Pumpkin Spice Bread

If you haven't noticed yet, I love pumpkin. I could eat pumpkin flavored anything. I also really loved baked goods. Pumpkin Spice Bread is one of my favorite Fall treats. This recipe is great because its lower in calories than a traditional spice loaf but the taste is still amazing. 

I was really craving Pumpkin Spice Bread yesterday afternoon so I started searching for a recipe that would satisfy my craving and not ruin my day with fat and calories. Thanks to Ruth at Living Well Spending Less I used her recipe. I made a few simple tweaks and I will be enjoying pumpkin bread for the rest of the week. 

Ingredients:

6 cups unbleached flour

1 tablespoon baking soda

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 teaspoons salt

5 tbsp pumpkin pie spice

5 eggs, beaten

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups banana, mashed

1 tablespoon vanilla

1/3 cup melted coconut oil

1 1/3 cups Unsweetened Silk Almond Milk 

2 cans pumpkin puree

1. Take all of the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice) and mix them in a very large bowl.

2. In a separate bowl mix the rest of the ingredients (eggs, sugar, mashed banana, vanilla, melted coconut oil, almond milk, and pumpkin). 

3. Once liquid ingredients are mixed pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until fully incorporated. 

4. Pour mixture into loaf pans. I used a pan that makes 4 mini loaves. I also sprinkled a little pinch of pumpkin pie spice over the tops of them before popping them in a 350 degree preheated oven. 

5. Baked for 45-60 minutes or until tooth pick inserted in the middle of a loaf comes out clean.

Enjoy a slice toasted with butter or just by itself. I like to mine with a little honey drizzled on it. 

What kind of breads do you make in the fall? I also like cranberry bread. 

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 slice  **Recipe makes 64 servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 88 Calories from Fat 15

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 1.7g 3%

Saturated Fat 1.1g 6%

Trans Fat 0.0g

Cholesterol 13mg 4%

Sodium 143mg 6%

Total Carbohydrates 16.6g 6%

Dietary Fiber 0.6g 2%

Sugars 6.9g

Protein 1.8g

Vitamin A 9% • Vitamin C 1% Calcium 3% • Iron 4%

Nutrition Grade C

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

It's finally Fall ya'll! You have no idea how happy I am about this! I could write an entire post about all the wonderful things about Fall but I will spare you and just simply say PUMPKIN! If you don't like pumpkin you're wrong. Pumpkin is delicious in everything. Including this delicious pumpkin pie oatmeal that I have been making all week for breakfast (and once for dinner). 

When it start getting chilly out oatmeal is the best breakfast. It sticks to your bones and warms you right up. And then when you add pumpkin it's like a home run. 

Ingredients:

1/3 Old Fashioned Oatmeal

1 Cup Unsweetened Almond Milk

1/3 Cup Canned Pumpkin Puree 

1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

2 Packets of Splenda (Or 1 Tbs Sweetener of choice, like Agave or Honey )

1 Tbs Chopped Pecans

2 Tbs Fat Free Cool Whip

1. Pour almond milk and oatmeal in a sauce pan on medium heat.

2. When it starts to bubble add the pumpkin and stir it up. Let it bubble for another minute.

3. Add the vanilla extract, Splenda, and pumpkin pie spice. Let it sit on low heat for 5-7 minutes stirring occasionally.

4. Take off the heat and allow it to rest for 2-3 minutes.

Top with Cool Whip and Pecans.
Enjoy!

I love to make this the night before and let it sit in the fridge to "marinate" over night.
Oh My Gosh!
Yum!

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size (Recipe makes 1 serving)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 267 Calories from Fat 88

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 9.8g 15%

Saturated Fat 1.1g 6%

Trans Fat 0.0g

Cholesterol 0mg 0%

Sodium 190mg 8%

Total Carbohydrates 36.3g 12%

Dietary Fiber 8.3g 33%

Sugars 5.6g

Protein 7.6g

Vitamin A 264% • Vitamin C 7% Calcium 51% • Iron 21%

Nutrition Grade B

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

What's your favorite pumpkin food?

Skinny Zucchini Parmesan

My grandmother is an amazing cook. She's Italian so it's completely natural for her to make amazing food. One of my absolute favorite things she makes is her zucchini parmesan. I'm not sure whether she would applaud me or ring my neck for making one of her classic recipes a lighter. (Especially since I used jarred sauce instead of homemade. Sorry Grammy!). Her zucchini parmesan is delicious, but it's fried. She frys up her zucchini slices in olive oil, which is so very good. But it's so very bad for me. I lightened her recipe up a bit. I also made lighter bread crumbs to coat the zucchini. It was the first time I tried to make this and came out delicious.

Ingredients:

1 Large Zucchini (I used 1 very large one from a neighbors garden, I would probably use 2 is your are using the store bought kind)

4 Slices Sara Lee 45 Calorie Wheat Bread

4 Tbsp Newman's Own Light Italian Dressing

1 Jar Healthy Pasta Sauce (I used Prego Heart Smart)

2 tsp Parmesan Cheese

1/4 Cup Reduced Fat Shredded Mozzarella Cheese 

I started with the breadcrumbs. I laid out the four slices of sandwich bread on a baking sheet and brushed each one with Italian dressing. I popped them in the oven at 350 until they were browned then I flipped them over, brushed the other side with dressing and popped them back in the oven.

Both sides should look like this. Then I crumbled them a bit with my hands and threw them in the blender.

I pulsed it in the blender until it was a crumb consistency. Transfer the crumbs to a bowl and stir in the parmesan cheese.

While the bread was toasting I started to slice up the zucchini. I made them decently large slices.

