INDEX OF ALL RECIPES

Here is the updated index from beginning to today.

There are too many recipes without an index on this site because blogger isn't really set up for it. So I've decided to add an index of recipes at the end of each month.

APPETIZER RECIPES:
Bulgur Stuffed Tomato 265 cal / 40g carbs

BEEF RECIPES:
Open Faced Burgers with Onion Mushroom Topping 320 cal / 27g carbs
Meatloaf 170 cal / 10g carbs

BREAKFAST RECIPES:
Raisin Bran Muffins 90 cal / 18g carbs and 250 cal - 11g carbs

CHICKEN RECIPES:
Chicken and Farfalle Salad with Walnut Pesto 375 cal / 37g carbs
Chicken Marsala 235 cal / 35.5g carbs

COFFEE, DRINK AND COCTAIL RECIPES:
Brandied Berry Milk Shake 180 cal / 25g carbs

DESSERT RECIPES:
Flan 210 cal / 44g carbs

EGG RECIPES:
Cheese Omelet 205 cal / 1.5g carbs
Florentine Frittata 265 cal / 32g carbs

PASTA RECIPES:
Baked Macaroni and Cheese 265 cal / 40g carbs or 350 cal / 55g carbs
Zucchini Lasagna 260 cal / 40g carbs

PORK RECIPES:
Southwestern Grilled Pork Tenderloin 170 cal / 1.4g carbs

POTATO RECIPES:
Scalloped Potatoes with Shallots, Mushrooms, Roasted Garlic 165 cal / 22g carbs

RICE RECIPES:
Vegetable Fried Rice 140 cal / 23.5g carbs

SALAD RECIPES:
Avocado and WaterCress Salad 125 cal / 5g carbs
Chicken and Farfalle Salad with Walnut Pesto 375 cal / 37g carbs
Gourmet Chicken Salad 400 cal / 5g carbs
Lentil Salad with Tomato and Dill 200 cal / 16g carbs
Orzo with Tomatoes, Feta, and Green Onions 335 cal / 35g carbs

SANDWICH RECIPES:
Fruity Tuna Salad Pita Sandwiches 225 cal / 27g carbs

SAUCES/DRESSINGS/DIPS/SALSAS:
Creamy Feta Spinach Dip 80 cal / 4g carbs

SEAFOOD RECIPES:
Black Cod With Olives and Potatoes in Parchment 250 cal / 8g carbs

SOUP RECIPES:
Creamy Potato Soup 95 cal / 20g carbs

VEGETABLE DISHES:
Herb Roasted Eggplant and Tomatoes with Feta 135 cal / 10g carbs

Lentil Salad with Tomato and Dill

I love lentils, so while I was looking for a low cal recipe I remembered the recipe that is easy to prepare, tasty and filling at my other blog. It's called Lentil Salad with Tomato and Dill. Follow the link and you can find my suggestions for changes too:)

This recipe is for 4 servings:
Per serving:
Calories: 200
Fat: 14 g
Carbs: 16 g
Protein: 5.5 g

Keep in mind that you can bring the calories down by using less olive oil. The recipe calls for 1/4 cup which is about 470 calories for the total recipe.

If you add 1 cup of crumbled feta cheese add 400 calories. So if you add 1/4 of it to each serving you are adding 100 calories to the dish.

If you add a cucumber, you are adding additional 25 calories. 1 cup of shredded butter lettuce is less than 10 calories:) At last, something that doesn't add too many calories. And what is good about lettuce is that it takes a long time for the stomach to digest it, so it keeps it busy and you will feel hungry much later. So I add lettuce to my salads as often as I can.

Enjoy:)

Flan

This recipe comes out less eggy than a regular flan because it uses egg substitute which is just fine with me. As far as I'm concerned it's a dessert which is a must from time to time when you are dieting:)

Make sure you don't stir the sugar while it is dissolving because you will crystallize it, just swirl it around from time to time if you want to speed it up.

If you want to give it a nice orange scent which doesn't really do much for the taste, just add 2 teaspoons of grated orange rind (be careful not to add the whites, just the outer skin) to milk and simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes. Don't forget to let it cool down before you add it to the rest of the ingredients so that you don't cook the eggs into an omelet:)

FLAN

Ingredients:
1 1/3 cups sugar, divided
3/4 cup egg substitute
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 (12-ounce) cans evaporated skimmed milk

Directions:
Place 1 cup sugar in a large heavy skillet over medium heat; cook 5 minutes or until sugar dissolves (do not stir). Continue cooking until golden, and stir well. Immediately pour into a 9-inch round cake pan, tipping quickly until sugar coats bottom of cake pan, and set aside.

Combine remaining 1/3 cup sugar, egg substitute, vanilla, and milk; stir well. Pour into prepared cake pan; place in a large, shallow pan. Add hot water to pan to a depth of 1 inch. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a knife inserted near center comes out clean. Remove cake pan from water; let cool 1 hour on a wire rack. Cover and chill 4 hours.

To serve, loosen edges of flan with a knife or rubber spatula. Place a serving plate, upside down, on top of cake pan; invert flan onto plate. Drizzle any remaining syrup over flan.

Makes 8 servings (serving size: 1 wedge)
Per Serving:
Calories: 210
Fat: 0.2 g
Carbs: 44 g
Protein: 9

Black Cod With Olives and Potatoes in Parchment

I copied this easy and wonderful recipe from Gourmet. Because you cook in little packets there is hardly any cleanup after the meal is done, which is great. And according to the magazine these little packets seal in the fish and vegetable juices, with the potato slices insulating the fish from the heat of the oven and the olives and lemon slices emphasizing its bright flavors. And they are right.

I love the olives in this dish, if you can, try not to skip them. Feel free to go ahead and use any kind you like. I used black olives because I like the saltiness it adds.

Enjoy:)

BLACK COD WITH OLIVES AND POTATOES IN PARCHMENT

Ingredients:
1/2 pound small Yukon Gold potatoes
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons finely chopped oregano, divided
2 1/4 teaspoons fine sea salt, divided
8 (5-ounce) pieces skinless black cod, Pacific cod, or haddock fillet (about 1 inch thick), any bones removed
1 lemon, very thinly sliced
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 cup Kalamata-style black olives, pitted and cut into slivers
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves

Equipment: an adjustable-blade slicer; 8 (12- to 15-inch) squares of parchment paper; kitchen string

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F with a baking sheet on bottom rack.

Cut potatoes into very thin slices with slicer. Toss potatoes with 2 tablespoons oil, 1 teaspoon oregano, and 1/4 teaspoon sea salt. Divide potatoes among parchment squares, arranging them in center, slightly overlapping, then top with a piece of fish.

Sprinkle each fillet with a scant 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, then top each with a lemon slice, a few garlic slices and olive slivers, parsley leaves, 1/2 teaspoon oregano, and 1/2 tablespoon oil.

Gather sides of parchment up over fish to form a pouch, leaving no openings, and tie tightly with kitchen string. Put packages on hot baking sheet and bake until fish is just cooked through, 15 to 22 minutes.

Cooks' note: Fish can be assembled in parchment 4 hours ahead and chilled.

Makes 8 servings
Per serving:
Calories: 250
Fat: 13 g
Carbs: 8 g
Protein: 26 g
Fiber: 1 g

Creamy Feta Spinach Dip

I like this dip because it is salty and you can eat it by itself with some pita chips that you can prepare by baking in the 375 degree oven for about 8 minutes. Just read the package to find out how many calories you are adding.

Or you can use it with the oven fried vegetables.

Enjoy:)

CREAMY FETA-SPINACH DIP

Ingredients:
1 (8-ounce) carton plain low-fat yogurt
3/4 cup (3 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup (2 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup low-fat sour cream
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 1/2 cups finely chopped spinach
1 tablespoon minced fresh or 1 teaspoon dried dill
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Fresh Dill (optional)

Directions:
Spoon yogurt onto several layers of heavy-duty paper towels; spread to 1/2-inch thickness. Cover with additional paper towels, and let stand 5 minutes.

Scrape into the bowl of a food processor using a rubber spatula. Add the cheeses, sour cream, and garlic, and process until smooth, scraping sides of bowl once.

Spoon yogurt mixture into a medium bowl, and stir in the spinach, minced dill, and pepper.

Cover and chill. Garnish with fresh dill, if desired.

Makes 2 cups (serving size: 1/4 cup)
Per serving:
Calories: 80
Fat: 6 g
Carbs: 4 g
Protein: 4 g

Southwestern Grilled Pork Tenderloin

It can get pretty boring to have chicken all the time while dieting. So here is an alternative. It's very easy to prepare, and you can use your barbecue or your broiler.

Pork chops don't have much flavor, and they often end up very dry. The rub you are using creates a crust while the pork remains juicy inside, so it's a real treat:) And the trick for keeping them moist is also to grill them on medium-high heat. If you cook them with high heat as if you are cooking steak you will dry them up.

If you like rosemary, you can also use it along with oregano or thyme. Use 1 tablespoon of each (rosemary and thyme). And I used chopped garlic just because I like the taste better than garlic powder.

Don't forget to get rid of the fat that borders the chops. Not only it's not good for you, it also curls up the chops while cooking which doesn't let the chops cook evenly.

If you want to cheat a bit, you can add about 1/2 cup of red wine to the marinade. Enjoy:)

SOUTHWESTERN GRILLED PORK TENDERLOIN

Ingredients:
2 whole pork tenderloins (about - 1 1/2 lbs. total) or 6 pork chops
4 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon dried garlic powder

Directions:
Mix together chili powder, oregano, cumin, and garlic powder. Rub over the surface of pork. Cover and refrigerate 2-24 hours.

Grill over medium hot coals, or broil. Turn occasionally. Tenderloins will take 25-20 minutes, pork chops will be ready in 10-15 minutes. Meat thermometer should read 155-160° F. Pork is done when there is still a hint of pink in the center.

Makes 6 servings (approx 4 oz.)
Per Serving:
Calories:170.7
Fat: 5.2g
Carbohydrates: 1.4g
Protein: 28.2g

Brandied Berry Milk Shake

Here is an easy and tasty recipe that you can take a break with. It's not so high in calories and it's also good without the alcohol. To me, it's like a dessert in the afternoon:)

BRANDIED BERRY MILK SHAKE

Ingredients:
2 cups vanilla low-fat ice cream
1/2 cup blackberries
1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 cup sliced strawberries
1/2 cup 1% low-fat milk
1/4 cup brandy

Directions:
Place all ingredients in a blender; process until smooth.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup)
Per serving:
Calories: 180
Fat: 4 g
Carbs: 25 g
Protein: 5 g
Fiber: 2 g

Raisin Bran Muffins

I have two different raisin bran muffin recipes that I'm going to post. The calorie difference is considerable. One is really really moist, the other one is not bad at all. Depending on the calories you can afford you can choose to use the recipe that you wish. I say this because some people are going for 1,200 calories, while others can afford to go to 1,400 calories a day.

And don't worry if you have extra muffins. If you do, wrap each one in foil and store them all in a plastic bag in the freezer. Defrost at room temperature overnight or in the oven before breakfast.

These muffins that I have copied from Martha Stewart are very easy to prepare and they are not time consuming at all.

RAISIN BRAN MUFFINS

Ingredients:
1/4 cup vegetable oil, plus more for tin
1 1/2 cups raisin bran cereal
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour (spooned and leveled)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup packed dark-brown sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400. Lightly oil a 6-cup standard muffin tin, or use paper liners. In a medium bowl, combine cereal and milk; let stand until softened, about 5 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

Stir oil, egg, and sugar into cereal mixture. Fold in flour mixture. Divide batter among cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in tin 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack; let cool completely, or serve warm. Store up to 5 days at room temperature in a resealable plastic bag.

Makes 6 servings:
Per serving:
Calories: 250
Fat: 11 g
Carbs: 36.5 g
Protein: 5 g

OR

Here is a low calorie Raisin Bran Muffin recipe which is considerably lower calorie. But it is dryer than the regular muffin although it does hit the spot:)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup Splenda
1 Tablespoon Sifted Baking Powder
Dash Salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup of Parkay no calorie butter spray
1/4 cup 2% Milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 Cup of Raisin Bran

Directions:
Mix ingredients; bake in muffin cups in preheated 350 degree oven until done - about 20 minutes.

Makes 6 servings:
Per serving:
Calories: 90
Fat: 1.5 g
Carbs: 18 g
Protein: 3 g

Creamy Potato Soup

This potato soup recipe is a great low cal variation and if you serve it before a salad, you'd have a wonderfully filling complete meal. A soup before any meal is actually a great idea because it fills you up before you eat the main meal so it helps you with portion control.

And it really is low in calories because it doesn't use any flour, or any type of broth. If you want to have a tastier soup use low sodium chicken broth mixed with water. It makes a big difference to taste.

I like adding onions to this soup. Saute them for about 3 minutes before adding them to the soup.

Enjoy:)

CREAMY POTATO SOUP

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups water
5 medium potatoes, peeled and cut up
1 medium celery stalk, sliced (1/2 cup)
1/4 cup water
1 cup milk
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
2 green onions, thinly sliced

Directions:
Heat 1 1/2 cups water to boiling in 3-quart saucepan. Add potatoes and celery. Cover and heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer about 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Drain liquid into blender. Remove 3 cups cooked vegetables from saucepan; place in blender with liquid. Add 1/4 cup water. Cover and blend about 1 minute until smooth.

Stir pureed vegetables back into saucepan. Stir in remaining ingredients; heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until hot.

Makes 6 servings (about 3/4 cup each):
Per serving:
Calories: 95
Fat: 1 g
Carbohydrates: 20 g
Protein: 3 g
Fiber: 1 g

Vegetable Fried Rice

There is so much you can do with rice, so I thought why not fried rice? It gives you carbs along with veggies and it is very tasty.

I don't use eggs, I use egg substitute which is much less in calories. 2 eggs are 180 calories, and I use 1 cup of egg substitute which is only 120 calories. As far as I'm concerned anything I can save it good:)

I like adding some garlic to this mixture too. Just a tad bit. Or use shallots instead of onions.

If you want to speed up the cooking time and make sure that the fresh veggies you are using are cooked, steam them. It doesn't take that long of a time.

I use Trader Joe's fried rice that gets cooked in the microwave in about 3 minutes. I like using it because I don't have to add any butter, oil etc. And it takes only 3 minutes, could you ask for more?:)

VEGETABLE FRIED RICE

Ingredients:
3 cups cooked brown rice
1 (10 oz.) package frozen mixed vegetables (or 2 cups fresh vegetables, chopped)
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons olive oil
3 teaspoons low sodium soy sauce

Directions:
In a large pan, heat oil on medium-high heat. Add onion and rice. Stir and cook until onion is soft, about 5 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium and add vegetables and meat to rice mixture. Cook 2 minutes for frozen vegetables and 5-7 minutes for fresh vegetables.

Spread the mixture out to the sides of the pan, leaving space in the middle for the eggs.

Add the eggs, and scramble until cooked firm.

Mix the eggs with the rice and vegetables, then sprinkle with soy sauce.

Makes 8 servings
Per Serving:
Calories: 140
Fat: 3 g
Carbohydrates: 23.5 g
Protein: 4.6 g

Fruity Tuna Salad Pita Sandwiches

You would be using fresh tuna steak for this recipe. But if you don't have it around, you can substitute one can of solid white tuna in water (9 oz.).

You can also choose to serve it over a bed of greens instead of a sandwich. The ingredients of this recipe makes it very unique. And it's good both ways.

FRUITY TUNA SALAD PITA SANDWICHES

Ingredients:
1 hard-cooked egg
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Dash of black pepper
1 (8-ounce) tuna steak
Cooking spray
1/4 cup diced celery
1/4 cup raisins
2 tablespoons minced green onions
3 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 (8-ounce) can unsweetened pineapple tidbits, drained
2 (5-inch) whole-wheat pitas, cut in half
1 1/3 cups torn Bibb lettuce
8 (1/4-inch-thick) tomato slices

Directions:
Slice egg in half lengthwise, and remove yolk; reserve egg yolk for another use. Dice egg white halves; set aside.

Prepare grill or broiler.

Sprinkle the lemon juice and pepper over tuna. Place the tuna on a grill or broiler rack coated with cooking spray; cook 4 minutes on each side until tuna is medium-rare or desired degree of doneness. Coarsely chop tuna.

