265 Calorie Spaghetti & Meatball Soup

I came up with the idea for this soup on a whim - I had all of the ingredients on hand so I just sort of threw it together, and it turned out great! This was a super easy, light, Italian dinner - perfect for the freezing weather we've been having in Chicago.

I used NOoodles for this recipe - they are a "zero calorie" noodle - basically there are so few calories that they can say there are zero calories, I would estimate there's about 30 calories or fewer in the whole package which is still really good for noodles  -- to satisfy a pasta craving I like to just rinse, drain and microwave these with some Earth Balance or olive oil and garlic powder and salt. These noodles are also already prepared so you don't have to cook them, just heat them up! They are also gluten and dairy free!

This recipe is gluten free and dairy free :)

Ingredients:

1 Can Tomato Basil Soup - 300 calories

1 Package NOodles - 30 calories

1 turkey burger patty - 200 calories

Garlic powder and Garlic Salt to taste                            

=530 calories, 2 servings, 265 calories per serving

Directions:

1. Put the turkey burger in a heated up medium sauce pan

2. Mash up the turkey and heat until browned

3. Add the tomato soup, bring to a boil

4. While the soup is heating, drain and rinse the noodles

5. Add the noodles to the pot, cook for a minute or two until the noodles are heated up

6. Serve hot :)

238 Calorie Chili

I tried making a skinnier version of my Mom's turkey chili - this was the result - you can customize it to your own preferences for chili ingredients, spice level etc.

This recipe makes at 2-3 large servings - you can freeze any leftovers and re-heat later for chili mac, chili dogs, or whatever else you might use chili for.

This would be great with my 158 Calorie Hearty Jalapeno Cornbread as a side :)

This chili is way better than canned/store-bought and it is gluten and dairy free!

Ingredients:

2 cans tomatoes - 180 cal

1 can chili beans - 315 cal

1 turkey burger - 200 cal

1 small can green chiles - 20 cal

1/2 tsp cumin

2 dashes each of salt, pepper and chili powder if desired                          

= 715 calories total, makes 3 servings, 238 calories each

Directions:

1. In a large stock pot brown and break up the turkey meat
2. Once the turkey is well browned, add in the tomatoes
3. Rinse the canned beans, then add to the pot
4. Add in green chilis and spices to taste
5. Allow to simmer for at least 25 minutes, longer if desired - stir occasionally
6. Remove from heat and serve hot - store leftovers in airtight container in the freezer

150 Calorie Bacon Mushroom Salad

I made this Bacon Mushroom Salad for dinner tonight and it was awesome - only 3 ingredients and under 20 minutes to make! 

The bacon and mushrooms would also be good as a steak or chicken topping, or on their own as a side dish - they are very versatile and there is no added oil because the mushrooms cook with the bacon - you can also add some extra spices like garlic or plain old salt and pepper.

This dish is gluten free, dairy free, and paleo :)

Ingredients: 

1 large slice of bacon - 80 calories

8 oz sliced mushrooms - 50 calories

2 cups mixed greens - 20 calories                       

= 150 calories total

1. Wash and slice up mushrooms, and cut bacon into 1 inch or smaller pieces

2. Add mushrooms and bacon to skillet or wok - cook on high heat

3. Stir occasionally, continue cooking until liquid from mushrooms cooks off and mushrooms are browned and bacon is cooked through

4. Remove from heat and serve over mixed greens - add salt and pepper, or garlic if desired

55 Calorie Maple Cinnamon Butter

I love the honey butter at restaurants like Longhorn Steakhouse and Redstone - so I thought I would try to make my own low calorie and dairy free version - I thought this turned out really well and it is only 55 calories per tablespoon - regular butter is 100 calories per tablespoon and regular honey cinnamon butter is probably even more than that!

I used Earth Balance Whipped as a butter alternative but you could use any variety you like -

This recipe is gluten free, dairy free, and vegan!

Recipe:

2 tbsp Earth Balance - 160 calories

1 tbsp Sugar Free Maple Syrup - 7 calories

1 tsp Cinnamon                                             

= 167 calories, about 55 calories per tablespoon

(vs. regular butter 100 cal per tablespoon)

1. Measure out butter in a small custard cup

2. Add syrup and cinnamon

3. Mix thoroughly (I used a fork)

4. Add more cinnamon or stevia if desired, store in refrigerator and use on toast, crackers, pancakes, waffles etc.

158 Calorie Hearty Jalapeno Cornbread

Whole Foods makes amazing jalapeno cornbread - but it isn't gluten free - so I decided to try making my own version - (more variations of gluten and dairy free cornbread coming in the future!)

This makes a single serving - you may want to add more stevia/jalapenos depending on how sweet or spicy you want it to be - I topped mine with some Earth Balance Vegan Butter :)

Recipe:

1/3 cup corn flour - 145 cal

1 tbsp and 1 tsp almond milk - 3 cal

1/2 tsp stevia - 0 cal

2-3 jalapenos - 2 cal

1 tbsp egg whites - 8 cal                      

= 158 cal

1. Preheat over to 450 degrees
2.Mix together the corn flour, almond milk, stevia and egg whites
3. Chop up the jalapenos and stir into the batter
4. Press batter into small greased baking dish
5. Bake for 10-12 minutes - let cool, serve warm with butter if desired

75 Calorie Chocolate Mint Protein Shake

"So Delicious" makes some seriously delicious holiday flavored Coconut Milk drinks - one is Chocolate Mint flavored - this protein shake tastes really similar to that but it has the added benefit of protein!

Recipe:
1/2 serving chocolate protein powder - 45 calories
3/4 cup Unsweetened Almond Milk - 30 calories
1/8 teaspoon Peppermint Extract                              
= 75 calories


1. Blend together all ingredients
2. Refrigerate or add ice cubes if desired

210 Calorie Garlic Pepper Shrimp and Broccoli

This is a really easy dinner recipe, and I (almost) always have these ingredients on hand so it's a good go-to dinner :)

All you need it broccoli, shrimp and some spices to whip this up 

- and it is gluten free, dairy free, and paleo :)

 Recipe:
4 cups Broccoli - 120 calories
6 oz. Shrimp(about 10) - 90 calories
Garlic Salt & Pepper to taste               
= 210 calories

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees

2. Spread broccoli florets on a foil lined baking sheet, spray lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle pepper and garlic salt on top

3. Bake broccoli for 25 minutes

4. While the broccoli is cooking thaw out the shrimp

5. Add the shrimp to a skillet and heat through - top with pepper and garlic salt

6. Take the broccoli out of the oven, top with shrimp :)

Nutella Truffles

With Halloween right around the corner I know I am going to be tempted with lots of candy - so I figured I had better come up with some skinny, gluten-free and dairy free candy alternatives

These truffles are kind of like Ferrero Rocher candies with the Rice Krispies on the outside - the Rice Krispies do lose thier crispy-ness after a few hours so if you want to make them without the Rice Krispies you could roll them in cocoa powder instead and then they sort of taste like the fancy chocolate truffles from Trader Joes :)

These are gluten free, dairy free, and vegan!

Recipe:

2 tablespoons Original PB2 - 45 calories

2 tablespoons Chocolate PB2 - 45 calories

2 tablespoons Cocoa Powder - 40 calories

1 tablespoon Unsweetened Almond Milk - 2.5 calories

2 tablespoons Water - 0

1/4 cup Rice Krispies - 27.5 calories                               

= 160 total, makes 12 truffles, about 13 calories per truffle

1. Mix together the PB2 and cocoa powder

2. Add the liquids and stir until smooth

3. Take teaspoons sized amounts and roll into a ball with your palms

4. Roll the ball in Rice Krispies or cocoa powder - store in an airtight container

163 Calorie Eggs Benedict

This skinny eggs benedict has way more protein than regular eggs benedict -

 it is also gluten free and dairy free!

I used a broccoli pancake, a turkey slice and a poached egg to construct this - I also used some Annie's Light Thousand Island Dressing for dipping sauce instead of hollandaise

I used a microwave egg poacher but you can also poach an egg using a small custard cup in some boiling water in a sauce pan covered with a lid - or you can just baste or scramble your egg instead

Recipe:

1 egg - 70 calories
1 turkey slice - 23 calories
1 Dr. Praeger's Broccoli pancake - 70 calories


1. Cook the broccoli pancake
2. Heat up the turkey slice in the pan at the same time
3. Cook the egg last if you're using a microwave, it takes less than 30 seconds
4. Top the broccoli pancake with the turkey and egg - sprinkle salt and pepper if desired :)

170 Calorie Turkey Club Salad

Turkey Club sandwiches are classic - so I thought I'd try to make a salad version - 

I had a salad with Mustard dressing last week and it was fantastic so I decided to use mustard as the dressing for this salad - It is also much healthier than oily salad dressing

I also used Boston Lettuce for this - it's still alive when you buy it(it has the root attached) so it stays nice and fresh in the fridge :)

This salad is gluten free and dairy free!

Recipe:

1 head Boston Lettuce - 20 calories
2 slices Bacon - 60 calories
2 slices turkey - 70 calories
1.5 tablespoons Dijon Mustard - 20 calories          
= 170 calories total


1. Wash and chop up lettuce
2. Cook bacon and chop up, add to lettuce
3. Chop up turkey and add to salad
4. Add Mustard (as dressing) and toss to incorporate

50 Calorie Iced Pumpkin Spice Latte

Califia Farms makes AMAZING almond milk/coffee blends - and this year they made a Pumpkin Spice Latte version! Their blends don't have quite enough coffee for my taste, and they have quite a few calories - so I like to dilute their mix with my own coffee to make a lower calorie latte

This is gluten free, dairy free, and vegan!

Recipe:
1/2 cup Califia Pumpkin Spice Coffee Mix - 50 calories
12 oz coffee (more or less to taste)

200 Calorie Cabbage & Bacon Stir Fry

I found a recipe on Pinterest for Cabbage & Noodles cooked in bacon - and I figured I could make a healthier/gluten free version - 

This is sort of similar to Stir Fry or Pad Woonsen - it made a great main dinner dish and was really easy to throw together - you could add other veggies/protein to the mix if you want to change things up just make sure to cook the hard vegetables until soft

This is also gluten free and dairy free:)

Recipe:
1 package NoOdles - 40 calories
1/4 head cabbage - 57 calories
2 slices bacon - 60 calories
1 spritz coconut oil - 10 calories
1 teaspoon Tamari - 5 calories
1 teaspoon butter alternative - 29 calories
Garlic Salt to taste                           
= 201 calories total

1. Cook bacon halfway in the microwave
2. Wash and shred cabbage
3. Add cabbage to wok, spritz with coconut oil and heat up
4. Add the bacon and noodles(drained) and heat evenly
5. Add Tamari and garlic salt to taste - serve hot :)

80 Calorie Pumpkin Ice Cream

I love all of the pumpkin-flavored fall foods - but usually they aren't gluten and dairy free so I have to make my own versions :)

I tried making a pumpkin ice cream before, but it didn't turn out well - this was my second try and it turned out much better!

This is gluten free, dairy free and vegan :)

Recipe:

1/2 pint Cake Batter Wink ice cream - 50 calories

1/4 cup Pumpkin Puree - 20 calories

1/4 cup Unsweetened Almond Milk - 10 calories

1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon Allspice

1/8 teaspoon Cloves                                                

= 80 calories

1. Mix together the Wink, pumpkin, almond milk, and spices in a stand mixer until fully combined

2. Pour into a small tupperware container and put in the freezer for about 3 hours

3. Serve with soy whip or other toppings

90 Calorie Spicy Shrimp Cocktail

Frozen cooked shrimp is a great healthy snack to have on hand - I like to buy a big resealable bag (40-50 count) and keep it in my freezer so I can thaw and use them as needed in lots of different recipes

This spicy shrimp cocktail makes a great appetizer, snack or light entree - 

and it is gluten free, dairy free, and paleo :)

Recipe:

For the sauce:
1/2 tablespoon Barbecue Sauce - 15 calories
2 tablespoons Sriracha - 30 calories

3 oz. Frozen Cooked Shrimp - 45 calories
                                                                        
= 90 calories

1. Mix together the barbecue sauce and Sriracha
2. Thaw the frozen shrimp by running under cold water
3. Dry off the shrimp - serve with the sauce :)

90 Calorie Mocha Protein Latte

I needed a caffeine and protein fix after Pure Barre this morning so I made this Mocha Protein Iced Latte :)

This was really good and much healthier than a Starbucks latte :)

This is gluten free, dairy free, and vegan!

Recipe:

1 cup Almond Milk - 40 calories

1/2 serving Chocolate Protein Powder - 45 calories

1 cup coffee - 5 calories                                             

= 90 calories

1. Freeze 1/4 cup almond milk in ice cube tray(if desired) and make coffee ahead of time and store in refrigerator

2. Blend almond milk, coffee, and protein powder until the protein powder is fully dissolved

3. Serve cold :)

9 Calorie Pan-Seared Apple Fritters

Here's another apple recipe - it isn't the prettiest thing I've ever made, but these apple fritters taste really good! And they are much better for you than traditional deep-fried apple fritters. These are healthy enough to eat as breakfast, a snack, or dessert!

These are Gluten Free, Dairy Free, and only 135 calories for the whole batch!

Recipe:

1 egg - 70 calories

1/4 cup Unsweetened Apple Sauce - 25 calories

1/2 a medium Honeycrisp Apple - 40 calories

1 teaspoon Stevia                                                  

=135 calories for whole batch, makes about 15 small fritters - 9 calories each

1. Wash and cut the apple into small pieces - I cut mine into shoestring-type pieces

2. Whip together the egg, applesauce and stevia

3. Add the apple to the egg mixture

4. Spoon small amounts into a heated greased pan, flip carefully, brown both sides - repeat with the rest of the batter

5. Top with butter or sugar free maple syrup, enjoy hot :)