Recipes

Vegetarian Taco Salad (Low Calorie Options)

Nicole

This is an excellent recipe! It’s filling and full of flavor! I wasn’t sure if I was going to like it, but I didn’t… I LOVED it! I was so impressed by the amount of flavor that this recipe has! It’s just so good! The only change I made was that I added a few teaspoons of Tabasco Sauce to give it a little kick and some added flavor.
Ingredients:
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1-1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (see Tip) or frozen, thawed
  • 4 large tomatoes
  • 1-1/2 cups cooked long-grain brown rice (see Tip)
  • 1-15-ounce can black, kidney or pinto beans, rinsed
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1/3 cup prepared salsa
  • 2 cups shredded iceberg or romaine lettuce
  • 1 cup shredded pepper Jack cheese
  • 2-1/2 cups coarsely crumbled tortilla chips
  • Lime wedges for garnish
Directions:
  1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and corn; cook, stirring, until the onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Coarsely chop 1 tomato. Add it to the pan along with rice, beans, chili powder, 1 teaspoon oregano and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the tomato cooks down, about 5 minutes. Let cool slightly.
  2. Coarsely chop the remaining 3 tomatoes. Combine with cilantro, salsa and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon oregano in a medium bowl. 
  3.  Toss lettuce in a large bowl with the bean mixture, half the fresh salsa and 2/3 cup cheese. Serve sprinkled with tortilla chips and the remaining cheese, passing lime wedges and the remaining fresh salsa at the table.

*Save Calories by leaving the chips out! You won’t even notice the difference)

Original Recipe

Recipes

Chicken Breasts with Mushroom Cream Sauce (Low Calorie Options)

Nicole

I fell in love with this recipe. Before I made it I had had little to no expectations. I mean seriously how good and filling could low calorie “healthy” meals be? To my surprise this recipe exceeded my expectations it’s easy to make, filling, and excellent!

  • 2 5-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and tenders removed (see Tip)
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1 medium shallot, minced
  • 1 cup thinly sliced shiitake mushroom caps
  • 2 tablespoons dry vermouth, or dry white wine
  • 1/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives, or scallion greens 

Calorie Count Per Serving: 275

  1. Season chicken with pepper and salt on both sides
  2. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning once or twice and adjusting the heat to prevent burning, until brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165°F, 12 to 16 minutes. 
  3. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm. 
  4. Add shallot to the pan and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add mushrooms; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 2 minutes. Pour in vermouth (or wine); simmer until almost evaporated, scraping up any browned bits, about 1 minute. 
  5. Pour in broth and cook until reduced by half, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in cream and chives (or scallions); return to a simmer. Return the chicken to the pan, turn to coat with sauce and cook until heated through, about 1 minute.

Calories Calculated on www.myfitnesspal.com

Original Recipe

Recipes

Pollo Rojo Street Tacos (Healthy Options) (217 Calories)

Nicole

I knew I needed to find something low calorie for lunch, but I also wanted to make something that I had all the ingredients for (because I was starving), and I wanted something that would be quick and easy, and give me the most bang for my calories. I also wanted to avoid adding cheese to anything because I have recently learned that cheese is loaded full of calories! I came up with the recipe and it turned out fantastic! I have adapted this for a serving of one, but you can easily adapt it to what you need!


Ingredients:
  • 2 ounces Swanson White Premium Chicken Chunks Canned
  • ½ cup chopped onion
  • 2 tbsp Pace Picante Sauce (I used medium)
  • .5 ounce Organic Greens
  •  2 Tia Rosa White Corn Tortilla (Try to find something lower in calories this is what I had on hand, but each tortilla is 60 calories each)

Calorie Total: 217 according to http://www.myfitnesspal.com/



Directions:
  1. Add chopped onions to a small frying pan cook on medium high until they start to brown (You don’t need to add any fat or sprays to the pan to keep these onions happy just use a non-stick pan), then add chicken.
  2. Cook until chicken is heated up, and the onions are being translucent.
  3. Add picante sauce and mix together well then heat through
  4. Heat tortillas in the microwave for 20 seconds
  5. Then top each corn tortillas with the organic greens, then top your greens with the chicken mixture

Enjoy! 

Recipes

Super Simple Cinnamon Sugar Donuts

Nicole

Because of a really great sale I ended up with about 30 cans of Pillsbury Grand’s Biscuits. I ended up giving most of them away, but I still have a few cans I wanted to do something with. I decided to make Super Simple Cinnamon Sugar Donuts. These are definitely not for your calorie conscious or anyone on the Summer Slim Down Challenge, but they are REALLY good especially warm. Quick, Easy, Cheap, and Delicious!

Ingredients:
  • 1 Can Pillsbury Grand’s Biscuits
  • 1 Cup sugar
  • 4Tbs Cinnamon
  • Vegetable Oil for Frying
  • 1 zip bag
  • 1 soda bottle cap (I used my red wine vinegar cap)

Directions:
  1. Heat your vegetable oil to 350 degrees about 3-4 inches deep
  2. In a zip bag add cinnamon and sugar, zip up the bag and shake, set aside
  3. Open up the can of biscuits and flatten them slightly
  4. Take your soda bottle cap and punch out a hole in the middle of your biscuits. (Don’t throw away the center hole they make great donut holes)
  5. Cook donuts until they are golden brown on each side cooking long enough to insure they are done in the middle. Flip several times during the cooking process. Make them in small batches to insure you are not crowding the oil. I made 2 at a time.
  6. As each donut comes out of the oil add it to the cinnamon sugar filled zip back, close up and shake, then set the now cinnamon sugar aside and continue the process until you are done. 

Recipes

NOT Panda Express Orange Chicken

Nicole
The original recipe for this says that it’s the copy cat recipe for Panda Express’s Orange Chicken. Being that Panda Express’s Orange Chicken is my very favorite item on their menu I beg to differ! Don’t get me wrong this is a great recipe we all really enjoyed it, but it’s not even close to the Panda Express recipe. What I like about this recipe is that it’s really great the flavor is nice and mild yet has really stands on it’s own. Next I would triple the amount of orange sauce. What I do not like about this recipe is the fact that it’s time consuming. Yeah a little more time than I care to spend in the kitchen on a weekday. 


Ingredients:

 Orange Sauce for Stir Fry

Directions:
  1. Make Orange Sauce for Stir Fry adding all the ingredients to a bowl, mix, and set aside.
  2. In a large bowl place egg, salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon oil and mix well. 
  3. Cut chicken into bite sizes pieces and place them in the bowl with the egg mixture.
  4. In another bowl mix cornstarch and flour together. 
  5. Take one piece of chicken at a time and roll it in the Mix flour mixture then set the well coated chicken aside. 
  6. Heat oil in a frying pan or dutch oven to 375 degrees. 
  7. Add chicken in small batches, and fry 3 to 4 minutes or until golden crisp. (Do not overcook chicken). 
  8. Remove chicken from oil with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels; set aside. 
  9. Clean frying pan and heat 15 seconds over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil. 
  10. Add ginger and garlic and stir-fry until fragrant; about 10 seconds. 
  11. Add and stir-fry crushed chilies and green onions. 
  12. Add rice wine and stir 3 seconds. 
  13. Add Orange Sauce and bring to boil. 
  14. Add cooked chicken, stirring until well mixed. 
  15. Stir water in remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch until smooth 
  16. Heat until sauce is thickened. 
  17. Stir in sesame oil and orange zest if desired. 
  18. Serve over jasmine rice.

Original Recipe