Spinach Berry Smoothie

Get out your blender. This is going to be fun... and easy!

4 cups fresh spinach
1 cup grapefruit juice (100% juice, no sugar added)
1/2 cup frozen berries

Blend all ingredients. You can pour into single serving cups and freeze until ready to serve.

Optional-
Add in 1 to 2 cups of non-fat greek yogurt to make this a filling snack.
For a sweeter smoothie, add in 1 Tbs agave nectar.

Makes 4 servings. 1/2 cup per serving.

Nutritional Facts (per serving):

Calories- 40 Carbs-9g Protein-1g Fat-0g

Zucchini Bread/ Muffins

2 cups grated zucchini
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup no-sugar-added applesauce
1/2 cup plain, fat-free greek yogurt*
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
pinch of ground cloves
pinch of ground nutmeg
1/4 cup sliced almonds (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 loaf pans or 24 muffin cups. Place grated zucchini in a paper towel and wring out extra moisture. Mix together zucchini, sugar, applesauce, and yogurt. Add in eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together dry ingredients. With a rubber spatula, slowly add in dry mixture, being careful not to over-mix. Fold in almonds. Spoon into prepared pans and bake 40- 50 minutes (for bread) or 20- 25 minutes (for muffins), rotating halfway through baking.

* You can substitute regular plain, fat-free yogurt. Make sure that it does not have added sugars and remember that it will add more grams of carbs.

Makes 12 servings. 2 muffins per serving.

Nutrition Facts (per serving):

Calories- 148 Carbs- 24.5g Protein- 7.5g Fat- 3g

http://www.flickr.com/photos/vegan-baking/4277556698/sizes/m/in/photostream/

French Toast

This is a super simple recipe, but a fun way to start the day!

8 -10 slices whole wheat bread

6 egg whites

1 egg yolk

1/4 cup skim milk

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1/8 tsp all-spice

pinch salt

Heat non-stick skillet to medium heat. Grease pan if necessary. Beat eggs and milk until smooth. Beat in spices and salt. Dip bread into mixture, coating both sides, letting extra drip off. Fry for about a minute on both sides, or until light brown.

Serve with fresh fruit, or light margarine and lite syrup.

Makes about 5 servings. 2 slices per serving.

Nutrition Facts (per serving):

Calories- 185 Carbs- 27g Protein- 12g Fat- 3g

http://www.flickr.com/photos/roboppy/24616167/

Pumpkin Chocolate Waffles

This is not a particularly low-fat recipe, but a healthier alternative.

1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1 1/2 cups (12 oz.) diet ginger ale
2 eggs, separated
1 tsp vanilla
1 packet Splenda or Stevia (optional)
2 Tbs light margarine, melted
1/2 cup sugar-free chocolate chips (I like darker chocolate with this recipe, so I cut up about 10 Hershey's sugar-free special dark chocolate pieces)

Sift together dry ingredients. Mix together pumpkin, ginger ale, egg yolks, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites and Splenda, until soft peaks form. Set aside. Into pumpkin mixture, add dry ingredients and margarine, alternately. Stir in chocolate and fold in egg whites. Scoop 1 cup of batter onto a heated waffle iron. Dough will be a little thick, so with a heat-proof spatula, spread to the edges. Cook as usual. Serve with light margarine and sugar-free syrup.

Makes 16 waffle squares. Yields 4 servings.

Nutrition Facts (per serving):

Calories- 320 Carbs- 43g Protein- 12g Fat- 11g

Without Chocolate-

Calories- 245 Carbs- 40g Protein- 11g Fat- 5g


http://www.flickr.com/photos/hartini/2586798266/

Breakfast Hash

We actually call this recipe "Rabbit Guts" in our house. I guess that is why I thought about posting it on Easter Sunday, morbidly enough.

2 cups frozen, diced potatoes (hash browns)
2 whole eggs plus 8 egg whites
1/4 cup onions, minced
6 oz. extra-lean ham slices, chopped
1/2 cup low-fat shredded cheddar cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray an 8x8 glass casserole dish with Pam. Mix together potatoes and onion. Spread on the bottom on the dish. Sprinkle ham over potato mix. Whisk eggs and whites together and pour over mixture. Bake for 30- 40 minutes or until middle is puffed up (eggs are cooked). Cheese can be sprinkled on half-way through baking for a crisp crust, or after baking for a gooey topping.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition Facts (per serving):

Calories- 196 Carbs- 11g Protein- 22.5g Fat- 5.5g

Banana Bran Muffins

Jared and I purchased some All Bran that for the life of us, we could not get around to eating. So I searched for a recipe that we could finish it off with. This is what we came up with.


2 large bananas, mashed
1 cup skim milk
1 egg white
2 Tbs light margarine
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup All Bran or Fiber One Original
1 cup whole wheat flour
6 packets Splenda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup raspberries (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously spray paper muffin cups with Pam. Combine All Bran, milk, egg, margarine, vanilla, and bananas in a bowl. Let sit for at least 5 minutes (I let mine sit for close to 10 minutes, to really soften the cereal). Mix together other all other ingredients, except raspberries in a separate bowl. After letting All Bran mixture sit for allotted time, mix together with dry ingredients. Fold in raspberries and spoon into muffin cups. Bake for 25- 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Makes 1 dozen muffins.

Makes 6 servings.

Nutrition Facts (per serving):

Calories- 180 Carbs- 42 g Protein- 7 g Fat- 2 g

http://www.flickr.com/photos/selena/ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Jared's Favorite Protein Pancakes

Ever thought to your self, "I wish I could get the protein I need in the pancakes I love" ? Me neither. But Jared has! So here is his favorite recipe for a complete meal of carbs and protein.
1 container (1lb) Fat Free cottage cheese
12 egg whites
2 cups plain oatmeal (uncooked)
1 tsp cinnamon
Blend all ingredients with a hand blender or mixer until it is a smooth batter. With a small ladle, drop the dough onto a pan/ griddle heated to 350 degrees, or medium heat on a burner. With the back side of the ladle, smooth out the dough, until it becomes a circular shape (Dough is thick and will not flatten on its own). Cook until small bubbles appear in the dough and flip to cook the other side. Serve with margarine and sugar-free maple syrup.
For variety, add 1 cup of fresh blueberries or sugar-free chocolate chips to the dough after blended.
Makes about 16 4in. pancakes.

Makes 4 servings.
Nutrition Facts (per serving):
Calories- 280 Carbs- 32g Protein- 33g Fat- 2.5g

http://www.flickr.com/photos/progoddess/ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0