low fat Archives - Page 3 of 4

Tortellini Primavera - a quick and healthy pasta dish made on the lighter side!

Tortellini Primavera #WeekdaySupper

September 24, 2013 ·

Tortellini Primavera is a creamy, cheesy pasta dish made with with lots of vegetables. It is quick, easy and healthy ~ perfect for a weeknight!

Like most people, we are always looking for quick and easy recipes for weeknight dinners. While frozen pizza or takeout seem like a quick fix for those busy nights, we always prefer something healthier, tastier, and homemade. But like I said, it has to be easy, right? This Tortellini Primavera is all that, plus it’s super tasty! With all the vegetables, the cheese, the creaminess, the cheese-filled tortellini, and being easy to make, you really can’t go wrong. …

Filed Under: healthy, main dishes, Recipes, vegetarian Tagged With: cheese, cream cheese, easy, light, low fat, mushrooms, pasta, quick, spinach, tomatoes, vegetable

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

September 18, 2013 ·

Bring on Fall with this easy recipe for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins! They are light and moist, made with buttermilk, pumpkin and chocolate chips.

Fall is my favorite baking season. I love all the fun apple recipes and pumpkin recipes, making old favorites and trying new recipes. These Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins are a wonderful, easy recipe to kick off pumpkin season! When I came up with this recipe, I wanted something simple, similar to my Banana Buttermilk Muffins. These recipes use common pantry ingredients, so they’re easy to make any time….

Filed Under: bread, breakfast, kid-friendly, Recipes Tagged With: brunch, buttermilk, chocolate, easy, low fat, muffins, pumpkin, quick

Chocolate Zucchini Brownies

September 12, 2013 ·

Chocolate Zucchini Brownies are so chocolaty and fudgy, you would never guess they’re filled with zucchini! Plus they are made with whole wheat flour and can be made vegan. These are quite possibly, the best brownies ever!

The other night I shredded zucchini to make Chocolate Zucchini Bread again. It was so chocolaty and good, I just couldn’t resist! But then I opened my iPad and saw a zucchini brownie recipe that I had been researching. Brownies are always tasty, plus this recipe looked quick and easy. Why not try something new? Considering how delicious chocolate and zucchini are together, I had no doubt Chocolate Zucchini Brownies would be good. Now, they weren’t just good,……

Filed Under: dessert, Recipes Tagged With: brownies, chocolate, easy, low fat, quick, summer, vegan, whole wheat, zucchini

Healthy Banana Mango Smoothie

August 26, 2013 ·

This Healthy Banana Mango Smoothie is a thick, frosty, fruity smoothie with a protein boost from Greek yogurt. I often add ground flaxseed for additional health benefits.

Ever since I made my Diet Mixed Berry Smoothie recipe, I have been on a real smoothie kick. While I have enjoyed coming up with several different recipes, I think this Healthy Banana Mango Smoothie recipe is my favorite. When made with a perfectly frozen banana and chilled mango, this smoothie whips up to the consistency of soft serve ice cream….

Filed Under: breakfast, gluten free, healthy, kid-friendly, Recipes, vegetarian Tagged With: alphabet challege, banana, easy, low fat, mango, quick, smoothie, snack, yogurt

Banana Buttermilk Muffins

August 1, 2013 ·

Banana Buttermilk Muffins are healthy muffin recipe that is not only delicious, but takes 10 minutes to prepare. These are sure to become a household favorite!

While I thought it was safe to assume that Pumpkin Banana Muffins are Adam’s favorite muffin, these Banana Buttermilk Muffins may quickly take the top spot, if they haven’t already. Within the first week of making the first batch, I had to make another…and another! It seemed that Adam and Mike (and I too!) were devouring these faster than I could make them. Fortunately, they are super quick and easy to make! The hands on time takes about 10 minutes, and for some reason, these just seem easier to make than other muffins….

Filed Under: bread, breakfast, healthy, kid-friendly, Recipes Tagged With: baby/toddler, banana, brunch, buttermilk, easy, low fat, muffins, whole wheat

healthy buttermilk oatmeal peach muffins

Oat Peach Muffins

July 17, 2012 ·

One of the first cookbooks I purchased was the Better Crocker’s New Choices Cookbook. I have found several wonderful recipes in that book, including these Oat Peach Muffins. These muffins are one of my very favorites from the book, and it’s nice knowing they’re made on the healthier side.

What really makes these muffins amazing is the molasses. Molasses adds such a delicious character to the muffins and really goes well with the peaches and cinnamon. The oats give a hearty texture, while the buttermilk yields a moist crumb. These muffins are a great way to put to use all of those fresh peaches this time of year. I do often use frozen peaches though, so we can enjoy these muffins all year long.

