Pumpkin Muffins

Okay...I'm officially the worst CEiMB member! I can not keep up with life, much less blogging. Needless to say, it has been yet another month since I've participated...but today when I realized that I had all of the ingredients on hand for this week's recipe (chosen by Oddball Oven Mitt) and a little extra time, I jumped at the chance.

The muffins are a perfect match for a cool fall morning and a warm cup of coffee. They aren't overly sweet, making them a great breakfast option...but I bet if you topped them with a little cream cheese frosting they would make delicious cupcakes.

Pumpkin Muffins

• Per serving - 205 calories, 7 g fat (1 g saturated), 32 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 5 g protein (exchanges: 2 starches, 1 fat; WW points: 4)
• Notes - I doubled the cinnamon, used maple syrup instead of molasses, swapped Greek yogurt for the buttermilk, and omitted the pumpkin seeds...the reviews said the spices were a little muted...the other changes were because of what I had and didn't have in the house; the recipe is supposed to yield 12 muffins, but after filling 12 I still had leftover batter...so as you can see in the pictures I filled 2 ramekins with about 2 muffins worth of batter...I guess I would have gotten about 16 regular muffins; if you have been reading this blog for a while you already know that my leftover muffins are now in a zip-top bag in my freezer

Pumpkin Spice Iced Coffee

I look forward to Autumn for several reasons...cooler weather (um, I'm waiting...where is it?), football, warm comfort foods (pot roast is #1 on my list), and Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Lattes! I usually don't sweeten my coffee, but for this I have to make an exception (I do ask for only 1 pump of syrup though).

A few weeks ago I came across this recipe for a DIY Pumpkin Spice Latte...just like Starbucks! And while I haven't actually tried the recipe yet, it did inspire me to flavor my iced coffee with pumpkin spices! I just add pumpkin pie spice to the coffee grounds before I add water and then allow it all to steep overnight. If you don't have pumpkin pie spice, just use a mixture of any of the following: cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves...go easy on the last 3 and heavy on the cinnamon.

I add about 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice to this recipe. Then for each individual drink, I add skim milk and sweeten with condensed milk...such a treat! Happy Fall!

Sweet and Spicy Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

I haven't blogged since Sept 2nd and I haven't made a CEiMB recipe since Aug 27th...what is going on??? Football season!

I'm used to having LSU games take up my Saturdays, but I am not used to NFL football game days! Now that I'm the Saintsation choreographer and the season is in full swing, my Tuesdays are filled with practices, Thursdays occasional games or practices, and Sundays more games! If I wasn't a Saints fan before now (and I'll admit, I wasn't), I will be by the end of the season!

Needless to say, not a lot of cooking has been going on in my house! But I haven't been eating out either. Every week I make sure that I have the ingredients for "assembling" things...eggs, veggies, chicken, turkey, and cheese have been turned into salads, omelets, and sandwiches.

It just so happened that the recipe chosen by Lethally Delicious for this week was a sandwich...something my crazy schedule could handle! And who can resist a grilled cheese?

This is not your typical grilled cheese sandwich...a mix of cheddar and pepper jack cheeses are topped with sauteed red onions and perfectly ripened tomatoes - Delish!

I added a splash of balsamic vinegar to the onions to play-up the sweetness factor. I used tiny yellow tomatoes because they were on sale and organic. And because my bread had gotten moldy (Adam, this is why I keep my bread in the freezer!) I used some whole wheat rolls that I had stored in where else? The freezer.

Sweet and Spicy Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

• Per serving - 350 calories, 18 g fat (8 g saturated), 33 g carbohydrates, 5 g fiber, 16 g protein (exchanges: 2 starch, 3 1/2 fats, 2 protein, 1/2 vegetable; WW points: 8)
• Notes - If you aren't a cheese snob and don't mind sacrificing a little flavor and deliciousness, you could swap the full-fat version for a 2% reduced fat cheese...or you could just make sure the rest of your meals that day aren't particularly high in fat (and saturated fat) and enjoy the real deal...it's only 350 calories for the whole sandwich; I recommend adding the balsamic like I did...the onions were so good; as you can see in the picture, I didn't dice the onions, just sliced them into half-rings; I love my All-Clad panini pan!

