Red Velvet Cheesecake...and Cupcakes...and Bars

The first time I had red velvet cake, I was in graduate school. I lived in Georgia, and it was some amazing cake.  Out of respect for some of the unparalleled red velvet I've had over the years, I've never attempted to make it, though.

One of my favorite desserts is cheesecake.  This recipe combines the red velvet and the cheesecake. There are some pretty nifty things that you can make...that are relatively not fattening. This recipe (and it's accompanying variations) is one of them. I figured I could give it a shot, since it's not completely red velvet :)

Red Velvet Cheesecake Cupcakes

Ingredients

1 box Red Velvet cake mix
1.25 cups container vanilla-flavored Greek yogurt
1 large egg
1 cup water
8 oz reduced fat cream cheese
1/4 cup light sour cream
2 large egg whites
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp flour
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the cupcake tin with liners and set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl, beat cake mix, 1 cup vanilla Greek yogurt, egg, and water on medium speed until well combined. Set aside.

3. In a medium mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, 1/4 cup vanilla Greek yogurt, sour cream,e gg whites, sugar, flour, and vanilla extract on a low setting until well blended.

4. Add the cake mix to the cupcake liners, about 1/2 full.

5. Add an ice cream scoop of cheesecake mixture on top of the red velvet. Use a fork to swirl the mixtures together.

6. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the cheesecake is set. Remove from oven and let cool. Refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour before serving. 

Yields about 24 servings (1 cupcake per serving)
Approximate Points Plus Value: 4 per cupcake

Variations

For mini cheesecakes:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In several small ramekins, melt 1/2 tsp of butter. Top with graham cracker crumbs. Follow steps 2 and 3 for the cake mix and cheesecake mix.  Add the cheesecake mix to the ramekins, about 1/2 full. Add an ice cream scoop of the red velvet cake mix, and swirl with a spoon. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes, or until cheesecake is set. Let cool for 1 hour before serving.

For bars:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Follow steps 2 and 3 for cake mix and cheesecake mix. In a coated 13x9 inch baking pan, pour about 3/4 of the red velvet mixture. Top with the cheesecake mix. Add the remaining red velvet mix, and swirl with a fork. 

Lemon Chicken with Broccoli

The past three months have definitely been a personal food struggle. I find myself reverting back into bad habits...and then straightening up quickly...and then sliding back into the bad habits. I'm hoping that by returning to my blog, focusing more on my own cooking, I'll be able to get back on track 100%.

Today, we're going to talk about a really simple WW recipe I found: Lemon Chicken with Broccoli. Not only is this recipe is super easy...it's also versatile. I love a recipe that allows you to make it your own. For example: not a fan of broccoli? Substitute it for your favorite vegetable! (I made it a second time with mushrooms, and it had a very chicken francese-like taste)

Ingredients
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 tsp olive oil
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
1.5 cups fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 tsp minced garlic
2.5 cups uncooked broccoli florets
Lemon zest (to taste)
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1. Combine about 1.5 tbsp of flour, 1/4 tsp of salt, and pepper. Coat chicken in the mixture.

 2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is heated, add chicken and cook until both sides are golden brown (about 7 minutes).  Set chicken aside.

3. Pour 1 cup of broth and garlic in the same skillet. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Add broccoli. Cover and cook over high heat for about 1 minute.
 
4. In a small bowl, mix remaining flour, broth, and salt. Add to the skillet and bring to a simmer over low heat.

5. Cover and cook until sauce is thickened. Stir in chicken and lemon zest. Heat thoroughly through.

6. Remove skillet from heat. Stir in parsley and lemon juice. Toss to coat.

Yields about 1 cup per serving (4 servings total)
Points Plus value: 4

I decided to serve this over 1 serving of orzo (2 oz. uncooked), which added about 5 points per serving.