Lil Cheddar Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, Sweet Potato and apples au gratin

The kids are all home, and that means a kid friendly recipe is on the dinner table. It also means that we are all sitting down together and eating. That is something I really strive for when we are all here. D makes a point to get off work at a decent time, and I try to have dinner on the table by 6pm or a little after.

I feel like when the kids are here that we eat much of the same things all the time, since they're kinda picky eaters. The vegetables are especially tricky. I tried that sneaky trick of steaming and mashing cauliflower in their mashed potatoes. Eh, yeah. So, it worked....somewhat. Meaning, they ate it, but there was a comment on the taste difference and how it "smelled funny". If I do it again, I am sure they'll catch on!

Next time I may try to hide turnips in them since they tend to be more subtle in flavor.

In any case, tonight with our lil cheddar meatloaf we are having plain ol' boring mashed potatoes made with whipping cream and butter. Thus far, it is the best way to make them. You just can't mess too much with mashed potatoes. I've tried, and some things are just worth keeping the same and trying to lessen the caloric damage by playing with the amounts used.

We try to limit our red meat, but the kids like meat loaf and this is a different spin to it than what I normally do.

Enjoy!


Lil Cheddar Meat Loaves
8 servings 187 calories, 7 grams fat per serving

• 2 egg whites, beaten
• 3/4 cup fat free milk
• 1 cup (4 oz) shredded reduced-fat cheddar
• 3/4 cup cooking oats
• 1 medium onion, blended in food processor
• 1 medium carrot, chopped in food processor
• 1 lb lean ground sirloin (96/4)
• 2/3 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tspn prepared mustard

In a large bowl, whisk together the milk and egg whites. Stir in the cheese, oats, onion and carrot. Add the sirloin and mix well with hands. Shape into 8 small loaves and place in baking dish coated with cooking spray.

In small bowl, mix together ketchup, brown sugar and mustard. Spoon over loaves. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.




Sweet Potatoes and Apples Au gratin
12 servings 130 calories, 2 grams fat per serving

• 3 cups thinly sliced tart apples
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 3 lbs sweet potatoes, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup soft bread crumbs
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon cider vinegar

Place apples in a large bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice. Add sweet potatoes, syrup, butter, and pepper and toss to coat. Pour into 3 qt baking dish coated with cooking spray and bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 40 minutes, stirring once.
In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs, oil, cinnamon, nutmeg and vinegar; sprinkle over potato mixture. Bake an additional 15 minutes.

Dijon Crusted Chicken, Southwest Corn and Tomatoes, and Green Beans in Creamy Dill Sauce

It's been awhile since I updated, I know! In the meantime, there have been several recipes I have tried with good results for everyone! This one in particular was a hit with the kids. I was also quite surprised at how well it turned out. If you are trying to eat light, yet get a hankering for Fried Chicken, this chicken recipe will hit the spot without the guilt.

So, okay, yes yes it involved frying a bit. That's not always a bad thing. Deep frying is bad, yes. But some oils have good fat in them. I have a hard time believing it, you know. That certain kinds of fat actually help your body stay thin. But it is true. Our body needs fat to be healthy and then trick is picking the right kinds ---- and not eating fat overall in excess.

The original recipe calls for olive oil but it has a high temperature tolerance. So I use canola. It's almost as good as olive oil health wise, and some say it's better.

As for the green beans: I am not a fan of dill. But, my husband liked it a lot and I didn't think it was half bad, despite my aversion to dill.

Dinner Tonight is:

Dijon Crusted Chicken
Southwest Corn and Tomatoes
Green Beans in Creamy Dill Sauce

******************************************

Dijon Crusted Chicken
serves 4
(1 chicken breast half = 169 calories, 5 grams fat, 380 mg sodium)

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan Cheese
• 2 tspns Italian Seasoning
• 1/2 tspn dried thyme
• 1/4 tspn pepper
• 4 boneless chicken breast halves (4 oz each) (I use tenders)
• 4 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tspns olive oil (or canola)
• 1 tspn margarine

Place first 5 ingredients in shallow bowl and mix together. Brush chicken with mustard; roll in crumb mixture.

In large skillet, cook chicken in oil and margarine over medium heat 5-6 minutes each side.


Southwest Corn and Tomatoes
(6 servings)

This dish is gluten free!!

(2/3 cup = 130 calories, 5 grams fat, 205 mg sodium)




Ingredients

• 1 pkg (16 oz) frozen sweet corn, thawed
• 5 plum tomatoes, seeded and coarsely chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup minced cilantro
• 1/2 tspn kosher salt

In large bowl, combine the corn, tomatoes, onion, jalapenos, and garlic. Drizzle with oil; toss to coat. Transfer to a baking pan coated with cooking spray.

Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes or until onion is tender, stirring twice. Spoon into a bowl. Stir in cilantro and salt. Serve warm.


Green Beans in Creamy Dill Sauce
(5 servings)
2/3 cup with 5 teaspoons sauce = 59 calories, 2 grams fat, 283 mg sodium


Ingredients

• 1 pkg (15 oz) frozen cut green beans
• 2 tablespoons chopped onion
• 1 1/2 teaspoons butter
• 1 1/2 teaspooons flour
• 1/3 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon dill weed
• dash pepper
• 1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream

Cook beans according to package directions.

Meanwhile in skillet, saute onion in butter until tender. Stir in flour until blended; gradually add broth.

Stir in vinegar, salt, dill, and pepper. Bring to boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes until thickened. Reduce heat. Stir in sour cream; heat thoroughly but do not boil. Drain beans and serve with sauce.

Simple Salad, Fettuccine with Asparagus and Peas, Glazed Carrots, Chocolate PB Parfaits

Fettuccine. When I think of it, I think “Fat! Fat! Fat!!” That’s because of the cheese sauce. Cheese is good, but let’s face it – it’s TOO good! Too much cheese will give you too much fat in your diet, but cheese is a very nutritious addition to a healthy diet. An ounce of cheese can supply you with almost a third of your daily requirement for calcium. It is also a very good source of protein, Vitamin B12 and riboflavin.

The downside is, cheese can actually be quite high in sodium for such a small portion. And who actually only eats an ounce of cheese, which is most often the serving size recommended. It’s also quite high in fat and cholesterol.

This recipe will call for Parmesan, which is one of the lower fat/calorie cheeses. The ricotta called for is part skim, which also helps to shave off some fat and calories. The main dish overall has a bit more fat than I like in a meal, but by standards, it’s actually a low fat meal. Especially if you consider this: the fettuccine alfredo lunch entrée (meaning, their small portion) at Olive Garden is 18 grams of fat and almost 800 calories. Just for the entrée, and without meat!!! Throw in some chicken, or Italian sausage and you’ve just upped the calories and fat quite a bit more. The sodium is sky high too, as expected. Then consider their salad is 201 calories, and their dressing 90 calories…..and of course, a breadstick would be 150 calories for just one.

Not to mention calories added when you drink that Italian Margarita that just calls your name every time you go…..

Oh wait, maybe that is only me!

But as you can see, one meal out can easily add up to well over 1,000 calories, 25+ grams of fat, and sodium that would send someone with borderline blood pressure into stroke-ville!

Our main entrée will be 250 calories for 1 1/3 cup serving and only 7 grams of fat. So, not entirely fat free but within range of decency, as well as much better than eating out!

Cooking at home can be a hassle, for sure, but the payoff is much healthier eating. That means, in the long run, you will be a healthier person. And, hopefully, teaching your kiddos that Mc Donald’s isn’t what family dinner is all about!

Dinner Tonight is:

Simple Salad

Fettuccine with Asparagus and Peas

Glazed Carrots

*****************************************

Simple Salad

(6 servings)

This dish is gluten free!!

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoon red or white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon minced shallot
• 8 cups mixed lettuces
• 3/4 cup halved cherry tomatoes
• Pepper

Fettuccine with Asparagus and Peas

(6 servings)

250 calories, 7 grams of fat, 363 mg sodium

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces of whole wheat fettuccine noodles
• 2 medium leeks (white portion only), sliced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 lbs fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 1 cup frozen peas
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• ½ cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Cook fettuccine according to package directions.

In large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, sauté leeks in oil for 1 minute. Add asparagus and garlic; sauté until asparagus is tender crisp. Stir in peas, and pepper.

Drain fettuccine, reserving ½ cup of cooking liquid. Whisk in ¼ cup Parmesan, and lemon juice. Add to skillet; heat thoroughly.

Add fettuccine; toss to coat. Sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese.

Glazed Carrots

6 servings

This dish is gluten free!!

64 calories, 1 gram of fat

Ingredients

• 6 tspns water
• 6 tspns apple juice
• 1 Tablspn packed light brown sugar
• 1 tspn butter
• 1/2 tspn nutmeg
• 148 tspn kosher salt
• 24 ounces baby carrots

In medium saucepan, mix water, apple juice, brown sugar, butter, nutmeg and salt. Stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a simmer.

