Bored with spaghetti and meatballs? Try making this easy dish inspired from allrecipes.com. The original recipe called for feta cheese but I opted for the richer and sharper Parmigiano-Reggiano instead (plus, it was on sale!). The bell peppers lend a nice light taste to the pasta and the lack of a heavy sauce really brings out their flavor. Add a little chicken for protein and you’ll have one colorful and easy weeknight meal.

Ingredients

(Makes 4-6 servings)

2 T extra virgin olive oil

3 boneless chicken breasts

1 16 oz box rotini pasta

1/2 c chopped onion

3 minced garlic cloves

1 medium chopped red bell pepper

1 medium chopped orange bell pepper

1-2 t Italian seasoning

1/4 t salt

1/2 t pepper

1/4 c water

1/2 c grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Directions

1. Rinse chicken breasts and cut into bite size pieces. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet and sauté until done, then remove and set aside.
2. Bring a large pot of water to boil, season with salt, and cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
3. Add 1 tablespoon oil to the same skillet that was used previously and sauté onions for 2 minutes or until they just begin to turn transparent.
4. Add garlic and peppers, stir for 2-3 minutes until tender.
5. Stir in salt, pepper, seasoning, cooked chicken, and pasta until warmed through. Add water as needed so that it is not too dry.
6. Turn off heat and stir in cheese. Serve immediately.

Tips

• Try using kitchen shears to trim and cut the chicken before cooking. It saves time and the scissors can be thrown right into the dishwasher afterwards.
• If the fancy colored peppers aren’t on sale, use the good old green ones instead. This is a judgment-free zone after all. Same goes for the fancy cheese―Parmesan or even shredded mozzarella will do just fine.
• As the Parmigiano can be a bit sharp, stay conservative when adding it and do a taste-test after half of it is mixed in.
• Feel free to substitute your favorite pasta in this dish. I used rotini because it was fun, swirly, and, most importantly, in our pantry.
• For an extra kick, try adding a pinch of cayenne pepper to the mix.

Ingredients

1/2 c white flour

1 1/2 c wheat flour

1 t baking soda

1 t cinnamon

1 t salt

1 egg

1/2 + 1/8 c baking Splenda

1/2 c sugar

1/4 c canola oil

1/4 c unsweetened applesauce

3 T fat free buttermilk

1/2 t vanilla extract

3 ripe medium bananas, mashed

1/2 c + 1/3 c chopped walnuts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray or use liners.
2. Mix together flours, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, mix egg, sugars, oil, applesauce, buttermilk, vanilla, and bananas.
4. Gradually add flour mixture to wet mixture and combine.
5. Add 1/2 c walnuts and pour into muffin cups.
6. Top with remaining walnuts and bake for 20-25 minutes until tops are browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Tips

• Watch the bake time carefully as they will dry out if overcooked.
• Out of buttermilk? Try using 2 tablespoons of regular milk and 1 tablespoon of good old orange juice (I won’t tell).
• It should be fine to substitute all of the regular sugar for Splenda if you prefer. It’s a bit pricey though, so I haven’t been this daring yet.
• Try spreading on chocolatey Nutella for an especially delicious afternoon snack!

This is another yummy Giada recipe that called to me from the television after work one day. After one bite, I resolved to become an Italian-in-disguise and eat only pasta and red sauce dishes from now on. While it is definitely a “Sunday” meal as it took me around an hour and a half to make, the savory taste of turkey and artichoke combined with a slightly spicy marinara sauce is well worth the effort!

Ingredients

(Makes 4-6 servings)

For Shells:

1 box jumbo pasta shells (12 oz)

3 T extra virgin olive oil

1/2 yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)

2 t minced garlic (3 or 4 cloves)

1 lb lean ground turkey

1 t salt

1/2 t pepper

1 package frozen artichokes (8-10 oz), thawed and coarsely chopped

1 container light or fat free ricotta cheese

1/2 cup grated reduced fat Parmesan

1 egg plus 2 egg whites, lightly beaten

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

2 T chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

For Sauce:

2 T extra virgin olive oil

3 oz sliced pancetta, coarsely chopped

2 t crushed red pepper flakes (use black pepper for a milder kick)

1 t minced garlic (2 cloves)

