Healthified Red Velvet Cake

About 200 Calories per Serving (Serving size = 1 cupcake. Recipe makes 12)

"Healthified red velvet cake", says you, "HECK YES" says I! This was awesome! I could not tell that the cake was mixed solely with Dr. Pepper- it tasted completely normal. It wasn't dry or too moist... It was great. Also, the Jello pudding was really good too. Now of course, you can definitely tell that it isn't traditional cream cheese icing, but it's a good substitute. One thing to remember- the Jello box will tell you to use 2x as much milk as the recipe calls for, but just use 2 cups. This makes it thicker and intensifies the flavor. Also, I made mine into cupcakes instead of a cake. As you may be able to tell in the photo, the cupcakes came apart a lot in the pan when I tried to take them out. I'm not sure why that happened or how to keep it from happening again. It's not that they were sticking to the pan, they just crumbled when I tried to pull them out. It turned out fine though- as you can see in the pic, I just turned them upside down, put the crumbles on "top" and then put a dollop of the "icing". They may not have been as pretty as they would have been if I could have spread the "icing" on top- but it was good. Also, I'm not really a fan of cool whip, so I didn't put that on mine. If you want the cool whip, be sure to account for that in your calorie count.

Ingredients:

- 1 (18 ounce) box Duncan Heinz Red Velvet Cake Mix
- 8 ounces diet Dr. Pepper soda
- 1 (8 serving sized) package jell-o fat free sugar-free instant cheesecake pudding mix
- 1 (8 ounce) container fat-free cool whip (thawed)
- 2 cups skim milk

Directions:

1. Mix cake mix and diet soda. Pour in 13″x9″ pan sprayed with Pam- or into cupcake pans (makes 12).
2. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until done (15-20 mins for cupcakes). 

3. Cool completely. 

4. Mix pudding and milk.When thickened, spread on cake. 

5. Spread Cool Whip over all.

6. Cover and refrigerate leftovers. 

Makes 15 servings of cake or 12 cupcakes.

Nutrition: 200 calories per cupcake, 160 calories per cake slice- without cool whip

Source:  http://www.laaloosh.com/2009/03/03/weight-watchers-red-velvet-cake-recipe/

Chicken Tamale Bake

254 Calories per Serving 

Wow. This was soooooo good. I made it 2x in less than a week!The first time that I made it, I had a friend over for dinner and we devoured it- eating 2nds later in the evening... But there would have been plenty left over for lunch or dinner the next day for the hubs and I. When I made it the 1st time, I used green chile enchilada sauce (mild) because I couldn't find any regular (red) sauce that was mild. The 2nd time, I used the red mild sauce and decided that the green chile enchilada sauce was alot better- but that's just my opinion. Also, to make things faster, I used canned chicken instead of cooking my own chicken. This is another one of those meals that does not seem like it's healthy- but it is. I think this might be one of those meals that I make several times a month. 

Ingredients:

(Makes 8 Servings)

1 cup shredded reduced fat Mexican cheese blend, divided (I used Weight Watchers brand)
1/3 cup skim milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 t ground cumin
1/8 t ground cayenne pepper
1 (14.75 oz) can of cream-style corn
1 (8.5 oz) box of corn muffin mix
1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles, drained
1 (10 oz) can enchilada sauce
2 cups cooked shredded chicken breast

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly mist a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, mix together ¼ cup of the Mexican cheese, the milk, egg, cumin, pepper, corn, muffin mix and green chiles in a bowl until combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and bake for 15-20 minutes until the layer is set (an inserted toothpick should come out clean).
3. Using a fork, liberally poke holes all over the surface of the corn cake layer. Pour the enchilada sauce over the top and spread across the surface of the corn cake. Sprinkle the shredded chicken evenly across the top and follow with the remaining ¾ cup shredded cheese. Return the dish to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before cutting into servings.

Nutritional Info: 

Yields 8 servings. 

254 calories, 29 g carbs, 8 g fat, 17 g protein, 1 g fiber
Source: http://www.emilybites.com/2012/01/chicken-tamale-bake.html

Skinny Burger Quesadilla

375 Calories per Burger

The hubs really liked this one. I don't know that I'd call it a quesadilla though, I think it's more of a burger with tortillas for buns. Either way though, it was really good. I deviated from the original recipe a little though. I used ground beef instead of buffalo burger... I also prepared sliced potato fries as well. This recipe definitely meets my qualifications though- it was both quick and easy. 

Ingredients: 

1 lb lean ground beef
1 cup pico de gallo
1 cup shredded reduced fat cheddar jack cheese
8 small flour fajita tortillas (trimmed if desired to match size of burgers)
salt and fresh pepper

Directions:

1. Form 4 flat patties, as thin as you can. Season with salt and pepper
2. Heat a pan to medium-high heat. Lightly spray the pan with oil and then add burgers. 
3. Cook burgers for about 2 minutes on each side, or until cooked to your liking. 
4. Remove the burgers from the pan. Place 2 tbsp cheese on each tortilla, then 2 tbsp pico de gallo, top with burger. Then place 2 tbsp pico de gallo and 2 tbsp cheese on each. Place the other tortilla on top. Once cheese melts on the bottom, flip and cook until cheese melts on other side.

Nutrition: 375 calories per burger
Adapted from: http://www.skinnytaste.com/2012/04/skinny-buffalo-burger-quesadilla.html

For sliced potato "fries" (2-3 servings):

Ingredients: 

2 baking potatoes
2 tablespoons Olive oil
Garlic Powder 

Directions:

1. Thinly slice potatoes into medallions. 
2. Mix with olive oil and garlic powder in a bowl.
3. Place potatoes in a greased pan and bake in oven for 15 minutes on 450 degrees
4. Remove from oven and cook in microwave (in a microwave safe dish) for 5 minutes, or until potatos are soft
5. Put potatoes back in oven for 10 minutes on broil until crispy/browned


Nutrition: 196 calories per serving

Zucchini, Black Bean, and Rice Skillet

276 Calories per 1 and 1/4 Cup

Since zucchini is my favorite veggie right now, I loved this skillet. I loved being able to just throw it all in there and not have a huge mess to clean up. I think this one took about 20 minutes to make- and the part that took the longest was cooking the rice. I didn't use instant rice, I used "real" rice- I figured that would be less sodium. Once again, this meal had a ton left over afterwards and it was really good heated up the 2nd time.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon Pure Wesson® Canola Oil
1-1/2 cups quartered lengthwise, sliced zucchini
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
1 can (15 oz each) Rosarita® Premium Whole Black Beans, drained, rinsed
1 can (14.5 oz each) Hunt's® Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes with Garlic, undrained
3/4 cup water
1 cup instant white rice
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese blend

Directions: 

1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add zucchini and bell pepper; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add beans, undrained tomatoes and water. Increase heat and bring to a boil.
2. Add rice; stir well. Cover; remove from heat and let stand 7 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Sprinkle with cheese.

Nutritional Info: 

Serving Size 1 1/4 Cup; Calories 276

Source: http://www.readyseteat.com/recipes-Zucchini-Black-Bean-and-Rice-Skillet-5623.html?WT.mc_id=RSE_JULY_28_A&WT.mc_ev=click&fmid=14269414

Lemon Garlic Tuna Burger

275.3 Calories per Burger 

New favorite!! I absolutely loved these tuna burgers! They reminded me of the tuna patties that my grandmother used to make for me when I was little. I think I'd even like to eat just the "burger" without the English muffin. I served garlic potato "fries" with the burgers and it was a great rounded meal. The hubs enjoyed it too which is always a plus :) 

Ingredients: 

2, 6 oz cans tuna fish, drained and flaked
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon each, salt and pepper
juice of half a lemon
3 tablespoons sour cream
1 egg
4 English muffins (use the multi-grain light version for fewer calories)
4 leaves romaine
1 small tomato, sliced

Directions:

Combine tuna, bread crumbs, green onion, parsley, garlic, salt, pepper, lemon, sour cream, and egg, and mix well with your hands. Form into 4 patties (they will be wet), place on a greased baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees F. Serve the burgers on toasted English muffins with romaine and sliced tomato. Spread additional sour cream on each burger, if desired.

Nutrition info for 1 burger (not including bun):

Calories: 175.3, Fat: 3.7g, Sodium: 323.4mg, Carb: 9.7g, Fiber 0.4g, Sugars: 0.4g, Protein: 24.2g

With bun, the burger is 275.3 calories

Source:  http://www.canyoustayfordinner.com/2011/03/25/lemon-garlic-tuna-burgers/ 

Zucchini Pasta

303 Calories per Serving

This one proves you can have a really great, filling meal with no meat! I was really pleased with this one- especially since I'm kind of obsessed with Zucchini right now... I also loved how it had a "cream" sauce made of Greek yogurt. I like how it fills you up without making you feel too full. One change I made- I didn't actually use lemon zest, I used a couple of drops of lemon juice. Give this one a try!