Add carrots; cover and simmer for 15 minutes, or until carrots are tender-crisp.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Parfaits

6 servings

146 calories, 6 grams of fat, 300 mg sodium, 16 grams carbs

(hint: you can cut the fat even more by using fat free whipped topping and omitting, or reducing, the peanuts)

Ingredients

• 2 Tblspns reduced-fat chunky peanut butter
• 2 Tablspns fat free milk, COLD
• 2 cups cold fat free milk
• 1 cup reduced fat whipped topping
• 1 pkg (1.4 oz) sugar free instant chocolate pudding mix
• 3 Tblspn finely chopped peanuts

In a small bowl, combine peanut butter and 2 tablespoons of milk. Fold in 1 cup of whipped topping; set aside. In another small bowl, whisk remaining milk with pudding mix for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes, or until soft set.

Spoon half pudding mixture into 6 parfait glasses. Layer with reserved Peanut Butter mixture and remaining pudding. Refrigerate at least an hour.

Just before serving, garnish with whipped topping and peanuts.

Gluten Free: Salad, Honey Baked Chicken, Squash Medley, Roasted Brussel Sprouts,

Meal time again!

I am always looking for a new way to make chicken. The thing is, while limiting our red meat and pork and focusing on leaner meats, chicken tends to be the main part of our meal. Occasionally I will cook something like fish, but not often. I do not like seafood and hate the way it smells the house up!

Besides, most of the chicken type of meals, my kids will eat! (Oh, by the way, I tested that Spinach Casserole recipe out on my kids, and my autistic son, who hates nearly all things good for him, ate it and actually liked it!!! Talk about shocked!! He was reticent, of course, but I insisted that he must take a small bite. He took a nibble, his eyebrows went up, and he gobbled up what was left on his fork. As he ate, he told his sister, "It only looks disgusting but it tastes good." If you have picky eaters, give that recipe a go!)

Anyway, back to this meal. I am often in a rush if I haven't pre-planned how to cook my chicken. So, I found this recipe that required ingredients that I had in the house. It was really good! An interesting taste, but a very good one! I will make it again.

So, enjoy the dinner if you try it! It really is good!

************************************************

Salad

• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 1 5oz package of mixed salad greens
• 6 cups of torn romaine
• 1 11-oz can of mandarin oranges
• 2 celery ribs, thinly sliced
• 1 small red onion, chopped
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced

Dressing

• 3 Tablespoons canola oil
• 2 Tablespoons cider vinegar
• 4 teaspoons sugar
• 1 Tablespoon minced fresh parsley
• 1/8 tspn salt

1. In small, heavy skillet, cook and stir sugar over medium heat until melted. Stir in almonds, cook for 1 minute until lightly browned. Spread onto foil coated with cooking spray and set aside.
2. In large salad bowl, combine mixed greens, romaine, oranges, celery, and onions.
3. Tn small bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients together. Drizzle over salad. Add almonds and toss to coat. Serve immediately

Nutritional information: Serving size is 1 1/4 cups. Contains 125 calories, 8 g fat, 85 mg of sodium


Honey Baked Chicken

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/8 cup prepared mustard (French's Mustard is gluten-free)
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon curry powder

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Place chicken pieces in a shallow baking pan, skin side up. Combine the melted butter or margarine, honey, mustard, salt and curry powder and pour the mixture over the chicken. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 1/4 hours (75 minutes), basting every 15 minutes with pan drippings, until the chicken is nicely browned and tender and the juices run clear.

Makes 6 servings

Nutritional Information: 325 calories, 13 grams of fat



Squash Medley

• 6 cups summer squash, cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 6 cups zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 1 tspn. garlic powder, divided
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2/3 cup pure cornmeal (NOT a cornmeal blend)
  
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
• 2 T. freshly chopped parsley
• 1/4 t. crushed red pepper flakes

1. Place the summer squash slices in a steamer basket and steam for 3-4 minutes or until tender.
   
2. Transfer the slices to a plate and set aside. Place the zucchini slices in the steamer basket and steam for 2-3 minutes or until tender.
3. Lightly oil a large casserole dish. Alternately layer the summer squash and zucchini in the casserole dish. Sprinkle with 1/2 t. garlic powder and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
4. In a small bowl, place the remaining garlic powder and remaining ingredients, and stir well to combine. Sprinkle the mixture over the vegetables and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned on top.

Serves 6

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

• 1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed and yellow leaves removed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C).
2. Place trimmed Brussels sprouts, olive oil, kosher salt, and pepper in a large resealable plastic bag. Seal tightly, and shake to coat. Pour onto a baking sheet, and place on center oven rack.
3. Roast in the preheated oven for 30 to 45 minutes, shaking pan every 5 to 7 minutes for even browning. Reduce heat when necessary to prevent burning. Brussels sprouts should be darkest brown, almost black, when done. Adjust seasoning with kosher salt, if necessary. Serve immediately.

