The healthiest way to eat is to remove packaged foods from your diet.  I always tell my son, "If it's in a box, it can't be that healthy for you!"

However, the majority of us in the U.S. buy a large portion of our pantry staples are in cans, boxes, and bags.  This doesn't mean we aren't eating healthy, but it does require some extra sleuthing on our parts, as consumers, to know what we are putting in our bodies.

It is extra important if we are raising children!  I have recently tried to reduce the amount of sugar my family is consuming (and have eliminated it completely from my diet temporarily - YIKES!).  I am constantly scanning pasta sauce labels to see if there is sugar added, and searching for unsweetened applesauce (which is just as sweet as the sugared-up kinds!!!).

But I haven't gotten rid of sugar completely.  In fact, I discovered a tasty cookie that I feel comfortable packing in my son's lunches (in moderation, of course!).  I try to bake from scratch, but time hasn't allowed for much of that the past few weeks, so I grabbed a bag of Barbara's Bakery Snackimals (Chocolate Chip), and fell in love!  Sadly, I ate almost an entire package myself in just two sittings.  The second package, my husband finished off!  (I'm not even sure my son has eaten more than a handful......)

This article was brought to my attention this week from the American Chronicle website.

Some notable points from the article:


"Smithfield Foods, the world´s largest pork producer, says its hog-raising costs have increased more than 20 percent in the past year, largely because of the high cost of feed. Meat-eaters can expect to foot the bill by paying higher pork prices."


"Some of the most versatile vegan foods—including beans, rice, vegetables, soy products and pasta—cost relatively little compared to animal products."


"According to a 2007 MSN MoneyCentral article, the cheapest cuts of beef, such as ground round, average $3 per pound; boneless chicken breasts cost $3.40 a pound; and canned tuna costs around $2 per pound. In comparison, dried beans and lentils cost less than $1 a pound, and rice is cheaper than $1 a pound. Tofu usually costs less than $2 per pound."


Sometimes eating vegan can be more expensive, if you are used to shelling out a buck for a McDonald's double cheeseburger and calling that a "meal".  But a home-cooked, vegetarian meal made from fresh, organic produce is healthier by far, and will save on your medical bills in the long-run! 



One of our favorite meals that is extremely inexpensive is sloppy joes.  We buy the Fantastic Foods brand box mix ($1.99), add oil, water, and tomato paste, and VOILA, you have dinner!  Place on a bun ($.60 at the bread outlet) with a slice of onion or tomato (free from your organic garden, a buck from the store), and you've got dinner for about three or four bucks!  If you're feeling spendy, add a can of baked beans on the side. 

I had to start this post with the photo.  Truly amazing.  Joanna (of Yellow Rose Recipes) posted this recipe for us testers, and it is on my list of "Meals I Will Make Again".

It is so simple, it almost doesn't qualify as a "recipe" - but it made a delicious, light, Spring meal that everyone in my family enjoyed. 

Zucchini are coming in season soon (May to August is the best time to buy them), so be on the look-out at your local Farmer's market!  

I would love to share the recipe, but as this cookbook is still in its testing phase, all recipes are classified.  I will continue to post recipes that my family has tried, and I will keep you updated on when to expect the cookbook in stores!

I have been asked to be a tester for Joanna Vaught's newest cookbook (as yet unnamed).  She is the creator of the Yellow Rose Recipes cookbook that came out in December. 

I cannot be more excited!  Expect lots of photos in the upcoming months as I show off Joanna's creations. 

We already tried a creamed soup recipe that was tasty, but not something we were completely WOWED by.  It included organic acorn squash, which I love, but the seasonings were a lot spicier than my boys cared for, and we tend to like a chunkier soup.  So, not a bad recipe, just not something we would normally make.

I plan to make her falafel sandwich recipe this weekend, and expect to enjoy that more than we did the soup.

So the Weil bars were only so-so, and you are hungry for an afternoon pick-me-up.  My favorite snack bar is the Luna Bar.  These come in some great flavors for every taste.  My favorite is the Chocolate Pecan Pie, but I’ve never met a Luna Bar I didn’t like.  If you crave oatmeal cookies, the Iced Oatmeal Raisin is a great substitute.  The Lemon Zest will do in place of a lemon bar any day.  The bars have 180 calories with 3 grams of fiber and 9-10 grams of protein.

I keep a couple in my car when it’s not super hot outside (don’t like them all gooey), and they are a great option when you hear a candy bar calling your name but want to make a healthier choice.

The Luna Bars have changed their recipes to go all organic, so if you are looking for that feature, these bars are for you.  In contrast to the Weil bars, these bars have substance and great flavor.  You feel like you are eating something yummy, not something healthy.

You can find these at Trader Joe’s, most health food stores, even Target has them now.  Of course Amazon has them as well.  They are well worth trying if you crave something sweet, nutty, chocolate, peanut buttery, or cookie-like.  Enjoy them guilt free.  Cheers!

My birthday was last week and I wanted CAKE.  But my family is small and we can never finish an entire cake, so I opted for cupcakes instead. 

I am one of the many devout worshipers of Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero.  I have all of their cookbooks and have tried countless recipes from each.  However, I am considerably behind in testing Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World.  So this is the holy grail to which I turned in preparation for my special day.

I made the Chai Latte Cupcakes with a cream cheese frosting.  They were definitely tasty!  They had a spice to them that was reminiscent of carrot cake.  I don't think they tasted enough like tea, but that might have been a problem with the cook....  Next time I might put an extra tea bag or two in the mix.


My birthday was Thursday, and by Saturday the cupcakes were GONE.  We had company over, so I just HAD to make more cupcakes.  I made the Isa and Terry's Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with a cinnamon icing - very tasty, but more like a sweet muffin than a cupcake.  Our omni guests were pleased with the dessert, thankfully.  (They had brought over a cheesecake - oops!  Very considerate, but not something I wanted to partake in - super-glad I made cupcakes!!!  I ate five of them before they left.....)  I did not photograph those, as they were eaten before it crossed my mind...  That just gives me an excuse to bake them again. 

If you like pasta as much as we do, you will likely fall in love with Vegan Italiano - a great cookbook that is full of recipes that are naturally vegan, and not adapted to be vegan (you won't need tofu or soy milk or other "mock" foods items to enjoy these recipes).

Last week, we experimented with a recipe from Vegan Italiano:

Linguine with Artichoke-Marinara Sauce

Ingredients
1 Tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 Cups marinara sauce
1/2 Cup water
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
salt & pepper to taste
14 oz can quartered artichoke hearts, drained & chopped
12 oz linguine, cooked according to pkg directions (we used bionaturae organic linguine)




* In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat.  Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until very lightly browned, 1 - 2 minutes.

* Stir in the marinara sauce, water, tomato paste, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

* Stir in artichokes and simmer, covered, 2 minutes.  Serve hot, over linguine.




While I definitely feel this should be on everyone's list of healthy, easy to make family dinners, I was a bit overwhelmed by the artichokes.  The next time we make this dish, I will use half the can of artichoke hearts and save the other half for a spinach dip. 

* What is your favorite recipe from Vegan Italiano?  Or favorite way to use up a leftover half-can of artichoke hearts?

I have been a subscriber to Vegetarian Times magazine for a little over a year now.  I enjoy reading through the articles and browsing the recipes, but overall it is only mediocre, in my humble opinion.

The magazine is geared toward vegetarians of all kinds, which means that only some of the recipes are vegan-friendly.  The articles cover a range of topics beyond just food (environmental issues, for example). 

But the main reason I subscribed originally was for the recipes.  I enjoy trying new recipes on a regular basis, so I am always searching for ideas.

This month, a section on tofu caught my eye, with a vegan recipe for Grilled Sesame-Tofu Skewers With Ginger Peanut Sauce.

This recipe was photographed and looked pretty darn scrumptious, so I was eager to try it.  My first issue was with finding SMOKED TOFU.  I tried traditional grocers as well as my local co-op, with no luck.  I assume an Asian market might carry this, but I did not have time to find out.  Plain tofu was substituted.

I happened to have all of the ingredients on hand except for orange juice (for the marinade), so I was extra excited (I am cheap, by nature, so I hate trying recipes that call for a dozen ingredients I do not have). 

