Diet Cupcakes?

Diet Cupcakes?

Doesn't that seem like two words that contradict each other? 

Over the past few weeks I've seen lots of pins about cupcakes using a diet soda and a cake mix so tonight Madison and I decided to try it!

I used a Funfetti cake mix and 1 1/2 cups of Diet 7UP- 

mixed together in the mixer. 

Baked at 350 for 18-20 minutes and  

we had 12 super yummy, super moist cupcakes! 

I seriously don't know if anyone would notice 

the lack of eggs and oil! 

So so so so so good and super easy!

Orange Cream Cookies

I'm trying to drop a few pounds (when am I NOT trying to lose a few pounds?) and have been searching for some yummy WW friendly recipes. This one is definitely perfect for when you need a sweet treat!


8 ounces light cream cheese, divided
3 T skim milk
2 T reduced-calorie margarine
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 T sugar
1/3 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 T orange juice, fresh
2 t orange zest
1 t vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat two 12-cup miniature muffin pans with cooking spray; set aside. To prepare cookie dough, in a large mixing bowl combine 2 ounces cream cheese, milk and margarine. Beat on low speed until blended. In a small bowl, combine flour and 1 tablespoon sugar. Beat flour mixture into cream cheese mixture on low speed until blended.
Transfer cookie dough to a lightly floured surface and knead gently 4 times. Divide dough into 24 equal portions and press each portion into bottom and up sides of prepared muffin pans; set aside. To prepare filling, in a food processor or large bowl combine remaining 6 ounces cream cheese, 1/3 cup sugar, egg, orange juice, zest and vanilla. Blend until smooth.
Spoon 2 teaspoons filling into prepared cookie cups. Bake until filling is set and edges are golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool on wire racks. One cookie cup= 1 WW point

Mexican Chicken

This is an easy and yummy Weight Watchers recipe that is a good dinner served with Spanish rice and a salad.


1 package taco seasoning
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup salsa
1/4 cup fat free sour cream


Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place chicken breasts and taco seasoning in a seal able plastic bag; shake to coat well. Spray casserole dish with cooking spray. Place chicken in casserole dish. Bake 30 minutes. Top with salsa about 5 minutes before breasts are done. Top with sour cream before serving. One serving is 4 points.

Celebration Cake

This is one of my favorite Weight Watcher dessert recipes. It's a light and yummy cake- perfect for spring!

Cake:
1 box yellow cake mix (I buy the Pillsbury low sugar kind but a regular one will work)
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
3 eggs or the equivalent amount of egg beaters
1 (11 ounce) can mandarin oranges in juice

Frosting:
1 (8 ounce) container Fat Free Cool Whip
1 small box sugar free vanilla instant pudding mix
1 (15.5 ounce) can crushed pineapple in juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together all cake ingredients till well combined. Spray a 9 x 13 inch pan with cooking spray. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 30-40 minutes. Cool completely. In large bowl mix all frosting ingredients together. Spread icing on cooled cake and refrigerate.

TIP OF THE DAY: For recipes that call for unsweetened applesauce, instead of buying a jar- that will take up space in the fridge and go bad before I can use it all, I buy the little serving sized tubs of unsweetened applesauce and store them in the pantry.

Tomorrow's Daily Special: Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Healthy Chocolate Cupcakes

You will not believe how good these cupcakes are! Do not let the pumpkin make you hesitate- I promise they are GOOD!


18 ounces devil's food cake mix
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
2/3 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together. Do not worry- it should be thick.
Bake in lined muffin tins for 20 minutes or until top springs back. Serve with a dollop of fat free cool whip. These freeze very well.


Tomorrow's Daily Special: Mexican Pot Roast

WW Caramel Apple Salad

This is a yummy healthy sweet treat


1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple
4 unpeeled red delicious apples, diced
1 (1 ounce) box sugar free, fat free butterscotch pudding
1 (8 ounce) container fat free Cool Whip


Do NOT drain pineapple. Mix all ingredients except apples together well. Add apples and mix well. Let chill overnight.



Tomorrow's Daily Special: Healthy Chocolate Cupcakes

Sugar Free Peanut Butter Cookies

Since my dad has diabetes I am always on the lookout for sweet treats that are healthy for him to eat. I saw these on Paula Deen's show (I love Paula Deen) and just knew I had to try them. They are great, super easy, and I can't wait to make them for my daddy!


1 cup low fat peanut butter, creamy
1 1/3 baking sugar replacement (like Splenda)
1 egg
1 t vanilla


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine the peanut butter, 1 cup sugar replacement, the egg, and vanilla, and stir well with a spoon. Roll the dough into balls the size of walnuts. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheet. With a fork, dipped in sugar replacement to prevent sticking, press a crisscross design on each cookie. Bake for 12 minutes, remove from the oven, and sprinkle the cookies with some of the remaining sugar replacement. Cool slightly before removing from pan.



Tomorrow's Daily Special: Crock pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

Pumpkin Fluff

This is a super easy and low calorie alternative to pumpkin pie!

1 (16 ounce) can pumpkin (not pie filling)
1 (1 1/2 ounce) box sugar free instant vanilla pudding mix
1 (8 ounce) container fat free cool whip
1 t pumpkin pie spice

Combine all ingredients in order. Chill for 2 hours.


TIP OF THE DAY: This could also be placed in a low fat graham cracker crust and turned into a pie for only a few additional calories!


Tomorrow's Daily Special: Pumpkin Pie Dip

Spicy Potato Chip Chicken

This is a variation of a Weight Watcher recipe I got a few years ago and it is one of my family's favorites. It's speedy, spicy, and as a bonus- healthy!


1 package chicken tenderloins
2 cups Baked Potato Chips (I use Lay's)
Tony's Chachere's Famous Creole Seasoning (or any other seasoning you prefer)
Cooking spray


Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with foil. Place potato chips and seasonings (as much or as little as your family prefers- be careful if using Tony's- I used too much one day and our chicken was so spicy that Tony almost couldn't eat it) in large Ziploc bag. Seal the bag and crush up chips using your hands or the back of a wooden spoon. Lay chicken tenders out on a piece of wax paper and spray with cooking spray. Turn over and spray other side. Place chicken pieces in the bag a few at a time and shake to coat. Lay on foil lined cookie sheet. I usually sprinkle any remaining potato chip mixture on top of chicken tenders before baking. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, flipping once during baking, until chicken fingers are golden brown. One serving would be 4 WW points.


TIP OF THE DAY: To skip the seasoning step in this recipe and make it even easier, just use flavored baked potato chips like BBQ or sour cream and onion. Your kids will love it!


Tomorrow's Daily Special: SUPER EASY Dump Cake

Chicken Caesar Pasta

This is a yummy recipe that is a quick and easy weeknight meal. The bonus is that it's healthy too! With school starting this week, quick and easy are really important to me!

1 (8 oz) package bow tie pasta (I use whole wheat)
2 boneless chicken breasts
1 (8 oz) bottle Caesar dressing, divided (I use Kraft Fat Free)
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 (10 oz) package frozen sugar snap peas
1 carrot, thinly sliced
1 cup torn fresh spinach


Cook pasta; keep warm. Saute chicken in 3 T dressing in large nonstick skillet 4-5 minutes or until done. Add onions, peas, and carrots and cook 4-5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add spinach- cook 1-2 minutes or until wilted. Toss with pasta and serve with remaining dressing.

Prep Time: 15-20 minutes

TIP OF THE DAY: I always keep a bag of grilled chicken breasts (that I buy at Sam's) in the freezer for those nights when we get home late. When a recipe calls for chicken, I just defrost a few, heat them, and then add them to the recipe. This is one where it works fabulously!


Tomorrow's Daily Special: Mama's Manicotti

Parmesan Basil Chicken Burgers with Basil Mayo

I cook with ground chicken quite a bit because it's a healthly alternative to ground beef . Although Tony would prefer ground beef, I've created some recipes that even he loves! This one is my newest and was a big hit!

Basil Mayo:
1/2 fat free mayo
3/4 t fresh basil (or 1/2 t dry basil)
dash of lemon juice

Burgers:

2 lbs. ground chicken

1 egg

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

2/3 cup part skim Mozarella cheese, shredded

1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 t minced onion

1/2 t dried oregano

1/2 t dried basil

1 T lemon juice

Mix mayo ingredients together, cover, and refrigerate while cooking the burgers.

Mix all burger ingredients in large bowl till well combined. Shape into 8-10 patties. Be sure not to make the patties too thick because ground chicken does not reduce like ground beef does. Grill outside on BBQ grill or inside in skillet over medium heat.

Serve burgers with basil mayo, spinach, and tomato on wheat or onion rolls. Enjoy!

Prep and Cooking Time: Approximately 35 minutes

TIP OF THE DAY: To save time, cook once, eat twice. Try to find things that you can cook once, modify, and serve again to your family. This recipe is a perfect example. I make twice as many burgers as we need and then crumble them up and serve them a second time (minus the buns) over some rice or pasta.

Tomorrow's Daily Special: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles

Pasta Fagioli

This recipe did not originally have meat in it- but after Tony and I got married, I added it so that he would enjoy it too because he is a meat and potatoes guy! It originally was a WW recipe and was only 4 points per serving- so I figure it is approximately 7 with the ground chicken in it- depending upon how much pasta you eat. I personally think it's best the second day so I usually make it the night before we have it for diner. Enjoy!

1 tsp. olive oil
2 c. chopped onion
4 garlic cloves; minced
1 lb. ground chicken or turkey
1 cup small carrots, diced
3/4 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
Dash garlic powder
2 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 can low-salt chicken broth, 10 1/2 ounces each
15 oz cannellini beans
15 oz can kidney beans
14 1/2 oz diced tomatoes; undrained
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 package uncooked ditalini or small elbow macaroni

Coat a large saucepan with cooking spray; add oil, and place over medium-high heat until hot. Add onion and garlic; sauté 8 minutes or until tender. Add chicken or turkey and brown meat. Add carrots and next 8 ingredients; cover, reduce heat, and cook 45 minutes or until carrots are soft. Remove from heat; stir in 1/4 cup cheese. Cook pasta and drain. Ladle soup into bowls on top of pasta; sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Prep and cooking time: 1 hour

TIP OF THE DAY: To keep pasta from boiling over, spray a tiny bit of cooking spray in your water before you put it on the stove. It will keep the water from bubbling over so you'll have no more messy stove top to clean up!