Heart-Healthy Cupcakes

For most, February is all about Valentine's day. It's a day to express your love not just to your significant other, but all your loved ones. Chocolate, roses, teddy bears, cards, fancy dinners, jewelry and hearts, hearts, hearts!

But February is also American Heart Month. This month (not surprisingly!) is dedicated to raising funds as well as awareness for heart disease and stroke. I never really paid much attention to Heart Month in previous years. Unfortunately, this year, it has hit much closer to home. A dear family friend, Sue Smith, passed away February 2nd, due to a combination of an enlarge heart and diabetes. Sue was a lovely woman who worked at our church, Alpine, for years. She was always at the front door of the church to greet new-comers with her warming smile, and always eager to make anyone and everyone feel at home. Sue's death came as a complete shock to all of her loved ones and friends, she was only in her 50's, and seemed in good health. Sue always read my blog and supported and encouraged me with my cooking and baking over the past years.

To pay homage to Valentine's Day and American Heart Month, I made healthier cupcakes. I used low-fat ricotta cheese instead of fatty butter for the cupcakes, which are only 95 calories each and contain less than 1 gram of fat. The glaze is made with fat free cream cheese, to avoid unnecessary fat and calories. The cake is sort of like red velvet. Actually, it started as vanilla bean cupcakes, one of my very first posts, then I added red food coloring and a hint of cocoa. This recipe for heart- healthy cupcakes is in memory of Sue, I think she would've loved these!

Heart-Healthy Cupcakes

Makes about 16

1/2 cup minus 1 1/2 teaspoon low-fat milk (2%, 1%, skim)
1 vanilla bean
1/2 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
1 egg
2 egg whites
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 cup minus 1 tablespoon flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
Pinch salt
1 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon red color

Glaze
4 oz fat-free cream cheese
3 drops red food coloring
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
powdered sugar (about 2 cups)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fill cupcake tins with cupcake liners or use silcone cupcake molds. Lightly spray with cooking spray.

Slice open the vanilla bean and scrape out the seeds. Place the seeds and bean into the milk, set aside. Using an electric mixer, cream together ricotta cheese and sugar. Add egg and egg whites, beating after each. In a separate bowl, combine flours, baking powder, cocoa and pinch of salt. Slowly add to the ricotta mixture until completely combined. Remove the vanilla bean from the milk, squeeze out any moisture and discard. Add vanilla extract and food coloring to milk. Add milk to batter and mix until combined. Scoop batter into cupcake liners, bake for 20-25 minutes, until the tops have a rounded top, and a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from tins and cool.

To prepare the glaze: Use a whisk to cream cream cheese with the food coloring and vanilla extract. Mix in enough powdered sugar to make a glaze. Simply dip the tops of the cupcakes into the glaze, or drizzle over for a more dramatic look. Enjoy!

Cupcake

The Healthiest, Fudgy, Chocolatey and Chewy Brownies You'll Ever Eat!

I'm kind of a dork...

I've never been a fan of going out on weekends. For as long as I can remember, I've enjoyed spending my Saturdays watching cooking shows on PBS. I curl up on the couch with a hot cup of tea and watch my favorite chefs prepare delicious food. By the time the evening programming starts, I have been inspired to create a new recipe, head to the kitchen and get to cookin'. That's how this recipe came about.

This past weekend, I watched an episode of America's Test Kitchen. They conducted a taste test between homemade and box-mix brownies. Over 50% of the taste testers chose the brownies made from the mix, usually because they preferred the chewy texture. The show then tested recipe after recipe to find the perfect combinations and technique to make better-than-boxed brownies from scratch.

Unfortunately, the recipe for these particular brownies are nearly 250 calories a piece. For some, calories don't matter. But for me, 250 calories is an entire meal. There is no reason to sacrifice delicious food for a skinny waist, and that's why I set out to revamp the ATK recipes to be flavorful and chewy, but bold in flavor. They don't taste healthy, but they're 100 calories less per brownie than the original recipe. Like I've said before, anything can be made more nutritious with a few substitutions and a little know-how.

By replacing butter with low-fat Ricotta cheese and the majority of oil with applesauce, we maintain the moistness of the original recipe, but remove tons of unneeded fat and calories. I also made a few changes just to make these brownies that much more delicious, like using coffee instead of water. They don't taste like coffee, but the chocolate flavor is so much more pronounced. But, don't take my word for it. You'll have to try them yourself! Enjoy!

