Veggie Quesadillas

• 1/2 zucchini, grated
• 2 handfuls onions
• 3/4 can reduced sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 handful baby portabella mushrooms, chopped
• six carb balance tortillas
• reduced fat shredded Mexican cheese, about 2-2 1/2 handfuls per quesadilla

Note: I made these in my sandwich maker, so cooking times will vary if you use a skillet or quesadilla maker.

Place the zucchini in paper towels and squeeze out the excess moisture. Combine the veggies in a small bowl.

Spread a small handful of cheese on a tortilla, spreading out evenly and making sure to leave a little space around the edge. Spoon three heaping spoonfuls of the veggie mixture over the first layer of cheese. Add another heaping handful of cheese over the veggies. Again, make sure everything is evenly spread with room around the outside. Put a second tortilla on top.

When the sandwich maker (or other heating unit) is heated, spray both sides with cooking spray. Add the quesadilla and cook about 5-6 minutes. Flip and cook another two minutes on the other side.

Repeat until all ingredients are used up.

Stuffed Peppers

• 3/4 lb extra lean ground beef
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• salt
• 3 large bell peppers
• 1 cup fat free chicken broth
• 1/2 cup no salt added tomato sauce
• 3/4 cup dry quinoa
• 1 1/2 handfuls shredded reduced fat cheese

Preheat the oven to 350.

Prepare the quinoa according to package directions. It should take about 15 minutes.

Heat a skillet with EVOO (about one turn of the pan) on medium heat. Add the garlic and onions and sautee for about two minutes. Add the beef and season with garlic powder, salt and cumin. Brown the meat and cook through.

Add the tomato sauce and half the chicken broth to the meat. Stir to combine and let simmer for a few minutes. Add the quinoa and give a quick stir.

While the quinoa and beef are cooking, cut the peppers in half and scoop out the guts.

When the beef/quinoa mixture is combined, spoon into the pepper halves. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray and add the peppers so that none are touching. Pour the remaining chicken broth in the bottom of the dish.

Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake 30 minutes. When the peppers have finished cooking, sprinkle the cheese over the beef mixture, about one healthy pinch per pepper.

Adapted from skinnytaste.com.

Chicken Taco Salad

Dressing: 

• 6 oz plain Greek yogurt
• 2 spoonfuls green chiles
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• salt

Salad:

• 3 handfuls precooked chicken strips
• 3 handfuls chopped romaine lettuce
• 1 handful cherry tomatoes, chopped in half
• 2 handfuls onion, chopped
• 1 cup frozen corn, thawed

Combine all the ingredients in the dressing and set aside.

Combine all the ingredients for the salad. Add the dressing to the salad and toss to combine evenly.

Adapted from http://nutmegnotebook.com.

Zucchini Cakes

• 2 small zucchini
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 2/3 cup Panko bread crumbs
• shake of nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 full egg
• 1 egg white
• salt
• EVOO

Grate the zucchini into a bowl. After grating, place in paper towels to squeeze the excess moisture out.

Combine the next eight ingredients. Add the grated zucchini. Mix until thoroughly combined. 

Heat a skillet on medium heat. Pour in EVOO, about one turn of the pan.

Form the zucchini mixture into even patties. Place in the skillet and cook about 3-4 minutes per side. Each side should be nice and golden.

Adapted from lifesambrosia.com.

Tuna Pita Pockets

• 2 large handfuls green beans, ends trimmed and chopped into 1 inch pieces
• 1 pouch tuna packed in water
• half a plastic tub of cherry tomatoes, chopped in half
• 1 handful pitted kalamata olives, chopped
• 2 handfuls Vidalia onions
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp sundried tomato EVOO
• 2 handfuls mixed greens
• 2 8-grain pita pockets

Bring a salted pot of water to a boil. Cook green beans about 4 minutes, or until crisp-tender. Drain and rinse with cold water.

Combine beans with the remainder of the ingredients, minus the pita pockets. 

Fill the pockets with the tuna-veggie mixture.

Adapted from the Better Homes and Gardens 300 Calorie edition.

English Muffin Pizzas

• 2 multi-grain English muffins
• pizza sauce
• Italian seasoning
• part skim shredded mozzarella cheese
• 3 kalamata olives, sliced
• 6 pieces turkey pepperoni
• small handful chopped onion
• small handful chopped green pepper

Spoon the pizza sauce onto each English muffin side, spreading out evenly. Add Italian seasoning to each, about a shake per side. 

Assemble the rest of the ingredients as you would a regular pizza.

Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

Salmon with Roasted Tomatoes and Shallots

• 3 frozen salmon fillets
• 1 plastic tub grape tomatoes
• 1 1/2 shallots (or 3 individual sections), finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• salt
• 2 tbsp sundried tomato EVOO

Thaw salmon fillets. Pat dry with paper towel.

Preheat oven to 400.

While salmon is thawing and the oven is preheating, coat a baking dish with cooking spray. In a small bowl, combine the shallots, garlic, oregano, and EVOO. After a few quick stirs, add the tomatoes. Pour into the baking dish, spreading out evenly.

Roast mixture, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Sprinkle the salmon with a little salt and add, skin down, to the mixture and roast for another 15 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Adapted from Better Home and Gardens Low Calorie edition.