Shrinking Daisy

You DO Read My Blog!!!!

Friday, January 15th, 2010 | Recipe | No Comments

Yes, it’s true, sometimes you just need to know somebody is reading… it’s enough to make you want to write those posts! So that’s MY resolution this year, to be a better blogger and keep you abreast of all of the wonderful discoveries, amazing recipes, and motivational tidbits I collect!!!

I’m pumping up the filling foods this week. It’s hard to adjust back to normal amounts of food after a decadent holiday season sometimes, so give yourself a break and focus on comforting stuff you can indulge in a lot of without feeling bad about it.

I suggest we kick this off with a soup!  Not only will it warm your soul with comforting goodness, but people, it’s been a cold winter so far, hot soup sounds fantastic!!! This one is so smart… you start out by making a big pot of veggie soup, and can customize it in different ways on different days to come up with a totally new meal!!! Start with the base, then add the variations.  It’s easy and takes stress out of your life… that’s a great idea!  Try this one out below, and leave me a comment, let me know what your favorite winter soup recipe is!

There are lots of variations on this recipe, but the original came from  Good HouseKeeping:

All-You-Can-Eat Soup (serving is 1c)

• 1 pound carrots, sliced
• 3 medium (1 1/2 pounds) onions, chopped
• 4 stalk(s) celery, sliced
• 2 large cloves garlic, crushed with press
• 2 can(s) (28 ounces each) whole tomatoes in juice
• 1/2 small (1-pound) head green cabbage, thinly sliced
• 3/4 pound(s) green beans, trimmed and each cut into thirds
• 1 can(s) (48-ounce) chicken broth
• 6 cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 medium (1 1/4 pounds) zucchini, sliced into half-moons
• 2 bag(s) (6 ounces each) baby spinach leaves

1. Coat 12-quart stockpot (or 2 large saucepans) with nonstick cooking spray. Over medium-high heat, add carrots, onions, celery, and garlic; cook 8 minutes or until veggies soften, stirring occasionally.
2. Add tomatoes with their liquid, breaking up tomatoes with side of spoon. Add cabbage, green beans, broth, water, salt, and pepper; heat to boiling over high heat, stirring occasionally.
3. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Increase heat to high; stir in zucchini and spinach and heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 minutes or until all vegetables are tender.

Minestrone Variation

• 2 cup(s) All-You-Can-Eat Soup Basic Recipe (above)
• 1/2 cup(s) drained and rinsed canned white kidney beans (cannellini)
• 1/2 cup(s) whole wheat fusilli  or rotini cooked
• 2 tablespoon(s) (plus 1 additional tablespoon for serving) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon(s) chopped fresh basil

Heat up 2 cups of your basic soup, add all other ingredients for a quick and easy minestrone! Make sure you count for the extra ingredients!!!

Goulash Variation

• 2 cup(s) All-You-Can-Eat Soup Basic Recipe, (above)
• 4 ounce(s)ground turkey breast
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) paprika
• 1 pinch(s) caraway seeds
• 1 pinch(s)salt
• 1/2 cup(s) egg noodles or whole wheat egg noodles  cooked as label directs
• 2 tablespoon(s) reduced-fat sour cream or greek yogurt

In nonstick saucepan, cook turkey, paprika, caraway seeds, and salt 4 minutes or until turkey is browned and cooked through, stirring to break up turkey. Stir in Basic Soup; heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 5 minutes to blend flavors. Stir in cooked egg noodles. Remove saucepan from heat; stir in sour cream.
Red Beans and Rice Variation

• 2 cup(s) All-You-Can-Eat Soup Basic Recipe, (above)
• 2 ounce(s) turkey kielbasa, cut into 1⁄2-inch pieces
• 1 thinly sliced green onion
• 1/2 cup(s) drained and rinsed canned red beans
• 1/2 cup(s) cooked brown rice
• 1/8 teaspoon(s) Cajun seasoning
• Hot sauce, for garnish

In saucepan coated with nonstick cooking spray, cook kielbasa with onion (white part only; reserve green part for garnish), until sausage browns lightly. Add Basic Soup, beans, rice, and Cajun seasoning; heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 5 minutes to blend flavors. Sprinkle with reserved green onion. Serve with hot sauce.

Come up with your own variations and let me know how it goes!!!

Tags: cajun, filling food, goulash, italian, minstrone, Soup, vegetable

I did NOT invite Paula Deen to Thanksgiving!

Friday, November 20th, 2009 | Recipe, Thoughts | No Comments

So, I may have told you that I did a little (little being a relative word here) early Thanksgiving Dinner.  This dinner really was Thanksgiving at it’s best, not just the food, but it was full of interesting people, great conversations, and of course wine! I felt really thankful to have such amazing friends.

