Mediterranean style cod over whole wheat gnocchi with onions, capers, olives & mushrooms in a light tomato broth

Mahi with sanfe style rice with a salad of cucumber, red and orange cherry tomatoes with shredded monterey jalepeno cheese

Lemon chicken with fresh rosemary & thyme with orzo pasta, capers, and orange and red grape tomatoes

Basa sauteed in a light lemon butter with brown rice, black beans, cilatro & serrano peppers

You will need:
2-4 serving of basa
1/2-1 cup of cilantro chopped
1 Serrano pepper diced
1 cup brown rice
1 cup chicken broth
1 can black beans (seasoned or not)
1/4 lemon juice
1 tablespoon Brummel & Brown yogurt butter(or whatever butter or butter substitute you like)

I pot bring chicken broth with rice to a boil and turn heat to low and cover. Let stand for 15-20 minutes. add season to taste but the chicken broth should flavor rice well.
In a non stick skillet with one tablespoon of butter (or olive oil, Pam spray)on medium heat season fish with your favorite seasonings (I use adobo since the recipe has blacks beans and cilantro).
in a small pot warm beans through for about 5 minutes on medium heat. Add any season you like to taste.
Cook fish on both sides about 4-5 minutes.I add the lemon juice about 2-3 minutes into the fish cooking on the first side.
Mix rice, cilantro, Serrano pepper and serve with black beans on top with fish.

Santa hat sugar cookies for cookie exchange

Steamed chicken dumpling with sauteed snow peas, carrots & broccoli with fresh ginger and soy

Tilapia, rock shrimp, scallops in a red clam sauce over cousocus

Chunky chicken noodle soup

Here's hoping my husband's cold passes quick!

Whole wheat lobster ravioli with shrimp and crab with a light white wine lemon sauce

You will need:
One package of store bought lobster ravioli (or your choice of stuffed ravioli)

1/4 shrimp

1/4 crab meat (fresh or canned)

Blanched asparagus (about 10 stems)

1/4 cup of white wine

Juice of one lemon

1 tablespoon of lemon zest

1/4 cup sour cream or low fat ricotta (if fat content is not an issue than you can use heavy cream)

1 tablespoon of low fat butter (I use Brummel and Brown with 40% yogurt). If fat content is not an issue then use real butter

1 tablespoon of olive oil



Follow instructions for pasta preparation

Boil asparagus for 5 minutes then place into ice water for another 5 minutes. Slice in thirds.(cook longer if want asparagus less firm)

In a non stick skillet add one tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat. Add shrimp and crab meat, when shrimp begin to turn pink add in white wine and turn heat down to low.

Next add ricotta or sour cream, lemon juice and lemon zest. (add salt and pepper to taste).

When sauce begins to have a creamy consistency it is ready.
Add cut asparagus to pan and serve over top of lobster ravioli
Enjoy! :)

Low Fat Beef Stroganoff

Chocolate truffle pops & spinach casserole bites! Not healthy but I made these for my friends' party and had to share!

Spinach casserole recipe~
You will need:
2 boxes frozen chopped spinach (thawed and drained well)
1 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 stick of butter (softened)
8 oz. shredded Monterey jack cheese (or a block and grate it)
2 beaten eggs
1 cup milk
bacon bits

Pre heat oven to 350

Thaw and drain the spinach (VERY WELL) then mix all the ingredients except the bacon bits in a bowl with a mixer on low until well incorporated.

Spray a glass baking dish with cooking spray(I used a 8X11 glass). You can use any size you have, it will only vary the thickness of the casserole.

Pour mix into dish and add a layer of bacon bits on the top.

Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool then cut into squares.

