Lemon Risotto with Asparagus

This meal was prepared by a guest chef and then I made it again for myself. Her's was prettier so I went with her picture. My fake mom was visiting while Husband was out of town and we scrambled around trying to find stuff to make for dinner. Luckily I had my new cooking light magazine handy so we looked in there and Fauxma was so excited to find microwave risotto that we just had to try it. We both LOVED it! Super easy super tasty and makes lots of leftovers if you don't have three helpings that night which is hard. I made it for Husband last night even though he does not like asparagus in attempt to force him to eat his veggies and he said it is probably the best asparagus dish I've made. I'll take that. The way the lemon mixes with the asparagus is really tasty and fresh and this meal is surprisingly light and doesn't sit in your stomach like rice sometimes does. Husband gave this a 4 but Fauxma and I both gave it a 5 out of 5 stars. I would rate it higher if the scale allowed!

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 3 (14 1/2-ounce) cans fat-free less-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked Arborio rice
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 3 cups (1-inch) diagonally cut asparagus about 1 pound
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

Directions

1. Bring broth to a simmer in a large saucepan (do not boil). Keep warm over low heat.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add rice and rind; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in wine, and cook 3 minutes or until the liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly.
3. Add 3 1/2 cups broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of broth is absorbed before adding the next (about 20 minutes). Stir in asparagus. Add remaining broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of broth is absorbed before adding the next (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat; stir in cheese and juice. Sprinkle with thyme.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 307
Fat: 4.9g
Cholesterol: 6mg
Sodium: 532mg
Fiber: 2.7g
Protein: 11.7g

Skinny Chicken Cordon Bleu

I'm curious as to why someone would make the full fat version of this meal. I am not sure I've ever had this before but I loved this version so much that I won't make it any other way! We used crushed rice chex again instead of bread crumbs to make it gluten free. I also bought honey maple ham from the deli which was a nice flavor. Both kids LOVED it and Husband and I gobbled this up! The serving size is 2 pieces but 1 filled me up just fine so I skipped the extra calories of piece number 2. All in all 5 out of 5 stars!

Source: www.skinnytaste.com

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• cooking spray
• 12 thin sliced (36 oz total) skinless boneless chicken breasts, 3 oz each
• salt and fresh cracked pepper
• 1 large egg
• 2 large egg whites
• 1 tbsp water
• 1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 5 oz (6 slices) thinly sliced lean deli ham, sliced in half
• 6 slices (4.4 oz) Sargento reduced fat Swiss cheese, cut in half

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450°. Spray a large non-stick baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Wash and dry the chicken cutlets; lightly pound the chicken to make thinner and lightly season with salt and black pepper.
3. Lay the chicken on a working surface and place a slice of ham on top of the chicken, then the cheese and roll, setting them aside seam side down.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs and egg whites along with water to make an egg wash.
5. In another medium bowl, combine breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese.
6. Dip the chicken into the egg wash, then into the breadcrumbs.
7. Place chicken onto the baking sheet seem side down. Spray the top of the chicken with more cooking spray and bake about 25 minutes, or until until cooked.
8. Makes 12.
9. Gluten Free substitution: Use chex cereal instead of bread crumbs.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 378
Fat: 10g
Sodium: 813mg
Sugar: 1g
Carbohydrate: 8g
Fiber: 0.5g
Protein: 55g

Cheesy Jalapeno Popper Baked Stuffed Chicken

Back when I was in high school my best friend and I would always go to Jack in the Box for what we called "Things" which were actually those jalapeno popper things. We loved them. Needless to say when I found this recipe I went ballistic! Healthy "things"!!! Hooray! This recipe was good but I only put one jalapeno in them not sure if it would be too spicy and it wasn't enough. Next time I will try 2. We also used green onions instead of scallions because they are easier to find and we usually have them on hand. To make this gluten free we used crushed up chex (corn or rice) and put a little italian seasoning in them instead of bread crumbs. See that cheese oozing from the side in the picture? That for me is the best part and makes this recipe a 5 out of 5. Husband on the other hand gave it a 4 because he is not a huge fan of "things". I'll let you make it and decide.

