Category Archives: Dinner

Ginger Beef

November 9, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Ginger and garlic just go together so well. And making a paste of them along with cilantro and sesame oil just adds so much flavor to the already flavorful beef. This is a great quick dish that you will make again and again.

4 servings
298 calories per serving

1/4 c cilantro leaves
1 garlic clove, minced
4 quarter size slices peeled fresh ginger
2 T water
2 T dark sesame oil
1 lb. boneless sirloin cut into long slices
16 cherry tomatoes
2 small zucchini each in 8 pieces
2 c cooked brown rice

Preheat broiler. Spray baking sheet with Pam. Mix cilantro, garlic, ginger, water and oil in a food processor until a paste forms. Place the steak in a bowl and add cilantro paste and mix well. Turn out the meat mix onto the baking sheet and add the tomatoes and zucchini. Broil 3 minutes. Stir well. Broil another 3-4 minutes. Serve with warm brown rice.

Asian, Dinner, Fish

Asian Fish Packets

November 7, 2010 admin Leave a comment

When fish steams in a packet it gets a wonderful consistency – meaty and rich. The sauce that goes with this has a great Asian flair – the ginger, garlic and soy combine to perfection. Pair with Homemade Lo Mein for a great meal.

4 servings
236 calories per serving

1 T lite soy sauce
1 T maple syrup
2 t oil
2 T lime juice
2 t finely grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ t pepper
1 bell pepper cut into thin slices
2 T minced parsley
4 scallions, sliced
1 ½ lb. flounder, tilapia or other white fish
1 lemon, cut into wedges
Pam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl combine soy, maple syrup, oil., lime juice, ginger, garlic and pepper. Create 4 foil packets and spray lightly with Pam and place fish in packet. Lay pepper strips atop the fish and sprinkle with parsley and scallions. Close foil tightly and bake 20 minutes or until fish is done. Serve with lemon wedges.

Chicken, Dinner, Product Reviews

Saute of Chicken in Pom Reduction

November 6, 2010 admin Leave a comment

What a fun way to make chicken – the Pom reduction gives this dish a very distinctive flavor.

4 servings
233 calories per serving

4 4 oz. boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 T oil
½ t garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
1 t oil
1 shallot, sliced thinly
½ c sliced green onions
1 13.25 oz. can sliced mushrooms
1 c Pom Wonderful pomegranate juice
1 t Kitchen Bouquet (browning sauce)
4 T pomegranate seeds for garnish

Heat 1 T oil in skillet. Sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper and garlic powder and sauté 4 minutes each side or until browned and chicken is done. Set aside and keep warm. Add 1 t oil to skillet and sauté shallots and onions 5 minutes. If the onions get too dry, add a teaspoon or so of hot water to the pan. Add mushrooms and sauté another 3 minutes. Add Pom Wonderful and Kitchen Bouquet and bring to a boil the reduce heat and simmer 5-7 minutes to thicken sauce. Serve mushroom sauce over chicken and garnish with pomegranate seeds.

Beef, Cajun, Dinner

Bayou Beef and Fettuccine

November 1, 2010 admin Leave a comment

The Fibergourmet Cajun fettuccine really makes this dish all it is – the flavor is subtle yet delicious. Adding in some other layers of spice make this one a real winner !

4 servings
275 calories per serving

10 oz. FiberGourmet Cajun flavored fettuccine noodles
Pam
1 c frozen stir fry pepper and onions
1 lb. thinly sliced beef
14.5 oz. canned diced tomatoes with garlic and onion, undrained
1 t garlic powder
¼ t pepper
½ t salt
½ t Cajun seasoning
Fresh basil leaves, chopped

Cook pasta according to package instructions. Sprinkle meet with Cajun seasoning. Heat skillet and spray with Pam and cook meat 5 minutes then stir in peppers and onions and cook 3-6 minutes, stirring frequently. Then mix in tomatoes, garlic, salt and pepper and cook 2 minutes. Stir in pasta and cook 2 minutes to heat through. Garnish with basil.

Beef, Dinner, Kid Friendly, Soups

Mini Meatball Soup

October 31, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Tasty little meatballs in a aromatic steaming bowl of broth – this makes the whole house hungry as it cooks ! This is one of the best meatball soups I’ve made 🙂

4 servings
384 calories per serving

2 t oil
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
3 c coleslaw mix shredded cabbage
1 ½ t oregano flakes
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 c beef stock
2 c chicken stock
4 c water
2 T tomato paste
6 oz. lean ground beef
1 large egg
¼ c grated Parmesan cheese
¼ c bread crumbs
2 T parsley, chopped
½ t garlic powder
¾ t pepper
½ t salt
½ c chopped roasted red peppers
1 c minute rice

Heat oil in a heavy soup pan and sauté mushrooms for 4 minutes. Add cabbage, 1 t oregano and half the garlic. Cook 1 minute more and then add stocks, water and tomato paste. Reduce to medium heat. Mix beef, egg, cheese, bread crumbs, 1 ½ T parsley, garlic powder. pepper, salt, the rest of the oregano and the rest of the garlic. Make meatballs using only 1 teaspoon of mix per meatball, and place them in the broth and simmer about 10 minutes or until mostly done. Add peppers, rice and rest of the parsley. Let sit 6-7 minutes.

