Stuffed Poblano peppers with brown rice

Ingredients:

6 poblano peppers
1 pkg vegetarian breakfast sausage
4 oz shredded Mexican style cheese
4 oz Neufchatel cheese (you can use cream cheese, but it'll change the dietary information)
1 10 oz can of Rotel, drained
Cilantro (you'll use about a 1/4 bushel)
Cumen
Brown rice
1 Roma tomato, diced
Black pepper

Directions:
1. Roast poblanos for about 5 minutes on each side, or until the skin is black and bubbly. Using the broiler is easiest because you can do all of them at the same time. When completely black, remove from heat and place in a plastic bag, set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350. Brown "sausage" on lightly oiled skillet for a few minutes. Add cilantro, 1/4-1/2 tsp cumen, and Rotel in the last minutes.
3. Remove from heat and dump in a medium bowl. Stir in shredded cheese.
4. Remove blackened outer skin from the peppers. It should lift off easily. Be careful not to remove too much flesh. Cut a slit from the top of the pepper to about an inch from the bottom. Remove seeds, rinse out if necessary, but be careful as the pepper will be tender and easily damaged.
5. Portion off the "sausage" mixture into 6 parts. Using a small spoon (tea spoon or small table spoon) spread half a portion into the bottom of each pepper. Using a butter knife, cut the neufchatel cheese into 6 portions and place on top of "sausage" layer. Spread the rest of each portion on top of the neufchatel cheese. Close the pepper as much as it will go and place inside a 9x12 baking dish.
6. Cook peppers for 15 minutes. While the peppers are cooking, mix cooked rice, diced tomato, and cumen and pepper to taste in a pan. Add a bit of water and cook until heated. Simmer until the peppers are done.

Makes 6 servings.

Nutrition Facts (for stuffed peppers only)- Calories: 215, Fat: 10.2 g, Cholesterol: 32.5 mg, Sodium: 775.28 mg, Carbohydrates: 16.2 g, Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 3.25 g, Protein: 16.77 g

Tostadas de jaiba

I got this recipe from a friend, it's a traditional recipe for HOT days when you just want something light and cool to fill you up! It's cheap, easy, and tastes so good!

What you need:

1/2 lb imitation crab meat

3 regular tomatoes (or 4-5 roma tomatoes)

2 medium white onions

1-2 bunches of cilantro

2 limes

salt

Corn tostadas (Mission sells them in a tall red package by the tortillas)

Hot sauce for topping if you like

Directions:

1. Shred the crab into flakes along the natural lines. It should be pretty easy to shred apart.
2. Dice tomatoes, onions, and cilantro according to your preference. I like to taste everything together and individually so I chop my onions and tomatoes sort of big. My friend's son doen't like onions too much, so she cuts hers small.
3. Mix the crab, onion, tomato, cilantro in a medium bowl, then squeeze lime juice over and stir well.
4. Add salt to taste, spoon onto tostadas and enjoy!

Imitation crab is actually made out of fish, so it has low calories and fat, but the processing of the fish adds sodium. Overall it's a light and healthy meal. I'll post the nutrition fact later. I accidentally threw out the package :)

Vegetarian Shredded Stir Fry

Don't have time to put the recipe right now...I'll post it later. Enjoy the picture for right now :)

Chicken Tacos

What you need:

1 lb ground chicken

2 cans Rotel, heat of your choice. I use Original.

Corn tortillas

Directions:

1. Thaw ground chicken and place in a skillet with both cans of Rotel.
2. Cook on medium high heat until chicken is cooked through.
3. Turn to medium low and continue simmering until the juices are evaporated, about 20 minutes.
4. Serve in warmed corn tortillas. I use 2 tortillas per taco because the juice soaks through one too quick :)

This is a quick way to make chicken tacos. I normally use boneless, skinless chicken breast and shred it after it's been cooking for a couple of hours, but this recipe allows you to make the whole meal in less than 30 minutes. You can top with fresh pico de gallo to make them perfect, but the best thing about these tacos is that they don't need sour cream or cheese because there is so much flavor in the filling. Yum!

Nutrition Facts:

Serving Size: 1/4 of prepared mix with 4 white corn tortillas, Calories: 410, Calories from fat: 100, Total fat: 11 g, Saturated fat: 2.5 g, Trans fat: 0 g, Polyunsaturated fat: 1 g, Monounsaturated fat: 0 g, Cholesterol: 65 mg, Sodium: 610 mg, Total Carbohydrates: 45 g, Fiber: 7 g, Sugars: 7 g, Protein: 29 g

Oven fried tilapia with wheat pasta and broccoli

What you need:

One tilapia fillet

Italian style breadcrumbs

1/4 C dry Wheat pasta (I used rotini)

1/4 C Broccoli, frozen or fresh according to preference

1 egg

Lower sodium soy sauce

Red wine vinegar

Lemon juice

Parmesan cheese (finely grated shaker style)

