Fettuccine Alfredo with Bacon

The other day I had a mad craving for Alfredo so, of course, I HAD to find a healthy version. I took to Google and found this gem! Just remember portion control. The bacon makes it almost impossible to stop eating! We used gluten free fettuccine and an all purpose gluten free flour blend (Grandpa's Kitchen brand) to make this meal gluten free. I also skipped the fresh parsley to make it cheaper and didn't notice anything missing. Everyone loved this especially the kiddos! 5 out of 5 stars!

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 (9-ounce) package refrigerated fresh fettuccine
• 2 slices applewood-smoked bacon chopped
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 cup 1% low-fat milk
• 2/3 cup (about 2 1/2 ounces) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid.
2. While pasta cooks, cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 4 minutes or until crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove bacon from pan, reserving drippings. Add garlic to drippings in pan; sauté 1 minute, stirring constantly. Sprinkle flour over garlic; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly; cook 2 minutes or until bubbly and slightly thick, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low. Gradually add cheese, stirring until cheese melts. Stir in salt and reserved 1/4 cup cooking liquid. Add hot pasta to pan; toss well to combine. Sprinkle with bacon, parsley, and pepper.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 339
Fat: 11.7g
Cholesterol: 22mg
Sodium: 833mg
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 17.3g

Lasagna Soup

A lot has happened since our last post but the most noteworthy is that Thing 2 and I have gone gluten free! I've lived gluten free before but it has been slightly difficult getting back into the swing of things plus adding a 2 year old's palette to the mix. So my point is all of the recipes I will post will now either be gluten free or can be made gluten free. This soup is no exception. Husband really liked this soup and I enjoyed it more and more the stuffier my nose got. It was SPICY! I think a lot of that had to do with the fact that we used cut up Italian sausages rather than turkey sausage since that is what we had on hand but I think I will cut back on the crushed red pepper next time. We used brown rice lasagna noodles and left off the bread sticks to make this gluten free. It was good and hit the spot with the freezing cold weather outside. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Source: thedeenbros.com

Course: Soup

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 pound Italian turkey sausage casings removed
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 green bell pepper chopped
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 (32-ounce) container chicken broth
• 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 4 ounces broken whole-wheat lasagna noodles about 4 noodles
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
• 3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat shredded mozzarella cheese
• 8 Whole-wheat breadsticks or grissini, optional

Directions

1. Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large nonstick saucepot or Dutch oven. Add the sausage, onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the sausage is crumbled and browned, 8 – 10 minutes.
2. Add the broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, salt, and crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the flavors are blended, about 20 minutes. Add the noodles; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the soup thickens slightly and the noodles are tender, 10 – 12 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in mozzarella, basil, and the Parmesan. Serve with the breadsticks, if using. (whole-wheat lasagna noodles take a little longer to cook.)

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 225
Fat: 7g
Cholesterol: 53mg
Sodium: 826mg
Sugar: 4g
Carbohydrate: 17g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 23g

Lighter Baked Macaroni and Cheese

I am seriously kicking myself for not blogging this sooner since now I can't remember much about it. I do remember that everyone ate it and enjoyed it and I remember that we decided we would make it again substituting with smoked gouda to add another good flavor. We also substituted panko for the bread crumbs and froze half for another day. We had decide on 4 out of 5 stars so I guess that means it was pretty good.

Source: www.skinnytaste.com

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 12 oz high fiber elbows like Ronzoni Smart Taste
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp light butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup minced onion
• 2 cups skim milk
• 1 cup fat free chicken broth
• 8 oz Sargento 2% reduced fat mild cheddar
• salt and pepper
• 4 cups baby spinach
• 1/8 cup grated parmesan
• 1/4 cup seasoned whole wheat bread crumbs
• Pam butter flavored spray

Directions

1. Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions. Spray a baking dish with buttered flavor Pam. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. In a large, heavy skillet, melt butter. Add flour and cook over low heat stirring with a whisk. Add onion and cook another 2 minutes. Add milk and chicken broth and continue whisking, raising heat to medium-high until it comes to a boil and becomes smooth and thick. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Once it becomes thick, remove from heat, add cheese and mix well until cheese is melted. Adjust salt and pepper to taste, add cooked macaroni and baby spinach. Pour into baking dish. Top with grated cheese and breadcrumbs. Spray a little more buttered flavor Pam on top.
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes, then broil for a few minutes to get the breadcrumbs golden.

