Holiday Recipes

If you have a yummy holiday recipe that is considered "light" I would love you to share. E-mail or facebook me the recipe and I will post here for all to enjoy!

Here is one that I got from my sister Michelle.  I love it because it is SO simple, only 3 ingredients! With no eggs or oil, they are much lighter than your typical pumpkin cookie or bar and they are so YUMMY!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies (or mini-muffins)

1 box spice cake mix
1/2 of a large can of pumpkin
1/2 of a bag of mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Dump all contents into a large bowl and mix until well blended. Spray cookie sheet or mini muffin tin with non-fat cooking spray and drop by the spoonful.  Bake for 18 min.

I must admit, when I first saw this recipe I was a little skeptical about how they would taste. But then she made them for our sisters retreat in Park City and we all LOVED them!




11/15/10- Here is another yummy recipe I tried last week from my Cooking Light cook book. I thought it would make a nice gift for friends or neighbors, or great to take to a holiday get together.

Sour Cream-Rasberry Swirl Loaf

This cake freezes well for up to 2 months.

Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 1 slice)

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup seedless raspberry jam
• 3 tablespoons chopped walnuts, toasted
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
• 1 1/8 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg white
• 3/4 cup fat-free sour cream
• Cooking spray
• 1/4 cup sifted powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons 2% reduced-fat milk

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine raspberry jam and walnuts in a small bowl.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl, stirring with a whisk. Combine sugar, butter, lemon rind, 1 teaspoon vanilla, egg, and egg white in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add flour mixture and sour cream alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

Spread half the batter into an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Spoon raspberry mixture over top, leaving a 1/4-inch border. Spread remaining batter over raspberry mixture.

Bake at 350° for 55 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack. Combine 1/8 teaspoon vanilla , powdered sugar, and milk in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Drizzle over loaf.

Cooking Light, Five Star Recipes

Black Bean-Taco Salad with Lime Vinaigrette


Jani's notes:  I first marinated the chicken for about 30 minutes in a chicken fajitas marinade that I love, but you don't have to.  Here is the marinade recipe:  


1 T. lime juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. chili powder
12 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp hot pepper flakes
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper


(I doubled it and used some for basting while cooking.  In the summer I grill my chicken outside, but for this salad, I just broiled it in the oven.)

With chicken, cheddar cheese, and black beans, this Southwestern-influenced salad needs nothing on the side except some iced tea. Fresh lime gives it a citrusy counterpunch.

Yield:  4 servings (serving size: about 2 cups salad and 1 cup chips)


Vinaigrette: (This vinaigrette is what makes the whole salad.  It is so good!)
1/4 cup chopped seeded tomato
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon grated lime rind
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 garlic clove, peeled
Salad:
8 cups thinly sliced iceberg lettuce
1 1/2 cups chopped ready-to-eat roasted skinned, boned chicken breast (about 2 breasts)
1 cup chopped tomato
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup finely diced red onion
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
4 cups fat-free baked tortilla chips (about 4 ounces)   (I made my own.  Just cut white corn tortillas into triangles with a pizza cutter, sprayed them with non-stick spray, sprinkled a little sea salt on them, then baked them in the oven 'til crispy.)

To prepare vinaigrette, combine first 11 ingredients in a blender or food processor; process until smooth.

To prepare salad, combine lettuce and remaining ingredients except chips in a large bowl. Add vinaigrette; toss well to coat. Serve with chips.

CALORIES 402 (28% from fat); FAT 12.6g (sat 3.2g,mono 6.5g,poly 1.9g); IRON 3.6mg; CHOLESTEROL 35mg; CALCIUM 236mg; CARBOHYDRATE 51.6g; SODIUM 861mg; PROTEIN 24.5g; FIBER 8g 

Cooking Light, JULY 2000