Lightened Up Shepherd's Pie

Shepherd's Pie might be the ultimate easy comfort food, and if it's made the right way, you can have that hearty, filling meal without the guilt.  Blending the potatoes with cauliflower, using lean ground beef, and increasing the vegetables in this classic casserole cut the calories, carbs, fat, and sodium, from more traditional recipes.  

1 pound lean ground beef (or ground turkey breast) 

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 medium onions, chopped 

3 medium carrots, diced 

1/2 pound white mushrooms, sliced

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup no sodium added beef broth

1 tablespoon The Delicious Dietitian Southern All Purpose Spice Blend

1 cup frozen peas

1 1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes

1 small head cauliflower, cut into florets

2/3 cup 1 percent or skim milk

2 tablespoons heart healthy spread

In a large skillet cook the meat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer the meat to a plate. Drain any fat remaining in the skillet.

Heat the oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and carrots and cook, covered, about 8 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high.  Add the mushrooms and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are soft and their liquid has evaporated, about 8 minutes. Add the meat to the pan. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in the broth, add the Southern All Purpose Spice Blend, and bring to a simmer scraping any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the peas. Pour the mixture into an 11X9 casserole dish. 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Wash potatoes and cut into 2-inch pieces. Put the potatoes in a steamer basket, and steam for 10 minutes. Add the cauliflower to the basket and cook until the potatoes and cauliflower are tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, about 15 minutes. Mash the vegetables with a potato masher until smooth. Combine the milk, butter, and a pinch of pepper and stir into the potato mixture.

Spread the potato mixture on top of the meat and bake until heated through, about 25 minutes.

Enchilada Casserole

This easy take on enchiladas makes a fantastic weeknight meal.  You could substitute the ground beef for ground turkey breast, shredded chicken or shrimp.

1 pound ground sirloin

1 cup chopped onion

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup fat-free, lower-sodium beef broth

2 tablespoons The Delicious Dietitian Southwest Spice Blend

1 (8-ounce) can no-salt-added tomato sauce

4 (8-inch) whole-wheat flour tortillas

1/3 cup (1 1/2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeño peppers

Chopped green onion

Preheat oven to 400°.  Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef and onion to pan; cook 6 minutes, stirring to crumble.  

Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Sprinkle with flour; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add broth, Southwest Spice Blend, and tomato sauce to pan. Bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 1 1/2 cups tomato mixture to beef and onions; reserve 1/2 cup tomato mixture.

Place 1 tortilla in a 9-inch pie plate. Top with 1 cup beef mixture. Repeat layers, ending with tortilla. Spread reserved tomato mixture over tortilla. Top with cheese. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes or until cheese melts.  Top with green onion.  Cool slightly. Cut into 4 wedges.

Thai Spiced Sweet Potato Casserole

Forget the marshmallowy, sugary toppings for your sweet potato casserole, this yummy take on the Thanksgiving classic has tons of flavor, with fewer carbs and calories than the original!  With flavors of nutmeg, ginger, and other spices, this sweet potato casserole will be sure to please!  

Thai Spiced Sweet Potato Casserole

3 pounds sweet potatoes

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

2 Tbsp butter 

2 Tbsp orange juice concentrate

2 Tbsp The Delicious Dietitian Thai Spice Blend

2 large eggs 

1/4 cup chopped pecans 

Preheat oven to 350°.

Pierce potatoes with a fork; arrange in a circle on paper towels in microwave oven. Microwave at HIGH 16 minutes or until tender, rearranging potatoes after 8 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes.

Cut each potato in half lengthwise; scoop out pulp into a large bowl. Discard skins. Add sugar and next 5 ingredients (sugar through spice blend), and beat with a mixer at low speed until combined. Add eggs; beat until smooth.

Spoon mixture into a 1 1/2-quart baking dish; sprinkle with pecans. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Baked Chicken Spaghetti

Chicken Spaghetti

2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 cups chicken broth reserved from pot, OR 1 cup Low Sodium Chicken broth + 1 cup water

3 cups whole wheat noodles, broken into 4 inch pieces

1/2 cup diced green pepper

1/2 cup diced red pepper

1/2 cup diced onion

1/2 cup sliced mushrooms

1 can Low Fat, Reduced Sodium cream of mushroom soup

6 ounces fat free plain Greek yogurt

2 cups grated 2% cheddar cheese

2 1/2 tsp The Delicious Dietitian Creole Spice Blend

1/2 cup additional grated 2% cheddar cheese

Place washed and trimmed chicken breasts in a large pot in cold water.  Bring to a boil and cook until chicken is no longer pink.  Reserve 2 cups of broth.  Reserve 2 cups broth.  Cook noodles in remaining chicken broth per package directions, leaving out salt and fat.  When cooked, drain well.  While noodles cook, saute peppers, mushrooms, and onions.  

Shred chicken breasts.  Add chicken, peppers, mushrooms and onions, and remaining ingredients (leaving out 1/2 cup cheese) to noodles and mix well.  Transfer to a casserole dish and sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Bake at 350° for 45 minutes.  

* This meal also freezes well--cover well with aluminum foil and freeze up to 6 months.  To serve, thaw in refrigerator and bake at 350° for 45 minutes.