Sauteed String Beans with Fried Onions

This is a super simple recipe but a real family favorite I cook all year long. It will be great for your Thanksgiving dinner as it does not require oven space and is all done on the stove. I am sure you’ll love just as much as my family does.

Enjoy!!!

Serves 4

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Estimated values per serving:

Calories = 50                                                Fat = 2

Ingredients:

1 pound (16 ounces) string beans – ends cut off

¼ cup fat free chicken broth

1 tablespoon low calorie butter spread – melted

1 teaspoon onion powder

Salt & pepper to taste

2 tablespoons packaged fried onions (store bought) – finely chopped

Directions:

1. Heat a large sauté pan on medium high, spray with cooking spray and add string beans and chicken broth.  Steam 3 – 5 minutes until string beans are tender. 
2. Add butter spread, onion powder and season with salt and pepper.  Cook, uncovered for 3 – 5 minutes longer.
3. Remove beans from heat, transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle fried onions on top.

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Thanksgiving Fruit & Nut Stuffing

This is a recipe I have been making for over 20 years. It never fails and is always a crowd favorite. It is called Thanksgiving stuffing but trust me, it is great anytime of the year and it works with pork, chicken or steak. Stuffing…it is not just for turkey anymore!!

Enjoy!!!

Serves 14

Preheat oven 375^o

Estimated Calories per serving: 208

Fat Grams: 2

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons low calorie/low fat butter spread

1 onion, chopped

2 apples, peeled, cored & chopped

3 ribs celery, chopped

3.5 ounces roasted chestnuts, chopped

½ cup dried cranberries, chopped

2 ¼ – 2 ¾ cups chicken or vegetable broth

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

½ teaspoon onion powder

½ teaspoon nutmeg

1 – 16-ounce bag herb seasoned stuffing

Directions:

1. Coat large saucepan with cooking spray and melt 1 Tablespoon butter spread on medium high heat.
2. Add chopped onion, cover and sauté for 3 – 5 minutes until onion is soft but not browned.
3. Add apples and celery and sauté for another 3 – 5 minutes until apples and celery are softened.
4. Add chestnuts, cranberries and broth.  Stir in poultry seasoning, onion powder and nutmeg.
5. Turn off heat and add stuffing and mix until all the stuffing is moistened.  If the stuffing is a bit dry, add a little more broth a time until all of the bread is moistened.
6. Spoon stuffing into a large baking dish and bake, covered, for 45 minutes.
7. Uncover stuffing, spread 1 Tablespoon butter spread on top and bake, uncovered for another 5 minutes.
8. Serve hot with your meal.

Butternut Squash, Acorn Squash and Sweet Potato Soup

Serves: 6

Preheat Oven 400^o

Estimated Calories per serving: 230

Fat grams: 2 grams

Ingredients:

1 medium butternut squash

2 sweet potatoes

1 acorn squash

1 onion, chopped

5 cups chicken stock

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

¼ teaspoon cardamom

¼ – ½ teaspoon nutmeg

Directions:

1. Spray a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil with cooking spray.  Cut butternut, acorn squash and potatoes in half and place on baking sheet cut side down on baking sheet.
2. Roast until they are soft (potatoes may have to come out earlier).  Set aside and let cool.
3. Heat a 5 – 6 quart pot on medium heat and spray with cooking spray.  Sauté onion until soft.  Add chicken stock and bring to boil.
4. Scoop out the insides of the butternut, acorn squash and potatoes and add to the pot.
5. Season with cayenne, cardamom and nutmeg and allow to simmer for about 10 – 15 minutes.
6. Using a handheld immersion blender (or standard blender in batches), puree the soup.
7. Serve hot with sour cream, if desired.

Sweet Potato Casserole

Sweet Potato Casserole

Here is a great low fat version of a traditional favorite.  If you like the marshmallow topping instead; go for it, it will actually lower the fat by 2 grams per serving too!

Enjoy…

Preheat oven 425^o

Serves 8

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Estimated values per serving:

Calories = 230                      Fat = 5 grams                        Points: 5

 

Topping Ingredients:

2 cups gingersnap cookies – crushed

¼ cup brown sugar

¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

2 tablespoons butter spread

Casserole  Ingredients:

3 pounds sweet potatoes

¾ cup fat free half and half

½ cup apple cider

2 tablespoons butter spread

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons apple jelly

¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 cup egg substitute

¼ teaspoon salt

Topping Directions:

1. Put cookies, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice and butter spread in a food processor and pulse until mixture resembles coarse sand.  Remove and chill until ready to use.

Potato Directions:

1. Spray a roasting pan with cooking spray.  Cut potatoes in half and place cut side down in roasting pan.  Roast for 45 minutes until potatoes are soft.  Remove from oven and cool to room temperature.
2. Lower oven heat to 400^o.
3. Scoop out flesh from potatoes into a large mixing bowl.  Add half and half, apple cider, butter spread, brown sugar, apple jelly, pumpkin pie spice, egg substitute and salt and beat on high speed in mixer until smooth.
4. Spray a baking pan with cooking spray and spoon potato mixture into pan.  Spread gingersnap crumb mixture on top.
5. Bake for 45 minutes.

Corn Bread Cake

Corn Bread Cake

This is one of those recipes that I had at a party and absolutely loved it so I asked for the recipe. It had a lot of butter and oil which made it really delicious but really fattening. So I took the recipe and made it delicious and light. It came out awesome and you woudl never know I changed up the recipe. You are really going to enjoy this so give it a try!

