Tag Archives: low calorie

Greek Green Beans

Ok as promised here is the recipe for the green beans I made with the orange roughy yesterday. I used frozen green beans. I actually use frozen veggies quite a bit. This way I always have something in the freezer to go to when I’m out of fresh stuff. I usually have those ‘steamer’ bags of veggies but this time I had bought one of the larger bags, 16 ounces. For two of us that is too much to make at once so for this recipe I used half the bag or 2 cups. This is also a quick and easy side dish for any entrée. It is also a low-calorie side dish. While the beans were being nuked I sautéed the onions and garlic and it worked out great. So without any further ado here is the recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups frozen green beans (any kind you like)

2 tablespoons water

1 small onion, chopped small

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons olive oil

¼ cup crumbled reduced fat feta cheese

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons butter substitute (you can use real butter if you want)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place green beans in a small microwave container with lid. Add the water. Cook on HIGH for 6 minutes.

2. Meantime in a small pan sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil. Cook until soft and just starting to brown a little. About 6 minutes. Add the basil, oregano and pepper flakes. Stir well.

3. The beans should be done now. Drain the excess water from container. Add the butter/butter substitute and onion mixture. Mix well.

4. Microwave on HIGH for 2 minutes.

5. Stir in feta cheese and serve.

Makes 2 servings (1 cup each)

Tabouli with Quinoa

Usually I am not a big fan of mint. No mojitos for me.  And definitely none of that flourescent green mint jelly when I have lamb! That is wrong to my taste buds on so many levels. Luckily my husband is not a fan either. So many recipes have mint in them and most of the time, to me anyway, it’s too much. So when I tried Tabouli years ago I was surprised to find that there was mint in it! Imagine that! I liked it in spite of that! And now with my new favorite food, quinoa, I can have that delicious tabouli salad with a more healthy twist! It’s a refreshing and filling salad for lunch or a side dish or just for snacking in the afternoon. I will also add crumbled feta cheese to mine for a little extra zip. You can use goat cheese if you want too, anything you like really. Just don’t go crazy and kill all the good with too much cheese. Moderation! This recipe is also one time where you should have the fresh parsley rather than dried.

INGREDIENTS:

½ cup uncooked quinoa

2 cups water

¼ cup fresh parsley, without stems

2/3 cup green onions (scallions), cut into ¼” pieces

1½ cups peeled cucumbers, cut into ¼” pieces

1½ cups chopped tomatoes, cut into ¼” pieces

1 garlic clove, minced (no garlic powder on this)

½ teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

¾ teaspoon dried mint (optional)

½ cup crumbled light or fat-free feta cheese (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Put quinoa in a fine strainer and rinse under running water until water runs clear. Drain well. Bring quinoa and water to a boil in a saucepan. Cover pan, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes until water is absorbed. Quinoa will be fluffy. Chill in the refrigerator or rinse cooked quinoa in a fine-meshed strainer under COLD running water. Drain well.

2. Toss remaining ingredients with quinoa and serve!

Makes 5 cups (1 cup per serving)

Collard Greens Gone Wild

Ok, I know, how can collard greens go wild? And I’m not talking fresh collard greens either. Frozen. Yes frozen. I never had collard greens growing up and of course just figured I didn’t like them. My husband suggested I try them so one day at the supermarket I went “wild” and bought a bag of frozen greens. Also since I had no idea how to serve them the Italian in me took over. I prepared them according to the package but when I served them I added butter and a parmesan/garlic seasoning. They came out really good. I was hooked. Then recently I tried them from a menu at a restaurant specializing in “southern/cowboy” type barbecue. I HATED them! They had no flavor, the color was so washed out they did not look very appetizing. Definitely not enough to even eat! Well I tried them. Yuck! I tried adding butter, salt, hot sauce…Still yuck! I was so disappointed! I knew I should have gotten the fried green tomatoes that night! So last night I kicked them up a notch so to say. They came out really good! The only thing is the bag of frozen greens is big that I now have lots left over. I will be using them tonight as my side for the Veal Scaloppini recipe I posted yesterday.  They actually look like escarole and beans a little bit. I originally served it with a Lemon Lime Marinated Chicken recipe from a great food blog called Dana’s Food For Thought. Check it out! (Thanks Dana!)

INGREDIENTS:

1 16-19 ounce bag frozen chopped collard greens

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cloves garlic chopped

3 cloves garlic thinly sliced

2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon basil

1 teaspoon oregano

2 cups chicken broth

1 -15 ounce can canellini beans, drained and rinsed

parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a dutch oven or large pot sauté olive oil and chopped garlic. Saute till garlic is lightly browned. Add the basil and oregano and stir for a minute or so.

2. Add the frozen collard greens and chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and add the beans, red pepper flakes and sliced garlic. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

3. Serve greens with parmesan cheese if you like.

Smothered Chicken

I feel like today is a Monday! The job hunting takes up most of my mornings these days, leaving the rest of the day to do my endless list of “house” chores. Today I was supposed to clean up the office buried underneath the rubble. I started this finally at 6pm! And now I just remembered I forgot to post a blog recipe! So here I am, 7:23pm, starting my blog, and watching an episode of Roswell on Hulu.com (I love Hulu by the way!) I have an iMac and the screen is 21.5″ so watching a show and working is easy! So here goes.

Today’s recipe is another recipe from Dom DeLuise’s book “Eat This Too!” Normally when I see a recipe that has the word “smothered” in it I try and avoid it. Though this recipe is low-calorie and high in protein. It’s actually a very easy recipe to make and it won’t take up all your night cooking! Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

2 teaspoons olive oil

pepper to taste

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 onion, minced

¼ teaspoon paprika

2 tablespoons flour

1½ cups chicken broth

1 tablespoon soy sauce

18-20 mushrooms, sliced

4 cups cooked brown or white rice (I prefer jasmine brown rice)

2 teaspoons sesame seeds

DIRECTIONS:

1. Set chicken in deep broiling pan. Season with olive oil, pepper, garlic, onion and paprika.

2. Set broiler about 5 inches from heat. Broil chicken 3 minutes on one side, turn and broil one minute on the other side. Remove and set aside.

3. In a mixing bowl, stir flour into broth and soy sauce until flour dissolves. Add mushrooms. Pour the broth mixture into a saucepan and cook over medium heat while stirring constantly until sauce thickens.

4. Slice and arrange the chicken breasts on the rice and “smother” everything with the mushroom sauce. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Serves 4

Blueberry Pancakes

Every so often we get that craving for pancakes on the weekend. But trying to watch the carb and calorie intake makes it tough. This recipe only has 4 grams of carbs per serving! No joke. And they are actually very good! I know many of us have tried the “Atkins” pancake mix, or other low-calorie low carb mix over the years and they were all just a little on the bland side. Not this recipe, which I got from “George Stella’s Livin’ Low Carb” book. I actually use this cookbook quite a lot. This coming from a true carb hound. The recipes are great! This recipe I actually had all the ingredients so we tried them out. It actually calls for heavy cream and I didn’t have any so we used half-and-half instead and it was great. The other minor ingredient I actually did not have on hand was baking powder! So I found my ‘substitution’ chart and made my own! Just combine ½ teaspoon cream of tartar and ¼ teaspoon of baking soda. Voila, baking powder. And since I only needed ¼ teaspoon of baking powder it was perfect. Also, usually we have the sugar-free syrup in the house for the pancakes and waffles we sometimes have, but this time we used the amber agave nectar!

Delicious and so much better for you! We also have the light one as well. Found it cheap at Marshall’s! Go figure!

INGREDIENTS:

Cooking spray or butter (for pan)

2 large eggs

½ cup heavy cream (I used half-and-half and it was fine)

¼ cup water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup soy flour

2 tablespoons sugar substitute (Splenda recommended)

1 tablespoon wheat or oat bran (I used wheat)

¼ teaspoon baking powder

½ cup fresh or frozen(thawed) blueberries

DIRECTIONS:

1. Grease a griddle or large skillet with cooking spray or butter and heat over medium heat for at least 5 minutes. The griddle should be very hot so that the pancakes don’t stick.

2. Mix all the ingredients except for the blueberries in a blender or food processor for about 15 seconds. Stop and scrape the sides and mix for another 15 seconds until well blended.

3. Pour about 12 little cakes onto the hot griddle (they should be about the size of the bottom of a soda can). Wait for the pancakes to bubble and then sprinkle with a few blueberries on each of them. Cook for a little longer, then flip with a spatula and cook for a few more minutes, until both sides are slightly browned. Serve hot with melted butter and syrup of your choice! You may have to do this in a couple batches.

Makes about 12 small pancakes. You can use other berries also just make sure you cut them up small enough to about the size of the blueberries.

