Easy Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

I've been posting a lot of yummy, but really decadent, recipes great for game day lately.  How about we take it on the healthier side today?  Roasted Red Pepper Hummus is an easy, delicious way to bring a healthy option to the game day spread or have on hand for a fantastic snack any day!

Italian Chicken Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

I've got a mouthwatering appetizer to share today...Italian Chicken Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms.  These little guys would be a great addition to your game day menu or to serve along side a pasta dish.

Lemony Cucumber Salad

This isn't the most beautiful picture of this salad, but don't let it deter you from making it...it is so delicious!  You can, of course, make it with English cucumbers, which would make a much more eye pleasing salad...but regular old cukes were on sale in my grocery four for a $1!  So I peeled, and seeded and used them in this refreshing cucumber salad.

I honestly, would have never thought to pair cukes and lemons.  But what a great taste surprise this ended up being!  And all for ONE PP!  Who could ask for more??

Lemony Cucumber Salad

adapted from Allrecipes

Servings - 6   Serving Size - about 1/2 cup or 1/6th of the recipe   Points+ per serving - 1 Point+

Calories - 27,   Total Fat - 0g,   Carb. - 6.4g,   Protein - 0.5g,   Fiber - 0.4g

2 English cucumbers or three large regular cucumbers

2 TBSP chopped onion (optional)

1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar

2 TBSP granulated sugar

2 tsp. celery seed

1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper

1 tsp kosher salt

1 TBSP fresh lemon juice

1.  Slice English cukes or if using regular cukes, peel, seed and slice.  In med bowl, combine the cukes and the onion, if using.  

2.  In small glass measure or canning jar, combine the rest of the ingredients and shake or stir until sugar and salt are dissolved.  Pour over cukes/onions.  Toss to coat and allow to sit in fridge for about 30 minutes before serving.  

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What a yummy summery salad to go with just about anything!  I have to confess...I love cucumbers, so this loving this salad for me was easy.  I've had marinated cuke salads before...and I loved them all, but I have to say, the addition of lemon took this one to a whole new place.  Who would have thunk it?  

Of all the summer veg/fruit, I do think cucumbers and watermelon sit at the top of my favorite list.  What summer veg/fruits are your favorites? 

Summer Ready with Laughing Cow® Light Cheese Wedges

Ready or not...summer is HERE!  What better way to make sure you look great in your summer outfits and swim suits than with the always amazing Laughing Cow® Light Cheese Wedges and some of my favorite ways to serve them?  (Disclaimer:  I was sent Laughing Cow® to sample and review for free.  All opinions expressed in this blog post are my own, and do not neccessarily reflect those of this brand.  I was not compensated for this review.)

I have been a huge fan of Laughing Cow® Light Cheese Wedges for some time now. (Yes, I've posted several recipes using them...just type in "Laughing Cow" in the search bar on the right and you will see for yourself!)  I love the variety of flavors and the fact that each cheese wedge is only 35 calories, which calculates to ONE POINT PLUS if you are following Weight Watchers!  THAT is an awesome deal for such deliciousness!  The taste of each flavor is outstanding and they are so versatile! They make a great addition to your summer snack menus.

I sat down with a good friend the other afternoon, and we had a few tasty snacks while enjoying each others company on my patio.  I didn't feel guilty one bit about the delicious treats we enjoyed, as each one was healthy and low calorie and featured the delicious Laughing Cow® Light Cheeses!

Our favorite pairing, hands down, was this one:   Refreshing cucumber slices, Light Garlic and Herb Laughing Cow® cheese wedges, grape tomato wedges, fresh basil and fresh ground black pepper.

This combo was outstanding.  Aren't they just gorgeous?  Imagine enjoying these tasty bites by the pool on a warm summer day with a cool glass of an iced beverage! (It's summer, remember to hydrate!)  I think they are beautiful enough to serve as an appetizer too!  Leave the fresh ground black pepper off if you aren't a fan, but we loved the bit of heat!

The next combo we put together was this one:  Your favorite cracker topped with Light Blue Cheese Laughing Cow® Cheese wedges, a dollop of fig jam, and a walnut.  

Salty, sweet, and tangy with the blue cheese.  These are great with a nice glass of a summer white wine spritzer! Yum.

The last paring we enjoyed was quite delicious:  Sweet red bell pepper chunks with Light Queso Fresco & Chipotle Laughing Cow® cheese wedges, and strips of crunchy raw carrots.

Love the colors and flavors of this one! Perfect start to a summer BBQ.  The Queso Fresco & Chipotle flavor adds a bit of smoky heat that goes wonderful with the sweet red peppers!  You can have 4 of these babies for ONE POINT PLUS!  (1 wedge of cheese divided between four pepper chunks)

Don't get me wrong, Laughing Cow® Cheese Wedges are great on their own with some crackers or spread on some raw veggies,  and perfect for "on the go snacks."  But when you have the time, why not treat your senses to something just a bit more creative?  (Remember we do eat with our eyes first.) You can feast on these beautiful creations and still not be cheating on your diet...but you might feel like you have!

Look for all the varieties of Laughing Cow® Light Cheeses in your grocers refrigerated section.  

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I love, love, love Laughing Cow® cheeses.  At any given moment, you will find a package or two (or more) in my refrigerator.  I use them in eggbeater omelets and in all sorts of recipes...I even eat them straight up.  ( Especially the Queso Fresco and Chipotle flavored one!) I am always happy to feature them on my blog!  

Check out a few of the other recipes I have made using Laughing Cow® Cheese:

Light Laughing Cow® Mac and Cheese

Smooth Sensations Creamy Cauliflower Mash 

Lightened Up Warm Spinach Artichoke Dip 


  

Pantry Salsa

Looking for a quick and easy recipe for this weekend's big game?
Look no further. This easy Pantry Salsa is the recipe for you! It's called Pantry Salsa, because you probably already have everything you need to make this right in your pantry!

Crockpot Gingered Apple/Pear Sauce

Yup, fall has appeared here in NE Ohio this week.  Cooler temps, falling leaves, and APPLES!  I have said before, summer is really my favorite season, but I will concede, there are some great things about fall too!

Like apples.

I get really excited when the local apples start showing up at the grocery stores.

One of my very favorite things to make with fresh apples is Crockpot Chunky Gingered Applesauce.  It's incredibly easy and super delicious....and VERY diet friendly.  This version is a bit of a variation on that recipe.  The addition of pears to the sauce gives it amazing flavor and texture.  I used Ginger Gold apples and Bartlett pears for this sauce.  We all loved it!  But feel free to substitute any variety of apple/pear you prefer.

The ratio of apples to pears I used was 8 apples to 4 pears.  It produced a nice thick, chunky sauce which is delicious eaten warm or cold, alone or as a side dish to pork or chicken, or one of my favorite ways to enjoy it, over some Greek yogurt.  In the original recipe, I used apple cider, but this time I elected to not add any and it worked out fine. I did, however, add the juice of half a lemon.  This was not an ingredient in the original recipe.  I also didn't have any fresh ginger on hand, so I used what I had in my spice cabinet.  This also worked out fine.  But you could use fresh grated ginger if you prefer. 

Make this delicious treat today!  Or as soon as you can!  You won't be sorry....nope, you'll be happy you did! 

Crockpot Gingered Apple/Pear Sauce

Printable Recipe

Servings - approx. 16 ( about a quart of sauce)   Serving Size - 1/2 cup   Points Plus per Serving - 2 Points+ or 0 Point+*

Calories - 71.7,   Total Fat - 0.3g,   Carb. - 19.1g,   Protein - 0.3g,   Fiber - 2.9g

( *this is a recipe that falls into the gray area of computing points plus values for.  If you input the info into recipe builder and assume each serving is approx. 1/2 cup each with a total of approx. 16 servings, you get a point+ value of 2, whether you use the sugar or not.  So it is up to you whether you decide to count this as 2 points+ or zero point+. )

8 medium sized (2 3/4" dia) fresh apples, peeled, cored and diced 

4 medium sized (approx. 2 1/2 per pound) fresh pears, peeled, cored and diced 

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground ginger

1 - 2 TBSP brown sugar

Juice of half a lemon

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1.  Combine all ingredients in a slowcooker and stir to combine.  Cook on LOW for 6 - 8 hrs or on HIGH for 4 - 5 hours or until the apples and pears are soft and break apart when stirred.  You can mash up the fruit with a potato masher or a fork or wooden spoon to your desired chunkiness.  

2.  Serve warm or cold.  Store any leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator.   

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Even I had to admit, yesterday was a spectacular fall day here.  The sun was shining bright and the air was cool.  If every fall day could be like yesterday, I might be won over!  lol  There really is nothing like apples and pumpkins and pears to get you into the spirit of fall.  

I have made the original version of this sauce dozens of times after discovering it.  It is absolutely delicious.  The ginger gives it just a bit of heat...so good.  I think I might even like this new version even better though.  Such a great texture and flavor with the two fruit combo.  And really?  Can it get much healthier than this?  

Now that I am seeing some benefits to this season....like cooler days for walking in the woods, vibrant colors and the tastes of fall...I'd like to know what are your favorite things about fall?  

Mini Quiches (1 Point+ each)

OMG...are these little hand held mini quiches good...and 1 Point+ each?  Are you kidding me? They even have a "crust"...and straight from the oven...it's crispy!  Ever since I bought wonton wrappers, I have been having a lot of fun finding uses for them.  I can see why Hungry Girl is in love with these things.

I had two for breakfast this morning with some mango on the side.  So good.  You can use any kind of filling additions you like.  ( the filling additions you choose may change pp values)  I used turkey bacon bits, baby spinach, roasted red peppers and reduced fat Swiss cheese.  Great combo!  But honestly, the possibilities are endless. 

I found these new ( well new to me anyway) turkey bacon bits at my store a few weeks ago.  This recipe was the perfect use for them.  You can't go wrong with 20 calories and 1.5g fat per tablespoon. 

These mini quiches make a great breakfast or brunch or a great lunch or fun light dinner when served with a side salad! Or how about for a snack?   Low in fat and calories but higher in protein.

Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies for 1 point+ a piece?  How can this be true?

Well, the secret is that the are incredibly small...but mighty tasty and they really hit the spot for that chocolate craving!  I got three bites out of my cookie...but hey, at 1 point+ each...you can have three cookies and still come in with a respectable point+ value as far as cookies go!

