Spread The Love!

...with granola that is :)

You just KNOW you're going to have a great day when first thing in the morning you receive a package.  And not just any package, one entitled "Spread the LOVE" in big happy letters!

Love Grown Foods was gracious enough to send me a big heaping box full of delicious granola!  Now I'm not sure if you know this but I'm kind of obsessed with the stuff.  I put it in my cookies, I mix it in my peanut butter and eat it with fruit (weird I know) and I absolutely CANNOT eat yogurt without some of this yummy deliciousness.  Go check out their website and see for yourself!

  I was such a huge fan of the flavors they sent me.  I think my favorite was definitely their Sweet Cranberry Pecan which had a delicious hint of cinnamon (mmmm!), but each flavor would be amazing eaten by itself or with a lot of different dishes!  For instance, you could make baked apples and granola with their Apple Walnut Delight, chocolate chip granola cookies with their Cocoa Goodness, or even oatmeal raisin cookies with their yummy Raisin Almond Crunch!  The possibilities are endless!

  

With that said, I would LOVE to share with you a dessert I made that went perfect with this fabulous granola.

Strawberry Granola Squares

These tasty granola squares were SO delicious and super easy to make!  I was excited to try this granola as soon as I got home and was so happy when I realized I already had everything I needed on hand.  I chose to use the sweet cranberry pecan flavor and it really mixed well with the strawberry preserves, but you could use any granola of your choice.  Hope you enjoy these as much as I did!

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Servings: 16

Serving Size: 1 square

Calories: 174.5

Fat: 5.5 g

Carbs: 30 g

Fiber: 1 g

Protein: 2 g

Old Points: 3.7 pt

Points+: 5 pts

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Here are your ingredients:

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home

1 1/2 cups Love Grown Foods granola

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

5 Tbsp cold butter

1 cup strawberry preserves (such as Smuckers)

In a large bowl, combine the granola, flour, brown sugar and cinnamon; cut in butter until crumbly.  (If you've never cut in butter before, read this super informative post written by Sarah and Kate over at Our Best Bites that shows you exactly how!)  Set aside a third of the mixture for topping.  Press remaining mixture into a well-greased 9-in. square baking pan.  Bake at 375 degrees F for 10 minutes.

Spread preserves over crust; sprinkle with reserved granola mixture.  Bake 15 minutes longer or until filling is bubbly around the edges.  Cool on a wire rack.  Cut into squares and store in refrigerator.   Enjoy!

Click here for a printable version of this recipe 

 

{Guest Post Friday} Vegan Chocolate Coconut Pudding

HAPPY FRIDAY EVERYONE!

I absolutely love Fridays, I mean what's not to love??  It's the start of the weekend, everyone has fun plans AND you get to meet a new blogging friend!!  Today's guest post is from Miss Charissa over at the Colourful Palate!  (Don't you just love the name already??)

Soo I must admit that I've been stalking following Charissa's blog since I first started my site and I love it because not only are her recipes amazing, her writing is completely witty and fun and she also blogs about fitness! (woo hoo!)  As a long-distance runner and self-proclaimed health nut, she focuses on creating balanced recipes that aren't just healthy, but taste delicious.  Oh and did I mention?  She's part of a family band!  Now I sure feel boring.

So without further ado, here is the lovely (and extremely talented) Charissa!

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  Hey guys!  I'm Charissa from Colourful Palate and I'm simply delighted that I can do a guest post here for you today!  Kelly is such an inspiring lady and I just love the whole idea behind her site...eating sinfully scrummy food that actually helps keep you fit and healthy!  Yup.  That's awesome.  If I can stay slim and eat an obscene amount of chocolate my whole life (current lifestyle - check!)...that is like...ULTIMATE!  Anyway, moving on...

Since chocolate is obviously a big part of my happiness factor I really love, I love including it in some of my recipe!  Here is one of my favourites...Vegan Chocolate Coconut Pudding!

 

When I first made this dessert, a big family dinner was on the agenda.  My contribution was supposed to be dessert.  My brother, sister-in-law, and their children stay away from gluten, and my Dad can't eat gluten or dairy, and then there's me, who avoids cow's milk (unless there's some serious milk chocolate cravings involved!).  I felt like being creative and making something up, but I wasn't sure about doing a dessert for the whole family and then discovering it didn't turn out.  Thinking about it, I unquestionably wanted to make a dessert with chocolate (duh, such a no brainer!) and coconut.  I decided to brave it without a recipe and make a dairy-free, cooked pudding...with a twist.

Happily, it turned out just as I had wished and my family and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

This is a slightly firmer pudding and I think it tastes best when just warm, but is still delicious if you let it set on the counter or in the fridge for an hour.  It all depends if you like hot or cold puddings.  Some of my family topped it off with something slightly sinful; ice cream or a whipped topping.  I tried to make this recipe as healthy as possible, but ended up adding just one naughty ingredient...1/2 cup sugar (but it's organic, doesn't that like...sanctify everything?!)  But since this recipe serves 8 people, it doesn't end up being that much sugar per person anyway.

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Servings: 8

Calories: 190

Fat: 10 g

Carbs: 23 g

Fiber: 1 g

Sugar: 13 g

Protein: 1.5 g

Old Points: 4.4 pt

Points+: 5 pts

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Here are your ingredients:

1 can coconut milk (I used AROY-D coconut milk)

3 1/2 cups cold almond milk

7 Tbsp. cornstarch

9 Tbsp. dark cocoa

1/2 cup organic sugar

2 tsp. vanilla extract

Pinch of sea salt

Heat up the first 5 ingredients until boiling.  Let it boil for 1-3 minutes.  By then, it should be thick.  Stir in the vanilla and sea salt.  Pour into 8 dessert bowls.  Garnish with a sprinkling of shaved coconut.  That's it!  I love this recipe because it's so quick to whip up, tastes so creamy and chocolaty, it's a lot healthier than store-bought puddings, and serves lots of people. Hope all you skinny cooks enjoy! ;)

 

Come visit me at Colourful Palate for more desserts and healthy recipes that taste indulgent (when they're quite low in calories!)  It's where I share my passion for a healthy lifestyle, my love for whole foods, fitness, running, and my favourite "keep you slim" recipes.  Thanks to Kelly for allowing me to post on her site!

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Thanks again for guest posting Charissa!  Now head over to her blog and send her some love! 

Mojito Melon Salsa

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!

Mojitos are probably one of my most favorite cocktails during the summer.  I mean c'mon, not only do they taste incredible, they're so pretty!!  So when I saw this recipe I fell in LOVE!!

If ever there were a combination of ingredients I would choose to be in a delicious yummy salsa these would be it.  We've got watermelon, honeydew, mint, lime, cilantro, red onion....shall I go on??  Yeah I didn't think so.  Serve this with any type of bread or chips of your choice.  I love pita chips but actually found some amazing LIME flavored tortilla chips in the organic section, YUM!  Here check them out!

I would suggest you call an emergency happy hour, gather your friends and enjoy all this and more immediately! 

Excuse me, I'm going to go make myself a mojito :)

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Servings: 3

Serving Size: 1 cup of salsa

Calories: 64.3

Fat: 0 g

Carbs: 16 g

Fiber: 1.3 g

Protein: 1 g

Old Points: 1 pt

Points+: 2 pts

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Here are your ingredients:

Adapted from How Sweet It Is 

1 cup chopped watermelon

1 cup chopped cantaloupe

1 cup chopped honeydew

1/2 large cucumber, seeded and chopped

1/4 red onion, chopped

10-12 mint leaves, chopped

2 Tbsp chopped cilantro

2 limes, juiced

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and add lime juice, salt and pepper.  Mix thoroughly and serve with any chips you'd like.  Enjoy! 

     

Click here for a printable version of this recipe 

Balsamic Strawberry Bruschetta and a Blog Award

"It's a smile, it's a kiss, it's a sip of wine....it's summertime!"

Pretty sure Kenny Chesney said it best, it doesn't get much better than summer.  Sun, sand, flip flops...oh yeah and lots and LOTS of fresh fruit!!

 
Strawberries are probably my absolute favorite fruit during the summer so when I saw this recipe I knew I had found the PERFECT appetizer for my next gathering.  Basil gives off such a strong aroma and I love the flavor it has when added to different dishes.  It mixed incredibly well with the balsamic vinegar and strawberries, so much that you could even enjoy it without the bread.  The great thing about making this is that it only takes about 5 minutes and is so easy!  Plus it is sure to impress your friends which is never a bad thing :)  I paired this with my favorite bottle of Moscato wine and enjoyed a fabulous evening with my friends.

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Servings: 6

Serving Size: 2 pieces of bruschetta

Calories: 172

Fat: 3.5 g

Carbs: 27 g

Fiber: 1.5 g

Protein: 6.5 g

Old Points: 3.4 pts

Points+: 4 pts

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Here are your ingredients:

Recipe adapted from Yummy Mummy 

1 baguette, slice on the diagonal and toasted

4 oz. goat cheese at room temperature

1 pint fresh strawberries, diced

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped

1 packet Splenda

In a small bowl, combine strawberries, basil and balsamic vinegar.  Spread goat cheese over toasted bread slices and top with strawberry mixture.  Enjoy!

 
Click here for a printable version of this recipe 

Now for a blog award!

Thank you SOO much Jessica from Cajunlicious for this super sweet award!  She was my very FIRST guest blogger and is such an incredible cook!  She just made a super delicious gyro pizza that looks amazing.  Go check it out and send her some love!

Now for the fun part!  I get to pass this fabulous Blog on Fire Award onto 10 other friends, yay!!  I have met so many amazing people through blogging that it's just too hard to pick so if I didn't choose you NO hard feelings!!  I love everyone!!  If you're listed below, please copy the award photo, post it onto your blog and pass it onto 10 more lovely blogs that have made an impression on you!  Have fun!

Congratulations!

• Janet - From Cupcakes to Caviar 
• Erin - Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
• Mel - Cooking with Mel 
• Rebecca - A Dash of Thyme
  
• Laura - Chef Laura at Home 
• Raven - RavieNomNoms
• Steph - Steph's Bite by Bite 
•   Angie - Big Bear's Wife
• Erin - The Spiffy Cookie 
• Hailey - Naked Cupcakes 

Now pass it on!!

Sauteed Tilapia Tacos with Grilled Peppers and Onion

Ok so as soon as I saw the cover of my August 2011 issue of Cooking Light Magazine I really didn't need to look any farther.  This recipe looked AMAZING!!  Look, see for yourself.

via

Amazing I know.

These tilapia tacos tasted incredible and really are the perfect summer meal!  What better excuse to fire up your grill?!  I absolutely love how healthy fish is and tilapia is one of my favorites.  Low in saturated fat, calories, carbohydrates and sodium, tilapia makes the perfect healthy dish, not to mention a great source of vitamin B12!  It's soo quick and easy to fix and the grilled peppers and onion give these tacos so much flavor!  I chose to save calories and not serve with sour cream but feel free to add a dollop on yours if you'd like :)

Now I know my picture isn’t as good as the magazine (sigh…it never is haha) but assure you they tasted delicious!  I squeezed some of my lime over top of the tacos before eating them and the additional flavor was wonderful.  Thank you again Cooking Light for your wonderful recipes!!  I guess I can go ahead and finally open the magazine to see what other yummy recipes there are...

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Servings: 4

Serving Size: 2 tacos

Calories: 292

Fat: 4.4 g

Carbs: 32 g

Fiber: 4.8 g

Protein: 32.6 g

Old Points: 5.4 pts

Points+: 7 pts

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Here are your ingredients:

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light 

2 (1/2 inch-thick) slices white onion

1 (8 oz) package mini sweet bell peppers

Cooking spray

3/4 tsp. salt, divided

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper, divided

4 (5 oz) tilapia fillets

8 (6-inch) corn tortillas

1 small jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced

8 lime wedges (optional)

Preheat grill to high heat.  Arrange onion slices and bell peppers on a grill rack coated with cooking spray.  Grill onions for 12 minutes, turning occasionally.  Remove onions and bell peppers from grill, and let stand for 5 minutes.  Slice onion rings in half.  Thinly slice bell peppers; discard stems and seeds.  Combine onion, bell peppers, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/8 tsp. black pepper in a small bowl.

Sprinkle fish evenly with remaining 1/2 tsp. salt and remaining 3/8 tsp. black pepper.  Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Coat pan with cooking spray.  Add fish to pan, and cook for 3 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness.  

Warm tortillas according to package directions.  Divide fish, onion mixture and jalapeno slices evenly among tortillas.  Serve with lime wedges, if desired.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe

Blueberry Lemon Bread

BEST. BREAD. EVER!!!

I know what you're thinking.....but it's over 100 degrees outside!!  Yes.  I'm fully aware.  However, my mom recently got me some adorable new loaf pans and my boyfriend's mom got me a brand new kitchen-aid mixer for my birthday (thank you Momma Gellner!) so what's a girl to do??

As most of you all know, I'm not much of a baker (and I'm absolutely nowhere NEAR being a decorator) but that is something I'm really trying to do more of and want to get better at.  This was such a surprisingly quick and easy bread to make and made our entire house smell incredible!  Blueberries are so abundant right now and I already had so much on hand that this recipe was a no-brainer.  Oh and I must say, I LOVE the way blueberries show up in photos!  Aren't they just so pretty??

 

The lemon zest in this wonderful bread really gives it that zing that I was hoping to achieve.  I'll be honest, I didn't lighten this up as much as I had wanted (sorry).  I did use Splenda instead of sugar which cut a lot of the calories (you really can't tell the difference) but I wanted this to be moist, sweet and delicious!  This bread is perfect to have as a morning slice with your coffee or even as a little after dinner dessert.  A little indulgence is never a bad thing and it will only give you more motivation to work out!  Speaking of blueberries and delicious bread, if you haven't already, check out this fabulous guest post from Rachel where she shares her Reduced Fat Blueberry-Strawberry Muffins!  They look so delicious!  Anyway, hope you enjoy this as much as we did!  

Happy Friday!!
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Servings: 12

Serving Size: 1 slice

Calories: 159

Fat: 7 g

Carbs: 21 g

Fiber: 0.9 g

Protein: 3.2 g

Old Points: 3.6 pts

Points+: 4 pts

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Here are your ingredients:
Adapted from Joy of Baking

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

6 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature

6 Tbsp Splenda (or 3/4 cup white sugar)

2 large eggs

1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 Tbsp grated lemon zest (about 1 lemon)

1/2 cup fat-free milk

1 cup fresh blueberries

Lemon Glaze:

3/4 cup confectioner's sugar

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and place the oven rack in the center of the oven.  Spray with a non-stick vegetable spray (or butter if you prefer) the bottom and sides of a loaf pan (9 x 5 x 3 inch).  In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until softened (about 1 minute).  Add the sugar and continue to beat until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.  Beat in the vanilla extract and lemon zest.  With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture (in three additions) and milk (in two additions) alternately, starting and ending with the flour.  Mix only until combined.  Gently fold in the blueberries.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 55 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, whisk the 3/4 cup confectioner's sugar and the 2 tablespoons of lemon juice together until all blended together.  Allow loaf to cool for about 10 minutes, remove from pan and drizzle glaze over top.  Enjoy!

 

Click here for a printable version of this recipe 

UPDATE:  So I'm so excited to announce that thanks to Spicie Foodie's "Your Best Recipe" my blueberry lemon bread was selected to be featured in Honest Cooking!  Check it out!!

