The Great Pumpkin Has Gone Missing!

While millions of Americans feasted on pumpkin pie this week, few worried whether there would still be plenty of that delicious orange vegetable after the Thanksgiving holiday.

It's official. In earlier months rumors of pumpkin shortages have circulated and many, including myself, laughed at the fear of those who stockpiled the canned pumpkin goodness.

Well the soothsayers were right. According to Libby's, the nation's largest producer of pumpkin, there is indeed a shortage:

"Due to poor weather conditions, the pumpkin harvest is smaller than we expected so it may be hard to find LIBBY'S Pumpkin this holiday season. The heavy rains throughout the harvest have made it nearly impossible to pick our pumpkins. That's because tractors and other equipment are not able to move through the saturated fields.

At LIBBY'S, we're proud of our quality and we know that you trust us to deliver the best. The longer the pumpkins sit in these muddy fields, the more likely it is the quality of the pumpkin has declined. So we've made the difficult decision that we will not pack any more pumpkin this year which means that through the holiday season and until next fall's harvest, LIBBY'S pumpkin will be hard to find."

The San Jose Mercury News reported that: "Some chains have been pushing fresh pumpkins as alternatives. But Patti Milligan, spokeswoman for Los Angeles' Sprouts Farmers Market, said the season for pie pumpkins 'is pretty much over, and only a few of our stores still have them.' "

Although there is a shortage, many stores still have pumpkin on the shelves and you will want to grab a couple cans while you have a chance. I have a couple of delicious pumpkin recipes coming this week that just can't wait for next season's crop!

However, once those pumpkins are gone for the season (and shouldn't we take pride in eating seasonally?), there are lovely squash alternatives! The Chicago Sun-Times published a great article on squash alternatives to the famed pumpkin. And Uncovering Food has a number of squash recipes that will help you forget your canned orange friend until 2010.

Baked Red Kuri Squash

Spicy Sweet Butternut Squash Fries

Winter Squash Soup

Red Pork and Winter Squash

Golden Nugget Squash with POM Reduction and Roasted Pinenuts

Toasted Squash Seeds

Simple Fennel Salad

Fennel was a vegetable I was alway afraid of. I mean, look at it! It has this big white bulb on the bottom and these light and fluffy tufts of green on top. How would one prepare such a unique vegetable?

As someone who loves black licorice, I was excited to try this vegetable because I heard it was also known as "Sweet Anise." But as I learned from Howard Yoon at NPR, "Anise is a pungent pint-sized herb, while 'sweet anise' — or fennel — is a hearty vegetable with a thick, bulbous base and celery-like stems that grow upward to 5 feet tall. It has a sweeter, more delicate flavor than anise."

However, if you love that thick Anise flavor, save the fronds/ferns that grow at the top of the plant. Yoon explains, "Though all parts of the Florence fennel are edible, the stalks tend to be fibrous, like celery, while the fronds can have an anise intensity that might turn off some people. The thick white leaves of the base offer the most versatile use. When cooked, the leaves become supple, the same way onions lose their firmness, and retain only a faint hint of anise."

I began first with roasting as this is how I try a number of vegetables for the first time because of the ease of preparation and the carmelization of the sugars in the vegetable. However, I had another teacher share with me her love of raw fennel and I had to try it. Now every chance I have to score some fennel, I make this salad.


Simple Fennel Salad.

1 Fennel bulb with ferns still attached
Unfiltered olive oil (or your favorite olive oil)
Fresh ground black pepper

Wash the bulb thouroughly and remove the stalks with the ferns. Set aside for use later. Slice the bulb into rings and place on your plate. Drizzle oil and sprinkle black pepper to taste. Add fern tufts for color and added flavor profile. This last part is optional depending on how much you love Anise. Yum!

One cup of sliced fennel has only 27 calories, 2.7 grams of fiber and 1 gram of protein.

Soup for the Win

What? Soup? But summer isn't over yet!

I have been crafting simple soups all summer of both the hot and cold varieties. These fabulous bowls of liquid and veggies help fill you up as a perfect low calorie option before meals. Studies have found that we take in less calories while still feeling satisfied when we start our meals with a broth based soup.

