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Healthy Recipe Contest

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Recipes for Success

 

Special Announcements

Healthy Recipe Contest!

Congratulations to Cathy Sayre, the winner of the Healthy Recipe Contest!

You can see her recipe, as well as all the other excellent recipes here.

 

Current Challenge

Winter Weight Loss Challenge

This challenge will begin on January 1, 2016 and will end on March 31. For updates on this challenge click here.

 

Congratulations to Cathy Sayre, the winner of the Healthy Recipe Contest!

You can see her recipe, as well as all the other excellent recipes below.

 

Cathy Sayre - Spinach and Strawberry Salad

Ingredients:

1 pkg.  Fresh Baby Spinach

1 qt.     Strawberries (quartered

 

Dressing:

½ T poppy seeds

¼ t  paprika

3 T  sesame seeds

1/3 C sugar

2 T minced onions  ( I use dried in a jar)

1/3 C cider vinegar

¼ t  worcestershire sauce

½  C oil

 

Directions:

Toss spinach and strawberries in a large bowl.  In a small bowl whisk the remaining ingredients together, however, add the oil last and a little at a time so it doesn’t separate. Drizzle dressing over salad when served.

 

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Samantha Shultz – Yum Yum brownie Muffins

Yum Yum Brownie Muffins are a larger serving size, good in fiber, and about 100 calories less than your typical brownie:

 

Yum Yum Brownie Muffins PER SERVING (1 muffin): 181 calories, 3.5g fat, 357mg sodium, 37g carbs, 2g fiber, 20g sugars, 2g protein

 

Ingredients:

One 18.25-oz. box devil's food cake mix

One 15-oz. can pure pumpkin

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pour cake mix into a large bowl and whisk to remove any lumps. Add pumpkin and stir until completely smooth and uniform. Don't add any other ingredients that may be mentioned on the cake mix box, like eggs, oil, or water. The mixture will be very thick, so you might be tempted to add in other things to make the batter thinner. Do not do this! Evenly distribute batter into a 12-cup muffin pan lined with foil baking cups and/or sprayed with nonstick spray. Place pan in the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Allow to cool slightly and then serve! MAKES 12 SERVINGS

 

**I serve it with lite cool whip***

 

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Erica Hope - Parmesan Roasted Green Beans

Ingredients:

8oz Green Beans

Olive Oil

Garlic Salt

Pepper

Chili Powder

Parmesan Cheese (grated)

Parmesan Cheese (shredded)

 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Trim off ends of the green beans. In a medium bowl, mix the green beans with just enough olive oil to coat them lightly. Lay the beans out on a cookie sheet in a single layer.

3. Sprinkle garlic salt, pepper, chili powder, and grated Parmesan cheese over the green beans. Then sprinkle some shredded Parmesan cheese on top.

4. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

 

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Donna Lochrie

This is a favorite of the family......SO SIMPLE to make.

 

Ingredients:

1- Graham Cracker Crust

2 cartons of low fat raspberry yogurt (fruit on the bottom preferred)

1- 16oz container of reduced fat cool whip thawed

 

Mix the yogurt and the cool whip pour into crust, Freeze, Remove from freezer about 15 min before serving.

 

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Kelly Bohl - Peanut Butter PieMary Frances Noveh

Peanut Butter PieMary Frances Noveh from River Ridge, Louisiana, sent us this dessert recipe, which first appeared in December 2001. She noted it was like a "peanut butter and chocolate candy bar." We loved the results, and since it makes two peanut butter pies ( http://www.myrecipes.com/pie-recipes/) , you can share one with a friend and keep the other for yourself. Several tasters in our Test Kitchens enjoy serving this pie frozen.

