Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Taste Buds & Texture

Meatloaf?

I've never liked meatloaf...  never!  To me it's dry, bland and mundane no matter what sauce you add or how many eggs, bacon and Velveeta slices are put in or on it!  Even though hubby loves it, kids devour it and diners and cafes serve it for lunch and dinner, I only make it once or twice a year to spoil the family!

Not anymore!  I finally found a recipe that is called meatloaf but is so much more.  It's not only got taste, it's got texture and lots of it!

Meatloaf Cupcakes
1 egg
1/2 cup oatmeal
1 small onion, diced
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, part skim
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
9 oz frozen spinach (box)
2 tbsp pine nuts
1 1/2 lb ground beef, 96%
Brown gravy mix

Mashed Potatoes
3 small potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 1/2 lb cauliflower florets
1/3 cup buttermilk, 1%
3 tbsp cream cheese, fat free

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Mix first 8 ingredients in a large bowl until thoroughly mixed.  Add ground beef and mix lightly with a large fork until just combined, do not over mix or your meatloaf may end up dry.  Use aluminum muffin cups for the best results and fill them using a large ice cream scoop.  Bake approximately 30 minutes until no longer pink.  While meatloaf is baking, boil potatoes and cauliflower until soft; drain well. Transfer potatoes and cauliflower to a food processor or electric mixer bowl, add buttermilk and cream cheese.  Process/mix until smooth and creamy.  Prepare gravy mix according to package directions.  Pipe/spoon potato mixture onto tops of meatloaf muffins to resemble frosting and sprinkle with pine nuts.  Drizzle prepared gravy over the top.  Makes 12 cupcakes, 2 per serving, 10 points+ per serving.

After making these a second time, I have resolved that I will never again make ordinary meatloaf!  The taste and texture of these beautiful cupcakes is like nothing I've eaten before.  Try them and
I'm sure you'll agree!

Sunday, August 25, 2013

Lunch Time!

Sometimes with WW, I get really bored at lunch time.  There are only so many soups and salads before I start wandering, looking for something a little different and a little more traditional.  One of my favorite sandwiches is a good, creamy egg salad.  Without all that mayo though (and I mean the good full fat kind) it's just not the same!  

This "egg salad" sandwich is so different from what I grew up with that it takes on a whole new taste and texture and yet satisfies my craving for the real thing. 

Try it and see what you think!

Egg Salad Sandwich
1 English Muffin
1 Egg (hard boiled)
2 slices of tomato (or one big one)
Handful of alfalfa sprouts
2 tbsp mayonnaise or ranch dressing (fat free) 
Salt/pepper to taste

Slice the hard boiled egg into nice thick slices. Spread 1 tbsp of mayo on each half of the English muffin.  Place sliced egg on bottom half of muffin and sprinkle lightly with salt/pepper.  Add tomatoes and alfalfa sprouts and place muffin on top.

The crunch of the alfalfa sprouts and the creaminess of the egg yolk really compliment each other making this a very satisfying lunch for only 5 pts.