This week’s Craving Ellie recipe was my pick.  I was in the mood for something to do with Apples. Surprised?

On page 22 of the Ellie Krieger’s cookbook “The Food You Crave”, there is a delightful and guilt-free muffin recipe.  They are are moist, tender with just the right hint of sweetness. 

We all know Ellie’s recipes always turn out good so I decided to switch it up a bit and do my own recipe.  The reason for my changes:

1. I always like to reduce sugar in a recipe.  Just …. because.
2. I reduced the apple sauce because I used more Ricotta
3. I didn’t want to buy the buttermilk and waste it. RIcotta was on hand so I thought I’d try it as a substitute.
4. Can anyone EVER have enough apples?! I doubled the apples.

Makes 6 standard muffins

PLUS 6 large muffins

• 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar + 2 TBS (I used 3/4 cup loosely measured brown sugar)
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup unsweetened apple sauce (I used 1/2 cup)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup lowfat buttermilk (I used 8 oz Part Skim Ricotta Cheese)
• 1 Golden Delicious apple – peeled, cored, chopped (I used 2 GD Apples, diced)

Preheat the oven to 400F.  Line muffin tins with cupcake cups or spray with non-stick cooking spray.

In a small bowl, mix 2 TBS of the brown sugar with the pecans, cinnamon  and set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix the flours, baking soda, and salt.

In a large bowl, beat the remaining brown sugar, oil and eggs.

Whisk in the applesauce, vanilla and ricotta.  Stir in the flour mixture. Gently stir in the apple pieces.

*If using buttermilk, whisk in the applesauce and vanilla then stir in the flour mix alternating with the buttermilk until well combined. Add the apples.

Divide the batter equally in the muffin / cupcake cups.  Top with the pecan-sugar mix.  Bake for 20 minutes (standard muffins) to 25-30 minutes (large muffins).

So tender. So delicious. Perfectly satisfying!  Hope everyone enjoyed this weeks recipe.

Look who made the USAWeekend!   ELLIE!

Because Ted and I were having too much fun in the sun, I missed last weeks CEimB recipe “Muesli Parfaits” chosen by Sarah of Sarah’s Kitchen Adventures. The recipe looked so good, there was no way to pass it up. Ted and I thoroughly enjoyed our parfaits for dessert after our first dinner back home.

Makes 4 Servings

• 1/4 cup sliced and toasted almonds
• 1/4 cup chopped and toasted walnuts
• 1 cup non fat yogurt
• 1/2 cup skim milk
• 2 TBS honey
• 1 cup of rolled oats (not instant and not quick oats)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups of mixed fresh berries (blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries)

Toast the nuts by spreading on a piece of foil and putting them under 450 F for 1 to 2 minutes. Watch carefully!

In a medium bowl, add the yogurt through the vanilla and mix well.

Using dessert dishes or parfait glasses, spoon the oat-yogurt mix evenly into each dish. Top with fruit then sprinkle with about 2 TBS each of nuts.

Chill for 1 hour or overnight.

I reduced the milk and think that would have been ok with regular yogurt but I used Greek style so it was a bit dryer than the parfait should have been.  Otherwise – DELISH!

That was one terrific Ellie Krieger recipe. Good pick Sarah!

This week, the recipe was chosen by Chaya of Comfy Cook.  Chaya chose another absolutely delicious and refreshing recipe.  I made these Peach Pie Smoothies for Ted and my niece Stefanie.

The peach flavor wasn’t as pronounced as all of us would have liked. I used frozen peaches which might have muted the flavor.  There was a definite “tang” to the smoothie.  But it was still very good, creamy and thick.

Makes 2 Smoothies

• 1 cup vanilla nonfat yogurt
• 1 cup 1% milk
• 1/2 cup water *I had to add water because the smoothie was too thick based on Ellie’s recipe. That could be due to using Greek style yogurt.
• 2 cups frozen or fresh peach slices
• 2 TBS honey
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp ginger
• Top with fresh strawberries (or a  slice of fresh peach)

Place everything in the blender EXCEPT the strawberries.  Blend until smooth and desired consistency.  Garnish with strawberries (or peach slice) and enjoy!

Great pick Chaya.  This is the ultimate summertime cooler.

Ellie does it again. Two wonderful and healthy recipes.

Ever make parfaits at home?

What’s your favorite smoothie flavor?
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There was no way I could miss making this week’s Craving Ellie recipe.  Not just because tuna casserole is a good meal, but because one of my favorite Craving Ellie gals chose the recipe.  I was looking forward to cooking with Peggy of Pantry Revisited.  Cut to the chase:   We LOVED this recipe. Great job on pickin’ a winner, Peggy!

The original recipe can be found on Pantry Revisited.  My version is as follows:

• 1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1 TBS olive oil
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2 stalk celery, chopped
• 4 oz can button mushrooms
• 2 TBS flour
• 1 1/2 cup 1% milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth
• pinch salt
• pinch black pepper
• 1/2 box of whole wheat fettuccine – broken and cooked al dente
• 15 oz can Sweet peas, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 cups fresh broccoli florets
• 2 (12 oz) cans Chunk Light tuna in water – drained

In a skillet with the olive oil heated over medium high heat, cook the onion about 4 minutes.  Add the celery and cook 3 minutes. 

Add the mushrooms and flour and stir until there are no lumps.  Add the milk and broth and bring to a boil.  Stir frequently.  Reduce to a simmer and cook about 8 minutes.  Add the salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 425 F.

Place the cooked pasta in a casserole dish and pour the onion – mushroom mixture over it.  Add the peas, broccoli and tuna, stir. 

Mix the bread crumbs with the Parmesan cheese and sprinkle on top of the tuna mixture. Bake for 25 minutes.  *NOTE:  I had to cover the top with foil after about 15 minutes because the topping was getting too dark.

The best part, both Ted and I agreed, was the topping.   A fork full of total YUM (peas, broccoli, whole wheat pasta, tuna, in a light creamy sauce).

This week’s Ellie recipe was another winner.

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My bib number will be: 18184

This week’s Ellie Recipe…

A delicious little treat from Ellie Krieger, Blueberry Coffee Cake.

The pick this week was by Bri of Yoshimi vs. Motherhood. This was a choice that couldn’t go wrong.

Serving 12 with only 210 calories per serving, 8.5 g of which are fat, with 30 g of Carbs.

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour or regular whole-wheat flour
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• *I used a full1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• *I used only ½ cup chopped walnuts
• *I used ½ cup Demerara Sugar instead of brown
• 2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup plain nonfat yogurt
• *( I added another ¾ cup) 1 ¾ cup fresh blueberries
• *I added ½ cup coconut for the topping

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8-inch square cake pan with cooking spray.

Mix the flours together with the baking soda and salt. *I simply added the sugar, cinnamon and nuts to the flour mixture. BUT.. you were suppose to keep it in a separate bowl for the topping *see the original recipe if you want to do it that way.

In a large bowl, beat the Demerara sugar, butter and oil. Beat in the eggs. Add the vanilla and yogurt. Now mix in the flour mixture in 2 batches, stirring until just combined.

Spread half of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle half of the blueberries over the batter.Spoon the rest of the batter into the pan, smoothing the top. Sprinkle the remaining blueberries and coconut on the top. Bake until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 30 to 35 minutes.

Although I don’t eat much of the sweets I bake, I do taste the batter. This batter tasted SO good, I knew this was going to be a delicious low fat treat.

Delicious, light, and another antioxidant rich WITH BLUEBERRY success! Thanks Bri

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!  Looks whose excited about celebrating the patron saint of Ireland..

According to legend, Saint Patrick used the shamrock, a three-leaved plant, to explain the Holy Trinity to the pre-Christian Irish people.

On with the recipe for CEimB

This week Danica of Danica’s Daily picked a TERRIFIC Ellie Krieger recipe.

The original recipe is “Chinese Chicken Salad” but no chicken for me and I know Ted enjoys fish so I thought Salmon would be a great substitute. It was.

Here is the link to the original recipe:  Ellie’s Chinese Chicken Salad…. and the following is how we made it.

Serves 2 with a lot of cabbage left over.

• 4 TBS soy sauce, divided
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 2 boneless, skinless salmon fillets
• 1/2 head Napa cabbage, thinly shredded (6 cups)
• 1/4 head red cabbage, shredded (2 cups)
• 8 baby carrots, sliced thin
• 2 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced *Use the green parts as well
• 8 oz can water chestnuts – drain
• 11 oz Mandarin oranges – drained
• 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp minced fresh ginger
• 2 TBS olive oil
• 2 TBS Demerara sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp chili sauce
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds – toasted

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Mix 1 TBS soy sauce with the sesame oil and brush over the salmon. Both sides.

Place into a baking dish and bake 16 – 20 minutes (depending on the thickness of the fish).

Meanwhile, combine the cabbages, carrots, scallions, chestnuts, oranges in a large bowl.

Whisk 3 TBS soy sauce with the vinegar, garlic, ginger, olive oil, sugar, and chili sauce.

Pour the dressing over the cabbage mixture and toss to combine.

Place salad on serving plates and top with cooked, warm salmon.  Sprinkle with toasted almonds.

GREAT RECIPE!

Ted:  “Very tasty”.

Apart from all that chopping, it was an easy meal to prepare. The warm salmon on top of the chilled salad was a wonderful experience with the salty-sweet-slightly peppery sauce.  This ones a keeper.