Carrot Zucchini Almond Muffins

I revamped this recipe over at Project Little Smith to make it a little healthier, more portion friendly and portable!

2 c. Trader Joe's White Whole Wheat Flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 c. Truvia sugar blend

4 egg whites

2 tbsp. Land O Lakes whipped butter, melted

3 tbsp. unsweetened applesauce

1 tsp. vanilla

1 ripe medium banana, smashed

1 c. grated carrots

2 c. grated zucchini

1/8 c. sliced almonds

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl mix all the dry ingredients - flour, baking powder, Truvia blend, baking soda, salt, and spices. In a large bowl beat together the eggs, vanilla, mashed banana, unsweetened applesauce and melted butter.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet in three parts, stirring after each addition just to combine. The batter will be very thick. Fold in the grated sliced almonds, carrots and zucchini. Drop by heaping spoonfuls into muffin pans.

Makes 12 muffins. Nutrition: 124 calories, 24g carbs, 2g fat, 4g protein, 4g fat, 2g sugar

Sassy Salsa Chicken and Tamale Pie!

These two recipes come together to make multiple meals... Who doesn't love that!?

CROCKPOT SALSA CHICKEN

3 - 8 oz. chicken breasts, boneless, skinless

1/2 cup your favorite salsa (I used a basic medium salsa similar to Pace)

1-2 tsp. Goyo Adobo seasoning

Throw all ingredients into your slow cooker and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-7. There is no need to add any additional liquid. Once the chicken is done it will shred easily. Shred chicken and reduce to low or keep warm to let chicken finish soaking up a lot of the sauce. 

Total calories - 780

Now, you can do endless things with this chicken... add it to salad with black beans, corn, tomatoes, peppers and onions to make a taco salad... make tacos with corn tortillas, queso fresco, tomatoes and shredded lettuce... add it to this delicious recipe below... the list goes on and on!

CHICKEN TAMALE PIE

First off, I used a Pinterest recipe for making your own vegetarian Amy's Tamale pie as my inspiration. There are several steps in this recipe but I PROMISE it's worth it! 

7 oz. of salsa chicken (from recipe above!)

1/2 zucchini, diced

1/2 red pepper, diced

1/2 green pepper, diced

1/4 yellow onion

1/2 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. salt

1-2 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. chipotle chile powder

1/4 c. water

For topping:

1/2 c. Bob's Red Mill corn grits also known as polenta

1 1/2 c. water

1/3 c. frozen corn (or fresh!)

1/2 tsp. Goya Adobo seasoning 

1/4 tsp. salt

In a sauce pan cook all vegetables in spices and water, cover with lid and let simmer for about 5 minutes until vegetables are cooked. Add in the previously cooked chicken and warm through. 

While veggies are cooking make grits (corn meal) according to package. For this ratio you will bring water to boil, add in the grits, cook on low medium for 5 minutes - stir every minute or so to prevent sticking. After cooking remove from heat, add frozen (no need to cook first) or fresh corn, stir and cover with lid. Let sit for 5 minutes or more to thicken.

In an 8"x8" pan spread out the chicken and veggies filling. Next top with grits mixture and spread out across the top. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes. Turn on broil for 3-5 more minutes or until top is as crusty as you wish. If you wanted to before placing under the broiler you could brush the top with a little melted butter or spray with olive oil. 

This recipe makes 2 hearty servings -  305 calories each.

Top with queso fresco, guacamole, or more salsa!

Cauliflower Alfredo sauce... say what?!

Alright, sometimes Pinterest has some things that sound downright insane... and basically, I want to try most of them out of sheer curiosity.... so when I saw this one I said... SURE! I love cauliflower... I already know it makes pizza crust and "mashed potatoes"... why not sauce?!

You can find the original recipe here at Pinch of Yum.

This is modified a bit for calories and taste adjustments!

