Veggie Stir Fry Recipe                             

This side dish contains vegetables rich in vitamin A and C.

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1 1/3 cup broccoli florets
• 1 1/3 cup cauliflower florets
• 1 1/3 cup carrot slices, cut at the diagonal
• 1/3 cup low sodium vegetable broth (more if needed)
• 1 teaspoon minced or chopped garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger (or 1/8 teaspoon powdered)
• 2 teaspoons lite soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch, dissolved in 1 tablespoon water.

Preparation:

1. Heat large, nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add sesame oil, turning the pan to coat well. Add the vegetables and saute for a minute.
2. Add in the vegetable broth, garlic, and ginger, and toss to blend. Cook about four minutes, stirring constantly. Add more vegetable broth if more moisture is needed.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low, push the vegetables to one side of the frying pan, and stir in the soy sauce and cornstarch mixture. Heat and stir until thickened (about a minute). Stir in the vegetables to coat with the sauce.

Yield:

4 servings

Nutritional Information:

Per serving: 67 calories, 3 g protein, 10 g carbohydrate, 2.7 g fat (0.4 g saturated fat, 0.9 g monounsaturated fat, 1.1 g polyunsaturated fat), 0.4 mg cholesterol, 3 g fiber, 129 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 33%.

Baked Potato Soup                            

Ingredients

For 8 servings

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400.

2. Pierce potatoes with a fork; bake at 400 for 1 hour or until tender. Cool. Peel potatoes; coarsely mash. Discard skins.

3. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Place flour in a large Dutch oven; gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly (about 8 minutes). Add mashed potatoes, 3/4 cup cheese, salt, and pepper, stirring until cheese melts. Remove from heat.

4. Stir in sour cream and 1/2 cup onions. Cook over low heat 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated (do not boil). Sprinkle each serving with cheese, onions, and bacon. Yield: 8 servings (serving size: about 1 1/2 cups soup, 1 1/2 teaspoons cheese, 1 1/2 teaspoons onions)

Nutritional Information

CALORIES 329 (30% from fat); FAT 10.8g (satfat 5.9g, monofat 3.5g, polyfat 0.7g); PROTEIN 13.6g; CARBOHYDRATE 44.5g; FIBER 2.8g; CHOLESTEROL 38mg; IRON 1.1mg; SODIUM 587mg; CALCIUM 407mg;

Glazed Chocolate-Pumpkin Bundt Cake

From EatingWell:  October/November 2006       

You don’t have to have pumpkin pie to still enjoy pumpkin and spice in a Thanksgiving dessert. This tender, moist cake uses pureed pumpkin to replace much of the fat and is delicately seasoned with classic Thanksgiving flavors.

16 servings | Active Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 3 1/2 hours (including cooling time)

Ingredients

Cake

• 1 cup all-purpose, flour
• 3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, (not Dutch-process)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup nonfat buttermilk
• 1 15-ounce can unsweetened pumpkin puree
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 large egg white, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Glaze & Garnish

• 1/2 cup packed confectioners’ sugar
• 1 tablespoon nonfat buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips, or toasted chopped nuts (see Tip)

Preparation

1. To prepare cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 12-cup Bundt pan with cooking spray.
2. Whisk all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, granulated sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and salt in a medium bowl.
3. Blend 1 cup buttermilk, pumpkin puree and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed. Beat in whole egg and egg white. Stir in oil, corn syrup and vanilla. Gradually add the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan.
4. Bake the cake until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove from the pan and let cool completely on the rack, about 2 hours.
5. To glaze & garnish cake: Combine confectioners’ sugar and 1 tablespoon buttermilk in a small bowl, stirring until completely smooth. Place the cake on a serving plate and drizzle the glaze over the top; garnish with chocolate chips (or chopped nuts) while the glaze is still moist.

Nutrition

Per serving : 234 Calories; 5 g Fat; 1 g Sat; 3 g Mono; 13 mg Cholesterol; 46 g Carbohydrates; 4 g Protein; 3 g Fiber; 238 mg Sodium; 159 mg Potassium

3 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 3 other carbohydrate, 1 fat

Brownies, One Bowl (Better for You) Recipe

WebMD Recipe from the WebMD Weight Loss Clinic            

This is a great recipe if you like your brownies on the cakey side. They are moist and full of chocolate flavor (because it’s loaded with cocoa), but low in calories and saturated fat because canola oil (and not much of it) is used in place of butter.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons fat-free sour cream (light can be substituted)
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (1/2 cup can be substituted with Splenda®if desired)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or powder
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup egg substitute
• 3/4 cup cocoa (sift the cocoa first if it is in chunks)
• 1 cup unbleached white flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup chopped nuts (optional)
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips — white, milk, or semisweet (optional)
• Powdered sugar for sprinkling on top (optional)

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-inch square baking pan with canola cooking spray.
2. Add canola oil, sour cream, corn syrup, sugar (and Splenda if desired), and vanilla to large mixing bowl and beat well by hand or with mixer on low speed.
3. Add in the egg, egg substitute, and cocoa, beating well after each addition and until lumps are gone.
4. Add flour, baking powder, and salt to a 2 cup measure and blend briefly with a fork. Add dry ingredients to batter in mixing bowl and mix by hand or with mixer just until blended. Stir in nuts and chocolate chips if desired.
5. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in center of oven for 22 to 25 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from the sides of the pan. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.
6. Sprinkle top with a little bit of powdered sugar if desired.

Yield:

25 small brownies

Nutritional Information:

Per small brownie (using 1/2 cup of Splenda): 99 calories, 2 g protein, 16.5 g carbohydrate, 3.5 g fat (0.5 g saturated fat), 8.5 mg cholesterol, 1 g fiber, 49 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 30%.

Glazed Sweet Potatoes Recipe

Ingredients:                                                           

• 1 pound of sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch-thick slices
• vegetable cooking spray
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 3/4 cup unsweetened orange juice
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Preparation:

1. Place potatoes in a 1-quart casserole with cooking spray.
2. Combine cornstarch and brown sugar in a small bowl.
3. Add orange and lemon juices, stirring well. Pour over potatoes; cover and bake at 425 degrees for 40 minutes or just until potatoes are tender and glaze is thickened.

Yield:

4 servings

Nutritional Information:

Per serving: Calories 160, cholesterol 0, sodium 15 mg, fat trace, calories from fat 3%.

Three Bean Soup Recipe                  

Ingredients:

• 1 can (28 oz) tomatoes, cut up, low sodium
• 3 cup water
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained
• 1 can (15 oz) black eyed peas, drained
• 1 can (15 oz) garbanzo beans, drained
• 1 can (15 oz) whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 cup carrots, chopped
• 1 onion, medium, chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic, chopped
• 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin, ground
• 1 tsp oregano, dried
• 1 tsp basil, dried
• 1 cup zucchini or celery, chopped

Preparation:

1. Combine first 13 ingredients.
2. Reduce heat and simmer, covered for 10 minutes.
3. Stir in vegetables and simmer covered for 10 minutes more.

Yield:

12 servings

Nutritional Information:

Per serving: Calories 261, Fat 1 g, Calories from Fat 2%, Cholesterol 0 mg, Fiber 10 g, Sodium 438 mg, Protein 14 g.

Baked Chicken Mediterranean

Ingredients

4 split chicken breasts [skinless are fine]
Lemon Pepper seasoning, to taste
1 14-oz can fire-roasted tomatoes with juice
3/4 cup of your favorite pasta sauce
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup red wine
6 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups of thin pepper strips- mixed green, yellow and orange peppers
2 large Portobello mushrooms, sliced
10 to 12 grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup chopped black olives
2 heaping tablespoons capers
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano or marjoram

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Lightly oil a 10×13-inch baking pan with olive oil.

Wash the chicken in cold water and pat dry; season with lemon pepper; place in the baking dish.

In a mixing bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and pour over the chicken breasts.

Loosely cover with foil and bake until the chicken is no longer pink inside, anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes depending upon the size of the chicken breasts, etc.

Serve with brown rice, quinoa or mashed potatoes. Offer crumbled feta or goat cheese as a garnish.

Total Servings: 4

Nutritional Information Per Serving

Total Servings: 4
Calories: 330
Carbohydrates: 33.4g
Cholesterol: 81mg
Fat: 8.2g
Saturated Fat: 1.8g
Fiber: 5.8g
Sodium: 389mg
Protein: 27.1g

Apple Pie Crisp                                             

Journal as: 1 medium piece of fresh fruit + 1/4 cup of granola/muesli cereal

Most men LOVE apple pie. This is the lower-calorie version. With the wonderful crumb topping, they’ll hardly notice there isn’t any crust.

Crisp Topping:
1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 cup unbleached white flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons no-trans-fat margarine with 8 grams fat per tablespoon, melted (melt in microwave or small saucepan)
3 tablespoons maple syrup, pancake syrup, or light pancake syrup

Filling:
4 cups cored and thinly sliced apples (pippin and Granny Smith work well), firmly packed
1/4 cup sugar (or substitute 2 tablespoons Splenda)
1 teaspoon apple pie spice
2 tablespoons unbleached flour

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a 9×9-inch baking dish, 9-inch cake pan, or deep-dish pie plate with canola cooking spray.
• Toast the walnuts by spreading on a pie plate and heating in oven until fragrant (about 7 minutes). Chop the nuts medium-fine.
• Combine the flours, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a mixing bowl. Drizzle the melted margarine and maple syrup over the top and blend on LOW speed until crumbly. Add the chopped nuts and mix well. (The topping can be prepared up to a week ahead and refrigerated.)
• Put the sliced apples in a large bowl. Add the sugar and apple pie spice to a 1-cup measure, then pour over the apples and toss. Sprinkle the 2 tablespoons flour over the apples and mix gently. Pour the mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish.
• Spoon the topping over the apples, pressing down lightly. Place the dish on a baking sheet (if necessary) to catch any overflow. Bake on the center rack of oven until the topping is golden brown and the juices have thickened slightly, about 35-45 minutes.
• Serve warm with light vanilla ice cream!

Apple Oat Muffins Recipe

By Elaine Magee, MPH, RD                                                              
WebMD Recipe from the WebMD Weight Loss Clinic

Ingredients:

• Topping:
• 1/4 cup light or dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup unbleached flour
• Pinch of salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons less-fat margarine (with 8 grams fat per tablespoon)
• 2 to 3 tablespoons oats
• Muffins:
• 2 tablespoons less-fat margarine
• 1/2 cup sugar (or sugar blend with Splenda or Equal)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup unbleached flour
• 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup fat-free sour cream
• 2 tablespoons low-fat buttermilk (or mix 2 tablespoons fat-free half-and-half with 1/4 teaspoon vinegar and let stand)
• 2 apples, cored and diced (about 1 1/2 cups)

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line muffin pan with paper or foil liners.
2. Add the brown sugar, 1/4 cup flour, pinch of salt, and 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon to a large mixing bowl and beat briefly to blend, with mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Add the 2 tablespoons margarine and beat on low until crumb mixture forms. Work the oats in with your hands. Pour into a small bowl and set aside.
3. Return mixing bowl to mixer and add the 2 tablespoons margarine, sugar (or sugar blend), and vanilla extract and beat until light and fluffy. Add egg and beat to combine, scraping sides of bowl.
4. Add the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a 4-cup measure, and whisk to blend.
5. Add the flour mixture all at once to the mixing bowl, along with the sour cream and buttermilk. Beat on low speed just until blended (scraping down the sides of bowl after 5 seconds). Stir in the apple chunks.
6. Spoon a slightly heaping 1/8 cup of batter into each muffin cup. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the top of each muffin. Bake for about 20 minutes or until muffins are lightly browned and top springs back after being pushed.

Yield:

12 muffins (6 servings)

Nutritional Information:

Per serving: 130 calories, 3 g protein, 25 g carbohydrate, 2.5 g fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, 1 g monounsaturated fat, 1 g polyunsaturated fat, 18 mg cholesterol, 1.5 g fiber, 192 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 17%.