11/23/2006

Spinach Artichoke Dip

For anyone who knows me this one is my "signature" recipe. And for anyone who does not know me, trust me when I say this one is the best! It is perfect for any group gathering served right in the bread bowl with the sourdough pieces & veggies. It is also absolutely fabluous warmed on the next day on toast. Our favorite day-after-holiday breakfast is eggs benedict with a poached egg on top of the toast & dip. And because I use low fat ingredients you don't have to feel guilty for indulging.

Ingredients
· 2 lbs fresh spinach leaves, washed and chopped
· 2 Tablespoons butter (Smart Balance buttery spread)
· 16 oz. low fat cream cheese
· garlic and pepper to taste
· large can artichoke hearts, chopped
· 8 oz. carton low fat sour cream
· 8 oz. shredded low fat mozzarella cheese
· 1 large round sourdough loaf
· assorted veggies for dipping (Cancels other calories)

Preparation
· Place spinach in microwave safe bowl and heat about 2 to 3 minutes until just wilted.
· Melt butter in a skillet.
· Add spinach.
· Stir in cream cheese, garlic & pepper. Stir until cream cheese melts.
· Fold in artichoke hearts, sour cream and 3/4 mozzarella cheese. Allow cheeses to melt.
· Cut top of loaf & pull out inside into cubes for dipping.
· Pour mixture into bread loaf on a cookie sheet. Top with remaining mozzarella cheese.
(This can refrigerated at this point if desired.)
· When ready to serve, place in a preheated 350 degree oven. Bake 25 min until hot & bubbly.

Pumpkin Pie Cookies


An unusual twist on a traditional holiday treat. And, a healthy option for desert.

Ingredients
1 1/2 Cup Butter (Smart Balance buttery spread)
1 Cup Splenda
3 Eggs
1 Can (15oz) Pumpkin
1 Tablespoon Ground Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
1 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
3 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
Craisins & toasted pecan pieces

Steps
1 Grease cookie sheets and preheat oven to 350.
2 Mix butter and sugar with mixer until well mixed (will be light and fluffy).
3 Add eggs, pumpkin, spices & vanilla; mix well.
4 Sift dry ingredients together & gradually add to pumpkin mixture, mixing by hand.
5 Mix in Craisins & pecans
6 Drop onto cookie sheets & bake 10 to 15 minutes - or until slightly browned.

* Note: Dough will be sticky and wet.

(Makes 3 to several dozen cookies, depending on size and shape.)

11/11/2006

Mac & Cheese

This was one of my favorite foods growing up that my mom made straight out of the Kraft box... just like everybody's mom did. I got the idea for this recipe from an article in the L.A. Times Food section reminiscing about this comfort food and how restaurants today have strayed from its original form. I too appreciate the traditional mac & cheese without any dressing. Keeping with a healthy take, my version watches those extra calories and fat.

Ingredients
8 oz cooked elbow macaroni
1 can (10-3/4 oz) cream of mushroom soup (any cream of ... soup works)
8 oz fat-fat shredded cheddar cheese (1/2 horseradish cheddar, 1/2 mozzarella is wonderful)
4 oz whole-wheat crackers mashed into crumbs

Steps
1. Preheat oven to 400ºF. Spray 9 X 9 baking dish.
2. Mix macaroni, soup, and cheese in baking dish.
3. Top with cracker crumbs.
4. Bake until top is golden, about 25 minutes.

To kick it up a notch, we added some leftover chicken-apple sausage to the mac & cheese.

French's fried onions are also wonderful insted of crackers. Add a layer to the top about 5 minutes before you take it out.

11/05/2006

Carot Cake


For Marc's birthday I wanted something that said elegant but still healthy. I found this recipe in a copy of Weight Watcher's September/October 2006 magazine and for a Fran-first didn't change the recipe... well okay, I added cranberries and pecans and used Splenda instead of sugar but that's it and the cake looked absolutely professional. Of course the cake box Whole Foods gave me also helped with the store-bought look. But nothing beats homemade and knowing every delicious bite is low calorie and healthy.

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups Splenda
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 package diced dried apricots
3 tbsp hot water
2 eggs
2 egg whites
2-1/2 cups shredded carrots
1/2 cup apple butter (next to jams)
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup cranberries
12 oz fat-free cream cheese
7 oz jar marshmallow cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Steps
1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray 2 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray, line the bottoms with wax paper and spray the paper with nonstick spray.
2. Combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
3. Put apricots and hot water in a food processor (or Magic Bullet) until blended but a little chunky. (It's nice when you bite into a piece of apricot in the cake.)
4. Beat eggs and egg whites. Add carrots, apple butter, oil and apricots until blended. Add flour mixture until blended. Add cranberries.
5. Spread batter evenly in the pans. Bake until the cakes are browned and center of each bounces back when lightly pressed with a fingertip, 30 - 32 minutes. Let cool in pans on racks, 15 minutes. Remove cakes from the pans, peel off the paper and cool completely on the racks.
6. For frosting: mix cream cheese, marshmallow cream and vanilla until smooth. Frost top of cake then place other cake and frost top and sides. Sprinkle top with hopped pecans.