Healthified Turtle Ice Cream Cake

I know how it is, you are working so hard to eat healthy and stay away from those sweets. But it is summer time and sometimes you just need some ice cream! This is a super tasty recipe that everyone will enjoy. No one will guess that it is lower in fat and calories and you will be able to enjoy a nice slice of it. Perfect after a summer bbq! Just don't forget to plan ahead and make this the night before, it needs time to freeze!

Healthified Turtle Ice Cream Cake
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 11 hours
Servings: 12

10 chocolate wafer cookies, finely crushed (1/2 cup)
1 T coconut oil or butter or other substitute, melted
3 cups reduced fat chocolate ice cream, softened
1/2 cup fat-free hot fudge topping
2/3 cup chopped pecans
3 cups reduced fat vanilla ice cream, softened
1/4 cup fat-free caramel topping

In a small bowl, mix wafer crumbs and melted coconut oil/butter until crumbly. Press into the bottom of an ungreased, 9 inch, springform pan. Freeze 30 minutes.

Drop chocolate ice cream by small spoonfuls over crust and carefully spread until smooth. Freeze for 1 hour or until firm.

Spoon and carefully spread fudge topping over ice cream. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup of the pecans; press lightly. Freeze 1 hour or until firm.

Drop vanilla ice cream by small spoonfuls over pecan layer; carefully spread until smooth. Cover and freeze at least hours or over night.

To serve, let stand at room temperature 5 to 10 minutes to soften. Carefully remove side of pan. Cut into 12 wedges. Place each wedge on individual dessert plate and drizzle each with 1 teaspoon of dessert topping. Store remaining ice cream cake covered in freezer.

One-Pot Pilaf

One-Pot Pilaf

1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp peeled, chopped fresh ginger
1 cup brown rice
2 cups fat-free, reduced sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup fresh snow peas, trimmed
1 cup thinly sliced carrots, steamed
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 T lite soy sauce
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Spray medium sauce pan with cooking spray. Heat pan over medium heat. Add red pepper, garlic and ginger. Sauté 5 minutes.

Stir in rice.  Sauté 3 more minutes.  Add broth; bring to boil. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 35 minutes.

Stir in snow peas, carrots, green onion, cilantro, soy sauce and red pepper flakes. Cook 5 more minutes. Serve immediately.

Makes 8 servings. Amount per serving: 109 calories; <1 22="" class="goog-spellcheck-word" fat="" g="" span="" style="background: yellow;" total="">carbs
; 3 g protein; 2 g dietary fiber, 228 mg sodium

Grilled Fish Tacos

I love the beginning of May because it means Cinco de Mayo is just around the corner and I absolutely love Mexican food!  Most of what you can find in restaurants though is so full of fat, calories and sodium that I have a hard time letting myself enjoy it.  Fish tacos are one of my favorite Mexican dishes lately and these tacos are good for you and super tasty.  Give them a try!

Grilled Fish Tacos
Prep time: 20 minutes
Total time: 20 minutes
Servings: 8

1 lb firm white fish fillets such as sea bass, red snapper or halibut
1 T olive oil
1 tsp cumin or chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
8 corn tortillas
1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream
1/2 cup salsa
Toppers (shredded lettuce, diced tomato, diced avocado, chopped onion, fresh cilantro, shredded cabbage)

Heat gas or charcoal grill. (You can also cook in a frying pan or in the oven.) Brush fist with olive oil and sprinkle with spices, salt and pepper.

Carefully spray grill rack with cooking spray.  Lay fish on grill, cover, and cook 5-7 minutes, turning once, until fish flakes easily with fork.

Heat tortillas.  Spread sour cream on tortillas then add fish, toppers and salsa.

Source: Live Better America

Healthified Apple Crisp

I love this time of year, the weather starts to cool down and apples are in season.  And when apples are in season I start craving apple crisp!  This is a dessert that can be loaded with butter and sugar, and while it tastes delicious it really doesn't help when you are trying to eat healthier.  Give this healthified version a try, it has 50% less fat, 33% more fiber and 29% fewer calories than your normal crisp.  If you want a little splurge top it with a dollop of fat-free whipped topping or low-fat vanilla ice cream.  Give this a try, you will love it and you will love the way your house will smell as it bakes!

