Recipes archives

So a few weeks ago I had my girlfriends over at the house to celebrate a recent engagement within our group. I didn't want to do a ton of shopping - read: spend money - because I knew everyone would be bringing stuff for the occasion and I knew I had foods with which I could create something.

1) Low-carb tortillas
2) Mushrooms
3) Scallions
4) Basil

I thought pizzas. All I needed was some goat cheese and some pizza sauce. So I headed over to Trader Joe's. I was going to grab a regular ol' marinade but I noticed a fat-free pizza sauce on the shelf. It was the only pizza sauce on their shelves, and while I'm leery of fat-free ANYTHING, I decided to give it a go.

Holy smokes was I glad I did! Not only did I cut out all of the extra additives and calories of a regular pizza sauce, but it wound up being ten times tastier, too. And while the tortillas were a bust in terms of being able to hold the ingredients well, I've switched those out for whole-wheat pitas. If you have a broiler, these are a STUPENDOUSLY fast and easy meal, low in fat and able to carry whatever veggies you have at your disposal. I HIGHLY recommend using soft goat cheese and using a fork to "shave" it on top.

So there you go: Trader Joe's Fat-Free Pizza Sauce.

The other thing I picked up at Trader Joe's was Better than Peanut Butter. For YEARS I've been avoiding this stuff like the plague for logical reasons: what product, I ask you, would have the nerve to even make such a statement, let alone name their product with such a phrase. Plus, I find the idea of fake food - soy substitutes notwithstanding - a bit nauseating. For me it's always felt like there were a group of food scientists in basement, plotting with the sorts of people who try and con us into believing that a size 8 is fat, and resurfacing with pretend foods for all of the fatties.

But, as I've said, I'm really trying to make a more conscious effort with my food, and while you won't see me swapping out every high-calorie indulgence (even the reduced fat, natural peanut butter I've been eating for years remains high in fat and calories by comparison), I do miss the consistency of peanut butter with my daily Granny Smith. I have to admit? The Better Than Peanut Butter may not be better than the real thing, but it doesn't taste like self-hatred in a jar.

I woke up and headed to the gym on Saturday for two straight hours. I took kickboxing and then did all of my upper body work, followed by the cardio drill from hell for 15 minutes. When I got home, I ate both a breakfast AND a dinner and slept for almost an hour. I don't regret working out that hard - I don't usually have a Saturday to devote that much time in the gym, and it feels like a necessary indulgence once in a while when I can shake it - but I don't think my body appreciated it. I'm inclined to believe that being off my thyroid medication did not help matters, which is why I conked out. I'm in decent shape - a hard workout shouldn't cause me to sleep almost immediately. But it did.

I swear to God, my whole insurance snafu better straighten out this week because I really need to get back on the medication.

Posted by Erin at 10:52 PM | | filed under: Recipes

Could this week have been any bigger of a PITA?

I'm rather thankful that the wretched cold I picked up on Sunday managed to make it's way outta my system today - though I'm still sniffling and blowing my nose and all gorgeously nasally - but it does such a number on me. So, no work outs since Sunday's six-mile run. I did take the dog for a long walk last night, and am planning to do the same today, but I'm not planning on anything until spinning at 9 a.m. tomorrow.

Hopefully one more night of sleep and rest will knock it out of me.

In other news, I have to share with you all this fantastic recipe for a veggie burrito that I ganked out of Oxygen. Maybe it's because I've - God forbid - really gotten into weight lifting, but I love that magazine. What I love the absolute most are the recipes. They're a little janky - simple steps are usually missing, and I invariably have to tinker with the measurements the next go-round in order for a recipe to turn out right - but so good and so healthy. I just had this for lunch and it rules.

