Foodie Wannabe

I am an avid Food Network watcher. Guilty as charged. Being such a fan of the network has broadened my cooking and baking skills pretty well over the years. I'm no Bobby Flay, but I ain't half bad either. On that note, there still is a definite down side to this: I always have the munchies.

I have a terrible weakness for sweets... and salt... and... you get the drift. This is not good thing. My figure is not thankful, or forgiving for that matter.

I have a tendency to turn to the dark side (needless to say: chocolate) after my daughter goes to bed. This way she can't see me give in to temptation so she begs for dessert, too. I'm awful, I know; but hey, someone's gotta be the bad guy! Boy, I love being the adult... then sometimes .. I wish I had that someone to tell me, "You don't need dessert tonight either, Crystal."

My husband wouldn't dare dream to be the one who utters those words to me. So to save face, we're trying to be healthier together. Making the conscious decision to not just lose a few l.b.'s, but be healthier all around. It's not the easiest transition to make, so I'll share a few of my favorite Weight Watchers recipes:

Living in Alaska, Halibut quickly became my favorite food group. I ate it everywhere we went. Here's a recipe you can try at home.

Baked Halibut
4 (1/4 pound) halibut fillets
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
4 tsp olive oil
2 Tbsp plain dried breadcrumbs (I use Panko)
2 Tbsp capers, dried
1/4 tsp salt
Freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup minced flat leaf parsley
4 lemon wedges

*Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray a 9x13" baking dish with nonstick spray. Place the fillets skin side down in the baking dish; sprinkle them with the lemon juice. Brush each fillet with the oil, then sprinkle with the breadcrumbs, capers, salt and pepper.
Bake until the fish flakes easily when tested with a fork, 15-20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. Spoon any pan juices over the fish and sprinkle with the parsley. Serve at once, with the lemon wedges.

Breakfast, dessert or a mid-afternoon snack, smoothies are amazing. And easy on the thighs!

Berry Energizing Smoothie
1 ripe banana
1 cup of your favorite berries
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup ice
1/4 cup plain yogurt

*Blend well in a blender (I use my Magic Bullet for portion control) and enjoy! Use fat free ingredients for fewer calories!

And the best for last. Dessert rules my life. I'm so thankful for a sweet treat that won't kill my day!

Whipped Cream Chocolate Pie
4 1/2 oz chocolate wafer(s), processed to crumbs

4 Tbsp regular butter, melted

3/4 cup(s) heavy whipping cream

2 Tbsp powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 oz bittersweet chocolate, curled or grated with a vegetable peeler

*In a small bowl, combine cookie crumbs with melted butter until fully-incorporated; press into bottom of a 10-inch spring form pan and place in refrigerator.

In a mixing bowl, using an electric mixer on high, beat cream, sugar and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form; gently fold in half of chocolate. Spoon whipped filling over prepared crust and decorate with remaining chocolate; cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours. When ready to serve, run a knife around edge of pan and release outer ring of spring form pan. Cut into 12 pieces and serve. Yields 1 piece per serving.

On my way to a better me!