Summer Smoothies

I am on a total smoothie kick!  It’s 100% due to the HOT weather…after my morning run all I want is something icy cold! 

The smoothie scene in BR is so disappointing to me.  It’s nearly impossible to find a smoothie made from only REAL ingredients!  Whole Foods does a good job.  And I like the PB & banana smoothie from Red Mango (however, it’s a little sweet for my taste due to the frozen yogurt).

Smoothie King is a last resort for me, but when I do go there I always order it "skinny" which means it is only sweetened with honey and they don't add the turbinado (a type of sugar).  It definitely makes the drink less sweet (which I'm used to), but for a 20 oz smoothie it saves about 50 - 100 calories (depending on which one you order).  And I only get 20 oz smoothies...anything more is WAY to much.

One of my favorite smoothies from SK is Mangosteen Madness.

w/ turbinado: 383 cals, 92 g sugar

w/o turbinado: 283 cals, 69 g sugar

Honestly, even without the turbinado, that is too much sugar!  Even if some of it is natural and comes from fruit or dairy.  That's why I make my own most of the time (and why I NEVER get a 32 oz or a 40 oz).

   

What I really want to encourage you to do is make your own!  I hardly ever follow a recipe.  I use about 1 cup of liquid (juice, milk, yogurt, coconut water) and 1 cup of fruit (usually frozen…sometimes I’ll add fresh as well as frozen).  Then I’ll add other ingredients to boost the flavor and nutrition:  chia seeds, vanilla extract, peanut butter, spinach, avocado, nutmeg, cinnamon.  I also add ice to thicken it up even more.

I just about always add a banana…a frozen banana makes a smoothie so creamy!  And it adds the perfect amount of sweetness so that I don’t have to add any other sweetener.  Coconut water is also a regular addition.  Using a whole cup of milk or juice can add extra calories…so when I want OJ in my smoothie I do a 1/2 cup each of orange juice (55 cals, 11 g sugar) and coconut water (22 cals, 4.5 g sugar).  Same with milk…in my banana smoothie these days I do 1/4 cup milk (whole) and 3/4 cup coconut water.

Vanilla extract is also pretty standard in my smoothies. 

Here are some other smoothie tips:  1) use frozen fruit to make the smoothie extra thick and icy (kind of like a milkshake), 2)  add the sugar (or other sweetener) last...you may not need it...but if you do keep it to 1 tbsp or less…add 1 tsp at a time…3tsp=1tbsp, and 3) watch the calories...if it’s a snack, less than 250 calories. 

I've already written about my favorite banana smoothie, mango lassi, and green monster but here are some recipes to inspire you!  Be creative…if you combine ingredients that sound good to YOU and use what’s in season, you can’t go wrong!

Pineapple Coconut Frappe

Strawberry Banana Milkshake

Vanilla Honey-Nut Smoothie*

Fresh Cherry Smoothie

Peach Pie Smoothie

Blueberry Blast Smoothie

Peanut Butter Split Smoothie*

Cantaloupe Yogurt Drink

Fuzzy Navel Smoothie

Banana Peach Buttermilk Smoothie

Raspberry Smoothie (plus other variations)

Strawberry Kiwi Smoothie

* These smoothies are a little higher in fat because of the nuts...watch your serving size!

Mango Lassi

I am OBSESSED with mangos…I wait for this time of year (when they are in season) like it’s Christmas.  Seriously…I walked into Whole Foods last week and there was a display of “5 for $5” champagne mangos and I nearly shouted with joy.  Wouldn’t you??  No?  What if it meant you got to make this chicken salad?  Or this shrimp curry?

Or this mango lassi?

You can read all about my mango infatuation and my cooking experience with Chef Allen here.  Not sure how to cut a mango?  Watch this!  Wondering how healthy a mango is for you?  Read about it here.

Mango Lassi

makes 1 large serving

1 cup chopped mango (peeled and seed removed)
1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt*
1/4  cup milk*
1/4 cup coconut water (or an additional 1/4 cup milk)
1-2 teaspoons sugar (start with 1, taste, then add more if needed)
A dash of ground cardamom (optional…I didn’t)
Ice

Put mango, yogurt, milk, coconut water, sugar, and cardamom (if using) into a blender and blend until smooth.  Add as much or as little ice as you want and blend until ice is crushed.  Serve.

Per serving (using skim milk and fat free Greek yogurt*): 212 calories, 0 g fat (0 g saturated), 45 g carbohydrates, 3.6 g fiber, 10 g protein (exchanges: 1 ½ fruit, 1 dairy, ½ sugar)

* I actually used whole milk and 0% Fage…I think a little fat in a smoothie is a good thing…more filling.

What I Eat (Day 1)

It’s been a while since I’ve done this…and I’m officially starting my New Year’s resolutions today - was I really supposed to do that last week?  There was way too much football left to focus on new things :) But football is over for me, so no more excuses!

• Pre-run snack: 1/2 pear
• 4 mile run
• Breakfast: overnight oats (last night I combined 1 1/2 cups Oikos and 1 cup Magic Muesli; this morning to half of that I added a sprinkle of Kaia Foods buckwheat granola, 2 tsp maple syrup, splash of skim milk); 24 oz water; coffee (Cool Brew, 6 oz milk, 2 tsp half & half)
• Lunch: Salmon Nicoise Salad (inspired by this recipe) - broiled salmon, boiled potatoes and green beans, red peppers, 1 hard boiled egg, cherry tomatoes, dressing (I followed the recipe I linked to above but left out 1/4 cup of oil and used Italian Seasoning instead of the fresh herbs…can’t wait until I have an herb garden again); hummus and carrots; water
• Taught 3:30 – 9:00 (drank 24 oz of green tea mixed with water)
• Dinner: Green smoothie – 8 oz OJ, 1 frozen banana, 1 cup spinach, 1/2 of a small avocado, ice; 24 oz water; carrots and hummus

I almost didn’t run this morning…so cold!  But I bundled up and headed out and was glad I did.  Think I’m gonna do a little boot camp tomorrow!

I’ve been in a bit of a breakfast slump lately…can’t find anything that I really want to eat.  So I’ve been changing it up a bit from the usual “cold weather” oatmeal.  Last week I did toast with cashew butter.  This week it’s over-night oats with a little of this oh-so-crunchy granola I picked up at Whole Foods.  I’ve actually made buckwheat granola before from this recipe and really like it!

More water, less coffee!  And it was unsweetened!  And I drank green tea instead.  Did I meet all four of my resolutions?!?  Yep!  My plan is to drink at least 2 cups of water before my first coffee each day.

My salad for the week is based on two things…1) I haven’t had salmon in a while (I try to at least once a month) and 2) I need to “detox” from my weekend of football food (cheese burger, fries, M&M’s, roast beef poboy, chips, alcohol) which means I’m going to eat more like a vegetarian this week.  All of the salad ingredients are ready to go in the refrigerator…shopping/prepping ahead of time is so helpful/essential for healthy eating. 

 

And don’t let the smoothie scare you!  It tastes just like a banana-orange smoothie!  Promise!  The avocado makes it creamy and the spinach makes it more nutrient dense.  And you can’t taste either!

Night…Go Auburn (for tonight only!)

Summer Smoothies

(This post has been updated here)

I am on a total smoothie kick!  I can't remember the last time had oatmeal for breakfast...it probably has a lot to do with the weather, but I'm just not craving it right now.

Every morning I start my day off with a 4 mile run around the LSU lakes.  I eat a little fruit beforehand so that I'm not running on an empty stomach.  When I get back home I'm pretty hungry and a cold, creamy smoothie is the only think I can think about.

Sometimes I'll get a smoothie from Smoothie King instead of making one.  I always order it "skinny" which means it is only sweetened with honey and they don't add the turbinado (a type of sugar).  It definitely makes the drink less sweet (which I'm used to), but for a 20 oz smoothie it saves about 50 - 100 calories (depending on which one you order).  And I only get 20 oz smoothies...anything more is WAY to much.

Right now, my favorite smoothie from SK is Mangosteen Madness.

w/ turbinado: 383 cals, 92 g sugar

w/o turbinado: 283 cals, 69 g sugar

Honestly, even without the turbinado, that is too much sugar!  Even if some of it is natural and come from fruit or dairy.  That's why I make my own most of the time (and why I NEVER get a 32 oz or a 40 oz).  

I also don't get the protein powder that is standard in lots of the smoothies.  Most of these powders have artificial sweeteners, which I don't trust/use.  SK couldn't provide me with an ingredient list to confirm this, so I'll just do without it.

Here is a list of smoothies from SK that are "better" choices.  What makes it a better choice?

- no more than 5 g fat

- no more than 400 calories with turbinado and no more than 300 calories without it

- not a "build-up" smoothie...who needs tons of processed protein in their smoothie?

- contains "fruit"...but really it's fruit juice and/or puree (with added sugar I'm sure)

This list is sorted by calories without turbinado from low to high; vwft = varies with fruit/flavor choice; the first number is calories with turbinado and the second is calories without.  If your favorite smoothie isn't on the list click here to figure out which "rule" it broke.

Slim-N-Trim – Vanilla: 253, 153

Youth Fountain: 253, 153

Pineapple Pleasure: 280, 180

Slim-N-Trim – Chocolate: 297, 197

Smarti Tarti (12oz kids): 200, 200

Green Tea Tango (vwfc): 304, 204

Peach Slice: 314, 214

Slim-N-Trim – Orange/Vanilla: 215, 215

Lil’ Angel (12oz kids): 223, 223

Island Treat: 333, 233

Celestial Cherry High: 341, 241

Choc-A-Laka (12oz kids): 252, 252

Angel Food: 354, 254

Yogurt Delight (vwfc): 356, 256

Lemon Twist – Banana: 358, 258

Muscle Punch: 364, 264

Blackberry Dream: 365, 265

Gimmie Grape (12oz kids): 265, 265

Muscle Punch Plus: 366, 266

CW Jr. (12oz kids): 270, 270

Slim-N-Trim – Strawberry: 375, 275

Berry Interesting (12oz kids): 277, 277

Immune Builder: 380, 280

Mangosteen Madness: 383, 283

Mangofest: 285, 285

Raspberry Sunrise: 392, 292

Caribbean Way: 395, 295

Light & Fluffy: 395, 295

Passion Passport: 395, 295

Grape Expectations: 398, 298

Berry Stimulating Mate: 348, 298

But what I really want to encourage you to do is make your own!  Some smoothie tips:  1) use frozen fruit to make the smoothie extra thick and icy (kind of like a milkshake without the ice cream), 2)  add the sugar (or other sweetener) last...you may not need it...but if you do keep it to 1 tbsp or less, and 3) watch the calories...if its a snack, less than 250 calories and if its a meal, less than 400 calories.  I've already written about my favorite banana smoothie, but here are some recipes to inspire you!

Pineapple Coconut Frappe

Strawberry Banana Milkshake

Vanilla Honey-Nut Smoothie*

Fresh Cherry Smoothie

Peach Pie Smoothie

Blueberry Blast Smoothie

Peanut Butter Split Smoothie*

Cantaloupe Yogurt Drink

Fuzzy Navel Smoothie

Banana Peach Buttermilk Smoothie

Raspberry Smoothie (plus other variations)

Strawberry Kiwi Smoothie

By the way, some of these have tofu as an ingredient...if that scares you (and it shouldn't) you can leave it out an add yogurt instead.  If the smoothie isn't sweet enough when you taste it, add sugar 1 tsp at a time, but give yourself a limit of 3 tsp (that equals a tbsp).  

* These smoothies are a little higher in fat because of the nuts...watch your serving size!

Spring Produce

You hear it over and over again..."Eat more fruits and vegetables"...but do you?

Well, the first step towards this goal is to BUY more fruits and vegetables.  If you get them in your kitchen, chances are (hopefully) that you will eat them and not let them go to waste.

