Recipes

These cupcakes are so adorable they truly make me feel like I’m back at a middle school Valentines Day dance..only that Martha Stewart is the caterer. Here’s a snazzy way to take a potentially bland cake like angel food and make it live up to it’s lofty name.

Oh So Heavenly Heart Cupcakes

1 box of your favorite angel food cake mix
1 tsp of almond extract
1 package or Tofutti vegan cream cheese or regular low fat cream cheese, depending on your preference

Icing..
1 cup of frozen fat free whipped topping
1/2 cup of confectioners sugar
2/3 cup of strawberry jam warmed

And 12 strawberries cut in half

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Make the angel food cake mix according to package directions, adding your almond extract. Pour batter evenly amongst your two tray of 12 individually lined cupcake molds and bake for 20 mins or until done. Let them cool COMPLETELY.

Now, if you have a cupcake plunger you fill your cupcakes with strawberry jam by plunging into the center ofnthe cupcake, scooping the jam in and then replacing the removed cupcake top. Then, mix on low speed with an electric mixer, combine the Tofutti or cream cheese, your whipped topping and confectioners sugar. Pipe the mixture into a heart shape on top of every cupcake and then fill the center with strawberry jam. Voila!

And now you can really tell them to ‘eat their heart out’ 🙂

Last night on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, my friends and I had quite a feast. Perfectly grilled salmon, steamed spinach, bean salad and couscous, oh my! Naturally, I felt it was only right to contribute by whipping up some kind of low fat vegan dessert! We were all in a chocolate kind of mood and it had been a while since I had made brownies, so off to whole foods I went in the rain to gather up some healthy yet tasty ingredients! Here’s what I came up with and (if I do say so myself) they tasted amazing and you could hardly tell they were good for you!

 

Ooey Gooey Low Fat Vegan Brownies

1  1/3 cup of whole wheat flour

2 tsps of flax seed meal whisked with 6 tsps of water

1 cup of amber agave

1 individual cup of unsweetened applesauce

3/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp of vanilla extract

1/2 tsp of Baking Soda

1 jar of stage 1 prune baby food

1 cup of vegan chocolate chips

* fresh strawberries, optional

 

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Spray your pan with a non-fat cooking spray. Combine baking soda, cocoa powder and applesauce. Add agave, prune baby food and vanilla extract. Prepare flaxseed meal and water separately and only combine to batter after it’s been whisked together. Stir in whole wheat flour and let the mixture thicken as you mix it in. Gently fold in the vegan chocolate chips and spread evenly in your baking pan. I, personally, enjoy putting fresh fruit in anything chocolatey so I thinly sliced strawberries and covered the top of the brownies with them. Bake for 20- 30 minutes, checking periodically depending on the size of your pan.

 

Enjoy! These brownies are delicious and guilt free, just try to not eat them all in one sitting! ;)

It’s no easy task being mother to a health fanatic like myself, but my mom tried her best to make sure she always had something in accordance to my diet du jour when I used to come home from college. This little gem of a muffin recipe is just one of a few great concoctions she whipped up for me. As always, I encourage creativity, feel free to substitute the dried cranberries for fresh cranberries, blueberries, raspberries etc! Mom was just getting creative with what she had around the house. Have fun and enjoy!


Mama’s Sweet Cranberry Muffins

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 egg whites ( whisk seperately)
1/4 tsp almond flavoring
2 100 calorie packs of Craisins
1/2 tsp of lemon rind or less if your not a huge lemon fan
2 tsp of organic stage one sweet potato baby food
1 large tbsp of applesauce
1/2 cup of water

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Put Craisins in boiling water for a few minute to get them nice and soft and juicy. Combine all ingredients together, gently folding in the dried cranberries. Bake for approx 20 minutes and enjoy!

First, let me tell you about my love affair with the quiche… Not only is it delicious and protein packed it can be great for living alone because you can literally make a delicious breakfast that will last all week on Sunday night. Trust me, when you live by yourself and have early mornings, this is a miraculous feat! I also want to add that there is unlimited creativity with quiches, you can use your favorite cheese, vegetables and meat (if you so choose), just be careful cause you can easily make it fattening again if you go too crazy!haha Alright the following is my personal favorite rendition of Quick and Skinny Quiche!

Quick and Skinny Quiche

3 large eggs
2 large egg whites
12 ounces of fat free half and half
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch of pepper ( at your discretion)
2/3 cup of low fat cheddar cheese
Bag of baby spinach ( added at your discretion)
4 chopped scallions
1 frozen whole wheat pie shell.. Or a cupcake pan to make a lower carb version and individual servings! Just be sure to spray the pan.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Whisk your eggs and whites, fat free half and half and any salt or pepper in a large bowl. Then stir in all the cheese and veggies you’d like to add and pour it all into your pie crust or cupcake pan! Easy enough?

Bake it in your oven for 45 to 50 minutes. You can check if it’s done by sticking a knife in the center and making sure it comes out clean. Let it cool for 10 minutes and then cut it into 8 slices! Be sure to wrap it up if your going to refrigerate it and keep it for later!

Enjoy! And let me know what other fun combinations you come up with at gosweetandskinny@gmail.com

These are for those times when you just need a little chocolate something..

Mix one box of your favorite dry chocolate cake mix with one can of pumpkin puree.

Yes, it’s really that easy! And I promise it doesn’t taste like pumpkin at all!

To spice things up, feel free to get creative, I often add raspberries or strawberries, you can also add some applesauce in with the pumpkin for a sweeter cupcake. The possibilities are endless and all very satisfying! Bake these little puppies as you would if you had actually made chocolate cupcakes with the mix and voila! you have a little ‘Chocolate Something’ that will run you only 60-100 cals a pop. I bake these at least once a month, and all my girlfriends absolutely love them. Sweet and guilt free! Enjoy!

My (only slightly altered) take on the Dukan Diet’s Oat Bran Galette

1 egg (or egg white)

2 tablespoons of toasted oat bran

2 tablespoons of non fat greek yogurt (fat free yogurt like Activa Vanilla can be used and provides a slightly different flavor)

a swirl of Agave nectar (or Dukan recommends Splenda)

Mix the yogurt and oat bran together and then in a separate bowl beat the egg or egg white till fluffy. Combine the two and add any additional seasoning. My personal favorite is adding a little Pumpkin Pie Spice ( sooo yummy!) but you can also add cinnamon or a little vanilla or almond extract to switch it up. For a savory pancake, you can leave out the agave and chop up some garlic or onions in there. When your doing the all protein thing, feel free to add some turkey bacon or shrimp in the mix but my personal tastes lie on the sweeter side! Also, if your not watching your carbs, try adding some berries or bananas in for a delicious pancake-alternative.

Hope you guys enjoy! As someone who absolutely loves breakfast and all its naughty carb-loaded treats this little recipe makes me want to personally send Dr. Dukan a little thank you note. Now I can actually have my cake and eat it too!

The weather is warming up and your clothes are covering less and less of your physique. Now is the time of year that everyone becomes a little more tummy-conscious, with beaches and bathing suits on the brain, it’s a little easier to step away from that second helping. However, if your anything like me, despite posting pictures of Gisele and Adriana Lima all over your fridge, your still freaking hungry! So here’s some snacks to keep on hand for when that bikini-body fad diet your doing (despite knowing better!) is leaving you with the tummy grumbles. And yes, you can enjoy them all guilt free! Just maybe not them all at once, if you can help it!

Berries + Cream
Forget about this old classic? Well tsk tsk! Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries..you name it, there all super delicious and healthy for you. Buy them fresh, at your local farmers market (if possible) and look for the organic stamp (best if these don’t have any chemicals touching them since you won’t be doing any peeling). As for the cream, my favorites would be Fat Free Reddi-Whip or Soy Whip. Personally, I think Fat Free Cool Whip or Reddi-Whip taste just as decadent as the real thing and have significantly less calories and fat – but if you feel attached to the old classic, use your measuring eye and keep it to a single serving!

Fro -Yo
Pinkberry, Red Mango, YoGo, frozen yogurt shops and trucks are almost as plentiful in NYC as Starbucks so you should never be more than a block away from low calorie satisfaction! Yes, you heard me, take a step away from the Shake Shack line and think of the bikini!! A small (or even tinier MINI size) with two toppings will only run you 150-250 cals and cool you down as your battling the heat. Of course, be mindful when choosing toppings, fruit is the most calorie friendly choice but nuts are also great if your on the hungrier side. And hey, if you decide you need a little chocolate fix – a scoop of the milk chocolate shavings at Pinkberry will only run you about 50cals – have fun!

Frozen Fruits
If you managed to get this far with out freezing grapes or bananas, my friend, you haven’t lived. Go out and buy grapes now (seedless! or you’ll hate me) and put them in your freezer. You’ll thank me. These little treats single handedly got me and my first nyc roommate through some poor, hot, summer nights in our tiny little apartment. A must try!

Sorbet
Sorbet, or as I like to call it, Gelato’s sweet and skinnier sister! She is indeed your friend when those ice cream craving strike and your not quite in the mood for anymore Fro-Yo. Sorbet, should be ingested with caution however, some tend to have TONS of sugar, so read labels and be a savvy shopper! My personal favorite is Ciao Bello’s Raspberry Sorbet, a tiny pint has 4 servings that will run you only 120cals each. Yummm!

 

Want more low calorie options of your favorite foods? email me at gosweetandskinny@gmail.com and we’ll get ‘em up on the site! :)

These delicious cupcakes are a perfect treat for a special someone or for yourself if your in the mood for some chocolately

“I YUMMMM YOU” Cupcakes

1 CUP ALL PURPOSE FLOUR
1/4 CUP UNSWEETENED COCOA POWDER
1/2 TEASPOON BAKING SODA
6 TABLESPOONS OF UNSALTED BUTTER SOFTENED (You can substitute all or half of the butter with applesauce for a lower calorie treat or use Earth Balance/Soy Butter)

1/2 CUP GRANULATED SUGAR
2 LARGE EGGS (You can substitute for 6tsps of flaxseed meal mixed with 2tsps of water)
1 TEASPOON VANILLA EXTRACT
1/2 CUP OF MILK (YOU CAN USE SOY, RICE, ALMOND OR REGULAR MILK)
— OPTIONAL ADD INS (I USE BUT NOT NECESSARY)
4 HEAPING TBLSPNS OF RASPBERRY PRESERVES
CHOPPED UP MILK AND DARK CHOCOLATE BARS

THE ICING –
2 PARTS NUTELLA 1 PART MARSCAPONE
(EX  1/2 CONTAINER OR MARSCAPONE AND 1 WHOLE CONTAINER OF NUTELLA)
*I USE 2 CONTAINERS OF NUTELLA AND 1 FULL OF MARSCAPONE
OPTIONAL — WHITE CHOCOLATE SHAVINGS ON TOP

First, I’ll start this post off with my good old fashioned sugar cookie recipe. Pretty standard, no frills. Then following it, I’m going to show you how you can mix things up a little to make it a little lower in calories or vegan-friendly.

Your Mama’s Sugar Cookie..

3 1/4 cups of All Purpose Flour

1 1/2  tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 cup of butter

4oz of cream cheese

1 cup of sugar

1 egg

1 tsp of vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375. Beat butter and cream cheese together till fluffy, then gradually add the egg and vanilla till batter is well combined. Finally mix in the rest of the dry ingredients until a dough is formed.

Bake till doughs puffs and edges turn golden.

Skinny Style Sugar Cookie..

To modify this recipe (or your favorite sugar cookie recipe/mix) to be a little more friendly to your waist line, you can make one or all of the following substitutions:

4 oz cream cheese for FAT FREE cream cheese ( you’ll barely notice the difference, I promise) or Applesauce (which will make cookies sweeter and less creamy)

1 cup sugar for 1/2 cup splenda  OR 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 cup Agave Nectar

You can also substitute the all purpose flour for whole wheat flour but this will effect how your cookies taste slightly. I tend to add flax seed meal to my sugar cookies because I don’t like them too sweet and I don’t mind the slightly nutty flavor it adds because it’s a great source of omega 3′s.

Vegan-ized Sugar Cookies

To make these yummy treats vegan friendly simply trade the following animal products for an equally delicious alternative:

Egg – for each egg needed mix 1 tsp flaxseed meal with 3 tsp of water and beat till gets a gooey consistency

Cream cheese – trade regular cream cheese for tofu cream cheese or applesauce

Butter – Soy butter works just as well but you can also substitute with coconut oil, which can be really tasty if you don’t mind a slight coconut taste to your baked goodies.

Of course, remember this is just a blue print! My favorite part of baking is experimenting with different ingredients and playing around to create some magic in the oven. You can use any of the above suggestions with your personal sugar cookie recipe or with the box of cookie mix you bought at the store! Sugar cookie dough is a great base for lots of fun and creative cookies!

I absolutely adore any kind of seasonal baking, so I decided to experiment with an old classic, chocolate chip cookies, and see if I could vegan-ize them and make them festive. I put the recipe below, but you can use your personal favorite choc. chip cookie recipe or even a box mix and substitute canned organic pumpkin (make sure it’s not pumpkin pie filling! that will taste different!) for the eggs and soy butter for regular butter. Butter, I found was relatively unnecessary and if you’d like the cookies to be less cakey, you can cut the pumpkin to about half of a can, use your own judgment.

Vegan Friendly Pumpkin Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 can of Organic Pumpkin
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons hot water
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups of dark chocolate chips
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  2. Cream together the soy butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Mix in a can (or a half of can) of pumpkin then stir in the vanilla. Dissolve baking soda in hot water. Add to batter along with salt. Stir in flour, chocolate , and nuts(optional). Drop by large spoonfuls onto ungreased pans.
  3. Bake for about 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are nicely browned.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and spray your muffin pan with fat-free cooking spray or whatever non-stick agent of your choosing.

In a bowl, combine Jiffy’s Oatmeal Muffin Mix, an individual cup of no sugar added, all natural applesauce and three tablespoons (or thereabouts) of coconut oil.

In a small cup, whisk three tbsps of flaxseed meal with six tbsps of water till it has an almost egg like consistency.

Combine and mix well! It should be a rather wet mixture but if you feel like it’s too wet, a quick fix is just adding some rolled oats to dry it out. Of course you can spice it up by adding raisins, craisins, blueberries, etc but I find it to be rather delicious and moist on it’s own.

Pop ‘em in the oven. I’d say approximately 5-10 minutes, more importantly till you can start to see the nooks and crannies on the top of the muffins and the edges get slightly golden brown. Drizzle ‘em with some agave nectar (lightly!!) if you want to pump up the sweet factor a notch and serve!!!

happy snacking :)

My roommate suggested when I told her about my idea for this site that I should add posts about my favorite meals. Now, this didn’t really occur to me seeing as I had already thought up a ‘coming soon’ recipe section for healthy cooking and baking but now seems like an obvious suggestion. Now I’m not going to bore  you with mundaneness of me eating an apple, or some raisins, etc. However, from time to time I’ll let you in on some yummy meals I prepare that will hopefully give you some easy to whip up healthy ideas for your day to day!

Today’s yummy selections include:

Raspberry Vanilla Soy Oatmeal : simply heat up a cup of Light Vanilla Soy Milk, add 1/2 cup of Quick Oats and fresh Raspberries or I personally heat up some frozen raspberries and make a raspberry compote of sorts and mix it in. Either way, it’s the perfect comfort food any time of day! Sweet, satisfying and healthy with the added bonus of being completely Vegan!

Scrambled Eggs with Grilled Eggplant : this one was inspired by some left over grilled eggplant I had from a few nights ago but ended up being delicious! So first, if you don’t have left over grilled eggplant – you can substitute it for any other left over veggie – or just grill it yourself. Cut the eggplant as thin as your expertise will allow and lay it out on paper towels. Press another paper towel on top of the slices to get rid of some of the moisture and put them in a frying pan with some Extra Virgin Olive Oil drizzled on top. I’d keep them their till their sufficiently browned for sweetness’ sake. Now you can simply cut them up into smaller pieces  for your eggs. I use one yolk and 3 egg whites and added a little rice milk for fluffiness. Mix em all together and throw it in your frying pan that you’ve sprayed with some fat-free non-stick cooking spray. A yummy,low- fat, delicious, protein packed, Vegetarian breakfast (or anytime meal).