That Favorite from the Garden

Every year we make the same thing, and every year I try a new recipe. I finally found the combination of things that I like, and my daughter made it perfectly. She was the one putting things together, I was the one suggesting the changes. Amazing how well that worked! grin. So here is our recipe...low fat and low sugar zucchini bread to die for!

3 C Applesause (we used homemade unsweetened stuff)
2 C brown sugar
6 eggs (I guess we could have tried three eggs and three egg whites, but I didn't want to push it)
1 C Olive oil
4 C zucchini (grated)
2 ripe bananas (very ripe...ugh)
2 tsp baking soda
5 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

mix all the applesause and sugar and eggs together, then add the oil and the zucchini and bananas. Then mix in the rest, making sure there aren't any clumps of stuff.
Bake at 325 for 1 hour. This makes 4 large loaves. And they are the lightest stuff you'll ever eat...YUM!

Low Fat, Low Sugar Cookies!

Okay -- It's my husband's opinion that deserts are deserts and they shouldn't be altered to make them low fat or low sugar. We need to just control ourselves and not eat so much of them.

If it were a perfect world, or if I were perfect, that would be the simple answer. But it's not, and I'm not, so I keep trying. You see, I like to eat healthy. Healthy is better for me and for my family. I don't feel like I need to monitor so much how many cookies they eat if they are healthier ones than if they are just sugar. It's easier to say yes! grin.

So, I thought I'd share my favorite low fat, low sugar recipe with you. I made these up last night, and they turned out pretty good. If you're used to really sweet cookies, you won't like them, so be prepared. They are not really sweet, though they have plenty of sweetener in them. I use a couple of unique ingredients, so I'll list the alternatives should you not have these items on hand.


Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes about 4-5 dozen small (silver dollar size) cookies

1 1/2 C Bakers Helper (this is a fat substitute that I found at the surplus store, I don't know if you can still find it on shelves. It's great. I have also used canned white beans, pureed -- they just have a stronger taste -- you can also use a mashed banana -- this replaces 1 lb of butter)
1 C unsweetened applesause
1 C Brown sugar
1 pkg Truvia (or baking Splenda )
3 eggs, 2 egg whites
1 1/2 ts baking soda
1 tsp Vanilla
4 C quick oatmeal
4 C flour
1 pkg semi-sweet choc chips

Preheat oven to 325.Mix the top three items until well blended. Add eggs and baking soda and vanilla, mix till eggs are thoroughly blended. Gradually add oatmeal and then flour. The batter is really sticky and thick. Add chocolate chips. I used to use a pkg and a half and discovered one 12 oz pkg is really plenty. If you like the milk chocolate, use them, but it's too sweet for me.

Drop them by small spoonfuls on a pan prayed cookie sheet, kind of flattening them as you do so. I usually fit at least a dozen per batch. Cook for 8 minutes, they will be golden on the bottom, but not really very different on top. Cool on racks, enjoy!

Easy Lunch!

I got home from work today and had to figure out what to make for lunch. It's been that way all week, unfortunately. One day my daughter bought chinese, so that was easy. Today I remembered we had leftover mozzarella, pepperoni and pita pockets. That was a combination made in heaven and that's what we had. Just in case you need directions, I'll post them for ya.

Pita pizza's

6 whole wheat pitas
1 C spaghetti sauce (or less, depending on how much you like)
pkg of sliced pepperoni
grated mozzarella cheese
pineapple tidbits (optional)

My pita's were frozen, so I defrosted them in the microwave before putting them on the cookie sheet. Then I turned on my oven broiler to high. I slathered the sauce on the pitas and then divided out about 6 to 7 pepperoni per pita. Then I grated the cheese over the top. Not really heavy, but nice. Then I added pineappe, we are fruit bats in my house.
You slip it into the oven and let the cheese melt and get a little bubbly, perhaps even a little gold around the edges, and then pull it out. It's quick, easy and too fatning either!
Enjoy!

Chicken Enchiladas

One of the simplest, perhaps, dishes that I like to make, is Chicken Enchiladas. The first time I had them, I'd just given birth and a neighbor brought them over for dinner. They were heavenly -- something I hadn't even tried making before. I immediately set about finding a recipe for them, and they are one of my families favorites. I still don't make them very often, because I have to make two full pans of them to make everyone happy...lol and that's a lot of work.

But yesterday, I decided I wanted them for lunch, so I whipped up a couple for my daughter and I to enjoy. Hopefully you'll like them too!


Chicken Enchiladas

12 Whole Wheat Tortillas softened
2 large or 4 small chicken breasts, fried, grilled, broiled, whatever and then sliced and chopped.
1 large onion, chopped
1 green pepper chopped (two if they're small)
1 -2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 container sour cream (I use low fat)
2 C grated cheese -- generally a mix of cheddar and montery jack
6-8 mushrooms, sliced
1 can chopped or sliced olives
1 can chopped or diced tomatoes (optional)
black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350. Mix chicken, onion, green pepper, mushrooms, 1/2soup and 1/2sour cream together in a bowl, sprinkle with pepper to taste. Fill tortillas, sprinkle with cheese, roll them up and place seam side down in a 9x13 baking dish that's been sprayed with pan spray. You might need two pans. In the same bowl you mixed all the ingredients in, mix the remaining sour cream and soup, pour this over the top of the enchiladas. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.

Bake for 20 min, or until cheese is melted and edges are crispy.

If you like the taste of tomatoes, I would add the 1/2 the diced tomatoes to the filling and the other half to the top with the olives after it comes out of the oven.

Serve with Salad and you have an excellent meal.

Enjoy!