Guilt-Free Lasagna

submitted by Michelle


Ingredients:



9 lasagna noodles

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 medium zucchini, sliced

1 medium eggplant, sliced

2 (28 oz.) cans crushed tomatoes

1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

16 ounces part-skim ricotta cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup grated mozzarella cheese





Instructions:

1. Prepare the lasagna noodles according to directions. When cooked through, set aside on paper towels to dry.

2. Sauté the onions and garlic in the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sliced mushrooms, zucchini and eggplant, and cook until tender. Mix in the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. Season with spices. Simmer for five to 10 minutes.

3. In a small bowl mix together the ricotta and Parmesan cheeses.

4. Evenly coat the bottom of a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish with about a half cup of the sauce. Remove another half-cup of the sauce and set aside.

5. To assemble the lasagna: Top the sauce in the baking dish with an even layer of noodles, cutting to fit the pan if necessary. Spread half of the cheese mixture over the lasagna noodles. Then layer with half of the remaining sauce mixture. Repeat.

6. Top the final layer of noodles with the reserved half-cup of sauce. Sprinkle with grated mozzarella cheese.

7. Cover with tin foil and bake in a 350°F oven for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 20 minutes until the cheese has browned.



Serves: 9

Low Guilt Lasagna

Submitted by Michelle

9 whole wheat lasagna noodles

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 medium zucchini, sliced

1 medium eggplant, sliced

2 (28 oz.) cans crushed tomatoes

1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

16 ounces part-skim ricotta cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

Instructions:

1. Prepare the lasagna noodles according to directions. When cooked through, set aside on paper towels to dry.

2. Sauté the onions and garlic in the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sliced mushrooms, zucchini and eggplant, and cook until tender. Mix in the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. Season with spices. Simmer for five to 10 minutes.

3. In a small bowl mix together the ricotta and Parmesan cheeses.

4. Evenly coat the bottom of a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish with about a half cup of the sauce. Remove another half-cup of the sauce and set aside.

5. To assemble the lasagna: Top the sauce in the baking dish with an even layer of noodles, cutting to fit the pan if necessary. Spread half of the cheese mixture over the lasagna noodles. Then layer with half of the remaining sauce mixture. Repeat.

6. Top the final layer of noodles with the reserved half-cup of sauce. Sprinkle with grated mozzarella cheese.

7. Cover with tin foil and bake in a 350°F oven for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 20 minutes until the cheese has browned.
Serves: 9
Nutrition Content (per serving):

329 calories, 11 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 45 g carbohydrates, 10 g fiber, 21 g protein, 619 mg sodium, 400 mg calcium

Tropical Chicken Shish Kabobs

submitted by Michelle

Ingredients

1.5 lbs chicken large cubes

1 cup large pineapple chunks

1 cup strawberries

1 sliced bell pepper

Marinade

• 1 cup pineapple juice
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ginger powder
• 1/4 teaspoon powdered cloves

brown rice

Marinade chicken & veggies (in seperate containers) overnight.  Alternate on skewers and freeze.  Thaw and place on grill until cooked.

Chicken Green Chile Casserole - WW

submitted by: Michelle

This dinner makes 6 generous helpings which can be added to frozen vegetables

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 tablespoon oil

1 (14 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained

1 (10 ounce) can fat-free cream of chicken soup

2 (4 ounce) cans chopped green chilies, drained

3 cups cooked brown rice

3 tablespoons salsa

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 cup shredded cheese (fat free for Core, 2% for Flex)

Directions

brown meat in oil until no pink remains. Drain.

Add beans, soup, tomatoes, chiles, rice, salsa and cumin.3

Cook and stir until bubbly.

Simmer 15 minutes, stirring often.

Pour into containers and sprinkle with cheese.

Sweet Potato Burritos

submitted by: Michelle S.

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 cups canned black beans, drained
• 2 cups water
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 4 teaspoons prepared mustard
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 4 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes
• 12 (10 inch) flour tortillas, warmed
• 8 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese (can be left out if wanted)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Heat oil in a medium skillet, and saute onion and garlic until soft. Stir in beans, and mash. Gradually stir in water, and heat until warm. Remove from heat, and stir in the chili powder, cumin, mustard, cayenne pepper and soy sauce.
3. Divide bean mixture and mashed sweet potatoes evenly between the warm flour tortillas. Top with cheese. Fold up tortillas burrito style, and place on a baking sheet.
4. Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven, and serve.

Pollo Fajitas

submitted by Michelle

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 dash hot pepper sauce
• 1 boneless, skinless chicken cut into strips
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 1 yellow squash, sliced
• 1 zuchini, sliced
• 1/2 lime, juiced

If picked, let me know if you would like corn or flour tortillas

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, combine Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, soy sauce, chili powder, garlic and hot pepper sauce. Place chicken in sauce, and turn once to coat. Marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate for several hours.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add chicken strips to the pan, and saute for 5 minutes. Add the onion and veggies, and saute another 3 minutes. Remove from heat, and sprinkle with lime juice.

Country Chicken Casserole

submitted by: Michelle

Ingredients:

• 3 cups shredded hash brown potatoes
• 1 (6 oz) can French-Fried Onions, divided
• 6 slices processed American cheese
• 1 lb cooked chicken breast - cut into bite size pieces
• 1 (10.75 oz) can condensed cream of chicken soup
• 3/4 cup Milk
• 1 bag of frozen corn

Directions:

Stir hash browns, corn, 1/2 of the onions, soup, and milk. Pour 1/2 into baking dish (9x13) and layer cheese. Then add the remaining mixture to the dish.

Freeze

Thaw and then bake in oven (375 degrees F) for 45 minutes

Sprinkle remaining onions over all and bake for another 5 minutes, or until onions are golden brown. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Individual Chicken Pot Pies

submitted by Michelle S.

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces

1/4 cup Italian Dressing

8-oz. pkg cream cheese, cubed

2 Tbsp. flour

1 cup fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth

chopped green onion (green part only)

1-2 large cubed potatos

1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen mixed vegetables, thawed

1 refrigerated pie crust (1/2 of 15-oz. pkg.) --- need more if doing bottom crust.

Make It!

HEAT Bake and cube potato. Cook chicken in dressing with green onion in large skillet on medium heat 2 min. Add Cream cheese; cook and stir until melted. Add flour; mix well. Add broth, potatos and vegetables; simmer 5 min.

POUR mixture equally into each 6-inch pie plate. Arrange pie crust over filling; flute edges. Cut 4 slits in crust to allow steam to escape. (I will be doing a bottom crust so they can be out of the pan, unless I can find some disposable mini tins). Freeze.

BAKE at 375°F for 30 minutes if thawed or 45 minutes if frozen (i am guessing on the frozen time so make sure to check if done) or until crust is golden brown.

Pizza Spaghetti style

submitted by Michelle

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 8 oz. pkg. button mushrooms, sliced OR 2 more bell peppers, chopped
• 26 oz. jar pasta sauce
• 8 ounce can tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
• 1 lb. spaghetti pasta, broken into 2" pieces
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 (5 ounce) package sliced pepperoni
• 1-1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to boil for cooking spaghetti. Cook ground beef, onion, green pepper, and mushrooms in heavy skillet over medium heat until beef is browned, stirring to break up beef. Drain well and add pasta sauce, tomato sauce, and Italian seasoning; stir well and let simmer while preparing spaghetti.
Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Meanwhile, combine eggs and milk in large bowl and beat until blended. Drain spaghetti and toss with egg and milk mixture. Spread half of spaghetti/egg/milk mixture in a 13x9" glass baking dish. Top with half of sauce and beef mixture. Repeat layers.
To freeze, cool casserole in refrigerator at this point. When cold, wrap well, label, and freeze up to 3 months. To thaw and reheat, thaw casserole overnight in refrigerator. Bake, covered, at 350 degrees F for 40-50 minutes until thoroughly heated. Uncover, top with pepperoni and cheese, and bake 10-15 minutes longer until cheese melts and edges of casserole bubble.
To refrigerate overnight and bake the next day, cover the casserole and chill for 2-24 hours. When ready to eat, bake, covered, at 350 degrees F for 40-50 minutes until hot. Then uncover, top with pepperoni and cheese, and bake for 10-15 minutes longer until cheese melts.
If baking without freezing or refrigerating, bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes until hot and bubbly. Top with pepperoni, then cheese, return to oven, and bake for 10 minutes longer to melt cheese. Let stand 5 minutes to set, then cut into squares to serve. 10 servings