Healthy Pineapple Muffins

I made these muffins.  They are low-calorie.  Not sweet at all.  But I love their natural taste.  They are a good snack low-cal and low-fat.  I made 12 muffins instead of 18 and it’s perfect.  With 18 muffins, they would be very small.

Pineapple Muffins
From RecipeZaar
12 muffins

• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 cup milk (I used skim milk)
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup pineapple, crushed and drained (I used unsweetened)

1. Beat eggs, add sugar. Beat in milk, then flour, salt and baking powder.
2. Stir in oil and pineapple.
3. Bake in greased or paperlined muffin tins at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.

Pork with Mushroom and Dijon Mustard

I’m not good for creating recipes.  But on Sunday, I had to cook a pork tenderloin.  I had no recipe planned.  I had mushrooms to use.  So this is what I made and it’s very good.

• 1 pork tenderloin, sliced 1 inch-thick
• 6 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced (you can use the whole package)
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, mine is grainy and I love it
• 1 ounce half and half cream
• a little bit of chicken broth to combine
• (and then maybe it would have been great to add flour or cornstarch to thicken it cause it was not thick at all)
• green onions to decorate

See I told you I’m not good to create a recipe LOL

Ok here goes how I did it.  I guess you’re all excited LOL

1. I sprayed a non-stick skillet with pam.  Then I browned the pork slices until golden on each side.  To that, I added the sliced mushrooms.
2. I added the liquid to that and let simmer with cover a few minutes.
3. Then put a serving on a dish and decorate with green onions.

That’s all.

But anyway it was yummy and kind of healthy.

This is very simple.  Speaking of simple, don’t miss the giveaway on Simple Bites.

Super Bowls from Paula

When I saw the recipe of Paula, I knew I had to try that.  Cause I already had wonton wrappers in the freezer since many months so it was about time for me to use them.

I’m going to put the changes I made:

1 lb ground turkey (I used 1/2 lb lean ground beef cause I made just a few bowls for me and my boyfriend)

2 stalks green onions – minced (more to garnish if you want to be fancy) (I almost used 2 stalks of green onions, it gave a good flavor)

2 cloves fresh garlic – minced (of course, I used 1)

2″ section of fresh ginger – minced (I omitted it)

6 tsp low sodium soy sauce (I used 3 tsp of low sodium soy sauce)

pepper (no pepper)

Wasabi Mayo:
Mayonaise
Wasabi Powder

but to have the full recipe just go there.

My boyfriend always refuse to have mayonnaise on his food.  I was surprised that he said yes when I offered him to put a dollop on each of his bowls.

We really enjoyed them.  Maybe I cooked them too much or they were too old (the wrappers) cause they were very crunchy.  The filling by itself is very good.  I gave the leftover to my son, without wasabi mayo of course and he said it was yummy.

You need a yummy cure for PMS?

Then try this drink.  I tell you I would really need one now.  I’m so tired.  I wanted to be reasonable tonight but I guess I’ll have at least one drink.

Earlier today, I told my friend that I had my SMS (text messages on cell phones) when I meant PMS.  And in French it’s SPM.  So you can see why I said the wrong thing LOL

PMS Cure-All! (Cocktail)
From RecipeZaar
1 drink

• 1 ounce Frangelico
• 1 ounce butterscotch schnapps
• 1/2 ounce Godiva milk chocolate liqueur
• 1/2 ounce amarula liqueur
• 1/2 ounce milk, more if preferred (I added more milk cause it was too sweet, adjust it to your taste)

1. Stir first 5 ingredients in your favorite large, parfait-style wine glass.
2. Add as much ice that will fit, about 6 ice wedges.

Healthy & Yummy Dinner

This is what we had for dinner.  It was easy to do in maybe 30 minutes.  Maybe more cause I’m slow re-reading the recipes LOL

I had pork tenderloin in the fridge and decided to make Caramelized Pork Slices.  Wow it was good.  Even my boyfriend who doesn’t like sweet main dishes, loved it.  And I made a Quinoa Pilaf, which my son didn’t like a lot but you know how kids are.  They can be picky.  He’s 4 years old.  My boyfriend added shredded cheddar cheese on his serving and he ate it all.

Caramelized Pork Slices
From Betty Crocker The 300 Calorie Cookbook
4 servings of 190 calories each

• 1 lb pork tenderloin, cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar (I used 1 tablespoon not packed)
• 1 tablespoon orange juice (I used Tropicana)
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (omitted it)
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper (omitted it, I know I’m boring)

1. Spray 10-inch skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat.  Cook pork and garlic in skillet 6 to 8 minutes, turning occasionally, until pork is no longer pink in center.  Drain if necessary.
2. Stir in remaining ingredients; cook until mixture thickens and coats pork.

