Thursday, December 23, 2010

Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels

These were SO tasty and SO easy to make. I saw the recipe in a magazine and knew I wanted to try it. A simple switch from regular sugar to Splenda and they are now Diabetic friendly (except for the pretzels themselves of course). Not only are they a delicious snack but make a wonderful food gift for the holidays.

If they have the brand where you shop I suggest the Hanover Pretzels over the Rold Gold brand. The Hanover pretzels are a bit smaller and fatter so they hold the cinnamon sugar mixture better. The picture below was a batch using the Rold Gold brand and I didn't like them as much, although they do make a fat free version.
CINNAMON SUGAR PRETZELS
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup Splenda
2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 16 oz bag small pretzel twists

Preheat oven to 300°F

In a large roasting pan, stir together oil, cinnamon and sugar. Add the pretzels and toss well to coat with the cinnamon sugar.

Bake, uncovered for 40 minutes, stirring every 20 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool.

Store in airtight container.

Tuna Noodle Casserole

Here is an old standby that I have made many time before but usually one of the Tuna Helper meals. I never thought to make it myself until now and I will never go back to Tuna Helper again.

I looked at many recipes online, in cookbooks and in magazines and used them as guidelines to throw this recipe together. Easy to make and sooooo yummy. The wheat noodles tasted the same as regular noodles but helped keep the fiber count up. Using skim milk, light sour cream and 98% fat free cream of mushroom soup helped with the fat content.

You can substitute some shredded cheese for the crushed potato chips but I have always loved this topping on any kind of chicken noodle or tuna noodle casserole.
TUNA NOODLE CASSEROLE

1 12 oz bag of wheat noodles
2 cups frozen peas
1 5 oz. can of tuna
1/2 light sour cream
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 soup can full of skim milk
1 cup shredded cheese
1 cup of crushed potato chips
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350°F

Cook noodles to slightly al dente. Drain and set aside.

Open the can of tuna and drain.

In a large mixing bowl. mix together the soup, milk(fill empty soup can with milk), sour cream, shredded cheese, garlic powder and salt and pepper. Add the tuna, breaking up any large pieces, and the peas. Toss well and add the noodles, mixing thoroughly.

Pour all of it into a large greased casserole dish. Top with the crushed potato chips.

Bake in the oven for 30 min.

Let stand about 10 min. and then serve warm.

Mexican Potato Casserole

I saw this recipe on Mennonite Girls Can Cook and thought it looked yummy! My version is slightly different but was a big hit and tasted delicious. I have made this several times since finding it.

MEXICAN POTATO CASSEROLE

4 to 5 medium potatoes, with peel
2 T butter
4 1/2 T taco seasoning
1 lb lean ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 cup salsa
1/2 cup chopped bell peppers, any color
1 1/2 cup grated jack or cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Cut potatoes into bite-size pieces and place in greased casserole dish. Melt butter...stir in 2 1/2 T of the taco seasoning. Pour over the potatoes and stir to coat well.

Bake uncovered for 40 minutes. Stir...bake 10 minutes longer. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the cheese

Brown and crumble beef; add onion and cook until soft...then drain. Sprinkle 2 T of the Taco seasoning, stir in salsa and chopped peppers. Mix well and cook until peppers are tender. Pour over potatoes.

Top with remaining cheese.

Bake uncovered for 10 minutes.

Serve with salsa and sour cream (optional).

Mac and Cheese Lasagna

Here is a tasty little dish I found on Mom! What's for Dinner? It wasn't hard to make and tasted wonderful. As always I tweaked it a bit here and there to make it healthier.

For starters, for the packaged Mac and Cheese, I used Kraft's 50% Whole Grain version which ups the fiber content. I used lean ground beef but you can easily use ground turkey and for the spaghetti sauce I used my own recipe which has very little sodium.
MAC AND CHEESE LASAGNA

2 7 1/4 oz packages 50% Whole Grain mac and cheese
2 1/4 cups spaghetti sauce
1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef or turkey
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
3 T parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 deg F.

Lightly grease 9x13 baking dish.

Cook and drain ground beef and mix with spaghetti sauce.

Prepare Macaroni and Cheese using the directions on the box.

Place a layer (exactly half) of Mac and cheese in the baking dish, top with a layer of meat then a layer of cheese. (Repeat).

After the 2 layers are complete, bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until heated through.

Then top with Parm Cheese.

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Apple Coffee Cake

This is one of Emeril Lagasse's recipes I saw on the Internet and just had to try. As my dear husband is the dessert baker in our home I pleaded with him to give this one a try. Actually it didn't take any pleading as he is a sweetheart and loves to make desserts. It's his way of de-stressing.

This came out so good it was a huge hit! Super moist and full of flavor with bits of apples and lots of yummy brown sugar crumble on the top. This one is definitely a keeper!
APPLE COFFEE CAKE

Cake:

  • 1 stick unsalted butter
  • 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 cups peeled, cored and chopped apples

Crumble Topping:

  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Brown Sugar Glaze:

  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 13 by 9-inch glass baking dish.

In a large bowl, cream together the remaining stick of butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating after the addition of each. In a separate bowl or on a piece of parchment, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients, alternating with the sour cream and vanilla. Fold in the apples. Pour into the prepared baking dish, spreading out to the edges.

To make the topping, in a bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon, and butter, and mix until it resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the topping over the cake and bake until golden brown and set, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes.

To make the glaze, in a bowl, combine the sugar, vanilla, and water and mix until smooth. Drizzle the cake with the glaze and let harden slightly. Serve warm.

Friday, September 10, 2010

Easy Peasy Burrito Casserole

I got this recipe from a wonderful website called Mom! What's for dinner. It was delicious and super quick and easy to make. I did not change much from her original recipe.

EASY PEASY BURRITO CASSEROLE

6 Frozen shredded beef burritos or Chimichangas
1 Can of 98% fat free Cream of chicken soup
1/2 C Light sour cream
1 C Shredded cheddar cheese
1 Small can of diced green chilis
1 Small can of sliced black olives
Salsa

Preheat oven to 350

Spray a 9 X 13 baking dish with cooking spray and place the frozen burritos in the dish side by side. Try not to let them touch each other.

In a medium bowl stir together the soup, sour cream and diced green chilis.

Sprinkle the cheese over the top and then add the sliced olives.

Bake for 25 to 30 min until the cheese is all melted and the burritos are heated through.

Spoon salsa over each serving if desired.

Crispy Burritos

I don't go to restaurants all that often but when I do one of the first things I look for on the menu are Southwestern Eggrolls, sometimes called Southwestern Spring Rolls depending on the restaurant. I am addicted to those things which is why it is a good thing I don't eat out that often ;).

This is my way of having that taste without all the fat of deep frying and these are easier which I am all for. I don't really use exact amounts of each ingredient so I will list what I put in them and then you can adjust according to how much you want to make and to your tastes. I am guessing at the exact measurements.

For the dipping sauce you can use whatever suits your fancy. I usually eat mine with a sauce that is very similar to Chili's Awesome Blossom Sauce. I found some dipping sauce in the store that was very close!

CRISPY BURRITOS

2 - 3 Boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 C Black Beans - drained and rinsed
1/2 C Chopped frozen spinach - thawed and patted dry
1/2 to 3/4 C finely chopped onion
1 C Shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 - 3/4 C Jarred salsa
8 - 10 Medium sized flour tortillas
Cooking oil
Garlic powder and course black pepper
Butter flavored cooking spray

In a medium to large skillet add oil to just cover the bottom of the pan. Heat over medium heat.

Cut up chicken breasts into small pieces (about 1/2 inch) and add to the hot skillet. Stir often with a spatula until cooked. Add the onion and cook another 5 minutes or so until onion soft. Add the spinach, black beans, salsa and seasonings and mix well. Add the cheese and mix well with your spatula until the cheese is melted and your mixture is moist and sticky but not soupy or runny. Remove pan from heat.

Heat 2 or 3 tortillas at a time in the microwave for about 30 seconds to a minute. You want them very soft. Spoon a couple of tablespoons of the chicken mixture onto the tortilla and roll up like you would any burrito, making sure to tuck in the ends. Place on a plate while you do the others.

Heat up a medium size skillet. Spray the burritos with the cooking spray, turn them all over and spray the other side.

Place one or two in your hot skillet and brown each side until they are crispy but not burnt. Remove them to a plate and do the remaining burritos.

Cut each one in half at an angle and serve with the dipping sauce of your choice.

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Apricot-Lemon Chicken

This is another recipe I found on Sparkpeople. I did not follow the recipe itself but it inspired me to make something similar. The flavors were so good with the chicken and I made some simple sweet potato rounds to go with it. All in all it made for a really nice meal. This was also a hit with the hubby, he even ate the leftovers the next night which is rare :)
APRICOT-LEMON CHICKEN

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 C apricot preserves
5 or 6 green onions chopped
lemon zest from one lemon
1 t coarse black pepper
1/2 t salt
olive oil for cooking
1 T butter or margarine
4 fresh apricots, halved and pitted

Slice chicken breasts in half lengthwise to make 4 chicken cutlets.

Heat olive oil in medium to large skillet and add chicken. Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Brown on both sides and remove from pan, set aside.

Add butter to same skillet and use a spatula to get up any bits from cooking the chicken. Add the apricots and saute until cooked. Add the green onions, apricot preserves and lemon zest. Stir until it is all smooth and heated through.

Place the breasts back in the pan and cover. Cook on low heat for about 30 min. turning the chicken over a couple of times. Remove from heat and serve.


For the sweet potato rounds I preheated the oven to 400 and peeled a couple of medium size sweet potatoes.

I sliced them into 1/4 in slices. In a large bowl I drizzled some canola oil and added parmesan cheese, cracked pepper, onion powder and garlic powder. I tossed the potato slices in the bowl with the oil and seasonings and then placed them in a single layer on a cookie sheet.

I baked them for about 12 min and then turned them over and baked for an additional 10 min until they were golden brown on each side.

Chiles Rellenos Casserole

I found this recipe in my current issue of Taste of Home and had to try it. Not only was this a super easy dish to make but it tasted SO good. My husband loved it and had two big helpings. It was also really good heated up the next day. I of course lightened it up by using egg substitute in place of the eggs, low fat cheeses and skim milk. Instead of buying 7 of those small 4oz. cans of the whole green chiles I was able to find a large can that was about 27 oz. so I grabbed that even though it had maybe one less chile.

CHILES RELLENOS CASSEROLE

7 cans (4 ounces each) whole green chilies, drained
3/4 pound low fat Monterey Jack cheese, cut into strips
1C (4 ounces) low fat cheddar cheese
1 1/4 C egg substitute
1-1/4 C skim milk
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

Split chilies lengthwise; rinse and remove seeds. Drain on paper towels; pat dry. Stuff chilies with cheese strips. Place half of chilies in a greased 11-in. x 7-in. baking dish; sprinkle with 1/2 cup cheddar cheese. Repeat layers.

In a small bowl, beat the eggs, milk, flour, salt, pepper and pepper sauce until smooth; pour over chilies. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Yield:
8 servings.

High Fiber Blueberry Muffins

I went searching for a high fiber muffin recipe the other day that I could change to suit my tastes. I found a nice recipe from Chef Meg on Sparkpeople that had the basics that I wanted and then I just changed a few things. These came out super moist and had great flavor. A couple of these for Breakfast with a glass of skim milk and I was good to go :)


HIGH FIBER BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

1 T flax meal
1 C fresh blueberries (or thawed frozen blueberries)
1 C quick oats
1 C lowfat buttermilk
1 C 10 Grain Pancake Mix (I use Bob's Red Mill 10 Grain Pancake Mix)
1 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t cinnamon
1 t salt
1/4 c egg substitute
1/2 c unsweetened applesauce
1/2 c Splenda
1 t vanilla

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Spray the muffin pans with nonstick cooking spray or line them with paper liners.

Wash and dry the blueberries. In a small bowl, combine the oats and buttermilk, and let the mixture stand at room temperature for five minutes.

In a medium bowl, combine the pancake mix, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; mix with a fork to blend and set aside.

In a large bowl and using a hand mixer, beat the egg, applesauce, and Splenda at medium speed for three minutes.

Blend in the oat-buttermilk mixture. Stir in the flour mixture only to combine, try not to overwork the mixture. Fold in the blueberries. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full and top with a sprinkle of flax seed.

Bake 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Number of Servings: 12

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Chicken Parmesan

I substituted crushed Bran Flakes cereal for the coating instead of regular bread crumbs and then added a bunch of seasonings to give it more flavor. You can add whatever seasonings you like depending on your tastes. I brown my cutlets in a bit of oil before baking but I am sure you could just bake the cutlets in the oven and add a little cooking spray to each side and they would crisp up nicely, then you could add the sauce and cheese the last few minutes. That would certainly cut down on the fat calories. I may try it that way next time I make this.


CHICKEN PARMESAN

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6.5 oz. each)
1 1/4 cups of crushed bran flakes
1/4 cup reduced fat Parmesan cheese
4 T Smart Balance Omega Oil Blend
1/2 cup of egg substitute
3/4 cup of Kraft 2% mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 T cracked pepper
1 T onion powder
1 T garlic powder
1/4 cup water
3/4 cup pasta sauce (I used my own Pasta Sauce)

Preheat oven to 400

Slice chicken breasts lengthwise so you have 4 thin chicken cutlets. Mix egg substitute and water in shallow bowl and set aside. In another shallow bowl combine the bran flakes, Parmesan, onion powder, garlic powder and pepper.

In a large skillet heat the oil. Dip one of the chicken cutlets in the egg mixture, coating thoroughly and place into the bran flakes mixture. Cover the cutlet with the crumbs well while pressing down. When it is well coated place in the skillet. Repeat this with all 4 cutlets.

Cook about 3 to 4 minutes on each side until they look brown and crispy. Remove from oil and place in a shallow casserole dish.

Spoon the pasta sauce evenly over each cutlet and sprinkle each with the mozzarella cheese.

Place in the oven and bake for about 7 to 10 min.

Number of Servings: 4

Nutritional Info
  • Servings Per Recipe: 4
  • Amount Per Serving
  • Calories: 338.2
  • Total Fat: 19.5 g
  • Cholesterol: 60.9 mg
  • Sodium: 568.9 mg
  • Total Carbs: 13.1 g
  • Dietary Fiber: 2.8 g
  • Protein: 29.5 g
NOTE: Please keep in mind the nutritional info is based on the specific brands that I use for each ingredient so they may be different depending on the brand you use.

Lasagna Roll Ups

There isn't much to say about this recipe. I have been making these for years but when I made it this time I tried to lighten it up a bit by using whole wheat lasagna noodles and lean ground turkey. I found that the whole wheat lasagna noodles are a little bit harder to work with so you might want to make extra.

For the pasta sauce I used my own recipe.



LASAGNA ROLL UPS

3 cups part skim ricotta cheese
2 tablespoon parmesan, reduced fat
12 oz lean ground turkey
1 1/2 cups low sodium mozzarella; shredded
1 teaspoon italian seasoning
1/2 cup onion; chopped
1 cup fresh spinach; chopped
2 cups pasta sauce My own recipe
1 clove garlic; minced
9 - 10 whole wheat lasagna noodles (you might want to make extra)
1 tablespoon smart balance oil
1/4 cup egg substitute

Preheat oven to 375°F

Cook noodles according to package. You make want to make a few extra because I found that the wheat noodles tend to break easier.

In a medium bowl mix together the ricotta, parmesan, egg substitute, 1 cup of the mozzarella and italian seasoning. Mix well and put aside.

In a large skillet heat the oil and saute the onions and garlic. Add the turkey and cook while breaking it up into very small crumbles. Add the chopped spinach and cook until the spinach is wilted and the turkey is cooked through. Remove from heat.

Spray a 2 1/2 quart shallow casserole dish with cooking spray.

Add 1 cup of sauce to the bottom of the pan.

Take one of the lasagna noodles and spread a layer of the ricotta cheese mixture down the entire noodle. Take about 1 1/2 Tbls of the turkey meat and sprinkle it evenly over the cheese layer and press it lightly into the cheese. Starting at one end roll up the lasagna noodle being careful to keep the cheese and meat from falling out the sides.

Place it seam side down in the casserole dish. Repeat this until you have filled all the noodles or until you run out of filler.

Pour the rest of the sauce over the top of the roll ups and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese.

Bake in the oven for about 20 - 30 min. Remove from the oven and let sit about 10 minutes.

Monday, June 14, 2010

Barbi's Pasta Sauce (low sodium)

I wanted to make a large batch of pasta sauce that I could use with several recipes and freeze the rest for future use. I basically just made this one up as I went along using ideas I got from several recipes I saw on the internet. For my tomato base I tried to use as many "no salt added" products as I could find. The only one I could not get in the low sodium version was the crushed tomatoes but I think spread out over the whole recipe it still had little impact.

After adding all the vegetables I found that they did not seem like all that much once all the sauces were added so if you like a chunkier sauce then I would increase amounts of veggies. This is also a very low fat sauce in comparison to store bought brands.

If you are not a Diabetic or don't mind a few extra calories from sugar then you can replace the Splenda with regular sugar.

As always, every taste is different so you can use this as a base and then just add or subtract from there to make it suit your tastes.


BARBI'S PASTA SAUCE (low sodium)

1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
5 8 oz cans tomato sauce, no salt added
2 6 oz. cans Tomato paste, no salt added
2 14.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes, no salt added
1 tablespoon basil
1 tablespoon italian seasoning
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoon Splenda
1 carrot; chopped
1 medium onion; chopped
1 medium zucchini; chopped
1/2 cup mushrooms; chopped
2 clove garlic; minced
2 tablespoon Smart Balance Omega Oil

Heat oil in large skillet. Saute the onion, carrots, zucchini, mushrooms and garlic until tender.

While that is cooking in a large crockpot (6 qt) add the crushed tomatoes plus one can of water, then add the tomato sauce, tomato paste and the diced tomatoes. Stir until blended well. Add the basil, bay leaves, Italian seasoning and Splenda. Stir until everything is well mixed and turn the crockpot on high.

When the vegetables are done add to the sauce and blend. Cover the crockpot and cook on high for one hour.

Stir sauce and taste to see if it needs anything then turn heat down to low.

Simmer on low for 4 to 5 hours stirring occasionally.

Use over your favorite pasta or to make lasagna.

You can also divide it up and freeze it for later use, just be sure to let it cool completely first.

Makes about 17 cups

Number of Servings: 17

Nutritional Info
  • Servings Per Recipe: 17
  • Amount Per Serving
  • Calories: 83.7
  • Total Fat: 1.7 g
  • Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
  • Sodium: 137.6 mg
  • Total Carbs: 10.4 g
  • Dietary Fiber: 4.7 g
  • Protein: 2.1 g
NOTE: Please keep in mind the nutritional info is based on the specific brands that I use for each ingredient so they may be different depending on the brand you use.

Fiesta Chicken Enchiladas - Revamped!

I actually posted this recipe a while ago on my blog but besides the fact that it had a crappy picture I also managed to tweak it a bit to make it healthier. Part of the reason for it being healthier is my wonderful discovery of LaTortilla Factory tortillas. LaTortilla Factory makes a delicious line of healthy high fiber tortillas that come in many flavors.

The only problem I found with these tortillas is they were a little large for this recipe so I ended up putting the filling across 2/3 of the tortilla, rolling it up and then cutting about 2 inches off the end with no filling. I know that seems wasteful but until I can find a smaller size this is what I have to do. On the plus side it means that the nutritional info listed below is actually higher than what you are really eating.

I will warn you though that while these have less fat and carbs and more fiber they are still quite high in sodium so if you are on a strict low sodium diet you may want to avoid these.


FIESTA CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3 med to lg. chicken breasts;
1 1/4 cup thick 'n chunky salsa, divided
8 oz. light cream cheese, cubed
2 tbsp. chopped cilantro
1 tbsp. taco seasoning
1 cup shredded light cheddar cheese, divided
10 flour low carb tortillas (I use LaTortilla Factory 100 Calorie Tortillas)

PREHEAT oven to 350°F.
Dice chicken into 1/4 inch chunks.

Heat large skillet and add butter on medium heat. Add chicken and cook through. Add onions and garlic; cook and stir 2 min. Add 1/4 cup of the salsa, cream cheese and cilantro; mix well. Cook until heated through, stirring occasionally. Add 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese; mix well.

SPOON about 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture onto each tortilla; roll up. Place, seam-side down, in 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray; top with remaining 1 cup salsa and remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheese.

BAKE 15 to 20 min. or until heated through.

Number of Servings: 10

Nutritional Info
  • Servings Per Recipe: 10
  • Amount Per Serving
  • Calories: 294.6
  • Total Fat: 10.2 g
  • Cholesterol: 62.1 mg
  • Sodium: 818.4 mg
  • Total Carbs: 29.4 g
  • Dietary Fiber: 8.8 g
  • Protein: 20.4 g

Quick and Easy Spanish Rice

I discovered an easy way to make Spanish Rice one night while making dinner using Cheddar Cheese Soup and it was a big hit but this weekend as I started to make it I thought about the high sodium content in the soup. It's always such a balancing act trying to make meals that are low in fat and carbs but also lower in sodium. One of them usually has to give. At the last minute I swapped out the cheese soup with a bag (7 oz) of Sargento Reduced Sodium Mild Cheddar Cheese. It tasted just as good if not better and definitely had less sodium. I love the fact that Sargento is now putting out a line of Reduced Sodium cheeses!

Another great find was Uncle Ben's Whole Grain White Rice. As a Diabetic white rice is usually on my no-no list but this rice tastes like white rice but has 4g of fiber per serving which means I can have a little now and then without spiking my blood sugar out of range.

While this recipe isn't guilt-free it is certainly a little healthier than the average version. Now if I could only find a "No salt added" version of the Rotel Tomato and Green Chilies I would be in heaven :)


QUICK AND EASY SPANISH RICE

2 4.40 oz. Boxes of Uncle Ben's Whole Grain White Rice
1 7 oz. pkg. Sargento Reduced Sodium Mild Cheddar Cheese
1 10 oz. can Rotel Tomato and Green Chilies
1 Small onion finely chopped
1 tsp Garlic powder
1 Tb. Smart Balance Light Butter Spread

Cook both boxes of rice according to directions.

In a large skillet melt butter and add cooked rice and stir for about 5 minutes. Add onion, can of tomato and green chilies (with juice) and garlic powder. Stir and heat through another 5 minutes then add the bag of shredded cheese. Keep stirring until the cheese is melted and the rice mixture becomes bubbly. Remove from heat and serve.

Makes 10 - 1/2 cup servings

Number of Servings: 10

Nutritional Info
  • Servings Per Recipe: 10
  • Amount Per Serving
  • Calories: 259.2
  • Total Fat: 7.8 g
  • Cholesterol: 21.0 mg
  • Sodium: 242.2 mg
  • Total Carbs: 40.3 g
  • Dietary Fiber: 4.4 g
  • Protein: 9.0 g

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Ham and Peas Casserole

Yes at long last I am back. I really have no excuse for neglecting my blog so long except that I now babysit my grandson 3 days a week so I have less time to play on the computer but I am going to try my hardest to keep my blog up to date. I really need to get serious about eating healthier so I have been searching the internet for ideas on creating healthier recipes. I will also try and add the nutritional values for some of the recipes I am going to post here.

This first recipe I found in a magazine and it tasted pretty good so I will probably make it again. As always I tweaked it a bit here and there to make it healthier.

The recipe calls for adding crushed Saltine Crackers to the top when you bake it which I did but probably won't the next time. It tasted alright when it was first baked but when you reheat the leftovers the Saltines just seemed kind of gummy and pasty. You could lightly sprinkle some bread crumbs or add shredded cheese to the top to replace the Saltines if you wanted.



HAM AND PEAS CASSEROLE
12 oz. Whole wheat bowtie pasta
4 Tbl. Smart Balance Light Butter spread
1/4 C Flour
1 tsp. Dry mustard
2 C Skim milk
1 C Fat Free Half and Half
3 C Low Fat Mild Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
1 1/2 C Frozen Peas
3/4 C Diced Ham

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add pasta and cook until just tender, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Melt 3 Tbsp. butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Whisk in flour and mustard until smooth. Slowly whisk in milk and half-and-half and bring just to a simmer. Stir in cheese, a little at a time, until melted. Remove pan from heat and stir in peas, ham and pasta. Stir to coat with sauce.

Pour into a 2.5 quart baking dish. Sprinkle cracker crumbs over top of pasta and dot with remaining 1 Tbsp. butter. Bake until bubbling, about 20 minutes.