Tag Archives: Kid Friendly

Chicken, Dinner, FiberGourmet, Italian, Kid Friendly, Pasta

Chicken Parm with Pasta

November 10, 2010 admin Leave a comment

This is one of my favorite dishes, but the restaurant version will kill you with calories. This one has been lightened up quite a bit – it comes in at only 324 calories and that includes a generous side of pasta (thanks FiberGourmet!!)

4 servings
324 calories per serving

4 4 oz. boneless skinless chicken breasts
Water
1/2 c bread crumbs
¼ c parmesan
½ t garlic powder
½ t oregano flakes
½ t parsley flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
Pam
¼ c shredded low fat mozzarella cheese
½ c marinara sauce for chicken (Paul Newman’s is good)
1 ½ c marinara sauce for pasta
2 T parmesan
6 oz. FiberGourmet penne, fettucicine or rotini pasta

Preheat broiler. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with Pam. Mix breadcrumbs with ¼ c parmesan cheese. Mix herbs and spices. Rinse chicken breasts in water and then sprinkle with herb mix before dipping in breadcrumbs to coat. Press crumbs into the chicken so they stick well. Lay chicken in pan and sprinkle with any remaining bread crumbs.

Broil 6 minutes, turn and lightly spray the tops with Pam (so they will brown nicely) and then broil another 6 minutes. Meanwhile cook pasta according to package instructions. Heat 1 ½ c sauce (for pasta) in microwave or on stovetop. When pasta is done, drain, mix with sauce and sprinkle with 2 T parmesan cheese.

Remove chicken from oven and cover with ½ c sauce and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Turn off broiler and turn oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken back in oven 5-7 minutes or until cheese is melty.

Breakfast, Kid Friendly, Turkey

Sausage and Potato Breakfast Pizza

November 5, 2010 admin Leave a comment

It’s all your favorite breakfast ingredients all in one convenient package – breakfast pizza is a great way to start the morning ! Leftovers reheat well in a skillet or in the toaster oven.

8 servings
203 calories per serving

8 oz. can low fat crescent rolls
Pam
12 oz. turkey breakfast sausage
1 c frozen shredded hash browns, thawed
1 c shredded fat free cheddar cheese
¼ c skim milk
½ t salt
¼ t pepper
8 oz. Egg Beaters
2 T grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 12 inch pizza pan with Pam. Separate dough and then press together to form a round crust. This works best if you let the dough come to room temperature. Cook sausage until browned, crumbling it as you go. Top dough with drained sausage, potatoes and cheese. Mix milk, salt, pepper and Egg Beaters and pour over sausage mix. Sprinkle with cheese and bake 25-30 minutes or until crust is browned.
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Beef, Dinner, Kid Friendly, Soups

Mini Meatball Soup

October 31, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Tasty little meatballs in a aromatic steaming bowl of broth – this makes the whole house hungry as it cooks ! This is one of the best meatball soups I’ve made 🙂

4 servings
384 calories per serving

2 t oil
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
3 c coleslaw mix shredded cabbage
1 ½ t oregano flakes
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 c beef stock
2 c chicken stock
4 c water
2 T tomato paste
6 oz. lean ground beef
1 large egg
¼ c grated Parmesan cheese
¼ c bread crumbs
2 T parsley, chopped
½ t garlic powder
¾ t pepper
½ t salt
½ c chopped roasted red peppers
1 c minute rice

Heat oil in a heavy soup pan and sauté mushrooms for 4 minutes. Add cabbage, 1 t oregano and half the garlic. Cook 1 minute more and then add stocks, water and tomato paste. Reduce to medium heat. Mix beef, egg, cheese, bread crumbs, 1 ½ T parsley, garlic powder. pepper, salt, the rest of the oregano and the rest of the garlic. Make meatballs using only 1 teaspoon of mix per meatball, and place them in the broth and simmer about 10 minutes or until mostly done. Add peppers, rice and rest of the parsley. Let sit 6-7 minutes.

Fruit, Kid Friendly, Product Reviews, Sides

Pom Cranberry Relish

October 28, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Fresh fruit, tons of antioxidants, low cal – this is the perfect sweet side dish. Serve with fish, chicken, next to a sandwich, as a snack….just eat it up before your kid eats the whole bowl on you !!

8 servings
70 calories per 1/2 c serving

The addition of Pom juice to an already incredibly fresh cranberry relish … I’d call it a stroke of genius. You have to try it to believe how good it is !!

1 bag cranberries
3/4 c Splenda
1 granny smith apple, cored and in quarters
1 seedless oranges (peel and all !), in quarters
8 oz. Pom Wonderful pomegranate juice

Rinse the cranberries and pick out any bad ones. Place in a food processor and process until they are in small pieces. Remove to a bowl. Place apples in processor and blend until small pieces. Remove to bowl with cranberries. Place oranges in processor and process until all skin is in small pieces. Remove to bowl with cranberries and apples. Add Splenda and juice and mix well. Refrigerate at least 4 hours so flavors blend.

Chicken, Crock pot, Dinner, Kid Friendly

Chicken and Veggies (Crock Pot)

October 19, 2010 admin 1 Comment

New chicken recipes for the crock are always welcome in my house ! I love to be able to put a meal together and then walk away and have it ready to eat hours later. This one has all the flavor of a nice chicken soup, but has a thick sauce and is more like a chicken stew. As with any crock recipe, if you like you meat browned (which the crock will not do), either pre-sear it, or at the end place under a hot broiler for just a few minutes.

4 servings
190 calories per serving

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 c potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 carrots, cut in small pieces
½ onion, chopped small
1 rib celery, chopped
½ c frozen lima beans
¾ c water
½ t salt
¼ t pepper
¼ t onion powder
¼ t garlic powder
½ t basil flakes
½ can low fat cream of chicken soup

Place chicken in crock and add vegetables, water, salt, pepper and other spices. Pour soup over the veggies. Cover and cook on high 4 hours.

Kid Friendly, Lunch, MUFAs, Sandwiches

Turkey and Ranch Wrap

October 18, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Simple, quick, and a great tasting lunch wrap.

2 servings
340 calories per serving

1 T light Ranch dressing
1 Whole wheat wrap (80 calorie version by Smart and Delicious)
1 lettuce leaf
6 slices deli turkey breast
2 slices tomato
1 Laughing Cow light cheese wedge
2 avocado slices

Spread the cheese on the wrap then fill with the rest of the ingredients and wrap it up. Here is a video that shows you how to make a wrap that does not leak 🙂

[youtube]ydEdNouwsbI[/youtube]

Dessert, Kid Friendly

My Chocolate Fudge Brownies

October 12, 2010 admin Leave a comment

No matter what brownie recipe I try, I always go back to this one – it is a great recipe that serves up a cakey yet fudgy brownie that does not skimp on the chocolate flavor. The other great thing about this recipe is that is it ONE POT for prep – that’s it. And the baking pan stays clean because you line it with foil.

24 servings
211 calories per serving

1 c walnuts, chopped
2 sticks of butter
2 c semi-sweet chocolate morsels
1 c sugar
4 large eggs
1 t vanilla
1 ¼ c flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 13×9 pan with foil extended over the long side edges so you can grab the foil and pick up the whole brownie after it cools. Melt the butter in a pan on the stove and add chocolate and stir until all melted. Remove from heat and stir in sugar. Then add in eggs one at a time (just stirring with a wooden spoon). Stir in vanilla and then stir in flour in 4 batches. Pour into foil lined pan and sprinkle with walnuts. Bake 20-25 minutes. Do not overcook.

Chicken, Dinner, Kid Friendly

Cheesy Stovetop Chicken and Veggies

October 12, 2010 admin Leave a comment

This is so cheesy that you can’t help but think you’re cheating on your diet – but you’re not ! Not by a long shot ! This is quick and easy to prepare and a great dish that deserves to be added to your permanent recipe box.

4 servings
280 calories per serving

1 T oil
1 lb. chicken tenders
¼ t pepper
¼ t salt
¼ t garlic powder
¼ t onion powder
20 oz. package of broccoli and cauliflower in cheese sauce
3 oz. frozen peas and carrots
2 t basil flakes
¼ c grated parmesan cheese

Heat oil on medium high heat and add chicken and sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook 5 minutes or until brown. Stir in veggies and reduce heat to medium and cook 10 minutes until chicken is done and cheese sauce is melty. Then stir in parmesan and basil and continue cooking on low 3 minutes or so.

Kid Friendly, Lunch, Pork, Sandwiches

BLT Wraps

October 11, 2010 admin 1 Comment

Take something near perfect and make it even perfecter 🙂 The wrap holds in all the goodies unlike the regular old slippery BLT. This is a keeper !!

8 servings
232 calories per serving

½ c fat free mayo
½ c fat free sour cream
2 T ranch dressing mix
¼ t red pepper flakes
8 flour tortilla wraps
16 bacon strips, cooked
3 c shredded lettuce
2 c chopped tomatoes

Combine mayo, sour cream, ranch mix and red pepper. Spread on tortillas and then add bacon, lettuce and tomato and wrap up. To fold a wrap perfectly, check out my video below:
[youtube]ydEdNouwsbI[/youtube]

Dinner, Fish, Kid Friendly

Buttery Baked Shrimp

October 10, 2010 admin 1 Comment

This is a way lower cal version than your typical scampi. Instead of floating in a lake of butter, this shrimp dish takes the scampi flavor profiles and makes it well affordable in terms of calories 🙂 Use next to a pasta or rice dish (like paella) or use atop salads.

4 servings
46 calories per serving

1 lb. peeled, cleaned shrimp
Butter flavored Pam
Molly McButter
I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Spray
½ t salt
1 t garlic powder
1 t parsley flakes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking dish with Pam. Lay the shrimp out without overlapping. Spray with the butter spray then sprinkle with a little bit of the Molly McButter. Finally sprinkle with garlic powder, salt, and parsley and bake 8 minutes or until done. Optionally sprinkle with just a bit of parmesan cheese just before serving.