90 Calorie “Fried” Apples

2 Nov

I love Fried Apples, as any good southern girl should. I remember, growing up my grandmother taught me to save my fried apples at dinner and eat them on a biscuit for dessert…just like apple pie. Here’s a great “not really fried” apple recipe that my family enjoys. It’s a pretty decent substitute for the real thing when you’re calorie conscious.

Ingredients:
– 4 medium to large apples (I used gala)
– 1 tablespoon splenda
– 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
– 1/2 tablespoon 0 calorie butter spray
– 1 tbsp.- 1/4 cup water

Directions:
1. Wash, core, and slice (but don’t you dare peel!) all apples.
2. Mix with cinnamon and splenda.
3. spray 0 calorie butter spray into a small-med size frying pan, and add apple mixture.
4. heat on medium heat, stirring regularly for about 3 min.
5. When/If apples start to stick, or you’re afraid they’ll burn, add 1 tbsp. water at a time to the skillet.
6. Cook apples down, stirring often (adding water as often as needed) until they reach the texture you prefer.

Enjoy these as a lovely side, or throw some fat free coolwhip on top for dessert.

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100 Calorie Pumpkin Ice Cream Sandwich

22 Oct

This one is AWESOME…and it totally goes to my genius husband, who thought it up one day while looking for a sweet snack. This is so great, and I’m sure it would work pretty well with cheesecake or strawberry ice cream too!

Ingredients:
2 graham crackers
1/4 cup slow churned pumpkin patch ice cream (this one is 90 cal per 1/2 cup)

Directions:
Smoosh ice cream between graham crackers, and enjoy!

1 Ice Cream Sandwich= 100 Calories

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So, Here’s my progress so far….. 67 lbs down, about 40 to go!

17 Oct

So, first, thank you guys for following my progress, and offering encouragement and support. As many of you know, we started our weight loss journey on Jan 6 of this year. Although the progress has slowed significantly in the past few months, our journey continues. For now, here’s a snapshot or two of our progress!!! Please keep checking in for more recipes and updates!

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142 lbs

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Low Calorie Pumpkin Pie

16 Oct

This is a fall classic. Who doesn’t love a good pumpkin pie!? Well, it’s hard to believe, but this is a delicious pie, just the way you like it, but less about 100 calories per slice! (those are real slices, not 1/16th of a pie). You may notice that this is a “crustless” pie… don’t let it turn you away. YOU WILL NEVER MISS THE CRUST, but you’ll love missing the 110 calories per slice that the crust would add. This is my favorite find this fall. The original recipe comes from “Cooking Light” magazine. This is a slight adaptation.

Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:
– 1 egg
– 2 egg whites
– 1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin
– 3/4 cup Splenda
– 1/2 cup Bisquick mix
– 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
– 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
– 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
– 1 can (12 ounces) fat-free evaporated milk
– Fat Free or Sugar Free Cool Whip

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine the egg, egg whites, pumpkin, sugar substitute, sugar, biscuit mix, vanilla and spices until smooth. Gradually stir in evaporated milk.

2. Pour into a 9-in. pie plate coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Serve with cool whip before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

Makes 8 servings

1 Serving (made with splenda/sugar mix)= 117 Calories
1 Serving (made with splenda/sugar mix with 3 tbsp. cool whip)= 147 Calories
1 Serving (made with all splenda)= 93 Calories
1 Serving (made with all splenda with 3 tbsp. cool whip)= 123 Calories

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Grilled Chicken,Cranberry, and Goat Cheese Salad

15 Oct

Ingredients:
– 3 cups mixed greens or romaine hearts
– 1 1/2 tablespoons honey roasted slivered almonds
– 1/3 of an apple, chopped or sliced
– 3 Tbsp goat cheese
– 2 tbsp. craisins
– Sliced Red onion
– 3 oz grilled chicken breast (seasoned with salt, pepper, etc)
– 4 TBSP raspberry Vinaigrette

Directions:
1. Arrange Lettuce, almonds, apples, cheese, craisins and red onions on a plate. Top with Chicken and vinaigrette.

Salad= 415 Calories

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Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Soup

8 Oct

Ingredients:
-1 1/4 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast
– 1 can Rotel tomatoes with chiles
– 1 Can black beans
– 1 can chicken broth
– 1 can Red Enchilada sauce
– 1 Cup frozen Corn
– 1 can of diced green chiles
– 1 can 98% fat free cream of chicken soup
– 1/2 tbsp. salt
– 1 tsp ground cumin

Directions:
1. Mix all ingredients in a crock pot and cook on low for 8 hours.
2. remove chicken, shred, and return to pot.
3. Serve with garnish of: Greek yogurt (or sour cream), Shredded cheese, tortilla strips, jalapenos, black olives, green onion, etc.

Makes 8 (1 cup) servings: 211 Calories per Cup
with 2 tbsp. greek yogurt, 2 tbsp. 2% shredded cheddar, and 2 tbsp. tortilla strips: 315 Calories

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Chicken Enchiladas

5 Oct

Of all the many, many things I’ve cooked (some healthy, some not-so-healthy) over the years, this is my husband’s favorite meal. If I had time to make this once a week, he would not complain. It is pretty darn yummy, and makes great left overs too.

