Today, I'm going to give some tips for making your own healthier recipes. There are some great substitutions to help make just about anything healthier. There might be some minor variance in taste or texture-but it's worth it!

Whole milk: Substitute fat free, 1/2 percent or 1 percent milk for evaporated fat free milk.

A whole egg: Substitute with two egg whites, 1/4 c of egg substitute, or my personal favorite, 1 T flax seed and 3 T water

Unsweetened baking chocolate (1 oz): Substitute with 3 t of cocoa powder and 1 T of canola oil

Shortening, lard or butter: Substitute with canola or olive oil reducing the amount by 1/4. For example; use 3/4 c of oil to replace 1 c of shortening, lard, or butter.

Cream or whipping cream: Substitute with an equal amount of fat free evaporated milk or either 1/2 c low-fat yogurt or 1/2 c low-fat cottage cheese.

Vegetable oil: Substitute with an equal amount of applesauce.

Butter: Substitute with an equal amount of polyunsaturated margarine. For baking, switch to applesauce. Make sure the margarine is trans-fat free.

Mayonnaise: Substitute with "light" or equal amounts of plain yogurt.

Cream Cheese: Neufchatel or 4 T margarine mixed with 1 c dry, low-fat cottage cheese.

Ricotta cheese: Substitute with low-fat cottage cheese.

Once we have a grandson spend the night, the others quickly follow. Our third grandson stayed tonight. He loves chicken, so that's what we had. Not wanting to take time from him, I made this quick and easy chicken dish (ten minutes to prepare) that's also appealing to children.

NEVER FAIL CHICKEN

1/4 c canola oil
2 t pepper
2 c instant mashed potato flakes or buds
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

Stir pepper in oil. Put potato flakes on wax paper.
Brush oil mixture over chicken then dredge in potato flakes, coating completely. Place in a well greased 13x9x2 inch baking pan, or on a non-stick cookie sheet.

Bake in a moderate 375 degree oven, or until golden brown.

I love pork tenderloin. It's a very lean, lowfat meat with so much flavor. And as it's name says, it is very tender. Even better, it's the easiest meal to make with so many variations. Serve with a baked potato or whole wheat roll. Add Sunday Glazed Carrots (recipe below) and you have a great meal.

ROSEMARY AND THYME PORK TENDERLOIN

Ingredients:
2 pork tenderloins, 1/2-pound each
2 T Dijon mustard
1 T honey
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1/8 t pepper
1/4 tsp pepper Thyme sprigs (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Trim fat from pork; place on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Combine mustard, honey, rosemary, thyme and pepper in a bowl; brush over pork. Insert meat thermometer into the thickest part of the pork. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until thermometer registers 165 degrees F, basting frequently with mustard mixture. Garnish with thyme, if desired.

SUNDAY GLAZED CARROTS

Clean and peel 3 or 4 carrots. Cut in 1/2-inch diagonal slices. (Alternate: you can use baby carrots and leave whole if you'd rather). Place in a casserole dish. Add 1 T butter and 1/8 c brown sugar. Cover and cook on high for 9-11 minutes. Mix 1 T cold water and 3/4 t cornstarch till smooth and stir into carrots. Cover. Cook on high 2-4 minutes until thick. Stir before serving.

Our oldest grandson spent the night last night. We had my special oatmeal for breakfast. He loves it. Another favorite is this Apple Coffeecake. We often have brunch on Sundays.

Ingredients:
5 c tart apples, cored, peeled, chopped
1 c sugar
1 cup raisins (optional)-use 1 extra apple
1/2 c pecans, chopped
1/4 c canola oil
2 t vanilla
1 egg substitute-equivalent of one egg
1 c flour
1 c sifted whole-wheat pastry flour
1/2 c wheat germ
1-1/2 t baking soda
2 t ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a 13x9x2-inch pan. In a large mixing bowl, combine apples with sugar, raisins (if used) and pecans. Mix well. Let stand 30 minutes.
Stir in oil, vanilla and egg. Sift together flour, soda and cinnamon. Stir into apple mixture about 1/3 at a time - just enough to moisten dry ingredients. Pour batter into pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool cake slightly before serving.

This Chicken Parmesan is made lower in fat by not frying. Tomato sauce is really good for you, too, so this makes a nice heart healthy dish. Serve over whole-wheat noodles with a side salad.

Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 c tomato or spaghetti sauce
1/2 c reduced-fat shredded mozzarella cheese
Garlic powder
1/4 c freshly chopped basil or 2 tsp dried basil

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray a baking pan with cooking spray. Pour 1 cup of tomato sauce on the bottom of the pan and layer the chicken on top. Pour the other cup of sauce over the chicken and sprinkle the mozzarella cheese and parmesan evenly over the top.
Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes until bubbly. Sprinkle with garlic powder and garnish with basil.

This is another recipe that one of my daughter's gave me. It's so good and makes you feel like you're eating at a fancy restaurant. Serve with tossed salad and baked potato.

DILL SALMON WITH CHIVE SAUCE

½ c reduced fat salad dressing
¼ c chopped chives
2 t thyme leaves
2 t dill
¼ t salt
1/8 t pepper
¼ c dry white wine or chicken broth

Mix all ingredients together, except for wine or chicken broth. Reserve 1/3 cup of mixture and set aside for salmon topping or dip. Add the wine or chicken broth to the remaining 2/3 cup of spice mixture; stir, and brush on one pound piece of salmon. Bake in a 350 º oven for about 30 minutes or until salmon flakes easily when tested with a fork.

This takes a little time, but is worth the effort; and you've got everything you need in one dish. I just add sliced french bread rubbed with a garlic clove and warmed in the microwave or toasted in the oven. I like mine toasted!

BEEF AND SPINACH LASAGNA

Ingredients:
1 T olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 lb lean ground beef
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 package (16 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed dry
1/3 c flour
3 c skim milk
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1/8 t cayenne pepper
1 jar (26 oz.) spaghetti sauce, divided
12 lasagna noodles, divided
1 1/2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion until browned, stirring occasionally. Add ground beef and cook until beef is no longer pink. Stir in garlic and spinach. Reduce heat, cover and cook 3 minutes or until spinach is tender. Set aside.

Combine flour, milk, salt, black pepper and red pepper in a small saucepan, stirring with a whisk. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add 2 cups milk mixture to spinach mixture. Cover remaining milk mixture and set aside.

Spread 1/2 cup spaghetti sauce in bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 3 lasagna noodles over sauce; top with half of spinach mixture. Top with 3 lasagna noodles, 1 cup spaghetti sauce and 3/4 cup cheese. Layer 3 more lasagna noodles, remaining spinach mixture and remaining 3 lasagna noodles. Top with remaining spaghetti sauce. Pour reserved milk mixture over the top and sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese.
Bake for 50 minutes or until lasagna is browned on top.

Okay, I never said everything I make is fancy and difficult. Tonight I went so easy-I seem to be doing that a lot lately. But it is truly a light and refreshing summer meal. It was also perfect because I had leftovers to use.

TUNA MELTS

12 oz canned tuna in water
1/4 c light mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste
2 T finely chopped onion
4 large tomato slices
4 slices 2% cheddar cheese (1 oz each)
2 hamburger buns

Drain tuna completely. Stir in mayonnaise and onion. Season with salt and pepper.
Open hamburger buns and place on a cookie sheet. Spoon 1/4 of the tuna mixture on each of the 4 hamburger buns. Place a tomato slice on each and top with a slice of cheese.
Place under broiler on high and watch closely until cheese begins to bubble but not brown.

In addition to leftover hamburger buns, I had leftover fruit and vegetables. On the side of these open sandwiches, we had cut up strawberries, which are extremely sweet right now. I also put a blend of raw, cut up cauliflower, broccoli, and carrots topped with 1 T per plate of light ranch dressing, rather than using as a dip. It was like a little veggie salad. We left the table filling fullfilled, not overfilled.

I know, I know... macaroni and cheese isn't low-fat. But we all need the occasional macaroni and cheese casserole and this fits the need without the excessive fat and calories.

MACARONI & CHEESE

12 oz uncooked macaroni, elbow type
1/2 c fat-free sour cream
12 oz fat free evaporated milk
8 oz low-fat cheddar cheese
1 T Dijon mustard
1/4 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1/8 t ground nutmeg
2 T dried bread crumbs
2 T grated parmesan cheese

Preheat ovn to 350 degrees. Cook pasta according to package directions without added fat or salt; drain and transfer to a large bowl. Stir in sour cream while pasta is still hot and set aside.

Heat milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until scalded (little bubbles form just around the edge). Reduce heat to low, add cheese and simmer until cheese melts, stirring constantly with a wire whisk, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in mustard, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

Add cheese mixture to pasta; mix well. Transfer to a 3-4-quart casserole dish. Combine bread crumbs and parmesan cheese; sprinkle over pasta.

Bake until top is golden; about 30 minutes.

