ALT Sandwiches

May 17, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Take out the Bacon, replace it with avocado and you have an ALT instead of a BLT. You still have the bacon flavor since you have Bacos in here, but the main flavor is the avocado. So get your MUFA on and have a great sandwich for lunch today !

4 servings
290 calories per serving

Even though there are bacon bits here, the main star of this sandwich is the avocado, so I call it an ALT instead of a BLT.

¼ c low fat mayonnaise
2 T bacon flavored veggie bits (Bacos)
8 slices of toast
4 lettuce leaves
1 avocado, pitted and sliced
2 large tomato, sliced

Combine mayo and bacos and mix well then spread of 4 pieces of toast and layer with lettuce, avocado and tomato.

Asian, Dinner, Sides, Vegetables

Sesame Pea Pods

May 17, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Crunchy, lite and colorful – – this makes a great side to just about any dinner.

6 servings
45 calories per serving

1 T sesame oil
½ lb. snow pea pods, strings removed
1 T sesame seeds
1 medium yellow bell pepper cut into thin strips

Heat oil in a skillet and add pea pods and oil and cook 2 minutes. Stir in pepper and cook 2 minutes more.

Pasta, Salads, Sides, Summer

Macaroni Salad

May 16, 2010 admin Leave a comment

This recipe was given to me by a friend and it is the most awesome mac salad – I think what makes the difference is that the onion and celery are so minced (rather than the typical chopped) that you get a coating of them on each and every noodle and that means lots of extra flavor per bite !

6 servings
232 calories per serving (312 per serving using regular pasta)

8 oz. FiberGormet rotini pasta or elbow noodles
1 small onion, minced very fine
1 c celery, minced very fine
1 c low fat mayo
1 T wine vinegar
2 t mustard
1 ½ t salt
¼ t pepper

Cook pasta according to package instructions and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Combine with all the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate at least 4 hours so flavors mingle. Let sit out 10 minutes before serving so the dressing warms up a bit and mix well again.

NOTE: I mince the celery and onion together in a food processor, but you can do it by hand if you wish

Dessert, Kid Friendly

Dulche de Leche Rice Pudding

May 16, 2010 admin Leave a comment

You can serve this pudding warm or chilled. It is rich and creamy and ever so decadent. It’s good without the caramels melted in – – then you do that step and it gets taken to a whole other level. You must try ! 🙂

I am sure you could bring down the calories using buttery spread instead of butter, Splenda instead of sugar, Fat Free evaporated milk instead of whole – – but this dessert just deserves all the ingredients that give it its creamy goodness.

294 c per ½ c serving

2 c water
½ c uncooked rice
¼ c sugar
1 ½ cinnamon sticks
1 T butter
Dash of salt
12 oz. evaporated milk
8 caramels
1 T coarse sugar
1/8 t kosher salt

Combine the first 6 ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer 20 minutes or until all the water is absorbed. Stir in the evaporated milk and bring to a boil again then lower the heat and simmer 10 minutes or until it is thick and creamy then add the caramels and stir until melted. Take out the cinnamon sticks and throw them out, then spoon the pudding into desert dishes. Combine sugar and salt and sprinkle over the pudding just before serving.

Dinner, Sides

Cheesy Spinach and Rice

May 15, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Serving a combo veggie and starch side always cuts down on the work of a meal. This one is packed with wholesome spinach and cheesy enough to make it a welcome addition to any meal.

6 servings
140 calories per serving

2 c cooked instant white rice
9oz. package frozen spinach
¼ c Egg Beaters
¼ c slim milk
1 T minced onion flakes
½ t onion garlic powder
¼ t salt
½ t basil flakes
1 c (4 oz.) low fat shredded swiss cheese
Pam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook rice according to package instructions using no margarine or oil. Spray an 8×8 baking pan with Pam. Microwave spinach until warm, 3 minutes or so and then place in a colander and press out all the liquid then combine with rice and all the rest of the ingredients except the cheese. Place in prepared dish and sprinkle with cheese. Cover with foil and cook 15 minutes. Then uncover and cook an additional 7 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Alternately, replace swiss cheese with parmesan cheese and you’ll get a whole different flavor here.

Chicken, Crock pot, Dinner

Three Ingredient Chicken (Crock Pot)

May 14, 2010 admin Leave a comment

When one of the ingredients is the chicken and one is water, how easy can the recipe be? It practically makes itself ! And it comes out so, so tender and tasty – you have to try !!

4 servings
160 calories per serving

4 FROZEN boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 package dry italian dressing mix
1 c warm water

Place all in a crock pot and cook on low 8-10 hours. If you like it a little browned, just before done, preheat the broiler and remove chicken breasts to a baking sheet sprayed with Pam. Broil 4 minutes or until browned.

Lunch, Sandwiches, Vegetables

Grilled Garden Sandwiches

May 14, 2010 admin Leave a comment

For only 260 calories you get a big, beefy sandwich just packed with veggies that are sooooo flavorful. And the mozzarella cheese is just the ‘icing on the cake’ here !

4 servings
260 calories per serving

8 slices whole wheat bread
1 medium zucchini cut lengthwise into ¼ inch thick slices
1 small red bell pepper halved
½ small eggplant, peeled and cut into ½ inch thick slices
½ c fat free Italian dressing
¾ c shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat broiler. Brush one side of the veggies with dressing and broil dressing side up for 5 minutes. Turn, recoat and broil another 5 minutes. Then cut everything into bite sized pieces. Toast bread and sprinkle 4 pieces with cheese then top with the veggies and cover with the rest of the bread.

Chicken, Dinner

Chicken Satay

May 13, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Satay is a Thai preparation of skewered meat served with a peanut sauce – here I’ve taken away the skewers to make things a bit easier and it doesn’t change the taste of the dish one bit 😉

8 servings
132 calories per serving

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 8 oz. each, sliced lengthwise into 6 strips each.
1 t toasted sesame oil
1 t low sodium soy sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 t red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 c creamy peanut butter
2 T rice vinegar
2 t lime juice
1 t brown sugar
Vegetable oil

Toss chicken with sesame oil, soy, garlic and 1/4 t pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper. Heat grill pan or skillet on high heat. Work in batches brushing pan with vegetable oil and then cooking chicken until done, 3-4 minutes per side. Serve with dipping sauce.

Create dipping sauce by mixing peanut butter, vinegar, lime juice, brown sugar, the rest of the pepper flakes and 2-3 T water.

Kid Friendly, Snacks

Caramel Popcorn

May 13, 2010 admin Leave a comment

This has a subtle sweetness that builds with each bite rather than a thick, in your face coating of sweet on the popcorn. It’s a great alternative to kettle corn and at only 90 calories per serving, eat up !

6 servings
90 calories per serving

6 c popped popcorn
2 T margarine
2 T honey

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spread popcorn in a large pan. Melt margarine and honey and pour over the popcorn and bake 10 minutes stirring often. Let cool then store in an airtight container.

Dinner, FiberGourmet, Italian, Kid Friendly, Pasta

Pasta Dinner

May 12, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Thanks to FiberGourmet pasta – I can have a whole plate of food like this – and that makes me feel satisfied. Hunger is definitely gone after a plateful like this.

The first part about ‘dieting’ that kills me is the so so small portions of pasta you get – – that is until I found FiberGourmet. You can order it off their website at www.fibergourmet.com or you can get it on Amazon.

Because of it, I can sit down to a plate like this for UNDER 425 CALORIES !! And my daughter is oh so happy to have ‘pasta night’ back again 🙂

1 serving
424 calories per serving

2 oz. pasta cooked and tossed with your favorite low cal marinara sauce
Anchovy Bibb Lettuce Salad (tastes much like Caesar Salad)
Garlic Toast