These are FABULOUS ! Serve as a breakfast muffin, for brunch, for lunch, or even as a dinner side. They are quite versatile – add or remove spices to make these taste just how you like them 🙂
Savory Breakfast Muffins
12 servings
190 calories per serving
6 slices thin bacon, chopped (I use the precooked version and totally skip the frying step)
10 cloves roasted garlic, chopped finely (don’t substitute raw garlic)
3 eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk Bisquick
1 1/2 T chopped parsley
2 c shredded low fat mild cheddar cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste
Pam
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin pans with Pam. Fry bacon and remove to a plate with a slotted spoon. Beat eggs and stir in Bisquick, parsley, cheese, bacon, salt, pepper and garlic and spoon into muffin tins. Bake 10-15 minutes or until lightly brown. Cool before removing from pan.
A perfect accompaniment to ice cream, perfect served alone, a great dipper for Fruit Salsa – these are super easy to prepare and great tasting.
Cinnamon Tortilla Crisps
Makes 96 crisps
24 servings (4 crisps per serving)
52 calories per serving
12 – 7 or 8 inch flour tortillas, cut into 8 wedges
Pam (butter flavored)
1 t cinnamon
½ c sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a baking pan with Pam. Place as many pieces as will fit on the pan and spray with Pam then sprinkle with a mix of the cinnamon and sugar. Bake 5-10 minutes or until crispy. Repeat with other tortillas. Let sit and cool a few minutes to finish crisping.
Another from the stable of easy grilled cheese sandwiches – I do so many in the very similar way of cooking – but each is stuffed with different types of ingredients and gives you a whole different taste treat. This one is like easting a Caprese Salad.
Tomato and Mozz Panini
1 serving
330 calories per serving
1 Arnold sandwich thins roll (only 100 calories!)
4 thin slices of tomato
3 oz. low fat mozzarella, thinly sliced
1 T basil, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Pam
ICBINB Spray
Place cheese on bottom bun, then add tomatoes and finally basil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and close sandwich and spray each side with a few squirts of ICBINB Spray. Spray a hot skillet with Pam. Heat each side of the sandwich 2-3 minutes or until golden and cheese is melted.
This is a great tasting asian dish that is so versatile – you can easily change up the veggies or the protein and end up with something quite different.
Sesame Shrimp and Broccoli Stir Fry
4 servings
400 calories per serving
12 oz. cleaned, peeled shrimp
8 oz. uncooked egg noodles
1 T sesame seeds
1 t peanut oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 c broccoli florets
8 oz. can sliced water chestnuts, drained
4.5 oz. jar whole mushrooms, drained
½ c chicken broth
2 T dry white wine (or extra broth)
2 T soy sauce
2 t cornstarch
Cook noodles according to package instructions. Cook sesame seeds over medium high heat 2 minutes or until golden and fragrant then set aside. Heat oil in skillet and cook garlic 30 seconds then add broccoli, water chestnuts and mushrooms and cook 7 minutes or until broccoli is beginning to get tender. Add shrimp and cool 5 minutes or until shrimp is done. Combine broth, wine, soy and cornstarch and mix well then add to skillet and cook until thick and bubbly. Add in the cooked noodles. Sprinkle with seeds just before serving.
This was one of those meals that just had that special extra something. Thanks to Baltimore International College School of Culinary Arts for another great recipe that brings gourmet cooking into your home. Sure, you could just brown up the chicken and call it done…but by adding these few extra ingredients to the pan, simmering, and then serving over the chicken, you have a restaurant quality dish that you will be proud to serve. And at only 277 calories per serving, there’s plenty of room for a nice side as well.
Breast of Chicken Hortelana
Baltimore International College School of Culinary Arts has many, many recipes for you to try out (just go to the menu option ‘Programs” and then you will see a link to the recipes. And if you know someone with a passion for food looking for formal schooling, pass along the link. So make sure to visit – just click the banner below 🙂
2 servings
277 calories per serving
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, 4 oz. each
1 T flour
1 T olive oil
½ t salt
1 oz. finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ c mushrooms, sliced
1 oz. finely diced ham (I used some leftover Canadian Bacon)
¼ t pepper
2 oz. white wine
1 T lemon juice
2 oz. chicken broth
1 T chopped parsley or cilantro
Pound the chicken down a bit with a meat mallet or the bottom of a heavy pan – make sure the meat is even so it cooks evenly. Dredge in flour and then cook in hot oil. Sprinkle with salt. Cook approximately 2 minutes each side then remove from pan and keep warm. Add ham, onion, garlic, and mushrooms to pan and cook 3 minutes. Add wine, stock, and lemon juice and simmer a minute longer. Place chicken back in pan, add parsley and cook 2-3 minutes or until done. Serve sauce over chicken breasts.
This is rich and savory and a perfect lunch soup for a cold winter day.
Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Soup
2 servings
365 calories per serving
1 can water
½ can low fat cream of mushroom soup
3 c low fat chicken broth
5 oz. cooked boneless, skinless chicken breast cubed (Perdue Shortcuts work great here !)
1 6.5 oz. can sliced mushrooms and their juice
½ c frozen mixed vegetables (peas, corn, carrots, etc.)
