Some lighter ways to use boxed cake mixes, courtesy of Hungry Girl.

This post comes courtesy of my Hungry Girl newsletter.  I have had a couple of friends ask me about the lighter way of making boxed cake mixes.  See below for some ideas!

Cake Mix + No-Sugar-Added Applesauce PER SERVING (1 piece, 1/12th of cake): 179 calories, 3.25g fat, 299mg sodium, 36g carbs, 0.5g fiber, 21.5g sugars, 1.5g protein -- POINTS® value 4* Ingredients: One 18.25-oz. box moist-style cake mix 1 cup no-sugar-added applesauce Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine ingredients in a large bowl and add 1 cup water. Whisk thoroughly and transfer to a baking pan sprayed with nonstick spray; bake in the oven until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. (Refer to cake-mix box for pan size and approximate bake time.) MAKES 12 SERVINGS Best Flavor: Yellow cake mix. It goes perfectly with the fruity taste of the sauce. The Texture: VERY moist and fluffy. A+! The Taste: AMAZING!!!! Sweet and slightly apple-y. Two YUMS up...

Cake Mix + Diet Soda PER SERVING (1 piece, 1/12th of cake): 171 calories, 3.25g fat, 301mg sodium, 34g carbs, <0.5g fiber, 19g sugars, 1.5g protein -- POINTS® value 4* Ingredients:One 18.25-oz. box moist-style cake mix One 12-oz. can diet soda Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk thoroughly and transfer to a baking pan sprayed with nonstick spray; bake in the oven until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. (Refer to cake-mix box for pan size and approximate bake time.) MAKES 12 SERVINGS Best Flavor Combo: Yellow cake mix + diet cream soda. Runners-up include lemon cake mix + diet lemon-lime soda and devil's food cake mix + diet cherry cola. The Texture: Moist and light. The Taste: Pretty darn impressive! However, if you're sensitive to the sweetener in diet soda, you may notice a slight aftertaste... especially if you use cola of any kind.

Cake Mix + Canned Pure Pumpkin PER SERVING (1 piece, 1/12th of cake): 183 calories, 3.5g fat, 301mg sodium, 37g carbs, 1.25g fiber, 20.5g sugars, 2g protein -- POINTS® value 4* Ingredients:One 18.25-oz. box moist-style cake mix One 15-oz. can pure pumpkin Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine ingredients in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly -- batter will be VERY thick -- and transfer to a baking pan sprayed with nonstick spray; bake in the oven until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. (Refer to cake-mix box for pan size and approximate bake time.) MAKES 12 SERVINGS Best Flavor: Devil's food cake mix is CLEARLY a classic choice. (Hello?!Yum Yum Brownie Muffins!) But spice cake mix... WOW. Yellow and white cake mixes, sadly, do not work as well. The Texture: Thick and dense in the BEST possible way. Brownie-like, in the case of the devil's food; the spice cake reminded us of pumpkin bread! The Taste: No one would ever guess this is guilt-free in any way. It's delicious!

Cake Mix + Fat-Free Liquid Egg Substitute PER SERVING (1 piece, 1/12th of cake): 181 calories, 3.25g fat, 337mg sodium, 34.5g carbs, <0.5g fiber, 19.5g sugars, 3.5g protein -- POINTS® value 4* Ingredients: One 18.25-oz. box moist-style cake mix 1 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters Original) Directions:Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine ingredients in a large bowl and add 1 cup water. Whisk thoroughly and transfer to a baking pan sprayed with nonstick spray; bake in the oven until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. (Refer to cake-mix box for pan size and approximate bake time.) MAKES 12 SERVINGS Best Flavor: Egg sub is like the little black dress of cake companions; it goes well with everything. The Texture: The first time we made this, we used only 1/4 cup of water; it was a little dry and dense, but it reminded us of pound cake, which isn't a bad thing. With a full cup of water, it came out light and fluffy. It had a more substantial, cake-like consistency than the applesauce and soda versions, but it wasn't quite as moist. The Taste: Good! But it's not our favorite. That one's up next...

Cake Mix + Fat-Free Greek Yogurt PER SERVING (1 piece, 1/12th of cake): 180 calories, 3.25g fat, 306mg sodium, 34.5g carbs, <0.5g fiber, 20g sugars, 3.5g protein -- POINTS® value 4* Ingredients:One 18.25-oz. box moist-style cake mix 1 cup fat-free plain Greek yogurt (like Fage Total 0%) Directions:Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine ingredients in a large bowl and add 1 cup water. Whisk thoroughly and transfer to a baking pan sprayed with nonstick spray; bake in the oven until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. (Refer to cake-mix box for pan size and approximate bake time.) MAKES 12 SERVINGS Best Flavor: Devil's food cake mix. Hands down. The Texture: The word "velvety" comes to mind... Super moist and decadent! Kind of like a brownie-cake hybrid. The Taste: YUMMY! Everyone who tried this loved it. There wasn't any yogurt taste at all... just pure cake-tastic deliciousness!

