Tag Archives: broccoli

Beef and Broccoli Casserole

April 27, 2011 admin Leave a comment

Make this casserole and watch it disappear ! The is good old all American food and it feeds a crowd !

8 servings
351 calories per serving

24 oz. broccoli, cut into small florets (about 6 cups)
2 T oil
1 1/2 pounds extra lean ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
2 T Worcestershire sauce
1 t garlic powder
1 t onion powder
Salt and pepper to taste
4 c skim milk
1/3 c cornstarch
2 c shredded low fat sharp Cheddar cheese
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
4 c frozen hash browns or precooked shredded potatoes
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 t pepper
Pam
1/4 t paprika

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix broccoli florets with 1 T oil and toss to coat them lay on a baking sheet and cook 15 minutes, stirring once halfway through. Heat 1 T oil in a skillet and add onion and sauté 3 minutes then add beef and cook 10 minutes or until beef is browned. Be sure to break up the clumps of beef as it cooks. Add Worchestershire, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper and spoon into a 9×13 baking dish then top with the broccoli.

Whikh milk and starch and bring to a boil on medium high heat. Cook until bubbly and thick, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and add in cheese, salt and turmeric. Pour over the beef and broccoli.

Mix potatoes, egg, salt and pepper and spoon over casserole. Spray the top with a bit of Pam so it will brown nicely and bake 45 minutes or until brown. Sprinkle with paprika and serve.

Asian, Dinner, Fish, Kid Friendly

Ginger Shrimp and Broccoli

March 29, 2011 admin Leave a comment

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 !

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.

Chicken, Dinner

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

March 24, 2011 admin Leave a comment

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 !

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

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 !!

Dinner, Kid Friendly, Pork

Ham, Broccoli and Rice

March 21, 2011 admin Leave a comment

This couldn’t be easier and it turns out a great healthy meal that the whole family will enjoy. I love one dish meals ! If you don’t have leftover ham on hand, try using Canadian bacon.

4 servings
290 calories per serving

2 t margarine
½ c chopped onion
4.3 oz. package of long grain and wild rice mix
1 2/3 c water
2 c frozen broccoli florets
1 ½ c diced cooked ham
1 cup shredded low fat cheddar cheese

Melt margarine in a skillet on medium heat and cook onion and rice from the mix for 2-3 minutes them pour in water and seasoning packet and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and cook 10 minutes then lay broccoli and ham over the rice and bring back to a boil before lowering heat to medium low. Then cover and cook another 10-15 minutes or until rice is tender. Uncover and add cheese to top – let simmer 5 minutes to melt cheese. Serve immediately.

Chicken, Dinner, FiberGourmet, Kid Friendly, Pasta

Chicken and Pasta Bake

December 21, 2010 admin Leave a comment

This is a great ‘all in one’ dish – a casserole that is one part mac and cheese and one part chicken and broccoli – scrumptious !

4 servings
320 calories per serving

1 ½ c small FiberGourmet pasta (rotini, elbows, etc.)
3 c broccoli florets
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite sized pieces
½ c fat free chicken broth
2 oz. low fat cream cheese
1 c low fat shredded mozzarella cheese
2 T grated parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste
Pam

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and cook in a skillet sprayed with Pam 3 -5minutes then stir in broth and simmer 5 minutes. Add cream cheese and reduce heat to low and cook 1 minute to melt cheese then stir in ½ c mozzarella. Cook pasta according to package instructions putting broccoli in the same pot during the last minute of cooking. Combine drained pasta with chicken mix and place in a medium baking dish and bake 15minutes then sprinkle with the rest of the mozzarella and the parmesan and bake another 3 minutes.

Dinner, Sides, Vegetables

Broccoli Casserole with Cheese

December 20, 2010 admin Leave a comment

What a great way to serve broccoli ! Just a little bit of crunch from the topping, creaminess from the soup and cheese – – all over a great broccoli dish full of vitamins and fiber.

