Egg Salad

With all these leftover Easter eggs, I knew salads would be in the future. So I located a low calorie egg salad recipe and tweaked it up a bit. It only came down to about 210 calories a serving.

Enlightened Egg Salad
Serves 4

Ingredients

• 6 large hard boiled eggs (pealed and cubed)
• 2 tablespoons nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon light mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1⁄4 teaspoon paprika
• 1⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• freshly ground black pepper
• 8 slices pumpernickel bread

Instructions

1. Mix all the ingredients, except for the bread and egg in a bowl. 
2. Once the dressing is mixed, add in the chopped eggs and mix to coat.
3. Salt and pepper to taste.
4. Add salad to bread and serve.

Note: Add an additional tablespoon of mayonnaise if it tastes too yogurt, but just adjust the calories for it. 

Chicken Sausage with Fire Roasted Tomato Jasmati Rice

Chicken Sausage with Fire Roasted Tomato Jasmati Rice

This made four servings and when I put it into a calorie measuring program, it registered at about 350 calories per serving. This was a "necessity" recipe. I looked at what we had left in the house, as we're getting down to the nips and bits before payday. It turned out amazingly delicious and my husband says I have to make it again. It's a keeper, a one-pot, and quick! Could even make it in the slow-cooker and let it cook on high until the rice is ready. It's worth trying.

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 Jasmati Rice
• 1 can Progresso Starter Fire Roasted Tomato
• 2-4 cups of Water
• 1 Knorr Homestyle Chicken Concentrated Stock
• 1 package (4 sausages) Smoked Mozzarella and Artichoke Chicken Sausages (cut into pieces)
• 1 medium yellow onion (chopped)
• 2 TBSP minced garlic
• 1 cup chopped up celery and celery leaves
• 3-4 tendrils of Saffron (or a pinch)
• Salt and Pepper

Instructions

1. Heat a skillet or pan on high.
2. Chop up the onions and celery (with leaves) and saute with a TBSP of olive oil and the 2 TBSP minced garlic.
3. Season with salt and pepper, then add the Knorr concentrated stock.
4. When the vegetables have softened, add in the sliced chicken sausage and cook for about 5 minutes.
5. Add in 1 1/4 cup Jasmati rice, 2 cups of water, and the can of Progresso Fire Roasted Tomato Starter Sauce. Add in a pinch (3-4 tendrils) of Saffron.
6. Bring to a boil, stir, and then cover tightly. Turn to low and let simmer for 20 minutes.
7. Check on it every 5-10 minutes to make sure it's not sticking. Add more water if necessary.
8. After the rice is ready, remove the pan from the heat and let sit.
9. Serve and enjoy!

Notes: Shrimp could also be added to make it more like a jambalaya! Maybe a little cayenne pepper to give it a little spice or some jalapenos. Seriously a delicious dish!

Cheesy Tortellini and Chicken Bake

Cheesy Tortellini and Chicken Bake
Serves 8

Ingredients

• two 9-ounce packages refrigerated cheese tortellini
• 1 medium carrot, thinly sliced
• 1-1/2 cups sugar snap peas, halved crosswise
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
• 2 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 small red or green sweet pepper, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Progresso Starters Cheese Sauce
• Laughing Cow Lite Swiss Cheese 5 Triangles
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 2 TBSP minced garlic (1 in the cheese sauce, one in the chicken)
• 1 TBSP McCormick Lemon Pepper seasoning

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cook tortellini in boiling salted water according to package directions, adding the carrot during the last 5 minutes of cooking and the sugar snap peas during the last 1 minute of cooking; drain.
3. Meanwhile, 1 TBSP olive oil in a pan and add the diced onion, red pepper, and 1 TBSP garlic.
4. Once they are starting to soften, add chicken and mushrooms, and cook about 5 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Remove from skillet.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. In a small sauce pan, add 1 TBSP minced garlic, 1 TBSP lemon juice, lemon pepper seasoning, and the Pregresso Starters Cheese Sauce. Once it has warmed through (on medium), add in the laughing cow cheese triangles and whisk together.
6. In an ungreased 13x9x2-inch baking dish or shallow 3-quart casserole., add the drained pasta and carrots, the chicken and vegetable mixture, and the cheese sauce. Mix together until coated evenly.
7. Bake, covered, in a 350 degrees F oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until heated through.
8. Take out, stir mixture, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serve!

Another Beef and Broccoli

Another Beef and Broccoli

Once again, inspired by a Rachael Ray recipe, but sadly it was not orangy enough for my taste. But it was a delicious Beef and Broccoli recipe. So I've adjusted the recipe to make it a bit less misleading about the orange flavor. This also provided great leftovers for a good portioned lunch the next day. We made some homemade fried rice, but this would also go well with some plain rice, because the sauce is so flavorful. It served two of us with a third leftover comfortably.

Ingredients

• 4 cups broccoli
• 1 1/4 cups beef broth
• 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons plum sauce
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 1 3/4 pound flank steak sliced thin
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil

Directions

1. In a pot, bring water to a boil.
2. Cut the broccoli into 1-inch florets.
3. Boil the broccoli until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes, then drain the broccoli and rinse under cold water. Save the pot.
4. In the pot, stir together the broth, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, plum sauce and 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Simmer on medium, whisking occasionally.
5. Slice the steak 1/4 inch thick, then cut the slices crosswise into thirds; toss with the remaining 3 tablespoons cornstarch.
6. In a pan or skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the steak and  cook, turning, until the meat is barely pink, about 2 minutes. Transfer the meat to a paper-towel-lined plate.
7. Stir in the meat, broccoli and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes.