tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2944206956027983142023-11-16T11:37:03.182-05:00The Healthie FoodieAshleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00775361428058860178noreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-294420695602798314.post-5241935731521207942010-05-11T20:07:00.003-04:002010-05-11T21:56:26.319-04:00REALLY Healthy Pasta with Tomatoes and ArugulaThis is really healthy pasta, I mean it... 2 Weight Watchers points per cup of cooked pasta. (Compared to 4 points for normal).<br /><br />A big thank you to <a href="http://www.gourmetmomonthego.com/">Gourmet Mom on the Go</a>, who sent me a package of this <a href="http://www.fibergourmet.com/pasta.aspx">Fiber Gourmet</a> pasta and some other goodies as a pick-me-up when I was having a rough week.<br /><br />This stuff is good. I was a little afraid that the nutrition facts and therefore the Weight Watchers points would be, um, too good to be true.<br /><br />Let's put it this way, when you see 18 g of fiber per serving on a package, you think you will most surely be "punished" for trying to skimp on points by overloading on fiber.<br /><br />Honestly... it wasn't really a problem! Again, I was a little worried that I'd be overloading on fiber, since I typically eat a lot of fiber throughout my day anyway (fruit, fresh veggies, whole grains), but there <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">honestly</span> weren't any bad side effects. (This is a lovely conversation, isn't it?)<br /><br />So, now that I know this is a low calorie, low point way to get some delicious pasta in the evenings when I'm craving comfort food and a glass of wine, I am addicted.<br /><br />I've been making the tomato <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">fettuccine</span> pasta with grape tomatoes that I blister and roast in a pan with fresh garlic, then add a little spinach or preferably arugula. I drizzle about 1 Tbsp of olive oil, some salt, and possibly some grated <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Parmesan</span>, and there ya go!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY7ph_dbvy-6xMhgGhQ0e_Y_oN8tFbKwe2MT9iXtAb5a-ksx131NbzugdZEgNRqYSvZaHl2MxuMdEveKVOlr5Bqmtz18oYOzTiV6fx0k6mO9CvFzo3bYu16GnaKim9m2U_FQDhTEbwA_C9/s1600/Fiber+Gourmet+pasta.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY7ph_dbvy-6xMhgGhQ0e_Y_oN8tFbKwe2MT9iXtAb5a-ksx131NbzugdZEgNRqYSvZaHl2MxuMdEveKVOlr5Bqmtz18oYOzTiV6fx0k6mO9CvFzo3bYu16GnaKim9m2U_FQDhTEbwA_C9/s400/Fiber+Gourmet+pasta.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470183178393011922" border="0" /></a><br />Honestly, it is really delicious. Just read <a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2007/06/11/food-review-fiber-gourmet-light-pasta/">this review</a> at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Slashfood</span>. I just ordered a case of the spaghetti for 20 bucks (6 packages).<br /><br />And if I eat this pasta the way I like it with some olive oil and a bit of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">parm</span>, it's around 4 points total!Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00775361428058860178noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-294420695602798314.post-57259468484204281622010-05-10T23:15:00.003-04:002010-05-10T23:38:16.091-04:00Honey mustard brussel sprouts with baconThis recipe for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">brussel</span> sprouts would probably count as an unhealthy dish, but since the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">brussels</span> are leafy green healthful veggies, I still pretend the recipe is a healthy choice.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtv0Yr-TNZqv4zhpwdho5FOsZZwUqgExdKsMoMzNI8wnM6YvfTCZCv9UuVwVeQZgIVn5cgWqZJjPZM2s5vQAptd1rqd00MpyZp4FmR1IqQTWj6hG3zh79m1ZiLFFmkjlE2lw_0n4gBQDpu/s1600/Honey+mustard+brussel+sprouts.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtv0Yr-TNZqv4zhpwdho5FOsZZwUqgExdKsMoMzNI8wnM6YvfTCZCv9UuVwVeQZgIVn5cgWqZJjPZM2s5vQAptd1rqd00MpyZp4FmR1IqQTWj6hG3zh79m1ZiLFFmkjlE2lw_0n4gBQDpu/s400/Honey+mustard+brussel+sprouts.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469846678675170834" border="0" /></a><br />And while the recipe is tremendous, I'm sorry to say that I don't actually have a recipe for these. But, I think there's a Southern Living recipe out there somewhere for honey mustard <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">brussel</span> sprouts, because I believe that's where my mom got the recipe. So, ya know, let me know if you find it. It wouldn't hurt for me to start following a recipe too since I also think my mom mentioned her version called for a dash or two of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Worcestershire</span> sauce.<br /><br />So here's how you make the ones I experimented wih one day:<br /><br />Start with bacon...<br /><br />(yes, I know I told you it wasn't that healthy of a recipe. Go with it).<ol><li>Cook the bacon in a pan (around 2-3 strips). Remove the bacon, and drain any excessive grease from the bottom of the pan, leaving just a little for cooking. </li><li>Add fresh, trimmed <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">brussel</span> sprouts cut in halves to the pan to <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">saute</span> until they start getting tender, and to where they have been moderately roasted. Add a bit of kosher salt or pepper to the pan.<br /></li><li>In a side bowl, melt half a stick of butter. <span style="font-style: italic;">(Yes, I know... the real <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">healthie</span> foodie would be disgusted by this amount of butter. In the meantime, I've taken over and think butter on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">brussel</span> sprouts is absolutely delicious and necessary.)</span> </li><li>Add about 2 Tbsp of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Dijon</span> mustard. Add sugar or honey to taste. Some might say you could also use honey mustard. That might be easiest.<br /></li><li>Coat the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">brussels</span> in the honey mustard sauce and crumble bacon on top.<br /></li></ol>And there you are! And PS, the butter is truly necessary in the sauce in order to cut the overwhelming taste of the mustard.<br /><br />It is important to note that Ben loves these so much, he eats them like candy. He has been known to make them just for himself on a Tuesday night...<br /><br />We made these with salmon and it was delicious!Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00775361428058860178noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-294420695602798314.post-56712447577488484712010-04-13T20:55:00.005-04:002010-04-13T21:43:08.215-04:00Playing catch up: Classic Beef Pot Roast (for 300 calories!)<span style="font-family: verdana;">What month is it? <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Hmm</span>.... April. Yeah.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">What are you craving these days? Fresh produce like strawberries and asparagus that are finally in season?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Yeah, sorry - this recipe is out of season. But well worth noting, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">because</span> back when I made it - it was above noteworthy!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">I looked up pot roast recipes over the winter, simply because I was looking for a man-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">pleasin</span>', stick-to-your-ribs kind of recipe for winter. This recipe really did the trick, and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">also</span> reminded me that hearty doesn't always mean... fatty.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Put simply: this was awesome. I should have known by the ratings on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">myrecipes</span>.com:</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUITgSGqXkhNk27IPQERiUIGlpohIpWw50SxIlcAVJiL8Gh1C3OQ3Uk8hQcy5itujLECR_0S28_F58dGvz0eO-VeII4eFcecLQa1ZW7hTIEMN80eA2UpS06CAqF2hA0VoR3rjqUn69xXlk/s1600/potroast+rating.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 191px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUITgSGqXkhNk27IPQERiUIGlpohIpWw50SxIlcAVJiL8Gh1C3OQ3Uk8hQcy5itujLECR_0S28_F58dGvz0eO-VeII4eFcecLQa1ZW7hTIEMN80eA2UpS06CAqF2hA0VoR3rjqUn69xXlk/s400/potroast+rating.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459796770062725266" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">I was getting lots of compliments from all of the guys I was feeding that night, but more importantly, this was the kind of recipe where I said to myself: "This really </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: verdana;">is</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> awesome! Go me!" I kind of couldn't get over myself... and shouldn't we all feel like this when we slave over a meal?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">(And now you know why I felt it necessary to post about a meal I made 4 months ago...)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">So, on with the recipe :)</span><br /><br /><h1 style="font-family: verdana;" id="recipeTitle"><a href="http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1536793&cookbook_id=5203125"><span style="font-size:100%;">Classic Beef Pot Roast</span></a></h1><span style="font-family: verdana;">From Cooking Light, October 2006. </span><br /><br /><div style="font-family: verdana;" class="rcpdetail" id="ingredients"> <h2><span style="font-size:100%;">Ingredients</span></h2> <ul><li> 1 teaspoon olive oil</li><li> 1 (3-pound) boneless chuck roast, trimmed</li><li> 1 teaspoon kosher salt</li><li> 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper</li><li> 2 cups coarsely chopped onion</li><li> 1 cup dry red wine</li><li> 4 thyme sprigs</li><li> 3 garlic cloves, chopped</li><li> 1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium beef broth</li><li> 1 bay leaf</li><li> 4 large carrots, peeled and cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces</li><li> 2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces</li><li> Fresh thyme leaves (optional)</li></ul> </div><!-- end class="rcpdetail" --> <div style="font-family: verdana;" class="rcpdetail" id="preparation"> <h2><span style="font-size:100%;">Preparation</span></h2> <p>Preheat oven to 350º.</p><p>Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chuck roast with salt and pepper. Add roast to pan; cook 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove roast from pan. Add onion to pan; <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">sauté</span> 8 minutes or until tender.</p><p>Return browned roast to pan. Add the red wine, thyme sprigs, chopped garlic, beef broth, and bay leaf to pan; bring to a simmer. Cover pan and bake at 350° for 1 1/2 hours or until the roast is almost tender.</p><p>Add carrots and potatoes to pan. Cover and bake an additional 1 hour or until vegetables are tender. Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaf from pan; discard. Shred meat with 2 forks. Serve roast with vegetable mixture and cooking liquid. Garnish with thyme leaves, if desired.</p> </div>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00775361428058860178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-294420695602798314.post-15425175445784208252010-02-21T13:30:00.005-05:002010-02-21T14:00:00.945-05:00Lentil and Arugula Salad with Pine Nuts and Goat Cheese<span style="font-family: verdana;">Sorry that it's been a while, but I have a lot of catching up to do on what I've been making. First off, is one of my new favorite salads.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm always looking for a new way to enjoy salads, because truthfully I most often prefer vegetables in another form. I've found that I like lentils and onion on salads because they bring a lot of flavor and extra texture to the salad without packing on too much additional fat and calories. I tried this combo on a </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://healthiefoodie.blogspot.com/2009/11/grilled-chicken-salad-with-lentils-feta.html">previous version</a><span style="font-family: verdana;"> but I'm still experimenting on what I like.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">So what's been missing? The right dressing. I've recently discovered that I would prefer a homemade </span><span style="font-family: verdana;" class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">vinaigrette</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> over a bottled dressing, any day. In particular, Ive been taking some white balsamic vinegar and whisking it with olive oil, salt and pepper. Making it myself allows me to get the right level of tangy sweetness without being overpowering. In particular, some of the low fat dressings seem to rely too much on sweeteners to compensate for flavor, and end up turning me off of the salad </span><span style="font-family: verdana;" class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">altogether</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">So - here's what's in the salad I've been loving lately:</span><br /><br /><ul style="font-family: verdana;"><li>Arugula</li><li>Goat cheese (or feta)</li><li>Toasted pine nuts (or sliced almonds)</li><li>Sauteed red onion</li><li>Steamed lentils (precooked from Trader Joe's)</li><li>White balsamic dressing</li></ul><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-family: verdana;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgSgA6e_iDs0xRnQZ3gsPf8I7qXygkRjGT341lHOH-9Xd4Ktx7bXOgQtnGsJR8zoxBRAPD5Rr5gFhow2V4J47JX1FT6fWUP5nFBNS6GXqhZBQCO6TUHTCXlJLGkDEhmgvEC8XCF1zW5BII/s1600-h/IMG_1031.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgSgA6e_iDs0xRnQZ3gsPf8I7qXygkRjGT341lHOH-9Xd4Ktx7bXOgQtnGsJR8zoxBRAPD5Rr5gFhow2V4J47JX1FT6fWUP5nFBNS6GXqhZBQCO6TUHTCXlJLGkDEhmgvEC8XCF1zW5BII/s400/IMG_1031.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440766668686413426" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">The goat cheese here was a little melted from the onions and pine nuts, which I had just taken from their respective pans on the stove, but it was still good!