Pork Chops with Cherry Sauce

Recipe Adapted From:
Healthy Cooking, Aug-Sept. 2011

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup fresh or frozen pitted dark sweet cherries, halved
1/3 cup ruby port wine
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1/8 teaspoon salt

PORK CHOPS:
1 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed
3/4 teaspoon ground mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 bone-in pork loin chops (7 ounces each)
2 teaspoons olive oil

Preparation:

In a small saucepan, saute shallot in oil until tender. Stir in the cherries, wine, vinegar and salt. Bring to a boil; cook until liquid is reduced by half, about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the coriander, mustard, salt and pepper; rub over chops. In a large skillet, cook chops in oil over medium heat for 4-6 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer reads 160°. Serve with sauce. Yield: 2 servings.

Notes & Tips:
This was really good. It tastes like a special occasion recipe, but it was really easy. My chops took a little longer to cook, but I bought really thick cuts. Also, I did not have any port wine, so I just used cooking sherry. This was the perfect recipe to use some of the bing cherries I froze earlier this summer.

Nutrition Facts:
1 pork chop with 1/3 cup sauce equals 356 calories, 16 g fat (4 g saturated fat), 86 mg cholesterol, 509 mg sodium, 16 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 32 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 4 lean meat, 1-1/2 fat, 1 fruit.

Firecracker Grilled Salmon

Recipe Taken From:
Taste of Home Healthy Cooking Magazine
February/March 2011

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 salmon fillets (6 ounces each)

Preparation:

In a small bowl, combine the first ten ingredients. Pour 1/4 cup marinade into a large resealable plastic bag. Add the salmon; seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate for up to 30 minutes. Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade. Drain and discard marinade.
Using long-handled tongs, moisten a paper towel with cooking oil and lightly coat the grill rack. Place salmon skin side down on grill rack. Grill, covered, over high heat or broil 3-4 in. from the heat for 5-10 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork, basting occasionally with remaining marinade. Yield: 4 servings.

Notes & Tips:

I served this with a salad and Naan Bread (which is my favorite). The marinade definitely has some kick to it, if you wanted to limit that spice you can cut back on the red pepper flakes.

Nutrition Facts:

1 fillet equals 306 calories, 18 g fat (4 g saturated fat), 85 mg cholesterol, 367 mg sodium, 4 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 29 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 5 lean meat, 1 fat.

Easy Chicken and Veggies

Recipe taken from:
Taste of Home Healthy Cooking Cookbook 2010

Ingredients:
2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (6 ounces each)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons dry bread crumbs
2 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
3 teaspoons Crisco® Olive Oil, divided
3 cups fresh baby spinach
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced

Preparation:
Flatten chicken to 1/4-in. thickness; sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a shallow bowl, combine the bread crumbs, cheese and Italian seasoning. Coat chicken in bread crumb mixture.
In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, cook chicken in 2 teaspoons oil over medium heat for 3-4 minutes on each side or until no longer pink. Remove and keep warm.
Saute spinach in remaining oil just until wilted. Stir in tomatoes and garlic; cook 3 minutes longer. Serve with chicken. Yield: 2 servings.

Notes & Tips:
I liked that this recipe was for 2, a nice change from the usual larger meals. I thought the spinach mixture was really bland. I would make sure to put some seasoning in with them next time, the little bit of garlic was not enough, it needs seasoning. Overall a good meal. Super quick, since you pound the chicken flat it cooks in less than 15 mins. I served this with a baked potato.

Nutrition Facts:
1 chicken breast half with 1 cup vegetables equals 302 calories, 12 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 95 mg cholesterol, 484 mg sodium, 10 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 38 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 5 lean meat, 2 fat, 1 vegetable.

