Diet Recipes Blog

Sour Cream Soft Cookies recipe - 190 calories

Ingredients:
1 cup sour cream (8 ounce carton)
3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
cinnamon sugar

Preparation:
1. Measure the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder into a sifter.
2. In a large bowl, cream butter or margarine with the sugar until well blended; beat in the eggs and vanilla.
3. Sift in the flour mixture, adding alternately with sour cream to make a thick batter.
4. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls, 4 inches apart, on greased cookie sheets; spread into 2 inch rounds; sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar.
5. Bake in a hot oven (400° F) for about 12 minutes (or until lightly golden around the edges).
6. Remove from the cookie sheets and let cool completely on wire racks.

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Delicious Beef Meatballs recipe - 171 calories

Ingredients:
1 lb lean ground beef
10 fat-free saltine crackers, crushed
1/4 small onion
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
cooking spray

Preparation:
1. Finely grate the onion into large bowl.
2. Make sure all the juices are in the bowl as well (you may need to wipe the grater with your fingers).
3. Add the remaining ingredients (except the cooking spray) and mix well.
4. Shape into 24 meatballs.
5. Spray a skillet with cooking spray.
6. Heat the skillet over medium heat until hot.
7. Add 12 meatballs to skillet and cook for about 8-10 minutes, turning to brown evenly.
8. Remove the cooked meatballs and drain the skillet.
9. Cook the remaining 12 meatballs.
10. Serve with your favorite marinara sauce.

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Curry Bread recipe - 136 calories

Ingredients:
3 cups bread flour
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1/3 cup flaked coconut
2 teaspoons bread machine yeast
1/3 cup coarsely chopped roasted peanuts
1 cup water
3 tablespoons nonfat dry milk powder
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar

Preparation:
1. Add the ingredients to the bread machine pan in the order suggested by manufacturer (adding coconut and peanuts with the flour).
2. Recommended cycle for the bread machine: Basic/white bread cycle; medium/normal color setting.

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Raspberry Sorbet recipe - 174 calories

Ingredients:
500 g raspberries
6 tablespoons creme de cassis or creme de cacao
95 g caster sugar
1 small lemon, juice of
95 ml water

Preparation:
1. Place the sugar and water in a pot and heat until the sugar dissolves (usually before the water starts boiling).
2. Do not stir, but instead set the mixture aside to cool and then place in the refrigerator until it is completely cold.
3. Mix the cold syrup with the raspberries and creme de cassis or creme de cacao in a food processor or blender.
4. Whiz until smooth and then (if desired) push through a sieve to remove the berry seeds (if you like a little crunch in your sorbet, you can leave the seeds in).
5. Freeze the mixture in an ice cream maker.
6. If you don’t have an ice cream maker, you can also do it by hand, by stirring the frozen edges into the center every hour or so until it is nearly frozen.

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Stir-Fried Zucchini with Hoisin Sauce recipe - 75 calories

Ingredients:
2 medium zucchini (approximately 1 lb)
2 teaspoons Hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon canola oil or peanut oil
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons dry sherry
1 teaspoon chili flakes
1/2 teaspoon sesame seed, toasted

Preparation:
1. Quarter the zucchini lengthwise.
2. Slice off the soft seed core.
3. Arrange the zucchini, cut side up, on paper towels.
4. Sprinkle with salt, and set aside for about 10 minutes.
5. Blot the zucchini quarters dry with paper towels.
6. Cut the quarters into 2 inch lengths.
7. In a small bowl, mix the Hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil and sherry.
8. Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat for about 1 minute.
9. Pour in the canola/peanut oil; when the oil starts to shimmer and ripple (very hot), add the zucchini.
10. Saute the zucchini for about 4 minutes (until it browns and slightly softens; don’t overcook- it might turn mushy).
11. Add the garlic and chilli flakes, saute for about 15 seconds.
12. Add the sauce mixture; stir and cook for about 20 seconds (just long enough for the liquid to reduce and coat the zucchini).
13. Remove from the wok, sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and serve immediately.

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Gingersnaps recipe - 102 calories

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups soft whole wheat flour
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup soft unbleached flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 cup light molasses, warmed
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup water

Preparation:
1. In a large bowl, sift the dry ingredients together.
2. Mix the molasses with the oil and water. (If the molasses are not warm enough to dissolve into the water, use the microwave to warm them a little.)
3. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
4. The dough should be quite stiff, and not particularly sticky - if it’s too soft and sticky, add a little more flour.
5. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
6. Roll out the dough to about 1/4″ thick, and cut out with cookie cutters.
7. Line some cookie trays with parchment paper or lightly oil them, and place the cookies on them.
8. Re-roll and cut the scraps, until the dough is gone.
9. Bake for about 10-14 minutes, until lightly browned and set (the cookies will harden up as they cool).

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Pineapple Salsa recipe - 85 calories

Ingredients:
1 (500 ml) can pineapple chunks, drained or 1/2 pineapple, peeled
1 red pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped coriander (cilantro)
1/2 red onion
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation:
1. Chop the pineapple into small pieces to measure a total of 2 cups.
2. Core and seed the red pepper, then chop into small pieces (the same size as the pineapple pieces).
3. Finely chop the onion and coriander/cilantro.
4. Place all in a bowl.
5. Stir in the olive oil, lime juice and salt.
6. Refrigerate or serve right away (goes great with burgers, chicken, steaks or pork).

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Buttermilk Pancakes recipe - 135 calories

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 1/4 cups flour
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon sugar

Preparation:
1. In a medium bowl, sift the dry ingredients.
2. Mix the buttermilk, egg and vegetable oil together, and add to the dry ingredients.
3. Stir only until the dry ingredients have disappeared.
4. Lightly coat a skillet or griddle with non-stick cooking spray or a small amount of vegetable oil; preheat over medium heat.
5. Test by adding a few drops of water on the hot pan - when the drops start to “dance” on the griddle, it is time to cook.
6. For each pancake, pour about a 1/4 cup of batter onto the hot griddle.
7. Cook until bubbles that form begin to pop and the edges look dry.
8. Using a spatula, turn the pancake and cook until the other side is rich golden brown.
9. Serving suggestion: serve with blueberry sauce and a dollop of sour cream or lemon yogurt.

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Marinated Daikon and Carrot Salad recipe - 48 calories

Ingredients:
350 g daikon radishes or white radishes
350 g carrots
4 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dashi powder, dissolved in
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon mirin
1 tablespoon hot water
salt, to taste

Preparation:
1. Cut the daikon and carrots into very thin strips.
2. Sprinkle the vegetables with the half teaspoon of salt and allow to stand in a colander for about 10-15 minutes (or until limp).
3. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl.
4. Mix together the remaining ingredients and pour over the vegetables.
5. Add more salt if needed (according to your taste).
6. Serve immediately or marinate in a covered bowl in the refrigerator for about 24 hours (this will improve the taste).

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Basic Baked Potatoes recipe - 118 calories

Ingredients:
6 medium white potatoes
shortening (optional)

Preparation:
1. Scrub the potatoes with water (without peeling them).
2. Optional: rub with shortening to soften up the skins.
3. Wrap in aluminum foil.
4. Bake in the oven at 375 degrees F for about 1 - 1 1/2 hours.
5. Alternative: pierce the potatoes with a fork to allow the steam to escape.
6. Arrange the potatoes an inch apart in a circle shape on a paper towel.
7. Microwave for about 12-15 minutes.

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