Beer-Battered Fish Fry

I got this recipe from Cooking Light (November 2009). You can find the original post here. For some reason it got bad reviews. I LOVED IT though, the fish anyhow. The chips stuck to the pan and never did seem like fries. So, I'll use frozen fries in the future. But the key is to get the oil up to temp before putting in the fish. The batter is a bit runny and kind of falls of off the fish, but for a lite fish fry recipe I was thrilled with the results. I had lots of left over batter and made onion rings too! It was great and I highly recommend trying it. I also didn't have a problem finding the specified beer at a liquor shop.

Beer-Battered Fish Fry

Use Alaskan cod in this dish. Serve with malt vinegar.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 4 ounces fish and about 1/2 cup chips)

Ingredients
The 5 ingredients:
1 pound cod fillets, cut into 3-inch pieces
1 cup dark beer (such as Negra Modelo), divided
1 pound baking potatoes, cut into (1/4-inch) strips
1/4 cup canola oil, divided
3.38 ounces all-purpose flour (about 3/4 cup)

Preparation
Preheat oven to 450°. Combine fish and 1/4 cup beer in a medium bowl. Cover and chill for 1 hour. Place potatoes on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil, and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt; toss well. Bake at 450° for 20 minutes or until browned and crisp, stirring after 10 minutes. Drain fish; discard liquid. Sprinkle fish with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine remaining 3/4 cup beer, flour, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper in a medium bowl. Add fish to beer mixture, tossing gently to coat. Heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Remove fish from bowl, shaking off excess batter. Add fish to pan; cook 3 minutes or until browned. Turn fish over; cook 3 minutes or until done. Sprinkle fish with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Serve immediately with chips.

Nutritional Information
Calories:398
Fat:15g (sat 1.1g,mono 8.4g,poly 4.6g)
Protein:24.6g
Carbohydrate:40.7g
Fiber:2.2g
Cholesterol:40mg
Iron:2.4mg
Sodium:524mg
Calcium:30mg

Hearty Pineapple Pizza

*This recipe is from "Better Homes and Gardens Eat Well, Lose Weight cookbook

Ingredients:
1 8oz can pizza sauce
1 12 inch whole wheat, thin Italian bread shell (such as Boboli brand)
1 large sweet green pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
1/2 cup thinly sliced quartered red onion
1 8 oz can crushed pineapple, well drained
1/2 of a 3 1/2 ounce package pizza style Canadian bacon
3/4 C shredded mozzarella cheese (3 ounces)


1. Preheat oven to 450*. Spread pizza sauce on bread shell. Top with sweet pepper, red onion, pineapple, and Canadian style bacon. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Place pizza on a large baking pan.

2. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and pizza is heated through.

Makes 4 servings

Note: I am not a fan of onions at all, and don't like green peppers on my Hawaiian pizza. So needless to say, mine was only pineapple, bacon, sauce and cheese. It was still great though. Super easy to throw together, and felt like a treat! 2 slices and a salad was plenty, and tasted great. If you ever need a quick meal, or are not in the mood for a lot of fuss, this is an easy choice!

Red Bean Stew

Ingredients:
2 tsp Canola Oil
1 cup chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 14 ounce can veggie broth
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp snipped fresh oregano, or 1/4 tsp dried oregano, crushed
1 tsp adobo sauce from canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, or 1/2 tsp adobo seasoning
1 15-16 ounce can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 tbsp snipped fresh cilantro
2 cups hot cooked brown rice


1. In a large saucepan heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir for 3 to 4 minutes, or until onion in tender. Add veggie broth, tomato paste, dried oregano (if using), and adobo sauce. Stir in kidney beans. Mash mixture slightly with a potato masher or a wooden spoon. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cilantro and fresh oregano (if using).

2. Serve stew with rice. If desired, serve with lime wedges.

Makes four servings
Prep to finish: 25 minutes

Nutrition facts:
Calories: 246
Fat: 4g (0 sat. fat)
Cholesterol: 0mg
Protein: 11g
Carb: 48g
Fiber: 9g
Sodium: 641mg

Note: This was a great, filling soup! I was actually full the entire evening! My girls don't like things too spicy, so I left out the adobo sauce. I also used beef broth instead of Veggie broth. I only added fresh oregano. It was lacking spice for sure. It reminded me a lot of chili, I think chili seasoning would be delish in this! Overall, this was a great low calorie dinner, packed with fiber and protein! We will definitely be making it again in our house!

Chicken Penne Alfredo

Ingredients:
6 ounces whole wheat Penne pasta
2 cups packaged peeled baby carrots
3 cups broccoli florets
1 9 ounce package frozen grilled chicken breast strips, thawed
1/2 to 1 cup fat free milk
1/2 of an 8 ounce tub light cream cheese spread
1/2 tsp cracked pepper

1. In a 4 qt. dutch oven cook pasta and carrots according to pasta package directions; add broccoli for the last 6 minutes of cooking time. Drain pasta and vegetables; return to dutch oven.

2. Stir chicken strips, cream cheese spread, 1/2 cup milk, and pepper into pasta mixture. Cook and stir over low heat until cream cheese is melted. If necessary, stir in enough of the remaining 1/2 cup milk to make sauce desired consistency. If desired, sprinkle individual servings with additional pepper. Makes 4 (2 cup) servings.

Nutrition info:
Calories - 354
Fat - 8g (4g sat fat)
Cholesterol - 59
Protein - 30g
Carb - 43g
Fiber - 7g
Sodium - 627 mg

Note - I made this for dinner tonight, and it was a smashing success, even with the girls! (all but the cooked carrots, but they did eat one!) I didn't need the extra milk. I will definitely be making again! The cream cheese added a great saucy flavor, where has this idea been hiding? Fabulous!

Chicken-Almond Hoisin Wraps

Another wonderful meal from Nancy S. Hughes and her great 1,500 Calories-a-Day-Menu Cookbook!

I invited friends over and made this for lunch, and it was super fun. It was also fast and easy to make and I think everyone liked it, even the munchkins. The book suggest serving it with Scallioned Soup, Sesame Seed Rice Crackers (wha??) and Dried Apricots. I served it with Mandarin Oranges. I put everything on the table and let everyone assemble their own. I omitted the pepper flakes because of the kids and after my first flake free wrap decided to put them on my own wraps, which really made the wraps a lot more complete and ever so tasty. My first impression was that they were bland, but the flakes added a great deal. I also omitted the red peppers, and I'm sure that would have added a ton of additional flavor. I also forgot to toast the almonds, so I'm sure that would have been even better!! The more I ate the more I really enjoyed and later found myself smacking my lips and thinking it was a quite wonderful little meal! Fun too! And food should be fun!! Especially when you're trying to eat healthy! Ugh!


*Hoisin Sauce is a sweet dark thick sauce that comes in a small jelly like jar in the Asian food section, by the Soy Sauce.

** Slivered Almonds should be used as opposed to any other cut.


Chicken-Almond Hoisin Wraps

3 tbs Hoisin Sauce
1/2 tsp Grated Orange Rind
1/3 c Orange Juice
1/8 tsp Dried Pepper Flakes
3 c Shredded Coleslaw Mix w/ Carrots (by the lettuce)
1 med Red Bell Pepper, Chopped (1c)
1 c Cooked Diced Chicken Breast (5oz, I used Rotisserie)
3/4 c Slivered Almonds, toasted (3oz)
12 Boston or Bibb green-leaf Lettuce Leaves (1 head)

Mix together Hoisin, orange rind, juice and pepper flakes in a small bowl and set aside.
Combine everything else and drizzle sauce over the top and stir to combine.
Divide chicken mixture onto the 12 lettuce leaves.

Cals 240
Fat 12g
Protein 17g
Carbs 18g

***Scallioned Soup: 3c red-sodium Chicken Broth heated and mixed with 4 med green onions, chopped (1/2c) and 1tsp light soy sauce.

Super Simple Beef Stew

Prep: 30 minutes
Cook time: 8 to 9 hours (low) or 4 to 41/2 hours high;plus 30 minutes

Ingredients:
2 Pds boneless beef chuck roast
12 Oz tiny new potatoes, quartered
4 medium carrots, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 medium onion, cut into wedges
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup lower sodium beef broth
1 tsp dried marjoram or died thyme, crushed
2 cups loose pack frozen green beans (9 oz)

1. Trim the fat from beef; cut beef into 1 inch cubes. Coat an unheated large skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat over medium-high heat. Add half of the beef cubes. Cood and stir until browned; remove from skillet. Add remaining beef cubes; cook and stir until browned. Drain fat off of beef.