EDF September

Remember how I said I was going to post seasonal recipes from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food Magazine every month? Well it's September....so here goes:

Romaine, Avocado, and Corn Salad

- per serving: 166 calories, 8.9 g fat, 4.7 g protein, 22 g carbohydrates, 5 g fiber (exchanges: 1 1/2 fat, 1 vegetable, 1 starch; WW points: 3)

- suggestions: add some shredded chicken or black beans, for added protein, and make it a meal

English Muffin with Apple and Cheddar

- per serving (1/2 an English muffin): 173 calories, 7.7 g fat, 7.5 g protein, 18.5 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber (exchanges: 1 starch, 1/4 fruit, 1 fat, 1 protein; WW points: 4)

- suggestions: use a whole wheat English muffin; Martha says 1 serving is both halves of the muffin, which would be fine if you were eating this as a meal...I would eat half and have it at breakfast or as a snack

Roasted Vegetable Soup

- per serving: 172 calories, 7.5 g fat, 3.6 g protein, 26 g carbohydrate, 5 g fiber (exchanges: 4 vegetable, 1 1/2 fat; WW points: 3)

- suggestions: I would only use 1 tablespoon of oil

Chicken and Artichoke Stew

- per serving: 355 calories, 10 g fat, 40 g protein, 25.4 g carbohydrates, 6 g fiber (exchanges: 2 fat, 5 protein, 1/2 starch, 3 vegetables; WW points: 7)

- suggestions: to make this recipe quicker, use a shredded rotisserie chicken purchased from the store; note, the optional rice is not included in the nutritional info; you could use shredded breast meat instead of thighs

Stuffed Chicken Cutlets

- per serving (1 cutlet...w/o tomato sauce...but that won't add much!): 192 calories, 7 g fat, 29 g protein, 1.8 g carbohydrates (exchanges:4 protein, 1 1/2 fat; WW points: 4)

- suggestions: Martha thinks you should eat 2 of these (for 384 cals and 58 g protein), but unless you are a man, you do not need that much protein at 1 meal...so my serving is 1 cutlet; this is a make ahead and freeze meal...perfect for a quick dinner

Broccoli Chowder with Corn and Bacon

- per serving: 264 calories, 6.1 g fat (2.6 g saturated), 14.4 g protein, 42 g carbohydrates, 5 g fiber (exchanges: 2 protein, 1 fat, 1 vegetable, 2 starch; WW points: 5)

- suggestions: I would probably add garlic with the onions

Herb Crusted Salmon with Spinach Salad

- per serving: 383 calories, 18.5 g fat (3 g saturated), 36.5 g protein, 16.7 g carbohydrates, 2.6 g fiber (exchanges: 3 1/2 fat, 6 protein, 2 vegetable; WW points: 9)

- suggestions: Don't be scared by the amount of fat...it's mostly from the fish (heart healthy omega-3's); I would use whole wheat bread

Iceberg Wedges with Gorgonzola Dressing

- per serving: 80 calories, 2.7 g fat (1.8 g saturated), 5 g protein, 9.6 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber (exchanges: 1/2 fat, 1 protein, 1 vegetable; WW points: 1)

- suggestions: I might add a little more cheese!

Latte e Miele

Did you know that Baton Rouge has a gelateria (a place where gelato is served)???? I was just flipping through 225 magazine (check Hil out on page 31!) and read this article about Latte e Miele (Italian for "milk and honey") and got soooo excited! Apparently it has been open since April (how am I just now finding out about this?)

Gelato reminds me of big cities...Houston, NYC, LA...not Baton Rouge! But it's here and I will be sure to visit soon!

