Zucchini Salad

There's really not much to this recipe.  I just thought it sounded good.  Also, Im a dolt and didnt realize that I didnt have parmesan cheese so, I substituted reduced fat cheddar jack.

Recipe from Eating Well
Yields 6 servings
135 calories per serving

INGREDIENTS

1/4 c lemon juice

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp salt

2 lbs zucchini, cut into slices about 1/2 in thick

1/3 c parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

Pour olive oil into a large pan & heat over medium high.

Saute zucchini until browned.

Place zucchini into a large bowl.

Pour lemon juice and toss to coat.

Season with salt & pepper & sprinkle cheese over top.

Skinny Pork & Beans

I dont know about you guys but, like any other normal human being, I love bacon.  And when it's worked into a skinny recipe...uh, SCORE.  It's supposed to be pretty cold this week so, I thought that this would be the perfect way to keep warm on the lunch hour.  I will warn you, this dish is a little time consuming.

INGREDIENTS

1 lb bacon, cut into 1 in pieces

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cans canalli beans

1/2 c brown sugar

1/2 c ketchup

2 tsp mustard

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp chili powder

DIRECTIONS

In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp.

Drain bacon on paper towels, reserving drippings in pan.

Cook onion in reserved bacon drippings for about 5 minutes.

In a greased casserole dish, combine beans, bacon, & onion.

In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, ketchup, mustard, garlic powder, & chili powder.

Pour ketchup mixture over beans; stir gently to coat.

Bake at 350 for an hour.

Portobello Mushroom Cap Lasagna

This is not traditional lasagna in that there is no pasta involved.  However, it's not a necessity at all because this dish is so flavorful & filling & perfectly spiced.  It takes a little bit of time but, it's so completely worth it.

Recipe from Better Homes Test Kitchen
Yields 4 servings
215 calories per serving

INGREDIENTS

8 large portobello mushroom caps

1/8 tsp salt

2 14.5 oz cans no-salt diced tomatoes, drained

1/2 c chopped onion

1 c shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

3/4 c low-fat cottage cheese

2 tbsp parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 425.

Place mushroom caps in a baking pan & sprinkle with salt.

Roast for 13 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 350.

Meanwhile, in a large pan combine tomatoes & onions.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat, & simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In a medium bowl combine cottage cheese & mozzarella cheese.

Spoon 1/3 of tomato mixture into the bottom of a casserole dish.

Arrange 4 of the mushroom caps, gill-side up, on top of the tomato mixture.

Spoon cheese mixture on top of each of the mushroom caps.

Spoon another 1/3 of the tomato mixture over top of the filled mushroom caps.

Place the 4 remaining mushroom caps on top of the stuffed mushrooms.

Spoon the rest of the tomato mixture over top of that & sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes.

Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

I made for Thanksgiving and it was kind of lucky because I didnt realize that I was cooking until the day before. I had pulled this recipe for myself for dinner for this past week & it was fitting. I ended up doubling it because I was feeding two men and myself & mashed potatoes tend to go quickly in my family.

Recipe from BHG dot com
Yields 4 servings.
281 calories per serving.

INGREDIENTS

2 lbs red skinned potatoes, cut into cubes

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

1/2 c whipping cream

1/3 c shredded cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350.

In a large pot cook potatoes for 15 - 20 minutes, until tender.

Drain & place into a large bowl.

Beat with an electric mixer on low speed.

Season with salt & pepper.

Grease a casserole dish & spoon potatoes into dish.

In a chilled medium bowl, beat whipping cream with chilled beaters of an electric beater on medium speed until soft peaks form & fold in cheese.

Spoon cheese mixture over potatoes.

Bake for 20 minutes & sprinkle with additional pepper.

Garlic Bacon Mushrooms

Garlic, bacon, mushrooms AND skinny?  Uh, yes please!

Recipe from Eating Well
Yields 4 servings
95 calories per serving

INGREDIENTS

2 slices bacon, chopped

1.5 lbs mushrooms, sliced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/4 tsp salt

Black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until just beginning to brown, about 4 minutes.

