Hello everyone I thought of starting this thread for those of us that:
a. do not have much time to try out recipes
b. want to keep to your diets
c. want to "suffer" as little as possible.

Let's set the following rules:
1. Each recipe must not have more than 8 ingredients (excluding the seasonings)
2. Don't post recipes with specialized seasoning mixtures or ready mixtures or recipes using specialized brands (like cooking spray: NO, Cooking Spray DOESN't EXIST EVERYWHERE, thank you very much! This is very frustrating for "oldworlders" like me, living in Greece): this because almost all of them are unavailable/unknown outside the States
3. Recipes must be quick 'n easy to make in 30 min or less. This can be done!
4. recipes must be fit for dieting, whether it's low-fat, low-carbo, ww etc (please state)
5. if you can, state calories/fat%

What do you think? will this work?

My contribution for today:
Classic Greek Salad (serves 4, ready in 10 min.)
1 large cucumber, sliced
2 large tomatoes, crudely chopped/sliced
2 oz crumbled feta cheese
1 medium onion in rings
1 green pepper in rings/slices
sprinkle of olive oil, salt, pepper, oregano

Mix, eat with brown/black bread, Yummy!

smile to all

greekgirl

Thanks Monique!

I actually did put the oil in a spray bottle, but probably got the wrong bottle because it only squirts, it doesn't spray, so I have to get a new one...


Vassiliki


Recipe for today:

Zucchini creamy soup (serves 4) hot/cold
low fat, cheap
prep time about 20 min.

1/2 kilo (1 lb) zucchini shredded
1 onion, shredded
(low fat) Sour cream to garnish
1/2 liter (1 lb) low fat milk
1/2 liter any kind of stock

(fresh) dill, salt + pepper to taste, maybe 1 tbspoon flour diluted in a bit of cold water to thicken soup

Cook shredded zucchini and onion in boiling stock for about 12-15 min. or until soft and done, pulp in food processor to make kind of puree.
Add milk to puree and heat. Check on seasoning, add dill.
(Add diluted flour (not corn flour, the taste will not be as creamy) if soup's too watery and not creamy enough and let boil on very low heat for 2-3 more minutes.)
Serve hot or cold with some sour cream and sprigs of fresh dill.

Eat with 2 slices of brown bread for full meal.

Liked it? Good additions? hated it?

15 minute macaroni
serves 4
low fat

Boil 500 gr/1 lb of any kind of unfilled pasta or spaghetti in enough water.

Meanwhile fix sauce:
ingredients
1 large onion, grated
1-2 cloves garlic, mashed
1 tablespoon (olive) oil or butter
1 can of peeled chopped tomatoes
salt, pepper to taste
1 stick of cinnamon or 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
pinch of sugar

optional: 4 oz of lean ham, chopped

Fry onion and garlick in the oil until soft.
Add can of tomatoes, salt, pepper, pinch of sugar and cinnamon.
Let simmer for 10 min, maybe add some hot water to dilute.

Drain cooked macaroni

Add ham to sauce and let warm through.

Serve with grated parmezan and salad.

shly good!

Greek garlicky Yoghurt Dip, basic recipe

serving size aboutv100 grams
serves 4-6
low-fat, low-cal
Goes with: Meat, baked potatoes, bread (in stead of garlick butter), Fries, barbeque.

You need:
1 large cucumber, grated and squeezed (drink the juice ice cold, very refreshing!).
1 pint (450 grams) of thick low-fat yoghurt (drained)
2-8 garlick cloves (according to taste, start with 2, you can get decieved: the longer the mixture stands, the more flavour it gets from the garlick)
1 tbs of olive oil (optional)
salt, pepper to taste
fresh dill or other herbs you like

Mix all together and let stand for a while in the fridge: the longer it stands, the better it gets.

You can also add:
pitted tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, any fresh or dried herbs you like, thinly sliced peppers etc etc etc. SOOOOO GOOD!

Serve with a toothbrush and toothpaste on the side...

Quick, easy, low fat and can be casual or dressed up.

1 large pkg of sugar free, fat free instant chocolate pudding
1 large container Cool Whip Free (non-fat)
1 cup skim or non-fat milk
4 crushed chocolate cookies (crushed oreos work well, too)
4 wine goblets

This works best in prepared with ice cold milk in a chilled bowl.

Prepare pudding mix with 1 cup of milk, starting electric mixer on low and then mix until it looks like thick brownie mix. Add 1/2 of the Cool Whip and whip the mixture for about 2 minutes, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl often.

Using the remaining Cool Whip, make layers of pudding and Cool Whip in wine goblets. Chill for 20 minutes. Top with crushed cookies.

This has 3 points per serving as prepared. Options are to garnish with mint or to add layers of fresh strawberries. Options are endless. Try different pudding flavors until you find the one that you like the best. Also works well with Jello mixes, just use milk instead of water.

Creamed spinach

Serves 4
fat-free, low cal
time: 20 min

ingredients
1. 1 kilo (=2 pounds) fresh (cleaned) or frozen chopped spinach
2. Knorr cube or powder
3. about 2-3 TBS flour diluted in a bit of cold water
4. powdered fat-free milk, diluted in a bit of cold water

prepare:
Cook or defrost and cook the spinach with the Knorr.
There must be a bit of moisture left when the cooking is done to bind the cream-sauce.
Add the flour to the spinach until thick creamy texture, let cook on a low fire and stir all the time for about 3 minutes. Add the diluted milk, add more diluted milk if not creamy enough but watch out it doesn't become too watery.

Kids love it!

PS Thanks Redneck, am gonna try the mousse and let you know!

Spaghetti aglio-olio-pepperoncino
(with olive oil, garlick and red pepper)

Low cal
Vegetarian
Spicy
Serves 4
Takes 15 min

Ingredients:
1 lb spaghetti (or other pasta)
2 cloves of garlick, mashed
2-3 tbs of olive oil
1/2-1 teaspoon of hot red pepper flakes
fresh or dried chopped parsley
Salt to taste

Grated parmezan to garnish

Cook the spaghetti until al dente in lots of water (without oil!).
On the side, fry the mashed garlick, pepper and parsley for 2-3 minutes in the oil. Must not brown.
Add to the drained hot spaghetti and serve immediately with the grated parmesan.

Goes well with the greek salad!

thanks Greekgirl. We love pasta around here but get tired of white and red sauces... this looks great!

If you like pasta (don't we all), but are following a low-carb diet, you might try this recipe, which is comparatively low cab and wot't really mess up your diets:

Here Goes:

Low-carb seafood pasta salad (can be eaten cold or warm)
Low carb, low cal, low fat (figured about 550 cals per meal, just adding up what goes in)
serves 4,
Cooking time about 20 min

Ingredients:
230 grams (about 8 oz) crabstics or surimi or shellfish, in small chunks
300 grams (about 10 oz) savory cooked fish, flaked
300 grams (about 10 oz) cooked shrimps, whole
220 grams (about 8 oz)(dry) of (whole wheat) pasta (like little farfalle, penne, or the screwy things)
1 medium onion, chopped and kneaded for 1-2 minutes (this sounds weird but makes the taste nicer) with some salt
1 red pepper chopped finely
2 medium tomatoes , chopped without the seeds
3 small young zucchini, sliced very finely

2 Tbs of olive oil, or 4 Tbs low fat mayo
chopped parsley (or dill), salt, pepper, bit of lemon juice or (balsamico) vinegar

How To:
Cook the pasta in lots of water without oil.
In the mean time, knead the onion and put with the rest of the ingredients together in a large bowl (don't mix too much, so as not to mash up the fish), add condiments and herbs, and let stand.
Add the drained pasta and warm for 3 min in microwave to eat hot, or chill in fridge for 1 hour at least if eaten cold.

Top with 1 tbs parmesan per person (if you want).

Also great to take to lunch!

Only takes 2 minutes
Low everything, except cafeine

You need:

1 tall glass
1-2 coffeespoons of instant coffee
1 shaker
Sugar and condensed milk to taste
Icecubes

If you drink your coffee black or sugar substitute, use less coffee. Shake the instant coffee with a little bit of water (and sugar substitute) and 2 icecubes in the shaker until foam is thick. Pour in glass, top with water and icecubes. Drink through a straw
Cals: 0! add low-fat condensed milk = + 40 cals, still OK

If you drink your cofee with sugar and milk:
put 1-2 coffeespoons of instant coffee together with 1-2 cspoons sugar and a LITTLE bit of water in a shaker. Shake until froth = creamy and light-coloured. Pour in a glass over icecubes. THEN add water, ONLY THEN add milk (if you add the milk at the beginning the mixture won't get foamy AT ALL, taste is ok, though), serve with straw, don't share!
Cals: Uhm....depends

Perfect for hot summer days

Redneck, thanx for your comments, and do you maybe have a good low-cal recipe for creamy corn soup, I just can't get it right!

Here are some recipes for Fake French Fries and baked potatoes. They taste good but have a lot less calories. Use your families, kids, or loved ones as guineapigs!

I picked these recipes up from somewhere, but can't remember where (www.fat-free.com??? and some other ones), which I hereby state. Sorry!

Baked French Fries

Recipe 1

2 large baking potatos
1 egg white
1 teaspoon garlic powder
21/2 teaspoons a jamacian seasoning, dark chile powder,tabsaco ( you can cut
down on any of these if it is to hot for you)
1/2 cup of unbleached flour

Cut the potatos and soak in water. Mix the egg white, seasoning and tabsaco in a large bowl. Drain the potatos and add to the egg mixture. Mix well and add the flour making sure the flour is mixed in well. Evenly spread over a Pam sprayed metal pan. Coat the top of the fries with Pam. Bake for 40 min. or
until browned.

Recipe 2

Bake several potatoes (micro or conventional)
Let cool enough to handle
Slice into wedges
Place skin side down on a baking sheet
Spray lightly with Pam
Season as you prefer(I use salt & pepper, cayenne, paprika, etc)
Bake at 450 for 10 min or until golden and crusty.

You can also do a variation of this on a gas or charcoal grill - I
think they're especially yummy grilled. Same directions as above except spray grill with Pam before lighting and grill the potatoes on the "non-skin" sides.


recipe3
super-simple "fried" potatoes

2 medium potatoes (about 2 1/4 cups sliced?)
1 medium onion (about 2/3 cup?)
1/2 cup non-fat milk or soy milk
1/2 cup water (or veggie broth--yum!)
Fresh ground pepper to taste
salt to taste

Thinly slice the potatoes--thicker slices will take longer--so they are close to the same thickness. Chop the onion coarsely (this doesn't mean you have to talk like a sailor while you do it, just don't chop it too small). I tossed the onion in a skillet with the fluids while I cut the potatoes, then tossed in the potatoes. Grind some pepper over the top, bring to a simmer,
put a lid on it, and go back to the Internet. I turned the potatoes over with a spatula every 15 minutes or so for about 45 minutes and added a little more pepper each time because I like it spicy. By the time you're done most of the
liquid should have evaporated. If the taters are still a little hard when the liquid is gone, just add a little more liquid.

recipe4
UNFRIED FRIES

5 large baking ptotatoes
2 egg whites
1 TB Cajun spice blend (I used all sorts of stuff and just tossed it in)
salt (optional)

Slice each potato into match sticks. Combine egg whites and spices in large bowl and toss potatoes to coat thoroughly. Spread potatoes in single layer on two baking sheets coated with non-stick cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees on bottom rack of oven 35-40 minutes, turning several times during baking to brown on all sides. Sprinkle with salt, if desired. Serve
immediately. Makes 4 servings.


Be strong, keep to your diets but eat well!

000 From Athens with Love

:sheep:

Greek Girl, here's a recipe that I have tried to get most of the fat and calories out of. Sorry I can't give you metric equivalents, but math was never my strong suit. This makes a good sized pot of chowder, and I love it for cold, winter nights.

"Roasted" Corn Chowder

2 cans Campbells Healthy Request Cream of Mushroom Soup
2 cans water
1 bag of frozen corn kernels (yellow)
2 cans of creamed corn
1/8 tsp of liquid smoke
1 cup diced celery

Just throw it all together and let it simmer on low for about 2 hours.

Options:

+Add 1/2 pound of cooked, rinsed and drained turkey sausage.
or
+Add 1 small can of minced Jalapeno peppers and 1 small can of mined pimento

If you choose either of these options, omit the liquid smoke.

serves 4
low-cal, low fat, low-cholesterol, high taste
20 minutes preparation time

10 dried mushrooms, cut with scissors in small pieces when dry
1 pepper, green or red (red looks nicer, though)
1 litre (2 lb) basic low-cal stock any kind (from a cube is fine)
chinese rice vermicelli (angel hair), cut in small pieces, about 2 handsful
1/2 cup peas
1/2 cup corn (optional)
1 chicken fillet, in slivers (optional)
1 small fresh onion

dill or parsley, preferably fresh, but dried is ok, too
1 tbs sweet soy sauce (optional) OR lemon juice, whatever you like best
ground black pepper or a shredded red pepper

How To:
Sautee (let slightly brown without oil or butter) optional chicken, onion, parsley or dill, and pepper(s) in non-stick skillet
Meanwhile, bring stock with other ingredients to boil and let simmer for a total of about 15 minutes or until mushrooms are tender.
Add ingredients from non-stick skillet.
Let cook for five minutes more.

EAT

Nice as a light snack or entree

This is a tip for all following a low-carb diet:

Use cooked pureed zucchini (about 6 small ones for an lb of sauce) to bind all kinds of tomato or herb sauces. It makes them thick without having to put flour in, and has a nice taste too!

for 4 persons
takes about 20 minutes

ingredients:
low fat, low chol, low cal


1 litre (2 lb) of 0% milk
2 cups of left over boiled dessert rice (NOT PARBOILED!!!)
1 sachet vanilla essence
mini pinch of salt
1-2 spoons of (rice) flour
sweetener to taste

cinnamon to taste

take about 3 tbs of cold milk and mix well (no lumps) with the rice flour.
bring the rest of the milk to the boil, together with the vanilla essence, the mini pinch of salt and the rice.
let boil for about 15 minutes, then add the rice flour/milk mixture and let boil for another 5 minutes or until creamy thick.
take off the fire, then add the sweetener (unless you are using one you can cook with) to taste.

Sprinkle with cinnamon and serve hot or cold.