Cranberry Bread

Cranberry Bread (Thank you Krista!)

Prep Time- 25 minutes Bake 1 Hr. Serves 18
Points- 2

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Spray a 5x9 inch loaf pan with nonstick spray.
2. Mix 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour, 1 cup of sugar, 3/4 cup whole wheat flour, 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. of baking soda in a bowl.
3. Mix 1 tsp. of orange zest, 2/3cup Orange Juice, 3TBSP light stick butter, melted, and 1/4 cup fat free egg substitue in another bowl. Add the orange mixture to the flour mixture: stir just unitl blended. Add 1 cup fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped, and 1/2 cup each dried cranberries and golden raisins; stir just to mix.
3. Scrape the batter into the pan. Bake until a tooth pick insterted into the center comes our clean, about 1 hour. Let cool in the pan 10 minutes. Unmold the bread let cool on a rack.

Mozzarella Sticks

Mozzarella Fix, from Hungry Girl.com


Before creating these cheesy faux fried hunks of heaven, we had totally given up on the whole mozzarella sticks thing. Total bar food… completely greasy and horrible for you. Not anymore, thanks to (you guessed it!) a box of Fiber One and our trusty blender. Check out the super swap and prepare to be wowed (and filled with cheese!)…

Ingredients:

2 light mozzarella sticks (50-60 calories and 2.5g fat per stick)
¼ cup Fiber One bran cereal (original)
2 tbsp. fat-free liquid egg substitute
Salt, pepper & Italian Seasonings to taste
Optional: Low fat Marinara sauce (for dipping)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a food processor or blender, grind Fiber One to a breadcrumb-like consistency. Place crumbs in a small plastic container with a lid. Season crumbs with as much salt, pepper and Italian Seasonings as you like. Set aside. Cut cheese sticks in half, so that you have 4 sticks. Place sticks in a small bowl, and pour egg substitute over the top of the sticks. Swirl egg substitute around so that it thoroughly coats the sticks. One by one, transfer sticks to the container with the crumbs. Cover container, and give it a shake to coat the sticks in the crumbs. Carefully return sticks to the dish with the egg substitute, and coat them again. Next, put sticks back in the crumbs container, cover and shake once more to coat (try doing this two at a time with the second around). Place sticks on a baking dish sprayed lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Spritz the tops of the sticks with a quick mist of the spray. Place dish in the oven and bake for 10 minutes (or until the first sign of cheese oozing out). If desired, serve with warm marinara sauce. Best when eaten immediately, while cheese is hot and gooey!

Serving size: 4 pieces equals THREE POINTS
Calories: 155
Fat: 5.5g
Sodium: 500 mg
Carbs: 13.5g
Fiber: 7g
Sugars: 0g
Protein: 19g

Thanksgiving without Guilt.

Thanksgiving is almost here, and we all know what that can mean: lots of great food. But this celebration doesn't have to leave you slumped on the sofa clutching your distended stomach. You can keep your weight-loss efforts on track and enjoy yourself.

This is a great article from Weight Watches.com

It's important to remember that Thanksgiving is just one day, not a whole week. One large meal won't pile on the pounds. But if you are the type who feels guilty after just one sliver of pie, and uses this slip-up as an excuse to go on a week-long binge, it's time to rethink your strategy. Make a plan that includes the special foods for which this holiday is known.

The game plan

Take some time before Thanksgiving to decide which foods you want to enjoy at your meal. It's important to do this before you sit down to eat.
Imagine yourself sitting down to Thanksgiving dinner, says Maria Walls, RD, manager of program development for Weight Watchers International. Visualize the spread and decide how you'll fill up your plate. Be sure to include your favorite items so that you don't feel deprived and overeat later.

Here are some more tips for creating a strategy that will work.

Decide how much of a favorite food will satisfy youIf you cannot conceive of eating just a small piece of Aunt Millie's famous pumpkin pie, cut out something else to account for the larger slice.

Select once-a-year foods

Choose to eat dishes that are just served on Thanksgiving; avoid those that show up at every meal. After all, do you really want sweet potatoes topped with melted marshmallows plus an ordinary baked spud?

Just say no

Practice creative ways to say "no" in case you get pressured by others to take seconds (or thirds).

There's always tomorrow

If the meal is at your house, remember that there will be plenty of leftovers. If you won't be able to sleep knowing that there's half a pie in the kitchen, "freeze leftovers immediately or give your guests doggie bags to take home," suggests Walls.

Stop when you're fullPush yourself away from the table when you've had enough. If you're not sitting within arm's length of the biscuits, you'll be less likely to overindulge.

All foods have benefitsMany Thanksgiving foods are packed with nutrients. For example, pumpkin pie is loaded with vitamin A (important for proper vision) and beta-carotene (a potentially powerful antioxidant). Green bean casserole and stuffing contain lots of folic acid (a B vitamin linked to the prevention of birth defects and, possibly, heart disease).

