Tuesday, May 19, 2009

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.

Friday, May 15, 2009

Baked Squash Parmesan

4 Med Yellow Squash
2 tsp Low-Cal Margerine
2 tbsp Finely Chopped Scallion
1/4 C Fresh Grated Parmesan Cheese
Salt & Pepper to taste

Preheat to 350 degrees
Cut squash in half lengthwise, place on cookie sheet.
Drizzle 1/2 tsp Melted Margerine over each squash half. Top each half with Parmesan Cheese and add Salt & Pepper to taste. Bake 25-30 minutes or until tender.

Serves 4

50 Cals
2.4g Fat

From the book The Four-Course 400-Calorie Meal Cookbook by Nancy Hughes.

Broiled Mushrooms w/ Herbed Butter

2 tbsp +1 tsp Low Cal Margerine
1/2 tsp Dried Basil
1 tsp Fresh Lemon Juice
1/2 tsp Dried Parsley
1/4 tsp Dried Tarragon or Dill
1 lb Fresh Mushrooms, quartered
1 tbsp Worcestershire Suace
1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp Salt
1/8 tsp Pepper

Combine butter, basil, lemon juice, parsley, tarragon or dill. Let stand 20 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine mushrooms, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt, pepper. Toss gently but thoroughly.
Place Mushrooms on a cookie sheet, broil 5 inches from heat, until tender (5-6 minutes). Transfer mushrooms to four small bowls, top each with 1 1/2tsp herbed butter.

Serves 4

50 Cals
3.6g Fat

From the book The Four-Course 400-Calorie Meal Cookbook by Nancy Hughes.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Hot Open-Faced Cheese Sandwich

Serves 4

1/4 C (1oz) Grated RF Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1/4 C (1oz) Grated Part-Skim Mazzarella Cheese
6 tbsp FF Miracle Whip
1/4 tsp Curry Powder
2 tbsp Finely Chopped Onion
1 tbsp Evaporated Skim Milk
Dash Cayenne Pepper
1/2 Pound Italian Bread, split length wise and cut into 4 pieces
Paprika for Garnish

Combine everything, except bread and paprika in a bowl. Blend. Refrigerate for 2 hours. Preheat broiler. Spread cheese mix evenly over bread. Sprinkle with paprika. Place on broiler pan no less than 5 inches from heat. Broil 3 minutes (watch close it burns fast!) or until cheese begins to brown. Serve right away.


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

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.

Green Pea Salad

1/2 C Lite Miracle Whip
1/3 C Chopped Onion
1 tsp Sugar
1/2 tsp Pepper
24 Small Green Olives stuffed with Pimientos, sliced
1 16oz Pack Frozen Green Peas, Steam Cooked

Combine everything except the peas. Blend thoroughly.
Add Peas. Toss gently to coat completely. Chill for 1 hour.

Serves 4

213 Cals
2.8g Fat

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