Make The Right Choice

The healthy choice

[itshealthyrecipes]

HG's Yummingbird Cake

HG's Yummingbird Cake

Serving Size: 1 slice (1/10th of cake) Calories: 192 Fat: 3.5g Sodium: 275mg Carbs: 35.5g Fiber: 2.5g Sugars: 16g Protein: 5g PointsPlus® value 5*

HG Alternative: Swap out the Splenda for the same amount of granulated white sugar, and each serving will have 234 calories, 46.5g carbs, and 28.5g sugars (PointsPlus® value 6*).

If you've never had (or even heard of) hummingbird cake, now is the time to try this Southern favorite. You know, assuming you like guilt-free baked goodies filled with yummy stuff like banana and pineapple. We certainly do... Ingredients: Frosting 4 oz. (about 1/2 cup) fat-free cream cheese 2 tbsp. Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated) 1/2 cup Cool Whip Free (thawed) Cake 1 1/2 cups mashed banana 1 cup moist-style yellow cake mix 3/4 cup whole-wheat flour 3/4 cup crushed pineapple packed in juice (not drained) 2/3 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters Original) 1/2 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated) 2 tbsp. brown sugar (not packed) 1 tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. vanilla extract Topping 1/4 cup chopped pecans Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch round cake pan with nonstick spray. To make the frosting, in a medium bowl, thoroughly mix cream cheese with Splenda. Add Cool Whip, and stir until uniform. Cover and refrigerate. In a large bowl, combine all cake ingredients. Stir until uniform. Pour batter into the cake pan, and smooth out the top. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 - 32 minutes. Let cool completely, about 30 minutes in the pan and 1 1/2 hours out of the pan on a cooling rack. Plate cake, spread with frosting, and top with pecans. Eat up! MAKES 10 SERVINGS

[itshealthyrecipes]

Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes (Hungry Girl style)

Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes

1/12th of recipe (1 cupcake): 138 calories, 3g fat, 230mg sodium, 26.5g carbs, <0.5g fiber, 16.5g sugars, 1.5g protein -- PointsPlus® value 4* These could very well be the most refreshing cupcakes EVER! Lemon cake and berry topping with a tasty surprise inside...

Ingredients: 1/3 cup vanilla frosting 1/4 cup low-sugar strawberry preserves 1 3/4 cups moist-style yellow cake mix 1/2 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters Original) 1 tbsp. lemon zest 3/4 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 1/2 cup frozen unsweetened strawberries, thawed and drained Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with foil baking cups, or spray it with nonstick spray. In a medium bowl, mix frosting with 2 tbsp. preserves until uniform. Cover and refrigerate. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, egg substitute, lemon zest, baking powder, and vanilla extract. Add lemon juice and 1/4 cup water, and whisk until smooth and uniform. Evenly distribute batter among the cups of the muffin pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 12 - 14 minutes. Let cool completely, about 10 minutes in the pan and 15 minutes out of the pan. Use a knife or narrow spoon handle to create a centered hole through the top of each cupcake about 1/2-inch wide, stopping about 3/4ths of the way through. Place thawed and drained strawberries in a small blender or food processor. Add remaining 2 tbsp. preserves, and puree until smooth. Transfer strawberry mixture to one of the bottom corners of a sealable plastic bag. Remove air and seal. Snip off a small part of that corner with scissors. Gently squeeze the bag, and evenly pipe mixture through the hole in the bag's corner and into the holes in the cupcakes. Evenly spread frosting mixture over the cupcakes. Eat up! MAKES 12 SERVINGS

[itshealthyrecipes]

Hazelnut Amoretti

Hazelnut Amoretti

"The savory nuttiness of the hazelnuts, combined with the gentle sweetness of the meringue and the bitter kick of cocoa powder turns this classic Italian cookie into an irresistible grown-up affair. The addition of chocolate chips has the potential to lure children into tasting them and enjoying them with gusto."

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 1 Large egg white -- at room temperature 2 5/8 ounces Sugar -- (1/3 cup +1 tablespoon) 5 ounces Hazelnut -- ground (1 cup +2 tablespoons) (roasted ground hazelnuts*) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 tablespoon cocoa powder 1 Tablespoon Chocolate Chip -- dark; actually 12 In a clean dry bowl, beat the egg white with the sugar until they are stiff and shiny. If you are impatient, like I am, I suggest using a hand-held electric beater to do the job.  Gently fold in the hazelnut meal, add vanilla and cocoa and mix well until all the ingredients are well amalgamated. Don't panic.  It, at first, it looks like the egg white won't be enough to bind the dry ingredients. It will come together in 1 or two minutes and you will be left with a soft, sticky batter. Shape the dough into 12 balls, they size of a walnut and dust each ball with sugar. Gently push your index finger in the middle of each ball to create a little crate. Push two chocolate chips into each crate.  Put the shaped amoretti on a cookie sheet lined with baking paper and rest in the fridge for 30 minutes. In the meantime bring your oven temperature to 170 C (340 F). Bake for 25/30 minutes or until the amoretti are slightly cracked, but retain some softness. To make sure they are cooked through check that the base is firm and tanned. Cool them at room temperature and enjoy with coffee, gelato, hot chocolate or, if you can handle it, some fiery Grappa.

Toast shelled hazelnuts in a hot oven for ten to fifteen minutes. As soon as you take them from the oven, rub the nuts vigorously with a towel to remove their bitter brown skins. Ground in a food processor fitted with a shape blade. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 67 Calories; 4g Fat (48.0% calories from fat); 1g Protein; 8g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 5mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1/2 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.

[itshealthyrecipes]

Recipe: Curried Chicken Salad‏

Spice up a plain chicken salad with curry powder and add grapes for sweetness and chopped walnuts for crunch. Serve the salad in radicchio cups for an elegant presentation.

This gets a serious 2 thumbs up. If you've had curried chicken salad in restaurants and you want to repeat it at home, this is your recipe. It looks fancy in this presentation or just use lettuce for a side salad with the chicken salad. Curried Chicken Salad Recipe By: All You JUNE 2005 Serving Size: 6

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 1 cup Walnut -- halved 12 Ounces Cooked Chicken Breast, No Skin -- chopped 1 cup Red Grape -- halved crosswise $ 1 large celery rib -- halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise 2 scallions -- trimmed and thinly slice $ 1/2 cup Nonfat Mayonnaise 1/3 cup Nonfat Yogurt -- or nonfat sour cream 1 tablespoon White Vinegar 2 Teaspoon curry powder 1/4 teaspoon pepper 6 Radicchio -- cups 4 cups Greens -- (about 3 oz.) mixed baby Preheat oven to 375°F. Spread walnuts on a shallow baking sheet and roast in oven until toasted, about 10 minutes. Let cool.

Coarsely chop walnuts and transfer 3/4 cup of them to a bowl with chicken, grapes and celery; toss. In a small bowl, whisk together scallions, mayonnaise, yogurt, vinegar, curry powder and pepper. Scrape mixture over chicken mixture and toss well.

To serve, arrange a radicchio cup in center of a plate. Fill radicchio with chicken salad. Arrange greens around radicchio. Sprinkle remaining nuts on top of salad.

 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 283 Calories; 14g Fat (43.5% calories from fat); 25g Protein; 17g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 48mg Cholesterol; 289mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 1/2 Fruit; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 2 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.