Chiken Taco Pizza

Healthy Pizza??? Yep, it can be done. Just make sure you don't eat the WHOLE pizza! 2 slices is a good portion with a hearty side of steamed veggies. I really like the chicken taco pizza because you can set out the ingredients on the table, and you can make your pizza slice with whatever you want on it. Great family dinner. I just cook for myself and my fiance so if you are cooking for more, you will probably want to make 2 pizzas!

Basic Pizza Ingredients:

1 prebaked thin Italian Pizza Crust
1/2 cup Taco Sauce
2 cups chopped deli rotisserie chicken
1 and 1/2 cups shredded 2% mozzarella and 2% cheddar cheese blend

Toppings (You can use anything you want...the ingredients below are what I used)

Light Sour Cream (just a dollop)
Shredded Lettuce
Diced Tomato
Southwestern Bean Salad
Crushed tortilla chips

Directions:
Heat oven to 450. Place pizza crust on a cookie sheet or pizza pan. Mix together taco sauce and chicken in a bowl.

Spread chicken mixture over pizza crust, leaving 1 inch border. Top with cheese blend. Bake 8-10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and pizza is heated.

Cut pizza into wedges and top with your favorite ingredients.

Chocolate Banana Peanut Butter Soy Protein Smoothie

Since I spent almost a year working at Smoothie King for almost a year as a teenager, I consider myself somewhat of a pro at making smoothies. My fiance makes protein shakes/smoothies and uses whey protein...but I don't like the taste or consistency of the smoothie when you add whey protein to it. Instead, I use soy protein powder that has 20 vitamins and minerals...made by Genisoy. I didn't take a photo of my smoothie - it's not very attractive, but it tastes so good and is perfect for a snack or before/after working out!

1 cup Chocolate Soy Milk
1 banana - sliced
1 Tbsp Reduced Fat Peanut Butter
3 Tbsp soy protein powder
5-6 ice cubes

Put all the ingredients and blend together. Enjoy!

Asian Peanut Beef and Noodles

This is a great healthy alternative if you are craving Chinese food. This recipe is very simple to make and a great meal for two people and it is ready in 30 minutes or less. The photo below is my fiance's portion...if you are watching what you eat then you will probably want to make your serving size a little bit less. If you are cooking for more than two people, just adjust the amount of ingredients accordingly.

4 oz whole wheat spaghetti
1 1/2 cups sugar snap peas (I used fresh ones, not frozen)
1/2 cup roasted red pepper strips (You can find jarred roasted red peppers in the grocery store...just cut them up into strips).
1/4 cup LIGHT Catalina Dressing
1/2 lb (8oz) well-trimmed boneless beef sirloin steak, cut into strips
1 Tbsp creamy peanut butter (use the REAL thing, not reduced fat)
1 Tbsp soy sauce
2 green onions, chopped
1/4 cups Dry Roasted Peanuts

Directions:

Cook spaghetti as directed on package, adding snap peas to the cooking water for the last 2 minutes of the spaghetti cooking time. 

Meanwhile, heat dressing in a LARGE skillet on med-high heat. Add meat; stir-fry for 3 minutes or until meat is barely pink in center. Add peanut butter and soy sauce; stir-fry for 2 minutes or until sauce thickens.

Drain spaghetti and peas. Add to skillet. Toss with meat mixture. Stir in green onions and roasted red pepper strips. Plate beef and noodles, then sprinkle with peanuts.

Cheese and Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms

I brought these to a dinner party as an appetizer. I'm not sure about everyone else, but I loved them and I'm not even a big fan of mushrooms!

24	large fresh whole mushrooms (1 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter)
2	tablespoons reduced-fat balsamic vinaigrette
2	slices bacon
1 1/2	teaspoons olive oil
1/2	cup chopped red onion
1/3	cup finely shredded reduced-fat Italian cheese blend
1/3	cup reduced-fat garlic-and-herbs spreadable cheese
1/2	teaspoon Dijon mustard
2	tablespoons plain bread crumbs (I used Italian flavored)
2	teaspoons chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley

Directions:

Heat oven to 350.
Remove stems from mushrooms; reserve caps.
Chop enough steams to fill 3/4 of a cup. Discard remaining stems or reserve for another use.
In a large bowl toss mushroom caps with balsamic vinaigrette. Then place stem side down in an ungreased glass pan.
Bake mushroom caps for 10 minutes. Let stand until cool enough to handle; drain.
Meanwhile, in a 10 inch skillet, cook bacon until crisp (I used precooked bacon that you microwave).
In same skillet, heat 1 tsp of olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and chopped mushroom stems. Cook 4-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are tender.
In a medium bowl, stir onion mixture, bacon, cheeses and mustard until blended. Spoon mixture into mushroom caps and place in pan.
In a small bowl, mix bread crumbs and remaining 1/2 tsp olive oil; stir in parsley. Sprinkle bread crumb mixture over filled mushroom caps.
Bake 10-15 minutes until thoroughly heated and cheese is melted. Serve warm.

1 serving = 3 stuffed mushrooms
90 calories and 4.5 grams of fat :-)

Cheddar Ranch Burgers

If I didn't live with my boyfriend, I would probably never make any recipes with beef in them. But since I cook for both of us, I have to have red meat on the menu at least once a week. Surprisingly, I have found that I actually do like red meet - especially ground beef. I am constantly on the search for new burger recipes, so if you have any suggestions, please post!

Make 4 Burgers:

4 rolls/hamburger buns
1 lb lean ground beef (I used 93/7)
1 packet ranch seasoning
1/4 cub and 2 Tbsp Crushed Saltine Crackers
2 Tbsp substitute egg product (do not use egg whites)
1/2 small red onion (diced)
4 slices 2% American Cheese (optional)
4 slices tomato
Low Fat/Fat Free Ranch Dressing (for burger topping)
-- To spice things up, add in some chopped jalapenos.

