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)

Chicken Parm

Since I've been working on eating lighter, I haven't had any pasta lately. I've been craving it so I decided to buy some wheat pasta since it's a little better for you. I also made sure to only eat just one serving (2oz) according to package instructions. This is definitely a change for me since I usually just dump a bunch of pasta in the water and let it cook. I always end up with leftover so I guess measuring it really is a better idea anyways. And I was still plenty full.

Chicken Parmesan
(2 servings)

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 egg whites (lightly wisked)
1/4-1/2 cup bread crumbs (i didn't really measure)
4oz wheat spaghetti
Your favorite jarred pasta sauce
Mozzarella and Parmesan Cheese

Preheat oven to 400

Dip chicken breasts in egg whites. Then lightly coat in bread crumbs.
Put in baking dish sprayed with nonfat cooking spray.
Cover in pasta sauce.
Bake chicken for 20 minutes or no longer pink.
Once chicken is done, sprinkle cheeses on top and put back in oven just long enough to let cheese melt.

While chicken is cooking, boil pasta till al dente.
Drain and plate. Add pasta sauce if desired.

I <3 Pasta!

I'm seriously in love with pasta. The only thing that comes close is mexican food. I've had been seeing a lot of blogs with baked ziti in them. So I thought I'd give it a shot. Looked simple enough. I found this recipe again on all recipes. I did decrease some of the amounts only because this makes a ton for only two people. We still had left overs and it was just as good the next day.

Baked Ziti

1 (16 ounce) package ziti pasta
15 ounces ricotta cheese
1 package pre shredded mozzarella cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and rinse.

In a medium bowl, mix ziti, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, egg and 1 1/2 cups spaghetti sauce.


Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish and spoon in ziti mixture. Top with remaining spaghetti sauce, followed by Parmesan cheese.

Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes; let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Meatball Subs

I had a hankerin for meatball subs one night. So I went on a search for a meatball recipe. I found this one on all recipes. Very simple and was delicious.

Meatball Subs

1 pound ground beef
3/4 cup bread crumbs
2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 French baguette
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 pinch salt, or to taste
1 (14 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
4 slices provolone cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a medium bowl, gently mix by hand the ground beef, bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, garlic, parsley, Parmesan cheese, and egg. Shape into 12 meatballs, and place in a baking dish.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cooked through. Meanwhile, cut the baguette in half lengthwise, and remove some of the bread from the inside to make a well for the meatballs. Brush with olive oil, and season with garlic powder and salt. Slip the baguette into the oven during the last 5 minutes of the meatball's time, or until lightly toasted.

While the bread toasts, warm the spaghetti sauce in a saucepan over medium heat. When the meatballs are done, use a slotted spoon to transfer them to the sauce. Spoon onto the baguette and top with slices of provolone cheese. Return to the oven for 2 to 3 minutes to melt the cheese. Cool slightly, cut into servings, and enjoy!

Mexican Chili

I believe I found this recipe on another food blog but I can't remember which one. So please let me know if this is yours and I'll make sure you get the credit.

This was super yummy and really easy too. I cooked it on the stove top but it could easily be a dish cooked in a crock pot through out the day.

Mexican Chili

1lb ground beef
1 onion chopped
1 can chili beans
1 can black beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can corn, drained
1 can rotel tomatoes
1 can diced tomatoes
1 pkg. taco seasoning
1 pkg. ranch dressing mix

Sautee onion in a little oil.
Add meat, brown, and drain.
Add all other ingredients and cook on Med to Med-Hi for about 30-minutes.
Serve with a little sour cream and cheese (optional).