Salt and pepper to taste
½ t onion powder
½ t garlic powder
1 t parsley flakes
4 oz. whole wheat egg noodles
4 T fat free half and half
Combine water, soup, broth, chicken, mushrooms and juice and spices and bring to a boil. Add vegetables and bring back to a boil. Add noodles and cook 5 minutes or until tender. Lower to a simmer and add half and half and cook a few moments longer.
To me, there is nothing more heavenly on my tongue than a melting morsel of brie. Now add in that I am a carb hound and cannot live without pasta…follow me to Pasta and Brie courtesy of Baltimore International College School of Culinary Arts. This recipe is PERFECT !! It combines 2 of my most favorite things in the world. I don’t know who at the Baltimore International College School of Culinary Arts came up with this recipe, but it outranks any pasta and cheese recipe that I have ever tried. It is true heaven.
Along with the perfect brie flavor, the fresh herbs and pine nuts are just a flavor explosion. This is definitely one of those meals that will impress…and it’s not hard to put together at all.
I tweaked their version just a bit to bring this in under 400 calories. It’s a bit high on the calorie count, so serve as a side to a light piece of fish – or have it for lunch. The portion size is definitely enough for a filling lunch and you won’t forget the cheesy brie goodness.
PASTA AND BRIE (BALTIMORE INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE)
Baltimore International College School of Culinary Arts has many, many recipes for you to try out (just go to the menu option ‘Programs” and then you will see a link to the recipes. And if you know someone with a passion for food looking for formal schooling, pass along the link. So make sure to visit – just click the banner below 🙂
4 servings
387 calories per serving
4 oz. brie (I removed the coating but you don’t have to)
1 T olive oil
3 T chicken broth
15 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
2 t minced garlic
1 T chopped parley
4 basil leaves, sliced thinly
1 oz. pine nuts, toasted
Salt and pepper to taste
6 oz. FiberGourmet pasta (penne, rotini or short fettuccine) – without FiberGourmet, you have to add 80 calories per ounce of pasta)
Heat oil and broth and add in the tomatoes. Add in the garlic, parsley, basil, nuts, salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Stir brie into tomato mix and mix well to melt then pour it over the pasta and serve immediately.
Meals that you start in the morning and then come home to much later are so convenient ! This soup has that great all day simmer flavor. And like many soups, it is so versatile – – have some extra peas this week, throw them in. Have vegetable broth, but not chicken broth, switch it out. Have chicken instead of turkey…no problem ! Make this one your own !
Asian Turkey Soup
6 servings
166 calories per serving
28 oz. chicken broth
1 ½ c water
1 lb. turkey breast or boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
2 c sliced mushrooms
2 medium carrots cut into short thin strips
½ c chopped onion
2 T soy sauce
2 T grated fresh ginger
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ c sliced bok choy
1 c instant brown rice
Salt and pepper to taste
2 T Asian hot garlic chili sauce (optional – stir it in at the beginning stages if you like a spicy soup)
In a 4 qt. crock pot mix turkey, broth, mushrooms, water, carrots, onions, soy, ginger and garlic (and optional chili sauce). Cover and cook on low 7-8 hours or high 4 hours. If cooking on low, turn to high heat after 7-8 hours and stir in bok choy and raw rice. Cover and cook 15 minutes more.
When you’re in the mood for a spicy patty on a bun try a veggie patty instead of meat once in a while. Black bean burgers have always been a favorite of mine – now I have an alternate….garbanzo burgers. At only 56 calories, add a 100 calorie bun and have two 🙂
Garbanzo Burgers
4 servings
56 calories per serving
1 15 oz. can garbanzo beans (also called chick peas or cece beans), rinsed and drained
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 carrot, grated
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 red chile pepper, seeded and minced
2 T chopped cilantro
1 T tahini paste (a sesame seed paste much like peanut butter is a peanut paste)
Salt and pepper to taste
Pam
Place garbanzos, peppers, carrots, garlic, red chile pepper, cilantro, tahini, salt and pepper in a food processor and pulse until ingredients are mixed evenly. If the mix is too dry, add a few drops of water. Refrigerate the mix 1.2 hour or more.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with Pam. Make 4 burgers out of the bean mix and place on sheet. Bake 20 minutes, flip and cook another 10 minutes. You can also fry these in a medium skillet sprayed with Pam.
The orange flavor in this dish is subtle and this is a perfectly easy way to make a great pork dish. The brine solution definitely tenderizes and flavors the pork so don’t skip that step !
Orange Glazed Pork
6 servings
263 calories per serving
½ c kosher salt
½ c sugar
2 1 lb. pork tenderloins, trimmed
½ c orange juice concentrate, thawed
3 large cloves garlic, minced
2 t Italian dressing
Dissolve the salt and sugar in a bowl with 4 cups of water and add the meat and let stand 45 minutes. Then rinse the meat and pat dry. Heat a grill. Place the orange juice concentrate in a pan and on low heat cook until it is reduced by half them mix in the dressing and garlic and brush over the pork. Cook the pork about 7 minutes per side or until well seared and done throughout.
