Main Dishes

 Lemon Herb Roasted Chicken


Pretty easy, I must say.
Here's how it was done:

4.8 lb chicken
Fresh Thyme - 1 TBSP
Fresh Sage - 1 TBSP
Fresh Parsley - 2-TBSP
Brown & Brummel butter - 5 TBSP
One whole lemon
Small box low sodium chicken broth
Cauliflower - 1/2 head
Carrots - handful of baby carrots
Red Onion - 1/4 of onion slivers
Garlic cloves - 3 large
salt and pepper to taste


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. I recommend using a roasting pan with a grate. Chop veggies and onions, crush garlic and toss in bottom of pan. Mix butter, herbs and juice of one lemon in a bowl, add in desired amount of salt and pepper. Be sure to add some though! Rinse chicken inside and out (be sure to remove giblet bag!!) then pat dry with paper towels. Place grate in pan and chicken on grate. This is where you have to be brave, using your fingers seperate the skin from the breast. Rub most of butter mixture inside on the breast. place some inside bird and rub the rest on the outside. Place lemon in the pan and pour in chicken stock. Place in the oven and cook as directed, about 20 minutes per pound.  Baste every 20 minutes or so and rotate half way through cooking. If you notice the top browning more than you like cover with foil then continue cooking.

Once chicken has reached internal temperature of 175-180 degrees. Take out of the oven and let it rest. Use this time to scoop out the roasted veggies into a serving platter. Remove chicken to carving board. Place pan on burners and turn to medium low heat. Add one tablespoon of butter, one tablespoon of flour, and half tablespoon of dijon mustard. Salt and pepper to taste.Whisk well. When it bubbles reduce to simmer and whisk often. Carve your birdie, serve with veggies and some of the lemon dijon gravy.





The Herbacious Red Pepper Burger

This burger is so good I could cry. It is only 135 calories. Add the onion bun for another 140 calories and you have a totally satisfying burger for only 275 calories!

Here's the recipe:
96/4 Ground beef - 1 lb
Red peppers - .25 Cup minced
Garlic - 1 clove minced
Fresh Basil - 1 TBSP
Rosemary - 1 TBSP
Parsley - 1/2 TBSP
Worcestershire - 2 tsp

Mix all the ingredients gently. Just make four equal patties and broil on low for about 6-8 minutes. Flip them over and broil another 4-6 minutes, depending on how you like your burger cooked. This burger hits the mark for those cravings!


Fishy Burritos with Dill Sauce and Pickled Onions

228 calories for one burrito!

Here's the recipe(s):
Tilapia -7.8 oz ( I used a frozen packaged fillet)
Whole Wheat Tortillas - 4

Pickled Onions:
Red onion - half a medium size onion
water - 1 Cup
Red Wine Vinegar - 1 Cup
Kosher salt - 1 TBSP
Splenda Sugar - 1 TBSP
Cayenne - 1/4 tsp

Dill Sauce:
Non fat plain yogurt - 4 oz
Dill blend seasoning - 1 tsp
Dill relish - 1 TBSP

First put all the pickled onion components together and let them hang out while you prepare the rest of the meal. Bake fish as directed, you may want to season it and lightly brush with evoo. While fish is baking mix together the ingredients for the dill sauce. Feel free to add a little salt and pepper to season up your sauce. Once fish is ready set aside and place tortillas on a sheet pan under the broiler for a couple of minutes. Flip halfway through. You must babysit these tortillas. They will burn quickly. Once they are ready distribute the sauce and onions equally across the middle of the tortilla. The fish should be cool enough to handle. Flake it apart and equally spread across the four burritos. Roll once then fold in the sides and then roll the rest of way. Place seam side down on the plate. Garnish with a little fresh tomato and lettuce or a little of your favorite salsa!



Pineapple Chipotle Burger

Another successful burger for my husband! I enjoyed it too!
182 calories for one 4 oz burger!

Here's the recipe:
96/4 Ground beef - 1 lb
Worcestershire - 1 TBSP
McCormick's low sodium steak seasoning - 1 TBSP
Pineapple chunks - 1/2 Cup
Chipotle (in adobo sauce)- 1 pepper, seeded

Mix ground beef, steak seasoning and half worcestershire sauce and make four patties. Place under broiler on low for four minutes. In the meantime, mix the pineapple, with juice, the other half of the worcestershire and the seeded chipotle, minced almost into a paste. (to seed just cut the pepper in half and scrape out the inside seeds. Then mince pepper) Flip burgers and place back under low broiler for another 3-4 minutes. When serving just pile on one fourth the yummy pineapple sauce. My husband enjoyed his with some barbecue sauce and some spicy dipping sauce. (see recipe for Spicy Dipping Sauce)


The Mighty Meaty Pizza

Everyone craves a good slice of pizza sometimes. This variation is satisfying and can be reproduced in as many ways as your heart desires! This pizza is 151 calories a slice. Makes 12 slices.

Here's the recipe:
Pillsbury Thin Pizza Crust - 1 container
All natural Pizza Sauce - .8 Cup (more or less if you like)
Part Skim Shredded Mozzarella - 1.5 Cup
Green Peppers - 2 TBSP (minced)
Fresh Basil - 5 leaves - julianned
Garlic Powder - 1 TBSP
Deli Ham - 4 oz - Cut into thin bite size pieces
Turkey bacon - 3.5 slices crumbled
Pineapple - 1/4 Cup chunks

Follow instructions for pizza crust. (requires a prebake at 350 degrees for five minutes) I sprinkled half of the garlic on the crust before prebake. Do all your chopping and dicing during this time. Once pizza crust is ready to be loaded I put on the sauce, half of the cheese, all the meats, green peppers, and pineapple. I top with the rest of the cheese then the herbs. Bake for another 8-10 minutes until cheese is melted. Slice once down the length and fives times across width for 12 servings.


 Sage Sausage Gravy

A staple in the southern kitchen. Here's a little less "soulful" version.
Serves 4-6.
Serving 4 - 158 calories
Serving 6 - 105 calories

Here's the recipe:
Sage Sausage - 4 oz
Brown and Brummel butter - 1.5 TBSP
Flour - 1.5 TBSP
Fat Free milk - 1.5 Cup
Sugar - .5 TBSP
Sage - 1 tsp (ground dried)
Pepper - 1 tsp

Over medium heat brown the sausage then add butter and flour. Stir vigorously scrapping the bottom for the sausage bits. Let it cook for a minute or so then add a splash of the milk. Stir or whisk until blended in well. It will look very thick. Slowly add in the rest of milk, pepper, sugar and sage. Mix well until it begins to bubble. Reduce to low and keep stirring until it looks creamy. Serve over a biscuit (adding 100-180 calories - remember!)


Bacon and Ham Crepes

A filling filling for your crepes! Crepe and filling clock in at 180 calories each!

Here's the recipe:
Crepes - 4
Turkey bacon - 3 slices
Deli ham - 2.5 ounces diced
Green peppers - .25 Cup finely diced or minced
Red onion - 2 TBSP minced
Garlic - 1 Clove minced
Fat free butter milk - .25 Cup
Light cream cheese -2 TBSP
Part Skim shredded mozzarella - 1/4 Cup
Oregano - 3 tsp
Basil - 1 TBSP
Extra virgin olive oil - 1 TBSP

First cook bacon over medium heat in skillet until crispy. Remove to paper towel. When cool enough to handle dice the bacon and leave on the side. Add EVOO, peppers and onions and sautee until soft. Next add garlic, diced ham, and 2 tsp of basil. Cook until ham just begins to crisp. Remove from heat or turn to low. In a small sauce pan add cream cheese and buttermilk. Whisk until smooth and begins to come to a rolling boil over medium heat. Then reduce to low and whisk in Mozzarella and 2 tsp of oregano. Add salt and pepper to taste. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In an 8x8 casserole dish spoon just a little of the cheese sauce down over bottom of dish. Now, take a crepe and spoon just about a TBSP of cheese sauce in middle (you should have a little sauce left to top the crepes). Do this with all four crepes. Evenly distribute the bacon, ham and pepper mixture between all four crepes. It isn't a burrito, don't fold in the ends, just tightly, but gently roll the crepes and place in dish.
Spoon the remainder of the sauce over the crepes and remainder of the oregano and basil. Bake for about ten minutes, just warming the crepe and making the top cheese yummy. My husband added a little fat free sour cream to top his crepes. Enjoy!!

Les Crepes!


Easier than you think! Makes 12 @ 55 Calories each!

Here's the recipe:
Egg beaters - 1/2 Cup
Fat free milk - 3/4 Cup
Water - 1/2 Cup
All purpose flour - 1 Cup
Brummel and Brown Butter - 3 TBSP

First mix all the ingredients together, yes, at once, using a hand mixer. Cover and place in fridge for an hour minimum. After batter rests, take it out and heat an 8 inch non stick skillet over medium low to low setting. Spray generously with fat free cooking spray. Using a 1/4 cup measure fill measure just under full. Pick up skillet and pour the batter in a circular motion in center of skillet while turning the skillet. Rotate skillet fairly quickly until batter is spread evenly around. What you are trying to do is just lightly and evenly cover the bottom of skillet. Place back on burner and let it cook until the top looks opaque and the sides slightly begin to pull away. Gently using a non stick rubber spatula begin lifting the sides. Work all the way around working inward until you are able to turn crepe. The first WILL BREAK! It is written in the skies! Don't worry. Just keep going. After crepe is cooked, just a bit browned, place on wax paper. Do not stack the crepes unless you place wax paper between each one. You can refrigerate or even freeze left overs!


Open Faced Reubens


After St. Paddy's Day I was duly inspired to create a healthier version of this classic. Easy easy easy. All about portions!

Boar's Head Corned Beef - 2.5 ounces
Pumpernickle bread - 1 slice
Low cal Thousand island - 1 TBSP (if that, recipe below)
Baby Swiss - 1 slice
Saurkraut - 2 ounces

I just warmed the saurkraut and corned beef through and toasted the bread. Slather on the dressing then place the beef, saurkraut and cheese on top. Place under broiler on high for about 15-30 seconds. Enjoy!!

Low fat thousand island:
1.5 TBSP Light Miracle Whip
1.5 tsp Ketchup
1 Dill sandwich stacker pickle - minced

Mix together...done.

Potato and Pepper Frittata

Serves 6 and only 182 calories!

Here's the recipe:

Egg beaters - .5 Cup
Eggs - 4
Extra virgin olive oil - 3 TBSP
Green peppers - .5 Cup chopped
Red peppers - .5 Cup chopped
Red onion- .2 Cup diced
Fresh Rosemary - 1 TBSP
Fresh Thyme - 2 tsp
Fresh Parsley - 1 TBSP
Fat free half and half - 1/4 Cup
Light Cream cheese - 2 TBSP (must be room temp)
Baby Swiss - 2 Slices cubed

I used the old cast iron skillet for this one. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Add two TBSP extra virgin olive oil to skillet and saute the peppers and onions. Add in one diced potato and another TBSP of oil. Salt and pepper to taste. While that cooks through (stir often) mix egg beaters, eggs, little salt and pepper, half and half, rosemary and thyme. Add in cream cheese and whisk until blended. Once potatoes are softened pour mixture over. Stir through a little, like you were making scrambled eggs. You're just trying to make sure there is even coverage on the bottom. Sprinkle parsley and swiss over the top. When the sides of the fritatta start to pull away from the skillet put in the oven. Bake for about 8-10 minutes. Check on it! You are looking for the top to be cooked, no loose egg on top. After cooking let it sit for a few minutes before cutting. Serve with half of the Simple Salad. With salad only 242 calorie meal!! Without 182. Enjoy!!



Meatless Lasagna

Serves 4
Only 360 Calories per serving

Here's the recipe:
Low fat ricotta - .75 Cup
Part Skim Shredded Mozzarella - 1 Cup
Parmesan (shredded) - .5
Oregano -2tsp + 1 tsp
Basil - 1 TBSP
Garlic Powder - 1 TBSP
Red Onion - .25 Cup
Red peppers - .5 Cup diced
Green pepper - .5 Cup diced
Garlic cloves - 4 minced
Cayenne - .5 tsp
Splenda Sugar substitute - 1 TBSP
Crushed tomatoes - 2.5 Cups (one large can is 3.5 Cup, prepare all but save extra for another time)
Lasagna noodles - 5
Extra virgin olive oil - 1 TBSP

Begin by placing noodles in a large bowl of extremely hot water. Set aside. Saute veggies over medium heat in EVOO. Once softened add garlic. Add tomatoes, 2 tsp of oregano, all the basil, sugar, cayenne, and garlic powder.Cover and let simmer. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Taste sauce for salt and pepper and season to taste. Spread about 1/4 cup of sauce in the bottom of an 8x8 baking dish. Once noodles are pliable break them to fit into dish. You will only have two layers of noodles. Then cover with 1 1/4 Cup of sauce. Using a tablespoon "dollop" half of the ricotta around. Use half the mozzarella and parmesan and spread evenly. Cover with remaining noodles, placing them in opposite direction of previous layer. Ladle another cup of sauce and repeat with cheeses. Sprinkle remaining teaspoon of oregano over the top. Cover with foil and bake 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10-15 minutes. Let stand before serving for a few minutes.



Ali's Shrimp Alfredo

Only 489 calories per serving!

Here's the recipe: (serves 2)

Alfredo Sauce:
Fat Free Half and Half - 1 Cup
Light Margarine - 2 TBSP
Shredded Parmesan - 1/4 Cup
Garlic cloves - 4 crushed
Salt and pepper - dashes of both
246 calories per serving

Whole Grain pasta ( I used Spaghetti instead of fettuccini - less actual pasta) - 4 oz
190 calories

Shrimp - peeled and deveined cocktail shrimp (about 8 cut up into pieces)
53 calories

Melt the butter over medium heat and add the half and half, salt and pepper, and four cloves crushed. Bring to a boil. As soon as it bubbles add parmesan and whisk quickly. Lower heat and put a TBSP of corn starch in separate bowl (I just used measuring cup from half and half). Then spoon a little of the hot cream sauce into the bowl. Mix well then whisk into sauce. Let hang out for 5-10 minutes on low stirring frequently, until it thickens.
Cut up and warm shrimp in a small saute pan quickly with seasonings of your choice. Creole is good here. Grab your favorite pasta bowl and add pasta, sauce and shrimp.
Portion control is key here!!

Turkey Meatloaf

Serves 4
306 calories per serving


Here's the recipe:
Ground turkey 93/7 - 1 lb
Green Pepper - .5 Cup diced
Red onion - .25 Cup diced
Egg - 1
Bread crumbs - .25-.5 Cup (this is where the calories fluctuate)
Milk - .2 Cup
Ketchup -2 Tbsp
Mustard - 2 tsp
Balsamic Vinegar - 1 Tbsp
Worcestershire -2 tsp
Rosemary - 1 Tbsp (dried)
Thyme - 1 Tbsp (dried)
Kosher salt - 1 tsp
Black pepper - 1 tsp
Extra virgin olive oil - 1 Tbsp

Begin by sauteing the oil, onion and peppers over medium until tender. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl mix together the ketchup, balsamic vinegar, worcestershire, brown sugar and mustard. Set aside. In another bowl lightly mix rosemary, thyme, salt, pepper, milk, and egg. Gently mix in the onions, peppers, bread crumbs and turkey. Do not over mix. If mixture is too wet add another 1/4 cup of bread crumbs a little at a time. Pour in half of ketchup mixture. Mold the meat into a loaf shape on a cookie sheet. Pour remaining ketchup mixture over the top and lightly cover with foil. Place in oven for 10 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking for another 15-20 minutes or until cooked through. Ovens do vary. Remember serving sizes!! Cut into six pieces.

Homemade Sloppy Joes

Here's the recipe: (serves 4: 272 calories per serving)

92/8 Ground Beef - 1 lb
Red pepper - .25 Cup diced
Red Onion - .2 Cup diced
Ketchup (Try No High fructose corn syrup) - 1 Cup
Dill Sandwich Stuffers - 3 Slices minced
Spicy mustard - 2 tsp
Worcestershire - 1Tbsp
Cayenne - 1/4 -1/2 tsp (your preference)
Brown Sugar - .5 Tbsp
Red wine vinegar - .5 Tbsp
Tomato paste - 1 Tbsp
Extra Virgin olive oil - 1 Tbsp
Salt and pepper to taste

Saute onions and peppers in olive oil over medium heat in skillet. When softened add ground beef and cayenne, salt, pepper, and worcestershire. Just brown the meat and add ketchup, tomato paste, mustard, red wine vinegar. Mix together well. Then add brown sugar and pickles. Cover and simmer for about 5-10 minutes on low. Serve on a bun or just along side a handful of your favorite baked chips and fruit for a fun family dinner.


Buttermilk Pancakes

Here's the recipe: (makes about 10 pancakes, 1/4 C measure each. Each cake is 88 calories!)

Dry ingredients:
All purpose flour - 1 1/4
Splenda Sugar - 2 TBSP
Baking powder - 2tsp
Baking soda - 1/4 tsp
Kosher salt - 1/4 tsp
Cinnamon - 1/2 tsp
Nutmeg - 1/4 tsp
Wet ingredients:
Buttermilk - 1 Cup
Unsweetened applesauce - 1/2 Cup
Vegetable oil - 1 TBSP
Vanilla extract - 1 tsp
Egg Beaters - 1/4 Cup
Light butter - 1 TBSP

Combine all your dry ingredients and set aside. In another bowl combine all your wet ingredients, except for the butter! Then mix wet into dry.
Preheat oven to 200 degrees and place cookie sheet inside. Make sure your non stick skillet is on medium to low heat. Take a little of the butter and just rub it around the skillet. Immediately measure out 1/4 Cup batter and pour into skillet. It needs only a minute or so before flipping. Look for popping bubbles on surface. As soon as they are visible carefully flip. Give it another minute or so and flip to check for that golden color. Then remove with spatula to the warm oven while you prepare the rest.
Add a little, I mean a little, light syrup, maybe a tablespoon to two pancakes for a filling 226 calorie meal.

Shepherds Pie

Here's the recipe: (4) 318 calories per serving!!

Lean ground beef 96/4 - 1lbRed pepper - .25 cup
Green pepper -.25 cup 
Red onion - .25 cup
carrots (diced small) - .5 cup (we don't care for peas so we upped the carrots)
Celery - 1 long stalk dicedGarlic - 2 cloves minced
Worcestershire -1 tbsp
McCormick's Montreal Steak seasoning (25% less sodium) - 1/2 tbsp
Dried rosemary - 1/2 TBSP
Dried Thyme - 1/2 TBSP
Beef Broth - 1-Cup
Yukon Gold potatoes - 3 medium diced (for mashing)
Light butter-1TBSP
Fat free milk - .25 Cup
salt and pepper to taste
paprika - sprinkle on top of potatoes

Saute the veggies in the olive oil in dutch oven over medium to low heat.
When softened add garlic. Give it a minute to cook together then add ground beef and seasonings. Only add salt and pepper in pinches at this point.
Add worcestershire and beef broth. Bring to a boil with a lid slightly opened.
Meanwhile boil potatoes in lightly salted water.
As soon a potatoes are ready drain them and let them hang out in pot while you pour meat mixture into casserole dish.
Add the milk and butter, salt and pepper to taste as you mash potatoes.
Pour mashed potatoes over meat and sprinkle with paprika. Sprinkle with parsley for decoration (and it aides in digestion!)
Place under low broiler until top is slightly browned. This filling meal weighs in at 318 calories

Chicken Hash

Here's the recipe:
(serves 4)
One roasted chicken (I used Lemon pepper from kroger Deli)
(I got roughly 12 oz of meat)
Red peppers - .5 Cup
...Green pepper -.5 Cup
Red onion - .25 Cup
Dill pickles (sandwich slices)- 1.5 slices
Kethcup - .5 Cup
Grey Poupon - 2 tsp
worcestershire - 2 tsp
Honey BBQ sauce (kroger brand) - 1 TBSP
brown Sugar - 1 TBSP
Red wine vinegar - 2 tsp
Cayenne- 1/4 tsp
Extra virgin Olive oil - 1 TBSP
Kosher salt -1/4 tsp

Saute the peppers and onions in the EVOO. While that is working at medium low heat, begin pulling all the meat off the chicken. Discard bones and undesirable parts. (I use the bones for homemade chicken stock later). Use a knife to dice up large pieces of chicken into small bite size pieces.
Add chicken to the peppers and onions. Add salt and then all other ingredients. Mix thoroughly on low heat.
Serve on toasted bun or all alone. It's delicious either way!

 Bacon Jalapeno Burgers

Ground beef 92/8 - 1 lb

Diced jalapeno's - .25 cup
...
Turkey bacon - 4 slices

Fat free shredded cheddar -1/4 Cup

I cook the bacon and dice it up, then mix in all the other ingredients, except cheese. lightly mix. make four patties then place under the broiler on low. it takes about 8-10 minutes depending on how you like them cooked. As soon as you pull the burgers out sprinkle a little cheese on top. (Fat free cheese doesn't melt much, so don't worry)

I enjoy this burger with a little ketchup, mustard and pickle...no bun. Also a little salad of arugala, cranraisins, few slices of granny smith apple and a tablespoon of fat free italian dressing. Yummo!!