Mediterranean Shrimp Couscous

Recipe adapted from:
Taste of Home Healthy Cooking Cookbook 2010

Ingredients:
1-1/2 pounds uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon chopped shallot
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 cup chopped zucchini
1/2 cup white wine or reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil)
2 tablespoons capers, drained
3 cups fresh baby spinach
1-1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1-1/2 cups uncooked couscous
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese, divided
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preparation:
In a large skillet, saute the shrimp, shallot and garlic in 1 tablespoon oil until shrimp turn pink. Remove and keep warm.
In the same skillet, cook and stir the zucchini, wine, tomatoes and capers until zucchini is tender. Add spinach; cook just until wilted. Add broth and bring to a boil. Stir in couscous. Cover and remove from the heat; let stand for 5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork.
Whisk the lemon juice, vinegar and remaining oil; add to the pan. Stir in 1/4 cup cheese, the seasonings and reserved shrimp mixture; cook and stir over low heat until heated through. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Yield: 6 servings.

Notes & Tips:
This was really great. I didn't have any zucchini, so I used large chunks of mushrooms instead. I left out the sundried tomatoes, b/c for some reason I don't think they ever taste right when I use them at home. And lastly I didn't realize I didn't have enough couscous, so I just used less. I def. think it's important to have enough couscous, but oh well, it still got the thumbs up from Mat.


Nutrition Facts:
1 cup equals 385 calories, 11 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 143 mg cholesterol, 619 mg sodium, 41 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 28 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 lean meat, 2-1/2 starch, 2 fat.

Salmon Noodle Bake

Recipe Taken From:
Good Housekeeping Magazine
January 2011

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup(s) low-fat (1 percent) milk
1 large (1-pound) leek
10 ounce(s) sliced mushrooms
1 tablespoon(s) lower-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoon(s) olive oil
1 teaspoon(s) olive oil
2 stalk(s) (large) celery, finely chopped
2 teaspoon(s) chopped fresh thyme leaves
3 tablespoon(s) all-purpose flour
1 can(s) (1 3/4 cups) lower-sodium chicken broth
8 ounce(s) curly egg noodles
12 ounce(s) skinless salmon fillet, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 cup(s) frozen peas
Salt
Pepper
1/3 cup(s) panko (Japanese-style bread crumbs)
1 tablespoon(s) chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, for garnish

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 3-quart shallow baking dish. Heat large covered saucepot of water to boiling on high. In glass measuring cup, microwave milk on High 2 minutes or until warm.
Meanwhile, trim and discard root and dark green top from leek. Discard any tough outer leaves. Cut leek lengthwise in half, then crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide slices. Place leek in large bowl of cold water; with hand, swish to remove any sand. Remove leek to colander. Repeat process with fresh water, changing water several times until sand is removed. Drain leek well and set aside.
In 12-inch skillet, combine mushrooms and soy sauce. Cook 5 to 6 minutes on medium-high until mushrooms are tender and sauce evaporates, stirring occa­sionally. Transfer to large bowl.
In same skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil on medium-high. Add leek, celery, and half of thyme. Cook 2 minutes or until golden and just tender, stirring occasionally. Add flour and cook 1 minute, stirring. Continue stirring and add broth, then milk, in steady stream. Heat to boiling while stirring, then cook 2 minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly. Transfer to bowl with mushrooms.
While sauce cooks, add noodles to boiling water; cook 1 minute. Drain well.
To bowl with mushroom mixture, add noodles, salmon, peas, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Gently stir to combine. Spread mixture in prepared dish.
In small bowl, combine panko, remaining thyme, and remaining 1 teaspoon oil. Sprinkle evenly over top of noodle mixture. Bake 17 to 18 minutes or until topping turns golden brown. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Notes & Tips:
I thought this was a little odd, I loved the noodles/casserole part and I loved the salmon part, but I'm not sure how much I liked them together. I also thought that there was a bit too many peas, I'd probably cut it back to 1/2 cup.

