There's a group of us on the Games board who are doing a weight loss and fitness challenge. We're starting this thread so we can share our low-fat/low-calorie recipes with each other so that they don't disappear with all the completed challenges.

Please post your guilt-free recipes here if you like! All are welcome! :)

Also, please include nutritional information if it's handy. :)

OK, everyone. I've got a really great and versatile recipe for you. I based it off of Impossible Turkey Pie which is in my version of the Betty Crocker Cookbook. I'll give you the original and then add my comments.

Preheat oven to 400F. Grease a 9" pie pan (I prefer to use my glass one, but I'm sure metal pie plate is fine)

In the pie plate, layer:

• 2 cups diced cooked turkey
• 1 drained jar sliced mushrooms
• 1/2 cup green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 tea salt
• 1 cup shredded cheese
• (Optional: spices and herbs as desired)

Beat together until well-blended:

• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup baking mix (such as Bisquick)
• 2 eggs

Pour batter evenly in pie pan until just full. Bake 35 minutes until a knife inserted 1/2 way in comes out clean. [In my oven it takes closer to 40-45 minutes, probably because of the glass pie pan.) Let stand 5 minutes, slice into 6 servings.

(Around 230 cal/slice, using 1% milk, whole eggs, regular shredded cheddar. Estimated with the recipe maker at My Food Diary.)

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Now, here's what's great about this recipe. The batter is only about 80 calories per serving (using whole eggs and 1% milk). I'm sure skim or soy milk would work, and certainly egg beaters could be used instead of whole eggs, saving you more.

So you can take the other 4 cups or so of volume and.... use whatever you want! Sprinkle it around evenly and then when doing calorie totals, take 1/6th of the amount you put in the whole recipe.

• Use 1 cup chicken, 2 cups frozen mixed veggies, keep the cheese.
• Or put just 4 cups veggies in.
• Halve the cheese (cheddar makes about 110 calories per serving in the original) and turkey and double the veggies.
• Use frozen mixed veggies instead of the shrooms and onions
• A little cooked bacon or ham adds a lot of flavor with just a small amount.
• Herbs and spices are free! Add spices that go well with whatever meat or veggies you are using.
• Use those leftovers!

Anything goes. Each pie can taste completely different from the next one.

It reheats well, so it's great for putting in your lunchbag to heat up for lunch. Or keeping around frozen for a quick emergency meal. Add some fruit and/or a salad and you've got a well-balanced meal.

Head off to your kitchen and give it a go!

Here is the Double Chocolate Souffle Recipe!

• 6 Tbsp. sugar
• 2 large eggs, separated
• 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 egg whites
• 3 Tbsp. chocolate liqueur

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray 4 (6 oz.) souffle molds or custard cups with nonstick spray. Dust the bottoms and sides with 1 Tbsp. of the sugar. Cut 4 (8 x 3 inch) strips of foil. Tape 1 strip of foil to create a collar around each mold that extends 2 inches above the rim. Spray the inside of each collar with nonstick spray.
2. With a fork, beat the 2 egg yolks in a small bowl; set aside. Combine 4 Tbsp. of the sugar, the cornstarch and cocoa in a medium saucepan. Add the water and beat with a whisk until smooth. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens, about 2 minutes.
3. Remove the saucepan from the heat; gradually stir about 1/4 cup of the chocolate mixture into the beaten egg yolks. Add the chocolate-egg yolk mixture to the remaining chocolate mixture, beating with a whisk until blended. Reduce the heat to med-low; cook until just the mixture is thickened and begins to boil, about 1 minute. Remove the saucepan from the heat; let cool slightly, about 10 minutes.
4. With an electric mixer on high speed, beat the eggs until foamy. Sprinkle in the remaining 1 Tbsp. of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. Gently stir about one quarter of the beaten whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten. Add the remaining whites, folding gently with a rubber spatula, just until combined.
5. Place the souffle molds on a rimmed baking sheet. Spoon the batter evenly into the molds. Bake until puffed and firm to the touch about 18 minutes. With oven mitts, carefully transfer the souffles to serving plates. Immediately remove the collar from each mold, amke a small opening in the center with a spoon, add 2 tsp. of the liqueur. Serve at once.

PER SERVING: (1 souffle): 169 cal; 3 g fat, 1 g sat fat, 0 g trans fat, 106 mg chol, 61 mg sod, 29 g carb, 1 g fib, 6 g prot, 21 mg calc

POINTS = 3

Avocado Spread with Tomatoes and Balsamic Vinegar

Makes 4 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes

INGREDIENTS
1 avocado, skin and pit removed
1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

4 Wasa Crispbreads, any flavor with the Best Life seal
12 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
A few drops balsamic vinegar
4 leaves fresh basil, very thinly sliced

crustless pumpkin pie

I didn't know about the c hallenge but I got this recipe at a weight watchers meeting but not sure of the original source. it's pretty good, esp with a little fat free cool whip or fat free whipped topping of some sort.

