Dirty Brown Rice with Shrimp

A healthier twist on a Cajun classic, the addition of shrimp turns this into a fabulous main dish. I'd like to think of this as a Cajun shrimp fried rice. With Mardi Gras ends tomorrow, I thought this would be the perfect timing to share this recipe from the archives because I LOVE this dish!

Dirty rice is a classic Cajun dish made "dirty" by cooking the rice with minced livers or gizzards. I created a healthier version using brown rice and lean ground beef in place of the chicken livers that normally make dirty rice "dirty".

But don't worry, this healthier version does not skimp on flavor! It has plenty of spices and a bit of kick, you can adjust the heat to your taste but don't be shy with the cayenne if you can handle it!

Normally a rice dish like this if made with white rice would be cooked all in one pot, but after several attempts to perfect this I found that cooking the brown rice all together created an unpleasant mushy texture. By cooking the brown rice separate, the texture of the rice was perfect when mixed with the beef and shrimp and made a delicious main dish even my "non-brown rice eating" husband enjoyed. 

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Eggplant Panini with Pesto

My friend gave me eggplants from her garden, and I used it to make this delicious hot pressed sandwich. If you can find a whole wheat baguette, even better! A perfect summer panini made with eggplant, tomatoes, mozzarella and skinny pesto on crispy French bread. Make this for one, or for the whole family.

I love, love, LOVE Panini night in my house because everyone is happy and they are so easy to make. If you're capable of making a grilled cheese, then you can make a panini, that's how simple and you don't need a fancy panini press to make it. Prior to owning my panini press, I used my George Forman grill or made them on the stove in a grill pan with an iron skillet on top to press it down.

I grilled the eggplant right on the panini press, so there's no dirtying extra pans. A perfect Meatless Monday dish, and even the meat-lovers in your house will enjoy this sandwich. 

If you're a newbie to Skinnytaste, check out my tip on how to make a larger sandwich for less calories. If you are making this for one, simply divide the ingredients by four.

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Roast Beef Sandwich with Melted Cheese and Caramelized Onions

I wish this photo could capture how delicious this sandwich is. I made a few attempts at photographing this, but the photo can't capture how sweet these caramelized onions are and how perfect they taste with yesterday's leftover garlic infused roast beef and melted Swiss cheese.

Father's Day is coming up and I'm trying to think of dishes that would make Dad happy. For those of you who are Pinterest obsessed, I made a Skinny Father's Day board and pinned recipes I think Dads would love. My husband loves caramelized onions, I can't say I blame him. I never knew just how good they were until I met him; he makes them all the time. The onions shrink to about half their size when the slowly cook down, and as they turn golden in color they turn sweet and delicious. They are great over burgers too, I make them with a lot less oil than he does with great results.

I don't east sandwiches often, maybe once a week. But when I do eat a sandwich, my bread of choice is a fresh baked whole wheat French or Italian bread from the bakery because it's generally made with no fat and I love a crispy fresh baked loaf.


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Linguini with Sautéed Scallops and Peas

Scallops are great for a quick meal any night of the week and are a real treat. They can be quickly sautéed, then added to salads like this Scallop and Baby Green Citrus Mojo Salad, and this delicious Scallop and Grapefruit Salad, but once in a while when I want something more substantial, I love it with pasta. Here I tossed it with some pasta and peas, for a dinner that took less than 15 minutes to make.

I love sea scallops and it takes very little effort to get delicious results. For best flavor seek out the freshest scallops. Before cooking remove the small, tough muscle attached to the side. You can easily double this recipe for four servings.

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Chicken and Andouille Sausage

A chicken and sausage stew made with skinless chicken legs and spicy andouille sausage simmered with flavors from the deep south – without the extra fat.

Today is Fat Tuesday, but any day is really a great day to enjoy this comfort dish. Traditional gumbos are made with a whole lot of fat and take hours to make. My lighter version you won't miss the fat because there's still tons of flavor. The stew itself is not very spicy, but the sausage is so you get a little heat each time you take a bite. If you're not a fan of spice, a smoked turkey sausage or turkey kielbasa would taste great too.

