Category Archives: Dinner

Sirloin Kabobs

July 23, 2010 admin 2 Comments

You know the drill – if you’re using the grill, throw out the skewers and use a grill basket instead – it saves time, aggravation and the food turns out even better ! The meat in this dish is sooooo tender from marinating for hours in the tomato and vinegar based sauce.

4 servings
268 calories per serving

2/3 c chili sauce
½ c beef broth
½ c balsamic vinegar
2 T canola oil
5 t Worcestershire sauce
4 t dried minced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
½ t ground mustard
¼ t salt
1 lb. boneless sirloin cut into cubes
16 baby bella mushroom caps, halved
2 medium red onions cut into wedges
2 medium red bell peppers cut into chunks
1 medium yellow bell pepper cut into chunks

Mix the first 9 ingredients and pour half of the mix into a zip loc bag. Add the beef cubes and mix around. Pour the rest of the mix into another bag and add the veggies and mix around. Refrigerate both bags 1-4 hours. Heat a grill pan or basket on the grill and spray with High Heat Pam. Drain the veggies and meat reserving the extra marinate for later basting. Grill 7-10 minutes or to desired doneness stirring and re-basting occasionally.

If you don’t want to grill this, you can preheat the broiler and place all on a baking sheet sprayed with Pam. Broil 5-6 minutes, turning half way through.

Dinner, Instructional, Sides, Videos

Twice Baked Potatoes

July 21, 2010 admin Leave a comment

So very good ! You can stuff potatoes with just about anything but this recipe turns out a perfect twice baked potato – the sour cream and mozzarella are just perfect here.

4 servings
172 calories per serving

4 medium baking potatoes
1/3 c low fat sour cream
2 T chopped fresh basil and chives and parsley
2 T grated parmesan cheese
Skim milk
¼ c shredded part skim mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Clean potatoes, dry them and prick them with a fork. Bake one hour. Cut a 1 inch slit in the top and spoon out pulp into a bowl. Do this gently so the skin stays in tact. Use a blender so you get nice whipped consistency and mix together the pulp, sour cream, herbs and parmesan cheese. Add a few tablespoons of milk if the mix is too dry. Stuff the mixture back into the potato skins and sprinkle with mozzarella. Place in a baking dish and bake 20 minutes or refrigerate and then when you bake, cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes then uncover and bake another 20 minutes.

To hollow out the potatoes, after you bake them, let them cool and then follow the instructions in this video.

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Chicken, Dinner, Mexican

Chimichurri Chicken and Green Beans

July 19, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Chimichurri sauce just makes everything better ! It’s a great mix of parsley, vinegar, garlic and lemon and is much like the Italian gremolata. Serve with some coucous for a great complete meal !

4 servings
280 calories per serving

3 T oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (1.25 lb.)
½ t salt
¼ t pepper
12 oz. fresh green beans
1 T water
¾ c parsley
1 T cider vinegar
2 cloves garlic, halved
¼ t red pepper flakes
Zest of 1 lemon

Brush chicken with 1 T oil and sprinkle with half the salt and pepper. Heat grill and cook chicken 12-15 minutes or until done. While the chicken is cooking place beans and water in a glass bowl, cover with plastic wrap and microwave 3 minutes. In a food processor combine 2 T oil, the rest of the salt and pepper, parsley, vinegar, garlic and red pepper and process until almost smooth. Place chicken on bed of beans, with sauce and lemon zest on top. Squeeze extra lemon juice over top and user lemon slices as garnish.

Dinner, Mediterranean, Sides

Couscous and Broccoli

July 16, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Couscous is just a teeny wheat pasta – much like pastina. Simple to do, ready in 10 minutes, and a great side dish. Substitute other frozen veggies for a whole different tasting dish !

4 servings
171 calories per serving

1 c couscous
1 can 99% fat free chicken broth
1 box frozen chopped broccoli
½ t salt
½ t pepper
½ t garlic powder

Boil broth and frozen broccoli until broccoli is tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in couscous and remove from heat. Cover and let stand 5 minutes then add spices, fluff with a fork and serve.

Beef, Dinner, Kid Friendly, Summer

Herbed Flank Steak

July 15, 2010 admin Leave a comment

The red wine really helps tenderize this steak – it was so very delicious. Serve with Sauteed Peppers and Onions for a great meal. Leftovers make a great addition to a cold salad – just slice thinly and toss with greens and dressing.

8 servings
221 calories per serving

2 lb. flank steak
¼ c Dijon mustard
¼ c dry red wine
1 large shallot, finely chopped
2 T oil
2 T fresh basil
1 T fresh oregano
1 T fresh thyme
1 t salt
½ t pepper
½ t garlic powder

Score meat with diagonal, shallow cuts and place in a zip loc. Mix the rest of the ingredients and pour into the bag, mix around well, seal and refrigerate 4-24 hours. Heat grill and cook meat 9 minutes each side or until desired doneness. Slice thinly across the grain.

Chicken, Dinner, Summer

Lemon Pepper Chicken

July 14, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Lemon Pepper is a great spice for poultry – and when I do a grill basket version of this chicken recipe, I really pour it on !

4 servings
243 calories per serving

12 oz. chicken, cut into bite sized pieces
4 c mix of sliced onion, yellow bell peppers, and halved mushrooms
2 T oil
1 T lemon pepper seasoning
1 t finely shredded lemon zest
Lemon wedges
Pam

Heat grill. Toss shrimp and 1 T oil. Mix veggies and 1 T oil and seasoning.

Spray grill basket with Pam and heat. Add chicken and cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add veggies and cook 6 minutes or until chicken is done. Stir in juice of one lemon. Serve topped with lemon zest.

Dinner, FiberGourmet, Pasta, Pork

Fettucine with Ham

July 11, 2010 admin Leave a comment

The sauce in this dish and very flavorful – almost like an alfredo without being quite as creamy. Feel free to spice it up a bit more by adding extra pepper and red pepper flakes.

6 servings
254 calories per serving

12 oz FiberGourmet fettucine
¾ lb. lean ham, cooked and cooked
2 T oil
1 medium onion, chopped finely
½ lb. sliced mushrooms
1 T flour
½ t rosemary
¼ t pepper
1 ¼ c fat free evaporated milk
½ c frozen peas, thawed
2 T fat free sour cream

Cook pasta according to package instructions. Saute ham in oil to brown it a bit and then remove from pan and set aside. Cook onion 4 minutes then add mushrooms and continue cooking another 4 minutes. Mix in flour, rosemary and pepper then gradually add milk and bring to a boil and cook 2 minutes to thicken it up. Then reduce heat and add peas and sour cream and cook 2 minutes. Mix with the drained pasta and ham and heat through.

Dinner, Italian, Kid Friendly, Pasta

Ravioli with Mushroom Sauce

July 10, 2010 admin 1 Comment

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 !

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.

Dinner, Salads, Sides

Roasted Garlic Potato Salad

July 5, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Just one more, just one more ! That’s what you’ll be saying after you have a few bites of this warm potato salad. The flavors were outstanding and it’s a nice dish next to fish or chicken.

8 servings
173 calories per serving

2 lb. small new potatoes, quartered (about 20)
2 T oil
1 bulb garlic
1 t oil
½ c sliced green onions
2 T white balsamic vinegar
¼ t salt
¼ t pepper
2 T oil
¼ c sliced olives
¼ c sun dried tomatoes, drained and cut into thin strips

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Put potatoes in a baking dish and drizzle with 2 T oil and toss then roast 10 minutes and stir. Cut the top off the bulb of garlic (DO VIDEO) and remove any loose paper skin and then cut side up in a baking cup and drizzle with 1 t oil. Cover with foil and place in oven and continue roasting 10 minutes. Stir potatoes and add onions and continue baking another 15 minutes or until potatoes and garlic are tender. Let stand until garlic is cool enough to handle. Squeeze out garlic cloves and mash with vinegar, salt and pepper then whisk in 1 T oil. Mix in the olives and tomatoes with the potatoes and then add the dressing and toss to coat.

Dinner, Fish, Lunch

Tilapia with Lemon Pepper

July 1, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Tilapia is a great white fish that is farmed raised making it widely available in restaurants and grocery stores throughout the US. It cooks quickly, and has a nice texture when quickly pan fried. Even doubling this recipe to 6 oz. leaves you another 200 calories for a filling side dish such as Foiled O’Brien; potatoes and peppers steamed in a foil packet.

1 serving
100 calories per serving

3 oz tilapia
Pam
Salt to taste
Lemon pepper to taste (I pile it on!)

Heat a small skillet on medium low and spray with Pam. Place the fish in the pan and sprinkle with salt and lemon pepper. Cook 3 minutes. Gently flip the fish and sprinkle with more salt and lemon pepper. Cook another 3-5 minutes or until fish is done. It is done when the flesh is flaky and opaque rather than translucent.