My mom, as I stated before, is awesome and purchased me a kitchen scale which I'm excited to use! But even better than that, the 400 Calorie Fix arrived a couple days ago and I want to share some of the amazing recipes for you, plus two additional creations : )
This book is awesome. Before it even gets into the recipes it has a break down of what a plate should look like, measurement conversions, and all sorts of useful tools to ensure a healthy meal. For every recipe they also offer "Make it a Meal" suggestions, to create a full meal. It's awesome and inspiring!
French Onion Soup: (4 servings) 320 calories
-1 tbsp olive oil
-2 1/2 lbs medium onions, thinly sliced
-2 tsp sugar
-5 cups fat-free, reduced-sodium beef broth
-1 tsp chopped thyme
-1 bay leaf
-1/2 tsp black pepper
-4 slices French bread (1 oz each), toasted
-4 slices reduced-fat Swiss cheese (you could probably use Muenster or Provolone)
1. Heat the oil in a large sauce pan, over medium heat. Add onions and sugar, stir until soft and golden
2. Stir in broth, thyme, bay leaf, and pepper. Bring to a boil over med-high heat, then reduce to simmer and cook uncovered for 30 min. Remove bay leaf
3. Pre-heat broiler. Place bread on baking sheet and top with cheese. Broil for 1-1/4 minutes, or until cheese is melted
4. Divide soup into 4 bowls and top with crouton
This would be great with a salad for a meal...Definitely a soup that's perfect for fall weather!
Deviled Crab Cakes: (4 servings, makes 12) 190 calories
-1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
-1 shallot, finely chopped (about a 1/4 cup)
-2 large eggs, lightly beaten (could also use egg substitute)
-2 tbsp light mayo
-2 tsp Dijon mustard
-2 tsp fresh lemon juice
-3/4 tsp seasoning salt (watch the sodium!)
-1/4 tsp hot sauce
-1 lb lump crab meat
-1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
-1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges
1. Combine parsley, shallot, eggs, mayo, mustard, lemon juice, seasoning salt, and hot sauce in a large bowl and mix. Stir in crab meat, then add panko and stir until well combined
2. Divide mixture into 12 portions (1/4 cup each) and form into balls
3. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium. Add 6 crab balls to the pan, flatten until 1/2" thick. Spray the tops lightly with more cooking spray. Cook 3-5 minutes until golden on the bottom.
4. Flip the crab cakes and cook for another 3-5 minutes, or until cooked through. Serve with lemon wedges.
I will post more later! Here's my two home-made recipes!
A forward about the apple pie crepes---I love fall. I love apple cider, apple pie, caramel apples, anything really that involves apples. This recipe is perfect for breakfast with a little Greek yogurt or for dessert, topped with a little bit of vanilla bean ice cream! Yummy!
Apple Pie Crepes: (388 calories for 3 crepes+filling, 79 cal per crepe)
Filling: (this is for one serving, can be doubled)
-1 large apple, diced into small pieces
-1 tsp cinnamon
-1/4 cup apple cider
Crepes:
-1 cup 2% milk
-1 egg white (or egg substitute)
-1 cup flour (can use whole wheat flour as well, this is just what I have on hand)
-1 tbsp honey
-1 tsp vanilla extract
-1 tsp cinnamon
-1/4 tsp salt
1. Combine filling in a sauce pan (I've also heard of microwaving for 2-3 minutes), and reduce mixture until thicker and soft.
2. Combine crepe ingredients in a bowl and mix (hand or machine) until well blended. Mixture will be thin, so don't expect thick pancake-like batter!
3. Pour 1/4 of the mixture onto a non-stick skillet, flipping once raised at the edges and browned on the bottom.
4. Eat!!!
Take out alternative! I love beef with broccoli, especially the noodles, so I made a lightened up version!
Beef With Broccoli: (2 servings, 419 calories)
-6 oz steak, thinly sliced
-1 cup chow mein noodles (Annie Chun's might be easier to find in the store), cook according to package. These are NOT the crunchy kind!
-1 cup broccoli
-1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
-1 tbsp honey
-1 tsp garlic-chili sauce (more if you like spicy!)
-2 tsp canola oil for sauce
-1/2 tbsp canola oil for stir-frying
1. Combine 2 tsp canola oil, garlic-chili sauce, honey and soy sauce. Stir and set aside.
2. Cook chow mein noodles according to package (4-5 minutes in boiling water)
3. Stir fry beef in oil until mostly cooked, add noodles and broccoli and continue to stir fry until done
4. Add sauce to pan until everything is coated, stir fry for an additional minute. And you're done!
And there you go! I love making recipes, I love cooking, and I love sharing with you all. Especially take out alternatives since I know that it's a guilty pleasure for many of us! Are there any favorite recipes you'd like me to try to lighten up? Let me know!
-Whit
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