Veggie Omelet and Greek Yogurt Parfait: The 400 Calorie Breakfast Fix

Good morning! :)

I don't know about you, but the word "Sunday" in my head rings the word "Breakfast" as well. I think Sundays are going to be the breakfast posts from now on!

The Vancouver weather's been gorgeous lately, especially in the mornings when it's not too hot. What's better than enjoying a healthy and colourful breakfast outside? This is a breakfast for 1! Sometimes you only have yourself to cook for, which can actually be a surprising treat. :)

Greek Yogurt Breakfast Parfait

• 1/4 cup Fage Non-fat Greek Yogurt
• 1 tsp honey
• 1/2 cup strawberry halves
• 1/4 cup blueberries
• 1/2 banana, sliced
• 1 tbsp crunchy cereal or granola

Mix yogurt with honey in a parfait dish or regular bowl. Add strawberries, blueberries, and banana slices. Top with cereal or granola! = 165 calories

Veggie Omelet

Cooking spray

• 1 tbsp dehydrated onion
• 1/2 tomato, diced
• 1/4 cup chopped broccoli florets
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp plain yogurt (or cottage cheese)
• 1 tsp grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp garlic salt seasoning
• Dash pepper

Beat eggs with yogurt, Parmesan cheese, garlic seasoning, and pepper. Set aside.

Spray a frying pan with cooking spray and saute vegetables over medium heat until softened, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Lightly spray pan again, and lower heat to medium-low. Pour egg mixture into pan, and let it spread into a large circle. Let it cook until just about set. Scrape the vegetable mixture onto one side of the egg circle, and using a spatula, fold the other half of egg over the veggies. Transfer onto a plate. Serve with ketchup if desired. = 160 calories

Breakfast= 325 calories

I had mine with half a grapefruit (50 calories) and a cup of Earl Gray Tea.

Enjoy!

Peaches and Cream Cheesecake Bars (Low Fat)

So today (technically yesterday, I'm posting a little late) is National Cheesecake Day! I made a trip to the grocery store and picked up some low-fat cream cheese in festive spirit (why not?) I adapted this recipe from Gina's Skinny Recipes to a peaches and cream version instead of strawberry, but you can definitely do whatever flavour you like.

Peaches and Cream Cheesecake Bars (Low Fat) serves 9

• non stick cooking spray
• 1/2 cup crushed graham cracker crumbs
• 1 tbsp light butter, softened
• 8 oz package reduced fat cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 6 oz fat-free vanilla Greek yogurt
• 2 large egg whites
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup peach jam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 8" square pan with cooking spray. Mix graham cracker crumbs with butter until evenly moistened, and press into pan.

Beat cream cheese with sugar and vanilla until smooth. Gradually beat in yogurt, egg whites, lemon juice, and flour, but don't over-beat. Pour over graham cracker crust. Drop dollops of jam on the cream cheese filling and using a knife, swirl to make a marbled pattern.

Bake for 20-25 mins until centre is almost set. Cool at room temperature, and chill for at least 3 hours.

Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins (Low Fat)

When you're trying to get into the style of low-fat eating and low-fat baking especially, it's good to have a few substitution ingredients around. For muffins, much of the fats (either oil or butter) can be substituted or reduced by using applesauce or plain yogurt. These muffins are made with applesauce, which makes them low-fat, moist, and naturally sweet!

Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins (Low-fat) makes 12 muffins

• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour*
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 2 tbsp melted butter or margarine
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

*You can work with what you have in the house. You can use 2 cups minus 2 tbsp Whole Wheat All-Purpose Flour or 2 cups minus 2 tbsp regular All-Purpose Flour

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and line 12 muffin tins with muffin liners or spray with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, mix flour with baking soda, sugar, and salt.

In a medium bowl, mix together melted butter, applesauce, vanilla, and egg. Add mixture into flour mixture and stir until just combined.

Fold in blueberries and divide batter among muffin tins. Bake for 25 minutes. Cool 5 minutes in pan, and transfer onto a wire rack. Best eaten warm with a slather of margarine or blueberry jam!

per muffin: 147 calories, 2.7 g fat, 28.5 g carbohydrates, 2.7 g protein

Nutty Chocolate Raisin Granola Bars (Low Fat)

I love granola bars of all kinds; my favourites are Nature Valley Sweet & Salty, with the Quaker yogurt dipped bars in a close second! Mmm…for a long time I tried buying them for myself but holy mother of pearl, these things rob you penniless!

This is a great versatile granola bar recipe from Gina’s Skinny Recipes that can easily be altered to fit your taste. Also, it’s a lot healthier than any store-bought granola bars. None of that high-fructose corn syrup, modified milk ingredients, or sucraglucodonoxenous gum paste (I just made that up).

