Serve these next to just about any chicken, beef or pork dinner for a great zesty side.
Grilled Onions
4 servings
100 calories per serving
2 large onions, cut into ½ inch slices
2 T oil
2 T Dijon mustard
1 t chili powder
Kosher salt and cracked pepper to taste
Pam
Preheat grill. Mix mustard and chili powder. Toss onions with oil then place onion slices in a grill basket or on a grill plate sprayed with Pam. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill 5 minutes or so per side basting with the sauce along the way.
Tabbouleh is a Lebonese salad of cucumbers, tomatoes, parsley, mint and bulgur wheat. It is so healthy, so delicious and so very pretty to look at – serve some up as an appetizer at your next get together.
Tabbouleh
8 servings
214 calories per serving
1 c bulgur wheat
2 c boiling water
3 tomatoes, seeded and chopped into small bits
2 cucumbers, peeled and chopped into small bits
3 scallions, chopped
1 c chopped fresh parsley
1/3 c mint leaves chopped
2 t salt
1/2 c lemon juice
¼ c olive oil
Place wheat in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Soak 45 minutes to an hour and then drain it and squeeze out any extra water. Mix all the ingredients together and refrigerate at least 4 hours. Serve with pita bread, pita chips or as a side salad.
Basil is in the mint family – don’t let its addition to a dessert throw you – but if you can’t get past it, then just substitute mint instead. But whatever you do, don’t skip this recipe – it is a FANTASTIC summer dessert.
Lime Basil Sorbet
8 servings
220 calories per serving
1 ½ c sugar
2 c lime juice (about 20 small limes)
½ c light corn syrup
¾ c basil leaves, chopped
2 c water
1 T grated lime zest
Mix sugar, 1 c juice and syrup and cook for 2 minutes to melt sugar then add the basil or mint and remove from heat. Pour into a metal bowl (mixture will cool quicker) and add rest of the juice, water and the zest. Cover and chill completely. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer instructions then move to your freezer for an hour or so. If you don’t eat it right away, then defrost 10 minutes or so before eating.
This is a perfect summer soup – full of great fresh garden offerings…zucchini, squash, parsley, basil. Just a bit of pasta and cheese make this perfectly amazing.
Summer Soup
4 servings
304 calories per serving
6 c vegetable broth
3 c water
6 oz. uncooked pasta (ditalini, orzo, elbows – anything small)
2 c diced yellow squash
2 c diced zucchini
1 T chopped parsley
1/3 c chopped basil
1 T lemon juice
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1 t onion powder
1 t thyme flakes
1 t oregano flakes
Red pepper flakes to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
½ c grated parmesan cheese
In a large soup pot bring broth and water to a boil. Add pasta and cook 5 minutes less than the suggested cooking time and then at that point, add squash, green beans, zucchini, chopped parsley and basil, lemon, onion powder, thyme, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to the broth. Cook for 5 minutes and then place in bowls. Sprinkle with cheese.
This is a great Chile Relleno dish – it has all the flavor and so very little work. It is super easy to put together and turns out a perfect little cup of Mexican goodness.
Mini Chile Rellenos
4 servings
215 calories per serving
2 4 oz. cans diced green chiles, drained and patted dry
3/4 c frozen corn, thawed and patted dry
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1 c shredded low fat cheddar cheese
1 1/2 c skim milk
6 large egg whites
4 large eggs
Salt and pepper to taste
Pam
Preheat oven to 400. Spray 8 six ounce or 4 10 ounce ramekins (small oven safe glass or ceramic pots) with Pam and place on a baking sheet so you can remove them from the oven easily.
Whisk together eggs, egg whites, salt, pepper and milk. Place the chiles on the bottom of the cups then add corn and scallions Sprinkle with cheese then pour in the egg mix. Bake 35-40 minutes or until eggs are set. The larger the ramekins, the longer these will need to cook.
This dish is worthy of any Mexican restaurant out there ! The salsas give the beans a subtle flavor and the velvety consistency of the refried beans is a perfect side to all Mexican fare. Try serving with Mini Chile Rellenos for a great Mexican inspired night.
