Lima Bean Soup

I have random cravings for lima beans…like the kind I imagine a pregnant woman has for something equally as weird.  Yes, I know you’re thinking “she would crave something healthy”…but I seriously do!  Maybe its because they remind me my childhood…it’s a Bernie favorite! And just so ya know, one of my favorite dancer/foodie friends shares my love of lima beans (and loved the soup)…so I’m not the only one!

I’ve never had lima bean soup, but I figured I could make it the way Bernie makes her beans, and then just make them “soupier”.  So I called the expert to consult the best way to go about this.  Here is what we came up with.

Sauté your “seasoning” (carrots, celery, onion) in a little oil with salt and pepper.  Add the chicken stock and frozen lima beans.  Cook until they are as tender as you like.  I decided  to add lemon juice to finish.  Really easy!

I wanted something brothy with beans that held their shape so I didn’t cook the soup for too long.  But I think it would be really good if you cooked it longer and the beans started to fall apart…or if you puréed half of the soup.

Lima Bean Soup
created by me and Bernadette

makes about 8 1-cup servings

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 carrot, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
1 onion, diced
4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
2 16-ounce bags frozen lima beans
salt and pepper
juice of a lemon

In a large stockpot over medium-low heat, sauté the carrot, celery, and onion with the olive oil until the onions are translucent, 10 to 15 minutes.  Add stock and beans.  Add enough water to just cover the beans.  Season with salt (a few pinches) and black pepper.  Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes or until beans are tender (or longer if you want the beans to begin falling apart).  Add lemon juice. Taste and re-season if needed. 

Per serving: 200 calories, 3.4 g fat (0.5 g saturated), 30 g carbohydrates, 7 g fiber, 10 g protein (exchanges: 1 protein, 2 starch)

* I ALWAYS make enough soup to freeze some…Its so nice having soup ready to go on days when I don’t have have time to cook!  Especially when it’s a long studio night!

Happy New Year

I love the beginning of the New Year…it feels like such a fresh start.  Time for setting new goals, trying new things, and looking forward to what the upcoming year has to offer.

I have lots of other personal goals, but here are some of the ones related to nutrition & fitness:

• drink more water (and less coffee!)
• cut back on sugar
• drink more green tea
• run more often (now that my ankle feels better)

It surprises people that I have a hard time drinking enough water.  But I really have to force myself to drink 8+ glasses per day.  I drink plenty while I’m teaching, but during the day not so much.  Cutting back on iced coffee will hopefully help.  I’ve gotten into the habit of having two a day sometimes…when I should be drinking water instead!

I have a sweet tooth.  And I think that’s one reason why I love coffee so much.  It’s my “sweet treat” for the day…which I guess is better than having cake/cookies/ice cream/candy all the time. 

I sweeten my coffee with about 1-2 teaspoons of condensed milk…kills two birds with one stone (sugar and milk).  But I like coffee unsweetened with a little half and half too and should try to drink it that way more often.

Green tea is so good for you and I don’t drink it enough.  It’s one of the only eating habits that I didn’t adopt from my Houston roommate Danielle, (who is a RD at MD Anderson and knows her stuff).  She loves tea :) Habits I did pick up from her?  More veggies and whole grains, and less meat.

It seems like every Fall I develop some sort of foot/ankle pain…probably because during footballs season I never sit down.  With all dancing, teaching, choreographing, and running I am always on my feet.  This year was no exception.  To deal with my ankle issues, I cut back on the only place I could.  Running.  First I cut back to just running less distance.  And then fewer days.  And then NOT AT ALL.  But that did the trick.  And now that football season (and Saintsations) are coming to an end and my ankle is feeling better, its time to step it back up.

As for the “new things”, I’m trying to get myself back in the nutrition world.  When I first moved home to Baton Rouge from Houston I looked for a wellness-type job similar to the one I had at LifeTime Fitness.  No such luck.  But the Saintsation position and a great job teaching dance at Tari’s have kept me busy (and allowed me to use my nutrition degree in a really positive way…dancers are under so much pressure to be thin, but many have terrible eating habits and don’t know how to stay thin healthfully). 

