Kale Chips – Really!

OK, today’s recipe is Kale Chips. Yes, I said KALE… and while it is, in fact, a 4 letter word, it’s not a bad one! Now, I’m not an experienced kale eater/ preparer, but I just couldn’t resist buying these beautiful green leaves. They looked so healthy and fresh, I just had to. Now, I’ve attempted to make kale chips before, but they didn’t turn out right and I ended up tossing the lot of them. But I’m determined to make these work. So I found this recipe and I’ll try to follow it to a tee…I WILL TRY, but, I have a tough time not straying.

Crispy Kale Chips by Melissa d’Arabian from Ten Dollar Dinners, at FoodNetwork.com

Ingredients

• 1 head kale, washed and thoroughly dried
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Sea salt, for sprinkling

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.
2. Remove the ribs from the kale and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces. So, I did this step and then washed the leaves and placed them on paper towels to air dry completely. I think this is the trick to making them crispy.
3. Lay on a baking sheet and toss with the olive oil and salt. I sprayed them with olive oil and sprinkled them with Montreal Steak Seasoning.
4. Bake until crisp, turning the leaves halfway through, about 20 minutes. I didn’t flip mine, but they are perfectly crisp.
5. Serve as finger food.

So, I just couldn’t stick to the recipe. I thin I may have an issue with this. Maybe it’s a “don’t tell me what to do” thing. I don’t know, but the chips are AWESOME!!!! Give it a try!

National Chocolate Cake Day

Did you know that there’s a NATIONAL CHOCOLATE CAKE DAY!!!! Yep, that’s right, finally a holiday I can sink my teeth into. Wooohooo!!!! Now, to be honest, I missed the actual Holiday. It was January 27th. (I’ve always said I’m a little slow!!! Not slow enough for the short bus, but slow enough to use it as an excuse for EVERYTHING!!!) Well, in s-l-o-w honor of this National Holiday, I’ll be making a Chocolate Cake today.  I think my hubs just passed out from excitement!!! Yes, Chocolate is his first and everlasting love! Don’t get me wrong, I rank up there too, especially when I make him something Chocolate!!

So many recipes to choose from!!! Hmmm, I just don’t know?!?  Do I make the Healthy Chocolate Cake with a Secret? The Secret being black beans instead of flour. Uh, NO, that’s grounds for divorce in hubby’s eyes. Chocolate-Red Wine Cake… sounds perfect for me, but alas, NOPE, he’s not a wine lover. Chocolate Guinness Cake with Irish Cream Carmel Sauce, hmmm… closer to his likes, but beer and chocolate? I just don’t know about that. No… I think I’m gonna go with my own creation… a super moist, Hot Cocoa… no, Coffee and cocoa…. oh I know… a Triple Shot, Half Caf, Skinny Mocha cake. I don’t know where I get this stuff!!! I hope it tastes as good as I’ve imagined it will!!

Triple Shot, Half Caf, Skinny Mocha Chocolate Cake By My Slightly Demented and Really Slow Brain

• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup cocoa This is part of the Mocha part of the recipe
• 2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
• 2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1 Teaspoon Salt
• 1 Cup Oil  Skinny version –  1/2 Cup Oil & 1/2 Cup Applesauce
• 1 Cup Milk, Buttermilk or if your lactose intolerant Almond Milk I’m trying a Dr. Oz experiment to see if I’m lactose intolerant. Might explain why I’m so slow.
• 2 Eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 Cup Steaming Hot Coffee This is the other part of the Mocha… where you personalize the recipe however you like. IE. half caf, triple shot etc. Get CRAZY!!! Another option is to actually purchase your favorite coffee drink from your local barrista and add it here… GENIUS!!!

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease two 9-inch baking pans and set aside.
2. In the large bowl,  stir together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda & powder, and salt.
3. Add oil, eggs, milk and vanilla extract; beat 2 minutes on medium speed.
4. Stir in hot coffee. Batter will be runny, just go with it.
5. Pour batter evenly between the two pans and bake on middle rack of oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
6. Cool completely on wire racks before frosting.

Coffee Icing

• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 4 tablespoons strong coffee… or use your favorite coffee drink again.
• 1/4 cup butter (soy butter if your lactose intolerant)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

1. Beat all ingredients together until fluffy.
2. Slather it on your cakes.
3. Top with mini chocolate chips or cocoa-powdered sugar dusting.
4. Take a picture of your cake and start bragging!!!

Ratatouille

What do you think of when I say “ratatouille”? Do you think of food or cute little animated rats? Rats? Yeah, me too. I had no idea what ratatouille was before I saw the 2007 animated blockbuster movie, but I remember walking out thinking “I need to make Ratatouille.” Now, for some reason I thought ratatouille was a meat (rat?) based soup, but thanks to Wikipedia, I now see that it’s actually stewed vegetables. Uh, yeah, right up my alley! And it sounds so sophisticated and romantic! The full name is ratatouille niçoise, because it was founded in Nice, France. Ooh la la!! Très chic!! Hmm, that’s all I remember from my three years of French? Oh wait… Je m’appelle Kim! YES!!! Of shall I say OUI!!

So, I found out that there are different ways to make ratatouille. Some recipes make it more like a casserole and others make it more like a soup. I found this recipe and since I had all the ingredients, I went with it! I hope it’s très bon or I’ll be très triste. I continue to amaze myself with the myriad of useless information floating around my brain.

Ratatouille of Roasted Vegetables From EatingWell:  September/October 1993

6 servings, scant 1 cup each Active Time: 30 minutes Total Time: 1 1/2 hours

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 large head garlic
• 12 ripe plum tomatoes, cored, halved and seeded
• 1 eggplant, (1-1 1/4 pounds), cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick slices
• 2 small zucchini, cut in half lengthwise
• 2 small summer squash, cut in half lengthwise
• 1 Spanish onion, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
• 1 large red bell pepper, cut in half lengthwise and seeded
• 1 large yellow bell pepper, cut in half lengthwise and seeded
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

PREPARATION

1. Set oven racks at the two lowest levels; preheat to 450°F. Peel away as much of the papery skin from garlic as possible and wrap the head loosely in foil. Roast until the garlic is very soft, about 30 minutes. Let cool slightly. Yummy!!! 
2. Meanwhile, lightly coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray. Arrange tomatoes, eggplant slices, zucchini, squash, onion and red and yellow bell peppers on the prepared baking sheets. Roast, turning once, until just tender and browned, about 20 minutes. Let cool slightly. Reduce oven temperature to 350°. So, I don’t know if I cut too many veggies or if my pans are too small, but I used every pan in my kitchen for this step. 
3. Separate the garlic cloves and squeeze the soft pulp into a large heavy saucepan or Dutch oven. Slip skins from the tomatoes and peppers. Roughly chop the roasted vegetables and add to the pan. Stir in basil, oil, thyme, oregano, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Cover and bake, stirring occasionally, until heated through and thickened, about 30 minutes. Remove bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasonings, and serve hot or at room temperature.

I topped mine with some crumbled feta cheese and ooh la la, it was très bon!!!! Now, I must confess, that I am not a big eggplant fan, but I didn’t mind it in this recipe! And… it made so much that I froze the leftovers for a rainy or really busy/lazy day!! 

NUTRITION

Per serving: 163 calories; 6 g fat ( 1 g sat , 4 g mono ); 0 mg cholesterol; 27 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 6 g protein; 9 g fiber; 219 mg sodium; 1286 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (250% daily value), Vitamin A (74% dv), Potassium (37% dv), Folate (27% dv), Magnesium (17% dv).

“What’s In Your Pantry” Challenge: Angel Hair Alfredo

I had planned to make angel hair pasta with a homemade red sauce with meatballs (No, I didn’t start eating meat… the vegetarians weren’t eating pasta tonight), and buttery garlic bread for dinner tonight. But, as is common in my house, someone grumbled about wanting Alfredo sauce instead. Of course, I scoffed and said they will eat what I make or they can make their own dinner. I know…I’m a hard ass, huh? Well, as soon as they walked away, I jumped on the internet in search of a quick and easy Alfredo recipe. And this is why I deserve the “Mom Of The Year” Award! (Actually, I’d rather have a chest to pin the award on!!) Well, I found one that was super simple and most importantly, I had all the ingredients!!! WOOHOO!

