Football Snacks!!

Playoffs, Bowl Games and Ultimately the Superbowl are going to have more than a few of us doing the "couch potato slump" in front of our TVs for the next several weeks.

No need to succumb to the hideous snacks and pizza that will no doubt make the rounds.  Below I'm posting a few simple, delicious and LOW CARB snacks that you can have around to impress your friends AND maintain your healthy (well reasonably healthy) lifestyle.  And all that walking around the kitchen while you make these counts as CARDIO!

Stuffed Jalapenos

Healthy Jalapeno Poppers - Not something most of us can wrap our heads around, but here is a version that lights up your tastebuds as well as your imagination:

Ingredients:
1 lb jalapenos halved and seeded
1 lb sausage browned (the cheap tube, need the grease)
8 oz cream cheese (at room temperature)
6-8 oz grated Parmesan

Instructions:
Cook sausage into crumbles and drain off about 3/4 of the grease
Mix the sausage and cheeses together,
Once the cheese melts stuff the jalapeno halves
Bake at 400 for about 20 minutes


Cook's Notes:
Good quality, name brand sausage is too lean. Get the cheap stuff. Sorry, but turkey sausage is too lean too.
WEAR GLOVES when dealing with chillies. You can't just wash the capsacin off your hands. Everything you touch for days will burn - and I mean EVERYTHING!!!
Optional: Buy some of that thin cheap pre-packaged bacon and wrap each in a 1/2 slice - cook until bacon crisps - because BACON!
I HIGHLY recommend doubling, tripling or even QUADRUPLING this recipe.
Make it dinner!  Wrap the stuffed jalapenos in prosciutto, wrap that in chicken breast cutlets and wrap THAT in bacon!! - Be still my heart!


Queso Covered Bacon "Chip" Nachos

Who doesn't a huge pile of tortilla chips smothered in melted cheese, sour cream, guacamole and salsa? Well it loves you too! It'll gladly hang around your body for YEARS after you've forgotten who won the game that day. BUT... If you eliminate those chips and their carbs and you've got a fighting chance! MAKE BACON CHIPS!!

I'll not tell you how to stack your nachos, but I'll gladly teach you the secret of making bacon chips - which are perfect for snacking ANY time.

Ingredients:
12 strips of thin presliced grocery store bacon

Instructions:
 Preheat oven to 400 F.
 On a baking sheet covered in foil (but don’t grease it or bacon won’t crisp!) lay six strips of bacon next to each other vertically. 
 Weave the remaining strip of bacon horizontally between the vertical strips, creating a “lattice” pattern. 
 Bake bacon lattice for 10 minutes.

During this time assemble all the magnificent topping you will use to smother these heavenly chips

 Remove bacon from oven. Allow to cool
 Use scissors to cut bacon lattice into six “chips” and return to oven for additional five to seven minutes, or until crispy.

Transfer "chips" to plates and top each with your most decadent nacho fixin's.  

Cook's Notes:
Each chip will be 3 strips of bacon wide and 2 high, so you're going to want to make a gazillion of them for a real football party - Don't be shy!
These are also perfect for "Breakfast Nachos" - layered with scrambled eggs, qheso, some guacamole, etc...

Bacon Cheesecake Cups

Rich, smooth, savory, spicy, cheesy filling...  WRAPPED IN BACON!!

Ingredients:
13 slices thick cut bacon
1 lb cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp minced dried onion
1 tbsp minced jalapeno 

Instructions:
Place slices of bacon on a cookie sheet. 
Place into a cold oven. 
Turn the oven on to 350 degrees. 
Cook bacon for about 20 minutes. or until it is cooked but not crisp. 
Remove from oven and allow to cool about 5 minutes. 
Wrap one strip around the bottom inside edges of each of 12 standard muffin cups. 
Crumble the remaining strip. 
Place a drop or two of the bacon grease in the base of each muffin cup.

In a medium bowl, use a hand mixer to combine cream cheese, eggs, onion and seasoning. 
Divide the batter among the muffin cups, taking care to stay inside the bacon ring. 
Bake for 20 minutes. 
The cheesecake will puff, but fall after the cups cool. 

Garnish with crumbled bacon.

Sugar Free Cheesecake

This was posted by my friends at Bariatric Eating (click the picture to go straight to the original recipe) and is truly one of the best cheesecakes I've ever eaten.

Ingredients

Crust
• One package Voortman's sugar free Oatmeal cookies
• 1 tablespoon butter
Filling
• Two, 8-ounce packages, Philadelphia Reduced Fat Cream Cheese
• 1/4 cup Truvia
• 1/2 cup Splenda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ cup Fage Greek yogurt - buy a 6 ounce container for this recipe as it is the best brand
• 2 large eggs
Fruit Topping
• 1/2 jar Smucker’s Sugar Free Cherry Preserves simmered with 10 ounce bag frozen pitted cherries and cooled to room temperature

Instructions

In food processor pulse 8 of the cookies until evenly ground. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles damp sand. Transfer to springform pan or pie plate and press firmly on bottom using bottom of measuring cup. Place on a cooking sheet and set aside.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In same food processor, wiped clean but not washed, blend the cream cheese, sugar replacers, vanilla and Greek yogurt until very smooth, scraping down sides and reblending until creamy. Add the eggs and process for 30 to 60 seconds until smooth. Scrape down bowl. Pulse again.

Pour into the crust and bake until sides are puffed, but center is set but still slightly jiggly, 35 to 45 minutes. Better to slightly under bake than over bake. I judge by gently moving the cookie sheet and watching the movement in the center of the cake.

