Topless Cherry Pie

I love dessert but hate how calorie filled it can be! I was craving a sweet cherry taste and my normal Sugar Free Jell-O fix wasn't working this time. I needed something fruity and gooey which is where this amazing Topless Cherry Pie comes into play! It is really low in calories and has lots of fiber (which is becoming more and more important, according to the media anyways). Fiber is a great tool to avoiding that horrible irregularity that can lead to a major build up and could cause colon cancer, but with this great pie and maybe a bowl a day of Fiber One cereal you can easily avoid that! Get ready to blow your friends and family away with this great pie at your next get together!

Ingredients:

Serves 8

2 cups Fiber One bran cereal (a personal favorite of mine!)

3 tbsp. light whipped butter

2 tbsp. Egg Beaters, Original

1 tbsp. cornstarch

1 20-oz. canned no-sugar-added cherry pie filling 

8 servings (16 tbsp.) Fat Free Reddi-whip

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• In a blender or food processor, grind Fiber One to a breadcrumb-like consistency. Melt butter in the microwave for 20 seconds and combine with crumbs, Egg Beaters and stir until well mixed.
• In an oven-safe pie dish sprayed lightly with nonstick spray, evenly distribute mixture using your hands or a flat utensil to firmly press and form the crust. Press it into the edges and up along the sides of the dish. Bake crust in oven for 10 minutes, then remove and allow to cool.
• In a medium-sized nonstick pot, combine cornstarch with cherry filling. Heat stove top at medium heat, stirring often. Once cherry mixture begins to bubble, lower heat and continue to stir for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool for several minutes.
• Evenly spoon cherry mixture into pie crust and allow pie to cool and set in fridge for several hours before cutting and serving. Before serving, top each slice with a dollop of fat-free whipped topping. 

Nutritional Value:

Serving Size 1/8th of the pie

Calories: 90, Fat: 2.5g, Sodium: 105mg, Carbs: 21.5g, Fiber: 7g, Sugars: 4g, Protein: 1.5g

Now go and try it and report back! I know you will love this amazingly low calorie pie especially if you are a big cherry fan! 

Grab your fork and dig in and if you eat more than one piece don't worry because it's only 720 calories for the WHOLE pie, but please try to not eat that much in one sitting or you could feel it later! 

Grilled Portobello Mushrooms and Zucchini tacos

Feel like going a little south of the border? Then try these tacos! They are delicious and lite! I know that Cinco de Mayo is still a few months off but who says that you can't have a nice taco night with some margaritas and lots of salsa! I love to make these when I get home sick for California or if I feel like eating something that feels greasy and unhealthy but are quite the contrary. These are also great if you are going to have a lot of people over to set up a 'make your own taco bar' with more options for them to add....this is just a suggestion. Add new items anything that tickles your fancy!

Ingredients:

Serves 8
5 medium portobello mushrooms, stems and gills removed, sliced 1/2 inch thick
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
4 medium zucchini, cut into 2-by-1/2-inch sticks
1 medium red onion, halved and sliced 1/4 inch thick
8 (4 1/2-inch) fat free corn tortillas
6 ounces (1 1/2 Cups) light or fat free Monterey Jack cheese, shredded 1/2 cup fresh salsa

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss mushrooms with 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 tablespoon oil, and 1/4 cup water; season with salt and pepper. On another rimmed baking sheet, toss zucchini and onion with remaining teaspoon oregano and tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper.
• Place both sheets in oven. Roast, tossing occasionally, until vegetables are browned and fork-tender, 25 to 30 minutes (zucchini may cook faster than mushrooms).
• Meanwhile, in a small skillet over medium-high heat, warm tortillas according to package instructions (they should be lightly browned but still soft).Wrap loosely in a clean kitchen towel to keep warm.
• To serve, fill each tortilla with mushrooms, vegetable mixture, shredded cheese, and salsa.

Nutritional Info:
Serving Size: 1 taco; Calories 87, Fat 1 g; Protein 4 g; Carbs 16 g;Fiber 3 g; Cholesterol 8 mg Sodium 379 mg

Want something to go along with those tacos? Well how about some homemade corn chips...or tortilla chips? It easy!

Ingredients:

Twelve 6-inch corn tortillas

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Salt

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spray both sides of the tortillas with the olive oil flavored cooking spray. Stack the tortillas and cut the pile into sixths to make chips.
• Spread the chips out in a single layer on two large baking sheets and season with salt.
• Bake until golden brown and crisp, rotating the baking sheets once, about 12 to 15 minutes. Serve.

Now go out an plan your own fiesta!!