Category: DINNER

Baked Chicken Taquitos

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These are good.  Really good!  I found them on multiple food blogs about one year ago and figured they had to be good if all of my favorite food bloggers were making them.  Well, I was right . . . kind of.  They were actually better than I had expected them to be.  I was impressed with how easy they were to make, how delicious they turned out, AND I was happy to be able to make them a little more calorie-friendly without sacrificing much flavor.  We’ve got a HUGE winner here.  HUGE!

The filling is full of flavor and I love how the spices get mixed with green onions and cilantro because that gives these little babies a fresh pick-up.  And . . .  the cream cheese and cheddar cheese makes them even more irresistible.  Baking them in the oven with a little cooking spray on top helps to give them that deep-fried flavor and crunch without all the grease (yuck!).  I have been making these for friends, family, and kids and I’ve had NOBODY turn them down or complain about them.  Yep, that’s right!  Chances are that your kids are going to LOVE them too!  They’re great for dinner (and they also make great appetizers too).

Baked Chicken Taquitos

4 ounces light cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup green salsa (red salsa is good too)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 green onion, sliced finely (white & green parts to equal about 2 T.)
12 oz. shredded, cooked chicken
1 cup reduced-fat cheese (Monterey jack, cheddar, or pepper jack)

12 small yellow or white corn tortillas (like Mission Thins)
kosher salt, optional
cooking spray

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

In a medium-sized bowl, mix softened cream cheese, green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and garlic powder. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.

Working with a few tortillas at a time, place 3-4 between two damp paper towels and microwave for 30-45 seconds, until tortillas are soft and pliable and don’t crack while rolling. Place 2-3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture (I use a cookie scoop and put two scoops in each tortilla) on the lower third of a soft tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges. Then roll it up as tight as you can.
Place filled taquitos seam side down on the baking sheet, making sure they don’t touch each other. When ready to bake, spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and lightly sprinkle some kosher (coarse) salt on top.

Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown. Serve immediately. Taquitos can be dipped in salsa, light sour cream, guacamole, or any other combination you can dream up (and that your calorie count will allow).

Serves 6.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = 2 Taquitos)
Calories:  216.4
Protein:  20.5g
Carbs:  18.7g
Fat:  7.5g (4.3g = Sat.)
Fiber:  2.2g
Sugars:  2.7g

Steak & Potato Skillet Salad

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Sounds interesting, right?  That’s what I thought when I first came across this hearty salad.  I think I’ve said it before, but I rarely like salads to be my main course.  I LOVE them as a side, but do not prefer them as the star.  However, when I saw this salad I thought that, while it sounded interesting, it also sounded hearty.  I mean, I still get my steak and potatoes!

This was a SUPER easy way to prepare both the steak and the potatoes.  I used the microwave and one skillet to achieve a freshly seared steak AND crispy potatoes.  While I seared the steak, I popped the potatoes in the microwave to give them a head start (you’ll want to avoid having raw insides and burnt outsides).  By the time the steak was ready to rest, the potatoes were ready to be added to the skillet to finish cooking . . . not to mention they were infused with a meaty flavor from the browned bits left behind by the seared steak.  Talk about delicious!

The dressing was very tasty!  I think it was the thyme that really complimented the beef here.  I will tell you that the reason this recipe has a tad bit more calories than expected is because of the dressings (those darn dressings will get us EVERY time).  So, if you’re really watching calories then you’ll want to half the amount of dressing you put on your salad.  (Just so you can see, I did end up putting the calorie count for the dressing alone.  You can find it at the bottom of the post.)

I really loved this salad . . . even as my main course.  It was LARGE, meaty, and filling.  Oh, and very tasty to boot!

Steak and Potato Skillet Salad
Adapted from The America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook

Dressing
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon red onion, minced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme (or 1/8 tsp. dried)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Salad
1 pound boneless top sirloin steak, about 1-1/4 inches thick
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 pound potatoes (about 3 medium), scrubbed and cut into wedges
3 romaine lettuce hearts (about 1 pound), torn into bite-sized pieces
1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion

For the dressing:  Whisk all the ingredients together in a bowl until bell combined; set aside.  (Alternatively, you can put it all in a food processor and process until combined.)