Ingredients:

8 OUNCES WHOLE WHEAT LINGUINE (OR YOUR PASTA OF CHOICE)
1/2 CUP NONFAT PLAIN GREEK YOGURT
1/4 CUP GRATED PARMESAN CHEESE
1 TEASPOON GRATED LEMON ZEST
1/4 TEASPOON SALT
1/4 TEASPOON GROUND BLACK PEPPER
1 TABLESPOON OLIVE OIL
3 MEDIUM (8-OUNCE) ZUCCHINI, CUT INTO THIN STRIPS (3 INCHES LONG AND 3/4 INCH WIDE, LIKE A BIG STICK OF GUM)
2 GARLIC CLOVES, THINLY SLICED
1/2 PINT GRAPE OR CHERRY TOMATOES, HALVED LENGTHWISE

Directions: 

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta, and cook about 9 minutes, or according to the package directions. Remove 1/4 cup of the cooking water, and set it aside. Drain the pasta. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, stir together the yogurt, Parmesan, lemon zest, and salt and pepper. Set aside.
3. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini, and cook just until wilted, flipping them over occasionally with a spatula. (The zucchini will be soft and somewhat see-through.)
Use a spoon or spatula to push the zucchini aside so a space on the bottom of the pan is clear. Add the garlic, and cook for 15 to 30 seconds, until golden but not really brown.
4. Mix the garlic into the zucchini.
5. Stir in the tomatoes and cook until softened, about 2 minutes.
6. Transfer the zucchini mixture to the yogurt mixture, and stir to combine. Add the drained linguine, and toss gently to combine. Add the reserved pasta cooking water a tablespoon at a time, if necessary, to thin it. 7. Divide among four bowls and serve.

Nutritional Info (Per Serving): 303 calories, 7g fat, 14g protein, 49g carbs and 255g sodium.

Source: http://www.ezrapoundcake.com/archives/13338

Skillet Lasagna

275 Calories per 1 Cup

You know what I'm going to say- it was easy, quick, and delish! It was creamy and I love the mushrooms in it. This was one where we ate leftovers the next night and it was awesome the 2nd time! I'm actually a little behind on my blog- I think I made this meal a couple of weeks ago and I'm actually making it again tonight :) 

Serves 4 Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: >10 minutes

Ingredients:

1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 (14.5 oz) cans Italian diced tomatoes, drained
1/4 cup tomato sauce
3 basil leaves, chopped
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup part skim mozzarella cheese
3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
About 6 ounces lasagna noodles, broken into thirds & fully cooked
2 tablespoons parsley (dried or fresh)

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and mushrooms and cook until garlic is fragrant, about one minute. Add in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, basil, salt and pepper. Cook mixture until it thickens up a bit, around 5 minutes.
2. Add noodles to skillet and stir into the mixture well. Add scoops of ricotta cheese over the noodles; add in mozzarella and Parmesan. Stir in parsley. Cook about 2 more minutes, or until mixture is thick.
3. Serve immediately with additional basil or parsley.

Nutritional Information:

Calories: 275; Fat: 3 grams; Carbohydrates: 42 grams; Fiber: 9 grams; Protein: 15 grams;

Source:  http://nutritionfor.us/2012/02/eat-skinny-be-skinny-easy-peasy-skillet-lasagna/

Portabella Mushroom Pizza

About 109 Calories per Pizza

Ok so if you're not a mushroom fan, stop reading now. However, if you like Portabella Mushrooms, then this is a great dish for you! It's quick, really easy, and gives you the feel that you're eating a pizza with a portion of the calories- and they're packed with veggies! Now the hubs wasn't a fan, which was sad because I really liked these. He said it was a little too much mushroom- and I definitely understand that. So if you like mushrooms, then I think you'd really like this meal!!

