Fast Food Attack!!

Burger and Fry Cravings... 

 

   It happens to the strongest willed of us, and the new dieter/healthier lifers alike. The constant, powerful urge to eat something totally delicious, satisfying, and downright naughty and dive into a fast-food burger and extra large fry may be one of the most powerful forces we fight against. 

   I will be the first to admit that these temptations are hard to resist and its hard to replace those tastes with something healthy. I have, however, found that if you have some of the same flavors on a fairly regular basis, you can "trick" your taste buds out of the temptation of that favorite drive-thru fare. 

   After several attempts, I have completed what I feel is a completely spectacular burger, and with an awesome side of nutrient rich sweet potato fries, this is a really complete, healthy and satisfying way to stop some of those harsh cravings. Enjoy all of this, completely guilt free!!

Restaurant-Style Gourmet Turkey Burger

1/2 lb. ground turkey breast

1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce

1 tablespoon steak sauce

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon course black pepper

1 teaspoon dried italian seasoning blend

1 grated garlic clove

1 tablespoon finely grated onion

1 carrot finely grated

1 teaspoon brown spicy mustard

4 slices sandwich bread *look for low calorie 35-40 cal per slice

Your favorite low calorie burger toppings such as red onion, tomato, lettuce, ketchup, mustard     

Mix ground turkey will all spices, sauces, and mustard in a large bowl very gently until completely combined, being careful not to over-handle. Divide into two large patties, flattening slightly more in the center to keep from "puffing" up. Spray a nonstick skillet lightly with cooking spray. Cook patties in skillet on medium heat until completely cooked through, about 6 minutes per side. Check temperature of cooked meat to ensure food safety if unsure it is cooked completely. Serve on lightly toasted bread, topped with toppings.

Sweet Potato Oven Fries 

1 large sweet potato

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Peel the sweet potato. *Hint: look for a potato with less curves for easier peeling and slicing for this recipe. Slice potato into 1/2 inch thick slices and cut each slice into 1/2 inch strips. Cover a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. Arrange the sweet potatoes evenly in a single layer on the cookie sheet and coat them with cooking spray. Sprinkle with cumin and salt. Bake 35-40 minutes flipping over halfway through cooking until completely cooked through and brown. Makes 2 servings.

    

 

   

Comforting Tastes for Early Fall

In late summer and early fall, there are so many delightful foods to enjoy. Here in the south, we benefit from having the variety of the last of the delicious summer harvest, and the start of the vast varieties of fall produce during these months. 

One of the things I truly enjoy doing is taking some of those last delicious summer tomatoes, onions, and garlic and turning them into a wonderful, roasted tomato soup. This healthy, vibrant soup is perfect for early fall nights when the chill hits the air. It also freezes beautifully to keep the taste of summer tomatoes alive throughout the winter. Also, I chose to pair this with a quick and simple take on a strawberry shortcake that can be made year round. Please enjoy!

Roasted Tomato Soup

4 large tomatoes

1 large sweet or yellow onion

2 large garlic cloves

1 low sodium chicken boullion cube

1 quart reduced sodium chicken broth

1 teaspoon each salt and pepper

1 tablespoon herbes de provence

2 bay leaves

3 basil leaves carefully cut into small strips

nonstick cooking spray

Rinse and quarter tomatoes. Using finger, push out the rows of seeds from each quarter, removing most of the liquids from tomatoes. Clean and quarter onions. Smash garlic cloves with a knife and peel the skins. Place all vegetables on a large cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Spray the top of the vegetables with cooking spay to coat. Mix the salt, pepper, and herbes de provence together and sprinkle over the vegetables. Roast in the oven at 450 degrees until edges are browned and tender about 25 minutes. Transfer to a large stockpot or dutch oven with tongs or spatula, leaving the juices on the sheet pan. Add the boullion cube, chicken stock, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, cover, and let simmer for 15 minutes. Using an immersion blender puree to mostly smooth or carefully puree in batches in a blender (cool first if using a blender for safety). Finish by adding basil and stir to combine. Serve. Freezes well in quart size freezer bag after cooling completely. 2 large servings.

Super Easy Strawberry Shortcake

1 storebought angel food cake

1 lb quartered capped strawberries (or use thawed frozen strawberries in sugar and omit sugar)

1 tablespoon sugar

4 tablespoons from small box instant sugar free fat free vanilla pudding mix    

1/2 cup fat free unsweetened fat free almond milk or skim milk

Mix instant pudding mix with milk using an electric mixer to combine completely. Cover and refrigerate to set. Mix strawberries with sugar in a bowl to coat and set aside to allow strawberries to give off their juices. Serve sliced angel food cake topped with 2 tablespoons of pudding and strawberries. Recipe makes 6 servings. Angel food cake freezes well wrapped and placed in freezer ziptop bags so this recipe can easily be divided into two.

