Taco Cupcakes and "Better For You" Mac and Cheese

Haha the taco cupcakes throw a lot of people off - it's like taco + cake? But trust me, it's like a taste explosion in your mouth. Plus, if you love mexican food, but don't like the fact that it can be really heavy and fatty, this is perfect!

I got the taco cupcake recipe from the www.emilybites.com website. I adjusted to my own tastes while staying in the 170 calorie range.

2 4oz chicken breasts
2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 tbsp Canola oil
3 tsp fajita or taco seasoning (I only had fajita seasoning in the cupboard)
3/4 of a 10 oz can enchilada sauce
3 tbsp queso dip
20 wonton wrappers
1 small can beans (your choice of kidney or black bean) drained and rinsed
1 cup Mexican shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 375F.

Poach the chicken breasts in a pot of water until fully cooked. Once cooked, take out of the pot and shred with a fork. Set aside.

In a medium skillet, heat the oil and add the crushed red pepper flakes. Once the flakes are infused into the oil, add the shredded chicken. Heat the chicken through and coat with the peppered oil. Add fajita seasoning, enchilada sauce, and beans. Stir ingredients together until chicken and beans are fully coated with sauce mixture.

Once the mixture is heated through, turn off the heat to the pan. In a well-sprayed muffin tin, place 10 wonton wrappers in the cups. Spoon a small bit of the queso dip on the bottom of each wonton. Place a tablespoon sized spoonful of the chicken mixture into each wonton. Top that mixture with a pinch of the shredded cheese. Next, place another wonton wrapper on top of the cheese and repeat the layering (I skipped the queso on the second layer because it seemed so rich to have so much of it in one cup) process. Top each wonton with a pinch of cheese.

Bake in the oven for 18-20 minutes until golden brown and bubbly. Serve it with spring onions, guacamole, and/or sour cream. Obviously by the picture I have sour cream with mine. Enjoy!

Per "cake": Calories - 170; Carbs - 17g; Fat - 7g; Protein - 11g; Sodium - 423mg (this is without any added toppings)

Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

1 cup Ronzoni Smart Taste Elbow Macaroni dry
1 cup skim milk
1/2 cup shredded cheese (your choice)
2 wedges Laughing Cow Cream Cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Onion powder (to taste)

In a small sauce pot, simmer milk and noodles on med-low heat. Add your salt, pepper, and onion powder now. Continuously stir so noodles don't stick and milk doesn't burn. (Yes I know, cooking your noodles in the milk?? WHAT!!??! But trust me, you'll have incredibly creamy creamy mac and cheese). When the noodles have absorbed all the milk (and they will), turn off the heat and add your cheeses. Cover with a lid for a few minutes. Once the temptation to peek and stir has passed, take the lid off and stir until all the cheese has melted and you have a pot of ooey gooey mac and cheese. Makes 2 servings

Facts:
Calories: 301; Carbs: 32g; Fat (depending on your cheese it will vary): 10g; Protein: 10g; Sodium: 300mg


Just a quick note: For those who think the carbs are a bit high or the fats are a bit high, you're right. They are high. I ate the mac and cheese after a 1100 calorie burn workout once this week. The taco cupcakes made 6 meals for me, as I ate them as a lunch or a dinner on days when I had to eat up more calories for the exercise I was completing. These meals are not eaten EVERY day. I make them as a treat for days when I need to eat more calories or when I'm craving something indulgent.

To those who make these....ENJOY!

Haha the taco cupcakes throw a lot of people off - it's like taco + cake? But trust me, it's like a taste explosion in your mouth. Plus, if you love mexican food, but don't like the fact that it can be really heavy and fatty, this is perfect!

I got the taco cupcake recipe from the www.emilybites.com website. I adjusted to my own tastes while staying in the 170 calorie range.

2 4oz chicken breasts
2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 tbsp Canola oil
3 tsp fajita or taco seasoning (I only had fajita seasoning in the cupboard)
3/4 of a 10 oz can enchilada sauce
3 tbsp queso dip
20 wonton wrappers
1 small can beans (your choice of kidney or black bean) drained and rinsed
1 cup Mexican shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 375F.

Poach the chicken breasts in a pot of water until fully cooked. Once cooked, take out of the pot and shred with a fork. Set aside.

In a medium skillet, heat the oil and add the crushed red pepper flakes. Once the flakes are infused into the oil, add the shredded chicken. Heat the chicken through and coat with the peppered oil. Add fajita seasoning, enchilada sauce, and beans. Stir ingredients together until chicken and beans are fully coated with sauce mixture.

Once the mixture is heated through, turn off the heat to the pan. In a well-sprayed muffin tin, place 10 wonton wrappers in the cups. Spoon a small bit of the queso dip on the bottom of each wonton. Place a tablespoon sized spoonful of the chicken mixture into each wonton. Top that mixture with a pinch of the shredded cheese. Next, place another wonton wrapper on top of the cheese and repeat the layering (I skipped the queso on the second layer because it seemed so rich to have so much of it in one cup) process. Top each wonton with a pinch of cheese.

Bake in the oven for 18-20 minutes until golden brown and bubbly. Serve it with spring onions, guacamole, and/or sour cream. Obviously by the picture I have sour cream with mine. Enjoy!

Per "cake": Calories - 170; Carbs - 17g; Fat - 7g; Protein - 11g; Sodium - 423mg (this is without any added toppings)

Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

1 cup Ronzoni Smart Taste Elbow Macaroni dry
1 cup skim milk
1/2 cup shredded cheese (your choice)
2 wedges Laughing Cow Cream Cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Onion powder (to taste)

In a small sauce pot, simmer milk and noodles on med-low heat. Add your salt, pepper, and onion powder now. Continuously stir so noodles don't stick and milk doesn't burn. (Yes I know, cooking your noodles in the milk?? WHAT!!??! But trust me, you'll have incredibly creamy creamy mac and cheese). When the noodles have absorbed all the milk (and they will), turn off the heat and add your cheeses. Cover with a lid for a few minutes. Once the temptation to peek and stir has passed, take the lid off and stir until all the cheese has melted and you have a pot of ooey gooey mac and cheese. Makes 2 servings

Facts:
Calories: 301; Carbs: 32g; Fat (depending on your cheese it will vary): 10g; Protein: 10g; Sodium: 300mg


Just a quick note: For those who think the carbs are a bit high or the fats are a bit high, you're right. They are high. I ate the mac and cheese after a 1100 calorie burn workout once this week. The taco cupcakes made 6 meals for me, as I ate them as a lunch or a dinner on days when I had to eat up more calories for the exercise I was completing. These meals are not eaten EVERY day. I make them as a treat for days when I need to eat more calories or when I'm craving something indulgent.

To those who make these....ENJOY!