While simmering soups for long periods help the flavors meld together, making a simple soup at home is quick and full of fabulous nutrients!

I recently had the opportunity to try Emeril's vegetable stock though the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program. I decided to make a quick and simple veggie soup by sauteing some pre-diced onions and garlic. I then added a vegetable mix that came fresh from my grocer's refrigerated produce section as well as some fresh chilies. Then topped off the veggies with the broth. Simmers for about twenty minutes before enjoying the first bowl. Yum! You can even toss half the soup into a blender and blend until smooth. Add the rest of the soup and you have a chunky, almost creamy soup.

Easy. Delicious. And good for you!

Emeril's stock has only 15 calories for one cup. Not fat, fiber or protein.

Ingredients: filtered water, cooked vegetables* (carrot, onion, celery, tomato), cane juice*, yeast extract*, sea salt, molasses*, carrot powder*, onion powder*, potato flour*, flavoring*, flavoring and canola oil

* = organic ingredients

Doug's Burrito Filling

I know it isn't the most appealing picture, but hear me out on this recipe. I am a very lucky girl in that my boyfriend can cook, and attempts to make healthy dishes for me. One of his staples is something he likes to throw together for himself and has since lightened up the recipe so I can enjoy it too! It is simple and filling (and I had it for brekkie this morning!).

He sautes a pound of 93% ground beef in a nonstick pan with a packet of burrito seasoning and then adds a can of fat-free refried beans. That's it! It is so simple but so good. I like to add a generous serving of hot sauce to spice my serving up, but he enjoys it with a little less spice. I enjoy this filling because the flavors come together better then when served seperately as the beans soak up what little fat cooks out of the meat. The beans also stretch out the meat to make more servings for diners on a budget.

He also makes a burrito filling that is vegetarian friendly. Saute up a can of low sodium corn (drained) with a can of black beans (rinsed) and half a packet of the burrito seasoning.

You can pump your burritos up with lettuce, grilled veggies, low fat cheese, salsa and whatever else you can dream up. Both fillings also work great on top of salads.

I was surprised at how simple both of these were and yet so filling and tasty. Sometime the simplest recipes are the ones we forget about but are so satisfying to the taste buds, the stomach, and the pocketbook.

The nutritional information will vary based on the brands you use so check them out. You would be surprised at the difference in calories on two cans of fat free beans! Doug's recipe makes about 10 servings and for our products that meant 129 calories/6.8 grams of fat/10.5 grams of protein/2.1 grams of fiber per serving.

Cleaning out the fridge: Slow Cooker Slop!

There will be no pictures, the creation was in no way photogenic. But trust me when I say it is delicious. And if you are like me and have produce left at the end of the week, you should try this out.

I love fresh produce. I love it so much that in addition to my CSA, I get additional produce during the week.

I also sometimes veer off course of my planned menu. Which means I sometimes have produce that would go to waste if I didn't create something else.

My favorite use for produce near the end of it's life is to toss it all in the slow cooker (aka crock pot) with some broth and seasonings, and let it simmer on low all day.

You can blend up the resulting soup to get a creamier soup, or just enjoy it chunky.

It's easy to make and filling to eat!

My latest Slow Cooker Slop included onions, carrots, broccoli, garlic, and cauliflower. I used low sodium organic chicken broth and Mrs. Dash garlic and herb seasoning. For those of you counting points, a cup of this would be zero. A giant bowl might be one.

Grilled Zucchini Sticks

Tonight is an easy and delicious dish that is sure to please. I love fried zucchini sticks dipped in ranch dressing. But it is no where near healthy! So instead, cut your zucchini into spears and grill those suckers. Enjoy warm and dip into your favorite light dressing if you want! The smokey flavor from the grill gives a new dimension to the vegetable. Enjoy!

One small zucchini (4.2oz) is only 19 calories/1 gram of fiber/1 gram of protein

Opo!

One of my favorite food related activities is wandering through the Farmer's Market and looking for something new to try. This weekend yielded one such discovery. The Opo squash!

