mangia italiano |
Pizza with a side of Pizza |
Usually i'd skip the jarred pasta sauce in lieu of a quick homemade sauce made up of my favorite Italian spices and canned tomato sauce. Not only is it a low-calorie fix, it's fast and easy and low in sodium too. Sometimes there's just nothing like the original though and that's when it becomes less about substituting the product, and more about extending the use of that product to make that calorie count really worth it. #noregrets. One fantastic example is t his recipe for chicken Parmesan zoodles. My answer to days in which my mom makes her thick and creamy spaghetti and my mouth starts to water and my mind starts to spiral in jealousy. Simply grab that jar of Prego and (in season if you are lucky) a few beautiful giant zucchinis from the local farmer's market and strip away. Couple that with seasoning and Banquet's low calorie (as low as it can get, all things considered) breaded chicken patties and you've got yourself a delicious and remarkably filling lunch that will have you licking the bowl.
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Craving: Cornbread. Solution: Sage. Seems simple but took some research and taste-testing. The secret to that subtle but addictive cornbread flavor lies in the combination of chicken broth and sage. To maximize flavor and minimize the damage traditional cornbread can do to your waistline, go with this stuffed acorn squash recipe. A little goes a long way here: the flavored rice lends all that delicious flavor to a simple and healthy celery/onion mix. A bit of an odd one to carry as a work-day lunch but just remember that with dishes like this one, they're not judging you-they're judging themselves. To love food is to love life itself. The resulting dish is almost always in the shape of a heart. Coincidence? I think not.
Pick your favorite white fish and pair the components of a basic mexican ceviche with traditional italian seasoning for a light effortless lunch. Baked inside an aluminum pocket, this fish is juicy, flavorful, tender and incredibly light. Aside from weighing equal portions for your weekdays (if lunch-prepping) it's also incredibly quick to make!
Though I still can't make it or eat it without breaking the name down to "rat-patootie" in my head, this veggie-packed dish makes the best use of a large fresh farmer's market haul. It's a process if you are trying it for the first time (don't worry, it makes plenty of servings so it's worth the trouble), but addicting enough that you will be a seasoned pro before you know it.
Remember that you can bring down the calorie count by making your own tomato sauce (and spare yourself the trouble of picking up a jar of pasta/meat sauce) by adding your favorite italian spices to a basic tomato sauce (it's already used in the first step of this recipe, so why not?) Get ready to worship this recipe for a solid week or two. You could lie to yourself and say that you'll only make as much as ingredients allow, but you'll probably end up doing what I did, and making a run to the grocery store when you realize you are down to your last prepared slice. There is no such thing as too many mushrooms, onions, or red bell peppers.
Nice and easy for those nights when you've got a craving but don't want to spend extra time cooking. (for nights when you do, check out the amazing Pizza Bread recipe on this same page. So delicious I featured it for two straight weeks on my daily lunch plan before finally tearing myself away and moving on to other meal options).
Tired of staring lustfully into beautiful bowls of al dente noodles? Pair with your favorite sauce and meatballs and you'll never again be caught making bedroom eyes at the spaghetti pot.
Bring down the calorie count by using Kraft Fat Free Mozzarella. Delicious and worth the effort. When slicing the zucchini, make the best use of the leftover core by chopping it into small squares. Bagged and frozen, these are a great addition to any leftover soup or broth. Let's not be wasteful of our veggies folks! Too-thin slices can also be stored and used later as zucchini noodles, perfectly paired with your favorite sauce. How? See my recipe. Don't want to make your own meatballs? Stop by subway and ask them for a meatball sandwich-hold the bread. For a few more cents you can "double" the meat and have meatballs to spare for a rainy day.
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