Strawberries Romanoff

Strawberry season is upon us so I figured it was a perfect time to remake my recipe for strawberries romanoff and include some pics!

You might have seen this at La Madeleine, and while I’ve never actually had it, I always think it looks really good...can you go wrong with strawberries and cream?

According to "The Food Lover's Companion" (the food encyclopedia Mel gave me a few years ago also available online)

"this deliciously decadent dessert is made by soaking strawberries in orange juice and curaçao or cointreau, then serving them topped with whipped cream. It's one of many dishes named after the Russian royal family by French chefs."

A few years ago I created this version at the request of a high school girl I was working with on nutrition.  The original recipe served 4 and the ingredients were as follows:

½ cup sour cream
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon brandy or vanilla
½ cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons sugar
4 cups fresh strawberries

The problem with the recipe isn't the strawberries (obviously), but the cream, sour cream, and sugar. Heavy cream has 50 calories and 5 g fat (3.5 saturated) per tablespoon. Sour cream has the same calories/fat per 2 tablespoons. And then there's the sugar...18 teaspoons total which adds 270 calories...aren't strawberries already sweet??

So that's where I made the changes. I swapped plain Greek yogurt for the sour cream (originally I used plain yogurt…but now I’m liking Greek better), left the heavy cream alone, and reduced the sugar to 7 ½ teaspoons.

I used ¾ of a cup (6oz) of yogurt instead of ½ of a cup...this helps "dilute" the calories in the whipped cream even further. I also increased the fruit and made 6 servings instead of 4.

You may wonder why I left the heavy cream alone...it is high in fat after all. For some, fat-free Cool Whip would be an option, but I don't use Cool Whip. I don't think it tastes very good and its not made from anything natural like cream or milk (remember the Reddi-wip commercial..."cream or oil?"). Here is the ingredient list from Cool Whip (the fat-free kind):

Ingredients: WATER, CORN SYRUP, HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE OIL* (COCONUT AND PALM KERNEL OILS), HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, LESS THAN 2% OF SODIUMCASEINATE (FROM MILK), NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, MODIFIED FOOD STARCH, XANTHAN AND GUAR GUMS,POLYSORBATE 60, POLYSORBATE 65, SORBITANMONOSTEARATE, SODIUM HYDROXIDE, BETA CAROTENE (COLOR).
*ADDS A NEGLIGIBLE AMOUNT OF FAT

You be the judge...

I'm sticking with whipped cream lightened with Greek yogurt.

Strawberries Romanoff
adapted from Recipezaar.com

Makes 6 servings

6 oz container Greek yogurt (I used 0% Fage)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract or brandy
½ cup heavy cream
1 ½ teaspoons sugar
6 cups fresh strawberries, sliced

Mix yogurt, brown sugar, and vanilla or brandy in a small bowl.

In a separate bowl, whip cream and sugar until thick and fluffy.

Gently fold half of cream into yogurt mixture. Add the remaining cream and fold to combine.

Serve over fresh strawberries.

Per serving

before – 296 calories, 18 g fat (11 g saturated), 33 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 3 g protein (exchanges: 3 ½ fat, 1 starch/sugar, 1 fruit)

after –152 calories, 8 g fat (5 g saturated), 17 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 4 g protein (exchanges: 1 ½ fat, ¼ starch/sugar, 1 fruit)

Layered Peppermint Crunch Bark

I have said it before, but I love that my printed internet recipes are dated because it helps me remember the circumstances when I first came across them…this one is from December 13, 2000! 

I was living in the Phi Mu house and probably in the chapter room studying for finals.  One of the girls was in the kitchen making this recipe for a gift and I was totally enthralled!  I wasn’t a cook at this time (that didn’t happen until I made the switch from a being a pre-med major to dietetics…2 years later).  But I was amazed that she was making her own peppermint bark!  Who does that?  Didn’t everyone just buy it from the store?

