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.

A New Twist On an Old Favorite

I eat oatmeal for breakfast just about everyday...I love it because its good for me (oats are a whole grain), I can make a big batch and eat it all week, and it tastes like dessert!

On Sunday, I usually cook 2.5 cups of old-fashioned oats with 5 cups of water, a pinch of salt, vanilla, cinnamon, and honey (or sugar, usually about 2 - 3 tablespoons). Then I add about 3 pieces of fruit (chopped with skin on - whatever is in season...recently I've been using peaches or Asian pears that I get at the farmer's market) and 1/2 cup of nuts (usually toasted). I cook all of this on the stove over med-high heat until the all of the liquid has been absorbed. Last, I add a splash of milk to make the whole thing creamier.

I figure this makes about 6 1-cup servings. When I reheat an individual serving I add a little more milk and zap it in the microwave for 1-1/2 minutes. Delish! And per serving - 270 calories, 9 g fat (1 g saturated), 44 g carbohydrates, 6 g fiber, 7 g protein (exchanges: 2 starch, 1 1/2 fat, 1/2 fruit). Add a glass of milk (or a cup of coffee!) and you are good to go.

Last week I came across a recipe for Baked Oatmeal and decided I had to try it. I made a few changes and additions to the original recipe. The result? Perfect! Even my sister who doesn't usually eat oatmeal liked it. Here is my version:

Baked Oatmeal
(serves 4)

The sweetener, fruit, and nuts are all flexible. I've used brown sugar and honey, peaches and pears, and walnuts. I plan on trying apples and bananas too.

1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
pinch salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
3 Tbsp brown sugar
1 cup skim milk
2 cups water
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped (toasting is optional but good!)
2 large piece of fruit, thinly sliced

Pre-heat oven to 350°F.

In a greased 8 x 8 inch baking dish, combine all ingredients except for the fruit. Stir to combine. Layer in the slices of fruit, submerging some, in a pretty pattern. Bake for 40 - 45 minutes, until center is set.

Let cool slightly before serving or cool to room temperature, slice into squares, and refrigerate.

Per serving - 269 calories, 7 g fat (1 g saturated), 46 g carbohydrates, 9 g fiber, 7 g protein (exchanges: 2 starch, 1 fat, 1/4 milk, 1/2 fruit)

Let me know if you try it! I plan on experimenting with the recipe...I'm thinking lite coconut milk, mango, and macadamia nuts sounds good.

Lagniappe...

Do you eat out a lot?

You may be interested in this website. It offers healthier suggestions for several local restaurants.

Here is a video and an article about menu labeling (a law that has been passed in several US cities including New York and San Francisco). It requires that chain restaurants post nutrition information on the menu boards at their restaurants.

I think this is a great idea and hope one day Louisiana (and Texas!) pass similar laws...and if you do too, visit this link to send a message to the governor.

Here are some shocking items on menus of several chain restaurants and some tips on making better choices at a few restaurants.

It's Been a While...

I'm back! Did you miss me?

It's been exactly 1 month...I've been so busy getting ready for my brother's wedding (and teaching dance) that I never could seem to find time to blog. The wedding was perfect, but I'm glad its over! The picture is of me with my sister (Hilary) and my sister-in-law (Jessica...she is also a dietitian).

The recipes this week are from a cookbook a friend gave me for Christmas, Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade Cooking Made Light. It's not my favorite cookbook (and the reviews of her recipes are not always good on the Food Network website), but the recipes are healthy so I figured I'd give it a try. If you haven't watched her show on the Food Network, Sandra's cooking philosophy is that "70% ready-made convenience products are added to 30% fresh ingredients". So when purchasing that 70% you will need to read labels and find products that are not overly processed...read ingredient lists and choose products with fewer ingredients (and ones that you recognize and could actually keep in your kitchen if you wanted to).