Preheat oven 350^o

Serves: 10

Estimated Calories per serving: 157

Fat grams: 3 grams

Ingredients:

½ cup cornmeal

1 ½ cups flour

¾ cup sugar

1 Tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 package sugar free vanilla flavored instant pudding mix

1/3 cup butter spread, melted

2 Tablespoons honey

½ cup egg substitute

1 ¼ cup buttermilk

Directions:

1. Spray 8X8 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
2. Stir together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and pudding mix.
3. Pour in the butter spread, honey, egg substitute and buttermilk and stir until moist.
4. Pour the batter into the baking dish and bake for about 45 minutes or until the top of the cornbread starts to brown and show cracks.

Apple Glazed Brussel Sprouts

Serves 6

Preheat oven 425^o

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Estimated values per serving:

Calories = 75                        Fat = .5 grams

Ingredients:

2 pounds Brussel sprouts – cleaned of outer leaves and cut in half

2 tablespoons apple jelly

2 tablespoons maple syrup

Directions:

1. Spray baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.  Cut off the bottoms of brussel sprouts and then cut in half.  Place on baking sheet, spray with cooking spray and season with salt.
2. Roast Brussels sprouts in the oven and set aside.
3. Remove Brussels sprouts from the oven and add to ham.
4. In a small bowl, combine apple jelly and maple syrup and microwave for about 30 seconds until apple jelly has melted.  Add to brussel sprouts and toss.

Noodle and Ham Cast Iron Skillet Casserole

Noodle and Ham Cast Iron Skillet Casserole

Serves 4

Preheat oven 375^o

Estimated Calories/serving: 332

Fat Grams: 7 grams

Ingredients:

1 pound smoked ham, diced

1 onion, chopped

1 can condensed cheese soup

2/3 cup skim milk

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Pepper to taste

6 ounces partially cooked noodles (cook for 5 minutes) or al dente

Directions:

1. Heat a cast iron skillet on medium heat and coat with cooking spray.  Add chopped onion and cook 3 -4 minutes until onion is soft.
2. Add diced ham and cook for an additional 3 – 5 minutes until ham and onions are slightly browned. Turn off heat and set aside.
3. In a bowl, mix cheese soup, milk, Worcestershire sauce and pepper.  Stir in cooked noodles
4. Gently fold noodle mixture into to ham and onions.
5. Bake 20 minutes until browned.

Roasted Eggplant Spread

This is another great appetizer/spread for your family or guests. It is super easy to make and is full of flavor. The best way to serve is with some slices of toasted Italian bread ans some wine! Enjoy!!!

Roasted Eggplant Dip

Preheat oven 400^o

Serves: 8

Estimated calories per serving: 20

Fat grams: 1

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant

Salt and pepper to taste

2 cloves garlic, minced

¼ cup fresh basil, finely chopped

¼ cup parmesan cheese

1 can petite diced tomatoes, strained

Directions:

1. Cut top of eggplant and then cut down the length of eggplant.  Place cut side down onto a baking sheet and roast 30 – 40 minutes until eggplant is soft to the touch.  Remove from heat and allow to cool.
2. Once eggplant is cool, scrape eggplant out of the skin and shred the eggplant meat into a food processor.  Add salt and pepper, garlic, basil and Parmesan cheese and pulse until everything is chopped but note pureed.  Spoon into bowl and mix in diced tomatoes.
3. Serve warm with pita chips, bread or crackers.

Hot – Artichoke and White Bean Spread

Hot Artichoke and White Bean Spread

This is a great spread for company. Serves some hot Italian bread on the side and you are sure to have a hit on your hands!

Serves: 8

Estimated calories per serving: 100

Fat grams: 3

Preheat oven to 375^o

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 (15 – 16 ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

½ cup part-skim ricotta cheese

1 cup baby spinach

1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained

/4 cup fresh basil, finely chopped

¼ cup parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Heat skillet on medium low heat and spray skillet with cooking spray and oil.  Add onions and sauté until the onions are golden and about to brown. Add garlic and sauté for another minute or less.
2. Transfer onion mixture to a food process and add beans and ricotta cheese.  Process until smooth.
3. Add the artichoke hearts, beans, basil, salt and pepper and process until the mixture is a smooth paste.  Add Parmesan cheese and spinach and pulse, on and off, until mixed evenly.
4. Spray oven safe bowl with cooking spray and scoop dip mix into bowl.  Sprinkle with a little additional Parmesan cheese on top (optional).
5. Bake for 25 – 30 minutes until the cheese is melted and the top is golden.

Hot – Beer and Cheese Dip

Hot – Beer & Cheese Dip

Serves 8

Preheat oven 375^o

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Estimated Values per Serving (dip only):

Calories: 72                           Fat: 4 grams                         

Ingredients:

4 ounces low fat cream cheese – room temperature

4 ounces fat free cream cheese – room temperature

¼ cup fat free sour cream

1/3 cup stout beer

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

¼ cup low fat grated cheddar cheese

1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix

Carrot sticks, celery sticks and/or pretzels

Directions:

1. Beat together cream cheeses, sour cream, beer, Worcestershire sauce, cheddar cheese and ranch mix at medium speed. 
2. Spray oven safe bowl with cooking spray and scoop dip into bowl.
3. Bake 15 – 20 minutes until melted and bubby.
4. Serve warm.