Archives for July 2015

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Smoked Sausage Penne:

6 ounces smoked turkey sausage, sliced thin

1 clove garlic, crushed

14 ounces canned crushed tomatoes

1 Tablespoons chopped Fresh Basil

1 Tablespoon chopped Fresh Parsley

3 ounces reduced fat provolone cheese

2 ounces baby spinach

8 ounces mushrooms

2 teaspoons olive oil

8 ounces dried penne pasta

1/2 cup reserved pasta water

Directions:
Bring pot of water to a boil. Salt the water and add the penne pasta. Cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water, and set aside.

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat and add olive oil. Slice the smoked sausage add to skillet. Saute for a few minutes and then add the mushrooms and garlic. When the mushrooms start to soften, add the spinach, basil, tomatoes, and reserved pasta water. Bring to boil and then turn the heat down and simmer for about 7-10 minutes. Add pasta to sauce and stir to coat all the pasta in the sauce. Add the provolone cheese and continue to simmer until cheese is melted.

Servings: 4 * Calories Per Serving: 383 * Fat: 13.6 g * Carb: 44.9 g * Fiber 4.1 * Protein: 22.0 g * Sodium: 824 mg * Cholesterol: 77 mg

Let this burger be the star of your next summer dinner. It’s light, fresh, delicious, and loaded with protein. With only 322 calories per serving, you can put this on your menu any day of the week. I usually serve this with the quinoa-stuffed tomatoes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Salmon Burgers:

16 ounces pink salmon fillet, skin removed

1 egg

3 tablespoons panko bread crumbs

2 Tablespoons chopped chives

1 Tablespoon + 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice

Salt & Pepper

4 Leaves of Butter Lettuce

Sliced dill pickles

4 English Muffins (100 calories each)

3 Tablespoons low fat mayo

2 teaspoons olive oil

 

Seasonings for Salmon:

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon ancho chili powder

1 pinch cayenne

1 pinch sea salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

 

Lemon Mayo:

3 Tablespoons low fat mayo

1/4 teaspoon lemon juice

Salt & Pepper

 

Directions:

Add all the dry salmon seasonings in a small bowl and stir to mix.

In a food processors, combine salmon fillet, egg, panko, chives, lemon juice, salt & pepper. Pulse until smooth. Form salmon into 4 equal patties and sprinkle both sides with seasoning. Heat olive oil in nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add salmon patties and cook about 3-4 minutes per side.

Make the lemon mayo by stirring mayo with 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Toast the English Muffins. Assemble the burgers by placing butter lettuce on bottom half of English Muffin, followed by the salmon burger, 2-3 sliced pickles, and a dollop of lemon mayo on the English Muffin Top.

Servings: 4 * Calories Per Serving: 322 * Fat: 10.0 g * Carb: 32.3 g * Fiber 7.1 * Protein: 31.0 g * Sodium: 1211 mg * Cholesterol: 101 mg

This heavenly side is stuffed with fiber, protein, flavor– pretty much everything except for calories. Each serving has only 181 calories. This side pairs well with fish.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quinoa-Stuffed Tomatoes:

4 large, firm tomatoes

1/2 cup multi-colored quinoa

1 cup low sodium vegetable stock

3 Tablespoons Red bell pepper

1 Tablespoon Shallot

1 Tablespoon Fresh Parsley

2 ounces Asiago cheese

1 Pinch Salt

1 Pinch Pepper

1 teaspoon olive oil

Directions:
Cooked quinoa according to package instructions, using vegetable stock instead of water. Set aside to cool. Chop red bell pepper, shallot, and parsley and stir into quinoa.

Heat oven to 450 degrees F.

Slice the top of the tomatoes off and scoop out the pulp with a melon baller. Drizzle 1/4 teaspoon olive oil per tomato and rub inside and outside of tomato. Season with salt and pepper and place in a baking pan.

Stuff 1/4 quinoa mixture into each tomato and top with Asiago cheese. Bake in 450 degree oven for 20 minutes.

Servings: 4 * Calories Per Serving: 181 * Fat: 6.9 g * Carb: 22.6 g * Fiber 4.1 * Protein: 8.6 g * Sodium: 257 mg * Cholesterol: 13 mg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

1 Bunch Red Swiss Chard, rinsed and roughly chopped

1/2 Tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 Tablespoon brown sugar

3 pieces center cut bacon, chopped

1 Shallot, minced

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Pinch of black pepper

Directions:
In a nonstick skillet over medium heat, add the chopped bacon and sauté until crispy. Scoot bacon off to the side of the pan and add the minced shallot and cook until soft. Add the brown sugar, vinegar, and red chard to the pan. Cook down the red chard until slightly soft. Season with salt and pepper.