In order to learn about this green oblong vegetable, I spoke with the farmer about the squash and purchased one to take home and experiment with. I was told that in the Chinese culture, the Opo is also called Gwa.

The flesh of the Opo is white and firm with seeds that are attached (and remind me of a cross between a cucumber and a zucchini). It is in fact a member of the cucumber family! The skin is a pale green and the exterior is smooth and firm.

The flavor of the squash is similar to a zucchini although the texture is a bit softer. I took the larger base of the Opo and cut it horizontally to make 4 "burgers" with it. After a tiny sprinkle of salt and pepper, I threw them into my panini press to grill them. I used one of the discs and made a provolone, avocado, and baby red kale Opo burger!

While I found the Opo squash at my local Farmer's Market, you can find it in many climates where the weather is warmer. Because it needs warmth to grow, this particular squash is characterized as a summer squash but depending on where you live, you can find it throughout the year.

Another application was to slice the Opo into sticks, sprinkle lightly with seasoning salt, and bake. Voila! Low calorie "fries" made in a similar method as my Squash Chips.

The Opo is often used in stir-fries and stews, however you can also enjoy it raw. This vegetable is high in vitamins and fiber while staying low in calories. A perfect companion to any meal or enjoyed alone, I guarantee I will be scouting for more Opo squash on my new Farmer's Market expedition!

Shiitake and Cherry Tomato Couscous

This is an easy dish to throw together on a hot day. I served it as an entree with Greek yogurt and strawberries for dessert. This recipe makes one entree serving, or two sides.

1/4 cup couscous, dry
1 cup organic mixed medley cherry tomatoes
1/6 oz fresh Shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1/2 tsp Garlic Gold olive oil
Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb seasoning, to taste
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
hot water, 1/4 to 1/3 cup

Heat oil in saucepan over medium to medium-high heat. Toss cherry tomatoes in warmed oil. Just before tomatoes begin to wilt, add mushrooms. When tomatoes begin to wilt, add 1/4 cup of hot water. Add couscous and stir. You may need to add slightly more water. Add seasoning to taste. While stirring in seasoning, pop a few of the tomatoes and mix into the couscous. Enjoy!

For complete recipe: 237 calories/2.7 grams of fat/5 grams of fiber/7.4 grams of protein

On the Grill: Fava Beans

"A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti."

I am sure when Hannibal Lecter was quoted saying this, he had taken the time to prepare Fava Beans in a more traditional method than just tossing them on the grill. Fava Beans, an Old World favorite, have become a more common farmer's market find in recent years during a fleeting season. These beans are often difficult to prepare, since you first have to shuck the pods, and then remove the waxy layer coating each individual bean.

However, I am the cook who likes simplicity and shortcuts, which meant finding a way to make the process quicker. I found that grilling the pods for four minutes on each side charred up the pod nicely and steamed off the waxy bean shell. Quickly shucked and shelled, I enjoyed my fava beans tossed with a drizzle of Gotta Luv It dressing. You could also make my beloved Asparagus and Fava Bean Salad!

Enjoy Fava Beans during their brief season because according to NPR:

"(Fava Beans) are nutrition superheroes. They are high in fiber and iron, and low in sodium and fat. They have no cholesterol but so much protein, they are called the meat of the poor.

As a matter of fact, Italians credit the fava bean as a factor in saving Sicilians from starvation during a time of famine. Since then, the fava has been considered good luck. Now that luck – and magic – is being enjoyed at more American tables."

One half cup of shucked, shelled Fava Beans is 94 calories/.5 grams of fat/4.5 grams of fiber/6.5 grams of protein

Brown Rice for Busy Eaters

If you are one of the many people who have commented, emailed, called or texted about my lack of blogging, you are not alone in your concern. And while the busy school year hasn't quite wound down, I am ready to start sharing some of the quick recipes and delicious food finds from the last couple of weeks.

I love rice. And one of my concerns as I try to eat healthier is how nutritionally deficient many varietals are. Which is why I aim to enjoy brown rice when going this route. However, brown rice can take a long time to prepare. Let's be honest, time isn't something many of us have to spare.

In my search to enjoy healthy foods while dealing with the stress of May, I discovered Rice Expressions in my grocery store. These boxes of organic precooked brown rice can be found in the freezer aisle and each box contains three bags. The bags each have two servings of rice... which is the perfect amount for me to fix up at a time!

Rice Expressions Organic Brown Rice only contains what it's name implies and one serving is 160 calories/1.2 grams of fat/2.5 grams of fiber/3.5 grams of protein.


One of my go to meals has been wraps, and I need variety in addition to speed of preparedness. I enjoy tossing a bag of Rice Expressions with a can of beans and a diced zucchini. I then add hot sauce and seasonings to taste for a spicy filling for a wrap on the run. High in fiber and protein, this filling can also be enjoyed without the tortilla and with your own creative add-ins. Enjoy!

Garlic Gold Popcorn: A Snacking Sensation!

It is my first weekend off from debate travel after a long month and that meant hanging out at home and watching the playoffs. One of my favorite snacks when kicking back if air-popped popcorn with a drizzle of olive oil. It is a great way to get in some healthy fats and some filling fiber in a tasty treat!

Tonight I figured I would mix it up a little and add another dimension to the popcorn bowl. I replaced my standard unfiltered olive oil on my popcorn with Garlic Gold Oil. I then opened my bottle of Garlic Gold Sea Salt Nuggets and sprinkled a healthy amount over the popcorn. As I learned last week, these pre-roasted crunchy garlic nuggets can be used in cooking, but they are also fabulously crunchy and delicious poured over your prepared dish. The seasoning added the salt I would normally sprinkle over my popcorn but also a crunchy garlic goodness that satisfied my craving for something savory but healthy.

Sunday night is the close of the Garlic Gold giveaway. I normally don't devote more than one post, especially with such a busy week I have had, on one product. However, these portable, healthful products have served me well in work and play. If you haven't had an opportunity to try out Garlic Gold for yourself, enter the contest now!

Deliciously Divine, Uncovering the Cherimoya

I have fond memories of my father grocery shopping when I was a child, where he would come home and announce in a proud voice that he had something for my mother. She would ask what it was, to which he would produce this green, pine cone looking, leathery appearing thing. She would get excited and hug him. She would savor the fruit, enjoying every bite, and the house would be full of smiles.

This was my first exposure to the exotic fruit we know as the Cherimoya. A delicate and difficult to grow fruit, the Cherimoya is slowing gaining popularity in the world of food for it's sweet custard pulp and was described by Mark Twain as "deliciousness itself!" Grown primarily in Spain and the coastal areas of South America, the Cherimoya can also be found growing in some of the most expensive real estate along the southern California coast line.

"Cherimoyas like to grow on expensive land," Jay Ruskey, owner of Calimoya Exotic Fruits, explained to me when I recently had an opportunity to talk to him about one of my mother's favorite foods. "It likes to grow in the same climate that people like to live in: No freeze, no wind, near the ocean and on hillsides."

A relative of the Soursop and the Guanabana, there are a number of varieties of the Cherimoya. Mr. Ruskey compared the fruit to an apple. We recognize the apple, but only in more recent years have people begun to express interest in specific varietals.

Cherimoyas are a relatively unknown fruit in the United States, outside of it's growing region in California. The delicacy of the fruit makes it difficult to ship, and the growers are a smaller collective who lack the marketing power of larger agricultural commodities. However, you may find a small batch of Cherimoyas in specialty food stores like a Whole Foods near you. With a growing season from December to May, the season is almost over for the year. Calimoya also offers an online store where customers can order the organic fruits directly from the growers. The Cherimoyas are packed and shipped the same day they are picked.

One of the common internet myths that I wanted to take an opportunity to dispel was the idea that a Cherimoya can kill you if you eat the skin and seeds. According to Mr. Ruskey, the skin is tannic but not poisonous. The seeds of the Cherimoya do contain alkaloids, similar to a number of other plant seeds, and while you could do a fair amount of processing to collect the alkaloids, accidentally swallowing one seed won't harm you. Lucky for my readers, I recently swallowed a Cherimoya seed and I am still here typing this post (or am I....?) so rest assured that Mr. Ruskey is indeed correct in his analysis.