{Guest Post Friday } Reduced Fat Blueberry-Strawberry Muffins

Yay!!  TGIF!!!  And you know what that means, another fabulous guest post!

I'm really excited for you to meet my friend Rachel.  She's an energetic stay-at-home mom who LOVES to cook and her blog Not Rachael Ray is pretty much the greatest thing since sliced bread!  Hop on over there and see for yourself her delicious recipes and her absolutely adorable family :)  Oh yeah, and did I mention she's gorgeous??

 I know.  Jealous right??

Anyway, I was so glad when she agreed to do a guest post for me and couldn't wait to see what she had in store!  You are going to LOVE these Reduced Fat Blueberry-Strawberry Muffins!  Check them for yourself and welcome Miss Rachel :)

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  I am so happy to be a guest posting for Kelly today!  Thanks for letting me hang out on your blog today, Kelly!  I've always loved Eat Yourself Skinny and I am excited to be able to share this recipe with all of you.  Enjoy!  And if you get a moment, feel free to stop by my blog; I'd love to have you!

This recipe was inspired by the fresh berries I had in my fridge.  Delicious fresh fruit is one of my favorite things about summer.  I love having a bowl of cherries, watermelon, and juicy ripe strawberries in my fridge to snack on, or bake with.  The other day, I got a multi-grain muffin at a popular coffee shop on my way to work and was shocked to find that it contained 400 calories and 16 grams of fat!  Sixteen!  I thought I was doing well by ordering a "multi-grain" muffin.  I decided I could do better baking on my own.  And if I do say so myself, I think these muffins taste better than their calorie-laden cousins from the coffee shop.

Reduced Fat Blueberry-Strawberry Muffins

A NotRachaelRay original

3/4 cup skim milk 
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce 
1 egg
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 Tbsp lemon zest
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 Tbsp ground flax seed
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup fresh blueberries
3/4 cup roughly chopped fresh strawberries 

Preheat oven to 400*F.  Line 12 muffin cups with paper lines or spray with nonstick spray.  In a large bowl, whisk together milk, applesauce, egg, oil and lemon zest.  Add in flours, ground flax seed, sugar, baking powder and salt.  Mix until just combined.  Your batter will appear slightly lumpy, but don't over mix!

Fold in berries.  Pour our scoop into prepared muffin tins and bake 20-25 minutes until golden brown.  Cool on wire rack and enjoy without guilt!

Or add a bunch of butter and feel a little guilty like I did.

  

Verdict: So yummy!  These really don't taste like low-fat, healthy muffins.  Especially with a big slab of butter smeared on top...

Husband's take: He wasn't crazy about the addition of lemon but I really liked the freshness it gave these muffins.  I should add that he still ate these for a few breakfasts.

Changes I would make next time: None.

Difficulty: Easy!

Click here for a printable version of this recipe 

Baked Parmesan and Herb Chicken

What a gorgeous day today was!  Mind you it felt like an oven the majority of the time, but that's what I love about summer...always an excuse to head to the pool.  Unfortunately I don't have the luxury of being a stay-at-home housewife (although I wish I could be!) so I was enjoying the view of this wonderful weather from my office window.

Sigh.

Although the great thing about my job is that I have the internet at my disposal and can find yummy recipes!  I was looking for a light chicken dish that would be quick and simple.  I had lots of fresh rosemary, thyme and parmesan cheese on hand so this recipe looked perfect!  I lightened it up by cutting back on the amount of butter asked for and chose to use chicken cutlets instead of full breasts, but other than that this was pretty perfect on its own!

  

What I really love most about this recipe, aside from the fresh herbs of course, is the Dijon, Worcestershire and garlic mixture that you dip the chicken into!  I found that this combination of flavors really accompanied each other well and made this dish absolutely delicious!  I paired the chicken with brown rice and rosemary-olive oil bread and it did not disappoint.  Perfect summer meal that was light yet very filling!