Nutrition Facts:
Calories 370
Total Fat 12g
Saturated Fat 2g
Cholesterol 61mg
Sodium 570mg
Total Carbohydrate 43g
Dietary Fiber 4g
Protein 22g

King Ranch Chicken

Recipe Adapted From:
Good Housekeeping January 2011

Ingredients:

2 cup(s) low-fat (1 percent) milk
2 tablespoon(s) vegetable oil
1 small (4- to 6- ounce) onion, finely chopped
1 large (8- to 10-ounce) red pepper, finely chopped
1 large (4- to 6-ounce) poblano chile, seeds discarded, finely chopped
1 jalapeño chile, seeds discarded, finely chopped
2 clove(s) garlic, crushed with press
3 tablespoon(s) all-purpose flour
1 cup(s) lower-sodium chicken broth
1 can(s) (14.5-ounce) no-salt-added diced tomatoes, drained
Salt
Pepper
3 1/2 ounce(s) baked tortilla chips, crushed (1 1/2 cups)
2 cup(s) cooked shredded chicken breast meat
4 ounce(s) pepper Jack or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (2 cups)
1 green onion, thinly sliced, for garnish

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease shallow 3-quart baking dish. Microwave milk on High 2 minutes or until warm.
Meanwhile, in 12-inch skillet, heat oil on medium-high. Add onion, red pepper, and poblano and jalapeño chiles. Cook 4 minutes or until vegetables are just tender, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring.
Add flour and cook 1 minute, stirring. Continue stirring and add broth, then milk, in steady stream. Heat to boiling while stirring, then cook 3 minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly. Stir in tomatoes, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
Spread thin, even layer of sauce on bottom of prepared dish. Top with half of chips, sauce, chicken, and cheese. Repeat layering once.
Bake 30 minutes or until bubbling. Garnish with green onions.

Notes & Tips:
Ok so when I went to make this (a week after I had planned), I didn't have some of the ingredients anymore, so I had to improvise. I subbed fresh snow peas for the pepper, I subbed spinach for the peppers (which seemed a little spicy for my taste anyways). Also, I used the Lime flavored tortilla chips. I was pleasantly surprised at how good this turned out. It might be a good idea to use the 1% milk the call for, skim has a hard time thickening up.

Nutrition Facts:
Calories 365
Total Fat 18g
Saturated Fat 6g
Cholesterol 60mg
Sodium 535mg
Total Carbohydrate 30g
Dietary Fiber 3g
Protein 22g

Honey-Ginger Chicken with Orange Rice

Recipe Taken From:
Weight Watchers Cookbook

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cups Water
2/3 cup Fresh Orange Juice
1 cup Natural Long Grain
1 tbsp Parsley
1 tsp Orange Zest
1/2 cup Pecan Halves
1/4 cup Cornmeal, Whole-grain, White
1/4 tsp Black Pepper
1 tbsp Honey
1/2 tbsp Soy Sauce Light
1/2 tsp Fresh Ginger Root
4 (4 oz) Chicken Breasts (boneless,skinless)

Preparation:

In a medium saucepan, combine the water and orange juice; bring to a boil. Stir in the rice; reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork, then stir in the parsley and orange zest.

Meanwhile, spray a broiler rack with nonstick spray; preheat the broiler.

In a food processor, combine the pecans, cornmeal, and pepper until the nuts are finely ground. Transfer to a plate. In a shallow bowl, combine the honey, soy sauce, and ginger. Dip the chicken in the honey mixture, then roll it in the cornmeal mixture.

Broil the chicken 5 inches from the heat until crusty brown and cook through, about 4 minutes on each side. Serve with the rice.

Notes & Tips:

For a more even coating, after you've rolled the chicken breasts in the cornmeal mixture, spread the mixture with a knife. White cornmeal is a better choice than yellow when broiling; yellow is quicker to burn under direct heat, while white browns better. A small amount of nuts adds wonderful flavor and richness with only a little fat. If you prefer to avoid nuts, however, use wheat-and-barley cereal nuggets instead.

This was not my favorite recipe that I've ever made. Maybe it's just me but there wasn't enough salt (haha, which I'm sure weight watchers wouldn't appreciate) also, I added some spray butter to the rice, to me rice needs a fat when cooking (which again I'm sure weight watchers wouldn't appreciate). Meh, maybe if you try it it'll come out better.

