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Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 1999
Posts: 118
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1999
6:30 p.m.
aerobics class
recipe
collection
SWEET SNACKS
CHOCOLATE SURPRISE CUPS
Strawberries
Orange marmalade or raspberry jam
Chocolate chips
Wipe strawberries clean (don’t wash – you don’t want any moisture). Slice off tip of strawberry and hollow out base with a small melon baller. Fill with one teaspoon marmalade or jam. Melt chocolate chips in the top of a double boiler or in microwave according to package directions until spreadable (but not thin). Spread a teaspoon of chocolate over strawberry to seal hole. Depending on size of strawberry, each has between 35 to 50 calories. One of these along side a ½ cup of orange or raspberry sherbet makes a fancy company desert for under 200 calories. Don't make them more than 2 hours ahead of serving or the strawberry will get soft. If you have to make them earlier, freeze them, then thaw for about 15 minutes – they will be softer, but still delicious! Also, try filling strawberry cups with different things. A couple of alternate fillings – chocolate or white chocolate pudding, or a mixture of low fat cream cheese mixed with ground toasted almonds. For these two, I melt chocolate chips in a baggie, snip one corner off, and drizzle the chocolate on the tops. Alternating white and dark chocolate is very elegant – just have fun!
TRAIL BLAZIN’ MIX
1 (18 oz.) box low-fat granola (I used Quaker)
½ cup honey
1 (6 oz.) package dried chopped fruit medley
1 cup jelly beans
¼ cup mini chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 325 degrees and spray a jellyroll pan with non-stick spray. Spread granola in pan; drizzle with honey, and toss well. Spread evenly in pan. Bake for 21 minutes, stirring every 7 minutes. Remove from oven, stir in dried fruit. Turn oven off, and let mixture stand in closed oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Combine granola mixture, jelly beans and minichips in a large bowl, toss well. Yield: 27 servings (serving size 1/3 cup), 143 calories per serving.
CARAMELIZED GINGER-DATE POCKETS
butter flavored cooking spray
¾ cup dates, chopped
¼ cup crystallized ginger, chopped
¼ cup brown sugar
24 won ton wrappers
Black sesame seeds (optional)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray. Mix the dates, ginger and brown sugar together in a bowl. Working with four wrappers at a time, lay the wrappers on a cutting board and spray with cooking spray. Place a heaping teaspoon of the fruit mixture in the center of the wrappers, and fold the sides of the wrapper and then the top and bottom over the filling. Place seam side down on cookie sheet. When all pockets have been assembled, spray the tops with cooking spray. Bake for approximately 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown and the caramel syrup “leaks” from the pockets. Immediately remove from oven and using a spoon, flip the pockets over, stirring and coating them with the syrup. For a more authentic Chinese touch, sprinkle with black sesame seeds. Remove pockets from pan to rack and allow to cool. Store in an air tight container. Makes 24 pockets, 40 calories each.
GLAZED ALMONDS
1 cup almonds
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon water
1 ½ teaspoons spice (try different flavors like chili powder, curry powder, cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice)
½ teaspoon salt
Cooking spray
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place almonds on a cookie sheet and roast in oven for approximately 20 minutes, stirring every five minutes until nuts are toasted brown. In a microwave safe bowl, stir together sugar, water, spice, and salt. Add almonds and stir to coat. Microwave on high for 1-½ minutes, stir well. Spray a sheet of wax paper with cooking spray, spread almonds on wax paper to cool. (1/8 cup almonds approx. 120 calories).
DIPS AND SAUCES
YOGURT CHEESE
Yogurt cheese is very easy to make. Line a strainer with a coffee filter and hang it over a bowl. Dump in a container of yogurt, cover with plastic, and refrigerate overnight. In the morning the water will have drained off the yogurt, reducing the yogurt’s volume by about a third. Yogurt cheese can be used in just about any recipe calling for sour cream or cream cheese. Mix in dip mix, serve it on baked potatoes, or put it in stroganoff. I’ve even made a great cheesecake combining yogurt cheese and non-fat cottage cheese in the food processor and substituting this mixture for regular cream cheese. Experiment with different yogurt brands until you find one you like, some are tangier than others – I’ve grown to like the tangy flavor even better than sour cream on my baked potatoes and it’s guilt free!
LEMON CURD SAUCE
1 cup non-fat vanilla yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon curd
Mix well. What could be easier than that! At 13 calories a tablespoon it makes a wonderful dip for fresh fruit. We had it as desert one night - put ½ cup pineapple chunks in a bowl, top with 2 tablespoons sauce and 1 teaspoon of slivered, toasted almonds. Heaven! Try it over toasted pound cake or those sponge cake cups used for strawberry shortcake, in fact, use it next time you make shortcake instead of the whipped cream!
MOCK GUACAMOLE
1-10 ounce package frozen baby peas, thawed
2 large cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped (I like lots of garlic!)
juice of ½ lemon
¼ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon chili powder (I used New Mexico)
½ teaspoon cumin
1 tomato, chopped
¼ large red onion, finely chopped
½ bunch cilantro, stems removed and chopped (I also love cilantro!)
In a food processor, pulse peas with garlic and lemon juice until finely minced. Place into a large non-metallic bowl and add rest of ingredients. Chill about a ½ hour before serving, taste and readjust seasonings. This is not overly spicy. If you like your guacamole a little hotter, you can add more chili powder or some diced jalepenos. 2/3 cup of peas has 70 calories, while ¼ of a medium size avocado has 140. What does that mean to this recipe? It means you can have a whole cup of this mock guacamole for the same calories as about 2 tablespoons of the regular kind! Goes great with baked tortilla chips!
PINEAPPLE DATE DIP
½ cup non-fat sour cream
½ cup fat free Cool Whip, defrosted
1/3 cup chopped dates
1 can (8 oz.) crushed pineapple
Mix completely and allow to chill overnight in the refrigerator. Serve with fruit slices. 17 calories per tablespoon.
SMOKY RED PEPPER DIP
2 medium red bell peppers
2 cups sliced red onion
2 garlic cloves
¼ cup dry breadcrumbs
¼ cup plain fat-free yogurt
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon hot sauce
Cut bell peppers in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place pepper halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet; flatten with hand. Arrange onion and garlic around peppers on baking sheet. Broil 10 minutes or until blackened. Place in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 15 minutes, peel.
Place peppers, onion and garlic in a food processor; process until finely chopped. Add remaining ingredients; process until smooth. Serve with toasted pita triangles (or crackers). Yield: 1-3/4 cups. Per 1 tablespoon serving: 13 calories.
TEX-MEX BLACK BEAN DIP
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
½ cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup diced tomato
1/3 cup mild picante sauce
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon chili powder
¼ cup (1 ounce) shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Place beans in a bowl; partially mash until chunky. Set aside.
Heat oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; and saute 4 minutes or until tender. Add beans, tomato, picante sauce, cumin and chili powder; cook 5 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; add cheese, cilantro and lime juice, Stirring well. Serve warm or at room temperature with fat-free corn or flour tortilla chips. Yield: 1-2/3 cups (serving size – 2 tablespoons, 42 calories per serving)
PARMESAN CHEESE DIP
½ cup sun dried tomatoes
1 cup non-fat sour cream
1 cup non-fat mayonnaise
½ cup thinly sliced mushrooms
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
Place tomatoes in a small bowl, cover with boiling water and allow to soak for 10 minutes or until softened. Drain tomatoes and chop. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a small (4 cup) casserole dish with non-stick spray. In a medium size bowl, mix all ingredients. Transfer to casserole dish and bake for 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature with french bread or vegetable dippers. Makes approximately 3-1/2 cups dip, 15 calories per 1 tablespoon serving.
EGGPLANT CAVIAR
Make this the day before serving.
1 (1-pound) eggplant, cut crosswise into ½” thick slices
Cooking spray
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
¼ cup coarsely chopped walnuts
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
2 garlic cloves
½ cup fresh parsley sprigs
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground red pepper
Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Arrange eggplant in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; lightly coat both sides of eggplant with cooking spray. Bake at 500 deg. for 15 minutes, turning after 8 minutes. Allow to cool, peel eggplant.
Heat oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add walnuts, oregano and garlic; saute 2 minutes. Drop walnut mixture through food chute with food processor on, and process until minced. Drop parsley through food chute with food processor on, and process until minced. Add rest of ingredients (including eggplant) and process until smooth. Spoon eggplant mixture into a bowl, and sprinkle with parsley if desired. Serve with pita wedges or crackers. Makes approx. 1-1/2 cups, 10 calories per 1 tablespoon serving.
