Skinny Dipping…Shamelessly.

15 Mar

If there’s one thing I like to do, it’s feel free. Free to let it all out and be myself.

I’m a sexy woman! Who says I can’t do what I want with my body? I’d even like to invite a few friends along for the ride. Why not? Being with them can only make me look better. And, well, now I can do all that and more…with impunity.

At least, as far as snacking goes…

A little while ago, I posted about amazing sauces and toppings that really give our veggie friends a boost without doing the same to our waistlines, but I left off one important item – how, I don’t know! It’s one of my favorites. But, just as well, because this one you can make yourself. It’s quick, easy, and ohhh so good in more ways than you can’t count.

So, grab some friendly foods and dive right in!

Sneaky Tzatziki

  • 1.5 cups 2% Greek Yogurt (I used Fage brand)
  • 1/8 – 1/4 cup peeled and minced seedless cucumber (or 1/2 of a small Japanese/Persian/mediterranean cuke)
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
  • 1 tsp lemon juice

Smash garlic over yogurt and stir all ingredients together. Let sit for a hour or two (or overnight is better). Taste it, and add a tiny bit more salt and/or garlic if you must, but keep in mind: the flavors will seem weak at first and grow much stronger after they sit, so don’t be tempted to add more until you’ve waited it out (nobody likes garlic breath!).

And, voila! Your pool is ready for some serious action. Dive in and take a luxurious swim.

20120315-083136.jpg

Enjoy!

Tags: , , ,

Yes, I Sip and Tell

10 Jan

I’m a BIG fan of coffee. There, I said it.

It’s dark, rich, addictive, and exciting. What more could a girl ask for?

Alllll the good stuff, for cheap, that’s what. I may not always be proud of what I eat, but I’m almost always proud of what I buy when I go shopping. But this weekend, I somehow managed to do both.

Introducing my new, state-of-the-art Bodum 1.5 liter Hot and Iced Coffee French Press……..fa $12.99. (How? You might ask, TJMaxx, I reply. Century 21 had them for $29, which is still  less than the $65 you’ll pay at Macy’s.)

The instruction pamphlet was missing, but thanks to a zealous reviewer on Amazon, I have the suggested recipes for both hot and iced, and am enjoying my new toy as we speak…what a naughty girl I am.

What does this have to do with being food friendly? you might ask. (You are inquisitive tonight!)

The truth is, I’ve had a long and luxurious affair with the french press. I used to be a drip gal. When my husband bought me a french press a few years ago,  I didn’t use it for months. When my dripper needed a cleaning, I decided to take Jacques (I’ve named my press Jacques, because he’s French) for a spin. Let me tell you: once you go Jack, you’ll NEVER GO BACK!

Simply said, French press coffee simply has a bolder, more robust, more authentic taste – even with decaf, which I drink at a 75/25 ratio! It’s not the bitter strength that one finds at Starbucks, but mild, thick nuttiness. Me likey.

If you fine grind your coffee (and if you’re not, you probably should do), the drinkable silt that gets caught (and thrown away) in drip filters stays in the press and enters your cup, providing a much richer, more satisfying cup. Silt is not the same as grinds – what I’m referring to is more like a powder that makes the coffee thick and decadent. Drip coffee now tastes to me like water – unless I use much a higher ratio of grinds (what a waste!). Even then, there’s the inevitable “burned” overtone.

Now for the tip: if you use a quality flavored (read: chocolate or hazelnut arabica) coffee, and sweeten with Truvia, it makes for a sinfully sweet, very, very guilt-free, satisfying after-dinner or late night dessert. Chuck the cheesecake flavored yogurt cups that barely hold a spoonful. Trust me, this one keeps going and going and going…until YOU’RE done. No faking required.

Here are the recommended steps:

  1. Choose a delectable, aromatic flavored bean, or just your favorite unflavored roast if you’re not a flavor fan. I  recommend going with decaf for desert substitutes – no need to go berserk at 11pm. If you like your coffee strong, go with decaf espresso beans. They’ll give you the kick you’re seeking.
  2. Grind it yourself. Fresh is where it’s at. You’ll thank me – and thank yourself, for taking that one extra  step in self-pampering.
  3. Play with the ratio of water to grounds, and then again with the amount of time you let it sit until you find the right strength for your taste. I find that sometimes the longer it sits, the richer it is.
  4. Sweeten with Truvia and a rich non-dairy creamer (unless you just love skim in your coffee). Truvia is natural and calorie free AND really good tasting (unlike the pink, yellow, and blue packets). The non-dairy creamer has less buck for the bang – it’ll get you a rich cream taste, without loading you up with calories like 1/2 & 1/2 or whole milk. (But, still be sure to measure how much you’re using – just because it’s cheap doesn’t mean it’s free.)
  5. Drink up! Take small sips so that it lasts longer. But don’t skimp: make a whole pot if that’s what it takes. Why not? No harm. More and more studies show that we get a lot of our minerals and other benefits from coffee. As long as you’re not overloading on caffeine, all’s well.