Strive for Five! The Weight Watchers Fruits & Veggie Challenge is ON!

Hey there everyone!  I hope that your week is going well. 

My Fourth of July weekend went really well, and I even showed a .2 loss this week.  Again, a small victory is still a victory!  We didn’t do a whole lot over the weekend due to the oppressive heat!  I did take some time out on Saturday afternoon to finish up my month-end close activities so that I could actually enjoy the rest of Saturday, Sunday and Monday. 

Steve had to work on Monday because his company considers this a floating holiday.  This meant that I had both kids by myself that day.  Yikes!!!  I went to my meeting with the kids in tow.  One of the receptionists volunteered to watch them if I needed her to.  Morgan stayed up front and Adam was supposed to sit with me in the meeting room.  I tried to get him to sit in the chair next to me, but he was having no part of it…until…we got samples of the new ranch-flavored multigrain crackers.  He proceeded to eat my package AND Sally’s package (thank you AGAIN, Sally!!!).  By the end of the meeting, he was his usual flirty self.  I took the kids to Chili’s for lunch after that.

Tuesday I went into the office, as I usually do.  Work was good.  I got the rest of my schedules done for quarter end, and I left at the normal time.  As many of you all know, I live in Denton, so I have to get creative when driving home in the afternoon.  I took my usual route…Bush Turnpike to Midway to International to Hebron to Charles…to….wait…the engine is revving a bit high when gears are shifting.  I called Steve to let him know my concerns.  I thought afterward that I may have gone up a slight grade, and this was probably nothing.  Wait…it did it again.  This time I was stopped at the light at Plano Parkway and Parker Road.  I turned left to head home, and this time, the engine revved, and the car went NOWHERE.  Man! I guess I am not getting home tonight.  I called AAA and they put a rush on the tow truck.  Meanwhile, I am in a state of panic, because as many of you know, there is NO SHOULDER WHATSOEVER.  I pulled over onto the ditch/shoulder the best I could and put my hazards on.  I then called Steve to come and rescue me.  My hands were shaking..and my mind was racing.  I was in NO Position to have to buy a car, but I hoped for the best…and for a minor repair (ha ha ha…).  The AAA representative put a rush on the tow request and said that a truck would meet me in no later than 45 minutes.  During this time, I have to say, my faith in humankind was restored.  I had about 10 good Samaritans stop to see if I was all right, and I also had a Carrollton Police Officer check on me twice.  Steve got there in about ½ hour and AAA arrived about 10 minutes after that.  The patient, a 1997 Honda Accord, was loaded gingerly onto the flatbed.  I climbed, as gracefully as I could in a skirt…, into the cab of the truck and gave the driver directions to the Hon-da Doctor in Lewisville.

We then went home and obsessed about the car.  We heard back from Chris over at the Hon-da Doctor and our fears were confirmed.  Transmission Failure (insert sinister music here…).  Well off to the dealership we went.  Four hours later we had purchased a 2010 Hyundai Veracruz Limited, and for the first time since 2007, we have a car payment. Yikes!!!!  That about summed up my excitement for this week.  No more, please!!!

Next Tuesday, I leave for Orlando with the 10-year-old.  This will be her second year attending Camp Grandma.  The folks enjoy getting to spend time with her, and it’s a welcomed break for us…although we will have Adam here with us.

This week’s workouts ROCKED.  I got to kick a boxing dummy, kick Coach Dwayne in the groin (of course he was holding a boxing pad in front of him…) AND for the finale, I got to throw a medicine ball at him.  Of course we did other things, but these were the few that I really enjoyed!!!!

I am sharing another side-by-side comparison photo of me…almost two years into my journey.  I am wearing the same tank top in both pictures.  Like I keep saying, PLEASE measure and take photos.  They really provide great reminders of where you were and where you are headed.  I was told by a good friend that THIS should be my new anchor.  Maybe I will post this one on the fridge the next time I feel like my mojo has taken a vacation.  Food for thought…or so to speak!!!

This week, the meeting dealt with getting in your fruits and veggies.  Weight Watchers is doing the Fruits and Veggies challenge again.  The challenge is this: 4 weeks to eating 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day.

You are free to enjoy your fruits and veggies!  They are a great POINTS® Values bargain!

Power of Produce 

• Vegetables pack a powerful nutritional punch                               
• Vegetables provide many health benefits
• Vegetables offer a great POINTS® Values bargain!
• Vegetables increase satisfaction.
• Vegetables potentially enhance weight loss efforts.

Some hints for getting them in:

Five Ways to Sneak ‘Em In

1. Puree fresh or frozen blueberries and mix with ground beef for super-juicy burgers.
2. Mash steamed cauliflower with a little nonfat milk or olive oil as an alternative to mashed potatoes.
3. Replace half of the butter or oil in quick-bread and muffin batters with an equal amount of pureed fruit (prunes, canned pumpkin).
4. Add a cup of pureed sourkraut to chocolate cake batter: Combined with the chocolate, the sauerkraut will take on a subtle coconut-y flavor.
5. Blend shredded carrots or zucchini in tomato sauce or mac-and-cheese (steam or nuke them first).

Five Salad Transformers

1. Treat fresh herbs like salad greens: Tear up fresh basil, cilantro, or parsley and toss them by the handfuls with your basic, less-flavorful greens
2. Sweeten the deal by adding fresh or dried berries or slices of citrus fruit to your greens.
3. Sprinkle salad with flavored vinegars, such as fig or orange.
4. Crunch and munch: Instead of croutons, dress up your salads with diced Fuji apples or chopped jicama.
5. Include greens and veggies that are rich in flavor and texture: Arugula and watercress both provide a peppery punch; fennel and edamame add crunch; beets impart a touch of sweetness.

Five Colorful Fruit Boosts

1. Eat your watermelon the way they do down South – sprinkled with salt to play off the sweetness
2. Dust peach wedges with cinnamon; the slight bitterness of the spice will bring out the sweetness of the fruit (think crustless pie!)
3. Sprinkle balsamic vinegar on berries for a fancy desert
4. Put your fruit on ice: Frozen grapes take longer to eat; a frozen banana has a creamy consistency (wrap peeled halves in aluminum foil before popping in the freezer).
5. Puree fresh fruits and swirl in a dollop of yogurt for a refreshing cold soup

Five Fresh Picks (You may never have heard of)

1. Starfruit (carambola) Eat these out of hand to enjoy their plummy/pineapple-y/lemony flavor, or slice to give a fruit salad ‘star’ power. You get a low-cal boost of vitamin C too.
2. Orange cauliflower: It tastes just like the white variety, but boosts a bounty of beta-carotene.  Try roasting with a bit of olive oil or dipping the raw florets in hummus.
3. Gooseberries: Pop these sweet-tart fruits directly into your mouth, or scatter on cereal or salad.  Half a cup has just 35 calories and 3 grams of fiber.
4. Passion fruit (granadilla): Slice in half and scoop out the juicy fragrant pulp.  A cup has about 16 calories and lots of fiber (eat the seeds!), plus vitamins A and C.
5. Tomatillos: Dice and use in fresh or cooked salsas.  You’ll get a hint of lemon and a hit of vitamin C.

Get out there and experiment!  I will be back with you all when I get back from Orlando!

“This cabbage, these carrots, these potatoes,

these onions ... will soon become me.

Such a tasty fact!”

- Mike Garofalo

  

RECIPES

Pork Chops with Carolina Rub

I had these great lean center cut pork chops that I defrosted, and I wanted a little bit of inspiration for what to do with them. I found this really simple recipe on http://www.myrecipes.com/. This is the website for Cooking Light recipes, among other Oxmoor House publications. I hope you enjoy this one!

An easy rub flavors these grilled chops. Let them stand about 10 minutes before grilling, allowing the meat to absorb the flavorful spice rub.  This recipe will go great with the apple slaw recipe from last week’s issuance!

POINTS® Value: 4 per serving

Servings: 4

Preparation Time: 10 min

Cooking Time: 10 min

Level of Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 (4-ounce) center-cut pork loin chops

Cooking spray

1/4 cup barbecue sauce (this can actually be optional, but it did work nicely in the dish)

Instructions:

Prepare grill.

Combine first 7 ingredients in a small bowl. Rub pork with spice mixture; let stand 10 minutes.

Place pork on grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill 4 minutes. Turn pork; grill 2 minutes. Brush each chop with 1 tablespoon sauce, and grill 2 minutes or until desired degree of doneness.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 185 (34% from fat); Fat: 6.9g (sat 2.4g,mono 3g,poly 0.7g); Protein: 24.6g

Carbohydrate: 5g; Fiber: 0.8g; Cholesterol: 65mg; Iron: 1.1mg; Sodium: 477mg; Calcium: 35mg

Notes:

For an extra hit of flavor, rub the bread with a cut garlic clove as it comes off the grill!