Ingredients:

4 large Portabella Mushroom caps
1 can of diced (drained) tomatoes OR 4 chopped fresh tomatoes
1 Onion
1 leek (I left this out)
About 3/4 cup Parmesan Cheese 
Pepperoni (if desired)

Directions:

1. In a skillet, saute the onion, leek (if you included it), and garlic until the onion is tender. 
2. Add the tomatoes and continue to saute. You may also want to add salt and pepper to taste- but that's up to you. Saute until tomatoes are soft.
3. Place mushroom caps on a greased baking sheet (bottom side up) and "stuff" them with the ingredients from the skillet
4. Sprinkle the stuffed mushrooms with the Parmesan Cheese
5. Add   Pepperoni  (if desired)
6. Bake for 12 minutes in oven on 400 degrees 

Nutritional Info:

Serving size: 1 pizza
109 Calories; 13 carbs; 3 g Fat; 10g Protein; 5 g Fiber; 5 g Sugar


Source: Adapted from http://www.bodyrock.tv/2011/06/25/delicious-healthy-pizza-recipe/

Chicken Pita Taquitos

Since zucchini is my new favorite veggie, I absolutely loved this one. I actually think that it would be great without the pitas- sometimes I find pitas to be a little dry unless you put some sort of sauce/dressing in them, or toast them. I would totally eat this meal with a fork out of a bowl. I also loved how quick it was. I think the most time consuming aspect of it was chopping the veggies. I think it'd be great with mushrooms too. I added a little soy sauce to give it some more flavor when I was cooking the veggies. I also added the tomatoes directly to the pitas (in the bottom) instead of cooking them with everything else because I'm not a huge fan of cooked tomatoes.

Prep Time: 20 Min     Total Time: 20 Min     Servings: 4

Ingredients: 

1 package (8.25 oz) frozen fajita-style cooked chicken strips

1 small zucchini, cut in half lengthwise, sliced

1 small onion, sliced

1/2 medium green bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 cup frozen whole kernel corn (from 1-lb bag)

1 large tomato, chopped (1 cup)

1/2 jalapeño chile, seeded, finely chopped

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

4 whole wheat pita breads (6 inch), cut in half to form pockets

Directions:

1. Cook chicken as directed on package in microwave until juice of chicken is no longer pink when center of thickest part is cut (170°F).

2. Meanwhile, heat 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add zucchini, onion and bell pepper; cook 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in corn, tomato, chile pepper and cilantro. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer uncovered 3 minutes or until vegetables are tender and mixture is thoroughly heated.

3. Thinly slice cooked chicken; stir into vegetable mixture. Fill each pita bread half with about 2/3 cup chicken and vegetable mixture. Wrap 2 sandwiches together securely with foil; take with you for an on-the-go dinner.

Nutrition Information:

1 Serving (1 Serving) Calories 340 (Calories from Fat 60), Total Fat 7g (Saturated Fat 2g, Trans Fat 0g), Cholesterol 60mg; Sodium 800mg; Total Carbohydrate 49g (Dietary Fiber 7g, Sugars 9g), Protein  6g;Percent Daily Value*:  Vitamin A 15 %; Vitamin C 25 %; Calcium 2 %; Iron 15 %;Exchanges: 3 Starch;
0 Fruit; 0 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 1 Vegetable; 2 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 1/2 Fat;Carbohydrate Choices:3;*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000  Calorie diet. 

Source: Eatbetteramerica.com

Skinny Fajita Shrimp Pasta

296.3 Calories per 1/4 of Recipe

This was a pretty good one- however it was a tad spicy for my liking. I think if I used a different enchilada sauce it would have been better. The hubs liked it though- he's more of a fan of the spicy than I am. It was really quick and would be good for leftovers for lunch/dinner. 

Prep time: 5 mins Cook time: 20 mins Total time: 25 mins Serves: 4

Ingredients

2 cups whole wheat pasta
9 ounces raw shrimp
1 tablespoon butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
Mexican seasoning (I used about 3/4 tablespoon)
2 bell peppers, sliced thinly
1 onion, sliced thinly
2 ounces light cream cheese
6 ounces enchilada sauce (almost 3/4 cup)

Feta Cheese

Instructions

1. Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.

2. Place peppers and onions in a heavy duty skillet over medium-high heat. You want the roasted, fajita-looking charred outside. Stir every so often, letting them sit long enough to get browned.

3. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over high heat. Add garlic and shrimp; season with Mexican seasoning plus salt and pepper to taste. Cook until shrimp are no longer translucent and have a lightly pink/white inside and browned outside, about 4-6 minutes. Stir in enchilada sauce . Add pasta and peppers; stir to combine.

4. With the pan over low heat, add the cream cheese and stir until melted. The pasta should be thick and creamy.

5. If desired, sprinkle a little Feta Cheese over pasta before serving

Nutritional Information

Calories: 296.3, Total Fat: 7.4g, Cholesterol: 140.3mg, Sodium: 450.1mg, Total Carbs: 31.3g, Dietary Fiber: 5.4g, Protein: 20.5g

Source:  http://pinchofyum.com/skinny-fajita-shrimp-pasta 

Ravioli with Tomato-Alfredo Sauce and Zucchini "Chips"

320 Calories per Serving of Ravioli, 81 Calories per Serving of Zucchini

This was a super easy, great meal that made enough for leftovers/the hubs to have it for lunch the next day. I will say, I was a little confused by the ingredients- the website listed that it needed 2 15oz cans of tomato sauce... Now I didn't use the Muir Glen sauce, I just used regular Kroger brand sauce. I wasn't sure if it wanted spaghetti sauce, or literally tomato sauce. Regardless, 30 oz total was a TON so I used the regular tomato sauce- and I used 2 6oz cans... which was a lot less than the recipe called for, but I can't imagine actually needing 30 total oz- that wouldn't be very good, it'd be extremely tomato-ey. Soooo I would recommend using 2 small tomato sauce cans instead. With that said, it was awesome. I really enjoyed this one and will definitely make it again. 

To go with the Ravioli, I also made zucchini "chips". I found the recipe on Pinterest but put my own "twist" to it to make it healthier. I actually made the chips 2x and experimented with how I cut them each time. I think the best way is to cut the zucchini into circles (NOT like how I have them pictured) and bake them for longer than I did. What I made was really good, but I'd have liked a little more crunch. Sooo, check out the instructions below on how to make awesome zucchini chips- with the changes that I made after experimenting.

Ravioli with Tomato-Alfredo Sauce

Prep Time: 10 Min     Total Time: 20 Min     Servings: 6

Ingredients: 

2 packages (9 ounces each) refrigerated light 4-cheese-filled ravioli

1 package (8 ounces) sliced mushrooms (3 cups)

1 large onion, coarsely chopped (1 cup)

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped1teaspoon dried oregano

2 cans (15 ounces each) no-salt added Muir Glen® tomato sauce

1/2 cup fat-free half-and-half

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Instructions:

1. Cook and drain ravioli as directed on package; keep warm.

2. Spray same saucepan with cooking spray; heat over medium heat. Cook mushrooms, onion, garlic and oregano in saucepan about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until onion is crisp-tender.

3. Stir in tomato sauce and half-and-half. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to low. Stir in ravioli, cheese and parsley.

Nutrition Information:

1 Serving (1 Serving) Calories 320 (Calories from Fat 45), Total Fat 5g (Saturated Fat 2 1/2g, Trans Fat 0g), Cholesterol 40mg; Sodium 460mg; Total Carbohydrate 53g (Dietary Fiber 4g, Sugars 11g), Protein 15g;Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 20 %; Vitamin C 20 %; Calcium 15 %; Iron 380 %;Exchanges: 3  Starch; 0 Fruit; 0 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 2 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 1/2 Fat;Carbohydrate Choices:3 1/2;*Percent Daily Values are  based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Source: Eatbetteramerica.com

Zucchini "Chips"

Ingredients:

1 medium sized zucchini

Extra Virgin Olive Oil/Olive Oil Cooking Spray

1/4 cup Shreaded Parm Cheese

Garlic Powder

Instructions:

1. Slice the Zucchini into circles, about 1/4 inch thick

2. Place non-stick foil on a baking sheet. Place the zucchini onto the foil

3. Spray the zucchini with the cooking spray

4. Sprinkle the parm cheese on the zucchini then lightly "dust" with the garlic powder

5. Bake in preheated oven (at 300) for 30 minutes. Rotate baking sheet and bake for an additional 30 minutes.

Nutritional Info:

Calories: 81

Southwest Chicken Salad

150 Calories per Serving

AH-MAZING!!! Of course it was easy to prepare and quick- but it was also delish! I'm not normally a huge salad-for-dinner person, but I'd eat this again and again! Here's what I did differently from the recipe: I didn't use the chile powder in the ranch- I just love ranch so much that I didn't want to mess with it. Also, I HATE bottled ranch dressing so I made my own using Hidden Valley Ranch mix. To make it "low fat", I used reduced fat mayo instead of regular mayo, and I used skim milk instead of buttermilk. It was great!! The hubs really liked it too. This is a great summer meal- I would definitely give it 10 stars and recommend it!

