Favorite ''Lighter'' Recipes!!

[FireGoddess]

I''ve been trying to cook healthier lately....I could stand to lose a few and DH is pretty trim but has some high cholesterol...so I''ve been scanning my Cooking Light recipes. Some work out well, some not so well. If you have any lighter versions of recipes that have worked for you, please feel free to insert them here! Would love to have a repository of healthier versions of food...any cuisine, any meal, etc!!

 

[FireGoddess]

This is a copy of one I put in the recipes thread...got it from Cooking Light and I loved it. The soup comes out creamy, but does not use whipping cream to get the consistency.
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Oh. My. WORD. We are in love with this new soup recipe I tried from Cooking Light yesterday. I couldn't believe how amazing it was, and DH loved it so much he ate two bowls, and requested it for dinner again tonight. I think we're also going to make it when a friend comes for dinner this week. Heaven!!!! Super easy, super healthy, and delish. The tang of the lemon in the soup....YUM.

Can serve with crusty bread and a side tossed salad. The soup is pretty filling though, so you might want to just start out with the bread.

Quick Avgolemono, Orzo, and Chicken Soup
"Avgolemono (ahv-goh-LEH-moh-noh) is a tangy Greek soup that combines chicken broth, eggs, and lemon juice. Traditional versions include rice, our interpretation uses orzo."

Total time: 35 minutes
6 c fat free, less sodium chicken broth
1 tsp finely chopped fresh dill
1/2 c uncooked orzo
4 large eggs
1/3 c fresh lemon juice
1 cup shredded carrot
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
8 oz skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces

Bring broth and dill to boil in a large saucepan. Add orzo. Reduce heat and simmer 5 min or until orzo is slightly tender. Remove from heat.
Place eggs and juice in a blender. Process until smooth. Remove 1 c broth from pan with ladle, making sure to leave out orzo. With blender on, slowly add broth, process until smooth.
Add carrot, salt, pepper, and chicken to pan. Bring to simmer over medium heat and cook 5 min or until chicken and orzo are done.
Reduce heat to low. Slowly stir in egg mixture, cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly (do not boil).
Yield: 4 servings, serving size 2 cups.

Cal 228, fat 6.3 g (sat 1.9g, mono 2.2 g, poly 1 g), protein 25.3 g, carb 16.6 g

 

[Mara]

FG, I was just going to start this thread so I'm glad you did! I am dying for some healthy recipes that are tried and true and most importantly, FLAVORFUL. I am huge on flavor.

While you are waiting for your sub, check out Cooking Light's website for their recipes (from years back even and people rate them with 1-5 stars!). You can use the keyword from the March mag to login and view recipes (just start searching then it will ask you to put in the keyword from the March Magazine)...March's is KITCHENTIPS.

I just found this one earlier, and it sounds GOOD. Greg loves sausage too. I may try it tomorrow. Greg has been wanting me to use the crockpot again anyway!

Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice

This is the ultimate in thriftiness and convenience - beans in a slow cooker. The long, slow cooking time coaxes all the flavor from the sausage into the beans for a mild yet full-flavored dish. You can also cook in on low heat for 8 hours.

3 cups water
1 cup dried red kidney beans
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
3/4 cup chopped celery
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon paprika
3/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 (14-ounce) package turkey, pork, and beef smoked sausage, thinly sliced (such as Healthy Choice)
1 bay leaf
5 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups hot cooked long-grain rice
1/4 cup chopped green onions

Combine first 12 ingredients in an electric slow cooker. Cover with lid; cook on high heat for 5 hours. Discard bay leaf; stir in salt. Serve over rice; sprinkle servings evenly with green onions.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup bean mixture, 3/4 cup rice, and 1 tablespoon green onions)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 413(5% from fat); FAT 2.5g (sat 0.7g,mono 0.2g,poly 0.5g); PROTEIN 21.1g; CHOLESTEROL 18mg; CALCIUM 102mg; SODIUM 749mg; FIBER 10.1g; IRON 6mg; CARBOHYDRATE 76.3g

 

[Mara]

and here is one we did last week to rave reviews from the peanut gallery, aka Greg...

My modifications to the recipe is to double the mustard (I love strong flavors with mild fish). We served it with a split salad from Whole Foods. It's extra yummy because it uses a bit of cream but not enough to be bad for you!

Tilapia in Mustard Cream Sauce

"Orange roughy or chicken can be used instead of tilapia, and tomatoes or spinach can be substituted for mushrooms." -Alix McLearen, Wesley Chapel, FL

4 (6-ounce) tilapia fillets
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray
3/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 ounce portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons whipping cream
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Sprinkle fish with thyme, pepper, and salt. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add fish; cook 1 minute on each side. Add broth, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Add mushrooms; cook, uncovered, 1 minute or until mushrooms are tender. Remove fish from pan; keep warm. Add cream and mustard to pan; stir with a whisk until well combined. Cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Serve sauce over fish.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 fillet and 1/4 cup sauce)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 184(22% from fat); FAT 4.6g (sat 2.1g,mono 1g,poly 0.4g); PROTEIN 32.7g; CHOLESTEROL 134mg; CALCIUM 40mg; SODIUM 536mg; FIBER 0.6g; IRON 2.2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 1.2g

 

[FireGoddess]

Thanks for the password Mara - will definitely cruise the website!! This recipe comes from the ''Light Summer Suppers'' special issue of Cooking Light last year....I made it all last summer!!