Time for the conveyor belt method. Beat the egg in one bowl and put it next to the breadcrumbs. Dip each slice of zucchini in the egg, shake off any excess, then dip in the breadcrumbs. 

Place the breaded zucchini slices in a hot pan sprayed with PAM Olive Oil. After about 2-3 minutes flip them, very carefully. 

Once both sides have browned and the zucchini is tender. Take them out of the pan and place them on a paper towel to collect any excess oil. 

Now it's time to assemble...

I covered the bottom of a casserole dish with about 1/2 cup of the sauce. Then I placed some of the zucchini slices over it. ( I ran out of breadcrumbs for the last 2 slices of zucchini so I just fried them up with salt and pepper and stuck them on the bottom. No one will ever know the difference.)

Continue to layer sauce and zucchini slices about 3 times or until zucchini is gone, depending on the size of your casserole dish. Then sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over the top. 

Cover and place in a 400 degree preheated oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes, remove lid and bake for an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. 

I may have been too excited to eat this that I completely forgot to take a picture of it on my plate. I enjoyed it with a salad and it was a wonderful dinner. 

What is your absolute favorite thing your grandmother makes?

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1/2 cup (1/6 of recipe)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 185 Calories from Fat 71

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 7.9g 12%

Saturated Fat 1.7g 9%

Trans Fat 0.0g

Cholesterol 30mg 10%

Sodium 650mg 27%

Total Carbohydrates 23.6g 8%

Dietary Fiber 5.9g 24%

Sugars 13.9g

Protein 7.8g

Vitamin A 16% • Vitamin C 35% Calcium 10% • Iron 9%

Nutrition Grade B+

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Turkey Sloppy Joes

Lately, I've been craving comfort food. But comfort food isn't typically diet friendly. I wanted to make lower calorie sloppy joes and add in a bit more veggies than I normally would (normally, I don't add any veggies at all so this is an improvement). I think this sloppy joe recipe rocks. Totally delicious and really quick and easy. 

Ingredients:
2 lbs Lean Ground Turkey
1/2 Red Onion
1 large red bell pepper
3 Celery Stalks
1 Garlic clove
1 cup Ketchup
3 Tbsp Tomato Paste
1 Tbsp Light Brown Sugar
2 Tbsp Worcestershire
1 tsp Chili powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp Tabasco (Optional)
1 tsp sriracha (Optional)
Hamburger Buns

Chop up the red bell pepper, celery, and onion as finely as possible.

Spray the pan with Olive Oil spray and set to medium heat.

Throw those veggies in the hot pan.

Wait until they are a bit soft and tender then add in minced garlic and sprinkle salt and pepper.

Let the veggies cook for another 2-5 minutes then remove from the pan and set aside.

I have never been that crazy about ground beef. In fact, when I was little I wouldn't eat anything with ground beef, not even a hamburger. My taste buds have changed,of course, but I still prefer ground turkey over ground beef when I can. This Jennie-O ground turkey is my favorite! 

Cook up the ground turkey until you no longer see any red/pink. Use a spoon or spatula to go through and break up any of the larger pieces. 

Add in the rest of the ingredients, including the veggies we set aside earlier.

Stir it up until everything is fully coated in sauce.

I put half a cup of the sloppy joe mix in a toasted bun. I used regular hamburger buns because the whole wheat buns were an additional 100 calories. Of course whole wheat is a lot healthier but right now I'm focusing primarily on calorie count. 

    Makes 8 Servings

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 sandwich with 1/2 cup of sloppy joe mixture

Amount Per Serving

Calories 328 Calories from Fat 88

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 9.8g 15%

Saturated Fat 2.5g 13%

Trans Fat 0.0g

Cholesterol 80mg 27%

Sodium 668mg 28%

Total Carbohydrates 34.2g 11%

Dietary Fiber 2.7g 11%

Sugars 13.7g

Protein 26.4g

Vitamin A 26% • Vitamin C 55% Calcium 7% • Iron 21%

Nutrition Grade B-

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

What is your favorite comfort food?

Amazing Flax Pancakes

I finally did it!! I mentioned in a previous post, Saving Money with Homemade Freezer Food, that I'm a pancake addict. I love pancakes and will make them almost every Saturday. I was stuck making basic Heart Smart Bisquick pancakes but I really wanted something made from scratch that would taste delicious as well as being really healthy. Well... I figured out how to make homemade, delicious, low calorie pancakes! I am so freaking excited to share this with you.

I have been playing with different ways to make healthy low cal pancakes for a while now. A lot of them tasted pretty gross of absolutely nothing like actual pancakes. These taste like pancakes, just like they should.

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp Ground Flax Seed 

1 egg

1 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Splenda (or 2 packets)

1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

Pinch of Salt

Mix all of the ingredients but the egg together in a bowl.

Add the egg and stir until everything is well mixed.

Place heaping spoonfuls of the mixture into a heated skillet sprayed with canola oil. When you start to see bubbles it's time to flip them over.

I don't know anything about Paleo or Gluten Free diets but I think they may pass for both. I'm not really sure. If you know please comment. 

If you want the most amazing pancakes you can cook them up in coconut oil instead of the canola oil. It will add 120 calories but every now and then it's worth it because it's like eating sweet, fluffy clouds straight from heaven.

I can happily say that I can now have yummy pancakes as much as I want. 

These also freeze well.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size - Recipe makes one serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 139 Calories from Fat 80

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 8.9g 14%

Saturated Fat 1.9g 9%

Cholesterol 164mg 55%

Sodium 648mg 27%

Total Carbohydrates 8.0g 3%

Dietary Fiber 4.1g 16%

Sugars 1.6g

Protein 8.5g

Vitamin A 4% • Vitamin C 0% Calcium 26% • Iron 11%

Nutrition Grade C

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet