Sausage & Spinach Frittata Squares

Sausage & Spinach Frittata Squares

Serves 6

Preheat oven 350^o

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Bake Time: 45 – 50 minutes

Estimated Values per Serving:

Calories: 300                                                Fat: 8 grams

Ingredients:

½ tablespoon olive oil

1 onion – chopped

½ pound frozen spinach – thawed

3 Italian turkey sausage links

2 cups egg substitute

2 whole eggs

½ cup light sour cream

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

1 teaspoon dried basil

Directions:

1. Heat skillet on medium heat, coat with cooking spray and add olive oil.  Add onions to the skillet and sauté for 3 – 5 minutes until tender and slightly browned.  Spoon onions into a large mixing bowl.
2. Squeeze excess water from spinach and add to the bowl with onions.
3. Remove sausage from their casings.  Heat skillet on medium high heat, coat again with cooking spray and add sausage meat.  While sautéing, break up sausage into small pieces.  Sauté sausage for 5 – 7 minutes until browned.  Add sausage to the same mixing bowl.
4. Whisk together egg substitute, eggs and sour cream until well blended.  Pour egg mixture into bowl and add the cheeses and basil.  Stir ingredients together until well blended.
5. Coat a 9X13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.  Pour egg mixture into baking dish and bake for 45 – 50 minutes until firm and browned.
6. Remove from oven and cool for 5 – 10 minutes.
7. Cut into squares and serve.

 

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Penne Alfredo & Spinach Quiché

Preheat oven 350^o

Serves 8

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Bake Time: 60 minutes

Estimated Values per serving:

Calories = 200                                              Fat = 2 grams

Penne Alfredo & Spinach Quiché

Ingredients:

10 ounces penne pasta

8 ounces frozen chopped spinach – defrosted

2 ½ cups skim milk

¼ cup flour

¼ teaspoon pepper

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

Pinch ground nutmeg

Salt to taste

1 cup fat free ricotta cheese

½ cup grated parmesan cheese

1 cup egg substitute

Directions:

1. Boil a large pot of water and add penne.  Cook for 5 minutes until al dente (still firm).  Drain and add to a large mixing bowl.
2. Squeeze excess water from defrosted chopped spinach and add to pasta.
3. In a medium size saucepan, whisk together milk, flour, pepper, garlic powder and nutmeg.  Heat on medium low, stirring constantly until mixture begins to bubble.  Increase heat to medium and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens.  Remove from heat and add ricotta and parmesan.  Stir until cheeses are melted.  Add salt to taste.
4. Add cheese mixture to penne and spinach and cool for about 20 minutes.
5. Stir in egg substitute.
6. Coat a 8” springform pan with cooking spray.  Spoon in quiche mixture and cover with foil.  Bake for 45 minutes.  Uncover and bake for another 10 – 15 minutes until golden brown.
7. Run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen penne.  Let stand 20 minutes.  Remove from pan and serve.

Southwest Breakfast Cups

Southwest Breakfast Cups

Preheat oven 375^o

Serves 6

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Estimated values per serving:

Calories = 120                      Fat = 3 grams                        Points: 3

Ingredients:

3 cups egg substitute

½ cup salsa

1 cup low fat grated Mexican blend cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

2 -3 dashes Tabasco sauce (optional)

Directions:

1. Coat a 6-cup large muffin pan with cooking spray.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together egg substitute, salsa, cheese and salt and pepper and Tabasco sauce if using.
3. Spoon egg mixture into muffin cups.
4. Bake for 40 – 45 minutes until puffed and browned.

   

   Southwest Breakfast Cups

Greek Breakfast Cups

At the beginning of every year, Dean always goes on a low fat/reduced carb diet to lose the pounds he had packed on during the holiday season (which for Dean starts in October with Halloween).  I always start the year with giving my liver a vacation by cutting out meat, poultry fish and gluten.  I then follow it up with a low calorie diet to lose a few pounds.

The next few weeks of recipes will be the inspired by our current life style shift from just low fat to also eating in a more healthful way.  Hopefully, you will also be inspired and check out how tasteful a healthy meal can be.