The recipe calls for 40 cookies out of one batch....and I did manage to squeeze 40 cookies out of the batch I made, but I admit, it was a stretch.    If you don't feel like making such tiny cookies, you can make 20 cookies from the recipe and they will still be a very respectable 2 points+ each. 

This recipe comes from WW online. The original recipe calls for mini chocolate chips, and I don't know of any company that makes minis except for Nestle.  Not that I have anything against Nestle, they do make a fine chocolate, but sometimes you just want a different taste so I went with a dark Belgian chocolate. I first weighed out 1/3 cup of mini chocolate chips.  It came to 57 grams.  I then weighed dark Belgian chocolate ( 70% cacao)  I got from Trader Joe's and used 57 grams of it, chopped finely to replace the mini chocolate chips.  It worked wonderfully, and gave the cookies a really rich chocolate taste. 

The cookies came together pretty easily...

Mixed the dough as instructed.  All ready for the addition of the chunked chocolate....

Dropped by teaspoonfuls onto a parchment lined cookie sheet and baked for 10 minutes...

And voila!  Ready to eat!  Still warm from the oven, they have a crunchy exterior with a chewy, chocolatey inside.  Once they have cooled and been stored in a covered container, they are chewy all over.

Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies

adapted from WW Online

Printable Recipe

Servings - 40   Serving size - 1 cookie   Points Plus per serving - 1 point+

Calories - 50,   Total Fat - 1.7g,   Carb. - 9.4g,   Protein - 0.8g,   Fiber - 0.4g

1 cup all- purpose flour ( can sub whole wheat pastry flour if you like) 

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/8 tsp. salt

1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

2 large egg whites

1/3 cup of dark chocolate finely chopped ( approx. 57 grams) OR 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Prepare cookie sheets by lining with silpat, parchment paper OR spraying with nonstick spray. 

2.  Measure out flour and combine in small bowl with baking soda and salt.  Set aside. 

3.  In medium bowl, with electric mixer, combine the softened butter and the brown sugar and mix until light and fluffy.  Add in the granulated sugar and mix for a minute or so longer.  Add cocoa, egg whites, and vanilla extract, beating well.  Gradually add in flour mixture, beating until well combined.  Stir in chocolate chunks.

4.  Drop by teaspoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets.  ( it will be a stretch, but if you are careful you CAN get 40 cookies from this dough)   Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees F.  Remove from oven when done and allow to cool on pan for a minute or two before placing them onto a wire rack to cool. 

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These little cookies will really help curb that chocolate craving without breaking the point+ bank!  They really don't taste at all like a light or low fat cookie.  One cup of sugar overall, may seem like a lot of sugar, but divided up into 40 servings it isn't.  You do need the sugar to get the right texture in cookies so I wouldn't substitute it with anything else.  

I've popped what is left of the cookies I made yesterday in the freezer.  My boys loved them...maybe too much.  I made them to help curb MY chocolate craving, and if they eat them all up....there won't be any left to do that!  lol   Does anyone else have this problem with your family?  You make a tasty treat for yourself, one that fits into your plan, and before you know it, your family has made it vanish??  What can you do?  I love my family, and I love to cook and bake for them...but sometimes...I just want to be selfish!  haha   I mean, come on....it's chocolate!

Grilled Peanut Butter Chicken w/ Peanut Dipping Sauce

Fresh Sriracha Refrigerator Pickles

Sriracha....this very spicy chili sauce seems to be showing up in more and more places these days.  When I came across a recipe called Fresh Sriracha Refrigerator Pickles...I instantly knew I wanted to try it.  The funny thing about the original recipe ( which can be found HERE ) is that it didn't call for a drop of sriracha at all...but instead used fresno chilis.  I searched my area for fresnos without any luck, so I tweaked the recipe using the "rooster on the bottle sauce" we are all coming so familiar with and sweet red bell pepper.

This was also my first attempt at making refrigerator pickles...well, actually, I have been making a quick version with rice vinegar and salt and pepper for some time now. ( no recipe, just put it together )    I really liked this recipe.  The ingredients give the pickles a depth of flavors that are really great together and it really could not be easier.  If you can find the fresno chilis, as called for in the original recipe and use them instead of this recipe I posted, let me know.  I am curious to know what kind of heat you would get.

But if you can't find fresno chilis like me, you can make my version with ingredients easily found in most places.  I have even seen Sriracha hot chili sauce at Target!  Be forewarned though, the longer these babies sit in the brine, the more heat they get!

On a side note, I had planned on having some really nice photos of these pickles in the canning jar I used to make the in, but my family had picked at them so much, they looked lost in the big jar!  So I had to settle for some shots in a small bowl instead!   It must be a testament to how good they are though!  

Fresh Sriracha Refrigerator Pickles

adapted from Betty Crocker Red Hot Summer Trends

Printable Recipe

Servings - 8   Serving size - 1/8th of recipe    Points Plus per Serving - 1 point+ ( if you count the cucumber)  or 0 point+ ( if you don't count the cucumber)

Calories - 40,   Total Fat - 0g,   Carb. - 8g,   Protein - 1g,   Fiber - 1g

1/2 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped

1 cup unseasoned rice vinegar

as many squirts of sriracha you desire ( I used two small squirts ) 

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 TBS granulated sugar

1 tsp. grated ginger

1 TBS. kosher salt

1 English cucumber, unpeeled and sliced about 1/4" thick

1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion

1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves ( optional...I didn't use because I didn't have any)

1.  Combine the red bell pepper, vinegar, sriracha sauce, garlic, sugar, ginger and salt in small bowl.  Mix well and allow the salt and sugar to dissolve. 

