Pumpkin Spice Muffins-Easy and healthy

Tis the season to use up that canned pumpkin! Every year I stock up in ridiculous amounts once I spot Libby's pumpkin puree entering the supermarket. This is an old WW recipe that I make frequently. I've brought these to work, showers, and many other occasions. The recipe is simple, requires little ingredients, and these muffins are guilt free compared to high calorie alternatives. These can be made with a variety of mix-ins such as pecans, walnuts, chocolate chips, and so on. The possibilities are endless.

You will need:
*1 box of spice cake mix
*1 15oz. can pumpkin puree
*1 egg white
*splash of water

1. Preheat oven to temperature indicated on the spice cake directions. (Usually around 350)
2. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Beat on low until combined.
3. Line muffin pans. Pour batter into muffin cups until about 3/4 full.
*Note, I never do this neatly. If you want 'neat' tops to your muffin, make sure your batter is even on top before cooking.
4. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick entered in the center comes out clean.

Zucchini Turkey Burger

I have never made a recipe from Gina's blog that I didn't like. I highly recommend checking all of her great ideas for lightened up recipes while still tasting delicious. These burgers were made on our Cuisinart Griddler, and I think next time I would try them on the grill. Turkey burgers are always a mess on the grill, but I don't usually mind because I love any excuse to use our new Webber! We enjoyed these with a side of kale chips.

You will need:
* 1.25 lbs lean ground turkey
* 1 zucchini, grated
* 1/4 cup seasoned whole wheat breadcrumbs
* 1 clove garlic, grated
* 1 tbsp red onion, grated
* salt and fresh pepper
*cheese, optional
*garnish-tomato and red onion slices

1) Combine ground turkey, zucchini, breadcrumbs, garlic, onion, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Make 4-6 equal-sized patties.

2. Heat the grill to high. Add the burgers and reduce the heat. Cook one side until browned, then flip. You will need to flip a few times to prevent burning and to cook the burgers thoroughly. Add a cheese slice to each burger if desired.

3. Serve on buns with tomato and red onion.

Santa Fe Chicken

This is another great recipe from Gina's WW blog. We made this a few weeks back, and now that we are in the craziness of moving, I am thinking we will be having it again soon. It was a simple recipe that can be ready when you get home from work. I served this over brown rice. I love using my crockpot when the warm weather hits. It does not heat the kitchen the way using an oven does.

You will need:
*1.5 lbs chicken breast (I put them in frozen)
*14.4 oz can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies
*15 oz can black beans
*8 oz frozen corn
*1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
*14.4 oz can fat free chicken broth
*3 scallions, chopped
*1 tsp garlic powder
*1 tsp onion powder
*1 tsp cumin
*1 tsp cayenne pepper
*salt to taste

1) Combine chicken broth, drained black beans, frozen corn, tomatoes, cilantro, scallions, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, and salt in the crock pot.

2) Season chicken breasts with salt and place in crockpot mixture. Cook on low for 10 hours, or on high for 6 hours.

3) About a half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Adjust salt and seasoning as desired. Serve over rice.

Turkey Lettuce Wraps

We are enjoying some fabulous spring weather here! It is a great lift to flooded spirits after an incredibly rainy March. This warmer weather is changing up our menu quite a bit. One of my favorite light summer dinners is lettuce wraps. The proteins, sauces, and everything can be interchanged. There are so many different ways to make lettuce wraps, and I found this specific recipe on Gina's WW blog. I have been frustrated lately by the lack of good lettuce leaves at the grocery store! So for this recipe, I purchased the prepackaged bibb lettuce and it worked out. This is an extremely quick and easy weeknight dinner.

You will need:
* 1.3 lbs lean ground turkey
* 1 tsp garlic powder
* 1 tsp cumin
* 1 tsp salt
* 1 tsp chili powder
* 1 tsp paprika
* 1/2 tsp oregano
* 1/2 small onion, minced
* 2 tbsp bell pepper, minced
* 3/4 cup water
* 1/2 8 oz can tomato sauce
* 8 large lettuce leaves

1) Brown turkey in a large skillet until it is cooked thoroughly. (It will no longer be pink)

2) Add the dry seasonings and mix well.

3) Add onion, pepper, water and tomato sauce. Cover and simmer on low for about 20 minutes.

4) Wash and dry the lettuce. Place the meat mixture into the lettuce leaves.

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

Another amazingly lightened Mexican recipe!