</span><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">I've also added chicken </span><span style="font-family: verdana;" class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">occasionally</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> to make it an entree salad. Ben really like this salad, too so we've recreated </span><span style="font-family: verdana;" class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">it several</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> times. I've tried using a regular spring mix of greens or spinach but looking back I think it was best with the arugula.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Please share any other salad recipes you have; I'm always looking for more!</span>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00775361428058860178noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-294420695602798314.post-7195411685189189662010-01-18T15:21:00.004-05:002010-01-18T17:29:47.678-05:00Chicken, Potato and Corn ChowderThis recipe is a slight variation from <span style="font-style: italic;">Cooking Light's</span> <a href="http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1142037">Potato and Corn Chowder</a> (January 2006 issue). Like many other cooks, I'm now in love with MyRecipes.com, which is where I found this archived Cooking Light recipe. By finding the recipe online, I was able to benefit from a ton of great ideas for tweaking the recipe based on the reader reviews. See below for the recipe and some tweaks of my own in red!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhalYknEm-NFHxUOVAT0snqCcxtuTEV5tp_6DaFQrVIrAeMwq41xB6Myvkvv6u_OUPshGmobEqbCNMkqjupxiccHTnK1oJaLUhfbR9jEdJBf_msUjgyt7h7nlo_3ExLEsv0TS8tRM1Nkr1o/s1600-h/Potato+and+corn+chowder.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 309px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhalYknEm-NFHxUOVAT0snqCcxtuTEV5tp_6DaFQrVIrAeMwq41xB6Myvkvv6u_OUPshGmobEqbCNMkqjupxiccHTnK1oJaLUhfbR9jEdJBf_msUjgyt7h7nlo_3ExLEsv0TS8tRM1Nkr1o/s400/Potato+and+corn+chowder.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428179489112642658" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Chicken, Potato and Corn Chowder</span></span><br />Based off of <span style="font-style: italic;">Cooking Light's</span> <a href="http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1142037">Potato and Corn Chowder</a> (January 2006) I added calories with the olive oil, chicken and broth, but saved a few on the fat-free half and half. <div class="rcpdetail" id="ingredients"> <h2><span style="font-size:85%;">Ingredients</span></h2> <ul><li><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"> </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Cooking spray</span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"> (I used olive oil - I have a cast-iron dutch oven and prefer using real oil rather than cooking spray with it)</span><br /></li><li>1 1/2 cups prechopped green bell pepper <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-style: italic;">(I took this out based on the reviews)</span> </li><li>1 cup chopped green onions, divided (about 1 bunch)</li><li><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-style: italic;">A hefty handful of pre-diced celery and onion mix</span> <span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">(I added this in to replace the bell pepper)</span><br /></li><li> 2 cups frozen corn kernels</li><li> 1 1/4 cups water</li><li><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">About 1 1/2 cups of low-sodium chicken broth</span><br /></li><li> 1 teaspoon seafood seasoning (such as Old Bay)</li><li> 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves</li><li> 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper</li><li><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"> </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">1 pound baking potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">(I probably ended up using about 2 lbs. of potatoes.... oops?)</span><br /></li><li><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"> </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">1 cup half-and-half</span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"> (I used fat-free and it turned out reat, still. Less fat!)</span><br /></li><li><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"> </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">1/4 cup chopped parsley</span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"> (nope.... I don't really care about parsley)</span><br /></li><li><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">1 1/2 cups rotisserie chicken, chopped. (I got mine at publix.)</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"> </span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">3/4 teaspoon salt </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">(I added more because te reviews said it was a little bland, and because I added more volume to the chowder with the potatoes and broth)</span><br /></li><li> 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese</li></ul> </div><!-- end class="rcpdetail" --> <div class="rcpdetail" id="preparation"> <h2><span style="font-size:100%;">Preparation</span></h2> <p>Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-style: italic;">(or about 1-2 tbsp olive oil)</span>. Add bell pepper and 3/4 cup green onions <span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">(I added the celery / onion mix here)</span> , and sauté 4 minutes or until lightly browned.</p><p>Increase heat to high; add corn, <span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">(I waited at this step and let the corn do a little bit of roasting with the veggies before adding the liquids - the reviews said roasting the corn gave it a little more flavor.) </span>water, <span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">chicken broth,</span> </span>seafood seasoning, thyme, red pepper, and potatoes; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender <span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">(it took about an additional 5-10 minutes since I had added more potatoes and broth)</span>. Remove from heat, <span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">mash the potatoes down using a potato masher or pastry fork so that the consistency thickens a little</span>. </span>Stir in half-and-half,<span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-style: italic;"> chicken, and</span> chopped parsley, and salt. Place about 1 1/2 cups soup in each of 4 bowls; sprinkle each with 2 tablespoons cheese and 1 tablespoon green onions.</p> </div>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00775361428058860178noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-294420695602798314.post-20381504492279981122010-01-10T14:14:00.006-05:002010-01-10T14:47:48.681-05:00Roasted Winter VeggiesWhen I'm being good, roasted veggies are what satisfy my cold-weather cravings for something warm, savory and filling. I posted about <a href="http://healthiefoodie.blogspot.com/2009/03/my-favorite-roasted-brussel-sprouts.html">my favorite roasted veggies</a> earlier last year, and truth be told, brussel sprouts onions and carrots remain my favorite. But this recipe is another alternative with butternut squash, turnips and yams.<br /><br />I bought these root veggies already pre-cut from Trader Joe's, which was such a life saver! Truly, curring up a butternut squash is my version of a nightmare; it's harder than carving a pumkin!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimsJpbgiZCkk7ZP5O5joTNKA-JAQYc4sLRZyhIygUhQ71O00FyJNHDtGi3V9f8uUEw36uRc3Na0pE5TD002cvaCJ-X7PS6f_1v-4Nkzx1GIB0Yt7jD4omkbGJWLCcNX1hG4bfRe7TSeef3/s1600-h/harvestmedley.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 268px; height: 355px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimsJpbgiZCkk7ZP5O5joTNKA-JAQYc4sLRZyhIygUhQ71O00FyJNHDtGi3V9f8uUEw36uRc3Na0pE5TD002cvaCJ-X7PS6f_1v-4Nkzx1GIB0Yt7jD4omkbGJWLCcNX1hG4bfRe7TSeef3/s400/harvestmedley.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425193667421933970" border="0" /></a><br />I added some carrots to the medley and roasted the mixture at 425 with some olive oil, kosher salt, pepper, garlic, rosemary and thyme. I think it took roughly 20-25 minutes to get the veggies to a roasted brown color.<br /><br />Here was my finished product:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid2hiYEEbYSYVWM7-rJ422SfjVnIkd0Rf87tkAYpKgS0i9sWOWHBkEkaHNk3kl-LXerimw7EQShR729jkwROhCdU1QeBuduycDzHHxtNS5nLjL5MMQt2wc02LOI4lUvshl8hiIBOf9lq71/s1600-h/IMG_1000.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid2hiYEEbYSYVWM7-rJ422SfjVnIkd0Rf87tkAYpKgS0i9sWOWHBkEkaHNk3kl-LXerimw7EQShR729jkwROhCdU1QeBuduycDzHHxtNS5nLjL5MMQt2wc02LOI4lUvshl8hiIBOf9lq71/s400/IMG_1000.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425194639210996690" border="0" /></a>I was particularly happy that I could take this photo during the daytime, when lighting made it so much easier to take pictures. The veggies smelled delicioius, although I think I discovered that I like butternut squash and yams more when they are roasted with sweet flavors, like brown sugar. Personally, I'll probably stick to my original roasted vegetables. The bitterness of brussels sprouts is much more appealing to me with garlic and herb flavors.<br /><br />The recipe itself is really not brain surgery, and I've seen lots of great foodies make these veggies with some variation. Here are a couple of good recipes to try as well:<br /><br /><ul><li style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/roasted-winter-vegetables-recipe/index.html">Roasted Winter Vegetables</a> from Ina Garten</li><li><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Herbed-Roasted-Winter-Vegetables-108829">Herbed Roasted Winter Vegetables</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> from Bon Appetit via Epicurious</span> (<span style="font-style: italic;">I really want to try this recipe because it roasts beets, acorn squash, and rutabegas among others - all of which I haven't worked wth much before!)</span></li><li><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://bitten.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/29/roasting-winter-vegetables/">Roasted Winter Vegetables</a><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">from NYT's Bitten Blog</span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></li></ul>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00775361428058860178noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-294420695602798314.post-67559581398496815142010-01-09T19:53:00.022-05:002010-01-09T22:19:38.488-05:00An overdue holiday baking post (and an unofficial tribute to nutella)<span style="font-family:verdana;">I made a lot of baked goods toward the end of 2009 that were delicious and worthy of sharing (even though I'm a couple of months late!) The two that I'll feaure now had nutella on the ingredients list, which means I was SOLD as soon as I saw them in </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:verdana;" >Cooking Light</span><span style="font-family:verdana;">.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">The only downfall was, while these recipes came from Cooking Light, I discovered they are not actually "light" by my own definitions, but really just an example of a "responsible portion" of a full-fat food. Some people would practice the "everything in moderation" mantra when eating sweets, but I just can't have a 1 inch square of baklava for 300 calories and call it a day....</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Generally if I know I can't have just one of something, I try not to set myself up for disaster, but in this case, I did not follow my own advice. These recipes were pretty high calorie for the serving size, so, please know that while they were super delicious, these recipes are NOT your best bet for a conservative calroic alternative.</span><br /><br /><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;" > <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1941049">Chocolate Baklava</a></span><span style="font-family:verdana;"> from December 2009 issue </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:verdana;" >Cooking Light<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">This baklava probably ranks among one of my favorite kinds of desserts, because it has all of my weaknesses. Delicious nuts like almonds, hazelnuts and pistachios that give it texture and crunch, with buttery flaky phyllo dough... and </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:verdana;" >nutella</span><span style="font-family:verdana;">!!!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">As I mentioned, I have an unhealthy love for Nutella. Ben looked over into the kitchen at one point in my baking process, and saw me elbow-deep in nutella and gladfully licking it off of every finger. Not my finest moment... </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">The whole process was a little frustrating the day I made it. First off - the grocery stores in the area were working against me, and it took me forever to buy everything I needed. I even had to buy a glass baking dish, since Ben's apartment is not quite as stocked for baking as mine...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Then , of course we all know how difficult it can be to work with phyllo, but once I finally got everything assembled, I accidentally poured the honey solution over the dish BEFORE baking (what was I thinking?!!). Fortunately, the consistency was still spot on, except for pieces in the middle of the dish which were a little too gooey. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">All in all, this recipe was completely delicious, but I'll have to wait awhile before making it again, since I'll be inclined to eat 1/3 of the pan in a sitting...</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXDeRB_kjqA7ri3zzXQWZr9UtUtKqR-1VBLG4pvpxZRjpKF4-TM5D91YjZh8VL4bEYhfibud9kVSTrvHt1FGlQscv9Rt_-NWdIb4agwOy5lbFwwKc7XqDiGdk28VpO0ppkdpLzYYydZ_Zl/s1600-h/IMG_0985.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXDeRB_kjqA7ri3zzXQWZr9UtUtKqR-1VBLG4pvpxZRjpKF4-TM5D91YjZh8VL4bEYhfibud9kVSTrvHt1FGlQscv9Rt_-NWdIb4agwOy5lbFwwKc7XqDiGdk28VpO0ppkdpLzYYydZ_Zl/s400/IMG_0985.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424933818299929986" border="0" /></a><br /> <strong>Yield:</strong> 24 servings (serving size: 1 piece = 238 calories)<br /> <div style="font-family: verdana;" class="rcpdetail" id="mainstats"> </div><!-- end class="rcpdetail" --> <div class="rcpdetail" id="ingredients" style="font-family:verdana;"> <h2><span style="font-size:100%;">Ingredients</span></h2> <ul><li> 3/4 cup honey</li><li> 1/2 cup water</li><li> 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick</li><li> 1 cup hazelnut-chocolate spread (such as Nutella)</li><li> 1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped</li><li> 1/2 cup roasted pistachios, coarsely chopped</li><li> 1/3 cup blanched toasted almonds, coarsely chopped</li><li> 1/3 cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped (I subbed the walnuts, which I'm allergic to, for more almonds))</li><li> 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon</li><li> 1/8 teaspoon salt</li><li> Cooking spray</li><li> 24 (14 x 9–inch) sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed</li><li> 1/2 cup butter, melted</li></ul> </div><!-- end class="rcpdetail" --> <div class="rcpdetail" id="preparation" style="font-family:verdana;"> <h2><span style="font-size:100%;">Preparation</span></h2> <ol><li>Combine the first 3 ingredients in a medium saucepan over low heat; stir until honey dissolves. Increase heat to medium; cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer registers 230° (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat; keep warm. Discard cinnamon stick.</li><li>Preheat oven to 350°.</li><li>Place hazelnut-chocolate spread in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave at HIGH for 30 seconds or until melted. Combine hazelnuts and next 5 ingredients (through salt). Lightly coat a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Working with 1 phyllo sheet at a time (cover remaining dough to prevent drying), place 1 phyllo sheet lengthwise in bottom of prepared pan, allowing ends of sheet to extend over edges of dish; lightly brush with butter. Repeat procedure with 5 phyllo sheets and butter. Drizzle about 1/3 cup melted hazelnut -chocolate spread over phyllo. Sprinkle evenly with one-third of nut mixture (about 1/2 cup). Repeat procedure twice with phyllo, butter, hazelnut-chocolate spread, and nut mixture. Top last layer of nut mixture with remaining 6 sheets phyllo, each lightly brushed with butter. Press gently into pan.</li><li>Make 3 lengthwise cuts and 5 crosswise cuts to form 24 portions using a sharp knife. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes or until phyllo is golden. Remove from oven. Drizzle honey mixture over baklava. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Cover; store at room temperature.</li></ol><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Next up....</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" ><br /><br /><a href="http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1941058">Chocolate-Hazelnut Thumbprints</a></span> f rom December 2009 issue of <span style="font-style: italic;">Cooking Light</span><br /><br />Truthfully, I was sick as a dog when I made these, but I was determined to do some holiday baking, and wanted to bring these for a Christmas party with close friends from college. They were a delight to make, although I found that this was a particularly cakey dough, so it wasn't as easy as I had thought to roll the cookies in chopped hazelnuts.<br /><br />Aaaaand just like the baklava above, I truly could not resist snacking on the nutella straight from thejar, and sneaking bits of dough while I was cooking. So if I am being honest, this was really a healthy cooking FAIL.<br /><h2><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmdNqc4Wdn1tNOnfsa3LRcyNyhezCq-I9KVAGc9yNSZkG9jq5BL-JLZoiBgILWOq6a1U4K7Inb5KJnIMBtf22krVXiR-LOye6U_XQtFKbsHNmkq1YpLUcCq55eWqGqoAtjG4-MOkCogfVl/s1600-h/IMG_1004.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmdNqc4Wdn1tNOnfsa3LRcyNyhezCq-I9KVAGc9yNSZkG9jq5BL-JLZoiBgILWOq6a1U4K7Inb5KJnIMBtf22krVXiR-LOye6U_XQtFKbsHNmkq1YpLUcCq55eWqGqoAtjG4-MOkCogfVl/s400/IMG_1004.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424937563851933490" border="0" /></a></h2> <div class="rcpdetail" id="mainstats"> <p> <strong>Yield:</strong> 28 cookies (serving size: 1 cookie = 104 calories)<br /></p> <p> </p> </div><!-- end class="rcpdetail" --> <div class="rcpdetail" id="ingredients"> <h2><span style="font-size:100%;">Ingredients</span></h2> <ul><li> 4.5 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 cup)</li><li> 1 cup powdered sugar<div class="cssButtonOuter"><div class="cssButtonMiddle"><div class="cssButtonInner"><a>Save Now</a></div></div></div></li><li> 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa</li><li> 1/4 teaspoon salt</li><li> 1/2 cup butter, softened</li><li> 2 large egg yolks</li><li> 1 teaspoon instant espresso (optional)</li><li> 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract</li><li> 2/3 cup finely chopped hazelnuts, toasted</li><li> 1/3 cup hazelnut-chocolate spread (such as Nutella)</li></ul> </div><!-- end class="rcpdetail" --> <div class="rcpdetail" id="preparation"> <h2><span style="font-size:100%;">Preparation</span></h2> <ol><li>Preheat oven to 350°.</li><li>Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, and salt; stir with a whisk. Place butter in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Stir egg yolks with a whisk, adding espresso, if desired. Add the yolk mixture and vanilla to butter; beat well. Add flour mixture to butter mixture; beat at low speed just until combined.</li><li>Turn dough out onto a sheet of wax paper; knead 6 times or until smooth and shiny. Shape dough into 28 (1-inch) balls. Roll sides of balls in nuts, pressing gently. Arrange balls 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Press thumb into center of each cookie, leaving an indentation. Bake, 1 batch at a time, at 350° for 10 minutes. Remove cookies from pans; cool completely on wire racks. Spoon a scant 1/2 teaspoon hazelnut-chocolate spread into center of each cookie.</li></ol> </div> </div>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00775361428058860178noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-294420695602798314.post-40984310412982032872009-11-30T22:10:00.005-05:002009-11-30T22:33:12.355-05:00The good, the bad, and the ugly of recent foodie encountersIt's been a while since I posted - given that little Thanksgiving thing last week, ya know - so I thought I should write up a little post tonight.<br /><br />Lately, I've had mixed emotions about eating, dieting, cooking. It's a mix of being inspired to cook non-healthy things for the nurturing fun of it, but then also wanting more than ever to drop a couple of the pounds that I've gained back since moving to Atlanta, and re-joined the real world. ("Real World" meaning a life that is shared with other people - a boyfriend I see and cook for on the weekends, cooking for fun, and actually going out to eat with friends - rather than sticking to myself, working out and barely eating.)<br /><br />I'm still not sure I've figured out the right balance or the right routine to make sure I don't put on weight. Maybe it's just that I am super concerned since it's the holidays and I am coming off of a week where I indulged, but it's been weighing (no pun intended) on my mind lately.<br /><br />But if there's one thing I've been doing right, it's this:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikDiC-pAad9yZriQQMT-0z31RAo792JZdUW5zQY6HvHEUDtiUuAkYRmZxBSRDA5YzLTOJd96kJv8WOuzNSW5-OVuxHlwElGEhdBJ8nTB4eWcXp6JE78VN5HyMucXP2lcMOcdcnB38MV-5K/s1600/IMG_0945.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikDiC-pAad9yZriQQMT-0z31RAo792JZdUW5zQY6HvHEUDtiUuAkYRmZxBSRDA5YzLTOJd96kJv8WOuzNSW5-OVuxHlwElGEhdBJ8nTB4eWcXp6JE78VN5HyMucXP2lcMOcdcnB38MV-5K/s400/IMG_0945.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410101628182974658" border="0" /></a><br />My trusty, HUGE tupperware full of raw veggies and fat-free T. Marzetti's ranch veggie dip. It's so filling, and I think pretty tasty. If there's one thing I need to keep doing, it's filling myself up on stuff like this.<br /><br />If there's another thing I've been doing right, it's this:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOjeA0PW8qVyVKqLG1OuKAz9AAvKTQWzBTGiBGuaQBSyxFt0IJ4-jmrdpiIhgmlFzQ0xXXrYElK-QhXAXYjUv9PCi9G0HV6VV9fcogCNZoHh2R1Tz3QB3_oGWG4tX-ieO3PP2hlJ-fwfap/s1600/IMG_0956.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOjeA0PW8qVyVKqLG1OuKAz9AAvKTQWzBTGiBGuaQBSyxFt0IJ4-jmrdpiIhgmlFzQ0xXXrYElK-QhXAXYjUv9PCi9G0HV6VV9fcogCNZoHh2R1Tz3QB3_oGWG4tX-ieO3PP2hlJ-fwfap/s400/IMG_0956.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410102851463364146" border="0" /></a>Enjoying things like fresh flowers, instead of food-things. Oh, and generally enjoying life and other people.<br /><br />What I need to do more of:<br /><ul><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Work out.</span> This means stop wasting time in the evenings. Which probably also means working late, and then coming home and wasting time on the computer. If I can't control the working late part, I can't keep making excuses for letting it affect the routines I know are good for me.<br /></li></ul><ul><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Stay focused. </span>You see, it's the eating, stupid<span style="font-weight: bold;">: </span>during a dinner party, at work when someone brings in a baked good, at home when I get a recipe I want to try that I know I'll over-indulge in. Regardless, it all starts with just NOT eating it (or cooking it) in the first place. Not sure if that's something I'll ever truly master, but I can try.<br /></li></ul>In the meantime, I should probably just work out more. Which means I should go to bed, so I will wake up in the morning and get on the trusty elliptical machine.<br /><br />Good night!Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00775361428058860178noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-294420695602798314.post-70354102078434503572009-11-16T20:41:00.006-05:002009-11-16T21:44:49.062-05:00Grilled chicken salad with lentils, feta and shallotsI wanted to share the salad I made for lunch today, because it's a new winning combo for my lunches of late.<br /><br />I - like a lot of people - typically only like salads when they have a lot of <span style="font-style: italic;">stuff</span> on them. The usual suspects are cheese, croutons, chicken, hard boiled egg, and creamy dressings. I've tried using the low-fat versions of all of these items, but at the end of the day, even the lowfat condiments and toppings "add up" to sometimes not be worth it in my diet book.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">For instance:<br /></div>A salad with lettuce, cucumber, tomato = O points<br /> Add 1/4 cup reduced fat shredded cheese = 2 points<br /> Add a hard boiled egg = 2 points<br /> Add 3 oz grilled chicken = 3 points<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">= 7 points total</span><br /></div><br />And that's not even counting dressing.<br /><br />Now, that's not an unreasonable amount for most dieters - about the same as your average lean cuisine meal - but it's still close to half of my daily points value. For me, I've always needed enough budge room in my points or calories to be able to "play" throughout the day, whether that's a mid morning snack, a little candy, a latte, etc.<br /><br />So, in the end, I've experimented with different kinds of salads, but more often than not, I defer against them because I'd rather get veggies a different way.<br /><br />But this salad.... <span style="font-style: italic;">this salad</span> was a keeper. And for what I calculated was a 4-5 point total.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFqQ9ynJfoIzp8y8Zow1L_vuY1qBSlPzIn0CeGlTqkxQiDdydJqzbKYGtA6ctvVXArS1v3D4Q9qxW9AhYiiheZc2SRsF8HXHnScIu5k8YfQJShqR2Yez1oKjCDKjYo2AZ7cRiWDJRE5kNG/s1600/Chicken+salad.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFqQ9ynJfoIzp8y8Zow1L_vuY1qBSlPzIn0CeGlTqkxQiDdydJqzbKYGtA6ctvVXArS1v3D4Q9qxW9AhYiiheZc2SRsF8HXHnScIu5k8YfQJShqR2Yez1oKjCDKjYo2AZ7cRiWDJRE5kNG/s400/Chicken+salad.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404891007968869970" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Baby spring greens, grilled chicken, 1/4 cup lentils, 1/4 cup reduced fat feta, shallots.<br /><br />Shallots = o points<br />1/4 cup lentils= 0 points (60 cals / 4 g fiber)<br />1/4 cup reduced fat feta = 1 point<br />Lettuce = o points<br />3 oz chicken cooked with spray (no oil) = 3 points.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I had brought some lemon and garlic herb dressing that is 25 cals per 2 Tbsp. which would have been 1 point, but I had enough going on with the salad that I didnt even use it. It was really yummyand I think the lentils were a great way to add <span style="font-style: italic;">stuff</span> with hardly any additonal points or calories.<br /><br />Before this salad topping magic-maker, I had really been enjoying grilled veggies, like red onions and peppers, but they were not as good leftover as they were freshly cooked.<br /><br />What are your favorite salad toppers?<br /></div></div>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00775361428058860178noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-294420695602798314.post-52584856927368278102009-11-15T21:42:00.006-05:002009-11-15T22:05:53.423-05:00Low Fat Cheesy Chicken EnchiladasI was excited to make these <a href="http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1891956">low fat chicken enchiladas </a>that I had found through MyRecipes.com, since I'm always looking for guy-friendly meals.<br /><br />These were a delicious change of pace, and about 8 Weight Watchers points a piece (454 calories). Both Ben and my roomate's boyfriend liked them a lot, which begs the question: if these pass the "not-so-diet-conscious-guy" taste test, why would you make them with full-fat ingredients?<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWBA99M5CYBSKLz115O_F-_Rh5ADXAF_WcYE8AmZ1tY8ded3CRNH9mL330-pITyeFSElDL5LfNnFJftf4x6GaAfuypdCOB5bY3JTLBMb8gIng-nhdkodCZshJBXbSN_DXmb28plHepy0Ra/s1600/cheesy+chicken+enchiladas.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWBA99M5CYBSKLz115O_F-_Rh5ADXAF_WcYE8AmZ1tY8ded3CRNH9mL330-pITyeFSElDL5LfNnFJftf4x6GaAfuypdCOB5bY3JTLBMb8gIng-nhdkodCZshJBXbSN_DXmb28plHepy0Ra/s400/cheesy+chicken+enchiladas.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404528296110943442" border="0" /></a>(I also just noticed the <span style="font-style: italic;">Cooking Light</span> picture has these in a green casserole dish as well!)<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br />These call for normal flour tortillas (medium sized), but I was wondering how they would be with low-carb flour tortillas? Maybe it would compromise the taste. I may experiment at report back. Normally I'm a sucker for cutting out the calories of normal flour tortillas since they can be so "expensive" calorically.<br /><br />A serving is one enchilada, and this makes 8. Here's the recipe from Cooking Light below. Enjoy!<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="rcpdetail" id="mainstats"> <p><span style="font-size:130%;"><a href="http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1891956">Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas, <span style="font-style: italic;">Cooking Light May 2009</span></a></span><br /> </p> </div><!-- end class="rcpdetail" --> <div class="rcpdetail" id="ingredients"> <h2><span style="font-size:100%;">Ingredients</span></h2> <ul><li> 2 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast</li><li> 2 cups (8 ounces) preshredded reduced-fat 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese</li><li> 1 2/3 cups plain low-fat yogurt</li><li> 1/3 cup butter, melted</li><li> 1/4 cup chopped onion</li><li> 1 teaspoon minced garlic</li><li> 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper</li><li> 1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed reduced-fat, reduced-sodium cream of chicken soup (such as Healthy Request), undiluted</li><li> 1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained</li><li> 8 (8-inch) flour tortillas</li><li> 1 tablespoon canola oil</li><li> Cooking spray</li><li> 1/2 cup (2 ounces) finely shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese</li><li> 1/4 cup chopped green onions</li></ul> </div><!-- end class="rcpdetail" --> <div class="rcpdetail" id="preparation"> <h2><span style="font-size:100%;">Preparation</span></h2> <ol><li>Preheat oven to 350°.</li><li>Combine first 9 ingredients in a large bowl. Remove 1 cup chicken mixture; set mixture aside.</li><li>Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working with 1 tortilla at a time, brush oil over both sides of tortilla. Add tortilla to pan; cook 5 seconds on each side or until toasted and soft. Remove from pan; arrange 1/2 cup chicken mixture down center of tortilla. Roll jelly-roll style; place filled tortilla, seam side down, in a 13 x 9–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Repeat procedure with remaining 7 tortillas, remaining oil, and remaining chicken mixture. Spread reserved 1 cup chicken mixture evenly over enchiladas. Cover and bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle evenly with cheddar cheese and green onions; bake an additional 5 minutes or until cheese melts.</li></ol> </div><!-- end class="rcpdetail" --> <h2><span style="font-size:100%;">Nutritional Information</span></h2> <dl><dt>Calories: 454 </dt><dt>Fat: 20.3g (sat 10.4g,mono 6.7g,poly 1.5g) </dt><dt>Protein: 30.8g</dt><dt>Carbohydrate: 36.6g</dt><dt>Fiber: 2.2g</dt><dt>Cholesterol: 73mg</dt><dt>Iron: 2.3mg</dt><dt>Sodium: 757mg</dt></dl></div></div>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00775361428058860178noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-294420695602798314.post-46465475241431372152009-11-08T13:29:00.008-05:002009-11-08T15:29:46.689-05:00A Not So Healthie Birthday Celebration (Plus Dinner by Kevin from Top Chef!)First, let's just start with this picture:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8m7E1nWtkEK6QlyZ3HcH9nsFQ2gb6tmPgpsK9DKd7H_Zo-Sd63ZAoi6y9YFUFtnD3CVBbUjZtKdv4qfXocLhslb-k6IeG9U0q5FIRuL2fKbqfjVHGXOoRrWYJaacCDs7ixZRPlcnvNsf_/s1600-h/IMG_0532.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8m7E1nWtkEK6QlyZ3HcH9nsFQ2gb6tmPgpsK9DKd7H_Zo-Sd63ZAoi6y9YFUFtnD3CVBbUjZtKdv4qfXocLhslb-k6IeG9U0q5FIRuL2fKbqfjVHGXOoRrWYJaacCDs7ixZRPlcnvNsf_/s400/IMG_0532.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401802855788191266" border="0" /></a><br />That's right, in the middle there you'll see a man named Kevin Gillespie. You might recognize him from this season of <span style="font-style: italic;">Top Chef</span>. (We're all such huge fans! We're rooting for you Kevin!)<br /><br />Yesterday was my sister's birthday, so Erin and her boyfriend Richard decided to come to Atlanta last minute to head to Kevin's restaurant, <a href="http://www.woodfiregrill.com/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Woodfire</span> Grill</a>. Ben and I of course willingly joined them :).<br /><br />It was so decadent and delicious, although a little pricey for a standard Saturday night.<br /><br />I had a champagne cocktail, with elderflower and oregano syrup which was such a delightful addition to the normal bubbly. Then, we did the 5-course tasting menu. Since we did the tasting menu, everything was a surprise, so my apologies that my descriptions of what we ate are not exactly on point.<br /><br /><ul><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Compliments of the Chef: </span>A sort of Amuse <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Bouche</span> that was a play on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">waldorf</span> salad. It had braised apple and celery, with a mixture of creme <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">freche</span> and some kind of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">aioli</span>.<br /></li></ul><ul><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">First Course: </span>Sous <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">vide</span> egg with micro black eyed peas and tomato broth (and other fancy stuff I can't remember...)<br /></li></ul><ul><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Second Course: </span>Caramelized Georgia Diver scallop with an olive <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">tapenade</span>, local Georgia butter beans and a lamb <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">jus</span>.</li></ul><ul><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Third Course: </span>Raw oysters from Washington state (can't remember the formal kind we had) and they had diced pepper and red onion on top (again, can't remember the fancy components!)<br /></li></ul><ul><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Fourth Course: </span>Roasted duck, over a pink lady apple and parsnip pure with firewood roasted gala apples and an apple cider reduction on the side.</li></ul><ul><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Fifth Course:</span> Braised pork belly with a watermelon radish and fresh herb salad on top, with roasted carrots dusted with cumin.</li></ul><ul><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dessert:</span>Toasted sponge cake wit<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">h apple</span>-pear <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">gelato</span> with a banana chip and an apple-balsamic reduction and apples <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">tartin</span> on the side and a dark chocolate stuffed crepes with cocoa nib <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">streusel</span>, whipped cream and latte sauce.<br /></li></ul>I can't believe how good it all was! Since we decided to go kind of last-minute, we could only get a reservation for 10:15, which means we had to have a few things to snack on earlier in the evening to help us make it to such a late dinner!<br /><br />First, I put out the classic veggies and dip to snack on:<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjACDKCmjrP6hhDEDMoHY6jCLRcf3LVg-I9cOxprpLOSBLOsSCXApLp40F4rKXt19B56lhD0dmuO110QxuPw2tK3kS7C4kTc22ZuhmrZzO1P6cjh15TEvpi0k75Uibhpga8y5ZsOY1-8lPP/s1600-h/IMG_0949.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjACDKCmjrP6hhDEDMoHY6jCLRcf3LVg-I9cOxprpLOSBLOsSCXApLp40F4rKXt19B56lhD0dmuO110QxuPw2tK3kS7C4kTc22ZuhmrZzO1P6cjh15TEvpi0k75Uibhpga8y5ZsOY1-8lPP/s400/IMG_0949.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401830076714472146" border="0" /></a><br />Then - because it was a special <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">occasion</span>, I also made a baked brie. I think this is by far one of my favorite things in the world. I don't think I could ever get tired of it:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZqivtmYb3TU8EvIbiAc9PnWKTllNfnj9lotwOXnOSq-eP0i_mLpsAAqB6ih4qPI36WKOCgZvw0qS80SAMVDaW8OjObzUmrxOyXMvzWxu2Ge7491WOruxVkjI4TJSsnPNu8JLXA2n6Z7VZ/s1600-h/IMG_0948.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZqivtmYb3TU8EvIbiAc9PnWKTllNfnj9lotwOXnOSq-eP0i_mLpsAAqB6ih4qPI36WKOCgZvw0qS80SAMVDaW8OjObzUmrxOyXMvzWxu2Ge7491WOruxVkjI4TJSsnPNu8JLXA2n6Z7VZ/s400/IMG_0948.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401831160364663490" border="0" /></a><br />(Clearly we devoured this... truth be told, I probably ate a little too much of this before such a nice meal! I was a little too full for the rest of the evening...)<br /><br />We had some wine and beer, and watched some football for the evening while we waited for our dinner <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">reservations</span>. Overall I think Erin had a pretty good birthday and we were glad we could help her celebrate.Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00775361428058860178noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-294420695602798314.post-80310012440152588052009-11-02T21:50:00.010-05:002009-11-03T20:32:12.350-05:00Highlights from HalloweenWell, it wasn't a completely "Healthie Halloween" ... mostly just cute. My caloric intake was not a total disaster that day, but let's just say I was hardly on track...<br /><br />But back to the cute part! Here are some pictures and recipes of the treats I made on Saturday, which I dare say were the highlight of my holiday.<br /><br />Pumpkin Cheese ball....<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTs5oNyCCHF7lsry41rTga4_BBH7hcDhF7DIw014z5Na0wE9aAJimbKnjifdJ_MTiaZE36plHoMdfrDvrgNQavO9aLLLiBJoDKAWOSLNm_8VJxosHldmXiKcv7kQ5I4rGB9-syOBpfBbRR/s1600-h/PA310034.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTs5oNyCCHF7lsry41rTga4_BBH7hcDhF7DIw014z5Na0wE9aAJimbKnjifdJ_MTiaZE36plHoMdfrDvrgNQavO9aLLLiBJoDKAWOSLNm_8VJxosHldmXiKcv7kQ5I4rGB9-syOBpfBbRR/s400/PA310034.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399705129261861426" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Recipe from <a href="http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1924744">Southern Living</a></span><br /></div><br />I thought this was so cute!! I didn't even care if people ate it, I just wanted to make it. Just <span style="font-style: italic;">because...</span> and let me tell you it was so easy! As easy as forming cheese into a ball and making divets with your fingers. We'll call this playdough for big kids. Hungry, big kids.<br /><br />Next up, sausage balls:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSRekKGuc4RUp_jwJE-RDnNFs2EykybhyphenhyphenZyLxwyN64ntd2QEEWLw0XjZtdZYH1Fg-2h88nkaZTdwXyuDiHX8ZPUQNP4H8bKIqIb726cmA9f8F2tHvtKnB07Uoxp-QzIimLkABDMA4L9V7M/s1600-h/PA310038.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSRekKGuc4RUp_jwJE-RDnNFs2EykybhyphenhyphenZyLxwyN64ntd2QEEWLw0XjZtdZYH1Fg-2h88nkaZTdwXyuDiHX8ZPUQNP4H8bKIqIb726cmA9f8F2tHvtKnB07Uoxp-QzIimLkABDMA4L9V7M/s400/PA310038.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399706490775453826" border="0" /></a><br />If you look close up, you'll see I decorated some of them as bats, trying to mimic this adorable recipe for <a href="http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1875211&adsqs=raid:1670668">Bat Bites</a> from All You Magazine. Basically I shmeared some cream cheese lightly on the sausage balls to provide some stick, rolled them in poppy seeds and stuck in some broken tortilla chips. I unfortunately did't get an up-close pic of them, but they were cute :)<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">(As for the sausage ball recipe itself, it was 1 lb. hot sausage, 1 lb cheddar, 3 cups biscuick and 1/2 cup of water. cook sausage and let cool, combine ingredients, form the bite-sized balls and cook on ungreased pan at 400 for 12-15 minutes.)<br /><br /><br /></span><span>And finally.... Ghost cupcakes!<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBgNjcaoXrSygzdA5DjHoBOHWfYnkcm8lGPbi-R0OfJxbhGLOZaEJEkQh2eXKb_ehU0H-dMr3V6uRSVUrvtxHtrGfwrZSjNfihipAbqEEbmm8MTqhS7bFuwh8hIhUshPkXggmpIsYfof00/s1600-h/PA310031.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBgNjcaoXrSygzdA5DjHoBOHWfYnkcm8lGPbi-R0OfJxbhGLOZaEJEkQh2eXKb_ehU0H-dMr3V6uRSVUrvtxHtrGfwrZSjNfihipAbqEEbmm8MTqhS7bFuwh8hIhUshPkXggmpIsYfof00/s400/PA310031.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400050073820508194" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Idea based off of this recipe from <a href="http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1875464">All You</a><br /></span></div><br /><br />So - were there any "healthie highlights" from Saturday? Actually, yes.<br /><br />You'll be glad to know that those chocolate cupcakes were made low-fat by substituting the oil for applesauce. In truth, I was going to make them the regular way, but realized we were somehow out of vegetable oil. I was <span style="font-style: italic;">forced</span> to be healthy, but they were delicious in the end so I was glad! Because the ghosts were made with cool whip, I saved some significant fat and cals from regular icing.<br /><br />Also, I had a strategy on Saturday that some may not agree with, but it was realistic for me. Basically, I knew I would be snacking as I cooked, and snacking throughout the party. So why bother eating a formal lunch or dinner? It was basically a landslide of snacking, but at least I didn't waste calories on additional meals when the snacking would have occurred anyway :) When possible throughout the day, I did snack on veggies and yogurt ranch dip to help fill up on the good stuff.