2 jars marinara sauce

1-1 1/2 cup reduced fat mozzarella

Directions

1. Cook pasta, stirring occasionally, in a pot of boiling salted water until partially done, about 4-5 minutes. Drain.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet on medium-high. Add onions and garlic and cook until onions are soft and starting to brown, about 3 minutes.
3. Add turkey, salt, and pepper. Stir until lightly browned and cook through. Add artichoke, stir to combine, and remove from heat to cool.
4. While the mixture cools, make the sauce by heating oil in the bottom of a large pot. Add pancetta and sauté until golden brown, around 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute more. Add marinara sauce and pepper, bring to a simmer, and remove from heat.
5. In a large bowl, combine the cooled turkey mixture with the ricotta and Parmesan cheeses, eggs, basil, and parsley.
6. To stuff the shells, spread 1 cup of sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Stuff each shell with approximately 2 tablespoons of the turkey mixture. Repeat until pan is full (use another pan with additional sauce on the bottom if needed).
7. Pour the remaining Arrabbiata sauce over shells and top with mozzarella. Cover and freeze if desired.
8. Bake at 400 F until cheese is melted and shells are warmed through (around 1 hour if frozen, 20 minutes if not).

Tips

• According to the original recipe, the stuffed shells can be frozen from one day to one month. However, I can only verify this for one day because I have no willpower.
• The number of shells will most likely outlast the amount of filling. Keep this in mind if you really like to stuff your shells.
• No fresh herbs on hand or in possession of a black thumb? A few teaspoons each of dried basil and parsley work just as well. Or a couple tablespoons of dried Italian seasoning will do beautifully.
• Check the deli section for the pancetta. The original recipe called for 6 oz, but it can tend to be expensive and half that amount worked just as well.
• Be sure to thaw the artichoke beforehand to avoid frantically microwaving it at the last minute.

*Recipe adapted from Turkey and Artichoke Stuffed Shells with Arrabbiata Sauce, Giada de Laurentis

Confession: I am afraid of cooking pork. I guess it's the fact that it’s not quite beef and yet not quite chicken that detours me past the butcher’s counter for fear of the unknown. But, after seeing my favorite TV chef Giada easily conquer this mysterious white meat, I decided (hesitantly) to give it a try. And you know what? It was easy! And quick! The Parmesan crust sealed in the juices, and the scent of pork sizzling away in the pan was almost good enough to make me want to cook pork everyday. Almost!

Ingredients

(Makes 2-4 servings)

3 egg whites

1 cup dried Italian-style bread crumbs

1/2 cup grated reduced fat Parmesan

4 center-cut pork loin chops ((1/2 to 3/4-inch thick; about 10 to 12 oz each)

Salt and pepper

6 T olive oil

Directions

1. Whisk the egg whites in a medium-sized bowl until slightly frothy.
2. Pour bread crumbs and Parmesan in another medium-sized bowl and blend.
3. Lightly roll each piece of pork in bread crumbs, then dip in egg whites and return to bread crumbs, this time patting in the mixture well.
4. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
5. Season the pork with salt and pepper and place in pan. Cook about 5-6 minutes on each side until done (150 degrees).
6. Transfer to plates and let rest for a few minutes before digging in!

Tips

• Serve with potatoes or rice and a vegetable for an effortless meal.
• Use a pair of tongs when coating the pork to cut down on mess.
• The pork is a lean cut; however, there is still often a thin rind of fat around the pork that you can trim before coating.
• While I own a meat thermometer, I am horrible at using it and it never works well when I do. Instead, I cut into the middle of one of the pork pieces when they look about done to be sure no pink meat remains. The piece may not look pretty, but your guests will be too busy eating your delicious cooking to notice.

*Recipe adapted from Parmesan-Crusted Pork Chops, Giada De Laurentiis

After taking advantage of a buy-one-get-one sale on turkey kielbasas, I was stumped on how to use them for dinner. Thankfully, I stumbled upon this simple recipe from Smitten Kitchen and swapped out her chorizo for the kielbasa―it yields one fast hearty meal! I thought the almonds would taste strange but they played very nicely with the other flavors in the recipe. Also, I added Parmesan cheese on a last minute whim and was pleased that it punched up the flavor of the bread. Because what doesn’t taste better with cheese?

Ingredients

(Yields 2-4 servings)

1 pound asparagus

4 T extra virgin olive oil

1 reduced fat turkey kielbasa

2-3 cups bread cubes, preferably from a baguette or round loaf

2-3 handfuls whole almonds

1/3 cup grated reduced fat Parmesan

1 T minced garlic

Salt and pepper to taste (about 1/4 t of each)

Directions

1. Rinse and snap asparagus stalks (once bended, the woody part will naturally break off). Cut each stalk into 4-5 pieces.
2. Cut kielbasa into 1/4-inch slices.
3. Heat oil in large skillet until very hot
4. Add kielbasa, asparagus, almonds, garlic, salt, and pepper. Stir for 2 minutes to give them a head start on the cooking process.
5. Add bread cubes and toss to combine. Sauté for 4-5 minutes. It should soak up just enough oil and juices at this point to be flavorful, but light.
6. Add Parmesan and continue tossing until bread is slightly browned and asparagus tastes done (2-3 minutes more).
7. Turn off heat, serve, and enjoy!

