Chicken Tetrazzini

This is not my picture, it is from the website. I forgot to take a picture when I made it, but when I make the second batch, I will be sure to get a picture of what it actually looks like.

Source
www.CookingLight.com

Recipe
1 tablespoon butter
Cooking spray
1 cup finely chopped onion
2/3 cup finely chopped celery
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 (8-ounce) packages presliced mushrooms
1/2 cup dry sherry
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 (14.5-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 1/4 cups (9 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 cup (4 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
7 cups hot cooked vermicelli (about 1 pound uncooked pasta)
4 cups chopped cooked chicken breast (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 (1-ounce) slice white bread

Preheat oven to 350°.

Melt butter in large stockpot coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, pepper, salt, and mushrooms; sauté 4 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. Add sherry; cook 1 minute.

Lightly spoon flour into a measuring cup; level with a knife. Gradually add flour to pan; cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly (mixture will be thick) with a whisk. Gradually add broth, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat.

Add 1 3/4 cups Parmesan cheese and cream cheese, stirring with a whisk until cream cheese melts. Add the pasta and chicken, and stir until blended. Divide the pasta mixture between 2 (8-inch-square) baking dishes coated with cooking spray.

Place bread in food processor; pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs form. Combine breadcrumbs and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese; sprinkle evenly over pasta mixture.

Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove casserole from oven; let stand 15 minutes.

To freeze unbaked casserole: Prepare through Step 5. Cool completely in refrigerator. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing to remove as much air as possible. Wrap with heavy-duty foil. Store in freezer for up to 2 months.

To prepare frozen unbaked casserole: Thaw casserole completely in refrigerator (about 24 hours). Preheat oven to 350º. Remove foil; reserve foil. Remove plastic wrap; discard wrap. Cover casserole with reserved foil; bake at 350º for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 1 hour or until golden and bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes.

Serves 12 (6 servings per casserole)

My Revisions
Instead of the sherry, I used white cooking wine.
Instead of 1/3 less fat cream cheese, I used fat free cream cheese.
Instead of vermicelli, I used whole wheat thin spaghetti.
Instead of white bread, I used wheat bread.

Nutrition Information Per Serving
Calories : 380
Fat : 12.2g
Protein : 33g
Carbohydrate : 32.7g
Fiber : 2g
Cholesterol : 66mg
Iron : 2.8mg
Sodium : 964mg
Calcium : 319mg

Outcome
This came out wonderful. I loved how creamy and full of mushrooms this was. But more than anything, I love that it made two casseroles, so I can have another meal to pop in the freezer next week sometime when I don't feel like cooking. My husband liked it as well and said he would definitely eat it again. He also said he didn't even notice that they were wheat noodles. Success!

Weekday Beef Stroganoff

Source
Ultimate Crockpot Collection

Recipe
2 pounds beef stew meat
1 jar sliced mushrooms
1 pack onion soup mix
1 can cream of mushrooms soup (do not add water)
1/3 cup white wine
1 package (8 ounces) egg noodles

Cut beef into 1 inch cubes. Put beef, mushrooms, soup mix, mushroom soup, and wine into crock pot and cook on low for 8-12 hours. Serve over cooked egg noodles.

Serves 4

My Revisions
I wanted to make this recipe healthier than it was already written, so I made a few revisions.
First, I used top sirloin and trimmed off all the fat. I only used one pound instead of two and it was more than enough when it was done.
Instead of a jar of mushrooms, I used a pound of fresh mushrooms.
I used low sodium onion soup mix.
I used Campbell's healthy request low sodium cream of mushroom soup.
I cooked it on low for 6 hours.

