Mini Cheesecake Muffins

These yummy gems have no flour. Just cream cheese, egg , sugar or Splenda and a splash of vanilla.

Lose Weight Eating Eggs

I'm trying to eat eggs for breakfast more often because I keep hearing that they are good for you and they help keep you full longer helping you eat less and lose weight.

My favorite way to eat eggs is to scramble over medium heat in a little olive oil. I also add a little water, maybe a teaspoon, to the eggs before I beat them with a fork. It helps them mix better and keeps them moist.

A little salt and fresh ground black pepper and I am happy for several hours.

If I'm really hungry, a slice of toast with a little real butter and jelly made with fruit and no added sugar usually does the trick. It gives a bit of the quick carb energy and tastes slightly sweet which I like.

The 125 Calorie Sandwich

I like to call this my "snack time" sandwich because it's so light in calories that it doesn't add too much portion to my portion controlled life. But, since it has great volume, it is usually very filling and satisfying.
I try to only eat things I really like and this is my newest addition to that long list except I am trying to make the list healthier.

What I Used:

Two slices of those new white wheat breads, soft like white but healthier = 50x2=100 calories Yellow mustard on both slices = 0 calories...I wonder how they do that?
Three thin slices of chicken = 25 calories
One cup or more of iceburg lettuce leaves = 6-8 calories per cup

OK, it is a 131 calorie sandwich and since it all adds up, I will remove one lettuce leaf or just jiggle my foot a few times to make up for the extra 6-8 calories.

Grilled BBQ Chicken with Cheesy Rice and Baked Beans

This going into the meal recipe rotation. I don't know how often we will have it but it's good enough to keep the ingredients handy.

I usually just add Parmesan cheese to the rice but after deliberating we decided to add some Cheddar and it was really good. Not mac and cheese good but good and it went well with the baked beans from a can.

Our favorite barbecue sauce recipe is a red hickory flavor. It seems to blend well with chicken that's been grilled or baked.

Keep a little skin on the chicken for some extra flavor. It crisps on the edges and flavors the meat nicely.

Hello Risotto

To some it is a sacrilege but to me it is a very good thing.
Yes, I cook risotto in the microwave.
YIKES!

It is good. Not perfectly good, not just good enough, but very good.

No standing, watching, stirring, waiting, adding hot liquids, stirring , watching some more.

I do watch and stir but the main thing about microwaving risotto is to use a high bowl. Risotto in the microwave has a tendency to bubble over and it's a hard mess to clean.

So, watch a little, stir a little, enjoy a lot.

Easy Pannini

A stovetop grill and a sturdy spatula work as well as any machine to make a pretty pressed sandwich.

What I Used:

White wheat bread
Deli Sliced Ham
Low fat Monterrey Jack with Colby cheese, pre-sliced
Butter
Spray Oil

How I Made It:

Pre-heat the grill pan over medium low heat
Assemble the sandwich
Put a little butter on the outside
Place on the grill
Press down with the spatula for several seconds then let sit and cook until a crispy brown
Flip and repeat

Good served warm with baked chips and/or raw vegetables.

The Healthier PB&J

Using whole grain bread, jelly made with fruit with no added sugar and organic, unsalted peanut butter made from freshly ground raw or dry roasted peanuts is a great way to incorporate good, healthy foods in the life of a child.

A light sprinkle of naturally minerally enriched sea salt on top of the peanut butter makes this sandwich sing!

Side Options Are:

-Carrots

-Apple

-Celery

-Raisens

-Pretzels

Dessert Options Are:

-Yogurt Covered Raisens

-Yogurt Covered Pretzels

-Older PB&J lovers might choose chocolate covered coffee beans as a sweet finish

Macaroni and Cheese Please

Healthy Mac and Cheese

Tweaking a classic dish sounds like a bad thing but just changing a couple of the ingredients will not change the flavor or texture so much that it's noticeable to the palate and the dish is made healthier.

Following the usual mac and cheese recipe,http://elleseasymeals.blogspot.com/2007/12/my-first-homemade-macaroni-and-cheese.html, the only changes to make using equal measurements are:

• low fat cheese (fat free may not melt as well)
• low fat milk
• whole or multi-grain pasta

One option for anyone wary of change is to mix the new in with the old ingredients to see that there really is nothing to fear.

Bake as usual and store the leftovers in the refrigerator.

elle's Easy Biscuits Cooked On The Stove Top

Quite by accident, I discovered that biscuits can be cooked in a pan on the stove top using just a spatula for turning.

It was a warm day and we wanted biscuits but didn't want to use the oven and add extra heat to the house.

I decided to try and see what would happen if I melted butter in a pan over medium heat and add a can of flaky layer biscuits so I did.

YUM!

Here Is What You'll Need:

One can of flaky, layered biscuits (a different kind or even the large biscuits may work well)

One third stick of REAL butter ( I feel like I just said Voldemort out loud instead of You Know Who)

A splash of olive oil

Garlic salt/ garlic powder

Melt the butter with the olive oil using medium to med/low heat and then add the biscuits.

Sprinkle the biscuits with the garlic salt and/or powder (to taste, a little goes a long way)

Turn the biscuits over when they start to turn golden on the bottom and sprinkle the new side with the garlic salt/powder again, maybe using less.

Turn once more.

Usually by the time the butter is absorbed the biscuits are done and ready to eat.

The texture reminds me of a doughnut, slightly crispy outside and tender inside.

Best served warm.

Sprinkling with parsley or Parmesan cheese adds a nice touch.

These go well with almost anything including Spaghetti.

elle's Easy BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

What You Need:

Grilled (baked/roasted is fine) chicken, white or dark meat.
Hamburger or Sandwich Buns ...I use the new healthier high fiber breads and buns.
BBQ Sauce...we use a hickory with brown sugar bottled sauce.

The Plan:

Shred or cut the chicken into small pieces and coat with sauce...add fresh even if already cooked with sauce just to liven up the flavors.

Spoon onto warmed buns and enjoy one of the easiest meals on the planet.

Add chips or raw vegetable sticks and dip as a side and have ice cream or snow cones for an easy, refreshing dessert.

Pictures to come.