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

Skillet Crisp Tilapia with Cauliflower "Mashed Potatoes" and Asparagus

1 Tilapia filet (though 2 are pictured...): 200 Calories    

 1 Serving of Asparagus: 50 Calories  
3/4 Cup of Cauliflower "Mashed Potatoes": 60 Calories

Meal Total: 310 Calories 

I can't express how much I LOVE the cauliflower "mashed potatoes". It is so awesome that I can make this food that looks, tastes, feels like mashed potatoes, but is a fraction of the calories. Even the hubs likes them. I think if you didn't tell someone that they weren't potatoes, they might not know the difference. I also have to say the Tilapia was great too- and I always love asparagus. This was a pretty quick meal and it was so good that I can't wait to make it again. 

Ingredients:

1 box of Gorton's Skillet Crisp Tilapia (I loved the Garlic and Herb)

1 head of cauliflower
1/3 cup of 1% (or low fat) buttermilk
4 cloves of crushed garlic
1 tablespoon of light butter


1 bunch of asparagus

Instructions:

1. Cook the tilapia as directed on the box. I recommend doing it on the stove top vs the oven


2. Boil or steam the cauliflower after cutting it into florets. Remove from heat once it is soft. Put it in your blender with the buttermilk, garlic, and butter and puree it until smooth


3. Saute the asparagus however you prefer. I like to put a little soy sauce and garlic powder on mine.


That's it! You may want to add a little salt and pepper to the cauliflower for taste. I also sprinkled a small amount of Parmesan cheese on it as well.

Nutritional Info:

Tilapia: 200 calories per filet (see box for specific info)
Cauliflower "Mashed Potatoes": 60 calories per 2/3 cup
Asparagus: 50 calories per 4.5 oz

Double-Cheese Chicken and Vegetables

370 Calories per Serving

I loved this one. It was like mac and cheese but better. I added a little extra cheese to make it a little more creamy and it turned out great! The hubs even took it for lunch the next day. Even reheated, it was great.

Prep Time: 30 Min     Total Time: 30 Min     Servings: 4

Ingredients: 

1 1/2 cups uncooked rotini pasta (4 oz)

1 bag (24 oz) frozen broccoli, carrots, cauliflower & cheese sauce

1 cup chopped cooked chicken

1/2 cup shredded American-Cheddar cheese blend (2 oz)

Instructions: 

1. In 3-quart saucepan, cook and drain pasta as directed on package. Return to saucepan.

2. Meanwhile, in 2-quart microwavable casserole, place frozen vegetables and cheese sauce. Loosely cover with microwavable plastic wrap. Microwave on High 8 to 10 minutes, stirring twice, until cheese sauce melts and vegetables are just crisp-tender.

3. Stir vegetables, chicken and cheese into pasta. Cover; cook over low heat 2 to 3 minutes or until cheese is melted. Stir gently.

Nutrition Information:

1 Serving (1 Serving) Calories 370 (Calories from Fat 80), Total Fat 9g (Saturated Fat 3 1/2g, Trans Fat 0g),
Cholesterol 45mg; Sodium 750mg; Total Carbohydrate 49g (Dietary Fiber 5g, Sugars 8g), Protein 24g; Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 35 %; Vitamin C 25 %; Calcium 15 %; Iron 15 %;Exchanges: 3 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; 1 Fat;Carbohydrate Choices:3;*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Source: Eatbetteramerica.com

Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie

290 Calories per Serving

I wasn't sure about the instant potatoes, but they weren't bad. I think this one turned out pretty well.

Prep Time: 10 Min     Total Time: 35 Min     Servings: 6

Ingredients: 

2 cans (15 oz each) Progresso® kidney beans, drained, rinsed

1 jar (16 oz) Muir Glen® organic salsa (any variety)

1 cup Green Giant® Valley Fresh Steamers™ Niblets® frozen corn

1 medium carrot, chopped (1/2 cup)

1 1/4 cups water

1/4 cup fat-free (skim) milk

2 tablespoons no-trans-fat margarine or butter

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups plain mashed potato mix (dry)

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Chopped fresh chives or parsley, if desired

Instructions:

1. In 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat beans, salsa, corn and carrot to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer about 15 minutes or until carrot is tender.

2. In 2-quart saucepan, heat water, milk, margarine and salt to boiling. Remove from heat. Stir in mashed potato mix just until moistened. Let stand about 30 seconds or until liquid is absorbed. Whip mashed potatoes with fork until fluffy.

3. Spoon mashed potatoes onto bean mixture around edge of skillet. Cover; simmer 5 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and chives before serving.

