Yes, We Cook!

There’s always room for pasta.  We all love it. Even low-carbers hate the fact they dream about it.  So here’s another way to satiate that desire.  This was a nice change of pace from the traditional layered dish but was just as filling.

Lasagna:

8 uncooked lasagna noodles

4 tsp olive oil

1/2 c finely chopped onion

1-8 0z pkge sliced mushrooms

1-6 oz pkge baby spinach

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 c mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/2 c part skim ricotta cheese

1/4 c minced fresh basil, divided

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

Sauce:

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 (7 oz) bottle roasted red bell peppers, undrained

1/8 tsp crushed red pepper

1. For lasagna, cook noodles according to package direction, omitting salt and fat. Drain and rinse with cold water.

2. Heat oil in skillet over med-high heat.  Add onion, mushroom, spinach and garlic – saute for 5 mins or until veggies are tender.  Remove from heat and stir in cheeses, 2 tbsp basil, salt and red pepper.

3. For sauce, place your sauce ingredients into a blender and  process until smooth.

4. Place cooked noodles on flat surface; spread 1/3 c cheese mixture over each noodle.  Roll up noodles, jelly-roll fashion, starting with short side.  Place rolls, seam-side down, in a shallow 2 qt microwave safe dish.  Pour 1/4 c sauce over each roll and cover with heavy duty plastic wrap.  Microwave at HIGH 5 mins and sprinkle with remaining basil.  Makes 4 servings of 2 rolls each.

As you can see the sauce, at first, was more watery than I anticipated but I had to let it sit for a bit.  The sauce was fine after a few more minutes.  The rolls were also a bit ‘flatter’ than I expected.  Other than that the taste was great!  I’m sure you can substitute some of the veggies for a meat if you wanted more substance to them.  I served this was a side of sauteed asparagus – yum!   If only I had gelato. . . .

Nutritional Information:

Calories: 393

Fat: 11.7 g

Protein: 19.3 g

Carbohydrate: 58.3 g

Fiber: 5.9 g

Cholesterol: 20 mg

Sodium: 924 mg

Here is one delicious quick and easy recipe that is a sure-fire crowd pleaser – especially if you love pork chops.  This has a light but flavorful breading – crisp on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside.  You cannot go wrong with this

1/3 c flour

1/8 tsp salt

3 tbsp Italian-seasoned bread crumbs

3 tbsp preshredded fresh Parmesan cheese

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 large egg white, lightly beaten

4 – 4 oz boneless center cut pork chops (about 1/2 thick)

2 tsp olive oil

1/2 c fat free less sodium chicken broth

1 tbsp dry white wine

1/4 tsp grated lemon rind

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 tsp capers, rinsed and drained

1. Combine flour and salt in a shallow dish.  Place breadcrumbs, cheese, and pepper in a shallow dish; place egg white in another shallow dish.  Dredge pork in flour mixture, dip in egg white, and dredge in breadcrumb mixture.  Coat pork with cooking spray.

2. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat.  Add pork to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until done.  Remove from pan; keep warm.  Add broth and remaining ingredients to pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.  Cook 2 minutes or until reduced to 1/4 cup (about 2 mins).  Serve with pork.  Yields 4 servings.

I know the pork appears a little burnt but it certainly didn’t taste that way.  The recipe didn’t have a picture so I wasn’t quite sure how it was going to look but the taste was amazing!  I served it with orzo (splashed with some fresh lemon juice, salt, and parsley) and garlic-red pepper broccoli.  I had my son help me make this dinner so I *think* that’s why he enjoyed every bite of it – even the broccoli

Nutritional Information (pork only):

Calories: 256

Fat: 10.1 g

Protein: 28.2 g

Carbohydrate: 11.5 g

Fiber: 0.7 g

Cholesterol: 68 mg

Sodium: 419 mg

With all the previous potato talk – here’s another way to enjoy our favorite starch!  I came across this recipe and knew I had to try this.  Just think. . .you can take your poultry or mashed potato leftovers and turn them into some fried goodness  I think I’m salivating again. . .

