Squash chips

Ingredients
One large zucchini or yellow squash
Salt
Other seasonings/spices of your choosing

Instructions
1. Slice up a zucchini or yellow squash and line the slices on a microwaveable plate without overlapping. You can make the slices as thick or thin as you want, but the microwaveable time will differ based on how thick you slice them. Mine are probably about 1/4 inch thickness.
2. Place a paper towl over the sliced squash and press down gently, dabbing away the moisture and dampness.
3. Gather any seasonings that you want on your squash chips. Use whatever you'd like - but you must have salt. I used garlic pepper salt and nacho cheddar seasoning.
An arms length away, lightly spray the squash chips with a nonstick oil spray. Then, lightly sprinkle salt and whatever else you chose over all of the chips.
4. Place plate in microwave and microwave on high power for at least five minutes. Check at five minutes, and microwave in one minute bursts after that if the chips are not done.
When done, the chips should be crispy, browned.

Letting them sit for a few minutes will make them more crispy. Store in an airtight container if not eating them all at once. Enjoy!

Nutritional info: 20 calories per one serving / one batch / one squash sliced

Rustic Strawberry Crisp for one

There's nothing better than a warm fruit crisp on a cold night. This delicious single serving strawberry crisp acts as a light dessert or a great side to a meal.

A sweet strawberry pie like filling with a crispy oat buttery topping..
Do I have your attention yet?
If you haven't tried a strawberry crisp dessert, you really should. You should also top this with whipped cream for added bliss.

Ingredients
90g strawberries (frozen or fresh, if frozen, defrost first)
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tbsp splenda

For topping:
1 tbsp + 1 tsp your favorite flour (I used wheat)
1 tbsp rolled oats
1 tsp unmelted butter (I used smart balance light)
1 tbsp splenda
1/8 tsp baking powder
pinch salt

Instructions
Preheat oven to 375. Cut up strawberries and place in a small ramekin dish and stir with cornstarch and splenda or sugar. Combine topping ingredients except the butter and mix together well. Stir in butter into the topping mixture until crumbly. If you need to, use your hands. I had to because I used a light butter. Cover strawberries with your crisp topping and cook for 30-35 minutes until the topping is brown and crisp and the strawberry mixture is bubbling. Let cool or eat warm.

Nutritional info: 130 calories

Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse Dip

If there's anything scary about Halloween/Fall time, it's how fast I devoured this dip.

What makes it less scary? This one is a single serving recipe. No guilt, no shame, just pumpkin cheesecake indulgence mousse dip for one. It's pretty filling too.

Let's just say I was really craving pumpkin cheesecake and I was too lazy and tired to get out of bed and prepare actual cheesecake, bake it, wait for it to refridgerate... but oh, I am so loving this.

 I've seen a ton of different pumpkin dip recipes out there, but I guarantee you, you'll be glad you made this one. It's lighter, fluffier, and more mousse like, but with the taste of pumpkin cheesecake.

Goes great with sides like apple slices, pretzels, and maybe a few candy corn! (I can't imagine it not going good with anything though..)

Ingredients
1/4 cup canned pumpkin
1 tbsp fat free cream cheese
1 tbsp vanilla or plain yogurt
1 tbsp(9g) cool whip free
1/8 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/8 tsp extra nutmeg (optional)
1 tbsp splenda
dash of cinnamon on top

Instructions
Combine wet ingredients and mix well until cream cheese chunks are gone. I used a hand beater. This is easier if you let the cream cheese sit out a few minutes. Then mix in dry ingredients and dash cinnamon on top. It's that easy.
Let refrigerate for about 10 minutes if you want it more cold/a little thicker. I like it better colder, but it's fantastic either way.

Nutritional info: 60 calories per recipe / ramekin full of dip

Maple-Pumpkin Butternut Squash Bake

Sometimes I feel like I come up with the best things when I'm on my own, just me and the kitchen.

Which was probably good today, seeing as after I created this masterpiece, I was running around shrieking "I can't believe I did this!" like Rapunzel.

