Buggy's Peanut Butter Breakfast Cookies

Easy and tasty nutrition for on the go calorie conscious eating anytime! The variations on the following recipe are endless, to find out the calories of any of your changes, click on the link to Calorie Count and search their free database for calories for ingredients like raisins, grated carrot, nuts, chocolate chips, etc. Please see the Notes section below for ingredient substitutions.

The nutrition facts for this great recipe are at Calorie Count!

Carrot Breakfast Cookies to left, Pumpkin to the right!

Peanut Butter Breakfast Cookies

18 servings

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups date sugar
3/4 cup brown rice syrup
2 tbsp canola oil 
10 ounces prune puree
4 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups oats  
2 cups bran***
1/4 cup flax seed, ground  
2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup peanut butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Coat cookie sheets with non stick cooking spray.

Combine sugar, syrup, oil, plums, egg whites, peanut butter and vanilla.

Add oats, bran, flax seed, flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

Drop 1/2 cup at a time onto prepared cookie sheets.

Bake for 20 minutes or until light golden.

Notes:

Some ingredients may not be readily available where you live. Below are some well tested substitutions -

Substitute brown sugar for the date sugar (raw sugar would probably work fine, too - let me know if anyone tries this).  

Use honey in place of the brown rice syrup.  

Prune puree is easily acquired in the baby food section at the store, OR you can use applesauce instead.

*** "2 cups bran" means wheat germ.  Or you can use oat bran with equal success.

These delectable breakfast cookies freeze beautifully!

Marg's Garden Pasta Sauce

Wonderful over angel hair pasta! If you're using field tomatoes or very ripe tomatoes, cut back on the water/broth.

The nutrition facts are at Calorie Count the easiest and best FREE place to count your calories!

Ready for the Garden Pasta Sauce!

Garden Pasta Sauce

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 garlic clove, minced
1 onion, slivered
6 mushrooms, sliced
2 tomatoes, diced
4 oz spinach, rinsed and torn
1/2 cup feta cheese, light, crumbled
1 tbs dried tarragon
1 cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup white wine
1 tsp cornstarch

Directions:

Wipe a large skillet with olive oil. Add minced garlic, slivered onions, and sliced mushrooms and cook on low for a few minutes just to release the flavor of the garlic.

Add vegetable broth (or 1 cup water and 2 chicken-flavored vegetable bouillon cubes) and tarragon and bring to boil for a couple minutes.

Add wine and diced tomatoes. Cook a couple minutes longer.

Put the spinach on top of the sauce, cover the pan and steam the spinach for a minute, until spinach is limp.

Mix cornstarch with about 1/4 cup water and stir into skillet. Cook until a bit thicker (it's okay if it's a bit runny). Spoon over cooked pasta and top with crumbled feta.

Notes:

Calories in one serving of pasta is 200, which keeps an entire meal plus a salad to under 500 very filling calories!

Crazypotato98's Chicken and Dumplings

Yes, chicken and dumplings on a calorie counting recipe site! A tweak here, a little  moderation there, and you can eat a dumpling and lose weight!

The nutrition facts and all the other great recipes from The CC Palate are at Calorie Count! You can also use the handy Calorie Count Converter Tool and convert those grams to ounces!

Chicken and Dumplings

(serves 4)

Ingredients:

300 g chicken, boneless skinless

1 ½ C chicken broth

¼ t thyme

1/8 t pepper

¼ C onion, chopped

3 carrots, chopped

300 g frozen mixed vegetables

1 C whole wheat flour

2 t baking powder

1 egg

1 T olive oil

¼ C skim milk

1/8 t salt

1/8 t pepper

Directions:

In a skillet, add chicken, onions, thyme, and pepper and cook until the chicken is no longer pink. Add carrots and simmer 10 minutes more. Add frozen mixed vegetables and simmer five minutes more.

Remove chicken and vegetables and cover to keep warm. Leave the broth simmering in the pan.

In small bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper. In another small bowl blend egg, milk, and olive oil. Add the liquid mix to the dry and stir until just moistened – do not over stir.

Drop the flour mixture (the dumplings!) by teaspoonfuls on top of the hot chicken broth in the pan. Cover and simmer until dumplings are cooked completely. Add the chicken and vegetables back to the pan and heat through. Enjoy!

Chicken Breast

Janice's Pan Sauteed Garlic Bread Cubes

Sometimes it's the little things that make a meal satisfying. Soup, especially broth based soup, is a great thing for those counting calories. A few crispy chunks of garlicky sauteed bread cubes is all it takes to elevate a simple soup from good to fantastic! These freshly sauteed bread cubes are easy to make and far superior to boxed croutons. Add them to all soups, salads, and stews!

The nutrition facts can be found at Calorie Count!

Pan Sauteed Garlic Bread Cubes

Ingredients:

2 T extra virgin Olive Oil

4 cloves garlic quartered

2 stale bratwurst buns, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (or use any chunky stale bread you have..or cut them larger if you like!)

Directions:

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large nonstick frying pan. There should be enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the garlic and sauté for one minute. Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes - this infuses the garlic flavor within the oil. Remove and discard the garlic (this is hard for me to do, but I just remind me that the flavor is now in the oil having been extracted from the cloves).

Return the pan to medium heat until the oil shimmers, add the bread cubes, stir a few times to coat the pieces in hot oil, continue to sauté stirring every now and then until lightly browned – about 5 minutes or so.

Sprinkle a few on a bowl of soup or salad and enjoy!

Sarah's Tortellini and Swiss Chard Soup

Swiss Chard is a fantastic and very healthy addition to soup. Fresh rosemary is essential to the flavor and texture of the broth, do not use dried rosemary. Fortunately fresh rosemary is easy to find in the store if you don't have it in your garden. Sarah has also made this lovely soup with Oyster and Shitake mushrooms, so while you should play with the ingredients a bit for this recipe, remember fresh is always best!

The nutrition facts for this beautiful soup are at Calorie Count!

Sarah's Soup

Tortellini and Swiss Chard Soup

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

3 T fresh rosemary, chopped fine

1 tsp salt (optional and not included in the nutrition facts)

1 medium sweet or yellow onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

8 ounces cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced 

1 lb Swiss chard***, sliced in ribbons (red, yellow, or white)

10 cups vegetable broth (or vegetable bouillon cubes and 10 cups water)

1 lb fresh tortellini, cheese or mushroom (fresh, not frozen)

3-4 fresh on the vine tomatoes chopped (or one 15 ounce can diced tomatoes)

2 T red wine vinegar

1/2 cup pecorino Romano cheese (optional as garnish and not included in calorie count)

sprigs of fresh rosemary for garnish

Directions:

Over medium heat in a large pot, heat olive oil, the crushed red pepper, rosemary, salt, onion, bell pepper and garlic. Sauté until the onions are clear, but not brown. Add the mushrooms and sauté for about five minutes or until the mushrooms lose their liquid.

Add the Swiss chard and cook until the chard starts to wilt, about three or four minutes.

Add the vegetable broth (or water and bouillon cubes) and bring just to a boil. Add the fresh tortellini and simmer 2 minutes. Then add the canned tomatoes and reduce heat and simmer for eight-ten minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in vinegar. Ladle into deep soup bowls and garnish with pecorino Romano and a sprig of fresh rosemary. Enjoy! 

Notes:

***For those unfamiliar with Swiss Chard, please see The World's Healthiest Foods Swiss Chard fact sheet on this extraordinarily nutritious vegetable - from selection to preparation and well beyond with fantastic nutrition charts. If you are prone to kidney stones, pay particular attention to the section that shows how you can eat Swiss Chard and reduce it's natural oxalates.

Sheila's Bird on a Wire with Cucumber Dill Sauce

Don't be a slowpoke! The quicker you thread these zesty, marinated chicken pieces onto the wire, the faster your taste buds will be knocked askewer. Try serving it with delicious Cucumber Dill Sauce (below).

The nutrition facts can be found on Calorie Count - the best free website to count your calories!

Bird on a Wire
341 calories, 4 servings

Ingredients:

¼ C lemon juce
1 T liquid honey
1 T olive oil
1 T oregano
1 T mint
2 t balsamic vinegar
2 t minced garlic
½ t salt
¼ t black pepper
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in to chunks

Directions:

Combine all marinade ingredients in small bowl. Place chicken in a large, heavy-duty, resealable plastic bag. Add marinade and seal bag. Turn bag several times to coat the chicken with the marinade.

Marinate in the refrigerator for 6 hours – one hour minimum if in a rush.