2. Place beef in a 3 1/2 or 4 quart slow cooker. Add potatoes, carrots, onions, cream of mushroom soup, beef broth, and marjoram. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 9 hours or on high heat setting for 4 to 4 1/2 hours.

3. If using low heat setting, turn to high heat setting. Stir in green beans. Cover and cook about 30 minutes more or just until green beans are tender. Makes about 6 (1 1/3 cup) servings.

Nutrition facts:
Calories - 317
Fat - 9g
Cholesterol - 92 mg
Protein - 35g
Carb. - 22g
fiber - 4g
Sodium - 396 mg

Note: I didn't have any beef broth and used 1 Cup of water instead. It was much more "watery" than I liked at the end of cooking, so when I added the green beans for the last half an hour, I also added a 2nd can of cream of mushroom soup. It made it a lot creamier. Also, I'm sure added a lot more calories! But 1 can of soup, spread out over 6 servings, isn't that bad. Anyway, next time I will be sure to have beef broth on hand! The entire family loved this!!!

Pasta Roll-ups with Turkey and Spinach

This was really great as is, though I have to say I would have prefered it to have a more tomato sauce. Even something as simple as spagetti sauce. I plan on making playing with that in the future.

Serves: 8

Hands on time: 45 minutes (I found it really doesn't take that long.)

INGREDIENTS:
1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 lb ground turkey breast
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 28-oz can whole tomatoes in juice
1 tsp salt
8 sheets dried high-protein or whole-wheat lasagna
1 10-oz box frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 15-oz container non-fat ricotta cheese
1 egg
3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook another minute. Turn heat to medium-high and add ground turkey, breaking it up with a spatula until meat shows no sign of pink. Stir in cinnamon and nutmeg, then add tomatoes and salt. Reduce heat to medium-low, stir, cover and let simmer for 20 minutes, occasionally stirring and breaking up tomatoes with a wooden spoon.

2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, rinse and allow to cool in a colander.

3. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Squeeze all remaining moisture from thawed spinach and place in large bowl. Add ricotta cheese, egg and a 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese to bowl. Stir until combined.

4. Spread 1 cup of cooked tomato sauce into bottom of a 9" x 10" casserole dish. Lay a cooked lasagna noodle flat in front of you. Use your fingers to spread 1/8 of ricotta mixture across the noodle and roll it up. Place the rolled pasta seam side down, into the casserole dish. Repeat with remaining noodles. Spread remaining tomato sauce over roll-ups, then top with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella.

5. Bake, covered with foil, for 20 minutes. Remove foil and broil for 5 minutes or until the rollups are browned and bubbly.

NUTRIENTS PER SERVING:
Calories: 234
Total Fat: 3 g
Sat. Fat: 0 g
Carbs: 27 g
Fiber: 5 g
Sugars: 7 g
Protein: 28 g
Sodium: 508 mg
Cholesterol: 76 mg

NUTRITIONAL BONUS:
One serving of these lasagna-style roll-ups gives you 90 percent of your vitamin A requirement and a healthy dose of calcium – 366 milligrams to be precise.

Roast Beef Salad with Blue Cheese in Pitas

Serves 4

1/2 C FF Miracle Whip
2 tbsp +2 tsp Dijon Mustard
2 tsp Prepared Horseradish (in a jar, not sauce)
4 loaves Pita, halved to make pockets
16 1/2-oz slices lean cooked deli Roast Beef
2 C Shredded Lettuce
1/2 C Chopped Tomato
1/2 C Chopped Cucumber
1/2 C Alfalfa Sprouts
1/4 C (2oz) Crumbled Blue Cheese

In a small bowl, combine Miracle Whip, Mustard, Horseradish,; mix well and set aside. Fill each pita half with 2 slices beef, 1 tbsp +1 tsp sauce, 1/4 C Lettuce, 1 tbsp Tomato, 1 tbsp Cucumber and 1 tbsp Alfalfa. Top with 1 1/2 tsp blue cheese.

306 Cals
6.2g Fat

This recipe comes from the book The 1,200-Calorie-a-Day Menu Cookbook by Nancy Hughes.

Note: I love this! LOVE IT! But watch the horseradish because it can be pretty hot. There is a lot here and it's messy, but great! The sauce stays in the fridge well for a few days.