Servings: 4 * Calories Per Serving: 43 * Fat: 1.8 g * Carb: 3.0 g * Protein: 3.2 g * Sodium: 242 mg * Cholesterol: 8 mg

We love to grill out in the summer and grilling seafood is almost as light as you can get calorie-wise. I serve the shrimp over the cheesy rice – which has a hint of lemon flavor and is sprinkled with chopped prosciutto. You’re gonna love the whole combination. The shrimp skewers have 159 calories and the rice has 214, which equals a nice summer dinner with only 373 calories.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shrimp Skewers:

16 ounces raw medium-sized shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 teaspoon Paprika

1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder

1/4 teaspoon Onion Powder

Pinch of Red Pepper flake

1/4 teaspoon Pepper

Pinch of Sea Salt

2 Teaspoons lemon flavored olive oil

Lemon zest

1 Tablespoon Lemon juice

Directions:
In a small bowl, mix all the seasonings (paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flake, pepper and sea salt). In large bowl, add the shrimp, olive oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Toss to coat. Next, pour in the seasonings and toss to coat the shrimp. Skewer shrimp for a total of eight skewers. I use medium shrimp, so I have about 7 shrimp per skewer. Grill shrimp until pink and cooked through. Cooking times will vary depending on your grill (countertop versus outdoor).

Servings: 4 * Calories Per Serving: 159 * Fat: 4.4 g * Carb: 2.5 g * Protein: 26.0 g * Sodium: 336 mg * Cholesterol: 239 mg

Cheesy Rice:

1 Tablespoon Fresh parsley, Chopped

1/4 cup Grated Parmesan cheese

2 teaspoon lemon juice

Lemon Zest

1 cup White Rice

4 slices prosciutto, chopped

Directions:
Cook rice according to package instructions and set aside. Let stand for a few minutes and then add the lemon juice, parmesan cheese, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Stir to mix through. Sprinkle each serving with chopped prosciutto and serve with grilled shrimp kabobs.

Servings: 4 * Calories Per Serving: 214 * Fat: 3.0 g * Carb: 37.6 g * Fiber 0.6 * Protein: 8.2 g * Sodium: 187 mg * Cholesterol: 11 mg

I love patty melts but I don’t like all the fat and calories in the traditional ones. Here is my lightened up version of a patty melt that tastes just as *heavenly* as the other ones. My secret is using lean ground chicken breast, thin cheese slices, and low calorie bread. But trust me, when it’s all stacked up, you won’t even realize you’re missing the calories.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chicken & Cheddar Patty Melts:

16 ounces lean ground chicken breast

1 Fresno chili pepper, finely chopped

1 shallot, grated

1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds

8 slices ultra thin cheddar cheese slices (45 calories or less per slice)

8 slices low calorie multigrain bread (45 calories or less per slice)

3 teaspoons olive oil, divided

3 Tablespoons light canola spread

1/2 large onion, sliced into half moons

Salt & Pepper

Directions:
Heat a skillet over medium heat and add 1-1/2 teaspoons of olive oil. When oil starts to sizzle, add the onions and season with salt and pepper. Caramelize onions until tender and golden. Set aside.

Put ground chicken breast, fresno chili, shallot, caraway seeds, and salt & pepper in a bowl and mix well by hand. Form 4 equal chicken patties. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat and add 1-1/2 teaspoons olive oil. When oil is hot, Add patties to skillet and cook until golden and cooked through, about 5-6 minutes per side.

Butter the 8 pieces of bread with the 3 tablespoons of light canola spread. Heat a clean, non-stick skillet to cook the patty melts in. In the heated skillet, place one slice of bread (buttered side down), followed by one thin slice of cheese, one chicken patty, 1/4 of the caramelized onions, another slice of cheese, and another piece of bread (buttered side up). Heat until bottom slice of bread is golden brown, and then flip the sandwich and heat until the other slice of bread is golden and cheese is melted. Repeat the same for each sandwich.

Servings: 4 * Calories Per Serving: 369 * Fat: 16 g * Carb: 22 g * Fiber 5.5 * Protein: 39.3 g * Sugar: 2.8 g * Sodium: 424 mg * Cholesterol: 95 mg

Here’s a super simple asparagus side with an elegant look and taste. It pairs well with sirloin steak or salmon. Each serving has only 77 calories.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Capicola-Wrapped Asparagus:

16 white asparagus spears, cleaned and trimmed

8 Capicola slices (hot ham)

1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice

1-1/2 teaspoons olive oil

Salt & Pepper

Fresh chives

Directions:
Toss asparagus with lemon juice, olive oil, salt & pepper. Separate asparagus into 4 equal bundles. Hug each bundle with 2 Capicola slices and secure each bundle with one chive blade. Roast in 400 degree oven for 18-22 minutes (range depends on the thickness of the asparagus), until asparagus is tender.

Servings: 4 * Calories Per Serving: 77 * Fat: 3.5 g * Carb: 5.6 g * Fiber 2.7 * Protein: 7.4 g * Sugar: 2.5 g * Sodium: 373 mg * Cholesterol: 15 mg