Travel Destinations & Culinary Adventures

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Low-Fat Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars with Honey Drizzle

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It’s the end of summer and I’m facing a major crisis. I gained weight and I’m pretty cranky about it.

Can you relate after a fun, belly-filled summer?

I try to make healthier choices when cooking at home but I often indulge while on vacation. This summer I told myself it was okay to celebrate at dinners with friends and eat cheese covered burgers and gulp red beers on the deck. Those summer recipes were so good! I have only myself to blame. Grrr.

So, I’m making a pledge to myself. I will make swaps in recipes at home using low-fat and produce driven ingredients. I just can’t give up dessert. What’s a girl to do? My goal is to use low-fat, no-fat ingredients whenever possible and cut back on my sugar intake.

My Low-Fat Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars with Honey Drizzle contain less sugar than the popular original version, include low-fat crescent rolls, and are layered with low-fat cream cheese. After allowing the baked sopapilla bars to cool, I top them with fat-free Rheddi-wip and warm honey. You’re going to devour them and feel guilt-free doing it too.

Here’s to making healthier choices!

Love this cloche in the background? It can be yours from The Vintage Rhinestone, a store I adore. (no affiliate)
Love this cloche in the background? It can be yours from The Vintage Rhinestone, a store I adore. (no affiliate)

Low-Fat Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars with Honey Drizzle

onedelightfullife.com
This low-fat version of the typically deep-fried Mexican pastry is high on flavor and shockingly delicious.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 42 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine Mexican

Ingredients
  

  • Bars:
  • 2 8 oz cans low-fat crescent rolls
  • 2 8 oz packages softened low-fat cream cheese
  • 2/3 c. sugar
  • 2 tsp. vanilla
  • 1/3 c. melted butter
  • 1 T. cinnamon
  • 3 T. sugar
  • Topping:
  • Low-fat whipped cream
  • Honey

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Spray 9'x13" glass baking dish with canola oil cooking spray.
  • Press 1 can of crescent rolls into the bottom of the baking dish. Don't leave gaps. You may need to cut the last roll in half and fill in any holes in the bottom of the pan.
  • Bake base layer 8 minutes.
  • While baking, combine cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl using a electric mixer on its low setting.
  • Transfer mixture to the baked crescent base and spread it evenly with a spatula.
  • Press the second can of crescent rolls on top of the cream cheese layer. Don't leave gaps.
  • Brush top crescent layer with melted butter.
  • Mix cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl.
  • Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on top of the melted butter layer.
  • Bake 30 minutes.
  • Allow to cool and then cut into bars.
  • Top with non-fat whipped cream and drizzle with warm honey.

I dare you to make these bars of delicious goodness and tell me what you think after one bite. Use the comment section below to leave me a note. I promise you’ll love every bite of my baked (not fried), low-fat sopapillas.

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Healthy Turkey Meatball Sandwiches

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Healthy comfort food.

Is there such a thing? Yes! If you swap the ingredients you use in a traditionally fattening comfort food for healthier options, you can! Gobble up my Healthy Turkey Meatball Sandwiches for lunch or dinner and feel good doing it. Of course, I needed something to wash these babies down with so I opted for a cold, light beer.

These turkey meatballs are crisp on the outside but tender on the inside. Tasty!
These turkey meatballs are crisp on the outside but tender on the inside. Tasty!

In this recipe I use skim milk instead of heavy cream, low-fat shredded mozzarella, and ground turkey instead of fatty ground beef. The fresh herbs are aromatic and take basic turkey meatballs to the next level. Use fresh herbs, people! It makes the difference.

Tip: Let your eggs reach nearly room temperature for better results.
Tip: Let your eggs reach nearly room temperature for better results.

Rolling your meatballs in a bit of all-purpose flour is the key to a getting a crispy exterior. Once in the pot, rotate them often even allowing them to stand on end. Don’t walk away from the stove because you need to move the meatballs often using tongs.

Don't crowd your meatballs.You'll need room to turn them often to brown all sides.
Don’t crowd your meatballs.You’ll need room to turn them often to brown all sides.

Once the meatballs reach that beautiful golden color on all sides, remove them from the pan and let them rest. (Don’t worry if the meatballs are a bit soft on the inside still because they will finish cooking in the spaghetti sauce.)

Unlike beef meatballs, these babies are not as greasy so you don't have to place them on a rack to cool.
Unlike beef meatballs, these babies are not as greasy so you don’t have to place them on a rack to cool.

Finished cooking off the meatballs, add all of them back to the pot. Add your preferred jarred spaghetti sauce to finish cooking them on a low simmer with the lid on until you’re ready to make a sandwich.

Want perfectly browned mozzarella cheese and a slightly crispy bun? Place your meatball sandwiches under the broiler for a couple minutes or place them in a toaster oven on the broil setting. Watch them closely!

Use a spoon to gently and evenly coat the sauce on the meatballs.
Use a spoon to gently and evenly coat the sauce on the meatballs.

healthy-turkey-meatballs5 copy

Don’t forget to garnish your finished meatball sandwich with a tablespoon of chopped basil.

Healthy Turkey Meatballs Sandwiches

onedelightfullife.com
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course sandwich
Cuisine Italian
Servings 20 meatballs

Ingredients
  

  • 1 c. shredded low-fat mozzarella
  • 1 T chopped basil for garnish
  • 1 pkg Pepperidge Farms Top Sliced Hot Dog Buns
  • 1 jar Prego traditional spaghetti sauce
  • Meatballs:
  • 1 lb. ground turkey
  • 1 small yellow onion
  • 2 T. fresh oregano
  • 2 T. fresh chopped basil
  • 3 diced garlic cloves
  • 2 T. parmesan
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 1/2 c. Italian bread crumbs
  • 1/2 c. skim milk
  • 3 T all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper

Instructions
 

  • Add all meatball ingredients to a large bowl.
  • Using your hands, make meatballs (slightly larger than a golfball) and place them in a slightly flour glass 9"x11" pan. Once all the meatballs are made, roll them around in flour to coat evenly.
  • Add 2 T. olive oil to large pot. Bring to medium heat.
  • Once at temperature, add 7-8 meatballs. Be careful not to crowd them.
  • Rotate the meatballs until they are golden on all sides. Continue to add more olive oil to the pot before adding additional meatballs.
  • Remove them from the pot and let them rest on a new glass pan.
  • Finish cooking all meatballs.
  • Reduce heat to low and add spaghetti sauce and return meatballs to the pot.
  • Cover and let simmer at least 10 minutes.
  • Add two meatballs into a split top hot dog bun and top with any extra sauce from the pot.
  • Top with low-fat shredded mozzarella and put in a toaster or oven on broil for 2-3 minutes to melt cheese to a bubbly golden brown.
  • Remove sandwich and sprinkle with chopped basil for garnish.
  • Serve immediately.

Notes

You can use use ground beef rather than turkey.
If you roll the basil leaves like a cigar and then run your knife through them, you can chop it easily into ribbons.
Parmesan is salty so you cold eliminate the 1 tsp salt in the meat mixture.
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