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.

I know I have been MIA for a while but life got kinda crazy for a while--between starting a new job right and dealing with all the craziness that comes with the holidays, I didn't have that much time to blog. But life, has hopefully settled down once again and I should be back to regularly blogging. To end 2009 with a bang, I decided my last blog entry of the year should end with some spice--zippy shrimp tacos! These shrimp tacos have just the right amount of heat to light up all the taste buds in your mouth. Shrimp Marinade 1 pound shrimp, peeled with tails removed and butterflied11/2 teaspoons chili powder1 teaspoon paprikaPinch of cayenne pepper… continue reading zippy shrimp tacos! | 2 Comments

It's officially holiday season!  Tonight is the first night of Chanukah, a holiday where you're supposed to eat fried foods to commemorate the miracle of a small amount of oil burning for 8 nights.  Somehow, the traditional foods that evolved from this are potato latkes (i.e. potato pancakes) and jelly doughnuts.  That sounds pretty good, but Chanukah lasts 8 days, and although I'm a huge proponent of sticking to tradition, 8 days of fried potato and dough can really wreak havoc on your body.  So while I think eating the fried stuff sparingly is fine, if you'd like to lighten up some of your holiday dinners this week (and try some creative twists on traditional foods) then keep up… continue reading a whole lotta latke! | 3 Comments

 

One more last-minute thanksgiving recipe - it's a good thing this dish takes just a few minutes to throw together!  

Kale is one of my favorite vegetables.  It has beautiful big, sturdy leaves, and it holds it's own with so many different flavors.  It's also incredibly healthy; in the same vegetable family as broccoli, cauliflower and brussel sprouts.  I love it in soups, salads, and just wilted with some olive oil and garlic.  In this recipe, the kale is quickly wilted and braised, and wonderful sweet flavors from the onions and cranberries and great crunchy texture from the almonds are added in.  It's healthy, quick and… continue reading planning a thin thanksgiving: kale with caramelized onions, almonds and dried cranberries. | 1 Comment

Roasted vegetables are always my favorite side dish(thanksgiving or not), and this dish takes delicious roasted vegetables and adds maple-ginger quinoa to the mix.  In case you've never tried it, quinoa tastes like a slightly nuttier cous cous.  It's actually a berry, not a grain, and it packs a lot of protein.  It's a great grain alternative for anyone who has a gluten allergy, and it's great for vegetarians who won't be getting protein from the turkey.  Most important though, it tastes great, and it makes the regular roasted vegetable side-dish much more satisfying.

Remember to rinse the quinoa before cooking it.  You can buy pre-rinsed packages of quinoa… continue reading planning a thin thanksgiving: maple-ginger quinoa with roasted vegetables.

Making your own cranberry sauce is a great way to infuse your thanksgiving meal with personality, and it's also a great way to cut some of your thanksgiving sugar intake.  There's no reason not to make your own cranberry sauce; it takes all of 20 minutes and your home will smell amazing as guests start arriving!

Using agave nectar (a natural sweetener from the agave plant) instead of sugar allows you to cut the sugar in cranberry sauce by about half.  That's because agave nectar tastes sweeter than sugar, even though it's lower on the glycemic index.  Adding apples and some orange juice not only makes the flavor/texture more… continue reading planning a thin thanksgiving: agave cranberry sauce with apple and spices.

It isn't thanksgiving without stuffing.  When you think about it though, traditional stuffing really is a bunch of empty calories.  The base is usually white bread, and there's usually a ton of butter involved.  There's no reason why stuffing needs to be unhealthy.  This stuffing is made with whole-grain bread, a ton of veggies, a bit of olive oil, spices and some granny smith apple, which gives it an amazing kick and totally balances the flavors.  

I absolutely love this stuffing just as it is, but if you'd like to use this recipe as a healthy base and personalize it with your favorite stuffing ingredients, I'm sure it… continue reading planning a thin thanksgiving: delicious whole-grain stuffing. | 2 Comments

Often times the brussel sprout is the forgotten vegetable because people think it is bitter and dread eating it. But these can be the perfect side dish at thanksgiving if they are made right. The secret to  making them delicious and bringing out their sweetness is roasting them and use balsamic vinegar as a marinade to bring out their sweetness. They are honestly delicious!

Roasted Brussel Sprouts 1 pound brussel sprouts 2 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese (optional)Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Chop the… continue reading planning a thin thanksgiving: a side of roasted brussel sprouts

To continue with our Thanksgiving themed menu here is a new twist on your traditional green bean casserole. Sometimes there is just too much heavy and good food on the table and I always find that the green bean casserole just puts me over the edge. So instead of making your traditional green bean casserole, I put a refreshing and light twist on our green beans. I think this is just what you need on your Thanksgiving plate to make you feel good again. The almonds and zip of lemon leaves you feeling refreshed and light. Hope you enjoy! Green beans with almonds and lemon 1 pound fresh green beans with ends trimmed 1 tablespoon lemon zest… continue reading planning a thin thanksgiving: yummy green beans with a lemon zip | 4 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