Corn Salsa

Ingredients:
1 Jalapeno Pepper, chopped
3 Roma Tomatoes, chopped
1/2 Red Pepper, chopped
1 Anaheim or Ancho Pepper, chopped
1/4 Purple Onion, chopped
1/2 C. Corn
1/2 Tsp. Salt
1 Tsp. Pepper
1/2 Tsp. White Pepper
1 Tsp. Spanish Paprika
1 Tsp. Cayenne Pepper
1 Tsp. Chipotle Pepper
2 Tbsp. Cilantro, fresh, chopped
1/2 lime, squeezed or 1 Tbsp. lime juice
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

Combine all ingredients. Enjoy with whole wheat chips and/or with fish tacos.

Avocado Cream Sauce

Ingredients:
1/2 lime, squeezed or 1 Tbsp lime juice
1 avocado
2 Green Onions, chopped
1/2 C. Light Sour Cream
1/4 C. Light Mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. Red Wine Vinegar
1 Tbsp. fresh Cilantro, chopped
1/2 Tsp. Salt
1 Tsp. Pepper
1 Tsp. Spanish Paprika

Mix all ingredients. Serve with fish tacos. Enjoy!

Adapted from Group Recipes.

Fish Tacos

Ingredients:
1 Tsp. Olive Oil
1 Tbsp. Garlic
1/3 Red, Orange, and Yellow Peppers, chopped
1 Anaheim or Ancho Pepper, chopped
1 Habanero or Jalapeno Pepper, chopped (or omit, depending on level of heat desired - Habanero is spicier than Jalapeno)
1/2 White Onion, chopped
1/2 Tsp. Cumin
1 Tsp. Salt
1 Tsp. Pepper
1 Tsp. Chipotle Pepper spice (more or less, depending on level of heat desired - cayenne pepper is a substitute)
1/4 C. Chicken Broth (low sodium)
1 lime (squeezed) or 2 Tbsp. lime juice
1.5 lbs. white fish (I used Cod, other options are Halibut, Flounder, Tilapia, etc)

Directions:
Heat oil in large skillet over medium/high heat, add garlic, onions and peppers. Cook for a minute or two. Add cumin, salt, pepper, and Chipotle pepper. Add chicken broth and lime. Cook for a minute or two. Add white fish. Cook until fish flakes with a fork and is no longer opaque. Serve in warm tortillas with corn salsa and guacamole cream.

Spicy Basil Chicken & Shrimp over Brown Rice

Spicy Basil Chicken & Shrimp

Ingredients:
1/2 C. Thai Holy Basil or Thai Sweet Basil (if you cannot find it, use regular Basil)
2 Tbsp. Canola or Sesame Oil
2 Tbsp. Garlic
3/4 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small pieces
1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
Vegetables of your choosing (I used white onion, red and green peppers, zucchini, sugar snap peas, and Portabello mushrooms)
1 small can of bamboo shoots
5-10 Thai chilies (cut into small pieces - these are quite spicy! Make sure to get Thai chilies (Asian supermarket), if you cannot find them, try Serrano or jalapeno)
1 kaffir lime leaves or 1 tsp. lime juice
1/4 C. chicken broth (low sodium)
2 Tsp. sushi & sashimi soy sauce (sweet soy)
2 Tsp. fish sauce (or oyster sauce)
1 Tsp. white pepper
1 Tsp. black pepper
1 Tsp. salt

Directions:
Heat a large skillet (or wok) until its surface is hot. Add oil and garlic. Add onion and pepper(s). Add chicken and cook until no longer pink. Add in vegetables (zucchini first, then mushrooms, then sugar snap peas). Add shrimp and bamboo shoots. Add spices. Add chicken broth, soy sauce, fish sauce, and lime juice. Add basil and cook until wilted. Serve over brown rice.

Adapted from lowfatlifestyle.com.

Spicy Thai Peanut Dressing

Spicy Thai Peanut Dressing

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. tbs rice vinegar
3 Tbsp. peanut butter (optional: low fat peanut butter or natural peanut butter)
1 Tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
1 Tsp. grated fresh ginger
1/2 Tsp. Sriracha or any Asian Chili garlic sauce
1 Tsp. sesame chile oil
1 Tbsp. Splenda Brown Sugar Blend
2 Tsp lime juice
a few drops of fish sauce
dash of Iodized salt
Red pepper flakes

Whisk all ingredients. It's delicious on salad or chicken satay. Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Cookies (low sugar)

Ingredients:
1.5 C. Flour
1.5 Tsp. Baking Powder
1.2 Tsp. Salt
2/3 C. Butter (room temp)
1/2 C. Creamy Peanut Butter
1/2 C. Splenda Brown Sugar Blend
1 Egg
1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
Splenda granules

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375. Combine dry ingredients. Mix Butter, Peanut Butter, and Splenda Brown Sugar Blend until creamy. Add egg and Vanilla Extract. Place cookies on tin. Dip fork in Splenda granules and gently push the cookie down to create a grid like appearance. Bake 10 minutes.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies (low sugar)

Ingredients:
1.5 C. Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 C Butter (room temp)
1/2 C. Creamy Peanut Butter
1/2 C. Splenda
1/2 C. Splenda Brown Sugar Blend
1.5 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 Egg
1.5 C. Milk Chocolate Morsels

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375. Combine dry ingredients in small bowl. In large bowl, mix butter, peanut butter, Splenda, and Splenda Brown Sugar Blend, and Vanilla Extract. Mix Well. Add Egg. Add Morsels. Drop by round spoon fulls on baking tin. Bake 8-10 minutes.

