Sugar Free Pumpkin Oreo Cheesecake

INGREDIENTS
2-8 oz pkgs. cream cheese, softened
½ c. Splenda
2 eggs
2 tbsp. sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
½ c. canned pumpkin
Sugar Free Oreos
whipped cream

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350* Place cupcake liners in a muffin pan. Beat the cream cheese until creamy. Add the sugar and cream again.

Add the eggs one at a time beating after each one. Add the rest of the ingredients and beat again.

Place one whole oreo in the bottom of the cupcake liners and fill up the liner 3/4 full with the cheesecake batter. Push another whole oreo into the top of the batter.

Bake for 20-22 minutes. Cool in pan for 15-20 min before removing and placing on a wire rack to finish cooling. Keep refrigerated. Top with whipped cream and oreo sprinkles before serving.

Full sugar recipe from http://www.keyingredient.com/recipes/2437007/pumpkin-oreo-cheesecake/

My New Favorite Sugar Free Treat

Ever since I haven't been able to eat sugar I miss so many things. One thing I miss is chocolate dipped strawberries. Then the other night I was staring at the strawberries and lightbulb went off in my brain (and taste buds). I pulled out the Sugar Free Chocolate Syrup and the whipped cream, sat down at the table and an explosion went off in my mouth! I was so excited! Now I am totally addicted!!!!

Pork Chop Suey

INGREDIENTS

1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons Hoisin sauce

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

5 teaspoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons canola oil, divided

1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch-thick pieces

1 medium onion, slivered

1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 small can sliced water chestnuts

3 cups mung bean sprouts (optional)

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

DIRECTIONS

Combine broth, soy sauce, Hoisin sauce and pepper in a medium bowl. Transfer 2 tablespoons of the mixture to a small bowl; stir in cornstarch until combined. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add pork and cook, stirring frequently, until most of the pink is gone, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Increase heat to medium-high. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, onion, bell pepper, sprouts and ginger and cook for 3 minutes. Pour in the broth mixture and bring to a boil. 

Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; add the reserved cornstarch mixture and pork (and any accumulated juice) and cook, stirring, until slightly thickened, about 1 minute.

Serve over Rice or Udon Noodles

No-Bake Macaroni & Cheese

I decided to make this for dinner tonight. It was kind of an experiment, because my hubby is quite partial to the box-kind of mac-n-cheese. But I made it anyways :) Well good news... He ate it AND he even went back for seconds! :) So it passed the husband test! If your family's not a fan of broccoli, substitute a frozen vegetable of your choice.

Ingredients
1 pound garden vegetable rotini (1 box)
2 bunches of broccoli (chopped into bite size pieces)
1 3/4 cups low-fat milk, divided
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/3 cup shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
1/3 cup Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons stone ground mustard

I also added 1 pound of cooked ground turkey.

Directions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta for 5 minutes. Add broccoli and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the pasta and broccoli are just tender, 4 to 5 minutes more.

Meanwhile, heat 1 1/2 cups milk in another large pot over medium-high heat until just simmering. Whisk the remaining 1/4 cup milk, flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl until combined. Add the flour mixture to the simmering milk; return to a simmer and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture is thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Parmesan and mustard until the cheese is melted.

Drain the pasta and broccoli and add to the cheese sauce. Return to the heat and cook, stirring, over medium-low heat, until heated through, about 1 minute.

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To see original recipe from Eating Well, go to... http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/no_bake_macaroni_cheese.html

Hash Brown Omelet Cups

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5 teaspoons unsalted butter (I used EVOO)
4 cups frozen hash browns (1 pound), thawed
6 large eggs, plus 2 large egg whites
Coarse salt and ground pepper
4 tablespoons shredded Parmesan Cheese
3 ounces shredded Monterey Jack
Directions
Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Coat 12 nonstick muffin cups with 1/2 teaspoon butter. In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt 4 teaspoons butter. Add hash browns and 2 egg whites; season with salt and pepper and mix thoroughly. Place about 1/4 cup mixture into each muffin cup, firmly pressing into bottom and up side of each cup. Bake 15 minutes.
Mix remainder of eggs and the Parmesan Cheese in bowl. Remove hash brown cups from oven, add egg mixture to each cup. Season with salt and pepper and bake until egg mixture is set, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle shredded Monterey Jack on top of each cup. Place back into oven until cheese is melted (about 1 - 2 minutes). Remove from oven, with a small offset spatula, remove cups from pan and serve immediately.

