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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Whole Wheat Oatmeal Pancakes

I made up this recipe the other day after an intense pancake craving. Holy cow, these will fill you up! Try them with a little bit of Brummel and Brown's yogurt spread and some real grade B maple syrup. These also keep well, so go ahead and make a double batch and freeze your extras for a great weekday morning breakfast. Just heat them in the toaster. I plan on tweaking this recipe to come up with a great waffle recipe, so stay tuned!

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Pancakes
Makes 12 pancakes and each one is 99 calories

3/4 cup steel-cut oatmeal, uncooked
1/4 cup raisins (optional)
1 tablespoon honey
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup 100% whole wheat flour
1/4 powdered cultured buttermilk (look for it in the breakfast aisle with the canned milk)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon finely ground sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground Saigon cinnamon
1 large egg
1/2 cup room temperature water
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Combine the oatmeal, raisins, honey, and water in a pot. Bring to a boil on high heat, reduce to low, and cook for an additional 15 minutes uncovered. Heat up a large skillet or griddle on medium heat.
2. Whisk together the flour, buttermilk, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Whisk together the egg, water, and vanilla in a separate bowl and set aside.
3. When the oatmeal is cooked, add it to the flour mixture and stir just until combined. Add the egg mixture and stir until all the liquid is absorbed. Mixture will be thick. If you want thinner pancakes, add more water.
4. Pour a little bit of oil onto your skillet to keep pancakes from sticking. I use a #20 scoop to portion out my pancakes and it holds around 3 tablespoons of batter. I like my pancakes thick, so I usually have to spread the batter out with the back of the scoop. Cook about 4 minutes per side.

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Feta-Stuffed Chicken, Beets and Sweets, and Kale, Oh My!

This is a family favorite over here. I think these three things make up Anthony's ideal meal and it's a perfect combination for a fall evening. These recipes all make enough to feed three, but they're easily adjusted to make as little or as much as you'd like. They don't have to be exact, so if you like to just throw ingredients together, go for it. I like to assemble the beets and sweets and stuff the chicken while Alexander is napping so that all I have to do is pop some stuff into the oven when Anthony gets home from work. And the kale seems to taste best made in a cast-iron skillet, but any kind of pan would work. It might just be me, though.

Feta-Stuffed Chicken
Makes 3 stuffed thighs, 273 calories each

2 tablespoons bread crumbs
2 tablespoons garlic and herb feta cheese crumbles
1 tablespoon peanut oil
3 boneless/skinless chicken thighs
1 tablespoon peanut oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
2. Combine the first three ingredients in a bowl. Lay the chicken out on a cutting board with the smooth side down and spoon the filling over the chicken and roll them up.
3. Heat the peanut oil in an oven-proof skilled on medium high and carefully place the chicken rolls in oil, presentation side down. Cook about 4 minutes, flip, and cook another 4 minutes.
4. Slide the pan into the oven and cook for about 15 minutes, or until an instant read thermometer registers 165 for the filling.

Ready to Roll!

Into the fridge they go...

Oven-Roasted Beets and Sweet Potatoes

Serves 3, 155 calories each

1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced (2" cubes)

1 medium red beet, peeled and diced (1" cubes)

3 small golden beets, peeled and diced (1" cubes)

1 small yellow onion, sliced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon crushed rosemary

Salt and Pepper, to taste

1. Preheat your oven to 425.
2. Combine all ingredients and place in a glass baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes or until everything is toasty looking and soft, stirring once.

Sauteed Kale

Serves 3, 118 calories each

1 tablespoon peanut oil

1 small yellow onion, chopped

1 bunch of kale, chopped

1/2 cup chicken broth (I use 1/2 tsp Better than Bouillon chicken base dissolved in half a cup boiling water)

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1. Heat the oil in a cast-iron skillet on medium-high heat.
2. Saute the onion until translucent. Add the kale and saute for another 5 or so minutes. Add the chicken broth and vinegar and cook until most of the liquid is dissolved.

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The Importance of Support

Alright, this post might get a little mushy (by my standards). For those of you that know me, you know that I'm one of the least mushy people you'll ever meet. I'm the sort of person that doesn't like hugging people that I'm not either married or closely related to. Yeah, that's me.

Anyway, here it is: I don't think I'd have been able to stick with this life change if it hadn't been for my husband, Anthony. He supports my decisions, eats whatever I cook, and even keeps a straight face when I put a plate of mystery food in front of him that tastes like I scraped it out of the bottom of the garbage can. The man doesn't even flinch when there are tentacles sticking out of his dinner (I like squid) and he's never once complained about the lack of snack food in the house.

So today I just want to thank my amazing husband for joining me on my voyage to a healthy life. If it wasn't for him, I'd probably be sitting on the couch with a bag of potato chips right now.

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And so I begin...

My life changed forever on May 30th, 2011. On that day, a 9 pound 8 ounce bundle of cuteness burst onto the scene (and out of my abdomen, Alien style). Before I was pregnant, I was technically classified as "obese" at 5'1" and 175 pounds. My diet wasn't all that great, I never felt all that great, and I didn't really care. But then came little Alexander.

It was time for me to get healthy! It wouldn't be fair to Alexander to have a mom that was too tired to play all the time and I didn't want him to grow up with all the same bad eating habits that I had. I started out with easy changes: no more cookies, no more potato chips, etc. Seeing as I have a fancy degree from a crappy French culinary school, I started a new house rule where I could no longer buy any junk food that I could easily make myself. This really helped wean me off the junk, because I was still getting my fix, but it was better than the crap from the store.

Next thing I knew, I didn't want that stuff anymore. All that stuff about sugar and processed carbs being addictive? Totally true! Once I hadn't had any in a while, I stopped craving it like some crazed junkie. And to help my transformation along, I began walking for my health.

Walking is great, but I like to move fast and so I started in with the running. Now I didn't go straight from walking to running five miles in one shot. Oh no, I began by only running on the downhill stretches (because I'm lazy). And next thing I knew, I was running on the uphill stretches, too (because I'm lazy and the stroller really picks up steam).

Fast forward to today, and there is my motivation for this blog. I plan on sharing what I've learned from my journey, my favorite recipes, and how my entire relationship with food has changed.

From a size 18 to a size 2 in 6 months

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Today's Healthy Meal 2

Tonight I tried another recipe from Cooking Light, spiced lentils topped with a poached egg and cumin scented peas. I wasn't all that excited about it (who gets excited over lentils?) but I already had all the ingredients in my kitchen. I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised! It had just the right amount of spice to it and even my picky 16 month old cleaned his plate. I didn't change a single thing about the recipe.

For the peas, I just tossed 2.5 cups of frozen peas into a hot cast-iron skillet with a teaspoon of olive oil, salt, pepper, and 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin.
Another delicious dinner under 500 calories and the lentils made it extra filling!

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A Day in the Life

My first ever post was just the condensed version of my transformation. The truth of the matter is that it took a lot of time, a lot of planning, and a lot of research. Oh, and a very patient and understanding husband. Thanks, Anthony! What really sped up my weight loss was realizing the importance of portion control and one handy little app.

We had already started the switch to healthier eating after the little man was born, but I wasn't really bothering to keep up with how much of it we were eating. Even so, I was still slowly losing weight. It wasn't until I discovered MyFitnessPal somewhere around last March that things really took off. Thanks to that handy app on my phone, I was able to really look at what a day's worth of my eating truly looked at and just how nutritious my diet really was (or wasn't).

I will readily admit that I blew out my calories for at least the first month of tracking my eating, but I persevered. Sometimes I considered just sneaking some food and not tracking it, but what good what that have done? I was the only one that even knew what I was eating, anyway. Maybe I thought the app was judging me? Who knows? Anyway, it took me some time, but I eventually got my eating under control.

Soon I discovered all the neat little tricks the app could do for me, like programming in my recipes so I could use them again. That involved having to *gasp* measure everything I ate! It was tedious, but it works. Now measuring out everything I eat or drink is second nature. People may look at me like I'm bonkers when I count out exactly seven crackers from the box, but I know exactly how many calories I'm getting and that gives me warm fuzzies.

And then I found the bar code scanner built into the app! All that slow typing stuff into and searching, gone! Later, I realized I could look up food I was about to eat to see what the damage was and it made me think twice about even bothering. It's amazing what a little information can do. Cookies don't look so appetizing when you see how many calories, fat, and sugar you're about to ingest.

It takes time to cut back on the calories. Go cold turkey and your body puts up an unholy ruckus of rumbling bellies, headaches, and the like, but if you cut back slowly, your body doesn't quite realize what's going on. You know, like that frog in the pot with the boiling water. Anywho, I digress. I went from eating 2200 calories a day to around 1400, and yet I was still satisfied at the end of the day. And without further ado, a sample menu of my average 1400 calorie day. (I do eat more on days when I exercise, but we'll get to that another time).

Breakfast

222 calories

Steel-cut oatmeal with a tablespoon of raisins, no sweetener added (I add the raisins before cooking so they naturally sweeten my oatmeal)

A giant cup of coffee with half a cup of unsweetened vanilla almond milk

Morning Snack

100 calories

Banana

Lunch

315 calories

Grilled cheese on whole-wheat sandwich thins with 75% reduced fat cheese

One serving of baby carrots

Half a pear (I usually split fruit with Alexander)

Two squares of very dark chocolate

Afternoon snack

102 calories

12 raw almonds

Another big cup of coffee with half a cup of unsweetened almond milk

Late afternoon snack

60 calories

Reduced fat cheese stick

Dinner

400 calories

Shrimp tacos with 1/3 of an avocado

Romaine salad with homemade balsamic vinaigrette

After-dinner snack

220 calories

1 cup of diced melon

One serving of popcorn popped in peanut oil on my stove

Daily total

1419 calories

So there you have it. Just an average day.

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Today's Healthy Meal

The other day I was stuck in line at the grocery store behind some woman trying to do some sort of complex maneuvering involving paying with credit cards, cash, ebt, shiny beads, and sand dollars. So what did I do? I grabbed the nearest magazine, which happened to be Cooking Light. I'm in love! My subscription is ordered and I'm cooking my way from cover to cover.
Tonight I made roasted chicken with a mustard-thyme sauce and oven-roasted kuri squash and brussels sprouts. I must say, I was very impressed! Delicious, healthy, and very filling. My entire meal, including a spinach salad and a double helping of the veggies, clocked in under 600 calories.

For the veggies, I tossed one peeled and diced kuri squash, 24 brussels sprouts, and one sliced yellow onion with a tablespoon of olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and 1 teaspoon dry rosemary.

For the chicken (recipe) I mostly followed the recipe, but used 1 teaspoon of chicken base dissolved in 1 cup of boiling water for the stock, omitted the butter, used 1 teaspoon of dry thyme, and used 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder. I also halfed the amount of chicken because two thighs per person is a bit much. I'm not sure how they came up with their calorie count, though, because I come up with 320 calories for one thigh with sauce and they claim two thighs with sauce is only 246. They must have magic low-cal thighs out where they live.

All in all, it was a tasty meal and I'll definitely make it again. Alexander especially loved the squash. Brussels sprouts, not so much.

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Created by MyFitnessPal - Free Calorie Counter