2.  In a container ( such as a wide mouth canning jar ) layer the cukes, red onion and cilantro leaves ( if using).  Pour the vinegar mixture on top. cover, shake to mix and allow to sit in refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving.   Store covered in refrigerator for up to 1 week. 

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I seriously cannot believe it is August already!  Wow!  Why is it the summer seems to rocket by and winter seems to last forever!?  I think I would like to switch that up!  haha   I am truly a summer kind of girl.  I mean, don't get me wrong, spring is nice too...but I look at it like a prelude to what is to come...summer!   And fall is ok, but it's the wrap up to summer for me. ( See? it's all about summer! )   Winter?  well...I think you all know about how much I detest that season!  Although, as much as I hate to admit it, I think I am ready for a more structured day with the kids all back to school.  It is always easier for me to stay on plan when I only have myself to worry about during the day.  

How about you?  Are you a fan of summer, winter, spring or fall?  

Homemade New York Style Bagels with Low Fat Strawberry Cream Cheese Spread

Seriously, one of the easiest and most delicious things I have ever made!  Who knew making bagels was so easy?  Homemade NY Style Bagels seem to be a popular food blog item as of late, and I wanted to hop on the bandwagon too!  I go in spurts, where I really get into making yeast breads....like Oatmeal Bread,  Mulitgrain Bread, Challah Bread,  and Cinnamon Rolls.   I like to cook, but I will tell you, my real passion lies in baking.  I just love to bake!  I probably love it too much...but this was the first time I have ever made bagels. 

I took the recipe for these bagels from one I had seen on two blogs I regularly follow, MyBizzyKitchen and PreventionRD.  Both Nicole and Biz talked this recipe up BIG, so I knew it would be good! ( you can find both of their original posts about these bagels by following the links on their recipe indexes, respectively)   I also saw an excellent tutorial on TastyKitchen last week, with a recipe as well...but in the end I chose to make Nicole and Biz's recipe...because it used Vital Wheat Gluten Flour.  By adding a bit of Vital Wheat Gluten Flour, ( I used Bob's Red Mill brand, found in the organic or specialty baking area of most large grocery stores) you are almost assured a super chewy texture.  Score!  Vital Wheat Gluten Flour also has 23 grams of protein per 1/4 cup.

I used my scale to weigh out the flours. I have found that measuring by volume for yeast breads really is one of the keys to success.  I used my stand mixer with the dough hook to make the dough.  It easily and quickly came together, and by doing it this way, I didn't need to add any more flour than necessary to make a smooth dough nor do any kneading by hand.  I let the dough rise in a covered bowl, which was sprayed with my misto, for about an hour and a half.  It was cold in my kitchen, so I turned on my oven to 400 degrees, let it get to temp, turned it off, and then placed the covered bowl on top of the stove where the surface was now very toasty.   Biz mentioned that her dough didn't rise much, but mine did, and I was able to punch it down before forming the bagels.  Her bagels came out fine without much of a rise...so don't worry if your dough doesn't rise much or at all. 

I noticed, after following Nicole's yeast conversion suggestion and putting in 1 1/4 tsp. of yeast into my dough ( I buy in a big container from Costco and keep it in the fridge) that both her recipe and Biz's recipe called for a package of yeast. (Nicole stated that a package was equivalent to 1 1/4 tsp.)  The equivalent to one package of active yeast is actually closer to  2 1/4 tsp...but it was too late to adjust.  The recipe came out FINE with 1 1/4 tsp.  so I am keeping that amount in my recipe version.  If you like, you can use an entire package of dry active yeast though.

I weighed out the dough after I punched it down, and got around 800 grams...so I divided that by 10 to get 10 bagels that were about 80 grams each.   I found using the rope and twist method Nicole used for forming the bagels suited me the best.  You can also just form the dough into a ball and then poke out the middle.

 I omitted the extra salt in the water bath...because I just didn't see a need for more salt since it already had baking soda in it.  It didn't seem to matter much in the end that I didn't put salt into the bath...I suspect it was just there for flavor, but I am not sure.

Oops!  One of them wasn't twisted good enough!

These bagels were wonderful.  Tasty, doughy and chewy...like a NY bagel should be.  As good as the ones you get in NY?  Um....sorry, no...but much, much better than the ones you can buy in the grocery store.  Do not expect a crusty outside...they have more of a soft pretzel like exterior. 

I choose to make mine plain...but really, you can top these with whatever you like...or flavor the dough even.

What could make these plain bagels even better?  Low fat Strawberry Cream Cheese is what!

I should have refrigerated the spread for a bit to firm it back up before using it....but um...I was hungry and ready for breakfast!  and yes, this was the LAST bagel ( which I hid in the freezer for myself ) left from yesterday.  Yup, my family liked them that much!  Guess what I am making more of this afternoon?  

