- Posted from my iPhone
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
For your Viewing Pleasure
My bosses birthday cake: white cake, blackberry filling, buttercream frosting.
- Posted from my iPhone
- Posted from my iPhone
Beef stir Fry
Man I am not keeping up with my new years resolution to blog….but Im kinda sick of the computer by the time I get home from work! I’ll do better, I promise!
I realize that I have many visions for this blog--- eat healthy, create new recipes, post new finds, etc. I will apologize in advance for it taking a new direction each time I post! I have recently re-discovered my love for cooking and baking, and want to cook all day long…. Problem is I have to work, and if I didn’t work, I wouldn’t be able to support my kitchen obsession. So my time with the kitchen is confined to a couple hours in the evenings, and whatever time I can put together on the weekends.
As I was debating what to make for dinner last night, I was dreading cooking. I wanted to BAKE! After giving the husband a choice of chicken, beef, or shrimp (of course, he chose beef) I began to think through what I would do with the frozen .8 lb of flank steak. I had some fresh snap peas and mushrooms, so I decided to make a pseudo-stir fry.
Once I had the steak defrosted, cubed, and browning in a pan, I stared at it…in love. The new Train song “Hey Soul Sister” was playing, and I was in heaven. Clean kitchen to cook in, music on the radio, and cooking.
I opted not to bake last night, since I had just finished a cake the night before…. Ill post about that later. For now, here’s what I did with dinner
Beef Psuedo-Stir Fry (created by whatever you have on hand!)
~ 1 lb stew meat, flank steak, or any other steak you can cube
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tbs minced garlic
½ cup sliced baby bella mushrooms
1 cup sugar snap peas
2 tbs low sodium soy sauce
Salt an pepper
Directions
1. Heat vegetable oil in a large pot or wok and brown meat. Season with salt and pepper
2. Remove meat from pot, and place on a paper towel lined plate
3. Pour out grease from pot and wipe any excess out with a paper towel
4. Return pot to stove and on medium/low heat, add in sesame oil and garlic
5. Brown garlic, stirring often, for about 4 minutes
6. Add in the vegetables, and stir occasionally, for about 6 minutes
7. Add in the soy sauce and turn the vegetables to coat
8. Add the beef back in a heat thoroughly.
9. Serve over brown rice.
- Posted from my iPhone
I realize that I have many visions for this blog--- eat healthy, create new recipes, post new finds, etc. I will apologize in advance for it taking a new direction each time I post! I have recently re-discovered my love for cooking and baking, and want to cook all day long…. Problem is I have to work, and if I didn’t work, I wouldn’t be able to support my kitchen obsession. So my time with the kitchen is confined to a couple hours in the evenings, and whatever time I can put together on the weekends.
As I was debating what to make for dinner last night, I was dreading cooking. I wanted to BAKE! After giving the husband a choice of chicken, beef, or shrimp (of course, he chose beef) I began to think through what I would do with the frozen .8 lb of flank steak. I had some fresh snap peas and mushrooms, so I decided to make a pseudo-stir fry.
Once I had the steak defrosted, cubed, and browning in a pan, I stared at it…in love. The new Train song “Hey Soul Sister” was playing, and I was in heaven. Clean kitchen to cook in, music on the radio, and cooking.
I opted not to bake last night, since I had just finished a cake the night before…. Ill post about that later. For now, here’s what I did with dinner
Beef Psuedo-Stir Fry (created by whatever you have on hand!)
~ 1 lb stew meat, flank steak, or any other steak you can cube
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tbs minced garlic
½ cup sliced baby bella mushrooms
1 cup sugar snap peas
2 tbs low sodium soy sauce
Salt an pepper
Directions
1. Heat vegetable oil in a large pot or wok and brown meat. Season with salt and pepper
2. Remove meat from pot, and place on a paper towel lined plate
3. Pour out grease from pot and wipe any excess out with a paper towel
4. Return pot to stove and on medium/low heat, add in sesame oil and garlic
5. Brown garlic, stirring often, for about 4 minutes
6. Add in the vegetables, and stir occasionally, for about 6 minutes
7. Add in the soy sauce and turn the vegetables to coat
8. Add the beef back in a heat thoroughly.
9. Serve over brown rice.
- Posted from my iPhone
Sunday, January 17, 2010
MMMMMM Mac n Cheese
So sorry its been awhile!! I was at my sisters for a few days this week, and then had too much other stuff going on to actually cook!! Tonight though, I have flank steak defrosting in the fridge for dinner.
One of my favorite things to make is macaroni and cheese (maybe its because its one of my favorite things to eat!) My recipe is not the leanest side dish, but its decent….especially if you are craving the fabulousness!! So my recipe comes out to 7 pts for ¾ a cup (which is an great size!!) 2 cups of cheese give you the great flavor you need – experiment with different kids of cheese and spices. Tonight, I am trying it with pepper jack cheese!
Pepper Jack Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
1/3 cup light butter (about 6 tbs)
3 tbs flour
1 tsp salt
pinch of pepper
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
3 cups 1% milk (has same pts as nonfat)
2 cups cheese of your choice (I am using ¾ cup pepper jack, 1 ¼ cup velveeta)
1 lb uncooked pasta
Directions
1. Get water boiling and cook, drain the pasta while making the sauce.
2. Over medium heat, melt the butter (do not let it brown or boil)
3. Sprinkle the flour over the butter and quickly whisk into a smooth paste
4. Add the spices and stir
5. Slowly add the milk, 1 cup at a time whisking until well combined with the butter/four
6. Let the sauce come to a slight boil, stirring continuously
7. Once it has thickened to your liking (it will get thicker once the cheese is added!), turn the heat as low as you can and slowly blend in the cheese.
8. Turn off the heat and stir in the pasta, coating completely.
9. You can refrigerate or freeze in portions. To reheat, place the desired amount in a saucepan on med-low and cover. Stir occasionally. You may want to add a little milk to restore the creaminess.
One of my favorite things to make is macaroni and cheese (maybe its because its one of my favorite things to eat!) My recipe is not the leanest side dish, but its decent….especially if you are craving the fabulousness!! So my recipe comes out to 7 pts for ¾ a cup (which is an great size!!) 2 cups of cheese give you the great flavor you need – experiment with different kids of cheese and spices. Tonight, I am trying it with pepper jack cheese!
Pepper Jack Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
1/3 cup light butter (about 6 tbs)
3 tbs flour
1 tsp salt
pinch of pepper
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
3 cups 1% milk (has same pts as nonfat)
2 cups cheese of your choice (I am using ¾ cup pepper jack, 1 ¼ cup velveeta)
1 lb uncooked pasta
Directions
1. Get water boiling and cook, drain the pasta while making the sauce.
2. Over medium heat, melt the butter (do not let it brown or boil)
3. Sprinkle the flour over the butter and quickly whisk into a smooth paste
4. Add the spices and stir
5. Slowly add the milk, 1 cup at a time whisking until well combined with the butter/four
6. Let the sauce come to a slight boil, stirring continuously
7. Once it has thickened to your liking (it will get thicker once the cheese is added!), turn the heat as low as you can and slowly blend in the cheese.
8. Turn off the heat and stir in the pasta, coating completely.
9. You can refrigerate or freeze in portions. To reheat, place the desired amount in a saucepan on med-low and cover. Stir occasionally. You may want to add a little milk to restore the creaminess.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Special Somethin'
My brother came to stay with us for a night, so I wanted to do something special for him! This dinner recipe was in the January Cooking Light, and it caught my eye while walking on the treadmill Monday (I used 1.5 lbs of meat since I have 2 boys for dinner! That’s why the pts are pretty high for a serving). As for dessert, Texas Sheet Cake is his favorite. While comparing recipes, I came across a white Texas Sheet Cake recipe….so I thought it would be fun to try to mix the 2 in one cake!
What I learned my first time baking sheet cake….it can be a pain! Maybe im not as good with delicate cake as I am with hard to mess up candy….But its hard to ice/frost cake without it crumbling. I guess it will take practice.
I did learn that you can microwave this icing to make it spread easier…that helped a lot. Also, I recommend doubling the icing recipes (mainly the chocolate one)…. I ran out by my last cake!
White Texas Sheet Cake
Ingredients
1 cup butter, cubed
1 cup water
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 eggs, beaten
½ cup sour cream
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp baking soda
frosting
½ cup butter, cubed
¼ cup milk
4 ½ cups powdered sugar
½ tsp vanilla
1 cup praline pecans, chopped
Directions
1. In a large saucepan, bring butter and water just to a boil.
2. Immediately remove from the heat; stir in the flour, sugar, eggs, sour cream, salt, baking powder, extract and baking soda until smooth.