So after finals were over and I was back in Covington for the 5 WEEK BREAK (boy do I miss that!!), I made the bark with my mom (I miss cooking with her too).  It is the best peppermint bark I have ever tried.  Hands down.

 

The recipe is sort of a process.  But, back then I wasn’t the “experienced” cook I am now.  This time around was much easier.  I melted the chocolate in the microwave…no double boiler needed.  I omitted some of the cream to make the dark chocolate layer a little firmer.  I added the peppermint powder* from the crushed candy canes to the first white chocolate layer.  And I didn’t use the back of a sheet pan…I used the inside. 

The stickers on the gift bags were a Christmas present from “Santa Mel”.  I love them and need to use them more often.  Every year I hesitate to give unhealthy food gifts…not because I think you shouldn’t eat them, but because I figure most people already get enough of them and I (the dietitian) don’t need to add insult to injury.  I’d rather do a healthier food gift.  But not this year!

It cracks me up that on the margin of the recipe I calculated the calories and total fat.  Back then I didn’t have access to to recipe analyzer I use now…so I had to use good old fashioned math.  I won’t tell you the numbers, no need to feel guilty around the holidays!

Layered Peppermint Crunch Bark
adapted from Epicurious.com

This is doubled from the original…you might as well too!  It fits in a half sheet pan (13X18) perfectly.

34 ounces (around 2 pounds) good-quality white chocolate (I used Callebaut from Whole Foods…they conveniently sell 8ish oz bars of bulk chocolate), finely chopped, DIVIDED
20 regular sized candy canes (about 10 ounces) coarsely crushed*
16 ounces (around 1 pound) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate(not unsweetened; again I got this in bulk at WF), chopped
1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) whipping cream 
1 teaspoon peppermint extract

Line a half sheet pan securely with foil.

Melt half of the white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl for 1 minute at 50% power.  Stir white chocolate and continue heating at 30 second intervals at 50% power (stirring each time) until smooth (avoid getting any water in the bowl and don’t allow it to overcook!).  Add any peppermint powder* you have sifted out of the candy cane pieces if desired. 

Pour melted white chocolate onto prepared pan. Using icing spatula, spread chocolate to fill pan. Sprinkle with some of the crushed candy cane pieces (no more than half…you can decide how much/little you want). Chill in the refrigerator until set, about 15 minutes.

In a different microwave safe bowl, combine bittersweet chocolate and cream.  Melt chocolate using the same method as the white chocolate.  Add peppermint extract and cool to barely lukewarm, about 5 minutes. Pour bittersweet chocolate mixture in long lines over white chocolate in the pan. Using icing spatula, spread bittersweet chocolate in even layer. Refrigerate until very cold and firm, about 25 minutes (or more).

In the same “white chocolate bowl” as before, melt the remaining white chocolate using the same method.  Allow to cool slightly (if it is too hot, when added to the pan the bittersweet chocolate will melt too easily and the bark will looked swirled).  Pour white chocolate over firm bittersweet chocolate layer and CAREFULLY spread to cover. Immediately sprinkle with remaining crushed candy cane pieces. Chill just until firm, about 20 minutes (or overnight).

Lift foil with bark onto work surface. If chilled overnight, allow the bark to warm up slightly (so it will cut better). 

Cut bark crosswise into 2-inch-wide strips. Using metal spatula, slide bark off foil and onto work surface. Cut each strip crosswise into 3 sections and each section diagonally into 2 triangles (only if you want to be that detailed…I wasn’t so precise…I like the “homemade” look of irregular sized pieces). 

Can be made 2 weeks ahead. Chill in airtight container.

* I put the candy canes in a zip-top bag and crushed them with a rolling pin.  I then sifted the "peppermint powder” and added it to the first white chocolate layer.  Some of my pieces were to big for my liking.  So I repeated the process and actually added the new powder to the dark chocolate layer (I can’t waste anything!).  I also didn’t use all the candy cane pieces because I thought it would be too much…so I guess I did waste after all!

