I really love quiche, but I had never made one until now. I’ll pretty much eat anything with caramelized onion in it, so this Cooking Light recipe seemed like a good place to start. I thought it turned out great and, after initially turning her nose up at it, Olivia eventually gave in and ate her whole piece. We had this dish for dinner, but it would also be a fantastic brunch option.

Zucchini and Caramelized Onion Quiche

1 refrigerated pie crust
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced
2 tsp sugar
4 cups sliced zucchini
3 cloves of garlic, minced
¾ tsp kosher salt, divided
1 cup low-fat milk
1½ tbsp all-purpose flour
½ tsp pepper
3 large eggs
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook until soft and translucent. Sprinkle in sugar, stir, and continue cooking until the onions are very tender, about 20 minutes. Allow to cool and then finely chop.

2. Preheat oven to 425°. Unroll pie crust and fit into a 10-inch pie plate. Bake the pie crust for 12 minutes or until edges are golden. Remove and allow to cool. Reduce oven temperature to 375°.

3. Heat large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add remaining olive oil the pan. Add zucchini and garlic, and sprinkle with ¼ tsp salt. Sauté 5 minutes or until zucchini is crisp-tender. Cool slightly.

4. Arrange caramelized onions over the bottom of the pie crust; top with zucchini mixture. Combine ½ tsp salt, milk, flour, pepper, eggs, and cheese in a mixing bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Pour the egg mixture over the zucchini and onions.

5. Bake the quiche at 375° for 35 minutes or until set. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before cutting. 

We usually eat vegetarian a few nights a week, so I’m always on the lookout for recipes that are outside of the usual salad/pasta/quinoa rotation. I saw this recipe for vegetarian stuffed peppers and decided to try my own spin on it. 

Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

2 green peppers
2 red peppers
2 yellow peppers
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 small onion, chopped
2 small tomatoes, diced
2 cups fresh spinach
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup goat cheese crumbles
1 clove minced garlic
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400°, and lightly spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Place the halved and seeded peppers cut side down on the baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes.

3. While the peppers roast, heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook for one minute.

4. Add onions and mushrooms and cook until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and spinach and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

5. In a large bowl, mix together the rice, vegetables, goat cheese, salt, and pepper.

6. After the peppers are done roasting, flip them over and fill each half with the rice and vegetable mixture.

7. Return the peppers to the oven and roast for another 5 minutes.

My husband is not a fan of grits, but I thought this recipe just might bring him over to the dark side. I was right—he enjoyed every bite, much to his chagrin.

With no cream or flour, this recipe is lighter than what you’ll find in most restaurants but it’s every bit as tasty!

Shrimp and Grits

1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
½ lemon, juiced
¼ tsp Tabasco sauce
¼ tsp cayenne
4 slices of bacon
¼ red pepper, chopped
¾ cup onion, chopped
1½ cups sliced mushrooms
2 cups water
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup quick grits
1 cup shredded cheddar
1 tbsp butter
Salt
Pepper

1. Combine shrimp, lemon juice, Tabasco sauce, and cayenne; set aside.

2. Cook bacon in a large sauté pan until crispy. Drain on a paper towel, but reserve the drippings in the pan. Crumble bacon and set aside.

3. Add the red pepper, onions, and mushrooms to the bacon drippings and cook until tender. Stir in the shrimp and bacon and cook until the shrimp turns pink.

4. In a medium saucepan, bring water and chicken broth to a boil. Slowly whisk in grits, reduce heat to medium-low, and continue cooking until the grits are thick, about 5 minutes.

5. Remove the grits from heat and stir in cheddar, butter, salt, and pepper.

6. Portion grits into bowls and top each with some of the shrimp and veggie mixture.

Instant rice and rotisserie chicken make this meal super quick and easy for a busy weeknight. I tweaked a few things from the original recipe (like using brown rice instead of white, wheat tortillas instead of flour, and shredded reduced fat colby jack instead of queso fresco), but the finished product was still delicious. I cut my two year old’s tostada into quarters so it would be easier for her to pick it up, but it was still a bit difficult for her to handle—she ended up just eating the stuff off the top.

Chicken Tostadas with Chipotle Rice

Adapted from Cooking Light

3 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 ½ tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp salt
1 cup diced tomato
½ cup diced white onion
1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 avocado, peeled and diced
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
4 (6-inch) whole wheat tortillas
2 cups shredded green leaf lettuce
1 (15-ounce) can organic black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups shredded boneless rotisserie chicken breast
¼ cup shredded reduced fat cheese

For the rice:
1 ¾ cups water
1 tbsp butter
2 tsp chipotle seasoning
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
2 cups instant brown rice
1 small can of mild green chiles
1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

1. Combine the first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add tomato, onion, cilantro, and avocado; toss gently to coat.

