Cinnamon Delights

We love cinnamon and since we never have enough cinnamon, we made a cinnamon cookie!  These little tasty treats are so delicious and the cinnamon glaze makes them even better.  The best thing is they are healthier than your average cookie, but taste just like them.  So give them a try!! :)

Ingredients:

3 TBS butter, softened

2 TBS brown sugar

6 TBS granulated sugar

2 tsp vanilla

2 egg whites

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

Glaze:

2/3  cup powdered sugar

2 tsp skim milk

1/2 tsp cinnamon

cinnamon sugar 

sliced almonds, toasted

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spread out sliced almonds on a cookie sheet.  Place in oven and bake for about 5 minutes or until toasted and slightly brown.  (You usually will smell them when they are done!  Keep a close eye on them- you do not want them to burn!)  Remove almonds from oven and let cool.  Combine butter, sugars, and vanilla in a large bowl and mix until thoroughly combined.  Add egg whites, one at a time and mix well after each addition.  In a separate mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon with a whisk.  Slowly add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture.  Beat until well combined.  (FYI: The dough will be very separated and dry, so do not be alarmed you did something wrong!)  Take a tablespoon and scoop out the separated dough into your palm.  Push the dough together to form a ball, then form into a disk.  (It may be difficult at first, but you will get used to it!  Just put some arm into it!)   The cookie should be about 1 1/2 -2 inches in diameter, and about an 1/8 inch thick.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and add cookies to sheet, leaving them about 2 inches apart.  Bake for 8-10 minutes until slightly brown and firm.  Cool cookies on wire rack.  While cooling, combine powdered sugar, milk, and cinnamon together with a whisk to create the glaze.  Once cookies are cool, drizzle glaze on cookies and place 2-3 sliced almonds onto cookies.  Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.  Drizzle a little more glaze on top of the almonds and sprinkle again with cinnamon sugar.  Enjoy!!

Nutrition Facts:   

Serving Size: 24 cookies 

Amount per serving: 1 cookie

Calories: 90 

Fat: 1.5 g

Three Cheese Macaroni

Nothing says comfort food more than macaroni and cheese.  Who doesn't love digging into a yummy, ooey gooey, creamy mac and cheese?  Here is our healthier version of this delicious meal that normally would pack on the pounds.  Dig in without the worry!

Ingredients:

3 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (Or whatever small pasta you like)

Extra virgin olive oil

2 cups onion, finely chopped (about 2 small onions)

4 TBS all-purpose flour

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 cups 1% low fat milk

2 bay leaves

1 1/2 cup part-skim Cheddar cheese, shredded

1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, shredded & divided

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

1 1/2 cups part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/2 cup panko Japanese breadcrumbs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Bring a pot of water to a boil.  Add pasta and cook until al dente.  While noodles are cooking, drizzle a saucepan with a small amount (about 1/2 tsp)  of olive oil and heat over medium heat.  Once heated, add onion to pan and cook until onions are soft and translucent.  Stir frequently.  Add flour and garlic and cook for about a minute, stirring consistently.  Add milk and bay leaves.  Once brought to a boil, constantly stir with a whisk and cook until thick.  Discard bay leaves.  Add Cheddar cheese and 3/4 cup of Parmigiano Reggiano.  Add salt and pepper and stir until cheeses have melted and mixture is creamy.  Drain the pasta and add to the cheese mixture.  Spray 5 ramekins generously with non-stick cooking spray.  (We used eight 12 ounce ramekins.  You may also bake this pasta in a baking dish.)  Add pasta mixture to the ramekin, only filling up the ramekin half way.  Sprinkle a little mozzarella cheese over the pasta mixture.  Fill the rest of the ramekin with pasta mixture.  Sprinkle bread crumbs and remaining 1/4 cup of Parmigiano Reggiano over all of the ramekins to cover pasta.  Drizzle a small amount of olive oil over the breadcrumbs, just so the breadcrumbs can get crispy. Bake for 25 minutes.  Turn on your broiler, and broil the pasta until tops are golden brown.  Enjoy your macaroni and cheese, please :)   

Nutritional Facts: 
Serving Size: 8 people
Amount per serving: 12 ounces
Calories: 338
Fat: 13 g

*We only calculated calories and fat because for us, that is what is most important :)

Turtle Ice Cream Pie

Nothing is better than a yummy, old-fashion, ooey-gooey turtle candy.  Delicious pecans, covered in rich carmel then dipped in chocolate, there is nothing like it!  This divine candy inspired us to create this amazing sweet sensation.  This turtle ice cream pie cures any sweet tooth craving without hurting your waistline, so feel free to indulge!

