GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE:  Oh yeah… one of my absolute favorite dishes.  When I spotted this recipe on Skinnytaste last fall, I HAD to make it, and I was even able to talk Beth into adding it to our holiday menu.   

When I saw that Gina had tackled this holiday favorite, and figured out a way to make it healthy, I knew it would quickly become a family favorite.  And, I was right!

** We made this recipe over the Christmas holidays, so you’ll notice extra special helpers in some of my pictures. Hailey was an amazing sous-chef, and even took some of the pictures you see below.  Little Hayden also jumped in to help!  Enjoy!

Lightened Up Green Bean Casserole

From SkinnyTaste

Serves 8

INGREDIENTS

For the topping:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 cup shallots, finely diced

1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs

1 tbsp grated Romano or Parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp dried thyme (or 1 tsp fresh)

For the green beans:

1 tbsp olive oil

1/3 cup shallots, minced

16 oz sliced mushrooms, (I used cremini)

1/4 cup flour

1 cup reduced sodium chicken stock (or vegetable for vegetarian)

1 cup 2% milk

1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

1.  Boil a large pot of water, when boiling add green beans and blanch for 2 minutes (or 6-8 minutes if you like them softer).

2.  Remove from the heat to an ice bath to stop the cooking process.

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Third Stop:  Kansas City

I’ve been planning this trip to Kansas City for about a year.  My dear, sweet, inspiring, fabulous friend Natalie was getting married, and you best believe I wanted to be front and center to see her marry the man of her dreams.

Nat and I have been friends for about 5 years now, but honestly, I feel as though I’ve known her forever.  Interestingly, we’ve also never lived in the same city, nor spent weeks on end with one another… but just the same, she’s become one of my bestest of friends.

She and I started working together back in 2008 when I took a job in the same department.  Instantly, we bonded over just about everything… TV shows, fun stories of the work day, movies, books,  shopping, you know… all the fun GIRL STUFF!

When I started on my journey to lose weight, Nat was right there with me (virtually, of course) cheering me along.  She was that voice or text message saying “Don’t drive thru” or “Go to the GYMMMM” in the most supportive way.  And, when I finally came out of the “blog closet” she was one of the first people that I shared NTTC with…

As she heard all the intimate details of my weight loss battle, I had the extreme privilege of hearing all about her great adventures involving her courtship with her wonderful husband Rick.

All that being said, the third leg of my trip was particularly special because it involved Nat.

I flew into KC on Friday morning, as I needed to be in town in time for the rehearsal dinner.  I made reservations to stay on the beautiful Country Club Plaza so that I’d be close to the wedding festivities and so that we would be able to enjoy the Plaza during free time.

When I got to the Courtyard Country Club Plaza, I had a fun package at the front desk from the bride with water, snacks, and last minute reminders about the wedding.

Having several hours free before I had to be anywhere, I headed off to the plaza for some shopping and lunch.  I knew exactly where I wanted to go for lunch and made a beeline for Seasons 52.

If you’ve never had the pleasure, Seasons 52 is a restaurant that boasts a seasonal menu, with weekly specials (thus the 52.)  The BEST part about their menu is that every single item on the menu is under 475 calories. SERIOUSLY!  The waiter when he stopped by emphasized that their dishes are not prepared in butter and that olive oil is used sparingly. (Seasons 52… Why are you not in Denver yet??)

There were so many things on the menu I wanted to try, but I settled on two appetizer salads to try:  the Crisp Romaine & Kale Caesar Salad and the Tomato and Hass Avocado Salad.  I ended up eating about half of each salad, which clocked in at about 310 calories.  PERFECTION!

After a delicious lunch, I popped into a few stores to pick up a few accessories for the rehearsal dinner:  A new clutch from Forever 21, earrings and bracelet from Black House/White Market, and a scarf to cover up with on the cool Missouri night!  You can’t not shop in the Plaza, afterall!

After squeezing in time for a sweaty workout in the hotel gym, it was time to get ready for the rehearsal.  I found this great green dress at TJ Maxx and was excited to pair it with my new accessories.

