Lightened Up Peanut Butter Pie

This is adapted from a family favorite. This pie is a dessert my mother-in-law makes for family get togethers. After making it once myself I decided to try and lighten it up so I wouldn't feel so guilty making this without a special occasion. It is still fairly high in calories, but the original recipe was 652 calories a slice!

Lightened Up Peanut Butter Pie
Serves: 10 Serving Size: 1/10th Pie (Slice)
Nutritional Info:Calories 328.6 Total Fat 17.8 g Saturated Fat 5.3 g Polyunsaturated Fat 1.5 g Monounsaturated Fat 2.4 g Cholesterol 12.0 mg Sodium 279.4 mg Potassium 18.6 mg Total Carbohydrate 32.0 g Dietary Fiber 1.5 g Sugars 18.3 g Protein 8.7 g

Ingredients
2 tubs cool whip free (8 oz each)
1/4 cup sugar
8 ounces light cream cheese
3/4 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 graham cracker crust, store-bought or premade

Directions
Mix 1 and 1/2 tubs cool whip with sugar. In a separate bowl mix remaining ingredients until smooth. Fold peanut butter mix into cream until well blended. Pour mixture into a graham cracker crust and chill for several hours before serving (Or 1 hour in freezer). Before serving top with remaining 1/2 tub of cool whip.

Adapted from: Food Network

Hearty Minestrone

This soup will warm you up on a cold day and fill your belly! It makes a large amount which is great to reheat for lunch the next day, especially with a grilled margherita sandwich (tomato, basil, mozzarella).

Hearty Minestrone
Serves: 8 Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
Nutritional Info: Calories 184.0 Total Fat 3.6 g Saturated Fat 0.6 g Polyunsaturated Fat 0.6 g Monounsaturated Fat 1.4 g Cholesterol 3.8 mg Sodium 832.3 mg Potassium 513.6 mg Total Carbohydrate 31.5 g Dietary Fiber 6.5 g Sugars 8.3 g Protein 8.1 g

Ingredients
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 celery ribs, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
2 medium zucchini, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups reduced-sodium broth (chicken or vegetable)
2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) Diced Tomatoes, undrained
1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (6 ounces) tomato puree
1 can (15 ounces) Tomato Sauce
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup small tortillini pasta
Fresh basil leaves and shaved Parmesan cheese, optional

Directions
In a Dutch oven, saute onion in oil for 2 minutes. Add the celery, carrots, green pepper, zucchini and garlic; saute 3 minutes longer. Stir in the water, tomatoes, beans, tomato puree, tomato sauce and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
Stir in pasta; cook 12-15 minutes longer or until tender. Garnish each serving with basil and cheese if desired.

Yield: 8 servings (3 quarts).

Adapted from: Taste of Home

Banana Nut Pancakes (Light)

These are delicious! They are another recipe from Skinnytaste.com. I use this recipe for all my pancake variations. I've made it replacing the bananas with pumpkin butter, apple butter, and more. The bananas in this recipe give the pancakes a sweet flavor without adding sugar.

Banana Nut Pancakes
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 6 • Serving Size: 2 pancakes • Old Points: 3 pts • Points+: 4 pts
Calories: 145.7 • Fat: 4.0 g • Protein: 6.7 g • Carb: 22.1 g • Fiber: 3.1 g

Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 large banana, very ripe, mashed
1 cup 1% milk
3 large egg whites
2 tsp oil
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp chopped walnuts (optional)
butter flavor cooking spray

Directions:
1. Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl. Combine milk, egg white and mashed bananas in a bowl and mix until smooth. Combine wet ingredients with the dry and mix well with a spoon until there are no more dry spots. Don't over-mix.

2. Heat a large skillet on medium heat. Spray oil to lightly coat and pour 1/4 cup of pancake batter. When the pancake starts to bubble and the edges begin to set, flip the pancakes. Repeat with the remainder of the batter.

Makes about 3 cups of batter which yields 12 pancakes.

Source: SkinnyTaste.com

Easy Guacamole

This recipe can join the ranks of other "semi-homemade" dishes. It utilizes a guacamole mix from the store (produce section at Safeway/Vons)...but I dress it up a bit. It is quick, easy and very tasty if I say so myself.

