Tag Archives: spicy

Spicy Jamaica Tilapia

February 19, 2011 admin 1 Comment

Quite sweet and definitely tastes of the islands ! This sweet/spicy sauce would do well on any white fish, but I love tilapia !

6 servings
150 calories per serving

¼ c brown sugar
1 t ground cumin
1 t red pepper flakes
6 tilapia fillets, 4 oz. each
¼ c lite zesty Italian dressing
¼ c lime juice
½ c orange juice
¼ c chopped cilantro
2 T chopped mint leaves

Heat dressing in a skillet on medium high. Combine sugar, pepper and cumin and sprinkle 2 T over one side of the fish and put in skillet sugar side down then sprinkle with the rest of the sugar mix. Cook 5 minutes each side or until done. Remove from pan. Add juices to skillet and heat through then stir in cilantro and mint and spoon over the fish.

Dinner, Mexican, Sides, Vegetables

Spicy Corn and Peppers

November 22, 2010 admin Leave a comment

This recipe packs so much flavor into one dish – the milky sauce mixes just perfectly with the cayenne and onion to create a rich vegetable dish that has you coming back for more.

6 servings
127 calories per serving

2 T butter
½ c onion, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
¼ t cayenne pepper
Coarse salt
16 oz. frozen corn
½ c diced tomatoes, drained (canned)
½ c whole milk

Melt butter in a skillet and add onion, pepper, cayenne and 1 t salt. Cook 7-8 minutes or until onion is soft then add the corn and tomatoes and cook 10 minutes. Stir in the milk and then remove from heat and serve.

Product Reviews

V-8 Spicy Hot

October 19, 2010 admin Leave a comment

V-8 juice is not just for beverage consumption (though a nice tall Bloody Mary comes to mind whenever I pour it!). Their ‘Spicy Hot’ variety makes a GREAT ingredient for cooking. From sauces to soups, this product is a great addition to your pantry staples. And they even have a low sodium version that has 70% less sodium than regular V-8 Spicy Hot 🙂

1 cup is only 50 calories and gives you 2 full servings of vegetables. So as well as being a tasty ingredient, it’s a very healthful one. There’s no fat and no cholesterol, but tons of flavor. And that makes it great for using in recipes.

I have a soup recipe coming up soon that uses V-8 as a main part of the soup base – it is DELICIOUS, and it’s very healthy – I can’t wait to get it posted for you. I am sure you will enjoy 🙂

In the meantime, think about using it in some of your favorite recipes for a low sodium, spicy, HEALTHY kick !

chili – instead of tomato sauce, try some V-8 and a few tablespoons of tomato paste (since you will need a little thickener)

tomato sauces for over pasta – as well as diced tomatoes, add some V-8 Spicy Hot to kick up the flavor

soups – use Spicy Hot V-8 as the main base or mixed with broth – such depth of flavor is added this way that quick soups taste slow simmered

Lunch, Mexican, Salads, Sides

Spicy Black Bean Salad

May 2, 2010 admin Leave a comment

I’ve been making this side salad for years. It is great alongside so many dishes ! Sometimes it’s even good as a lunch served with a few low fat crackers.

10 servings
250 calories per serving

15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can mandarin oranges, rinsed
2-3 scallions, thinly sliced
1/3 c chunky salsa
¼ c lime juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ t ground cumin

Mix all ingredients and refrigerate at least 3 hours.

Chicken, Lunch, Salads

Spicy Chicken Salad

April 12, 2010 admin Leave a comment

And here is my first retread of the week….this salad is so spicy and so enjoyable. I have been looking forward to making it since the last time I made it back in January. But I am usually too busy testing NEW recipes and I had not gotten back to it. That is, until today. My mouth is pretty happy right now !

Hot, Hot, Hot !! But just the right amount of hot – – – almost like eating hot wings together with the celery and carrots – all in one mouthful.

2 servings
120 calories per serving

6 oz. cooked cubed chicken (Perdue Shortcuts works great here !)
3 T fat free mayonnaise
3 T chopped celery
3 T chopped carrots
1 1/2 t Frank’s Red Hot sauce
1/2 t dry ranch dressing mix

Combine the mayo, hot sauce and ranch dressing mix. Place chicken in a hot skillet and saute 3 minutes to heat up. Add chicken, celery, and carrots to sauce. Mix well and serve.

Asian, Lunch, Soups

Asian Chicken Soup

February 16, 2010 admin Leave a comment

If you use Perdue Chicken Shortcuts, the prep on this is 5 minutes – that’s it ! And it tastes like you spent hours putting it together – it is a very spicy, super flavorful and highly nutritious meal. Don’t serve to the kids with the chili sauce in it, but if you are adventurous, try 2 t instead of 1 ½ of the chili sauce – -it makes it a kickin’ hot soup 🙂

5 servings
120 calories per serving

3 c fat free chicken broth
2 c shredded cooked chicken (Perdue Shortcuts work great here !)
2 t soy sauce
1 1/2 t chili sauce with garlic (available in the Asian section of your food market)
2 1/2 c frozen broccoli stir fry mix

Combine broth, chicken, soy and chili sauce. Cover and bring to a boil and then add vegetables and return to boil. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Beef, Dinner

Spicy BBQ Beef

February 8, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Spice, beef, onions, garlic, peppers – – these are a few of my FAVORITE things !

4 servings
322 calories

1 green pepper cut in strips
1 yellow pepper cut in strips
1 red pepper cut in strips
1 small onion cut in strips
1 lb. leftover lean grilled London broil, cut into thin strips
3 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
4 T soy sauce
1/2 c spicy BBQ sauce
Pam

Heat skillet to medium high. Remove from heat and spray with Pam. Return to heat and add onions. Cook until they are getting soft, about 5 minutes. Add up to ¼ c of very hot water if the onions get too dry and the pan needs some moisture. Add peppers and continue cooking 6 minutes. Again, add up to ¼ c very hot water if the peppers need more moisture. Transfer to a bowl and keep warm. Cook meat and garlic for a few minutes and then add the soy, salt, pepper and BBQ sauce. Heat for another minute or 2. Combine meat mix and veggie mix.

If you start with fresh London broil, just broil or grill it to desired doneness and then slice.

This dish is very filling and the first time I made it I had to keep looking back at the calorie count to make sure I did not mess up and include a regular recipe in with my new low cal recipes !

Lunch, Soups

Spicy Soup

January 26, 2010 admin Leave a comment

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.

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.

Appetizers, Asian, Sides, Snacks, Vegetables

Genji Spicy Ginger Miso Dressing

January 7, 2010 admin Leave a comment

I’m not sure if this is a local product or if you can find it all over – a friend introduced me to it and you can get it at Whole Foods Markets. It makes a GREAT vegetable dip. Served with tri-color bell peppers, it makes an excellent snack or lunch side.

The dressing itself is 140 calories for 2T – – add the equivalent of a whole cut up bell pepper for about 25 calories.