Roasted Chicken and Mashed Sweet Potatoes

476 calories of deliciousness

The holidays are busy for everyone, so sometimes it's nice to make a meal that keeps on giving and I love roasting a whole chicken for that very reason. I can make the leftovers stretch for days and days and that's going to make this week flow smoothly by. I hope.

This is my absolute favorite way to roast a chicken because everything goes in one pan and it makes the best mashed sweet potatoes I've ever had. I didn't even know I liked sweet potatoes until I realized you can eat them without drowning them in sugar and marshmallows. Peel a large sweet potato and cut it into half inch thick coins. Spread them out in the bottom of a greased glass baking dish and then top with thinly sliced onion rings.

I hope you're prepared to get your hands dirty. Starting with a good quality chicken with the skin on, very carefully slide your hands between the chicken and the meat and separate the two, taking care not to rip the skin. Make sure you do the entire chicken and really get down there and get into the wings, thighs, and drumsticks. Spread the flavor rub between the meat and the skin and if you have any left, don't forget the cavity, too. Place the chicken breast-side down on top of the onions and pour a tablespoon of white wine over the chicken. Pop it into the oven at 350F until a probe thermometer registers 145F in the meaty part of the thigh.

When your glorious bird hits 145F, flip it breast-side up using a pair of tongs. Continue cooking until it reaches 165F in the meaty part of the thigh. When you're done, you should have something that looks like this:

Remove the chicken to a cutting board. While it's sitting, use a slotted spoon to transfer the potatoes and onions to a blender. Puree until smooth and it's ready to serve. Now you can carve your chicken and serve it with the green veggie of your choice.

White Wine Chicken Rub

1 teaspoon dry tarragon
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine
1/2 cup chopped leek

1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor until well combined.

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Crockpot Vegetarian Chili and Corn Muffins

I'm a big fan of meatless Monday. Not only is it good for the environment and my wallet, but it's also good for my waistline. Honestly, I see the environmental aspect as just a happy bonus of low-calorie inexpensive meals. And if you don't have a crockpot, go out and get one now. I'm not joking. I'll wait.

Got your crockpot? Okay, let's continue. I love how easy it is to cook with a crockpot. Just toss in all my ingredients, turn it on, and let it do it's thing. Sometimes when I know I have a busy day coming up I'll put a meal together in the crockpot the night before so I can just drop it in and go about my business. I've even roasted an entire chicken in there!

I think I may have mentioned stumbling across Quorn's meatless grounds not too long ago. I won't go into my crazy conspiracy theories about soy, but I will mention that I avoid soy-based products like the plague. I have my reasons. Anywho, Quorn's meatless ground are soy-free, so they make a great addition to my meatless Monday routine.

Meatless Monday Chili
Serves 4 at 296 calories a bowl

1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 medium bell pepper, diced
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 cup chopped leeks
2 cups Pomi chopped tomatoes
1 teaspoon vegetable base dissolved in 1 cup boiling water
1 cup dried kidney beans, soaked in water overnight
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (add more if you like it spicy)
1 teaspoon dried cilantro
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup red wine
2 cups frozen Quorn meatless grounds

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the pepper, onion, and leeks until soft and pour into the crockpot.
2. Drain the beans and add to the crockpot. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir.
3. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, stirring occasionally.
4. Add the frozen Quorn meatless grounds 15 minutes before serving.

I love this stuff!

Corn Muffins

Makes 12 muffins at 133 calories each

1 tablespoon flax meal

1 cup boiling water

1/4 cup oil

3/4 cup yellow corn meal

1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup Truvia baking blend

2 tablespoons buttermilk powder

2 teaspoons baking powder

1. Preheat  your oven to 400 degrees and grease a standard muffin pan (you could also bake this in an 8" cake pan)
2. Whisk together the flax, water, and oil in a small bowl.
3. In a large bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients. Stir in the liquid ingredients just until a batter forms.
4. Scoop equal amounts into your muffin pan until you have 12 muffins.
5. Bake for 20 minutes.

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Chicken Sausage in White Wine Sauce

Sometimes I feel all Italian and need a big bowl of pasta, but I can only eat so many tomato-based sauces. I love the cheesy sauces, but not the calories or fat, so I decided to go with something light and refreshing. I have to say, I'm pretty happy with what I came up with. Everyone over here cleaned their plate!

Chicken Sausage in White Wine Sauce
Serves 4 at 346 calories each

4 ounces of uncooked pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound of mild Italian chicken sausage
2 cloves of garlic
1 cup sliced leeks
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1/2 cup white wine
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon chicken base in 1 cup boiling water
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon dried tarragon

1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions and set aside. Keep warm.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the whole sausage until nicely browned and set aside.
3. In the still-hot skillet, cook the garlic, leeks, and mushrooms for 5-6 minutes, stirring often. Add the white wine and cook until almost all of the liquid has evaporated. While it's cooking, slice the sausage into coins.
4. Add the sausage back to the pan and stir in the flour. Cook for 1 minute.
5. Stir in the chicken broth slowly. While stirring, bring to a boil and cook for 1-2 minutes.
6. Stir in the salt and tarragon and serve over the pasta.

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Shepherd's Pie

Oh, comfort food, I just can't live without it. I tried the diet thing where I denied myself my favorite foods, but that just didn't work for me. As soon as I hit my goal I was back to my bad eating habits, but I finally realized I have to adjust my favorite recipes to still taste good, but have less calories and fat.

I created this tasty treat because shepherd's pie is just too darn tasty to go without. I know it has a ton of ingredients and sounds complicated, but it really isn't too hard to make. Yes, it takes some time to put it all together, but it's the perfect meal for a cold, dreary Sunday afternoon. It works well to make it ahead of time and heat it up and if you make two pans, you can eat leftovers for days.

