Egg Custard

Carlene sent me this recipe, she adds lemon zest and a splash of lemon extract to hers.  I've made this several times now, it's just wonderful.  Approximately 100 calories a serving.  ~ jan

2 cups skim milk (sometimes I substitute 1/4 cup fat free Half & Half to give it more richness)
2 egg
1/3 cup Splenda
1/4 teaspoon salt
dash vanilla
dash ground cinnamon on top
grated fresh nutmeg on top.

Put milk, Splenda, salt and vanilla in a bowl and whisk until frothy.  Pour thru strainer into 4 ramekins or custard cups.  Straining it makes it smooth.  Grate nutmeg on top, add cinnamon if desired.

If you want to make Carlene's version, add lemon extract to the custard, and grate lemon zest on top along with the nutmeg and cinnamon.

Put ramekins in a 9x9 pan, add hot water to the pan so that it comes up about an inch on the sides of the ramekins, and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 45 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.  Serve warm or chilled.  It's fantastic!!!!

Herb Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Dish up a company-worthy dish that calls for only four ingredients, plus salt and pepper. Choose roasted asparagus as a bright, fresh partner for this main dish.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half and about 1 tablespoon pan juices)

Ingredients

• 1/4  cup  (2 ounces) goat cheese
• 1/2  teaspoon  chopped fresh rosemary
• 2  ounces  Canadian bacon, finely chopped
• 4  (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• Cooking spray

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Combine first 3 ingredients in a small bowl. Cut a horizontal slit through thickest portion of each chicken breast half to form a pocket. Stuff about 3 tablespoons cheese mixture into each pocket; close opening with a wooden pick. Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt and pepper.
3. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan; cook 4 minutes. Turn chicken over; place pan in oven. Bake at 400° for 25 minutes or until chicken is done. Let stand 5 minutes. Discard wooden picks. Cut chicken diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Serve with pan juices.
Roasted asparagus: Combine 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and 1 pound trimmed asparagus on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray; toss gently. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes or until asparagus is crisp-tender. Place asparagus in a large bowl; toss with 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives. Complete the meal with a sliced baguette and a glass of crisp white wine.
305 calories/ 13. 5g fat/42g protein/0g fiber

Source:  Cooking Light

ORANGE CHICKEN

Marinade:

1/2 cup orange juice

1 teaspoon orange zest

2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce

1/4 teaspoon sesame seed oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 pound chicken breast tenders, cut into 1-inch chunks

1/2 cup cornstarch

Sauce:

3/4 cup orange juice

1 teaspoon orange zest

1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

5 teaspoons Splenda granular

4 teaspoons sugar-free OR regular honey OR Agave

1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

Pinch red pepper flakes

2 teaspoons cornstarch

Kosher salt

Sliced green onions

Sesame seeds

Marinade: In a medium bowl combine orange juice, orange
zest, soy sauce, sesame oil, and salt. Add chicken tenders and stir to
coat. Allow to marinate for 25-30 minutes.

Sauce: In a small saucepan combine orange juice, orange
zest, chicken broth, Splenda,  honey, soy sauce, oil, garlic, and apple
cider vinegar. Bring to a boil; lower heat to a simmer and cook until
liquid is reduced by 1/4. Season with salt to taste. Stir the 2
teaspoons cornstarch with a small amount of cold water and add to the
sauce. Bring back to a boil and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until
thickened. Set aside, but keep warm.

In a large bowl or ziplock bag add the 1/2 cup of cornstarch. Drain
the chicken and toss with the cornstarch, shaking off excess. In a large
skillet heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil over medium-high. Add chicken
and cook until golden and meat is cooked through. Gently toss cooked
chicken with the sauce and serve. Makes eight WLS or four regular
servings.

Per WLS Serving: Calories 206; Protein 17 g ; Fat 9 g; Carbs 12 g;
Sugar 3 g; Sodium 418 mg

Source:  Linda from Eating Well, Living Thin, one of my very favorite healthy food blogs..

Cranberry Bean Soup

I have this in the pressure cooker right now - 1:30 minutes, beans were not presoaked. Where did I find dried cranberry beans? At a natural food store in Lexington. They aren't readily available in grocery stores.

~ jan

Ingredients
# 1 lb. dried cranberry beans
# 1 large onion, diced
# 1 stalk celery, diced
# 2 carrots, diced
# 1/4 lb. pancetta, chopped
# 2 garlic cloves, minced
# 2 c. peeled, seeded, and finely chopped tomatoes
# 1/2 c. chopped parsley
# 1/4 lb. spaghetti or tagliatelle, broken up into 1-inch pieces and cooked al dente
# salt
# black pepper
# 1 garlic clove, minced, for garnish
# olive oil, for garnish

Directions

Soak the beans in cold water to cover overnight. Drain and place them in a large saucepan with the onion, celery, and carrots. Cover with water, bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer until the beans are almost done, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, saute' the pancetta until it renders its fat. Add the garlic cloves and saute'. Add the tomatoes and parsley and cook for 15 minutes.

Remove 2 c. of beans from the saucepan and puree them in a food mill or food processor
. Stir the puree back into the soup. Add the tomato mixture and the spaghetti to the soup. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Cook the soup to warm it through. Garnish with minced garlic and a stream of olive oil.

Serves 8 as a first course.

Recipes from The Heart
of Sicily: Recipes and Reminiscences of Regaleali, a Country Estate by Anna Tasca Lanza (Clarkson Potter, copyright 1993 by Anna Tasca Lanza).

Raspberry Cream Pie

WOW!!! Linda from Eating Well... Living Thin created this amazing pie. It's a must try!!!

