{Food Fix} Low Fat Pumpkin Muffins

So if you've been around the weight loss blog block a few times, then I'm sure you've heard of this recipe before.  I think, I might even blogged about it myself before.

But, since it is fall and pumpkin flavors are everywhere, I was inspired to whip up a batch (or 2).



The original recipe calls for just the cake mix and the pumpkin but I like to add a few extras to mine.

Ingredients:
1 Spice cake mix
1 15oz can of pure Pumpkin
1/4 cup of wheat germ
1/4 cup of raisins
(in place of raisins, I've also used chopped nuts, and dried apple pieces)



Everybody in the bowl,

and mix.

Distribute evenly into a sprayed muffin tin.

Bake at 350 for 15-18 mins.
The color doesn't change much, so check with the "clean toothpick" method.

And Enjoy!
 

Yummy, Pumpkin-y deliciousness!

 

 

Side note: They freeze really well.  I wrap each in a little saran wrap and freeze.  Let thaw at room temp or pop in the microwave for about 20 seconds, for a warm treat.  Great with coffee in the A.M. or with tea before bedtime.

 

For even more Pumpkin-y Goodness, try Betty Crocker's Pumpkin Bar mix instead of the spice cake.

Also very good!

 

{Food Fix} Crock Pot Pork Fajitas

Lovin my Crock Pot lately.

The other day I made Pork Fajitas.

And you know me, my recipes are less like recipes and more like "a little bit of this, a little bit of that, hmm, a little more of this"

So this is how it went.

4 - 1/2 inch, bone-in Pork Chops
1/2 of an onion, chopped
1/2 of a fajita seasoning packet
 & some water
All in the Pot.
Set on High.
For about 5 hours.

In a lightly oiled sauce pan,
I sauteed,

1 green bell pepper,
a handful of sliced mushrooms and
the other 1/2 of the onion.

(It's best to sautee the veg instead of adding them to the pot so they dont become mush)

I also heated up some fat free refried beans in a separate pan.
(Adds ff volume, flavor and fiber... mmm fiber.)

Layered like so,
tortilla,
beans,
pork,
veggies,
rf sour cream.




Roll it up and take a bite!

So easy, so good!

And we even had leftovers for the next day.

 

{Food Fix} Sticky Buns - Take 1

I usually keep a roll of refrigerated flaky buns on hand to add to weekend breakfasts' for the kiddos or to have with din din.
But the other day I decided to try something new with them.

Sticky Buns.

So, I placed them in a zig zag pattern in a glass loaf pan that I sprinkled with a bit of brown sugar and cinnamon.



Then sprinkled more sugar, cinnamon and chopped walnuts on top.  Along with a couple very small pieces of butter. Oh, and I also drizzled some syrup on top too.

I then baked them at 350 for about 25 mins.

Sounds fool proof right?
 

Well, they didn't come out exactly how I had pictured in my head.  I was expecting them to be ooey and gooey, sweet and delish.
Instead they were only a little ooey and gooey with some sweet and some delish.

I think where I went wrong was not layering the biscuits with the sugar mixture in between them.
Had I done it that way, the "ooey gooey" I was looking for would have gone all through the biscuits making them more moist and sugary.  It probably also would've helped them cook faster preventing the dry edges that I got.

I am definitely going to try this again, in a few weeks.  Would like to have it perfect for Christmas morning.

 

{Food Fix} Pistachio Cake Recipe

For our family picnic a couple of weekends ago, my mom made a pistachio cake.  A co-worker made it for a work event and shared the recipe with her.

I have never heard of pistachio cake, and at first it sounded a bit strange.
But, I guess it's not so far fetched when you consider how delish pistachio gelato is.

Anywho, it was actually very good and super moist, just the way I like my cakes.

And even though it sounds so exotic, it's actually very simple to make.


 

{Food Fix} Curry Chicken Salad Recipe

For a quick lunch the other day, I made a Curry Chicken Salad.

I've had it before, but never made it myself.  So I took a quick look at some recipes online, gathered the ingredients I already had in the kitchen and whipped up my own little batch.




1 6oz can of white chicken
1/2 cup of red grapes, sliced in halves
1/4 cup of chopped green onion
1 /4 cup of chopped celery
2 tbsp light mayo
1tbsp curry powder
S&P to taste

Mix well.

Of course, this recipe can be customized anyway you like.
You can also use baked chicken pieces instead of the canned chicken (that's just what I had on hand).
I've also seen recipes with chopped apple or raisins added.

I ate mine wrapped in lettuce, but it's also great as a sammy, on crackers or even on cucumber slices.

Happy Eating.

{Food Fix} Delish Oat Bites

Homemade Oat Bars Bites.