Shepherd's Pie
Serves 6 at 395 calories a slice

1 1/2 pounds sweet potato, peeled and diced
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
2 tablespoons Brummel and Brown yogurt spread
2 1/2 ounces diced pancetta
1 pound ground lamb
2 small yellow onions, diced
6 ounce diced carrots
2 medium turnips, peeled and diced
1 cup chopped shittake mushrooms
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/3 cup red wine
1 tablespoon flour
2 teaspoons beef base dissolved in 2 cups boiling water (or 2 cups beef broth)
4 cups chopped kale
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 ounce shredded gruyere cheese

1. Preheat your oven to 375 and grease a 9x13 glass baking dish.
2. Steam the potatoes until soft. Mash with the coconut milk and yogurt spread and set aside.
3. Heat a large skillet on medium-high. Add the pancetta and cook until the fat is released. Cook the ground lamb in the pancetta fat until fully cooked. Strain with a slotted spoon into the glass baking dish and set aside.
4. In the still hot skillet, cook the onions, carrots, turnips, and mushrooms until the onion starts to brown. Add the tomato paste and cook another minute. Add the red wine and cook until most of the liquid is dissolved.
5. Stir in the flour, followed by the beef broth and cook for 1 minute. Stir will, then add the kale. Cook for 5-6 minutes, then add the thyme, rosemary, pepper, and salt.
6. Pour the vegetable mixture over the lamb mixture, making sure it's evenly distributed. Spoon the mashed sweet potatoes over the top and smooth out until the potatoes completely cover the top of the vegetable mixture.
7. Cover the pan with greased foil, place on a rimmed baking sheet (the gravy may boil over), and bake for 1 hour. Remove the foil, sprinkle the shredded cheese on top, and continue to cook for another 15 minutes. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before cutting.

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Soy-Citrus Seafood Medley over Soba Noodles

Somehow I managed to make it this far into posting recipes without posting anything with seafood in it. I'm not really sure how I managed that because I love seafood. I think I could probably eat nothing but seafood the rest of my life and die a happy woman. Anywho, I sometimes pick up a bag of Aqua Star seafood medley to keep in my freezer because it's great for a quick meal. It contains squid, octopus, shrimp, and mussels, which are all super yummy!

I saw this recipe (link) in the latest issue of Cooking Light and thought it sounded great, but scallops are way out of my budget. Then I realized I could just use my trusty bag of frozen seafood medley! And the best part of using the frozen seafood mix is that I didn't even have to thaw it out. It goes straight from the freezer to the frying pan and turns out perfect every time I've used it. My version came in at 273 calories, so it's even less than what it would have been with scallops. Maybe next time I'll try this with shrimp.

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Whole Wheat Cinnamon-Raisin Rolls

It's finally starting to get cold here and with that comes my craving for yummy warm comfort foods. Enter my goal to make cinnamon rolls that taste good and don't have the consistency of cardboard. These don't taste like they're healthy, but compared to the average 300 calorie cinnamon roll, they're a great improvement. And they have raisins in them, so now they count as fruit. My problem now is resisting this urge I'm having to eat the entire pan.

Whole Wheat Cinnamon-Raisin Rolls
Makes 20 rolls at 179 calories each

2 1/4 teaspoons active-dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons Truvia baking blend
1 stick of unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 large egg, beaten
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups unbleached bread flour

3/4 cups raisins, soaked in hot water
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 large egg white, lightly beaten

1 ounce reduced fat cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
very hot water, as needed

1. Combine the yeast and the water in a measuring cup and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine the milk, Truvia, butter, vanilla, orange zest, and egg with a wooden spoon. Stir in the yeast.
3. Using a wooden spoon, stir in both flours. When the dough starts to come to together, use your hands to knead the dough until it is uniformly mixed but still slightly tacky. Spray lightly with pan spray, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and place someplace nice and warm to rise for one hour or doubled in size. If you press your fingers in the dough and the indentations remain, it's ready.
4. Drain the raisins and set aside. Mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon.
5. Roll the dough into a 15x10 rectangle on a floured surface. Brush half the egg white over the dough, then sprinkle with the sugar-cinnamon mix and raisins, leaving a 1/2 inch border all around. 
6. Roll the dough up into a log starting on the long side. Pinch the seam shut. Wrap the dough up in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes or overnight.
7. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
8. Unwrap the dough and cut into 20 rolls. Place cut-side up in a big glass baking dish and cover with plastic wrap. Place someplace warm and allow to rise for 1 hour 15 minutes or until doubled in size and an indentation pressed into them stays.
9. Uncover, brush with the remaining egg white, and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
10. To make the icing combine the cream cheese and the powdered sugar. Stir in the hot water a tablespoon at a time until you get the consistency you want. Drizzle the icing over the hot rolls.

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Butternut Squash, Mushroom, and Gruyere Tart

I got all fancy again over the weekend and tried out this recipe (link) from Cooking Light. I know the recipe calls for pre-chopped stuff, but that costs more and I just did it myself. It took longer, but totally worth it! I did my usual substitute of whole wheat flour for the white flour and it turned out just fine. And to save time, I peeled my squash, chopped it into cubes, tossed them with the 1 tablespoon oil and onions, and roasted them at 425 for about 25 minutes, before starting on the crust. I feel like roasting brings out better flavors than sauteeing, when it comes to squash.

I'd definitely recommend sticking pretty close to this recipe. It's so worth the trip to your local deli counter to get real gruyere cheese and pancetta because I can't think of anything that would work as a substitute and give you the same flavors. Also, a trick I learned for using wine for cooking is to buy those little 4-packs of the tiny bottles so you don't have a big bottle of wine hanging out in your fridge trying to get your attention. Try and stay away from anything labeled "cooking wine" because if you wouldn't drink it, you shouldn't cook with it.

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Peanut Butter-Molasses Granola Bars

Cutting calories is hard. Really, really, really hard. Our bodies just don't like giving up the weight and, through trial and error, I found the best way to keep from going on a hunger-fueled eating binge is to always keep something in my belly and always carry a snack on me if I'm not hanging around the house. Seriously, the hungrier I get, the more I just want to open the fridge, stick in my head, and shovel everything into my mouth.

Granola bars are a great snack to keep around because they travel well, but those store-bought ones have so many weird things added to them, not to mention the cost (which keeps going up). This past weekend I experimented with making knock-off mocha almond chocolate chip bars based on a certain large "health-food" company's product, but that didn't go so well. They just wouldn't hold together and now I have a giganto bowl of granola hanging around, which isn't a bad thing, but still not convenient for on-the-go snacking. So today I decided to try making a different type of granola bar and see if maybe some peanut butter might glue things together.

Final verdict? It worked and they taste AMAZING! I think I'm going to keep on tinkering and see what other flavors I can come up with using this recipe as a base. I will figure out those darned mocha almond bars one of these days.

