Skinny Raspberry Margarita

This was FANTASTIC!!  I was in the mood for a cocktail and still had a bottle of my Skinny Girl Margarita mix in the fridge so I decided to try a new flavor.  I threw in some Crystal Light Raspberry mix that I had on hand with some ice and VOILA!  Super easy and oh so healthy!  I usually make my margaritas with fresh strawberries so this was a fun change.  The great thing is this entire drink is only 100 calories!  Weight Watchers friends that's only 3 points per glass as opposed to a whopping 10 points for a typical margarita!  You can't beat that and in my opinion you really can't taste the difference.  I rimmed the glass with some Splenda and garnished with a lime for flare.  Let me know how you like it!  Cheers!

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Servings: 1

Serving Size: 4 oz.

Calories: 100

Fat: 0 g

Carbs: 0 g

Fiber: 0 g

Protein: 0 g

Old Points: 2 pt

Points+: 3 pts

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Here are your ingredients:

4 oz. Skinny Girl Margarita

Half a packet of Crystal Light Raspberry Ice

Ice

Fill your blender about a 1/3 of the way full.  Pour in your margarita mix and crystal light.  Blend together, pour and enjoy!

Click here for a printable version of this recipe

Lemon Basil Chicken

Thank you SO much to Little J over at Whisk It Good! for this recipe!  I saw it the other day on her site and, since I had a ton of fresh basil on hand, I decided to try it.  Well it will NOT disappoint, it's amazing!  The fresh basil and zest of lemon are such a great combination together and, best of all, it's so healthy for you!  At only 197 calories per serving of chicken, pair this with some fresh veggies and you've got a great light meal.  I even learned a new technique too which I love!  Hope you guys enjoy it as much as we did!

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Servings: 5

Serving Size: 1 chicken breast

Calories: 197

Fat: 4 g

Carbs: 8 g

Fiber: 0.1 g

Protein: 24 g

Old Points: 4.3 pts

Points+: 4 pts

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Here are your ingredients:

5 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp. garlic, minced or chopped fine

1/3 cup white wine (choose whatever wine you like to drink!)

2 Tbsp. lemon zest

1 large bunch of basil, julienned and chopped

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

Juice of one lemon (slice and reserve leftovers)

To obtain more flavorful and jucier meat, always brine in advance.  This is a technique I just tried for the first time and I noticed a HUGE difference.  For boneless, skinless chicken breasts you only need to let the chicken brine for 30 to 60 minutes.  In a large plastic bag (or glass bowl or dish), pour 1 quart of cold water, 1/2 cup kosher salt or 1/4 table salt and 1/2 cup sugar.  Mix well, place chicken in bag and let sit for 30 minutes to an hour.  Learn more about brining at Cooks Illustrated.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Heat olive oil in a small pan over medium heat.  Add garlic and let cook for about 1 minute, you don't want to burn the garlic.  Remove from heat.  Stir in wine, lemon zest, basil, salt and pepper.

Arrange chicken breasts in a baking dish.  Season breasts with salt and pepper.  Pour lemon basil sauce over chicken and bake for 30 to 40 minutes.  Keep covered and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe

Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award

I must send out a huge THANK YOU to a wonderful woman "Pot" over at Pot, Meet Kettle for giving me the Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award!!!!!  Please stop on over to her fabulous site and send her my best!!  I started my blog less than a month ago and I'm SO flattered and touched by all the wonderful comments and support I've received since then!  You guys are amazing!!

So by receiving this award, I must list 7 things about myself and send out the award to my blogging friends.  Here we go!

1.  Me and my boyfriend are HUGE into D.C. sports!  We never miss a Redskins game, went to the Winter Classic this New Years to watch the Caps beat Pittsburgh, go to Nationals games and are a part of the group Barra Brava with DC United!

2.  I had (and STILL have) an unhealthy obsession with the TV show LOST.

3.  I'm a sister in the Delta Zeta sorority.

4.  I've been a paralegal for almost 7 years, but went to school to become a physical therapist.  I may still go back to do that.

5.  I'm a huge wino and I don't think I'm an alcoholic for drinking a glass every night :)

6.  If I found out I couldn't have kids, I would just have a ton of yorkies....they are my absolute LOVE!!

7.  I actually don't enjoy eating everything I cook.  I just find it fun learning how to make new recipes, cooking for my family and friends and, of course, hoping someone will help me clean up the kitchen every once in a while ;)

I am passing this award on to these amazing blogs, make sure you check them out and show them support!

• The Comfort of Cooking
• Brown Eyed Baker
• From the Little Yellow Kitchen
• Whisk It Good!
• Rebecca's Culinary Chronicles
• Spicie Foodie
• The Cultural Dish 

Homemade Salsa

This is one dish I've always wanted to make, but have never attempted until now.  It was SUPER easy and so quick!  It's also much healthier than the salsa you buy in the jar, only around 5 calories per two tablespoons!  I loved the fresh taste it had and the combination of flavors, especially the cilantro, really went well together.  The only change I would make would be to de-seed the jalapeno peppers...OOOO was it spicy!!  I thought that I would like it that hot since the boyfriend loves spicy food, but this was a bit too much for me haha.  It made a TON of salsa (filled up two bowls) so if you don't want to store that much just cut the ingredients in half.  Next time I'm going to grill the veggies and blend them together so the salsa will have a charred, smoky flavor.  Hope you enjoy it!

 

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Servings: 40

Serving Size: 2 Tbsp

Calories: 5

Fat: 0 g

Carbs: 0 g

Fiber: 0 g

Protein: 0 g

Old Points: 0 pt

Points+: 0 pts

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Here are your ingredients:

Recipe adapted from For the Love of Cooking

10 small or medium tomatoes
3 green onions
3 cloves of garlic
Handful of cilantro
1-2 jalapenos, seeded and deveined (unless you want it spicy!)
Salt and pepper to taste

Clean tomatoes, remove stem, then gently cut an X on the bottom of the tomatoes.  Heat a large pot of water until boiling.  Add the tomatoes and boil for 10-15 seconds.  Remove from water and put into an ice bath.  Once the tomatoes have cooled, gently peel off the skin.

Place tomatoes, garlic, green onions, cilantro, jalapenos, salt and pepper in a food processor or blender.  Puree until thoroughly mixed.  Taste and re-season if necessary.  Letting it sit in the refrigerator for a few hours lets the flavors combine and makes the salsa even better.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe

Skinny Oreo Truffles

I got the inspiration for these after making my skinny oreo cheesecake.  My friend makes amazing oreo truffles and I still had a ton of oreo 100 calorie packs on hand so I thought I'd try it out.  They turned out really good!  I used fat-free cream cheese to mix with the blended oreo crisps.  I had left over chocolate fondue from Valentine's Day so I used that as the shell (220 calories for 1/4 cup eek!), but you can try Hershey's sugar-free chocolate baking chips for a lower calorie count.  These were creamy and still had a strong oreo flavor which I loved!  Perfect for an upcoming party or just something sweet for your friends :)  Obviously truffles made with real oreo cookies are much better than these, but if you're like me and cut oreos completely out of your diet, then these taste great!!  Let me know how you like them!

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Servings: 20

Serving Size: 1 ball

Calories: 25

Fat: 3.5 g

Carbs: 0.2 g

Fiber: 1.6 g

Protein: 1 g

Old Points: 0 pts

Points+: 1 pt

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*Nutrition facts calculated without dipping chocolate

Here are your ingredients:

1 pkg. (8 oz.) Philadelphia fat-free cream cheese

3 packets of Nabisco 100-calorie Oreo Crisps

Chocolate chips or any type of dipping chocolate

White chocolate drizzle (optional)

Blend oreo crisps in a blender until finely crushed.  In a bowl, mix crushed oreos with cream cheese until mixed well.  Place mixture in the fridge for about 30 minutes.  Once stiff, mold balls together and place on a cookie sheet covered with wax paper.  (My mixture yielded about 20 balls, but you can make them smaller to serve more.)  Place cookie sheet in the fridge for about an hour until stiff.  Melt chocolate using a double-boiler (or a microwave works well too) and immediately dip balls into melted chocolate.  Once the chocolate hardens, drizzle melted white chocolate over top and place in fridge for an additional hour. 

Click here for a printable version of this recipe

Slow Cooked BBQ Sliders

CAUTION!!  This is NOT healthy haha, but the Caps are playing tonight and pulled BBQ sliders were requested and they were just too good not to post!  Plus I think it's good for everyone to have a cheat day every once in awhile so here you go.  I got the original recipe from my Grandma who inspired my love for cooking even before I could turn on the stove.  Over they years I've changed, added and modified this recipe and tonight I think I really hit the nail on the head.  It was delish and boyfriend approved!!  The picture is pretty plain as I didn't think to make a coleslaw to garnish on top, but that would be a great addition.  It's sweet and savory with a great kick!  Oh yeah and will smell your house up all day!  Makes a TON of leftovers so bring it into work and impress your co-workers :)  I really hope you like this and feel free to make your own modifications, you can't go wrong with BBQ!

Here are your ingredients:

1 1/2 cups BBQ sauce of your choice (I used Sweet Baby Rays: Sweet & Spicy)

3/4 cup ketchup

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

2 Tbsp. prepared Dijon-style mustard

2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. liquid smoke

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1 Tbsp. paprika

2 Tbsp. corn starch

1/2 onion, chopped in large pieces

1 (4 pound) boneless chuck roast

On a large cutting board, chop up your onion and place on the bottom of the slow cooker and reserve a few pieces of onion to place on top of meat.  Trim all fat from roast and place into slow cooker on top of the chopped onions.  This is important because if fat is left on, it makes the sauce really greasy and you want your sauce to be thick. 

In a large bowl, combine BBQ sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, red wine vinegar, Dijon-style mustard, Worcestershire sauce and liquid smoke.  Stir in salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika and corn starch.  Pour mixture all over roast into slow cooker.  Cover and cook on Low setting for 8 hours. 

Remove roast from slow cooker, shred with a fork and return to the slow cooker.  Stir meat to evenly coat with sauce.  Continue cooking for an additional hour. 

Click here for a printable version of this recipe

Garlic and Red Pepper Pasta

YAY my very own creation!  The boyfriend and I were watching a movie and decided we were hungry so I pulled together a bunch of ingredients I already had on hand and....VOILA!  This dish actually turned out super yummy!  The sauce was very light as I used olive oil and just a bit of butter, sauteed that with garlic and sliced red peppers.  I also added some fresh lemon juice to give it a bit of zest and a pinch of red pepper flakes for some kick.  I was actually really skeptical about how this would turn out, but we both loved it.  I promise I wouldn't post this unless I gave it my own personal stamp of approval!  This would be great as a side with some chicken or perfect on its own, I hope you like it!

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Servings: 6

Serving Size: 1 cup

Calories: 301

Fat: 15 g

Carbs: 6.8 g

Fiber: 0.8 g

Protein: 4.3 g

Old Points: 7.1 pts

Points+: 5 pts

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Here are your ingredients:

1 box of Dreamfield's spaghetti

1/2 red bell pepper, sliced

3/4 cup olive oil

4 cloves of garlic, minced

3 Tbsp. light butter

1 tsp. lemon juice

2 pinches red pepper flakes

1 cup Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper, to taste

Boil water and cook pasta per box instructions until al dente.  Meanwhile, saute olive oil, butter, garlic and red bell pepper on medium heat for about 5 minutes.  Add lemon juice, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper and allow to simmer until ready to toss. 

Drain pasta and immediately toss with Parmesan cheese.  Add the sauteed garlic sauce, sprinkle some extra Parmesan cheese on top and garnish with some fresh parsley. 

Click here for a printable version of this recipe

Sweet French Toast

Happy Saturday!!  The sun is shining, me and my hunnie have no plans so I decided to make him some french toast on this lazy day.  I have my own way of making it and though NO unfortunately it's not healthy, I made small portions so that the calorie count wouldn't be too terrible.  I also paired it with some fresh fruit to make it sweet and keep it well balanced.  Anyone can make french toast, there's absolutely no science to it, but I wanted to post it on here because I thought it looked so cute!  Throw a bit of confectioner's sugar over top and you are good to go!  I did use light organic syrup and some no-calorie spray butter, but the BF LOVES his white bread so we splurged with that.  Use whole wheat bread and this dish actually isn't so bad!

