Showing posts with label summer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label summer. Show all posts
Monday, May 30, 2011
Vegetable Lasagna: White and Light
I completely enjoy my homemade turkey lasagna with classic tomato sauce, but I figured I would mix it up a bit and make vegetable lasagna with a white sauce. I found the original recipe by Recipe Girl and loved the fact that it was full of so many fresh summer veggies. I altered the recipe a bit in order to give it a healthy twist. The sauce was light and provided just enough flavor to let the vegetables star in the creamy dish. While there was a good amount of prep work involved, in my opinion, it was absolutely worth it. It was a great summer entree paired with a fresh garden salad.
adapted from Recipe Girl
serves 9
Ingredients
2 cups chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups chopped zucchini
2 cups chopped yellow squash
2 cups thinly sliced carrots
2 cups chopped broccoli
1 tsp salt, divided
1/2 cup flour
3 1/2 cups fat-free milk
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
dash of nutmeg
10 oz. package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 1/2 cups fat-free cottage cheese
2 cups fat-free shredded mozzarella cheese
9 whole-wheat lasagna noodles
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups chopped zucchini
2 cups chopped yellow squash
2 cups thinly sliced carrots
2 cups chopped broccoli
1 tsp salt, divided
1/2 cup flour
3 1/2 cups fat-free milk
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
dash of nutmeg
10 oz. package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 1/2 cups fat-free cottage cheese
2 cups fat-free shredded mozzarella cheese
9 whole-wheat lasagna noodles
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Spray with cooking spray. Add onion and saute for 4 minutes or until tender; add garlic and saute for another minute. Spoon onion mixture into a large bowl.
- Spray the skillet again with cooking spray and add zucchini and squash. saute for 4 minutes or until tender. Add to onion mixture.
- Spray the skillet again with cooking spray. Add carrots and saute for 4 minutes; add broccoli and saute for another 4 minutes until tender crisp. Add to onion mixture and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt. Stir well to combine.
- Place flour in a medium sauce pan. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly; cook 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat and add 1/2 cup parmesan, remaining 1/2 tsp salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir until smooth blend in spinach.
- In a medium size bowl, combine cottage cheese and 1 1/2 cups mozzarella; stir well.
- Spray a lasagna pan (or 9x13 baking dish) with cooking spray. Spread 1/2 cup spinach mixture on bottom of pan. Arrange 3 noodles over spinach mixture; top with half cottage cheese mixture, then half vegetable mixture, and about 1 cup spinach mixture. Repeat layers ending with noodles. Spread remaining spinach mixture on top of noodles; sprinkle with 1/2 cup parmesan and 1/2 cup mozzarella.
- Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 20 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition: 289 calories, 40g carbohydrate, 25g protein, 5g fat, 7g fiber
Weight Watchers points: 5
Weight Watchers plus points: 8

Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Crab topped Mahi Mahi
Now that the warm weather and sunshine seems to have set in, all I can think about is going to the beach. Of course there is the sound of waves crashing, beautiful ocean views, sand between your toes, and sun-kissed skin. But even if none of those things existed, I think the fresh seafood is enough to leave me longing for a vacation on the coast. Since I don't have a trip planned within in the next few months, I decided that I could still re-create the cuisine. Mahi mahi is one of my favorite types of fish because it so light and flaky. It pairs great with any lemon butter sauce and, of course, crab meat. I found a recipe that made my mouth water and adapted it to meet my nutrition standards. The end result was every bit as amazing as a meal at the beach. The fish had the perfect texture, which was complemented with a lump crab topping, and finished with a lemon wine sauce. Not only is the flavor to die for, but this is a great recipe for anyone searching for a high protein, low carb entree. With my substitutions, you can feel like you are indulging for a little over 200 calories.
Crab topped Mahi Mahi
adapted from Cake, Batter, and Bowl
serves 4
Ingredients
4 (4 oz) Mahi Mahi filets (or any other white fish)
8 oz. lump crab meat
1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 large shallot, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp fat-free mayonnaise
2 tbsp egg beaters
1/4 tsp salt
lemon sauce
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp light butter
1 tbsp all purpose flour
1/2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp fat-free milk
1/8 tsp salt
8 oz. lump crab meat
1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 large shallot, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp fat-free mayonnaise
2 tbsp egg beaters
1/4 tsp salt
lemon sauce
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp light butter
1 tbsp all purpose flour
1/2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp fat-free milk
1/8 tsp salt
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet with cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, combine crab meat, bread crumbs, shallot, garlic, mayonnaise, egg beaters, and 1/8 tsp salt. Mix well.
- Sprinkle mahi filets with remaining salt on both sides and place on baking sheet. Evenly top filets with crab mixture. Bake for 25 minutes or until fish is cooked through (center should be 145 degrees).
- Turn broiler on and broil for 1 minute until crab topping is golden brown.
- Meanwhile, make prepare lemon sauce by placing wine and lemon juice in a small sauce pan. Heat for 6-8 minutes over medium.
- Place butter in a separate sauce pan and melt over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Then add wine and lemon mixture and honey.
- Mix until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in milk and salt. Drizzle over cooked filets (You will have extra sauce).
Nutrition: 228 calories, 13g carbohydrate, 33g protein, 2g fat, 0g fiber
weight watchers points: 5
weight watchers plus points: 5