Peanut Butter-Molasses Granola Bars
Yields 24 bars at 119 calories a piece

1 cup crispy rice cereal
2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup unsalted peanuts
1/2 cup raisins
A healthy dash of cinnamon
1/4 cup molasses
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup natural unsweetened peanut butter
1/4 cup peanut oil
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1. Grease a 9x13 baking pan and line with waxed paper.
2. Stir together the rice cereal, oats, peanuts, raisins, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Set aside.
3. In a high-sided pot combine the molasses and sugar. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the peanut butter, oil, and flour. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
4. Pour the sugar mixture over the oat mixture and stir well using a wooden spoon. Make sure all the crumbs get mixed in. Turn out into the baking pan and press it in. I put a layer of waxed paper on top and pressed another pan on top of it to get it evenly distributed.
5. Refrigerate for 15 minutes, remove from pan, and cut into 24 bars.

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Mini Meatloaves and Roasted Potatoes

It's chilly out, so why not have some meat and potatoes? I used to think I hated meatloaf, but that's until I actually had it made so that it doesn't taste like shoe leather. Apparently it doesn't have to taste like it was made out of pureed jerky. Who knew?

Anyway, sometimes I'm lazy and a whole meatloaf can take forever to cook, so I figured why not make a bunch of mini loaves? And while I was at it, I decided to wrap the meatloaf around a stick of cheese. You know, for health reasons. I decided to do some oven-roasted potatoes with these because you just can't have meatloaf without potatoes.

Mini Meatloaves
Makes 6 at 314 calories each

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup fat free evaporated milk
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 teaspoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon mustard powder
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 cup barbecue sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 large egg, beaten
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1/4 cup barbecue sauce
3 ounces cheddar, cut into 1/2 ounce sticks

1. Preheat your oven to 425F and grease a baking sheet.
2. In a large bowl combine the breadcrumbs, milk, salt, spices, barbecue sauce, garlic, and onion. Allow to sit for 5 minutes, then add the egg and ground beef.
3. Divide the meat mixture into six portions and wrap each portion around one stick of the cheese. Form into football shapes and place on the baking sheet.
4. Brush the loaves with the second portion of barbecue sauce and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Cheesy!

Oven-Roasted Potatoes
Serves 3 at 193 calories each

1 pound of russet potatoes, washed and diced with the skin still on
1/2 cup sliced leeks
1 tablespoon peanut oil
Salt and Pepper, to taste

1. Preheat your oven to 425 and grease a glass baking dish.
2. Toss together all the ingredients, pour into baking dish, and bake for 30 minutes or until the potatoes are crispy and brown.

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Pizza!

Peppers, onions, mushrooms, and squash and only 186 calories a slice

Who doesn't love pizza? I know I love it. How can you go wrong with cheese and bread? There's no way. I used to order out for pizza, but that stuff is just way too greasy for my poor stomach, so I started making my own. For the longest time I just bought those pre-made pizza crusts until I realized that it's actually not that hard to make the crust from scratch. The great thing about this crust recipe is that it actually tastes better if you let the dough sit in the fridge overnight, so if I know I've got a busy day coming up, I just mix up a batch of pizza dough the night before. I also HIGHLY recommend investing in a pizza stone if you end up being a pizza junkie like me. It makes perfectly crispy crust every time. And the beautiful thing about homemade pizza is you have complete control over what goes into it and on it!

Whole Wheat Pizza Crust
Yields enough dough for one 10-12" pizza and 1/8 of it is 107 calories

3/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour
3/4 cup 100% whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon sea salt
2/3 cup lukewarm water
1 teaspoon sugar or honey
1 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 tablespoon olive oil

1. Whisk together the flours and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
2. In a large measuring cup combine the water and sugar (or honey). Stir in the yeast.
3. Form a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the water mixture. Stir just until a rough dough is formed. Do no overmix or your crust will be tough. Work in the last of the flour with your hands.
4. Pour the olive oil over the dough and make sure you  roll the dough in the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set it someplace warm. Allow the dough to sit for 30 minutes, then refrigerate. If you need to use your dough right away, allow it to rise for an hour and skip the refrigeration.
5. One hour before you plan to eat, place your pizza stone in your oven and turn it on to 425F. 
6. Take the dough out of the fridge and turn it out onto a circle of parchment paper cut to the size of pizza you want covered with a handful of corn meal. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it sit for 15 minutes.
7. Sprinkle the dough with a little bit of flour to keep it from sticking and roll it out to the size you want with a rolling pin. Cover it and let it rise for 45 minutes.
8. Top with your favorite pizza sauce, cheese, and toppings and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is golden and bubbly.

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Walnut-Rosemary Chicken and Mushroom Polenta

I was feeling fancy last night and I totally blame it on the new issue of Cooking Light that turned up in my mailbox earlier this week! I'm planning on hitting up my local grocery store today for ingredients for more inspired meals, but last night I dug around in my larder until I found enough stuff to make at least one thing.

The new favorite herb in this house is rosemary, so when I saw this recipe (link) I knew I had to make it. The only change I made to it was to use a 2 ounce chicken tenderloin pounded out into a cutlet because a 6 ounce chicken breast is too much meat for me. (We're all adults here, so no jokes) Oh, and I used black walnuts instead of boring old regular walnuts. If you've never had them, go buy a bag! The flavor is so complex that I don't even know how to explain it. They're bitter and sweet with a hint of cherry. (I guess I do know how)

If you've never had polenta before, it's just Italian yellow grits. I'll eat my weight in polenta, but I can't stand southern-style grits. I'm weird. Anywho, they're delicious and tasty and don't have to be drowning in butter to taste good.

Mushroom Polenta
Serves 4 at 132 calories each

2 cups water
1 teaspoon mushroom base (or vegetable base/bouillon)
1/2 cup dry polenta
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small yellow onion, minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh mushrooms (I prefer shiitake, but portabello are also good)
1/4 cup garlic and herb feta cheese

1. Bring the water to a boil. Stir in the mushroom base and stir until combined. Reduce heat to medium and whisk in the polenta.
2. In a separate pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Cook the garlic, onion, and mushroom until caramelized. Add to the polenta.
3. Continue cooking the polenta for 25-30 more minutes, stirring very often. I like to cook mine in a stainless steel pot and I use a stainless steel whisk and leave the whisk in there and stir ever few minutes.
4. When the polenta is finished, mix in the feta cheese.
5. Enjoy!

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Veggie Tacos

The dreary weather sucked the life right out of me last night, so I had just enough energy to throw a few ingredients together. I always keep a pack of tortillas in my bread box for days when I'm feeling lazy, so I whipped up a batch of vegetarian tacos. Also, in case you're wondering, corn tortillas and stainless steel pans don't mix so well. It took me an hour of scrubbing to get the burned tortilla chunks out of my favorite skillet.