Energy Veggie Burrito

1 large burrito tortilla - I use a low-carb wheat version
1/2 cup of avocado
1/4 cup of mache - Or any like-lettuce, this is the one I like
1/4 cup of chopped red onion - I use a little less since a little goes a long way
1/4 cup of chopped red pepper
1/4 cup shredded carrots
2 Tbsp of plain hummus

1) Heat the tortilla in the microwave for 30 seconds.
2) Spread the hummus evenly on the tortilla.
3) Add the rest.
4) Fold, roll, cut in half.

I added a little spray of lime juice and a tiny pinch of kosher salt after I assembled the veggies this morning to take to work. Kept the avocado fresher and gave the veggies a little kick. Don't ask me about calorie or carb counts because I don't have a clue, but it was so tasty and delicious, and perfect for a day like today, which is Springy and light and pretty.

Posted by Erin at 02:17 PM | | filed under: Recipes

My favorite pasta dishes lately are all drizzled with olive oil and Parmesan cheese and that's about it. This one is a variation off of a recipe I picked up somewhere but have since tinkered with on my own.

* 2 Tbsp lemon pepper seasoning
* 2 cups Dreamfields elbow pasta
* 2 oz cooked shrimp
* 2 Tbsp olive oil
* 6 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

I sautée the shrimp in olive oil cooking spray and coat them with lemon-pepper seasoning. I love the stuff, so it's really a matter of taste. It only takes a couple of minutes to cook the shrimp, so start the pasta ahead of time. I use the low-carb pasta because it's easier for me to digest. If you want to keep it healthy, but don't want low-carb, definitely use a whole-wheat version.

I used elbow because that's what I had.

After the pasta is done, I add the shrimp and toss with two Tablespoons of olive oil - I use my good stuff because I'm using it as a dressing - and the Parmesan cheese. I add a touch lemon-pepper, too. If you're following WW, it's 3 POINTS per cup.

I got six cups out of this preparation, measuring out a cup per serving!

Posted by Erin at 09:38 PM | | filed under: Recipes

OK, the only reason I'm calling this "Apple Pie Oatmeal" is because of the cheese but whatever. I made this for breakfast this week and can't get enough.

Take:

1 serving steel-cut oatmeal
1/2 cup soy milk
1 Granny Smith apple, chopped
1 tsp of cinnamon
1 tsp of brown sugar
1/2 Tblsp of Splenda
1 slice of fat-free sharp cheddar cheese

Microwave the chopped apple and spices for about 2 minutes. Mix with prepared oatmeal. Place slice of cheese over oatmeal till it melts. Makes about three cups.

The recipe is a slight tweak from one I saw in some random fitness magazine this month. Obviously you prepare the oatmeal with the soy milk - makes it creamier than water. I had the fat-free cheese and thought I'd try it out. Very glad I did. A nice Fall breakfast - hearty and healthy. I split it up and spread it out over a few breakfasts because there is only so much oatmeal I can take.

Posted by Erin at 11:02 AM | | filed under: Recipes

I am so irritated with myself right now.

I overslept and skipped my workout which means I have to do it tonight. After laundry. Which means right before bed. I am trying to psych myself up for it by remembering that I have the option of taking a nice hot shower afterwards and cuddling up in bed with my dog and a book and the satisfaction of knowing that I didn't flake out about my work out today but so far I'm just irritated that now I have to do 45-minutes worth of lifting tonight. I'm getting so used to getting it all out of the way in the mornings.

In other news, I went to the farmer's market on Saturday and picked up some tomatoes and some zucchini squash. It was rainy last night so I didn't feel like turning on the grill. So I decided to slice up two of the squash, chop up two of the tomatoes, some garlic, a teaspoon of olive oil, some fresh basil from my garden, a couple of Tablespoons of lemon juice and a 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt, some oregano and ... just threw it all together and cooked it in a sauté pain. It wasn't fancy, but it was clean and healthy.

I added about two Tablespoons of baba ganoush to the cooked, finished product, about half of a piece of light string cheese, grated, since I didn't have any grated on hand, and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

I've taken to making veggie-heavy lunches lately, mostly because this is a good time of the year to eat vegetables and fruit. In the morning I have this insane protein shake for breakfast - the almond, tofu, yogurt, soy milk, whey protein one - so I'm literally not hungry until much later in the day. I don't need to OD on protein so I figure midday is a nice time to fit in the produce.

