Another Moment Of Brilliance

No Mayo Chicken Salad

I keep saying "this may have been my best creation yet" but I've now come to terms and just accepted that I am a badass in the kitchen. In fact, if any of you would like to pay me an obscene amount of money to be your personal chef I will gladly oblige. Anyway, enough about that and back to the recipe.. I have this "issue" with eating hot food when it's a million degrees and humid as shit outside and that obviously limits my options. But of course I just take that as a challenge rather than a road block. I will credit this tasty recipe entirely to my wild summer love affair with avocados and my need to incorporate them in to EVERYTHING. I like to make and keep shredded chicken on hand - dump a bunch of frozen chicken breasts in the crock pot with some salt, pepper, and water and just let it go until it falls apart. I then mashed up avocados with a little lime juice and salt and pepper as my "dressing". Mix it all together and there you have it - chicken salad with no mayo. It's creamy and wonderful and I've already made it twice in the 3 days since "discovering it". I personally think it's far tastier than traditional chicken salad, but that's probably partly due to my unnatural love of avocados. You could eat this on an actual salad, in one of those lovely wonton cups I mentioned earlier, in a wrap,  or as I did - on a thin bun. I added onions and cilantro and tomatoes (because I'm getting to the end of my grocery week and running low on other produce) - but feel free to "bulk it up" in any way you choose.

Tropical Greek Yogurt Parfait

I am not a big meat eater - yes, I love me some steak and cheeseburgers now and then but for the most part I don't eat a lot of meat. Not because I don't want to but because I don't like a lot of it, rather. Which brings me to Greek yogurt - my favorite protein kick. I really do love the hell out of this stuff. I buy it in large containers - vanilla to eat as is, plain to sub for mayo and sour cream. And this lovely parfait happens to be my new favorite post-run late night protein punch. Vanilla Greek yogurt topped with frozen pineapple, mango, coconut, and mini chocolate chips. You could use fresh but I prefer frozen because the fat kid in me has to take time to savor and enjoy it that way rather than just inhale it in 2 minutes. Yes, it truly tastes as delicious as it looks. Sometimes I add almonds, but as I said - I was at the end of my grocery week when I took this and didn't have anymore. Eating healthy isn't just about lettuce and carrot sticks anymore, my friends! 

Super Summer Sustenance

Inside Out Jalapeno Cheeseburgers

Tell me, who doesn't love a good burger? Especially one fresh off the grill in the middle of summer. And especially one that looks like THIS. Now I will honestly tell you this inside out burger wasn't meant to be "low points" because let's face it - this mom has 14 extra nursing points A DAY to use and it might as well go towards real, full fat, gooey cheese right?! But I WILL tell you how to make it lower. Use ground beef (or turkey!) of your choice, season the meat as you like, and form the patty around a Laughing Cow cheese wedge and chopped jalapenos and then grill. Swap a traditional bun for a light bun (or a thin bun, as used above). Be sure to pile that sucker high with veggies and there you have it - a ridiculously delicious mouth orgasm. Yes, I said it. Get familiar with the term - I plan to use it often! 

Overnight Greek Yogurt Fridge Oatmeal

Oatmeal is a great staple that I have utilized often on my weight loss journey. Tasty, easy to "dress up", and it sticks with you far longer than a bowl of Cocoa Puffs. However, in the dead of our lovely hot and humid summers choking down a bowl of hot, steaming oatmeal just doesn't do it for me. Which brought me to Overnight Fridge Oatmeal. Combine 1/2 cup of rolled oats (NOT quick oats!), 1/2 cup of Greek yogurt (I use vanilla because you don't want this to taste like sour cream! My personal favorite brands are Chobani and Oikos by Dannon - yes the brand makes all the difference in the world), and 1/4 cup milk. Mix together in a jar or covered/sealed container and allow to sit overnight - at least 7 hours. When you are ready to eat, add in whatever you like. The possibilities are endless - cinnamon and pumpkin, peanut butter and bananas, pineapple and coconut - be creative! And enjoy the hell out of your new brilliant and incredibly filling breakfast!

Mango Salsa

I am a BIG FAN of making homemade salsa. Quick, rough chop salsa - NOT canned. Especially right now when produce is so tasty. For this I chopped up 2 mangos, a medium onion, a whole bunch of fresh cilantro (because I love it!), and tossed with the juice of 2 limes and salt & pepper to taste. Let it sit in the fridge for a good day or so to let all those amazing flavors come together and enjoy! Seriously, I could eat this shit on cardboard. And I just may do that, since cardboard can't possibly have many points.. 