You can top with these with whatever you like. My favorites are light sour cream and avocado (lots and lots of avocado). It also works a lot better if you heat your tortillas up right before you serve these. I usually heat an empty skillet on medium-high and place a tortilla in it and cook for about 5-10 seconds each side. As I previously mentioned, it works much better in a non-stick skillet, although I'm trying to phase those out of my kitchen.

Vegetarian Taco Filling
Makes enough for 3 people at 144 calories each, plus the calories for the tortillas and toppings

2 cups of sprouted legumes, such as lentils, peas, etc.
1 tablespoon oil
1 yellow onion, sliced
1 large bell pepper, sliced
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes (I use Pomi boxed tomatoes)
1 tablespoon chili powder
Sriracha, to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Place the sprouted legumes in a pot with enough water to cover. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Drain.
2. Heat the oil over medium-high in a large skillet. Add the onion and pepper and cook until the pepper is starting brown. Add the tomatoes and sprouted legumes.
3. Cook until hot, then add your seasonings. Remember, a little sriracha goes a long way! Don't burn off your taste buds!
4. Eat and enjoy

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Better than IKEA Swedish Meatballs

Oh, how I love Swedish meatballs! I think they're one of my all-time favorite foods and it turns out they're not as hard to make as I thought. I was afraid I was going to have to come up with all sorts of ways to cut the calories in them, but it turns out they're not as bad as you'd think. They take a bit of time to make, but if you make a bunch you can just freeze the extras.

Sometimes when I make them I serve them over whole wheat egg noodles, but last night I went with baked potatoes. It was a nice hearty meal for a cool fall evening. Alexander, however, only liked the meatballs. I think I have the only kid in the US that hates white potatoes. I also happened to have a jar of IKEA lingonberry preserves, you know, for authenticity.

The veggies du jour ended up being sauteed chard. I cooked them up the same way I make my kale, except with white wine vinegar, and it sure was tasty. I love my greens!

Svenska Kottbullar
Serves 6 at 270 calories each (4 meatballs per person)

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon peanut oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped fine
1 large egg, lightly beaten
8 ounces ground pork
8 ounces ground beef
1 tablespoon oil
1/2 cup chicken broth (1/2 teaspoon chicken base dissolved in 1/2 cup boiling water)
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups beef broth (2 teaspoons beef base dissolved in 2 cups boiling water)
1/2 cup light sour cream
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1. Preheat your oven to 350 and grease an 8x8 glass baking dish.
2. Combine the coconut milk, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, and spices in a large bowl. Set aside.
3. Heat the 1 teaspoon of peanut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the onion until browned, around 5-10 minutes. Add to the breadcrumb mixture and allow to cool.
4. Add the egg, ground pork, and ground beef to the breadcrumb mixture and mix well. 
5. Heat the tablespoon of oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Form the meat mixture into small balls (around 1 1/2 tablespoons per meatball) and carefully place in the hot oil. Cook until evenly brown and place in the baking dish. Do not worry if they are still pink in the middle because they're about to go into the oven.
6. When all of the meatballs are ready, pour the the chicken broth over them and cover the pan with foil. Bake for 40 minutes.
7. Remove the meatballs from the pan and strain the drippings into a saucepan. Whisk in the flour, followed by the beef broth. Bring to a boil and cook until thickened. Remove from the heat and whisk in the sour cream and allspice.
8. Add the meatballs back into the sauce and they're ready to eat!

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Chard and Black-eyed Peas, Italian Style

I stepped out of my comfort zone again and tried two more foods I'd never had before for dinner last night. The stars of last night's show were black-eyed peas and green chard. I know, I know, how can I be from the south and made it this far without ever eating a single black-eyed pea, but it's the truth. I went through a very strict anti-bean and pea phase, mostly because I didn't know any better.

I whipped this yumminess up for dinner last night and Anthony said it was, by far, one of the greatest things I've ever made. I can't imagine a greater compliment than that. Alexander devoured his bowl even though it was on the spicy side. I honestly didn't think he was going to like it and I was preparing for a dinner punctuated by angry screams and thrown food, but it didn't happen.

Chard and Black-eyed Peas
Makes enough for 3 at 143 calories per person + 200 calories for the pasta of your choice

6 cups chopped chard steams and leaves
1 1/2 cups rehydrated black-eyed peas
6 cups water
1 teaspoon vegetable base
1 teaspoon sea salt
3 servings of the pasta of your choice
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup sliced scallions
1 teaspoon Italian herb blend
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Red pepper flakes, to taste
Salt, to taste

1. Combine the chard, peas, water, vegetable base, and sea salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium. Cook for 20 minutes and strain. DO NOT DISCARD THE WATER AFTER COOKING!
2. Cook the pasta of your choice in the reserved cooking liquid from the chard and peas. If there isn't enough, add some water until you do.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Cook the garlic and scallions until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Add the chard and peas, followed by the Italian herbs, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, and salt. Cook for another 1-2 minutes.
4. Serve over pasta of your choice.

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Cheesy Eggplant Casserole

I love eggplant, but I can only eat so much eggplant lasagna. I made this recipe up last night based on what I had in the fridge and what needed to be eaten. This happens a lot. Sometimes what I come up with doesn't work out all that well, but this turned out pretty tasty. It received the Alexander stamp of approval and he doesn't even like squash!

Cheesy Eggplant Casserole
Serves 4 and is 349 calories a slice

1 large egg
1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon Italian herb blend
Salt and Pepper, to taste
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 large eggplant, diced
1 medium yellow squash, diced
1 medium zucchini, diced
2 small sweet yellow peppers, diced
1 cup Italian blend cheese
4 ounces chicken breast, diced
1/2 cup plain panko breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon peanut oil

1. Heat your oven to 375 and grease a glass lasagna pan.
2. In a large bowl whisk together the egg, ricotta, herbs, salt, and pepper. Add the onion, eggplant, squash, zucchini, peppers, cheese, and chicken. Stir until well combined and spread in the baking dish.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and oil. Sprinkle over the veggies.
4. Cover the pan with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and cook until the breadcrumbs are nice and browned.

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Cheese Ravioli with Mushroom-Beet Sauce

Thanks to our weekly produce delivery, I get to experiment with all sorts of food I would never have bought in a million years on my own. My two new favorites in the veggie world are kale and beets and this week we got in a bunch of beets with the greens still attached. I had no idea they were edible, but they definitely are! Last night I whipped up a delicious sauce made out of pureed beets with chopped greens to pour over some cheese ravioli for a quick and yummy dinner.

