Baked Buffalo Chicken Pasta

I knew this meal would be a hit because it has two of my favorite ingredients (cheese and pasta) as well as one of Bryan's favorite (Buffalo sauce). Although the picture is not the prettiest, this was absolutely delicious and we loved every bite!

Adapted from how Sweet it is

Ingredients
1 pound pasta (I used orecchiette)
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cut into chunks
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
1 1/2 cups milk
4 oz. grated monterey jack cheese + more for topping
1/3 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese + more for topping
1/3 cup buffalo wing sauce
1/3 cup plain crumbs
salt and pepper to taste
chopped green onions

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Prepare water for pasta and cook according to directions.

3. While pasta is cooking, heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the butter, and once it’s melted and bubbly add the flour. Whisk together to create a roux and cook for 1-2 minutes until mixture gets a bit golden in color.

4. Add milk, stir and turn down heat to low. Continue stirring until milk thickens. Add in grated cheeses and continue to stir until mixture is smooth. Stir in buffalo wing sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.

5. Spray a baking dish with non-stick spray. Add pasta and chicken, then pour cheese sauce over and mix thoroughly until everything is coated. Sprinkle with additional grated cheese and bread crumbs. Bake for 25 minutes or until cheese is golden brown. Remove from oven and immediately top with green onions (or serve on the side). Drizzle with buffalo wing sauce.

Cold Sesame Noodle Salad

This is a great dish to make ahead for a quick dinner or side dish since it’s served cold. Plus, all the colors look so pretty together. :)

Adapted from Good Life Eats

Ingredients
7.5 oz. whole wheat angel hair pasta
1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp lime juice
3/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1/2 bunch of scallions, sliced
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 head of red cabbage, sliced thin
Large handful matchstick cut carrots
3/4 cup shelled edamame, cooked
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Directions
1. Cook pasta according to directions. Drain, rinse under cold water.

2. To make dressing, whisk soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, crushed red pepper, scallions, and cilantro in a large bowl. Add noodles and vegetables, toss to coat. Top with sesame seeds.

3. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

The Facts
4 Servings

Orecchiette with Mixed Greens and Goat Cheese

I asked Bryan to help me with the dinner menu, and he came up with this amazing recipe. He loves orecchiette styled pasta at restaurants, so I think that’s what drew him in. However, have you ever tried to find orecchiette at the local grocery store? Ha, that was an adventure. Two grocery stores later, we came home with a $5 pound of imported pasta from Italy. This better be good.

Luckily, the dish was very tasty and we both enjoyed it. The pasta was almost doughy like a small dumpling. I’m sure this recipe would work well with other pasta shapes too; maybe medium shells? I doubled the recipe for company without any issues. I would recommend serving this with a simple grilled chicken.

Adapted from Food Network: Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients
6 oz. dried orecchiette pasta
2 cups Mediterranean-style mixed salad greens
2 tbsp sun-dried tomatoes (packed in olive oil), chopped
1 tbsp goat cheese, crumbled
2 tbsp grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish
Pinch salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper

Directions
1. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook per the package instructions, until tender but still firm to the bite. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the water.

2. In a medium bowl, mix the salad greens with the sun-dried tomatoes, goat cheese, and Parmesan. Top with warm pasta and 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water. Toss to combine and wilt the greens.

3. Season with a pinch each of salt and pepper, or to taste. Garnish with additional Parmesan, if desired, and serve.

The Facts
3 Servings

Pasta with Herbed Goat Cheese

This was a super easy and delicious side dish. I’ve been enjoying goat cheese in my salads and at restaurants a lot recently so when I saw this recipe, I knew I had to try it. I simplified the recipe by omitting the sautéed tomatoes. While I’m sure they would add a lot of flavor – one less pan to clean was kind of nice! I would easily make this again as a simple side to complement some grilled chicken or steak. I halved the recipe below and it was plenty for the two of us.

Adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients
12 oz Ronzoni Smart Taste pasta
3 oz garlic and herb-flavored goat cheese
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2/3 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

Directions
1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain; place in a large bowl. Add goat cheese, salt, pepper and broth to pasta; stir until well blended.

The Facts
6 Servings

Linguini with White Clam Sauce

Have you ever ordered steamed clams (or mussels) at a restaurant with that delicious wine/garlic/etc. broth? You know, the kind you can dip endless amount of bread in and savor every bite? Yes, yum? That’s what I was going for with this dish; of course with some linguini so it was an actual dinner and not an appetizer. I must say, this came out quite tasty!

They had fresh clams at Costco this weekend, so on a whim we grabbed a bag for dinner this week. I browsed google for some recipes and found a good one to serve as my base. I did however make quite a few changes as the original only called for twelve clams (yes, TWELVE). Well, I had four pounds, and although I didn’t actually count, there were significantly more than twelve little clams. There’s really no rhyme or reason to the amount of everything I used, but it worked well for the dish. A work of caution on the red pepper flakes – it was rather spicy so I’d recommend using only half a teaspoon. I also added some clam juice just to make sure there was plenty of broth for some good bread dipping.

This recipe is definitely a keeper. Everything came together rather quickly, at least once the clams were scrubbed (that takes me forever!). This is a great dish to serve for company, everyone will enjoy it!

Adapted from Healthy. Delicious.

Ingredients
1 box – 13.25 oz whole wheat linguini
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, minced
6-8 cloves garlic, sliced
1 tsp dried hot red pepper flakes
1 tsp dried oregano
1 cup white wine
1 cup clam juice
4 lbs littleneck clams, scrubbed well
2 Tbsp butter, cut into small pieces
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1. Prepare the linguini according to the directions on the package.

2. While that cooks, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Make sure your skillet is actually large enough to hold all your clams! Add the onion and sauté until it begins to soften. Add the garlic, red pepper, and oregano and cook for 1 minute, taking care not to burn the garlic.
3. Stir in the wine and clam juice. Cook for a few minutes to allow the flavors to come together. Add the clams, cover, and steam for about 7-10 minutes or until all the clams open. Remove from heat and stir in the butter and parsley; season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Drain the pasta and return to the pot. Add the half a cup of clam sauce to the pasta and toss to coat.

5. Serve pasta, topped with clams and additional sauce, and some crusty bread for dipping if desired.

The Facts
6 Servings

Shrimp and Penne with Spinach Sauce

Mmm, this was a very enjoyable dish. It had grains, veggies and protein all in one! It was a nice change of pace to not have to worry about cooking/prepping two or three different things. They pasta sauce had a great creamy texture to it, and the spinach added a bring pop of green. I added the shrimp to the original recipe. I found that the shrimp put off a little liquid in cooking making the use of the reserved pasta water unnecessary. I also wilted the spinach slightly to take off the cool crunch. Bryan and I both agree this recipe is a keeper.

Adapted from Mia Cucina

Ingredients
1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed
10 oz. whole wheat penne
3 garlic cloves
2 oz. goat cheese
1 oz. fat free cream cheese
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
6 oz. fresh baby spinach leaves

Directions
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the penne and cook per the box directions.

2. Mince the garlic in a food processor. Add the goat cheese, cream cheese, 3/4 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, and half of the spinach leaves. Blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Set the cheese and spinach mixture aside.

3. Meanwhile, add pre heat a medium skillet to medium high heat. Sprinkle shrimp with salt and pepper. Spray skillet with olive oil and add the shrimp. Sauté until pink and cooked through.

4. During the last minute of shrimp cooking, add remaining spinach and mix until wilted. Remove mixture from heat and add to large bowl.

5. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Spoon the pasta atop the spinach and shrimp in the bowl.

6. Scrape the cheese and spinach mixture over the pasta mixture and toss to coat, adding enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten. Season the pasta, to taste, with salt and pepper.

The Facts
4 Servings

Creamy Taco Mac

Wow! This was amazing! So good, that when my husband snuck a bite, he tried to convince me it was bad I wouldn’t like it so HE could have the entire meal to himself. Ha! I lightened this meal up by using fat free cream cheese and sour cream. I promise you will never know the difference! The original recipe called for 1.25 pounds of turkey however my package had 1.5 pounds so I went with it. The recipe made 4 VERY large (and delicious!) servings. I’m fairly certain Bryan will be requesting this again in the near future.

Adapted from Annie’s Eats

Ingredients
1.5 lbs ground turkey
8 oz dry whole wheat pasta shapes
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (14.5 oz) can fire roasted diced tomatoes, drained
4 tbsp taco seasoning
3 oz fat free soft cream cheese
4 oz fat free sour cream
Salt and pepper

Directions
1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook pasta according to the package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water. Set aside.