The real recipe calls for pecans, but if you didn’t know already, pecans are quite expensive also- I used chopped almonds because that’s what I had on hand, but I do recommend the pecans OR walnuts if you have them, because almonds are very hard nuts, and it makes the bars extremely hard to cut cleanly. Mine broke apart into small pieces so the picture below isn’t the ACTUAL portion size (don’t worry).

Nutty Chocolate Raisin Granola Bars (Low Fat) makes 16 bars

• 1 cup oat flour (you can make your own by grinding oats in food processor)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup unpacked brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups quick oats
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup raisins (or cranberries/currants/other dried fruit)
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and line an 8”x8” baking pan with parchment paper and spray lightly with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk the oat flour with baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

Using a stand mixer, cream butter with brown sugar, scraping sides of bowl once. Add in the egg, honey, applesauce, and vanilla.

Using your hand, mix in the oat flour mixture and oats and combine until just moistened. Mix in the raisins, chocolate chips, and pecans. Spoon mixture into the baking pan and using the bottom of a glass, flatten the mixture. Bake for 25 minutes.

Cool completely in pan on a wire rack, and then refrigerate before cutting. Using a serrated knife, cut by sawing the knife gently. Cut into 16 bars. Store in an airtight container.

Easy Lemon Squares

What’s greater than citrusy sweet filling on top of a rich, dense crust? My mom once went through a phase where she bought lemons like crazy, and because they keep well in the fridge, I’ve tasted about 5 different lemon squares over mere weeks. Now it’s my turn! This recipe is from the cookbook Best of Cooking Light (I absolutely ADORE every recipe in this book) and you guessed it, these are LIGHT lemon squares just as they are EASY (only 118 calories per square!) I can be a bit of a health nut, so any dessert this good under the category “light” is a perfect dessert!

Easy Lemon Squares makes 16 squares

Crust:

• 3 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup flour

Filling:

• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 tbsp flour
• 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease an 8”x8” square pan.

For the crust, using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat butter with sugar on medium speed until creamy. On low speed, gradually add flour, beating until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Press mixture into the baking pan, and pat down with bottom of a measuring cup. Bake for 15 min, and cool on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, to make the filling, beat eggs on medium speed until foamy. Add sugar and next 5 ingredients and beat until well blended. Pour over crust. Bake for 20-25 min until set. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Cut into 16 squares and sift powdered sugar on top before serving! :)

Summery Ratatouille

I remember watching that Disney movie “Ratatouille” a few years back and I really wanted to try their recipe! Then I saw this wonderful arrangement done by Smitten Kitchen and had to try it out. I’ve adapted the recipe from Smitten Kitchen but the arrangement idea is the same. This is a quick and simple fix when you have last minute guests- the presentation will not disappoint! It uses summer vegetables beautifully, and roasting them really brings out the nice array of colours.

There must be a story behind Ratatouille that I’m not getting, because although it’s a French dish, there really isn’t anything French about it. Many books and websites told me to serve over polenta, couscous, pasta, pita bread, and even rice! It got me a little confused over the culture scheme, but whatever, it was delicious! I had some couscous on hand, but any grain of your choice would be splendid with these yummy veggies.

Summery Ratatouille makes 6 servings

• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium eggplant, sliced very thinly
• 2 small zucchinis, sliced very thinly
• 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced very thinly
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced very thinly
• 2 ½ cups tomato sauce
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme (optional)
• Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spread tomato sauce in a 13”x9” glass baking pan, and sprinkle garlic, onions, and parsley on top. Season sauce generously with salt and pepper.

Arrange vegetable slices in any colour pattern you wish, around the border of the pan first, overlapping slightly so the colour of the vegetable can still be seen. Continue pattern towards the centre (kind of like a spiral). Drizzle the olive oil over the vegetables, and season generously with salt and pepper. Sprinkle thyme on top. Cover loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 45-50 minutes, until vegetables are golden (should not be too brown). Serve hot over your favourite grain. It’s great over couscous or pasta, and just as tasty as a pita filling!

Strawberry Banana Breakfast Smoothie

How's everyone's day so far? Today's kind of chilly for end-of-July weather, so what I like to do is go to the gym and then enjoy a relaxing lounge at the library, which is where I am right now!

This recipe is a staple in my house, I'm a huge believer of all-things-breakfast, and for me it's my favourite meal of the day! Beware future husband and kids- if I were to do the cooking everyday, you'd be having omelets for lunch and French toast for dinner, so you better like breakfast as much as I do! Too bad my own mother doesn't approve.

When you're on the go, don't skimp out on breakfast, it's the worst thing you can do to start your day. None of that flimsy granola bar and grab & go coffee stuff. Make something nutritious like a fruit smoothie! It's quick and simple- I usually take mine to go with me in my cold cup (you can get them at Home outfitters, Chapters, or any kitchen store for $5-10).

This recipe is sweetened by the vanilla soy and extra-ripe banana; if you are looking for something sweeter, you can add a touch of honey to your blend!

Strawberry Banana Breakfast Smoothie makes 2 servings

• 1 cup frozen strawberries
• 1 extra-ripe banana
• 1/4 cup nonfat Greek-style yogurt (I like Fage Greek but you can use nonfat plain too)
• 1 cup vanilla soy milk (or skim milk)
• 5 ice cubes
• 1 tbsp honey (optional)

Slice your bananas into your blender, and add everything else. Give it a quick stir and blend until smooth. You can enjoy this smoothie after a visit to the gym!

per serving: 144 calories, 0.5 g fat, 28 g carbohydrates, 11 g protein

Cheerio Dream Bars

You know when you go through different phases, and there's that ONE thing that you're constantly craving and eating? For me, it's been Cheerios for about 2 weeks now. Well, cereal, in general, but Cheerios are a definite favourite in my pantry right now. What's not to love about these sweet nutty O's? Even the name alone makes me feel cheery eating them. I have so many Cheerio recipes bookmarked on my computer right now; Cheerio Oat Cookies, Cheerio fruit smoothies, Cheerio granola bars...this one is a twist on the classic "Rice Krispie Squares" but I decided to name it Cheerio Dream Bars, kind of after the "Rice Krispie Squares" from Starbucks. Also, I've adapted this recipe so I could use some Peanut Butter (another all-time favourite thing). Cheerios and Peanut butter for on-the-go?! I must be dreaming!

These sweet and sticky bars are awesome with a cup of coffee or tea, or as a snack in the day. With just 80 calories per bar, there's no guilt! (Unless in my case, where you eat five by 'accident', then you've made a boo-boo)

Cheerio Dream Bars Makes 24 bars

• 3 tbsp Becel's 64% Less Fat Margarine (or margarine)
• 2 tbsp smooth peanut butter
• 6 cups miniature marshmallows
• 6 cups Cheerios

Melt margarine and peanut butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add marshmallows and melt together with butter, stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in Cheerios. Press into a 13"x9" pan (greased lightly or lined with parchment paper) and press down with a potato masher or bottom of a heavy glass (it helps if you spray the bottom with some cooking spray to prevent sticking). Cool for 15 minutes and cut into squares.

Notes: I used Honey Nut Cheerios which results in a much sweeter bar. The original recipe calls for the regular yellow box Cheerios. You can even use multi-grain, Banana Oat, or their new Chocolate Cheerios for a Chocolate peanut butter version! Yum!

You can omit peanut butter to make regular Cheerio Marshmallow bars, just decrease the Cheerios to 5 cups!

White Velvet Cupcakes with Pink Buttercream

Hey everyone! Hope your summer's been fab so far, looks like the Vancouver weather finally caught up with the season! It's beautiful out there! So believe it or not, this blog SPACE has been with me for a while, but I haven't touched it since I first created it... and I just remembered it today! So might as well get it going, I guess. :)

Why not start with a cute cupcake? This is a very simple cupcake recipe, but you can dress it up however you like to make it look absolutely adorable. It's fluffy, velvety, light and makes such a cute gift for a birthday! I made these for my 8 year old cousin on her birthday! The buttercream recipe is your basic vanilla buttercream, and it looks great with any pastel colours and sprinkles. Enjoy!

White Velvet Cupcakes with Pink Buttercream

Cupcakes makes 24 cupcakes

• 4 large egg whites (around 4 oz)
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 cups sifted cake flour
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 20 ml baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 12 tbsps unsalted butter, softened at room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24-cupcake trays.

In a medium bowl, beat egg whites, vanilla, and 1/4 cup milk.

In a large bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment, whisk together cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add butter and remaining 3/4 cup milk and mix on low speed until moistened. Increase to med-speed and mix for another minute, scraping sides of bowl once.

Add the egg mixture in 3 equal parts, beating for 20 seconds after each addition.

Pour the batter evenly among tins, until 2/3 ways full. Try using an ice cream scoop (one with a scraper) for nice even drops!

Bake for 15-20 mins until just golden, or when an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool in tins for another 10 mins, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely before icing.

Pink Vanilla Buttercream Icing

• 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 4 cups icing sugar
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp milk
• 3 drops red food colouring (optional)

Beat the butter for 2 minutes until creamy, scraping at the sides once. Slowly mix in icing sugar, vanilla, and milk until incorporated. Increase speed to med-speed and beat until smooth. Add food colouring one drop at a time, until your desired colour shade! The buttercream should be smooth but still spreadable. If it is too dry, add more milk by the teaspoon.

You can pipe it or spread it onto your cupcakes however you like, just make sure your cupcakes are completely cool! I used my reusable piping bag with no tip, but any design works. You can even top it off with cute sprinkles.