Fettucini with Vegetarian Marinara

Again, it is Fiber Gourmet pasta night, like almost every night because the pasta is truly light: high fiber, 40% less calories and tastes just like regular pasta, and, because of thehigh fiber content, it keeps me full for hours.

2 oz Fiber Gourmet long fettucini

Vegetarian Marinara:
1 ts extra virgin olive oil
1/3 red onion, diced
2 TB Morning star breakfast starters (ground beef, vegetarian)
1/2 can of salt-free diced stewed tomatoes
splash of olive juice (from a jar of green olives)
salt, pepper, Mrs Dash garlic & herbs
1 TB ketchup
1 ts liquid chicken stock extract
1 small branch of fresh rosemary
a few basil leaves
a splash of liquid sweetener

Cook pasta according to instructions (12 min in boiling water, don't rise, just drain). In a skillet, heat the olive oil and brown the onion and the Morning star vegetarian beef. Then, add all the other ingredients, and simmer until the pasta is cooked al dente. Drain pasta, and serve on plate with sauce. Enjoy!

Swiss Roesti with Kalamata Olives

Roesti is a traditional Swiss potato dish, made from grated potatoes that have been cooked or steamed before. Traditionally, they are fried in clarified butter until crisp on both sides, and served with a fried egg or a meat dish. I updated my version, and mixed in some bacon, a bit of parmesan cheese, and kalamata olives. It was delicious, flavorful and quite skinny! However, no way to get around the clarified butter in this dish!

Single-serving:
1 Yukon gold potatoes (ca. 100g)
1 ts bacon bits
1 ts low-fat parmesan cheese
salt, pepper to taste
5-6 kalamata olives, sliced
1 ts clarified butter (ghee).

On the day before, steam or cook the potato until half cooked (they should still half raw, so that they keep some texture when grated. They will finish cooking when fried), ca. 10 min. Cool and set aside.

Peel the cooled potato, and grate on a coarse grater. Handle gently. Add the bacon bits, salt, pepper, parmesan and kalamata olives. In a skillet, heat the clarified butter, and distributed over the bottom of the pan with a brush. Add the roesti mix to the skillet and form them into a patty shape. Fry for several minutes, and then break up the patty and mix the potatoes again so that some of the brown bits are inside the roesti, too. Then, press into a patty again, and finish frying. If you are skillful, you can turn the roesti around and fry it from the other side, too (I can't!). Serve!

(160kcal)

Low-Carb Artisan Sourdough Bread

This bread is one of my favorites. It tastes great, is light in calories and low-carb and it is fool-proof to make (and I am a novice bread baker!). I make 2 versions of this bread, one in the bread machine and for the other one I prepare only the dough in the bread machine and bake it in a clay bread baker for a crispier crust and artisan bread shape. The ingredients are the same. (Note: I do not prepare the low-carb bread mix according to instructions, since it calls for high fat ingredients like eggs, butter and cream. However, since this low-carb bread mix typically has more problem rising, I add twice the regular amount of yeast and the Baker's dry milk, which work great.)

Bread ingredients:
3/4 cup warm water
1/4 cup King Arthur sour dough
1/2 package Bob's Red Mill low-carb bread baking mix
2 TB King Arthur Baker's special dry milk
2 TB linseeds
2 TB caraway seeds

Yeast:
2 TB Red star active yeast
1 ts sugar
1/4 cup warm water.

Mix the yeast with the sugar and warm water in a small container and proof (wait until it is all bubbly).

Meanwhile, layer the ingredients ordered like in the list into the bread machine (wet ingredients first, then dry, the yeast mixture should only touch the dry ingredients). You can mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl and add them to the bread machine, or just stir them lightly inside the bread baking basket.

Bread machine version: For this version, set the setting to regular bread with light or normal crust.

Artisan version: Uses clay baker.

• Set the bread machine to dough setting.
• While the bread machine is making the dough (around 1.5 hours), water the clay bread baker in warm water for 30 min.
• When dough has ready, drain bottom of clay baker and pat dry.
• Grease sides and bottom generously.
• Punch down dough, and shape into loaf and place in clay baker.
• Let stand, covered with waxed paper, in warm place until dough nearly reaches top of cooker, 30 to 45 minutes.
• Cut diagonal slashes, 1/2 inch deep, in top of dough with razor blade or sharp knife.
• Soak top of cooker in water about 15 minutes; drain; pat dry and grease.
• Preheat oven to 450F.
• Place covered cooker in hot oven.
• Bake 25 minutes.
• Remove cover, bake until top is brown, 5-10 minutes.
• Remove from cooker and cool on wire rack.

Greek Strawberry Cheese Cake

No, it is not a 'greek cheese cake'. I am not even sure there is such a thing, but since the Greek claim to be the originator of Western culture, there likely is one. This is a cheese cake that uses Greek yogurt for the cheese layer, and in my case a low-carb biscuit mix (carbquik) for the base layer, and fresh strawberries in the middle. So, skinny, low-carb, low-calorie, you name it. But it all does not matter then this cheese cake is delicious !

Base layer:
2 TB carbquik (or any low-cal/low-fat biscuit mix)
1/2 TB any whey
2 TB non-fat butter milk
1 Tbsp egg beaters
¼ ts almond extract
¼ ts baking soda

Cheese cake filling:
1/2 cup non-fat greek yogurt (I used Fage)
1/2 ts vanilla
1 TB eggbeaters
1 TB splenda
1/2 TB Big train pancake mix (or any other low-cal/fat/sugar pancake mix)

Strawberry layer:
1 cup frozen strawberries, fresh, sliced
1/2 ts vanilla
1 TB splenda

Make the batter and the fillings in separate bowls. For the cheese cake filling, mix greek yogurt and other ingredients until it is a really smooth, creamy texture. Mix the strawberries with the vanilla and splenda.

Fill batter in a small, sprayed spring form, and bake at 400F for 5 min. Take out of oven, pour strawberries over solid surface of the cake base, and pour cheese filling on top of strawberries. Bake for another 20-25 min at 400F. Let cool to room temperature before serving.

entire cheese cake: 1 breakfast + 1 fruit (190kcal)

Note: as you can see in the photos below, I used fresh sliced strawberries, which I had frozen for a few days and then thawed. Beautiful juice, but not so great for the cheese cake because the cake layer gets too soggy. Next time, I use fresh strawberries.

Roast Chicken in Clay Baker

My mother made chicken like using a clay baker when I grew up, and has always been my favorite version. Today, clay bakers are retro but making a comeback, since they are also great for bread baking to create a crisp crust. Retro or not, it is a great way to roast chicken without added fat or liquids, but cook in its own juices. The idea is that the clay cast is soaked in water for 30 min before roasting the chicken. The absorbed moisture develops steam inside the baker and roasts the chicken. Removing the lid during the last 30 minutes makes sure the chicken has a brown crisp skin. Love it!

Roast chicken in clay baker

special equipment: clay baker
1 thawed organic chicken, washed and patted dry
salt, pepper
10 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
sweet paprika

Soak clay baker in warm water for 30 min. Preheat oven at 375F.

Rub the patted dry chicken with salt, pepper and the sweet paprika. Fill the garlic cloves inside the chicken cavities. Remove clay baker from water, dry with a towel, and place chicken in the bottom part of the clay baker. Close the clay baker with its lid, and place in oven. Increase heat to 425F, and bake for 90min. After 90min, remove clay pot from oven, remove lid, and place clay baker back into the oven for another 30min. Turn off heat, and serve chicken!

For a skinny version, discard the fat collected in the bottom of the clay baker. However, it is very tasty, of course, served over some mashed potatoes...

Mole Chicken Enchilada

Mole, an interesting Mexican concept.... a chocolate spicy savory sauce with a bold character. It works even better for enchiladas, covered in mole and baked with cheese. Here we go, mole chicken enchiladas, gone perfectly skinny.

