Fat-Free Sweet Pepper Poppers

This is an easy and healthy Superbowl snack that doesn't taste healthy.
Your whole gang will love these!

Fat Free Sweet Pepper Poppers
1 package fat free Cream Cheese
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Onion Powder
1/2 tsp Cayenne
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground Black Pepper
30 baby bell peppers
1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
Preheat oven to 350. Chop the top off of the peppers and remove any lingering seeds. Set aside. In a small bowl, blend the cream cheese with the seasonings. In a separate bowl place panko and lightly season with salt and pepper. Use the scoop method here, it really makes it easy. Take one pepper, and scoop up the cream cheese like dip. Then press the top of the pepper that is filled with cream cheese into the panko so that it is lightly covered. Spread the peppers evenly in a baking dish. Spray lightly with olive oil. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until browned. Serve warm.
 

The exact calories in each popper will vary based on the amount of cream cheese it fits. But let's see here...a single tablespoon of fat free cream cheese is only 15 calories and a baby bell pepper will be around 15 plus the sprinkle of panko on top would add a max of 10 there...so 40ish. One big Sweet Pepper Popper that can fit an entire tablespoon of cream cheese would set you back 40 calories. Hmmmm I bet we can all use this option on the table for game day.

What other healthy treats are you bringing to the table this year?

Fat Free Jalapeno Poppers

There is something about spicy food that warms me on a cold winter day and luckily it isn't heartburn. These Jalepeno Poppers were both easy and perfectly smoky thanks to the genius use of my leftover Smoked Cream Cheese.
I've actually made this recipe 2 times now. The first time it took about 12 steps. The second time I got it down to 6 steps. I've included my original steps as well as the extra stuff below.
I could ramble on in detail for awhile about how this recipe came to be...but instead I'll leave you with the important lessons:
1) Instructions are important.
2) Never underestimate the power of the pepper, or rapidly boiling water.
3) Apparently the sliced jalapeno peppers at Subway restaurants are milder than most.  (Who knew?)
4) My Smoked Cream Cheese is delicious and versatile and should be made on all cold winter days.

Hypo Jalapeno Poppers
Jalapenos
Prepared Smoked Cream Cheese
Whole wheat bread crumbs with Italian Seasoning
Olive Oil Spray

Step #1: PUT ON GLOVES.  I read the warnings before attempting this dish. There were plenty of people that talked about how important it was and how they wish they had done it. Did I listen? NO! Of course not, clearly I am tougher than all the people.
Step #2: Slice off top of pepper, then down the middle. Remove seeds.
Step #3: Add sliced peppers to boiling water for just a few minutes until they begin to soften.
Step #4: Remove peppers and allow to cool on a cooling rack.
Step #5: Stuff cooled peppers with cream cheese. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and lightly spray with olive oil.
Step #6: Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

(skip to step #12 if you followed step #1)
          Step #7: Scrub hands with soap. 
          Step #8: Re-scrub hands after you accidentally touched your lips and you realize your lips are burning.
          Step #9: Scrub face and lips with WASH CLOTH, after previous attempts to
                         wash away the burn failed.
          Step #10: Remove poppers from oven and allow to rest for a moment while you
                        wash your hands and face another time.
          Step #11: Power through the burning hands, face and lips and enjoy with some fat free ranch.
                         Vow to never cook with jalapenos again.
Step #12: Enjoy with some fat free ranch. Remake a second batch for your friends.

Now the best part about this recipe is that each popper is only 20 calories and ZERO grams of fat.  I suppose you could go crazy with the olive oil spray to add fat, but this is about getting the taste and not the calories. About living with dietary restrictions and finding a way to get what you crave without harming your body. Seriously... is there anything better to snack on?

PS: FOLLOW STEP #1!


Sharing on This Chick Cooks.

Smoked Cream Cheese

There are a few things in this world I can't live without:

Marshmallows
Coffee
Grilled Sandwiches
Chocolate

But right at the top of that list is CHEESE. I love cheese!
I love cheesy jokes!
I love cheesin it up in front of the camera!
I LOVE cheese!

Now I'm not sure if you know this, but cheese isn't very healthy. Sure a 1-ounce serving can supply up to a third of your daily calcium, plus protein and vitamin D, but there is a lot of fat in most of it. And while I'm thankful for the fat-free American singles on my grilled cheese sandwiches (THANKS KRAFT!!) it doesn't always do the trick for me.  Sometimes you need something creamier...a little richer...with more flavor...something completely indulgent.

I was at a friends house recently and was introduced to smoked cream cheese. Immediately I was depressed  knowing something THAT amazing existed and I couldn't have it. I also tasted it to confirm my misery.

Well in a style very typical of me, I was consumed by a stubbornness to recreate the magic.  I spent the next few days researching cold smokers and temperatures, along with the durations and tools needed to accomplish this feat.
It wasn't until I was on my way to Home Depot to pick up the supplies that it hit me. LIQUID SMOKE!? Could it work? Would it be nasty? How expensive is it? How long will it take me to get to the grocery store from here traveling at approximately 60 miles per hour and assuming there is no traffic?
Truthfully none of that mattered, I had to try it.
After a measly $3.50 I realized that I had created something magical. Completely...utterly...magical. It was so magical that I remade it for blogger night with Three and a Half Stones To Go along with my Turkey & Stuffing Meatballs.

Let me introduce you to your new friend:
Smoked Cream Cheese - Hypo Style
2 tbsp liquid smoke
1/2 cup water
1 block fat free cream cheese
garlic powder
Tabasco sauce
Montreal Steak Seasoning
ground black pepper
Find a dish that will fit the cream cheese with only a little room for liquid. (I used one of those Hillshire Farms lunch meat containers.) Mix the liquid smoke and water into that container. Add the cream cheese block. Allow this to sit for 20-30 minutes. The longer it sits the smokier it will taste. After your desired time is up drain all the liquid off the cheese. Drizzle the block with a little Tabasco, then coat it lightly with the seasonings. Press those seasonings gently into the block and serve.

This tastes amazing on everything from cucumbers to crackers to my coworkers breakfast sandwich. I didn't actually try the sandwich, but the sound effects he made after each bite lead me to believe that I am awesome.
I'll also be using this in my Baked Jalapeno Poppers to bribe people in the near future...I just have to find the right victims  things to ask for  people.

Fat Free Pumpkin Raisin Cookies

Nothing says fall like pumpkin. I love the smell, the taste and the anticipation of all the pumpkin flavored foods. This year I resolved to make a healthier version, and I nailed it!

It took me awhile to make sure I could call these fat free. With only 70 calories and .2 grams of total fat I was certain it had to count as something. So I looked it up, and according to the FDA a food may be considered fat-free, if it has 0.5 g of fat or less per serving. A saturated-fat-free food must contain less than 0.5 g of saturated fat and less than 0.5 g of trans fats.You can read more about that here. But basically it means that 2 cookies still count as fat free!

These cookies are really more of a muffin texture. If you decide you'd prefer muffins just pour the batter in the muffin tin. Personally I hate cleaning out the muffin pans, so I went the cookie route on rounds 2 and 3 of this recipe. You also have to admit that eating a cookie for breakfast is much more fun than eating a muffin. Enjoy!

Fat Free Pumpkin  Raisin Cookies
3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie seasoning
3/4 cup canned plain pumpkin puree
3/4 cup raisins
6 tablespoons egg whites
1/3 cup apple juice
Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat baking sheets with cooking spray. Whisk dry ingredients together. Add in the remaining ingredients. Stir until no traces of dry ingredients remain. Drop the batter by level tablespoonfuls onto the baking sheets, spacing the cookies 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake the cookies until firm to the touch and lightly golden on top, 10 to 12 minutes. Store in an airtight container or pop into the freezer for later.

Calories    70.4
Total Fat   0.2 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg,
Sodium     105.0 mg
Potassium     99.4 mg
Total Carbs     16.1 g
Dietary Fiber     1.3 g
Sugars         5.1 g
Protein     2.0 g

Vegetable Mind Games - Garbanzo Beans

 I don't like beans... and it's only been in the last few months that I had any interest in learning to like them.
That said, I've been reading a lot lately about Garbanzos. I like hummus, and I had this amazing appetizer at an Indian restaurant that used them. Maybe this can be my gateway bean.

When I stumbled across a recipe for Roasted Garbanzos I knew I had to try it. The first batch was so good and so easy that I got Monkey involved for the second round. (She agreed to try the first batch after I called them Bean Chips, and has been asking for them ever since.)


























Bean Chips

2 cans garbanzo beans
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and other seasonings to flavor the beans
Preheat the oven to 400. Drain both cans in a strainer and rinse well until the water is no longer cloudy. Now dry the beans. We chose to rub them with paper towels until they were dry.

There is debate over whether or not you need to remove the skins. We tried both and found no difference in taste or texture. Plus removing the skins could easily waste hours of my life that I'd rather spend thumb wrestling or drooling over food blogs.

Once the beans are dry, drizzle olive oil over them and toss around till they're all coated. Cook for 30-40 minutes until the beans are crunchy. I like to stir half way to make sure the guys on the edge of the pan don’t burn. Season after you remove them from the oven.


We've tried spicy bean chips and garlic, but Monkey's favorite is just plain old season salt.
Have you made bean chips before, and if so what's your favorite flavor?

Dill Pickle Popcorn

For days I've been craving them...Dill....Pickle....Chips.
I love everything about those chips...except they aren't very good for me.
So I compromised with Dill Pickle Popcorn:

Dill Pickle Seasoning
3 tbsp dried dill
1 tbsp dried parsley
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
4 tbsp salt
Combine and pulse in the food processor (I used the Magic Bullet) until it is super fine. Use to season anything you want to taste pickle-icious!

Dill Pickle Popcorn
Spritzing vinegar over the air-popped popcorn first will help the seasoning stick and give it that wonderful tangy taste. Mixing with vinegar and pouring over the popcorn is a very bad idea! You end up with mega-seasoned landmines dispersed in the bowl. If you like landmines (or want to teach your kids to stay out of your bowl) have fun but personally I like consistency.  The best way to achieve that is with a mist. Pampered Chef makes a great spritzer that I use regularly with olive oil. If that's not an option, a spray bottle (like the type used to wet hair) can be used instead.
If you only want a hint of pickle, use a mist of olive oil instead.

Dill Pickle Dip
Mix with Plain Greek Yogurt for an incredible dip that is great with pretzels or veggies.
Why use Greek Yogurt? Because, it has all the benefits of a high-quality protein without the fat. Yup, you heard me right. You could count this as your protein! When comparing labels I found that the 8oz container of Greek yogurt had 3 grams more protein than a turkey dog! It also has fewer carbs than regular yogurt.
It's been a favorite snack of mine lately. The best flavor comes when it is allowed to sit overnight, so mix this up before bed and you'll be set for work the next day.
(Here is a great article about the nutritional benefits of Greek Yogurt, if you want to learn more.)

Burger Topping
I haven't tried this yet, but I have a hunch that the Dill Pickle Dip from above will be a great way to omit the cheese and add pickle flavor to a burger. I did try it on a turkey dog with a little ketchup and it was yummy! The creamy texture... the delicous pickleness...how could it be bad on a burger?


What would you put this seasoning on?