1 can pumpkin

1 can fat free evaporated milk

3/4 cup egg beaters

1/2 - 2/3 cup splenda (I like 1/2 cup best)

1 tsp vanilla

3 tsp pumpkin pie spice

mix all together and put in 9 inch pie plate and bake 15 min at 400 then roll down to 325 and bake another 30-45 min. makes 8 servings.

Here's a great recipe I tried this evening.

Marinated Orange-Strawberry Salad

from The Complete Cooking Light Cookbook, p. 389

• 2 cups orange sections
• 1-1/2 cups sliced strawberries
• 1 Tbl honey
• 1 tea olive oil
• 1/4 tea ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tea black pepper
• 1/8 tea salt
• 3 cups torn curly leaf lettuce
• 1 Tbl pine nuts, toasted

Combine first 7 ingredients in a large bowl, tossing gently. Let stand 30 minutes.

Add lettuce and pine nuts; toss gently to coat.

Yield 4 servings (1-1/2 cups each)

107 calories, 3.2g fat, 2.3g protein, 20.1g carbs, 5.7g fiber

Edited to fix ingredients list

Patriotic Trifle

Prep Time:
30 min

I have a cookbook in my collection (over 500!) called THE EVERYTHING LOW-CARB COOKBOOK.  It is written by --and I swear I didn't make this up:  Patricia M. Butkus.   I'll loose weight just by giggling myself silly!

OK, here's a great way to fix carrots!

Glazed Carrots

from The Cooking Light Complete Cookbook

• 2 tea butter
• 2 Tbl honey
• 2 cups thinly sliced carrots
• 1/8 tea salt
• 1/8 tea pepper
• 1-1/2 Tbl chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 tea grated orange rind

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat; stir in honey. Add carrots, salt and pepper. Cover and cook 10 minutes. Toss with  chopped parsley and orange rind.

Yield: 4 servings

Made these tonight with fresh carrots from the garden. Total knockout! It'll become a staple, and is a nice change from all the savory side dishes we have.

Light Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust

Crust:

• 1 1/2 cups gingersnap crumbs
• 2 tablespoons Splenda
• 6 tablespoons reduced fat olive oil margarine, melted

Stir together all ingredients.

Spray a 9" pie pan with Pam spray

Press the mixture onto the sides and bottom of the pan.

Bake in a preheated 350 °F. oven for 10 minutes.

Cool on a rack.

Filling:

• 16 ounces reduced fat cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 2/3 cup Splenda
• 3oz egg substitute
• 1 cup canned plain pumpkin puree
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground dry ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice

Cube the cheese and whip in the food processor or electric mixer.

Beat in the sugars.

Add the egg substitute and beat until mixture is smooth and fluffy.

Mix in the pumpkin, salt, flour and spices.

Pour filling into cooked crust.

Return to a 350 °F. oven and bake for about 30 minutes or until puffed and set.

Chill.

Top with a dollop of light cool whip on each slice and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Nutrition:

Makes 8 slices

Per slice:

Calories: 152

Fat: 2g

Protein: 6g

Fiber: 1g

Carbs: 20g

Exchanges: 1 bread, 1 veggie, ½  meat, ½ fat

WW points - 3

Hello everyone, a friend of mine gave me this recipe and I thought it was weird but tried it and I love it. My DH and kids love it too!

Take any boxed cake mix and a can of diet Sprite (or any other diet pop you want) and mix it together, bake it and that's it! It's very low calorie, etc and tastes really great. It's 2 WW points per slice. :)

Here is a yummy sounding recipe!!  Kinda like a pizza without the crust!! And with my family anything is edible with cheese :-D

Vegetable-cheese pie

Ingredients

Olive-oil cooking spray
2 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced in 1/8-inch rounds
1/2 cup diced onion
8 oz (about 8 cups) baby spinach
2 whole eggs
3 egg whites
1 cup nonfat ricotta or fat-free cottage cheese
1 tbsp feta, crumbled
3 tbsp finely chopped fresh basil or dill, or 3 tsp dried basil or dill, divided into 2 equal portions
3 Roma tomatoes, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
1 1/2 tbsp grated Asiago or Parmesan
1 1/2 tbsp grated lowfat mozzarella

Preparation:

Heat oven to 350°. Coat a 9" pie plate with cooking spray. Line bottom of plate with potato slices. Cut remaining slices in half and arrange around side of plate. Bake 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside. Coat a sauté pan with cooking spray and sauté onion over low heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Add spinach to pan and let wilt, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Drain excess fluid from onion and spinach mixture. In a bowl, beat eggs and egg whites. Stir in ricotta and feta. Add half the basil or dill and set aside. Spoon onion and spinach mixture into pie plate over potatoes. Layer on egg mixture, then slices of tomato. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until egg is set and a knife inserted into pie comes out clean. Sprinkle grated cheeses evenly over top of pie and top with remaining basil or dill. Return to oven for 5 minutes or until cheese melts. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes. Cut pie into 4 wedges. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Information