Chocolate (mole) chicken enchilada

1 Joseph's 4 net carbs small pita bread (cut in half)
1 TB jarred mole (I used Donna Maria)
1/8-1/4 cup low sodium, fat-free chicken stock
1 TB chipotle sauce (from a can of chipotles in sauce)
2 oz leftover grilled chicken breast
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
2 TB ff vegan low-fat cheddar cheese

In a skillet, break up the mole with a fork and thin out with the chicken stock to make a sauce. (Note: When I opened the jar, the oil of the sauce had collected at the top of the jar, and I just threw it out. So, the sauce is lower in calories than indicated on the jar.) Add the chipotle sauce to the mole, and stir well. Add in the cubed chicken, cover with the sauce and heat through. If too thick, add more water. Split the pita bread in half, and slide each half both sides through the hot mole sauce so that it covers both sides of the pita breads. Now, fill half of the chicken pieces in each pita, add some red bell pepper, and roll it up. Place seam side down in a baking dish. Add the remaining mole on top of the 'enchiladas'. Sprinkle with cheese and bake at 450F for 10 min (or until cheese melted). Add some more red bell pepper on top, and serve! Divine!!!

ca. 260kcal

Luxurious Fruit Sauce for Greek Yogurt

This is a luxurious fruit sauce inspired by Ina G., a great sauce to keep on hand for the daily yogurt or Fage. It makes a large serving that will keep in the fridge for a while.

Raspberry rum sauce
1/2 bag of frozen raspberries, thawed
1 TB sugar
1/2 cup water
1 TB fiberfit
1 small jar sugar-free strawberry preserve (I used Hero)
1/2 TB brown rum

In a pot, heat the water, sugar, and fiberfit and raspberries until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is warm (don't boil it!). Take off the stove, and let cool to room temperate. In a food processor (or magic bullet), add the preserve, rum and half of the raspberry mixture and mix until a smooth silky texture is reached. Pour half of it into a jar, and mix the other half with the remaining raspberries (all ingredients will fit into a larger food processor).

Serve a few tablespoons with sweetened fage and fresh berries!

Cannellini Tuna Bruschetta

Summer is slowly whisking in and Memorial weekend is not too far away. Time for some summery dishes that are refreshing for lunch or dinner. Today it was....

Bruschetta with Cannellini Bean Tuna

several slices of whole grain baguette (50 kcal)
1/2 cup of cannellini beans, rinsed (110 kcal)
1 can of albacore tuna, broken up (80kcal, 18 g protein) (e.g. Bumble Bee)
1/3 red onion, finely diced
1/2 ts olive oil (20kcal)
salt, pepper, Mrs Dash garlic and herb
1 garlic clove, peeled

Toast slices of baguette in a pan or panini maker. Spray with PAM for more crispness. Meanwhile, in a bowl mix the beans, tuna, onion, spices and olive oil. Once the bread is brown,
rub with garlic clove, and spoon bean tuna mix on the bruschetta.

Sundried Tomato Pesto Chicken Pasta

1 chicken cutlet
1 cup low-sodium, non-fat chicken broth
1 bay leaf
2 garlic cloves, peeled, whole
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/3 of a red onion, finely diced
5-6 kalamata olives, sliced
1/2 ts Mrs dash garlic and herbs
fresh crushed black pepper
1 TB sundried skinny tomato pesto
2 oz Fiber Gourmet penne

Cook pasta according to instructions.

Poach the fresh or frozen chicken cutlet in lowfat, low-sodium chicken broth with a bay leaf and 2 peeled, but whole garlic cloves for 10 min on medium-high. Remove chicken, and cut into dice.

In a PAM-sprayed skillet, sautee the onion until slightly browned. Add bell pepper, and sautee for 3-4 min on medium heat. Add diced chicken, the spices and tablespoons of the chicken broth (from poaching) to provide enough liquid. Add drained pasta once cooked al dente, and mix all ingredients in the skillet. In a separate cup, stir the sundried tomato pesto with 2 TB of hot chicken broth, and mix into the penne chicken in the skillet. Serve!

Tomato Basil Pizza Burger

This is a veggie burger that does not make you miss the real deal: The Morningstar Tomato Basil Pizza veggie burger. I made it with some sliced red onion, chopped olives, lowfat feta crumbles.... a perfect lunch.

