Tag: Recipe

Recipes

Mini Chocolate Cheesecakes Bites (134 calories each)

Nicole

I have been on a quest to make a dessert that I can freeze for dessert emergencies that are decedent, but are as low in calories as I can possibly get them. The requirement was it had to have cream cheese or Neufchatel in it because right now cream cheese and Neufchatel bricks are in sale at my grocery store for .50 each. That’s such a sweet deal that I celebrated by making mini personal sized cheesecakes.

Like I said before I wanted to get the calorie count down as low as possible because I am watching my calories like a hawk watches mice. Instead of using cream cheese I chose to use Neufchatel because that would automatically cut the calories down by 720 calories right off the top. That’s a huge savings!

I took a recipe for cheesecake that I already loved and then turned it into mini cheesecakes that would allow me to better control the calories. By controlling the calories, and the size, I can better control me!

Ingredients:

  • 3 Packages of Neufchatel, softened
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 1 (8 ounce) container of dairy sour cream
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup Toll House cocoa powder
  • 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 3 eggs
  • 28 Oreo cookies halves (14 cookies total) (removing the cream center)
  • 28 cupcake tins/liners

Directions:

  1. Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees
  2. Beat cream cheese and sugar until blended.
  3. Add sour cream and vanilla and beat until blended
  4. Beat in cocoa and flour
  5. Add eggs, one at a time, but beat just until well blended
  6. Remove Oreo filling with a butter knife and add one half of an Oreo to each cupcake tin you should have a total of 28 cupcake tins.
  7. Fill each tin with one large spoon full of cheesecake filling until you have filled all 28 then go back and top off each tin with any extra filling.
  8. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 3000 degrees be sure to watch them carefully.
  9. Remove from oven to wire rack
  10. Refrigerate 4 to 6 hours
  11. Store covered in refrigerator or in the freezer. They freeze nicely

Number of Servings: 28
Nutritional Information:
  • 134 calories per serving
  • 12 carbs 
  • 7 grams of fat 
  • 3 protein
  • 11 sugar
*Nutritional information found on http://www.myfitnesspal.com this information will vary based on the products you use.*

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Recipes

Dressed Up Canned Black Eyed Pea’s

Nicole

I did a lot of growing on up a ranch outside of Houston. Many of my favorite memories from the ranch revolve around the dinner table. We always had fresh vegetables on the table that my Dad grew. He always grew a lot of peas. We would have black-eyed peas, purple hulls, and field peas. To this day I love peas just as much as I did when I was a kid.

Today I don’t have the luxury of home grown and I don’t always have time to go to the farmers market so the next best thing is getting my peas out of a can. I must admit they are not anywhere near as good as homegrown, but you have to take what you can get. When I make pea’s  I always have to “dress them up” to make them feel more like home and more like the comfort food I love. Here is my way of dressing up a can of black eyed peas.

Ingredients:
  • 1 can of black eyed peas (I prefer Bush’s)
  • 1 tbsp. of bacon drippings
  • ¼ diced onion
  • ¼ tsp. onion powder
  • ¼ tsp. garlic powder

Directions:
  1. In a sauce pan add bacon drippings and onion sauté until onion is tender.
  2. While your onion is sautéing open the can of black eyed peas (do not drain) and remove ½ the peas and smash them on a plate using a fork. They should look like a thick paste when you are done. Once your onion is tender add the smashed peas along with the remainder of the peas in the can.
  3. To the peas add onion powder, and garlic powder.
  4. Cook for about 10 minutes just long enough to give the spices enough time to mingle with one another and enough time to heat your peas all the way through.

Number of Servings: 4

Nutritional Information:
  • 81 calories per serving
  • 15 carbs 
  • 1 grams of fat 
  • 5 protein
  • 0 sugar
*Nutritional information found on www.myfitnesspal.com this information will vary based on the products you use.*



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Recipes

Cheesy Ham Cakes (88 Calories each)

Nicole

I have been trying to find alternatives to using bread for lunches and snacks. My go to has been to substitute rice cakes in place of bread. 2 rice cakes are 80 calories verses 120 calories for two slices of bread. I love rice cakes so that isn’t a big compromise for me. I also love ham and cheese sandwiches. 

Cheese can be killer in the calorie department so that’s rarely on my menu. In place of sliced cheese I have been using Laughing Cow cheese. My new favorite is the light Laughing Cow Swiss it’s not only low in calories but it’s delicious, generous and super creamy. This isn’t just a lunch go to for me, but it makes an excellent satisfying snack.