All that being said, the job search is on.  I’ll keep you posted!

Of course I’m cooking today…cabbage (as slaw in my all time favorite feta dressing ) and black-eyed peas, ham, collards (all in a delicious soup that is a cross between these two recipes)…for luck, health, and fortune in the new year! 

Happy New Year!  Geaux Saints! (and Panthers!)

Split Pea Soup

When I first moved to Houston in 2007, there were many things about Louisiana that I missed.  My family and friends, the studio, a home cooked meal (cooked by someone other than myself).  It was a similar experience when I moved to college (although this was just a 1 hour trip home…not the long 4 hour drive from Houston). 

I remember the feeling of pulling up in my parents driveway  my first year of college…my mom would be in the kitchen cooking something…something that I couldn’t wait to eat! 

But for a whole year in Houston this feeling was few and far between.  Until Jill move home, that is.  Jill, one of my mom’s best friends, and her family had been in Malaysia for 7 years.  But while I was still living in Houston, they returned home and began satisfying my craving for home-cooking.

Jill is a great cook.   And she has the most incredible cookbook collection…really…it’s like visiting a library of nothing but cookbooks.  So not only was I now getting home cooked meals, I was also able to “check-out” new cookbooks from her library.  But it gets better…she would always send me home with leftovers.  LOVE!

Jill was the first person to introduce me to this split pea soup.  I don’t remember if she made too much (probably) or didn’t like it (there’s no way…its too good), but I ended up with a lot of soup.  Into the freezer it went (in small individual servings).  Perfect for when I got home late at night from teaching dance, dancing, or working at LifeTime. 

I love split pea soup.  It reminds me of my mom.  And the fall…and since we are having the most AMAZING fallish weather, I figured it was the perfect occasion to make it myself.  But just so you know, this isn’t your ordinary split pea soup…the addition of potatoes, carrots, and in my version ham, really elevates the soup to a whole new level.  Make a lot (maybe double it if you aren’t cooking for one like me) and freeze it…you won’t be sorry!
 

Split Pea Soup
adapted from Ina Garten

makes about 9 1-cup servings

1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced 
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (not as much if just using regular salt) 
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups medium-diced carrots (3 to 4 carrots)
1 cup medium-diced red boiling potatoes, unpeeled (3 - 4 small)
1 pound dried split green peas, divided
8 cups chicken stock or water
1 ham hock, optional…but good!

In a 4-quart stockpot over medium heat, sauté the onions and garlic with the olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper until the onions are translucent, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the carrots, potatoes, 1/2 of split peas, chicken stock (and/or water), and ham hock. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Skim off the foam while cooking.

Add the remaining split peas and continue to simmer for another 40 minutes, or until all the peas are soft*. Stir frequently to keep the solids from burning on the bottom.

Remove ham meat and bone from pot and set aside.  When ham is cool enough to handle, shred meat into bite-sized pieces, discarding bone and fat.

Return shredded ham to the pot.  Taste for salt and pepper. Serve hot.**

* Some of the reviews on the Food Network website complained that some of the peas were still crunch…the point of adding them in 2 batches is to have some of the peas turn to mush and some to retain their shape, but NOT to be crunchy.  Make sure you cook them long enough after the last addition.

** The finished soup will continue to thicken as it stands but can be thinned with some water when reheated.  You will definitely need to do this when reheating any frozen soup.

Per serving (based on 9 1-cup servings per recipe) – 316 calories, 6 g fat (1.5 g saturated), 41 g carbohydrates, 15 g fiber, 25 g protein (exchanges: 3 protein, 2 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 fat; WW points: 6)

Eggplant Salad with Chickpeas and Feta

There are so many vegetables that I love...it's hard for me to pick a favorite, but eggplant is definitely in the top 5. And around this time of year they start appearing at the Red Stick Farmers Market. Last Thursday I bought 2 (for $1!) and I knew exactly what I wanted to do with them.