Something that comes up in the recipes is the use of mayo. Sandra suggests using low-fat mayo and/or non-fat plain yogurt. I don't really like low-fat mayo (I think it tastes gross)...yes it saves you calories and fat grams, but it replaces the fat with more sugar (as high fructose corn syrup), sodium, modified corn starch and other "unexpected" ingredients. And actually, most of the fat in mayonnaise is healthy fat (unsaturated); of the 11 grams of fat in 1 Tbsp of mayo, only 1.5 grams are saturated.

Here is the ingredient list for regular Hellmann's Mayo:

INGREDIENTS: SOYBEAN OIL, WATER, WHOLE EGGS AND EGG YOLKS, VINEGAR, SALT, SUGAR, LEMON JUICE, NATURAL FLAVORS, CALCIUM DISODIUM EDTA (USED TO PROTECT QUALITY).

Here is the ingredient list for light Hellmann's Mayo:

INGREDIENTS: WATER, SOYBEAN OIL, VINEGAR, MODIFIED CORN STARCH**, WHOLE EGGS AND EGG YOLKS, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP**, SALT, LEMON JUICE, XANTHAN GUM**, (SORBIC ACID**, CALCIUM DISODIUM EDTA) USED TO PROTECT QUALITY, PHOSPHORIC ACID**, DL ALPHA TOCOPHEROL ACETATE (VITAMIN E), BETA-CAROTENE**, CITRIC ACID**, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL** FLAVORS (SOY), PHYTONADIONE (VITAMIN K), PAPRIKA OLEORESIN.**INGREDIENTS NOT IN MAYONNAISE

Big difference!

All this said, I don't encourage you to start adding mayo to everything...it is still high in calories. I rarely use mayo...I don't get it on my sandwiches (I use mustard - Dijon or yellow - instead; 1 Tbsp of mayo has about 100 cal and 11 g fat...1 Tbsp of mustard has less than 15 cal and less than 1 g fat). When I make chicken salad, I either use less real mayo (I like my salad kind of dry) and/or I use plain non-fat yogurt that I've drained to thicken.

For thickened yogurt - Spoon yogurt into a small sieve lined with paper towels or coffee filters and set over a bowl. Place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour (overnight would be ideal...the longer it sits the thicker it will be) until some of the liquid from the yogurt is released. Or you can just buy fat-free Greek yogurt such as FAGE, Chobani, or Oikos which is naturally thick.

Try the yogurt thing...its not bad and can be used in place of sour cream or mayo (per 1 Tbsp of: mayo - 100 cal, sour cream - 30 cal, light sour cream - 20 cal, non-fat yogurt - 8 cal).

I also like the idea of mayo made with heart healthy canola or olive oil...most mayo is made with soybean oil (Spectrum is one organic brand that makes these varieties...beware, Hellmann's does too, but it has ingredients similar to the light mayo).

Chicken Tarragon Salad -

• Per serving - 232 calories, 7 g fat (1 g saturated), 17 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 27 g protein (exchanges: 1 ½ fat, 3 protein, 2 vegetables)
• Notes - If you would rather not use canned chicken, that’s fine…just substitute 1 pound of cooked and chopped chicken breasts; you could probably use less dressing…when I make chicken salad and serve in over a bed of lettuce, I hardly ever dress the lettuce too...I think the dressing on the chicken is enough; I would add more tarragon than the 1 teaspoon the recipe calls for (but I love tarragon)

Quinoa Salad -

• Per serving - 204 calories, 8 g fat (2 g saturated), 26 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 8 g protein (exchanges: 1 ½ fat, 1 protein, 1 starch, 1 vegetable)
• Notes - Quinoa is pronounced "keen-wah"; you easily could make your own dressing…2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 1 minced garlic clove, and salt/pepper; be sure to rinse the quinoa in a sieve before you add it to the chicken broth (refer to this previous quinoa post); make this a meal (maybe for lunch) by adding some protein…edamame, chickpeas, chicken, shrimp!

