Tag Archives: lowfat

Mixed Berry Granola. Low Fat. Low Sugar.

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I love sprinkling granola over the top of my yogurt in the morning or as an afternoon snack. I usually eat plain yogurt with fruit, so the added sweetness of the granola helps take the ‘bite’ out of my unsweetened yogurt. The problem I was having is this… Most granolas purchased in the store are filled with more oil and sugars that I prefer, not to mention they are usually fairly pricy! So, I tackled it myself.

I gravitate to granola on the fruitier side and one of my favorites is Trader Joe’s Lowfat Mixed Berry Granola, which I still buy it in a pinch. Here is my rendition of Mixed Berry Granola.

Mixed Berry Granola. Low Fat. Low Sugar.

Mixed Berry Granola. (low fat, low sugar)

Approx 20 servings. (2Tbsp per serving)

  • 3 cups Oats
  • 1/4 cup Slivered Almonds
  • 1/4 c Applesauce, unsweetened
  • 1 Tbsp Coconut Oil, warmed til it’s a liquid
  • 2 Tbsp Honey (Vegans can use agave syrup or brown rice syrup)
  • 2 Tbsp Strawberry Jam (no sugar added, preferred)
  • 1 tea flaxseed meal (optional)
  • 1 tea Vanilla
  • Dash of Salt
  • 1 cup Freeze Dried Mixed Berries or Strawberries, lightly crumbled

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 325 F
  2. Mix all ingredients together except Freeze Dried Fruit until well combined and oats are moist.
  3. Spread the mixture in a 9×13 pan or on a cookie sheet.
  4. Bake 30-45 mins, until browned and crunchy. If it’s still not brown and crisp at the end of 45 mins, mix and continue baking, checking every 5 mins.
  5. Cool completely. Add Freeze Dried Fruit, mix well.

Nutrition (Approx 2 Tbsp) (approx): 80 cal, 2.5g fat, 13g carb, 2g fiber, 2g protein

Chocolate Chip VitaMuffin or VitaTops Copycat Recipe

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Vitalicious products are expensive. There’s no way around that. At a local grocer, a box of 6 VitaMuffins or VitaTops are likely to set you back $6, maybe less if you were lucky enough to catch a sale. Either way, it’s expensive at right around $1 each muffin. The good thing is they are all natural, low in fat and calories and high in fiber. They are a tasty, chocolate-y treat.

So, why do we have to pay them to make them when we can make them ourselves at home, right? Ah, a recipe. That’s what’s missing.Oh wait… But I have one right here for you!

This recipe tastes surprisingly close to the VitaMuffin/VitaTop version. It does have that same slightly ‘healthy’ undertone to it, so if you’re looking for a really decadent chocolate muffin, this isn’t it. But don’t let that detour you from trying it out. If you’re wanting a sweet, healthier treat, this will definitely do the trick. Especially heated up with a little low-fat vanilla ice cream over the top. Yum!

It makes a fairly large batch, so I recommend freezing them and pulling them out one at a time. To freeze, I suggest you cool them down twice before moving them to the freezer. Cool them completely on the counter, then move them to fridge to chill. Finally, seal them up really well and freeze. When you’re ready to eat a frozen one, simply microwave it for 30-45 seconds (60 if you prefer it hot).

Now, go get in the kitchen, you chocolate-loving vitamuffin/vitatop people, and whip up your own batch!

(Sorry, no pictures of this one. I’ve been meaning to make another batch so I can snap a few, but I haven’t been able to and I didn’t want to hold out any longer, so I’ll just show you a picture of chocolate and hope that suffices for now until I can come back and add a photo.)

Chocolate Chip Muffins (or tops)

Makes approx 36 mini muffins.

  • 1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
  • 3 egg whites
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup fat-free half & half
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp vinegar
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp table salt
  • 1 1/2 cup hot water
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 Tbsp + 2 tsp unflavored fiber supplement (such as Metamucil Clear & Natural)
  1. Preheat your oven to 365 F (Note: you will drop the temperature down before actually baking the muffins. Don’t forget!)
  2. Using a mini muffin tin or a muffin top pan, lightly spray the pan with a non-stick spray.
  3. Sift all dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
  4. In a medium-sized bowl, combine all wet ingredients except the water.
  5. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Add the water and stir until completely incorporated. Do not over-stir.
  6. Divide batter between muffin tins and sprinkle chocolate chips over the top of each.
  7. Put your muffins in the oven and CHANGE the temperature to 350 F. Bake 8-10 mins, or until toothpick comes out clean. Do not over-bake or they will get very dry. Let cool for 15 mins on a wire rack.

Nutrition (approx): 70 calories. 1g fat. 14g carb. 1g fiber. 1g protein.

Late Night Snack Ice Cream & My Healthy(er) Swap

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Oh, Ben & Jerry’s. You’ve done it again. As if one of my all time favorites, Phish Food weren’t enough, you go and add my weakness – sweet/salty – to your gourmet ice cream line-up. It’s in the form of “Late Night Snack” – inspired by the Jimmy Fallon’s Late Night Show. Vanilla ice cream with chocolate covered potato chips (yes, potato chips!!!), swirled with salted caramel – it’s a little taste of heaven.

According to some gossip and reports going around, Ben & Jerry’s may have ripped the flavor off of my absolute favorite ice cream place ever – Humphry Slocombe. With almost identical flavors, Humphry Slocumbe serves up their “After School Special” flavor at Spork SF restaurant.

And while I live not too crazy far from San Francisco to get a scoop of the original vanillacaramelchocolatepotatochip ice cream, my local grocer is much easier for me to go and pick up a container of the Late Night Snack version by B&J. Except the main problem is that the either one of these will ooze with at least 270 calories/15g fat.

That being said, I’m going to rip off both of them and make my own healthy(er) version.  With closer to 160 calories/7 g fat, this is a delicious substitution that will ease your late night noshing conscious.

Healthy(er) Late Night Snack Ice Cream

  • 1/2 cup  Half-the-fat Vanilla Ice Cream (or if you prefer, fat free or no sugar added types work as well)
  • 8-10 bittersweet chocolate chips (melted in a glass bowl for 45-60 seconds, then stirred)
  • 3-4 baked potato chips, crushed (I prefer baked Kettle Brand chips)

Simply, drizzle the chocolate over the top of your scoop of ice cream and sprinkle the crushed potato chips over the top.

Happy Spring!

Pumpkin Yogurt Parfait

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This pumpkin yogurt has become a staple in my fall eating repertoire.  Breakfast, snack, dessert, midnight snack. It’s super healthy, super satisfying, filling and all kinds of yumminess all wrapped up in one delicious bowl (or parfait glass). Don’t be scared off by the layering fanciness. The truth is I usually throw it all in one bowl and mix it up in one goopy glob of goodness. But layering makes for prettier pictures. It also makes for a fun holiday breakfast or brunch item to add to your entertaining menu.
Pumpkin Parfait

Pumpkin Yogurt Parfait

Serves 1

  • 1/2 c pumpkin puree, canned
  • 1/2 c nonfat greek yogurt (such as 0% Fage)
  • 2 Tbsp sweetener of your choice (sugar, brown sugar, splenda, agave, honey, etc)
  • 1/2 t pumpkin pie spice (more or less to taste)
  • 1 t cinnamon (more or less to taste)
  • 2 Tbsp Kashi Go Lean Crunch cereal

The quick way… Throw everything except the cereal into a bowl, mix and sprinkle cereal over the top. Or, if you prefer, follow the directions below to make a pretty parfait and add some elegance to your day.

The parfait way… Divide the yogurt in half and place in 2 small bowls. Divide the sweetener  between the two bowls. Add pumpkin puree and all the spices into one of the bowls. Mix each thoroughly to combine. Layer in a parfait glass starting with 1/3 of the pumpkin mixture, 1/3 of the cereal, 1/2 of the yogurt. Continuing layering in this order.

