Creating Colored Splenda®

Lois, from Walking on Sunshine, creates festive colored sugar for cookie and cake decoration. I found her recipe and wondered if using a sugar substitute like Splenda® would work just as well. She couldn’t see why not and asked me to try it. I did and it turned out to be a great success!

Using Splenda® as a sugar substitute is a great way to cut calories and keep the sweet taste of sugar.  If you have Splenda® granulated no calorie sweetener 1 cup = 1 cup of sugar. I didn’t have the granulated kind, so I used Splenda® packets 24 packets = 1 cup of sugar. I should also mention 1 cup of sugar has 774 calories per cup and 1 cup of Splenda® only has 96 calories. 

1     cup of Splenda® granulated no calorie sweetener or 24 packets of Splenda®

       GEL food coloring, not liquid

¼    teaspoon cornstarch

       Ziploc bag sandwich bag

8 Cocktail Party Tips

Entertaining can be fun, and the food can be both delicious and healthy. Yes, there is a cocktail party life on a healthful eating plan! Here are some hints that will help you throw a fun and healthy cocktail party.

Company Egg Cups

Similar to miniature quiches, these egg cups are fun to serve, but you don't really have to wait for company to try them.

                                                                                    Makes 4 servings

¼         cup each finely chopped mushrooms, onion, and green bell pepper

2          cloves garlic, finely chopped

½         teaspoon dried oregano

            Salt and pepper to taste

2          teaspoons reduced-calorie margarine

4          slices thin-sliced whole wheat bread (½-ounce slices)

1          cup liquid egg substitute (or 4 eggs scrambled)

4          teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese

It’s not what you know—it’s what you do with what you know, you know

Be proactive this week! "It’s not what you know—it’s what you do with what you know, you know?" Happy Monday!

5 Recipes Under 200 Calories

Holiday season is here and along with it comes dinner parties and family gatherings. If you don't know what to bring to your next event, try these 5 fun healthy recipes. They are all under 200 calories per serving and will be a hit at your Family Brunch or Holiday Party. 

You Want Me to Roast a Chicken???

Today we have a guest post from "The Busy Mom."  Read what she has to say about cooking my Savory Roast Chicken recipe from my Lean and Luscious Cookbook.

Hi…my name is Janelle—aka The Busy Mom.  I’ve been following Millie’s blog for sometime, and I LOVE her recipes.  She continually inspires me to take charge of my life and eat better—not just for me, but for my family. 

I am constantly challenged giving my family good food that is healthy.  I am SO guilty of throwing something in the microwave.  My husband and I have been married for nearly 12 years, and we have 3 children, ages 9, 5 and 1.  This week my husband, Joe, asked me if I could roast a chicken sometime for dinner.

YOU WANT ME TO ROAST A CHICKEN???

I don’t cook a lot or well.  But I am TRYING—that’s all that matters, right?  So I reached out to Millie to see if she could help me.  I asked her if she had an EASY roast chicken recipe that I could make for my family.  She said she did and she’d give it to me if I wrote a blog post for her about it…DEAL, I said.

Here’s the recipe…

Savory Roast Chicken

This is easy to prepare, and it's ideal even for a small family because the leftovers make such great sandwiches.

                                                                            Makes 9 servings

1          4½ -pound roasting chicken

1          small celery stalk

½         small onion, peeled

1          lemon wedge (about ¼ of a small lemon)

¼         cup bottled fat-free Italian dressing

1          tablespoon dill weed

¼         teaspoon pepper

If you do what you always did you will get what you always got

Start your Monday by making some changes to get a better outcome. "If you do what you always did you will get what you always got."

 

Grain Cooking Tips

Grain	Uncooked	Amount of Water	Cooking Time	Approximate Yield
Barley	1 cup	4 cups	45 minutes	3 ½ cups
Bulgur	1 cup	2 cups	15 minutes	3 cups
Brown Rice	1 cup	2 ½ cups	45 minutes	3 ½ cups
Converted Rice	1 cup	2 ¼ cups	20 minutes	3 ½ cups
Kasha	1 cup	3 cups	15 minutes	3 ½ cups
Cornmeal	1 cup	3 cups	25 minutes	4 cups
Millet	1 cup	2 cups	20 minutes	3 cups
Wheat Berries	1 cup	3 ½ cups	40 - 60 minutes	3 cups

Apricot-Glazed Carrots

This elegant dish combines the flavors of apricot, orange, and nutmeg.  It looks so pretty and makes a nice accompaniment to chicken or turkey.

Makes 4 servings

4          cups carrots, sliced crosswise into ¼-inch slices

¼         cup fruit-only apricot spread

½         teaspoon grated fresh orange peel

¼         teaspoon ground nutmeg

2          teaspoons lemon juice

You can't live a positive life with a negative mind

Start the week off with positive thoughts. "You can't live a positive life with a negative mind" Happy Monday!