  

 Guilt-free and both totally delicious!!

 

 

2-for-1: Make-ahead Meal, one for now and one for later

Portions Count!!

Hopefully as you read my post, you have found the time to try a recipe or two in small, healthful portions. This week, I would like to share a few more that I think you will enjoy.

One of the many challenges of cooking for one or two I have found, is that it sometimes is hard to buy main proteins or veggies in a size you will use. I have a few tips for this.

Ground meats are especially a challenge to buy as they usually come in pounds quantities only. Sometimes, when I buy these I simply portion these freezer bags and flatten the meat so it resembles a square. By freezing this way, it thaws quickly and stacks neatly. Flat frozen items definitely take the least amount of space. Another great idea is to find a way to make two completely different recipes at the same time. One meal for today and one for tomorrow already made ahead. This is really the best way to go for me. I have one of those recipes to share with you today.

2-for ground turkey:

Base:

One pound 99% lean ground turkey
1 cup instant oatmeal
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
 2 green onions chopped
1/4 cup reduced sugar ketchup
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
2 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon crushed rosemary
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic chopped finely
pinch of fresh grated or ground nutmeg


Combine eggs, spices, olive oil, water, ketchup, teriyaki sauce, mustard, chopped garlic and chopped onions in a large bowl. Mix until thoroughly combined. Add the ground turkey, oatmeal, and cheese and mixed just until combined. I find doing this by had works the best. This mixture is the base for two recipes.

To complete recipe one:

Two mini turkey meatloafs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Reserve half the base mixture to the side. With the remaining half divide in two evenly and mold each of those halves into oval meatloaf shapes. Place on a baking sheet sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.

Topping:

Combine 2 tablespoons ketchup, one teaspoon honey, and one teaspoon of dijon mustard. Divide evenly between the two loaves and brush to cover tops and sides.

Cook until completely done about 40 minutes. Serves two generously one mini loaf each.

To complete recipe two:

Turkey meatballs marinara

With reserved half of base mixture, roll into meatballs about the size of ping-pong balls to make about 12 meatballs. Place about an inch apart, on a cookie sheet lined with a silicone baking mat or sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes. Meanwhile, you can start the marinara. They do not have to be fully cooked at this point.

Cheater's marinara

1 1/4 cups of store bought jar marinara
2 cloves minced garlic
1 teaspoon chopped dried basil
pinch of crushed red pepper

Combine in a 2 quart saucepan and bring to a simmer. Gently place the baked meatballs into the simmering marinara and let simmer until flavors combine and meatballs are fully cooked, at least 10 minutes. You can serve them as is or you can cook 1/2 pound of whole wheat pasta to serve with it. Also, these excellent served in a whole wheat pita (half pita filled with 6 meatballs per person) and topped with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

You can choose to make both recipes at the same time, or place the uncooked meatballs in a freezer bag as below and store for later use.

Just Enough, Easy Peanut Butter Cookies:

This is a condensed down, healthier version of a recipe that I have used nearly all my life. It makes around 9 cookies. I have found this recipe to be just enough for one or two people to have around and not go stale or be too tempting. Hope you enjoy!

1/2 cup reduced fat peanut butter
1 tablespoon self rising flour
1/2 cup splenda or truvia (not the kind for baking)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg white

Mix the egg white, vanilla, flour, and sugar substitute thorougly until combined. Add peanut butter and completely work into the mix until thick and very hard to mix with a spoon. Roll into 9 balls and place on a cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Mash the tops of balls with the tines of fork in a criss-cross pattern to give it that peanut butter cookie look. Bake about 10 minutes at 325 degrees until just done. Let sit about one minute on cookie sheet before removing with a spatula to a cooling rack to cool.

 

 

 

I hope you take the time this week to try these recipes. Let me know what you think!

 

Sharing small healthy recipes one day at a time...starting now

As a true southerner, born and raised in the beautiful state of Alabama, I have never been far from delicious food. It is not uncommon for a true southern girl to love the kitchen and some of the delicacies practically bred into us to love from birth. While I must admit all those true traditions of fried chicken, biscuits and gravy, and gigantic portions do tempt me on occasion, I have really made it part of my true nature to change the lives of those around me by creating things that don't quite affect the waistline like those dishes that are generally considered everyday meals by my fellow Alabamians. 

Also, a problem that affects our culture now more than ever is something else I would truly love to change. That is the sheer amount of restaurant fare Americans eat on a daily basis. I think a lot of our issues stem from the fact that many families these days simply are not as large as those of year's past. It occurred to me some time ago that people just do not want to cook for themselves alone or just for themselves and their husband or wife due to the amount of food most recipes generate. Just the thought of making so much food only to end up throwing it out causes many people to grab a quick bite out and just be done with it.

For as long as I can remember, I have been cooking for just myself. When I was very small, I never wanted what my mother was cooking for our family of four and ended up rummaging for something I could make myself. Daily dinners in my house often included hamburgers, fried chicken, fried potatoes, and the like. My full-time job working mother was not going to make something special just for me after all!! I remember even as a five or six year old trying to figure out how to make a meal of instant mashed potatoes, canned beans, and a cornbread pancake with just water and egg and some cornmeal. Yes, I was not a common child I admit. Having so much experience fending for myself as a young person truly started a lifetime passion of creating small portions of healthy recipes. This is how I got where I am today.

I find myself today, a 35 year old woman, with a passion and a dream that involves my love of cooking. Nothing makes me happier than creating a healthy, satisfying recipe out of simple ingredients that I can share with family and friends.  I hope you enjoy and follow my blog where it is my quest to inspire you to cook for yourself or for you and someone you love. You are worth it!!

Special thanks to my very close friend (my I.C.) for inspiring me to start this blog and share my passion with the world. 






Kitchen basics: Before you begin, you may find that you do not have a well stocked kitchen to tackle cooking on a regular basis. I have a few things I recommend any kitchen should have. You can build from here.

one small and one large nonstick skillet
large stockpot (think stew, chili, and cooking pasta)
large cookie sheet or jelly roll pan
silicone baking mat
1 quart and 2 quart saucepans

You should always have these on hand for healthier cooking:

olive oil
nonstick cooking spray
kosher salt
ground pepper
crushed red pepper
small spice rack that has the basics
panko breadcrumbs
vanilla extract
sugar substitute such as truvia or splenda
honey
garlic and onions
canned white tuna in water
canned tomatoes
canned beans of any kind
dry whole wheat pasta
flour

Recipe One:

I had a little trouble with where I should begin, but decided on a meal you can serve together or break apart as you see fit. I wanted to share something delicious and totally inspiring so you will want to start taking care of yourself starting with this recipe.


Easy-2-Make Chicken Cutlets:

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts pounded to 1/2" thickness
2 egg whites
2 tablespoons water
2 cups of panko breadcrumbs
2 cups of self-rising flour, divided
2 tablespoons dried crushed rosemary
2 tablespoons dried thyme
2 tablespoons sweet paprika
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil

Drizzle and heat olive oil on medium high heat in a large nonstick skillet. Line up three dinner plates on the counter nearest your stove top. In dinner plate closest to the stove, put the 2 cups on panko, 1 cup  of flour, rosemary, thyme, paprika, salt, and pepper and mix to combine. There will be excess of this mixture, but its nice to have to make sure the chicken is well coated. In the second plate, mix the egg whites and water. In the last plate, put the leftover 1 cup of flour. Place the chicken breast one at a time, first in the plain flour, then the egg/water mixture, and finally the panko mixture making sure it is thoroughly coated. Shake of excess. Place in hot skillet. Cook about 4-5 minutes per side depending on the size of the chicken until cooked completely. If pan seems dry partially through cooking process, you can quickly remove and spray with a little cooking spray as needed. 2 servings.

Sauteed Spinach Sidedish:

1 16 oz pack of prewashed baby spinach
2 cloves of garlic
1 small yellow onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Heat olive oil on medium heat in a large nonstick skillet with high sides. Chopped onion into a small dice about 1/2 inch pieces. Saute in oil until translucent.  Slice garlic as thinly as possible and add to onions. Cook for another minute. Add spinach, salt, and pepper and toss to combine. Cook another few minutes until spinach is wilted. Serve. 2 servings.

Best, Healthy, Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

4 oz. fat free cream cheese at room temperature
1/2 cup of plain nonfat greek yogurt
1/4 cup of egg substitute
4 tablespoons of dry mix vanilla instant sugar free pudding
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups plain almond milk
1/3 cup Truvia or other sugar substitute

Recipe is for 1 quart of homemade ice cream in an electric mixer. Place all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix with an electric mixer until completely combined. Place in an electric ice cream freezer and mix per manufacturer directions. Best texture if it allowed to freeze for 30 minutes prior to serving. If frozen longer, I usually soften in the microwave for 30 seconds to allow easier scooping. 4 servings.

Please enjoy these recipes and let me know what you think!