Skinny Chicken Curry

A skinny, yet flavorful and hot curry with light coconut milk, shredded chicken, fresh vegetable and... a peach.

This makes 1-2 servings:

1 shallot, minced
2 garlic cloves, microplaned
1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and microplaned
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1 summer squash, cubed
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 peach, skinned and cubed (or from a can, sugar-free)
some peach juice
1 ts fish sauce
2 ts hot sauce (like srichirachi)
2 ts teriyaki sauce
1 TB curry powder
1/4 cup light coconut milk (40kcal)
1/2 cup low-fat chicken stock
1 ts fiberfit
6oz grilled leftover chicken, cubed or shredded (For convenience, I also use Tyson's Frozen Grilled Strips)

Brown the shallot in a PAM-spray pot. Add the ginger and garlic, and heat for 1/2 -1 minute. Add chicken stock and coconut milk, and all the other ingredients. Saute on medium heat for 10 min. Serve with 1/4 cp of brown basmati rice (makes 3/4 cup cooked, 140kcal).

counts as 1 dinner entree + 2 vegetable serving

Angel Food Cake

Skinny Single-Serve Angel Food Cake
1/4 cup sifted cake flour
1/4 cup Splenda (granulated, not packets!)
1/2 TB fiberfit
3 organic egg whites
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp cream of tartar

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Sift the flour onto a large plate and set aside.

2. Place the egg whites and cream of tartar in a large bowl and whisk until frothy. Slowly add to splenda to the whipping egg whites in a slow, steady stream. Add the vanilla extract, and continue whisking until the mixture forms stiff peaks.

3. Sift the flour mixture over the egg whites and fold in very gently with a large metal spoon until well blended.

4. Spoon the mixture into 2 ungreased small tube pan, gently smoothing the top. Bake until golden brown and cake springs back when lightly touched in the center, about 25 minutes.

5. Invert the cake, still in the pan, onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely, upside down. When it is cool, slide a long knife around the side of the pan to loosen the cake, then invert it onto a serving plate. (The cakes can be kept, wrapped in plastic or stored in an airtight container, for 1 to 2 days.)

Makes 2 cakes, each cake has 72 kcal.



Angel Food Cake with Berries
1 single-serve angel food cake
1 small container ff greek yogurt (fage)
1/4 cup thawed raspberries
1 TB ff coolwhip
liquid artificial sweetener (to taste)
1-2 TB raspberry rum sauce

Place angel food cake on your serving plate. Mix fage with artificial sweetener, and place next to angel food cake. Drizzle raspberry rum sauce over greek yogurt. Place dollup of coolwhip on angel food cake. Place raspberries on top of coolwhip and fage, and serve!

1 breakfast entree + 1 protein + 1 fruit

Roast Chicken in Clay Baker

My mother made chicken like using a clay baker when I grew up, and has always been my favorite version. Today, clay bakers are retro but making a comeback, since they are also great for bread baking to create a crisp crust. Retro or not, it is a great way to roast chicken without added fat or liquids, but cook in its own juices. The idea is that the clay cast is soaked in water for 30 min before roasting the chicken. The absorbed moisture develops steam inside the baker and roasts the chicken. Removing the lid during the last 30 minutes makes sure the chicken has a brown crisp skin. Love it!

Roast chicken in clay baker

special equipment: clay baker
1 thawed organic chicken, washed and patted dry
salt, pepper
10 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
sweet paprika

Soak clay baker in warm water for 30 min. Preheat oven at 375F.

Rub the patted dry chicken with salt, pepper and the sweet paprika. Fill the garlic cloves inside the chicken cavities. Remove clay baker from water, dry with a towel, and place chicken in the bottom part of the clay baker. Close the clay baker with its lid, and place in oven. Increase heat to 425F, and bake for 90min. After 90min, remove clay pot from oven, remove lid, and place clay baker back into the oven for another 30min. Turn off heat, and serve chicken!

For a skinny version, discard the fat collected in the bottom of the clay baker. However, it is very tasty, of course, served over some mashed potatoes...

Mole Chicken Enchilada

Mole, an interesting Mexican concept.... a chocolate spicy savory sauce with a bold character. It works even better for enchiladas, covered in mole and baked with cheese. Here we go, mole chicken enchiladas, gone perfectly skinny.

