Cauliflower "Fried Rice"

I LOVE fried rice, and often make my own fried rice at home with brown rice which is delicious. But sometimes when I want to cut down on my carbs, I opt for cauliflower rice.

I posted this Cilantro Lime Cauliflower "Rice" a while back, and it was a huge hit. So I decided to play around with that recipe and make this Asian version to go with the Orange Chicken I posted yesterday, and my husband (who detests cauliflower) was pretty amazed how the meal turned out. The portions are generous and you get a serving or two of vegetables into your diet.

If you like this, you may also like:

Brown Fried Rice
Asian Edamame Fried Rice
Pineapple Shrimp Fried Rice
Spicy Shrimp Fried Rice


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Cauliflower Fritters

This is a delicious way to prepare cauliflower. It's similar to the taste of a potato pancake and makes a fabulous side dish – your kids will love them!

My Sicilian friend Julia is a wonderful cook. I remember the first meal I ate in her NYC apartment; lamb chops and fried cauliflower which she calls broccoli a pasteta. She joked that day you can fry a sponge and it would taste good – she's probably right. These are a lightened version of her recipe, made with Pecorino Romano, parsley, egg, garlic, white whole wheat flour and just enough oil to saute them in a pan.

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Spicy Shrimp with Chilies and Garlic

 

Sauteed shrimp with garlic, dried chilies and lemon juice – it's spicy, garlicky, acidic and sooooo good! You can serve this as an appetizer or have this for dinner over some baby greens with a crusty whole wheat baguette. And the best part about this dish – it's ready in under 15 minutes.

If you don't have dried chilies, you can use a generous amount of crushed red pepper. If you don't like spicy food, you can leave the chilies out completely. You can also make this with lime juice and cilantro for a twist of this dish, see Cilantro Lime Shrimp. This is gluten-free, paleo-friendly and low calorie… but trust me, you would never know it (it's THAT good!).

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Cilantro Lime Shrimp

Cilantro and lime make this simple shrimp dish outstanding – and it takes just minutes to make! 

This is an oldie but goodie, a regular in my home. I was making it for dinner the other night and felt the need to re-shoot it. We serve it over rice or with a big avocado and lettuce salad. Enjoy!

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Skinny Buffalo Chicken Strips

Quick and easy – these buffalo chicken tenderloins are spicy and delicious! I like to serve them with my homemade skinny blue cheese dressing and celery sticks on the side for a hot and spicy appetizer.

But gosh, you can eat this so many ways! Serve it with baked fries, or make it a wrap. I think this would be an amazing side for my Sweet Potato Irish Nachos!

However you decide to eat them, I am leaving it up to you! But this I promise, they are good, and it takes just 10 minutes to make!

And, if you love everything spicy buffalo as much as I do, then you'll also love some of my other skinny dishes! Try: Spicy Buffalo Cauliflower Bites, Buffalo Turkey Burgers, Buffalo Chicken Potato Skins, Crock Pot Chicken Lettuce Wraps, Buffalo Shrimp Dip, Buffalo Chicken Dip, and my favorite, Buffalo Stuffed Chicken Breasts
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Black eyed Pea Dip

Ring in the New Year with this quick and easy black-eyed pea dip!

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To Die For Coconut Cookies

'Tis the season, so I thought I what a perfect time to revive some of my older Holiday recipes from the archives. If you like coconut macaroons you will love these cookies! Similar to a macaroon, but with the addition of cornflake crumbs, they are sweet and delicious and easily made gluten-free.

Coconut lovers... this is a must! With the holidays quickly approaching, I'm sure lots of you are busy baking so I am dedicating the rest of this week to skinny holiday sweets. 

This recipe was emailed to me a while ago by a woman who told me these were "to die for" hence the name. I held on to it for a while with intentions of trying it for the holidays and I was super pleased with the results–I think you will be too! For the cornflake crumbs, you can buy gluten-free crushed cornflakes in many supermarkets, but if you wish to make your own, just put them in the food processor and crush until very fine. If gluten free is an issue, check the labels on the cornflakes, not all are gf.

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Banana Cranberry Bread

If you have ripe bananas lying around, today is the perfect day to make this wonderfully moist banana bread studded with tart ruby cranberries!

