Milk Hand Scrub

This time of the year my hands are dry, so I created this recipe.  It works for me.  I do it at night or before I wash the dishes. After I have the warm olive oil on my hands I put dish gloves on and wash the dishes.  When I take the gloves off, wash my hands and they are so soft.  So enjoy yhe recipe and let me know if it works for you!

Milk hand scrub 

2 Tablespoons oatmeal

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp milk

Place oatmeal in a food processor and pulse until grainy.  Place into a bowl, mix in baking soda and add milk to make a paste. 

Rub on dry skin, leave on for 10 minutes and wash off with warm water. 

Rub warm olive oil into your hands when done.

You can double the recipe.

Stuff I've learned

One thing I've noticed and learned about me, I eat more when stressed and create recipes and bake when I'm happy and/or content.  I am consciously trying to bake healthier things.  Less sugar, less fat.  I can use applesauce and yogurt in place of oil.  I tried pumpkin pie mix in place of oil when I made brownies.  DON"T DO IT,  You can totally taste the pumpkin and it was nasty.  I love pumpkin, but not that way.  Now if you use it in a vanilla cake or blondies, that may be perfectly fine but I haven't tried that yet, so if anyone has a recipe like that, please share.  I love to try new things.  I have quite a few hundred recipes I've written.  My binders are overflowing!  Now it's to the point where I have so many, it's hard to find the one I'm looking for, so I create the recipe all over again, find the original & they're close.
And about the hot fudge cake, when it cools, it has cake on top, like a pudding filling in the middle and a thinner sauce on the bottom.  Very good.  I've made it a few times because it's so quick and easy and I've had it cold and hot, so it's good either way.
Well, ta-ta for now & enjoy!!

Low Fat Hot Fudge Cake

1 cup all purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

2 Tablespoons cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup skim milk

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup packed brown sugar

¼ cup cocoa powder

1 ½ cups boiling water

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spray 8x8 pan with non stick cooking spray.

Mix flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt until combined.  Stir in milk, oil and vanilla and mix on medium until smooth.  Pour batter into prepared pan.

In the same bowl, add brown sugar, cocoa powder and boiling water.  Stir to combine and pour over batter.  Cover with foil.

Bake uncovered 25 minutes, remove from oven and bake 5-8 minutes until top is done.

Remove from oven, serve warm.  Spoon a piece of cake into bowl, top with frozen yogurt (optional) and spoon fudge sauce over top.

Enjoy!

Prep time: 15 minutes

Serves 9

Pear-nana Smoothie (gluten free)

1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 cup skim milk

2 bananas, sliced

2 pears chopped

4 ice cubes

Place eveything in a blender and blend on high for 1 minute. Serve immediately.

Makes 3 cups.

Had this with bisquick (heart healthy) blueberry waffles for breakfast.  Yummy!

Just can't stop.............

I can't stop myself, I am a carbohaulic.  My willpower sucks.  It's really non-existent.  If I am offered something, good, indulgent, fattening, at first I say no, but I know I don't mean it.  I know I'll cave...I always do.  So, I came up with the coffee cake bars.  I love coffee cake and any type of dense bars (I'm a carbohaulic remember).  While they were warms, I sprayed a dollop of shipped cream on it and it melted over coffee cake bar.  It was good.
I love to create recipes.  I have a pen and paper by my bed and I have literally woken up at night thinking (or dreaming) of a recipe and I write it down.  It just comes to me.  I write it down, test it out and make changes as needed.  I really enjoy it.
Weight was down 1 pound ,but I got the cast off my arm so that's probably why, in which case my actual weight stay steady.  I'm okay with that.  I'll never be skinny.  I can accept that, I never have been tiny.  I just want to be healthy!

Low fat Coffee Cake Bars

2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

¾ cup fat free vanilla yogurt

½ cup sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar, packed

2 eggs (or egg substitute)

1 teaspoon vanilla

Filling

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/3 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Glaze

2 tablespoons brown sugar

4 teaspoons skim milk

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Dash cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray a 13x9-inch baking pan with non stick butter flavored cooking spray.

In small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In large mixing bowl, beat yogurt and both sugars. Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined. Turn mixer to low speed and add dry ingredients; mix until combined.  Batter is very thick.

Pour batter into pan; spread evenly. In a small bowl, mix sugar, cinnamon, breaking up any lumps and pecans (optional).  Sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over batter.  Swirl into batter with the back of a spoon.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Use a fork and poke holes in the top of the cake.

In small bowl, stir glaze ingredients until smooth and thin enough to drizzle, microwave for 20 seconds. Drizzle on top of warm bars. Cover bars to let glaze soak in.

These are dense bars because I took out a lot of fat.  Great topped with frozen yogurt or whipped cream and fruit.

Note:  You can sprinkle chopped or dried fruit over the filling or use fresh blueberries in your       batter.