CAULIFLOWER BASIL ALFREDO SAUCE

(Chicken, broccoli and mushroom Alfredo with Fettuccine)

3-4 cups raw cauliflower florets

2 cups water or broth

1 tsp. olive oil

1/2 c. unsweetened almond milk

3-4 cloves of garlic

6 basil leaves (fresh) or about 1 tbsp. dried
1 tbsp. grated pecorino romano or Parmesan cheese

1 tbsp. corn starch (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

Starting with the garlic cloves, slice them and brown them in the olive oil in a sauce pan. Remove from pan and set aside. Boil the cauliflower for 6 minutes or until tender in water or broth. Do not drain. Using a slotted spoon take out half the florets and 1/2 cup of water and place in personal blender - if using a large blender put 1 cup of water, all florets, garlic, cheese and basil into the blender cup. Blend until smooth. If you need it to be thinner, add more water. If you want it thicker return all ingredients to saucepan bring to a boil and add 1 tbsp of cornstarch blended into 1/4 c. cold water (this will add about 30 calories to the whole mix).

Makes 5 - 1/2 cup servings - 35 calories each

Too yummy not to post... AKA Chicky n' Dumplins

Alright, so maybe I DO need to keep up with this blog... for my few loyal followers (I'm sure you're out there, right?! Right?? Bueller?) and also to document my new recipe favorites and failures!

I've said it before but it's worth repeating... Pinterest is my BFF.

I've been trying to create a new budget for our grocery bill because things are going to get even tighter this fall when I reduce my work hours to go back to school full time and get my Masters degree. In the past I've basically just looked through the pantry and come up with things to make with items I already have on hand. However, this tends to lead me into a lot of impulse buying. I still don't really waste food (very rarely!) but I think planning a weekly menu ahead of time will help... and of course, Pinterest has gotten me very inspired.

I've tried a few recent recipes like the ever so popular Cauliflower pizza crust (which was a total flop and never got crispy for me) and a few others that we're delicious such as the Lite Lemon Bars.

Tonight however may be my new favorite go to comfort food recipe!

I'm from the south... we like biscuits and gravy... we like fried chicken (ever heard of KFC?!)... we like anything with a gravy, doughy, battered, coating...

So I searched for a "healthy" chicken n' dumplin's recipe and came across this one... which of course I modified to make lighter and to get a calorie count!

EASY PEASY CHICKY N' DUMPLINS

(Modified from The Country Cook)

10 oz. diced, raw, chicken breast (or rotisserie would be nice here too)

6 oz. diced carrots

1/2 small diced yellow onion

4-5 cups of broth (your choice - I used some bouillon - about 30 calories)

2 cloves minced fresh garlic

2/3 cup frozen peas

1 low sodium chicken gravy packet (I think I used McCormick - about 80 calories)

1 cup cold water (for gravy)

2/3 cup Market Pantry baking mix

1/3 cup warm water (for dumplings)

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 tsp. thyme

In a large pot or Dutch oven saute the onions, carrots and garlic for several minutes. Next add in broth and bring to boil. Add in chicken breast, reduce to medium and cover while you prepare the gravy. Stir the gravy packet and cold water together and stir into the simmering pot. In a few minutes this will begin to thicken. Now add your peas. While the chicken and veggies are simmering go ahead and stir your warm water with your baking mix. This will form a wet, soft, gooey kind of dough. Drop it by spoonfuls into the rolling mix (mine made about 12 dumplins) reduce heat to medium low and put the lid on. Simmer for about 10 minutes. If you want your "gravy" to be even thicker add a tablespoon of corn starch dissolved in a 1/4 cup of cold water and pour into your boiling pot. 

This hearty meal serves 2. Best thing besides the taste? The nutritional stats!

Per serving: calories: 316, fat 9, carbs 54, protein 28, fiber 6, sugar 11. 

long time, no blogging!

hello fellow foodie friends!

I've been bad... and meaning to post something for months. Life gets in the way sometimes and it can be easy to forget to do simple things like... blog, brush your teeth, etc. But here's the deal....

I've been posting a lot of things to my weight loss coaching page on Facebook. if you want to continue to follow my health tips, recipes, etc. please keep an eye on my Better Together page.

You can find it here:
https://www.facebook.com/BetterTogetherWeightLossCoaching

the BEST Veggie Fried Rice

After numerous failed attempts at making a good fried rice that isn't soggy I think I finally hit the jackpot. Now of course you can change around all the ingredients and add more vegetables or chicken, pork, fake meat, etc. But here is what I made mine with:

VEGGIE FRIED RICE

2 1/2 cups cooked, cold, brown basmati rice (all I had on hand!)