Skinny (To Die For) Sundried Tomato Pesto

I love pesto. Basil pesto, the pine nuts, the garlic, the parmesan, and, yes, the olive oil. It does not come easily in a skinny version without sacrificing the flavor and character of it. Nevertheless, sundried tomato pesto lends itself to a skinny version, and this one, a spur of inspiration, came up, well, to die for!

15 large sundried tomatoes (not from a jar, but the dried variety)
3 large garlic cloves, or 5 smaller ones, peeled, coarsely chopped
0.5 oz pine nuts
3 TB Trader Joe's red pepper spread
fresh ground black pepper
1/2 TB Mrs Dash garlic and herbs
2 TB high quality extra-virgin olive oil
2-5 TB water (add when needed to achieve desired pesto consistency)

I used my magic bullet to make the pesto, so I cut up the sundried tomatoes into small slices using scissors, and coarsely chopped the garlic, since it is has not the strongest motor, but is so easy to clean up (what a plus). I added all the remaining ingredients to the food processor, and pulsed it to a smooth, slightly coarse consistency and added water tablespoon wise.

The entire sundried pesto is 450 kcals, but it is used tablespoon-wise (ca 5-7 TB). It is great with pasta, or as a sundried tomato pesto chicken sauce, or as a spread for paninis with roasted eggplant and zucchini. For pasta, it can be thinned out with low sodium chicken stock or just some pasta water.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Cake, plain and simple

Chocolate cake, plain, simple, chocolaty chocolate cake. With the whipped cream this one was the one.

1 NS pancake mix
1 TB brown splenda
1/2 ts baking soda
1/2 ts baking powder
1 ts instant espresso powder
1 TB organic cocoa powder (e.g. Dagoba)
3 TB eggbeaters
2 TB ff cold milk
1/2 ts vanilla extract

1-2 TB ff coolwhip

Mix the dry ingredients first, and then add the wet ingredients. Pour into a PAM-spray small springform pan, and bake at 375F for 25 min. Let cool, remove from form, cut in half horizontally, and add the coolwhip on the bottom half. Add top half. Serve!

Roasted Portabella Pasta

This is a great side for a bbq chicken breast or a steak: pasta with roasted portabella mushroom and red bell pepper.

2 oz Fiber Gourmet rotini (dry weight), prepared to instructions
1 ts extra-virgin olive oil
1 large portabella mushroom, cleaned and sliced
1/4 of a red onion, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, roasted over open flame on bbq, skinned, sliced (optional)
salt, pepper, Mrs Dash garlic herb blend to taste
1 ts balsamic vinegar
1 TB low-fat crated parmesan (e.g. Kraft)

Heat oil in large skillet, and add onion. Saute until soft (ca. 3-4 min) and stir, then add mushroom pieces. Saute both onion and portabella mushroom, until the mushroom is cooked and browned. Add spices, and balsamic vinegar. Stir gently, and add in drained pasta. Add parmesan cheese, stir and serve.

Helen's Greek Potato Salad

The summer, party and bbq-times are starting again. This is a great potato salad of my friend Helen, perfect as a potluck dish or also for picnics.

1 pound small waxy red potatoes
150g low-fat feta cheese
20 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup kalamata olives, sliced
2 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
Juice of 1 lemon
some extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Wash the potatoes and put them onto boil in salted water. Meanwhile finely chop the red onion and add to a bowl with the sun-dried tomatoes, crumbled feta and the chopped oregano. Make a dressing with the lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil and salt and pepper. When the potatoes are cooked and cool enough to handle cut them into cubes and add to the bowl. Mix everything together with the dressing and serve at room temp.

Penne with Garlic Rosemary Tomato Sauce

Lots of pasta with a basic garlic rosemary tomato sauce and a sprinkle of reduced fat feta. I could eat this every day. The sauce has onions, garlic, chopped fresh rosemary, white wine, salt, pepper, Mrs Dash tomato basil, oregano and a cup of passata di pomodorri, simmer to the right consistency. Bon appetite!