I am always looking for light twists on typical dishes. I will get inspiration from friends, cook books, magazines and TV shows and it is fun to take an otherwise fattening dish and make it light enough that I don’t feel bad about feeding it to my family. The trick of course is to figure out a way to make it taste the same or better than the original dish.
Then there are those nights where I have nothing in mind and I jut start cooking with what I have. Sometimes the dishes come out great and other times I am reluctant to feed it to my dog. That is the fun and beauty of cooking….sometimes you never know what you are going to get!
Tonight’s dish was one of those dinners where I really didn’t have a plan, just some ingredients. Looking back now I could have made this dish a little “lighter” but it was close enough and it was delicious. I even had some Pillsbury Pizza dough which I formed and baked into little cups. I then serve Nick and my portions in the cup. Funny thing is they were gone so fast I didn’t take a picture! Oh well next time. Enjoy.
Southwest Chicken Casserole
Preheat oven 375o
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Estimated values per serving:
Calories = 257 Fat = 7 grams
Serves 6
Ingredients:
4 ounces low fat cream cheese – softened
1 tablespoon taco seasoning
1 ½ cups salsa
1 cup diced tomatoes from a can – drained
2 pounds boneless cooked chicken breast – cut into ½ inch pieces
1 cup low fat grated Mexican cheese mix
1 15-ounce can black beans – drained and rinsed
Directions:
1. Beat cream cheese and taco seasoning on high speed until whipped.
2. Fold in salsa, tomatoes, chicken, cheese and black beans.
3. Coat a 12 by 8 inch casserole baking pan with cooking spray. Spoon chicken mixture into casserole pan.
4. Bake, covered, for 30 minutes then uncover and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
To
make sauce: Heat a pot on medium heat and spray with cooking spray.
Add
onions and sauté for about 5 minutes until softened and browned.
Add 2
cloves minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute. Add can of crushed tomatoes, oregano, basil,
onion powder, garlic powder and season with salt and pepper.
Bring
sauce to a boil then let simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove from heat.
To
make chicken: Spray frying pan with cooking spray. Sauté chicken breasts in a
frying pan on medium high heat. Cook
chicken for 2-3 minutes on each side until browned.
Remove
chicken breast from pan and set aside.
Pour ½
cup of the tomato sauce into a baking dish.
Arrange
chicken breasts on top of tomato sauce.
Spoon
remaining sauce on chicken and then top with ¼ cup parmesan cheese.
Bake
covered for 20 minutes and uncovered for the last 10 minutes. Serve with cooked zoodles.
Zucchini Noodles Directions:
While
chicken is baking during the last 10 minutes, heat olive oil in a pan, add 1
clove minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
Add
zucchini noodles, season with salt and pepper and sauté, while turning it with
tongs for 7 – 10 minutes until zucchini is soft and the water on the bottom of
the pan is absorbed.
Turn
off heat and toss ¼ cup parmesan cheese.
Transfer to a bowl and cover until chick parmesan is done.
Sprinkle salt and pepper on cod and let sit for 10-15 minutes.
Whisk milk with Béarnaise sauce packet mix.
Melt butter spread in saucepan on medium heat. Add Béarnaise sauce mixture on medium heat until boiling and thickened. Turn off heat and add cooked crab meat once Bearnaise sauce is cooked. Cover and set aside to keep warm.
Place fillets on a greased rack of a broiler pan and broil 3-4 inches from heat until fish just begins to flake easily with a fork, 10-12 minutes.
Transfer cod to a serving platter and spoon the crab meat mixture on top.
Welcome to the new Delicious & Light, we are glad you are here. I started this page a number of years ago when I realized that I could take normal, everyday recipes and make them lighter with less fat, without losing the great taste we love.
So that is the goal. Take may favorite recipes and make them healthier!
You do not have to be a great chef and you do not have to spend huge amounts of time in the kitchen. Each of these recipes (with some exception) are designed to be simple, use everyday ingredients, and can be prepared in minutes…with a healthy twist of course!
Each and every recipe has been tested and tried by my family. Some of the first attempts have been a disaster, but that is the beauty of cooking and cooking healthy…it is fun and you do not have to be perfect. Enjoy, be brave, get your family involved and try your best. In the end, if you share a meal with your family (with no electronics) you will have accomplished a lot!
I know it has been too long since I have posted a new fun recipe to try. The summer season has left me no time to enjoy experimenting with tasty low fat recipes. I am hopefully getting back into the groove and have an easy – 5 minute – recipe that you can put together for a BBQ you may be going to.
The other day I was going to a friend’s house and had no time to make anything so I bought:
1 Angel food cake
1 quart fresh strawberries
1 container of strawberry gel glaze
1. Rinse and slice the strawberries
2. Remove the cake from it’s container and pour strawberry glaze on top.
3. Decorate with sliced strawberries and refrigerate.
You are done – instant dessert that is sweet, delicious and fat free.
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