Healthified Gravy

With 75% fewer calories,no fat and 38% less sodium than the original recipe. There's no need to give up Thanksgiving gravy!

Healthified Gravy
Prep time: 15 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
 8 servings (1/4 cup each)

2 cups Progresso reduced-sodium chicken broth                                   
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
1 medium carrot, coarsely chopped
1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup cold water
1 tsp reduced sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup all purpose flour
Dash poultry seasoning, if desired

In 2-quart saucepan, heat broth, onion, carrot and celery to boiling; reduce heat. Cover; simmer 15 minutes. Pour broth through strainer, pressing vegetables lightly to extract juice. Return broth to saucepan; discard vegetables.

In small bowl, stir water, soy sauce, flour and poultry seasoning with wire whisk until smooth. Gradually stir flour mixture into broth in saucepan. Heat to boiling. Cook about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until thick and bubbly.

Chocolate Emergency Cookies

(This isn't a typical post, as this is a HEALTHY BLOG...But we get that it is the Christmas Season, so you need some alternatives to the high cal offerings.)
from Spark People website:


These cookies taste like the corner of the brownie pan, but in controlled portions!

INGREDIENTS
6 oz semi sweet chocolate chips
6 oz bittersweet chocolate (can use dark chocolate), broke into large pieces
1 stick unsalted butter, softened and divided
1 1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla


DIRECTIONS
1. Melt chocolates and 1/2 stick butter in microwave. Cool briefly.
2. Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. Beat 1/2 stick butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until the consistancy of wet sand.
4. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix.
5. Mix in chocolate mixture, beating only until combined.
6. Stir in flour mixture, only until combined.
7. Chill for 1 hour.
8. Dip out with an ice cream scoop (I use a 4 teaspoon cookie dipper) onto a greased cookie sheet.
9. Bake 1 sheet at a time for 9 to 11 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Do not over bake.
10. Cool 2 minutes on pan before moving to cooling racks.

Nutritional Info

• Servings Per Recipe: 48
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 102.5

• Total Fat: 4.3 g
• Cholesterol: 17.9 mg
• Sodium: 67.2 mg
• Total Carbs: 16.0 g
• Dietary Fiber: 0.8 g
• Protein: 1.4 g