Lemon Poppyseed Bundt Cake

I have been craving something made with poppy seeds lately.  They just keep shouting at me every time I open the refrigerator!  I paired them with lemon, reduced the fat in a typical cake and came up with this light, heavenly lemon poppy seed bundt cake which did not disappoint.  It's robust on lemon flavor, moist and delicious!  It's even better the second day after making too!

Servings: 16
Serving Size: 1/16 of bundt cake
Points Plus: 7pp
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Bake Time: 55-60 minutes

Ingredients:
Cake Ingredients-
1 Duncan Hines Lemon Cake Mix (16.5 oz)
2 1/2 Tbsp. flour
1 package instant lemon pudding, sugar-free
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup poppy seeds
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
3 egg whites
1 egg

Glaze Ingredients-
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2-4 Tbsp. fresh lemon mice
1 drop yellow food coloring

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Coat a bund pan with cooking spray.  In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the cake mix, flour, instant pudding, buttermilk, water, applesauce, oil, poppy seeds and lemon juice (2 Tbsp).  Mix until well blended.  Add the egg whites and egg and beat until smooth.  Pour into prepared bundt pan and spread evenly.  Bake for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out cleanly.  Remove from the oven and let cool for about 10 minutes.  Carefully loosen sides with a knife and remove the cake onto a plate.  Cool completely before glazing.

To make the glaze - combine the powdered sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl.  Blend until very smooth with a whisk.  Add the food coloring and mix well.  Drizzle the glaze all around the top of the cake.  Slice and serve!

Tip:
Keep your poppy seeds in the fridge to make the last for up to 6 months!  Because poppy seeds are high in oil content they need to be preserved a bit otherwise they won't last long.  The fridge is the perfect home for them!

YUM!
XOXO Nancy

Pad Thai

My fiancé and I LOVE noodly (totally just made that up) meals and are continuously looking for delicious recipes.  We found this super easy and quick Pad Thai recipe that is full of flavors, but we put our own spin on it to make it even healthier and more filling! This is great to make after a long day at work and all you want is take-out.  This version tastes even better and is much healthier.  I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Servings: 4
Serving Size: 2 cups
Points Plus: 6pp
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
8 oz. cooked rice noodles
4 Tbsp. packed brown sugar
2 fresh limes, cut in half
6 Tbsp. soy sauce, low-sodium
2 tsp. olive oil
Small bunch of green onions (use both green and white parts), chopped
1 medium garlic clove, chopped
2 eggs
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup salted peanuts, chopped
3 tsp. Sriracha chili sauce (more if you like it SPICY!)

Directions:
Soak noodles according to package in hot water; drain when done.  In a small bowl, whisk together brown sugar, juice from 1 lime, soy sauce, and Sriracha sauce; set aside.  In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.  Add white parts of green onions and garlic.  Cook for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Add eggs and cook, scraping the pan with a spatula until eggs are almost set.  Add drained noodle and sauce mixture to the skillet.  Toss until evenly coated.  Serve with lime wedges and top each serving with cilantro, green parts of the onions and 1 Tbsp. chopped peanuts.

Tip:
I like to add veggies to this dish to make it healthier and to add more texture to the Pad Thai.  I slice carrots with a peeler (the long way so they are thin) and bean sprouts.  Add these ingredients when you transfer the noodles to the skillet.  You could also add in zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower or whatever vegetables you like.  Just make sure they are cooked to your liking before serving!

XOXO - Laura

Summer Pepper & Corn Salad

If you can still find some fresh ears of corn, buy it and make this super easy salad.  These summer veggies are fresh, tasty and the salad is so easy to make that you will quickly add this to your summer salad recipe list!

Servings: 6
Serving Size: 3/4 cup
Points Plus: 1pp
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: n/a

Ingredients:
4 Roma tomatoes, chopped
2 earns of corn, cooked and cut off the cob
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
Juice from 1/2 lime
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Wash and prep the veggies.  Add the tomatoes, corn, peppers and onion to a large bowl.  Add the lime juice, salt and pepper to taste and stir until well combined. Serve and enjoy this simple, fresh salad.

Tip:
This salad is freshest if served immediately, but it will keep for up to 48 hours in the refrigerator.

Thanks for letting me share,
Guest Blogger,
Jessica (Katie's sister)

Broccoli, Sun-Dried Tomato and Mushroom Pizza

Hi there! I'm Nancy, Megan's Mom and Katie's Aunt!  I love finding and trying new recipes.  Sometimes I even bravely try them out for the first time when I have guests over!  Sometimes I like to spend a lot of time in the kitchen cooking and others I just want to get it done, quick and simple.  Any way you look at it thought I like to eat healthy and tend to go meatless most of the time.  I like to show others that you can eat yummy meals that are plant based only!  I'm also excited that Megan & Katie decided to let me be a guest blogger!  Enjoy my recipes!

The flavor in this pizza is really big for only a few ingredients!  The sun dried tomatoes are packed with flavor and roasted broccoli has a delicious, caramelized, seasoned taste to it.  Mushrooms are the perfect complement to this trio of veggies.  String cheese is probably not what you usually think of for pizza, but is a great innovative idea for pizza cheese!

Servings: 3
Serving Size: 1/3 of pizza
Points Plus: 6pp
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 
Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
1 12 inch thin whole wheat pizza crust (I used Golden Home Ultra Thin)
1 cup broccoli florets, roasted
1/4 cup. sun dried tomatoes, diced
8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced thin
6 light string cheese sticks

Directions:
Spread the broccoli evenly over the pizza crust.  Next, add the diced sun dried tomatoes and finally layer on the mushrooms.  Separate the string cheese into 8 pieces per stick and distribute evenly on top of the pizza.  Bake in a 425 degree oven for about 15 minutes.  Slice and enjoy!

Tip:
I like to cut my pizza into narrow slices because it makes it seem like I have more to eat and dinner takes a little bit more time this way.

XOXO Nancy

Potato Wedges

Hello fellow food lovers, my name is Laura and I am a sister and cousin to Katie and Megan, respectively.  I am super excited to be a guest blogger this month!  My fiancé and I LOVE cooking, but probably LOVE eating more. Trying new recipes is always fun for us as well as trying to make them healthier.  I absolutely love fruits and veggies and have an obsession with goldfish crackers (yes I have ate a whole container in one sitting, all approximately 25 WW points plus worth, it was delicious and I had to go for a loooooooooong bike ride that week!).  Any who, hopefully you find my recipes as good as I think they are and I am looking forward to being a guest blogger!  Happy and healthy eating :)

Who doesn't love potatoes?! Everyone does, I mean they even grew a potato in space (did you know that?  Got to love the internet!).  Here is a recipe for an amazingly, tasty recipe for healthy potato wedges that can be made at home, but taste like deep fried restaurant ones.  They are a perfect sid ego any meal. :)

Servings: 4
Serving Size: 1 potato (8 wedges)
Points Plus: 5pp
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook/Bake Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:
4 medium potatoes
4 tsp. olive oil
2 tsp. sea salt
2 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. dried thyme
2 tsp. garlic salt
2 tsp. dried parsley

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with tinfoil.  Wash and scrub potatoes.  Cut into 8 wedges per potato and place in a large bowl.  Add the oil and all spices to the potatoes and stir until evenly coated.  Pour potatoes onto covered pan, making sure to spread out the slices evenly.  Make sure you have the potato side side down on the foil, this helps with even cooking and prevents them from sticking to the pan.  Bake for 45 minutes, checking halfway through and stirring with tongs.  Once the wedges are done cooking you should be able to easily put a fork through the slices.

Tip:
I have a few favorite spices I also add for specific flavoring depending on what I'm in the mood for.  If you are looking for some heat, add a pinch or two of chili powder and paprika.  Another favorite is Old Bay seasoning (typically used for cooking fish and chicken, but is also delicious on potato wedges).  Lastly, Northwoods Seasoning from Penzeys Spices is fantastic and adds a unique flavor combo.

XOXO - Laura

Guest BLOGGERS!

Hello loyal foodlove followers!

We are SUPER excited to bring you a full week of guest blog posts!!!!  Starting next week, check out posts from some of our favorite people to share our kitchens with!

You are in for a real treat!  These recipes won't disappoint!!

Be sure to visit next week to check out all of these wonderful guest blog posts. :)

XOXO Katie & Megan

Parmesan Crusted Chicken

There are so many ways to make boring baked chicken more exciting! Cheese is always a good place to start. This juicy baked chicken has a slight crust, which actually makes you think it's fried!

Servings: 4

Serving Size: 1 chicken breast
Points Plus: 5pp
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25-30 minutes

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

2 Tbsp. Italian bread crumbs

1/8 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. parsley

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 lb. chicken breasts (4)

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Mix together cheese, breadcrumbs and all seasonings in a bowl. One by one, coat each chicken breast with the cheese coating. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, flip, and then bake for 10-15 more minutes. 

Tip:

I just learned this crazy tip! To bake chicken, place a metal cookie cooling rack on a rimmed baking sheet. Place chicken to the rack and bake for the entire time your recipe calls for, no need to flip! The chicken juice will drip onto the rimmed sheet and your chicken will turn out crispy!

XOXO - Katie

Grilled Veggie Kabobs

Grilled veggie kabobs are a perfect side for any cook out!  You will be amazed at the flavor these veggies get from the grill AND they are super quick.  Make your own kabobs with whatever vegetables you have on hand for your next gathering.  Also, I love how pretty all the colors look in a big serving bowl!

Servings: 6
Serving Size: 1/6 of all veggies
Points Plus: 1pp
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook/Grill Time: 3-12 minutes


Ingredients:
1 8 oz. package mushrooms
1 red pepper
1 green pepper
1 package cherry tomatoes

Directions:
Throughly wash all veggies.  Slice and cut the peppers into wedge sized pieces.  Using bamboo or wooden skewers, begin to assemble the kabobs with veggies.  I think it works best to keep all veggies of the same type on each kabob (all mushrooms on one, all peppers on another etc). Start the grill and heat to a medium temperature level.  Place the kabobs on the grill and cook until veggies are tender, yet crisp; constantly rotate the skewers through out the cook time.  Cook times will vary by vegetables.  For some general guidelines, we used the following cook times:

Tomatoes - 3-5 minutes
Mushrooms - 5-10 minutes
Peppers - 10-12 minutes

When veggies are finished cooking, combine all in a large serving bowl and enjoy!