To lighten this dish, I use lean skinless chicken on the bone (the bone adds great flavor) and lean chicken/turkey andouille sausage. It's simmered with onions, bell pepper and celery, also known as the "holy trinity" in Cajun cuisine, and topped with scallions. This is the type of dish you may want to serve with a fork AND spoon, I served mine with 1/4 cup of cooked rice on the side, completely optional. Quinoa or farro would also work nicely.

I found the chicken a little tricky to calculate on the bone; I was getting discrepancies when I calculated it raw, vs cooked on the bone, vs cooked off the bone so I decided to weigh the meat off the bone cooked, I feel this is the most accurate. The chicken I purchased was from a small bird, so if you have really large chicken, the nutritional info will change. If you prefer white meat, be sure to use skinless breasts on the bone so your meat doesn't dry out and you still get the great flavors from the bones.

Low carb, gluten free, and really good!


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Angel Hair Pasta with Scallops and Tomatoes

Sauteed bay scallops with tomatoes and a touch of white wine and lemon juice served over angel hair pasta.

If you're looking for a special dinner to make for your loved one this Valentine's Day, this is a perfect dish. For starters, it takes less than 15 minutes to make, so you'll have less time cooking, and more time together. Secondly, scallops date back to ancient Greece as an aphrodisiac. As legend has it, the goddess Aphrodite was carried to earth on the shell of a scallop.

Personally, I love scallops for their sweet, delicate flavor. Bay scallops are the smaller variety and are usually less expensive than sea scallops. They are wonderful tossed with pasta and take less than a minute to cook.

Because bay scallops retain so much water, it's really important that you dry them well before cooking, and you really want to cook them in a hot pan so you get a quick sear. I cook them in 2 or 3 batches depending on the size of my pan. Don't skip this step because you don't want to overcrowd the pan, otherwise the scallops will become rubbery and won't sear.

If you're family doesn't like whole wheat pasta, a great trick I like to do is use both whole wheat and semolina. You don't really notice the taste of the whole wheat and your getting the added benefits of using a whole grain.

For all you spaghetti squash lovers out there, I'm sure this would be wonderful over roasted spaghetti squash as a gluten-free, lower-carb alternative.

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Pasta with Butternut Sauce, Spicy Sausage and Baby Spinach

Spicy chicken sausage is the perfect compliment to this creamy pasta dish made with butternut squash, baby spinach, parmesan and a touch of sage. It's filling and comforting on a chilly winter night.

Since making Spaghetti with Creamy Butternut Leek Sauce a few weeks back, I am officially hooked. I love how the butternut squash feels like a decadent creamy sauce without the need for heavy cream. And with the addition of parmesan and hot sausage, the end result is savory and delicious.

I am also loving Giada's new line of organic pastas sold at Target. I'm picky with my pasta and love the taste and texture of this pasta when cooked al dente. I always go for unusual pasta shapes, here I used a shape called casarecce... love!

As part of the Target Inner Circle, I got to meet Giada in person a few weeks ago at Fun and Fit in the City. Isn't she beautiful!

L-R, My daughter Karina, Me, Giada, My girlfriend Raquel

She was so sweet in person, I also got an autographed cookbook and a goody bag full of her new food products sold at Target. My favorites were of course the organic pastas. I tried a few shapes, but plan on going back to Target to try the whole wheat.

A few more things: This week I teemed up with 11 other bloggers to host a HUGE HOLIDAY giveaway... Two winners, one will win an iMac Computer! A second winner will win a $500 gift card. Hey, you never know! You gotta be in it to win it... click here for a chance to win!

And most importantly: Starting today I am making a commitment to run at least 1 mile a day until New Years. You in? It's part of the 2012 Holiday Running Streak from Runner's World. The way I see it, why wait till New Years? Let's start now, with all the baking and indulging that goes on during the Holidays, this is the perfect way to find a balance. I ran a mile this morning, I'll be running again tomorrow... if you prefer to walk, that's fine too, I would love it if you joined me. It could be inside, outside, morning, lunch time, evening... whenever you can squeeze it in. Tell me you're in, it will help keep me motivated!

