Tortellini and Garden Vegetable Bake

Orignal recipe found here. I changed it just a bit to make it vegetarian and take out the yucky tomatoes.

Ingredients:

18 oz refrigerated cheese tortellini

1 medium carrot, thinly sliced

1-1/2 c sugar snap peas, halved crosswise
1 T butter
1 c sliced fresh mushrooms
1/3 c vegetable broth
1-1/2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 c milk
8 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese, cubed
1 T lemon juice

1 green pepper, chopped

Directions:

1. Cook tortellini according to package directions, adding the carrot during the last 5 minutes of cooking and the sugar snap peas during the last 1 minute of cooking; drain.

2. Meanwhile, heat butter in a 12" skillet. Add mushrooms and cook about 5 minutes. Remove from skillet.

3. Shake together veggie broth, oregano, flour, garlic salt, and pepper in a sealed container until smooth. Add to skillet along with milk. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly; add cream cheese. Cook and stir until cream cheese is smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice. Add pasta mixture and green pepper. Toss to coat. Turn into an ungreased 13x9x2-inch baking dish or shallow 3-quart casserole.

4. Bake, covered, in a 350 degrees F oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until heated through. Stir.

If desired, top with parmesan cheese.

The recipe says it makes 12 servings but I sure don't think we got that many out of it!

• Make Ahead Tip: Prepare as directed but don't bake it. Instead, cover and chill up to 24 hours. Bake, covered, in a 350 degrees F oven about 55 minutes or until hot.

Nutritional Info: (Not my calculation-- from website based on 12 svgs with chicken) 

Calories: 247

Fat: 12g

Saturated: 5g

Carbs: 17g

Fiber: 1g

Protein: 15g

Ratings:

Kristen: 3

Dave: 3

Yeah, we thought this one was just okay. Didn't take a picture.

Veggie Lasagna

My friend Michelle made this when Dave and I had dinner with her and Jeff before we moved to Arizona. It was DELICIOUS so I asked her for the recipe. :)

Ingredients:
9 lasagna noodles
10 oz frozen spinach
10 oz frozen broccoli
10 oz shredded carrots
8 oz mushrooms, cleaned and chopped
Cooking spray
30 oz low fat ricotta cheese
8 oz sliced provolone cheese
1/2 c milk (1%)
2 c part skim mozzarella cheese
pepper, onion powder, italian seasoning, oregano, garlic powder

Directions:
Boil noodles according to package directions.
Meanwhile, thaw spinach in microwave, drain, and put in bowl. Thaw the broccoli in the microwave and add to the bowl. Heat the carrots in some water in the microwave, drain, and add to bowl.
Saute mushrooms in cooking oil, sprinkle with pepper. Drain, add to bowl.
Add the ricotta cheese and 1c of the mozzarella to the bowl. Mix in milk. Season as you wish. I used pepper, onion powder, italian seasoning, oregano and garlic powder. Mix well.
Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray and lay 3 lasagna noodles along the bottom. Spread half of the cheese/veggie mixture on top, and top with 3 slices of cheese. Layer 3 more noodles on top, the other half of the cheese/veggie mixture, and 2 slices of mozzarella. (I suppose ideally your package of provolone would have 9 slices of cheese in it, but mine didn't.) Layer the last 3 noodles on top of this and top with the remaining 3 slices of provolone and 1 c of mozzarella.
Bake at 400 for about 30 minutes or until the cheese on top is bubbly.
Makes 12 servings.

Nutritional Information:

Calories: 271

Fat: 11g

Saturated: 6.5g 

Carbs: 24.5g

Fiber: 3g

Protein: 19g

Ratings:

Kristen: 5

Dave: 4

(PS I don't know what happened to this picture but I'm sick of messing with it!!)

Great Green Bean Casserole

This recipe also came from Meatout Mondays. Original recipe is here. I made 1/4 of the recipe so I made it in little ramekins.

Ingredients:
1-1/2 lbs green beans
10 oz mushrooms
3 cloves garlic, minced
cayenne pepper, generous pinch
2 T flour
3/4 c vegetable broth
3/4 c unsweetened soymilk
1-1/2 slices whole grain bread (Koepplinger's Whole Grain White Bread)
1 T margarine (Bestlife Buttery Spread)
salt & pepper (to taste)

Directions:
Boil green beans and drain.
Chop mushrooms into pieces.
Spray non-stick pan with non-stick spray; add the mushrooms, garlic, cayenne, salt, and pepper to taste; cook until mushrooms are very soft and exude their juices.
Whisk the flour into the vegetable broth and add to mushrooms.
Simmer, stirring, until mixture thickens; add soymilk and simmer until thick, about 5 to 10 minutes; adjust the seasonings and stir in the beans.
For the topping, put bread, margarine, salt, and pepper into a food processor and pulse until crumbly.
Put green beans into an oiled casserole dish and top with bread crumbs.
Bake at 425F for about 15 minutes.