Hash Cakes:

2 c chopped shiitake mushroom caps

1 garlic clove, minced

2 c chopped cooked chicken/turkey

2 c mashed cooked baking potatoes

3/4 c panko bread crumbs

1/2 c shredded Cheddar cheese

1/3 c thinly sliced green onions

1.5 tbsp finely chopped fresh thyme

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black peppper

1 tbsp canola oil

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Coat pan with cooking spray.  Add mushrooms and garlic to pan; saute 5 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently.  Combine mushroom mixture, chicken, potatoes, 1/4 c panko, and next 5 ingredients in a large bowl.  Divide mixture into 8 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2 in thick patty.  Refrigerate 10 minutes.  Dredge patties in remaining 1/2 c panko.

2. Heat 1.5 tsp oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the patties and cook  2 minutes on each side – you might need to do this in batches.  Yields 4 servings (2 patties each).

***I served this with a side of broccoli (2 cloves minced garlic and 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper – sauteed with broccoli — you can also use broccolini – and simmered with 1/2 c water, covered, for about 6-7  minutes) and cranberry sauce.

This was so delicious!  That’s all I have to say about this.

Nutritional Information:

Calories: 263

Fat: 10 g

Protein: 25.1 g

Carbohydrate: 18.2 g

Fiber: 2.2 g

Cholesterol: 68 g

Sodium: 556 mg

This looked intriguing and since I had been turned on to the use of kale in various recipes I decided to give this a shot.  I love onion – it doesn’t matter what kind – because I think it does so much for flavor and so the sweet onion here turned out to be a great flavor combination with the kale and swiss cheese.

What you’ll need:

1 large sweet onion

1 lb very lean ground beef (the leaner the better)

1. 5 tsp garlic powder

4 slices low fat swiss cheese

8 red or green kale leaves, stems removed

2 tsp olive oil

4 – texas toast, toasted

1.  Peel and cut onion into 4 – 1/4 in thick slices.  Shape meat loosely into 4 1/2 thick patties; sprinkle with garlic powder, 1/3 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Press one onion slice into the center of each patty and shape meat around onion until top of onion is flush with the surface of the meat patty (this was really tricky for me).

2. Place meat, onion side up on the rack of an uncovered grill and cook to desired doneness, turning once halfway through.  Brush kale leaves lightly with oil and add to grill the last minute or so of grilling.

3. To serve, place two kale leaves and slice of cheese atop each bread slice.  Top with a burger, onion side up and serve with choice of side (I did sweet potato fries).  Makes 4 servings.

1. I could have melted the cheese on the kale in the oven for a minute or two.

2. The onion didn’t completely grill the way I would have liked.

But overall, the taste was a success.  Just keep in mind that this is definitely a fork and knife type burger

Nutritional Information:

Calories: 321

Total fat: 10 g

Cholesterol: 78 mg

Sodium: 387 mg

Carbohydrate: 22 g

Fiber: 2 g

Protein: 34 g

I needed something quick and easy before I started work and so I came across this recipe.  Sometimes pastas can come out a bit bland or the sauce too “tomato-ey” or overpowering.  Between the sweet Italian sausage, the three cheeses, and the additional herbs – even my young  son (who has turned out to be my worst critic, go figure) can’t get enough!

Your supplies:

2.5 c uncooked whole wheat penne

2 (4 oz) links sweet turkey Italian sausage

1 c finely chopped green bell pepper

1.5 tsp dried Italian seasoning

1 tsp crushed red pepper

1/8 tsp black pepper

dash of salt

10 grape/cherry tomatoes, halved

1 garlic clove, minced

1 (8-0z) can garlic and herb tomato sauce

3/4 c shredded part skim mozzarella cheese

1/2 c crumbled goat cheese

1/4 c grated Parmesan

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain and keep warm.

3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Coat pan with spray.  Remove casings from sausage.  Add sausage and cook 2 minutes, stirring to crumble.  Add bell pepper and next 6 ingredients; saute for 6 minutes or until pepper is tender.  Stir in tomato sauce.  Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.  Add pasta to pan, tossing to coat.

4. Spoon mixture into a prepped 8 in square baking dish.  Stir in mozzarella and goat cheeses; sprinkle with Parmesan.  Bake for 7 minutes or until bubbly and top is browned. Makes 6 (1. 25 c) servings.

