This can be eaten as a side, or use in smaller portions as a salsa over the top of broiled fish or chicken. Very savory, very easy to put together and very healthy !
4 servings
58 calories per serving
4 small tomatoes, chopped
1 c corn kernels (frozen and thawed or fresh)
¼ c chopped cilantro
1 jalapeno or ¼ of a green bell pepper, chopped finely
¼ c fat free zesty Italian dressing
Squirt of lime
Mix all together and chill at least 1 hour.
Fish smothered in diced veggies. What a great pesto flavor shines through for using so little of it. This was an awesome meal and it is very quick to prepare !
4 servings
180 calories per serving
4 4 oz. tilapia or other white fish filets
1/4 c low fat Italian dressing, divided
1 T pesto (prepared pesto is available in the refrigerator section at your grocer)
1 green or red pepper, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
1 c grape tomatoes, halved
3 T chopped basil or parsley
Pepper to taste
Brush fish with half the dressing and sauté 4-5 minutes per side or until done. Remove from pan and keep warm. Add veggies, pesto, pepper and the rest of the dressing and sauté 5-7 minutes or until slightly tender. Garnish with basil or any other fresh herb.
Cooking the garlic in the dressing gives this dish a great flavor, so full of garlic, but the flavor is not biting, it is mellow and perfect.
4 servings
105 calories per serving
2 large zucchini
2 large carrots, peeled
1 c egg noodles
1/4 cup light Italian dressing
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Peel zucchini and carrots into long ribbons using a vegetable peeler. Cook noodles according to package instructions and add veggie ribbons to the boiling water the last minute. Drain and return to pot.
Saute garlic and dressing 2 minutes and then pour over the noodles and veggies and sauté 2 minutes to heat through. Add salt and pepper. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.
Always a great side – such a nice change from a regular green salad !
4 servings
70 calories per serving
4 small tomatoes, thinly sliced
2 small cucumbers, thinly sliced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced (optional)
½ c lite Zesty Italian dressing
Arrange all veggies on a plate and drizzle with the dressing.
This is a great lunch size serving. You could also halve the portion and serve as a dinner side. The pasta and veggies are just a perfect lunch !
4 servings
280 calories per serving
8 oz. FiberGourmet spaghetti broken in thirds (without FiberGourmet, you have to add 70 calories per serving)
2 c frozen mixed vegetables
¾ c grape tomatoes, cut in half
½ c low fat zesty Italian dressing
Cook spaghetti according to package instructions and in the last 5 minutes, drop in the frozen veggies. Drain and rinse with cold water to cool down. Toss pasta mix and the rest of the ingredients then cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour so flavors blend.
The orange flavor in this dish is subtle and this is a perfectly easy way to make a great pork dish. The brine solution definitely tenderizes and flavors the pork so don’t skip that step !
6 servings
263 calories per serving
½ c kosher salt
½ c sugar
2 1 lb. pork tenderloins, trimmed
½ c orange juice concentrate, thawed
3 large cloves garlic, minced
2 t Italian dressing
Dissolve the salt and sugar in a bowl with 4 cups of water and add the meat and let stand 45 minutes. Then rinse the meat and pat dry. Heat a grill. Place the orange juice concentrate in a pan and on low heat cook until it is reduced by half them mix in the dressing and garlic and brush over the pork. Cook the pork about 7 minutes per side or until well seared and done throughout.
This makes a great balanced and filling lunch portion for 370 calories. You can easily cut the serving in half and serve as a side in a dinner plate, too. But I like it as a lunch – you can make it a day ahead, it is portable, it takes even better the following day … and it is packed with healthy ingredients. Oh, and it has orzo (my fav!) 🙂
5 servings
370 calories per serving
1 ¼ c uncooked orzo (8 oz)
2 c thinly sliced English cucumber
½ c low fat zesty Italian dressing
1 medium tomato, chopped
15 oz. can chick peas, drained and rinsed
1 4 oz. can sliced black olives
½ c crumbed low fat feta cheese
Cook pasta according to package instructions and rinse in cold water. Mix pasta with the rest of the ingredients except the feta, cover and refrigerate at least one hour so flavors mix. Just before serving, sprinkle with cheese.
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 !
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.
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 !
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.
Always a favorite at BBQ’s, this pasta salad with tuna adds a healthy bed of spinach to the dish and the flavors mixed extraordinarily well.
4 servings
260 calories per serving
2 c uncooked Fibergourmet rotini pasta (using regular pasta, you add 80 calories per serving)
2 6 oz. cans fancy white albacore tuna canned in water, drained
¼ c finely chopped green onions
2/3 c frozen peas, thawed
2/3 c low fat creamy Italian salad dressing
1/8 t pepper
4 c fresh spinach leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
Cook pasta according to package instructions then drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Add flaked tuna, onions, peas, dressing and pepper and mix well the chill for at least 2 hours. To serve, place spinach on plates and top with pasta salad. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