Preheat grill to high setting. Thread chicken pieces onto metal skewers and discard marinade. Coat grill with cooking spray or brush lightly with oil.

Grill chicken for 8-10 minutes, turning occasionally until no longer pink in the center.

Take care not to overcook chicken, or it will be dry.

Serve hot with Cool Cucumber-Dill Sauce (recipe below).

Wonderful with a Greek salad and hummus with warm pita wedges!

Click here for the nutrition facts for the Cucumber-Dill Sauce!

Dill

Cool Cucumber-Dill Sauce

46 calories a serving!

Ingredients:

1 C plain yogurt

1 C diced cucumber

1 T dill

1 t garlic, minced

¼ t salt

¼ t pepper

Directions:

Mix well in a small bowl, cover, and refrigerate until dinner!

Chicken Breast

Angela's Grilled Potato Packets

This is a terrific and easy idea - before you put the steak on the grill, put these foil packets out to grill!

The nutrition facts for this recipe can be found at the best FREE web site to count calories - Calorie Count!

Fingerling Potatoes

Grilled Potato Packets

Ingredients:

4 potatoes, thin sliced or diced
1 onion thinly sliced or diced - to taste
1 red bell pepper, thin sliced or diced
1 T parsley, fresh, chopped
1/4 t rosemary - to taste
salt and pepper to taste
8 T water


Directions:

Arrange in four foil squares, top with spices - get creative here! - sprinkle with water and fold to seal. Double wrap in another sheet of foil.

Place on a hot grill for about 30 minutes, turn a few times. Check one of the packets after 30 minutes and re-seal well to keep them veggies hot while the rest of the meal grills.

If you have room for the calories, add a teaspoon of butter to each packet for extra yum!

Laura's Caprese Pita & Lemon Flax Vinaigrette

When counting calories, it's easy to get into a rut at each meal and eat the same thing over and over until you just cannot face it anymore and pig out on something else. This sandwich is a great alternative to that tired old turkey sandwich or salad for lunch.

Laura's quick and easy "flexitarian" sandwich is a good source of fiber/protein and her flexitarian ingredient suggestions are in parenthesis. The recipe was analyzed for calories and nutrition using the first ingredient listed.

The nutrition facts for this delicious sandwich can be found at Calorie Count!

Caprese Pita (1 sandwich)

Ingredients:

1 oz. fresh mozzarella, chopped (alternative:  1/4 cup white beans, rinsed/drained - or add both as Laura does!)

1 cup halved cherry tomatoes

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1 tbsp pine nuts

2 tbsp low fat Italian dressing or Lemon-Flax Vinaigrette (see below)

1 whole-wheat pita pocket, cut in half

Directions:

Mix mozzarella and/or beans, tomatoes, basil, pine nuts and dressing together.  Stuff mixture into pita halves. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts for Vinaigrette.

Lemon-Flax Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

1/4 C lemon juice (1-2 lemons)

1/4 C flaxseed oil

1/4 C white balsamic vinegar

 1 T Dijon mustard

1 garlic clove, minced

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Whisk ingredients and place in a small jar with a lid; lasts in the refrigerator for about 7 days.

Bonnie's Da Lime and Da Coconut Spicy Chicken

When making this recipe, it is important to play Nilsson's song or the flavors do not achieve perfect harmony.

The nutrition facts are on Calorie Count!

Sliced Limes by Darwin Bell

Bonnie's Da Lime and Da Coconut Spicy Chicken

Ingredients:

4 frozen (or not) whole boneless skinless chicken breasts (4-6 oz each)
2 tsps olive oil
1 large (or 2 smaller) chipolte peppers from a can - chop
1 large onion- slice
1/2 c chicken broth
1  8 oz. can of lite coconut milk
Juice of 1 medium grapefruit
2-3 small key limes or 1 large lime/ thinly sliced
2 tsp cumin (or more if you like)
2 tsp tumeric (or more if you like)
2 tbsp (or more) of agave syrup or honey

Directions:

Thaw the frozen breasts for a 1/2 hour in cold water.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet.
Throw in the chicken breasts and brown a couple of minutes each side.
Add the grapefruit juice, chicken broth, coconut milk, peppers, limes, and onion to the skillet.
Add the cumin and tumeric and stir it all together a little. Add the agave or honey.
Cook covered for about an hour.
Salt and pepper to taste.

This is quite a tasty dish.  The cumin and tumeric give it a lovely color, and you can heat it up as much as you want by adding even more chipolte or cayenne to it. Also, if you want it sweeter, add more agave or honey. Great served over rice.

Chicken Breast

Janice's Lemon Spinach Feta Couscous

This recipe is very flexible - it can be a complete lunch for one or split in half makes a great side dish for two. If eaten as a single serving there is only 314 calories in all! Pack in as much fresh spinach as you can and ramp up the health factor!

The nutrition facts can be found at Calorie Count, the best free website for people that are counting calories!

Lemon Spinach Feta Couscous

Ingredients:

1/2 C water
1 t olive oil (try habanero olive oil for a nice kick)
1/3 C couscous (consider using a whole wheat couscous instead of regular)
2 C spinach, torn
juice of 1 small lemon or lime (or 1/2 of each!)
2 T Feta

Directions:

Bring water, spinach, and olive oil to boil in small saucepan.

Stir in 1/3 cup dry couscous. Remove from heat, cover, let sit for 7 minutes.

Stir in either 1/12 fresh lemon or lime and 2 T Feta.

Enjoy warm or cold, as a main dish for lunch or a side dish with any meal. Wonderful with lamb chops and a Shirazi salad!

Susan's Strawberry Parfait

Now, do I have your attention?

There is no law that says that because you are trying to lose weight that you cannot have some deliciousness every now and then. In fact, I believe that for weight loss to happen and for it to be permanent, deliciousness is a required element. Besides, it's Friday!

You can have this, yes you can. Susan watches carbs and used only strawberries when she made the beautiful dessert in this gorgeous photo, but she graciously allowed me to add blueberries to her recipe because, in my opinion, one cannot have too many blueberries.

The nutrition facts for this lovely dessert can be found at Calorie Count.

Strawberry Blueberry Parfait

Ingredients:

6 large strawberries, sliced
1 (6 oz) container of blueberries
1 (8 oz) block of fat free philly cream cheese
2 (6 oz) containers low carb vanilla yogurt
an additional splash of pure vanilla extract
sprig of mint

Directions:

Blend together the cream cheese and the yogurt and the vanilla.
Layer berries and sauce in either individual or one large glass parfait bowl.
Top with mint sprig for color.
Enjoy.

Hollie's Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Outstanding complete meal soup from Hollie. You can make this soup easily with prepared jars of already roasted red peppers, or for those so inclined - roast them yourself!

The nutrition facts are found at Calorie Count!

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Ingredients:

3 12-oz jars roasted red peppers (approximately 10 peppers, if roasting fresh peppers yourself)
1 white onion, chopped
14 oz can diced tomatoes
6 oz can tomato paste
28 oz chicken broth
16 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 9 oz package fresh cheese tortellini
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tbs cornstarch (optional if a thicker soup is desired)

Directions:

Puree red peppers with juice in blender or food processor until smooth.

In a large sauce pan, saute onion until tender. Add red pepper puree, broth, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, and mushrooms. Season with basil, oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Bring to a boil. If you like a thick soup, dissolve 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in 1/4 cup cold water, stir in to soup and allow to return to a boil.

Add tortellini to boiling soup and cook 8-10 minutes, until pasta is al dente.

This soup has a surprising kick to it from the red peppers. Great for serving with crusty sourdough bread and a glass of a sweet white wine (Moscato, Pinot Grigio).

Crazypotato98's Crock Pot Tex Mex Chicken and Beans

Here is a delicious crock pot recipe that's super-easy and versatile. The original recipe was intended to be a stew, but Crazypotato98 thinks it that it is far too thick to be a stew and works great as a tostada topping, tortilla filling, or even on top of a piece of whole-wheat toast. Adjust the liquids if you want it to remain a stew!

The nutrition facts can be found at Calorie Count! This recipe gets an A- at Calorie Count and provides a nice distribution between fat, protein and carbs at only 386 calories a serving! Click the link below the picture to find out what The World's Healthiest Foods thinks of this little bean!

Tex Mex Chicken and Beans

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 cup dried pinto beans, rinsed
1 jar (11 oz) mild or medium salsa
2 tbsp chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Salt and pepper
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper (ribs and seeds removed)
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream (for serving)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (for serving)

Directions: 

Stir together beans, salsa, chiles, flour, and 1 cup water in slow cooker. Season chicken with salt and pepper; arrange on top of bean mixture. Scatter onion and bell pepper on top of chicken.

