Light Italian Side Dish

I love my Italian food, but let's be honest - it's not always the healthiest of options. So I sought out a way to make one of my favorite dishes that will keep you full and satisfied without breaking the calorie budget! Eat as a side dish or just a snack - either way you'll be making it for ages to come!

Light Eggplant Parmesan

Serves 1

Ingredients:
1/3 large eggplant (Trader Joe's - $1.99 for one eggplant, $.66 used here)
1 large zucchini (Trader Joe's - $2.49 for 5 zucchinis, $.50 used here)
1/2 cup mushrooms (Trader Joe's - $1.99 for a packet, $.50 used here)
1oz mozzarella cheese (Trader Joe's - $3.99 for a 16oz log, $.25 used here)
1/2 cup tomato sauce (Ralphs - $.79 for a can, $.23 used here)
basil, dried or fresh
salt
pepper

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Cut eggplant into 1/4 thick slices and cut each slice into quarters. Slice zucchini into 1/8 inch slices.
• Spray a baking dish (I used a 8x8 dish) with nonstick cooking spray and mix eggplant, zucchini, and mushrooms in the dish. Cover with tomato sauce and sprinkle with basil, salt, and pepper.
• Thinly slice mozzarella and arrange on top of the vegetable mix.
• Bake for 15 minutes, or until cheese has melted and veggies are cooked through.
• Serve hot!

Total cost:  $2.14 (Compare that to a fancy Italian restaurant!)
Nutrition Facts: 168 calories, 5.6g fat (3.1g saturated, 0g trans), 18mg cholesterol, 1000mg sodium, 24g carbs, 8.5g fiber, 13.6g sugar, 14.3g protein, [Vit A 25%, Vit C 110%, Calcium 29%, Iron 16%]

If you would like, add in some cooked cubed chicken or shrimp before you put it in the oven and you have a full meal [*will change calorie content!]. Until next time, may your stomachs be full and your grocery bill be small!

The Other Red Meat

We often forget about pork, the other red meat, because it has a tendency to dry out and be stringy. Try this recipe, designed for a cast iron skillet or dutch oven (you can also use an oven-safe saute pan with high-ish sides). This recipe is only enough for one, but can easily be adapted for more as long as you have a big enough pan!
Note: The ingredients listed without a price are things that are typically stocked in a kitchen anyway that musn't be purchased just for this recipe but rather can be used multiple times.

Roasted Pork Loin with Potatoes

Serves 1

Ingredients:
4oz pork loin [Trader Joe's, 3 4-oz loins, $4.54 - $1.51 used here]
2 oz red wine [Just used what I had laying around, Berringer]
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp rosemary
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup sliced onion [Ralphs, $.50 for a large onion - about $.25 used here]
1/2 medium russet potato [Trader Joe's, $.69 for a medium potato, $.35 used here]
1 1/2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp minced garlic


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Meanwhile on the stove over medium heat, warm the oil.

Saute minced garlic, sliced onions and cubed potatoes for a few minutes until onions are tender and potatoes start cooking.

Space out a hole in the center of the potato and onion and put in pork loin, seasoned with salt and pepper on both sides.

Sear the outside of the loin, 1-2 minutes on each side.

Pour rosemary, balsamic vinegar, and red wine over everything and allow to simmer for a minute or two.

Put in middle rack of oven and bake about 10 min or until cooked through.

Read more: http://caloriecount.about.com/roasted-pork-loin-potato-recipe-r307781#ixzz0cMaqgM9F

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Meanwhile on the stove over medium heat, warm the oil.

Saute minced garlic, sliced onions and cubed potatoes for a few minutes until onions are tender and potatoes start cooking.

Space out a hole in the center of the potato and onion and put in pork loin, seasoned with salt and pepper on both sides.

Sear the outside of the loin, 1-2 minutes on each side.

Pour rosemary, balsamic vinegar, and red wine over everything and allow to simmer for a minute or two.

Put in middle rack of oven and bake about 10 min or until cooked through.

Read more: http://caloriecount.about.com/roasted-pork-loin-potato-recipe-r307781#ixzz0cMaqgM9F

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Meanwhile on the stove over medium heat, warm the oil.
• Saute minced garlic, sliced onions and cubed potatoes for a few minutes until onions are tender and potatoes start cooking.
• Space out a hole in the center of the potato and onion and put in pork loin, seasoned with salt and pepper on both sides.
• Sear the outside of the loin, 1-2 minutes on each side.
• Pour rosemary, balsamic vinegar, and red wine over everything and allow to simmer for a minute or two.
• Put in middle rack of oven and bake about 10 min or until cooked through.

Total Cost: $2.11, one serving.
Nutrition Facts: 392.7g, 378 calories, 10.6g fat [2.3g saturated, 0g trans], 72mg cholesterol, 653mg sodium, 28.8g carbs, 3.1g fiber, 3.8g sugar, 29.2g protein, [Vit A 1%, Vit C 20%, Calcium 7%, Iron 17%]

This dish is deliciously moist and flavorful! If the potatoes are not cooked through when everything else is ready, take out pork loin and cover with foil and continue to bake potatoes in pan until done. Until next time, may your stomachs be full and your grocery bill be small!

Substitute for Pasta

One of my biggest weaknesses as a lover of Mediterranean food is pasta. I could eat it every meal of every day and never get sick of it thanks to the hundreds of variations of sauce, shapes, fillings, etc. While whole wheat pasta is indeed healthy and I do enjoy it in moderation, sometimes I just can't bring myself to spend the calories on both the pasta itself and the delicious things I want to do to it! So I sought after a substitute and emerged with spaghetti squash which is available year round but has a peak season from early fall through winter - perfect for this time of year!
There are so many things you can do with this squash, whether you try this recipe, pour some of your favorite pasta topping on it, or simply toss with a little extra virgin olive oil and some salt and pepper. I strongly urge those skeptics out there to at least give this versatile vegetable a try!

Spaghetti Squash Bake

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1/2 a medium sized spaghetti squash, 4 cups cooked (Trader Joe's - $1.99 for one squash, $1 used here)
1 cup jarred marinara sauce (Trader Joe's Traditional Marinara - $2.29 for a jar, $1.02 used here)
2 cups sliced mushrooms (Trader Joe's - $2.29 for a packet, $1.53 used here)
8oz boneless skinless chicken breast, trimmed of visible fat (Trader Joe's - $7 for a bag of 8 4oz breasts, $1.75 used here)
1/2 cup Part-skim Ricotta Cheese (Ralphs, Precious brand - $2.50 for a large tub, $.33 used here)
2 tsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• While heating, cut the squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Place one half on a baking sheet inside facing down and bake until outer shell is tender and indents when pushed with a fork.
• Using a fork, scrape at the inside of the squash and it will come out in strands, much like spaghetti. Use 4 cups.
• While squash is baking, heat the olive oil over medium high heat in a small saute pan. Cut the chicken into 1 inch cubes and saute in the oil until golden brown and cooked through.
• Coat an 8x8 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Thoroughly mix chicken, squash, marinara, mushroom, ricotta, salt and pepper and bake for 10-15 minutes, until entire dish is heated through and lightly crispy around the edges.
  

Total Cost: $5.63, about $2.82 per serving.
Nutrition Facts per serving: 672g, 369 calories, 11g fat [2.1g saturated, 0g trans], 60mg cholesterol, 583.5mg potassium, 714mg sodium, 35g carbs, 8g fiber, 15g sugar, 36g protein, [Vit A 26%, Vit C 48%, Calcium 22%, Iron 16%]

I hope that spaghetti squash will become one of your favorites as it has become one of mine! Until next time, may your stomachs be full and your grocery bill be small!