Tag Archives: mozzarella cheese

Broccoli and Rice

This turns out a creamy, delicious side dish that goes great with beef, chicken, pork or fish. The ranch dressing gives it a nice tang and an unexpected flavor.

Broccoli and Rice
Broccoli and Rice

8 servings
113 calories per serving

1 c Minute brown rice, uncooked
1 c fat free chicken broth
1 ½ c frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and drained (or you can use fresh)
2/3 c shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 c light ranch dressing
½ c egg beaters
Pam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fix rice according to package instructions but use broth instead of water. Cool rice a bit and add in the rest of the ingredients. Spoon the mix into a casserole dish sprayed with Pam and bake 25 minutes or until browned.

Veggies and Noodles

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.

Veggies and Noodles
Veggies and Noodles

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.

Pepper and Onion Boboli

Bobolis make great pizza crusts – top them with just about anything and you have a hit dinner or lunch in 20 minutes flat ! For this one, I’m using a pepper and onion topping, a favorite for my family.

Pepper and Onion Boboli
Pepper and Onion Boboli

4 servings
387 calories per serving

1 original Boboli crust
½ c pizza sauce
½ t garlic powder
½ t oregano flakes
Optional red pepper flakes (if you like it spicy)
1 c part skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 c peppers sliced very thin
1 c onions sliced very thin

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spoon sauce onto crust and spread within ½ inch of the edges. Sprinkle with garlic powder and oregano. Add cheese and toppings. Bake 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Grilled Antipasto

This is a super savory, super healthy dish and a perfect summer dinner. The platter is just stunning to look at and this makes a great dish for entertaining. Serve as a full dinner or as an appetizer.

Grilled Antipasto
Grilled Antipasto

4 servings
291 calories per serving

6 T lemon juice
3 T white balsamic vinegar
2 t oil
¼ t kosher salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 plum tomatoes
2 red peppers, quartered
2 yellow peppers, quartered
2 zucchini cut lengthwise into thick slices
1 red onion cut into thick slices
1 large eggplant cut into thick slices
Pam
4 oz. prosciutto slices
1 oz. peppered ham
2 oz. fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
Basil as a garnish
6 green olives
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix the first 5 ingredients as a marinade and dressing for the veggies. Take ¼ c of the dressing and brush it over the veggies. Spray a grill rack with Pam and grill veggies 5 minutes a side or until they have a bit of char on them. Place veggies on a platter and brush with the rest of the dressing and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add the rest of the items to the platter and serve immediately.

Baked Ravioli

This is a rich, delicious dish. The whole ‘ravioli splitting in the boiling water’ hazard is gone and this is something you can put together ahead of time and then bake just before serving. Very easy, very convenient and very good !

Baked Ravioli
Baked Ravioli

8 servings
355 calories per serving

28 oz. jar marinara sauce
25 oz.package frozen cheese ravioli
2 c shredded no fat mozzarella cheese
2 T grated parmesan cheese
1 c sliced mushrooms (fresh or canned)
9 oz. frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry in a colander
½ t salt
½ t pepper
½ t garlic powder
½ t onion powder
Pam

Heat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 13×9 pan with Pam. Spread ¾ c sauce in bottom and arrange ½ the ravioli in the dish. Top with the spinach and mushrooms and then sprinkle with salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder. Top with half of the remaining sauce and 1 c mozzarella cheese. Add another layer of ravioli, then the rest of the sauce. Finally add the rest of the mozzarella and then sprinkle with parmesan cheese and cover and bake 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 15 minutes until hot and bubbly. Then let sit 15 minute before serving.

Crunchy Matza Pizza

Using matza as your crust is a great change up from your typical personal pizza. This one is light and crunchy and definitely something I will be making again.

Crunchy Matza Pizza
Crunchy Matza Pizza


1 serving
158 calories per serving

1 matza
2 T tomato paste mixed with 1 T water
3 T low fat mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 T diced green pepper
2 sliced mushrooms
1 t oregano
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread tomato mix on matza. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, oregano. Top with cheese and veggies. Bake 10 minutes or until cheese melts.

Open Faced Warm Mozz Sandwiches

Cheesy, quick and easy – and very different with some alfalfa sprouts thrown on for good measure !

Open Faced Warm Mozz Sandwiches
Open Faced Warm Mozz Sandwiches

4 servings
185 calories per serving

4 slices 45 calorie whole wheat bread, toasted
4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1 medium tomato, sliced
5 oz. alfalfa sprouts
1 c shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread toast with cream cheese and then layer on tomato and sprouts. Top with mozz and bake 8 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Empanapita from the Keep the Beat ™ cookbook from the National Institutes for Health We Can! (Ways to Enhance Children’s Activity & Nutrition) Campaign

Check out the online cookbook, Keep the Beat ™ (available in pdf format) for some great ideas for healthful food that kids will eat and they will enjoy preparing with you. Kids learn by example – show them how good healthy food can be !!!

This is a great combination of an empanada and a pita – the recipe is fun to make and is a great healthy alternative to traditionally fried empanadas. You can easily change this up and use leftover pork or turkey instead. And you can even make it a bit more authentic by adding some sofrito to the mix. This was a great meal !

Empanapita
Empanapita

4 servings
373 calories per serving

2 6½-inch whole wheat pitas
1 c Tangy Salsa (see recipe below – or you can sub a store bought salsa)

For filling:
2 c canned low-sodium black beans, rinsed
2 c frozen broccoli, corn, and pepper vegetable mix, thawed
2 c grilled boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced (Perdue Shortcuts work great here !)
½ c shredded low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese
¼ c sofrito tomato cooking base (in the Goya section of your market) – optional
1 T fresh cilantro, chopped
2 T scallions, sliced
Salt and pepper to taste

For Tangy Salsa (22 calories per serving):
½ c jarred roasted red peppers, drained and patted dry
½ c no-salt-added diced tomatoes (or substitute 1 medium tomato, chopped)
1 small lime, peeled and cut into small chunks
¼ t ground black pepper
¼ t ground cumin
1 T fresh cilantro, rinsed and chopped

Tangy Salsa
Tangy Salsa

Preheat oven to 400 ºF. Combine beans, vegetables, chicken, cheese, sofrito and seasonings. Mix well.
Cut pitas in half, and open the pockets. Divide filling evenly between the four and place on a nonstick baking sheet, and bake for about 10 minutes until the filling is hot, cheese melts, and chicken is reheated. You can make these a bit ahead of time and heat when ready – this makes it a great recipe for when you are having guests.

For salsa, combine all ingredients and toss well (it is best if you make this ahead and let sit an hour or 20 so let the flavors mingle). Serve each empanapita with ¼ cup of Tangy Salsa.

Don’t skimp on the salsa – it really makes the meal ! I added ¼ c lime juice, 1 T sliced scallions, salt and pepper and omitted the roasted red peppers. The lime pieces add such a nice fresh flavor !!

Mini Pizzas

Easy as pie and so much better for you then the predone ones you get in the freezer section. These take just a moment to prepare and are done cooking in 3-4 minutes. You just can’t go wrong with this crowd pleaser. Serve as an appetizer, lunch, or a quick after school snack !

Mini Pizzas
Mini Pizzas

6 servings (1 bagel per serving)
120 calories per serving

6 mini bagels
1/4 c pizza sauce
1 t oregano flakes
1 t basil flakes
3/4 cup part skim shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat broiler. Split the bagels and toast them lightly. Then spread with sauce and sprinkle with spices. Finally add the cheese and then broil 3-4 minutes to melt cheese. Add some crushed red pepper if you like it spicy !

Italian Veggies and Pasta

Savory, cheesy, hot baked goodness ! This pasta and veggie dish has just enough spice and everything is right. The mixture of cheeses is awesome and when you add in all the veggies. This becomes a super nutritious, healthy meal.

Italian Veggies and Pasta
Italian Veggies and Pasta

4 servings
390 calories per serving

8 oz. uncooked FiberGourmet rotini (with regular pasta, add 80 calories per serving)
3 c diced, peeled eggplant
1 c thinly sliced zucchini
1 c chopped green pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ t garlic powder
½ t onion powder
½ t basil flakes
½ t oregano flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
8 oz. spicy tomato sauce
4 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
2 oz. shredded gruyere cheese
2 T grated parmesan cheese
Pam

Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain, cover and keep warm. In a Dutch oven or large skillet combine eggplant, zucchini, pepper, garlic, seasonings, tomato sauce and tomatoes. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and cover and simmer 20 minutes. Spray a 9×13 pan with Pam and spoon in pasta then sprinkle with parm and pour over the veggie mix. Sprinkle with mozzarella and gruyere cheeses. Broil 1-2 minutes or until cheese is melted.

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