Cauliflower Au Gratin

by mynewpantrychallenge

 

CauliflowerAuGratin

Found another fun way to incorporate cauliflower into the family menu! And au gratin is always a yummy treat. This is a fabulous way to do it in a healthy way. And, if you are following the program we coach, this is fully compliant with program!

Ingredients:

  • 1  snack  Multi-Grain Crackers  
  • 1  slice  Turkey Bacon (raw)
  • 1 1/2  cup  Raw Cauliflower
  • 1/2  tbsp  Sage
  • 3  oz  Cheese, mozzarella, reduced fat
  • 1/4 cup Bertolli light Alfredo sauce (2 condiments)

Preparation:

1. Add raw cauliflower to boiling water & let steam for about 3 minutes, or until softened.
2. Preheat oven to 425F.
3. Strain the cauliflower to remove excess water.
4. Stir the cauliflower into the alfredo sauce. Add the sage & crumbled turkey bacon.
5. Once the cauliflower is evenly coated with cheese sauce, pour into a greased baking pan.
6. Dust the top of the cauliflower with the crushed Medifast crackers & the shredded mozzarella cheese.
7. Bake in the oven for about 15-20 minutes, or until the top is a nice toasty brown.

Per serving this provides 1 Lean, 3 Green, 2-1/2 Condiments, and 1 Optional Snack. Recommend limiting turkey bacon to 1 oz (equivalent to 1 oz lean protein) due to higher sodium content.

Extra Tip: Silicone baking pans work best if available. Glass baking pans work well too.

Asian Salmon

by mynewpantrychallenge

AsianSalmon

New recipe, fully Lean & Green approved for those of you that are following our full program. So perfect for summer & all the lovely weather we have coming up!

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2  lb  Salmon (raw)
  • 2  Tbsp  Raw Onion
  • 1  tsp  Oil, extra virgin olive oil
  • 1  tsp  Oil, sesame
  • 1/4  tsp  Pepper
  • 2  clove  Garlic, clove
  • 2  tbsp  Vinegar, rice

Preparation:

Make several shallow slashes in the skinless side of the salmon fillets. Place fillets skin-side down in a glass baking dish. In a bowl, whisk together olive oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, pepper, onion, and sesame oil. Pour marinade over salmon; cover with foil and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350. Remove foil from salmon, and bake in marinating dish for about 30 minutes, or until fish can be flaked with a fork.

Nutrition information per serving:

  • Calories: 341.5
  • Protein(g): 43.4
  • Carb(g): 2.6
  • Fat(g): 16.1

Nutrition breakdown:

Makes 4 servings.

Per serving this provides ~ 1 Lean, 1/2 Healthy Fat, and 1-1/2 Condiments.

Enjoy!!

Spaghetti Squash & Chicken Stir Fry

by mynewpantrychallenge

spaghetti-squash-crab-tomato-broccoli-stir-fry-180x180

 

We still have a plethora of spaghetti squash coming out of our garden … and we also love a good stir fry. So here is how I combined the two this week! This was super yummy & filling, as well as healthy! And, since most of the veggies came right out of my garden, it was very economical. You can use whatever combination of veggies you like and have on hand. I try to stick to mostly lower carb veggies, but it’s fun to mix it up a bit. All measurements are cooked weights & measurements – to get as much as the recipe calls for, you may want to add a few oz to your pre-cooked portion.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup fresh green beans, chopped

1/2 cup sliced white mushrooms

1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

1/2 cup sliced cherry tomatoes

1 cup chopped red bell pepper

1 cup cooked spaghetti squash (click here to see how I cook mine)

1-1/2 lbs chicken tenderloin, diced

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp garlic

2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce

2 tsp lime juice

Directions:

1. Dice chicken & add to saute pan with 2 tsp oil. Allow to cook til done. Remove from pan.
2. Add remaining tsp of olive oil along with the diced peppers, celery & green beans. Saute until slightly tender. Add sliced mushrooms & saute until tender.
3. Mix together soy sauce, lime juice & minced garlic. Add to vegetables. Simmer for 1 minute.
4. Reduce heat & add chicken back into pan. Leave on low heat until heated through.
5. While the above is cooking, prepare spaghetti squash. Allow to cool slightly. Cut open, scoop out the seeds, and run a fork lengthwise along the inside of the squash to produce spaghetti like strands.
6. Place 1/3 cup of spaghetti squash on each place & top with 1/3 of the stir fry.