3. Pour into a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan.
4. Bake at 375° for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
5. Cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes.
6. For frosting, in a large saucepan, bring butter and milk just to a boil.
7. Immediately remove from the heat; stir in confectioners' sugar and extract.
8. Stir in pecans; spread over warm cake. Cool completely.
Texas Sheet Cake
Ingredients
Cooking spray
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1 cup butter or stick margarine
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
Icing:
Icing:
¼ cup butter
3 tbs cocoa
3 tbs buttermilk
2 ¼ cup powdered sugar
½ tsp vanilla
½ cup pecans, toasted
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. To prepare the cake, coat a 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan with cooking spray, and dust with 2 teaspoons flour. Set prepared pan aside.
3. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 2 cups flour and next 4 ingredients (2 cups flour through salt) in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk.
4. Combine water, 1/2 cup butter, and 1/4 cup cocoa in a small saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
5. Remove from heat; pour into flour mixture.
6. Beat at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended.
7. Add buttermilk, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and eggs; beat well.
8. Pour batter into prepared pan; bake at 375° for 17 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
9. Place on a wire rack.
10. To prepare the icing, combine 6 tablespoons butter, milk, and 1/4 cup cocoa in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
11. Remove from heat, and gradually stir in powdered sugar, pecans, and 2 teaspoons vanilla.
12. Spread over hot cake. Cool completely on wire rack.
3 tbs cocoa
3 tbs buttermilk
2 ¼ cup powdered sugar
½ tsp vanilla
½ cup pecans, toasted
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. To prepare the cake, coat a 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan with cooking spray, and dust with 2 teaspoons flour. Set prepared pan aside.
3. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 2 cups flour and next 4 ingredients (2 cups flour through salt) in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk.
4. Combine water, 1/2 cup butter, and 1/4 cup cocoa in a small saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
5. Remove from heat; pour into flour mixture.
6. Beat at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended.
7. Add buttermilk, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and eggs; beat well.
8. Pour batter into prepared pan; bake at 375° for 17 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
9. Place on a wire rack.
10. To prepare the icing, combine 6 tablespoons butter, milk, and 1/4 cup cocoa in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
11. Remove from heat, and gradually stir in powdered sugar, pecans, and 2 teaspoons vanilla.
12. Spread over hot cake. Cool completely on wire rack.
Steak Tips with Peppered Mushroom Gravy
Ingredients
2 cups uncooked noodles
cooking spray
1.5 lbs top sirloin steak, cut in ¾” pieces (or buy stew meat)
1 tbs butter
2 tbs chopped shallots
1 (8 oz) packaged baby bella mushrooms
1 tsp minced garlic
3 tbs low sodium soy sauce
3 tbs all purpose flour
1 ½ cups fat free, low sodium beef broth
½ tsp pepper
¼ tsp salt
3 fresh thyme sprigs
Directions
1. Cook noodles according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.
2. While noodles cook, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add steak; sauté 5 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove from pan; cover.
3. Melt butter in pan over medium-high heat.
4. Add shallots and mushrooms; sauté 4 minutes.
5. Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds.
6. Stir in soy sauce.
7. Sprinkle flour over mushroom mixture; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
8. Gradually add broth, stirring constantly.
9. Add pepper, salt, and thyme sprigs.
10. Bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes or until thickened.
11. Return beef to pan; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Discard thyme sprigs.
Today
Breakfast: 1 cup congee (with 1 tbs honey, 2 tbs pecans), Dannon Light & Fit Yogurt ---6.5pts
Lunch: ¾ bag jolly time 94% ff popcorn :-( --- 2.5 pts
Dinner: Steak Tips in Peppered Mushroom Gravy, ½ cup wheat pasta --- 11pts
Totals (sorry will update with cals, etc later) --- 20 pts
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Easy Dinner!!
Nothing too spectacular about today….gearing up for the Beef Tips in Mushroom Gravy that I plan to make for my brother tomorrow! Ive been thinking that I really enjoy the blogging and cooking, but figuring out all the nutritional stats and making them post right on here is a little agitating. So, going forward, I will post calories, fat, and WW pts for each meal or recipe. This should make the blog easier to read! If you want to know specifics on a certain recipe, just send me an email or leave it in the comments. I should have it in my SparkPeople account!
Shrimp Fried Rice (about 4 servings)
Ingredients
2 tsp canola oil
3 med scallions, chopped
4 oz frozen salad-size shrimp (thawed under lukewarm water)
2 cups cooked brown rice
4 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
4 eggs
1 ½ cup frozen peas and carrots
Instructions1. Coat a wok or large skillet with cooking spray and heat until an added drop of water sizzles.2. Scramble egg substitute in wok. Remove when cooked and set aside.3. Add oil, scallions, peas and carrots and shrimp to the wok. Stir-fry for five minutes.4. Add cooked rice, eggs and soy sauce. Stir-fry for about three minutes.
Breakfast: 1 cup congee (with 1 tbs almonds, 1 tbs honey), Dannon Light & Fit Raspberry Chocolate Yogurt --- 215 cals, 3g fat, 5 pts
Lunch: ½ serving of leftover butter noodles, ½ cup broccoli, ½ cup cauliflower, Green Giant Just for One Broccoli and Cheese (micro waved the veggies together so they all had sauce!!) --- 232 cals, 4g fat, 3 pts
Snack: ½ of Leftover Cinnamon Apples --- 90 cals, 0g f, .5 pts
Dinner: Shrimp Fried Rice --- 286 cals, 10g fat, 7pts
Totals: 823 calories, 18g fat, 13.5 pts
Shrimp Fried Rice (about 4 servings)
Ingredients
2 tsp canola oil
3 med scallions, chopped
4 oz frozen salad-size shrimp (thawed under lukewarm water)
2 cups cooked brown rice
4 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
4 eggs
1 ½ cup frozen peas and carrots
Instructions1. Coat a wok or large skillet with cooking spray and heat until an added drop of water sizzles.2. Scramble egg substitute in wok. Remove when cooked and set aside.3. Add oil, scallions, peas and carrots and shrimp to the wok. Stir-fry for five minutes.4. Add cooked rice, eggs and soy sauce. Stir-fry for about three minutes.
Breakfast: 1 cup congee (with 1 tbs almonds, 1 tbs honey), Dannon Light & Fit Raspberry Chocolate Yogurt --- 215 cals, 3g fat, 5 pts
Lunch: ½ serving of leftover butter noodles, ½ cup broccoli, ½ cup cauliflower, Green Giant Just for One Broccoli and Cheese (micro waved the veggies together so they all had sauce!!) --- 232 cals, 4g fat, 3 pts
Snack: ½ of Leftover Cinnamon Apples --- 90 cals, 0g f, .5 pts
Dinner: Shrimp Fried Rice --- 286 cals, 10g fat, 7pts
Totals: 823 calories, 18g fat, 13.5 pts
Monday, January 4, 2010
Back in the Habit
Even though the title makes me think of Whoopee Goldberg in “Sister Act,” it still resounds how I’m feeling about cooking. I went off the deep end with candies and sweets over the holidays, and now its time to get back to basic (but delicious!) healthy cooking. For now, I hope to post a few new recipes on here each week. My goal is to get to where I can post a whole weeks menu with nutritional information for you to use, then use the blog to talk more about other fun food related things! We’ll get there…
So today started off excellent…. I actually got out of bed and on the treadmill by 5:15!! Out the door with straightened hair and a packed breakfast and lunch (not to mention a delicious decaf cup of coffee from my Keurig) by 6:40. At 6:48, my car was having a heart attack. You know the sound it makes when your door is ajar, or your husband passenger doesn’t have his seatbelt on? Yes, that sound times 10…in volume and speed…and a blinking light that said “TURN OFF ENGINE.” I obeyed…and called the muffinman from the side of the road.
Since this is a food blog, and not an “about me” blog…the short version is – my car is getting old…..its sensors are failing (kinda like my memory). So, it will be in the shop for a day or 2. However!! When I got to the office, the warm, oatmeal-like breakfast I had packed for myself was not in my lunch bag!!! Apparently I put it in the fridge, and took the yogurt instead. So, yogurt for breakfast; and soup and crackers for lunch. (youre wondering where my recipe for today is, right?!)
Dinner…yeah! The fun part of my day! Tonight is Balsamic Crusted Pork Chops, Cinnamon Apples, Faux Fried Okra (frozen, baked, not fried), and Buttered Noodles (Target brand, prepared light butter). Packages of pork chops were BOGO at Albertsons this weekend, so you will be seeing lots of pork recipes...BUT they are easy to swap with chicken!