Nutrition (without sweentener): 138 cal, 1g fat, 21 carb, 5 fiber, 13g protein

Lowfat “Hummingbird Bread” (aka Pineapple Banana Bread)

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I’m always looking for new ways to use my over-ripe bananas. Usually it’s just a basic banana bread. But that gets boring after a while. I was inspired by a Hummingbird Cake recipe on Martha Stewart’s site and decided to make my own lowfat version. In making it lowfat, I knew the texture would end up being more of a bread than a ‘cake’, so I put it in a loaf pan and am calling it Hummingbird Bread. I also left out the nuts to keep it lowfat, but feel free to add pecans to the batch if you’d prefer.

I LOVE this recipe because it’s SO incredibly easy! Literally throw everything in a bowl, mix and bake. My husband is addicted. I can’t keep the stuff in the house.

Lowfat Hummingbird Bread (aka Pineapple Banana Bread)

Serves 12

  • 3 cups self-rising flour
  • 1 1/2 cups Splenda
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 2 bananas, mashed
  • 1 cup crushed pineapple, with juice
  • 1 t vanilla
  • 1 t cinnamon
  • 5 egg whites
  1. Preheat oven to 325 F. Lightly spray 2 loaf pans with nonstick spray.
  2. Mix all ingredients together until just combined. Divide batter between pans. Bake 40 mins or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. Allow to cool slightly before sliding a knife around the edges and inverting the bread onto a plate.
  3. Optional: Make a cream cheese frosting for the top out of light cream cheese (approx 4 Tbsp), powdered sugar (approx 1/3 cup), vanilla and a bit of milk (approx 2 Tbsp).

Nutrition (without frosting): 185 cal, 0.4g fat, 40.4g carb, 1.8 fiber, 13.8g sugars, 5g protein

Peanut Butter & A Giveaway

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Please tell me I’m not the only person who is in the possession of 5 different kinds of peanut butter at any given moment, understanding the unique flavor and use for each one. Please? Yeah. I didn’t think that was going to happen… I can accept that I’m slightly over the top obsessive about my love for peanut butter.

Why do I love peanut butter? It’s the perfect food, in my opinion. It satisfies my cravings for sweet and salty in one delicious place, plus it gives me a healthy dose of protein and natural oils – especially delicious before a workout (in moderation).  I don’t like overly sweetened peanut butters. I love salty, pure and natural PB with strong peanut buttery flavor goodness. I’m starting to drool just thinking about it. If my consumption equaled my love, I’d be larger than a blimp.

Ok, now that I’ve thoroughly scared you about my obsession for peanut butter…  If you’re still reading, congratulations! You’re a brave soul.

Now, on to the real ‘meat’ (pun intended!) of the post…. Peanut Butter. Here are my two absolute favorites and why…

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Egg Drop Soup (aka Egg Flower Soup)

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There’s just something about a yummy soup on a cold rainy day that just does it for me. I’m always looking for new soup recipes – ones that are choc full of healthy veggies and that are filling. Egg Drop soup has the added benefit of having a ton of protein and is lowfat. It’s also (almost) fully customizable. You can add in whatever you’d like – more or less vegetables; and if you prefer to add some faux meat, you may.

I made it for dinner for my husband and me a few nights ago. We licked the bowl clean – no leftovers. Yumness.

Egg Drop Soup

Makes 4 servings.

  • 4 c plus 2 Tbsp no chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
  • 1/2 t fresh ginger, grated
  • 1 Tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 Tbsp cornstarch
  • 3 oz extra firm tofu, cubed
  • 1/3 c carrots, chopped
  • 1/4 c corn
  • 4 egg whites, lightly beaten
  • 2 green onions, chopped
  • 1/2 c snow peas
  1. Bring the 4 cups broth, ginger and soy sauce to a full boil. Make a slurry of the remaining 2 Tbsp broth and cornstarch by mixing in a small bowl until combined. Slowly pour into the broth and stir until thickens, slightly – 2 or 3 mins.
  2. Add carrots, corn and tofu to the soup. Boil 5 minutes.
  3. While the broth is at a full boil and while stirring in one direction, slowly pour in the egg whites. The egg will spread and feather.
  4. Add snow peas, green onion, salt and pepper.