Ingredients:
1 store bought chocolate cookie pie crust
1 square unsweetened chocolate
3 TBS water
1/4 cup sugar
Dash of salt
1 TBS butter
1/8 tsp vanilla extract
1 bag whole pecans
1 jar Fat-free caramel sauce
1 tub of Half The Fat Vanilla Ice Cream (We use Dreyers)
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

Directions:
To make the fudge, heat unsweetened chocolate square with water in a small saucepan on low heat.  Once the chocolate has melted, add the sugar and salt, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.  Add the butter and vanilla and mix until combined.  Pour the chocolate fudge onto the bottom of the pie crust and spread the fudge all over the sides so the bottom and sides of crust are covered.  Take a handful of the whole pecans and crush with fingers.  Sprinkle all over sides and bottom of crust.  (You can chop the pecans, if easier.)  Drizzle desired amount of caramel sauce all over the pecans on the crust.  Put in freezer and freeze until fudge hardens.  Take out ice cream while freezing crust and let ice cream soften. While ice cream is softening and crust is hardening, heat milk chocolate chips in microwave for 30 second intervals until melted.  Take desired amount of whole pecans and dip them in the chocolate.  (It is easiest to do with a fork and spoon.)  Place chocolate pecans on a wax paper lined cookie sheet.  Place in freezer and freeze until hard.  Once ice cream is done softening, take out the crust and carefully spread the vanilla ice cream all on to the crust.  Once ice cream is evenly spread on crust, drizzle desired amount of caramel sauce on top of ice cream.  Take out frozen chocolate pecans and place decoratively on top of pie.  Freeze until ready to eat.  To prevent freezer burn, cover with saran wrap after slicing.  Enjoy! :)

Authentic Mexican Fiesta: Pico De Gallo, Guacamole, & Chicken Tacos

There is nothing like a true, authentic Mexican fiesta, but we all know how unhealthy they can be.  We were determined to revise some of our favorite Mexican dishes and change them into a healthy, delicious meal.  These revised dishes are so fresh and filled with so much delicious flavor!  These dishes are so incredibly easy to make, so do not be afraid to take on this Mexican fiesta!  Everyone will be saying "muy delicioso!" 

Pico De Gallo

Ingredients: 
10-12 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
Large handful of cilantro, chopped
2 limes
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions:
Seed and chop tomatoes and place in bowl.  Chop red onion and cilantro and add to bowl.  Squeeze two limes into the bowl and salt and pepper to taste.  Stir together and let flavors sit in fridge to marry.  Serve whenever! See, so simple!



Guacamole with Chips

Ingredients:

5 avocados, pitted and peeled

1 small red onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

Large handful of cilantro, chopped

2 limes

Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Tortilla Chips (Our favorite chips, if available, are La Favorita Tortilla Chips.  They are the lowest cal and fat chips that we have found.  They are salty and delicious- just like the restaurants! :))

Directions:

Remove peel and pit from avocados and put avocado meat into a bowl.  Mash together with a fork or masher, until slightly smooth but still chunky.  Add chopped red onion, minced garlic cloves, cilantro and 2 limes juiced to the avocados.  Mix and combine thoroughly.  Add salt and pepper to your liking.  Enjoy with chips!  

Chicken Tacos 

Ingredients:

4 boneless chicken breasts or rotisserie chicken

2 cans of fat free and sodium free chicken broth

5 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (You will a can in these in the Mexican aisle of your grocery store) 

4 cups cilantro, chopped

6 garlic cloves, slightly chopped

2 cups of low fat orange juice (Tropicana has a great one)

2 tsp cumin

1 1/2 TBS worcestershire sauce

Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Flour tortilla (We use Low fat La Favorita Flour Tortillas! Love that brand!)

Guacamole, from above

Low fat shredded cheddar cheese

Pico De Gallo, from above

Directions:

Place chicken breasts in a single layer in large saucepan or dutch oven.  Cover with chicken broth until chicken are completely submerged in broth.  (You may not use all of the broth.)  Bring to a boil, then put heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes with lid slightly covering the pan or dutch oven.  After ten minutes, turn off heat and let chicken sit for another 10-15 minutes, or until cooked through.  Once cool, take chicken out of broth and shred.  If you are using a rotisserie chicken, just shred white meat and disregard poaching directions above.  In a blender, combine chipotle peppers, cilantro, garlic, orange juice, cumin, and worcestershire and blend or pulse together until smooth.  Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour the mixture into a separate saucepan or dutch oven, and add shredded chicken.  Heat over low heat until chicken is warm.  If desired, heat a tortilla in a pan until crisp.  Once crisped, add a thin layer of guacamole to the tortilla.  Sprinkle cheddar cheese over guacamole and add desired amount of chicken.  Top with pico de gallo!  Enjoy!  Yum!   