2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet or sauté pan, cook the ground turkey over medium-high heat until no longer pink.

3. A few minutes before the turkey is cooked through, add the chopped onion to the skillet. Once the turkey is cooked through, mix in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

4. Mix in the diced tomatoes and taco seasoning and let simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes.

5. Stir in the cooked pasta, cream cheese, sour cream and reserved pasta water, and continue stirring until the cream cheese is melted and the sauce is well blended. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

6. Simmer over medium-low heat 3-5 minutes to reduce the sauce a bit. Remove from the heat and serve.

The Facts
4 (Large) Servings

Peppery Pasta with Arugula and Shrimp

This was fairly easy to make and didn’t involve too much prep work. I was able to have this entire dish ready in the time it took to boil the water and cook the pasta; less than 20 minutes. In case you couldn’t tell, I’m a fan of quick, easy and delicious weeknight dinners!

I enjoyed the bite of the arugula as well as the refreshing lemon flavor in the sauce. All around this was a good dish that I can definitely see being made again.

Adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients
1 tbsp minced fresh garlic, divided
1 1/4 tsp black pepper, divided
1/2 tsp salt, divided
1 (5-ounce) package fresh baby arugula
4 quarts water
8 oz. uncooked whole wheat In capasta
1 tsp olive oil
8 oz. peeled and deveined medium shrimp, cut in half horizontally
2 tbsp minced shallots
3/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp butter
Optional - 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shaved fresh Romano cheese

Directions
1. Combine 1 teaspoon garlic, 1 teaspoon pepper, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and arugula in a large bowl; toss well.

2. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Add hot pasta to arugula mixture, and toss well until arugula wilts.

3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper; sauté 1 minute.

4. Add remaining 1 teaspoon garlic and shallots; sauté 1 minute or until shrimp are done. Remove shrimp from pan.

5. Add broth and juice to pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits; cook 5 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half.

6. Return shrimp to pan. Remove from heat; stir in butter.

7. Serve shrimp mixture over pasta. Top with cheese if desired.

The Facts
4 Servings

Chicken Gorgonzola Pasta

This dish had a great Mediterranean flavor to it. I think with some onion and kalamata olives it would be like dining in Italy or Greece. I definitely plan on adding those additional ingredients the next time this recipe appears on my menu. I lighted up the original version by reducing the amount of oil and butter called for; I also substituted fat free milk for heavy cream and used reduced fat cheese. I don’t think any of these alterations affected the taste.

Adapted from The Chef In My Head

Ingredients
2 oz sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1 lb chicken breasts, skinless, sliced in 3/4 inch wide strips
8 oz whole wheat fettuccine pasta, cooked according to package directions
2 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
8 oz baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup canned artichoke hearts, drained & quartered
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp dried tarragon
salt & pepper, to taste
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 oz crumbled reduced fat Gorgonzola cheese
1/4 cup fat free milk
*Parmesan, shredded for garnish if desired

Directions
1. Heat olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to skillet and sauté until cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to plate, do not clean skillet.

2. Cook pasta until just tender, drain.

3. Meanwhile, reheat skillet to medium-high heat and add butter. Add garlic; sauté until tender.

4. Add sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, tarragon and salt & pepper; sauté for about 2-3 minutes.

5. Add lemon juice, white wine and chicken stock. Return chicken to pan together with vegetables, cover and reduce heat to medium, for approximately 10-15 minutes.

6. Uncover, add Gorgonzola and milk, stir to combine and heat through.

7. Serve over pasta and garnish with Parmesan. Enjoy!

The Facts
4 Servings
*Does not include Parmesan

Vietnamese Beef-Noodle Soup

This was my third attempts at Vietnamese soup, and probably my most successful. The beef has a LOT more flavor than the chicken. This recipe called for bok choy which I had never tried before. I liked having some green veggies mixed in the soup.

I was a little skeptical about the beef being cooked solely by the hot soup broth. I made sure the liquid was at a boil before I ladled it into my bowls. Well, I was impressed. It cooked the beef immediately to medium-well. We prefer our beef more on the rare side, so if I make this again, I’ll let the broth cool for a minute or two before adding it to the bowls.

