Paleo Buffalo Chicken Dip

Paleo Buffalo Chicken Dip
Recipe adapted from Katie Did
Makes 4 Servings

1 pound chicken
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp mustard
½ cup lite olive oil
¼ cup hot sauce

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cover chicken breasts in water and bring to boil for 3-4 minutes until white; cook through. Drain and allow to cool. Meanwhile, in a food processor, blend together egg yolk, lemon juice, garlic and mustard. Slowly stream in olive oil until thick mayonnaise is made. Add hot sauce and chicken. Pulse until blended and chicken is shredded. Pour into small casserole dish and bake for 25 minutes. Serve with celery.

Nutritional Information: 389 calories, 1 carb, 30 fat grams and 27 protein grams.

Review: WOW. This tastes amazing. I’ve eaten it straight, as well as over lettuce as a Buffalo Chicken Salad. The dip is great with celery, and you can just make it 8 servings for 8 snacks. We’ve already made this twice and it’s easy to double for more meals or snacks!

As a salad!

Pepperoni Pizza Cups

Pepperoni Pizza Cups
Recipe adapted from For the Love of Cooking

Makes 12 appetizers or snacks

Cooking spray
1 tube of refrigerator biscuits
1 ½ cups low-calorie spaghetti sauce
4 oz. 50% reduced fat Cabot cheese, shredded
24 turkey pepperoni slices
30 grams Parmesan Cheese, shredded
dried oregano
dried red pepper flakes

Preheat the oven to 375. Coat a 12-hole muffin tin with cooking spray. Cut each biscuit in half then press dough into the bottom and sides of each muffin tin. Repeat with remaining dough. Spoon 2 tbsp sauce into each cup. Top each with 2 slices of pepperoni, 10 grams cheddar cheese, 3 grams Parmesan cheese, and oregano and red pepper flakes. Bake for 15 minutes or until the crust is brown.

Nutritional Information (per cup): 140 calories, 15 carbs, 7 fat grams and 5 protein grams.

Review: Perfection in a cup! I love the biscuit bites and know these will become a standard, fabulous little snack, much like the big pigs in a blanket. You could toss anything in here, but I loved the simple pepperoni, cheese and sauce mix. They were also SO easy - it took me about 5 minutes to assemble - the same time it took the oven to preheat. They tasted well reheated, too. Can't wait to make these again!

pan of yumminess

DIY Fruit Cups

DIY Fruit Cups

25 grams banana
45 grams apple
70 grams grapes
75 grams strawberries
50 grams pineapple

Lemon juice (to keep the fruit pretty)

Weigh out and cut all fruit. Add to container. Squirt with a bit of lemon juice. Shake container and voila - a perfectly portioned fruit cup.

Note: If you don't like apples but LOVE bananas, try this mix: 75 grams banana, 70 grams grapes, 100 grams strawberries and 40 grams pineapple for 145 calories, 42 carbs and 1 fat gram.

Nutritional Information: 123 calories, 37 carbs and 1 fat gram.

Review: Yummy of course! And it’s way cheaper to make your own than buying the cups in the store!

All 8 cups with extra strawberries in one!

Strawberries and Cream

Strawberries and Cream
Recipe by Gina's WW Recipes
Makes 4 Servings

12 large/extra large strawberries, washed
Fat free whipped topping

Cut greens off tops of strawberries so when you flip them around the strawberries sit flat. With a sharp knife cut slits all the way down the berry in an X shape, careful not to cut through. Arrange strawberries on a plate, and open them like a flower. Fill with cream.

Nutritional Information (per serving – 3 strawberries): 29 calories, 7 carbs, 0 fat grams and 0 protein grams.

Review: So yummy! and I love the presentation - adorable!

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Adapted from Gina's Weight Watchers Recipes
Makes 4 servings

2 oz dark semi-sweet chocolate
20 small/medium strawberries

Rinse and completely dry the strawberries. In a medium microwave safe bowl, microwave chocolate on high for 30 seconds. Stir and repeat until all the chocolate is melted. Dip strawberries and place on waxed paper to cool. Refrigerate to give it a hard chocolate coating.

Nutritional Information (per serving 5 strawberries): 93 calories, 14 carbs and 5 fat grams.

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Cranberry & Blue Cheese Salad

Cranberry & Blue Cheese Salad

Makes 1 Serving

½ cup romaine lettuce
1 cup arugula
14 grams TJ’s Blue Cheese Crumbles
2 tbsp TJ’s Raspberry Vinaigrette
15 grams TJ’s Dried Fruit Cranberries
24 grams avocado, diced

Optional: almond slivers

Nutritional Information (without almond slivers): 184 calories, 26 carbs, 11 fat grams and 4 protein grams.

Review: It was great and filling – I love the mix of these flavors! To make it lower calorie, I would just omit avocado – it was a nice-to-have but not a must-have. I was REALLY happy with the crumbles, dressing and cranberries though – I’m going to eat this salad A LOT.

Big Pigs in a Blanket

Big Pigs in a Blanket
Recipe by Hungry Girl
7 Snacks

1 package reduced fat crescent rolls (will not use 1 triangle)
7 Hebrew National 97% fat free hot dogs
2 wedges laughing cow cheese
7 dashes garlic powder
3 strips turkey bacon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray and set aside. Cook bacon in microwave and dice into small bits. Put bacon bits on a plate. Slightly stretch out one of the triangle-shaped portions of dough. Evenly spread with 1/3 a wedge of cheese, and then sprinkle with a dash of garlic powder. Place hot dog along the base roll it up. Squeeze dough gently to ensure it’s secure around the hot dog. Press dough-wrapped dog into bacon on one side, then set on pan. Repeat 7 times. Press any leftover bacon into tough. Bake for 15 minutes until dough is browned and crispy.

Nutritional information per snack: 153 calories, 12 carbs, 7 fat grams and 3 protein grams.

Review: YUM! Super flavorful and fabulous! I’m a fan. Honestly, I might remove the cheese next time – it was flavorful enough without it. And if you're feeling SUPER lazy, don't even do the bacon - just wrap those dogs in the roll and call it a day.

Tomato and Mozzarella Press

Tomato and Mozzarella Press
Makes 1 sandwich

1 Arnold Sandwich Thin
½ tsp fat-free mayonnaise
1 tsp Trader Joe’s pesto
8 grams Fat-Free Feta Cheese
8 grams Fat-Free Mozzarella, shredded
4 grape tomatoes, diced
8 spinach leaves, halved
4 basil leaves, finely diced

Spread mayo and pesto on both sides, and top one side with cheeses, tomatoes, spinach and then basil. Put top on and drop it on the George Foreman for 3-4 minutes. Enjoy.

Nutritional Information: 182 calories, 30 carbs, 4 fat grams and 12 protein grams.

Review: I was a huge fan of this little guy! Austin was jealous so about an hour later I went down and made 2 more (I had another half – Austin had the other one and a half!). He loved it too! They’re just simple, yummy and quick – I’ll def be making these again!

Chicken Salad Sandwich

Chicken Salad Sandwich

Swanson website (Stacy sent it)

Makes 2 Servings

1 can (9.75 oz.) Swanson Premium White Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained
2 tbsp chopped celery (didn’t include; didn't have any!)
½ tbsp finely chopped onion
1 tbsp nonfat mayonnaise
1 tbsp nonfat plain yogurt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 slices Whole Wheat Bread
2 tomato slices
2 lettuce leaves

Mix chicken, celery, onion, mayonnaise, yogurt and pepper. Divide chicken mixture among 2 bread slices. Top with tomato, lettuce and remaining bread slices.

Nutritional Information (with bread, tomato & lettuce leaves): 223 calories, 30 carbs, 6 fat grams, 24 protein grams.

Review: This was GREAT for packing for lunch – just made a baggy for bread, a baggy for tomato/lettuce and a container for the salad. I REALLY liked the salad, yummy and filling – but I definitely want to put the celery in next time –I like a bit more crunch ya know? And to add calories I would just serve with kettle chips or hummus + pita crisps.

Roasted Chicken Pattie & Guacamole Pita

Roasted Chicken Pattie & Guacamole Pita

Inspired by a Trader Joe's sample test

Makes 2 Servings

2 6-inch pitas (about 120 calories each)

2 Trader Joe's roasted chicken patties

4 tbsp Trader Joe's spicy pico/guac servings, divided

Toast pitas in the toaster. While toasting, heat the chicken in the microwave for 1 minute. Put chicken onto pita, and then spoon guac/pico on top.

Nutritional Information: 295 calories, 29 carbs, 7 fat grams and 27 protein grams.

Review: We LOVED it. Amazing. It’s not much to look at but AWESOME. Would be a good snack to split with someone too (split one of them!).