BBQ Steak Wraps served with Baked Mac and Cheese

Steak...it's what's for dinner. At least on Saturday night it was. I thought I did not like steak. I made the decision when I was 5 that steak was gross. I also thought steak couldn't be healthy...wrong about that. Having some red meat in your diet is good. For this recipe we used 1 ribeye steak (it was think and lean). This dinner consisted of two new recipes...the Steak Wrap and the Mac and Cheese. I will provide information for both. This was my boyfriends second favorite meal yet...the first being the Thai Peanut Sauce Salmon. I think this might have been my favorite second favorite as well.

Before the wrap got wrapped

Baked Mac and Cheese

BBQ Steak Wrap Served with Baked Mac and Cheese

4 8-inch whole wheat/fat free tortillas (NOTE - I recommend using a flatbread...it's more durable)
2 cups of baby spinach (bagged)
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed/drained
.5 cup low fat cheddar cheese
2 cups thinly sliced cooked steak -OR-
2 cups of thinly sliced boneless skinless chicken breast
4 tbs BBQ sauce

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Top each tortilla with even amounts of spinach, corn, beans, cheese and steak. Drizzle BBQ sauce over and wrap them up.

Heat through in baking dish lightly coated with cooking spray for 10 minutes or until lightly browned.

Number of Servings: 4 (I only made 2 servings)

Nutritional Info: 8.2 grams of fat/340 calories/47 carbs/22.9 grams protein.

BAKED MAC AND CHEESE:

This made A LOT of mac and cheese. If only cooking for two, I recommend scaling back on the ingredients and using a smaller casserole dish. However, the mac and cheese is a good reheated (just had some). I was a tad disappointed with the flavor of this dish. My boyfriend thought it tasted fine...I thought it was a little bland. Bland, but still really good for healthy mac and cheese. Oh and the recipe calls for a 3qt casserole pan. Use one that is deep and not long like mine (see photo above). The results will be better.

NOTE: PRINT OUT THE CONVERSION CHART I HAVE POSTED, OR FIND ONE ONLINE...YOU WILL NEED IT FOR THIS RECIPE!!!!

12 oz uncooked elbow macaroni

1/2 cup fat free sour cream

12 oz fat free evaporated milk

1 cup low fat cheddar cheese

1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

2 Tbsp dried bread crumbs

2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350.

Cook pasta according to package, drain, and transfer into a VERY large bowl.

While pasta is still hot, stir in the sour cream and set aside.

Heat milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until tiny bubbles appear just around the edges (known as scalding).

Reduce heat to low, add cheese, and simmer until cheese melts...stirring constantly with a wire whisk.

Remove from heat and stir in mustard, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

Add cheese mixture to pasta and mix well. Transfer to a 3 quart casserole dish.

Combine bread crumbs and Parmesan Cheese then sprinkle over pasta.

Bake until top is golden...about 30 minutes. Yields about 1 cup per serving.

NUTRITION: 4.7 grams fat/165 calories/17 carbs

Cheddar and Bacon Quiche

I find most of these recipes online and I have yet to make something that did not taste amazing. This is a "bacon and cheddar" quiche...but I added in tons of vegetables. I have store bought diced veggies that are on the verge of going bad, so I used this as a way to make use of them. Either stick to the recipe or add in whatever is in your fridge.

Cheddar and Bacon Quiche - as you can see I put in red and green bell pepper...gives it  flavor and make it more colorful

Quiche served with the Salmon on Toast (not recommended)

Watch out Rachel Ray!

I orginally planned on making this for breakfast, but turned out being my lunch. I wasn't sure what to pair it with so I put some smoked salmon on a piece of wheat toast topped with cream cheese. It was not good (my own creation). It's not the kind of smoked salmon you're probably thinking about...it's the cheapo packaged salmon that you refriderate and serve cold. I bought it because it was buy one get get one free...not good. But it looks pretty with the Quiche :-)

Prep Time:20 min

Start to Finish:1 hr 5 min

makes:8 servings     1 1/2 cups Bisquick Heart Smart® mix 2 tablespoons canola oil 3 tablespoons boiling water (you don't really have to boil the water, just hot tap water) 4 slices bacon, cooked, crumbled (I just threw in the packaged already cooked bacon I had) 1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese (2 oz) 4 medium green onions, thinly sliced (1/4 cup) 2 whole eggs 2 egg whites 1 1/4 cups fat-free (skim) milk 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard (I didn't have this and did not use it...still tasted fantastic) 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon red pepper sauce (Did not have this ingredient either...still good!)

DIRECTIONS:         Heat oven to 400°F.
Spray 9-inch glass pie plate with cooking spray.
In medium bowl, stir Bisquick mix and oil until blended.
Add boiling water; stir vigorously until soft dough forms (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary). Press dough in bottom and up side of pie plate.
Sprinkle bacon, cheese and onions over crust. NOTE: Now is the time to add in any extra veggies
In medium bowl, beat eggs, egg whites, milk, mustard, salt and pepper sauce with wire whisk until blended. Pour into crust. Cover edge of crust with strips of foil to prevent excessive browning. (OMG - I had the hardest time putting tin foil over the crust!!!)
Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until center is set. Remove foil strip. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.
Nutrition: 1 Serving: Calories 190 (Calories from Fat 80); Total Fat 9g (Saturated Fat 2g, Trans Fat 0g)

My boyfriend and I had the Quiche on Saturday for lunch. Today is my day off from cooking and we had leftovers. The Quiche was even better today then it was yesterday. Great dish!

Cooking Conversion Chart

This is so helpful. I just printed it out and am putting it on my fridge.

The Perfect 195 Calorie Snack

Before I did some research about losing weight...I thought not eating was the way to go. Clearly, that is unhealthy and really not a good method to lose weight. Basically I guess you are supposed to have three balanced meals a day and a snack or two. At least that's what I've been doing and I have lost 2 pounds in a week. Grabbing a snack is easy, but it's important to pay attention to portions and choose items that are filling. My favorite snack to eat is light yogurt (100 calories), a wedge of light Laughing Cow Cheese (35 calories) and 5 saltine crackers (60 calories). It's a very filling snack for only 195 calories and it never gets boring because there are endless flavors of yogurt and a wide variety of spreadable cheese. IMPORTANT: You will never lose weight if you drink a lot of soda or other high calorie drinks. Water is the best way to go, but I can't stand water. So, thank the lord for Crystal Light. I get all the water I need but it doesn't taste like it...my favorite flavor is peach mango green tea!

My Favorite Snack :-)

Italian Pizza Bake served with Fresh Tomato Mozzarella Salad

This is a great Friday night dinner...it doesn't take long to prepare and you can spend time with your family, boyfriend/girlfriend, get ready to go out, etc while it is baking. I chose to serve the pizza with a wonderful Tomato Mozzarella Salad. Growing up this salad was a staple in my home. The salad is optional and the pizza can be served with whatever side you want. I'm not going to explain how to make the salad...if you look at the photo it is pretty self explanatory. The dressing on it is low fat balsamic vinaigrette. I used just 1 tablespoon.

1/3	cup Bisquick Heart Smart® mix
2	tablespoons fat-free egg product or 1 egg white
1	tablespoon water
1/8	teaspoon garlic powder (Surprisingly I did not have garlic powder so I used 1 tbs of minced garlic instead)
1/4	cup diced red pepper (I used diced green, red, and yellow pepper that were already packaged)
1/4	cup chopped onion
1/2	cup cut-up cooked chicken breast (TIME SAVER: I used frozen cooked and already diced chicken)
1/2	cup diced tomatoes
1/4	teaspoon Italian seasoning (I didn't use this because I did not have it)
1/4	cup shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese (Since my boyfriend was eating this as well and he LOVES cheese...I added an additional 1/4 cup Italian cheese)

The whole meal...my boyfriend is so cut..he helps me "pose" my food so it looks appealing.

Italian Pizza Bake (1 serving)

Fresh Mozzarella and Tomato Salad

Directions:

Heat oven to 400°F. Spray 8x4-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. In small bowl, stir Bisquick mix, egg product, water and garlic powder; spread in pan. NOTE: I followed the directions and did not feel like there was enough mixture for the crust, so I made a second batch and added it to the pan. Maybe I was using the wrong size pan???
In 10-inch nonstick skillet, cook bell pepper and onion over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until tender. Stir in chicken, tomatoes and Italian seasoning; cook until hot. Spoon over batter. Sprinkle with cheese. NOTE: I added oregano since I did not have Italian seasoning.

Bake 20 to 23 minutes or until golden brown; loosen from sides.

Nutrition if you use the original recipe (without the extra cheese and crust mixture):

1 Serving: Calories 190 (Calories from Fat 40); Total Fat 4 1/2g (Saturated Fat 1 1/2g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 35mg; Sodium 390mg; Total Carbohydrate 20g (Dietary Fiber 1g, Sugars 4g); Protein 18g

Nutrition with my modifications (pizza bake only):

9.2g Fat and 278 calories

Nutrition info for Tomato Mozzarella Salad:

10g Fat and 165 calories

Corn And Green Chili Spoon Bread (side dish) Paired with Salsa Chicken (optional)

I scour the internet in my spare time (which I have A LOT of since I am currently unemployed) looking for healthy recipes. I have a folder full of them. I will not post a recipe on this blog that I have not made myself and approved. The Corn and Green Chili Spoon Bread was good...but it wasn't great. I think the reason I didn't LOVE this recipe is because I was expecting the caserole to be a different texture. I was expecting it to be thicker and drier...like bread, but it was moist and had the consistency of quiche. Maybe I didn't cook it right...who knows. This is a side dish. Since this was the recipe for dinner I needed to pair it with a main dish that was I already knew how to make and was quick. I chose to bread a chicken breast, bake it, and top it with salsa. For the breading I used regular bread crumbs and put in some taco seasoning (the spoon bread has a Mexican vibe to it, so I wanted the chicken to go enhance it). After the chicken was done baking I just put salsa on it and called it "Salsa Chicken". Tips on baking breaded chicken: Pour the bread crumbs in a big Ziploc bag and coat the chicken that way. Pour breadcrumbs ALL OVER bottom of baking sheet..that way both sides will be crispy. IMPORTANT: For this recipe you have to use 2 pans...one pan that has the ingredients of the spoon bread and another  larger pan that you fill with warm water...the pan with the ingredients goes inside the larger pan when you bake it. This little step at the bottom almost ruined my recipe as I have limited baking pans. 

Corn and Green Chili Spoon Bread

Plated Spoon Bread served with Breaded Salsa Chicken

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels (I used frozen)
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup skim milk
• 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper (I used a combo of red, green, and yellow peppers that were already sliced and diced...I highly recommend that)
• 1/2 cup diced green chilies
• 1 - 2 jalapeño chilies, stemmed, seeded, and diced (I used jalapenos we had in a jar and just cut them up until it filled 1/4 cup_
• Egg substitute equivalent to 2 eggs
• 1/4 tsp salt (to taste)
• 1/8 tsp white pepper
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 egg whites
• 1 - 2 tbsp Parmesan/Romano cheese, grated

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
2. If using fresh corn, cut the corn kernels from the cobs and set aside. If using frozen, microwave before using.
3. Bring the chicken broth and milk to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce the heat to low. Slowly add the cornmeal, stirring constantly, and cook until thickened, about 2 minutes. Add the corn and set aside.
4. Spray a medium skillet with a nonstick vegetable coating spray and place over medium heat. Add onion, bell peppers, and both chilies, and cook until softened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add onion mixture and egg substitute to the cornmeal mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with sugar until stiff (I didn't know what "stiff" meant...just beat the egg whites/sugar until whites thicken). Fold some of the whites into the cornmeal to lighten the mixture.
6. Spray a 2-quart oblong pan with a nonstick spray and pour the batter into the pan (I did not have an oblong pay...I used an 8 x8 baking dish). Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top. Place the pan in a larger pan, partially filled with warm water. Bake for 1 hour.
7. You may turn the oven down to the lowest setting, leave the door ajar, and "hold" the spoon bread up to 30 minutes. Allow the oven to cool down by leaving the door wide open for 5 minutes.

Note: If you want to serve the baked salsa chicken with the spoon bread go ahead and prepare it once the dish is in the oven. I guess I baked the chicken for 20 minutes or so...when there is 20 minutes left for the spoon bread...pop in the chicken and they will be ready at the same time :-)

Chocolate Cherry Carnation Instant Breakfast Smoothie

I am not a breakfast person. I either don't want to cook in the morning, don't have time, or I'm not hungry. I'm usually not hungry. Most days I just drink a Carnation Instant Breakfast Essentials (the no sugar added one) mixed with skim milk. A lot of people need food in their tummy in the morning before they take certain medications...so have some toast with it. Everyone says that breakfast is the most important meal of the day...so it's important to eat something...or in my case DRINK something that has your daily essential vitamins to stat your day off right.

Before I go any further, I should tell everyone that I once worked at Smoothie King...many years ago. I know the "secrets" to making smoothies that are exceptional. The two secrets are...use DRY MILK and PURE CANE SUGAR (the brown kind). Use those in ANY smoothie recipe and it will taste a million times better. For 1 serving use 1 tbs of the Pure Cane Sugar and about 1/3 cup of dry milk. I'm not really sure about the dry milk, because I just pour it straight from the box...I've never measured it. Back to my recipe...

Ingredients:

1 packet Rich Milk Chocolate Carnation Instant Breakfast Essentials (no sugar added kind)
4-5 ice cubes
1 cup frozen sweet black cherries
1 tbs pure cane sugar
1/3 cup dry milk
1/3 cup 2% milk (or the milk or your choosing)

Directions:
 
Put all of the ingredients in a blender and blend. Easy enough.

Note: If your smoothie is too think and isn't "smoothie like" add just a little bit of water and continue blending. Add water until the consistincey you desire.

Nutrition:

253 calories/ 1 gram fat and tons of vitamins!!!

* Not everyone has frozen dark sweet cherries in their freezer...you can pick any fruit that would go well with chocolate...banana (use a whole one), strawberries...be creative!