Sausage and Roasted Vegetable Pasta

When my sister, a fabulous cook, came to visit this summer, she prepared a wonderfully delightful dish! The dish mainly consisted of roasted vegetables, orzo, feta, olive oil and sausage, and it was delicious! I have made my own version of this dish, in a more heart healthy way, and I found it to be fantastic. I must admit, the original recipe was a bit tastier, but my version is nothing to turn up your nose to. ;-)

Edible Elements

• 1 box Whole Grain Medium Shells (if you can find whole grain Orzo, use that!)
• 1 oz Pine Nuts
• 5 oz Feta
• 2 Tomatoes
• 1/2 White Onion
• 1/4 cup chopped green onion
• 1 medium/large zucchini
• 1 medium/large yellow squash
• 8 oz Chicken and Sage Breakfast Sausage
• 4 tbsp EVOO
• Salt
• Pepper

Combine the vegetables and pine nuts in a pan and roast in the oven for 30 mins on 350 or until they begin to slightly brown. Cook the sausage links on the grill or in a griddle. Boil the pasta until the desired consistency. Mix the vegetables into a large bowl with the pasta and the feta. Slice the sausage into small pieces and add to the mixture. Stir in olive oil and add salt and pepper.

Voila! You are done. This easy dish is delicious, and it can stretch out over many meals.

Yields: 10 servings

284 Calories/12 g fat/4 g fiber/12 g protein

Chicken Casserole

This is an extremely easy and cheap dish to make. I made it for a Patriots gathering on Sunday, and it was a huge hit, surprisingly enough. If you are looking for low phat comfort food on a cold day, this is your dish!

Edible Elements

1 can 98% FF cream of chicken soup
1 can 98% FF cream of mushroom soup
1 bag of reduced fat cheese (cheddar, Monterrey jack, you pick - feel free to mix!)
3/4 cup of skim milk
1 can of chicken
1/2 box of whole grain macaroni or cavatappi pasta
1-2 servings of whole grain Wheat Thins

Cook the pasta first, then blend with the remaining ingredients. Crumble the wheat thins and sprinkle over the top.

Bake covered on 350 for 15 minutes, then uncover and bake for an additional 15 minutes..

Yields: 9 servings

Nutrition information: 233 calories/7.5 grams of fat/3.5 grams of fiber

Meatsagna

At our last meeting, the nutritionist let us know that it is okay to have a little pasta from time to time, but it really needs to be over cooked. The days of al dente are gone.

The importance of protein has been stressed to me over and over again, but my ability to consume 50-60 g of protein per day with the small amounts of food I am able to consume has been a challenge.

I set out to make a protein packed meal that would pack a big punch even in a small serving.

The end result was delicious. If you are a Weight Watchers person, this would be a 7 point meal.

Edible Elements:

• Healthy Choice Garlic & Herb Pasta Sauce
• Contadina Crushed Tomatoes with Roasted Garlic
• Contadina Tomato Paste with Tomato Pesto
• 5 Garlic cloves
• 1/2 medium onion
• .5 lb 93% lean ground beef
• .5 lb Italian style seasoned ground turkey
• .5 lb pork ribs
• 1/2 Turkey Kielbasa
• 24 oz part-skim Mozzarella cheese
• 5 tsp Reduced Fat Grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 bay leaves
• Garlic Salt
• Garlic Powder
• Onion Powder
• Oregano
• Basil
• Salt and Pepper
• 3 tbsp Smart Balance Light Butter
• 1/2 box Ronzoni Healthy Harvest Whole Wheat Lasagna Pasta

In a stewing pot, melt the light butter on high and saute minced onions and minced garlic. Once the onions and garlic begin to brown, add in the ground beef and the ground turkey. Allow the meat to begin to brown and stir in the pasta sauce, crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. Add in the pork ribs. Mix in the seasonings with the salt and pepper.

Allow to simmer on low until the pork begins to fall apart. This will take 1-2 hours. Add in grated Parmesan cheese when the sauce is nearly complete.

Place one layer of lasagna in a 9x11 pan. Pour one layer of sauce. Add in slices of turkey kielbasa, and cover with a layer of mozzarella cheese. Place an additional layer of lasagna, covered with the sauce, kielbasa and the cheese.

Bake in pre-heated oven on 350 for 25 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown.

Yields: 12 servings

Nutritional information: 325 calories/16g fat/3g fiber/26g protein!

Tomato and Basil Soup

I made a tomato and basil soup with just items I had around the house, and it came out quite tasty! It doesn't have as much protein as the Carrot-cheddar soup, since I did not add cheese, but it is not bad for protein either.

Edible Elements:

• 1 white onion
• 1 celery stalk
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 3 tbs Smart Balance Light butter
• 1 28 oz can Pastene ground peeled tomatoes
• 2 cups 99% fat free beef broth
• 1 cup Lactaid fat free milk
• 3 tbsp flour
• salt and pepper
• garlic salt

Mince onions and celery stalk and saute in butter over medium heat until onions are golden. Slowly stir in flour, creating a paste. Blend in the tomatoes and garlic and stir. Slowly start to blend in the broth, followed by the milk. Season with salt, pepper and garlic salt and simmer on low for one hour.

Yields: 5 1 cup servings/10 4 oz servings

Nutritional information (based on 1 cup servings): 125 calories/3g fat/5.5 g protein

Carrot and Cheddar Soup

Edible Elements:

• 2 tbsp smart balance light buttery spread
• 1 lb carrots
• 1 small onion
• 6 tbsp chicken broth
• 1 qt fat free lactaid milk
• 2 cups fat free cheddar cheese
• 1 bay leaf
• 1-2 tsp thyme
• 1-2 tsp celery salt
• 1-2 tsp garlic powder
• 1-2 tsp onion salt
• 1-2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 dash of cumin
• a few sprinkles of ground sea salt

Boil the carrots in water. In a separate pan, melt the butter over a medium high heat, and stir in the onions, pureed. When the onions have reached a caramel hue, add in the seasonings, to your desire, as well as the chicken broth.

Blend the boiled carrots into a smooth consistency and combine with the onion mixture over a low heat.

Gradually stir in the milk, and stir occasionally over a low heat. Add additional seasonings as needed/desired.

Blend in 1-2 cups of cheese.

Serve warmed with fresh parsley sprig set atop.

Nutrition information: Yields 8 8oz servings: 115 cal/1g fat/12 g protein or for post op 4 oz portions: 58 cal/.5 g fat/ 6 g protein

Verdict? Delicious! Try the recipe, and let me know what you think!

"Chef" KC ;-)

Welcome

This blog is filled with healthy cooking recipes that I create as I continue my weight loss journey. The recipes on this site will be helpful for anyone who has had the lap band, but also anyone following Weight Watchers or any other healthy eating plan. I am open to submissions as well, so please feel free to send them along to me!

I love food, and I love healthy food just as much as unhealthy food. Having the challenge of cooking delicious food in a healthy way is a great pleasure for me, and I hope the recipes I create will be as delicious to you as they are to me and my family and friends.

Too often, we equate dieting with eating bland salads and cottage cheese on toast. Each of those meals has their place, but there is so much more! Food is one of the simplest pleasures we enjoy on this earth, and if you are challenged with your weight, the chances are, you love food very much. You do not need to deny your love of food to eat healthy - you will have a greater level of success if you can celebrate good foods in your cooking, still enjoying mouthwatering delights.

May all your eating endeavors bring you great joy and health.

Kristen.