Low Cal Alfredo... Oh yeah...

I'm so counting this as a success. Of course it's not going to coat your tongue with fatty goodness the way "real" alfredo does. But it's packed full of flavor, and I'm impressed. The recipe that inspired this version can be found here, and I'm sure that left alone it would be good too. I'm just partial to my own creation. :)





Entire meal is 372 calories



• 1 tbsp butter *
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1/4 cup low fat ricotta
• 1/4 cup fat free sour cream
• 1/4 cup frigo parmesan cheese **
• 1/4 cup skim milk
• dash nutmeg
• 1 dash pepper
• 1 dash salt
• 1 tbsp parsley
• 8 oz whole grain penne pasta

Heat butter in sauce pan, add garlic and cook for 2 - 3 minutes, remaining ingredients except pasta, heat over low heat until warmed through and cheese is melty. Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta to desired doneness. Drain the pasta, add the sauce and enjoy like it is... 281 calories 60 calories from fat.

or add some goodness to it like I did:

2 oz broccoli per serving 20 calories
10 medium shrimp per serving 72 calories.

* omitting this reduces the calories per serving by 25, but also compromizes flavor. Remember real butter is better for you than that icky margarine stuff.
** up this to 1/2 cup if you like the flavor of parm, it adds 25 calories per serving

Herbed Asparagus Omelet

1 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
10 spears chopped asparagus
1 egg
2 egg whites
1/4 cup fat free shsredded cheddar cheese
fresh rosemary

heat the oil in a small saute pan, add the veggies, and cook until the onions and mushrooms are soft, and asparagus is cooked through. Remove from heat, removed veggies from pan and wipe out the pan. Wisk together the egg and egg whites, add to the heated pan, sprinkle fresh rosemary into the egg mixture, season with salt and pepper. Flip the egg once in the pan. add some of the veggies as filling, top with the cheese. fold the egg over to create the omelet.

Serve with remaining veggie filling on the side. 250 calories of good morning protein and veggie bliss.

Much love,
Alisha xoxoxo

Balsamic Glaze... Good with Everything!

Last night I didn't feel like cooking, but wanted something tasty. What I came up with was not only a hit for my tastebuds, but my VERY picky 8 year old daughter too. I love it when she tries something new!

Balsamic Glaze

It's simple. Balsamic vinegar + heat. Reduce the balsamic vinegar until it's thick, almost syrupy. Then you can drizzle it over just about anything. (One recipe I found even suggested ice cream...) I don't think I'm that extreme. Yet.

Pictured here is grilled chicken breast, ala George Foreman grill, cooked spinach, and roasted tomatoes. I drizzled the balsamic glaze over the whole thing. 300 calories of  'num!

To roast the tomatoes, cut roma tomatoes in half, place on parchment lined baking sheet, drizzle with a little bit of olive oil and sprinkle with rosemary. place some unpeeled garlic cloves on the baking sheet as well, the aroma is intoxicating. :) If you don't like rosemary, leave it off. As with just about anything, if you don't like it, leave it off, substitute it with something you do like. Have FUN with it!

Eggplant Satay Lettuce Wraps

I was really surprised at how tasty this turned out to be! Completely vegetarian, hearty and healthy to boot. Hooray for nummy eggplant. My 2 1/2 year old liked it too!

• 4 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1" piece ginger grated
• Juice of one orange
• 1 unpeeled eggplant, cut into 1 inch dice
• 1 container fresh mushrooms cut in 1/2
• salt and pepper to taste

Combine the first 7 ingredients, (you can reduce the sodium by using lower sodium soy sauce w/out compromising flavor, if desired). Place eggplant and mushrooms in container suitable for marinading. pour the marinade over the veggies and let marinate for at least an hour, and up to 24 hours in the fridge. Turn the oven on to broil and line a baking sheet with foil. Turn the marinated veggies out onto the sheet and spread into a thin layer. place under broiler for 15 to 20 minutes, until the eggplant is done and the mushrooms just begin to caramelize.

Peanut Sauce

• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 tsp coriander
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• Juice of 1 lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 cup water

Combine all ingredients except water, place in small sauce pan, heat over medium heat, whisking in the water, cook until slightly thickened.

To serve place equal portions in lettuce leaves, drizzle with the peanut sauce.

If you are putting 2 T of the peanut sauce on each lettuce wrap you're looking at around 288 calories each. Though I had 2 servings of the marinated eggplant, and only used 2 T of the sauce total. My entire meal (2 stuffed lettuce leaves) was 473 calories.

Looking back on it now, I suppose the oil could be replaced with more juice, or even water in the marinade, but remember this, some fat is good for your body. I tend to be fanatical about the oil/fat in my diet, and I forget to remember to use good for me oils. Do as I say, not as I do!

:)
Much love,
Alisha xoxoxo

Cold Days Deserve Hot Soup

Minestrone was just the ticket yesterday. This version is 160 calories for a cup. Feel free to mix and match your favorite veggies in your own soup, adjust the seasonings too! Make it your own, and have some fun.

Minestrone Soup

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 carrots diced
• 2 stalks celery diced
• 1 medium zucchini diced
• 1small sweet potato diced
• 1 small red potato diced
• 1 Qt. tomatoes
• 1 can great northern beans
• 1 tbsp fresh chopped rosemary
• 6 cups water
• 4 t. chicken base
• 3/4 cup small pasta
• 1 cup spinach chopped
• salt and pepper to taste

In a large soup pot saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil. add the carrot, celery, potato, sweet potatom and zucchini, cook for about 5 minutes. Add the totmatoes, water chicken base, rosemary, beans and pasta.
Cook until the potatoes and pasta are done. Add the spinach and remove from heat.

Serve this with some freshly grated parmesan cheese on top. Add some crusty italian bread to round out the meal. (I got some really good italian olive oil bread from Bountiful Baskets last time we ordered.)

Please feel free to post comments, suggestions, what were you thinkings!? on any and all posts. I look forward to your feedback.

Much Love,
Alisha xoxoxoxo

Breakfast of ... well ME!

I get asked pretty frequently why I haven't posted about breakfast, or posted some breakfast recipes. Never fear, there will be some to come. In the meantime, feast your eyes on this.

Most mornings my breakfast consists of  Brown Cow brand greek yogurt, combined with some sort of fresh fruit, and a packet of Stevia. Sprinkle on some form of Grape Nuts type breakfast cereal and breakfast is complete. I choose to actually have something to chew on for breakfast (as opposed to blending all this into a smoothy or shake.) I find the act of actually eating much more satisfying than drinking my meal.

This meal, which is actually VERY filling is only 186 calories! On top of the low calorie count it also packs a whopping 24 g of protein. The greek yogurt has TWO TIMES the amount of protein of regular yogurt.

Why do I choose to make my own morning yogurt? Have you read the ingredient list on the "flavored yogurts out there? It's scary! I don't want fruit flavor, I want FRUIT, and I want it fresh. :)

Why Brown Cow Brand? Again look at the label. The only ingredients in this type of yogurt are non fat milk and 5 live active cultures. No pectin, no preservatives. The texture is smooth and creamy and there's no funky aftertaste. I probably ought to be paid to endorse this product I love it so much!

Happy Breakfast Friends!

Much love,
Alisha xoxoxo

Butternut Squash Turkey Chili

This is one of my very favorite meals.

1 lb. 99% fat free ground turkey breast

1 medium onion coursely chopped
3 stalks celery coursely chopped
1 anaheim chile chopped
1 medium greep pepper coursely chopped
1 medium red pepper coursely chopped
1 medium green pepper coursely chopped
1 jalepeno chopped (leave the seeds and veins in if you want the added heat)
2 cloves minced garlic
1 lb. butternut squash cut into 1" cubes
2 Qts tomatoes
2 cans dark red kidney beans
2 cans black beans
1 Tbls Chile powder
1/2 Tbls cumin
Salt and Pepper

Spray the bottom of the pan w/non stick spray and add the onion, celery, and peppers, cook until just beginning to get soft, add the Turkey, and cook until done. Add the remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, reduce heat, let simmer until the squash is tender, but not mushy.

Adjust the spices to your taste, use less or more of something to adjust the heat level. Don't have an ingredient? (like butternut squash) leave it out. It's good without it too.

This makes between 14 and 16 1 cup servings.
1 cup = 179 calories
                 8 calories from fat
                 30.2 grams carbohydrates
                 16.33 grams protein