Got a good healthy recipe? Feel free to share it in this thread.

If you know the nutritional information, please post that as well.

~Stacy's Turkey Bacon 'N Cheddar Quiche~

**Pre-Heat Oven to 300**

You Need:

4 Eggs - {Any type is fine}

6 slices of Turkey Bacon - Cooked/Cut in strips

2% Cheddar Cheese - I grate fresh from the block

3 Green Onions chopped/tops and all

1/4 C. Heavy Cream + a splash more for good measure

1 Tsp. dried Parsley - Salt - Pepper

~~~

Spray a 2 qt. baking dish w/cooking spray

In A Bowl: Whisk eggs and then add heavy cream
Sprinkle in salt & pepper to your taste/Add parsley/whisk together

Sprinkle a thin layer of cheddar on the bottom of baking dish

Gently pour in egg mixture evenly

Sprinkle the onions and bacon evenly in egg mixture

Top with cheese and Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes

~Enjoy~

~Stacy's Zesty Broiled Chicken~ *Tastes like fried chicken*

You Need:

boneless/skinless chicken breasts

extra virgin olive oil

Zesty Mix: You will have spices left over so place them in a container w/tight lid..
1/4 C. garlic powder/ 1 1/2 Tbs. ground cumin/ 1 Tbs. paprika/ 1 Tbs. salt/ 1 1/2 Tbs. lemon pepper &
1 Tsp. dried cilantro.

Fresh: 1/4 C. chopped parsley

*Preheat Broiler*

Line a baking dish w/foil {anything will do as long as it's *Broiler Safe*}

Mix all the spices together well. This will now become the Zesty Mix.

In a small bowl spoon in a few tbs. of zesty mix and enough ex-vir-olive oil to make a soupy mixture;

Mix well and baste both sides of chicken with it.

*Save the Zesty Mix left over for other times*

Sprinkle the top of chicken with parsley.

Broil chicken turning twice for 20-30 mins. {Until cooked through}

~Enjoy~

Can I safely share a recipe that came out of a book if I credit the source?

This can recipe be improved by using homemade lentil soup, fresh tomatoes, etc., but the version I'm posting is my "don't have time to cook a healthy dinner" dinner:

Easy Lentil & Tomato pasta


Ingredients -

Progresso Healthy Classics Lentil Soup, 1 can
Oregano, ground, 1/2 tbsp
Basil, 1 tsp
Garlic, rounded tsp (more if you like garlic)
Del Monte Petite Cut Diced Tomatoes, 1- 14oz can
Barilla whole grain pasta, 8 ounces dry



Cook and drain pasta. Return to cooking pot and set aside.

In a small saucepan, combine the other ingredients and bring just to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once soup mixture boils, remove from heat and pour over pasta, then stir thoroughly to mix. Allow to sit for 5 minutes so sauce thickens.

Makes 4 hearty servings.

Nutritional information per serving:

Fat: 2.5g
Carbohydrates: 59.2g
Calories:299.3
Protein: 12.5g

hmm, that's a good question!! i would think so, but i don't know for sure!!

has anyone checked out this website?

http://www.hungry-girl.com/

it's soooo fantastic!! she has the best recipes on there (the points system), i really hope everyone checks it out!!

Hungry Girl is a great website. I get a daily email from them. Always good information. Check it out if you get a chance.

Great site, thanks 4 sharing! *Waves*

I love to make spaghetti squash with turkey meatballs and tomato sauce. It is so yummy and has tons less calories than if you use pasta.

Cook the halved squash face down in a shallow dish with a little bit of water in it. 350 for about 30-45 mins or until soft.
Scoop it out and it becomes Spaghetti. Serve as you would spaghetti. I make mine with sauteed veggies (Onions, garlic, mushrooms and peppers) my favorite pasta sauce, turkey meatballs and sprinkle cheese. YUM!

Egg White and Salsa Omelette

1/2 cup egg whites
1 egg
salsa
fat free cheese
spray oil

mix together the egg and eggwhite, spray frying pan and add egg mixture. When set add salsa and a bit of cheese, if desired. This is a great and inexpensive low fat protein and the omelette comes in at about 200 calories (depending on amount of cheese). Finish your meal off with a nice crunchy apple and a small handful of raw almonds.....yum

I love the hungry girl website! I get all my best eating out/grocery shopping tips from there. If I wasn't so clumsey in the kitchen, I'd try some of her "copycat" recipes. But I have pointed my husband in that direction, since he's always asking me to find good stuff to try out.

yummy turkey burgers

1 pound lean turkey
1 diced onion
3 TBL parsley (optional)
3 TBL mayonnaise
basil (optional)
2 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 cup plus 2 TBL bread crumbs

mix together and bake/grill

I just found an interesting recipe that combines two things I like (walnuts and cilantro).

Martha stewart of all places.... Cilantro Walnut pesto

serves about a billion people, but seems like it could be healthy in moderation...

~Stacy's Italian Chicken~

- You can use boneless/skinless chicken breasts or tenders -

Soak Chicken in Light/Fat Free Italian Dressing..
{You can do this overnight or get chicken in soak in the morning.}

Once it's time to start dinner:

Preheat oven *400

Line a baking sheet w/foil - lightly spray foil w/cookin' spray

Place chicken on the foil and spoon some dressing from soak over it.. {throw out the rest of dressing.}

Take little bits of diet butter and place around chicken.
{diet butter chunks should be the size of choc. chip morsals.}

Lightly salt/pepper chicken

Bake 20 - 25 mins

- until cooked through -

Such a great flavor!

I would suggest using olive oil rather then butter in that recipie.

The diet butter is so tiny..It's enough to add a touch of flavor and help the chicken brown.

The Italian dressing has plenty of oil and addin' more would not work for this dish.

What is diet butter?

I made a half-hearted attempt to find out for myself but didn't find anything.

Sorry...lol

I gotta remember to use less slang..lol

That's what I call it..

I use I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Fat Free

No Trans Fat/No Fat/No Sat. Fat

Here is more info on it:

Serving Size: 1 tbsp (14g) Servings Per Container: 30

Calories: 5 - Calories From Fat: 0


Amount Per Serving % Daily Value*

Total Fat: 0g 0%

Saturated Fat : 0g 0%

Cholesterol : 0mg 0%

Sodium : 90mg 4%

Total Carbohydrate: 0g 0%
Protein : 0g
Trans Fat : 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat : 0g
Monounsaturated Fat : 0g

Vitamin A: 10%

I posted this on another board, but thought I would share it here too:

I have two things that I love to do that really cut calories.

First off, I LOVE patty melt sandwiches. Yep...that's right...I love them. I would marry them if I could. But, as anyone who shares my passion knows, there is no way that they are good for you when they are prepared like they are in a restaurant. My solution is a perfect patty melt, but it is close enough! I use the Nutrisystem flame broiled beef patties. You could use Boca burgers or even really low fat hamburger alternatives. Anyway, I prepare the hamburger like I would any other time. While doing that, I rough cut some white or yellow onions. I spray a small skillet very generously with Pam cooking spray. I cook the onions over medium heat until they start to be golden and somewhat soft (don't overcook or they will be soggy). When they are just about done, I put two very thin slices of swiss cheese over them, cover and let it melt. Then, I spoon it on my hamburger patty which has been placed on a low-fat, high fiber whole wheat bun. It ROCKS. The only problem...it is so good, I could eat 3 or 4 if I let myself
The other trick I use is a substitute for pasta. Pasta and I have had quite a love affair over the years (one of the reasons I wear a size 18 right now) . Anyway, I had to find an alternative that gave me the texture of pasta without the calories. So, again, I coat a skillet very generously with Pam cooking spray. Then, add a half (or more depending on your taste) of a yellow or white onion, roughly cut. Cook that for a few minutes until the onions begin to soften. Then, add a full 8 ounce package of sliced mushrooms that you can get from the produce aisle of the grocery store. Spray the mushrooms again with Pam so they are coated and they glisten. Cook for only a couple of minutes so the mushrooms are heated through and they darken slightly. I season the mixture with either just salt and pepper or sometimes, I sprinkle a little low-sodium soy sauce on top. If I am lacking a dairy serving for the day, I even sprinkle them with Parmesan or Romano cheese too. The mushrooms give the texture of pasta and basically, the calories are null (unless you add cheese). Plus...no fat :smile:

How do you make your Tuna Fish Sammies?

Come on and share!

Stacy's:

I make a huge batch so we can have it as sammies/spread on triscuits/stuffed in WW pita pockets, etc.

2 - 12 oz. StarKist Tuna Pouches {In Water}

8 hard boiled eggs - rough chopped

1/2 of a big yellow onion - diced

half a jar of dill pickle spears - diced

4-5 heaping TBS. of Light Miracle Whip

Squirt of brown spicey mustard

To taste: Salt- Pepper- Celery salt

In a large bowl;

Chop/Flake tuna well. {I use a fork and a spoon}
Season lightly with spices.
Add half of the onions, eggs, and pickles.

Mix around and combine well.

Add the rest of onions, eggs, and pickles.

Mix around and combine well.

Add in 2 Heaping Tbs. mayo and squirt the mustard on top of mayo.
Blend well and then start mixing in well w/tuna fish.

*Taste Test* At this point I add more of each seasoning and enough mayo until creamy and it tastes how we like it.

150 Cals for 2 heaping Tbs.

{I spread on MG-WW Bread} *The cals are for tuna only, not the bread.*

>if you don't make this as a huge batch, you'll have to re-do the calorie count.

So alot of people go off their diets for the holidays and then hate themselves comne January.I ran across some AWESOME receipes for low calorie and low sugar foods and desserts and I wanted to share them with all of you who have decided to change your lifestyle and get healthy!

*NOTE* If the recipes calls for something that you cant find in stores, the web site that host the recipes offers many of the ingrediants it calls for, for sale *Also...try not to go astray from the ingrediants listed because they have cleverly planned to taste yummy and be good for you as well ( bariatriceating.com)


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gingerbread Cookies

Bake these as small puffy powdered ‘sugar’ dusted rounds, or as traditional gingerbread men… either way these are a winner.