My Chicken Marsala

2 eggs, scrambled or egg substitute

2/3 cup all purpose flour

½ cup Italian bread crumbs (divided)

1 tsp salt (divided)

1 tsp pepper (divided)

1 tsp garlic powder (divided)

1 tsp onion powder (divided)

4-6 boneless chicken cutlets

1 Tbs olive oil

2 Tbs light margarine

1 small onion, thinly sliced

1 green pepper thinly sliced

1 8 ounce package fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 small jar roasted red peppers, sliced

1 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp thyme

2 chicken bouillon cubes

1 Tbs lemon juice

1 cup white wine

1/3 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Place egg in a bowl.  Place flour, with ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper, ½ tsp garlic and onion powders and combine.

Heat margarine and olive oil in large skillet and crumble 1 chicken bouillon cubes into the pan.  Dip chicken cutlet into egg, then flour mixture and place into hot skillet.  Sprinkle the bread crumbs over top side of chicken, brown a few minutes, flip and sprinkle chicken with remaining bread crumbs.  Remove chicken from skillet and set on a clean plate. Add onions and green peppers to pan.  Cook a few minutes until softened and stir often.  Add mushrooms, roasted red peppers and garlic.  Cook until tender.  Place vegetable mixture into a 13 x 9 baking dish, top with chicken.  Add  wine, water,

chicken bouillon cube, lemon juice, the ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper, ½ tsp garlic and onion powders and combine.  Increase heat to high and let liquid boil and reduce.  Scrape sides and bottom to incorporate into the liquid.  Pour over chicken and vegetables and bake for 20-25 minutes. 

Service with rice or egg noodles and enjoy.  

Peanut butter chocolate chips cookies (gluten-free)

1cup peanut butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix peanut butter, sugar and eggs completely. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

Space about 2 inches apart. Bake 10-12 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned.

Cool completely before moving, as cookies will be soft.

You can substitute different flavored chips like butterscotch, peanut butter or dark chocolate. 

Make it your own creation, and you can mix in chopped peanuts with peanut butter chips or add a few kinds of flavored chips and walnuts.  Whatever you like.

Remember….. Life is Yummy, Enjoy

Market Place Cuisine, gluten free dessert cookbook

100 Wheat free-gluten free dessert recipes.  The  cookbook, vinyl, comes with cookbook stand for hands free viewing.  $15.00 plus shipping and handling.
Add your favorite recipes since it's a 3-ring binder.

Guest teacher at West High School Foods II classes

This was sooo much fun!

Don't try this at home...What not to do with a kitchen aid mixer

Don't put powdered sugar in the mixer and turn it on high!  This picture does not capture the fog in my kitchen nor does it show the fine dusting of sugar on EVERY-THING!!!!!

Tiramisu (low fat)

8	oz Neufchâtel cream cheese, softened
11/2	cup low-fat ricotta cheese
1	cup powdered sugar
1	teaspoon vanilla
2	Tablespoons strong coffee
2 2	Tablespoons brandy Tablespoons crème de cocoa liquer
1	Angel food cake
2	Teaspoons cocoa powder Optional spray whipped cream in a can
1.	In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese medium speed until smooth. Beat in ricotta cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla until creamy.
2.	In a small bowl, combine the coffee, brandy and crème de cocoa.  Set aside.  Cut the angel food cake horizontally.  Brush the tops of both layers with equal amounts of the coffee mixture.  Cut angel food into 1 inch cubes.  In a pretty glass bowl, layer half of the angel food cubes then half of the cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle with  ½ tablespoon of the cocoa powder. Repeat layers, angel food cubes, cream cheese mixture then sprinkle with cocoa powder. If you are using the spray whipped cream, spray over top of your last layer.
3.	Cover; refrigerate at least 1 hour.  Store covered in refrigerator.

           

Decorate with a few chocolate covered coffee beans for garnish.

Prep Time:30 min

Serves 8-10 Recipe can be halved.  Tip: To serve, use the container the cake came in. Wash and dry the container, flip it over so you Have a clear plastic bowl and use the bottom as a lid. They are very sturdy!

Follow the Loose Screw Chef on facebook too

To "celebrate" eating healthy, today I will create a low fat Tiramisu recipe.  Will post the recipe soon.  Keep checking back.
Don't forget to "like" the Loose Screw Chef  on facebook.  Check the notes section for recipe and tips.  Post and share things with us too! Enjoy!!

Two pound down

I lost two pounds, 'nuff said!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Easy Crock Pot Pot Roast

2-3 pound lean beef - I used a top round roast
1 can french onion soup
1 soup can of water
1 clove garlic, minced
1 shot of red wine
1 - 2 tablespoons of instant mashed potatoes

Add everything except the instant mashed potatoes into the crock pot and cook on low for 7-8 hours.
About 1/2 hour before you are ready to eat, add the mashed potatoes, stir completely and cook on high to thicken.  If you want the gravy thicker, add more.

