Ingredients

 - ½ cup cracked wheat (bulgur)
- ½ cup boiling water
-  2 tablespoons apples juice
-  2 tablespoons lemon juice
-  1/8 teaspoon lemon zest
-  1 stalk celery, sliced thin on diagonal
-  1 large red apple, cored and diced
-  ½ of a large carrot, grated
-  1 tablespoon minced Italian parsley
-  1 cup red seedless grapes

Method

Place the cracked wheat, water, apple and lemon juices and the lemon zest in a mixing bowl and allow to soak, covered, until all the liquid is absorbed, between 30 minutes and an hour. Add the remaining ingredients and chill before servings.

Ingredients

- 12 corn tortillas
- vegetable oil
- 3 cups enchilada sauce
- 2 cups cooked chicken**
- 1 can refried beans
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese

**You can use any other cooked meat besides the chicken or use tow cubes of diced, sautéed vegetables. You can season the mixture with chili powder, cumin, add garlic and onion and roasted peppers. The refried beans hold it all together.

Method

1. Heat a sauté pan and fry the tortillas on both sides very briefly until they soften but not brown. Fry them up quickly and then drain them on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Prepare a 13x9 baking dish by pouring in a thin layer of enchilada sauce. Have some the enchilada sauce in a cake pan and dip one side of each tortilla in the sauce and then place it on a baking tray with the sauced side up.

2. Combine the cooked chicken with the refried beans and season to taste with salt and pepper and other seasonings, if desired. Place about a third of a cup of filling on each dipped tortilla, roll up and place in the prepared baking dish. Fill all the tortillas, line them up in the pan and pour on the remaining enchilada sauce over them.

3. Top with grated cheese and bake in a 350 degrees oven for about 30 minutes. Serve with sour cream on the side.

Ingredients

- 1 pound lean ground turkey or beef
- 2 cups thick and chunky salsa
- 2 cans (15-16 oz) chili beans in sauce
- Corn chips or shredded cheddar cheese

Method

Put the ground turkey or beef in large saucepan. Cook and stir the meat over medium heat for 8-10 minutes or until it is no longer pink. Break the meat into small crumbles during cooking.

Add the salsa and chili beans to the saucepan. Heat the chili over medium heat until it comes to a boil, the turn the heat to low. Cover the saucepan with the lid and cook it for 10 minutes. Using ladle, pour soup and enjoy!

I used recipes from KidShape and from the Pampered Chef Cookbook, but some of the recipes I modified to make them reduced fat or lower in calories.

Ingredients

- 4 large boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
- 2/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- salt and pepper
- olive oil or nonfat cooking spray

Seasoned bread crumbs:

- 2/3 cup unseasoned dry bread crumbs
- 3 Tbsp cornstarch
- 3 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano,
- ¼ tsp of garlic powder,
- ½ tsp ground thyme
- ½ tsp onion powder

Honey-Mustard Sauce:

- ¼ cup Dijon or delicatessen-style mustard, preferably medium coarseness
- 3 tablespoons of honey

Method

1. Rinse chicken breast tenders under cold water. Remove any tendons. Pat dry with paper towels.
2. Toss tenders with garlic, lime juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Let stand 10 minutes.
3. Spread tenders in single layer and lightly mist with olive oil. Turn and mist other side. Roll tenders in bread crumbs to coat. Arrange in single layer on baking pan lightly misted with olive oil or non-fat cooking spray.
4. Bake at 500 degrees for 5 minutes. Turn and bake for 2 more minutes until juice run clear when chicken is pricked with fork.
5. Combine mustard and honey. Serve with chicken dippers. Barbeque sauce also makes a great dipping sauce.

Ingredients

- 1 package (3 ounces) beef-flavor ramen noodles
- 3 cups of water
- 1 jar (14 oz) spaghetti sauce
- 1 cup frozen peas and carrots
- 1 package (16 oz) frozen fully-cooked Italian meatballs

Method

Break ramen noodles into small pieces in a bowl and set them aside. Put the water, spaghetti sauce and ½ of the seasoning packet from the ramen noodles in a medium sauce pan.

Heat the soup mixture over medium heat until it comes to a boil. Add the ramen noodles, peas and carrots and meatballs. Heat the soup until it boils again, and then turn the heat to low. Cook and stir the soup for 4 to 5 minutes using spoon. Using ladle, pour the soup and enjoy!!!