Nutritional Breakdown:

Makes 3 full servings. Each serving consists of:

1 Leaner Protein

3 Green Servings

1 Healthy Fat

1 Condiment

Chicken Parmesan

by mynewpantrychallenge

This one comes to us compliments of my friends Terry & Linda Knutson. They kept telling me about this amazing recipe that Linda made, and I have been drooling over the idea all summer. Now, we have it, Nutrition Support reviewed and approved for anyone fully on the 5&1 program!  You know how much I love my spaghetti squash (and how much of it is growing in my garden this year!), so this is a double delight! Hope you enjoy!!!

chickenparmIngredients:

10 sprays non-stick cooking spray

4 – 8 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 packages crushed Medifast crackers (for those not on full program, feel free to substitute some Panko breadcrumbs here) (if 2 packages doesn’t seem like quite enough, you can go as high as 4 packages, as long as you remember to omit your optional snack that day)

2 egg whites

1 tsp Italian seasonings (you can increase this amount, as long as you haven’t already used your condiments for the day)

2 cups Walden Farms marinara sauce (or 2 cups low-sodium canned diced tomato, blended to make it smoother)

1/2 cup low-fat shredded mozzarella cheese

4 cups cooked spaghetti squash

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray cooking spray on glass baking pan. Place crumbs in bowl & mix in Italian spices. Pound chicken breasts to flatten. Dip each chicken breast in egg white and then in seasoned crumbs. Place in baking pan. Bake 20 minutes. Top each chicken breast with 1/4 cup pasta sauce and 2 tbsp shredded cheese. Return to oven for an additional 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Serve with 1 cup cooked spaghetti squash, topped with 1/4 cup pasta sauce.

Nutritional Breakdown:

Makes 4 servings. Each servings consists of:

1 Leaner protein

3 Vegetables

1/2 optional snack

3/4 condiment

 

Tilapia Burrito

by mynewpantrychallenge

Tilapia Burrito

TalapiaBurrito

Tortilla:
1 cup grated cauliflower (2 green)
1/4 cup egg beaters (1/8 lean)
3/8 cup reduced-fat shredded Mexican cheese (6g fat/oz) (3/8 lean category)
1/8 tsp Southwest Chipotle Mrs. Dash (1/2 condiment) (If using the tomato salsa topping, omit this seasoning to stay at 3 condiments)

Burrito filling:
3.5 oz Tilapia, cooked as desired (1/2 lean)
1/2 cup shredded cabbage (1 green)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro (1/2 condiment)

Cilantro Lime Ranch:
2 Tbsp Walden Farms Ranch (1 condiment)
2 tsp fresh lime juice (1/2 condiment)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a 1/4 sheet cake pan with parchment paper. Wrap Talapia in foil and bake for 20 minutes or until flaky.

Grate 1 cup of cauliflower and place in a medium-sized bowl. Add 1/4 cup egg beaters, 1/2 cup cheese. Add a 1/8 tsp of Southwest Chipotle Mrs. Dash. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix with a spoon and place on the parchment. Spread as thin as possible in a rectangle or circle avoiding holes in the mixture. Bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes. The crust will be browned and look a bit like a quiche looks on the top. These can be made ahead of time and refrigerated. Just heat them in the microwave on a couple paper towels for 30 seconds.

In a small bowl, combine ranch dressing and lime juice, and stir until blended. Add a touch of salt if necessary.

Lay out a piece of foil larger than the tortilla. Chop the talapia small chunks, and place them in the center of the tortilla. Top with shredded cabbage and cilantro. Serve the ranch lime dressing on the side and drizzle it on as you eat. (If you add it to the burrito before rolling it up, the tortilla will get a bit soggy and you won’t be able to taste the dressing.)

Recipe makes one very filling fish burrito.

Nutritional Breakdown:
1 Lean
3 Green
Lime Ranch Drizzle: 2 Condiments

Spinach Crust Pizza

by mynewpantrychallenge

Here’s a new twist on one of our favorite recipes to experiment with … PIZZA!

spinachpizza5

Spinach Crust Pizza
Makes one serving
1 Lean protein
3 vegetables
3 condiments

Ingredients:

Crust
2 cups raw spinach leaves – 1 vegetable serving because it shrinks as it cooks 1 egg (large)
1 cup shredded low fat Kraft Italiano cheese blend
1/8 teaspoon salt,
1⁄4 teaspoon pepper

Pizza Sauce
3⁄4 cup chopped grape tomatoes 1 clove garlic

Toppings
1/4 cup green onion, diced – it has to be green onion to count toward the vegetable servings (instead of regular onion) 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, shredded