Nutrition Facts:
Amount per Serving
Calories 363
Calories from Fat 111.0
Total Fat 12.33g
Saturated Fat 1.29g
Cholesterol 65mg
Sodium 183.41mg
Total Carbohydrate 38.75g
Dietary Fiber 2.1g
Sugars 8.14g
Protein 26.69g
7 points (if you're counting)

Mozzarella Eggplant Bake

Recipe Inspired From:
Taste of Home Cookbook, pg 383

Ingredients:

1 medium eggplant, peeled
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
5 teaspoons garlic salt
1 teaspoon pepper
3 eggs
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 cans (14 1/2oz each) stewed tomatoes
1 package (6 ounces) sliced part-skim mozzarella cheese

Preparation:

Cut eggplant into 1/4-in-thick slices. Place in a colander over a plate; sprinkle with salt. Let stand for 30 minutes. Rinse with cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
In a shallow bowl, combine the bread crumbs, garlic salt and pepper. In another shallow bowl, beat eggs. Dip eggplant slices into eggs, then coat with crumb mixture.
In a large skillet, cook eggplant in 2 tablespoons oil for 2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Transfer to an ungreased 13-in x9-in x2-in baking dish.
In the same skillet, saute the green peppers, onion and mushrooms in remaining oil for 5 minutes or until pepper and onion are crisp-tender. Sprinkle over eggplant. Top with tomatoes.
Bake, covered, at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Uncover, place cheese slices over the top. Bake 25-30 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Notes & Tips:
The original recipe called for about half less breading, it barely even covered half of the eggplant slices. I thought this was awesome! Mat and I have been doing one meatless meal a week for a while now. I really enjoy the challenge of finding hearty meatless meals that aren't totally carb. loaded. This one was a success!


Nutrition Facts:
1 serving (1 piece) equals 318 calories, 16 g fat (6 g saturated fat), 128 mg cholesterol, 1,609 mg sodium, 32 g carbohydrate, 5 g fiber, 14 g protein.

Cilantro Shrimp

Recipe Adapted From:
Cooking Light Magazine
August 2010

Ingredients:

* 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
* 3 cups (1-inch) slices green onions
* 2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
* 5 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
* 3 1/2 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce
* 1/2 teaspoon sambal oelek (ground fresh chile paste) or hot sauce
* 2 cups chopped fresh cilantro
* 3 cups hot cooked brown rice

Preparation:

1. Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat; add oil to pan, swirling to coat. Add onions, ginger, and garlic to pan; stir-fry 1 minute. Add shrimp; stir-fry 2 minutes. Stir in soy sauce and chile paste; stir-fry 1 minute or until shrimp are done. Remove pan from heat; add cilantro, stirring constantly until cilantro wilts. Serve over rice.

Notes & Tips:
I changed a few things in the ingredients, for example, I didn't have any of that crazy hot sauce they mention, I just used red pepper flakes. Also, I didn't have any brown rice so I used a box of wild rice. I didn't have any green onions or fresh ginger, so I omited the onions and used ground ginger instead. I thought it turned out great. Pretty spicy, which I liked.

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 356
Fat: 6.9g (sat 1.2g,mono 2.3g,poly 2.8g)
Protein: 29g
Carbohydrate: 44.3g
Fiber: 5.1g
Cholesterol: 172mg
Iron: 5.1mg

Hamburger Buddy

Recipe Taken From:
www.eatingwell.com

Ingredients:

• 3 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
• 2 medium carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 10 ounces white mushrooms, large ones cut in half
• 1 large onion, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 pound 90%-lean ground beef
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 cups water
• 1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium beef broth, divided
• 8 ounces whole-wheat elbow noodles, (2 cups)
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Preparation:

1. Fit a food processor with the steel blade attachment. With the motor running, drop garlic through the feed tube and process until minced, then add carrots and mushrooms and process until finely chopped. Turn it off, add onion, and pulse until roughly chopped.
2. Cook beef in a large straight-sided skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the chopped vegetables, thyme, salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables start to soften and the mushrooms release their juices, 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Stir in water, 1 1/2 cups broth, noodles and Worcestershire sauce; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Whisk flour with the remaining 1/4 cup broth in a small bowl until smooth; stir into the hamburger mixture. Stir in the sour cream. Simmer, stirring often, until the sauce is thickened, about 2 minutes. Serve sprinkled with parsley (or chives), if desired.