Chocolate (mole) chicken enchilada

1 Joseph's 4 net carbs small pita bread (cut in half) 45kcal
1 TB jarred mole (I used Donna Maria) (60kcal)
1/8-1/4 cup low sodium, fat-free chicken stock
1 TB chipotle sauce (from a can of chipotles in sauce)
2 oz leftover grilled chicken breast (92kcal)
1/2 red bell pepper, diced (30kcal)
2 TB ff vegan low-fat cheddar cheese (30kcal)

In a skillet, break up the mole with a fork and thin out with the chicken stock to make a sauce. (Note: When I opened the jar, the oil of the sauce had collected at the top of the jar, and I just threw it out. So, the sauce is lower in calories than indicated on the jar.) Add the chipotle sauce to the mole, and stir well. Add in the cubed chicken, cover with the sauce and heat through. If too thick, add more water. Split the pita bread in half, and slide each half both sides through the hot mole sauce so that it covers both sides of the pita breads. Now, fill half of the chicken pieces in each pita, add some red bell pepper, and roll it up. Place seam side down in a baking dish. Add the remaining mole on top of the 'enchiladas'. Sprinkle with cheese and bake at 450F for 10 min (or until cheese melted). Add some more red bell pepper on top, and serve! Divine!!!

1 lunch entree (257kcal) or with more chicken a dinner entree

Homage to Daniel Carasso, Pioneer of Yogurt

Daniel Carasso, a Pioneer of Yogurt, Dies at 103

May 20, 2009, NYT
Daniel Carasso, who helped turn yogurt from an obscure ethnic food into an international staple through the Danone brand in Europe and Dannon in the United States, died Sunday at his home in Paris. He was 103.

Mustard Roasted Sole

Some days, it pays off to tune in to the food network on a slow, rainy Sunday morning. Today, Ina Garten was the ticket, first her raspberries sauce for fromage blanc (see post below), and also her mustard roasted fish inspired lunch for today since I had bought some Stonington fresh sole at the Farmer's Market yesterday and the first salad from the garden is ready. It was delicious!

Mustard roasted sole
2 small sole filets
1/2 TB creme fraiche
1 large TB Maille dijon mustard
salt, pepper, 1/2 ts Mr Dash garlic and herbs
1-2 TB capers, with some liquid


Place sole into a baking dish. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and Mrs Dash. In a separate bowl, mix creme fraiche, mustard, capers and some more Mrs. Dash and distribute over the fish. Bake at 375 for 15-20 min. Serve with fresh salad --- enjoy!

Luxurious Fruit Sauce for Greek Yogurt

This is a luxurious fruit sauce inspired by Ina G., a great sauce to keep on hand for the daily yogurt or Fage. It makes a large serving that will keep in the fridge for a while.

Raspberry rum sauce
1/2 bag of frozen raspberries, thawed
1 TB sugar
1/2 cup water
1 TB fiberfit
1 small jar sugar-free strawberry preserve (I used Hero)
1/2 TB brown rum

In a pot, heat the water, sugar, and fiberfit and raspberries until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is warm (don't boil it!). Take off the stove, and let cool to room temperate. In a food processor (or magic bullet), add the preserve, rum and half of the raspberry mixture and mix until a smooth silky texture is reached. Pour half of it into a jar, and mix the other half with the remaining raspberries (all ingredients will fit into a larger food processor).

Serve a few tablespoons with sweetened fage and fresh berries!

Sliders

The skinny on the BBQ season....there are many, many skinny options but what if you want a REAL juicy meaty burger? Sliders are the way to go. One of the sliders in this recipe has 150kcal, you can have a few and indulge (I do ;)

1 slider pattie:
2 oz 90% lean ground beef (120kcal)
1/2 ts McCormick Grill seasoning
1/2 ts Worchestershire sauce
salt, pepper
1/2 ts eggbeaters

Silder:
1/2 low carb hot dog roll or pc of baguette
1 ts low-carb ketchup
1 ts mustard
1/2 slice ff american or cheddar cheese
1 slice of dill pickle

Mix the burger ingredients in a mixing bowl, and form small patties (weigh the portions to get an idea of the calories in the burgers). Grill on medium heat on the bbq. Serve with bun and the remaining burger ingredients.

Lazy early summer lunch

It is Memorial weekend. The weather has been reasonable, unseasonably warm and sunny for a week. The lilacs are blooming and fill the garden with a rich scent. The village is deserted, people must be off to their camps for the long weekend. Lunch was lazy, 2 organic eggs from the Farmer's market this morning, fresh corn, cherry tomatoes and chives from the garden as well as home-made baguette.

"Is it Olive Garden?" Mac and Cheese

Typically, I cook up a whole packet of Fiber Gourmet Mac and Cheese, which is 3 portions. For each meal, I fry vegetables first and then heat a portion of mac and cheese with it. This variety was so luscious it felt I had a meal at Olive Garden.

1 portion Mac and Cheese, prepared
1/2 ts extra virgin olive oil
1 red bell pepper, diced
2-3 roasted chicken tenders, diced
1 ts rosemary
salt, pepper
1/3 ts liquid chicken stock
1 ts parmesan cheese
4-5 large basil leaves, chiffonade (stack leaves, roll like a cigar, and thinly slice)

Sautee bell pepper in oilve oil. Once slightly softened, add the chicken and heat up. Add the mac and cheese, rosemary, salt and pepper and stir. Add some water to loosen up the mixture. Heat through, and then add the parmesan and the basil, and serve!

1 dinner + 1 fat serving + 1 vegetable serving

Peach Pudding Streusel Cake

Ever since I saw photos of Zorra's peach crumble cake on another food blog, I knew I had to make it, but in a skinny, single-serve version. Amy's French Apple Pie was a good basis (having fruit and streusels) and I added pudding and some almond extract for the streusel to give it a different note. I am sure it would work well with fresh peaches, too.

Peach pudding streusel cake

1 canned, frozen or fresh peach, peeled and sliced
2 Tbsp Heart Smart Bisquick
1 Tbsp any whey
1 Tbsp Splenda
1 Tbsp brown splenda
2 Tbsp peach juice (from can)
1/2 ts almond extract
¼ cup egg beaters
1/2 cup sf ff Jell-O pudding

Streusel Topping:
2 Tbsp Heart Smart Bisquick
1 Tbsp Splenda
1/2 ts almond extract
½ Tbsp Parkay FF butter spread

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray small baking dish, and distributed pudding on the bottom of form. Arrange peach slices on top of pudding mixture. Stir Bisquick, any whey, white and brown Splenda. Add peach juice, almond extract, and egg beaters to dry mix and beat until smooth mixture. Pour over pudding and peaches. Mix together streusel topping with a fork until crumbly, and top the cake with streusel and bake 25 min at 375F, or until golden and ”set".

Cannellini Tuna Bruschetta

Summer is slowly whisking in and Memorial weekend is not too far away. Time for some summery dishes that are refreshing for lunch or dinner. Today it was....

Bruschetta with Cannellini Bean Tuna

several slices of whole grain baguette (50 kcal)
1/2 cup of cannellini beans, rinsed (110 kcal)
1 can of albacore tuna, broken up (80kcal, 18 g protein) (e.g. Bumble Bee)
1/3 red onion, finely diced
1/2 ts olive oil (20kcal)
salt, pepper, Mrs Dash garlic and herb
1 garlic clove, peeled

Toast slices of baguette in a pan or panini maker. Spray with PAM for more crispness. Meanwhile, in a bowl mix the beans, tuna, onion, spices and olive oil. Once the bread is brown,
rub with garlic clove, and spoon bean tuna mix on the bruschetta.

1 dinner entree + 1 fat + 1 veg serving (260 kcal). (add 1 vegetable)

French Toast (using NS Apple Scone)

It's Sunday, it is rainy, the morning is slow and features a wonderful breakfast, the NS apple scone made into a luxurious french toast with whipped cream and raspberries, and a side of fage.

1 package NS Apple Scone
1/4 cp eggbeaters
1/2 ts vanilla extract
1 ts brown splenda
2 TB ff coolwhip
1/2 cup frozen but thawed raspberries

In a small bowl, mix the eggbeaters, vanilla and brown sugar. Pour on a plate. Break the apple scones into 2 triangles, and slice both triangles into thinner triangles lengthwise. Dip the scones into the egg mix and let it soak for 1-2 mins. Heat a non-stick skillet, spray with PAM, and once hot, fry the apples scones from both sides. Serve with coolwhip and strawberries.

1 breakfast entree + 1/2 fruit + free foods

Note: picture shows only half serving (1/2 scone sliced in half)

Sundried Tomato Pesto Chicken Pasta

1 chicken cutlet
1 cup low-sodium, non-fat chicken broth
1 bay leaf
2 garlic cloves, peeled, whole
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/3 of a red onion, finely diced
5-6 kalamata olives, sliced
1/2 ts Mrs dash garlic and herbs
fresh crushed black pepper
1 TB sundried skinny tomato pesto
2 oz Fiber Gourmet penne

Cook pasta according to instructions.

