Lightened Lime Cilantro Creamy Dressing (similar to Cafe Rio's)

1 (1 oz) package ranch dressing mix
1 c fat free mayo (I always just use Kraft's olive oil one)
3/4 c skim milk
juice of one lime (1 T lime juice)
1 t minced garlic
1 bunch roughly chopped cilantro
1 can diced green chilies
4 - 6 drops hot sauce

Combine all ingredients in your blender and blend until mixed.  Refrigerate at least one hour before serving.

California Chicken

We absolutely love this one at our house!  We've had it over rice or whole grain thin spaghetti.  Both times it was great!

6  4 oz chicken breasts

1 cup orange juice

1/3 c chili sauce

2 T light soy sauce

1 T molasses OR 2 T brown sugar

1 t dry mustard

¼ t garlic powder

¼ t onion powder

1 green or red bell pepper, diced

2 cans mandarin oranges, drained

Arrange chicken in a sprayed slow cooker.  Combine juice, chili and soy sauces, molasses, and seasonings.  Pour over chicken.  Cook on low 6 – 8 hours.  Then add bell pepper and oranges and heat 30 minutes more.  Makes 6 servings.

Moo Goo Gai Pan - a very light Chinese Chicken dish!

½ lb fresh mushrooms, sliced

½ lb snow peas

2 cans sliced water chestnuts, drained

1 c chopped celery

1 c chopped Chinese cabbage or coleslaw mix

2 t minced garlic

1 T grated fresh ginger root

1 – 2 chicken breasts, very thinly sliced

1 t white sugar

1 can reduced sodium chicken broth

3 T cornstarch

1/3 c water

1 T sesame oil

Use ½ T of sesame oil in large frying pan or wok – wipe it with a paper towel so it is distributed evenly.  Stir fry vegetables (including ginger root) for 5 minutes over medium high heat. Remove from pan.  Add the other ½ T of oil and wipe it around.  Stir fry chicken and garlic for 5 minutes over medium high heat.  Add back in vegetables.  Sprinkle with sugar and the add chicken broth.  Bring to a boil. Combine cornstarch and water – stir until blended and add to the mixture in the pan.  Simmer until thickened.  Serve over rice.  Makes 8 servings.

Add other veggies if you would like or substitute.  We don’t do mushrooms at our house but some sliced zucchini would make a great substitution for them!

Taco Noodle Bake

½ lb burger, browned

1 can corn, drained

2 c chunky salsa

1 small can sliced olives, drained

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1 package taco seasoning mix

1 can tomato sauce

1 lb desired whole grain pasta, cooked

Combined all ingredients.  Pour into a sprayed 9 x 13 pan.  Sprinkle with reduced fat Mexican cheese blend if desired.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  Makes 8 servings.

Make it meatless by omitting the burger and adding another can of drained, rinsed beans!

Layered Sour Cream Enchilada Bake

2 -3 chicken breasts, cooked and diced

2 cans reduced fat cream of chicken soup

1 16 oz can fat free sour cream

1 can great northern beans, drained and rinsed

2 cans diced green chilies

1 c shredded reduced fat Mexican cheese blend

18 corn tortillas

Combine soup, chicken, green chilies, beans and sour cream.  Tear the corn tortillas.  Spread a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of a 8 x 11 pan. Cover with a layer of tortillas, then sauce, then tortillas, then sauce, etc.  ending with sauce.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Cover with foil.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Makes 8 servings.

Sausage Spinach Lasagna

9 whole grain lasagna noodles, uncooked

1 lb turkey Italian sausage, browned – look for the lowest amount of fat possible!

10 oz frozen spinach, thawed and drained

3 cans petite diced Italian seasoned tomatoes

1 can tomato sauce

1 T dried basil

1 T sugar

24 oz container fat free cottage cheese

1 egg white

¼ c grated parmesan cheese

2 c mozzarella cheese

Combine spinach, sausage, tomatoes, basil and sugar and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.  Combine the cottage cheese, egg white and parmesan in a bowl.  Pour the tomato sauce in the bottom of a well sprayed 9 x 13 pan.  Cover with 3 noodles.  Then cover that with 1/2 of the sausage mixture and 1 c of cheese.  Then 3 more noodles and then the cottage cheese mixture.  Then the last three noodles, the rest of the sausage mixture and the rest of the cheese.  Makes 8 – 10 servings.

Cover with a sprayed piece of foil and bake at 375 for one hour.  You may want to place a pan on the rack below the lasagna in the oven – it has a tendency to overflow.  J

You could easily make this meatless - substitute kidney beans or garbanzo beans for the sausage.

Pizza Spaghetti Bake

½ of a package of turkey pepperoni

½ lb burger, browned (opt)

1 lb thin whole grain spaghetti noodles, cooked

1 26 – 28 oz can spaghetti sauce

1 can mushrooms, drained (optional)

1 small can sliced olives

1 c mozzarella cheese

Mix all ingredients(except cheese) together and pour into a sprayed 9 x 13 pan.  Top with cheese.  Spray a piece of foil and cover the pan with it.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  Makes 8 servings.