EVOO cooking spray

Blackened seasoning

1.5 oz or one serving size Italian salad dressing

Mrs. Dash Lemon Pepper

Ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Marinade tilapia in one part each red wine vinegar, soy sauce, and lemon juice and a bit of Mrs. Dash for 15-30 mins.
2. Preheat oven to 375.
3. Mix breading as follows: 2 parts Italian breadcrumbs to 1 part parmesan cheese and a pinch or so of blackened seasoning, just enough to coat both sides of the tilapia fillet.
4. Whip egg and dip fillet in egg, shaking off excess egg before coating with breading mixture.
5. Place breaded fillets in a pan prepared with EVOO spray, then spray EVOO over the fillets and place in oven. Cook for about 20 minutes or until fish is flaky.
6. Meanwhile, boil water for pasta and cook according to preference, adding broccoli in the last few minutes to desired firmness.
7. Drain pasta and broccoli, coat with Italian salad dressing and pepper.
8. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts:

Serving size: One recipe Calories: 316 Calories from fat: 117.5 Total fat: 13.3 g Saturated fat: 1.9 g Trans fat: 0 g Polyunsaturated fat: 1 g Monounsaturated fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 109 mg Sodium: 1587.5 mg Total Carbohydrates: 21 g Dietary Fiber: 2.25 g Sugars: 5 g Protein: 27 g

Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast

Ingredients:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (trimmed)
1 can chopped spinach (drained)
1 ounce cream cheese
2 tbsps. chopped garlic
Mrs. Dash Original Blend seasoning
I Can't Believe Its Not Butter spray (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Split chicken to make a pocket.
3. In a saucepan combine spinach, garlic, and cream cheese.
4. Heat until cream cheese is softened and it makes a paste.
5. Stuff the spinach mixture into the pockets of the chicken breasts and sprinkle Mrs. Dash on top of the chicken. Spray ICBINB on top of each piece of chicken if desired. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until chicken is cooked thoroughly.

Yields 4 servings

Calories: 195

Fat: 4g

Cholesterol: 76mg

Sodium: 478mg

Carbs: 6g

Fiber: 2g

Protein: 28g

Chicken, Tofu and Spinach Stir Fry with Brown Rice

What you need:

1/2 chicken breast, cubed (I used leftovers from last recipe)

2 C fresh baby spinach

1/4 block firm tofu, drain and pat dry

Oyster sauce

Low sodium soy sauce

EVOO

Black pepper and sea salt to taste

Brown rice

Instructions:

1. Start rice cooking so it will be done by the time you're done with the stir fry.
2. Add EVOO and soy sauce to non-stick pan, 1 tbs each. When it's hot add the chicken and tofu (if chicken is not already cooked, wait to add tofu until the chicken is cooked through).
3. Add more soy sauce and EVOO as needed to keep the pan wet, and then tear spinach up into pan. Cook until wilted, adding seasonings as it cooks.
4. Add oyster sauce at the last couple of minutes.
5. Serve over brown rice and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts:

Serving Size: One whole recipe
Calories: 448 g
Calories from fat: 172.5Total Fat: 19.5 g
Saturated Fat: 2.2 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Polyunsaturated fat: 2.15 g
Monounsaturated fat: 10.2 g
Cholesterol (mg): 34
Sodium (mg): 717.5
Total Carbohydrates: 41.25 g
Dietary Fiber: 4 g
Sugars: 3.05 g
Protein: 29.5 g

Stir fry chicken and baby spinach salad with mandarin oranges and tofu

What you need:

1 (approximately 4 oz) Boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed

Fresh baby spinach

A small can of mandarin oranges in its own juice, separated. Reserve juice for dressing.

1/8 Onion (color of your choice) diced or sliced

1/8 block of Firm tofu

Toppings of your choice (I used crushed Saltines)

Reduced sodium soy sauce

Extra virgin olive oil

Mrs. Dash Lemon Pepper blend

Directions

1. Heat approximately 2 tbs olive oil and soy sauce in non-stick skillet, add chicken. Stir fry until cooked through, adding Mrs. Dash at last 2 minutes. If the oil cooks down and chicken starts to char before it's done cooking, add a bit more oil and soy sauce. When chicken is done cooking, use half for your salad, and refrigerate the rest for another salad. You're only using half a serving because you'll replace the remaining serving size with tofu to balance the protein while cutting back on saturated fat.
2. Over a bed of rinsed baby spinach, layer remaining ingredients according to your preference.
3. Crumble tofu on top just before you add the chicken. Tofu can be added to stir fry with chicken, but I added mine fresh.
4. Pour reserved juice from the mandarin oranges over salad as dressing. Save remaining juice and oranges for another salad or a snack later in the day.

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 304

Calories from fat: 144.5

Total fat: 16.5

Saturated Fat: 2.2 g

Trans Fat: 0 g

Polyunsaturated Fat: 2.15 g

Monounsaturated: 10.2 g

Cholesterol: 34 mg

Sodium: 720.5 mg

Total Carbs: 17 g

Dietary Fiber: 3

Sugars: 11.05 g

Protein: 22 g