To go with this, we decided to make fried rice.  (Fried rice is a favorite of my son!)  I prepared the marinade ahead of time and let the tofu cubes soak in it.  I also steamed the rice ahead of time.  This made it much easier for my husband to throw dinner together last night while I was at school. 

It took him about 15 minutes to assemble and prepare the tofu skewers and fried rice, and here was the end result:


Unfortunately, none of us were impressed with the flavor of the tofu or the dipping sauce.  Granted, I didn't use smoked tofu, so who knows if that would have made much difference.  It was just OK in our estimation, so none of it went to waste, but it certainly isn't something I plan to make again.

I will probably keep my subscription to Vegetarian Times, but to be honest, I rarely make use of the recipes in it.

* Your comments, questions, and suggestions are always welcome and appreciated!  Be sure to read ChaCha's other food blogs (link available on right side of page) for great recipes and suggestions for healthy, organic cooking! 

Weekends are a great chance to relax and catch up on errands and household chores.  Sometimes that means grabbing a bite to eat at a local restaurant.  Although I live in a large city, there are no vegetarian or vegan restaurants currently, so we do not eat out much. 

Fortunately, when we do get the urge for someone else to cook our meal for us, a trip to Flat Top Grill is perfect.  You choose exactly which ingredients go into your stir fry, and they offer several mock-meat options, as well as tofu upon request. 

If you have never been, I encourage you to find one near you and go tonight!  You start off with rice or noodles.  Then you pile on the veggies of your choice.  I like spinach, broccoli, bean sprouts, carrots, edamame, and mushrooms.   This is also where you will find the mock-meats (seitan, veat, tempeh, etc.). 

Add a few spoonfuls of a sauce (Vegan options are clearly labeled).  Lastly, add garlic, cilantro, chopped peanuts, or other extras to your bowl.  Add a special stick for tofu, or roti prata bread, and a white (vegetarian/allergy) stick as well to have your dish cooked on a separate grill surface (to avoid cross-contamination from other people's stir fries). 

A few minutes later, your stir fry is brought to your table, piping hot and exactly as you wanted it!  (With no hidden ingredients.)

* As you can see, I didn't do much cooking this weekend (veggie burgers on Friday, and bean burritos on Sunday...).  We are planning to try a new dish or two this week, if life allows me the time to get to the grocery store!

This is a great, hearty and healthy stew.  The standard recipe is from Cooking Light magazine, a great source for healthy eating ideas.  If you use vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth, you have a great vegetarian stew.  If you prefer, you can always add some cooked chicken breast or tofu to add some protein to the mix.

As another note, I have added other dried fruits in addition to the raisins.  I recommend about 1/8 -1/4 c. of Craisins.  Dried apricots are also a nice touch.  I also recommend simmering this with a cinnamon stick if you have some handy.  OK, enough for the modifications!  Here's a yummy winter low-fat stew to help you eat well without giving up great taste.  Cheers!

Moroccan Vegetarian Stew: 

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cups (1/2-inch) cubed zucchini
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1 tablespoon bottled minced garlic
1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons raisins
1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 (15 1/2-ounce) cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup uncooked couscous

Preparation

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add zucchini, onion, carrot, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes. Stir in broth and the next 9 ingredients (broth through tomatoes); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 8 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.

While the chickpea mixture simmers, prepare couscous. Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan; gradually stir in couscous. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Serve the stew over couscous.
Yield

6 servings (serving size: 1 cup stew and 1/2 cup couscous)
Nutritional Information

CALORIES 344(14% from fat); FAT 5.4g (sat 0.7g,mono 1.5g,poly 2.4g); PROTEIN 15g; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 95mg; SODIUM 487mg; FIBER 5.7g; IRON 4.5mg; CARBOHYDRATE 62.3g

Cooking Light, JANUARY 2000

I am a full time college student.  Although I love to cook from scratch, I really don't have the time every single night.  This recipe is tasty - but quick and easy as well!  The original recipe called for a cheese tortellini, but for a healthier, vegan, version, use SoyBoy ravioli.


Adapted from Very Best Baby:

Ravioli Stew

Ingredients:
1 package (10 ounces) SoyBoy ravioli (any flavor!), prepared according to package directions
1 container (15 ounces) BUITONI Refrigerated Marinara Sauce
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) no-chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 package (16 ounces) frozen mixed vegetables (my family doesn't care for frozen veggies, so I use a can of DelMonte Summer Crisp corn and a can of cut green beans, use whatever veggies your family prefers!)

