Being that it is a new year, I am trying to keep up my resolution along with the rest of America: eat healthier and exercise more. I notice around this time of year, my gym is so packed- it drives me nuts. I can never find a parking spot and the elliptical machines are hard to come by. I hope it begins to taper off in February because I take it anymore. I'm all for people getting healthy, I just wish they would do it at another gym! Not being able to control the exercise half of my resolution at all times, I can most certainly be in control of the eating healthy portion. I found this yummy recipe in my 200 Under 200 recipe book. It's great for anyone trying to cut calories.They taste like full fat, full flavor cupcakes! Trust me!
recipe: 200 Under 200
INGREDIENTS
Cupcakes
· 2 cups moist-style yellow cake mix
· 12 oz. canned crushed pineapple in juice (not drained)
· 1/2 tsp. coconut extract
Frosting
· 4 oz. canned crushed pineapple (drained)
· 1 Jello-O sugar free vanilla pudding snack
· 1 1/2 tbsp. fat-free cream cheese (room temp.)
· 1/8 tsp. coconut extract
· 1 packet of no-calorie sweetener
(I added a large scoop of fat free cool whip to make the icing a bit more fluffy)
*For garnish, I also added one chunk of fresh pineapple and unsweetened all natural cocnut flakes for crunch.
DIRECTIONS
· preheat oven to 350°
· in a medium mixing bowl, combine all frosting ingredients and mix until blended
· refrigerate until cupcakes are ready to be frosted
· in a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix with undrained pineapple
· add coconut extract and mix until thoroughly blended
· line a 12 cup muffin pan with baking cups and evenly distribute cake mixture among the cups
· bake in the oven for about 20 minutes (check if they are cooked fully by completing the toothpick test)
· allow cupcakes to cool completely, then evenly distribute frosting over the tops.
· refrigerate until ready to serve
makes 12 servings
The crushed pineapple makes these cupcakes so moist and delicious. You would never know that the recipe didn't include eggs and oil. The icing is sweet and creamy and the added crunch from the coconut flakes is a must. These iced pina colada goodies weigh in at about 115 calories a piece. That's pretty damn good for anyone counting calories. Enjoy!
The other night I had the itch to prepare a mini Thanksgiving dinner. We always travel over Thanksgiving, so I never get to cook. I decided to cook up some frozen chicken tenderloins instead of turkey because it was what I had on-hand. I found a healthy stuffing recipe in my cookbook, 200 under 200: 200 recipes under 200 calories. I already had a bag of fresh cranberries and then prepared a gravy to bring it all together. See recipes below.
APPLE ONION STUFFING
INGREDIENTS
· 6 slices of light bread (preferably 40 to 45 calories per slice)
· 4 cups Fuji apples (I used Jonagolds), chopped · 2 cups sweet onion, chopped · 1 cup celery, chopped
· 1/3 cup fat free chicken broth at room temperature, more if needed
· 1/4 cup golden raisins
· 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
· 1/4 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute
· 1 tbsp. light whipped butter
· 1 tbsp. shallots, minced · 1 tsp. garlic, minced
· 1/4 tsp. salt
· salt and black pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
· preheat oven to 350 degrees.
· lightly toast bread slices and cut into cubes. Set aside.
· melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Once butter has melted, add celery, onion, shallots, garlic, and salt. Saute veggies for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently.
· remove pot from heat and add apples, raisins, and parsley. Mix well. Add broth and egg substitute, and stir thoroughly.
· spray baking dish with nonstick spray. Transfer veggie mixture to baking dish. Add bread cubes and fold in gently. The bread cubes should be moist, but not saturated. Add a few extra tablespoons of chicken broth to coat, if needed.
· let stuffing mixture sit at room temperature for several minutes, allowing bread cubes to absorb the moisture.
· cover with foil and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and, using a fork, gently fluff and rearrange stuffing. Return to oven, uncovered. Bake for another 10-15 minutes, until top is golden brown.
· while stuffing is still warm, mix gently. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
makes 8 servings
I thought it would be quick and easy, but it did take a couple of hours including cleanup. Once the stuffing came out of the oven, I have to give it a quick sample. I loved the crunchy top layer and the sweetness of the apple and raisins. The onion and celery gave the stuffing that classic Thanksgiving "stuffing taste".
To go with my stuffing, I also made grilled chicken tenderloin to go on top of the stuffing with gravy. What's turkey day without gravy?
GRAVY
INGREDIENTS
· 1/4 cup all purpose flour
· 2 tsp. butter (or dripping from turkey)- which I didn't have because I used chicken tenders instead.
· salt and pepper to taste
· 3 tbsp. white wine
· 2 cups of chicken broth
· 1/4 cup skim milk
· bay leaf
DIRECTIONS
· melt butter just below medium heat in a pan
· sprinkle flour and whisk in with butter making a rue
· cook flour until golden brown
· add chicken broth and bay leaf; whisk with flour to break down and dissolve
· let simmer for a few minutes
· add white wine, simmer
· once gravy has thickened a bit, add skim milk
· add salt and pepper to taste
· keep cooking for desired thickness
This was my first attempt to make gravy. I make sauces pretty often, so I was pretty comfortable. I found a few low-fat recipes on the internet and then decided what ingredients to use based on what I had around the house.
FRESH CRANBERRY SAUCE
INGREDIENTS
· one bag fresh cranberries
· one cup water
· one cup of granulated sugar
· one tsp. orange zest
DIRECTIONS
· rinse cranberries thoroughly
· bring water and sugar to a boil over the stove top
· add in cranberries once the sugar is dissolved
· let simmer for about 10-15 minutes on low heat
· cool down
· mix in orange zest
· place in the fridge to cool down before serving
This tangy and sweet cranberry sauce is better than anything out of the can. The orange zest added a nice complexity. It's bright color is absolutely gorgeous. Served alongside my warm apple onion stuffing, this cranberry sauce held its own.
When a dish has many components, I find myself getting really stressed out about getting them all completed at the same time. For some reason, I kept it all together this night and everything was completed at the exact same time. I was pretty proud of myself. My mini Turkey Day was a success!
Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving with their family and friends. Take time to think about what you are most thankful for this holiday season. I know what I'm thankful and I am going to make sure they all know it!
Enjoy!