Right now in my kitchen I have apples, grapes, cherries (frozen), mango, rhubarb (is that a vegetable???...yep it is, I just Googled it); I also have romaine lettuce, green onions, carrots, eggplant, tomatoes, tomatillos, poblano peppers, and corn (I'm making this recipe this weekend).  So I'm all stocked with healthy things...this way I'm more likely to eat healthy! 

So next time you go grocery shopping, start in the produce section and purchase whatever looks/smells fresh...like spring.  Or head to the farmer's market and buy whatever they have...if it's there you know it's fresh and seasonal.

Here is a list of what's in season now (March/April/May).  Look around the site; it's the government's "eat more fruits and veggies website"...there are recipes, tips on shopping and meal planning, activities for kids, and other interesting things.

And lastly here are 2 other links with recipes to inspire you.  The first is an article from the NY Times by Mark Bittman...he is a cookbook author and has a website with some free recipes...be careful, all of them are are not necessarily low-cal.  

Anyway, the article is "Summer Express: 101 Simple meals ready in 10 minutes or less".  They aren't really recipes, just ways to put a few ingredients together to make a quick meal.  Again not all of them are low-cal. 

And the other is from realsimple.com, 43 easy spring produce recipes.

So let's pretend you have all this produce in your kitchen...now what?  Here is a guide to cooking 20 different veggies.  And remember, the less you cook them (less time, heat, and water), the more nutrients are retained (with the exception of tomatoes, which are even better for you when cooked)...this means you Mel and your olive green broccoli!

Raspberry Mango Salad - 

• Per serving - 98 calories, 8 g fat (3 g saturated), 12 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 3 g protein (exchanges: ½ fruit, 1 vegetable, 1 ½ fat, ½ protein)
• Notes - You could substitute any type of lettuce in place of the arugula, Bibb, and watercress; If you serve this as a meal you will want to eat more than 1 cup: add some lean protein and double up on the veggies...maybe add red bell pepper, green onions, and more lettuce...you might need to make/use a little more dressing too; here is another similar salad that has avocado...yum!

Asparagus Frittata - 

• Per serving - 168 calories, 11 g fat (5 g saturated), 5 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, `12 g protein (exchanges: 1 vegetable, 2 fat, 1 ½ protein)
  
• Notes - Complete the meal and serve with fruit for breakfast or with a simple salad for dinner; to lighten the dish even more, you could use more egg whites and omit a couple of yolks and use reduced fat cheese (and possibly less of it)
  

Blackberry Smoothie - 

• Per serving - 265 calories, 1 g fat (0 g saturated), 63 g carbohydrates, 9 g fiber, 6 g protein (exchanges: 2 fruit, 1 starch...unless you omit the honey, ½ milk)
• Notes - You can use any fresh or frozen berry in this shake or swap the juice for another type; I would add the honey last and taste before to see if it's necessary...it might already be sweet enough from the banana, berries, and juice; I like my smoothies thick so I add ice…and this way you get to drink more for the same amount of calories!

Carrot-Wheat Berry Salad with Cumin and Raisins - 

• Per serving - 145 calories, 4 g fat (1 g saturated), 27 g carbohydrates, 5 g fiber, 3 g protein (exchanges: 1 starch, ½ fruit, 1 vegetable, 1 fat)
• Notes - I would double the dressing and save half...then for a quick lunch you could have a mixed green salad (with the extra dressing) and a serving of wheat berries
  

Shrimp Scampi with Artichokes - 

• Per serving - 285 calories, 10 g fat (2 g saturated), 14 g carbohydrates, 5 g fiber, 32 g protein (exchanges: 5 protein, 1 vegetable, 2 fat)
• Notes - Complete the meal and serve with whole wheat angel hair pasta and steamed asparagus

Tuscan Roasted Chicken and Vegetables - 

• Per serving -  410 calories, 14 g fat (2 g saturated), 15 g carbohydrates, 5 g fiber, 56 g protein (exchanges: 7 protein, 2 vegetable, 2 ½ fat)
• Notes - This is a lot of chicken for 1 meal (8+ ounces)…save some calories (about 140) and have ½ of a chicken breast, or try and buy smaller ones

Lagniappe...

Here is an article with 3 more spring vegetable recipes...Chicken with Artichokes and Peas, Salmon and Roasted Veggies, and Spring Vegetable Pesto Pasta.

What Does a Dietitian Eat? (Day 3)

Wednesday May 6th

• Snack - Cantaloupe (1/2 cup)
• 4 mile jog
• Breakfast - Mango smoothie 
• Lunch - Hummus (2 - 3 tbsp) with snow peas; Salad with romaine, red bell pepper, carrot, and sun-dried tomato-feta vinaigrette; Dijon-cilantro tuna salad sandwich on whole wheat toast
• Snack - Iced latte with skim milk, a splash of 1/2&1/2, and 1 packet of sugar
• Teach dance from 3:30 - 4:30 and 8:00 - 9:00 pm
  
• Dinner - Black bean soup with 2% cheddar and 0% FAGE
• Dessert - Apple

I had a little snack before my run.  I don't like running with food in my stomach, but I was hungry and needed something to keep my stomach from growling.  After my run, a smoothie sounded so good.  I blended together: 1 mango, 2 heaping tbsp Greek/vanilla yogurt, 1/3 cup cottage cheese, 1/3 cup skim milk, 1 tbsp sugar, and enough ice cubes to thicken it up...maybe a cup?  You probably think I'm crazy, and maybe I am, but I like the cottage cheese in it for 3 reasons...taste (it makes it a little tangy), texture (it thickens the smoothie and makes it creamy), and protein (without it there would only be a little protein from the milk and yogurt).

I only have smoothies for breakfast when I know lunch isn't too far away...less than 3 hours.  They are very filling at first, but not for very long.  I find that liquid calories don't have a very good satiety factor.

I had a little tuna salad leftover, but not enough to top a salad with...so I made a small sandwich and had a salad on the side.  I snacked on the hummus and snow peas while I was making lunch.

After teaching dance from 3:30 - 4:30, I needed a little pick-me-up.  Coffee with my CC's gift card!  I love not paying for coffee.  In the warm months, my standard is a grande iced latte with skim milk.  I add 1 packet of sugar and a splash of 1/2&1/2 (maybe 2 tbsp) - this adds about 50 calories to the 90 calories in my original order, and I'm okay with that.  I've learned to like coffee without all of the sugar.  I used to add 2 packets of Splenda or sugar-free vanilla syrup.  But when I made the decision not to use artificial sweeteners, I had to change my taste-buds.  I couldn't add spoonfuls of sugar to get the same sweetness I was used to...to many calories!

Dinner was from the freezer.  Whenever I make soup I always freeze half for a night when I don't have time to or feel like cooking.  The black bean soup has a Mexican flavor, so cheese and sour cream were the 2 toppings I automatically thought of, but I used 0% Greek yogurt for the sour cream...I think it tastes just like sour cream (that's probably why I can't eat it plain!).  

I try not to have a real dessert every night...meaning no added sugar.  That's the way things where when I was growing up too.  My mom would cut up an apple for us if we wanted something sweet.  Some nights we would have a planned dessert with dinner, such as a frozen fruit pie (a la mode, of course!) or spice cake (it was from a box, but she always made her own frosting and it was my favorite).  But usually it was fruit, no questions asked.  Thanks mom for passing on so many healthy habits! 

Banana Smoothie

I think one of the very first things I ever "cooked" by myself was a banana smoothie.  I love bananas and always have (when I was little, one of my favorite snacks was a banana wrapped in "wrapped-up cheese"...that's what we called Kraft Singles...how gross is that???).  

We always had a HORRIBLE blender growing up...you know the kind you buy from the grocery store that leaves chunks of ice in your drink?  That's what we always had!

