I'm just guessing here, but I imagine seasoning for fajitas would involve fresh ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, cumin, and a touch of salt.

For any SW dish I usually like a combo of cumin + several varieties of ground red pepper --> chili powder, cayenne, paprika, etc.

Oh, and perhaps marinate the meat in a lime / garlic based marinade too.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: grrlscout,

I made a wonderful pizza tonight... without cheese!! ..lol.. I didn't think I could do it... but I didn't miss it one bit...

6 oz beef, browned (I used flank steak)
1/4 yellow squash, diced
1/4 green pepper, diced
1/2 can black olives
2 large green onions, sliced thin
about 8-10 grape tomatoes, sliced in half
fajita seasoning
pizza dough

After the beef was browned I added the veggies with it and sauted a minute. Add the fajita seasoning to coat (I used about 1/2 package... was too salty for me, so I would say to taste)... spread the mixture on the dough and bake at 450 until dough is lightly browned. I didn't put any sauce on.. as the tomatoes mixed with the fajita seasoning to make it "saucy".

I added a teaspon of light sour cream to each piece. I was able to eat only 2 slices... and be completely satisfied (1/4 pizza)

if anyone has a recipe for fajita seasoning I would love to have it... then I could control the salt...

jacqui

[QUOTE]Originally posted by D in St Pete:
There is a fair amount of salt in this recipe, and I'm not sure how to cut it down, since it comes from the beef bouillion granules.


Maybe you could omit the milk and granules and replace that with a low sodium beef broth. The sour cream would still provide the necessary creaminess. You could add an entire can of broth and let the noodles finish cooking in the sauce as it reduces. (you know...the hamburger helper type thing...)

Here's a pretty tasty dish I concocted in a hurry yesterday (with company coming no less). I was quite pleased with the results and how healthy it ended up being.

Mediterranean Chicken, Pasta, & Veggies

1 lb. chicken (boneless, skinless, uncooked, cubed)
1 lb. pasta (any bite size shape)
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
2 cloves garlic
1-2 bunches broccoli florettes
1/2 c. calamata olives
1 zucchini
1 lemon
1 c. chicken stock
oregano to taste
pepper (and salt if using low sodium chicken stock)
1 tsp. cornstarch
2-3 oz. asiago or feta cheese grated

Cook pasta according to directions. While pasta is cooking, saute cubed chicken in a nonstick skillet (I did use a tbsp. of EVOO) over medium high heat. Add in julienned bell peppers, broccoli, zucchini (halve lengthwise and cut into thin crescent shaped pieces), and garlic. Saute until all veggies are tender crisp (about 2-3 minutes).

Combine stock and cornstarch, shake well, set aside. Season meat and veggies with oregano and pepper. Add stock mixture, bring to boil over medium high heat. Let cook for 2-3 minutes until sauce thickens slightly. Remove from heat.

Stir in olives and cheese. Serve immediately.

Serves 4 very well, especially with a side salad.

Happy eating!

Laura

My boyfriend said I ought to put this up for a few more people.

There is a fair amount of salt in this recipe, and I'm not sure how to cut it down, since it comes from the beef bouillion granules. The measurements vary because I've noticed based on the kind of sour cream I use, the amount of flour and/or milk changes.

"Light" Beef Stroganoff

(This feeds the two of us a VERY large meal, feeds three easily, and with enough onions & mushrooms, could probably feed four)

1 to 1 1/2 lbs lean meat, sliced against the grain (I've used sirloin & filet--filets have very little fat, sirloin is usually easy to trim the fat from)

8 to 12 oz fat free sour cream
1 to 2 Tbl flour
1 to 2 Tbl beef bouillion granules
1/4 to 1/2 c milk (skim works fine)
1 onion, thinly sliced
thinly sliced mushrooms (however much you want)
Parsley & pepper to taste

No-Yolk egg noodles (I use about 1/3 of a bag between the two of us)


In a large skillet, saute the thin slices of meat, onions, and mushrooms. I tend to add a generous amount of fresh-ground pepper here, too.

After the meat is as cooked as you would like it, add the sour cream, milk, flour, parsley, and beef bouillion granules. Stir & let come to a gentle bubble, then lower the heat. Now is when I put the noodles into boiling water, and as the noodles finish, the sauce has reduced pretty well. Serve the meat & sauce over the noodles.

Hey Lynette -- I was looking at my box of kashi the other morning, and I noticed they had a blueberry fruit bar recipe that uses their cereal. Perhaps you can adapt that recipe? If you need it, let me know and I'll post it.

Also, Saturday night I was next in the lineup to cook. The fridge was stocked with loads of produce, and very little meat.