Quick and Easy Alfredo Sauce By Dawn Carter From AllRecipes.com

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 cups milk
• 6 ounces grated Parmesan cheese I didn’t use 6 ounces, I used more like 3 ounces. 
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper I used white pepper, because my fam doesn’t like to see black specs in their food. 

Directions

1. Melt butter in a medium, non-stick saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add cream cheese and garlic powder, stirring with wire whisk until smooth.
3. Add milk, a little at a time, whisking to smooth out lumps.
4. Stir in Parmesan and pepper.
5. Remove from heat when sauce reaches desired consistency. Sauce will thicken rapidly, thin with milk if cooked too long.
6. Toss with hot pasta to serve. I used angel hair, because that’s what I had planned and I didn’t have fettucini. 

OK, so here’s my take on this recipe… First, it said it makes 4 servings. Uh, no! Maybe if you’re drinking it. It actually makes more like 8-10 servings. That being said, don’t be fooled into thinking that you can use a small saucepan to make this. I did, and it was so full I couldn’t even whisk properly… if I knew how to whisk properly. The pan size issue is also why I didn’t add all the parmesan cheese. But it actually tasted REALLY GOOD!!! I added some grilled chicken on top and called it Chicken Angel Hair Alfredo. Sounds like a mob nickname, huh?

Whole Wheat Pita Pockets

I LOVE PITAS!!! They’re just the right amount of bread for me, not too doughy not too crusty… they’re just right. And they’re hollow. How are they hollow? It’s such a mystery to me! Maybe it’s  MAGIC!! I used to think that the baker would scoop out the middle part after baking them. HA!!!! Oh, sorry if I blew the secret for you.  I guess I should’ve given a spoiler alert!  Oh well, you’d have figured it out sooner or later.

I’ve always wanted to try baking breads, but I’ve always thought that it was a difficult process, what with the yeast that may be active or may not,  and the water that has to be exactly between 110-115ºF. UGH!! And I thought that baking pitas would be virtually impossible for a novice baker like me. But I didn’t let my fear thwart my desire. I tackled homemade rolls a few days ago and they turned out GREAT!! Check them out here. Yummy!!! So, I’m feeling empowered and and I might even dare to say invincible. GASP!! I just jinxed it, didn’t I? Oh well, here goes!!!

Whole Wheat Pita Pockets By Tammy’s Recipes

Yield: 8 whole pita pockets (or 16 halves)

Ingredients: 

• 1 1/4 cup warm water (110-115 degrees)
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 3/4 cups whole wheat flour OK so I didn’t check my flour stash and I had to substitute unbleached, enriched white flour…UGH!
• 1/3 cup gluten*
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dry yeast

Instructions: 

1. In a large bowl, combine first 4 ingredients. Add the gluten and 1 cup of the flour, along with the yeast, and stir to mix. Add remaining flour and knead to make a soft dough. (Add additional flour if necessary during kneading.)

Alternately, if you have a bread machine, you can put the ingredients in the pan in the order listed and use the dough cycle. Skip to step 3 if using your bread machine!

2. Put your dough into a bowl, lightly oil the top, and cover. Set in a warm place to rise, until almost double (about an hour). I like to turn my oven on for a minute or two, then turn it off, and let the dough rise in there, since our house is cool.So I took a little nap during this stage. Highly recommend this as there’s no yeast induced stress.  

3. Punch dough down and turn onto a lightly floured surface. Using a sharp knife, cutdough into 8 equal pieces. Form each piece into a ball. On a lightly floured surface, roll each ball into a 6- or 7-inch circle.