It's snowing here today – the kind of day I look for any excuse to turn on my oven so I can warm up my home with the scent of fresh baked goodness. With ripe bananas on my counter, and some cranberries left over from yesterday's pear-cranberry crumble, I knew exactly what I wanted to make.

This bread turned out moist and wonderful, I love the contrast of the sweet bananas with the tart cranberries in each bite. Some other Skinnytaste banana bread recipes you may enjoy are Banana Nut Bread,  Roasted Strawberry Banana Bread, Petite Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Loaves, and Pumpkin Banana Bread.

Stay warm and enjoy!

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Skinny Mummy Cake Balls

Easy Halloween cake balls made light by using a box cake mix, egg whites and fat free Greek yogurt – no no butter required!

Madison is having a Halloween party in school and I'm in charge of bringing the cupcakes, so I thought cake balls would be perfect for 4 year olds – and less mess than icing on cupcakes.  For an easy Halloween theme I decided to go with mummies and I think they turned out pretty darn cute. These are super easy – if I can make them so can you!

Cake pops were made popular by the very talented Bakerella who I'm actually going to meet next week, I'm so excited! Her cake pops are just darling and if you ever buy her books she's got tons of ideas. The traditional method of making cake pops is by crumbling cake with frosting and forming them into balls. My skinny version is so much quicker – I simply use a cake pop pan.

I played around with a few cake pop pans and machines out there and realized they are not all created equal. After testing out several, I had the most success with the Nordicware cake pop pan, which is only about $17 at Target. I actually own two so I can bake them both at the same time.

These are FAR lighter than traditional cake pops, but you'll still need some self control as they are dipped in white chocolate. Candy melts (available at Michael's) were used to coat the balls. They usually melt perfect for me but this time it was a little thicker than I liked so I had to add a drop of oil to thin it out. I may play around with other brands of white chocolate to see which melts the best.

One tip from making these several times: if you don't need to decorate so many cake balls you can bake them all and decorate what you need, then freeze the rest. Then thaw them to use for another day.

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Zucchini Pizza Bites

This recipe is an oldie, but goodie! I had a big zucchini that needed using up and I was sooo in the mood for these yummy (and guiltless) zucchini pizza bites!! A perfect way to use up all the zucchini in your garden and satisfy your craving for pizza in a low-carb way.

I make these all the time, sometimes for lunch or as snack. Even my husband thinks they are pretty darn good! They also happen to be gluten-free, and perfect for meatless Mondays. Of course, you could add some leftover sausage, pepperoni, basil, or whatever you like on your pizza. If you haven't tried these yet, they are a must while zucchini is in season!

Note: My zucchini was very large, if your zucchini is smaller, you can cut them on an angle for large ovals.

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Chilled Watermelon Cucumber Feta Salad

Chilled watermelon and chunks of cucumber are tossed with feta cheese, Kalamata olives, fresh mint and a drizzle of balsamic glaze. It's that salty-sweet thing going on here that's so good – and will keep you cool as a cucumber during these dog days of summer.

This is the ONLY salad I want this week; temperatures are going to be in the high 90's all week long here in New York. During these sultry months, I usually make my watermelon salad with arugula, feta and red onion, but I loved this new combination with cucumber, mint and olives for an alternative, and a great way to use up any cucumbers you may have lying around.

You can double this to make a big bowl for a crowd, or cut it in half if you want to serve two. This makes a great side dish to grilled chicken, or seafood.

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Just Peachy Green Smoothie

At least 3 to 4 days a week, I start my morning with a green smoothie because it's a quick way to enjoy a nutritious breakfast without having to cook a thing. Just throw everything in the blender and breakfast is ready in less than a minute. I especially love this time of year when stone fruits are in season, especially sweet juicy peaches.

Which is the perfect time to make this delicious smoothie, because frozen peaches just aren't the same. For this protein packed liquid breakfast, I combined the peaches (skin and all) with a frozen ripe banana, some hemp seeds for extra protein, almond milk and baby spinach (you can't taste it, I promise!) My toddler loves green smoothies and always reminds me to buy spinach when I'm out (cracks me up!).