I absolutely loved Nat’s rehearsal, which was held at the amazing Plaza III Steakhouse in their wine cellar.

Mostly, it was honored to meet her family. The beautiful cast of characters that she had described to me for years… it was awesome to put a face with the names and stories she had shared.  It was especially wonderful meeting her mom, Grandmother (Nonna), and her new stepson Little Ricky!

The bride looked SO beautiful and incredibly happy, and it was SO fantastic to see this lady!

After a delicious meal at Plaza III, we headed off to a local bar to meet up with some additional wedding guests who had arrived during the rehearsal.  While we didn’t stay out long, we spent a little time catching up with Janelle (my roommate for the weekend), Jamie, and Kara who had flown in from California.  So fun to see everyone!

To Be Continued….

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I think I ordered it three times during this trip.  The beautiful combination of chicken, tomatoes, bacon, and avocados, I couldn’t get enough of it!  I think the best surprise was the honey mustard dressing they tossed the salad in.  Usually, when I’ve had cobbs, they’re coated in creamy dressing, so this was a nice surprise!

As soon as I got home, I totally wanted to try to recreate it.  I came pretty darn close with the “recipe” I’m about to share with you.  I call it a “recipe” because it’s more a preparation than anything…

Chicken Cobb Salad

INGREDIENTS

butter lettuce

1/3 cup grilled or roasted chicken (from the deli section)

1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

1/2 English cucumber, quartered and cubed

red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 avocado, cubed

2 slices bacon

2 Tbsp. light honey mustard dressing (I used Ken’s)

sea salt grinder

pepper grinder

INSTRUCTIONS

1.  Find a big bowl for this salad.  You’re going to want to load it up with veggies

2.  Add your butter lettuce to a separate large bowl.  Add enough to create a nice bed for your toppings.

3.   Add 2 Tbsp. of your light honey mustard dressing and a few twists of the fresh salt and pepper.  Mix until all the greens are coated, and move to the serving bowl.  Note:  This is an important step.  Tossing your greens in dressing makes sure every bite has a little zing of honey mustard.

4.  Begin to add your toppings, adding each in rows.  Slice your tomatoes in half and quarter your cucumbers.  Slice your red onion super thin, and cube your avocado.

5.  Cut the pre-prepared (or freshly grilled) chicken into small bite-sized pieces.  Cook your bacon and cut it into small pieces.  Add these protein toppings to the bowl.  Note:  I used Tyson chicken and Hormel pre-cooked bacon.  Seriously…

6.  Stir up your salad and enjoy!

No, it’s not the most creative recipe I’ve ever made, but I’ve eaten it several times since I’ve been home.  Super tasty, and definitely worth a try!

Per entire recipe serving:

CAL 287; CARB 15g; FAT 16g; PROT 21g; FIB 4g; WW Points Plus: 7

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Just the same, I walked into this weekend with only a tiny bit of plans… and I didn’t even leave the city limits after I got home on Friday.  Unheard of!

Friday night after work, I went to my very first Tutu Making Party.  Yep, you heard me right… we were TUTU MAKING!  We’re just a few weeks away from Jodi’s Race for Awareness, and my team “Team Bev” has opted to wear fabulous teal tutus this year.

We did what any awesome team does… we found a Youtube video, ordered some tulle, and met up to get our tutu on!  I have never spent so much time with tulle in my life!

Not everyone could make the event, so we made as many as we could for those who weren’t there.  I took home one to finish, but definitely had the technique down by the time I left.  SO EASY!

After getting home kind of late, I woke up the next morning to realize I was exhausted.  My 11 days away and hectic work week had caught up with me.  So, instead of being productive… I laid in my bed reading a book for a long time, getting up only to head to get a manicure and pedicure.  Seriously lazy… but at least the book was good!

(Source)

After my mani-pedi, I was hungry for lunch so I headed into Old Town to try a new taco place that a co-worker had been raving about!  They told me that it was better than Cafe Rio… which to me seemed impossible.