SPINACH SALAD

I will give this recipe for a single serving and it can be multiplied as needed

1 c of baby spinach leaves
2 T dried cherries or cherry Craisins
2 orange sections peeled and cut up in bite size pieces
2 T finely chopped candied walnuts

Place chopped walnuts in a small skillet or pan with 1 T butter and 1/2 T brown sugar. Heat and stir over medium heat until walnuts are coated and butter and sugar have dissolved and just begun to caramelize. Remove from heat quickly (this will burn easily) and put on a paper towel to absorb excess butter.

Place spinach, cherries and oranges on a serving plate while walnuts cool. Sprinkle walnuts over spinach mixture and drizzle with about 1 T of a light raspberry vinaigrette. This tastes like you're having dessert. YUM!!!

It's Memorial Day and we had most of the typical picnic fare with lots of fresh fruit and grilled corn on the cob. I still like to make my desserts, so will post our dessert for the day.

LEMON POPPY SEED CAKE

2 c white flour
3/4 c sugar
1 T poppy seeds
2 t baking powder
1/4 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
3/4 c unsweetened applesauce
1 t lemon zest (grated lemon rind)
1/4 c fresh lemon juice (1-2 lemons)
2 1/2 T canola oil
2 T light corn syrup
1 t lemon extract
4 egg whites (dispose of yolks or save for another use if you wish)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 9-inch round cake pan with canola or olive oil spray. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine applesauce, lemon rind, lemon juice, canola oil, corn syrup, and lemon extract. Add flour, sugar, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until combined and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until they form stiff peaks. Using a rubber scraper, fold the batter into the eg whites. Pour into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, loosen sides of cake, and invert onto a cooling rack.

Happy Memorial Day Weekend! My husband will be working tomorrow, so we had all the kids over today for a cookout. Turkey burgers are one of my favorites. And you can't have a Memorial Day picnic without fresh honeydew and cantaloupe melon and an assortment of berries. We also had vegetable pizza and the Applesauce cookies I made a couple of days ago.

TURKEY BURGERS

1 pound lean ground turkey (or ground turkey breast for extra lean)
1/2 medium red onion, chopped
2 egg whites
2 T chopped parsley
1 medium minced garlic clove
1/2 t ground tarragon
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
Whole wheat buns

Mix turkey, onion,egg, parsley, garlic, tarragon, salt, and pepper. Form into 4 burgers (or 6 if you prefer smaller burgers). Place on medium grill and cook until done on one side, turn and cook on other side. Watch carefully, because they might not look done due to the light color. If you overcook they can dry out. Place burgers on whole wheat buns and top with your favorite condiments. Lettuce and tomato add a nice touch. Enjoy!

VEGETABLE PIZZA

1 tube reduced-fat refrigerated crescent rolls
Spread in small-size jelly roll pan, pinching seams together. Cook at 375 degrees for about 10 minutes or until a light golden color.

Meanwhile, mix together 6 oz neufchatel cheese with 1/2 cup deli prepared spinach dip. Spread over prepared crust after it has cooled.
Top with finely chopped tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots. May add other chopped vegetables as desired. Cover until top has enough vegetables to adhere to the cheese topping without falling off. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Saturday pizza night. This is another easy, yummy pizza recipe.

MEXICAN CHICKEN PIZZA

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size chunks
1-1/2 c chunky salsa
1 cooked pizza crust
1/2 c red pepper strips
1 t chopped fresh cilantro
8 oz package shredded Mozzarella cheese

Spray a large skillet with non-stick cooking spray. Add chicken. Cook on medium heat until chicken is fully cooked, stirring occasionally. Stir in salsa. Reduce heat to low; simmer for 5 minutes.
Spoon mixture over crust; sprinkle with red pepper and cilantro. Sprinkle with cheese. Spice up the chicken with a sprinkle of cumin.
Bake at 400 degrees for 10 to 1 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Tip: To get extra nutrition, flavor, and color, I also like to add some green pepper strips.

I've worked hard all week and we're going out to eat tonight. So, I think I'll bake cookies today. This is a pretty healthy cookie and very tasty. It is quite high in calories; about 60 per cookie, so you want to eat just a couple. Many of the calories come from the walnuts, which are heart healthy. Then we cheat with a little butter and chocolate. This is a rare treat.

