Category Archives: Lighter Fare

Lighter Chicken Tikka Masala

Posted on February 1, 2011 by Veronica

Biz from My Bizzy Kitchen has been taunting me with her chicken tikka masala for months. And months. It’s my favorite Indian dish of those I’ve had the opportunity to try at restaurants, so I’ve been meaning to make it at home for quite some time. When Biz changed her recipe to lighten it up, replacing the heavy whipping cream with Greek yogurt, I knew it was time. And I could not believe that it was even better than what I’ve had at restaurants! Just like with the dal makhani, it was so good I couldn’t move on and had to bring it back to our menu a second week in a row. Except this recipe is actually better than the dal makhani, IMHO. Thank you so much, Biz, for sharing your wonderful recipe with us. I’m paying it forward to you, my readers, so that you can enjoy it as well. And you will–it’s simply divine!

Lighter Chicken Tikka Masala

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1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
3/4 cup (6 oz) nonfat, plain Greek yogurt, divided
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 teaspoons ground cumin, divided
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter
1 small jalapeno, cut in half, seeded and chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
6 dried red chili peppers
2 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce
1/4 teaspoon sriracha chili sauce (I use a full teaspoon for more heat)

Mix half the yogurt the chicken, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, salt and pepper. Refrigerate and marinate for one hour. Melt butter in a skillet and add jalapeno pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons ground cumin, garlic, paprika, curry powder, sriracha sauce and stir for 2 minutes, until nice and fragrant. Add chicken and cook for five minutes, turning pieces half way through. Add tomato sauce and dried chiles and simmer for 15 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked. Remove from heat, stir in remaining 3 ounces of Greek yogurt. Serve over brown rice and garnish with cilantro.

Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 205 calories; 2.5 g fat; 13.7 g carb; 3 g fiber; 29 g protein

Recipe source: barely tweaked from My Bizzy Kitchen

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Posted in Indian, Lighter Fare, Meats, My Favorites and tagged chicken tikka masala recipe, diet, Indian, Indian cuisine, light, low-fat, spicy. Bookmark the permalink.

Apple Cake Mabel

Posted on January 31, 2011 by Veronica

Before we get to the cake, please remember to head on over to Steph’s Bite by Bite to check out all the wonderful goodies up for auction in the online bake sale, which started at 7 AM today and goes until 9 PM EST. She’s raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and I can’t wait to mail a batch of my Mocha Toffee Brownies to the winning bidder! Good luck!

OK, now let’s get down to business. I begged this recipe off my friend, Judy, when she mentioned she had made a sugar-free apple cake that turned out well. I’m intrigued by anything that is sugar-free that also tastes good, as I have not had a lot of personal success with this. I discovered that the cake was made with Splenda and shortening and this repelled me on many levels, but also awakened a creative desire to make it healthier with a natural sweetener and not only non-hydrogenated fat, but less of it. As I mentioned in my post on chocolate chip banana bread, I’ve been experimenting with Truvia, a natural calorie-free sweetener made from the stevia plant’s leaves, so I used that in addition to brown sugar to give a better, more natural flavor. I didn’t mess with the diet soda in the recipe, but it could easily be switched out for any variety of Zevia (a calorie-free soda made with stevia), or with club soda and additional Truvia.

Now, I’m not sure who Mabel is, or if she was even the one to come up with the original recipe, but I hope that she would be as pleased as I am with my adaptation. It isn’t as light and tender as a traditional cake, but a little more dense like coffee cake, moist, perfectly sweet & spiced, with tender chunks of apple in every bite. It is best served the day you bake it as it gets a little dry a couple days later, but it can be returned to it’s former glory with a few seconds in the microwave.

Apple Cake Mabel

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2 eggs
½ cup brown sugar
4 oz cup (1/2 cup) unsweetened applesauce
1 cup diet Dr. Pepper or cream soda
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup Truvia
1 teaspoon Vietnamese cinnamon
1 t freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

1 large apple, peeled & chopped

Toppping
¼ chopped pecans
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons shredded, sweetened coconut

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour a 9×13 pan. Beat eggs until smooth & uniform in color, then add in brown sugar and beat until sugar is incorporated and mixture is slightly thickened. Add applesauce, diet Dr. Pepper, canola oil, and vanilla and mix until incorporated. Add in the remaining ingredients, except for the apples, and beat until smooth, 1-2 minutes. Fold in apples and pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle the toppings over the top in the order listed and bake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack at least 15 minutes before serving. Serve with whipped cream if desired.

*Veronica’s note: I recommend using a sweet baking apple, such as Braeburn, Rome, or Gala.

Makes 15 servings. Per piece: 139 calories; 2.6 g fat; 28 g carb; 1.4 fiber; 3.2 protein

Recipe source: adapted from Judy L.

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Posted in Breakfast, Cake & Frosting, Lighter Fare and tagged apple cake mabel, apple cake recipe, baking, Breakfast, brunch, cake, dessert, diet, diet-friendly, healthy, light, low calorie, recipe. Bookmark the permalink.

Whole Wheat Banana Pancakes

Posted on January 30, 2011 by Veronica

Saturday is the one day of the week when I have all the time I want to prepare breakfast, so I tend to make them a little more special. I created these pancakes to use up one of the quickly blackening bananas in my fruit basket, and they were just wonderful, especially with the addition of fresh banana slices on top. The bonus is that they’re so light that you can have a stack of two or three without busting your calorie budget, if you care about such things.

Whole Wheat Banana Pancakes

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¾ cup quick-cooking oats
¾ cup whole wheat flour
¼ cup buttermilk powder*
1 tablespoon Truvia, or sweetener of choice
1 tablespoon flax seeds
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup water*
1 medium banana
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Measure oats, flour, buttermilk powder, Truvia, flax seeds, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt into a medium mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Mash banana with a fork into a separate bowl and whisk in the egg. Add to dry mixture along with water and vanilla. Let rest for at least five minutes while you heat a skillet/griddle. Measure out batter using ¼ cup for each pancake and cook until dry around edges on first side before turning to finish cooking.

*You can use 1 cup regular buttermilk in place of the buttermilk powder and water.

Makes 12 pancakes. Per pancake: 71 calories; 1.3 g fat; 12.5 g carb; 2 g fiber; 3 g protein

Recipe by Veronica Miller

Don’t forget to check out Steph’s online bake sale today (January 31)! It’s running from 7AM-9PM EST and this is your big chance to get your paws on a batch of my Mocha Toffee Brownies. Good luck!

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Posted in Breakfast, Lighter Fare and tagged Breakfast, diet, flax, healthy, light, low calorie, low-fat, nutritious, oatmeal, oats, whole wheat banana pancakes recipe. Bookmark the permalink.

Dal Makhani with Baked Saffron Rice

Posted on January 29, 2011 by Veronica

I have a folder on my computer called “future blog” wherein lies all the pictures of food I’ve made that I want to post recipes for. There are currently 150 pictures in it, which may explain why it has taken me so long to post this recipe! I have less time time to post recipes than I used to, so I usually just scan the folder when I have a minute and pick whatever picture stands out. Today, this one winked at me, reminding me how much I enjoyed it and how sorry I should be for having forgotten to post it sooner.

Sorry, dal makhani. You deserve better. I’m not worthy!

Dennis (the picky eater) and I both enjoyed this Indian dish so much the first time that I ended up making it two weeks in a row, which is rare since I like to try new things constantly. It’s a very simple recipe, but it is bursting with flavor!

Dal Makhani with Baked Saffron Rice

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Dal Makhani:
1 cup dried lentils
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons heavy cream
fresh cilantro for garnish

Saffron rice:
1 cup long grain white rice
1 tablespoon butter
2 chicken bouillon cubes
½ teaspoon saffron threads
2 cups water

Place the dried lentils in a medium pot and add cold water to cover them by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and then simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes, or until the lentils are soft but not mushy. Drain and return to the pot. Place the pot on the burner again. Add the tomato sauce, ginger, garlic, cayenne pepper, and butter. Stir and let the mixture simmer over low heat, covered, for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, make the rice: Spray a 1 ½ quart casserole dish with cooking oil and measure rice and butter into it. Heat the bouillon, saffron and water together until boiling and pour over the rice. Cover and bake 30 minutes.

Taste the dal makhani mixture and adjust the seasoning as needed, adding more cayenne if you’d like it spicier. Remove the pot from heat and stir in the cream. Serve with minced fresh cilantro over saffron rice.

Recipe sources: Jenna’s Everything Blog and ifood.

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Posted in Indian, Lighter Fare, Main Dishes, Vegetarian & Vegan and tagged dal makhani, delicious, easy, Indian, Indian cuisine, recipe, simple, vegetarian. Bookmark the permalink.

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread (Low-Fat, Low-Sugar)

Posted on January 21, 2011 by Veronica

Although I’ve been eating healthier for the better part of eight months, you might not have been able to tell that by the recipes I’ve been posting. I figured it was about time I get to it and share some more of the low-calorie love. We all need balance, and I’d say after my last brownie post, you’re due something a little on the lighter side.

I wanted to participate in this week’s BSI (blogger secret ingredient) contest, this week’s ingredient being yogurt, so I dug my container out of the fridge and decided to whip something up with the bananas that were rotting on the counter. (Bananas that are nearly rotten give the best flavor for banana bread!) I’ve also been experimenting with baking with Truvia and have had good results when combining it with a little sugar in recipes, so I decided to do that here too. Thus this delightful bread was born!

This is a moist loaf with a wonderfully sweet banana flavor. The chocolate chips are a nice little bonus. Though it doesn’t quite compare to my favorite banana bread, it is still really delicious and I didn’t feel the least bit guilty about having two slices for lunch, spread with a thin schmear of peanut butter (my favorite way to eat this bread)!

This would be a good recipe to turn into muffins, and it would be easier to get even portion sizes that way too. Plus, you wouldn’t have to bake them as long, which translates to a center that’s even more moist!

V’s Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

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2 cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup Truvia
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt

1 ¼ cups mashed overripe banana (about 3-4 bananas)
½ cup plain fat-free yogurt
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9” loaf pan with cooking oil and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients and whisk to combine. In another bowl, mix wet ingredients. Add wet to dry, stirring until nearly mixed, then fold in the chocolate chips. Bake 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Makes 1 loaf, 12 slices. Per slice: 155 calories; 2.6 g fat; 35.6 mg cholesterol; 113 mg sodium; 32 g carbohydrates; 1.4 g fiber; 4 g protein

Recipe by Veronica Miller

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Posted in Bread, Breakfast, Lighter Fare. Bookmark the permalink.

Banana Oatmeal Bake

Posted on January 17, 2011 by Veronica

It has been months since I made this and I can still remember how creamy and delicious it was! I just bought some more agave nectar after using the last bottle up on Double Chocolate Banana Muffins, so I’m ready for another round of this hearty and warming breakfast. I think you will like this one. It’s both nutritious and delicious!

Banana Oatmeal Bake

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2 cups old-fashioned oats
1/4 cup Bob’s Red Mill 10 Grain Hot Cereal (or Bob’s Red Mill 7 Grain Hot Cereal, another 1/4 cup oats, flax meal, wheat germ or bran)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup agave nectar (or brown sugar, sugar or honey)
1-1/2 cups fat free milk (or any milk)
2 small bananas, mashed
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Combine oats, 10 Grain cereal, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In another bowl, combine agave nectar, milk, egg, vanilla extract and bananas. Combine the wet with the dry ingredients. Lightly spray an 8 x 8 inch pan with cooking spray and pour in banana-oats mixture. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. Add walnuts to the top and bake for another 5 minutes to toast them. Serve warm.