Labels:
crab,
dinner,
fish,
guest-worthy,
healthy,
seafood,
summer
|
0
comments
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Nosh on Squash
I am pretty much always in the mood for fresh vegetables, but lately I have really been craving fresh summer vegetables. I love steamed or grilled yellow squash by itself so I figured it was be just as good with a few added ingredients, in order to make a casserole. This side dish recipe reminds me of the squash casserole at a local market/restaurant but I'm relatively sure that their version is far from low-fat. It seems that most vegetable casseroles contain very few actual vegetables and are smothered in cream soups, cheese, and other high calorie ingredients. I really liked the fact that the squash is the main ingredient in my recipe and its flavor is still distinct. The addition of cheese and greek yogurt really complemented the squash without overpowering it and the corn flakes provided a crunchy topping. I served this with grilled chicken tenders and sauteed turnip greens for a healthy, southern dinner.
Cheesy Squash Casserole
serves 8
Ingredients
6 medium yellow squash, thinly sliced
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 cup fat-free shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup fat-free plain greek yogurt
salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup corn flakes
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 2-quart casserole dish.
- Boil squash and onions until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain.
- In a large bowl combine squash and onions, Parmesan, Cheddar, and yogurt. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
- Transfer mixture to prepared casserole dish. Top with corn flakes. Bake for 20 minutes.
Nutrition: 93 calories, 9g carbohydrate, 10g protein, 2g fat, 2g fiber
weight watchers points: 2
weight watchers plus points: 3

Labels:
casserole,
comfort food,
healthy,
side,
squash,
summer,
vegetable
|
3
comments
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Fresh Fruit Treat, Guilt-free and Sweet
Most of the dessert recipes that I post end up falling under the "seldom splurge" category. Sure, they are lighter than a typical sweet treat but they still contain too many calories and too much sugar to be considered "guilt-free". This dessert is more diet-friendly than most of the others and provides a large portion for only 110 calories. Farmers have reported that strawberries (and peaches) are reaching their peak ripeness ahead of schedule this year. That means that you can already find the red, juicy varieties in your grocery store. Strawberries are one of my all time favorite fruits so I decided to use them to create a sugar-free strawberry shortcake. I actually ran across the recipe on the back of a box of Truvia natural sweetener. I know that I tend to use Splenda in place of sugar in a lot of my recipes but that is mostly because granulated Splenda measures cup for cup like sugar, making it very easy to substitute. Otherwise, I like to use Truvia. The recipe called for a low-fat baking mix to make the shortcake. I used Carbquik because it is lower in calories and higher in fiber than other baking mixes but you could use Heart Healthy Bisquick for slightly higher calorie stats and less fiber. I loved so many things about this recipe. It was very quick and simple. It used only a few ingredients. It made 4 portions so there weren't a ton of leftovers to go to waste. The portions were quite large for a minimal amount of calories. And most of all, it was lightly sweet, fluffy, and absolutely delicious. This strawberry shortcake will definitely be a go-to summer dessert in my house.
weight watchers points: 1
weight watchers plus points: 3
Nutrition: (with Heart Healthy Bisquick) 148 calories, 29g carbohydrate, 3g protein, 3g fat, 2g fiber
weight watchers points: 3
weight watchers points plus: 4
Strawberry Shortcake
serves 4
Ingredients
1 pint fresh strawberries, sliced
6 packets Truvia
1 cup low fat baking mix
3 packets Truvia
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (or skim milk)
1/2 cup fat free Cool Whip
- Prepare fresh strawberries: rinse, hull and slice. Sprinkle 6 packets of Truvia onto strawberries. Stir and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Mix together baking mix, 3 packets of Truvia, and milk. Stir until a soft dough forms. (You may have to add a couple more tablespoons of milk)
- Drop 4 spoonfuls of dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 9-12 minutes until golden brown. Cool.
- Slice shortcakes in half and fill with strawberries and cool whip. Top with an additional layer of strawberries and cool whip.
weight watchers points: 1
weight watchers plus points: 3
Nutrition: (with Heart Healthy Bisquick) 148 calories, 29g carbohydrate, 3g protein, 3g fat, 2g fiber
weight watchers points: 3
weight watchers points plus: 4