Tips

• No need to be exact with this recipe; tweaking and eyeballing amounts is fine if you’re feeling unmotivated to measure (or if your measuring cups have been abandoned in the dishwasher for 4.5 days!).
• I cut the bread cubes on the larger side since they tend to break down when cooking.
• Remember to factor in the salt from the kielbasa when seasoning. Mine was a tad too salty, especially as leftovers the next day.
• Above all, do not let the oil heat up in the pan for too long without proper ventilation. This may result in several smoke alarms going off and one very grumpy husband (sorry hon!).

*Recipe adapted from Asparagus with Chorizo and Croutons, Smitten Kitchen

It’s the kid in me who still loves fish sticks, so I had to try this “grown up” version by Giada De Laurentiis. It’s a definite repeat recipe! They were super easy to make and I was able to get away with slightly uneven pieces (who has time to measure?). Breading them was a little tedious and resulted in messy dough fingers but the flour-egg-seasoning combo produced a very satisfying crunch. I was pleasantly surprised by how crispy oven-baking made them. I substituted reduced fat Parmesan and nonfat yogurt in the dip, which still produced a great creamy flavor that complemented the fish perfectly.

Ingredients

For Fish Sticks:

1 (18-oz) center-cut salmon fillet, about 9 by 4 inches, skinned

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 t salt

1/4 t freshly ground black pepper

3 egg whites

1 cup grated reduced fat Parmesan cheese

1 cup seasoned Italian bread crumbs

Olive oil, for drizzling

For Dipping Sauce:

1/3 cup reduced fat mayonnaise

1/3 cup nonfat plain yogurt

1 T Dijon mustard

1 T chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 F.
2. Rinse salmon and pat dry with paper towels. Cut to a uniform size (roughly 4 inches long and 1/2-inch tall and wide).
3. Place flour in a medium bowl and add salt and pepper. Place egg whites in another bowl and use a fork or whisk to beat until frothy. Combine the Parmesan and breadcrumbs in a third bowl.
4. Roll salmon pieces in flour, pat off excess, and dip in egg whites. Then roll in the Parmesan mixture, making sure they are well coated.
5. Spread pieces out onto a greased baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Let cool a few minutes before removing from baking sheet. Serve with dipping sauce and enjoy!

Tips

• Be sure not to skimp on the oil on the cooking sheet to avoid sticking. I used a combination of cooking spray and olive oil.
• Watch the time carefully and pull the sticks out as soon as they look lightly browned, as salmon tends to dry out very quickly.
• You can halve the dip recipe as it makes a lot (unless you’re a big dipper of course!).
• Accompanied with rice and broccoli, the serving size should feed 3-4 people.

*Recipe adapted from Parmesan Fish Sticks, Giada De Laurentiis

This is my go-to recipe for an easy afternoon snack or dessert. Adding applesauce keeps the cookies super moist and delicious while cutting out a quarter of the sugar needed. The use of a handy-dandy stand mixer and cookie-dough scoop (read: I’m spoiled) makes the prep time go by fast!

Ingredients

(Makes 18-24 cookies)

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup (1 stick) softened butter or margarine

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons salt (this balances out the sweetness in the applesauce)

1/2-2/3 bag chocolate chips or M&Ms

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Cream sugars, egg, applesauce, vanilla, and butter in a large bowl.
3. Mix flour, baking soda, and salt in a smaller bowl.
4. Gradually add flour mixture to large bowl and combine.
5. Stir in chocolate chips.
6. Spoon dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet.
7. Bake 10-13 minutes just until lightly browned around the edges.
8. Let rest for a few minutes and transfer to cooling rack.

Tips

• While butter or margarine will work, I always use margarine as it makes for a lighter tasting cookie.
• To cut calories further, you can try baking Splenda (read directions on package for exact substitution amounts); I have not yet tried eliminating all of the white sugar this way.
• Use individually portioned applesauce cups as these come pre-measured.
• The cookies will not spread much during baking so you can space them relatively close together.
• When in doubt of cooking time, stay on the undercooked side to be assured of the deliciousness. I usually remove them around the 11-minute mark.
• Substitute chocolate chunks if you’re feeling especially feisty.

*Recipe adapted from Red's Ultimate M&M'S® Cookies, Mars, Inc.