nom nom nom

[sprinklethief]

so i tried a whole new approach to low-cal cooking. tonight's dinner clocked in UNDER 400 calories. allow me to brag (w/pics)

first, the whole shebang:


okay so here we have mini pizzas (made from portobello caps instead of crust), caramel apple pork chop, spaghetti squash with lemon-garlic sauce and steamed asparagus.




(for 2 people)
mini pizzas

portobello caps
chopped jalapeno
chopped sweet red peppers
chopped black olives
low fat pizza sauce
skim milk mozzarella (shredded)

it's pretty self explanatory on how to put it together. the only thing is i wish i could find a way to make the top of the caps cruncy. suggestions?


caramel apple pork chops


2 4oz chops
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 dash salt and pepper to taste
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 tbsp buttery spread (we tend to use smart balance
1 medium apple cored and sliced into 1/2 in wedges (we used red delicious)
a dash of rosemary

in small bowl combine brown sugar, salt, pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg

heat skillet over medium-high. cook pork chops 5-6 minutes turning occasionally until evenly browned. sprinkle with rosemary, remove and keep warm

add buttery spread to skillet. stir in brown sugar mixture and apple. cover and cook 3-4 minutes (just until apples are tender). remove apple and place on top of chops. continue to cook mixture uncovered for a few till it slightly thickens, then spoon over chops and apples. you can add pecans for added yum factor.


spaghetti squash with lemon-garlic sauce



i'm admittedly unexperienced with this guy so i just threw something together.

1 spaghetti squash (3-5oz is most common i believe. the recipe doesn't use the whole thing so you will have leftovers)
2 tbsp buttery spread
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp garlic powder (or a clove or two chopped fresh garlic)
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

stab spaghetti squash 5-6 times and place in pre-heated oven at 375 degrees for about an hour. when squash is finished cooking let stand for about 10-20 minutes. slice the squash open lengthwise and pull out seeds (you can set aside for low-cal pumpkin seeds snack). with a fork and tongs separate the squash into strands.

in small bowl mix buttery spread, lemon juice and garlic. pop in microwave for about 30 seconds.

take maybe 1-2 cups of spaghetti squash and mix in butter mixture. sprinkle crushed red pepper flakes and serve.

steamed asparagus


1 medium zip n' steam bag
1 lb asparagus
1 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt

combine ingredients in bag and seal. shake to combine ingredients and place bag in microwave.

cook on full power for 3 minutes. allow bag to sit for about a minute before handling. open and serve.



so yeah, that was my night.

Comments

[urinoscopy.livejournal.com]

wow that looks so tasty, i should sneak over to your house to have dinner.
do you have a low cal cook book or is it a online thing?

[paroxysm-cycle.livejournal.com]

that would be an impressive sneak!

i've just been using all kinds of low-cal websites to gather info and reading/looking up nutritional info and going from there. some of them have pretty cool recipes too. i think i'll write up an index when i have a little extra time.

[urinoscopy.livejournal.com]

*stretches her legs across the ocean*

there we go :P i do want to travel when i finish my degree :D