Low cal Italian....go!

lwanbaugh81
lwanbaugh81 Posts: 70 Member
in Recipes
Boyfriend just called and decided to come over tonight. Of course that means I need to come up with some sort of elaborate anniversary meal since I wasn't expecting him. He suggested something Italian. Suggestions??

Replies

  • jlemoore
    jlemoore Posts: 702 Member
    Toss hot pasta with some diced fresh tomatoes (~2 lbs) feta cheese, and dill weed. Add warm shrimp. Google Meditarian Pasta.

    Go to "blackgirlsguidetoweightloss.com" and search for chicken parmesaen. YUM.
  • daj150
    daj150 Posts: 815 Member
    Chicken'less Parmesan with spaghetti and diavlo sauce (or marinara if you don't like spicy). Not sure if you have a Wegmans or Whole Foods near you, but they have vegetarian breaded "chicken" (fake chicken) that tastes like the real thing and is way less calories. Get some organic pasta, fat free cheese, yummy sauce, and you are set. This meal is less than half the calories of the real chicken version.

    Unless you are going for authentic Italian...in which case there a ton of recipes you can search for that you can just replace heavy cream with plain greek yogurt, cheese with fat-free or low-fat version...if you had more time, there are low calories pastas...but I have only seen them mail-order only.
  • gwensoul
    gwensoul Posts: 87 Member
    from Cook This not That: Chicken Parm.

    4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (4-6 oz each)
    1/2 tsp salt
    1/2 tsp black pepper
    2 egg whites, lightly beaten
    1 cup bread crumbs, preferably panko
    2 Tbsp grated Parmesan
    1/2 Tbsp dried Italian seasoning
    1 Tbsp olive oil
    1 cup tomato sauce (we love anything from Muir Glen)
    4 oz shredded part-skim mozzarella
    Fresh basil leaves (optional)

    How to Make It:
    *Preheat the broiler. Cover the chicken breasts with parchment paper or plastic wrap and, using a meat mallet or a heavy-bottomed pan, pound the chicken until it is uniformly 1/4" thick. Season with the salt and pepper.

    *Place the egg whites in a shallow bowl. Mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan, and Italian seasoning on a large plate.

    *Dip each breast into the egg whites to coat both sides and then into the crumb mixture, patting the crumbs so they fully cover the chicken.

    *Heat the oil in a large skillet or saute pan over medium heat. Cook the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes on the first side before turning. (The crust should be deeply browned and crunchy.) Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, then transfer the chicken to a baking sheet.

    *Spoon the tomato sauce over the chicken pieces, then top with the cheese and place underneath the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes or until the cheese is fully melted and bubbling. Serve garnished with basil (if using).

    Makes 4 servings
    Cost per serving: $3.79
    340 calories
    11 g fat (4 g saturated)
    670 mg sodium
  • Evachiquita
    Evachiquita Posts: 223 Member
    Make zuchinni noodles instead of using wheat noodles. This is best done with a spiralizer. But I have also used a zester, and I've seen it done with a vegetable peeler. Just use the peeler to create wide flat noodles. Then you could eat them like that or further slice them. Not terribly difficult but it does take some time.
  • Richie2shoes
    Richie2shoes Posts: 411 Member
    Cut the amount of pasta in half and substitute spaghetti squash for the rest.
  • tiffanic83
    tiffanic83 Posts: 64
    I actually made chicken parm for the boyfriend last night :) Funny that yall are talking about it. It was surprising not that high in calories. Just use small boneless skinless breasts, whole wheat pasta and mozzarella.

    Otherwise anything with shrimp is going to be lower in calories meat wise. If you didn't need to go fancy you can make shrimp tacos look fabulous with garnishes of fresh cilantro, black beans, fresh lime juice, corn tortillas, and a dollop of sour cream. When I make them they're pretty and colorful and darn low in calories!! Add some serranos and a bed of spinach, the spicey goes great with white wine! Have a super fun time!!!
  • shellyesq
    shellyesq Posts: 2
    The spinach lasagna rolls on skinnytaste.com are quite yummy.

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