Ever Evolving Food Blog

Hello Everyone! I have had this blog for years now, and as my personal life has changed, so have my tastes and eating habits...for the better!! I am now a fully plant-based eater, so my newer recipes will reflect this lifestyle and way of eating.

All of my old recipes will remain on my food blog, of course, so there will be a mixture of the old and the new for everyone to look through and choose. You can always play around with any recipe out there and make it your own, whether it's plant-based or not. There are always other options!
Thanks SO much for following! Happy Eating!

What's Cooking With Melissa

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Sunday, October 24, 2010

Low-Fat Lemonade Pie

I just love pie. I especially love pie that doesn't take a whole lot of time and effort to make! This one is SO effortless, and if you like Key Lime Pie, you'll love this tart treat! It DOES take 8 hours to chill in the fridge, so you'll have to have the willpower to wait on it while it sets.

1 (12 oz.) can Fat-free evaporated milk
2 (3.4 oz.) packages of fat-free instant lemon pudding mix
2 (8 oz.) packages reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 (12 oz.) can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
1 (9-inch) reduced fat, ready-made graham cracker pie crust

In a medium bowl, whisk evaporated milk and pudding mix for ~2 min. until thickened. In another bowl, mix cream cheese and vanilla extract with an electric mixer on medium for ~1-2 minutes until fluffy. Add the thawed lemonade concentrate and mix for ~1-2 minutes until smooth. Add the milk and pudding mixture and beat until well-blended.

Pour into the pie crust, smooth with a spoon, and set in the fridge for 8 hours until firm. Top with fat-free whipped cream! 

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Sunday, October 3, 2010

Mexican Pizza

I love making my own pizza because you can put whatever you want on it, and most of the ingredients are fresh. It's also fun to get your family involved in making pizzas!

2 pizza crusts (I use Boboli's thin or whole wheat)
Extra virgin olive oil
1 can black refried beans
1 package Uncle Ben's 90 second Spanish rice
1 - 6 pack of chorizo (Spanish pork sausage found in the sausage section of most grocery stores)
1 1/2 packages reduced fat 4 cheese Mexican (I use Sargento)
1/2 small yellow or purple onion, diced
3 small bell peppers (red, yellow, and orange)
Salsa and/or light sour cream for toppings if you want.

Cut open the chorizo casings and brown it in a pan like you would ground beef for about 5-7 minutes, stirring constantly, then drain and let cool in a strainer over a bowl to catch the juices (which WILL stain your clothes).
Brush the top of each pizza crust with a thin coat of extra virgin olive oil.

Spread half the refried black beans on one and the other half on the other (like you're icing a cake).
Heat the 90 second Spanish rice. Then, with a fork, spread half the rice over one crust and half over the other crust.
Fork out half the cooked chorizo on one crust and the other half on the other crust.
Sprinkle about half a package of cheese over each pizza.
Sprinkle onions and peppers over each pizza.
Sprinkle about 1/4 of a package of cheese over each pizza.
Bake at 450 for 10 minutes.

I love to top my Mexican pizza with a little bit of light sour cream to off-set the heat of the chorizo. Some people in my family also like to add a little salsa to the top, as well. It's up to you how you enjoy this delicious pizza!!

Click this box to print this recipe!