Jazzed Up Refried Beans
6 servings
159 calories per serving
16 oz. can nonfat refried beans
15 oz. can pinto beans, rinsed
¼ c prepared salsa
¼ c prepared salsa verde
2/3 c shredded low fat sharp cheddar cheese
4 scallions, sliced
Pam
Preheat broiler. Mix Beans, refried beans, salsas and 1/3 c of cheese in a pan and cook until hot throughout and the cheese has melted. Turn into a casserole dish sprayed with Pam. Sprinkle with the rest of the cheese and the scallions and broil 2 minutes or until cheese is brown.
So different from your typical stuffed pepper – this is a great vegetarian recipe. These make a great dinner with a side salad. Or serve half a portion (1/2 a pepper) as a side.
Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers
4 servings
324 calories per serving
4 yellow bell peppers
1/2 c orzo
15 oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
Pam
1 large shallot, chopped
6 oz. baby spinach, chopped coarsely
1 t oregano flakes
1 t garlic powder
1/2 c crumbled feta cheese
½ c shredded low fat mozzarella cheese
1/4 c sun dried tomatoes, (dehydrated, not the ones in oil), chopped
1 T sherry vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Take the peppers and cut them in half lengthwise. Leave the stems on. Clean out the insides (seeds and membranes) and set aside. Cook orzo according to package instructions. Heat a skillet and spray with Pam. Saute shallot for 3 minutes adding a tablespoon or 2 of water if they start to dry out. Take ¾’s of the chickpeas and roughly mash them. Add spinach to shallots and cook another minute. Add orzo, chickpeas, oregano, garlic, tomatoes, salt and pepper and heat through. Add cheese and vinegar and stir well. Spoon mix into the pepper shells. Spray a baking dish with Pam and place peppers in pan. Sprinkle with mozzarella, cover and bake 30 minutes.
Perfect next to grilled fish, grilled chicken, burgers – – this corn salsa is so easy to put together and so refreshing on a hot summer night.
Corn Salsa
4 servings
105 calories per serving
1 avocado, peeled and diced
1 c frozen corn kernels, thawed (you can use canned, but the frozen tastes fresher)
½ can diced tomatoes, drained
2 T chopped cilantro
3 T lime juice
1/2 t cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
I’m so very pleased to announce the 400 Calorie or Less App and eBooks ! The eBooks are now available for the Nook and the Kindle. There are 4 eBooks and they each host 40+ recipes to help you lose weight while eating the foods you love and crave. The iOS App is all-in-one and is free to try, so get it while it’s hot !!
400 Calorie or Less eBooks
Kid Friendly Cookbook
In the Kid Friendly Cookbook, you’ll learn low calories variations to kid friendly classics such as recipes for sloppy joes, grilled cheese sandwiches, chicken bakes and fettuccine alfredo.
Summer Fun Cookbook
In the Summer Fun Cookbook, you’ll find recipes for grilling favorites, salads, sweets, and delicious drinks that are perfect for summer. Whether you’re planning to relax by the pool, host a party, or have a picnic, the Summer Fun cookbook has you covered.
Around the World Cookbook
In the Around the World Cookbook, travel the world without leaving your kitchen – or losing track of calories with recipes influenced by Asian, Mediterranean, Mexican, Italian and American cuisines.
Holiday Recipe Cookbook
This next holiday, there’s no need to add another notch in your belt. In the Holidays Recipe Cookbook, you will find healthy adaptations of classic holiday recipes fit for entertaining and satisfying the most indulgent guests.
Use this link to find out more information and to get your copy.
Thanks for all your support and I hope you enjoy the publications.
A little of this, a little of that – all on a roll … and you get a sub sandwich. This is a great mixed meat sub that is filling and a great take a long lunch.
Sub Sandwich
1 serving
394 calories per serving
1 small Club roll
1 T low fat mayonnaise
1 T mustard
½ c chopped lettuce
2 slices tomato
4 slices thin deli roast turkey (Oscar Mayer pre-packaged meats are great)
4 thin slices deli ham (Oscar Mayer pre-packaged meats are great)
1 slices low fat swiss cheese
Mix mustard and mayo and spread on the inside of both sides of the roll. Place all meats and cheese on roll and top with lettuce and tomato.