Homemade New York Style Bagels with Low Fat Strawberry Cream Cheese Spread

adapted from recipes seen on MyBizzyKitchen and PreventionRD

Printable Recipe

For Bagels:  Servings - 10   Serving size - 1 bagel   Points Plus per svg - 4 points+

Calories - 163.5,   Total Fat - 0.5g,   Carb. - 29.7g,   Protein - 8g,   Fiber - 1g

For LF Strawberry Cream Cheese:  Servings - 12   Serving size - 1 TBS.   Points Plus per svg - 1 point+

Calories - 26.7,   Total Fat - 1.6g,   Carb. - 2.3g,   Protein - 1.1g,   Fiber - 0.3g

Ingredients:

1 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast

1 1/2 TBS. granulated sugar

1 1/4 cup warm water ( 105 - 110 degrees F )

16 oz. all purpose, unbleached flour ( about 3 cups + 3 TBS.)

1.8 oz. Vital Wheat Gluten flour ( I used Bob's Red Mill ) ( about 1/4 cup)

1 1/2 tsp. salt

2 TBS baking powder

2 TBS eggbeaters or one egg beaten with a bit of water for egg wash

Directions:

1. In a two cup glass measuring cup, add water, sugar and yeast.  Allow to sit for 5 minutes, until the yeast begins to foam up.  
2.  Measure out flours and salt into stand mixer bowl.  Afix the dough hook on the mixer and mix the flours and salt for a about 30 seconds.  With mixer running on low, slowly stream in water/yeast mixture, and allow dough to come together...it will start to come clean from the sides and then you will want to run the mixer on med/high to knead the dough till smooth and elastic.  This will take about 8 - 10 minutes.  I didn't need to add more liquid nor more flour, but you might need to to get the consistency you want .  The dough should not be sticky.  
3. Remove dough to large bowl that has been coated in cooking spray ( I used my misto with olive oil ).  Turn dough to coat lightly in oil.  Cover and allow to rise in warm place for about an hour or until dough has almost doubled in volume.  ( I needed to let it rise for an hour and a half ) Punch down, removing all air pockets and divide equally into 10 pieces.  
4. Shape each piece into a 10 " log and then loop it around to form a bagel shape OR you can poke your finger through the middle of each piece of dough after rolling them into a ball shape, then extend your fingers to make a 1" opening.  
5. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  In a large pot, bring water to a boil and add baking soda.  In batches, boil each bagel for one minute on each side...then place on baking sheet that has been coated in cooking spray, lined with parchment or non stick foil, or use a silpat. 
6. Brush each bagel well with egg substitute or egg wash and top as desired..or leave plain like I did.  
7. Bake for 16 - 18 minutes, or until tops are golden brown.  Cool on rack slightly.  Once cooled, store in plastic zipper bag for up to 3 days or freeze for up to a month. 

To Make Low-Fat Strawberry Cream Cheese Spread

1 - 8 oz. package of 1/3 less fat cream cheese, at room temperature

1 cup sliced fresh strawberries

1 TBS. powdered sugar

Combine all ingredients in food processor and process until smooth.  Allow to sit in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before using, to allow flavors to blend and spread to thicken up a little.  Serve with homemade NY Style Bagels. 

Yesterday, I took a drive to my daughter's college campus.  She has quite a bit of money left on her food plan that needs to be used up before the semester is over...or we just loose it.  So we ate dinner on campus ( they have a sort of full service Damon's so I got grilled chicken and a baked potato ) and then went to the market to shop.  We mostly bought pantry items for her for next year, since she will be living off of campus and not have a food plan...but I scored some really awesome things for us at home...and let me tell ya, I was really impressed with the selection on the on campus market!  I must say, it must speak to the more discriminating palates of today's youth!  Nice change from burgers and fries! 

Some of my excellent loot from one of the campus markets!

Asian Slaw

Not your typical mayonnaise type slaw.  Don't get me wrong...I AM a MAYO lover, but I know there are mayo haters out there too...but even us mayo lovers like a lighter mayo- less slaw every now and then. 

I cut up some fresh cabbage for this dish because I had some on hand left over from some soup I made earlier in the week, but you could use the package coleslaw mix to make it more convenient. Or how about using napa cabbage?  Yum!  That would work well too!   The flavor of this slaw sort of reminds me of the very popular salad several ago made with uncooked ramen noodles.  Does anyone remember that one?  I remember that recipe used an obscene amount of oil...something like a cup.  Anyway...that is what the flavors in this recipe remind me of. 

We had this slaw with some teriyaki beef kabobs ( Market Day ) and it was a perfect compliment!  I also used leftover slaw the next day inside some "clean out the fridge" fried rice!  It was great! 

Asian Slaw

Printable Recipe

Servings - 10   Serving size - 1/10th of recipe or approx. 1/2 cup   Points Plus per svg - 1 point+

Calories - 49.4,   Total Fat - 3.1g,   Carb. - 5g,   Protein - 1.4g,   Fiber - 1.5g

4- 5 cups shredded green cabbage

1 cup shredded carrot

3 - 4 scallion, finely sliced ( green and white parts )

1/4 cup toasted, unsalted sliced almonds

3 TBS. plain rice vinegar ( NOT seasoned )

1 TBS. low sodium soy sauce

1 TBS. honey

1 squirt of sriracha sauce ( optional )

1 TBS. canola oil

1 tsp. toasted sesame oil

salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

1.  In large bowl, combine the cabbage, carrots, sliced scallions and almonds.  (If you have raw sliced almonds, you can dry toast them on the stove in a nonstick skillet until they start to brown and become fragrant.  Let them cool before adding to salad.) 