Herb-Crusted Salmon -

• Per serving - 303 calories, 15 g fat (3 g saturated), 17 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 26 g protein (exchanges: 3 fat, 3 protein, 1 starch)
• Notes - I would season the salmon with salt and pepper and maybe use Italian seasoning instead of the herbs de Provence; you may not need to cook the salmon for the full time recommended

Island Chicken -

• Per serving - 312 calories, 5 g fat (1 g saturated), 26 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 40 g protein (exchanges: 1 fat, 5 protein, 1 fruit, ½ starch)
• Notes - Complete the meal and serve with “Best Black Beans” and steamed green beans; if you eat a smaller portion of chicken (4 oz), the calories and grams of protein will be reduced

Herb Roasted Pork with Honey Dijon Mustard -

• Per serving - 227 calories, 3 g fat (1 g saturated), 23 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 28 g protein (exchanges: ½ fat, 4 protein, ½ starch, ½ vegetable)
• Notes - Make sure you season the pork with salt and pepper too; I would probably cook the entire package (16 oz) of pearl onions with this recipe…more vegetables!

Best Black Beans -

• Per serving - 130 calories, 1 g fat (0 g saturated), 20 g carbohydrates, 6 g fiber, 10 g protein (exchanges: 1 starch, 1 ½ protein)
• Notes - Sandra must not believe in salt and pepper...add it! If you decide to use a fresh chopped onion, you should sauté it first (before adding the other ingredients) until it softens

Balsamic Roasted Onions -

• Per serving - 97 calories, 5 g fat (1 g saturated), 12 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 1 g protein (exchanges: 1 vegetable, 1 fat, 1/3 starch)
• Notes - Here are some varieties of sweet onions

Lagniappe...

Here is a quiz on reading food labels. It is from a group that is creating a food scoring system (ONQI) to help shoppers make better choice in the supermarket - it may be put into use later this year.

ONQI stands for Overall Nutritional Quality Index. In theory it will make it easier for consumers to evaluate the nutritional quality by providing a single score for any food or recipe. Here is a sample ranking of food scores.

Slow Down and Cook

My slow-cooker (or crock pot as my grandmother called it) and I do not have a very close relationship. I hardly ever use it...cooking is stress relief for me and using a slow-cooker would deprive me of that! But I don't have a husband, kids, etc. And I'm POSITIVE that one day my opinion of this will change...so I won't get rid of it just yet!

All of the following recipes are for a slow-cooker. It can be a huge time saver if you plan ahead, have all the ingredients on hand, and spend a little extra time in the morning. If you do this, you can have dinner ready in the evening without having to come home and cook.

As usual, I've included a salad...don't worry, it's not a slow-cooker recipe. "Chicken and Citrus Slaw" is from a new cookbook I was given, Cowgirl Cuisine. I love it (thanks Jill!!), but haven't cooked from it very much. However, I have made this recipe (with a few modifications). It was featured in Food and Wine magazine and is really good.

If you have never tried steel-cut oats, you should (see the following recipe for overnight oatmeal...in the slow-cooker!). Steel-cut oats, sometimes labeled "Irish oatmeal," look like small pebbles. They are whole oat groats with the oat kernel removed from the husk and then cut into 2 or 3 pieces (very little processing...a good thing). They have a slightly chewy texture and nutty flavor. Look for these brands near the other oats in the grocery store:

McCann's (this is what I buy)
Quaker
Hodgson Mill
Arrowhead Mills
Bob's Red Mill

In the recipe you should not substitute regular rolled oats, which have a shorter cooking time. I love steel cut oatmeal. I make a big batch once a week using the Quick Soak Method and freeze individual portions in zip-loc bags for a quick weekday breakfast (or you could just refrigerate it).