I often get asked about my blender, and I can't say enough good things about my Blendtec Total Blender. I never really knew what I was missing until I owned it, and now I'm not sure I could ever live without it. It's so powerful, perfect for whipping up smoothies and so much more. If you don't have one, no worries, I used to use my magic bullet and it worked just fine.

And just one note about counting points in smoothies, as per Weight Watchers the official answer is yes, you should count the fruit when you calculate the recipe in recipe builder when making smoothies. That being said, I've been told many WW leaders don't. One WW leader mentioned on my Facebook page: "you should let your weight loss be your guide. If you're doing smoothies within reason, I wouldn't count the points". So it's really up to you, if you don't count the fruit, this smoothie is 3 points plus.
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Easiest Crock Pot Salsa Verde Chicken

Chicken tenders are simmered in salsa verde with cumin and spices for the easiest chicken ever!

Cinco De Mayo is right around the corner, which always gets me excited, I LOVE Mexican food! While I was shopping at Target the other day, I picked up a jar of Archer Farm's Roasted Salsa Verde with no real plans on what to do with it.

My slow cooker is always sitting on my counter staring at me, so I figured let's see what happens when you cook chicken with salsa verde.

Two hours later, what emerged was a delicious aroma and tender chicken. That night I made chicken tostadas for dinner, but I know this would be wonderful so many ways; over rice, in tacos, as a filling for enchiladas, whatever! Tomorrow I am posting my chicken verde tostada recipe, but for today I'm just posting the chicken so you can use it any way you wish.

By the way, I have so many Mexican recipes, I created an entire Skinny Cinco De Mayo Pinterest Board with all the recipes to quickly browse if you are a visual person like me. Enjoy!!


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Skinny Easter Egg Cake Balls

A fun Easter dessert idea, cake balls decorated as Easter eggs! Put them in a basket and watch them disappear.

We are all ready for the Easter bunny in my home. We painted some eggs, we made cake balls, maybe we'll even get to see the Easter bunny himself.

These cake balls were fun to make, and are made lighter than traditional cake balls by using a box cake mix, egg whites and fat free Greek yogurt – no oil, no butter required! Because I use a cake ball pan, there's no need to mix the cake with frosting, which is time consuming and adds a lot more fat and calories.

Aren't these just the cutest?!  And yes, they taste just as good as they look. To make them look like Easter eggs, we drizzled some colored chocolate on them, used some sprinkles, and just played had fun playing around with them.  I packed some in small boxes to give away as Easter gifts.

You can come up with countless ways to decorate cake balls, using the same basic recipe with this Nordic Ware Cake Pop Pan I purchased at Target. I highly recommend buying 2 pans if you plan on making these to speed this up. The candy melts were from Wilton, which I purchased at Michael's.

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Chocolate Drizzled Coconut Macaroons

If I'm craving something sweet, macaroons are a good option because they are made with just egg whites and sugar – no flour or butter. Of course, you shouldn't eat the whole batch, because too much sugar is not a good thing.

Last year I posted a recipe for plain coconut macaroons, but this year I was craving them drizzled with a little chocolate, so I reduced the sugar a little to compensate for the chocolate and drizzled some chocolate over them once they were done.

I've been using only raw sugar these days, so the color may not be as white, but they worked out just fine. These are gluten-free and Passover-friendly, hope you enjoy!

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St Patricks Day Cake Pops

Everyone knows they're gold at the end of a rainbow, so why not celebrate St Patrick's Day with these easy cake pops, made skinny buy using a cake pop pan, a box cake mix, fat free yogurt, egg whites and water!

I was in charge of the cupcakes for my daughter's St Patrick's Day class party and found this rainbow idea here. I love making cake pops for school, because it's a bit less messy to eat since there's no frosting and they also taste so good! These were easy to decorate, using mini m&m's and marshmallows.

I packed them in plastic containers with some green grass and gold chocolate coins and I thought they looked adorable. To save time, I made half the batch green with sprinkles, and the other half rainbow.

I've mentioned in my first Skinny Cake Pop post, that using a cake pop pan like this Nordic Ware one I bought from Target makes these easy to make, just as easy as making cupcakes, and I love that I don't have to mix them with frosting to turn them into balls. Since making cake balls a few times, I got smart and bought an extra pan so I can bake two at the same time. Here's the recipe!