Healthified Apple Crisp
8 Servings

6 cups sliced unpeeled apples (6 medium)
1/4 cup frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 cup old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger

Heat oven to 375.  Spray an 8-inch square glass baking dish.  In a medium bowl mix apples, apple juice concentrate, and 1/2 tsp cinnamon until well mixed.  Spread into baking dish.  In same medium bowl mix remaining ingredients until crumbly.  Spread over apples.  Bake uncovered 25-35 minutes or until apples are tender and topping is browned.

1 serving: 190 Calories and 6g fat.

Chicken Chili from The Titanium Chef

Can you believe it is 2012?  I sure can't!  With the new year comes the opportunity to make some changes in the way that we eat.  So to start things off right here is a recipe for a warm and hearty chili that is full of flavor and is good for you!

Chicken Chili
Makes 2 servings
Prep 25 minutes
Cooks 5-6 hours on low or 2 1/2-3 hours on high

8 ounces boneless skinless chicken breast cut into 1 inch pieces
1 15 ounce can White Beans, Great Northern Beans or Canellini Beans
1 1/4 cups reduced sodium chicken stock
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped green sweet pepper
1/2 of a jalapeno finely chopped
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp dried oregano, crushed
1/8 tsp ground white pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T chopped tomato (optional)
2 T sliced green onion (optional)
2 T shredded Monterrey Jack cheese (optional)

In a medium skillet brown chicken.  In a 1 1/2 quart slow cooker combine chicken, drained beans, broth, onion, sweet pepper, jalapeno, cumin, oregano, white pepper and garlic.  Cook on high setting for 5-6 hours or on low setting for 2 1/2-3 hours.  If desired when done, sprinkle each serving with tomatoes, green onion and cheese. 

Per serving:  275 Calories, 2g Fat

Enchiladas from the Titanium Chef

Now that the holidays are over most of us are trying to get back to a normal amount of sugar in our lives and start eating a little healthier!  These enchiladas are amazing and are packed full of healthy things and are big on taste.  Try them out, you won't be disappointed!

Enchiladas

4 oz fat free chicken broth
1 T canola oil
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup grated zucchini
2 cups boneless, skinless chicken breast, cooked and shredded
2 T chopped cilantro
1 1/2 cups low fat part-skim grated mozzarella cheese
1 4oz can diced green chiles
4 cloves garlic
1 19oz can green enchilada sauce
8-10 whole wheat tortillas
Sliced black olives
Light or fat free sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare all ingredients for assembly.  In a large frying pan, bring chicken broth and canola oil to just boiling.  Add onion and green pepper and saute until onions are tender.  Add grated zucchini and saute until just cooked.  Drain off liquid and remove from heat.  Add cooked chicken to vegetable mixture and stir.  Add cilantro, 1 1/4 cups cheese (reserving 1/4 cup for later), green chiles, and garlic.  Stir to combine.

Layer 1/2 cup enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9X13 pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.  fill tortillas with meat and vegetable mixture.  Spoon about 1 T enchilada sauce over meat mixture.  Roll tortillas up and put in pan with seam down.  Ladle remaining sauce over enchiladas, making sure tortillas are completely covered in sauce.  Cover with tin foil and bake 12-15 minutes.  Remove foil and sprinkle on remaining cheese...or a little more :)  Bake 10 minutes more until cheese is melted.  Then turn on boiler and plance enchiladas near the top.  Let it broil until cheese is slightly brown and crispy.  Stay right at oven and watch while the broiler is on, it will go from browned to burnt really fast!  Garnish with olives and sour cream.

Light Loaded Potato Soup from the Titanium Chef

Baked potato soup is delicious but with all the cream, butter and sour cream it isn't exactly healthy for you.  This recipe is adapted from "Cooking Light".  Give it a try, its very easy to throw together and is just as delicious as its fattier counterpart. 

Light Loaded Potato Soup

Makes 4 servings (about 1 1/4 cup each)

4 (6-ounce) red potatoes
2 tdp olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 1/4 cups fat free, lower sodium chicken broth
3 T flour
2 cups low fat milk, divided
1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
3 bacon slices, halved
1/3 cup shredded cheese
4 tsp thinly sliced green onions

Scrub and dry potatoes, prick them all over with a fork.  Place potatoes on a plate and microwave them on high, about 13 mintues.  Potatoes should be tender.  Cut them in half, set aside.

