Quinoa Egg Bake with Mushrooms, Tomatoes, and Avocado

October 22nd, 2012…the LAST time I blogged…what is going ON?!?

I guess life!  Football season, holidays, Super Bowl, dance competition season…leaves little time for blogging!

Anyway, I’m back (I’ve still been cooking plenty…if you follow me on insta you know that!).

And lately, I’ve been on a savory breakfast kick…not craving sweet yogurt or overnight oats as much.  At Magpie they serve two things for breakfast that I LOVE LOVE LOVE…different types of quiche and the most amazing breakfast casseroles (ham and cheese is my fave). 

I wanted to find a way to make something similar…with 3 requirements: it needed to be a make-it-for-the-week kind of dish, incorporate vegetables, and contain minimal starch. 

Something like a crustless quiche?  But heartier and more casserole-like?  Bingo.

I made this Quinoa Egg Bake as is…cheese and all…then tried it sans cheese adding the fat back in the form of avocado.  I love it both ways.  Hil not so much (although she’s not much of a breakfast eater)…you be the judge.  It’s completely customizable.  And it reheats pretty well too!  Just note that if any of the vegetables you decide to use have a lot of water, you should first cook them separately. 

Quinoa Egg Bake with Mushrooms, Tomatoes, and Avocado
adapted from Whole Foods

makes 5-6 servings

8 ounces (or more!) mushrooms, sliced…button, cremini, etc.
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
salt and pepper
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 avocado, cubed
1/4 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 cup uncooked quinoa*
8 eggs
1 1/4 cup milk**
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Heat 1/2 teaspoon oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms release liquid, about 5-10 minutes. Season with a little salt and pepper, increase heat to high and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has completely evaporated, about 5 minutes longer.

In the meantime, preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch x 8-inch glass baking dish with 1/4 teaspoon olive oil and set aside.

Put quinoa into a fine mesh strainer and rinse until cold running water until water runs clear; drain well.  Spread rinsed quinoa evenly over the bottom of the greased baking dish.  Spread cooked mushrooms, halved tomatoes, and cubed avocado over the quinoa.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt, and pepper; pour mixture over quinoa-vegetable mixture in prepared dish.

Cover tightly with foil and bake 45 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking, until center is set (when it doesn’t move much when the dish is jiggled), 10 to 15 minutes more. Set aside to let cool briefly, then slice and serve.

Per serving (based on 6 servings): 235 calories, 13 g fat (3.7 g saturated), 16 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 14 g protein (2 1/2 fat, 2 protein, 1 veg, 1/2 starch)…FYI…5 servings would make it 282 cals…that’s probably what I end up eating

* Although I haven’t tried it, I imagine you could omit the quinoa…just make sure the egg mixture gets under the vegetables a little so they don’t stick to the bottom.

** I used whole milk because that’s what I buy.  So that’s what I calculated the nutrition info with too.

Baked Eggs in Whole Roasted Tomatoes

Eggs are more than often a go-to dinner for me.  They are a great source of high quality protein that cook quickly…which means it’s a perfect dinner for me when I get home late from the studio.  Midnight asparagus with creamy eggs are a staple in my diet, but these eggs baked in tomatoes are giving them a run for their money! 

I save time by pre-roasting the tomatoes.  Then, when I’m ready to eat them, I reheat the tomatoes (in the oven or micro) and continue with the recipe. 

This would be a great side dish for brunch, but I eat it as a meal (dinner)…so I have 2 servings.  A slice of whole wheat toast works perfectly to soak up the yummy juices from the tomato and the runny yolk of the egg (don’t over cook the yolk!).

As a sidenote…follow me on Instagram (@blairburas) and pinterest (@deliciouslygold) to see what I’m eating everyday and see recipes I can’t wait to try.

Baked Eggs in Whole Roasted Tomatoes
adapted from Whole Living

makes 6 servings

6 large tomatoes 
3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried) 
2 ounces of feta (6 tablespoons)
6 large eggs

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Slice the top off each tomato and use a small spoon to remove core and seeds (I used the spoon to scoop around the edges, then with my hands “twisted” the cut portion until it detached from the base).  Don’t cut too close the the sides…you need the outsides of the tomato to hold their shape during baking.

Arrange in a baking dish, drizzle each tomato with 1/2 teaspoon of oil, and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with thyme. Roast until tomatoes are tender and caramelized, about 30 minutes*.  Remove tomatoes from the oven.  If a substantial amount of juice has accumulated in the tomato, carefully drain it out (right into the baking dish is fine).

Crumble the feta into each tomato then crack an egg into each and season with salt and pepper. Bake until eggs are just set, 7 to 9 minutes more…pay attention to the white…you want it to turn white but the yolk to still be runny!

Notes – Some of my tomatoes didn’t hold their shape very well (the walls split)…so, before adding the egg, I propped these mis-shaped tomatoes against the wall of the baking dish for extra support…this way the egg didn’t run out…once the egg sets it will hold the tomato together; For better aim, crack the egg into a teacup first, then pour it on the tomato

* I used Italian seasoning (actually Zoe’s kitchen seasoning) in place of the thyme

Per serving – 148 calories, 8 g carbohydrates,  2.2 g fiber, 8.6 g fat (3 g saturated), 9 g protein (exchanges: 1/2 vegetable, 1.5 fat, 1 protein)

Midnight Asparagus and Creamy Eggs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of my favorite things to listen to on long drives are the NPR Splendid Table podcasts on iTunes.  They are about 50 minutes long…just the right length to get me to and from Covington/Mandeville/Nola and Baton Rouge. 

The week before I left for NYC, I was listening and heard the recipe for Midnight Asparagus and Creamy Eggs.  It went straight on my “to make” list that I have saved as a note on my phone.  Usually these recipes sit on the list for a long time…but I had to make this one asap. 

The recipe is so easy, so quick, and so good.  Three ingredients – asparagus, eggs, and lemon (salt, pepper, and oil don’t count!).  You broil chopped asparagus, then add the eggs, and then finish with a squeeze of lemon.  How can this go wrong??  (Actually the second time I made it I overcooked the yolks…it’s definitely not as good without the runny yolks!)

So here I am in NYC, cooking for myself in a tiny, but cute apartment.  And what am I making?  Asparagus and Eggs two nights in a row.  (Don’t worry, I ate out plenty the first week I was here…now I’m saving money…and calories…by cooking).  I eat mine with toast to sop up the yolk-lemon sauce…it reminds me of hollandaise!

Don’t be scared of eating the yolks either!  Low-fat diets are an old way of thinking.  Fat doesn’t make you fat!  To many calories does.  And a little fat in each meal can help keep you full longer.  I love nuts, avocados, cheese…all in moderation. 

The original recipe included chopped onion, but I omitted it.  I also altered the recipe for one.  My apartment in NYC doesn’t have a broiler so I cooked it on the stove instead.  Just as good!   I use the entire bunch of asparagus just for me…I don’t think it would be as filling if I didn’t.

Midnight Asparagus and Creamy Eggs
adapted from Splendid Table

1 bunch of asparagus (the thinner the better), trimmed of tough stems
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
2 (or 3) large eggs
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Cut the asparagus into 1 inch pieces.

Put the oven rack in the center of the oven, about 5 inches below the heat source, and preheat the broiler.

Add the olive oil to a straight-sided (broiler safe*) 12-inch sauté pan. Set the oiled pan beneath the broiler to heat for 2 minutes.

Pull the oven rack out. Then, taking care not to touch the hot handle, add the asparagus, salt, and pepper into the pan. With a wooden spatula, turn the asparagus to coat with the oil, spread them out, and let them cook under the broiler for 3 minutes, stirring them once. You want them to brown slightly, but not become mushy.

