NO STRESS CHRISTMAS MORNING BREAKFAST

Christmas Morning is full of fun and excitement and the last thing you want to be doing is slaving over a hot stove making your family breakfast while they are opening presents without you. Here is the quickest, easiest, tastiest, most figure friendly,  most affordable muffin recipe EVER.....and what's even better, you can make a variety of flavors....this will be our Christmas Morning breakfast....how about you:

QUICK AND EASY FAT FREE MUFFINS

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

-box of Krusteaz FAT FREE Muffin mix…..comes in Apple Cinnamon, Blueberry, Banana, and Cranberry Orange….2.00

RECIPE DIRECTIONS:

-all you have to do is add the amount of water per package instructions to muffin mix along with can of fruit that comes in package, stir, fill muffin tins…will make 12 regular muffins or I like to make  6 jumbo muffins  using a jumbo muffin tin and bake according to package instructions. The best Fat Free muffins I have ever tasted

MAKES 6 JUMBO MUFFINS FOR 2.00….50 CENTS PER MUFFIN!

HAVE YOUR MILKSHAKE AND DRINK IT TOO

Milkshakes are a favorite American treat anytime of year!  We love the creaminess and sweetness of these delicious drinks but most of us don't like all the fat and calories that come along with their yummy flavor.  I challenged myself to come up with lowfat alternatives to my favorite flavors and I must say, I am not disappointed....see for yourself:

LITE EGGNOG MILKSHAKE

This is delicious any time of year, stock up on ice cream in winter and freeze for warmer months ahead

½ cup lowfat eggnog icecream

½ nonfat milk or( coconut milk with 50 calories or less per cup)

¼ cup nonfat cool whip

A few ice cubes

Place everything in blender and blend, pour into glass and add a dollop of nonfat whipped cream or cool whip and a sprinkle of nutmeg, if desired

You can try this with any flavor ice cream for delicious, lite, holiday treats…..my other favorite flavors are: pumpkin pie milkshake (using lowfat pumpkin ice cream), peppermint milkshake (using lowfat peppermint ice cream), or banana split milkshake (using lowfat rocky road ice cream with ¼ of a banana added in….experiment with your favorite flavors for the ultimate lowfat milkshake!

YUMMY SNOWBALLS

Finally, snowballs that your kids want to eat and you are ok with serving them!
-FORM A SCOOP OF VANILLA ICE CREAM INTO THE SHAPE OF A BALL, PLACE IN A BOWL, AND SPRINKLE WITH POWDERED SUGAR....OR COCONUT FOR ADVENTUROUS KIDS!
LET THEM EAT SNOW!

GINGER RECIPES

I love the Holidays and all the wonderful spices and flavors that are associated with it!  One of my favorite holiday flavors is: Ginger!  Ginger is so warm and spicy and has a wonderful aroma.  I love Gingerbread men cookies..... warm, hot from the oven: Gingerbread, but 2 of my favorite ginger recipes are in liquid form and am happy to share them with you:

GINGER PUNCH:

-1 12 oz bottle of hard cider
-1 12 oz bottle of favorite beer (I love Blue Moon's Spiced Amber Ale)
-24 oz of sugar free sparkling flavored water ( I used apple cider flavor)
-1/2 cup of splenda
-rind of 1 orange studded with about 6 cloves
-3 cinnamon sticks
-1 tsp ginger

-pour all ingredients in slow cooker and cook on low for 2 hours......serve warm or chill and serve cold.....delicious either way!

GINGER LATTE:

- 1 cup of brewed coffee
-1/4 tsp ginger
-1 tbsp splenda
-1 tbsp gingerbread flavored coffee creamer or sugar free/fat free vanilla coffee creamer
-1/2 oz sugar free gingerbread syrup (optional)

GINGER PUNCH

-Pour coffee in mug and add rest of ingredients and stir.....enjoy....yum!!

DON'T PANIC, ALWAYS IMPROVISE!

