Low Calorie Mexican Pizza!

When I'm stuck for dinner, I tend to usually make this, or something like it. It's quick, easy, and low calorie. Here is my version of mexican pizza!

What you'll need/Breakdown:

Low Carb 10" Tortilla: 80 Calories

Low Fat Shredded Cheese: 120 Calories (I used a mexican blend, 1 1/2 servings)

Fat Free Refried Beans (canned): 30 Calories (2 tablespoons)

Light Sour Cream: 40 Calories (2 tablespoons)

Salsa: 10 Calories (2 Tablespoons)

Scallion

Taco Seasoning

Cumin

Total: 280 Calories

HOW TO:

Lay tortilla on a microwave safe plate. Spread the refried beans over the tortilla, and sprinkle the cheese evenly on top.

Add taco seasoning and cumin to your liking over the cheese.

Microwave until cheese melts fully, I usually microwave this at 70% heat for a minute and a half to start, and continue in 30 second intervals until melted fully so that the cheese doesn't over cook and get hard. 

Once melted, spread sour cream, then salsa over the top, and sprinkle chopped scallions.

Cut into 6 pieces with a pizza cutter and you're done!

Baked Cheesy Zucchini and Squash

Last week I decided to re-work a Pinterest recipe that I had found. It sounded great and combined two of my favorite things, zucchini and cheese. How could it go wrong? Well, other than my biggest zucchini having a strange bug that had tunneled through the whole thing, it tasted great! (No, the bug zucchini wasn't used, so this recipe for me definitely had way more yellow squash then zucchini.)

Here's the recipe:

What you'll need:

Two Medium Zucchini

Two Medium Yellow Squash

A reduced fat bag of shredded cheese (I used a 4 cheese mexican blend)

Salt, Pepper, Garlic, Basil & Parsley

Non stick Spray

Baking Dish

Preheat oven to 350*. Then spray down baking dish with non stick spray. Then cut up the squash and zucchini and combine in baking dish.

Add in all spices to taste (extra garlic and basil for me!) and mix.

Fold in shredded cheese (I used about 1 cup of cheese). Use a little bit of extra cheese to cover the top off.

Place in oven uncovered for 15-20 minutes, or longer, depending on the crunch level you want on the squash and zucchini. Mine took about a half hour, and I also mixed it up one time in the middle to move the cheese around. Once the veggies are at the doneness you like, put the oven on broil to brown the top of the cheese.

Serve with a chopped up scallion on top, and you're done! 

At only 60 calories a serving (makes 6 servings) this is an awesome dish to curb your cheese craving, while getting a fair amount of veggies at the same time! 

Enjoy :)

Todays Bento

Breakdown:

Cheese Cubes: 120 Calories (8 pieces)

Turkey: 66 Calorie

Rosemary Wasa Toasts: 70 Calories (2 sheets)

Laughing Cow Cheese: 35 Calories

Cucumber: 2 Calories

Hummus: 70 Calories (2 tbs)

Baby Carrots: 31 Calories (22 pieces)

Total: 394 Calories

Todays Bento!

Breakdown:

Carrots: 22 Calories (16 pieces)

Roasted Garlic Hummus (oh my co-workers are going to hate me today..): 70 Calories

Cheese Cubes: 120 Calories

Tortilla: 75 Calories

Turkey: 33 Calories

Cucumber: 2 Calories

Laughing Cow Cheese Wedge: 35 Calories

Salsa: 10 Calories

Total: 367 Calories

Todays Bento!

Breakdown:

Rosemary Wasa: 60 Calories (2 pieces)

Laughing Cow Swiss Wedge: 35 Calories

Cucumber: 2 Calories (1/8 cup approx)

Cheese Cubes: 120 Calories (8 cubes)

Carrots: 22 Calories (14 pieces)

Roasted Garlic Hummus: 70 Calories (2 tbs)

Half of a Banana: 53 Calories

Clementine: 35 Calories

Total:

397 Calories

Todays Left-over Easter Ham Bento!

Breakdown:

Bone in Easter Ham: 96 Calories (2 oz)

Baby Carrots: 20 Calories (14 pieces)

Hummus: 70 Calories (2 tbs)

Wasa, Light & Crisp: 60 Calories (3 full pieces, broken in half)

Cheese Cubes: 120 Calories (8 pieces)

Mustard: 15 Calories (1 tbs)

Tota: 381 Calories

Todays Bento

Breakdown:

Wasa: 60 Calories (2 pieces)

Ham: 30 Calories (1 oz)

Turkey: 33 Calories (1 oz)

Laughing Cow Cheese: 35 Calories

Cheese Cubes: 120 Calories (8 pieces)

Baby Carrots: 20 Calories (14 pieces)

Hummus: 70 Calories (2 tbs)

Total: 368 Calories

Todays Bento!

Today's Bento, with last nights Zucchini Cakes.
Also, with a "put together later" mini pita sandwich as shown HERE.

Breakdown:

Zucchini Cakes: 130 Calories

Ketchup: 15 Calories (1 tbs)

Hummus: 70 Calories (2 tbs)

Mini Pita: 80 Calories

Baby Carrot Shreds: 8 Calories

Cucumber Slices: 2 Calories

Cheese stick: 80 Calories

Total: 385

Zucchini & Cheese Mini Breakfast/Snack Cakes

Tried a new recipe last night! Altered the ingredients a little bit so I'll just tell you what I did instead of linking back to it. Oh, and they're only 65 calories each!

Zucchini Mini Cakes!

What you'll Need:

Muffin Pan

Mixing Bowl

Kitchen Towel

Cheese Grater

Pam Spray

Ingredients:

2 Small Zucchini's (or one large)

1/3 Cup Bread Crumbs (I used Italian)

1/3 Cup Shredded Reduced Fat Cheese

2 Eggs (only one shown in picture, added another later)

1/4 Cup yellow onion

Salt, Pepper, Spices to taste

Preheat your oven to 400*. 

Start off by grating the Zucchini onto a clean towel. You will need to wrap up the Zucchini in the towel to squeeze out the excess water. Do it over the sink, theres a lot.

Combine all ingredients into a mixing bowl.

Spoon mixture into muffin tin. My mixture filled 8 spots.

Bake at 400* for about 20 minutes, turning around in the oven half way through. Keep checking on them though, once the tops are brown they should be good to go!

They reminded me of mini breakfast quiche, so I ate mine with ketchup! They tasted awesome! I may add a little bit more cheese next time, but these were great. Also perfect to throw in todays bento box!

Todays Bento, Inspired by last nights dinner!

Heres the bento for today!

Breakdown:

Chick peas: 52 Calories (1/4 cup)

Carrot Shreds: 14 Calories (1/4 cup)

Corn: 30 Calories  (1/4 cup)

Cucumber: 5 Calories  (1/4 cup)

Red Bell Peppers: 12 Calories  (1/4 cup)

Turkey: 55 Calories (2 oz)

 Laughing Cow Cheese: 35 Calories

Mini Pita: 80 Calories

 (plus: salt, pepper, dill, lemon juice)

Total: 283 Calories

Todays Bento

Breakdown:

Turkey: 49 Calories (2oz)

Laughing Cow Cheese: 70 (2 pieces)

Wasa, Rye: 60 Calories (2 pieces)

Hummus: 70 Calories (2 tbs)

Baby Carrots: 22 Calories (16 pieces)

Cheese Stick: 80 Calories

Clementine: 35 Calories

Total Calories: 387

Extra snack for afterwork also included:

Special K Bar: 90 Calories

Todays Bento

I made turkey sausage for dinner last night, so of course, left overs go in the bento!

Breakdown:

Turkey Sausage: 140 Calories

Mini Pita: 80 Calories

Cheese Stick: 80 Calories

Hummus: 70 Calories (will only use half the container for lunch)

Baby Carrots: 22 Calories (16 pieces)

Cantaloupe: 36 Calories (2/3 cup)

Total: 428 Calories

Fast 160 Calorie Snack or Lunch

Two Wasa Crackers

4 Slices of Deli Turkey

One Laughing Cow Spreadable Cheese

What is ALWAYS on my shopping list?

A few people have asked what foods I always have in stock at the house. These are the foods that will always show up on my food shopping list each week:

Fruits & Veggies:

Bananas
Oranges or Clemintines

Avocados

Carrots

Tomatoes

Green Beans

Sweet Potatoes

Cucumber

Onion

Garlic (chopped in a jar, or fresh)

Packs of Frozen veggies (for when youre in a bind)

Pickles (at virtually no calories, they're perfect with a sandwich or as a snack)

Breads:

English Muffins (my weakness..)

Low Calorie Bread (any kind, 40 cal a slice or less)

Grains/Pasta: 

Oatmeal (I eat it EVERY morning for breakfast)

Rice (I always have white and brown in the house)

Quick Cook Rotini (fast and easy to make)

Drinks:

Diet Pepsi (for my soda cravings)

Meat & Cheese:

 Chicken

(I ALWAYS have chicken in the house, I rarely eat red meat because of my stomach, so Chicken is my go to protein and meat for the week)

Deli Turkey

(Kreshmar or Boars Head, Yes I know its sodium packed, but nothing tastes better than turkey with avocado on a size of low cal bread)

Tuna (in water)

(I always have tuna on hand, another versatile food that you can throw in a salad or make a sandwich with really quick)

Spreadable Laughing Cow Cheese

Baby Bell Lite Cheese 

Condiments, Spices, Dips, and Add-ons:

Kens Light Options Olive Oil & Vinegar Dressing

Mustard

 Hummus

Reduced Sugar Grape Jelly

Peanut Butter

(contrary to popular, and my own, belief, Regular peanut butter is actually a LOT healthier than reduced fat. Reduced fat peanut butter actually has more sugar in it, but less fat, yet the SAME amount of calories. And the fat content difference isn't drastic.)

There are a TON of breakfast, lunch, and dinner combinations that can be made with just these foods. I sometimes fall into the "same lunch 3 days in a row" issue, but that's more so because I'm shelf life paranoid, and do not like to waste the foods I have open by letting them go past their prime dates.

Whats on your shopping list?

Bento & Snack

Todays Lunch & Snack

Breakdown:

Turkey: 66 Calories (2 oz)

Cheese Cubes: 120 Calories

Wasa (Rye): 60 Calories (2 pieces)

Guacamole: 60 Calories (3 tbs)

Baby Carrots: 22 Calories (16 pieces)

Broccoli: 4 Calories (1/4 cup)

Special K Bar: 90 Calories 

Total Calories: 422

Todays Bento

Lunch & Snack!

Breakdown:

Chicken Breast: 93 Calories (3 oz)

Cheese Cubes: 120 Calories (8 pieces)

Mini Pita: 80 Calories

Guacamole: 60 Calories

Baby Carrots: 22 Calories

Broccoli: 4 Calories

Kens Light Options Oil & Vinegar Dressing: 25 Calories (1 tbs)

Total: 404 Calories

Todays Bento

Tuesday Bento!

Breakdown:

Small Turkey Wrap with Pepperjack Cheese: 220 Calories

Special K Crisps: 51 Calories (14 chips)

Salsa: 10 Calories (2 tbs)

Baby Carrots: 22 Calories (16 pieces)

Broccoli: 8 Calories (1/4 cup)

Hummus: 70 Calories (2 tbs)

Total: 381 Calories

Bento of the Day..

Todays lunch & snack:

The Breakdown:

Small Turkey Wrap (came in kit, turkey & pepperjack cheese): 220 Calories

Guacamole: 60 calories (3 tbs)

Special K Sea Salt Crisps: 59 Calories (16 chips)

Pickles: 5 Calories (2 sandwich slicers)

Baby Carrots: 22 Calories (16 pieces)

Grapes: 21 Calories (1/3 cup)

Total: 387 Calories

Tuesdays Bento

Todays Lunch/Snack:

Breakdown:

Turkey: 66 Calories (2oz)

Hummus: 60 Calories  (2tbs)

Cheese Cubes: 120 Calories

Baby Carrots: 22 Calories (16 pieces)

Pickles: 5 Calories (2 sandwich slicers)

Mini Pita: 80 Calories

Banana: 53 Calories (half)

Total: 406 Calories

And todays Bento is....

Todays lunch and snack:

Breakdown:

Turkey: 66 Calories (2oz)

Avocado (california): 114 Calories (half)

Hummus: 60 Calories (2tbs)

Cheese Cubes: 120 Calories

Baby Carrots: 22 Calories (16 pieces)

Grapes: 21 Calories

Total: 402 Calories