Cover and cook on low heat for 8 hours (do not open lid or stir).

Remove chicken from stew; shred into large pieces and return to stew. Serve topped with sour cream and cilantro.

*notes: Crazypotato98 added one more cup of water the following evening (cooked it the night before), let it cook on low a bit longer, and used it as topping for baked tostada shells. Delicious!

Suchit's Thai Cabbage Salad V2

I love being invited to Suchit's for dinner. There is nothing better than having a wonderful Thai friend preparing beautiful foods like this delicious salad. That it only has 64 calories per hefty serving is a major win!

The nutrition facts can be found at Calorie Count.

Thai Cabbage Salad V2
Serves 4

Dressing Ingredients:

3 1/2 tablespoons of Fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons of soy sauce (low sodium is good)
1/2 teaspoon of ground fresh chili paste*
1/2 teaspoon of minced fresh garlic

Salad Ingredients:

4-5 cups shredded cabbage your choice Napa, white, purple or a combination of colors (or one bag of pre-shredded cabbage)
1/2 cup of Shredded carrot
Green-leaf lettuce leaves
Garnish: thinly sliced green beans and tomatoes make a beautiful presentation.

Directions:

Pour the lime juice and soy sauce in a small jar. Add the chili paste and garlic and shake well to mix. Set aside. Place shredded cabbage and carrot in a bowl. Mix well, taste and adjust the heat to your preference. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss to mix. Serve on whole lettuce leaves for a beautiful presentation.

This dish can be made as spicy as you like - just increase the chili paste.

*Suchit always grinds her own fresh chilis to make paste and you are welcome to grind as many as you like for this salad, but if you are like me, your mind rather boggles at that thought. I like to use Hong Kong Foods Chili Garlic Sauce. All good to go in a little jar with a rooster on it and a green lid.

Meganr's Lentils with Red Bell Pepper and Feta

Decided to join our good friends at Olways for a delicious Meatless Monday! Give this satisfying and quick to prepare recipe a try - it's perfect after a hard day at work - and each of the four delicious servings has only 281 calories!

The nutrition facts can be found at Calorie Count!

Lentils with Red Bell Pepper and Feta

Ingredients:

1 C raw lentils, brown or green – (do not use red or black lentils)

1 red bell pepper, diced

½ C onion, red, minced

4 ounces feta cheese, roughly chopped into chunks

4 T balsamic vinegar

2 T lemon juice

1 T mustard

3 cloves garlic

Directions:

Cook the lentils in boiling water until just tender, about 15-20 minutes. Test to make sure they do not get mushy.

Finely dice the red bell pepper and onion and place in a medium to large bowl.

Finely mince the garlic or put through a press. Prepare a vinaigrette with the lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, mustard, and garlic and mix well.

When the lentils are tender, drain them well. Add them to the prepared veggies with half the vinaigrette and mix. Allow the lentils to cool for about five minutes. Add the rest of the vinaigrette and feta cheese.

If you can do the extra calories, add a splash of extra virgin olive oil to the vinaigrette. Olive oil has 40 per teaspoon so adding a tablespoon to the vinaigrette only adds 30 calories per serving.

Bonnie's Fabulous Citrus Chicken!

This easy recipe from Bonnie is simply fantastic! Start it with the still frozen chicken breasts, the chicken marinates to a lovely tenderness while cooking from frozen in the citrus and spices, the result is just delicious!

The nutrition facts for this great recipe can be found at Calorie Count along with a ton of terrific calorie counting tools! 

Bonnie's Fabulous Citrus Chicken
(2 servings) 

Ingredients:

2 (6 oz) frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 grapefruits juiced
2 (or more!) lemons, juiced
1 large onion, chopped
1 t garlic powder, or fresh garlic
1 t cumin
1 t cayenne pepper
1 t salt and/or Vege-Sal Seasoned salt (to your taste) 

Directions:

Place the two still frozen chicken breasts in a medium non-stick pan. Juice the grapefruits and lemons over the chicken. Sprinkle with cumin, cayenne, garlic powder, and salt. Place the onion on top of the chicken and cook covered at medium heat for 30 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and cook covered for another 30 minutes or so til the chicken is deliciously tender and finishes with a nice sauce.

You can mix and match your favorite citrus, but what makes this dish work so well is the combination of fresh citrus and frozen breasts. 

Very difficult to over spice, even with the cayenne, as the sweet citrus and heat compliment each other so well. If you are on a sodium restricted diet, please note that you may easily reduce the sodium levels in this dish by substituting your favorite no-salt seasoning blend for the salt or Veg-Sal. Enjoy it your way!

Chicken Breast

Hollie's Stuffed Heirloom Tomatoes

To make this devastatingly delicious recipe from Hollie, make sure your tomatoes are large and very firm. This recipe serves six with only 264 satisfying calories each!

The nutrition facts for this recipe and for just about every food item you can think of are on Calorie Count!

Hollie's Stuffed Heirloom Tomatoes

Ingredients:

6 large FIRM heirloom tomatoes
1 lb ground turkey
1 14 oz can artichoke hearts, chopped
1/2 white onion, chopped
8 oz mushrooms, chopped
1 T minced garlic
1 tsp sage
1/4 tsp oregano
1 tsp crushed red pepper
sea salt and pepper to taste
olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Cut off tops of each tomato and scoop out cores, reserving half of the innards.

Brown turkey meat in a large pan sprayed with olive oil, making sure to divide the meat as it browns. Set aside.

Add a drizzle of olive oil to the pan and sauté onions and mushrooms until tender. Add garlic, artichoke, tomato innards, sage, oregano, and crushed red pepper. Combine well, and add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in browned turkey meat.

Line a baking dish with foil and drizzle with a little olive oil to prevent sticking. Place cored tomatoes in dish and sprinkle each with a pinch of sea salt. Fill each with a portion of the turkey mixture and bake 10-15 minutes, until tomatoes are tender. 

Enjoy!

Sharpshootinstar's Pumpkin Peanut Butter Brownies

Yes, you read right, brownies on a Calorie Counting blog! These are from my good friend Sharpshootinstar:

The nutrition facts and other great calorie information can be found at Calorie Count.

Low Fat Pumpkin Peanut Butter Brownies

Ingredients:

1 15 oz canned pumpkin puree
1 box brownie mix
2 tablespoons peanut butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Combine pumpkin with brownie mix and mix well. Spray a small baking pan with non stick spray (8x4 works well), and pour in the brownie mixture. 

Warm the peanut butter in the microwave till it is smooth and somewhat runny, then drizzle it on top of the brownie mix. 

Bake for 35-40 minutes. The batter should remain very fudgey looking and appear undercooked. 

Remove from the oven and cover with foil, and allow to cool in the fridge for a couple hours. 

Cut into 10 large pieces and enjoy a nice healthy dessert! Calories per brownie - 298. Because of the peanut butter and the pumpkin this dessert ranks very high on Calorie Count's nutrition scale and gets a B-.

If you like to use sugar free products, you can lower the calories more by using a sugar free brownie mix, but, really, a little sugar is good for you, promise!

Susan's Spicy Dover Sole

Here’s a wonderful recipe from my friend Susan! She’s my official taster and maker of all things fish. She made up this recipe the other day and it turned out so well, she had to make it again the very next day. It sounds so very simple to make and is beautifully elegant in addition to being very healthy and low in calories - only 186 calories per serving! If you are a high protein person, the 31.5 g of protein makes this a dish you must try soon:

The nutrition facts can be found on Calorie Count.

Susan’s Spicy Dover Sole

Ingredients:

2 Dover Sole fillets, about 6 oz total

6 shrimps, shelled, detailed, deveined, split, rinsed, and patted dry

2 T low fat mozzarella, shredded

2 teaspoons Old Bay Seafood seasoning, amount of seasoning is to taste (Chef Paul Prudhomme's Seafood Magic or your favorite brand will be just fine)

2 sun dried tomatoes with oil, sliced thin

4 T chunky salsa

Directions:

Set the fillets in a oven safe pan lined with foil and sprayed with non-stick spray of your choice, lay three shrimps on top of each fillet, top that with one tablespoon of mozzarella, sprinkle with your favorite seafood seasoning (Susan uses Old Bay) drizzle a bit of the oil from the sun dried tomatoes on top of the seasoned cheese, lay the sun dried tomato strips on top, and bake 15 minutes at 400 degrees.

Fork lots of chunky salsa on top, then place under a broiler for another four minutes or so and enjoy immediately. Particularly good with either a spinach or mixed green salad.