Balsamic Crusted Pork Chop (2 servings – 6 pts)
Ingredients
2 3oz boneless lean pork chops
dash of salt and pepper
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 green onion, chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
¼ cup panko bread crumbs
1 tbs light butter or margerine
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Line a small metal baking pan with foil and spray with cooking spray
3. Salt and pepper both sides of the pork and place in the prepared baking pan
4. In a small bowl, mix the vinegar, green onion, and garlic together
5. Pour 1-2 tbs of the tbs of the vinegar mixture over each chop
6. Top each chop with half of the panko
7. Pour butter evenly over the panko
8. Bake for about 20 minutes, until the center is no longer pink
Cinnamon Apples (3 servings, 1 pt)
Ingredients
2 apples of your choice (I usually used McIntosh, but I have granny smith right now)
1 ½ tbs sugar
½ tbs cinnamon
1/8 cup water
Directions
1. Peel and cut the apples into 1 ½” cubes
2. Place the apples, cinnamon and sugar in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Cover
3. After 2 minutes add in the water and stir. Replace lid
4. Check on apples every 5 minutes for desired tenderness (done when cooked to your liking. Be careful, they will get super soft really fast!)
And for a bonus (which will be for breakfast in the am!!) We received macadamia nuts over Christmas. I love them in cookies, but am avoiding them, so I adapted a WW orange pecan muffin recipe to the one below (I also had no oranges, so we are trying lemon!!)
Lemon-Mac Mini Muffins (24 servings, 1 pt per muffin)
Ingredients
1 cup all purpose flour
½ cup sugar
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 large egg white
1 tbs vegetable oil
½ tsp vanilla
½ cup buttermilk *
1 tbs lemon zest
2 tbs dry roasted salted macadamia nuts
¼ cup powdered sugar
1 tbs fresh lemon juice
* In place of the buttermilk, you can place 1 tbs vinegar or 1 tbs lemon juice in a bowl, add enough milk to equal 1 cup. Let sit for 5 minutes. Then use the amount you need.
Instructions
1.Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Arrange 24 mini foil muffin cup liners about 1 inch apart on a baking sheet. Or spray a mini muffin sheet with cooking spray
3. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
4. In a separate, small bowl, whisk together egg white, buttermilk, oil, lemon zest, vanilla and 1 tablespoon of nuts.
5. Stir buttermilk mixture into flour mixture just until combined; do not over mix.
6. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of batter into each muffin cup liner; sprinkle muffin tops with remaining nuts. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 12 minutes.
7. Move the muffins to a wire rack over a baking sheet, let cool 10 minutes
8. In a small bowl, mix powdered sugar with lemon juice
9. Lightly spoon icing over each muffin and let dry
And to finish – here are the nutritional stats for today. Kinda went heavy on dinner since I didn’t eat much throughout the day:
Breakfast - Dannon light n fit vanilla yogurt: 80 cals, 0g fat, 16g carbs, 5 g protein, 0g DF, 2pts
Lunch - 1 can Amys Tomato Bisque, 20 oyster crackers: 300 cals, 9g fat, 53g carbs, 5g protein, 4g DF, 6.5 pts)
Dinner- Balsamic Crusted Pork Chop, 1 serving cinnamon apples, ¼ cup okra, ¼ cup buttered noodles: 762 cals, 21g fat, 92g carbs, 33g protein, 6g DF, 11pts
Snack (b/c I had to try out my muffins!)- 1 Lemon-Mac Mini Muffin: 57 cals, 2g fat, 10g carbs, 1g DF, 0g protein, 1 pt
Total: 1198 calories, 43g fat, 171g carbs, 44g protein, 10g DF, 19.5 pts
So today started off excellent…. I actually got out of bed and on the treadmill by 5:15!! Out the door with straightened hair and a packed breakfast and lunch (not to mention a delicious decaf cup of coffee from my Keurig) by 6:40. At 6:48, my car was having a heart attack. You know the sound it makes when your door is ajar, or your husband passenger doesn’t have his seatbelt on? Yes, that sound times 10…in volume and speed…and a blinking light that said “TURN OFF ENGINE.” I obeyed…and called the muffinman from the side of the road.