<br /><br />How was Halloween for everyone else?!Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00775361428058860178noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-294420695602798314.post-12827275113658143812009-10-28T19:54:00.005-04:002009-10-28T21:03:25.116-04:00I need a new camera + TheDailyPlate.com<span style="font-family: verdana;">I would post so much more often if I had a good camera. I swear.<br /><br />Well,the camera and good picture-taking skills to match, actually. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">But I say this, because I take even worse pictures than usual with my camera right now, particularly due to poor apartment lighting. (Not to mention that the face plate of the camera is falling off!)</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> So, I keep not posting recipes and items I made because I keep not taking pictures, and well - posts about cooking seem to just be boring without the images.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm looking at getting a new camera, but in the meantime, I continue to be inspired (and I'll admit, jealous) by other <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">bloggers</span> far more talented than me. (Ahem, see the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">blogroll</span> to the right.)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">I've also been playing with <a href="http://www.livestrong.com/thedailyplate"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">TheDailyPlate</span>.com</a>, which let's you populate your "plate" online with items you ate that day. Once you've filled your plate, it helps you understand how many calories you have left in the day based on your body and weight loss goals.</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkuTLSTobXRKZrwxvWgp7S7zQ_l3mxf-pDh0E3mhyphenhyphenGNfRrTth2h3xdihhMjZ0dTvcrCXzNyUb176l_oO0HdFtGedW6ygsQMQr2L61cZIr_SA2gFyu6WS4Sn0C244_2PQuRsMf_oys22E1H/s1600-h/dailyplate+copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 471px; height: 379px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkuTLSTobXRKZrwxvWgp7S7zQ_l3mxf-pDh0E3mhyphenhyphenGNfRrTth2h3xdihhMjZ0dTvcrCXzNyUb176l_oO0HdFtGedW6ygsQMQr2L61cZIr_SA2gFyu6WS4Sn0C244_2PQuRsMf_oys22E1H/s400/dailyplate+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397816746155406738" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">I must say - it's a little tedious to look up and populate items online like this, but it is extremely informative. Unlike weight watchers (which I love), this tool helps you track progress over a week, and also helps you track all factors of your diet: cholesterol, sodium, fat, calories, sugars, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">carbs</span>, etc.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">This is particularly helpful for when you may need a reminder to avoid certain slip ups in your diet, like sodium, which I <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">consistently</span> consume WAY too much of. (155% of what I normally should!)<br /><br />t helps show you where these totals are coming from based on the foods you <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">ate</span>. For instance, while I love a brand of chicken sausage I eat because it's tasty and low in calories and fat, it's also chock full of sodium, like many other processed foods. It seems that in a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">realistic</span> world, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">some thing's</span> always got to give, and for me usually that's my sodium levels, although this tool is a good reminder that I should be keeping an eye on that too. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm going to try to use it ever day for the next week, so try it out and let me know what you think too! </span>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00775361428058860178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-294420695602798314.post-77863818733640610332009-10-18T22:40:00.002-04:002009-10-18T22:51:45.157-04:00Updates around the blog<span style="font-family: verdana;">A few updates!</span><br /><br /><ol style="font-family: verdana;"><li>While I've been slacking on the posting, it's only because I've been working on my <a href="http://www.twitter.com/healthiefoodie">new Twitter account</a> for healthie foodie ideas. I've been meeting so many great new diet bloggers to follow, so I've really been enjoying it!</li><li>I also just started a different section on the blog for all of my favorite brands and food stuffs. You can find that at the top under favorites, and I'll be updating it regularly as I find great new products.<br /></li></ol><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">That's all for now.... off to pack my lunch before heading to bed. I need to stay on track tomorrow because Ill be traveling for work and won't have as much control over the food selection. Wish me luck; I'll need the extra willpower! </span>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00775361428058860178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-294420695602798314.post-48727023913434178162009-10-05T21:50:00.011-04:002009-10-05T23:31:40.994-04:00Latest Foodie Favorites<span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm what you call a grazer. Literally, when I am at work, I probably eat once an hour. </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: verdana;">Maybe</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;" class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">every once</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> in a while if I'm particularly full I can go a few hours without something to eat. (Well, and when I have meetings and my schedule doesn't permit of course.)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">But I am quite sure that it's gotten to the point that my coworkers aren't certain I really do work at the office. Despite what it may look like, no I do not just walk back and forth to the kitchen all day!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Here are a few of my latest favorite snacks and saving graces during work that keep me walking back and forth from my desk:</span><ul><li><span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: verdana;">Cabot reduced fat cheese wedges.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> I love cheese, and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">th</span></span><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh42kbY5yoJTo1JiZuuIBIFhW1nOYwb4Ui2m9G-oGlod2x8kjhTq_wa_2L9A22OPq2N8jKkBlICBUlzCvm8xoq8rC0o3WWsGApTuC-o6D0tOIPBnbRf2ZSlZAhnvww8x27apAr0GlMDYvOz/s1600-h/cabotcheese.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 208px; height: 208px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh42kbY5yoJTo1JiZuuIBIFhW1nOYwb4Ui2m9G-oGlod2x8kjhTq_wa_2L9A22OPq2N8jKkBlICBUlzCvm8xoq8rC0o3WWsGApTuC-o6D0tOIPBnbRf2ZSlZAhnvww8x27apAr0GlMDYvOz/s400/cabotcheese.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389301610867556258" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">e benefit to eating cheese is that the protein keeps you full. </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="https://www.shopcabot.com/product.php?id=57">These</a><span style="font-family: verdana;"> are g</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">reat</span> because they are reduced fat, so each snack is only 1 Weight Watchers point. Sometimes I eat 2 or three of these in a day, honestly. Especially one late in the afternoon or before I leave work to keep me from getting to</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">o <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">hungry</span> right before dinner. I get a big bag of them at Sam's Club, but I'm sure they have these at other grocery stores, just probably not in the jumbo bag. (<span style="font-style: italic;">disclaimer: Sam's is a client. Photo courtesy of the Cabot web site.</span>)</span></li></ul><ul><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Spinach and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Asiago</span> Chicken Sausages. </span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Ok</span> these </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">are from Sam's too (the Members Mark brand), but are seriously delicious. Don't take my word for it, Google them and you'll see plenty of other people talking about them! They are only 110 calories so I was thrilled at the idea of having these around as a tasty low fat protein for me - since it's rare that I eat meat during the week - but also for Ben when he's around. (Men otherwise would drown in diet food in my apartment, and would likely still die hungry). I personally think these things are amazing. Truly, I think they are the tastiest things I've ever had. Ben of course would prefer a hearty <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">kielbasa</span> or some sort of manly equivalent, but he thinks they're good too I guess...<br /></span></li></ul><ul><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Fresh roasted green beans with shallots</span>. I'm really into sauteed green beans lately, cooked with a little bit of chicken broth and shallots. (Shallots are amazing: smaller portions than having to cut up a whole onion, and not nearly the awful tear-jerking dicing ordeal.)<br /></span></li></ul><ul><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Skinny cow ice cream sandwiches</span>. We had a little ice cream social at work one day and I was so thankful that someone brought these along as a healthy alternative. It also reminded me how totally satisfying they are. (Sorry Weight Watchers, but these I think are better than your version...). I keep these around to have at night when I want something sweet, and they're only 2 points.</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Good old 100 calorie snack packs. </span>I currently have a big box that has a mix of baked <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Cheetos</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Smartfood</span> popcorn, and cheddar <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Sunchips</span>. These packswere kind of a cliche at one point, and can be completely ineffective at helping you lose weight if yourely on them too much to make up your diet, but in a weak moment for junk food, they are a saving grace. These are all delicious, and they take away the vending machine urges for just 2 weight watchers points each.<br /></span></li></ul><ul><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dark chocolate yogurt covered raisins.</span> I always want something candy-like in the afternoons, and these have been a good antidote. 1/4 of a cup are 2 weight watchers points.<br /></span></li></ul><span style="font-family: verdana;">Some of the old stand-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">by's</span> are still around too, like veggie patties. I've recently discovered <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Gardenburger's</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">sun dried</span> tomato basil flavor is delicious and the patties are just one point a piece. Raw veggies with fat-free ranch dip, and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">edamame</span> are both still great, filling snacks that take you a while to eat. (I feel more satisfied when a snack takes time to munch.) <br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm </span>looking for some new ideas though - particularly for fruits to snack on now that melons aren't in season any more. Let me me know if you have any ideas!</span>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00775361428058860178noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-294420695602798314.post-48303811784981157062009-10-05T20:41:00.004-04:002009-10-05T21:49:25.192-04:00Back in the Saddle Again...<span style="font-family: verdana;">It's time to dust off ye old blog. I can't believe it's been two months. (I'm sorry Lindsey and Erin! <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Healthie</span> Foodie is back!)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">I realized, when I started this blog I was at the peak of my diet and it was a great way to stay motivated. Also, at the time I lived alone and didn't have a lot going on... My <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">roomie</span> was already living in Atlanta, and I was only surrounded by friends who were also dieting. (It's pretty easy to stay on track when you're not tempted during the week, and to indulge, you and your friends make <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">low fat</span> brownies and eat sushi!)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">I was living in a healthy (unrealistic) bubble world... </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">I've struggled a lot with temptation since moving to Atlanta: new restaurants to try, and more friends to go try them with. Most importantly, a certain food-devouring boyfriend that I love to cook for is also around more often now that I'm closer. Turns out I am not 6'4" and should probably not be eating the same quantities and snacks he does... </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">But despite some serious slip-ups, I have been doing a couple of things right:</span><br /><br /><ul><li style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cooking Light is still a great <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">inspiration</span> for finding a way to scratch the cooking itch, without quite as much guilt. </span>This came in really handy when friends would want to cook out over the summer! Back in July, I went to my friend Libby's to grill with friends, and Ben and I brought our own scallops to grill along with this <a href="http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=671023">roasted red pepper butter sauce</a>.. I'll have to write a separate post on this one! All in all, I think the scallops were around 2-3 weigh watchers points, so I was really proud.)