Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Cranberry Pistachio Dark Chocolate Bark

This is really delicious and 'good for you' and I think the addition of the roasted almonds actually makes it even better, gives it a deeper, richer taste!


Cranberry Pistachio Dark Chocolate Bark (adapted from Skinnytaste.com)
Ingredients:
             4.5 oz shelled pistachios, coarsely chopped  (I topped it up with some roasted slivered almonds)
             2.5 oz dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
             7 oz dark chocolate bar (organic preferred)

Directions:
Place chocolate in a microwave-safe measuring cup; microwave at HIGH 1 minute or until chocolate melts, stirring every 15 seconds. Add  melted chocolate to nut mixture, stirring until just combined.
Spread mixture evenly on a jelly-roll pan lined with foil; freeze 1 hour. Break into pieces. Bark should be kept in an airtight container in the fridge or a cool room. It will keep for up to 3 weeks.

Servings: 14 • Size: 1 oz (roughly 3-1/2 x 3-1/2"  )
Calories: 126.6 • Fat: 8.1 g • Protein: 2.6 g • Carb: 15.3 g • Fiber: 2.1 g • Sugar: 10.7 g

Here's what it looks like after the chocolate is all melted and all the ingredients added and spread out on the foil.

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Mini Coffee Cake Muffins

Mini Coffee Cake Muffins (Recipe adapted from Food.com)  
Can you tell I’m into making ‘mini’ things lately? Well, it’s perfect when you just need a little bite of something. It’s all about portion control folks!  These are good, but I would serve them warm, or with a little butter on the side, the whole wheat taste comes out a bit, so make sure each muffin have a good amount of pecans on it, it kinda covers the ‘whole-wheaty’ taste away.


Ingredients:
For the muffins:
·         6 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
·         2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
·         1/3 cup sugar
·         2 eggs
·         1 teaspoon vanilla extract
·         1 cup whole wheat flour
·         1 cup all purpose flour
·         1 teaspoon baking soda
·         1 teaspoon baking powder
·         Dash salt
For the filling:
                    1/4 cup brown sugar
                    1/4 cup chopped pecans
                    1 teaspoon cinnamon

Step 1:

Step 2:


Step 3:


Directions:
1.            To make the muffins: preheat oven to 375F. Grease a mini heart cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. Mix filling ingredients together and set aside.
2.            In a large bowl, cream butter, applesauce, sugar and eggs together. Add in vanilla. Gently stir in (with a spoon) flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
3.            Pour about 1/2 tablespoon batter into the bottom of the cavity. Add 1 teaspoon filling on top of batter. Cover filling with another 1/2 tablespoon batter. Sprinkle each with filling.
4.            Bake for 12 – 15 minutes, or until muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out dry. Let muffins cool completely on a wire cooling rack. 

Nutritional information per muffin- Makes 24 mini muffin
Calories: 77
Fat: 2 grams
Carbohydrates: 12 grams
Fiber: 1 gram
Protein: 2 grams
Sugar: 4 grams

Monday, February 27, 2012

Healthy Lifestyle Update- It's now over 40lbs folks!

Today I went to the Wharton Medical Clinic and they confirmed that I lost 7.2 lbs for a Grand Total of 41.4 lbs. WOO HOO! So now my 40 lbs weight loss reward is to get new running shoes- hopefully black ones so I can be all cool and trendy and one day even shop at Lulu Lemon!!!

I am proud of my effort, and it shows in my clothes, the pounds I've lost and even the way I look. I no longer hate looking at myself in pictures. I now like to see the difference... see below.


Ok, I know these are both really yucky pictures but it proves my point. On the right, this summer at the beach... my biggest ever, and for even more effect, I am in a bathing suit... yikes!  On the left, a week ago, with the scarf on my head (thanks Jenny for capturing this photo) smaller face, smaller shoulders, smaller everything... Can't wait to continue and post another picture after another 20 lbs.

Cheesy Mini Skinny Biscuits


Cheesy Mini Skinny Biscuits (adapted from www.plainchicken.blogspot.com )
I was dying for some of those Red Lobster Cheese biscuits, knowing those would explode me off the fat/calorie/grease meter, I sarted looking around on Pinterest and found these. I just changed up the cheese to light cheese and they were great.
If you don't know the secret to making your own buttermilk at home, here it is. For each cup of regular milk just add about 1 tablespoon of regular vinegar and let it sit for about 10 minutes. That's it!  
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups Bisquick
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 Tbps sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla
1 cup light cheddar cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 425. Stir together all ingredients just until combined. Scoop into a mini muffin pan coated with cooking spray. Bake 12-15 minutes, until golden. Makes 24 mini muffins.
Nutritional Information per mini muffin: 
50 calories
6g carbs
2g fat
2g protein
1g sugar

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Nice Nails- Ode to Mardi Gras

Since people celebrated Mardi Gras this week, I thought I would too with wild nail polish designs.

Very bold, don't you think? 

So I started with a shimmery green to make the bottom stripe, it's called Ivy League from Sally Hansen.

Then I did a yellow stripe with Wet n' Wild's The Wonder Yellows.

A final stripe of purple with Rimmel's Violet Metal.

Thrn, I made it looks spooky by adding black crackle, using China Glaze's Black Mesh.

Et Voilà! The final look, Mardi Gras Nails next to my new book, Tina Fey's Bossypants (which I recommend, by the way).




Saturday, February 25, 2012

Amazing Family Day Adventure

How awesome was Family Day???? The weather was gorgeous and Mella and I even convinced Brent to come out with us to one of our favourite waterfront parks. Look at the beautiful blue sky!

Here I am taller than my husband... not!

Pointing to the top of the hill...

Mella and Brent the King and Princess of the World!

Peace, Love and Twirling.

Brent got in on the action.

And then again...

Then it was Mella's turn.

Then it was like, 'Mommy, take a picture of me here'.

Twirling some more...

And then swinging...

And then jumping off!

Thank God we werent' cyclists but just walkists!

Friday, February 24, 2012

Soupy Sundays- Tortellini Sausage Soup

This soup is really delicious and easy to make. Perfect for a cold, snowy/rainy/windy winter day, such as our last Sunday Weather.


Tortellini Sausage Soup (Recipe slightly adapted from www.our)
bestbites.comIngredients:
4 links Italian turkey sausage
4 cloves pressed garlic
1 onion, diced
½ c. water
3 cups chicken broth
½ c. apple cider
1 16-oz. can diced tomatoes
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 c. sliced carrots
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
2 medium zucchini, grated
8-10 oz. package cheese tortellini
2 Tbsp. dried parsley
Directions:
If you're using link sausage, remove the casings and crumble into a large soup pot. To remove the casings, you can use a sharp knife to cut a slit down one side of the sausage and then peel back the casing.
Begin cooking sausage over medium heat, stirring frequently. If your sausage is pretty fatty, you'll want to drain it when it's about halfway cooked. Meanwhile, chop onions and garlic and add to the sausage. Continue cooking until onions are translucent and your sausage is cooked. Your house will smell heavenly. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, juice, water, chicken broth, carrots, oregano, and basil. Cover and simmer for 1/2 hour. Add parsley and zucchini and simmer for another 15 minutes or so.  Add the tortellini  and cook until tender, and then serve with grated Asiago or Parmesan.
Nutritional Information: (serves 6)
185 calories
21g carbs
5g fat
14g protein
3g fibre
7g sugar

 

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Celebrating with Family Birthdays

We were invited to my sister and brother-in-law's home to celebrate my Mom and my brother-in-law's birthday... and guess what.... Not only do I not 'fear' social situations, I look forward to them because I can share some of my 'healthy' recipes with my family. I offered to make 'light' quiches and 'skinny red velvet cupcakes' for the party (you saw those previously).

Pretty Presents (in green).

Pretty Sisters (in green).

Pretty Pregnant sister at 35 weeks (against a green wall). Guess what colour they painted the baby's room.... GREEN!

Julie had us fill in a cute little baby 'guessing' sheet that her girlfriends made for her.

Julie's due date is March 19, so I guessed March 23 and a boy named Joey and Melanie guessed March 22 and a girl named Angelina.

So I made a chicken, broccoli and light cheddar cheese quiche with milk (no cream) and another ham and light cheddar for those afraid of broccoli. They turned out pretty good.  Julie made a beautiful green salad with veggies and mangos and a broccoli salad with grapes and nuts and light mayo. It was delish! Look  at me filling 3/4 of my plate with veggies... good job, because you know the skinny red velvet cupcakes are coming next!

My Dad and Barrie quiching it up!

My Mom and Julie chewing, nice eh!

The Hallidays, Tea, Salad and Whole Wheat baguetting it!







Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Feeding my Face

Ok, no, it's not what you think. It's not about food, it's about nutrition for my face. You see, my sweet parents gave me a 'Facial' gift certificate for Christmas and I have been dying to use it. Since I have started taking care of my body on the inside, I also started taking care of my body on the outside. I have started wearing makeup and trying to show the world that 'hey, look at me, I am taking care of myself and my pretty, made-up face proves it'. Kind of funny but true. Well, I started noticing that my skin was very dry and I was so excited to get this pampering treatment.

This is the before shot.... very nice salon, one my mom frequents a lot.

Picture me lying here for an hour being cleansed, peeled, masked, picked, rubbed, creamed... you know, a facial! It was wonderfully relaxing, and I found out I have combination skin, with very sensitive cheeks, oh my! 
That's me after my treatment, bare, happy, exfoliated and shinny.

So after my treatment, I was going to Whole Foods and thought I would start taking care of my skin in a 'Whole, Clean' way, no more Pond's cream. Let me then introduce you to the Green Beaver! I had to ask the help of a beauty expert at the store and this is what she recommended for my 'sensitive' skin. Don't you just love the name? It's, of course, Canadian made of 100% natural materials here in Ontario. So I bought the purifying grapefruit cleanser an the aloe and green tea moisturizer. So I like the cleanser's smell, but the green tea mositurizer needs some getting used to, and it's 'thin', I'm used to a thicker feeling cream on my face, but my face is looking nice and shinny, in a good way!

I also saw this lip stuff, don't you love the name 'Kiss my Face'. So I picked up this Amethyst colour and I was excited to read that it had pepperment oil (the stuff that makes your lips tingle) and shea butter and coconut oil, all things that are good for your lips.

Came home and opened up my packages and smelled and tested them.

Oh joy!!! I put my new Kiss my Face lip stuff on and it was 'tingly' and not too dark, but just a hint of Amethyst.


Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Salsa Chicken Taco Salad

This is a delicious dinner idea when you need to be quick and out the door. You can prep your chicken the night before and shred your cheese and even cut up your veggies the night before too.


Salsa Chicken Taco Salad

Ingredients:
1 rotisserie chicken (pulled apart and cut up)
1/2 head of iceberg lettuce
1/2 red pepper and 1/2 green pepper
1 tomato
1 jar of salsa
1 cup of light shredded cheddar cheese
Sour cream, Kalamata olives, jalapenos to garnish

Directions:


Put your cut up cooked chicken in a large frying pan and add 1/2 cup of salsa and mix it all around to cover the chicken, add about 1/3 cup of water, let simmer on medium heat until all the liquid is absorbed and the chicken is evenly coated.
Place about 3/4 cup of the shredded cheese over the chicken mixture and cover with a lid until the cheese melts.

In the meantime, cut up your vegetables and place them in your serving bowls/plates. You could use whatever veggies you enjoy.

Add the cooked chicken and melted cheese on top of your salad.

Garnish with a bit more shredded cheese, some light sour cream, salsa and kalamata oilves.

Add some tortilla chips or brown rice crisps around your salad and you are done!

Serves about 4-6 people

Nutrional Information:
425 calories
16g carbs
20g fat
48g protein
6g fibre
7g sugar








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