I found this on Stephanie Cooks, and I immediately knew we would love it. One of Dave's favorite things to order at a Mexican restaurant is an enchilada. Therefore, I have decided to start trying to make some healthier enchiladas at home. We both loved these chicken ones, and they are a tasty, filling, and quick weeknight dinner. I recommend that you try these very soon! They have instantly become one of our favorite dinners. I tweaked the recipe a bit so that it would make more. We each have one for dinner, and then enjoy a leftover for lunch the following day. As with many of our Mexican themed dishes, Dave made beans and rice as a side.

You will need:
*4 whole wheat tortillas
*1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
* 3/4 cup salsa
*1 cup shredded Mexican cheeese
*3/4 cup tomato sauce
*4 tbsp light cream cheese
*ground cumin
*garlic powder
*onion powder
*jalapeno slices

1- Preheat the oven to 350.
2- In a small bowl combine the chicken and salsa; stir until coated.
3- In a small saucepan, heat the tomato sauce and cream cheese; stir until well combined. Season to your liking with cumin, garlic powder, and onion powder.
4- Spoon an equal amount of the chicken mixture onto each wheat tortilla. Roll and place side by side in a small baking dish.
5-Pour the sauce evenly over the enchiladas, make sure all are equally covered.
6- Top with the shredded cheese.
7- Bake for 20 minutes uncovered.
8-Top with jalapeno slices before serving.

Garlic Coconut Shrimp

I love shrimp, and I often order it when we are out to dinner. However, I do not cook with it, and I don't know why. Maybe this is the first of many shrimp recipes to come this spring/summer! This recipe is from Gina's WW blog. I have yet to try a dinner from Gina's blog that we did not enjoy.

You will need:
* 1 1/4 lbs jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
* 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
* 1 red bell pepper, sliced thin
* 4 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
* 1/2 cup cilantro
* 4 cloves garlic, minced
* kosher salt
* 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
* 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
* 14 oz can light coconut milk
* 1/2 lime, squeezed

1) Heat oil on low in a medium-sized saucepan. Add red peppers and saute until soft (about 4 minutes). Add scallion whites, 1/4 cup cilantro, red pepper flakes and garlic. Cook for another minute.

2) Add tomatoes, coconut milk, and salt to taste. Cover and simmer on low about 10 minutes to thicken the sauce and blend the flavors.

3) Add the shrimp and cook 5 minutes. (Mine needed a bit longer) Add lime juice.

4) Serve topped with scallions and cilantro.

Mediterranean Turkey Burger

This is one of our favorite burgers. The tzatziki topping is what makes this something different. I first received this recipe in a My Recipes 'Dinner Tonight' e-mail. (This recipe came from Cooking Light magazine). We do not have any outdoor space at our apartment, so the only place we can currently grill is in a pan or on our Cuisinart Griddler. Although I love our Griddler, I cannot wait for this summer because we plan to be in a house and I may have an outdoor grill to use! I imagine that will make these even better. We often enjoy this burger with some fresh veggies to dip in the tzatziki; such as celery, carrots, and peppers.

*Please note, this recipe is for a serving of 4. I often use the same amount of ingredients as below, however, I make 6 smaller patties and use mini wheat pitas.

For the burgers you will need:
*1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
*1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
*1 tablespoon minced red onion
*2 tablespoons pesto
*1/4 teaspoon salt
*1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
*1 pound ground turkey breast
*1 garlic clove, minced
*Cooking spray
*2 cups arugula
*2 (6-inch) whole-wheat pitas, toasted and halved (I don't toast them)

For tzatziki you will need:
*1/2 cup plain low-fat, Greek-style yogurt
*1/4 cup finely chopped seeded cucumber
*1/4 teaspoon salt
*1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper

1. Combine the first 8 ingredients in a bowl and mix until combined. Divide the mixture into 4 portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick oval patty. (Or 6 even sized portions if you are using the mini pitas like I do)

2. Heat a nonstick grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat the pan with cooking spray. Add patties to pan and cook 6 minutes on each side or until done.

3. Place 1 patty and 1/2 cup arugula in each pita half.

To make the Tzatziki sauce: Combine all of the ingredients. Serve with vegetables of your choice. We also like to top some of the burger with the tzatziki.

"Skinny" Red Velvet Cupcakes

I know I am a day late, but Happy Valentine's Day! We spent the day relaxing, visiting a few open houses, and cooking dinner together. I will post our dinner and appetizer over the next few days. Since my sweet tooth is craving more of these cupcakes, I figured I would share them first! I was trying to decide what to make as a V-day treat, and as soon as I saw these pop up in my Google Reader I knew they were it. This recipe is another from Gina's WW Recipes. These tasted great and were a lot lower in calories than your usual red velvet. I had some fun playing with the frosting on these. I would certainly make this dessert for another occasion in the future.

For the cupcakes you will need:
* 1 1/2 cups cake flour
* 1 cup white whole wheat flour
* 1 cup sugar
* 1 tbsp unsweetened dutch-process cocoa
* 1 tsp salt
* 1 tsp baking powder
* 1 tsp baking soda
* 1 tsp white vinegar
* 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
* 1/4 cup butter, softened
* 1 egg
* 2 egg whites
* 2 tsp vanilla
* 1 1/3 cup light buttermilk
* 1 tbsp red food coloring

1) Preheat oven to 350 and line cupcake tins.

2) In a large mixing bowl, stir together both flours, salt, cocoa, and baking powder.

3) In another large bowl beat sugar, applesauce and butter. Then beat in the eggs and vanilla.

4) In a small bowl, mix the baking soda and vinegar.

5) Add half of the dry ingredients into the egg mixture and mix well. Next, add the buttermilk and red food coloring. Mix well.

6) Add the remaining dry ingredients and fold in vinegar and baking soda.

7) Pour the batter into the prepared cupcake liners until they are 3/4 full.

8) Bake 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting you will need:
* 8 oz 1/3 fat cream cheese
* 1 cup confectioner's sugar
* 1 tsp vanilla extract

1) Beat together cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Apply to the cooled cupcakes.

Buffalo Chicken Meatloaf

I have never been a fan of meatloaf. Dave, however, does like to eat it from time to time. When I saw this recipe, I knew that it was something we would have to try. It also gave me an excuse to use my new mini loaf pan! I found this recipe on The Novice Chef, who saw it on Erin's Food Files, and it is adapted from The Biggest Loser Cookbook. I was pleasantly surprised by how much we enjoyed this. It was a nice change of pace weeknight dinner. We were also shocked at the serving size. Two slices out of 8 (or mini loaves in my case) were a serving. I couldn't eat two, and Dave was stuffed after both. The leftovers made a great lunch. If you like buffalo chicken, I suggest you try this.

You will need:
Olive oil spray
2/3 cup old fashioned oats
1/2 cup fat free milk
1/3 cup hot sauce, plus more to sprinkle on top
1 lb extra-lean ground chicken breast
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup finely chopped sweet onion
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup crumbled reduced fat blue cheese

1) Preheat the oven to 350. Lightly mist a nonstick loaf pan with olive oil spray. (As mentioned before, I used my mini loaf pan. You could also use a muffin pan if you wanted.)

2) Combine the oats and milk in a medium size mixing bowl, and mix well. Let stand for 3 minutes or until oats are softened.

3) Stir in hot sauce until well mixed. Add chicken, celery, onion, egg whites, and salt. With a fork, mix the ingredients well. Add blue cheese and gently mix.

4) Transfer the mixture to pan and spread so that top is flat. Sprinkle a couple shakes of hot sauce on top and spread evenly. Bake 35 to 40 mins (or until chicken is no longer pink).

5) Cut into 8 slices. Makes 4 servings.

Laughing Cow Chicken

I go through phases with Laughing Cow Cheese. One week, I love it and snack with it on celery, pretzels, or crackers. Then I leave it untouched for a few weeks and end up cooking with it. As soon as I saw this recipe on The Rookie Chef, I knew I would make it. These are all ingredients that we usually have on hand, so it made a quick weeknight dinner. This recipe can take on many different variations if you use different flavors. If you have not tried Laughing Cow Cheese, I highly recommend that you do.

You will need:
* 4 thin chicken breasts (I used chicken breast cutlets)
* Italian breadcrumbs
* 4 wedges Laughing Cow cheese (I used the light garlic herb kind)
* 4 scoops of pesto
* A little olive oil
1) Wash and dry thawed chicken.
2) Spread 1 wedge of Laughing Cow cheese one side of each chicken breast.
3) Scoop some pesto on top of the cheese.
4) Roll up the chicken breast and secure it with a toothpick.
5) Place breadcrumbs in a bowl. Brush a little olive oil on the chicken-to completely cover. Roll your chicken around in the breadcrumbs.
6) Place rolled chicken breasts in a lightly greased baking pan and bake at 425 degrees for about 30 minutes.

Garlic Lime Pork Chops with Cilantro Lime Rice

This dinner was amazing! Both Dave and I thought it was the best new dinner we have tried in awhile. The fact that this was tasty, filling, and healthy, will make it a regular in our dinner rotation. Both of these incredible recipes are from Gina's WW Recipes. You can find her recipe for the pork here, and the rice here. We have never had Chipotle, but this rice is made to be a copycat version of a kind that they make there. I cooked the pork chops on our Cuisinart griddler, and I did dry them out a bit. Next time, I will not cook them quite as long. I tend to always be nervous about undercooking! It often takes me a couple times to get a new recipe perfected to our liking. Even though these were a bit tough, we still enjoyed them.

Garlic-Lime Pork Chops
You will need:
* 4 (6 oz) lean boneless pork chops
* 4 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 tsp cumin
* 1 tsp chili powder (I omitted this because I did not have it, and I did not miss it)
* 1 tsp paprika
* juice of 1/2 lime
* lime zest
* salt and fresh pepper

1)Trim the visible fat off pork.

2) Put the pork in a large bowl. Season it with the garlic, cumin, (chili powder if using), paprika, salt and pepper. Squeeze lime juice on top and add some zest from the lime. Marinade for at least 20 minutes. Preheat the grill to medium heat.

3)Place the pork chops on the grill (See Gina's recipe for broiler directions) Grill the chops for about 4-5 minutes on each side or until nicely browned.

4) I recommend you serve it with this rice recipe below.

Cilantro Lime Rice
You will need:
* 1 cup extra long grain rice or basmati rice (I used brown basmati)
* juice of 1/2 a lime
* 2 cups water
* 1 tsp salt
* 3 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro
* 4 tsp vegetable oil

1) In a small heavy pot, add rice, water, 1 tsp of the vegetable oil, and salt. Boil the pot on high until the water just skims the top of the rice.

2) Reduce the heat to low and cover about 15 minutes.

3)Shut off flame and keep covered an additional 5 minute.

4) In a medium bowl, combine the chopped cilantro, lime juice, rice and remaining oil. Mix together and serve.

Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Soup

How does one photograph soup to make it look appetizing? This meal is really just putting canned goods into the crock pot. It was filling, and we ate a few lunches out of it too. I made this last weekend, when I was dreading returning to work after two blissful weeks off. I used frozen chicken that I had on hand, so I added a bit more than the recipe called for which overpowered the broth. Next time, I will be sure to not use quite as much! I found this recipe on Lemons&Love (who got it from All Recipes). As suggested on that blog, I also added some other seasonings-red pepper flakes, cumin, garlic powder, and oregano. I incorporated these seasonings right after I shredded the chicken. I made a few other changes that I noted in the recipe below.

You will need:
1 onion, chopped
1 (16 ounce) can chili beans (red beans)
1 (15 ounce) can black beans
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (12 ounce) can or bottle beer
2 (10 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained (I used 1 -14.5oz can)
1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning (I used low sodium)
3 whole skinless, boneless chicken breasts
shredded Cheddar cheese (optional)
sour cream (optional)
crushed tortilla chips (optional)

1) Place the onion, chili beans, black beans, corn, tomato sauce, beer, and diced tomatoes in a slow cooker. Add taco seasoning, and stir to blend. Lay chicken breasts on top of the mixture, pressing down slightly until just covered by the other ingredients. Set slow cooker for low heat, cover, and cook for 5 hours.

2) Remove chicken breasts from the soup, and allow to cool long enough to be handled. Stir the shredded chicken back into the soup (this is where I added some other seasonings), and continue cooking for 2 hours (I did just over 1 hour and it was fine). You can serve this topped with shredded Cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips.

Stuffed Red Peppers

Happy New Year!
2009 was an amazing year! I think I feel this way because we were married in July followed by an amazing honeymoon in Hawaii. Two of our best friends were married right after our trip, and it was wonderful to be a part of their big day while still riding on our Newlywed excitement. I am excited to see what 2010 has in store for us.

Like many people, I often focus on eating healthier again in the new year. The holidays are exciting with the many parties and treats, but I am also beginning to appreciate when our life returns to our "normal routines." I am definitely a creature of habit! My students will be back in the classroom on Monday, and our hectic weeknights will return. These stuffed peppers will be something I make again this week as we get back into the groove. They are another successful recipe from Gina's WW Recipes. Growing up I loved my mom's stuffed peppers. They were a tomato sauce, beef, and rice base that was combined into a green pepper. I like this twist of using red peppers and not much tomato sauce. The ground turkey and brown rice also make these a healthier option. These made a lot of servings for the two of us, so we enjoyed them for lunch as well.

You will need:
* 1 lb lean ground turkey
* 1 garlic clove, minced
* 1/4 onion, minced
* 1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
* 1 tsp garlic powder
* 1 tsp cumin powder
* salt to taste
* 3 large sweet red bell peppers, washed
* 1 cup fat free chicken broth
* 1/4 cup tomato sauce
* 1 1/2 cups cooked rice (I cooked one Success brown rice packet)
* Olive oil spray
* 1/4 cup reduced fat shredded cheese (I used part-skim mozzarella)

1) Preheat the oven to 400°. Spray the olive oil spray in a medium size saute pan over medium-heat. Add onion, garlic, and cilantro to the pan. Saute for about 2 minutes.

2)Add the ground turkey. Season with salt, garlic powder, and cumin. Brown the meat for several minutes until it is completely cooked through.

3) Add the tomato sauce and a 1/2 cup of chicken broth. Mix well and simmer on low for about 5 minutes. Combine cooked rice and meat together.

4) Cut the bell peppers in half lengthwise, and remove all seeds. Place the peppers in a baking dish(I used my 13 x 9 pyrex) Spoon the meat mixture into each pepper half. Pour the remainder of the chicken broth on the bottom of the pan.

5) Cover tight with aluminum foil and bake for about 35 minutes. Top with shredded cheese and enjoy.

Lemon Feta Chicken

I am planning to enjoy some indulgences this holiday, while also maintaining a healthy lifestyle. For me, that means translating those holiday treats to more miles on the treadmill! Dave and I are also trying to eat some healthier dinners on the weeknights when we are home. Although, being home for dinner at night isn't happening too often this month! I found this chicken recipe on Daily Deliciousness and knew we would have to try it because we love feta. This was a simple, light, and tasty dinner. I will keep this recipe on file to make it again.

You will need:
* Thin cut chicken breasts
* Juice from half of one lemon
* Lemon pepper seasoning, to taste
* Feta Cheese, about 2 tbs. per piece of chicken

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place chicken in a 9x13 baking dish
3. Season with lemon pepper seasoning.
4. Pour half the lemon juice over pieces. Then, top each piece with 2 tbs. crumbled Feta
cheese. Pour the rest of the lemon juice over each piece.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes until cooked through. (I baked this for about 30 minutes)

Parmesan Pork Chops

After our Thanksgiving feast on Thursday and eating the leftovers throughout the weekend, we needed a lighter meal on Sunday night. These were quick, easy, and tasty! We will be adding them to our menu rotation. It is perfect for a week night because it doesn't take long to cook or prep. I found this recipe on Delish blog and was glad to see how a Giada dish could be lightened up. We do not cook pork often, and this dish was a refreshing change from chicken and turkey! The one change I would make is probably to use grated parmesan next time. I used shredded tonight and it had some trouble staying on the chops when I added them to the pan. We ate this with the last of our leftover veggies.

You will need:
4 pork loin chops
garlic powder
4 Tbsp shredded/grated Parmesan Cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil

1) Preheat oven to 400°F. Place Parmesan cheese on a plate. Season the pork chops generously with black pepper and use some salt. Sprinkle garlic powder evenly over the pork chops. Coat the chops with the cheese, patting to adhere.

2) Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork chops to the skillet and do not move them. Allow the pork chops to cook until golden brown & crisp, about 5 minutes per side.

3) Transfer pork chops in skillet to oven and bake for about 8 minutes in your preheated oven. You want them cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees.

*You may use an oven safe skillet. That will make this even easier!

Poppy Seed Chicken

I found this recipe on Cara's Creature Comforts and I divided it in half since there were only two of us. I left the regular amount of poppyseeds though. This was simple and tasty. Because I used the FF Sour Cream and 98% FF cream of chicken soup, this was also a lower calorie dinner. We will be eating this dinner again! We enjoyed this dish with a side of green beans sauted with a bit of olive oil and minced garlic. I also had some acorn squash I wanted to use up. My recipe for a yummy acorn squash side is also below. This was a typical fall side dish made by mom when I was growing up. Enjoy!

Here's how I adapted Cara's recipe:
4 chicken breasts
1 cup fat-free sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup (Campbell's Healthy Request is what I used)
25-30 Ritz crackers, crushed
1 tbsp butter, melted
2 tbsp poppy seeds
Salt and Pepper to taste

1) Preheat the oven to 350. Cover the chicken with cold water in a medium pan. Cook on high heat until the water boils, then simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
2)Cut the chicken into bite size pieces.Grease a 9x9 or 8x8 pan. Place the cut up chicken in the bottom of the pan. Mix the soup and sour cream. Pour the mixture over the chicken.
3)Mix the crackers and poppy seeds with the melted butter and then sprinkle over the chicken/soup. Season with salt and pepper.
4)Bake for 30 minutes.

Acorn Squash
Cut an acorn squash in half. Place in a greased baking dish with the cut side up. In each half, place 1 tbsp of butter and 1 tbsp of maple syrup. Bake at 350 for about one hour or until the squash is tender.