Low fat carrot cake bites

Mediterranean chicken with fusilli

Soy & ginger marinated then Seared tuna with brown rice and peppers

Halloween breakfast ;) Vanilla protein pancakes with dark chocolate chips

Lean meat chunky chili

You will need:
1-2 lbs of lean ground beef or half beef (add half ground turkey if you want to make it even lower in fat option (depending on how many servings you need)
1 large white, yellow or sweet onion chopped coarsely
2-3 cloves of garlic minced
1 1/2-2 1/2 tbsp cumin (I like tons so use as much as you like)
2 1/2 (or to taste) tablespoons chili powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups of water(if you want it super thick-leave out th ewater or only use  1/2 cup)
1 15oz can tomato sauce
1 28 oz can chopped tomatoes or two 14 oz cans (I use the ones with green chili's for a little extra spice)
1 14-16oz can red kidney beans -drained and rinsed-use 2 can if you want chili filling

In a large non stick skillet or large pot with a drizzle of olive oil (the meat will give enough oils so don't add too much if fat content is an issue) add beef, onions then garlic a few minutes after the beef gets cooking (not to burn the garlic)
Break up meat but into too small of pieces to keep it chunky. Cook until the meat is browned.
Add cumin and chili powder and stir well but gently not break up the meat too much
Add tomato sauce, chopped tomatoes, beans and water ( I add the water in stages to be sure not have watery chili)
Bring mixture to a boil for a few minutes then lower heat and let simmer about 20-30 minutes stirring occasionally.
Taste and add seasons to taste
Serve with sour cream (or low fat sour cream on top)

Eggplant stacks with sirloin & warm goat cheese over marinara and parmesan crisps

Chicken sauteed in white wine with mushrooms and brown rice

Pan seared mahi over spinach salad with hearts of palm, sweet peppers, green tomatoes & red onion with a warm raspberry vinaigrette

Pink Party Cupcakes!

These are not healhty but they are so cute I had to share! These were for my breast cancer awareness fundraiser~chocolate with pink buttercream frosting & my chocolate covered strawberry topiary~always room for a splurge for a good cause ;)

Turkey, zucchini, squash meatballs in pink sauce with farfalle

Chicken & spinach pin wheels with sliced sauteed red potatoes

Ratatoullie with chicken over whole penne marinara

Beef tenderloin tips in merlot sauce with mushrooms & onions

Mediterranean chicken & whole bowties

Eggplant Lasagna Rolls

'Use whatcha got' chicken, squash & green onion patties

Challah french toast

Grilled Chicken Sliders

Baked salmon with olive tapenade & semolina farfalle with squash confetti

Low fat Mango cupcakes & mini bites

Chicken Marsala with garlic & parmesan roasted red potatoes

Saturday "Sninner" Snack/Dinner...Tandoori naan flatbread with shrimp, feta, tomato & basil

Today I was up bright an early for a yard sale so I wanted a quick easy 'sninner' that would satisfy Ray's appetite and my budget all with little work...This 'sninner' was a winner! (Haha) with the shrimp on sale for $4.99 a pound so my quarter pound was $1.38, the flatbread was $2.99(2 pieces), the low fat feta was $2.29 ( buy one get one free), and the plum tomatoes were $1.49 and I only used two...I had the basil..not a bad deal for around $5.00...
You will need:
1 package(two pieces of bread) of Tandoori Naan made with stoneground whole wheat flour (5 grams of fat in half a naan)

1/4 pound shrimp (I used ready peeled and cooked)chop roughly to match feta chunks

1/4 cup low fat tomato basil fat cheese per naan/flatbread(4 grams of fat)

2 sliced plum tomatoes

Basil leaves chiffonade (or torn) dried will work if you don't have fresh

Pre heat broiler (I like my flatbread crispy, I used my broiler you can bake, grill or toast.

The package calls for a sprinkle of water to moisten the bread before baking. I just used the red sauce as my liquid, you can omit this and use olive oil or cooking spray.

Lay sliced tomato first then place shrimp and cheese around on any open space. If you want extra flavor add sprinkle parmesan cheese with after you spread the tomato sauce or olive oil..

