This is a very dense cake – almost more like a brownie consistency. But no matter the consistency – it’s CHOCOLATE ! Served with a nice spritz of whipped cream, it hit the spot.
Mocha Bundt
16 servings
250 calories per serving
3 1/2 c cake flour
2/3 c cocoa powder
3 T dry milk powder
1 3/4 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
7 T margarine, softened
3/4 c Splenda
1/3 c Splenda brown sugar blend
3 large eggs
2 large egg whites
1 1/2 c low fat buttermilk
3/4 c strong brewed coffee
Pam
Whipped Cream for garnish
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Spray a bundt pan with Pam. Sift flour, cocoa, milk, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. In another bowl beat margarine and both sugars until mixed and then beat in eggs and egg whites one at a time beating 1 minute after each egg. Combine buttermilk and coffee in a cup. Beat 1/3 if the flour mix into the margarine mix on low speed and then beat in half of the coffee mix and continue beating until the liquid is absorbed. Repeat and then pour batter into pan and smooth the top. Bake 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes and then on a wire rack until completely cool. Serve with whipped cream.
Quick and simple to do, yet a really flavorful way to serve chicken. Serve with a salad and a small baked potato for a great meal.
Parmesan Chicken
4 servings
206 calories per serving
1/2 c grated parmesan cheese
1/2 t garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
4 b/s breasts – Perdue Perfect Portion 5 oz each (150 calories each)
Mix cheese, garlic, salt and pepper. Moisten chicken with water and place in baking dish. Sprinkle cheese mix evenly across chicken. Broil 6-8 minutes. Let sit a few minutes before serving.
French toast with a peanut butter and jam filling – yummy ! You only get ½ of the sandwich for 236 calories, but this is a filling, sweet, satisfying dish and even at half a sandwich, you and your taste buds will be happy 🙂
Elvis' French Toast
6 servings
236 calories per serving
¼ c preserves
6 slices whole wheat bread
¼ c creamy peanut butter
½ c Egg Beaters
¼ c skim milk
Pam
1 large banana, sliced
1 T honey
1 T orange juice
1 T dry roasted peanuts, chopped
Spread preserves over 3 bread slices and peanut butter over the other 3 slices and make sandwiches. Cut the sandwiches diagonally and dip in a mix of milk and eggs. Spray skillet with Pam and on medium high heat cook the sandwiches 2 minutes or so per side. Combine banana slices, honey, juice and peanuts. Plate sandwiches and top with the banana mixture.
The chicken pot pie lover in the house called this one a keeper 🙂 Using a predone crust makes this so very easy to do and the cream cheese mixed in with the gravy makes for a very tasty meal.
Chicken Pot Pie
6 servings
330 calories per serving
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
¼ c Kraft light zesty Italian dressing
1 oz. low fat cream cheese, cubed
2 T flour
½ c chicken broth
10 oz. mixed frozen vegetables, thawed
1 refrigerated pie crust
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and in a skillet cook the chicken and dressing 2 minutes. Add cream cheese and cook and stir until melted. Add flour and mix well then add broth and vegetables and simmer 5 minutes. Pour the mixture into a deep dish pie plate and place a 10 inch pie crust on top. Flute the edges and cut 4 slits in the crust for venting. Bake 30 minutes or until golden brown.
These are VERY easy to prepare and yet have a very elegant presentation. They were quite sweet and really satisfied my sugar craving !
Linzer Bars
16 servings
105 calories per serving
½ roll refrigerated sugar cookies
½ c seedless raspberry preserves
1 t cornstarch
¼ c sliced almonds
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Break up cookie dough and press it evenly into the bottom of an ungreased 8 inch square pan. Bake 15 minutes or until edges are golden. In a saucepan combine preserves and cornstarch and cook over medium heat just until it comes to a boil, stirring constantly. Pour preserves over crust and spread to within ¼ inch of the edge and then sprinkle with almonds. Bake another 10 minutes then cool 1 hour before cutting into bars.
The sauce on this actually makes the beef taste and feel ‘light’. We had our doubts about serving citrus with beef, but the tangy and citrusy flavor combines well with the beef and this is definitely a recipe I will do again ! Serve with a great big salad for a great meal.
Cuban Beef
4 servings
360 calories per serving
10 oz. filet mignon
Salt and pepper to taste
1 c fresh orange juice
2 T lime juice
½ c black beans
1/4 c Steamed brown rice
Heat skillet to med high. Put in 2 1/2 oz filet mignon and cook to desired doneness. Remove from heat and add salt and pepper. (or you can grill the meat and it still tastes great!). Add orange juice and lime juice to skillet and simmer. Slice the steak and serve over 1/2 c warm black beans and steamed brown rice. Drizzle with the citrus mixture.
It is amazing how creamy of a product this turns out considering there is no ice cream maker involved. I’ve made it many times, always with good results. It’s well worth the calories 🙂 If you are lucky enough to know what Carvel ice cream tastes like – – well, this is similar !
