probably what caught my eye that started my latest obsession was the flavor of the first bag i saw: garlic parmesan … ooooooh! i was so excited BUT what may take away from the great flavor is the salt content — not just the amount but it just tasted too salty, so much so that i had to brush off some of the flavoring so i can “enjoy” the snack. there are many flavors so i made sure to check the salt content. all the cheese flavors have a lot of salt.

so i tried the other flavors – savory: original, everything, buffalo wings – and – sweet: cinnamon toast. my favorite savory flavor is everything and my favorite of all the flavors i tried is cinnamon toast. it is still an awesome snack. they also come in resealable baggies to make sure it stays crisp. YUM! serve them at your next party (but remember to watch out on the salt content in some of the flavors!)

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learn more about Pretzel Crisps and buy it at your local food market

but in absence of them, what can i do? then i thought, why not try making them myself? well, i tried two recipes – one with lychee puree and one with canned lychee syrup. in this trial, the canned lychee syrup jelly won out … maybe bcuz i tried the lychee puree jelly with canned lychees, not fresh lychees so i’ll have to try it again!

in the meantime, i’ll share with you the lychee syrup jelly which was jelly fun!

Ingredients

• 2 cans lychees in heavy syrup
• 2 packets (approximately 2 teaspoons each) unflavored gelatin powder

Preparation

In a large bowl, separate the lychees from the syrup by emptying the two cans of lychees through a strainer. Keep the syrup in the large bowl and setting aside the lychees in a separate bowl.

From the bowl of syrup, remove 3 cups of syrup into a small pot and heat until boiling. Keep 1 more cup of syrup (cold or room temperature) and save the remaining syrup in a storage container other use.

Pour back the 1 cup of syrup into the large bowl. Sprinkle 3 packets of unflavored gelatin powder over the syrup. Leave for 1 minute. Add boiled syrup juice into the large bowl and stir.

Pour lychee syrup jelly liquid into 6 small cups. Add 2-3 lychees in each cup. Refrigerate for 3 hours or until set. Serve and enjoy!

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original recipe from Knox Unflavored Gelatin packets

Ingredients 

• wild mushroom stuffing
• mashed potatoes
• turkey bacon

Preparation

In a small aluminum pan, layer mashed potatoes on the bottom, wild mushroom stuffing, another layer of mashed potatoes and then top with a slice of turkey bacon. Bake in a toaster or oven until warm, approximately 30 minutes. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 10 cups day-old bread, cubed
• 3 cups fat free milk – or – soy milk
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, with extra for baking pan
• 3 tablespoons unsalted margarine from a tub
• 1 head garlic, minced
• 4 shallots, finely diced
• 2 cups finely chopped onions
• 2 pounds chanterelle mushrooms, stemmed, cleaned and coarsely chopped – or -
  2 pounds mixed wild mushrooms (i.e combination of chanterelle, oyster, crimini, portobello, shiitake, enoki), stemmed, cleaned and coarsely chopped
• 1/ cup chopped Italian parsley
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme
• sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with oil.

Place bread in a large bowl and toss with milk. Let stand, tossing or stirring occasionally, until saturated.

Add oil and margarine to a pan and heat over medium heat. Add garlic and shallots and cook, stirring often, until softened and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add onions and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until the mushroom have softened and the liquid released has evaporated, 8 to 12 minutes.

Drain and squeeze the bread and add to the bowl with the mushroom mixture (discard any remaining milk). Add parsley, thyme, salt and pepper; stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Stir in eggs. Then add ground flaxseed. Mix thoroughly.

Transfer the stuffing to the prepared baking dish. Bake until heated through and golden on top, about 45 minutes.

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original recipe for Eating Well: Wild Mushroom Stuffing

1. Canned Tomatoes
The solution: Choose tomatoes in glass bottles (which do not need resin linings).
Budget tip: If your recipe allows, substitute bottled pasta sauce for canned tomatoes. Look for pasta sauces with low sodium and few added ingredients, or you may have to adjust the recipe.

