Pumpkin Fluff...and more!

Thank you Gina for these yummy guilt-free recipes!!

Pumpkin Fluff:

Mix canned pumpkin with Zero fat Cool Whip and a large fat free vanilla instant pudding (adjust amounts to taste) Makes Pumpkin Fluff, low cal and yummy!

Crust-less Pumpkin Pie:

15 oz can pumpkin
¾ cup Splenda®
½ cup Egg Beaters®
1½ cup nonfat milk
½ tsp salt
1 tbsp flour
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Beat all ingredients together. Spray pie plate with cooking spray. Pour batter into pie plate and bake for 15 minutes at 400°. Reduce heat to 350° and bake for an additional 45 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.
Top with a dollop of fat-free whipped cream (not included in nutritional information).
Nutrition FactsServing Size: 1/4 of 9" pie Servings: 4 Squares: ■ Calories: 64 Total Fat: 0g Cholesterol: 2mg Sodium: 893mg Carbohydrates: 17g Fiber: 1g Sugars: 1g Protein: 4g
"Serving size: ONE QUARTER OF THE PIE! WHOO HOO! Go ahead ... have seconds!

Pumpkin Parfaits:
1 box fat-free, sugar-free vanilla pudding mix
1¾ cup nonfat milk
15 oz canned pumpkin
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
½ cup Splenda®
2 cups fat-free whipped topping
Mix first five ingredients together in a bowl for two minutes. Hold a long tapered glass at a slight angle. Spoon ½ cup of pumpkin pudding mixture into the bottom. Top with with 1½ tbsp fat free whipped topping . Repeat layers. Chill until ready to serve. The hardest part of this recipe is not getting the pudding on the side of the glass. Spoon slowly and carefully.

Dirty Potatoes:
6 cups diced potatoes with skin
4 tbsp fat-free cream cheese
4 tbsp fat-free half & half
1 tbsp fat-free spray butter
2 tsp crushed garlic
2 tsp garlic salt

Wash potatoes and cut into large cubes, but don't peel. Place in a large pot, cover with water and boil until tender. Drain. Beat with an electric mixer on low, or mash remaining ingredients together.
Nutrition FactsServing Size: ½ Cup Servings: 12 Squares: ■ Calories: 71 Total Fat: 0g Cholesterol: 2mg Sodium: 69mg Carbohydrates: 14g Fiber: 2g Sugars: 1g Protein: 3g

No Guilt Gravy:

2 cans 98% fat-free cream of chicken soup
6 oz fat-free chicken broth
¼ tsp Gravy Master® seasoning
½ tsp garlic powder
1 tsp poultry seasoning
½ tsp pepper
¼ cup nonfat milk
1 tbsp cornstarch
In a medium saucepan, mix cream of chicken soup, chicken broth, Gravy Master®, garlic powder, poultry seasoning and pepper. Heat and simmer for 7 minutes. In a small bowl mix together nonfat milk and cornstarch. Bring gravy mixture to a boil and gradually stir in the milk mixture. Continue to cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute or until thickened. Be careful not to let the bottom scorch.

Nutrition FactsServing Size: 1/3 Cup Servings: 12 Squares: ■ Calories: 37 Total Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 4mg Sodium: 393mg Carbohydrates: 6g Fiber: 0g Sugars: 0g Protein: 1g

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Best vs Worst Holiday Foods

This time of year is filled with parties and holiday treats that can stop you from getting in to your skinny jeans!!! Don't undo all that hard work you've done in Boot Camp - and stay on top of your fitness. The average person gains 7 lbs over the holidays!! Don't be one of them :)

Registered Dietitian, Cynthia Sass recommends simple swaps for the season!

The Best vs. Worst Holiday Foods:

Naughty Appetizer:
5 Clubhouse crackers with 5 slices of sharp cheddar cheese = 600 calories
Nice Appetizer: 1 Cup of raw veggies with 1/4 cup of hummus = 125 calories
Why you should swap: Just 1 ounce of cheese packs over 25 percent of the maximum amount of saturated fat you should have per day. So avoid bingeing on the cheddar platter. In addition, 75 percent of Americans don't get the minimum recommended 3 cups of veggies per day. Try to sneak more vegetables in wherever you can!

Naughty Appetizer: 6 Pigs in a blanket appetizers = 564 calories
Nice Appetizer: 3 Ounces of cooked jumbo shrimp cocktail = 70 calories

Why you should swap: Just 6 pigs in a blanket pack as many calories as almost an entire pound of bacon. If you tend to get the holiday blues, stick with shrimp as an appetizer – they're a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, which studies link to a boost in mood and lower rates of depression.

Naughty Main Dish: 6 Ounces of dark meat turkey with skin = 464 calories
Nice Main Dish: 6 Ounces of white meat turkey breast without skin = 322 calories

Why you should swap: 3 Ounces of meat is the ideal portion, the size of a deck of cards in thickness and width. Going with white meat turkey without the skin saves 18 grams of fat.

