Monthly Archives: March 2014

Fiber Cake Muffins

Try these homemade fiber cakes — similar to those at TJs, only better and less costly.  You won’t feel hungry after eating one, and you get the fiber you need for under 100 calories.

 

 

2 cups wheat bran
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 egg
1 cup apple juice
2 tsp honey
6 dried prunes, cut into small pieces
1 cup blueberries

Pre-heat oven to 400. Mix dry ingredients (save prunes & blueberries until end), then mix and add wet ingredients. Stir until incorporated, then add prunes and blueberries and fold in. Spoon mixture into muffin tin lined with paper cups — resulting muffin will not rise appreciably & retains same profile. Bake for 20-22 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.  Refrigerate or freeze (recommendation:  microwave before eating to bring out the flavor and texture). Makes about 8 muffins.

 

Phyllo-Wrapped Asparagus With Proscuitto

wrapped-asparagus1

  • 3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into 30 long, thin strips
  • 30 asparagus spears
  • 10 (14×9 inch) sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed
  • Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

Wrap 1 prosciutto strip around each asparagus spear, barber pole-style. Place 1 phyllo sheet on a work surface (cover remaining phyllo to prevent drying); coat phyllo with cook spray. Cut crosswise into thirds to form 3 (4 1/2 x 9 inch) rectangles. Arrange 1 asparagus spear across 1 short end of each rectangle; roll up jelly roll style. Arrange rolls on baking sheet; coat rolls with cooking spray. Repeat procedure with remaining phyllo, asparagus, and cooking spray. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes or until phyllo is golden and crisp. Serve warm or at room temperature.

You can also chop the prosciutto and sprinkle it on the phyllo before rolling.

Make-ahead tip: Arrange assembled rolls on a baking sheet, coat with cooking spray, and cover; store in fridge for up to four hours. Bake an hour or two before the party.

4 Servings (3 pieces): 59 Calories, 9 g Carbs, 1 g Fat, 4 g Protein

Trimm-Way Tips: French Restaurant Dining

French FoodLook for the cleanest food on the menu.  Select the lightest meat or fish, so that the added butter/sauce is not fat on top of fat.

Fish:  Choose the shellfish or whitefish (at 400 calories/lb.) rather than salmon or trout (700-900 calories/lb.)

Meat:  Choose the chicken breast (at 500 calories/lb.) rather than steak (filet mignon is 1,000 calories/lb.)

Onion soup (small bowl): 150 calories.  But cheese on top makes it 350 calories, and with French bread it’s 420 calories

Escargot:  6 pieces w/ garlic butter is about 250 calories

Dill Salmon Recipe

dill salmonIngredients:

2 large cucumbers
3T rice-wine vinegar
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
1/2 t salt
1 t sugar
4 (5 oz.) salmon fillets, skinless
1/4 t ground black pepper

Peel cucumbers in lengthwise strips, leaving thin strips of skin between peelings.  Slice cucumbers into very thin rounds, and place in a bowl with rice-wine vinegar, 3 T dill, sugar, and 1/4 t salt.  Toss to combine and set aside.

Heat grill or grill pan until very hot.  Place salmon on a tray, sprinkle with remaining 1/4 t salt and the pepper, and coat with remaining dill.  Transfer to hot grill, and cook several minutes, until nicely browned.  Turn over, and continue grilling until just cooked through and flaky.  Place pickled cucumbers on a serving platter, top with salmon fillets, and serve.

4 Servings:  266 Calories, 4 g Carbs, 12 g Fat, 24 g Protein