Tag Archives: italian

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.

Ravioli with Mushroom Sauce

This dish has a great cream sauce that goes perfectly with the ravioli. I bet that the dish would be great with a mushroom ravioli substituted. It’s a heavier dish, but certainly within the calories and sometimes you just gotta splurge !

Ravioli with Mushroom Sauce
Ravioli with Mushroom Sauce

2 servings
367 calories per serving

2 c refrigerated fresh cheese ravioli
½ c sliced mushrooms
1 T chopped shallots
1 T pine nuts or walnuts
1 T chopped yellow bell pepper
1 T chopped red bell pepper
1 t oil
2 t cornstarch
½ chicken broth
¼ c fat free half and half
1/8 t salt
1/8 t pepper
Optional – grated parmesan

Cook ravioli according to package instructions. Spray a skillet with Pam and cook mushrooms, shallot, nuts and peppers in oil until tender – add a little hot water if they start to dry out. Mix cornstarch, broth and half and half with the salt and pepper and then gradually stir into the pan. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and cook 2 minutes or until sauce is thickened. Serve mixed with drained ravioli. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Roasted Peppers and Garlic

When you roast peppers, you make them ultimately sweet and bring out tons of natural flavor. When paired up with some simple oil, garlic, and seasoning, you get quite a treat !

If you only have one color pepper, don’t let that hold you back from roasting them up. In the line up of most sweet to least sweet, you have the red, orange, yellow and green bell pepper. All have a very distinct flavor and all are delicious ! I add a bunch more garlic to these than the recipe calls for – just because 🙂

Roasted Peppers and Garlic
Roasted Peppers and Garlic

4 servings
97 calories per serving

1 green bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
1 orange bell pepper
2 T oil
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
½ t oregano flakes
Coarse salt
Ground pepper
Handful of basil leaves

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Halve the peppers and remove the seeds. Place cut side up on a cookie sheet and drizzle with oil. Add garlic slices to pepper halves along with oregano, salt and pepper. Roast 35 minutes or so (or until skin starts to blister) and then remove from oven and sprinkle with a handful of fresh torn basil leaves.

Roasted Peppers and Garlic in the Raw
Roasted Peppers and Garlic in the Raw

Tuna with Gremolata

Gremolata is a just a mixture of parsley, lemon, garlic and oil. It is a wonderful condiment that is packed with flavor. Serve with some Roasted Grape Tomatoes for a great meal.

Tuna with Gremolata
Tuna with Gremolata

4 servings
170 calories per serving

¼ c chopped parsley
2 T grated lemon zest
1 t oil
1 garlic clove, minced
4 4 oz. tuna steaks
¼ t salt
1/8 t pepper
Pam

Combine parsley, lemon, oil and garlic and set aside. Line a cookie sheet with foil and spray with Pam. Place tuna on sheet and sprinkle with salt. Broil 5 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Alternately spray fish with Pam and grill to desired doneness. Top fish with gremolata during the last minute of broiling.

Leftover tuna makes a GREAT tuna fish salad. Just mix it with mayo and some diced pickles – it is sooo much fresher than the canned stuff and you can really taste the difference.

No Bake Lasagna

Even my non-lasagna-loving kid had to have seconds of this one. It is just cheesy enough without that part being overpowering. Much like the physical layers of the lasagna, there are great flavor layers here since the cheese mix, zucchini mix and tomato mix are all flavored independently. This was a really superb dish !

No Bake Lasagna
No Bake Lasagna

4 servings
376 calories per serving

½ c low fat ricotta cheese
3 T parmesan cheese
3 T plus 2 t oil
Coarse salt
Pepper
8 lasagna noodles broken in half
1 garlic clove, minced
2 pints grape tomatoes, halved
½ t red pepper flakes
2 zucchini, thinly sliced
½ t garlic powder
1 T basil leaves, torn

Mix cheeses and 2 t oil. Add salt and pepper. Cook lasagna noodles according to package instructions and then drain. Heat 2 T oil in a skillet and cook garlic and tomatoes with some salt and pepper and the crushed red pepper about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and then add 1 T oil and zucchini to the skillet, season with garlic powder, and cook about 8 minutes then remove to a bowl and add basil. Place some tomatoes on plates and top with a noodle and a small spoonful of ricotta and a spoonful of zucchini and then some more tomatoes. Repeat layers twice and then top with the rest of the noodles and tomatoes and garnish with basil.