Again, being careful not to touch the pan's handle, use the spatula to make 2 (or 3) empty spaces among the asparagus.  Carefully break the eggs into the spaces.  Broil 1 more minute, until whites are set and yolk is still runny.  Immediately, and carefully, remove the pan from the oven.

Squeeze the lemon juice over everything. Give the pan another sprinkle of salt.

Here’s the tricky part…serving!  You could eat right from the pan or slid a rubber spatula under the eggs/asparagus to loosen and then slide out onto a plate (or bowl).  Not the prettiest presentation, but still delish!

* Broiler safe pans are usually entirely metal.  If you don’t own one with a metal handle, wrap the handle in double thickness of foil…it will be fine for such a short amount of time under the broiler. 

Per serving (with 2 eggs) – 251 calories, 15 g carbohydrates, 7 g fiber, 15 g fat (4 g saturated), 20 g protein (exchanges: 2 vegetable, 3 fat, 3 protein); remember, I eat this with whole wheat toast which adds another 100+ calories per slice and sometime I’ll do three eggs…depends on how hungry I am!

Curried Egg Salad

Egg salad reminds me of Bernadette, my second mom (did you know I have 3 "moms"...my real one, Bernie, and Mel...how lucky am I?). Growing up Bernie was our babysitter/housekeeper and occasionally she would cook for us. My favorite Bernie dishes? "Bernie burgers" with smothered onions, fried chicken, and lima beans. I still love all of them today!

On some days at lunch, she would make egg salad for herself...I didn't eat it though. Her egg & mayo only version was not appealing at all! Kind of ruined egg salad for me.

Skip ahead to last year when I was living in Houston. 101Cookbooks posted a recipe for Curried Egg Salad and my egg salad aversion was broken. I had to try it! It wasn't your average egg salad. This version included toasted pecans, chopped apples, and curry powder! Three of my favorites! And instead of mayo, the recipe used Greek yogurt as the binder.

Over the years, eggs have gotten a bad rap. I get asked all the time whether or not I eat the yolks (that is where all the fat and cholesterol are after all). My reply? Yes and no. When I make an omelet I use half whole eggs and half whites...for a one person omelet I use 3 eggs - 2 whole and 1 white. For this egg salad recipe, I modified the original by using 3 whole eggs and 2 whites. This helps slightly reduce the overall calories and fat grams, but still keeps some of the good nutrition found in the yolks including the healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

One reason many people avoid eggs is because they are high in cholesterol (212 mg in a large egg) - and science used to say that dietary cholesterol raised your blood cholesterol. But now it is believed that saturated fats and trans-fats are what have a greater effect on blood cholesterol; eggs are relatively low in both of these nutrients (0 g trans and 1.5 g saturated in a large egg).

So my advice? Don't eat eggs everyday, but when you do, have one or two of the yolks...if you like them! And don't pay extra money for omega-3 fortified eggs if you don't eat the yolks...money down the drain!

101Cookbooks is also where I learned to boil eggs so that they don't get that gray coat around the yolk (my mom's hb eggs always had that...I thought it was normal!). I've included this method in the recipe.

How do I eat this incredible salad? Either on toasted whole grain bread or in a lettuce wrap (I think butter lettuce is the best for this). Perfect for a quick lunch! And if you don't like curry, here is a plain version.

Curried Egg Salad

adapted from 101Cookbooks.com

Printable Recipe

makes 4 servings

5 eggs

2 teaspoons curry powder

3 - 4 tablespoons Greek yogurt

2 big pinches of salt

2 shallots or 1/2 red onion, diced

1/2 medium apple, diced

1/4 cup pecans, toasted and chopped

*optional: something green...for visual appeal!...chives, green onions, celery leaves

For the eggs: Place the eggs in a pot and cover them with cold water by about an inch. Then bring them to a gentle boil, turn off the heat, cover, and let them sit for 10 minutes. After that cool them in cold (ice) water to stop the cooking...and then crack them open to find a sunny yellow yolk with no gray!