*Combine sauce and broth in a large saucepan.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Add vegetables; return to a boil.  Reduce heat to low; cover.


* Cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  Stir in pasta; heat through. (SoyBoy Verde Ravioli shown here)


(Makes 4 servings)

And the final product looks something like this:

Just because I am not a vegetarian doesn't mean I don't eat healthy. I am a carnivore, and I love it. Lean is the way to go, in moderation. I love pork. My favorite cut is the tenderloin. I usually roast this with vegetables. Pork is very nutritious. Some studies even show that pork aided in weight loss because of the protein in the diet.



My favorite recipe for Roasted Pork Tenderloin:
I usually make this in a Reynolds Oven Bag, keeps it moist.

• 2 or 3 Pork tenderloins
• Fresh ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups of apple juice
• 3 tablespoons dried rosemary
• 4 tablespoons of chopped garlic (I use Polaner, in a jar.)
• 1/3 cup of Dijon mustard (if you like)

Combine all Ingredients in the Reynolds oven bag, let marinate in refrigerator for a few hours. Then place in oven to cook for about 1 hour at 350F.

I like to serve this with Italian seasoned roasted red potatoes, and steamed carrots. Here is a quick and easy recipe for the potatoes;

5lb bag of Red Potatoes, washed and diced
A little olive oil to coat potatoes
2 packets of Good Season Italian Dressing mix
Fresh ground black pepper (to taste)

Combine all ingredients and bake on cookie sheet for about 45 minutes.

It is really delicious and filling, make it with any sides that you like. If you want to go a little more low carb, remove the potatoes and add a salad.  Enjoy!

This is a great recipe for those of you who like spice muffins, but want a fat-free option.  If you aren’t concerned about the fat content, you can use vegetable oil in place of the applesauce.  If you want to mix/match the applesauce and oil, you can.  For example, you could use 5 tablespoons of oil and 5 of applesauce.  You can also use Splenda for baking in place of the sugar if you want to drop the calorie (and Weight Watchers points) count.  Whatever you do, these are a healthier choice than buying a muffin from your local bakery!

These taste great and keep you on-track for a healthy 2008!

Spice Muffins

• 3 cups flour
• 2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups water
• 2 tablespoon vinegar (white distilled)
• 2 teaspoon vanilla
• 10 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit.

Combine all dry ingredients together.  

Fold the vanilla, applesauce, vinegar, and into the dry ingredients.

Pour batter into muffin tins.  You can use paper muffin tin liners or if you have the silicone baking pans, you can skip that step.  Whichever you choose, spray with cooking spray to reduce sticking.  

Bake at 350 for 20-24 minutes (depending on your oven).  Yields a dozen or a few more, depending on how big you want your muffins to be.

These are best served warm.  I use butter spray on mine.

Cheers!

One of my biggest dilemmas is a healthy breakfast for my kids. Everyone is always rushed in the morning. I have 4 children to get out the door at different times for school. Hardly a chance for a family get-together. Sadly, I fill my freezer with waffles and french toast sticks. Easy, fast and the best part, mom doesn't have to get out of bed to cook. (Bad Mommy.) This is one of my major changes in this house. I am actually going to hook them up with some Special K and fruit. Low fat or non fat yogurt too.

My first purchase was fruit. They love apples, grapefruits, oranges, bananas, and grapes. Not very filling so I also bought some Special K. I was worried they wouldn't like it. But, much to my surprise, they love it. I brought home the Red Berries and the Fruit and Yogurt flavors. The fruit and yogurt flavored Special K has 1g of fat, while the red berries has 0g of fat, excluding the milk. So eat it with fat free milk, if you can get your kids to do that. Mine are at 2% right now. Next week I am going to switch to 1%. I will gradually get them down to skim or fat free. I don't want to put them in shock.

You can go to Special K, to start the Special K Challenge. Great link to help you get started with weight loss and healthy eating. Special K even offers waffles, snack bites, breakfast bars, protein bars, and protein water to help you feel full. I think this will benefit my children in the long run. It should keep them from getting bored with just the cereal.

