Celebrate the New Year with a lighter champagne cocktail

This New Years Eve remember that drinks count—they are virtually empty liquid calories that add up quickly.Kick off 2014 with a special cocktail! Don’t have your typical alcoholic beverage that you would have on any other day of the year. Make a drink with a New Year’s twist by mixing champagne with fruity liquors to make your cocktail unique, as featured in this week’s cocktail recipe, Double G Champagne. Cheers!

Recipe: New Year's Double G Champagne Cocktail

Bring in the New Year on a lighter note with this lower calorie champagne cocktail.    

INGREDIENTS:

Yield: 1 Serving (5 fl oz)

Ingredients

·       0.5 fl oz Saint Germain

·       0.5 fl oz Gin

·       3 fl oz Champagne

·       1 fl oz of soda water

·       Optional: sliced strawberries, fresh squeezed lime, or a cherry.

DIRECTIONS:

Directions:

In a champagne flute, add the saint germain and gin and then add the champagne. Top off your cocktail with soda water for extra fizz. Add optional fruit for a pop of color.

Nutrition Information Per Serving:

Food weight: 1.5, Calories: 141 kcal, Fat: 0 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Carbohydrate: 6 g, Dietary Fiber: 0 g, Protein 0 g: Sodium: 0 mg

Celebrate the Holidays with a Delicious and Healthy Holiday Breakfast!

Basil, walnuts, extra virgin olive oil, whole wheat flour…now this is a breakfast of champions. For a light and fantastic way to spend Christmas Day, try this week’s super-healthy, super-easy and irresistibly delicious breakfast of holiday pesto crepes.

Recipe: Savory Holiday Crepes with Pesto

Serves: 4-6 (Yield: 13 crepes)

INGREDIENTS:

For the Pesto:

  2 oz fresh basil leaves (about 1 cup)

  1 cup walnut halves

  ½ cup olive oil

  3 large garlic cloves

For the Savory Crepe Batter:

·        1 cup egg substitute

·        1 cup fat-free milk

·        Pinch of salt

·        1/2 cup all-purpose flour

·        1/2 cup whole wheat flour

·        1/4 cup buckwheat flour

DIRECTIONS:

For the Pesto: Place all pesto ingredients into a food processor and blend pesto until a spreadable consistency. Set aside.

To make the crepes: Add all crepe batter ingredients into a blender and process until combined. Refrigerate at least a few hours, or refrigerate overnight.

For each crepe, lightly spray a crepe pan with non-stick Pam butter spray and heat pan until hot. Pour ¼ cup of batter into pan. Rotate pan so that the crepe is thin and even and flip once the crepe is golden brown in color. When the other side is golden brown, the crepe is done. Cook crepes and keep warm. Add filling to the center of a savory crepe and roll. Garnish with fresh basil and serve.

Nutrition:

Food weight: 4.0, Calories: 390, Fat: 30 g, Protein: 11 g, Sodium: 180 mg, Carbohydrates: 23 g, Fiber: 4 g, Sugars: 3 g

Holiday comfort food that's healthy for you!

The holiday season is in full swing, and baby its cold out there. The perfect time to snuggle up with a warm beverage and winter scone to kick off your holiday morning! Why not make your own healthy scone by using heart healthy canola oil (or olive oil) instead of butter, raw honey and fresh squeezed orange juice instead of sugar, and egg whites instead of whole eggs. Fill your home with a cozy aroma by trying this week’s featured recipe, Whole Wheat Orange Cranberry Scone with the substitutions stated above.