Casseroles & One-Pot Meals

Tex Mex Shrimp and Rice Bowl

Mona is having a fabulous day in her recipe test kitchen creating NEW Perfect Portion recipes. Want a delicious dinner you can make in less than 20 minutes, so delicious and full of flavor, low in fat, gluten free and dairy free, and really easy to make? Each serving is 400 healthy calories… full of protein, fiber, and flavor! The combination of the chili powder, cumin and fresh lime adds the Tex Mex punch!

Tex Mex Shrimp and Rice Bowl
 
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Recipe type: Casseroles & One-Pot Meals
Makes: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and de-veined
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, divided
  • ¼ teaspoon chili powder
  • ¼ teaspoon cumin
  • ½ medium onion, chopped
  • 4-5 mini sweet peppers, chopped
  • 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • ¾ cup low sodium chicken broth
  • ½ cup canned diced tomatoes,
  • 1 package Microwave-Ready Rice, Brown Rice
Directions
  1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in skillet pan over medium heat. Add garlic cloves and cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add shrimp, and sauté for 3 minutes until turns pink. Place cooked shrimp in a bowl, and season with chili powder, cumin and 1 tablespoon lime juice. Set aside.
  2. In the same pan, heat remaining oil. Add onions and peppers. Saute until softened, about 3 minutes. Add black beans and tomatoes to pan and heat for about 2-3 minutes. Add about ¼ cup broth to keep vegetables in slight liquid state.
  3. While sautéing vegetables, prepare 90 second rice in the microwave. Once completed, add to vegetable mixture in sauté pan and mix through for another 2-3 minutes. Add more broth as needed, yet rice can be a little crispy in the bottom of the pan (the best part!!)
  4. Add shrimp to pan, and season with remaining lime juice and more chili powder and cumin, if desired.
Serving size: 1¾ cup Calories: 400

 

Baked Mac & Cheese

Anson’s American Treasures: As a kid, my family couldn’t always afford great meals, but there was one night each month when everything seemed perfect. There were no arguments at the table, no worries, just my mother’s amazing Baked Mac & Cheese. The fabulous recipe gurus were able to swap a little of the milk for chicken broth and sharp Cheddar cheese instead of mild to capture that great flavor I still savor. So good!

Baked Mac & Cheese
 
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Recipe type: Casseroles & One-Pot Meals
Makes: 12 Lunch Portions
Ingredients
  • Nonstick cooking spray
  • 16 ounces elbow macaroni
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons ground mustard
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon white pepper
  • 2 ½ cups 2% milk
  • ½ cup chicken broth
  • 3 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided
Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. Boil the macaroni just until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water.
  3. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the flour, ground mustard, salt, and white pepper, and stir until smooth and combined. Let cook for 2 minutes.
  4. Whisk the milk and chicken broth into the pot, and continue whisking until the sauce is smooth and free of lumps.
  5. Bring the sauce to a simmer, whisking constantly, cooking until it begins to thicken.
  6. Remove the pot from the heat, and stir in 2 ¼ cups of the Cheddar cheese, stirring until melted into the sauce. Add the cooked macaroni to the pot and stir until evenly coated with the sauce.
  7. Pour the macaroni and cheese sauce into the prepared baking dish, and spread to even out. Top with the remaining ¾ cup shredded Cheddar cheese.
  8. Bake for 30 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and lightly browned. Let cool for at least 5 minutes before slicing. For 100 calorie portions, slice casserole into 36 sections by cutting 4 rows by 9 rows.
Perfect Portion Baked Mac & Cheese
Serving size: 1/36 baked mac & cheese Calories: 100

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Chicken, Broccoli & Rice Casserole

This crowd-pleasing recipe has it all, vegetables, protein, some rice, and rich cheese flavor. We opt for lean white meat but infuse rich chicken flavor throughout by simmering the rice in the chicken broth.

Chicken, Broccoli & Rice Casserole
 
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Recipe type: Casseroles & One-Pot Meals
Makes: 10 Lunch or 8 Dinner portions
Ingredients
  • Nonstick cooking spray
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 1 ½ cups uncooked white rice
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 ½ pounds chicken tenderloins, chopped
  • ½ cup diced yellow onion
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups 2% milk
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon white pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 (16-ounce) bag frozen broccoli florets, thawed
  • 1 ½ cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided
Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F, and spray a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. In a medium-size sauce pot, bring the chicken broth to a boil. Add the rice, cover, and reduce heat to low. Let simmer for 15–20 minutes, just until all the water has been absorbed. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
  3. Melt the butter in a large stockpot over medium-high heat.
  4. Add the chicken to the pot, and sauté for 5 minutes, browning well on all sides. Add the diced onion to the pot, and sauté for an additional 2 minutes.
  5. Stir the flour into the pot, coating the chicken and onions, and let cook for 1 minute.
  6. Stir the milk, salt, white pepper, and onion powder into the pot, and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, and let simmer for 2 minutes.
  7. Remove the pot from the heat, and stir in the broccoli, 1 cup Cheddar cheese, and cooked rice. Transfer to the prepared baking dish, and top with the remaining ½ cup of cheese.
  8. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until cheese has melted and sauce is bubbly hot. Let cool for 7 minutes before serving. For 100 calorie portions, slice into 32 sections by cutting 4 rows by 8 rows.
Perfect Portion Chicken, Broccoli & Rice Casserole
Serving size: 1/32 casserole Calories: 100

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Ratatouille & Sausage Bake

While ratatouille is traditionally stewed on the stove, this recipe roasts the medley of fresh vegetables for an even more robust flavor. Adding Italian chicken sausage to the dish makes this a complete entrée that you can pair with steamed white rice (100 calories per ½ cup) or brown rice (110 calories per ½ cup) for a complete meal.

Ratatouille & Sausage Bake
 
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Recipe type: Casseroles & One-Pot Meals
Makes: 4 Lunch or 3 Dinner portions
Ingredients
  • 4 links fully cooked Italian chicken sausage, sliced (see tip)
  • 1 medium eggplant (unpeeled), chopped
  • 2 zucchini, chopped
  • 2 yellow squash, chopped
  • 1 red onion, chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¾ teaspoon pepper
Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  2. Place all the ingredients in a very large mixing bowl, and toss to combine.
  3. Transfer the combined ingredients to a 13 x 9-inch baking dish, and spread to even out the top. It is alright if the baking dish is nearly overflowing, as the vegetables will cook down.
  4. Bake, uncovered, for 1 hour. Serve immediately (though this tastes even better when reheated the next day). For 100 calorie portions, slice casserole into 12 sections by cutting 3 rows by 4 rows.
Perfect Portion Ratatouille Sausage Bake

HELPFUL TIP: The chicken sausage used in this recipe is the fully cooked variety that they sell near the hot dogs. Al Fresco® brand “Sweet Italian Chicken Sausage” is recommended and used in the nutritional information, though you can use any brand and flavor.
Serving size: 1/12 Ratatouille & Sausage Bake Calories: 100

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Lasagna

Our homemade Lasagna with Meat Sauce is a symphony of flavors and textures. We built layer after layer of tender noodles, robust meat sauce, and creamy, tangy ricotta cheese for a lasagna that will knock your socks off. By using ground turkey, we’ve been able to lighten up the lasagna (up to 100 calories less per serving) without skimping on the noodles or luxuriously smooth filling.

Lasagna
 
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Recipe type: Casseroles & One-Pot Meals
Makes: 12 Lunch or 9 Dinner portions
Ingredients
  • Nonstick cooking spray
  • 1 batch Ground Turkey Bolognese (see page 113)
  • 8 ounces lasagna noodles
  • 1 (15-ounce) container part-skim ricotta cheese
  • 2 large egg whites, beaten
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 3 cups part-skim mozzarella cheese
Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F, and spray a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. Prepare the Ground Turkey Bolognese according to the recipe’s directions.
  3. Boil the lasagna noodles according to the package directions, undercooking by 2 minutes (to leave them very al dente). Drain and rinse under cold water.
  4. In a large mixing bowl, fold together the ricotta cheese, egg whites, Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt, pepper, and garlic powder to make the ricotta filling.
  5. Start building the lasagna by spreading a thin layer of the Bolognese sauce at the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Top the sauce with ⅓ of the cooked noodles. Top the noodles with ⅓ of the ricotta cheese mixture, dropping it into the dish in small dollops. Top the ricotta cheese with ⅓ of the Bolognese sauce. Finally, top the sauce with 1 cup of mozzarella cheese to complete the layer. Repeat to create 3 full layers of ingredients.
  6. Cover with aluminum foil, and bake for 40 minutes. Remove aluminum foil, and bake for an additional 20 minutes, or until sauce is bubbly hot and cheese begins to brown. Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing. For 100 calorie portions, slice Lasagna into 36 sections by cutting 6 rows by 6 rows.
Perfect Portion Lasagna
Serving size: 1/36 lasagna Calories: 100

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Eggplant Parmesan Casserole

Breading the eggplant in bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese gives you not only nutty, cheesy flavor, but also crunchy texture. No need to pan-fry! Simply transfer the eggplant to a baking sheet, and pop them in a hot oven so you can get the rest of dinner done. Once our eggplant and sauce are ready to go, we quickly layer them with creamy mozzarella, and bake for a mere 20 minutes. Bubbling, gooey, and brimming with big flavor, this Italian classic should not be missed!

