Okay ladies..let's pay if forward!

So tomorrow is national"pay it forward day" and it got me thinking about how we could help each other. Since we've working on weight loss and dealing with the yummy holiday temptation, why not share healthy recipes!? They don't have to be holiday recipes, just something yummy that doesn't go straight to the hips.

I'll start!

Lunchbox oatmeal cookies (more like peanut butter cookies to me)
* It's a diabetic recipe so it's low sugar and only 76 calories per cookie

1/2	cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2	cup reduced-fat peanut butter
1/3	cup  granulated sugar
1/3	cuppacked brown sugar
1/2	teaspoon baking soda
2	egg whites
1/2	teaspoon vanilla
1	cup all-purpose flour
1	cup quick-cooking rolled oats

1. In a large mixing bowl beat butter and peanut butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed about 30 seconds or until combined.

2. Add granulated sugar, brown sugar, and baking soda. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg whites and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. Stir in oats.

3. Drop dough by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 7 to 8 minutes or until edges are golden. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool. Makes about 40 cookies.

Pasted from <http://www.diabeticlivingonline.com/recipe/cookies/lunch-box-oatmeal-cookies/>

Spinach pesto, sausage  and pasta dinner

*I tweaked this from the original link ,this is my version. The original seems to make around 1 serving so adjust the amounts according to your needs. (I double the pesto ingredients in bold.)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup spinach
• 1 cup fresh basil
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup white cooking wine
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup Parmesan
• 3/4 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1 cup cooked whole wheat pasta-I make enough for 4 servings.

• 4 oz. lean turkey kielbasa- I use a whole package

Heat skillet over medium heat. Slice kielbasa and add to skillet, toasting both sides of each sausage slice until browned and cook mushrooms until tender. Add spinach, basil, garlic, pine nuts, lemon juice, wine, broth, Parmesan, and salt to blender, pulsing until combined and smooth. Add pasta and 2 Tb. of pesto sauce to mushrooms and chicken, stirring until combined and heated through. Top with 1 oz. grated Parmesan. (There will be extra pesto.)*I just add all the pesto to all the pasta since I make this recipe larger and there are still plenty of leftovers for lunch