Desperate Measures

I was REALLY craving chocolate last night. That's usually not a problem since I almost always have a stash of Hershey's kisses on hand. However, I'm running low on groceries and I was out. I just happened to find a can of triple chocolate frosting in the cupboard - generally reserved for birthdays, potlucks, etc. I gave in. It wasn't as bad as I thought, though. I used two graham cracker halves and 2 tsp. of frosting to make a little sandwich. I figured it up and it was only 2 points! Well whaddayaknow?

Yummy Hot Chocolate

This time of year, we really like to curl up with a mug of flavored hot chocolate. However, that is a very calorie-ridden habit. This is our solution:

1 envelope Swiss Miss diet hot chocolate (prepared as package directs)
1 tbsp fat-free coffee creamer, any flavor
2 tbsp whipped cream on top!

This is only 65 calories for the whole mug. There are a bunch of different flavors of the coffee creamer. Right now we have Caramel Vanilla - yum! The perfect 1-point winter treat.

Easy, Cheesy Broccoli Soup

I'm nervous about it getting colder. I always gain weight this time of year. It's a combination of wearing lots of layers, wanting to eat warm and filling meals, and lots of holiday treats. I did find this recipe the other day and it ended up being very yummy. Be forewarned that it is NOT creamy; it has a broth base. However, it is easy, yummy, healthy, and warm. A great winter soup!

6 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 pound broccoli
1 pound cauliflower
10 oz Velveeta 2% (the light kind)

Boil the broccoli and cauliflower florets in the chicken broth. While the veggies are boiling, cut the Velveeta into cubes. When they are soft, squish up the veggies with a potato masher right in the broth. Add the Velveeta cubes and continue cooking at medium heat until the cheese is melted, stirring occasionally. Serve immediately.

And the best part of this soup? Only 1 point per cup! Makes 8 servings.

P.S. I'm not usually a big Velveeta fan, so this didn't appeal to me at first, but I thought it was worth a try for only 1 point per cup. It adds a cheesy flavor without adding too many calories, which is great! Tip: the Velveeta was MUCH cheaper at Wal-Mart than anywhere else I looked.

Sometimes Ya Gotta Bake

We have a General Conference tradition... Muffins!! Each General Conference Sunday, we make a batch. Since we're trying to cut back on the indulgences lately, the thought of making muffins seemed a little too extravagant. Then, I found this mix. Fiber One muffins! If you make them like it says on the back of the box, they are 3 points each (as opposed to 5 or 6 for other muffins). If you make them like it says on the SIDE of the box, they are 2 points each. They were quite yummy if I say so myself.

Turtle Chex Mix Bars

Another tasty-treat discovery! The Turtle variety are only 2 points. Surprisingly, they have 4 grams of fiber in them! And just 130 calories! I ate one for breakfast this morning, and I felt like I was cheating. I mean, seriously! It's corn Chex, wheat Chex, peanuts, pretzels, and chocolate candies covered in caramel. And it's the same amount of points as those Curves granola bars, which are supposed to be a diet food. And the Chex bars are bigger. Stay clear of the chocolate chunk ones though. They have more calories and less fiber so they're actually 3 points.

Greek Quinoa Salad

This is not a picture of the salad I made. I just wanted you to see what the little grains look like. Aren't they cute? =0)

Okay, so we tried the spaghetti squash salad recipe I posted previously - sort of. We don't have a microwave in this apartment, so I cooked the squash in the oven for the first time. It ended up getting a little overdone. We didn't think that squishy cold squash salad sounded very good, so we scrapped that idea. Instead, we used quinoa (thanks for the info, Lashelle!). I had never had quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) before and I really like it! So here's the recipe for the salad I ended up making:

1 1/2 cups uncooked quinoa
1 container (pint?) grape tomatoes, halved
1 4 oz container reduced-fat feta cheese
1 whole cucumber, seeded and chopped
1 green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1/4 red onion, cut into thin strips
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved

Dressing:

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced

Rinse the quinoa thoroughly. Cook the quinoa in 3 cups water. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 15 minutes. The quinoa is done when the grains are slightly translucent. Drain any excess water. Add all of the vegetables and cheese. Pour the dressing over the top and mix.

1 cup = 4 points. Yields 8 cups.

Because quinoa is a complete protein, this can be used as a main dish. We had it along with grilled tilapia fillets for a 6 point meal. I think next time I might not put as many olives in it. Jason picks them out and even I found them to be a little much.