Lasagna: SHV

Technically, this should be called the Somewhat Healthier Version Made for Someone That Doesn't Like Lasagna, i.e. SHVMFSTDLL. That's a little wordy, even for me. Basically, it means that I don't (can't) use onions in a visible form or any ricotta cheese whatsoever. And here we go!

You will need:

8 oz extra-lean ground beef
Salt, pepper, oregano and dried basil
1 medium onion, grated or chopped finely
3 garlic cloves, minced
1-156 ml can tomato paste
1-796 ml can diced tomatoes (or two lbs fresh)
6 whole grain whole wheat lasagna noodles
2 oz light mozzarella cheese
1 oz parmesan cheese (NOT the powdered stuff)
1 oz light mixed cheeses

Not pictured: Cheese!

Not pictured: More cheese!

This is one of those handy recipes you can prep as you go, yay! So, first brown the beef and drain. Usually I start with onions, but you just can't never tell how much fat is in ground beef, even if it's marked extra-lean. Drain all that off! After you have, sprinkle on some salt, pepper and oregano. Break the meat up as much as you can. Unless you like a lumpy lasagna, in that case fill yer boots.

I am grating my onion into the pan, should you not have a spouse that cannot stand the texture of said onions, you could just cut them into a small dice. Either way, cook them for about 3 minutes until they are almost soft. Add in the garlic, cook for another minute. Just one!

When you can smell the garlic, add in the tomato paste and sprinkle on some more dried oregano. Cook for 5 minutes more.

Add in the diced tomatoes. If you are using fresh, you would probably have wanted to have chopped them into a small dice by this point. This is also a good time to start cooking your noodles! To the sink for water!

Season with oregano, bay leaves and dried basil; cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Turn the oven on to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Drain the cooked noodles and put them in a bowl of cold water, set aside.

Spray a 10 x 13 pan with spray and pour 1 3/4 c of sauce into the bottom.

Place 3 of the noodles in an overlapping layer across the sauce. Mix the parmesan and mozzarella cheeses together. Reserve a little bit of the parmesan for the top. Sprinkle half over the noodles.

Repeat with the rest of the sauce, top with the last three noodles and then the rest of the cheese. Bake for 45 minutes in the 350 degrees oven, I added the final ounce of cheese 10 minutes before it is done.

I cut this into 6 pieces at 265 calories each. Add a salad, maybe a slice of garlicky toast and bam! Under 500 calories! We rock!

Enjoy!

The stuff that fell out the sides I threw on top
 

Cheater Beef Stroganoff

My husband's birthday was on Tuesday and that means I have much, much leftover food in my fridge. I always overcook, and this time was no exception. Several pounds of salmon (salads! I love cold salmon on salads!), chicken (wraps!) and steak leads me to my favourite way to rid myself of leftovers. I also have some light sour cream that I will forget about otherwise and far too many mushrooms (is there really such a thing as too many mushroom?) so here we are: let's get at it!

 

You will need:

2 c uncooked egg noodles (I am using No Yolks)
2 tsp olive oil (don't use EVOO)
1 onion, grated
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 lb mushrooms, sliced, about 2 cups (you can buy 1/2 lb tubs all sliced for you. I don't like them because they slice them too thick, but I really should learn to pick my battles)
1/2 c red wine
2 c beef stock
1 lb cooked steak
Salt, pepper, paprika (I am using smoked hot paprika because I love it so)

First, prep! Grate your onions and crush your garlic into a large-ish heavy-bottom (makes the cooking world go round) saucepan. Slice the steak as thinly as possible. Putting it in the freezer for 10 minutes first helps fo sho. Slice your mushrooms or pull the saran wrap off your package, whatever your wallet and conscience dictates.

Add the oil to the saucepan with onions and garlic, heat to medium and add in the mushrooms. Cook for three minutes or until the onions are softened and most of the liquid is gone.

Pour in the wine and use a flat wooden spoon to scrape up everything off the bottom. Cook until most of the liquid is gone. Start to boil water for the egg noodles, cook, drain and set aside.

Add in the beef stock, sliced steak, salt, pepper and paprika. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, until the liquid is reduced by half.

Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream. Check your seasoning. Stir in the cooked egg noodles, serve!

You know, it would look much better with BROAD egg noodles, but here's what I had

I portioned this into 4 servings at 350 calories per; add a salad or steamed veggies and boom! Under 400 - 500! And now I can see into my fridge.

Enjoy!

Browned Butter Banana Bread: SHV

I love banana bread, but in looking for ways to make my usual recipe healthier, I've become obsessed with pumping up the flavour but maintaining the moisture, which is key to a good loaf. Nobody likes a sawdust-y bite of anything. I am going to be browning the butter first, as that gives it a nutty taste and hopefully another layer of flavour without actually adding all those really healthy but really calorific nuts. I am also going to use as much smushed banana as I can. And we're away!

Turkey Burgers

I've been craving turkey burgers all week; and since I just happen to have half a pound of the ground big bird, I am going for it. Simplest recipe ever! 3 ingredients! Use whatcha got. I am making 2, double it for four and on and on.

I used:

1/2 pound ground extra-lean turkey
3 large stuffed olives (mine have garlic and jalapenos because I like to be stinky AND uncomfortable whilst pooping)
1 oz goat cheese (I bet feta would be amazing)

Chop your olives, warm your grill. That's it for prep. Spray your grill with oil, so that's like another half a step. Throw all three ingredients in a bowl, mix together and form two patties.

Place on grill over medium-ish heat, cook for 15-20 minutes, flipping after about 10.

 

 Note: I am not a burger presser. I know people that are (some of my best friends!) so no judgement, but I like to keep all the juices inside the burger, as then they have a better chance of getting in my belly.

You can tell they are done when their juices run clear when you press (gently!) on them. A thermometer would help if you really want to get technical.

These babies came in at 165 calories each, add a bun, some salad and there we are, another meal under 500 calories. We totally rock.

Enjoy!

Sausage & Pepper Pasta

I know some of my recipes can get a little...complicated, but this is a super fast meal that can be thrown together with anything you have in your fridge. For example, I had bison sausages, some chicken and a bunch of tomatoes and now! Now I have supper.

I used:

1 tsp olive oil
2 smoked bison sausages (hot Italian sausages would work even better)
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp oregano, divided
1 tsp basil
Salt, pepper
1 onion
1 green, red or yellow pepper (I really like red but I had green, you know how that goes)
4 tomatoes (a 28 oz can of diced tomatoes would also work)
8 oz chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 c uncooked "smart" or whole wheat pasta

First, prep! If you have a smoked sausage, as I do, slice it into thin-ish rounds. If you have the type of sausage that has a casing, don't. Cook it whole and slice it after. Mince your garlic, slice your onion and peppers. Chop your tomatoes into small-ish squares, or open a can. Cut up your chicken and prepare thyself, it's cooking time!

Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, NOT non-stick. Cook the sausages for 5 minutes, add in the garlic and cook for one more minute, just until you can smell it.

I didn't add any salt at this point because I am using smoked sausage, but go ahead if you are not. Add in the onions and peppers, sprinkle all with 1 tsp oregano and 1/2 tsp basil. Maybe even a little pepper.

Cook for three to five minutes, until the onions and pepper have softened. Add in the tomatoes, some salt, pepper and the rest of the oregano and basil.

Bring to a boil and then cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add in the chicken, cover and cook for 10 more minutes. Cook and drain your pasta.

Check your seasoning and the doneness of the chicken, give it up to five more minutes. I left some pieces big so I could cut them up for the kiddos.

Add in the cooked pasta, cover and warm through, couple minutes.

This made 4 huge or 6 reasonable servings, I went with the smaller size at 256 calories per and added a salad and bam! Done dinner!

Enjoy!

Breakfast Potato Pie

I make this when visiting my folks, I love potatoes like I love air: in my mouth, please. It is more of a throw-together than a hard and fast recipe, but a great way to use up leftover baked or roasted potatoes. I love this with any cheese (see note above re: potatoes) but brie is my all-time favourite. Have not figured out how to work that into lifestyle; goat cheese it is!

You will need:

2 tsp vegetable oil
1 c roasted or baked potatoes, about half a pound
1/2 small onion, chopped finely
1 c red pepper, chopped roughly, about half a pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp salt & pepper
2 green onions, sliced thinly
4 slices deli ham, about 55-60g, chopped
2 oz crumbled goat cheese or 1/2 c low-fat grated cheddar (not non-fat, that's disgusting)
6 large eggs
1/4 c homogenized (3.25 percent) milk
2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese (NOT powdered), about half an ounce

First, prep! Okay, no, first heat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Then prep! Cut your potatoes, red pepper and ham into bite-sized chunks, crumble / grate your cheese. You can just chunk the cheese, that leaves nice little pockets of oozy goodness throughout. Slice your green onions, chop your onions finely and mince the heck out of the garlic. Spray a pie plate, preferably ceramic, with as much oil as you have. Lots. And then a little bit more.

Warm the oil in a non-stick frying pan on medium high, add the potatoes and thyme, cook until they have a nice crunchy crust, about 3 minutes. Don't stir very often, you want the potatoes to have time to really brown on a side or two.

Reduce the heat to medium; add in the onions and red pepper, cook for three minutes until almost softened. Add in the garlic and cook for one more minute, until you can smell it.

 

Remove from heat and pour the potato mixture into the extremely well-oiled pie plate.

In a small-ish bowl, mix together the green onions, ham and goat / reduced-fat cheese. Dump on top of the potato mixture in the pie plate.

Looks like a ham-kaleidoscope!

Sprinkle on the salt, pepper and a little more thyme. In the now-empty bowl, beat the eggs with the milk until well blended. Pour the eggs into the pie plate and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes, until the egg is set and the cheese is melted.

This makes 4 servings, at 233 calories each. Add a nice fruit salad and some whipping cream and voila! Brunch! Under 500 calories and super fast.

Enjoy!!


Equipment Corner:

Not much today, but I do love my ceramic pie plate for brunch-y type quiches. Mine is so pretty but enormous (again, not a dude, so not a metaphor) so is best for crust-less recipes like this.