</li></ul><ul><li><span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: verdana;">I quickly bounced back from some bad eating habits in a new work environment</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-weight: bold;">by finding snacks that <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">work</span> for me</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">.</span> <span style="font-family: verdana;">For me, new environments mean new urges to reach for food as a mental break. This meant I had to get very strategic about lunch packing again. I had to find foods that would keep me full, because Lord knows if I was the slightest bit hungry I would reach for something <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">carb</span>-loaded and covered in sugar. I'll be writing soon about my new snack favorites and old stand-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">by's</span> that have been really helpful lately!</span></li></ul><ul><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Making time to work out (or trying to).</span> Nothing will ever replace working out and burning calories. Nothing. Because about 50% of the time, I won't end up eating the way I should have that day, and burning what I eat is my only saving grace. That said, this has still been a struggle for me. Working late, being back around good friends and with Ben closer, it's hard to carve out the time. But I joined a gym, and I've been trying to find ways to go work out with people (Ben is always up for coming with me, and I'm finding more and more friends who are willing to go on a walk around the neighborhood to catch up instead of going to dinner or drinks.)</span></li></ul><span style="font-family: verdana;">So, there's lots to catch up on. I'm <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">sorry</span> I haven't posted much (err... .at all), but I really have been cooking and trying to stay on track, so there's more to come, I promise! </span>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00775361428058860178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-294420695602798314.post-56959715559318625222009-08-04T18:34:00.007-04:002009-08-04T19:34:23.733-04:00Healthie Beach Trip Snack: Avocado, Corn and Black Bean Salsa<span style="font-family:verdana;">This weekend, I went to the beach with some of my dearest college friends, and it reminded me how long it had been since I spent time on the Gulf. While I made a day trip or two to Emerald Isle and Atlantic Beach back when I visited Ben where he was stationed in Jacksonville, N.C.,</span><span style="font-family:verdana;"> it had been about 2 and a half years since I had been to the beaches I grew up going to in Florida, It was so nice to be back!<br /><br />The houses we were staying in were so unbelievably nice, and more importantly, stocked with cookware and basically every kitchen essential. </span><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><span style="font-family:verdana;">So, rather than spending money going out several nights in a row, my friends and I had all agreed to pack things to eat and cook at the house. While the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">daiquiris</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Parmesan</span> garlic oysters I ate meant that I was hardly "good" all weekend, I did take the opportunity to bring a few healthy items to eat like <a href="http://healthiefoodie.blogspot.com/2009/07/recent-healthy-finds-and-favorites.html">those chicken <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Caesar</span> wraps</a>, <a href="http://healthiefoodie.blogspot.com/2009/06/no-pudge-fudge-brownie-mix-very-easy.html">my <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">favorite</span> "No <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Pudge</span>" Fudge Brownies</a>, fresh fruit, veggies and dip, and some granola bars. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">The most <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">satisfying</span> snack while on the beach though, was the black bean and corn salsa that my roommate Caroline had made for all of us. It was SO delicious with Baked <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Tostitos</span> (and a beer or two, I'll admit...). A few of us could barely stop ourselves from eating the whole bowl before the rest of the group got to have some. Here is a recipe based on what I think was probably in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Caroline's</span>, and based on some of the other recipe's I've seen around online. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;" >Black Bean Salsa:</span><br /><ul><li style="font-family: verdana;">2 15 ounce cans black beans, drained.</li><li style="font-family: verdana;">1 17 ounce can of whole kernel corn, drained.</li><li style="font-family: verdana;">1 red bell pepper, chopped.<br /></li><li style="font-family: verdana;">2 large tomatoes, seeded and chopped<br /></li><li style="font-family: verdana;">1 large avocado, chopped.</li><li style="font-family: verdana;">2 T olive oil</li><li style="font-family: verdana;">1 T red wine vinegar</li><li style="font-family: verdana;">cilantro (optional - personally I'm not a big fan and would prefer it without!)<br /></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">Salt, pepper, and juice of one lime. </span></li></ul><span style="font-family:verdana;">You definitely need to make some of this at some point during our last few weeks of summer, and enjoy with baked tortilla chips and a light beer for a relatively healthy, completely tasty snack. </span><span style="font-family:verdana;">I also thought this </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/watermelon_salsa.html">Watermelon Salsa recipe</a><span style="font-family:verdana;"> from Eating Well looked good, although I would probably add some cucumbers in to this one. Any other ideas?</span>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00775361428058860178noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-294420695602798314.post-39586533948074821182009-07-27T22:06:00.018-04:002009-07-27T23:27:58.597-04:00Potato and Greens Torta from Cooking Light<span style="font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" >I tried <a href="http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1886423">this recipe </a>a while back, so it's really about time I posted it here for everyone else to enjoy. The April issue of</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" > Cooking Light</span><span style="font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" > where this little gem came from was filled with tons of great springtime recipes and ideas for having Easter brunch that </span><span style="font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" >just made me want to cook</span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">. I jotted down a lot of recipes from here that I want to come back and try, like Spring Asparagus Risotto, Goat Cheese Grits, and Linguine with Arugula Pesto, and if you remember the </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://healthiefoodie.blogspot.com/2009/04/italian-tomato-tart.html">Italian tomato tart</a> that I raved about came from this issue too. You won't quite have the springtime setting like the pictures in this issue, but I promise if you make it now, this torta will be just as tasty!</span><br /><br /></span><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmEbsj1jr2ILoXgohbtSsIpwm5IWjvwqtW3PDyUdnEJsdu4ikH1S-vSOqOvp5xSPTvU-_mxkWAWy_xYc999JlV6ukzr0_2zmzybOFXMjzawVvuQvV5BXPhsWYdkvrokIU7kksrY3pmm0PC/s1600-h/Potato+and+Greens+Torta.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmEbsj1jr2ILoXgohbtSsIpwm5IWjvwqtW3PDyUdnEJsdu4ikH1S-vSOqOvp5xSPTvU-_mxkWAWy_xYc999JlV6ukzr0_2zmzybOFXMjzawVvuQvV5BXPhsWYdkvrokIU7kksrY3pmm0PC/s400/Potato+and+Greens+Torta.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363327616789223874" border="0" /></a><!-- end class="rcpdetail" --> <div class="rcpdetail" id="ingredients" style="font-family:verdana;"> <h2><span style="font-size:100%;">Ingredients</span></h2> <ul><li> <span style="font-size:100%;">1 1/2 pounds small Yukon gold potatoes</span></li><li><span style="font-size:100%;"> 3 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt, divided</span></li><li><span style="font-size:100%;"> 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil</span></li><li><span style="font-size:100%;"> 3 garlic cloves, minced</span></li><li><span style="font-size:100%;"> 4 cups torn romaine lettuce</span></li><li><span style="font-size:100%;"> 2 cups packed fresh spinach leaves</span></li><li><span style="font-size:100%;"> 2 cups packed arugula leaves</span></li><li><span style="font-size:100%;"> 1/2 cup 2% reduced-fat milk</span></li><li><span style="font-size:100%;"> 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded fontina cheese</span></li><li><span style="font-size:100%;"> 2 large eggs, lightly beaten</span></li><li><span style="font-size:100%;"> Cooking spray</span></li><li><span style="font-size:100%;"> 3 tablespoons dry breadcrumbs</span></li><li><span style="font-size:100%;"> 1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh pecorino Romano cheese</span></li></ul> </div><!-- end class="rcpdetail" --> <div class="rcpdetail" id="preparation" style="font-family:verdana;"> <h2><span style="font-size:100%;">Preparation</span></h2><ul><li><span style="font-size:100%;">Preheat oven to 375°.</span></li><li><span style="font-size:100%;">Place potatoes and 1 tablespoon salt in a large saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 15 minutes or until tender. Drain; cool slightly. Peel potatoes; discard peels. Press cooked potatoes through a ricer into a large bowl.</span></li><li><span style="font-size:100%;">Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add garlic; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in romaine, spinach, and arugula; cook 1 minute or until greens wilt, tossing frequently. Remove greens from pan; finely chopped</span></li><li><span style="font-size:100%;">Add greens, milk, fontina, eggs, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt to potatoes; stir well to combine. Coat a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray; dust with breadcrumbs. Add potato mixture to prepared dish. Bake at 375° for 25 minutes. Remove from oven; sprinkle with pecorino. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.</span></li></ul> </div><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" >This makes 6 servings</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">, that are 4 weight watchers points each (</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">214 calories / </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">9.1 grams fat / 3.2 grams fiber).</span><span style="font-family:verdana;"> Personally, I think I would divide the the dish into fourths, and make it roughly a 6-point meal instead, although this smaller portion could be great as a small meal / snack. </span><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"> <span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />Here are a few things I noted / recommend:</span><br /></span><h2><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb5G06cFASh8HOlKjtqS5yRZzA25LQONOcQmYoSd9z2fH9mkPpN6dQgkl9BjpTa4LKeWtRPxY4bFovXkxcmQvnwTSKvJOCpfQmfEyFIVvSPtfQaaTA48Tkqm7Hm_1ZPDkF1mjjcGwtQ3Ie/s1600-h/OXO+Ricer.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 183px; height: 183px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb5G06cFASh8HOlKjtqS5yRZzA25LQONOcQmYoSd9z2fH9mkPpN6dQgkl9BjpTa4LKeWtRPxY4bFovXkxcmQvnwTSKvJOCpfQmfEyFIVvSPtfQaaTA48Tkqm7Hm_1ZPDkF1mjjcGwtQ3Ie/s400/OXO+Ricer.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363334979123830978" border="0" /></a></span></h2> <ul><li style="font-family:verdana;"> <span style="font-size:100%;">If you have a "ricer" at home, I salute you. I did not </span><span style="font-size:100%;"> know what this was, </span> <span style="font-size:100%;">but of course my mom knew and she said it wasn't a big deal to just find a way to grate up the potatoes myself. It turns out it looks kinda like a big garlic press. If you want one, check </span> <span style="font-size:100%;">o</span><span style="font-size:100%;">ut <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004OCJQ">this one from OXO on Amazon</a>. I have yet to personally invest the money in one, because while it took some serious elbow grease, a good-sized cheese grater ended up doing the trick for getting the potatoes to the right consistency. Also, let's be honest - there's not much keeping you from slicing up the potatoes to make it more like a gratin and it will be just as delicious! Or how about whipping the potatoes... a little shepherd's pie twist? I'll let you be the judge.<br /></span></li><li style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Personally, I think I would divide the the dish into fourths, and make it roughly a 6-point meal instead, although this smaller portion could be great as a small meal / snack. </span></li><li style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;">I loved the greens in it, but I noticed that the bagged romaine lettuce I used had some "stalky" pieces that messed up the texture for me. I think I will use a less crisp alternative, like a spring mix, a bibb lettuce, or more of the spinach and arugula the next time I make it. Also, I used a pair of vegetable / herb scissors to chop up the greens and it made it a lot easier!<br /></span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Don't skimp on the 2% milk, the folks at Cooking Light seem to know what they're doing. So, while I am usually tempted to shave off calories and fat with items like skim milk, I trust that they put the 2% in for a reason, and that the original recipe will end up being more satisfying if I just leave it alone!</span></span><br /></span></span></li></ul>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00775361428058860178noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-294420695602798314.post-50056236917442524942009-07-21T21:12:00.000-04:002009-07-22T13:26:55.743-04:00Recent healthy finds and favoritesI think anyone who watches what they eat goes through phases filled with new ideas and snacks they discovered recently. I think there's also always that re-discovery phase too... you know, when you finally rediscover why you loved a food or flavor that you burnt yourself out on a couple months prior.<br /><br />So, here are some of the things I've been eating and craving lately. Some aren't that revolutionary by any means, but I just think it's helpful to see what other healthy people are eating because it inspires me to switch it up. I hope some of these give you some new ideas, too :)<br /><ul><li><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Cantaloupe</span> and cottage cheese</span>: Such a classic... I've always LOVED melon more than any other fruit, and cottage cheese is rich enough that it makes eating fruit feel more indulgent than just biting into an apple. If you're getting burnt out on snacking on fruit - put some cottage cheese on top and see what you think. <span style="font-style: italic;">(1 cup of melon is 1 point, 1/2 a cup of fat-free cottage cheese is about 1 point too.)</span><br /></li></ul><ul><li style="font-weight: bold;">Diet lemonades from Chick-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">fil</span>-A: <span style="font-weight: normal;">A large (and I mean large) sized diet lemonade is only 30 calories. It's really tasty, and can really curb my craving for other snacks</span> <span style="font-weight: normal;">in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">the</span> afternoon.</span></li></ul><ul><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Wine and cheese</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">crumbles</span>:<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>I actually saw my friend Libby crumble up cheese to eat while sipping wine once, and it inspired me to find a healthy way to enjoy cheese with my wine, since it is by far one of my favorite, favorite things. Instead of braking off cubes or slices of your favorite cheese, breaking it up into crumbles allows you to "taste" the cheese as you sip, rather than chowing down larger portions as you go. It worked really well for me!<br /></li></ul><ul><li style="font-weight: bold;">Chicken <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Caesar</span> wraps: <span style="font-weight: normal;">Kind of like</span> <span style="font-weight: normal;">these <a href="http://healthiefoodie.blogspot.com/2009/05/white-pizza-remix-chicken-pesto-wrap.html">chicken pesto wraps</a> I wrote about. Wrap up some mixed greens, a bit of shredded <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Parmesan</span> and some chicken in a whole wheat tortilla and put some low fat <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Caesar</span> on the side for dipping. Extremely flavorful and satisfying.</span><br /></li></ul><ul><li style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Biscotti</span>: <span style="font-weight: normal;">I rediscovered how satisfying <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">biscotti</span> is, when I was frequenting <a href="http://www.greenberrys.com/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">GreenBerry's</span></a> for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">latte's</span> while packing for the move.</span> <a href="http://www.nonnis.com/"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Nonni's</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Biscotti</span></span></a><span style="font-weight: normal;"> is in grocery stores, and each one is 2 points.</span></li></ul><ul><li style="font-weight: bold;">Roasted green beans and peppers: <span style="font-weight: normal;">This is my new favorite combination of roasted vegetables for small meals, side dishes or snacks. Get a package of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">pre-washed</span> / trimmed french cut green beans and slice up some red bell pepper, drizzle sparingly with olive oil and add salt and pepper. Roast in the oven at 400 until slightly charred or roasted. I use <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">frozen</span> green beans and peppers and to me it's just as good, and super easy.<br /></span></li></ul><ul><li style="font-weight: bold;">Good old lean cuisines: <span style="font-weight: normal;">An oldie, but <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">goodie</span>. I've certainly gotten tired of lean cuisines in years past; both of eating the same meals over and over again, as well as becoming painfully aware that the meal is over as soon as the tray is empty. While generally I do best when I can look forward to several low-calorie meals and snacks throughout the day, there's something to be said for sitting down to a meal.<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>Lean cuisines may not be a hearty meal for some, but for someone dieting, they are just right if you are craving some pasta or a real entree. </span><br /></li></ul>Anyone have any other ideas? Anything that's helping you push through cravings lately?Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00775361428058860178noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-294420695602798314.post-43750008427776435962009-07-15T21:52:00.007-04:002009-07-15T22:45:07.710-04:00Eat This, Not That: Chick-fil-A Breakfast Remix<span style="font-family: verdana;">While it's a little depressing to realize how not-so-great for you the foods you love really are, I just had a come to </span><span style="font-family: verdana;" class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Jesus</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> with the delicious breakfast I love at Chick-</span><span style="font-family: verdana;" class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">fil</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">-A. My </span><span style="font-family: verdana;" class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">beloved</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> chicken biscuit with </span><span style="font-family: verdana;" class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">hashbrowns</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> on the side is 17 Weight Watchers points, which is really about as many points as I should be eating in an entire day!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Now, I'm all for a splurge from time to time, but I thought we could all benefit from exploring our options on the menu. So here are a few of the nutrition facts for some of the most popular breakfast items</span><br /><ul style="font-family: verdana;"><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Chicken Biscuit:</span> 450 calories / 20 g. fat / 3 g. fiber<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>(10 WW points)<br /></li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Hashbrowns</span>:</span> 280 calories / 19 g. fat / 2 g. fiber (7 WW points)</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Plain Biscuit: </span>310 calories / 13 g. fat / 2 g. fiber<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>(6 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">WW</span> points)</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Chicken Minis ( 4 ct): </span>350 calories / 14 g. fat / 2 g. fiber (8 WW points)</li><li><span style="font-style: italic;">You can also calculate your own meal on the site: http://www.chick-fil-a.com/#calculator </span><br /></li></ul><span style="font-family: verdana;">In honor of the book "</span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Eat-This-Not-That/David-Zinczenko/e/9781594868542">Eat this, not that</a><span style="font-family: verdana;">," Here are a few ideas for making it work and some other considerations for when you order:</span><br /><ul style="font-family: verdana;"><li>If you want the real deal - the combo - with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">hashbrowns</span>, go with the chicken minis instead of the full biscuit; a 4 count of the minis instead will save you 100 calories. (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">hashbrowns</span> + minis = 15 points. Going for the 3 count would be even healthier. All things considered, though, it may not be so terrible when you realize that some Lean Cuisine pizza's are 12 points. I'm just <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">sayin</span>')</li></ul><ul style="font-family: verdana;"><li>The chicken biscuit's still better than the sausage biscuit..<span style="font-style: italic;">.</span> The <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">sausage</span> biscuit is 590 calories! Which, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">uhh</span> basically broke the points calculator. It doesn't even register, but just just based on my own estimates, I think with 41 g of fat, it would weigh in at around 14 - 15 WW points on it own, so... actually the chicken ain't <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">lookin</span>' so bad...</li></ul><ul style="font-family: verdana;"><li>And of course you could get a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">multi grain</span> sunflower bagel (220 cal), and a fruit cup (70 cal), but let's be honest... you're at Chick-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">fil</span>-A... why would you get a bagel and fruit when there's fried chicken to eat?</li></ul><span style="font-family: verdana;">Go to http://www.chick-fil-a.com/#healthylifestyle for some other good ideas - the chicken breakfast burrito on it's own, for instance, isn't that bad for you!</span>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00775361428058860178noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-294420695602798314.post-56398610456854378242009-07-13T18:54:00.005-04:002009-07-13T19:16:11.816-04:00Blog Envy: The Chubby Vegetarian<span style="font-family: verdana;">Since I have been neglecting my blog for about a month now (</span><span style="font-family: verdana;" class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">ok</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> I know I have been milking the move excuse, but hey.... I moved...), I thought my first post back would be an appropriate time to say how jealous I am of a blog I came across today: </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://chubbyvegetarian.blogspot.com/">the chubby vegetarian</a><span style="font-family: verdana;">.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">The obvious reason that Justin's blog is good is because, well, he updates it. (I really need to get back into the swing of things!)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">But aside from his frequent updates, here are just a couple of things you can look forward to:</span><br /><ul style="font-family: verdana;"><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Great photography</span> - as a freelance <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">photographer</span>, needless to say he puts <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">healthie</span> foodie to shame.</li><li> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Southern roots</span> - and we all know good food comes from the South.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">He makes being a vegetarian seem appealing</span> - with recipes like <a href="http://chubbyvegetarian.blogspot.com/2009/07/portobello-mushroom-carpaccio-with-goat.html"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">portabello</span> mushroom <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">carpaccio</span> with goat cheese and balsamic</a>, or <a href="http://chubbyvegetarian.blogspot.com/2009/06/porcini-mushrooms-over-garlic-polenta.html"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">porcini</span> mushrooms over garlic <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">polenta</span>, broiled tomatoes and smoked mozzarella</a>, well you can see why anyone could still get fat and happy off of this veggie diet.</li></ul><span style="font-family: verdana;">If you're looking for some new side dishes, or healthy veggies, revamped please go check out his blog! I know I've added it to my reader.</span>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00775361428058860178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-294420695602798314.post-35862021529094603832009-06-09T20:43:00.008-04:002009-06-10T21:43:54.960-04:00No Pudge Fudge Brownie Mix - Very Easy, Very Worth ItMore low fat baking from a box, folks. These fat free brownies are delicious, and each serving is 2 points (about half of what it normally would be!)<br /><br />Plus, the packaging is cute... (it's pink, with a little piggie!)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNpkYVfTex8AwJxcAYkzHq7wBAimmwBoFSxXiCwclhc7NxPdkAxaUFvHYXMVkM8iwudtXIppgka50ox_ucR0UT4hTgNdR9aC8gsL5dkAeVCGBxjNVxuCoUTmFCw_tEM4qDUG_KE-GHEzS6/s1600-h/100_2091.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNpkYVfTex8AwJxcAYkzHq7wBAimmwBoFSxXiCwclhc7NxPdkAxaUFvHYXMVkM8iwudtXIppgka50ox_ucR0UT4hTgNdR9aC8gsL5dkAeVCGBxjNVxuCoUTmFCw_tEM4qDUG_KE-GHEzS6/s400/100_2091.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345858598304388402" border="0" /></a><br />So, all you do is mix nonfat vanilla yogurt in with the batter, which I think makes this mix better than other fat free mixes I've tried where you just add water. In fact, if I get other brands, I'll probably still use yogurt instead of water. I wasn't able to find this mix at a Publix in Atlanta when I was there, so I'm afraid I'll never see this cute pink box and little piggie again after I move... A case of this mix might be traveling South with me!<br /><br />And... here's something I did that makes these really delicious - borderline decadent. I made a lowfat cream cheese frosting to go on top! All you have to do is take fat free cream cheese, add some splenda to taste (or a half splenda / sugar blend), and if needed, pour a little fat free milk (or even fat free liquid coffee creamer!) to make it a little smoother.<br /><br />It is so freaking good. And, this makes a fat free brownie that much richer for just another point or two. If you're not up for the extra decadence, a little bit of cool whip would be tasty too:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQfiVCOpd15s3enQLsXKNmCm1VY8KsaWL6_WDVtELqgKeKVfYjULxiu_A2tWqiAmxCpgD3mhUfaPsxSR43KXTR7WbQKyNMTTEcI3JlQoWm1wPqNmvK4SaaH6p_F6kUUDPzGioYLlciOAaq/s1600-h/100_2093.