1 serving : Calories 190 (calories from fat 40); total fat 4.5 g (saturated fat 1.5g; trans fat 0 g); cholesterol 70 mg; sodium 350mg; total carbohydrate 12 g (dietary fiber 0 g; sugars 10 g); protein 26 g % daily value : vitamin A 0 %; vitamin C 0 %; calcium 2 %; iron 10 %  Exchanges : 1 other carbohydrate, 3 1/2 very lean meat, 1/2 fat  Carbohydrate Choices : 1

Quinoa Pilaf (WW 4 PTS)
From RecipeZaar
4 servings

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 onion, chopped (I used 1 onion, I don’t like to waste)
• 1 stalk celery  (including leaves) (mine didn’t had leaves)
• 2 carrots, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup quinoa
• 1 cup hot water or vegetable stock or chicken broth (I used hot water but I should have used chicken broth cause my BF said it needed more flavors)
• 1 cup butternut squashed, peeled and diced (optional) (I didn’t use it)
• 1 bay leaf
• fresh lemon rind, grated from 1 lemon (I used 1 tablespoon)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup frozen peas (that I defrosted in microwave in a little bit of water)
• salt and pepper, to taste (omitted it)

1. Heat oil in nonstick pan and cook onion, celery and carrots for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Rinse quinoa with cold water, drain well and add to pan.
3. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
4. Add water, bay leaf, lemon rind and juice.
5. Add squash, if using.
6. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover then simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is tender.
7. Discard bay leaf and stir in peas.
8. Season with salt and pepper.

Healthy Couscous with Roasted Mediterranean Vegetables (WW)

My boyfriend likes to eat couscous.  Me too but it always depends on how it’s served.  When I saw this recipe with roasted veggies, I knew we’d love it.  And it was really good.  In one meal, it was gone.  No leftover! It’s healthy.

I’m not with WW but the person wrote : this recipe contains a total of 11 1/2 points.

Healthy Couscous With Roasted Mediterranean Vegetables (WW)
From RecipeZaar
2 servings (Main dish) or 4 servings (side dishes)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 red onion
• 1 yellow bell pepper (I used red)
• 1 zucchini
• 1/2 teaspoon Cavenders All Purpose Greek Seasoning
• 3/4 cup chicken broth (I used fat-free reduced sodium)
• 1 cup couscous

1. Heat the oven to 350°F or 180°C.
2. Put the olive oil and garlic in a roasting/ baking pan.
3. Finely dice the red onion into small chunks and add to the pan. Stir and cook in the oven for 5 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, finely dice the yellow bell pepper and zucchini. Add these to the pan, with the Cavenders seasoning. Stir, cover with aluminum foil and bake for a further 20 minutes.
5. After 20 minutes, remove the foil and put the veggies back in the oven for a further 10 minutes until just starting to char around the edges.
6. While the veggies finish cooking, make the couscous- heat the chicken broth in a jug or bowl, add the couscous and cover with the foil. Let sit until done.
7. When cooked, fluff the couscous with a fork.
8. Remove the veggies from the oven, add the couscous, stir and serve hot!

Snow-Day Skillet Cookie

Last week I saw this recipe on this blog.  I wanted to try it.  I never made cookies that way.  I wanted to do this for my son and my boyfriend.  Of course, I was really bad.  I ate too many slices on Sunday (the day I made it).  So as you can see, it’s really good.  My boyfriend who loves chocolate chip cookies, really loved “this” cookie.  Maybe I made it too thick.

Snow-Day Skillet Cookie
From Martha Stewart Living
8 servings

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt (I omitted it)

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened (I used 1/2 cup butter and 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce)

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar (I didn’t pack)

1/2 cup sugar

1 large egg

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups mixed milk and semisweet chocolate chips (I used only 1 cup and I think it was enough)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

4. Add egg and vanilla, mixing until they are fully incorporated.

5. Add flour mixture, and beat until just combined.

6. Stir in chocolate chips.

7. Transfer dough to a 10-inch ovenproof skillet, and press to flatten, covering the bottom of the pan. Bake until the edges are brown and top is golden, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool, 15 to 20 minutes. Cut into 8 wedges. Serve each with a scoop of ice cream or a large glass of milk.

