Soda Pop Peach Cobbler

This is another little recipe leftover from our vacation.  I think we've made it four times in the last month! It's easy and low cal because it's made with diet soda and no butter or oil.

The top of the cobbler gets nice and crispy, and the middle is sweet and gooey with a peachy-cinnamon flavor. You can top it with low-fat whipped cream or vanilla ice cream...so good!  I kinda want some right now!! :)

Ingredients:

1 box cake mix (yellow, white, or spice)
1 large can peaches in juice or light syrup
1 can diet soda (pretty much any flavor)
cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9x13 glass pan with cooking spray.  
2. Pour canned peaches, including juice, into the pan. Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon.  
3. Shake dry cake mix over top of the peaches. 
4. Pour one can of diet soda over the top of the cake mix. Drag a knife through the mix a few times (do not stir).
5. Place in 350 degree oven and bake for approximately 45 minutes.  Cobbler is done when the top is crispy and the middle is gooey, but not juicy.

Nutrition info: (serving size 1/12 of the cobbler and does not include topping)

177 calories, 3.5g fat, 0g fiber, 2g protein

Positive thought for the day:

"Three Simple Rules for a Happy Life:

1. Start each day with a grateful heart.

2. Focus on the positive aspects of every person you encounter.

3. End each day with a grateful heart."

Lucy MacDonald

Crockpot BBQ Chicken

I haven't posted anything on my blog in quite awhile since we've been gone on vacation, but since I knew my mom was going to look at my blog sometime today I figured I better get to it!!

We had a great time on our trip to Washington D.C. and then our family vacation to Idaho. While in Idaho we prepared very simple meals, mostly campfire foods, sandwiches, or food on the grill. This recipe is a super easy recipe you can throw into the crockpot and forget about for a few hours.  It's so simple it's barely a recipe!

Crockpot BBQ Chicken

4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 bottle of your favorite bbq sauce

Rinse and trim the chicken of any little bits of fat or stuff (I really don't know what it's called) and place the chicken in the crockpot.  Pour about half a bottle of bbq sauce over the chicken.  You can stir the chicken around a bit so the sauce covers all of the chicken.

Cook the chicken on low for 5-6 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours.

Remove chicken from the crockpot and shred in a large bowl.  Pour the rest of the bbq sauce over the chicken. Serve on a bun, or use for a bbq chicken salad, etc.

Nutrition info (estimated):
227 calories; 8g fat; 2g fiber; 28g protein

Positive thought for the day:

"Only I can change my life.  No one can do it for me."  – Carol Burnett

Diet Soda Birthday Cake

I love cake! It is one of my weaknesses when it comes to staying on a diet.  Every once in a while I just need a piece of cake or a cupcake! When my daughter celebrated her birthday this month she wanted a low-cal cake that was low in Weight Watcher points as well.  I found a couple of different options online and so I combined a couple of the recipes to come up with a yummy birthday cake.

Ingredients:

1 box strawberry cake mix
10 oz. lemon lime diet soda
2 egg whites (lightly beaten)
1 container Cool Whip
1 small box sugar-free/fat-free cheesecake pudding mix
1 1/2 cup fat free milk
1/2 cup finely chopped strawberries
8-10 strawberries for decoration

Directions:

1. Mix cake mix, diet soda, and 2 egg whites together until well blended - batter should be smooth.
2. Spray bundt pan, or 9x13 pan, with cooking spray.  Pour batter into prepared pan.
3. Follow the directions on the box for baking times.
4. Let cake cool before frosting the cake. If using a bundt pan, invert the cake onto a plate or platter.

Frosting:

1. Combine pudding mix and milk until well blended.
2. Add Cool Whip and strawberries to pudding.
3. If you want more of a "pink" color to the frosting just add a drop of red food coloring and fold into the mixture.

Serving size: 1/12th of the cake
Weight Watcher points: 4.5pts

Nutritional info:

Calories 213, 1.5g fat, 0 fiber


Note:  You could make this cake with any combination of cake/soda:  diet cherry coke and chocolate cake; diet lemon lime and lemon cake; diet root beer and spice cake; etc. :)


Positive thought for the day:

Even if you fall on your face, you’re still moving forward.  –Victor Kiam

Chicken 'n Biscuits

Chicken 'n Biscuits doesn't sound very healthy does it? Well, this recipe is so yummy that my husband didn't even know that the chicken nuggets were low-cal and homemade!

My daughter shared this recipe with me from one of the Weight Watcher sites she likes. She is very into keeping track of her Weight Watcher points so I'm trying to add the WW points on each of my recipes as well. Whatever I can do to help everyone along on their efforts to eat healthy is worth it.  So far everyone in the family has been losing weight ever since January when we really started trying to eat healthier - yeah!!

In addition to eating healthy my husband has also been walking 5 miles everyday, so not only has he been losing weight, but he has been able to cut back on some of his diabetes medicine.  My daughter, who doesn't like to "exercise", has been finding more ways to be active -- volleyball, softball, frisbee, anything with a game is good for her.  My other daughter, who does like to exercise, uses the treadmill, does pilates or exercises at home in order to get her exercise in during the week.  It's great to see that there is more than one way to lose weight and stay healthy...one size doesn't always fit all!