I recommend doing this during the 3pm slump at work, or after dinner when the human vacuum you call a husband goes for the chocolate you don’t want to be tempted to eat. The flavor and sweetness will calm your cravings, while the liquid fills you up, leaving you with more will power when the hubby starts in on Round 2.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Cornbread Rata’choo!ille

26 Oct

My mother often sends me recipes—the product of her constant monitoring of food channels for delectable morsels to feast her eyes on (if not her taste buds).

My father jokes that this is her version of illicit Internet trolling. You see, several years ago, my mother called it quits. She got food-friendly. She lost almost 100 lbs. She’s a different woman. But, once in a while the urge returns—namely the hour when her web subscriptions drop a load of dessert recipes in her inbox—and she indulges, digitally.

Now, not everything she sends me are as bad as the 11 Great Cakes that sparked the Great Bake-a-Thon at my office last winter. (Oooh, they were wicked good.) Some are just genuine food-friendly feel-goodness and happen to have nutrition information to back it up.

Perhaps it’s because I have been sick the last 7 days (following my 2-month sabbatical from blogging, as I’m sure you’ve noticed), but this one really caught my eye, and I decided to try it.

Yahoo and Eating Well called it a Shrimp Chili Cornbread Casserole, but I made a few modifications of my own, and so the recipe as I used it is below. I’ve renamed it in honor of my week-long disease and the very good effect it had on my mood:

Cornbread Rata’choo!ille

Filling

  • 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil (orig = canola oil)
  • 1 lg onion, chopped
  • 1 med red bell pepper, chopped (orig = green bell pepper)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 med zucchini, diced (about 5 cups)
  • 3/4 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 2/3 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 14-oz can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
  • 1 14-oz no-salt-added stewed tomatoes (this was an accident; original recipe calls for 2 cans  diced…)
  • 1 lb of 36-40 ct peeled and deveined raw shrimp (orig = 1 1/2 lbs of 41-50 ct)
  • 1 med. chicken breast cut into short, thick strips (orig = shrimp only)
  • 1/8 cup chopped fresh cilantro (orig = 1/2 cup)

Cornbread Topping

  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3/4 cup 2% milk (orig = skim)
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin oil (orig. = canola oil)
  • 1 large egg (I completely forgot it!)
  • 1 tbsp dark, fragrant honey (orig. = just honey)

For the filling, heat 2 tsp oil in a Dutch oven (or large cast iron skillet, or just a deep pan or pot) over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper; cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Stir in zucchini; cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes. Stir in chili powder, cumin, cinnamon and 1 tsp salt; cook for 20 seconds. Pour in tomatoes and their juice; bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat. Stir in shrimp and cilantro. Pour into a 9-by-13-inch baking pan (or you can continue to use the cast iron skillet).

Preheat oven to 350°F.

For the cornbread topping, whisk cornmeal, flour, baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt in a large bowl. Whisk milk, 1/4 cup oil, and honey (and egg, if you want—I forgot! will be denser without, but still tastes great) in a medium bowl until smooth. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir just until moistened. Drop by heaping tbsps over the shrimp mixture.

Bake the casserole uncovered until the top is browned and the filling is bubbling, 40 to 45 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Original recipe source: www.eatingwell.com

According to Yahoo, this is the (approximate) nutrition information. I did use 2% milk, but I think forgetting the egg evened it out.

Happy eating!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Top(pings) that will knock yours off!!

5 Sep

Five fabulous spreads that will blow your mind – not your diet.

Each of the spreads/sauces below has four things in common: lots of flavor, very few calories, even fewer carbs, and the ability to turn even the most bland and watery raw veggies into a snack you crave. They’re excellent for cutting cravings in half, guiltless movie munchies, midnight snacks…you get the picture.

1) Newman’s Own Lighten Up Low Fat Sesame Ginger Dressing

This tangy sauce is full of flavor but amazingly low in everything else. Goes well on almost any salad. Even works as a glaze on meats, or drizzled across crudites. Word of warning: a little goes a long way with this one, so use sparingly.

Plays well with Trader Joe’s Organic Broccoli Slaw, pecans, and a sprinkle of crumbled feta; cucumber sticks; salads containing fruit.

2) Zacusca / Ajvar / Ljutenica / Pindjur

A traditionally eastern European spread of roasted red bell pepper, eggplant, varying degrees of chili pepper, and sometimes onion, garlic, and carrots. Full-on flavor. Light on calories and carbs.

