Low Fat, High Taste Breakfast

Good Ol' Hungry Girl again. This book is going to be my new bible i swear. This does take some time to cook, but it's so worth it!

The Big Apple French Toast Casserole
Ingredients:
2 tbsp. light whipped butter or light buttery spread (like Brummel & Brown)
8 slices light bread, cut into cubes
1 apple (preferably Fuji), cored, peeled, and diced
4 oz. fat-free cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/4 cups light vanilla soymilk
1 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters Original)
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. sugar-free pancake syrup, divided
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 no-calorie sweetener packet (like Splenda), or more to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small microwave-safe bowl, microwave butter until melted. Set aside.

Spray an 8-inch by 8-inch baking dish with nonstick spray. Place bread cubes evenly along the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle diced apple evenly over the bread.

In a medium-large bowl, combine melted butter, cream cheese, soymilk, egg substitute, 2 tbsp. syrup, cinnamon, and sweetener. If you like your French toast pretty sweet, add an extra packet of sweetener. Using a handheld electric mixer set to medium speed, mix until lump-free and smooth. Pour mixture over the bread and apple.

Make sure bread is soaked in the liquid mixture. If needed, toss lightly to coat. Bake in the oven for about 45 minutes, until egg mixture is pretty firm and cooked through. (Be sure not to overcook, as bread could burn.) Let cool slightly.

Cut into quarters and serve with remaining 1 cup syrup for dipping. Dig in!


Nutrition Information:
PER SERVING (1/4th of recipe): 232 calories, 4.25g fat, 687mg sodium, 38.5g carbs, 5.5g fiber, 8g sugars, 16.5g protein
Weight Watcher Points-4

Bring on the strawberries!

Have you ever seen those dessert shells they always have in the produce section of the grocery store? Well i did, and that's where the story starts. talking to my cousin Steph this week she mentioned strawberry shortcake and that triggered the severe craving for it. Eating healthy is fine and well, until you hit a craving for something like strawberry shortcake...

So take at the grocery store i decided i was going to give it a whirl with the dessert shells. I picked them and looked at the Nutrtition label, and umm HELLO! 120 calories and 1 gram of fat. Why thank you to the makers of these little cake of heaven!.

I came home and grabbed my cutting board, knife and bowl and sliced up the strawberries ( i made all of the strawberries for almost 2 cups), then adding 1 tablespoon of sugar to let them sit in (about 2 hours), creating the most delish syrup-y goodness. I placed them in the shells and topped with fat free cool whip.

AMEN. HALLELUJAH. PRAISE JESUS.
they were exactly what i need to kick that shortcake habit.

a total of 140 calories and 2 grams of fat and 3 grams of fiber and 2 WW Points. these will be a staple this summer :)

I could eat Mexican food everyday!

When we first got the Hungry Girl book i quickly turned to the Mexican meals. This is a crockpot one, which makes it even better!
Slow Cookin' Mexican Chicken

Ingredients
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup jarred roasted red peppers packed in water, drained and chopped
1/4 cup canned diced green chiles
1 tablespoon dry taco seasoning mix
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or more to taste
1/8 teaspoon black pepper, or more to taste
1 1/2 pounds raw boneless skinless lean chicken breasts, halved
Optional: Salt

Directions
Place all ingredients except chicken in the crock pot. Stir until mixed. add chicken and coat well.

Cover and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or on low for 7 to 8 hours, until chicken is fully cooked.

Remove all the chicken and place it in a bow;. Shred each piece using two forks. Return to the pot and mix with other sauce.

tastes great with Whole Wheat wraps.

Nutrition Information:(this is just for the chicken and sauce)
Serving 2/3 cup; 155 calories; 1.25g fat; 339mg sodium; 5.5g carbs; .5 fiber; 2.5g sugar; 27g protein
Weight Watcher Points-3

Slower cooker love

i grabbed a couple new cookbooks this weekend and am VERY happy with my selections. Hungry Girl is my new fave....like ever.