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQfiVCOpd15s3enQLsXKNmCm1VY8KsaWL6_WDVtELqgKeKVfYjULxiu_A2tWqiAmxCpgD3mhUfaPsxSR43KXTR7WbQKyNMTTEcI3JlQoWm1wPqNmvK4SaaH6p_F6kUUDPzGioYLlciOAaq/s400/100_2093.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345877861242605106" border="0" /></a><br />Make these immediately to have on had for a lowfat snack! Or, if you're feeling like a low key night, make these with some girlfriends and you won't feel nearly as guilty as you might if you had broken down and gotten ice cream or baked cookies.<br /><br />Enjoy!Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00775361428058860178noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-294420695602798314.post-57141543304274756882009-06-04T20:36:00.007-04:002009-06-09T20:34:42.542-04:00Wellternatives<span style="font-family:verdana;">Some of you may have noticed the "Wellternatives" widget on the sidebar of my blog! I got it off of </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://www.wellsphere.com/">Wellsphere</a><span style="font-family:verdana;">, and while I haven't gotten the opportunity to test it out much, I do like the principle behind it.</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;">Just like the popular </span><a style="font-style: italic; font-family: verdana;" href="http://www.eatthisnotthatbestandworst.com/">Eat this, not that</a><span style="font-family:verdana;"> books, making the right choices each day is really about making </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:verdana;" >informed </span><span style="font-family:verdana;">choices. The most sustainable diets are effective because they teach you a new perspective that helps you make better choices. Years of point calculating on Weight Watchers has really just translated into an enlightened way for me read nutrition labels.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Test it out and let me know what you think! The one thing I'v elearned about dieting is you never know if something is really that good or bad for you until you <span style="font-style: italic;">know</span>. </span>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00775361428058860178noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-294420695602798314.post-61599897625410040252009-06-03T22:27:00.000-04:002009-06-03T22:27:34.587-04:00Healthie Hoppin' John<span style="font-family:verdana;">Perhaps it's because I'm from the South, but of all the wonderful food I had when I was at </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://www.restaurantthree.com/">Restaurant 3</a><span style="font-family:verdana;"> in Clarendon, </span><span style="font-family:verdana;">a side of Hoppin' John was what I just couldn't stop eating!</span><span style="font-family:verdana;"> It was deliciously buttery, and it reminded me how good a basic rice dish can be. Before I go on to explain how I made my own (probably healthier) version, I should say thank you, by the way to my dear friends Erin (Corgy) and Stephanie (StephCo) for the wonderful gift card to go there while Ben was in town last! They surprised me with the card for my birthday :)<br /><br />Ok, so back to the food... For the folks who don't know what <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoppin%27_John">Hoppin' John</a> is, it's a Southern version of rice and beans, typically made with black eyed peas ad bacon fat... afterall it <span style="font-style: italic;">is</span> a Southern dish.<br /><br />When I told my mom I was making it, she said, "but it's not even New Years</span><span style="font-family:verdana;">?!" The tradition is to have this on New Years Day to bring you wealth for the coming year, because the peas are symbolic for coins. Well clearly the wealth part is all a bunch of phuey... I'm still totally broke. But, when cooked sans pork fat, the dish is just another great side that can be a small vegetarian meal.<br /><br />Recipes vary a lot. Emmeril, for instance, uses a little green pepper and celery in <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/hoppin-john-recipe/index.html">his version</a>. I was going for an exact replica of the version I had that night at Restaurant 3, though, which included green onions, halved grape tomatoes, black eyed peas and rice.<br /><br />I never used a recipe really, but here is what I did and I was totally pleased with it! I can't really claim to have directions to give y'all, since I didn't really follow any to begin with, but here's a loose structure of what I did.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">What you need:</span></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Amounts will depend on how much you want to make</span><ul><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">brown rice</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFVQUxxFNBF-ZmV-FKeKwJQZAXwBDBNa73pxQX1X9aelAQNc6FXBSDEnpIJcT7p7IwvFKYSpR20IqWh1qoJhdFhMdIksjhNIyGoSnMQ8C21BhUtcY_DECHpe-AArQ-SqGfUkGBmsXt7Dun/s1600-h/100_2026.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 248px; height: 186px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFVQUxxFNBF-ZmV-FKeKwJQZAXwBDBNa73pxQX1X9aelAQNc6FXBSDEnpIJcT7p7IwvFKYSpR20IqWh1qoJhdFhMdIksjhNIyGoSnMQ8C21BhUtcY_DECHpe-AArQ-SqGfUkGBmsXt7Dun/s400/100_2026.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343291540380200546" border="0" /></a></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">chicken broth</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">grape tomatoes</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">scallions</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">blackeyed peas</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">1 packet of <a href="http://www.goya.com/english/products/product_category.html?id=4">Goya</a> brand ham flavoring (gives you that great f</span><span style="font-family:verdana;">lavor of cooking with a ham hock, without any calories!)</span></li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;" >Directions (or lack thereof):</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFVQUxxFNBF-ZmV-FKeKwJQZAXwBDBNa73pxQX1X9aelAQNc6FXBSDEnpIJcT7p7IwvFKYSpR20IqWh1qoJhdFhMdIksjhNIyGoSnMQ8C21BhUtcY_DECHpe-AArQ-SqGfUkGBmsXt7Dun/s1600-h/100_2026.JPG"></a><ol style="font-family: verdana;"><li>Cook rice according to package. For extra flavor, substitute half, or all of water for boiling with chicken broth. Add the ham concentrate packet to the liquid.</li><li>When the liquid has absorbed by half, add the beans. Cook for a couple of minutes. Add in the tomatoes for the last minute or so.<br /></li><li>When rice is done cooking, and all of the liquid is absorbed, stir in a tablespoon or two or light butter.</li><li>Toss in sliced green onions, and voila:<br /></li></ol><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhymiGxR_z7UyOsrmsXpIyyCyojzvw4Q8tm2g_DMasKeBGweNUcg5ngMiltMoSXbuMwVvB8BeYRD0gf_sWVOeTspq7g2YxyvQn6b3YP7Gc1QdcwtkBnF8O4XzHc-aK3_PsKA9rLirhQGdO7/s1600-h/Hoppin'+John.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhymiGxR_z7UyOsrmsXpIyyCyojzvw4Q8tm2g_DMasKeBGweNUcg5ngMiltMoSXbuMwVvB8BeYRD0gf_sWVOeTspq7g2YxyvQn6b3YP7Gc1QdcwtkBnF8O4XzHc-aK3_PsKA9rLirhQGdO7/s400/Hoppin'+John.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343258819194733842" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:verdana;">I also just made this last night with wild rice and garbanzo beans, and left out the ham concentrate because the chicken broth and the wild rice already had a good flavor. The wild rice I thought was also particularly pretty in this version. </span> <span style="font-family:verdana;">So honestly you can make this with any variety of rice and beans. A cup of this is about 4 points; a great little meal. </span>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00775361428058860178noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-294420695602798314.post-91100585690846421902009-05-28T21:48:00.012-04:002009-06-01T23:15:46.174-04:00Eating what's in your pantry<span style="font-family: verdana;">Well, the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">healthie</span> foodie is moving. Not like a new web domain, like literally preparing to move from D.C. to Atlanta, so I apologize for the lack of posts. For one, I have been preoccupied with apartment hunting, and traveling. Secondly, I have had a new mission to eat all of the food that is currently in my freezer or pantry.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">This has been an interesting experiment in not only working with what you have to save money, but also making sure that my "make-shift" meals are still healthy. This can be a little challenging when much of what is in my pantry is crackers, pasta, and other <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">carb</span> variations.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">The other challenge has been staying "inspired" by the lackluster pantry items. As I've said before, a subscription to Cooking Light was a true blessing after 2 months of hardcore dieting in the fall. I was able to maintain my diet and continue losing weight by finding new ways to make low-fat small meals, and new sensible alternatives for food groups that I love. Unfortunately, working with what you have means you have to work hard to not go buy additional ingredients that might be needed for a fun new recipe. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Here are some of the things that I've had to work with:</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><ul><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">Multi-grain crackers (wheat sociables), <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">triscuits</span><br /></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">LOTS of fat free cream cheese (I had bought a tub, and for some reason had a block of reduced fat cream cheese too. Oh and individual packets of WW brand cream cheese.... I mean, what?! Why did I have so much... I don't have a good explanation!)<br /></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">Several frozen chicken breasts</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">Frozen spinach</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">Frozen corn</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">Frozen chopped onion</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">Frozen ground turkey<br /></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">Pasta galore<br /></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">2 jars of pasta sauce</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">Couscous</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">1 tube of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">polenta</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">1 can of cream of mushroom soup</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">1 can fat free <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">refried</span> beans</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">1 small can of sliced black olives.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">2 packages potato gnocchi</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">Wild rice</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">1 can <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">garbanzos</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">2 cans <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">canellini</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">1 can seasoned black beans<br /></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">brown rice</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">blueberry muffin mix<br /></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">1 package steamed lentils</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">Cheese galore: crumbled blue cheese, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">feta, goat cheese; shredded </span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">mozzarella</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">parmesan</span>.<br /></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">golden <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">raisins</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">2 packages fat free brownie mix</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">1 carton of egg whites, 1 carton of egg substitute<br /></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">Pretty much every condiment, oil, vinegar and spice.<br /></span></li></ul> <span style="font-family: verdana;">The good news for me was that, since I had been buying <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">more</span> groceries than usual when I was cooking for the last couple of months, I now have a pretty well stocked pantry filled with great basics. The bad news is that I really do need to start chipping away at all of this stuff.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><br />In particular, I've had a real come to Jesus with myself over how much cream cheese I had. But now, I've really come to appreciate it; it's versatile, and to me it is a condiment that is easily forgotten unless it's being put on a bagel. Cream cheese is the perfect low fat spread for wraps (remember </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://healthiefoodie.blogspot.com/2009/05/white-pizza-remix-chicken-pesto-wrap.html">my chicken pesto wrap</a><span style="font-family: verdana;">?), and it's actually good on crackers too! Weight Watcher's brand of 1-point tubs of cream cheese are perfect for this: good for portion control, and great for grabbing and taking to work.<br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />So, while I have been able to get creative with some of these items, most of the time, it's just been a matter of getting back to basics: crackers with cream cheese, pasta with spaghetti sauce, etc.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">More recipes to come, although I've had to breakdown and buy a few ingredients here or there.</span>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00775361428058860178noreply@blogger.com0