Nutrition Information (for Va-Va Home Made Zacusca)
Serving Size 1.8 oz (50 g)
Calories per serving 33 (Fat cal) 2
Total Fat 1.3 g
Total Carbs 6 g
Fiber 1 g
Sugar 0 g
Protein 2.3 g
Vitamin A 2% Vitamin C 14% Calcium 4% Iron 6% 

Plays well with cucumber, carrot, celery sticks, or kohlrabi slices; whole grain crackers, pita chips, or french bread toast.

3) Sabra Classic Hummus Singles

An old favorite, hummus has a few more calories than the other items on this list, but when enjoyed in the correct proportions, this hearty snack will tide you over, while giving you something fresh to smack your lips on. Sabra’s singles are exactly the right size for a mid-afternoon snack – 150 calories per single-serving pack.

Plays well with cucumber, celery, and carrot sticks, or bell pepper and kohlrabi slices.
.
4) Smuckers Simply Fruit (esp. Apricot!)

Don’t get this spread just because it only contains 40 cal & 10 carbs per tbsp. Get it because it’s the best one out there!

NONE of the gelatinous chunks that won’t spread into your bread; none of the overpowering sweetness that drowns out the natural fruit flavor; none of the chemicals you can’t pronounce; none of the added sugars that will pad your behind. It’s pure fruit, sweetened with fruit juices (fructose = lowest glycemic index out there!).

Plays well with plain Greek- or regular-style yogurt; 2% cottage cheese; or natural chunky peanut butter.

5) Cottage Cheese

Most people think of cottage cheeses as a “main event,” and not a topping, but I’m here to tell you that it goes both ways. Where else can you eat 1/2 a cup of something called “cheese” and only count in 100 calories? However, not all cottage cheeses are created equal: I prefer Breakstone’s. In it’s 2% variety, it’s creamy and mild, while others I’ve tried get tangy, etc. Fine if you like that, but the mildness helps it go with a greater variety of items.

Plays well with cucumber or carrot sticks, and bell pepper or kohlrabi slices; strawberries or blueberries; peach, apple, or pear slices; multigrain crackers or french bread toast.

Product Review: Island Way Sorbet

13 Aug

I guess you could say I’m on a lifelong hunt to find the perfect desert…

By that I mean, one that’s sweet, rich, and flavorful enough to satiate my inner cookie monster, but not so overwhelming that I can feel the inches {{suction-cupping}} themselves to me with every sinful spoonful.

So, you can imagine how pleased I was to discover, after “taste-testing” these at Costco the other day, that Island Way Sorbet does as little as to impact mon flub as its packaging does to impact the environment.

Plainly: they taste so good – rich, creamy, almost decadent - that I really almost don’t believe they only have 70 calories per serving.

**flashing back to Seinfeld episode 71…**

Despite my suspicions, I decided to buy a box. They were sold at $12.99 for a 12-pack, and I think definitely worth a dollar-odd each. The pack contains Pineapple (70 cal), Passion Fruit-Mango (64 cal), Pomegranate-Lemon (67 cal), and Coconut (170 cal) flavors, each in a natural “cup” made from the rind or shell of one of its ingredients.

Pretty ingenious, in my humble opinion.

Verdict? This one, I highly recommend.

Tags: , ,

Surf. Forget the turf!

29 Jul

Whether you roll frozen or fresh, this fancy-party–friendly recipe is sure to leave your taste buds singing, and your tummy totally satisfied (from all angles). Use the calories marked after each of the key ingredients to help you decide whether to hold back or indulge. (I think you know which option I prefer…)

Cornmeal-Crusted Tuna Steak w/Wasabi Mayo
(serves 1; multiply for each add’l serving)

    Tuna

  • 6-oz ahi tuna steak, fresh or frozen/thawed (indiv. wrapped/cost-friendly? = Costco) 120 cal
  • ⅛ – ⅙  cup coarse yellow cornmeal, dry (or dry polenta/mamaliga)
    60 – 120 cal
  • 1 – 2 large garlic cloves
  • ½ tbsp + ½ tsp cooking oil 60 – 120 cal
  • Spices: pinch of chili powder, paprika, & non-MSG Vegeta (highly recommend this little bucket of joy!) or sea salt if you don’t have Vegeta
    or
    Herbs: chopped rosemary, sage, and thyme

    Mayo (optional)

  • ½ – 1 tbsp mayonnaise 49 cal
  • ½ tsp wasabi powder, or a pinch or two of wasabi paste or grated wasabi

Mix cornmeal and seasonings together in a shallow dish. Use enough to really give your food some flavor. (I recommend going with either the spice mix or the herb. With the spices, you’ll get a savory kick. With the herbs, a fragrant aroma and a little more of the fish taste will come through. I’ve never tried them together. Who knows? Maybe it’s uhhmazing.)

Crush garlic using garlic press into bowl with cornmeal and seasonings and mix with a fork until fully blended. (Mixture will look something like a paste or cooked couscous.) If the mixture is too crumbly to stick to the tuna, add a little of the teaspoon of cooking oil to thicken the paste.