 

Yield: 20 servings (serving size: 1 wedge and 1 teaspoon syrup)

 

Ingredients:

1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup natural-style, reduced-fat creamy peanut butter (such as Smucker's)

1 (8-ounce) block 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened

1 (14-ounce) can fat-free sweetened condensed milk

12 ounces frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed

2 (6-ounce) reduced-fat graham cracker crusts

20 teaspoons fat-free chocolate sundae syrup

Preparation

 

Directions:

Combine powdered sugar, peanut butter, and cream cheese in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Add milk; beat until combined. Fold in whipped topping. Divide mixture evenly between crusts; chill 8 hours or until set (pies will have a soft, fluffy texture). Cut into wedges; drizzle with chocolate syrup.

 

Nutritional Information

Calories 302 (Amount per serving)

Calories from fat 30 %

Fat 10 g

Sat fat 3.8 g

Mono fat 3.3 g

Poly fat 2.8 g

Protein 6.9 g

Carbohydrate 45.8 g

Fiber 1 g

Cholesterol 11 mg

Iron 0.6 mg

Sodium 252 mg

Calcium 59 mg

 

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Pamela Bishop - Dr. Oz's 7 Layer Fat Fighting Dip

Ingredients:

4 c. shredded lettuce

3 medium ripe avocados mashed and mixed with 2 tbsp of lemon juice

1 1/2 c. Greek yogurt mixed with one package low sodium taco seasoning mix

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

3 medium diced tomatoes

2 cans sliced olives

8 oz. 2% cheddar cheese

 

Directions:

Starting with the lettuce on the bottom of a 8 x 13 pan, add each layer on top of the next ending with the cheese on top. Alternate one celery stick with each whole grain chip to cut your calories in half.

 

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Laura Franklin - Crock-Pot Paleo Spaghetti Squash Meatballs

Ingredients:

One Medium Spaghetti Squash

One Pound of ground Italian sausage

One 14 oz. can of tomato sauce

4 to 6 cloves of garlic whole

2 Tbsp olive oil

Italian seasoning about 2 tsp (to your taste)

 

Directions:

Make sure you are use a large 6 quart slow cooker for this recipe

Dump your tomato sauce, oil, garlic and Italian seasoning into the cooker and stir well.  Roll sausage into meatballs, place in sauce. Cut your squash in half and scoop out the seeds.  Place your 2 halves face down into your slow cooker, may have to trim one side to fit them in.  Cook on High for 3 hours or on low for 5 hours. Take the squash out and use a large fork to pull the spaghetti out of the squash, then mix with the sauce. Garnish with parsley if you feel fancy, and enjoy!!

 

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Sue Webb - Pumpkin-apple bake

Ingredients:

1 small pie pumpkin (scoop out seeds) (loosen inside of pumpkin for easier scooping when cooked)

4 apples (diced, can be peeled - I always leave the peels on though)

1 cup raisins (golden make it sweeter, but both are good)

1 cup craisins

4 Tbsp. butter

4 Tbsp. brown sugar

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put all ingredients inside pumpkin.  Mix. Bake for 45 minutes - 1 hr (until pumpkin and apples are tender.  Scoop into serving bowl, mix and enjoy.

 

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Jessica Swanson - Easy, Healthy, Holiday-Spice Cookies

Ingredients:

2 Ripe Bananas

1/3 C. Reduced Fat Peanut Butter

2/3 C. Unsweetened Applesauce

1 Tsp. Vanilla

1/2 Tsp. Cinnamon

Dash of Nutmeg

Dash of Ground Cloves

1 1/2 C. Old Fashioned Oats (or quick oats)

Optional: 1/4 C. Nuts, 1/4 Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips, 1/4 C. Unsweetened Coconut

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Mix together mashed bananas, peanut butter, applesauce, vanilla and spices. Add in oats and any optional ingredients. Stir until well combined. Drop rounded 2 tbsp of cookie mixture on to parchment paper. Bake for 20-30 minutes. Makes 18 cookies.

