Low fat pineapple/rum upsidedown cakes

You will need

1 ( 9 ounce) box Duncan Hines this box makes 12 cupcakes

2 eggs

12 maraschino cherries

1 tablespoon of imitation rum extract

20 ounce can crushed pineapple

½ cup pineapple juice

3 tablespoons of unsweetened applesauce

Preheat oven to 350

Coat cupcake pan with cooking spray

In a bowl combine cake mix with eggs, juice from crushed pineapple can, rum extract and applesauce

Beat on medium for 2 minutes

Place a cheery in the center of each cupcake tin and arrange crushed pineapple around each cherry

Fill the rest of the tin ¾ of the way with cake mix

Bake for 21-24 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out of center of cupcake clean

Let cool and serve upside down with bottom pineapple on top, sprinkle with powdered sugar (optional)

Peanut butter & vanilla protein cereal bars

You will need

4 cups of honey and Oats cereal (Post or Publix brand)
2 scoops of vanilla protein powder (chocolate can work too)
2/3 cup brown sugar
½ cup light corn syrup
1 ½ tablespoons of honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ low fat peanut butter
Aluminum foil
1 sheet of wax paper (foil or plastic wrap can work also)
Cooking spray
Anywhere from an 8inch-12 inch pan (I used an 11x7 for these) bars can be made into different shapes and thickness so any of these sized pans can work


In a large mixing bowl add 4 cups of cereal and protein powder

Line baking pan with foil and coat foil with cooking spray

In small-medium non stick sauce pan add brown sugar (first), corn syrup (add in this order to help coat the measuring cup with syrup and will help release the next ingredient which is the peanut butter from the measuring cup) next add peanut butter, vanilla, honey and heat to a full boil stirring constantly. Have bowl of cereal close by to transfer immediately.

After the mixture has come to a boil and all the ingredients are incorporated pour hot mixture over cereal and protein powder and begin to stir quickly as the liquid will become sticky very fast making it hard to stir mixture. Make sure to incorporate ingredients well, some protein powder will be at the bottom of the bowl so be sure to get that in the mix.

Transfer well mixed ingredients to foil lined pan and begin to spread it out as even as you can with spoon. Once mixture is in the pan take the wax paper and place it on top of cereal mix and begin to press down evenly getting an even level in corners and center of pan. Press firmly.
Place in refrigerator for 1 hour.

After 1 hour remove bars and peel wax paper of. If you want a smooth top to your bars then just flip the bars making the bottom of the pan, the top. Slice into squares or triangles and serve.

Cashew hoisin chicken with lettuce scoops

Rosemary lean pork chops in white wine with cauliflower/garlic mashed potatoes

You will need

1 pound thin sliced lean pork chops

1 yellow /sweet onion

1 garlic clove (one tablespoon minced garlic)

1 tablespoon of rosemary (dried or fresh)

½ cup white wine

½ head fresh cauliflower

½ packet of instant regular or garlic mashed potatoes

14oz can chicken broth

¼ cup all purpose flour

¼ fat free sour cream

1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon of onion powder


In a non stick skillet heat (on medium) one tablespoon of olive oil and lightly coat the pan with cooking spray

Slice onion and add to pan, and chop garlic and add to pan

In a shallow small mixing bowl add salt, pepper, onion powder , and rosemary to flour

Salt and pepper both sides of pork lightly then pat light coating of seasoned flour onto pork, place into pan then lightly season the other side with seasoned flour…this will give the pork a crispy outer layer
Cook for 3-4 minutes on medium then flip. Once both sides are brown (with crispy texture) add ½ white wine and lower heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes.

For cauliflower potatoes:
In a sauce pan add 14ounce can of chicken broth and half the head of cleaned and roughly chopped cauliflower and bring to a boil cook for 15 minutes or until fork tender/soft enough to mash

Drain cauliflower and set into a bowl, reserve chicken broth for instant mash potatoes

In the same pot start boiling quarter cup of broth then add to instant potatoes, turn off heat immediately…mix and add broth until desired consistency(not pasty)

Press the cauliflower with a fork until it mostly smooth then add mashed potatoes. With a hand mixer on low start mix the potatoes and cauliflower. Add ¼ fat free sour cream while mixing…add chicken broth slowly until potatoes are smooth and creamy.

Scoop or pipe potatoes onto a plate and place pork chops and onions on to and serve.

Chicken Paillard with capers, oilves, and artichokes cooked in white wine/lemon

You will need

3 Boneless/skinless chicken breast

1 medium yellow onion (Spanish , white, red, Vidalia-any will work)

1 plum tomato

3 tablespoons of capers

1 can of quartered artichokes in water (I use Vigo, you can use artichokes in oil if you are looking for more flavor and are concerned with the fat from the oil)

½ cup of small manzanilla Spanish olives

1-2 tablespoons (enough to lightly cover the chicken breasts on both sides) spice mix of salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder

½ cup white wine (any kind will work great)

1-2 tablespoons of lemon juice(fresh squeezed or jar is fine)
* start with one tablespoon and add the other if citrus taste is not present enough to your taste

Place chicken on a cutting board and place a large piece of plastic wrap over all three pieces…pound on with flat side of mallet until chicken a reduced to about half the original size.

Season with season spices

In a large non stick skillet add 1 tablespoon- of olive oil with a light coat of cooking spray , medium heat

Slice onion (into ring shape )and place into pan and cook until translucent (3-5 mintues)

Add season chicken breasts…cook 4-6 minutes on medium heat until brown on both sides

Add wine , lemon juice, tomatoes, artichokes, capers and olives and cover..turn heat down just a little a let simmer for 5 minutes and serve!

Baked turkey zucchini & onion meatballs with ricotta/pomodoro over farfalle

You will need

1 -1/2 cups of farfalle or pasta of your choice

1 cup marinara or pomadoro sauce

½ low fat skim ricotta

1 small fresh zucchini (or half of a large one)

1 pound (or close to) lean ground sirloin (or ground chicken or turkey or mixture of all)

1 small/medium yellow onion

1 garlic clove (or one tablespoon minced garlic

1 egg

½ parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper to taste (remember that parmesan cheese adds salt flavor)

½ cup-3/4 cup Italian season bread crumbs (plain is fine to, you can just add seasoning)

Pre heat oven to 350

Chop onion garlic and finely

Chop zucchini finely

In a pot boil water(add pinch of salt to boiling water) and cook noodles as directed ( and as desired al dente or more)

In a non stick pan heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a light coat of cooking spray

Add onion and garlic on medium heat, cook onion until translucent

In a bowl add meat, egg, parmesan, seasonings, garlic, breadcrumbs, zucchini

Mix together in bowl until you can’t see the egg anymore(just tip so you know all the ingredients are incorporated)

Make golf ball sized meat balls and place onto a baking sheet light coated with cooking spray or brushed with olive oil if cooking spray is not available (or cover pan with sheet of foil for easy clean up, still use light coat of cooking spray to assure the meatball won’t stick)

Bake in oven for 25-30 minutes. Since all ovens vary ,at 25 minutes take out smallest meatball and cut in half, if cooked all way through you can turn off oven and let meatballs in for 2 more minutes to assure they are fully cooked (or take out if desired temp. is achieved)

In a small mixing bowl or saucepan over low heat mix red sauce with ricotta , add salt, pepper, and even parmesan to taste.

Once sauces are combined cover or mix with cooked noodles and place your bakes meatballs on top

Chicken lasagna(one with cheese and one with light cheese)