How to Make a HUGE (0 PointsPlus) Fruit Salad That Lasts Your Family a Week...

You won't believe how much fruit I cut today, but it was absolutely worth it.

Quick & Easy Low Fat Baked Ziti - 8 PointsPlus

One night a few weeks ago, I asked my boyfriend what he wanted me to cook for him, and he said baked ziti.  I was having a really hard time finding a recipe that I deemed low enough in PointsPlus value for me to bother with - so I created my own!  I'm proud to say this is my first true original recipe, and I guess that's why it's taken me so long to put it up here.  But trust me - it's worth the wait... just look at it!! MMMM =)

Ingredients:

- 16 oz (1 lb) of cooked ziti noodles (or whatever pasta you like)

- 15 oz canned tomato sauce (I like Hunt's)

- 8 oz fat free ricotta cheese (such as Polly-O)

- 2 cups part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese (I used Sargento)
- 1 small/medium onion, minced
- Fresh basil (or the herbs of your choosing), roughly chopped

Spice up Your Fruits and Vegetables!!

As the title suggests, this post is going to be all about making fruits and vegetables more exciting.  If I went back in time and told 5-year-old me that someday I would LOVE fruits and veggies, I would think I was crazy.  But it turns out... they can be tasty if you know what to do with them!

FIRST: Apple Chips!

I can't promise you'll never eat potato chips again, but these things are pretty good.  Start by preheating the oven to 200 degrees. Then all you do is slice an apple or two into really thin slices (I like to use my Progressive International Multi Slicer to make the process easier and faster), lay the slices in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and sprinkle with some ground cinnamon and  Splenda or the no-calorie sweetener of your choice.  The hardest part is waiting... you have to leave them in the oven for at least 2 hours or longer depending on how crispy you want them.

One apple doesn't really make enough to share, so if you're trying to feed your family, use a few apples.  But trust me, it's worth the effort and worth the wait.  Just look at them... I know your mouth is watering.  Oh, and the best part i: they're 0 PointsPlus!!