Don't get me wrong, I love to cook. And, I am not so bad at it. But sometimes after working long hours, a frozen meal is just faster and simpler. Being conscious of caloric consumption, my freezer is stocked up with Weight Watchers® Smart Ones® and Stouffer's LEAN CUISINE® entrees.

I enjoy jazzing up these frozen dinners a bit, and wanted to share some tips with you. Working some of these meals into your diet, and drinking plenty of water, can help you lose weight as well.

Here are a few of my favorite jazzed-up frozen lower-in-calories meals. Be sure to serve these dishes on your dishware versus in the plastic containers. Enjoy!

Smart Ones Tuna Noodle Gratin With Extra Tuna

• Heat the tuna casserole dish according to the microwave directions.
• Take a Starkist tuna packet and measure out ¼ cup of the tuna. Place the tuna in a small bowl. With a fork, separate the tuna into small pieces.
• Pour the tuna casserole in a medium-sized bowl.
• Mix in tuna.
• Sprinkle with black pepper and red pepper flakes.

Lean Cuisine Pepperoni Pizza With Basil and Extra Cheese

• Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
• Place the frozen pizza on a rack and heat for 8 minutes.
• Measure out ¼ cup of shredded mozzarella cheese.
• Cut up two to three fresh basil leaves (can use dry basil).
• Remove pizza from the oven. Sprinkle with cheese.
• Place pizza in microwave on the box (folded per the directions).
• Heat on high for one minute.
• Sprinkle the pizza with the basil.

Lean Cuisine Fettucini Alfredo With Freshly Steamed Broccoli

• Heat the fettucini alfredo in the microwave according to the instructions.
• Wrap ½ cup of broccoli in saran wrap. Poke a few holes in the saran wrap with a fork. Heat in the microwave for 1-1.5 minutes. Be careful not to overcook.
• Remove the broccoli from the saran wrap. Be careful. The steam will be hot!
• Chop up the broccoli in small, bite-sized pieces.
• Stir in the fettucini alfredo.
• Sprinkle with pepper.

Smart Ones Salisbury Steak With Sauteed Onions and Steamed Broccoli

• Heat entree in the microwave
  according to the package instructions.
• Thinly slice a bit of a sweet onion.
• Sautee the onion in a teaspoon of
  olive oil in a small skillet.
• Place onion on the meat portion of the meal.
• Steam broccoli (see directions in
  fettucini alfredo above).