Nutrition: 103 cal, 2.5g fat, 8.5g carb, 1.6g fiber, 2.9g sugars, 11.7g protein

Vegetarian Thai Hot and Sour Soup (Tom Yum)

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I went to a local Thai restaurant not too long ago and they had the most amazing Vegetarian Hot and Sour soup. I’ve had Chinese Hot and Sour Soup before and thought it was “ok”. I have this crazy thing for lemongrass flavor, so Thai Hot and Sour stole away my heart.  I had a bunch of leftover Thai ingredients from a dinner I made a few nights back and didn’t want all my yummy Asian produce to go to waste. And what better way to use a whole slew of leftover produce but a soup? Per my usual style, I browsed some recipes, then made up my own.

With the vegetables, you can pretty much use whatever you prefer. I listed what I used in my soup, but feel free to make it your own way. You really can’t go wrong with a soup like this, so get the ‘base’ down and then modify to your heart’s content!

I am entirely pleased with the outcome of my soup. It’s warm, comforting and, in my humble opinion, has a comforting authentic flavor. I’ve been taking 2nds and 3rds… “Just one more taste” ever since I ate it for dinner. I can’t wait to share it with the rest of my family who are going to taste my leftovers tomorrow.

Another great benefit is that it’s a very low fat and low calorie dish. I did my own nutritional calculations, so though I can’t guarantee they are 100% accurate, they’re pretty close and can at least give you a guideline (nutrition values are below, under the recipe).

A few things to note before you get started about the ethnic ingredients, especially if you’re not used to working with them…

  1. Thai Bird Chilies (aka “Thai Chilies” or “Birdeye Chilies”) usually come in red or green and are about 1 inch long. The number of chilies you use determines the “star” rating of heat. I used 3 and it was ‘medium’. I probably could have gone for 4. I like a little nose drip with my hot and sour soup. These chilies are very hot. In fact, you may want to wear gloves when chopping them. My left thumb was burning for hours after holding the chili to chop it with my right. I also scratched an itch on my cheek and had a red ‘burn’ for a few hours as well, no thanks to the chili juice. But don’t let this scare you. They are an essential flavor (aka – the “hot” in “hot and sour”) to this soup. Just proceed with caution.
  2. Fish Sauce is a staple flavor in most Thai dishes. There are some vegetarian options out there at specialty stores or you can make your own. In a pinch, you can use a bit of seaweed for that “sea” flavor, but I would use that as a last resort.
  3. Lemongrass. Do not eat the lemongrass. I don’t even want to tell you my story of when I tried to serve my husband (then boyfriend) lemongrass finely sliced in a salad. It was bad. It’s a flavoring. Don’t. Eat. The. Lemongrass. I’m sure you all know this already, but in the event you didn’t. I needed to at least let you learn from my bad experience and warn you. Strip the outside layers off, wash it well, then get the flavor out of it by using the flat side of a knife or a rolling pin and pound it a few times. Then, slice into 3″ pieces and throw it into the soup. I know there are ways to use the actual lemongrass in recipes but I haven’t figured that out yet.