I am trying to help my children understand the importance of healthy eating. I am not really mentioning the weight loss benefits to them. I don't want them to get annoyed with all the  changes  I am making.  So far, so good.  This might be easier than I thought.  Enjoy!

Baby, it’s cold outside, and it’s perfect weather for a warm bowl of oatmeal.  If you want the best tasting fat-free oatmeal, use steel-cut oats.  They are healthier because they use the whole grain.  That means they include the bran with all that fiber, the germ with all the B vitamins and iron, and the endosperm which is the energy source.  Traditional oatmeal, like Quaker instant oats, are rolled, not steel cut.  As a result, they’ve been steamed, toasted, and rolled, and as a result, they’ve lost most of their taste and some of their nutritional value.  A cup of steel cut oats has more fiber and fewer calories than a bran muffin.  They also have a bit of a nutty, crunchy texture.  If you’ve never had them, you’re in for a treat.

Yes, they take longer to cook.  If you use the microwave, it will take you 10 minutes, but you can always get dressed while they cook.  They are worth the extra time.  There are some new varieties that only take five minutes, but I haven’t tried them yet.  Because of the higher fiber content, they will fill you up and keep you from wanting to snack on those doughnuts sitting out at the office.

My personal favorite brand is McCann’s, and you can find them at many grocery stores, including Amazon’s grocery store.  I usually add some Splenda brown sugar blend or some Craisins, but feel free to add what you like or eat them plain.

Cheers!

Todays menu for healthy eating is Chicken Soup. I am no doctor or specialist but I do know how good chicken soup makes you feel when you are sick. I have been reading over lots of research on this subject. I will list my basic findings according to my recipe. My recipe varies from time to time because it is based on the size of my pot. It is hard for me to give a recipe out to someone because I mainly judge the ingredients as I go. But here goes, according to a 16 quart pot;

My Chicken Soup Recipe:

• 8 split Chicken Breasts
• 2 to 4 Chicken backs (Grandma said this makes the best soup)
• Celery, 8 stalks
• Carrots, 2lbs.
• Onion, 1 small onion
• tomatoes, 2 quartered
• Bay leaves, 3 or 4
• Parsley, lots of parsley
• Black Pepper, to taste
• Chicken bullion cubes (sometimes, when I think it needs a little more flavor)

I combine all ingredients except pepper and parsley, fill pot with water, and then let it come to a boil. I then turn it down and as it cooks I skim the top, to remove the brown stuff (blood from chicken). When this is removed I add my parsley and pepper and let cook for a good hour. It already smells delicious!

Health benefits of the ingredients: (You can click on the ingredient for more detailed information.)

Chicken contains protein, niacin, selenium, tryptophan, vitamin B6, and phosphorus. These offer help with bone loss, cancer, cardiovascular health and energy.

Celery contains many thing mainly Vitamin C.  vitamin helps the immune system. Vitamin C has been proven to be a cold-fighter.

Carrots are an excellent source of antioxidants, and the richest vegetable source of the pro-vitamin A carotenes. They protect against cardiovascular disease and cancer and also promote good vision, especially night vision.

Onions contain many nutrients such as chromium, vitamin C, Dietary fiber, and vitamin B6 to name a few. Onions help with lowering blood sugar, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal health.

Tomatoes contain many different vitamins such as C, A, K, B3, and more. It also contains Lycopene, which is known for its antioxidant and cancer-preventing properties.

Bay Leaves are a good source of Vitamins A and C and also contain iron and manganese, as well as calcium, potassium and magnesium. In ancient times they were used for many illnesses.

Parsley contains Vitamins K, C, and A, along with folate and iron. It also contains two unusual components that provide unique health benefits, a volitale oil and flavonoids.

Black Pepper contains manganese, vitamin K, iron, and dietary fiber. This spice helps with digestion.

My kids love my chicken soup. I do believe this is a healthy dish to serve them, as long as we skim the fat from the top before serving. They don't care how good this is for them, they just love it. I hope you enjoy it also.

A few months ago I realized that my husband hadn't complained about his arthritis in quite a while.  I asked him if he had any pain recently, and he said no.  The pain stopped not long after my husband switched to a vegan diet.  I cannot say definitively if removing meat and/or dairy led to this or not, but there is compelling scientific evidence to back that possibility up.

