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Jennifer Iserloh

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Mini Red Velvet Cheesecake

by Jennifer Iserloh, Posted Feb 8th 2010 @ 1:00PM

mini red velvet cheescake Photo: Jennifer Iserloh, The Skinny Chef

I'm fascinated by traditional recipes that get passed down from one generation to the next. Red velvet cake is one of those recipes. The moist, rich cake is historically made with lots of red artificial food coloring and topped with delicious, but highly caloric cream-cheese frosting. I love the idea of updating it in the form of a healthier, mini-cheesecake.

I've used canned beets to achieve the red velvet color and reduced-fat cream cheese and sour cream to cut the richness. These make great one-bite wonders for Valentine's Day, or any time you want to entertain.

Find the recipe for these lite delights after the jump.

Filed under: The Skinny Chef, Features

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Chili Challenge

COMMENTS 2

by Jennifer Iserloh, Posted Feb 5th 2010 @ 1:00PM

chili Photo: Jennifer Iserloh, The Skinny Chef

Having a few friends over this weekend? If you usually make the standard chili from the recipe on the back of the can, this is the year to ramp up the richness and complexity with these unexpected additions -- the crowd will roar.

Rich Chocolate
Just a teaspoon of unsweetened cocoa or solid unsweetened baking chocolate will add body and depth and is an essential ingredient in Mexican mole sauce. Add the chocolate toward the end of cooking, starting with one teaspoon and tasting before adding more.

Hit Them with Heat
Chipotle chile adds smokiness and heat at once, so start with just half a chipotle pepper, plus a tablespoon of the adobo sauce straight from the can. Add it after you sauté your onions and garlic and cook for one more minute. I recommend the Morena brand for its mouthwatering adobo.

Filed under: The Skinny Chef

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Spinach-Stuffed Meatloaf

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by Jennifer Iserloh, Posted Feb 1st 2010 @ 1:00PM

stuffed meatloaf Photo: The Skinny Chef.

Meatloaf is one of those blue-plate specials that is still on my list as a comforting, satisfying meal that's perfect for winter weeknights. I like to shake up the flavor by adding new ingredients, or even stuffing it with something surprising, like gooey mozzarella and fresh baby spinach.

This recipe is updated with tasty, lean protein sources, including ground turkey, egg whites, skim milk and part-skim mozzarella. I've also substituted old-fashioned oats for the usual breadcrumbs, sneaking in better carbohydrates where no one will notice.

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Purple Bananas

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by Jennifer Iserloh, Posted Jan 29th 2010 @ 1:00PM

red bananas Photo: Jennifer Iserloh, Skinny Chef

When these red bananas first caught my eye yesterday, I thought they were purple. Purple bananas? Well, there are purple beans, purple tomatoes, purple cauliflower -- so why not purple bananas?

Sounds like something out of an "Alice in Wonderland" garden, but I assure you that they're real and they're actually called "red" bananas. In fact, you might find an array of deep red and violet foods if you were to stroll through some people's gardens -- surely Alice Waters or Dan Barber might have fruits and vegetables from the darker spectrum of the rainbow.

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Luscious Legumes

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by Jennifer Iserloh, Posted Jan 25th 2010 @ 1:00PM

Photo: Jennifer Iserloh, Skinny Chef

The very first steamy bowl of black beans soup drenched in plenty of fresh lime topped with a dollop of sour cream started a love affair with black beans that has never stopped. There is something about a hearty bowl filled with satisfying creamy beans.

That's why it's a good idea to keep your pantry stocked with beans for fast and health salad toppings, dips, soup, side dish and Mexican favorites like tacos, burritos, quesadillas and enchiladas. Beans also happen to be inexpensive ingredient and are easy to enjoy right from the can after you rinse them well under cold water to clear away any starch clinging to the beans or that unwanted, metalic flavor. Some dinner-ready favorites include garbanzo, also called "chick peas", black beans, navy, kidney and pinto. They are a health smart and very high in fiber, which means loads of benefits including lowering cholesterol and keeping blood sugar stable -- helping to keep cravings at bay and even improve your mood. A half cup is about 100 calories and a pretty filling snack when enjoyed with a few whole grain tortilla chips, stirred into tomato salsa or drizzled with a low-cal salad dressing.

Black bean quesadillas can be a healthful meal too when you follow this Skinny Chef recipe.

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