2. Corn-Fed Beef
The solution: Buy grass-fed beef. It’s usually labeled because it demands a premium, but if you don’t see it, ask your butcher.
Budget tip: Cuts on the bone are cheaper because processors charge extra for deboning. You can also buy direct from a local farmer, which can be as cheap as $5 per pound. To find a farmer near you, search eatwild.com.

3. Microwave Popcorn
The solution: Pop natural kernels the old-fashioned way: in a skillet. For flavorings, you can add real butter or dried seasonings, such as dillweed, vegetable flakes, or soup mix.
Budget tip: Popping your own popcorn is dirt cheap.

4. Nonorganic Potatoes
The solution: Buy organic potatoes. Washing isn’t good enough if you’re trying to remove chemicals that have been absorbed into the flesh.
Budget tip: Organic potatoes are only $1 to $2 a pound, slightly more expensive than conventional spuds.

5. Farmed Salmon
The solution: Switch to wild-caught Alaska salmon. If the package says fresh Atlantic, it’s farmed. There are no commercial fisheries left for wild Atlantic salmon.
Budget tip: Canned salmon, almost exclusively from wild catch, can be found for as little as $3 a can.

6. Milk Produced with Artificial Hormones
The solution: Check labels for rBGH-free, rBST-free, produced without artificial hormones, or organic milk. These phrases indicate rBGH-free products.
Budget tip: Try Wal-Mart’s Great Value label, which does not use rBGH.

7. Conventional Apples
The solution: Buy organic apples.
Budget tip: If you can’t afford organic, be sure to wash and peel them. But Kastel personally refuses to compromise.

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read article from Prevention: 7 Foods That Should Never Cross Your Lips

1. French fries
2. Anything fried or battered
3. Pie and piecrust
4. Margarine sticks
5. Shortening
6. Cake mixes and frostings
7. Pancakes and waffles
8. Fried chicken
9. Ice cream
10. Nondairy creamers
11. Microwave popcorn
12. Ground beef
13. Cookies
14. Biscuits and sweet rolls
15. Breakfast sandwiches
16. Frozen or creamy beverages
17. Meat sticks
18. Crackers
19. Frozen dinners
20. Asian crunchy noodles
21. Canned chili
22. Packaged pudding

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read article on MSN Health by Amanda MacMillan from Health: 22 Worst Foods for Trans Fat

1: Oatmeal
What it does: Helps you avoid the winter blues
Other mood-improving foods: Whole wheat bread, brown rice, whole grain cereals, fruit

2: Walnuts
What it does: Keeps your skin from drying out
Other skin-saving foods: Salmon, flaxseed, olive oil, tuna

3: Garlic
What it does: Wards off cold and flu viruses (and vampires)
Other virus-blasting foods: Carrots, yogurt, oysters. For more protection against seasonal sickness,

4: Winter squash
What it does: Prevents weight gain
Other weight-loss foods: Artichokes, raspberries, whole grains, legumes

5: Chicken Sandwich
What it does: Keeps your energy up
Other energy-boosting foods: Peanut butter sandwich on whole grain bread, Greek yogurt with fruit, whole grain crackers with low-fat cheese.

6: Chicken Soup
What it does: Helps you breathe easy
Other sinus-clearing foods: Tea, coffee, any broth-based soup.

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read article on Yahoo! Health by David Zinczenko with Matt Goulding from Men’s Health: The 6 Best Foods for Winter

1. Soapy Cilantro
2. Bitter Brussels Sprouts
3. Texture-challenging Tomatoes
4. Funky Fennel
5. Icky Eggplant
6. Earthy Mushrooms
7. Strange-Looking Raisins
8. Pungent Ginger
9. Off-putting Pulp

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read article on Yahoo! Shine by YouBeauty.com: Why You Can’t Stand Certain Foods

1. It may help ward off depression.
A study which followed a group of women for 10 years found that women who regularly drink fully caffeinated coffee have a 20% lower risk of depression than non-coffee drinkers.

2. It may help promote a healthy weight.
Drinking coffee after a meal, it causes your body to more slowly process the meal you just ate. Caffeine decreases the rate at which the stomach dumps its contents into the duodenum-a part of the small intestine where digestion takes place-and also increases metabolic rate.

