New Recipe missing something. Any ideas?

losingg

I'm new to this site, but not new to the dieting world! Last year I lost about 20 lbs and have kept it off for a year! Now I'm ready to get moving and lose the last 10. It's definitely going to be a challenge, being that I'm always looking for something SUPER tasty to curb my cravings. I'm big on stuffed peppers, so I'm trying to come up with a low-cal recipe.
Here's what I've got (one serving) :
1 Md. Green Bell Pepper - 30 cal.
2/3 Cup MorningStar Meal Starters - Recipe Crumbles - 80 cal. (1 cup - 120 cal.)
1/2 Cup homemade tomato sauce - 60 cal.
1 Tbsp. garlic powder - 28 cal (or 4 Tspn. minced garlic - 20 cal.)
1 oz Mini Stars pasta - 100 cal. (I figured this would be a good substitute for rice).

Total Cals - 298.

Any suggestions??

Thanks ! :happy:

craftylatvian

You could add some cheese to the top. Make it Mexican with the addition of some cumin and chili powder, or Italian with some oregano and basil.

therobinator

Why not use brown rice instead of white rice or pasta? Or some other whole grain like Quinoa or Barley.
Me, personally, I like my food spicey -- maybe try some hot peppers or chili powder for flavor....and yes, cheese, mmmmm!

mayasmom

Sounds good!

I would actually swap out the pasta for a long grain brown rice (not instant). You'll get more fiber and nutrients from the rice than you would the pasta.

JujiBean

Jalapenos! Or even the "hots" out of a jar.

susancelli928

You could add some cheese to the top. Make it Mexican with the addition of some cumin and chili powder, or Italian with some oregano and basil.

I agree, spice it up with some more seasonings and/or cheese (low fat)

fabulousfebe

sounds fabulicious...with cheese and peppers :drinker:

dahill_1973

To fix what may be missing:
Try instant brown rice instead of the stars. More fiber, more filling (calories aren't everything).
Add a 1/4 cup of egg beaters or a whole egg for binding & texture.

Some mix-it-up ideas:
Substitute a salsa for the tomato sauce for a Mexican flair.
Substitute a marinara for the Italian style.
Go wild & substitute your favorite BBQ sauce for 1/4 cup of the tomato for a tangy kick.

losingg

Thank you all SO much ! I think the hot peppers sound like a great idea. Along with the cheese, of course. I'm going to have it for dinner tomorrow, so I'll be dreaming about it for the next two days ! Haha !

light_shimmer

There's a seasoning called "Slap Ya Mama"....I think it's only available online, at least up north here anyway. It's a mix of four different cajun spices that I pretty much sprinkle on anything I think tastes boring. Just a tiny amount gives you a lot of flavor. slapyamama.com - We go in with a friend of ours who likes it too and split the cost of shipping.

bizco

This is from a Weight Watchers cookbook. Makes 4 servings.

1/2 pound lean ground beef (10% or less fat)
1 cup cooked white rice
1 onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup thawed frozen green peas
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp tomato paste
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp minced thyme
1 tsp minced basil
1/2 tsp minced sage
1/2 tsp minced rosemary
4 peppers (green, red or yellow, tops cut off and seeded)
1/2 cup tomato puree or tomato sauce

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, combine the beef, rice, onion, peas, cheese, tomato paste, and spices. Loosely stuff the peppers with the mixture; stand them in a baking dish or casserole Pour the tomato puree over the peppers; add enough water so that the liquid comes about one-fourth up the sides of the peppers. Cover with foil and bake, basting occasionally with the juices, 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until the peppers and rice are tender and the filling is completely cooked, about 20 minutes longer. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Per serving: 284 calories, 10g total fat, 5g saturated fat, 52mg cholesterol, 471mg sodium, 28g carbs, 6g fiber, 23g protein, 188mg calcium.

To cut down on the fat in this recipe, use skinless ground lean turkey breast in place of the beef.

losingg

This is from a Weight Watchers cookbook. Makes 4 servings.

1/2 pound lean ground beef (10% or less fat)
1 cup cooked white rice
1 onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup thawed frozen green peas
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp tomato paste
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp minced thyme
1 tsp minced basil
1/2 tsp minced sage
1/2 tsp minced rosemary
4 peppers (green, red or yellow, tops cut off and seeded)
1/2 cup tomato puree or tomato sauce

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, combine the beef, rice, onion, peas, cheese, tomato paste, and spices. Loosely stuff the peppers with the mixture; stand them in a baking dish or casserole Pour the tomato puree over the peppers; add enough water so that the liquid comes about one-fourth up the sides of the peppers. Cover with foil and bake, basting occasionally with the juices, 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until the peppers and rice are tender and the filling is completely cooked, about 20 minutes longer. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Per serving: 284 calories, 10g total fat, 5g saturated fat, 52mg cholesterol, 471mg sodium, 28g carbs, 6g fiber, 23g protein, 188mg calcium.

To cut down on the fat in this recipe, use skinless ground lean turkey breast in place of the beef.

THANK YOU !

losingg

There's a seasoning called "Slap Ya Mama"....I think it's only available online, at least up north here anyway. It's a mix of four different cajun spices that I pretty much sprinkle on anything I think tastes boring. Just a tiny amount gives you a lot of flavor. slapyamama.com - We go in with a friend of ours who likes it too and split the cost of shipping.

I'm going to HAVE to give this a go ! The name, itself, sells it to me !! ;-)

Escultor

Losingg, I went in a completely different direction with the stuffed pepper since the people above have made the basic suggestions I would have added.

Why not try a Mediterranean palette?

Using the brown rice (I'd "overcook" it to make it quite soft.)
Olives, chopped or sliced.
Hummus mixed through.
Rosemary
Maybe a bit of lemon sprinkled over it


For a decadent touch I would add a dry goat cheese.

light_shimmer

There's a seasoning called "Slap Ya Mama"....I think it's only available online, at least up north here anyway. It's a mix of four different cajun spices that I pretty much sprinkle on anything I think tastes boring. Just a tiny amount gives you a lot of flavor. slapyamama.com - We go in with a friend of ours who likes it too and split the cost of shipping.

I'm going to HAVE to give this a go ! The name, itself, sells it to me !! ;-)

LOL- yea, it was the name that got us started, but it's one of the BEST spices I've used. You really have to be careful with it though. Through trial and error we discovered a tsp is pretty much good in whatever recipe I'm making, and just a pinch on individual dishes. It can get a little spicy if you use too much.

AdoraK

I would add some cheese and caramelized onion and mushrooms.
If you need to add some bread crumbs - I switch this to Fiber one bran cereal original.

Jazzy_Maria

def don't use white pasta or rice... any if you do go with rice, DON'T do instant!!! somehow in the process of making quick it leaches out all the good nutrients... and it's always mushy too...

Quinoa is good too!