2. To make the rice, combine water, chipotle seasoning, salt, and pepper in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Add rice and stir gently. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 5-8 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork and stir in the cilantro and green chiles.

3. Heat a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add ¾ tsp oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add 1 tortilla to pan; cook 1 minute on each side or until browned. Repeat procedure 3 times with remaining 2 ¼ tsp oil and tortillas.

4. Place 1 tortilla on each of 4 plates. Layer each tortilla with ½ cup lettuce, about ½ cup beans, ½ cup chicken, ¼ cup avocado salsa, and 1 tbsp cheese.

Lentils are a one-pot superstar. They’re low in calories and fat while packing a punch when it comes to fiber, protein, and iron. They sometimes get a bad rep for being difficult to cook, often turning out crunchy or mushy. But if you get the process down, they can be filling and flavorful when cooked correctly. I actually found this recipe on the bag of Safeway brand lentils (go figure), and it’s now one of our cold weather favorites!

Sausage and Lentil Stew

1 tbsp olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1½ cups chopped carrots
1 lb smoked sausage (I use Hillshire Farms Turkey Polska Kielbasa)
1 lb dried lentils, rinsed thoroughly and drained
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 tsp dried sage
1 tsp dried thyme
¼ tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
1 lb fresh spinach or kale

1. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Sauté onions, garlic, and carrots until tender (about 10 minutes).

2. Add sausage, lentils, broth, sage, thyme, pepper, and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes or until lentils are barely tender.

3. Stir in spinach or kale and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for another 10 minutes or until lentils are tender. Ladle stew into bowls and serve.

*Recipe originally from Safeway 

One of my go-to weeknight meals is homemade pizza. And when I say “homemade,” I mean refrigerated pizza dough because really, who has an hour to let their dough rise when bedtime is at 7:30 p.m.? I like to use the Pillsbury Artisan Whole Grain Pizza Crust but any type of refrigerated dough works.

Because we have pizza so often, I’m always looking for unique toppings to shake things up. I saw this combination in Cooking Light and thought it sounded delightfully different. I made a few changes to the original recipe (refrigerated dough rather than from scratch, slight variation on the toppings, etc.), but we all agreed this would go into our regular rotation.

Pear and Prosciutto Pizza

Adapted from Cooking Light 

1 refrigerated pizza crust
6 oz crumbled goat cheese
3 oz thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped
1 ripe Bartlett pear, cored and thinly sliced
4 cups baby spinach
Balsamic glaze (I used Supremo Italiano Fig Glaze with Balsamic Vinegar)
Olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Roll out the crust in your pizza pan. Brush the crust with olive oil and prebake for 7 minutes.

2. Top the crust with the pears, prosciutto, and goat cheese and continue baking for 8-10 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

3. Allow the pizza to cool just slightly before topping with the spinach. Drizzle the pizza with the balsamic glaze, and then cut and serve.

Growing up in southern Virginia, this comforting dish was a staple at our dinner table the moment the temperature dropped. I consider myself something of a connoisseur when it comes to chicken and dumplings, so when I came across a healthier version in Cooking Light, I wasn’t expecting much.

How could this low-cal version possibly compare to my beloved (and now closed *sniff sniff!) Rodman’s Bones & Buddy’s? I’d say it compared pretty well! I made a couple of changes to the original recipe to make it a bit easier and to up the veggie count. You need to try this one before the winter’s out—trust me, you won’t be disappointed (Mom, I’m talking to you!).

Chicken and Dumplings
Adapted from Cooking Light 

1 cup chopped onion
1 tsp minced garlic
¼ cup dry sherry
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
4 cups fat-free, low sodium chicken broth
1 can condensed, reduced-fat, reduced-sodium cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
4 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, peas, green beans, and corn)
¼ cup water
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 cups Bisquick mix
2/3 cup skim milk

1. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and coat with cooking spray.  Add onion and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes.

2. Stir in the next five ingredients (sherry through soup) and bring to a boil. Add the chicken and bring back up to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 35 minutes.

3. Stir in the frozen vegetables.

4. In a small bowl, whisk together the water and the cornstarch, and then add the mixture to the pot, stirring well.

5. In another bowl, mix together the Bisquick and the milk. Drop the dough in spoonfuls into the pot.

6. Bring the chicken mixture to a simmer and continue to cook for 20 minutes, turning over the dumplings and stirring occasionally.

7. Cover and cook for another 10 minutes or until the dumplings are done. 

This dish originally appeared in the March 2009 issue of Cooking Light but was resurrected for the Best Recipes issue in November 2012, and after making it for dinner recently, I can see why! The flavors are so simple and delicious, and it was ready in under 20 minutes, which made it perfect {and kid-friendly!} for a hectic Wednesday night.