OK. I re-read what I wrote and it almost made me pass out from the boringness of it all. So I'm going to stop there. One last point, though? Next weekend is the 10K race and I'm totally ready for it. Could do it tomorrow if I had to.

That's a nice feeling.

Posted by Erin at 01:58 PM | | filed under: Recipes

I cannot for the life of me remember where I got this recipe - I think Jillian Michaels - but I made it for the first time last night and holy smokes - it rocked. You all need to try this. Plus, it's really inexpensive:

Salmon Cakes

Ingredients:
3 teaspoon oil, olive, extra virgin
1 small onion(s)
1 stalk(s) celery
2 tablespoon parsley, fresh
15 ounce(s) fish, salmon, canned
1 large egg(s)
1 1/2 teaspoon mustard, dijon-style
1 3/4 cup(s) bread crumbs, soft whole-wheat
1/2 teaspoon pepper, black ground
Cayenne pepper (optional, to taste)
1 lemon

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and celery; cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in parsley; remove from the heat.
3. Place salmon in a medium bowl. Flake apart with a fork; remove any bones and skin. Add egg and mustard; mix well. Add the onion mixture, bread crumbs, and pepper; mix well. Shape the mixture into 8 patties, about 2 1/2 inches wide.
4. Heat remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in the pan over medium heat. Add 4 patties and cook until the undersides are golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a wide spatula, turn them over onto the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining patties.
5. Bake the salmon cakes until golden on top and heated through, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve salmon cakes with lemon wedges.

I didn't have lemon wedges, but I did sprinkle on some bottled lemon juice I had, as well as a squirt or two of some butter spray. I added the cayenne pepper because I like my crab/salmon cakes on the spicy side. It was a last-minute addition and I was very glad I did.

Posted by Erin at 12:07 PM | | filed under: Recipes

This is a take off of an old Rosie Daley/Oprah recipe that I've always loved. It's light and, I'd imagine, really low in calories, save for the tablespoon of olive oil.

Heat one spaghetti squash, cut in half, in the oven for 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Make sure you've scooped out all of the seeds and set the squash with the hollowed part down, with water in the pan.

1 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves of garlic

Heat, saute until brown.

5 vine-ripened tomatoes (or two beefsteak, though no matter what, the redder, the better), chopped
1 small package of button mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup of lemon juice

Add all of this to the garlic and olive oil, simmer until it gives a rolling boil. I like to keep it on for at least 10 minutes to simmer everything together nicely.

2 Tbsp of basil
pinch of kosher salt

Add the mixture to a cup of spaghetti squash, which you work out by scraping it out with a fork, add a dash of shredded Parmesan cheese on top.

And that's it. I don't use white wine, as the original recipe calls for, or the regular ol' pasta. This a really quick, really light meal that satisfies the pasta craving without all of the bulk. Substitute fresh lemon juice and basil, obviously, but only if you have it. It's not necessary, but like in any dish, the better your ingredients, the better your meal!

Posted by Erin at 10:28 PM | | filed under: Recipes

I've made no secret around these parts how I've had to cut out a lot of starches and refined sugars and the like because they just don't seem to agree with me. I know, I know - I might be allergic to gluten, which seems unlikely, to tell you the truth, but maybe one of these days I'll get the test done to find out.

Anyway, for the past two weeks I've all but eliminated rice, potatoes, pastas, grains, breads, etc., in all forms as a rule. This isn't to say I've removed them completely from my diet, just that I have them in really limited quanities. And when I say "limited" I mean as in "once a week."

The result? Well, I stepped on the scale at my parents' house ysterday and it read back with "146." I haven't had a single bloat or stomach pain and I've felt really good.