Italian Egg-Drop Soup

8 servings, about 1 1/2 cups each |  Active Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 4 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups medium barley
• 1 7-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed
• 1 can Navy beans, rinsed
• 1 bunch scallions, sliced, whites and greens divided
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• 4 cups chopped kale, any tough stems removed
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• Salt to taste
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 6 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Combine broth, water, barley, chickpeas, scallion whites and nutmeg in a Dutch oven; cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Uncover and boil for half as long as directed by the pasta package, 45 to 50 minutes.
2. Stir in kale and cook until wilted, about 2 minute. Reduce heat to low. While stirring the soup constantly, slowly add eggs; cook for 2 minutes. (The cooked egg will look like feathery strands.) Season with salt & pepper and stir in the scallion greens and lemon juice. Ladle into 6 bowls and top with Parmesan.

Tilapia Corn Chowder

I am very excited to try this recipe. I love chowders but hate all the fat that gets stuffed inside. This recipe started out as healthy, and I just made it a little more healthy with some of my substitutions. Today is a great day for this soup! Cloudy, rainy, and a little snowy :) Bring on the fresh baked bread and this yummy bowl of warmness! :)

Ingredients
2 ounces bacon*, (about 2 slices)
1 teaspoon canola oil
1 stalk celery, diced
1 leek, white part only, halved lengthwise, rinsed and thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
8 ounces Yukon Gold potatoes, diced
2 cups fresh corn kernels, (about 4 ears)
1 1/2 pounds tilapia fillets, cut into bite-size pieces
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
1 cup half-and-half*
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, (optional) 

*I use turkey bacon (instead of regular bacon) & greek yogurt (instead of the half-and-half)

Instructions
Chop bacon and cook in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until crispy, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

Add oil to the pan. Add celery, leek, salt and pepper and cook until the vegetables just begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Add broth, potatoes and corn. Bring to a gentle simmer. Cook until the potatoes are just tender and the corn is cooked through, about 8 minutes. Stir in tilapia and thyme; return to a gentle simmer. Cook until the tilapia is cooked through, about 4 minutes more. Remove from the heat.

Stir in half-and-half, lemon juice and the reserved bacon. Garnish with chives, if using.


Recipe & photo adapted from Eating Well

Enchilada Lasagna

Photo courtesy of Food Network - base of recipe from Food Network
my additions and changes are below.

Yield 6 to 8 servings

Active Time 30 min

Total Time 1 hr 30 min

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil 

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed 

1 1/2 cups diced onion

 Pinch kosher salt 

1 large clove garlic, minced 

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 can black beans

1 can diced tomatoes

1 taco seasoning packet

1 jar/can enchilada sauce

1/2 cup sliced olives (optional) 

12 (6-inch) corn tortillas 

3 cups shredded queso fresco or Monterey Jack (I used a combination)

Nonstick cooking spray 

 

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat the vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Place chicken cubes and taco seasoning in pan. Saute the chicken until cooked through, approximately 6 to 8 minutes. Add black beans to chicken, heat thouroughly (about 1-2 minutes) Remove the chicken and beans from pan and place in a medium bowl. Add the onions to the same pan along with a generous pinch of salt, decrease the heat to medium-low and sweat for 4 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic, oregano, and tomatoes and cook until the onions are tender, 2 to 3 minutes more. Add the chicken back to the pan and remove from the heat.

Spray a 13 by 9-inch glass baking dish with non-stick spray. Place 1/2 cup of the sauce into the bottom of the dish. Dip 4 tortillas into the remaining sauce and lay them into the bottom of the dish. Cut 1 of the tortillas in half to evenly cover the bottom of the dish. Top this with half of the chicken mixture and 1 cup of the cheese. Starting with 4 more tortillas, repeat the layers, ending with the last 4 tortillas on top. Pour remaining sauce over the dish and top with remaining 1 cup of cheese. Add olives to the top (optional).

Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the oven on the middle rack for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 10 minutes, or until cheese on top is bubbly.

Hot, Hot, Hot Hummus

Trying to decide if I should call this "Labor Inducing Hummus" or "Heartburn Heart Attack Hummus" either way this Hummus is HOT and spicy so don't say I didn't warn ya! :) it is very flavorful, and if you want to have the flavors but not the heat than use 1/4 tsp cayenne (or less), use Aleppo pepper flakes instead of the crushed red pepper flakes, and use mild green chilies instead of the hot.

Ingredients

1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed

5 tablespoons water

1/4 cup tahini (be sure to stir the tahini thoroughly before measuring it)

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tsp fresh lemon zest

1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic clove

1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 15 oz. can hot diced green chilies

Directions

Process the chickpeas, water, tahini, lemon juice, lemon zest, green chillies, oil, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, cumin, cayenne, and red pepper flakes together in a food processor until smooth, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, cover, refrigerate until the favors have blended, about 1 hour. Season with salt to taste.

Day 73 of 365 Days of Thanks

What am I thankful for today? One word - Horchata

I have loved this Mexican drink since I was a teenager, but never knew how to make it. Today I came across a recipe in one of my iPad apps from Food Network. I read the ingredients, and realized that I can make this Sugar Free! Now I just need to get some long grain rice and some fresh cinnamon sticks and I am set! Here is the recipe (if you are interested):

Horchata
Recipe courtesy Aaron Sanchez for Food Network Magazine

Prep Time: 15 min
Inactive Prep Time: 3 hr 30 min
Level: Easy
Serves: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients
1 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed
1 cinnamon stick, preferably Mexican, broken into pieces, plus more for garnish
1/2 cup sugar, or to taste (to make Sugar Free, I will use Splenda)
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, preferably Mexican, for garnish 

Directions
Combine the rice and cinnamon stick with 4 cups water in a blender; pulse to coarsely grind. Transfer to a large bowl and add another 4 cups water; soak at room temperature for 3 hours. Puree the rice mixture in a blender in batches until smooth. Strain through cheesecloth or a fine sieve into a pitcher. Mix in the sugar; chill. Stir the horchata well before serving. Pour into ice-filled glasses; garnish with cinnamon sticks and a dusting of ground cinnamon.

Photograph by Kana Okada

Day 47 of 365 Days of Thanks

I have a weird one today :)

This last week my hubby was telling me about a "burrito" / "taco" his friend at work brought him for breakfast. Instead of being wrapped in a tortilla it was wrapped in flatbread. He loved it! So when I made my grocery list for this month I put flat bread on the list. Today we went shopping and both stores were either sold out of all of their flatbread or they didn't carry any. Now I didn't know what I was going to do, kinda bummed but decided to just use tortillas instead. So tonight while I was thumbing through one of my cookbooks (this one is a Scandinavian cookbook) they had a recipe for Rye Flatbread. Win-win! Flatbread AND made with Rye! He loves Rye!

I decided to make them tonight, added a little spice to the flour and Walla! Homemade flatbread! Healthier than store bought without all the preservatives. Plus now I can make them for him anytime!! So today I am thankful that the stores did not carry any! :) see...weird :) but still thankful! :)


Here's the recipe:


Finnish Griddle-Baked Flat Rye Bread
Makes about 15 flatbreads

Ingredients:
1 cup cold water
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons Red Cloud Peak Seasoning (from Savory Spice shop)
1 cup rye flour
1 cup all-purpose flour

Directions:
In a large bowl, mix the water, salt, spices, and rye flour. Add the all-purpose flour and mix until dough forms. Knead until smooth, about 2 minutes.

Shape dough into a log. Cut into 15 equal parts.

On a lightly floured board, roll each part of dough out to make an 8-inch circle. Cover with plastic film to prevent drying.