Nutrition Information:

1 Serving (1 Serving) Calories 290 (Calories from Fat 45), Total Fat 5g (Saturated Fat 1g, Trans Fat 0g), Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 520mg; Total Carbohydrate 46g (Dietary Fiber 10g, Sugars 6g), Protein  14g;Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 45 %; Vitamin C 10 %; Calcium 10 %; Iron 20 %;Exchanges: 3 Starch;
0 Fruit; 0 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 1/2 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

Stuffed Chicken Parmesan

290 Calories per Chicken Breast

I thought this was a fantastic meal. I served the chicken with steamed brocoli and I loved it, however, the hubs wasn't a fan. He didn't like the texture of the spinach inside the chicken. If you like spinach, I think you should definitely try this meal. It also makes a ton so you can eat it for more than one meal. 

Prep Time: 20 Min         Total Time: 55 Min      Servings: 6

Ingredients:

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 5 oz each)

1 box (10 oz) Cascadian Farm® frozen organic cut spinach, thawed, well drained

2 oz 1/3-less-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel), softened

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1/4 cup fat-free egg product

12 stone-ground wheat crackers, crushed (about 1/2 cup)

1 teaspoon dried basil leaves

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 cup Muir Glen® organic Italian herb pasta sauce

1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (1 oz)

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. Between pieces of plastic wrap or waxed paper, place each chicken breast smooth side down; gently pound with flat side of meat mallet or rolling pin until about 1/4 inch thick.

2. In medium bowl, mix spinach, cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, 1/2 teaspoon basil and the garlic until blended. Spread about 1 tablespoon spinach mixture over each chicken breast; roll up tightly. If necessary, secure with toothpicks.

3. In small shallow bowl, place egg product. In another small shallow bowl, mix cracker crumbs, 1 teaspoon basil and the pepper. Dip each chicken breast into egg product; coat with crumb mixture. Place seam side down in baking dish.

4. Bake uncovered 20 minutes. Pour pasta sauce over chicken; sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake 10 to 15 minutes longer or until thermometer inserted in center of chicken reads 165°F. Remove toothpicks from chicken before eating.

Nutrition Information:

1 Serving (1 Serving) Calories 290 (Calories from Fat 100), Total Fat 11g (Saturated Fat 4 1/2g, Trans Fat 0g), Cholesterol 100mg; Sodium 450mg; Total Carbohydrate 10g (Dietary Fiber 2g, Sugars 3g), Protein 8g; Percent Daily Value*:Vitamin A 80 %; Vitamin C 2 %; Calcium 15 %; Iron 15 %; Exchanges:1/2 Starch; 0 Fruit; 0 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 5 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 1 1/2 Fat; Carbohydrate Choices:1/2; *Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 Calorie diet.
Source: Eatbetteramerica.com

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

230 Calories per Enchilada

SOOO GOOD!! I actually feel like I've been saying that alot lately, but these really are delicious. It was another of those meals where the hubs didn't believe me that it was "healthy". Here's what I did differently from the recipe:

I forgot to buy an onion at the grocery store, so I wasn't able to add the chopped onion to the creamy mixture. I also forgot the tomato. I had a pack of unopened 10inch tortillas, so I used those instead of the 6-7 inch that they recommend. Because of that, it yielded 6 enchiladas instead of 8, which was perfectly fine. It made them a little bigger, and I think that size was perfect because one was very filling for me. We're even having the meal again tonight for dinner- I'm just going to pop the remaining enchiladas in the oven to reheat them. 

I served the enchiladas with wheat rice and a little salsa on the side. My version of the meal (with the rice and slightly bigger enchiladas) came out to be about 450 calories or so per serving, which is awesome for such a filling and tasty meal! Yall should definitely try this one!

PREP TIME: 30 Min       TOTAL TIME: 1 Hr 10 Min       SERVINGS: 8

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup chopped onion (1 medium)

2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic

2 cups Progresso® reduced-sodium chicken broth (from 32-oz carton)

3 tablespoons Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander or cumin

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream

2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast 

1 cup Green Giant® Niblets® frozen corn, thawed

1 cup shredded reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend (4 oz)

1 can (4.5 oz) chopped green chiles

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro 

8 corn or flour tortillas (6 or 7 inch)

1 medium tomato, chopped (3/4 cup)

4 medium green onions, sliced (1/4 cup) 

Salsa, if desired

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray.

2. In 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender. In medium bowl, stir broth, flour, coriander and pepper with wire whisk until blended. Slowly add to hot mixture in skillet, stirring constantly. Cook and stir 5 to 6 minutes, until mixture boils and thickens slightly. Remove from heat. Stir in sour cream until well blended.

3. In another medium bowl, mix chicken, corn, 1/2 cup of the cheese, the chiles, cilantro and 1/2 cup of the sauce. Place 2 tortillas at a time on microwavable plate; cover with paper towel. Microwave on High 10 to 15 seconds or until softened. Spoon about 1/3 cup chicken mixture down center of each warm tortilla. Roll up tortillas; arrange, seam sides down, in baking dish. Top enchiladas with remaining sauce. Cover with foil.

4. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until sauce is bubbly. Remove from oven. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Just before serving, top with tomato and green onions. Serve with salsa.

Nutrition Information:

1 Serving (1 Enchilada)
Calories 230 (Calories from Fat 70), Total Fat 8g (Saturated Fat 3 1/2g, Trans Fat 0g), Cholesterol 40mg; Sodium 350mg; Total Carbohydrate 22g (Dietary Fiber 2g, Sugars 4g), Protein 17g;Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 8 %; Vitamin C 8 %; Calcium 20 %; Iron 6 %;Exchanges: 1 1/2 Starch; 0 Fruit; 0 Other  carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 2 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 0 Fat;Carbohydrate Choices: 1 1/2;*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Source: Eatbetteramerica.com

Slow-Cooked Pork Burrito Bowls

320 Calories Per Serving

This meal was awesome! It was quick and easy (as usual) and there was so much left over that the hubs had it for lunch a couple of times. The pork was very tender and had a lot of flavor. One thing that was a little confusing was that the recipe calls for 6 cups of water but never tells you when to use it, however they may have meant to cook the rice in it. Also, there is no liquid added to the crock pot with the drained beans and the meat (maybe that's where they wanted the water to go?). I left it like this and it did make the beans a little crispy, but it all still turned out great. I think if you added water to the pot, the meat wouldn't have turned out as well. I give this meal a 10 for sure, and the hubs agrees. I'll definitely be making it again soon!

PREP TIME: 15 Min TOTAL TIME: 8 Hr 15 Min SERVINGS:12

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon taco seasoning mix (from 1.25-oz package)
2-lb boneless pork shoulder roast
1 can (15-16oz) pinto beans, rinsed, drained
1 can (4.5 oz) diced green chiles, drained
2 packages (7.6 oz each) Spanish rice mix
6 cups water
1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese (6 oz)
3 cups shredded lettuce
1 cup thick-and-chunky salsa

Directions:

- If pork roast comes in netting or is tied, remove netting or strings. In 3- to 4-quart slow cooker, place pork. Pour beans around pork. Sprinkle taco seasoning mix over pork. Pour green chiles over beans.
-Cover and cook on Low heat setting 8 to 10 hours.
-About 45 minutes before serving, in 3-quart saucepan, make rice mixes as directed on package, using water and omitting butter.
-Remove pork from cooker; place on cutting board. Use 2 forks to pull pork into shreds. Return pork to cooker; gently stir to mix with beans.
-To serve, spoon rice into each serving bowl and top with pork mixture, cheese, lettuce and salsa.

Nutrition Information:

1 Serving (1 Serving): Calories 320 (Calories from Fat 130), Total Fat 14g (Saturated Fat 6g, Trans Fat 0g), Cholesterol 65mg; Sodium 510mg; Total Carbohydrate 25g (Dietary Fiber 4g, Sugars 3g), Protein 24g; Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 10 %; Vitamin C 25 %; Calcium 15 %; Iron 10 %; Exchanges: 1 1/2 Starch; 0 Fruit; 0 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 2 1/2 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 1 Fat; Carbohydrate Choices: 1 1/2; *Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Source: Eatbetteramerica.com

Veggie-Couscous Blend

160 Calories per 2/3 Cup

Simple, light, pretty easy... I'd make it again. Not gonna lie, I've made other meals that I like better, but this was a good one for something a little different. I added minced garlic and chicken, and I left out the roasted red peppers (the hubs and I aren't huge fans of them). One great thing about it is it has ZERO cholesterol, so it's great for people who are trying to eat heart healthy meals. 

prep time:10 min

start to finish:25 min

makes:6 servings

1 1/4	cups Progresso® reduced-sodium chicken broth
1	cup whole wheat couscous
3/4	cup chopped zucchini
1/3	cup chopped red onion
2	teaspoons olive oil
1/4	cup chopped bottled roasted red sweet peppers
1	tablespoon snipped fresh oregano
2	teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel
1/4	teaspoon salt
1/4	teaspoon black pepper

1.	In a small saucepan, bring broth to boiling. Remove from heat; stir in couscous. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes.
2.	Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, cook zucchini and red onion in hot oil over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes or until tender. Add zucchini mixture to couscous along with roasted red peppers, oregano, lemon peel, salt, and black pepper.

Nutritional Information

2/3 cup: Calories 160 (Calories from Fat 20); Total Fat 2g (Saturated Fat 0g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 0mg;Sodium 220mg; Total Carbohydrate 32g (Dietary Fiber 5g, Sugars 1g); Protein 6g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A2%; Vitamin C 35%; Calcium 2%; Iron 8% Exchanges: 2 Starch; 0 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable Carbohydrate Choices: 2
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Source: Eatbetteramerica.com