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

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

Herb Roasted Eggplant and Tomatoes with Feta

This easy and wonderful recipe is from Bon Appetit. Roasting the vegetables, especially the tomatoes concentrates the flavor and makes this dish that much more yummy. Not bad for a diet recipe:)

If you want to, you can substitute or add more veggies to make the dish more to your taste. Here are some suggestions with their calories:
1 cup (4 oz.) chopped zucchini = 20 calories
1 cup (6 oz.) chopped onion = 65 calories
1 clove garlic = 5 calories
1 cup (5 oz.) chopped green or red peppers = 30 calories
1 cup (5 oz.) mushrooms, sliced, cooked = 80 calories
1 tomato (4 oz.) tomato = 25 calories
1 olive = 10 calories
1 cup chopped eggplant, cooked = 35 calories
1 lb eggplant, cooked = 130 calories

Be careful with the olive oil, don't use too much. Keep in mind that olive oil has 120 calories each tablespoon.

HERB ROASTED EGGPLANT AND TOMATOES WITH FETA

Ingredients:
1 1 3/4-pound eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 large plum tomatoes, cored, quartered lengthwise
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons Sherry wine vinegar
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450°F. Place eggplant and tomatoes on rimmed baking sheet; toss with oil and vinegar. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons oregano, salt, and pepper. Roast until eggplant is tender and golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 40 minutes.

Transfer eggplant and tomatoes to platter. Sprinkle with feta and 2 teaspoons oregano and serve.

Makes 6 servings
Per serving:
Calories: 133
Fat: 10g
Carbs: 10g
Fiber: 5g
Protein: 3g