This tastes like sweet potato pie, creamy butternut squash, and pumpkin pie all in one. It has a pumpkin pie flavored, textured, maple-baked crusted topping, with soft butternut squash filling.

 

My kitchen now smells like all the best scents of fall. Oh heaven. 

This recipe is for a single serving, and makes one ramekin dish full. You get this pie all to yourself - I wouldn't want to share anyway!
You can always double the recipe and make two, though.

Ingredients:
98g cubed/cut up butternut squash

Crusted topping:
3 tbsp canned pumpkin
2 tbsp splenda
1 tbsp milk (I used unsweetened coconut)
1 tbsp all purpose flour
1 tsp + 1/2 tsp eggbeater
1/4 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt (about 1/8 tsp)
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp cinnamon (or more!)

1 tbsp maple syrup

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400.
Place butternut squash in a ramekin that has been lightly sprayed with nonstick spray. Set aside. Combine all ingredients except the maple syrup into bowl and stir vigorously. Spoon mixture overtop the sweet potatoes evenly. Then top with the tablespoon of maple syrup evenly.
Bake for 35-40 minutes (until top is browned and firm to touch and squash is completely soft).
Take out of oven and serve warm.

Nutritional info: 98 calories

Fluffy Herb Biscuits

Have you ever wanted one biscuit? Or two? I had actual pasta last night for dinner for the first time in a long time and I really wanted biscuits to go with it.
I wanted them to be good, though, like Red Lobster biscuit equivalency good. So I came up with this recipe.
I will never crave restaurant quality biscuits again at home, because they are now at my disposal whenever I want.

Ingredients:

To make just one biscuit, use:
1 tbsp + 2tsp all purpose flour
1 tsp coconut flour
1 tbsp milk (I used unsweetened coconut milk)
1 tbsp vanilla (or plain) yogurt
pinch of salt salt
1/8 tsp baking powder
Spices to taste (I used parsley flakes and garlic powder)

To make two biscuits, use:
3 tbsp all purpose flour
1 tbsp coconut flour
2 tbsp milk (I used unsweetened coconut milk)
2 tbsp vanilla (or plain) yogurt
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
Spices to taste (I used parsley flakes and garlic powder)

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix all ingredients together until the texture you get is bread dough. Spray cookie sheet with nonstick, and dollop onto the pan. If you're like me and like making food cute, set a cookie cutter on the sheet and push the dough into it and gently bring the cookie cutter up. These biscuits will retain the shape. Don't worry about their thickness, they will bake just fine and rise! Bake for ten minutes. Serve warm, or let cool and reheat later! These are great reheated. You can also freeze them once cooled and reheat them if you want to have some easily saved.

Additional Notes: If you want a more buttery taste, all you have to do is add a tiny bit of butter extract, or spray dough a couple times with spray butter. This won't add calories but there will be even more of a butter taste to your biscuits!

Nutritional info: One biscuit, 60 calories

Autumn Zucchini Mushroom Sauté

    1 Medium Zucchini (sliced, assumed 155 grams)
    1/2 Cup Campbell's Home Style - Butternut Squash Bisque
    1.5 oz White Sliced Mushrooms
  
Optional:
    Herb blend
    (italian seasoning, parsley, garlic powder, etc)
  

Optional (adds calories):
    - Tbsp of light margarine or butter on skillet for a more buttery flavor.
    - Gorgonzola cheese crumbles over top after cooked for a tangy cheese flavor that compliments the bisque sauce.

Instructions

    Slice a medium zucchini into about 1/3 inch thick round slices.

    Crumble mushrooms over top the zucchini and toss into skillet on medium heat. If you're not going to use spray butter or cooking butter, spray with a nonstick spray.

    Use about 1/4 cup of the bisque sauce to cook the veggies in after about five minutes. The leftover sauce will be poured over the veggies after they are more cooked.

    After the five minutes, pour the rest of the sauce over the veggies and turn to low heat. The vegetables should be soft by now and the flavor will continue to cook into them. Take off heat whenever the vegetables are to your liking.

Nutritional info: [90 calories]