Place on rack closest to broiler for about 5 minutes..pull out rack then add basil and place rack back under broiler for additional minute

Cut and serve

Tortilla Pie

This was another 'Use what ya got' meal...we had fajitas a few nights before so I had all these ingredients left to make a tortilla pie.
You will need:
Chicken breast cubed (or steak and shrimp work too)

4-5 flour tortillas (I used four but will added one more next time)

1/2 cup refried beans

1 can black beans

1 plum tomato

1/2 corn

1/3 cup fresh cilantro (can omit if you don't have it)

1 small white or red onion diced

1/2 cup fat free cheese (or whatever you have)

1 round baking pan (the kind for cakes) or a spring form pan)

Pre heat oven to 350

In a non stick pan add some cooking spray or one tablespoon of olive oil and add diced chicken and onion cook until chicken is cook through

Remove chicken from pan and let cool, then dice the chicken in smaller pieces so all the vegetables and chicken are close to the same size, this will be easier to keep ingredients inside pie.

In the same pan add black beans, tomato, cilantro and corn and cook for about 3-5 minutes, add chicken and onions back to pan and turn off heat.

Spray bottom of baking pan

Spread refried bean mix onto tortilla and place into pan

add a light and even coat of cheese (this will be your glue to hold in mixture when cheese melts) add a layer of chicken mix, then another layer of cheese and repeat until you have layered all 4 or 5 tortillas.

Place in oven for 15 minutes until cheese has melted.

Remove from oven and place a plate on top and flip tortilla pie upside down and out of pan. Let cool then slice. ( A pizza cutter worked great for this).

Serve with salsa and fat free sour cream (I mixed the two as seen in photo)

Seared shrimp & Scallops with tarragon in white wine, lemon, garlic sauce, sundried tomatoes,artichokes hearts over Mother In Law's Tongue pasta

This recipe serves 2 large portions or 4 small portions

You will need:

½ -3/4 of a pound of large shrimp (or whatever size you have fresh or frozen)

8-10 large scallops (or small)

4 oz. long noodle pasta of your choice (about a fist full per 1-2 servings)

Salt and pepper

½ cup fat free sour cream (or low fat or heavy cream if fat content is not an issue)
Cooking spray

1 garlic clove chopped (or minced garlic)

1 tablespoon dried tarragon

1 small white onion diced

½ fresh basil leaves (or any amount you want depends on how much you like or you can omit completely)

½ cup white wine

½ cup chicken broth

1 tablespoon grated lemon

2 tablespoons of lemon (or juice of lemon used for grating)

½ sundried tomatoes (chopped or sliced)

About a half a can or 1 cup of artichoke hearts (in used artichokes in water)

2 tablespoons of olive oil

In a pot bring water to boil and add a pinch of salt, boil pasta for directed time then drain and set aside

In a non stick pan with one tablespoon of olive oil (or cooking spray) add shrimp and scallops and season with salt, pepper, and tarragon and cook 2-3 minutes on each side and remove from pan and set aside

In the same pan heat one tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat and add onion and sundried tomatoes and artichokes and cook for about 4-5 minutes(if pan becomes dry add a splash of chicken broth)

Lower heat and add garlic, white wine, chicken broth, sour cream (or cream) and a few basil leaves to flavor the sauce reserving some for completed dish garnish

Let thicken while whisking for about 3-4 minutes…add additional seasonings to taste, either add shrimp and scallops and pasta back into pan to mix together or place pasta on plate and pour sauce and shrimp and scallops on top.

Tear the remaining fresh basil for garnish and flavor and serve.

Sausage & peppers~ my way~ chicken sausage meatballs with mozzarella pearls with tri bell pepper red sauce over whole wheat spaghetti

Friday night lean meat bean chili with sweet jalapeno cornbread muffins

Homemade dog biscuits....

~Low fat guava cupcakes with low fat cream cheese & guava frosting~

Rainbow caprese stack

Salmon cakes, lean turkey bacon, with sunny egg over wheat toast