Chicken and Citrus Slaw -

• Per serving - 265 calories, 13 g fat (2 g saturated), 10 g carbohydrate, 28 g protein, 2 g fiber (exchanges: 4 protein, 2.5 fat, 2 vegetables); I modified the original recipe by omitting the tortilla (and 1/4 cup oil for frying)
• Notes - Tofu fills in for mayonnaise in this dressing, offering creaminess without fat. If you don’t like tofu or don't have any, you could use 4 – 5 tablespoons of low-fat plain yogurt…plain low-fat yogurt (9 cal per Tbsp) is a WAY better option than low-fat mayo (50 cal per Tbsp) or low-fat sour cream (19 cal per Tbsp); you could simplify by using bags of pre-shredded coleslaw mix and pre-shredded carrots and a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken; I personally don't like chipotle chile in adobo so I omitted it and added 2 tsp cumin

Overnight Oatmeal -

• Per serving - 193 calories, 3 g fat (0 g saturated), 35 g carbohydrate, 6 g protein, 9 g fiber
  (exchanges: 2 starch, 1/2 fruit)
• Notes - As I've already mentioned, do not substitute regular rolled oats, which have a shorter cooking time; freeze 1 cup portions in zip-loc bags for a quick breakfast…when ready to eat, remove oatmeal from bag, place in a bowl , and microwave until warm (you may need to add more milk or water if too thick); nutrition bonus…36% daily value of fiber; complete the meal with a glass of low-fat milk (cow's, soy, etc.)

Apple Confit -

• Per serving - 98 calories, 0 g fat, 26 g carbohydrate, 0 g protein, 4 g fiber (exchanges: 1 fruit, ½ starch)
• Notes - Complete the meal (it would be good for breakfast, a snack, or dessert) by serving with low-fat yogurt and a few tablespoons of toasted walnuts; I'm not sure if you could leave the apple skins on or not, but it would add more fiber!

Middle Eastern Lamb Stew -

• Per serving - 319 calories, 15 g fat (5 g saturated), 15 g carbohydrate, 30 g protein, 5 g fiber (exchanges: 3 fats, ½ starch, 1 vegetable, 3 protein)
• Notes - Complete the meal and serve with whole wheat couscous, bulgur, or brown rice and a salad

Curried Squash and Apple Soup -

• Per serving - 95 calories, 0.5 g fat (0.1 g saturated), 22 g carbohydrate, 3 g protein, 4 g fiber (exchanges: ½ fruit, 1 starch)
• Notes - This make-ahead recipe keeps in the refrigerator for up to four days and up to two months in the freezer; you could serve the soup garnished with a dollop of sour cream or plain low-fat yogurt and chopped cilantro

Slow Cooker Vegetable Minestrone -

• Per serving - 105 calories, 1 g fat (2 g saturated), 21 g carbohydrate, 5 g protein (exchanges: ½ starch, 2 vegetables)
• Notes - To up the fiber content, you could add 1 cup of uncooked pearled barley instead of the pasta...if you do use pasta go for whole wheat (or at least Barilla Plus, Ronzoni Smart Taste, or Ronzoni Healthy Harvest); you could add ANY other non-starchy vegetables you like (green beans, zucchini, cauliflower, squash, cabbage, okra, bell peppers)
  

Lagniappe...

Like Italian food? Here is an article to read before heading out to your favorite Italian restaurant. It gives best (and worst) options when dining at Olive Garden and Macaroni Grill, but you can apply the information to other Italian restaurants as well.

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.

Meet Biscotti

My sister (and roommate now that I'm back in Louisiana) is living in NYC this summer doing a fashion internship with Mint. I decided that I needed a temporary roommate...meet Biscotti, aka Scotti, my new kitty (that's Frances, one of my little "sisters", holding the kitty).






He is so cute and very playful! I am enjoying his company (and so is Frances...Scotti has spent quite a bit of time in her baby carriage!).

All of the recipes are from a new cookbook that I bought earlier this year and love. "The Food You Crave" is the title and it's written by Ellie Krieger. As I've mentioned before, she is a dietitian/chef for the Food Network. All of her recipes on the Food Network website have the nutrition information posted. Go to the website and search for "ellie" (which I've done here) and it will show you all of her recipes. You can order the book on Amazon (if you buy it used its only about $16).