For the salad:  Pat the steak dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper (about 1/8 teaspoon of each).  Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking.  Brown the steak well on the first side, about 3 minutes.  Flip the steak, reduce the heat to medium, and continue to cook until the center of the steak registers 120 to 125 degrees on an in, 5 to 7 minutes longer.  (This is for medium-rare.  If you prefer it more or less done, cook for more or less time accordingly.  I cooked mine until they were 130 degrees.)

Transfer the steak to a carving board, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for 10 minutes.  Cut the steak across the grain into 1/4-inch-thick slices.

Meanwhile, toss the potatoes with the remaining 1 teaspoon oil in a large microwave-safe bowl.  Cover the microwave on high until the potatoes are tender, 5 to 10 minutes, stirring the potatoes halfway through the cooking time.

Return the skillet to medium-high heat until just smoking.  Add the potatoes in a single layer and cook until well browned on both sides, about 5 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Whisk the dressing to recombine.  Toss the lettuce and onion with 1/2 cup of the dressing, then divide it among four plates.  Arrange the steak and potatoes on top of the salads, drizzle with the remaining dressing, and serve.

Serves 4.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = 1/4 of Recipe)
Calories:  380
Protein:  29g
Carbs:  29g
Fat:  16g (3g = Sat.)
Fiber:  4g

Nutritional Information – DRESSING ONLY (Per serving)
Calories:  83.4
Protein:  0.1g
Carbs:  5.5g
Fat:  7g (1g = Sat.)
Fiber:  0.1g

Crispy Mexican Chicken

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Who doesn’t love some crispy, breaded chicken from time-to-time?  The fried stuff kind of grosses me out now days, but the oven-baked stuff still grabs my attention!  I love this version because it carries nice subtle Mexican flavors.  And, instead of dipping into a high-calorie sauce (BBQ Sauce, Ranch, etc.), you dip it in salsa.  Great idea, right!?

Now, you’ll want to keep in mind that any time you put bread crumbs on your meat you are using up carb counts.  For me, sometimes it is TOTALLY worth sacrificing other carbs for the sake of knowing I can actually eat breaded chicken without gaining weight.  Besides that, it also takes some stress off of trying to decide what else to make.

So, go have yourself some flavorful, fried oven-baked chicken, and enjoy every stinkin’ bite of it!

Crispy Mexican Chicken
Adapted from sparkpeople

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded until uniform in thickness
2 teaspoons taco seasoning
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
salsa, for serving

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Prepare a rimmed baking sheet by covering with foil and then spraying the foil with nonstick cooking spray. (I also placed an oven-proof baking rack on top of my foil so that when my chicken cooked it was able to keep it’s crispness on all sides.  If you don’t do this, I would just coat the top and sides of your chicken strips with panko, because the bottom looses it’s crispness as it cooks right up next to the foil.)

Meanwhile, heat a small, nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Place panko bread crumbs in skillet and constantly stir until lightly golden brown.  Remove from skillet and place in a shallow dish along with the taco seasoning and salt.

Remove any fat from the chicken breasts.  Slice the breasts into strips or sections (mine were about 2-inchs wide).  Pat the chicken dry and then spray each strip with nonstick cooking spray, then dip into the bread crumb mixture to coat the entire surface.  Transfer the chicken to the baking sheet.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the meat reaches 165 degrees.  Serve with salsa.

Serves 4.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = 4 Ounces)
Calories:  128.8
Protein:  23.8g
Carbs:  6.3g
Fat:  1.1g
Fiber:  0.3g
Sugars:  0g

Baja Grilled Shrimp Tacos

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I’m back!  After being on vacation and then experiencing a few family concerns when we got back . . . life seems to be returning back to “normal” if I dare say.  It feels good to be back in the kitchen again and sharing my recipes with you.