Nutritional analysis per serving 192 calories, 4g fat, 20.5 g carbohydrates, 17.5 g protein, 7.8 g fiber

Exchanges: 1/4 meat, 1 milk, 1 fat, 4 veggies

W.W. points: 5

Salads: Asian Carrot and Zucchini Salad

Blanching carrots gives them a tender-crisp bite and super bright color. For even more crunch, drain an 8-ounce can of sliced water chestnuts and mix them into this salad. (You’ll add 3 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of Net Carbs, and 1 gram of fiber per serving.)

Prep Time: 15 min.

Cook Time: 1 min.

4 servings (3/4cup each)

Dressing:
1 tablespoon seasoned rice wine vinegar

2 teaspoons canola oil

2 teaspoons light soy sauce

2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger

1/4 teaspoon salt

Salad:

2 1/2 medium carrots cut into 2-inch matchsticks

1 zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

3 tablespoons sliced scallions

3 tablespoons chopped peanuts or toasted almonds

      Combine dressing ingredients in a large bowl.

      Blanch carrots in boiling water 30 seconds; drain and rinse under cold water.

      Add carrots, zucchini, and scallions to dressing and toss well. Top with nuts.

 Carbohydrates per serving: 8 grams, Net Carbs: 5.5 grams, Fiber: 2.5 grams, Protein: 3 grams, Fat: 6 grams, Calories: 109 

 Special Thanks to the Atkins Diet Meal Cards.

These recipes look great! I'm going to try to add a veggie-related recipe here (they're my fave!) every week. We'll see how it goes.

Received this in an email just this morning and had to share!  As my boys always say anything with cheese is great!

BROCCOLI CHEESE SOUP



Ingredients:

1 tray Green Giant Just for One! Broccoli & Cheese Sauce

1/2 cup skim milk

1 wedge The Laughing Cow Light Original Swiss cheese, chopped into pieces

salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

To prepare Broccoli & Cheese Sauce, pull film back slightly to vent. Microwave for 1 1/2 minutes. Pull film back all the way (but do not remove), and stir in cheese wedge pieces. Place film back over the tray, and microwave for an additional 45 seconds. Mix well, and allow to cool slightly. Place broccoli/cheese mixture in a blender with milk. Blend at medium speed until desired consistency is reached (blend very briefly if you like broccoli pieces in your soup -- blend longer for fully pureed soup). Transfer soup to your favorite microwave-safe bowl Heat soup in the microwave for 45 seconds, or until hot. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

MAKES 1 SERVING



Serving Size: 1 cup (entire recipe)
Calories: 125
Fat: 5.75g
Sodium: 796mg
Carbs: 11.5g
Fiber: 2g
Sugars: 4.5g
Protein: 7g

POINTS® value 3*

This is one of my very favorite WW soup recipes. Perfect for those cool fal evenings.

perfect for this time of year as the temperatures start to drop.

Black Bean Soup

INGREDIENTS

• 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 7 cups water
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• salt to taste
• ground black pepper to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
   

DIRECTIONS

Servings Per Recipe: 4

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 209

• Total Fat: 2.9g
• Total Carbs: 32.3g
• Dietary Fiber: 12.4g
• Protein: 12g

Lorinda, that soup sounds great!  I'm gonna make it as soon as I buy some black beans!

I am going to reprint a recipe I've posted in "Club Members Thoughts" because I think it could benefit a lot of people:

Vegetarian Taco "Meat"

If you don't mind going into a health-food store, here is a recipe that has served me well (and cheaply) for vegetarian taco meat.  My totally  meat-loving husband even craves it and requests it three or four times a month as a quick dinner after our night-time karate class.  It's hearty, chewy, and spicy.  You won't miss the grease (and mess of draining grease) of ground beef.  It's also super-easy!

If you are near any upper-crusty stores like "Wild Oats," "Wegman's," or the like, you may be able to buy TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein) by the pound.  They are dehydrated soy granules that are very healthy but pretty tasteless, so they take on the flavor of whatever you season them with. If you can, buy some "in bulk," meaning from a bin with a scoop, if they have it.  This should be really cheap.  Make sure you get granules and not chunks, which TVP also comes in.  Your "normal" grocery store may also have TVP but it is bound to be more expensive. "Bob's Red Mill' brand is widely available and good quality.

