Eat Skinny Superbowl Edition: Mini Gouda Apple Honey Puffs
PIN IT!Before we begin, I have to share a few photographs.
Welcome to the dreams I’ve been having the past 3 days. Like clockwork, whenever my eyes shut and I reach that deep REM sleep, my dreams take me onto the pristine beaches of the Caribbean, where I do such things as ride on boats, play bongos with the natives and rollick around with 6 pack abs (it’s a dream, duh). Then, when I’m awoken by the sound of the horrendous alarm, I’m back here.
Le sigh. Whenever I have dreams like that, it’s always a sign I’m getting a little stir crazy and complacent. So, it looks like it’s time to plan a trip. Where? Not sure yet, but I’ll let you know when I find out.
NOW, onto fun, delicious things, like skinny Super Bowl apps! I love the Super Bowl but the food is always so….boring. Same ol dips, same ol’ main course, blech. So, this year, I decided to up the ante on my menu and create one filled with gourmet little finger foods and healthy, hearty chili’s. To kick off this great week of apps, I bring you…
Chive, apple, gouda and honey stuffed pockets. Fluffy, crispy and perfectly gooey, these are perfect fancy finger foods for your Super Bowl soiree.
I know Gouda and apple aren’t often front runners in the Super Bowl menu, but trust me, they should be. The tartness of the apple, the sweetness of the honey and smokiness of the Gouda makes the perfect flavor combination. Plus, nestled inside a flaky phyllo shell and you have some perfect little pockets.
In addition to being awesome, these little pockets are super light. Each little puff has less than 100 calories and 5 grams of fat.
Definitely beats that bright orange Velveeta crap any day, but maybe that’s just me 🙂
Recipe adapted from Food Network.
Mini Gouda Apple Honey Puffs
Prep time: 55 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Yields: 24 triangles
Ingredients:
- 1 sheet of frozen puff pastry
- 1/2 green apple, finely chopped
- 2 ounces smokey Gouda cheese
- 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon chives
- 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
Directions:
- Defrost puff pastry by removing it from the package and letting sit, room temperature, for about 40 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400F. Grease a cookie sheet with cooking spray and set aside.
- Unroll pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface and cut into 12 4inch rectangles. Cut each rectangle in half down the middle to create 24 triangles.
- Mix apples, chives and honey together. Add salt. Scoop about 1/2 teaspoon apple mixture into the bottom of the largest part of the triangle. Place one piece of cheese on top and fold pastry shell so that the bottom is closed but the top remains open, like a pocket. Repeat until all shells are filled.
- Bake for at least 15 minutes or until shells are golden brown. Enjoy with extra honey or on their own!
Nutritional information per triangle: 95 calories, 5 grams of fat, 14 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of protein, 1 gram of dietary fiber and 3 Weight Watchers Points Plus points.
Eat Skinny Be Skinny: Whole Grain Waffles
Today, I had planned to write an ooey, gooey, heartfelt, overly emotional post about love, life and money. However, despite the urgings of some close Twitter followers, I am going to hold off on that post (maybe I’ll post it after I’ve consumed more liquid courage?) and instead, I’m going with a recipe.
BUT guys, don’t worry. It’s a really good recipe. Need some visual assurance?
Convinced yet?
I know, it’s just a waffle. I get that. BUT, it’s a very special waffle. (No, it doesn’t contain any hallucinogens or “special” herbs). However, this lovely, golden brown, soft and fluffy waffle also doesn’t contain any added sugar. No heaping cups of the crystal white stuff or gobs of packed brown sugar.
I know what you’re thinking, how on earth could something so decadent looking NOT have sugar? Well, it’s simple. Instead of sugar (or oil, for that matter) I used tablespoons of unsweetened applesauce. The natural sugars in the applesauce give the waffle all the sweetness it needs. Paired with freshly whipped cream and strawberries, these waffles taste just like the kind Mom would make on Saturday mornings.
Except healthier.
And now, you can make them any ol day you want. Plus, you can eat them for lunch or dinner too! Oh the perks of being an adult.
Recipe adapted from Taste of Home.
Whole Grain Waffles
Yields: About 4 1/2 waffles
Prep time: >10 minutes
Cook time: About 5 minutes (2.5 on each side)
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of all purpose flour
- 1 cup of whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 eggs, separated
- 2 cups of skim milk
- 6 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
Directions:
- Preheat your waffle maker. Spray with cooking spray.
- Mix flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt together. In another small bowl, combine egg YOLKS, milk and applesauce, stir until mixed. Pour into the flour mixture and stir well.
- In a small bowl, whip egg whites until a peak forms. Fold into the batter. Pour about 1/2 – 3/4 cup of batter into the waffle maker and cook until browned on both sides, about 5 minutes.
- Garnish with fresh fruit and whipped cream and enjoy!
Now, aren’t you glad I skipped feelings to talk waffles instead?
Nutritional information per waffle: 250 calories, 7 grams of fat, 25 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of fiber, 8 grams of protein and 5 Weight Watchers points.
What I Ate Wednesday: Homemade Ice Cream (Among Others)
Happy Wednesday friends! Thank you all for listening to me gripe and moan about my first world problems yesterday. I completely understand how petty I was for complaining about lack of electricity. Sometimes, a girl just needs to vent though, am I right? But now, thankfully, after a night of decent sleep, I’m back with a big ol’ grin on my face.
Things aren’t perfect but I’m learning to deal with the imperfections. Plus, I have some REALLY exciting things in the works that will be announced soon and, let’s just say, they will help my financial situation greatly as well. Mo’ money = LESS problems for me, sorry Biggy.
Now, onto one of my favorite parts of the week, What I Ate Wednesday! These eats are from Monday where, thanks to my job, there was a full days worth of delicious eats to be had.
Breakfast:
Oatmeal with a tablespoon of peanut butter and 1/2 chopped banana. Simple, easy, healthy and delicious. Paired with coffee it was the perfect breakfast to fill me up until lunchtime.
Lunch:
A cup of whole wheat baked spaghetti. So good, so delicious and so freakin’ awesome. I eat spaghetti at least twice a month and I’ve never tried it baked. Guys, it’s the best thing in the world. Do it.
Snack:
A delicious pickle.
Dinner:
Had to make Philly cheesesteaks for an article on Groundhog Day (it relates), so we enjoyed these delicious sandwiches for dinner. I could only eat half though, these things are HUGE. And really filling. I paired mine with a glass of beer, because, duh, that’s what you do.
Dessert:
Homemade strawberry chip ice cream. Guys, this is the most heavenly thing I’ve ever made. Plus, since it was made with skim milk and light cream, it’s less fattening than most versions. The flavor was out of this world and the texture was ULTRA creamy. I’m seriously never buying store bought ice cream again, this stuff is IT.
So guys! Share your eats. What’s the best thing you ate this week?
Eat Skinny Be Skinny: Whole Wheat Almond Crumble Bars
Today wins the award of being the most annoying day of my life.
Ah, much better. I think what also helped was a bite of these soft, chewy and full of tangy raspberry flavor bars. Honestly, they are absolutely heavenly. Heavenly enough to almost cure the horrendous day I had.
I think what makes them absolutely divine is the use of both fresh raspberries and raspberry perserves. (PS. fresh raspberries look WEIRD up close, don’t they?)
Not like that’d ever happen, but you get my sincerity. I just enjoy the farmy, earthy flavor
the whole wheat flour gives to it’s desserts and baked goods. And paired with the tart raspberries and the crunchy almonds, it’s like the best thing ever. Fresh, fruity and full of farm house goodness.
Now, please excuse me as I take a big, Claire size bottle of wine to the face and weep.
Adapted from Weight Watchers.
Whole Wheat Almond Crumble Bars
Serves 10
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 17 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (can sub in cinnamon)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup finely chopped almonds
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup oil (canola or vegetable works)
- 3/4 cup fresh raspberries
- 1/2 cup low sugar raspberry preserves
- Additional almonds for garnish
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease an 8 x 8 inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside
- Whisk flour, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, almonds and salt together. Add egg and oil and mix well until a wet, moist crumble forms. Save at least 1/2 cup. Press crumble into the bottom of the baking dish until an even layer forms.
- Bake for 10 minutes or until crust begins to brown a little.
- Meanwhile, mash fresh raspberries and raspberry preserves together. When crust is done baking yet still warm pour fruit over it. Cover with remaining 1/2 cup of crumble. Garnish with additional almonds and bake for 18 minutes, or until fruit is bubbly.
These are perfect breakfast bars or fabulous with low fat ice cream for dessert. Or, you know,
great for those days you forgot your lunch or those days when you feel like drinking a botttle of wine for dinner yet need something with a little substance. Really, just good for whenever.
Nutritional information per bar: 180 calories, 5 grams of fat, 31 grams of carbs, 3 grams of protein, 3 grams of fiber and 5 Weight watchers Points Plus points.
Fast Food Friday: Baked Spicy Chicken Nuggets
WHEW. What a week. But, I have a feeling my weeks are going to get even crazier with what I have on tap in February. Take a gander at my 1/2 full calendar.
Luckily, I love what I do! However, it’s still a little daunting seeing that calendar and realize how much I have to cook, bake, photograph, assemble, stage and edit. But, that’s still a few days away so I’m going to TRY to enjoy my weekend. And what better way to kick off the weekend than with some fast food?
Healthy fast food, that is! My blog friend Mooshu Jenne came up with the brilliant idea to have a day dedicated to sharing our favorite fast food items, made over healthier and at home! Saving money AND staying svelte? Sign me up! We are hosting this every Friday so PLEASE join in!
To kick off this feature, I made something easy, delicious and a HUGE favorite of E’s…buffalo chicken nuggets!
These spicy little nuggets look and taste like the kind you get at Mickey D’s, except are made with real chicken and real breadcrumbs. I don’t know about you, but I like knowing exactly what’s going into my body, especially given the volatile nature of my internal organs.
E gobbled these up in 60 seconds. Literally. I had to grab one before he bit my hand off! 🙂 They are crispy, juicy and tender and have a fabulous kick from the Buffalo sauce. These are so good on their own, but you can easily dip them in your favorite sauce.
Oh, and not only are they delicious, they are better for you than most since they are baked! 3 fried chicken strips have up to 400 calories and 18 grams of fat, while these baked kind have 200 calories and 7.5 grams of fat in 4! More for less, baby!
Baked Spicy Chicken Nuggets
CLICK HERE FOR THE PRINTABLE VERSION OF THIS RECIPE!
Yields: 10 nuggets
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 12 minutes
Marinating time: over night
Ingredients:
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup of panko bread crumbs, plain
- 1 1/2 tablespoons of crushed red pepper
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed pepper
- 2/3 cup buffalo sauce (like Frank’s Red Hot)
Directions:
- Cut each piece of chicken into 5 small nuggets or strips and place into a bowl. Pour sauce over them. Cover with foil and refrigerate over night, or at least 4 hours.
- When chicken is done marinating, preheat oven to 500F. Grease a cookie sheet with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Mix breadcrumbs, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper in a bowl. Dip each nugget into the breadcrumbs and cover liberally. Place on cookie sheet. Repeat until all chicken is covered. Bake for 10 -12 minutes or until chicken is crispy. Enjoy!
You’ll never want the drive through version again!
Nutritional information per 4 nuggets: 200 calories, 7.5 grams of fat, 13 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 25 grams of protein and 6 Weight Watchers points.