I have been making these granola bars for a few years now, and may even posted about them before. 
They are a hit in my house.  A batch of them doesn't normally last very long around here.

Ingredients

2 cups quick cook rolled oats
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup flax seed
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup agave nectar
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract





Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Generously grease a muffin pan (or 2)


In a large bowl, mix together the oats, brown sugar, flax seed, walnuts, wheat germ, cinnamon, flour, raisins, choc. chips and salt.


In a separate bowl, mix the oil, honey, agave nectar, egg, and vanilla.

Fill each cup of the muffin pan about 1/4 of the way up.
(You don't want to add too much to each cup.  You want them to be little rounds when they are finished, almost like a cookie)

Bake for approx. 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until they begin to turn golden at the edges. Cool before taking them out the pan.

  

These are so delicious and can be customized any way you like.

I've added dried coconut, craisins, dried apricot, different types of nuts.  They options are endless.

 

 

Enjoy!

{Food Fix} TJ's Harvest Grain Mix

A couple of weeks ago, I spotted this delicious looking grain salad over on Danica's Daily.
It looked so good, I had to try it for myself.

The package of mixed grains is from Trader Joe's, so I went and bought me some and whipped up the salad.

I followed Danica's recipe with a few exceptions.

I cooked the grains according to the package directions.
And once it was done cooking, I added,

1/2 jar chopped marinated artichokes
1/2 jar chopped sun dried tomatoes, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup of toasted almond slivers
A dash of S&P







Easy to make and easier to eat.

Delish hot or cold and was perfect to have in the fridge for a quick side dish with my lunches.

{Food Fix} Lite and Easy Quesadilla's

I had been craving a chicken quesadilla for a few days, so when The Hubs came home with a store bought rotisserie chicken, I knew one was in my near future.

I saved some of the chicken so I could make a yummy quesadilla in no time.

~~~

First I sauteed some onions, and peppers with EVOO and S&P

(of course you could use whatever veggies you like)

 Then I added the chicken, which I had cut into bite size pieces.

 

In a second pan, (sprayed with non-stick spray), I assembled my quesadilla.

In a whole wheat tortilla, I sprinkled a touch of shredded mexi-cheese, layered the chicken-veg mix and another sprinkle of cheese.

Folded it over and browned on both sides making sure to melt the cheese.

Yum!!

I paired with a baked sweet potatoe.

So good.  And satisfied my craving.

Couldn't ask for more...

well maybe a mango margarita.

Next time.

{Food Fix} My Oatmeal

I had a couple readers ask about how I make my oatmeal.  So I decided to do a full post on it.

I always make it the same way, but sometimes mix it up with different toppings and mix-ins.

So my base, goes like this.

I don't measure anything, just eyeball it.

These four ingredients are always in my oatmeal.

Nothing fancy, just your basic oatmeal, raisins, vanilla extract and cinnamon.

 Of course, I start with boiling water then add the oatmeal on med. high heat.

Not too much or too little.

Just enough to mix into the water without allowing it to get too thick.

Followed by the raisins. I like lots of raisins.

At this point I usually turn the heat off.

Then I add the vanilla and cinnamon

 Once the water is cooked down and absorbed into the oats, it's done.

 I sweeten my oatmeal with either agave nectar or honey and I always top it with a splash of milk.

Yum, Yum, Yum!!

Some of my other favorite mix-ins are:

chocolate chips (when I'm being naughty)

walnuts or pecans

craisins

dried apricots

pb and jelly



Quick Blackberry Muffins

I love my MIL's backyard. In addition to her pear and apple trees (that I've previously posted about) she also has a huge garden box, blueberry bushes and a blackberry bush.
The blackberries were black and juicy, so Jaelyn and I got out there with a bag and got to pickin. We ate most of them fresh, but with the rest I made a quick batch of muffins.

By quick, I mean really quick. I used a box of Krusteaz blueberry muffin mix and just swapped the blueberries for the blackberries.

Baked according to the package.

Blackberry muffin perfection! They were delish.

Mocha Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

Over ripe bananas = banana bread


But this time I remixed the recipe and ended up with these.

Mocha Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

Ingredients
1 cup margarine
1 1/4 cups white sugar
1 egg
3 ripe bananas
3 tablespoon instant coffee granules, dissolved in
1(ish) tablespoon water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

I also added some flax seeds and wheat germ

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Blend butter or margarine, sugar, egg, banana, dissolved coffee, and vanilla in food processor for 2 minutes. Add flour, salt, baking powder, and soda, and blend just until flour disappears. Add chocolate chips and mix in with wooden spoon. Spoon mixture into 15 to 18 paper-lined muffin cups.
Bake for 25 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

So good. I actually liked them better the next day.