Ingredients:

1/3 cup refrigerated fresh salsa

1/3 cup rinsed and drained no-salt-added black beans

1/3 cup frozen baby yellow and white corn, thawed

1/4 cup light ranch dressing

1/4 teaspoon chipotle chile powder

1 (12 oz) package of American Blend Salad

1 (6 oz) package of cooked Southwest-seasoned chicken breast strips

3/4 cup halved grape tomatoes (about 20 tomatoes)

Directions:

1. Combine first 3 ingredients in a small bowl. Combine dressing and chipotle chile powder in another small bowl, stirring with a whisk (If you decide to make the ranch from a Hidden Valley packet, just follow instructions on the package using skim milk instead of buttermilk and reduced fat mayo).

2. Divide salad evenly among 4 plates. Arrange chicken over each serving. Top each with salsa mixture and tomatoes; drizzle each with dressing. 

YIELD: 4 servings; Serving size: 3 oz salad, 1/3 cup chicken, 1/4 cup bean-and-corn salsa, 3 tablespoons tomato, and one tablespoon dressing (I used a bit more dressing on my salad though, I couldn't resist...)

Nutritional Information:

Calories: 150; Fat 4.6g (sat: 0.6g, mono 1g, poly 1.2g), Protein: 14.6g, Carb: 11.9g, Fiber: 2.7g, Chol: 35mg, Iron: 1.4mg, Sodium: 495mg, Calc: 37mg

Source: Weight Watchers

Three-Cheese Manicotti

-

360 Calories per Serving

OH so good!! It was even great a couple of days later when I ate the left overs. I will say, I didn't do the blender-diced-tomatoes sauce- I cheated and used a jar of Marinara sauce. It was a little quicker.

Prep Time: 30 Min         Total Time: 1 Hr 10 Min       Servings: 4

Ingredients: 

8 dried manicotti shells

Nonstick cooking spray

1 cup chopped fresh mushrooms

3/4 cup purchased shredded carrots

3 or 4 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup light ricotta cheese or low-fat cream-style cottage cheese

3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese (3 ounces)

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning, crushed

1 (14.5 ounce) can Muir Glen® no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained

1 cup bottled roasted red sweet peppers, drained and chopped

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook manicotti shells according to package directions; drain. Rinse with cold water and drain again. Set aside.

2. Meanwhile, for filling, coat an unheated large nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat over medium heat. Add mushrooms, carrots, and garlic to hot skillet. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes or just until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Stir in ricotta cheese, ½ cup of the mozzarella cheese, the eggs, Parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning. Spoon filling into cooked manicotti shells.

3. For sauce, place undrained tomatoes in a blender or food processor. Cover and blend or process until smooth. Stir in roasted red peppers. Spread about 1/3 cup of the sauce into the bottoms of four 12- to 16-ounce ungreased individual baking dishes or a 2-quart rectangular baking dish. Arrange stuffed manicotti shells in individual baking dishes or large baking dish, overlapping shells slightly if necessary. Pour remaining sauce over manicotti.

4. Bake, covered, for 20 to 25 minutes for individual baking dishes or 35 to 40 minutes for large baking dish or until heated through. Uncover and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese. Bake for 5 minutes more. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Information:

1 Serving (1 Serving) Calories 360 (Calories from Fat 120), Total Fat 13g (Saturated Fat 7g, Trans Fat 0g), Cholesterol 140mg; Sodium 370mg; Total Carbohydrate 39g (Dietary Fiber 4g, Sugars 6g), Protein 22g;Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 90 %; Vitamin C 190 %; Calcium 40 %; Iron 15 %; Exchanges: 2 Starch; 0 Fruit; 0 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 2 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean  Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 1 Fat;Carbohydrate Choices:2 1/2;*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Source: Eatbetteramerica.com

Bubble Up Enchiladas

390 Calories per Serving 

(My version had 421 Calories per Serving...)

OH SO GOOD. The hubs took one bite and looks at me and goes, "There's no way this is healthy". I honestly have to agree with him- it was way too "comfort food-ish" to be healthy. I will say this, I couldn't find reduced fat refrigerator biscuits so I had to use regular biscuits... So my version had 421 cals per serving vs 390- I mean a 31 calorie difference isn't bad at all. Now I usually try to stay under 300-350 with my dinners, under 400 max but this was so good that I think if I plan throughout the day to have the extra calories at dinner, it'd definitely be ok. The prep time on this one was really quick- just brown the turkey and then throw it all in a bowl to mix... then bake it in a casserole dish. It did take a little longer than 25 minutes to bake- but I think that's just my oven. Most of the things I cook take longer than the time recommended in recipes. I think the next time I make it I'm going to add some veggies (onions, peppers, mushrooms). I think I could make it a little healthier by using only a cup of cheese (1 1/4 cups seemed like SO much last night...), and by using maybe 6 biscuits instead of the whole can (8). 

