Low-Point Cherry Chocolate Cookies

Will you be my Valentine? Treat your sweetie with these delightful cherry chocolate cookies made from 100% goodness! Nothing says lovin' like cookies from the oven! :)


Low-Point Cherry Chocolate Cookies
Ingredients:
- 1 cup butter (I used Imperial stick butter for this recipe), softened but still cool
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/8 tsp. salt
- 4 tsp. maraschino cherry juice
- 1/4 tsp. almond extract
- 2 1/4 cups flour
- Red food coloring (as much as you need for your desired color)
- granulated sugar, for sprinkling the cookies
- 53 Brach's Chocolate Stars or Hershey Kisses
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a mixer, beat the butter until creamy. Reduce speed and beat in powdered sugar and salt. Add cherry juice and almond extract and combine. With the mixer on low add the flour slowly, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Rolls the dough into 1" balls and place on a baking sheet. Press the center of the cookie with your thumb until the dough is about 1/2 inch thick. Sprinkle cookie with a little bit of sugar and bake for about 10 minutes or until the bottoms are lightly browned. Once removed from the oven, gently press a chocolate star or Hershey Kiss in the center of the cookie. Let cool and enjoy! If you'd like a printer-friendly version of this recipe, Click Here.
Total servings - 53
Serving size - 1
Points per serving - 1.5

"Life is all about timing...the unreachable becomes reachable, the unavailable becomes available, the unattainable...attainable. Have the patience. Wait it out... it's all about timing." - Stacey Charter

Prosciutto and Mozzarella Bruschetta

We had one heck of a lunch today! This amazing bruschetta with sautéed tomatoes and garlic, fresh prosciutto, and mozzarella was thoroughly enjoyed by all! Very easy to make and definitely one worth repeating!

Ingredients:

- 1 tsp. olive oil
- 4 thinly sliced prosciutto
- 1 1/2 cups chopped grape or cherry tomatoes
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- kosher salt and fresh pepper
- 1/2 cup reduced-fat shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 Tbs butter
- fresh basil
- 2 Steak Rolls, halved 

Preheat broiler on high. In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add prosciutto slices and cook for several minutes on each side just until they begin to get a little bit crisp. Remove prosciutto to a plate, cut or break into pieces, and set aside. Add minced garlic, tomatoes, and a little salt and pepper to the same skillet. Saute' for several minutes until the tomatoes begin to soften. Butter each half of the steak roll. Toast roll until golden brown. Top rolls with tomato and garlic mixture, prosciutto, and a little bit of mozzarella cheese. Line baking sheet with aluminum foil and place rolls on the baking sheet. Place in broiler oven just until cheese begins to melt. Remove, top with fresh basil and enjoy! If you'd like a printer-friendly version of this recipe, Click Here.

"Happy are those who dream dreams and are ready to pay the price to make them come true." - Leon Joseph Suenens

Low-Point Cheesy Pepperoni Chicken

Cheesy mozzarella and pepperoni with chicken? Brilliant! This amazing recipe is a fantastic family pleaser that will have you coming back for more! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 14 slices pepperoni, chopped (I found mini turkey pepperoni that I used)
- 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 cup marinara sauce
- 2 Tbs chopped fresh basil
- 4, 4 oz. boneless chicken cutlets
- 1 tsp. olive oil
- kosher salt and fresh pepper
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Cooking spray

Preheat broiler to high. Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add garlic and pepperoni and cook for a few minutes until garlic starts to brown, stirring frequently. Add oregano and marina sauce and bring to a boil. Turn heat to low and add basil. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with one teaspoon olive oil. Sprinkle chicken with a little bit of kosher salt and fresh pepper. Add chicken to skillet and cook for 5 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Transfer chicken to a baking dish and spoon marina sauce over the top. Sprinkle evenly with cheese and broil for several minutes until cheese melts. Remove from broiler and enjoy! If you'd like a printer-friendly version, Click Here.

Total servings - 4
Serving size - 1
Points per serving - 6.5

"Today is a new day. You will get out of it just what you put into it." 

- Mary Pickford

Low-Point French Toast with Fresh Berry Sauce

Add a little heart to this french toast breakfast with a lightly sweetened fresh berry sauce. This is a fun and delicious breakfast that we just had for dinner! :) 

Low-Point French Toast with Fresh Berry Sauce

Ingredients:

- 3 eggs

- 1/4 cup 1% milk

- 1 tsp. vanilla

- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

- 6 slices of bread (I used Smart White which has 50 calories, .5 fat grams, and 2.5 grams of fiber for 1 slice)

- Pam cooking spray with butter

- 1 cup fresh raspberries

- 1 cup fresh blackberries

- 1 Tbs Honey

- 1 Tbs Splenda granulated sugar substitute

- 1/2 Tbs lemon juice

- 1 tsp. corn starch

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium shallow bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon. Spray a large skillet over medium-high heat sprayed with Pam cooking spray with butter. Dip bread into egg mixture and coat on both sides, letting excess drip off. Place in skillet and cook until bread is golden brown on both sides. Transfer toast to a baking sheet and place in oven for 5 minutes. Meanwhile place berries in a small to medium saucepan and heat over medium heat. Add honey, Splenda, and lemon juice. Cook until berries start to break up and add corn starch to thicken slightly. Serve berry sauce with french toast and enjoy! If you'd like a printer-friendly version of this recipe, Click Here.

Total servings - 6

Serving size - 1

Points per serving - 2.6

"The journey is filled with ups and downs. Don't confuse the two as ever being everlasting. Get up everyday and apply yourself, be authentic, trust your instincts and know that the more you apply yourself the better you get day by day. The day you are waiting for is the day you want to give up, that is when you MUST keep going. That's the barrier between normal and greatness." - Jackson Kiddard

Would you like a cup of coffee? A muffin cup -- of coffee? These scrumptious chocolate chip coffee muffins will give you your coffee AND chocolate fix. With a dab of creamy icing to finish, this is one "muffin top" that you won't mind seeing. Easy to make and even easier to devour! Enjoy!


Low-Point Chocolate Chip Coffee Muffins
Ingredients:
- 2 Tbs Heavy Cream
- 1/2 cup 1% milk
- 4 Tbs melted butter (I used Land O Lakes Light with canola oil)
- 3 Tbs coffee grounds
- 1 egg
- 2 Tbs applesauce
- 1 Tbs cocoa
- 2 cups flour
- 2/3 cup Splenda (granulated sugar substitute)
- 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips or regular chocolate chips (semi sweet or milk chocolate)
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- Cooking spray
- Betty Crocker whipped vanilla icing
- Chocolate Stars or Hershey Kisses
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray muffin/cupcake pan with cooking spray. In a small bowl, mix heavy cream, milk, butter, coffee, egg, applesauce, and cocoa. In a separate, larger bowl, combine flour, splenda, chocolate chips, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Pour milk mixture into the center of the flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Spoon mixture into cupcake pan and bake at 400 for 10 to 12 minutes (or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center). Don't over bake. (The mixture will be a little thick and sticky.) Allow to cool slightly and spread 1 teaspoon of icing on top and add a piece of chocolate if desired. Enjoy! If you'd like a printer-friendly version of this recipe, Click Here. (I trimmed a little off the top of these muffins to make them a little less round for the icing.)
Total servings - 12
Serving size - 1
Points per serving - 3 (w/out icing and chocolate piece), 4 (with icing and chocolate piece)

"Never explain yourself. Your true friends don't need you to. They already know."  - Anonymous