Sugar Cookies
½ c. butter
½ c. margarine
½ c. sugar
½ c. powdered sugar
1 egg
1 ½ tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. lemon zest (optional)
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. cream of tartar
2 ½ c. flour

Cream together first four ingredients.  Add egg, vanilla and lemon zest (optional).  Beat well.  Add remaining dry ingredients and mix well.  Divide dough, flatten on plastic wrap, wrap, and chill for 3 hours.  The chilled, flattened dough will make for easier rolling.  Roll out dough, cut, and bake at 375⁰ for 8 to 10 minutes or until cookies are light yellow around the edges.  Makes 2 to 2 ½ dozen.

7 full gram crackers, crumbed (1 cup)
10 lemon wafer cookies, crumbed (1/2 cup)
3 T lemon yogert

Oil bottom of 9X9 pan
Bake @ 400 degrees, 5 min

Cool crust

8 oz whip cream
(used 8 last time; 7 oz frozen lemonaid concentrate, thawed)
remainder of yogurt

crumble extra crust ontop

Salt
1 small head or bundle broccoli, trimmed into florets
1 small head cauliflower or half a large head, trimmed and cut into florets
1 cup penne or other short-cut pasta
1/3 cup sour cream or reduced fat sour cream
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/3 cup chives, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and grated or crushed into paste
A few drops of hot sauce
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese, divided

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium heat. Salt the water and add the broccoli and cauliflower florets. Boil the vegetables for 5 minutes, then remove them with a spider or a strainer and drain. Add the pasta to the water and undercook by about 2 minutes, then drain.

Meanwhile, combine the sour cream in a large bowl along with the mustard, chives, garlic, hot sauce and salt and pepper, to taste. Add the pasta and cauliflower and two-thirds of the cheese. Stir to combine, then transfer to a casserole or baking dish and cover with the remaining cheese. Cool and chill for a make-ahead meal.
To heat and eat, place the casserole on baking sheet and bake it in the middle of a pre-heated 400°F oven until deeply golden and bubbly, about 40-45 minutes.

1 pork tenderloin, trimmed (1 lb)
2 sprigs rosemary
2 slices turkey bacon
salt & pepper

Pre-heat oven to 400ºF.

Cut a slit lengthwise down the middle of the tenderloin to butterfly and open up. Season the insides with salt, pepper and rosemary, then close them up, tucking skinny ends underneath.

Season the outside of the meat with salt and pepper. Lay overlapping slices of turkey bacon over the tenderloin like shingles, until the entire tenderloin is covered. Place the tenderloins on oven safe pan and roast, about 25-30 minutes.

When the pork is done, transfer to a cutting board to rest for about 5 minutes.

I use all organic full-fat ingredients in this recipe, but there are ways to make the calories/fat less if you would like:  Use reduced fat graham crackers, light cream cheese & fat free cool whip.  You can also skip the homemade crust and opt for a premade graham cracker crust.

Crust
3 oz graham crackers, about 5 1/2 sheets  
1 Tbsp packed brown sugar  
2 Tbsp butter, melted

Filling
7 oz Cream Cheese
1/2 cup pureed pumpkin (I use canned)
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
8 oz whip cream, thawed (Cool Whip if you like)

Position rack in middle of oven. Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Place graham crackers and brown sugar in a food processor; process into crumbs (or smash into crumbs in a sealed plastic food bag with a rolling pin). Spoon crumbs into a small bowl; add melted butter and combine with fingers into a coarse meal. Distribute crumbs evenly on bottom and up sides of an ungreased 9-inch pie plate. Chill for 30 minutes before baking. Bake until crust starts to turn golden, about 8 to 10 minutes; remove from oven and let cool.

In a large bowl using an electric mixer, whip cream cheese, pumpkin, vanilla, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and brown sugar for a few minutes until fluffy. Add all but about a cup of the whip cream and whip until smooth. Spoon mixture into pie crust and top with remaining whip cream. Chill for a few hours, until firm.

Wish you had something a little more clever than sweet potatoes with marshmallows (have we grown past this yet?) for your Thanksgiving side dish?  This is so sweet it can also substitute for dessert!  It's not low calorie, but it is a favorite splurge of mine.  You can thank my mother-in-law Annie for this traditional, most asked for, fantastic crowd pleaser. 

Casserole
3 Cups mashed sweet potatoes (2 1/2 pound can - drained)
2 eggs
1/2 Cup milk
1/3 Cup white sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 Cup margarine or butter

Melt margarine; beat eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, and combine with margarine.  Add sweet potatoes and mix thoroughly.  Bake in casserole dish for 25-30 minutes @ 350 degrees.