Source: www.skinnytaste.com

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2 slices center cut bacon cooked and crumbled
• 3 jalapeños chopped (remove seeds for milder)
• 3 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese softened
• 4 oz reduced fat shredded cheddar jack Sargento
• 2 tbsp chopped scallions
• 8 thin sliced skinless chicken breast cutlets 3 oz each
• 1/2 cup Italian seasoned whole wheat breadcrumbs
• 1 1/2 juicy limes juice of
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• salt and fresh pepper
• olive oil non-stick spray

Directions

1. Wash and dry chicken cutlets, season with salt and pepper. Preheat oven to 450°. Lightly spray a baking dish with non-stick spray.
2. Combine cream cheese, cheddar, scallions, jalapeño and bacon crumbles in a medium bowl.
3. Lay chicken cutlets on a working surface and spread 2 tbsp of cream cheese mixture on each cutlet. Loosely roll each one, secure the ends with toothpicks to prevent the cheese from oozing out.
4. Place breadcrumbs in a bowl; in a second bowl combine olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper.
5. Dip chicken in lime-oil mixture, then in breadcrumbs and place seam side down on a baking dish. Repeat with the remaining chicken. When finished, lightly spray the top of the chicken with oil spray.
6. Bake 22-25 minutes, serve immediately.

Gluten Free substitution: Use crushed rice chex cereal mixed with italian seasoning instead of bread crumbs.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 371
Fat: 17.5g
Sodium: 355.8
Sugar: 0.6g
Carbohydrate: 11g
Fiber: 1.5g
Protein: 42.7g

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

Loaded Sweet Potato from Biggest Loser

So normally I watch these shows that have weird healthy recipes on them and I refuse to try them. I've watched Biggest Loser for what seems like forever and I do believe this is my first attempt at one of their recipes. That being said, Husband and I were so pleasantly surprised by this recipe! I know the picture looks a little gross but trust me it's good! We ended up splitting one big one because I could not have finished that! All in all 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Source: www.examiner.com

Serves: 1

Ingredients

• 1 (8-ounce) sweet potato
• 4 ounces extra-lean ground turkey
• 3/4 teaspoon all-natural salt-free fajita or Southwest seasoning,
• Olive oil spray propellant free
• 1/3 cup fresh salsa drained
• 2 tablespoons jarred all-natural roasted green salsa
• 2 tablespoons fat-free Greek yogurt

Directions

1. Using a fork, poke the potato 5 times on all sides and place it in a microwave-safe bowl or dish. Cover the dish loosely with a paper towel.
2. Microwave it on high for 3 minutes. Carefully flip the potato (it will be very hot) and continue microwaving for 2 to 4 minutes longer, or until cooked and tender.
3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the turkey and seasoning.
4. Place a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, lightly mist it with the olive oil spray. Cook the turkey for 3 to 4 minutes, or until no longer pink, breaking it into bite-size chunks as you do.
5. Cut an opening in the potato that stretches 1 inch from each end of the potato and deep enough to open the potato completely without cutting it in half.
6. Put it in a medium shallow bowl. Stuff the potato with the fresh salsa, then the turkey, then the green salsa. Top it with the yogurt. Serve immediately.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 342
Fat: 2g
Sodium: 304mg
Carbohydrate: 47g
Fiber: 8g
Protein: 35g

Pork Carnitas (Take 2)

We found this recipe in Cooking Light and decided to give it a try. We have a Pork Carnitas that we love from Skinny Taste but wanted to see if it could improve. We decided... no. The other one is better. If we had never tasted the other one this one would be a 5 but since we were comparing this one gets a 4.5 out of 5 stars. Similar flavors just not quite as all around good. Husband said he could really taste the citrus which I could not taste at all. Oh well. It was really good and now we have 2 ways to make it!

