Veggie Pizza Frittata

I had a bajillion eggs in my fridge. I wanted to make something simple. I had also gotten turkey pepperoni with coupons the other day. An my delicious concoction was born lol.

• 1 pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 onions, diced
  
• 8 ounces of mushrooms, sliced
• 1 zucchini, diced
• 3-4 ounces turkey pepperoni
  
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
  
• 1/2 grated Parmesan cheese
  
• 10 eggs
  
• salt, pepper and italian seasoning to taste

In a large pan sautee all the veggies with a little bit of non stick cooking spray. Season veggies with salt and pepper. Remove veggies when they are still somewhat firm. Add them to a glass 8x8 baking dish. Put pepperoni on top. In a separate bowl mix together eggs, cheeses and italian seasoning. Pour over veggies and pepperoni. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 35-40 minutes, or until set completely. This was honestly SO good. I am eating it for lunch right now.

Wish I had a better picture, we have 3 cameras in our house and all of their batteries are dead lol.

Cheesey Quinoa Veggie Salad

I really love quinoa. If you are not familiar with it, here is a link to this "super food." I have a friend coming over and wanted to serve something different with my lentil soup.

• 1 and 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup quinoa, red or white rinsed first
• 1/2 diced white onion
• 1 diced green pepper
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 cups spinach
  
• sharp cheddar
• salt and pepper

Rinse quinoa. In a medium sauce pan that is sprayed with cooking spray, sautee onions, peppers and garlic for 5-10 minutes, season with salt and pepper. Add in chicken broth, quinoa and spinach. Cook for 20-25 minutes or until soft. Place in serving bowl, and grate about 1/4 cup of sharp cheddar into quinoa and stir. Let quinoa cool to room temp. Garnish with cheese and enjoy.

Bacon, mushroom and cheese stuffed chicken breasts

A creation of mine with some left over chicken breasts. It is so good. A stuffed chicken breast with very little carbs.

• 1 1/2 lbs chicken breast, butterflied
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 container sliced mushrooms, which ever kind you like
• 6 slices pre-cooked bacon, chopped up
  
• 1 Tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1 cup Italian parmesean dressing, divided
• salt and pepper to taste

Butterfly the chicken breasts. Mix together cheese, mushrooms, bacon, garlic, salt, pepper and half a cup dressing. Stuff chicken breasts with mixture. Pour remaining dressing over chicken. If there is any stuffing left over spread over top of chicken. Bake on 375 for 20-25 minutes.

Mexican Meat Loaf

I love meatloaf and mexican food. I made this once before but I made some modifications. This meatloaf is so moist and yummy!!

• 2 lbs lean ground beef or ground turkey




• 2 eggs




• 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs




• 1/2 cup salsa, your favorite kind (plus some for top)




• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar or shredded mexican cheese




• 1/2 a can black beans, drained




• 1 small can corn, drained




• 2 Tablespoons chili powder




• 1 Tablespoon cumin powder




• 1 Tablespoon garlic powder




• 1 teaspoon oregano




• a few grinds of black pepper
  

Preheat oven to 375. Mix all ingredients in large bowl and mix well. Form loaf. Use extra salsa and spread on top after loaf is formed. Place on foil lined baking sheet and cook for an hour.

Crock Pot Broccoli and Cheese Soup

It is a cold, snowy winter this season. New Jersey has never seen this much snow in one winter. In fact this is the 3rd blizzard we've had in 3 months. So while I was snowed in today I decided to make some broccoli and cheese soup. It was so easy! Next time I think I'm going to add some shredded carrots in too.

• 3 cans cheddar cheese condensed soup




• 3 cans fat free evaporated milk




• 1 tablespoon onion powder




• 2 tablespoons Mrs. dash original seasoning




• 1 teaspoon black pepper




• 1 teaspoon garlic powder




• 1 teaspoon paprika




• 32 oz frozen broccoli




• shredded sharp cheddar for topping after soup is cooked

Add all ingredients in the crock pot, except the shredded cheddar. Mix and cook on low for about 5-6 hours. About a half an hour before you want to eat it, take half the soup, put it in the blender and blend until the broccoli is liquidy and then dump it back in crock pot, this makes it creamier. Or you can use an immersion blender in the crock pot. Top with shredded cheese. This makes about 5 servings. Enjoy!

Sausage and Cheese Balls

Ok I'll admit it, it's Superbowl Sunday and I'm sitting here watching Titanic on TBS. I do not get football. But that doesn't stop us from having tons of yummy food around. I found this recipe on a Bisquick website, that I modified to make much more WLS friendly. These are absolutely delicious!