Topping
3/4 Cup brown sugar
1/3 Cup margarine or butter
1/3 Cup flour
1 Cup chopped pecans

Mix sugar, margarine and flour together with pastry cutter or in food processor until pieces are pea-size; mix in pecans then spread mix over entire casserole and continue baking an additional 25 minutes or until top is browned and bubbly.



*If you double this recipe, be sure to add additional baking time.  A 9x13 size baking dish will take approximately 15 to 20 minutes extra before adding topping and an additional 10 to 15 minutes extra after topping.

These are a bit of a project, but they taste so good and at 50 calories (give or take) a pop the work is well worth it!  I started with Curtis Stone's Biggest Loser Cupcake Recipe but I really didn't like them (sorry Curtis).  I just thought they were more of a muffin than a cupcake, so I switched it up and made muffins instead.  Thank you for the inspiration Curtis!

Feel free to substitute different nuts or filling to your favorites.  Better than an almost 500 calorie muffin from my favorite coffee house, even if I have 4 of these I still won't be close to 500!

Muffin Batter
5 egg whites
dash of salt
3 Tbsp Maple Syrup (or honey or agave)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 container (150 g) nonfat Greek yogurt

Dry Ingredients
1/2 C whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 Tbsp brown sugar, packed

Filling
Fresh Blueberries OR
Fresh Bananas OR
2 Tbsp raisins (chopped)

Topping
1 Tbsp oatmeal
2 Tbsp almonds, chopped
1 Tbsp brown sugar, packed

Other
Olive Oil Spray (to line muffin cups, I use 1 spray per cup)


Preheat the oven to 325F.

In medium mixing bowl, combine flour with other dry ingredients and combine until mixed well.  Set aside.
Combine ingredients for topping, set aside.
Prepare muffin filling (wash/chop depending on filling type).  I like about 3 blueberries or 3 slices of banana per muffin.

Place the egg whites in a large bowl and using a handheld mixer whip the whites on medium-high speed for 3 to 4 minutes or until the whites begin to lighten up and hold their shape.
Increase speed to high and whip in the salt and agave until the whites hold a soft peak, then add the vanilla extract.
Fold in the yogurt.

Add dry ingredients to egg whites a little at a time, gently folding them in with a rubber spatula.
Once fully incorporated, scoop the batter (about 1/4 cup) into muffin tins lined with 2 1/2 inch cupcake/muffin papers.  You might want to give each paper a spray of non-stick cooking spray as they tend to stick.  Of course you can also just use a greased muffin tin as well, but count your oil or butter.
Once the batter is in individual muffin tins, add filling to each individual muffin.
Sprinkle each muffin with topping mix

Bake the muffins for approximately 15 minutes or until they have colored and gently spring back when pushed with a finger.
Makes 18 muffins

This is a classic Weight Watchers recipe that is great for those fall pumpkin cravings.  I made about 100 cookies, each about 20-25 calories a piece.  WW calls them pumpkin "cookies", but they aren't cookies - they are like little mini cupcakes.  But they look a bit like little poops.  :-)

1 package Duncan Hines Moist Spice Cake Mix
1 15oz. can Pumpkin

The best part??  No dairy....so you can take some with you to Starbucks to enjoy with your latte without the worry of spoil.  Take THAT 490 calorie Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix ingredients together & drop rounded spoonfuls (small, about a teaspoon a piece) onto greased cookie sheet.  Bake 5-7 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.  Remove to cool.  I like them cold, kept in the fridge.  But warm is nice too.  For a little extra top with pumpkin butter or cream cheese (but the cream cheese frosting will spoil eventually, fyi) frosting if you wish!

1/2 lb. peeled deveined shrimp
1 lime, zest & juice
1 tsp. hot sesame oil
1 tsp. hot red pepper flakes
5 pieces applewood smoked turkey bacon
2 scallions, chopped
salt & pepper
avocado

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Place shrimp shallow dish or bowl. Dress shrimp with half the lime juice and lime zest, sesame oil, hot pepper flakes and salt & pepper. Wrap each shrimp with a 1/3 slice of bacon. Wrap each shrimp working from head to tail, pulling bacon snuggly around the shrimp. Wrap the bacon around the outside of each scallop. Fasten bacon in place as necessary with picks.

Arrange the shrimp on a baking pan. Bake shrimp about 10 to 14 minutes, until shrimp is pink and curled and bacon is crisp.  Toss with mixed greens or spinach and scallions.  Garnish with the remaining lime juice and avocado.

Makes 2!

1 navel orange
1/8 of a red onion, sliced
mixed greens
1/2 cup black beans & chicken
OR 1 cup garbanzo beans
Salt & Pepper to taste

Grill chicken.  Peel & dice 3/4 of the orange and toss into mixed greens.  Add juice of 1/4 of the naval orange, red onion, beans and chicken.  Mix and salt & pepper to taste.

1 spicy pork tenderloin
1 shallot, sliced and grilled
half a bunch of asparagus
(1/2 the lemon, 1/2 the asparagus - cook 1/2 the time)
spinach & baby greens
juice of half a lemon
salt & pepper to taste

Bake spicy pork tenderloin according to recipe.  Cook asapragus to recipe but only half the time to keep it crispy.  Slice and grill shallot until soft.  Combine spinach & baby greens wtih chopped asaragus, sliced pork tenderloin and shallot.  Top with juice from half a lemon and salt & pepper to taste.

Serves 2

5 slices applewood smoked bacon
3/4 lb fresh shrimp
1 lime, juice & zest
1/2 tsp chipotle pepper powder
2 scallions, chopped
1/4 avocado (optional)
Spinach & baby greens
Salt & Pepper to taste

Break bacon into small pieces and start cooking in large frying pan.  While bacon is cooking, mix shrimp with zest & juice from half of the lime.  Add chipotle pepper powder to shrimp mix making sure all shrimp is covered with powder.  When bacon is about 5 minutes from done, add shrimp mix and cook until shrimp is opaque.

Chop scallions, spinach & baby greens and mix into a bowl.  Add zest from the other half of the lime, avocado (optional) and top with spinach & bacon mixture.  Mix with the remaining lime juice and salt & pepper to taste!

Serves 2

2 small onions, chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp chili powder, to your taste
1 bay leaf
1/2 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp dried oregano
2 tsp red pepper flakes (to taste)
2 lbs lean ground turkey
2  16 oz cans of cannellini beans (low sodium), rinsed and drained
1 cup fat free (low sodium) chicken broth
1/2 tsp pepper to taste
1/2 tsp salt to taste (if you didn't use low sodium ingredients, I wouldn't add salt.  Maybe just at the end if you think it needs it.)
1/2 cup of fat free sour cream (or just add a little to your individual servings)

So here's the thing...just put everything (minus the sour cream) in the crock pot.  Place the ground turkey on top of the beans and other ingredients to prevent overcooking.   Break-up the ground turkey a bit if you wish, or just do it at the end.  Whatever.  Remember the sour cream at the end, it really adds to the flavor but you don't need much.  Cook on high 4 hours or low 8 hours.

What you will need:
24 oz (1 1/2) lbs chicken breast
14 oz can diced tomatoes
4 oz can mild green chilies (or diced jalapenos if you like it a bit more spicy)
15 oz can black beans, drained
8 oz frozen corn
1 onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
14 oz can fat free chicken broth
3 scallions, chopped
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste)
1 tsp pepper
salt to taste

Combine chicken broth, beans, corn, onion, tomatoes, cilantro, scallions, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne pepper and pepper in the crock pot.  Lay chicken breasts on top. Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 5 hours. Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Add salt and adjust seasoning to taste.

Serve over rice, or use as a filler for tacos.  Also good served over lettuce as a taco salad.  Top with scallions or jalapeno if you like it spicy.  :)  Add sour cream or cheese if you've got the calories to spare!  I mixed with eggs in the morning and made a great breakfast burrito.


This recipe is a variation from Gina's WW Recipes.  Pretty good site if you are counting points!

What you will need
Chicken breasts
Your favorite bread, toasted
Avocado
Fresh tomato
Juice of 1 lemon
Pepper
1 jalapeno
2 garlic cloves
4 cups spinach
3 green onions
red pepper flakes


Chicken
2 Chicken Breasts
1 jalapeno, seeded & minced
1 clove garlic, minced
Pepper
Juice of 1 Lemon (save 1 Tbsp for later)

Combine lemon juice, jalapeno, & garlic.  Marinate chicken breasts in mixture for 20 minutes or so.   Sprinkle each chicken breast generously with pepper, then grill.

Spinach
4 cups fresh spinach
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
3 green onions, chopped
1 Tbsp Lemon juice

Steam spinach in large pan.  After spinach has cooked down, mix in garlic, onions & red pepper flakes.  Spritz with lemon juice before serving.

Start sandwich with you favorite toasted bread.  Spread bread with avocado, top with spinach mixture, then chicken breast and finally a slice of fresh tomato.  Serve with Baked Juan Poblano Poppers and dip!

Filet of Mahi Mahi or your favorite mild white fish
2/3 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
Pinch of cumin, coriander, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper and salt & pepper (say 1/8 tsp to ¼ tsp of each depending on taste preference?)

In a small pan, toast pumpkin seeds until lightly browned.  Chop pumpkin seeds in mini chopper until fine, then combine seeds with above seasonings.  Lightly coat fish in olive oil then generously crust in pumpkin seed mixture.  Grill fish on stove or outdoor grill.

Pesto:
1/2 cup (packed) baby spinach
1/4 cup large bunch of cilantro--leaves only, (about 3 tbsp)
Juice of 1 – 2 small limes
2 tsp of olive oil (+ additional oil, lime juice or water to thin pesto if needed)
Salt and pepper to taste if needed

Place all ingredients except salt & pepper in food processor and purée until fairly smooth. Add additional olive oil, lime juice, or water if needed to thin pesto to desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with multi-grain rice and/or black beans.  Make tacos with leftovers!


To Salt or Not to Salt?  I don’t include any salt in this recipe, so you might not need to either.  I’m always trying to find ways to cut out sodium.  And if you are watching calories, go easy on the olive oil!  Fish is best, but I bet this is pretty good with chicken too.

2 large poblano peppers
(can also make with jalapenos, but I like the poblanos better)
1 cup flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons mustard, whatever variety you like
1 cup breadcrumbs
1/3 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
Salt & freshly ground black pepper

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.  Seed peppers and slice into small strips, about the size of french fries.  Set up three plates on the counter.  In one, spread all but 2 tablespoons of the flour, in the second, beat the eggs with the mustard and the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour and in the third, combine the breadcrumbs, cheese and salt & pepper.

Coat the peppers int he flour, then in the egg mixture and finally in the breadcrumb mixture, pressing to make sure the coating sticks.  Place peppers onto a baking stone (I use Pampered Chef) and bake until crispy, about 18 minutes.  If you don't have a baking stone, bake peppers on a cookie sheet but turn peppers halfway through.

Serve with your favorite Ranch, Buttermilk, Blue Cheese, or Sour Cream dip.  I mash half an avocado and mix it with some ranch.  Seriously yum.

Thanks to Rachel Ray for the inspiration!  And thanks to AnnaJane for the name inspiration!

1 cup water

Slice tenderloins, serve with cooked asparagus and brown rice.

Lightly oil pan & bake asparagus covered with lemon slices @ 400°F aprox. 20 min

3/4 cup instant minced onion

12 oz skirt steak

2 cups Quinoa garden pagodas or bow tie pasta

Carnitas		Mexican Red Rice
3 lbs boneless pork loin, cut into 1-inch pieces*		1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
3 large garlic cloves, minced		1 Tablespoon dried minced onion
1–2 jalapeños, minced		2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 tsp cumin		2 cups long-grain white rice
1 tsp sea salt		2 cups tomato juice
1/2 tsp pepper		2 cups water
1/2 cup fresh orange juice		2 Serrano chilies
1/4 cup fresh lime juice		2 bay leaves
1 cup chicken stock		1 teaspoon sea salt
Preheat oven to 325°F.		Pre-heat oven to 375
Toss the pork with the garlic, jalapeños, cumin, salt and pepper. In a large saucepan, cook pork, stirring frequently, until lightly browned on all sides, about 10 minutes.		Heat medium-size, oven safe saucepan over medium heat.  Add butter and onion and cook until butter is melted.   Add tomato paste and cook 1 minute more.  Add rice and sauté until the grains begin to lightly color.
Transfer to roasting pan and add orange juice, lime juice and chicken stock. Cover tightly (you don't want to lose the steam from a loose fitting lid) and place in oven for 2 to 21/2 hours, until meat is very tender. If juices cook out, add more chicken stock.		Add tomato juice, water, Serrano chiles, bay leaves and salt.  Bring to a simmer.  Cover dish and transfer to oven.  Bake 20 minutes.  Remove pan from oven and let stand for 5 minutes, remove bay leaves and chiles, fluff with fork, taste to adjust seasonings.  Serve warm.
Allow pork to cool and absorb the remaining juices. Shred meat with a fork.
*  (you should trim all of the fat off the meat, get the leanest cut from your butcher.  You can also make this with chicken breast…it will be a little dry but still good).

Serve with refried beans and/or salad!

1 pound ground turkey breast

• 1 head of romaine lettuce, chopped
• bok choy (2 baby or 1 regular), chopped
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 1 seeded jalapeño or 2 seeded serrano peppers, chopped (optional)
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
  

If you are making some for today, and some to save for tomorrow, keep the greens separate from the rest of the ingredients to keep the salad from becoming soggy.

1 pound chicken breasts

6 egg yolks (you will need the whites too - but later)

1 cup shortening

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 teaspoons canola oil
1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 serrano chile, finely chopped
fresh chopped cilantro

Half pound ground pork