Add mushrooms, garlic, salt, & pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.

Fast, easy, & delicious -- just the way a side dish should be!

Skinny Beef Mac & Cheese

As you guys know, Im a Sunday dinner nut.  I dont care if Im cooking for a group or for only myself, I love to make a pretty big meal on Sundays.  With it being as cold as it's been lately, I took the opportunity to make something warm & hearty with a low calorie count.  Also, a note : this recipe calls for light alfredo sauce & I forgot to put it on my list (like a brainiac!) so, I used the light spaghetti sauce I had in my fridge.

Recipe from Skinny Kitchen dot com
Yields 6 servings
277 calories per serving

INGREDIENTS

6 oz whole wheat penne

1/2 lb lean ground beef

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 c zucchini, chopped

1 c onion, chopped

10 oz light alfredo or red sauce

1/2 c fat-free cottage cheese

1 c grape tomatoes, sliced in half

Black pepper, to taste

1/2 c reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese

INGREDIENTS

Preheat oven to 350.

Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray.

Cook pasta according to box directions & drain.

In a large skillet, cook & break up ground beef over medium-high heat for 5 minutes.

Stir in fresh garlic & continue to cook for 2 minutes (or until beef is browned).

In the meantime, place zucchini & onion in a microwave safe bowl.

Cook in the microwave for 4 minutes, until soft.

Add to pan of beef.

Stir in cooked pasta, sauce, cottage cheese, tomato, & season with pepper.

Mix well & spoon into prepared dish.

Sprinkle cheese over top of casserole.

Bake for 20 - 25 minutes.

Tuna Salad Pita

I know that I made tuna salad last week but, it was so tasty that I had to try something else tuna related.  What I did with these was make the salad, assemble the pitas, wrap each with aluminum foil, & place them in a large freezer bag in my fridge for quick grab & go in the morning.

Recipe from BHG dot com
Yields 3 sandwiches
228 calories per sandwich

INGREDIENTS

1 can tuna, in water

1 hard boiled egg, chopped

1/4 c celery, chopped

2 tbsp light mayonnaise

1 tbsp mustard

3 pita bread halves

DIRECTIONS

In a bowl combine tuna, egg, celery, mayonnaise, & mustard.

Place tuna mix into each pita & enjoy!

Veggie Egg Salad

I do love egg salad & often it's so fattening & calorie-filled that it's not worth eating.  I stumbled across this recipe & thought Id give it a try for a work lunch.

Recipe from Delish
Yields 4 servings
135 calories per serving

INGREDIENTS

3 tbsp non-fat plain yogurt

3 tbsp light mayonnaise

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/8 tsp salt

8 hard boiled eggs

1/2 c carrot, chopped

1/2 c cucumber, chopped

1/4 c scallions, sliced

DIRECTIONS

Combine yogurt, mayonnaise, salt, & pepper in a medium bowl.

Halve eggs & discard 4 of the yolks.

Add whites & the remaining yolks to the bowl & mash to desired consistency.

Stir in carrot, cucumber, & scallions.

Herbed Chicken Breast

This is probably one of the tastiest things Ive made in a while.  It was crunchy & flavorful, not to mention fast and low in calories.  I roasted some veggies along with it & it was the perfect, filling meal.

Recipe from BHG dot com
Yields 4 servings
275 calories per serving

INGREDIENTS

1/3 c parsley

1 tbsp oregano

1 tbsp garlic, chopped

3 tbsp margarine

4 chicken breast halves, skinless & boneless

1/4 c chicken broth, low-sodium

Salt & pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

In a small bowl still together all herbs.

Season chicken with salt & pepper.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt margarine.

Cook chicken in margarine for 6 minutes until browned, turning once.

Transfer to a plate.

Remove skillet from heat & stir in half the herb mixture.

Return to heat & add broth.

Bring to a boil stirring to scrape up browned bits.

Place chicken back in skillet & reduce heat.

Cover & simmer for 8 minutes.

Remove chicken from skillet & sprinkle with remaining herbs.

