Sloppy Turkey Joes

This is healthy, low fat version of your favorite “Sloppy Joe”.

What you need:

• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1 tablespoon sweet relish
• 1-2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• seasoning salt
• black pepper
• chili powder

How to prepare it:

Spray a large skillet with cooking spray (like Pam) and heat on medium heat.  Brown the ground turkey until no longer pink.  Stir in the remaining ingredients and simmer for 5-10 minutes.  Serve on a bun.

Makes 8 servings @ 103 kcal, 5 grams total fat, 1 gram sat fat.

Skinny Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken

I am always trying new recipes that are quick, simple, and healthy that the entire family will enjoy.  I came up with this version of Hawaiian Chicken and the best part is you can ” fix it and forget it”.

You only need 5 Ingredients!

• 4-6 chicken breasts
• 1 cup honey barbeque sauce
• 1 cup crushed pineapple with juice
• chili powder
• ground ginger

Preparation:

Pour barbeque sauce in bottom of the crock pot. Place chicken breast on top of sauce; season with chili powder and ground ginger and cover with crushed pineapple. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

Nutrition Analysis:  1 serving is 1 chicken breast

• 254 calories, 2 gm fat, 28 gm protein, 30 gm carb, 2 gm fiber

Get The Skinny On Oatmeal

One of my very weird food cravings is old-fashioned oatmeal.  Who else but a dietitian would have such a healthy food craving.  Oatmeal is actually a comfort food for me; especially, on cold winter days.  It reminds me of childhood when my mother would make a bowl of oatmeal before school.  I would sit in front of the television watching Captain Kangaroo while eating my bowl of oatmeal.

In addition, I love the feel of the warm texture and flavor of oatmeal.  Again, I love, love, love the texture of oatmeal.  Furthermore, oatmeal is so easy and fast to prepare.  Place 1/2 cup rolled oats and 1 cup water in a large mug and microwave for 1-2 minutes.  Then, I usually stir in skim milk and a touch of brown sugar  or honey.  Now, it is ready to eat.

What is oatmeal?  Oatmeal is ground oat groats.

What are the health benefits?  Oatmeal has a high soluble fiber content which helps lower cholesterol.  Oatmeal is also sodium free.

What is the difference between rolled oats and steel-cut oats?  

• Rolled oats are oats that have been steamed and rolled flat.
• Steel-cut oats are oats that have been sliced into small pieces.  They take much longer to cook and have a nutty robust flavor.
• Instant oatmeal has added sugars and is high in sodium.

Read more on preparing a perfect bowl of oatmeal BestBowlofOatmeal

Skinny Crockpot Italian Chicken

(Picture taken from google images)

Here’s another crockpot favorite recipe of mine!

What you need:

4-6 Chicken Breast

2 cans Italian diced tomatoes

1 small can tomato paste

Italian seasoning (oregano, basil, parsley, garlic powder)

1 can white beans

What to do:

Place chicken in crock pot. Mix all ingredients and pour over chicken.  Cook on high for 4-6 hours.  Serve over pasta if desired and add a salad to complete your meal.  Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition Analysis:  250 calories, 2 gm fat, 34 gm pro, 24 gm carb, 5 gm fiber per serving.

Skinny Crockpot Mexican Chicken

(Picture taken from google images)

Crockpot cooking is great for putting together a great home cooked meal in a hurry.  I take full advantage of using the crockpot when I am crunched for time.  It’s easy and convenient.  Just throw all the ingredients in and and turn on the crockpot in the morning.  The meal  is ready when you return home for dinner.

This Mexican Chicken is one of my favorites.  You can serve with rice and a salad or some tortilla chips.

What you need:

4 Chicken Breast

1 large can diced tomatoes

1 small jar salsa

1 package taco seasoning

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can corn, drained

What to do:

Place chicken in crock pot. Mix all ingredients and pour over chicken.  Cook on high for 6 hours, take lid off last 2 hours to thicken the sauce.  Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition Analysis: 304 calories, 2g fat, 35g pro, 9g fiber per serving

“MONDAY MUNCHIES” — SKINNY TACO DIPS

INDIVIDUAL TACO DIPS

The great thing about these individual dips is that you can adjust it to your personal taste and they are portion controlled.   These would be great for watching a football game or for any type of party.  I found the original recipe on “The Girl Who Ate Everything Blog”; did some minor tweaking and renamed it.

Individual Taco Dips

Makes about 8 individual dips @ 150 calories per dip.

Ingredients

1 (16 ounce) can refried beans

1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning

1 cup guacamole 

1 (8 ounce) container fat-free sour cream

1 cup chunky salsa

1 cup low-fat shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese

2 Roma tomatoes, diced

1/2 bunch of green onions, sliced

1 (2.25 ounce) can of sliced olives, drained

8 (9 ounce) plastic cups

tortilla chips

Instructions

In a small bowl mix taco seasoning with refried beans.

Here’s how the layers are assembled:

Layer 1: beans and taco seasoning; Layer 2: sour cream; Layer 3: guacamole; Layer 4: salsa; Layer 5: cheese; Layer 6: tomatoes; Layer 7: green onions and olives

In each plastic glass, layer about 2 Tablespoons of the beans, followed by 2 Tablespoons of sour cream, 2 Tablespoons of guacamole, 2 Tablespoons of salsa, and 2 Tablespoons of cheese.  Make sure you drain your salsa or pico to get the excess liquid out before you pour it on. Then top with about 1-2 teaspoons of tomatoes, olives, and green onion (If making ahead of time, wait to add these toppings until shortly before serving).

Garnish with one tortilla chip. Store in the refrigerator until serving and serve with chips. Makes around 8 individual dips.

Recipe and photo’s from:  http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2011/12/individual-seven-layer-dips.html

Crustless Pumpkin Pie

Just in time for Thanksgiving!  Save a few calories with this recipe for the crustless pumpkin pie.  It is only 110 calories per serving and it is absolutely fabulous!

WHAT YOU NEED:

• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin
• 1 (12 ounce) can evaporated skim milk
• 1/2 cup egg substitute
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg & ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup  sugar

WHAT TO  DO:

• Combine all ingredients and beat until smooth.
• Pour into 9-inch pie pan sprayed with cooking spray.
• Bake at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes; reduce temperature to 325 degrees F and bake for 45 minutes more.
• Pie is done when knife inserted into center comes out clean.
• Makes 8 servings

Amazing Low Calorie Applicious Cake

 

 

WHAT YOU NEED:

• 1 box yellow cake mix
• 1 small box reduced calorie vanilla pudding
• 1 cup liquid egg
• 1/2 cup lite applesauce
• 1/2 cup fat free sour cream
• 2/3 cup water
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 large apples, peeled and coarsely chopped

For The Glaze:

• 3/4 cup powder sugar
• 2 Tbsp fat free sour cream
• 1 tsp water

How To Make It:

Beat all ingredients except the apples on medium speed for 2 minutes.  Stir in apples.  Pour into 10-inch tube pan sprayed with cooking spray.  Bake at 350 degrees for  1 hour or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.  Let cake cool for 15 minutes and invert cake onto wire rack; gently remove pan.  Cool cake completely.

How To Make Glaze:

Whisk together  powder sugar,  sour cream, and  water.  Drizzle over cake and let stand until glaze is firm.

Makes 16 servings.  Only 152 calories per serving!  Yum!!!

 

SIMPLE TIPS TO SAVE CALORIES AND GET YOUR TACO’S ON!

October 4th is National Taco Day!

Tips to make healthier taco’s and save calories with these simple food swaps:

• Use fat free sour cream instead of regular sour cream.  You will save 30 calories + 6 grams of fat per 2 Tablespoons.
•  Replace regular beef with extra lean ground beef and you will save 230 calories + 30 grams of fat per 4-oz serving.
• Replace a regular flour tortilla with a low carb whole wheat tortilla to save 80 calories .

Lose Weight By Eating Breakfast

September is National Breakfast Month 

Breakfast is the first meal of the day and the most important meal.  Did  you know, “The word Breakfast came about because it means breaking the fast after one has not eaten (fasted) since the night before”?  Moreover, multiple studies have shown that breakfast skippers have a higher body mass index (BMI) than non-skippers and breakfast consumption is associated with a lower body weight.  

Here are two of my favorite breakfast meals.

Egg McMuffin

• 1/4 cup egg substitute
• 1 whole grain lite english muffin
• tomato slices

Pour egg substitute in a bowl coated with non-stick cooking spray.  Cook on high for 1 minute.  Meanwhile, toast english muffin.  Place cooked egg topped with tomato slices on english muffin.  Voila!  Only 135 calories and zero fat.

Old Fashioned Oatmeal

• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup skim milk

Cook oatmeal and milk in a large mug on high for 1-1/2 minutes and stir.  Voila!  You may flavor with splenda and cinnamon.  Only 240 calories and 3 grams fat.

GRAB & GO BREAKFAST 

No time to spare in the a.m.  Here are some healthy breakfast choices you can eat on the run.

• High fiber poptart.
• Low-fat yogurt drink.
• Banana or apple.
• Instant breakfast drink.
• Handful of nuts and raisins.
• Cereal bar.