Corn & Black Bean Salsa

I love, love, love Mexican Food!! I love the cheesy chicken enchiladas, empanadas and Quesadillas. And with Cinco de Mayo right around the corner, I challenged myself (and to appease my diet), to find something that was healthy and yummy. Try this Corn and Black Bean Salsa with home made tortilla chips!
2 cans corn
2 avocados
2 cans black beans
1 large tomato
¼ C cilantro if you prefer)
1 vidala or red onion
1 lime juiced
¼ cup of vinegar
salt and pepper to taste


1. In a large bowl: Cut the avocado into small chunks – juice the lime on top
2. Chop tomato into small chunks
3. Chop onion into small chunks
4. Add the rest of the ingredients.
Homemade tortilla chips
1 package of corn tortilla
non stick spray
salt
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut tortillas into triangles
3. Mist top of chips with non stick spray
4. Cook until lightly brown, about 5-7 minutes

Baked Toastado Nachos

This recipe is another one of my swappers. A spin-off of nachos served at a popular restaurant, just much better for the waistline!

Baked Tostado Nachos
4 corn tortillas
1 c refried beans, warmed
1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese
8 jalapeno rings

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut tortillas into quarters. Spray cookie sheet and the top of the tortilla with cooking spray. Cook for 5 minutes or until tortillas are crisp.

Top each tortilla with 1 tablespoon beans, 1 tablespoon cheese and a jalapeno ring. Return to oven until cheese melts.

Remove from oven. Serve with salsa, sour cream, and guacamole.

Serves 4 - (4 chips)
146 calories
5 g fat
363 g of sodium per serving!!!

Club Soda Pancakes

I know it sounds gross, but club soda makes light, fluffy and yummy pancakes!

This recipe came from my Mom. Weekends were pancake days and my mom bought some fresh raspberries. Armed with the Bisquick and raspberries, pan preheating, and no milk! She didn’t wanted to use water (too boring) – she found raspberry seltzer in the pantry! She added the seltzer to the bisquick and it started to bubble (kinda of like the volcano we made in grade school)!


Using the seltzer she made the most delicious raspberry pancakes ever! So here is the recipe:

2 cups Bisquick
1-1/2 cup club soda or seltzer
Preheat pan
Add 2 cups of Bisquick and seltzer/club soda in a large bowl
Mix until well blended (don’t over mix)
Pour 1/3 cup of batter to pan
Cook until small bubble form on top of the pancake
Flip
Cook a couple of minutes more, until done
Calories 210 (3 pancakes)
Fat 3.75 grams

Grilled Whole Wheat Pizza

Grilled Pizza

My friend Mary (a fellow golf widow) is a true Grill Master.  When we get together for dinner we try to think of healthy things we can cook on the grill.  At the last minute we decided to make pizzas on the grill.  I came home from work and made 2 whole wheat pizza crusts. And this is what I did:

In my Kitchen Maid mixer I dissolved

1 package of yeast (rapid rise)

1 packet of Splenda ( yeast LOVES sugar)

1-1/2 cup of warm water (100-110 degrees)

I waited for the yeast to start foaming (that means I didn’t accidentally kill it).

I added:
Flour a ½ cup at a time, and I alternate ½ of whole wheat flour and ½  cup of  white flour to the kitchen aid Not exceeding 3 cups of flour. I used the dough hook.

When the dough came together, I removed it from the bowl and kneeded  it a smooth ball and coated the bowl with olive oil.  We let it rise for an 1-1/2 hours. Meanwhile we assembled the toppings and preheated the grill to 400 degrees.

I rolled out the ½ dough – to a nice, thin crust. I laid it on the grill and cooked it for 3 minutes on one side and flipped it for another 3 minutes.  Then we put the sauce and toppings on, closed the lid, and after 5 minutes, we had a crispy crust and melted cheese.

So good and so worth it.