Labels:
cake,
dessert,
easy,
healthy,
quick,
strawberries,
sugar-free,
summer
|
5
comments
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Lightly Lemon
With the time change and Spring right around the corner, I can't help but dream of the fresh fruits that come with the warm weather. Since there is still some time before most fruits will reach their peak, I chose to use one that is available year round. I wanted to make a light dessert and decided that lemon bars would be the perfect selection. The crust is made from a mixture of whole wheat flour and oats. At first, I thought the addition of oats was a bit odd but they are actually what made crust so delicious. The filling had the perfect citrus flavor from using a combination of the lemon juice and zest. It used a combination of eggs and egg whites to make a light, fluffy texture. Just because this is a lighter version treat, does not mean that they are healthy or that anybody should devour the whole pan. On my blog, I like to refer to foods like this as a "seldom splurge". Overall, I thought this was a great dessert to kick off the season and everybody seemed to enjoy it just as much as I did. The boyfriend said they reminded him of a Krispy Kreme lemon filled donut. Not exactly what I was going for, but I'll take it.
Low-fat Lemon Bars
adapted from Our Scented Cottage
serves 16
Ingredients
crust:
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup quick oats
3 tbsp butter
filling:
1 egg
1 egg white
1 cup sugar
3 tbsp flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
juice and zest of 1 large lemon
powder sugar for dusting
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, and oats. Using a pastry blender, add butter until mixture is crumbly. Press in bottom of baking dish and bake for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, whisk together egg and egg white. Add sugar and beat until creamy. Add flour, baking powder, salt, and lemon. Whisk until smooth.
- Pour lemon mixture over pre-baked crust and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until center is set.
Nutrition: 125 calories, 24g carbohydrate, 2g protein, 3g fat, 1g fiber
weight watchers points: 3
weight watchers plus points: 4
weight watchers points: 3
weight watchers plus points: 4

Labels:
dessert,
lemon,
seldom splurge,
summer
|
2
comments
Monday, June 28, 2010
Totally Trim Taquitoes

This is not only my first recipe post, but also my first blog post ever. Although I read other food blogs daily, I am just now finding the time to create one of my own. I have a monstrosity of a recipe binder that is so unorganized that I rarely bother to open it when planning to cook a meal. But when somebody asks for one of my recipes, I become overwhelmed with loose sheets of paper that have been marked through, highlighted, and written (if you can even call it writing) on every side and every space available. As much as I love creating healthy recipes, it is an equal satisfaction to provide my recipes for others who seek a healthy diet and lifestyle. In all efforts to be able to do so, I have planned this blog as a way to help me organize my recipes and also to help you find them. I will be posting recipes mostly as I cook them in order to provide you with a bit of eye candy aka pictures to accompany each post. The pictures for this post are credited to Jennifer Oetting, one of my best friends and an amazingly talented photographer/artist. That is the plan for now but I would love any requests for specific types of recipes that anyone might want posted sooner. Most of my recipes are healthy, low calorie alternatives to typically unhealthy cuisines. I will post the nutrition information for each recipe to help anybody who may be dieting or just curious. In addition I have created recipes that are more diet-specific, including high-fiber, low-carb, and sugar-free. I also enjoy searching for healthy food products and I will relay those, as well as where you can find them. I would greatly appreciate comments or suggestions to any post or to the blog in general to help me in my beginning stages as a blogger.
This chicken recipe originated from a food blog that I frequent called Our Best Bites and is known on the site as "Baked Chicken Taquitoes". Following my healthy make-over, the recipe was transformed to be called "Totally Trim Taquitoes". This dish consists of whole grain flour tortillas stuffed with a chicken, cream cheese,and verde salsa mixture. The taquitoes provide a summery flare with the addition of fresh lime, chopped cilantro, and a hint of garlic. The addition of pepper-jack cheese adds just enough heat to provide a contrast for the addition of a creamy yogurt dipping sauce.
The tortillas that I used are made by La Banderita and are the Xtreme Fiber variety. They are high in fiber and protein and low in carbs and fat. Each tortilla has 72 calories, 5g carbohydrate, 8g protein, and 2g fat. They also contain a whopping 12g of fiber which is 47% of the daily recommended value. I have spotted this brand at Wal-Mart and Publix but if you cannot locate these, there are others available with similar stats.
Totally Trim Taquitoes
serves 6
Ingredients
1/3 cup fat-free cream cheese
1/4 cup green verde salsa
1 Tbsp lime juice
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 Tbsp chopped cilantro
2 Tbsp sliced green onions
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
6 slices 2% Kraft Pepperjack cheese slices
6 low-carb flour tortillas
kosher salt
cooking spray
- Preheat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly spray with cooking spray.
- Heat cream cheese in microwave for 20 seconds to soften.
- In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder, and garlic. Add cilantro and green onions and then chicken and cheese. (After this step, you can refrigerate the mixture for later cooking)
- Lay out the tortillas and divide the the mixture evenly among them.
- Roll up tightly and place seam-side down on baking sheet.
- Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle with salt.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until crisp and golden brown.
- Dip them in salsa, fat free sour cream, or yogurt dipping sauce (recipe below).
Yogurt Dipping Sauce
Ingredients
1 pack Hidden Valley buttermilk ranch dressing mix
1 cup 0% Fage Greek Yogurt
juice of 1 lime
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup green verde salsa
hot sauce to taste
Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and add hot sauce to taste. Make ahead of time and refrigerate for several hours. Pour into individual ramekins to serve.
Nutrition Information: 205 calories per serving (one serving- one taquito with dipping sauce, using La Banderita Xtreme Fiber tortillas)
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