Makes 8 servings.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 78
Fat: 1.5g
Saturated: 0.5g
Carbs: 11.5g
Fiber: 3g
Protein: 3.5g

Hearty Holiday Nut Loaf

I get a weekly email called Meatout Mondays. This recipe came about a month ago. I made 1/4 of the following recipe.

Ingredients:
1 c finely chopped celery
onion powder
3/4 c bread flour
2/3 c chopped walnuts
2 T ground flax seed
2 c canned chickpeas, drained
1 c water
2 T low-sodium soy sauce
1 t salt
1/8 t garlic powder
1/2 c water
parsley (optional - for garnish) 

Directions:
Sauté the celery until tender.
Place in a bowl with flour, nuts, and flax seed; blend next five ingredients together in a food processor or blender until smooth, then add to the bowl with the celery mixture.
Rinse food processor/blender with last ½ cup water and then add to mixture and mix well.
Spoon into 8"x 8" baking dish lined with baking parchment or sprayed with non-stick spray; bake covered for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.
Uncover and bake 15 minutes more. Garnish with parsley if desired. Serve with mushroom or cashew gravy.

Makes 16 servings.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 94
Fat: 4g
Saturated: 0.5g
Carbs: 12.5g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 3g

Stuffing

This is the stuffing that Dave makes me for Thanksgiving. It is about my favorite food on the planet- no joke. He makes the best stuffing ever- just like his grandma! He makes his also with onions, and chicken broth. I can't tell the difference between the vegetable broth and chicken broth at all. Neither could any of my family when we took this to Thanksgiving at my aunt's yesterday.

Ingredients:
1 loaf of bread (this year we used Bimbo brand, which is 60 cal/slice- obviously the bread you use is going to determine how many calories... but white bread is a must)
2 c chopped celery
1/2 c butter, melted (I used Bestlife Buttery Spread, 60 cal/T)
2 cans (14.5 oz each) vegetable or no-chicken broth
onion powder, paprika, poultry seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper

Directions:
Tear the bread into small pieces in a large bowl. Add chopped celery. Pour in the melted butter and the broth and mix well. Pour into a baking dish and bake at 350, covered, for an hour and a half. Uncover and continue to bake for an additional 15-30 minutes.
Makes 8 servings.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 250
Fat: 7.5g
Saturated: 2g
Carbs: 37g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 6g

Veggie Cavatini

This is based on a family recipe. I've made some changes to my grandma's cavatini!! Hopefully that's not a mortal sin... ;-) I used vegan "sausage" instead of real sausage, omitted pepperoni and cheese, and added extra veggies. Feel free to use whatever sounds good to you! I just chose from what I had on hand.

Ingredients:
1-1/2 c pasta (I used rotini, but use whatever shape you want!)
4 oz Gimme Lean Sausage
3 oz mushrooms
3 oz green pepper (1/2 of a green pepper)
3 oz zucchini (1/2 of a small zucchini)
2 oz artichoke hearts
1-1/2 c pasta sauce (I used Meijer Naturals Tomato Basil sauce, which was delicious!)
Season as you wish (I used garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350.
Cook pasta as directed.
Meanwhile, brown the sausage. Add the vegetables and saute, seasoning to taste.
Mix together the cooked pasta, sausage/veggie mixture, and pasta sauce.
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Makes 4 servings.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 180
Fat: 2.5g
Carbs: 30g
Fiber: 6g
Protein: 9.5g

Texas Tater Tot Casserole

Ingredients:
1 lb extra lean ground turkey
onion powder and garlic powder, to taste (I used garlic & wine seasoning)
10.75 oz 98% fat free broccoli & cheese soup
5.2 oz cream of chicken soup
1 c frozen corn
1/2 c medium picante sauce
2 tsp chili powder
pepper to taste
5 svgs tater tots
1/4 c shredded cheddar cheese

Directions
Heat oven to 375F. Brown ground turkey with onion and garlic powder in a 12" skillet over med-high heat; drain.
Stir soups, corn, picante sauce, chili powder and pepper into turkey mixture. Transfer to ungreased 2-1/2 qt baking dish. Top with tater tots.
Bake uncovered 40 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake 5-10 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is melted.
Makes 6 servings.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 339
Fat: 13.9g
Saturated Fat: 3.7g
Carbs: 30.6g
Protein: 22.8g

Ratings:
Kristen: 3.5
Dave:

Two Cheese Rotini Makeover

I gave my two cheese rotini a semi-makeover. There is more that I could have done, but this still makes it tons better (calorie-wise!) than the last time I made it. I used turkey sausage, less olive oil, and less mozzarella cheese. Oh, I also used a tiny bit less tomato sauce, and I used Hunt's in a can instead of Ragu in a jar. Not sure if that made a difference. Oh! And I also used whole grain pasta. My camera is at work, but you can look at the original picture in the link above. It doesn't look much different! :) Here is its makeover:

Ingredients:
 1 lb Hot Italian turkey sausage, sliced 1/2" thick (Jennie-O)
1 green pepper, chopped (208 g)
1 t EVOO
24 oz tomato sauce (Hunt's, No Salt Added)
15 oz Part Skim Ricotta Cheese
12 oz  Ronzoni Healthy Harvest Rotini, cooked and drained
1 c Low-Moisure, Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese, shredded and divided

Directions:
In a skillet, cook sausage and green pepper in hot oil over medium high heat until browned; drain well. Add tomato sauce. Stir to combine.