Spiced Apple Cake

I have an apple obsession…or so I’ve been told…I eat one just about everyday.  Not necessarily because apples are my favorite fruit (although I do love them), but because of their convenience.

What other fruit can you throw in your bag/purse that won’t get damaged and you don’t have to peel?  It’s a running joke that I always have an apple (or 2) in my purse.



Apples are easy to find, relatively cheap (especially right now because it’s apple season), and there is a huge variety that all taste different.  I love pink ladies and honeycrisps.  That’s what I usually buy (unless some other variety of organic apple is on sale at WF…this week I’m enjoying galas at $1.49/lb).  I love a sweet, slightly tart crisp apple…no granny smiths for me, they are too tart!  I prefer red apples.  And I can’t stand when they are mealy or soft.  Which is the exact reason I love pink lady and honeycrisp apples…I’ve never had a bad one!

When I was little I loved when Bernie would peel and slice my apples.  But now being the health-conscious girl that I am, I eat the skin.  I usually eat apples raw, but sometimes I microwave diced apple with a little cinnamon and sugar for a warm apple treat.



And then there is this apple cake from the Williams-Sonoma New Healthy Kitchen cookbook.  It’s flavor of warm spices pair perfectly with the apples which melt and all but disappear into the batter.  And what else could be more appropriate for dessert (or breakfast) with the fabulous cool weather we are being spoiled with here in Louisiana?

Hil says it’s not as good as mom’s spice cake, but then again, she likes macaroni from a box too.  Try it for yourself…it might be the start of your own apple obsession.




Spiced Apple Cake
adapted from Williams-Sonoma New Healthy Kitchen

makes 10 servings

2 large (or 3 medium) apples*
1 cup granulated sugar 
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt 
1 tablespoons granulated sugar mixed with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Butter and flour an 8-inch round cake pan (I used an angel food tube pan).  Quarter, core, and thinly slice the apples, leaving the skin intact.

In a bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, butter, egg, and vanilla. Stir in two-thirds of the apple slices.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture stirring until just blended.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Arrange the remaining apple slices in a pattern on top, pressing them gently into the batter. Sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar.

Bake until the cake is golden and springy to the touch, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes.

Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the cake stand in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn the cake out onto the rack and let cool completely, about 2 hours. Cut into wedges to serve.

* You can use any type of apple that is in season…the cake will taste slightly different every time, but it will always be moist and delicious. 

Per serving (1/10 of cake) – 250 calories, 10 g fat (6 g saturated), 40 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 2 g protein (exchanges: 2 starch, 2 fat; WW points: 6)

As a comparison…Betty Crocker’s Spice Cake

Per serving (1/10 of cake) – 324 calories, 16 g fat (4 g saturated), 42 g carbohydrates, 0 g fiber, 5 g protein

Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Last Friday, I had promised to make my Jr Company ballet class cupcakes...they worked so hard in class and I felt they deserved a treat. Friday morning I woke up sick and didn't go to the studio, so needless to say they didn't get cupcakes.

When I saw the kids again on Sunday the first thing out of their mouths was not "How are you feeling?", but "Where are our

cupcakes?". They were obviously really concerned about me!

Well this CEiMB recipe could not have come at a more perfect time (good choice by Enjoying My Favorite Things!). I made the cupcakes last night, frosted them this morning, and brought them to class tonight...and they were a hit. I think a lot of people assume kids won't eat a "healthy" dessert (and healthy food for that matter)...if its not loaded with sugar, butter, and chocolate they won't eat it, right? WRONG!

They devoured the cupcakes...some must have eaten 2, because I brought 22 and there were only 15 in the class. Someone fess up!

Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

• Per serving - 236 calories, 10 g fat (2 g saturated), 34 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 4 g protein (exchanges: 2 starches, 2 fats; WW points: 5)
  
• Just for fun...compared to the Barefoot Contessa's version - 507 calories, 32 g fat (10 g saturated), 56 g carbohydrates, 1.4 g fiber, 4 g protein
• Notes - I doubled the recipe and made 24 cupcakes; I used a 1 pound bag of carrots that I shredded using the finest grating disk in my food processor...but after shredding them I chopped them into shorter lengths; whole wheat pastry flour is a baking staple for me...I always keep it on hand to replace part of the AP flour; I left out the walnuts, so my version actually has fewer calories and fat grams (but I didn't leave them out for that reason, it's just my preference); natural applesauce has NO ADDED sugar or artificial sweetener, so don't get confused and buy the wrong thing...I buy the little snack size cups, which don't have to be refrigerated
• My thoughts - They were so good! Kid tested, dance teacher/dietitian approved!

Double Chocolate Pudding Pie

In the blogging world there are groups of bloggers that join together and bake/cook the same recipe once a week and then blog about it. Two that I love to follow are primarily baking oriented (Tuesdays With Dorie and Daring Bakers)...every week all of the blogging members bake some incredibly fabulous creation, take mouth-watering pictures, and post them on their blog. And while I am totally tempted to take part (I love to bake), I really don't want a high calorie treat

hanging around my kitchen on a weekly basis!

So when I found a group cooking from Ellie Krieger's "The Food You Crave", a cookbook I have and love, I joined immediately! If you don't already know, Ellie is the FoodNetwork dietitian. She promotes eating REAL food in moderation...my view of eating exactly!

This is my first week participating in CEiMB. I'll be posting a recipe (chosen weekly by a different CEiMB member) every Wednesday. A preview of what's to come:

June 18th - Jambalaya with Shrimp and Ham

June 25th - Vegetable Cheese Strata

July 2nd - Breakfast Cookies

This week the recipe, chosen by Handle the Heat, is Double Chocolate Pudding Pie. How ironic is it that the first recipe I have to make is a "treat"??? That's the whole reason I haven't joined the other groups! Oh well! All things in moderation right?

And to reassure you this is a "lighter" version I analyzed Emeril's Chocolate Cream Pie...ready for this? Per serving (Serves 8) - 739 calories, 52 g fat (30 g saturated), 242 mg cholesterol, 64 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 51 g sugar 6 g protein...Ellie you win!

Double Chocolate Pudding Pie -

• Per serving - 306 calories, 17 g fat (9.2 g saturated), 37 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 7 g protein (exchanges: 3 fats, 2 starches)
• Notes - I left off the whipped cream...not so much because I was trying to save calories (it only saves about 25 calories per serving), but more so because I didn't want to buy a pint of cream only to use 1/4 cup; the pudding itself is really good, so if you don't feel like making the crust, just serve the pudding...you save about 85 calories per serving by doing so; I like darker chocolate, but if you are a milk chocolate lover you might want to use it instead of the bittersweet called for; some of the recipe reviews complained that there wasn't enough crust to fill the bottom and sides of the pie plate, so I used an 8 inch dish (instead of making extra crust as some suggested which would increase the calorie count) and poured the extra pudding into ramekins for a crustless version...so my version actually has fewer calories per serving; the consistency of the pudding is very JELL-O like...maybe use a little less gelatin?
  
  
• Tips - When pressing the crust into the pie plate, I used the bottom of a dry measuring cup; I sifted the dry ingredients into the sauce pan before adding the milk to help avoid any lumps; when whisking the milk into the dry pudding ingredients, it will look like the mixture will never come together, but keep whisking...it will!; I had to cook the pudding a little longer than 10 minutes to get it to thicken/boil; don't worry if your gelatin "hardens" (like JELL-O) , it will re-soften when you add it to the hot pudding mixture
• My Thoughts - The pie is good...not great - the texture kind of ruins it for me, but Hil said that's what she likes about it (Danielle, you prob would like it too...jello texture!). Honestly, I would rather have a full-fat, real-deal dessert and not have it as often. I may have to Emeril's a try!!!