Since this is a food blog, and not an “about me” blog…the short version is – my car is getting old…..its sensors are failing (kinda like my memory). So, it will be in the shop for a day or 2. However!! When I got to the office, the warm, oatmeal-like breakfast I had packed for myself was not in my lunch bag!!! Apparently I put it in the fridge, and took the yogurt instead. So, yogurt for breakfast; and soup and crackers for lunch. (youre wondering where my recipe for today is, right?!)
Dinner…yeah! The fun part of my day! Tonight is Balsamic Crusted Pork Chops, Cinnamon Apples, Faux Fried Okra (frozen, baked, not fried), and Buttered Noodles (Target brand, prepared light butter). Packages of pork chops were BOGO at Albertsons this weekend, so you will be seeing lots of pork recipes...BUT they are easy to swap with chicken!
Balsamic Crusted Pork Chop (2 servings – 6 pts)
Ingredients
2 3oz boneless lean pork chops
dash of salt and pepper
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 green onion, chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
¼ cup panko bread crumbs
1 tbs light butter or margerine
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Line a small metal baking pan with foil and spray with cooking spray
3. Salt and pepper both sides of the pork and place in the prepared baking pan
4. In a small bowl, mix the vinegar, green onion, and garlic together
5. Pour 1-2 tbs of the tbs of the vinegar mixture over each chop
6. Top each chop with half of the panko
7. Pour butter evenly over the panko
8. Bake for about 20 minutes, until the center is no longer pink
Cinnamon Apples (3 servings, 1 pt)
Ingredients
2 apples of your choice (I usually used McIntosh, but I have granny smith right now)
1 ½ tbs sugar
½ tbs cinnamon
1/8 cup water
Directions
1. Peel and cut the apples into 1 ½” cubes
2. Place the apples, cinnamon and sugar in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Cover
3. After 2 minutes add in the water and stir. Replace lid
4. Check on apples every 5 minutes for desired tenderness (done when cooked to your liking. Be careful, they will get super soft really fast!)
And for a bonus (which will be for breakfast in the am!!) We received macadamia nuts over Christmas. I love them in cookies, but am avoiding them, so I adapted a WW orange pecan muffin recipe to the one below (I also had no oranges, so we are trying lemon!!)
Lemon-Mac Mini Muffins (24 servings, 1 pt per muffin)
Ingredients
1 cup all purpose flour
½ cup sugar
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 large egg white
1 tbs vegetable oil
½ tsp vanilla
½ cup buttermilk *
1 tbs lemon zest
2 tbs dry roasted salted macadamia nuts
¼ cup powdered sugar
1 tbs fresh lemon juice
* In place of the buttermilk, you can place 1 tbs vinegar or 1 tbs lemon juice in a bowl, add enough milk to equal 1 cup. Let sit for 5 minutes. Then use the amount you need.
Instructions
1.Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Arrange 24 mini foil muffin cup liners about 1 inch apart on a baking sheet. Or spray a mini muffin sheet with cooking spray
3. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
4. In a separate, small bowl, whisk together egg white, buttermilk, oil, lemon zest, vanilla and 1 tablespoon of nuts.
5. Stir buttermilk mixture into flour mixture just until combined; do not over mix.
6. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of batter into each muffin cup liner; sprinkle muffin tops with remaining nuts. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 12 minutes.
7. Move the muffins to a wire rack over a baking sheet, let cool 10 minutes
8. In a small bowl, mix powdered sugar with lemon juice
9. Lightly spoon icing over each muffin and let dry
And to finish – here are the nutritional stats for today. Kinda went heavy on dinner since I didn’t eat much throughout the day:
Breakfast - Dannon light n fit vanilla yogurt: 80 cals, 0g fat, 16g carbs, 5 g protein, 0g DF, 2pts
Lunch - 1 can Amys Tomato Bisque, 20 oyster crackers: 300 cals, 9g fat, 53g carbs, 5g protein, 4g DF, 6.5 pts)
Dinner- Balsamic Crusted Pork Chop, 1 serving cinnamon apples, ¼ cup okra, ¼ cup buttered noodles: 762 cals, 21g fat, 92g carbs, 33g protein, 6g DF, 11pts
Snack (b/c I had to try out my muffins!)- 1 Lemon-Mac Mini Muffin: 57 cals, 2g fat, 10g carbs, 1g DF, 0g protein, 1 pt
Total: 1198 calories, 43g fat, 171g carbs, 44g protein, 10g DF, 19.5 pts
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