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 10

Ingredients

• 1 (3-pound) boneless pork shoulder (Boston butt), trimmed
• 10 garlic cloves sliced
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup orange juice
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 chipotle chiles canned in adobo sauce drained and chopped
• 20 (6-inch) flour or corn tortillas, warmed,
• 2/3 cup chopped onion
• 2/3 cup bottled salsa
• 2/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 10 lime wedges

Directions

1. Make 1/2-inch-deep slits on outside of roast; stuff with garlic. Combine cumin and next 3 ingredients (through black pepper) in a small bowl. Place roast in a 3 1/2-quart electric slow cooker. Sprinkle pork on all sides with spice mixture.
2. Combine juices and chipotle chiles. Pour juice mixture over pork. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or until pork is tender.
3. Remove pork from slow cooker; shred with 2 forks. Skim fat from cooking liquid. Combine shredded pork and 1/2 cup cooking liquid; toss well.
4. Spoon 1 1/2 ounces pork mixture onto each tortilla; top each with 1 1/2 teaspoons onion, 1 1/2 teaspoons salsa, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 334
Fat: 12.6g
Cholesterol: 87mg
Sodium: 424mg
Fiber: 3g
Protein: 29.4g

Open-Faced Hummus Sandwiches

Sometimes I am a mean wife and plan things that I know Husband won't like just because I want them and I make the meal plan. This is definitely one of those things. I had thought maybe, just maybe he might like it but alas, no dice. He couldn't even finish it. I, on the other hand, LOVED it. The whole thing ended up blowing up in my face when I could not restrain myself from eating the rest of his sandwich when he didn't finish. That'll teach me. So here's the thing about this recipe... If you like all of the ingredients you will absolutely love this if not you probably won't like it at all. I give it a 5 out of 5 stars. We won't talk about what Husband would give it...

 

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4 (1 1/2-ounce) slices sourdough bread
• 1 1/2 cups quartered grape tomatoes
• 1/3 cup chopped green onions
• 1/4 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 1 (8-ounce) container plain hummus
• 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese

Directions

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Arrange bread on a baking sheet. Broil 1 minute or until toasted. (Or put it in the toaster like we did...)
3. Combine tomatoes and next 6 ingredients (through garlic). Spread about 1/4 cup hummus over each bread slice. Divide tomato mixture evenly among servings. Top each serving with 2 tablespoons cheese.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 358

Fat: 20.1g

Cholesterol: 7mg

Sodium: 811mg

Fiber: 4.3g

Protein: 12.3g

Spinach Stuffed Shells with Meat Sauce

I'm not going to lie this was not my favorite. I think the problem was the spinach. I don't like frozen spinach. Next time I think we will use fresh spinach and wilt it ourselves which will hoping make it less soggy and more fresh tasting. At the very same moment that I was eating it saying "meh" Thing 1 DEVOURED his whole plate full and wanted seconds. That's an epic win. Not to mention Thing 2 (who is my not so picky child) not only ate it all up and had seconds but he did his little 1 year old happy dance while he was eating it so I knew that was a win. All in all this was considered a win in our house which is good because we split it and have a pan in the freezer. I will definitely substitute the spinach but as it is I would give it a 4 out of 5 stars. I didn't like it as much as I had hoped but the kids did and I would definitely eat it again.