Garlic Cheddar Biscuits

2 tbsp butter, melted
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
2 cups Heart Smart Bisquick
3.5 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese (I used fat -free)
2/3 cup fat free milk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. Melt butter in a small frying pan, add half the garlic and saute on low heat about 1 minute. Remove from heat and add parsley.
3. In a large bowl, combine biscuit mix, cheddar cheese, and remaining garlic. Stir in milk and mix (do not over mix). Drop batter by heaping tablespoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheet.
4. Bake for 10 minutes. Brush or drizzle biscuits with melted butter mixture.

Makes 14 servings.

Nutrition: (1 biscuit)

97.3 calories, 3.9g fat, 13g carbs, 0g fiber, 3.7g protein

Weight Watcher points = 2pts

Chicken Nuggets

2 large skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into even bite sized pieces
salt and pepper
2 tsp olive oil
6 tbsp whole wheat Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
2 tbsp panko
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
cooking spray

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Put the olive oil in one bowl and the breadcrumbs, panko, and parmesan cheese in another.
3. Season chicken with salt and pepper, then put in the bowl with the olive oil and mix well so the olive oil evenly coats the chicken.
4. Roll the chicken pieces in the breadcrumbs a few pieces at a time. Place chicken nuggets on baking sheet and lightly spray with cooking spray.  Bakes for 8-10 minutes then turnover and bake an additional 4-5 minutes or until cooked through.

Serving size = 4 (1/4th of nuggets)

Nutrition Info:

165 calories; 4.6g fat; 22.1g protein; 7.7g carbs; 0.9g fiber

Weight Watcher points:  4 pts

Positive Thought for the Day:

"Just keep swimming."  – Dory in Finding Nemo

Frozen S'Mores

It seems that now that Summer is here I have even less time than I used to when I was going to work everyday. I thought that once school let out I would be able to have all this time to work on my special projects, but it seems that doctor appointments, the laundry, and a broken dishwasher have gotten in the way!  I also have both my daughters here so we've spent a lot of time going to the movies, the beach, shopping, playing games, etc. -- which is all good!!

I've been a little remiss in keeping up with my blog as well, but I'm hoping to make up for that in posting several  recipes this week.  The first is an easy, cool little dessert that is great for Family Home Evening.  You can whip it up in less than 10 minutes, stick it in the freezer for an hour while you're having FHE, and then it's ready for dessert by the time you're done!

I adapted this recipe from a Hungry Girl recipe I had on hand.

Frozen S'mores

12 sheets (48 crackers) honey graham crackers
3 cups Cool Whip Free, thawed
1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup miniature marshmallows

Directions:

1. Lightly stir together Cool Whip, chocolate chips, and marshmallows.
2. Break graham cracker into two squares. Place one square on plate and put approximately 1/4 cup of the Cool Whip mixture on top of cracker. Place another graham cracker square on top. Make 12 s'mores.
3. Freeze until solid, about 1 hour.  You can store these in the freezer until ready to serve -- they're even better the next day!

Makes 12 servings.

Nutrition Info: (one sandwich)

124 calories, 4g fat, 99mg sodium, 26g carbs, 0.5g fiber

Note:  You can make these lower in fat if you use low-fat graham crackers. It would then be 2.5g fat.

Weight Watcher points:  3 points each

Positive thought for the day:
"We often spend so much time coping with problems along our path that we only have a dim or even inaccurate view of what’s really important to us."  –Peter Senge

Mashed Red Potatoes with Chives

Okay, I'll just fess up right now -- this is not my picture. When I made this recipe I forgot to take a picture, so I snagged this from www.cookinglight.com

This recipe was so easy that I had to post it on my blog. I had never heard of making mashed potatoes this way -- so super fast and easy. Who knew you could use a microwave to make mashed potatoes?!

I served this side dish with barbecued flank steak and a green salad.

With summer here I'd like my posts to focus on healthy side dishes and desserts. Does anyone have any low-cal/low-fat side dishes or desserts they'd like to share? Just leave the recipe in the comment section and I'll choose some of my favorites to spotlight on my blog.

Mashed Red Potatoes with Chives

1 red potato (about 1/2 pound)

1 garlic clove, minced

2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream

1 1/2 tablespoons fat-free milk

1 tablespoon yogurt-based spread (such as Brummel and Brown)

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tablespoon minced fresh chives

1. Scrub potato; place in a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl (do not pierce potato with a fork). cover bowl with plastic wrap (do not allow plastic wrap to touch food); vent. Microwave at HIGH 8 minutes or until tender.
2. Add garlic and next 5 ingredients to potatoes. Mash to desired consistency. Stir in chives. Yield: 2 servings (serving size: about 1/2 cup).

Nutrition:

Calories 120; fat 4g; protein 3.0g; carb 20g; fiber 2g; chol 4mg; iron 1mg; sodium 208mg

My Notes:

1. I quadrupled this recipe since we needed more than two servings.
2. I only added 2 cloves of garlic to our quadrupled recipe, but it seemed like a little too much garlic so I might try it with less garlic next time.
3. I didn't have chives so I added a little parsley to give it the green color that it needed.

Positive thought for the day:

"I keep my mind focused on peace, harmony, health, love and abundance. Then, I can’t be

distracted by doubt, anxiety, or fear." –Edith Armstrong

(I needed this one today!)

Don't forget to leave your favorite recipe for a low-cal side dish or dessert. (Just post the recipe in the comments section.)  Over the summer I'll choose a few to spotlight on my blog!

Orange Beef and Broccoli

I almost called this one "Irritable People Making My Life Crazy Beef and Broccoli" in the tradition of the movie Waitress, starring Keri Russell. It's just been one of those weeks. It seems everywhere I went I was running into irritable, grouchy people. Cooking is good therapy though, so I've let go of all that negative energy!

This recipe was found in the cookbook Cooking Light Fresh Food Fast, pg. 267.

Orange Beef and Broccoli

1 (12 oz.) package refrigerated broccoli

1/3 cup fat-free, less-sodium beef broth

1/3 cup low-sugar orange marmalade

2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 (1 pound) flank steak, trimmed and cut into thin slices

Cooking spray

1. Microwave broccoli according to package directions.
2. While broccoli cooks, combine broth and next 3 ingredients in a small bowl.
3. Place cornstarch in a shallow dish. Dredge steak in cornstarch.
4. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add steak; saute 5 minutes or until browned on all sides. Add broth mixture; cook 1 minute or until thick. Stir in broccoli. Serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup).

Nutrition info:

Calories 238; fat 7g; protein 27.7g; carb 16.6g; fiber 2.5g; chol 37mg; iron 2.6mg; sodium 570mg; calc 68mg

My Notes:

1. I couldn't find low-sugar orange marmalade, so I used sugar-free orange marmalade.
2. I used my ceramic knife to cut the beef, which made that part go smoothly -- since none of my other knives are ever sharp enough!
3. We served this with steamed brown rice.
4. If I were to make this again I would double the sauce mixture because it needed more sauce.

Positive thought for the day: "No pessimist ever discovered the secret of the stars, or sailed to an unchartered land, or opened a new doorway for the human spirit." –Helen Keller

"Fried" Panko Chicken Tenders

If you're like me you've seen lots of recipes that call for panko breadcrumbs and figured "What's the difference?" I would just use my regular breadcrumbs and never know the difference -- now I know the difference! The instructions in the original recipe said not to skip any steps in order to get a good crunchy coating so I figured I'd better give it a try.

The result was a delicious, crunchy coating with a moist chicken tender just right for dipping in the spicy Cajun-Creole sauce.

This recipe comes from the book Cooking Light - Fresh Food Fast.

"Fried" Panko Chicken Tenders

1 1/2 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup nonfat buttermilk

1 1/2 pounds chicken breast tender (about 12 tenders)

Cooking spray

Cajun-Creole Dipping Sauce

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Combine panko, pepper, and salt in a shallow dish. Pour buttermilk into another shallow dish.
3. Dip chicken in buttermilk; dredge in panko mixture, pressing firmly to coat. Shake off excess panko mixture. Place chicken on a wire rack; let stand 10 minutes. While chicken stands, place a jelly-roll pan in oven to heat.
4. Coat chicken well with cooking spray. Remove hot pan from oven; coat with cooking spray. Arrange chicken in a single layer on pan. Bake at 450 degrees for 23 minutes or until chicken is lightly browned. Serve with Cajun-Creole dipping Sauce. Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 3 chicken tenders and 2 tablespoons dipping sauce).

Nutrition info: calories 310; fat 3g; protein 44g; carbohydrates 23.8g; fiber 0.8g; chol 99mg; iron 1.3mg; sodium 666mg; calcium 76mg

Cajun-Creole Dipping Sauce

6 tablespoons fat-free mayonnaise

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh parsley

1 teaspoon salt-free Cajun-Creole seasoning

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/16 teaspoon salt

1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, stirring until blended. Yield: 1/2 cup (serving size:; 2 tablespoons)

Nutrition Info: calories 23; fat 0g; protein 0g; carb 6.1g; fiber 0g; chol 0mg; iron 0mg; sodium 374mg; calcium 1mg

My Notes:

1. I didn't have any buttermilk on hand, so I made my own. Just take 1 cup of nonfat milk and add a tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice, then let sit for 5 minutes.
2. I also didn't have any chicken "tenders", so I just sliced some chicken breasts into strips.
3. Since this was meal was for my daughter's birthday, we had corn-on-the-cob and green salad as side dishes -- her favs!

Positive thought for the day: "Don’t cry because it is over. Smile because it happened." –Dr. Seuss

Superfast Chicken Posale

The first time I ever ate Posale was at a church function a few years ago. The ladies from the Hispanic branch made this soup for their function and, after eating my first bowl, I fell in love! It's basically chicken soup with a kick.

I've never tried making the traditional recipe, but after reading this recipe at CookingLight.com I new I needed to give it a try. This recipe was listed in their "Quick & Easy - 20 minute recipes." The rotisserie chicken makes it super easy and "superfast."

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (8-ounce) package prechopped onion and celery mix
• 4 canned tomatillos, drained and coarsely chopped
• 2 (14-ounce) cans fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
• 1 (15-ounce) can white hominy, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups chopped skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 ripe peeled avocado, diced
• 4 radishes, thinly sliced
• Cilantro leaves (optional)

Preparation

• 1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add oregano and next 4 ingredients (through onion and celery mix); sauté 2 minutes.
• 2. Stir in tomatillos; cook 1 minute. Add broth and hominy; cover and bring to a boil. Uncover and cook 8 minutes.
• 3. Stir in chicken; cook 1 minute or until heated. Remove from heat; stir in lime juice, salt, and pepper. Divide evenly among 4 bowls. Top with avocado and radish. Garnish with cilantro, if desired.
• 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups soup, 2 tablespoons avocado, and 1 radish)
• 
  
• Nutrition: Calories 290; Fat 11.2g; Protein 28.2g; Carbohydrates 20.2g; Fiber 4.5g; Iron 2.4mg; Sodium 452mg; Calcium 62mg

My Notes:

1. I chopped my own onion and celery and didn't purchase the pre-chopped stuff.

2. I used parsley instead of cilantro since Dayle's not a fan of cilantro. It was nice to have a bit of green color though.

