Jack's Beanstalk, a Diet Recipe

Written by Sky Taylor, Diet Bites

A Low Calorie, Low Fat Three-Bean Recipe

This three-bean salad contains a cool surprise than will make preparation a snap.

Our secret low fat weapon in Jack's Beanstalk is using pickle juice from pickles that have been prepared with Splenda.

Simply look on the pickle jar at the market and these-type pickles should be clearly labeled on the front.

Not only will you get to enjoy a jar of these delicious pickles, you can use the leftover pickle juice to create our delicious three-bean salad.

Preparation Notes for Diet Bites Three Bean Recipe

To make the three-bean salad, drain the following cans of store-bought beans (regular size cans) and soak the beans overnight in the fridge in the Splenda-based pickle juice.

You can empty the fully drained beans into a large bowl, then add the juice and stir to coat. Seal the bowl tightly to keep the freshness locked within.

Add a bit of dried dill if desired to take the bean salad up a notch.

And add a bit of finely sliced, lightly cooked and cooled white onion to take the salad up another notch.

Necessary Ingredients for Three Bean Salad Recipe

1 can of whole green beans

1 can of wax beans

1 can of red kidney beans, either dark or light

Use just enough beans so that the pickle juice covers them. In other words - it's not necessary to use the full nellie.

If you have leftover beans, you can cook them together the following day and add a serving of cornbread for a whole grain goodness selection.

This is an excellent meal that will keep you feeling satisfied while trying to lose weight. And who doesn't love cornbread? You can even add a serving of reduced fat margarine to the cornbread if you wish.

Pack the marinated beans into a pretty jar with the juice to serve.

This low calorie three bean salad transports well to family outings, office function, holiday and party events. Enjoy within two days.

For a more substantial meal, let's look at our hot dog recipes. Skinny calories, yet all the flavor.

Skinny Hot Dog Recipes

Anyone can make a Chili Cheese Dog - just plop a frank into a bun, top it with cheese, chili and chopped onions - and that's it! But in the end, that Chili Cheese Dog can contain 600 calories or more. Yikes!

Therefore, our tasty Chili Cheese Dog will focus not only on expense, but also on calorie and fat content. Let's see what we can prepare for a skinny 225 calories.

As a note - for all our versions of Chili Cheese Dogs, our top-rated, economical  frank is Oscar Mayer's Light Franks - a skinny 90 calories each. They are packed with taste, and their light and lean structure will fit perfectly into a healthy diet and into a skinny budget.  

Chili Cheese Dog Recipe #1- Skinny Chili Cheese Dog

If you prefer toasted buns for your Chili Cheese Dog, you can save calories and fat grams by spraying the buns with butter flavored cooking spray. Simply pop in the toaster oven or toast on the stove top in a non-stick pan. We prefer using the softest hot dog buns available as the hot dog bun is fluffier.

Next, slice the frank lengthwise, creating two servings - then roast as you normally would (grill, stove top, toaster oven).

Top with 1 serving of your favorite hot dog sauce (25 calories), add a few chopped onions and then sprinkle on shredded skim mozzarella cheese (40 calories worth). Add mustard if desired before topping with hot dog sauce.

Let's total the calories: frank - 45 calories, hot dog bun - 110 calories, hot dog sauce -25 calories, cheese - 40 calories and the onions and mustard are so low in calories that they can be used freely without impacting the end-calorie results. Total calories for the Skinny Chili Cheese Dog = about 225 calories.

Chili Cheese Dog Recipe #2- Vamped-Up Chili Cheese Dog

Prepare as above, using 1 whole frank. Add any or all of the following toppings: