Chocolate-Raspberry Mousse Tartlettes

This is just a good old-fashioned delicious and just plain yummy recipe.  You can alter it to make it wheat free (gluten free).

Chocolate-Raspberry Mousse Tartlettes

A puree of raspberries laces the chocolate mousse filling with delectable flavor, elevating these cute little tarts to pastry-shop status. You can bake the pastry shells in advance, if you’d like; store them at room temperature until you fill them.

CRUST
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, chilled, cut up
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

MOUSSE
1 (6-oz.) container plus 1 cup fresh raspberries, divided
5 oz. semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

1. Process flour, powdered sugar and salt in food processor until combined. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Add egg yolk and vanilla; pulse briefly until mixture is moist and crumbly. Shape into flat round; cover and freeze 15 minutes.

2. Break dough into 18 (scant 1-tablespoon) pieces; roll each into walnut-size ball. Press into mini muffin cups, pressing dough to top of cup. With fork, poke bottom crust three times and sides of crust several times. Freeze 15 minutes, or refrigerate 30 minutes or overnight.

3. Heat oven to 350°F. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown around edges. (Crust will puff up during baking. If it puffs too much, poke with small knife halfway through.) Cool completely in pan on wire rack; remove from pan.

4. Meanwhile, puree 6 oz. of the raspberries (about 1 1/2 cups) in food processor until smooth. Strain through sieve to remove seeds.

5. Place 1/3 cup of the puree in medium heatproof bowl (reserve any remaining puree for another use); add chocolate. Place bowl over saucepan of barely simmering water (bowl should not touch water); heat until chocolate is melted and smooth, stirring occasionally. Remove bowl from saucepan; cool 15 minutes or until room temperature.

6. Beat cream in medium bowl at medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Whisk large spoonful of cream into chocolate mixture to lighten; fold in remaining cream. Immediately spoon into pastry bag fitted with large star or plain tip; pipe into cooled pastry cups, mounding mousse. Garnish each tart with a fresh raspberry. Store in refrigerator.

18 tartlettes

Keep It Tasty!

Rebecca

PER TARTLETTE: 145 calories, 9.5 g total fat (5.5 g saturated fat), 1.5 g protein, 14.5 g carbohydrate, 30 mg cholesterol, 20 mg sodium, 1.5 g fiber

Oatmeal Power Breakfast

Between picking up kids, working, girl scouts and hundreds of other errands...I often have to eat on the run.  This habit can not only be unhealthy but also help you gain weight.  So here is a recipe that will help you make your own healthy and quick breakfast to start the day right...enjoy!

Oatmeal Power Breakfast (Makes 1 Serving):

 

Total fiber = 5 grams

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1 tablespoon ground flax-seed
• 2/3 cup 1% low fat milk
• 1/4 cup blueberries
• 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped nuts, optional
• 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup, optional

Directions:

1. Combine the oats, ground flax-seed, and milk in a deep microwave-safe bowl and stir to combine.
2. Place in the microwave, uncovered, and heat on high for 90 seconds. Remove carefully and stir in the blueberries, and the nuts and maple syrup as desired.

Nutrition Information per Serving: 210 calories, 6g fat (1g saturated, 1.4g omega-3), 70mg sodium, 30g carbohydrate, 5g fiber, 10g protein, 20% calcium

Keep It Tasty!

Rebecca

 

Lemon Garlic Chicken Crock Pot Recipe

Chicken is one of our favorite dishes so I am constantly on the look out for different ways to cook it.  Using a crock pot is always a nice way to make sure your meat is so tender it falls apart and I love coming home to a cooked meal!

Lemon Garlic Chicken Crock Pot Recipe

Ingredients:
- 8 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 10 garlic cloves, finely chopped or minced
- 2 yellow onions, chopped
- 2 cups fat free, low sodium chicken broth
- 1/4 cup lemon pepper seasoning
- 4 tbsp paprika
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tsp lemon zest

Directions:
Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Mix together the lemon pepper seasoning, paprika and salt. Coat the chicken with the spice mixture. Place the coated chicken in the crock pot and cover with the fat free chicken broth, garlic cloves, parsley and onions and lemon zest. Cook on low heat for about 3-4 hours (or until done).

Entire recipe makes 8 servings
Serving size is 1 breast, with approx 4 tbsp of sauce
Each serving = 3 Point Total

(NOTE: read your labels and make sure your chicken broth is both corn free and wheat/gluten free to make sure this recipe fits your needs.)

Keep It Tasty,

Rebecca

Beef Fajitas (Crock Pot)

 Let's face it, cooking for our families is something we all need to do, whether we like to cook or not. Sometimes, using a crock pot is an easy way to give your family a wonderful meal while NOT standing over a hot stove. I love appliances that do most of the work for me!

