THE EATERY IS OPEN - HEALTHIFIED CARROT CAKE

Marion Pellicano Ambrose

My friend Lois has a birthday coming up on October 10th and carrot cake is her favorite! I wanted to find one that had all the flavor but fewer calories and less fat! I think I'll hit a home run with this recipe!

“Healthified” Carrot Cake

Prep Time - 30 min | Total - 2 hrs 10 min | Yield - 16 servings

53% fewer calories • 77% less saturated fat • 73% less

fat than the original recipe. Wonderful flavor remains

while smart substitutions cut calories and fat.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup fat-free egg product

1/3 cup canola oil

1/3 cup canned pumpkin

(not pumpkin pie mix)

1/4 cup fat-free (skim) milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup all-purpose fl our

1/2 cup whole wheat fl our

1-1/4 cups granulated sugar

1- 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1- 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups shredded carrots

(about 4 medium)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottoms only of

two 8-inch round cake pans with cooking

spray.

 In large bowl, mix egg product, oil,

pumpkin, 1/4 cup milk and 1 teaspoon

vanilla with electric mixer on low speed

until well blended.

2. Add all remaining cake ingredients except

carrots. Beat on low speed 30 seconds or

until well blended. Stir in carrots. Pour

batter evenly into pans.

3. Bake 28 to 33 minutes or until toothpick

inserted in center comes out clean. Cool

10 minutes. Carefully run knife around

sides of pans to loosen; remove from

pans to cooling racks. Cool completely,

about 1 hour.

 In medium bowl, beat cream cheese and

butter with electric mixer on medium

speed until creamy. On low speed,

beat in vanilla until well blended. Beat

in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time,

until smooth. If necessary, add milk, 1/2

teaspoon at a time, until frosting is desired

consistency. Spread frosting between cake

layers and on top. Sprinkle with pecans.

Source: http://www.bettycrocker.com/

Frosting

4 oz (half of 8-oz pkg)

1/3-less-fat cream cheese

(Neufchâtel), softened

2 tablespoons butter or

no-trans-fat 68% vegetable

oil spread stick, softened

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla

3 cups powdered sugar

1/2 to 2 teaspoons fat-free

(skim) milk

1/3 cup chopped pecans

Happy Birthday Lois!
Happy Birthday in Heaven Mom!

YOU HAVE TO CHOOSE IT! EVERYDAY!

Barbara Ward-Finneran

What enables us to go from what we are today to who we want to be tomorrow?

All the options that exist in today's tech savvy and fast moving world along with all the decisions and choices open to us each moment don’t necessarily give you a sum of happiness and optimism at the end of the day.  How has the simplicity of that beautiful aspiration been lost along the way? Multitudes of options seemingly make life overwhelming, not easier.  Wouldn’t it seem like many choices would make life easier.  Rather the opposite is at times blindingly apparent.  With choice comes responsibility.  UGH!  Therein lies the problem.  Do you become trapped in not choosing rather then risk the wrong one?  

Although not easy to admit out loud, or in this case, write and read typed out, I’ve been making choices by default.  By spinning my wheels. YUCK!  I despise that - yet I have been lost in a cycle of it.  By not keeping your eyes on the prize and focusing on the outcomes you desire, you let life happen to you, instead of creating the life you crave and deserve.  I know better.  I do better.  So, WHY?  Why am I, why have I been floundering in a pool of potential?  

I’ve been putting in some time soul searching for that "AH-HA answer".  It’s not a black and white issue, so there isn’t a simple answer, but a spectrum of shades and tints to investigate.  Layers to peel away, acknowledge, and feel before you can escape the torture of life in the gray and once again look through those technicolor glasses.  I know I have those glasses!  Hell, I usually blind people when I put ‘em on. They have been just out of reach - like that lip gloss that you know is in the black hole of your purse.  Reach in feel around, pull stuff out, you know it’s 'freaking' in there.  Yet there is no getting your hands on it till later when you can get somewhere and do the “great purse dump” in a safe place with decent lighting.  

Seems my mind and heart have needed a “great purse dump”.  Yet like when looking for that lip gloss, sometimes you choose to forget about it, rather then finish the task of searching for it, or finding the time, energy, and place needed for the “dump”.  You use (choose the safety of) the chap stick that you have pulled out ten times instead or just go without.  

LUNCH TIME POLL - Biggest Loser

LAST CHANCE....  Last Chance to tune in this season!

According to Bob - "It isn't about winning a game, it's about fixing what's broken!" and Jillian tells them all the time, "The past does NOT define you, the present does!" Cara and Brett weigh in with much the same sentiments.

They were all asked; Will Anything Stop You?  Will Anything hold you back? Have you finished what you started???  Last weeks final four ended with Hannah and Olivia as the top two locked in finalists.
Jay and Irene will await America's vote.

One way or the other tonight season finally not only changes lives and the show slated to return in the fall will be different.  Any take on the new trainers?  Will you watch when Jillian doesn't return?

 Has this show inspired you or someone you know? Care to comment on those who went home... who do you think kept their eyes on the prize?

But of course this all leads to: 
Who do you think America voted for?  
Who do you think will take the grand prize home?
WHO WILL BE THE BIGGEST LOSER?!?!