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Recipes I've Shared:
Takes out much of the fat and adds in powerhouse greens and healthy cottage cheese. All the flavor just a smidge of the guilt!
Tastes like a dessert- eats like a meal! This is super yummy and high in protein, low in fat ! It's also easy and provides a dose of antioxidants with the dark chocolate. Best of all of you have bread( or any kind) that needs to be used- this is a GREAT way to use it and milk! Your entire family- even the picky ones- will be yumming this one down! it also makes a fabulous holiday breakfast casserole that has all the taste and non of the guilt! (Just make sure you have hot cocoa to go with it!)
Healthy twist on this family classic! Your family wonlt even notice the difference!
We always had an abundance of summer squash - which my grandmother(Gamma) HATED! But as a child of the great depression- she never wasted ANYTHING...So she devised all sorts of ways to make squash so that the taste was somewhat disguised. Her version used more cheese & Butter- and less squash- and she mashed it so that it was more of a souffle- but I LIKE the taste of squash and didn't want all the Fat from the butter and cheese. So I decided to make it in an updated more healthy version that's still good for finicky eaters! ( Even my husband approved) :) Gamma's version became a holiday staple right next to the sweet potato souffle( LOL)
What could be easier- only 6 ingredients! And all you dirty is a cutting board, small bowl and 1/4 cup measure! This will take you 5 minutes(YES I SAID FIVE MINUTES!) before you go to work and dinner is ready when you come home! Serve with Baked potatoes or mashed potatoes and your whole family- even the picky eaters or men will love it! Add a steamed green veg or salad and you have a great meal in minutes! It's also low fat, low carb and gluten and sugar free!
Wonderful main dish entree that pulls from the traditional mediterranean pilaf made with broken angelhair and rice, and the middle eastern dish called Mujedara made with caramelized onions, lentils and rice..I added ground turkey for a main dish heartiness- and delicately seasoned with an unexpected dash of cinnamon and tobasco.
This is a great basic spinach salad...you can use just about any fruit instead of the peaches( strawberries, apples, pears, oranges..etc) Just about any fruit will do! Use what ever is seasonal! I also prefer a sweeter fruit vinaigrette with this like My Pomegranite Lime dressing (shared in a separate recipe ) or a raspberry Vinaigrette store bought. You can also make this an entree by adding 3 oz cooked chopped chicken, or cooked shrimp.
This is a wonderful substitute for the traditional balsamic dressings. It is also really good on most middle eastern salads instead of the traditional Lemon/olive oil dressing. You can find sugar free pomegranate syrup at Cost plus and most other store that sell coffee syrups. You can also order directly online from torani, DaVinci, or Artisan syrup companies. ** you could also substitute pomegranate molasses- but there will be more calories per serving.
This is an unbelievable MUCH healthier version of traditional Caesar dressing! I used egg beaters instead of raw egg yolks- and substituted avacado as a thickener to cut down on the salt from the usual parmesan. I also substituted some lemon juice for the normal vinegar the recipe calls for to keep the avacado from turning. This is heavenly served over grilled Romaine( Yes I said GRILLED romaine) with either shrimp or chicken , boiled eggs and croutons!
Super way to use seasonal berries AND get your sweet fix without blowing you calories! This is also loaded with antioxidants and a whopping 14 grams fiber. For 227 calories you'll feel like you;re splurging when you really aren't!
Different versions of this are found all throughout the middle east and Mediterranean- My version pulls from the greek an Lebanese versions for a healhier, more filling way. I did not add the pastry calories in because you can use puff pastry( the ready to cook kind) , Phyllo dough, or basically any dough you like to bake in. All you need is an 8 inch square or round- this recipe makes 10 LARGE pastries( meal sized) but you can make smaller versions if you like. Just remember- the more pastry you use the higher the calories. I tried to pack my version with the lean and filing spinach and turkey. ** you can also cut the filling calories by almost a third by leaving out the almonds and feta- but I like a little crunch in mine and the feta adds a bit of salty to it all so you may need to adjust your seasonings if you do. Tjis can also be made with ground beef, lamb or chicken..or even shredded chicken, pork or beef. I would avoid shrimp because they will be tough by the time your pastry is golden brown. But any "turf" meat should do- again- you'll need to adjust the calories- but have fun! It's a very versatile recipe. I have even made this as a "Pie" with a puff pasty topping over a filled store bought pie crust.