Directions:
Add ground beef, ranch seasoning, crushed crackers, egg product, and onion into a large bowl. Mix all ingredients together and form 4 patties.

Cook patties on a grill or grill pan. If desired, melt cheese on burger right before it is done cooking.

I don't like my rolls toasted, but if you do, toast your hamburger rolls.

Assemble your burger and enjoy!

Note: I either spend my time cooking the main dish or a side dish. For quick and simple side dishes I buy the cheap low fat frozen dinners. I microwave them right as the main meal is almost done and then divide it between my boyfriend and myself. It's perfect if cooking for two. I served the burger with a frozen dinner macaroni and cheese bake.

Grilled Chicken Greek Wrap

I eat this wrap at least twice a week for lunch. It super easy to make and so good. You can either use grilled chicken (I use the cheap, frozen chicken when I make these) or sliced turkey or chicken.

Ingredients:

1 tortilla or flatbread (I like the spinach tortilla wraps)
1 Tbsp low fat sour cream
Dill Weed (add as much as you want)
Diced Red Onion
Grilled Chicken (sliced into thin pieces)
Feta Cheese (I just sprinkle a little over mine - I like the garlic and herb flavored feta)

Directions:

Cook chicken in skillet over medium heat. When chicken is done, cut into thin strips.
Spread sour cream on tortilla.
Sprinkle dill over sour cream.
Throw in some diced red onion.
Place chicken strips on tortilla.
Sprinkle feta cheese on top and wrap it up!

Strawberry Cupcakes With Cheese Cake Icing (made with Sierra Mist)

While searching for healthy dessert recipes I came across dozens of cake/cupcake recipes that are made using diet soda. I have never heard of this before and thought they would be horrible. This is now my new favorite thing to bake. You can pick any cake batter, any soda, any icing and create so many tasty goodies! It is so simple and cuts out almost all the fat and calories! You can make this dessert as a cake or pour in a muffin pan. I like to make desserts as muffins (if possible) so I can control my portions, otherwise I think I might have eaten the whole cake! The cake mix will make 24 cupcakes. Since I am just cooking for my boyfriend and I, I cut the ingredients listed below in half.

 Makes 24 Cupcakes.

1 box Duncan Hines Moist Supreme Strawberry Cake mix
12 oz Sierra Mist (I couldn't find diet)
1 package sugar free/fat free Cheesecake Instant Pudding
1 package fat free cool whip

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Place cupcake liners in muffin tin.

Pour cake mix into a bowl and add 12 oz of Sierra Mist. Whisk together until blended.

Bake cupcakes for 18-22 minutes.

While cupcakes are cooking, make your icing.

Make instant pudding according to package. Then whisk in cool whip. Refridgerate for an hour.

When ready to serve, spoon 1 Tbsp of icing on top of cupcake.

ENJOY!

A friend told me a trick to the diet soda cake recipes...if using dark cake mix use diet coke or diet cherry coke. If using white cake mix or flavored cake mix (like strawberry) then use diet Sprite, Sierra Mist, etc. If using a plain white cake mix you can get creative and use diet Sunkist or a flavored soda.

BBQ Chicken Sloppy Joes

This recipe is a deviation from a dish Rachael Ray created. The original recipe calls for cheesy waffle fries to be piled on top of the sloppy joes. Since I am watching what I eat, I opted to not use the waffle fries. I also modified the ingredients according to what I had on hand. To save time, I used veggies that are already diced. Do not cut corners and use bottled BBQ sauce...use the ingredients to make your own! This recipe is in my top 5 of things I have made so far.

Makes 4 Servings

1 1/4 lb ground chicken
1 Medium red onion, chopped
1 Small Red Bell Pepper, chopped
3 Tbsp Brown Sugar (I used Splenda Brown Sugar)
3 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
1 Tbsp Grill Seasoning
1 Tbsp Worcesteshire Sauce
1/2 Can Pasta/Tomato Sauce
2 Tbsp Hot Sauce
4 Crusty Rolls (or Hamburger Buns)

Directions:

Pour some olive oil, or use a spray to coat a large non stick skillet. Heat over medium-high heat. Add the ground chicken and break it up so it browns evenly.

When the chicken has browned, add the onion and pepper.

While the vegetables are cooking, make the BBQ sauce. In a bowl, combine brown sugar, vinegar, grill seasoning, Worcestershire Sauce, tomato/pasta sauce, and hot sauce. Stir until blended.

When the vegetables become tender, add the BBQ sauce to the skillet. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes. Reduce heat and simmer an additional 5 minutes.

If desired toast the rolls/buns. Pile on the sloppy joe filling and enjoy! You will need a lot of napkins!

Note: The sloppy joe mix is even better the next day as leftovers. When I heated up the leftovers I put the sloppy joe mix in a tortilla wrap and it was really good and less messy!

Healthified Strawberry Shortcake Muffins

This dessert was fabulous! Strawberry Shortcake is one of my favorite desserts and I love that this recipe is healthy! I got this recipe from a website and followed the directions exactly, so I will just post the link here. The only difference is that I poured my batter into a muffin tin instead of a pan. I like making desserts as muffins (if possible) because it is very helpful for portion control! The picture isn't that great because I wanted to try the dessert so bad, I did not give it enough time to cool down, so the toppings kept slipping off. I also used my camera phone. We finished the last of the Strawberry Shortcake Muffins last night and poured a little bit of chocolate syrup over it...and it tasted even better! Link here to get the recipe for Strawberry Shortcake Squares.

Ginger-Peach Chicken (Cooking for 2)

This recipe was supposed to be Lemon-Apricot Chicken. Turns out my boyfriend does not like Apricots and I did not have a fresh lemon, so I modified the recipe and made it my own. It was great. I served it with Asparagus cooked in a grill pan with a little olive oil and onion powder...perfect pairing!

