Lite Muffins

I had some blackberries hanging out in my fridge that in wanted to use up. So I decided to make some good for me muffins that I can grab quickly in the morning. I bought this awesome cookbook a few weeks ago called "The Dieter's Cookbook" by Better Homes and Gardens. Even if you're not dieting, it's really a great book with tons of good for you recipes. This one turned out pretty good. They're definitely not super sweet but they're healthy. So they're not suppose to be. :)

Blackberry Lite Muffins

1 cup blackberries (I sliced each berry in half so they weren't so large)
2 packets of Splenda
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 sugar (if you like yours sweeter, add 1/2 cup instead)
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp lite salt
1 beaten egg
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 400. Line 12 muffin cups.
In a medium bowl, toss blackberries with Splenda. Set aside.
In large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
In a small bowl, combine egg, milk, and melted butter.
Add egg mixture to flour mixture. Add berries. Stir just until moist. (batter should be lumpy)
Spoon into muffin cups about 2/3 of the way full.
Bake for 15 minutes or until golden. Cool on cooling rack.

Enjoy!

Something New

I'm trying to introduce some new veggies in our dinners. I've been seeing people on the WC board on the Nest talk about mashed cauliflower. I thought it sounded kinda good and it would give me a chance to use my food processor for the first time. Gotta conquer that fear someday. ;) It wasn't bad just had a different texture than what we were used to. Next time I'll add some different spices to it.

Smashed Cauliflower


1 bag frozen cauliflower
3oz non fat cream cheese
garlic
splash of milk
salt & pepper

Put frozen cauliflower in microwave safe bowl.
Add 2 tbsp water. Cover in plastic wrap (poke a couple holes in top to let steam escape).
Cook for 6-8 minutes or until soft.
Drain cauliflower completely and add to food processor.
Add cream cheese, milk, garlic, salt & pepper.
Pulse until "mashed" but not runny.

Honey Mustard Chicken

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Honey mustard
Bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 400.
Rub chicken generously with honey mustard.
Coat lightly in bread crumbs.
Bake for 20 minutes or until no longer pink.

Turkey Chili

I really like chili and it's really not that bad for you. Just depending on what you put in it. I found this recipe in my LA Weightloss cookbook but modified it just a tad. This would also be great to cook in a crock pot but I didn't start it early enough in the day to make it that way. I still turned out really flavorful. I ate it for 3 days straight I think. :)

Turkey Chili

1lb ground turkey
2 cans kidney beans (drained)
2 cans diced tomatoes (not drained)
1 cup water
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
Chili powder
Cumin
Paprika
Lite Salt & Pepper
Fresh garlic and garlic powder
Onion powder
(I didn't measure any of my spices. I just eyeballed it.)

In large pot brown ground turkey in water. Season with onion and garlic powder.
Add tomatoes, beans, chicken broth and all seasonings & fresh garlic.
Let simmer for 30-45 minutes to allow for all the flavors to meld.
Serve with a sprinkle of cheese and low fat sour cream. (optional)

Chinese Take Out (At Home)

I love Chinese food but it's so high in calories and sodium. I found both these recipes in the LA Weightloss cook book. I no longer am on that program but the recipes are still great for the new lifestyle I'm working now. The chicken turned out awesome. My rice needs a little bit of work only because I've never cooked fried rice before. It was still yummy though.

Sweet n Sour Chicken

2 6oz boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
4 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp cornstarch
3/4 cup fresh pineapple (i used canned)
4 tbsp brown sugar artificial sweetener (i used regular brown sugar)
4 tbsp ketchup
1 tomato, diced
1 cup low sodium chicken broth

Cut chicken in stripes or pieces
Coat pan with nonfat cooking spray. Add onion, and green pepper. Stir fry until crisp-tender. Remove an set aside.
Coat pan again with cooking spray. Cook chicken until brown.
Mix vinegar, cornstarch, broth, sugar, and ketchup together.
Add sauce to pan with chicken. Cook stirring constantly until sauce thickens.
Return onion and green pepper to pan. Stir in pineapple chunks and tomato. Cook till heated through.


Fried Rice

1/2 chopped green pepper
4 chopped green onions
1/2 chopped carrot
dash of garlic powder
dash of onion powder
1/2 tsp ginger
2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 egg white scrambled

Spray pan with cooking spray. Stir fry veggies until crisp-tender
Season veggies with garlic powder, onion powder, ginger, soy sauce, and salt
Add rice and egg white. Toss to combine and to heat through.

Cooking Lighter

I've recently decided that it's time to start eating better and to lose a little bit of weight. I'm not doing it as a "resolution" for the year. I'm doing it because I want to look and feel better. So besides hiring a personal trainer, I'm working on not eating out so much and cooking lighter meals. I got this recipe out of a cookbook I bought when I was doing LA Weightloss. It's also my first time doing a stuffed chicken breast. It turned out pretty good. I think next time I might marinate the chicken in something before stuffing. Just to give it a little more flavor.

Broccoli and Cheese Stuffed Chicken

2 6oz Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
1/4 cup frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and drained well
2 tbsp. chopped red pepper
4 garlic gloves minced
1 oz reduced fat cheddar cheese (i used more than this)
salt &pepper
nonfat cooking spray

Preheat oven to 375.
Pound chicken until 1/4 inch think
Combine broccoli, red pepper, cheddar and half the garlic. Mix well
Place chicken on piece of foil that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
Place broccoli mixture in the middle of chicken and roll up.
Top chicken with remaining clove of minced garlic.
Roll chicken in foil.
Bake chicken for 20 minutes.
Cut a slit in the top of the foil packet and place back in oven for 5 minutes to brown top of chicken and garlic.