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Fiber One Muffins

I cup whole wheat flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup Splenda

1 1/2 cups Fiber One cereal
1/2 cup boiling water

1/4 cup Eggbeaters or egg whites
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
3/4 cup nonfat or lowfat buttermilk
1/2 cup raisins

Blend dry ingredients together in a bowl (flour, salt, Splenda, and baking soda). Soak Fiber One in hot water until all the water is absorbed. Mix together wet ingredients (buttermilk, Eggbeaters, applesauce) and stir into dry mixture along with Fiber One just until lightly mixed. Do not overstir!

Divide batter into 12 muffins in tin sprayed with PAM and bake at 375 until browned - about 20 minutes.

Per muffin:

80 calories
1 g fat
20 g carbs (5 g fiber)
3 g protein

I made this last night so it's fresh in my mind.

I grew up with Ragu sauce, the thought of making home-made pasta sauce NEVER occurred to me! I got this recipe out of the first Super Foods book and it has been a staple in my line-up ever since. Fast, delicious, healthy. Yum.

Spicy tomato sauce with fresh basil and veggie crumbles

3 cans 14 oz tom
1 can 12 oz tom paste
1 onion, diced
garlic (I use TONS)
1 tbs olive oil
Sun dried tomatoes
Fresh Basil
1 tsp dried oregano
Whatever else I feel like - black olives, mushrooms, carrots, zuch
1 package MorningStar Farm Crumbles (the original recipe called for ground turkey, I've almost always used crumbles. I've made it a few times with spicy chicken meatballs, that was good too, the leftovers made good healthy meatball subs on whole wheat buns)
Salt
Pepper
Red Pepper Flakes
Splash of red cooking wine
whole wheat/spinach pasta

Saute onion/garlic for 5 minutes until translucent. Add veggie crumbles, dried oregano, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes. Brown the veggie crumbles - stirring often.

While the veggie crumbles are browning, put 2 cans tomatoes (with juice), tom paste, fresh basil and half the sun dried tomatoes into a food processor - blend until smooth.

Put the tomato mixture over the crumbles and stir.

Put the last can of tomatoes into the food processor and pulse until the tomatoes are chunky. Throw these in with the rest. (You can put this can in with the other cans to make a smoother puree if desired)

Add the rest of the sun dried tomatoes and any other additional veggies (I really like to add shredded spinach leaves, they really cook down). Add a splash of red cooking wine. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Serve over whole grain pasta.

Have to add my all time favorite soup recipe.

Spinach Chickpea Leek Soup

This is SO good and so fast and easy to make - makes plenty for several days. Great to make on a Sunday and eat all week.

1 tbs olive oil
2 leeks, sliced thinly (circles)
1 zuchini, chopped
minced garlic (I use tons)
2 14 oz cans tomatoes
small can tomato paste
1 bay leaf
3 3/4 cup veg broth
1 14 oz can chickpeas (gabanzo beans) drained
block of frozen spinach (thawed, drained)
1 tbs oregano
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
fresh parm cheese for topping

Heat the oil in a large sauce pan, add leeks and zucchini and cook briskly for 5 minutes.

Add the garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, bay leaf, vegetable broth, chickpeas and spices. Bring to a boil and simmer 5 minutes.

Shred the spinach finely, add to the soup and boil for 2 minutes. Season to taste. (the longer it cooks on the stove, the better it is). Remove the bay leaf, sprinkle with parmesan cheese (if desired).

I may not have a lot to share, but let's try. Here's one dish I like cooking--filling, tasty, doesn't take long to prepare, ideal for when I come home late from work or am not very 'inspired' when it comes to cooking in general.

Zucchini squash w/ ham

1 tbsp olive oil
1 zucchini squash (about 250-300g)
Chicken broth
Onion (a couple of slices)
1 slice of ham (chicken or turkey ham works pretty well too)
1 egg
Herbs (chive or parsley)
Salt, pepper

Heat the olive oil in a pan.
Peal the squash and cut it into slices (not too thin).
Cut the ham, then put it in the pan with the onion when the oil is becoming hot. Add some chicken broth, depending on your taste and also to avoid the ham cooking too fast.
After 1-2 minutes, add the zucchini squash and the chive. Add salt and pepper. Cover and let cook for ~10 minutes on low heat, stir from time to time.
When the squash is almost cooked, whip the egg and throw it in the pan.
Cook for 2-3 more minutes (until the egg is cooked, in fact).

Variations are possible. I often replace regular ham with chicken ham. Originally I tried with parsley, but I like it better with chive. I use 1 tsp of oil rather than 1 tbsp, because I don't like dishes with too much oil. And I also don't always add the onion--it depends if I have one under the hand or not.

Calories-wise, I'm not sure how much it amounts to exactly. With my usual chicken variation and a large squash, it should be ~250 calories, 275 at the most. (I find it really filling, so I never add rice, pasta or any other starch/complex carbs to it.)

I made this the other day. It is PHENOMENAL. I eat it as a dip with veggies. I also made my own "Pita Chips" to serve with it. The kids couldn't get enough of it. YUMMM. It's kept for a few days so far. YOU MUST TRY THIS.

MATBUCHA SALAD

Ingredients
5 red bell peppers
5 ripe tomatoes
3 cloves garlic , minced
1 lemon
sea salt
2-3 teaspoons olive oil

Directions

1 -Grill or flame-roast the peppers and tomatoes.
2 - If you don't have a grill available, roast the peppers and tomatoes in the oven.
3 - After removing from the flame or heat source, place them in a paper bag and seal.
4 - After 5-10 minutes, the skins will peel off easily.
5 - Peel and seed peppers and tomatoes.
6 - Slice and chop into small cubes.
7 - Add garlic to vegetables and mix.
8 - Squeeze lemon juice and drizzle oil over salad.
9 - Stir.
10 - Salt to taste.
11 - Refrigerate.
12 - Serve cold.

I broiled the veggies, seeding the peppers beforehand. I completely omited the oil. I added in a hit of crushed red pepper. I didn't bother putting it in a paper bag. The skins came right off. I used a food processor and just pulsed it a few times.

I think next time I will add in some onions.

Southwest Chicken Soup:

Originally from Real Simple, but I made some changes

1 jar of salsa verde
1 pack of tyson grilled chicken strips(I use the southwest or fajita flavored ones. You can also grill your own chicken. I use these to get it made fast)
1 can chicken broth
1 can black beans, drained

In a pan, heat the salsa for 2 minutes. Then add broth, beans, and chicken. Bring to a boil and then reduce hit. Simmer for 10 minutes. Done!

You can add some FF Sour Cream, shredded cheese...what ever!

Sauteed Spinach and Chick Peas with Lemon and Thyme
Recipe from homecooking.about.com/

2/3 cup cooked chickpeas
1 bay leaf
1 medium clove garlic, peeled, plus 3 medium cloves, minced
1-1/2 pounds fresh spinach
1/4 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1 pound farfalle pasta
3 tablespoons lemon juice

Preparation:
Place the chick-peas in a medium bowl and cover them with at least 2 inches of water. Soak overnight and drain. Place the chick-peas, bay leaf, and whole garlic clove in a medium pot and cover them with several inches of water. Bring the water to a boil and simmer gently uncovered until the chick-peas are tender, 35 to 40 minutes. Drain the chick-peas and discard the bay leaf and garlic. Place the chick-peas in a medium bowl and set it aside. (The chick-peas can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days.)

Bring 4 quarts of salted water to a boil in a large pot for cooking the pasta. Stem the spinach and wash the leaves in a large bowl of cold water, changing the water several times until no sand appears on the bottom of the bowl. Place the spinach with some water still clinging to the leaves in a deep pot or Dutch oven. Cover and set the pot over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the spinach has wilted, about 5 minutes. Drain and set aside the spinach.

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the minced garlic and thyme and sauté over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the chick-peas and cook until warmed through, about 1 minute. Add the spinach and salt and heat through, tossing several times, for about 2 minutes. Taste for salt and adjust seasonings if necessary. While preparing the sauce, cook and drain the pasta. Toss the hot pasta with the lemon juice and the spinach sauce.

Mix well and transfer portions to warm pasta bowls. Serve immediately

My standby recipe . . . The original called for oil and a lot of cheese. I find it tastes just as good with no cheese and PAM.

Southwest Pinto Bean Skillet Chili

1 medium onion, chopped
1 bell pepper (any color), chopped
4-5 tsp chili powder
1/2 C vegetable broth
1 can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

Heat a nonstick pan over medium-high heat and spray with cooking spray (or use a little oil if you prefer). Add the onions and bell peppers, saute until tender (about 7 minutes). Add the chili powder, and cook one minute, stirring constantly. Add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes or until slightly thickened.

I usually eat it over rice, but it's also good over pasta. The original version has a last step of sprinkling pepper jack cheese over it and putting it under the broiler until browned (you need an ovenproof pan for that).

It makes about four servings, and according to fitday, at some point I calculated that one serving was 155 calories, but I don't remember if I told it four for the total number of servings or not so you might want to calculate yourself.

I know I've posted this one before but I thought this thread was appropriate for it.

Quick "Minestrone" Soup (AKA Italian-style veggie stew with pasta in it)

- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 4-6 carrots (however many you happen to have, I used 6 last night), sliced into circles
- 3 cups low-fat low-sodium vegetable broth (I use boullion cubes)
- 3 cups water
- 1 can no-salt-added cut green beans (sometimes I use fresh, you just have to add them earlier so they can cook in the broth)
- 1 can kidney beans, drained
- 2 cans Italian-style stewed tomatoes, NOT drained (if they have no-salt Italian style, bonus points)
- 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
- 2 Tbsp Italian seasoning blend
- about 1/8 - 1/4 tsp black pepper (to taste)
- pinches of whatever Italian spices you have on hand (I use a bit of oregano and thyme) to taste
- olive oil to coat pan

1. Heat the oil in a large stock pot (Dutch oven works well) over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic, saute until onion is tender.
2. Add water, broth, and carrots, bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat, cook until the carrots can be pierced easily with a fork, about 5-8 minutes depending how thick you cut your carrots.
3. Add tomatoes and spices, bring back to a boil. Add elbow macaroni and cook as long as the package says to (usually 9-11 minutes), stirring occasionally (the macaroni WILL stick to the pan if you don't).
4. Add green beans and kidney beans, cook until heated through.

If you're using fresh green beans, cut them into 1-inch pieces and add them with the macaroni if not before. This recipe makes a big old pot of soup so you will have leftovers, and it gets more stew-like because the macaroni will continue to absorb the liquid over time. It's pretty low-cal since it's mostly veggies.

I like this recipe because you can really throw in whatever you happen to have in the fridge or pantry. One can of beans, two cans of beans, no beans, 5 carrots or 10 carrots, some barley, frozen mixed veggies, whatever.

http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/ma...filling-recipe
Maple Roasted Squash (with Apple Filling) Recipe
Ingredients:


4 acorn squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 teaspoons whipped butter or less-fat margarine
4 tablespoons maple syrup or 8 tablespoons light pancake syrup
3 apples, cored and diced
2 tablespoons finely chopped assorted fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, parsley) OR 2 teaspoons assorted dry herbs (thyme, rosemary, or parsley)
Preparation:


Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place squash halves, cut side up, on a baking pan. Season the inside of squash with salt and pepper.
Place 1 teaspoon of whipped butter or margarine and 1/2 tablespoon of maple syrup (or 1 tablespoon light pancake syrup) into the bowl of each squash half.
Distribute diced apples into the bowl of each squash half. Sprinkle herbs over the top.
Roast squash until tender and nicely browned (about 1 hour). Periodically (every 20 minutes or so), spoon syrup from the squash bowl over the top of the apples.
Yield:
8 squash halves

Nutritional Information:
Per serving: 180 calories, 2 g protein, 41 g carbohydrate, 3 g fat, 1.7 g saturated fat, 0.8 g monounsaturated fat, 0.3 g polyunsaturated fat, 7 mg cholesterol, 8 g fiber, 33 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 14%.


I used absolutely ZERO butter or margarine. I used no herbs.

I diced up the apples and added a handful or 2 of raisins and a handful or 2 of chopped walnuts. And lots of cinnamon. I sprayed each 1/2 generously with cooking spray and sprinkled on some cinnamon.

It's absolutely AWESOME. And it's pretty too. Thing is, I was going to serve it as the second course, after soup. Now, I'm thinking I should serve it as dessert. It's THAT good.

VARIATION:

Maple Cinnamon Butternut Squash with Apples, Walnuts & Raisins

It's my own made up recipe, taken from a few different ones, so I don't have exact amounts.

-I cut up a large butternut squash into chunks. Place them in a 9 x 13 baking pan.
-I pour fat free/ sugar free Maple syrup over it and some cinnamon. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake at 400 degrees til ALMOST tender, about 45 mins, maybe a little longer.
-I cut up 2 - 3 large apples, leaving them in smallish chunks. Mix it in a bowl with a little more syrup, lots of cinnamon, a handful of raisins and a handful of chopped walnuts. I add this to the butternut squash pan. Cover it and cook for about 20 minutes or so, til the apples are cooked.

This is one of my most favorite salads. It so low in calories you could throw 3oz. of chicken or turkey onto itand it magically becomes a meal!

SPINACH SALAD WITH STRAWBERRY VINEGARETTE
serves 6

2 1/2 cups strawberries, halved, quartered

2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 1/2 cups peach halves, sliced ( pears are fab in this too )
1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
2 T. slivered almonds
10 ounces spinach leaves


Place 1 cup berries and next 4 ingredients in blender. Process until smooth. (dressing). 2. In large bowl combine rest of ingredients and toss. Add the dressing.

Per Serving: 68 Calories; 2g Fat (22.6% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 13g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 117mg Sodium.

For any WWer's 1pt per serving.

Here's another great one! Making it today in fact. One of the best things about this one is, its so fast and easy!

HONEY-LIME FRUIT TOSS
2pts per serving
7 servings .........

Ingredients
1 can (20 oz) Pineapple chunks
1 can (11 or 15 oz) Mandarin Oranges, drained
1 large Banana, sliced
1 Kiwi fruit, peeled, halved and sliced
1 cup quartered Strawberries
1/4 tsp grated lime peel
2 tbsp. lime juice
1 tbsp. honey

Directions
1. Drain pineapple; reserve 1/4 c juice.
2. Combine pineapple chunks, mandarin oranges, banana, kiwi fruit and strawberries in bowl.
3. Stir together reserved juice, lime peel, lime juice and honey. Pour over salad; toss to coat.

i love this and so do guests! always get peeps asking for this recipe!!

93 calories, 0g fat (0g sat.), 0mg cholesterol, 3 mg sodium, 24g carbohydrate, 1g protein

Tamale Pie

• 1 lb 95% lean ground beef
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1 cup diced red pepper
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 8 oz can of tomato sauce
• 1 cup salsa
• 1 cup frozen corn (or 1/2 can cream-style corn) (I've allotted 150 calories for this ingredient which according to my notes is 6 oz of the frozen corn I get from Trader Joe's. Depending on the corn product you are using, you might need to adjust the quantity of corn you are adding accordingly.)
• 1-2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tube pre-cooked polenta
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat cheese (I've alotted 70 calories per ounce for this ingredient--if your cheese is 80 calories per ounce, which is common for reduced-fat cheese, the end result will be around 370 calories per serving.)

Brown the ground beef in a medium-sized skillet with the onion, red pepper, and garlic. Drain fat if necessary. Add tomato sauce, salsa, corn, cumin, and chili powder. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until most of the liquid is cooked out.

In the meantime, thinly slice the polenta. You want to get about 36 slices out of it. If you have a wire cheese slicer, it works really well for this task.

Coat a 8 or 9-in square casserole dish (with 3-in high sides) with cooking spray. Spoon in 1/4th of the meat mixture and top with 1/3 of the polenta. Continue layering until you used all of the polenta and meat (finish with the meat mixture, so you'll have four layers of meat and 3 layers of polenta).

Cover and bake at 350 for 35 or 40 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with cheese and pop back in the oven until the cheese is melted.

Makes six generous servings at 265 calories each. Seriously, the first time I made it, we divided it into only four servings and neither my SO or I could finish our portions (and I tend to eat large portions). In addition to giving a really tamale feel, the polenta really bulks it up. I suspect that this would also be good with 99% lean ground turkey, which would drop the calories to 245 per serving (not that the calories really need to be any lower, it's hard to beat 265 calories for a meal).

Easy Pumpkin Pudding

• 1 package instant, sugar-free, fat-free jello pudding (Cheesecake, vanilla, or butterscotch flavors work best. Chocolate--which I haven't tried--will increase the calories by 10 per serving.)
• 1 1/4 cups skim milk
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1-2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Mix all the ingredients together and divide into 4 individual serving containers, then refrigerate until set (an hour or so). It tastes like pumpkin pie filling to me and comes in at 75 calories per serving.