weight loss cardiff answers:
White pasta isn’t bad for you, it just that whole grain keeps you fuller longer and has more nutritional value. Balance your plate to be 1/2 veg, 1/4 protein, 1/4 carb. Cut back red meat, stick to white and try vegetarian once in a while.
Baked Chicken with Sundried Tomatoes
1 lb chicken breasts, boneless; 1 oz vegetable oil; 20 whole garlic cloves, peeled; 1 medium onion, sliced thin; 1/2 c sun dried tomatoes, chopped; 1/4 cupwhite wine; 1/2-3/4 cup chicken stock; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; white pepper to taste: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Rinse & dry chicken. Crush 2 garlic cloves. Place an ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add oil. Add crushed garlic to pan then place chicken in the pan on top of the garlic. Toss in remaining garlic cloves.Cook chicken 8 minutes, flip. Continue to cook 4 minutes. Remove chicken from pan. Set aside. Place onions and tomatoes over caramelized garlic. Allow onions and tomatoes to sweat in pan for 3-4 minutes. Reduce heat, add wine. Stir. Add chicken back. Add stock just until liquid level reaches halfway up sides of the chicken. Add oregano and pepper to taste. Cover with tight fitting lid and place in oven. Bake 30 mins.Serves 4, 256 calories
Pan-Fried Tilapia
4 tilapia fillets, about 4 oz. Each; 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs; 2 tbsp oil; seasonings to taste: cut tilapia into 3 inch pieces/strips. Season if desired and coat with breadcrumbs. Cook fish in oil 6-8 minutes in skillet, turning once, until golden brown and easily flaked. Serves 4, 211 calories
Lemon-Spinach pasta
Penne, 2 cups; Margarine, 1 tsp; Garlic, 1 clove; Light Ricotta Cheese, 0.5 cup; Parmesan Cheese, freshly grated, 2 tbsp; Lemon Peel, 1 tsp; Lemon Juice, 1 tbsp; pinch salt; Oregano, 1 tsp; Fresh Baby Spinach, 2.5 cups; Diced Red Pepper, 0.25 cup: Cook Penne according to pasta instructions til al dente. Reserving about 1/2 cup pasta water, drain pasta and set aside. Melt margarine in the same pot; fry garlic until fragrant. Add ricotta, 1/2 the Parmesan, lemon rind and juice, salt, oregano, and enough of the pasta water to thin out the sauce. Stirring frequently, bring mixture to a simmer. Add spinach and red pepper. Stir until spinach is wilted. Return pasta to pot, toss to coat. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.
Serves 2 as a main dish, 420 calories each, or 4 as a side, 210 calories.
Vegetarian Lasagna
3 tbsp flour; 1-1/2 cups milk; 1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese; 1/4 tsp nutmeg; Salt and Pepper; 4 carrots; 2 bunches broccoli; 1 onions, chopped; 1 cup sliced mushrooms; 1 can tomatoes, drained (reserve juice); 2 tbsp tomato paste; 1/2 tsp dried basil; 1/4 tsp dried oregano; 6 oven-ready lasagna noodles: In small pan, blend flour with 1/4 cup of the milk til smooth. Stir in remaining milk. Cook, stirring, over medium heat til thickened. Add 1/2 cheese, the nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook 2 mins. Place waxed paper directly on surface and set aside. Peel and slice carrots and broccoli stalks. Break broccoli florets into bite-size pieces. In saucepan of boiling water, cook carrots and broccoli stalks until almost tender-crisp. Add broccoli florets and cook for 3 mins; drain. Gently stir in onion and mushrooms; let stand, covered, 5 mins. Stir in cheese sauce; set aside. Crush tomatoes in bowl. Stir in tomato paste and enough reserved tomato juice to make 2 cups. Stir in basil, oregano and salt and pepper. Spoon one-third of the tomato mixture into ungreased 8-inch square glass baking dish; arrange half of the noodles over the top. Cover with half of the vegetable mixture. Repeat layers; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover with foil; bake 30 mins at 350.
Luscious Lentils:
1 cup of dried lentils; 3.5 cups of water; 1 small onion, diced; .5 red bell pepper, diced; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 2 tbsp. Oil; 1 tsp. Salt; 1 tsp black pepper: In a medium sized skillet, saute onions and peppers and garlic in oil over medium heat until tender. In a medium sauce pan, combine lentils and water. Bring to boil over high heat, reduce heat, add vegetables, cover and simmer until reduced (about 20-25 minutes.) Serves 4 as side, 134 calories.
Baked Linguine Florentine
5 oz linguine; 1 C low fat shredded mozzarella; 3/4 C low fat sour cream; 1 egg, lightly beaten; 1 10oz pkg frozen spinach, thawed & drained; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp garlic powder; 1 15 oz can tomato sauce. Cook linguine according to packaging. Combine cheese, sour cream. Egg, spinich, salt and garlic powder in a bowl. Add drained cooked linguine & throughly combine. Place in 8X8 baking dish and top with sauce. Bake in preheated 350 oven for 30 minutes. Serves 8 as side, 172 calories.