Heat a cast-iron griddle (I used a normal pan on medium heat), until a drop of water sizzles on it. Bake the circles, without fat, one at a time, turning often, until the breads are browned in spots. Remove and stack, covered with a towel.

I made mine really thin - more tortilla like - but that's how we prefer them :)

Turkey & Barley Soup

Last night I really wanted homemade chicken noodle soup, but i didn't have chicken already cooked and i didn't have the right noodles. So i decided to use what I did have. I had just thawed out one of the turkey breasts left over from Thanksgiving and I had about a cup of barley left in the pantry. So here is what I came up with. I think this is now my new favorite soup of the season! :) It is hearty and full of flavor!

8 cups chicken stock
1 cup diced onion
3 cloves garlic minced
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 package of frozen spinach
3/4 cup medium barley (not quick cooking or pearl barley)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 tsps corn starch
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 tsp salt and additional salt to taste
2 cups cooked turkey breast (cut into small bite size pieces (this is a great way to use up your left over turkey from Thanksgiving)

Heat Dutch oven on medium-high heat and add oil, make sure bottom of pan is fully coated. Add onion and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes, then add spinach and cook for another minute.

Add chicken stock and bring to a full boil. Stir in barley and then cover and reduce heat to simmer. Cook for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Combine eggs, salt, cornstarch, pepper, and tablespoon of water in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk.

Slowly pour egg into broth mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk to ensure that the egg thickens and does not scramble.

Add turkey to the broth mixture; cook until mixture thickens and barley is done (about 3 minutes).

Sun Dried Tomato and Rye Pizza Dough

I made a meatball pizza with one of the balls of dough! It was very yummy!!

Makes 2 dough balls, enough for 2 medium pizzas

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees)
1 envelope (2 1/4 teaspoons) instant or rapid-rise yeast
2-2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups rye flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup *sun dried tomatoes (ground into flakes or powder)

Directions:
Place 2 cups of the bread flour, the rye flour, the yeast and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Mix briefly on low speed.

Add the olive oil to the water, and then, with the mixer on low speed, slowly pour the water mixture into the flour mixture. Once the ingredients are well combined, turn off the mixer and switch to the dough hook attachment. Knead the dough on low speed until it is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. If the dough seems overly sticky, you can add the remaining 1/4 cup of bread flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, during the kneading process. (At this point, you can freeze half or all of the dough. Freezing directions are below.)

Form the dough into a ball and transfer it to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place until nearly doubled in size, about 1-1 1/2 hours.

To assemble pizzas, roll each half of the dough out into a 14-inch circle. (I use a combination of rolling with a rolling pin and stretching the dough with my hands.) Place dough on a piece of parchment paper that has been sprinkled with cornmeal, and place the parchment paper on a baking sheet. Top pizza as desired.

To bake pizza, preheat a pizza stone in a 500 degree oven for at least 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 425 degrees and slide the pizza and parchment paper onto the stone, using the baking sheet to help with the transfer. Bake until the cheese begins to brown and the crust edges are golden, about 8 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand a few minutes before slicing.

To freeze pizza dough: After kneading, divide the dough in half and form each half into a smooth, round ball. Dust each dough ball with flour and place in a zip-top plastic bag; place dough in freezer. Pizza dough can be frozen for up to one month. To use, thaw dough in refrigerator overnight, and then let it warm up on the counter for about 2 hours before using.

Recipe adapted from The America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook.

*I used the sun dried tomatoes that I dried this last fall. I did not pack them in oil, I figured they would last longer if I use kept them dried out.

Mexican Chocolate Granola

INGREDIENTS:
7 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant)
1 ¼ cups chopped walnuts
1/3 cup ground flaxseed
3/4 cup all-bran cereal
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
6 large egg whites
¾ teaspoon coarse salt
1 tablespoon Aleppo crushed peppers
1 1/2 cup Splenda
1 cup cocoa
¾ cup honey (I use artificial honey because it doesnt have sugar in it)
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350˚F. In a bowl, combine oats, nuts (if using), all-bran, flaxseed, and cinnamon, cocoa, Splenda, and Aleppo. In another bowl, whisk together egg whites and salt until frothy. Add honey and oil, and whisk to combine. Stir into oat mixture until combined.