• 2 cups Reduced Fat All Purpose Bisquick mix




• 1 lb hot Italian sausage, casing removed




• 4 cups low fat sharp cheddar cheese




• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese




• 1/2 cup skim milk




• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary




• 1 teaspoon garlic powder




• 2 teaspoons dried parsley




• a few grinds black pepper
  
  

Preheat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients together. Roll into 1 inch meatballs and place on a foil lined, baking dish (spray the baking dish with cooking spray, or they will stick). Bake for 20-25 minutes. These make a lot depending on how big you make them. You can dip in mustard, chili sauce or whatever you have on hand, but I think they're great plain! I plan on making these again for appetizers for my baby shower, and no one even knows they're low fat.

Tofu Parmesan

Do not be afraid of tofu, it's our friend! Tofu is packed with protein, and the great thing about it is, it will adopt any flavor you add to it. Even my husband ate this up, and took the leftovers for lunch!

• 1 lb firm tofu, I used trader joes



• 2 eggs



• 1 cup Italian style bread crumbs



• marinara sauce



• mozzarella cheese
  

Preheat the oven to 375. Cut the block of tofu into 4 one inch thick pieces. Dip each piece in egg, then into the bread crumbs. Put on baking sheet and cook for 15 minutes. Flip the tofu over and cook for another 15 minutes. Then add the marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese on top, enough to cover it. Bake for another 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Enjoy. This does not taste like tofu at all, its very good!

Wheat Pasta and Spinach Bake

I needed a side dish for my tofu parm, and I love wheat pasta. I just used random stuff I had at home and it turned out very good!

• 1 box whole wheat rotini



• 1 cup fresh baby spinach



• 1 15oz container of ricotta cheese



• 1 can diced tomatoes



• 1 cup marinara sauce



• 2 cups mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375. Boil pasta according to the box in salted water. Drain pasta. Add the remainder of the ingredients (except mozzarella) in a baking dish, mix well. Cover the top of the noodles with mozzarella and bake for 20 minutes. This is delicious!

My Momma's Meatballs- WLS modified!

Some days I just want some yummy Italian meatballs! My mom makes these every Christmas with baked ziti. I love 'em plain!

• 1 lb lean ground beef (or meatball mix if you have it)



• 1/2 cup Italian style bread crumbs



• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese



• 2 eggs (scrambled)



• 2 pieces of bread soaked in milk



• 2 Tablespoons fresh basil



• 2 Tablespoons fresh oregano



• 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley



• 2 Tablespoons garlic powder



• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese



• salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375. In a bowl add all the ingredients, except the mozzarella cheese. Make sure all the spices are chopped fine. For the bread, soak 2 pieces in a bowl of milk, before adding the bread, squeeze out excess milk and tear into little pieces (Just a side note, if you have cats, please watch this bowl at all times or else you will enter your kitchen to find your fat cat drinking out of your bread bowl.) Mix everything together, your hands work best for this. Form meatballs into about an inch round ball. Chop the mozzarella cheese and stick a piece into the middle of each ball, making sure the meat covers the cheese completely. Arrange on lightly oiled baking sheet.

Bake for about 25-30 minutes. Or until completely cooked through. Add to sauce and enjoy!

Carb Conscious Calzones

I recently rediscovered a recipe my mom used to make us when we were little. I never knew it was "healthy" for us. These little calzones are so delicious and easy.

• 8 Large whole wheat tortillas



• 3 cups part skim milk ricotta cheese



• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese



• 1/4 Parmesan cheese



• 6 slices ham lunch meat, chopped into pieces



• 1 medium tomato, cubed



• salt and pepper



• 8 pieces tin foil



• tomato sauce

Preheat oven to 350. Mix together ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, chopped up ham and tomato, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Mix well. To stuff calzones take a piece of foil, then place one tortilla on top. Add in about 1/2 a cup of ricotta mixture, and wrap up tortilla like a burrito, then tightly wrap foil around the calzone and place on baking sheet. Continue to do this with all 8. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Serve with tomato sauce for dipping!

Crustless Taco Pie

I adapted this recipe from my mom, who used to make a similar pie, but with pie crust and a few other differences. My hubby loved this. It was excellent!

• 1 large whole wheat tortilla



• 1 lb lean ground beef or ground turkey (I used turkey)



• 1 pkg taco seasoning



• 3 cups LF cheddar cheese



• 1 large jar salsa



• 1 cup crushed whole wheat tortilla chips



• LF sour cream
  

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare ground beef with taco seasoning as per envelope instructions. Place wheat tortilla in the bottom of a pie pan. Layer in 1/2 of the taco meat, then 1/2 of salsa, and 1 cups cheese. Then repeat with meat, salsa then on the top sprinkle chips and top with remaining cheese. Bake for about 15 minutes. Serve with sour cream and cheese on top. This is very tasty and full of protein!

Vegetable Fritters

These veggie fritters are soo yummy! They are a good alternative to plain vegetable sides.

