A little Bite of Fall In A Bowl.......

*There is a bit of almond butter nestled under that greek yogurt goodness*

With the arrival of the cooler temps comes thoughts of all the wonderful flavors of fall! I was instantly inspired by one of the recent posts by IowaGirlEats.com. She made apple cinnamon oatmeal. One look at her picture and I knew it was something that I had to have - and quick! I finally made it - with some slight modifications to her brilliant recipe- check her site for her original recipe.

First, I peeled and cubed an apple. I sprinkled it with cinnamon and a dash of vanilla extract. Then I put the apples in the microwave for 1.5 minutes. While they were cooking I combined 1/3 cups of oatmeal and added a sprinkle of cinnamon, and combined that with 2/3 cup of water and nuked the oatmeal for 2 minutes. When the oatmeal was finished I added 1 tablespoon of Almond Butter and 1 packet of stevia and 1 tablespoon of Greek style lowfat vanilla yogurt and a small splash of vanilla extract and stir. It was warm, creamy, and absolutely delicious! I mean so creamy and good! You can add adapt the amount of cinnamon/vanilla extract as you prefer, but I like the flavors to be bold! (Oh and I think this would be good with a little maple syrup - make sure it is Grade B- mixed in too, but I didn't try it that way this time).

It's Been Kinda Hectic!

Hello! You all know how it feels when you have one of those weeks and it's only Tuesday...ughhh! The kids started school yesterday and things are a little hectic around here. I am looking forward to getting back into a routine again!

So on the food side of things, I have been looking everywhere for canned pumpkin without any success :-( I am hoping that it is not a repeat of last year where it was impossible to find. I went to three stores so far and the last store told me they expect a shipment at any moment. So I will have to keep checking and will pounce on it when I find it! I have a few new recipes that require pumpkin and just waiting for that star ingredient.

I did try these new Cinnamon Apple Straws! I have had (and really like) the Veggie Straws. So, I was surprised to find these made by the same brand that puts out the Veggie version. I bought mine at Costco, but have also seen them at Sam's Club. The kids really enjoy these. Something new and different!




Hope everyone is having a fantastic Tuesday!

Tortilla Chip Perfection ...Oh Ya!

The perfect tortilla chip is as easy as a pack of corn tortillas, olive oil cooking spray, a dash of sea salt, and an oven! Pair these babies with homemade salsa (or store bought, of course that would fine too) and you have a delicious, low-fat, extremely satisfying snack! I cut mine into triangles with my kitchen shears first. Next, arrange them on a baking sheet, but be sure you spray them on both sides so that they crisp up evenly. Sprinkle the chips with some sea salt (I have even made these without the salt and they are still very delish)and bake at 375 for around 4-5 minutes a side. Just keep an eye on them so you can determine when they reach your desired crunch factor preference! I like mine extra crispyyyy! I know this is simple, but it is so good and satisfying.

Hope everyone is having a fabulous Saturday! I am experimenting with some new recipes that I hope to have on here in the next week. See you soon :-)

There Is A Storm A Brewin'!

This is the view from my front door this afternoon:



We have been having a bit of a heat wave. I am so looking forward to the cooler temps expected this weekend. Looks like we might be in for a T-storm today though. When the cooler temps arrive I will be sharing an apple pumpkin muffin recipe to take you through fall! Hoping you have a wonderful Thursday!

Lemon Feta Artichoke Chicken Say What?

This is a nice flavorful dish! Easy, light and so good! Before begining you will want to start your rice. Now you can use brown rice or whatever you prefer, however I love Jasmine rice; it is my guilty pleasure. I take one cup rice to two cups of water and one teaspoon of veggie oil and a dash of sea salt and bring to a boil. You will want to boil until most all of the water is evaporated- when the water just skims on the top of the rice - and cover the rice with a lid on LOW for 15 minutes then shut off from heat and let sit for 5 minutes (or until ready to eat- I leave it covered until ready to serve so it stays warm).

Next you will take 3-4 chicken breasts and place in a pan with a little bit of olive oil spray and brown the breasts. Makre sure you flavor the chicken with onion powder, garlic powder, and whatever else you may like. After they are partially cooked through you will want to cut up into pieces and allow the meat to cook through. I add about 1/2 of an onion (red onion or sweet onion works best) to saute a little in the oil.

Next, you will want to dice up your artichoke (make sure you drain the juice) and add after the chicken is cooked through. Mix it well and let it warm through( about 5 minutes) and squeeze your lemon juice over the entire pan. I use 2 lemons, but it is up to your taste. I have used one before too and it was good, but I heart lemon so I add the extra! Allow to simmer and the flavors to come together a bit - only need a few minutes- and finally crumble your feta cheese over the top while on low heat to allow the feta to melt just a bit over the top! That's it, just add onto your jasmine rice and eat!

Not Your Average Apple!

This is just a quick idea and a timely one since apple season is right around the corner! Add a bit of lime or lemon juice to an apple, sprinkle with chili poweder and sprinke with sea salt! Oh you have a great and savory snack! So much flavaa going on there :-> Give it a try! It's a nice change of pace from your average apple.

Hot Not Pocket!

I bake these on my pizza stone so that the bottoms become nice and crisp!


Be sure to layer your ingredients on one side so that you can pull the other side over to form a cover. Then you press the edges forming a seal.

Ingredients.

My kiddos love Hot Pockets, but I don't like to buy them because of the ingredients. I came up with a healthier version to make. When it comes to stuffing your Not Pocket, the ingredient possibilities are endless. You could make turkey or chicken, all veggie, or a pizza type pocket. I make several up at once and freeze them and when someone wants one I will pull it out and pop it in the microwave. My hubby loves to take these to work too!

For these I used 2 packages of Whole Wheat dough from Trader Joe's, Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce. Hormel's Natural choice Roast Beef ( this does not contain any artificial nitrates/nitrites) and some organic cheese that I shredded.

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Roll out the dough and cut into three sections. Cover with a little BBQ sauce and layer the roast beef and cheese onto one side. Stretch the other side over to cover and press edges together sealing it shut. Bake for about 8 minutes and you are done! Let cool if you plan to freeze. Otherwise they are delicious right out of the oven! Try different flavors! This is great for a quick go to snack/meal when we have a busy day. Enjoy! Let me know what flavor combinations you come up with.

Rock Your Face Good!

I wanted pizza! It's how it usually starts for me; I have a mad fantasy about ooeey gooey cheesy pizza and realize after a few minutes that I do not really want to eat it that way because it makes me feel terrible afterward. I have tried all kinds of healthy alternative types of pizza. I am on an eternal quest for good healthy pizza (trust me good healthy pizza is not an oxymoron and is possible). I saw this recipe on Trader Joe's website and went out and immediately purchased the ingredients and made it my own (with a minor alteration). I used Garlic Naan, Bruschetta and goat cheese. That's right, three little ingredients, when combined equal total bliss! Trust me when I say this is outrageously good! Give it a try.

So Good...Buffalo Chicken!

If you are looking for a quick and delicious sandwich, look no more! This is so good and super easy to make! I did end up adding chopped celery after this picture was taken (2 stalks finely chopped). I drained the canned chicken meat and added 2 of the Laughing Cow Blue Cheese wedges, covered it with a lot of Franks hot sauce (Use per your taste - I like it hot), and added 2 small dashes of the white wine vinegar. Sprinkle with Garlic powder, onion powder and pepper, cover and let sit for about 1 hour. Voila' instant gratification! No mayo needed! I put mine on a 100 calorie sandwich thin, but this would be good on a low- carb whole grain wrap or rolled in a lettuce leaf! Give this a try for a low fat, easy Summer lunch or dinner!

When Water Just Doesn't Cut It!

Have you tried this line of Crystal Light: Pure Fitness? These are wonderful because they do not contain artificial sweeteners, flavors, or preservatives. They have three flavors! Each box contains 7 packets and each packet provides 2 servings. One serving (half of the packet) is 15 calories and 3 g sugar. I only drink one a day and when I do I use the whole packet! This is great when I am in the mood for something other than water! So give these a try!