If I had to choose between beet greens and kale, I'd definitely opt for kale, but I'm apparently in the minority in my family. My toddler that normally refuses anything leafy and green gobbled down his beet greens like they were the greatest thing he'd ever had. He liked them so much that he even actually bothered to learn the word for them, which is a big deal. The only food words he bothers to learn are for thing he really loves, such as cookies. Oh, does he know the word cookie.

I liked the beet greens, but they had a bit of an add smokey flavor that was slightly off-putting to me. As long as I had a nice balanced bite of sauce, greens, and ravioli, it wasn't too bad, though. All in all, I will definitely be making this again because any green food my son will eat is a keeper.

Mushroom-Beet Sauce
Makes enough sauce for 3 people at 116 calories each

1 bunch of beets with the greens still attached
1/2 teaspoon oil
1 cup of veggie broth (or 1 tsp veggie base dissolved in 1 cup boiling water)
1 teaspoon whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 small yellow onion, sliced
1 cup chopped shiitake mushrooms
1 tablespoon sherry

1. Cut the beets from the greens. Wash well, toss with a tiny bit of oil, wrap with aluminum foil, and roast in a 350 degree oven (or toaster oven) for 45 minutes-1 hour. Allow to cool.
2. While the beets are roasting, cut the leaves from the stems. Discard the stems and rinse the leaves and pat dry. Coarsely chop them and set aside.
3. Peel the skin from the beets. Cut the beets into 1 inch cubes, put them in a food processor, and pulse until chopped. Add half of the veggie broth and the flour. Puree.
4. Heat the peanut oil in a large skillet on medium-high. Cook the onions until translucent, then add the mushrooms and beet greens. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the greens are starting to wilt, and then add the sherry and the other half of the broth. Cook an addition 2-3 minutes.
5. Stir in the beet puree and reduce the heat to medium. When the mixture starts to bubble, cook for another 5 minutes.
6. Serve over your favorite store-bought or homemade cheese ravioli.

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Peanut Butter Pie

Tonight was another family dinner with my parents. I made chicken enchiladas using the same recipe from a few nights ago by substituting chicken for the black beans and mixing in a little bit of pureed butternut squash I needed to use up. I also had a hankering for something sweet, so I came up with this peanut butter pie recipe.

Peanut Butter Pie
Serves 12 at 196 calories a slice

5 servings of gingersnaps (comes out to around 6 ounces)
1 tablespoon peanut oil
2 egg whites
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup natural unsweetened peanut butter
4 ounces reduced fat cream cheese
3/4 cup fat free evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ounce dark chocolate

1. Preheat your oven to 350 and grease a pie plate.
2. Crush the gingersnaps, then pulse in a food processor until ground. Add the peanut oil and 1 egg white.
3. Spread the crust along the bottom of the pie plate and up the sides. Bake for 10 minutes and cool completely.
4. Turn your oven up to 400 degrees.
5. Whip the second egg white until still peaks and set aside.
6. Beat together the sugar, peanut butter, and cream cheese. Scrape down the bowl and add the milk and vanilla. Beat until combined.
7. Fold the egg white into the peanut butter mixture, being careful not to deflate the eggs. Turn out into the prepared crust and bake for 15 minutes.
8. Melt the chocolate and drizzle over the warm pie. 
9. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

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Butternut Squash Risotto with Chicken, Kale, and Shiitake Mushrooms

I'm feeling creative tonight and this is what I came up with after tearing apart my kitchen. This week's produce delivery included lots of fall veggies, so stay tuned for more deliciousness! I think this is my favorite time of year, food-wise. Come to think of it, this is my favorite time of year weather-wise, too. Hooray for long-sleeves!

I guess it was good because Alexander licked his bowl clean, kale and all.

Butternut Squash Risotto with Chicken, Kale, and Shiitake Mushrooms
Serves 4 at 384 calories a serving

2 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash
1 teaspoon real maple syrup
1 teaspoon dry crushed rosemary
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup dry arborio rice
1 cup chopped shiitake mushrooms
4 cups fresh chopped kale (or baby spinach)
8 ounces cooked chicken breast, diced
1 tablespoon dry sherry
3 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup shredded Romano cheese

1. Steam the squash for 15 minutes or until soft. Puree in a food processor or blender with the maple syrup and rosemary and set aside.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large high-sided pot on medium-high. Cook the onion and garlic until translucent. Add the rice and stir until coated in the oil. Add the mushrooms and kale and cook until the kale shrinks down some, about 2-3 minutes. Add the chicken, stir, then add the sherry.
3. Add the squash puree and stir. Reduce the heat to medium and add 1 cup of the chicken broth. Cook until absorbed (about 5 minutes) and then add another cup of the broth. Cook until all the broth is absorbed again, then add the rest of the broth. When that's fully absorbed, turn off the heat and stir in the cheese. Make sure you stir it quite a bit the whole time it's cooking, otherwise it will stick.
4. Serve and enjoy!

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Beef and Cauliflower Casserole

I'm feeling pretty lazy today, so I had one of those "throw it all together" sort of nights. Basically, I opened the fridge, grabbed everything that looked appetizing, and combined it into a casserole. It's not the most gourmet of meals, but it's tasty, filling, and easy to make ahead of time.

Beef and Cauliflower Casserole
Serves 4 and is 400 calories per serving

1 large egg, beaten
1 teaspoon of beef base
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 head of cauliflower, chopped
1 sweet pepper, diced
1 ounce of shiitake mushrooms, chopped
4 ounces of shredded Cabot 75% reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese
4 purple potatoes, peeled and cut into coins
9 ounces of lean ground beef
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons peanut oil

1. Whisk together the egg and the beef base until the beef base is completely dissolved. Add the onion, cauliflower, pepper, mushrooms, cheese, potatoes, and beef. Stir until well combined.
2. Spread in a greased glass baking dish.
3. Combine the breadcrumbs and the peanut oil and sprinkle over the casserole. Cover with foil.
4. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until cooked all the way through. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

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Cinnamon Raisin Bread

I really love my sweets, but they don't love me, so I'm constantly trying to come up with healthier versions of my favorite sweet treats. Today I experimented with a healthier version of a yummy loaf of cinnamon raisin bread. The texture came out just the way I wanted it and a slice still warm from the oven was the perfect buddy for my afternoon coffee.

