Easy success can be found with PowerPops and Original SlimPops!  Even if you think you are going to be over-eating, or consuming a lot of extra calories, here are a few easy things you can do to keep your weight loss on track!

            1. PLAN AHEAD

A.    Have your SlimPop ½ to 1 hour prior to going to your party or meal

with glass of water.  By doing this, you will be able to eat the wonderful fare and not feel the least bit deprived!  You just won’t want to eat as much of it and won’t gain the weight!  

                        In fact, you may even lose weight!

2.                  A.  It has been said that Americans gain, on average 2 to 5 pounds per year.  And it is no wonder, considering the bounty of cookies, cakes, and pies that are available to us. How can anyone say no?  And why should we?

Well the good news is that we can splurge on some desserts, as long as we plan ahead!  With the simple use of your SlimPops before hand, you can treat yourself without ever feeling guilty!

3.                  WALK IT OFF!

A.    This isn’t just a calories saver, it can be a heart and sanity-saver any time of the year. After over-eating, you’ll welcome the fresh, crisp, and the quiet air.  

Carne Asada Tacos

This recipe serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 pound skirt steak
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lime
8 corn tortillas
salsa fresca, optional
guacamole, optional

Cooking Instructions:

1.  sprinkle the steak all over with salt and pepper.

2. Place cast-iron skillet or grill pan over high heat and lightly coat with oil. Sear the steak about 2 minutes per side and place on cutting board to rest for about 5 minutes.

3.  can cut the limes in half, pierce the juice side with a fork and twist to release the juices over the cooked meat.

4. Cut steak into thin slices across the grain and then let cut each slice into bite-sized pieces for bringing to the table.

5.  can warm the tortillas by dipping first in water and then placing in a dry pan over low heat. Use tongs to lift out and wrap in a towel to keep warm.

6.  can assemble the tacos at the table with salsa fresca and guacamole . It's easy to replace the steak with chicken or fish.

Serving Size: 2 tacos

NUTRITION INFORMATION:

Number of Servings: 4

Sirloin Steak with Tarragon-Garlic Sour Cream

This tangy sauce dresses up a steakhouse favorite. Packaged potato wedges round out the dish. Time: 40 minutes.

INGREDIENTS:

1/3 cup sour cream
1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
2 tablespoons whole-grain Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
 Cooking spray
1 (1-pound) boneless sirloin steak, trimmed
1 (20-ounce) package refrigerated red potato wedges (such as Simply Potatoes)

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

Combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl; stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Set aside.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat the pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle both sides of steak with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper; add steak to pan. Cook 5 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from pan; let stand 5 minutes. Cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Keep warm.

Wipe pan with a paper towel; return to heat. Recoat pan with cooking spray. Add the potatoes; sauté 15 minutes or until browned and thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally. Serve with steak and sauce.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 3 ounces steak, 2/3 cup potatoes, and 3 tablespoons sauce)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 307(32% from fat); FAT 11g (sat 4.8g,mono 3.6g,poly 0.4g); PROTEIN 26.4g; CHOLESTEROL 53mg; CALCIUM 44mg; SODIUM 732mg; FIBER 3.7g; IRON 2.1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 22.9g

Goat Cheese Enchiladas

Recipe courtesy Bobby Flay

INGREDIENTS:

12 blue corn tortillas
Red Chile-Tomato Sauce, recipe follows
Goat Cheese Filling, recipe follows
8 ounces Monterey jack, grated
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Sour cream, for garnish
Chopped green onions, for garnish

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

Dip tortillas in chile sauce to lightly coat both sides. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the goat cheese filling on each tortilla and roll up. Spread 1/2 cup of the tomato-chile sauce into a medium, deep casserole dish. Arrange rolled tortillas in the casserole so they fit snugly. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Pour 1 1/2 cups of the sauce over the enchiladas and top with the grated cheese. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until the enchiladas are heated through. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with chopped cilantro. Garnish with sour cream and green onions.

Red Chile-Tomato Sauce:

 INGREDIENTS:

3 ancho chiles
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large red onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano
1 cup dry white wine
2 (16-ounce) cans plum tomatoes, pureed
3 cups homemade chicken or vegetable stock
1 to 2 tablespoons honey
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add chiles, remove from heat and let sit for 30 minutes. Remove stems and seeds, then place in food processor with 1/4 cup of the soaking liquid and puree until smooth.

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until soft. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add cumin and oregano and cook for 1 minute. Add ancho puree and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add wine, pureed tomatoes, and stock and cook for 25 to 30 minutes or until slightly thickened. Season with honey, salt, and pepper, to taste. For a chunkier sauce, leave as is. For a smoother sauce, puree with an immersion blender, or puree in batches in a blender or food processor. Keep warm until ready to serve.

FILLING INGREDIENTS:

1 1/4 pounds goat cheese
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup freshly grated cotija cheese
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves

Crab Chowder

This recipe serves 6  

INGREDIENTS:

·                    
1 slice uncooked bacon, diced
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 cups clam juice or fish stock
6 small red potatoes
1 pound crab meat
2 cups reduced fat (2%) milk
1 red pepper, diced
1 teaspoon chopped, fresh dill


COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Put the bacon in a soup pot and heat over low heat. Add the onion, celery, thyme and bay leaf, turn the heat up to medium, and cook until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes.

2. Dice the potatoes and add them to the soup pot with the clam juice. Simmer until the potatoes are just tender, about 10 minutes. Add the milk, peppers, crab and dill and cook until the crab is just heated through. Remove the thyme and bay leaf. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste.

Serving Size:1 cup

NUTRITION INFORMATION:

Number of Servings: 6

Add the onion to the same skillet and saute over medium heat until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juices, herbes de Provence, and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Cover and simmer until the flavors blend and the juices thicken slightly, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Season the sauce, to taste, with salt and more red pepper flakes. Return the pork chops and any accumulated juices from the plate to the skillet and turn the pork chops to coat with the sauce.

Place 1 pork chop on each plate. Spoon the sauce over the pork chops. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve.

Chicken Cacciatore

Recipe by Giada De Laurentiis, The Food Network

4 chicken thighs
2 chicken breasts with skin and backbone, halved crosswise
2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1/2 cup all purpose flour, for dredging
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3/4 cup dry white wine
1 ( 28-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons drained capers
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves

Sprinkle the chicken pieces with 1 teaspoon of each salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour to coat lightly.In a large heavy saute pan, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the chicken pieces to the pan and saute just until brown, about 5 minutes per side. If all the chicken does not fit in the pan, saute it in 2 batches. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. Add the bell pepper, onion and garlic to the same pan and saute over medium heat until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the wine and simmer until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice, broth, capers and oregano. Return the chicken pieces to the pan and turn them to coat in the sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Continue simmering over medium-low heat until the chicken is just cooked through, about 30 minutes for the breast pieces, and 20 minutes for the thighs.

Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a platter. If necessary, boil the sauce until it thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Spoon off any excess fat from atop the sauce. Spoon the sauce over the chicken, then sprinkle with the basil and serve.

Lebanese Spiced Lamb Chops

Recipe by Suzanne Baccouche

12 to 16 lamb chops (depending on size)
2 tablespoon salt
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 lemons, juiced
2 tablespoons black pepper
2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons Lebanese "7 spices"
1 1/2 cups water

Preheat oven to 550 degrees F.
Place lamb chops in a 9 by 12-inch glass baking dish. Combine 1 tablespoon of salt, garlic and lemon juice. Pour over lamb chops. Combine 1 tablespoon of salt, pepper, paprika and "7 spices" to form a rub. Rub both sides of the lamb chops with this mixture.

Place chops back into the baking dish and add 1 1/2 cups of water gently on the side of the dish so as to keep the spices on the lamb chops.
Cover the dish with foil and seal well. This will ensure the chops stay juicy. Place in the oven at 550 degrees for 30 minutes. Then lower temperature to 400 degrees and bake for 1 1/2 hours.

Cheesy Nachos with Guacamole Salsa

Recipe by Juan-Carlos Cruz, The Food Network

INGREDIENTS:

1 (8-ounce) bag baked tortilla chips
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
2 ounces low-fat Cheddar, shredded
1/4 cup sliced scallions

Guacamole Salsa:

1 cup frozen corn kernels, defrosted
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce
1 small red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped to a paste
1 lime, juiced
Salt and pepper
2 large vine-ripe tomatoes, cored and chopped into large chunks
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

INSTRUCTIONS:

 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

On an oven-safe platter, spread half of the tortilla chips. Top with half of the black beans and half of the goat cheese. Top with the remaining tortilla chips, black beans, goat cheese, and the Cheddar. Bake for 20 minutes, or until warmed through and the cheese has melted. Remove from heat and top with the scallions and serve with the Guacamole Salsa.

