Chicken, Spinach and Artichoke Stew with Bulgur

Driving home after a long day, I surprisingly got the urge to cook something from scratch. I was in a chicken and artichoke mood, so I started there and wandered around the grocery store. I ended up with just a few ingredients to add to what I already had at home and I was ready to go. The result is a full and delicious stew put over a bed of bulgur wheat. I am proud to say that this recipe is completely original!

Ingredients:
-1 lb. chicken breast thinly sliced
-2 cups baby spinach (regular bag full)
-1 14.5oz can quartered artichoke hearts
-1 14.5oz can of diced tomatoes (plain or flavor of your choice)
-1 can tomato paste
-4 tbs lemon juice
-2 tbs balsamic vinegar
-1.5 tsp minced garlic
-1 tbs honey
-heavy dash cinnamon
-light dash oregano
-light dash ginger
-heavy dash cumin

-1 cup dry bulgur wheat

Directions:
-Cook chicken breast in lemon juice in large pot
-Chop chicken
-Add garlic, honey, balsamic vinegar, spices and let simmer for a few minutes
-Add artichoke and diced tomatoes and let simmer for a few minutes
-Add spinach 1/2 cup at a time (giving it time to shrink down)
-Let mixture simmer for a few minutes then set aside
-In a small pot, cook up bulgur wheat
-Serve chicken, spinach, artichoke mixture over bulgur wheat

Serves 4

This recipe is just bursting with flavor. I love it and I'm pretty proud of it! Feel free to experiment with other ingredients. Let me know how it turns out!

Pumpkin and Chili Pepper Soup

The pumpkin list just keeps rolling. I have now ventured into the soup realm. This is a simple yet delicious and hearty soup that is sure to be filling without being too heavy. It's also really basic, so you can add to it whatever you'd like! I recommend experimenting with spices and other veggies.


Ingredients:
-4 cups of water
-2 cups pumpkin puree
-1 can kidney beans
-1 large chopped bell pepper (orange, yellow, or red)
-1 small onion chopped
-1 can diced tomatoes (I used Trader Joe's fire roasted)
-3 chopped and semi-seeded poblano chili peppers (2 small red, one larger green...put some seeds in soup)

Directions:
-Combine in pot and boil
-Simmer for 35-40 minutes

Notes:
You can serve this with barley, rice, bulgur, etc. in it to make it thicker. It tastes great like this, but again, it's a basic recipe that can be tweaked to your delight! I also recommend sprinkling Parmesan cheese over the top. :-)

Pumpkin Gnocchi with Brown Sugar Sauce

I am Italian. I love pumpkin. I am now an Italian pumpkin lover. :-). Every year, my Dad's side of the family gets together for a homemade pasta festival. We make everything from scratch and the results are delicious! This year, I got to make the gnocchi. Thus, ever since mid-October, I have had gnocchi on the brain and figured I could change things up a little by making my own variation of it. This turned out wonderfully! I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:
-1-2 cups pumpkin puree
-4-8 cups white flour
-1 egg
-dash of cinnamon
-dash of nutmeg

-1-2 tbs butter
-1-2 tbs brown sugar

-Grated parmesan cheese


Recipe:
-Bring medium/large pot of water to a boil and proceed with next step while water heats.
-Combine all ingredients in a bowl until it reaches a non-sticky consistency.
-(If it's too gooey, you need more flour.)
-Cover counter surface with flour.
-Taking the dough chunks at a time, roll it out into snake-like formations on the counter.
-Chop dough snake into quarter-half dollar size pieces (roll in more flour if necessary).
-Make a fork indent in each one.
-Toss in boiling water until pieces float then remove them and place them in a baking dish.

-Place butter in baking dish and stir until butter is melted.
-Place brown sugar in baking dish and stir until it has dissolved through the dish.
-Sprinkle cheese on top.
-Bake in oven for 10-20 minutes.

Notes:
This makes a lot of gnocchi. You can feel free to lessen the amount of puree you use, making less overall. This also tastes great with a tomato sauce. The brown sugar sauce gives it an almost desert appeal while the tomato sauce brings it back to Italy. Gnocchi is surprisingly easy and a whole lot of fun! Enjoy!