2. In small bowl, combine the rice vinegar, soy sauce, honey, and sriracha ( if using) with a whisk.  Whisk in the canola oil to make a vinaigrette.  Whisk in sesame oil.  Pour onto the cabbage mixture and mix well.  Allow to sit ( in fridge or on the counter ) for about 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to blend.  Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

The weather was wonderful this weekend, and I think my family got a week's worth of outdoor spring cleaning done in a day.  The vehicles all got washed, the flower beds got cleaned up, the lawn got a dose of fertilizer, the garage got spiffed up,  we pulled out some dead or almost dead rhododendrons in the backyard and more!  Busy!  Of course, a front is moving in...and it is supposed to be in the 40's tomorrow, so the nice spring weather was a bit short lived.  The trees are finally starting to show some evidence of life...and I can see tiny, tiny leaves peeking through on my crabapple tree.  The tips of the daffodils are beginning to turn a slight yellow also, meaning the blooms will be out shortly.  I am sooo sooo ready to end this miserable winter!  I really want to get out and fire up my grill!  I just love grilling stuff...and I love the fact that clean up is reduced so much by cooking outdoors!  Hopefully, in the months to come, I will have some great marinades and grilled items to share!  How about you...do you love to grill or eat grilled food? 

Mint Chocolate Chip Meringues

What an ugly weather day it was yesterday....rainy, windy, gray....but at least there was no snow. ( No, that is making another appearance tonight!  Boo!)  It made me feel like not wanting to do ANYTHING that required leaving the house, but when my youngest son came home from school and asked to go to the mall, I decided it might be good to get out and use the mall as an excuse to get some walking in.  So that is exactly what I did. The mall was dead...which is exactly how I like it!   Since we left so late, we decided to have dinner at Houlihan's in our local mall.  We were early enough to take advantage of the early bird specials, and much to my delight, they now have several healthy choices on that menu.  I got the broiled tilapia and subbed a plain baked potato for the mashed it was supposed to come with.  It was also served with steamed broccoli and a side salad ( which I did my standard request of ONLY vegetables and dressing on the side).  For the one price of $12.99 we were given a choice of dessert to finish off our meals, which I will admit, I ate half of...so I ended up dipping into my extra points for the week...but not too far since the dinner itself was just so point friendly!  There are many restaurants that I rarely go to or have just stopped eating at because making healthy choices was so difficult.  Houlihan's was one of them....but now, it is back on the list...as long as they keep healthy choices available that is!

With it being March....and with St. Patty's Day fast approaching...it seems the color green is everywhere!  We saw Irish dancing at the mall yesterday ( nice treat!), enough snow has melted to see the grass again and  McDonald's is selling Shamrock Shakes ( another thing I used to love but have stopped indulging in...they aren't as good as they used to be anyway! )  so the thought of something minty and green has been on my mind for some time.  I decided to try a batch of meringues flavored with mint, colored green, and speckled with mini chocolate chips.....and well, in the words of Charlie Sheen....WINNING!  I think over the few days they were around, I ended up eating most of the batch...which is really OK because they are so low in points+.  If you have never made meringues before, they are super easy...just a little time consuming.  And with their lovely green color, these pretty much say "spring is coming" to me!

Mint Chocolate Chip Meringues loosely adapted from Chocolate and the Art of Low-fat Desserts by Alice Medrich

Servings -approx. 24 meringues    Serving size -1 meringue   PP per svg - 1 point+
Calories - 46.4,   Total Fat - 0.7g,   Carb. - 9.8g,   Protein - 0.8g,   Fiber - 0.1g

2 egg whites, at room temperature

1/8 tsp. cream of tartar

1/2 cup granulated sugar, which has gone through the food processor for 30 seconds

2 drops green food color

1/4 tsp. pure peppermint extract

1 oz. mini chocolate chips

1.  Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or nonstick foil.  In a medium bowl,  whip the egg whites with a hand mixer, when foamy, add the cream of tartar.  Continue whipping until soft peaks form.   Once soft peaks form, slowly add the sugar a little at at time.  Continue beating on high speed until stiff peaks form.  ( peaks that form when the beaters are removed that stay up)  Be patient, this takes awhile.

2.  Quickly beat in the food color and the extract and then fold in the chips by hand.  You can either put the mixture into a gallon sized bag and snip a hole big enough for chips to come out and pipe about 1- 2 TBS. onto parchment line baking sheets or you can use two spoons, one to scoop, and the other to move the mixture off onto the pans into mounds. 

3.  Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool.  Store in airtight container. 

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Cornflake Cookies ( 1 Point Plus)

Yesterday, I missed my WW meeting because I had another mandatory meeting I needed to attend and didn't' have time to prepare dinner for my family.  In the past, I would have made a trip through some drive through window and eaten whatever was the new burger of the season with a side of fries, but instead I sent my son to Subway to get everyone subs.  I got my usual...ham and turkey, no cheese, all the veggies, vinegar and just a touch of light mayo on wheat bread...and even though I got the footlong, I only ate half and saved the other half for today's lunch.  I also had an apple.  I thought to myself...THIS is progress!!  and gave myself a mental "bravo" sticker for my NSV of the day.  Just thought I would share because it's the little choices we make during our day that add up to success in the end....and NOW on to the recipe...