Press one side of tuna steak down into the dish. Flip over. Using a fork, press down the cornmeal that stuck. Then, reserving enough for side two, collect bits of the cornmeal mixture and press onto any empty spots to ensure full coating and adhesion. Repeat on side two.

Heat tbsp of oil in a frying pan or skillet (I use a cast-iron skillet!) on med-high or high until shimmering (about 2 min). Should be HOT! Using a spatula, slide best-coated side of tuna down in pan. Fill in any holes on top side with cornmeal mixture and press down. Sear on each side until desired doneness is reached:

Rare = 2 min/side
Medium = 3-4 min/side
Well = 4-5 min/side

Mix mayo and wasabi and put a dollop on the side of the plate for dipping.

And…you’re done! Approx. 250 – 470 calories per serving, depending on how much cornmeal, oil, and mayo you opt to use.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Tags: ,

Fat to Flat: 5 Too-Easy Tips

19 Jul

Got the Fat Tummy Blues?
Get your metabolism red hot and roaring.

Whenever I see “5 easy ways to…” or “10 tips for…” I always click. I don’t always agree with what I see (sorry, but I’m just not giving up my Diet A&W!), but lately, I’ve been finding confirmation on a few things I’ve been doing already. And who doesn’t like a pat on the back?

Here’s a list of my top 5 favorites (and the places I saw them championed). Try a few. They’re all easy. And we all know that the next best thing after a pat on the back is something proven to work that’s crazy-easy to implement.

  1.  Snack away…between 3 & 4pm. (Nasha Turner agrees!)
    I personally love this one. The afternoon slump is the worst for me. Sitting at my desk, I get hungry. Majorly hungry, but I’ve found that a bit of protein between meals goes a long way and I always pack a snack. Glad to know the experts agree. Try:
    —-> Spiral String Cheese. I suggest Aldi Happy Farms brand. Inexpensive, 80 calories, very tasty, and they take a while to eat…if you eat them the way you’re supposed to eat string cheese (that’s in strings, in caseyou were wondering), so it keeps you distracted enough to make it to 5pm. (I suggest Aldi’s Happy Farms brand.)
    —-> Beef Jerky. Aldi’s Simms is the best priced around. (Terriyaki flavor is my fave—not as spicy as original.)
    —-> Almonds (Livestrong.com agrees!) are another excellent choice—high in hunger-holding protein power, they are also higher in other nutrients, and lower in fat and calories than many other common nuts (clickhere for a nut-by-nut comparison chart). Buy them at Costco and only pay about$4.50/lb (which, ifyou don’t know, is a steal!!).
    —-> Hummus. I suggest Sabra Singles with red bell pepper.
  2. Get egg in your face. (Livestrong.com agrees!)
    Research shows that people who eat eggs for breakfast are more likely to stick to a diet and lose weight steadily. There’s a reason for that: protein. I can’t say it enough. Cereal just isn’t gonna do it. There’s an added perk, too: protien not only takes more time to digest, but it takes more calories to digest. That’s right; nearly 30% of protein calories you take in get recycled right into digesting the other 70%. I eat eggs almost every morning—for me it’s the low-carb draw—and I’ve been steadily finding myself less likely to want/eat a snack before lunchtime, AND steadily losing weight. Nice to know that it’s proven to work. Doesn’t have to be boring, either. Check out my upcoming post: 5 Ways to Eat Eggs That You Probably Didn’t Think About (link to follow)
  3. Ditch the sugar and bring on the hormones. (Jorge Cruise agrees!)
    Usually, these little boogers are just cause for raucous complaint. But, not so for glucagons, a food-friendly little ally that crops up more in our systems the less sugar we eat per day. As Jorge Cruise, author of The Belly Fat Cure puts it, “Picture Ms. Pac-Man traveling around your waistline, gobbling up fat to be used as energy. That is glucagon.”
  4. Opt for optical illusions.  (David Zinczenko and Matt Goulding agree!)
    All tableware styles come in large and small plate sizes. Using the smaller plates really will change your eating habits: less food fills the plate, meaning that you’ll not only put less on it, but think you’ve eaten more than you have, because there will be very little empty space on the plate to tell you otherwise.
  5. Take it slow. Life’s not a race. Neither is eating.(David Zinczenko and Matt Goulding agree!)
    Slowing down really is important in everyday life. Why should it be any different at your meals? Find ways to take a break when you eat…from the normal things you do, including rush. Eating with chopsticks is one way to do this (as I mentioned in my post Chop, chop!, but in reality, it’s all about taking time to savor each bite. When you’re friends with someone, you want to draw out the time you spend together. Being food-friendly is the same. Turns out that chewing more thoroughly will cut down on bloating, as well, ensuring that you feel better, look better, live better.
← Older Entries

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.