While the potatoes are cooking, heat the oil in a sauce pan over medium high heat.  Add onion, and saute for 3 minutes.  Add broth.

In a small bowl, combine flour and 1/2 cup milk.  Add the mixture to the pan wit 1 1/2 cups milk.  Bring to  a boil, stirring frequently.  Cook for 1 minutes.

Remove pan from the heat.  Stir in sour cream, salt and pepper.  Set aside.

Place a paper towel on a microwave safe plate.  Arrange bacon halves on paper towel, cover them with a second paper towel.  Microwave on high for 4 minutes.  Crumble bacon.  Set aside. 

Scoop the potato pulp out of the skins, and mash the pulp into the soup.  Discard skins.

Garnish each serving of soup with cheese, green onions and crumbled bacon.  Serve immediately.

Peasant Stew from the Titanium Chef

Winter seems to be in full swing and all I want to eat is soup.  This soup has a lot of great flavors in it and is very low in calories and fat.  You can even make it healthier by making it vegetarian and leaving the chicken thighs out.  There are two kinds of beans in the soup so you will still get lots of great protein without the chicken.  This is a great crockpot recipe, try it out!

Peasant Stew
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
6 chicken thighs, skinned (about 1.5 pounds)
1 cup chopped onion
1 can Mexican style tomatoes
1 can diced green chiles
1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup minced cilantro
1/4 cup low fat sour cream

Combine cumin, salt and pepper; sprinkle over chicken.  Throw chicken, onion, tomatoes, chiles and beans into crockpot and cook on high for 4-6 hours or on low for 8.  Check chicken to make sure it is cooked through. 
Place 1 chicken thigh each in 6 bowls.  Ladle 1 1/4 cups stew into each bowl.  Top with 2 tsp cilantro and 2 tsp sour cream. 

Low Fat Pumpkin Pancakes from the Titanium Chef

I can't get enough pumpkin right now, it has been going in bread, cookies, muffins, oatmeal, granola and now these tasty pancakes!  There is just the right amount of pumpkin in these, they are good with a chopped apple or a handful or raisins or chopped cranberries thrown in.  Enjoy them with warm maple syrup.

Pumpkin Pancakes

1 cup flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 T canola oil
1 cup nonfat milk
1/3 cup pure pumpkin

Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg together in a medium bowl.  Combine egg, oil, milk and pumpkin in a small bowl.  Stir pumpkin mitxture into dry ingredients just until moistened, don't over stir!  There will be small lumps and that is exactly how its supposed to be.  Let batter sit for five minutes.

For each pancake, scoop 1/4 cup batter on a hot griddle or nonstick skilled sprayed with cooking spray.  Turn pancakes when bubbles appear and edges are cooked, after about 2 minutes.  Cook for 1 1/2 minutes on second side. 

Makes 8-10 pancakes.

Per two pancake serving:  Calories 226, calories from fat 46, total fat 5g.

Grape Nuts Bars--from Jamie The Titanium Chef

Whether your are a Grape Nuts fan or not you will love these bars.  They are great for breakfast, for a snack and as a treat.  These bars do not have a lot of fat in them but are packed full or good fiber and protein with just the right amount of sweetness.  They also are incredibly easy to make...Give them a try!

Grape Nuts Bars
3/4 cup reduced fat peanut butter
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup sugar
4 cups Grape Nuts

Line a 9X13 pan with foil and spray.  Place first three ingredients in a microwave safe bowl.  Heat for 2 minutes, stirring after each minute, mixture should come to a boil.  Pour in Grape Nuts and stir to combine.  Dump mixture into pan and press down lightly to level out.  Allow to cool.  Lift foil to remove them from pan and cut into 30 squares.  Store in an airtight container or individually wrap in plastic. 

Creamy White Chili

Another hit from Jamie the Titanium Chef! If we had a five spoon rating that would describe this one, but we will have to use 4 spoons for now.

Creamy White Chili
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 cans (15.5 ozs each) great northern beans, drained
1 can (14.5 oz.) chicken broth
2 cans (4 ozs each) chopped green chilies
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whipping cream
In a large saucepan, saute chicken, onion and garlic powder in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add beans, broth, chilies and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in sour cream and cream. Serve immediately. Serves 7.
**To make it lower in fat use light or low fat sour cream and milk instead of whipping cream. I make it this way every time and it tastes great!