Pumpkin Fudge

The parade of pumpkin recipes continues with pumpkin fudge. You can actually taste the pumpkin in this! The consistency didn't turn out quite fudge-like, but rather a softer candy. It's super sweet and super delicious. The recipe is definitely more complicated than some of my others, but not too bad. Here is the original link: http://www.pumpkinrecipes.org/pumpkin-fudge.html .

Ingredients:
-2 cups white sugar
-1/2 cup pumpkin puree
-1/2 cup evaporated milk
-1/4 tsp cornstarch
-1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
-1/4 cup butter
-1/2 tsp vanilla
-1 cup nuts (optional...I did not use)

Recipe:
-Butter a dish (for final fudge product)
-In a saucepan, combine sugar, pumpkin, milk, cornstarch, spice.
-Bring mixture to a boil then reduce to a simmer.
-Simmer until it forms a gooey consistency.
-Take off heat and and add butter and vanilla until smooth.
-Spoon into buttered dish and let cool.

Notes:
-I made this with fat free evaporated milk and that probably contributed to the consistency.
-Original recipe called for you to simmer until dropping a bit of the mixture into cold water would make it form a little ball. Whatever that means...

I had never made fudge before and I'm pretty proud of my first foray into the fudge world. More to come!

Pumpkin Gingerbread

Ah yes, Fall. Autumn. Cool breezes and the desire for warm comfort foods. Halloween is over, Thanksgiving is on its way with Christmas right on the turkey's heels. Sounds to me like we need a tasty fall/holiday treat. Enter Pumpkin Gingerbread. This cakey treat is loaded with the delicious flavors of pumpkin, ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Original recipe can be found here: http://www.pumpkinrecipes.org/pumpkin-gingerbread.html . I did more or less the exact same thing, with the exception of doubling the ginger. I also used homemade pumpkin puree which I think lightens it and makes it more authentically flavored.

Ingredients:
-12 tablespoons of butter
-2.5 cups all purpose white flour (haven't tried it with wheat yet...)
-2 tsp baking powder
-1 tbs ginger
-1 tsp cinnamon
-1 tsp nutmeg
-1/2 tsp salt
-2 cups of pumpkin puree (1 can)
-1 cup white sugar
-1 cup dark brown sugar
-3 eggs

Process:
-Preheat oven to 375
-In one bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking powder, salt
-In another bowl, combine melted butter, pumpkin, eggs, white sugar, brown sugar
-Combine mixtures
-Pour into muffin tins or loaf pans or a larger loaf pan
-Bake for 40-50 minutes (knife/toothpick comes out clean)

Comments:
This was really easy to make and tastes so delicious. The picture posted really doesn't do this justice. Pumpkin Gingerbread is a fabulous breakfast or snack. Pour a cup of coffee, relax, and enjoy!

I will try to make a healthier version of this in the future. Essentially, that would entail using unsweetened applesauce instead of butter and wheat flour instead of white. If you happen to try it like this- let me know! I'd love to try it myself!

Zucchini and Beets with a hint of sweet

I recently acquired some fresh vegetables from my friend's mother's garden. She sent me home with zucchinis and beets. The two seem like an unlikely pair, but I disagree. I searched through my kitchen and experimented with things and ultimately came up with this recipe. It tasted like heaven. :-)

Ingredients:
-2 medium zucchinis (chopped to nickel-sized pieces)
-2 medium beets (chopped to nickel-sized pieces)
-1 tsp olive oil
-1 tsp minced garlic
-1/4 medium-sized red onion (chopped fine)
-2 tsp tomato paste
-1/2 cup water (1/4 may suffice)
-1/4 cup vegetable broth
-1 tsp balsamic vinegar
-1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
-1/4 cup chopped parsley
-1 tsp cinnamon
-1 tbs molasses
-1/4 cup garbanzo beans
-2 tsp corn starch (optional)
-1/2 cup bulgur wheat