Strawberry Buttermilk Ice Cream

Thursday, I went to check out the new mid-week farmer's market in Baton Rouge.  I love the Saturday market but don't always have time to go, so I was excited when I found out they would be open in a closer location on Thursday mornings.

I bought the most gorgeous coral/peach snapdragons (these were my mom's favorite colors and they reminded me of her, so I had to buy them!), a pint of blackberries, and 3 pints of strawberries.  

What was I going to do with all those strawberries?  Make ice cream of course!  I wanted to try and keep it light so I decided to use low-fat buttermilk as the base.  I've made peach buttermilk ice cream before and it was delicious...I knew this would be too!  Low-fat buttermilk is nutritionally similar to 1% milk (110 cals, 2.5 g fat), but it's creamy and tangy and makes this ice cream almost have a cheesecake-like flavor.

I don't have a pic for you, however.  Somebody put the ice cream in the fridge after she fixed some and it completely melted!  I refroze it but didn't have good results.  Oh well, I guess I'll just have to make it again!  

Whenever I have ice cream I serve it in a really small dish (such as a small ramekin or coffee cup), so that the ½-cup serving (okay, sometimes I have more!) doesn't seem so small.  Portion control is key, and using smaller plates/bowls/cups/etc. can help.  

Give it a try...perfect for summer!

Strawberry Buttermilk Ice Cream

recipe by me

Makes 11 ½-cup servings

2 cups sliced strawberries

1 tablespoon sugar

3 cups low-fat buttermilk

½ cup sweetened condensed milk*

1 teaspoon vanilla

zest of 1 lemon plus 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Combine sliced berries and sugar in a small bowl and let sit, stirring occasionally until the sugar has begun to dissolve and the fruit is juicy.

Meanwhile, whisk buttermilk and remaining ingredients in a medium bowl.  Pour into the canister of an ice cream maker. Freeze according to manufacturer’s directions. During the last 5 minutes of freezing, add the sliced berries. If necessary, place the ice cream in the freezer to firm up before serving.

Per ½-cup serving - 86 calories, 2 g fat (1 g saturated), 14 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 4 g protein (exchanges:  ½ dairy, ½ starch)

*Notes - Sweetened condensed milk comes in 3 varieties original, low-fat, and fat-free; I used the original...I think a little fat balances out the sugar.  But just so you know, per 2 tablespoons:

Original - 130 calories, 3.0g of fat, 23g sugar

Low-fat - 120 calories, 1.5g of fat, 24 g sugar

Fat-free - 110 calories, 0 g fat, 24 g sugar

Make sure you use well-chilled milks...I put mine in the freezer for about 20 minutes.  If the mixture isn't cold enough, it won't freeze well in the ice cream maker.

Happy Easter!

On Saturday I am heading to Pensacola, Florida FOR A WEEK!!!!! It is a much needed vacation and I refuse to do anything work related while I am there...no dancing/teaching/choreographing/blogging...so here is a little pre-Easter post.

Even though all of these recipes would be perfect for Easter, they could also be served for a delicious weekend meal or for another special occasion. I've included 2 proteins (lamb and ham), 1 starch (barley), lot of veggies (asparagus, carrot soufflé, a salad), and a dessert. There is also a frittata recipe to use any leftover ham you might have.

The recipes are from cookinglight.com, and if you go the website you can find more healthy Easter ideas; you can also check out eatingwell.com.

Roast Lamb with Rosemary and Garlic -

• Per serving - 165 calories, 7 g fat (2 g saturated), 1 g carbohydrates, 0 g fiber, 24 g protein (exchanges: 1 ½ fat, 3 ½ protein)
• Notes - Remember a 3 ounce serving is about the size of a deck of cards...or a little smaller than an iPhone

Fire and Spice Ham -

• Per serving - 188 calories, 5 g fat (2 g saturated), 17 g carbohydrates, 0 g fiber, 18 g protein (exchanges: 1 fat, 2 ½ protein, 1 starch)