3. It may boost fertility in men.
Studies have shown that caffeine has a positive effect on sperm motility-the ability of sperm to move toward an egg-and could increase your chances of [getting pregnant]

4. It can harbor bacteria.
Clean your coffee maker once a month by adding three or four cups of undiluted vinegar to the reservoir, allowing it to sit for 30 minutes and then running the vinegar through the unit. Finish by adding fresh water to the reservoir and running the machine through two or three cycles to wash away vinegar residue.

5. It may reduce the risk of skin cancer.
Women who drank more than three cups of coffee a day had a 20% lower risk for basal cell carcinoma, and men had a 9% reduced risk.

6. It’s not truly addictive.
Caffeine is a mild stimulant. People can reduce or eliminate caffeine from their diet without the serious psychological or physical problems that result from a true addiction. However, people who consume 600 milligrams of caffeine (about six small cups of coffee) daily may experience symptoms such as fatigue and irritability if they reduce their intake but they will usually resolve themselves after a few days.

7. It doesn’t necessarily cause stomach pain.
There is no evidence from reviewed studies that coffee causes ulcers or more pain in patients with documented ulcers. There is no evidence that coffee could be the cause of stomach pain in patients with indigestion. However, drinking coffee may worsen heartburn symptoms, since it stimulates the stomach to produce gastric acid.
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read article on Yahoo! Shine by Amanda Greene Kelly from Woman’s Day: 7 Surprising Health Facts About Coffee

* read post with reasons not to quit coffee

*

Caesar Salad

Swap out: Bottled Caesar dressing
Swap in: Simple homemade Caesar dressing

Ingredients

• 1/4 cups pasteurized egg substitute
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1-1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh Parmesan
• 8 cups romaine lettuce coarsely cut

Preparation

In small bowl, whisk together egg substitute; garlic, anchovy paste, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice. Slowly add olive oil in a steady stream, whisking until combined. Stir in fresh Parmesan. Toss romaine lettuce with dressing. Serves 4.

*

Candied Sweet Potato

Swap out: Brown sugar, marshmallows, butter
Swap in: Maple syrup, olive oil

Ingredients

• 4 med sweet potatoes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• a pinch of nutmeg
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• Special equipment: 13″ x 9″ baking dish

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°F. Wash and peel sweet potatoes and cut into 1″ pieces. Toss in large bowl with olive oil, pure maple syrup, salt, cinnamon, a pinch of nutmeg, and pecans.

Place mixture in 13″ x 9″ baking dish and roast until fork-tender, about 40 minutes. Serves 4.

*

Macaroni and Cheese

Swap out: Powdered cheese, whole milk, butter
Swap in: Butternut squash, fat-free milk, reduced-fat cheddar cheese

Ingredients

• 8 ounce whole wheat rotini
• 1/2 c fat-free milk
• 1/2 (12 ounce) package frozen butternut squash
• 1 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
• ground pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon Parmesan
• bread crumbs
• Special equipment: 8″ x 8″ baking dish

Preparation

Prepare whole wheat rotini according to package directions.

In medium saucepan, simmer milk with butternut squash until combined. Remove from heat and mix with Cheddar cheese, salt, dry mustard, and pepper to taste.

Pour drained pasta into baking dish, stir in cheese mixture, and top with Parmesan and bread crumbs. Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes. Serves 4.

*

Pumpkin Pie

Swap out: Store-bought pie crust
Swap in: Quick graham cracker crust

Ingredients

• cooking spray
• 3 tablespoons wheat germ
• 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
• 2 graham cracker 2-1/2″ squares, crushed
• 2 large eggs
• 1 (15-ounce) can plain pumpkin puree
• 1 (12-ounce) can fat-free evaporated milk
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1-1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• Special equipment: 12-cup nonstick muffin pan

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and coat 12-cup nonstick muffin pan with cooking spray.

In small bowl, combine wheat germ, ground flaxseed, and crushed graham cracker squares. Add 1 heaping teaspoon of the mixture to each muffin cup.