Recipe source: The Noble Pig

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Posted in Breakfast, Lighter Fare and tagged bake, baked oatmeal, baking, banana, Breakfast, cooking, hearty, nutritious, oatmeal. Bookmark the permalink.

White Chili (Crockpot recipe)

Posted on January 13, 2011 by Veronica

My friend, Ashley, shared this recipe with me recently and I had to make it ASAP because although I’ve saved countless recipes for it, I’ve never actually made it or even tried it! I have to say it’s very tasty, especially made her way with corn chips on the bottom and cheese on top (usually around here this is called a Frito pie). You just can’t go wrong with salty corn chips and cheese in your chili! Sooo good! Unless of course you’re watching your calories, then you’d be better off sprinkling a bit of cheese on top with just a few corn chips for garnish, as I did above. However, the chili is so good it can totally stand on it’s own. Any way you serve it would be great!

So here’s the recipe Ashley’s sister gave her when she got married (awww, those recipes are the best!) and that she has graciously permitted me to share with you! Enjoy!

White Chili (crockpot recipe)

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2 large white onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil

4 cups cubed (raw) chicken
2 cans white kidney (great northern) beans, drained & rinsed
1 can garbanzo (chick peas) beans, drained & rinsed
2 cups chicken broth
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chilis (I used 7 ounces)
2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
corn chips
shredded cheese

Saute onions and garlic in olive oil until tender. Transfer to slow cooker. Add all other ingredients; except cilantro, corn chips and cheese. Cook on low 6-7 hours (high for 4 hrs). Stir in cilantro and serve over corn chips with cheese on top!

Recipe source: slightly tweaked from Ashley Allen

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Posted in Lighter Fare, Slow-Cooker/Crockpot, Soups & Stews and tagged crock pot, crockpot, easy, frito pie, slow cooker, white chili recipe. Bookmark the permalink.

Creamy Parmesan Spinach Dip

Posted on December 29, 2010 by Veronica

I’ve got a great dip to add to your New Year’s spread! I saw this over at Gina’s Skinny Recipes and although I added a lot more sour cream, cheese, and mayonnaise to the dip, it still ends up being much lighter than regular creamy dips. But who really cares about that, anyway? If it goes on a cracker, my calorie concerns fly out the window and I eat half the batch. I love dip! And this one is no exception.

Creamy Parmesan Spinach Dip

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12 oz chopped frozen spinach, thawed
1 bunch scallions, chopped
½ cup Parmigiano Reggiano
1 (16 z) tub light sour cream
½ cup light mayonnaise
2 teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon garlic powder
Fresh cracked pepper, to taste

Squeeze out as much water from the spinach as you can. Combine all ingredients in large bowl and stir until well mixed. If not serving immediately, remove from refrigerator 2 hours before serving.

*Veronica’s notes: all I could find is a 12 oz bag of spinach but I know most of you will only be able to find the 10 oz container. No worries, just use that and leave everything else the same. This dip will not suffer from being more creamy. :)

Recipe source: adapted from Gina’s Skinny Recipes.

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Posted in Lighter Fare, Snacks & Appetizers and tagged celebration, creamy parmesan spinach dip, dip, holiday, light, New Years, party, recipe. Bookmark the permalink.

Peppermint Pretzel Crisps

Posted on December 19, 2010 by Veronica

Although we don’t have a Trader Joe’s in Kansas (don’t you pity me?), I found out through a blog I happened to scroll through one day (I do not remember which one it was), that they sell a product (and I don’t even remember the name) that is basically pretzel crisps coated in white chocolate and sprinkled with pepperminty-looking things. (Pepperminty is a word because I say so.)

Well, just because we don’t have a Trader Joe’s doesn’t mean I can’t have make them myself, right? I mean, all I need are three ingredients:

Easy peasy, and this is one of the very few holiday treats that you can enjoy nearly guiltlessly. That is, unless you eat the entire batch. I calculated the calories and it’s 104 for every three crisps. That is about the equivalent of an ounce of fudge, but it much more satisfying because the serving is larger and it takes a while to eat since it’s crunchy.

The best part? They don’t taste diet-friendly. They aren’t imposters masquerading as the real thing like fat-free half-and-half (this is an oxymoron if I ever heard one!) or sugar free syrup (gag me!). They are the real deal, salty & sweet with a hit of peppermint. They rock my socks.

Do your poor friends on diets a favor and give these as gifts in lieu of that tub of fudge. Believe me, we have plenty holiday temptations to avoid without your help!

Peppermint Pretzel Crisps

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4 squares vanilla almond bark candy coating
1 (7.2 0z) bag original pretzel crisps
1 cup Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips

Melt the almond bark according to package directions. Using a small silicone spatula, spread the top of a pretzel crisp with almond bark, lay on a sheet of waxed paper, and immediately sprinkle with peppermint baking chips; repeat with the remaining pretzel crisps. Once almond bark has set, package in an airtight container or in cellophane gift bags or tins.

*If you are unfamiliar with the Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips, read this post to find out more.

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Posted in Candy, Lighter Fare and tagged andes peppermint crunch baking chips, candy, christmas, diet, diet-friendly, easy, holiday, low calorie, pretzel crisps, recipe, simple. Bookmark the permalink.

Skinny Pumpkin Spiced Latte

Posted on November 24, 2010 by Veronica

Happy Thanksgiving! OK, so I’m early, but I’m headed out of town for the holiday and won’t have internet access on the big day. Before we head north, I’m going to share a little gem I’ve been enjoying often but have been selfishly keeping to myself.

I’m sure your jaw dropped when you read the “Skinny” part of the title since I have posted very few healthy or low-calorie recipes in the past several months. Well, believe it or not, despite all the fattening stuff I post on here I’ve been working on losing weight since May and this delicious latte is one of the things that has helped me shed twenty-five pounds along the way.

I’m not a big coffee drinker but I absolutely adore this Pumpkin Spiced Latte and have been making it at least once a week since the beginning of October. It is sweet, spiced with a hint of pumpkin flavor, and it’s soooo wonderful topped with whipped cream or, my recent favorite, gingerbread mallows. For the above photo, I plopped them on top so you could tell what they were, but I prefer to put them in the empty cup, then pour the hot latte on top so that they begin to puff and melt (as in the photo below) and create a gingerbread flavored foam on top that I get a little bit of with each sip.

OK, I’m off to whip one up right now! Today I’m grateful for so many things, including you. Thanks for reading and have a safe and happy Thanksgiving! I’ll see you back here on Saturday when I announce the spices giveaway winner!

Skinny Pumpkin Spiced Latte

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3/4 cup fat-free milk
1 tablespoon pumpkin butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon sugar or sugar substitute (to taste)
1/4 cup strong brewed coffee
fat-free whipped topping or gingerbread mallows
pumpkin pie spice for topping

In a small pan whisk together milk, pumpkin butter and sugar until pumpkin butter is completely dissolved in the milk. Continue whisking and cook on medium until boiling. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and coffee. Pour into a mug, add desired topping and a dash of pumpkin pie spice. Serve hot.

Nutrition information (calculated without topping, using my own pumpkin butter (26.3 calories per tablespoon), and Splenda): Servings: 1 • Weight Watcher Points: 2 pts • Calories: 102.7 • Fat: 0.4 g • Sodium: 101.5 • Potassium: 418.1 • Carb: 17.8 g • Fiber: 0.5 g • Protein: 6.6 g

1/4 cup Cool Whip Free adds 30 calories, 4 gingerbread mallows adds 45 calories

Recipe source: Gina’s Skinny Recipes