I ended up making a sort of impromptu strata (tagine?) call it what you want, it was a layered veggie casserole:

I sliced thin, and lengthwise, zucchini and eggplant and cut up yellow bell peppers into large flat pieces.

- spread them on 2 cookies sheets and spritzed them with some olive oil, seasoned them with salt, pepper, basil, and fresh thyme

- roasted them in the oven, along with some cloves of garlic

- blanched some swiss chard

I took the roasted veggies, the swiss chard, some diced browned potatoes leftover from breakfast, some sliced ham, and layered them in a small roast pan. There was only one layer of ham, two of everything else.

I dabbed in some spaghetti sauce, mushed in some of the roasted garlic, and grated some pecorino romano every other layer or so.

Topped it with a lil more sauce, and one piece of string cheese that I tore up into little pieces, and baked the whole thing for about 30 min.

Served it with salad, and it was like a veggie bomb!

This is not a recipe but I just had to share.
We made pancakes this morning and instead of using maple syrup, we used the lemon glaze from KD's lemon angle food cake recipe. I served them with fresh strawberries and it was out of this world. 1 T of the lemon glaze is the same amount of calories as 1 T of maple syrup. I thought that 1 T was plenty for the pancakes.

WHile experimenting with my food processor and chicken breasts this afternoon, I made some chicken "sausage", thought I'd share the recipe!

Sundried Tomato, Garlic, and Basil Chicken Sausage

28 ounces boneless skinless chicken breasts (or same amount ground chicken breasts)
5 cloves garlic (minced if using already ground chicken)
6 sundried tomato halves (the dry type, soak in boiling water for 10 minutes)
1 1/2 Tablespoons dried basil leaves
salt and pepper to taste

In food processor process all ingredient until chicken is a fine texture.

Use in any recipe calling for crumbled sausages (or you could use this to make a really yummy italian burger on a good crusty italian bread).

I am really hooked on KD's crunchy granola and would like to turn it into a bar for portability. Any ideas how I can do this wihtout really uping the calories?

Lynnette

Hi Carol,

The recipes are in book two. As far as help adjusting recipes for one or 2 - cut and paste the recipes here or provide the titles and I'm sure you'll get a lot of help figuring out how to cut them down if you don't want to make the whole recipe and freeze the leftovers.

I cook for one and two a lot but usually cook the full recipe. I don't know where I'd be without my defrost-heat-and-eat freezer kit meals!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: kd,

Dark Chocolate Soufflé Cake

When I prepare this cake, it’s because I’ve planned for these calories by trimming a wee bit here and there and by upping the cardio a little.

Serves 8 to 10

Ingredients

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/3 cup grapeseed or canola oil

6 ounces mini chocolate chips (about 1 cup), plus optional 1/3 cup more

2 teaspoons Grand Marnier or vanilla extract

1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest

6 large egg whites

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Confectioners’ sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, sift together flour and cocoa powder and set aside.

Place oil and chocolate chips in a large microwave-safe bowl and microwave on medium until just melted, about 2 minutes. Add Grand Marnier or vanilla and orange zest and stir until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.

Place egg whites in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until frothy. With mixer running, add sugar in a slow, steady stream, or about 1 tablespoon at a time. Beat to soft peaks.

Add flour mixture to melted chocolate mixture and stir until incorporated. Using a rubber spatula, fold in one fourth of the egg whites. Once incorporated, fold in remaining egg whites. Very gently fold in walnuts and mini chocolate chips, if using.

Pour batter into a 9-inch nonstick spring form pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a crust forms on top and cake is mostly firm, but with a slight wobble in the center. Run a knife around sides of cake, remove pan sides, and cool slightly. Dust top with confectioners’ sugar and serve immediately.

Up the Chocolate

I love to fold in an extra 1/3 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate with the walnuts. When you cut into the cake, the chocolate oozes out ever so perfectly. (The cake is nice without the extra chocolate too.) When I want gooey, I cook the cake about 10 minutes less and serve it almost immediately to enjoy the rich, molten center at its peak.

Shortcut Chef

Use a large bowl to melt the butter and chocolate, because you’ll be adding the cocoa mixture and egg whites to this bowl. You don’t have to do it this way, but you’ll end up with fewer dirty bowls if you do.

Rhubarb-Apple Cake

This is simply irresistible, especially warm from the oven, and it’s a creative way to get the troops to eat more fruit. I make the cake in a spring form pan set on a cookie sheet, because I like to be able to serve it on a platter. The cookie sheet catches the fruit sauces, which can then be drizzled right over the cake.