Baked Shrimp Balls

Ok I can hear the comments now, even from my husband. “I didn’t know Shrimp had balls! And why would we want to eat them?” Funny! Ha ha! This recipe does not have bread crumbs or other heavy filler in it either. Baking them also cuts down on the calories but not the taste. The picture I put in is not of my own, yet. But if anyone makes them, take a picture and send me a copy and I will post it! Send to my website email at agenua@cucinadiandrea.com. These are also very easy to make so give it a try and let me know how they come out! I will do the same!

Ok, the picture has been updated to my own photo. I made these over the weekend. I cut the recipe in half as it was too much for just two of us. Has anyone made them? Ok, all I have to say is maybe they left out something in the recipe. They were easy to make, smelled good, looked good but taste? Hmmm not so much. They fell apart for the most part.  I made a quick honey mustard sauce to go with it. (¼ cup light mayo, ¼ cup Dijon mustard and 1 tablespoon agave nectar) Sauce was great! Shrimp balls needed something for sure. So I made them into a crustless Quiche the next night for dinner! Broke them all up and added egg beaters, half and half, spinach, cheese, dill and some hot sauce.  I will post the outcome tomorrow!

INGREDIENTS:

2 pounds shelled, deveined shrimp, minced

6 canned water chestnuts, finely chopped

2 tablespoons fresh ginger, finely chopped

1 small onion, chopped

2 egg whites

1 teaspoon cornstarch

3 teaspoons olive oil

Pepper to taste

lemon wedges

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place everything but the lemon wedges into a bowl and mix together.

2. Shape mixture into small balls (about 1 teaspoon). Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Spray balls with olive oil and bake at 350º for 20 minutes. Serve hot with lemon wedges.

They reheat well also!

Makes about 50-60 shrimp balls depending on how large you make them. Mangia!

Mini Upside-Down Key Lime Pies

Key Lime Pie is one of my all time favorite pies. If I splurge and get dessert when we’re out for dinner and Key Lime Pie is on the menu I can’t resist. (Unless there’s crème brûlée or tiramisu also!) But with the crust and sugar and rest of the high calorie ingredients I am always hesitant to order it. This recipe makes 5 little “pies” so it’s portion controlled and using lighter ingredients helps me stay in control. The recipe calls for sugar-free Jell-O, this can be an issue for me. Jell-O uses aspartame in their sugar-free product and I am allergic to it. I get intense migraines from even a little bit. So unless I find a sugar-free gelatin with sucralose in it I will probably use the full sugar version on the Jell-O.

For illustrative purposes only!

INGREDIENTS:

1 4-serving package (or half an 8-serving package) Jell-O Sugar-Free Lime Gelatin dessert mix

1 no-calorie sweetener packet (Splenda)

1½ tablespoons lemon juice

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups Cool Whip Free, thawed

2 sheets (8 crackers) low-fat honey graham crackers, lightly crushed

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup boiling water with gelatin mix and sweetener. Stir for at least 2 minutes, until completely dissolved.

2. Mix in lemon juice, vanilla extract, and ½ cup cold water. Refrigerate for about 45 minutes, until slightly thickened but still mixable.

3. Stir in the Cool Whip. Whisk until completely blended. Divide mixture among 5 small bowls. Refrigerate until firm, at least 3 hours.

4. Once ready to serve, evenly distribute crushed graham crackers over the pies.

Makes 5 servings

Per pie: 83 calories, 1g fat, 15g carbs, 5g sugar, 1g protein, <.5g fiber

Ranch Dressing

Ranch dressing is my all time favorite go to dressing. Ever since I tasted Hidden Valley Ranch years ago I was hooked (still think they make the best bottled Ranch ever!). I have tried over the years to make my own and finally found a recipe that is pretty darn good! I have made my own dressings for a while now. I know exactly what is in them and I can watch the fat, sugar and so on. Granted they don’t last as long as bottled dressings but then again they aren’t full of preservatives either. Ranch dressing is one of the best-selling dressings out there! It is used on everything from chicken wings (though I still prefer blue cheese for this) to pizza! This is a super easy recipe and your body will thank you for it! It’s also a low-calorie version so it’s even better for you! In one tablespoon there is only 25 calories and 2 grams of fat! That is great! So give it a try! Let me know on here if you do try this and how you liked it!