Directions:
-Preheat over to 425
-Pull out a pizza sheet, or cookie sheet, and cover with parchment paper
-spray the parchment paper generously with a lot of nonstick spray
-In a magic bullet, blend the spinach and egg until it’s a baby food consistency
-Add in cheese and spices and pulse until just combined. (I added oregano instead of pepper)
-spread evenly on the parchment paper (make thin crust so it cooks through)
-bake at 425 for about 15 minutes. Edges should start getting brown and crispy

-Prepare pizza sauce by placing tomatoes and garlic in blender (or magic bullet) and pulse until smooth.
Spread evenly over cooked crust.
-top with remaining cheese and green onions (can pick a different veggie from the approved lean and green guide, but follow the serving amount shown in recipe)

-Place back in the oven and broil just until cheese is melted

Eat the whole thing! It’s 1 Lean & Green!! Make multiple for the whole family!

Spaghetti Chicken

by mynewpantrychallenge

Sorry it has been so long since I posted! It is definitely time for a new summer recipe … an easy one! I thought summer would give me more time in my day, but I seem to have had that backwards. Seems like we are busier than ever (although having lots of fun!). Busier = I want easier recipes! This is a great one that involves a max of 3 ingredients … and minimal work. Hope you enjoy it!

410x290-Spaghetti_Squash

Ingredients:

1 jar Walden Farms marinara sauce

20 oz of cooked chicken, cubed

Directions:

Add ingredients to Bean Pot and cook in oven at 350 degrees for about 15-20 minutes with lid on. Serve with either 1-1/2 cups cooked spaghetti squash (see this post for instructions on cooking spaghetti squash) or shiritaki noodles.

Nutritional Breakdown:

Just the protein portion of this makes 3 servings.

1 leaner protein

2 condiments

Now see? It really doesn’t get much easier than this! I’m looking forward to pulling one of our spaghetti squash straight out of the garden this summer and doing this!

MySpagSquash

Turkey Chili in the Bean Pot!

by mynewpantrychallenge

I know, I know – 3 recipes in 1 week! But I have so many fun, easy, new Bean Pot recipes (all Lean & Green approved!), that I just have to get them posted! Hope you are enjoying some new variety. And if you haven’t picked up your Bean Pot yet, go check out my friend, Tonya Giesbers at http://www.celebratinghomebeanpotbytonyagiesbers.com/ – she will get you all hooked up! Then, you can try this great recipe out!

Ingredients

1 lb ground turkey

2 tsp chopped onion

3 cups diced turnip/celery/bell peppers/tomatoes

1 – 14 oz can chicken broth

1/4 tsp chili powder

Directions

Brown meat and onions. Add to Bean Pot. Add remaining ingredients and cook in microwave for 20 minutes.

Nutritional Breakdown

Makes 2 servings. Each serving is:

1 Leaner Protein

3 Vegetables

1-1/4 condiments

Chicken & Vegetables, Bean-Pot Style

by mynewpantrychallenge

Here is another simple and yummy Bean Pot recipe. If you are on 5&1, you’ll want to add an extra serving of veggies in somewhere (you could even add more veggies directly into this recipe, if you wanted!). This one is winter comfort food, all the way … and yet still deliciously healthy! Yay!

Chicken&Veggies

Ingredients

2-1/4 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 cup chopped celery

2 tsp chopped onion

1 cup diced turnip

1 cup chopped bell pepper (I like to use a mix of colors)

1 cup sliced white mushrooms

2 tsp Mrs Dash seasoning of your choice

Directions

Add all ingredients to Bean Pot. Cover and cook at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Nutritional Breakdown

Makes 4 servings. Per serving:

1 Leaner Protein

2 Vegetables

2 Condiments

Bean Pot Fajitas!

by mynewpantrychallenge

I am working on a whole new set of BEAN POT recipes! Watch for several to be posted this week … I hope you enjoy them all!

This first one is for fajitas – always a favorite. If you are following the 5&1, you could put these in a lettuce wrap, or just serve them up as is. I love doing a great lettuce wrap in place of a tortilla, so that’s the route we go at our house. If you are in maintenance, add a great low-carb tortilla to it and enjoy!

Ingredients

2 lbs thin-cut stir fry beef

1 Medifast Fajita Seasoning mix

1/4 cup chopped scallions

2-1/4 cups bell peppers, chopped

12 cups water

Directions

Add beef to bean pot. Add scallions and peppers. Add seasoning and water. Cover and cook at 250 degrees for 8-9 hours or at 350 degrees for 6 hours.

Nutritional Breakdown

Makes 5 servings. Per serving:

1 Lean protein

1 vegetable

2-1/2 condiments