Field Salad with Snow Peas, Grapes, and Feta -

• Per serving - 151 calories, 8 g fat (3 g saturated), 19 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 4 g protein (exchanges: 1 ½ fat, 2 vegetable, ½ fruit)
• Notes - Omit the feta and save some calories

Mustard-Dressed Asparagus -

• Per serving - 51 calories, 1 g fat, 8 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 6 g protein (exchanges: 2 vegetable)

Carrot Soufflé -

• Per serving - 187 calories, 5 g fat (3 g saturated), 32 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 4 g protein (exchanges: 1 fat, 2 vegetable, 1 ½ starch)
• Notes - I have actually made this light version...not quite as light as the Cooking Light version, but I can actually vouch for how good it is! I use only 1 cup of sugar (I need to try again with even less) and 3 Tbsp butter...I also up the cinnamon to ½ tsp

Barley Pilaf with Sautéed Mushrooms -

• Per serving - 161 calories, 5 g fat (2 g saturated), 26 g carbohydrates, 5 g fiber, 4 g protein (exchanges: 1 fat, 1 ½ starch)
  
• Notes - I halved the serving size...therefore my version has fewer calories - my yield: 8 servings (serving size: ¾ cups)

Fresh Berry Pavlovas -

• Per serving - 200 calories, 3 g fat (1 g saturated), 41 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 5 g protein (exchanges: ½ fat, ½ fruit, ½ protein, 2 starches)
• Notes - Substitute light sour cream (or even better, fat free Greek yogurt) for the creme fraiche

Ham and Asparagus Frittata -

• Per serving - 125 Calories, 5 g fat (2 g saturated), 5 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 16 g protein (exchanges: 1 fat, 2 protein, 1 vegetable)
• Notes - I halved the serving size here too...4 servings instead of 2; you could also use egg-beaters or all whites; use up leftover ham and serve this frittata for a week night dinner the week after Easter with a green salad

Lagniappe...

When I worked at LifeTime Fitness, I got a free subscription to Experience Life Magazine (a LTF publication). I really liked this article as it points out the benefit of eating more whole foods and less vitamin/mineral fortified processed foods...something I completely believe in! Should you really rely on something like Vitamin Water or FiberOne for your vitamin/mineral/fiber needs? And speaking of whole foods, here are the Mayo Clinic's "10 great health foods"...

Almonds

Apples

Blueberries

Broccoli

Red Beans

Salmon

Spinach

Sweet potatoes

Vegetable juice (NO THANKS!)

Wheat Germ

How many of them do you eat on a weekly basis?

Strawberries Romanoff

(This post has been updated here.)

Have you ever had strawberries Romanoff at La Madeleine? I've never tried it, but I always think it looks pretty good...can you go wrong with strawberries and cream?

According to "The Food Lover's Companion" (the food encyclopedia Mel gave me a few years ago also available online)

"this deliciously decadent dessert is made by soaking strawberries in orange juice and curaçao or cointreau, then serving them topped with whipped cream. It's one of many dishes named after the Russian royal family by French chefs."

One of my clients asked that I modify a copycat version of the dish on Recipezaar.com to make it more healthful. Not a prob! I changed a few things and made it for myself, and guess what? It's so good! So I decided to share it with all of you. The original recipe serves 4 and the ingredients are as follows:

½ cup sour cream
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon brandy or vanilla
½ cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons sugar
4 cups fresh strawberries

This version doesn't call for soaking the berries in orange juice and orange liqueur (although it's not a bad idea). The problem with this recipe isn't the strawberries (obviously), but the cream, sour cream, and sugar. Heavy cream has 50 calories and 5 g fat (3.5 saturated) per tablespoon. Sour cream has the same calories/fat per 2 tablespoons. And then there's the sugar...18 teaspoons total which adds 270 calories...and aren't strawberries already sweet??

So that's where I made the changes. I swapped plain nonfat yogurt for the sour cream, left the heavy cream alone, and reduced the sugar to 7 ½ teaspoons. I used a 6 ounce container of Dannon All Natural plain nonfat yogurt which is ¾ of a cup instead of ½ of a cup like the original recipe...this helps "dilute" the calories in the whipped cream even further. I also increased the fruit and made 6 servings instead of 4.

You may wonder why I left the heavy cream alone...it is very high in fat after all. For some, fat-free Cool Whip would be an option, but I don't use Cool Whip. I don't think it tastes very good and its not made from anything natural like cream or milk (have you seen the commercial for Reddi-wip..."cream or oil?"). Here is the ingredient list from Cool Whip (the fat-free kind):

Ingredients: WATER, CORN SYRUP, HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE OIL* (COCONUT AND PALM KERNEL OILS), HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, LESS THAN 2% OF SODIUM CASEINATE (FROM MILK), NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, MODIFIED FOOD STARCH, XANTHAN AND GUAR GUMS, POLYSORBATE 60, POLYSORBATE 65, SORBITAN MONOSTEARATE, SODIUM HYDROXIDE, BETA CAROTENE (COLOR).
*ADDS A NEGLIGIBLE AMOUNT OF FAT

You be the judge...

I'm sticking with whipped cream lightened with nonfat yogurt.

Strawberries Romanoff
adapted from Recipezaar.com

Makes 6 servings

6 oz container nonfat plain yogurt (I like Dannon All-Natural)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract or brandy
½ cup heavy cream
1 ½ teaspoons sugar
6 cups fresh strawberries, sliced

Mix yogurt, brown sugar, and vanilla or brandy in a small bowl.

In a separate bowl, whip cream and sugar until thick and fluffy.

Gently fold half of cream into yogurt mixture. Add the remaining cream and fold to combine.

Serve over fresh strawberries.

Per serving
before – 296 calories, 18 g fat (11 g saturated), 33 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 3 g protein (exchanges: 3 ½ fat, 1 starch, 1 fruit)

after –152 calories, 8 g fat (5 g saturated), 18 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 3 g protein (exchanges: 1 ½ fat, ¼ starch, 1 fruit)

Vegetarian for a Day

One of my go-to websites for recipes is epicurious.com. SELF magazine is one of the publications the website provides recipes from (others include Bon Appetit and Gourmet). All of the recipes in SELF are supposedly health-conscious and provide the nutritional analysis; however, I had a more difficult time finding good, nutritious recipes than I thought I would (some of them looked gross and had poor ratings). There were lots of other recipes that looked yummy, but needed to be "modified" to make more healthful...I end up doing this when I cook all of the time (by switching from butter to oil and using less of it, adding more veggies, cutting back on high fat ingredients, using whole grain products when appropriate, etc).

All of the recipes this week are vegetarian (not vegan though). They all provide (or give a suggestion for) a non-meat form of protein, such as beans, nuts, cheese, eggs, or seafood. It's not a bad idea to have a vegetarian day/dinner/meal at least once a week. It can help keep your saturated fat and cholesterol intake in check (although not the case with the egg and cheese). It also encourages you to eat more beans...something I feel people avoid because they contain "dreaded" carbohydrates. Beans are full of fiber and contain a good source of lean protein. They are also an excellent source of folate, something all women in child-bearing years need to help prevent birth defects. And canned beans are so easy! Just rinse them and they are ready to go. Definitely not something to avoid!

Eating less meat/poultry is also good for the environment!

Anyway...For a treat, I also included a dessert recipe. Of course it is made with fruit, but it looks really good (and served with vanilla frozen yogurt, even better!)

Asian Spinach Salad with Orange and Avocado -

• Per serving - 152 calories, 11 g fat (1.3 g saturated), 14 g carbohydrates, 6.2 g fiber, 2.5 g protein (exchanges: 2 fats, 2 vegetables)
• Notes - Complete the meal with some lean protein...salmon, tuna, shrimp...your choice; buy fresh ginger and keep what you don’t use in the freezer; save small glass jars to use when making salad dressings...put all of the ingredients in the jar, put the lid on, and shake; you could substitute canned mandarin oranges in packed in juice or light syrup

Eggplant Cannelloni -

• Per serving - 259 calories, 10.7 g fat (4.7 g saturated), 32 g carbohydrates, 10.8 g fiber, 10.5 g protein (exchanges: 2 fats, 1.5 protein, 4.5 vegetables)
• Notes - Complete the meal with roasted asparagus and a side salad; jars of red peppers are usually by the pickles/olives/etc; notice the number of servings (4)...you will probably get to eat more than one roll!; you could substitute store bought tomato sauce instead of making the roasted red pepper sauce, but make sure you choose a brand that has little/no added sugar and only “expected” ingredients...see my previous post on pasta sauce for more info

Black-bean and Tomato Quinoa -

• Per serving - 361 calories, 9.4 g fat (0.9 g saturated), 55 g carbohydrate, 10 g fiber, 14 g protein (exchanges: 2 fats, 1 protein, 1 vegetable, 3 starches); I modified this recipe from the original by replacing the 2 T butter and 1 T vegetable oil with only 2 T olive oil
• Notes - Quinoa is a fast-cooking, protein-packed, whole grain...could it get any better??? you can find it in Whole Foods Market (by the bulk grains and bagged/boxed rice)...in other grocery stores look for it in the natural/health food isle...you should always rise the quinoa first to remove the natural bitter residue; complete the meal by doubling the dressing and using the other 1/2 over a side salad

Roasted Shrimp and Mushrooms with Ginger and Green Onions -

• Per serving - 179 calories, 11.2 g fat (2 g saturated), 7 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 10 g protein (exchanges: 2 fats, 1.5 protein, 1 vegetable); I modified this recipe for the original by replacing the 1/4 cup canola oil with 4 teaspoons...this saves you 156 calories and 18 grams of fat per serving!
• Notes - Complete the meal by roast asparagus alongside and serving with brown rice...toss the trimmed asparagus spears with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and place on a separate rimmed baking sheet; although I haven’t tried this, you may be able to use peeled shrimp with similar results...you may need to reduce the cooking time to prevent the shrimp from becoming tough; the recipe calls for oyster mushrooms, but you could use any other variety you like

Veggie Cassoulet -

• Per serving - 382 calories, 7.8 g fat (1 g saturated), 66 g carbohydrates, 15.5 g fiber, 19.6 g protein (exchanges: 1.5 fats, 2 protein, 3 vegetables, 2 starches)
• Notes - A cassoulet is a rich, slow-cooked bean stew or casserole originating in the southwest of France, containing meat...this vegetarian version is packed full of fiber

Spinach and Sun-dried Tomato Frittata -

• Per serving - 289 calories, 13.4 g fat (5.2 g saturated), 27.7 g carbohydrates, 4.3 g fiber, 17.5 g protein (exchanges: 2.5 fats, 2 protein, 1 starch, 1 vegetable)
• Notes - Breakfast for dinner is always fun...you have more time to spend preparing dishes that take too long in the morning; you can substitute any vegetables that you have in the fridge; if you don’t have small baking dishes you could use a pie plate or an oven-proof 6-inch skillet...the cooking time may be a little longer

Poached Rum Raisin Pears -

• Per serving - 161 calories, 2 g fat (1 g saturated), 35 g carbohydrates, 7 g fiber, 1 g protein (exchanges: 1 fat, 2 fruit)
• Notes - It may be good to add a cinnamon stick (or some ground cinnamon) too; depending on how much alcohol actually cooks out will determine the number of calories and servings of fat...if all of the alcohol cooked out (which it doesn’t, but most will) there would be 143 calories and you would count 0.5 fats...i’ll assume at least two-thirds of it evaporates...that’s how I determined the “per serving” analysis

FYI...Buying juice is getting tricky these days...all sort of new "things" added to help with some health condition (omega-3's, antioxidants, etc.). Here is an article about new juice products and whether or not they are worth the extra money.