I personally find my Cherimoya fix at the local farmers market. For a terrifically low cost, I can pick up a couple of these fresh fruits and take them home and savor them like I watched my mother do, just a few short years ago. A Cherimoya is ripe when it gives in to slight pressure, and you should not put it in the fridge before it is ripe because the cold air halts the ripening process. However, if your fruit ripens before you are ready to enjoy it, it can keep a couple of days in the fridge.

I prefer to cut my Cherimoya in half and enjoy it with a spoon. The flesh is a velvety pulp but almost custard-like in texture. It has notes of melon, pineapple, pear, banana, strawberry and a smooth creamy sensation as it passes over your tongue. While it is fabulous on its own, and has often replaced my end of meal high calorie dessert, the Cherimoya is also good mixed in with ice creams, into smoothies, in fruit salads, and even in wine! Mr. Ruskey provides several recipes that highlight the Cherimoya on the Calimoya site.

Although not as low in calories as some other fruits, the depth of flavor and high potassium levels make up for the extra calories. A one cup serving contains 115 calories, 1 gram of fat, 3.6 grams of fiber and 2.6 grams of protein. It also contains 30% of the RDA of Vitamin C and 420mgs of potassium, 12% of your daily RDA!

According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, "Potassium is a mineral that helps the kidneys function normally. It is also an electrolyte, a substance that conducts electricity in the body, along with sodium, chloride, calcium, and magnesium. Potassium is crucial to heart function and plays a key role in skeletal and smooth muscle contraction, making it important for normal digestive and muscular function, too." Adults should aim for 2000 mg of potassium in their daily diets.

From the health benefits to the amazing flavor, Cherimoyas aren't just a happy memory for me. They are a delectable dietary delicacy that will continue to grace my kitchen.

Morning Delight! Honeyville Steel Cut Oats and Freeze Dried Berries

I am a breakfast girl. I need food in my stomach within an hour of getting up or I am out of whack for the day.

I am also not a morning person. I like to sleep as LATE as possible. In fact this morning, I found out I was a "sleep snoozer". I have been told this is what someone who hits the snooze button in their sleep is called. Which I did so many times this morning, I missed my run!

Luckily, I had made breakfast last night! And it was still delicious this morning.

Oatmeal has been all the rage for blogging foodies. But most people like the convenience of quick cooking rolled oatmeal. Which is understandable if you have a need for speed. But let me take a couple minutes to try and convert you to something that takes a little more preparation but is well worth the wait (and can be prepped ahead of time!):

Steel Cut Oatmeal!!!

The fine folks at Honeyville allowed me to opportunity to sample their Steel Cut Oatmeal as well as their Freeze Dried Strawberries and Freeze Dried Blueberries. I was excited to try out something new from a family owned company with a longstanding reputation for working with restaurants around the country. What does that mean for an individual consumer? Their online store is fantastically inexpensive! And if you have a larger family or big event, the bulk ordering is also a great deal! Not to mention the inexpensive shipping cost.

But enough about how awesome the company is and how great the prices are. Let's talk about taste!

I started by preparing two cups of steel cut oatmeal (8 servings) in twelve cups of boiling water. The process took approximately 45 minutes, but aside from stirring, was really easy. It cooks up to somewhere around a cup a serving cooked. The reason for prepping a larger batch was so I could portion it out for later.
The oatmeal itself is extra creamy and smooth with bites of whole oatmeal. I feel healthier eating it but also more satisfied. It not only filled me up this morning but kept me full for the couple hours before I got my caffine fix. It is high in fiber and protein which helps make it so filling. I wanted more for lunch but alas I didn't bring any to school!

When I preportioned the cooked oatmeal, I took a couple of servings and mixed in 1/4 cup of strawberries or 1/4 cup of blueberries. The strawberries are slices that are also great for munching (guess what is going in my carry-on for next week's championships!) and the blueberries are large and whole. Both are crispy and full of flavor. Did I mention how low in calories they are?
Back to the oatmeal. Adding the fruit in was the idea of Chris over at Honeyville. His suggestion was fabulous! The creaminess of the oats and the natural sweetness of the strawberries made the perfect morning treat. As a child, I loved Strawberries and Cream instant oatmeal. This reminded of that... only ten times better because it wasn't overly sweet or full of chemicals.

