Pasta and Broccoli

This is a simple, weeknight dinner. Im too tired to go into the details but, there really arent many.

Yields 6 servings.
290 calories per serving.
Recipe from Skinny Taste dot com.

INGREDIENTS
12 oz uncooked pasta (I used whole wheat rotini)
6.5 c broccoli florets
5 cloves garlic, smashed & chopped
1/4 c parmesan cheese, shredded
2 tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS
Bring a pot of water to boil & add pasta & broccoli & cook according to instructions on box for al dente.
When pasta is almost done cooking, reserve 1 c of pasta water & set aside.
Drain pasta & broccoli.

Return the pot to the stove & set heat to high adding 1 tbsp of olive oil.
When hot, add garlic.
Cook until golden, reduce flame to low & add pasta mixture back into the pot.

Mix well & add remaining olive oil, cheese, & salt and pepper.
Add 1/2 c reserved pasta water & mix well.
Top with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

BLT Wrap

This is something that I made for lunch during the week. When I first started doing all of this cooking, ideally I wanted to have 2 separate dishes for lunch during the work week. Im finding that I have leftovers from either the previous week or from Sunday dinner so food was starting to go to waste. Therefore, I started making one lunch a week & eating the leftovers from the week before. This still gives me variation for my lunches at work, which keeps me from eating crappily.

I havent actually tried this dish yet but, Im packing it in my lunch for tomorrow. Also the reason why the photo shows it with the lettuce wrapping as one would eat it.

Yields 2 wraps.
160.7 calories per 2 wraps.
Recipe from Skinny Taste dot com.

INGREDIENTS
4 slices of bacon
1 medium tomato, diced
1 tbsp light mayonnaise
1 large iceberg lettuce leaf, shredded, plus 2 more to wrap salad in
pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS
Combine all ingredients, except 2 leaves of lettuce.
Spoon half of the mixture onto a lettuce leaf & wrap.



Very fast!

Burgers with Roasted Garlic & Rosemary

Another garlic lovers recipe. And it's a really fast one. The only alteration I made to this recipe was broiling the patties for 7 minutes on each side instead of 5. My boyfriend likes his burgers well done. All in all, really delicious and pretty quick. I would make these on a weeknight. Also, I was starving so, I forgot to photograph these. Sorry, guys. :/

Yields 4 burgers.
293 calories per serving.
Recipe from Skinny Taste dot com.

INGREDIENTS
1 whole bulb garlic
1 lb 93% lean ground beef
2 tsp rosemary
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
4 whole wheat hamburger rolls

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400.

Wrap garlic bulb in foil & roast in oven for 45 minutes.
When cool enough to handle peel away foil & squeeze cloves from papery skin into a large bowl.
Add beef, rosemary, salt, & pepper.
Mix well to combine.

Preheat oven to broil.
Shape mixture into 4 patties and place on baking sheet.
Broil for 7 minutes on each side.

Place on hamburger rolls & add condiments of your choice.

_______________

Another random few notes. I toasted our hamburger buns & we ate these with ketchup & brown, spicy mustard.

Lighter Chicken Salad

I love love LOVE chicken salad. My best friend is actually the one who introduced it to me many years ago. I know that that sounds retarded but, in my house growing up, it was always tuna.

I havent actually tried any of this yet this week because I like to let chicken salad sit for a day or two before consumption. I dont know if it's all in my head but it always tastes better after it sits.

This is my first full week off of Nutrisystem lunches so I guess we'll see where I am at the end of the week.

Yields 3 servings.
169.4 calories per serving.
Taken from skinnytaste.com.

INGREDIENTS
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 chicken bullion cube
1/4 onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
3 tbsp light mayonnaise

DIRECTIONS
In a medium saucepan place chicken, half the celery, & half the onion and cover with water (I used about 2 cups.)
Add bullion cube & cook over medium heat covered for about 20 minutes.
Once cooked through remove chicken & let cool.
Reserve chicken broth.

Cut chicken into small pieces & place in a bowl.
Add remaining celery & onions as well as mayonnaise and 1/8 reserved broth.
Mix well.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.



Im anxious to have this for lunch tomorrow!

Skillet Steak With Mushrooms & Onions

Recipe from here.
Yields 4 servings.
95.4 calories per serving.

This was so delicious & so fast! It made me remember how much I love sauted mushrooms.

INGREDIENTS


1/2 lb beef round steaks, cut thin
1/2 large onion, sliced into rings
1/2 tsp olive oil
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
Pam
garlic powder, to taste
salt & pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Slice beef into thin strips. Season with salt, pepper, & garlic powder.

Heat a large skillet over high heat.
Spray with cooking spray & add half of the beef.
Cook for 1 minute, turn steak, & cook for an additional 30 seconds.
Set aside in a large dish.

Spray the skillet again & add the remaining steak, cooking one minute, turning & cooking for 30 more seconds.
Remove from heat & set aside.

Spray skillet once again.
Add onions & season with salt & pepper.
Cook for 90 seconds, until onions are golden.

Lower heat to medium & add olive oil to skillet.
Add mushrooms, salt, & pepper.
Lightly spray with cooking spray.
Cook for 3 minutes.

Add steak to skillet & remove from heat.

Broccoli & Cheddar Potato Skins

Recipe from here.

Serving Size: 2 halves
Calories: 192.7 per serving

INGREDIENTS:


2 medium potatos
spray oil
salt and pepper
2 oz lowfat cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup cooked broccoli florets, chopped



DIRECTIONS:

Pre-heat oven to 450.

Pierce potato with a fork a few times all around.
Place in microwave & cook [use potato setting if your microwave has one or about 5 minutes per potato].

When finished, allow to cool enough to handle.
Cut potatoes in half horizontally.
Scoop out potatoes leaving about 1/4 inch thick wall.

Lightly spray potato skins on both sides with oil.
Season both sides with salt & pepper.
Fill with broccoli & then cheese.
Place on a cookie sheet.
Bake 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Baked Ziti

Recipe from here with a few alterations.

Serving Size: 1/8th
Calories: 331.9 per serving

INGREDIENTS


16oz whole wheat pasta [I used penne because I couldnt find whole wheat ziti]
28 oz crushed tomatoes
1 tsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic,minced
1 tsp oregano
2 tbsp basil
salt & fresh pepper to taste
8 oz fat-free ricotta
1/4 cup Parmesan
2 cups part skim mozzarella
Spray olive oil



DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375.
Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with oil spray.
Cook pasta according to instructions until al dente.
Drain & return to pot.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, add olive oil and sauté garlic.
Add salt/pepper & chopped tomatoes.
Season with basil & oregano.

Add sauce to the pasta and combine.
Add half of the mozzarella, Parmesan, & ricotta. Mix well.
Transfer to the baking pan & spread evenly.
Top with the remaining mozzarella.

Bake for 30 minutes.