Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

Jarred spaghetti sauce can help busy moms get dinner on the table in a hurry, but that convenience comes at a price- namely super high levels of sodium and added ingredients.  Depending on the brand, jarred pasta sauce can range from 300-1,000+ mg sodium per serving.  

Make your own instead, and cut the sodium to almost nothing!  Make a large batch and freeze in zip-top plastic bags for the convenience of the jar-without the sodium and added ingredients.  

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

2 cans whole peeled No Sodium Added Tomatoes, rinsed, drained and chopped

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 red onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 Tbsp The Delicious Dietitian Italian Spice Blend 

Pinch chili flakes

Heat a large saute pan over medium high heat. Add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions and garlic and saute for 2 minutes. Add the Italian Spice blend and chili flakes and saute until the garlic begins to turn golden brown. Add the tomatoes and stir well. Lower the heat and cook slowly until the liquid is reduced, about 15 minutes.  Store in refrigerator 3-4 days, or freeze up to 6 months.  

Italian Broccoli and Cheese Pasta

This yummy pasta dish is a twist on two tried and true family favorites: mac and cheese AND broccoli with cheese sauce...for a fraction of the calories!  The roasted garlic adds a creamy texture and fabulous flavor.  Roasted garlic is less pungent than raw garlic, if you've never tried it, give it a shot.  

Hands on time for this meal is only about 15-20 minutes, just be sure to plan ahead to roast the garlic. 

Italian Broccoli and Cheese Pasta

8 oz. whole wheat penne pasta, cooked

1½ tbsp. olive oil

2 heads roasted garlic*

1½ tbsp. flour

1 cup no sodium added chicken broth 

3/4 cup shredded 2% white cheddar cheese

1 head of broccoli, cut into florets and steamed until crisp-tender

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, grilled and cut into bite size pieces

1 Tbsp The Delicious Dietitian Italian Spice Blend

Directions: 

Add olive oil to a large saucepan set over medium heat.  Whisk in the roasted garlic paste and cook  30-60 seconds.  Whisk the flour into the saucepan and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to turn golden brown, 1-2 minutes.  Stir the broth into the pan.  Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.  Whisk in the cheddar and stir until melted.  Add Italian Spice Blend, and stir until mixed into sauce.  

Mix in the broccoli florets and chicken pieces, and cook just until heated through.  Mix in the cooked pasta until evenly coated with the sauce. Serve warm.

*To make roasted garlic paste, peel the outer papery skins off two heads of garlic, leaving the heads intact.  Slice about a quarter off the top of each head so that all of the cloves are partly exposed.  Wrap the garlic in foil and bake at 350˚ F for one hour.  Remove from the oven and let cool.  Once cool enough to touch, squeeze the garlic cloves out of the peels and smash with a fork to make roasted garlic paste. 

Crock Pot Southwest Cilantro Lime Chicken

Crock Pot Cilantro Lime Chicken Fajitas

In the midst of our busy schedules, who doesn't love a crock pot meal? However, somewhere down the line, slow cooker meals became associated with heavy, high calorie cream soups, tough red meats, and heavy starches.   This quick, delicious meal provides the ease of the slow cooker with low calorie ingredients for a fantastic weeknight meal that will make everyone happy.  

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts

4 Tbsp lime juice (2 limes)

1 Tbsp The Delicious Dietitian Red Muscadine Vinegar

1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

2 cups frozen corn 

2 minced garlic cloves 

1/2 red onion, chopped

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed well 

1 Tbsp The Delicious Dietitian Southwest Blend  

Directions: 

Place all ingredients in a 6-8 quart slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours (or high for 4 hours).  

Or

Place all ingredients in a resealable gallon-sized freezer bag. Mix together and zip bag closed.  Freeze for up to 6 months.  

When ready to eat, remove from freezer and thaw in fridge for 24 hours. Cook on LOW for 8 hours (or HIGH for 4 hours). 