Nutrition Information Per Serving
The cookbook I used for this recipe does not provide the nutrition information, but here are the nutrition facts for the way I made it.
Calories : 500
Fat : 6g
Protein : 47g
Carbohydrates : 56g
Fiber : 6g
Cholesterol : 59mg
Sodium : 805mg
Sugar : 5g

Outcome
This meal was very good. I love beef stroganoff and this was just as good as the regular home made dish. The first time I made it, it was in the crock pot for 11 hours and it completely burned. So I recommend keeping on eye on this while you cook it the first time to see how long it needs in your crock pot. The second time I made it, I watched it, and after 6 hours on low it was ready. I just put it on keep warm for the last 2 hours until we were ready to eat. It came out perfect and creamy. My husband and my son both loved it and said they definitely wanted it again.

Rotini and Cheese

Source
www.CookingLight.com

Recipe
2 bacon slices
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 cup 1% low-fat milk
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 cups hot cooked rotini (about 8 ounces uncooked pasta)
3/4 cup frozen green peas, thawed

1. Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan; crumble. Increase heat to medium-high. Add butter and oil to drippings in pan; swirl to coat. Add onion; sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; sauté for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add flour, and sauté 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in mustard. Gradually add 1 cup milk, stirring constantly with a whisk, and bring to a boil. Cook for 3 minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes. Add cheese, salt, and pepper, stirring with a whisk until smooth.

2. Place pan over low heat. Stir in bacon, pasta, and peas; cook for 1 minute or until thoroughly heated, tossing to coat.

Serves 4

My Revisions
Instead of bacon, I used lean ground turkey. This added a few more calories, but lots of extra protein.
Instead of regular cheddar cheese, I used Kraft fat free cheddar cheese.
I used whole wheat rotini.
I did not have any frozen peas, so I just made it without them, and served a green salad on the side for some extra veggies.

Nutrition Information Per Serving
This is the nutrition information for the recipe as written.
Calories : 470
Fat : 19.9g
Protein : 18.4g
Carbohydrate : 54.8g
Fiber : 3.7g
Cholesterol : 40mg
Sodium : 667mg

This is the nutrition information for the way I made it with my revisions.
Calories : 503
Fat : 12g
Protein : 51g
Carbohyhdrates : 50g
Fiber : 7g
Cholesterol : 87mg
Sodium : 419mg
Sugar : 7g

Outcome
This turned out very good. It is kind of a take on cheeseburger macaroni, but with all the calories savings from the turkey and fat free cheese. This was very simple to make, it only took about 20 minutes. My husband liked it even though he swears he hates wheat pasta. My son ate all of his portion too. Good reviews all around!

Grilled Balsamic Skirt Steak

This is not my picture, this is the picture from the website. I forgot to take my picture when I made it.

Source
www.CookingLight.com

Recipe
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 pound skirt steak, trimmed and cut into 4 pieces
Cooking spray
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Combine first 4 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add steak, turning to coat; seal and marinate at room temperature 25 minutes, turning once. Remove steak from bag; discard marinade.

2. Heat a large grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle both sides of steak with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Add steak to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove steak from pan; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Tent with foil; let stand 5 minutes. Cut steak diagonally across the grain into thin slices.

Serves 4

My Revisions
Instead of cooking this in a pan as suggested, I cooked it on the grill over medium-high heat for 3 minutes on each side. It came out perfect.

Nutrition Information Per Serving
Calories - 201
Fat - 10.3g
Saturated Fat - 4g
Protein - 22.3g
Carbohydrate - 3.1g
Fiber - 0.0g
Cholesterol - 51mg
Iron - 2.6mg
Sodium - 323mg
Calcium - 16mg

Outcome
This actually tasted really good. I think the balsamic vinegar was a little overpowering, so next time, I will probably increase the Worcestershire and decrease the balsamic vinegar. But it really came out tender, flavorful, and tasty. My husband really liked this also. Another recipe to add to the line up.

Banana Bread

Source
Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook

Recipe
1 3/4 cups flour
3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
8 dried dates, chopped
6 dried apricot halves, chopped
1 large egg
1 very ripe banana, mashed
1/4 cup fat free milk (see my notes on this below)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8x4 loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in the walnuts, dates, and apricots. In a small bowl, beat the egg. Add the banana and the milk. Pour over the flour mixture, and stir until just blended (do not overmix).