1 tbsp. vegetable oil

1/3 c. frozen peas

1/4 c. diced yellow onion

1 medium celery stalk, diced

2 medium carrot sticks, peeled and diced

1/4 c. diced green pepper

1/4 c. diced orange pepper

1/2 c. diced red pepper

1 c. broccoli florets

4 oz. mushrooms, sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 egg

2 egg whites

2 tbsp. water

1/4 c. chicken broth (you may omit)

1 tbsp. ground ginger 

2 tbsp. soy sauce

black pepper to taste

Alright, here's what you do! Cook whatever rice you decide to use and stick it in the fridge for several hours.  Next up, scramble your egg, egg whites and 2 tbsp. water and cook in a non stick skillet using cooking spray. Remove from pan and set aside. 

Wipe out your skillet (you'll need a pretty good sized one) and heat 1/2 tbsp. oil, add in garlic and saute for about 30 seconds. Add in all your vegetables except mushrooms and saute for 2-3 minutes. Next add in your chicken (or veggie broth) if you wish, however, I think it may have made the rice even drier had I skipped this step. Add in your ginger and soy sauce. Saute for another minute or two and remove from pan. 

Turn heat up to medium high and add remaining 1/2 tbsp. of oil. Add cold rice to pan and season with black pepper. Using a rubber spatula continue to flip rice around to dry it out a bit more and give it that "fried" color and texture. After several minutes of heating it through add the egg back in and saute for another minute. Lastly, add all your cooked veggies back in and warm through. 

Makes about 7 - 1 cup servings - 140 calories, 3g fat, 6g protein, 23g carbs, 3g fiber per cup.

Gluten Free Super Veggie Alfredo "Pasta"

I've been struggling with stomach issues for years now and even though I have been tested for a gluten allergy (and it came back negative) I'm giving 2-3 weeks without gluten to see if it fixes my issues. Soooo... what better way to embrace a new dietary change than trying new recipes!?

This makes the second time I've tried these shiratake noodles. The first time was the Tofu Shiratake by House Foods and this batch was Nasoya Shiratake. They both worked fine in the dishes I tried. These noodles may be my new favorite thing. Even better? They are only 20 calories per serving - and a whole package is only 40 calories! 

But I will warn you... if you are AT ALL sensitive to smells turning you off from eating/cooking etc. ... then don't bother. These noodles have a scent that is certainly off-putting... BUT... all you have to do is rinse them, several times in cold water, and heat them a little in a non-stick skillet. The smell comes from the calcium hydroxide they are packed in. The first time I used them I thought I got a bad batch! But it will tell you on the packaging to rinse them. 

Tonight's dish.... Gluten Free (did I mention these are gluten free!?) Super Veggie Alfredo Pasta!

You'll need these things:

1 package of rinsed shiratake noodles

2 small zucchini, julienned (or sliced)

6 white button mushrooms

3 cloves of garlic, sliced

1/2 red pepper, sliced in strips

1/2 yellow pepper, sliced in strips

1 1/2 c. broccoli florets

1 c. baby spinach

3/4 c. Alfredo sauce (90 calories or less per serving)

1/2 tbsp. olive oil

cracked black pepper

salt to taste

Rinse your noodles in a colander. Place a non-stick skillet on medium and heat noodles for a few minutes to dry them out. In a larger skillet heat oil and place in all vegetables except mushrooms and spinach. Cook vegetables until al dente and then add in mushrooms, spinach, noodles and sauce. Cook about five more minutes. Top with fresh ground black pepper and grated Parmesan.

Makes 2 servings - 240 calories each (yes, only 240!) 

Pinterest and Hungry Girl - You inspire me!

I've posted a few Pinterest and Hungry Girl recipes in here before and as usual... I adapted these too. I just can't follow a recipe exactly... it's a compulsion I have. :) I have to put my spin on it!

I found a recipe on Pinterest for Crock Pot Cinnamon Almonds and decided what better thing to do with the can of raw almonds I had in the cupboard! After all, I'm a sucker for those German roasted ones you can get at the fair or sometimes mall kiosks... but they are a) very expensive and b) packed with sugar.