Servings: 4 • Serving Size: 1 slice • Calories: 135 • Fat: 5 g • Carbs: 15 g • Fiber: 0 g • Protein: 5.0 g • Old Points: 3 pts • Points+: 3 pts

Here are your ingredients:

2 or 3 eggs (depending on how much you're making)

2 Tbsp. skim milk

1 tsp. cinnamon (or more, I usually just eye ball it)

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

4 slices of bread, your choice

Whisk the eggs and milk together then add the cinnamon and vanilla extract. Continue whisking until all ingredients are combined well.  Spray your skillet or griddle with cooking spray and allow to heat up.  Dip slices of bread into egg mixture and place on skillet.  Allow to cook until golden brown, about 3 or 4 minutes each side, depending on how hot your pan is.  Garnish with confectioner's sugar and serve with fresh strawberries.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe

Save the Ta-Ta's!

Did you know that somewhere around the world, a woman dies every 68 seconds because of breast cancer??  I'm currently participating in the Susan G. Komen Global Race for the Cure to help promote the awareness of breast cancer and to hopefully raise enough money to help save lives.  Breast cancer currently has the largest group of cancer survivors in the U.S., over 2.5 million, and that is a true testament to the power of this movement! 

This has been such a wonderful experience for me to be involved in and my team and I are also planning on baking a TON of pink cupcakes to sell for the cause and all those proceeds will go towards our Susan G. Komen breast cancer fund.  So far we have earned $425, but our ultimate goal is $3,000!  Every penny counts towards this fight and we would be forever grateful for your generosity.  Just think about all the lives that could be saved if every person donated $1!  If you are interested in donating, please click on the Susan G. Komen link below and it will take you to my page.  You can also follow our twitter page at:  Sleeping Sweets Twitter Page 

Thank you so much for reading!

I'm participating in the 2011 Susan G. Komen Global Race for the Cure.

Coconut Chicken & Warm Honey Vinaigrette Salad

Hello spring!!  The weather lately has been absolutely gorgeous and it's been making my workouts SO much more enjoyable.  Tonight after my run I was really in the mood for a big salad that was light and fresh, but that would be filling.  I found this recipe on Gina's Skinny Recipes and thought this would be perfect!  Well it was and it tasted amazing!  I will definitely be making a batch of this vinaigrette dressing and keeping it on hand as it tasted incredible on the salad.  The chicken was very easy to make and took no more than 30 minutes to complete this entire meal.  This dish makes about 3 servings and is around 397 calories with 11 grams of fat for 2 chicken tenders and a large salad.  Not too bad for a full meal!  Let me know how you like it!    

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Servings: 3

Serving Size: salad + 2 chicken tenders

Calories: 397

Fat: 11 g

Carbs: 32.5 g

Fiber: 4.4 g

Protein: 26.8 g

Old Points: 8 pts

Points+: 8 pts

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Here are your ingredients:
Recipe adapted from Gina's Skinny Recipes

6 (about 12 oz.) chicken tenderloins

6 Tbsp. shredded coconut

1/4 cup panko bread crumbs

2 Tbsp. crushed Cornflake crumbs

1/3 cup egg substitute or egg whites

Pinch of salt

Olive oil spray

6 cups mixed baby greens

3/4 cup shredded carrots

1 small cucumber, sliced

Vinaigrette

1 Tbsp. oil

1 Tbsp. honey

1 Tbsp. white vinegar (or balsamic)

2 tsp. dijon mustard

Whisk all vinaigrette ingredients and set aside.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Combine coconut flakes, panko bread crumbs, Cornflake crumbs and salt in a bowl.    Put egg whites or egg beaters in another bowl. 

Lightly season chicken with salt.  Dip the chicken in the egg, then in the coconut crumb mixture.  Place chicken on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or non-stick foil for easy cleanup.  Lightly spray with olive oil spray and bake for 30 minutes turning halfway (15 minutes each side), or until chicken is cooked through.