3. It might be hard to find the tomatillos. I found them in the Mexican food aisle at Von's.

4. I think I might add more hominy next time - yum!

5. I added tortilla strips for some added crunch and flavor. I just thinly sliced some corn tortillas, sprayed them with cooking spray, and then baked them at 400 degrees until crisp. Sprinkle with salt afterwards.

Positive thought for the day:

"The greatest discovery of my generation is that man can alter his life simply by altering his attitude of mind." - William James

Easy Boston-Style Baked Beans

This is a recipe that we have made quite often. It's easy to prepare and really yummy -- especially on a cold, rainy day. I found the original recipe on a Splenda recipe card. I've adapted it a bit to make it simpler to prepare. I love recipes that you can pop in the oven and let cook while you get to go do something else instead of standing in front of the stove!

Easy Boston-Style Baked Beans

3 (15 oz) cans navy beans, or white beans

1 (15oz) can light kidney beans

3/4 cup real bacon bits (or cooked bacon)

1 medium onion

1/4 cup yellow mustard

1/3 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated

2 tablespoons robust molasses

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Drain beans and reserve 1 1/4 cups liquid.
3. Place all of the ingredients into a 3-quart baking dish.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes.

Serve with corn bread and honey butter.

Nutrition info: Calories 140, protein 9g, fat 3g, carbohydrates 21g, fiber 5g, cholesterol 5mg, sodium 520mg, sugar 3g

Positive thought for the day: Fear less, hope more; Eat less, chew more; Whine less, breathe more; Talk less, say more; Love more, and all good things will be yours. Swedish Proverb

Chile Lime Chicken Tacos with Avocado Cream

Well, it's been awhile since I've posted anything, but I have such a great recipe today that I had to make sure I got on and posted this one. Danielle and I have been trying to prepare some new recipes to see if we can add some different healthy items to our regular dinner choices. Quite frankly, we have had made some real duds lately! Last night I made one with chicken, wild rice, and a mustard/orange marmalade sauce - which you'd think sounds pretty good, but I was embarrassed to serve it! My family ate it though and said it wasn't so bad -- keep 'em hungry enough and they'll eat anything!! :)

The recipe I made tonight redeems me from my previous flop. I found this one in my Cooking Light magazine and I was pretty sure that it'd be delicious. The recipe calls for Ancho Chile Powder, but after looking in three different stores I just decided to use a combination of regular chile powder and a spicy mexican pepper blend. I love the combination of chile and lime, and with the addition of the avocado cream - which has lime in it as well - it's a real keeper!

The Cooking Light magazine calls this "Ancho Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Slaw and Avocado Cream":

1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1/4 inch strips

3/4 teaspoon ancho chile powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Cooking spray

1/8 teaspoon grated lime rind

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, divided

1/4 cup light sour cream

2 tablespoons 1% low fat milk

1/2 ripe peeled avocado, diced

2 cups packaged angel hair slaw

1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon canola oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

8 (6 inch) tortillas

1. Heat a large skillet over high heat. Sprinkle chicken evenly with chile powder, garlic salt, and cumin. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan; cook 4 minutes; stirring frequently. Remove chicken from pan.

2. Combine rind, 1 tablespoon juice, and next 3 ingredients (through avocado) in a blender or food processor; process until smooth.

3. Combine remaining 1 tablespoon juice, slaw, onions, cilantro, oil, and salt, tossing to coat.

4. Heat tortillas according to directions.(I just heated them over the burner on the stove.) Divide chicken mixture evenly among tortillas. Top each tortilla with about 1 tablespoon avocado mixture and 1/4 cup slaw mixture. (this is the yummy stuff!)

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 tacos)

Calories 319; Fat 11.6g; Protein 30g; Carb 25.3g; Fiber 5.1g; Chol 72mg; Iron 1.3mg; Sodium 385mg; Calc 80mg

Happy thought for the day: " If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion." ~Dalai Lama

Lemon Honey Mustard Chicken Breasts

Danielle found this recipe on the back of a Tone's Lemon Pepper Seasoning jar and made it for us a few weeks ago. It was a big hit! Even my husband, who complains he doesn't like chicken, said he loved it. The chicken was moist and the lemon honey-mustard sauce was delicious. Danielle added the extra step of pounding the chicken, but we've all decided that it really added to success of the recipe.

The nutritional value is just an estimate as I was only able to guess at the portions for the sauce when I entered it into MyPyramidtracker.gov.

Lemon Honey Mustard Chicken Breasts

½ cup honey

1/3 cup Dijon mustard

1 ½ tsp lemon pepper seasoning

2 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp margarine (reduced fat type), melted

6 or 7 medium chicken breasts, boneless and skinless

Blend the first five ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Place chicken in a Ziploc bag and pound with a meat mallet or heavy skillet until chicken is about ½ inch thick. Marinate the chicken in about half of the sauce for 20-30 minutes.

Grill on barbeque on medium-high heat for approximately 20 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink inside. Brush chicken with additional marinade while cooking chicken on the grill.

Serving size: 1 medium chicken breast

Calories 305; Fat 7.6g; Fiber 1g; Carbohydrate 6g; Sodium 846mg

Positive thought for the day: A person who has good thoughts cannot ever be ugly. You can have a wonky nose and a crooked mouth and a double chin and stick-out teeth, but if you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely. ~Roald Dahl

Coconut Meringue Cookies

I just got back from visiting my daughter in Utah so I haven't blogged in awhile. Stephanie and I had a great time together just "hanging out". We went out to eat a lot, but we still tried to eat healthy. I had a yummy vegetarian sandwich at Jimmie John's, fish tacos at Rumbi's, and a big turkey sandwich on focaccia bread at Kneader's - though we did succumb to the pastries at Kneader's and took home a creme-filled Neapolitan! Yum!

While I was there, Stephanie made some delicious, low-fat/low-cal cookies for me. The basic ingredients are just egg whites, coconut, and sugar. She found the recipe online at a weight-loss forum when she was looking for low-point snacks for her Weight Watcher's diet. Steph made them with chocolate chips, but if you didn't add the chocolate chips they would be even lower in calorie. You could also use Splenda instead of the sugar to reduce calories even further. These cookies are so delicious - you might want to make a double-batch!

Coconut Meringues


Servings: 24
Weight Watcher Points per serving: 0.5


2 egg whites
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup coconut flakes
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup chocolate chips


1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C).
2. In small bowl with mixer at high speed, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Beating at high speed, gradually sprinkle in sugar, 2 Tablespoons at a time, beating until sugar is completely dissolved. (Whites should stand in stiff glossy peaks.) With rubber spatula, fold in coconut and extract until mixed.
3. Drop mixture by rounded teaspoonfuls onto large cookie sheet, about 1 inch apart.
4. Bake 1 hour or until dry. Remove to rack to cool.


Per Serving: 40 Calories; 1.1 Fat; 0.6 Protein; 7g Carbohydrate; trace dietary fiber 1mg cholesterol; 7mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Lean Meat; 0 Fruit; 0 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

Positive Thought for the Day: "Stressed spelled backwards is desserts. Coincidence? I think not! " ~Author Unknown

Coconut Chicken

I found this recipe at CookingLight.com and since we love coconut, we just had to try it! It was pretty good and a nice change from plain baked chicken. I changed the recipe a little a bit since I didn't have some of the ingredients on hand, and I wanted to bake the chicken instead of pan fry. (See my notes below for my changes.)

Sorry for the poor quality photos - I wish they were a little better. Maybe with a little practice... or a new camera. (hint, hint honey)

Ingredients

4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1/2-inch-thick strips

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

1 cup rice flour

1 cup whole buttermilk

1 large egg

1 1/2 cups unsweetened flaked coconut

3 tablespoons canola oil

Sweet chile sauce (optional)

Preparation

1. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Place flour in a shallow dish. Combine buttermilk and egg in a shallow dish, stirring well. Place coconut in a shallow dish. Dredge chicken in flour; shake off excess. Dip chicken in egg mixture; dredge in coconut.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add chicken to pan; cook 6 minutes or until done, turning to brown. Serve with chile sauce, if desired.

My changes: I didn't have rice flour so I just used regular flour. I also didn't have whole buttermilk so I made my own using fat free milk and vinegar. Finally, since I didn't want to fry the chicken, I put the chicken on a cookie sheet sprayed with Pam - lightly spray the chicken pieces as well. Bake it in the oven at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until cooked through. Turn once while baking.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 298, Fat: 12.7g , Protein: 28.7g, Carbohydrate: 15.9g, Fiber: 1.7g, Cholesterol: 102mg, Iron: 1.4mg, Sodium: 318mg Calcium: 20mg

Positive thought for the day: "Well," said Pooh, "what I like best," and then he had to stop and think. Because although Eating Honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn't know what it was called. ~A.A. Milne

Pita Pocket and Home-baked Fries

This is one of those meals that I always forget I can make in a pinch. I’m usually trying to figure out what I can make for dinner using ground beef and then the light bulb in my head goes on and I say “Oh, yeah, I can make pita pockets!” I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had this conversation in my head. J

The whole wheat pita pockets are low in fat and a good source of fiber. I like them toasted because it brings out the nutty flavor of the wheat. I just cut the pita pocket in half and pop it in the toaster like a slice of bread.

The home-baked fries in this recipe are a family favorite at our house. Whenever I make these “fries” I always hear a big “YES!” when I pull them out of the oven. They are a very simple recipe – potatoes sprayed with Pam and sprinkled with an herb blend, then baked in the oven. They turn out crispy and a little spicy because of the herbs.