Serves 8

Ingredients

1 pound rhubarb, thinly sliced

2 apples, peeled, cored, and diced

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups self-rising flour

Directions

Preheat oven to 325°F. In a large bowl, combine rhubarb and apples with 2 tablespoons sugar. Toss until well coated. Set aside.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer, whip butter and remaining 3/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, blending after each addition, and vanilla. Fold in flour and stir until just combined.

Pour fruit into a 9-inch nonstick spring form pan. Spread batter evenly over fruit and bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Run a knife around sides of cake, remove pan sides, and cool slightly. Serve warm.

From Mom’s Lips

Spring form pans can leak. Place the spring form pan in the center of a large piece of foil. Stretch the foil up the sides, smoothing as you go, and over the rim.

Sidebar

The batter is kind of doughy, so you’ll probably end up spreading it over the fruit with your hands.

If you don’t have self-rising flour, you can make your own. For 11/2 cups of homemade self-rising flour, mix together 11/2 cups all-purpose flour, 21/4 teaspoons baking powder, and 3/4 teaspoon salt.

© 2004 MSNBC Interactive

Roasted Salmon and Beet Salad with Spinach and Orange Vinaigrette

Actual sections of any orange, tangerine, or clementine at its peak would be great in this salad, a summer entrée that you can serve year-round. You can use their juices in the dressing too.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 pound beets, peeled and cut into small wedges

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

Coarse-grained salt and cracked black pepper

1 pound salmon fillets, skin on

1 tablespoon grated orange zest

1/2 cup orange juice

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

5 ounces baby spinach (half of 10-ounce bag)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Place beets and olive oil in a plastic bag and shake until well coated. Pour onto a cookie sheet, season with salt and pepper, and roast for 20 minutes. Turn and roast for 15 to 20 minutes more, or until golden and cooked through. Remove and set aside.

When you turn the beets, place salmon in a nonstick pan with an ovenproof handle and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until firm to the touch.

In a large salad bowl, whisk together orange zest, juice, vinegar, sesame oil, and cayenne pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings with salt. Add spinach and beets and toss until well coated.

Divide salad among four serving plates. Remove skin from salmon and divide salmon into 4 portions. Top each salad with salmon and serve immediately.

From Mom’s Lips

The beets take about 40 minutes to cook, so put the salmon in the oven 15 minutes before you think the beets are due to come out. That way, everything will be hot at the same time.

Morph

If you want to stretch the salad to make it more substantial, roast a pan of asparagus and/or baby red potatoes, using the same cooking method described for the beets.

Thai Shrimp

The temptation to order carryout lessens when you master a few super-quick meals, and this is definitely a quickie. Challenge yourself to come up with five fast meals and then keep the ingredients around all the time.

Don’t forget to fix at least one salad and veggie with this entrée. Try microwave-steamed baby bok choy if you’re thin on time.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1/2 pound rice-stick noodles

1 tablespoon roasted peanut oil

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/2 cup lime juice

2 tablespoons fish sauce

1/2 teaspoon Vietnamese chili paste

1/4 cup sugar

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/2 cup loosely packed, coarsely chopped fresh
cilantro

Directions

Prepare rice noodles according to package instructions. Set aside. Place remaining ingredients except shrimp and cilantro in a 10-inch nonstick pan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and add shrimp. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until shrimp are tender, 3 to 4 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, remove shrimp from pan and place over cooked rice noodles in a serving bowl. Add cilantro to sauce. Taste and adjust seasonings, pour sauce over shrimp and noodles, and serve.

Shortcut Chef

Before you leave for work in the morning, whisk together in a Mason jar or measuring cup all the ingredients except the shrimp and cilantro.

Sidebar

If you like your sauce a little thicker, reduce it to the desired consistency before you add the cilantro.

Taco Salad

Fast-food taco salads can have 850 calories, 52 grams of fat, and who knows what else layered into them. I’d rather do that kind of calorie damage with a slice of cake than with a meal I thought was supposed to be good for me.

Monster-size portions of high-calorie foods can do you in, nutrition-wise. But there’s no reason you can’t enjoy your favorite flavors in a salad you control.

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound ground chicken breast

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 head romaine lettuce, shredded

1 mango, peeled, seeded, and diced

1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced

1 tomato, diced

1 medium onion, diced

1 cup peeled and shredded carrots (or half a

10-ounce bag of pre-grated carrots)

3/4 cup canned white beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup scallions, diced

Grated zest and juice of 1 lime

1/4 cup store-bought salsa

1/4 cup fat-free sour cream

4 pickled jalapenos

3–4 servings baked tortilla chips

Directions

In large nonstick skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add ground chicken, cumin, and chili powder and cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and transfer chicken to a large bowl.