Nutritional Information:

Calories: 326

Fat: 10.9 g

Protein: 20.8 g

Carbohydrate: 38.9 g

Fiber: 4.9 g

Cholesterol: 47 mg

Sodium: 641 mg

I really wanted seafood last night and I am so glad I came across these two recipes because I was NOT disappointed. I also had leftover Gruyere cheese and was longing to use it.  The sweetness of the bay scallops with the cheesy tenderness of the gratin was quite satisfying!  I had never had turnips before (or at least that I can remember) and now I’m turned on to the possibilities of actually incorporating turnips into a semi-regular ingredient for my meals.  Who knew!

For zee scallops:

2 tbsp butter

2 bay leaves

1.5 lbs bay scallops (remember these are sweeter that the bigger sea scallops)

1/2 tsp salt

1.5 tsp fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs

1 tsp grated lemon rind

chopped fresh chives

1. Place butter and bay leaves in a small saucepan over medium-low heat; cook until butter melts.  Remove from heat and let stand 30 minutes. Skim solids off the top and discard along with bay leaves.

2. Lightly coat scallops with cooking spray.  Heat a large, heavy skillet (I used my cast iron) over high heat.  Cook the scallops in 2 batches for about 1 minute each.  Place in a bowl.  Sprinkle scallops with salt.  Add juice and 1/2 the butter to scallops; toss to coat.

3. Combine panko and remaining butter.  Heat pan over medium-low heat.  Add panko mixture to pan and cook 2 minutes until golden brown.  Remove from pan.

4. Place 1/3 c scallops into a ramekin.  Sprinkle with panko, lemon rind, and chives.  Makes 8 servings.

Your turnip-potato gratin:

1.25 lbs turnips, peeled, and cut into 1/8 in thick slices (I used a mandoline slicer)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

3/4 lb baking potato, peeled, and cut into 1/8 thick slices

3/4 c Gruyere grated, divided

3/4 c fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth

1. Place turnips in a medium saucepan; cover with water.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes.  Remove, drain, and pat dry.

2. Preheat oven to 350.

3. Arrange 1/3 turnips in a 2 qt prepped baking dish; sprinkle with 1/3 salt and pepper each.  Arrange half of potato over turnip.  Sprinkle 6 tbsp cheese evenly over the potato.  Arrnage 1/3 turnips and sprinkle again with 1/3 salt and pepper each.  Arrange remaining potato and then turnips last.  Sprinkle remaining salt and pepper and pour broth over the whole dish.  Cover with foil, pressing foil onto turnip slices.  Bake for 1 hr.

4. Preheat broiler.

5. Uncover and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Broil for about 8 minutes.  Makes 8 servings.

Let me tell, ya – this meal was fabulous!  At first I was nervous when I dug into the gratin because the bottom was watery.  But it just needed time to sit and soak it all in.  I never really wait till my food cools down to try it so the first bite was excellent.  And don’t worry it is cheesy enough.  I was wondering how 3/4 c cheese would make this an actual “gratin” but the flavor was definitely there.  I know I encourage to make the dishes I post but if you enjoy scallops DO THIS ONE!

Nutritional Information:

Nantucket Bay Scallops:

Calories: 107

Fat: 3.6 g

Protein: 14.6 g

Carbohydrate: 3.4 g

Fiber: 0.1 g

Cholesterol: 36 mg

Sodium: 280 mg

Eastham Turnip-Potato Gratin:

Calories: 96

Fat: 3.4 g

Protein: 4.7 g

Carbohydrate: 12.4 g

Fiber: 1.9 g

Cholesterol: 11 mg

Sodium: 243 mg

I love Mexican food.  When I was pregnant I literally ate tacos almost everyday for the first 3 months.  Funny that I never really branched out from that until much later.  I wanted to grill steak but not necessarily do a carne asada (although that is muy delicioso) so I found the following recipe and am sure glad I did!  I also wanted to make a side of rice and salad to go with this so keep reading!

Southwest steak:

1/4 c lime juice

1/4 c bottled steak sauce

1/4 c salsa (whichever level of spiciness you prefer)

1 tbsp canola oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

1 lb boneless beef top sirloin steak, cut 1 in thick

1. For marinade, in a small saucepan combine all seasoning ingredients and bring to boiling.  Reduce heat.  Simmer, uncovered for 5 mins, stirring occasionally; cool.

2. Place steak in a resealable plastic bag and set in a shallow dish. Pour marinade over steak and place in fridge 8-24 hrs.  (Mine sat for about 19-20 hrs) Turn bag occasionally.

3. When ready place meat on grill and cook to desired doneness, turning once halfway through grilling.

4. Thinly slice, as Rick Bayless says (sorry just saw a recent tweet), ALWAYS against the grain!

Your Red Rice side:

2-3 tbsp olive oil

1 sm onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 c long grain white rice

1 tsp achiote powder (this you can find in a Mexican store, I found a Mexican seasoning at a local farmers market which was wonderful!  Just make sure what you end up using isn’t just a plain chile powder or something like that)

1 bay leaf

2 c canned crushed tomatoes (***I used ones with sweet onion in them***)

2.5 c low sodium chicken broth

1. Heat oil in med saucepan over med-high heat and add onions and garlic until soft, about 2 minutes.

2.  Add rice, seasoning powder, and bay leaf and cook until rice is opaque, about 2 minutes.

3. Add tomatoes and broth and bring to boiling.  Reduce heat to med-low and simmer until liquid evaporates and is just below level of the rice.  Simmer, covered, on low for about 20-25 mins. Yields 4-6 servings.

Tomato with Avocado Salsa:

1/2 lg avocado, diced

2 tsp fresh lime juice

1/8 tsp salt

1 medium Anaheim or poblano pepper, seeded and ribs removed, finely chopped

2 tbsp snipped fresh cilantro

1 lg tomato, cut into 5 slices

1.25 tsp fresh lime juice

In a medium bowl, stir together the avocado, 2 tsp lime juice, salt, pepper and cilantro.  Be sure the avocado is coated with the lime juice to prevent discoloration.

For each serving, place avocado mixture over tomato slice(s).  Sprinkle with additional lime juice.

And here you have it!

Oh yeah. . .don’t forget your warmed up tortilla (I used whole wheat) and additional leafy greens!  The meat came out so incredibly tender – it was perfect.  The avocado/tomato had just the right amount of tang and the rice had really good flavor (I believe the crushed tomato with sweet onion did the trick).  All in all – this was a very delicious and satisfying meal for that Mexican craving.

Nutritional Information:

Southwest Steak:

Calories: 200

Total Fat: 9 g

Cholesterol: 69 mg

Protein: 25 mg

Carbohydrate: 5 g

Fiber: 1 g

Sodium: 385 mg

Tomato with Avocado Salsa:

Calories: 49

Total Fat: 3. 5 g

Cholesterol: 0

Sodium: 67 mg

Carbohydrate: 5 g

Fiber: 2 g

Protein: 1 g

Sorry, I do not have the information for the red rice side as this was not made available.

It was time to do brunch again and I really wanted to do something different.  ZenChef inspired me as he has used Gruyere in tarts before.  If you like to branch out in your cheeses Gruyere is also wonderful as a dessert cheese and melts well for sauces and fondues (just a side note if you didn’t know this already!).  So here you are. . .

For the Bread Pudding:

4 large egg whites

4 large eggs

1 c skim milk

2 tbsp dijon mustard

1/4 tsp ground pepper

1 tsp fresh minced rosemary

4 c whole grain bread (I left the crusts on) cut up in 1 in cubes

5 c chopped spinach wilted

1/2 c chopped jarred roasted red peppers

1 c diced ham steak (5 oz)

3/4 c shredded Gruyere

1. Preheat oven to 375 and prep your 2-2.5 qt baking dish.  Whisk eggs, egg whites and milk and then add your seasonings; whisk.

2. Toss your bread, spinach, peppers, and ham in a large bowl.  Add your egg mixture and toss well to coat. Transfer to baking dish and press down to compact.  Cover with foil.

3. Bake for 40-45 mins; uncover and top with cheese.  Bake for 20 minutes more.  Cool on wire rack.  Makes 8 servings.

For Kale and Potato Hash:

8 c torn kale

2 tbsp horseradish

1 med shallot, minced

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

1/4 tsp salt

2 c cooked shredded potato

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1. Place kale in large microwave safe bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Wilt – about 3 mins.  Drain and finely chop.

2. Mix the rest of the seasoning ingredients and add potato and kale.

3. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat.  Evenly layer your hash and cook until potato is crisp and golden brown, about 12-15 minutes. (The ingredients above yield 4 servings so I doubled the recipe.)

Sunday brunch!

To offset the two dishes we whipped up some buttery pancakes and made homemade whipped cream topped with strawberries (sigh).  This was delicious!

Nutritional Information:

Bread Pudding:

Calories: 276

Carbohydrates: 25 g

Protein: 21 g

Fat: 10 g

Cholesterol: 169 mg

Fiber: 3 g

Sodium: 746 mg

For Kale and Potato Hash:

Calories: 240

Carbohydrates: 30 g

Protein: 6 g

Fat: 12 g

Cholesterol: 0

Fiber: 5 g

Sodium: 244 mg

(Oh I have so many things to post. . .) I know everyone has their own version of this dish as it is comfort food at its finest.  I loved the fact that with this recipe you made the noodles yourself, which was surprisingly, not difficult!  Feel free to vary the recipe and let me know how it goes.

You’ll need:

1/2 c all purpose flour, plus more as needed

1/2 large beaten egg

2 tbsp fat free milk

3 c fat free low sodium chicken broth

1 c diced cooked chicken (about 6-8 oz)

1.5 c no salt added frozen mixed veggies (or choose your own fresh)

1/4 tsp dried thyme, crumbled

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/3 c water

3 tbsp flour

1. For the noodles, mix first 3 ingredients  until you form a ball.  Lightly flour a cutting board and kneed the dough for about 1-2 mins.  Cover with a dry dish towel and let rest for 15 mins.

2. Roll the dough out to a 9 x6 in rectangle.  Using a pizza cutter or knife, cut the dough into strips about 3 in long and 1/2 wide.  Cover with dish towel and set aside.

3. In a medium saucepan, stir together the broth, chicken, veggies, and seasonings (not water and flour).  Cover and bring to boil over high heat.  Reduce heat to medium-high.  Add the noodles; cook for 4-5 mins, stirring occasionally.

4.  In a small bowl, whisk the water and flour together and stir into the mixture.  Cook for a few more minutes until it has thickened a bit.  Serves 3 (1.5 c servings)

Nutritional Information:

Calories: 235

Total Fat: 2. 5 g

Cholesterol: 40 mg

Sodium: 328 mg

Carbohydrate: 29 mg

Fiber: 3 g

Protein: 22 g

So after a bit of  a hiatus (s0rry about that), it is time to post again.  Hope you are all having a good week  I think I will start off with a side dish this time (but it doesn’t have to be by any means).  Here’s something simple for those of you in eskimo-esque climates.  Bob inspired me as I was wanting good ‘ole steak and potatoes – so you can thank him later.  However, this was simply wonderful! Our guests the past two weekends have been raving about this still!

You’ll need:

desired amount of red potatoes (apparently these taste best)

garlic (Bob used this for his blog pictures but I went with straight bacon-cheese potatoes)

butter

bacon

shredded cheese (I used sharp)

sour cream

1.  Boil your potatoes until tender.

2. Wrap your baking pan with foil.  Place your potatoes and smash them until open.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Top with desired ingredients.  I knew bacon was going to be a big hit so I topped each potato with a pat of butter, uncured bacon and shredded cheese.

3. Bake at 450 for 25 minutes.  You can smell the magic by then.  Serve with a side of sour cream – absolutely fantastic.

oh yeah. . .

The first weekend I made these along with Van’s baked macaroni and cheese and steak.  That was a great night  Thank you both for your dinner ideas – they made me look good!

Implementing healthy, low-cal recipes has taken on much more significance for me recently so I am very happy to share those with you that actually taste good and are easy to put together.  These two were a suggested pair and so with the success of the tuna cakes I decided to try these yesterday afternoon.  Big smiles all around for these!

Salmon cakes:

1 tbsp grated lemon zest

2 tsp capers, rinsed and drained

1 tsp black or green peppercorns

1 med garlic cloe, coarsely chopped or 1/2 tsp bottled, chopped or minced

1/4 tsp pepper

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

whites of 2 lg eggs

1/4 cup fat free, cholesterol-free or light, reduced-calorie mayonnaise dressing

1/4 cup cornmeal

12 oz salmon fillet, skin removed

1. With a mortar and pestle crush and grind together first 5 ingredients.  Transfer to medium bowl.  Add lemon juice and using your mortar make a paste.

2. Stir in egg whites, mayonnaise, and cornmeal.

3. Rinse your fish, pat dry and cut into 1/4 in thick pieces.  They don’t have to be uniform so  don’t feel you have to be really precise.  Stir this into your mixture.

4. Preheat large skillet over medium heat and spray with vegetable oil spray.  Form 4 patties about 3/4 in thick.  Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, turning only once.  Enjoy!

For Fettuccine:

14.5 oz can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained

2 c fat-free low-sodium chicken broth

2 pepperoncini (Tuscan peppers), stemmed, seeded, and minced

2 med garlic cloves, minced or 1 tsp bottled minced

1 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

8-9 oz fresh fettuccine

6-8 oz sliced or coarsed chopped fresh mushrooms

2 large zucchini, grated

3 tbsp chopped fresh basil or 1 tbsp dried, crumbled

1 tbsp plus 1 tsp shredded/grated Parmesan or Romano

1. Heat large, deep skillet over high heat.  Put in first 7 ingredients and stir.  Bring to a simmer.  Gently stir in pasta, mushrooms and zucchini.  Cook for 2 minutes stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-high.  Cook for 2 minutes or until tender.  Stir in basil.  When read to serve sprinkle with cheese if desired.

You may be wondering. . . zucchini?  I was very, very surprised at how creamy the fettuccine came out because of this vegetable.  No heavy creams, butter, or loads of cheese (which we all love) but this had an alfredo consistency with a different flavor.  It was excellent

Nutritional Information:

Salmon:

Calories: 160

Total Fat: 3 g

Cholesterol: 44 mg

Sodium: 245 mg

Carbohydrate: 11 g

Fiber: 1 g

Protein: 20 g

Fettuccine:

Calories: 217

Total Fat: 2 g

Cholesterol: 1 mg

Sodium: 430 mg

Carbohydrate: 43 g

Fiber: 4 g

Protein: 10 g

I was going to save this till later in the week but since I was feeling a bit under the weather and needed some comfort food I had a feeling this soup would do the trick.  This was excellent and very simple.

You’ll need:

1 tbsp canola oil
12 oz lean boneless pork, cut into thin bite size strips
2 c freshly sliced shiitake mushroooms
2 c garlic, minced
3-14 oz cans chicken broth
2 tbsp dry sherry
2 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
2 tsp grated fresh ginger/1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
2 c shredded napa cabbage
1 green onion, thinly sliced
fresh cilantro sprigs

1. In lg saucepan heat oil over med heat; add pork, cook and stir for 2-3 mins or until slightly pink in the center. Remove from pan and set aside. add mushrooms and garlic and cook until tender.

2. Stir in chicken broth, sherry soy, ginger, and pepper. Bring to boiling. Stir in pork, napa cabbage, and green onion; heat through. If desired, garnish with cilantro. Makes 6-1 c servings.

Nutritional Information:

Calories: 160

Total Fat: 6 g

Cholesterol: 31 mg

Protein: 16 g

Carbohydrate: 10 g

Fiber: 1 g

Sodium: 169 mg

Although I much prefer “meatier” fish like salmon or mahi-mahi, this was very, very good.  The tilapia is seasoned very well here and so it doesn’t have that “fish” smell and taste to it.  And I love it when I find recipes that have an accompaniment included!

For Tilapia:

1.5 lbs fresh/frozen tilapia or other lean whitefish

1 tsp seasoned salt ( I used more though)

1 tbsp olive oil

1/4 c dry white wine

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp dijon mustard

1 tsp snipped fresh tarragon or 1/4 tsp dried tarragon, crushed

1. Rinse fish, pat dry and sprinkle with seasoned salt.  Prep your skillet with oil and cook fish until it flakes easily (approx 4-5 mins total).  Set aside in dish and keep warm.

2.  For sauce, add wine and lemon juice to skillet making sure to scrape up any crusty bits from the fish.  Whisk in mustard and tarragon and heat through. Serve over fillets.  I yielded 6 servings.  Enjoy!

For Spinach Orzo:

Prep 8 oz dried whole wheat orzo, drain.  Immediately toss orzo with 5-6 oz package of baby spinach, 1 tbsp olive oil, 2 tsp finely shredded lemon peel and 1/4 tsp salt.  Season to taste with fresh ground pepper.

Mmmm. . .good!

Nutritional Information (for both together):

Calories: 294

Total Fat: 7  g

Cholesterol: 57 mg

Protein: 28 g

Carbohydrate: 28 g

Fiber: 7 g

Sodium: 448 mg

So after about a one week hiatus here is what I will introduce.  Ohhh. . .this was fantastic! Not too spicy, not too sweet – just an even blend of spice and flavor.  Additionally, this was extremely simple to make.

Here you are:

1 lb boneless beef top sirloin steak, cut 1 in thick

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 tsp canola oil

2 medium red/green sweet peppers cut into thin strips

1 med onion, coarsely chopped

1 tbsp curry powder

1 c water

3/4 cup apple juice

2 tsp instant beef bouillon granules

1 c whole wheat couscous

1 med tart green apple (Granny Smith), coarsely chopped1/3 c chopped dry roasted peanuts

1. Lightly sprinkle steak with salt/black pepper and place on grill until desired doneness (mine was med-well/well).  You can also use your broiler.

Using the stovetop grill. . .

2. Meanwhile, in a large non-stick skillet heat oil over medium heat.  Add sweet pepper and onion; cook for 5 mins.  Add curry and stir for one minute.  Add water, juice, bouillon granules and bring to boiling.  Stir in couscous and apple; remove from heat.  Cover and let stand about 5 minutes until liquid is absorbed.  Fluff couscous with fork.

sauteeing the vegetables - nothing better than peppers and onion!

fluffing the couscous. . .

3. Slice steak and serve over couscous mixture and top with peanuts. Makes 6 servings.

Dinner is served!

Nutritional Information:

Calories: 340

Total Fat: 9 g

Total Cholesterol: 46 mg

Protein: 25 mg

Carbohydrate: 44 g

Fiber 7 g

Sodium: 430 mg

So here’s a recipe I am SO glad to have found!  This was spectacular!

For cucumber yogurt sauce:

1/2 c peeled, seeded, and finely chopped cucumber

1/2 c plain non-fat yogurt

2 tbsp snipped fresh dillweed or 2 tsps dried and crushed

2 tsps fresh lemon juice

1/8 to 1/4 tsp pepper

Stir above ingredients together – cover and refrigerate.

For tuna cakes:

2- 6 oz cans albacore tuna in distilled/spring water, drained and flaked

2 large eggs or you can subsitute

1/3 c crushed fat free no salt added whole wheat crackers ( or you choose)

1/4 c chopped green onion (green and white parts)

2 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp prepared horseradish

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Combine all tuna ingredients and shape into 6 cakes about 2.5 in in diameter.  Heat a skillet over medium heat and prep with vegetable oil.  Cook cakes for 6-8 mins or until golden brown, turning once.  Serve with sauce and sides of choice – Enjoy!

Frying up the tuna cakes. . .

Voila! (And as always I have to have my salad)

***The side is a corn pudding which was actually a great accompaniment.  Here’s the how-to on that one:  Combine 2 c whole kernel corn, 1 1/4 c low fat buttermilk, 2 lg eggs (or substitutes), 1 tbsp melted margarine, 1 tsp salt and white pepper each.  Prep a 6.5 in baking pan and bake for 45 – 50 mins (closer to 50) at 350.

Nutritional Information:

Tuna Cakes (per cake):

Calories: 133

Total fat: 4 g

Cholesterol: 24 mg

Sodium: 416 mg

Carbohydrate: 6 g

Fiber: 1 g

Protein: 17 g

Corn Pudding:

Calories: 133

Total Fat: 2.5 g

Cholesterol: 3 mg

Sodium: 313 mg

Carbohydrate: 22 mg

Fiber: 2 g

Protein: 8 g