Delicious & Light © 2011

Great Meals with a Healthy Twist for the Entire Family

Southwest Corn Salad

Here’s a great summer BBQ side to try this holiday weekend.  It’s easy, quick & delicious.

Happy 4th!!

Southwest Corn Salad

Serves 10

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time:  5 – 10 minutes

Refrigerate: 1 to 2 hours or overnight

Estimated Values per Serving:

Calories: 130                        Fat: 4 grams

Ingredients:

6 slices turkey or center cut (low fat) bacon

3 cups corn kernels

1 can (15.5 ounces) black beans – rinsed and drained

½ cup minced red onion

½ cup red or green bell peppers

1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chili peppers

¼ cup fresh cilantro – finely chopped

¼ cup canola oil

2 tablespoons lime juice

Few drops of Tabasco (optional)

Directions:

  1. Heat a skillet on medium high heat, coat with cooking spray and fry bacon for 5 – 7 minutes until browned.  Remove from heat and cool on paper towels.
  2. Crumble cooled bacon.
  3. In a small pot, boil ¼ cup water and add corn.  Cook until tender for about 5 minutes.  Rinse, drain and cool.
  4. In a large mixing bowl, combine corn, black beans, onions, bell peppers, chili peppers, cilantro  and bacon.
  5. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lime juice and Tabasco.  Pour on top of corn mixture and toss well.
  6. Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.

July 2, 2011 Posted by | Easy, Salads, Vegetables | , , , , | Leave a Comment

Ice Box Cakes

I recently came across an ice box cake recipe and was very curious to try it as a delicious and light dessert.  I have heard of ice box cakes before but really had no idea how incredibly easy they are.  The recipe below is for toasted coconut but you can replace the coconut with ½ cup toasted almonds and substitute almond extract for the coconut extract and have a brand new recipe.

I love the idea of ice box cakes because they are so versatile and you can change flavors as you like.  Also, there is no baking and they can be made the day before which makes them easy for company.

Toasted Coconut-Graham Cracker Ice Box Cake

Serves 12

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 7 – 10 minutes

Refrigerator Time: 2 hours and overnight

Estimated Values per Serving:

Calories: 110                        Fat: 2 grams

Toasted Coconut-Graham Cracker Ice Box Cake

Ingredients:

½ cup sweetened shredded coconut

1/3 cup egg substitute

½ cup sugar

2 tablespoons corn starch

1 ½ cup skim milk

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon coconut extract

12 graham crackers

3 cup fat free whipped topping

Directions:

  1. Heat oven on broil.  Place shredded coconut in a baking pan and place under broiler.  Stand at oven and toast coconut until lightly browned (takes about 2 – 5 minutes).   Remove coconut from oven and set aside to cool.
  2. In a medium saucepan, combine egg substitute, sugar, cornstarch and milk.  Cook on low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to steam.  Once warmed, increase the heat slightly to medium low, stirring constantly, until mixture becomes thick and bubbly (about 5 minutes).  While constantly stirring, cook for an additional 2 minutes.
  3. Remove from heat and stir in toasted coconut, vanilla and coconut extracts.
  4. Spoon custard into a bowl and cover with plastic (pressing directly onto surface of custard to prevent skin from forming).  Refrigerate until cool (about 2 hours).
  5. Line the bottom of an 8-inch baking dish with 6 of the graham crackers (break into pieces to fill space).
  6. Fold in 1 cup of the whipped topping to the custard and then spoon half of the custard mixture on top of the graham crackers.  Repeat with remaining 6 graham crackers and then the rest of the custard mixture.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.
  7. Just before serving, spread the remaining whipped topping on top of the cake and serve cold.

June 24, 2011 Posted by | Dessert, Easy | , , | Leave a Comment

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