Notes & Tips:

This is incredible! I know I say that alot but seriously PARENTS! this is just like hamburger helper but has a TON of veggies. It looks just like hamburger helper. It tastes richer too, but the nutrition facts are great. Also, the food processed veggies, turn out looking like meat. I served this with a salad.

Nutrition Facts:

Serves 6

Per serving: 326 calories; 10 g fat (4 g sat, 3 g mono); 54 mg cholesterol; 38 g carbohydrates; 23 g protein; 4 g fiber; 431 mg sodium; 644 mg potassium.

Rosemary Dijon Pork Loin

Recipe Taken From:
Food Network

Ingredients:

* 1 (4-pound) boneless pork loin
* 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
* 2 tablespoons chopped red onion
* 2 teaspoons kosher salt
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1 clove garlic, minced
* 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped rosemary leaves, plus a few sprigs for garnish

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Trim any excess fat from the pork loin, leaving a thin-layer of fat over the top.

Evenly rub the entire pork loin with the Dijon mustard followed by the onion, salt, pepper, and garlic. Make sure to really rub in the spices, and then sprinkle the rosemary evenly all over the top. Place the pork in roasting pan lined with a rack and roast for 20 minutes.

Reduce the temperature to 300 degrees F, and continue roasting until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part reads 145 degrees F, about 1 hour more. Transfer the pork to a cutting board, cover loosely with foil, and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice and pork and arrange on a platter garnished with rosemary sprigs.

Notes & Tips:
I served this with roasted brussel sprouts. Not bad at all if you like rosemary (which I'm crazy about). I wish there was some kind of sauce that could go with it. Not that the pork is dry, but just that I feel like I should dip it in something.

Nutrition Facts:
Serves 8 4oz servings
Calories 329
Fat 12
Carbohydrates 1.2
Fiber 0.47

Crumb-Coated Chicken Thighs

Recipe Adapted From:
www.allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

* 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1 teaspoon paprika
* 1 teaspoon chili powder
* 1 teaspoon curry powder
* 1/4 teaspoon pepper
* 8 (5 ounce) chicken thighs, skin removed

Preparation:

1. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the first seven ingredients. Add chicken, a few pieces at a time, and shake to coat. Place on a baking sheet coated with nonstick cooking spray. Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes. Turn chicken pieces; bake 15-20 minutes longer or until a meat thermometer reads 180 degrees F.

Notes & Tips:
The original recipe calls for regular dry bread crumbs, I'm sure it would be very tasty. I didn't have any in my cupboard so I used what I had. I also substituted Chipolate Chili Powder for regular since I had that too. I served this with a side of Savory Mushrooms, which I will be posting tomorrow.

Nutrition Facts:
One serving (2 chicken thighs) equals 323 calories, 16 g fat (4 g saturated fat), 131 mg cholesterol, 774 mg sodium, 6 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 37 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 5 lean meat, 1/2 starch.

Stewed Beef, Tomatoes and Okra

Recipe Taken From:
Rachael Ray Magazine, October 2010

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups rice
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds beef sirloin, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• Salt and pepper
• 1 onion, chopped
• One 28-ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
• One 16-ounce bag frozen cut okra
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley

Preparation:
1.In a medium saucepan, combine the rice and 3 cups water. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook over medium-low heat until the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.

2.While the rice is cooking, in a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Season the beef with salt and pepper. Working in batches, add the beef and cook until browned, about 2 minutes; transfer to a bowl. Lower the heat to medium, add the onion and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pot and cook until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, okra and beef broth; bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, then lower the heat and simmer until thickened, about 15 minutes. Return the beef and any juices to the pot and stir in the parsley. Serve with the rice.

Notes & Tips:

As with most Rachael Ray recipes, I think they come out pretty bland, so I know that I need to add some extra spices, garlic, cumin, chiplotle chili powder. Add heat by stirring in a chopped canned chipotle chile with the tomatoes in Step 2.
Double the stew and let the leftovers cool completely before freezing in an airtight container for up to 1 month.

Nutrition Facts:
Serves 4: 397 calories, 12g fat, 28g carbs, 18g protein

Poached Eggs and Asparagus

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs
• 1 cube chicken bouillon (optional)
• 1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed
• 4 slices whole wheat bread
• 4 slices Cheddar cheese
• 1 tablespoon butter
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1.Fill a saucepan half way full of water. Bring to a boil and stir in the bouillon cube until dissolved. Crack one egg into a measuring cup or large spoon and gently slip it into the boiling water. Repeat with remaining eggs. Simmer for about 5 minutes over medium heat. Remove with a slotted spoon and keep warm
2.Meanwhile, Place the asparagus into a saucepan and fill with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook until asparagus is tender, about 4 minutes. Drain.
3.Toast the bread to your desired darkness. Spread butter onto each piece of toast. Top with a slice of cheese, then a poached egg and finally, asparagus. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Notes & Tips:


Nutrition Facts:
Serves 4
Calories: 306 Total Fat: 18.4g Cholesterol: 249mg

Easy Baked Pasta

Recipe Taken From:
Shape Magazine, September 2010

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole-wheat penne pasta
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 cups baby spinach
• 3 cups diced tomatoes, divided
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• pinch of salt
• 3/4 cup shredded lowfat cheddar cheese, divided

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In large pot of boiling water, cook penne pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and stir until fragrant. Add spinach and 2 cups of tomato; cook for 4 minutes or until spinach is wilted.

In a medium bowl' combine remaining 1 cup of tomato, herbs and salt. Transfer the cooked tomato mixture to the bowl and stir well. Add drained pasta to tomato mixture and combine thoroughly. Stir in 1/2 cup of the cheese.

Spray bottom of baking dish with cooking spray. Pour pasta mixture into dish. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes, then remove from oven and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup of cheese. Bake until cheese melts, about 5 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Notes & Tips:

I served this with a greens salad. You could add cooked chicken to the pasta if you wanted some meat. This dish was surprisingly easy to make and was pretty darn tasty. If you make this one night you can save the left overs of 2 cans of tomatoes for tomorrow's dish!

Nutrition Facts:

Serves 4; (serving size 2 1/2 cups): 338 calories, 10g fat, 8g fiber

Chicken and Glass Noodle Salad

Recipe Taken From:
Cooking Light Magazine, August 2010

Ingredients:

• 1 (3.75-ounce) package uncooked bean threads (cellophane noodles)
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 cups shredded skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast
• 1/2 cup matchstick-cut or grated carrot
• 1/2 cup red bell pepper strips
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
• 1/2 cup chopped unsalted dry-roasted peanuts
• 1 tbsp sesame oil

Preparation:
1. Place noodles in a large bowl. Cover with very hot tap water, and let stand 15 minutes.

2. While noodles soak, combine vinegar and next 4 ingredients, stirring until sugar dissolves. Combine chicken and next 5 ingredients (through mint), tossing well.

3. Drain and rinse noodles with cold water; drain well, squeezing to remove excess water. Snip noodles several times with kitchen shears. Combine noodles and chicken mixture, tossing well to combine. Drizzle noodle mixture with vinegar mixture; toss well to coat. Top with peanuts.

Notes & Tips:
I decided against using the peanuts, I don't really know why but I don't think they really would add anything to the dish. It also needed salt, which I used garlic salt. I really enjoyed this light, low cooking recipe. Also, I didn't have any rotisserie chicken, so I just steam cooked some chicken breasts and shredded them.

Nutritional Information:
Calories:346
Fat:11.7g (sat 2g,mono 5.4g,poly 3.5g)
Protein:27.1g
Carbohydrate:34.1g
Fiber:2.4g
Cholesterol:60mg
Iron:2.1mg
Sodium:589mg
Calcium:44mg

Havarti-Stuffed Chicken

Recipe Adapted From:
Real Simple Magazine, August 2010

Ingredients:

• 4 6oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 4 oz dill Havarti cheese
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp dried dill
• cooking spray

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut a pocket in each chicken breast. Dividing evenly, stuff with cheese, close pocket. Season with salt, pepper and dill. Cook in oven for 40 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Notes & Tips:

YUM! I love Havarti cheese and this chicken was just delish. All of my cheese fell out of my chicken, which was just fine I just scooped it back into the pocket. I served this with Parmesan noodles.