Cinnamon Raisin Bread
Yields 16 servings and each slice is 154 calories

Crumb topping:
1 teaspoon ground Saigon cinnamon
1/3 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon whole wheat flour
Dash of salt
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1/4 cup raisins, soaked for an hour in hot water and drained

Bread:
2 egg whites
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup stevia in the raw
1 can of fat-free evaporated milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease a 5x7 loaf pan.
2. Combine the cinnamon, brown sugar, oats, flour, and salt. Stir in the oil, followed by the raisins. Set aside.
3. Whip the egg whites to soft peaks, then gradually add the sugar one spoonful at a time while the mixer is running. Whip to stiff peaks and set aside.
4. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and stevia in a large bowl.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, lemon juice, peanut oil, egg, and extracts. Stir into the dry ingredients just until combined.
6. Fold the egg whites into the flour mixture, careful not to deflate the eggs.
7. Pour half the batter into the pan and top with half of the oatmeal mixture. Add the rest of the batter and sprinkle the rest of the crumb mixture over the top.
8. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

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Eggplant Lasagna

I'm Italian and I have to say, my favorite comfort food is eggplant lasagna. There's just something about the gooey cheese and the eggplant that get me every time and because there's no pasta in it, it's surprisingly healthy. I make mine with my own sauce made from scratch, but it also works well with store-bought sauce. Another great thing about one-pan meals like this is that it's a great way to sneak veggies into my family. Alexander hates most green vegetables, but he devoured his lasagna, kale and all.

This version is pretty skimpy on the cheese because I was aiming on very low-cal for days where I'm atoning for foodly sins, so if you want more oomph you can add ricotta cheese to the sauce mixture and add more cheese on top.

Eggplant Lasagna
Serves 6 and each slice is 193 calories

Sauce:
8 oz lean ground beef
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 box of Pomi chopped tomatoes
4 cups kale, chopped
1 tbsp dry sherry
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dry parsley
1 teaspoon dry oregano
1/2 teaspoon dry basil

1 large egg
1 tablespoon flaxseed meal
1 large eggplant, thinly sliced longways
1 large zucchini, thinly sliced longways
1/2 cup shredded Italian blend of cheeses

1. Brown the meat in a large saucepan on medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook an additional 1-2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, kale, sherry, and the salt and spices. 
2. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cook for an hour. Cool before using.
3. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
4. Whisk together the egg and flax in a large bowl. Stir in half the cheese, followed by the tomato sauce.
5. Grease a glass baking dish. Spread half a cup of the sauce in the bottom of the pan and top with a layer of eggplant. Keep alternating half a cup of sauce and eggplant or zucchini until everything is used up, but make sure you end with sauce.
6. Top with the rest of the cheese and cover the pan with foil. Bake for 1 hour.
7. After one hour, remove the foil and bake an additional 15 minutes or until the cheese is melty and brown.

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Temporary Insanity

The cookies in question

This past weekend my cousin got married and I was commissioned to make 150 fancy wedding cookies. Each cookie consisted of 6 separate cookies stacked up to look like a wedding cake, and, although they look elegantly simple, were extremely complicated to make. I baked 900 cookies out of my tiny little kitchen in my forty year old oven with only one rack in it and three sheet pans. Add 450 fondant roses, along with the fondant icing for each layer and that made for a week of hard work. Why am I telling you all this? Because I fell off the wagon, hard.

I learned a lot about my eating habits this past week. It's easy for me to stick to a healthy diet when I'm not busy, but throw in some stress and I crumble like a week-old cookie. Faced with a full dinner buffet, I pigged out. At the rehearsal dinner I had peach cobbler AND key lime pie, for crying out loud! I don't think I even bothered to log a single item in MyFitnessPal. It was so bad that I even found myself eating leftover dried icing off the sheet pans after I was done. This week is going to be all about getting myself  back on track!

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Pork Pasties

I came across a reference to these delicious pockets of yum in a book years ago and I finally got around to attempting to make them tonight. The humble pasty (pronounced to rhyme with nasty) were originally what coal miners brought with them to lunch. They sure are delicious and they're really quite simple to make, being just pie crust and filling. They're like hot pockets, but not disgusting and full of salt and chemicals.

My whole family loved them, but they were a little on the large side. I'm thinking next time I make them I'm going to make 6 instead of 4. I'm also thinking that if I had a deep freezer I could make up a bunch of these and stash them for emergency dinners. These are pork, but they would be pretty darn tasty made with beef, chicken, turkey, or even just a bunch of veggies.

Pork Pasties
Makes 4 at 568 calories each

Crust:
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 oz cold unsalted butter, diced
2 oz cold reduced fat cream cheese, diced
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon ice water

Filling:
1 lb diced pork loin
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 cup diced potato
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup shredded carrot
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon crushed rosemary
1 teaspoon dried dill
1 tablespoon whole wheat flour

1. Whisk together the flours and salt. Cut in the butter and cream cheese until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Slowly mix in the ice water until a dough forms. Knead in the last of the flour by hand. Divide the dough into 4 portions, shape into disks, wrap, and refrigerate for one hour.
2. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
3. Combine the all of the filling ingredients in a bowl.
4. Working with one disk of dough at a time, roll out on a floured cutting board until you have an 8" disk. Put about 1 cup of filling on half of the dough and fold the other side over. Crimp the edge shut and place on a greased baking sheet. Repeat until all the pasties are made.
5. Cut three slits on top of the pasty. Brush the tops of the pasties with milk and bake for 45 minutes.

Ready to bake!

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Just One of Those Days

Temptation sucks. The main way I lost the weight and kept it off was by not having junk food in my house. I can easily avoid temptation at the grocery store, but once it's in my house all bets are off. So, for the most part, I just don't have anything in the fridge or pantry besides basic ingredients: fruits, veggies, meat etc. This week is a test of my willpower, though.

I went to culinary school and worked for many years as a pastry chef. Yes, yes, I know. I made a living selling the same sort of stuff I'm now avoiding. It's not that I think that stuff is bad, but I've learned that I can't control myself when it comes to sweets and there are other options out there. I've been going through my old recipe binder and converting my favorites to healthier versions and I've found that a healthier dessert is just as satisfying (almost). Unfortunately, not everyone thinks that way. Enter temptation...

This fridge full of cookie dough wants me to eat every last scrap.

Occasionally, I'll have friends or family ask for me to make certain things. This weekend is my cousin's wedding and I'm working on super-fancy wedding cookies. The problem? They're full of  delicious butter, sugar, and white flour and topped with sugary icing. It's been such a challenge to not eat half of the cookie dough as I'm working. It's very possible to detox off of the white stuff, but one taste and that addiction comes raging back!