Poach the fresh or frozen chicken cutlet in lowfat, low-sodium chicken broth with a bay leaf and 2 peeled, but whole garlic cloves for 10 min on medium-high. Remove chicken, and cut into dice.

In a PAM-sprayed skillet, sautee the onion until slightly browned. Add bell pepper, and sautee for 3-4 min on medium heat. Add diced chicken, the spices and tablespoons of the chicken broth (from poaching) to provide enough liquid. Add drained pasta once cooked al dente, and mix all ingredients in the skillet. In a separate cup, stir the sundried tomato pesto with 2 TB of hot chicken broth, and mix into the penne chicken in the skillet. Serve!

1 dinner entree + 1 fat serving + 1 vegetable serving

Tomato Basil Pizza Burger

This is a veggie burger that does not make you miss the real deal: The Morningstar Tomato Basil Pizza veggie burger. I made it with some sliced red onion, chopped olives, lowfat feta crumbles.... a perfect lunch.

Skinny (To Die For) Sundried Tomato Pesto

I love pesto. Basil pesto, the pine nuts, the garlic, the parmesan, and, yes, the olive oil. It does not come easily in a skinny version without sacrificing the flavor and character of it. Nevertheless, sundried tomato pesto lends itself to a skinny version, and this one, a spur of inspiration, came up, well, to die for!

15 large sundried tomatoes (not from a jar, but the dried variety)
3 large garlic cloves, or 5 smaller ones, peeled, coarsely chopped
0.5 oz pine nuts
3 TB Trader Joe's red pepper spread
fresh ground black pepper
1/2 TB Mrs Dash garlic and herbs
2 TB high quality extra-virgin olive oil
2-5 TB water (add when needed to achieve desired pesto consistency)

I used my magic bullet to make the pesto, so I cut up the sundried tomatoes into small slices using scissors, and coarsely chopped the garlic, since it is has not the strongest motor, but is so easy to clean up (what a plus). I added all the remaining ingredients to the food processor, and pulsed it to a smooth, slightly coarse consistency and added water tablespoon wise.

The entire sundried pesto is 450 kcals, but it is used tablespoon-wise (ca 5-7 TB). It is great with pasta, or as a sundried tomato pesto chicken sauce, or as a spread for paninis with roasted eggplant and zucchini. For pasta, it can be thinned out with low sodium chicken stock or just some pasta water.

Enjoy!

Strawberry Waffles

My four Maine coons surprised me with a luscious breakfast and lots of cuddling and purring this morning. They also had in mind that I might have to give their lawn the first trim of the season if weather allowed. Ms Manolo B. stirred the waffle dough, Mr Chanelle operated the waffle iron and BC and Valentino sliced the strawberries. Thank you, guys!

1/4 cup carbquick
1 TB any whey
1 TB brown splenda
1/4 ts baking soda
1/4 ts baking powder
1 TB egg beaters
3 TB ff buttermilk
a squirt of fiberfit (liquid sweetener)
1/2 ts vanilla extra

a few large fresh strawberries, sliced, and marinated in 1 ts of sugar
1 TB ff coolwhip (12kcal)

Mix the waffle ingredients, and make waffles according to your waffle iron's instructions. Serve with coolwhip and sliced strawberries.

Happy Mother's Day!

Bacon and Cinnamon Waffles

This was one of the occasions when reading the Sunday morning paper and watching FoodTV on brought about a great idea for breakfast: waffles with the unusual combination of bacon and cinnamon. In the orginial recipe, Giada Di Laurentiis uses pancetta, but difficult to 'slim down' a thick slice of pancetta (and, I also was out of pancetta). This is a skinny version of the waffle that leaves you little to wish for with regard to taste, texture and a perfect Sunday morning breakfast.

1 NS pancake mix or 1/4 cp Big trail buttermilk pancake mix
1/2 TB brown splenda
1/2 ts ground cinnamon
1 TB walnuts, chopped
1 ts bacon bits
3.5 TB ff buttermilk (or 1/3 cup for the NS pancake mix)
1 TB eggbeaters

Schmucker SF breakfast syrup

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl; the batter should be on the liquid, pourable side. Pour batter in the middle of pre-heated waffle iron, and bake for 3-5 min. For extra special waffle, roast the walnuts first. Serve with sf maple syrup!

As protein, I added a small omelette, but an amaretto cheesecake non-fat yoghurt would also have been great.

1 breakfast entree + dinner fat + free food