¼ cup butter
½ cup Nature Sweet, powder or crystals
¼ cup dark molasses (3 tablespoons adds essential molasses flavor)
¼ cup Steels Country Syrup or Honey Sweet (makes a great replacement for Karo syrup or half the molasses in a recipe)
2 cups all purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg


Cream the butter and Nature Sweet. Stir in the molasses, Country Syrup, and ¼ cup water. Mix the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg in a small bowl, and add to the wet ingredients. Blend until soft dough forms.

Using a 1 ½ teaspoon metal ‘ice cream’ type scoop, or teaspoon place small round portions 1 inch apart on a lined or well greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees until, when touched lightly with finger, almost no imprint remains. Leave on baking sheet 2-3 minutes, then remove to cooling rack. Toss in a bowl containing 1 cup of Nature Sweet Powder, to lightly dust and place in airtight container.

Or chill dough several hours or overnight. Roll out ¼ inch thick. Cut into circles, trees, or gingerbread men using cookie cutters. Place on well greased baking sheet. And bake as described above
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sugar Free Peanut Brittle
Nature Sweet is an amazing sugar replacer with the properties of sugar that allow for this delicious sugar free buttery golden mouthwatering Peanut Brittle. If you have tasted any of the new sugar free hard candy now on the market, this is the product responsible for the amazing taste and texture.

½ cup butter
1 cup Nature Sweet Crystals, available on this website(see NOTE)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups roasted salted peanuts


Lightly coat a cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet. Stir in Nature Sweet Crystals and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. Mixture will first stay separate and appear grainy, then blend together smoothly. Cook until syrup darkens to a golden caramel color, about the same color as the peanuts, 15-18 minutes (hard crack stage in a cup of icewater), then remove from heat. Working quickly, first stir in vanilla extract,then fold in nuts. Transfer onto prepared baking sheet, and using the cooking spoon, pat nuts and candy into single layer. Allow mixture to harden at room temperature. When brittle has cooled completely break into bite sized pieces and store in an airtight container.

NOTE: Do NOT substitute Splenda or Nutrasweet for the Nature Sweet Crystal in this recipe as the properties of these sweeteners are completely different.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Peanut Butter Cookies

Nature Sweet Crystals make an incredible cookie as this product adds texture and volume to the cookie dough that you just cannot get using Splenda. You can’t tell these chewy and delicious cookies from a full sugar peanut butter cookie. I have a small 1 tablespoon 'ice cream' scoop that makes perfectly portioned cookies for this recipe. I know that there are good tasting sugar free cookies on the market, even the kind you get to bake yourself, but check out the long list of chemicals and preservatives; nothing beats the wholesomeness of a homemade, 5 ingredient recipe.

Makes 32 cookies Calories 62, fat 6gr, carbs 1.5gr, protein 3gr

1 cup peanut butter
1 large egg
1 cup Nature Sweet Crystals, available on this website
(see NOTE)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup California blanched almond flour, available on this website


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream together peanut butter, egg, Nature Sweet Crystals, salt, and almond flour until well blended. Scoop mixture by tablespoon and roll into balls. Arrange on two ungreased cookie sheets allowing 1 inch for dough to spread slightly as it bakes. Press down with a fork to flatten, first in one direction and then in another.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, until just slightly firm when touched with fingertip. Allow to cool for 4-5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

NOTE: You cannot substitute Splenda or Nutrasweet for the Nature Sweet Crystals in this recipe as the properties of these sweeteners are completely different. Nature Sweet is made from corn, it doesn’t raise your blood sugar as it’s not digested and is moved through our body similar to fiber.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
( We have all tasted the NOT so healthy pumpkin rolls...try this one instead! )

Sugar Free Spiced Pumpkin Roll with Creamy Vanilla Filling
One day on the message board there was really long thread about holiday traditions and TeAnn brought up the whole discussion of a holiday pumpkin roll. I decided to create a sugar free version that the whole table would enjoy. Thanks for the inspiration, TeAnn!

Makes twenty ½-inch slices, or ten 1-inch slices

WLS serving of a ½-inch slice, calories 80, fat 5 gr, carbs 3.5 gr, protein 5 gr

Vegetable oil cooking spray
3 large eggs, well beaten
2 cups Nature Sweet Powder, available on this website
2/3 cup canned solid pack pumpkin
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Pinch of table salt
8 ounces light cream cheese
6 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
additional Nature Sweet Powder for dusting


Preheat oven to 375º F. Spray 15x10 inch jellyroll pan with cooking spray, line with wax paper, spray again and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat eggs with 1 cup Nature Sweet until thick. Beat in pumpkin. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, clove, and salt in a small bowl, and stir into pumpkin mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake 12 to 14 minutes, until center springs back when lightly touched. Turn cake out onto wire rack and carefully peel off wax paper. Invert cake onto clean tea towel that has been generously sprinkled with Nature Sweet powder, and gently roll up cake in towel from short edge jellyroll style.

In a medium bowl combine cream cheese, remaining 1 cup Nature Sweet, and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Cover and chill.