We all love fries, but the homemade version is so much healthier. Here’s a quick comparison:

Home-baked fries (56g) 52 calories; 0 fat; 1g fiber; 1g protein

Store bought frozen French fries (baked) (69g) 115 calories; 4g fat; 2g fiber; 2g protein

In-n-Out French fries (1 order) 400 calories; 18g fat; 2g fiber; 7g protein

McDonald’s French fries (small order) 209 calories; 10g fat; 2g fiber; 3g protein

Wendy’s French fries (kid’s size) 254 calories; 11g fat; 4g fiber; 3g protein

Pita Pockets

Thomas brand whole wheat pita pockets, toasted

90% lean ground beef, cooked and crumbled, drained

Fat free sour cream

Lettuce, chopped

Mexican cheese blend (optional – save about 4g of fat if you don’t use the cheese)

Directions:

Season the ground beef with salt and pepper. Fill toasted pita pockets with cooked ground beef (about ¼ cup). Top the filled pockets with sour cream, lettuce, and a sprinkle of shredded cheese.

Home-baked fries

6 or 7 medium sized Russet potatoes

Pam spray

Herb blend (I use a rosemary/garlic blend from Sam’s Club)

Directions:

Wash and slice the potatoes into long strips. Spray cookie sheet with Pam spray and the “fries” as well. Sprinkle with herb blend. Bake for 40-45 minutes at 400^o, or until crispy. Turn the fries over at least twice during the baking.

Pita Pocket Nutrition info (3oz ground beef, ½ pita pocket):

324 calories; 15g fat; 5g fiber; 59g protein

Home-baked fries Nutrition info (1 medium potato):

161 calories; 0g fat; 4g fiber; 4g protein

While researching the nutrition info for this recipe, I ran across this website that talks about different ways to reduce the fat when cooking ground beef:

http://www.beefnutrition.org/CMDocs/BeefNutrition/ReducingFatinCookedGroundBeef.pdf

Positive thought for the day:

“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.” ~ Dr. Seuss (http://www.suite101.com/content/uplifting-words-quotes-and-sayings-a116309)

Breakfast Parfait

Sometimes you just get tired of the same 'ol thing for breakfast - cold cereal, oatmeal, cold cereal, oatmeal... Danielle wanted something other than cereal again for breakfast and so she made this yummy yogurt/fruit parfait this morning. It's very high in fiber and antioxidants because of the fruit, and the yogurt itself has 6 grams of protein.

It's a pretty simple recipe - layer nonfat yogurt (she used one 6oz container Yoplait Black Forest Cake), 1/4 cup raspberries, 1/4 cup blackberries, 1/2 a banana, and 1/4 cup Kellogg's Lowfat Granola.

Nutritional info:

352 calories, 2.8g fat, 74.5g carbs, 12g protein, 15.5g fiber

Positive thought for the day:

"I am careful not to confuse excellence with perfection. Excellence, I can reach for; perfection is God's business." ~ Michael J. Fox (http://www.suite101.com/content/uplifting-words-quotes-and-sayings-a116309)

Irish Soda Bread

Okay, this recipe is mostly just for fun since it's St. Patrick's Day! Maybe it's the Irish in me, but every time I make Irish Soda Bread - which is usually once a year on St. Patrick's Day - I'm reminded how much I love Irish Soda Bread. It smells great while it's baking and makes your house smell like home. The bread has a crunchy crust and a creamy, slightly sweet flavor, on the inside. So good!

I tried to make it a little healthier by using low fat sour cream, but it's probably best just to eat one piece and then stop-- if you can!

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 cups light sour cream

2 eggs

2 tbsp caraway seeds (optional)

3/4 cup raisins

Directions:

1. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl.

2. In a small bowl beat eggs and stir in sour cream.

3. Add the egg/sour cream mixture to the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon.

4. Batter will be very thick and sticky.

5. Add the raisins and the caraway seeds and stir well with the wooden spoon or knead in with your hands. (I personally like the flavor of the caraway seeds in this bread, but not everybody does. I didn't add them in this time though since I wasn't willing to pay $6 for a bottle of caraway seeds.)

6. Place batter in a greased 9 inch springform pan. (You could also use a pie pan if you don't have a springform pan.)

7. Dust the top with enough flour so that you can pat the batter like a bread dough evenly in the pan without it sticking to your hands.

8. Make a shallow crisscross on the top of the dough using a sharp knife.

9. Bake for 50 minutes in a preheated 350 F oven.

Nutritional info:

Serving size 1

Servings per Recipe 16

Calories 205, Fiber 1g, Fat 4.15g, Carbohydrates 37, Protein 4.8g

Positive thought for the day:

"A good laugh is sunshine in the house." ~ William Makepeace Thackeray

Super Low-Cal Italian Chicken Dinner

Now that Dayle has this new app for his phone that lets him calculate how many calories, fat grams, carbs, etc. are in the food that he eats, it’s been fun to run the numbers with him on our meals every night. His phone will even let him snap a picture of a barcode on a packaged food item and then immediately tell him the name of the product and all of the nutritional information. It's pretty amazing!

The other night I made this Italian chicken dinner and I had no idea how low calorie it was - I just knew it had some healthy ingredients. So we were pleasantly surprised after he plugged it all into his phone!

Italian Chicken

4 or 5 boneless/skinless chicken breasts (I used frozen this time)

1 bottle low fat Italian dressing (the cheaper the better)

This is hardly even a recipe, but this is what I did:

Preheat the oven to 375^o. Rinse off the protective coating on the frozen chicken. Place the chicken on a foil covered cookie sheet. Pour about half of the bottled dressing over the chicken. Bake in the oven for about 55-60 minutes, or until juices run clear (If using fresh chicken breasts marinate them in the Italian dressing for 3-4 hours before cooking and reduce the overall cooking time).