Serves 6

Calories per serving: 104 calories, 7.3 grams fat

Herb-Roasted Beef and Potatoes with Browned Butter Brussels Sprouts

Some days, I have more time to prepare a nice meal that my husband and I can eat alone. This means that I can get a bit more creative without the picky kids around, and we can have a somewhat nice time to reconnect over food that we would not normally eat. It's certainly an effort sometimes, but worth it!

Ok, so I have to admit that I do not much like Brussels Sprouts. My mother loves them, but I just can not really wrap myself around their flavor.

However, for diversity I do cook some things I do not like. Take peas, for instance. You will rarely see pea recipes on this blog because I absolutely abhor peas. My husband, on the other hand, finds them heavenly. They are one of his favorite foods. So, while I do not go out of my way to fancy up these tiny offenders of my gag reflex, I will on occasion cook frozen baby peas for my husband because that's the kind of thing you do for people that you love (besides having dinner waiting for them when they get home from work). It can be a lot of work, for sure, but on days that the kids are not here, I actually have time to spend on chopping and preparing a nice meal.

This recipe calls for beef shoulder roast, but if you can not find it, you can substitute beef or pork tenderloin just as well.

To save time, you can also use packaged refrigerated potato wedges, which will cook much more quickly than fresh tubulars would take.

Dinner Tonight is

Winter Salad with Roasted Beets and Citrus Reduction Dressing Herb
Roasted Beef
Potatoes
Browned Butter Brussels Sprouts
German Chocolate Mousse
********************************

Winter Salad with Roasted Beets and Citrus Reduction Dressing
4 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 medium beets, red and golden
• Cooking spray
• 3/4 cup fresh orange juice
• 1/2 teaspoons of sugar
• 1 tablespoons minced shallots
• 2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cups torn Boston lettuce
• 1 cups trimmed watercress
• 1 cups torn radicchio
• 1 ounces of crumbled goat cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Leave root and 1 inch stem on beets; scrub with brush. Place beets on foil lined jelly roll pan coated with cooking spray. Lightly coat the beets with cooking spray. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, until tender. Cool beets slightly. Trim roots and stem; rub off skins. Cut into 1/2 inch thick wedges.

Bring juice and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan; cook ten minutes or until reduced to 2 tablespoons. Pour in a medium bowl and cool slightly. Add shallots, vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Whisk. Gradually add oil and whisk.

Combine lettuce, watercress, and radicchio. Sprinkle lettuce mixture with remaining salt and pepper. Toss gently to combine. Arrange about 1 cup of lettuce mixture on 4 salad plates. Divide beets evenly among salads, and drizzle dressing on each salad. Sprinkle each salad with about 1 tablespoon of cheese.

Nutritional information: 127 calories, 9 grams of fat, and 253 mg of sodium.

Herb Roasted Beef and Potatoes
yield 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons chopped thyme, divided
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt, divided
• 3/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 (8 oz) beef shoulder tenderloin (also called petite tender), trimmed
• cooking spray
• 1 (20 oz) package refrigerated potato wedges (like Simply Potatoes)

Preheat broiler

Combine 1 tablespoon of thyme, rosemary, parsley, 1 tablespoon of oil, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and garlic; rub evenly over both sides of beef. Place beef on rack of broiler pan coated with cooking spray; place rack on pan.

Combine potatoes, remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon of pepper; Toss. Arrange potato mixture on pan around beef. Broil 7 minutes. turn beef over. Broil 7 more minutes, or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from oven. Place beef on cutting board and let stand 5 minutes. Stir potatoes and sprinkle with remaining thyme. Cut beef across the grain into thin slices and serve with potatoes.

Nutritional information for 3 oz beef and 3/4 cup potatoes: 318 calories, 14 grams fat, 788 mg sodium

Browned Butter Brussels Sprouts

• 1 lb trimmed, halved brussels sprouts
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Steam brussels sprouts 5 minutes, or until crisp tender. Drain well.

Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat; cook until butter browns. Add Brussels sprouts. Cook 6 minutes, or until tender, stirring frequently.

Stir in lemon juice, salt and pepper.

German Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cup 1% low fat milk
• 2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 8 oz dark chocolate chips
• 4 cups frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 1/4 cup flaked sweet coconut, toasted
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans

Combine 1st three ingredients in a heavy saucepan; let stand 2 minutes. Cook over medium high heat until tiny bubbles form around the edge, but do not boil.

Remove from heat and add chocolate. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir until chocolate melts.

Pour chocolate mixture into a medium bowl; cover and chill 30 minutes until set. Gently fold in whipped topping. Spoon 2/3 cup of mousse into dessert bowls. Cover and chill 2 hours. Top each with 1 1/2 teaspoons of coconut and 1 1/2 teaspoons pecans.