Amount Per Serving

Servings: 8 • Serving Size: 1 cup • Old Points: 6 pts • Points+: 7 pts

Calories: 296.67 • Fat: 9.7 g • Protein: 15.8 g • Carb: 34.5 g • Fiber: 5.3 g

Spinach Tortellini en Brodo

Ok, Husband and I disagree about this. I concede that it is good but I don't think it as good as our other tortellini soup recipe and he says it is better. I think he prefers this one because the other one has a tartness from the balsamic vinegar and this one has a more "chicken noodlie" taste. I obviously did like as we made it a few days ago and I just ate more for lunch today. That's the really good news... makes lots of leftovers. The other good news: it is surprisingly kid friendly. Thing 1 ate a little and then moved on to something else but Thing 2 kept on eating. I've actually given him this several times since we've made it but I mostly just fish the tortellini out and cut it up for him. Still, if I can make something for us and tweak it a little so the kids will eat it I'm a happy mom. As always we left out the celery. You can pretty much bet that if something contains celery it will be left out. It is my compromise with Husband. I get to keep olives if I give up celery. DEAL! Anyway, I really liked the freshness of this soup and it came when I had a yucky cold so it was a very welcomed dish. I will go with Husband on this one and give it a 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Source: http://www.skinnytaste.com/

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 2 tsp butter
• 2 stalks of celery, choppeds
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled & chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 3 cups water
• 1 small Parmigiano Reggiano Rind optional
• 18 oz spinach cheese tortellini Buitoni
• 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 2 cups baby spinach
• salt to taste
• Parmigiano Reggiano, grated

Directions

1. In a large pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat. When melted, add the celery, onion, carrot & garlic. Cover and reduce heat to low and cook for approximately 8-10 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
2. Add the chicken broth, water, rind and increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. When broth boils, add salt (to taste), pepper and nutmeg. Stir to combine. Reduce heat to low and add tortellini. Simmer until tortellini cooks to al dente.
3. Once cooked, remove the rind, and add the baby spinach. Stir to combine. Garnish with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano!
4. Makes 12 cups

Amount Per Serving

Servings: 8 • Serving Size: 1-1/2 cups • Old Points: 5 pts • Points+: 6 pts

Calories: 226.6 • Fat: 5.3 g • Carb: 33.8 g • Fiber: 0.9 g • Protein: 11.3 g

Asian Peanut Noodles with Chicken

We are suckers for some good Thai food so we are always looking for new pad thai recipes. I don't care what you call it, this is pretty much pad thai. I really wanted to like this. Unfortunately this was far too spicy to even taste. The chicken had really good flavor which says a lot coming from me since I am not a fan of chicken. I think we will make this again but try to tame down the spice. Suggestions welcome. 3.5 out of 5 stars as is but we may re-rate if we can get it tamed at all.

Servings: 6 • Serving Size: 1/6th of recipe • Old Points: 6 pts • Points+: 8 pts

Source: www.skinnytaste.com

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 14.5 ozs fat free chicken broth vegetarians use vegetable broth
• 5 tbsps better'n peanut butter
• 1 tbsp Sriracha chili sauce
• 2 tbsps honey
• 2 tbsps soy sauce use Tamari for gluten free
• 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 16 ozs chicken breast, cut into thin strips
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp Sriracha chili sauce more or less to taste
• juice of 1/2 lime
• 5 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
• 1 tbsp soy sauce use Tamari for gluten free
• 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
• 8 ozs rice noodles
• 3/4 cup green onion, chopped
• 1 1/4 cups shredded carrots
• 1 1/4 cups cup shredded broccoli slaw
• 1 cup bean bean sprouts
• 2 tbsps chopped peanuts
• 1 lime, sliced
• cilantro for garnish optional

Directions

1. For the peanut sauce: Combine 1 cup chicken broth, peanut butter, sriracha, honey, 2 tbsp soy sauce, ginger, and 3 cloves crushed garlic in a small saucepan and simmer over medium-low heat stirring occasionally until sauce becomes smooth and well blended, about 5-10 minutes. Set aside.
2. Boil water for the noodles cook pasta according to package instructions.
3. Season chicken with salt and pepper, sriracha, lime, garlic, ginger and soy sauce.
4. Heat a large skillet or wok until hot. Add oil and sauté chicken on high heat until cooked through, about 2-3 minutes; remove from heat and set aside.
5. Add 2 cloves crushed garlic, scallions, carrots, broccoli slaw and/or bean sprouts and salt, sauté until tender crisp, about 1-2 minutes.
6. Drain noodles and toss with peanut sauce and additional chicken broth if needed to loosen the sauce. When chicken is cooked, toss with noodles.
7. Divide noodles and chicken between 6 bowls, top with sauteed vegetables, bean sprouts, chopped peanuts (or you can toss everything together to hide the vegetables so your family members don't push them aside!) and garnish with cilantro and lime wedges.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 337.9 • Fat: 4.6 g • Carbs: 51.4 g • Fiber: 3.7 g • Protein: 21.1 g