So now you're home and ready to cook.  Put a frying pan or pot on the stove and get out your TVP.  Measure out a cup of it in a dry measuring cup.  Then get a glass liquid-measuring cup and pour in a little less than a cup of water.  Microwave the water till it boils.  Dump in the cup of TVP, and mix.   (Or just put the TVP in a bowl and pour in a cup of boilng water from a kettle.)  Let it sit for a few minutes.  When the water has all been absorbed, put it in the pan on low.  Add one packet of taco seasoning (Aldi has it for twenty-nine cents an evelope) along with another 1/3 cup of water and stir. 

As an optional step, add one thawed (I usually microwave for 40 seconds), chopped vegetarian plain burger patty, such as Boca Burger (this will add another 75 cents to the recipe), or even one cooked ground beef or turkey burger if that's what you've got.  You will be adding a little more 'meaty' flavor with either option, but the final recipe will cost far less than ground beef.  Mix the seasoning, TVP and veggie burger (if using) until moist and heated through, serve in taco shells, tortillas, or over cooked white rice with toppings of your choice (tomato, cheese, avocado, beans, onions), or in any recipe that calls for taco meat.  Leftovers are also yummy the next day-- I like to put it in a baked potato with salsa.

This is a great New Mexican side dish, that goes well with any type of Mexican/Spanish entree.  You can even pair it with American entrees, if you leave out the chile and cumin.

Ingredients:

• 3-4 medium yellow squash (you can sub zucchini, or use a mix of zukes and yellows, whatever you have)
• 1 medium onion
• 2 tsp Canola Oil
• 1 1/2 cups roasted corn kernels (hard to find, I buy at Trader Joe's; if not available, you could roast ears of corn yourself, then cut off the kernels, or just use regular sweet corn ;), drained if you use canned)
• 3 cloves garlic, or equivalent (powder, pre-minced, whatever you have, note: 3 cloves, not whole corms)
• 4 oz. chopped green chile (frozen if you can find it, canned if you must; drain the liquid from the canned, and make sure it's 4 oz of chile, not chile and juice)
• 1/4 cup fat-free greek-style yogurt (hard to find, I buy at Trader Joe's; you can sub 3 TBS fat-free sour cream plus 1 TBS fat-free cream cheese)
• Salt, pepper, and cumin to taste

Preparation:

Thinly slice the squash, to your own preference. 

Dice the onion.

Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet, over medium-high heat.  If you're a control freak, use an infra-red thermometer to measure the temperature of the oil spot, and add the onions and squash at 325 degrees F; or just wait until you think it's right and dump them in.  Stir-fry the onions and squash until they are just tender.

Add the corn, and cook until it's just hot (this goes quick if it's canned, takes a little longer if it's frozen). 

When the corn is hot, lower the heat to medium and add the chile, garlic, and yogurt.  Cook, stirring occasionally until the mixture starts to simmer.  Add the spices to your own preferential taste.  Remove from heat and serve.

This is a great side dish for enchiladas, burritos, etc. 

Variations on a theme:

You can add 1 cup of whole pinto or black beans to boost the protein.

Leave out the chile and cumin, and the southwestern influence goes away, and the dish can complement many different American dishes quite well.

 ETA to add, this makes 4-6 servings.

Here is an interesting sounding recipe from Sparkpeople.com

Thai Noodle Salad

Serves: 4

You'll get 100% of your daily vitamin C with this dish! Reprinted with permission by Public Health - Seattle & King County

INGREDIENTS

• 6 oz. dried vermicelli
• 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1-1/2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or chopped
• 1 red sweet pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
• 3 green onions, cut diagonally into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 lime wedges for garnish

DIRECTIONS

• 1. Cook vermicelli according to package instructions, drain and set aside.
• 2. In a medium saucepan, combine soy sauce, broth, peanut butter, lime juice, ginger and crushed red pepper. Cook over medium-low heat until peanut butter is melted.
• 3. Add cooked pasta and toss to coat evenly.
• 4. Stir in cooked chicken, sweet red pepper, green onions and cilantro.
• 5. Serve with lime wedges.

• NUTRITION INFO
• Calories: 230.5
• Fat: 6.8 g
• Carbohydrates: 24.4 g
• Protein: 19.4 g

Here's a recipe I don't have the info for, but everything in it doesn't have a ton of calories...

Lemon Bars

1 box of 1-step angel food cake (don't add the water in recipe, though)

1 1/2 cans of lemon pie filling

creme cheese frosting

Directions

grease pan

heat oven to 350

mix lemon pie filling with angel food cake and pour in pan

bake for 20-30 min (or until a knife comes out clean when checking the center)

heat hte frosting for 10 seconds in microwave, pour on, and then spread

I've had so many compliments on this one and it is soooo easy to make!

Fruit desert

Make an angel food cake and tear it apart

Mix 1 cup of skim milk with instant vanilla pudding

Fold in a container or fat free cool whip to the pudding mixture

Layer angel food cake, pudding mixture, and fruit (blueberries, strawberries, kiwi, or whatever fruit you want)