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Servings: 4 

Serving Size: 1 chicken cutlet

Calories: 241

Fat: 9.5 g

Carbs: 6 g

Fiber: 0.1 g

Protein: 7 g

Old Points: 5.6 pts

Points+: 4 pts

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Here are your ingredients:
Recipe adapted from Amanda's Cookin'

4 skinless chicken cutlets
1 cup panko bread crumbs
2/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
4 Tbsp light butter
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. minced garlic

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Combine panko bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and fresh herbs.  In a saucepan, melt butter and stir in Dijon mustard, Worcestershire and garlic.  Remove from heat.  Dip chicken in butter mixture, roll in breadcrumb mixture, pressing gently to make sure all crumbs cling.  Place on baking pan and bake for about 30 minutes or until golden.  Enjoy!

Click here for a printable version of this recipe

Pork Chops with Balsamic Peppers

Mmm dinner was sure delicious tonight and I would LOVE to share it with you!  For the first time there were NO leftovers and I got the official stamp of approval from my picky boyfriend :)

Doesn't that look fabulous??

I adapted this recipe from Cooking Light Magazine and it turned out incredible!  I chose to use pork chops since the store only had GINORMOUS HUGE pork tenderloins and we didn't need that much for two people, but it worked just as well.  I also left out the anchovies since my boyfriend would pretty much run for the hills if he knew I added them (but I personally don't think he would have been able to tell.)  I'll use them next time...shh ;)

By adding fresh rosemary to the pan at the beginning of cooking and then adding some at the end ensures the true freshness you'll taste once the pork chops are served.  Also, the red and yellow bell peppers give the entire meal so much flavor!  I served this yummy goodness along side roasted red potatoes since I had fresh rosemary on hand.  Everything was delicious!!
  
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Servings: 4 

Serving Size: 1 pork chop + 1/2 cup bell pepper mixture

Calories: 215

Fat: 10.1 g

Carbs: 5 g

Fiber: 1.4 g

Protein: 25.2 g

Old Points: 4.9 pts

Points+: 5 pts

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Here are your ingredients:

4 center cut pork chops

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary, divided

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 red bell pepper, cut into 1 1/2-inch strips

1 yellow (or orange) bell pepper, cut into 1 1/2-inch strips

2 tsp. balsamic vinegar

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper.  Add oil to pan; swirl to coat.  Add pork to pan; cook for 7 minutes.  Reduce heat to medium; turn pork over.  Add 1 tsp. rosemary, garlic and bell peppers; cook 9 minutes or until peppers are tender and pork is done.  Drizzle with balsamic vinegar.  Top with remaining 1/2 tsp. rosemary and serve.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe

Baked Mozzarella Bites

Thank YOU Cooking Light magazine!!  

Me and the boyfriend were in the mood for a mid-day snack that would be low in calories, quick and easy to make and, of course, would be delicious.  These little mozzarella bites were perfect!

I was surprised at how easy they were to make and literally took me no longer than 5 minutes!  The best part is you can have 3 mozzarella bites with marinara sauce for under 100 calories!  I was really disappointed, however, with how my photo turned out :(  Since I used panko bread crumbs (which are already super light in color) they didn't turn out too well on my camera and blended into the background a bit too much.

Sigh...oh well.

Either way these little bites were super yummy and we really enjoyed them!

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Servings: 4

Serving Size: 3 mozzarella bites + 1 Tbsp marinara sauce

Calories: 91

Fat: 5.1 g

Carbs: 6.7 g

Fiber: 0.1 g

Protein: 7.2 g

Old Points: 2.2 pts

Points+: 3 pts

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Here are your ingredients:
Recipe adapted from Cooking Light

1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
3 (1-ounce) sticks part-skim mozzarella string cheese
3 Tbsp egg substitute
Cooking spray
1/4 cup lower-sodium marinara sauce (such as McCutcheon's)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Heat a medium skillet over medium heat.  Add 1/3 cup of panko bread crumbs to the pan and cook for 2 minutes or until toasted, stirring frequently.  Remove from heat, and place the panko in a shallow dish.

Cut mozzarella sticks into 1-inch pieces.  Working with one piece at a time, dip cheese in egg substitute; dredge in panko.  Place cheese on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.  Bake at 425 degrees for 3 minutes or until cheese is softened and thoroughly heated.  Pour the marina sauce into a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on HIGH one minute or until thoroughly heated, stirring after 30 seconds.  Serve with mozzarella bites and enjoy!

Click here for a printable version of this recipe

Pineapple Upside Down Tea Cakes

Yay I finally did some baking!!

My boyfriend's absolute favorite cake is pineapple upside down cake so when I found a mini cake recipe in my Food Network Magazine (July 2011 issue) I just had to try it!  I lightened it up by using Splenda, fat-free buttermilk and light butter, but the great thing about this recipe is that it really didn't call for too much!  I ended up calling these "tea cakes" because when they came out of my cupcake pan they were just so tiny, but I love it!  They're the perfect little serving (1 point per tea cake) and you can have TWO for just about 100 calories!  Oh, and did I mention they were delicious?!  I also {of course} had to buy an abundance of cherries...not just because they were on sale, but because I just LOVE cherries :)

Hope you enjoy them as much as we did!  Ok, I'm headed back to the pool now, just too nice of a day.

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Servings: 10
Serving Size: 1 tea cake
Calories: 54.2
Fat: 2.2 g
Carbs: 5.5 g
Fiber: 0.1 g
Protein: 1.5 g
Old Points: 1.2 pts
Points+: 1 pt

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Here are your ingredients:

1 egg

1/4 cup fat-free buttermilk

3 Tbsp butter, melted

Dash of vanilla

1/2 cup flour

9 packets of Splenda (or 6 Tbsp sugar) Conversion Chart

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/8 tsp. baking soda

1 can of crushed pineapple (won't use that much)

Pinch of salt

**Confectioners' sugar and cherries optional as garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Brush cupcake pan with butter and sprinkle brown sugar in the bottom of each cup along with a bit of crushed pineapple.  Whisk egg, buttermilk, melted butter and a dash of vanilla in a bowl.  Stir in flour, Splenda, baking powder, baking soda and a pinch of salt.  Divide mixture into each of the cups.  Bake for 20 minutes and let cool.  Unmold the tea cakes and top with additional pineapple, cherries and a bit of confectioners' sugar.  Enjoy!

Click here for a printable version of this recipe

{Guest Post Friday} Spicy Balsamic Avocado Salad

YAY!  My first guest post!  As most of you know, I wanted to start "Guest Post Fridays" each week and what better way to kick this grand occasion off than with my lovely friend Jessica from Cajunlicious.  As a girl born in raised in New Orleans (I know, jealous right??), her fabulous blog contains ALL things Cajun and her recipes do not disappoint!  Just be prepared to endure lots of spice....yum!  Go check out her blog and send her lots of love!

So without further ado, I introduce to you Miss Jessica :)

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I am so excited about this guest post with my friend Kelly at Eat Yourself Skinny.  I would like to extend a HUGE thank you to Kelly for inviting me to be her very first guest blogger!  We are doing guest posts on each others blogs today so you get two great guest posts in one.  Her blog is something we can all enjoy; she started her blog to share healthy and delicious recipes that everyone can use to stay skinny while eating a delicious meal.  Head over to my blog where you can view her amazing Chicken Croquettes with Creole Sauce.

In honor of her delicious and skinny recipes, I give you my Spicy Balsamic Avocado Salad.

Avocados are rich in flavor and texture and are perfect for use in a variety of salad recipes.  Avocados are loaded with nutrients such as dietary fiber, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin E, potassium, magnesium, and folate.

For the salad you will need   

2 ripe avocados

1 roma tomato, seeded and chopped

1/2 red onion, chopped

1 jalapeno, chopped with seeds

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a large serving bowl.

For the dressing you will need

Juice of 1 lime

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Pinch of sea salt and fresh ground pepper

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a jar.  Shake vigorously until well blended.  Pour over the salad, mix well, serve and enjoy!

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