Eggplant Parmesan Casserole
 
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Recipe type: Casseroles & One-Pot Meals
Makes: 9 Lunch or 6 Dinner portions
Ingredients
  • Nonstick cooking spray
  • 2 large eggplants
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 large egg whites
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 ½ cups Italian bread crumbs
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 batch Tuscan Tomato Sauce (see page 249)
  • 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F, and spray 2 sheet pans with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. Peel the eggplants, and slice into ½-inch-thick discs.
  3. In a wide bowl, whisk together the egg, egg whites, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. In a separate wide bowl, combine the Italian bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese.
  4. Dip the eggplant slices into the egg mixture and then the bread crumb mixture, fully coating on both sides. Transfer the breaded eggplant to the prepared sheet pans.
  5. Bake the breaded eggplant for 40 minutes, flipping halfway through.
  6. As the eggplant is baking, prepare the Tuscan Tomato Sauce (page 249) according to the recipe’s directions. Cover, and let sit over warm heat.
  7. Spray a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Spread 2 cups of the Tuscan Tomato Sauce at the bottom of the baking dish. Top with ½ of the breaded eggplant, then 2 more cups of the tomato sauce, and finally ½ of the cheese. Repeat with another layer of eggplant, sauce, and then cheese.
  8. In preheated oven (400˚F), bake the casserole for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbly hot. For 100 calorie portions, slice into 18 sections by cutting 3 rows by 6 rows.
Perfect Portion Eggplan Parmesan Casserole
Serving size: 1/18th casserole Calories: 100

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Shepherd’s Pie

Shepherd’s Pie, a layered casserole of sautéed ground lamb and vegetables topped with mashed potatoes and baked until golden, is the quintessential casserole of the United Kingdom. Inspired by this fantastic combination, American Cottage Pie mirrors its predecessor except that ground beef is used in place of the lamb. Regardless of what you call it, this savory meal of meat and vegetables topped with golden brown mashed potatoes is a hearty, one-dish supper that can more than feed your whole family.

Shepherd's Pie
 
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Recipe type: Casseroles & One-Pot Meals
Makes: 10 Lunch or 8 Dinner portions
Ingredients
  • Nonstick cooking spray
  • 1 batch
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 2 pounds (96%) extra lean ground beef
  • 1 cup diced yellow onion
  • 1 cup diced carrots
  • ¾ cup diced celery
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 ¼ cups frozen peas
Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F, and spray a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. Prepare the Home-Style Mashed Potatoes (page 221) according to the recipe’s directions.
  3. Heat the canola oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef to the skillet, and brown well, crumbling the beef as it cooks.
  4. Add the onion, carrots, celery, salt, pepper, and garlic powder to the skillet, and sauté for 5 minutes, or until onions are translucent and celery begins to soften. Stir the flour into the beef and vegetables, and sauté for 1 minute.
  5. Add the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and peas to the skillet, and bring to a simmer. Let simmer for 5 minutes, or until the sauce has slightly thickened and the carrots are tender.
  6. Spread the beef and sauce mixture evenly across the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Spoon the Home-Style Mashed Potatoes over the top of the beef, and spread to even out.
  7. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes, or until the top of the potatoes has lightly browned. Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing. For 100 calorie portions, slice into 32 sections by cutting 4 rows by 8 rows.
Perfect Portion Shepherd's Pie
Serving size: 1/32 shepherd's pie Calories: 100

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Beef Stew

Anson’s American Treasures: My close friend, who loves to cook, turns his home into a dining experience once a month. He made a beef stew last year that was to die for. Bob and Mona reviewed the recipe, did their magic again, and created the masterpiece below! By increasing the volume of hearty vegetables and slightly reducing the beef, they made it possible to truly eat what you love, and more of it! So good!