When I moved into my first house (my senior year in college), I bought an Oster from Target... it served its purpose and I still have it.  When I moved to Houston I left the Oster for Hil (she likes a good margarita!) and bought the Cooks Illustrated #1 rated blender.  At the time,  the Braun PowerMax MX2050 was the highest rated so that's what I bought (for less than $50), and I love it!  But last month, Cooks updated their blender rating...and the winner?  The KitchenAid 5-Speed Blender Model KSB580, but its a little pricey ($150).  The runner up was the Kalorik BL Blender Model 16909 for a reasonable $50.  

Enough about blenders and onto the smoothie.  I start with a banana (small to medium...and sometimes its frozen) and then add about 1 cup of milk (skim), a splash of vanilla (or almond) extract, a good pinch of cinnamon, and then blend.  Once this is all blended I start adding ice cubes, a few at a time, until the smoothie starts to thicken up (I like mine really thick and frozen...especially when I plan on taking it with me to the pool or beach!!!).  I taste it and decide if it needs sugar...if it does I add 1 tsp at a time until its slightly sweet and that's it.  If its too thick add more milk...to thin, more ice!

I do this with other fruit too.  I bought a ton of champagne mangoes from Whole Foods today to take to the beach...mango smoothies for breakfast Jess - get excited!  Just blend a mango (peeled of course), some milk and a little Greek yogurt, plus sugar and ice and you have a delicious mango lassi!  

Or start with frozen strawberries and blend with 1 cup of orange juice...to make it creamy add a banana or some strawberry yogurt.

Always add sugar last, after you have tasted it.  You may be able to get away with less!  And when I say sugar, I really mean any kind of sweetener...honey, agave, etc.

Banana Smoothie

recipe (above) by me

Per serving (one large smoothie with 2 tsp sugar) - 231 calories, 1 g fat (.5 g saturated), 49 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 10 g protein (exchanges: 2 fruit, 1 dairy, ½  starch)

By the way, I have a few rules when it comes to smoothies (homemade or purchased).  If it's going to be a snack...keep it under 250 calories (which can be hard to do away from home).  For a meal its okay if its between 300 and 400 calories.  At Smoothie King, order it skinny and order a small (20 ounce).

I find that smoothies don't keep me satisfied for very long...I get hungry once all of the liquid has left my stomach.  So when I know my next meal is going to be sooner than later, I'll let myself have a smoothie for my meal.  For example, today I ran the lakes from 8:30 - 9:30 and then made a smoothie for breakfast around 10...because I knew I would have lunch around 12 or 12:30.  If lunch would have been any later, the smoothie wouldn't have been enough (and in that case I would have had something solid, like an apple, for a hold-me-over snack).

Here is the nutrition info for Smoothie King and Jamba Juice.

The Good and the Bad...

First the good...LSU won today 41 to 13 - Geaux Tigers!

And now the bad...Hurricane Gustav is heading for us, and I've evacuated from Baton Rouge to Covington to stay with the rest of my family. Three years ago Katrina put a tree through our roof...hopefully things will be better this time around. Keep all of the Gulf Coast in your prayers.

Anyway I figure this was as good a time as any to blog.

I tried to find some "kid-friendly" recipes for those of you with picky eaters...healthy versions of spaghetti and meatballs, mini meatloaf, and a chilaquiles casserole (its kind of like an enchilada casserole).

The recipes are from several sources...Martha Stewart's Everyday Food (my favorite magazine), Eatingwell.com, and FoodNetwork (recipes from Ellie Krieger, a dietitian).

Broccoli, Chickpea, and Tomato Salad -

• Per serving - 131 calories, 5.9 g fat, 15.8 g carbohydrate, 5.5 g protein, 4.9 g fiber (exchanges: ½ protein, 1 fat, ½ starch, 1 ½ vegetable)
• Notes - Make this Sunday night, and have it for a healthy lunch all week; you could have it with some leftover grilled chicken or canned tuna (chunk light…packed in water!) and serve it over lettuce or spinach

Banana-Nutmeg Smoothie -

• Per serving - 120 calories, 1 g fat (0.5 g saturated), 25 g carbohydrate, 4 g protein, 2 g fiber (exchanges: 1 fruit, ¾ milk); I modified the original recipe by only using 2 bananas and using skim milk instead of whole
• Notes - Serve this for a quick breakfast, snack, or dessert; substitute cinnamon for the nutmeg if you like!

Edamame Spread -

• Per serving - 115 calories, 4.1 g fat, 10.4 g carbohydrate, 8.2 g protein, 4.2 g fiber (exchanges: 1 fat, 1 protein, ½ starch)
• Notes - Serve this as a dip for veggies…red bell pepper strips, carrot and celery sticks, radish and cucumber slices; this dip isn’t as “starchy” as other bean dips and would be a good snack (as long as you aren’t dipping with tortilla chips!)

Lemony Sautéed Shrimp with Broccoli and Peas -

• Per serving - 261 calories, 7 g fat (2 g saturated), 21.4 g carbohydrate, 30.4 g protein, 6.6 g fiber (exchanges: 3 ½ protein, 1 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 ½ fat); I modified the original recipe by only using 2 teaspoons of olive oil in step 1 (instead of 2 tablespoons of butter) and and using 1 tablespoon of butter in step 3
• Notes - Complete the meal and serve with a whole grain (brown rice, quinoa, or whole wheat pasta); this recipe takes a short cut by using frozen shrimp and peas...buying pre-chopped broccoli will make it even easier

Carrot-Cumin Slaw -

• Per serving - 100 calories, 7 g fat (1 g saturated), 9 g carbohydrate, 1 g protein, 3 g fiber (exchanges: 1 ½ fat, 1 ½ vegetable); I modified the original recipe by only using 2 tablespoons of canola oil instead of 1/4 cup
• Notes - I love slaw salads…I buy pre-shredded cabbage and carrots in the produce section; this one will go well with Mexican dishes…enchiladas, tacos, fajitas; add shredded chicken or canned black beans (rinsed and drained) and have this as a light lunch

Mixed Leaf Salad -

• Per serving - 48 calories, 3.6 g fat, 3.6 g carbohydrate, 1.2 g protein, 1 g fiber (exchanges: ½ fat, 1 vegetable)
• Notes - Makes 8 small servings (or 4 large); save time and buy 2 bags of mixed lettuce

Chilaquiles Casserole -

• Per serving - 245 calories, 10 g fat (4 g saturated), 31 g carbohydrate, 9 g protein, 6 g fiber (exchanges: 2 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 protein, 2 fat)
• Notes - Complete the meal and serve with “carrot-cumin slaw”; one serving of this casserole provides nearly 25% of the Daily Value for fiber; on the website, some of the readers suggest using less enchilada sauce to keep the casserole from being too runny

Turkey Mini Meatloaves -

• Per serving - 196 calories, 6 g fat (2 g saturated), 18 g carbohydrate, 19 g protein, 3 g fiber (exchanges: ½ starch, ½ vegetable, 1 fat, 2.5 protein)
• Notes - Complete the meal and serve with “mixed-leaf salad” and oven-roasted sweet potato wedges

Turkey Meatballs with Quick And Spicy Tomato Sauce and Whole-Wheat Spaghetti -

• Per serving - 332 calories, 10 g fat (3 g saturated), 39 g carbohydrate, 23 g protein, 8 g fiber (exchanges: 2 starch, 2 vegetable, 1.5 fat, 2.5 protein)

Lagniappe...

Someone sent me an email to let me know which recipes they tried/liked/didn't like (which I really appreciate!)...one of her favorites was Ellie's Balsamic Chicken with Baby Spinach.

Here is an article and comparison on oatmeal...see if your favorite brand is one of the best. As I mentioned in the last post, I eat oatmeal for breakfast a lot...I add fruit and a few nuts and drink a glass of milk...whole grains and fiber from the fruit/oats and protein from the milk and nuts keep me full all morning! I don't use instant packaged oatmeal because I prefer to be creative and create my own flavor combinations and avoid any additives and artificial ingredients.

Here is a comparison/article on cold breakfast cereals too.