Easy peezy delicious dessert under 100 calories

Fit & Active... GO ALDI!!

if you’re like me, you love something sweet after your meal: moose tracks ice cream (my favorite), peanut butter sandwiched between 2 oreo cookies (think, the parent trap), the stash of dark chocolate kisses in the freezer (moms favorite… along with skinny cows), or sneaking your favorite piece of halloween candy (we all know we buy our favorite candy for the KIDS… right?). whatever your guilty pleasure is, a little demon always trails behind: high fat, high sugar, and high calorie content. yikes! sure, we can buy fat free and sugar free ice cream, choose the fruity alternative over the chocolatey one, and cut out desserts all together. but that’s no fun.

well i’ve got news for you! the title is no lie. today’s topic covers a dessert that’s easy peezy to make, delicious to eat, and under 100 calories (and not the kind that come in pre-packaged bags from the pantry). today’s post teaches you how to make 4 miniature low calorie, crunchy, amazing ice cream sandwiches.

ingredients:
- frozen fat free cool whip
    - for a seasonal treat, try mixing canned pumpkin with the cool whip (50/50 ratio)
- mini rice cakes (caramel, chocolate, apple cinnamon, etc)


directions:
make rice cake (ice cream) sandwiches using frozen cool whip filling.


how does this work? believe it or not, frozen cool whip tastes just like ice cream. and the miniature rice cakes prevent messy brown fingers from the soft chocolate wafer of a regular ice cream sandwich. instead, they offer a crunchy flair to an old-fashion favorite. if you have children, this is a great way to get them involved in the kitchen and the size is perfect for your mini me. remember, like always, alter the recipe as you like. if you’re a fan of peppermint, add some peppermint syrup and mini chocolate chips to the cool whip mixture. if you’re a fruit fanatic, add some mixed berries into the cool whip before freezing. if you’re one to switch up recipes for the season, I suggest the pumpkin filling alternative. and because one mini sandwich is around 25 calories each, you get to look forward to 4 ☺ happy cooking! … or should I say, indulging? i'd love to hear your comments!

baked brie

the holiday season is quickly rolling in. halloween will be here in 2 weeks, thanksgiving is near, and christmas will be here before you know it. what does this mean? a lot of parties with friends and family and a lot of food and drinking (hopefully, not a lot of weight gain). this brings me to the "blog season" of appetizers, finger food, seasonal dishes, and decadent drink recipes.



2 weeks ago, my boyfriend and i attended his grandmother's birthday party.  when we arrived at the party, there was a wide spread of fabulous appetizers, dips, and cheeses. everything was delicious, but one thing stood out that i have never seen before. baked brie. now, of course i love brie cheese; melt it on sandwiches or eat it on crackers. but brie baked with pie crust and jam? i had to try making this dish myself.


ingredients:
- 1 pillsbury pre-made pie crust
- 1 wheel of brie (i used light but we're all going to die someday... )
- jam (raspberry, cherry, blueberry, whatever you prefer)
- brown sugar
- 1 egg
- fresh apple slices
- crackers

jam and brown sugar not pictured in photo (kyle only had apples...)

directions:
lay pie crust flat on a greased cookie sheet. cut brie wheel in half, separating the bottom from the top. place bottom wheel of brie on top of pie crust. spoon 2-3 tablespoons of jam and a sprinkle of brown sugar on bottom wheel. place upper brie wheel on top to form a "brie sandwich." repeat jam and brown sugar on top, if you wish. wrap pie crust around cheese wheel, tearing off excess crust. brush beaten egg on crust. bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

serve with crackers and apples! remember... change the recipe up a bit! i'd like to try baked brie with my papa's homemade jalapeno pepper jelly and banana peppers for a spicier kick. YUM! happy cooking :)

i'm stuffed!

mexican food is probably my favorite thing in the entire world to eat. growing up in the south and spending 6 years in texas introduced me to the life of loving everything spicy, hot, firey, and nose-blowing good. frank's red hot or chipotle flavored tabasco is the way to go. i put it on EVERYTHING: eggs, pizza, tofu, vegetables, mac and cheese, italian lasagna (that's right), rice, hot dogs, chicken, potatoes... the list could continue for days. this leads us to mexican food.

