Ted’s Low Fat “Quick ” Turkey Lasagna

Who does not love to make a quick delicious meal ? This Lasagna feeds 4 and is both low fat and low sodium. Please enjoy and share.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb dry lasagna noodles (use a little more than half the box)
  • 1 lb lean ground turkey ( low fat)
  • 24 oz jar marinara or pasta sauce – your favorite brand (prefer low sodium)
  • 2/3 cup water
  • 15 oz container ricotta or cottage cheese ( low fat)
  • 12 oz mozzarella cheese divided (low fat)
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375.
  • Lightly spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Spread 2/3 cups of the marinara sauce on the bottom of the baking dish.
  • Top with lasagna noodles.
  • Brown the ground turkey in a large skillet. Drain off the fat.
  • Pour in the remaining marinara sauce. Add the water to the jar, replace the lid and shake to loosen up the remaining sauce. Pour into the skillet and stir in.
  • Simmer the meat sauce for 5 minutes.
  • Scatter about one-third of the ricotta cheese on top of the lasagna noodles. Sprinkle on 3 oz of the mozzarella cheese. Top with about one-third of the meat sauce.
  • Add another layer of lasagna noodles and press down slightly.
  • Repeat with ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese and meat sauce – two more times.
  • Top with remaining mozzarella cheese and sprinkle with Italian seasoning.
  • Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes until the noodles are fork-tender. (The additional water and the steam created by covering the baking dish will cook the noodles.)
  • Remove aluminum foil and bake for another 7-8 minutes or until cheese is nice and bubbly.
  • Let the lasagna rest for at least 15 minutes before serving.

20 Minute Skillet Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs small chicken cutlets or breast filets 6 – 8 pieces of chicken
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 cup bread crumbs
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese grated
  • 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 1/2 cups Ragú® Old World Style® Traditional Sauce
  • 1 cup mozzarella grated

Instructions

  • Season chicken with salt and pepper.
  • Combine bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese in a small bowl.
  • Coat the chicken with the bread crumb mixture pressing gently to adhere.
  • Heat 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Add the cutlets (do in batches to avoid crowding) and cook 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through. (Wipe skillet before repeating with remaining chicken pieces.)
  • Remove chicken from skillet and pour half of the pasta sauce onto the bottom of the skillet.
  • Gently lay the chicken on top.
  • Top each piece of chicken with a couple tablespoons of sauce, and two tablespoons of mozzarella. Just spoon and sprinkle till it looks right
  • Place in broiler for 2-4 minutes until cheese just begins to turn golden brown.
  • Serve immediately.

HAWAIIAN CHICKEN AND RICE CASSEROLE

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups uncooked rice
  • 13.5 oz coconut milk 1 can
  • 20 oz pineapple chunks 1 can – drained, cut into smaller pieces
  • 10.75 oz cream of chicken soup 1 can
  • 8 oz water chestnuts 1 can – drained and diced
  • 3 cup cooked chicken diced or shredded
  • 6 green onions thinly sliced
  • 3/4 cup sliced almonds
  • 8 oz shredded cheddar cheese divided
  • 2 cups chow mein noodles

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350F.
  • Lightly spray a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
  • Cook rice according to package directions substituting one cup of coconut milk for one cup of water.
  • Combine cooked rice and remaining ingredients (including the rest of the can of coconut milk) except for the chow mein noodles and half of the shredded cheese in the prepared dish.
  • Bake the casserole for 30 minutes. Remove the casserole from the oven and sprinkle with remaining cheese and chow mein noodles. Return the casserole to the oven and bake for an additional 8-10 minutes or until cheese if melted.
  • Serve immediately.

Blackened Tilapia

This is a simple recipe makes any white fish like Tilapia and Cod, into a delicious meal for lunch or dinner. Can be cooked on a stove top or in the oven, and yes even your air fryer ( use oven directions).