Has this ever happened to you:  You are all set to try the new recipe you found and you get started and are well into the recipe when you discover.....you don't have any tomato paste?  What do you do? Well, I'll tell you......don't panic....improvise!  If this ever happens to you, check your pantry, chances are you have something that will work just fine.  In a pinch, ketchup makes a fine substitue for tomato paste, in case you were wondering.  Here is a list of substitutions that I frequently use when I am all out of that particular ingredient!

FRUGARL'S SUBSTITUTIONS:
mayonnaise---- sour cream or plain yogurt (I always use the lowfat or nonfat version)
buttermilk----- nonfat milk with 1 tbsp of vinegar mixed in (let sit for 5 minutes, if possible)
tomato paste-----ketchup
sherry-----vermouth
applesauce------jam or jelly
honey-----maple syrup
bacon----smoked ham or turkey or ham or turkey lunchmeat
oil-----corn syrup (when baking)
raisins-----any dried fruit
graham cracker crust------any crushed cookies you have on hand mixed with a little melted butter to form a crust
cream------nonfat milk mixed with a little melted butter
oil or butter in baking recipes-----pureed pumpkin (my favorite substitution)
broth-----wine mixed with water (for chicken broth, use white wine, for beef broth, use red wine....adds so much more flavor)
bread crumbs------any type of bread or crackers you have on hand crushed by hand or in food processor (another one of my favorites.....adds so much flavor)

I AM UP FOR A CHALLENGE....IF YOU HAVE AN INGREDIENT YOU CAN'T THINK OF A SUBSTITUTION FOR, FOLLOW MY BLOG AND COMMENT AND LET ME KNOW WHAT IT IS AND LET'S SEE IF I CAN COME UP WITH ONE FOR YOU!

KIDDIE MOCKTAILS

We all love a good cocktail especially during the Holiday Season but what about the kiddos?  They want something special too!  Here are MY versions of "kiddie mocktails" that are sure to please the little ones in your life!

SHIRLEY TEMPLE LITE:
-sprite zero (or anything similar)
-1/2 to 1 oz (depending on how sweet you want it) sugar free strawberry, raspberry, or cherry syrup
-1 maraschino cherry
MIX SPRITE AND SYRUP TOGETHER AND POUR INTO GLASS,STIR, AND  TOP WITH CHERRY

ROY ROGERS LITE:
-coke zero (or anything similar)
-1/2 to 1 oz (again, depending on how sweet you like your drinks) sugar free strawberry, raspberry, or cherry syrup
-1 maraschino cherry
MIX COKE AND SYRUP TOGETHER AND POUR INTO GLASS, STIR, AND TOP WITH CHERRY

STRAWBERRY LEMON DROP:
-sugar free sunkist lemonade (or anything similar)
-1/4 cup frozen strawberries, thawed
-1/2 oz sugar free strawberry syrup
PUT STRAWBERRIES INTO GLASS AND MASH A LITTLE  WITH A SPOON, POUR IN LEMONADE AND SYRUP AND STIR

GUILT FREE HOLIDAY FOOD FINDS

Yes, you can still enjoy the Holidays without feeling too guilty with my Holiday food finds:
-sugar free Peppermint Mocha coffeemate....only 15 calories per tbsp!
-sugar free Torani Peppermint and Gingerbread syrups.....0 fat and 0 calories......absolutely delicious in coffee....guilt free and so much cheaper than a latte at your local coffeehouse!
-gingerbread marshmallows......0 fat
-chocolate mint marshmallows....0 fat and 100 calories per 17 MARSHMALLOWS!!
-alpine lace sugar free apple cider mix.....0 fat and 15 calories per serving
-swiss miss diet hot chocolate....0 fat and 25 calories per serving......does not taste "diet" and you can add a splash of Torani's sugar free peppermint syrup to it for  a peppermint hot chocolate....yum!
-eggnog, gingerbread, and candy cane flavored candy corn.....0 fat and only 7 calories per corn....available at Big Lots
-pumpkin spice and eggnog flavored "nips"...only 30 calories a piece

-dreyers peppermint ice cream....naturally low in fat and calories......2 grams of fat and only 100 calories per 1/2 cup
GO GET THEM BEFORE THEY ARE ALL GONE!