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook time: About 30 minutes (until chicken is done)

Ingredients:

Chicken
2 Chicken Breasts (you will need to flatten them with whatever method you chose, I used a wine bottle!)
2 Tbsp fat free egg product or 1 egg white
1 Tbsp water
1/2 cup Bisquick Heart Smart Mix (makes chicken have a little crisp!)
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder (I used a lot more than this to coat the chicken because I love garlic!)
Cooking Spray

Ginger-Peach Sauce
1/3 cup peach preserves (you can also use apricot or orange)
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 Tsp soy sauce
1/8 Tsp ground ginger

Directions:

Heat oven to 425. Spray a glass dish (large enough to fit flattened chicken breasts) with cooking spray. Flatten chicken breasts (if not done already).

In a shallow dish, beat egg product and water slightly.

In another shallow dish, stir together Bisquick mix and garlic powder.

Dip chicken into egg mixture, then coat with Bisquick mix. Place in pan. Repeat until all breasts are coated and in pan. Spray chicken directly with cooking spray.

Bake uncovered for 20 minutes. Turn; bake 10 minutes longer or until chicken is no longer pink in the middle.

In a small, microwavable bowl, stir together all ginger-peach sauce ingredients. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Pour sauce over baked chicken and serve.

270 calories, 4.5 grams of fat

Creamy Chicken With Bacon And Penne

When I saw this recipe, I wasn't sure if it would be great, but it was a hit! My boyfriend and I loved it and it has been added to the "make again" pile of recipes I have tried. The original recipe serves 4 people and calls for 4 small chicken breasts. I didn't have chicken breasts on hand, but did have chicken cutlets. I thought these worked much better because it was easy to wrap the bacon around them. You can play around a lot with this dish, add in more veggies, more or less bacon, different cuts of chicken, types of pasta etc. Regardless, it was very good and super easy to make!

4 slices precooked bacon (use more if desired)
4 small boneless chicken breast halves (or chicken equivalent of chicken cutlets)
1/2 cup Philadelphia Chive and Onion Cream Cheese
3/4 cup fat free, reduced sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (I just diced a tomato I had in the fridge)
2 green onions, chopped (I used yellow)

Note: If using chicken cutlets, they cook much quicker than a breast.

Directions:

Heat a large, non-stick skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until done. Remove chicken from skillet; cover to keep warm.

Cook pasta as directed on package.

Meanwhile, cook cream cheese and broth in skillet until cream cheese is melted and sauce is thickened and well blended, stirring constantly with wire whisk.

Stir in tomatoes and onions. Cook 2 minutes, or until heated through, stirring occasionally.

Microwave bacon and wrap around chicken breasts/cutlets.

Drain pasta and return to pan. Add sauce; mix lightly.  Serve with topped chicken and pour any remaining sauce on top :-)

Nutrition:
420 calories, 15 grams fat, 35 grams Carbohydrates, 35 grams protein

Honey and Mustard Marinated Pork Chops

I found this simple marinade online and it was so good. You can let the pork chops marinate for an hour or overnight (I chose overnight). I used lean, thin, pork chops. This marinade would probably be good on chicken as well. Sorry, but I don't have a photo of this recipe :-(

The ingredients yielded enough for me to marinate 8 pork chops. I made extra for my boyfriend to take to work.

1/4 cup Red Wine Vinegar
4 tbsp mustard (your favorite)
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup olive oil
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1 Tsp dried basil
4 Tbsp honey

Place pork chops in bowl or glass baking dish with marinade and place in refrigerator for 1 hour or as long as overnight.

Heat a large grill pan or frying pan and cook pork chops for about 4-5 minutes on each side, turning only once.

Healthy Peach Cobbler

Healthy peach cobbler...I bet you are thinking that is impossible...NOT TRUE! This recipe tasted just like the real thing and you don't have to feel guilty after eating it. One serving only has 8 grams of fat and 280 calories! In fact, it was so good...I  had two helpings. I believe this is the third dessert I have made and it is my favorite.

 

1	cup Bisquick Heart Smart® mix
1/4	teaspoon ground cinnamon
1	cup fat-free (skim) milk
3	tablespoons canola oil
3/4	cup sugar (I used half Splenda and half regular sugar)
1	can (29 oz) peach slices in light syrup, drained
1	teaspoon lemon juice
	Fat Free Vanilla Ice Cream or Frozen Yogurt

Directions:

Heat oven to 375°F.

In an ungreased 8-inch square (2-quart) glass baking dish, stir Bisquick mix and cinnamon. Stir in milk and oil with wire whisk or fork until blended.

In medium bowl, mix sugar, peaches and lemon juice. Spoon over batter in baking dish.

Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand about 20 minutes before serving. Serve warm with ice cream.

HOW SIMPLE IS THAT!?!

Nutritional Information

1 Serving: Calories 280 (Calories from Fat 70); Total Fat 8g (Saturated Fat 1/2g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 190mg; Total Carbohydrate 49g (Dietary Fiber 2g, Sugars 35g); Protein 3g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 15%; Vitamin C 4%; Calcium 15%; Iron 6% Exchanges: 1 Starch; 1/2 Fruit; 1 1/2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 1 1/2 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 3
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Easy Mahi Mahi Recipe

My favorite fish is Mahi Mahi. My boyfriend woke up at 4am the other morning to go catch fresh dolphin with his coworkers, so I was very excited to find a quick and simple marinade that I could use for the fish, as I served a very flavorful mango salsa on top of the fish. The recipe for the mango salsa is on this blog.

1 1/2 lb Mahi Mahi
2 Tbsp butter (divided)
1 glove garlic or minced garlic (I used minced. 1 Tbsp of WET minced garlic = 1 glove)
1 Tbsp Teriyaki Sauce (I used Honey Teriyaki Marinade)
2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1 tsp Honey

Directions:

Over medium heat, melt 1 Tbsp butter in a skillet.

Add garlic and saute until tender. (Using minced garlic makes this step much quicker)

Stir in teriyaki sauce, lemon juice, and honey. 

When the marinade is all mixed together, pour it into a big Ziploc bag (along with the fish).

Let the fish marinate in the sauce for about 30 minutes. Next, heat the other tbsp of butter in a skillet and cook the fish over medium heat in a skillet.

Serve the Mahi Mahi with fresh mango salsa and you will have a great summer dish!

Mango Salsa

Mango Salsa is something I grew up eating. My mother made the best mango salsa, which she would always serve over fish. Unfortunately, my mother lost her battle with cancer in July so I could not get her recipe; however, I did manage to find a very tasty recipe for mango salsa online and it tastes ALMOST as good as my mom's. This is a great salsa for almost any type of fish, especially during the summer. Mango salsa is also a perfect choice for fish tacos. I used my salsa over grilled Mahi Mahi and it was delicious!

1 ripe mango (peeled, pitted, and diced)
1/2 red onion (diced)
1 small cucumber (peeled and diced)
3 Tbsp fresh cilantro leaves (I used the Cilantro that comes in a tube. Look in the produce section for it, it's a great product!)
3 Tbsp Lime Juice
Salt and Pepper to Taste
OPTIONAL: diced Jalapenos

Directions:

So easy...just add all the ingredients in a bowl and mix together. Salsa should be served slightly chilled. 

Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo

I found this recipe from one of my favorite go to sites for healthy tips and it was delicious! I have made quite a few dinner recipes and this one ranks in the top 5 for sure. Since this recipe has pasta in it (which contains a lot of calories) a great way to cut back is to pack on more toppings and have less noodles. You do not have to use shrimp for this recipe. You can use chicken or nothing at all. I added LOTS of broccoli to the recipe, which is again optional.

 Takes 30-40 minutes to make
 Servings: 8 (I scaled back the ingredients and made 4 servings because I was cooking for two)

Optional Ingredients:
Frozen Shrimp (I used almost half of the bag - the shrimp are small and have almost no calories or fat)
Frozen Broccoli (I used the kind where you steam it in the bag and used half of bag)

Ingredients:

1 lb uncooked fettuccine (one box)
2 cups 2% milk (do not use skim milk)
1 tbsp All-purpose Flour
1/4 tsp salt
A dash of ground pepper to taste
2 tbsp margarine
2 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese (Neufchatel) Note: DO NOT USE FAT FREE CREAM CHEESE
2/3 cup grated Parmesan or Romano Cheese
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (I did not have fresh parsley but I did have dry parsley, which I used to garnish)

Directions:

Note: If you are using frozen fish/chicken defrost before you start cooking. I cooked the shrimp in a skillet while the sauce was cooking. It only takes a few minutes. I microwaved the broccoli right before everything was ready to be served.

Cook fettuccine as directed on package.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl stir: milk, flour, salt, and pepper with a whisk until smooth.

In a 2 qt sauce pan, melt margarine/butter over medium-low heat.

With a wire whisk, stir milk mixture into melted margarine. Cook and stir over medium heat 6-8 minutes or until mixture thickens and boils.

Stir in cream cheese until melted.

Stir in Parmesan cheese until melted.

Plate cooked/drained fettuccine. If using shrimp and broccoli,distribute evenly among servings. Pour sauce over pasta and toss to coat. Sprinkle with parsley. ENJOY!

Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins

These muffins are amazing! The only downside is that you have to soak the oats in milk for an hour before you start making them...other than that, the recipe is so easy. I have tried multiple healthy muffin recipes and this one is by far the best I have found. The muffins are so filling, they are perfect for a snack, before a workout, or a breakfast. They are a bit bland...they taste a lot like bran muffins (which I love) but some people may not. Next time I make them, I think I'm going to mash up a banana or two and add it to the batter. Here is a link to where I got the recipe from because I do not want to take credit for it Recipe for Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins. If you follow the directions then each muffin is under 100 calories and 1 gram of fat! Be sure to read the reviews for the muffins because you may get some ideas (like using Splenda instead of sugar, adding bananas, etc). Hope you like them as much as I do!

UPDATE!

Since I started this blog I have lost 6 pounds by eating pretty much everything I post on here! I'm not just eating healthy, also doing light cardio and strength training. I signed my boyfriend and myself up for a fitness bootcamp that we are doing at 6am this upcoming Thursday, and I am scared out of my mind that I am going to get my butt kicked! I went out the other night and squeezed myself into a size 6 (my thin jeans) so I was excited about that. If you come across this recipe blog, it's not just for people who are counting calories or trying to lose weight. The recipes taste really good and are healthy. Too many people today do not eat balanced meals. I have been a bit behind on getting my recipes up here...there are some really good ones that I have yet to post, so be on the look out!

     Me in my SIZE 6 Jeans :-)

 

 

 

 

 

 

As you can see these "healthy" recipes are not causing my boyfriend to lose any weight. They are great to eat if you are trying to bulk up too!

Turkey and Tomato Panini

If you have a sandwich or panini grill then this meal is super easy to make. The sandwich is filling, so it's great for lunch and if you want a laid back dinner, serve it with soup.

Ingredients

1 tbsp light mayo
1 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp basil
1/2 tbsp lemon juice
2 slices whole wheat bread (or bread of your choice)
2 oz thinly sliced deli turkey breast
1 tomato slice
1 tsp canola oil (if you don't have a sandwich/panini grill)
pepper to taste

Directions

This panini is super easy to make if you already have a sandwich or panini grill. I used a sandwich grill, but if you don't have one you can create the same effect following these instructions. If you do have a sandwich grill, just assemble the panini and put it in the grill.

1. Have four 15-ounce cans and a medium skillet (not nonstick) ready by the stove.
2. Combine mayonnaise, , Parmesan, basil, lemon juice and pepper in a small bowl. Spread the mixture on each slice of bread.
3. Assemble the panini: turkey, tomato, shredded cheese, and baby spinach (if desired)
4. Heat 1 teaspoon canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place panini in the pan. Place the medium skillet on top of the panini, then weigh it down with the cans. Cook the panini until golden on one side, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, flip the panini, replace the top skillet and cans, and cook until the second side is golden, 1 to 3 minutes more.