Ingredients

  • 4 tilapia fillets or other white fish like cod
  • 1 lemon sliced
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 2 tablespoons butter
Blackened Seasoning
  • ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon each salt & pepper
  • 1 ½ teaspoons paprika
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 ½ teaspoons brown sugar

Instructions

  • Combine seasonings & brown sugar in a small bowl.
  • Rub seasoning over fish and pan fry or bake in the oven as directed below.
Stove Top
  • Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium high heat.
  • Add the seasoned fish fillets and a few of the lemon slices and cook 3 minutes per side or just until done (do not overcook).
  • Serve with remaining lemon.
Oven
  • Turn broiler onto high and place oven rack on the top.
  • Line a pan with foil and add seasoned fish fillets and a few lemon slices.
  • Broil for 3 minutes.
  • Flip fish and additional 3-4 minutes until tender and flaky. Do not overcook.
  • Serve with remaining lemon.
Air Fryer
  • Turn air fryer to broiler setting. Set to high and place rack on the top slot.
  • Line a pan with foil and add seasoned fish fillets and a few lemon slices.
  • Broil for 3 minutes.
  • Flip fish and additional 3-4 minutes until tender and flaky. Do not overcook.
  • Serve with remaining lemon.

Ground Turkey Taco’s

Ground turkey tacos are made with a homemade seasoning and ready in under 30 minutes which makes them the perfect meal for anyone !

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoons sweet smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder
  • 3/4 tablespoons cumin powder
  • 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 tablespoon onion powder
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 small chopped onion
  • 1 pound of lean ground turkey
  • lettuce leaves, or corn taco shells for gluten free!
  • chopped Lettuce, and tomatoes, and low fat shredded cheese ( optional)

Instructions

  1. Mix together paprika, chipotle powder, cumin powder, oregano, and onion powder in a bowl to make seasoning.
  2. Add 1/2 of the seasoning to the ground turkey and mix till it’s coated well. Set aside.
  3. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet and add the onions . Saute for 4-5 minutes till the onions have softened slightly. Add the remaining seasoning and mix well. Slide the vegetables to one side of the skillet.
  4. Heat the remaining oil in the skillet and add the ground turkey.
  5. Cook the ground turkey for 5 minutes or till cooked through ( no pink).
  6. Add 1/4 cup of water and 1/2 of mixture, and mix well and let simmer for 10 minutes or until water is almost gone.
  7. Serve in lettuce leaves (paleo), or corn taco shells for gluten free, topped with chopped lettuce, and tomatoes, and low fat shredded cheese (optional).

CHICKEN STIR FRY RECIPE

This easy Chicken Stir Fry recipe is loaded with fresh veggies and the most delicious sauce made with honey, soy sauce, and toasted sesame oil! This healthy recipe takes 20 minutes to make and will wow you with it’s amazing flavor! 

Ingredients

  • 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into 1 inch cubes
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 tbsp olive oil divided
  • 2 cups broccoli florets
  • 1/2 yellow bell pepper cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1/2 red bell pepper cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1/2 cup baby carrots sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves minced

Stir Fry Sauce

  • 1 tbsp corn starch
  • 2 tbsp cold water
  • 1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
  • 3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

Instructions

Stir Fry Sauce

  • In a medium size bowl, whisk together corn starch and water. Add remaining ingredients (chicken broth, soy sauce, honey, and toasted sesame oil) and whisk to combine. Set aside.
  • Add one tablespoon of olive oil to a large skillet or wok and heat over medium high heat.
  • Add chicken (in batches if necessary) and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from skillet.
  • Reduce heat to medium and add remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet.
  • Add broccoli, bell pepper, and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, just until crisp tender. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute.
  • Add chicken back into the skillet and stir to combine.
  • Whisk stir fry sauce and pour over chicken and vegetables and stir gently to combine.
  • Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, and let boil for one minute.
  • Serve with rice and/or chow mein if desired.

HONEY BBQ CHICKEN STRIPS

 Sticky, sweet Honey BBQ Chicken Strips are perfect for dinner or game day!