Lemon Pepper Shrimp Scampi
From Cooking Light

1 cup uncooked orzo
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
½ tsp salt, divided
7 tsp unsalted butter, divided
1 ½ lbs peeled and deveined jumbo shrimp
2 tsp minced fresh garlic
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

1. Cook orzo according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain. Place orzo in a medium bowl. Stir in parsley and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cover and keep warm.

2. While orzo cooks, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle shrimp with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add half of shrimp to pan; sauté 2 minutes or until almost done. Transfer shrimp to a plate. Melt 1 teaspoon butter in pan. Add remaining shrimp to pan; sauté 2 minutes or until almost done. Transfer to plate.

3. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in pan. Add garlic to pan; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in shrimp, juice, and pepper; cook 1 minute or until shrimp are done.

I made these for the Super Bowl yesterday and they were both delicious and a huge hit with my two year old! I adapted this recipe from Annie’s Eats (LOVE her blog, by the way—you must visit). I made several changes to make these babies a little healthier, so go ahead—pop a few more. Hope you enjoy!

Mac and Cheese Bites
Yield: 48 mini bites

12 oz vegetable macaroni (like Safeway’s Eating Right Veggie Pasta)
1 ½ cups Reduced Fat Ritz Cracker crumbs
2 ½ cups shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese
6 tbsp butter, melted
7 wedges Laughing Cow Light Garlic and Herb cheese
2 tbsp butter
2 large eggs
¾ cup skim milk
¼ cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Spray mini muffin pans lightly with cooking spray. In a large pot, bring water to a boil and cook pasta according to the directions on the box.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, ½ cup of the cheddar cheese, and the 6 tbsp of melted butter. Spoon a bit of the crumb mixture into the bottom of each muffin cup, and press down with your fingers to form the bottom crust.

3. Once the pasta is cooked and drained, add it to a large mixing bowl along with the rest of the cheddar cheese, butter, and Laughing Cow wedges.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and yogurt, and then stir it into the pasta.

5. Add salt and pepper to the pasta mixture and stir well to combine all of the ingredients.

6. Spoon the pasta mixture evenly into the muffin cups. Bake for 20 minutes or until light golden brown. Allow the mac and cheese bites to cool for 10 minutes before removing them from the pan.

I love French Onion Soup, but I had never attempted to make it myself—for some reason, I had it in my head that this was one of those dishes that would never taste as good as it does when someone else makes it. I was so wrong! I came across a recipe on Pinterest for Crock Pot french onion soup, so I figured I would give it a shot, and I am so glad that I did. It was delicious!

The only thing I would note is that this recipe is a little more involved than your average Crock Pot recipe. If you’re looking to throw this together before you head out the door in the morning, I would highly recommend doing the first step the night before. I spent about 45 minutes chopping and cooking the onions before they ever made it to the Crock Pot. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to wake up an extra 45 minutes early to do that in the morning.

I also tweaked the original recipe just slightly by using gouda cheese instead of the Gruyere/Emmental/Parmesan blend the original recipe called for (gouda was way cheaper), and instead of melting the cheese over the soup under the broiler, I just topped the bread with the cheese, popped it under the broiler, and dropped a toasty, gooey slice into each bowl of soup. It gave the same cheesy crouton flavor without the chunks of stringy cheese that are impossible to eat anyway. Enjoy!

Crock Pot French Onion Soup
Adapted from Slow Cooker French Onion Soup 

6 tbsp butter
4 large yellow onions, sliced and separated into rings
1 tbsp white sugar
2 cloves of garlic, minced
½ cup cooking sherry (do not substitute or skimp on this ingredient- it’s what gives the soup its distinctive flavor!)
7 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
8 slices fresh French bread
1 cup shredded gouda cheese

1. Heat butter in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat; cook and stir onions until they become translucent, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle onions with sugar; reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring constantly, until onions are soft and browned, at least 30 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
2. Stir sherry into onion mixture and scrape bottom of pot to dissolve small bits of browned food from the pot. Transfer onions into a slow cooker and pour in beef broth. Season to taste with sea salt; stir in thyme and bay leaf. Cover cooker, set on High, and cook 4 to 6 hours. If desired, set on Low and cook 8 to 10 hours.
3. About 10 minutes before serving, set oven rack about 8 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven’s broiler. Arrange bread slices on a baking sheet and top each with some cheese.
4. Broil bread slices until the cheese is lightly browned and bubbly.
5. Ladle soup into bowls and drop a slice of the bread into each bowl just before serving.