Source: http://www.skinnytaste.com/

Ingredients

• 27 (9 oz) Barilla Jumbo Shells
• 1 cup onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, choppeds
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 lb 99% lean ground turkey
• 32 oz crushed tomatoes I used Tuttorosso
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
• salt and pepper
• 2 cups part skim ricotta cheese
• 8 oz reduced fat mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 egg
• 16 oz package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed well
• 1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano

Directions

1. Boil water and cook shells according to package directions, make sure to make them al dente.
2. Meanwhile, saute onions and garlic in oil. Add turkey and salt and brown until cooked, breaking up in small pieces. Add tomatoes, salt, pepper and basil, then simmer on low, covered, about 15 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 375°.
4. In a large bowl, mix together ricotta, egg, spinach, mozzarella, and parmesan.
5. Once shells are cooked and cool, fill each shell with (about 2 heaping tbsp) cheese mixture and place on a large baking dish, or two smaller dishes, covering the bottom of the dish with a little sauce.
6. Top shells with half of the sauce, cover with foil and bake 40 minutes; uncover foil and bake 5 more minutes.
7. Serve with additional sauce on top.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 360.9 • Fat: 12.8 g • Protein: 28.4 g • Carb: 34.3 g • Fiber: 3.3 g

Servings: 9 • Serving size: 3 stuffed shells • Old Points: 7 pts • Points+: 9 pts

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

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

 

Chicken with Pepperoni-Marinara Sauce

I really wish I could just write yum but I will give more info than that. We've had this on the schedule for a while and have been putting it off for some reason. We were definitely pleasantly surprised. Put frankly, we LOVED it. We call it "pizza chicken" and it seems relatively kid friendly. We don't have a dutch oven so Husband just cooked the chicken and the sauce and then put it in a pyrex to put in the oven. We will DEFINITELY make this again!! 5 out of 5 stars.

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon minced fresh garlic
• 16 slices pepperoni, coarsely chopped
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 ¹⁄₂ cups lower-sodium marinara sauce such as McCutcheon's
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 ¹⁄₂ pounds chicken cutlets
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Preheat broiler to high.
2. Heat a saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add garlic and pepperoni; cook 2 minutes or until garlic begins to brown, stirring frequently. Add oregano; cook 30 seconds. Add marinara sauce; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in basil.
3. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil; swirl to coat. Sprinkle chicken with pepper. Add chicken to skillet; cook 5 minutes or until lightly browned, turning after 3 minutes. Spoon sauce over chicken; sprinkle evenly with cheese. Broil 2 minutes or until cheese melts.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 380

Fat: 14.7g

Cholesterol: 122mg

Sodium: 533mg

Fiber: 0.1g

Protein: 48.5g

Balsamic Beef Roast with Polenta

This is a two part recipe that needs to be done as one post so forgive my format issues. With Husband back to school and late church we are now looking at three possible slow cooker nights a week. I had no choice but to buy the magazine I saw called "Skinny Slow Cooker". This was our first recipe from the magazine and I have to say I am now so excited to try the others! The beef was perfect once you poured the juice over it and the polenta was a good "mashed potato" type side. The beef definitely out shined the polenta big time though. I was nervous about this recipe for some reason but it was a yummy, easy dinner with lots of leftovers. Thing 1, my one year old, devoured it and couldn't stop using the sign for "more" which we have been trying to teach him forever. I give the beef 4 stars and the polenta 3 stars out of 5.

Source: Skinny Slow Cooker

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1 2 to 2 1/2 lb boneless beef chuck pot roast
• 1 (16 ounce) package frozen small whole onions
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon salt
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 cup lower sodium beef broth
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon dried italian seasoning crushed
• 1 recipe Soft Polenta
• fresh italian flat leaf parsley snipped
• Parmesan cheese shaved

Directions

1. 1. Trim fat from meat. If necessary, cut meat to fit into a 3 1/2 or 4 quart slow cooker. Place frozen onions in cooker. Place meat on top of onions. Sprinkle meat with salt and pepper. In a small bowl combine the broth, vinegar, tomato paste, tapioca, garlic, and italian seasoning. Pour mixture over meat.
2. 2. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 10 hours or on high-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours.
3. 3.Transfer meat to a serving platter. Skim off fat from cooking liquid. Serve meat with soft polenta and cooking liquid. Sprinkle with parsley. If desired, garnish with cheese.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 399

