A Cut Above: Gooey, Cheesy and Still on Plan

Ingredients

• 1 cup fat-free milk
• 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 7 oz artichokes canned in water, drained, rinsed and chopped
• 6 oz white tuna in water, drained
• 3 oz whole wheat pasta (elbow shapes work well), cooked and drained (approx. 1 3/4 cups)
• 2 oz low-fat Cheddar cheese, shredded
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 Tbsp minced parsley
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• Nonstick spray

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
2. Whisk the milk and flour in a large saucepan over medium heat until thickened and barely simmering, about 4 minutes.
3. Remove the pan from the heat; stir in the artichoke hearts, tuna, pasta, cheese, mustard, parsley, onion powder, salt and pepper.
4. Spray a 1-quart round casserole or soufflé dish with nonstick spray. Pour the contents of the pan into the casserole dish. Pack gently.
5. Bake until browned and bubbling, about 20 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving.

Ingredients

• 2 slices light rye bread
• 3/4 oz. light Swiss-style cheese (such as Jarlsberg Light or Alpine Lace)
• 2 oz. deli-sliced turkey breast
• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup packaged sauerkraut, squeezed of excess moisture
• Nonstick cooking spray

Instructions

1. Place bread slices on work surface; spread 1/2 tablespoon mustard on each slice.
2. On one slice, place cheese, turkey and sauerkraut. Top with second slice of bread, mustard side down. Press gently but firmly to adhere and close.
3. Spray a large skillet with nonstick spray; set over medium heat. Add sandwich and press down on it lightly while it cooks (you can even rest a flat pot lid or a heat-safe plate on top of the sandwich). Cook, turning once, until toasted and cheese has melted, about 6 minutes.

Ingredients

• 3 cups fat-free milk
• 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups shredded fat-free mozzarella cheese
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 4 cups sliced cremini mushrooms
• 10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry*
• 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
• 8 oz whole-wheat lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
• Nonstick spray

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
2. Whisk the milk and flour in a large saucepan over medium heat until thickened and lightly simmering, about 10 minutes. Stir in the cheese, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, onion powder, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Set aside.
3. Spray a large skillet with nonstick spray and set over medium heat. Add the mushrooms; cook, stirring often, until they release their liquid and it evaporates to a glaze, about 5 minutes. Stir in the spinach and nutmeg.
4. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray. Place a third of the noodles in the baking dish; ladle on and smooth out a third of the sauce. Top with half the mushroom mixture. Use half the remaining noodles to create another layer; spread with half the remaining sauce, smoothing it out evenly. Top with the remaining mushroom mixture, then the rest of the noodles and the rest of the sauce.
5. Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until bubbling and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before slicing into eight squares and serving.

Note*

• Possible ways to thaw frozen spinach include:
• 1) Place the unopened package in a bowl in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
• 2) Place the unopened package in a bowl at room temperature for 2 hours.
To remove excess moisture, squeeze in small batches over the sink.