I ordered the small Chicken Fajita salad, sans cheese with avocado ranch dressing on the side.  It was really good, and I’ll definitely be back.  I’m not prepared to say I like it better than Cafe Rio though…

Right next door to Fuzzy’s is a little Olive Oil shop I’ve been meaning to stop into forever.  After spending 5 minutes in the store, I couldn’t believe that I’d never been to Kristo’s before!  I spent close to 30 minutes in the store tasting and getting to know all of their olive oils and vinegars.  I never knew there were so many!!

They had little slices of bread and little tiny cups you could use to sample the offerings.  There were so many that were my “favorites” that I really had to be conservative when it was time to check out.  Here’s what I ended up with though…. all very delicious!

I chose the Sicilian Lemon White Balsamic Vinegar, Black Mountain Fig Balsamic Vinegar, Cranberry Pear White Balsamic Vinegar, and a Cilantro Onion Infused Olive Oil.  The citrusy vinegars were SO delicious and will be making their way to a salad in the near future.  As for the other two more savory blends, I can’t wait to come up with something to make with them.  The folks at Kristo’s also shared that they offer cooking classes… stay tuned for my review of those!  I’m going to have to try one of those soon!

I spent the rest of my weekend running local errands, finishing up tutus, and a craft project I’ve been working on for some time.  Add in a little treadmill time and some yoga… and that’s all she wrote.

How was your weekend?

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When you taste something like this… you just want to talk about it.  You want to describe it well.  You want to make sure everyone else can taste it through your words.

Seriously, with this burger, there are almost no words.

Those are just a few of the words I came up with for this recipe from Iowa Girl Eats.  As always, I made a few modifications to make it work with what I had in the refrigerator… but this burger is my new go-to.  I only made one, but I’ll tell you… I can’t wait to make my next one.

Oh, and where’s the bun?  Don’t care.  Didn’t need one.  (Yes, it’s still me talking…)  While I love my bread, this burger stands alone in the most delicious way.  TRY IT and then give me some words for how it tastes.  I know I missed a few….

Bruschetta Turkey Burgers Stuffed with Babybel Light Cheese

From Iowa Girl Eats via Peanut Butter Fingers

Serves 1

INGREDIENTS

Bruschetta Ingredients

1 Roma tomatoes, chopped

1/2 tsp. garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

3/4 tsp. balsamic vinegar

1 heaping Tbsp. fresh basil, julienned

Salt & pepper, to taste

Burger Ingredients

4 oz. 99% lean ground turkey breast

1/4 tsp. dried basil

2 tsp. reduced fat parmesan cheese

1 wheel Mini Babybel Light Cheese

salt and pepper

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

 INSTRUCTIONS.

1.  Combine all bruschetta ingredients in a small bowl, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings accordingly.

2.  In a large bowl combine turkey, salt, pepper, basil and parmesan cheese. Divide mixture into 2 portions.

 

Per entire recipe serving:

CAL 314; CARB 20g; FAT 10g; PROT 35g; FIB 2g; WW Points Plus: 8

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Second Stop:  Las Vegas

I know what you’re thinking… you’re thinking, what an awesome vacation!  What a fun getaway!  Well not quite:  This second leg was TOTALLY a WORK TRIP.

After I’d already planned my getaways to Phoenix and Kansas City, my company decided to add in a third trip to Las Vegas for training.  I tried to convince my boss that this would be too much, but he insisted the training was critical to my success.  So, I flew directly from Phoenix to Las Vegas to begin this work adventure.

Once I arrived… I was excited to be there!  There is something about the energy in Las Vegas that I just love.  People are having a blast, spending time celebrating whatever brings them into town (even training), and you always have a chance of running into someone you know…

Tiffany and I had dinner a few weeks back and realized we’d both be in Vegas at the same time.  Since our schedules stay kind of crazy, we had to take advantage of this opportunity to see each other, especially considering the travel coincidence.  I met up with Tiffany and her travel companions at PJ Clarke’s where they were enjoying $1 oysters.  I think we ALL know that I politely declined the raw shellfish.  So nice to see her though!!

After meeting up with Tiffany, I headed over to the hotel where I was staying.  Since my company was footing the hotel bill, I didn’t get to stay here…

Instead, we stayed at the Courtyard, tucked away from the strip.  This was probably a good idea, considering we had sales training from 8am-5pm every day.  I traveled with two other girls on my team, and it ended up being a pretty fun trip as a result.  But, I think it’s fair to mention that Vegas is a weird trip, when it is for work.

The ladies and I dined Monday night at my VERY favorite restaurant in Las Vegas:  Firefly Tapas Kitchen & Bar.

Firefly is known for their tasty, authentic tapas dishes, including the gazpacho recipe I featured last week.  You also might remember that Angela’s rehearsal dinner was held at this amazing restaurant last summer.  It’s always a crowd-pleaser, and in my opinion, a MUST-EAT locale in Vegas.  It was a perfect meal to kick off this Vegas trip!  Note:  After we visited, we learned about the bad press Firefly had at another location… but let me assure you, the meal we had was perfection at the West Sahara location.

On Tuesday night, after training, we rushed out to get to the strip… because we had reservations and tickets to a show!

During breaks in class, we were able to secure a table at Lemongrass at Aria, a FANTASTIC Thai restaurant.  It was tough to decide what to have for dinner, so we decided to share a few things:

Carla ordered the Chicken Pad Thai and I opted for the Basil Beef… both were ABSOLUTELY delish!  Carla and Erin insisted on ordering dessert, and on introducing me to Mango Sticky Rice.  This is DEFINITELY something I will eat again… so yummy!

After dinner, we rushed off to see our show which was showing right there at Aria…

The show was described around town as “SURREAL”, and interestingly enough… I didn’t even look at the description before we bought the tickets.  All I had to see was that it was “Cirque du Soleil” and I was in!  I didn’t expect to see spiders, snakes, and eyeballs… but there they were!

I also didn’t expect to take any pictures during the show… but when the clown on the left floated above us, I couldn’t resist.  And, the show was so beautiful… I just had to capture it somehow.

What was my favorite part of the show?  The bottom center picture above was HANDS DOWN my favorite part.  Erin had seen this piece before during a trip to Cancun, but it was the first time I’d ever seen sand paintings.  Unbelievable.  There was a lady creating the most beautiful pictures with her hands… out of sand, and they projected it as part of the show.  AWESOME and incredibly artistic.

Happy Customers

After the show, we felt like we needed to walk around the strip a little bit.  Vegas was pumping in all that oxygen, making the night feel young.  And, that might be what you see below… a little extra oxygen making it even more fun to try on the Zarkana hats in the gift shop.  Good times…

Next stop was my favorite hotel on the Strip.  You might remember similar pictures from Angela’s Vegas Wedding recaps and my trip to see Garth Brooks in December.  I love the Cosmopolitan…. that gorgeous Chandelier Bar and that tasty signature pink Cosmo they serve.

We also walked over to see the Fountains at the Bellagio… really, is there a more spectacular sight in Sin City?  The fountain display that we saw was choreographed to “Proud to be an American” by Lee Greenwood.  While we were hoping for Frank Sinatra or Andrea Bocelli, this patriotic song was also fantastic!

What a great night!  After all that running around and another full day of class, I was beat when Wednesday night arrived.  I made plans to meet up with some family while I was in town, and saved that for my last night in Vegas.

My cousin Drew and I had dinner off strip at Yard House.  (Who doesn’t love Yard House??)  Such a great time catching up with him and sharing stories about our families on the East coast.  He makes me want to take a trip to Ohio soon to visit aunts and uncles and cousins, and of course, my sweet Grandpa.

While I was incredibly tempted to hit the strip to have a Cable Car martini at the Bellagio after dinner, I did the right thing and made it an early night.  After all, I still had one leg of my trip remaining.

To Be Continued…

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We’ve had like 5-6 weeks of Spring snow storms, so the last thing I was interested in seeing was another one of those forecast marked with a little white flake.  It DOES look like we’re in the clear… Keyword:  LOOK.

Really, when you live in Colorado, you can get snow into June.  I haven’t seen it before… but I’ve heard about it.  For now, I’m going to enjoy the temps in the mid 80s and just be grateful it’s gorgeous!

When I think of summer weather… I get excited about firing up my grill!  This recipe is the first one I cooked on the grill this year, and oh-was-it-ever-amazing!

It also was an incredibly easy recipe from my girl over at The Girl Who Ate Everything.  Christy’s recipes have become some of my absolute favorites, and this tasty Hawaiian chicken is no exception!

Hawaiian Grilled Chicken

From The Girl Who Ate Everything

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

1 lb. of boneless skinless chicken breasts
2/3 cup soy sauce
2/3 cup water
1/2 cups brown sugar
1/3 bunch of green onions, chopped (reserve some for garnish)
1 Tbsp. white onion, chopped
1/4 tsp. minced garlic
1/3 tsp. sesame oil
1/3 can light coconut milk

INSTRUCTIONS

1.  Trim chicken breasts of any visible fat. Mix soy sauce, water, brown sugar, onions, garlic, sesame oil, and coconut milk in a large bowl. Marinade chicken for at least 8 hours or overnight to make sure the flavor gets infused.  Note:  Christy’s original recipe called for boneless chicken thighs, but I switched to breasts.  Also, I didn’t have any onion handy, so I didn’t add the green or white this round.  I will next time!

2.  Grill chicken at a low heat so that the marinade does not burn for 5-7 minutes per side or until done. If you do not have a grill, you can use a indoor grill pan.

3.  Allow chicken to rest 3-5 minutes before serving.  Enjoy!!!

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I’ve been on a WHIRLWIND of a VACATION!

I haven’t traveled in about 5 months, since I flew home for Christmas.  However, in true NTTC fashion, I went ahead and took THREE trips this week.  Go big or go home, right?

First Stop:  Phoenix

It’s that time of year again… time to head to Montelucia for my 1st trip of the year.  Truly, I couldn’t wait for this trip.

Having spent the past few weeks shopping for new bathing suits and picking up odds and ends, I was ready to get there on Friday morning.  When I arrived I was THRILLED to find the weather to be ABSOLUTE PERFECTION.  It was in the 80s and breezy… I couldn’t have ordered better weather.

As usual, my friend Donna met me there and we spent our days lounging by the pool, working on our tans, and catching up.  We also took advantage of the poolside service… enjoying a lot of the Montelucia’s amazing (and healthy!) dishes!

One of many great things about visiting a spa is that the menus are full of healthy choices, and often have calorie counts included.  The challenge with visiting a spa with one of your best friends is that it becomes difficult to count all of the liquid calories that go in.  Especially when they are so tasty…

On Friday night, we went to our absolute favorite italian restaurant in Old Town Scottsdale.  If you’re ever in Phoenix, you HAVE to try Marcellinos… they have the most exquisitely delicious homemade pasta.  We even got to eat on the patio because the weather was so mild.

You might not recognize Donna and I above… we just stepped out of the salon moments before that picture was taken.  As for the pictures of the food, we split the most delicious pear, arugula, parmesan salad.  I’ll be making this at home soon.  It was that good.  The dish to the right is the best pasta I’ve ever had in my life:  Caco di Pepe – - Homemade parmesan cracked pepper linguini in a tomato ragu with pancetta and caramelized onions.  I order it every time I go to Marcellinos, and it never disappoints.

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Maybe I’m a picky shopper, but I don’t always love these “surprise” boxes…. especially when I can just pick out items I prefer.

I subscribed to Birchbox for a few months, and truth be told… I didn’t love it.  It’s not because the products weren’t great, instead it’s that I don’t really try to many new beauty products.  While Hilary calls me “The Brunette Barbie,” I’m really pretty simple from a beauty perspective…

Having read about Birchbox’s new Limited Edition Home Box on The Small Things Blog, I knew I wanted to try it.  Online, you could see exactly what you were buying… and having read Kate’s review, I knew I would love it…

While the exterior of the box was adorable, as you can see above… it’s what was in the box that got me really excited!

This box was loaded with a bunch of fun garden inspired items including the following:

Let’s start with the edibles: mini-jars of Sarabeth’s award-winning strawberry-raspberry and peach-apricot preserves, Gift Republic’s Grow Me: Mini Herb and Vegetable Growing Kit has everything you need to grow fresh basil on your windowsill, and for trips to the market in search of delicious seasonal produce, bring along your BAGGU® Market Shopping Bagand Birchbox Shopping List.

In the kitchen, use the Core Bamboo Radish Print Utility Knife to cut, peel, or slice the ingredients in your favorite recipes.  While I know that these are radishes, I kind of like to think they’re beets!

And, you can replenish your hands with TOCCA’s Crema da Mano Luxe.  My hands stay dry here in Colorado, especially at the edge of winter.  It’s the worst.  This lotion was PERFECT for me.. it’s so whipped and fluffy and it has the most incredible scent.  Called Cleopatra, I can’t get enough of this fantastic grapefruit and cucumber scent.  Luxurious!

Spruce up your living space with LAFCO’s Little Luxuries Candle Tin in a Cilantro Orange scent, and dab on L’OCCITANE’s lovely Jasmin & Bergamot Eau de Toilette.

There is not ONE item in this box that I am not ecstatic about.  Having purchased similar knives, lotions, and candles, I know I got my money’s worth and then some in purchasing this box.

While this box is no longer available from Birchbox, you can get individual items on their website.  (The Tocca Lotion and the Jellies… hint, hint!)

Have you subscribed to Birchbox?  Have you ever tried any of these products?  

Note:  I was not compensated in any way for my review of this product.  Just a happy consumer, sharing my story… 

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While I always have the option of using butter and cooking with copious amounts of olive oil, I’ve grown to choose the lower-calorie alternatives every time I hit the kitchen.  Unless I’m baking for my Grandpa or a special occasion, the meals that I’m whipping up in my kitchen are going to be healthy.

The thing I really don’t understand:  Why even cook the other way??  

I know that there is a flavor difference, but when you consider the fat/sodium/calorie difference… it’s just not worth it.  Afterall, if you’re craving a certain splurge-like dish, I almost GUARANTEE there’s a healthier alternative out there for you to try instead.

Today’s recipe is the perfect example…

I’ve never deep-fried anything in my life, and wouldn’t even know where to begin.  Again, why even head down the path of those unhealthy dishes if there’s a better-for-you alternative waiting for you…

Healthy Vegetarian Egg Rolls

From Skinny Kitchen

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

1 cup shredded cabbage

1 cup broccoli slaw

1/3 cup snow peas or sugar snap peas, chopped

1/3 cup carrots, shredded

1/3 cup scallions, chopped

1 tsp. ginger

1 garlic clove, minced

2 tsp. lite rice vinegar

½ Tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce

A little crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

4 egg roll wrappers, see shopping tip

Cooking spray

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Coat a baking pan with cooking spray.

2. In a medium bowl, combine cabbage, broccoli slaw, carrots, pea pods and scallions.

3. Heat oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high.  Add ginger, garlic and cook for 30 seconds.

4. Stir in cabbage mixture, 1½ tablespoons soy sauce, rice vinegar and red pepper flakes. Cook for about 5 minutes until soft-crisp. Chill in refrigerator for 15 minutes.

5. Place 1 egg roll wrapper at a time onto work surface with 1 corner pointing toward you (wrapper should look like a diamond). Dip your fingertips in water and wet the edges of the wrapper.  Spoon ⅓ cup cabbage filling into center of wrapper. Fold lower corner of egg roll wrapper over filling. Fold in corners and roll up jelly roll fashion. Repeat procedure with remaining wrappers and veggie filling.

6.  Lightly coat egg rolls with cooking spray and place, seam side down, on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.

7.  Bake for 10 minutes. Turn over and bake 10 minutes more until golden brown on both sides.

8. Serve at once with your choice of dipping sauce.  Note:  I dipped my egg rolls in sweet chili sauce, but had I had the ingredients I definitely would have made the sauce Skinny Kitchen recommends.  Find out how to make that sauce here.

9. To reheat, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place egg rolls on a baking sheet. Place in oven and heat until crisp.

 Per 1 Egg Roll Serving (sauce not included):

CAL 73; CARB 15g; FAT 0g; PROT 3g; FIB 2g; WW Points Plus: 2

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