This was a perfect meal to serve for guests – tasty, elegant, refined. It was also so perfectly seasoned with the dressing, rosemary and sundried tomatoes. This is one of those recipes that will be made again and again !
Rosemary Chicken with White Beans
4 servings
380 calories per serving
1/3 c low fat Italian dressing
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (3 oz. each)
¼ c water
2 medium carrots, sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
¼ c chopped drained sun dried tomatoes in oil
1 t rosemary leave flakes
19 oz. cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
Heat dressing in skillet and cook chicken 5 minutes per side or until browned. Reduce heat to medium low and add water, carrots, celery, tomatoes and rosemary then cover and simmer 10 minutes or until chicken is done. Stir in beans and cover and cook 5 minutes or until beans are warm.
These cucumber bites make a great appetizer or side on a lunch platter.
Cucumber Bites
4 servings
90 calories per serving
1/2 c shredded carrot
1/2 c 1/4 less fat Philadelphia Cream Cheese with Chive and Onions
2 cucumbers
Keep 2 T of carrots aside for garnish. Mix the rest of the carrots and cream cheese. Cut cucumber in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Place cheese mix in cucumbers. Cut each half into 5 pieces. Top each piece with leftover carrots.
Once again, without FiberGourmet pasta, this meal would not have been near as substantial for the low amount of calories – I can’t live without FiberGourmet Pasta !
I was a bit heavy handed on the crushed red pepper and this came out just fantastic tasting – spicy and hot with a nice deep flavor from having simmered all day long.
Pasta and Lentils (Crock Pot)
4 servings
230 calories per serving
½ c chopped onions
½ c chopped carrots
½ c chopped celery
2 c canned diced tomatoes, undrained
1 c tomato sauce
4 oz. dried lentils, rinsed and drained
½ t oregano flakes
½ t basil flakes
½ t garlic powder
¼ t crushed red pepper
4 c FiberGourmet pasta (cooked)
Up to a cup of hot water
Mix all except pasta in the crock and cover and cook on low 8-10 hours or high 3-5 hours. If your crock pot gets hot and this mix is drying out too much, add up to a cup of hot water. Cook pasta according to package directions. Add cooked, drained pasta to crock and serve immediately.
This is a nice change from having a regular salad next to your meal – I sometimes put it out as an appetizer or even add a few breadsticks and make a lunch of it 🙂 By cooking the veggies and leaving them in the ‘brine’ you get a giardiniera flavor, though not as strong since it sits for just a few hours before serving.
Cold Antipasto
4 servings
149 calories per serving
1 c vegetable broth
½ c dry white wine
½ t oregano flakes
¼ t crushed red pepper flakes
1 lb. carrots, sliced on the diagonal
2 c cauliflower florets
¼ lb. green beans, sliced in half on the diagonal
½ c pickled pepperoncini peppers
¼ c white vinegar
1 t oil
½ t salt
½ c cubed mozzarella cheese (part skim)
In a large skillet bring the broth, wine, oregano and red pepper flakes to a simmer and then add the carrots. Cover and cook 6 minutes. Add the cauliflower and beans and return to simmer and cook 8 minutes more. Put the veggies and liquid in a bowl and stir in the pepperoncini, vinegar, oil and salt. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours. Just before serving, plate the veggies along with the cheese.
This is a wonderfully rich chowder that can easily be changed up just by changing some of the veggies you include. I just suggest keeping the corn – to me, it’s not chowder if it does not have corn ! Today I added some frozen broccoli florets.
Chicken and Vegetable Chowder
6 servings
168 calories per serving
9 oz. boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into cubes (Perdue Shortcuts work great here!)
1 c carrots, sliced
½ c chopped onion
1 c corn
4.5 oz. sliced mushrooms, drained
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ t thyme leaves
14.5 oz. chicken broth
1 can cream of potato soup
1/3 c half and half
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients except the half and half in a crock pot. Cover and cook on low 5 hours or until chicken is done and vegetables are tender. Then stir in half and half and cook covered on high another 15-20 minutes.
This one is so easy to do and produces great results consistently (I have been making it for years). And there is nothing like throwing the meal in the crock pot in the morning and then not having to worry about it all afternoon!