Place 2 cups baby greens on each plate.  Divide carrots and cucumber evenly between each plate.  When chicken is ready, slide on the diagonal and place on top of greens.  Heat dressing in the microwave a few seconds and divide equally between each salad; a little over a tbsp each.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe

Life. Love. Cooking.

So cooking and blogging have become quite the obsession for me as of late and I've absolutely LOVED reading other people's blogs, especially seeing their beautiful pictures and how they display their dishes.  I've become so inspired!  It's funny though, when looking at other sites I find myself going to their very first post and comparing it to where they are now in terms of cooking and photography.  The one thing most bloggers seem to have in common is that they begin using a basic camera and, not only upgrade to a nice, professional camera later on, but they have learned how to perfectly plate their food while also knowing how to set their camera on the exact settings to create the perfect picture!  I do realize, however, this skill takes time and practice and that the majority of those amazing blogs have been up for a few years. 

With that said...I'm jealous!  I'm a bit of a perfectionist and I want each dish to look as incredible as all the ones I see throughout the day while browsing through random food blogs.  For example, it was so funny the other night...my poor boyfriend was looking forward to the carribean jerk chicken that had been smelling up our house all evening and, as soon as it was done, I grabbed my pretty new place mat, took 10 minutes to plate the chicken and add the necessary garnishes and then proceeded to take my plate to the end table in the living room since that area seemed to have the best light!  I made Chris hold the light at the perfect angle (while the Caps were playing I should add) so that I could get the perfect picture.....with my iPhone.  Yes, the best camera I currently have at my disposal at the moment is my trusty little iPhone.  I'm not gonna lie, I'm shocked at how well the pictures turn out on it, but I am sooo ready to upgrade all ready!  Anyway, I made him hold the light in the same spot while I took over 10 pictures at varying angles.  The end result??  His arm was sore, he missed the Caps score a goal and our food was getting cold......sigh.

Ok...so I guess I should take pride in the fact that I haven't even had this blog over a month now and I've learned so much already.  I love cooking so much and being able to share everything I've made has been such a joy!  I really do learn something everyday so I can't wait to see where I'll be this time next year or even in 6 months!  Thanks for listening to my rant and a big thanks to everyone following me in my quest to create the perfect blog.  It is definitely a work in progress so, through trial and error, I'll hopefully find my niche in the blogging world and become a better cook in the process!

Mozzarella and Herb Pasta

So I'm home today and not feeling too well so I wanted to make something light and healthy with minimal effort while avoiding the store.  I had fallen in love with this pasta recipe while watching Paula Deen on the Food Network one day and decided today would be the perfect day to make it since I already had everything on hand!  I used leftover rigatoni pasta from last night's dinner, but I would suggest using penne pasta for this recipe.  I absolutely LOVED how great this turned out and the fresh herbs gave it so much flavor!  I modified it a bit to make it healthier, but all in all the recipe wasn't too bad on its own.  It takes 10 minutes and is super easy!  The great thing is, this dish is very filling and perfect for lunch so one small serving will completely satisfy!  Hope you enjoy it!

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Servings: 6

Serving Size: 1 cup

Calories: 232

Fat: 2 g

Carbs: 41 g

Fiber: 5 g

Protein: 13 g

Old Points: 4 pts

Points+: 6 pts

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Here are your ingredients:

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 tsp. red wine vinegar

2 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

8 ounces (2 cups) Dreamfields penne rigata

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley leaves

1 cup (4 ounces) fat-free shredded mozzarella cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, salt and pepper.  Set aside.  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium heat.  Cook the pasta noodles according to the package directions.  Drain the pasta and transfer to a medium serving bowl.  Add the basil and half of the dressing.  Stir to combine.  Let it sit for 1 minute to cool slightly, then add the mozzarella and the remaining dressing.  Serve warm.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe

Jamaican Jerk Chicken

I'm SOOO ready for summer to begin so I decided to cook something fruity and carribean tonight since the weather was so gorgeous!  I found this jerk chicken recipe from Allrecipes.com and changed it up a bit to make it a little bit sweeter since I was pairing it with my pineapple salsa and a caribbean rice.  I promise you, this is SURE to please!  My boyfriend gobbled it right up and ate what was left on my plate!  It's light and savory, but very filling and will leave you completely satisfied.  I halved the recipe since I was just cooking for the 2 of us so it makes around 3 servings.  One serving is around 210 calories with about 5 grams of fat which isn't too bad for dinner!  Unfortunately I don't have a grill at my place but this marinade would taste incredible on grilled chicken breast.  If cooking for your family, just double the recipe for the marinade to cover 6 chicken breasts.  Hope you like it!

s

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Servings: 3

Serving Size: 1 chicken breast

Calories: 210

Fat: 5 g

Carbs: 2 g

Fiber: 1 g

Protein: 24 g

Old Points: 4 pts

Points+: 4.4 pts

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Here are your ingredients:

3 boneless chicken breasts

2 limes, juiced

1/2 cup of water

1 tsp. allspice

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. brown sugar

1 tsp. dried thyme

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. ground black pepper

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 onion, chopped

1/2 cup of green onions, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 habanero pepper, chopped

1/2 cup of pineapple juice

Placed chicken in a medium bowl.  Cover with lime juice, pineapple juice and water.  Set aside.  In a blender or food processor, place allspice, nutmeg, salt, brown sugar, thyme, ginger, black pepper and vegetable oil.  Blend well, then mix in onions, green onions, garlic and habanero pepper until almost smooth.  Pour over chicken mixture and let marinade for a minimum of 2 hours in the refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Place the marinated chicken with juices into a baking dish and cover.  Bake for 35 to 40 minuntes and garnish with a lime.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe

Fresh Pineapple Salsa

Ok so it's FINALLY Friday and about 75 degrees out for the first time since last fall so I wanted to make something fresh and light for dinner.  I found this amazing pineapple salsa in my Pampered Chef cookbook and modified it a bit to give a sweet flavor.  I had everything on hand already so it's the perfect addition to the carribean jerk chicken I'm making tonight!  My boyfriend doesn't like fish, but I strongly suggest you pair this with grilled tilapia or salmon as this would be amazing on top.  One serving of this is only 70 calories with 0 grams of fat and you get about 6 servings out of this salsa.  I hope you really enjoy it!  Your friends will love you for bringing this to your next cookout, don't forget the Corona's and lime! 

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Servings: 6

Serving Size: 1 cup

Calories: 70

Fat: 0 g

Carbs: 19 g

Fiber: 2.1 g

Protein: 0.8 g

Old Points: 1 pt

Points+: 2 pts

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Here are your ingredients:

1 small pineapple, cored and diced

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1 Tbsp. red onion, diced

1 small jalapeno, seeded and diced

1 green onion, chopped

Zest and juice of 1 lime

1 packet of Splenda

Salt and pepper to taste

Dice the pineapple and the vegetables.  Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir well until mixed.  Set aside on the counter for an hour or so to let the flavors combine. 

Click here for a printable version of this recipe

Skinny Shamrock Shake

In honor of St. Patrick's Day coming up, I thought what better way to celebrate than with a green milkshake!  Even better, the entire shake is only 150 calories and 4 grams of fat!  Compare that to a 12 oz. milk shake anywhere else and you're looking at 420 calories per shake....yikes!  I got this recipe out of my Hungry Girl cookbook and I couldn't have been more pleased.  This creamy vanilla milkshake has a hint of mint and is the perfect treat to satisfy any sweet tooth.  Throw a bit of Baileys in there and you have yourself a yummy cocktail!  Let me know how you like it and Happy St. Patty's Day!