2. Spread mixture in even layers on two rimmed baking sheets. Bake 20 minutes; remove from oven, and use a spatula to gently flip the granola and move it from the outer edges to center (to brown evenly). Return to oven, and continue to cook until golden brown, about 10 minutes more. Cool completely on sheets, then transfer to a bowl.

The Yummiest Lumps of Coal You Will Ever Eat!

I have a friend that LOVES Oreos. So when I saw this recipe I couldn't help but make them just for him and his wife!

Ingredients:
One 16 oz package of Oreo Cookies
5 cups large marshmallows
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Directions:
Butter an 8X8 inch baking pan. Line the baking pan with parchment paper letting the paper extend up two sides of the pan and overhang slightly on both ends. Butter paper; set pan aside. *I used a mini muffin tin for mine. No cutting required :)

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, pulse Oreos until ground.

Quick method: In a large, microwave safe bowl, melt butter and marshmallows in the microwave until puffed, about 1½ - 2 minutes. Stir in ground Oreo Cookies until combined. Transfer to prepared baking pan. Using a piece of wax paper, press rice mixture evenly into prepared pan.

Stovetop method: Combine butter, marshmallows, and cinnamon in a pan over medium heat. Stir continuously until no lumps are visible in mixture. Take off heat and stir in ground Oreo Cookies until combined. Transfer to prepared pan. Using a piece of wax paper, press Oreo mixture evenly into prepared pan.

Let set up for at least 10 minutes. If using 8x8 pan, Cut into bars and serve.

Yields: 16 bars or 24 mini's

Banana Layer Cake - Making it Sugar Free

BANANA CAKE:

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups Splenda
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter two 9x13 cake pan with 1 1/2-inch-high sides; dust pan with flour. Combine 1 1/2 cups sugar, mashed bananas, oil, eggs, buttermilk and vanilla in large bowl. Using electric mixer, beat until mixture is well blended. Sift flour, baking soda and salt into banana mixture; beat until well blended. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool cake in pan on racks 10 minutes. Cut around cake to loosen; turn cake out onto racks and cool completely. Once cake has completely cooled, cut *circles out of the cake with a 2 inch biscuit cutter (or a cup). Once you have all of the circles cut out, cut each in half and fill with filling placing other half on top. Top with whipped cream just before serving.

*you can also cut them into squares instead of squares.

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FILLING:

Ingredients
1 (1.4 ounce) package sugar-free instant pudding mix
1 3/4 cups milk
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1 (8 ounce) container lite frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions
1. In a medium bowl, combine pudding mix and milk. Mix well and let stand until thickened.
2. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add pudding and mix well. Finally, fold in whipped topping.

Black Bean, Chicken, and Chorizo Burritos

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
Salt and black pepper
1 1/2 cups white rice
3 1/2 cups chicken stock
1/3 pound chorizo, chopped (a package usually weighs 3/4 pound--use half)
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin, 2/3 palmful
1 teaspoon ground coriander, 1/3 palmful
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders, chopped into small dice
1 ripe Hass avocado
1 pint grapes tomatoes, halved
1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, a generous handful, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
1 14-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
8 10 to 12-inch flour tortillas
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
3/4 cup prepared salsa (optional)
1 cup sour cream (optional)

Heat a medium-size saucepan with a tight-fitting lid over medium heat with about 1 tablespoon of the oil, once around the pan. Add one fourth of the chopped onion and season with salt and pepper, then cook for 1 minute. Add the rice, stir to coat in the oil, then add 2 1/2 cups of the chicken stock and bring up to a simmer. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to a medium low, and cook the rice for 15 to 17 minutes, until tender.

While the rice is cooking, preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat with the remaining tablespoon of vegetable oil. Add the chorizo and cook for 2 minutes. Add the remaining chopped onion, the garlic, cumin, coriander, and a little salt and pepper, and cook for about 3 minutes, or until the onions start to get tender. Add the chicken and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.

Halve the avocado, remove the pit with a spoon, and then carefully scoop out the flesh. Cut the two halves into small bite-size pieces and transfer to a bowl. Add the halved tomatoes, jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice, salt, and pepper, and mix to combine.

Add the remaining cup of chicken stock to the skillet with the chorizo and chicken and bring it up to a bubble. Once it is simmering, add the black beans and continue to cook until the liquids are just barely visible and the beans are heated through, a couple of minutes.

Heat a large dry skillet over high heat to blister the tortillas. Have a clean kitchen towel nearby to wrap the tortillas and keep them warm. Once the skillet is hot, add a tortilla and heat for about 30 seconds on each side, remove from the skillet, and wrap it in the towel. Continue until all the tortillas have been heated. If you have a gas stove, you can blister them directly over the flame itself.

Once the rise is done, fluff it with a fork. To assemble a burrito, scatter a small handful of cheese, about 1/4 cup, across the center of a tortilla. Top with a couple of generous kitchen spoonfuls, about 3/4 cup, of cooked rice. The rice will catch the juices from the couple of kitchen spoonfuls of black beans, chicken, and chorizo that come next! Dot the mound of fillings with some salsa and sour cream, if you like. Tuck the sides in, then wrap and roll. Cut in half and serve.

Recipe from "Express Lane Meals" by Rachael Ray

Slow Cooker Taco Soup Recipe

Serve this Tex-Mex soup with homemade half-whole-wheat flour tortillas, shredded reduced-fat Cheddar or Jack cheese, and a dollop of fat-free sour cream, if desired. Make this meatless by using a tofu or soy product in place of the ground sirloin.

Ingredients:
1 pound ground sirloin (around 6%-9% fat), or ground turkey with around 6% fat
1 cup chopped onions
1 16-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-ounce can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
8 ounces canned tomato sauce
2 cups water
2 14.5-ounce cans peeled and diced tomatoes
1 4-ounce can diced green chilies (buy mild, if you prefer)
1 ounce packet taco seasoning mix
1 cup shredded, reduced-fat cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream

Preparation:
1. In a medium skillet, cook the ground beef or turkey over medium heat until browned. Drain, and set aside.
2. Place the ground meat, onion, chili beans, kidney beans, corn, tomato sauce, water, diced tomatoes, green chile peppers, and taco seasoning mix in a slow cooker. Mix to blend, and cook on Low setting for 8 hours.
3. Ladle into individual serving bowls, and top each with 1/8 cup shredded cheese and a tablespoon of fat-free sour cream. Serve with homemade flour tortillas.

Yield: 8 servings

Nutritional Information:
Per serving: 288 calories, 20 g protein, 37 g carbohydrate, 7 g fat, 2.7 g saturated fat, 24 mg cholesterol, 10 g fiber, 730 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 22%.

WebMD Recipe from the WebMD Weight Loss Clinic

Jalapeño Garlic Hummus

1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed
5 tablespoons water
1/4 cup tahini (be sure to stir the tahini thoroughly before measuring it)
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tsp fresh lemon zest
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic clove
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed Aleppo red pepper flakes
1 medium size jalapeño pepper (seeds removed and minced)

Process the chickpeas, water, tahini, lemon juice, lemon zest, jalapeño, oil, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, cumin, cayenne, and Aleppo together in a food processor until smooth, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, cover, refrigerate until the favors have blended, about 1 hour.Season with salt to taste.

Dehydrating Apples

This morning I washed, cored and sliced the bowl of apples to put in the dehydrator. This is my first attempt at doing apples, so I am crossing my fingers and my toes, hoping they come out good and tasty! I decided to go the "o-natural" route and not pre-soak them or coat them with anything. I put them in "naked as a jaybird". I don't mind a little discoloring, so I hope it was a good plan! 8:30 am they went in. Asked my hubby to switch the trays around around lunch time. Hoping when I get home at 3:30 that they will be done. Not sure how long they will take. So I am experimenting with the time also. :)

After 6 Hours of Drying - the majority of them were done (a few that were thicker than the others needed a little extra time. Here are the end results!