I omitted the fresh herbs and served our portions with generous servings of garlic chili paste and hoisin sauce. We LOVE the extra spicy flavor this combo adds.

Adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients
1 (12-ounce) sirloin steak
6 oz uncooked rice sticks noodles
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced yellow onion
3 whole cloves
2 cardamom pods
2 garlic cloves, halved
1 (3-inch) piece peeled fresh ginger, thinly sliced
1 star anise
5 3/4 cups fat-free, less-sodium beef broth
3 cups water
1 tbl less-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp brown sugar
2 tsp fish sauce
4 cups bok choy leaves
1 small jalapeño, thinly sliced into rings
4 lime wedges
Bean sprouts, fresh basil, fresh mint if desired

Directions
1. Freeze beef for 10 minutes; cut across grain into 1/8-inch-thick slices.

2. Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain.

3. Place onion and next 5 ingredients (through star anise) in a large saucepan; cook over medium-high heat 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add broth and 2 cups water; bring to a boil.

4. Strain broth mixture though a fine sieve over a bowl; discard solids. Return broth to pan.

5. Add soy sauce, sugar, and fish sauce; bring to a boil. Add bok choy; simmer 4 minutes or until bok choy wilts.

6. Arrange noodles into each of 4 large bowls. Divide raw beef and pepper slices evenly among bowls. Ladle about 1 2/3 cups hot soup over each serving (broth will cook beef).

7. Top each serving with bean sprouts, basil, and mint as desired. Serve with lime wedges.

The Facts
4 Servings

Garlic Lemon Shrimp with Orzo and Broccoli

I’ve had this recipe bookmarked for forever in my Google reader, but never had the orzo to make it. I finally had some leftover from parmesan orzo so I knew it was time to cook this dish. It came together pretty quickly and made for an easy week night meal. I altered the original recipe slightly. I reduced the cheese from 1/3 to 1/4 cup, however next time I will probably stick with the 1/3 cup. We could taste the cheese, but it could have definitely used just a little bit more! Also, my husband suggested adding some red pepper flakes or cayenne for a little more flavor. Overall, I enjoyed this dish. I like the creaminess that orzo pasta creates. I saw a whole wheat version at Publix that I am interested in trying as well, however it’s a bit more expensive.
Adapted from Kelly Cooks

Ingredients
1 cup orzo
1 broccoli crown, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 lemon, juiced and zested
1/2 cup chicken broth
salt and pepper, to taste
1.5 tsp butter
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2-3 tablespoons parsley, chopped
1 oz. parmesan cheese, grated

Directions
1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil, add the orzo and cook until al dente (about 8-10 minutes).

2. During the last 2-3 minutes of cooking, add broccoli to the pasta water. Drain orzo and broccoli and set aside.

3. In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat, and add onions. Cook until soft and translucent, about 4-5 minutes, then add garlic and cook for an additional minute.

4. Add lemon juice, zest, and wine/broth to sauté pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmering for 2-3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

5. Stir in the butter, and continue stirring until melted.

6. Add the shrimp to the sauté pan, and cook until pink and cooked through.

7. Add the orzo and broccoli, parsley, and cheese to the shrimp and toss gently to combine. Serve immediately.

The Facts
4 Servings
Calories 358.3
Total Fat 4.5 g
Fiber 4.5 g
WW Points 7

Cajun Fettucine Alfredo

We’ve pretty much given up white pasta completely. I don’t even notice that I’m eating whole wheat pasta anymore and I actually enjoy the texture. I’ve learned that the longer you cook it, the better it tastes. For example, if the box says cook for 11-13 minutes, I cook it for the full 13 and the result is very tender pasta. When I cook it for 11 minutes, it’s a lot tougher than traditional white pasta and you can definitely tell its wheat. I think this ‘tough’ pasta is what turns people away from liking wheat pasta.

I found this recipe flipping through my first issue of Cooking Light. You know I LOVE creamy pasta so I marked it immediately as a must try. When making my menu plans for the week, I remembered I had some leftover pancetta from spaghetti last week so I decided to try this recipe, subbing out the bacon. After I put it on the menu, Bryan had the idea to marinate the chicken in a Cajun sauce and add some Cajun seasoning to the pasta. FABULOUS idea! This had a great creamy taste with a little bit of spice to it. Yum, I loved it!

Adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients
8 oz. whole wheat linguini
2 oz. pancetta
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 tbsp AP flour
1 cup fat free milk
2 oz. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Cajun seasoning, to taste
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp pepper

Directions
1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid.

2. While pasta cooks, cook pancetta in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 4 minutes or until crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove bacon from pan, reserving drippings.

3. Add garlic to drippings in pan; sauté 1 minute, stirring constantly.

4. Sprinkle flour over garlic; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly.

5. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly; cook 2 minutes or until bubbly and slightly thick, stirring constantly.

6. Reduce heat to low. Add Cajun seasoning. Gradually add cheese, stirring until cheese melts.

7. Stir in salt and reserved 1/4 cup cooking liquid.

8. Add hot pasta to pan; toss well to combine. Sprinkle with bacon, parsley, and pepper.

The Facts
(Pasta Only)
4 Servings
Calories 291.6
Total Fat 9.5g
Fiber 6.0 g
WW Points 6

Creamy Parmesan Orzo

Typically when I cook pasta, it’s one of the MAIN meal ingredients. This dish was a nice change and served as a great side. Plus, it was super easy to make. It had a rich creamy taste that pleasantly surprised me considering there really isn’t that much cheese. I would love to experiment using different herbs to play with the flavor. I definitely plan on making this again.

Adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients
1 tsp butter
1 cup orzo, 6 oz.
1 1/4 cup fat free, less sodium chicken broth
1 cup water
1 oz. grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp Italian seasoning
Salt & pepper

Directions
1. Heat butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.

2. Add orzo, and cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly.

3. Stir in broth and water; bring to a boil.

4. Reduce heat, and simmer until liquid is absorbed and orzo is done (about 15 minutes).

5. Remove from heat; stir in cheese, seasoning, salt, and pepper. Serve immediately.

The Facts
4 servings
Calories 182.7
Total Fat 2.6 g
Fiber 2.0 g
WW Point 4

Spaghetti with Pancetta and Brussels Sprouts

Apparently Bryan is getting tired of the usually broccoli, so this week at Costco I grabbed the Brussels sprouts. I was catching up on my Google reader and this recipe immediately caught my eye. I like how the veggies were integrated into the pasta making for a one dish meal.

I followed the original recipe with the exception of adding some crushed red pepper and ground cayenne. Once it was all mixed together, I felt like it was still a little bland. I consulted my husband and he suggested adding some white wine and lemon juice. Perfect! This added a light sauce to the pasta and a ton more flavor.

Adapted from Love and Olive Oil

Ingredients
14 oz. spaghetti, Ronzoni Smart Taste
2 oz pancetta, diced
1/2 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 dozen Brussels sprouts, shredded (about 2 cups)
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
salt and pepper
crushed red pepper flake
ground cayenne
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Directions
1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook spaghetti until al dente according to package instructions.

2. Meanwhile, preheat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add pancetta, and cook until just starting to brown.

3. Add garlic and onion and cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes.

4. Add Brussels sprouts to pan and cook until tender and slightly translucent, about 5 minutes.

5. Add tomatoes and quickly sauté until just softened. Season with salt, pepper, red pepper flake and ground cayenne to taste.

6. Drain spaghetti, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Add noodles to Brussels sprout mixture. Toss until coated, adding pasta water a bit at a time if necessary.

7. Add white wine and lemon juice and toss to mix. Divide onto plates. Top with Parmesan cheese and serve.

The Facts
7 servings
Calories 256.9
Total Fat 4.5 g
Fiber 7.1 g
WW Points 5

Steak Tips with Peppered Mushroom Gravy

I’ve been looking forward to cooking this recipe since I found it in my first Cooking Light issue. I cooked the recipe as is without any changes. The beef gravy was quite tasty! The shallots added good flavor, however my husband mentioned that he was missing ‘chunks of onion’ for texture. Next time I make this I will add some chopped onion in addition to the shallots.

Adapted from Cooking Light January/February 2010

Ingredients
6 oz. whole wheat egg noodles
1 lb top sirloin steak, trimmed, cut into 3/4 inch pieces
6. 1 tbl butter
1 medium shallot, finely chopped
8 oz sliced baby bella mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 tbl low sodium soy sauce
3 tbl AP flour
1 1/2 cups fat free, less sodium beef broth
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried thyme

Directions
1. Cook noodles according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.

