Category Archives: Recipes

September 1, 2011 · 4:52 pm

Guilt-free Ice Cream

I refuse to pay a lot of money for sugar-free fat-free ice cream when I can make my own. If there’s no fat and no sugar, what are you paying for?

Today I made strawberry ice cream (or perhaps I should call it ice milk) my way. It’s so easy with the Vita-mix. Here’s how:

RECIPE

Strawberry Ice Milk

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup skim or 1% milk
  • 2 cups frozen strawberries
  • 1 Tbsp. Splenda® sweetener

Directions:

  1. Pour milk into the Vita-mix wet ingredients container.
  2. Add Splenda and strawberries.
  3. Turn on low then gradually step up speed to high. Use the tamper to push the strawberries into the Vita-mix blades.
  4. Run Vita-mix just until strawberries dissolve and mixture resembles ice cream.
  5. Serve!

Yield: 2 servings

Variation: Use real cream or half-and-half for richer ice cream 
From RECIPES FOR RECOVERY ©2011 Cheryl Norman

Strawberry Ice Milk

Guilt-free Strawberry "Ice Milk"

Isn’t this a yummy way to satisfy two of your daily fruit servings plus a little dairy? Enjoy!

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August 21, 2011 · 6:25 pm

Apple Crisp

The secret to this healthy, nutritious apple crisp is the high fiber flavored instant oatmeal. The tiny bit of butter goes a long way on flavor. I made it the first time without walnuts (see slideshow), but the walnuts add flavor, fiber, and nutrition. Next time I’ll use the walnuts.

RECIPE

HASTY TASTY APPLE CRISP

Ingredients:
  1 Tbsp. real butter
  1 20 oz. can apple pie filling, no sugar added
  1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
  ¼ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1 packet high fiber instant oatmeal, maple and brown sugar flavor
  1 pint vanilla ice cream (optional)

Directions:
  Preheat oven to 350°.
  Generously coat the inside of a square or round baking dish
  (approximately 8” diameter) with the butter.
  Pour contents of the canned apple pie filling into the buttered baking
  dish.
  Stir in the cinnamon.
  Spread the instant oatmeal evenly over the top of apple mixture. Top with walnuts.
  Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes or until bubbly. Carefully remove dish from oven and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, if desired.

Yield: 4 servings

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From Recipes For Recovery – ©2011 Cheryl Norman

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August 3, 2011 · 4:23 pm

Five Minute Mac-n-Cheese

Mac-n-cheese

5-Minute Mac-n-Cheese

Sometimes you need a helping of good old comfort food. Using whole wheat pasta and reduced fat cheese, you can make macaroni and cheese a reasonably healthful dish. It’s a hasty tasty meal or side dish, depending on your appetite. ☺

RECIPE

Five Minute Mac-n-Cheese

Ingredients:

  1. ½ cup skim or 1% milk
  2. 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
  3. 1 Tbsp. frozen chopped onions
  4. ¼ tsp. minced garlic
  5. Pinch grated nutmeg
  6. 1 measuring cup of shredded reduced fat cheese (your choice—I like sharp cheddar)
  7. 1 cup cooked whole wheat macaroni
  8. Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Dissolve the cornstarch into the cold milk. Stir in onions and garlic.
  2. Pour the milk mixture into a one-quart saucepan and bring to a boil. Quickly reduce heat and stir frequently until milk thickens.
  3. Immediately remove from heat and fold in the cheese until incorporated to make a cheese sauce. If sauce is too tight or stiff, add a small amount of milk.
  4. Toss with the macaroni, season as desired with salt and/or pepper, and serve.

Yield: 2 servings (or 1 if you’re hungry!)

Enjoy!

From RECIPES FOR RECOVERY ©2011 Cheryl Norman

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July 17, 2011 · 3:21 pm

Lighten up that Chicken Parm!

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Our favorite Italian restaurant has a delicious chicken Parmesan dish that is a killer. I shudder to think of its fat grams and carb count! The chicken breast is a huge portion, breaded and fried, and topped with ooey, gooey cheese served with spaghetti made from semolina flour (low fiber).  In typical Hasty Tasty Meals fashion, I made it my mission to prepare a figure-friendly (or at least a figure-friendlier!) version. It isn’t too labor-intensive, either.

Tip: Use a sturdy freezer storage bag for the marinade.

RECIPE

Chicken Parmesan for Two

Ingredients:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (3-4 oz. each)
Marinade*
1 28-oz can crushed Italian tomatoes
3 oz. dried whole wheat pasta
2 Tbsp. prepared pesto sauce
½ cup lowfat shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
(Optional) two sprigs of fresh basil for garnish

*Marinade: 1 Tbsp. wine vinegar, 1 tsp. Dijon mustard, 1 Tbsp. dried Italian seasonings, 1 Tbsp. olive oil, and 1 tsp. minced garlic

Directions:

  • Marinate the chicken breasts for at least an hour (overnight works, too) in an Italian herb dressing (either bottled or my recipe*).
  • Cook pasta according to directions on package to al dente. Do not overcook.
  • Preheat a 10″ covered skillet on medium. Add chicken breasts, cover, and cook until done (use a meat thermometer if in doubt). Turn off heat but leave chicken in the covered skillet.
  • Meanwhile, in a 2-quart pan, heat the Italian crushed tomatoes just to a simmer. Remove from heat and immediately stir in the prepared pesto.
  • Spoon some of the tomato sauce over each cooked chicken breast, just to cover. Toss remaining sauce with the cooked pasta and divide between two plates to serve.
  • Top each chicken breast with the two cheeses, replace cover on skillet, and allow cheese to melt (3-4 minutes).
  • Serve each chicken breast on top the spaghetti, garnish with a sprig of fresh basil (optional), and enjoy.

Those of you who have a copy of Chef Cheri’s Hasty Tasty Meals also have a quick and easy pressure cooker chicken Parmesan recipe, but this recipe is for those who are apprehensive about pressure cooking. ☺

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