Keeping Weight Off During the Holidays

Little things that add up and have an impact

December 6, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Nobody wants to succumb to the fat pants come New Year’s Day, but with all of the parties and goodies it’s hard not to take in extra calories. So here’s a tip that will keep you svelte and trim right through to January 2nd.

Eat Deviled Eggs!

Although the name implies indulgence, deviled eggs can be your friend…especially if you volunteer to provide them. They don’t have to be full of mayonnaise to be delicious. In fact I often get away with 4 Tablespoons of mayo in an entire dozen.

The problem with mayo is not that it’s full of fat, the problem is the kind of fat. Most of the mayo you’ll find at the store is made with soybean oil. Soybean oil is not fit for human consumption. Not only is it full of pesticides (soy is one of the most highly sprayed crops in the USA. Right next to corn, cottonseed and coffee) it is also a trans fat (that means the bad kind of fat that sticks to your arteries and your buns).

This leaves us with two options. Make your own mayo or pick a kind that is made with olive or canola oil. I personally keep a jar of Best Foods canola in the fridge. Canola isn’t the best oil out there but it’s a compromise as my husband isn’t a fan of anything else I’ve tried.

Deviled eggs are a great choice because the combination of protein and fat will keep you full and satisfied, making it easier to turn down those mini quiches.

They’re also a cinch to make!

Deviled Eggs 101

Boil a dozen eggs

  • Split in half lengthwise
  • Pop the yolks into a gallon sized plastic bag
  • Squirt in a healthy amount of mustard, dill relish if you please, and as much mayo as it takes to hold it all together (start with 2 Tbs and add more as you go). You can also substitute the mayo with whole fat yogurt. Add a little salt and pepper to taste.
  • Squeeze and smush the bag until it is a mixed up mess.
  • Squeeze the mixture down into one corner of the bag.
  • Snip off a corner of the bag and squeeze the contents into the halved eggs.
  • Sprinkle with paprika (the traditional choice) or, my favorite, dill (dried is fine) and chill.

They’re not the easiest thing to transport but there are specialty deviled egg holders if you want to make life easier.

Merry Christmas!

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hearty Lentil Rice Soup

October 19, 2011 By Leave a Comment

With fall upon us and root veggies in abundance, this comforting and rich soup is perfect for any weeknight meal. Hearty Lentil Rice Soup is very versatile as the recipe on it’s own is vegan (if vegetable broth is used). However if you’re a meat eater, the addition of *chicken makes this soup hearty and delicious.

Hearty Lentil Rice Soup

6 cups vegetable or chicken broth

1 cup lentils, picked over and rinsed

2 medium carrots, peeled and finely diced

1 medium parsnip, peeled and finely diced (optional- fresh parsnips add a lovely flavor but can be omitted)

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 celery stalks, finely diced

3 Tbs. uncooked white rice (this serves as a thickener- brown rice will not break down like the white rice does)

2 Tbs. minced garlic

1 tsp herbes de Provence or dried thyme

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp ground white or black pepper

Stir all ingredients together in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours.

Remove 1.5 cups soup and puree in a blender until almost smooth. Stir pureed soup back into the slow cooker. (This may not be necessary depending on how finely the vegetables were diced. I often omit this step as the soup breaks down quite a bit on its own)

* Chicken options:

  • Add shredded rotisserrie chicken into the pot about an hour before serving
  • Add uncooked bone-in chicken breast into the soup along with the other ingredients. Take out the chicken, remove from bone and add meat back to soup before serving.
  • Although I’m not a huge fan myself, one can always add canned or frozen pre-cooked chicken to this soup.

Enjoy!

Filed Under: Articles, Recipe Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Heavenly Ham and Egg Muffin Cups

October 10, 2011 By 4 Comments

These dainty little egg cups pack a powerful punch. Filled with protein, and zero grains (that means they are gluten free of course!), egg muffin cups don’t have to be reserved for breakfast only.  Fresh out of the oven, warmed up in the toaster oven, or straight out of the fridge, these are perfect for the lunch box and make a filling and tasty after school snack. If you struggle with cravings in the afternoon, grab a couple of these and you’ll be good to go until dinner. I’m warning you now, Make a double batch ahead of time, you’ll be glad you did!

Ham and Egg Muffin Cups

8 large eggs
1/2 c. whole milk or whole milk kefir
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
4 ounces thinly sliced ham, chopped
1/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tb. dried basil and/or parsley (I used fresh basil and it was delicious!)
2-3 Tb. butter

In a medium bowl, lightly beat eggs by hand with a whisk or fork. Add all remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Line a muffin tin with paper cups (or you could grease it instead, but using the paper cups makes clean up much easier as well as allowing to reheat the muffins easily in the toaster oven). Add a small dollop of butter (~1/2 tsp) to each paper cup. Pour egg mixture into muffin tins, filling each one about 2/3 full.

Bake at 350 degrees F for about 15-20 minutes, until set. They will puff up while baking, but then deflate once removed from the oven.

tip: If you are planning to reheat these  pull them out of the oven when the muffins on the side are set, but the ones in the middle still have a little jiggle.

Variations:

Chopped green onion

Bacon- cook and chop into “bits”

Shredded zucchini

Smoked salmon and chives- in the middle of each cup add a little dot of cream cheese before cooking

Chicken sausage

 I originally came across this recipe at a great website Nourished and Nurtured. If you’d like more grain-free recipes she’s got a few that are on my “to try” list.

Enjoy!

Filed Under: Articles, Recipe Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Alison’s Favorite Back to School Foods #3

September 7, 2011 By 3 Comments

I once brought a homemade batch of brownies to a weekend retreat I was attending. I made sure to follow the recipe carefully using white flour and all of the sugar…no substitutions. It took a lot of will power not to sneak in any prune puree or whole wheat pastry flour, but I wanted these brownies to be like the ones my grandma used to make. The kind that melt in your mouth, the perfect consistency between fudge and cake. I proudly displayed them at the “treat” table and was excited to try them myself. One bite and I knew I was in trouble. I had not pre-tested this recipe. My sweet friends who knew they had to say something found just the perfect words…”These sure taste healthy.”

Cottage cheese sounds very “healthy” doesn’t it? Not exactly a huge kid pleaser. That’s why when my daughter came home from a friends and announced she’d eaten, and even liked, cottage cheese I could hardly believe my ears. I questioned her like only a mother can:

me: “Well what was in the cottage cheese?”

daughter:”Nothing, just plain cottage cheese.”

me: “So what did it look like.”

daughter: “It was white and all mashed up.”

Hmm, this was sounding more and more like real, true cottage cheese…

me: “So, was there fruit in it?”

daughter, who by now is tiring of this game “No mom, it was just plain.”

I decided to test whether or not she truly, for realz, liked cottage cheese. I mean, this is from a girl that would happily subsist on carrots, noodles, rice, and bread. Protein is last on the “to eat” list.

The next chance I got I whipped out my favorite cottage cheese (Trader Joe’s brand lowfat-never non-fat, blech!) and sure enough, she ate it! With the rest of the family encircling her, we stared in astonishment as she gobbled the bowl down and asked for seconds. It was like the old LIFE cereal commercial, “Mikey liked it! He actually liked it!” Only, her name isn’t Mikey, and she definitely would like LIFE cereal seeing how it’s carbs and sugar.

The reason I was so thrilled is because just a half a cup of cottage cheese contains 14 grams of protein along with highly digestible calcium, Vitamin A, C, D and a host of other good stuff. Also, it is very low in carbohydrates and sugar.

The only thing you have to watch with cottage cheese is sodium. It is pretty high at 410mg for that same half cup. That’s why I don’t recommend feeding children more than 1 serving (1/2 cup) per day. I try to offset this by serving a big glass of water along with the cottage cheese.

Cottage cheese On the Go!

The other day I spotted a little 4-pack of Knudsen “On the Go!” lowfat cottage cheese on my grocery store shelf. These individual serving cups are perfect for school, car, home or office. The milk that Knudsen uses is Rbst free and I found it to have excellent flavor (I’m eating one as I write this). It’s kid approved and so much lower in sugar, more filling, and protein rich than a yogurt cup.

Be aware that Nancy’s and a few other brands carry cottage cheese individual little packs that have the cottage cheese on one side and fruit on the other. Although fruit does pair very well with cottage cheese the fruit is generally high in sugar and the cottage cheese is tasty enough on its own. I always want to encourage others to skip the “spoonful of sugar” method when trying new foods out on kids. Not everything has to be sweet, and if you give them the plain cottage cheese then they won’t “need” the fruity sugar to get it down. They’ll like it for what it is!

Not all cottage cheese brands taste the same. In fact, I’ve found that none of them taste the same. I have to say that Nancy’s brand was my absolute least favorite. It was so sour that I ended up having to make pancakes with it to get it down. I also tried a dry curd with no salt from my local health food store which was pretty much inedible. I even tried mixing it with my favorite (Trader Joe’s-white pkg, blue writing). The dog thought it tasted great though and polished that one off for me! My point is that, like yogurt, you may have to try a few different brands to find one that you (and your kids) really like.

Oh, and about those brownies…

Everyone (including me) ate the brownies that someone else had made from a package. Even when I try to not make things healthy it must weep through from my fingertips into whatever I’m making. You know they say that cooking is sharing one’s soul. I guess mine is…ahem, healthy.

 

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Incredible Grilled Garlic Chicken Breasts

August 9, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Last weekend we had a planned to have a few friends over for a BBQ. Summer in the northwest has been, ahhh, let’s just call it “conservative.” Not much sun, and too much rain. Shivering on the deck in the mist just didn’t sound like a good time so I moved the whole shebang inside, nixing the grill altogether and replacing it with the broiler at the last minute.

One of my favorite friends to feed was there. Paul loves everything I make and isn’t picky. He came in the kitchen with a gleam in his eye, rubbing his hands together, he could hardly wait to hear what I had on the docket for dinner. When I opened the oven to reveal chicken breasts he looked like a six year old who’d just received socks for Christmas.

Chicken breasts have a reputation for being dry and leathery for good reason. Throw a couple on the grill and you’ll have stringy chicken jerky in no time. I patted his shoulder reassuringly “Have I ever let you down before?”

I’m here to let you in on a little secret I’ve discovered: chicken breasts can be moist, tender, and incredibly delicious. In fact I will go so far as to guarantee that you will never have to suffer through another piece of chicken jerky again if you follow this simple recipe.

Flavorful and moist, garlic chicken is so good that you’ll hide the leftovers in the back of the fridge so you don’t have to share. It makes an excellent sandwich (spread a little bit of garlic aioli on some toasted bread, add your favorite greens, and viola you’ve got a sandwich you could sell at the local deli). Today however I’m going to share my process for making this “grilled” chicken in the broiler as well as how I turn it into a scrumptious salad that will make you look at chicken and salad in an entirely new light.

The original recipe came from one of my favorite cookbooks Cooking School Secrets for Real World Cooks by Linda Carucci.” Full of simple, yet delicious recipes, there isn’t a recipe I’ve made from this cookbook that hasn’t gotten rave reviews.
Although Garlic Chicken Breasts are gluten free, Slow Carb (The 4-Hour Body ), Paleo and Atkins friendly, don’t eat it because it’s good for you. Eat it because it’s DELICIOUS!

Garlic Chicken Breasts

* 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1.5 lbs)
* 2 Tbs. olive oil
* 2 green onions, green and white parts chopped
* 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
* 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic powder[1]
* 1/4 teaspoon fine, freshly ground pepper

Marinate the chicken- The cookbook goes into more detail but let me make it easy for you- Throw it all in a gallon plastic bag, massage it a little, press out the air and put it in the fridge until you’re ready to cook it. At least 30 minutes, but up to 24 hours.

chicken in plastic bag

 

 

 

 

 

Remove from fridge at least an hour before cooking.

chicken on broiler pan

 

 

 

 

 

 

Put the chicken (yes, you have to take it out of the bag silly) on a broiler pan (or grill) and leave about an inch or more between each breast. Broil it for about 5 minutes on each side or until it reaches an internal temp of 150 degrees or when the juices run clear when it’s pricked with a fork.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Remove from oven, let rest for 5 minutes. Slice.

 

 

 

One of my favorite ways to serve this chicken is in a salad.

Simply top your choice of torn lettuce with warm chicken, drizzle with olive oil and white balsamic vinegar (I get mine at Trader Joe’s). Sprinkle with sea salt (this is the perfect opportunity to try that fancy sea salt you received as a hostess gift) and freshly ground pepper. Garnish with fresh green onions and serve.

I am happy to report that Paul not only kept his good standing as a gold star member in the “Clean Plate” club he also beat his record by devouring 3 humongous servings of garlic chicken breast salad.

I am unhappy to report that I have no leftovers for my lunch tomorrow. *sigh*

 

[1] Do NOT substitute regular garlic for garlic powder, it will burn and leave unsavory little bitter bits of garlic that will ruin the chicken.

Filed Under: Popular, Recipe Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Thai Chicken and Vegetable Soup

June 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment

I love soup and this is one of my favorites! Generally a one-pot meal, filled with protein, healthy fat, and veggies soup is one of those meals that I can throw together and feel good about feeding my family. Perfect for a light dinner on the deck, it’s delicious and nutritious! If you’re on a special diet, rest assured its Paleo and slow carb diet (SCD) friendly, gluten-free and doesn’t compromise flavor for “healthiness.”

One little tip: As with all Thai cooking, it is best to have all of your ingredients prepped and ready to throw in the pot as there’s no time for prepping while cooking. If it’s not ready, something in your soup will be over-cooked and that’s never a best case scenario!

Thai Chicken and Vegetable Soup

4 cloves garlic

1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled

2 Tablespoons olive or canola oil

1 small onion, peeled and thinly sliced

1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and sliced

1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced

1 (6 oz) boneless chicken breast, thinly sliced

1 (15 oz) can coconut milk (lite is fine)

1 (15 oz) can chicken broth

4 baby bok choy heads (including leaves), sliced

salt and pepper to taste

optional garnish: fresh cilantro and/or crushed red chilies

 

1. Rub the garlic and ginger through a very fine grater or put them in a blender with a couple of tablespoons of water and puree until smooth. Put the oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and saute the ginger and garlic for one minute or until the aroma fills the air.

2. Add the onion and carrot and saute one minute longer. Add the chicken and cook 5 minutes, turning the chicken pieces three or four times as they brown. Salt meat while cooking (about 1 teaspoon).

3. Pour in the chicken broth and coconut milk and bring soup to a boil. Add the baby bok choy and red pepper and cook 2 minutes, or until the bok choy is tender. Add salt and pepper to taste. Transfer soup to serving bowls and top with cilantro leaves and crushed red chilies. Serve at once.

 

Filed Under: Popular, Recipe Tagged With: , , , , ,