Tip:
Cook to taste with these grilled veggies.  Some people prefer very cooked veggies (think sauté style), while others prefer more crunch.  We err more on the side of liking more crispness to our veggies (the cook times above reflect this).

XOXO Megan

Buffalo Chicken Lasagna

Here is a lasagna combination I bet you never thought of. Buffalo Chicken! This recipe has only 8 ingredients, and one of them is water!  I think that's pretty good for lasagna! It is full of flavor and makes great leftovers, as any lasagna does! This would be a great recipe for a Sunday football part-ay!

Servings: 9

Serving Size: 1/9 of lasagna

Points Plus: 7

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 25 minutes

Level of Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

12 lasagna noodles, uncooked

1 lb. cooked chicken breast, cubed

3 cups spaghetti sauce (I like Trader Joes brand)

1 1/2 cups water

15 oz. nonfat Ricotta cheese

1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Cook chicken over medium high heat for 4 minutes or until almost done. Stir in sauces and water. In a small bowl, combine ricotta cheese and egg substitute.

Spray a 9X13 pan with nonstick cooking spray. Spread 1 Cup of sauce in the bottom of pan. Arrange 4 noodles over the sauce. Spread more sauce, then a layer of ricotta mixture. Add another layer of sauce, and repeat the whole process until you end with a layer of sauce. Cover and bake 70 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle blue cheese on top, then bake for another 15 minutes uncovered. Let stand 10-15 minutes before serving.

Tip

After the lasagna has cooled, cut it up and put the leftovers in a Tupperware container {one slice per container} then freeze.  This makes for a quick and easy weekday packed lunch!

XOXO - Katie

3 Cheese Skinny Penne Bake

Three cheeses and pasta??  Ummm, yes please! This is a super easy weeknight meal that is lightened up with reduced-fat cheeses to make a great pasta bake.  The portion size isn't huge, but you could easily pair this meal with a veggie side for some extra nutrition.  My husband LOVED this and we both enjoyed that it made lots of servings - it made it easy to pack a serving for lunch the next day!

Servings: 8
Serving Size: About 1 cup
Points Plus: 5pp
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook/Bake Time: 30-35 minutes

Ingredients:
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 jar of pasta marinara sauce (24 oz.)
12 oz. penne pasta
1/2 cup cottage cheese, low-fat
1/2 cup ricotta cheese, part-skim
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, reduced-fat/part-skim
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 Tbsp. fresh oregano, diced
1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, diced

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  In a large pot, cook the penne according to the directions on the packages.  Make sure your pasta is al dente because it will cook more while baking in the oven.  In a large skillet, add the onion and garlic and sauté over medium heat until tender, about 3-5 minutes.  Add in the whole jar of pasta sauce to the skillet and stir until well combined.  Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.  Combine the cottage cheese, ricotta and 1 1/2 cups of mozzarella cheese in a medium bowl.  Stir in the fresh herbs to the cheese mixture.  Assemble the pasta bake in a 9x13 pan.  Start with 1/2 of the pasta and sauce mixture, spread evenly on the bottom of the pan.  Next, layer in all of the cheese mixture; spread evenly across the first pasta layer.  Finish with the remaining pasta and sprinkle the top with the remaining 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese.  Bake for 30-35 minutes.

Tip:
Don't have any fresh herbs on hand from your herb garden?  That's okay, substitute in dried herbs instead.  Use 1 teaspoon for every tablespoon of fresh.

XOXO Megan

Recipe adapted from Skinnymom

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Raisins

Nothing says Monday like brussels sprouts!  Kidding, but believe it or not, these tasty sprouts are a party in your mouth - and will make you forget that it is Monday, haha. The are both sweet and savory components to these sprouts, I promise they are like no sprouts you have ever had (although I love brussels sprouts, I know not everyone does).  Give these a whirl!

Servings: 4

Serving Size: 1 cup

Points Plus: 3pp

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Level of Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:
2 pieces bacon, cooked crispy and crumbled (reserve 1 T bacon fat)
1 pound brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half
1 3/4 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup golden raisins

Directions:
Add 1 T of bacon fat to a heavy dutch oven and turn your burner on medium. Add the brussels sprouts and stir until coated with fat. Season with a touch of kosher salt and pepper. Sautee about 5 minutes until lightly browned. Add raisins and chicken stock, lower heat and cook until the sprouts are tender, about 15 minutes. Serve sprouts with crumbled bacon on top.

Tip:
You could easily make this dish veggie, but omitting the bacon and subbing the bacon fat for 1 t olive oil.

XOXO - Katie

Acorn Squash w. Fried Egg

You can stuff an acorn squash with just about anything, and use it for a fancy side dish or even a filling whole meal. This fall squash is simply stuffed with an egg that bakes in the oven to sort of a poached consistency. Top this baby with a bit of cheese and you have the perfect fall flavor combo.