Remove and cool to room temperature. Chill for 2 or more hours before cutting and serving with cherry topping.

Creamy Vanilla Lemon/Lime Yogurt Cheesecake Pie

This Creamy Vanilla Lemon/Lime Yogurt Cheesecake Pie seems just right for the health conscious crowd... It's name is so long because of all the different flavors and textures you get in every bite. It LOOKS like cheesecake and just right for a light dessert... breakfast even! All sweet and smooth with a little tang and that graham cracker-ish crust. It TASTES like those great Key Lime pies from South Florida with their lemon/lime goodness - BUT it's all good for you! Made with Greek Yogurt, a little lite cream cheese and Fiber One Cereal!


Creamy Vanilla Lemon/Lime Yogurt Cheesecake Pie

Nutrition Facts
Serves 8

Amount Per Serving
Calories 184
Total Fat 11.3g
Saturated Fat 7.0g
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 30mg
Sodium 178mg
Total Carbohydrates 16.7g
Effective Carbohydrates 9.6g
Dietary Fiber 7.1g
Sugars 4.0g
Protein 11.0g


Crust:
2 cups Fiber One original bran cereal
1/4 cup melted butter
1 Tbsp Splenda granular
1 tsp vanilla extract

Filling:
1 Tbsp cold water
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 1/2 tsp powder unflavored gelatin
4 oz. Neufchatel cheese (or Cream Cheese or no fat cream cheese)
1 small sleeve Crystal Light Lemonade mix
3 cups Greek yogurt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp grated lime zest
1/2 cup whipped topping (thawed)

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Finely crush the bran cereal in a food processor until it resembles graham cracker crumbs.
In a medium bowl, mix crust ingredients until blended.
Press mixture evenly and firmly in bottom and up sides of a 9" pie plate.
Bake for 10 - 12 minutes or until firm. cool completely, about an hour

In a 1 qt. sauce pan, mix water and lime juice.
Sprinkle gelatin on lime/water mixture and let stand for 1 -2 minutes.
Heat over low heat until gelatin is dissolved.
Cool slightly about 2 minutes.

In a medium bowl, beat neufchatel (cream cheese) with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.
Add yogurt, extract and lime juice/gelatin mixture and beat until smooth and well blended.
Fold in whipped topping and lime zest.
Spoon onto crust.
Refrigerate until set - about 2-3 hours

Serve with a lime wedge or a dollop of whipped cream (topping)

Cook's Notes: You might be able to squeeze a little fat from the recipe by reducing the amount of butter in the crust - or leave out the crust COMPLETELY!
Taste the filling mixture before adding to crust so you can adjust the sweetness to your taste. I liked the TANG I got, but you may want yours a little sweeter.

Options:
1. On the lime one use Margarita Crystal Light
2. Use Orange Crystal Light with OJ and orange zest
3. Use Lemonade Crystal Light and add frozen raspberries

---dave---
The Bariatric Food Dude

Skinny Cheesecake

I love the taste of classic NY style cheesecake from the corner deli. This skinny version makes a great substitute which the whole family will enjoy. 

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 69g(about 3 oz) Serves 8

Amount Per Serving
Calories 108
Total Fat 7.8g
Saturated Fat 3.6g
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 55mg
Sodium 170mg
Total Carbohydrates 2.9g
Sugars 1.4g
Protein 6.8g

8 oz Cottage Cheese
2 Eggs, beaten
4 tablespoons Splenda
2/3 cup Fat Free Milk
4 tablespoons Almond Flour
3 tablespoons Butter, melted
1 tablespoon vanilla extract


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a bowl, combine cottage cheese and splenda.
Mix well.
Add eggs, melted butter, vanilla extract, almond flour and milk.
Mix well until smooth.
Pour the batter into loaf pan (9.3"x 5.2"x 2.7").
Bake for 55-60 minutes.

Let cool and chill in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.

Cook's Notes: Cook down some of your favorite fruit with some Splenda or SF preserves to make a coulis to drizzle over your slices for color and flavor.

Crustless Baked Cheesecake

It’s creamy, rich and decadent! And so quick and easy too!

16 Servings
Nutritional Data per serving
Calories 329
Total Fat 32.8g5
Saturated Fat 20.2g
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 154mg
Sodium 274mg
Total Carbohydrates 2.3g
Protein 7.5g




8 oz Butter (2 Sticks, Softened)
1 cup Splenda
32 oz Cream Cheese, softened
5 whole Eggs
1 scoop of Vanilla whey protein powder
2 tsp. Baking Powder
3 tbsp. Lemon Juice
1 tsp.Vanilla Extract
1/4 tsp lemon zest

extra softened butter and protein powder for the spring form pan


Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 F.

Butter a 9″ spring form pan and then swirl the protein powder around to “flour” the tin. Tap out excess and discard.

Put everything into a blender/food processor and process on high until very smooth and creamy.

Pour the batter into your spring form pan and bake at 325° for 75-90 minutes or until edges are lightly browned and top is dry to the touch. The very center should be dry to the touch but just barely beyond the “jiggle point”.

Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. The cake has usually come loose from the sides of the pan during baking, but if it hasn’t, carefully run a knife around the edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer.

Refrigerate overnight. Remove sides of pan.

Garnish if you like. Refrigerate leftovers.

Cook's Note: The cake can be quite puffy while still in the oven, but the center will deflate and dent inwards as it cools (it is supposed to do that !)