Dinner, Fish, Italian, Kid Friendly, Pasta

Fettuccine and Shrimp

August 7, 2011 admin Leave a comment

This quick cream sauce can be used on just about any pasta dish – added to the flavored fettuccine from FiberGourmet and topped with sauted shrimp – mmmm, mmmmm good !

4 servings
346 calories per serving

8 oz. FiberGourmet Fettucine (without it you have to add 80 calories per serving) – I used a pepper flavored pasta and it was so awesomely spicy
2 T butter
½ c thinly sliced shallots
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 c canned diced tomatoes, drained
1 lb. cleaned, peeled shrimp
½ t red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
½ c fat free half and half
1/3 c chopped parsley
1/3 c thinly sliced basil leaves

Cook pasta according to package instructions. Melt butter and sauté shallots 4 minutes then add garlic and cook 2 minutes more. Add shrimp to skillet and sprinkle with spices and cook until shrimp is just about done. Add tomatoes , parsley and basil and cook another minute. Then add half and half and keep warm on low temperature. Pour over pasta and serve immediately.

Dinner, Sides, Summer

Grilled Onions

August 6, 2011 admin Leave a comment

Serve these next to just about any chicken, beef or pork dinner for a great zesty side.

4 servings
100 calories per serving

2 large onions, cut into ½ inch slices
2 T oil
2 T Dijon mustard
1 t chili powder
Kosher salt and cracked pepper to taste
Pam

Preheat grill. Mix mustard and chili powder. Toss onions with oil then place onion slices in a grill basket or on a grill plate sprayed with Pam. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill 5 minutes or so per side basting with the sauce along the way.

Appetizers

Tabbouleh

August 4, 2011 admin Leave a comment

Tabbouleh is a Lebonese salad of cucumbers, tomatoes, parsley, mint and bulgur wheat. It is so healthy, so delicious and so very pretty to look at – serve some up as an appetizer at your next get together.

8 servings
214 calories per serving

1 c bulgur wheat
2 c boiling water
3 tomatoes, seeded and chopped into small bits
2 cucumbers, peeled and chopped into small bits
3 scallions, chopped
1 c chopped fresh parsley
1/3 c mint leaves chopped
2 t salt
1/2 c lemon juice
¼ c olive oil

Place wheat in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Soak 45 minutes to an hour and then drain it and squeeze out any extra water. Mix all the ingredients together and refrigerate at least 4 hours. Serve with pita bread, pita chips or as a side salad.

Dessert, Summer

Lime Basil Sorbet

August 4, 2011 admin 1 Comment

Basil is in the mint family – don’t let its addition to a dessert throw you – but if you can’t get past it, then just substitute mint instead. But whatever you do, don’t skip this recipe – it is a FANTASTIC summer dessert.

8 servings
220 calories per serving

1 ½ c sugar
2 c lime juice (about 20 small limes)
½ c light corn syrup
¾ c basil leaves, chopped
2 c water
1 T grated lime zest

Mix sugar, 1 c juice and syrup and cook for 2 minutes to melt sugar then add the basil or mint and remove from heat. Pour into a metal bowl (mixture will cool quicker) and add rest of the juice, water and the zest. Cover and chill completely. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer instructions then move to your freezer for an hour or so. If you don’t eat it right away, then defrost 10 minutes or so before eating.

Dinner, Soups, Summer, Vegetables

Summer Soup

August 3, 2011 admin Leave a comment

This is a perfect summer soup – full of great fresh garden offerings…zucchini, squash, parsley, basil. Just a bit of pasta and cheese make this perfectly amazing.

4 servings
304 calories per serving

6 c vegetable broth
3 c water
6 oz. uncooked pasta (ditalini, orzo, elbows – anything small)
2 c diced yellow squash
2 c diced zucchini
1 T chopped parsley
1/3 c chopped basil
1 T lemon juice
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1 t onion powder
1 t thyme flakes
1 t oregano flakes
Red pepper flakes to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
½ c grated parmesan cheese

In a large soup pot bring broth and water to a boil. Add pasta and cook 5 minutes less than the suggested cooking time and then at that point, add squash, green beans, zucchini, chopped parsley and basil, lemon, onion powder, thyme, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to the broth. Cook for 5 minutes and then place in bowls. Sprinkle with cheese.

Dinner, Mexican

Mini Chile Rellenos

August 2, 2011 admin Leave a comment

This is a great Chile Relleno dish – it has all the flavor and so very little work. It is super easy to put together and turns out a perfect little cup of Mexican goodness.

4 servings
215 calories per serving

2 4 oz. cans diced green chiles, drained and patted dry
3/4 c frozen corn, thawed and patted dry
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1 c shredded low fat cheddar cheese
1 1/2 c skim milk
6 large egg whites
4 large eggs
Salt and pepper to taste
Pam

Preheat oven to 400. Spray 8 six ounce or 4 10 ounce ramekins (small oven safe glass or ceramic pots) with Pam and place on a baking sheet so you can remove them from the oven easily.

Whisk together eggs, egg whites, salt, pepper and milk. Place the chiles on the bottom of the cups then add corn and scallions Sprinkle with cheese then pour in the egg mix. Bake 35-40 minutes or until eggs are set. The larger the ramekins, the longer these will need to cook.

Dinner, Mexican, Sides

Jazzed Up Refried Beans

August 1, 2011 admin Leave a comment

This dish is worthy of any Mexican restaurant out there ! The salsas give the beans a subtle flavor and the velvety consistency of the refried beans is a perfect side to all Mexican fare. Try serving with Mini Chile Rellenos for a great Mexican inspired night.

6 servings
159 calories per serving

16 oz. can nonfat refried beans
15 oz. can pinto beans, rinsed
¼ c prepared salsa
¼ c prepared salsa verde
2/3 c shredded low fat sharp cheddar cheese
4 scallions, sliced
Pam

Preheat broiler. Mix Beans, refried beans, salsas and 1/3 c of cheese in a pan and cook until hot throughout and the cheese has melted. Turn into a casserole dish sprayed with Pam. Sprinkle with the rest of the cheese and the scallions and broil 2 minutes or until cheese is brown.

400 Calories or Less

Monthly Archives: August 2011