Ingredients:
  • 2 lightly salted rice cakes
  • 2 slices of ham per cake (I use Land O’ Frost Brown Sugar Ham)
  • 1 Laughing Cow Swiss

Directions:

  1. Spread half of the cheese on each rice cake, then top with ham. It’s great to even stick it in the toaster oven for a few minutes. Yummy!

Number of Servings: 2 cakes

    Nutritional Information:

    • 88 calories per serving
    • 10 carbs 
    • 2 grams of fat 
    • 6 protein
    • 2 sugar
    *Nutritional information found on http://www.myfitnesspal.com this information will vary based on the products you use.*

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    Recipes

    Zesty Guacamole ‪#iloveavocados

    Nicole

    The folks at Avocados From Mexico have just launched a new recipes section on their site “Recipes From Avocado Lovers” to give foodies who love avocados, the opportunity to upload their favorite avocado recipes, download ring tones, wallpapers and other fun items to show their avocado love and discover other fan favorite avocado recipes.

    Do you love avocados? Then you will love the new Avocados From Mexico recipe website “Recipes From Avocado Lovers”, where you can submit your favorite avocado recipes and share you avocado love with other foodies like you.

    I love avocados and I am always looking for new recipes that include avocadoes to incorporate into our weekly menu. I love my avocadoes turned into guacamole. Guacamole is tops on my list of favorite snacks. I would choose guacamole over ice cream that’s how much I love it. Avocados from Mexico’s Website “ Recipes from Avocado Lovers” is a great source of avocado recipes. You can find just about any use for Avocados  on this site. Not only are Avocados  delicious they are very good for you! 

    Ingredients:
    • 2 avocados from mexico
    • 1 lime, juiced
    • 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
    • 1 medium onion, chopped fine
    • 1/4 teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
    • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
    Directions:
    1. Halve avocados; remove fruit by running spoon next to skin; discard seed or save for other uses.
    2. Place avocado in bowl and mash with fork; immediately mix in lime juice, incorporating well.
    3. Mix in remaining ingredients; serve immediately.



    *As required by the Federal Trade Commission: This sponsorship is brought to you by Avocados From Mexico who we have partnered with for this promotion.” *


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    Recipes

    Mexican Chicken and Rice Casserole (239 Calories Per Serving)

    Nicole

    This recipe is excellent! I enjoyed it so much! Not only is the 239 calories per cup but its very filling. It tends to be very spicy, but an easy fix for that is to use mild Rotel instead of the hot or original. We ended up having it two different nights and two different ways. One night we ate it as a casserole, another night on flour tortillas with cheese and tomatoes, and I would like to use it a three time by rolling it in corn tortillas topping it was an enchilada sauce and cheese. I know that’s going to be excellent! It’s a very versatile recipe that goes a long way.  

    The original recipe is made a lot different than the way I made it, but I must stress that if you make it like the original recipe is made use instant rice or the rice doesn’t cook all the way through. That was a complaint that a lot of people had. By using the instant rice you won’t have that problem. Below is my version of the recipe using left over rotisserie chicken.


    Ingredients:

    • 1 can fat free cream mushroom soup
    • 1 can fat free cream chicken soup
    • 1 can water
    • 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
    • 1 can Rotel diced tomatoes with chilies
    • 1 1/2 cups brown instant rice (uncooked)
    • 12 ounces of deboned rotisserie chicken
    • 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
    • 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
    • 1 tbsp. chili powder
    • 1 tsp. garlic powder
    • 1 tsp. Oregano
    • 1 tsp. Cumin
    • 1 tsp. Paprika
    • 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
    • 1/2 tsp. of pepper
    Directions:
    1. Preheat oven to 350
    2. Spray with cooking spray a 13×9 in glass casserole dish
    3. In a medium size bowl whisk together soups, water and spices, Rotel, black beans chicken and rice then pour into the baking dish
    4. Cover with foil; bake 350 degrees 1 hour and 40 min.
    5. Remove foil, Sprinkled the top with cheese

    Original Recipe Source


    Number of Servings: 8

    Nutritional Information:
    • 239 calories per serving
    • 31 carbs 
    • 7 grams of fat 
    • 17 protein
    • 2 sugar

    *Nutritional information found on http://www.myfitnesspal.com this information will vary based on the products you use.*



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