Cobb salads are a perfect lunch. They are packed with protein and give you the energy to get through the afternoon without any ‘3 o’clock sleepies’.

Turkey Cobb

8 servings
200 calories per serving

12 c mixed salad greens
6 oz. thin deli sliced roasted turkey breast, cut into strips
1 chopped avocado
1 ½ c grape tomatoes, halved
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
3 hard boiled eggs cut into wedges
1 c low fat shredded cheddar cheese
8 oz. light balsamic vinaigrette dressing

Place greens on a platter and then lay other ingredients in strips across the top. Place dressing on top of individual portions.

Colcannon is a traditional Irish dish made with potatoes and cabbage. It makes an excellent side dish. And it’s a perfect way to use up left over cabbage and potatoes !

Irish Colcannon

10 servings
115 calories per serving

1 1/2 lb. potatoes (about 4 large), peeled and quartered
3 slices bacon, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 c water
4 c cabbage, thinly sliced
2 T butter
1/2 c skim milk, warmed
Salt to taste

Put potatoes in a large Dutch oven and add enough cold water to cover the potatoes then bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Heat a skillet and cook bacon then remove it from pan and drain. Add onions to skillet and cook 4 minutes. Add water and stir to loosen the bits stuck to the pan then add cabbage, cover and cook 7 minutes until water is evaporated. Mash drained potatoes with butter and milk then add the cabbage mix and salt and mix well.

What a splendid soup ! Subtle fish flavor, remarkably good broth, and just the perfect lunch on a cold, blustery day. Fish chowders made with delicate white fish are such a nice change from clam chowders. They are definitely milder and the consistency is just right.

Fish and Potato Chowder

4 servings
307 calories

2 slices bacon
3 c red potato, diced (or I used canned diced potatoes)
1 c chopped onion
3 T flour
16 oz. clam juice
2 c skim milk
1 T chopped thyme (or 1 t thyme flakes)
½ t salt
1/2 t pepper
1 t onion powder
12 oz. skinless halibut fillets, cut into 1-inch pieces (or other firm white fish)
2 T chopped parsley

Cook bacon in soup pot until crisp them remove, cool and crumble. Reserve 1 T of the drippings in the pan and add potato and onion and cook 5 minutes. Then add flour and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add clam juice and bring to a boil then cover, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender (less time is needed if you use canned potatoes). Add milk and simmer (do not boil). Add spices and fish and cook 3 minutes or until fish is done. Stir in parsley at the very end and garnish bowls with crumbled bacon.

Creamy, cheesy, savory spinach – a perfect side dish to a light fish meal.

Spinach Au Gratin

6 servings
200 calories per serving

1 medium onion, thinly sliced
6 slices pre-cooked bacon, finely chopped
15 oz. fresh baby spinach leaves
4 oz. low fat cream cheese, cubed
15 Ritz Crackers, coarsely crushed
2 T grated parmesan cheese
1 T butter, melted
Pam

Preheat broiler. Spray pan with Pam and add onion. Cook 5 minutes adding a couple of tablespoons of hot water along the way if needed to keep the onions moist. Add bacon and cook 3 minutes. Add spinach and cook 3 minutes to wilt the spinach then remove from heat and add cream cheese being sure to mix well. Turn into a casserole dish sprayed with Pam. Mix crackers, parmesan and butter and sprinkle over the casserole. Broil 2 minutes to brown the crackers.

This recipe makes up a wonderfully flavorful sauce – anything with bacon is good in my book !

Spaghetti Carbonara

2 servings
300 calories per serving

4 ounces uncooked FiberGourmet spaghetti
1/2 cup skim milk
3 T grated Parmesan cheese
1 T chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
Pam
1/3 c chopped pancetta or thick cut bacon (about 1 1/2 ounces)
1/4 c finely chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 large egg

Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain reserving ¼ c of the cooking water. Mix milk, cheese, parsley, salt and pepper. Heat a skillet and spray with Pam then sauté pancetta 3 minutes. Add onions and garlic and continue cooking another 5 minutes until onion is browned. Reduce heat to medium low and add milk mix and spaghetti to the pan. Whisk egg in a bowl and add the reserved cooking liquid stirring constantly so egg does not start to cook. Gradually add to pan stirring constantly and cook 4 minutes on low until sauce is thick.

What a perfect meal – breakfast in a cup ! These cook up perfectly and are a satisfying NON DIET breakfast for only 175 calories each. Bacon just makes everything better !

Bacon and Egg Cups

8 servings
175 calories per serving

Butter flavored Pam
ICBINB Spray (I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter)
8 slices whole wheat bread
8 slices bacon
8 large eggs
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray regular size cupcake pan with Pam. Slightly flatten bread with a rolling pin or by pressing out by hand and then cut into 8 4 ¼ inch rounds. Place the rounds in the cups. Make sure the bread comes up the edges to form a cup. Spray each cup with 5 or so sprays of ICBINB Spray. Cook bacon until almost crisp (or use precooked bacon right out of the package). Lay 1 slice in each cup letting it dangle over the edges of the cup. Crack 1 egg over each cup. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and bake 20 minutes or until egg whites are set.

Chop up all your veggies and fixings and lay them out on a platter in rows. It’s a beautiful presentation and everyone can grab exactly what they want for their salad. The dressing for this one is so simple and so low cal, but it tastes divine !

Tex Mex Cobb

10 servings
291 calories per serving

20 oz. mixed greens (Spring mix, baby greens, etc.)
12 oz. seasoned chicken breast strips (Perdue Shortcuts work great here)
4 hard boiled eggs, chopped
15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 c low fat shredded cheese
12 slices turkey bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 small avocados, sliced
2 c grape tomatoes, halved
2 ribs of celery, sliced
2/3 c fat free ranch dressing
1/3 cup chunky salsa
Salt and pepper to taste

Over a large platter with the greens then arrange chicken, eggs, beans, cheese, bacon, avocados and tomatoes in rows and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix the salsa and dressing and pour over platter.

This is so creamy and full of nutty flavor from the wild rice. It’s a great dish and a perfect way to use up left over turkey.

Turkey Wild Rice Casserole

5 servings
370 calories per serving

4 slices bacon, cut into small pieces
1 lb. cooked turkey breast cut into bite sized pieces
1 c carrots, julienned
1/2 c onion, chopped finely
1/2 c celery, sliced
1 c raw wild rice
1 can low fat cream of chicken soup
2 1/2 c water
2 T soy sauce
1/2 t marjoram flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
Pam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a skillet with Pam and cook bacon until almost crisp then add turkey, carrots, onion and celery and cook 3 minutes or until turkey is heated. Cook rice according to package instructions. Mix rice and turkey then add soup, water, soy and spices and place in a baking dish sprayed with Pam. Cover and bake half hour.

This makes a great brunch or lunch. The flavors mingle very nicely and the sharp flavor from the swiss cheese adds a nice flair to this sandwich.

Open Faced Bacon Melts

1 serving
330 calories per serving

1 light English Muffin (100 calories)
Mustard
2 thin slices Canadian Bacon
1 slice tomato
2 basil leaves
2 slices light Swiss cheese (80 cals per slice)
8 spritzes ICBINB Spray

Spray muffin with ICBINB Spray and then spread with a little mustard. Add bacon, basil and tomato and then place on a pan in your toaster oven and heat through. Finally top with cheese and heat until it is melted.

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.