Guilt Free Savory Spinach Stuffed Chicken W/ @MyMollyMcButter + $50 Giveaway

Momma Told Me: Cut calories, not flavor.

The holiday season is no longer imminent, it is in full swing, upon us. This means rosy pinched cheeks from Aunt Petunia, all the sugar you can eat, the inevitable paper cuts (yes, even from gift bags, I'm a klutz), and all the food you can eat- did I mention all the food? This time of year, rolling towards New Years resolutions and the unavoidable guilt of holiday gluttony, so many of us are tempted to skip meals. Whether it's sheer convenience, from lack of time to stop and actually prepare a meal, or in hopes the over-eating and starvation will balance each other out;  neither is healthy. In fact, your body is already under considerable stress with holiday commitments, and exposure to a wider range of germs (crowded shopping malls, need I say more?), why deny it the nutrients it so sorely needs? Molly McButter is here to help you get through the holiday guilt with flavor and figure in tact.

If you've never heard of Molly McButter, you're no different than me a week back; but this simple yet versatile seasoning has an impressively loyal legion of users, and a wonderfully handy arsenal of tailored recipes. Molly McButter comes in 2 varieties; All Natural Butter Flavor Sprinkles, and All Natural Cheese Flavor Sprinkles. And, how such a humble all natural product packs so much genuine flavor into a mere sprinkle is entirely vexing to me- but quite true to taste. And Molly's low calorie too, just 5 calories per serving, making it the perfect seasoning staple for fattening holiday spreads or your new favorite recipe. I was tickled to find this product on the shelf near the sprinkle seasonings in my local Walmart, though I was sad to find they only stocked the Butter variety.

When you hear Molly McButter, and see the little brightly colored shaker, it's hard not to think popcorn seasoning- make no mistake, this is a seasoning you can top food with, but it's also a product you can cook with. Much like low calorie butter flavored sprays of today, Molly offers a convenient way to flavor dishes per serving, or to cook. It's extra fine powder consistency offers big flavor impact for little product consumption, keeping calories down- and did we mention it's all natural? This time of year I need low fat recipes that are high in protein and fiber, and simple to prepare, between all the rushing and wrapping. I decided to adapt a recipe off the Molly McButter website to create quick and flavorful, heart friendly, Savory Spinach Stuffed Chicken, with a side of Cheddar Bay Biscuits. (***Savory disclaimer, biscuits were adapted from a box, I can't be Betty Crocker 24/7)

Jay loves spinach, and, while I won't eat it solo, I love integrating it into recipes that are high in protein. Preparing these Savory Spinach Stuffed Chicken breasts took less than 10 minutes, and another 25 in the oven. I flavored the spinach mixture and exterior of the chicken with Molly McButter Butter Flavored Sprinkles, the only other seasoning being fresh cracked pepper for my spinach filling. The result was a wonderfully tender, juicy, breast full of flavor that hardly tasted 'good for you' at all! Molly McButter knows watching what you top with, during the holidays, can be a real chore; so they've put together a fun Facebook application to help illustrate all the ways you can sprinkle their product. They've also sweetened the fun with a special $100 a day sweepstakes for every visitor who enters by playing the Flavor Bomb game now through 12/31/2013. So be sure to head on over today season without the guilt, and get entered to win!

What Daughter Says: Smart seasoning substitutions, with Molly McButter can help cut calories during this food filled season.

One Momma Told Me reader will win a $50 Visa Gift Card, along with a year's supply of Molly McButter!

Trust The Gorton's Fisherman: Low Calorie Recipe + Giveaway

Momma Told Me: Don't mind yourself where it came from. You'll eat it, and you'll like it. **See, or you'll eat nothing at all!

As a child, it's hard to think of anything I'd rather have eaten less than seafood. This was partly due to the highly over-processed, genuinely fishy smelling, fried sticks of mystery 'fish' my Elementary cafeteria served up every Wednesday. It was also in part thanks to the chunky and generally unappealing Tartar Sauce my father would glop onto his fish at the dinner table, but mostly, thanks to the food's origin. I'd sit there with my Little Mermaid coloring book, in my mother's doctor's waiting room and stare bug eyes at the alien like creatures peacefully swimming through the tank. And nothing scrunched my nose up faster than the image of a bug like shrimp, complete with feelers, bouncing around like a seahorse one minute- then fried with fanned tail the next. Everything about seafood gave me the willies, and poor Momma just couldn't seem to put one past me.

I'm not sure exactly where it happened, but I think it started somewhere with an endless plate of Popcorn Shrimp at my father's favorite restaurant, Red Lobster. Ironically enough, just months before this I recall a fairly traumatic experience, visiting my Massachusetts grandparents, where I drew my table's ticket from a raffle and won 10 live Maine Lobsters. I truly joyous, and savory, event for my party, but one that would haunt me for years ad I watched those red creatures loaded into crates, followed by my grandmother's boiling pot! In any case, it's quite funny to think I've since instituted a yearly tradition of taking my father to the annual All You Can Eat Shrimpfest, where we gorge ourselves in fierce competition to the waiter's dismay.

While I have certainly torn down my 'anti seafood mandate', one thing still remains true, my dislike for processed, or pre-packaged seafood. Personally, I make a point not to buy frozen seafood for 2 simple reasons; the prices can seem exorbitant in comparison to fresh, quality, seafood, and the actual seafood flavor or quantity usually lacks. The other half, on the opposite hand can indulge in Fried Fishsticks, direct from the freezer all day long. It's a conundrum that often has me picking up the cheapest frozen seafood on sale, knowing he doesn't care about the quality, and I have no desire to eat it. So, when Jay's craving some fish sticks, or fried shrimp, it often means preparing 2 separate meals; a chore I'd much rather forgo.

Though I grew up with Gorton's, and our local grocer stocks an entire freezer case of these wholesome frozen seafood products, I'd never payed much attention as an adult. Every now and then I'll fawn over the shrimp varieties, or wonder of the grilled fillet quality, but stubbornly refused to give them a chance. Established in 1849, Gorton's Seafood has an impressive commitment to sustainability and quality they proudly stand behind. Their extensive line of frozen seafood spans Grilled and Battered Shrimp, Fillets, and Sticks in everything from single serve to resealable family size portions. With meal ready product, such as Salmon Lemon Butter Fillets and Roaster Butter and Garlic Tilapia, it's not just fried and battered seafood. I had no idea the diverse range of low preparation fish and shrimp just a few blocks away at my local grocer! And the convenience of storing bulk frozen fillets or sticks means I can save money, and time.

Even better, Gorton's has expanded their range to include an impressive 20 products that weigh in at 200 calories or less per serving. That's flavorful, pre-seasoned, seafood direct from your freezer to plate in often less than 15 minutes. My favorite, the Grilled Salmon filets offer the perfect pre-portioned protein base for a light Caprese salad or Wild Rice Pilaf. And when preparing a hearty Filet Mignon for our anniversary I can trust the simple preparation and low calorie portioning of Gorton's Shrimp Scampi in a Creamy Garlic Butter Sauce. Most recently I took the brand's 20 under 200 challenge and turned their low calorie Shrimp Scampi into a ridiculously simple and flavorful plate of Malaysian Curried Shrimp and Udon Noodles. The entire dish took less than 12 minutes, and made the perfect under 250 calorie lunch! Not feeling creative? Gorton's has dozens of easy to follow companion recipes for their line right on the website. Don't be afraid of frozen seafood, experience Gorton's today. Keep up with the Gorton's Fisherman on Facebook for the latest coupons and recipes.

Malaysian Curried Shrimp with Udon Noodles

Serves 2

***click here for printable recipe

Ingredients:

* 1 Package Gorton's Shrimp Scampi in Grlic Butter Sauce

* 8oz Cooked Udon Noodles

* 1/2 C Coconut Milk

* 1 TSP Curry Powder

* 1 TBS Sriracha, or other Hot Sauce

* 1/2 C Diced Tomatoes

Instructions:

1.) Prepare Udon Noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile prepare Gorton's Shrimp Scampi according to package directions.

2.) Once Shrimp Scampi begins to curl and turn pink (about 3-4 minutes) add tomatoes and continue to cook until done.

3.) Once Shrimp Scampi is fully cooked add remaining ingredients and combine until well mixed. Serve atop cooked Udon noodles.

What Daughter Says: Millions trust the Gorton's Fisherman, and now, so do I.

One Momma Told Me follower will win 5 Gorton's product vouchers, for free product of their choice, and a branded cooking kit, including apron, spatula and oven mitt.