*If you have a panini/sandwich grill you can just grill the sandwich once assembled. Takes about 5 minutes.

Serving Size: 1 sandwich

Number of Servings: 1

Creamy Chicken Spaghetti

A new twist on spaghetti! My boyfriend and I loved this recipe and will be sure to make it many times again. It is great re-heated, so if you want make extra and take it to work with you the next day!

Makes 4 servings (2 cups each)

What You Need

1/2 lb. spaghetti, uncooked

1/4 cup  KRAFT Light Zesty Italian Dressing

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces

2   zucchini, cut in half lengthwise, then sliced crosswise

2 cups spaghetti sauce

4 oz.  (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Neufchatel Cheese, cubed

2 Tbsp. KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese

Make It

COOK spaghetti as directed on package. MEANWHILE, heat dressing in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook and stir 2 min. Add zucchini; cook an additional 2 min., stirring frequently. Stir in spaghetti sauce. Bring just to boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 5 min. or until chicken is cooked through. Add Neufchatel; cook 1 min. or until cheese is melted and mixture is well blended, stirring occasionally. DRAIN spaghetti; place on serving plate. Top with the chicken mixture; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. 

nutritional information

per serving

Calories

 530

Total fat

 13 g

Saturated fat

 6 g

Cholesterol

 90 mg

Sodium

 1060 mg

Carbohydrate

 60 g

Dietary fiber

 6 g

Sugars

 13 g

Protein

 39 g

Vitamin A

 20 %DV

Vitamin C

 30 %DV

Calcium

 20 %DV

Iron

 20 %DV

Best Cheeseburgers EVER!

Who knew you could have a healthy cheeseburger. One of my favorite foods used to be McDonald's double cheeseburgers. I will take this burger over McDonald's any day! This recipe is great because you can use extra lean ground beef, turkey, or chicken. I chose to use ground chicken because it is the leanest. Also, if you are counting carbs, use the thin hamburger buns instead of a regular one. I'm not counting carbs, but I had the thin buns and did not feel like going out and buying whole wheat ones. You can grill these burgers using a grill pan or an outside grill. My apartment does not allow us to have grills :-( so I used a grill pan.

Makes 4 servings:

1 lb extra lean ground beef, chicken, or turkey
1/3 cup BBQ sauce
4 large red onion slices (or more if you want...I think I used sweet yellow onion instead because that's what I had on hand.)
4 American cheese singles
4 whole wheat hamburger buns
1 tomato cut into 4 slices

Directions:

1. Mix meat and 2 Tbsp of the BBQ sauce.
2. Shape into 4 thick patties and set aside.
3. Brush onions with 1 Tbsp of the remaining BBQ sauce.
4. Grill patties and onions until burgers are cooked and onions are tender, brushing burgers with the remaining BBQ sauce.
5. Top burgers with cheese slices right before they are done grilling to melt cheese.
6. Toast/Grill Buns (optional)
7. Assemble your cheeseburger!

Chili-Lime Grilled Salmon and Shrimp

Frozen salmon fillets were on sale at the local supermarket so a lot of my recipes will probably include salmon. FYI: Salmon is a super source of lean protein that contains vitamin B3, and niacin. Niacin helps our bodies release energy from foods we eat. So stock up on SALMON!!!! There was also a sale on precooked frozen shrimp at the market, so I decided to include those with the dish. The salmon has a southwestern flare to it...to I paired it with 90 second southwestern style rice. I have a whole cupboard full of all different types of microwaveable rice. They make the perfect quick fix side dish to most meals. The picture does not make the meal look very appetizing because I took it with my phone.

1/2 tsp Sugar
1/4 tsp Chili Powder
1/4 tsp Ground Cumin
4 tsp Lime Juice
1 salmon fillet

Note: If you want to serve shrimp with the salmon then double the ingredients.

Directions:
Mix all ingredients (expect salmon) in a bowl.

Defrost salmon (if frozen) according to package.

Brush Chili-Lime sauce over salmon and grill in grill pan or outdoor grill until cooked. Serve with your choice of side.

Nutritional Information

1 Serving: Calories 140 (Calories from Fat 50); Total Fat 6g (Saturated Fat 1 1/2g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 65mg; Sodium 60mg; Total Carbohydrate 2g (Dietary Fiber 0g, Sugars 0g); Protein 21g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 4%; Vitamin C 4%; Calcium 0%; Iron 4% Exchanges: 0 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 3 Lean Meat Carbohydrate Choices: 0
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Mocha Coolers (Cooking for 2)

I'm on a mission to try every cold coffee drink there is because I love coffee, but I don't want to drink hot coffee in the summer. These Mocha Coolers were great. My boyfriend drinks coffee like crazy and chugged this drink down. So, if you like coffee, you will love this drink! Whenever I make a smoothie/iced drink I'm not going to post my own photo of it. Who wants to see a brown drink in a plain glass?? This picture is much cooler then the one I would've taken :-)

 Makes 2 servings - filled 2 tall glasses

1 Banana (cut into chunks)
2 cups light Chocolate Soy Milk (I'm thinking you could use skim milk and chocolate syrup to make your own chocolate milk if you don't want to go out and buy chocolate soy milk...I bought it because I knew I would be making this drink A LOT)
2 Tbs instant coffee (I put in 3 because I like strong coffee)
5 ice cubes

Blend it all together and serve.

