Zucchini Fritters

Zucchini (or green squash) is one of my favorite vegetables. If you sauté or grill them up a bit they have such a nice texture and flavor, so when I found this recipe I knew I absolutely had to try it.

My roommate and I ate the entire batch I made over a glass (bottle) of wine and a movie. 

Hey, better than a batch of chocolate chunk cookies, right?

Zucchini lovers...prepare for a new favorite dish.

What You'll Need:

Recipe Altered From TheHealthyFoodie

2 Large Zucchinis chopped and grated

2 Tbs Parmesan cheese

1 egg, 1 egg white beaten

4 Tbs Whole wheat flour

Salt and Pepper to taste

Handful of reduced fat shredded Mozzarella cheese

Olive oil & non-stick cooking spray

Take the zucchinis and dice and grate them to small pieces. Any excess water you can squeeze out in a paper towel. Put in a medium-large size bowl and add your parmesan cheese, egg, egg white, and whole wheat flour and mix together until everything is coated evenly. Add salt and pepper and cheese and mix again. In a frying pan, splash a bit of olive oil and non stick spray, and turn heat on to medium. Once hot, add about 2 Tbs of your zucchini mixture into the pan (3-4 at a time), and cook for about 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden brown.
Once finished, take off the pan and place on a plate and serve however you like!
Over a salad, with hummus....my roommate and I enjoyed them plain.


Enjoy you SkinnyMinis!
xox

Cost of Ingredients:
$11
Cost Per Serving:
About 4 Fritters

$3.66
Nutritional Information:
Per 1 Fritter
Calories: 50
Fat: 2g

Carbs: 4g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 3g

Oatmeal Cake Mug

Good Morning SkinnyMinis! 

I love breakfast. Omelets, french toast, cereal, pancakes, waffles...love it all. 

(Too bad a lot of breakfasts can be super high in cals/fats/and sugars)

But, since I was little I have always had a special place in my heart for oatmeal. Cold winter and fall mornings with a big steaming bowl of oatmeal and banana slices. So comforting and delicious. To this day I love my oatmeal, but truthfully and honestly, it can get a little boring after a while. 
So, I decided to mix it up a bit and instead of the typical bowl of hot cereal I made 
oatmeal-cakes-in-a-mug-in-the-microwave!

Genius 

This breakfast was so good (and so good for you!) I actually had it for breakfast and then again for dinner. 

Peanut butter...weakness.

What You'll Need:

1/4 Cup of dry Quaker oats

1 egg (or 2 egg whites/1/4 cup of egg substitute)

Tbs of milk

Half of a mashed banana

Frozen fruit (blueberries, raspberries, strawberries)

1 Tbs Natural peanut (or any nut) butter

Less sugar jam

And a fork

:)

In a mug empty your dry oats in and mix together with egg and mashed banana. Add the milk and frozen fruit - I used blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries 
(the frozen fruit gives it a natural sweetness). 
Once all mixed together put the mug in the microwave for 45 seconds - a minute and 20 seconds depending on the power of the microwave. Keep checking on it to make sure the oatmeal doesn't flow over the top and overcook.

Once finished, put on a plate and put a Tbs of natural peanut/almond/cashew butter on top and a little of low sugar jam. 

Enjoy you SkinnyMinis!

xox


Cost of Ingredients:
$9.50
Nutritional Information:
Made with egg white
Calories: 280
Fat: 10g
Sugar: 6g
Protein: 7g
Fiber: 7g
Carbs: 32g

No Sugar Added Granola Bars

I spend way to much money on granola bars. I love trying new flavors; chocolate chip, peanut butter, oat, pumpkin, trail mix...and I pretty much love them all. 

Problem with granola bars is that you really need to be careful which ones you buy because the sugar content in some brands can be crazy stup!d (also, when you buy them and eat them as much as I do, it really adds up fast; 6 bars a box just doesn't cut it for this granola junkie.)

So, I came up with this really quick and really easy recipe for...drumroll please...

No Sugar Added Granola Bars!

This recipe is super healthy (and SO cheap to make considering how many batches you can make), and has the perfect amount of sweetness which comes naturally from the dried fruit.

What You'll Need:

2 Cups of rolled oats

2 Ripe bananas

1/2 Cup of unsweetened apple sauce

1/3 Cup Craisins or Raisins (I used a mix of both)

6-7 Chopped dried prunes

1/3 Cup Crushed mixed nuts

1tsp Cinnamon

1tsp Nutmug

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl mix ripened bananas until smooth. Add the oats, cinnamon, and nutmug, and mix all together until oats absorb the banana. Add the apple sauce, all the dried fruit and mixed nuts. Mix together until well blended. 

Line a 2-3 inch deep glass baking dish with parchment paper and spread the oat mixture evenly across it.

Bake for 20-25 minutes...check to make sure it doesn't get dry though!

Let cool and chop into pieces and store in the fridge or freezer to enjoy as healthy snacks for breakfast, before lunch, and after dinner!

Enjoy You SkinnyMinis!

xox

Cost of Ingredients:

(when buying full containers of each)

$18

Cost Per Bar:

There are so many batches to make, its practically impossible to find out

the cost per each bar.

Pretty awesome.

Nutritional Information:

One bar - 16 bars per batch

Calories: 60

Fat: 2 grams

Saturated Fat: 0 grams

Fiber: 2g

Protein: 4g

Sugar: 3g
Carbs: 12g

Summer Inspired Salad

Summer is my favorite season by far. 80 degree weather, flip flops, bathing suits - which reminds me I need to start working out more - tans, and light yummy foods and fruits!

Besides summer deck grilling of chicken, corn, kabobs, I love love love to make this salad. It is fruity, light, and so good. When I get the winter blues I cheat on summer time and whip this salad up so I can pretend i'm not in Rhode Island in January and it's actually beach worthy weather outside.

What You'll Need:

Package of spinach leaves

Container of Strawberries

An apple

Candied nuts (walnuts, pecans, almonds)

1/4 Cup Reduced fat feta cheese

An avocado

Package of craisins

Salad dressing you like - I prefer balsamic

(BE CAREFUL about dressings! Some can

have hundreds of calories and are loaded

with fat! Find a dressing that has about 

80 calories per TBS or so, and no more than

5g of fat)

*If you want more protein you can always add grilled chicken on top*

Rinse spinach leaves off and place in paper towel and pat dry. Place spinach leaves in a large bowl and grab the strawberries, apple, and avocado. Slice the strawberries, thinly slice the apple, and dice up the avocado and throw into the spinach bowl. Take about a handful of candied nuts and craisins and put them on top of the salad. Finish by toping with feta cheese.

I never put the dressing on the salad when its in the bowl because it makes the spinach soggy.

Enjoy you Skinny Minis!

xox

Average Price of Ingredients:

$15

Price per serving:

Makes 4 Servings

$3.75

Nutritional Facts:

With light balsamic dressing

Calories - 270

Fat - 12g

Saturated Fat- 6g

Protein: 7g

Carbs: 14g

Maple Greek Yogurt, Almond & Banana Parfait

When I wake up the first thing I usually think about is what I'm going to eat for breakfast (unless I drank too much pinot the night before...but that's besides the point). 
Besides my typical, quick, go-to whole wheat english muffins with natural peanut butter and sliced bananas, if I have more time I love to chow down on a
homemade greek yogurt parfait.

Greek yogurt is strained. Straining removes more water from the yogurt, making it more dense, firm and creamy, and it contains nearly double the amount of protein compared the leading regular yogurts. It has less carbs than regular yogurt, has three times the calcium, and half the sodium. 

It is a nutritional powerhouse.

I started off eating the flavored greek yogurt flavors to get used to the consistency and taste, and now I wont look back. Now, I eat the plain non-fat version of greek yogurt, which is hard to get used to because it is a little bitter in taste, but it has more than half the amount of sugar compared to the flavored varieties. And, I like adding my own toppings into it anyways!

What You'll Need:

3/4 cup of Chobani plain non-fat greek yogurt

10 Cinnamon Almonds or Walnuts

1 1/2 tbs Sugar free Maple syrup

1/2 a banana

Dash of cinnamon

In a bowl empty 3/4 C of greek yogurt. Take almonds, slice in half, garnish on top of yogurt. Slice half of a banana on top, sprinkle with a small amount of cinnamon, and pour your sugar free maple syrup over all ingredients.

Either mix all together or start from the top! However you like it!

I personally like to get a bite of everything in each bite :)

Enjoy You Skinny Mini!

xox

Average Price of Ingredients:

(Buying containers of each)

$13

Price per serving:

$1.75-$2

Nutritional Facts:

Calories - 220

Fat - 6g

Saturated Fat- .5g

Protein: 16g

Carbs: 14g

Rice, Broccoli, Edamame, Black Bean, Chicken & Cheese Plate

Need a painless dinner? STOP! Don't reach for the Raman Noodles! I understand we all have long days, and sometimes when we get home and we're just so hungry we will eat anything as long as it's there and its quick. Well, I have the perfect alternative for that right here that won't leave you scraping the salt scum off your tongue for days.

It takes about 10 minutes, if that, and it is way more satisfying and nutritionally beneficial for you than any prepackaged frozen meal or can of 6 year old noodles (Eek). 

For me, there is nothing not to love about this dinner. It has some of my favorite vegetables, shredded cheese, and my preferred poultry. Broccoli topped with brown rice, shredded mozzarella cheese, and black beans with a side of edamame and chicken. 

Bring it on.

What You'll Need:

1 Chicken cutlet

3/4 Cup of frozen broccoli
1/2 Cup of brown rice
Handful of shredded cheese

2 Tbs of black beans

1/2 Cup of frozen edamame

Defrost your chicken and then using either a nonstick pan or a indoor grill (like a George Forman), grill your chicken cutlet. Place your broccoli in the microwave safe dish and cover the top and steam for about a minute and 45 seconds. After broccoli is finished place edamame in microwave and steam for a minute and 30 seconds. 
Once chicken is cooked through (no pink on the inside), remove from heat and let cool down on your plate. Cut up broccoli to how you like it and top with brown rice, shredded cheese, and black beans. Put the edamame on your plate aside your chicken and rice, and wa-la!

Quick, simple, tasty, and very healthy.

Enjoy you Skinny Minis!

xox

Average Price of Ingredients:

$10

Price per serving:

$1.42

Nutritional Facts:

Calories - 350

Fat - 9g

Saturated Fat- 3g

Protein: 27g

Carbs: 18g

Zucchini Pizzas

It wasn't until about a year ago I realized that there was a difference between a zucchini and a cucumber. They look almost exactly the same and taste fairly bland (unless you have some hummus or something. Yum!) My mom made a zucchini pie one night and it was love at first bite. Cheesy and delicious, and even better...healthy! The zucchini pie takes a little while to make...and calls for pie crust, which im trying to cut those buttery things out of my diet, so I found this recipe for almost the same thing, but "pizza" style!

Mama mia, so good!

Instead of the pie crust the zucchini acts as the 'dough'. It's a less fat, less calorie, less carb and sodium way to enjoy the flavors that emerge from zucchini when you add a little cheese and throw it in the owen for a bit.

So cheap to make too....and with calorie stats like what its got, go back for a third serving!

(my roommate and I may have gone back for fourths before we were borderline comatose.)

What You'll Need:

Altered Recipe from: Food.com

3 Zucchinis

Olive oil or cooking spray

Tomato Sauce

Tomato Slices (or any veggie you want to throw on top)

Parmesan Cheese/or feta

Seasonings you like

Breadcrumbs/panko crumbs

Mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and slice your zucchinis lengthwise in half and either spray with cookig spray or rub a little olive oil inside. Using a spoon, spoon out the center to make a "boat like" hole to put in your toppings. In a small bowl, combine the zucchini that you scooped out, and tomato sauce/seasonings/parmesan cheese/and breadcrumbs to taste. (I used about 4oz of tomato sauce, 2 tbs of parm cheese - feta is so good to though!, a tsp of italian seasonings, and 1/4 a cup of panko crumbs). Mix all ingredients together and place into your zucchinis. 

Bake for about 15-20 minutes, remove from oven, sprinkle a little mozzarella cheese on top, place back in oven for a minute, then remove and let cool.

Then....dig in!

Enjoy SkinnyMinis!

xox

Average Price of Ingredients:

$11

Price per serving:

2 Pizzas Per serving

$3.60

Nutritional Facts:

In the amount of ingredients I used

Calories - 220

Fat - 9g

Saturated Fat- 6g

Protein: 13g

Carbs: 25g

Egg White & Cheese Breakfast Sandwich

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day...not to mention, the most important! Many people skip breakfast in an effort to loose weight or cut calories..DON'T! You've been asleep for the past several hours, and your body needs fuel to start the day. Skipping it leads to your body going into 'starvation' mode and leads to overeating later on. Breakfast also gives you more energy...so eat up!

I always love to try new things for breakfast that are a perfect balance between fat, protein, carbs. Something to keep me satisfied for a few hours and of course taste delicious. While my quick staple breakfast when I'm in a rush out the door in the morning is a light whole wheat english muffin with natural peanut butter, if I have more time I like to whip up a simple and much-lower-cal-than-any-takeout-breakfast-sandwich-out-there, egg and cheese sandwich. 

Yum!

What You'll Need:

1/4 cup egg substitute/2 egg whites/1 egg

1 whole wheat english muffin

1 slice of kraft 2% american cheese

1 slice of ham/turkey/turkey peperoni (optional)

Cut english muffin in half and put into toaster. If you are using a microwave, use a microwave bowl or circle tupperware container, spray with nonstick spray, and crack egg or pour egg white/substitute into it. Microwave for 20 seconds, take out to move it around and check on it, microwave again another 20 seconds or until not runny. 

Once english muffin is done being toasted, take out of microwave and put cheese on it and meats (if you decided too use meat). Take egg out of microwave and flip it onto english muffin, and donezo! 

Easy right?

I'll usually pair my egg sandwich with some fruit and a half a cup of skim milk or juice.

Enjoy you Skinny Minis!

xox

Average Price of Ingredients:

(all come in packages..several servings!)

$12

Price per serving:

$2

Nutritional Facts:

(without meat)

Calories - using egg: 230

Calories - using egg white: 180

Fat - using egg: 6g

Fat - using egg white: 4g

Protein: 13g

Carbs: 27mg

Mashed Garlic Cauliflower

One food item I have never heard anyone say they disliked...ever...is mashed potatoes. Mashed potatoes are delicious. Chunky, creamy, soft, smooth, buttery...I could go on and on. Last Thanksgiving, some family was over and my aunt was on a low calorie/low fat/low carb diet. Aka, low anything-thats-thanksgiving diet. Talk about a mood kill. She was supposed to bring the mashed potatoes....did she? No. Everyone else upon hearing this disturbing news break, had a mix of emotions ranging from sad, mad, disappointed, in disbelief, annoyed...any emotion besides happiness you can think of was present.

Instead, she brought over her "famous" mashed cauliflower. And there it was. Insult to injury. Take away out mashed potatoes on one of the few days of the year we can eat whatever we want and replace it with mushy VEGETABLES?! 

Preposterous.

Until I unwillingly tried them.

They were great. My aunts mock mashed potatoes were unbelievable. Now, don't get me wrong...nothing can replace mashed potatoes for me, but these tasted surprisingly delightful. Some garlic, some butter, little salt, little pepper. I've made them since then, and not only are they tasty, they are easy, CHEAP to make, and very low carb. 

Wouldn't even know they were once broccoli's first cousin, would you?

What You'll Need:

Altered the recipe from Spark People

1 Medium head of Cauliflower

1 tsp Minced Garlic

Sprinkle of parsley or chives

Salt and pepper to taste

1 Tablespoon of margarine or butter (unsalted; opt for heart healthy)

Grated Parmesan Cheese

Cut off outside leaves, wash cauliflower and cut into quarters.
Place in a 1-quart sauce pan filled with cold water and boil until well done (should be soft)

In a small pan, sauté the garlic with a bit of either butter or olive oil
Drain water from cauliflower and add the butter and garlic
Mash like you would with potatoes until light and fluffy
Sprinkle with parsley and salt and pepper to taste

Pinch of cheese on top.

Enjoy You SkinnyMinis!

xox

Average Cost for all Ingredients:

$9

Cost Per Serving:

1 Cup

$2.25

Nutritional Information:

Calories- 45

Fat- 4g

Cholesterol- 8mg

Sodium- 33mg

Carbs- 4g

Fiber- 2g

Protein- 1.5g