Eat Comfy, Go Lightly

Well, I guess I took about a month-long blogging hiatus.  It wasn't intentional, but I guess I've been getting adjusted to living somewhere new, cooking in a different kitchen, and of course...working.  But now that a month has passed, and Superbowl Sunday is around the corner, I decided it was time to get "back in the game" before the big game! Honestly, I don't really watch football, but I've always loved Superbowl Sunday because of the commercials, the half-time show, and the Superbowl parties!  Great excuse to get together with friends and eat good food!  One of my favorites for Superbowl Sunday is spinach-artichoke dip.  Actually, it's one of my favorites, period.  But it's usually so unhealthy.  Did you know… continue reading getting "back in the game" with a healthier spinach-artichoke dip.

Doughnuts are one of my biggest weaknesses.  They're one of those foods that I hardly ever eat because I know that if I do eat them even occasionally, I'll remember how much I love them, and will crave them even more.  I've heard of baked doughnuts before, but have never really thought much about them since honestly, the part of doughnuts that makes them irresistible to me  is the fact that they're fried and crisp on the outside but light on the inside.  Nonetheless, given my attempt to make healthier Chanukah foods (and yes, jelly doughnuts are a Chanukah food), I decided to give it a try.

I opted… continue reading baked ricotta doughnuts...or something like that. | 2 Comments

The other night I wanted to try something new with potatoes. So I decided to make a potato pancake, but not the traditional way with left over mashed potatoes. Instead, I decided to boil the potatoes first and and then added a few unique twists like dill and a yogurt dill sauce. I thought there was something rather addicting about them since I ate about 7 of them. Potato Cakes 4 cups shredded potatoes (preferably russet potatoes) 1 tablespoon dill 1/3 cup parmesan cheese 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic 3/4 teaspoon  sea salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 2 egg whites beaten Cooking Spray Fill a large pot with water and add the potatoes. Two large russet potatoes… continue reading wholesome potato pancakes | 2 Comments

Pumpkin butter, that is.  This post was totally inspired by Sydnee, who told me that at her cooking class last week, she made parmesan crackers and topped them with pumpkin butter.  Sounded totally delicious to me (salty, sweet, spicy), but since parmesan crackers usually have a lot of real "buttah" in them, I decided I'd get the same flavor by making little pumpkin butter and parmesan crostini. Pumpkin butter is generally a healthy snack - usually very low fat (if any fat) and low calorie, but it can also be pretty pricey - making it at home is so simple and costs about 1/3 of the price!  It's delicious on toast, crackers, pretzels, and even swirled into oatmeal for breakfast… continue reading "like buttah" crostini. | 1 Comment

Not only are these zucchini balls a "3-pointer", but they can be made in 3 easy steps: grating, combining and baking. I love these zucchini balls because they honestly are full of flavor and make me think I am eating fried zucchini (one of my favorite foods ever) when I am actually eating something much healthier and better for you. These honestly make a perfect snack or are perfect for kids who don't want to eat their vegetables. Zucchini Balls (makes 20 balls) 2 medium to large zucchini grated 1 small onion grated, about a ½ cup or a little less 1/3 cup of parmesan cheese ½ cup of bread crumbs 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2… continue reading "3-point" zucchini balls | 9 Comments

Ever since The New York Times told me that pumpkin seeds are one of The 11 Best Foods [I'm Not] Eating, I've been trying to work them into my diet.  They have a ton of magnesium and B vitamins, and also have anti-inflammatory properties.  They're great on salads and they make a really easy snack that's packed with protein - 9 grams in every 1/4 cup serving!  

Anyway, enough about how healthy pepitas are.  Yes, they're healthy, but on their own they're not all that much fun.  This recipe changes that.  These pepitas are a perfect party snack - or anytime snack.  But if you are making them for a party, be sure to make 2 batches -… continue reading put some pep in your pepita. | 6 Comments

Grilled cheese and cream of tomato soup is a classic combination that's tough to mess with. That being said, I think that after tasting this roasted tomato soup, you'll be totally done with unhealthy cream of tomato soup.  The flavor is so delicious, and it's rich without adding any milk or cream!  

I think that these adorable mini grilled cheese sandwiches are perfect to serve with the soup instead of croutons.  You still get the "grilled cheese" flavor, but none of the butter and excessive fat that goes with it.  I used freshly grated parmesan cheese because it's so flavorful, and one tablespoon (which is how much I use in each sandwich) has only 20 calories and 1… continue reading roasted tomato soup and mini grilled cheese sandwiches. | 6 Comments

This is the first September in 20 of my (almost) 25 years that I haven't gone "back to school."  Now that I'm not in school, what am I busy doing?  Baking granola bars, of course! In my opinion, the best part about being in school (besides gaining a valuable education, not working, blah blah blah) is the after school snack.  It's a pretty solid tradition for most kids, and in some cases, 20-somethings.  One of the key players in the after school snack tradition is the granola bar.  It's easy, it's neat, and it's delicious.  Unfortunately, it can also be packed with a ton of stuff we don't associate with "healthy granola" - and sometimes, the actual healthy granola bars can be… continue reading after school snack. | 11 Comments

So, I've heard about people making "fried chicken" by baking chicken on a rack in the oven, but never really thought about it too much since I don't eat chicken.   Today, as I was thinking of how to make healthy french fries, a lightbulb went off and I thought I'd try baking the fries on a rack in the oven.  I was AMAZED!  You've gotta try this.   "Fries": potatoes (I used yukon gold and russet - I left the skin on the yukon gold) non-stick cooking spray salt, pepper, anything else you'd want to season your fries with! Preheat the oven to 400. Slice the potatoes into strips (you can keep them as thick as you like your fries; but the thinner the strips, the… continue reading gotta try this "fry!" | 7 Comments

  Sometimes I'm just in the mood for a light dinner, especially when it's hot out (which it is).  A light dinner...just some appetizers and a great salad...but even though I love appetizers, sometimes they're the most unhealthy part of a meal.   Well, as far as appetizers go, hummus and tzatziki are pretty good options.  Garbanzo beans in one, yogurt in the other, what can be so bad about that?  Well, even these healthier options can still be pretty caloric and fattening.  Whole-fat yogurt is usually the culprit in tzatziki, while in hummus, the problem is a bit more severe: tahini paste.  It's pretty easy to substitute non-fat yogurt for whole-fat, but what's a good tahini substitute?  Turns