Greek Breakfast Cups

Preheat oven 375^o

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Estimated values per serving:

Calories = 135                      Fat = 4.5 grams                     Points: 3

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 (10 ounce) package of frozen chopped spinach – defrosted

3 cups egg substitute

½ cup green onions – chopped

½ cup low fat Feta cheese – crumbled

½ cup low fat large curd cottage cheese (pot cheese style)

½ teaspoon dill

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Coat a 6-cup large muffin pan with cooking spray.  Squeeze the spinach to remove excess water and place in a large mixing bowl
2. Add egg substitute, green onions, Feta cheese, cottage cheese, dill and salt and pepper to the spinach and mix well.
3. Spoon spinach mixture into muffin cups.
4. Bake for 40 – 45 minutes until puffed and browned.

Eggnog Bread Pudding with Rum Sauce

Eggnog Bread Pudding with Rum Sauce

Serves 8

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Bake Time: 1 hour

Preheat oven 325^o

Estimated values per serving:

Calories = 400                      Fat = 6 grams                        Points: 6

Eggnog Bread Pudding with Rum Sauce

Bread Pudding Ingredients:

6 cups of cubed sweet bread (Challah)

4 cups low fat eggnog

¾ cups egg substitute

½ cups sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon rum extract

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Bread Pudding Directions:

1. Toast cubed bread in the broiler until slightly browned (about 1 minute), turn bread over and broil on the other side until lightly browned (about 1 more minute).  Place toasted bread in a bowl and pour eggnog on top.  Allow the bread to soak in the eggnog for 1 hour.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg substitute, sugar, vanilla and rum extract and nutmeg.  Pour on top of bread mixture and gently fold in.
3. Coat an 8 X 12 baking pan with cooking spray.  Spoon bread pudding into baking dish.  Bake 1 hour.  Remove from oven and cool to room temperature.

Rum Sauce Ingredients:

1 tablespoon butter

½ cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons rum

Rum Sauce Directions:

1. Melt butter in a small skillet.  Add brown sugar and stir until sugar is moistened.
2. Add rum and ignite.  Cook rum sauce until the flames have disappeared and the sugar is dissolved (about 2 minutes).
3. Pour sauce over cooled bread pudding and serve at room temperature.

 

Breakfast Pizza

Breakfast Pizza

My family has been enjoying this the last few weekends.  My son loves it because it’s pizza but it is a great tasting, eye catching healthy breakfast for your family and friends.

Preheat oven 400^o

Serves 6

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Estimated values per serving:

Calories = 230                         Fat = 7 grams                         Points: 5

Breakfast Pizza

Ingredients:

2 slices turkey bacon

2 cups egg substitute

Salt and pepper

½ cup grated low fat cheddar cheese

1 package refrigerated pizza dough

Directions:

1. Coat a small round cake pan with cooking spray.  Remove pizza dough from package and place under cake pan to measure size.  Cut corners and extra dough from pan so that it will fit into the pan with a little extra to go up the sides of pan.  Invert pan and place dough inside.  Bake for 5 minutes.  Remove from oven and set aside.
2. Heat a skillet on medium high heat and coat with cooking spray.  Add bacon and sauté for 5 minutes on each side until browned and crispy.  Remove bacon from pan and cool.
3. Crumble bacon and place in a bowl with egg substitute.  Whisk egg and bacon together and add salt and pepper.
4. Reheat the same skillet on medium heat and coat with cooking spray.  Add egg mixture and cook egg for about 3 minutes until soft cooked (NOTE: the egg should not be completely cooked through).
5. Spoon egg mixture into pizza dough and sprinkle cheese on top.  Bake for 20 – 25 minutes until cheese is bubbly and slightly browned.

Happy Halloween

Meringue Ghosts

Serves 8

Preheat oven 300^o

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes plus 1 hour with oven off

Estimated values per serving:

Calories = 100                      Fat = 0 grams                        Points: 2

Meringue Ghosts

Ingredients:

3 egg whites at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

¼ teaspoon cream of tarter

Dash of salt

1 cup sugar

15 – 20 mini chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Place a sheet of parchment paper over a baking pan and set aside
2. In a mixing bowl, combine egg whites, vanilla cream of tarter and salt.  Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form (the tips will curl when lifting  the beater).
3. Add sugar, one tablespoon at a time, white beating on high speed until very stiff peaks form (the tips stand straight up when beater is lifted) and sugar is dissolved.
4. Spoon meringue into a pastry bag or plastic bag and cut the tip.
5. Pipe meringue onto the baking pan into the shape of a ghostly figure.  Add mini chocolate chips for eyes.
6. Bake 35 minutes then turn off oven but keep meringues in the oven for an additional hour to harden.
7. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature.

Baked Ham and Broccoli

Baked Ham and Broccoli

Serves 6

Preheat oven 375^o

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Estimated values per serving:

Calories = 310                      Fat = 7 grams                        Points: 6

Ingredients:

1 onion – chopped

1 pound ham steak – diced

1 pound broccoli florets – cut into small pieces

6 cups cubed Italian bread

1 ½ cups skim milk

1 ½ cups egg substitute

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon chervil

1 cup shredded low fat cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Spray a 9 X 13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Heat a non-stick skillet on medium high and spray with cooking spray.  Add chopped onion and sauté for about 5 minutes until softened.  Then add ham and brown.
3. Spoon onions and ham into a large bowl and then add broccoli and Italian bread, cheese and toss.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, egg substitute, mustard and pepper.
5. Pour egg mixture over bread mixture and stir.
6. Pour into baking dish.
7. Bake in the oven for 40 to 45 minutes.

Crazy Day

It was a crazy day so the only meal we ate at home was breakfast.  On the weekends, we often make open-faced omelets for breakfast and is what we did this morning.  Since, the chives in our herb planter have sprouted I included them in the omelets today but you can have fun and use whatever herbs or seasonings you like.  To keep it low fat but still get the omelet to “puff”, I use 2 eggs with about ¾ cup of egg substitute.  This morning I made individual omelets for each person so that we can add what we like to them but you can also make one in a large oven safe skillet and cut it into wedges as well.

Open Egg Omelets

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Preheat oven 425o

Serves 3

Ingredients:

2 eggs – beaten

¾ cup egg substitute

1 tablespoon chives

Salt and pepper to taste

2 ounces farmer’s cheese – crumbled

Directions:

1. Beat eggs, egg substitute, chives and salt and pepper in a large measuring cup.
2. Heat 3 oven safe omelet pans (or one large oven safe skillet) on medium high heat and spray with cooking spray then pour equal amounts of egg mixture in each.
3. Add equal amounts of farmer’s cheese on top.
4. Nick’s omelet: cut small pieces from 1 slice of low fat American cheese and add on top.
5. Dean’s omelet: add crumbled goat cheese on top.
6. Dina’s omelet: spoon about 2 tablespoons of salsa on top.
7. Allow omelets to “set” on the bottom of each pan then transfer them to the oven and bake for about 10 minutes until cheese is melted and egg mixture does not move when you shake the pan.
8. Remove from oven, and, using a spatula, transfer onto individual plates and serve.

Estimated Values per serving:

American cheese omelet calories = 190                 Fat = 9

Goat cheese omelet calories = 220                           Fat = 11

Salsa omelet calories = 170                                          Fat = 5

All those left over Easter Eggs

There are a lot of recipes that I can alter so that they are almost completely fat free but I am no genie; fat free egg salad, using real eggs, just doesn’t exist.  However, you can cut 50% of the fat in egg salad just by using all of the egg whites and only half of the egg yolks (which is where all of the fat grams exist).  Also, a food processor purees the eggs so well that very little mayonnaise is necessary.  So if you are left with a lot of hard boiled eggs, don’t throw them away and try this instead.

Egg Salad

Serves 6

Prep time: 15 minutes

Refrigeration time: at least 1 hour

Ingredients:

12 hard-boiled egg whites

6 hard-boiled egg yolks

1 tablespoon low calorie mayonnaise

½ teaspoon salt (or more as per your liking)

¼ teaspoon pepper

¼ teaspoon celery seed

1 tablespoon vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

2 celery stalks – chopped

2 scallions – whites and greens chopped

Directions:

1. Place egg whites and yolks in a food processor and puree until smooth.  Remove from food processor and place in a mixing bowl.
2. Add mayonnaise, salt, pepper, celery seed, sugar, celery and scallions and fold into egg mixture.
3. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.

NOTE: if you like egg salad to be chunky instead of smooth, use the pulse button on the food processor and chop until desired texture.

Estimated Values per serving:

Calories = 100                                                                    Fat = 6 grams