A study was performed in Sweden on a group of people who had rheumatoid arthritis.  They went dairy-free for a period of three months.  This short time period was long enough for the arthritis patients to "obtain better physical function and increase their vitality".  

Other, older studies, have had similar results, with patients going on vegan diets and having their pain go away in a very short period of time.  And then, of course, there is my husband.  Five years of arthritis doesn't just disappear!

People often cite dairy as being good for your health.  A 2005 article on TIME Magazine's Online Edition states that, "Previous studies have shown that low-fat dairy products, as part of a diet that's rich in fruits and vegetables, also helps to reduce high blood pressure."  

Well, I'm sure that a plate of brownies every day, AS PART OF A DIET THAT'S RICH IN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, would do just as good a job at reducing high blood pressure.  Bad foods in moderation aren't going to do an enormous amount of harm if you are eating well the majority of the time.    

Sadly, the only real "health benefit" you can get from dairy products is the large amounts of calcium they contain.  And the damage that dairy can do to you (arthritis, for example) definitely overpower the calcium factor.

In fact, calcium can be found in many plant-based foods, making dairy worthless on the "health" scale.

Calcium Requirements

Teens and Adults need roughly 800 - 1,000 mg per day.  Infants and Children need 350 - 550 mg per day (depending on their exact age).

A vegan diet provides for this easily!  Most orange juice and non-dairy milk is fortified with calcium - read labels to get exact amounts (though these tend to be around 200 - 300 mg per 8 oz glass).   Blackstrap molasses has 400 mg for every 2 tablespoons you consume.  A cup of cooked broccoli has 94 mg.  A handful of almonds contains 89 mg.  

According to the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, calcium can be most readily obtained from "greens and beans".  "Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, collards, kale, mustard greens, Swiss chard, and other greens are loaded with highly absorbable calcium...  Beans are humble foods, and you might not know that they are loaded with calcium.  There is more than 100 milligrams of calcium in a plate of baked beans."

And once you get a good dose of calcium - keep it!  Excess salt, as well as animal proteins (read: meat) tend to leach the calcium right out of your bones.  (Another good reason to eat vegan!)

As I said last time, I used to enjoy drinking strawberry milk.  I still haven't quite acquired a taste for soy milk (other than for cooking with), but I recently stumbled upon VitaSoy's flavored soy milk in Strawberry Banana flavor.  It is delicious!  No funny beany flavor to it at all.  A good non-dairy substitute!  Let me know if you've tried it, or their other variety (Chocolate Banana).  And know that you are doing your body a favor by eliminating dairy from your diet!!!

* More on the importance of eating healthy next time!

Happy New Year everyone! As I was preparing dinner for my family last night, I noticed how low fat this recipe was, so I decided to share this with you. I love to make these. It is a bit costly for the crab, $25 a pound, but it was a special occasion. It is also a bit high in cholesterol too, but this is something I only make a few times a year.



Stuffed Mushrooms with Crab. It is so simple to make.

• 1 16 oz can of Phillips Jumbo Lump Crab Meat
• 1 tbs margarine
• 1/2 cup red peppers, chopped small
• 1/2 cup green peppers, chopped small
• 1/2 cup scallions, chopped small
• 2 packages of fresh white mushrooms, large.
• 8 oz cheddar cheese, shredded

Saute scallions and peppers in margarine, until soft. Toss in Crab meat. Do not over mix. You don't want to break up the crab to much. Let it simmer for a few minutes so the flavors blend. I then take away from heat and elevate one side of the pan so the excess margarine runs out. Next, scoop about a tablespoon into each mushroom caps. Pour the excess margarine in the bottom of a baking dish. Place the mushrooms in the baking dish, sprinkle with cheddar cheese. If you have a favorite cheese use that. You don't have to be fussy. Bake in oven, uncovered, 350F, for about 30 minutes. If you don't like mushrooms place the mixture in single serving baking dishes and sprinkle with cheese. Tastes delicious!

