Skinny Texas Cheese Fries

 Start to Finish: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

2 medium potatoes (2/3 lb total), yukon gold or russet, washed and dried (skin on)
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp cumin
coarse salt and fresh cracked pepper
1 slice center cut bacon, cooked & finely chopped
1/3 cup sharp shredded cheddar cheese
2 tbsp diced scallions
1 tbsp sliced pickled Jalapeno (jarred on canned)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Line baking sheet with foil for easy clean-up. Lightly coat with cooking spray.
2. Cut each potato lengthwise into 1/4 inch thin slices; then cut each slice into 1/4 inch fries.
In a large bowl, combine cut potatoes and oil; toss well. Add seasoning (paprika to salt and pepper). Toss to coat.
3. Place potatoes in a single layer on a lightly greased large baking sheet. Bake uncovered for about 25 minutes or until tender crisp, turning once half way through (depending on thickness this may require more or less time).
4. Remove from oven, place fries into two small oven safe dishes (or one large dish for sharing), top with cheddar cheese, sliced jalapenos, scallions and bacon bits and return to oven for  about 2 minutes, or until the cheese melts.

Variations:  We made ours without bacon, since we are not big bacon fans. You can serve it with ranch dressing, just pick a low calorie option and make sure to account for the added calories in your dipping sauce when calculating calories.

Notes: I really liked these. They definitely tasted healthier, which for me is a good thing.

Servings: 2

Estimated Price: $6.00

Source: skinnytaste.com
Nutrition Facts per serving: Calories: 259 • Fat: 12.3 g • Protein: 10.1 g • Carb: 29 g • Fiber: 2.9 g • Sugar: 1.4 g Sodium: 590.5 mg (without salt)

Cajun Chicken on the Lighter Side

Start to Finish: 25 minutes

Ingredients:
8 ounces uncooked linguine
1 pound chicken breast strips
1-2 tsp Cajun seasoning (or to taste)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 red onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 cup fat free low sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup skim milk
1 tbsp flour
3 tbsp light cream cheese
fresh cracked pepper
2 scallions, chopped
salt to taste
Smart Balance cooking spray

Directions:
1. Prep all your vegetables. In a small blender make a slurry by combining milk, flour and cream cheese. Set aside. Season chicken generously with Cajun seasoning, garlic powder and salt.
2. Prepare pasta in salted water according to package directions.
3. Heat a large heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; spray with cooking spray and add half of the chicken. Sauté 5 to 6 minutes or until done, set aside on a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken. Set aside.
4. Add olive oil to the skillet and reduce to medium; add bell peppers, onions, and garlic to skillet, sauté 3-4 minutes.
5. Add mushrooms and tomatoes and sauté 3-4 more minutes or until vegetables are tender. Season with 1/4 tsp salt, garlic powder and fresh cracked pepper to taste.
6.Reduce heat to medium-low; add chicken broth and pour in slurry stirring about 2 minutes.
7. Return chicken to skillet; adjust salt and Cajun seasoning to taste, cook another minute or two until hot, then add linguine; toss well to coat. Top with chopped scallions and enjoy!

Notes: So far, this is my favorite recipe from skinnytaste. It is spicy, creamy, and delicious. It made plenty of food and the leftovers were equally as good. My husband also loved it. Definitely one we will be making again.

Servings: 5 (1 serving equals 1-1/2 cups)

Estimated Price: $12.00

Source: skinnytaste.com
Nutrition Facts per serving: Calories: 323.8 • Fat: 6.2 g • Protein: 25.9 g • Carb: 44.1 g • Fiber: 6.3 g • Sugar: 3.2 g Sodium: 126.5 mg (without salt) 

Dirty Brown Rice with Shrimp

 Start to Finish: 45 minutes

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups uncooked brown rice
Chicken bouillon cube
2 bay leaves, divided
1/8 + 1/4 tsp cayenne, divided
1/8 + 1/2 tsp paprika
1/8 + 1/2 tsp thyme
1 tsp oil
1 onion, diced
2 celery, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 lb 96% lean ground beef
salt and fresh pepper, to taste
1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and de-veined
2 scallions, chopped

Directions:
1. Cook brown rice according to package directions in water along with a chicken bouillon, 1 bay leaf and 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 each of salt, cayenne, paprika and thyme.
2. When the rice is almost done cooking, heat a large heavy saucepan on medium-low heat. Add the oil, onions, green pepper, celery, bay leaf and garlic. Sauté on medium-low heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Add beef, salt, black pepper, remaining paprika, thyme and cayenne pepper. Sauté until browned, about 10-15 minutes; add shrimp, cover and cook 5 more minutes.
3. When the rice is done, toss with beef and shrimp and combine well. Top with scallions and serve.

Notes: I had never thought of putting spices into the rice when it was in the rice cooker, but I really liked how it turned out and will use that trick more often. This meal had a lot of flavor and even though I am not a huge shrimp fan, it was good. Due to the shrimp, it was a little more expensive, but worth it for an occasional meal option.

Servings: 5 (1 serving equals 1-1/3 cup)

Estimated Price: $14.00

Source: skinnytaste.com
Nutrition Facts per serving: Calories: 346.6 • Fat: 5.9 g • Protein: 27.8 g • Carb: 44.2 g • Fiber: 2.5 g • Sugar: 1.1 g  Sodium: 151.0 mg (without salt) 

Skinny Taco Dip

I have been on a recipe posting hiatus for quite some time (over a year). When I get busy I figure this blog is just to print off for a recipe book for when my kids go to college - and since our oldest is 6 we still have some time for that! I apologize to anyone that may be reading this blog. I have been cooking over the last year, and I have stored up recipes that need to be added to the blog. Hopefully I will get to updating more often. That is always the goal, right? Lately I have been making a lot of meals from skinnytaste. They are healthy and delicious. Here is a great recipe for a yummy snack.

Start to Finish: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 8 oz 1/3 less fat Philadelphia cream cheese
• 8 oz reduced fat sour cream
• 16 oz jar mild salsa
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 2 cups iceberg lettuce, shredded
• 2 large tomatoes, diced
• 1 cup reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese
• 2.25 oz black olives

Directions:

In a large bowl combine cream cheese, sour cream, salsa and taco seasoning and mix well with an electric mixer. Spread on the bottom of a large shallow glass dish. Top with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, shredded cheese and black olives. Serve with baked tortilla chips.

Variations: You can omit any toppings you want to fit your needs.

Notes: This was very good. I am a big fan of snack foods, and this was a good alternative to the refried bean dip we usually eat. The cream cheese was a great addition to the dip. It was creamy and tasty.

Servings: 24

Estimated Price: $10.00

Source: skinnytaste.com
Nutrition Facts per serving: Calories: 59.2 • Fat: 3.6 g • Protein: 2.2 g • Carb: 4.7 g • Fiber: 0.6 g