Directions:
-In a medium-sized pot, flash heat olive oil, garlic, onions (heat on high for 1 minute then turn down to 3/4)
-Add beets and 2 tbs water (more or less water may be needed)
-Cook mixture until beets soften a bit
-Add lemon juice, tomato paste, and balsamic vinegar and cook for a few minutes
-Add zucchini, parsley, vegetable broth
-Cook for approximately 10 minutes on 4/5
-Add more water if necessary (I added too much and had to put in corn starch later)
-Add garbanzo beans, cinnamon and molasses and cook for another 5 minutes
-If mixture is too soupy, add corn starch
-In a separate pot, cook up bulgur
-Serve mixture over bulgur

-Serves 2

-Calories (per serving): 333

Calories may be an overestimate. I'm not sure how much of each thing I put in so I just overestimated. I also didn't have the patience to calculate all of the other health info. My apologies. This meal is so delicious. It has a perfect mix of sweet and hearty. Beets and zucchini really do go together! Don't like one or both, try your own veggies. Add in more! Test different spices. Put it over rice or cous cous instead. Whatever you like, do it! Let me know if you try it!

Honey Yogurt Mango popsicle

It's summer and it's hot! Ice cream sound tempting? If you are anything like me, ice cream and frozen yogurt binges become an almost daily occurrence in this roasty toasty season. Not craving the extra calories though? I have a great compromise for you- honey yogurt mango popsicles. These delicious pops have just 3 ingredients and are less than 100 calories per sweet and tasty treat. The Greek yogurt is key to making these pops creamy. The honey sweetens them and the mango adds a great flavor burst.

Ingredients:
-1 1/2 cups Chobani plain nonfat yogurt
-4 tbs honey
-1 mango

Directions:
-Peel, gut, and dice mango
-Combine mango, yogurt, and honey in a medium-sized bowl
-Pour/spoon mixture into popsicle molds (8 popsicle total)
-Freeze for 2-4 hours

Nutrition (per pop):
-calories: 84.2, sodium: 22.6mg, carb: 16.5g, sugar: 15.4g, fiber: .3g, protein: 4.9g

You can use the fruit of your choice or even use a flavored yogurt.

Kale flavor blast salad

Hello all! I am officially back in action! I have been rather preoccupied with work, classes at Salem State, buying a house, etc. I'm glad it's summer though! Expect some vegetarian recipes as I have decided to become a vegetarian for a month (or more...we'll see how it goes). Salads seem to be a large component of vegetarian diets, so my first post is a salad. The base is kale (an acquired taste for many). It is easy to make with about 10 minutes prep time.

Ingredients:
Salad:
-2 cups chopped kale
-1 large sliced red bell pepper
-1 serving sliced baby carrots (approx. 10-14 carrots)
-1 chopped granny smith apple
-1 100 calorie bag almonds (flavored or not)

Dressing:
-1 tbs honey
-2 tbs lemon juice
-1 tsp olive oil


Directions:
-Rinse all vegetables and fruit
-Chop all vegetables and fruit
-Combine all in a medium-sized bowl
-Add almonds
-In a separate cup, combine honey, lemon juice, olive oil
-Pour over vegetable/fruit mix and eat!

Nutrition:
-calories: 435, carbs: 76g, protein: 9.6g, fat: 14g, sat. fat: 1.2g, sodium: 146mg, fiber: 15.7g, sugar: 46g

Comments:
You can add/subtract whichever fruits/veggies you like. You can also experiment with different spices. I like the kale base because it has more nutritional value than lettuce, but feel free to use what you like!

Sausage and Tomato Mini Quiches

Ok, ok, I am back to cooking real meals. I'm giving muffins and soups/chilis a break in favor of trying recipes like this amazing one. This is now officially on my regular menu. With relatively cheap ingredients, it's not too much of a stretch to do so.

Talk about delicious and healthy all at once! You would never guess that each one of these delicious quiches is less than 75 calories, nor will you guess that they are made with a sausage substitute! They are cute, yummy, and a great breakfast/lunch/dinner/party item. They really aren't that difficult to make either.

If you make them for yourself, you'll actually end up with some leftovers. I typically eat three and pair them with fruit on the side- I have found that grapes, kiwis, and strawberries compliment them quite nicely.


Ingredients:
-5 eggs
-3 egg whites
-3/4 cup 1% milk
-3 Morningstar sausage patties
-1 large tomato
-1 small onion
-1/4 cup part skim mozzarella cheese

Directions:
-Set oven to 325 (place rack in center of oven)
-In a medium frying pan, brown up sausages
-Once cooked, chop sausage up and keep on a small plate
-Chop tomato and onion and cook up in the medium frying pan (2-5 minutes)
-Add chopped sausage to tomato and onion mix and cook (2-5 minutes)
-In separate bowl, whisk eggs, egg whites, milk
-In a heavily sprayed muffin tin, dollop sausage/veggie mix
-Sprinkle cheese over sausage/veggie mix
-Pour egg/milk mixture over cheese/sausage/veggie mix
-Cook in oven for 25-35 minutes (tops should start to brown lightly)

-Makes 12 mini quiches

Nutrition (per quiche): 74.1 calories, 3.3g fat, 92.5mg cholesterol, 117mg sodium, 3.5g carb, .55g fiber, 7.5g protein

Note: These totals reflect 1 cup of milk, but I actually used 3/4 cup (you can probably use less than that!).

The beauty of this recipe is that you can pick and choose your meats, veggies, and cheese. You can also experiment with fruit! I think an apple and cheddar quiche would be delicious!

I found this on the Cooking Light site. I made many modifications though. Here is the original recipe: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/mini_mushroom_sausage_quiches.html

Basic Spice Muffin

This is another recipe that is completely my own. It has a delicious mix of cinnamon and nutmeg flavors with a blast of hearty goodness from the the whole wheat flour. Once again, these are easy and low calorie. You probably have the ingredients already! Enjoy them right out of the oven or warm them up for optimum enjoyment. :-)

Ingredients:
-2 cups wheat flour
-1/4 cup granulated sugar (you can use brown sugar, too)
-1 tsp baking powder
-1 tsp baking soda
-1 tsp cinnamon
-1/2 tsp nutmeg
-1 egg white
-1 cup skim milk
-1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
-1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
-Set oven to 400 degrees
-Lightly spray muffin tin
-Whisk dry ingredients
-Add wet ingredients and pour into muffin tins
-Bake for 15 minutes (maybe less- use the toothpick test)

-Makes 12 muffins

Nutrition: 103.8 calories, .3g fat, 162.9mg sodium, 21.23g carb, 2.8g fiber, 3.65g protein

The beauty of a spice muffin is that you can add in whatever flavors you want. You can also add chocolate chips or fruit. Or you can eat them just like this!

Corn and bean chili

This snow keeps giving me soup and muffin cravings. Here is another hit soup that I concocted by grazing on a few recipes. The base recipe is linked below, but I did change it up a bit. I like mine. It's a huge protein and fiber boost and it tastes soooo good! Satisfaction guaranteed!

Ingredients:
-1 tsp onion powder
-1 tsp garlic powder
-2 tsp chili powder
-1 tsp cumin
-1/4 tsp ground black pepper
-1 can (15 oz) pinto beans (rinsed and drained)
-1 can (15 oz) kidney beans (rinsed and drained)
-1 can (8 oz) no salt added corn (do not drain)
-1 can (12 oz) diced tomatoes (drained)
-1 can tomato paste
-1 individual serving baby carrots (35 calories worth)
-2.5 cups water

Directions:
-Chop and steam baby carrots (not too mushy though)
-In a large saucepan on low heat, combine carrots, corn tomato paste
-Add tomatoes and beans and stir
-Add water and stir
-Add spices and stir
-Bring to a bowl, stirring frequently
-Simmer for 10-15 minutes

-Makes 4 servings

Nutrition: 255 calories, 2.5g fat, 800mg sodium (probably less), 52g carb, 18.375g fiber, 15.375g sugar, 14.75g protein

This is a thick and hearty chili and is just delicious on a cold day. Maybe add it to your Super Bowl menu?