Ingredients: 

1 pound lean ground turkey
1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 16 oz can reduced fat refrigerator biscuits
1 ¼ cups shredded low fat Mexican Cheese

(Makes 6 servings)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown turkey and drain if needed. Mix in a can of enchilada sauce and tomato sauce. Cut the refrigerated biscuits into fourths and stir them in the meat mixture. Then you just dump it all in a greased casserole (I use 8 X 11) and bake for 25 minutes until the biscuits are cooked through. Usually I use a tooth pick to see if the biscuits are done. Take out of oven and sprinkle cheese on top. Bake an additional 10 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Info: Calories 390; Fat 11.5g; Carbohydrate 36g; Fiber 2g; Protein 33g

Source: http://www.recipe-diaries.com/2011/05/23/bubble-up-enchiladas-weight-watcher-recipes-part-2/

Creamy Chicken and Rice

340 Calories per Serving

This was a good version of comfort food. It was very creamy and I really liked having the crackers on top. I left out the tomatoes and green chilies though- the hubs isn't a huge fan of cooked tomatoes, and I don't care for green chilies that much. The casserole also took a little longer to cook than listed in the recipe. Also, in the future, I think i might mix all of the ingredients together (except for the topping) instead of layering everything. I like this one though- I'd definitely make it again.

Ingredients: 

3 cups chopped cooked chicken

1 package (12 oz) Green Giant® frozen broccoli florets

2 cups cooked rice1 1/2cups Green Giant® frozen peas

1 can (10.75 oz) condensed 98% fat-free cream of chicken soup

1 can (10.75 oz) condensed fiesta nacho cheese soup

1 can (14.5 oz) Muir Glen® fire-roasted tomatoes and green chilies

1/2 cup fat-free milk

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (2 ounces)

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (2 ounces)

1 cup crushed rich round crackers

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 ºF. Place chicken in the bottom of a 13x9x2-inch baking dish or 3-quart rectangular casserole. In a large bowl, combine broccoli, rice, and peas. Spread mixture over the chicken. In a medium bowl, combine cream of chicken soup, nacho cheese soup, diced tomatoes, milk, and crushed red pepper. Stir in 1/4 cup of the cheddar cheese and 1/4 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Pour soup mixture over broccoli mixture in baking dish. Sprinkle crushed crackers evenly over all. Top with remaining cheddar and mozzarella cheeses.

2. Bake, uncovered, for 35 to 40 minutes or until topping is golden.

Nutrition Information:

1 Serving (1 cup) Calories 340 (Calories from Fat 120), Total Fat 13g (Saturated Fat 5g, Trans Fat 0g),
Cholesterol 65mg;  Sodium 680mg; Total Carbohydrate 29g (Dietary Fiber 3g, Sugars 5g), Protein 25g; Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 25 %; Vitamin C 45 %; Calcium 20 %; Iron 15 %;Exchanges: 1 1/2 Starch; 0 Fruit; 0 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 1 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 2 1/2 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 1 Fat;Carbohydrate Choices:2;*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Source: Eatbetteramerica.com

Ramen Shrimp and Vegetables

140 Calories per Serving

I made this meal after my sister in law recommended it. The hubs thought that 1 package of Ramen noodles would not be enough, but it definitely was- I was very impressed. This was a very inexpensive meal and it was really good- not to mention easy and quick to make. 

Ingredients: 

1 lb uncooked peeled deveined medium shrimp, thawed if frozen and tails peeled

2 cups water

1 package (3 oz) chicken ramen noodle soup mix

1 bag (1 lb) fresh stir-fry vegetables

2 tablespoons stir-fry sauce

Directions: 

1. Heat 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook shrimp in skillet 2 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pink and firm. Remove shrimp from skillet; keep warm.

2. Heat water to boiling in same skillet. Break up noodles from soup mix into water; stir until slightly softened. Stir in vegetables. 

3. Heat to boiling. Boil 4 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender. Stir in seasoning packet from soup mix and stir-fry sauce. Cook 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until hot. Stir in shrimp.