Easy Guacamole
Serves: 16 Serving Size: 2 TBSP.
Nutritional Info: Calories 42.4 Total Fat 3.9 g Saturated Fat 0.0 g Cholesterol 0.0 mg Sodium 97.7 mg Potassium 8.2 mg Total Carbohydrate 3.0 g Dietary Fiber 1.3 g Sugars 0.0 g Protein 0.5 g

Ingredients:
1 pkg. Great Guacamole Mix (mild or medium)
2 ripe avacados
1/2 medium onion, diced
juice of 1 lime

Directions:
1. In a bowl mash avacados till smooth.
2. Add remaining ingredients. Mix. Serve

Note: I keep the pit in my serving dish to help it from browning too quickly. If not serving immediately cover tightly (with pit in dip) and refrigerate. Dip will begin to brown with air exposure. Serve as soon as possible.

Blueberry Crepes

I couldn't help myself to BOGO blueberries this past week. In an effort to use them all up I looked for some new ways to use them. I was planning on making crepes for breakfast while the hubby was off, so I decided to combine my efforts. The blueberry sauce was originally from a pancake recipe, and the crepe recipe is a previous post (link below). These were thoroughly enjoyed and will make a reappearance in our house soon.

Blueberry Crepes
Yields: 12 Crepes + 3 C. Sauce
Serving Size: 2 crepes + 3 TB. sauce inside (1 TBSP outside - if desired)
Nutritional Info: Calories 205.8, Fat 2.9g, Cholesterol 30.2mg, Sodium 58.4mg, Potassium 161mg, Carbs 38.3g, Fiber 1.7g, Sugar 21.3g, Protein 6.6g

Ingredients:
10-12 Czech Crepes (click link for recipe)
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup cold water
4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

Directions (for filling/topping):
1. In a large saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Stir in water until smooth. Add blueberries. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; cover and keep warm.
2. Fill each crepe with 3 Tablespoons blueberrie filling. Fold into thirds, Place another tablespoon blueberry mix over top. Repeat with remaining crepes. Garnish with a dollop of Cool Whip or Whipped Cream. Serve warm. Drizzle with maple syrup if desired.

Adapted from: Taste of Home's Blueberry Pancakes

Buttermilk Biscuits (Light)

My mother-in-law introduced these to me first. I was skiptical when watching her prepare them as they are not your traditional drop biscuits. Despite the odd assembly they are soo delicious. You will not believe these are a light recipe! These are the only buttermilk biscuits I make.

Buttermilk Biscuits (Light)
Serves: 12; Serving Size: 1 biscuit
Nutritional Info(per biscuit): Calories 169, Calories from Fat 42.1, Total Fat 4.68g, Saturated Fat 2.99g, Cholesterol 14.06mg, Sodium 246.13mg, Total Carbohydrate 24.6g, Dietary Fiber 1g, Sugars 3.48g , Protein 5.19g

Ingredients:
Vegetable oil spray
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup of unbleached all-purpose flour (DO NOT MIX WITH THE 2 CUPS - for shaping)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1-1/2 cups cold buttermilk

Directions:
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 500 degrees. Spray a 9-inch round cake pan with the vegetable oil spray. Generously spray the inside and outside of a 1/4-cup dry measuring cup with the same spray; set aside. (You will measure the biscuits with this)
2. Take the SEPARATE 1 cup of flour and spread on a rimmed baking sheet. (You will roll the biscuits in this 1 cup of flour before placing in the cake pan)
3. Process the 2 cups of flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and baking soda in a food processor to combine - about six 1-second pulses. Scatter the butter cubs evenly over the dry ingredients and pulse until the mixture resembles pebbly, coarse cornmeal, eight to ten 1-second pulses. Transfer the dry mixture to a medium bowl.
4. Add the buttermilk and stir with a rubber spatula until just incorporated - don't overmix. (The dough will be very wet)
5. Working quickly, use the prepared 1/4-cup measure to scoop a level amount of dough and drop it from the measuring cup into the flour on the baking sheet.
6. Repeat with the remaining dough, forming 12 pretty evenly sized mounds. Once you have the 12 mounds of biscuit, dust each of the 12 pieces of dough with flour from the baking sheet.
7. With floured hands, gently pick up a piece of dough, coat it with flour and gently shape into a rough ball, shake off any excess flour and place in the prepared cake pan.
8. Repeat with the remaining dough, arranging 9 rounds around the perimeter of the cake pan and 3 in the center.
9. Bake the biscuits for 5 minutes at 500, then reduce the oven temperature to 450 degrees and continue to bake until the biscuits are a deep golden brown - about 15 minutes longer.
10. Cool the biscuits in the pan for 2 minutes, then flip them onto a clean kitchen towel. Turn the biscuits upright and break them apart and cool for 5 more minutes before serving.

Source: Cook's Illustrated