3. Transfer to the pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. About one hour. Completely cool on a rack.

Serves 12

My Revisions
I tried this recipe twice. The first time following the directions as written, the loaf did not come out right, it was way too dense. The second time I made this, I doubled the milk, so I used 1/2 cup of fat free milk. When I did this, the loaf came out the right texture.
Instead of dates and apricots, I used dried pineapple.

Nutrition Information
Serving Size - 1/12 of the loaf
Calories - 133
Fat - 2g
Saturated Fat - 0g
Trans Fat - 0g
Cholesterol - 18mg
Sodium - 178mg
Carbohydrates - 26g
Fiber - 2g
Protein - 3g
Calcium - 35mg

Outcome
The first time, following this recipe as written, it was terrible. I could tell as soon as the batter was mixed that it was too thick. I went ahead with it anyway, thinking I would at least try the recipe as written once. It came out of the oven hard as a rock, and terrible. The second time I made this, when I doubled the milk, the texture was right. The only problem is, this bread has very little flavor. I would like to keep working on it, and see if I can add more things to this recipe to make it have great flavor as well as have that soft texture. I was thinking about maybe adding more cinnamon and some nutmeg. Possibly one more banana, as one in this entire loaf just doesn't seem like enough. I plan on playing with this recipe more, and seeing what I can turn it into. All in all, the bread was good, my husband said he liked it, but agreed that it could use something more. If I find something that works well, I will update this recipe at a later date.

Southern Oven "Fried" Chicken

This recipe was so bad and so ugly that I did not even take a picture of it.

Source
Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook

Recipe
1/2 cup fat free buttermilk
1/2 cup cornflakes, crushed
3 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 pounds chicken parts, skinned
4 teaspoons canola oil

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a large baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Pour the buttermilk in a large shallow bowl. On a sheet of wax paper, combine the cornflakes, flour, salt and pepper. Dip the chicken in the buttermilk, the dredge in the cornflake mixture, coating completely. Place the chicken on the baking sheet, drizzle with the oil. Bake 30 minutes, then turn the chicken over. Bake until cooked through, another 15-20 minutes.

Serves 4

My Revisions
The only change I made is I used extra virgin olive oil instead of canola.

Nutrition Information Per Serving
Serving Size - 2 pieces
Calories - 229
Fat - 10g
Saturated Fat - 2g
Trans Fat - 0g
Cholesterol - 64mg
Sodium - 295mg
Carbohydrates - 11g
Fiber - 0g
Protein - 23g
Calcium - 49mg

Outcome
I would not recommend this recipe to anyone for several reasons. Reason 1, it was hard, messy and time consuming to make. The amount of breading that this recipe makes only covered two pieces of chicken, so I ended up stopping mid process to make more breading. When it was time to flip the chicken over, even with the non-stick spray, the breading stuck to the cooking pan. When it finally came out, the breading was hard as a rock, and did not taste good at all. Neither my husband or myself liked this, and we will definitely be taking it off the list of recipes to make in the future. I did not even want to take a picture of this chicken when it came out of the oven because it was so ugly, breading had come off the chicken all over the place, and I could tell it just wasn't going to be good. I guess there is just no replacement for fried chicken.

Garlic Roast Chicken with Gravy

Source
Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook

Recipe
1 - 3 1/2 pound chicken
1 lemon, halved
1 onion, halved
4 fresh rosemary sprigs
4 fresh thyme sprigs
6 garlic cloves, peeled
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 tablespoons dry white wine
1 shallot, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon dried sage
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup water

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray the rack of a roasting pan with non-stick cooking spray. Remove the chicken giblets and neck from the body cavity. Rinse the chicken under cold running water inside and out. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels.