APPLESAUCE COOKIES

1/2 c butter
1 c sugar
1 c + 2 T unsweetened applesauce
2 egg whites or equivalent in egg substitute

1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1/2 t each; cinnamon and nutmeg
1/4 t cloves
1 c white flour
1 c whole wheat flour
1/2 c oatmeal

1/2 c choppedwalnuts
1/2 c mini chocolate chips (or less if you want to cut more calories)

Cream butter and sugar. Stir in applesauce and eggs until well mixed. Sprinkle baking soda, salt, and spices over top and blend with mixer or vigorously with a spoon. Gradually add flours and oatmeal, mixing well after each addition. Stir in walnuts and chocolate chips. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes or until done. Cook on rack.

Tip: This called for regular chocolate chips, which can be used, but I find that you can use less of the minis and they go a lot further. If you want a milk chocolate or other flavor that doesn't come in the mini chip, just chop fine before stirring in. That way you get a little chocolate in every bite!

It's another beautiful day..finally, after some pretty chilly May days. We are working outside today so I'm making a simple meal, again. I really like simple, even though I love to cook. But I've been cooking a lot lately for a lot of people. Today, I will use the crockpot and work on a side dish salad. There's already fruit and vegetable in the salad, so we'll just have a warm loaf of french bread with this.

PORK CHOPS

6 lean, boneless pork loin chops, with all fat trimmed off
1 jar of your favorite barbeque sauce or your own recipe

Put in crockpot and cook all day until meat is very tender.

See, wasn't that easy. These are great in the oven, also. If you cook slow and then broil at the end, they carmelize a little and taste great. You can do that with the crockpot version, too.

BROCCOLI SLAW

1 bag broccoli slaw
2 c pineapple chunks
1/2 c almonds slced
2 c apples, diced
1 c pears
1 c homeade slaw dressing (recipe below) or store slaw dressing

In a suitable size mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and mix in dressing. Blend thoroughly.

This is a recipe I got from my daughter. It's great having two grown daughters to share recipes with. I've gotten some great ones.

HOMEMADE SLAW (MULTI-USE) DRESSING

3/4 c mayonnaise, light (not salad dressing)
2 T red or white wine vinegar
1/4 to 1/2 c sugar to taste (I use 1/4)

Mix together and stir into the broccoli slaw ingredients. This can be used for a multitude of vegetable and salad ingredients. I have used bok choy, cauliflower, and broccoli florets, to name a few. Added ingredients can be the fruit as in the recipe above, or chopped red or green onions, chopped celery, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, bacon pieces, walnuts, almonds, carrots. The choice are endless. Create a salad with your own personal favorites.

More chicken!!! The original recipe called for sour cream. I use either fat free or reduced fat sour cream or plain fat free or light yogurt. Great either way.

NAUTICAL NUGGETS

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
Mix 1 t salt, 1/2 t pepper, and 1 t oregano together. Rub into chicken breast strips and set aside.

Marinade: 1/2 c fat free sour cream or yogurt
2 t lemon juice
1 t Tabasco
3/4 t minced garlic

Put chicken in marinade and stir around. Regrigerate while preparing topping.

Topping: 2 c crushed saltines
1/2 c sesame seeds (my favorite ingredient-it makes the dish)

Take marinated chicken and cover each piece with cracker ixture. Place on lightly oiled or non-stick sprayed baking sheet and drizzle with 4 T melted butter.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

This works well served with baked french fries and light fare.

A nice day but a very chilly evening. We haven't had beef in awhile, so we indulged today with this warm and comforting soup.

BEEF AND BARLEY SOUP

1 T olive oil
2 lbs lean beef, cut in 1 inch pieces
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
3 large carrots, sliced
3 celery stalks, sliced
1 can (28 oz) whole tomatoes with liquid, chopped
2 quarts water
4 chicken bouillon cubes
1/3 c medium pearl barley

In a large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Brown beef. Add onions, carrots, celery, tomatoes, water, and bouillon; bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for about 2 hours or until beef is tender. Add barley; simmer another hour or until the barley is done.

You'll see that we eat a lot of chicken. This dish is so simple and very good. We're rounding this out with steamed broccoli and baked potatoes. The potatoes can cook with the chicken making this easy and energy efficient.

EASY FETA CHICKEN BAKE

6 boneless, skinless, chicken breast halves-about 2 pounds
2 T lemon juice, divided
Salt and black pepper
1 package Athenos crumbled feta cheese with basil and tomato
1/4 c finely chopped red pepper
1/4 c finey chopped fresh parsley

Arrange chicken in a 13 x 9 inch baking dish

Drizzle with 1 T of the lemon juice. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Top with feta cheese; drizzle with remaining 1 T of lemon juice.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Sprinkle with red pepper and parsley.

What an unseasonably cold day today. A good day for a yummy hot soup/stew. This is a favorite at our house and with a side of low-fat corn bread and a serving of fruit is a meal in itself.