Enjoy!

Man cannot live on salad alone...I need a diet ring-ding!

We are giving salads a break for a few days.  The fruit and smoothies are good, but we'll chill on the greens!  I made pot roast (very lean beef), rice and corn. Not bad you say....well, I had a ring ding for dessert.  I enjoyed  it very much! I haven't lost any weight, my husband has maintained his 4 pound loss.  I do feel better.  I have more energy and I'm starting to walk during my lunch, even though I still have the cast on my arm from my broken elbow.  The cast may weigh 1 pound.  We will see next week (if it comes off) if I have any weight loss.

Day 8 of captivity

We went out for chinese at dinner.  Oh well, not a total fail, but we gave in to my craving.  Well, we will get back on track tomorrow.  But, boy it was good.
I ate the whole thing...why...I could've survived with half, but no, I just had to eat the whole plate.  I couldn't stop myself.  I don't know why.  Wait, yes I do...I have no will power.
As my husband says, "nothing you can do about it now".

Drink your fruit and lose weight

1 week later and we're still doing good.  We've given in to the fact, we can't eliminate all bad foods, we just have to "healthify" it,  We eat low fat cheese.  But we are eating more fruits.  I've been making lots of fruit smoothies an since we've been trying to eat healthy this year.

I made a great smoothie with a can of pears, some blueberries and raspberries, 1 banana and some pomegranate juice in the blender.  Really good and healthy, plus we all like them.  

It must be working because my husband lost 4 pounds this week!!  

Being Bridesmaid uploaded picture video

http://www.bridesmaidsmovie.com/trailermaker/?id=1325319186953610-1

This is hilarious, my daughters friend uploaded their picture in the video.  Watch for a good laugh!!

I won't bore you with every bite I eat

I will spare the details of every morsel I put into my mouth, but I will share the recipes for the good stuff!  If it doesn't come out to good, I'll will share my mess so you can have a laugh too!  Basically, we ate better yesterday.  Fruit with breakfast and wine with dinner.  After all, wine is heart healthy, as is dark chocolate.  I can deal with that.  Chocolate - it makes for a happy family!
"they" say it takes 3 weeks to form a habit, so 3 days into it and I'm doing good.  

Potato Soup

1 heaping teaspoon butter
1/2 medium onion,chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 tablespoon chives, chopped
1 can whole baby potatoes, sliced *
1 can chicken broth
1 small can evaporated milk
1 cup 1% milk
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup instant potatoes
salt and pepper to taste

In a large saucepan, heat pan; add butter,swirl to cover bottom of pan and add chopped onions and carrots.
Stir and let cook for about 5-8 minutes. add chives.  Stir in potatoes.  Pour in chicken broth, milk and evaporated milk.  Stir; add onion and garlic powder, salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil and add instant potato flakes.  This will thicken your soup.  Add more or less to your liking, but let soup come to a boil first.  If you want it thinner, add more milk or chicken broth.  Let simmer for 20-30 minutes.
If you have left over ham, chop and add with the onions.


NOTE* - you can use an egg slicer to slice the potatoes

A Healthy New Year

If anyone has watched the documentary Forks over Knives, it's eye opening to say the least.  It's very powerful to show how diet can affect your body and health.  As I was watching it, I was mentally going thru my pantry and thinking of all the processed foods I have to throw out!  Unfortunately, I wouldn't have much left (sadly) I would have to buy all new and that can't happen since I've already used my grocery budget for the week!  So, what to do now?  Well, I took a good look at the food we have and decided we will have to phase out the bad and as we eat up the "bad for you" food, we will replace it with the healthier "good for you food".
So yesterday for breakfast we had Bisquick, heart healthy pancakes, but I added about a 1/4 cup of cornmeal and 1/2 cup of oatmeal to the batter.  Then I made a raspberry syrup by boiling 1 1/2 cups frozen raspberries with a dash of cinnamon, 1/4 cup of pomegranate juice, 1/4 cup of applesauce and 2 tablespoons of honey.  It boiled for about 15 minutes and I strained it the a sieve and it was so good. The we had
pb&j for lunch with fresh fruit and dinner was a salad, some sliced ham and a piece of crusty bread.  We enjoyed a glass of red wine (it is from grapes) and a dark chocolate brownie for dessert.
I hope as time goes on, I will be able to create yummy, healthy recipes to share.  But for now, I will mix healthier into what I have and as long as we eat better than we did, it is a step in the right direction!

Happy New Year

Well, it's a new year and a new blog.  What better way to start than on a new year.  It was my resolution to start a blog so today I'm doing it!  I have a facebook page for the Loose Screw Chef and there are a lot of recipes and tips that you can check out and enjoy.
Please share recipes and tips with us too!