Oreo Balls

Everyone that I know, loves a good Oreo.  Oreo balls take Oreos to a whole new level -- just ask anyone who has had one.  These little truffle treats are just so divine!  We will not lie, we have had full fat Oreo balls plenty of times, but we decided to try to revise the normal full fat recipe by cutting the fat in half but keeping all of the flavor.  No one would ever know that these are lower fat version because they are just as delicious.  Making these sweet treats with Meagan Feldhaus and Ashley Grossaint was so much fun and it just goes to show how easy and fun these treats are to make!

Ingredients:

1 bag low fat Oreo cookies

1 16 oz. container non-fat or reduced fat cream cheese (We used fat free)

1 bag milk chocolate chips 

1 bag white chocolate chips

Directions:

Let cream cheese come to room temperature.  Put Oreos in a plastic bag and crush into fine pieces.  (You will probably need to crush in two batches.)  Put crushed Oreos in a large bowl with softened cream cheese.  Blend together with mixer until well combined.  Once combined, form and roll small balls about an inch in diameter and place on a lined cookie sheet with wax paper.  When all balls are formed, freeze for 20 minutes.  While freezing, melt chocolate chips either in a double broiler or in the microwave.  (The microwave is the easiest.  If the white chocolate does not melt smoothly, add a small amount of shortening to the chocolate, about 1/4 tsp.)  Take balls out of freezer and dip each ball individually into the chocolate.  This is easiest when done with two forks.  Make sure each ball is coated evenly with chocolate and place back on lined cookie sheet.  When all of the balls are covered in chocolate, freeze again until chocolate hardens.  Enjoy and indulge! :) 

*To decorate sprinkle the balls with your favorite sprinkles immediately after dipped in chocolate.  Drizzling with the opposite color of chocolate is also fun, as well as, just leaving them plain.   

Pumpkin Muffins

Who cares if it is Spring- pumpkin muffins are too good to only have in the Fall! These tasty muffins are so easy and so healthy.  With the addition of chocolate chips and yummy topping, these low fat muffins have all of the flavor of a good old fashioned muffin.  These are a family favorite and we guarantee that they will be a favorite of yours too!  Enjoy these muffins, without having to worry about getting a muffin top :)

Ingredients:

2 3/4 cup flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1 TBS baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

2 1/2 TBS cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cup canned pumpkin

3/4 cup fat free sour cream

1/4 cup applesauce

1 egg

1 egg white

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup non-fat milk

1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, optional

1/4 cup pecans, finely chopped, optional

Topping:

2 TBS granulated sugar

3 tsp brown sugar

1/4 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 F and spray 2 muffin tins with non-stick cooking spray.  In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.  In another bowl, combine pumpkin, sour cream, applesauce, egg, egg white, vanilla, and non-fat milk.  Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined.  Add chocolate chips and half of the chopped pecans and stir just until evenly dispersed in the batter.  Fill each muffin tin to the top.  In a small bowl, mix together the topping of sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon.  Sprinkle each muffin with the remaining half of pecans and then top the pecans with the sugar topping.   This recipe will make about 17-18 muffins.  Bake for 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Enjoy!

Faux Fried Ravioli

If you ever have had fried Ravioli, you know how absolutely delicious they are!  Fried Ravioli is one of our favorite meals to order at any Italian restaurant, although it may not be the healthiest.  This is why we had a sudden inspiration to put our own take on fried Rav's and try baking them instead! These are super easy to make and will trick anyone into thinking they are deep fried and the real thing!  (We think these are even better than the real thing!  And it is even better that they are healthier!) So delish!

Ingredients:
1 package of your favorite Ravioli (We love Costco's Spinach and Cheese Ravioli)
3/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan 
2 egg whites
Olive oil
1 jar of your favorite tomato sauce for dipping (We like Organic Muir Glen Tomato Basil Sauce- you may want 2 jars depending on how much dipping sauce you'd like) 


Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.  Bring a pot of water to a boil and add Raviolis.  Boil the Ravioli for about 5 minutes until slightly cooked but still firm or al dente.  While boiling, prepare two dishes for your dredging station.  In one bowl, add two egg whites and whip until frothy.  In the second bowl, combine the Italian bread crumbs and Parmesan.  Once Ravioli's are done, take off heat and carefully spoon them into a strainer.  Rinse under cool, slow running water just to slightly cool.  Take one Ravioli at a time and dip in egg whites.  Then thoroughly coat in bread crumb and cheese mixture and place on baking sheet.  Drizzle lightly with olive oil.  Cook in oven for 5 minutes and then turn on your broiler on high and broil until toasty and brown.  (While the Ravioli's are cooking, heat up the tomato sauce in a sauce pan.)  Eat and enjoy!! :)