Jamaican Jerk Grilled Chicken & Mango Salad w/ Avocado Ranch

Remember that mouth orgasm I mentioned earlier? Now your eyeballs are having a visual orgasm at this very moment, aren't they? I know, I know. It tasted as good as it looked - I assure you. The other night I made chicken for the hubs and I myself find chicken a little boring - so I took care of that. I seasoned it with my favorite Jamaican jerk seasoning (I use Pampered Chef - can not tell you how much I love this stuff, I go through bottles of it) and then threw it on the grill. In the meantime I threw together my salad - you could use whatever you like. I used lettuce, raddishes, carrots, avocado, mango (they're the perfect sweet sub for tomatoes!), and a little cheese. I then made up my own little version of avocado ranch. I use a few scoops of Greek yogurt (this is where you'll want to use plain, NOT vanilla!), mashed avocado, and a buttermilk ranch packet. You can thin it out with a little milk if you prefer. Genius, I know. Add the chicken and you have a full on {(low cal)} food-gasm!  

Great Wonder I Call A Wonton Wrapper

Over the years I have discovered many weight loss tips and secrets along the way. This one happens to be one of my greatest finds. The wonton wrapper. Yes, you read it correctly. These tasty little suckers are a brilliant "vehicle" for all your junk food endeavors. Here are a few of my favorite wonton creations.

Cheesecake Bites

Here I took some Laughing Cow cinnamon cream cheese (a brilliant invention in itself!) and stuffed them inside wonton wrappers. You dip your finger in water and run along the edges before you fold them over to seal. I sprayed mine with cooking spray, sprinkled with a little cinnamon and sugar, and followed the baking instructions on the package. Add a little fat free whip and fruit and you have yourself a guilt-free plate of heaven! 

Mozarella Sticks

Now I don't know about you but I LOVE appetizers. But of course my ass doesn't love all the calories, which brought me to some tasty improvisions. Here you have a light string cheese wrapped in an egg roll wrapper (very similar to a wonton wrapper - only they are larger). I wrapped the cheese stick, sealed with a little water, sprayed with cooking spray, and baked according to the recommeded time and temp on the package. I did flip them half ways through to get them nice and golden brown on all sides. Enjoy! 

Taco Cups

I love Mexican food. LOVE it. All that cheesy, spicy, creamy guac and sour cream goodnes.. count me in! So here I created the ever-so-tasty taco cup. You bake wonton wrappers in muffin tins to form a little cup (I spray them with cooking spray first so they get golden brown). What you do with these genius little cups from there is entirely up to you. I filled mine with taco meat, black beans, cheese, a little homemade guacamole, sour cream, and tomatoes. In addition to these I have also filled these little cups with tuna/chicken salad, buffalo chicken, scrambled eggs, pizza toppings, and Asian salad.  Truly the PERFECT little bite, no matter what you put in them! 

Jalapeno Poppers

Last but not least for today we have jalapeno poppers. Traditional poppers are deep fried and while they are DELICIOUS, they aren't very waist-line friendly. Which got me pondering on how to create an equally tasty but not so "bad for me" version. For these I took two Laughing Cow cream cheese wedges and mashed in chopped jalapenos - seal, spray and bake and there you have an AMAZING (and low calorie!) snack. These babies are so good even the men in my family love them. Even better, they have no idea they are "diet food". As it should be! Stay tuned for more.. 

Crunch Wrap Supreme

1 2pp Tortilla Shell
1 TBS of Queso Nacho Cheese
Tortilla Chips
Beef
Lettuce
Tomato
Sour Cream

Fry up your beef, add taco seasoning (I used ortega 40% less sodium).  Microwave your toritlla shell for 10 seconds to warm up and make it easier to work with.  Spread your nacho cheese on 1/2 of the shell, sprinkle with some tortilla chips, add your taco meat, add some lettuce and tomatos.  I spread the sour cream oh the opposite half so it would spread.  Fold.  Spray a pan or griddle with cooking spray , brown each side of your crunch wrap.  ENJOY!

BLT's

2 Slices of Village Hearth Lite Bread
1/2 Serving of Miracle Whip
1/2 Serving Oscar Meyer Fully Cooked Bacon
Tomato
Lettuce

1 Serving=4pp

Breakfast Muffins

1 Village Hearth English Muffin
1 Egg White
2 Slices Deli Ham
Approx 1 TBS Reduced Fat Shredded Cheddar

Heat griddle to 350, spray pan or griddle with a little cooking spray. Fry an egg, to your likeness, add a little salt and pepper. Top with cheese and ham until cheese is melted and serve on a toasted muffin.

(Erica add's 1 teaspoon of miracle whip to her's and Laura likes to substitute the egg white with 1/8 cup southwest egg beaters)

1 Serving = 2pp without Miracle Whip or 3pp with Miracle Whip
1 Serving = 3pp with Egg Beaters

Totino's Pizza Rolls

Yep, you read that right!

You can have 7 Totino's Pizza Rolls for 6pp or 8 for 7pp!

Yay for an easy lunch!