Basically I'm just eating a lot of lean meats, eggs and more vegetables than you can shake a stick at. I've been doing some research on the South Beach Diet, not to follow it, per se, but to learn some creative eating ideas since I know that diet, at least in its inital stages, has its users eschewing breads, grains, etc. I've been tinkering with some things here and there and came up with another breakfast favorite:

Peanut Butter "Pancakes."

1 large egg
2 servings of egg whites (I just use the generic Egg Beaters variety)
1 Tbsp of natural peanut butter
1/2 Tbsp of Splenda

I mix up all of the ingredients using a KitchenAid immersion blender as it really gets the mixture good and frothy. I love that blender. It's one of the best presents I've ever received!

Anyway, pour the batter into a frying pan that's been coated with some sort of Pam-type cooking spray on a low heat. It cooks up much like a pancake and you can watch it "bubble up" in the same fashion.

Swirl around the excess liquid in the middle and then when it's a bit more firm, I cut it down the middle with my spatula and flip each side over. It doesn't look that pretty - and you could do this in smaller batches with a smaller pan - but it's fast and easy and really tasty. I mean it. Seriously good eating.

Another thing I've tried to cut out is sugar, so I've swapped out a couple of condiments like maple and chocolate syrups for the sugar-free variety. They're ... eh. They're ok. The price was worth the experiment. So I just put a tablespoon or two on the big ol' "pancake" and eat.

Like I said, I haven't completely sworn off grains and starches, but I've been heading this way, little by little, and so now I'm just more calculating when I have them. Saturday night we went out for pizza so I had a salad beforehand, but then had a piece of cheesy garlic bread and two slices of pizza. I didn't feel sick, but I didn't use it as an excuse to go crazy, either.

In other triumphs, I went to Super Target with my sister yesterday - God that place makes me want to roll around in all of the aisles because they just seem to be coated with promise and love and don't you just adore American marketing successes? - and I saw this dress.

People, I bought it. IN A MEDIUM.

I even had my sister come into the dressing room to look at me in it just so I wouldn't think I was crazy. And for the first time in eons I stood in a dressing room and felt really pretty and really excited about how I looked.

And I know there are a handful of you reading this who totally hate me and are disgusted and think I'm a narcisstist of the first degree but do you know what I say to you people?

FUCK OFF.

I'm thrilled right now and totally proud of myself.

Posted by Erin at 12:25 PM | | filed under: Recipes

I've been trying to switch up my breakfasts lately, seeing as how it's the most important meal of the day, those who eat a nutritious breakfast reap more health benefits, etc.

I'm almost strictly an eggs girl, preferably over easy with a side of Natural Ovens toast. I've never really cared for pancakes or waffles or anything sweet, generally. Cereal is OK, but it seems nutritionally bereft to me. It's not, especially if it's something such as Kashi or Grape Nuts, and if you pare it with some turkey bacon and fruit. But as a rule, I go through eggs and eggs white around here pretty fast.

But I stumbled upon Aunt Jemima's low-fat pancakes the other day and it's been a welcome, quick breakfast change. Sunday I bought the whole-wheat variety, in lieu of the low-fat, since I'll always choose healthy grains and fiber over low-fat any day. One-and-a-half minutes in the microwave and you're done. Since I'm not big on syrups - I think the syrup I have in the cupboard is about two years old. I should probably do something about that. - I've taken to heating up unsweetened, frozen mixed berries, and throwing on top of that about a teaspoon of honey. The berries themselves, when cooked, form a syrup of sorts and make a nice topping on the pancakes.

Plus, antioxidants!

I've been cooking up three pieces of turkey bacon on the side - two for me, one for my dog - and while it isn't as filling as the black bean and salsa egg breakfast I described the other day, it is a nice way to get in a serving of fruit and berries normally reserved for the warmer months.

I would really like to see some warmer months any day now. Ugh. I've again had to run inside because of the weather, and after a week of being outside with the dog, it makes me sad to drone on the treadmill at the gym. I know my friend Hanna will run outside in any kind of weather Mother Nature throws Chicago's way, but not me. I'm a wussy. I cut about 1:30 off of my time last night, though, so that was something.

