Skinny Kale Chips

When I first heard about kale chips, I was pretty skeptical. I mean, a leafy green as a substitute for potato chips? Come on. But I kept hearing about how great they were, and who doesn't want a healthy potato chip alternative? So I finally broke down and made them, and I have to say, they are fantastic! They get seriously crunchy, and when well salted, they really are a satisfying chip replacement. Plus, you can easily flavor them any way you like. They would be a great way to get they picky eaters in your house from your kids to your husbands/boyfriends (who are really just big kids) to eat their vegetables. So far, I've made them salted, and dusted with chipotle chili powder. Both ways tasted great. I used curly kale, but you can also use dinosaur kale which will come out flatter and more chip-shaped. If anyone tries with dinosaur kale, let me know how they come out!

Skinny Kale Chips

Serving Size: 1/2 of recipe

WW PointsPlus Value: 0

1 bunch fresh kale

Olive oil flavored cooking spray

Salt

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Wash kale and dry very well. Cut or tear kale away from the stem and into bite-size pieces and place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Spray with a light mist of cooking spray, salt well, and bake for 20 minutes or until crispy. Flavor any way your little heart desires and enjoy!

Skinny Mardis Gras: Oven Baked Beignets

Diet friendly doughnuts. I won't bother commenting on them, as I assume you'll want to get straight to this recipe.

Skinny Oven Baked Beignets

Serving Size: 3 doughnuts (à la Cafe Du Monde)

WW PointsPlus Value: 3

1/4 cup warm water

1 package active dry yeast

1/4 cup sugar

3 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoon light butter , cold and cut into pieces

3/4 cup lowfat buttermilk

1 egg

1/4 cup confectioners' sugar, for topping

Directions:

• Put warm water in a small bowl and add yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar. Let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes.
  
• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and remaining sugar. Cut in butter until mixture is the consistency of wet sand. With a fork, stir buttermilk and egg into yeast mixture until blended, then make a well in the flour mixture and pour wet mix in. Stir until combined.
  
• On a floured surface, knead dough until it's smooth. Spray the large bowl with cooking spray and place dough inside. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 10 minutes.
• Spray a couple cookie sheets with cooking spray (or line with a silicone baking mat), then on your floured surface, roll dough out until it's a 9x9 square. With a pizza cutter, slice dough into 36 squares. Place on cookie sheets and cover. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and there he dough rise for 20 minutes.
  
• Bake for 10 minutes and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve warm with cafe au lait. Happy Mardis Gras!

Skinny Mardis Gras: Oyster Po' Boy

This Tuesday is Mardis Gras, and I figured that was as good an excuse as any to cook up some delicious Cajun food. I used to celebrate Fat Tuesday by eating the worst food I could imagine (think bacon cheeseburgers with doughnuts for buns). Now, I realize that I can just eat lighter versions of the foods I love, and not have to spend 40 days fasting to make up for that one Fat Tuesday. This year, I'm calling it Mardis Maigre!

Skinny Oyster Po' Boy

Serving Size: 1 sandwich

WW PointsPlus Value: 7

Whole wheat baguette, cut into 4" sections

16 ounces oysters, shucked

1/4 cup lowfat buttermilk

1/4 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs

1 Tablespoon whole wheat flour

1 cup lettuce, shredded

1 Tablespoon mayo

1/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine mayo, Greek yogurt, and Cajun seasoning in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Mix the flour and breadcrumbs together and season mixture well with salt and pepper. Dunk the oysters in the buttermilk, then coat well with breadcrumbs. Spray with a light coating of cooking spray, then bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.
• While oysters are cooking, assemble your sandwich. Pull out the insides of the baguette and either discard or store for another recipe. This gives the bread more storage room to hold the sandwich innards while lowering the carb count, as well. Spread 1 Tablespoon of mayo mixture on the bread, and pile with lettuce. When the oysters are done, add them to your sandwich, and et voila! You have a delicious, skinny po' boy.