I guess the point of this post is to say that living the healthy life is a daily battle and I'm not going to let some cookies beat me, much as I'd like them to.

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Cheese Ravioli with Acorn Squash and Spinach

Behold the humble acorn squash

I'm not sure if I've mentioned it before, but we get a weekly box of local awesomeness delivered by Natures Garden, Delivered. Once a week, a different assortment of mostly locally grown/in season fresh fruits and veggies shows up on my doorstep and, I must say, it has totally revived my passion for cooking. It's a different variety of food each week, so it makes me stretch my creative muscles as I try to figure out what to do with what arrived. It totally takes me out of my comfort zone, and I love it! Although I'm not sure I want to ever see a scuppernong grape ever again and purslane didn't go over all that well, either. Sorry, Georgia.

My last delivery included an acorn squash, which I had no idea what to do with. Then it came to me: make it into a puree and make a totally awesome sauce to serve over cheese ravioli! I always keep a few bags of frozen ravioli in my freezer because they make a quick dinner when I'm strapped for time (or lazy) and, on the healh-o-meter, they aren't too bad. I could probably make my own, but I'm too busy typing this here blog and looking at funny internet cats for that.

It tasted WAY better than it looks, I promise!

Acorn Squash Sauce
Serves 3 at 136 calories per person

1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 acorn squash, pureed
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon Better than Bouillon vegetable base dissolved in one cup of boiling water
1 teaspoon crushed rosemary
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup frozen spinach, thawed

1. Cook the onion in the peanut oil in a skillet over medium heat.
2. Combine the onion, squash, maple syrup, veggie broth, and spices in a food processor.
3. Transfer to a pot and add the spinach. Heat until warm all the way through. Serve over your favorite pasta!

How to make your squash* puree:

Carefully cut the squash in half with a serrated knife. The rind is very tough, so be careful not to hurt yourself. Scoop out the seeds and discard. You can either brush the squash with oil, place the halves cut-side  down on a greased baking sheet, and bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes or cut the squash into strips and steam for 30-45 minutes. Either way, the skin will easily peel away when fully cooked. Then all you have to do is throw the squash in a food processor or blender. It freezes very well, too.

*This method works for any type of winter squash with a hard rind, including pumpkin.

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Random Kitchen Tips

This is where the magic happens *

I love making fancy yet healthy gourmet meals. While they're lots of fun to make, they can get awfully time consuming and sometimes I just don't have time to spend the entire day in the kitchen. Apparently Alexander thinks I need to pay attention to him or something (totally sarcasm). Today I thought I'd list some of my favorite time-cutting methods.

Like I mentioned in another post, I always keep a container of my homemade seasoned salt in my spice cabinet. The main components are sea salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and sometimes red pepper flakes if I'm feeling spicy. It's a great way to add a lot of flavor to something without having to get out all the different bottles of spices.

If you have a deep freezer and are making something that holds well when you make it ahead of time, make double and freeze half of it. I don't have a deep freezer at the moment, but one day I dream of having a well-stocked freezer for days I don't feel like cooking. For now, I'll just be content with the freezer I have and just be thankful that I can at least fit a few bags of frozen veggies and some meat into it.

Speaking of a well-stocked freezer, I always try to make sure to have a few things in my freezer that I can pull out and whip up into a quick and healthy dinner. I like to stock up on frozen ravioli when they're on sale, along with uncooked chicken tenderloins and uncooked peeled frozen shrimp. Frozen vegetables are great to have on hand, too. I can make any of those into something edible in just a few minutes and it keeps me from resorting to takeout.

Invest in a few good sets of measuring cups and spoons. When I say I measure out everything I eat or drink, I'm serious about that. I have two sets of cups and spoons so that I can always have a clean set ready to go. The dollar store is not the place to invest in good kitchen equipment if you want stuff that will last you a lifetime.

So there are just a few tips on how I roll in the kitchen. There will be many more to come as soon as I think of them. Feel free to leave your favorite kitchen tip in the comments!

*Please excuse the mess, but I'm in the middle of making dinner and 150 wedding cookies, in addition to surfing the intertubez. Yeah, I multi-task like that.

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Oven-Baked Chicken Fingers and Sweet Potato Fries

Today was a busy day for me, involving much running around and the occasional panic attack, so dinner tonight needed to be something easy. You can't really get much easier than these chicken fingers and fries! I buy frozen chicken tenderloins and I just thaw them out in the fridge overnight. When I'm in a pinch, I've been known to even thaw them out in the sink in a bowl if cool water. I also whipped up a pan of sauteed kale using the same recipe from a few nights ago. (Click here for kale)

I like to keep a container in my spice cabinet of my own blend of seasoned salt. I usually just throw a bunch of stuff together, but the main ingredients are sea salt, ground black pepper, paprika, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, and onion powder. I usually just eyeball the amounts and no two batches ever taste exactly alike, but it's a nice change from plain old salt and pepper. This is what I used to season my sweet potato fries and I often use it in place of salt for an extra kick of flavor.


Chicken Fingers
Serves 3 and is 180 calories a serving

1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1 tbsp peanut oil
1 egg, beaten
12 ounces of thawed chicken tenderloins

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
2. Combine the bread crumbs and oil.
3. Dip the chicken in the egg, then roll it in the bread crumb mix. Lay them out on a greased baking sheet.
4. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce! Me, I prefer barbecue sauce.

Sweet Potato Fries

Serves 3 and is 160 calories a serving

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into fries

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder to taste

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
2. Toss together the sweet potatoes, olive oil, and seasoning. Lay out on a greased baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, flipping occasionally.

Meatless Monday: Black Bean Enchiladas

I try to always go meatless on Mondays. It's good for my wallet, my waistline, AND the environment! Score! Tonight I decided to take a stab at enchiladas. Avocados were on sale this week, so I stocked up on those and I opted for salsa verde instead of whatever that brown sauce is they serve at crappy Tex-Mex places. I adapted this recipe from a chicken recipe I saw in Cooking Light many years ago. I love sneaking vegetables into food and adding the spinach to the black beans gives these enchiladas a great nutritional boost.

Black Bean Enchiladas
Serves 4 at 265 calories a serving + whatever toppings you may opt for

1 cup dry black beans
1 tablespoon dried cilantro
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 - 7 oz. can of salsa verde
3 oz. reduced fat cream cheese
1 cup frozen spinach, thawed
1 teaspoon vegetable base dissolved in 1 cup boiling water
8 small corn tortillas
1 oz crumbled queso fresco
1 teaspoon Mexican chili powder

1. Cook the beans according to the package directions, drain, and cool. I usually add a bit of salt to the water. I prefer the soak overnight/cook in the morning method so that they're completely cool by the time I'm ready to use them.
2. Preheat your oven to 425 and grease a big glass baking dish.
3. Combine the cilantro, onion, garlic, and salsa verde in a food processor or blender. Set aside half. Add the cream cheese and spinach to the food processor and pulse until everything is combined.
4. Combine the black beans with the cream cheese mixture.
5. Bring the vegetable base mixture to a simmer in a medium skillet. Add one tortilla to the pan at a time and soak for just a few seconds. Do not leave the tortilla in too long or you'll end up with a big pile of mush! Alternatively, wrap the tortillas in a damp towel, making sure to have a layer of damp towel between each tortilla, and zap them in the microwave for 20 seconds. Set onto a clean and dry kitchen towel to drain and spoon some of the black bean mixture down the center. Roll up and place seam side down in your baking dish. Continue until all the tortillas are stuffed.
6. Pour the reserved salsa mixture over the top of the tortillas, top with the queso fresco, sprinkle on the chili powder, and pop into your pre-heated oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until hot all the way through. I like to serve mine with a dollop of reduced-fat sour cream, avocado wedges, and a few squirts of lime juice.

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My Big, Fat, Italian Dinner

Sunday dinners are a big thing in my family. It usually involves heaping bowls of pasta, bread, and gooey desserts and this has been a real test of my willpower. Tonight I attempted a healthier version involving lots of veggies, whole wheat pasta, and a lovely fruit-filled cake.

For the longest time I was completely resistant to whole wheat pasta. I tried many different brands, but every single one tasted like cardboard and had all the texture of a rubber band. Finally, I came across a brand that actually tastes like real pasta! Alma's pasta is imported from Italy, so I like to pretend that that means it's good. Another tool in my Italian food arsenal is Gourmet Gardens fresh herb puree in a tube. Normally I get the Italian blend, but last time I was at the store I got this here tube of parsley by mistake. I make sure I always keep a bottle in my fridge because it's so much easier than trying to keep multiple bundles of fresh herbs in my fridge, only to find they've rotted away while I wasn't looking.

My version of pasta primavera is so easy to make. I plan on one tablespoon of olive oil, one sliced small yellow onion, a minced clove of garlic, 1/2 a cup of chopped tomatoes, and around 2 cups of fresh veggies for every 2 people. Saute the yellow onion in the olive oil until tender, then add the garlic, tomatoes, and veggies. Tonight's assortment consists of yellow squash, zucchini, yellow bell peppers, green beans, and baby bello mushrooms and averaged out around 315 calories a serving. Add the herb puree, salt, and pepper to taste and serve over pasta and top with a little bit of shredded Romano cheese. This was a big huge hit over at my parent's house tonight, and I should mention that my parents are highly resistant to any food that might be healthy.

I was inspired to create my almond polenta cake with apples, pears, and raisins after another recipe I'd seen for a basic polenta cake. For you non-Italians out there, polenta is Italian yellow corn grits. I've had it many times cooked in different sorts of savory dishes, but never in dessert form, so it got me excited. To cut back on some calories I replaced half the sugar with stevia in the raw. This was my first time baking with stevia, and it's really not that bad. It definitely has a distinctive taste, but it's not overpowering. Once it was baked I couldn't even taste it and I loved the way the fruit melted into the top of the cake. This would be so good with a big giant cup of coffee.

Here is the recipe:

Almond Polenta Cake with Apples, Pears, and Raisins
Serves 12 and 181 calories a slice

1/2 cup raisins
1 apple, diced
1 pear, diced
1 cup water
2 tablespoons stevia in the raw
1 tsp dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup polenta
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup stevia in the raw
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 tablespoons powdered buttermilk
2/3 cup water
2 large eggs
1/4 cup peanut oil
2 teaspoons almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat your oven to 350 and grease a pan. I used a random rectangle pan I found in the back of my kitchen, but I'd recommend an 8" pan.
2. Combine the fruit, water, stevia, sugar, and spices in a pot. Bring to a boil on medium-high heat, then reduce to medium. Cook about 5 minutes, then remove the fruit, but reserving the juice.
3. Bring the juice to a boil on medium high heat and reduce until syrupy, about 10 minutes. Pour over the reserved fruit.
4. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, polenta, sugar, stevia, baking soda, salt, and buttermilk powder. Set aside.
5. Whisk together the water, eggs, oil, and extracts. Add to the flour mixture and stir until combined.
6. Pour batter into prepared pan, smooth out until level, and spoon the fruit mixture over the top of the cake. Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then remove from pan and cool completely before cutting.

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Time to Feed my Chinese Food Addiction

I really love American-style Chinese food. That's my comfort food. Even if I'm hungry an hour later, it's still my comfort food. So tonight I decided to make Anthony's favorite, cashew chicken, and my absolute favorite food in the entire world, steamed pot stickers. Is it possible to have satisfying Asian food without all the salt, msg, and fat? Yes!

For the pot stickers, I picked up a package of wonton wrappers in the produce section of my favorite local grocery store, Publix. I substituted green onion for the leeks because I forgot to buy them and I lined my steamer with cabbage leaves instead of making a carrot disk for them to sit on. The wrappers I bought must be a different size from whatever they used in the recipe and I ended up getting 36. These little suckers were pretty time-consuming to make, but I froze the extras so I can feed my addiction whenever the craving strikes. My version comes out at 46 calories per pot sticker, plus an extra 9 calories for a teaspoon of sauce.

I made a few changes to the cashew chicken, though. I added 2 tablespoons of oyster sauce, reduced the honey to 1 tablespoon, and reduced the sriracha to 1 teaspoon. I also left out the edamame and substituted green beans for the broccoli because that's what I had in the fridge. And, as always, I used brown rice instead of white rice because brown rice actually keeps me feeling full. With all my changes, it made a serving come out to 467 calories.

The verdict? Holy crap, I'm never ordering this stuff out again! The pot stickers were even better than the ones we used to get at our local Chinese restaurant and the cashew chicken was perfect. It had just the right amount of spicy. My next project will be to attempt some sort of healthy sesame chicken. Wish me luck!

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