This is going to make me sound like a git, but working out these past few weeks has felt strangely familiar. Much how I did when I was at the "top of my game." My body knows I'm not - again, still about 8-9 pounds and hours of training from that - but my mind is operating as it did back then. Which is to say that "this" is what I do. "This" means eating right, working out, taking care of myself.

It feels good to not feel so damn frustrated about being at the gym. It wasn't so many weeks ago that I had that feeling so it really does go to show you that it only takes a few weeks to shake off all of that negativity and get back into the swing of things. What I am, more than anything, is hopeful because of it. Hopeful that the health and energy I had two years ago can be reclaimed. Hopeful that the last few items of clothes in my closet that have eluded me for 18 months might be mine again. At least by the summer, if not the summer itself.

Life happens, and we get knocked off track. And it happened to me - hard. It's taken me almost a year to shake off the dust and get back to taking care of myself again, and it's been more difficult than the first go-round - while I know I'm lucky in that I didn't regain all of the weight I lost, it sure felt like it.

I'm becoming happy again, inside and out. It's worth holding on to.

Posted by Erin at 08:38 AM | Comments (2) | filed under: Recipes

I have no idea if this POINT-friendly or not, but I love it to pieces. I've also had it for dinner this week.

1 small corn tortilla - warmed
1 large egg - over easy
1/4 cup of cook black beans
1/4 cup of Chi Chi's medium-spicy salsa
1/2 Tbsp. of Kraft 2% Shredded Sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp. of grated Parmesan cheese

Place the warmed tortilla on a plate, spread the black beans over it evenly. Next, sprinkle both cheeses over the beans and add your egg over it. Garnish with salsa.

That's it. I am about 95% positive that this is one of the healthiest breakfasts ever. Plenty of protein, good carbs and antioxidants. And it's filling and tasty. I'm not much of as sweets person, especially at breakfast, and this really does the job in terms of quenching some of my cravings in the morning. I always want something hearty but I'm basically against hearty anymore.

I have half a bag of hash browns sitting in my freezer from about two months ago that I haven't touched. It makes me want to cry a little inside because the choice between feeling healthy and feeling like crap doesn't leave much room for starchy, crispy, potatoey goodness like that. Not if I have an entire day ahead of me, and it might contain sushi later.

This was a fantastic week, though nothing in the way of strength training was done. Today is technically a rest day but I'll hit the gym for an hour after I get my hair done to lift a little. This weekend is super busy and while I'd love to once again try and shoot for a kickboxing class, I have no idea if it'll happen.

Try, try again next week.

Happy Friday everyone!

Posted by Erin at 08:04 AM | Comments (2) | filed under: Recipes

Despite my lukewarm feelings regarding POINT counting and WW-related tips and treats, I would be remiss if I didn't mention how much I love No Pudge brownies and how much I'd forgotten what I good treat they make in a pinch.

I'm not a big sweets person, by any stretch, and it's too cold for my regular Skinny Cow sandwiches that are in the fridge. I was looking at some leftover plain yogurt, trying to figure out what to do with it, and remembered the No Pudge. Tonight I had a single-serving as a late-night snack and it was perfect.

I managed to overdo it today in the workout department. After a long, tough day, I made the command decision to take Glinny for a little run. I know it's bitterly cold but the dog has not been out for a run in about two weeks and needed something. And it wasn't windy and the sun was beaming and she did great. We were only out for about 20 minutes and five of those were spent wrestling with the other dogs in the building when we got home. Afterwards I hit a Bikram yoga class and man ... later I got a headache and I was completely out of it for most of the night. I forgot how that class can knock me flat on my ass if I'm not prepared for it.

My friend reminded me tonight after dinner that I was probably dehydrated. A couple of glasses of water later, and I'm feeling much better. The basil chicken and miso soup I had probably helped, too.

