Can You Handle the Delicious-ness?

As you may have noticed, I have been absent from blog-land for the past couple of weeks.  My work schedule was pure insanity, and I'm currently finishing up what is ever-so-affectionately known as the "Kessler Special Plus One"....which means 13 days of work without a day off.  So, as you can imagine, I am quite exhausted, but I have still managed to make some delicious things over the last couple weeks.

Here are some highlights:

Eat-Clean Egg Salad:

• 1 dozen eggs
• 3 tbsp. Fage Total 0% Plain Greek Yogurt
• 1 tbsp. Spicy Brown Mustard
• Garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika to taste

Hard boil 12 eggs, cool completely, and peel.  Break the whites up into pieces and only use 2 of the yolks (yes, wasting 10 yolks, but your cholesterol will thank you).  Mash the egg whites, 2 yolks, yogurt, mustard, and spices together and refrigerate overnight.  

I can't explain to you how delicious this is.  I LOVE egg salad, but I avoid store-bought versions at all costs because of the ungodly amount of calories and fat that can be secretly packed into it

Bulgur Wheat with Diced Nectarine

• 1/2 c. Bob's Red Mill Bulgur Wheat
• 1 c. water
• 1 medium nectarine, diced
• Cinnamon and Truvia to taste

In a saucepan, boil 1c. water.  Add bulgur and diced nectarine, reduce heat and cover.  Simmer for 15 minutes or until all water absorbed and bulgur is soft.  Add cinnamon and Truvia to taste.  This makes 2 servings and can be eaten hot or cold.

 

 Last weekend, I had a couple of my girlfriends from UMD over for a wine and fondue night.  It was sooo delish.  I made the spinach and mango salad I've made before, and we had Italian Cheese Fondue with bread and tofu for dipping, followed by chocolate fondue with fruit, graham crackers, and marshmallows for dipping.  Here are some photos :o)

Last but not least, the insanely delicious and Autumn-themed cupcakes I made for a luncheon with co-workers tomorrow!

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Pumpkin Buttercream Frosting

Cupcakes:

• 1 cup All-Purpose Flour
• 2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
• 2 tsp. Baking Powder
• 2 tsp. Baking Soda
• 2 tsp. Salt
• 2 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
• 1 tsp. Nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. Allspice
• 1 1/2 cups All Whites Liquid Egg Whites
• 2 cups Pumpkin Puree
• 1 cup Unsweetened Applesauce
• 2 cups Sugar

Preheat oven to 350F.  Place paper liners in 2, 12-cup muffin tins.  In a bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.  In a separate bowl, mix together egg whites, pumpkin, applesauce, and sugar.  Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients (don't over mix!).  Fill the muffin tins 1/2 to 1/3 full and bake for approximately 20 minutes.  Let cool completely before frosting

Pumpkin Buttercream Icing: 

• 2 cups Softened Butter
• 6 cups Confectioner's Sugar
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. nutmeg
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 Tbsp. Pumpkin Puree
• Red and Yellow food coloring in a 1:5 ratio
• Milk (optional if consistency is too thick)

 Whip the butter with mixer until soft and even.  Add the spices and confectioner's sugar.  When fully combined, turn up speed to medium and mix for 2 minutes.  Add in vanilla and pumpkin.  Add food coloring

I then put the frosting into a pastry bag and piped it out to frost the cupcakes.  FYI, these "cupcakes" are pretty dense and could easily pass as muffins without the icing.  Additionally, the cupcakes themselves are totally fat free :o)

and now, many pictures of said cupcakes...

In other news, I am finishing up my 9th week of Weight Watchers, and I've lost 12.2 lbs!!  Here's to good food, lots of exercise, and a hectic work schedule!