Pork Stew
6 servings
380 calories per serving
1 T oil
1 ½ lb. boneless pork cut into bite sized pieces
¼ t salt
1/8 t pepper
8 small red potatoes, unpeeled and quartered
2 c fresh baby carrots cut in half lengthwise
12 oz. jar fat free pork gravy
¼ c ketchup
¼ t pepper
¼ t onion powder
¼ t garlic powder
1 ½ c frozen cut green beans, thawed
Heat oil in a large skillet and on high heat cool pork with salt and 1/8 t pepper. Cook 5 minutes or so, or until browned. Mix pork and the rest of the ingredients other than the green beans in the crock pot. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours. About 20 minutes before serving, stir in green beans and increase heat to high and continue cooking 20 minutes.
This is soooo extraordinarily GOOD and filling and it is such a healthy side dish. Serve with Asian inspired dishes or alongside just about anything !
Fried Rice
5 servings
169 calories per serving
2 c cooked brown rice
2 c frozen diced carrots and peas
1 c chopped bean sprouts (canned are fine)
1 c chopped mushrooms
3/4 c Egg Beaters
1/4 c chopped scallions
1 packet fried rice seasoning mix
2 T soy sauce
3 T warm water
1/4 t garlic powder
1/4 t ground ginger (dried spice)
Salt and pepper to taste
Pam
Cook the rice according to package instructions and then refrigerate it so it is cold when you start cooking this recipe. In a small dish mix seasoning packet, garlic powder and ginger with soy and water until well dissolved. Spray a large skillet with Pam and heat to medium high heat. Add egg and scramble. Remove from pan and set aside. Add mushrooms, peas and carrots to pan and cook until all veggies are hot, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside. Re-spray pan with more Pam and increase heat to high. Add rice and seasoning then add sprouts, scallions, and the set aside ingredients. Cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Don’t tell Julia child that we are not using her recipe ! This is a time consuming recipe, but it is great for special occasions – it’s not just everyday that you get Beef Bourguignon 🙂
Beef Bourguignon
6 servings
344 calories per serving
2 1/2 t oil, divided
1 1/2 lb. lean beef stew meat
2 c sliced onions
2 c sliced carrots
1 c diced green bell pepper
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
12 oz whole mushrooms, quartered
1 14 oz. can beef broth
1 1/2 c red wine (a Burgundy or Beaujolais is recommended)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 T tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
3 T flour
2 T butter, softened
To caramelize onions, heat a skillet on medium high heat and add 1 t oil than add onion slices and cook on medium high heat for 7 minutes, stirring frequently. Add a bit if salt and pepper and then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook 15 minutes, again, stirring frequently. You want the onions to become a nice golden color, but remain very moist. If they start to dry out in the first 7 minutes, reduce the heat a little. If they start to dry out during the covered cooking period, add a tablespoon or more of hot water and mix well.
Heat oil in a large Dutch oven* to medium high heat. Blot meat on paper towels – it will brown much better the drier it is. Add beef and cook until brown. Remove from pot and set aside. Add carrot, mushrooms and green pepper to pot. Cook 4 minutes then add onions and cook another 2 minutes and then return beef to pot. Add tomatoes, broth, wine, garlic, tomato paste, bay, salt and pepper to pot. Mix well and cover and bring to a simmer and cook on low for 2 hours. Discard bay leaf. Combine flour and butter and mix well until it becomes all incorporated into a paste. Spoon 1/2 c of pan juices into the flour and whisk until very smooth. Then add back to pan and stir. Serve immediately.
*Dutch Oven – every kitchen needs a Dutch oven – some recipes just do not come out the same without one. It is a very heavy duty pot that allows you to cook things slowly for hours without burning the contents. From soups to stews to sauces, this is a kitchen must have. I don’t think you need a really pricey one (some come in at over $330 ! yeeks !) as I have an $80 version that has been treating me good for years and years.
Quick, easily portable and a great lunch. If you gotta have mayo instead of mustard, then use low or no fat and reduce the light ranch dressing.
Turkey Sandwich Lunch Platter
1 serving
305 calories per serving
2 slices 45 calories wheat bread
5 slices deli turkey
1 slice tomato
1 lettuce leaf
mustard
1/2 c baby carrots
1/2 c celery sticks or broccoli florets
1/4 c light ranch dressing for dipping (or onion dip made with no fat sour cream)
The carrots and fresh parsley really freshen up an otherwise boring carb. Feel free to add more or alternate fresh herbs for a new flavor.
Couscous with Carrots
4 servings
175 calories per serving
1 c couscous
1 carrot, shredded
1/2 c parsley, chopped
1 t oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Bring 1 1/2 c water and the oil to boil. Add couscous and carrot. Shut off heat, stir well, cover pan and set aside for 5 minutes. Stir in parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