Nutrition Facts:

334 calories, 17g fat, 0g carbs, 39g protein

Prosciutto and Melon Pasta Salad

Recipe Taken From:
Cooking Light Magazine, August 2010

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces uncooked legume-based farfalle pasta (such as Barilla Plus)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped
• 2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup baby arugula
• 3/4 cup diced cantaloupe
• 1/4 cup thinly vertically sliced shallots
• 2 tablespoons torn mint leaves
• 2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into 2-inch-long strips
• 1 ounce shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Preparation:
1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain; cool to room temperature.

2. Combine lemon juice and next 6 ingredients (through garlic) in a food processor; process to blend. With processor on, slowly pour olive oil through food chute; process for 15 seconds or until blended.

3. Combine cooled pasta, arugula, cantaloupe, shallots, mint, and prosciutto in a large bowl. Drizzle the dressing over salad just before serving, and toss gently to coat. Top salad with cheese.

Notes & Tips:
Well this was different, I'm not really sure I liked it. I think the combination of melon and pasta. The textures didn't mix well. I did like the dressing, and I love prosciutto.

Nutritional Information
Serves 4
Calories:357
Fat:12.8g (sat 2.9g,mono 7.5g,poly 1.6g)
Protein:16.8g
Carbohydrate:44.3g
Fiber:4.7g
Cholesterol:13mg
Iron:2.5mg
Sodium:518mg
Calcium:134mg

Glazed Pork with Strawberry Couscous

Recipe Taken From:
Healthy Cooking, Taste of Home Cooking

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons dried marjoram
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon seasoned pepper
• 1 bone-in pork loin roast (5 pounds)
• 1/2 cup seedless strawberry jam
• 1/4 cup orange juice, divided
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) chicken broth
• 1 package (10 ounces) plain couscous
• 1 cup fresh strawberries, quartered
• 1/4 cup minced fresh mint
• 2 teaspoons grated orange peel, rest of orange squeezed

Preparation:
Line the bottom of a large shallow roasting pan with foil; set aside. Combine the marjoram, salt and pepper; rub over roast. Place in pan. Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 1 hour.

Combine jam and 1/4 cup orange juice; brush half over pork. Bake 20-30 minutes longer or until a meat thermometer reads 160°, basting with remaining jam mixture every 10 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring broth to a boil. Stir in couscous. Cover and remove from the heat; let stand for 5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork; stir in the strawberries, mint, orange peel and squeezed orange juice. Serve with pork. Yield: 10 servings.

Notes & Tips:
I didn't have any marjoram, so I substituted oregano since it's in the same family. Also, I didn't use the mint, but I'm sure it would have tasted great with it. And let me tell you, OH MY GOD, strawberry couscous is incredible! This looks like it takes alot of talent, but it's really simple and tastes wonderful.

Nutrition Facts:
4 ounces cooked meat with 1/2 cup couscous mixture equals 383 calories, 11 g fat (4 g saturated fat), 92 mg cholesterol, 493 mg sodium, 35 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 36 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 4 lean meat, 2 starch, 1 fat.

Apricot-Pineapple Glazed Shrimp

Recipe adapted from:

Healthy Cooking, Taste of Home

Ingredients:

• 1 cup apricot preserves
• 1/4 cup dried apricots
• 1/4 of a red onion
• 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2lb uncooked, peeled and deveined extra large shrimp
• 2 cups fresh cubed pineapple
• 1 medium sweet bell pepper, chopped

Preparation:

1. Place first 7 ingredients in a food processor. Cover and process until well blended; set aside half of sauce for serving.

2. In large wok skillet pour in the other half of the sauce. Turn on med. high heat, stir in sweet bell pepper. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stir in pineapple and shrimp. Cook until shrimp are no longer pink. Serve with rice, and top with sauce.

Notes & Tips:

This tasted just like Chinese pineapple shrimp. Very yummy. Of course I served this with couscous. I really really liked this recipe.

Nutrition Facts:

Serves 4: 330 calories, 4g fat, 48g carbs, 21g protein