Combine tuna, diced egg white, celery, and the next 5 ingredients (celery through pineapple) in a bowl. Line each pita half with 1/3 cup lettuce and 2 tomato slices. Divide the tuna mixture evenly among pita halves.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 pita half)
Per serving:
Calories: 225
Fat: 5.5g
Carbs: 27 g
Protein: 18 g

Scalloped Potatoes with Shallots, Mushrooms, Roasted Garlic and Thyme

You are supposed to roast the garlic for this recipe, which already takes a long time to cook. So, I just skip it, but go ahead and prepare it by sauteing them. But keep in mind that the garlic becomes much more mellow when roasted, so you might need to use much less.

Preparing this dish doesn't take that long, but cooking it does so give yourself enough lead time with this recipe:) It makes no difference to me that it does take time because it is simply delicious. But be careful not to overdo the serving:)

Enjoy....

SCALLOPED POTATOES WITH SHALLOTS, MUSHROOMS, ROASTED GARLIC AND THYME

Ingredients:
4 whole garlic heads
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 1/3 cups minced shallots (about 15 medium)
3 cups chopped mushrooms (8 ounces)
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 1/2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons chopped fresh or 2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, thinly sliced
Cooking spray
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°.

Remove white papery skins from garlic heads (do not peel or separate cloves). Wrap each head separately in foil. Bake at 350° for 1 hour; cool 10 minutes. Separate cloves; squeeze to extract garlic pulp (you should have about 1/4 cup). Discard skins.

Preheat oven to 375°.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots; sauté 3 minutes or until softened. Add mushrooms; sauté 5 minutes. Stir in vinegar; cook 1 minute or until liquid almost evaporates. Remove from heat.

Place milk, garlic pulp, flour, thyme, salt, and pepper in a food processor; process until smooth.

Arrange one-third of potatoes in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Spread half of the shallot mixture over potatoes. Repeat procedure with remaining potato slices and shallot mixture, ending with potato slices. Pour milk mixture evenly over potatoes.

Cover with foil; bake at 375° for 30 minutes. Remove foil; bake, uncovered, 30 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese; bake 15 minutes or until cheese is golden. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 cup)
Per serving:
Calories: 165
Fat: 5 g
Carbs: 22 g
Protein: 10 g
Fiber: 3.5 g

Meatloaf

I've had this relatively low calorie meatloaf recipe for some time. It's easy to prepare and you can cut down the cooking time by making it into small meatloaves which is what I always do, because you end up with a more available crunchy outside which I love.

And these make great leftovers for sandwiches, but if you are cooking for only two and don't want too much leftovers, you don't have to cook the whole recipe. Divide and freeze the second batch. You can keep it for at least 3 months.

I don't use meatloaf pans, I rather cook it in a regular pan so that all the fat can run out rather than be cooked into the meatloaf.

I like using barbecue sauce rather than catsup in the meatloaf. If you prefer, substitute with about 1 tablespoon of barbecue sauce, don't use 1/4 cup.

MEATLOAF

Ingredients:
1 lb lean ground beef (85%)
1 egg white
1/4 cup catsup
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic
2/4 cup shredded carrots
1/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup skim milk
1 tablespoon mustard (I prefer Dijon)
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons of catsup to spread outside the meatloaf
Salt and Pepper to taste
Cooking Spray

Directions:
Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté until just tender, about 6 minutes. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Transfer onion mixture to large bowl.

Combine the beef, breadcrumbs, onion mixture, 1 tablespoon barbecue sauce, and remaining ingredients except cooking spray in a large bowl. Do not overmix as it will make the loaf dense.

Shape meat mixture into a 9 x 5-inch loaf on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a thermometer registers 160°. Spread the 2 tablespoons of catsup during the last 10 minutes of cooking.

Let stand 10 minutes. Transfer to platter and serve.

Makes 6 servings
Per serving:
Calories: 170
Fat: 7
Carbs: 10 g
Protein: 15 g
Fiber: 1 g

Zucchini Lasagna

The calories of this tasty lasagna is not bad at all. And it is very tasty. The only change that I made was to use skim ricotta cheese instead of cottage cheese simply because I like the taste better.

The recipe is from National Institutes of Health, so you know it is healthy:) Enjoy....

ZUCCHINI LASAGNA

Ingredients:
1/2 lb lasagna noodles, cooked in unsalted water
3/4 c part-skim mozzarella cheese, grated
1-1/2 c fat free or skim ricotta cheese
1/4 c Parmesan cheese, grated
1-1/2 c raw zucchini, sliced
2-1/2 c no salt added tomato sauce
2 tsp basil, dried
2 tsp oregano, dried
1/4 c onion, chopped
1 clove garlic
1/8 tsp black pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray 9- by 13-inch baking dish with vegetable oil spray.

In small bowl, combine 1/8 cup mozzarella and 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese. Set aside.

In medium bowl, combine remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese with all of the cottage cheese. Mix well and set aside.

Combine tomato sauce with remaining ingredients. Spread thin layer of tomato sauce in bottom of baking dish. Add a third of noodles in single layer. Spread half of cottage cheese mixture on top. Add layer of zucchini.

Repeat layering. Add thin coating of sauce. Top with noodles, sauce, and reserved cheese mixture. Cover with aluminum foil.

Bake for 30-40 minutes. Cool for 10-15 minutes.

Makes 6 servings
Per Serving:
Calories: 260
Fat: 10 g
Carbohydrates: 40 g
Protein: 16 g

Orzo with Tomatoes, Feta, and Green Onions

Orzo is fun if you want to have pasta, but if you want the look and feel of rice. The recipe that I have on my other site which is called ORZO WITH TOMATOES, FETA, AND GREEN ONIONS is for 8 servings and as is per serving is about 450 calories. So I've make some changes to it to make it for diet friendly.

First the stuff that I skip completely:
1. Pine nuts which brings down the calories to 385 per serving. Crazy eh?
2. Honey, not because of calories because per serving the difference is only 3 calories, but because it doesn't suit my taste buds.

Then I bring down the calories by:
1 cup of feta cheese instead of 1,5 cups and the amounts per serving becomes 360 calories.
I use 2 cups of chicken broth and the rest just regular water and per serving calories become 320

And the dish is still very tasty.

So here is the amended recipe:

ORZO WITH TOMATOES, FETA, AND GREEN ONIONS

Ingredients:
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 cup olive oil
2 cups chicken broth
1 pound orzo (or riso)
2 cups red and yellow teardrop or grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 cup chopped fresh basil
1 cup chopped green onions

Directions:
Whisk vinegar, lemon juice, and honey in small bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. Season vinaigrette with salt and pepper. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.)

Bring broth to boil in large heavy saucepan. Stir in orzo, reduce heat to medium, cover partially, and boil until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain. Transfer to large wide bowl, tossing frequently until cool.

Mix tomatoes, feta, basil, and green onions into orzo. Add vinaigrette; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.) Serve at room temperature.

Makes 8 servings.

And here are the tips:
To the sauce, add some garlic. You can also add about 1/4 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese which will bring the calorie count per serving to 335 calories.

Also use a little bit more lemon as the orzo really absorbs it. But don't add it to the dressing while you are preparing it. Adding it to the dressing doesn't make it sharp enough for the orzo. After you prepare the orzo see if you would like to add more lemon , and if you do add it directly to orzo.

Florentine Frittata

This recipe from Cooking Light is like my guide recipe. I change the ingredients according to what I have in hand.

I don't use butter, and use butter substitute spray instead which works out just fine.

Serve it with a nice mesclun salad and you have a complete meal which is really satisfying. Enjoy:)

FLORENTINE FRITTATA

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 (16-ounce) carton egg substitute
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
2 teaspoons butter
2 cups thinly sliced Vidalia or other sweet onion
2 cups frozen shredded hash brown potatoes
1 (7-ounce) bottle roasted red bell peppers, drained and sliced
3/4 cup (3 ounces) crumbled feta cheese

Directions:
Combine the first 7 ingredients in a medium bowl; set aside.

Melt butter in a 10-inch cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion; sauté 5 minutes. Add potatoes; cook 9 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally.

Pour egg mixture over onion mixture. Arrange bell pepper slices on top of frittata. Cook 7 minutes or until set. Sprinkle with cheese.

Wrap handle of pan with foil. Preheat broiler. Broil 5 minutes or until cheese is lightly browned. Cut into 4 wedges.

Makes 4 servings (serving size: 1 wedge)
Per serving:
Calories: 265
Fat: 8 g
Carbs: 32 g
Protein: 20 g
Fiber: 6 g