Whisk eggs and stir in plain pumpkin puree, fat-free evaporated milk, brown sugar, 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla extract.

Pour evenly into cups. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until sides are set and filling jiggles slightly.

Mix nonfat Greek yogurt with pure maple syrup. Keep cool in the fridge.

Let pies rest 10 to 15 minutes before removing from tins; top each with a dollop of the maple-yogurt mixture. Serves 12.

*

Creamy Tomato Soup

Swap out: Heavy cream, regular chicken broth
Swap in: 2% milk, white beans, low-sodium chicken broth

Ingredients

• 2 (14.5-ounce) cans low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 (28-ounce) bottle crushed tomatoes
• several bay leaves
• 1 cup cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup skim milk
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preparation

Combine chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, and several bay leaves in medium saucepan over medium heat. In small bowl, mash rinsed and drained cannellini beans with the back of a spoon and set aside.

When soup bubbles, stir in milk and reduce heat to low. Season to taste with a little salt and freshly ground black pepper and simmer about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove and discard bay leaves and stir in mashed beans.

In small batches, puree soup in a blender. Serves 4.

*

Mashed Potato

Swap out: Heavy Cream
Swap in: Low-fat buttermilk

Ingredients

• 2 pound cubed Yukon Gold potatoes
• sea salt and ground pepper, to taste
• 1 cup low-fat cultured buttermilk
• 1-1/2 tablespoon margarine in a tub
• 2 tablespoon chopped chives

Preparation

Put Yukon Gold potatoes in a large pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.

Warm low-fat cultured buttermilk in a saucepan over low heat, being careful not to overheat. In a large bowl, mash the potatoes and pour in buttermilk.

Season with salt and pepper and finish with 1-1/2 tablespoon margarine. Top with chopped chives. Serves 4.

*

Meatloaf

Swap out: Ground beef, plain breadcrumbs
Swap in: Ground turkey, quick-cooking instant oats, frozen chopped spinach

Ingredients

• 1 pound extra-lean ground turkey
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup instant oats
• 1/2 cup low-sodium BBQ sauce, divided
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 10 ounce frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• Special equipment: nonstick 9″ x 5″ loaf pan

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and coat a nonstick 9″ x 5″ loaf pan with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, mix together extra-lean ground turkey, eggs, instant oats, 1/4 cup BBQ sauce, chopped onion, spinach, pepper, dried thyme, and Worcestershire sauce.

Place the meat mixture into the pan and shape so it’s even. Pour remaining 1/4 cup BBQ sauce over top of loaf and bake for 1 hour, or until a thermometer inserted in the center reads at least 160 degrees F. Serves 4.

*

Cosmopolitan

Swap out: Store-bought Cosmopolitan mix
Swap in: Cranberry juice, lime juice, agave nectar

Ingredients

• 1 ounce vodka
• 1 teaspoon agave nectar
• 1 ounce cranberry juice
• 1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
• 1 lime, cut in slices
• Special equipment: cocktail shaker

Preparation

Combine vodka with agave nectar, fresh lime juice, and cranberry juice in cocktail shaker. Add ice, shake, and garnish with lime. Serves 1.

*

Frozen Margarita

Swap out: Sugar-laden store-bought mix
Swap in: Zero-calorie mixers, fresh limes, agave nectar

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup seltzer water
• 1/2 shot each tequila
• 1/2 shot triple sec
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon of agave nectar
• Ice, shake
• 1 lime, cut in slices

Preparation

Combine seltzer water with tequila and triple sec, fresh lime juice, and agave nectar.

Add ice, shake, and garnish with lime slices.

*

Ice Cream with Strawberry Topping

Swap out: Hershey’s strawberry syrup
Swap in: Strawberry compote

Ingredients

• 4 cups frozen strawberries
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 cups vanilla ice cream

Preparation

Warm frozen strawberries with honey in a saucepan over medium heat until soft and tender. Let cool until sauce thickens.

Divide vanilla ice cream into four bowls and top each with strawberry compote. Serves 4.

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read article on Yahoo! Shine by Stephanie Breakstone from Prevention: Ingredient Swaps for Weight Loss