There was a recipe from the 2005 July/August issue for Basic Roasted Eggplant with 3 accompanying recipes for eggplant salads: Curried Eggplant Salad with Peas and Cashews,

Eggplant Salad with Chickpeas and Feta, and Eggplant Salad with Tomatoes and Basil...hmm, which one to try first??

I went with the chickpea-feta version...I'm a sucker for feta! But I'm sure eggplant will find its way into my kitchen again really soon (um, like tomorrow morning after I head to the market) and I'll have to try the others. See the July/Aug EDF recipe list for links to the other two.

Eggplant Salad with Chickpeas and Feta

adapted from MarthaStewart's EDF

Makes 6 servings

3 pounds eggplant (about 3 medium), cut into 1-inch cubes

3 tablespoon olive oil, divided

salt and pepper

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 15.5 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup (2 ounces) feta, crumbled

1/4 cup finely shredded basil

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Divide cubed eggplant between 2 rimmed baking sheets. Drizzle each sheet with 1/2 a tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat and then spread in a single layer.

Roast, turning once, until golden and tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Allow to cool completely on sheets.

In a jar (or bowl) combine lemon juice, 2 remaining tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Shake (or whisk) to combine.

To a large bowl, add cooled eggplant, chickpeas, feta, and basil. Add vinaigrette and toss to combine.

Per serving - 218 calories, 10 g fat (2.5 g saturated), 28 g carbohydrates, 10 g fiber, 7 g protein (exchanges: 2 fat, 2 vegetable, 1 starch)

Compared to original recipe - My version saves about 6 grams fat and 40 calories per serving (36 g fat and 240 calories per recipe)

Notes - The changes I made from the original recipe were 1) using less oil for roasting the eggplant, 2) cutting the amount of feta in half, and 3) swapping basil for the mint; I made extra vinaigrette and saved some to use for salads (I shredded romaine and radicchio, tossed them with a TINY bit of the saved dressing, and then topped the whole thing with the eggplant salad); I think it's a good idea to make the salad ahead of time, so that the flavors can blend for a while

Lagniappe...

Notice in the pic of the vinaigrette how there is about the same amount of lemon juice (bottom layer) as oil (top layer)...that's how I always make my salad dressing. I do a 1 to 1 ratio of fat to everything else. I usually don't even measure...squeeze the lemon (or pour vinegar), then match that amount with oil, add seasonings (salt, pepper, Dijon, garlic, etc), and done! This ensures that the dressing is "light" (i.e. without too much fat). Here is a previous post on making your own dressing.

Crawfish and White Bean Chili

In Louisiana, Lent = beginning of crawfish season. And while I haven't been to a crawfish boil yet, I did make this chili, and its really good!

The original recipe called for stirring a cup of cheese and a cup of sour cream into the soup...of course I left it out and by doing so saved 932 calories, 84 grams of fat, and 50 grams of saturated fat. Instead, serve reduced fat cheese and light sour cream as an optional topping (I like using plain Greek yogurt in place of sour cream).

I doubled the amount of vegetables by adding green bell peppers when I sauteed the onions. This is a trick I use whenever I can. The more veggies in a recipe, the fewer calories per bite.

I used dried white beans that I soaked overnight, but I'm sure cans of beans would work just as well (and it would take less time). One pound of dried beans is roughly equivalent to 3 15oz cans.

Crawfish White Bean Chili

adapted from a recipe from Mel

Makes 12 1-cup servings

1 lb large white beans, soaked overnight in water, drained
4 cups chicken broth

4 cups water, divided
1 Tbsp olive oil

2 green bell peppers, chopped (4 cups)
2 medium onions, chopped (4 cups)
1 Tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper
6 - 8 cloves garlic, minced

2 4-ounce cans chopped green chilies

2 tsp ground cumin
1 ½ tsp dried oregano
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
1 ½ pounds crawfish tails (I used two 12 oz frozen packs from the store...thawed, drained, and squeezed to remove excess liquid)
For serving: shredded cheese, light sour cream, green onions, cilantro, salsa

Combine soaked/drained beans, chicken broth, and 2 cups of water in a large soup pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until beans are very soft, 2 - 3 hours. Add additional water, if necessary (you want to keep the beans covered with liquid).

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and bell pepper, season with salt and pepper; cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add garlic, chilies, and spices/herbs and mix thoroughly.

Add onion mixture to the beans. Add crawfish and continue to simmer for 30 minutes. Taste and reseason with salt and pepper if necessary.

If desired, serve topped with grated cheese (reduced fat), sour cream (light or non-fat Greek yogurt), green onions, cilantro, or salsa...a few crushed tortilla chips would be good too!

Per 1-cup serving (without any toppings) - 241 calories, 3 g fat (1 g saturated), 33 g carbohydrates, 12 g fiber, 22 g protein (exchanges: ½ fat, 2 ½ protein, 1 ½ starch, 1 vegetable)

Falafel (Salad) with Tahini Dressing

Falafel is a fried ball or patty made from chickpeas and is popular in the Middle East. It is typically served wrapped in some sort of flat bread, such as pita. It can be drizzled with a tahini-based sauce. I've never had it before, but have always thought that is sounded like something I would like.

And you know me...I turn everything into a salad (or at least serve it with one)! So I cooked my falafel in just a tiny bit of oil (I have never deep fried anything in my life...I'll leave that to the experts!). I made a really easy tahini dressing and served the whole thing over a salad composed of butter lettuce, sun-dried tomatoes, red bell pepper, green onions, and chopped cilantro.

It's always a good idea to have a meatless meal. The falafel provides a good source of protein and fiber. The dressing adds a serving of healthy unsaturated fats. And I don't have to tell you why the veggies in the salad are good for you!

If you like chickpeas (or hummus) you should give this a try.

Falafel (Salad) with Tahini Dressing
adapted from Eat Real and Tyler Florence

Makes 4 servings

2 slices of whole wheat bread, torn into large pieces
2 cloves garlic, quartered
1 large handful fresh cilantro, coarsely torn or chopped
2 green onions (scallions), trimmed and chopped into thirds
1 15 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
a pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 teaspoons olive oil, divided

Place bread pieces in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground. Add garlic, cilantro, scallions, chickpeas, baking powder, and seasonings; pulse a few times to blend ingredients. The mixture should be coarsely ground and not entirely smooth.

Sprinkle 1 tablespoon lemon juice over chickpea mixture and pulse a few more times. Add the additional tablespoon of juice, if needed, so that the chickpea mixture reaches a workable paste-like consistency.

Using a large tablespoon or an ice cream scoop, scoop balls of dough into your palms and form them into 8 patties.

At this point you have 2 options...bake or saute (I sauteed).

1) Baked - Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. While the oven is getting hot, line a baking pan with foil and brush with olive oil. Arrange falafel patties on oiled baking sheet and brush them with olive oil. Bake at 400 degrees F for about 15 to 20 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and crispy. Turn once midway through baking.

2) Sauteed - Working in batches if necessary, heat olive oil in a large (non-stick works well) skillet over medium-high heat. Add falafel patties and cook 3 - 5 minute per side until browned.

Per serving (2 patties each) - 213 calories, 7 g fat (1 g saturated), 32 g carbohydrate, 6 g fiber, 8 g protein (exchanges: 1 ½ fat, 2 starches)

Tahini Dressing

Makes a little more than 1/2 of a cup (about 5 2-tablespoon servings)

¼ cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
¼ cup warm water
1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar
juice of 1 lemon
good pinch of salt
black pepper
1 teaspoon cumin

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine (the warm water should help loosen up the tahini...if it's still thick put the entire mixture in the microwave for 10 second intervals, stirring in between...make sure you are using a microwave safe container!).