Unroll pumpkin cake when cool, spread with filling, and re-roll. Place cake on a long sheet of waxed paper, and dust with Nature Sweet Powder. Wrap cake in waxed paper, twist ends like a candy wrapper and chill. Just before serving, trim ends of cake and lightly dust with additional Nature Sweet Powder. Using a serrated knife, cut crosswise into ½-inch slices and serve
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sugar Free Pumpkin Pie
This sugar free dessert tastes like Thanksgiving! I like it best warm with a little Reddi Wip or spoonful of Breyer's No Sugar Added Vanilla to melt on the top. I often use two Pillsbury All Ready refrigerated pie crusts instead of crumb crusts. Sugar free pies and cakes do not contain sugar to preserve them and must be refrigerated or they will spoil.

Makes 2 pies, each serving 8 WLS portion, Calories 113, fat 5gr, carbs 12gr, protein 3.5gr


2 cups Murray Sugar Free Gingersnaps or Vanilla Wafers
2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
¾ cup Splenda granular
½ teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
3 large eggs
One 15 ounce can Libby’s 100% Pure Pumpkin (not pre mixed pumpkin pie filling)
One 12 ounce can low-fat evaporated milk (not sweetened condensed milk)


Preheat oven to 325°F. Place the cookies in a food processor and pulse with the butter until you have moist, fine crumbs. Divide the mixture and press evenly into two 8-inch pie plates. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until the crusts just start to color. Cool on a rack while preparing the filling. Leave the oven on at 325°F.

Mix the Splenda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves in a small bowl. Beat eggs in a large bowl. Blend in the pumpkin and the spice mixture. Gradually blend in the evaporated milk.

Divide the filling between the two pie shells. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until the filling is set around the edges and the center is still a bit soft. Transfer to a rack to cook, then chill, Serve with a dollop of Splenda sweetened whipped cream or splooge of Reddi Whip.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amazing Pecan Pie
Full serving: Calories 171, fat 14.5gr, carbs 7.5gr, protein 3gr
Serves 10

The amazing thing about this pie is that it’s sugar-free! The ingredient list is specific, and substitutions won’t work. To make this pie you must have Steel’s Country Maple Syrup, which can be ordered on my website. When I tried to make this recipe using other brands of sugar-free syrup, the custard became muddy and quite frankly, tasted awful. The Steel’s syrup is very thick, and that makes a huge difference. Even though this pie is sweet, it doesn’t have any sugar to act as a preservative and must be kept in the refrigerator, or it will spoil.

3 large eggs
¾ cup Splenda Granular
Pinch of table salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoons salted butter, melted
¾ cup Steel’s Sugar Free Maple Syrup, available on this website
½ cup chopped pecans, plus 10 halves
One 9-inch homemade unbaked pie shell, not deep dish
Whipped cream sweetened with Splenda


Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Beat the eggs in a large bowl until well blended and stir in the Splenda, salt, vanilla, butter, and syrup. Mix in the chopped pecans and pour the filling into the pie crust. Arrange the pecan halves evenly on the custard and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the sides are set but the center is still a bit soft. Cool to room temperature and serve in small wedges with Splenda-sweetened whipped cream.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eggnog


Now that Nature's Best has come out with Micellar Milk ready-to-drink Vanilla protein, eggnog is an everyday healthy treat. A few simple ingredients turn an already delicious smooth creamy vanilla drink into the traditional holiday drink that everyone will love.

Makes 64 ounces of drink, containing 160 gr protein! Serving: 1cup, Calories 100, Fat 0gr, Carbs 0gr, Protein 20gr



Four 17 ounce containers Vanilla Micellar Milk, available at BariatricEating.com
½ cup DaVinci Sugar Free Malibu Rum or Butter Rum Syrup, available at BariatricEating.com
Whole nutmeg
Reddi Whip real whipped light cream, or Cool Whip


Pour Micellar Milk into a decorative pitcher. Add DaVinci syrup and half a teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg, stir and chill. Pour into a small serving glass, add a squirt of Reddi Whipp, real whipped cream and grate on a little additional nutmeg
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Holiday Pumpkin Cheesecake

This is my friend Dolly Teresa's recipe… she's an excellent good cook and this is an excellent cheesecake. The graham cracker crumbs have a few sugar grams as does the candied ginger, but a generous ½ inch slice still contains fewer than 4 sugar grams. This is essentially a no sugar added cheesecake. Thanks bella… this is a keeper! The candied ginger adds so much flavor. I took the liberty to tweak it a bit, so forgive me but it’s my nature.

¾ cup graham cracker crumbs
½ cup finely chopped pecans
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons finely chopped candied ginger
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Two 8 ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 cups Nature Sweet Crystals, available on this website
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
3 large eggs
1 cup solid pack pumpkin (not pie filling)


Combine the graham cracker crumbs, pecans, candied ginger, and cinnamon in a medium bowl and toss with the melted butter until evenly moist. Press crumbs into the bottom and one inch up sides of a 9 inch springform pan or a 9 inch pie plate.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese with the Nature Sweet at medium speed until smooth and fluffy. Add the flour, pumpkin pie spice, and ground ginger; blend until combined. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then fold in the pumpkin puree until just incorporated. Pour the filling into the prepared crust and bake until set at the edges but still soft at the center, about 45 minutes. Cool on wire rack at room temperature, then chill at least 4 hours or overnight
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

AGAIN****** These arent my recipes...they are some I found on bariatriceating.com but I thought it's an awesome idea for cutting some of those holiday calories and sugar, and still being able to enjoy good tasting desserts.