 

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Kerin Stover - Holiday Kale Salad

Ingredients:

½ cup  glazed pecans

8 ounces kale

4 to 5 medium radishes

½ cup dried cranberries (or dried cherries)

1 medium apple (any variety)

2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, chilled

1 pear

 

Dressing:

3 tablespoons olive oil

1½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar (or white wine vinegar)

1 tablespoon smooth Dijon mustard

1½ teaspoons honey

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

 

Directions:

1. Pull the kale leaves off from the tough stems and discard the stems. Use a chef’s knife to chop the kale into small or use scissors into bite-sized pieces. Transfer the kale to a big salad bowl. Sprinkle a small pinch of sea salt over the kale and massage the leaves with your hands by lightly scrunching big handfuls at a time, until the leaves are darker in color and fragrant.

2. Thinly slice the radishes (this is easier to do if you first chop off the root end so you can place the base of the radish flat against your cutting board). Add them to the bowl.

3. Coarsely chop the pecans and cranberries (or cherries) and add them to the bowl. Chop the apple and pear into small, bite-sized pieces and add it to the bowl as well. Crumble the cheese over the top.

4. In a small bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients together and pour the dressing over the salad. Toss until the salad is evenly coated with dressing. Serve immediately, or for even better flavor, let the salad marinate in the dressing for 10 to 20 minutes beforehand.

 

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James Bowman - Stuffed Quorn Chik'n Patties (Vegetarian)

 

Ingredients:

2 10.6 oz. packages Quorn Chik'n Patties (8 patties total)

1/2 loaf unsliced stuffing bread or 1 small (8—10 oz.) loaf French bread

2 Tbsp. Poultry Seasoning

1 1/2 tsp. Rubbed Sage

1/2 cup olive oil

Salt & white pepper to taste.

Optional: 4 oz. shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese or soy cheese

 

Directions:

Thaw the Chik'n patties the night before or quick-thaw them in a microwave oven.

Bring the water in a double boiler to boiling and then reduce to a simmer. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

 

Crumble the stuffing bread into the top half of the double boiler. Drizzle the olive oil evenly over the bread crumbs. Add seasoning carefully while continuing to stir the bread crumbs. Cover and allow to cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

 

Arrange 4 of the Chik'n patties in a square casserole dish. Transfer the stuffing mixture to the casserole dish, completely covering the first four patties. Place the remaining four patties on top of the stuffing mixture. Cover and place in oven. Bake for 30 minutes.

 

If no double-boiler is available, the stuffing mixture can be prepared in a mixing bowl and added to the casserole dish cold. Increase baking time to 45 minutes.

 

Optional: Top with shredded cheese 15 minutes before removing from oven.

 

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Anne Stevens - Low Fat New York Cheesecake

Ingredients:

1 ¾ cup Graham Cracker Crumbs

1/3 cup Butter, melted

1 ¼ cup Sugar, divided

3-8ozpk Neufchatel Cream Cheese, softened

2 tsp. Vanilla

3 Eggs

1 c. Fat Free Plain or Vanilla Greek Yogurt

 

Directions:

In a bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, butter, and 1/4c. sugar.  Press on bottom and 1 ½ inches up side of spring form pan; set aside.

Beat cream cheese, remaining sugar and vanilla on high speed until creamy.  Beat in eggs, one at a time.  Blend in FF Greek yogurt.  Spread in prepared pan.

Bake at 350° for 60-70 minutes or until center is set.  Turn off oven.  Leaving door slightly ajar, leave cheesecake in oven 1 hour.  Remove from oven, cool completely.  Chill 4 hours or overnight.  Remove side of pan and top with fruit or pie filling or drizzle with caramel or chocolate.

 

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Anne Stevens - Sweet Potatoes with Honey-Lime Glaze

Ingredients:

3 1⁄2 lbs (8c) sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch chunks

1⁄2 teaspoon cayenne

salt, to taste

1⁄4 cup olive oil

1⁄2 cup honey

1⁄4 cup fresh lime juice

1⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon cilantro, for garnish if desired

 

Directions:

Toss sweet potatoes with oil, cayenne, and salt in a large bowl until coated.

Transfer to a baking sheet and roast until fork tender, 25 minute.

Whisk honey, lime juice, and cinnamon together in a small bowl while potatoes roast. Once potatoes are tender, coat with glaze and roast 5 minutes.  Garnish with cilantro.

 

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Beverly Edmonds - Garden Potato Pancakes

A healthy alternative for those of us who love potato pancakes but cringe at the thought of all those potato carbs and the frying. I make these for my husband, who is a diabetic, and they do not spike his sugar as a traditional potato pancake does.

 

Ingredients:

2 to 2-1/2 medium zucchini, grated

2 large eggs

1/4 cup whole wheat flour (I use King Arthur's whole wheat white)

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp dried basil

1 large onion, grated

1 medium potato, grated

1 medium carrot, grated

1/3 cup fresh or frozen corn, thawed

1/4 cup shredded white cheddar cheese

 

Directions:

Squeeze zucchini to remove excess liquid. Pat dry. Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, flour, salt, pepper and basil 'til blended. Stir in onion, potato, carrot, corn, cheese, and zucchini.

 

Drop by 1/4 to 1/3 cupfuls on skillet sprayed with Pam. Flatten slightly. Cook for approx 3-minutes per side or until golden & crispy.

 

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Kathryn Hansen - Spinach Lasagna Rolls

Servings: 8

Serving Size: 1 roll

 

Ingredients:

8 lasagna noodles, cooked

10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and completely drained

15 oz fat free ricotta cheese (I like Polly-o)

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 large egg

salt and fresh pepper

2 cups favorite tomato sauce

9 tbsp (about 3 oz) part skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine spinach, ricotta, Parmesan, egg, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Ladle about 1 cup sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 12 baking dish.

 

Place a piece of wax paper or cutting board on the counter and lay out lasagna noodles. Make sure noodles are dry. Take 1/3 cup of ricotta mixture and spread evenly over noodle. Roll carefully and place seam side down onto the baking dish. Repeat with remaining noodles.

 

Ladle sauce over the noodles in the baking dish and top each one with 1 tbsp mozzarella cheese. Put foil over baking dish and bake for 40 minutes, or until cheese melts. Makes 8 rolls.

 

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Kathryn Hansen - Egg Muffins

Makes 12 muffins.

 

Ingredients:

12 eggs

1-2 tsp of seasoning (salt/pepper)

2/3 cup low fat cheese of choice

1 small onion

1+ cups of fresh chopped veggies

1 cup diced lean meat of choice

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375. Put two paper liners into each slot of a 12 muffin baking pan and spray each liner with nonstick spray.

 

In the bottom of the muffin cups, layer diced meat, vegetables, cheese, and onions (you want them about 2/3 full).

 

Break eggs into large bowl, add seasoning, and beat well. Pour egg into each muffin cup until it is ¾ full. Stir each muffin cup slightly with fork.

 

Bake 25-35 minutes until muffins have raised and are slightly browned and set.

 

Featured Recipe

Skinny Bruschetta Chicken

You can chose whether to grill, bake, or heat the chicken in a skillet. Season with salt and pepper first, and then get cooking! By allowing the tomatoes to marinate while cooking, they really absorb a lot of the balsamic flavor, which is key when making bruschetta. I super loaded the chicken with the bruschetta topping, so if you put less, you might even have some left over bruschetta for later! Cut up a baguette and serve it together. Yum. For the full recipe visit the Domestic Superhero.

Breakfast

Egg Muffins

Hey, it’s weekend breakfast time!  By now, I’ve explained extensively how I feel about weekend breakfasts.  Shove the cereal aside and make something special!  Saturday and Sunday are your two days not to be stressed-out and tired.  Sleep in, put together some sort of tasty breakfast, and get on with your relaxing day, right?!  These little egg muffins aren’t any kind of chore to make at all.  They’re just eggs scrambled with a little milk and adding in your desired fixings.  I cleaned out my fridge for these guys and used sausage, spinach and the last of my cheddar cheese hunk. For the full recipe visit Recipe Girl.