Original recipe: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Black-Bean-Vegetable-Soup/Detail.aspx

Sweet Squash

Ever find yourself wanting to incorporate more veggies into your diet, but not really having the drive to? Have an undeniable sweet tooth? Are you cold and want something to warm you up? Want your kitchen to smell amazing? Looks like I have just the recipe for you- and it's easy, too! Forget your typical microwave veggies. This squash dish is sure to please you and your family!

Ingredients:
-20oz pre-cut butternut squash
-2 tsp granulated sugar
-1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:
-Set oven to 350
-Put squash in pyrex with 1 inch water
-Bake for 30-45 minutes (or until you can easily stick a fork through squash)
-Mash squash in medium-sized bowl and add in sugar and cinnamon

-Makes 4-6 servings

-Nutrition (4 servings): 65.75 calories, 15g carb, .4g fiber, 1.2g protein

-Nutrition (6 servings): 43.8 calories, 10g carb, .2g fiber, .8g protein

Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins

This may just be my favorite muffin to date. It is absolutely delicious and super easy to adapt to suit your own particular flavor cravings. I got the original recipe from SparkPeople.com and I have included the link below for your perusal. The moist texture and cinnamon flavor are absolutely wonderful in this 94 calorie treat. They have officially become part of my breakfast regiment!

Ingredients:
-1 cup Old Fashioned Quaker Oats
-1 cup skim milk
-1 cup wheat flour
-1/2 cup brown sugar (I suggest granulated)
-1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
-2 egg whites
-1/2 tsp baking soda
-1 tsp baking powder
-1 tsp cinnamon
-1 tsp granulated sugar

Directions:
-In large bowl, combine oats and milk and let sit for 1 hour
-After 1 hour, set oven for 400
-Add applesauce and egg whites to oat mix
-In smaller bowl, mix flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and sugar
-Add to wet mix until just mixed together
-Fill lightly sprayed muffin tin (12 muffins)
-Bake 15-20 minutes

Nutrition: 93.5 cal, .5g fat, .4g cholesterol, 196.2mg sodium (probably less for my recipe), 20.5g carb, 1.7g fiber, 2.9g protein

Notes:
-Original recipe calls for cinnamon and granulated sugar to be added on top (I like them in the mix).
-Original recipe calls for 20 minute baking time (I think it's a little too long).
-Original recipe calls for salt (I took it out).



Here is the original recipe URL: http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=5763

Zucchini Sticks!

Ok, this is the last recipe that I served at my New Year's party- it's still January, so I think I'm ok! :-). These are a healthy alternative to potato chips, french fries, etc. They are oven-baked and when done right are quite tasty! The ingredient list is fairly simple and the recipe itself is really easy. Credit is due to EatingWell.com. I did modify it ever so slightly. The pic on their website is much yummier looking than mine!

Ingredients:
-Cooking spray
-1/2 cup wheat flour
-1/2 cup all-purpose flour
-2 tbs cornmeal
-1 tsp salt
-1/2 tsp ground black pepper
-2-3 medium zucchini
-2 egg whites

Directions:
-Set oven to 475
-Coat baking sheet with cooking spray
-Cut zucchini into 3 X 1/2 inch pieces
-Combine both flours, cornmeal, salt, and pepper in a ziplock (or equivalent) bag
-Put egg whites in a bowl
-Drop zucchini sticks (one by one) into egg bowl then into flour bag and shake
-Place coated sticks on baking sheet (not touching)
-Spray all the sticks once on baking sheet
-Bake for 10 minutes
-Flip sticks and bake for another 10 minutes (respraying sticks)
-Do this until they are crispy (not burnt)

-Makes 4 servings

Notes:
-I baked these above the center rack
-You may need to bake them for longer
-You may want to add spices for more flavor

Nutrition: 127 calories, 2g fat, 23g carb, 427mg sodium, 7g protein, 4g fiber, 524mg potassium

Here is the link to the original recipe: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/oven_fried_zucchini.html

Blueberry apple cider muffins

This is another recipe that I made on my own. I like this one better than the Chocolate yogurt oat muffins. The blueberries really make this. All of the ingredients go into one bowl, so it's also a very easy recipe to make! :-). Unbelievably- it's under 90 calories! Let me know if you try this!



Ingredients:
-1 1/2 cups wheat flour
-1/2 cup Old-Fashioned Quaker Oats
-2 tsp baking powder
-1/2 tsp baking soda
-1 tsp vanilla extract
-1 cup apple cider
-1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
-1 cup blueberries (fresh are best)
-1/4 cup cold water (optional)

Directions:
-Set oven at 375
-Mix flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda in a large bowl
-Add in applesauce, cider, vanilla extract and mix
-If mixture is too sticky, add in water and stir
-Add in blueberries
-Put mix in lightly sprayed muffin tin
-Bake for 18-25 minutes

-Makes 12 muffins


Nutrition: 89.25 calories, .3g fat, 18.75g carb, 2.6g fiber, 2.5g protein

Sugar lovers- you will probably not like this so much. They aren't super sweet, but they are tasty. For more sweetness, sub in cinnamon applesauce or regular applesauce. You can always add some sugar to the top. I'm content with them like this, but I'm also used to eating like this. The beauty of them being less than 90 calories is that you can add in other ingredients and still keep the calorie total around 100 calories per muffin.

Cezerye

This is a continuation of my posts about food I served at my New Year's party. I didn't get to serve this one, but I did prepare it and have been enjoying it ever since! It's a delicious carrot dessert from GiveRecipe.com. It's a traditional Turkish recipe that is super simple and super delicious. It has a lot of sugar, so I can't vouch for it being completely healthy, but it does have carrots and walnuts!

Ingredients:
-2 cups shredded carrots
-1 cup granulated sugar
-1/2 cup chopped walnuts
-2 tsp cinnamon
-1 tsp vanilla extract
-1/4-1/2 cup unsweetened coconut (to coat carrot mixture)

Directions:
-In a saucepan on medium heat, combine sugar and carrots
-Mix until a thickened texture is reached
-According to several recipes, this texture means sticks to one finger when rolled between two
-You may need to add water (but not too soon!- you might not need it at all!)
-Add in cinnamon and vanilla and stir through
-Add walnuts and stir through
-Flatten mixture out on a piece of parchment paper (1 inch thick)
-Wrap in parchment paper and place in fridge for a few hours
-Remove from fridge and paper and cut into pieces
-Toss pieces in shredded coconut

Nutrition (18 pieces): 85.7 calories each

I love this! It's such a yummy treat. I know I usually post healthy things, but I was intrigued by how easy this looked. I made the mistake of putting in water while the carrots and sugar were heating. Thus, my mixture didn't solidify right in the fridge. I put it in the freezer and coated it with coconut and it's still in there. I snack on it periodically. I'll let you know next time I try it if it works better!

Curried veggie and cheese roast

Every once in a while I find it useful to purge my kitchen of things that I fear will expire. I don't like wasting food if I can avoid it. This tendency leads to some interesting creations. This one is full of veggies and is made delicious by adding lots of cheese that melts right into it. The cheese and veggie combo is interesting. This is surprisingly filling! You can put it into a wrap or over rice (calorie info for both listed). I also seem to be on a curry kick...hmm. It's working so far!


Ingredients:
-1 cup chopped carrots
-1/2 cucumber
-1 small zucchini (optional)
-1/4 large onion
-1 tsp minced garlic
-1 tsp curry powder
-1/4 cup fat free ricotta
-1/4 cup part skim mozzarella

Directions:
-Preheat oven at 350
-Steam carrots
-Combine carrots, cucumber, ricotta, onion, garlic, curry, (zucchini if you have it)
-Spread in lightly sprayed oven-safe dish
-Sprinkle with mozzarella
-Cook for 20 minutes or until cheese is fully melted
-Eat like this or place in a wrap

Nutrition: This entire concoction (including both wrap and zucchini) is only 337 calories. Take out the wrap and zucchini and you're down to 237 calories.