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Easy Crust-less Spinach and Feta Pie

In honor of National Pi Day, a day in history that celebrates the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter (3.14), I can't think of a better way to celebrate such an ironic-named holiday than to share a slice of this simply delicious, savory spinach pie recipe from the archives.

A simple Greek inspired pie combining savory flavors such as spinach, feta, Asiago cheese, dill and scallions. Perfect to take to a potluck!

Served with a salad, you can turn this into a main dish, or cut it into smaller wedges to serve as an appetizer. If you use full fat feta cheese, the fat only increases by 1 gram, and the points increase to 4 per serving. Enjoy this warm or at room temperature.

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Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Soup

Rainy days and soup go hand in hand. If you're a mushroom lover like me, you'll love this simple savory soup that takes less than 30 minutes from start to finish!

This is a variation of my meatless Creamy Mushroom Soup, which we all love in my home. I like to have that as a first course since it's such a light soup, but to make it a little more substantial as a main dish, I added some chicken breast. Still light at under 115 calories, and 3 Weight Watchers points, you could easily serve this with a salad or half sandwich on the side.

I did some Spring shopping at Target a few weeks ago and couldn't pass up these pretty, inexpensive beaded bowls and dishes from the Threshold Beaded Collection. I love using white bowls and dishes to plate my food. I find food always looks prettiest on a white dish, and since we eat with our eyes, I usually have fun at dinner time and try to style our plates. Also a great tip if you like to photograph your meals.

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Dairy-free Lemon Pudding

This dairy-free, low-fat lemon pudding is a thing of dreams! It's bold in flavor and richness but not in calories and is made with just 6 simple ingredients, including one you would never imagine...

Cauliflower! Crazy? I know!

Please welcome today's guest poster and holistic nutritionist, Leanne Vogul of Healthful Pursuit.

Hi Everyone, I'm pretty excited to be sharing this recipe with you today but first, let's chat about dairy! Many of us are allergic to it, sensitive to it, or have developed a love hate relationship with it. We eat, we enjoy, our stomachs hurt, our complexion suffers, but we just can't imagine a life without the good stuff. Taking the dairy-free lifestyle for a test drive or committing to it because of sensitivities can be a challenge... but it doesn't have to be this way! After a decade of being dairy-free and learning what it takes to thrive on the diet, I created the Done with Dairy Toolkit a (free) guide to living dairy-free with loads of dairy-free recipes and health tips from yours truly. When I'm in a crunch and need some dairy-free inspiration, I turn to the toolkit and my problem is solved!

One of my favorite tricks to making a healthy, dairy-free, Skinnytaste approved dessert is to use cauliflower in place of thick creams and added starches. I know what you're thinking, 'cauliflower in dessert?' YES! If you flavor it just right; with things like vanilla extract, lemon or orange zest, chocolate or citrus juice, you do not taste the cauliflower one little bit. All you have is smooth, creamy, sweet goodness. Skeptical? I have just the recipe that will prove that dairy-free doesn't mean that you have to be gnawing on cardboard, or giving up your favorite low-fat treats. This pudding is impressively low in fat, rich in flavor, highly creamy, and under 130 calories per serving. Crazy, right? Let's get right down to business!  

Important Notes from Leanne – 

Make sure you weigh your cauliflower or, if you don't have a scale, only roughly chop the florets, measure and then cook.

If you do not have a powerful blender like a Blendtec or Vitamix, opt to finely grind your cauliflower before cooking so that it is easier to puree.

Leanne Vogel is a holistic nutritionist and the girl behind the healthy living blog, Healthful Pursuit. Whether you're sensitive to dairy, gluten, soy, eggs, grains, or sugar, or are just interested in eating healthy, Leanne's fun and simple healthy recipes; of which she has more than 550 on her blog, are a great resource for everyone.
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Valentine's Day Cake Balls

Happy Valentine's Day! My daughter is having a Valentine's Day party in school today, so I just wanted to share these cake pops adapted from my skinny cake pop recipe I did a few months back to bring to her class.

I love how you can come up with hundreds of different ideas with this Nordic Ware Cake Pop Pan I purchased at Target. I highly recommend buying 2 pans if you plan on making these to speed this up.

I simply took my recipe and used colored candy melts in place of the white, with heart sprinkles. So cute!

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