This recipe is delightful!  I personally think that it is restaurant-worthy and Beau even made a comment that these tacos tasted like they came out of one of our favorite Mexican hot spots.  They taste fresh, have a bit of spice,  and they have a nice smoky flavor (thank you chipotle peppers and cumin!).  Despite the long list of ingredients, these come together quickly.  It was a nice simple dinner for us, and it allowed me to use up some of that cabbage that showed up in my Bountiful Basket this week.

If you’re not one for spice, use a little less chipotle.  If you dig the spice like I do. . . add a little extra chipotle pepper. I used exactly what was called for and I could have used more spice, while Beau would have liked a little less.  Whatever you do, do not leave it out completely because it offers some AWESOME flavor!  (By the way . . . these peppers are found on the Mexican isle in your grocery store.  When I first started looking for these babies I think I wasted a good 30 minutes in the grocery story before asking someone for help.  They walked me to the Mexican isle and we found them on a shelf in a can.  This recipe only calls for a smidge of them, but I will shortly post another recipe that also contains the peppers to help you use up the rest.)

Lucky for me I made the whole recipe so that Beau and I can eat them again tomorrow night.  YUM!  I can’t wait!

Baja Grilled Shrimp Tacos
Adapted from The America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook

4 cups shredded green cabbage
5 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
3 scallions, sliced thin
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
4 teaspoons canola oil
salt and pepper
1/4 cup light mayonnaise
1/2 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce
1/8 teaspoon garlic salt
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas (I used Mission Thins – only 40 calories each)
lime wedges (for serving)

Toss the cabbage, 1/4 cup of the cilantro, scallions, vinegar, 1 teaspoon of the oil, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl.  In a separate bowl, combine the remaining tablespoon cilantro, mayonnaise, lime juice, chipotles, and garlic and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Set both aside for serving.

Combine the chili powder, coriander, cumin, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a bowl.  Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels, brush with the remaining tablespoon oil, and rub evenly with the spice mixture.

Place shrimp on a preheated grill (gas, charcoal, or indoor . . . I used indoor since it snowed the day I made these).  Cook shrimp approximately 2 minutes, and then flip and cook another 2 minutes or until done.  Shrimp is done when it is completely pink and it curls up a bit.  Remove shrimp from grill and loosely tent with aluminum foil, and let rest while grilling the tortillas.

Working in batches, grill the tortillas, turning as needed, until warm and lightly charred, about 30 seconds.  As the tortillas are done, wrap them in a clean kitchen towel or a large sheet of foil to keep them warm and soft.

Smear each tortillas with 1/2 tablespoon mayonnaise mixture and top with some of the cabbage slaw and then shrimp.  Serve with lime wedges.

Serves 4.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = 2 Tacos)
Calories:  295.6
Protein:  26.1g
Carbs:  22.9g
Fat:  11.1g (1.2g = Sat.)
Fiber:  3.6g
Sugar:  5g

Balsamic-Glazed Chicken and Bell Pepper Gyros

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Oh my!  I seriously LOVED this.  Admittedly, I am a Balsamic Vinegar lover so perhaps it goes without saying, but as I write this post I’m wishing I could be eating this again today!

You cook your chicken in the balsamic vinegar, then you cook your peppers and onions in balsamic vinegar.  All the while, a delicious and sticky glaze develops.  You put your balsamic-glazed chicken and veggies in a wheat pita, sprinkle with cheese, and eat away.  The balsamic vinegar clings to the gyro fillings and it adds a hint of sweetness as well as a touch of acidity.  Oh man, it’s good!

I suppose that a Gyro would technically be made with flat bread.  I had whole-wheat pitas on hand, so that’s what I used.  I simply warmed them for 15-20 seconds in the microwave so that they were easy to fold and then layered the ingredients in there (just like a taco).

Since this is super delicious and super easy, I think you should make this ASAP (and make an extra one for me and then call me over).