As usual, this recipe is open for adjustment. You can add in your own veggies/spices. If the cheese doesn't work for you, take it out or use a different kind. You can put it over a serving of rice for 467 calories. It's completely up to you!

Chocolate Oat Yogurt muffins

I decided to try my hand and a brand new recipe that I could completely call my own. This was my first attempt at becoming Martha Stewart. They aren't too bad, actually! They are very moist and a good source of protein and fiber. I also try to bake without butter/oil/eggs as often as I can. Not that I dislike those things, but the butter/oil is bad for you and I don't always keep eggs in the house. Note: I baked these with things I found around my kitchen, so they are a bit of a hodge-podge of items. Read below for switchout options to try on your own! :-)

Ingredients:
-1 1/2 cup wheat flour
-4 tbs cocoa powder
-1/2 cup Old-Fashioned Quaker Oats
-2 tsp baking powder
-1/2 tsp baking soda
-1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
-1 tsp vanilla
-1 container Dannon Light & Fit yogurt (I chose strawberry banana)
-1 cup apple cider
-1 tbs brown sugar

Directions:
-Set oven to 375
-In one bowl, combine flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda
-In another bowl, combine applesauce, vanilla, yogurt, cider, brown sugar
-Combine mixtures and fill lightly sprayed muffin tin
-Bake for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean

-Makes 12 muffins

Nutrition: 97 calories, .5g fat, 21.3g carb, 2.6g fiber, 3.1g protein

Switchouts/suggestions: You can use any flavor yogurt you want or go with plain and add a bit more sugar and perhaps some fresh fruit (like blueberries or chopped apples).

Apple Cider Cinnamon Oat muffins

Mmmm muffins!

It's snowing out, you don't quite want to venture outside yet to do all that shoveling. Still have electricity? Try making these warm, hearty, yummy muffins! They're quick and delicious! The original recipe for these is in my Lighten Up cookbook, but I changed it up a bit to produce this one.



Ingredients:
-1 1/4 cup wheat flour
-3/4 cup Old-Fashioned Quaker Oats (separated)
-2 tsp baking powder
-1/2 tsp baking soda
-1/4 tsp salt
-1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
-1 cup skim milk
-2 tsp vanilla extract
-1 tbs plus another 1 tsp cinnamon (separated)
-2 tbs white sugar
-3 tbs brown sugar
-3 tbs apple cider

Directions:
-Set oven at 375
-Mix flour, 1/4 cup oats, baking powder, baking soda and salt in one bowl
-Mix applesauce, milk, vanilla, 1 tbs cinnamon, white sugar in another bowl
-Combine mixtures
-Fill 12 cup lightly sprayed muffin tin with batter
-In separate bowl, combine 1/2 cup oats, brown sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, apple cider
-Sprinkle this mixture over muffins and pat down
-Bake for 15-20 minutes

-Makes 12 muffins/servings

Nutrition: 98 calories, .5g fat, 15.7g carb, 2.5g fiber, 3g protein)

Notes: The original recipe called for apple juice, not cider. It also called for a full cup of oats for the topping. I found that I didn't need it- these tasted just fine!

Bean and lean beef chili

The impending snowstorm about to slam New England inspired me to cook up something yummy, warm, and healthy. I started getting a craving for chili. Fortunately, the internet has a plethora of recipes to try. I found this great chili recipe on eatingwell.com. I changed it up ever so slightly, but I do give credit to them for the original.



Ingredients:
-1 pound extra lean ground beef (93% lean)
-1 large red bell pepper
-1 large onion
-6 garlic cloves
-1 tsp chili powder
-2 tsp cumin
-2 tsp paprika
-1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
-1/4 cup water
-1 16oz jar of enchilada sauce (I used Old El Paso)
-1 15oz can pinto beans (rinse them)

Directions:
-Chop red pepper and onion
-In a large saucepan, combine and ground beef, pepper, onion until meat is browned
-Chop garlic and add that along with chili powder, cumin, paprika, and cayenne
-Add in water and enchilada sauce, bring to light boil, simmer 15 minutes
-Add in pinto beans and simmer again 5 minutes

Makes 4 servings (12 oz each)

Nutrition info: 307 calories, 8 g fat, 29 g carbohydrates, 27 g protein, 6 g fiber, 516 mg sodium [For full nutrition info, see eatingwell.com's beef & bean chili recipe]

Switchouts: kidney beans for pinto beans, 1 tbs chili powder and no paprika, taco sauce or equivalent for enchilada sauce.

