Taco Bell has a new menu section called their FRESCO menu – several items 400 Calories or Less !!

Taco Bell Fresco Menu

I finally had to give it a try – some days you just don’t have time to cook lunch and there are few places to get a decent meal that is under 400 calories. My expectations were high because I.LOVE.TACO BELL. I know, I know … but I can’t help it – their tacos are just so good

So here’s what my husband and I got for lunch:

Me:

1 Fresco Crunchy Taco – 150 calories
1 Fresco Ranchero Chicken Soft Taco – 170 calories

Him:

1 Fresco Crunchy Taco – 150 calories
1 Fresco Burrito Supreme Steak – 330 calories

Taco Bell

And the consensus is…….

2 thumbs up The tacos are minus some cheese, but other than that, they are pretty much the normal Taco Bell fare. These will definitely stay on the list for a quick meal that fits into the 400 calorie plan !

This is another one of those very versatile lunches – swap out the black beans for refried beans, the red peppers for green peppers, the cumin for chili powder – and you have a whole different beast ! Just be sure to microwave the wraps for 15 seconds so that they are nice and pliable and don’t break when you are wrapping the contents.

Bean Burrito

4 servings
207 calories per serving

15 oz black beans, drained and rinsed, then mashed
1/2 t ground cumin
4 whole wheat tortillas (80 calorie version)
1 c chopped tomato
1 c chopped red bell pepper
1 c salsa
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix beans with cumin, salt, pepper and chopped red peppers. Microwave 1 minute to heat. Spread over tortillas. Sprinkle with salsa and tomato. Roll up and enjoy. Take a look at my instructional video to learn how to fold a wrap so the contents won’t fall out the end

When I eat something nice and spicy, it somehow leaves me more satisfied – my mouth KNOWS it just ate ! This soup does the trick. Serve with a side of Whole Wheat Garlic Toast for a nice, complete meal.

Spicy Soup

2 servings
248 calories per serving

2 c vegetable stock or broth (Emeril’s is great !)
2 small cans Spicy V-8 juice
1 T minced onion
2 T minced celery
1/4 c celery, thinly sliced
3 T fresh celery leaves
1 1/2 c shredded carrots
1 15.5 oz. can chick peas
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste
Garlic powder to taste

Mix all together in a pan and simmer 15-20 minutes. To give it more of a Mexican flair, add a bit of ground cumin and 1/4 c cilantro leaves. Remove bay leaf before serving.

This is a nice protein packed lunch that’s not short on flavor – add some extra garlic if you like your Caesar extra zippy.

Caesar Salad with Shrimp

2 servings
220 calories per serving

6 c chopped romaine lettuce
4 T shredded parmesan cheese
8 oz. shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T lemon juice
2 T low calorie Caesar dressing
Pam

Combine lemon and garlic in a small bowl and add shrimp. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1/2 hour. Spray a skillet with Pam and add shrimp. Cook until pink about 3-4 minutes. Pour shrimp over lettuce and top with dressing and shredded cheese.

This one really hits the spot ! I spice it up a little by adding crushed red pepper flakes Don’t like eggplant, then substitute tomato slices. But be sure to give this one a try.

Eggplant Pizza

4 servings
295 calories per serving

1/2 c marinara sauce
1 10 oz. Boboli (precooked pizza shell available at all food markets)
1 small eggplant, peeled and cut into thin slices
1/2 c part skim ricotta
2 T parmesan cheese
2 T thinly sliced basil
Dried oregano flakes
Onion powder
Garlic powder

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spread sauce on Boboli. Sprinkle with a little dried oregano flakes, onion powder and garlic powder. Top with eggplant slices and drop ricotta by tablespoonfuls evenly over the eggplant. Bake directly on oven rack 12-15 minutes. Sprinkle with basil and parmesan right when it comes out of the oven.

This sooooo takes the place of a regular grilled cheese – not quite your local diner fare, but very satisfying. It is tasty and fat free cheese slices do not taste like cardboard like they did 10 years ago. They are creamy and cheesy and this is an awesome sandwich.

Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup

1 serving
140 calories for the sandwich
100 calories for the soup

2 slices 45 calorie bread
2 slices Kraft fat free slices American cheese
20 sprays of ICBINB (I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Spray)
Pam

Tomato Soup – approximately 1 cup = 100 calories for several brands in the carton. And to me, the soups in the carton are much better than the canned ones. I swear I can taste the can when I eat some brands

Spray pan with Pam and heat – make sure pan is good and hot on medium high heat. Make sandwich of the bread and cheese. Spray outsides of the sandwich with 5 sprays each of ICBINB. Place in pan and cook 1-2 minutes or so each side or until brown and cheese is melted. Meanwhile heat the soup in a pot and ladle into a mug.

So easy, so simple. Mexican grilled cheese !

Mushroom and Cheese Quesadilla

1 serving
202 calories per serving

1 whole wheat tortilla (80 calorie version)
1/4 c salsa
1/2 c chopped mushrooms
1/4 c fat free shredded cheddar cheese
2 T low fat sour cream

Sprinkle the mushrooms and cheese on half the tortilla. Fold over and place in a heated skillet. Cook 2 min. Flip and cook another 2 minutes. Serve with sour cream and salsa.

This has a lot of flavor and is a great lunch salad. You don’t even realize you’re eating lettuce And it even fills up my husband ! If you don’t like black beans, substitute kidney or white beans.

Santa Fe Bean Salad

4 servings
305 calories per serving

1/3 c salsa
3 T low fat sour cream
1 T cider vinegar
15 oz can black beans, rinsed
1 c grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 c corn
1/2 c diced avocado
1/4 c chopped cilantro
6 c chopped romaine
2 oz pepper jack cheese, shredded
24 baked tortilla chips

Stir together salsa, sour cream and vinegar to make sauce. Combine the beans, tomatoes, corn, avocado and cilantro with the sauce. Divide lettuce and place on plates. Top with 1/2 c of the bean mix. Sprinkle with cheese. Place 6 chips around each plate and serve.

Black Beans are a great source of fiber and a great, filling addition to many salads, stews, etc. In this purer form, their earthy flavor really comes out.

Cuban Black Bean Soup

4 servings
368 calories per serving

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 small red onion
2 garlic cloves
2 T olive oil
1 c water
1/2 c sofrito (jars are sold in the Mexican section of your grocery store – near the Goya products)
2 T cilantro leaves
8 T light sour cream (2T per serving)

Place red onion, garlic and sprigs of cilantro in small food processor and puree. Remove and set aside. Place oil in small sauce pan and heat. Add garlic and onion mix and saute until tender, about 3 minutes. Place beans, water, sofrito and 1 T cilanto leaves in blender. Blend on medium speed until desired consistency – I like some big chunks left in mine, so I don’t go too crazy here. Stir into saucepan and heat through. Pour into bowls and top each bowl with 2 T sour cream and serve immediately.

I’m not a huge fan of plain salads. But when you add lots of fiber (chickpeas) and cheese, then they become special and they do fill you up. This one has both and has a great citrus dressing. Add a few squirts of fresh lime of orange juice to give it even more citrusy taste.

Chickpea Salad with Feta Cheese

4 servings
178 calories per serving

1 15oz. can chickpeas, drained
2 scallions, sliced
1/2 c grape tomatoes, halved
3 T fresh parsley, chopped
3 C bagged salad mix (I like to use a mix or organic greens or mesclun mix)
2 oz. low fat feta cheese
1 t lemon zest
2 T lemon juice
1 t oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 t salt

Mix zest, juice, oil, garlic and salt. Add chickpeas, tomatoes, scallions, parsley and salad and toss well to coat. Sprinkle with feta and serve.