Makes 8 servings.

Lime Marinated Steak and Baked Potato

Another low sodium recipe! We've had this one before, so I am not certain how come I never posted it. Of course, there have been several stints between posts, so time was probably an issue.

The recipe calls for a sirloin steak, but I used a top round because it had less fat (only 4 grams per 3 oz serving). It needs to be marinated for 6- 8 hours, so requires some forethought. Personally, I start marinating the night before I cook it, almost a full 24 hours.

D's blood pressure has dropped significantly in the last few days since we have been focusing more on virtually no sodium again, even for his lunches and snacks. It's down about 50 points. It's still a bit high, but in the not-so-bad high range. I always notice a huge difference in his BP readings when we follow a low sodium diet, as does my own mother who also struggles with high blood pressure.

So, dinner tonight is:
Garden Salad
Lime Marinated Steak
Baked Potato
Skillet Green Beans
*************************************************

Garden Salad

Garden Salad

This salad when using iceburg and without dressing or cheese, contains:

59 calories
0 fat
virtually no sodium

• 2 cups of lettuce of choice
  
• 1/4 yellow squash, sliced
• 1/4 cucumber, sliced
• 1 small portobella mushroom, sliced
• 5 cherry tomatoes
• 3 baby carrots, sliced lengthwise
• Parmesan Cheese (optional)
• low cal, low fat dressing of choice
• Add more raw ingredients of choice
  

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Serve.


Lime Marinated Steak

Ingredients:
(note: because this marinade contains lime juice, it's best to marinade in a plastic bag, ceramic bowl or glass. The high acidity can react with metal bowls and cause your meat to have a metallic taste)

• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon of honey
• 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of red hot pepper sauce (optional)
• 16-oz boneless sirloin steak, all visible fat removed
• 1/2 teaspoon of pepper

1. For marinade, combine all ingredients except steak in an airtight bag.
2. Add steak and turn to coat. Seal and refrigerate 6-8 hours.
3. Preheat grill to medium heat, or preheat broiler
4. Remove steak from bag and sprinkle with pepper. Discard marinade.
5. Grill steak for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, or until desired doneness

Makes 4 servings at 3 oz per serving 164 calories 6 grams of fat 59 mg of sodium

Baked Potato

• 4 medium baking potatoes
• An acceptable oil
• light unsalted butter, such as smart balance (optional)

1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Slice into the top of the potatoes with a knife, making a large X across the top
3. Rub with oil and wrap in aluminum foil
4. Bake for 60-90 minutes

A medium baked potato contains 161 calories but zero fat and is exceptionally low in sodium with only 17 mg.

Skillet Green Beans

• 16 ounces fresh green beans
  
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced in strips
• 1 yellow or orange bell pepper, sliced in strips
• 1 small onion, halved and sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter ( we use smart balance)
  
• pepper

1. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat.
2. Add green beans, peppers, onion, and garlic.
3. Cook slowly, stirring, until peppers are crisp tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Add pepper to taste.

Serves 6 to 8.

Contains approximately 88 calories per 3/4 cup serving, and less than 5 grams of fat per serving. Very little sodium.

Vegetable Night!

We're back to starting to follow a more stringent healthy diet again. This summer we have been lax -- well, really, since the spring. When we cook at home, we're using the same healthful ingredients but the warm weather and kids out of school has brought along with it being away from home. When away from home, it becomes easier and easier to make bad food choices since restaurants are usually involved.

Well, this has finally caught up with us. I've gained about 3-5 lbs and D has gained some as well. Also, his blood pressure shot up sky high this past weekend after we had spent the whole week with the grandkids taking them out to various places. There was healthy food involved, but there was also a lot of bad food involved as well.

So, it's back to cooking at home for dinner and I am also packing D's lunches again. Right now, he is getting mostly raw stuff in his lunch to help bring his blood pressure down, because raw foods have very little sodium. It seems to have worked after the first day. It's not down low, but it's out of the big red danger zone that it was in the other night.

This also means that I am back to buying and using fresh veggies and herbs in the dinners we cook. `tis not bad, just more work. When using fresh food, preparation and chopping is usually involved and it can be time consuming for those who don't have an 30 minutes just to chop the needed ingredient for dinner. The way I look at it is, it's worth it! To be healthy, to get rid of the massive amounts of sodium, fat and calories that is in pre-prepared food or canned goods, it's worth it.

In the meantime, I am hoping that the kids pick up on what they see and grow to think that's the way it should be. I know that my father never allowed sugar in the house unless he was baking, which was usually Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. Other than that, we always had artificial sweetner and very seldom used actual sugar. This is something I have carried over from my childhood, as I can actually feel the granules of sugar when it's used in drinks and such and I don't like it! Just as well......we get enough processed sugar in breads and starches and cereals.