According to the Nutrition Facts, on the can of crab, a serving is 2 oz or 1/3 cup. Calories per serving is 45, zero from fat. Total fat 0, Cholesterol 65mg, Sodium 220mg, Total Carbs 0, Protein 11 grams. Depending on what you add, this will change. I like to use a low fat no cholesterol margarine.  You can use a low fat cheese also. I like Cracker Barrel Cheddar Cheese made with 2% milk.

Todays menu, in my house, consists of left over Shrimp Bisque (not good for you) and our traditional Pork and Sauerkraut (better for you, more so than the bisque). Pork and Sauerkraut on New Years Day is suppose to bring you luck for the new year. This is also easy to throw together. I use sauerkraut from a bag, so much better than canned, and country style spareribs. I saute a medium sized onion in about 2 tbs of margarine, then I add a bag of kraut then the ribs, then another bag of kraut over that. I season with some pepper and let it simmer on my stove top for about 3 hours. You can cook up potatoes with this also. I leave them out. I just don't like them. I hope everyone has a healthy and wonderful 2008. Enjoy!

It’s 2008 now, and it’s time to get down to eating healthy foods and working on those resolutions.  One thing most of us don’t get enough of is vegetables.  If you’re like me, the idea of eating some celery is about as exciting as chewing on a twig.  Other raw veggies are not usually calling my name either, but they are better for you than any cooked, frozen, canned, or processed vegetable, so what’s a person to do? 

Just because you are working to eat more healthy snacks doesn’t mean you can’t eat foods that taste great.  My solution is to use a great veggie dip.  There are some pretty good store bought ones, but my favorite is quick, easy, tastes great, and is a healthy option!  Don’t let the ingredient list scare you off!  I’m not a huge spinach fan, but I love this dip.

Knorr’s Healthy Veggie Dip:

1 package of Knorr’s Vegetable Soup Mix
1 box (10 oz.) of frozen spinach (thawed!)
1 c. fat-free sour cream
1 c. Miracle Whip Light (or fat free if you prefer)
1 can (8 oz.) diced water chestnuts
Green onion diced to taste

Squeeze out the excess water in the frozen spinach, then combine it with the remaining ingredients.  Stir until thoroughly mixed.  Letting this sit for a couple of hours in the fridge will make it even better, but I sometimes don’t wait.

This is great for all kinds of veggies (organic carrots are my favorite).  It can also be a nice party dip when served in a scooped out bread bowl.  However you serve it, it’s a great way to help you along the road to meeting your resolutions.  Cheers! 

What could go better with great champagne than a decadent chocolate dessert?  I found this great recipe for a Chocolate Ginger Tart with a Ginger Snap Crust at Bon Appétit!  Your New Year's Resolutions will kick in soon enough, but for now, enjoy this wonderfully different dessert.

When I made this last time, I used Trader Joe's Triple Ginger Cookies for the Crust, and they were outstanding!  You can use any ginger cookie, including the Wal-Mart brand of ginger snaps if there's no Trader Joe's near you.  Regardless, this is a big hit.  Even my husband who isn't the chocolate addict that I am loved this tart.  

Servings: Makes 10 servings


Ingredients

Crust:

8 ounces gingersnap cookies (about 32 cookies), coarsely broken
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
Pinch of salt

Filling:

12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 large egg yolks
1 large egg
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped crystallized ginger

Preparation

For crust:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Finely grind gingersnap cookies in processor (yielding 1 1/2 to 1 2/3 cups). Add melted butter and salt; process until moistened. Press crumb mixture firmly onto bottom and up sides of 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Place pan on rimmed baking sheet.

For filling:
Combine finely chopped bittersweet chocolate and heavy whipping cream in heavy medium saucepan. Whisk over low heat until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove saucepan from heat. Whisk egg yolks, egg, sugar, flour, ground black pepper, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Very gradually whisk chocolate mixture into egg mixture until smooth and blended. Pour chocolate filling into crust.

Bake chocolate tart until filling puffs slightly at edges and center is softly set, about 30 minutes. Transfer to rack. Sprinkle chopped crystallized ginger over top. Cool tart in pan 20 minutes. Gently remove tart pan sides and cool tart completely. DO AHEAD: Chocolate tart can be made 1 day ahead. Cover tart and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Cut tart into thin wedges and serve.  Cheers!