Marinated Salmon

Marinated Salmon

From the Kitchen of Caroline Ervasti

1 ½ lbs. salmon

Lemon juice & pepper

2 garlic cloves, pressed

1/3 c. soy sauce

1/3 c. br. Sugar

1/3 c. water

¼ c. olive oil

1. Season salmon w/ lemon juice &  pepper

2. In bowl, mix marinade: soy sauce, br. Sugar, water, olive oil, garlic until sugar is dissolved. Place fish in ziplock bag with mixture.  Seal & coat fish. Refrigerate 2 hours.

3. Grill medium heat 6 to 8 minutes per side until fish is flakey w/fork OR  broil for 10 to 12 minutes in oven until fish is flakey w/fork.

Healthy Taco Salad

Healthy Taco Salad
From the kitchen of Stephanie


Ingredients:

1 cup Kale (deribbed and chopped)
1 heart of Romain (chopped)
4 oz of extra lean ground turkey
Taco Seasoning (I prefer Trader Joe's...no additives and great flavor)
1/2 Yellow Onion (chopped)
2 Green Onions (chopped)
1/4 cup of Light Mexican Cheese Blend (I also use Trade Joe's...no GMO's)
1/4 of an Avocado
Tortilla Chips (I used the Reduced Guilt Trader Joe's Tortilla Chips...great flavor)
1/2 cup Tri-color Bell Peppers (chopped)
1 lime
2 TBSP Salsa (I prefer the Homestyle Salsa Especial from Trader Joe's)


1. Cook the ground turkey with about 1-2 tsps of the taco seasoning (depends how spicy you'd like it to be) along with the onions. Literally all I did to cook this meat was use a non-stick pan, dumped the meat in with the onions, sprinkle the taco seasoning on top and I added a couple tablespoons of water...no oil, no butter, no sprays.
2.While the meat is cooking, chop all of the veggies
3. When the meat is done, combine all ingredients together (this makes one BIG serving or two smaller servings).

Nutrition:
(for the whole thing)
383 Calories, 8 grams of fat, 39 grams of carbs, 49 grams of protein



***The only thing I think I'd do different next time is add some pinto beans to the taco meat once it's mostly done cooking.

Healthy Turkey Chili

Healthy Turkey Chili,
From the kitchen of April Warner

Chop up one small onion and a medium sized pepper.  If you want to add more vegetables you can-it really doesn't add a lot of calories. Spray a small amount of pam (just enough to cover the bottom of the pan lightly) into a pot that you will later use for the chili) and stir fry the vegetables. Side note- I always use pam as opposed to oil or butter.  You only need a small amount! a lot less calories!

In the mean time, get the lean ground turkey (I use about a pound usually-depends on what the package has in it or how much I have prebagged/frozen before hand.  I think yours was a little over a pound if I remember right) and brown the meat and drain the grease.  I don't add anything (oil, etc) to the pan when I brown this.  If you want to make it spicy, you can add chili powder and crushed red peppers.  

After the meat is browned, put it into the pot with the vegetables.

Add 1 cup of kidney beans and 1cup of black beans.  I actually experiment with different types of beans sometimes but those are the types I used when I made yours.  I usually get low sodium when available.

Add 46oz (about a large can) of tomato juice.  I use low sodium, 100% juice. Heat the whole mixture until it boils.  If you want, you can add a couple teaspoons of brown sugar.  It just helps with the taste and will only add about 30 cals to the entire recipe.  Depending on how liquidy or thick you want it depends on how much juice you use.

The calories will vary slightly depending on brands you use, but it shouldn't vary too much.  The only time it should significantly vary is if you use different types of meat (lean vs not lean), etc.  Also, the weight of the meat will cause it to vary a bit if it is a pound vs 17oz or something.  Other than that, it should be about the same as I told you last time (116 calories I think it was).  I calculated it again and it was within a few calories per serving (with different brands).

Pesto, Sausage Pasta

Pesto, Sausage Pasta
From the Kitchen of Stephanie

Here is a recipe that is super simple that my kids have been gobbling up lately.

What you need:

Your favorite Pesto (I prefer the fresh one from Trader Joe's or homemade)
Your favorite Pasta (We have been enjoying the High Fiber, Mini Penne Pasta from Trader Joe's)
Your favorite Sausage (We like the chicken and sun-dried tomato sausage from Trader Joe's)
Your favorite veggies (We have used peas, broccoli, and brussel sprouts)

What you need to do:

***Before starting anything put water on stove to start boiling for pasta

1. Dice and cut your sausage (I have found that one link per adult and 1 link per 2 kids works out well) and then throw it in a non-stick pan and brown it (I don't put anything in the pan...don't want those extra calories).

2. Add pasta to boiling water and cook as directed. (I tend to do a 1/2 cup of pasta per person eating and then we end up with a little left over for the next day for a lunch or a quick meal the next night)

3. When the pasta has about 4-5 minutes left, throw in your veggies (if it's peas or broccoli) and cook until desire tenderness. (if you're making brussel sprouts, I prefer to sauté them in a non-stick pan with a little bit of diced onion and garlic to brown them).