Oat Peach Muffins

Yields: 12 muffins

Ingredients

1¼ cup all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup buttermilk
¼ cup brown sugar, packed
¼ cup canola oil
2 tablespoons molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup chopped peaches (thawed if frozen)
Cooking spray

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray (or line with paper liners).
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a large bowl, combine oats and buttermilk. Add brown sugar, oil, molasses, vanilla and egg, whisking until blended.
Fold in flour mixture with buttermilk mixture until moistened (batter will be lumpy). Fold in peaches.
Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes, and then move to a wire rack to cool completely.

Adapted from Betty Crocker’s New Choices Cookbook

Filed Under: bread, breakfast, healthy, kid-friendly, Recipes Tagged With: baby/toddler, baked, brunch, buttermilk, cinnamon, easy, low fat, molasses, muffins, oats, peaches, quick, snack

healthy buttermilk chocolate banana swirl bread

Marbled Chocolate Banana Bread

June 14, 2012 ·

Marbled Chocolate Banana Bread is a moist banana bread with a chocolate swirl. The addition of chocolate to the classic comfort food of banana bread is not only delicious but it’s pretty too!

Truth be told, the first time I made this bread, the result was less than stellar. The bread was pretty, and it tasted okay, but texture was off. It was dense and chewy, not quite the light and fluffy texture I look for in a banana bread. And actually come to think of it, even though it tasted good, it didn’t taste like banana bread. Clearly, this recipe was in desperate need of a do-over!

Thankfully Frigidaire is encouraging folks to share do-over moments, which gave me the extra push I needed to try again. I never like wasting ingredients on an unsuccessful recipe, but I loved the concept of the chocolate swirl in banana bread. So I took the original recipe and gave it a makeover.

I made several tweaks, such as using buttermilk instead of yogurt, oil instead of butter and eggs instead of egg substitute. I also added some vanilla and a few extra chocolate chips on top. Then…I crossed my fingers!

A little over an hour later, the results of this do-over were in. The bread rose nicely, had the perfect banana bread texture, and the chocolate swirl was harmonious with the banana bread. This is exactly what Marbled Chocolate Banana Bread should be like! I look forward to making this recipe again and again, and I thank Frigidaire for this do-over opportunity!

Marbled Chocolate Banana Bread

Yields: 1 loaf (16 servings)

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
¼ cup vegetable oil
1½ cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 bananas)
2 eggs
⅓ cup low fat buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
Cooking spray
Additional mini chocolate chips, for topping (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 8½ x 4¼ inch loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and salt.
In a large bowl, beat sugar and oil on medium until blended (about 1 minute). Add banana, egg, buttermilk and vanilla, and beat until blended.
Fold the flour mixture into the banana mixture, gently stirring batter until just moist.
Place chocolate chips in a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 1 minute (on high) or until almost melted. Microwave for an additional 30 seconds, if needed. Stir until smooth and let cool slightly.
Add 1 cup batter to the chocolate, stirring until well combined.
Spoon batter into prepared loaf pan, alternating between plain batter and chocolate batter. Swirl batters together using a knife. Sprinkle top with additional chocolate chips, if desired.
Bake for 1 hour and 10 to 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack and the remove from pan to wire rack to cool completely.

Adapted from Cooking Light

Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by Frigidaire. When you share your own do-over moment at Facebook.com/Frigidaire, Frigidaire will donate $1 to Save the Children’s U.S. programs. Plus, Frigidaire will help cover the costs for one lucky visitor to win the ultimate do-over.

Filed Under: bread, breakfast, healthy, kid-friendly, Recipes Tagged With: banana, buttermilk, chocolate, cooking light, easy, frigidare, low fat, quick, tastemaker

Lighter Cajun Chicken Pasta

May 15, 2012 ·

Lighter Cajun Chicken Pasta is a one-pot, easy recipe with a cajun twist made healthier!

Lighter Cajun Chicken Pasta | alidaskitchen.com

This Cajun Chicken Pasta is an easy, one-pot stovetop dinner made with lots of vegetables and spicy chicken in a creamy sauce. The hands-on cooking time is around 20 minutes, which means with a little advance prep (chopping vegetables and chicken), this can easily be a weeknight dinner, or a quick dinner any time. The recipe is also easily halved to make dinner for 2.

I used this recipe from Southern Living for my inspiration, but made several modifications to lighten up the dish. For the cream sauce, I used fat free evaporated milk instead of half-and-half, and the result was great. It had a creamy texture without being heavy. I also eliminated the butter in favor of cooking spray and a small amount of olive oil for the vegetables. I reduced the amount of pasta and added more vegetables. There is a lot of flexibility with the vegetables to add more or change it up to use up what you have on hand. The result is a lighter version of Cajun Chicken Pasta that is simply delicious!

Lighter Cajun Chicken Pasta

Author: Alida Fischbach

Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients

8 ounces whole wheat linguine or fettucine
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into small strips
1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning (divided), adjust to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Cooking spray
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 red onion, thinly sliced
3 large bell peppers, thinly sliced
1 (8 ounce) package sliced mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (12 ounces) fat free evaporated milk
chopped green onions, for garnish

Instructions

Prepare pasta according to package directions.
Meanwhile, sprinkle chicken evenly with 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning and salt.
Spray a large saute pan with cooking spray and heat oven medium-high heat. Add chicken, and saute for 5 to 6 minutes or until done. Remove chicken to a plate, tented with foil.
In the same saute pan, add olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add red onion, peppers, mushrooms and garlic to pan and saute for 9 to 10 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and liquid evaporates.
Return chicken to skillet and mix with vegetables. Add evaporated milk and 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 3 minutes. Add linquine, toss to coat
Garnish with green onions, as desired, and serve immediately.

Filed Under: healthy, main dishes, Recipes Tagged With: cajun, chicken, dinner, low fat, mushrooms, onion, pasta, peppers, vegetable

Banana Cornbread Muffins

April 20, 2012 ·

These Banana Cornbread Muffins were whipped together as a result of a request from my little Adam. For weeks, he had been asking me to make cornbread ~ specifically rosemary cornbread. Since I did not have any fresh rosemary on hand (and let’s be honest…it’s just not the same with dried), I decided to come up with something new. I spotted an overripe banana, got out a pen and a yellow sticky note and started jotting down what became this recipe.

The result is a muffin with a nice balance of banana and cornbread. They are light and fluffy, like any good muffin should be (so more muffin-y than cornbread-y). I made half with a banana slice on top and half without. They look nicer with a slice, but the banana turns brown after a day or so. It still tastes good, but just not as pretty.

Banana Cornbread Muffins
Yields 12 muffins

Ingredients
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 ripe banana, mashed (about 1 cup)
1 1/2 cups low fat buttermilk
1/4 cup canola oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
thin banana slices (optional, for topping)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pan with 12 paper liners (or spray with cooking spray). Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
In a medium bowl, whisk the banana, buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla until blended.
Add the banana mixture to the cornmeal mixture and fold until combined.
Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Place a slice of banana on top of each muffin. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Filed Under: bread, breakfast, healthy, Recipes Tagged With: baby/toddler, banana, brunch, cornbread, easy, low fat, muffins, quick, snack

Oven-Baked Sriracha Chicken

March 20, 2012 ·

It seems sriracha sauce is everywhere these days. I was excited to find a baked chicken recipe using sriracha, but based on my preference, wanted to use chicken breast instead of drumsticks and thighs. Of course when cooking with leaner, boneless/skinless cuts, such as chicken breast, modifications are required in order to achieve tender and juicy meat. Well, the first time I made this with chicken breast, I intentionally did not adjust for this to see what would happen and guess what…it was dry! But the flavor was amazing, so I knew it was worth further experimentation. With a few simple tweaks, the result was exactly what I was hoping for ~ moist and tender, spicy sriracha chicken breast baked in the oven. Keep in mind, the sriracha sauce has some heat, so adjust the amount accordingly. We enjoyed this with edamame brown rice.

Oven-Baked Sriracha Chicken

Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients

1 bunch green onions (greens (thinly sliced) and whites (minced) separated)
¼ cup hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced (or grated)
2-3 garlic cloves, minced (or grated)
Pinch salt
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons sriracha sauce (adjust to taste)
¼ teaspoon Chinese five star seasoning
4 4-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds (for serving)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 13 x 9 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the minced whites of the green onions, hoisin sauce, ginger, garlic, salt, lime juice, sriracha sauce, and seasoning.
Working with once piece at a time, place chicken breast in the bowl and coat with sauce (note: the sauce is pretty thick). Place chicken breast in baking dish and repeat with remaining pieces of chicken. Pour any remaining sauce over the chicken.
Cover baking dish with with foil. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until chicken is thoroughly cooked. Place chicken on serving dish(es) and top with green onion greens and sesame seeds.

Notes

Make ahead tip: Prepare chicken and sauce per the above and refrigerate until ready. Take chicken out of the refrigerator and then preheat the oven. Bake as usual.

Adapted from Eating Well