Crock Pot Minestrone Soup

So, the picture is not so great but the soup is actually really good. It helped that I was sick and soup just hit the spot. I loved all the fresh veggies. Yum. We didn't have parmesean rind so we left it out and we didn't have fresh spinach so we used arugula instead. It worked just as well. I am now in love with the website we got this from and you will be seeing it more and more!! I say make this and enjoy. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

"Minestrone soup is a classic hearty Italian soup with tomatoes, white beans, pasta and vegetables. You can use Swiss chard or kale instead of spinach if you wish and you don't have to puree the beans, it's just my preference. I modified this for the crock pot but I prefer to make this soup on the stove and let it simmer for about 45 minutes before adding the zucchini and pasta. The crock pot however is so convenient when you are working all day and want to come home to a cooked meal. I highly recommend adding the Parmesan cheese rind. This is also great with mini turkey meatballs, or even some sauteed crumbled turkey sausage."- www.skinnytaste.com


Servings: 6 • Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups • Old Points: 4 • Points+: 5

Source: www.skinnytaste.com

 

Ingredients

• ½ onion, chopped
• 1 cup carrots, chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (15 oz) can white beans, drained, rinsed cannellini or navy
• 3 cups fat free chicken broth or vegetable broth for vegetarians
• 1 oz chunk of good Parmesan cheese rind
• 1 fresh rosemary sprig
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tbsps chopped fresh basil
• ¼ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
• salt and fresh pepper
• 1 medium zucchini, chopped
• 2 cups chopped fresh or frozen (defrosted) spinach
• 2 cups cooked small pasta like ditalini or elbows al dente
• extra parmesan cheese to top extra pts

Directions

1. Rinse and drain beans. Puree beans with 1 cup of the broth in a blender.
2. In a crock pot, combine broth, tomatoes, pureed beans, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, herbs, Parmesan cheese rind, salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
3. Forty minutes before the soup is done cooking, add zucchini and spinach. Cover and cook 30 more minutes. Add cooked pasta, cook 10 minutes more. Remove bay leaves, rosemary sprig, parmesan rind and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Ladle soup into bowls and top with extra parmesan cheese.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 215.7 • Fat: 0.7 g • Protein: 8.7 g • Carb: 42.0 g • Fiber: 6.7 g 

Chicken Orzo Salad with Goat Cheese

I've been craving salads and fruit and light things lately (and no I'm not pregnant) so I went searching for a good salad for dinner tonight. All in all it was pretty good. Nothing super spectacular but we would definitely eat it again. We give it 4 out of 5 stars.

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1¼ cups uncooked orzo rice-shaped pasta
• 3 cups chopped grilled chicken breast strips such as Tyson
• 1½ cups trimmed arugula
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
• ½ cup chopped red bell pepper
• ¼ cup chopped red onion
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 6 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) crumbled goat cheese

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain well.
2. Combine pasta, chicken, and the next 6 ingredients (through oregano) in a large bowl; toss well.
3. Combine vinegar, oil, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle vinegar mixture over pasta mixture; toss well to coat. Sprinkle with cheese.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 295

Fat: 7.7g

Cholesterol: 55mg

Sodium: 788mg

Fiber: 2g

Protein: 24.4g

Roasted Asparagus and Tomato Penne Salad with Goat Cheese

I've made this several times and for some reason it has never made it to the blog. Probably because we devour it before we can get an adequate picture. I made this for a work potluck and for a church function and both times it was gone before I even reached the bowl. I guess that is a good sign. We LOVE this recipe! It is one of those fresh tasting but filling meals that you could just eat and eat and eat. Consider yourself warned. This is the recipe that first got Husband loving arugula. Yum. Can't say that enough. This might be my all time favorite recipe. Definitely in my top 5 for sure. Here's a tip: We had to stop making this for a while because the goat cheese can be a little pricey. Luckily I stumbled upon some at Costco that was an AMAZING deal. Hooray! Happy eating. A BIG 5 out of  5 stars!!!

Serve immediately or cover and chill for 2 hours for a cold pasta salad. (We like it warm)

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2 cups uncooked penne or mostaccioli (tube-shaped pasta)
• 12 asparagus spears
• 12 cherry tomatoes
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil divided
• ³⁄₈ teaspoon kosher salt divided
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon black pepper divided
• 1 tablespoon minced shallots
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon dried herbes de Provence
• 1 ¹⁄₂ teaspoons honey
• ¹⁄₂ cup pitted kalamata olives halved
• 2 cups baby arugula
• ¹⁄₂ cup (2 ounces) crumbled goat cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400. 2. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain and set aside. 3. Place asparagus and tomatoes on a jelly-roll pan. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Toss gently to coat; arrange asparagus and tomato mixture in a single layer. Bake at 400 for 6 minutes or until asparagus is crisp-tender. Remove asparagus from pan. Place pan back in oven, and bake tomatoes an additional 4 minutes. Remove tomatoes from pan; let asparagus and tomatoes stand 10 minutes. Cut asparagus into 1-inch lengths; halve tomatoes. 4. Combine shallots and the next 4 ingredients (through honey) in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Gradually add remaining 3 tablespoons oil, stirring constantly with a whisk. Stir in remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. 5. Place pasta, asparagus, tomato, olives, and arugula in a large bowl; toss. Drizzle juice mixture over pasta mixture; toss. Sprinkle with cheese.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 408

Fat: 22.3g

Cholesterol: 11mg

Sodium: 584mg

Carbohydrate: 42.9g

Fiber: 3.5g

Protein: 11.3g

Beef Stroganoff

Husband grew up eating stroganoff and I don't remember EVER having it before we made it. When I saw a healthy version in one of my slow cooker magazines I thought I would give him a little blast from the past and try it. It was better than I expected but Husband said it lacked in "creaminess". That is probably what made it healthy. When husband made this he didn't know we had dry sherry in our pantry so he used the extra broth instead which I think made it lack in flavor. We will probably make it again but using the sherry and a little less broth than it calls for as it ended up slightly watery. All 4 members of the family ate it which gave it extra points. We both give it a 4 out of 5 stars.

Source: Diabetic Slow Cooker

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1 ¹⁄₂ lbs Beef stew meat
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon dried oregano crushed
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon dried thyme crushed
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 (14.5 ounce) cans lower sodium beef broth
• ¹⁄₃ cup dry sherry or lower sodium beef broth
• 1 8 ounce carton light sour cream
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 cups hot cooked noodles
• Snipped Fresh Parsley optional

Directions

1. 1. Trim fat from beef. Cut beef into 1 inch pieces. In a large skillet cook beef, half at a time, in hot oil over medium heat until browned. Drain off fat.
2. 2. In a 3 1/2 or 4 quart slow cooker place mushrooms, onion, garlic, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, thyme, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and bay leaf. Add beef. Pour broth and sherry over all.
3. 3. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 10 hours or on high-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours. Discard bay leaf.
4. 4. If using low heat setting, turn to high-heat setting. In a medium bowl combine sour cream and cornstarch. Gradually whisk about 1 cup of the hot cooking liquid into the sour cream mixture. Stir sour cream mixture into cooker. Cover and cook about 30 minutes more or until thickened. Serve over hot cooked noodles. If desired, sprinkle with parsley.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 342

Fat: 12g

Cholesterol: 89mg

Sodium: 441g

Sugar: 4g

Carbohydrate: 22g

Fiber: 1g

Protein: 32g

 

Lazy Lasagna

Like I've said on here before I have a weakness for lasagna. The only problem I have is that I grew up as a Stouffer's girl and I prefer it to homemade. I search and search for a lasagna that can rival the amazingness that is Stouffer's and this my friends is it! It tastes almost like an exact match!! So easy, so cheap and SO yummy! Both Thing 1 and Thing 2 ate this and enjoyed it. Next time I think I will split it into 2 pans and freeze half for another time. So far my favorite lasagna. 5 out of 5 stars.

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 9

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground round
• 1 (26 ounce) jar low-fat spaghetti sauce
• 1 (16 ounce) package fat-free cottage cheese
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• cooking spray
• 1 (8 ounce) package precooked lasagna noodles
• 1 cup (4 ounces) preshredded reduced-fat mild Cheddar cheese
• Chopped fresh parsley optional

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cook meat in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until browned, stirring to crumble. Drain well, and return meat to pan. Add sauce; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes.
3. Combine cottage and Parmesan cheeses in a bowl; set aside. Spread 1/2 cup meat mixture in bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 4 noodles over meat mixture; top with half of cottage cheese mixture, 1 cup meat mixture, and 1/3 cup cheddar cheese. Repeat layers, ending with noodles. Spread remaining meat mixture over noodles.
4. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with 1/3 cup cheddar cheese, and bake 5 more minutes or until cheese melts. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley, if desired.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 275

Fat: 6.2g

Cholesterol: 43mg

Sodium: 584mg

Carbohydrate: 26.1g

Fiber: 1.9g

Protein: 21.8g

 

Tortellini Tuscan Stew

Another school night crock pot recipe. Sadly Husband didn't get to try it before he left so you only get one opinion on this one. I came home to a fantastic smell which made me super excited to eat! The veggies were great (my favorite was the green beans) and the tortellini was even better. I think this makes more like 7 or 8 servings because it was SO much food and all 5 of my tupperwares were full to the brim. I was stuffed. Other than the enormous serving which may appeal to some I thought it was a really good meal. I give it a 4 out of 5 stars.

Source: Good Housekeeping

Serves: 6 (more like 7 or 8)

Ingredients

• 1 (2-pound) butternut squash peeled and seeded, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 large zucchini cut in 1-inch chunks
• 1 large yellow summer squash cut in 1-inch chunks
• 1 large onion diced
• 1 large red bell pepper cut in 1/2-inch dice
• 4 ounce(s) thin green beans trimmed and cut in 2-inch lengths
• 1 can(s) (28-ounce ) crushed tomatoes
• 1 can(s) (14 1/2-ounce) chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoon(s) fresh oregano chopped
• 1.5 teaspoon(s) chopped garlic
• 0.75 teaspoon(s) salt
• 1 package(s) (9-ounce) fresh cheese tortellini
• 1 bag(s) (5-ounce) baby spinach
• 3 tablespoon(s) grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients, except tortellini, spinach, and Parmesan cheese, in a 5-quart or larger slow cooker. Cover and cook on high 3 hours or low 6 hours.
2. Uncover; turn slow cooker to high and stir in tortellini. Cover: continue to cook 15 minutes, or until pasta is almost tender.
3. Uncover; gently stir in spinach and Parmesan. Cover; cook 5 minutes until spinach is cooked down and tortellini is tender.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 254

Fat: 5g

Carbohydrate: 48g

Protein: 12g

Pesto Lasagna with Spinach and Mushrooms

 

Don't be fooled by the picture, I promise this is really good. I have a major soft spot for lasagna as is evident by how many lasagna recipes are on this blog already. What could make lasagna better? How about pesto, mushrooms, spinach, left overs AND the fact that you can do it in the crock pot. The ease of this recipe makes it by far my favorite lasagna so far. I have literally been eating it all week for lunch thanks to the fact that it makes 8 servings. We used just regular plain old mushrooms and they were fine as well as store bought pesto. I am pretty sure you could do any lasagna using the crock pot technique but I would just go ahead and make this one because it's a 5 out of 5 stars!

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 4 cups torn spinach
• 2 cups sliced cremini mushrooms
• ¹⁄₂ cup commercial pesto
• ³⁄₄ cup (3 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• ³⁄₄ cup (3 ounces) shredded provolone cheese
• 1 (15-ounce) carton fat-free ricotta cheese
• 1 large egg lightly beaten
• ³⁄₄ cup (3 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese divided
• 1 (25.5-ounce) bottle fat-free tomato-basil pasta sauce
• 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
• Cooking spray
• 1 (8-ounce) package precooked lasagna noodles (12 noodles)

Directions

1. Arrange the spinach in a vegetable steamer; steam, covered, 3 minutes or until spinach wilts. Drain, squeeze dry, and coarsely chop. Combine spinach, mushrooms, and pesto in a medium bowl, stirring to combine; set aside.
2. Combine mozzarella, provolone, ricotta, and beaten egg in a medium bowl, stirring well to combine. Stir in 1/4 cup Parmesan, and set aside. Combine the pasta sauce and the tomato sauce in a medium bowl.
3. Spread 1 cup pasta sauce mixture in the bottom of a 6-quart oval electric slow cooker coated with cooking spray. Arrange 3 noodles over pasta sauce mixture; top with 1 cup cheese mixture and 1 cup spinach mixture. Repeat the layers, ending with spinach mixture. Arrange 3 noodles over spinach mixture; top with remaining 1 cup cheese mixture and 1 cup pasta sauce mixture. Place remaining 3 noodles over sauce mixture; spread remaining sauce mixture over noodles. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan. Cover with lid; cook on LOW 5 hours or until done.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 398

Fat: 18.2g

Cholesterol: 56mg

Sodium: 1036mg

Fiber: 2g

Protein: 22.2g

Baked Ziti and Summer Veggies

This was a surprisingly good, fresh recipe. The cheese and veggies were great together. We used a green heirloom tomato but I think it would have been prettier with a red one. Husband loves crushed red pepper so I think he may have heavy handed it a little for my taste which gave it an unexpected kick. Husband says 4 and I say 5 so 4.5 our of 5 stars.