Servings: 2
Serving Size: 1/2 squash
Points Plus: 2pp
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Level of Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:
1 acorn squash
2 eggs
Salt + pepper to taste
Cooking spray

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Cut your acorn squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Spray the squash with cooking spray and place them on a cookie sheet, cut side up.  Bake them for 30 minutes then remove them from the oven. Crack an egg int the center of each squash, then sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.  Return to the oven and bake for an additional 20 minutes. Remove and enjoy!

Tip:
You could also add some veggies into the squash hole prior to breaking the egg.  Tomato and onions would be tasty!

XOXO - Katie

Grilled Yellowfin Tuna Steaks

I didn't realize until I had this recipe that I actually enjoy tuna! These are yellowfin tuna steaks which are hearty pieces of fish that are quite delicious.  This recipe calls for a simple marinade that the tuna steaks should soak in for anywhere from 1 to 2 hours (depending on how much time you have to prep dinner).  Enjoy!

Servings: 4

Serving Size: 1 4oz. tuna steak

Points Plus: 6pp

Level of Difficulty: Easy

Prep Time: 1-3 hours (marinade time)

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

4 yellowfin tuna steaks (4 oz. each)

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 tsp. grated lemon zest

1 clove garlic, crushed

Lemon wedges for garnish

Directions:

In a medium bowl, combine the oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, mustard, lemon zest and garlic.  Whisk together until well combined.  Add the yellowfin tuna steaks and let them sit in the marinade for 1 to 2 hours.  You will want to poke the steaks first before adding to marinade - this will allow for the flavors to really integrate into the steaks before cooking.  Start the grill and raise the temperature to high heat.  Reduce the remaining marinade in a pan for about 10 minutes.  Use this reduced mixture to baste the steaks while grilling.  Grill the tuna steaks about 4 minutes per side, only flipping once.  Serve with the lemon wedges.

Tip:

XOXO Megan

Steak with Cream Sauce

Grilled steak alone is amazing, but add a creamy cheesy sauce and you have steak on a whole new level! This tasty cream sauce is simple to make and has a surprising depth of flavor for such few ingredients.

Servings: 2

Serving Size: 1 4 oz fillet + 1 1/2 T cream sauce

Points Plus: 6pp

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Level of Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

2, 4oz filet mignons

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup white wine or chicken stock

1 wedge, Laughing Cow cheese, I used garlic herb

1 t olive oil

Salt + pepper

Cooking spray

Directions

Heat a grill pan to medium high and spray with cooking spray with cooking spray. Season steaks with salt and pepper, and set them on the grill pan, cooking for 3-4 minutes per side until cooked to desired temperature. 

Add olive oil to a small sauce pan and sautee garlic until softened, about 1 minute.  Stir in wine and cook until mixture has reduced by about half.  Whisk in cheese and remove from heat.  Stir until sauce is smooth.  Add about 1 1/2 T of sauce to the top of each filet and serve!

Tip

Try this creamy sauce on chicken or fish!

XOXO - Katie

Cucumber Tomato Greek Salad

I wanted to serve a traditional Greek salad along with the turkey burgers that foodlove brought you last week!  Although quite simple, this is pretty close to an authentic Greek salad.  I did forgo the red onion which is typically paired with these salad ingredients.  Feel free to add that back in if you want!

Servings: 6
Serving Size: 3/4 cup
Points Plus: 2pp
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: n/a

Ingredients:
3 medium tomatoes, diced
2 1/2 large cucumbers, diced
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions:
Wash and prep your veggies.  Slice the cucmbers into thick (1/4 inch) slices and then quarter each slice.  Dice the tomatoes and remove the seeds.  Add the veggies to a large serving bowl.  Toss the salad in olive oil and dried oregano, stirring until well combined.  Top with 1/4 cup of crumbled feta cheese.

Tip:
Although it's kind of a pain, I would recommend removing as many seeds as you can from the tomatoes and even the cucumbers.  This will really help to eliminate the salad from getting watery.  This is especially important if you think you will have leftovers because it will help keep the salad more crisp in the fridge!

XOXO Megan

Maple Oat Scones

Please meet my new favorite ingredient…maple extract! I could seriously drink this stuff and rub it all over my hands to that I smell it all day long.  I had never even heard to it, until I found this recipe for Maple Oat Nut scones. While enjoying a cabin weekend a few weeks ago I whipped these up for breakfast (served alongside this pesto eggs benedict).  It was the perfect pairing. The sweet icing on these scones is really what makes them – enjoy!

Servings: 24
Serving Size: 1 scone
Points Plus: 5pp
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Level of Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients

Scones
2 ¾ cup white flour
½ cup regular oats, ground (I used my magic bullet to grind these up into a powder)
1/3 cup sugar
2 T baking powder
½ t kosher salt
2 sticks of light butter, cold and cut into cubes
½ cup pecans, chipped
¾ cups heavy cream
1 egg
1 t maple extract
Cooking spray

Icing
2 ½ cups powdered sugar
1/8 cup skim milk
1 T light butter, melted
1 T strong coffee
1 t maple extract

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine flour, ground oats, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir with a wooden spoon until combined. Add cold butter pieces and use a pastry cutter to mix together the butter with dry ingredients. The resulting mixture should resemble coarse crumbs. Stir in chopped pecans.