Balsamic-Glazed Chicken & Bell Pepper Gyros
Adapted from Jillian Michael’s, “Making the Cut”

2 teaspoons olive oil, divided in half
6 oz. skinless, boneless chicken breast, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, divided in half
1 cup red bell pepper strips (about 1 medium pepper)
1 cup vertically sliced red onion
2 whole-wheat pita rounds (approximately 120 calories each)
1/4 cup reduced fat mozzarella cheese
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add chicken to pan; cook 1 minute or until lightly browned.  Add 1/8 cup (or 2 tablespoons) vinegar; cook 2 minutes longer or until chicken is done and vinegar is syrupy (or absorbed into chicken).  Remove chicken mixture from the pan; cover and keep warm.  Wipe pan clean with a paper towel.

Return pan to medium-high heat; add remaining 1 teaspoon oil.  Add bell pepper and onion; sauté 7 minutes or until tender.  Stir in remaining 1/8 cup vinegar; cook 1 minute or until vinegar is syrupy.

Arrange chicken mixture evenly pita; top with bell pepper mixture.  Arrange cheese over pepper mixture (about 2 tablespoons per Gyro), and sprinkle with black pepper.

Serves 2.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = 1 Gyro)
Calories:  345.6
Protein:  27.5g
Carbs:  31.7g
Fat:  9.6g (2.4g = Sat.)
Fiber:  7.1g
Sugars:  7.7g

Slow Cooker Taco Soup

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Happy first day of March!  This day is good news to me because I absolutely LOVE spring and summer and we’re getting that much closer to these fabulous seasons!  (Plus it is my nephew’s first birthday today and I love him so much!  Happy Birthday C-Bug!)

But since the weather is still kind of cold, I have another cold-weather meal for you today.  Who’s never heard of Taco Soup?  It seems like it is a common soup option for many.  I mean, what’s not to love about it?  It’s a taco in a bowl and I love my taco coming in a soup option when we’re in the colder months of the year.

The GREAT news about Taco Soup is that it is usually well balanced with proteins, fats, and carbs.  Plus it is loaded with antioxidants (thanks to those beans!).  There are several variations of Taco Soup, but here is one of my go-to recipes and I like it because it’s so quick and easy.  It seems like the most time-consuming part is opening each can of goods with a can opener.  It could easily be called Taco-Dump Soup because mostly all you do is open a can and dump it in the slow cooker.  Pretty easy, right?

If you’re REALLY counting carbs and calories, leave out the corn.  That’s what I did here because I am being strict with my carbs and calories right now (I’m going on a beach vacation soon so of course I’m watching my calories a little closer . . . more on that later).   You’ll see that I calculated the nutritional information for both options – corn or no corn.  So, prepare it as you wish (or rather as you need to), but enjoy every bite!

Slow Cooker Taco Soup
Adapted from allrecipes.com

1.5 pounds (24 oz.) lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 (16-oz.) can chili beans, with liquid
1 (15-oz.) can black beans with liquid
1 (15-oz.) can whole kernel corn, with liquid
1 (8-oz.) can tomato sauce
1 cup water
2 (14.5-oz.) cans peeled & diced tomatoes
1 (4-oz.) can diced green chile peppers
2 tablespoons (or 1 package) taco seasoning

In a medium skillet, cook the ground beef with 1 tablespoon of taco seasoning over medium heat.  Drain, and set aside.

Place the ground beef, onion, chili beans, black beans, corn, tomato sauce, water, diced tomatoes, green chile peppers and remaining taco seasoning in a slow cooker.  Mix to blend and cook on Low setting for 8 hours (or High setting for 4 hours).