Broaden your focus

Make the holiday about more than just food. Focus on your friends and family and remember what you're thankful for, like wearing a smaller size, more comfortably crossing your legs or feeling more confident about yourself.

And if, despite all your efforts, you end up feeling like you're off the mark, put it all in perspective: "Don't worry about it, just move on," encourages Walls. Tomorrow's a whole new day.

Sweet Potato Casserole

Sweet Potato Cassarole from Pat, Wednesday Mt.Airy

3 cups fresh sweet potatoes - about 6 med. sized baked
1-1/2 cups Splenda
1 cup fat free canned milk
2 egg whites, beaten
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp vanilla extract
cooking spray

Bake potatoes until they are stick tender; remove, let cool and peel. Can be done day or two ahead of time.
Mash potatoes - can be done in food processor.

Spray 1 qt baking dish

Add Splenda, milk, egg whites, pie spice and vanilla, mix well. Pour into sprayed baking dish. Bake at 350 degs. for 30 min. Remove from oven. Spread on topping and return to oven for 10-15 min. until browned lightly.

Topping

Crumble 2 pks 90-cal. Quaker Mini Delights Cinnamon (Strugal?) Bites Crispy Multigrain cakes. Spread on top of potatoes; return to oven for 10-15 mins. until lightly brown.

Slimmer Mashed Potatoes

Slimmer Mashed Potatoes

PER SERVING (1/5th of recipe, about 2/3 cup): 82 calories, 1g fat, 168mg sodium, 16g carbs, 3g fiber, 2g sugars, 3g protein -- POINTS® value 1*

Ingredients:
1 large (about 13-oz.) potato
3 cups cauliflower florets
3 tbsp. fat-free half & half
1 tbsp. light whipped butter or light buttery spread
1/4 tsp. salt
pepper and additional salt, to taste
Optional: 1/2 tsp. crushed garlic

Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. While waiting for the water to boil, peel and cube the potato.

Once water is boiling, add peeled potato cubes and cauliflower. Wait for the water to return to a boil, and then reduce heat to medium. Cook for 15 - 20 minutes (until potatoes and cauliflower are very tender).

Remove the pot from heat and strain out all of the water. Transfer contents to a large bowl, and add half & half, butter/buttery spread, salt, and (if you like) crushed garlic. Mash it all together with a potato masher, until completely blended. Season to taste with pepper and additional salt. Enjoy!

MAKES 5 SERVINGS

Creamy Crab Crostini

Creamy Crab Crostini

Makes 12 servings (3 crostini)

POINTS®

value per serving: 2
◊

1 (6 oz) can lump crabmeat, drained
1/3 cup light mayonnaise

◊

¼ cup fat-free Greek yogurt
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 Tbsp chopped fresh chives

½ tsp grated lemon zest

Pinch salt

36 (1/4-inch thick) slices French baguette

Preheat the oven to 400° F. Spray a large baking sheet with nonstick spray
Stir together the crabmeat, mayonnaise, yogurt, Parmesan, chives, lemon zest, and salt in a medium bowl. Spread 1 slightly rounded teaspoon of the crab mixture on each baguette slice and place on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake until the crostini are lightly browned, 10 – 12 minutes.
Recipe adapted from Weight Watchers® Comfort Classics cookbook ©2009 Weight Watchers International, Inc. All rights reserved.

Deviled Eggs

Thank you Roxanne!

Devilish Eggs from Hungry Girl.com


PER SERVING (4 pieces): 79 calories, 1.75g fat, 403mg sodium, 6.25g carbs, 1g fiber, 2.5g sugars, 9.5g protein -- POINTS® value 1


Deviled eggs are no longer a fatty no-no. This recipe will have you churning out creamy, delicious eggs in no time.






Ingredients:
2 cups roughly chopped orange cauliflower (or alternative below)
1/4 cup fat-free mayonnaise
3 wedges The Laughing Cow Light Original Swiss cheese, room temperature
1 tbsp. sweet relish, patted dry to remove moisture
2 tsp. minced shallots
1 1/2 tsp. yellow mustard
Salt and black pepper, to taste
10 hard-boiled eggs, chilled
Optional topping: paprika


Directions:
Place cauliflower in a large microwave-safe bowl with 1/3 cup water. Cover and microwave for 6 - 8 minutes, until cauliflower is soft.

Once bowl is cool enough to handle, drain any excess water from cauliflower. Lightly mash cauliflower, and then place in a blender. Add mayo and puree until just blended, not smooth. Do not over-blend.

In a mixing bowl, combine cauliflower mixture with cheese wedges, relish, shallots, and mustard. Stir until smooth. Season mixture to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

When ready to serve, halve eggs lengthwise and remove yolks. Evenly distribute cauliflower mixture among egg white halves and, if you like, top with paprika.

Eat up and enjoy!

MAKES 5 SERVINGS

HG Alternative! This recipe calls for orange cauliflower. If you can't find it, use regular cauliflower. But add a drop of yellow food coloring to the mixture if you want your Devilish Eggs to look like the real thing.