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4 ounces uncooked ziti
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups chopped yellow squash
• 1 cup chopped zucchini
• ¹⁄₂ cup chopped onion
• 2 cups chopped tomato
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese divided
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
• ³⁄₄ teaspoon salt divided
• ¹⁄₈ teaspoon crushed red pepper
• ¹⁄₄ cup (2 ounces) part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1 large egg lightly beaten
• Cooking spray

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain. 2. Preheat oven to 400. 3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan. Add squash, zucchini, and onion; sauté 5 minutes. Add tomato and garlic; sauté 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in pasta, 1/2 cup mozzarella, herbs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper. 4. Combine ricotta, remaining salt, and egg. Stir into pasta mixture. Spoon into an 8-inch square glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes or until bubbly and browned.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 301

Fat: 12.1g

Cholesterol: 65mg

Sodium: 640mg

Carbohydrate: 32.8g

Fiber: 4.1g

Protein: 16.5g

Stir-Fried Rice Noodles with Beef and Spinach

We made this so long ago that I'm not sure if I really remember much about it. I do remember I liked it but I think the noodles were a little over done and wet. We used stir fry meat because it was cheaper and easier and it worked great. We also used black sesame seeds since that is what we had on hand and we didn't toast them. We think this was a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Source: Cooking Light

Course: Main Course

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 6 ounces uncooked wide rice sticks (rice-flour noodles)
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 cup thinly sliced green onions
• ²⁄₃ pound top sirloin steak cut into thin strips
• 2 cups sliced shiitake mushroom caps
• 2 garlic cloves finely minced
• 1 (6-ounce) bag washed baby spinach
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 3 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
• 2 teaspoons Sriracha (hot chile sauce)
• 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons sesame seeds toasted

Directions

1. Cook noodles according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and rinse under cold water; drain. 2. Heat a large skillet or wok over high heat. Add canola oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onions and steak; stir-fry 1 minute. Add mushrooms and garlic; stir-fry 1 minute. Add spinach; stir-fry 1 minute or until greens wilt. 3. Combine rice vinegar and the next 4 ingredients (through Sriracha) in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add vinegar mixture to steak mixture; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in noodles, sesame oil, and salt; cook for 1 minute or until noodles are thoroughly heated, tossing to combine. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 408

Fat: 13.2g

Cholesterol: 37mg

Sodium: 616mg

Carbohydrate: 56.1g

Fiber: 5g

Protein: 16.7g

*Note: this can be made Gluten free by using tamari soy sauce but make sure the rice noodles you are using are actually rice noodles.

Orzo Salad with Spicy Buttermilk Dressing

In case you couldn't tell we are totally on an orzo kick right now. This is a good inexpensive meal with lots of flavor. It mixes cool and spicy and every bite tastes a little different but so yummy. The only thing I would change is probably leaving out the parsley next time. We love this so much that I had to go to the store after work today to pick up more black beans to make another batch! So send us any orzo recipe you find because this, like the other orzo recipe we have, is a 5 out of 5 stars.

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked orzo
• 1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn thawed and drained
• 12 cherry tomatoes quartered
• 3 green onions sliced
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans rinsed and drained
• ¹⁄₄ cup low-fat buttermilk
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro divided
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons light sour cream
• 2 tablespoons canola mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon black pepper
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon ground red pepper
• 2 garlic cloves crushed
• 1 peeled avocado cut into 8 wedges
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1. Cook orzo according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and rinse; drain well. Place orzo, corn, and next 3 ingredients (through beans) in a large bowl; toss.
2. Combine buttermilk, 2 tablespoons cilantro, and next 8 ingredients (through garlic) in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Drizzle over orzo mixture; toss. Top with avocado; garnish with remaining cilantro and parsley.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 424

Fat: 15.3g

Cholesterol: 6mg

Sodium: 607mg

Fiber: 10.1g

Protein: 12.7g

Chicken & Sun-Dried Tomato Orzo

This was only my second time trying orzo and I really like it. It's a lighter way to do pasta and doesn't leave you feeling weighed down like some other pasta. We didn't have the fresh marjoram so we just left it out. I didn't notice anything missing. The only other change I would make is either cut the artichoke hearts smaller or use a little less. I love artichoke hearts but they were a little overpowering to the other flavors in this dish. Thing 1 loved the "rice noodles" and gobbled them up so that puts a lovely "kid friendly" stamp on this one.  4.5 out of 5 stars.