7 servings
81 calories per serving

2 10 oz. packages frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and drained
1 can low fat cream of mushroom soup
2 t lemon juice
½ c crushed seasoned stuffing
1 T low fat margarine, melted
¼ c shredded low fat cheddar cheese
Pam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put broccoli in an 8 inch square baking dish sprayed with Pam. Mix soup and juice and pour over the broccoli then mix stuffing crumbs and margarine and sprinkle over the casserole. Cover and bake 30 minutes then uncover, sprinkle with cheese, and bake 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Chicken, Dinner, Kid Friendly

Cheesy Stovetop Chicken and Veggies

October 12, 2010 admin Leave a comment

This is so cheesy that you can’t help but think you’re cheating on your diet – but you’re not ! Not by a long shot ! This is quick and easy to prepare and a great dish that deserves to be added to your permanent recipe box.

4 servings
280 calories per serving

1 T oil
1 lb. chicken tenders
¼ t pepper
¼ t salt
¼ t garlic powder
¼ t onion powder
20 oz. package of broccoli and cauliflower in cheese sauce
3 oz. frozen peas and carrots
2 t basil flakes
¼ c grated parmesan cheese

Heat oil on medium high heat and add chicken and sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook 5 minutes or until brown. Stir in veggies and reduce heat to medium and cook 10 minutes until chicken is done and cheese sauce is melty. Then stir in parmesan and basil and continue cooking on low 3 minutes or so.

Dinner, Mediterranean, Sides

Couscous and Broccoli

July 16, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Couscous is just a teeny wheat pasta – much like pastina. Simple to do, ready in 10 minutes, and a great side dish. Substitute other frozen veggies for a whole different tasting dish !

4 servings
171 calories per serving

1 c couscous
1 can 99% fat free chicken broth
1 box frozen chopped broccoli
½ t salt
½ t pepper
½ t garlic powder

Boil broth and frozen broccoli until broccoli is tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in couscous and remove from heat. Cover and let stand 5 minutes then add spices, fluff with a fork and serve.

Dinner, Fish

Curried Shrimp and Broccoli

May 28, 2010 admin Leave a comment

The curry sauce in this dish is just perfect – very creamy and just enough of it. This makes a great professional tasting dinner and does not take long at all to put together.

4 servings
290 calories per serving

1 c uncooked brown rice
1 c water
1 t oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 c small broccoli florets
½ c fat free chicken broth
3 t curry powder
1 c fat free evaporated milk
1 T cornstarch
½ t salt
4 t lime juice
¾ lb. cleaned and shelled shrimp
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook rice in water according to package instructions. Heat oil in skillet and add garlic and cook 30 seconds then add broccoli, broth and curry and heat until simmering. Cover and continue cooking 8 minutes or until broccoli is starting to get tender. Mix milk, starch and salt and add to skillet. Bring to a boil and cook 2 minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly. Stir in lime juice and shrimp and cook until shrimp is done and all is heated through. Add salt and pepper.

Chicken, Dinner, Kid Friendly, Summer

Creamy Cheesy Chicken

May 23, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Creamy and cheesy this is ! The Swiss cheese in this made for a very mellow flavor that mixed very well with the chicken and broccoli. But I’m sure that any other flavor would do very well. This is one of those great recipes where you have everything incorporated – a protein, a starch and a veggie.

5 servings
390 calories per serving

3 c (6 oz.) uncooked wide egg noodles
2 t oil
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite sized pieces
3 c frozen broccoli florets
1 t minced dried onion
1 t onion powder
½ c white wine
1 can condensed cream of celery soup
1 c (4 oz.) shredded Swiss cheese
2 t Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook noodles according to package instructions. Heat oil and add chicken and cook 4-5 minutes or until browned. Add broccoli, onion flakes and onion powder and cook 4 minutes or until hot then reduce heat and stir in wine. Cover and cook 4-5 minutes or until chicken is done. Add noodles, soup, cheese, mustard, salt and pepper and cook until cheese is melted and all is hot.