Here are two blog posts about Latte e Miele: First Bite and Cuisine Rouge.

Latte and Miele is located on Highland at I-10 (near CCL) and is open 7 days a week from 10 am to 10 pm. If you aren't into gelato (and really, you should be) you can also get cappuccino and espresso...or gelato topped with a shot of espresso!

Latte e Miele, I'm on my way!

Chicken Sate with Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce

Those of you who have been reading my "What a Dietitian Eats" posts all week know that I love this recipe and have eaten it 3 days in a row. So glad The Tortefeasor chose this as the CEiMB recipe of the week!

If you have never had sate (or satay) before, you are in for a treat. Marinated meat or poultry (in this case chicken) is skewered, grilled, and then served with a spicy peanut sauce. I'm not sure which part I like better - the chicken or the sauce? They are both delicious! The marinade is made with lime zest, grated ginger, coconut milk, soy sauce, garlic, brown sugar...how bad can that be?

As could be expected I turned this into a salad with romaine, red bell pepper, carrots, snow peas, scallions, and cilantro. So that I could use if for a dressing, I made the sauce a little thinner by adding a little of the coconut milk leftover from the marinade (I used the rest in coconut-mango smoothies).

You should all make this really soon (or ask...no beg...someone to make it for you!)

Chicken Sate with Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce

• Per serving (Ellie's version...not my salad) - 263 calories, 10 g fat (3.4 g saturated), 12 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 31 g protein (exchanges: 4 protein, 2 fat, 1/2 starch; WW points: 6)
• Notes - Some changes I made: 1) I didn't pound the chicken, I just made sure to cut the strips really thin, 2) to make the sauce thinner I added a little less peanut butter and about 1/4 of a cup of coconut milk...it also needed to be a little sweeter so I added more sugar, 3) I used a teaspoon of curry powder instead of the paste, 4) I left the shallot out of the dressing, 4) I let the chicken marinate for about 4 hours...it worked better with my schedule, and 5) I didn't buy any chopped peanuts, but I really wish I had them for the salad; if you don't have fish sauce just add a little more soy sauce...but I think it really makes a diffence and it will last FOREVER in your fridge
• Tip - If the chicken is slightly frozen it will slice better/thinner

What Does a Dietitian Eat? (Day4)

Thursday, August 27th

• Pre-run snack - peach
• 4 mile run
• Post-run breakfast - strawberry apricot smoothie (1/2 cup apricot nectar, 1/2 cup skim, 1/4 cup yogurt, 1/4 cup cottage cheese, 1 cup frozen strawberries, 2 tsp sugar, lots of ice); handful of walnuts
• Lunch - Mozzarella, tomato, pesto panini; eggplant dip with cucumbers
• Snack - Iced latte (CC's...grande, skim, splash of half&half, pkt of sugar)
• Teach from 4:30 - 10:30 pm (had an apple around 9 pm)
• Dinner - chicken sate salad; carrots and eggplant dip
• Snack - foldover cream cheese & banana sandwich! (1 slice whole wheat bread, 1 oz light cream cheese, 1/2 mashed banana, sprinkle cinnamon sugar...of course pressed on the George Foreman); skim milk

All I'm going to say is today was a LONG one...it's 11:00 pm and I just got home and just ate dinner! Good thing I had healthy food ready to go in the fridge...if I hadn't no telling what I would have devoured!

I'm sure you've noticed I eat the same things several times during the week, but next week these will be completely different. I try to have variety from week to week...not day to day. When I cook something I do the whole recipe, even though I'm only cooking for me. So I always have leftovers. But they are really yummy leftovers so I don't mind eating them again and again. Sometimes I freeze things too.

As for my last snack, that was a spur-of-the-moment, I'm-craving-something-sweet idea. And it was so GOOD! Spread the cream cheese on 1 slice bread; mash 1/2 a banana and spread it over the cream cheese; sprinkle with cinnamon sugar; and grill. What a treat!