While the eggs cook and cool, combine 3 tablespoons of yogurt, curry powder, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.

Crack and peel each egg, discarding 2 yolks, and place in a medium bowl. Add the onions, apples, pecans, "greenery", and the yogurt mixture. Mash the entire thing with a fork until your desired consistency is reached. If you need to add more yogurt, do so. Taste and re-season with salt if necessary.

Per serving - 136 calories, 8.5 g fat (1.7 g saturated), 7.5 g carbohydrate, 1.7 g fiber, 8.6 g protein (exchanges: 1 1/2 fat, 1 protein, 1/2 veg/fruit/dairy...some type of carb; WW points: 3)

Broccoli, Mushroom, and Cheese Breakfast Strata

Have you ever made or eaten a strata? Or maybe you haven't even heard of it before.

Well all you need to know is that it is the perfect clean-out-your-fridge use-up-leftovers recipe. And that's exactly what I did. So as a result, I made several substitutions. Here's what I used in my version of this week's CEiMB Broccoli, Mushroom and Cheese Breakfast Strata (chosen by A mid-life culinary adventure):

From the freezer - whole wheat sandwich bread and chopped spinach

From the refrigerator - red bell pepper, feta, Parmesan, eggs, milk, and Dijon

From the pantry - oil, salt, pepper, and garlic

From the garden - thyme

All I had to buy from the store were mushrooms and an onion!

I love eggs for dinner. I make an omelet or frittata about once a week. Its perfect for when you've had a particularly "carby" day and don't feel like having a salad (remember Bethenny's "account" balancing?).

I halved the recipe and served it for dinner tonight...we are watching the final game of the CWS! Geaux Tigers!

Oh, and by the way...Hil took all of the pics. Now if she would just read my blog, she would get to see them!

Broccoli, Mushroom, and Cheese Breakfast Strata -

• Per serving - 250 calories, 12 g fat (3.5 saturated), 17 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 21 g protein (exchanges: 2 fats, 2 1/2 protein, 1 starch, 1 vegetable)
• Notes - Make sure you realize that the strata must rest/soak for at least 8 hours...plan ahead; I used sandwich bread (which is not as crusty as a baguette) so I had to toast the bread cubes...200 degrees for at least an hour; use any cheese you like - I used about 2 oz feta instead of mozzarella (remember I halved the recipe); use any veggies you like - I used 1/2 an onion, 1/2 a red bell pepper, 8 oz of mushrooms (I didn't halve the mushrooms! I love them too much!), 1 cup frozen spinach (thawed and squeezed to release as much water as possible...which resulted in about 1/2 cup of spinach in the end); I seasoned the veggies with salt and pepper while they were sauteing and then added less S&P to the egg mixture; I had to cover the strata with foil half-way through the baking time because it was browning too quickly
• My thoughts - Like I said before I love egg dishes for dinner, and this one hit the spot! I would definitely make this again...with a different vegetable/cheese combination, depending on what I need to use up! It was a little dry, so I might add a little more milk next time. Hilary thought it would be good with marinara...we didn't have any so she used ketchup (GROSS!). The serving size is really big and all for 250 calories...you could have more if you wanted! Or serve it with a salad (green salad if you are having it for dinner...fruit salad for breakfast/brunch). Or just have one serving and then go get frozen yogurt for a treat, like I'm about to!

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.

Happy Easter!

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

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

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

Roast Lamb with Rosemary and Garlic -

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

Fire and Spice Ham -

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

Field Salad with Snow Peas, Grapes, and Feta -

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

Mustard-Dressed Asparagus -

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

Carrot Soufflé -

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

Barley Pilaf with Sautéed Mushrooms -

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

Fresh Berry Pavlovas -

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

Ham and Asparagus Frittata -

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

Lagniappe...

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

Almonds

Apples

Blueberries

Broccoli

Red Beans

Salmon

Spinach

Sweet potatoes

Vegetable juice (NO THANKS!)