Nutritional Information

1 Serving: Calories 150 (Calories from Fat 15); Total Fat 1 1/2g (Saturated Fat 1/2g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 180mg; Total Carbohydrate 26g (Dietary Fiber 1g, Sugars 18g); Protein 8g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 10%; Vitamin C 8%; Calcium 30%; Iron 10% Exchanges: 1 Fruit; 0 Other Carbohydrate; 1 Skim Milk; 0 Vegetable Carbohydrate Choices: 2
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Honey Nut-Peach Smoothie

Don't forget to drink your cereal??? OMG...this is one of the best smoothies I have had in a long time. I spent some time as a teenager working at Smoothie King and consider myself to be a bit of a smoothie connoisseur. I highly recommend this twist on a Peach Smoothie. No, I did not take this photo...I got it off of the website where I got the recipe. I just poured mine into a regular old cup and enjoyed the heck out of it. But if you were serving this and cared about how the drink looked...here is an idea of how to garnish it.

 

1 Fat Free Peach Yogurt (I used Yoplait 99% fat free creamy harvest peach)

1/3 cup Honey Nut Cheerios (if you don't have them on hand and don't want to buy a whole box...see if your store carries the individual cereal bowls. That's what I did..it was 99 cents versus buying a whole box that I would never eat).

5 sliced peaches in juice/syrup. (I guess you could use frozen peach slices too, but if you do, you might want to add some Splenda/sugar).

1/2 cup skim milk

1 banana sliced

4 ice cubes

***OPTIONAL

1/4 cup fat free dry milk (secret trick from Smoothie King...makes your smoothie creamier)

Cinnamon (I put in a couple dashes)

Blend everything together...and you will have an amazing summer smoothie!

1 Serving: Calories 220 (Calories from Fat 25); Total Fat 2 1/2g (Saturated Fat 1g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 5mg; Sodium 160mg; Total Carbohydrate 42g (Dietary Fiber 2g, Sugars 29g); Protein 6g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 20%; Vitamin C 15%; Calcium 20%; Iron 15% Exchanges: 1/2 Starch; 1 Fruit; 1 Other Carbohydrate; 1/2 Skim Milk; 0 Vegetable; 1/2 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 3
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Salmon BLT

I am always looking for quick, simple, and yummy recipes. I have a magazine/cookbook called "Cooking Light: 5 Ingredient 15 minute recipes". The Salmon BLT came from this cookbook, but, as usual, I changed it around to accommodate what I already had on hand.

This was my lunch today. I just got done eating it about an hour ago and it was fabulous. It's great for lunch or dinner. If having for dinner, you might want to add a side dish. The BLT was a very filling lunch.

3 slices precooked bacon
1 salmon fillet (about 4oz) - I used a frozen fillet.
1/2 Tbs light mayonnaise
1 6 inch Sub Roll  (I cut mine into 3/4 to make it  bit smaller)
Lettuce (any kind - I used Spinach)
Tomato (diced or sliced)
1 slice Provolone Cheese (optional - I added this ingredient because I love cheese!)

Directions:

Helpful Tip: Keep disposable broil pans on hand. They are cheap and come in handy!

Preheat Broiler.

Microwave bacon according to package and set aside.
 
Place Salmon on broiling pan coated with cooking spray and broil 10-15 minutes (or until fish is cooked. When the fish is done, take it out and put it aside.

If using Provolone Cheese (or any cheese of your choice) place it on the bottom of the sub roll and toast in the oven until roll is slightly brown and cheese is melted or gooey.

Time to assemble your Salmon BLT...place lettuce on bottom of sub, then tomato, Salmon, bacon, spread mayo on top of toasted sub and eat.

I think the Provolone cheese had 8 grams of fat in it. I could afford it because I did not eat breakfast this morning...OOPS! Without the cheese this BLT would be a lot less fattening.

Nutritional Content for 1 Salmon BLT: 19 grams fat/404 calories.

Shrimp Egg Rolls

This is probably the most amazing snack or addition to a side dish ever. Only 34 calories and .5 grams of fat per egg roll! Two of them will satisfy you for a snack. But you can really eat as many as you want since they are so low fat and low cal! You can omit the shrimp or add your own choice of meat...but the nutritional content will change.

1 package of egg roll wraps
1 package of frozen stir fry vegetables (with sauce included)
Frozen shrimp (12 small ones fit perfectly into 4-5 egg rolls)

Directions:

Defrost and cook the shrimp according to the package.

Cook the stir fry vegetables and when they are about done, add in the cooked shrimp. I cut any large pieces of vegetables and the shrimp in half while they were cooking in the pan.

Put the veggies and shrimp in the egg roll and roll them up. The egg roll package will have instructions for how to do so. It's not hard and they don't have to look professional.

Place egg rolls on greased baking sheet and spray or brush tops of rolls with olive oil. Bake according to package...mine were for 12 minutes @ 400 degrees. Once the tops have browned...flip over the egg rolls and bake for an additional 5 minutes to give the bottom side a crunch.

Teriyaki Beef With Noodles (Cooking For 2)

The original recipe I found on http://www.eatbetteramerica.com... but I did not have all the ingredients to make the Orange Beef Teriayki Beef with Noodles...so I omitted the orange part and made a few altercations and still made a really good Sunday night dinner. If you want the recipe I attempted to follow, bust go to the website and search for "Orange Beef Teriyaki". I served my dish with homemade egg rolls (recipe is on blog) and it was perfect!

 Prep/Cook time: 25 minutes

1 beef boneless sirloin (thin) cut into strips
1 cup beef broth
2 Tbs Teryaki stir fry sauce (I actually did not have any of this so I used Honey Teryaki Marinade that I had in the pantry instead. I'm sure either would work fine).
1/2 bag Frozen Vegetables (your choice) or 1 box of frozen sugar snap peas (that's what the original recipe called for). I used half a bag of frozen broccoli.
2 cups uncooked Egg Noodles
A dash of Cayenne pepper

Directions:

You will need a good sized skillet for this...all ingredients get cooked in it :-)

Heat nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook beef in skillet, until no longer pink. Remove beef from skillet; keep warm.