The Healthiest Fudgy, Chocolatey and Chewy Brownies You'll Ever Eat

Makes 24 2-inch Brownies
Adapted from Chewy Brownies

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons boiling coffee
2 oz unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
5 tablespoons low fat ricotta
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
3 egg whites
2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 3/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350, line a 9x13 baking pan with nonstick foil. Move oven rack to lowest position.

In a large bowl, whisk cocoa and boiling coffee until smooth. Add unsweetened chocolate and whisk until the chocolate is melted. Whisk in Ricotta cheese, applesauce and canola oil.

In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, egg whites and vanilla until frothy, about 2 minutes. Add egg mixture to chocolate mixture, whisking until smooth, about 1 minute. Whisk in granulated and brown sugar until fully incorporated. Stir in flour and salt with a rubber spatula until combined.

Pour batter into prepared baking pan and bake until a toothpick inserted half way between the center and edge comes out with just a few moist crumbs, about 28-33 minutes. Cool in pan, and cut into 2 inch pieces. Top with powdered sugar. Enjoy!

Click below to enlarge nutrition facts

Healthy Cornbread

There's a joke around here that if you want a big butt, you just have to eat cornbread. It came about because it's a staple comfort food here in the Midwest, and we all know mid-westerners are not known for our beach bodies. But it's popular for good reason. Nothing goes better with a bowl of chili than a steaming slice of fresh cornbread, honey shimmering as it slides it's way down the sides, and butter melting and soaking into every golden crumb. I can taste it now!

Luckily, with this recipe, we health freaks can have our cornbread, and eat it too! The recipe that my family has used for years is from the 'Colorado Cache Cookbook,' and although it's delicious, it definitely won't help shrink your waistline. I replaced the butter with real corn, used whole wheat flour instead of white, cut the sugar by 1/4 cup and used egg whites in place of one egg yolk. And the best part? 1 piece is only 130 calories! But, you're going to have to try for yourself!


Healthy Cornbread
16 servings

1 cup pureed corn kernels + 1/4 cup whole kernels
1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice
1 cup minus 1 tablespoon skim milk
1 3/4 cup cornmeal
3/4 c whole wheat flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
2 egg whites
1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon unsweetened applesauce
1 tablespoon light sour cream
2 tablespoons honey


Pour vinegar into measuring cup, add milk and set aside. In a large mixing bowl combine cornmeal, flour, sugar and salt. Make a well in the center and pour in egg, egg white, pureed corn, apple sauce, sour cream and honey. Add baking soda to milk, stir and add the mixture to the bowl. Mix well. Stir in 1/4 cup corn kernels. Pour into greased 8x9 baking pan. Bake at 375 degrees, about 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm.

Click below to enlarge nutrition facts



Corn Bread

Greek Style Butternut Squash and Lamb

Yesterday I was in the mood for something new, so when I saw the lamb loins in the fridge, Greek was a no brainer. I ran to the store and bought everything I would need for lunch, and set to work. This recipe is really tasty, and of course really healthy. The squash offers 'good' carbs, and the lamb is packed with protein. I loved using the fresh herbs and citrus throughout the whole dish. It made everything taste light and fresh! Keep in mind: 8 ounces of butternut squash is 90 calories, 2 ounces of lamb (without the bone) is 114 calories, and 1 ounce of fat-free feta cheese is only 35 calories. A whole tub of fat free Greek yogurt is only 80 calories, and I used 1 tablespoon at the most! This whole recipe is about 239 calories, without the mint sauce. I really liked this recipe and hope you will too. Happy cooking, and enjoy!

Greek Style Butternut Squash and Lamb With a Mint-Greek Yogurt Sauce

Makes 2 servings

2 medium lamb chops or loins (about 3 ounces each)

1 medium sized butternut squash (about 1 pound)

2 oz Fat free crumbled feta cheese

Marinade:

1 large garlic clove, minced

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon minced fresh basil (about 1 large leaf)

1 teaspoon olive oil

sea salt

Squash Seasonings:

1 teaspoon paprika

2 teaspoons fresh orange zest

2 teaspoons minced fresh basil (about 2 large leaves)

1 garlic clove, minced

olive oil

black pepper

salt

Greek Yogurt Mint Sauce:

2/3 cup fat-free Greek yogurt (1 store bought single serving)

1/4 teaspoon olive oil

1 tablespoon minced fresh mint

1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon fresh orange zest

1 tablespoon fresh orange juice

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon honey

pinch pepper

Preheat oven to 350 F

1. For the marinade, combine garlic, lemon juice, basil, olive oil and a pinch sea salt in a zip-top bag.

2. Place lamb loins or chops into the bag, shake to coat each with the marinade, and refrigerate until needed.

3. Peel and de-seed the butternut squash and then chop into cubes about 1 to 1 1/2 inches

4. In a large bowl toss the squash with the paprika, orange zest, basil, garlic and black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.

5. Arrange squash onto a foil-lined cookie sheet, and bake for 30-45 minutes, or until tender. 6. To make the Mint sauce, simply combine the Greek yogurt, olive oil, mint, lemon and orange zest, lemon and orange juice, honey and pinch pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

7. 10 minutes before the squash is done, heat a large skillet with a light coating of olive oil.

8. Cook both sides of each piece of lamb until lightly browned, and the center is light pink, about 3-4 minutes each side.

9. Evenly distribute the squash between two plates, and sprinkle an ounce of feta cheese over each.

10. Place lamb over squash, and serve with the mint sauce on the side. Enjoy!

Apple Cinnamon Buckwheat Pancakes

My favorite breakfast food is pancakes. Before I started being health conscious, I would eat pancakes night and day. Walker Brothers in Lake Zurich was my go to spot: Their chocolate chip pancakes are to die for, and the bacon pancakes satisfied my salty and sweet cravings all in one. I remember a particular time I was at the ER for my back, and all I wanted was pancakes. I was released around 9PM and my mom drove me straight to Walker Brothers so I could have my pancakes before they closed. I had a plate of bacon AND a plate of chocolate chip pancakes. Those pancakes made me feel better than any medicine I've ever been given at the hospital!

This morning, my pancake craving came back- and with a vengeance! However, I didn't want to ruin my healthy eating streak, so I set out to make a healthy pancake recipe. I flipped through my mom's big, red Better Homes and Garden cookbook, looking for a semi-healthy recipe I could use. All of the recipes contained outrageous amounts of fat, sugar, and carbs! Finally, I decided on the basic pancake recipe, and completely revamped it. Instead of white flour, I used buckwheat. I cut the oil in half, and substituted the rest with apple sauce. I added a bit of ground flax seed for some extra fiber, and a bit of apple for some crunch!

I was ecstatic as to how well the pancakes turned out! I was expecting an aftertaste from the buckwheat flour, but instead I was pleasantly surprised with a subtle nutty flavor! There was just enough cinnamon and it married wonderfully with the apples. Unlike fluffy 'white' pancakes, these hotcakes are a bit dense, only because they're jam-packed with nutritious ingredients. But they taste so great, you would never know that their healthy!

Since my first three recipes can make you gain 10 pounds by just looking at them, I feel it necessary to share a heart-attack free recipe. These pancakes are a mere 76 calories EACH, with two grams of protein and only 13 grams of carbs! These pancakes make for a heart, guilt-free breakfast, that will fill you up until lunch! Some of the measurements are a bit hard to measure, as they were cut in half from the original Better Homes and Garden recipe. The half tablespoons and half beaten egg can easily be eyeballed, though. Enjoy!


Apple Cinnamon Buckwheat Pancakes
Makes 6 pancakes

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons Buckwheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground flax
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 beaten egg
1/2 cup milk (I used skim)
1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 tablespoon apple sauce ( I used all natural, sugar-free)
1/2 apple, grated

In a mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk egg, milk, oil, and apple sauce until combined. Stir in the grated apple. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and whisk until just combined. Heat a griddle over medium-low heat, and lightly grease with shortening or vegetable oil. Using a 1/4 measuring cup, drop the batter on to the griddle, leaving 1-2 inches between each pancake. Cook each side for 2-3 minutes, until lightly browned. The pancakes are ready to flip when the edges have slightly pulled away from the pan, and the batter on top starts to release bubbles. While cooking the pancakes, place cooked pancakes on a plate and cover. This keeps them warm, and softens the crispy sides. Enjoy!