Low Calorie Oatmeal Cranberry Muffin October 6, 2008

Oatmeal Cranberry Muffins

 

                                

 

You save: 153 calories, 11 g fat, 1 g saturated fat

Ingredients
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
Butter-flavored cooking spray
3/4 cup coarsely chopped frozen cranberries
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons whole grain oat flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup light butter (from a stick), softened
1/4 cup fat free, artificially sweetened vanilla yogurt
2 teaspoons turbinado sugar (aka: raw sugar)

In a medium bowl, stir together the oats and buttermilk. Let the mixture stand for about 20-30 minutes until the milk is absorbed.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line the 12 cups of a standard muffin tin with silicone or foil (not paper) cupcake liners. If using the foil liners, lightly mist them with spray.

In a small bowl, mix the cranberries with the granulated sugar.

Add the flour to the bowl of a food processor or mini-food processor fitted with a chopping blade. Process it for 1 minute. Transfer the flour to a sifter. Add the cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt and sift them into a small mixing bowl.

Add the egg whites, brown sugar, butter and yogurt to a medium mixing bowl. Using a sturdy whisk or spatula, mix them together until they are well combined and all lumps are removed. Then stir in the oat mixture, until just combined.

Stir in the flour mixture until just combined then fold in the cranberries. Divide the batter evenly among prepared muffin tins. Sprinkle the turbinado sugar evenly over the tops. Bake the muffins on a middle oven rack a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry (a few crumbs are okay), about 28-33 minutes. Makes 12 muffins.

Each muffin has: 125 calories, 4 g protein, 21 g carbohydrates, 3 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 6 mg cholesterol, 2 g fiber, 256 mg sodium

Traditional muffins have: 278 calories, 5 g protein, 34 g carbohydrates, 14 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 19 mg cholesterol, 2 g fiber, 171 mg sodium

Need A Low Fat Cake Recipe September 6, 2008

As you guys know I simply love to bake and I have been desperately searching the internet for a low fat/low calorie cake recipe that makes sense.  If anyone has any recipes or website suggestions please post a comment.  I literally been feigning to bake but I’m scared because I’m trying to loose weight and I’m not one of those bakers that bake cake and don’t eat it…I’m not there yet:)  Oh yeah if anyone has some good bread recipes that would be great also.

Thanks

Tree

What happened to Food Commando? August 15, 2008

First let me begin by saying, “I LOVE THE FOOD NETWORK!”  My favorite show right now is Down Home With The Neelys.  Although their food isn’t the healthiest and a thorn in a dieter’s side they are very entertaining and their recipes make since and are really tasty…Ask me how I know

A few years ago I use to love this show called Food Commando with Chef Juan Carlos Cruz.  He literally loss weight by changing the ingredients in high calorie food to their low calorie or low fat counterpart.  He took recipes like lasagna, meatloaf, cheesecake and made them healthy.  It was a great show.  On his show he compared the calorie and fat difference between the original unhealthy recipe and the new and improved healthier version.

Many of you know that I am on Weight Watcher (don’t ask lets just say vacationing wasn’t good for my diet but I am back on the band wagon) and I’m using the points system.  So I’m trying to squeeze as much food in my day by using lowfat and fat free items such as milk.  Whole milk is 4pts  versus skim milk which is 2 pts.  With those extra 2 points I can have an apple and a WW peanut butter bar which is only 1 pt.  So do I drink that 1 cup of whole milk for 4pts or do I drink 1 cup of skim milk and still have room for two other snacks.

I really wish Chef Cruz’s show was still on because there are so many recipes out there that needs to be revamped.

Here is the recipe for his low calorie lasagna:

Meat and Cheese Lasagna Recipe courtesy Juan-Carlos Cruz Show:  Calorie Commando Episode:  Comfort Zone

1/2 pound turkey Italian sausage 1 cup low-fat ricotta cheese 3/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella, divided 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves 2 (14-ounce) cans stewed tomatoes, diced 1 cup chopped red onion 2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh oregano leaves 2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves 2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh thyme leaves 12 medium button mushrooms (about 1 cup), store bought and pre-sliced (from produce aisle) 1 large zucchini, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups) 4 lasagna pasta noodles, cooked al dente per directions on noodle box  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.Remove the casing from turkey sausage and discard. Heat a nonstick saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the turkey sausage and brown until thoroughly cooked, about 1 1/2 minutes. Drain and discard any grease in the pan. Remove sausage from heat and add the ricotta and 1/2 cup mozzarella. Stir until well blended. Set aside. Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a small, non-stick saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, and chopped basil and saute until the garlic just begins to soften, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and set aside. Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil in a large nonstick saute pan over medium-high heat. Add onion, oregano, parsley, and thyme and saute until onions are just soft, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and zucchini and continue sauteing until the vegetables are tender, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add half of the tomato sauce to the sauteed vegetables. To assemble, line the bottom of a lasagna pan (roughly 13 by 9 inches) with 1/4 of the tomato sauce. Top with 2 lasagna noodles. Then spread half of the sausage mixture on top of the pasta. Cover the sausage layer with about half of the vegetable mixture. Top the vegetable layer with the remaining sausage mixture. Then top that layer with the remaining lasagna noodles and add the remaining tomato sauce over top. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes before cutting.   Serves 8 Nutrition Information Nutritional Analysis per serving Calories 254 Fat 14 grams Saturated Fat 5 grams Carbohydrates 20 grams Fiber 2 grams