This is basically a super easy recipe for a superb spinach quiche. The crust is light, the filling perfect, and this makes a great appetizer or lunch.
Spinach and Cheese Squares
8 servings
79 calories per serving
1 ½ c Egg Beaters
¾ c skim milk
1 T dried onion flakes
1 T grated parmesan cheese
¼ t garlic powder
1/8 t pepper
¼ c bread crumbs
¾ c fat free shredded cheddar cheese, divided
10 oz. frozen spinach, thawed and drained well
Pam
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine eggs, milk, onion, parmesan, garlic powder and pepper. Spray an 8×8 pan with Pam and press bread crumbs evenly into the bottom. Place ½ c of cheddar on top of the bread crumbs then add the spinach. Pour the egg mix on top of the spinach and then add the rest of the cheese. Bake 40-45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.
These are INCREDIBLY good – each piece in and of itself is good, and all put together, it makes an awesome appetizer, lunch or snack ! The balsamic dressing on the eggplant and zucchini make this very special and I recommend you don’t skip that step.
Open Face Eggplant Melt
4 servings
260 calories per serving
1/2 lb. eggplant cut into 8 slices
1 medium zucchini sliced lengthwise into 8 long slices
1/3 c low fat balsamic vinegar dressing
4 ¾ inch thick slices of Italian bread
3 T low fat mayo
½ t basil flakes
Pepper to taste
1 tomato cut into 8 slices
3 slices part skim ricotta each cut into 4 strips
Pam
Spray a cookie sheet with Pam and preheat broiler. Place eggplant and zucchini slices on sheet and brush with half of the dressing then broil 5 minutes, turn, brush with the rest of the dressing, and broil another 5-7 minutes. Place bread slices on a cookie sheet and broil 1-2 minutes to lightly toast. Combine mayo, basil and pepper and spread on bread. Top each piece of bread with 2 eggplant slices, 2 zucchini slices, 2 tomato slices and 3 strips of cheese and broil 1-2 minutes. If the bread you use is not large enough to support 2 pieces of eggplant, zucchini and tomato, cut it down to 1 and lay the cheese across lengthwise rather than crosswise.
Start it in the morning before you leave for work and come home to a great piping hot meal. This is definitely a crowd-pleaser and also makes a great dish when guests are coming – just add a salad on the side and you’re all set !
Ham and Scalloped Potatoes
8 servings
310 calories per serving
1 ½ lb. 98% fat free ham cut into 8 pieces
9 medium potatoes peeled and sliced thinly
1 large onion sliced thinly
½ t salt
½ t pepper
1 c shredded fat free cheddar cheese
1 can low fat cream of celery soup
Layer in this manner:
½ the potatoes
½ the onion
½ the salt and pepper
½ the cheese
½ the ham
½ the potatoes
½ the onion
½ the salt and pepper
½ the cheese
All the soup
½ the ham
Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours or on high 4 hours.
This has the most awesome Middle Eastern flavor ! It was spicy without being too hot and the texture of the cheese really went well with the chopped spinach – – it picked up the spices of the spinach nicely. This was my first time making cheese and it was well worth it. It was a definite ‘2 thumbs up’ from the whole family 🙂
Homemade Cheese with Curried Spinach
4 servings
302 calories per serving
2 quarts 1 % milk
1/3 c lemon juice
4 t oil
1 onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 t ground coriander
¾ t turmeric
¼ t salt
10 oz. frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 c chicken broth
2 T tomato paste
2 t jalapeno pepper sauce or Asian chili and garlic sauce
Bring milk to a boil (be careful to not let the bottom scorch – be patient and do it on medium or medium high heat rather than cranking it up to high) then remove from heat and add lemon juice. Let stand about 15 minutes so that the curds and whey separate. Line a colander with a doubled piece of cheese cloth, place in the sink, and pour in the milk mix letting the whey drain away. Let sit 20 minutes or so and then pull together the cheesecloth and squeeze gently to remove any more liquid. You can use a light twisting motion and that helps. Then flatten into a disk on a plate and then place a small saucepan on top of it and place an unopened canned good in the pan to create a weight on top of the cheese. I used a large can of crushed tomatoes and it worked great. Do not refrigerate. Let stand 2 hours or until firm enough to cut.
In a large skillet heat 2 t oil and add onion and garlic and cook 7 minutes or until tender and then add the coriander, turmeric and salt. Mix and then add the spinach, broth, tomato paste and pepper sauce. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and wipe out skillet. Cut the cheese into ½ inch chunks. Heat 2 t oil in skillet and add the cheese cooking for 4 minutes or until light browned and crusty then gently stir in the spinach and cook another 2-3 minutes.
Here’s a couple more pictures of the cheese making process:
This breakfast pizza also makes a great appetizer or lunch. You can easily change it up a little by adding different veggies – mushrooms, tri color peppers, even some spinach leaves !
Breakfast Pizza
6 servings
239 calories per serving
1 can refrigerated biscuit dough
½ lb. turkey bacon slices
2 T butter
2 T flour
¼ t salt
1/8 t pepper
1 ½ c skim milk
½ c low fat shredded cheddar cheese
¼ c sliced bell peppers
Pam
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13×9 baking dish with Pam. Separate biscuits and place on a floured surface side by side. Roll into a 14×10 rectangle and place in sprayed pan patting the edges up side of the dish. Bake 15 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside. Cook bacon until crisp – cool it – and then crumble and set aside. Melt butter in a pan and stir in flour, salt and pepper. Gradually stir in milk and cook on medium heat until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cheese until it is melted. Spread sauce over crust and sprinkle with bacon and peppers. Bake 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown.
A little chicken, lotsa vegetables and lotsa flavor !
Healthy Wrap
6 servings
289 calories per serving
2 c chopped cooked chicken breast
2/3 c thinly sliced red bell pepper
½ c thinly sliced English cucumbers
1/2 c sliced celery
1/2 c light ranch dressing
1/4 c crumbed goat cheese
4 c chopped romaine lettuce
6 8-inch fat free flour tortillas
Layer all the ingredients in tortillas, wrap and secure with a toothpick. Here’s my instructional video in how to secure a wrap so nothing leaks out the bottom.
Another recipe that because of FiberGourmet pasta, you can eat a real satisfying portion size ! That means plenty of room for some grated parmesan cheese on top…and even room for a grilled chicken cutlet. You won’t believe the portion size when you make this. The sauce on the pasta and artichokes is very flavorful, light, well-textured and colorful – – it was surprisingly good !
Pasta and Artichoke Hearts in Green Sauce
3 servings
279 calories per serving
1 T oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 9 oz. packages of frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
¾ c chicken broth
¾ c water
8 oz. pasta (shells or rotini – FiberGourmet pasta recommended)
1 c frozen peas, thawed
1 T lemon juice
½ t tarragon flakes
½ t salt
½ t pepper
¼ c low fat sour cream
2 t flour
¼ c finely chopped red bell pepper
Heat the oil in a skillet, add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Then add the artichokes and cook another minute then add broth and ¾ c water and bring to a boil and reduce the heat and simmer 15 minutes or until the artichokes are tender. When done, drain any remaining liquid into a measuring cup. Cook the pasta according to package instructions and then drain but keep enough of the liquid to fill the measuring cup to ¾ c of total liquid. In a food processor mix the reserved liquid, peas, lemon juice, tarragon, salt and pepper. Process until smooth and then pour the sauce into the skillet with the artichokes and bring to a boil. Whisk together the sour cream and the flour and place in the skillet and cook 1 minute or until slightly thickened. Pour mix over the pasta and toss well. Sprinkle with the peppers and serve immediately.
Without FiberGourmet pasta, this recipe comes in at 359 calories. Not horrendous, but when it comes to pasta, I want as much as possible 🙂
Grilled cheesy sandwiches – they make it on this ‘diet’ plan of mine and I am so happy about it ! To make them more sensible, use low fat cheeses, add flavor in the way of herbs, and be sure to use Pam and buttery spray. And then off you go – the variations are endless and here is a great Italian inspired one.
Pesto and Mozzarella Grilled Cheese
6 servings
285 calories per serving
1/4 c low fat pesto
12 1 oz. slices sourdough bread
12 3/4 oz. slices part skim mozzarella cheese
6 1/4 inch thick slices tomato
18 large basil leaves
I can’t Believe It’s Not Butter spray
Pam
Spread 1 t pesto on each slice of bread. Top 6 slices of bread with a cheese slice, a tomato slice, 3 basil leaves, and another cheese slice. Top with remaining bread slice. Spray outsides of sandwiches with at least 5 sprays per side. Heat skillet on medium heat and spray with Pam. Add sandwiches, as many as will fit in a batch. Cook 2-3 minutes each side or until cheese is melted. You can use a Panini press here and the cheese will melt even nicer 🙂
The hummus spread inside the pita before inserting the other ingredients makes every bite full of flavor. And when you eat something with lots of flavor, you are apt to feel more satisfied !
Greek Chicken Pitas
4 servings
280 calories per serving
2 c chopped romaine lettuce
1 c chopped roasted chicken breast
2/3 c diced English cucumber
½ c red bell pepper, chopped very small
1/4 c crumbled feta cheese
2 T lemon juice
2 T oil
1/4 t salt
1/4 t pepper
6 T roasted red bell pepper hummus (in the refrigerator section at the food market)
2 6 inch whole wheat pitas slit at the top so you can fill it
Combine lettuce, chicken, cucumber and feta. Add lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper. Spread hummus inside pitas and then add the chicken mix.