how many of you have had homemade stuffed poblano peppers? i'm not talking about the sausage and rice stuffed pepps that usually promote italian pride. i'm talking about poblano, jalapeno, or anaheim peppers with beans, onions, sour cream, and cheese. YUM. these peppers have been my favorite side dish for a mexican meal ever since i was first introduced to this delicious recipe. or course, i put my own twists on the original recipe. 

ingredients: 
- poblano peppers (can also use anaheim or jalapeno peppers if you are feeling daring)
- black beans (healthier substitute for re-fried beans)
- sour cream
- red onion
- SEASONINGS: cumin, garlic, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, whatever you want!
- cheese (cheddar or pepper jack)

directions: 
- slice peppers sideways for maximum surface area (you can also cut the top off and stuff them like traditional peppers)
- bake for 10 minutes at 350 to soften peppers a bit.. or don't, your choice.
- mash beans and mix with onions, sour cream, little bit of cheese, and seasoning
- remove peppers from oven and stuff softened peppers with mixture and place cheese on top for melting
- bake for about 10-15 minutes at 350 or 375 or put them on the grill

homemade cottage cheese enchiladas (saving that for another blog post), rice, and the star of the show, stuffed poblano peppers

i encourage you to alter the recipe and make it your own.  there are no specific measurements. this is rachel ray and peri style cooking here; dash of this, a scoop of that. you can also incorporate additional ingredients, including: corn, black olives, lime/lemon juice, jalapenos, cilantro, even rice if you like your side dishes a bit more filling. and of course, for the final touch, top with hot sauce :) happy cooking!

wonton wrappers: my new favorite discovery

whenever my sister and i go home to georgia, we have a special tradition we ALWAYS look forward to.  mom and the puppies pick us up at the airport along with our favorite menu. after about 5 minutes of catching up in the car, we immediately call our chinese place to order dinner.  by the time we get to the restaurant, our food is ready for pickup and we eat at home while watching oprah, dr. phil, and lifetime movies :) our favorite part? spend $20 and you get FREE CRAB RANGOON.


this leads me to my new favorite thing to cook with, wonton wrappers!! this amazing $3.00 package containing 48 wrappers allows for endless opportunities in the kitchen.  produce a variety of appetizers, pastas, and even main dishes! seriously, you can stuff them with anything.  topic today? BAKED CRAB RANGOON. this recipe is so simple.

- wonton wrappers
- 4-6 oz cream cheese (i use light)
- 2-4 green onions (chives) chopped
- 6 oz canned or packaged imitation crab
- a dollop of mayo and a splash of olive oil
- salt and pepper

#1: mix ingredients
#2: stuff wontons and fold
#3: bake 20 min at 350 degrees in greased muffin tins
(makes about 15-20 wontons depending on how full you stuff them)

wow, that was way too easy...


if you are like everybody, you would love something to dip these rangoons in, right? pick up some red sweet and sour sauce at your local chinese restaurant, buy some at the grocery store, or make your own variation.  i used a dip i made up (soy sauce, honey, garlic, and sriracha chili sauce). it was pretty good! 


other crazy wontons wrapper possibilities off the top of my head:
- greek wontons: lamb, olives, feta cheese, red onion
- smoked salmon wontons: smoked salmon, cream cheese, cucumber
- chili wontons: homemade chili, sour cream, cheddar cheese
- steak wontons: steak, blue cheese, red onion
- chicago wontons: hot dog, pickles, mustard, onion, gardinerra, tomato, cheese
- blt wontons: bacon, spinach, tomato, blue cheese
- ravioli: ricotta/cottage cheese, basil, tomatoes, mushrooms
- brie wontons brie cheese, apple, jelly, cranberries
- artichoke wontons: artichokes, cream cheese, spinach, garlic
- ham & swiss wontons... you do the math
- pizza wontons: mozzarella cheese, marinara sauce, your fav meat or veggies
- thanksgiving wontons: turkey, cranberry, walnuts, cream cheese (dip in gravy of course)
- dessert wontons: peanut butter and a square of chocolate

the possibilities are endless... come up with your own and surprise your relatives during the holidays. i even though of a pumpkin one for the fall. seriously, so fun and easy. happy cooking!