4. Once everything is cooked, drain pasta and veggies and add back to the pot. Then take 1-2 tablespoon fulls of pesto and add to the pasta and stir, then add the sausage!

Enjoy!

Easy Beef Taquitos

These look amazing to me! On the site Women Living Well, she has posted another fabulous recipe link for Homemade Beef Taquitos.

Baked Ziti

Baked Ziti
From the kitchen of Diana Brewster

One pound of Ziti noodles (cook for 10 mins)

Ricotta Cheese Mixture:

16oz Ricotta Cheese

1 egg

Half jar of sauce or if your sauce is homemade about 1 ½ cups

Garlic Powder ½ Teaspoon

Italian Seasoning 1 Teaspoon

½ Cup of Grated Parmesan Cheese

1 Cup of Grated Mozzarella Cheese

½ teaspoon Salt

Mix Everything together, it should be very moist

Add to the cooked pasta and stir. Add more Mozzarella Cheese if needed up to 1 cup more.

Layer 9x13 pan with sauce and then pour pasta mixture in. Top with sauce, mozzarella cheese and a sprinkling of Parmesan Cheese.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes
Note: ( you can double this recipe very easily, and if you like meat just add to the Ricotta Mixture)

Meat loaf Sloppy Joes

Meat loaf Sloppy Joes
From BiggestLoserClub.com

Budget Supper
Meat loaf Sloppy Joes are a great way to save money and still eat amazing food

Leftovers make for delicious, inexpensive, and easy sandwiches to take to work or school the next day.

Olive oil spray
2/3 cup old-fashioned oats
1/3 cup + 1/4 cup + 1/4 cup canned sloppy joe sauce
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
1 pound 96% lean ground beef
1/3 cup minced green bell pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped sweet onion
1 clove fresh garlic, minced

Preheat the oven 350°F. Lightly mist a 9" x 5" x 3" nonstick loaf pan (a slightly smaller one is okay) with the olive oil spray.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the oats, 1/3 cup + 1/4 cup of the sloppy joe sauce, and the egg whites. Let the mixture stand for 3 minutes, or until the oats begin to soften. Add the beef, bell pepper, onion, and garlic. With a fork or clean hands, mix the ingredients until well combined.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and spread so that the top is flat. Spread the remaining 1/4 cup sloppy joe sauce evenly over the top. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the meat is no longer pink in the center. Let sit for 10 minutes. Cut into 8 slices and serve.

Yield: 4 servings

Per Serving: Calories 229.8, Total Fat 5.4 g, Saturated Fat 1.4 g, Cholesterol 61.8 mg, Sodium 343.5 mg, Total Carbs 15.8 g, Dietary Fiber 1 g, Sugars 3.8 g, Protein 27.5 g

Grilled Chicken Nachos

Grilled Chicken Nachos
By: BiggestLoserClub.com
Fire up your weekend with this south of the border favorite!

Be sure you either wear plastic gloves or wash your hands immediately after working with jalapeños.

1 ounce baked tortilla chips
1/4 cup drained canned 50% less-sodium black beans, heated
4 ounces grilled extra-lean boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into small cubes
2 tablespoons salsa con queso, all-natural, heated
3 tablespoons finely chopped seeded tomato
2 tablespoons thinly sliced jalapeño chile pepper

Lay the chips on a dinner plate. Top them evenly with the beans, followed by the chicken. Drizzle the cheese evenly over the top. Top with the tomato and jalapeño slices and serve.

Makes 1 serving

Per serving: 321 calories, 32 g protein, 36 g carbohydrates, 5 g fat (less than 1 g saturated), 65 mg cholesterol, 5 g fiber, 498 mg sodium

Essential Grilled Chicken

Essential Grilled Chicken
From BiggestLoserClub.com
An essential item for controlling weight

Keep extra grilled chicken on hand at all times to toss into salads, layer into sandwiches, and sprinkle on pizzas and quesadillas for a healthy protein punch.

4 (4-ounce) trimmed boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Olive oil spray (propellant free)
Salt, to taste
Ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat a grill to high heat.

Lightly mist both sides of each chicken breast with spray and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Grill for 3 to 5 minutes per side, or until no longer pink. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings

Per serving: 127 calories, 26 g protein, 0 g carbohydrates (0 g sugar), 2 g fat, trace saturated fat, 66 mg cholesterol, 0 g fiber, 74 mg sodium

Chicken Fajitas

Chicken Fajitas
From the Kitchen of Stephanie

I go to Albertson's (or wherever) and have the butcher preslice 1/2 pound of raw chicken breasts
Slice on red bell pepper, one green bell pepper and one yellow onion
I season with Mrs. Dash (I'm watching sodium) south western seasoning, lemon pepper and lime seasoning

I cook the chicken in a pan with just a drop of EVOO until almost done then I throw in the peppers and onions and
cover for about 5-7 minutes (until the veggies are done to the crispness or softness you prefer).