Nutrition Information:

1 Serving (1 Serving) Calories 140 (Calories from Fat 15), Total Fat 1 1/2g (Saturated Fat 0g, Trans Fat  0g), Cholesterol 160mg;  Sodium 650mg; Total Carbohydrate 12g (Dietary Fiber 1g, Sugars 6g), Protein  19g;Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 10 %; Vitamin C 15 %; Calcium 4 %; Iron 15 %;Exchanges: 1 Starch; 0 Fruit; 0 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 2 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat;  0 Fat;Carbohydrate Choices:1;*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Source: Eatbetteramerica.com

Stove-Top Lasagna

330 Calories per Serving

This was a good one, though I'm not going to lie, it was pretty much like eating spaghetti- which the hubs and I love so that was ok. I couldn't find mini lasagna noodles so I used Rotini noodles. It made enough to have it for dinner again the next night, which I always love when that happens! I would definitely make this one again- especially when we're in the mood for spaghetti with a twist.

Ingredients: 

2 teaspoons olive or canola oil

3 1/2 cups fresh sliced mushrooms

1 medium onion, cut in half, sliced (1/2 cup)

1 medium green bell pepper, cut into thin bite-size strips

1 lb extra-lean (90% lean) ground beef or bulk Italian pork sausage

1 jar (26 to 30 oz) chunky tomato pasta sauce (any variety)

2 1/2 cups water

3 cups uncooked mini lasagna (mafalda) noodles or medium egg noodles (6 oz)

1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 cup shredded part-skim Mozzarella cheese or Italian-style cheese blend (4 oz)

Chopped fresh basil, if desired

Directions: 

1. In heated 12-inch skillet or 4-quart Dutch oven, cook mushrooms, onion, pepper and beef in oil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until beef is no longer pink; drain.

2. Stir remaining ingredients except cheese and basil into sausage. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally.

3. Reduce heat to medium; simmer uncovered about 10 minutes or until pasta is tender. Sprinkle with cheese. Let stand 2 minutes. Garnish with basil.

Nutrition Information:

1 Serving (1 Serving) Calories 330 (Calories from Fat 120), Total Fat 13g  (Saturated Fat 4g, Trans Fat 0g), Cholesterol 60mg; Sodium 560mg; Total Carbohydrate 34g (Dietary Fiber 3g, Sugars 10g), Protein  19g;Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 10 %; Vitamin C 20 %; Calcium 15 %; Iron 20 %;Exchanges: 2  Starch; 0 Fruit; 0 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 1 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat;0 High-Fat Meat; 1 Fat;Carbohydrate Choices:2;*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Source: Eatbetteramerica.com

Bow-Ties with Salmon and Tarragon Mustard Sauce

300 Calories per Serving

I absolutely loved this one. It was creamy without being too heavy and I really liked the salmon in it. I used 2 packs of packaged (already drained) salmon that you find next to the tuna fish- and it came out really well. The hubs wasn't so much a fan though. He decided he didn't like fish mixed in pasta- and he already wasn't a huge salmon fan, but if you like salmon then you should make this for sure! It makes a TON- I had it for lunch the next day, and then again for dinner- and there's still probably 2 more meals worth in my fridge. I think this would be good with shrimp instead of the salmon as well. I'd give this one 4 stars.

Prep Time: 25 Min       Total Time: 25 Min     Servings: 8

Ingredients: 

1package (16 oz) bow-tie (farfalle) pasta

1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil

1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon leaves

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup dry white wine or chicken broth

1 cup fat-free half-and-half

2 teaspoons stone-ground mustard

2 packages (3 to 4 oz each) sliced salmon (smoked or cured), cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips

1/2 cup freshly grated or shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions: 

1. Cook and drain pasta as directed on package.

2. Meanwhile, in 10-inch skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Cook onion, tarragon and parsley in oil about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until onion is tender. Stir in wine. Cook uncovered about 4 minutes or until wine has evaporated.

3. Stir in whipping cream and mustard. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered 5 to 10 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened.

4. Add pasta, salmon and 1/4 cup of the cheese; toss gently until pasta is evenly coated. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese.

Nutrition Information:

1 Serving (1 Serving) Calories 300 (Calories from Fat 50), Total Fat 6g (Saturated Fat 2g, Trans Fat 0g), Cholesterol 10mg; Sodium 320mg; Total Carbohydrate 46g (Dietary Fiber 2g, Sugars 3g), Protein 14g;Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 2 %; Vitamin C 0 %; Calcium 10 %; Iron 10 %;Exchanges: 3 Starch; 0 Fruit; 0 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk;  0 Vegetable; 1/2 Very Lean  Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 1 Fat;Carbohydrate Choices:3;*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. 

Source: Eatbetteramerica.com