Skinny Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake

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Wow. This was uh-mazing!  This was my first experience baking a cheesecake and it turned out perfectly.  I am not sure what made this cheesecake taste so good.  Maybe it was the greek yogurt in it, or maybe even the raspberry jam swirled throughout.  Whatever it was I couldn't even believe that it tasted so awesome and turned out so good.  My hubby kept sneaking more and more from the fridge.  He loved it.  The kids loved it.  And I got to eat a whole slice for 132 calories for dessert and I didn't even have to feel guilty about it.  This made preparing for my cruise a little bit easier.

Rating: 5 stars  Difficulty of Recipe: 3 stars
Review:  This was actually pretty easy to make.  I used reduced fat graham crackers which also helped reduce the calories.  For easier cutting and removal, I did bake my cheesecake on parchment paper.  This was so so good!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup crushed graham cracker crumbs
1 tbsp light butter, softened
8 oz reduced fat cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
6 oz fat free vanilla Greek Yogurt
2 large egg whites
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp all purpose flour
1/4 cup strawberry jam (you can use any jam)
chocolate chips for drizzling on top (optional)

1.  Crush graham cracker crumbs.  Can place them in a gallon size ziplock bag and use a rolling pin to crush, or food processor.  Melt the butter and mix together until evenly moistened.
2.  Coat an 8x8 square baking pan with cooking spray and preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Press graham cracker crumbs evenly in the bottom of the pan.
3.  In an electric mixer blend cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth.  Gradually beat in the fat free yogurt, egg whites, lemon juice and flour just until blended.  Do not over-mix.  Pour over the graham cracker crust.
4.  Stir your jam until smooth.  Drop by small spoonfuls over the cheesecake surface.  Using a knife, swirl the jam throughout the cheesecake to create a marble effect.
5.  Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until the center is almost set.  Don't let the edges get too brown.  Cool at room temperature and chill a few hours in the refrigerator.
5.  Melt your chocolate chips in microwave and barely drizzle the top with the melted chocolate.
Recipe adapted from Skinnytaste
Servings: 9 • Size: 1 slice • Old Points: 3 pts • Points+: 4 pts
Calories: 132.9 • Fat: 5.6 g • Carb: 15.1 g • Fiber: 0.1 g • Protein: 5.8 g

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Slow Cooker Skinny Pulled Pork Barbacoa

I am majorly {obsessed} with Cafe Rio.  My Cafe Rio Recipe that I make tastes just like the real deal.  Well this recipe that I found I think gives my other recipe a run for the money.  It tasted just like Cafe Rio, but with reduced calories.  Do you know what they say is the secret ingredient?  Coca Cola.  This recipe is made with Coke Zero.  It makes the meat literally just melt in your mouth because it is so moist and tender.  It is so easy to shred this and just falls apart.  The flavor is out of this world with a little bit of sweet to it.  I had my pork over a delicious salad tonight and the whole family loved it... well except for the picky one.  He wouldn't try it.  He had a quesadilla.  Totally missed out! This was amazing!

Rating: 5 stars  Difficulty of Recipe: 3 stars
Review:  I think my other recipe just got replaced.  The flavor was still just as great and so close to Cafe Rio's but with reduced calories.  We loved it.  We will definitely make this again and again!

Ingredients:
For the marinade:
2.5 pounds pork loin roast, fat trimmed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
6 ounce coke zero
1/4 cup brown sugar (unpacked)
1/4 cup water

Step two:
8 ounce coke zero
6 oz can sliced green chilies
8 ounce tomato sauce
1 chipotle chili in adobo sauce
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp chipotle chili powder
1/3 cup unpacked brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste

1. Mix together the salt, pepper, coke zero, and brown sugar.  You can place the roast with this marinade into the crockpot or gallon size bag and let it marinate overnight or for at least two hours.
2. Take the pork out of the fridge and add 1/4 cup water to the marinade.  Cook on low 4-6 hours or high 3-4.  The pork should be able to shred very easily with fork.
3.  Drain all liquids and shred the pork with two forks.  Mix ingredients for step 2.  The coke zero, green chilies, tomato sauce, chipotle chili, garlic powder, cumin, chipotle chili powder, brown sugar, and salt and pepper to taste.  Mix with the shredded pork and continue cooking for an hour.
4. You can serve with black beans, cilantro lime rice, or whatever your heart desires.  :)
Recipe adapted from Skinnytaste

Servings: about 10 • Serving Size: 3 oz • Old Points: 4.5 pts • Points+: 5 pts
Calories: 202.5 • Fat: 6.3 g • Protein: 26.2 g • Carb: 11.5 g • Fiber: 0.6 g

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Brown Sugar Blondies

I love blondies of any form.  They are chewy and delicious!  These were so quick and easy to put together and the family absolutely loved them!  I thought they turned out pretty cute with a little Valentine M&M's added to them.  They didn't last long in our house that is for sure!

Rating: 4 stars  Difficulty of Recipe: 1 star
Review:  I really did love how easy these were.  They were gone so fast that I might double the recipe next time and make them in a 9x13.

Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup to 1 1/3 cup M&Ms

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Set aside.
2. Melt 1/3 cup butter.  Cool slightly.  In a mixer or seperate bowl, add the butter to 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar and mix well.  Add the egg (beaten) and vanilla and mix well.
3. Add the flour mixture a little at a time and mix well.  Mix in 2/3 cup M&M's.  
4.  Spread in a greased 9x9x2 inch pan.  Spinkle 1/3 to 2/3 cup M&M's on the top.
5.  Bake for 20-35 minutes.  
Recipe from: Baked Perfection

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Skinny Chipotle Black Bean & Turkey Enchiladas

There are just certain recipes that I find that I know that I will love.  This was one of those recipes.  I love turkey meat and black beans.  The spices and flavor in these were awesome. I love not having to compromise on taste while eating a low calorie meal.  278 calories to be exact.  And these are just what I needed to get back on track from my Sweethearts Buddies binge.  Dang those delicious creations!  

Rating: 4 stars  Difficulty of Recipe: 3 stars
Review:  This recipe has a little bit of a kick to it because of the chipotle peppers but the flavor is awesome.  These were alot easier to put together than I thought and using turkey meat made a great change to your regular enchilada.  I will be making these a lot before my cruise because they were healthy and delicious!

Ingredients:
Meat filling mixture:
1 lb extra lean ground turkey
15.5 can black beans, drained and rinsed
4.5 oz can chopped green chilis
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 chopped cilantro
1-2 tsp chili powder
salt
8 (6 inch) low carb whole wheat flour tortillas
1 cup reduced fat shredded mexican cheese

Enchilada Sauce:
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 tbsp chipotle chilis in adobe sauce
1 1/2 cups tomato sauce
1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
3/4 cup fat free chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste

1.  For the enchilada sauce, spray cooking spray in medium saucepan and saute the garlic. 
2.  Add chipotle chilis, chili powder, cumin, chicken broth, tomato sauce, salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil.
3.  Reduce the heat to low and simmer 5-10 minutes.  Set aside.
4.  In a large skillet, brown the turkey meat and season with salt.  Add the onion, garlic, black beans, cilantro, green chilis, diced tomatoes, cumin and chili powder.  Mix well and simmer on low about 20 minutes.
5. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Prepare your 9x13 by spraying with non stick spray.
6.  To assemble, put a 1/2 cup turkey mixture into each tortilla and roll up.  Place with the seam down in your 9x13.  
7.  Top with enchilada sauce and cheese and cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20-25 minutes.
8.  Top with low fat sour cream, scallions or cilantro if you would like! 

Servings: 8 • Serving Size: 1 enchilada • Points: 5 pts • Points+: 7 pts
Calories: 278.7 • Fat: 8.7g • Protein: 27.0 g • Carb: 35.6 g • Fiber: 15.1 g 
Recipe from Skinnytaste

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Sweetheart Buddies

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My obsession with muddy buddies is no secret... here, here, here,here or here.  But the sweetheart edition of my favorite snack were definitely the best!  I could have seriously eaten the whole entire bag by myself.  These are a highly addictive and delicious snack!  And how cute and fun are they for Valentines Day??  They are so incredibly easy and take 10 minutes and something that you have got to try!  

Rating: 5 stars Difficulty of Recipe: 2 stars
Review: This was the first time I melted the chocolate in the microwave.  It made it so easy!!  I especially loved the strawberry cake mix in these to give them a great flavor.  Will definitely be making them again!

Ingredients:
5 ounces white almond bark or white chocolate chocolate chips
5 ounces red candy melts (I found them at Michael's craft store)
1 teaspoon shortening
5 cups chex cereal
1 cup strawberry cake mix
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 package valentines chocolate M&M's

1. Start by dividing the chex mix into two bowls.  (2 1/2 cup in each)
2. In microwave safe dish, melt the 5 ounces white almond bark or white chocolate chips.  Add 1/2 teaspoon shortening so that the almond bark will spread evenly.  Microwave 30 seconds at a time and be careful not to burn the almond bark.  Dump this in the first bowl of chex and mix evenly to coat all of the chex cereal.
2.  Melt the red candy melts next also checking and stirring the candy melts 30 seconds at a time.  Once this is melted, pour this over the second bowl of divided chex and mix until coated.
3.  In two gallon size ziplock bags, put 1/2 cup strawberry cake mix and 1/4 cup powdered sugar in each bag.  Dump each bowl of chex mix in each bag and shake until coated with the powdered sugar and strawberry powdered cake mix.  
Recipe adapted from here

California Avocado Dip

My hair lady serves a lot of purposes in my life.  My personal therapist, my second mother, knows everyone including George Bush (haha true story) and can get me any answer I need, gets me an awesome discount on hair products, she does my hair perfectly every time, and now she is a supplier to awesome recipes.  My hair lady {Natalie in case you were wondering and no, not accepting new clients currently} has been doing my hair for about 9 years.  She has watched my life change completely.  I have watched all of her kids go through high school and marry.  She has been there for the good, the bad, and the ugly.  While giving me expert hair lady advice.  She has become a close friend to me over the years.  So when she gives me a recipe, I know that it is going to be good.  This avocado dip recipe was learned from a restaurant in California.  I especially loved the chunkiness of this dip and the flavor.  The avocados {word on the street is the best ones are at Costco} were perfectly ripe and I loved combining fresh ingredients to get one delicious dip!  I feel like this is a must at any party or get together, and it is so delicious!  Natalie, I will take your advice and recipes any day! 

Rating: 5 stars  Difficulty of Recipe: 2 stars
Review:  I did get my avocados from Costco and yes they were perfect.  The advice that she gave was to put the avocados in a paper bag with apples for 3 days if avocados are firm.  I served this dip with pita chips and it was amazing.  This is a recipe we will definitely be making again!

Ingredients:
3 Avocados
2 Roma tomatoes about 1/2 cup
2 Tbsp onion
Small can of jalepeno (add to taste)
salt (to taste)
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp cilantro

1. Start by peeling the skin and removing the pit of the avocado.  You can use a potato masher to make your avocados chunky.  You can also just slice them into small cubes but you don't want them to be too mashed up.  
2. Dice the roma tomato, and onion into small chunks.  Place the onion in water to take some of the bite out.  Add them to the diced avocado. Add the jalepeno to taste. Mix together.
3.  Add the lemon juice, cilantro, and salt to taste.  You can add more of the ingredients to your taste and liking. 
4. Serve with chips and enjoy!

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Marshmallow Heart Brownie Bites from A Pumpkin & A Princess

Brown Bag Microwave Popcorn (and a free printable!) from Hubby Made Me

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Heart Munch from Crazy for Crust

Edible Teacups from 504 Main

Rice Krispies Hearts from Love, Pomegranate House

Homemade Valentine Gummies from Mama Miss

Chocolate Covered Strawberries from Chef in Training

Vanilla Bean Valentine's Cookies from Shugary Sweets

Valentine's Day Treats from Happy Go Lucky