Ingredients:
-1.25 lbs chicken breast (boneless)
– 1 8 oz block fat free cream cheese
– 1/2 can of 98% fat free cream of chicken soup
– can of chopped green chiles
– 8 flour tortillas, fajita size (the size that’s about 90 cal each)
– 1 cup 2% shredded cheddar cheese- reduced fat
– 1 can red enchilada sauce
– salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Cook chicken and shred it (I leave it in the crockpot for about 7 hours and it shreds easily)
2. Mix chicken with cream cheese, soup, green chiles, and salt and pepper.
3. wrap 4 tortillas in a napkin and microwave for 20 seconds to warm and soften. Remove them and repeat with remaining 4 tortillas.
4. Divide chicken mixture evenly between the 8 tortilla shells. About 1/3 cup filling per tortilla.
5. Fold tortilla over filling and tightly roll tortilla around filling. Do not fold in edges.
6. Spray a pyrex baking pan with nonstick spray, and line enchiladas side by side across pan.
7. Pour enchilada sauce evenly over enchiladas, and top with shredded cheese.
8. Bake at 350 for 20-25 min.
9. Serve with reduced fat sour cream or plain greek yogurt! yum.

8 servings= 265 Calories per serving

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Sweet and Tangy PorkChops

21 Sep

Ingredients:

-1 1/4 lbs bone in pork chops
-1/2 cup beef broth
-3 tbsp. brown sugar
-1/4 cup ketchup

Directions:
1. Heat a non stick skillet on med-high heat, and cook chops 3 min per side, until browned.
2. Mix all 3 remaining ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
3. Add sauce to chops, reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered 10-15 min.
4. Remove chops, and keep warm.
5. Cook down sauce until about 1/2 cup remains.

Serve Chops with Sauce over top.

4 Servings= 275 Calories per serving

Chicken Marsala

16 Sep

Ingredients:
-4 (4 0z) chicken cutlets
-1 1/2 tablespoons EVOO
– 2 tablespoons flour (+ 1 tbsp. flour separated, 3 tbsp. total)
– 1 tsp Italian seasoning
– 1/2 tsp paprika
– 1/2 tsp garlic powder
– 1/2 tsp black pepper
– salt (to taste)
– 2 cups raw, sliced mushrooms
– 1/2 can of 98% ff chicken broth
– 1/2 cup marsala wine
– 2 tbsp. water

Directions:
1. use a meat mallot to pound out each chicken breast, into about 1/4 inch thick slices.

2. Sprinkle Salt onto chicken breasts.

3. Mix flour, Italian seasoning, paprika, garlic powder, and pepper together. Sprinkle mixture evenly over both sides of all 4 breasts.

4. Preheat oven to 350.

5. Heat EVOO in a large skillet to med-high temp (6-7 on my stove)

6. Place chicken breasts into oil and cook until golden brown crust forms on both sides.

7. Remove chicken and place in an oven safe dish. Keep in 350 degree oven to keep chicken warm.

8. Slowly pour wine and broth into skillet, and use a spatula to scrape drippings off pan, into broth.

9. Add mushrooms, and cook until about 1/2 of liquid has cooked off.

10. in a small cup, mix remaining 1 tbsp. flour with 1 tbps water. Stir to make a thick paste with no significant lumps. Add additional 1 tbsp. of water and mix until smooth. This makes a “slurry”.

11. Slowly add “slurry” mixture to broth and cooked mushrooms, stirring to incorporate.

12. Keep stirring until sauce reaches desired consistency.

13. Remove chicken breasts and place on a plate, with 1/4 of sauce mixture.

Make 4 generous servings= 235 Calories per serving.

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Nachos!

1 Sep

It’s Football Season, once again. Here’s a great “game day” recipe for the calorie conscious! I have a couple of things to say about this nacho recipe. 1. It’s YUMMY. 2. I know the recipe for the nacho sauce (the “cheese”) itself sounds funny, but it is SOOOO GOOD. Please don’t let the cream of chicken soup scare you 🙂 Enjoy.

Ingredients:
-7 1/2 ounces of baked tostito’s scoops
– 1 lb 96% Lean ground beef
– 1 packet taco seasoning mix*
– 1 cup water

Cheese Sauce
– 1 can of 98% fat free cream of chicken soup
– 1 block of fat free cream cheese
– 3/4 cup milk
– 1/4 cup (or more) pickled jalapenos (with juice, chopped finely in the food processor)

Other Toppings:

– tomato
– salsa
– onion
– 10 tablespoons plain greek yogurt (or sour cream)
– 1 2/3 cups shredded 2% cheddar cheese
– black olives
– lettuce

Directions:
1. Mix all ingredients for cheese sauce and heat in a small pan on stovetop on low. Continue stirring to keep from sticking. Make sure it cooks long enough to incorporate all ingredients and get nice and hot. Serve hot.
2. Cook beef in a skillet, and cook down with contents of taco seasoning envelop and 1 cup water.
3. Arrange chips evenly on 5 plates, and top with even portions of beef and cheese sauce.
4. Add equal portions of any additional toppings you like! My calories include beef, cheese, shredded cheese, greek yogurt, and salsa. Other items listed would change calories, but not by much.

Editors Note: For a different take on this, try the pork version, using the pork from this recipe! Pork Tacos

* Make this even lower in calories, by using our homemade taco seasoning instead of storebought!

5 Servings= 510 Calories per serving

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