Combine ricotta cheese, rotini, and 1/2 c mozzarella. Stir gently to blend. Spoon half of pasta mixture into a lightly greased baking dish. Top with half of sauce. Repeat layers. Cover. Bake at 350F for 25 minutes; uncover. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella. Continue baking for 5-10 min or until cheese is melted.

Makes 8 servings.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 372 (still too much for Holly, but better than 513)
Fat: 15g (from 25g)
Saturated Fat: 6g (from 10g)
Carbs: 43g (from 45g)
Protein: 23g (from 27g)
Fiber: 7.5g

Ratings:
Kristen:

Chicken & Vegetable Pasta Au Gratin

This recipe is from Prevention.

Ingredients:
8 oz boneless skinless chicken breast (tenders)
onion powder
1 c low sodium, fat free chicken broth (Meijer)
2 medium carrots, thinly sliced (133g)
2 medium parsnips, thinly sliced (202g)
3 cloves garlic, pressed
1 tsp italian herb seasoning (I didn't put this in, but I used Italian bread crumbs for the topping)
1/4 c all-purpose flour
2 c milk (1/2%)
1 c shredded fat free mozzarella cheese (Kraft)
8 oz penne pasta (Ronzoni Healthy Harvest)
3/4 c chopped tomatoes (I didn't put this in... I might have, but I didn't have any)
1/4 c dry bread crumbs (Italian seasoned, Meijer)
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions.
Preheat oven to 400F.
Coat a Dutch oven with no-stick spray and place over medium-high heat until hot. Add the chicken, onion powder, and 1/4 c of the chicken broth. Cook for 5 min.
Add the carrots, parsnips, garlic, Italian herb seasoning, and the remaining 3/4 c chicken broth. Cover and cook for 5-8 min or until the vegetables are slightly tender. Add the flour. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.
Gradually add the milk and mozzarella. Cook, stirring frequently, for 4 minutes, or until the sauce thickens.
Drain pasta and add to the Dutch oven. Add the tomatoes. Mix well to combine.
Top with bread crumbs and parmesan. Bake for 20 min, or until the topping is golden brown.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 308
Fat: 4g
Saturated Fat: 1.5g
Carbs: 49g
Protein: 25g

Ratings:
Kristen: 4.5
Dave: 3.5

The Big Apple French Toast Casserole

Another Hungry Girl recipe. I completely forgot to take a picture, and it's all gone! Sorry!

Ingredients:
8 slices light bread, cut into cubes (Meijer light wheat bread)
4 oz. FF cream cheese, room temperature (Philadelphia)
1 medium apple, diced (Mine was 185g)
1-1/4 c milk (1/2%)
1 c Egg Beaters
2 T sugar free syrup (Maple Grove Farms)
2 T butter, melted (Imperial 1/3 less fat)
1 tsp sugar
Optional: Additional sugar free pancake syrup, for dipping

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F.
Spray an 8x8" baking dish with nonstick spray. Place bread cubes evenly along the bottom of the dish.
Sprinkle diced apple evenly over the bread.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine all other ingredients. Mix with an electric mixer at medium speed until lump-free. Pour mixture over the bread and apple.
Make sure bread is soaked in the liquid mixture. If needed, toss lightly to coat.
Bake for 45 minutes until egg mixture is pretty firm and cooked through. (I cooked for 50 min.) Be sure not to overcook, as bread may burn. Let cool slightly and cut into quarters. If you like, serve with additional syrup for dipping.
Makes 4 servings.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 232
Fat: 5g
Saturated Fat: 1g
Carbs: 35g
Protein: 17g
Nutritional information is without the optional additional syrup. I did use 2T of syrup, which added 15 calories and 6g of carbs.

Ratings:
Kristen: 3
Dave: 3.5

Two-Cheese Rotini

This is from a Precious Cheese recipe and WOAH does it need a low-cal makeover!!

Ingredients:
1 lb Sweet Italian sausage, sliced 1/2" thick
1 green pepper, chopped
1 T EVOO
1 jar of Ragu Traditional sauce (26 oz)
15 oz Part Skim Ricotta Cheese
12 oz Rotini, cooked and drained
1-1/2 c Low-Moisure, Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese, shredded and divided

Directions:
In a skillet, cook sausage and green pepper in hot oil over medium high heat unti browned; drain well. Add spaghetti sauce. Stir to combine.

Combine ricotta cheese, rotini, and 1/2 c mozzarella. Stir gently to blend. Spoon half of pasta mixture into a lightly greased baking dish. Top with half of sauce. Repeat layers. Cover. Bake at 350F for 25 minutes; uncover. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella. Continue baking for 5-10 min or until cheese is melted.

Makes 8 servings.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 513
Fat: 25g
Saturated Fat: 10g
Carbs: 45g
Protein: 27g

Ratings:
Kristen: 4.5
Dave: 3.5