Hot Cereal

I love hot cereal. There's nothing like a bowl of warm yumminess on a cold snowy morning. My current favorite right now is a mixture of cracked wheat and oatmeal....mmmmmm. This is low fat and high in fiber, and really good for you if you don't load it down with sugar. Oh, and did I mention cheap? You can find cracked wheat at lots of health food type stores, or order it online. My secret to not adding tons of sugar (I have a hard time with this cuz I have a sweet tooth!) is to add a bit of unsweetened applesauce and some raisins, and then it only needs a little sugar. This is my favorite way to prepare it:

1/4 C Cracked Wheat
1/4 C Old Fashioned Oats (don't use quick oats, or you might have a soggy mess)
1 1/2 C Water (or 3/4 C water, 3/4 Cup milk...this makes it a little creamier)
Pinch of Salt
1/4 C Raisins or Craisins (you could also use fresh or frozen blueberries, but I wouldn't add them until the last few minutes of cooking time)
4 tsp. Brown Sugar
1/2-1 tsp Cinnamon (depending on how much you like cinnamon)
2 Tbs. Applesauce

Add cereals, salt, and water to a small pot and simmer, stirring periodically, on low heat for 13-15 minutes, or until it reaches your desired consistency. If you are using milk instead of water, be sure not to let it get above a simmer. If you like your raisins soft and plump, add them in at the beginning. Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients. Serve with additional milk (or sugar, or honey), if desired. There are lots of possibilities, be creative and have fun with your cereal! If you split this into two servings (as written), it is about 3 weight watchers points per serving.

**If you need to have a quick breakfast during the week before work, make a double batch of this on Saturday or Sunday and put it in the fridge. Each morning, just spoon some out, add a little milk, and reheat it in the microwave. I was surprised at how good and fresh it tasted after being reheated!

Beef Fajita Soup

Okay, it's late at my house, and I'm tired. But, I just noticed that it's winter time, and I have hardly any soup recipes posted! Oops! So, here is one for you, and BONUS, it's a crock pot recipe! Yeah! This is seriously one of my favorite soups. It's just nice to have a soup that isn't chicken (even though I love chicken). Anyway, it's just different. I have adapted this from a recipe that I saw in "The Best Slowcooker Cookbook Ever" cookbook. You can leave out the onions and peppers in the beginning, and then add them in when you have about 4 hours left to go. This just makes the onions and peppers a little more firm in the end. But, it's great both ways. Make it tonight!

1 Pound Top Round Beef (or top sirloin), sliced into strips
14 ½ oz Beef Broth
2 Cups Water

1 Green Pepper, cleaned and sliced in strips
1 Onion, cut into strips
½ T Chili Powder
16 oz Tomato Sauce
3 Cloves Garlic, minced

½ tsp black pepper

2 tsp Cumin

15 oz Pinto beans, drained and rinsed

2 (15 oz) cans Black Beans, drained and rinsed

In a 3 ½-4 quart electric slow cooker, combine the beef, broth, water, vegetables, tomato sauce, pinto beans, cumin, pepper, and garlic. Cover and cook on low 8 hours, or until beef is tender. Stir in the black beans and heat, covered, for 10-30 minutes longer. Serve topped with sour cream, avocado, cheese, and corn tortillas or tortilla chips. (Weight Watcher's points: makes 6 servings, which is about 4 ladle scoops per serving and is 5.6 pts each without toppings)

Harvest Pumpkin Dip

I am WAY into Fall right now, and Fall to me equals...pumpkin! I got this recipe from my husband's cousin Jessica. It is so yummy and great with apples and pears. I have used light cream cheese in this, and it works just fine. Make sure that your cream cheese is at room temperature.

1 8-oz. package cream cheese, at room temperature

2 cups confectioners’ sugar

1 can (15 oz.) solid-pack pumpkin

3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon ground ginger

Apple and pear slices

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Gradually add the pumpkin, pie spice, vanilla and ginger; beat until smooth. Serve with fruit. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 3 ½ cups. (if you use light cream cheese, there are 2.5 Weight Watchers pts per ¼ cup)

Baked Eggplant Parmesan

Okay, this is for all of you who are scared of this yummy purple veggie. I decided to take pictures as I went along so that you can see that this is easy and NOT scary. Eggplant is kind-of like Zucchini in that it takes on the flavor of whatever you cook it with. Eggplant Parmesan is usually fried, but this version is baked and very healthy. I got the original recipe out of a Weight Watcher's cookbook, and the tailored it to my tastes (and made it a bit easier by using prepared sauce and bread crumbs). My husband is a meat kind of guy, but he loves this dish. So, now that you're out of excuses...go ahead and try it!

Ingredients:

1 medium-large Eggplant

2 large Eggs

2 Tablespoons Fat Free Milk

1 Cup Italian-seasoned Bread Crumbs

1 Cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

3 T grated Parmesan Cheese

Prepared Marinara Sauce

When shopping for an eggplant, make sure that your eggplant is firm, not squishy. The skin should be purple and smooth. You should plan on using your eggplant within 1-2 days of when it is purchased. Store it in the refrigerator in a paper sack. When you're ready to prepare the Eggplant Parmesan, wash your eggplant, chop off the stem end, and slice the eggplant into 1/4-1/2 inch slices. The thinner you cut them, the faster they will cook. Preheat oven to 375 and spray 2 baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray.

Lightly beat together the eggs and milk in a shallow bowl. Place bread crumbs in another bowl. Dip the eggplant in the egg mixture, then in the bread crumbs, and arrange in one layer on the baking sheets.

Lightly spray the top of the eggplant with non-stick spray. Bake until the eggplant is softened, and lightly brown, about 25 minutes.

While the eggplant is baking, spray a 9x13 pan with non-stick cooking spray, then cover the bottom with sauce. Grate your cheeses.

Remove the browned, softened eggplant from the oven and carefully layer your eggplant and sauce. The eggplant will soak up some of the sauce, so make sure you pile on the sauce! You should use the whole jar.

Sprinkle with cheeses and bake uncovered until hot and bubbling, and the cheese is golden, about 20 minutes.

Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with salad or a side of pasta with sauce. Makes 6 servings, 5 Weight Watchers points per serving.

Low Fat Zucchini Cookies

Honestly Folks, I'm not one to sacrifice taste when it comes to dessert. I do not make low fat cookies or cakes or whatever. I got this recipe from the munch n' crunch blog (see side for link) and decided to try them while I had all of my shredded zucchini out. Look at those yummy chocolate chips and pretty green flecks! They are actually really good. I wouldn't have guessed that they were low fat if I didn't make them myself. They're more of a cake-like consistency, but the oatmeal also gives them some chewiness. So, go ahead...try them...and don't feel guilty if you eat six or seven! (At least that is what I told myself as I was sampling every batch that I got out of the oven.) My first batch was a little dry (just a little tiny bit, don't panic) so I put the next one in for one minute less...and wallah...perfection! Mine took 9 minutes. I used whole wheat pastry flour, which is light and fluffy and perfect for baked goods. You can get it at any type of natural foods store like the Good Earth or the new Sunflower Market that just opened near me. (I am in love with that store!) I thought that 1/2 tsp. of cloves was a bit much, so next time I'll use 1/4 tsp of cloves, and 1/4 tsp of nutmeg, but that's just my preference. I also added 1/2 tsp of vanilla. Make them. Now...before Zucchini is no longer in season!!


1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup applesauce
1 egg
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp cinnamon
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup oatmeal
1 cup grated zucchini (fine grate)
1 cup chocolate chips
* Optional Items: Protein powder, wheat germ, craisins, etc.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Cream together sugar, butter, applesauce and egg with a mixer on low speed until light and fluffy. Gradually add dry ingredients, alternating with grated zucchini. Once all ingredients are well combined, fold in chocolate chips. Drop by tablespoon full onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 9-12 minutes or until cookies are barely starting to turn brown around the edges. Let cookies stand for 1-2 minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring them to a wire rack for cooling. Makes 3 dozen cookies.

***NOTE: I put them all in a tupperware, and the next day, they looked a little different, but don't be alarmed. They are still pretty tasty for a low fat cookie.

Nutrition Facts: per 1 cookie Calories: 86 Fat: 3 grams(2 grams saturated, 1 mono-unsaturated)Carbs: 14 grams Fiber: 1 gram Protein: 1 gram (My batch made 40 cookies, so that's about 1 1/2 points on Weight Watchers)

All Bran Muffins

I got done making the banana chocolate chip cookies, and decided to test this recipe that I found on the Munch n' Crunch blog. I was very skeptical because I don't really like low-fat muffins, but I thought that they turned out yummy. They are a bit chewy, as low-fat muffins often are, but the flavor was great. My kids each ate a whole one! The best thing was...the nutritional information shows that they are about 1 1/2 Weight Watcher's points ! (on the old plan) If you like bran muffins, definitely try these! Next time, I'm going to add some small pieces of chopped up apple and a bit more cinnamon just for fun.

1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour (I used Whole Wheat Pastry Flour)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 TBS baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups of All Bran Cereal (boxed, ready to eat)
1 1/4 cups skim milk
2 egg whites
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Stir together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl combine All Bran cereal and milk. Let it stand about 2 min or until cereal softens. Add egg whites and applesauce. Beat well. Add flour mixture stirring only until combined. Divide evenly into 12 2 1/2 inch muffin pan cups coated with cooing spray. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 min or until golden brown. Serve warm. Makes 12 muffins
Nutrition info: 124 calories, 1 gram of fat, 29 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of fiber, 4 grams of protein. (1 ½ WW points per muffin)
**This is a great recipe to double and freeze. These muffins are great quick breakfast to pull from the freezer and heat up in the microwave.