You usually don’t think of cucumbers in a hot dish, but they make a perfect sautéed side, much like you would sauté zucchini.
4 servings
82 caloriess per serving
1 medium cucumber
1 T butter
1/4 t salt
Chopped parsley
Peel cucumber, cut in half, remove seeds and slice, sprinkle with salt. Melt butter in a skillet and sauté cucs 3 minutes. Remove and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
By mixing the cream and the vinegar, you are almost making your own ‘sour’ cream. This is a very rich tasting dressing for the cucs and it is a nice side dish to serve with chicken or fish dishes.
2 servings
70 calories per serving
2 medium cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced
2 t salt
2 T heavy cream
2 t vinegar
¼ t salt
1/8 t pepper
Mix cucs with salt and let stand 1 hour in a colander. Drain and pat dry. Mix cream, vinegar, salt and pepper and add cucs. Chilll 3-4 hours.
This whips up in 5 minutes and is a great appetizer or snack. If you like artichokes, you will love this dip !
4 servings
41 calories per serving
8 oz canned artichoke hearts
2 clove garlic
1 t cumin
2 t olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Place the artichokes in a food processor with the garlic and cumin and oil. Process to a smooth paste then season with salt and pepper.
Serve with store bought or homemade pita chips.
Simple yet special with the addition of the cheese and sunflower seeds. Serve this up and watch it disappear !
8 servings
108 calories per serving
6 c broccoli florets, chopped coarsely
1 c grape tomatoes, halved
1 c shredded low fat cheddar or Monterey jack cheese
2 T sunflower seeds
½ c light vinaigrette dressing
1 T Splenda
2 t Dijon mustard
Mix broccoli, tomatoes, cheese, and seeds. Mix dressing, Splenda and mustard and then mix with veggies.
The cheese just melts into the marinade and really coats all the veggies – every bite is so full of flavor 🙂
8 servings
60 calories per serving
2 zucchini cut into ½ inch thick slices
2 yellow squash cut into ½ inch thick slices
1 red pepper cut into strips
1 green pepper cut into strips
1 yellow pepper cut into strips
1/3 c light Italian dressing
¼ c grated parmesan cheese
Pam
Spray a skillet with Pam and heat to medium high. Add veggies and sauté 5 minutes. Add dressing and cheese and continue cooking 5 minutes or until veggies are desired tenderness (I like mine pretty crisp).
Warmed tomatoes are so flavorful – the heat just sweetens them and intensifies the already great taste. Add a little pesto and you get a divine side dish that can be served next to anything.
4 servings
142 calories per serving
12 plum tomatoes, quartered lengthwise
1 T oil
1/4 t salt
1/8 t red pepper flakes
1/4 c pesto
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray a baking sheet with Pam. Mix the tomatoes with oil, salt, pesto and the pepper flakes and place on baking sheet. Bake 30 minutes and serve immediately.
This is a great low cal side and is perfect alongside an Asian inspired dish. If you can’t find fresh bean sprouts, the canned ones work just fine here !
4 servings
81 calories per serving
4 cups mung bean sprouts
½ c scallions, sliced
6 t ginger root, minced
2 T garlic, sliced
½ t salt
1 t pepper
1 T oil
Heat oil and stir fry ginger and garlic for 1 minute then add sprouts, scallions, salt and pepper. Continue to cook 2-3 minutes then serve.
This is a great appetizer – breaded eggplant, ricotta and tomato bruschetta. It’s like an inside out eggplant rollatini with a topping of bruschetta and herbs.
6 servings
177 calories per serving
1 medium eggplant, peeled and sliced
Salt
½ c Egg Beaters
Salt and pepper to taste
½ t garlic powder
¾ c breadcrumbs
¼ c parmesan cheese
2 T olive oil (save ½ t for tomatoes)
14.5 oz. can petite diced tomatoes, drained well
2 t white vinegar
1 c fat free ricotta cheese
Chopped basil
Slice the eggplant thinly and lay rounds on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and let sit ½ so pull out some of the bitterness. Rinse and pat dry. Mix eggs, salt and pepper. Mix breadcrumbs, garlic and cheese. Heat 1 T oil in skillet. Dip eggplant in egg and then crumbs to coat. Work in batches and cook until browned on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Add extra oil in between batches. Drain on paper towels. Place on a platter and top each round with some ricotta cheese. Mix tomatoes and vinegar and ½ t oil and divide among eggplant rounds. Garnish with chopped basil.
This ginger dressing rivals those served at Japanese steakhouse. Make a batch up and use it on salads and even atop fresh tomatoes as a great side dish to any meal.
3 servings
167calories per serving
2 T minced onion
3 T peanut oil
2 T distilled white vinegar
1 1/2 T finely grated fresh ginger
1T ketchup
1 T soy sauce
1/4 t minced garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
2 medium tomatoes, sliced thinly
Combine onion, oil, vinegar, ginger, ketchup, soy sauce, garlic, salt and pepper in a blender. Process until combined. Lay tomato slices on a platter and drizzle with dressing.
This is one of those recipes where you just don’t miss the meat – not one bit ! Roasting the veggies first gives them a great flavor, then you add chili powder, then you add rice simmered with chipotle for the smoky flavor and then you add CHEESE ! This is a satisfying, perfect lunch.
4 servings
380 calories per serving
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/3 c water
½ c brown rice
1 T minced canned chipotle in adobo sauce
4 bell peppers cut into thin strips
4 medium carrots thinly sliced
1 T oil
1 T chili powder
6 oz. fresh spinach leaves thinly sliced
4 10 inch burritos
¾ c low fat shredded Monterey Jack cheese
½ c salsa (optional)
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Bring water to a boil and add rice and 1 t salt along with the diced chipotle. Cover and cook 45 minutes then remove from heat and let stand 15 minutes. Toss pepper, carrots, oil and chili powder in a baking pan and roast about ½ hour then add spinach and toss. Warm tortillas and add rice, cheese and veggies and wrap. Serve with salsa.
Here a quick video on how to create a wrap so it does not leak
