Wednesday, October 31, 2012

In the spirit


I got pretty excited for Halloween as a kid.  I wasn't necessarily all that into the costumes- I had a princess dress and a light-up tiara, and that was the standard for a few years.  No, the decorations were far more exciting.  You know what's a fun project?  Taking all the tissues in the house, wadding them up, using a marker to draw eyes and a mouth to make tiny "ghosts" to leave all around the house.  Hilarious.  Also fun?  Listening to the Ghostbusters theme song over and over on your Fisher Price cassette player.  


Those were the days.

Now that I'm an adult, I'm much more sophisticated with Halloween.  Goodbye Princess costume.  Hellooooo Honey Boo Boo.

You might think that as a dietitian, I'm the one in the neighborhood handing out apples and bananas.  Not so much.  You think I want kids coming back late at night to egg my house out of revenge?  Heck no.  M&M's packs for everyone!

Here's a list of the 5 worst fun size candies, according to Mens' Health.
5. Butterfinger
 
   100 calories, 2 g saturated fat, 10 g sugar

Better choice?  A fun size 3 Musketeers- only 63 calories

4. Airheads
 
 In a 3-piece serving, you get 140 calories, 1 g saturated fat, and 19 grams of sugar.  These use partially hydrogenated oils to keep them soft and chewy, which are filled with scary trans fats.  Instead try a Dum-Dum sucker for 25 calories.

3. Twix
 
Twix has the worst saturated fat profile of any Halloween.  Each serving (2 fun size bars) of these bite-sized candies carries 20 percent of the saturated fat you should consume in an entire day.  Swapping out 3 Tootsie Rolls cuts the fat by 79%.

2. Caramels


90% of the fat in these caramels is artery-clogging saturated fat, plus packs 160 calories.  Choosing 4 Now & Later chewy candies saves you over a hundred calories and eliminates the fat.

1. Reese's Pumpkin
 
So this may or may not be my favorite candy.  And I may or may not have eaten 3 Reese's peanut butter stacked together after trick-or-treating.  They were always the first candy in my stash to be depleted (the last?  Bit-O-Honey.  Whenever someone was handing out those chewy logs of awfulness I would make a mental note to egg their house later skip this shack next year).  Sadly one of these babies packs170 calories,10 g fat (3 g saturated), and 16 g sugars.  A better suggestion?  Eleven pieces of candy corn is only 70 calories, fat-free, and 14 g sugar.



So now that we all have preemptive guilt about the leftover candy we will inevitably have and inevitably eat, Happy Halloween!

I mean, a dolla makes me holla!  Happy Halloween, y'all!





 

Friday, October 26, 2012

PW: Finale

Big things in the news this week. 

The election...

Hurricane Sandy...

Syria's cease-fire for the holidays...

and the conclusion of Pumpkin Week.

Sure, I could've gone with all traditional pumpkin recipes.  Who doesn't love pumpkin bread or pumpkin pie?  But I like to think that part of my job is to give you new things to love.  Like pumpkin focaccia. Sounds weird- I know. 

Pumpkin Walnut Focaccia with Gruyere
from Cooking Light October 2005

3/4 cup warm water (100-110 degrees)
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
2 1/2 cups bread flour (plus 1/2 cup for kneading)
3 Tablespoons butter spread, melted
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup grated Gruyere cheese
Cooking spray
2 Tablespoons cornmeal
1/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

  • Combine water, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add 1 cup flour and butter to yeast mixture; stir just until combined. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 30 minutes.
  • Add pumpkin, salt, and nutmeg to flour mixture; stir until well combined. Add 2 1/4 cups flour and half of cheese; stir until a soft dough forms. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes); add enough of remaining 1/4 cup flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel tacky).
  • Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size. (Press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, dough has risen enough.) Punch dough down; cover and let rest 5 minutes. Divide dough in half; shape each half into an 8-inch circle. Place dough circles on a baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Sprinkle remaining cheese and nuts evenly over dough circles; press lightly to adhere. Lightly coat dough circles with cooking spray; cover and let rise 20 minutes (dough will not double in size).
  • Preheat oven to 400°.
  • Uncover dough; bake at 400° for 30 minutes or until loaves are browned on the bottom and cheese melts (shield loaves with foil to prevent overbrowning, if necessary). Cool on a wire rack.

 Ok so I snuck a chunk before it cooled.
I ended up making turkey sandwiches for lunches this week.  It's nice and soft focaccia, not heavy and greasy like some that you buy. 

Still with me?  Ready for one more oddball pumpkin recipe? 

Pumpkin Lasagna

10-11 whole wheat lasagna noodles
1 jar marinara sauce (or butternut squash marinara if you go to Aldi)
1/3 cup lowfat ricotta cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
1/3 cup crumbled feta
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 large zucchini, cut into coins
1 1/2 cups cubed cooked pumpkin

So first things first.  Yes, I want you to cook a pumpkin.  I bought my pie pumpkin at Home Depot.  Who knew?  They're cute and small- the larger pumpkins meant for carving are bad for flavor, so stay away from a standard pumpkin.  You have the option to swap out any other kind of squash. 

To cook the pumpkin, cut off the top and scoop out the guts best as you can.  Microwave for 8-10 minutes, until slightly softened.  Cut in half and microwave a few more minutes, until tender.  Peel and cut into cubes. 

While you're microwaving your pumpkin, bring a large pot of water to boil.  Add noodles.  You'll really only need 9 noodles, but I always end up with a few torn noodles, so I cook some extras just in case.  Spray the bottom of a 9x9 baking dish with olive oil cooking spray.  Spread a few spoonfuls of sauce on the bottom.






Drain cooked noodles and arrange 3 noodles in a row.  I had to trim my noodles to make them fit nicely.  Layer a few spoonfuls of sauce, then zucchini, then half the ricotta.  Add another row of noodles.  Layer some more sauce, then pumpkin, tomatoes, the rest of the ricotta, and the feta (which by the way is optional).  Finish off with your last layer of noodles, the remainder of the sauce, and top with the shredded mozzarella.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, or until lightly browned and bubbling.  Let cool for 20 minutes.  
This is for people who truly like pumpkin.  It's got a nice flavor to it- slightly sweet, and cheesy.  

Pumpkin spice lattes are for weenies.  Pumpkin Week is for the adventurous.  'Til next year...


Thursday, October 25, 2012

PW: Day #3

Knock knock!

(Who's there?)

Orange!

(Orange who?)

Orange-ya glad it's pumpkin week!


Seriously, I am on a roll this week with the jokes.  And the recipes- we've now covered a coffee cake, a fruit dip, and today we pick a pumpkin entree.

Not that you couldn't have coffee cake or fruit dip be your entree, but, you know- dietitians usually frown on such things.  No, this recipe is a twist on your typical chili.  It's high protein, high fiber, and packed with vitamins.

Pumpkin Chili
2 pounds extra lean ground beef
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 (15 oz) cans kidney beans, drained
1 (46 oz) can low sodium tomato juice
1 (28 oz) can peeled and diced tomatoes with juice (or you could chop up 4 large tomatoes)
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 Tbsp chili powder
Salt & pepper to taste

In a large pot over medium heat, cook beef until brown; soak up any grease with a paper towel.  Stir in onion and pepper- cook 5 minutes.  Stir in beans, tomato juice, diced tomatoes, and pumpkin puree.  Add pumpkin pie spice, chili powder, and sugar.  Simmer on low for 1 hour. Alternative method: cook ground beef and combine with all other ingredients (raw peppers & onions) in a slow cooker.  Cook on low 6-7 hours, or until onions are tender.

Makes 8 servings.  Per serving: 400 calories, 37 g carbs, 14 g fat, 9 g fiber, 28 g protein


Wednesday, October 24, 2012

PW: Day #2

So I was feeling pretty pumped about pumpkin week, and then I got a text from my brother criticizing my use of the word "gourd-stravaganza."

Come on, people.  If and when I ever write in lame puns, it's only to poke fun at the people who do try to overly embellish the titles of their recipes.  

 In other news, the pumpkin coffee cake turned out great.  But, it's not a terribly new or exciting thing for me to have created.  Here's something a little bit more funky and unknown...

 Fantabulous Pumpkin Fluff Dip! (See?  Sarcasm)
1 (16 oz) container light frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 (5 oz) package instant vanilla pudding mix (sugar free or not- your call)
1 (15 oz) can solid pumpkin
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to combine all ingredients.  Chill in the refrigerator until serving.  Serve with apple slices or graham crackers.   

Makes 16 servings.
Per serving: 55 calories, 13 g carbs

Monday, October 22, 2012

What's orange and smells like a pumpkin?

A pumpkin.

Bwahahaha!  I just now made that up.  Share it with your friends and have a laugh.  Or a blank stare.  Or an eye roll.

Remember how a few weeks ago I alluded to being sick of pumpkin?  Well don't worry- I have my second wind.  So much so that I'm proclaiming it to be

PUMPKIN WEEK!

Minor correction- we'll do "Pumpkin Monday-Friday."  I need my weekends for myself, people.

To start off our gourd-stravazana, let's try a pumpkin coffee cake.  Basic recipe with some nutrition upgrades thrown in.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Coffee Cake
1 (18.25 oz) box yellow or white cake mix- no pudding added kind
1 (3.4 oz) package sugar-free vanilla instant pudding mix
2 whole eggs + 3 egg whites
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup oil
1 cup pumpkin puree 
1 cup brown sugar
1.5 Tbsp cinnamon
1 teaspoon each: cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, ground cloves
1 cup chopped walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Coat a 9x13 baking pan or a 10-inch Bundt pan with nonstick baking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the cake mix and vanilla pudding mix.  Add the eggs, oil, water, pumpkin, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves- beat with an electric mixer on medium for 1-2 minutes. 
3. In a smaller bowl, combine cinnamon, brown sugar, and nuts.  Pour half of the cake batter into the pan, spreading evenly.  Sprinkle with half of the sugar-nuts mixture over the batter.  Cover with the rest of the batter, and sprinkle with the rest of the sugar-nuts.
4. Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, then turn the oven down to 325 degrees and bake for an additional 35-40 minutes.


It's light, fluffy, and not overwhelmingly pumpkin-tasting.  I cut it up into 16 pieces and individually wrapped them for freezing.  
 
Per serving: 260 calories, 41 g carbs, 9 g fat, 4 g protein, and 37% of your vitamin A for the day.

I give you a virtual high-five if you too giggled when I said "sugar-nuts"...twice.

Friday, October 19, 2012

Time for my quarterly vacation

A few days ago I was able to travel down to St. Augustine, Florida for my cousin's wedding.  I had figured that Florida weather in October would be a bit on the cool side- too chilly for swimming, cold ocean water.  My 2-oz travel sunscreen would surely be more than adequate.

Nope.

Not the case at all.

It's bad.  I'll spare you the full extent of my burn, but I'll tell you that the dandruff-effect of a peeling nose ain't pretty.
Reliving my youth- Slush Puppies and mini golf.  Two holes in one!  Just like I perform in a round of regular golf!

My husband did lots of surfing.  I did lots of laying on the board in the shallow waters paddling around. Wheeee!
St. Augustine is the oldest city in the country, founded by Spanish traders in 1565.  I might have learned that fact on the Ghost Tour we went on.  We took a tour of the old jail, and in the kitchen was one of the first refrigerators ever made.  No, not an ice box- it actually had cooling tubes that flow from the top ice box down into the actual fridge.  I tried to take a pic of the label, but it has a stamp of Good Housekeeping on the label.

The original fort.  A little disappointing that the moat no longer exists.  A moat filled with crocodiles and snakes.
Dude, totally not my thing.  My husband ate all of them.  I was too busy feeding the fish below- the restaurant was situated on a pier, and they supplied me with bread to drop from the little tableside trapdoor.

I ordered a crabcake sandwich.  Delicious. I might have to try making a lighter version of this at some point.

Great vacation filled with ocean swimming, touring, and lots of fun with family.

Now excuse me while I go hunt down some aloe.


Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Before you know it, they'll be making pumpkin toothpaste.

I love fall.

Loooove the leaves.  The colors.  The smell of chimney smoke.  The temperatures that allow for wearing thick sweaters.

Loooove pumpkin too.  Apparently I'm not the only one, and Target knows this:

But I don't want to O.D. on pumpkin either, so when I found a recipe for sweet potatoes, I had to try it.

Sweet Potato Muffins
-1 medium sweet potato
-2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (reg flour would be ok too)
-1 teaspoon baking soda
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1 teaspoon cinnamon
-1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
-1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
-1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
-1/4 cup vegetable oil
-2 eggs, lightly beaten
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-2/3 cup honey
-1 6-oz container nonfat vanilla Greek yogurt
-1/2 cup oatmeal
-1/2 cup brown sugar
-1/2 cup almonds
-1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease 12 muffin cups, or line with paper muffin liners (all I had were balloon print ones.  I'm sure Williams-Sonoma has some beautiful fall motif metallic ones.  Go be an overachiever if you'd like).  Prick the sweet potato several times with a fork and place onto a baking sheet.

Bake the sweet potato until easily pierced with a fork, about 40 minutes.  When cooled enough to handle, peel and mash really well.  Reduce the oven temp to 350 degrees.

Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.  Stir in the vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla, honey, yogurt, and mashed sweet potato, stirring just until moistened.  Spoon batter evenly into the prepared muffin cups.

Blend oatmeal, almonds, brown sugar, and remaining 1 tsp cinnamon in a food processor until coarse.  Sprinkle generously over muffins.  Bake in the oven until golden and an inserted toothpick comes out clean- about 12-15 minutes.
They're a little sweet and nicely spiced- really similar to a pumpkin muffin.  The topping is optional, but that's what makes it a stand-out. 

So there you go- pumpkin detox for those of you who may have also seen this Target ad and consumed the pumpkin PopTart...and pumpkin yogurt...and pumpkin ice cream...

Monday, October 1, 2012

Weekend Well Done

It's really easy to not do stuff.

I mean, I like to think that my husband and I are an active couple and we get out 'n' about. 

But there's traffic.  And parking.  And...lack of motivation.

This past weekend we defied our own odds and drove up to Taylors Falls, along the St. Croix river.  873 people also must've defied their own odds too.  It was crowded, but it was a beautiful day.  Hard to complain when it's 75 and sunny, and you're looking at stunning scenery.  Here's my weekend in pictures:




Is it just me, or is the dog smiling too?
New dog toy.  She ate half his bangs in less than 10 minutes.
Homemade applesauce.  Motts doesn't want you to know how easy this is.  Peel and slice apples (about 4-5 medium), dump them in a small slow cooker.  Add 1/4 cup water, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, 2 Tbsp brown sugar, and cinnamon to taste.  Cook on low for 5 hours, or longer.  The longer you cook, the mushier it gets.  You could go all the way, cook for like 8 hours and end up with spreadable apple butter.  Perfect as is, or as a topping for buckwheat pancakes.


It was a great weekend to be me.

And a great weekend to be my dog.