Saturday, October 25, 2008

Making Meals and Snacks More Satisfying!!!

Happy Almost Halloween!
Have you picked your 1 or 2 treats that you are going to indulge in this Halloween? Be sure to plan for the POINTS of that goodie and really savor and enjoy it. One or two well planned treats will add to your satisfaction and not hurt your plan one bit, so long as you are accountable and figure them into your Daily POINTS Target or Weekly POINTS Allowance. Remember that your least favorite candy is the PERFECT treat to hand out to the kids . I even wait until Friday afternoon to buy them so they aren't a temptation.
Do your meals and snacks leave a bit to be desired? Are they a bit boring and lifeless? Come to your meeting this week and see how a bit of tweaking here and there can really rev-up the satisfaction you feel at each meal and snack. A little razzle and dazzle can help to get us all rip roaring and ready to go!
Have a fantastic week and see you IN THE MEETING!!! Be sure to check out the yummy pumpkin recipes below.
Pumpkin Oatmeal
1 C Skim Milk
1/2 C Oatmeal (I like old fashioned)
1/2 C Pumpkin
Pumpkin Pie spice to taste (I never measure)
1/2 tsp vanilla
Mix everything together bring to a soft boil. Turn heat down and simmer about 5-10 minutes until soft and creamy

Pumpkin Pancakes
1/3 cup regular oats (not quick or instant)
1/2 cup egg whites
1 tbsp. fat-free cottage cheese
2 tbsp. canned pure pumpkin
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
2 packets of Splenda
Directions: Mix all ingredients well.
Spray your pan with nonstick spray and cook on medium/high heat until bubbly. Then flip your pancake and finish it off until golden brown. Top with sugar-free syrup. 1 serv. = 0 pts.

Core Pumpkin Pie
1 ½ cup Splenda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 eggs
15oz canned pumpkin
12oz ff evaporated milk
Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl with a wire whisk until well blended. Pour into 9" pie plate sprayed with Pam. Bake at 425 for 15min. reduce heat to 350 and bake an additional 20min. Core or 8 servings - 1 point each. Great topped with a tablespoon of fat free Cool Whip for 0 added points.

Pumpkin Spice Muffins
1 box spice cake mix
½ cup diet soda
1 tsp vanilla
1 TBSP pumpkin pie spice
1 can pumpkin (15 oz.)
Mix all ingredients together and put in 20 muffin cups. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Great with a dollop of fat free cool whip on top. 2 points each.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse
1 small Jell-O Instant Sugar Free and Fat Free Cheesecake Pudding
2 cups skim milk
1 can pumpkin
1 tsp. Pumpkin pie spice
dash of vanilla
1 container Cool Whip Free
Prepare pudding mix as directed. Add can of pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla. Stir. Fold in Cool Whip Free. Divide into parfait dishes. 6 servings, 3 points each.

Pumpkin Fluff
1 small Jell-O Instant Sugar Free/Fat Free Vanilla Pudding
1 can pumpkin
1 tsp. Pumpkin pie spice
1 cup milk
1 cup Cool Whip Free
Combine all ingredients except for the Cool Whip in a medium bowl. Blend by hand well. Fold in Cool Whip. Serves 4, 2 points each.

Pumpkin and Black Bean Soup
POINTS: 3 or Core
I think this makes about 8 servings, it's been awhile
INSTRUCTIONS
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion(s)
3 cup vegetable broth
14 1/2 oz Contadina Diced Tomatoes
15 oz canned black beans
30 oz canned pumpkin
1 cup fat-free evaporated milk
1 Tbsp curry powder
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 cup scallion(s)
Heat large soup pot over medium heat. When oil is hot, add onions and saute for 5 minutes. Add broth, tomatoes, pumpkin. Stir to combine and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and stir in milk, curry, cumin. Simmer 5 min and garnish with scallions or chives.

Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients
4 sprays cooking spray
4 sheet phyllo dough
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
Scant pinch ground cloves
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cornstarch
1/8 tsp table salt
1 1/2 cup canned pumpkin, puree (15 oz can)
1 1/2 cup fat-free evaporated milk (12 oz can)
1/2 cup fat-free egg substitute
1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 9-inch round pie pan with cooking spray.
Cut phyllo sheets in half. Place 1 sheet in prepared pan and lightly coat with cooking spray. Top with another sheet of phyllo, placing corners just to the right of the previous sheet's corners. Repeat with remaining sheets to form a circle. Press layered phyllo into pan and roll in edges. Bake until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
Whisk together brown sugar, spices, cornstarch and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together pumpkin, evaporated milk, egg substitute and vanilla in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk wet ingredients into dry ingredients.
Pour filling into crust. Bake until set, about 50 minutes. (Cover crust edges with foil during baking if they are becoming too brown.) Cool completely before cutting into 8 pieces. POINTS® Value: 3 Servings: 8 Cooking Time: 60 min
Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
1 sprays cooking spray
9 whole reduced-fat cinnamon graham crackers
3 Tbsp butter
16 oz fat-free cream cheese
1 cup sugar
2 cup fat-free sour cream
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
3 large egg(s)
1 cup canned pumpkin
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325ºF. Coat a 9 X 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray or line bottom of pan with parchment paper. Alternatively, you can use a 9 X 13-inch nonstick pan.
Grind graham crackers until fine in a food processor or place crackers in a resealable plastic bag and crush with rolling pin. Place crumbs in a small bowl.
Melt butter on stove top or in microwave and pour over graham cracker crumbs. Mix with a fork until completely moistened.
Press crumbs evenly into bottom of prepared pan and place in refrigerator while preparing pumpkin filling.
Place cream cheese in bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Add sugar and mix until incorporated.
Mix in 1 cup of sour cream until just combined and then add cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves. Add remaining sour cream and mix until just combined.
Slowly beat in each egg one at a time until incorporated, and then mix in pumpkin. (Note: For best results, all ingredients should be at room temperature and mixed as little as possible, until each ingredient is just combined.)
Pour pumpkin mixture into prepared pan, spread evenly throughout and smooth top.
Bake until set at edges, about 30 minutes. (Note: The very center will be a little loose.) Cool completely and refrigerate overnight before cutting into 18 pieces and serving.
POINTS® Value: 3 Servings: 18 Cooking Time: 30 min


PUMPKIN AND CHEESE STUFFED SHELLS
3--Points: 4 Serves: 6 (Serving size: 4 shells -- 200 Calories 6g Fat 2g Fiber)
24 shell pasta for stuffing
2 tsp vegetable oil
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
8 oz. canned pumpkin
1/2 cup part-skim ricotta
3 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp seasoned bread crumbs
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Sauce:
1 Tbsp margarine
1 Tbsp flour
1-1/4 cups 1% milk
1/8 tsp nutmeg
Preheat oven to 350F. Cook pasta until firm to the bite, then drain, cover and set aside.
In a medium nonstick skillet, heat the oil and saute the onions until tender, approx. 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the pumpkin, both cheese, bread crumbs, sugar and cinnamon to the onions, mixing until well blended. Place 1 Tbsp mixture into each shell; place in a 9 x 13 baking dish.
Make the sauce: In a nonstick skillet, melt the margarine; add the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the milk and nutmeg; simmer just until slightly thickened, stirring constantly, approx. 5 minutes. Pour over the pasta. Bake for 20 minutes, or until hot.

PUMPKIN PIE WONTONS

--Points: 1

Serves: 16

1 cup canned pumpkin

2 Tbsp maple syrup

3 Tbsp brown sugar

1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice

16 packaged wonton wrappers

cinnamon & sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 400F.

Mix pumpkin, maple syrup, brown sugar and pumpkin pie space in medium bowl.

Place a wonton wrapper on flat surface. Spoon 1 teaspoon of filling into center. Moisten edges of wonton with water & fold in half to form a triangle. Press edges to seal. Repeat with remaining wontons.

Arrange prepared wontons on an ungreased baking sheet. Lightly coat wontons w/ non stick cooking spray & sprinkle them with sugar & cinnamon. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden. Turn over and bake another 2 minutes.

PUMPKIN DIP

--Points: 1 Serves: 40 (Serving Size: 1 Tbsp -- 59 Calories 0g Fat 0g Fiber)

16 ounces fat-free cream cheese

16 ounces powdered sugar

15 ounces canned pumpkin

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp ground ginger

Mix all ingredients together and chill for at least 30 minutes. Great with ginger snaps and graham crackers.

SPICY PUMPKIN BUTTER

Yield: 2 cups (Serving size: 1 Tbsp -- 11 Calories 0g Fat 0g Fiber)
1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
2 Tbsp sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1-1/2 cup pumpkin
Combine the two sugars, water, allspice, ginger, cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon in a 4-cup glass measure. microwave on High 3 minutes; stir. Add pumpkin and microwave on High for 5 minutes. Let cool and refrigerate. Keeps several weeks in refrigerator or can be frozen. Use this as you would apple butter.

PUMPKIN WAFFLES
--Points: 2.5 Serves: 4 (127 Calories 4g Fat 2g Fiber)
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
2 tsp unsalted butter, melted
1 whole egg, 1 egg white
3/4 cup 1% milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
pinch of salt
Preheat a nonstick waffle iron. Lightly coat with nonstick cooking spray.
In a large bowl, whisk the pumpkin with the butter, egg and milk. Beat the mixture until just combined.
In a small bowl, combine the flour with the remaining ingredients and stir until smooth. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and stir until just smooth.
Pour the batter into the center of each of the waffle iron squares and bake according to manufacturer's instructions, until golden and crisp.
Remove and serve immediately. (Accompaniments: pure maple syrup, or unsweetened applesauce or apple butter but adjust points accordingly.)

PUMPKIN HARVEST BARS
--Points: 2 Serves: 16 (130 Calories 2g Fat 0g Fiber)
1-3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp grated orange peel
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup solid pack pumpkin
1 egg, 1 egg white
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 cup raisins
Preheat oven to 350F. Spray 9x13 baking pan with nonstick spray.
In small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, orange peel, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, ginger and cloves. In large bowl, combine sugar, applesauce, pumpkin, egg and egg white, and oil. Add flour mixture to applesauce mixture; stir until well blended. Stir in raisins. Spread in prepared pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack 15 minutes.

CRANBERRY PUMPKIN BARS
--Points: 2 Serves: 18
1 cup packed light brown sugar
4 Tbsp reduced-calorie soft margarine, at room temperature
1 cup canned pumpkin purée
1 large egg, 1 large egg white
1/3 cup buttermilk
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup dried cranberries
Heat oven to 350F. Lightly coat a 9x13-inch baking pan with cooking spray, then dust lightly with flour.
In a large bowl, cream sugar and butter and with an electric mixer; beat in egg, egg white, pumpkin purée and buttermilk.
In medium bowl, combine flour, oats, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt. Stir into pumpkin mixture just until moistened, then add cranberries and mix gently.
Spread batter in pan and bake 20 to 25 minutes or until center springs back when gently pressed. Cool and cut into 18 bars.

CRANBERRY PUMPKIN BREAD
--Points: 4 Serves: 12 (192 Calories 5g Fat 1g Fiber)
1-3/4 cups flour
1 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice
1 cup pumpkin, canned
1/4 cup margarine, melted
1/3 cup applesauce, unsweetened
1/2 cup egg substitute
6 ounces dried cranberries
Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly coat a bread pan with the nonstick spray.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. Using a separate mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin, margarine, applesauce and egg substitute. Add the pumpkin mixture to the flour mixture, and stir until the batter becomes moist. Gently fold in the dried cranberries.
Pour the batter into the prepared bread pan. Bake for 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. Remove the bread from the pan, and let it cool on a wire rack before serving.

PUMPKIN BREAD
--Points: 3 Serves: 24, 2 loaves (Serving size: 1 slice -- 149 Calories 5g Fat 1g Fiber)
3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground cloves
1 3/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 can (15-oz) pumpkin
1-1/3 cups firmly packed brown sugar
2/3 cup skim milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Cooking spray
Preheat oven to 350F.
Combine first 7 ingredients in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture.
Combine pumpkin and next 5 ingredients; stir with a whisk until well blended. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist.
Spoon batter into 2 (8-1/2 x 4-inch) loaf pans coated with cooking spray. Bake for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean. Let cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes; remove from pan. Let cool completely.

PUMPKIN CREAM MOUSSE
--Points: 2 Serves: 4
1 package sugar-free vanilla pudding
2 cups skim milk
1 small can pumpkin
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 cup fat-free Cool Whip
Mix pudding and milk together. Add pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice and mix well. Fold in fat-free Cool Whip. Refrigerate for about 1 hour. Spoon into 4 dishes; serve with a dollop of cool whip.

PUMPKIN FLAN
--Points: 2 Serves: 8

1/2 cup(s) unpacked brown sugar

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp table salt
16 oz canned pumpkin
1 cup(s) fat-free evaporated milk
1/4 cup(s) orange juice
3/4 cup(s) fat-free egg substitute
8 tbsp lite whipped topping
1/2 medium orange(s), cut into 8 thin wedges
Preheat oven to 350F.
Stir together sugar, cinnamon, cloves, cayenne and salt. Whisk in pumpkin, milk, orange juice and egg substitute; divide among eight 6-ounce custard cups.
Set custard cups in a roasting pan and pour boiling water around them to a depth of 1 inch. Bake until firm around the edges and slightly puffed, about 45 minutes. Remove cups from water, cool completely, cover and refrigerate. Before serving, top each cup with a tablespoon of whipped topping and an orange wedge.

STREUSEL PUMPKIN PIE
--Points: 4 Serves: 8 (181 Calories 2g Fat 1g Fiber)
1 (12 ounce) can evaporated skim milk
3 egg whites
1 (16 ounce) can pumpkin
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
2 tsp grated orange peel
Topping:
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup quick-cooking oats
1 Tbsp margarine or butter, softened
Heat oven to 350F. Spray (10x 1 1/2 inch) pie plate with nonstick cooking spray.
Mix all topping ingredients together and set aside.
Place remaining ingredients in blender or food processor, cover and blend until smooth. Pour into pie plate and sprinkle with topping. Bake 50-55 minutes or until an inserted knife comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes and refrigerate at least 4 hours.


DOUBLE LAYER PUMPKIN PIE
--Points: 3 Serves: 8 (150 Calories 2.5g Fat 1g Fiber)
Nutritional Bonus--A serving of this delicious dessert provides 25% of your daily calcium needs. It is also an excellent source of vitamin A.
16 oz (2 pkg) Philadelphia fat free cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
dash ground nutmeg
1/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup fat-free whipped topping, thawed
Mix cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs; mix until blended. Do not overbeat after adding eggs. Remove 1 cup batter; stir in pumpkin and spices. Spray 9-inch pie plate with no stick cooking spray; sprinkle bottom with crumbs.
Pour remaining plain batter into crust. Top with pumpkin batter.
Bake at 325F for 40 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool. Refrigerate 3 hours or overnight. Top each serving with 1 Tbsp of the whipped topping.

PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE
--Points: 4 Serves: 6 (218 Calories 4g Fat 1g Fiber)
9 graham crackers (2 1/2" squares), made into crumbs
1 cup low-fat (1%) cottage cheese
3/4 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
3/4 cup egg substitute
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
One can (15-ounce) pumpkin puree
Preheat the over to 350F. Spray a 9" glass pie plate with nonstick cooking spray.
Sprinkle the graham cracker crumbs over the bottom of the pie plate.
In a food processor or blender, combine the cottage cheese and ricotta; process until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer to a large bowl; stir in the egg substitute, sugar, ginger, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt. Reserve 1/4 cup of the batter. Add the pumpkin to the batter; stir until blended.
Scrape the batter into the pie plate, then drizzle the reserved batter in 3 concentric circles over the pumpkin batter. With a knife, lightly draw a line through the batter from the center toward the outer edge; about 2" from that line, lightly draw the knife through the batter from the outer edge toward the center. Repeat around the pie, alternating directions, to make a spider web.
Bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 45-50 minutes. Cool completely on rack. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve.

PUMPKIN-SPICE BUNDT CAKE
--Points: 5 Serves: 16 (248 Calories 6g Fat 1g Fiber)
3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
2 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1-1/2 cups pumpkin puree, fresh or canned
1/2 cup applesauce
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup stick margarine, softened
3 large egg whites
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 Tbsp brown sugar (dark or light)
1 Tbsp dark rum
1 tsp skim milk
3 Tbsp powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 350F. Combine first 6 ingredients; set flour mixture aside. Combine pumpkin and applesauce; set aside.
Beat granulated sugar and margarine in a large bowl at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended (about 5 minutes). Add egg whites and vanilla, beating well. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with pumpkin mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
Pour batter into a 12-cup Bundt pan coated with cooking spray. Bake for 50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes; remove from pan.
Combine brown sugar, rum, and milk in a small saucepan, and cook over low heat until brown sugar dissolves. Remove sugar mixture from heat, and add powdered sugar, stirring with a whisk. Spoon glaze over warm cake.
Note: Cooking Light Oct. '97 The rum glaze will seep into the cake if it's spooned over it while the cake is still warm.

PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
--Points: 1 Yield: 50 cookies (Per cookie: 65 Calories 2g Fat 0g Fiber)
1 box carrot (or spice) cake mix
1 can pumpkin
1 cup mini chocolate chips (optional--eliminate for spicy pumpkin cookies--same pts)
Preheat oven to 350F. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray.
Combine cake mix and pumpkin and beat with mixer until blended. Put by spoonfuls (1-1/2" to 2" diameter) on cookie sheet and bake for 18-25 minutes.

PUMPKIN ICE CREAM PIE
--Points: 2 Serves: 8 (90 Calories 3g Fat 1g Fiber)
1 pint low-fat chocolate (or vanilla) ice cream, slightly softened
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 cup Cool Whip Lite®
Smooth ice cream into the bottom of a 9-inch pie plate; freeze until firm.
Meanwhile, mix together the pumpkin and spice; fold in cool whip. Pour the pumpkin mixture over the ice cream & smooth. Place back in freezer until firm.
Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes before serving.

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