ANTIPASTO SALSA
1 cup diced tomato
1 cup diced zucchini
½ cup chopped, drained canned artichoke hearts
½ cup chopped fresh basil
1/3 cup diced bottled roasted red bell peppers
¼ cup minced onion
2 tablespoons chopped pitted kalamata olives
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons olive oil
Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl; cover and chill. Yield 3 cups (serving size: ½ cup, 39 calories). To turn into a quick meal: add a package of your favorite tortellini or ravioli, cooked and drained or add a can each of drained and rinsed garbanzo and kidney beans or add a package (4 oz.) of crumbled feta cheese (try some of the flavors little sundried tomato or herb). Serve any of these suggestions on a bed of greens.
GARBANZO SPREAD
1 cup parsley
2 garlic cloves, peeled
Zest of 1 lemon, finely grated
1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 -2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Finely chopped parsley and garlic cloves in food processor. Add lemon zest, garbanzo beans, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice and process until smooth (or slightly chunky, depending on your preference). Remove from food processor, add salt and pepper and taste; add more lemon juice, salt, and/or pepper if you wish. ¼ cup serving = 30 calories.
COOKIES
BANANA NUT BISCOTTI
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking power
¼ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup mashed ripe banana (about 1 small banana)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/3 cup chopped toasted nuts (I used almonds but the recipe had pecans)
cooking spray
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cup, and level with a knife. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Combine banana, oil, vanilla, and egg in a medium bowl; stir in flour mixture and nuts (dough will be sticky).
Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray, form dough into a large log on baking sheet and flatten to ½” thickness. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Cut log into quarters and remove from baking sheet, cool on wire rack for 10 minutes. Cut each quarter into 6 slices. Place slices, cut side down on baking sheet. Reduce oven temperature to 250 degrees, bake 15 minutes. Turn cookies and bake 15 minutes more. (Cookies will harden as then cool). Remove from baking sheet, cool on wire racks. Makes 2 dozen. Calories: 72 each.
BISCOTTI WITH RAISINETS
½ cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons butter of stick margarine, softened
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
¼ cup Raisinets
Cooking spray
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat the first 3 ingredients at medium speed of a mixer until well blended. Add egg and beat well. Combine the flour, baking power and salt; gradually add to sugar mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in Raisinets. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and form dough into a log on the baking sheet approximately 12” long; flatten to ¾ inch thickness.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove from baking sheet, cool 10 minutes on a wire rack. Cut roll diagonally into 20 ½” slices. Place, cut side down, on baking sheet. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Bake 10 minutes; turn biscotti over, and bake an additional 10 minutes (cookies will be slightly soft in center but will harden as they cool). Remove from baking sheet; cool completely on wire rack. Calories: 74 each.
CINNAMON BISCOTTI
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons stick margarine, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Preheat over to 325 degrees. Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Combine eggs, margarine, and vanilla; stir with a whisk. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead lightly 10 times. Shape dough into a 16-inch long roll. Place roll on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; flatten to a ¾-inch thickness. Combine 2 tablespoons sugar and ½ teaspoon cinnamon; sprinkle over dough. Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove roll from baking sheet; let cool 10 minutes on a wire rack. Cut roll diagonally into 24 (1/2 inch) slices. Place, cut side down, on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes; turn cookies over, bake 10 more minutes. Cookies will be slightly soft in center but will harden as they cool. Remove from baking sheet; let cool completely on a wire rack. Yield: 24 biscotti, 96 calories each.
HIGH FIBER CHOCOLATE COOKIES
1 box low fat fudge brownie mix (15.1 oz)
2-1/2 cups unprocessed wheat bran
1 cup calcium and vitamin C enriched orange juice
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and drop by 2 tablespoon portions 2” apart on cookie sheet. Bake approximately 12 minutes. Cookies will be soft in the middle, but will firm up as the sit. Makes 24 cookies, 91 calories apiece; 2 g. protein, 1 g. fat, 9 mg. chol., 19 g carbs., 58 g sodium, 3 g. fiber.
FRUIT JUMBLES
1 cup oatmeal
1-½ cups flour
½ tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¾ cup sugar (brown or white depending on your taste)
1 cup mixed, chopped dried fruit (see below)
¼ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup fruit juice (orange, apple, pineapple, etc.)
3 egg whites
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a cookie sheet with non stick spray. In a large bowl mix dry ingredients, stir in fruit to separate and coat with flour (this keeps the fruit from clumping in one place). Make a well in the center and add rest of ingredients. Mix well with a spoon and drop by tablespoons full about 2 inches apart (they spread). Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden. Makes approximately 3- ½ dozen, 35 calories each. Note on fruit - try different combinations - the ones I made for class were currants, dried cranberries and chopped apricots. Other good combinations are dried apples and cherries or make a tropical bunch with pineapple, papaya and banana chips. Try to get fruit that hasn’t been processed with added sugar and chop in small pieces so it will distribute well throughout your cookies.
ANZAC BISCUITS
1 cup oatmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
½ cup shredded sweetened coconut
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ cup stick margarine, melted
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons corn syrup or molasses
cooking spray
Preheat over to 325 degrees. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl; stir well. Add margarine, water and corn syrup; stir well. Drop by level tablespoons, 2 inches apart, onto a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 325 degrees for 12 minutes or until almost set. Remove from oven; let stand 2 to 3 minutes or until firm. Remove cookies from baking sheets. Place on wire racks; let cool completely. Makes 2 dozen, 98 calories each. The molasses makes a heartier flavored cookie, but the corn syrup lets the flavor of the coconut come through more – whichever you prefer.
SOY BUTTER AND JAM COOKIES
½ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup soy butter, at room temperature
¼ cup dark or light corn syrup (I like dark – also try pure maple syrup or honey)
1 large egg (or ¼ cup egg substitute)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup granulated sugar
Cooking spray
¼ cup grape or other flavored jelly or jam
Beat first 3 ingredients at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended. Add egg; beat well. Beat in vanilla. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next four ingredients (flour through salt), stirring well with a whisk. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture; beat well. Cover, freeze 30 minutes or until firm. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Shape dough into 24 balls; roll in granulated sugar. Place 1 inch apart on baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Press thumb into center of each cookie, leaving an indentation. Spoon about ½ teaspoon jelly into center of each cookie. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool 2 minutes on pans. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks. Yield: 2 dozen, 90 calories per cookie.
LIME-CREAM CHEESE COOKIE CUPS
Dough:
½ cup sugar
¼ cup butter or stick margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
Filling:
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon grated lime rind
1 teaspoon lime juice
1 large egg
1 (8 ounce) block 1/3-less fat cream cheese
Topping:
¼ cup commercial fat-free lime curd
¼ cup sliced almonds
To prepare dough, beat ½ cup sugar and butter at medium speed of mixer until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and egg; beat well. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add flour, baking powder, and salt to sugar mixture, beat at low speed until well blended. Wrap dough in plastic wrap; freeze 15 minutes. Gently press dough into bottom and up sides of 24 miniature muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. To prepare filling: place ½ cup sugar and the next 4 ingredients (1/2 cup sugar through cream cheese) in a food processor, process until smooth, scraping sides of processor bowl occasionally. Spoon 1 tablespoon filling into each prepared muffin cup. Bake at 350 degrees for 23 minutes or until edges are brown and filling is set. Remove cups from pans immediately, cool on a wire rack. To prepare topping, spoon ½ teaspoon lime curd onto each cookie cup. Sprinkle with almonds. Yield: 2 dozen, 119 calories each.
DRIED-CRANBERRY MAZURKAS
2-1/2 cups sweetened dried cranberries (such as Craisins – about 2 bags)
2 cups orange juice
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon minced orange rind
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup quick-cooking oats
½ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup chilled stick margarine, cut into pieces
Cooking spray
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine first 4 ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer; cook over medium heat 13 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and mixture is thick. While cranberries cook, combine flour, oats, ½ cup brown sugar and margarine in food processor. Pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Reserve 1 cup flour mixture; set aside. Press remaining flour mixture in a 13 x 9 inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. When cranberries are cooked, spoon into food processor; process until smooth. Spread cranberry mixture evenly over flour mixture. Sprinkle reserved 1 cup flour mixture over cranberry mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until browned. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Yield: 36 bars; (93 calories each).
SUGAR COOKIES
1 ¾ cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine rest of ingredients, beat with an electric mixer at low speed until creamy. Add dry ingredients in 4 additions, beating on low speed and scraping down sides of bowl after each addition. (do not overbeat). Divide dough in half. Dust dough generously with flour. Roll out each piece between sheets of lightly floured was paper to an even 1/8 inch thickness. Transfer dough, still in wax paper, to a baking sheet. Chill in the freezer until firm, at least 20 minutes. Position rack in upper third of oven; preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray cookie sheet with non stick spray. Working with one piece of dough at a time, cut out cookies. Reroll and cut scraps. Place cookies 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheet. Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, for 7 to 9 minutes, or until lightly colored. Set baking sheet on wire rack and cool completely. Makes about 3 dozen cookies, 45 calories per cookie.
CORNMEAL CRESCENTS
1/3 cup currants or chopped raisins
2 tablespoons dark rum
1 tablespoon plus ¾ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
2/3 cup yellow cornmeal
2 tablespoons butter, softened
¼ cup sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 large egg white
In a small bowl, combine currants or raisins and rum. Microwave on high for 30 seconds, until warm. Let stand until plump, about 15 minutes. Drain currants and pat dry. Toss with 1 tablespoon flour. Set aside. Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350 degrees. Coat a baking sheet with non-stick spray. Sift remaining ¾ cup flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl. Stir in cornmeal. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed. Add oil, corn syrup, and egg white, beat well. On low speed, add dry ingredients in 3 additions, scraping down sides of bowl after each. Stir in reserved currants. With dampened hands, pinch off walnut-size pieces of dough; roll into balls and then into logs about 2 inches long. Place cookies 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheet, turning down the ends to form crescent shapes. Bake cookies for about 12 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool on the baking sheet on a wire rack. Makes about 3 dozen cookies, 40 calories each.
SAVORY APPETIZERS
“ANGEL-ED” EGGS
6 eggs, hard-boiled, peeled and halved
4 oz. Non-fat cream cheese, softened
½ tablespoon dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 to 2 teaspoons curry powder
1-1/2 tablespoons pickle relish
Mash one egg yolk with the cream cheese until creamy (reserve remaining egg yolks for another use). Add rest of ingredients and taste, readjust seasonings. Fill egg whites. Refrigerate at least an hour for flavors to meld. For a traditional curry garnish, sprinkle with minced salted peanuts or green onions.
ARTICHOKE SPREAD WITH MELBA TOAST
½ cup spreadable cheese with garlic and herbs
1 (14 ounce) can quartered artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 (8 ounce) can sliced water chestnuts, drained and chopped
Dash of pepper
30 melba toast rounds
Combine first 4 ingredients in a bowl, and stir well. Serve spread with melba toast. Yield: six servings (serving size: ¼ cup spread and 5 melba toast slices.) Calories 164. Dip alone is approximately 25 calories a tablespoon.
EASY EMPANADAS
1 can (11 oz.) Mexicorn
1 can (4 oz.) diced Ortega chilies
2 oz. Reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese, grated
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 can refrigerated corn meal biscuits (like Pillsbury)
cornmeal
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. For filling, mix corn, chilies, cheese and garlic powder in a bowl. Cut biscuits into quarters and roll into a ball. Roll ball out on board, lightly sprinkled with cornmeal, to a circle about the size of the original biscuit. Fill with ½ tablespoon of filling, fold over dough to enclose filling and pinch edges together. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for about 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 32 empanadas, approximately 60 calories each. Leftover filling is great in quesadillas or just heated as a side dish. Also, experiment with different fillings or add hotter chilies, I just usually make things mild for class since I don’t know all your tolerances to heat!
CHEESE STRAWS
¼ cup margarine
2-1/2 ounces reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese, grated
¾ ounce grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking powder
2 – 3 tablespoons milk
In a large bowl, with pastry blender or fingers, blend margarine and cheeses; set aside. In medium bowl, sift together all but 1 tablespoon of the flour, paprika, salt and baking powder. Add flour mixture, alternately with milk, to the margarine mixture, blending with finger until a soft dough forms. Shape into a ball, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. To roll dough, sprinkle work surface with remaining 1 tablespoon flour, and roll into a 6” x 14” rectangle, approximately 1/8 to ¼ inch thick. With a sharp knife, cut dough to make 40 strips, about ½” wide. Place strips on baking sheet sprayed with nonstick spray, about 1” apart. Gently twist strips to form spiral “straws”. Refrigerate for about 15 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake approximately 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool before removing from baking sheets. Calories: 35 per straw. Try using different kinds of cheeses and herbs. Substitute pepper jack for the cheddar cheese or try mozzarella and substitute crumbled Italian seasoning for the paprika. Cheese straws will keep for a week in an air tight container at room temperature or you can slice the dough into strips, wrap in plastic wrap, freeze and bake later.
ARTICHOKE TARTS
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon dried whole thyme
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 (4 ounce) carton thawed frozen egg substitute
¼ cup roasted red bell peppers, chopped
1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts or crowns, drained and chopped
Vegetable cooking spray
32 (3-1/4 x 3-inch) wonton wrappers
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons green onion tops, chopped
1 tablespoon margarine, melted
Combine first 4 ingredients in a bowl; stir well. Add chopped bell peppers and artichokes; stir well.
Coat 32 miniature muffin cups with cooking spray. Gently press 1 wonton wrapper into each muffin cup, allowing ends to extend above edges of cups. Spoon artichoke mixture evenly into wonton-wrapper cups; sprinkle with cheese and green onions. Brush edges of wonton wrappers with melted margarine. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until artichoke mixture is set and edges of wonton wrapper are lightly browned. Yield: 32 appetizers, 30 calories each.
CAKES
“SECRET” INGREDIENT CAKE
1-1/2 cup flour
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional - but I like it!)
1 jar (2-1/2 oz.) baby food prunes
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup cold water
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift dry ingredients into an ungreased 8 x 8-in. glass baking dish. Make a well in center, add rest of ingredients and mix thoroughly with a fork to moisten all dry ingredients.
Bake 30 - 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool completely, cut into 9 squares; 120 calories per square.
Two substitutions make this cake a low cal winner: substituting cocoa powder for unsweetened baking chocolate (1/4 the fat!) and substituting baby food prunes for oil (70 calories versus 300!). If you’ve used fat substitutes such as Lighter Baker, try baby food prunes or apricots next time - you can buy small quantities instead of a big jar that may go bad once opened and they’re less expensive!
MANGO UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE
1 tablespoon butter or stick margarine, melted
¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger
1 cup sliced peeled mango (about 1 medium)
2/3 cup granulated sugar
5 tablespoons butter or stick margarine, softened
½ cup egg substitute or 3 large egg whites
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-1/3 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup fat-free milk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat bottom of a 9-inch round cake pan with 1 tablespoon melted butter. Sprinkle with brown sugar and ginger. Arrange mango slices spokelike over the brown sugar mixture; set aside.
Beat granulated sugar and 5 tablespoons butter at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended. Add egg substitute and vanilla, beating until well-blended. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix after each addition. Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Cool in pan 5 minutes on a wire rack. Loosen cake from sides of pan. Place a plate upside down on top of cake. Invert onto plate. Garnish with additional fruit slices or non-fat whipped topping, if desired. Yield: 8 servings; 271 calories per slice.
ESPRESSO-SPICE CRUMB CAKE
1 cup boiling water
4 teaspoons instant coffee granules
3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon plus ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar, divided
¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon stick margarine, divided and softened
¾ cup molasses
½ cup egg substitute (or 3 egg whites)
Cooking spray
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine water and coffee granules; stir well. Set aside. Combine 2-3/4 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg; set aside. Beat ¾ cup brown sugar and ¼ cup margarine at medium speed of a mixer until well blended. Add molasses and egg substitute; beat well. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with coffee mixture; beginning and ending with flour mixture. Pour batter into a 11 x 7 inch cake pan coated with cooking spray. Combine ¼ cup flour, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, and ¼ teaspoon cinnamon; cut in 1 tablespoon margarine with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal; forming a streusel. Sprinkle streusel over batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 - 50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pan 10 minutes on wire rack; remove from pan. Let cool completely on wire rack. Yield: 16 servings (209 calories)
BREADS
BANANA-DATE FLAXSEED BREAD
½ cup flaxseeds
2/3 cup mashed ripe banana (about 2 medium)
½ cup sugar
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1-1/2 cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup flaxseeds
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup whole pitted dates, chopped
cooking spray
Place ½ cup flaxseeds in a blender and process until ground to measure ¾ cup flaxseed meal. Set flaxseed meal aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Beat the banana, sugar, oil, and eggs at medium speed of a mixer until well blended. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour, flaxseed meal, ¼ cup flaxseeds, baking powder, baking soda and salt, and gradually add to sugar mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in chopped dates. Spoon batter into an 8 x 4 inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake bread at 350 degrees for 55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack, and remove from pan. Cool completely on a wire rack. Yield: 16 servings, 129 calories per slice.
SPICY PUMPKIN BREAD
3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon each: ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg and ground allspice
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon ground cloves
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1-1/3 cups packed brown sugar
¾ cup fat-free milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
Cooking spray
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour through walnuts in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Combine sugar through pumpkin in a bowl, and stir well with a fork or whisk until smooth. Add to flour mixture, stirring until just moist. Spoon batter into 2 (8 x 4 inch) loaf pans coated with cooking spray. Bake for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool loaves in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pans. Cool loaves completely; cut each loaf into 12 slices. Yield: 24 slices (161 calories per slice)
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