Add broth, stir fry sauce, and cayenne to skillet. Heat to boiling. Stir in frozen vegetables of your choice and uncooked noodles.; reduce heat to medium. Cover; cook about 5 minutes or until noodles are tender.

Stir in beef. Cook uncovered for 2-3 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened.

Note: If you want to serve with egg rolls...prepare the egg rolls before you start the main dish and then put them in the oven to bake while everything else is cooking.

Nutritional Information (per serving....2 servings): 380 calories, 10 grams fat, 36 grams Protein

Flour 101

I recently just started cooking. So far I am doing great, but I'm not so great at baking. I think the reason a lot of my recipes did not turn out as planned is because I did not understand the difference between certain types of flours. A lot of times I used the wrong type of flour, which ruined my recipe. Here is a helpful explanation of the different type of flours for those of you that are struggling with baking :-)

All-Purpose Flour
All-purpose flour is the finely ground endosperm of the wheat kernel separated from the bran and germ during the milling process. All-purpose flour is made from hard wheats or a combination of soft and hard wheats from which the home baker can make a complete range of acceptable baked products --- yeast breads, cakes, cookies and pastries.

• Enriched all-purpose flour has iron and 4 major B-vitamins (thiamin, niacin, riboflavin and folic acid) added in amounts equal to or exceeding that in whole wheat flour. Actually, all enriched flour has twice the folic acid as does whole wheat flour. All but about 5 percent of white flour in the United States is enriched.
  
  
• Bleached all-purpose flour is exposed to chlorine gas or benzoyl peroxide to whiten and brighten flour color. Chlorine also affects baking quality by "maturing" or oxidizing the flour, which is beneficial for cake and cookie baking. The bleaching agents react and do not leave harmful residues or destroy nutrients.
  
  
• Unbleached all-purpose flour is bleached by oxygen in the air during an aging process and is off-white in color. Nutritionally, bleached and unbleached flours are equivalent. But bleached flour is beneficial for cake and cookie baking.

Bread Flour
Bread flour, ground from the endosperm of the hard red spring wheat kernel, is milled primarily for commercial bakers, but is available bleached or unbleached at most grocery stores. It is usually enriched. Although similar to all-purpose flour, it has greater gluten strength and is generally used for yeast breads.

Self-Rising Flour
Self-rising flour is an all-purpose flour with salt and leavening added. One cup of self-rising flour contains 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Self-rising can be substituted for all-purpose flour in a recipe by reducing salt and baking powder according to these proportions.

Cake Flour
Cake flour, milled from soft wheat, is especially suitable for cakes, cookies, crackers and pastries. It is low in protein and low in gluten.

Pastry Flour
Pastry flour has comparable protein, but less starch than cake flour. It is milled from a soft, low gluten wheat and is used for pastries.

Gluten Flour
Gluten flour, processed from high protein wheat, contains a much higher protein content than bread flour. It is used by bakers in combination with low protein or non-wheat flours. The gluten flour improves baking quality and produces yeast breads of high protein content.

Vital Wheat Gluten
Vital wheat gluten is derived from wheat flour and is the texture of flour; it is concentrated dried gluten protein with very little starch remaining.

Semolina
Semolina is the coarsely ground endosperm of durum wheat. High in protein, it is used by American and Italian manufacturers to make high quality pasta products such as macaroni and spaghetti. It is also used for couscous in Africa and Latin America.

Durum Flour
Durum flour is a by-product in the production of semolina and is used for American noodles, some types of pasta and occasionally in specialty breads.

Whole Wheat Flour
Whole wheat flour is a coarse-textured flour containing the bran, germ and endosperm. The presence of bran reduces the gluten development, therefore, baked products made from whole wheat flour tend to be heavier and denser than those made from white flour.

Whole wheat flour is rich in B-vitamins, vitamin E and protein, and contains more trace minerals and dietary fiber than white flour. It also contains about five percent fat. In most recipes, whole wheat flour can be mixed half and half with white flour. Graham flour is another term for whole wheat flour.

Farina
Farina is the coarsely ground endosperm of hard wheats. It is the prime ingredient in many hot breakfast cereals. It can also be used for pasta.

3 Course Meal: Tomato-Goat Cheese Bruschetta, Chicken Parmesan, Chocolate Mini Cheesecakes

Last night I cooked my first three course meal...an appetizer, dinner, and dessert. I wanted to try out my new found culinary skills on my dad, so I invited him over to my place for (what a hoped) a great meal. Not everything on the menu was healthy. The Tomato-Goat Cheese Bruschetta was not healthy...but if you only have one or two then you won't do much damage. The chicken Parmesan was healthy! There are so many versions to healthy chicken parm...and this one is by far the BEST! And dessert was "healthified" chocolate mini cheesecakes. You can serve this meal and not feel bad about eating it. Just watch your portions. If cooking for others, you can easily make your chicken Parmesan even more healthy by cutting back on the cheese and not serving it over pasta. I found all of the recipes on the Internet and followed them step by step. Instead of copying and pasting everything...I will provide a link to the recipe under each photo. Nutritional content is listed with each recipe. If you are having a dinner party, or wanting to cook a special meal...this is a PERFECT idea!

Tomato-Goat Cheese Bruschetta
Tomato-Goat Cheese Bruschetta
Note: I did not use the olives this recipe calls for because I hate olives. When toasting the baguette slices...spray it with olive oil. Oh, and you don't have to get the specific brand of diced tomatoes listed. I also added some Italian season and oregano.

Cornflake Chicken Parmesan (TO DIE FOR!!!)
Chicken Parmesan
I used HUGE chicken breasts for my dish. I think the recipe calls for breast tenderloins...you can do it either way. If you don't want to serve it with pasta, I recommend going with the larger chicken breast.

"Healthified" Mini Chocolate Cheesecakes
Chocolate Cheesecake
I love desserts that are already portioned out for you. It makes it so much easier to watch what you eat. I could've eaten the whole plate of these cheesecakes!

Amazing...100 calorie Pancake!

Hello readers! This morning's breakfast was great. A 100 calorie pancake topped with fresh fruit and a drizzle of syrup. This recipe was super easy to make and really good. I should mention that the pancake batter makes 8 pancakes. I only had one so there was A LOT left over. If you have kids or are feeding more than one make the recipe as is. If you are cooking for yourself, scale back the ingredients, or you can just but the left over batter in the fridge and save it for later because I know that I will probably have this again as a snack.

In order to make sure you are only getting 100 calories in your pancake...1 pancake = 1/3 cup. If you top the pancake with some fruit then it is quite filling. I have sliced 1/2 a banana and put a few fresh raspberries on top of my pancake.

Just the Pancake is 100 calories and .4 grams of fat!!!

Ingredients

Whole Wheat Flour, 1.25 cup
Baking Soda, 1 tsp
Splenda No Calorie Sweetener, 2 tbsp (1 packet)
Skim Milk, 1 cup
Eggbeaters, .5 cup
Vanilla extract, 1 tbsp
Cinnamon, 2 tbsp

Directions

Mix flour, baking soda, and splenda in bowl. Mix milk, eggs, and vanilla in another bowl. Beat into dry mix roughly, so as to add more air to mix. Stir in cinnamon last. Serving size is 1/3 cup mix. Use PAM on skillet when cooking and sweeten with sugar free syrup and/or fruit!

Serving size is one pancake. If you use less than 1/3 of a cup batter (like 1/4, or 1/6) you can have two for 100 calories! Smaller, but more! :)

Number of Servings: 8

Santa Fe Foldover (with Pork)

I have seen this recipe on almost every healthy food website and have been DYING to try it. I was not impressed. Apparently this recipe won some contest for best recipe using Bisquick Healthy Heart Biscuit Mix??? Since I was cooking for my boyfriend and myself I had to add meat (for him). I chose pork..it was a lean, almost fat free, and cut into cubes. The problem with this recipe was that it was really bland. There is A LOT of potential for it to be good. With the right spices this dish could be great. My boyfriend, on the other hand, did not hate this recipe. Probably because he got to melt more cheese over his portion. I'm posting this recipe because I made it and ate it and it was edible. I strongly recommend adding some type of meat and spices to give it some flavor. If you do that, then it could potentially be very good. Let me know if you try this and what you did to make it better. I'm just copying and pasting the ingredients and directions. I followed them exactly - the part about folding the dough was confusing, so I'm not even sure if I made the recipe correctly lol. At least it looks pretty in the pictures.

Prep Time:15 min Start to Finish:45 min makes:3 servings 1 cup Bisquick Heart Smart® mix 2 tablespoons cornmeal 1/4 cup very hot water 1 cup canned no-salt-added black beans, drained, rinsed 1/3 cup Old El Paso® Thick 'n Chunky salsa 2 tablespoons sliced green onions (2 medium) 1/4 cup shredded reduced-fat Colby-Monterey Jack cheese blend (1 oz) - I used 2% cheddar cheese 1/2 cup shredded lettuce 1/3 cup chopped tomato 3 tablespoons fat-free sour cream 1. Move oven rack to lowest position. Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 12-inch pizza pan with cooking spray. 2. In small bowl, stir Bisquick® mix, cornmeal and very hot water until soft dough forms. Place on surface sprinkled with Bisquick mix, gently rolling to coat. Shape into ball; knead about 5 times or until smooth. Roll dough into 10-inch circle; fold into fourths. Unfold on pizza pan. In small bowl, stir together beans and salsa; spread over dough to within 2 inches of edge. Sprinkle with onions. Fold edge over. Sprinkle cheese over beans.
3.Bake 25 to 28 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted. Top with remaining ingredients.
GOOD LUCK!!!!

Garlic and Herb Tilapia and Shrimp with Broccli Cheddar Pasta

This is not a recipe..just a suggestion for a healthy, balanced meal. Bi-lo was having buy one get one free the other week on frozen shrimp and Tilapia so I stocked up. Instead of finding a recipe for lunch, I decided to start cleaning out my freezer. And I was craving some pasta. Packaged pasta can be very high in calories so if you want to have a serving of it for your meal...then you will need to pair it with something very low in calories...like fish and shrimp! To create a meal like this just cook your fish/shrimp according to the package. If you have some marinade (like I did - Garlic and Herb) throw some of it on the cooked fish and put it in the grill pan for a minute or two. That's what I did with the Tilapia and I just dipped the shrimp in the marinade. The Broccoli Cheddar Pasta was one of those dry mixes you find in the rice aisle. I had a very filling lunch for 410 calories and 4 grams of fat! If your grocery store has frozen fish fillets...I highly recommend stocking up!

Italian Pizza Patties

OMG...I'm so tired. It's midnight and my boyfriend and I JUST had dinner. Since my lunch today (Grilled Chicken Hawaiian Sliders) was a little time consuming, I wanted to do something easy and quick for dinner. We had frozen lean ground beef in the freezer so I decided on hamburgers...but not just a plain old hamburger...an Italian Style Pizza Burger.

Italian Pizza Burger with Steamed Veggies

 

 

Makes 2 Servings:

1/4 cup pizza sauce
1 egg, beaten or egg substitute
1/4 dry bread crumbs (Italian Style if you have them - I did!)
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried minced onion
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 pound lean ground beef (or turkey)
1/2 cup low fat Mozzarella Cheese

Directions:

Mix all of the ingredients, except for the cheese, and form into patties.

Grill on grill pan or outdoor grill until cooked.

Melt cheese on top of burger.

Serve on a bun or eat alone if you are watching your carbs. Pick whatever side you want to go with it..tonight it was steamed veggies.

Nutritional content will vary, but as long as you use lean ground beef and low fat cheese...this quick burger is low fat and low in calories. Whew...time for bed!