Fat: 18g

Cholesterol: 75mg

Sodium: 498mg

Carbohydrate: 31g

Fiber: 3g

Protein: 26g

Soft Polenta

Source: Skinny Slow Cooker

Course: Main Course

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 3 ³⁄₄ cups water divided
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon salt

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan bring 2 3/4 cups water to boiling. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl stir together 1 cup yellow cornmeal, 1 cup cold water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Slowly add cornmeal mixture to boiling water, stirring constantly. Cook and stir until mixture returns to boiling. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until mixture is very thick and tender, stirring frequently and adjusting heat as needed to maintain a slow boil.
2. To be served with Balsamic Beef Roast with Polenta

Ham and Swiss Loaded Potatoes

Nothing like coming back after a long absence with something that seems super fattening but isn't. When I told people what I was having for dinner this day everyone thought I had fallen off the wagon. These are relatively easy and cheap and they are super kid friendly. Thing 1 enjoyed his dipped in ranch. 4 out of 5 stars.

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4 baking potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 1 cup diced 33%-less-sodium ham (about 6 ounces)
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese divided
• ¹⁄₂ cup thinly sliced green onions divided
• ¹⁄₂ cup fat-free sour cream
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Pierce potatoes with a fork; arrange in a circle on paper towels in microwave oven. Microwave at high 16 minutes or until done, rearranging potatoes after 8 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes.
2. Preheat broiler.
3. Cut each potato in half lengthwise; scoop out pulp, leaving a 1/4-inch-thick shell. Combine potato pulp, ham, 1/2 cup cheese, 1/3 cup green onions, sour cream, and pepper.
4. Spoon the potato mixture into shells. Combine 1/2 cup cheese and remaining green onions, and sprinkle over potatoes. Place potatoes on a baking sheet; broil 4 minutes or until golden.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 376

Fat: 11g

Cholesterol: 51mg

Sodium: 540mg

Fiber: 3.4g

Protein: 20.1g

Tomato-Provolone Sandwiches with Pesto Mayo

This was another "what do we have in the kitchen" recipe. We used our homemade pesto and the honey-oatmeal wheat bread and although it tasted great I think it would be even better on sourdough as the recipe says. Husband and I gobbled this up pretty quick so it must have been a 5 out of 5 stars and super easy to make.

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons organic canola mayonnaise (such as Spectrum)
• 5 teaspoons refrigerated pesto
• 8 (1 1/2-ounce) slices sourdough bread
• 4 (1/2-ounce) slices provolone cheese
• 1 cup arugula leaves
• 8 (1/4-inch-thick) tomato slices
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ¹⁄₈ teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Combine mayonnaise and pesto in a bowl, stirring well.
3. Arrange bread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Broil bread 2 minutes or until toasted. Turn bread over; place 1 cheese slice on each of 4 bread slices. Broil 1 minute or until cheese is bubbly. Spread about 2 teaspoons pesto mixture over each cheese-topped bread slice. Arrange 1/4 cup arugula and 2 tomato slices over pesto mixture; sprinkle tomato slices evenly with pepper and salt. Spread about 1 1/2 teaspoons of remaining pesto mixture evenly over one side of each remaining bread slice; place 1 slice, pesto-side down, on top of each sandwich.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 329

Fat: 16.7g

Cholesterol: 16mg

Sodium: 630mg

Fiber: 2.9g

Protein: 11g

Chicken Tamale Casserole

Ok, ignore the mass amounts of sour cream in the picture. Please use less. Husband loves sour cream and I could do without entirely. That being said Husband fell in love with this meal AND Thing 1 ate almost an entire serving. We love these 8 serving casseroles because we split them in half and put one in the freezer for later. Works great for when you have too much going on to get to the store or you just don't feel like cooking. Husband made this and added a little fresh pico de gallo since we had it and it would have eventually gone bad in our fridge. Less spicy than expected but great flavors. 5 out of 5 stars.