Guacamole Salsa:
In a mixing bowl, combine the corn kernels, chipotle pepper, onion, garlic, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Stir until combined and then fold in the chopped tomatoes, avocado, and cilantro. Serve immediately.

Anticuchos (Peruvian Beef Kebob

These spicy kebabs are enjoyed day and night in Peruvian restaurants and at the pushcarts of street vendors. If you live in an area with a large Peruvian community, you may be able to buy whole or ground aji amarillo. If not, use hot paprika in its place, as we did in testing the recipe. We also tried Spanish smoked paprika, which you can find at www.tienda.com.

 Beef:

1 1/2 pounds boneless sirloin steak, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons ground aji amarillo or hot paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
 
Fiery rub:

1 teaspoon ground aji amarillo or hot paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
 Cooking spray

Roasted yellow pepper sauce:

To prepare the beef, combine first 7 ingredients in a large bowl; toss well. Cover and chill 3 hours.

To prepare fiery rub, combine 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, turmeric, and parsley.

Prepare grill.

Remove beef from bowl, discarding marinade. Thread beef onto each of 6 (10-inch) skewers. Press fiery rub onto beef. Place kebabs on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 6 minutes or until desired degree of doneness, turning once. Serve with Roasted Yellow Pepper Sauce.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 3 ounces meat and about 2 1/2 tablespoons sauce)

NUTRITION PER SERVING

CALORIES 188(34% from fat); FAT 7g (sat 2.7g,mono 3g,poly 0.3g); PROTEIN 26.3g; CHOLESTEROL 76mg; CALCIUM 23mg; SODIUM 809mg; FIBER 0.8g; IRON 3.6mg; CARBOHYDRATE 3.4g

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups nonfat milk, hot, but not boiling
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• salt to taste
• freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 pound macaroni noodles
• 1/4 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs

1. Prehead oven to 375 degrees F and spray a 2 qt. casserole with dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
   
3. In a 2qt saucepan, whisk the olive oil and flour together over medium heat.  Cook until the mixture give off a "nutty" aroma, about two minutes.   Slowly whisk in the hot milk and simmer, stirring occasionally, for five minutes.  Stir in the Parmesean cheese and season with salt and pepper.  Set aside.
4. Add the macaroni to the boiling water and cook until the pasta is al dente, about 7 to 8 minuts.  Drain pasta.
5. Pour macaroni into the prepared casserole dish. Immediately pour the milk mixture over it and stir to combine.  Sprinkle the grated cheddar cheese over the top and then sprinkle breadcrumbs over the cheese.
6. Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes or until the edges are bubbling and the top is golden brown.  Remobing the from the ovenand let stand for 10 minutes beofre serving.

Meat and Cheese Lasagna

Recipe by Juan-Carlos Cruz, The Food Network

Ingredients:

1/2 pound turkey Italian sausage
1 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
3/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
2 (14-ounce) cans stewed tomatoes, diced
1 cup chopped red onion
2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh oregano leaves
2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh thyme leaves
12 medium button mushrooms (about 1 cup), store bought and pre-sliced (from produce aisle)
1 large zucchini, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
4 lasagna pasta noodles, cooked al dente per directions on noodle box

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Remove the casing from turkey sausage and discard. Heat a nonstick saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the turkey sausage and brown until thoroughly cooked, about 1 1/2 minutes. Drain and discard any grease in the pan. Remove sausage from heat and add the ricotta and 1/2 cup mozzarella. Stir until well blended. Set aside.

Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a small, non-stick saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, and chopped basil and saute until the garlic just begins to soften, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and set aside.

Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil in a large nonstick saute pan over medium-high heat. Add onion, oregano, parsley, and thyme and saute until onions are just soft, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and zucchini and continue sauteing until the vegetables are tender, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add half of the tomato sauce to the sauteed vegetables.