Per serving (2 tablespoons) - 74 calories, 6 g fat (1 g saturated), 3 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 2 g protein (exchanges: 1 fat, plus a little protein)

Lagniappe...

Just in case you DO need me to remind you why vegetables are good for you read this. Along with why they are good for you, it ranks all veggie according to their nutritional profile...is it a surprise to you that kale is #1 and spinach is #2? How many of the "superstars" do you eat on a weekly basis?

Black Bean (Pumpkin) Soup

I've had this recipe saved since June and have been waiting for the right time to make it. I had one can of pumpkin left in my pantry and I was either going to make yeasted chocolate-chip pumpkin bread or black bean pumpkin soup...but, considering all of the dessert I've had over the past week (lemon icebox pie and banana bread at Mel's, pumpkin cream cheese cupcake from Jess, chocolate chip oatmeal cookies and rum cake on Thanksgiving, and M&M's at the LSU/Arkansas game...they weren't lucky this week!) I decided to go with the soup.

I put the pumpkin in parenthesis in the title because you won't even know its in the soup...you can't taste it (Hilary, who hates pumpkin, has eaten the soup twice and hasn't suspected a thing). It adds a thickness to the soup that makes it so rich and creamy...but there is no cream and the soup is very low-fat (4 g per 1 cup).

Things to know about beans:

1) they are a great source of fiber (15 g per cup...60 % of daily value), protein (15 g per cup), and folate...something women in child-bearing years need in order to prevent certain birth defects (64 % of daily value per cup)

2) they are high in carbohydrates, but don't be scared low-carb dieters...these are complex carbohydrates - the kind that are digested and released into your bloodstream more slowly which helps stabilize blood sugar levels (and may help with weight management)

3) the high levels of fiber help stabilize blood sugar levels, lower cholesterol, prevent constipation and other digestive disorders (IBS and diverticulosis)

4) they are rich in antioxidants, and the darker the skin the better...so black beans are extra rich!

So eat up...beans are so good for you!

Black Bean Pumpkin Soup
adapted from Epicurious.com

Makes 9 1-cup servings

2 tablespoons butter (preferably unsalted)
1 large onion, chopped
1 shallot minced (you could omit this)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
three 15 ½ ounce cans (or two 25 ounce cans) black beans (about 4 ½ cups), rinsed and drained
1 cup canned tomatoes, drained and chopped
4 cups beef broth
one 15 ounce can pumpkin pureé (about 1 ½ cups)
½ cup dry Sherry (or any dry white wine)
2 tablespoons Sherry vinegar (optional)

In a 6-quart dutch oven or other large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add the onion and shallot; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown. Add garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper and cook for about 2 minutes more.

Meanwhile, in a blender (or food processor), blend half of each of the following: beans, tomatoes, beef broth, and pumpkin. Once the onions have softened and the garlic and seasonings have been added, add the first batch of the bean mixture. Repeat with the remaining beans, tomatoes, beef broth, and pumpkin; add to the soup pot.

Add the sherry (if using), stir to combine, and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 25 minutes, or until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Just before serving, stir in the vinegar. Taste and re-season with salt and pepper, if needed.

Serve soup as is or garnished with light sour cream or plain low-fat yogurt.

Per 1-cup serving - 300 calories, 4 g fat (2 g saturated), 49 g carbohydrates, 16 g fiber, 17 g protein (exchanges: 1 fat, 2 protein, 3 starch, ½ vegetable)

Notes - The recipe originally called for 4 tablespoons of butter, but I only used 2. It also called for ½ pound of diced ham, but I left it out...I figured I was getting enough protein from the beans. The dry sherry could be omitted or you could substitute any dry (i.e. not sweet) white wine. Serve ½ cup portions as a side dish or 1 to 1-½ cup portions as an entree. I froze half of the soup in 2 cup servings to reheat on a night when I don't have time to or feel like cooking.

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.

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.

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!