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.