~ jan

~~~~
1 1/2 cups sugar-free chocolate cookie or chocolate graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons butter, melted
Two 8-ounce pkgs. reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup Splenda
1/4 cup DaVinci sugar-free Raspberry syrup (or Torani, or any other brand)
2 cups Splenda-sweetened whipped cream (1 1/4 cups unwhipped) OR one 8-ounce container Cool Whip, thawed
1/2 cup sugar-free raspberry jam, warmed
Sugar-free dark chocolate shavings for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a small bowl combine cookie or graham crumbs with melted butter. Press into an 8 or 9 inch pie plate. Bake for 7 minutes. Set aside to cool completely.

In a large bowl beat together cream cheese, Splenda, and syrup until smooth. Beat in 1/2 the whipped cream OR 1/2 of the container of Cool Whip. Pour filling into cooled crust. Spread warmed jam over the cream cheese mixture. Cover loosely with plastic wrap (try not to let the wrap stick to the jam – use 3 or 4 toothpicks if necessary) and chill for 4 hours or overnight. Garnish with remaining Cool Whip and chocolate shavings.

Makes 16 servings.

Per Serving: 155 Cal; 4 g Protein; 11 g Fat; 11 g Carb; 0 g Fiber; 3 g Sugar; 150 mg Sodium

Source: Eating Well...Living Thin

Chipotle-Salsa Burger

Makes 4

servings
157 calories

Ingredients:

3/4 pound lean (93 or 95 percent lean) ground beef

1/4 cup Egg

Beaters or other egg substitute

3 tablespoons Panko or other

bread crumb

2 chipotle peppers in adobo, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon

salt

4

slices red onion

8 tablespoons salsa

4 Arnolds Rounds or other

multi-grain bun

Directions:

Combine first

six ingredients in a large bowl, shape into four patties.

Heat

a skillet sprayed with non-stick over medium-high heat. Cook burgers
until done (160F internal temperature) about 5 minutes a side.

Top

with cheese (if desired), one onion slice and two tablespoons salsa.

Source:  Fight The Fat Foodie

Skinny Red Velvet Cupcakes

Skinny Red Velvet Cupcakes
Source: Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 26 • Serving Size: 1 cupcake • Calories: 141 • Points: 3 pts

• 1 1/2 cups cake flour
• 1 cup white whole wheat flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp unsweetened dutch-process cocoa
• 1 tsp salt
  
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 egg
• 2 egg whites
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/3 cup light buttermilk
• 1 tbsp red food coloring

Preheat oven to 350. Line cupcake tins with liners. In a large mixing bowl, stir together flours, salt, cocoa, and baking powder. In another large bowl beat sugar, applesauce and butter. Beat in eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl mix baking soda and vinegar. Add half of the dry ingredients into the egg mixture, mix well. Add buttermilk, red food coloring and mix well. Add the remaining dry ingredients and fold in vinegar and baking soda. Pour in prepared cupcake liners 3/4 of the way. Bake 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool, then frost with low fat cream cheese frosting. Makes 26 cupcakes.

Low Fat Cream Cheese Frosting

• 8 oz 1/3 fat Philadelphia Cream Cheese
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Beat together cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth.

Copycat Red Lobster Crab Cakes

1 lb lump crab meat (make sure you check for shells before preparing)

½ teaspoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon minced onions

1 tablespoon diced celery

2 tablespoons low fat mayonnaise

1 egg

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning

¼ cup bread crumbs

Salt and Pepper to taste

Olive Oil or Pam for sautéing

To start, in a bowl combine all ingredients except for the crab and
the bread crumbs. Mix the ingredients together and then carefully mix in
the crab meat. Spread out the bread crumbs on the counter. Role crab
mixture into a ball about 2 inches or so in diameter. Put the ball in
the bread crumbs flattening it out into a patty about 1 inch thick by 3
inches in diameter. Refrigerate the crab cakes until you are ready to
cook them.

To cook, in a skillet, heat a small amount of olive oil, brown the crab
cake on each side for about 2-3 minutes, then reduce heat to low and
cook for an additional 8 minutes.

Monday morning tales from the scale…

It’s been awhile, and I’m not a happy girl.  First of all, Windows crashed, and I lost my ongoing journal about my weight loss.  I’ve got it until last August, it was backed up on my Mac, but from then on is gone.  Grrrrrr

But of course, I haven’t lost much since August, and since Christmas I’m up 2 lbs.  Not happy about it either.  I’m struggling big time here, it’s winter, I’m bored, nothing satisfies me, I’m always hungry, but I’m not going to backslide, I’ve come too far.

So, it’s time to kick it in the ass, Dwayne, get back in the saddle and lose those last 15 lbs.  I keep saying that, don’t I? 

Eating out is killer, too!  I’ve got to quit eating out, just can’t do it and eat healthy.  Life is a struggle, gotta do this one day at a time.  I should be counting my blessings, instead of fussing about gaining two pounds, in the overall scheme of things, that’s not bad at all!

I’ve been more active on this site, posting quite a bit more, I’ll continue to do this, maybe it will help us stay focused…

~ jan

Flourless Chocolate Cake

One 15-ounce can unseasoned black or kidney beans – drained and rinsed

1 tablespoon water or coffee (the coffee will bring out more intense chocolate flavor)

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons butter, softened

1 cup Whey Low granular or maltitol

5 eggs

.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Coat a 9 or 10 inch cake pan with vegetable cooking spray. Set aside.

In a blender, food processor or with a hand held blender wand, puree the beans, water/coffee, and vanilla until smooth. Set aside.

In a small bowl combine the cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl beat the butter and the Whey Low for one minute with an electric mixer. Beat in the eggs for two minutes, or until very light and fluffy. Beat in the bean mixture, just until combined. Beat in the cocoa mixture for one minute, until very smooth.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap or frost and cover. Makes 10 servings.

Per Serving: Calories 171; Protein 6 g; Fat 11 g; NET Carbs 10 g; Sugar 5 g; Sodium 155 mg

Source: Eating Well, Living Thin

Bite-size Honey Popcorn Balls

Sweet, salty, and crunchy, these popcorn balls meet all of the typical junk food criteria, yet popcorn is lower in calories and higher in fiber than most snack foods, making these a healthy treat.

The only quibble we have with popcorn balls is that
they're usually too big and unwieldy to bite into. These miniature
clusters, held together with caramelized honey, are just the right size.
Prep and Cook Time: 1 1/4 hours. Notes: If you don't have an air
popper, you can pop the popcorn in the microwave: Working in 2 batches,
put kernels in a brown paper bag (any size). Do not add oil. Fold the
bag's opening several times to seal, then microwave at full power in
1-minute increments, checking popcorn and removing popped kernels as you
go (they burn easily). Be careful when opening bag; it will release
steam.

Yield: Makes 60 to 65 popcorn balls

• 20 cups air-popped popcorn (from 2/3 to 1 cup kernels; see Notes)

• 1 1/4 cups butter, cut into chunks, plus more for your hands
• 1 1/4 cups honey
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Put popcorn in a large roasting pan. Line a large baking sheet with waxed paper.

2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, use a heatproof spatula or wooden spoon to stir together 1 1/4 cups butter, the honey, and salt until butter is melted. Increase heat and boil honey mixture gently 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in vanilla.

3. Carefully pour honey mixture over popcorn in roasting pan and stir gently to coat. Bake
popcorn, stirring every 5 minutes, until deep golden all over, about 25 minutes.

4. Let popcorn stand 5 minutes, or just until cool enough to handle. Working quickly with lightly buttered hands, press small handfuls of the mixture into 1 1/2-in. balls, occasionally loosening
popcorn from bottom of pan with a spatula. If mixture cools too much to be malleable, return it to oven for about 45 seconds to soften.

5.Put popcorn balls on prepared baking sheet and let cool completely.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Note:
Nutritional analysis is per popcorn ball.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

64 (56% from fat)

Protein:

0.3g

Fat:

4g
(sat 2.4)

Carbohydrate:

7.3g

Fiber:

0.4g

Sodium:

67mg

Cholesterol:

11mg

Source: Sunset, OCTOBER 2007

Italian Meat Loaf with Fresh Basil and Provolone

In addition to providing the lift in cakes, egg whites act as a binder for dishes such as crab cakes, salmon patties, and meat loaf. Serve this dish with your favorite mashed-potato recipe.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 2 slices)
Ingredients

* 1 cup boiling water
* 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed without oil
* 1/2 cup ketchup
* 1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
* 3/4 cup finely chopped onion
* 3/4 cup chopped fresh basil
* 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded sharp provolone cheese
* 2 large egg whites
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 pound ground round
* Cooking spray
* 1/3 cup ketchup

Preparation

Combine boiling water and tomatoes in a bowl; let stand 30 minutes or until soft. Drain tomatoes; finely chop.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine 1/2 cup ketchup, breadcrumbs, and the next 6 ingredients (breadcrumbs through beef) in a large bowl. Add tomatoes to meat mixture. Shape meat mixture into a 9 x 5-inch loaf on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Spread 1/3 cup ketchup over meat loaf. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a thermometer registers 160°. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing. Cut into 12 slices.
Nutritional Information

Calories:
294 (27% from fat)
Fat:
8.7g (sat 3.6g,mono 3.2g,poly 0.7g)
Protein:
24.3g
Carbohydrate:
30.8g
Fiber:
2.5g
Cholesterol:
53mg
Iron:
3.9mg
Sodium:
893mg
Calcium:
149mg

Source:  Cooking Light

Cottage Cheese Stuffed Potatoes

Baked potatoes stuffed with seasoned cottage cheese are a lavish low-fat, low-cholesterol, low-sodium treat.

4 medium baking potatoes
3/4 cup low fat 1% cottage cheese
1/4 cup 1% milk
2 tablespoons soft margarine
1 teaspoon dill weed
3/4 teaspoon herb seasoning
4-6 drops hot pepper sauce
2 teaspoons grated parmesan cheese
fat free shredded cheese

Prick potatoes with fork.  Bake at 425 for 60 minutes or until fork is easily inserted.

Cut potatoes in half lengthwise.   Scoop out potato with a spoon, leaving about 1/2 inch of pulp inside shell.  Mash pulp in large bowl.

Mix by hand remaining ingredients except parmesan and shredded cheese.  Spoon mixture into potato shells.

Sprinkle each top with 1/4 teaspoon parmesan cheese.  Top with fat free shredded cheese and place on baking sheet and return to oven.  Bake 15-20 minutes or until tops are golden brown. 

If fat free cheese doesn't melt, spray it with Pam and return to oven, the Pam enables it to melt.

Yield 8 servings - Serving size 1/2 potato each

Note:  Nutritional information does not included shredded cheese.

Nutritional Info

Amount Per Serving:

Calories: 109.7

Total Fat:	2g
Total Carbs:	15.4g
Dietary Fiber:	6.6mg
Protein:	9.3g

Baked Oatmeal – The Best

Servings 18 - 6 cups uncooked Old fashioned oats 4 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. salt 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce 1/4 cup canola oil 2 cups evaporated skim milk ( I use one 12 ounce can and make up the difference with skim milk) 4 large eggs 1 cups Splenda 1 large banana 1 tablespoon cinnamon 2 tsp vanilla Mix oil, eggs, and Splenda until glossy. Add remaining ingredients. Let set for about 15 – 20 minutes. Bake in 13x9 pan sprayed with Pam at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Cut into bars, okay to freeze finished product. Source:  WW Boards

Crostinis are fun little bite sized appetizers which are little
slices of toasted baguettes topped with whatever your heart desires. I
like this healthy White Bean Topping drizzled with a little balsamic.
You can make these ahead of time, the bread will store for a few days in
an air-tight container. The white bean spread can be refrigerated a few
days. This recipe can easily be doubled.

White Bean Crostini
Gina's Weight
Watcher Recipes
Servings:
17 • Serving Size: 2 • Calories: 33 • Points: .5
ww pts

For the White Bean
Spread:

• 2 cups Cannelini or Northern Beans
• 2
  tbsp olive oil
• 4 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme
• 1
  clove garlic
• salt and fresh pepper

Crostini:

• 8-1/2" piece of
  baguette (4 oz), sliced into 1/4" pieces
• garlic clove
• olive
  oil spray
• extra thyme for garnish
• balsamic vinegar
  

Cut the bread into 1/4" thin slices.
You can toast these in the oven with a little olive oil spray at 400°
turning once until toasted or grill them. I used my George Forman grill
to toast them with a light spray of olive oil. Once the bread is
toasted, lightly rub it with a
garlic clove cut in half. Now your bread is ready to top.

Pureé in a small blender or magic
bullet all the ingredients for the white bean spread. If it's too dry
you can add a little more water.

Top each piece with 2 tsp of white
bean puree and garnish with
fresh thyme. Drizzle with a
touch of balsamic right before serving.

Source:  Gina's Recipes

Chef Meg's Healthy Chicken Vegetable Casserole

Try this inexpensive and fresh version of a chicken casserole--no need for processed soups or sauces!

INGREDIENTS
12 oz chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, poached, and cubed into 1/2 inch squares
2 T all purpose flour
2 T butter, unsalted
10 oz skim milk
1 pinch white pepper
1 t Italian seasoning
1 T parmesan cheese, grated
7 oz penne pasta, whole wheat
2 yellow or orange bell peppers, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
2 heads, approx. 12 ounces broccoli, chopped
1/3 c monterey jack cheese
nonstick cooking spray

DIRECTIONS
Place chicken breasts in a small saucepan with a lid. Cover chicken with cool water. Place saucepan over a burner on low to moderate heat. Bring to a simmer; cover with lid and poach for approximately 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked. (This step can be done the night before.)

Prepare the white sauce by placing the butter in a small sauce pot that has been preheated over medium heat. Once the butter foams, add flour and stir for 1 minute; try not to let the mixture turn brown. Add milk to the mixture and continue to stir until it starts to bubble. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add pepper, Italian seasoning and parmesan cheese to the sauce. Stir to combine. Cook pasta according to package directions. While pasta is cooking, preheat oven to 350 degrees. During the last minute of the pasta's cooking, add the chopped broccoli to the water. Allow to simmer for one minute.

Drain the pasta and broccoli. Spritz the bottom and sides of a 9 X 13 oven-proof casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine the pasta and broccoli with the chicken and chopped vegetables; cover with the sauce. Place in the baking dish. Sprinkle with the Monterey jack cheese and cover with foil.

Bake for 20 minutes; remove foil and continue to bake until cheese is melted.

Number of Servings: 6

Source: Spark Recipes

Dip It Good - Hungry Girl

	This dip is so good it might make you shed tears of joy. The first time we tasted it, we did! BTW, this recipe's ripped straight from the pages of our #1 New York Times Best Seller, Hungry Girl 200 Under 200. Woohoo! Ingredients: 2 large sweet onions, chopped 1/2 cup fat-free sour cream 1/2 cup fat-free mayonnaise 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. fat-free cream cheese, room temperature 1 tbsp. light whipped butter or light buttery spread (like Brummel & Brown) 1 tsp. Dijon mustard 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper Directions: Heat butter in a large pan over medium-high heat on the stove. Once butter has coated the bottom of the pan, add onions, salt, and cayenne pepper. Onions may be piled high in the pan, but they'll cook down. Saute for 10 minutes, stirring often. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for an additional 25 - 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are browned and caramelized. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine sour cream, mayo, and cream cheese. Whisk until smooth. Then refrigerate. Once onions are caramelized, add mustard and vinegar to the pan. Continue to cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Once cool, add onions to the large bowl and mix thoroughly. Refrigerate overnight to allow flavors to combine. Serve at room temperature with your favorite veggies, chips, and/or crackers for dipping. ENJOY! MAKES 6 SERVINGS
	Serving Size: 1/3 cup Calories: 74 Fat: 1.75g Sodium: 512mg Carbs: 11g Fiber: 0.5g Sugars: 4.5g Protein: 3.5g POINTS® value 2* Source: Hungry Girl

Sunday Breakfast Panini Stuffed with Apples and Cream Cheese

Sunday Breakfast Panini Stuffed with Apples and Cream Cheese

Serves 2

1 large apple , thinly sliced
1 large egg
1 large egg whites
¼ cup fat free milk
4 tablespoons fat free cream cheese, softened
4 slices whole wheat bread
cinnamon

1. Place thinly sliced apples in microwave dish, sprinkle liberally with cinnamon, then cover. Microwave on high for 4 – 5 minutes until apples are tender.
2. Whip eggs with milk in a large bowl big enough to dip bread in.
3. Preheat panini grill, or nonstick skillet.
4. Spread 1 tbs cream cheese on each piece of bread. Take two pieces of bread and stuff the cream cheese sides with apples to make a sandwich.
5. Dip sandwiches in egg mixture and grill 4 – 5 minutes until nicely browned and cream cheese is melted.

What’s good for me in this dish?

Apples are a great source of vitamin C and fiber. Vitamin C is an important antioxidant for a healthy heart. The flavonoids in apples also contribute to heart health. High in fiber, apples can help lower LDL cholesterol.

Whole wheat bread contains fiber, protein, niacin, vitamin B6 and several minerals. One of the biggest benefits of whole wheat bread over refined white flour breads is the boost in fiber. Most people don’t get enough fiber in their diet. Fiber is necessary to keep your digestive system functioning at its best.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 272
Total Fat: 4.11g
Cholesterol: 109mg
Sodium: 541mg
Total Carbs: 40.89g
Dietary Fiber: 5.21g
Sugars: 17.39g
Protein: 18.00g

Weight Watchers Points 5

Source: Mother Rimmy’s Cooking Light Done Right

Sweet Potato Soup Crock Pot Recipe – 2 Points

Ingredients:
- 2 cups fat-free chicken broth
- 4 medium sized sweet potatoes
- 1 1/2 cups fat-free half-and-half
- 2 packets Splenda or Truvia
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp dry mustard
OPTIONAL: I topped mine with a tablespoon of non-fat sour cream for additional flavor and 0 points
NOTE: To make this into a vegetarian recipe, just use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth
Directions:
Peel and slice the sweet potatoes. Place them with the chicken broth in your slow cooker. Cover and cook on medium for about 3 hours (or until the potatoes are tender).
Using an immersion blender (or putting the sweet potatoes and broth into a food processor), blend until smooth. Put the soup back into the crock pot. Add the half-and-half, Splenda, salt, dry mustard and allspice. Cover and cook on medium for about 1-3 hours.
Entire recipe makes 6 servings
Each serving = 2 Point Total
Nutritional Stats:
Calories: 112
Total fat: 1g
Sodium: 298mg
Total carbohydrates: 23.1g
Dietary fiber: 2.6
Source:  LaaLoosh

Buttermilk Ranch Fried Chicken Recipe – 6 Points

Ingredients:
- 12 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into strips
- 2/3 cup reduced-fat buttermilk
- 1/3 cup Fiber One bran Cereal
- 1 packet Ranch Salad Dressing and Seasoning Mix
- 1/3 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried parsley flakes
- non fat cooking spray, butter flavored

Directions:
In a Tupperware container, or large Ziploc bag, mix the buttermilk, salt, pepper and dried parsley flakes. Add the chicken, and coat it well. Refrigerate overnight or at least 3 hours.
Preheat oven to 375ºF. Lightly coat a large baking sheet with the butter flavored nonstick, non-fat cooking spray. In a food processor or blender, and grind the Fiber One cereal to a breadcrumb-like consistency. Pour the crumb mixture into a large bowl and add in the Panko bread crumbs and Ranch Salad Seasoning Mix. Remove each individual piece of chicken from the buttermilk, and dip it into the crumb/seasoning mixture. Make sure to coat each piece thoroughly. Lay each coated piece on the baking sheet. Give them all a quick once over spray with the butter flavored non-fat cooking spray. Bake for about 1-12 minutes on each side, or until the edges are crispy.

Entire recipe makes 2 servings
Each serving = 6 Point Total

photo credit: Food Network

Source:  LaaLoosh

1 Point Weight Watcher Crustless Pumpkin Pie

Things You'll Need:

• 1 15 oz. can pumpkin
• 1 12 oz. can evaporated skim milk
• 3 egg whites
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. alspice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2/3 Cup Splenda 
• 9" round pie pan
• Non-Stick Spray
• Large Bowl

1. 
   Mix: Combine Pumpkin, evaporated milk, egg whites, vanilla and Splenda in the bowl. Whisk until smooth.
   
   
2. 
   
   Step 2
   
   Spices: Add in all the spices and the salt. At this point, if there are other spices you prefer, you can add them now.
   
3. 
   
   Step 3
   
   Bake: Spray your pie pan with non-stick spray. Pour in the mixture. Bake on 325 for 50 minutes. Then crank it up to 425 to brown it on top. Before removing from oven, insert a toothpick in the center of the pie. If it comes out clean, it's done. If not, give it another 5 minutes and test again with the toothpick.
   
4. 
   
   Step 4
   Serve: This pie makes 8 servings. Each serving is 1 point for those of you who count points. For a little added interest, top it off with some fat free whipped topping and some fresh berries or cranberry sauce
   
   
   

Source:  eHow.com

Chunky Apple-Cinnamon Muffins from HungryGirl

	PER SERVING (1 muffin with topping): 127 calories, 2.5g fat, 325mg sodium, 24.5g carbs, 2.5g fiber, 10g sugars, 3g protein -- POINTS® value 2* Yup, guilt-free baked goods for breakfast. Stop pinching yourself. It's TRUE. Ingredients: For Muffins 1 cup peeled and chopped Fuji apples 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour 1/4 cup light vanilla soymilk 2 tbsp. sugar-free pancake syrup 2 tbsp. fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters Original) 2 tbsp. Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated) 2 tbsp. brown sugar (not packed) 1 1/2 tbsp. light whipped butter or light buttery spread (like Brummel & Brown), room temperature 3/4 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 1/4 tsp. salt For Topping 1 tbsp. brown sugar (not packed) 1 tsp. Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated) 1/4 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. light whipped butter or light buttery spread, room temperature Dash salt Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, mix together all ingredients for topping except butter. Then add butter and gently stir until small crumbs form. Set aside. In a medium bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients for muffins (flour, Splenda, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt). Mix well. In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the wet ingredients for muffins (soymilk, syrup, egg substitute, butter, and vanilla extract). Using a whisk, mix until thoroughly blended. Don't worry if butter bits do not break up completely. Add dry ingredients to the large bowl with the wet ingredients. Mix until completely blended, and then fold in the apples. Line four cups of a muffin pan with baking cups and/or spray with nonstick spray. Evenly distribute batter among the four cups. Sprinkle topping mixture evenly over batter in the cups. Bake in the oven for 18 - 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool slightly before eating. Demolish! MAKES 4 SERVINGS Source: HungryGirl

From Hungry Girl – watch those nutritional labels

Howdy, HG!

I have been hearing a lot lately that the nutritional facts on many food labels at the supermarket are OFF by around 15% and that it's totally LEGAL. I am so upset and feel betrayed (and defeated). How can we trust the labels of anything we eat? What do we do, Hungry Girl?

Gloomy in Gainesville   
Dear Gloomy,

As long-time HG subscribers know (I have been writing about this for ages), the stats on food labels can LEGALLY be off by as much as 20%. It's not great news, but it's not HORRIBLE news either. While some foods have more calories, fat, etc., than the labels say, some have less. Plus, we're way better off knowing this information than NOT knowing it. Think about it... Now that you're aware that packaged foods could have more calories than the labels say, you can make adjustments to account for it. Here are a few tips:

1. If you count calories, pad your numbers a bit. What I mean by "pad your numbers" is that you can round up -- if something says it has 280 calories, count it as 300. Small changes totally make a difference.

2. If something tastes too good to be true (especially if it's from a small mom-and-pop company), it may very well be -- so don't kid yourself. If you start eating some new treat regularly, and then you notice extra pounds creeping on when they shouldn't be, you might wanna ditch that snack or count extra calories for it.

3. The nutritional stats for all types of food -- even fruit and lean protein -- vary due to size and weight. So weigh your food once in a while to see if the actual weight matches the given or assumed amount.

The bottom line is that no matter how hard we try to pin numbers down, they're always going to be a little off. It won't help to become outraged. Just keep those tips in mind, and you should be fine!