Skinny French Fries with Chipotle Ketchup

I love french fries. I like potato fries, sweet potato fries, butternut squash fries, and pretty much any other vegetable that can julienned, fried, salted, and dunked in ketchup. When I first started Weight Watchers, I completely gave up fries. Then, after a few miserable, fryless months, I decided to find a healthier alternative. Butternut squash fries were the big winner. They're reminiscent of sweet potato fries, but much healthier. They're tricky to get crispy, but I found that drying them well and baking them on a rack produced some pretty tasty results. But, they still weren't the french fries that I grew up with and aren't what I'm looking for when I'm really craving fries. So I came up with a happy medium: healthy, baked, potato french fries.

Skinny French Fries with Chipotle Ketchup

Serving Size: 1/2 recipe + 1 Tablespoon ketchup

WW PointsPlus Value: 3

1 medium potato

Kosher salt

1 teaspoon canola oil

1/4 cup ketchup

1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut potato into sticks of your own desired thickness. Spread out on a few paper towels, and sprinkle well with the Kosher salt. This will draw the moisture out of the potatoes (so they will get nice and crispy in the oven). Let the salted potatoes sit for a few minutes, then squeeze the moisture out with paper towels. When they're nice and dry, coat them in oil and arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until golden and crispy.
• While fries are baking, combine chipotle chile and ketchup in a blender until smooth. I like spicier food so this is how I make mine, but you can remove seeds from chile and add more ketchup if you want a milder sauce.
• When fries are finished baking, you can pat off any excess oil with a paper towel. Serve immediately with chipotle ketchup.

Skinny Raspberry Buttermilk Cake

I've been on kind of a baking kick lately. It probably has something to do with the fact that the boyfriend and I are doing the yearly 3 month booze fast, and baking is something to do during the cold winter nights. Since I already made cupcakes and cookies last week, I decided to make a cake. After all the chocolate flavored treats from Valentine's Day, I wanted something fruity and light. This cake was perfect. I had it as an after-dinner snack with a cup of tea, but I suspect it might taste even better with a cup of coffee tomorrow morning (if it has fruit in it, you're allowed to have it for breakfast...true story).

Skinny Raspberry Buttermilk Cake

Adapted from Gourmet

Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8th of recipe)

WW PointsPlus Value: 3

1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 stick butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 egg
1/2 cup lowfat buttermilk
1 cup fresh raspberries

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly flour a 9 inch round cake pan. Whisk dry ingredients together. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together. Add egg, vanilla, and lemon zest and beat for a few minutes. Then gently mix in buttermilk then flour until just combined.
• Pour batter into cake pan, then scatter raspberries on top. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until toothpick insterted in the center comes out clean. Remove from pan and cool for 10 minutes before serving. Serve sprinkled with a bit of sugar, or drizzled with honey.

Skinny Valentine's Day Breakfast: Chocolate Crepes with Nutella and Banana

I thought I'd post one last Valentine-related recipe before tomorrow, and since I already covered dinner and dessert (and more dessert), I thought I'd do a sweet little breakfast. I had leftover Nutella from the cookies I made, and I thought chocolate crepes would make a great Valentine's Day breakfast. I love fruit and Nutella filled crepes, and these would be great with strawberries, bananas, or even both!

Skinny Chocolate Crepes with Nutella and Banana

Serving Size: 2 crepes

WW PointsPlus Value: 4

1 cup skim milk

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1 egg

1 egg white

1 Tablespoon cocoa powder

1 Tablespoon water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Nutella (about 1 teaspoon per crepe)

banana slices (or strawberries)

Directions:

• Whisk together milk, flour, egg, egg white, cocoa, water and vanilla extract. Lightly mist a frying pan with butter flavored cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat.
• Pour 1/4 cup of batter into the pan and tilt in a circular motion until there's just a thin layer of batter. Cook for a minute or so per side, until done.
• Spread about 1 teaspoon of Nutella on each crepe, fill with fruit slices, then roll like a burrito. Cut each crepe in half and arrange in a heart shape on your plate (but only if you're feeling super cheesy...otherwise just eat in the normal shape). Sprinkle with sugar, and serve to your loved ones. Happy Valentine's Day!