Of the following recipes, I've made and love the Thai Beef Salad. If you do nothing else, make the dressing...it is so good!

I've also been told by other TWL participants that the Balsamic Chicken with Baby Spinach, the Portobello Lasagna Rollups, and the Broccoli with Toasted Garlic are delish.

When I first sent these recipes for TWL it was Super Bowl time, so I included 2 dip recipes and one for chili (being "triple bean" its very high in fiber - 9 grams, 36% of your Daily Value). The Baba Ghanoush is a great dip...starch free and so good (its made with eggplant which when roasted gets really creamy).

Grilled Thai Beef Salad -

• Per serving - 345 calories, 18.5 g fat (4.5 g saturated), 12 g carbohydrates, 33 g protein, 1 g fiber (exchanges: 3.5 fat, 2 vegetables, 4 protein)
• Notes - I buy fresh ginger, cut off what I need, and store the rest in the freezer in a Ziploc bag…it will keep forever; you could (and should) add more veggies to this salad…shredded carrots, diced red bell pepper, snow peas...

Three Bean and Beef Chili -

• Per serving - 295 calories, 8 g fat (2.5 g saturated), 35 g carbohydrates, 22 g protein, 10 g fiber (exchanges: 1.5 fat, 1 vegetable, 2 protein, 2 starch)
• Notes - Chipotles are dried, smoked jalapenos and you can find them canned in adobo sauce (which is made from dried chiles, herbs, and vinegar) on the Mexican food isle...they are optional and I don't really like them and would probably leave them out; chop left-over chipotles and freeze them in small Ziploc bags with about 2 tablespoons in each bag

Balsamic Chicken with Baby Spinach -

• Per serving - 353 calories, 6 g fat (0.9 g saturated), 42 g carbohydrates, 34 g protein, 8 g fiber (exchanges: 1 fat, 2 vegetable, 1.5 starch, 4 protein)
• Notes - This recipe is great for a FAST week night dinner...less than 15 minutes! Look for whole wheat couscous by the rice that comes in clear plastic containers or by the boxed rice mixes (click here for some pictures/brands)

Fish Tacos with Chipotle Cream -

• Per serving (2 tacos) - 420 calories, 17 g fat (2 g saturated),41 g carbohydrates, 28 g protein, 5 g fiber (exchanges: 3.5 fat, 2 starch, 3 protein)
• Notes - Buy pre-shredded, bagged cabbage to save time and if you don’t want to make the chipotle cream, substitute store bought salsa

Portobello Lasagna Rollups -

• Per serving (one roll...not 2 like the link recommends) - 229 calories, 9 g fat (3.2 g saturated),28 g carbohydrates, 13 g protein, 6 g fiber (exchanges: 2 fat, 1 vegetable, 1 starch, 1 protein)
• Notes - Complete the meal and serve with Broccoli with Toasted Garlic (see recipe below)

Pork Au Poivre -

• Per serving - 235 calories, 10 g fat (3 g saturated), 2 g carbohydrates, 30 g protein, 0 g fiber (exchanges: 2 fat, 4 protein)
• Notes - Don’t overcook the pork…it easily will become tough and dry if you do; complete the meal and serve with a baked potato and steamed green beans; just so you know, poivre, pronounced PWAHV-r, is French for pepper

Broccoli with Toasted Garlic -

• Per serving - 73 calories, 4 g fat (0.5 g saturated), 8 g carbohydrates, 3 g protein, 3 g fiber
  (exchanges: 1 fat, 1.5 vegetable)