Normally I'm big on substitutions - applesauce, pumpkin and banana for butter/sugar in recipes but I didn't think that would work in this case! I did however choose to use much less sugar than the recipe originally called for and use half baking Splenda and half granulated light brown sugar.

Here's what I did:

CINNAMON ALMONDS AND PECANS

1 1/2 c. raw whole almonds

1 c. raw pecan halves

1/2 c. baking Splenda

1/2 c. granulated brown sugar

1-2 tsp. vanilla

2 tbsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. salt

1 egg white

1/4 c. water

In one bowl combine vanilla and egg and beat until frothy. In another bowl combine both sugars, cinnamon and salt, mix well. Stir the nuts into the egg mixture until well coated. Then add that bowl to the dry ingredients bowl, mix well. Spray your crock pot with a cooking spray to help prevent sticking because the mixture will be relatively dry. Cook on low for about 2 hours. The original recipe says to stir every 20 minutes or so, which I did, but I'm not sure with the smaller amount of sugar if that's really necessary, maybe more like every 30-40 but to be on the safe side just keep an eye on them. In the last 45 minutes add the water and stir well. Now when mine came out they were still a bit sticky and not as candy like as I expected - probably due to the lower sugar ratio. However, if you throw them in the oven on a baking sheet on 350 for about 15 minutes, stir and bake an additional 10 minutes they will crisp up. 

Makes about 12 - 1/4 cup servings - 185 calories each

Oh Hungry-Girl... you always have such good recipes - I save them all and it is my goal in 2013 to make more of them. 

This is exactly how her directions go... I just changed the frosting! 

CANDY CANE BROWNIES

(this is my photo - for my frosting)

1/16th of recipe: 156 calories, 3g fat, 278mg sodium, 31g carbs, 1.5g fiber, 18g sugars, 1.5g protein -- PointsPlus® value 4* 

Chocolate and candy canes go together like Santa and Mrs. Claus! (What's her first name, anyway?) Enjoy a brownie while you mull it over...

Ingredients: 

1/3 cup chocolate frosting 

1 sugar-free chocolate pudding snack with 60 calories or less (like the kind by Jell-O)

1 box moist-style devil’s food cake mix (15.25 - 18.25 oz.)

One 15-oz. can pure pumpkin

1/4 tsp. peppermint extract **( I omitted this because I don't keep it in my cupboard)

2 standard-sized candy canes or 8 mini candy canes 

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 9" X 13" baking pan with nonstick spray. 

In a medium bowl, mix frosting with pudding until smooth and uniform. Cover and refrigerate. 

In a large bowl, mix cake mix, pumpkin, and peppermint extract until smooth and uniform. (Batter will be thick.) (She's not kidding, the batter will be so thick your arms will be sore from stirring- I even added about 1/8 c. of water to aid in the stirring!)

Finely crush half of the candy canes, and stir into the batter. Spread batter into the baking pan.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 18 - 20 minutes. 

Let cool completely, about 1 1/2 hours. 

Spread brownies with frosting mixture. Just before serving, roughly crush the remaining candy canes, and sprinkle over frosted brownies. Enjoy!

MAKES 16 SERVINGS

(this is the Hungry Girl's photo)

My Frosting:

1/3 cup whipped cream cheese frosting (the whipped frostings are less calories)

2 sugar free vanilla pudding cups (60 calories each)

1 crushed candy cane (stirred into the frosting - which will turn it pink and dissolve)**

topped with about 1/4 cup or so of mini chocolate chips***

**Next time I do not think I will stir them in. I think the nice candy crunch of the bits would add another nice texture to the brownies. I only tried it this way because I thought it would give it more flavor since it dissolved into the frosting!

*** Also, the calories for the mini chocolate chips are not accounted for in Hungry Girl's calculations since it was my addition. This will add about 15-20 calories per brownie making the total around 185 each. 

Potato Cauliflower Soup

I may have posted a similar recipe before... but I've decided this one is perfection. So I will share it, again.

Cauliflower works well to bulk up a soup or your mashed potatoes because it has such a neutral flavor, low calories and lots of great vitamins. I would consider adding pureed or mashed cauliflower to any soup to add a creamier texture!

