A great side dish that tastes just as good cold as it does warm. This is one you will definitely make again 🙂
Pepper and Bean Salad
8 servings
60 calories per serving
2 shallots, cut into thin slices
1/2 c vinaigrette dressing
1 lb. green beans
1/4 c water
1 red pepper, cut into thin strips
Salt and pepper to taste
Heat skillet and add half the dressing. Add the onions and cook 8 minutes or until tender. Add the beans and the water and stir well then cover the pan and cook on medium for 5 minutes. Finally add peppers and recover and cook another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add in the rest of the dressing, salt and pepper.
So filling, so homey – this one comes out a bit wetter than a stew, but is not quite in the realm of a soup. It’s a great cold weather meal that really sticks with you.
Chicken and Barley Stew
4 servings
356 calories
1 c uncooked quick cooking barley
42 oz. fat-free chicken broth
1 T oil
1 3/4 c chopped onion
10 oz. frozen mixed vegetables
1 c chopped cooked chicken (Perdue Shortcuts work great here !)
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 t thyme flakes
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 c fat free Zesty Italian Dressing
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
14.5 oz. vegetable broth
1 c frozen peas
2 c instant white rice, uncooked
4 oz. low fat cream cheese, at room temperature
1 t grated lemon zest
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 c parmesan cheese
Heat a skillet and add dressing – heat 30 seconds. Then add onions and cook 5 minutes or until tender. Then add mushrooms and cook another 4 minutes or until tender. Add broth and peas and bring to a boil then stir in rice and cream cheese and cover. Remove from heat and let stand for 8 minutes then stir in zest, salt and pepper and parmesan.
This tastes as good as any ginger dressing you get at any Asian restaurant (usually served at Hibatchi places). Whip some up and if you don’t have any spinach around, place on any leafy greens.
Spinach with Ginger Dressing
3 servings
173 calories 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
5 oz spinach
1 small carrot, grated
1/2 medium red bell pepper, very thinly sliced
Combine onion, oil, vinegar, ginger, ketchup, soy sauce, garlic, salt and pepper in a blender. Process until combined. Toss spinach, carrot and bell pepper with the dressing in a large bowl until evenly coated.
2/3 c finely chopped onions
¼ c sliced mushrooms
1 ¼ c cubed cooked chicken breast (Perdue Shortcuts work great here)
½ 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
½ c cooked rice
½ c tomato juice
½ c chicken broth
1/3 c frozen peas
1/4 t tarragon flakes
1/4 t rosemary
Pinch of pepper
Pam
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Saute onion and mushrooms in a pan sprayed with Pam. Cook 4-5 minutes then place in a 1 quart baking dish and mix in the rest of the ingredients. Cover and bake 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
So rich, so creamy, so flavorful – this risotto is perfect next to anything.
Risi e Bisi (Rice and Peas)
6 servings
231 calories per serving
5 cups chicken stock
1 sprig of thyme
1 bay leaf
2 springs of parsley
2 T oil
1 onion, chopped
1/2 celery stalk, chopped
2 strips bacon, chopped
1 c raw arborio rice
2 c frozen peas
1 T butter
2 T chopped parsley
3/4 c grated parmesan
Salt and pepper to taste
Place stock and fresh herbs in a soup pot and bring to a boil then reduce heat and keep at a simmer. Saute onion, celery and bacon 5 minutes. Add rice and stir to coat then cook 1 minute. Remove herbs from stock and add 1/2 c of stock to rice mix and stir constantly so stock is absorbed. Add another 1/2 c and cook until stock is absorbed. Then add peas. Continue to add stock 1/2 c at a time and cook until absorbed until rice is tender and the mix is a little thinner than risotto. When done, stir in parsley, butter and parmesan and serve immediately.
This one is a great side dish. It’s tasty and something a little different than usual. You might even get the kids to eat zucchini 🙂
Zucchini Fritters
4 servings
155 calories per serving (serving = 2 fritters)
2 c shredded zucchini (use a cheese grater – the same size you would use to shred cheddar cheese)
1/2 c panko breadcrumbs
1/2 c shredded parmesan cheese (not grated, shredded)
1/3 c shredded onion
1/4 c Egg Beaters
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 t black pepper
2 t oil, divided
Combine the first 7 ingredients. Heat 1 t oil. Spoon 1/2 of mix by quarter cupfuls into pan. Press down a bit with the back of a spoon to make sure each fritter holds together well. Cook 2 minutes each side. Repeat with the second batch.
A hot open faced sandwich brings me back – they seem to be a more old fashioned food – but I want to bring them back ! 🙂 My Mom used to serve hot open faced roast beef sandwiches a lot, sometimes even as a quick dinner. This one brings the calories down a bit using turkey and fat free turkey gravy.
Hot Turkey and Gravy Sandwiches
4 servings
220 calories per serving
2 T margarine
1 large onion, thinly sliced
¾ lb. cooked turkey breast, sliced thin
12 oz fat free turkey gravy
4 slices bread
Salt and pepper to taste
Melt margarine in a skillet and add onion. Cover and cool 6 minutes or until golden. Add turkey and gravy and cook until heated through. Place 1 slice of bread on each of 4 plates and top with the turkey mix. Season with salt and pepper.
In Italian, Puttana means whore. Pasta Puttanesca is supposedly a dish often made by these working girls who had little time to cook. Puttanesca sauce is quick to make, full of a bit of this and a bit of that, and so entirely flavorful ! The bite in puttanesca usually comes from anchovies. In this dish, instead of serving the sauce over pasta, it is used as a condiment for fish. And instead of anchovies, the slight bite comes from the mustard coating on the fish. Super good ! This is actually better a few hours later after the sauce has time for the flavors to mingle.
Tilapia Puttanesca
4 servings
178 calories per serving
4 4 oz. tilapia filets
5 t Dijon mustard
1 T oil
1/2 c chopped onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
1/8 c Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
1/4 c black olives, chopped
1/4 c sun dried tomatoes, chopped
1/3 c chopped fresh parsley and basil
Brush mustard on fish. Heat oil in a skillet and cook fish 4 minutes per side or until done. Remove to a plate and keep warm. Add onions to skillet and brown for 6 minutes. Add garlic, tomatoes, dressing, olives, sun dried tomatoes and half of the parsley and basil. Cook 5 minutes then add the fish back to the pan and heat briefly. Serve with puttanesca over fish. Garnish with the remaining parsley and basil.
Do you LOVE artichokes? Then this is for you !! This is a great hearty dish with lots of flavor. Serve next to some broiled chicken sausage for a great healthy meal.
Artichoke Stew
4 servings
152 calories per serving
2 t oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 large carrots, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
2 oz. ham, thinly sliced
2 9 oz. packages frozen artichoke hearts (or canned in water, drained well)
½ c white wine or chicken broth
2/3 c chicken broth
½ t basil or thyme flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ c chopped parsley
2 t buttery spread