4. As you roll the rounds, set them aside on a lightly floured countertop or table, and cover loosely with a towel. Let rise for about 25-35 minutes, until slightly puffy. (The rounds will still be thin though! ) I actually put them on baking sheets instead of the counter. And Ididn’t let them rise the full time because they had extra rise time during my nap. 

5. Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Place 2 rounds, side-by-side, onto a wire rack, such as is used for cooling things. Place rack in the middle of the oven. Bake for 4-5 minutes, until puffy and just slightly browned. (If bread is too browned, it will be dry and not pliable.) I didn’t use a rack in the oven, I just used the cookie sheets I had them rise on. They puffed right up, on their own!! I didn’t even have to scoop them out

6. Remove rack from oven and immediately wrap/layer pita breads in a damp towel, to soften. Continue baking the remaining breads, layering them between damp towels as soon as they’re baked. Allow breads to completely cool.

7. Cut pita breads in half, or split the top edge, and fill as desired.

8. Store pitas in a plastic zipper bag in the fridge for a few days, or place in the freezer for longer storage. To re-warm pitas, wrap them in a damp towel and then wrap in foil. Place in a warm (200-250 degree) oven for about 20 minutes.

So my fear is gone! They turned out great!! They taste so good when they’re fresh. MMMMMM, MMMMMM, MMMMMM!!!! 

I made cute little individual pizzas using the pitas as the crust. Check them out here.

Pita Pizza

I’m trying to eat clean in 2012. “What is clean?” you ask. Hmm, good question. It seems there are many different meanings and degrees of “clean eating” to choose from. Sigh.

I define clean eating as a diet full of natural whole foods. Think about eating foods that look the same on your plate as they do in nature, with little to no processing or other ingredients added. Like an apple, cucumber, tomato, etc. If I can get organic, then all the better, but I don’t always. I have to remind you that I’m a vegetarian, or rather a pescetarian (I eat fish or pesce it Italian), so I don’t have the image of a cow or chicken sitting on my plate. But if you do, then try to buy organic, grass fed, free range, or farm raised products.

I’ve been trying to come up with nutritious, filling recipes that are clean and appeal to everyone. This is tough to do in my house, with all the child eaters (yes my hubs is considered a child eater), but this one actually worked. You see, my family loves pizza (mostly) and I’ve been craving a slice of pizza pie, but I didn’t want to blow my resolution. So, I decided to make a slice that would satisfy my family, my craving and my resolution… and let me use my newly made pitas! That’s right… I made pita pockets… yes from scratch! They are soo easy and oddly rewarding when they actually puff up. Are you wondering why I don’t just buy them at the store? Well, I looked at the ingredient list on the pre-made ones and didn’t think they were clean, according to my definition. So I found a recipe and made my own. See my blog post here. Bonus: They make a GREAT thin crust for pizza!!!

Pita Pizzas By Me

• Pita Pockets (1 per person)
• 1 can organic crushed tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon garlic
• Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
• Optional toppings: mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, pepperoni, onion, sweet peppers, banana peppers, etc.
• Oregano

1. Cut the pita along outer edge to create to thin crusts. If you like a thicker crust, skip this step.
2. For a crispier crust, broil your split pita until just slightly browned or toasted.
3. If you like smooth sauce, blend the crushed tomatoes and garlic into a smooth puree.
4. Spread sauce onto each pita crust.
5. Top with mozzarella, oregano and optional toppings.
6. Bake at 350ºF until cheese is melted.

Academy Award Winning Healthy Popcorn

‘Tis the season of The Oscar’s, The Golden Globes, The People’s Choice and about a gazillions other award shows. Have you noticed how many trophies the entertainment industry awards themselves? Why? The big fat bank account isn’t enough? They need trophies for the mantle in their bathroom, too?!?! Yes I’m implying that everyone involved in the entertainment industry either has a fireplace in their bathroom, or will build one if they win. Which I’m know is CRAZY, but that’s where they say they keep them, and I don’t think they put them on the back of the commode. Or maybe they do?

