Monday, May 25, 2009

Peanut Butter & Fudge Swirl Pie


1-1/4 cups OREO Baking Crumbs
1/4 cup non-hydrogenated margarine, melted
1 pkg. (250 g) PHILADELPHIA Brick Cream Cheese, softened (I use light or fat free)
1/2 cup sugar (I use Spenda)
1/4 cup KRAFT Smooth Peanut Butter
1-1/2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping (I use light)
3 Tbsp. chocolate fudge dessert topping


MIX crumbs and margarine; press onto bottom and up side of 9-inch pie plate to form crust. Beat cream cheese, sugar and peanut butter in large bowl with mixer until blended. Gently stir in Cool Whip until blended.

SPOON into crust; drizzle with fudge topping. Swirl gently with knife.

REFRIGERATE 4 hours or until firm. Refrigerate leftovers.

:::from Kraft What's Cooking Magazine:::

Low Fat Bran Muffins

In a Large Bowl mix the following ingredients:
5 Cups whole Wheat flour (or a combo or white and whole wheat)
5 Tsp baking soda
1 1/2 C brown sugar
2 Cups Natural Bran
3 Cups All Bran Cereal (I use Bran flakes cereal at times too if I don't have All Bran)
Optional: I add 2-3 Tbsp of ground flax seed

In another bowl, mix together wet ingredients:
2 eggs
1 Cup Applesauce (I use unsweetened)
1/4 cup molasses
4 cups buttermilk (I use 4 cups skim milk + 4 tbsp vinegar to sour it)
1 1/2 C water

Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients. I add Craisins, raisins, blueberries or other fruit at the time of baking.

Bake 15-20 minutes at 400 degrees Yields 5 dozen

You can refrigerate this mixture for weeks and make as much as you need when you need it.

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Spiced Pork Tenderloin with Maple-Chipotle Sauce



Pork:
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
2 (1-pound) pork tenderloins, trimmed
2 teaspoons olive oil

Sauce:
1 (7-ounce) can chipotle chiles, canned in adobo sauce
1/2 cup maple syrup (I use sugar free)
3 tablespoons fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar

Preparation
1. To prepare pork, combine first 6 ingredients; sprinkle evenly over pork. Place in a large zip-top plastic bag; seal and refrigerate 3 hours.

2. Preheat oven to 375°.

3. Remove pork from bag. Place pork in a roasting pan; drizzle with oil. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in center of pork registers 155°. Remove pork from pan; cover and let stand 10 minutes.

4. To prepare sauce, remove 2 teaspoons adobo sauce from can of chiles; reserve remaining chiles and sauce for another use. Add 2 teaspoons adobo sauce, syrup, broth, and vinegar to roasting pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Cook over medium heat 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Place pork in pan, turning to coat. Remove pork from pan, reserving sauce in pan. Cut pork into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Strain sauce through a fine sieve into a bowl; serve with pork.

::: from Cooking Light March 2008

Steak with balsamic mushroom sauce



4 Beef steaks (your desired cut)
1/2 tsp salt, divided
1/4 tsp pepper divided
2 tsp butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups sliced mushroom caps (you can mix different kinds)
1/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp water
1 tsp low-sodium soy sauce

Sprinkle steaks with 1/2 of the salt and 1/2 of the pepper.

Grill steaks to desired degree of doneness.

Heat pan over medium heat. Add butter coating the pan, cook until the foam subsides (about 15 seconds). Add garlic, saute for 30 seconds. Add mushrooms, 1/2 tsp thyme, remaining salt and pepper. Saute mushrooms for 3 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Stir in vinegar, soy sauce and water; cook one more minutes or until most of the liquid evaporates. Top steaks.

::: recipe found in Cooking Light April 2008

Edamole



3/4 cup frozen edamame, thawed & shelled
3 tablespoons water
1/2 a ripe avocado
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 garlic clove, halved

Combine all ingredients in a food processor & process until smooth.

Cover & chill. Serve with raw veggies or whole wheat pita.