Vegetarian Thai Hot and Sour Soup (Tom Yum)

Serves: 4-appetizer, 2-meal

  • 1 t oil (I always use olive because that’s what I have closest to the stove)
  • 1/2 medium white onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 cups vegetarian chickenless broth (or vegetable broth)
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 stock lemongrass, pounded and cut into 3″ pieces
  • 14 oz whole tomatoes, drained (not rinsed), cut into large chunks (approx 1/2 a large can)
  • 1 to 6 red or green Thai chilies, seeded and finely minced
  • 1/2 cup carrots, chopped
  • 1/2 cup fresh peas
  • 1/2 cup mushrooms (I recommend Shitake or Chinese black)
  • 1/2 cup green onions, chopped
  • 2/3 cup extra firm tofu, cubes
  • Any additional vegetables of your choosing, such as red bell pepper, bamboo shoots, broccoli, etc. (I would have used these if I had some on hand)
  • 2 Tbsp vegetarian fish sauce (you can buy or make your own. Fish sauce is a “staple” flavor’
  • Juice from 2 limes
  • 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
  • 3-4 lime leaves (optional)
  • 1 t Basil, minced, plus additional for garnish (optional)
  • 1 t Cilantro, minced, plus additional for garnish (optional)
  • Bean sprouts for garnish (optional)
  1. Prepare all your ingredients by chopping, dicing, mincing, etc. Pound the lemongrass with a rolling pin or the flat side of a knife.
  2. Heat the oil in a medium/large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic. Cook stirring occasionally until translucent.
  3. Add broth, water, lemongrass, lime leaves (if you have it) and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Let boil 15-20 mins.
  4. Add chilies, carrots and peas. Bring back to a boil and let simmer at a low boil for another 10 minutes
  5. Add mushrooms, tofu, green onions, vegetarian fish sauce, lime juice, vinegar, basil and cilantro. Bring back to a boil and let boil approx 5 mins. If there doesn’t appear to be enough broth, add 1/2 cup of water at a time bringing it back to a boil before serving.
  6. Serve being mindful to not serve the lemongrass or lime leaves Garnish with bean sprouts and additional basil and cilantro before presenting.

Nutrition for 1/4 the recipe, when making it as an appetizer for 4:
140 calories, 4g fat, 20g carbs, 8g protein, 4g fiber

Nonfat Whole Wheat Carrot Craisin Muffins

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This amazing little muffin is surprisingly moist and light in texture for being nonfat and whole wheat! Even my husband (who doesn’t usually go for muffins all that often) loves these. I found a random recipe online and did a bunch of “doctoring” until I made it my own lightweight version of the muffin. It’s lovely. I highly recommend you go try it asap. And go check out the nutrition stats at the bottom. Shocked? Yep. I was too. Those little numbers (pun intended) make me very happy. :)

Nonfat Whole Wheat Carrot Craisin Muffins

Prep time: 15 mins
Bake time: 18-20 mins
Makes 12 muffins

  • 1 1/4 c white whole wheat flour (or whole wheat)
  • 1 t baking powder
  • 1/2 t baking soda
  • 1/2 t salt
  • 1 t cinnamon
  • 1/4 t ginger
  • 1/2 c brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 c unsweetened applesauce
  • 1/4 c light orange juice (Trop50)
  • 1/4 c egg substitute (Egg Beaters)
  • 1 1/2 c grated carrots
  • 1/2 c dry, sweetened cranberries (Craisins)
  1. Pre-heat oven to 375 F. Spray a 12 cup muffin tin lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. Sift (or mix with a whisk) the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and ginger together in a bowl.
  3. In a separate bowl, combine the brown sugar, applesauce, orange juice, and egg beaters together.
  4. Add your dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until almost combined. Fold in the carrots and cranberries. (do not over beat!)
  5. Divide the batter evenly in 12 muffin cups. Reduce the oven temperature to 360 and bake for 18-20 mins until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean.
  6. Let cool 5 mins in the pan, then carefully transfer the muffins to a wire rack to continue cooling.  (Letting them cool out of the pan allows the edges to not become soggy.)

Nutrition: 105 calories, 0g fat, 25g carbs, 2g protein, 2g fiber

Asian Tofu Salad

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Inspired by a tofu salad I had a Trader Joe’s recently, I tried my hand at my own homemade version with a few tweaks to the flavor. I tried to make it somewhat Vietnamese Spring Roll-esq, so to speak. The result was a smashing success. I served it to a group of friends and they had nothing but raves. I have cravings for it on occasion. The flavors compliment each other so well.

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