Cheesy, spicy without being hot, cheesy, filling, – oh, and did I say ‘cheesy’? I don’t know what is better in this meal, the perfectly spiced pork chops with the cheesy sauce or the cheesy rice ! Why don’t you decide

Zesty Mexican Pork Chops

4 servings
390 calories per serving

1 lb. boneless pork chops
2 t chili powder
1 1/2 t ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
1 t oil
3/4 c white rice, uncooked
1 3/4 c water
1/2 c chunky salsa
3 oz. Velveeta 2 % cheese, cut into cubes
2 T chopped parsley

Sprinkle meat with cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Heat oil in a skillet and cook chops 5 minutes or just until browned on both sides. Remove to a plate and cover to keep warm. Add rice to skillet and cook 1 minute then add water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 16 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Stir in half of the salsa and half of the cheese and place the chops on top. Simmer 5 minutes. Melt the rest of the salsa and cheese together with the parsley in the microwave for 30 seconds then pour over meat and serve.

This sure doesn’t taste like it’s only cooked 8 minutes – it tastes much more like a soup that has been prepped and cooked for hours. The depth of flavor is fantastic. It has a bright and vibrant broccoli taste that is mellowed by the beans and cheese. Very, very good ! This is quite a good serving size – you can easily move this to 5 side servings and have this next to a salad or sandwich.

Cheesy Broccoli and Bean Soup

3 servings
220 calories per serving

14 oz. vegetable broth
1 c water
1 lb. broccoli florets
14 oz. cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1 c shredded low fat cheddar cheese

Boil water and broth in a saucepan. Add broccoli and cover the pan and cook 6 minutes then add the beans, salt and pepper and cook 2 minutes. Place half the soup in a blender with ½ c of the cheese. Puree and place in a bowl. Repeat with the remaining soup and cheese.

This is a great dinner – you can serve this warm, at room temperature or even cold. The cheesy tortellini are the perfect base for a savory dressing and tons of flavorful tomatoes and rich artichokes and asparagus. The arugula and fresh basil top it off perfectly.

Tortellini with Tomatoes

6 servings
400 calories per serving

2 9 oz packs fresh cheese tortellini
1 lb asparagus, sliced into 1 ½ inch long slices
3 T red vinegar
1 T balsamic vinegar
1 T olive oil
Salt to taste
1/4 t pepper
4 c baby arugula
1 1/2 c cherry tomatoes, halved
3/4 c grated parmesan
1/3 c thinly sliced fresh basil
14 oz can artichoke hearts, drained and cut in fours

Cook tortellini according to package instructions. Add asparagus into the pasta water during the last 2 minutes of cooking time then drain all. Mix vinegars, oil, salt and pepper and mix with pasta, arugula, tomatoes, cheese, basil and artichokes.

I can’t have JUST soup or JUST salad and feel satisfied – I just have to have some carbs with my meal. And a small 100 calorie bagel is the perfect way to go. And to make it feel much more special, I take 2 minutes and toast it up with some garlic and cheese – yummmmmmy !

Cheesy Bagel

2 servings
127 calories per serving

2 100 calories bagels
I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Spray
½ t garlic powder
½ t oregano flakes
2 T grated parmesan cheese

Spray each bagel with a few spritzes of ICBIB Spray. Sprinkle with garlic powder, oregano and cheese and toast until done.

Serving a combo veggie and starch side always cuts down on the work of a meal. This one is packed with wholesome spinach and cheesy enough to make it a welcome addition to any meal.

Cheesy Spinach and Rice

6 servings
140 calories per serving

2 c cooked instant white rice
9oz. package frozen spinach
¼ c Egg Beaters
¼ c slim milk
1 T minced onion flakes
½ t onion garlic powder
¼ t salt
½ t basil flakes
1 c (4 oz.) low fat shredded swiss cheese
Pam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook rice according to package instructions using no margarine or oil. Spray an 8×8 baking pan with Pam. Microwave spinach until warm, 3 minutes or so and then place in a colander and press out all the liquid then combine with rice and all the rest of the ingredients except the cheese. Place in prepared dish and sprinkle with cheese. Cover with foil and cook 15 minutes. Then uncover and cook an additional 7 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Alternately, replace swiss cheese with parmesan cheese and you’ll get a whole different flavor here.