Serve as fajitas with tortillas and toppings (light sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, guacamole, salsa, and cheese, or serve as a salad over a bed of mixed greens with toppings.  

Spiced Berry Blast Smoothie

A smoothie can make a great breakfast on the run, but you have to be aware of additives and extra sugar that can add hundreds of calories to an innocent smoothie.  Unlike some smoothies that pack in 600 calories or more, this delicious smoothie offers 2 full servings of heart healthy berries, plus a serving of dairy and protein to help keep you full and energized, all for less than 200 calories.  The Thai spice adds an element of the exotic to your morning smoothie.  

• 1/2 cup frozen strawberries
• 1/2 cup frozen raspberries
• 1 cups milk or almond milk
• 2 tbs vanilla Greek yogurt
• 1 tsp ground flaxseed
• 1 tsp The Delicious Dietitian Thai Spice Blend

Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.  Enjoy!  

Roasted Vegetable and Chicken Soup

• Roasted Vegetable and Chicken Soup

• The ultimate in comfort foods: chicken soup.  Everyone has a favorite recipe (their mom's!) but there are a million variations on this culinary classic.  This hearty version has winter vegetables and whole wheat pasta to make it a filling meal, perfect for dinner on a chilly evening.    

• 1 cup (1-inch) cubed carrot
• 1 cup (1-inch) cubed onion
• 1 cup coarsely chopped mushrooms 
• 1 cup (1-inch) pieces celery 
• 1 cup (1-inch) pieces red bell pepper
• 2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons The Delicious Dietitian Italian Spice Blend
• 4 (14-ounce) cans fat-free, no-sodium chicken broth 
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 
• 2 cups uncooked whole wheat rotini pasta 

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; drizzle with oil, and toss well to coat. Arrange vegetable mixture in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with foil. Bake at 375° for 50 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally.
3. Combine water and next 5 ingredients (through chicken) in a large Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes. Add roasted vegetables; simmer 30 minutes. Bring soup to a boil. Add pasta; simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Southern Veggie Dip

During the holidays it's easy to get bogged down with heavy appetizers and snacks.  Try this creamy, low calorie dip with a festive veggie tray to lighten up cocktail party snacks.  This yummy dip will soon become a favorite go-to recipe!

Southern Veggie Dip

• 1/2 cup low fat cream cheese
• 3/4 cup plain fat free Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup fat free buttermilk 
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
• 1/2 tablespoon Southern All Purpose Spice Blend
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 small garlic clove, minced

• Combine all ingredients in a bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed for 2 minutes or until smooth.  Serve with raw vegetables.  

Easy Pizza Lunch

Easy Pizza

During the holidays, it's easy to fall into the trap of grabbing a quick fast food lunch in the midst of trying to get everything done.  Add to that the cocktail parties, sweet treats, and festive holiday meals, and come January,you are stuck with extra holiday weight!  

A little preparation at lunch time can save you stress as well as calories.  This quick, easy lunch can help you stay within your calorie budget (your Christmas shopping budget is another story!)  Bonus: when you eat a good lunch, it can help keep you from overeating later...so when that cocktail party comes around, you may be less likely to overindulge on calorie heavy appetizers.  

This can be made the night before and then heated in a microwave, or made on the spot in a toaster oven. 

Ingredients:

• 1 whole-wheat pita pocket
• 1/2 c. low-sodium tomato sauce
• 2 tsp. The Delicious Dietitian Italian Spice Blend
• 1 c. part skim shredded mozzarella
• 2 Tbsp crumbled feta cheese
• 1/2 c. green bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 c. tomato, diced
• 1/4 c. onion, sliced

Directions:

Add Italian Spice blend to tomato sauce. On a whole-wheat pita pocket, spread a thin layer of tomato sauce and top with shredded mozzarella. Top with feta, bell pepper, tomato, and onion. Bake in oven or toaster oven for 10 minutes, until cheese is melted and edges are browned.