• 2 zucchini, grated and drained


• 2 large carrots, peeled and grated


• 1/2 sweet onion, grated


• 3 cloves garlic, grated


• 2 eggs


• 1/2 cup bisquick


• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese


• 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese


• 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley


• ground black pepper


• Cooking spray

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grate all vegetables in magic bullet, or food processor, make sure to drain zucchini. Add all ingredients together (except cooking spray) in a bowl and mix well. Line 2 baking sheets with tin foil. Spray well with cooking spray. Spoon 6 onto each baking sheet and spread out with spoon. Bake for 25-30 minutes. These are delicious with sour cream!!

Mac and Cheese Style Green Beans

I miss mac and cheese. I never eat it anymore unless I get a random urge to mac a little bit with wheat pasta. These green beans remind me of yummy, creamy mac and cheese, without the carbs. It's a great side with any meal!

• 3 cups frozen green beans, boiled for 10 minutes in salter water


• 1 cup low fat cheddar cheese


• 2 tablespoons skim milk


• 1 teaspoon butter


• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper


• salt and pepper

Boil green beans and drain. Return the beans to the pot and mix in milk and butter, mix for a minute. Add in cheese, a dash of salt and pepper and the cayenne. Mix until the cheese is melted, and enjoy. This was so yummy! Next time I might add the finished beans to a casserole dish, top with cheese and breadcrumbs and baked like baked mac and cheese.

Risotto Style Barley

I bought a huge bag of barley from an Asian food market last week. I went to make it and all the directions were in Japanese! So I searched on the Internet a little and found out how to cook the stuff. Barley is high in Vitamin B6, Thiamin, Niacin, Riboflavin and Folate. One cup cooked is about 190 calories and 10 grams of protein. I can eat about a half a cup with dinner. *Note 1 cup dry makes 3 cups cooked*

• 1 cup regular barley (not pearl barley) drained with cold water




• 3 cups low sodium chicken broth




• 1/4 cup white wine (you can leave this out, but it makes the flavor awesome)




• 1 Tablespoon dehydrated onion flakes




• 1 teaspoon black pepper




• 1/4-1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese




• 1/2 cup frozen vegetable of your choice (I used frozen peas, but this would be really good with cup up mushrooms, asparagus, or peppers.

Add first 5 ingredients into a pot and bring to a boil. After you get a rolling boil, turn the heat down to medium-low heat, and cover with a lid, stirring occasionally for 30-35 minutes. The barley will be done when all the liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat and add in parm cheese and frozen vegetables. The heat from the barley will melt the cheese and heat up the vegetables. This is so yummy and tastes like a fancy risotto at a nice restaurant.

Crustless Zucchini and Bacon Quiche

I love quiche, and if you haven't noticed I've been on quite a zucchini kick. This is perfect for all of us because it is crust less. And your non WLS family members will love it! My DH loved it! It actually reminds me of a Spanish tortilla (omelet). So good.

• 1 medium yellow or white onion, chopped fine



• 8 slices turkey bacon



• 1/2 Tablespoon butter (it needs a little bit of fat because I cut out the half and half and subbed it for skim milk)



• 3 cups shredded zucchini (drained well)



• 2 cups low fat cheddar cheese, grated



• 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, grated



• 4 eggs, beaten



• 1/2 cup skim milk



• 2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese



• 1 tablespoon flour



• 1/4 teaspoon salt



• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg



• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder



• black pepper



• cooking spray

Preheat the oven to 350. In a large skillet, melt the butter and add the diced onion and bacon, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Cook until the onions are clear and turkey bacon is browned. Add to bowl. Add zucchini, cheddar and mozzarella and mix well. In a separate bowl beat eggs. Then whisk in milk, parm cheese, flour, salt, nutmeg, garlic powder and pepper. Add to zucchini mixture. Pour into a well greased pie pan. Bake for about an hour or until center is set. This is phenomenal.

Wheat Rotini Pasta with Grape Tomatoes

This is a great pasta dish. Wheat pasta is used, which is pretty high in protein, so if your craving pasta this hits the spot. Serve with some salad and you have a yummy, summery dinner. This recipe makes a lot but believe me you will WANT left overs whether they're hot or cold.

• 1lb wheat rotini pasta



• 8oz fresh mozzarella cheese, cubed



• 1 pint grape tomatoes (or cherry), halved



• 3 cloves garlic, crushed or diced small



• 1/2 cup grated parm cheese



• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil



• 1 teaspoon dried basil



• salt and pepper

Boil pasta in salted water. While pasta is cooking, in a large skillet heat the olive oil, then add in the pint of halved grape tomatoes and dried basil then salt and pepper them. Let them cook until very soft, then with the back of a wooden spoon, or fork smoosh all the tomatoes down to a chunky tomato sauce. Lower the heat and add in garlic. Cook for a few minutes on low until everything thickens up. Drain pasta and add to pasta bowl, pour the tomato mixture onto the pasta and stir. Then add in both cheeses and stir. The heat of the pasta will make the mozzarella soft and melt the parm cheese. In the summer, when I am growing my own basil I use fresh basil, but the dried does the trick for now.