I served this with frozen mixed vegetables and steamed brown rice. I tried something different with the brown rice this time and added chicken broth in place of the water in the rice bowl so it had a little more flavor.

This is the nutritional information for the WHOLE dinner:

1 serving chicken (1/2 breast)

1 serving mixed vegetables (1 cup)

½ serving brown rice (1/2 cup)

326 calories; 7.6g fat; 33.21 carbohydrates; 29.32 protein

Positive thought for the day:

"To be wronged is nothing unless you continue to remember it. - Confucius"

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies - Light

My mom recently sent me this recipe for Oatmeal, Chocolate Chip, and Pecan Cookies that she pulled from her Cooking Light magazine. I made them last night and thought I'd share the recipe too.

The cookies are crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside with a good buttery/oatmeal flavor. I also liked the flavor of the pecans instead of the usual walnuts. I'm still not sure if they are my favorite oatmeal cookie, but I would probably make them again - they probably just need more butter and sugar! lol

Oatmeal, Chocolate Chip, and Pecan Cookies

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup regular oats

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 large egg

1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted

1/4 cup semisweet chocolate minichips (or regular will work too)

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (through salt), stirring with a whisk, set aside.

3. Place sugars and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add vanilla and egg; beat until blended. Gradually add flour mixture, beating at low speed just until combined. Stir in pecans and chips.

4. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls (or small scoop) 2 inches apart onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350 for 9-10 minutes or until edges of cookies are lightly browned. Cool on pans 2 minutes. Remove cookies from pans; cool on wire racks. Yield: 3 dozen (serving size: 1 cookie)

Calories: 81; Fat: 3g; Protein: 1.1g; Carb: 12.9g; Fiber: 0.5g; Chol: 10mg; Iron: 0.5mg; Sodium: 76mg; Calc: 12mg

5-10-20 Rule of Nutrition

Do you know how to read a nutrition label? You know that label on the side of the box that tells you how many fat grams and calories are in the food you're about to consume. If you're like me you'll check the fat grams and cringe at anything over about 5 or 6 grams. When you look at the calorie count you may think that anything over 200 calories is high, but really there's more to it than that.

I took a Nutrition class a little over a year ago and one of the best things I learned was how to read a nutrition label and what all that "extra" stuff on the label meant. The first thing I learned was the rule of 5-10-20. If the daily value percentage (DV%) is listed as 5% or less then that food item is low in that nutrient. If the DV% is 10% it provides a moderate amount of that nutrient. If it is 20% or higher then it provides a high amount of that nutrient. The daily value of each nutrient is based on a 2000 calorie diet.

What I like about the 5-10-20 rule is that I can quickly see whether or not a particular food is healthy or not. Instead of trying to figure out if 5 grams of fat is high, or if 300 grams of sodium is high or low, I can just look at the percentages and see at a glance what the true nutritional value is for that food.

For instance, if you look at the nutritional label above you can quickly see that this food ( I don't know what it is since I just found the image online) is definitely not healthy! It only has 280 calories, but it has many bad nutrients on the high side -- total fat is 20%, saturated fat 25%, and sodium 28%. The good nutrients -- Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Iron are all on the low side since they are under 5%. It looks calcium is a little better with 15%. So by using the 5-10-20 rule you can easily see how healthy this food item is, or isn't!

Try it for yourself, it's kind of fun! Look at some containers in your cupboards and see if the 5-10-20 rules works for you. I'd love to hear if it works for you too.

For more info on reading nutrition labels check out the FDA's site: http://www.fda.gov/food/labelingnutrition/consumerinformation/ucm078889.htm

Ignoring Stress

Sometimes we try to ignore stress so we can get things done. Sometimes when we ignore stress our body reminds us that what we were really doing was ignoring our body! When I got home from work today, instead of resting and eating lunch, I ate a protein bar, drove Danielle over to school, and then went shopping at Target. I had a long list of things I needed to pick up, starting with a desperate need for socks for Michael - he probably didn't care about new socks, but his Mom couldn't stand the sight of those crunchy, gray things anymore! After an hour in the store it was time for Danielle to get picked up, but I couldn't find the last few items on my list. I was at a different Target than usual so I criss-crossed the store several times trying to find what I was looking for.

After I finally made it out to my car, I noticed that a spool of ribbon that I was going to buy was laying on the bottom shelf of the cart. Great, I hadn't paid for it! I just really wanted to just throw it in the car and go pick up Danielle. One little voice in my head said: "No one would know...I've been over charged so many times at this store anyway... it's just one spool of ribbon... you'd have to walk all the way back into the store... " However, the other little voice in my head said "be a good example" so, of course, I ignored the first voice and schlepped back into Target and paid for the ribbon. I was a half hour late picking up Danielle, but she was fine.

It was a pretty warm day today and I was now hot, sweaty, and suddenly very tired, hungry, and kinda irritable too. :) I guess that protein bar only lasted so long. When we got home it was time to go through the mail, let the dog out to go pee, and oh look, the trash needs to get taken out. Gosh, I should really vacuum the floor...man that slipcover on the couch needs straightening again... yep, it's been a few days since I've dusted... did I run any wash last night?... hmm, dishes in the sink and crumbs on the counter... I really need to eat something for lunch... when am I going to make that poster for Danielle and wrap that gift?... I told Dayle I'd clean out that cabinet so he can use it for the computer... hungry, I need lunch... I should check my email... lunch, sit, eat...

So, I finally sat and ate. Then I sat and read my scriptures. Then I sat and ignored the bills, the floor, the slipcover, and the dust. That took just 15 minutes and I was feeling better. I read somewhere that just 15 minutes a day doing something for yourself -- a quiet moment, meditation, deep breathing, laying on the floor with your legs resting on a chair/couch, complete relaxation, NO INPUT from TV, computers, cellphones, etc. -- can significantly reduce your stress.

I went outside and watered the flowers, but that was a stress-reducer for me as well. It was a beautiful day outside and the smell of water and dirt makes me happy for some reason. I know when I was a teenager my mom, who was raising three teenagers on her own, was always outside spraying off the driveway and watering the plants. I thought she did it cause she wanted healthy plants, but I think it was a stress-reducer for her too. We always had very healthy plants!

So some things are healthy to ignore -- dust, sloppy slipcover, the vacuuming -- but we just can't ignore our bodies 'cuz it looks like that just leads to more stress!

Right now Danielle is talking on and on about whether or not she should use the blue folder or the green folder for her class notes...oh, and yeah, mom do you know what a monomer is? Mom, the reason we have villi and microvilli in our intestinal tracts is to increase the surface area for absorption of nutrients....on and on and on she goes... I want to ignore her so I can get this blog done, but that might not be one of those healthy things to ignore so I guess I'll stop typing and start listening! Good night.

Healthy Fruit Trifle

I made this dessert for Family Home Evening last night. It's simple to make, delicious, and healthy too! It's great with any kind of berries and bananas, but you could use just about any fruit you have on hand. The angel food cake is low in fat, the Cool Whip is fat free, and the pudding is sugar-free and fat-free -- and it's still yummy!

The only bad thing was that they were gone in seconds. :)

Ingredients:

Store-bought Angel Food Cake (I used a strawberry flavor this time)

Fat Free Cool Whip (thawed)

Sugar-free Fat Free Jello Instant Pudding Vanilla (or chocolate, banana, or cheesecake)

Bananas

Fresh blueberries

Fresh blackberries

Fresh strawberries

Directions:

Prepare the pudding mix as directed. Break the cake into bite size pieces and put a small handful in the bottom of the glass. Layer cake, pudding, fruit, Cool Whip and then repeat.

Enjoy immediately or eat by the next day! Yum!

Super Foods!

I have a little post-it-note on my refrigerator that lists some of the SUPERFOODS that are good to eat on a daily basis. It's just a little reminder for myself to try and eat a little healthier everyday. If I need a little snack, or I'm trying to plan a meal, I'll look to that list to see if I can use any of these foods first.

Superfoods List:

Beans - high in protein and fiber, high fiber helps with weight loss

Blueberries - antioxidants, phytoflavonoids, high in potassium and vitamin C, reduces your risk of heart disease and cancer, a great anti-inflammatory - I LOVE blueberries!

Broccoli - high in vitamins, C, K, and A, a good source of fiber too

Oats - the most soluble fiber of any grain, can lower LDL cholesterol levels, good for your heart!

Oranges - high in vitamin C

Pumpkin - high in fiber, and vitamin A

Salmon - rich in Omega 3's, good for the heart, joints, and memory

Soy - helps lower cholesterol, good source of protein, may help reduce risk of colon cancer

Spinach - Vitamins A, C, E, K, Magnesium, Manganese, Folate, Iron, Vitamin B2, Calcium, Potassium, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Copper, Protein, Phosphorus, Zinc, Niacin, Selenium, and Omega-3 fatty acids -- Wow! No wonder Popeye ate this stuff!

Tomatoes - contain the powerful antioxidant lycopene

Turkey - lean meat protein, heart-healthy nutrients of niacin, selenium, Vitamins B6 and B12, and zinc

Walnuts - another source for Omega 3, can help lower cholesterol and decrease the risk of diabetes, cancer, and heart disease

Whole Grains - high in fiber, fiber in your diet helps lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels, fiber also keeps you fuller longer, which helps with weight loss

Yogurt - probiotics

Quick Tip: Keep fresh or frozen blueberries on hand and throw a handful on your oatmeal or cold cereal in the morning. Add to pudding or yogurt for a healthy snack.

Resources: http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/superfoods-everyone-needs; http://www.foodista.com/food/DN2QM8JR/superfoods; http://www.superfoodsrx.com/

My First Post

Welcome Me! This is my first blog. I am hoping to use this blog as a way to organize my love for great recipes, healthy living, and things that just make me happy. There are so many great websites out there that have recipes that I like to try and tips for staying healthy that I wanted to put it all in one place so I can get access to all of that info easily.

I am trying to live a more healthy life by focusing on the food that I eat and trying to make sure that I not only don't eat unhealthy foods, but that I try to eat foods that are healthy. It seems that so often we go on diets and try to STAY AWAY from certain foods that I thought it could be important to focus on those foods that we SHOULD EAT. :)

In trying to find a name for this blog I wanted to choose something that reflected it's purpose, but it was really hard to find one that wasn't already taken! I liked words like "health nut", "nourished", "home", "hearth", etc. When looking up the word "healthy" it said that "in the pink" was a definition for healthy so since I like the color pink and this will be a collection of sorts that you might find in a kitchen pantry I thought "The Little Pink Pantry" will be good fit.