by JoAnna M. Lund
Hi! Thanks for joining me in my kitchen again, where the cooking is easy and
the food is both healthy and tasty! Do I ever have a ton of new cooking tips
for you! Enjoy!
Healthy Sausage
Maple sausage patties are very popular this time of the year. But, they’re
also filled with excess fats and sugars. Not if you prepare them my way! Combine
one pound extra-lean ground sirloin beef or turkey breast with 1 teaspoon poultry
seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon ground sage, and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder. Blend in
2 tablespoons sugar-free maple syrup. Use a 1/3 cup measuring cup as a guide
to form six patties. Place in a skillet sprayed with butter-flavored cooking
spray, and brown for four to five minutes on each side. These are almost guaranteed
to put a smile on the face of just about anyone who tries them!
Sugar-Free Chocolate Glaze
To make a delicious (and low-calorie) chocolate glaze for brownies, bars, or
a cake prepared in an 8-by-8-inch or 9-by-9-inch pan, all you have to do is
melt 4 teaspoons reduced calorie margarine and 1 square (1-ounce) of unsweetened
chocolate in a medium-sized saucepan that has been sprayed with butter-flavored
cooking spray, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in 2 tablespoons
fat-free sour cream and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Add 1-1/4 cups granular
Splenda. Mix well to combine. Drizzle warm mixture evenly over top
of brownies, bars, or cake.
Crushing Tip
Crushing graham crackers for a cookie recipe? Place them in a self-sealed sandwich
bag and “crush” away. It works great for releasing tension and for
finely crushed crumbs!
Masher Madness
Get that potato masher out of the “junk drawer” and put it to work
for much more than mashing potatoes! Use it to mix orange juice when you are
using frozen concentrate. When cooking extra-lean sirloin beef or turkey, use
it to separate the meat. Spray the bottom with butter-flavored cooking spray,
and then use it to flatten peanut butter cookies. When making meatloaf, use
it to do the mixing; it blends everything beautifully and keeps your hands clean!
Refreshing Yogurt Coolers
A quick way to make your own “yogurt coolers” is to take a 36-ounce
container of fat-free plain yogurt and combine with a (four-serving) package
of dry sugar-free lemon gelatin and a (20-ounce) can of well-drained crushed
pineapple, packed in fruit juice. Mix well and store in the fridge. A 3/4 cup
serving of this luscious treat counts only as one fat-free milk and one fruit.
It looks as good as it tastes. No one will ever believe they’re eating
something healthy—unless you tell them!
Now for our Recipe Makeovers
MB of IA sent me a copy of her husband’s favorite dessert. She wanted to prepare a healthier version now that he has diabetes. This is a depression-era recipe, thus the name—but trust me—my version is definitely a “keeper”!
RAISIN DEPRESSION CAKE
Ingredients:
1 cup raisins
2 cups water
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter
Light Margarine
1 cup granular Splenda
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons apple pie spice
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-by-9-inch cake pan with butter-flavored
cooking spray. In a small saucepan, combine raisins and water. Cook over medium
heat until raisins are tender. Remove from heat, drain, and reserve 1 cup water.
Allow to cool. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine margarine and Splenda.
Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and apple pie spice. Mix well to
combine. Stir in raisins and reserved water. Evenly spread batter into prepared
cake pan. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes. Place pan on a wire rack and allow to cool.
Cut into 8 servings. Freezes well.
Serves eight - Each serving equals: 178 calories, 2g fat, 4g protein, 36g carbo,
290mg sodium, 2g fiber
Diabetic Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 fruit, 1/2 fat
MM of OH requested I “lighten up” her favorite quick & easy main-dish recipe. With the broccoli stirred in, my version quickly became a favorite of mine, too!
CHEESY MACARONI DIVAN
Ingredients:
1 (12-fluid-ounce) can Carnation Evaporated Fat Free Milk
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon Grey Poupon Country Style Dijon Mustard
1-1/2 cups shredded Kraft reduced-fat cheddar cheese
1-1/2 cups frozen cut broccoli, thawed
2 cups diced cooked chicken breast
2-1/2 cups cooked elbow macaroni, rinsed and drained
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions:
In a covered jar, combine evaporated milk and flour. Shake well to blend. In
a medium-large saucepan sprayed with butter-flavored cooking spray, combine
milk mixture, mustard, and Cheddar cheese. Cook over medium heat until mixture
thickens and cheese melts, stirring constantly. Add broccoli. Mix well to combine.
Stir in chicken, macaroni and black pepper. Lower heat and simmer for six to
eight minutes, stirring often.
Serves 6 (1 cup) - Each serving equals: 295 calories, 7g fat, 30g protein,
28g carbo, 390mg sodium, 2g fiber
Diabetic Exchanges: 2-1/2 meat, 1 starch, 1/2 fat-free milk, 1/2 vegetable
I hope you enjoyed our time together in the kitchen. Remember, if you’d like me to revise one of your family favorites so it’s healthier, send your request to: JoAnna Lund, Healthy Exchanges, PO Box 80, DeWitt, IA 52742. Also, be sure to visit my Web site at www.healthyexchanges.com for more “common folk” healthy recipes to try. Until next time ... JoAnna