Beef Stew
 
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Recipe type: Casseroles & One-Pot Meals
Makes: 8 Lunch or 6 Dinner portions
Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 pounds beef stew meat, trimmed of excess fat
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 cup chopped onions
  • 8 ounces mushrooms, quartered
  • 5 cups beef broth
  • 1 cup dry red wine (see tip)
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 pound Red Bliss potatoes, chopped
  • 1 ½ cups sliced carrots
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
Directions
  1. Heat the oil and butter in a stockpot over medium-high heat.
  2. Generously season the stew meat with the salt and pepper. Add the seasoned meat to the pot, and brown well.
  3. Add the onions and mushrooms to the pot, and sauté until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
  4. Add the beef broth, red wine, tomato paste, thyme, garlic powder, and ½ teaspoon each of salt and pepper to the pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 1 hour.
  5. Add the potatoes and carrots to the stew, cover, and let simmer for 45 additional minutes, or until both meat and vegetables are tender.
  6. Raise heat to medium. Ladle ¼ cup of the broth into a bowl, and let cool for 1 minute. Whisk the flour into the broth, and then stir into the pot of stew.
  7. Add the chopped tomatoes to the stew, and let simmer for 5 minutes before serving.
Perfect Portion Beef Stew

HELPFUL TIP: An additional cup of beef broth, 2 teaspoons of red wine vinegar, and 2 teaspoons of sugar can be substituted in place of the red wine.
Serving size: ½ cup Calories: 100

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Chicken & Vegetable Stir-Fry

Mona’s Family Favorites: This is my go-to weekday dinner and it takes only 25 minutes to prepare! My stir-fry is packed with “fresh from the farm” chicken, broccoli, peppers, and carrots (not to mention that it can be on your table in the amount of time spent waiting for takeout). For a full meal, serve over steamed white rice (100 calories per ½ cup) or, my preference, whole-grain brown rice (110 calories per ½ cup).

Chicken & Vegetable Stir-Fry
 
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Recipe type: Everyday Meals
Makes: 4 Dinner portions
Ingredients
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch, divided
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, sliced
  • 1 cup thinly sliced carrots
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 16 ounces frozen broccoli florets, thawed
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce (can use reduced-sodium)
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¾ cup chicken broth
Directions
  1. Cut the chicken breasts into ¾-inch chunks, and then toss in 1 tablespoon of the cornstarch to lightly coat on all sides.
  2. Heat the sesame oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. Add the coated chicken to the skillet, and sauté for 3 minutes, or until it begins to brown.
  3. Add the onion, bell pepper, carrots, and garlic to the skillet, and sauté for 3 minutes.
  4. Add the broccoli florets, and reduce the heat to medium.
  5. Whisk the soy sauce, honey, ginger, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of cornstarch into the chicken broth, and then stir into the skillet, stirring until the sauce begins to simmer and thicken.
  6. Sauté for an additional 3 minutes, or until the sauce is thick and the carrots are tender.
Perfect Portion Chicken & Vegetable Stir-Fry

HELPFUL TIP: Chopped fresh broccoli can be used in place of the frozen broccoli florets, but it should be boiled or steamed for 4 minutes, just until crisp-tender, before adding to the stir-fry.
Serving size: ⅔ cup Calories: 100

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All About the Perfect Portion

Whether you are looking to plan every aspect of your meals or are just looking to better understand portion sizes and the calories contained within them, the 100 Calorie Counting System was developed to truly adapt to you, your needs, and your goals. In this digital age, there are plenty of ways to track the calories you’ve already had. Now you have the perfect way to plan and portion those calories out before you eat them.

An example of a healthy 500 calorie dinner includes our Classic Meatloaf and Green Beans Almondine recipes as well as a comfort food favorite, Stovetop Mac & Cheese – try the recipe below.

Creamy Stovetop Mac & Cheese doesn’t just come out of a blue box; in fact, you can make it from scratch in nearly the exact same amount of time as the boxed stuff. Making an extra creamy cheese sauce from real Cheddar cheese can be difficult to do without the sauce separating, but this recipe uses both cornstarch and reduced-fat cream cheese to bind things together and keep things easy and foolproof.

Stovetop Mac & Cheese
 
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Recipe type: Casseroles & One-Pot Meals
Makes: 12 Lunch portions
Ingredients
  • 16 ounces elbow macaroni
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 ½ cups chicken broth
  • 1 (12-ounce) can fat-free evaporated milk
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
  • 3 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
  • 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
  1. Boil the macaroni according to package directions. Drain, but do not rinse.
  2. In a stockpot over medium-high heat, whisk the cornstarch into the chicken broth, until dissolved. Bring up to a simmer, and let cook for 2 minutes.
  3. Whisk the evaporated milk and salt into the thickened chicken broth, and bring back up to a simmer.
  4. Remove sauce from heat, and stir in cream cheese, Cheddar cheese, and Parmesan cheese, until melted and creamy.
  5. Add the cooked macaroni into the cheese sauce, and stir to combine before serving.
Perfect Portion Stovetop Mac and Cheese

HELPFUL TIP: It is best to make the sauce as the macaroni is boiling, so that you can add hot macaroni into the sauce. If the finished dish has cooled too much, simply warm over medium-low heat and stir constantly, until hot throughout.
Serving size: ⅓ cup Calories: 100

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