Some of the ingrediants can be found for purchase on bariatriceating.com

Happy Holidays

Those are good recipes, especially if you're the one fixing Thanksgiving and/or Christmas dinner. I definitely want to encourage those who succumb to "piling on" food on their plates during the holidays to remember what they'll feel like in January. Always have a holiday exercise plan ready in case you fail. In other words, if you do overeat during one meal, spend an hour or two working it off doing cardio. I'm planning to spend an extra hour on cardio Thanksgiving Day if I don't watch what I eat that day.

I wanted to try the broccoli soup recipe I received today from Dr. Weiss, but I accidently deleted it. Does anyone have it?

Hi. Sorry if this was posted already. I tried to search but couldn't come up with anything.
Does anybody have the ingredients for the salmon recipe Kim showed David in the Zip N Steam bag?
I watched the video but didn't hear her say anything about ingredients.
Thanks very much.

There's a whole section on the NBC website with zip n' steam recipes :recipes. The one you're looking for is in there.

The topic I posted about Kim's steamed salmon is locked. Why does that happen?
Anyway, I made it for my 14 yr old daughter and I for lunch today and it was good. It was flaky, not dried out at all. This will be great for a quick lunch for me during the work week.
Thanks to all of you who offered help. I appreciate it.
I started this program one week ago and so far have lost 7 lbs.

i like my fish raw, like sushi

Don't know but I remember watching a real simple broccoli soup from Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmare. I Googled it and saw a YouTube video that detailed how to make the soup. The ingredients are real simple, broccoli, water, and salt garnished with walnuts, small piece of goat cheese, pepper, and some olive oil.

It looks really healthy and lite. What I think makes the soup good is the method of preparation in addition to the ingredients. All it really requires is a pot and a blender, nothing an ordinary kitchen wouldn't have.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFc6o2m9mMQ

Thank you! I just made this and it is delicious! I didn't have goat cheese, so I used globs of cream cheese and it was so good. I am going to buy goat cheese though for next time. I couldn't wait today though. Had broccoli and wanted to try this.

Typically I don't like to cook veggies by boiling, but of course if you are making soup with the original boiled water you are getting those nutrients back anyway. I usually steam and then use the water the veggies were steamed in, but I think this way is better for letting the seasonings cook into the veggies. Makes a big difference.

So simple and delicious. Thank you so much for posting SWS. A new staple for me.

Happy Veterans Day Recipe! I found this Veterans Day Recipe on the Fat Into The Fire Blog. I made the soup dish today with a combination of chicken and beef and it is delicious! Healthy, hearty, and easy to make. It filled me up. I guess it was the beans that fills you up:

Merchant Marine Soup A complete meal soup! Quick and easy!
4 carrots, sliced thin
2 celery stalks, diced
1 med. Size onion, diced
2 cups diced cooked chicken (or lean ham, or lean beef)
2 cans drained navy beans
1 envelope onion soup mix
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste
8 cups of water
Bring all to a boil except beans and meat. Upon boiling point, reduce heat, add beans and meat. Simmer 20 minutes, serve.

Note: Make in a crock pot, pack up and go visit a Veteran for lunch.
Note II: Make this a vegetarian soup – omit meat and add some green beans, or even some soy meatballs or soy sausage!

Blueberry Pie For special occasions!
½ cup sugar
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
½ tsp cinnamon
4 ½ cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1 low fat graham cracker pie shell
1 Tbsp lemon juice

Mix first 4 ingredients well. Put the mix in a pie shell, and sprinkle on the lemon juice.
Bake at 375 for 30 minutes.

I made some tonight as well. The olive oil, walnuts, and goat cheese are garnishments so I did bother with those but did spinkle some fat free Mozzarella cheese on top and it was really good. I guess salt and pepper can go a long way when using fresh brocolli.

Word of warning, follow Ramsey's directions and use a small hand towell over the top cap of the blender as the heated mixture does want to shoot up.

Before you get started make some homemade salsa, however you make it..I just use fresh tomato, onion, and cilantro...

Cilantro Lime Burgers

1 pound of ground turkey or chicken
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper (any color)
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
3 Tablespoons of Lime juice
1 egg white
Chopped cilantro (use as much as you like)
Crushed red pepper flakes (sprinkle to taste)
some salt n pepper

Blend all ingredients...If it's too wet, grind up a little oatmeal and add it to the mixture. I noticed today, when I made them again with ground turkey breast, it was less wet and did not need anything to bind it...

Grill em up, top with some cheddar cheese and some fresh salsa! You can choose to eat it on a bun or not.....these are easy to make and yummy!

From my friend JJ..

Pita Bread Pizzas, by JJ

Pita Bread
chopped, sliced and diced veggies
browned and diced meats
Italian Seasoning
Shredded Cheese

This is a fun thing to do with a crowd of people. All your prep work can be done hours ahead of time, even the day before. The ingredients are put out in individual bowls, and everyone creates their own pizza.

Start with regular Pita bread circles. We use the standard size, but you might want to get some of the larger ones for the guys.

Then, in your bowls, you put your toppings. Here is some examples:

Diced tomatoes, small pepperoni slices, diced green pepper, green and black sliced olives, chopped onion, chopped scallions, chopped chili peppers, diced and sautéed Kielbasa sausage, browned Italian or mild sausage, browned ground beef, chopped ham....well, you get the idea.

1. On each pita, smear some spaghetti or pizza sauce on top. Not in the pocket. (I have made it with my own leftover meat sauce, and plain marinara sauce. I like the plain sauce, my family likes the meat sauce.)

2. Now, add your selected toppings. And a tiny sprinkling of Italian seasoning, and I mean tiny too. In fact, when the children were young, I skipped this part because they ruined a few pizzas. As an alternative, you can lightly sprinkle the chopped tomatoes in the bowl with some basil.

3. Now add your cheese. You can use Mozzarella, Cheddar or a mixture of both. I get a bag that is Mozz. and Provolone blend that we are fond of, and sometimes the mixed Mexican blend.

4. Place on a cookie sheet in the middle of a 325 degree oven and bake till the cheese is melted. It takes 10-12 minutes, but watch them, you want the cheese melted and maybe golden, but not brown!

Let cool a minute or two before cutting, then cut into quarters and serve with some chips and pickles, a salad, whatever. This is great with avacodas, and I like to have fruit on the table.
-----------------------------------------------------------

Tips:

I recommend you put out some large cutting boards or a sheet of foil on the counter for the making of these, folks get messy and it makes clean up easier. Check your cookie sheets before you get started to see which one holds the right amount for your group. I had two that would sit side by side and each would hold three, staggered. I have a big sheet that will hold five.

My husband likes the whole wheat pitas, and there are other flavors out there for you to try, but I recommend you try the plain ones first.

Kids love these, but discourage them from putting too many different toppings on their pita just because they are 'there.' They won't like them. I have found out that most kids prefer just a few things and plenty of cheese.

Now that BBQ chicken is getting so popular, you can also make these same pita pizzas with hunks of chicken coated with a mild BBQ sauce. It's really good with green pepper and onion.

If your children don't like crunchy veggies, you can lightly saute the onions and peppers and drain and pat dry.

Get the kids started on their pizzas first and let the adults enjoy their tea or beer in some peace and quiet. Kids usually make a big mess, but have a ball.

Also, discourage anyone from wanting to make two right off the bat unless you know for a fact the person has a certified hollow leg. These are very filling. Especially if you add chips and such. That's why I always get a package of the larger pitas, for big teenage boys. My husband can only eat one and a half, and he can really put food away. So you might consider suggesting going halvsies with some of the guests. It's fun to share different combinations.

These pizzas reheat very well if you have leftovers. I usually nuke them for a few seconds to take the chill off before heating in the oven, to prevent the cheese from browning.

Enjoy,

JJ

~Stacy's Pita Hamburgers~

Grill or Pan Fry -

I always mix up lean ground sirloin w/fresh chopped parsley - diced green onions {tops and all} - lots of garlic powder - S&P - and a touch of cumin.

I lightly baste the top with ex-vir-olive oil

The best cheese choices for this I feel are:

grated cheddar - swiss - or grated mozzarella

Since the burger will be bigger than the pita, I just slice in thick strips like fajitas.

Fill the pita with cheese and toast to melt.

Place burger strips inside and then fill with your favorite fixin's:

lettuce - tomatoes - etc.

Yummy!!

Turkey Sausage

1 1/2 pounds ground turkey (mixture of light and dark meat)
2 medium apples, peeled, cored, grated and squeezed of excess liquid
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
vegetable oil for brushing skillet


Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine turkey, apples, parsley, sage, salt, pepper, nutmeg and eggs in a large bowl.

With dampened hands, shape 1/3 cup sausage mixture into patties to yield 8 patties.

Lightly brush a nonstick skillet or griddle with oil and heat over moderate heat until hot.

Brown sausage patties, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer patties to a baking sheet and bake in oven until turkey is cooked through, about 10 minutes.

Nutrition Info
Per serving: 170 calories, 9g total fat, 2.5g saturated fat, 17g protein, 4g total carbohydrate

This is a Rocco DiSpirito recipe, I found it in a fitness magazine...I've tried it a couple of times, it's very easy to make and yummy!

Red Ginger Chicken Satay

16 bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 cup pineapple juice
1 Tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons finely chopped ginger
6 Tablespoons creamy peanut butter
2 teaspoons red-wine vinegar
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
2 seedless cucumbers, peeled and sliced
For garnish if desired: sliced tomato, lime wedges, cilantro and crushed red pepper

In a large bowl, mix together garlic, pineapple juice, sugar, ginger, peanut butter and vinegar. Marinate chicken in 3/4 of the mixture for about 30 minutes. Thread cubed chicken onto skewers.

Preheat a grill, grill pan or broiler on high. Cook chicken skewers for 8 minutes or until cooked through, turning occaisionally.

In medium bowl, toss the sliced cucumbers with the remaining marinade. Serve chicken on a bed of the dressed cucumber slices. Add garnish if desired.

Chicken and Pasta with Ricotta

4 oz whole wheat spaghetti
1 tsp olive oil
1 clove garlic , minced
½ c part-skim ricotta cheese
¼ cup 1% or skim milk
2 Tbsp shredded part skim mozzerella
8 oz chicken breast, already cooked and chopped (or shredded)

Cook spaghetti as directed. In saute pan or medium nonstick skillet, heat oil and garlic over medium-low heat for 1 minute.
Add ricotta and milk, stir, then add cooked chicken, and simmer about 5 minutes. Add additional milk if needed to thin out.
Pour over pasta and top with cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Makes 2 servings

These are excellent! I do not use the rice crackers though, instead I use 4oz (not 3 1/2) of oatmeal and grind it up (in blender or food processor). This recipe makes 6 mini loaves, if you have too many leftover, they are great for freezing! You can choose to serve this with brown rice and/or some stir fry veggies....I found this at cooking light!


Asian-Style Meat Loaves

1 (3 1/2-ounce) package plain rice crackers (use the ground up oatmeal instead)
1 pound ground turkey breast
1/2 pound lean ground pork
1 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup hoisin sauce, divided
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup drained chopped canned water chestnuts
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 large egg whites
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°.
Place crackers in a food processor; process until finely chopped.

Combine cracker crumbs (ground oatmeal), turkey, pork, green onions, 1/4 cup hoisin, and remaining ingredients except cooking spray in a large bowl.

Shape mixture into 6 (5 x 2 1/2-inch) loaves on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray; spread 2 teaspoons hoisin over top of each meat loaf. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until a thermometer registers 165°. Let stand 5 minutes.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 loaf)

NUTRITION PER SERVING (approx)
CALORIES 288
FAT 5g
PROTEIN 29.5g
FIBER 1.9g
CARBOHYDRATE 28.2g

I love making this! I use fat free Italian- there is absolutely no taste difference in that and the full fat version... and I just marinate it over night and then put the whole 8 X 8 pan in the oven and bake until done. I also don't add anything to mine like butter or anything, but all in all I love this recipe!

Actually, I am looking for the name of the salad dressing that Bob Harper recommended on the Biggest Loser website that he put on his lunch salad every day. I think I was a Dijon flavored Miso. any one know what I am talking about?

This recipe for Miso Dressing is posted at wikihow. I don't know if it's the same recipe as Bob's but it looks yummy.

Ingredients:
* 2 Tbsp Miso
* 2 tsp mustard (Dijon is good)
* 1 Tbsp water
* 1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice (fresh)
* 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (good quality)
* 1 tsp ginger (fresh), minced
* 1 spring onion (scallion), minced
Steps:
1. Assemble the ingredients.
2. Mix the Miso and mustard together in a ceramic or glass bowl.
3. Add the lemon juice and water. Whisk together.
4. Add the oil slowly. Add some and whisk; add some more and whisk some more. Do this until all the oil is included.
5. Blend the mixture until the ingredients combine.
6. Add the spring onion (scallion) and minced ginger.
7. Whisk very gently to disperse the last ingredients.
8. Drizzle over your favourite salad.
Tips:
* This mixture is suitable for adding some tasty moisture to vegetarian dishes that are a little on the dry side, such as vegetable burgers or reheated nut roasts.
* You can add any fresh herbs of choice if desired; be sure to mince finely.

One of my favorite snacks is sort of like a soft serve icecream. I peel bananas, then break them in half and place in a ziplock bag in the freezer for this recipe.

1 cup of skim milk
1/2 frozen banana
1 teaspoon of cocoa powder
2 ice cubes

place all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth. 140 calories

you can add 1 scoop of 100 whey powder to boost your protein intake. 165 calories

I'm so glad!

The tiny bits of fake butter are for browning/little bit of flavor.

I did learn an exciting new trick though via the BL Cookbook!

I did not know they now have Ex Virg. Olive Oil in a spray!?

It's found by the crisco and such. That works just as well for the browning/flavor.

I mist each pc. lightly.

Grilled Beef and Avocado Salad with Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette

Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 17 mins
Total Time: 37 mins

Ingredients
12 ounce(s) beef, flank steak
1/2 cup(s) dressing, Italian, reduced calorie
1/2 teaspoon lime peel
1/4 cup(s) lime juice
2 tablespoon cilantro
1/4 cup(s) onion(s), chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper, black ground
6 cup(s) lettuce, mixed greens
2 small tomato(es), red or yellow, cut into wedges
1 small avocado, halved, seeded, peeled and sliced

Recipe Tip: Marinate 24 hours.

Preparation
1. Score both sides of steak in a diamond pattern by making shallow diagonal cuts at 1-inch intervals. Place steak in a resealable plastic bag set in a shallow dish. Set aside.

2. In a screw-top jar, combine salad dressing, lime peel, lime juice, and cilantro. Cover and shake well. Pour half of the salad dressing mixture into a small bowl; cover and chill until serving time. Add onion to remaining salad dressing mixture in jar. Cover and shake well; pour mixture over steak in bag. Seal bag; turn to coat steak. Marinate in the refrigerator for 24 hours, turning bag occasionally.

