Tag Archives: goat cheese

Lemony Orzo and Tuna

This is one of the pasta salads you will make again and again. The added protein from the tuna makes this a great complete meal, or you can serve as a side to any salad for a great lunch or light dinner.

Lemony Orzo and Tuna
Lemony Orzo and Tuna

6 servings
256 calories per serving

3/4 c orzo
1/2 t grated lemon zest
3 T lemon juice
1 T oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 t minced garlic
½ t red pepper flakes
1 c drained and flaked tuna fish
1/2 c diced English cucumber
1/2 c chopped red bell pepper
1/3 c scallions, sliced into thin rings
1 T sliced basil
1/2 c crumbled goat cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. When done, drain, rinse to stop the cooking process and place in a bowl. Mix lemon zest, oil, garlic, pepper flakes, salt, pepper and mix with the pasta. Add fish, cucumber, pepper and scallions and mix well. Place and sprinkle with cheese and basil.

Grilled Veggie Tacos

You can serve these veggies in bread, on top of a salad, or in a crunchy taco shell. I choose a taco ! Spreading the cheese inside the taco makes for a great bite from start to finish.

Grilled Veggie Tacos
Grilled Veggie Tacos

4 servings (1 serving = 2 tacos)
230 calories per serving

Get taco shells and spread the inside with the spread mix – then put in veggies – if more room, add extra chopped lettuce for crunch

Spread:
3.5 oz. goat cheese
¼ c roasted red peppers
1 t chopped chives
1 t liquid from jar of roasted red peppers

Veggies:
1 T oil (used in an oil mister, 1 T goes a long way !)
1 t Kosher salt
4 large Portobello mushrooms halved
1 red bell pepper, quartered lengthwise
1 yellow bell pepper, quartered lengthwise
1 small eggplant in ¼ inch slices
4 taco shells
4 lettuce leaves, chopped
Pam

Preheat broiler. Process all the ingredients for the spread in a food processor and then set aside. Spray a baking sheet with Pam and place mushrooms, peppers and eggplant in a single layer on sheet and spray with oil and sprinkle with salt. Broil 8 minutes, turn, then broil another 5 minutes or until tender. Cool for a bit and then slice up. Spread inside of tacos with the cheese mix and then add lettuce and then veggies.

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Spring Salad

Delightful ! It’s always great to find a salad that tastes different. Sometimes greens just start tasting all the same and salads get boring. But when you add nuts, grapes and goat cheese, you get a whole other flavor profile plus some great new textures and the salad takes on a whole new life. Try this one 🙂

Spring Salad
Spring Salad

4 servings
235 calories per serving

¼ c dry roasted pistachios (or other mixed nuts), chopped finely
½ c goat cheese
¼ c low fat balsamic vinaigrette
5 oz. spring salad mix (or any greens – I added some arugula this time for a great punch of flavor)
1 c seedless red grapes, halved lengthwise
¼ t salt
¼ t pepper

Put nuts in a dish and divide cheese into portions and roll them into balls then roll the balls in the nuts to coat them. Combine dressing and lettuce and mix well then divide between 4 plates. Top with grapes and cheese balls and then sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Pita Rounds with Mushrooms and Cheese

Want a great quick lunch or a perfect appetizer? Try one that you are seeing at all the lunch cafes – a goat cheese pita pizza. This one adds and mushroom and tomatoes for an out of this world flavor.

Pita Rounds with Mushrooms and Cheese
Pita Rounds with Mushrooms and Cheese

4 servings
283 calories per serving

1 1/2 t minced garlic
1 t oil
4 6-inch pita breads (I love the Sahara Pitas)
Salt and pepper to taste
6 oz. portobello mushrooms
2 medium tomatoes, cut into ¼ inch thick slices
1/3 c goat cheese
1/2 c chopped fresh basil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together the garlic and oil and then brush over the pitas. Add tomato slices and mushrooms then sprinkle with the cheese then with salt and pepper and place on a baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes. Sprinkle with basil when done cooking.

Chicken and Pasta Salad

I love orzo and it is great in cold pasta salads. The goat cheese really melts in from all the lemon and it gives the whole dish a great flavor. Very satisfying !!

Chicken and Pasta Salad
Chicken and Pasta Salad

4 servings
275 calories per serving

¾ c orzo
¼ t grated lemon zest
3 T lemon juice
1 T oil
½ t Kosher salt
1 t minced garlic clove
¼ t pepper
1 c shredded grilled boneless skinless chicken breast (Perdue Shortcuts work great here !)
½ c cubed English cucumber
½ c chopped red bell pepper
½ c sliced scallions
½ c crumbled goat cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions, then drain and rinse in cold water to stop the cooking process and cool it down. Mix lemon zest, juice, oil, salt, garlic and pepper and mix with the orzo. Add chicken, cucumber, peppers, and onions. Garnish with goat cheese and serve.

Goat Cheese and Mixed Nut Salad

This is definitely not a boring salad ! And it would transport really well – so mix it up, put it in a container and dress it just before serving.

Goat Cheese and Mixed Nut Salad
Goat Cheese and Mixed Nut Salad

1 serving
325 calories per serving

2 c mixed salad greens
5 grape tomatoes, halved
2 mushrooms, sliced thinly
Salt and pepper to taste
2 T dry roasted mixed nuts, chopped
¼ c crumbled goat cheese
2 T fat free balsamic dressing

Place greens in a bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add all other salad ingredients. Drizzle with dressing.

Chopped Salad

The idea of a chopped salad is to get all the ingredients chopped uniformly and small – otherwise, it is just not a chopped salad ! And to me, prepping things in this fashion DOES make a difference in the flavor of the salad. There is something about getting a bunch of the ingredients in your mouth at the same time – it just makes for a flavor explosion !

Chopped Salad
Chopped Salad

6 servings
200 calories per serving

1/2 c white balsamic vinegar
3 stalks celery, finely diced
2 carrots, finely diced
1 yellow bell pepper, finely diced
1 large peach, diced
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
2 c coarsely chopped arugula or spring mix or any other crisp greens
1 c thinly sliced napa cabbage
3 T olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
3 oz. crumbed low fat goat cheese
½ c slivered almonds or pine nuts, toasted
1 large hard boiled egg, sliced
Smoked paprika

Mix together all the veggies with oil and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper and then add in cheese and almonds. Top with eggs and sprinkle with paprika.

To toast the almonds, simply place in a hot skillet and sauté until toasty and starting to brown.

Sacramento Sandwich

The goat cheese and avocado surely make up for the meat on this sandwich and you won’t feel deprived at all. Packed with healthy MUFA and tons of veggies, this will surely be a favorite of yours like it is mine. If you are packing it for work or school, just pack the vinegar separately and pour over just before serving.

Sacramento Sandwich
Sacramento Sandwich

1 serving
340 calories per serving

1 small piece of cucumber
2 t red wine vinegar
2 slices wheat bread (45 calories per slice)
1 slice goat cheese
¼ c alfalfa sprouts
¼ of an avocado, sliced
¼ c shredded carrots
2 radishes, sliced

Cut a small piece of cucumber into thin slices and sprinkle with vinegar. Toast bread and spread with 1 slice of goat cheese and then add cucumbers, alfalfa sprouts, avocado, carrot and radish.

If you are packing this to go – skip the toast and just place all the ingredients on the bread and douse with vinegar just before serving.

Mushroom Boboli

There is just something about goat cheese pizzas that are so good – I think goat cheese is just meant to be eaten warm 🙂 You can increase the serving size and make this a lunch instead of an appetizer !

Mushroom Boboli
Mushroom Boboli

6 servings
135 calories per serving

10 inch boboli (whole wheat)
2 c sliced mushrooms (a mix of several varieties makes a nice presentation)
1 T oil
1 /4 t salt
¼ t pepper
2 T balsamic vinegar
½ c crumbled low fat goat cheese
1 T fresh herbs

Cook mushrooms in oil until tender then sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with vinegar. Cook until vinegar is all evaporated.

Preheat broiler and cook pizza crust 3 minutes then remove and spread with mushrooms and sprinkle with cheese and continue cooking another 6 minutes or until all heated through. Sprinkle with herbs and serve.

Chicken Cobb Salad

Cobb Salads are one of my favorites – there are always lots of good substantial ingredients so you get filled up and the bacon flavor always permeates all the other ingredients. The goat cheese is a nice addition that you usually don’t find in a cobb salad.

Chicken Cobb Salad
Chicken Cobb Salad

3 servings
325 calories per serving

4 1/2 c shredded romaine lettuce
1 ¼ c cooked, shredded boneless skinless chicken (Perdue Shortcuts work great here)
2 hard boiled egg (yolks removed and whites chopped up)
1 tomato, chopped
2 T low fat crumbed goat cheese
2 slices turkey bacon, cooked, cooled and crumbled
½ avocado, diced
3 T chopped green onions
½ c fat free ranch dressing

Divide the lettuce on plates, arrange an even amount of each of the ingredients onto each plate and drizzle with dressing.

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