Yummy Cupcakes!

Ok...for those of you that have been following me it would make sense that you'd be under the impression I've all but forgot about this blog...the truth is I have been experiencing  health issues over the past month that have left me a little under the weather to say the least! At this point the specialist I went to believes that I am protein deficient (a condition that has caused hair loss, involuntary shaking, passing out, hot flashes, etc) a blood panel will rule out the other contender, thyroid problems, but we are waiting to figure out an insurance solution before we proceed...at any rate I have been feeling better over the past few days and wanting to get back into the kitchen! This first recipe is not really a recipe rather a commentary on some new Pillsbury products. I first heard about the new sugar-free line at my local WW meeting and waited until I saw the new goodies appear at my grocery. Currently there are only two choices of batter and two choices of frosting...but who cares when the options available taste heavenly! I tried out the sugar-free devil's food cake and topped it off with the sugar-free vanilla frosting...to make things fall festive I added a bit of orange food coloring to my frosting to enhance the cute cupcake holders I found. I also added a bit of orange flavoring to enhance the vanilla and the end results are a wonderfully decadent cupcake that tastes absolutely as good as "the real thing!" These cupcakes will run you 3pts a piece but are well worth the points for a delicious dessert treat! For more information here's a link to the new products: Pillsbury

Eggplant Parmesan

This recipe was a suggestion by mom...she has been following another fellow WW lady that has been quite busy developing her own blog of recipes which sadly puts mine to laughable shame (I should mention however that she has been working on it for years, not months!) Anyhow, my mother made a recipe from her site SkinnyTaste.com last week and raved about the Italian/cheesy goodness of it all. Not being one to turn down a good recipe I decided to follow in her footsteps and make the same dish...the taste is wonderful! Every bite had a fresh from my Italian grandmother's garden type of feel...and the best part is that by sheer coincidence I followed the recipe using what I had in pantry and got the original recipe down from 6pts per serving to 3pts! I think the difference lies in using olive oil cooking spray rather than oil to coat eggplant, fat free mozzarella over reduced fat and egg substitute over real. The taste is amazing and so I think my accident is worthy of its own write up for those that want to recapture the 3pt model. The whole dish hangs on one thing however, the sauce! The sauce recipe she uses is from what she describes as her friend, a good Italian cook...I will describe her as genius! I never in a million years would have used carrots to make a tomato sauce but it added such a great flavor that I will be using this from now on. The sauce is an entirely different recipe and I will supply the link, note that it makes extra so despite the drudgery of making this from scratch version you will have multiple uses from your efforts. So there you have it...a dish so great that it comes taste test approved by three fellow WW ladies and very satisfied Wojtek! Happy Cooking: Eggplant Parmesan and the link for sauce: Filetto di Pomodoro

Tomato Soup

While musing with my mom on things to cook for a fall palate we both concluded how wonderful it would be if the "secret" family recipe could be adapted into a healthier version of itself....alas we have the world's best Tomato Soup! This soup recipe has been in our family for generations and though simple in ingredients it is surely the best tomato soup I have ever enjoyed. The really funny part was just how easy it was/could have been to make a healthier variety all along...replace the full stick of butter with a few tablespoons of faux butter, olive oil with olive oil cooking spray to saute...fat free evaporated milk vs. whole, etc etc...So the real test comes from how the taste was affected by all these changes, so here it is...it's BETTER! I could hardly believe the taste! Whereas before the rich creaminess had a decadency that left you feeling gluttonous after a few bites this version retained nothing but the taste of the fresh tomatoes, thyme and basil. Another example of how great this conversion worked, before when served in a bowl the soup left a ring of fats/oils/tomato around the top...now there is no waste of soup just more goodness to enjoy! So there you have it, an awesome fall favorite that in my family has made a starring role in all holiday meals at a mere 3pts per 1-1/2 cup serving! To retain the "secrecy" I have left one ingredient out of the final recipe (rest assured that I tried, Wojtek tried before adding said secret ingredient and the soup is still divine!) I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family has! Tomato Soup

Mushroom and Vegetable Moo Shu

Moo Shu! hehe...I just like the way that sounds...so last night we dined in Chinese style for a vegetarian take on a classic Chinese dish. This recipe comes from, "WW From Pantry to Plate" and though originally listed as a 5pt meal I got it down to 3pts! This was accomplished by switching canola oil for cooking spray to saute and using egg substitute over real; the end results were a fantastically fragrant stir fry dish. The combined flavors of fresh ginger with the various toasted mushrooms and edamame make this a definite repeat. Traditionally this dish is served with thin pancakes...the book suggests using a tortilla replacement and while I thought it might taste odd it was actually quite good. If you use a La Tortilla Factory tortilla (find these if you have not already, Tortilla Link) then it costs 0pts to add. If you still have points leftover then you might want to also add rice to make the dish even heartier, I used basmati but any will work. An all around great recipe good for any of those Chinese take out cravings! Mushroom and Vegetable Moo Shu