It turned out fantastically, and with a few minor modifications much lighter than your average T-Day affair.  (Also, I’m not a glutton for punishment, these are yummy, fancy, light, and EASY recipes people!) I have nothing against decadence, I’m telling you, this pecan pie is AMAZING!!!!

Turkey Strategy: So, this is my second year for a smoked turkey, it’s such a great idea people!  Just pick up a turkey from a local smokehouse (Fritz’s is great) or even an already smoked Butterball from the store, heat it for 1.5 hours in the oven, and you’re done.  Smoked turkeys are technically already cooked, so no stress about whether or not it will be done,  it already is! (This is not cheating people… I feel no shame!)  It’s always brown and beautiful, and that oh-so-healthy, but often overdone and dry white meat is succulent and juicy.  This is Kansas City after all, smoked anything is a tradition!

Mashed Potatoes - Buttermilk is your friend here.  That’s right, something with the word butter in it may sound bad for you, but it’s the best weapon in your mashed potato arsenal.  Really it’s what’s leftover AFTER you make butter, so it’s got all the flavor, but not the fat! What a deal!!!  Try this one

Stuffing, oh how I love stuffing,  I could just eat this and nothing else.  Maybe it’s because I don’t usually eat it,  but stuffing and pumpkin pie are the icons of Thanksgiving to me.  Those are the things that I look forward to whenever the weather gets chilly! I especially love stuffing with a twist of something unexpected, and sausage doesn’t hurt either, that’s why I made this one: click here

There is no reason you have to break out that can shaped log of cranberries this year… wiggly and ribbed, it always feels like an obligation,  don’t spend your points on that!  A fresh one is so much better and so easy.  I made this lightened up cranberry apricot version, (click here) and stirred the extra in my oatmeal the next day!

Help yourself out people! Throw a few veggies on the table and fill 1/2 your plate with those.  Simple steamed veggies are a great point saver with many coming in a zero points and remember, spices are free!!!  I made an amazing simple seasonal salad here, some wildly popular (and totally cream of mushroom soup free) green beans here, and some really interesting (in a good way) roasted carrots here. I also really considered these Brussels sprouts, but they didn’t make it to the table this year, they’re great though! click here

This pumpkin pie has become my standby.  I think I’ve served this WW classic for 3 years running and…I don’t wait for Thanksgiving.  I’ve been known to make this one up at random times because I love it so much!!! It’s also low enough to make it into the regular rotation without a big sacrifice elsewhere or a major guilt trip.  Find it here

Oh those geniuses over at Cooking Light, how do they think up this stuff??? Oatmeal in a pecan pie? It was amazing, the oatmeal was so nutty, and it was a lot more substantial than your usual pecan pie, more balance too, not so sweet.  Seriously people, if you only give one of these recipes a try, this is the one!!! click here for recipe

Want an off the wall but amazing light dessert option? Try this one by ZestyCook here

Whew, are you tired of cooking yet? I made the pies and cranberry sauce the day ahead, and put the potatoes in the crock pot, that worked out well! Whatever you end up making, remember it’s not just about the food, but the friends, family, and time you spend together.

Take a minute to think about all the things you have to be thankful for this year.  I certainly have a lot to be thankful for.  I’m in great health, the best shape of my life.  My brother made it back from Iraq safe and sound.  I have a wonderful family, amazing husband, great friends; and of course I have all of you, who are so inspiring every day.   I’ll miss you all over the holiday!

Have a Great Thanksgiving!

Tags: brussels sprouts, carrots, cranberry, green beans, mashed potatoes, pears, pecan, pie, potato, pumpkin, roasted vegetables, salad, stuffing, thanksgiving, turkey

Small Things

Thursday, July 30th, 2009 | Recipe | No Comments

I know I know I’ve been completely MIA lately.  I have no excuse except to say that I think my brain stayed on vacation much longer than the rest of me!!!  As a peace offering, I have for you one of the biggest hits at my house this barbecue season, a recipe from my travels! (Modified of course with leaner meat) It’s fun, different, cheap, and everyone loves it.  Try “Mititei” or “Mici” (which means “smalls” in Romanian) the small and spicy Romanian version of burgers, OK, maybe closer to a grilled meatball.  Dip them in mustard and serve with a fresh tomato salad for a stellar grill!

Mititei (12 Mici)

12 oz 93% lean ground beef
12 oz 93% lean ground turkey (or lean ground pork is nice if you can find it!)
1 small onion — finely minced
2 cloves garlic — finely minced
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp baking soda
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp dried marjoram (if you don’t have it, don’t freak out, thyme is nice too)
1/2 tsp caraway seeds
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp allspice
1 pinch ground cloves

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together with your hands, squeezing and kneading to combine thoroughly.

Form mixture into 8 sausage-shaped rolls about 1 inch in diameter and 3 1/2 to 4 inches long. Cover with plastic, and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.

Build a hot fire on your grill (or use a grill pan), and cook, turning with a spatula, until browned and cooked through — 6 to 8 minutes. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
12 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories		106.3
Total Fat		6.8 g
	Saturated Fat	2.6 g
	Polyunsaturated Fat	0.2 g
	Monounsaturated Fat	2.1 g
Cholesterol		39.6 mg
Sodium		40.0 mg
Potassium		80.5 mg
Total Carbohydrate		0.0 g
	Dietary Fiber	0.0 g
	Sugars	0.0 g
Protein		10.8 g

Tags: grill, mititei

Kick Back with Your Old Friend Popcorn

Monday, June 15th, 2009 | Food Finds, Recipe | No Comments

Where on earth have I been? Well, let me tell you it has certainly been a crazy couple of weeks! I’m back online now, and we’ve got so much catching up to do!!! To start off, I’ve got to get back to telling you all about things that I love!

Popcorn has always been one of my favorites.  When I was a kid it was a special treat when my Dad was travelling for business to get to eat popcorn, cheese, and apples for dinner… usually in front of the TV, something we NEVER got to do growing up!  Popcorn feels like a treat, but it’s healthy for you too! After All, what is popcorn but just a whole grain! Of course, it’s easy to rack up the calories if your popcorn venue of choice isn’t carefully chosen, that movie theater stuff can be diabolical!!! A large popcorn (without butter) from AMC movie theaters is over 650 calories, and adding butter can double that! But… have no fear, you can make perfectly fabulous popcorn and popcorn treats for a lot less than that! (How on earth do they cram that many calories into the poor popcorn kernels anyway???) 

First of all, it’s all about how you cook the popcorn, I have a great microwave popcorn bowl that doesn’t take a drop of oil and pops perfect kernels, and there are of course some great low calorie microwave popcorn choices at the store, but you can do it yourself for cheaper. (I’m all about the cheapness!)  All you need is a brown paper bag.  I must attribute t his method to Alton Brown on the Food Network.  I’m a food TV junkie, and I’m always picking up ingenious tips from random shows.

Brown Bag Microwave Popcorn

Servings Per Recipe: 4

In a cup or small bowl, mix together the unpopped popcorn and oil. Pour the coated corn into a brown paper lunch sack, and sprinkle in the salt. Fold the top of the bag over twice to seal in the ingredients.

Cook in the microwave at full power for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes, or until you hear pauses of about 2 seconds between pops. Carefully open the bag to avoid steam, and pour into a serving bowl.

Calories: 137, Total Fat: 3.1g , Sodium: 389mg , Total Carbs: 24.6g , Dietary Fiber: 4.9g , Protein: 4.1g

So now you have great healthy corn… eat it up! What’s that you say, you want more excitement? Plain old popcorn just doesn’t do it for you?? Ok, ok, well, I know how you feel, so I’ve got a few low calorie, healthy yet zesty toppers for you that I like to add, and a total hit of a popcorn cookie square recipe to send it over the edge!

Toppers:

• Mexicorn: 1 T taco seasoning (from the packet)
• Texicorn: 1 tsp chili powder + 1/2 tsp cumin
• Mafiacorn: 1/2 tsp dried basil + 1/2 tsp oregano + 1 Tb. Parmesan Cheese
• Buffacorn: a few shakes of hot sauce + a sprinkle of bleu cheese
• Corney Ranch: 1 Tb. dry ranch seasoning
• Cinnacorn: 2 Tb. Splenda + 1 tsp. cinnamon
• Currycorn: 1.5tsp curry powder
• Cocoacorn: 1 packet “diet” (25 calorie) hot cocoa

Totally Awesome Chocolate Peanut Butter Popcorn Squares (18 servings)

These are little brother tested and approved:

• 8 cups of air popped popcorn
• 1/2 cup peanut butter (I like natural)
• 1 Tb butter
• 3 cups mini marshmallows
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1 ounce semisweet or dark chocolate

Melt butter, chocolate, and peanut butter together in a medium saucepan over low heat.  Add marshmallows and stir until melted and incorporated.  Stir in cocoa.  Put popcorn in a medium-large bowl, pour marshmallow mixture over popcorn and stir gently until combined.  Press into a 9×13 inch pan that has been sprayed with nonstick spray and let cool.  Cut into 18 squares. Enjoy!!!

Nutrition Facts
18 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories		103.1
Total Fat		5.4 g
	Saturated Fat	1.7 g
	Polyunsaturated Fat	1.1 g
	Monounsaturated Fat	2.3 g
Cholesterol		1.7 mg
Sodium		45.4 mg
Potassium		86.7 mg
Total Carbohydrate		13.2 g
	Dietary Fiber	1.5 g
	Sugars	6.2 g
Protein		2.7 g

Tags: dessert, Fiber, healthy cooking, microwave, popcorn, popcorn balls, Recipe, recipes

Shameless Plug for Fresh Local Food

Friday, May 29th, 2009 | Recipe, Thoughts | No Comments

I am shamelessly promoting eating locally today.  You mean eating in town, like… at my house? No… I mean eating something grown around here! Food grown close to you doesn’t have to take a long ride on a big truck, which means it can hang out in the ground longer and get ripe and delicious.  That sounds like a crazy trend for people on a coast you say, I don’t have time for that! But you do, and it can save you cash, and most importantly… give you more “food experience” for every calorie you eat.

I’ve been a fan of local food for a long time, but this week, I really became a believer when I opened my CSA (community supported agriculture) box this week and bit into my very first tiny little local strawberry. The first bite told me that I’d never really eaten a strawberry.  Oh sure, I’ve had tons of strawberries from the grocery store, it’s one of my faves, strawberry shortcake, strawberry pie, but this, this strawberry was unlike any I’ve ever had before.  It was tiny, with a  complex flavor, and a melting texture, very unlike the large crispy industrial strawberries that I had up to this point eaten.  This was a whole different ballgame a whole new fruit!  I found that I was unable to contemplate making anything out of the berries, they were just too perfect on their own… so guess what? Instead of adding extra calories by putting something on my berries, I was satisfied with them alone. Bonus!!!  Really, you only get a certain number of calories or points per day right? Why not make them phenomenal? When each bite is amazing, you aren’t left wanting more! 

Farmers markets are revving up all over the place, and when things are in season, you can get some great deals there! Last year I found red bell peppers 6 for a dollar in season, corn 5 for a dollar, you can’t beat that! Plus you know your dollars stay around and support a local family’s livelihood, important in this economy!

Or… you  could do what I did and sign up for a CSA.  A CSA is an arrangement with a farmer where you agree to pay them a certain amount per week, usually $15 or $25 say, and they give you a box of whatever is in season right then in return. So that means you know you’ll get fresh fruits and vegetables, but you’re surprised every week! I love surprises, so for me it’s like Christmas.  Figuring out what to do with what I get is half the fun! There are also all different kinds of CSAs, some are only produce, some have eggs, or meat, or bread or other products included so make sure you know what you’re signing up for.  I only wanted fruits and veggies, so that’s what I get! (I do buy the farm eggs and meat on the side though)  Plus, all you do is go and pick up a box, no wandering around the grocery store looking for things, just pick it up and go, it’s a time saver! Check out what farmer’s markets and CSAs are close to you here.

Besides the strawberries, my CSA box this week held an assortment of things honestly, I would probably not think to buy (at least not together) at the grocery store, but I’m so glad they were in there!!! I took a few and made a salad which was a yummy component of my lunches all week, here’s what I came up with, it was a huge hit and I highly recommend it!

Spring (Almost Summer) Spectacular Potato Salad (6 servings) 

• 3 pounds new potatoes (quartered)
• 3 green onions (sliced thin)
• 1 cup shelled fresh fava beans (you can use green beans if you don’t get favas)
• 5 medium to large radishes (diced)
• 1 tablespoon mustard (I had Dijon, others would be great)
• 1/3 c vinegar (I used an herby vinegar, balsamic would be nice, so would apple cider vinegar)
• 2 t olive oil (or another healthy oil!!!)
• salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of water to boil on the stove, when it’s boiling throw a dash of salt into the water. Put your quartered new potatoes into the water and boil. About 3 minutes after adding your potatoes, put the fava beans or green beans into the water and boil with the potatoes.  While potatoes and beans are boiling put mustard, vinegar, oil, salt and pepper into a medium bowl and whisk until combined with a fork.  When potatoes are fork tender, drain and add potatoes and beans to the bowl with the dressing in it.  Add radishes and green onions, and toss until coated.  The hot potatoes will soak up a lot of flavor from the dressing.  Chill and serve!  You could add a chicken breast or ham, and your lunch is done!!!

Nutrition Facts
6 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories		201.3
Total Fat		2.1 g
	Saturated Fat	0.3 g
	Polyunsaturated Fat	0.3 g
	Monounsaturated Fat	1.2 g
Cholesterol		0.0 mg
Sodium		49.6 mg
Potassium		1,146.3 mg
Total Carbohydrate		41.3 g
	Dietary Fiber	4.2 g
	Sugars	3.2 g
Protein		6.2 g

Tags: CSA, fava bean, potato, radish, Recipe, recipes, salad, Seasonal Fruit, strawberry, summer

Dig Out Your Recipes People, It’s a Memorial Day Grilling Round-up!

