Lean Lasagna
(Serves 8)
- Vegetable oil cooking spray
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1 lb ground turkey breast
- 3 cups tomato sauce
- 3 T. Italian seasoning (or 1 T. each dried basil, parsley, and oregano)
- 1/4 t freshly ground black pepper
- 1 t garlic powder
- 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms (I really don't like these so I did omit them)
- 6 cups chopped fresh spinach
- 2 cups fat free ricotta
- 1/4 t ground nutmeg
- 1 package whole-wheat lasagna noodles (about 8 oz. or 9 noodles)
- 2 cups shredded, part-skim mozzarella cheese
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a medium-sized nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Saute onion for 2 minutes, then add turkey and cook an additional 5 to 7 minutes. Add tomato sauce, all seasonings and mushrooms and simmer 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat. In a bowl, combine spinach, ricotta, and nutmeg. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse with cool water.
Coat a 9x13 baking pan with cooking spray. Arrange 1/3 lasagna noodles (3 noodles) on the bottom of the pan. Spread a layer of ricotta mixture, then turkey mixture, then 1/3 of mozzarella. Repeat layers, ending with mozzarella. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until cheese bubbles. Cool at least 5 minutes before cutting.
Nutritional Info (per serving): 310 Calories, 6 grams of fat (3.5 grams saturated), 31 grams carbs, 4 grams fiber, 33 grams protein.
Strawberry Oatmeal Breakfast Smoothie
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1 banana, broken into chunks
- 14 frozen strawberries
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
In a blender, grate rolled oats to break them up. Combine milk, banana, and strawberries. Add vanilla and sugar if desired. Blend until smooth. Blend into glasses and serve. Makes 2 servings.
Skinny Minnie Tortilla Soup
- 1 16-oz. can low-fat refried beans
- 1 16-oz. can low-sodium black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 16-oz. can corn and peppers
- 1 16-oz. can low-sodium, low-fat chicken broth
- 1 10-oz. can chunk white chicken (I use 10 ounces of fresh chicken breast, cooked and shredded)
- 3/4 cup chunky salsa
- 1 cup fat-free shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 Avocado
- 1 T.Cilantro, chopped
- 4 oz. baked tortilla chips, crushed
Place refried beans, black beans, corn and peppers, chicken broth, chicken, and salsa in a crockpot on high heat until it bubbles, then lower heat to low setting for one hour. Add 1/2 cup cheese 15 minutes before serving. Stir and allow to melt. Place tortilla chips on bottom of each serving bowl. Ladle soup over chips. Add hot sauce to taste. Garnish with avocado slices, shredded cheese, and cilantro.
Honey Salad Dressing
Runner's World, September Issue, Article entitled, "Honey Do"
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/2 cup red-wine vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons minced scallions
Whisk together all ingredients and enjoy!
* Note: At the time I made this dressing, I omitted the scallions as they were unavailable at the local grocery store.
Roasted Asparagus
Better Homes and Gardens, Anyone can Cook
- 1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 3 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place asparagus in a 2-quart square baking dish. Sprinkle with pepper. Drizzle with olive oil. Toss lightly to coat. Roast, uncovered, in the preheated oven about 15 minutes or until crisp-tender, lightly tossing twice during roasting. Transfer asparagus to a warm serving platter. Sprinkle with cheese. Makes 4 servings.
Nutrition Info (per serving): 58 calories, 5 grams total fat (1 gram saturated fat), 3 mg cholesterol, 59 mg sodium, 3 grams carbs, 1 gram fiber, 3 grams protein.
Grilled Asparagus Salad
Allrecipes.com by Heather Headstrom
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/8 cup lemon juice
- 12 fresh asparagus spears
- 6 cups fresh spinach leaves
- 1/8 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon seasoned slivered almonds
Preheat a grill on low heat. Combine the lemon juice and olive oil on a plate. Place asparagus on the plate, and roll around to coat. Grill asparagus for about 5 minutes, turning at least once, and brushing with the olive oil mixture. Remove from the grill, and place back onto the plate with the oil. In a large bowl, combine the spinach, Parmesan cheese, and slivered almonds. Cut asparagus into bite size pieces, and add to the salad along with the lemon juice and oil from the plate. Toss to blend, then serve. Makes 6 servings.
Nutrition Info (per serving): 105 calories, 9.8 grams total fat, 2 mg cholesterol, 57 mg sodium, 3.2 grams carbs, 1.5 grams fiber, 2.6 grams protein.
Sour Cream, Cucumber, and Dill Dip
Allrecipes.com by Sylvaere
- 1 16 oz. container sour cream
- 1 cucumber, peeled, grated, and squeezed as dry as possible
- 1 cup fresh dill, chopped
- 1/4 cup lemon juice, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Mix the sour cream, cucumber, and dill together in a bowl until thoroughly blended. Stir in lemon juice and salt. Adjust seasonings to taste. Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours. Makes 12 servings.
Nutrition Info (per serving): 86 calories, 8 grams total fat, 17 mg cholesterol, 216 mg sodium, 2.7 grams carbs, 0.2 grams fiber, 1.4 grams protein.