This is my secret weapon for taking care of the munchies( you can seriously eat all 12 servings and you'll be getting 500 CAL! TOTAL! But you will be so full you'll fee like bursting WAY before that! This is also a KILLER way to use old vegetables that need to be used..basically any veg can be put in- cabbage is a filler that helps bulk the bisque p- but other than that- broccoli, cauliflower, squash, ANY ( non wet) veg can be used. I wouldn't use tomatoes because they are too liquid...and "IF" you decided to use cucumbers- I would wait until the initial cooked part of the soup has cooled off and been chilled before pureeing the cukes in with the other veggies. You can even used cooked or canned beans like white beans or chickpeas if you want a thicker consistency. ( rinse them well) But other than that - it's all good~ Just remember to adjust your calories for whatever you change...But then again unless you add beans- any calorie count alteration is going to be insignificant! This is also Vegetarian*lacto( but you could sub tofu for the yogurt) ,It's Fat Free, and for a soup VERY low sodium! What's not to like!
THIS is the only truly vegan side I've had that I love! Makes up in a flash and even those that aren't fond of cauliflower will be yumming this one down!
This is a super healthy- low fat take on the classic salad. It features a sourcream dressing and a green onion pico de gallo. SHrimp and black beans give it a whopping 32 grams of filling protein!
Healthy take on a southern classic! I reduced the fat and loaded it with vegetables as well as healthy lean protein chicken and turkey sausage!
This is a FABULOUS way to impress guests! It;s beautiful presentation- and yummy taste! And surprisingly low calorie!
Can be used as a side item( will make double the amount of servings) or be used as a meal in itself!
LOADED with fresh veggies and low sodium for my hubby! I added flavor with spices, herbs and vinegar. It's also low fat and low carb for a pasta dish..and each one cup serving has 17 grams of protein and 4 grams fiber to keep you full longer!
In San Fran there is a famous bakery called Schmidt's. There strudel has literally been featured on the TV Show "The Best Ting I ever Ate" The fruit edition. Their version comes in at almost 900 calories! And a whopping 50 grams fat! In this one I took their idea of phyllo crusts and ran with it. This is a HEALTHY version that is loaded with good for you apples and cinnamon. Best of all- my version has just a tad over 250 cals and only 2 grams of fat. Each BIG portion also provides almost 7 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein! Not Bad for something that tastes SO DARN GOOD!
Most surf & Turf combos feature beef- but this one features extra lean ham- which also contributes the seasoning to the omlette. Best of all- 1 minute prepwork and 4 minutes to cook and you get a gourmet meal in 5 minutes! Low fat and low carb as well! WHat's NOT to love? PS- look for low sodium ham! The sodium is- as you can see- through the roof if you use regular!
Yummy Low Cal dish with a beautiful presentation! I also serve with My Herbed Crab Cakes( see recipe also shared) Pretty fast prep as well! They will think you're a gourmet chef!
name says it all and lime keeps banana from browning
Fresh zesty and lovely salad on a hot day! Serve with hummus, tabouli, olives and pita bread for a middle eastern sampler platter( called Meza)
Hearty healthy pilaf featuring grains, brown rice, seeds and nuts for a toasty nutty flavored side dish that works with any poultry, beef or seafood!
This is a cross between salsa and the national dish of Peru "Cheviche"(Si-vee-chay) It is extremely healthy and all the fat comes from avacado. It also uses the peruvian method of cooking seafood in the acid of citrus fruit( usually lime or lemon) And YES! It really DOES "Cook" the shrimp with no heat. It makes a beautiful presentation as well( see picture)
This is a middle eastern twist in traditional chicken salad- featuring the flavors or the Middle East and Mediterranean. Goes together in 5 minutes.
This is a versatile base that can be used in many different meal plans!
Beautiful colors- fresh zesty tastes- great for summertime. Even my hubby liked this one! Also whipe up in about 10 minutes! Cant beat THAT
Make this hearty filling mix of Southern Flavors in just one hour!
This is GREAT on a mixed green salad topped with either solid white albacore tuna Or chicken.....and sliced radishes, cucumbers mushrooms and red onion.
My Favorite salad in the world!
THis is a healthy low fat version of a Middle eastern staple- serve with tahini cream( see my other recipe) and Tabouli( also see my other recipe..and Melon slices, kalamata olives, and hummus and pita.
Use in Tabouli, Fatouche, Shirazi, or any mixed green/veg salad. Keeps for up to 2 weeks in the frige.
Great alternative to fattening mayo based salads! Filling too- and makes in a snap!
My husband loves bananas and he also loves cheesecake- plus he's a fitness buff- so For his Birthday I decided to combine his favorites into a yummy alternative to "Birthday Cake"
This is very simple and will WOW guests! The servings are also deceptively large! It doesn't sound like a lot of food- but it goes a long way!
Boneless ribs make this dish simply tender and fabulous. Takes a little time but well worth it and relatively low in calories and sodium.
This is a wonderful flavorful and low sodium take on classic Itilian pasta recipes. It borrows flavor from Leeks rather than onions, turkey sausage rather than ground beef, adds the earthy goodness of mushrooms plus the crunch of celery in a surprisingly filling and easy to make entree!
So healthy and easy to make- less than 5 minutes start to finish! WIll cure any chocolate craving in a jiffy!
Easy dish- very healthy- and quick to make. Great to tak to someone sick, or as housewarming...or anywhere you need a fast casserole that travels well.
This makes four HUGE servings. It's comfort food at it's best! Also the sodium is actually only about 500mg because I used low sodium better then bullion and all the trackers had was the regular kind.
This is a healthy adaptation of one of my grandmothers classic recipes. This is true southern "comfort food" at it's healthy best!
This is a refreshing twist on an old classic. The tangy lemon is perfectly offset with the sharp garlic and herbal parsley flavors! You can also mash this and serve hot for a neat take on mashed potatoes!
Works GREAT on any salad that has fruit and or nuts! Use on Spinach Strawberry salad, Salad with Mandarin oranges and pecans, or even Avacado!
Takes about a hour to make- but is a crowd pleaser- especially men- and they will never know how good it is for them OR that it's LOADED with veggies!
Super easy and fabulous tasting soup for a crowd!
This is a stuffed cabbage recipe. The lebanese pronunciation is mahl-FOOF. This can be made with or without tomato paste depending on personal preference. I didn't include the tomato because we like the lemony taste a bit better.
When you want some hearty filling comfort food for breakfast- I reach for this! No One can believe it's only 280 cals! It only takes 10 minutes and is just FAB!( thus the name) A sure fire family pleaser!
Fast and super easy way to have a gourmet tasting ( and looking) dinner with no mess! And it will Fill you up when you're hungry!
Let me start by saying I HATE brussel sprouts...actually "Despise" would be a better word. But this recipe is so finger licking good I can't get enough of them - SERIOUSLY! You won't be able to either! And talk about easy? This is a good as it gets folks!
This is a delicious take on coleslaw-It's so fast and easy- you'll find yourself reaching for this for more then just picnics.
OMG My husband (who HATES! Indian Food) Loved this! LOL Of course he has NO IDEA this WAS "Indian Food"! I took a traditional Palak Paneer and added additional spinach and chicken and served over rice! This is QUICK! EASY! and Oh so Filling!
This is yummy...filling and only 270 cals! What's NOT to like? You'll feel like you're cheating when you aren't! Plus- you'll get a whopping 3 teas serving of cinnamon to get that metabolism going!
Fabulous when summer produce is everywhere and it's too hot to cook!
Beautiful as an appetizer, light entree, or brunch dish! See presentation ideas at end of recipe! PS- this makes 6 good size servings...but i usually can't resist gobbling down at least 2 myself- and that is STILL only 180 calories- even with chips it's 330 calories! YUMMMM!
similar to tuna poke but with different flavor accents- more zesty - not as sweet and salty!
from hungry girl but the recipes listed varied so greatly I decided to do one with brand names listed for accuracy
Fabulous light shrimp salad...I got the idea from another recipe listed in here but I changed it so much I had to re-calibrate the calories.
Fabulous QUICK way(as compared to most marinades) to have flavorful chicken that is also tender and juicy!
This is a healthy take on a classic- the portions are huge and you get a lot of bang for the calories! Comfort food at it's best and MEN will love it!
Quick hearty HEALTHY way to feed a crowd or a hungry man. Comfort food that;s so good- they'll never know it's good for them!
It's a healthy way to fill up 4 people and men LOVE it! Loaded with protein, zesty veggies and the spicy tomato base that made the original shrimp creole famous!
combination of pasta and the elements of chicken satay with thai style fresh veggies.