I look forward to sleeping in and just popping my oatmeal in the micro each morning. Honeyville made a believer out of me that taking the extra time is worth it for flavor, nutrition and satiation.

Ingredients in Honeyville Steel Cut Oats: Whole Grain Oats

Nutritional Information for 1/4 cup uncooked Honeyville Steel Cut Oats: 160 calories/3 grams of fat/5 grams of fiber/6 grams of protein

Ingredients in Honeyville Freeze Dried Strawberries: Strawberries

Nutritional Information for 1/4 cup Honeyville Freeze Dried Strawberries: 15 calories/0 grams of fat/1 gram of fiber/0 grams of protein

Ingredients in Honeyville Freeze Dried Blueberries: Blueberries

Nutritional Information for 1/4 cup Honeyville Freeze Dried Blueberries: 30 calories/0 grams of fat/1 gram of fiber/0 grams of protein

Strawberry Kiwi Salsa

1/2 pint of strawberries, diced
2 kiwis, diced
2 small/medium vine ripened tomatoes, diced
1 avocado, diced
1 jalepeno, deseeded and dehulled, diced
1/4 cup chopped white onion

Toss all ingredients gently and let rest for five minutes or more. A couple of notes: I keep the skin on the kiwi because according to a number of sources including the Cancer Resource Center, kiwi skin carries a number of nutrients. As long as you scrub well and dice small, you won't notice the skin and you will get bonus health benefits. I also served the salsa in a mini pita from Trader Joe's (70/.5/0/2) and 2 ounces of grilled boneless, skinless organically fed chicken breast. The salsa was also just great eaten by itself (I definitely had a couple spoonfuls).


The nutritional information is for 1/4 of the recipe. I did not measure it out but I can tell you that is over 1/2 cup of salsa since I just put away 2/3 of the recipe and it barely fit into my 2.5 cup container!

Nutritional Information: 116 calories/7 grams of fat/5.5 grams of fiber/2 grams of protein

I am also including it for 1/8 since I realized just how much salsa it makes (I tried eating a quarter of the recipe and it is a LOT)!!!! You probably won't even need this much but it is just THAT good!

Nutritional Information: 58 calories/3.5 grams of fat/2.75 grams of fiber/1 gram of protein

Purple Kohlrabi and Apple Salad

This crisp salad is a perfect side or even a sweet dessert!

3 small purple kohlrabi bulbs, peeled and diced
3 small apples, sliced thin
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 packet stevia (I use Truvia) or your favorite sweetener
juice of 1 blood orange
lemon juice or True Lemon

Prepare a bath of cold water with lemon juice or True Lemon to place kohlrabi and apples as you peel, dice and slice. This will prevent browning.

Mix vinegar, cinnamon, sweetener and blood orange juice.

Drain water bath from bowl. Toss dressing with kohlrabi and apple pieces. There may be extra dressing, you can let your salad sit in it or drain it.

Makes 4 servings

Nutritional Information: 78 calories, 0 grams of fat, 5.5 grams of fiber

Baked Buffalo Bites

So I stayed up rather late crafting my various recipe ideas and this one was very tasty but didn't make the cut. I am trying one more tonight and will post whichever remaining recipes I don't send in to the contest. If you decide to enter the contest let me know! Maybe we'll meet in the final round :o)

I will try to post a better picture later tonight if I remember. I am also going to try to include pictures with all of my recipes now at the request of you!

1lb boneless-skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1 cup of Quaker oatmeal
1/2 cup hot sauce
1/2 cup egg whites
2 tbsp Mrs. Dash Hot'n Spicy Seasoning mix
2 tsp Lawry's seasoning salt
2 tsp chili powder

1. Put cubed chicken into a ziploc bag with hot sauce. Toss to coat. Marinade in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

2. While chicken is marinading, toast oats. Heat oven to 350 degrees and lay oats out in a single layer on baking sheet. Toast in oven for ten minutes, stirring halfway through.

3. Prepare breading. Blend oats until they are a fine consistency. Add seasoning mix, seasoning salt and chili powder. Mix thoroughly.

4. In a separate bowl, pour egg whites.

5. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray baking sheet with cooking spray.

6. Dip individual chicken breast cubes quickly into egg white (you don't want to wash off the hot sauce!) and then into the breading. I like to use one hand to dip into the egg white and the other to handle the breading. This prevents either hand from getting a cakey coating. Lay cubes on cooking sheet.

7. Bake for ten minutes, flipping chicken halfway through. Depending on your oven, it could be done a little bit early or take a little bit longer. Use an instant read thermometer to ensure the poultry is cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

You can serve Baked Buffalo Bites with a twist on the classic ranch or blue cheese dipping sauces by adding a couple drops of hot sauce to the dip before serving. It will brighten the flavor and kick up the heat.

This recipe makes four servings. The NI for each serving is 216 calories/1.5 fat/2 fiber/32 protein

Overnight Apples and Oats

2.25 cups of old fashioned oats
6 small-medium apples, your choice
cinnamon, to taste
ancho chili powder, to taste
1 packet of stevia or sweetener of choice
Water (between one and two cups depending on how thick you like your oatmeal)

Slice two apples into medium thick slices that layer the bottom of the pan.
Sprinkle one cup of oats over the sliced apples. Sprinkle with cinnamon, chili powder and half of the stevia packet.

Repeat layering.

Dice remaining two apples and sprinkle over the top. Pour water over the top.

Cook on low overnight.

This makes between 4 and 5 servings and points vary based on the size of your apples.

Black Eye Peas and Ham

I made a very large slow cooker pot of this New Year's meal. The amount of ham and the type of ham you use will affect your points! I weighed the ham on the bone before cooking, and the bones after to figure out how much meat was in the pot. I used Hillshire Farms spiral cut ham with bone that my company had for employees. It had a sugary type glaze on it that probably upped the calories.

I freeze and reheat smaller portions for the next month. It is a hearty meal and one that is sure to please!

44 oz ham on bone
2 cans of low sodium, fat free chicken broth
1 lb dry black eye peas
1 medium yellow onion, diced
italian seasoning, to taste (a couple of tbsp I think)
garlic salt, to taste (a couple tsp?)
pepper, to taste (a couple tsp?)

Soak beans in water overnight to soften and reduce gas.

Put ham on bone in slow cooker. Add a layer of beans, layer onions and seasonings, add remaining beans. Pour broth over the beans. Cook on low for 7-8 hours.

Makes 22 half cup servings at 2 points each. NI for the ham, broth and beans: 144/5/5

Lentil Chili

This chili is great by itself, even better over a baked sweet potato with some light cheddar cheese.

Serving size is 1/2 cup. Makes a fair number of servings (have you made it? how many servings did you get?).

1 lb dry lentils
5 cups water
garlic salt, to taste (I am guessing I used 2 tsp)
cumin, to taste (I am guessing I used 2 tbsp)
Mrs. Dash Hot n Spicy, to taste (I am guessing I used 2 tbsp)
dry parsley, to taste (I am guessing I used 1 tbsp)
1 medium yellow onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, diced
1 15 ounce can of Hormel canned tomatoes for chili (you can use a can of diced tomatoes in juice)
1 6 ounce can of tomato sauce

1. Boil water. Add lentils and salt and cover. Cook on low for 30 minutes.

2. Add remaining ingredients and mix. Add additional water if you want a juicier consistency. I used the tomato sauce can and added an additional 4 ounces of water or so.

3. Cook for another 30 minutes on low or until lentils have desired texture.

NI for the lentils and can of tomatoes: 105/0/12

Baked Red Kuri Squash

This is one of my new favorites. It is so good you don't need to do much to it!

1 Red Kuri Squash, cut into four sections and deseeded
Cooking spray, preferably a 100% olive oil spray
Sea Salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Spray inside of squash with cooking spray and sprinkle lightly with salt.

Bake for 25-35 minutes until soft. Scrap pulp from skin into bowl and consume.

Delish! And a cup is an awful lot for only one point!