Though this recipe is for beef fajitas, I encourage you to try it will chicken or even pork? And while you are at it...come up with some of your own variations and see what you like.

Ingredients:

1 lb. beef flank steak, cut into strips
1 medium onion, cut into strips
1/2 cup of salsa
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 small green bell pepper, cut into strips
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
Flour tortillas, warmed OR Corn tortillas, warmed (depending on your needs)
 

Additional salsa (optional)
Sour cream (optional)
Cheese (optional)

Directions:

Combine all ingredients except bell peppers, tortillas, and optional items in slow cooker.  Cover; cook on low 5 to 6 hours. Add bell peppers.  Cover; cook on low 1 hours.  Serve with flour tortillas and optional items, if desired.

Keep it Tasty!

Rebecca

Healthy Gluten-free Carrot Muffin Recipe

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.

Grease 12 medium muffin cups.

Dry Ingredients

Sift together:

·        2 cups gluten-free flour (preferably whole-grain gluten-free flour)

·        1 tsp xanthan gum or guar gum ( if not using a pre-packaged mix that has it included)

·        1 tbsp flaxseed meal

·        3 and 1/2 tsp gluten-free baking powder

·        1/2 tsp salt (regular or sea salt)

·        1/2 tsp cinnamon

·        1/4 cup brown sugar (1/2 cup for a sweeter dessert muffin)

Wet Ingredients

Beat together:

·        1 egg

·        1 and 1/4 cup milk (or rice milk)

·        1/4 cup olive oil (or a preferred lighter tasting oil)

Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients. Stir only until combined. Batter will be lumpy.

Fold in 1 cup of grated carrot. (If you want to make it very simple, you can use a jar of carrot baby food.) Folding in 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans is optional.

Fill muffin cups two thirds full. Slightly more for paper cups. Bake for 20 minutes.You may need to adjust the temperature and time for your own oven.

Alternative Ingredients for Apple Muffins

To create gluten-free apple muffins: substitute 1 cup of chopped apple or 1 jar of apple baby food for the carrot or carrot baby food. Apples have the health benefit of being high in soluble fiber.

Gluten-free Muffins For The Kids

If you have a child with a gluten allergy, serve these muffins with baby carrots or carrot sticks for a healthy snack. Children often enjoy gluten-free foods and products just as much as the more conventional choices

Keep it Tasty!
Rebecca

Easy Beef Strogonoff (30 minutes or less)

I found this recipe on one of my favorite recipe sites, however, it was too dry and needed some serious altering.  Well if you have not figured it out yet, I am use to altering recipes.

The best part of this recipe, besides being tasty, is that it is one of my 30 minutes or less recipes (very nice if you have had a long busy day.)

There is one more advantage to this meal, if you follow my recipe, it is gluten free because I use Brown Rice Pasta instead of regular pasta. (using regular or whole wheat pasta is fine, I just can't use it because of allergies.)

Easy Beef Strogonoff (30 minutes or less)

Ingredients:
1 lb. Top Sirloin Steak sliced in small strips
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cube or packet of beef bouillon (make sure it is gluten free if needed)
1 medium onion sliced
12 oz. sour cream (can use low fat or fat free)
oil

8 oz. brown rice pasta (or other pasta)


Directions:
In a large skillet, brown beef in oil over medium high heat.  When meat is done, drain excess fat from skillet.  Add garlic powder, salt, pepper and stir.

Add bouillon and onion to skillet and saute until onions are translucent.  Remove from the heat (very important) and add sour cream.  Stir all together and serve over hot cooked noodles.

For noodles, cook per directions.


Note: without any alterations (like low fat or fat free sour cream) this recipe is 977 calories per serving.

After I tried this recipe like it is here, this quickly became a family favorite. One that they ask for often. I hope your family enjoys it as much as our family has!

Keep it Tasty!
Rebecca

Teriyaki Chicken (Easy Crock "Pot Style)

I love cooking in just about every way except using the oven. There I only like to bake...don't know why since my mother always used the oven. I guess it just doesn't fit my life style. However, using a crock pot or slow cooker does. So with that said, here is a delicious (and easy) recipe I think you will enjoy!

Teriyaki Chicken (Easy Crock Pot Style)

Ingredients:
2-3 lbs. boneless/skinless chicken pieces. (cut into bite size for best results)
1 20 oz. can pineapple chunks
A dash of ground ginger
1 cup teriyaki sauce (for gluten free, use a gluten and wheat free sauce)

Directions:
Place chicken in the crock pot. Pour remaining ingredients over top of chicken. Cover and cook on low 4 to 6 hours. (Cook time may very.)

Serve over hot cooked rice and a green vegetable for a full meal.

Now isn't that an easy and delicious meal? Let me know what you think and I hope you enjoy!

Keep it Tasty!
Rebecca