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Zucchini Lasagna

By replacing the lasagna noodles with thin sliced zucchini you can create a delicious, lower carb (gluten-free) lasagna that's loaded with vegetables, and you won't miss the pasta!

This recipe is from the archives, but needed a photo-makeover. I also like to make some of my older recipes over to see if I can improve them. I made slight adjustments to the original recipe, so if you have an old printout, you may want to re-print it. This feeds eight, and is quite filling. Everyone in my house likes it, including my picky daughter.

The first time I made this, I didn't grill the zucchini first, but there was a lot of liquid so I found grilling it first greatly improved it. I soaked up as much of the liquid as I could with paper towels before layering the ingredients. I think the next time I make this, I'll try it with turkey sausage in place of the ground beef, I bet it will be spectacular!

Tip: Using a mandoline is a must to slice the zucchini thin, and it's quick and easy. You can also make the sauce ahead of time if you want to speed this up for a weeknight.

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Chilled Lobster Salad with Sweet Summer Corn and Tomatoes

The perfect light summer salad, made with sweet summer corn, grape tomatoes, garden herbs and chilled steamed lobster. Serve this for two as a main dish salad or for four as a first course as pictured here.

It's Friday, which is often date night – a movie, dinner out at a great restaurant or sometimes just cocktails with couples. But as much as I love getting out, sometimes it's nice to have date night at home, in my comfy clothes with a glass of wine and a good movie on TV. Maybe you're single and date night for you is curling up with a good book and your cat, or a date with your girlfriends catching up on the latest gossip. Whatever you like to do with your Friday nights, this salad will make any night feel special!

August is a great time to buy lobster here on Long Island, I can usually get great specials from my local Lobster farm. And the best part about buying my lobster from a lobster farm is that they also steam it for me at no extra cost. It's not that I can't cook my own lobster, it's just that if given the choice, I'd rather not. If you don't have that luxury, here is a great video from Fine Cooking that shows you how to do it, (vegetarians look away).

Swap It Tip: If you don't live near the coast and don't have access to live lobster, you could use lump crab meat, cooked shrimp or even imitation crab instead. 

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Mom's Spanish Chicken and Rice

Chicken and rice, otherwise known as arroz con pollo is a delicious one pot meal the whole family will love. Arroz con pollo can be made so many different ways and also varies from country to country. In fact, I don't use a recipe when I make this, I just use whatever I have on hand so it may never turn out the same twice. This is my Mom's version, which I've lightened up and recently altered slightly. This recipe first appeared here in 2008 but was in desperate need of a new photo so I hope you enjoy it!

Mom makes her arroz con pollo with beer, green olives along with some of the brine for more flavor and she adds frozen mixed vegetables to it. She typically uses whole chicken pieces on the bone (skin and all) which gives it great flavor, but for this recipe I used boneless, skinless thighs.

Some of my Latin recipes you'll see "sazon" listed in the ingredients. I buy Badia's sazon because it has no msg but you can make it yourself if it's not available near you. Sazon basically means seasoning in Spanish; it typically includes salt, ground black pepper, garlic powder, dried ground coriander seed, cumin, ground oregano and ground achiote (annatto) seeds. The achiote (annatto) is what gives the sazon the reddish color and makes the rice yellow. You could sub paprika for the achiote, if this isn't available to you. Some varieties contain azafrán (saffron), a pinch is all you'll need if you want to add it. When you make your own, a good ratio is one tbsp of each spice. Mix well and store it someplace dry. When a recipe calls for a packet, simply use 1 1/2 tsp in place of the sazon. Best part, no msg.

It's perfectly fine to use the chicken on the bone, and yes, you can use white meat if you prefer however, I personally find white meat too dry in this dish for my taste. I love this served with a little hot sauce on top and a simple salad on the side. If you would like to try my version which is made slightly different, and has no beer, click on Arroz Con Pollo, Lightened Up or make them both and let me know which you like best!