2. While noodles cook, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add steak; sauté 5 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove from pan; cover.

3. Melt butter in pan over medium-high heat. Add shallots and mushrooms; sauté 4 minutes.

4. Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds.

5. Stir in soy sauce. Sprinkle flour over mushroom mixture; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.

6. Gradually add broth, stirring constantly.

7. Add salt, pepper and thyme. Bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

8. Return beef to pan; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Serve over pasta.

The Facts
4 Servings
Calories 337.4
Total Fat 6.2 g
Fiber 5.8 g
WW Points 6

Turkey Sausage with Pasta and Broccoli

This was a quick dinner that I threw together last minute. I had a coupon for some Butterball turkey sausage so I bought a pack at my last grocery store visit. My husband and I used to eat sausage ALL the time, however since adapting to the WW lifestyle, we’ve had very little as there is just so much calories and fat that it’s not worth it to eat on a regular basis. I thought I’d give this a try as an alternative. The turkey sausage was good, however it tasted more like kielbasa than sausage, but that’s ok!

I didn’t follow a recipe on this and pretty much made it up as I went. It tasted pretty good, especially since it didn’t require too much effort on my part.

An Erin’s Eatery Original

Ingredients
7 oz. turkey sausage
4 oz. whole wheat pasta
6 oz. sliced baby Bella mushrooms
1 head of broccoli, tops only
1 tbl butter
1 tsp olive oil
Spices to your liking – I used salt, pepper, seasoned salt, Italian season and cayenne

Directions
1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

2. While pasta is cooking, add 2/3 cup water to medium sized skillet on medium heat. Add sausage and heat approximately 10 minutes or until sausage is heated through.

3. In a small skillet, add olive oil and set burner to medium high. Once oil is heated, add sliced mushrooms. Sauté until cooked through.

4. In a microwave safe bowl add broccoli and approximately 1/4 cup water. Microwave on high for 3 to 3.5 minutes, or until broccoli is tender. Drain.

5. Add butter and cooked mushrooms to drained pasta. Stir well. Add spices to taste.

6. Remove sausage from skillet and cut into 1/4 inch slices.

7. Serve pasta with sliced sausage and steamed broccoli on top. Enjoy!

The Facts
2 Servings
Calories 463.8
Total Fat 17.1 g
Fiber 8.6 g
WW Points 10

Pho Ga – Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup

This was the main course for our Vietnamese inspired dinner. The final dish was ok, but not exactly as I expected. This is definitely a dish I plan on making again, but will be applying a few lessons I learned in the process. Check out the link below for the recipe. Once I perfect it to our liking, I’ll be sure to blog my changes.

The main problem with my version was there was not a lot of broth. The dish turned into more of noodle dish versus a soup dish. I think the noodles I chose and how I cooked them are to blame for this. They were bigger than what we've had before in traditional Pho at the local restaurahts. I’ve already bought some thinner ones that I’m looking forward to trying. I also read somewhere that you could just put the dried noodles straight into the broth. BAD IDEA. Don’t do it! The noodles absorbed almost all of the delicious broth. I will definitely cook the noodles SEPARATELY in the future. The flavor of the broth was amazing before I added the noodles so I don’t think I need to alter anything there; however I plan on doubling the amount I make next time.

Overall, I think it was a good first attempt, but there’s A LOT of room for improvement. I’ll keep you posted when I attempt Pho Ga, Take 2!

Adapted from Jaden’s Steamy Kitchen

I served ours with scallions, fresh Thai basil, fresh mint, bean sprouts, jalapenos, sriracha sauce and hoisin sauce.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Broccoli

A low fat version and great complement to our oven fried chicken.

Adapted from Weight Watchers

Ingredients
Cooking Spray
6 oz Wheat Pasta
5 oz broccoli, small florets
1/2 t butter
2 T + 2 t bread crumbs
1.5 T parmesan cheese
1.25 cup fat free skim milk
2 T + 2 t AP flour
1/4 cup onion
1/2 cup low fat shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 t Dijon mustard
salt
pepper

Directions
1. Preheat oven toe 375 degrees F. Coat a shallow baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Cook pasta according to package directions, adding broccoli to water 3 minutes before pasta will be done. Drain pasta and broccoli, return to pot.