Chicken with Lime Creole Sauce in Tortillas

Serves 4

5 tbsp plus 1 tsp FF Miracle Whip
6 tbsp NF Sour Cream
1 tsp Grated Lime Zest
1/4 C Fresh Lime Juice
2 tsp Chili Powder
1/2 tsp Pepper
1/8 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1/4 tsp Salt
12 Drops Louisiana Hot Sauce
1 4-0z Bnls, Sknls Chicken Breast
1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
8 6" Flower Tortilla's, warmed
2 C Shredded Lettuce
1 Large Tomato, Chopped
1/2 C Chopped Red Onion
1/2 C Chopped Green Bell Pepper
16 Med, Pitted Black Olives, Quartered
Lime Wedges, for Garnish

In a small, nonaluminum bowl, combine Miracle Whip, sour cream, zest, lime juice, chili powder, 1/4 tsp pepper, cayenne, salt and hot sauce. Blend well and chill for 1 hour.
Flatten Chicken breast to 1/4" thickness. Sprinkle with garlic, 1/4 tsp pepper and cook in a heated skillet (sprayed) for 2 minutes. Turn, cooke 2 minutes longer or until done. Remove from heat, cut into strips.
Spread each tortilla with 2 tbsp of chilled sauce (I thought this was personaly a bit much). Top with chicken, lettuce, tomato, onion, bell pepper and olives. Roll and serve.

349 Cals for 2 Tortillas
7.8g Fat

This recipe comes from the book The 1,200-Calorie-a-Day Menu Cookbook by Nancy Hughes.

Mexican Orzo Salad

MAN!! This is to die for (if you like Mexican)! I found this in Fit Pregnancy April/May 2009. It's a recipe from Robin Miller (Food Network). It's full of Fiber, Folate and Protein. I used left over Rotisserie Chicken, but I think left over roast would do awesome too! It has a lot of calories for a cup and a half, but I ate only a cup and was full. I don't know why there are so many calories, maybe the orzo? I think brown rice would be awesome too. Omit the meat and it would be a great side too!

Serves 4

Prep 20 min

Cook 10 min

1 1/2 cups Orzo (rice shaped pasta)

2 cups cooked shredded Chicken

1 15oz can Black Beans, drained, rinsed

1 15oz can Petite Diced Tomatoes, drained

1 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese

1 4oz can diced Mild Green Chilies

3 tblsp chopped fresh Cilantro

2 tblsp fresh Lime Juice

1 tsp ground Cumin

Salt & Pepper to taste

Dash Cayenne Pepper

Cook orzo according to package. Drain. Add everything else (it'll heat up from the orzo).

Serve warm or cold.

1 Serving is 1 1/2 cups

685 Calories

46g Protein

87g Carb

7.5g Fat

270mg Calcium

6mg Iron

11mg Vitamin C

345mcg Folate

10g Fiber

Chicken and Summer Vegetable Tostadas

I really enjoyed this recipe. Ok, I loved it. I think it would work better as a quesadilla. I topped it with tomatoes, avocado and sour cream. It was stellar! Actually, it was like eating at a restaurant. I used frozen corn and left over chicken. I peeled the zucchini, and diced it really small since I was a little freaked out about having it in a Mexican dish. I didn't taste it a bit. The Cilantro, which I have realized only recently that I absolutely love, is the star of this dish, so don't skip it. This is also a huge portion! MAN! It was incredible!! Let me know if you try it, and let me know what you made for a side. I just ate two for a dinner and didn't worry about making a side.

4 servings

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons canola oil
12 ounces chicken breast tenders
1 cup chopped red onion (about 1)
1 cup fresh corn kernels (about 2 ears)
1 cup chopped zucchini (about 4 ounces)
1/2 cup green salsa
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, divided
4 (8-inch) fat-free flour tortillas
Cooking spray
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Preparation:

Preheat broiler.
Combine first 3 ingredients, stirring well. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the spice mixture evenly over chicken. Add chicken to pan; sauté for 3 minutes. Add onion, corn, and zucchini to pan; sauté for 2 minutes or until chicken is done. Stir in salsa and 2 tablespoons cilantro. Cook 2 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates, stirring frequently.