In a separate bowl whisk together cream, egg, and 1 t maple extract. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and gently stir, I used my hands. If the mixture does not come together into a solid ball, add a bit more heavy cream.  I added maybe 2 T more.

Sprinkle some flour onto your counter and place dough ball on it. Use your hands to press the ball into a rectangle; mine was about 6 x 8 inches wide and about 1 inch thick. Cut the dough into three long strips, and then cut each strip into four equal parts.  Finally cut each equal part in half diagonally to it forms a triangle. Transfer scones to a sprayed baking sheet.  If you have a silicone baking mat you could use that instead.

Bake scones for 20-24 minutes, until they just begin to turn brown.  Don’t bake them too long or they will dry out! Remove them from the oven and transfer them to a wire cooling rack.  Let them cook completely before icing.

To make the icing, combine all icing ingredients in a bowl and whisk together. If the icing is too thick, add just a touch more milk (like 1 t at a time). The icing should be pourable but should still stick to the scones. Drizzle each scone with a generous amount of icing. Then, sparkle the top of each scone with a few chopped pecans. Allow the iced scones to set for at least 1- minutes before serving.

Tip

Everyone loves a time saving tip.  I made these scones the night before and frosted them the next morning. Just give let them sit for about 10 minutes after icing them to allow them to set.  Place on a pretty platter and serve!

XOXO – Katie

Recipe is compliments of The Pioneer Women with a few alterations to lighten it up!

Grilled Mexican Corn

There is an AMAZING side dish of Mexican corn that they serve at Manny's steakhouse!  I have
always wanted to recreate it and decided to seek out some recipes to make it happen!  This recipe makes the perfect side dish to any BBQ meal.  The lime, chili powder and grilled corn make the flavors pop and are a good representation of true Mexican corn. 

Servings: 6
Serving Size: 1/6 of the dish
Points Plus: 4pp
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Grill/Cook Time: 20 minutes 

Ingredients:
6 ears of fresh sweet corn
1/8 cup creme fraiche
2 limes, juiced and zested
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1/4 cup cotija cheese, crumbled (Mexican queso fresco)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
Prep the corn by removing the silk, but keeping the husks on (this is critcal for grilling corn!).  Heat the grill to a high heat.  Grill the corn by constantly turning to get grill char on all sides (about 10 minutes).  Remove the corn cobs and let cool slighty.  Cut off the kernals using a knife.  Heat a skillet on the stove and add the corn kernals, creme fraiche, lime juice, zest from 1 lime, chili powder and salt & pepper.  Add half the cotija cheese and fresh cilantro to the skillet as well; stir to combine.  Cook on the stovetop for about 10 minutes, stiring occaisionaly until the corn takes on a creamy mixture and is heated throughout.  To serve, top the corn with the remaining cheese and cilantro.

XOXO Megan

Chinese Chicken Salad

In an effort to same some cash money and even some calories, I have committed to packing my lunch.  After eating out for lunch every day for almost 8 years, this has proven to be a difficult habit to break in the past, until the last 11 days!!  I have packed my lunch for the past 11 days ya'all! In my days of eating out I looked at packing a lunch like the most difficult task ever, but really, with a wee bit of planning, it is really quite an easy thing to do.  This Chinese chicken salad recipe is a great go to for lunch packing, comes together in a flash, and stays good in the fridge.  I packed it three days in a row!  Really it couldn't be easier, or healthier!

Servings: 5
Serving Size: 1 1/2 cup
Points Plus: 5pp for salad alone, 7pp for salad on a Flat Out light wrap
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: n/a
Level of Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

1 16 oz package of broccoli slaw (easy to find at Trader Joes)
1 small can of mandarin oranges
1 cup diced scallions, white and green parts
12 oz cooked chicken breast, skin removed (you could use rotisserie)
3/4 cup how fat sesame salad dressing (I used Newman's Own Lighten Up!)

Directions
In a large bowl mix together first four ingredients. Pour on dressing and stir. This salad is served cold. Place one serving of this delish salad in a Flat Out light wrap and pack away for a tasty lunch!

Tip
I can never ever remember a simple way to roast a chicken breast. I think I have finally figured it out. For a recipe like this, simple salt and pepper a chicken breast and bake at 350 for 30 mins. That's it people! Super easy but still a lot of flavor.

XOXO - Katie

Greek Turkey Burgers

It's fun to find new ways to change up a tradtional turkey burger.  I love turkey burgers because they are guilt-free (well not completely, but you know what I mean) way to enjoy summer grilling!  This recipe is for a Greek style turkey burger with a creamy cucumber dill sauce that is a perfect condiment topping.

Servings: 6
Serving Size: 1 turkey burger + bun + 1 Tbsp. cucumber dill sauce
Points Plus: 8pp
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Grill/Cook Time:

Ingredients:
Cucumber Dill Sauce:
1 7 oz. plain Greek yogurt (I prefer the Fage brand)
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 1/2 tsp. dried dill
Fresh lemon juice (from 1/2 lemon)

Turkey Burgers:
1 1/4 lbs. ground turkey
1 egg
2 oz. frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1/4 cup roasted red peppers, diced
1/2 medium red onion, diced
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/3 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup crumbled feta
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced

Directions:
In a small bowl, combine the Greek yogurt, minced garlic, dill and fresh lemon juice.  Whisk together with a small whisk until well combine.  Refrigerate until you are ready to serve the turkey burgers.  Wash and prep the onion, cucumber (the thin slices will be used as a burger topping) and dice the roasted red peppers.  In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, egg, frozen spinach, roasted red peppers, onion, oregano, garlic, bread crumbs, feta and salt & pepper to taste.  Mix together (using your hands works the best) until all ingredients are well combined.  Divide the mixture into 6 and shape into burger patties.  Cook on the grill over medium high heat for about 5 minutes per side.  Check to make sure the turkey burgers reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees to make sure they are cooked through.  Serve with the cucumber dill sauce and the cucumber slices!

Tip:
One of my favorite parts of grilling is how easy it is to toast the buns while the burgers are finishing cooking.  We have a wire rack above our burners that works perfect - it's like a little shelf perfectly made for buns or bread. :)

XOXO Megan

Happy Labor Day + 15 Amazing Pies!

In celebration of Labor Day I would like to post a fun little project I have been working on this summer - #14piesofsummer (that actually turned into 15)! The week after Memorial Day I was tasked with baking a pie. And I since it was so fun and tasty, I thought, why not make one pie a week all summer?!?! And so I did, and it was a great leaning experience, and I am proud of what I accomplished and baked!

It was also fun to share all of these pies with my peeps, as any good Weight Watcher knows, having desserts in the house is dangerous. I brought them to dinner parties, birthday parties, cabin parties, fourth of July parties, going away parties and more! Please enjoy this recipe for the unexpected front runner - Key Lime!!! 

Key Lime Pie!!

Other pies included, in no particular order; blueberry, cherry, apple cheddar, peach cobbler, peaches and cream, chocolate chip, chocolate pecan, yogurt, banana cream, lemon, strawberry glaze, french silk, rhubarb & banana cheesecake (pie).

Key Lime Pie
Servings: 12
Serving Size: 1/12 pie
Points Plus: 10pp
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes total
Chill Time: 2 hours
Level of Difficulty: Easy

Kay Lime recipe can be found here!
Check out all the PIES here!

Tip
I substituted light sour cream and light butter for the regular versions in this Key Lime pie, and it was amazing!!

XOXO - Katie

Shrimp & Wild Rice Burrito

I love to test out new flavor combos! This idea came at the suggestion of my wonderful coworker! And as the weather begins to cool (I know I know we don't want to think of it YET) wild rice will soon become a delish fall staple. This burrito is stuffed with lemony garlicy shrimp, hearty wild rice, fresh tomatoes and just a bit if cheese. The perfect flavor combo for an easy lunch or dinner.

Servings: 1

Serving size: 1 burrito

Points plus: 9pp (don't fret, a large portion!)

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 5 minutes

Level of difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

Two whole wheat tortillas

1 cup cooked wild rice

1cup diced cherry tomatoes

2 T low fat cheddar

1/2 cup of your fav salsa

2 cups mini shrimp, uncooked, peeled and de-veined

1 t minced garlic

1 lemon

Salt + pepper to taste

Directions

Place thawed shrimp in a bowl. Add fresh garlic, the juice from one lemon, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir and let marinade for about 10 mins. 

After ten mins spray a non stick skillet and sautéed shrimp for about 2 mins per side. 

Warm each tortilla for about 15 second in the micro. Top each with half the shrimp, 1/2 cup rice 1 T cheese, cherry tomatoes and salsa. Wrap like a burrito or taco and enjoy!

Tip

You could easily pack this for lunch, something I'm trying to get better at! Simply pack each ingredient in a desperate Baggie, warm before lunch, assemble and enjoy!

XOXO - Katie

Campfire 'Breakfast in a Bag'

I will warn you... you might think this sounds like a CRAZY idea! 

My mom came up with this idea for a creative breakfast while camping.  Basically you cook you breakfast over the campfire IN A BAG!  I know what you are thinking, this is never going to work.  The bag for sure will catch fire!  But believe me... it really does work!!!  Next time you are camping and enjoying the great outdoors, try it out for yourselves.

Servings: 6
Serving Size: 1 breakfast in a bag (1 egg + 1 1/2 slices of bacon)
Points Plus: 5pp
Level of Difficulty: Medium
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Grill/Cook Time: 15-20 minutes (depends on the campfire)

Ingredients:
Paper lunchbags
Tinfoil
Smore's/campfire sticks
6 eggs
9 slices of bacon
Salt & pepper

Directions:
Start a campfire. :)  Line the grilling grate with tinfoil.  Assemble and prep your 'breakfast in a bag' by opening up lunch bags and lining the bottom with 1 1/2 slices of bacon each. Crack an egg into each bag and season with salt and pepper.  Fold over the top to 'seal' and poke holes in the top of the bag to attach each 'breakfast in a bag' to the campfire stick.  Place on top of the grilling grate and cook for 15-20 minutes.  You will probably need to pull one bag off the fire to check on cook time.  Have fun and enjoy your campfire 'breakfast in a bag'!

*Tip - You could cut your bacon slices in half ahead of time at home so you have them ready to go at the campground.

Tip:
Make sure you don't overload the campfire with too many 'breakfast in a bags'.  We had 8 total on the campfire at one point and it proved to be too many.  We had a little grease fire breakout from the all the bacon grease!  Be careful! :)

XOXO Megan

Pudding Pops

I picked up popsicle molds at Ikea months ago, and just got around to using them last week as summer winds down. Now that I tried them, I have many plans for more, but let's start with a SUPER easy popsicle recipe involving pudding!  This is a double chocolate recipe for any chocolate lover, is fun to make and even fun to eat! Enjoy!

Servings: 8
Serving Size: 1 pudding pop
Points Plus: 2pp
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Freeze Time: 2 hours
Level of Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

1 package of sugar free/fat free chocolate pudding
2 cups of cold milk
4 T mini chocolate chips
Popsicle maker or 8 mini dixi cups and 8 popsicle stickes

Directions
Mix cold milk with pudding mix and whisk for about 2 minutes.  Add in chocolate chips and using a measuring cup, pour about 1/4 cup of mixture into each mold.  Insert the stick end and freeze for two hours!

After the popsicles are frozen, run one under warm water until the stick end easily slides out.

Tip
You could use many combinations of pudding flavors and candies/fruits, get creative people!

XOXO - Katie

3 Pepper Cracker (or Veggie!) Spread

This spread really has some kick to it!  Mix in some spicy peppers and you will definitely turn up the heat.  The recipe suggests you serve this as cracker spread, but it's equally as good on some fresh veggies too (I would suggest cucumber slices, caulifower, even carrots). 
When I was making this I could not figure out what they meant by 3 peppers!  Obviously the jalapeno and Tabasco could as 2 of the 3 peppers, but what is the last one?  I realized they meant the cheese since jack meant PEPPER-jack!  :)

Servings: 8 
Serving Size: 2 Tbsp.
Points Plus: 2pp
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: n/a

Ingredients:
1 8 oz. package cream cheese, 1/3 less fat
1 1/4 cups shredded cheddar/Monterey Jack cheese, reduced-fat
2 Tbsp. canned jalapeno peppers, drained and diced
1 tsp. hot sauce/Tabasco

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix with a mixer until well combined.  Refrigerate if you are serving later, or serve immediately with a side of crackers.
Tip:
This is a really easy make ahead recipe!  We went camping this past weekend and I made this ahead of time to throw in the cooler for a easy and delicious appetizer for us to enjoy while we were enjoying the great outdoors.
XOXO Megan

Sicilian Salad

This recipe is a restaurant copy from one of our favorite places to go for a casual dinner, Mozza Mia! I think this salad is their signature salad and it's a great combo of flavors.  One flavor that I have yet to really decide if I like or not is fennel.  It has a VERY strong licorice flavor, otherwise known as anise.  At Mozza Mia the chef obviously knows how to disguise this flavor.  I can't say I was quite as successful, but I did use a touch of light butter and garlic to sauté which helped soften it a bit.  The citrus, arugula and pine nuts played off of each other well to create a crisp and refreshing summer salad.

Servings: 2
Serving Size: 1 entree salad
Points Plus: 3pp
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: n/a

Ingredients:
Arugula
1/4 cup fennel, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp. light butter
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 grapefruit, cut into slices
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
2 oz. shredded Parmesan cheese
Splash of grapefruit juice
Salt & pepper

Directions:
Wash and plate out two entree salad servings of arugula.  Slice the fennel into very thin slices (think shaved onion slices).  Add 1 Tbsp. light butter and 1 tsp. minced garlic to a small sauté pan and add the fennel slices.  Cook over medium heat until the fennel starts to soften, about 4-5 minutes.  Toast the pine nuts until just brown on the stovetop.  Assemble the salads by layering on the grapefruit slices, fennel, pine nuts, and 1 oz. of Parmesan cheese per salad.  Instead of a traditional salad dressing I squeezed some fresh grapefruit juice over the top of my salad and seasoned with salt & pepper.

Tip:
In the true spirit of a restaurant copy I wanted to try out the salad with fennel.  However, I think my recommendation would be to omit the fennel next time! :)

XOXO Megan

Roasted Figs

Another super duper easy peasy fancy dancy recipe! I went to Trader Joes a few weeks ago and discovered a TON of new foods, figs being one of them.  I always meant to try cooking with figs, but where the heck do you buy these little thangs?  It turns out you can get them at the normal grocery store too, hahaha.  Roast up some of these babies to impress your friends as a cute little appy at your next dinner gathering!

Servings: 4
Serving Size: 5 figs
Points Plus: 2pp
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Level of Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients
10 figs
4 oz goat cheese
Balsomic vinegar
Salt + pepper to taste

Directions
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Rinse figs and cut them in half. Using a silicone brush, lightly brush each fit with a thin layer of balsamic vinegar. Spread a thin amount of goat cheese equally on each fig.  Top with a bit of fresh ground pepper. Place figs in the oven on a small, rimmed cookie sheet and bake for 8 minutes. Enjoy immediately from the oven!

Tip

You could easily add a bit of honey to each fig for an additional point plus! 

 

XOXO - Katie

Cherry BBQ Pork Chops

We took a trip to northern Michigan about a month ago and as we explored the quaint, tourist towns we found ourselves finding cherries at every turn!  Michigan cherries are a classic tradition and we were excited to find that the sweet cherries had just ripened for the season. We knew that at least one of our souvenirs from the trip had to include some of the cherry love!  We picked up this delicious Cherry BBQ grilling sauce that is locally made in Petoskey, MI.

A few weeks later, we decided to try out our new grilling sauce and we though pork would be the perfect pairing.  Grilling pork chops allow you to sear in flavor and get some serious grill marks.  The combination of sweet and tangy in this cherry BBQ sauce really compliments the pork chop.

Servings: 6
Serving Size: 1 pork chop
Points Plus: 7pp
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook/Grill Time:

Ingredients:
6 boneless pork chops, 1 inch thick (about 6 oz. each)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
12 Tbsp. cherry BBQ grilling sauce (American Spoon brand)

Directions:
Light your grill and turn the burner to high heat.  You need a very high heat to properly sear the pork chops and lock in flavor.  Generously season both sides of each pork chop with salt and pepper.  Place on the grill and cook for 5-6 minutes per side.  The pork chops should be nicely brown before you flip to cook the other side.  Reduce grill heat to medium low to finish cooking the pork chops.  Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature, making sure it reaches 160 degrees.  Serve with you favorite side dishes!

Tip:
Intrigued by this cherry BBQ sauce?!  Check out American Spoon's website and find this grilling sauce and tons of other goodies!

XOXO Megan

Caramel Apple Fruit Dip

In case you didn't know, fruit is a whole lot tastier when you have something sweet and delish to dip it in.  Like this fluffy fruit dip for example. You can whip it up in a a flash and it is the perfect pairing for apples and strawberries this summer. It seriously tastes like caramel people!

Servings: 4

Serving Size: 1/2 cup

Points Plus: 3pp

Prep Time: 3 minutes

Cook Time: n/a

Level of Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

1 small box of sugar-free fat-free butterscotch pudding

8 ounces of crushed pineapple

12 ounces fat-free cool whip

Fruit of your choice! I used apples and strawberries

Directions

Mix together the pudding with the pineapple. Stir in the cool whip until combined.  Let the dip sit in the fridge for about 3 hours prior to serving.  Serve with cut up apples, strawberries, and any of your FAV fruit!

 

Tip

You could easily sub the butterscotch pudding for a chocolate!

 

XOXO - Katie

Orzo w. Rainbow Veggies & Feta

Servings: 4
Serving Size: 1/2 cup
Points Plus: 5pp


2 cups - serving is 1/2 cup = 5pp

1/2 cup uncooked orzo
1/2 cup reduced fat feta
red onion
yellow pepper
green pepper
1 T olive oil
Basil

Grilled Pita Pizzas

My husband actually came up with this idea for this recipe!  We are continuously finding new ways to use our grill and with a variety of different foods.  We love to make homemade pizza and thought why not try a grilled pizza of sorts.  Pitas worked great on the grill since they are already cooked and not just dough.  We went for a simple tomato, basil and cheese recipe, but you could easily make whatever kind of pita pizzas you feel like.  Be creative!

Servings: 2
Serving Size: 1 pita pizza
Points Plus: 7pp
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook/Grill Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

2 pitas

1 Tbsp. olive oil

Fresh rosemary, chopped

Kosher salt

1 large tomato, sliced

4 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese, reduced-fat

Fresh basil leaves

Directions:

Wash and chop the fresh rosemary. Slice the tomato into thin slices. Lightly brush 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil on each pita.  Sprinkle with kosher salt and fresh rosemary.  Place the pita on the grill over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes. After the pita has started to crisp up on the grill, add tomato slices, fresh basil leaves and top with 2 oz. of shredded mozzareall cheese.  Place back on the grill for an additional 3-5 minutes or until the cheese starts to melt.  Slice into quarters with a pizza cutter and serve immediately!

Tip:

Fresh herbs made such a difference!  We have a rosemary plant we've been using all summer long and it's amazing how much more flavorful the fresh variety is compared to a dried herb.

XOXO Megan

Kale & Bacon Salad

You read that right! A delish salad featuring kale AND bacon, two foods that don't normally go together. This kale is slightly sauteed in bacon fat (yes, it's true) and then used as the base for a ton of yummy toppings. The unique flavors are sure to please even the kale-skeptic!

Servings: 2
Serving Size: 1/2 of salad
Points Plus: 5pp
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 5 mintes
Level of Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients
1 large bunch of kale
1/4 cup raw farro, then cooked according to package directions
2 strips of raw bacon
2 T raw red onion, choped
10 green olives, chopped
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, diced

Directions
Head a large non-stick skillet and cook bacon until crispy. Set on a paper towel to cool. When bacon is cooled break it into small pieces.

Remove most of the bacon fat with a paper towel, leaving about 1 t in the pan. Rip kale into small pieces, rinse and dry. Add kale to your same skillet with the bacon fat and sautee for about 3 minutes, until the kale is wilted and bright green. When greens are done and all bacon fat is absorbed, split it between two dinner plates. Top each salad with cooked farro, bacon, red onion, green olives and cherry tomatoes. Enjoy!

Tip


XOXO - Katie