Add lettuce, mango, avocado, tomato, onion, carrots, beans, scallions, and lime zest and juice. Toss until mixed well. Garnish with salsa, sour cream, jalapenos, and tortilla chips and serve.

From Mom’s Lips

Ask the butcher to grind your chicken breast when you buy it to ensure you don’t get ground chicken meat that has added dark meat and fat. Alternatively, cube boneless, skinless chicken breast and grind it yourself in a food processor. It’s not the same, but it will do in a pinch.

Sidebar

I eat this without the tortilla chips most of the time, because I’m always scrimping and saving to spend my calories on dessert. If you’re a chip person, read the recommended portion size and nutrition facts on the package and then decide how many chips everyone gets. I didn’t give you an amount, because the only one who knows your calorie savings-account balance is you.

This one only took 5 or 6 minutes. Not really a true recipe, more of a method, but it sure was good so I thought I would share.

Rub tuna steaks lightly with evoo, and sprinkle with ginger and fresh cracked pepper on 1 side only. Place in a hot non-stick pan, seasoned side down first, and cook until bottom 1/4th of fish turns white. Flip and pour over teriyaki sauce. Cover and steam in the sauce until desired doneness.

Honey Mustard Pork Tenderloin from The Complete Cooking Light Cookbook

Preptime 4 minutes, cook time 40 mins.

2 (3/4 lb) pork tenderloins
¼ t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
1 t. olive oil
Cooking Spray
¼ c. balsamic vinegar
1 T. honey
1 t. Dijon mustard
1 t. minced fresh rosemary

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Trim fat from pork; sprinkle pork with S&P. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork and cook for 10 mins.

Place pork on a broiler pan coated w/cooking spray. Combine vinegar, honey and mustard in a small bowl; brush over pork. Insert meat thermometer into thickest part of tenderloin.

Bake pork at 400 degrees for 30 mins or until thermometer registers 160, basting frequently with vinegar mixture. Place remaining vinegar mixture into a saucepan; bring to a boil. Place pork on serving platter; sprinkle with rosemary; Serve with warm vinegar mixtures. 6 servings (serving size 3 oz.)

161 calories, 5g. fat, 24.5 g. protein, 3.2 carbs.


I made this last Sunday and it was incredible. Very very good and very very easy.

Dawn

I posted this on the other board about a month ago. I love it so much I thought I'd post it here too.

Also, last night, I used the same sauce as a marinade for pork chops. I marinated them for about 20 mins, baked them at 400 for about 20 mins (10 on each side), pouring a little more sauce on them as I turned them over, then I boiled the leftover marinade on the stove and reduced it a little to use as a sauce on the chops when they came out.

My DH and DS loved them and my son said "Mommy your the best cooker I know."

Dawn

Rita's Ultra Lite Cookies

4 egg whites, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup sugar
12 ounces mini chocolate chips
1 cup pecans, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

In a mixer on medium-low speed, beat the egg whites until frothy, about 2 minutes. Increase the mixer speed to high, add salt and whip to stiff, but not dry peaks. Reduce the speed to medium. Add the vanilla and then the sugar, a few tablespoons at a time. Whip to glossy peaks, about 2 minutes. Gently fold in the chocolate chips and the pecans. Drop by the tablespoon onto cookie sheets lined with parchment. Bake 45 minutes. Turn oven off and leave in oven overnight without opening the oven door.

Tip: To reduce calories further, you can scale back on the sugar, chocolate chips, and pecans. I recommend making them the first time with the full amount of sugar to get a feel for how much you want to cut back.

Peanut Butter Truffles

These peanut butter truffles are nutrient rich and really hit the spot when you’re in need of a pick me up. They take about 10 minutes to whip up and require no cooking!

To prepare; in a food processor combine 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, 1/2 cup non-fat dry milk powder, 1/4 cup wheat germ, 1/4 cup Old fashioned oats and 2 teaspoons of honey. Pulse or mix until thoroughly combined. Roll into a snack and make 16 slices (truffles). Roll each slice into a round ball and serve. So you’re not tempted to eat too many, wrap them individually. They will keep one week refrigerated and up to a month frozen.

Note: Make yourself drag out the food processor, they come together better. When you make them in an electric mixer they're drier and you'll need to add more honey.

You can use chunky peanut butter but creamy seems to work better.

quote:

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Originally posted by D in St Pete:
TriGirl! Thank you! Thank you!

Thank you!

I made eggrolls tonight ...
D

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D, glad you liked them! The recipe on the package did say that you could use pork, tofu, or beef. I have made them with chicken breasts chopped fine in the food processor too. Doing them vegetarian just makes them really low-cal.