Skinny Tuna Noodle Casserole

Tuna casserole, the quintessential American dish. Perfect for potlucks and under $10 to make. Made with canned tuna, mushrooms, peas and noodles in a creamy sauce (and no canned soup) finished with toasted breadcrumbs – so good!

The first time I tried tuna casserole was back in 2011. Yes, you heard me right! In fact, when I told my daughter what we were having, she warned me she may be eating something else tonight. The good news is we all LOVED it, and I've made it for my family many times since then. Today I decided to give my photos a facelift since this was on the menu.

For those of you who haven't tried this yet, I originally posted this back in 2011 after getting many requests for a lighter version. Now it's become quite popular on my site. You can easily adapt this with different vegetables, swap the tuna for chicken, use whole wheat noodles – no rules to cooking, just have fun with it.

Can't wait to hear what you all think!

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Cilantro Lime Cauliflower "Rice"

Grated cauliflower makes a fantastic low-carb, grain-free stand in for rice when you need a little carb detox. You can season this any way you wish – here I brightened it up with lime and cilantro and served it with a broiled pork loin. It has a couscous-like texture, and is perfect with chicken, pork chops, steak or anything you would normally serve with rice.

Does it taste like cauliflower? Yes, it does so if you're not a cauliflower fan (I love it!) this may not be for you. But if you're a fan like me, you'll love this side dish! And it's also vegetarian, vegan and Paleo-friendly.

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Sweet Potato Irish Nachos

Baked sweet potato wedges topped with my favorite nacho toppings – these are dangerously good!!

Irish nachos are basically loaded nachos made with french fries in place of the tortilla chips. I was really in the mood for them after my husband kept talking about this pub he used to go to that made the best Irish nachos. My wheels started turning and I knew I had to make them healthier. 

Sweet potatoes to the rescue! Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin A, and the sweet flesh is perfect paired with savory-spicy seasonings. I find cutting them into wedges helps keep them sturdier than cutting them into thin fries and it's quicker to cut. I used a full fat sharp Cheddar from Cabot with a combination of light Pepper Jack cheese to give it a little spice. I think these make a great lunch or could be fun football food this weekend. Top them with anything you like, pico de gallo could also be fun.

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Breakfast Egg White Spinach Enchilada Omelets

 

Enchiladas are one of my favorite all time favorite Mexican comfort foods. But enchiladas for breakfast you might ask? Well I say yes, why not! These are low-carb, gluten-free and grain-free by using egg whites as my "tortilla" – they turned out awesome! You can also have them for dinner – perfect for Meatless Mondays!

These are basically glorified egg white omelets, stuffed with sauteed spinach and topped with enchilada sauce, avocado and cheese. Prep them ahead and bake when ready to serve,  make them as hot or mild as you want. I used Frontera green chile enchilada sauce to speed this up, but I also think this would be awesome with homemade red enchilada sauce.  If you follow a Paleo diet, simply leave the cheese off.

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Skinny Mummy Cake Balls

Easy Halloween cake balls made light by using a box cake mix, egg whites and fat free Greek yogurt – no no butter required!

Madison is having a Halloween party in school and I'm in charge of bringing the cupcakes, so I thought cake balls would be perfect for 4 year olds – and less mess than icing on cupcakes.  For an easy Halloween theme I decided to go with mummies and I think they turned out pretty darn cute. These are super easy – if I can make them so can you!

Cake pops were made popular by the very talented Bakerella who I'm actually going to meet next week, I'm so excited! Her cake pops are just darling and if you ever buy her books she's got tons of ideas. The traditional method of making cake pops is by crumbling cake with frosting and forming them into balls. My skinny version is so much quicker – I simply use a cake pop pan.

I played around with a few cake pop pans and machines out there and realized they are not all created equal. After testing out several, I had the most success with the Nordicware cake pop pan, which is only about $17 at Target. I actually own two so I can bake them both at the same time.

These are FAR lighter than traditional cake pops, but you'll still need some self control as they are dipped in white chocolate. Candy melts (available at Michael's) were used to coat the balls. They usually melt perfect for me but this time it was a little thicker than I liked so I had to add a drop of oil to thin it out. I may play around with other brands of white chocolate to see which melts the best.

One tip from making these several times: if you don't need to decorate so many cake balls you can bake them all and decorate what you need, then freeze the rest. Then thaw them to use for another day.

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Candy Corn Fruit Parfaits

A delicious Halloween treat that's light and easy to make. If you need an idea for a healthier Halloween dessert at your next party – look no further!

Confession: I strongly dislike candy corns. As a kid I was always disappointed to find them in my trick or treat bag. But candy corns are such great inspiration for Halloween treats and decorations, I just had to share this.

You basically layer orange and yellow fruit in clear cups and top with whipped cream. I used mandarin oranges and pineapple because I love the combination, but you can also use mangos, melon, oranges – whatever. These cute little jars I found in Homegoods are perfect to use as cups, but you can use clear disposable plastic cups if you are having a party.

For a whipped topping that is lighter than the average whipped cream yet not full of "fake" ingredients I've been making this light whipped topping by whipping my cream and folding in Greek yogurt. Cuts the fat down and tastes delicious!

If you prefer to use whipped topping, go for it or if you want to have this for breakfast I say just top it with vanilla yogurt. But for dessert – I wouldn't change a thing! Hope you try this, you will LOVE it!!


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Blackened Salmon with Mango Salsa

Blackened wild salmon filets seasoned with cayenne, paprika and herbs are seared in a skillet then topped with a fresh mango salsa – if you can take the heat, then you'll love this dish!

I picked up some wild salmon and was in the mood to make it blackened and thought it would pair perfectly with a mango salsa. I searched for a good blackened spice rub and came upon a recipe from Alex Guarnaschelli. Now, I'm a little bit of a spice wimp, I will admit and I had to open my windows while this cooked because the spice was making me cough (yikes!). Naturally I was kinda nervous that this would be too spicy for my taste buds, but the sweet mango salsa gave me a relief from the heat and although it was a little hot, I was able to eat it just fine (along with a glass of water).

Next time I make this, I may replace the cayenne for chili powder to tone it down, but if you like it hot I wouldn't change a thing! I used salmon because of all the wonderful omegas but you can use whatever fish you like (cooking time may need to be adjusted). This is ready in less than 30 minutes start to finish, so it's perfect for a weeknight meal. Enjoy!

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Stuffed Pepper Soup

Bell peppers, chopped tomatoes and lean ground beef are simmered in broth with onions and garlic, then topped with brown rice – everything you love about stuffed peppers, in a soup!

I love soup weather – and the convenience of a making a big pot of soup that can serve as several meals. I first posted this recipe back in 2011 and it's been a huge hit with everyone, including both of my kids –  they just loved it! I decided to make a pot this weekend and gave this a photo makeover.

This is a hearty bowl of soup that will fill you up and warm you on a chillynight. I guess you can call this a lazy stuffed pepper because it tastes just like a stuffed pepper without all the extra work. Topped with brown rice it's a satisfying meal. Heck, if you wanted you could even make this with ground turkey, and top it with shredded cheese. Have fun with this one!

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50 Pumpkin Recipes

For the pumpkin obsessed – here's a list of 50 pumpkin recipes from Skinnytaste and around the web that will delight your taste buds. Pumpkin for breakfast, pumpkin treats – everything from savory and sweet – enjoy!


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Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pecan Pancakes

Whole wheat buttermilk pancakes made with white whole wheat flour, pumpkin puree, pure maple syrup,  pumpkin spice and pecans – a perfect lazy Sunday morning breakfast.

I'm not a big breakfast person, usually a green smoothie, a simple hard boiled egg or some overnight oats in a jar is all I need to keep me fueled until lunch. But on Sundays, we wake up a little later and have more time to make a more extravagant breakfast. My kids love pancakes so I often treat them to Sunday pancakes. Now that pumpkin season is here, I've been making these nutty pumpkin muffins – they are so good no one knows I use whole wheat flour in place of white flour. Happy Sunday!

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Embarrassingly Easy Crock Pot Salsa Chicken Thighs

This is the EASIEST slow cooker recipe EVER! Just TWO ingredients: salsa and chicken plus some spices makes a delicious juicy chicken that can be used in tacos, over rice, over salad and more!

After coming back from a long weekend away in Park City, Utah and no real plans for dinner, I was desperate for something quick and easy. Scouring my fridge and pantry I had some boneless skinless chicken thighs and some chunky salsa, so I threw them in my crock pot along with some spices and crossed my fingers.

What emerged was a delicious, juicy chicken which shredded wonderfully after a few hours of slow simmering – and bonus my husband and daughter enjoyed it!

Last night we had them as tacos with all the fixins, and for my youngest, I served hers over rice. Today I was in the mood for a salad bowl like I often get at Chipotles and simply added some tomatoes, corn, shredded cheese and avocado and it was wonderful. This filling can be used so many ways, and it's too easy not to try. If you make it with chicken breast, you can reduce the cook time to about 2 to 3 hours on low. Use it however you like, tacos, salad, enchilada filling, anything I haven't thought of please share!


And since so many are asking, I have the 6 Quart Hamilton Beach Set 'n Forget Programmable Slow Cooker. I love it because you can adjust the time you want it to cook, and it automatically turns to warm when it's done. It also has a probe for meat that automatically shuts off when done. I hated my old crock pot, it burnt everything and my food had a weird taste. This crock pot is so great, I actually own two!

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Pumpkin Spice Quinoa Breakfast Cookies

These good-for-you cookies made with quinoa and pumpkin spice are the perfect Fall treat, whether you have them for breakfast, snack or a post workout bite!

I just returned from a fabulous weekend in Park City, Utah for the Better Blog Retreat and asked Leanne to guest post in my absence. Please welcome today's guest poster and Holistic Nutritionist, Leanne Vogel of Healthful Pursuit.

Hi Everyone! I was testing recipes a couple of weeks ago and figured out that oats could be replaced with cooked quinoa in just about any oat-based cookie recipe. Since then, I've gone a little cookie crazy. I've made these Quinoa Carrot Cake Breakfast Cookies, Quinoa Zucchini Chocolate Chip Breakfast Cookies, and Quinoa Banana Bread Bread Breakfast Cookies. They're just SO good! Gram for gram, quinoa has less fat, less calories and less carbs than rolled oats. And, the super, ultra bonus to it all? Quinoa is naturally gluten-free and isn't considered a "grain" (it's a seed!), which means it's going to be easier for your body to digest it. This little super seed has it all... and so does this breakfast cookie recipe that I've made for you today ;) Enjoy!
 
 

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Whole Grain Apple Nut Muffins

Whole grain apple muffins made with fresh apple, applesauce, walnuts plus a combination of bran flour, white whole wheat and almond meal with a granola topping.

It's apple season and I picked up some gala apples at the farmer's market last week to make a great big batch of crock pot applesauce. Last year I used that applesauce to make an applesauce nut bread which I love, and it inspired me to experiment with almond meal, wheat bran and flax to come up with these delicious muffins. I love how moist they turned out, and I saved the extra in my refrigerator to eat for the week – they stayed moist for days!

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Spaghetti Squash with Meat Ragu

 

Roasted Spaghetti squash topped with a simple-yet-delicious meat sauce simmered with tomatoes, onions, carrots and celery.

I originally posted this recipe way back in 2009, before I owned a decent camera and I just had to give this a photo makeover (the photo was so bad I'm surprised anyone made it at all). It's so darn good you won't miss the pasta, and think of all the calories you're saving by making the swap! It's also low-carb, clean, gluten-free and perfect for my paleo followers out there too!

The beauty of this dish is you can totally make this family friendly. I know my kids prefer to have their meat sauce with pasta (plus they need their carbs too) so I cook some pasta for them and serve this with spaghetti squash for my husband and I. It's a very generous amount and extremely satisfying.


Of course, you can swap the beef for turkey if you wish, and you can certainly make the spaghetti squash in the microwave which is so much quicker. The sauce can be frozen for a later date and reheated when for a busier night. I've never tried freezing spaghetti squash, anyone out there know if I can? So there you go, a meal that can make the whole family happy – gotta love that!

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