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Spicy Black Bean Burgers with Chipotle Mayonnaise

One bite of this spicy black bean burger with spicy chipotle mayo and creamy avocado and you won't miss the meat! Yes, these were good enough to please even the adult carnivore's in my home (a bit too spicy for my kids).

Make no mistake, I love meat, but I also think it's good to give it up at least once a week, so why give Meatless Mondays a shot? Pretty inexpensive to make and really not hard to make. The hardest part is forming them into patties, and even that isn't so bad.

These cook best if frozen so plan to make them ahead and cook as needed. You can even double the batch to keep them on hand whenever you need them.

To store them in your freezer, freeze them on wax paper until they set, about 2 hours, then transfer them into containers. I keep all my homemade burgers labeled in Glad Freezerware containers which can withstand extreme temperatures without cracking. Labeling them keeps them organized so when I have backyard BBQs, I have something to please every palate. Also perfect for once a month cooking!

Vegetarian, High in Fiber, and Gluten Free if using GF oats (excluding the bun). I highly recommend making them exactly as written, don't change a thing!


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Asparagus Prosciutto Panini with Garlic Mayonnaise

Melted Swiss cheese, asparagus, proscuitto, arugula and garlic mayonnaise pressed in a ciabatta. Did that just make your stomach growl?

Panini's are the perfect weeknight meal, they come together quickly and you can literally clean out your refrigerator coming up with new variations. If you can make a grilled cheese, you can make a panini, that's how easy it is and you don't need a fancy panini press to make it. Prior to owning a panini press, I used my George Forman grill or you could even use a grill pan on the stove and place an iron skillet on top to press it down.

I grilled the asparagus right on the panini press, so there's no dirtying extra pans. You can make this a meatless Monday by leaving the ham out for 8 pts plus, it will still taste great!

If you are new here, check out my tip on how to make a bigger sandwich for less calories.


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Linguini and Shrimp Fra Diavolo

A quick Italian-American pasta dish with shrimp, tomatoes, crushed red pepper flakes, garlic, basil and capers. The name of this dish says it all, Fra Diavolo, Italian for "Brother Devil" because of the heat from the crushed red pepper flakes. It's easy to make and comes together in about 30 minutes total so it's perfect for a busy week night, you can easily halve it to make less. My husband is a basil lover, but fresh parsley works great in it's place and of course, you can adjust the heat to your taste.

If you are watching your carbs, this is great over spaghetti squash or even a bowl of lightly steamed vegetables. If you are on a gluten-free diet, I love Tinkyada brown rice pasta, it's the closest thing to wheat pasta in my opinion, I even buy it and I have no issues with gluten. I actually prefer the taste to whole wheat pasta.

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Cheesy Jalapeño Popper Baked Stuffed Chicken

What happens when you combine Skinny Baked Jalapeño Poppers with chicken??

Oh yeah baby!! Cheesy stuffed chicken breast stuffed with diced jalapeño, cream cheese, cheddar jack cheese, scallions and bacon!

I basically deconstructed my jalapeño poppers and stuffed them into chicken and the results where mouth watering!! I used bread crumbs because I was out of panko, but I think seasoned panko would give these a wonderful crunch like I used on my Skinny Baked Jalapeño Poppers.

I made the serving size a generous two pieces, so a simple vegetable, fiesta lime rice, or a salad on the side would make this a complete meal. Trust me, you won't want to stop at just one!

And those of you on Pinterest, if you want some Skinny Cinco De Mayo inspiration, check out my Cinco De Mayo board!


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Chicken Panini with Arugula, Provolone and Chipotle Mayonnaise

One word to describe this hot panini... dee-licious!

I'm in love with the flavor combination of this grilled chicken panini made on Ciabatta bread with melted provolone, arugula and a spicy chipotle mayonnaise.

This sandwich is perfect for lunch or dinner and you can easily prepare this for one or a family of eight!