Last night we had a couple of things that I have made before, so I am just gonna copy and paste the recipes for those, but I also made a new dish --- Creamed Spinach. I got this recipe out of a low fat cookbook, so it's rather healthy.

This whole meal, with the serving sizes suggested and without dressing or cheese on the salad, is only 271 calories, 5 grams of fat, and virtually no sodium. How's that for a healthy meal??I also included the individual nutritional information with each dish, in case you want to make them separately to add to other dished you may make.

Add non fat yogurt and fresh blueberries/strawberries for dessert!

So Dinner Tonight is:

Garden Salad
Spaghetti Squash
Creamed Spinach
Broiled Tomatoes
*********************************

Garden Salad

This salad when using iceburg and without dressing or cheese, contains:

59 calories
0 fat
virtually no sodium

• 2 cups of lettuce of choice
  
• 1/4 yellow squash, sliced
• 1/4 cucumber, sliced
• 1 small portobella mushroom, sliced
• 5 cherry tomatoes
• 3 baby carrots, sliced lengthwise
• Parmesan Cheese (optional)
• low cal, low fat dressing of choice
• Add more raw ingredients of choice
  

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Serve.



Spaghetti Squash

1 cup has:
42 calories
0 fat
10 grams of carbs
4 grams of sugar
28 grams of sodium (very, very low)


1. Pre-heat Oven to 400 degrees.

2. After cutting and cleaning the seeds out of the spaghetti squash, place 1/2 cup of water in a casserole dish. Place the squash open side down in the water. Bake for an hour.

3. When you take it out, the outside of the squash will be very very soft, as well as hot. I use an oven mitt to pick up one half of the squash, and take a fork and clean out the inside into a large bowl. It will come out in strands, like spaghetti. Do this with both halves.

4. Use about 1/2 stick of Smart Balance butter (a 50/50 butter blend with omega fats) and toss with the squash.

5. Serve, adding pepper if desired.


Creamed Spinach
Makes 4 servings at 137 calories and 4 grams of fat per serving

• 2 lbs of fresh spinach
• 2 cups of 1% milk
• 1 small shallot clove, peeled and chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon oil
• i teaspoon unsalted butter (we use Smart Balance, a butter blend that's healthier)
• 1 1/2 tablespoon of cornstarch (you can use flour, but cornstarch has no sodium)

1. Trim the spinach and rinse in cold water. Shake and squeeze the excess water from the leaves. Put spinach in a large pot, cover and cook on medium high heat until wilted (about 3 minutes).

2. Pour into colander and rinse with cold water to cool it. Squeeze out excess water and coarsely chop.

3. In a small saucepan, mix milk, shallow, garlic and thyme. Bring to boil, then immediately reduce heat. Simmer for 20 minutes.

4. When milk mixture is close to finishing, place oil and butter in a medium saucepan and set over medium heat to melt butter. When melted, add the cornstarch and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly with a whisk.

5. Strain the milk mixture into the flour mixture, stirring constantly with whisk. (Discard the milk solids left behind from the garlic and shallots). Cook, stirring constantly with whisk for about 5, 10 minutes or until thickened.

6. Add the chopped spinach. If sodium is not an issue, season with salt and pepper. Cook one minute to heat thoroughly.



Broiled Tomatoes

One large tomato has about 33 calories, less than 1 gram of fat, virtually no sodium, and comes packs with a good 1/3 of your recommended daily intake of Vitamin C and Vitamin A. Of course, they're also a wonderful source of lycopene an antioxidant known for its disease prevention properties. Sinply factor in the sprinkle of parmesan into your calorie intake.

• 4 large tomatoes
• basil
• parmesan cheese

1. Halve the tomatoes
2. sprinkle with basil and Parmesan
3. Broil for 2-3 minutes

Makes 4 servings.

Tex Mex Beef and Bean Dip

Tonight we're having taco salad, and you can find the healthy recipe here.

But I am also making Beef and Bean Dip. This dip has only 99 calories per 1/4 cup serving (plus 5 baked tortilla chips!) and 2.5 grams of fat. Lots of flavor for little guilt.



To make this dip you will need

1/2 lb ground sirloin (buy the 96/4 if you can)
2 tablespoons no salt added tomato paste
1 to 2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 (15 ounce) canned pinto beans (no salt added), rinsed and drained
1 (14 ounce) can of diced tomatoes (no salt added), undrained
3/4 cup of crumbled queso fresco
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
3 ounces of bite sized baked tortilla chips (about 60, like Tostitos Scoops)

Cook beef in large skillet over medium heat until browned, stirring to crumble. Drain well; return beef to pan. Add tomato paste and next 4 ingredients and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes, or until thick, stirring occasionally.

Spoon meat mixture into a serving bowl; top with crumbled cheese and green onions. Serve with tortilla chips.

12 servings of serving size of 1/4 cup of dip and 5 chips

99 calories 2.5 grams of fat 7.3 grams of protein 11.7 grams carbs 216 (or less) mg of sodium

Meatless Night! Spaghetti Squash, Grilled Portobellos , and Zucchini Bake

This became an acquired taste for me, but D loves it. I'd never heard of spaghetti squash before until I started hunting down more healthy recipes that had variety.

And it is so simple to cook!

To prepare the squash for baking, you need to cut it in half. Once cut in half, you'll need to clean out the seeds like you would a pumpkin. You want to leave the pulp, as this is what will become "spaghetti-like" after it's cooked.

Once you do this, you're ready.

Nutritional Information is as follows:
For 1 cup of spaghetti squash there is 42 calories 28 mg of sodium (wow!! virtually nothing!) 10 grams of carbs, of which 2 grams are dietary fiber & only 4 grams sugar 1 gram of protein
(when/if you add something else, butter for instance, read the nutritional and serving size information on the packaging to add to this if you keep a food journal)

For 1 cup of portobello mushrooms alone there is: 42 calories 12 mg sodium (wow again - very low) 6 grams of carbs, 3 grams of which are dietary fiber 5 grams of protein

This is also a good source of iron. The actual recipe I will give below for the portobellos mixed with ingredients has a total of 76 calories and 4 grams of fat per serving, but I do not have the other information for the recipe as is. The recipe will be for 4 servings. Not sure of the serving size amount, but once you cook it, divide it equally into 4 parts and you'll have your serving size.

The Zuccini Bake Recipe Nutritional Information is as follows per serving. Again, the recipe will make 4 servings, so divide it equally when cooked into 4 parts and you will have your serving size.

114 calories 7.4 grams of fat 8 grams of carbs 2.2 of which are dietary fiber 6.2 grams of protein

Dinner Tonight is: Spaghetti Squash Grilled Portobello Mushrooms Zucchini Bake Fresh Strawberries and blueberries with fat free/sugar free vanilla yogurt

Spaghetti Squash
Pre-heat Oven to 400 degrees.

After cutting and cleaning the seeds out of the spaghetti squash, place 1/2 cup of water in a casserole dish. Place the squash open side down in the water. Bake for an hour.

When you take it out, the outside of the squash will be very very soft, as well as hot. I use an oven mitt to pick up one half of the squash, and take a fork and clean out the inside into a large bowl. It will come out in strands, like spaghetti. Do this with both halves.

Use about 1/2 stick of Smart Balance butter (a 50/50 butter blend with omega fats) and toss with the squash.

Serve, adding pepper if desired.

Grilled Portobellos

• 2 tablespoons low or no sodium, fat free chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 4 large potobello mushrooms, stems removed

1. In large shallow dish, mix broth, oil, vinegar, and thyme. Arrange mushroom caps in single layer in the dish, turning once to coat. Let stand at room temperature, turning occasionally, for one hour.
2. Cover broiler pan with aluminum foil and coat with cooking spray. Bake mushrooms at 450 degrees for 10 minutes. (Can also grill them directly on the grill for 10 minutes on medium-high heat)

Zucchini Bake

Ingredients:
4 medium zucchini
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded cheese, low fat
1 tablespoon butter (smart balance)
1/2 teaspoon crushed garlic
ground black pepper to taste


1. Slice the zucchini lengthwise and score diagonally across the top of zucchinis.
2. Place in a baking dish.
3. Baste with melted butter and garlic, sprinkle with cheese and season with pepper to taste.
4. Bake in a moderately hot oven for about 15-20 minutes (or until tender and crisp).


For dessert, mix 1/2 cup of strawberries and 1/2 cup of blueberries with 3/4 cup of fat free/sugar free vanilla yougurt (sweeten with sweet and low if desired) and enjoy! Strawberries and blueberries are chock full of fiber and antioxidants

Parmesan Chicken and Rice Casserole

Ooooh, this was a fantastic meal!

This past weekend, D and I had some house guests. I wanted to make a nice dinner for them, and set out browsing some of my Cooking Light magazines for a dish that was suitable for their dietary needs due to dieting, cultural and religious reasons.

I found this recipe in the March 2008 issue and decided to give it a go. The recipe called for chicken thighs, but I used skinless, boneless chicken breasts. The magazine offered up nutritional information for the entree itself, but I am not sure how using chicken breasts vs chicken thighs might have altered that content.