But please visit the blog of Ezrapoundcake to see her beautiful photo of the cookie.

Some of my favorite food/drink photos

1. PMS Cure-All (Cocktail), 2. Brussels Sprouts & Apple Salad, 3. Lemon Squares with Cream Cheese – 90 calories, 4. Chop Soui from Ricardo, 5. Minestrone, 6. Halleluiah Waffles, 7. Stoli Spiced Pear Martini, 8. Maple Syrup Pie, 9. Hpnotiq Margarita, 10. Peanut Butter Maple Syrup, 11. Berks County Bread Machine Pizza Crust, 12. Baked Cranberry Nut Bread Oatmeal, 13. Millionaire’s Pie, 14. I’d Like a Baked Apple Right Now, 15. Avon Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting, 16. Apple Peanut Butter Cookies, 17. Warm Strawberries in Strawberry Sauce for Ice Cream, 18. Eight Animals Bake-a-cake Pineapple Upside down Cake, 19. Kellymac’s Baked Grapefruit, 20. Spinach Salad With Warm Maple Dressing, 21. Tomato and Garlic Crouton Salad, 22. Marinated Chicken, 23. Grilled Cheese with a Twist, 24. Creamy Clouds over Tranquil Turquoise Seas, 25. White Sangria

** I noticed that if you want the recipe, it brings you to my page on Flickr.  But then I authorize friends and family to see my photos. So you’ll have to add me and then I add you as friends**

Brussels Sprouts & Apple Salad

Last week I made this recipe from the Healthy Heart Cookbook from the American Medical Association.  It’s a great side-dish if you like the taste of plain yogurt.  My boyfriend didn’t like because of the yogurt.  I love the taste with the toasted walnuts and lemon zest.  Without that, it’s not the same.

Brussels Sprouts & Apple Salad
From Healthy Heart Cookbook

4 servings

• 2 tablespoons walnuts, chopped
• 1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons maple syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (I omitted it)
• 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 apple, halved, cored, and thinly sliced (I used a granny smith apple)
• 1/2 lb brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest, grated

1. Put the walnuts in a small, dry frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring often, until fragrant and lightly toasted, 3-5 minutes. Immediately transfer to a plate to cool and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, maple syrup, salt, pepper, and 1 teaspoon of the lemon juice. In a small bowl, toss the apple slices with the remaining 1 teaspoon lemon juice and stir into the yogurt mixture. Set aside.
3. In a saucepan fitted with a steamer basket, bring 1 inch of water to a boil. Add the brussels sprouts and steam until tender-crisp, about 4 minutes. Let cool slightly.
4. Add the brussels sprouts to the bowl with the yogurt mixture and apples and toss gently to coat.
5. Divide the salad among individual plates and sprinkle with the lemon zest and toasted walnuts. Serve immediately.

My Mom’s Homemade Yogurt

This is my mother’s recipe for homemade yogurt.  I made her recipe so many times.  She probably took it from the yogurt maker which is a Yogourtmet.  It’s very old like I said the other day.

Sorry for the bad photo.  I don’t have cute bowl   I really should buy some cute bowls very soon.

My Mom’s Homemade Yogurt
as you can see it gives a 2 liters of yogurt

• 2 liters milk (I already used whole-milk but these days I use skim milk)
• 1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin
• 6 ounces plain yogurt (this time I used 2% fat milk)
• 2 (5 g)  yogurt starter

1. Pour 1/2 cup of milk in a small measuring cup. Sprinkle the gelatin. Stir just a little bit. Set aside.
2. Pour the remaining milk in a large saucepan. Heat at medium heat, always stirring, until milk is 180F (you can use a candy thermometer).
3. When the milk is 180F, remove from the heat. Take some of the hot milk and add it to the mixture of milk and gelatin. Stir well. Put this mixture in the saucepan with the milk. Stir.
4. Allow the milk to cool to lukewarm-110°F To speed up the process you can place the pan in cold water. When the milk is 100F, you can remove it from the water.
5. In a small bowl, mix the plain yogurt with the yogurt starter. Stir well. Put in the saucepan. Stir well. Pour in the yogurt maker by straining it. Follow the directive of your yogurt maker.
6. When it’s ready (I let it in the yogurt maker near 10 hours), put it in the fridge for at least 4 hours.
7. I like to add splenda and instant coffee that I sift so it’s easier to dissolve in the yogurt.
8. Or I add splenda and 1 tablespoon of jam.
9. Or just maple syrup on top mmmmm.