Homemade Biscuits

Another recipe from one of my new cookbooks. I served this with the meat sauce I made last night & these were perfect for dipping. I actually altered the recipe a little because I didnt have buttermilk & thought that these should be a little more garlic-y; mostly because they were served with Italian.

Yields 12 servings.
208 calories per serving.
Recipe from Secrets Of A Skinny Chef.


INGREDIENTS
3.5 c whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 paprika
10 tbsp margarine, cut into 1 in pieces
1 c 1% milk
Olive oil spray
Garlic powder

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400.

Place the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, & paprika in a bowl & mix well.
Add the margarine & stir well until pea size crumbs form. (This step was a pain in the ass because I used a whisk like an idiot.)
Add the milk & use an electric hand blender until dough forms.

Form 12 balls & place on a cookie sheet greased with cooking spray.
Spray the top of each ball with olive oil spray & sprinkle with garlic powder.
Bake 15 - 20 minutes until rolls are baked through.

Spaghetti & Meat Sauce

This is another recipe from one of my new cookbooks Cook Yourself Thin, Faster. We havent had spaghetti together ever & I thought that it was rather fitting. This meat sauce was so good.

I altered the recipe a bit because my boyfriend really is not a big fan of onions & Im not a fan of eggplant so those were omitted.

Yields 6 servings.
181 calories per serving.
Recipe from How To Cook Yourself Thin, Faster.

INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 lb 93% lean ground beef
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 cloves garlic, peeled & chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp oregano
Pinch of cayenne
4 c tomato sauce
Pinch of sugar
1/2 lb whole wheat spaghetti

DIRECTIONS
Heat the oil in a large pan over medium high heat.
Add the beef and cook, stirring frequently, until the meat is browned.
Season with half the salt & pepper.
Remove the meat into a small bowl & set aside, leaving a tbsp of drippings from fat in the pan.

Lower heat slightly & add garlic & carrots.
Stir frequently until golden brown.
Season with remaining salt & pepper, herbs, & cayenne.
Stir in tomato sauce & sugar.

Return meat to the pot.
Stir, bring to a boil, cover, & lower the heat to simmer.
Simmer for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile cook pasta according to directions on the box.
Serve sauce over pasta.

Cauliflower Gratin

This was the side dish I served with the basil chicken. It helped the meal to be very filling. All three of us had one serving & were done. This wasnt incredibly fast but, it sure was delicious.

Yields 4 servings.
185 calories per serving.
Recipe from Eating Well dot com.

INGREDIENTS
4 c cauliflower florets (about 1/2 large head)
1.5 c skim milk
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c dry breadcrumbs
3/4 c sharp cheddar, shredded
1/2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp flour
1 tsp mustard
1/4 tsp pepper

DIRECTIONS
Preheat broiler.

Bring cauliflower, 1 1/4 c milk, & salt to a boil over medium-high heat.
Reduce heat, cover & simmer for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine breadcrumbs, 1/4 c cheese, & oil in a small bowl.
Whisk flour & remaining 1/4 c milk in another small bowl until smooth.
Stir mixture in the pan & cook, stirring until thickened.
Stir in remaining 1/2 c cheese, mustard, & pepper.
Sprinkle with the bread crumb mixture.

Broil 1 - 2 minutes.

Basil-Tomato Chicken

My darling friend Sarah was on leave from the Navy. Our original plan was to have some drinks & watch a movie; just have a mellow night. Unfortunately, time became rather limited so I decided that Id make her some dinner instead.

This is a recipe that Id meant to make earlier in the week but, didnt have the time for. So, in a way, the time constraint was a blessing in disguise.

Yields 4 servings.
170 calories per serving.
Recipe from daily emails.

INGREDIENTS
1.5 lbs chicken breast
Non-stick cooking spray
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 c basil
14.5 oz can no-salt added diced tomatoes
10 oz spinach, washed
2 tbsp parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS
Cut chicken into strips.
Coat an unheated skillet with cooking spray.

Cook and stir chicken in skillet for 5 minutes.
Sprinkle with salt & pepper.
Add tomatoes and basil; heat through (about 5 minutes).
Remove from heat.

Add spinach; toss until wilted.
Sprinkle with cheese.



This was a fast dish, ideal for a weeknight.

Asparagus with Red Peppers

I made this as a dinner side last night. It's not my most favourite thing that Ive made but still tasty, quick, & simple.

Yields 10 servings.
56 calories per serving.
Not sure where the recipe is from.

INGREDIENTS
3 lbs fresh asparagus
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lg onion, quartered & thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c red pepper, finely diced
1/4 tsp salt
1 hard boiled egg

DIRECTIONS
Cut and discard bases from asparagus & set aside.

In a large skillet, combine asparagus and a small amount of water.
Bring to a boil, cover, & cook for 3 minutes.
Drain well, set aside, & drizzle 1 tbsp of olive oil over.

Meanwhile, in a separate skillet, cook onion, garlic, & remaining tbsp of olive oil.
Stir in red pepper & salt.
Spoon onto of asparagus.

Dice hard boiled egg & sprinkle over top.
Serve warm.



I ended up tossing all of this together because I wanted the flavors to mix a little more. Next time I make this, Ill probably cut the asparagus in half to make it a little easier to eat as a side dish.

Garlic Mustard Green Beans

I actually meant to make this as a side for our dinner last night but Id forgotten about it. Instead, I made it tonight as my dinner & a side for my fella. To me, this is more than enough as a main dish because it's full of protein. I also must say that the garlic & mustard together is quite a nice taste; a new one for me.

Id call this a quick dinner for a weeknight despite the fact that trimming that many green beans are the bane of my existence. That's how much I love green beans, though.

Recipe from BHG.com
Yields 12 servings.
41 calories per serving.

INGREDIENTS
2.5 lbs fresh green beans
3 slices of bacon (I used center cut; less fat!)
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 tsp brown mustard
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt

DIRECTIONS
Wash & trim green beans.
Cover & cook in a large saucepan with a small amount of boiling water.
Drain beans, rinse with cold water, & set aside.

Meanwhile, cook bacon in a skillet until crisp.
Remove bacon from pan, reserving drippings, and drain on a paper towel.
Crumble & set aside.

Cook onion & garlic in bacon drippings over medium heat for 3 minutes.
Stir in mustard, pepper, & salt.
Cook for about 30 more seconds.

Pour onion mixture over beans & toss.
Sprinkle with bacon.

Parmesan Rolls

With the kielbasa dish that I made tonight, I felt like biscuits were the perfect side dish on this cool fall evening. Ive found quite a fondness for making biscuits from scratch. I may actually try bread next, or eventually. Haha.

Recipe from Self.com.
Yields 13 rolls.
143 calories per serving.

INGREDIENTS
3/4 c 1% milk
2 tbsp olive oil
3 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1 c parmesan
1 tsp black pepper

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400.

Bring 3/4 c water, milk, & oil to a boil.
Combine flour & salt in a bowl.
Add liquid & stir until mixture resembles a thick paste.

When dough is cool enough to touch, add egg & knead until fully absorbed.
Add parmesan & pepper & knead to combine.

Dust work surface with flour and roll dough into a 1 inch thick log.
Slice into 11 pieces & place on a cookie sheet that's been coated with cooking spray.
Bake for 20 minutes.