2. Place the lemon, onion, rosemary, thyme and 5 of the garlic cloves in the body cavity. Place the chicken breast side up on the rack in the roasting pan. Roast for 30 minutes. Pour the broth and lemon juice over the chicken. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees. Roast, basting frequently, until cooked through and the juices run clear when the thigh is pierced in the thickest part, and an instant thermometer reads 180 degrees. About an hour longer. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board, and let stand for 15 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, mince the remaining garlic clove. Pour the pan juices in a medium sauce pan, skimming off any fat and reserving 1 tablespoon of the juices in a small bowl. Dissolve the cornstarch in the reserved juices. Add the wine, minced garlic, shallot, sage, salt and water to the saucepan. Bring to a boil for about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the dissolved cornstarch. Cook, stirring constantly, until the gravy thickens; about 1 minute. Remove the lemon, onion and herbs from the body cavity and discard. Carve the chicken and serve with the gravy. Remove the skin before eating.

Serves 4

My Revisions
My chicken was closer to 5 pounds, but following these directions, still came out perfect.
Other than that, I followed this recipe exactly as written.

Nutrition Information Per Serving
Serving Size - 1/4 chicken (no skin) with 1/4 cup gravy
Calories - 311
Fat - 12g
Saturated Fat - 3g
Trans Fat - 0g
Cholesterol - 136mg
Sodium - 304mg
Carbohydrates - 4g
Fiber - 0g
Protein - 45g
Calcium - 31mg

Outcome
This was another family success. The chicken came out moist, and although you don't eat the skin, it looked golden brown. When eating the chicken alone, you could taste a hint of the lemon and herbs in the chicken, but once you poured the gravy over the meat, it lost that taste. This was a really easy and quick recipe to follow. My husband and son both liked it as well, especially the gravy.

Buttermilk Pancakes

Source
Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook

Recipe
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoons salt
3 large eggs, separated
1 tablespoon sugar
1 3/4 cups low-fat buttermilk
1 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir well. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until well blended. Stir in the buttermilk and butter; stir into the flour mixture until well combined. In a clean medium bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer or wire whisk to stiff peaks. Gently fold the whites into the flour mixture.

Coat a nonstick griddle or skillet with non-stick spray and heat over medium heat. Spoon 1/4 cup of batter for each of 18 pancakes onto the griddle and spread into a 3 1/2 inch circle. Cook until the tops are covered with bubbles, 3-4 minutes. Turn pancakes and cook until the edges are lightly golden, about 2-3 minutes longer.

Serves 6

My Revisions
I did not make any revisions to this recipe, I made it exactly per the recipe. I see some changes that could be made though, that could make this a healthier option. For instance, using wheat flour instead of white, or maybe using Truvia instead of sugar.

Nutrition Information Per Serving
Serving Size - 3 pancakes
Calories - 204
Fat - 5g
Saturated Fat - 2g
Trans Fat - 0g
Cholesterol - 114mg
Sodium - 459mg
Carbohydrates - 30g
Fiber - 1g
Protein - 9g
Calcium - 101mg

Outcome
These pancakes were delicious. They came out so fluffy and perfect. I was really impressed with how good they tasted even though they were healthy. The recipe was so easy to make, from start to finish, it only took about 20 minutes. The recipe said it would make 18 pancakes, but my batch only made 13. I am sure my portion sizes were a little bigger than it called out for. Regardless this is a definite recipe that will be added to our lineup. My husband said they were the best pancakes he had ever eaten, even better than his moms. How do you beat that?

Blue Cheese Dressing

Source
Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook

Recipe
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
2 tablespoons light mayo
2 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 pinch cayenne
2 teaspoons minced fresh chives

In a blender or food processor, combine the buttermilk, mayo, cheese, garlic, and cayenne. Pulse until nearly smooth. Sprinkle in the chives. Cover and refrigerate at least 1/2 hour (or up to 2 days) to allow the flavors to blend.

Serves 6

My Revisions
I simply mixed it all in a bowl with a wisk and it came out just fine. It probably would have been a little creamier if mixed in a blender, but I liked it a little more chunky.
After I poured the dressing on a wedge salad, I added one slice of crumbled turkey bacon, since no wedge salad should be without bacon.

Nutrition Information Per Serving
Calories - 27
Fat - 2g
Saturated Fat - 1g
Trans Fat - 0g
Cholesterol - 3mg
Sodium - 98mg
Carbohydrates - 1g
Fiber - 0g
Protein - 2g
Calcium - 43mg

Outcome
I thought it tasted great, almost the same as real blue cheese dressing. I liked the chunkiness of the crumbled blue cheese, where if I would have blended it, I would have lost that texture. The bacon, although turkey bacon, still gave the salad that crunch and extra saltiness. I think this is a successful replacement with a lot less calories than the original. My husband did not care for this recipe. He said he probably would not eat it again.

Chicken Fettuccine with Broccoli Rabe

Source
Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook

Recipe
1 bunch of broccoli rabe, cleaned and chopped
6 ounces spinach fettuccine
4 teaspoons olive oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 teaspoon salt free garlic and herb seasoning
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 onion, sliced thin and seperated into rings
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 head of radicchio, shredded
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup chopped basil

1. In a large pot of boiling water, cook the broccoli rabe for 2 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl. In the boiling water, cook the fettuccine according to package directions; drain.

2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 teaspoons of the oil. Add the chicken and sprinkle with herb seasoning and red pepper flakes; saute until cooked through, 4-5 minutes on each side. Transfer to plate.

3. In the skillet, heat the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil; saute the onion and garlic until tender, 3-4 minutes. Stir in the broccoli rabe and radicchio; cook, stirring frequently, until tender 4-5 minutes. Add the fettuccine, and then sprinkle with the cheese and pepper. Serve alongside the chicken, sprinkled with the basil.

Serves 4

My Revisions
Instead of broccoli rabe, I used 1 head of regular broccoli.
For the salt free garlic and herb seasoning, I used Mrs. Dash.
I did not add red pepper flakes to one of the breasts, for my sons portion.
I added 1 pound of sliced mushrooms, just add them to the pan at the same time as the onions.

Nutrition Information Per Serving
Calories - 339
Total Fat - 8g
Saturated Fat - 2g
Carbohydrates - 37mg
Protein - 29g
Calcium - 147mg
Sodium - 156mg
Fiber - 5g

Outcome
It looked beautiful once it was all plated (see picture above). I didn't care for the radicchio, it made the dish kind of bitter. So the next time I make this, I will leave that out. Other than that, I loved it and I am really glad I added the mushrooms, they went nicely with everything. My husband and son both liked it as well, and my husband even ate seconds. Looks like we have our first family approved recipe.

The Run Down

I have been on a weight loss journey for over a year now, and I am still really struggling to find my niche with the food aspect of losing weight. For the past year, I have mostly survived on a diet of lean cuisine or grilled chicken and vegetables. While those are really healthy and good for weight loss, they get old very quickly.

I never learned to cook when I was growing up, I have a husband who swears to hate all healthy foods, and I have a two year old that is just learning eating habits. So for the past year, I have struggled with making two meals every night (a healthy meal for me and my son and a not healthy meal for my husband). This week I decided enough was enough. I need to learn how to cook, I need to learn how to eat healthy, and I need to get my husband to learn to enjoy healthy foods.

I made the decision to get a couple of healthy cookbooks and work my way through them one recipe at a time. My husband has agreed to try everything I make, and give me his honest opinion. This way I can mark off the recipes that we do not like as a family, and add the ones we do like to our day to day rotation. In the end, I hope to have about 20 tasty and healthy recipes that I can make that I know my family will eat and enjoy.

This blog will serve as my sounding board so I can post the recipes that I make, along with pictures of how they turned out, and my personal reviews of what I thought of the recipes. I will also be noting whether my husband and son liked the meals as well. I am looking foward to what I will learn out of this.