Vanilla Soft Serve Ice Cream
12 ½ c servings
299 calories per serving
½ c whole milk
1 T vanilla
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/8 t salt
2 c heavy cream
Stir milk, vanilla, condensed milk and salt in a medium bowl. Beat heavy cream to stiff peaks (but don’t over beat or the cream will begin to break down) and then fold into the milk mix. Folding is just a method to mix things a little gentler than stirring. You just keep inserting a spatula or spoon UNDER the ingredients and left or fold them up on top – keep repeating to fully incorporate the ingredients. Pour into a shallow 1 ½ quart METAL (because it conducts the cold better) bowl and freeze the mix 4 hours, stirring once halfway through.
If you keep this in the freezer for more than a day, it will get very hard and you need to let it sit a few minutes before scooping out servings.
Variations:
Strawberry – omit the milk and vanilla – instead stir in 4 c pureed strawberries and 2 T corn syrup.
Coffee – add 2 T instant coffee to the milk and dissolve , then continue with other steps
Others – add 2 T flavored coffee creamers to the milk mix (Irish Cream tastes GREAT)
Start it in the morning before you leave for work and come home to a great piping hot meal. This is definitely a crowd-pleaser and also makes a great dish when guests are coming – just add a salad on the side and you’re all set !
Ham and Scalloped Potatoes
8 servings
310 calories per serving
1 ½ lb. 98% fat free ham cut into 8 pieces
9 medium potatoes peeled and sliced thinly
1 large onion sliced thinly
½ t salt
½ t pepper
1 c shredded fat free cheddar cheese
1 can low fat cream of celery soup
Layer in this manner:
½ the potatoes
½ the onion
½ the salt and pepper
½ the cheese
½ the ham
½ the potatoes
½ the onion
½ the salt and pepper
½ the cheese
All the soup
½ the ham
Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours or on high 4 hours.
This soup is prepared a day ahead and refrigerated so that the flavors really mingle. If you want to serve the same day you make it, that works too 🙂
Chicken and Pasta Soup
6 servings
265 calories per serving
1/2 c cannellini beans
1 lb. chicken breasts, cubed
6 bay leaves
7 c water
1 onion, halved and sliced
1 carrot, sliced thinly
3 ribs celery, sliced thin
Leaves from the tops of the celery stalks
28 oz. diced tomatoes
2 T tomato paste
2 T minced garlic
½ t onion powder
2 t basil flakes
8 oz. FiberGourmet pasta (short alfredo, elbows or rotini)
In a soup pot combine chicken, bay leaves and water. Bring to a boil. Add onions, carrots, celery, celery leaves, tomatoes, tomato paste, onion powder, garlic and basil. Return to a boil and then lower heat and simmer 1 hour. Add beans and remove bay leaves. Refrigerate overnight. The next day heat the broth and cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and place in soup bowl and ladle soup into each bowl.
The best part of this recipe was the espresso dip – so incredibly rich and it very much reminds me very much of a similar dip served in one of my favorite restaurants. I would recommend it for any plain baked good (scone, cookie, etc.) The beignets themselves were a little dry and I would definitely add more water (1/4 c more) and some Splenda (1/4 c) to the dough. But even with them being a bit dry – it was sweet dough with sweet powdered sugar on top and an awesome dipping sauce, so I will definitely try again 🙂
Baked Beignets
12 servings
260 calories per serving
Beignets:
¼ c warm water
1 package quick rising active dry yeast
¼ c sugar
3 c flour
1 ½ t baking powder
½ t baking soda
½ t salt
4 T cold butter, cut up
¾ c low fat buttermilk
1 large egg
¼ c confectioner’s sugar
Pam
Café Dip:
1/3 c sugar
2 T plus 1 t instant espresso powder
1 T plus 1 t cornstarch
2 c whole milk
1 ½ oz. unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
Place warm water in a small bowl and sprinkle with yeast and 1 t sugar. Stir and then let stand about 5 minutes or until foamy. In a large bowl stir flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and rest of the sugar until well combined. With a pastry knife, cut in butter until the mix resembles fine crumbs. With a fork, mix buttermilk and egg into yeast mixture and blend well. Make a hole in the center of the flour mix and pour in the yeast mix. Stir until a dough forms. Lightly flour a work surface and knead dough several times until smooth. Spray the bowl with Pam and place dough in the bowl. Cover it with plastic wrap and let stand in a non-drafty spot for 10 minutes. Spray 2 baking sheets with Pam and punch down dough. Roll the dough with a floured rolling pin to a 9 inch square and cut into 6 strips. Then cut each strip into 6 pieces for a total of 36 pieces. Place on baking sheets about 2 inches from each other. Spray a sheet of plastic wrap with Pam and place over the pans while they sit and rise for 20 minutes.
To prepare dip, combine sugar, espresso powder and cornstarch in a pan. Whisk in milk and cook on medium for 8 minutes or until it comes to a boil and thickens slightly then reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes then remove from heat and add chocolate and whisk until melted. Cover and set aside.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake beignets 12 minutes or until golden brown. While they are still hot toss with confectioner’s sugar. Serve with dip.