WHITE CHICKEN CHILI

1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
1 T olive oil
1-16 oz jar great northern beans
1-16 oz can chili beans
1 c chunky salsa
2 t ground cumin
1-2 cans corn (drain 1 and use juice of the other), or just use 1 can with juice
1-8 oz bag reduced-fat co-jack cheese

Brown chicken chunks in oil for about 10 minutes or until done. Add beans, salsa, cumin, and corn. Heat through, stirring occasionally. Add grated cheese, stirring constantly until cheese is melted.

This is great with baked corn chips instead of crackers.

My husband and I spent the day with our grandson and his family yesterday. Then we had our other three grandsons spend the night last night. What fun!!! After we settled back in to being home alone, we gardened. All day. Needless to say, we were exhausted. This dish is so quick and easy, with virtually no clean-up, that we were still able to have a hearty and heart-healthy meal.

BEEF BURRITO SKILLET

1 lb extra lean ground beef or ground turkey breast
1 pkg taco seasoning mix
1 can (19 oz) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 c salsa
1 c water
4 flour tortillas (6 inch), cut into 2-inch squares
1 c reduced-fat mexican style cheese
1/3 c fat-free sour cream
1/3 c chopped green onions

Brown meat in a large skillet on medium-high heat; drain.
Add taco seasoning, beans, salsa, and water; stir. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 5 minutes.

Stir in tortillas; top with cheese. Cover; let stand 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Top with sour cream and onions. We also top with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, and...the best, but high calorie, so use sparingly...avocado slices. (Although high in calories, avocados contain the healthy oils).

We are grilling chicken at our daughter's house tonight. So, I am going to spend a little extra time on a side dish. These are a healthier version of what have been referred to as "church potatoes", "country potatoes", and "cheesy potatoes". There are probably many other names for this favorite, modified casserole side dish.

CHEESY POTATOES

3 medium potatoes
1 c fat-free cottage cheese
1/2 c light sour cream
1 T fat free milk
1 t sugar
1/2 t salt
1/8 t garlic powder
2 T sliced green onion
1/2 c shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

Peel potatoes and cut in chunks. Place in a covered pot of water and bring to a boil on high heat. Reduce heat and cook abou 15-20 minutes or until fork tender. Drain. While potatoes are cooking, place cottage cheese, sour cream, milk, sugar, salt, and garlic powder in a food pocessor. Cover and process until smooth. In a lage bowl, combine potatoes, cottage cheese mixture, and green onion.
Pour ito a 1-qt baking dish coated with non-stick olive or canola oil cooking spray. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes; sprinkle with cheese. Bake 15 minutes longer or until the cheese is melted.

My dad was a cherry, apple, peach, and many other fruits, vegetables, and crops farmer. He has since passed away and my brother and brother-in-law now own and run the family farm. My sister manages the farm market. This is a dressing recipe she gave me which is a great alternative for the traditional Michigan Salad.

DRESSING
1 cup dried Michigan cherries
1/2 c cider vinegar
1 t ground mustard
1/2 c honey
1 t salt
1 t finely chopped onion
1 c olive oil

Prepare the dressing by combining all dressing ingredients except the oil in a blender and process until smooth. Gradually add the oil in a steady stream and blend until smooth. Toss with salad ingredients just before serving. Makes a full meal for about 6 people.

MICHIGAN SALAD
6-8 cups of assorted greens: iceberg lettuce, spinach leaves, romaine lettuce, etc, washed & torn into bite-sized pieces
1-2 Michigan apples, washed and thinly sliced or chopped
Toss with the above dressing just before serving and top with a sprinkle of chopped walnuts and about 2 T of reduced-fat Feta cheese.
To make this a little heartier, add 1-2 ounces of chopped, cooked chicken to the greens.

I planned dinner forgetting it was golf night! So, I made these pork chops as planned...so easy. Then carrot sticks, tomato slices, and a whole wheat dinner roll finish out the meal with a bowl of strawberries for dessert. A balanced, simple meal that would hold over easily for when the golfer came home.

BAKED PORK CHOPS

Olive oil spray
4 boneless pork loin chops, all visible fat removed
1 egg white
2 T fat-free or ½ % milk
1/3 c cornflake crumbs
2 T cornmeal
½ t dried marjoram
1/8 t ground pepper
1/8 t ground ginger
Pinch of cayenne (or more to taste)

Preheat oven to 375º F. Spray a shallow pan-large enough to place chops flat without overlap- with olive oil or canola oil spray. In a small bowl, mix egg white and milk. In another bowl, or on a plate, mix the dry ingredients. Dip the pork chops in the egg/milk mix and then coat on both sides with the crumb mixture. Lay flat in pan and bake uncovered for 15 minutes. Turn chops and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until pork is done.

This is fast and easy. And, of course, healthy. I served this with whole wheat dinner rolls, fruit and vegetable for a quick meal. If you’re like me, you rarely have time to make a meal that isn’t quick and easy. This is hot!! if you use the maximum peppers. I use the minimum.

SHANNON’S SPICY BAKED SALMON

Make a rub of: ½ t garlic powder
½ t salt
¼ to ½ t cracked pepper
¼ t paprika
A dash of cayenne pepper (or more to taste)

Rub olive oil lightly on top side of a one pound piece of salmon and then rub spice mixture into that. Bake in a 350 º oven for about 30 minutes or until salmon flakes easily when tested with a fork.

This recipe is an old favorite replacing ground beef with ground turkey breast. It really cuts the fat and calories. We had this with watermelon balls and a vegetable.

TURKEY MEATLOAF

20 oz package ground turkey breast
¼ c ketchup
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
3/4 t minced garlic
1 T mustard
½ c chopped onions
½ c chopped green peppers
1/3 c skim milk
1 c oatmeal

Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. You can mix it together with your clean hands, a spoon, or a mixer. Pat mixture into a lightly sprayed loaf pan (8 or 9 inch works-just adjust cooking time). Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 1½ hours for 8-inch pan until it gets crispy brown around the edges. If I’m in a hurry, I will spread the meat in a 9x9 inch square pan and cook for about 40 minutes.

ROASTED BABY GOLD POTATOES

Wash a one pound package of baby gold potatoes. Place on sprayed, aluminum foil-covered pan. Spray top of potatoes with olive oil spray. Sprinkle with sea salt, fresh ground pepper, rosemary, garlic powder, and sage, just until all have a light covering. Cover with another sheet of aluminum foil and pinch edges together. Roast in 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes. Remove top foil covering and continue roasting uncovered for another 20-30 minutes until golden brown and able to be easily pierced with a fork.

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!
Since it is Mother’s Day and spring I thought an outdoor grilling recipe would be perfect for keeping dirty pots and pans out of the kitchen. Potatoes and corn on the cob would be perfect, also on the grill, with this wonderful and low calorie pork tenderloin. The grape salad is a favorite in our house and doubles as dessert.

SPICY PORK TENDERLOIN

1-3 T chili powder, to taste
1 t salt
¼ t ground ginger
¼ t ground thyme
¼ t pepper
2 pork tenderloins (about 1 pound each)

Mix the first five ingredients together; rub over the tenderloins. Cover and refrigerate for 2-4 hours. Grill over hot coals for 15 minutes per side or until juices run clear. Cook to an internal temperature of 160 degrees.

GRAPE SALAD

Mix with blender: 6 oz fat free sour cream
6 oz neufchatel or fat free cream cheese
2 t vanilla

Wash and place in a bowl: 2 lbs seedless green grapes
2 lbs seedless red grapes
Make sure all stems are removed. Mix cream cheese mixture with grapes.
In a separate bowl mix together 1/3 c brown sugar and 1/2 c chopped pecans. Spread over top of grape salad and let set several hours. Stir and serve.

This is an occasional meal, because it is a little sweet, but my girls love it. You couldn't get an easier recipe. I serve this with fresh, warm bread and a large, leafy green tossed salad. It's a very light, refreshing meal. Add a glass of 1/2% or skim milk to get your dairy.

CANDIED HAM

6-1/4 to 1/2 inch slices of ham or ham steaks
1/3 c red hot cinnamon candies
1 large can pineapple rings

Pour pineapple juice in a large pan. Add cinnamon candies and stir until dissolved, removing any remnant pieces that don't want to melt. Add ham slices, cover and simmer until heated through. Add pineapple rings, cover and heat on low for about 5 minutes. Remove from pan and serve over brown rice garnishing each slice of ham with one or two pineapple rings.

We're going to the movies tonight...so it's a quick, yet still healthy, meal.

BOBOLI ONION PIZZA

1 large Vidalia onion
2 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced
4 oz Feta cheese, finely crumbled
20-30 spinach leaves, washed and dried
Freshly ground black pepper
1 Boboli crust

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Coat a large non-stick pan with cooking spray. Heat pan over medium meat. Add onions and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently, until onions are brown and carmelized.

Scatter carmelized onion on Boboli crust. Cover with sliced tomatoes and spinach leaves. Sprinkle Feta cheese over all. Bake for about 10 minutes or until heated through. Season with freshly ground black pepper to taste.

My husband and I really like this recipe. I usually use pork tenderloin instead of the pork loin chops, which makes it even healthier.

LEMON ARTICHOKE PORK

1 pound lean boneless pork loin chops with any fat removed
1/8 t salt
1/8 t pepper
1/2 c chicken broth, reduced sodium
14 oz can artichoke hearts, no oil, drained and chunked
2 T capers, drained
2 T fresh lemon juice
1 t dried oregano

Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and put pan on medium-high heat. Season both sides of meat with salt and pepper. Add meat to hot pan and cook until browned, about two minutes per side.
Add broth, artichoke hearts, capers, lemon juice, and oregano to the pan. Get heat back to medium, then simmer until meat is thoroughly cooked, about 10 minutes.
Remove from heat and serve immediately.

I usually don't add a lot of fancy sides to this kind of meal. I would serve this with a fresh, good quality, warm bread, and a fresh bowl of fruit. The vegetable is in the entree.

I think by now, we all know the benefits of the healthy oils in fish. I have also made the tilapia in a non-stick fry pan, with no oils, and had great results.

BLACKENED TILAPIA

2 T garlic powder
2 t salt 2 T paprika
1 T onion powder
1 T black pepper
1 T dried oregano
1 T dried thyme
Tilapia Fillets
1 lemon, cut into wedges
Small bunch of fresh parsley

In an empty spice jar or small bowl, make the blackening seasoning by combining all of the above dry spices. Set aside. Heat a heavy skillet (cast iron works well) on high for a few minutes. Rinse the fish fillets with water and generously rub the blackening seasoning on both sides of tilapia fillets (remaining seasoning can be stored for later use). Sear fillets in hot skillet for about 2-3 minutes on each side (until they are blackened and cooked through). Give them a squeeze of lemon and garnish with chopped fresh parsley for extra flavor.

Seve with baked potato and steamed broccoli sprinkled with parmesan cheese. What an easy dinner to prepare.

It's a beautiful spring day and this meal combined with a tossed green salad is light and refreshing.

TURKEY BBQS

1 pound ground turkey breast
1/2 c ketchup
2 T vinegar
2 T brown sugar
1 T mustard
1 T worcesterchire sauce

Brown turkey in pan until cooked. (No oil needed if using a non-stick pan. Otherwise, you might need to heat 2 T of extra virgin olive oil in the pan before browning white meat turkey.)

Add the rest of the ingredients and stir until heated through. Serve in hamburg or hot dog buns. This also works well with shredded meats, such as pork tenderloin or chicken breast.

APPLE SALAD

1-20 oz can unsweetened pineapple chunks
1/4 c sugar
1 T lemon juice
2 T cornstarch
2 T cold water
1/4 c light mayonnaise
3/4 c fat free whipped topping
8 c chopped apples
2 c green grapes
2 tsp poppy seeds
1/2 c chopped pecans, toasted

Drain pineapple, reserving juice; set pineapple aside. Place juice in a saucepan; add sugar and lemon juice. Bring to a boil. Combine the cornstarch and cold water until smooth; add to the saucepan. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Chill. Stir in whipped topping and mayonnaise, mixing well. In a large bowl, combine the pineapple, apples, grapes, poppy seeds, and pineapple dressing. Fold in pecans just before serving.

This meal is pretty complete as is. I might serve a store-boughten dinner roll (whole wheat, of course) with this, not to have to fuss too much.

ORANGE CHICKEN

1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 c freshly squeezed orange juice
½ c soy sauce
1/3 c packed brown sugar
10 thin slices fresh ginger root
1 c sliced celery
2 T corn starch mixed with ½ c water

Arrange chicken in a single layer in a baking dish. Mix orange juice, soy sauce, and sugar and pour over chicken. Sprinkle ginger and celery around chicken. Bake for 50 minutes at 350 degrees. Push chicken to side. Stir cornstarch mixture into pan juices with wire whisk. Spread chicken evenly back in pan. Bake 10 minutes longer or until sauce thickens and chicken is tender. Serve over brown rice and garnish with orange slices.

SESAME COLE SLAW

1 large head of cabbage
4 green onions
1 package chicken Ramen noodles
2 T sesame seeds
½ c slivered almonds
4 T sugar
¾ c canola oil
6 T white vinegar
Seasoning to taste

Chop cabbage and green onions. Toast sesame seeds and slivered almonds in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes. Watch closely so they don’t burn.
Blend together sugar, oil, vinegar, and ½ of seasoning packet from noodles (optional) with wire whisk.
Just before serving add dressing to cabbage and blend. Break uncooked Ramen noodles into pieces and add to cabbage alone with sesame seeds and slivered almonds. Gently toss.

Sunday Dinner

We eat a little heartier on Sundays because we eat at about 2:00 pm and then have a light supper or snack in the evening. We add a plain fresh fruit, such as a bowl of grapes, and are mindful of portion control with this meal.

GRANDMA'S OLD-FASHIONED, UPDATED, CHICKEN

6 chicken breast halves, boneless and skinless
1 1/4 c flour
1/8 c salt
1 t pepper

Mix flour, salt, and pepper together on a plate, with your hands. Blend until you can "feel" the salt. Heat about 1/2 c of extra virgin olive oil on medium heat in a dutch oven type pot. While the oil is heating, rinse the chicken under water and dredge in the flour mixture. Put chicken in oil and brown well on each side. Remove from heat and drain any extra oil from the pot. Add water or low sodium chicken broth, about two inches deep in pot. Cover and place pot in a preheated 350 degree oven. Let cook for 30-4o minutes. Add dumplings (recipe below) and cook until dumplings are done. Remove from oven and make gravy (recipe below) with liquid in pot.

DUMPLINGS

Combine 2 c flour, 2 t baking powder, 2 T buttermilk powder and 1/2 t salt. Cut in 4 T shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add 1 c water, stirring just until moistened.
Place in mounds-about 12-on top of chicken without immersing in liquid. Place cover back on pot and put back in the oven for 12-15 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted into a dumpling comes out clean. The dumplings are steamed so will look moist on top.

CHICKEN GRAVY

Remove chicken and dumplings from pot and cover to keep warm. Add additional chicken broth, as needed to make about 3 cups for gravy. Pour 1/2 cup milk in a bowl and whisk in 2 T cornstarch and 2 T flour. Bring broth to a boil, reduce heat to medium and add milk mixture slowly while whisking quickly. Reduce to simmer and let thicken while stirring occasionally.

COLE SLAW LIKE KFC

8 cups cabbage finely chopped
1/4 cup shredded carrot
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup skim milk
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
2 t buttermilk powder
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

In a large bowl, combine the sugar, salt, pepper, milk, mayonnaise, buttermilk powder, water, vinegar and lemon juice. Beat until smooth. Add the cabbage and carrots. Mix well.Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. Servings: 6 to 8.

Healthy eating can still contain the occasional sweet treat. You just want to make sure you use the healthiest ingredients possible and watch your portion sizes. Even healthy oils, as in these cookies, have many calories. They're just better for your heart than the saturated and trans fats.

SHERRY’S CHOCOLATE CHERRY NUGGETS

2 1/2 c flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
3/4 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1 tsp. vanilla
1 T flax seed and 6 T water (replaces 2 eggs)
3/4 cup canola oil
Mix all ingredients as for cookies, and form into balls. Roll in sugar. Bake at 375º for 10 minutes or until very lightly browned.

SINGLE-SERVE COOKIES

1 teaspoon butter
2 teaspoons egg whites (or Eggbeaters)
1/2 teaspoon canola oil
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon white sugar
4 teaspoons flour
1 pinch baking soda
1 teaspoon mini chocolate chips, raisins, nuts, etc.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Melt the butter in a small bowl for about 20 seconds in the microwave. Add in the egg whites, oil and brown and white sugar. Mix well. Add the flour and baking soda; mix to form dough. Add "extra" ingredient. Spoon two mounds of dough on lightly greased baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Yield: 2 cookies.

This is a complete meal with an added salad and a bowl of fruit.

EASY CREAMED TUNA

2 c skim milk
3 T flour
1 tsp salt
1 T extra virgin olive oil
1 can tuna fish
1 small can of peas, drained (optional)

Mix all ingredients in saucepan on medium heat and heat slowly stirring frequently until thickened and hot. Serve over hot biscuits (recipe below).

WHEAT TOWER BISCUITS

1 c whole wheat flour
1 c white flour
1/16 t baking soda
1/2 T and 1/2 t sugar
1/2 t salt
1/8 c buttermilk powder
1/4 c plus 1/2 T butter

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Stir dry ingredients together. Cut in butter until the texture resembles coarse crumbs. Add about 3/4 c water, gradually, until a soft dough forms. Mix gently, not too much. You can drop in muffin tins or gently roll and cut with a biscuit cutter. Makes about 8 biscuits. Cook for 10-12 minutes.