 

Source: www.eatingwell.com

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 8 ounces orzo preferably whole-wheat
• 1 cup water
• ¹⁄₂ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (not oil-packed), divided
• 1 plum tomato diced
• 1 clove garlic peeled
• 3 teaspoons chopped fresh marjoram divided
• 1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil divided
• 4 boneless chicken breasts skinless chicken breasts, trimmed (1-1 1/4 pounds)
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon salt
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 9-ounce package frozen artichoke hearts thawed
• ¹⁄₂ cup finely shredded Romano cheese divided

Directions

1. Cook orzo in a large saucepan of boiling water until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes or according to package directions. Drain and rinse.
2. Meanwhile, place 1 cup water, 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, plum tomato, garlic, 2 teaspoons marjoram, vinegar and 2 teaspoons oil in a blender. Blend until just a few chunks remain.
3. Season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, adjusting the heat as necessary to prevent burning, until golden outside and no longer pink in the middle, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate; tent with foil to keep warm.
4. Pour the tomato sauce into the pan and bring to a boil. Measure out 1/2 cup sauce to a small bowl. Add the remaining 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes to the pan along with the orzo, artichoke hearts and 6 tablespoons cheese. Cook, stirring, until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Divide among 4 plates.
5. Slice the chicken. Top each portion of pasta with sliced chicken, 2 tablespoons of the reserved tomato sauce and a sprinkling of the remaining cheese and marjoram.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 457

Fat: 12 g

Cholesterol: 68 m

Carbohydrate: 54 g

Fiber: 10 g

Protein: 36 g

Sausage, Mushroom & Spinach Lasagna

"On Saturday he ate through one piece of chocolate cake, one ice cream cone, one pickle, one slice of swiss cheese, one slice of salami, one lollipop, one piece of cherry pie, one sausage..."

This is the third lasagna we've made since starting our healthy eating and this one much more flavor than the others. I loved the mushrooms and the spinach. I'm not usually a fan of this kind of sausage but with all the other good flavors I really didn't mind it. Husband made this himself and he says it was worth the effort. Plus there are lots of yummy leftovers. Also see below for a vegetarian option. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Source: Eating Well

Prep Time:
30 Min

Total Time:
30 Min

Serves: 10

Ingredients

• 8 ounces whole-wheat lasagna noodles
• 1 pound lean spicy Italian turkey sausage casings removed (see Variation)
• 4 cups sliced mushrooms (10 ounces)
• ¹⁄₄ cup water
• 1 pound frozen spinach thawed
• 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes preferably chunky
• ¹⁄₄ cup chopped fresh basil
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 pound part-skim ricotta cheese (2 cups)
• 8 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese shredded (about 2 cups), divided

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add noodles and cook until not quite tender, about 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain; return the noodles to the pot, cover with cool water and set aside.
3. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add sausage; cook, crumbling with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 4 minutes. Add mushrooms and water; cook, stirring occasionally and crumbling the sausage more, until it is cooked through, the water has evaporated and the mushrooms are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Squeeze spinach to remove excess water, then stir into the pan; remove from heat.
4. Mix tomatoes with basil, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.
5. To assemble lasagna: Spread 1/2 cup of the tomatoes in the prepared baking dish. Arrange a layer of noodles on top, trimming to fit if necessary. Evenly dollop half the ricotta over the noodles. Top with half the sausage mixture, one-third of the remaining tomatoes and one-third of the mozzarella. Continue with another layer of noodles, the remaining ricotta, the remaining sausage, half the remaining tomatoes and half the remaining mozzarella. Top with a third layer of noodles and the remaining tomatoes.
6. Cover the lasagna with foil and bake until bubbling and heated through, 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes. Remove the foil; sprinkle the remaining mozzarella on top. Return to the oven and bake until the cheese is just melted but not browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Vegetarian Variation: Use a sausage-style soy product, such as Gimme Lean, or simply omit the sausage altogether.
7. Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 5 up to 1 day ahead.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 333

Fat: 14 g

Cholesterol: 41 m

Carbohydrate: 28 g

Fiber: 7 g

Protein: 26 g

Beef and Spinach Lasagna

We had another contest recipe tonight and someone has figured out my weakness. Lasagna. Call me Garfield because I LOVE LASAGNA!!! That being said I had to take a back seat on the rating of this recipe as ANY lasagna is bound to get a 5 from me. This was a good lasagna too. I loved the spinach but I thought the beef needed more seasoning. Altogether yummy. I would've given it a 5 but husband said 4 so we compromised with a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Source: Karen Huntington, Portland, OR

Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 1 -lb lean ground beef
• 1 medium onion,chopped
• 2 jars (26 oz. each) meatless spaghetti sauce- I used Prego
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 package (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach thawed and squeezed dry
• 2 cups ricotta cheese
• 2 cups (8ozs) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese divided
• 9 no cook lasagna noodles

Directions

1. In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the spaghetti sauce,garlic,basil and oregano. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes. In a bowl, combine the spinach,ricotta
2. and 1 cup of the mozzarella until combined.
3. Spread 1 1/2 cups meat sauce into a greased 13-in x 9-in x 2-in baking dish. Top with three noodles. Spread 1-1/2 cups sauce to edge of noodles. Top with half of the spinach mixture. Repeat layers. Top with remaining noodles, sauce and mozzarella.
4. Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover; bake 10-15 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 281

Fat: 11g

Cholesterol: 50mg

Sodium: 702mg

Carbohydrate: 26g

Fiber: 3g

Protein: 20g

Gorgonzola Fettuccine with Asparagus

Tonight was our second time making this and we really like this meal because it can be a good compromise. Husband doesn't love gorgonzola so the first time we made it he used Parmesan instead and this time he used feta. Both tasted good but the feta was much better. I might actually consider using that variation once in a while when I don't have gorgonzola on hand. I like to put a little extra asparagus and like always we roasted the asparagus instead of boiling it. 4 out of 5 stars.

 

Recipe from Cooking Light

Ingredients

• 8 Oz uncooked fettuccine
• 3 cups (1 inch) diagonally sliced asparagus (about 10 oz)
• 2 tsp butter
• 4 garlic cloves minced, or 2 tsp bottled minced garlic
• 1 TBS all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups fat-free milk
• 1/4 cup (2 oz) 1/3 less-fat cream cheese
• 1/2 cup (2 oz) Gorgonzola or other blue cheese crumbled
• 2 TBS chopped walnuts toasted

Directions

1. 1. Cook pasta in boiling water 6 minutes, ommitting salt and fat. Add asparagus; cook 2 minutes or until tender. Drain pasta and asparagus; place in large bowl.
2. 2. Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium high heat. Add garlic and cook 3 minutes. Add flour, cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Gradually add milk, stirring well with a whisk. Stir in cream cheese and 1/4 tsp salt; cook until thick (about 3 minutes) stirring constantly.
3. 3. Add sauce to pasta, tossing to coat. Serve with Gorgonzola and walnuts; sprinkle with black pepper, if desired.
4. Yield: 4 servings (serving size 1 1/4 cup pasta, 2 TBS cheese and 1 1/2 tsp walnuts)

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 399

Fat: 12.8 g

Cholesterol: 28 mg

Sodium: 467 mg

Carbohydrate: 54.3 g

Protein: 18 g

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

Last night was girl's night so we made a girly meal. This Mediterranean Pasta Salad was good but I think our proportions were a little off. Some bites were great and other's not so good. Too many artichoke hearts in my opinion. I think I will make it again sometime and scale back on some of the more powerful flavors. I will definitely add more tomatoes, asparagus and kalamata olives. I do recommend it though. One change, I roasted the asparagus instead of boiling it since I think the texture is better when roasted. I just did 10 minutes at 400 degrees. Somewhere between 3 and 4.5 stars (depending on which bite you are judging.)

Recipe from Cooking Light

Serves: 3

Ingredients

• 1/2 9 oz package refrigerated rainbow three cheese tortellini
• 1 quart water
• 1/4 pound asparagus spears trimmed
• 1/3 cup chopped red pepper or roasted red pepper, depending on preference
• 1 ounce Pepper Jack cheese cut into 1/4 inch cubes
• 6 drained canned quartered artichoke hearts
• 8 grape tomatoes or 3 seeded and diced tomatoes
• 8 black or kalamata olives
• 2 thin slices prosciutto cut crosswise into strips
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 3 tablespoons light balsamic vinaigrette

Directions

1. 1. Cook pasta in 1 quart boiling water 6 minutes. Add asparagus to boiling water, and cook 1 minute. Drain in a colander, and rinse with cold water until cooled. Drain.
2. 2. While pasta and asparagus cook, combine bell pepper and next seven ingredients into large bowl. Add tortellini and asparagus; toss gently.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 304

Fat: 16.2g

Cholesterol: 28mg

Sodium: 876mg

Carbohydrate: 29.7g

Fiber: 2.2g

Protein: 11.2g