Serves 8.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving, without Corn)
Calories:  266.7
Protein:  21.8g
Carbs:  26.3g
Fat:  9.5g (3.7g = Sat.)
Fiber:  7.1g
Sugars:  5.6g

Nutritional Information (Per Serving with Corn)
Calories:  291.5
Protein:  22.6g
Carbs:  32g
Fat:  9.8g (3.7g = Sat.)
Fiber:  7.7g
Sugars:  5.6g

Chicken & Spinach Alfredo Pizza

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It’s been a little bit, but I took a trip to visit my sweet sister in Montana and she cooked this up for me.  It was SUPER good and my first thought was, “this can’t be good for us.”  However, I knew she had taken the recipe from a healthy cookbook, so I had to investigate.  I did so, and I am very happy to report that it works in terms of calories and macro-nutrient breakdown!  (Of course, I made a few adjustments to really make me happy.)

If you are a fan of Alfredo mixed with chicken and spinach, this pizza is a MUST for you!  I will tell you that veggies have never been my sister’s strong suit.  So, in fair warning, if you don’t like spinach then you probably won’t LOVE this pizza.  My sis liked the pizza, but didn’t love it.  She said she would make it again, but cut the spinach in half in order for her to say that the pizza deserves her love (not like).

So, now you know that a veggie/spinach lover (me) and a non veggie/spinach lover (sis) both enjoyed this pizza.  Don’t you think there’s a good chance you might like it too????

Chicken & Spinach Alfredo Pizza
Adapted from Traci and originally from
Taste of Home Healthy Cooking 2010

1 pkg (10-oz.) frozen, chopped spinach (thawed & squeezed dry)
12 ounces cooked & chopped chicken breast
2 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
4 whole wheat pita rounds (approx. 120 calories each)
1 garlic glove, peeled & halved
1/2 cup reduced fat Alfredo sauce, such as Classico
 1/2 cup shredded reduced fat mozzarella
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

In a large bowl combine the spinach, chicken, lemon juice, salt, and pepper and set aside.

Place pita rounds on ungreased cookie sheet.  Rub with cut sides of garlic.  Discard garlic.  Spread approximately 2 tbsp. Alfredo sauce over each pita.  Top each pita with 1/4 of the spinach mixture, 2 tbsp. cheese, and approximately 1/8 tsp. pepper flakes.

Bake at 450 degrees for 8-12 minutes or until cheese is melted and pita is lightly browned.

Serves 4.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = 1 Pizza)
Calories:  331
Protein:  30.2g
Carbs:  25.6g
Fat:  9.1g (5.3g = Sat.)
Fiber:  5.7g
Sugars:  2.5g

Mushroom, Garlic & White Wine Chicken

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Doesn’t this sound like such a fancy dish?  I can attest that it tastes kind of fancy, but it’s not all that fancy to prepare.  The mushrooms, garlic and white wine do WONDERS when it comes to flavoring this chicken.  It is tasty!

Not only that, this dish comes together in a flash!  It’s great for any day of the week.  You can definitely use regular chicken breasts and just cut them into strips if you do not have chicken tenderloins on hand.  You’ll notice that I used white cooking wine in this recipe (usually found on the vinegar isle of your grocery store).  You can certainly use regular white wine if you have it.  Or, you can simply substitute chicken broth if you don’t have either.

This is SUPER tasty served over baked brown rice.  Give it a try because I am pretty confident that you’re going to love it.

Mushroom, Garlic & White Wine Chicken
Adapted from skinnytaste.com

16 oz of chicken tenderloins (about 8 tenderloins)
2 tsp light butter (such as Land O Lakes)
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon all purpose flour* (use rice flour if gluten free)
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
12 oz sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup white cooking wine
1/3 cup fat free chicken broth
salt and fresh pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 200°. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge in flour. (I usually pour about 1/4 cup of flour in a bowl so that it’s easier to lightly coat the chicken.  However, only about 1 tablespoon actually gets used.)

Heat a large skillet on medium heat; when hot add 1 tsp butter and 1 tsp olive oil. Add chicken to the skillet and cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes on each side, or until chicken is no longer pink. Set aside in a warm oven.

Add additional oil and butter to the skillet, then garlic and cook a few seconds; add mushrooms, salt and pepper stirring occasionally until golden, about 5 minutes.

Add cooking wine, chicken broth, parsley; stir the pan with a wooden spoon breaking up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook a few more minutes or until the liquid reduces by half. Top the chicken with the mushroom sauce and serve.

Serves 4.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = 1/4 of the Recipe)
Calories:  165.6
Protein:  26.2g
Carbs:  6.8g
Fat:  4.5g (0.7g = Sat.)
Fiber:  1.1g
Sugars:  1.4g

Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken & Tomatillo Stew

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What’s not to love about this Mexican stew?  It’s made in the slow cooker so you really don’t have to do much, it has a smokey cumin flavor, it has sweet potatoes, and it has tomatillos!  I absolutely loved the sweet potatoes in this and couldn’t believe I hadn’t thought of using them before in similar recipes.  They were perfect when paired with the other ingredients.

You’ll see that there are optional toppings for this delicious stew.  As you can see in my picture above, I didn’t use any of them simply for the sake of counting calories.  So, depending on where you’re at . . . you can decide if you need any extra toppings.

This was hearty and delicious.  When I made it we didn’t eat it with anything else and we were very satisfied. When you get a chance, you should throw this in the slow cooker and enjoy it as much as I did.

Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken & Tomatillo Stew
Adapted from allrecipes.com

1 1/2 cups peeled and diced sweet potatoes
1 cup chopped celery
3/4 cup chopped onion
3 cloves finely minced garlic
1 tablespoon cumin
5 cups lower sodium chicken broth
16 oz. shredded or chopped cooked chicken
2 cups diced tomatillos
1/2 cup chopped cilantro, optional

Put all ingredients in a slow cooker, except for the cilantro.  Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or on high for 3 to 4 hours.

Serve in individual bowls and, if desired, sprinkle with chopped cilantro.  (Other optional toppings might include diced avocado, cheese, and crispy tortilla strips.  I left them out for calorie-counting purposes.)

Serves 4 very hearty portions.
(It can really stretch to serve 8, so if you have small people (kids) to feed who don’t need large portions, add a little extra chicken to your portion to ensure you get enough protein.)

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = Approx. 2 Cups)
Calories:  211
Protein:  22.3g
Carbs:  26.5g
Fat:  2g (1.1g = Sat.)
Fiber:  2.7g
Sugars:  4.9g

Inside-Out Cabbage Rolls

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I don’t know if you’ve ever had cabbage rolls, but I really like them!  They can be a little tedious when pulling them together, so when I saw the recipe for Inside-Out Cabbage Rolls, I became very intrigued.  I thought the idea was brilliant because all of the flavors were the same, but the preparation was SUPER simple.  This comes together all in one pot!

I am a lover of cabbage . . . raw or cooked.  I loved how the cabbage and beef in this recipe were combined with the flavors of marinara sauce, rice, and topped with cheddar cheese.  We had enough of this dish that we had leftovers for an extra day AND I was able to freeze some for later (you know . . . for one of those nights that I just don’t feel like cooking?).  This recipe will easily feed a family, or you can do as I did if you don’t have a lot of mouths to feed.  Trust me, this recipe is a keeper!

Inside-Out Cabbage Rolls
Adapted from Taste of Home Healthy Cooking 2009

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 large bell pepper (any color), chopped
1 small head cabbage, chopped
1 can (10-ounce) diced tomatoes and green chilies
1 cup reduced-sodium beef broth
1 cup marinara sauce
1 cup cooked brown rice
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

In a Dutch oven (or large pot), cook the beef, onion and bell pepper over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.

Stir in the cabbage, tomatoes, broth, and marinara sauce.  Bring mixture to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until cabbage is tender, stirring occasionally.

Stir in rice; heat through.  Remove from the heat.  Sprinkle with cheese; cover and let stand until cheese is melted.

Serves 6.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = Approx. 1 1/3 Cups)
Calories:  244
Protein:  21g
Carbs:  23g
Fat:  8g (4 g = Sat.)
Fiber:  5g