Paul picked out this recipe for dinner tonight. Served with Wheat rolls it's a hit :)

Slow Cookin' BBQ Pulled Chicken

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb. raw boneless skinless lean chicken breasts, halved
1 cup canned tomato sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tbsp. plus 2 tsp. brown sugar (not packed)
2 tbsp. plus 2 tsp. cider vinegar
2 tsp. garlic powder
Optional: red pepper flakes, to taste



Directions:
Place all ingredients except the chicken in the crock pot. Stir until mixed. Add chicken and coat well with the sauce.

Cover and cook on high for 3 - 4 hours OR on low for 7 - 8 hours, until chicken is fully cooked.

Remove all the chicken and place it in a bowl. Shred each piece using two forks -- one to hold the chicken in place and the other to scrape across the meat and shred it. Return the shredded chicken to the crock pot, and mix well with the sauce.

If you're serving a group, keep the crock pot on its lowest setting, so the chicken stays warm. If you like, season to taste with red pepper flakes. Eat up!

PER SERVING (1/2 cup): 149 calories, 1g fat, 462mg sodium, 10g carbs, <0.5g fiber, 9g sugars, 22.5g protein
Weight Watcher Points-3

Been a while, but i'm back...

I kind of took a break from trying new recipes, i needed it. I was starting to just go insane, and we needed to clean out our freezer!
but tonight was something new and delish!

Sirloin Steak with Dijon-Port Sauce

Ingredients
3 cups uncooked medium egg noodles
1 pound trimmed sirloin (about 1 inch thick)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Cooking spray
1/2 cup port or other sweet red wine
1/4 cup minced shallots
1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
1/2 cup less-sodium beef broth
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves


Preparation:
Cook noodles according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain; keep warm.

While noodles cook, heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle both sides of steak with salt and pepper. Lightly coat steak with cooking spray. Add steak to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Transfer meat to a platter; keep warm.

Add port to pan, scraping to loosen browned bits. Stir in shallots and garlic; cook 45 seconds, stirring frequently. Add beef broth; bring to a boil. Cook 20 seconds; remove from heat. Add mustard and thyme, stirring with a whisk.

Cut steak diagonally across grain into thin slices. Serve steak and sauce with the pasta.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 344; Fat: 11g; Protein: 28.5g; Carbohydrate: 23.6g; Fiber: 1g; Cholesterol: 4.3mg; 97mg; Iron: Sodium: 501mg; Calcium: 36mg

Weight Watcher Points-8

Ok top favorite ingredient of all time is.....

Balsamic Vinegar. I declared it tonight. it just makes everything so good!
This is super easy to make, super delicious, and only 229 calories per chicken breast! i mean really. AMAZING!

Chicken Bruschetta

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
• 4 (4-ounce) skinned, boned chicken breast halves
• Cooking spray
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 (8-ounce) package presliced mushrooms
• 1 small zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced (about 5 ounces)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup chopped plum tomato
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
• 4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Preheat broiler.

Combine garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl; sprinkle chicken with garlic powder mixture. Place the chicken on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray, and broil for 6 minutes on each side or until chicken is done. Remove the chicken from pan, and keep warm.

Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, mushrooms, zucchini, and minced garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, tomato, onion, basil, and vinegar; sauté 3 minutes. Serve the vegetable mixture over chicken; sprinkle with cheese.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 229; Fat: 7.3g; Protein: 31.4g; Carbohydrate: 9.7g; Fiber: 2.1g; Cholesterol: 71mg; Iron: 2.3mg; Sodium: 489mg; Calcium: 126mg

Weight Watcher Points-5

Chillin' and Grillin'

So what if it snowed here today? I will never stop grilling!

Roadhouse Steaks with Ancho Chile Rub

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons ancho chile powder
• 4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 (4-ounce) beef tenderloin steaks, trimmed
• Cooking spray

Preparation

Prepare grill.

Combine first 8 ingredients in a small bowl. Rub spice mixture evenly over steaks; let stand 10 minutes.

Place steaks on a grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill 5 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 177; Fat: 7.1g; Protein: 22.3g; Carbohydrate: 3.9g; Fiber: 1g; Cholesterol: 59mg; Iron: 2.1mg; Sodium: 441mg; Calcium: 34mg;

Weight Watcher Points-4