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1 cup (4 ounces) preshredded 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese divided
• ¹⁄₃ cup fat-free milk
• ¹⁄₄ cup egg substitute
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ¹⁄₈ teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn
• 1 (8.5-ounce) box corn muffin mix (such as Martha White)
• 1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles drained
• Cooking spray
• 1 (10-ounce) can red enchilada sauce (such as Old El Paso)
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
• ¹⁄₂ cup fat-free sour cream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Combine 1/4 cup cheese and next 7 ingredients (through chiles) in a large bowl, stirring just until moist. Pour mixture into a 13 x 9–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
3. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until set. Pierce entire surface liberally with a fork; pour enchilada sauce over top. Top with chicken; sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until cheese melts. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes. Cut into 8 pieces; top each serving with 1 tablespoon sour cream.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 354

Fat: 14.1g

Cholesterol: 58mg

Sodium: 620mg

Fiber: 2.5g

Protein: 18.9g

Slow Cooker Enchilada Casserole

Another slow cooker masterpiece. I had no idea you could do so many different things with a crock pot. This was one of those "we have a lot of the ingredients and not a lot of money recipes" so I wasn't sure how it would taste. We were pleasantly surprised! We used green enchilada sauce because that is what we had and Husband and I both agreed that we think that actually made it better. Next time we plan to double everything but the cornbread part because the cornbread was pretty overpowering. We would have to play around with the serving size though. I also don't think it needs the sour cream and the cilantro on top. The sour cream distracts from the other flavors (Husband disagrees) and there is already cilantro in the dish so the flavor becomes a little too strong if it is also on top. With these minor adjustments it would be a 5 but for now it gets a 4.9 out of 5 stars.

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons diced green chiles divided
• ¹⁄₂ cup salsa
• ¹⁄₄ cup chopped green onions
• ¹⁄₄ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans rinsed and drained
• 1 (11-ounce) can corn with red and green peppers drained
• 1 (10-ounce) can enchilada sauce
• ¹⁄₂ cup egg substitute
• 1 (8 1/2 ounce) package corn muffin mix
• 2 tablespoons chopped bottled roasted red bell peppers
• 1 ¹⁄₂ cups (6 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Mexican blend or cheddar cheese
• 6 tablespoons low-fat sour cream
• 1 ¹⁄₂ teaspoons thinly sliced fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Place 2 tablespoons green chiles and next 6 ingredients (through enchilada sauce) in a 3 1/2-quart electric slow cooker; stir well. Cover with lid; cook on low-heat setting 4 hours.
2. Combine remaining 1 tablespoon green chiles, egg substitute, muffin mix, and roasted bell peppers in a bowl. Spoon batter evenly over bean mixture in slow cooker. Cover and cook 1 hour or until corn bread is done.
3. Sprinkle cheese over corn bread. Cover and cook 5 minutes or until cheese melts. Top each serving with sour cream; sprinkle with cilantro.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 385

Fat: 13g

Cholesterol: 23mg

Sodium: 1129mg

Fiber: 5.1g

Protein: 16.6g

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

Slow-Cooker Black Bean-Mushroom Chili

Since Husband has class one night a week we have to try to come up with meals that are quick when I get home from work. We've decided to revisit our crock pot with this meal and we were not disappointed!! There were so many good flavors in this dish that you do not even notice the lack of meat. I would say the strongest flavor is the adobo but this dish is very mild and full of great flavor. The best part... Lots of left overs! 5 out of 5 stars!