3. In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; add bread crumbs and cook, stirring often, until light golden, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to small bowl. Stir in 1 T of parmesan cheese and set aside.

4. In same saucepan, whist together milk and flour until blended; add onion. Bring to boil over medium – high heat, whisking frequently. Reduce heat to low and simmer until thickened, about two minutes.

5. Remove from heat and whisk in cheddar cheese, mustard, parmesan cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste.

6. Pour over pasta and broccoli, toss to mix and coat.

7. Transfer to baking dish and sprinkle top evenly with bread crumbs. Bake until bubbly at edges, about 20-25 minutes.

The Facts
4 Servings
Calories 269.3
Total Fat 5.5 g
Fiber 6.3 g
WW Points 5

Artichoke Chicken Pasta

I planted an herb garden this weekend so I was quite excited that this recipe called for some FRESH basil. I planted a combo of pre potted plants and seeds. I am looking forward to having easy access to fresh cilantro, basil, parsley, rosemary and chives. Hopefully the seeds will grow quickly!

This recipe was good, although I think the use of marinated artichokes messed with the flavor some. The entire dish tasted like the artichoke marinade, which wasn’t necessarily bad, it just took away from the fresh basil and wine sauce. Next time I think I’ll try the canned artichokes. I made a half recipe and it was plenty for the two of us and a leftover lunch.

Adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients
6 oz. wheat pasta
2 large skinless chicken breasts (mine were 14 oz.)
2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup white wine
Salt & pepper
15 oz can artichoke hearts (I used 9.5 oz of marinated artichokes from Costco)
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Directions
1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.

2. Heat oil (I used drained oil from the oil based artichoke marinade) over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan and sauté 2 minutes or until browned.

3. Add garlic and sauté additional minute.

4. Add wine, artichokes and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer 5 minutes or until sauce is thickened and chicken is done.

5. Remove from heat. Stir in cheese and fresh basil. Add pasta, stir to combine. Serve with additional basil garnish if desired.

The Facts
4 Servings
Calories 332.8
Total Fat 8.8 g
Fiber 4.5 g
WW Points 7

Shrimp Fettuccini Alfredo

I love pasta, especially pasta in a creamy sauce. Seriously, I LOVE it. And I miss it. With my new lifestyle change, it hasn’t been worth it (to me) to order the cheese tortellini with the cream sauce and extra parmesan on top at our local Italian restaurant. When I saw this recipe on Skinny Food by Amy, I was interested. When I saw the nutrition info, it was a done deal. I made this during the week for my husband and mother-in-law (Hi Joanne!). We all enjoyed the dish and it completely satisfied my craving for creamy pasta. I used Ronzoni Healthy Harvest Linguini for the pasta and one less Laughing Cow wedge than the original recipe called out. Please excuse the horrible picture. We were ALMOST done with dinner when Bryan questioned if I had taken the picture yet. Of course I hadn’t, but I managed to pull together what little hadn’t been eaten yet.

Adapted from Skinny Food by Amy

Ingredients
16 oz shrimp (Costco frozen 21-24 count)
1 bunch of green onions
1/2 small yellow onion
1 clove garlic
6 wedges of Light Laughing Cow cheese (Garlic and Herb)
1 cup fat free milk
1 T margarine (Smart Balance)
1 T reduced fat parmesan cheese
1 t garlic powder
Pam spray
8 oz uncooked whole wheat pasta (Ronzoni Healthy Harvest Linguini)
Pepper to taste

Directions
1. In a small pot, place LC cheese, milk, margarine, parmesan cheese and powder together. Keep on low until it melts, mixing ever so often. You may want to start the sauce first because it takes the longest.

2. In a larger pot, cook pasta per the box instructions.

3. Dice green and yellow onions, along with the garlic clove. Place in a Pam sprayed skillet and cook for a minute. Add shrimp and cook for a couple minutes, until the shrimp is done.

4. After the pasta and sauce are done, add to the shrimp and combine together. Add pepper to taste and enjoy!

The Facts
6 Servings
Calories 246.7
Total Fat 4.3 g
Fiber 4.3 g
WW points 4