A panini press is on my Christmas list this year, but not having one has never stopped me from making paninis before. I lightly spray the bread with oil and use my George Forman grill and it's ready in minutes. You could even use a grill pan on the stove and place an iron skillet on top to press it down.


And if you are new to my site, don't forget my tip on how to make a bigger sandwich for less calories!

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Spinach Stuffed Shells with Meat Sauce

Jumbo pasta shells stuffed with ricotta, mozzarella and spinach topped with a turkey meat sauce. Here's a great way to sneak spinach onto your kids' plate!

This recipe just got a makeover. Some of you may have seen this in the archives, or have even made this before, today I decided to give it a face-lift with new photos and address some issues some people had with not having enough stuffing for the shells.

These are very satisfying, three are more than enough to fill you up, or two with a salad on the side. A perfect dish if you have company as this makes a large amount, or you can bake half and freeze the rest for another night.

Thank you Julie Hamilton for sharing this recipe with Skinnytaste. 


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Steak and Cheese Sandwiches with Onions and Mushrooms

 

I have a confession to make... steak and cheese sandwiches are my weakness! I love them for lunch or dinner and have a really hard time passing up a Charley's Subs whenever I'm in the mall.

I blame my Mom, she always made the BEST steak and cheese sandwiches for dinner, and luckily I don't have to give them up and neither do you! I love this with Swiss, provolone, cheddar or even American cheese... reduced-fat of course.

Yesterday I posted a recipe for Quick Skillet Steak with Mushrooms and Onions, this sandwich is made with that steak recipe whether you have leftovers or want to make it specifically for this sandwich, as I often do. And as I've mentioned before, I always scoop out some of the bread to make a bigger sandwich without the added calories or points.

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Tomato, Fresh Mozzarella, Roasted Pepper on Whole Wheat Bread

Rustic whole wheat Italian bread, fresh mozzarella, summer tomatoes, basil and balsamic vinegar. My favorite meatless sandwich!

I live two blocks away from a really great Italian ravioli store called Pastosa. Aside from the best homemade raviolis they carry an amazing array of fresh breads from Brooklyn, homemade fresh mozzarella, roasted peppers, and lots of other temping goodies. It's actually dangerous walking in there as all their mouth watering goodies are displayed right there in front of you.

Today I had a plan and didn't stray, I picked up some roasted peppers, tomatoes, a wonderful whole wheat loaf and fresh mozzarella, sliced thin (great trick to keep yourself from using too much as it is not low in fat!) I came home and picked some basil from my garden and put this delicious and satisfying lunch together.

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Pineapple Shrimp Fried Rice

A fried rice dish made with brown rice, shrimp and pineapple. A wonderful combination of savory, sweet and spicy.

Penang in Soho used to be one of my favorite places to eat, when they closed down I was so upset. They had the best roti canai appetizer and a pineapple fried rice which they served in a hollowed out pineapple. That was the inspiration for this dish. If you rather not go through the extra work of hollowing out a pineapple, you could simply serve this in a dish. I had my friends over for dinner and they were really impressed with this flavors and presentation of this dish. My husband however thought the serving sizes should be larger, so if you're feeding hungry men, you may want to make extra. The ladies were perfectly happy with this, and it left room for dessert!


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Sicilian Rice Ball Casserole

Sicilian Rice Ball Casserole, a dish your whole family will enjoy.

Italian rice balls, otherwise known as Arancini are one of my favorite appetizers, but I usually stay far away because they are deep fried and loaded with fat. If you've never tried them, they are balls of rice stuffed with chopped meat, peas and cheese, then breaded and fried, what's not to love?

This lightened up casserole is the genius of my friend Julia from Julia's Healthy Italian. I "skinnified" her recipe a bit to cut the points down, but she takes all the credit for the creativity of turning an otherwise very heavy meal and making it lighter. The servings are large and very satisfying. A simple green salad on the side is all you need to complete this.

This is probably a good weekend recipe to make since it requires some prepping, Julia usually makes double and freezes the second casserole to use later on. I halved her original, but it makes sense to make two for the same amount of work it takes to make one.



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