Creamy Alfredo Spaghetti with Asparagus

 

I will tell you right now that my husband just thought this was "okay."  He still ate it, of course (he's good enough to at least eat whatever I put in front of him) but it wasn't his favorite dish ever... probably because he is used to eating Olive Garden-style fettuccine alfredo.  And this recipe, my friend is lighter and healthier than Olive Garden-style fettuccine alfredo.

BUT, in my own opinion, I think it is no less delicious, just different.  But in a good way!  When you can appreciate the fact that you are eating a guilt-free version of one of the guiltiest dishes on this earth- that is a LOT to love!  Add in the fact that the taste really is fantastic (I recommend you don't compare it to another-style of fettuccine alfredo and just take it as it is) and you have a new favorite weeknight meal!

Lighter Alfredo Spaghetti with Roasted Asparagus
from Cooking Light

• 2 cups 1% low-fat milk
• 1/3 cup (3 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup (4 ounces) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (or parmesan)
• 1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
• Cooking spray
• 8 ounces uncooked whole wheat spaghetti
• 8 ounces uncooked spaghetti (or you can use 16 oz. either regular or whole-wheat spaghetti)
• 2 tablespoons truffle oil or olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 425°.
• Combine first four ingredients in a blender; process until smooth.
• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Add milk mixture to pan; cook 3 minutes or until mixture simmers, stirring constantly. Cook 2 minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in cheese. Cover.
• Place asparagus on jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° 10 minutes or until browned, stirring once.
• Cook both pastas according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain well.
• Place pastas and asparagus in a large bowl. Add cheese mixture, tossing well. Add truffle oil and pepper; toss gently. Serve immediately.

Yields: 8 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

Nutritional Information: (per serving) 296 calories, 11.4g fat (5.2g saturated), 14.5g protein, 34.9g carbohydrate, 3.7g fiber

Snickerdoodle Blondies

Just so you know, I would never post a recipe on this here blog without having made it myself first.  However, sometimes I'll make a recipe and forget to take a picture and then I'll be mad at myself for my laziness and then I'll just promise myself to make the recipe again but then I don't, and then a couple months later, I'll be like, "Oh yeah, I remember when I made ___insert recipe here___ and it was so good!" and then I'll want to make it again, but before I do I figure I should blog about it first, since, I mean, I DID make it a while back and tasted it and it was GOOD!

Whew.  This is one of those recipes.  A true-blue, highly-decadent non-forgettable (ahem) dessert that I'd like to tell you about:  if you like snickerdoodles, or even just like cinnamon, plain and simple, there is absolutely no way in heaven's mercy that you would not like these.  Snickerdoodle Blondies are divine- a moist, rich, buttery and cinnamon-y mouthful of goodness.  Guiltiness... but goodness all the same.  I suggest you crank out the mixer and your taste-tester husband.  He will kiss the ground you cook on.

Snickerdoodle Blondies
Recipe and photo courtesy of Brown Eyed Baker

Yield: 24 blondies
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Bake Time: 25 to 30 minutes

2-2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking pan; set aside.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a medium bowl; set aside.
3. Beat together the butter and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, and then the vanilla. Beat, scraping the bowl, until thoroughly combined. On low speed, gradually add the flour mixture until just combined. Give the dough a final stir with a spatula or wooden spoon to make sure the flour is incorporated.
4. Spread the dough evenly into the pan (I found an offset spatula was the best tool for the job, as it’s a thick batter). Combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and sprinkle evenly over the top of the batter.
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the surface springs back when gently pressed. Cool completely before cutting. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Cheddar and Green Onion Biscuit Poppers

If there's one type of food that I love, it's bread.  I can eat it any way, in any form, in any flavor, at any meal.  I LOVE it! There would be NO way I could ever do a low-carb diet... anyway, these biscuit poppers are so easy and so quick to make.  They would be a perfect compliment to a Mexican-themed dinner, or alongside your breakfast egg scramble.  Or heck, just scarf em down for dessert.  See? I told you I love bread.


Cheddar and Green Onion Biscuit Poppers
Adapted from Betty Crocker

2	cups Original Bisquick® mix (or Bisquick Heart Smart mix)
2/3	cup fat-free or low-fat milk
1/2	cup shredded low-fat Cheddar cheese (2 ounces)
4	medium green onions, sliced (1/4 cup)
2	tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

1. 1 Heat oven to 450°. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray. Stir Bisquick mix, milk, cheese and onions until soft dough forms.
2. 2 Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls (or a little larger if you want them to be more of a standard biscuit size) onto cookie sheet.
3. 3 Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until golden brown. Brush butter over warm biscuits. (Note: I did not follow this step- I left out the butter and I was perfectly okay with it) Serve with salsa if desired

Healthy Sweet Pork Salad

 

I know, I know, I know!  I have been seriously M.I.A.  But, for good reason.  Well okay, not really that good of a reason- I mean, it's summer after all.  Summer= no school and no school= less stress, right?

I wish! I have been busy with every little "here and there" errand and to-do task that has occupied my planner for months now.  And although it's been great and I have loved the break from school, I'm partially excited for it to start back up.  Just partially. 

 The other half of me is sad that I have no more vacations to go on.  Arkansas, Memphis, California and Mexico were my seasonal rounds of summer lovin' this year!  My new hubby and I took a week-long trip to visit the area where he served his LDS mission a couple of years ago- Little Rock, Arkansas, Memphis, Tennessee, and Southaven, Mississippi. It was AWESOME! I loved meeting all these people that he taught and loved and it was great to see how much they loved him as well.  Aww :) Also, the "Southern" culture is every bit as culturally unique as I imagined! And the southern cooking is downright dangerous!  I'll admit I came home with a couple extra you know what's....

But it's all good now... after a couple other short trips to Carlsbad and Rocky Point, I am beached-out (okay that's a lie, cause you can't really ever get enough of the beautiful Cali and Mexi beaches...).  I am home, and alive, and ready for the new school year, and back to a more regular cooking schedule!

To compensate for the little extra weight I picked up in the South, I have been eating super healthy since I returned.  This recipe I'm about to share is a perfect no-guilt recipe makeover for those super fatty SWEET PORK SALADS at CAFE RIO AND COSTA VIDAS!!!  Seriously, those salads are one of my weaknesses.  SO. GOOD.  This recipe is comprised of 3 recipes... one for the cilantro-lime rice (which, by the way is the best rice I have ever, ever had.  Even when eaten alone.), the sweet pork, and the salad itself.  You need to try it!

Slow Cooked Sweet Barbacoa Pork

Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: about 10 • Serving Size: 3 oz • Old Points: 4.5 pts • Points+: 5 pts
Calories: 202.5 • Fat: 6.3 g • Protein: 26.2 g • Carb: 11.5 g • Fiber: 0.6 g
Adapted from Favorite Family Recipes

Marinade:

• 2.5 lbs pork loin roast, all fat trimmed
• salt and pepper
• garlic powder
• 6 oz Coke zero
• 1/4 cup brown sugar (unpacked)
• 1/4 cup water

Step 2

• 8 oz Coke zero
• 6 oz can sliced green chilies
• 8 oz tomato sauce
• 1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp cumin
• 1/8 tsp chipotle chili powder (to taste)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/3 cup brown sugar (unpacked)

Season pork with salt, pepper and garlic powder and place in the crock pot. Add 6 oz of coke and 1/4 cup of brown sugar. Marinate refrigerated for a few hours or overnight turning meat at least once while marinating.

Remove crock from refrigerator, add water, and cook on high for about 3-4 hours (or until it shreds easily). Remove pork from crock pot and discard any liquid left in the pot. Shred pork with two forks.

Step two: In the crock pot, combine 8 oz coke, green chilies, tomato sauce, chipotle chile, garlic powder, cumin, chipotle chili powder and remaining brown sugar.

Put shredded pork back in the crock pot and combine with sauce. Adjust salt and pepper to taste, cover and cook on high 1-1/2 hours more.


Cilantro-Lime Rice

• 1 cup long grain white or brown rice
• 2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• salt to taste

1. Bring the rice, water, and chicken bouillon to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the lime juice, cilantro, and salt; fluff with a fork and serve.

Nutrition Per Serving:  Calories: 115 | Total Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: < 1mg


Once I had the pork and rice made up, I also made a pico de gallo (you could substitute salsa), and put everything together to create a salad with lettuce, corn, black beans and fat-free sour cream added in addition to the pork and rice!  Delish!

Chocolate-Cherry Heart Smart Cookies

 

So, I'll be honest.  Before I made this recipe, I was skeptical about how good they would taste- the recipe being from Cooking Light and all.  But I decided to trust the good ole' CL and take a whim at healthy, good-for-you cookies.  What's so good about them?  Whole wheat flour. + oatmeal= fiber. Dried cherries that contain antioxidants.  Low-fat.

 

I'm ALL about the healthy stuff.  I AM health queen after all... ;) And one taste of this cookie dough reaffirmed every notion I had that tells me to stop making decadent, guilty desserts altogether because you can have AMAZING healthy desserts like THIS!!  Seriously, I couldn't stop eating the dough.  Probably defeats the purpose of making healthier treats when you can't stop eating them.  But let's face it: I can't stop eating cookie dough no matter what if it's healthy or not.  So if you look at it that way then I definitely scored one.  Or several...

 

These taste just like a delicious oatmeal chocolate cookie with chunks of dried cherries in them... soo good!  I brought them to my Primary class at church (my husband and I teach the 6 year olds) and they LOVED them.  Said they were the best cookies they'd ever had.  One little boy even asked for the recipe. HAHA I thought that was the cutest thing ever!

So there you have it!  These are a winner and you should be making them in about 5.42 seconds! :)

Chocolate-Cherry Heart Smart Cookies

• 1 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1/3 cup)
• 1 1/2 ounces whole-wheat flour (about 1/3 cup)
• 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup dried cherries
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

• 1. Preheat oven to 350°.
• 2. Weigh or lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours and next 3 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl; stir with a whisk.
• 3. Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat; add brown sugar, stirring until smooth. Add sugar mixture to flour mixture; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add cherries, vanilla, and egg; beat until combined. Fold in chocolate. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes. Cool on pans 3 minutes or until almost firm. Remove cookies from pans; cool on wire racks.

Chewy Peanut Chocolate Bars

 

Chewy Peanut Chocolate Bars.  Mind you, HEALTHIER Chewy Peanut Chocolate Bars.  Are you kidding me? Sign me up!!

 

These babies wonderfully remind me of "Scotcheroos"- a peanut butter & chocolate infused version of a rice krispie treat.  These bars, too, are made with cereal, but wouldn't you know they are made with WHEATIES!  Such a fabulous way to get your little ones to eat their whole grains.  

The only slight problem I had with them was that after a day they got a little hard, even when sealed up.  But, 5-10 seconds in the microwave sure fixed that problem and they were gooey and warm and delicious all over again.  Make these!!

Chewy Peanut Chocolate Bars

from Eat Better America 

4	cups Wheaties® cereal
1/3	cup lightly salted dry-roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
1/2	cup light corn syrup
1/3	cup packed brown sugar
1/4	cup peanut butter
3	tablespoons semisweet chocolate chips

Spray 9-inch square pan with cooking spray. In large bowl, mix cereal and peanuts.  In 2-quart saucepan, heat corn syrup, brown sugar and peanut butter to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Pour over cereal mixture, stirring to coat entire mixture. Press in pan.
In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips uncovered on High 30 seconds; stir. Continue microwaving 10 seconds at a time, stirring after each microwave time, until smooth. Drizzle chocolate over bars. Refrigerate about 30 minutes or until chocolate has hardened. For bars, cut into 4 rows by 4 rows.

 

Recipe tip: If the cereal mixture is a bit sticky when pressing into the pan, dampen hands first.

Makes: 16 bars.  

Nutrition:  140 calories per bar, 4.5g fat (1g saturated)

Penne with Mushroom-Tomato Cream Sauce

Okay okay so I've been slacking a bit... I've just been a tad busy!  I made this pasta a few weeks ago and it is AMAZING! The sauce is a perfect creamy tomato blend with sauteed mushrooms and bacon bits to boot... I can't wait to make it again!

Penne with Mushroom-Tomato Cream Sauce

2 2/3	cups uncooked penne pasta (8 oz)
3	oz pancetta or 4 strips bacon, chopped*
1	tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
2	cloves garlic, finely chopped
8	oz crimini mushrooms, sliced
1	can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes with basil, undrained (or just add basil to regular crushed tomatoes)
1/2	cup whipping cream
2	cups packed fresh baby spinach leaves

1.  Cook and drain pasta as directed on box. Return to saucepan; keep warm.
2.  Meanwhile, in 12-inch skillet or Dutch oven, cook pancetta over medium heat until crisp. Remove pancetta to paper towels to drain. In same skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Cook garlic and mushrooms in oil 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are tender. Stir in tomatoes. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in whipping cream; heat just until hot. Stir in pasta.
3. Add spinach; toss until spinach is wilted. Sprinkle individual servings with pancetta.
4. *If using bacon, omit olive oil and use bacon drippings to cook garlic and mushrooms.
   After adding the cream, be sure the mixture does not boil, because overheating can cause curdling.