fried onion, mushrooms, red peppers

My cheesesteak, before I added the lettuce and tomatoes!

The last of the Jersey tomatoes!

OMG! How have I not tried this before

BigMan's Cheesesteak!

"Fries"

OK, I am now in heaven!

Cheese Steaks and Fries ~ the “healthy” Jen way!

**I had a bunch of overripe bananas and we love Banana bread in my house. I have a go-to recipe but it is about 5 points per piece. I scoured the twitter wires asking for banana bread recipes. I looked over a couple and made up my own version. This is the first time I have ever done this. I am always so cautious to follow the directions to the letter.

So here is what I came up with:

Ingredients

3 cups mashed overripe bananas
1 egg
6 oz vanilla yogurt (I like Yoplait in the blue container)
1/2 cup Splenda
1/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup applesauce
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1&1/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup rolled oats
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat your oven to 350F and lightly grease a loaf pan.

2. Mash the bananas and mix with the egg, yogurt, brown sugar, applesauce and vanilla extract.

3. In a separate bowl, mix the flours, baking powder, oats, cinnamon and nutmeg together. Create a well in the middle of the dry ingredients.

4. Combine dry and wet until just mixed. If you like nuts or chocolate chips in your banana bread you can fold those in now. Spoon the mixture into your prepared loaf pan.

5. Bake in preheated oven at 350F oven for about 1 hour. Check to see if the loaf is ready by inserting a knife or toothpick into the center of the loaf. It should come out completely clean when it’s ready. **Note-I experimented here with cupcakes and bread. Banana bread always seems to turn out better in the loaf pan but can be done in muffins. Just don’t use cupcake papers – dough is too sticky! Muffins will only take about 30 minutes**

6. Allow to cool in the loaf pan for 10 minutes and then remove from the loaf pan and allow to cool on a wire rack.

The Reviews:

Cupcake papers are not needed with banana bread. In fact, I now do not recommend the papers. The banana mixture kind of stuck. But at least it tasted good! The banana bread was moist and yummy! The husband likes my other recipe better (of course he likes the 5 pt/slice better than than the 2 pt/slice ~ d’uh). The kid just thought I had put nuts in my banana bread. When I promised her there were no nuts she ate 2 little baby muffins. She loved them.

I will make this recipe again. I will tweak it a bit more but there is definite potential!

MY TAKE: I only had a 2-pound pork loin so I used less of the liquids but I think I should have kept the liquid as the recipe called for since my family seems to like it a bit wetter. Even still, the bbq pork was AMAZING!! It had great flavor!! Barbecuey without being too sweet or too spicy.

I served mine on Arnold’s Sandwich Thins (these are a new must-have) with about an 1/8 cup of 2% shredded cheddar cheese. The husband really enjoyed this sandwich!! He had 3 sandwiches plus had some of the meat on top of his mashed potatoes. The kid can be such a pain at dinner time but she ate a half-sandwich in record time!!

If you are wondering, this is a 6 point sandwich!!

And worth every one of those pesky points!!

I make a very pretty & yummy stir-fry.

Tonight I was on my own for dinner. The husband and the kid wanted leftover Lasagne I made last night for dinner. I had to use veggies in the fridge and I just did not want Lasagne again and they did not want stir-fry. I made a smaller stir-fry & the rest of the chicken I was going to use I I will have grilled tomorrow night. I am working the menu plan! LOVE IT!!

So, here is the recipe…sort of:
1 boneless skinless chicken breast, cut in thin strips
1/4 red bell pepper
1/2 yellow squash
1/2 can water chestnuts
1/2 can bamboo shoots
1 small handful of snow peas
1/2 small head of savoy cabbage
teriyaki sauce, to taste
soy sauce, to taste
minced fresh garlic
grated ginger
2 cups cooked rice

Heat your wok and a small amount of oil. I had canola on hand but peanut or sesame would probably be nicer. Start with your bigger veggies (save snow peas and cabbage until after chicken). Add some sauces and saute for about a minute or two, add chicken and brown, then add remaining veggies, garlic, ginger, and more sauces (to taste).

Serve over rice.
Looks yummy, huh??

Here are some Jen-style side notes:

** I simply used what I had in the fridge leftover from my last venture to the produce store. Add whatever you like. Substitute your preference of chicken, beef, pork, shrimp, tofu (if that is your thing), or just veggies.

**I prefer white rice. I have tried brown and I just don’t like it. Maybe I need to grow up but I know that if I am going to lose weight and keep it off for life and truly live happy & healthy I have to lose weight eating the foods I know will always be a part of my life.

The way I made this stir-fry I wound up with one large, dinner size portion at 8 points and 2 lunch portions at 5 points. I am very excited about the leftover lunches I already have set out in the fridge. Healthy living at it its best!!

I found this recipe in Marlene Koch’s 375 Sensational Splenda Recipes

Ingredients:
Filling:
4 ounces tub-style light cream cheese
4 tablespoons Splenda Granular
2 teaspoons 1% milk
1/8 teaspoon almond extract (I didn’t have almond so I used vanilla and it didn’t feel like something was missing.)
Muffin Batter:
1 large egg
3 tablespoons margarine, melted
1/4 cup 1% milk
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 ounces regular nonfat lemon yogurt

I found this recipe in Marlene Koch’s 375 Sensational Splenda Recipes

Ingredients:
3/4 cup 1% milk
1/4 cup applesauce
1 egg
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups low-fat baking mix (like Reduced-Fat Bisquick)
1/2 cup Splenda Granular
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips
1/4 cup nonfat dry milk (Trust me buy the big box, you will think this is crazy but after you and your family eat these muffins you will make it frequently)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Steps:
1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Spray 10 muffin cups in standard muffin tin with nonstick spray. (I stretched mine to fit all 12 cups)
2. In a small bowl, whisk together milk, applesauce, egg, canola oil, brown sugar, and vanilla. Be sure to dissolve any brown sugar lumps. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine remaining dry ingredients. Stir; make a well in center and add milk mixture. With a large spoon or spatula, stir until dry ingredients are moistened.
4. Spoon into prepared muffin cups.
5. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until center springs back when lightly touched. Cool for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

My Review: These muffins are insanely easy to make and insanely delicious. At 3 points per muffin these are a great treat!

Got this recipe at my WW meeting today.

Ingredients:
1 cup fat-free cool whip
4 servings sugar-free vanilla pudding mix
15 oz canned pumpkin
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 cup fat-free milk

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together in a blender except the cool whip. Add cool whip to create “mousse” consistency.

Makes 6 half cup servings, 1 point each.

I made these delicious Turkey Meatballs the other night and they were so delish.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 pounds lean ground turkey
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs (you can use seasoned, I just prefer to season my own)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 eggs
seasonings (use the kinds you like – I used garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, paprika, parsley, and basil)

Directions:
Mix all ingredients. Form into balls – I used a small scooper (think ice cream scooper but way smaller)
Fry in a nonstick pan with 1-2 teaspoons of canola oil (or bake in oven at 375°F for approximately 20 minutes or until a nice golden brown color.)

I wound up with 70 turkey balls

2 balls = 1 WW point

Misc. Info – ground turkey needs to be seasoned more than ground beef (in my opinion)