Recipe #3: BLT Quesadilla

To somebody who does not enjoy tomatoes (like myself) this may LOOK too tomato-ey for you... but let me assure you, IT IS DELICIOUS!!!  TRUST me... I do not like tomatoes, but I really really really enjoyed this recipe!!

Ingredients:
-1 large Tortilla (recommended:  Use La Tortilla Factory Smart & Delicious Low Carb/High Fiber tortilla)
-2 tablespoons fat-free shredded cheese (I used cheddar but mozzarella works too!!)
-2 slices extra - lean turkey bacon
-Half plum tomato diced (recommended:  Use a Roma Tomato)
-Half cup shredded lettuce

Sauce:
-1 tablespoon fat-free Mayonnaise
-1 tablespoon Ketchup

Directions:
-Cook bacon according to the package directions, either in the microwave or in a pan sprayed with nonstick spray.  Once cool enough to handle, roughly chop bacon and set aside.

-Bring a pan sprayed with nonstick spray to medium heat and lay the tortilla flat in the pan.  Top evenly with cheese.

-Once cheese begins to melt, cover half of the tortilla with bacon and tomato.  Using a spatula, carefully fold the cheese-only side over the other half, pressing down with the spatula to seal.  Cook side 1 for about a minute.  Flip and continue cooking for about 1 minute or until both sides are toasty.  Remove from heat.

-To make the sauce, combine mayo and ketchup in a small dish.  Cut quesadilla into triangles, top with shredded lettuce and serve with sauce on the side. 

MAKES 1 SERVING

PER SERVING (entire quesadilla):  175 calories, 4.5g fat, 1,026mg sodium, 26.5g carbs, 12.5g fiber, 7g sugars, 18.5g protein.

Recipes 1 & 2: Stuffed Chicken & Stuffed Peppers

I'm going through this phase lately where all I want to do is try new recipes and test the cooking skills.  So far, so good... minus the fire alarms going off the night I steamed veggies on the stove.  Anyways, I thought I would start sharing recipes!!!  Here are the first two I have tried that taste fantastic!!!  I, of course, change them a little or leave some ingredients out... but I will let you know what I change or what can be added.
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Recipe 1:  Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast

Ingredients:
-4 chicken cutlets, split (8 pieces)
-1 8oz package cream cheese
-Chives

Coating Mix:
-1 cup of bread crumbs
-1 teaspoon of garlic powder
-1/2 a teaspoon of basil
-1/2 a teaspoon of oregano
-2 teaspoons of Parmesan cheese

Directions:
-Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

-Lay 8 pieces of chicken flattened on wax paper.  Divide cream cheese into 8 slices, placing a slice on each piece of chicken.  Sprinkle with chives, roll up, and secure with a toothpick.  Roll chicken rolls in coating mix and place in a slightly greased baking dish.  Drizzle with melted butter.  Shake on the Parmesan cheese.  Bake at 375 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes.

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Recipe 2:  Super Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients:

-1 large red bell pepper

-1/2 a cup of browned ground beef

-1/4 of a cup of chopped onion

-1/4 of a cup of chopped green bell pepper

-1/4 of a cup of tomato sauce

-2 tablespoons shredded fat-free cheddar cheese

-1/2 a teaspoon of dry taco seasoning mix

-1/4 of a teaspoon of minced garlic

(I substitute ground beef for the 1/2 cup frozen ground-beef-style soy crumbles; I also leave out the 1 deseeded and chopped plum Roma tomato and the 1/2 a cup of chopped mushrooms.)

Directions:

-Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

-Slice off the top of the red bell pepper and slice it in half length wise.  Remove seeds and place in a lightly greased baking dish with the cut side up.  Place in the oven for 25 minutes.

-While peppers are baking, bring a medium pan to medium high heat on the stove.  Add the onion and pepper (and mushrooms if you so choose) and cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until the vegetables are softened.  Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Move the ingredients to a bowl and add the beef (or soy crumbles), tomato sauce, cheese, and taco seasoning (and tomatoes if you want them).  Mix thoroughly.  Remove the pepper halves from the oven and reduce the heat to 350 degrees.  Soak up any excess moisture with a paper towel.  Evenly spoon mixture into the peppers and bake for 20 minutes.

Per Serving (2 stuffed pepper halves):  303 calories, 5 grams of fat, 407 grams of sodium, 21 grams of carbs, 5 grams of fiber, 21 grams of protein.