The cookbook I found this recipe in said they were an "American classic," but I have to admit, I have neither heard of nor tasted cornflake cookies before. They are basically cornflakes and shredded coconut held together with a meringue that has been sweetened with sugar and in this recipe, walnuts and apricots are added.  They bake up to a light crunchy treat that comes in at only 1 point + each!  The apricots can be replaced by whatever other dried fruit you might like....dried cherries, dried cranberries and golden raisins would work well. 

Once the "dry" ingredients are mixed with the egg whites and sugar mixture, you get a kind of loose combination.  No worries, they will bind together in the oven as they bake to form a solid mass.  To form the cookies, I found using two teaspoons worked well, using them together as a scoop and to form the cookie.  Also, the recipe said they would brown in the oven, but mine never did.  It didn't seem to bother the taste nor the texture that browning didn't occur.  The cookies should be stored in an airtight container and will last for 3 - 4 days or can be frozen for up to 2 months. 

Cornflake Cookies from Chocolate and the Art of Low-Fat Desserts by Alice Medrich

Recipe makes approx. 40 cookies   Serving size - 1 cookie   PP per svg - 1 point +

Calories - 31  Total Fat - 1.1g,   Carb. - 5g,   Protein -  0.6g,   Fiber - 0.2g

2 egg whites, room temperature

1/8 tsp. cream of tartar

1/2 cup granulated sugar ( whizzed in the food processor a handful of times to make it like superfine sugar)

2 1/2 cups cornflakes

2/3 cup loosely packed sweetened, shredded coconut

1/3 cup chopped walnuts ( 1 3/4 ounces)

1/4 cup chopped dried apricots ( 1 ounce ) 

1.  Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.  Line baking sheet (s) with parchment paper or nonstick foil.  Put the sugar into a food processor and pulse for several times making it like superfine sugar.  Set aside. 

2. Beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar until soft peaks form.  Gradually sprinkle in the sugar while beating and then beat at high speed until very stiff but not dry.  Use a rubber spatula to gently fold in the cornflakes, coconut, walnuts and dried apricots.  Fold until the cornflakes are coated with the egg white.  

3.  Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto baking sheet.  They do not spread so you don't need to leave a big space between each, just enough for the hot air of the oven to circulate around each one.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until delicately brown.  Cool on rack. 

PRINTABLE RECIPE

When I got home from my meeting yesterday, I enjoyed a few of these guys for very little points.  Since I had made a good choice for dinner, I had a few points left to spare.  I was happy with how I handled my day yesterday...it had the potential to go bad very easily.  How about you?  Have you made any small choices in your day recently that you considered a NSV? 

Spicy "Buffalo Chicken" Meatballs with Creamy Blue Cheese Dip

*Winning recipe of BSI (Blogger Secret Ingredient) Hot Sauce/Wing Sauce contest, February 2011*

I saw this recipe on Friends for Weight Loss about a month ago...it had been posted by Danica.  I thought it looked like a way to enjoy buffalo style hot wings, without all the fat and guilt associated with them.  I was right.  I tweaked the recipe just a bit and served it up with some simple lightened up blue cheese dip.  It left my mouth burning just a bit...which was just what I wanted!

There is no chicken in this version, I opted to use readily available ground turkey breast.  Be sure to use the ground turkey breast in this recipe, and not the plain ground turkey ( which includes dark meat and has a higher fat content ).  I  used Frank's Redhot Wings Sauce to top them with, but if you can't find the wings sauce, you could use Frank's Original RedHot Sauce instead.  To portion out the meatballs perfectly, I used my handy cookie dough scoop, which made approximately 24 -2 "meatballs. 

Spicy "Buffalo Chicken" Meatballs with Creamy Blue Cheese Dip adapted from Friends for Weight Loss

Servings - 8   Servings size - 3 meatballs ( approx 2" each)  and  2 TBS  blue cheese dip   Points plus per svg - 2 points+ for the meatballs and 1point+ for the dip  ( total of 3 points+ for both) 

Nut info for meatballs ( 3 ) :  Calories - 96.6,   Total Fat - 1.1g,   Carb. - 6.2g,   Protein - 15g,  Fiber - 0.6 

Nut info for dip (2 TBS):  Calories - 26.5,   Total Fat - 1g,   Carb. - 1.2g,   Protein - 3.3g,  Fiber - 0g

For Meatballs:

1.25 pounds of Ground Turkey Breast

1 small onion, finely diced

1 medium carrot, finely diced

1 medium stalk celery, finely diced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs, plain

1/4 cup eggbeaters

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper. ground

1/2 cup ( or more to taste) Frank's Redhot Wings sauce

For Creamy Blue Cheese Dip:

1 cup plain, nonfat Greek-style yogurt

1 oz. crumbled blue cheese

1 TBSP skim milk

several dashes of Worcestershire sauce

pinch of salt

1.  To make dip:  Combine all ingredients.  Set in refrigerator to allow flavors to blend while preparing meatballs.  

2.  To make meatballs:  In med nonstick  skillet, over med heat, spray skillet with cooking spray and saute the onion, carrot, celery and garlic until softened, about 5 minutes.  ( To finely dice the vegetables, it's easiest to put them all in a food processor and chop)  Take off heat and allow to cool slightly.  

