Cinnamon Pecans

16 oz. pecans
1 egg white
1/2 cup sugar (I used Splenda)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Add the egg white to bowl and whisk until bubbly - about 15 secs. Add the vanilla, sugar, salt and cinnamon. Whisk together until blended and creamy. Add the pecans and fold over with a rubber spatula until all the pecans are coated.

Coat a 9x13" baking sheet with a non-stick cooking spray. Spread the pecans into a single layer and bake for 20 minutes, turning the pecans halfway through the baking time. Spread onto foil and allow to cool for 30 minutes. Store in an airtight container.

*This recipe calls for regular sugar, but I substituted and equal amount of Splenda and added vanilla for extra flavor. These are great addition as a salad topping!

Strawberry Pretzel Salad (lower calorie/fat version)

2 cups crushed pretzels (whole wheat if you can fine them)
3/4 cup melted butter or margarine (I used a part canola heart healthy type)
3 tbsp Splenda
1 (8-oz) package non-fat or low-fat cream cheese
3/4 C Splenda
1 (8-oz) container whipped topping
1 (6-oz) box sugar-free strawberry or raspberry jello gelatin
2 cups boiling water
2 (10-oz) packages frozen strawberries
Whipped topping to garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. To make the crust, combine pretzels, melted butter/margarine and Splenda. Press the mixture into a 9x13 in. pan and bake for 7 minutes. Set aside and allow to cool.

Combine cream cheese and Splenda in a bowl until creamy. Fold in whipped cream and spread evenly over the crust. Refrigerate until well chilled.

In a small bowl, dissolve the gelatin in the boiling water. Allow to cool slightly. Add the strawberries and pour over the cream cheese layer. Refrigerate until gelatin is set.

Serve with whipped topping garnish, if desired.

The original recipe called for regular butter, sugar, full fat cream cheese and regular gelatin. I substituted lower fat and sugar-free alternatives.

Chicken Carbonara

1-2 lb chicken, cooked and cubed
4 strips of bacon, cooked and chopped into pieces
1 lb pasta (I usually use whole grain linguini, rigatoni or rotini)
1-2 jars alfredo sauce (I use the light alfredo sauce)
2-3 cups chopped broccoli
salt/pepper to taste
grated Parmesan

Cook the pasta and broccoli together in a pot. Drain and return to the pot. Add cooked chicken, cooked bacon, salt and pepper, and sauce. Stir and heat until the sauce is hot and bubbly.

I haven't found a good tasting lower calorie/fat alfredo recipe yet, so for now I use a commercial sauce. This recipe is an easy anytime recipe and it tastes even better as a leftover. Turkey could easily be substituted for the chicken.