Whoa, sorry for the rant… But it felt necessary to vent!! Anyway, my husband and I are trying to see as many of the nominated films as we can. And that means buckets and buckets of popcorn and boxes and boxes of Junior Mints. So let me get this out there right now… yes, I know how unhealthy Movie Theater Popcorn is, but watching a movie at the theater just isn’t the same without a bucket and a box!! That being said, I think I need to start smuggling in my own popcorn. I mean have you seen the nutritional info of a bucket of popcorn? Here’s the info for a large unbuttered popcorn from our local theater chain… Calories: 868, Fat: 41g, Carbs: 98g, Protein: 17g. Now this info is for a large and it’s probably suppose to be shared by 6-8 people, which would make it a little better. But truth be told, we… the two of us…share it and other than the spattering of kernels rolling around the bottom of the bucket, we can pretty much finish it off. I know, go ahead and say it…YIKES!!!Well I was watching Dr. Oz and he said that you can pop your own healthy popcorn in a brown paper lunch bag in your microwave!! WHAAAATTT??!?! Nuh-uh! That can’t be right. Well, I decided to prove him wrong.

Paper Bag Popcorn 

• 1/4 cup popcorn kernels I saw one recipe that said to add 1/2 cup of kernels… TOO MUCH! Reference the pics below.
• Brown Paper Bag Lunch Bag size
• Toppings of choice: Spray oil or butter (use sparingly), salt, garlic salt, Lawry’s® Seasoning Salt, Cinnamon, parmesan cheese, etc.

1. Pour popcorn into the paper bag and fold down the top multiple times.
2. Place in microwave and pop on the smallest “popcorn” setting, or for about 3:30 minutes.
3. Carefully remove bag from microwave and season with your choice of toppings

So I used 1/2 cup of kernels and I do not sugget this. My bag ripped open during popping and I had “live popping” kernels all over the microwave. WARNING: Do not open the microwave when you have loose kernels. Just turn off the microwave and allow the kernels to cool before opening door. Trust me on this one!

Betty Challenge #493: Chicken Broth

I am kicking some Betty Crocker Cookbook Challenge butt!! That’s right, after a rather long lull, I’m back in it with a vigor and determination to finish the entire book, before I’m a senior citizen. Uhmmm, I just received my AARP pre-premature mailer, so the pressure is on!!

So, I found a deal on a cooked refrigerated rotisserie chicken at Publix. You’ve got to LOVE a deal!! Well, you do if your into frugality, like I am! So, I bought it to use on my kids’ lunch salads, but after picking all the white meat off, I just couldn’t throw away the carcass with all the dark meat and skin. So I went to Betty and found a chicken broth recipe. Now she, of course, used the entire chicken, but I improvised, which I happen to be so good at doing. I’m sure my hatred of being told what to do plays a roll in my improvisation. That’s right, not even Betty can boss me around so there… (insert raspberry sound here)!!

Chicken and Broth By Betty Crocker

• 1 cut-up whole chicken (3 to 3 1/2 lb) So My chicken was precooked rotisserie and I had already rescued the good white meat. So I used the rest of the chicken parts.
• 4 1/2 cups cold water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 medium celery stalk (with leaves), cut-up
• 1 carrot, cut up
• 1 small onion, cut up
• 1 parsley sprigs

Remove excess fat from chicken. In Dutch oven or stock pot, place chicken, giblets (except liver) and neck. Add remaining chicken and broth ingredients; heat to boiling. Skim foam from broth; reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer about 45 minutes or until juice of chicken is no longer pink when centers of thickest pieces are cut.

So I kind of just threw whatever I had into the stock pot and let it cook away. I’d give you details, but the hubs if gonna be reading this and what he doesn’t know (that I threw in all the stuff he hates… spinach, sweet peppers, cauliflower & broccoli) can’t hurt him (and in fact, will save his life). Also, instead of salt and pepper, I added a little of the Montreal Chicken Seasoning. After cooking it for several hours, I cooled it and put in freezer bags and popped them in the freezer. 

It smells wonderful! And I don’t like chicken. I’ll let you know what the family thinks when I use it.

“Pop” Rolls

Rolls and I have a love/hate relationship. I love the smell of freshly baked rolls. I love the taste of a warm, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth roll. I hate how they attach themselves to my hips. And I really hate  when I make them from scratch, slaving over them through two rises and what seems like hours of kneading, only to have them taste like hockey pucks. So, when I found this recipe, I was hopeful that these would be my UNBELIEVABLE success story! Now, this recipe uses a Tupperware-esque plastic bowl with lid for the rises, (I don’t know how or why, I just do what I’m told) and very little kneading. BONUS!!! I hope it works! I really hope it works!! I really, really hope it works!! Wish me luck!!! No pucks, please!!!

Unbelievable Rolls By Sherlie at All Recipes

• 3/4 cup milk
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 5 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup margarine, melted

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, warm milk, water, sugar and salt. Remove from heat, and mix in the eggs and yeast.
2. Measure flour into a large bowl. Make a well in the flour, and pour milk mixture into it. Do not stir. Cover with a lid, and let stand for 20 to 30 minutes. So just about 25 minutes into this rise, I heard a “POP” that scared the crud out of me. It was the lid popping off the bowl due to the pressure from inside the bowl. I took this as my cue that it was done. 
3. Pour melted margarine into flour, and mix well. Add more flour if too sticky. Knead lightly. Cover, and let rise for 20 to 30 minutes. Again, the “POP” was my sign, and yes, it scared me again!
4. Shape the dough into rolls, and place on a baking sheet. If you want to freeze them, do that now!! Then, when you’re ready to use them, move them to the refrigerator the night before, take them out in the morning and let them rise on the counter. 
5. Let rise again for 20 to 30 minutes.If using the freezer rolls this may take longer, just be patient.
6. Bake rolls in a preheated 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) oven for 15 minutes, or until done.

This were the best rolls I’ve ever made!! Not the best I’ve ever tasted, but definitely the best my hands have created! AWESOME!!!!

Cheesy Apples

I know cottage cheese and an apple doesn’t sound like a lunch you might crave or even consider, but trust me on this one… it was AWESOME!!! Are you wondering how I ended up with this concoction? Well, as I mentioned in a previous post, I’m trying to eat healthier and get fit. Truth be told, I’m actually attempting the 13-week P90X program. (1 week down, 12 more to go!!) Notice that my resolution wasn’t to do the P90X program? Yeah, I think that I have a better chance of success if I say “eat healthier”, because even if I’m still eating crappy, I can still say I’m eating healthier than last year, thus SUCCESS!!! Anyway, the P90X nutrition plan is not vegetarian-friendly, so I’ve decided that I would come up with my own menus, thus the Cheesy Apple creation.

So normally, I’d have my cottage cheese with some sort of crackers, or if the crackers are gone even some (GASP) chips would do. But crackers and chips are not on the nutrition plan. Plain cottage cheese is just so…  so boring! As I was staring into my fridge, I saw the newly purchased, unopened cottage cheese, sitting right beside the newly purchased Pink Lady apples, and I had a brainstorm. OK, maybe it was just a passing shower. But I thought to myself “Hey, I could totally cut my apple with my handy dandy corer, slicer and then scoop the cottage cheese into the center, and I could add some cucumber slices or even some chopped walnuts or pecans.” Yep, I was right, it was AWESOME!!!! And so healthy!! Here’s the recipe and the nutritional facts…

Recipe:

• 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese, look for a low sodium variety
• 1 fresh apple, washed, cored and sliced
• 1 teaspoon chopped pecans, optional

1. Use a apple corer/slicer to prepare your apple. Cut the center core out leaving a spot for the cottage cheese. TIP: sprinkle some lemon or lime juice over the apple slices to prevent it from turning brown.
2. Scoop the cottage cheese into the center and top with pecans.

Nutrition:

• Calories: 164
• Total Fat: 5.3 grams
• Cholesterol: 15 mg
• Sodium: 400 mg This will depend on the variety of cottage cheese you use
• Carbohydrates: 18.9 grams
• Fiber: 2.3 grams
• Sugar: 15 grams
• Protein: 13.6 grams

Get your apple corer slicer at Target.