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In large bowl, combine the ground turkey breast, bread crumbs, eggbeaters, salt, pepper, cayenne and the softened vegetables.   Mix well.  Form into 24-2" meatballs.  

4. In same skillet you softened the vegetables in, spray with cooking spray again, and brown meatballs on all sides. ( they do not have to be cooked all the way through)  Place  browned meatballs onto a cookie sheet.   Pour Frank's Redhot Wings Sauce onto the meatballs, and put into oven to finish cooking.  Bake for approx 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the meatballs reads 165 degrees.  

5.  Serve with blue cheese dip and celery sticks. 

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Pizza Party!

Last week, I decided to make pizza for dinner.  Now while most people I know just adore pizza, I think it's just ok...unless I have a craving...then I think it's terrific.  I happened to be craving it last week.  I had flour and yeast, canned tomatoes and plenty of fresh vegetables for toppings and I had low fat mozzarella cheese and a few other cheeses in the fridge...so I was all set.  I needed to make the dough from scratch and the sauce from scratch, which done in one day, is a bit of an undertaking...but if you plan right, you can make the dough and sauce ahead of time, leaving the pizza prep for the night you plan to make it.

I made a wonderful sauce that worked out to 1 points+ per 1/2 cup serving.  I divided it up in half, and pureed half  with my immersion blender for the "pizza" sauce and left the other half "chunky" to top pasta or spaghetti squash on another day.  The recipe yields about 2 quarts of sauce.  If you can, use no added salt tomatoes to keep the sodium content in check.

Once it's been pureed into a smooth sauce for pizza

Smooth sauce and chunky sauce

Basic Tomato Sauce Two Ways

Servings - approx 2 quarts   Serving size - 1/2 cup   Points plus per svg - 1 point+

Calories - 41,   Total Fat - 1g,   Carb. - 7g   Protein - 1g,   Fiber - 1g

1 TBS olive oil

2 sweet onions, chopped

4 cloves garlic, peeled and diced 

1 (28 oz. ) can of diced tomatoes 

1 (28 oz.) can of crushed tomatoes

2 TBS tomato paste

1 1/2 tsp. dried oregeno

1/4 tsp dried red pepper flakes

1 tsp granulated sugar

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1.  Heat oil in dutch oven or large stock pan over med high heat.  Add onions and garlic and stir.  Cook until softened and fragrant, about 5 -6 min.  

2.  Add remaining ingredients, and allow to come to a boil.  Turn heat down to allow sauce to simmer.  Partially cover and allow to simmer for about an hour, stirring occasionally. 

3.  Taste and adjust salt and pepper to your liking. 

4. Divide the sauce in half.  Leave one half chunky for pasta and use an immersion blender ( or blender or food processor) to puree up other half for a smooth sauce for pizza.  This sauce freezes very well.

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Pizza made using homemade sauce, turkey sausage, peppers, mushrooms and cheese.  6 pp per 1/6th of pizza.

Mmmmmm....cheesy.

Spinach, onion, turkey bacon and smoked gouda cheese.  No sauce, just a spritz of olive oil from the misto.

 

Easy Pizza Dough adapted from WW New Complete Cookbook

Servings - 12 ( 2- 12" pizza crusts cut into 6 pcs)   Serving size - 1/12th of recipe   Points plus per svg - 3 points +*

Calories - 102,   Total Fat - 1g,   Carb.- 20g   Protein - 3g,   Fiber -1g

3/4 cup warm water ( about 100 - 105 degrees F)

1 tsp. active dry yeast

1/2 tsp sugar

2 tsp olive oil

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour*

1/4 tsp salt

1.  In a 2 cup glass measure, combine the warm water, yeast and sugar.  ( the water should feel luke warm to touch, but not hot)  Set aside and allow yeast to get happy.  ( about 5 min)   Add the oil and mix.

2.  In food processor, with dough blade in position if you have it, combine the flour and the salt.  Pulse a couple of times to combine.  With food processor running, pour a stream of the water mixture through the shoot into the flour, until the dough comes together. (It should be soft but formed into a ball.  If its not formed add more water, if its too sticky, add more flour, until you get the right consistency.  Flour will absorb different amounts of water depending on the amount of humidity in the air.)   Continue to run food processor for about 3 minutes to "knead" dough.  If you aren't using a dough blade, remove dough and knead by hand until smooth and elastic.  

3.  Put dough in bowl sprayed with oil or cooking spray and cover.  Allow to rise for until about doubled.  About an hour or so.  ( again, will depend on the temperature of your home)

4.  Once dough has risen to about doubled it original size, punch down and divide into two equal pieces.  ( I weigh mine to get them as even as possible).  Allow dough to "rest" , covered, for about 10 minutes before forming into pizza crust...this allows the dough to be stretched a little easier.  This recipe makes TWO 12" pizza crusts.  ( you can freeze one half  for up to 6 months, defrost in refrigerator, or refrigerate it for up to 1 day in a ziplock bag)  

*You could make this dough with whole wheat white flour for one less point+ per serving.  I didn't have any, so I just used all purpose flour. 

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