Skinny Valentine's Day Dessert: Salted Nutella Cookies

I just bought a new silicone baking mat this week, and was dying to try it out, so I decided to make some Valentine's Day cookies. I wanted to make a unique cookie recipe, something that you wouldn't find at the grocery store. I was craving salt, so I already knew I would make a salted cookie. Then, while shopping for baking ingredients at the store, a jar of Nutella caught my eye. I don't know anyone who doesn't love that chocolatey-hazelnut spread, and it seemed just sexy enough for a Valentine's Day cookie. These were a total experiment, and I was surprised at just how well they turned out. They might be the best cookies I've ever made, and surprisingly low in points, too. This recipe will make about 32 cookies, so they would be perfect to bring to a Valentine's Day party!

Skinny Salted Nutella Cookies

Serving Size: 1 cookie

WW PointsPlus Value: 2

½ cup light butter, softened
½ cup white sugar
½ cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup Nutella
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ¼ cups whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon Kosher salt (for sprinkling)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together butter and sugars, then add egg, vanilla, and Nutella. Add dry ingredients and stir until just mixed.
• On a parchment paper (or silicone mat!) lined baking sheet, drop tablespoons of dough, evenly spaced. Then using a fork, or just your fingers, gently press the cookies flat. Sprinkle each cookie with a bit of the Kosher salt. Bake about 10-12 minutes (shorter baking time for chewier, and longer for crispier cookies). Serve with a hot cup of tea or coffee. These make a fantastic cold weather treat!

Skinny Valentine's Day Dessert: Red Wine Chocolate Cupcakes

I already posted a Valentine's Day dinner recipe, but I thought I'd also do some chocolate baked goods. Valentine's Day is an excellent excuse for chocolate. At first, I was going to make some red velvet cupcakes (the sexiest of all the cakes), but since I usually like to have those on my birthday in March, I decided to try something a little different. Instead of red food coloring, why not go even sexier, and use red wine? These cupcakes are easy, fantastic, and have such a strong flavor that they don't even need frosting.

Skinny Red Wine Chocolate Cupcakes

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Serving Size: 1 cupcake

WW PointsPlus Value: 4

5 Tablespoons light butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup red wine
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars. Then add egg, red wine, and vanilla and beat for a few minutes. Then stir in dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.
• Pour batter into cupcake tin, filling cups about two-thirds full. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Serve lightly dusted with powdered sugar, and hey, since you already opened that bottle of red wine...

Skinny Valentine's Day Dinner: Scallops on Mini Potato Pancakes with Caviar Sauce, Frisée Salad, and Champagne Marinated Grapes

Valentine's Day is less than a week away, so I thought I'd post a few recipes for the occasion. If you're anything like me, a restaurant is the last place you want to be on Valentine's Day. I'm not a fan of the overpriced prix-fixe menus, and chances are every restaurant will be packed and noisy. Not quite my idea of a romantic evening. I would much rather have a quiet dinner at home where I get to pick my meal, and take as long as I want to eat it. I like to use the occasion to make something much more decadent than I would on any other night.

If you're in a couple, this recipe will be sure to impress your Valentine. If you're single, invite friends over to indulge with you!

Skinny Scallops on Mini Potato Pancakes with Caviar Sauce

Serving Size: 1/2 of recipe with 1 Tablespoon sauce

WW PointsPlus Value: 6

6 oz sea scallops

2 Tablespoons light butter

1 cup Champagne

1/4 cup fat free half and half

1 oz caviar

2 Tablespoons fresh chives, chopped

1 shallot, thinly sliced

1 bay leaf

1 small potato (1/2 lb), peeled

2 Tablespoons whole wheat flour

1 egg white

1 small onion

Salt and pepper

Directions:

• Make the potato pancakes first, you can keep them in a warm oven until you're ready to plate your dinner. Grate your potato and onion, then place into a cheesecloth or paper towel and squeeze out as much moisture as you can (this will help make them crispy). Combine with egg white, flour, and salt and pepper in a bowl. Take a tablespoon of the mixture, and form into mini pancakes with moist hands. Spray a light mist of cooking spray onto a skillet and heat over medium-high. Cook for a few minutes on each side, until golden brown and crispy. Keep warm.
• In a saucepan, bring Champagne to a boil with shallot slices and the bay leaf. Simmer for 15 minutes until reduced to a tablespoon. Then, lower heat, and stir in butter and half and half. When butter is melted, remove from heat and add caviar and chives.
• Reheat your skillet to high heat and give it another coating of cooking spray. Sear the scallops a few minutes on each side until they're cooked through. Place 1 scallop on each potato pancake and drizzle a tablespoon of sauce over them. Serve with a frisée salad. I topped mine with blood oranges and bleu cheese, and a white wine vinaigrette. For dessert, have Champagne Marinated Grapes (recipe follows).

Champagne Marinated Grapes

Serving Size: 1/2 recipe

WW Points Plus Value: 2

1 bunch red seedless grapes

1 cup champagne

2 teaspoons sugar, plus another teaspoon for topping

1 tablespoon lemon zest

Directions

• Combine grapes, Champagne, 2 teaspoons sugar, and lemon zest in a ziplock bag and marinate in the fridge for at least 8 hours. When ready to serve, drain grapes and place into a wine glass and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sugar for a skinny, sexy Valentine's Day dessert.

Skinny Super Bowl Snacks: Buffalo Wings with Bleu Cheese Dipping Sauce

If I had to choose only one snack to eat for the Super Bowl (or any other football game, for that matter), it would be Buffalo wings. I want them to be crispy and smothered in a sauce on the hotter side of the Scoville scale. I want to cool them off by dunking them into a pool of Bleu cheese dip. I want an endless mountain of fresh cut carrots and celery to snack on while my mouth is cooling off in between wings. Luckily, these taste just as good baked as they do fried, and are quick and easy to make.

Skinny Buffalo Wings

Serving Size: 2 wings

WW PointsPlus Value: 5

2-3 lbs chicken wings and drumettes

1/2 cup Buffalo style hot sauce (I used Frank's Red Hot)

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Season wings with salt and pepper, then broil for 10 minutes per side, until outsides are crispy and juices run clear. Toss in hot sauce, and serve while still hot with dipping sauce (recipe follows).

Skinny Bleu Cheese Dipping Sauce

Serving Size: 1/4 cup

WW PointsPlus Value: 2

1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt

1/4 cup Blue cheese, crumbled

1 Tablespoon mayo

Salt to taste

Directions:

• Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Serve with Buffalo wings and lots of fresh carrots and celery to dip.

Skinny Super Bowl Snacks: Guacamole

I make a great guacamole. Way before I got really into cooking...and way, way before I got into "skinny" cooking, I decided to come up with my own perfect guacamole recipe. It is my all-time favorite dip for my all-time favorite kind of chip (tortilla), so there was really no choice in the matter. There are two secrets to making the perfect guacamole: Simplicity, and fresh ingredients. There is no need to throw all sorts of crazy stuff into your guac...avocado is the star of this dip, and you want to compliment it, not cover it up. Because it's such a simple dish, you want each and every ingredient to be as fresh as possible. This dip is always a crowd pleaser, perfect for Super Bowl Sunday. It's another recipe which can easily be doubled, tripled, or quadrupled.

Skinny Guacamole

Serving Size: 1/2 cup

WW PointsPlus Value: 3

1 large Hass avocado, seeded and peeled

1 clove garlic, minced

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Salt to taste

1 small tomato, diced (optional)

Directions:

• Ideally, you'd want to smash the avocado with a mortar and pestle. What's that? You don't have a mortar and pestle? Me neither. I use a potato masher, fork, or just pop it in the magic bullet when I'm feeling extra lazy.
• Once the avocado is smashed, add all other ingredients and stir well. Serve with salty tortilla chips (for the record, those new Tostitos that claim to be "even crispier" absolutely are. I'd highly recommend them for game day).