Skinny Shrimp Potato Chowder

We have declared this a winter of soups at our house. Anyone else? It just feels so cold all the time and soup seems to bring that needed warmth and comfort. Funny thing is, we lived in Minnesota last winter, and this winter in Colorado should feel quite warm to us, but I guess it's easy to forget -40º weather and anytime the weather is subzero, it feels cold.

This soup is very easy to make and it tastes wonderful! If you or your children aren't quite sure of shrimp, feel free to omit it, but I think it brings a nice texture and flavor to the soup.

Skinny Shrimp Potato Chowder
6 SERVINGS 
PREP: 10 minutes           COOK: 75 minutes            READY IN: 85 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

• 6-8 potatoes, peeled and diced
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 12 ounce bag small pre-cooked shrimp
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/4 cup green onion (use the white ends for the soup, and reserve the green ends for the toppings for the soup)
• 3 cups skim milk
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

DIRECTIONS

---

1. In a large pot, boil potatoes in water until cooked. Drain water.
2. Add corn, shrimp, water, and white onions. Bring to a boil.
3. Combine milk and flour in a separate container. Add to soup while stirring.
4. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium/high and cook until it thickens. (It took about an hour for me).
5. Add salt and pepper (to taste).
6. Serve with toppings if you'd like. We like green onions and bacon. Cheese would be yummy too.

NUTRITION FACTS

---

    1 serving    260 calories   .8g fat   49.8g carbs    15.5g protein    10.2g sugar   

Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Food.com.

Dairy-Free Rice Pudding

Around the holidays, our family has a favorite traditional dessert. My dad started making it several years ago when he learned about the Danish tradition of eating rice pudding for Christmas. Apparently the tradition is to hide an almond inside the pudding, and then whoever finds the almond in their serving gets a special surprise gift. We haven't adopted the tradition to include the almond surprise, but we have all gotten hooked on this creamy, rich dessert. Every year, we continually ask our dad in the weeks leading up to our holiday visits when he's going to make his famous rice pudding so that we are sure not to miss out.

The original recipe is made by boiling the rice in whole milk, and then folding in with whipped cream. Unfortunately, in recent years my sister, mom, and I have developed an intolerance for dairy (insert sad face). But, instead of missing out on this favorite dessert, I decided this year that we needed to come up with a dairy-free alternative that we could enjoy along with everybody else. I figured that substituting any non-dairy milk to cook the rice in was an easy fix, but the challenge was what to do about the whipped cream. Then I discovered this awesome trick of making whipped cream using coconut milk, and knew that we were in business! The coconut cream is very similar to real whipped cream, and in this recipe it adds in a perfect kiss of coconut flavor. I'm looking forward to adding to our holiday tradition, and making this alongside my dad's version from now on!

Dairy-Free Rice Pudding
6 SERVINGS 
PREP: 20 minutes           COOK: 1 1/2 - 2 hours            READY IN: 2 1/2 - 3 hours

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

• 3/4 cup short or medium-grain white rice (such as Jasmine or Calrose)
• 3 cups non-dairy milk (I used vanilla soy milk)
• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 can full-fat coconut milk (to make whipped cream, see directions below)
•  2 cups frozen berries (thawed)

DIRECTIONS

---

1. Combine the rice, milk, and white sugar in the top of a double boiler, with water in a saucepan underneath. Heat over medium-low heat on the stove top for 1 1/2 - 2 hours, keeping the rice and milk covered. Stir occasionally, and remove from heat once the rice is soft and the milk is mostly absorbed.
2. When the rice is cooked, stir in the almond extract and set aside to cool. In the meantime, prepare the whipped coconut cream (directions below). When the rice has cooled, fold in the whipped cream. Serve in individual bowls topped with berries.

To make whipped cream with coconut milk:

• Refrigerate a can of full-fat coconut milk overnight. (The coconut milk should be very cold in order to whip it.)
• Open the chilled can, and drain off the liquid (you can save this to make smoothies, etc.). Put the more solid part of the coconut milk can in a small mixing bowl. Using a hand blender, whip the coconut cream for 3-5 minutes, until it starts to become fluffy (like whipped cream) and peaks form when you lift the beaters out.

NUTRITION FACTS

---

    1 cup serving    297 calories   11.6 g fat   43.4 g carbs    6.4 g protein    20.7 g sugar   

Enjoy!

Indulgence: Oreo Truffles

My husband's favorite treat to make over the holidays are Oreo Truffles (aka Oreo Balls). They are super simple to make and if you can hold yourself back from eating them all to share them with your friends and neighbors (which will be no small feat!), they will most definitely ask for the recipe. Just trust me on this one. These are definitely an indulgence, but before we kick in with our New Year's resolutions, let's keep this our little secret. Okay?

Oreo Truffles
25 SERVINGS 
PREP: 30 minutes           COOL: 30 minutes            READY IN: 60 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

• 14.3 ounce package of Oreos (do NOT use double stuf, it won't work as well)
• 8-ounce package of low-fat cream cheese, softened
• 16-ounce vanilla CandiQuik Candy Coating (vanilla almond bark also works)
• Optional: chocolate chips for drizzling over the tops

DIRECTIONS

---

1. In a food processor, finely grind all the Oreos. (They should look like coffee grounds when you're done. No large pieces should be found. If so, I usually let the kids sample those. :)
2. In a medium bowl, combine the oreos and cream cheese until it's all mixed together.
3. Form balls bout 3/4"-1" in diameter using your hands. Put on a plate and place in the freezer for about 15 minutes.
4. Melt the CandiQuik when you're almost done with the 15 minutes of freezing. Dip the oreo balls in the chocolate and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. 
5. Optional: Drizzle with melted chocolate.
6. Place in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to allow everything to set.

NUTRITION FACTS

---

    1 oreo truffle    192 calories   9.8g fat   25.7g carbs    1.5g protein    18.1g sugar   

Enjoy!

Shrimp Avocado Dip

Growing up, I always looked forward to Christmas Eve. We would kick off the evening at church and would have a candlelight service and sing Christmas hymns. Afterwards, my dad whipped up some of his favorite "special" traditions including steamed pudding (yum!) and oyster stew (um yeah...). There was always plenty of food which often consisted of appetizers, soups, and goodies like cookies or fudge.

This is the first year that we are doing Christmas Eve (and day) solo as our very own family. I am looking forward to creating our own traditions, and blending those which have been passed along to my husband and me. Though it feels a little overwhelming to decide what we should do, I will adopt my mother-in-law's favorite saying, "Keep it simple." I figure if I screw it up big time this year, I have a few years before all my kiddos leave the house to make things right. One thing I know for sure is that we will be having this dip. This is a tradition that comes from my husband's side, I believe, but we modified it to be a little healthier. For years we've made it with cream cheese instead of avocados as the base. My husband had the brilliant thought that we should try avocados instead because it has the same texture as cream cheese. (And the colors just scream holidays, right?!) This dip tastes amazing, and bonus: it's healthy! If you already have your holiday menu planned out, this would also be perfect for New Year's Eve.

Shrimp Avocado Dip
15 SERVINGS 
PREP: 5 minutes           COOK: 0 minutes            READY IN: 5 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

• 2 avocados
• dash of salt
• 4 tablespoons cocktail sauce
• 1 cup of small cooked & peeled shrimp (I purchased my shrimp in the frozen section and just thawed with cold water prior to making this)

DIRECTIONS

---

1. Peel and pit the avocados. 
2. Place the avocados in a small bowl and add the salt. Mash the avocados until smooth. Place on a plate.
3. Put cocktail sauce on top of the avocados.
4. Sprinkle the shrimp on top.
5. Serve with crackers and enjoy!

NUTRITION FACTS

---

(not including crackers)

    1/8 cup serving    61 calories   5.2g fat   1.8g carbs    1g protein    1.7g sugar   

Enjoy!

Mock Apple Strudel

During normal, day-to-day life, I tend to have the same thing for breakfast, over and over again. One thing about the days surrounding the holidays is that we are typically visiting family and so our routine gets disrupted. While in some ways this routine disruption results in cranky, sleep-deprived children, one of the more fun parts is that breakfast becomes much more diverse and exciting. On my husband's side Grandpa takes orders the night before and is always eager to whip up eggs, bacon, pancakes, cornbread, oatmeal - he caters to ours (and the grandkids) every wish. My husband's family also always fits in a German pancake morning with their traditional recipe and toppings. Then we move to the other side of the family where Papa likes to make muffins, and Grandma makes sure the cupboards are stocked with all sorts of sweet cereals that I wouldn't dream of giving my children access to at home. It's nice to have the time to try out new breakfast recipes, and make the leisurely mornings that much more special. And even though an amazing breakfast is practically served to us everyday, I also like the chance to throw my hat in the ring every so often.

This recipe is one that is perfect for a quiet holiday morning. The whole wheat dough is packed with apples, making it a great breakfast or brunch table addition. It's just sweet enough, without feeling like you've eaten dessert for breakfast (though it also serves well as a healthier dessert). And one other bonus I discovered when I recently remade it is that after you've rolled the loaf together, and before cooking, you can freeze it. Then, put it in the fridge to thaw the night before you want to eat it, pull it out the morning of to throw in a heated oven, and you have a no-prep breakfast ready to serve!

Mock Apple Strudel
12 SERVINGS 
PREP: 20 minutes           COOK: 25-30 minutes            READY IN: 45-50 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 tablespoons sugar
•  1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons cold butter
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 2 1/2 cups chopped apples
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• For the frosting: 
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon milk
• chopped nuts, optional

DIRECTIONS

---

1. Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Place butter (cut into small pieces) and oil together in the dry mixture. With a knife or pastry knife, cut the butter and oil in with the flour mixture, until they combine to form small crumbs. Stir in the milk until the mixture is moist and smooth. 
2. Pour out the dough onto a lightly floured surface, and knead a few more times until you have a smooth dough (it will be slightly sticky, but should still be workable).
3. Roll the dough out into a rectangle, roughly 10 inches by 14 inches. Brush the melted butter on top, then place the apples in a single layer over the dough. Sprinkle the apples with the cinnamon and brown sugar. 
4. Now, roll the loaf up starting with a long side, forming a spiral of dough and apples. Pinch the sides and final seam to seal  the dough shut. (This is when you can freeze it in an airtight container or ziploc bag until you're ready to thaw and bake.)
5. Place the loaf on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake at 425 for 25-30 minutes, until the tops looks golden. 
6. Remove from pan to cool. Combine the powdered sugar and milk in a small bowl, and drizzle over the warm strudel. Sprinkle with nuts if desired while the glaze is still warm.

NUTRITION FACTS

---

    1/12 of strudel    172 calories   5.7g fat   28.5 g carbs    2.4 g protein    12.9 g sugar   

Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Taste of Home Healthy Cooking magazine.

Pomegranate Pear & Apple Salad

I've fallen in love with many salads over the years, but this one is my favorite this time of year. The colors are perfect for the holidays and it's a nice mix of fruit and veggies. And it has pomegranates which is a huge score in my salad-book. :) I love those crunchy little fruit bites. I took this salad to a Christmas party last week that was potluck style and received many compliments on the dish. It's a flavorful salad that is tangy, tart, crunchy, sweet and sour. It's also very versatile. You could maybe even add mango, pineapple, or nuts to this salad and it would be wonderful! I used spinach, but you could also use baby greens or arugula and it would taste incredible. If you'd rather buy your dressing, it would be great pair with just about any vinaigrette. I'm all about working with what I have so I encourage you to do the same.

Pomegranate Pear & Apple Salad
12 SERVINGS 
PREP: 15 minutes           COOK: 0 minutes            READY IN: 15 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

SALAD:

• 6 cups chopped spinach
• 2 gala apples, cored and diced (use a tart, crisp apple if you don't have gala on hand)
• 2 asian pears, cored and diced
• 1 cup pomegranate seeds
• 1/2 cup feta cheese

DRESSING:

• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon honey

DIRECTIONS

---

1.  In a large bowl, combine spinach, apples, and pears.
2. Top with pomegranate seeds and feta cheese.
3. Wisk all the ingredients for the dressing together and pour on top, if you wish. (I serve my dressing on the side).

NUTRITION FACTS

---

(salad without dressing)

    3/4 cup serving    52 calories   1.5g fat   8.8g carbs    1.5g protein    6.1g sugar   

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Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from epicurious.

Gluten Free Almond Sugar Cookies

In my effort to cut down on processed sugar in our baking at home, it's a little hard to make the traditional sugar cookies that the kid's crave this time of year. I found this great alternative to sugar cookies on Detoxinista and modified it to use what I have in my pantry. The result was fabulous-- though I'm not sure my children were impressed by the lack of color in the frosting. We may have to work on that! The coconut flavor combined with the almonds is perfect. These almost reminded me of the Samoa Girl Scout cookies. Sounds strange, because there's no chocolate or caramel, but that's immediately what my mind went to when I first tried them. If you'd like, you can use raw honey instead... it would help the frosting "set up" a little more.

Gluten Free Almond Sugar Cookies
18 SERVINGS 
PREP: 20 minutes           COOK: 8-10 minutes            READY IN: 30 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

FOR THE COOKIES:

• 2 cups almond meal (I used Trader Joe's)
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, softened (or use butter instead, but the coconut gives these a wonderful flavor!)
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
 

FOR THE FROSTING:

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil, softened
• 2 tablespoons honey
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• pinch of fine sea salt

DIRECTIONS

---

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. In a mixing bowl, mix together cookie ingredients until well combined. 
3. Line cookies sheets with parchment paper and form cookie dough into 15 equal round balls. Place on the parchment paper and press down with your hand. 
4. Place in the oven and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown. They will not look done, but they probably are. If you cook them for much longer, the bottoms will burn.
5. Let the cookies cool for 30 minutes.
6. While they're cooling, make the frosting. This doesn't seem like much frosting, but it's the perfect amount for these cookies. :)

NUTRITION FACTS

---

    1 serving    122 calories   9.8g fat   8.1g carbs    2.3g protein    6.2g sugar   

Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Detoxinista.

Raspberry Cranberry Pie

I hope it's not considered cheating if I admit that I did not actually make this recipe. In our house, I've been gifted with a husband who learned from his mother the secrets of pie baking. I know, right? Who is lucky enough to have a husband that bakes pies ... and good pies at that! Well, I am. Unfortunately for him, though, he ended up with a wife who hasn't always been a big pie fan. Which means he's on a continual search to find pies that I like (lucky for me again!), and this is definitely one of them. We found this pie in the Cooking Light magazine, and knew we needed to try it out this holiday season. Not only is it full of fantastic flavor, but it relies on a whole lot less sugar than many other fruit pies out there. In my book that's a double bonus - delicious pie with less sugar is something I can get excited about, especially this time of year!

I know a big part of pie baking is in getting the crust right. I can't attest to knowing all the tricks that my husband has picked up from his mom, but I've gathered a few tips & tricks from trusted web resources such as King Arthur Flour (link here), Smitten Kitchen (link here for the basics and here for the advanced tips), and The Kitchn (link here). Or, if you're in a pinch and just looking for the quickest route to a holiday pie, you could always go with a store-bought pie crust (just don't tell my husband I said that!)

Raspberry Cranberry Pie
10 SERVINGS 
PREP: 30 minutes           COOK: 55 minutes            READY IN: 1 hr. 25 min.

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

• 1 pie crust, top and bottom (store-bought or homemade)
• 1 1/2 cups cranberries
• 1 cup finely diced peeled apple (a sweet and crisp variety, such as Fuji or Honeycrisp)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 (6 oz.) packages fresh raspberries, divided
• 1 teaspoon water
• 1 large egg white

DIRECTIONS

---

1. Fit one part of the pie dough into a 9-inch pie tin coated with baking spray. Gently press the dough into the tin. Chill the dough while you assemble the filling.
2. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. 
3. Combine the cranberries, apple, and lemon juice. Sprinkle in the sugar, corn starch, and salt, and stir gently until everything is evenly coated. 
4. Very gently stir in 2 packages of the raspberries. Spoon everything into the chilled pie base, and then arrange the remainder of the raspberries over the mixture.
5. Arrange the remaining half of the pie crust on top as desired. (We did a lattice-top - see here for step-by-step photo instructions for that.) Whisk together the teaspoon of water and egg white. After sealing the dough edges, brush the top and edges with the egg mixture. 
6. Bake at 350ºF for 55 minutes. The crust should become golden and the inside bubbly. If the crust is cooking too fast, you can cover the sides with cut out pieces of tin foil that will allow the inside to continue to cook while slowing down the crust and keeping it from burning.
7. Cool pie completely before eating. Enjoy plain, or with whipped cream or ice cream.

NUTRITION FACTS

---

    1/10th of pie    253 calories   10.8 g fat   39.5 g carbs    3.6 g protein 

Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Cooking Light magazine.

Holiday Fruit Cocktail

I love family traditions. Growing up, I was lucky enough to live by both sets of grandparents and it was always a big party for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. Every year we'd have our fruit cocktail before any of the main course was served. It just wouldn't be the same without it. I can't describe it other than yummy. This is one of the only times I'll give in and drink soda, and I have yet to regret it. I hope you all enjoy my coveted drink.

Holiday Fruit Cocktail
12 SERVINGS 

PREP: 5 minutes           FREEZE: at least 4 hours           READY IN: roughly 4 hours 

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

• 12 oz. frozen or fresh raspberries
• 12 oz. frozen of fresh blackberries
• 3 kiwis, peeled and diced
• water
• 20 oz. bottle of 7-up, Sprite or Ginger Ale. (I used sprite)

DIRECTIONS

1.  In a 9x13-inch pan pour in raspberries, blackberries, and kiwis. Combine. 
2. Add in water, about 1/2 cup, just enough to cover the berries so that they will freeze together. 
3. Cover and freeze for at least 4 hours. 
4. When ready to serve, cut into squares and place in a cocktail glass. 
5. Pour Sprite over the fruit squares. 
6. Serve with spoon and enjoy!

NUTRITION FACTS

---

   1 serving   83 calories  1g fat  20g carbs   1g protein   12g sugar   

Enjoy!

Mini Apple Pie Bites

November is here! Hard to believe, but it's really here! That means Thanksgiving and I tend to associate that with a growing waist band. I don't know about you, but I tend to indulge a lot more over the winter months, and get out of my exercise habits too. It's my mission to keep my pants buttoned up and looking good this season. Anyone with me?!

I have an incredible recipe, in my humble opinion, I'm sharing with you today. I think it's delicious, sweet, and cute. What more could you ask for in a dessert? It's bite-sized - so you can eat as much, or as little as you want. At under 50 calories a piece, I think you can have more than one with your Thanksgiving feast.

Apple Pie Bites
16 SERVINGS 
PREP: 25 minutes           COOK: 15 minutes            READY IN: 40 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

FOR THE CRUST:

• 1/2 cup almond meal (or almond flour works too)
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour (I use King Arthur's White Whole Wheat)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
• 1/4 cup ice cold water

FOR THE FILLING:

• 1 cup diced skin-on apple (I used a granny smith apple, but any firm, sweet and tart apple would do) 
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

---

FOR THE CRUST:

1. Preheat the oven to 375º.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together almond meal, flour, and cinnamon. Add the maple syrup, apple sauce and water. Stir until it forms a soft dough. Divide the dough into 16 even squares. Press the dough into the minimuffin pan (I used a large muffin pan, but only went about halfway up the sides). Use your fingers to press in the dough so that it lines the bottoms and sides of each well.

FOR THE FILLING:

1. In a another medium bowl, mix together the apples, applesauce, vanilla, maple syrup and cinnamon. Spoon this apple mixture evenly on top of the dough mixture already placed in the muffin pan. 
2. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the edge of the tarts are lightly brown. Serve warm. Keep these in your refrigerator up to 3 days.

NUTRITION FACTS

---

    1 apple pie bite    43 calories   1.5g fat   6.7g carbs    1.1g protein    3g sugar   

To dress these up a bit for Thanksgiving, feel free to add a dollop of cool whip and sprinkle a little extra cinnamon on top. Enjoy!

Recipe from Eating by Elaine.

Recipe Refresh: Maple-Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Up until about a year ago, I hadn't bought a sweet potato in my life. I ate them at Thanksgiving, covered in marshmallows and brown sugar (yum!), but thought that was about all they were good for. Boy, was I wrong. Since their growing popularity on Pinterest, sweet potatoes have found a nice home on our kitchen shelves. I LOVE sweet potato fries and recently found this maple-roasted sweet potato recipe that also has the "yum" factor. This would make a great, healthified version of your average Thanksgiving sweet potato recipe - giving you more room to splurge on pie!

Maple-Roasted Sweet Potatoes
10 SERVINGS 
PREP: 15 minutes           COOK: 45-50 minutes            READY IN: 1 hour 5 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

• 2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (approximately 8 cups), peeled and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

---

1. Preheat oven to 400º F.
2. After cutting sweet potatoes, pour into large freezer bag.
3. Combine syrup, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Pour syrup mixture into bag, seal, and toss to coat.
4. Evenly spread sweet potatoes in 9x13 inch pan. Cover and bake for 45-50 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. 

NUTRITION FACTS

---

    1/2 cup serving    193 calories   3 g fat   40.5 g carbs    1.9 g protein    6.9 g sugar   

Original Recipe	Refresh Recipe
7 cups sweet potatoes 1 1/4 cup margarine 1 1/4 cup brown sugar 3 cups mini marshmallows Cinnamon (to taste) Nutmeg (to taste)	8 cups sweet potatoes 1/3 cup maple syrup 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon salt Pepper (to taste)
595 calories	193 calories
19.4 g fat	3 g fat
103.9 g carbs	40.5 g carbs
43.1 g sugar	6.9 g sugar

Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Delish