In any case, here is the nutritional information for the casserole entree itself:

498 calories
19 grams of fat
38 grams of protein
43 grams of carbs
3 mg of iron
765 mg of sodium (mine had less because I omitted the salt)

With this entree, we had broiled tomatoes and Green Beans with warm bacon dressing.

The recipe called for regular pork bacon, but I used turkey bacon to accommodate our guests restrictions. It was pretty good and I didn't miss the additional fat the pork bacon would have added to the meal.

The dinner was wonderful.

Dinner Tonight was:
Parmesan Chicken and Rice Casserole
Green Beans with warm Bacon dressing
Broiled Tomatoes
***************************************
Ingredients for Parmesan Chicken and Rice Casserole

• 1 cup of chopped onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 (3.5 ounces) boil-in-a-bag brown rice (I actually cooked brown rice instead of using this)
• 2 lbs chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of thyme
• 2 cups of fat free, lower sodium chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons of whipping cream
• 1/3 cup shredded Parmesan

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Coat with cooking spray. Add onion to pan; saute 2 minutes. Add garlic; saute 30 seconds. Add cooked rice to pan; saute 30 seconds. Spoon rice mixture from skillet into a large casserole dish coated with cooking spray in an even layer.
3. Arrange chicken breasts in a single layer over rice mixture. Combine broth and cream in bowl; whisk. Pour over chicken and rice mixture. Sprinkle thyme over chicken evenly.
4. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake an additional 5 minutes or until chicken is done.

Makes 4 servings

Green Beans in Warm Bacon Dressing Ingredients

• 1 lb fresh, trimmed green beans
• 4 strips of bacon
• 1/4 cup shallots
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1. Cook green beans in boiling water for 3 minutes.
2. Drain.
3. Cook 4 strips of bacon in skillet over medium heat until crisp.
4. Remove bacon from pan and crumble
5. Add shallots to pan drippings; cook for 3 minutes
6. Add 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar; cook 1 minute (I didn't do this)
7. Add green beans. Toss to coat
8. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon.

Broiled Tomatoes

• 4 tomatoes
• basil
• parmesan cheese

1. Halve the tomatoes
2. sprinkle with basil and Parmesan
3. Broil for 2-3 minutes

Chicken with Ginger and Snow Peas

This is a low-salt recipe that is amazingly delicious. It calls for soy sauce, which is pretty high in sodium. Alas, this recipe came from my low salt cook book and boasts only 185 mg of sodium per 1 cup serving! Not bad for such a tasty meal. It is full of protein (28 grams per serving) and low fat as well as low in calories. (166 calories per serving and only 3 grams of fat.) I also absolutely abhor peas in any other form. But snow peas are subtle in their flavor, therefore not overpowering the dish and complementing the other gentle flavors.

It makes for a wonderfully nutritious, yet satisfying meal - especially when combined with brown rice, which is what I use with this dish. It also goes very well with steamed broccoli.

So, Dinner Tonight was:

Salad greens with a sprinkle of cheddar, cherry tomatoes, chopped cucumber and fat free dressing

Chicken with Ginger and Snow Peas

Brown Rice

Steamed Broccoli

*******************************************













Chicken with Ginger and Snow Peas

• 6 ounces of fresh snow peas
• 1/2 cup of low sodium or no sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon of pepper
• 2 teaspoons of sesame oil
• 1 1/4 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken breast tenders
• 2 medium cloves of garlic. minced
• 1/2 teaspoon of minced ginger root

1. Trim ends off of snow peas
2. In small bowl, whisk together the broth, cornstarch, soy sauce, and pepper.
3. Heat a large, heavy skillet over high heat, add oil, and swirl to coat bottom. Cook the chicken for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently.
4. Add the snow peas, garlic, and ginger root. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
5. Add the chicken broth mixture and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the sauce thickens and the chicken is no longer pink in the center, stirring constantly. If mixture begins to burn, remove skillet from heat momentarily and add a teaspoon or two of chicken broth - or water.

Nutritional Information per 1 cup serving:

166 calories
5 grams if carbohydrates
26 grams of protein
66 mg of cholesterol
3 grams of fat
1 gram of fiber
185 mg of sodium
380 mg of potassium
31 mg of calcium

Brown Rice

Cook according to package directions. Remember, brown rice is much more nutritious for you than enriched white rice. Read package for serving size and nutritional information.

Steamed Broccoli

You can use fresh broccoli and steam it of you have a steamer. Or, buying fresh, pre-cut broccoli in a bag and microwaving it according to package directions to steam it will work just fine. Read package for serving size and nutritional information.