Wheat Germ

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

What Does a Dietitian Eat? Part II (Day 3)

Wednesday February 4th

• Breakfast - Oatmeal with banana, almonds, brown sugar, flaxseed; skim milk; water
• Lunch - Chicken salad over lettuce; water
• Snack - Mango, coconut cereal* with soy milk (½ cup each); hot tea with honey (about 1 tbsp) and half and half (about 2 tbsp)
• Dinner - Omelet with 2 eggs, red bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, green onions, feta (2 Tbsp), Parmesan (1 Tbsp); 2 pieces of toast with butter (1 tsp); water
• Dessert - ½ apple

Approximately: 1574 calories (33% fat, 26% protein, 41% carbs); 16.8 g saturated fat (9.5%), 605.5 mg cholesterol, 28 g fiber, 1028 mg calcium

My target numbers: 45 - 65% carbs, 20 - 35% fat, 10 - 35% protein (less than 10% saturated), at least 25 g fiber, less than 300 mg cholesterol, at least 1000 mg calcium

Comments: Same breakfast...that's pretty much what I do. Make a different batch of oatmeal for the week and then eat it every morning. I change up the type of oats (rolled or steel-cut), nuts (walnuts, almonds, pecans), fruit (whatever is in season), sweetener (maple syrup, sugar, brown sugar, honey), and flavoring (extracts, cinnamon, nutmeg).

I make chicken salad with lots of veggies and love changing up the flavors...this week I made curried chicken salad. I used 3 chicken breasts, 4 celery stalks, 1 shredded carrot, and 1/4 cup toasted almonds (I wished that I had raisins). The dressing I mixed in was 2 tbsp full-fat mayo, 2 tbsp fat-free plain yogurt, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp curry powder, salt, and pepper.

I love making a big batch of chicken/tuna/pasta/grain salad that I can eat over lettuce for a quick lunch or dinner. The salad acts as the dressing for the lettuce.

Still no coffee, but I needed something warm to drink so I decided on hot tea. I usually add skim milk, but I was at Starbucks and the half & half was calling my name...I love how it makes my drink so creamy. FYI...

2 tbsp skim milk = 11 cals
2 tbsp 2% milk = 16 cals
2 tbsp whole milk = 19 cals
2 tbsp half & half = 40 cals

I only used 2 tbsp so it wasn't that big of a deal...I wouldn't order a latte with half & half though!

Omelets are a favorite dinner of mine. Its a good way to use up left over veggies. And because I didn't have any whole grains at lunch, I added the toast.

Notice how high my cholesterol was today... 605.5 mg (I was supposed to stay under 300 mg). I had lots of animal products today: skim milk, mayo, chicken, half & half, butter, eggs, cheese...the eggs contributed 211 mg each! All of the cholesterol is found in the yolk and usually when I make an omelet I replace one of the yolks with an extra white. But I only had 2 eggs left, so I went with it.

Cholesterol doesn't contribute calories, so its not going to make me gain weight. However, it is related to how "clean" my arteries are. And I eat for health not for weight loss/maintenance (however, eating healthfully can help you lose or maintain your weight). The good news is that my saturated fat intake was within my limits; saturated fat intake is thought to have more of an effect on blood cholesterol levels.

I didn't have enough fruit today, so dessert was an apple that I split with Hil (she NEVER eats enough fruit!).

* The cereal that I had for a snack was created by me! At meandgogi.com, you can design your own cereal...so I tried it out. I probably won't do it again (its expensive, I have to pay shipping, and I can get all of the ingredients at Whole Foods), but it was fun. I went with a tropical theme: dried mango, coconut, multigrain flakes, artisanal cereal, and chia seeds. I think its really good. (per 3/4 cup serving: 131 cals, 2.5 g fat (0.4 g saturated), 25.3 g carbs, 6 g fiber, 4.1 g sugar, 4.1 g protein)

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.