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Servings: 1

Serving Size: 1 shake

Calories: 176

Fat: 4 g

Carbs: 29 g

Fiber: 3.5 g

Protein: 7.5 g

Old Points: 3 pts

Points+: 5 pts

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Here are your ingredients:

3/4 cup light vanilla soymilk

1/2 cup Breyers Double Churn Free Creamy Vanilla fat-free ice cream

1 Tbsp. Coffee-mate Sugar Free French Vanilla powdered creamer

1/4 tsp. peppermint extract

2 or 3 drops of green food coloring

1 packet of Splenda

1 1/2 cups crushed ice (8-12 ice cubes' worth)

Fat-free Reddi-wip

Place Coffee-mate in a glass and add 1 Tbsp. of very hot water.  Stir until powder dissolves, and then transfer the mixture to a blender.  Add all other ingredients to the blender.  Blend at a high speed until mixed thoroughly.  Pour and garnish with a squirt of Reddi-wip.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe

Sweet Broccoli Salad

A big thanks to Jamie for this recipe!  We had it recently at a dinner party and this was a huge hit.  This broccoli salad is so light and refreshing and would make the perfect addition to your summer cookout.  We paired this tonight with some turkey burgers and they turned out great!  The sweetness of the grapes, the saltiness of the bacon and the crunchiness of the broccoli makes a delicious combination that I think you'll really love!  I modified the original recipe using light mayo, turkey bacon and Splenda to keep the calorie and fat count low.  Hope you enjoy it!

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Servings: 12

Serving Size: 1 cup

Calories: 100

Fat: 6 g

Carbs: 8 g

Fiber: 1.4 g

Protein: 3.6 g

Old Points: 2.2 pts

Points+: 3 pts

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Here are your ingredients:

1 cup lean turkey bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 cup light mayonnaise

1 cup red and/or green grapes, halved

1/2 cup finely chopped red onion

1/4 cup sugar (or 6 packets of Splenda)

7 cups fresh broccoli florets (1 large head)

Ocean Spray Craisins to taste

In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp.  Drain bacon on paper towels and set aside.  In a large bowl, stir together mayonnaise, grapes, red onion and sugar (Splenda).  Add broccoli and bacon; stir to coat.  Cover and chill in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.  Garnish with craisins if desired.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe

Fabulous Find!

So it has been awhile since I last posted a Fabulous Find so here ya go!  This is called the Sinless Margarita and I'm so excited to try it!  There is no alcohol included as it is just a mix, but at only 5 calories per serving you can't go wrong!  Other margarita mixes can range between 60 to 80 calories per serving (just for the mix!) so this is something you can really indulge in.  It's all natural, sugar-free and sweetened using Stevia, which is 300 times sweeter than regular table sugar!  To make this drink, use 2 to 3 parts sinless margarita mix with 1 part of your favorite tequila and enjoy!  It's the perfect cocktail for this summer and you and your friends will love it.  Now you can actually enjoy that happy hour without having to run 3 miles afterwards!

Baked Onion Rings

These turned out amazing!  I was skeptical when I found this recipe on Gina's Skinny Recipes since they are baked rather than fried, but we loved them!  They took little to no effort and taste very similar to the Bloomin' Onion at Outback...just without all the grease!  We paired these with our leftovers from the short ribs made last night and enjoyed BBQ sandwiches.  The only change I would make would be to use a smaller onion because I found if it is too large the rings are harder to coat with bread crumbs.  They still turned out fantastic though!  At just 74 calories and 0.6 grams of fat for half a batch of onion rings, they really are too good to be true!  Make them for your next party and they are sure to be a hit!

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Servings: 2

Serving Size: 1/2

Calories: 74

Fat: 0.6 g

Carbs: 14.7 g

Fiber: 1.6 g

Protein: 2.9 g

Old Points: 1 pt

Points+: 2 pts

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Here are your ingredients:
Recipe adapted from Gina's Skinny Recipes

1 medium onion, sliced into 1/4 inch rings

2 1/4 cups low fat buttermilk

1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs

1/4 cup Italian seasoned whole wheat bread crumbs

1/4 cup crushed Corn Flake crumbs

Salt to taste

Olive oil baking spray

Place slices of onion in a shallow dish.  Pour the buttermilk over the top and let them soak for about 2 hours, refrigerated.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.  Line baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.  Combine Panko, bread crumbs and Corn Flakes in a large dish, season with salt.  Dip each soaked onion ring into the crumb mixture and coat well.  Place rings onto two cookie sheets and lightly spray them with oil.  Bake about 12 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve immediately.