Dinner, FiberGourmet, Fish, Lunch, Pasta

Shrimp and Pasta Salad

October 27, 2010 admin Leave a comment

This is great as a dinner or lunch – very filling, very tasty, and just the perfect portion.

4 servings
335 calories per serving

8 oz. FiberGourmet Rotini Pasta (without FiberGourmet, add 80 calories per serving)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 yellow squash, thinly sliced
1/3 c coarsely chopped kalamata olives
4 c baby spinach leaves
1 t grated lemon zest
2 T lemon juice
2 T oil
1 lb. peeled, cleaned shrimp

Cook pasta according to package instructions, drain and then mix with squash, olives, spinach, lemon zest, lemon juice, 1 T and 1t oil, salt and pepper. Heat 2 t oil in a skillet and quickly cook shrimp until done, about 5 minutes. Top pasta mix with shrimp. Season with salt and pepper and add a splash of extra lemon juice.

Dinner, Sides, Vegetables

Zucchini Boats

October 22, 2010 admin Leave a comment

This has a definite Middle Eastern flair to it with the coriander and cumin as the main seasoning. Serve next to Eastern Fried Rice for a great vegetarian meal.

4 servings
107 calories per serving

2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise
½ T oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 oz. button or Portobello mushrooms, chopped
1 t ground coriander
¾ t ground cumin
½ c chick peas, rinsed and drained
1 T lemon juice
2 T chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
Pam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking dish with Pam. Scoop the flesh out of the middle of the zucchinis to create boats for the filling. Chop the removed flash and reserve. Heat oil in a skillet and cook onions 5 minutes then add garlic and cook another minute. Add chopped zucchini and mushrooms and cook 5 minutes then add coriander, cumin, chick peas, lemon, parsley, salt and pepper. Stuff the zucchini shells and bake 35-40 minutes.

Chicken, Crock pot, Dinner, Kid Friendly

Chicken and Veggies (Crock Pot)

October 19, 2010 admin 1 Comment

New chicken recipes for the crock are always welcome in my house ! I love to be able to put a meal together and then walk away and have it ready to eat hours later. This one has all the flavor of a nice chicken soup, but has a thick sauce and is more like a chicken stew. As with any crock recipe, if you like you meat browned (which the crock will not do), either pre-sear it, or at the end place under a hot broiler for just a few minutes.

4 servings
190 calories per serving

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 c potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 carrots, cut in small pieces
½ onion, chopped small
1 rib celery, chopped
½ c frozen lima beans
¾ c water
½ t salt
¼ t pepper
¼ t onion powder
¼ t garlic powder
½ t basil flakes
½ can low fat cream of chicken soup

Place chicken in crock and add vegetables, water, salt, pepper and other spices. Pour soup over the veggies. Cover and cook on high 4 hours.

Dinner, Fish

Sole with Tomato Salsa

October 17, 2010 admin Leave a comment

This is a super fish recipe – very fresh and light. Serve with a pasta or rice, like Greek Orzo Salad.

4 servings
175 calories per serving

2 c grape tomatoes, halved
¾ c Kirby or English cucumber, finely chopped
1/3 c yellow bell pepper, finely chopped
3 T basil, sliced finely
1 ½ T shallots, finely chopped
1 T balsamic vinegar
2 t grated lemon zest
1 t salt
¼ t pepper
1 T oil
4 6 oz. sole fillets

Combine tomatoes, cucumber, peppers, basil, shallots, vinegar and lemon in a bowl along with ½ t salt and 1/8 t pepper. Sprinkle the rest of the salt and pepper directly on the fish. Heat oil in a skillet on medium high heat. Cook fish 2 minutes each side or until it flakes and is done. Plate the fish and put the tomato salsa on top.

Beef, Dinner

Good and Healthy Meatloaf

October 15, 2010 admin 1 Comment

Pulling another oldie for my Retread week – – hope you enjoy !!

This is a really tasty meatloaf – it is packed with flavor, moist and all the things meatloaf should be 🙂 If you don’t have the individual pans, either make the individual loaves and just set in a baking pan, or make one big loaf. But if you make one big loaf then you will need to increase the baking time so that the center gets done.

4 servings
205 calories per serving

Pam
1 lb. extra lean ground beef
1/4 c ketchup, divided in half (2T and 2T)
1/3 c old fashioned oats
1/4 c skim milk
1 carrot in chunks
½ of a small green bell pepper, sliced
1 c fresh parsley, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 c egg beaters
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1 T steak sauce
¼ c cold water (or more)
1/4 t salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix milk and oats and let sit a few minutes. Put carrots, peppers, onions, parsley and garlic in a food processor or blender and mince. Add oat mix, eggs, Worcestershire, steak sauce, 2 T ketchup and salt. Add beef and mix well. If dry, add some cold water. Spray 4 small individual sized meatloaf pans (I use the disposable ones available in all grocery stores) with Pam. Divide meat mix among the pans and spread 2 T ketchup over each. Place all the mini pans on a baking sheet. Bake 40-45 minutes and let stand at least 5 before serving.