Tuesday, May 19th, 2009 | Recipe | No Comments

Are you grilling this weekend? This is the unofficial kick-off to summer and grilling season and I for one am more than ready!! Woo hoo get some sun, eat outside, hang out with friends; sounds like a fun time to me.  I’m such a grill fan I even went to see Bobby Flay when he came to town, and got a personally autographed copy of his grill book!!!

Grilling is also an awesome cooking method, it’s tasty, feels festive, and of course is healthy for you! So… this time I’m asking for help.  I’m going to give you some grilling ideas, and you should give me some too! 

Send in your most creative outside/grill recipe, I want to hear the good, the unique, the old standbys people, meat, pizza, dessert, whatever you’re grilling folks.  Also, if you haven’t got a recipe, but you have a sort of recipe (like say… grilling chicken breasts and then rolling them around in wing sauce) send those too, let’s build up a big fun pile-o-ideas for summer people!

Oh, and while you’ve got your grill hot, throw on a bunch of extra chicken breasts, you can save yourself some prep time and eat them for lunch all week!!!

Grilled Pepperoni and Mushroom Ranch Pizza (2 servings)

In college I adopted the not so healthy habit of eating my pizza crusts with ranch dressing.  This is that idea, lightened up!  If you’ve got dressing…. why not salad too? Don’t be afraid to grill your pizzas the smoky flavor from the grill is spectacular!

• 2 Western Bagel Alternative Pitas
• 1/2 c  tomato sauce or pureed tomatoes (NOT marinara sauce)
• 6 fresh basil leaves or 1/2 tsp dried (fresh is yummy, grow it on the window sill!)
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1 clove or 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2/3 cup shredded light mozzarella cheese
• 2 Tb shredded Parmesan cheese (I use the real deal, it’s a bargain considering how much flavor you get for such a small amount!)
• 10 peices turkey pepperoni
• 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms (whatever kind you like!)
• 1 cup shredded romaine lettuce
• 1/4 cup grape tomatoes
• 2 Tbs light ranch dressing
• non-stick cooking spray

 Fire up the grill, and get it good and hot with red coals, but not with flames still shooting up to the grill grate.  Spray one side of your pitas, and put them spray side down onto the grill for one minute (time depends on the heat of your grill) until they’re just toasted.  Pull them off onto a plate, hot side down. Spray the cold side with non stick spray and flip them back over hot side up. 

Mix  next 6 ingredients together as your sauce, and distribute equally on the hot sides of your pitas.  Top with cheeses, pepperoni, and mushrooms.  Lay the pizzas back on the grill with a spatula.  Put the top on the grill and leave there for 3-4 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. 

Carefully remove pizzas from grill with a spatula, top with romaine lettuce, tomatoes and equal amounts of ranch dressing.  Enjoy your personal ranch pizza!!!

Nutrition Facts
2 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories		272.4
Total Fat		6.0 g
	Saturated Fat	1.1 g
	Polyunsaturated Fat	0.5 g
	Monounsaturated Fat	0.7 g
Cholesterol		23.8 mg
Sodium		1,549.5 mg
Potassium		443.4 mg
Total Carbohydrate		37.3 g
	Dietary Fiber	9.9 g
	Sugars	4.6 g
Protein		23.5 g

Banana Boats (2 servings)

This one is a throwback to my illustrious career as a Girl Scout.  It brings back funny memories of my mother escaping snakes in the campground outhouse.  I’m sure she’s excited I remember that!

• 2 medium bananas
• 1/2 cup mini marshmallows
• 1 Tb Peanut Butter
• 2 Tb chocolate chips

Split bananas in half lengthwise without removing the peel, spread peanut butter inside bananas, and stuff marshmallows and chocolate chips inside.  Wrap stuffed bananas in aluminum foil, and place on hot grill, not directly over the hot coals.  Put cover on grill and wait 10 minutes until banana is hot and soft.  Remove bananas, let cool, and eat with a spoon.

Nutrition Facts
2 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories		181.9
Total Fat		7.4 g
	Saturated Fat	2.7 g
	Polyunsaturated Fat	1.3 g
	Monounsaturated Fat	3.0 g
Cholesterol		0.0 mg
Sodium		49.0 mg
Potassium		290.9 mg
Total Carbohydrate		29.9 g
	Dietary Fiber	2.3 g
	Sugars	12.7 g
Protein		3.2 g

Tags: banana, dessert, grill, memorial day, pizza, Recipe, recipes, summer

Thanks Mom!

Wednesday, May 6th, 2009 | Recipe | No Comments

So… my mom is the best.  No you say, my mom is the best!  Well, that’s just about the most unwinnable argument possible, so I’m sticking with my story that I have the best mom in the universe.  She really has always been my biggest fan, even during those icky teenage years when she would have had complete justification in running away from the house screaming every day to escape me.

Mothers Day is coming up, and I have great memories of bringing my Mom breakfast in bed as a kid. (I think it was mostly burned peanut butter toast and watery orange juice, but she always appreciated the effort. This year, do your mom one better, bake her this easy brunchy puffed pancake! (Really a slimmed-down version of my very own mother’s famous recipe!)

Mom’s Puffed Pancake (Sometimes called German Pancakes or Dutch Babies) 

2 tbsp unsalted butter 

1 1/2 cup(s) fat-free egg substitute 

1 cup(s) all-purpose flour 

1 cup(s) 1% low-fat milk 

1/2 tsp table salt 

1/2 cup(s) fresh orange juice 

1 tbsp orange zest

4 tbsp powdered sugar 

Place butter in 13 by 9 inch casserole dish. Place in a 425 degree oven for 3 to 5 minutes or till butter melts. Remove pan and swirl around to distribute melted butter. In your blender combine next 6 ingredients until blended well.

Immediately pour into the pan. Bake about 25 minutes or till puffed and well browned. (When removed from the oven it will be tall and puffed like a soufflé, but will quickly fall, this is a wonderful spot for fruit!)

Remove from oven and sprinkle with powdered sugar. This dish is wonderful for brunches and special occasion breakfast, it is lovely topped with strawberries, raspberries or any other kind of fruit. Cut in to pieces and serve warm. Makes 8 servings

Nutrition Facts
8 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories		127.3
Total Fat		1.9 g
	Saturated Fat	1.1 g
	Polyunsaturated Fat	0.1 g
	Monounsaturated Fat	0.5 g
Cholesterol		5.9 mg
Sodium		245.7 mg
Potassium		247.9 mg
Total Carbohydrate		19.3 g
	Dietary Fiber	0.5 g
	Sugars	7.2 g
Protein		7.3 g

Tags: baked good, Mom, Mother's Day, Pancake, Puffed Pancake, Recipe, recipes

Not Your Momma’s Crockpot

Wednesday, April 29th, 2009 | Recipe, Thoughts | 2 Comments

Do you have a crockpot? Do you think crockpots belong to little old ladies and only make beef stew? That’s what people tell me, but really how did they get this bad rap??? I love my (multiple) crockpots and use them to cook everything from breakfast to dinner! There are some great reasons why crockpotting can make your life easier and leaner in the future.

1. First reason you should love a crockpot… it’s super easy.  No 5 step processes, no big complicated lists of things to do, you just throw everything in, and come back when dinner is ready! It always feels like a present when I walk in the door and smell my cooking dinner! Yay! This can save you many a call for takeout on a busy evening. By the way, I’ve been known to throw all of the ingredients for dinner in the pot the night before, refrigerate the whole thing, then take it out and turn it on the next morning before work.  This works great and makes things even easier.
2. Second reason to start slow cooking today is that there’s pretty much no need for added fat.  Your food cooks with moist heat, and doesn’t need any fat to keep from sticking, or brown anything.
3. The third reason is… it stretches a buck! If you haven’t figured this out yet, I’m super cheap.  My motto is, spend money where you actually want to, where it counts, other than that be thrifty. You save money by having a great dinner/breakfast/dessert waiting for you instead of caving to the instant gratification of easy (and high calorie!) restaurant food.  You also save money because Crockpots cook for a crowd, you can feed a ton of people with a huge crockpot full of chili or chicken or whatever you like! But… if it’s just you or just a few, then you are luckier still.  Your crockpot full of food can now become some of the yummiest and most economical frozen dinners ever.  Freeze your leftovers in individual containers so that they’re ready to go, in two weeks you’ll be so excited to eat bean soup (or whatever) again, and you’ll feel like a genius for planning ahead!  You’ll not only save money over the store bought stuff, but you didn’t spend any more time to do it. 

It’s almost summertime though!  Why would I want soupy stewy stuff from a crockpot?  Actually, I think it’s an even better idea to use them as the weather heats up, with a crockpot you avoid heating up your whole house with the oven or stove, not to mention use less energy.

There are so many great recipes for the crockpot out there, here’s one that I posted last fall that was a hit http://www.shrinkingdaisy.com/2008/11/14/provencal-style-slow-cooker-beef-stew/ and this one was a great too http://www.shrinkingdaisy.com/2008/11/14/seize-the-season-pomegranates-csas-and-soup/ , the WeightWatchers website has a lot of great crockpot ideas, and I have this wonderful cookbook with tons of great ideas http://www.amazon.com/FIX-FORGET-LIGHTLY-Healthy-Low-Fat/dp/1561484318 but here are two ideas, that everyone loves, and are super simple to get you started.  The first is breakfast, followed by a dinner idea. 

Crockpot Oatmeal (8 one cup servings)

• 2 c steel cut oats (these are small peices of oatmeal instead of smashed old fashioned oats, they hold up better to the crockpot, and can be found cheapest in the bulk bin section of the grocery store, sometimes located in the natural food section)
• 7 cups water
• 1 tsp salt (don’t forget this, it’s important!!!)
• 1 tsp of cinnamon (or more to taste)

Put all ingredients in your slow cooker and cook on low 8 hours or overnight.  When you wake up, turn it off, top with bananas, milk, raisins, strawberries, nuts, syrup, peanut butter, pb2, sugar free hot cocoa, sugar free syrup, or whatever you like.  I like to make a chunky monkey with cocoa, bananas, and pb2, but that’s just me!!! Talk about an easy way to get in your filling breakfast…

Nutrition Facts
8 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories		140.0
Total Fat		2.5 g
	Saturated Fat	0.5 g
	Polyunsaturated Fat	0.0 g
	Monounsaturated Fat	0.0 g
Cholesterol		0.0 mg
Sodium		0.0 mg
Potassium		0.0 mg
Total Carbohydrate		27.0 g
	Dietary Fiber	4.0 g
	Sugars	0.0 g
Protein		6.0 g

Crockpot Salsa Chicken (8 servings)

This one has a million variations but this is the basic. 

• 8 frozen chicken breasts
• 1 jar of salsa (16 oz.)

That’s it.  Put the chicken breasts into the crockpot frozen, and turn it on low for 8 hours.  When you return it will be like shredded chicken in a flavorful sauce and will be great for soft tacos, enchiladas, over rice, beans, burritos, etc.  You can mix this up by adding spices like chili powder and cumin, adding a can or two of black beans at the beginning to bulk up the meal, the possibilities are endless!  Everyone loves this and it’s great for a crowd or a party, think of how easily you could put a healthy mexican buffet together with this chicken! This is easily doubled, or halved depending on how much you need!

Nutrition Facts
8 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories		143.4
Total Fat		1.6 g
	Saturated Fat	0.4 g
	Polyunsaturated Fat	0.4 g
	Monounsaturated Fat	0.4 g
Cholesterol		68.4 mg
Sodium		287.5 mg
Potassium		404.3 mg
Total Carbohydrate		3.0 g
	Dietary Fiber	0.8 g
	Sugars	0.0 g
Protein		27.9 g

Tags: chicken, Crock Pot, healthy cooking, oatmeal, Recipe, recipes, salsa, slow cooker

Hey, What’s Quinoa?

Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009 | Food Finds, Recipe | No Comments

In the spirit of adventure, and exposing the world to foods that I love, love, love… I’m unveiling the awesomeness of quinoa (keen-wah)! Ok you say… what is that, and why is it so great? Well, you just have no idea what you’ve been missing. 

Quinoa is a grain… ok, actually it’s a seed, but you use it as a grain.  It has a delicious nutty flavor and it cooks super fast.  You can use it anywhere you would normally use rice. It’s from the Andes mountains in South America, and was a favorite of those oh-so-healthy Incas. 

So… why wouldn’t you just use rice you ask? Why go for the weirdly spelled grain nobody’s heard of? Well, this is no ordinary grain, it’s jam packed with protein, in fact it’s the only plant based food that is a complete protein, so it keeps you really full and satisfied.  I love the flavor, a lot more interesting than rice.  It cooks up in just 15 minutes too! It’s great for people who have gluten issues (gluten free), and since it’s a seed, you can eat it during religious holidays that ban grains.  And… here’s a good one, it’s cheap!!! Buy it in the bulk bins in the natural/whole foods section of your grocery store and the price is a lot lower than if you find it in a box.

The basic recipe is 2 parts water to 1 part quinoa (so if you have 1 cup of quinoa, use 2 cups of water) , bring it all to a boil and then cover and simmer on low for about 15 minutes.  You’ll end up with a pot of slightly al dente (not mushy) grains, with little curly-q tails attached (that’s the germ), they’re super cute. You have to make sure you rinse the quinoa off first before you cook it, because theoretically it could have a bitter taste if you don’t (this has never happened to me).  You can also cook it in a rice cooker.

I think qunoa (like a lot of other things) tastes even better if you cook it in chicken or vegetable broth instead of water.  More flavor without adding a bunch of fat or calories, woo hoo!!! You can make a quinoa veggie pilaf, stuff peppers with it, put it in soup, make a cold salad with it (great for potlucks), and just basically be the inventive person who introduces your friends to a great new food.  You can also make a stellar filling breakfast by adding fruit, nuts, and milk, and treating it like oatmeal.  This will definitely hold you until lunch! 

Well, are you convinced yet? Are you going to try it? How about a recipe to give you a kickstart? Here’s a spicy black bean and corn one pot quinoa meal that has been a hit everywhere I’ve taken it:

Spicy Black Bean and Corn Quinoa

• 1 cup dry Quinoa
• 1 15oz can black beans
• 1/2 cup chopped bell peppers (I like red, orange, and yellow)
• 1 jalepeno pepper diced (or feel free to up the volume if you’re braver than me)
• 1 1/2 cups frozen corn
• 1/2 cup chopped onions
• 2 medium diced green onions
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• dash of salt
• pepper
• cooking spray

Rinse quinoa in a colander or sieve under running water. Get out a medium saucepan, saute onions, and all peppers with the dash of salt in cooking spray over medium heat.  When the onions and peppers have softened, add quinoa and toast with veggies, while stirring.  Add in broth, spices, corn and beans; and bring everything to a boil.  Cover with the saucepan lid and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes.  At the end add in the  green onions, and salt and pepper to taste.  Enjoy humongous servings!

Nutrition Facts
4 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories		314.9
Total Fat		6.2 g
	Saturated Fat	0.5 g
	Polyunsaturated Fat	0.7 g
	Monounsaturated Fat	0.8 g
Cholesterol		2.5 mg
Sodium		837.6 mg
Potassium		452.1 mg
Total Carbohydrate		82.7 g
	Dietary Fiber	12.7 g
	Sugars	9.0 g
Protein		18.3 g

Tags: Food Finds, healthy cooking, quinoa, Recipe, recipes, weightwatcher recipe

What’s the Deal with Greek Yogurt??

Friday, April 10th, 2009 | Food Finds, Recipe | 1 Comment

Greek Yogurt… it’s advertised in all of the weight loss magazines, everybody talks about it on weight loss message boards, it comes up in weight watcher meetings but… what is it, why would you want it, and what makes it Greek exactly???

So… here’s the deal, Greek yogurt is yogurt that has been strained so that it is less liquidy. Those crafty guys over in Greece figured out how to make creamy yummy goodness out of a low fat or fat free milk, yay! It’s more the consistency of sour cream than yogurt. People like it because it’s thick and creamy even when it’s fat free! You can use the plain one as a stand in for sour cream in any recipe or on tacos/potatoes etc, and it has less fat and calories. (This is the perfect ingredient for something like low calorie scalloped potatoes, or a creamy dip.) Another great use is… if you have an ice cream maker/freezer, you can mix fat free Greek yogurt (2 cups) with a box of any flavor of fat free sugar free pudding, and have a great  low calorie home made frozen yogurt!

As for the nutritional side of things, since it’s denser than regular yogurt is has more protein per cup so it should keep you full, the downside is though that some of the calcium is lost when the liquid is strained out… bummer.

You can buy it at most grocery stores, and there are many brands. I’ve seen it at Hy-Vee, Price Chopper, and even Wal-mart, but… it’s usually a little more expensive than regular yogurt.

If you’re super cheap like me, you can make it yourself, here’s what you need:

• A strainer,
• a container of regular yogurt (Plain or flavored, whatever you want to end up with, the fit and active brand from Aldi works great, but note, some yogurts have weird ingredients like gums, they may not work, check and make sure there isn’t anything like “guar gum” in your yogurt before you start.)
• coffee filter,
• a bowl,
• a little plastic wrap

Put the strainer over the bowl, put the coffee filter in it, dump in the yogurt, put the plastic wrap on top, and put the whole thing in the fridge for 6-8 hours (overnight is good). When you come back the yogurt should be about half the volume it was, and there should be clear liquid in the bowl. Throw out the liquid. Voila! You’ve got Greek yogurt. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Now… for even more fun, you can leave the yogurt in the strainer in the fridge longer (12 hours) and it will become the constistency of cream cheese. Why would you want yogurt cheese you ask? Because it’s a low calorie tasty swap for cream cheese, with a little more tang.  You can even stir in some garlic and herbs before you strain it, and come up with something that many have mistaken for Boursin cheese! Here’s an awesome recipe for herb yogurt cheese spread from the Food Network that got me started down this path.  Yogurt Cheese Recipe

Tags: Cheese, Frozen Yogurt, Greek Yogurt, recipes, Yogurt Cheese