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Slow-cooked Short Ribs

I hope you're in the mood to indulge!  And what better time to do that than on a Sunday??  Don't worry....you can burn all the calories off tomorrow so just enjoy it!  These short ribs are sweet, spicy, FULL of flavor and will fall right off the bone!  I got this recipe from Allrecipes.com and made a few modifications of my own.  This meaty dish definitely isn't the healthiest, but I paired the ribs with garlic mashed potatoes and some sweet corn.  The sauce also makes a great gravy for the potatoes.  My boyfriend cleaned his plate and went back for seconds!  This dish also makes wonderful leftovers, if any are left!, as I pulled apart the meat and plan to have BBQ sandwiches tomorrow.  Hope you like it as much as we did!

Here are your ingredients:

4 pounds beef short ribs (taste better bone in)

1 large onion, chopped

1 1/2 cups beef broth

3/4 cup red wine vinegar

3/4 packed brown sugar

1/2 cup chili sauce

1/3 cup ketchup

1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 tsp. chili powder

2  Tbsp. cornstarch (for thickening)

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by trimming most of the fat off of the short ribs and season with salt and pepper.  Arrange short ribs in the slow cooker and add all listed ingredients.  If you want more of a BBQ flavor, add any BBQ sauce of your choice and add to taste.  (I added about 3/4 of a cup in mine).  Set slow cooker on a low setting for about 8 to 9 hours. 

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Skinny Strawberry Cheesecake

I'm so excited to eat this dessert tonight!  I found this recipe on Gina's Skinny Recipes blog and absolutely fell in love with it.  I decided to make a few modifications and since I have my girlfriends coming over tonight I thought this would be the perfect thing to serve with some wine!  I apologize for the picture though, I'd really love to have a better camera and cute place mats to place it over, but don't worry I'll get there!  Anyway, this no-bake yummy cheesecake is around 200 calories and is really easy to make.  Took me about 5 minutes!  Hope you like it!

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Servings: 8

Serving Size: 1 slice

Calories: 200

Fat: 9 g

Carbs: 29 g

Fiber: 1.5 g

Protein: 3.1 g

Old Points: 5 pts

Points+: 6 pts

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Here are your ingredients:
Recipe adapted from Gina's Skinny Recipes

8 oz Cool Whip Free

1 (8 oz)  package fat-free cream cheese

9 inch reduced fat Graham Cracker Crust

1/4 cup sugar or 6 Splenda packets (I used Splenda)

2 tsp. vanilla extract

12-14 strawberries, hulled and halved lengthwise

In a large bowl, whip cream cheese, vanilla extract and Splenda (or sugar) for a few minutes until fluffy.  Add Cool Whip and whip until smooth.  Spoon mixture into pie crust and chill for a few hours in the fridge, until firm.  Arrange strawberries on top and serve.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe

Spinach and Artichoke Dip

This dish was fun and super easy to make!  I got this recipe from my friend Logan after I had tried it at a party of his and absolutely loved it.  I just substituted healthier versions of the ingredients in order to lower the calorie and fat content and the dip turned out great!  This recipe is around 120 calories per serving as opposed to a typical spinach and artichoke dish being around 250 calories!!  I also served this dip with baked tostitos which are much better for you than regular tostito chips.  I would suggest, however, if you are throwing a party to double this recipe as it only makes what you see in the picture and I can assure you, it will go fast!!

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Servings: 6

Serving Size: 1/2 cup

Calories: 120

Fat: 4 g

Carbs: 3.8 g

Fiber: 4.6 g

Protein: 10.7 g

Old Points: 2 pts

Points+: 2 pts

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Here are your ingredients:

1 (8 ounce) package of fat-free cream cheese, softened or whipped

1/4 cup low fat mayonnaise

1/4 cup grated low fat Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup grated low fat Romano cheese

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1/4 tsp. garlic salt

1/2 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

1/4 cup shredded low fat mozzarella cheese

Salt and pepper to taste (you don't need much)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).  Lightly grease a small baking dish.  In a medium bowl, mix together cream cheese, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, Romano cheese, mozzarella cheese, minced garlic, garlic salt, salt and pepper.  Gently stir in artichoke hearts and spinach.  Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish.  Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes, until bubbly and lightly browned.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe