Ok I am going to be totally honest. This is the first recipe that I have posted without trying myself. I love the challenge of making a traditionally unhealthy dish more nutritious, mainly because it means that no foods are completely off limits. With modification, almost any meal can be guilt-free. For example, the sound of "fettucine alfredo" is very appealing to me. The fat and calories, not so much, which is fine because I know that I can make a tasty, healthy version. Now when I hear "red beans and rice", I have no desire to make-over this dish. It's just not my kind of food, healthy or not. While we were in New Orleans for New Year's Eve, the boyfriend decided that he is quite fond of the cajun cuisine. We bought a red beans and rice box dinner mix in a little shop so that I could make it for him back at home. I made it the first time using cajun sausage, and he loved. Actually everyone who tried it seemed to enjoy the spicy flavors. My mom, like myself, didn't think this type of food was her thing. Well she was braver than me and tried it. She was surprised that she really liked the dish. Using the pork sausage, it wasn't the healthiest meal ever.

The last time I was visiting the boyfriend in Auburn, we decided instead of going out to eat, we would spend the money on groceries for me to cook. That way he would have plenty of leftovers throughout the week. He decided on lettuce wraps, mexican lasagna, and red beans and rice. I was a bit surprised when he suggested that we use smoked turkey sausage in place of the pork, which saved 110 calories per serving (so proud of him!). We bought the Zatarain's box mix which was made of basically the same ingredients as the mix we purchased in New Orleans. This was very easy to make as I just threw it all in the crock pot. The beans did have to soak overnight and cook for about an hour but that's really not any work. Since the smoked turkey sausage did not have any cajun flavor, I sauteed it with ground red pepper and red pepper flakes. I swapped brown rice for white rice to add additional fiber to the beans. The final verdict: The boyfriend loved it and decided it was every bit as good as the pork sausage version. With all of the positive reviews, I might just have to try out the next batch.

1. Spray large pan with cooking spray and saute sausage pieces until done.
2. Follow cooking directions on package of red beans. (I like to soak them overnight before cooking)
3. Combine seasoning mix with cold water and then empty the mixture, sausage, and beans into the crock pot and cook over low for 4-6 hours.
4. Serve over cooked rice.

I love the spicy flavors of Mexican cuisine but I hardly ever go out to eat at Mexican restaurants. The main reason is that the menus tend be full of fried, greasy, cheese-drowned items. I decided to create an entree that has all of the flavor without the unnecessary fat and calories. It turned out delicious and the recipe makes 9 servings so I have plenty of leftovers for later in the week. My Mexican Lasagna recipe may lead you to think that the dish is a sort of hybrid between Mexican and Italian flavors. If you find that those flavors do not seem to mix, don't worry. I completely agree. The recipe includes the word "lasagna" because of the layers. Layers of tortillas, chicken, cheese, beans, tomatoes, and corn all finished with a creamy enchilada sauce. This healthy entree is sure to become a family favorite.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. In a large saucepan, combine the first 7 ingredients and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes.
3. In another saucepan, combine both soups and enchilada sauce and cook for 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring often.
4. Spoon 1/3 sauce mixture in the baking dish and spread to cover bottom. Top with 3 tortillas. Spoon half of the chicken mixture and 1/3 of the sauce over the tortillas; sprinkle with 1/2 cup cheese.
5. Top with 3 tortillas; repeat layers once with remaining chicken, sauce, and cheese.
6. Top with 3 tortillas and 1 cup of remaining cheese.
7. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until bubbly.
8. Top individual servings with desired toppings such as greek yogurt or salsa.

Nutrition: 224 calories, 26g carbohydrate, 24g protein, 3g fat, 4g fiber, 4 weight watcher points

In the mood for the taste of bar food, but not quite as eager to see the effects of it on your waistline? It is very difficult to eat healthy at restaurants that are catered towards a sports-enthralled crowd. Such eateries tend to offer many appetizers, with majority of them being fried; think mozzarella sticks, potato wedges, fried mushrooms, and cheese fries. Packing in even more calories, they are often served with creamy dressings for dipping, mainly Ranch and Blue Cheese. The dressing alone average around 200 calories per serving, and by serving, I mean a true serving size of two tablespoons- not the saucer that is brought to the table.

One of the most popular game-day cuisines in the United States is buffalo wings. There are many restaurants that specialize in fried chicken wings, tossed in a variety of specialty sauces. Just one medium sized wing contains 52 calories and 3g of fat. Now go ahead and multiply that by the number of wings you would typically consume for a meal or snack. And then add approximately 500 calories for a serving of french fries. This type of food is commonly paired with beer or other bar drinks, especially during big sporting events and celebrations. Consuming alcoholic beverages not only adds calories through the intake of the beverage itself, but also leads to binge eating and cravings for unhealthy junk food.

Upon hosting your next game day event or just for a simple weeknight meal, try this recipe for Buffalo Chicken Pasta for the spicy, buffalo flavor of hot wings, but only 2 grams of fat. The recipe originated from the popular Buffalo Chicken Dip. After making healthy substitutions to the dip recipe, I decided to turn the appetizer into a main dish entree. The way that I improved the nutrient content of the recipe was by swapping full-fat cheeses and full-fat ranch dressing for their fat-free equivalents. While the flavor of fat-free ranch and the texture of fat-free cream cheese are no where near comparable to the full-fat versions when eaten alone; those differences are extremely discrete when baked with the other ingredients. The pasta dish contains very few ingredients and is great for beginning cooks (If the boyfriend can cook this, you can too. Trust me). The creamy sauce complements the moderate spice of the hot sauce, and could be described as a grown-up version of mac N' cheese. Once in the oven, dinner can be on the table in 20 minutes. Add a fresh garden salad for a complete meal.


Nutrition: (without blue cheese crumbles) 290 calories, 50g carbohydrate, 22g protein, 2g fat
(with blue cheese) 300 calories, 50g carbohydrate, 23g protein, 3g fat

***As with any dish that includes pasta, substitute Fiber Gourmet pasta in place of wheat noodles for a reduced-carb version.