Grilled Shrimp with Fire-Roasted Cocktail Sauce

Though this recipe is perfectly scrumptious served as a classic shrimp cocktail with steamed shrimp, the smokiness of the grill adds a rich layer of…you guessed it, flavor to this timeless appetizer.

Makes 4 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

16 jumbo shrimp (about 1 pound), peeled and deveined

1 cup Fire-Roasted Cocktail Sauce (see below)

1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley

1 lemon, cut into 4 wedges or 8 slices

Preheat a grill to medium-high or preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat.

Combine the oil and garlic salt in a medium bowl. Add the shrimp and toss well.

If using a grill, place the shrimp on skewers before placing on grill. Place the shrimp on the grill or grill pan and cook for about 3 minutes on each side, or until pink and firm. Remove from the heat.

Spoon 1/4 cup of cocktail sauce into each of 4 decorative glasses. Top with 4 shrimp per glass. Sprinkle with the parsley and garnish with the lemon wedges or slices.

Per serving: 150 calories, 5 g total fat (1 g saturated), 170 mg cholesterol, 340 mg sodium, 2 g total carbohydrates, (1 g sugars), 0 g fiber, 23 g protein

Fire-Roasted Cocktail Sauce

This zippy cocktail sauce doesn’t contain any sugar, unlike most bottled brands available in the supermarket. If you prefer a milder cocktail sauce, omit the horseradish. This is the perfect dip with fresh seafood, such as the Grilled Shrimp Cocktail

Makes 1 cup

1 cup canned no-salt-added fire-roasted diced tomatoes

1 tablespoon horseradish

1 tablespoon lime juice

1/4 teaspoon Chipotle Puree (page 000; optional)

Combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Transfer the sauce to a jar and chill for at least 30 minutes before using to let the flavors meld. The sauce will keep in the refrigerator for about 1 month.

Per 1/4 cup: 20 calories, 0 g total fat (0 g saturated), 0 mg cholesterol, 160 mg sodium, 4 g total carbohydrates (2 g sugars), <1 g fiber, 1 g protein

**With permission from  Flavor First: Cut Calories and Boost Flavor with 75 Delicious, All-Natural Recipes by Cheryl Forberg RD (Rodale)

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Grilled Shrimp with Fire-Roasted Cocktail Sauce

Though this recipe is perfectly scrumptious served as a classic shrimp cocktail with steamed shrimp, the smokiness of the grill adds a rich layer of…you guessed it, flavor to this timeless appetizer.

Makes 4 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

16 jumbo shrimp (about 1 pound), peeled and deveined

1 cup Fire-Roasted Cocktail Sauce (see below)

1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley

1 lemon, cut into 4 wedges or 8 slices

Preheat a grill to medium-high or preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat.

Combine the oil and garlic salt in a medium bowl. Add the shrimp and toss well.

If using a grill, place the shrimp on skewers before placing on grill. Place the shrimp on the grill or grill pan and cook for about 3 minutes on each side, or until pink and firm. Remove from the heat.

Spoon 1/4 cup of cocktail sauce into each of 4 decorative glasses. Top with 4 shrimp per glass. Sprinkle with the parsley and garnish with the lemon wedges or slices.

Per serving: 150 calories, 5 g total fat (1 g saturated), 170 mg cholesterol, 340 mg sodium, 2 g total carbohydrates, (1 g sugars), 0 g fiber, 23 g protein

Fire-Roasted Cocktail Sauce

This zippy cocktail sauce doesn’t contain any sugar, unlike most bottled brands available in the supermarket. If you prefer a milder cocktail sauce, omit the horseradish. This is the perfect dip with fresh seafood, such as the Grilled Shrimp Cocktail

Makes 1 cup

1 cup canned no-salt-added fire-roasted diced tomatoes

1 tablespoon horseradish

1 tablespoon lime juice

1/4 teaspoon Chipotle Puree (page 000; optional)

Combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Transfer the sauce to a jar and chill for at least 30 minutes before using to let the flavors meld. The sauce will keep in the refrigerator for about 1 month.

Per 1/4 cup: 20 calories, 0 g total fat (0 g saturated), 0 mg cholesterol, 160 mg sodium, 4 g total carbohydrates (2 g sugars), <1 g fiber, 1 g protein

**With permission from  Flavor First: Cut Calories and Boost Flavor with 75 Delicious, All-Natural Recipes by Cheryl Forberg RD (Rodale)

View the original article here

Weight Watchers SmartOnes Artisan Creations Chicken Marinara with Mozzarella Cheese Grilled Flatbread Review

Weight Watchers SmartOnes Artisan Creations Chicken Marinara with Mozzarella Cheese Grilled Flatbread is described on the box as, "grilled white meat chicken, fire-roasted bell peppers and onions, reduced fat mozzarella cheese with marinara sauce on a flatbread." Well, it looked appetizing, and so I decided to try it for lunch.

NUTRITION FACTS
Serving Size: 1 flatbread (170 grams)
Calories: 290
Total Fat: 6 grams, 9%
Saturated Fat: 1.5 grams, 7%
Sodium: 640 mg, 27%
Carbohydrates: 41 grams
Fiber: 3 grams, 10%
Sugars: 7 grams
Protein: 18 grams

I haven't been disappointed with a Weight Watchers SmartOnes Artisan Creations meal yet - having enjoyed the Stone Fired Pepperoni Crust Pizza (Review) and Southwestern Style Chicken Fiesta Grilled Flatbread (Review) - and this entree lived up to my expectations. WW really hit on a winning combination with a slightly sweet marinara sauce and the roasted bell peppers which I think was the star of the show - but the sauce was a close second. The chicken chunks were plentiful as well, but I think WW could make a delicious non-meat version of this as well (if they haven't done so already). I really enjoyed this for lunch, and it was $2.50 well spent.

Each Weight Watchers SmartOnes Artisan Creations Chicken Marinara with Mozzarella Cheese Grilled Flatbread provides 290 calories, from 6 grams of total fat (9% of the daily value for saturated fat), 1.5 grams of saturated fat (7% of the DV), 640 mg sodium (27% of the DV), 3 grams of fiber (10% of the the DV), 7 grams of sugars and 18 grams of protein. It's also has 7 PointsPlus value. The ingredients list isn't exactly "natural" in fact, if you're not into chemical-sounding names, you probably won't be a fan of this.

As I mentioned before, I purchased this meal for $2.50, and would certainly buy it again. It's really tasty, has less than 300 calories, and a generous amount of protein.

{Website: Weight Watchers}

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Panera Bread Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad Review

One of my favorite places to sit and get some work done, is at Panera Bread. The Panera Bread in my 'hood is great because the atmosphere is very inviting, and the staff makes everyone feel comfortable - no matter how long you're in there hunched over a laptop. Since I'm trying to incorporate more vegetables in my daily eats, I decided to try the Panera Bread Chicken Caesar Salad. It's described as having all-natural, antibiotic-free chicken, romaine lettuce, Asiago-Parmesan cheese, homemade Asiago Cheese croutons & our special Caesar dressing.

NUTRITION FACTS
Serving Size: 374 grams
Calories: 510
Total Fat: 29 grams, 44%
Saturated Fat: 9 grams, 45%
Sodium: 820 mg, 34%
Carbohydrates: 29 grams
Fiber: 3 grams, 12%
Sugar: 2 grams
Protein: 37 grams

I ordered the half portion, along with a (half-portion) of a sandwich, but just the half-portion of salad was a big serving - so the full thing would certainly be very filling. The only modification I made was to use Reduced-Fat Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing instead of the Caesar ... am I the only one that doesn't like creamy dressings?! The salad was oh so tasty - The chicken comes well seasoned - you can see it on the big strips of chicken - and the rest is your basic lettuce & shredded cheese.

One really nice thing about Panera Bread is that the nutrition information is readily available at PaneraNutrition.com - and you can easily switch out ingredients and see how they affect the nutrition facts.

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A full-sized serving of the Panera Bread Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad provides 510 calories from 29 grams of total fat, 9 grams of which is saturated fat (both 45% of the daily value), 820 mg of sodium (34% of the DV), 3 grams of fiber, 2 grams of protein and 37 grams of protein.

To improve the nutrition facts of the salad - get rid of the croutons. This will remove 170 calories (now that huge salad is 340 calories), 7 grams of total fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat & 320 mg of sodium. The Caesar dressing also contributes 150 calories, 16 grams of total fat & 2.5 grams of saturated fat. The best substitution is with the Asian Sesame Vinaigrette which provides 90 calories, 8 grams of total fat, only 1 gram of which is saturated. Plus order it on the side as you might not need to use as much

As I mentioned, the portion is huge and rightly so because Panera Bread does not have the cheapest prices - this salad cost $7.99. I would buy this again, and make the above substitutions, because I know that I will be full for a few hours after.

{Website: Panera Bread}

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Snikiddy All Natural Grilled Cheese Puffs

(Photo Credit: Gluten Free Reviews)

Snikiddy is an all-natural, baked cheese puff marketed directly toward children, as evidenced by the fact that I stumbled upon them while shopping for video games at Toys R' Us. I bought a bag of single-serving Snikiddy Grilled Cheese Puffs because a) I love cheese puffs, b) I'm a kid at heart, and c) because on the front of the bag, it expounds, no corn syrup, gluten & wheat free, no hydrogenated oils, no trans fat, no preservatives and low in saturated fat.

NUTRITION FACTS
Serving Size: 28 grams
Calories: 120
Total Fat: 5 grams, 7%
Saturated Fat: 1 gram, 5%
Sodium: 250 mg, 10%
Protein: 17 grams
Carbohydrates: 24 grams
Fiber: 1 gram, 6%
Sugars: 1 gram
Protein: 3 grams

I popped open a 1-ounce single-serving bag and was thrilled to see that I actually got what I paid for - it was about three quarters full of yellow cheese puffs. It'd say there was over a hundred of these little bite-sized balls in one bag, making my chompers very happy. If you're wondering if these have anything to do with a grilled cheese taste - let me assure you - absolutely not. I guess the folks over at Snikiddy thought that small children would happily eat junk food named after kid-friendly dishes like grilled cheese sandwiches. But they are quite tasty, crisp in texture, and cheesy, though not as cheesy as those Puff Cheetos. I liked these way better than Michael Seasons Lite Cheese Curls.

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Each 28 gram serving (or in this case, 1 bag) of Snikiddy All Natural Grilled Cheese Puffs provides 120 calories, 5 grams of total fat, of which 1 gram is saturated (7% and 5% of the daily value), 250 mg sodium (10% DV), 1 gram of fiber and sugar, plus 3 grams of protein. The ingredient list is empty of neon-orange dyes, and consists of: Cornmeal, sunflower or safflower oil, cheddar cheese, maltodextrin, nonfat milk, salt, butter. disodium phosphate, natural flavor, yeast extract, and extractives of annatto.

I bought 6 bags (1 ounce each) for $3.49 - I know it costs more to buy single serving bags, but I honestly couldn't do without the portion control - and I'm eager to try their other flavors. Why buy baked Cheetos with its monosodium glutamate (MSG) and artifical colors (yellow #6 and #5), when you could buy this?!

{Website: Snikiddy}

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Healthy Choice Cafe Steamers Grilled Basil Chicken

My school offers all of about 7 frozen dinners and when I get tired of sandwiches, pizza slices and burritos, I reach for a lighter option from the little freezer section off in the corner of the dining hall. One of the 7 choices is Healthy Choice Cafe Steamers Grilled Whiskey Steak Review, received good reviews, so I decided to stick with a chicken theme and try Healthy Choice Cafe Steamers Grilled Basil Chicken.

NUTRITION FACTS
Serving Size: 1 meal (10.6 ounce)
Calories: 270
Total Fat: 6 grams, 9%
Saturated Fat: 2 grams, 10%
Sodium: 600 mg, 25%
Carbohydrates: 34 grams
Fiber: 7 grams, 28%
Sugar: 4 grams
Protein: 20 grams

Have you ever tried Healthy Choice Café Steamers? They are quite amazing, in the world of frozen food. The veggies, pasta and chicken sit in one little compartment, while the sauce bubbles up underneath. This results in large chunks of perfectly al dente zucchini and red pepper. The chicken was amazingly tender and there was a lot of it ... some of the best chicken that I have ever tasted from a frozen dinner. The pasta was just slightly past al dente, but it was still enjoyable. All of the components were unfortunately brought together by the sub-par tomato basil sauce. Come on, Healthy Choice, give us some spice!

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Each Healthy Choice Cafe Steamers Grilled Basil Chicken meal has 20 grams of protein and 20 grams of whole grain. Each 10.6 ounce dish offers 270 calories, 6 grams of total fat which includes 2 grams of saturated fat (9% & 10% of the daily value), 600 mg of sodium (25% of the DV), 7 grams of fiber (28% of the DV), 4 grams of sugars and 20 grams of protein. The ingredient list is shorter than some, but longer than something an all natural/organic meal would boast.

I paid $3.00 for one of these - but I can typically snag them in the grocery store for about $2.00. Although it could use an extra boost of flavor in its saucy profile, I thoroughly enjoyed the perfectly cooked components of this meal and would happily purchase it again when I need a break from the dorm-norm.

{Website: Healthy Choice}

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