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs chicken tenders or boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into strips
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • vegetable oil for frying
  • 4 cups buttermilk divided
  • 1 tbsp hot sauce
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
  • 1 cup honey barbecue sauce

Instructions

  • Season chicken strips with salt and pepper and marinate in 2 cups buttermilk for at least 2 hours.
  • Bring oil to 350-360F in a large frying pan, about 1 inch deep.
  • Preheat oven to 350F.
  • Combine flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika in a shallow bowl and stir to combine.
  • In a separate bowl, combine 2 cups of buttermilk and hot sauce, set aside.
  • Remove the chicken strips from the buttermilk and shake off the excess.
  • Dip the chicken strip in flour mixture, then in the buttermilk and hot sauce mixture, and then back in the flour mixture Shake off excess flour.
  • Gently place in the hot oil and fry, turning over when golden brown. Drain on paper towels or on a rack.
  • Repeat until all chicken has been fried. The chicken doesn’t need to be cooked through because we’ll be finishing it off in the oven.
  • Gently dip the strips in the honey barbecue sauce and use brush the mixture onto the strips. Shake off excess.
  • Place chicken strips on a parchment line baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until cooked through. Baking time will depend on the size of your chicken strips.
  • Note: if you want to spice these up a bit, add some hot sauce or sriracha to the honey-bbq sauce glaze.

Fall-Off-The-Bone Oven Baked Ribs

Low and slow cooking make these oven baked ribs fall off the bone tender. Once baked, we add our sweet and spicy barbecue sauce or our honey barbecue sauce to the ribs.

For the most tender ribs, we remove the thin membrane covering the back of the rack. Depending on where you have purchased ribs, ( trimmed) this may already be done for you.

DIRECTIONS

Ingredients

2 to 2 1/2 pounds baby back pork ribs or or short beef (trimmed)

Salt and Pepper

Sweet and Spicy Sauce or Honey BBQ Sauce

Instructions

  • Heat oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit (135C).
  • If the ribs still have the thin membrane covering the back of the rack, remove it.
  • Season both sides of the ribs with a generous amount of salt and pepper then place, meat-side up, into a large roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet. (It may be necessary to cut the ribs in half in order for them to fit into the pan).
  • Cover the pan or baking sheet tightly with aluminum foil, and then bake until the meat falls easily from the bones, 3 to 4 hours.
  • Remove the ribs from the oven (once cooked) , discard the aluminum foil and generously brush both sides with barbecue sauce.

Optional: Move an oven rack near to the top of the oven. Turn broiler to high and broil the ribs for 3-4 minutes, just until the barbecue sauce begins to caramelize. (Keep a close eye on the ribs while they broil so they the sauce does not burn.)

Sweet and Spicy BBQ Sauce

A low sodium sweet and spicy sauce good on any meat !

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup finely diced onion

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 cup ketchup (low sodium)

1 tablespoon hot chili sauce (suggestion Sriracha)

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Salt and ground pepper, to taste

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat.

Add the onions and cook until soft and translucent, 5 to 8 minutes.

Stir in the cumin and cook for an additional 30 seconds.

Add the ketchup, hot chili sauce, brown sugar, and apple cider vinegar.

Stir to combine, season with salt then cook for 2 minutes. 

Let cool before serving .

Honey BBQ Sauce

Honey barbecue sauce is a delightfully sweet sauce that is great on chicken, burgers, and so much more. It isn’t spicy or sour, so it’s the perfect sauce for your most discerning young person. Not only is this sauce a favorite of every member of the family, it’s easy to make and can be made in advance making dinner prep easy.

INGREDIENTS 

  • 1 cup ketchup ( sodium lite)
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 Tablespoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon salt (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic granules or powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion granules or powder
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper


INSTRUCTIONS

  • Combine all ingredients for BBQ Sauce in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
  • Bring sauce to a boil.
  • Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.
  • Remove sauce from heat and allow to cool.
  • Store in an airtight glass container for up to 2 weeks.