MY FAVORITE POTATO CAULIFLOWER SOUP

1 bag of frozen cauliflower or one head of fresh cauliflower

5 small russet potatoes, peeled and cubed

4 c. light/low sodium chicken or vegetable stock

1 small sweet yellow onion, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, peeled

1 c. unsweetened almond milk (you can use soy or skim as well)

5 oz. cooked spiral ham, pulled into small bits (or omit for you vegetarians!)

salt and black pepper to taste 

10 cups  - 95 calories per cup

In a soup pot over low-medium heat bring to boil broth and add in garlic, onion, potatoes and cauliflower. Let simmer, covered for about 20 minutes to allow all flavors to blend. Let cool 5-10 minutes and add by small batches into a blender - or if you're lucky enough to have a hand held immersion blender you can blend it in your pot. You can adjust here if you want it to be super smooth or a little chunky. Pour back into pot and add milk and ham. I usually make it without the meat but I had leftover ham from Christmas dinner. :) Let simmer for another 15 minutes or so until all flavors have melded into an amazing combination! 

Migas - Fit Foodie Style

One of my favorite restaurants in my hometown of Louisville, KY is the North End Cafe. They make the BEST pancakes ever! But if I'm in the mood for eggs I almost always go for the Migas.
Apparently Migas means crumbs in English and there are several different versions. The one at North End is 3 scrambled eggs, blue corn tortilla chips, jalapenos & cheddar cheese served with salsa and home fries. Here is my Fit Foodie version:

MIGAS

3 egg whites - scrambled

2 pieces center cut bacon (Vegetarians - omit or use veggie bacon)

2 tbsp. diced onion

2 tbsp. diced red pepper

2 tbsp. diced green pepper

2 tbsp. diced yellow pepper

1 broken up hard taco shell corn tortilla (or crushed tortilla chips totaling 55 calories)

1/2 oz. shredded Cabot Light Pepper Jack cheese (or any cheese totaling 35 calories)

4-5 pickled jalapeno rings

Cook your bacon and drain well. If you are using pork bacon leave a little bacon grease (just enough to coat the pan) and add peppers and onions. Cook until onions are translucent. Tear the bacon into chunks and add back into pan. Scramble 3 egg whites and season with salt and pepper. Add crushed tortilla and jalapeno to pan with bacon, peppers and onions. Cook for one minute. Add in eggs and scramble into mixture. When eggs are almost done add in shredded cheese, remove from heat and place a lid on to melt the cheese.

One hefty serving - 200 calories!

You may serve with salsa, guacamole or sour cream!

Sweet Potato Carrot Ginger Soup...

One of my very first entries when I started this blog (almost 2 years ago!) was this soup. Today I made it a little differently and I think it's my best batch yet. So I decided to re-share one of my most favorite recipes with you. I hope it warms your bellies!

SWEET POTATO CARROT GINGER SOUP

11 oz. sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed (about 3 - 5" long)

10 oz. baby carrots (or whatever kind you have on hand, just make sure they are cut)

3 celery stalks, cut into large chunks

1/2 yellow or sweet onion, sliced

4-5 whole garlic cloves, peeled

5 discs of fresh ginger, peeled about 1/16" thick (grated works too - about 1 tbsp.)

4 1/2 cups of water 

2 vegetable bouillon cubes (or 4 1/2 cups of veggie stock and omit the water & bouillon)

2 tbsp. peanut butter (chunky or crunchy is fine)

2 tsp. cumin

1-2 tsp. parsley flakes

1-2 tsp. red pepper flake (depending how spicy you like it)

salt to taste

Now, here's the easy part. Take all the ingredients EXCEPT the peanut butter and throw it in a large pot:

Bring to a boil and let simmer for about 20 minutes until everything is cooked through. Remove from heat and let sit 20 minutes or so to cool down. You will need either a) blender or b) an immersion blender. If you have an immersion blender you can skip the cooling step. If you're tossing it in the blender you use to make Margaritas you might want to wait until it cools some. Blend the pieces in batches until smooth. Pour back into the soup pot. At this point if the soup is too cold reheat it before adding the final ingredient. 

Once it's warm enough add in your peanut butter, using a whisk to mix it in. This soup is hearty, spicy and a little Thai inspired. I find it best served with extra red pepper flakes and a little chopped peanut for texture. 

This batch makes 7 - 1 cup servings at 112 calories each!

Holiday Survival 101

There's something about big family/friend gatherings and lots of extremely yummy (but terribly fattening) food that brings us comfort. It's tradition to see how many plates we can eat. It's often the time of year when not only the turkey is stuffed. But how do we enjoy it without feeling deprived or like we immediately wish instead of dressing up we wore our fat pants? It can be tricky... but it can also be accomplished.

Holiday Survival 101:

1. You're not a kid anymore, you don't HAVE to finish every morsel of food on your plate. I'm not promoting wastefulness here, just saying, try to put small portions on your plate.

2. Yes! You can have some pumpkin pie! Just try not to eat the whole thing. If it's already sliced, cut one of those slices in half (that half slice is probably the actual serving of pie the recipe was talking about - we're constantly doubling and tripling portion sizes!)

3. Fill up two thirds of your plate with vegetables and lean proteins. Now, depending on your traditional Thanksgiving dinner this may be difficult. I grew up in a Southern household where the veggies were glossy with bacon grease or smothered in gravy.

4. If you're having the traditional turkey, don't eat the skin. It's just a lot of excess fat and calories. It's 60 calories for 1 ounce of meat with skin, 50 calories for 1 ounce of dark meat without skin and 30 calories for 1 ounce of breast meat without skin.

5. Usually holiday dinners come with lots of appetizers and everyone stands around the kitchen or dining room for a few hours before dinner while chatting with friends and family. This is the time where we mindlessly munch on chips, dips, cookies, etc. Try to socialize away from this area, it will keep you from grazing.

6. Chew gum or eat a mint. If you are trying not to indulge in the appetizers or desserts at all you can chew a piece of gum or eat a mint and then you will not want to eat anything.

7. Buddy up. If you are going to a holiday dinner with a friend or partner and you know your self control could be in question have them keep an eye on you and vice versa. Sometimes we don't feel strong enough to say no to the second round of stuffing and mashed potatoes and we need someone to keep us in check!

8. Don't get too overwhelmed and beat yourself up about it. Make sure you enjoy yourself! After all, the holidays aren't about the food (well, not entirely!) ... they're about spending quality time with people you may not get to see all the time. The food is just a bonus!

Armed with those survival tips you should be able to get through those food temptations without throwing healthy eating out the window.

Happy Holidays dear readers!

Pumpkin Bran Muffins!

I've been craving everything pumpkin flavored. Blame it on the time of year. But instead of buying cookies or muffins or cakes I decided to make my own. I figured I could probably make them lighter and healthier than buying them. So as usual I took a recipe I found on the net and "fit foodi-fied" it! Here it is!

PUMPKIN BRAN MUFFINS

1 1/2 cups King Arthur 100% whole wheat, unbleached, flour1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 cup Splenda granulated sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

2 cups Bran Flakes

1 cup solid pack pure pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

1/3 cup Almond Breeze Almond Coconut Blend

2 egg whites

1/4 cup applesauce, unsweetened

1/3 cup raisins, packed

1 1/2 tbsp. semi sweet chocolate chips

vegetable cooking spray

Makes 12 Muffins - 100 calories, 1g fat, 4g fiber, 4g protein per muffin

1) Stir together flour, Splenda, baking powder, salt and spices. Set aside.

2) Put Bran Flakes in a Ziploc bag and crush with rolling pin or pulse in a food processor, mix into dry ingredients bowl.

3) In large mixing bowl, combine pumpkin, milk, egg whites and applesauce. Beat well with hand mixer. Add raisins and semi sweet chocolate chips. Stir well. Mix in flour mixture, stirring only until combined (batter will be stiff). Portion batter evenly into 12 2/1/2 inch muffin pan coated with cooking or baking spray.

4) Bake at 400F about 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve warm.

Roasted Veggies...

It's that time of year again. Where we all want to hibernate in our caves and eat warm comfort food. This is your gentle reminder of the pure yumminess of roasted vegetables.

Here is a recipe from last January. 

