onion, chopped
1 c celery, chopped
6 c diced potatoes
1 c green beans
1 c carrots, sliced

Dumplings:
1 c white flour
1 c whole wheat flour
1 t salt
4 t baking powder
1 egg, beaten
2 T oil
2/3 c skim milk

Combine all soup ingredients in crock. Cover and cook 4-6 hours. Transfer to a large soup pot with a lid and bring to a boil. Then reduce to a simmer. To make the dumplings, mix flour, salt and baking powder in a bowl. In another bowl mix egg, oil and milk and then add to flour mixture. Drop by large tablespoonfuls on top of the simmering broth until the surface is covered. Cover and simmer 18 minutes.

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