Babaganoush -

• Per serving (1/3 cup) - 75 calories, 4 g fat (0.5 g saturated), 9 g carbohydrates, 2.5 g protein, 4 g fiber (exchanges: 1 vegetable, 1 fat)
• Notes - Tahini is ground sesame seed paste common in Middle Eastern cooking and can be found on the ethnic foods isle in most grocery stores...you could substitute olive oil or unsweetened peanut butter in a pinch; serve with vegetables sticks/slices (red bell pepper, celery, cucumber), baked tortilla chips, or whole wheat pita bread

Five Layer Mexican Dip -

• Per serving (1/2 cup) - 140 calories, 8 g fat (2 g saturated), 15 g carbohydrates, 5 g protein, 5 g fiber (exchanges: 1 starch, 1.5 fat, 0.5 protein)
• Notes - The jalapeno and chipotle are optional; each serving has 5 grams of fiber!

Here are some interesting links:

Whole Grains - why you need them, where to get them, and how not to be fooled when shopping

Oatmeal - if you are inspired after reading the previous article, this is a new oatmeal to try...a little less processed than most Quaker instant varieties

Have a great week!

Welcome Home with a Win!

I am back in Louisiana (finally!...the movers were 2 days late - don't use All Distance Movers!) and I just finished watching LSU beat Rice in the bottom of the 9th inning, facing elimination, at the College World Series...needless to say I'm in a great mood!

Growing up, my mom would fix spaghetti and meatballs (or sometimes spaghetti and chicken) for dinner at least once every two weeks. I loved her version even though her pasta sauce was one she "doctored up" from a can. She used Hunt's Traditional Spaghetti Sauce, which is what I also used when I was cooking for myself in college. However, within the last year I happened to glance at the ingredient list and wasn't happy with what I saw:

"tomato puree (water, tomato paste), water, less than 2% of: high fructose corn syrup, salt, corn syrup, soybean oil, dehydrated onions, sugar, carrot fiber, spices (including soy lecithin), citric acid, natural flavor"

There is some form of sugar listed 3 times!

Then I looked around the pasta isle at the grocery store and found more of the same...added sugar in most spaghetti sauces (note, however, that even sauces with no added sugar will have some grams of sugar listed on the label due to the natural sugars in the tomatoes).

Most of the sauces also have added fat (soybean oil in Hunt's case), very few additional veggies (do dehydrated onions and carrot fiber count as a vegetable?), and some unusual ingredients that I don't have in my kitchen (soy lecithin, high fructose corn syrup [HFCS], citric acid).

Take a little time next time you are shopping for pasta sauce and read the ingredient list. Lookout for added fats and sugars. The fat doesn't bother me so much as long as there isn't too much (5 grams or less per serving) and its a healthy oil (such as olive oil). If there is sugar listed, it should be near the end of the list (preferably real sugar and not HFCS) and no more than 5 - 6 grams per 1/2 cup serving.

The store brands of jarred marinara/pasta sauce that I found and approved of (less/no added sugar, only olive oil, and only "expected" ingredients) are:

Mario Cisaro Pasta Sauces
Rao's Homemade Marinara (2 grams sugar per 1/2 cup)
Mom's All Natural Pasta Sauce (4 grams sugar per 1/2 cup)
Muir Glenn Organic Pasta Sauces (4 grams sugar per 1/2 cup)
365 Organic Pasta Sauces (its the brand from Whole Foods, 3 grams sugar per 1/2 cup)
Alessi All Natural Pasta Sauce (4 grams sugar per 1/2 cup)
Amy's Organic Pasta Sauce (5 - 6 grams sugar per 1/2 cup)...they also have a reduced sodium variety

I'm sure there are more! Leave a comment if you use a sauce that would fit these criteria!

Now I usually make my own sauce...its so easy and if you make extra you can freeze it and have it for another dinner. But I do keep a "good" jar in my refrigerator for emergencies! I love making roasted vegetables or spaghetti squash topped with marinara as a side dish, so it helps to keep a jar on hand.

Here is a recipe for an Easy Tomato Sauce or a Quick Marinara from Ellie Krieger (the dietitian on the Food Network).

Bon Appetit!