This made my kitchen smell phenomenal. I made some Monday night and will have it through Thursday night- perfect!

Homemade corn muffins

I have officially found a new component to my breakfast! I found this recipe in my Lighten Up! cookbook. These corn muffins are super easy to make and are very healthy. The entire process takes about 20-25 minutes and you can freeze what you don't eat! The list of ingredients is fairly basic, too. You may not even need to venture to the grocery to make them!

Ingredients:
-1 cup whole wheat flour
-1 cup cornmeal
-1 1/4 cup skim milk
-1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
-2 tbs sugar
-1 tbs baking powder
-1 tsp vanilla extract
-1/2 tsp salt

Directions:
-Set oven at 375
-Lightly spray muffin tin (or line them)
-Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar, salt in large bowl
-Combine milk, applesauce, vanilla in medium sized bowl
-Add wet mix to dry mix
-Spoon mix into muffin tin
-Bake for 15 minutes (or until toothpick comes out clean).

-Makes 12 muffins

-Nutrition: 98 calories, 3g protein, 2.2g fiber, 21.2g carbs

These muffins are quite dense, so you'll want them with your coffee/tea or some butter or jam. They don't have the oily and sugary taste of normal cornbread, so prepare yourself. :-)

I made up a batch and I'm freezing my leftovers, so I can take them out and heat them as I want to eat them.

Homemade Salsa and Chips

This is my new favorite party snack! I adapted the salsa recipe from allrecipes.com, but I changed it up a bit. The chips are my own. :-)

Homemade Chips:
Ingredients:
-6 inch tortillas (2 tortillas per serving)

Directions:
-Set oven at 475 and move rack to second rung from top
-Lightly spray and wipe off baking sheet
-Cut tortillas into 6 triangles and place on baking sheet
-Bake for 5-10 minutes (until light brown on edges)
-Flip and bake for another couple of minutes


Cooking time can vary depending on how crispy you want them.

Nutrition info: 160 for 12 chips (2 tortillas)

Exchange options: Corn tortillas, etc. The Cedar's brand are sodium heavy, so just watch out for that.

Homemade Salsa:
Ingredients:
-2 small zucchinis
-1/2 large cucumber
-finely diced coriander
-1 cup cantaloupe cubes
-2 jalapeno peppers (depending on hotness preference- with or without seeds)
-1/2 large onion
-1 tbs lemon juice
-1 tsp minced garlic
-Dashes of salt and pepper



Directions:
-Chop zucchini, cucumber, cantaloupe, jalapeno into 1/3 dime sized pieces
-Finely chop coriander, onion
-Combine all of the ingredients in a medium-sized bowl
-Stir
-Chill for 1-2 hours

Nutrition: 15-20 calories per serving (makes 10-15 servings)

Total nutrition: 175-180 calories

Curried stuffed tomatoes

The next several posts will be dedicated to the recipes I tried for my New Year's Eve party. They were all new and thus quite an experiment! These tomatoes are adapted from a recipe that I found on Giverecipe.com. The lady who runs that site originally filled these with feta and served them cold (no baking). I wanted something warm for a chilly night though.

Ingredients:
-12 small tomatoes
-3/4 cup part skim ricotta cheese
-Curry powder

Directions:
-Set oven at 350
-Spray cooking dish lightly and wipe off most oil
-Carve the tops of all of the tomatoes off
-Remove seeds, etc. from tomatoes
-Fill tomatoes with cheese (I mix cheese a bit first)
-Sprinkle with curry powder
-Place tomatoes in dish and cover
-Cook 25-30 minutes

Nutrition: less than 36 calories per tomato

This recipe is very basic and can be jazzed up by using different cheeses and spices. You can also experiment with tomato size.