Tomorrow night is my first bellydancing class and I'm ... well, nervous is probably the best way to describe it. When I think about taking a class that places emphasis on the one part of my body I hate to emphasize, it makes me a little squeamish. And not in that, "Whoa is me, I hate myself" kind of squeamish, just the kind where I know I'm going to have that moment where I turn on the cheerleader within and remind myself that they're just not ready for all of my jelly.

But that's OK.

Posted by Erin at 12:39 AM | Comments (5) | filed under: Recipes

For a month now, I've been eating as healthy as I have in a year. My food choices, while not always the best in the world, have been informed and thought out.

For instance? I couldn't shake my craving for a juicy, meaty, real cheeseburger. So instead of ordering some piece o' crap from McDonald's, I ordered one from Leona's Restaurant, where I can be sure that I'm eating an honest-to-goodness quality burger, and only ate half of it. I went to bed that night feeling sated and not one bit guilty. No harm, no foul.

But I'm still struggling here. I need some ideas. Tonight Candace, Emily, Megan and I are hitting the Hotel Cafe Tour and so I have a few days to gather up ideas before I can go grocery shopping. I'd like some of the following, if you can do it:

1) Snack ideas - what are you munching on?
2) Quick, hearty lunch ideas. I loathe salads and I'm seven shades of sick of sandwiches.
3) Super-quick dinner options. My downfall is getting home and not having something immediately to eat for dinner.
4) Breakfast ideas. Oh my kingdom for a tasty morning meal.

Anyone? Anything? I should add really quick that I don't really like processed lunches of any sort and am more looking for recipes than I am frozen meals ...

Posted by Erin at 11:39 AM | Comments (18) | filed under: Recipes

For a meal whose core ingredients are lean ground turkey, brown rice, three medium green peppers, a cup of Prego, 1/2 oz. of mozzarella cheese and a can of stewed tomatoes, you'd think that the POINTS value would be around 5 or 6 but you would be wrong. If you make enough to spread out over six servings, it's 3 POINTS a serving.

Viva la stuffed peppers! I also add a jalapeno to the onions and garlic before browning the turkey to give it a little kick. It keeps you from having to add a lot of salt to the dish.

I did have some Baked Cheetos to balance out the self-righteousness of course.

So tomorrow I'm going running with a local running group. I unintentionally ran half of a 5K yesterday - it was a walk, but I was running late and had to run to catch up with my friends. I was hungover and dehydrated and tired but as I ran I was reminded that I'm actually good at running, meaning I know how to and I always can pick it right back up. I can go a couple of weeks and not run and yet still get right back out there. No matter what anyone tells you, running is a skill and you have to practice to get good at it. That doesn't just mean speed and distance but form as well.

Tomorrow morning there is a spinning and ab class I'll hit. The running is after work and I'm doing it more mainly to practice so if I'm not running fast - even if I walk a bit - I don't really care.

I have been keeping the oddest hours as of late and I'm trying to break myself of that habit before I start my new job. I go through these stretches of taking naps when I get home and that's no good for anyone. Tonight is the first day in a long time where I didn't pass out. If I hope to make it to the 6:15 spinning class, I'd best be heading off to bed now.

Posted by Erin at 10:16 PM | Comments (1) | filed under: Recipes

You're all nutty for this, you know that? I cannot tell you how many emails I've gotten from you guys for this one.

Back by popular demand:

Egg 1
Egg whites 1/4 cup
Splenda [to taste]
Cinnamon [to taste]

Whisk egg, egg whites, Splenda and cinnamon in a bowl. Spray omelet pan with Pam. Prepare as you would an omelet, though I flip it once it's pretty firm and then remove from heat. Sprinkle with a dusting of Splenda and add 2 tsp of light maple syrup. It's like crack. I swear to God. Plus? It really does taste like french toast.

It's the simplest thing in the world.

Later this week: BBQ Turkey Meatballs

Posted by Erin at 10:21 AM | Comments (0) | filed under: Recipes