Broccoli Salad ... Lighter Version!

I love broccoli salad, it was one of my favorites growing up.  BUT as I watch what I eat and working out my usual broccoli salad just doesn't work, I found a great version on Eating Well's Website and I must say it was pretty tasty.  I never have add water chestnuts to my previous versions and it gave it a nice crunch!  I recommend this as a great alternative for your summer snack.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 2 teaspoons cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 4 cups finely chopped broccoli crowns
• 1 8-ounce can sliced water chestnuts, rinsed and chopped
• 3 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
• 3 tablespoons dried cranberries
• Freshly ground pepper , to taste

PREPARATION

1. Whisk garlic, mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar and sugar in a large bowl. Add broccoli, water chestnuts, bacon, cranberries and pepper; stir to coat with the dressing.

NUTRITION

Per serving: 89 calories; 4 g fat ( 1 g sat , 1 g mono ); 8 mg cholesterol; 12 g carbohydrates; 1 g added sugars; 4 g protein; 3 g fiber; 200 mg sodium; 193 mg potassium.

Sorry I didn't get a pretty plated picture of it.  Enjoy!!

Sometimes you just need a little cheese!

The other night I made some yummy pork and then steamed up some broccoli.  I wanted to have something a little yummier then just broccoli (we've been eating it a lot lately).  I looked up cheese sauce, I wanted the version my mom use to make but I didn't want to weigh in to include cheese sauce!  I hit up weight watcher recipes and found this Broccoli with Cheese Sauce. 

Ingredients:

• 1 lb fresh broccoli florets 
• 1 1/2 cups nonfat milk 
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (I used Whole Wheat Flour)
• 3/4 cup low-fat cheddar cheese, shredded 
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 
• 3/4 teaspoon salt (to taste)

Directions: 1 Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a large pot. 2 Place broccoli in a steamer basket and set over water. 3 Cover and steam until crisp-tender, about 5 to 6 minutes; drain and return to pot. 4 Alternatively, you can cook broccoli in microwave. 5 Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, whisk together milk and flour until blended; place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring often. Reduce heat to low and simmer until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes; remove from heat. Whisk in cheese until melted; whisk in mustard and salt. 6 Pour sauce over broccoli and toss until coated. 7 Yields about 1 cup per serving.

Mine looked a little odd since I used a whole wheat flour but it still tasted yummy!!

Yummy I promise no one will know the difference between the full fat and this light fat version!

Sneaking Greens into Dinner

First off I want to say thank you for all the prayers for my grandmother’s passing.  They mean more than any words I can form right now.

I have a brain overload now, so I thought I’d put up some recipes.  As we know I’m all about getting veggies in.  My boys thankfully have always had veggies so I don’t really have a problem with them eating them.  BUT I do like giving it to them in new ways.  My mom use to always make Quiche’s and Soups so this is fitting to showcase some of my favorites growing up but done in a low fat version.

First off we have a Broccoli and Cheddar Quiche That turned out very yummy.  Now it’s not as creamy as if it was made with all eggs but still very yummy!

Next on the list is a Crockpot Creamy Chicken Spinach Soup that was very yummy and you didn’t have big spinach leaves.

So there you have two very simple and classic meals that were low in fat.  Enjoy!  On our menu tonight is Crockpot Chicken Stroganoff.

What is on your menu tonight?

Warm me up please …

It’s been so chilly lately around here and it’s effecting my mood … ugh.  Then I wake up this morning to see this ------>

YUP that’s SNOW!

Why not share some yummy tummy warming meals I made last week.  First off I want to share The Best Darn Chili Con Carne With Beans. This is from one of my favorite sites Skinny Kitchen.  This was easy to make and the boys loved it, Cole even took it to lunch.  I used a sausage instead of lean ground beef (because that is what I had on hand).

Last on our list was one I loved the boys and Rick just thought it was ok.  This Chicken and Broccoli Noodle Casserole is from my other favorite site Skinny Taste. I cut up my chicken to make it easy for me and steamed my broccoli so it wouldn’t be hard.

  I’m going to go visit my grandmother before we leave for Disney tomorrow so I’m not sure I’ll be making dinner … lol it maybe a cereal night … hehe.  Hope you’re all staying warm!

Ham & Brownies what could be better?

Our Tuesday dinner friends came over and I whipped this dinner up!  This was a easy casserole that was suppose to be done in the crockpot but I threw it all together and in the oven and the muffins were super easy!

First we started out with a Creamy Ham And Broccoli Casserole, that was a hit even if my rice was a little mushy … lol.

Then we ended with a super easy Yum Yum Brownie Muffins that is made up of TWO yes 2 ingredients.  Now I read the boards and a lot of people thought the points weren’t correct on this recipe but if you only use the 2 ingredients than it is true!  If you add the eggs and oil the box calls for then YES it would change the points but you don’t need that extra stuff.

I hope to have some yummy Christmas Fudges done to post tomorrow.  Hope you all have a wonderful day! 

Are you ready for Christmas?  What’s on the menu tonight?

Tuesday Dinner w/ Friends Chicken & Mini Apple Pies

Last Tuesday I whipped up this meal that was a huge hit!  First off I made Chicken Rollatini Stuffed with Zucchini and Mozzarella, now mine wasn’t as pretty as here’s but mine was still very tasty!  PLUS it’s always a good way to get veggies into the kids.  Mine aren’t usually picky but our neighbor’s boy did come over and at first he was I don’t like veggies but we had him try a bite and he said wow this is good!

Next on this list was Easiest Pasta and Broccoli Recipe which was a hit with everyone but me … lol I know it was just ok but everyone else LOVED it!

Next on my list was some bite sized apple pies, it called for store bought pie crust so I made my own Baker’s Secret Pie Crust.  Sometimes I must say it may just be easier to buy it even though it is a heck of lot cheaper … lol.

Happy Monday everyone hope you had a wonderful weekend we had a busy one as usual and mom is still not feeling up to par (had a crud … ugh). 

So what is on your menu for tonight?

It’s a salad Kind of Day …

Last Tuesday when our guest came over we did a BBQ themed dinner.  I wanted to make some salads but trying to get back on eating on the lighter side I found two weight watcher recipes that were a hit.

First off when I was young my mom always made Broccoli Salad.  I wanted to make the lighter version and found this recipe that was so tasty!

Next on the list was a potato salad but again in the lighter side.  This recipe was another delish one, even Rick ate it (and didn’t grumble too much … lol).

Happy Monday everyone!  So what is on the menu for tonight?

Simple meal when your in a pinch

So as you know I’m a little nutty and have gotten really good at doing a meal plan each week.  One way that keeps me sane is I created a folder on my webpage that I save recipes by categories etc … I told you I was nutty.  Well last week something happened that made me cry some how the folder was gone.  I mean MONTHS and MONTHS of finding recipes and saving them for later is gone.  SO I had to find a meal today in a pinch and since my neighbor didn’t have enough cans of black beans (just playing with her I didn’t want to clock out and run to the store hoping she had extras).  I had to make with what I had my house and this is what I found!

First on the list was Pasta with Roasted Broccoli with Garlic and Oil from Skinnytaste.com.  This was super yummy and easy to make plus the boys love broccoli so it works out perfect (Cole had 3 helpings).

And I had to give the boys some meat so chicken came into play.  I found this Parmesan Chicken on a NEW site I found ladies check out loseweightfit.com has some great weight watcher recipes and points!

Happy Tuesday everyone hope you had a fabulous day mine was kind of long and then I had a VERY horrible customer service conversation … don’t worry that post will come this weekend.  Don’t mess with a blogger because we WILL post and let all of our friends know about it.  I think the manager thought I was joking when I said I will let EVERYONE know about this .  Yes in my head I’m a real famous blogger … lol.

Manic Monday ~ Comfort Food for this SICK :( Blogger

Sunday AM I woke up and thought I shoved a pillow up my noise and throat!  I can’t breath and my throat feels like a cat scratched it and left me it’s fur along the way.  Let’s just say I’m not too motivated and moving around that much.  I sadly had to cancel a playdate.  I would have love to gone just to let the kids play so I could slouch in a car but I couldn’t even make it to the car . UGH

So while I’m sitting her not able to breath or sleep I thought I’d post some comfort food.  It’s been rainy and cold here in the PNW so these have been perfect.  I know some of you are in a heat wave but Washington is proving to be a rainy state .

First off we have Cream of Chicken Wild Rice Soup, that I loved.  Rick not so much (I know as usual), the kids liked it.

And I made these for dinner, I know they are technically a breakfast but I love doing these little cupcake ideas for dinner.  Plus the boys love eggs anytime .  Broccoli-and-Bacon Egg Cups were super easy and yummy! 

Happy Monday everyone!  I hope you enjoy these recipes.  I’ll try to be around Monday night if I’m still breathing.

Take out with out the Take out of your pants :) Plus a treat for your Pup

Still on my quest to eat healthy, even though I’m not seeing a huge number loss on the scale I’m loving our meals. First on our list is a favorite with out all the calories, Chicken Teriyaki with Broccoli.

Next on my list is a favorite of mine, this version of General Tso’s Chicken wasn’t as yummy as the fried favorite but it did get an “ok” from Rick .

Well it’s not the fortune cookie, but it is a treat for your pup . This Peanut Butter Oatmeal Flaxseed dog treat was a hit with Jake.

Happy Tuesday everyone I think I may get my groove back on here soon!

More Spinach & Turkey are the KEY words here!

Can you believe it's Tuesday? I didn't even have a moment to breath today I hope will be a better day. Lately I've been on a turkey and/or spinach kick at the house and here are a few recipes I have been playing around with. All 3 were a huge hit with all the boys at the house. Hope you find one or all that you enjoy!

I was looking for spinach and egg breakfast for the boys and came across this recipe on Taste of Home, a few tweaks and this is what I came up with.

CLICK the recipe button to see what is in it!

I'm on a ground turkey kick so bare with me :). 2nd on my list is a yummy turkey and broccoli almost done up like a jelly roll! I like to include the greens in where I can :). I found this recipe on Group Recipe and only tweaked using fresh broccoli.

CLICK the recipe button to see what is in it!

I found this amazing recipe at A New Fit with a spinach twist yet another hit with the boys! CLICK the recipe button to see what is in it!

Happy Tuesday everyone Thank you again for stopping by!

Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays, Tasty Tuesdays, Tasty Tuesday,Tuesday at the Table, Delectable Tuesday, Delicious Dishes , Totally Tasty Tuesday and Hearth and Soul

Comfort Food (Soup & Dessert)

It's really cold here, no snow (Thank God) but it's really freaking cold so I thought why not make some soup for dinner. I found this amazingly easy recipe, Cole had THREE bowls and Caden my little one that will eat usually a BITE and TWO bowls!

Potato, Broccoli & Cheese Soup

Ingredients

• 2 cups chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons margarine
• 2 1/2 pounds peeled and cubed potatoes
• 5 cups boiling water
• 4 cubes chicken bouillon
• 3 cups fresh broccoli, cooked and drained
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

• Directions

  1. In a large stock pot saute onion in butter. Add potatoes, water and bouillon cubes. Cover, bring to boil and then reduce heat to medium and cook until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
  2. Remove tough outer skin of broccoli stems and cook broccoli. Once cooked add to soup.
  3. In a blender or food processor puree half of the soup and return to stock pot. Season with salt and pepper.
  4. Add cheese and heat soup through until cheese is melted. Serve warm.

Then the church had a ladies only meeting (We'll talk more about that on Wed and the daycare that is suppose to be provided). I like to always show up with a treat so I found this amazing yummy recipe!

Copycat Starbucks Peppermint Brownies

Brownies
1 (19 1/2 ounce) box fudge brownie mix
(I used Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate Fudge)
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup water
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract

Peppermint Buttercream Frosting
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Green food coloring

Chocolate Frosting
1/3 cup whole milk
1/4 cup butter
1 (12 ounce) bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 325. Then prepare a 9x9 inch baking dish by spraying lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Cut a piece of parchment paper to the width of the bottom of your pan but long enough to extend over the edge of the right and left sides of the pan.

2. Sift brownie mix to eliminate any clumps. Then add melted butter, water eggs and 1/4 teaspoon of peppermint extract. Mix by hand just until dry ingredients are incorporated.

3. Pour into prepared pan. Bake according to package directions. Let cool.

4. Beat together cup powdered sugar and 1/2 cup softened butter. Mix in another 1/2 cup powdered sugar, then add 1 tablespoon milk, green food coloring, and peppermint and vanilla extracts. Spread frosting evenly over the top. Place brownies in fridge to firm up frosting.

5. Bring 1/3 cup milk and 1/4 cup butter almost to a boil over medium heat. Pour chocolate chips into a heat-safe bowl. Pour milk mixture over the top and let sit for 5 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and whisk until smooth. Use an electric mixer to beat in 1 cup powdered sugar until frosting is smooth. This will make more than you need, so remove 1/4-1/3 cup frosting and reserve for another use.

6. Spread chocolate frosting over the green frosting on the brownies.

7. Place back in fridge for about an hour to firm up frosting. Remove brownies from pan and slice into 9 pieces.

I'm linking up to Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays, Tasty Tuesdays, Tuesday at the Table, Delectable Tuesday, Delicious Dishes , Hearth and Soul and Sweet Sunday.

New Traditions (Ham Glaze, Broccoli Casserole & Sweet Potatoes)

Even though we were left to our little family for Christmas I still wanted to do a little something special. It drives Rick nuts but I just can't help myself I have to do something different each time :).

I was watching Hallmark Channel (of course for my Christmas Movies) and then came on Mad Hungry she was making a ham glaze with oranges & sherry. I of course didn't have sherry on hand but I did have some brandy left over from a previous party so I did a search for Oranges & Brandy and came across this amazing glaze it was awesome!

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Brandy Raisin Ham Glaze

Recipetips.com

Ingredients:

-		1/4 cup raisins
-		1/4 cup brandy (not flavoring)
-		1/4 cup apple jelly
-		1/4 cup orange juice
-		1 tablespoon corn starch
-		1 tablespoon brown sugar
-		1 tablespoon prepared mustard

Directions:

Combine apple jelly, orange juice, raisins, and brandy in a small sauce pan. Cook over low heat until smooth and well combined.

In a separate bowl mix mustard, brown sugar and corn starch. Add mixture to sauce pan and combine. Cook until thickened.

Remove from heat. Spread glaze on ham during the last 30 minutes of baking. Reapply during the last 15 minutes, if desired.

ALEXIS NOTES: I had Clementine's on hand so I took 3 of those and squeezed them for the orange juice, I had apple butter not jelly, I used spicy mustard and I used golden raisins.

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Since I always have to make green bean casserole for Rick (you know the fried onion ones) and I just couldn't eat that again, so I turned to mine and the boys favorite veggie broccoli and something I remembered my mom would make when I was younger. This was fab and GREAT with left overs too!!

Ingredients

• 2 (10-ounce) packages frozen choppedbroccoli, cooked and drained
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup grated sharp cheddar
• 1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 cups crushed crackers
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13 by 9-inch baking dish with vegetable oil cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, combine broccoli, mayonnaise, cheese, soup and eggs. Mix well with a metal spoon. Place the mixture in the prepared baking dish. Top with the crushed crackers and pour the melted butter evenly over the crackers. Bake for 35 minutes or until set and browned.

ALEXIS NOTES: I used fresh broccoli (Next time I will steam the broccoli) and light mayo.

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I'm always on the look for a new Sweet Potato Recipe and found one I love. The boys didn't really care for it but I loved it!

Gourmet Sweet Potato Classic

by AllRecipes.com

Ingredients

• 5 sweet potatoes
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. Bake sweet potatoes 35 minutes in the preheated oven, or until they begin to soften. Cool slightly, peel, and mash.
3. In a large bowl, mix the mashed sweet potatoes, salt, 1/4 cup butter, eggs, vanilla extract, cinnamon, sugar, and heavy cream. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.
4. In a medium bowl, combine 1/4 cup butter, flour, brown sugar, and chopped pecans. Mix with a pastry blender or your fingers to the consistency of course meal. Sprinkle over the sweet potato mixture.
5. Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until topping is crisp and lightly browned.

ALEXIS NOTES: I used 2 LARGE yams, sugar substitute, whole wheat flour and I only had walnuts on hand.

Happy Tuesday hope you find something you like. These are great meals you can do for family dinner!

I'm linking up to Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays, Tasty Tuesdays, Tuesday at the Table, Delectable Tuesday and Delicious Dishes.