Though dubbed a summer recipe, it''s timeless, and awesome served with a side of rice or some mashed potatoes. The lemon rind is crucial - it really zings up the filling!!!

Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Artichokes, Lemon, and Goat Cheese

2 1/2 Tbs seasoned breadcrumbs (Italian style or garlic works well)
2 tsp grated lemon rind
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
6 oz jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
3 oz herbed goat cheese, softened (I use plain goat cheese and it works well)
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
Preheat oven to 375F. Combine first six ingredients in a bowl, stirring well.
Pound chicken breasts between sheets of wax paper using a meat mallet to tenderize and thin out chicken.
Top each breast with 2 Tbs cheese mixture and roll up chicken in jelly roll fashion. Tuck in sides, fasten with tooth picks.
Heat a nonstick skillet and coat with cooking spray. Add chicken and cook 3 minutes per side to brown.
Wrap handle of skillet with tin foil and bake entire thing in oven for 15 minutes or until chicken is done.

4 servings, 234 calories each, 33 g protein, 7.8 g fat (3.5 g is saturated), 7.2 g carbs

 

[AsscherGirl]

I posted this once before, but here is my recipe for Turkey burgers. They are certainly healthier than beef burgers & I can get these to a specific doneness in my All Clad pan that I dont'' even put cheese on them. Be careful - it''s easy to overcook & you must fully cook them in order to be safe:

1 package of ground turkey BREAST (it should say something like 99% fat free on it - otherwise you may as well eat ground beef).

To taste:

Honey barbecue sauce (I''ve never measured, but it''s probably about 1/4 cup)
garlic (I buy the pre-chopped kind in the jar & I use a TON - probably 2-3 tablespoons)
oregano (I only use a tiny sprinkle)
basil (I tend to use more basil)
parsley (I only use a tiny sprinkle)

I put the turkey into a bowl, add all the seasonings and combine it really well with my hands. Then I form 5 patties out of a 1.25 pound package and cook them in an All Clad pan lightly covered in Extra Virgin Olive oil over low to medium heat.

 

[Lynn B]

I susbcribe to Cooking Light and Eating Well magazines, and adore them both. I love to cook and I am a food snob

, and (except under extreme circumstances!) only eat wonderful, delicious (healthy) food.

Also, FWIW, both magazines have bulletin boards/forums, too, that can really be fun. I used to be quite active on the CL one until I found PS. The EW one is new and just starting up. Lots of great ideas and recipes on both of them.

 

[jcrow]

anyone got a light&healthy recipe that''s also vegetarian friendly?

 

[Mara]

jcrow you could probably do the egg lemon soup with veggie broth and no chicken to make it a veggie dish?

we had a great pasta for the sopranos party but it used alot of cream, it may be able to be adapted to be more healthy, it was pasta primavera.

i love lemons/lemon juice/lemon recipes so stuff like lemon garlic pasta or the lemon chicken or the lemon soup is totally up my alley.

 

[FireGoddess]

Here''s one for ya jcrow - and ditto to what Mara said about modifying the Avgolemono soup - veggie broth subbed for chx broth, and maybe some tofu instead of the chicken? Would be great.

We''ve done this one and loved it!

Spinach Lasagna Rolls
From Cooking Light
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 (15-ounce) carton lite ricotta cheese
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
9 cooked lasagna noodles
Vegetable cooking spray
1 1/2 cups chopped tomato
4 (8-ounce) cans no-salt-added tomato sauce
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Fresh basil leaves (optional)
Combine 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, and ricotta cheese in a large bowl, and stir well. Add spinach, and stir well.
Spread 1/3 cup spinach mixture on each lasagna noodle. Roll up jelly-roll fashion, beginning at narrow end. Cut lasagna rolls in half crosswise, using a serrated knife; arrange, cut side down, in an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Set aside.

Combine chopped tomato and next 6 ingredients in a bowl, and stir well. Spoon tomato mixture over lasagna rolls. Cover and bake at 350° for 45 minutes. Uncover; top with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, and bake an additional 10 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil leaves, if desired.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 3 lasagna rolls)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 419(26% from fat); FAT 12.3g (sat 7.1g,mono 3.3g,poly 0.7g); PROTEIN 28.8g; CHOLESTEROL 37mg; CALCIUM 533mg; SODIUM 636mg; FIBER 3.2g; IRON 3.2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 52.2g

 

[jcrow]

yum!! i can''t wait to start cooking!!

 

[FireGoddess]

OOPSIE jcrow, this is the recipe I meant to post...the one above looks delish but the one we tried was the one below - the roasted red pepper puree in the sauce gives it an awesome flavor!

Lasagna Rolls with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

These rolls require some assembly time but are a nice change of pace from layered pasta. Use baby spinach to eliminate the task of trimming stems.
Lasagna:
8 uncooked lasagna noodles
4 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 (8-ounce) package presliced mushrooms
1 (6-ounce) package fresh baby spinach
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/4 cup minced fresh basil, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Sauce:
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (7-ounce) bottle roasted red bell peppers, undrained
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
To prepare lasagna, cook noodles according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and rinse under cold water. Drain.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, mushrooms, spinach, and 3 garlic cloves; sauté 5 minutes or until onion and mushrooms are tender. Remove from heat, and stir in cheeses, 2 tablespoons basil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper.

To prepare sauce, place vinegar and remaining ingredients in a blender; process until smooth.

Place cooked noodles on flat surface; spread 1/4 cup cheese mixture over each noodle. Roll up noodles, jelly-roll fashion, starting with short side. Place the rolls, seam sides down, in a shallow 2-quart microwave-safe dish. Pour 1/4 cup sauce over each roll, and cover with heavy-duty plastic wrap. Microwave at high 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons basil.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 rolls)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 393(27% from fat); FAT 11.7g (sat 4.3g,mono 3.6g,poly 1.5g); PROTEIN 19.3g; CHOLESTEROL 20mg; CALCIUM 253mg; SODIUM 924mg; FIBER 5.9g; IRON 3.8mg; CARBOHYDRATE 58.3g

 

[FireGoddess]

Date: 3/28/2006 5:09:00 PM
Author: Mara
i love lemons/lemon juice/lemon recipes so stuff like lemon garlic pasta or the lemon chicken or the lemon soup is totally up my alley.

Me too...lemons and limes are my favorite....even in desserts! Only rivaled by chocolate.

 

[FireGoddess]

This got mixed reviews on cookinglight.com but I saw it in last month's issue (my subscrip just started, yay!) and decided to try it. It really worked for me and I loved the taste. It's a great way to get all your green veggies in, and the taste was great! Note - I doubled the lemon juice in the recipe because I love lemon flavor and the tang really worked in this soup. I liked it!! It does come out green, so don't be scared!

ETA: I also pureed the soup at the end with an immersion blender right in the pot, instead of a regular blender or food processor like they suggest.


Winter Potage
A hearty combination of six vegetables gives layers of flavor to this soup. A squeeze of fresh lemon and a little cracked black pepper at the table brighten each bowl.

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon butter
1 cup thinly sliced leek (about 1 large)
1/2 cup sliced celery
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups chopped broccoli florets
2 cups baby spinach leaves
1 cup frozen shelled edamame
1 cup frozen petite green peas
1 tablespoon rice
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Lemon wedges (optional)
Cracked black pepper (optional)

Heat oil and butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add leek and celery; sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Stir in garlic; cook 1 minute. Add broccoli, spinach, edamame, peas, rice, and red pepper. Stir in broth and water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 20 minutes or until vegetables are soft.
Place one-third of vegetable mixture in a food processor or blender; process until smooth. Pour pureed mixture into a large bowl; repeat procedure with remaining vegetable mixture. Stir in juice, salt, and black pepper. Garnish with lemon wedges and cracked black pepper, if desired.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 152(25% from fat); FAT 4.2g (sat 0.9g,mono 1.5g,poly 1.2g); PROTEIN 10g; CHOLESTEROL 3mg; CALCIUM 101mg; SODIUM 540mg; FIBER 6.4g; IRON 3.2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 19.3g

 

[Mara]

we actually did the tilapia again last nite to rave reviews (added white wine, a tiny bit of garlic this time) and tonite the slow cooker rice and beans (it''s cooking at home as i type this) so will report back on how that works out!! it smelled good when i put it all together!

 

[hlmr]

Those are great recipes...thanks for posting them!

Forgive my ignorance but what is edamame?

 

[FireGoddess]

Edamame are soybeans. A great way to get soy into your diet!

 

[FireGoddess]

Here''s a pic - you can find them in the pod (as shown) at Costco, good for snacking. I picked up the shelled frozen ones at the supermarket.

 

[Mara]

you also eat edamame at sushi restaurants as an appetizer typically! i love em warm with salt!

so the red beans and rice was a big hit!! i had to add more salt to mine because i''m a salt whore but other than that it was fab. it''s pretty filling too. i added extra garlic into it, and a few more red beans than the recipe called for and used a little less rice. we also used fresh turkey sausage with ''italian'' spice from whole foods so it was nice and spicy. definitely recommended!

 

[hlmr]

Thanks for the replies! Posting a pic really helped - it looks familiar to me but I have never bought any. It''s never too late to introduce new veggies into your life! Yum!