Naughty Side Dish: 1/2 Cup of candied sweet potatoes = 279 calories
Nice Side Dish: 1/2 Cup of green bean casserole = 60 calories

you should swap: This swap saves 219 calories. You'd have to go for a 40 minute brisk walk after dinner to burn that number of calories.

Naughty Dessert: 1 Slice of pecan pie = 500 calories
Nice Dessert: 1 Slice of pumpkin pie = 260 calories

Why you should swap: Pumpkin is overflowing with beta-carotene, the plant form of vitamin A, which is a major anti-aging antioxidant that keeps your skin looking gorgeous and gives your immune system a major boost. As a side note, not eating the crust on any pie saves you 110 calories per slice, that’s 880 calories per pie.

Holiday Temptations

It's coming - the yummy meal for Thanksgiving and desserts you typically don't include in your every day diet. These are some ways to make holiday baking a bit healthier, without feeling deprived. Found a great article that I wanted to share, for those of you that get to cook next week - hope you enjoy it!

When cooking Bread Puddings and Fruit Breads:

Use This: Mini-muffin pans
Not That: Souffle' or baking dishes - it's automatic portion control!
Just don't forget to adjust baking time :)

In puddings and Pudding Pie Fillings:

Use This: 2% Milk
Not That: Heavy cream. This swap saves 700 calories per cup (about an hour and a 1/2 of high cardio boot camp!!!) It will still have a nice, rich body, but so much less fat

In Fruit Pies:

Use This: Half the Sugar
Not That: All the sugar. For every cup of sugar you don't use, you will save 744 calories (Approx 1 hr and 40 mins of boot camp!!). It doesn't change the chemistry of the pie, so you can go as low in sugar as you like.

In Cookies and Crusts:

Use This: Half whole-wheat pastry flour and half all-purpose flour.
Not That: Just all-purpose flour. Whole wheat has 12 grams of filling fiber in every cup.

In Brownies, Chocolate Cake and Fudge:

Use This: Three tablespoons of cocoa powder
Not That: One ounce of baking chocolate. Substituting cocoa powder peels off 85 calories and 13 grams of fat!

In Cheesecake:

Use This: Part-skim ricotta cheese
Not That: Cream Cheese. You'll double the amount of hungar fighting protein and cut the fat by close to 60 grams for each cup you use. It's much less heavy and caloric than cream cheese

In Brownies, Cakey Cookies and Fruit Breads:

Use This: Pureed Pumpkin
Not That: Oil. Pumpkin Puree keeps baked goods deliciously moist, and for every 1/2 cup you sub out, you'll save more than 900 calories (Approx 1 hr 45 mins boot camp!!) and 100 grams of fat!!!

- Article from Womens Health - Dec 2009

Hungry Girls Lord of the Onion Rings

So every now and then we all crave comfort food...but don't want to blow what we have done at boot camp. Thank you Jolene for sharing this recipe with all of us...I can't wait to try it!!! She said it's amazing!

Ingredients
1 large onion
1/2 cup Fiber One bran cereal (original)
1/4 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute
Dash of salt
Optional: additional salt, black pepper, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, etc.

Yields: Makes 1 humongous serving

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cut the ends off of the onion, and remove the outer layer. Cut onion into 1/2-inch-wide slices, and separate into rings.
Using a blender or food processor, grind Fiber One to a breadcrumb-like consistency. Pour Fiber One “breadcrumbs” into a small dish and mix in salt, and any optional spices you like.
Next, fill a small bowl (just large enough for onion rings to fit in) with egg substitute. One by one, coat each ring first in egg and then in the “breadcrumbs” (give each ring a shake after the egg bath).
Evenly place rings on a baking dish sprayed with nonstick spray. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping rings over about halfway through.

Chicken Enchilada Soup

Thank you Rhonda for this recipe!!
This one requires the Homemade Gourmet Chicken Enchilada Soup Mix packet - and I have no idea who sells that around here ~ but she says this one is really yummy!

Ingrediants:
1 Homemade Gourmet Chicken Enchilada Soup Mix
1 14.5oz can diced tomatoes
1 cup milk (I would use skim)
4 cups water
1 12.5 oz can dicked chicken or 1 cup cooked chicken shredded (optional)

In 2 quart (or larger) stockpot, combine soup mix, diced tomatoes, milk and water.
Bring to a rolling boil over medium high heat, then reduce heat and simmer 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
If desired, add cooked chicken and heat through - about 5 mins.
Serves 8

Why weight train?

The NUMBER ONE way to prevent osteoporosis is through resistance training!
Muscle training helps you lose body fat.
Muscle training helps muscle coordination.
Muscle training is good for the cardiovascular system.
Weight training raises you BMR which means you burn fat even while your sleeping.
Weight training helps the body regulate hormone production.
Resistance training gives you energy.
Resistance training decreases the risk of developing adult onset diabetes
Resistance training increases the HDL (THE GOOD blood Cholesterol)
Weight training does NOT make women have big muscles, just toned ones.