Some good vegetables to roast are:

Root vegetables - sweet and white potatoes, carrots, turnips, rutabaga.

Winter squashes - acorn, spaghetti, butternut

Summer squashes - yellow and green (zucchini)

Brussels sprouts

Mushrooms of all kinds are also great to toss in for the last 20 minutes or so.

Most vegetables roast well at 375 or 400 degrees and for 40-45 minutes, flipping half way through.

Here is what I had for dinner tonight...

Olive oil and herb couscous topped with zima tomatoes.

Brussels sprouts, petite green beans and baby carrots.

Pumpkin and Broccoli - the tastes of Fall.

As you know, I enjoy buying new products and giving them a shot. My two recent purchases were no disappointment!

They have pumpkin flavored everything from yogurt, to cream cheese, to bagels, to granola, to English muffins, to beer, to donuts, etc. You either love pumpkin or you hate it. I am one of those that love it! Therefore I had to test these out. And they are super yummy!

110 calories

1g fat

5g fiber

3g sugar

5g protein

AMAZING!

topping suggestion: 2 tbsp. whipped cream cheese! (only 60 calories!)

Next up! Veggies!

Green Giant has come out with seasoned steamers. I looked at some of the stats on all of them and these seemed to be the most reasonable. 

Of course you can season broccoli yourself and come up with even better calorie stats but most of us are busy and need something quick. This broccoli has a delicious Tuscan inspired flavor with Parmesan cheese, garlic, peppers and onion. 

60 calories, 2g protein, 2g fiber, 2g sugar and 4g fat per serving

Spaghetti Squash with Spicy Arrabiata Sauce

I've been hearing for months about this spaghetti squash and how amazing it works as a swap for spaghetti. After being ultra intrigued by all the hype I finally gave in and bought one. For a week it's been sitting on my counter, staring longingly in my direction and tonight I put it to good use.

First, you have to cut it in half lengthwise but it's a bit more tricky than you might expect. The only issue I have with hard winter squash is just that... they are hard! So, what you can do is poke a few holes in it with a fork or a knife and put the whole squash in the microwave for 2-4 minutes. This will cause it to soften up enough to cut it in half. Before baking scoop out all the extra seeds and strings. Place both halves with the skin side up on a baking sheet and bake at 375 for 20-30 minutes or until done (depending on size). Let cool then easily shred with a fork. Take shredded squash and place in a colander while cooking the rest of the dish. The squash will have quite a bit of water in it so you might also pat it with a clean tea towel or paper towels.

Spaghetti Squash with Spicy Arrabiata Sauce

4 cups cooked, shredded spaghetti squash

2 - 6 oz. chicken breasts*

1/2 pkg. sliced baby bella mushrooms

1/2 yellow onion, sliced

1/2 red pepper, sliced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 c. Arrabiata sauce (or sauce of your choice 70 cal or less per serving)

Serves 2 - 345 calories each

In a large nonstick skillet cook chicken breast, mushrooms, garlic, onions and peppers until done. You can either add your sauce to the chicken and veggies in the skillet or heat it up and add it on your plate. Top with shredded Parmesan or pecorino romano. *If you're a vegetarian you can easily omit the chicken and add garbanzo beans or a  faux meat product. Enjoy!

Workout Music!

I'm a big, big, BIG, fan of music. All kinds. And I've searched all over for great workout mixes... even tried to make a few of my own. While looking for a streaming radio app for my Android I stumbled upon this FITRadio app... it sounded promising - music to keep you motivated... even listing the BPM (beats per minute) in the mixes... so I thought, hey, it's FREE, why not?!

The results? I FREAKIN' LOVE IT!

So... go ahead. Download it. Choose a Genre. And get your body movin'!

FITRadio

Cabbage & Cannellini Bean Soup

My family was in town visiting from Kentucky and naturally we went on a few food related adventures. Had some amazing seafood. Went to a brewery in Salem. Went to a winery in Amherst. And of course, had to go to a large farmer's market. :)

We we're incredibly impressed by the ridiculously huge cabbages at Atkin's Farm. And... did I mention they we're only $1.49 a head!? So of course we had to buy one...

What exactly does one do with a massive cabbage? Well... make soup of course! Here's what happened... I Googled a bunch of soup recipes and then did my own variation... you know, what I normally do. It turned out delicious! Here's what fell together:

CABBAGE AND CANNELLINI BEAN SOUP

4-5 cups of chopped cabbage (1/2" strips essentially)

1 medium yellow sweet onion, diced

7 oz. carrots (about 2 medium carrots)

3 garlic cloves, grated or minced (you can use less if you like)

1 - 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes

1 - 5.5 oz. can V8

2 tbsp. tomato paste

1 1/2 c. rinsed cannellini beans

6 c. water (or vegetable stock)

2 bouillon cubes (if not using stock) (use veggie, chicken or beef)

salt & fresh ground black pepper to taste

Makes 12 - 1 cup servings - 50 calories each

In a Dutch oven or soup pot bring water or stock to a boil. Add in cabbage, carrots, onion, and garlic, bring to rolling boil and continue to cook on high for 10 minutes. Next bring to medium heat and add in remaining ingredients. Cover and let simmer (but not boil) for another 45-60 minutes. You could certainly cook low and slow for longer and have a deeper flavor. Or you could cook for less time and have your veggies more al dente. Depends on what you prefer. However you prepare it this soup will be satisfying, hearty and warm on a cold fall night. Perfect with grilled cheese!

"Fried" ready made chicken and fish...

Even healthy people crave fried things. I'm from the South... we fry EVERYTHING. But as you know... that is not a fit food. But these are! I'm a coupon printer/finder/hunter and I stumbled upon coupons for these Gorton's Skillet Crisp Tilapia. One filet of the Classic Seasonings type is 190 calories, 9g fat and 13g protein. The best part is (especially since most people don't seem to really enjoy cooking fish) you just heat it up in the pan and it crunches up to a "fried" consistency. Bonus, it's tasty!! Serve over salad or with your favorite steamed or roasted veggies!

Another product I stumbled upon in the grocery was Perdue Whole Grain Chicken Breast Cutlets. Now, generally I make my own "fried" chicken coating but we are all busy people and often, time is not on our side. These cutlets are 180 calories, 10g fat, and 13g protein. They are perfect to put over salad, make a fitter chicken cordon bleu, or any other veggie pairings! 

Just thought I'd share some new grocery findings for folks on the go!

Chicken Enchilada "Pie"

So last night I made my first attempt ever at making enchiladas... I know that sounds weird and sad at the same time! Who doesn't love a good enchilada?! So anyhow here's what I did and what I learned.

CHICKEN ENCHILADA PIE

10 oz. chicken breast

1 can of Medium or Mild Enchilada sauce (I think I used Old El Paso)

1/2 large green pepper, diced small

1/2 yellow sweet onion, diced small

2 cloves of garlic

4 corn tortillas (60 calories each)

1 1/2 oz. reduced fat cheddar cheese (I used Cabot - 70 calories per oz.)

2 large servings - 370 each.

Put your chicken, enchilada sauce, garlic, pepper and onion in a crock pot. Cook on high for about an hour then cook on low for another hour or so until chicken is tender and all white. Remove chicken breast from slow cooker and shred using two forks, then place back in slow cooker to absorb more sauce. Let sit for a few minutes while you prepare your oven.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9" cake pan with cooking spray. Take out 4 corn tortillas and cut two of them in half. Dip the tortillas into the sauce in the slow cooker and place 1 and two (of the cut four) halves along the bottom of the pan as best as you can to cover. Using a slotted spoon take out the chicken and place it over top of the bottom "crust" tortillas. If you want it to be a little saucier you can add more of the sauce. Repeat the dipping steps for the remaining tortillas to create the top crust. Shred your cheese (or if you can find that type already shredded!) and sprinkle over the top layer of tortillas. Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes.

Now, some notes. I bought Chi Chi's brand tortillas and they were too thick to roll, hence the "pie" instead. Also, you don't have to cook the chicken in the slow cooker but it did make it very tender. I'm sure you would get a similar result from baking the chicken or cooking it low and slow on the stove top. Lastly, it may not look that pretty once you tried to cut it of the pan and plate it but it sure is tasty!

Top with salsa and fat free or light sour cream.