I lay out flour tortillas, shredded cheese, shredded lettuce, sliced avocados, scallions, salsa, and sour cream and have a fajita bar.

Beef Slices and Stuffing

Beef Slices and Stuffing
From the Kitchen of Marchelle Kern

An Easy 5 minute recipe for busy people like me who have kids in soccer, etc:

Stove Top Stuffing Mix,
Deli Roast Beef Slices (Thicker),
Canned Gravy. Make stuffing according to directions.

Put 1/2 cup stuffing on one end of Roast beef and roll up.
Top with gravy and microwave for one minute.
Look like gourmet, and tastes great!

Carrot soup w/ginger

Carrot soup w/ginger
From the kitchen of Katie Springer


saute ginger in oil until brown. remove, set aside. add 2 tbps minced shallots and saute until translucent. stir in 1 lb cut up carrots and add 2 cups chicken broth and 1/2 tsp salt. bring to boil and then simmer 20-25 minutes. remove and Blend the concoction until smooth and add a little seasoning to taste. Return to saucepan.

Garnish with a teeny-weeny bit o'ginger or sour cream. Enjoy

Black Bean Tofu Tacos

Black Bean Tofu Tacos
From the Kitchen of Amy Young

I can black beans
whole wheat taco shells
1 package of medium firm Tofu
1 package of 30% less sodium taco seasoning
chedder cheese
onion
tomato
cilantro

Saute 1/2 onion in olive oil for 5 minutes. Drain the tofu. In a bowl, break the tofu up with a spoon. Mix the taco seasoning into the tofu until well blended. It will look slightly soupy. Add a can of black beans drained. Add the mixture to the onions on a medium heat. Cook for 10 minutes stirring often. In a taco shell add cheese and cilantro first then bean/tofu mixture. Sprinkle with diced tomato and enjoy!

YUMMY!

Toss & Cook Ideas from Vanessa

My friend Vanessa has an amazing cooking blog: Feed my Monkeys. Here are few recipes from it that she's shared with me.


Broccoli-rice-chicken Casserole

Easy Chicken Dinner

Pasta Salad

BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

Burrito Bowl

Burrito Bowl
From the Kitchen of Bethany Plumb


Try jasmine rice, veggies (cooked with coconut oil is delicious!), and black beans.
The beans will give you protein too, so you don't miss the meat. Like a yummy burrito bowl!

Add toppings such as shredded lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, sour cream, guacamole, corn, etc

Layered Cheese Enchilada Casserole

Layered Cheese Enchilada Casserole
From the Kitchen of Erin Hamilton


layer corn tortillas
black beans with sour cream and put that on the tortillas,
then add enchilada sauce and shredded cheese.
Put on a second layer and bake at 350 for 35-40 min.
Yummy.

A Potato "Quiche"

A Potato "Quiche"
From the Kitchen of Amy Day


Another one I love is to slice potatoes really thin and layer them in a baking dish with your favorite cheeses and veggies (broccoli, peppers, onions, asparagus, and lots and lots of spinach for the baby) and then pour in a mixture of egg and a little milk or cream. Lots of salt and pepper and bake until quiche-like consistency - but there's no crust. This one settles the morning sickness if you have it!

I am going to guess that you bake this at 375 until done (see above)

Chicken, Veggies and Penne Pasta

Chicken, Veggies and Penne Pasta
From the Kitchen of Amy Day

Rotisserie Chicken
Penne Pasta
White Sauce
Asparagus
Broccoli
Mozzarella
Romano


Buy a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken and throw the meat into penne pasta with a white sauce, asparagus and broccoli, and a few handfuls of shredded mozzarella and romano cheese. It freezes well too - you can get a few lunches and dinners made all at the same time! Good for you to get a little protein...

Ham & Veggie Calzones

Ham &Veggie Calzones
From the kitchen of Diana Brewster

2 pkgs of Pillsbury Thin Crust Pizza dough
1 large Zucchini/chopped
2 Med Carrots
4 Cups of fresh grated Colby cheese or 1 1/2 pkgs of pre-shredded cheese
1/2 med onion/deiced
A few thin Slices of deli ham broken into pieces

Spread out one pizza crust on a large cookie sheet or stone (if you have it) layer half of the grated cheese, zucchini, carrots, ham and onion. Then sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top of the veggies and ham. Then place the top crust on and seal the edges. Bake at 350 for 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with a little garlic salt and Parmesan cheese 5 minutes before cook time is up.

Cheesy Crab Melts

Cheesy Crab Melts
From the Kitchen of Diana Brewster

English Muffins
12oz of Crab Frozen Crab meat
Swiss Chesse Slices/ sliced thin
1/4 Cup of Mayo
1/4 Cup of Red Pepper/ diced

Preheat broiler. Combine crab, mayo and red pepper. Place on open faced English muffins and top with cheese. Cook under the broiler for 4 to 7 min.