Here'e to a Healthy Holiday Season!

The holidays are officially here!

For those of you, like me, who are working today, my guess is that your office, like mine, is already overflowing with yummy holiday treats. They are everywhere this time of year! And what a wonderful time of year it is J But, because it is also the busiest time of year, it can often wreak havoc on our waste lines. Which is why, for the next five Wednesdays, I am going to supply you with either a healthy holiday treat or a quick and healthy meal to prepare during this fun and festive time of year.

This week’s recipe is perfect after an afternoon spent Christmas shopping or wrapping gifts, or perhaps to prepare before decorating the tree. It is low-fat, low-calorie and can be prepared the night before and popped in the oven an hour before you’re ready to eat. It is also great re-heated!

And the winner is…Easy Meatless Manicotti! (Courtesy of Cooking Light Magazine.) What I love about this recipe are the ingredient swaps, that save loads of calories and fat, and I promise, no one will ever notice. But the best part of this recipe is that you stuff the manicotti shells while they are still raw. It’s so easy! My recommendation, prepare the filling and stuff your shells the night before. Pop it in the fridge until you’re ready to bake, at that time add the sauce, water and bake away! In 60 minutes you will have a yummy, filling and healthy meal.

Prepare a big salad to go along side, open a bottle of your favorite bottle of red wine and toast to a happy and healthy holiday season.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Easy Meatless Manicotti
Courtesy of Cooking Light Magazine

Ingredients:
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
1 (16-ounce) carton fat-free cottage cheese
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 (8-ounce) package manicotti (14 shells)
1 (26-ounce) jar fat-free tomato-basil pasta sauce
Cooking spray
1 cup water

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375°.

Combine 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, cottage cheese, and the next 5 ingredients (through black pepper) in a medium bowl. Spoon about 3 tablespoons cheese mixture into each uncooked manicotti.

Pour half of tomato-basil pasta sauce into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange stuffed shells in a single layer over sauce, and top with the remaining sauce.

Pour 1 cup water into dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella evenly over sauce.

Cover tightly with foil. Bake at 375° for 1 hour or until shells are tender. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Yield:  7 servings (serving size: 2 manicotti)CALORIES 328 (25% from fat); FAT 9g (sat 4.8g,mono 2.2g,poly 0.5g); IRON 3mg; CHOLESTEROL 23mg; CALCIUM 451mg; CARBOHYDRATE 38.3g; SODIUM 891mg; PROTEIN 23.8g; FIBER 3.9g

Fashion Tip Friday!

The holidays are upon us! It’s hard to believe but we are less than a week away from Thanksgiving! Which means that holiday shopping, holiday parties and general holiday merriment is all just around the corner. But this wonderful time of year also means plenty of opportunities for some major fashion do’s and fashion don’ts in the upcoming weeks. So from now until January 1, 2011 I will devote my Friday Fashion Tips specifically to Holiday Do's and Don'ts.

This week we will address the after work holiday gathering. This can be tricky, what do you wear? You don’t want to wear your cocktail dress or sparkly top to work, but you also don’t have time to run home and change before the party. What’s a girl to do???

Well, there are a couple of options. Let’s start with the little black dress - a staple in every woman’s wardrobe. (And if it’s not, here’s a bonus tip for the week, go buy one! Seriously, right now, stop reading this blog and go to the mall J) So, you’ve got your little black dress, this is an easy switch from day to night. For work, pair your favorite LBD with a pair of tights, flats or boots, add a cardigan or blazer to make the dress more business appropriate, and you are good to go. Sidenote: these items can all still be in fun colors or prints, no need to dress in head-to-toe black simply because you are at work. Come 5:00, lose the jacket and tights, throw on a pair of killer heels, possibly in a patent leather, some fun jewelry, swap your work bag for a sparkly clutch and you are ready for that first glass of Christmas cheer!

Option #2, the sparkly top. This is another easy fix and utilizes several of the key items from above. For work, pair your sparkly top with a pair of dress pants, flat shoes and this time I would recommend definitely putting on a blazer or sweater over top, something that will hide most of the sparkle but let just a little shine through while at work. When 5:00 rolls around, swap out the sensible work pants for some evening dress pants or a great skirt, lose the jacket or sweater, throw on some heels, grab a satin clutch, add some jewelry, and bring on the celebrating!

I hope everyone has a fun and of course fashionable weekend! Be sure and check back on Wednesday for my Recipe of the Week!

Recipe Wednesday!

Hello my foodie friends! Its recipe Wednesday time again! In continuing with the theme of “Favorite Fall Foods” this week’s recipe is the perfect meal to prepare on a cold evening after a long afternoon of, well I was going to say raking leaves or other outdoor fall tasks, but let’s be honest, what I really mean is it’s the perfect meal after a long afternoon of shopping, possibly even Christmas shopping :)

This week’s recipe is brought to you by Cooking Light Magazine, one of my all-time favorite reads for healthy, yummy recipes. And this recipe, like so many others from their site, does not disappoint.

And the winner is...Chunky Vegetarian Chili! This recipe will fill you up all the while being low-fat, low-calorie and high in fiber and flavor.

Chunky Vegetarian Chili
Courtesy of Cooking Light Magazine

Ingredients: 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cups chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 (16-ounce) cans stewed tomatoes, undrained
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

Intructions:

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell peppers, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add sugar and remaining ingredients, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes.

Yield:  8 servings (serving size: 1 cup)
CALORIES 257 (9% from fat); FAT 2.7g (sat 0.3g,mono 0.5g,poly 1.2g); IRON 4.5mg; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 150mg; CARBOHYDRATE 48.8g; SODIUM 876mg; PROTEIN 12.8g; FIBER 14.2g

Happy cooking, happy eating and of course happy shopping :)

See you all on Friday!

It’s Fashion Tip Friday!

Today’s topic, Leggings - Do or Don’t?

A very wise woman once told me, “Leggings are just sweatpants in disguise.”

Now, we all know that we should not wear our sweatpants out in public, these are inside clothes, but what could be better than an item of clothing that feels like sweatpants, but appears polished and put together??  In my opinion, absolutely nothing!

So how do we take this fashion trend and apply it to our daily lives? I'm glad you asked, here are two options, one casual, one a little dressier:

1.       A great look for fall is to pair your favorite leggings with an oversized plaid shirt, riding boots and some chunky jewelry.

2.      For a slightly dressier look pair your favorite leggings with a shorter dress, add a killer pair of high heels, some sparkly jewelry a cute clutch and you’re ready for an evening out with the girls!

So, the final verdict, leggings – Do or Don’t? I say Do!

Of course, it’s only my opinion.

Hope everyone has a fun (and fashionable) weekend!

P.S. A very special thank you to Jessica Edgell for coining the phrase "leggings are just sweatpants in disguise."

It's Recipe Wednesday!

It's Wednesday, which means it's recipe time! We are in the midst of that wonderful time of year, there is a chill in the air, the leaves are changing color and the most wonderful ingredient in the world is available in abundance. 


That ingredient my friends...pumpkin! 


Truly what ingredient could be better? Not only does it taste really good, but it is low-fat and is loaded with Vitamin A and fiber. My recommendation, stock up now, because it will go fast. And come February you are going to want to make this recipe again and nary a can of pumpkin will be in-site. 


So, what is the first-ever Molly's Musings Recipe of the Week? Pumpkin Muffins! I thought this would be a good recipe to begin with because not only is it delicious and healthy, but it is also probably the easiest recipe you will ever make. And a guaranteed crowd pleaser. Seriously, I have not made this recipe for a single person who did not love it. Okay, are you ready? Here we go! 


Pumpkin Muffins
Makes 17 Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 15 oz Can of 100% Pure Pumpkin
- 1 Box of Spice Cake Mix 
(I personally prefer Duncan Hines, but any spice cake mix will do)


That's it, that's all of the ingredients. Can you believe it?!


Instructions:
- Preheat your over to 350 degrees
- Spray muffin tins with cooking spray
- Mix together pumpkin and spice cake mix 
(add nothing else, just those two things)
- Scoop mixture evenly into 17 muffins
- Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean


You're done! Now all you have to do is grab a muffin, a cup of hot tea and a good book and enjoy the cooler weather!


Happy Baking! And don't forget to check back Friday for your Fashion Do or Don't of the Week!