INGREDIENTS:

½ cup reduced-fat buttermilk

½ cup light or fat-free sour cream

½ cup light mayonnaise

2 tablespoons chopped chives (1 tablespoon dried)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (1 tablespoon dried)

1 garlic clove, crushed/minced

2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

Coarsely ground black pepper


DIRECTIONS:

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Whisk well! That’s it you are done!

Makes about 1½ cups.

Per (1 tablespoon) serving: 25 calories, 2 grams fat, 5 mg cholesterol, 1 gram protein, 1 gram carbs, 0 grams fiber, 50 mg sodium, 1 point for Weight Watchers


Asian Burgers & Slaw

There’s nothing like a juicy cheeseburger. But every so often I want a change and this Asian burger is just that. It’s made with ground chicken and is low in fat and has a high protein count. It’s an easy and fast recipe to make also so it should make a nice quick dinner when you’re in a hurry or just want to relax.

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. ground skinless chicken breast

6 tablespoons low-fat Asian sesame salad dressing

3 tablespoons plain dry bread crumbs

2 scallions, chopped

¼ teaspoon salt

1 (12 oz.) bag broccoli coleslaw mix

2 tablespoons water


DIRECTIONS:

1. Spray the broiler rack with nonstick spray; preheat the broiler.

2. Mix the chicken, 3 tablespoons of the dressing, breadcrumbs, scallions and 1/8 teaspoon of the salt. Form into 4 burgers. Broil 5 inches from the heat until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.

3. Microwave the coleslaw and water, covered in a microwavable bowl on HIGH until crisp-tender, 3 minutes. Drain. Toss with 1 tablespoon dressing and the remaining salt. Top the burgers with the remaining dressing. Serve with the coleslaw.

Serves 4

Calories per serving (1 burger with 3/4 cup coleslaw) 233, 6 grams fat, 2 grams fiber, 28 grams protein, WW Points 5


Grilled Lemon Dill Chicken

I am always looking for quick and delicious meals for dinner. Also meals that are a better choice for us as well. Chicken is usually one of those meals. Full of protein and when cooked the right way not loaded with calories. This recipe is basically for the grill. I actually made it on my little George Foreman grill. It took half the time and I didn’t have to start the grill for a few chicken breasts! I served it with mixed veggies and we had a meal in minutes! Actually the whole meal took less than 10 minutes to cook. Prep work is minimal. (I used mixed frozen vegetables)

INGREDIENTS:

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1-1¼ lbs total)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill (about ½ teaspoon dried)

¼ teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:

1 Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. (Or if using an indoor electric grill I set mine to medium)

2. In a small bowl, combine the oil, lemon juice, garlic, dill and salt.

3. Place the chicken in a medium bowl and pour wet ingredients over and mix it all up, making sure it’s covered with coating all over. Grill for 6-7 minutes per side if using outdoor grill. I grilled mine for 5 minutes total on my George Foreman grill. Juices will run clear when done.

Serve with any side dish you prefer!

Serves 4

1 2 3
Blog at WordPress.com.
Dining with Donald

Cruise Ship Recipes at Home

How do I Make That?

Rachael Ray

It's Not Just Popcorn!

Joanne Eats Well With Others

It's Not Just Popcorn!

Garlic Girl

It's Not Just Popcorn!

BuzzFeed - Tasty

It's Not Just Popcorn!

An Edible Mosaic™

It's Not Just Popcorn!

StephenKing.com - Latest News

It's Not Just Popcorn!

The Penny Hoarder

Food52

It's Not Just Popcorn!

Big Bear's Wife

It's Not Just Popcorn!

Ocean of Games- Free Download PC Games

It's Not Just Popcorn!

John Heald's Blog

The Weekend Gourmet

It's Not Just Popcorn!

Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker

It's Not Just Popcorn!

Skinnytaste

It's Not Just Popcorn!

What's Cooking at the Genua's?

It's Not Just Popcorn!

Marla Meridith - MarlaMeridith.com

Chef in Training

A great place to find easy, delicious and family friendly recipes.

The Pioneer Woman

Simply Recipes

It's Not Just Popcorn!

Budget Bytes

rasamalaysia.com

It's Not Just Popcorn!

Homemade In The Kitchen

Small Batch Recipes and Recipes For Two

overdeepblueseas

OVER DEEP BLUE SEAS BLOG @ WordPress.com

Sluggo's Escapades

What's Sluggo up to today?

Not Rachael Ray Blog

My Bizzy Kitchen

RavieNomNoms

A Girl, Her Blog, and Lots of Food Pictures!