Source: Eating Well

Serves: 10

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried black beans (2 1/2 cups), rinsed
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• ¹⁄₄ cup mustard seeds
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 ¹⁄₂ teaspoons cumin seeds or ground cumin
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon cardamom seeds or ground cardamom
• 2 medium onions coarsely chopped
• 1 pound mushrooms sliced
• 8 ounces tomatillos (see Ingredient Note), husked, rinsed and coarsely chopped
• ¹⁄₄ cup water
• 5 ¹⁄₂ cups mushroom broth or vegetable broth
• 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
• 1-2 tablespoons minced canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (see Ingredient Note)
• 1 ¹⁄₄ cups grated Monterey Jack or pepper Jack cheese
• ¹⁄₂ cup reduced-fat sour cream
• ¹⁄₂ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 limes cut into wedges

Directions

1. Soak beans overnight in 2 quarts water. (Alternatively, place beans and 2 quarts water in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 1 hour.) Drain the beans, discarding soaking liquid.
2. Combine oil, mustard seeds, chili powder, cumin and cardamom in a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven. Place over high heat and stir until the spices sizzle, about 30 seconds. Add onions, mushrooms, tomatillos and water. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are juicy, 5 to 7 minutes. Uncover and stir often until the juices evaporate and the vegetables are lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Add broth, tomato paste and chipotles; mix well.
3. Place the beans in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Pour the hot vegetable mixture over the beans. Turn heat to high. Put the lid on and cook until the beans are creamy, 5 to 8 hours.
4. Garnish each serving with cheese, a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of cilantro. Serve with lime wedges. Stovetop Variation: Total: 4 1/2 hours In Step 2, increase broth to 81/2 cups. Omit Step 3. Add the beans to the Dutch oven; cover and simmer the chili gently over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the beans are creamy to bite, about 3 hours.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 306

Fat: 10 g

Cholesterol: 20 mg

Sodium: 415 mg

Carbohydrate: 40 g

Fiber: 13 g

Protein: 18 g

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

Black Bean and Cheese Enchiladas with Ranchero Sauce

This was a very interesting meal. First off, I was able to find the dried ancho chiles at Sunflower  market with a little help and they were not what I expected. I think next time I come across an ingredient I am unfamiliar with I will call upon my good friend "google images." Once I found the chiles I realized this was going to be a very different taste than I was expecting as they smelled a little like raisins. I was pleasantly surprised with the flavor though. It ended up pretty close to an authentic mole sauce (as much as we remember since the word authentic and mole haven't been used in the same sentence since we left California) with a yummy sweet flavor. Not too much spice and we actually did not miss the meat at all. We opted not to use the oregano just because but I think next time I will add a little cilantro on top. We also split this into two 8 x 8 pans and froze one for next time. 4 out of 5 stars.

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 2 dried ancho chiles stemmed and seeded
• 2 cups water
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion
• 5 garlic cloves sliced
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 cups organic vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
• 2 tablespoons no-salt-added tomato paste
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• ¹⁄₈ teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans rinsed and drained
• 2 cups (8 ounces) preshredded reduced-fat 4-cheese Mexican-blend cheese divided
• 3 thinly sliced green onions divided
• Cooking spray
• 12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
• 6 tablespoons light sour cream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Combine chiles and 2 cups water in a saucepan; bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand 5 minutes. Drain chiles in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid.
3. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add onion; saute 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium; add garlic and salt. Cook 5 minutes or until golden, stirring occasionally. Add broth and next 3 ingredients (through cumin); cook 8 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally.
4. Pour onion mixture into a blender; add chiles and reserved liquid. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in lid. Blend until smooth; stir in lime juice and red pepper.
5. Combine the beans, 1 cup cheese, and half the green onions in a bowl. Spread 1/2 cup sauce in the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Warm tortillas according to package directions. Spoon 3 tablespoons bean mixture down center of each tortilla; roll up. Place, seam-side down, in prepared dish. Pour remaining sauce over filled tortillas. Top with the remaining cheese. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Sprinkle with remaining green onions; serve with sour cream.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 302

Fat: 12.9g

Cholesterol: 32mg

Sodium: 574mg

Fiber: 6.4g

Protein: 17.3g