Adapted from Allrecipes.

Strawberry Cobbler Cake

Ingredients:
1/4 C. butter (room temp)
3/4 C. Splenda
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 C. flour
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp Non Fat Dry Milk
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 C. 1% milk
3 cups fresh strawberries, cut in half lengthwise

1/4 C. flour
2 Tbsp Brown Sugar Blend Splenda
1/4 C/ butter (room temp)

Preheat oven to 350. Spray non stick spray to square 8-9 inch baking pan or 2 bread loaf pans.

Cream butter and Splenda with an electric mixer. Add egg and vanilla extract, mixing well.

In separate bowl, combine dry ingredients. Gradually add the dry ingredients and the milk to the butter mixture, alternating the two. Pour half of the batter into a greased square baking dish (I used 2 bread loaf pans). Arrange strawberries on top, cut side down. Cover with remaining batter.

Combine remaining flour and Splenda brown sugar blend. Cut in butter with pastry blender until crumbly. Sprinkle over strawberry mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Adapted from Kiss the Cook.

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting (made with Splenda)

Carrot Cake

Ingredients:
7/8 C. Flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp nutmeg
2 egg whites
2 eggs
3/8 C. Splenda
3 Tbsp butter (room temperature)
1/2 C. Honey
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
3 Tbsp Unsweetened Applesauce
3 Tbsp Canola Oil
2 C. Shredded Carrots (note, I didn't have a chopper or food processor handy so my pieces are too large)
1/3 C. Nuts (optional, I used Walnuts)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Grease one large loaf pan or two small loaf pans.

Combine dry ingredients in medium bowl. Set aside. Beat Splenda, Butter, Honey, Vanilla Extract, Applesauce, and Canola Oil. Mix well. Beat egg whites in separate bowl. Beat into Splenda mixture. Add remaining eggs, one at a time. Mix in flour mixture. Stir in Carrots and Nuts. Pour into pans and bake 40-45 minutes or until knife or toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients:
8 oz package reduced fat cream cheese
1/4 C. butter (room temp)
1/2 Tsp Vanilla Extract
1 drop of maple syrup
1/2 C. Splenda®
1/2 C. Powdered Sugar

Directions:
Beat ingredients in bowl. Frost cake when cool.

Carrot Cake adapted from Splenda and Cream Cheese Frosting adapted from Splenda.

Stuffed Mushrooms with Crab Meat

Ingredients:
1 dozen large mushrooms (I used baby bellas)
1/4 C. Purple Onion, chopped
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 tsp. Garlic
Salt
Pepper
Italian Seasoning
2 Tbsp. Cream Cheese (light)
1/3 C. Crab Meat
1 Tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tbsp. Hot Sauce

Pull stems of off mushrooms and scoop out a little of the insides. Chop stems. Saute Stems, Onion, Crab meat in Olive Oil & Garlic. Add Salt, Pepper, and Italian Seasoning to taste. Add Crab Meat, Worcestershire Sauce, and Hot Sauce. Stir. Add Cream Cheese and continue to stir until melted. Scoop mixture into mushrooms. Arrange mushrooms on cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 10 - 12 minutes.

Source: My Mom!

Guacamole with Beans, Corn, and Tomato - lots of Omega 3s and Fiber!

Ingredients:
2 ripe Avocados
1 Tomato, chopped
1/4 C. Purple Onion, chopped
1 Jalapeno, chopped (optional)
2 Tbsp Lime Juice
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice (to keep Avocados from turning brown)
2 Tbsp fresh Cilantro, chopped
1/4 C. Black Beans (drained and rinsed with water)
1/4 C. Corn
1/2 Tsp. Salt
1/2 Tsp. Pepper
1 Tsp Cumin
1/2 - 1 Tsp. Cayenne pepper (optional)
1 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes (optional)

Mash Avocado. Add all spices, Jalapeno, and Onion. Combine. Add Juices, Beans, and Corn. Add more/less/none of the Jalapeno, Cayenne, and Red Pepper, depending on how spicy you like your Guacamole. Enjoy!

Banana Bread (with Splenda)

Ingredients:
1/2 C. Butter
1 C. Splenda
2 Eggs
4 Bananas (ripe), mashed
1.5 C. Flour
1 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/2 Tsp Vanilla Extract
1 Tsp Cinnamon
1/4 Tsp Nutmeg
Optional: 1 C. Blueberries or Walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease (or spray with non stick cooking spray) 2 small bread loaves or 1 large bread loaf.

Blend Butter and Splenda with electric mixer until creamy. Add Egg and Vanilla Extract. Add mashed bananas. Combine the rest of the dry ingredients in separate bowl. Slowly blend into mixture. Mix blueberries or walnuts (optional) by hand. Pour into pan(s). Bake 45-60 minutes at 350 degrees or until knife comes out clean. Enjoy!

Blueberry Crumb Cake (with Splenda)

Ingredients:
Cake:
2 Tbsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Cinnamon
1/8 Tsp Nutmeg
1/4 Tsp Salt
2 C Flour
1/4 C Butter (room temp)
1 Egg (room temp)
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
3/4 C 1% Milk
3/4 C Splenda
2 C Blueberry

Crumb Topping:
1/2 C Flour
1/2 Tsp Cinnamon
1/8 Tsp nutmeg
1/3 C brown sugar (or Splenda Brown Sugar blend)
1/3 C Splenda
1/4 C butter (room temp)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 1 large loaf bread pan or 2 small loaf pans with non stick cooking spray.

Combine dry ingredients (first 5) in bowl. Set aside. Blend Butter and Splenda until creamy. Add Egg and Vanilla Extract. Add Milk. Slowly add dry ingredients. Mix until combined. Mixture will seem dense. Add blueberries. Add to 1 large bread pan or 2 small bread pans. Set aside.

Combine dry ingredients for crumb topping. Cut butter into small pieces and combine with a fork. Sprinkle on top of blueberry mixture.

Bake 45-55 minutes at 375 or until a knife comes out clean. Enjoy!

Adapted from southernfood.com.

Peanut Butter Cheesecake (with Splenda)

Ingredients:
1 Graham Cracker crust (low fat)
2 8 ounce packages of low fat cream cheese (room temp)
1/2 cup Splenda
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/2 cup Peanut Butter (creamy)
2 Eggs, 1 Egg yolk (room temp)
1 TBSP heavy cream (or 1 1/2 TBSP milk and 1/2 TBSP melted butter)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Fill bread pan with water and put on second shelf of oven (this will help prevent cracking of the cheesecake).

Combine cream cheese and Splenda with electric mixer on medium speed until blended. Add Vanilla Extract and cream/milk. Add the eggs and the egg yolk, one at a time. Add peanut butter. Blend until creamy and there are no lumps.

Bake for 1 hour at 300 degrees. Reduce temperature to 200 degrees. Back for additional 1 hour (or until set). Turn off oven. Let cool in oven for 30 minutes. Then let cool at room temperature for 30 minutes. Then refrigerate. This cooling process will help prevent cracking.

Serve with sugar free Cool Whip and drizzle sugar free Hershey's syrup on top.

Adapted from lowcarbfriends.

Peanut Butter, Oatmeal, White Chocolate Chip Cookies - Low Sugar (with Splenda)

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup rolled oats
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter (room temp)
½ cup creamy peanut butter
½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup Splenda Sweetener
1 egg (room temp)
1½ teaspoons vanilla
3 ounces White Chocolate Chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Combine flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.

Beat margarine, peanut butter, brown sugar and Splenda in large bowl on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; mix well. Gradually add flour mixture, beating until blended. Stir in white chocolate chips.

Drop heaping tablespoons of cookie dough, 2 inches apart, onto ungreased baking sheets. Flatten cookies slightly.

Bake cookies 10 - 11 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool one minute; remove from baking sheets. Cool completely on wire racks.

Adapted from Splenda.

White Chocolate Raspberry Swirl Cheeasecake, Low Sugar (with Splenda)

Ingredients:
Crust: (Alternative - buy a premade low fat graham cracker crust)
½ cups crushed graham crackers
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ cup Splenda Brown Sugar
2 teaspoons Vanilla

Filling:
3 8 ounce packages of low fat cream cheese
¾ cups Splenda Sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 ½ tablespoon lemon juice
4 eggs
1/2 cup low fat sour cream
6 ounces white chocolate chips

1/4 cup water
1/2 cup Sugar-free Seedless Raspberry Preserves

Directions:
Allow all ingredients to warm to room temperature. Heat oven to 350 F. Place bread pan of water on the lower shelf of the oven (prevents cracking).

Crust:
Stir graham crackers, melted butter, brown sugar and vanilla until evenly combined. Press into thin layer on bottom of prepared pan. Cook for 12-15 minutes or until lightly brown.

Filling:
Beat cheese, sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest and juice in a large bowl until creamy (about 2 minutes). Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition; scrape down side of bowl occasionally. Beat in sour cream and vanilla. Set aside.

Raspberry Swirl:
Combine Sugar-free Seedless Raspberry Preserves and water. Microwave for 45 seconds. Put in freezer while you assemble the cheesecake.

Assembly:
Sprinkle the white chocolate chips to the bottom of the (cooled) crust. Add 2/3 of the filling. Set the rest of the filing aside. Dollop tablespoons of 2/3 of the Swirl. Take a knife and create a swirl through the Filling and the Raspberry Swirl. Do same with the remaining 1/3 of the Filling and Swirl.

Bake at 350 F for 40 minutes or until set. Turn off oven and let cheesecake set in warm oven for 1 hour. Cool on rack for 30 minutes. Refrigerate overnight.