Grilled Provolone and Peppers

Any grilled cheese sandwich is a winner in my book and this one is no exception – and here the sweet roasted peppers are a nice contrast to the provolone.

Grilled Provolone and Peppers
Grilled Provolone and Peppers

2 servings
200 calories per serving

4 slices 45 calorie bread (Pepperidge Farm Light Multi Grain)
4 slices low fat provolone (sliced thin)
2 roasted red bell peppers, drained, rinsed and dried – and cut into strips
Pam
ICBINB Spray

Make sandwiches and spray the outsides with the butter flavored spray. Heat a skillet to medium high and spray with Pam. Cook each side 2-3 minute or until browned and the cheese is all melted.

Parmesan Crisps

These are a GREAT addition to salads, as a side to Italian flavored dishes, etc. 2 ingredients + quick fry method = savory side in next to no time !

Parmesan Crisps
Parmesan Crisps

10 servings
56 calories per serving (1 serving = 4 crisps)

1 c grated parmesan cheese
1 t flour

Combine cheese and flour. Heat a non stick skillet to medium high heat. Spoon a thin layer of cheese into a 1 inch circle in hot pan. Repeat with as many as will fit in the skillet without touching. When they begin to sizzle and bottom is golden, flip over and cook until the next side is golden. Work in batches and finish up all the cheese and flour. This will go very quickly.

Ravioli Stew

This was just a fabulous way to get all the flavor of ravioli without sitting down to a bowl of JUST ravioli and breaking the scales. The eggplant, zucchini and tomatoes were a great complement and this sure was one filling meal !

Ravioli Stew
Ravioli Stew

4 servings
335 calories per serving

3 T oil
2 c eggplant, cubed
14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes undrained
½ t basil flakes
1 c water
1 medium zucchini cut into half moons
9 oz. refrigerated cheese ravioli
1 c shredded parmesan cheese
Pepper to taste

Heat oil and cook eggplant 5 minutes then mix in tomatoes and basil and heat to boiling. Then lower heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in water, zucchini and ravioli and heat to boiling. Reduce heat and cover and simmer 10 minutes stirring once or twice then sprinkle with cheese and pepper, cover and heat 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Ham and Cheese Calzone

This makes a splendid calzone – and at a fraction of the calories of a pizza shop one ! The cheese melts beautifully and the portion size was just perfect. If you’ve never had a calzone before, it’s just pizza dough wrapped around cheese and other goodies – this one has ham, but some people prefer just cheese.

Ham and Cheese Calzone
Ham and Cheese Calzone

4 servings
277 calories per serving

1/3 c fat free ricotta cheese
½ t oregano flakes
½ t parsley flakes
½ t pepper
¼ t garlic powder
¼ t onion powder
¾ c shredded low fat mozzarella cheese
¼ c shredded parmesan cheese
¼ c finely chopped ham
1 10 oz. tube pizza dough
Pam

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and spray a baking sheet with Pam. Mix ricotta, spices, parmesan. Mozzarella and ham. Unroll the dough and press it into a 10 inch circle or 10×12 rectangle. Spoon the mix onto one half leaving a 1 inch border and then fold the other side over and seal the edges by pinching the dough to secure. Bake 8 minutes then turn over and bake another 6 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool – then cut into 4 servings. Optionally serve with some low fat marinara sauce for dipping.

White Bean and Garlic Dip

This is great served with sliced up veggies or pita chips. It has a nice mellow flavor and makes a great snack or appetizer.

White Bean and Garlic Dip
White Bean and Garlic Dip

8 – ¼ c servings
71 calories per serving

10 cloves garlic
1 19 oz. can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 T low fat sour cream
2 T lemon juice
2 t sesame oil
½ t ground coriander
¼ t salt
¼ c chopped parsley
1 t paprika

In a small pot of boiling water cook the garlic for 3 minutes. Drain and reserve 2 T of the cooking liquid. Peel the garlic and in a food processor mix the garlic, reserved cooking liquid and beans and mix until you have a smooth puree. Add the sour cream, lemon juice, oil, coriander and salt and process to blend. Serve sprinkled with parsley and paprika.

Related Posts with Thumbnails