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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