Green Beans with Creamy Garlic Sauce

Green beans & garlic together?  Absolutely!  I served this along side of ham & potatoes au gratin.  It seemed pretty perfect & it sure was.  I added extra garlic powder because Im a junkie for it.

Recipe from Eating Well
Yields 4 servings
84 calories per serving

INGREDIENTS

1 lb green beans, trimmed & cut into 1 inch pieces

1 tbsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 c non-fat plain yogurt

1 tbsp olive oil

Black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

Bring a pot of water to boil & add green beans.

Cook for 8 minutes.

Drain & rinse with cold water.

In a small bowl, whisk garlic powder, salt, yogurt, olive oil, & pepper together.

Pour over green beans & toss to coat.

Serve cold.

Ham & Potatoes Au Gratin

I have no idea how this much deliciousness has so few calories.  As soon as I saw that I was SOLD.  This is a crockpot recipe so it does take a little while to cook but, it's SO worth the wait.

Recipe from BHG dot com
Yields 6 servings
255 calories per serving

INGREDIENTS

2 c cubed ham

2 pkgs dry au gratin potato mix

1/4 c red pepper, chopped

1 can condensed cheddar cheese soup

3 c water

DIRECTIONS

Place slow cooker liner in crockpot.

Place ham, potato mix (& seasoning packets), & pepper in crock pot.

In a medium bowl, gradually stir the water into the soup.

Pour over mixture in slow cooker.

Cover & cook for 7 - 8 hours on low or 3 - 4 hours on high.

Confetti Spaghetti Salad

Yet another quick & easy lunch recipe.  Hooray for grab & go!

Recipe from Betty Crocker
Yields 8 servings
190 calories per serving

INGREDIENTS

7 oz uncooked wheat spaghetti, broken into thirds

2 c frozen mixed veggies

1/4 c red onion, chopped

1 medium tomato, chopped

1/2 c Italian dressing (oil based)

DIRECTIONS

Bring a pot on water to boil.

Place spaghetti & veggies in together & cook for 7 minutes.

Drain & rinse with cold water.

Place spaghetti & veggies into a large bowl.

Add onion, tomato & dressing.

Toss to coat.

Tuna Salad

Tuna salad is so classic for lunch.  When I found this one I thought it great that it was so low & calories & sounded so delicious.  It's nothing to fancy but, it works for the work week.

Recipe is from Delish dot com.
Yields 4 servings.
135 calories per serving.

INGREDIENTS

2 cans tuna, in water

3 stalks celery, chopped

1 medium carrot, chopped

1/2 medium red pepper, chopped

1/4 c light mayonnaise

3 tbsp non-fat plain yogurt

1 tbsp lemon juice

Black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

Combine all ingredients in a bowl.

Best served cold

Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins

I havent baked anything on a Saturday morning in a few weeks because things have been busy for me lately. So, this morning I decided to go ahead & do so.  These muffins are kind of plain unless you put a little bit of margarine on them but, I think theyd be good as a part of breakfast during the week.  Im actually going to give that a shot this week in place of my usual granola bar.

Recipe from Spark People
Yields 12 muffins
93.5 calories per muffin

INGREDIENTS

1 c old fashioned rolled oats (not instant)

1 c skim milk

1 c whole wheat flour

1/2 c brown sugar

1/2 c unsweetened applesauce

2 egg whites

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp sugar

Handful of walnuts

DIRECTIONS

Soak the oats in the milk for an hour

Preheat oven to 400.

Spray muffin tin with cooking spray.

Combine the oat mixture with applesauce & egg whites; mix until combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients.

Add wet ingredients to dry & mix until just combined.

Add nuts.

Spoon mixture into muffin tin.

Bake for 20 minutes.

Fresh Tomato & Chicken Pizza

I dont know about you guys but, I love love love pizza.  When I stumbled across this recipe with such a low calorie count & HUGE portions, I was a happy gal!  This is also a very quick assembly which makes it perfect to make on a weeknight.

Recipe from Spark People

Yields 4 servings

180.8 calories per serving

INGREDIENTS

Olive oil cooking spray

1 pkg refrigerated pizza dough

3 medium plum tomatoes, sliced

4 oz chicken, cooked & sliced up

3 tbsp basil

black pepper & garlic powder, to taste

1 c low-fat mozzarella cheese, shredded

DIRECTIONS

Pre heat oven to 425.

Spray baking sheet with cooking spray.

Unroll dough onto pan & form onto pan.

Arrange tomato slices & chicken on dough.

Add basil, pepper, & garlic powder.

Top with mozzarella.

Bake for 20 minutes.

Vegetable Stir Fry

This is exactly what it sounds like.  It's pretty easy & the most prep you really have to do is slice some veggies, which is simple.

Recipe is from Better Homes
Yields 2 servings
188 calories per serving

INGREDIENTS

Olive oil cooking spray

1/2 cup carrots, sliced into 1/4 in pieces

1/2 medium zucchini, sliced

1/2 green pepper, cut into strips

4 oz sliced mushrooms

3 scallions, cut into 1 in pieces

2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce

garlic powder, to taste

DIRECTIONS

Preheat a skillet over medium high heat; add oil.

Add carrot pieces & stir fry for 2 minutes.

Add zucchini & stir-fry for 2 more minutes.

Add green pepper, mushrooms, & scallions; cook for another minute.

Add soy sauce & garlic powder & stir until vegetables are coated with sauce.

Spinach Pasta Salad

Garlic, cheese, & pasta!  Oh my!  That's all I could think when I saw this recipe.  And how perfect for a work week lunch.

Recipe from Better Homes

Yields 6 servings

227 calories per serving

INGREDIENTS

8 oz whole wheat penne

1 c spinach leaves

1/4 c basil

2 cloves garlic, quartered

2 tbsp parmesan cheese, shredded

salt & pepper, to taste

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp water

1/2 light salad dressing (I used Ranch)

DIRECTIONS

Cook pasta according to package.

Drain & set aside.

Meanwhile, in a food processor combine spinach, basil, garlic, cheese, salt, & pepper.

Add oil & water; cover & blend until nearly smooth.

Add dressing & stir.

Add spinach mixture to pasta & toss until well coated.

Cover & chill for at least 4 hours.

Creamy Mashed Cauliflower

I had always heard of this but never actually had the chance to make it.  It was so fast & easy.  No, it doesnt taste JUST like mashed potatoes but it was sure damned good.  Again, I got to use my Ninja which made me a happy gal!

Recipe from Eating Well
Yields 4 servings
107 calories per serving

INGREDIENTS

1 head of cauliflower, chopped into bite-size florets

4 cloves garlic, crushed & peeled

1/3 c skim milk

4 tsp olive olive

1 tsp margarine

salt & pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Place cauliflower florets & garlic in a large pot of water.

Cook for 15 minutes, until very tender.

Place cooked cauliflower & garlic into a blender.

Add milk, olive oil, margarine, salt, & pepper.

Blend until smooth.

Spaghetti with Creamy Butternut Scallion Parmesan Sauce

I dont know about any of you but, Im pretty wild about squash.  This seemed ideal for a Sunday night dinner & plus, for the first time in a few months, I got to use my Ninja blender / food processor that my very thoughtful boyfriend gave me for Xmas 2 years ago.  I love that sucker.

Recipe from Skinny Taste dot com
Yields 4 servings
266 calories per serving

INGREDIENTS

1 lb butternut squash, peeled & diced

1 tbsp margarine

8 oz whole wheat spaghetti

4 scallions, cut into 1 in pieces

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 c parmesan cheese, shredded

salt & pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

Bring a pot of water to boil.

Add squash & cook until soft, about 9 minutes.

Remove squash with a slotted spoon & place into food processor; blend until smooth.

Add pasta to the boiling water & cook al dente.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt the margarine, saute garlic & scallions over medium-low heat for 5 - 6 mintues, until golden brown.

Add pureed squash & season with salt & pepper.

Stir in parmesan cheese & pour over pasta.