To assemble, line the bottom of a lasagna pan (roughly 13 by 9 inches) with 1/4 of the tomato sauce. Top with 2 lasagna noodles. Then spread half of the sausage mixture on top of the pasta. Cover the sausage layer with about half of the vegetable mixture. Top the vegetable layer with the remaining sausage mixture. Then top that layer with the remaining lasagna noodles and add the remaining tomato sauce over top. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes before cutting.

Paprika Chicken with Mushrooms

"There's something about chicken with paprika that is soooo good! Cooking this dish covered makes a nice mushroom sauce that can be spooned over the chicken for serving." Original recipe yield: 4 servings. Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: 25 Minutes Ready In: 40 Minutes Servings:4 4

INGREDIENTS:

"A light clam sauce served over linguini noodles. Healthy, too!"

Clam Sauce with Linguine

Chili-Lime Chicken Kabobs

Photo by: LatinaCook

"

Recipe yield: 4 Servings. Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: 15 Minutes Ready In: 1 Hour 30 Minutes Servings: 4 INGREDIENTS: 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1 lime, juiced 1 teaspoon chili powder 1/2 teaspoon paprika 1/2 teaspoon onion powder 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder cayenne pepper to taste salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces skewers DIRECTIONS: In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, and lime juice. Season with chili powder, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper. Place the chicken in a shallow baking dish with the sauce, and stir to coat. Cover, and marinate in the refrigerator at least 1 hour. Preheat the grill for medium-high heat. Thread chicken onto skewers, and discard marinade. Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill skewers for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the chicken juices run clear.tT Nutrition Info Servings Per Recipe: 4 Amount Per Serving Calories: 227 Total Fat: 13g Cholesterol: 65mg Sodium: 161mg Total Carbs: 3.2g Dietary Fiber: 0.8g Protein: 23.9g

This is from Trapani, in Sicily, and is an unusual, at least by continental Italian standards: A chilled tomato soup (for want of a better term). It's peasant food of the finest sort, a dish that beautifully combines rusticity and frugality, and will be delightfully refreshing on a hot day. To serve 4.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/3 pounds (600 g) ripe tomatoes, chopped and drained
• A bunch of parsley, shredded
• 1/2 pound (200 g) day-old Italian bread, cubed
• 2 cloves garlic
• Extravirgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

PREPARATION:

Grind the garlic in a mortar with a pinch of salt and distribute the mixture in 4 bowls; if you prefer less garlic simply rub the bottoms of the bowls with a cut clove. Add the tomatoes to the bowls, season them with salt, pepper, and basil, and let them sit for about 10 minutes.

Add chilled water to cover, season the "soup" with a little olive oil, and serve it with the cubes of bread.

Prep Time : 15min

Course : Soup

Special : Easy, Low Calorie

Type of Prep : Assemble, No Cook

Cuisine : Italian

Hearty Maple Wheat Bread

This Recipe Makes 1 loaf

INGREDIENTS:

·                    
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup wheat germ
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 large eggs
1 cup 2% milk
2/3 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup canola oil


COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Grease a 9" x 5" loaf pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, wheat germ, baking powder and baking soda.

3. In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, milk, syrup and oil.

4. Combine the dry and liquid ingredients, mixing well. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center of a loaf comes out dry.

Serving Size:1 slice

NUTRITION INFORMATION:

Number of Servings: 1

Though people tend to assume Italian bean soups will contain pasta, perhaps because of pasta e fagioli (pasta fazool), plain bean soup is quite nice too, especially when it's nicely seasoned with garlic. Perfect in winter! To serve about 4:

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound fresh or 2/3 pound dried white beans - if you’re using dried beans, soak them for two hours
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 bunch parsley, minced, or: a small bunch of parsley, minced, and a sprig of rosemary, not minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste
• Salt and pepper to taste

PREPARATION:

Cook the beans in water to cover; salt to taste when they’re done. Remove and purée half of them.

Sauté the garlic and parsley in a pot. When the garlic is lightly browned, add the bean broth, ground black pepper to taste, and the tomato paste.

If you are including the rosemary, add the sprig now. Cook for a few minutes and then stir in the whole and puréed beans. Let the soup, which should be rather thick, simmer for another 10-15 minutes, being careful that it doesn’t stick. Remove the sprig of rosemary, and serve hot.

The wine? A light red, along the lines of a Valpolicella Classico or a simple Dolcetto.

Prep Time : 30min

Cook Time : 1hr 20min

Course : Soup