3. Drain beef, discarding marinade. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill steak on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals for 17 to 21 minutes for medium doneness (160°F), turning once. [Or place steak on the unheated rack of a broiler pan. Broil 3 to 4 inches from the heat for 15 to 18 minutes for medium doneness (160°F), turning once.]

4. To serve, thinly slice beef across grain. Arrange salad greens, tomatoes, and, if desired, avocado on 4 salad plates. Top with beef. Drizzle reserved dressing over individual salads.

Quick Info:
4 Servings
Contains Red Meat
Diabetes-Friendly

Nutritional Info (Per serving):
Calories: 164, Saturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 477mg, Dietary Fiber: 2g, Total Fat: 7g, Carbs: 6g, Cholesterol: 35mg, Protein: 20g
Exchanges: Vegetable: 1, Lean Meat: 2.5, Fat: 1
Carb Choices: 0.5

Source: Everyday-Health

A few months ago I picked up that little mag in the checkout line called Everyday Food (and believe me it wasnt easy-generally I cannot stand Martha Stewart). You guys, this thing is AWESOME. The recipes are well balanced, incorporate seasonal veggis and the ingredient lists are short and mostly stuff you already have "sans" the fresh produce. It doesnt market itself as low fat or healthy per say but usually they are (sometimes you may have to tweek them). For example, yesterday i made this tuna salad which is supposed to go on toasted bagettes, but i put it on a bed of lettuce. It included, a can of white beans, 2 cans of tuna, a tbsp of olive oil, 1/2 cup fresh parsley, 2 squeezed lemons, salt and pepper to season, 4 tablespoons dijon, a green onion, and some diced celery. It is about 200 and something calories a serving, was loaded with protein (something i am trying to get more of). Prep time was like 10 minutes. I love this mag. Some recipes are short single serving ideas like for breakfast a slice of toast with a 1/4 cup ricotta and some slice tomato. Its awesome and I have liked EVERYTHING i have made.

here is my new fav from this months issue
its a tortilla pizza. ( its a 4 serving recipe but I broke it down into a single)
you take an 8 inch whole wheat tortilla, brush on quarter tsp of oilive oil. throw on either fresh diced tomatos or canned, add about 1/4 cup part skim mozzarella, if you have it , add a little sliced romano cheese add some sliced kalamata olives, and sprinkle some red pepper flakes on top. bake at 450 (upper 1/3) for 13 to 15 mintues (rotating halfway through) and when take out top with some fresh basil.

its really good, real food, real fast.


here is the link to the mag homepage
http://www.marthastewart.com/everyday-food?src=footer


PS lots of her reicpes do call for fresh herbs. I just sacked up and bought some small plants. They are doing great and it save me money and time to just go out and chop off what i need.

those recipes sound good......THANKS!!

I've been reading this magazine for years and I love it. The foods are really simple and easy to make. For a while they had a great section called Lunchbox that had a recipe for lunch, there was a Turkey Caesar Sandwich that I make all the time. If you have never picked this up I highly recommend it.

Ok I know Valentines Day is coming up and I know that is a tough Holiday with the Romantic dinner and chocolates and what not so I found some good recipes on Weight Watchers. If you scroll down you will see the Valentines Section! I hope it helps you alot like it helped me!

http://www.weightwatchers.com/food/ssp/index.aspx

*StarKist Pasta Primavera Salad

- 1 - 12 oz. Pouch Tuna

- 3 1/2 c. Steamed Broccoli/Chilled

- 1 c. chopped Red Bell Pepper

- 1 small can of sliced Black or Green Olives

- 3 1/2 c. cooked/chilled Whole Wheat Penne/Other Pasta

- 1 1/2 Tbs. Dried Basil

- 2 1/2 Tbs. chopped Green Onions {tops and all}

- 1 c. creamy Italian or Ranch Dressing

- 6 c. Romaine Salad Greens

- 1/2 c. Fresh Grated Parmesan Cheese

In a bowl, Combine all ingredients except Romaine & Cheese.

MIX well & chill for at least 30 mins.

Divide Romaine Greens amoung 6 plates/As many as you're serving -
Spoon tuna mixture over greens and garnish with cheese.

(Guilt Free!)

Stacy's (hickgurltx) Fat-Free - Sugar Free Banana Caramel Muffins

You Need:

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/3 heaping cup of splenda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 egg whites (I use egg beaters - 1/4 C. X2 = 2 lg. eggs)

2 1/2 large bananas, mashed

1/3 cup Sugar Free DaVinci Caramel Syrup

1/4 cup skim milk

Preheat oven to 400°

Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, splenda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon; Stir Well; Set Aside.

In a large bowl, using a wire whisk, beat egg whites lightly.
Stir in mashed bananas, syrup and milk.

Gently add flour mixture to bananas and stir until blended.
Spoon into prepared muffin tins, filling each 2/3 full.

Bake for 18minutes, or until center is set.
Cool in pan for 5 minutes.
Remove and cool on a wire rack.

Yields 12 muffins

>>>>>>>>>>

Calories 100

Calories from Fat 0

Total Fat 0 g

Saturated Fat 0 g

Cholesterol 0 mg

Sodium 180 mg

Carbohydrates 25 g

Dietary Fiber 3 g

Sugars 0 g

Protein 4 g