Working with 2 tortillas at a time, arrange tortillas in a single layer on a baking sheet; lightly coat tortillas with cooking spray. Broil 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Spoon about 3/4 cup chicken mixture in the center of each tortilla; sprinkle each serving with 1/4 cup cheese. Broil an additional 2 minutes or until cheese melts. Repeat procedure with remaining tortillas, chicken mixture, and cheese. Sprinkle each serving with about 3/4 teaspoon of remaining cilantro. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Information:

Calories: 398 (30% from fat)
Fat: 13.1g (sat 5.9g,mono 4.1g,poly 1.2g)
Protein: 32.5g
Carbohydrate: 36.7g
Fiber: 3.1g
Cholesterol: 75mg
Iron: 1.4mg
Sodium: 799mg
Calcium: 236mg


Melanie Barnard, Cooking Light, AUGUST 2006

Ham and Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Ham-&-Cheese-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
¼ cup grated Swiss, Monterey Jack or part-skim mozzarella cheese 2 tablespoons chopped ham2 teaspoons Dijon mustardFreshly ground pepper to taste4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (1-1 ¼ pounds total)1 egg white½ cup plain dry breadcrumbs2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
Ham-&-Cheese-Stuffed Chicken Breasts Ingredients Cont.

Ham-&-Cheese-Stuffed Chicken Breasts Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Use a baking sheet with sides and lightly coat it with cooking spray.2. Mix cheese, ham, mustard and pepper in a small bowl.3. Cut a horizontal slit along the thin, long edge of a chicken breast half, nearly through to the opposite side. Open up the breast and place one-fourth of the filling in the center. Close the breast over the filling, pressing the edges firmly together to seal. Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts and filling. 4. Lightly beat egg white with a fork in a medium bowl. Place breadcrumbs in a shallow glass dish. Hold each chicken breast half together and dip in egg white, then dredge in breadcrumbs. (Discard leftovers.) 5. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts; cook until browned on one side, about 2 minutes. Place the chicken, browned-side up, on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the chicken is no longer pink in the center or until an instant-read thermometer registers 170°F, about 20 minutes.
Ham-&-Cheese-Stuffed Chicken Breasts Instructions Cont.

Ham-&-Cheese-Stuffed Chicken Breasts Nutrition Information
Per serving: 236 calories; 7 g fat (2 g sat, 3 g mono); 74 mg cholesterol; 10 g carbohydrate; 31 g protein; 1 g fiber; 287 mg sodium; 347 mg potassium.Nutrition Bonus: Selenium 38% daily value).1/2 Carbohydrate Serving
Ham-&-Cheese-Stuffed Chicken Breasts Nutrition Information Cont.

Spinach and Turkey Lasagna

This recipe is a great, healthy low calorie (fat) Lasagna. It's a favorite in our house. I do have to admit though, it doesn't get made often, because it does take some time to put together. Sometimes I will use the no cook lasagna noodles to avoid a step. That helps!

Spinach and Turkey Lasagna

Prep: 1 hour
Bake: 55 min + standing
Yield: 12 servings

3 tbsp butter
1/3 C flour
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
3 C fat free milk
3 Ounces reduced Fat cream cheese, cubed
¾ C Parmesan Cheese
1 Pd Italian turkey sausage links, casings removed and crumbled
1 med onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried marjoram
½ tsp fennel seed, crushed
1 jar roasted sweet red peppers, drained and chopped (7 ¼ oz)
½ C white wine, or chicken broth
2 packages (10 oz each) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
¾ C small curd cottage cheese
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
9 lasagna noodles, cooked, rinsed and drained
½ C shredded part skim mozzarella cheese


In a saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour, salt and pepper until smooth. Gradually stir in milk. Bring to boil; cook and stir for 1 – 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in cream cheese until melted. Stir in Parmesan cheese just until melted. Remove from heat; set aside.

In a large nonstick skillet coated with nonstick cooking spray, cook sausage, onion and garlic over medium heat until sausage is no longer pink; drain. Stir in oregano, marjoram and fennel; cook for 1 minute.

Add roasted peppers and wine or broth. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 3-5 minutes or until liquid is reduced to 3 tbsp. Remove from heat; set aside.

In a small bowl combine spinach, cottage cheese and nutmeg; set aside.

Spread ½ C reserved cheese sauce in a 13 in. x 9 in. x 2 in. baking dish coated with non-stick cooking spray. Top with three noodles, half the sausage mixture, half the spinach mixture and 1 cup sauce; repeat layers. Top with remaining noodles and sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.

Cover and bake at 375* for 40 minutes. Uncover, bake at 15-20 minutes longer or until heated through and top is lightly browned. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.

Nutrition facts: 1 piece equals 279 calories, 11 g fat, (6 g saturated fat) 43 mg cholesterol, 664 mg sodium, 27 g carbs, 3 g fiber, 19 g protein.