Eat Skinny Be Skinny: Dessert
PIN IT!I’m a choco-phene with a sweet tooth like you wouldn’t believe! [I’m having an entire sweets bar + a cake for my wedding!] However, due to the fact that I need to squeeze into a little ivory gown in December, I’m not able to indulge my sweets fixation much anymore. That was until I stumbled upon Cooking Light’s impressive supply of low-fat, low-calorie dessert options that taste JUST like the real thing. [With up to 1/2 the fat, calories and sugar than the originals!] So yes, you can eat cookies and still be skinny! Here’s a few of them that looked too mouth-watering and delicious not to feature!
Chocolate Decadence
Photo by Becky Luigart-Stayner
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1/4 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
- 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa
- 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 ounce unsweetened chocolate, chopped
- 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg white
- 8 teaspoons semisweet chocolate chips
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Lightly coat 4 (2-ounce) ramekins with cooking spray, and sprinkle 3/4 teaspoon sugar into each of the ramekins, shaking and turning to coat. Set prepared ramekins aside.
- Combine 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, milk, and cocoa in a small saucepan, stirring well with a whisk. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook 30 seconds or until sugar dissolves, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; add the butter and 1/2 ounce unsweetened chocolate. Stir until the chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Cool chocolate mixture 10 minutes.
- Add flour, vanilla, salt, and egg white to chocolate mixture, stirring with a whisk just until blended. Spoon 2 tablespoons chocolate mixture into each prepared ramekin, and top each with 2 teaspoons chocolate chips. Divide the remaining chocolate mixture evenly among ramekins, spreading to cover the chocolate chips. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until barely set. Cool for 10 minutes. Invert onto dessert plates. Serve warm.
Nutritional Information: 315 calories [31% from fat], 11 g.m. fat, 4.1 g.m. protein and 1.6 g.m. fiber
Chocolate-Cherry Heart Smart Cookies
Photo by Becky Luigart-Stayner
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup whole-wheat flour
- 1 1/2 cups oats
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup dried cherries [or apricots/peaches]
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
- Cooking spray
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Weigh or lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours and next 3 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl; stir with a whisk.
- Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat; add brown sugar, stirring until smooth. Add sugar mixture to flour mixture; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add cherries, vanilla, and egg; beat until combined.
- Fold in chocolate. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes. Cool on pans 3 minutes or until almost firm. Remove cookies from pans; cool on wire racks.
Nutritional Information [per cookie]: 94 calories, 3.2 g.m. of fat, 1.5 g.m. protein & 1.3 g.m. fiber
The Perfect Cheesecake
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
- Cooking spray
- 1 (32-ounce) carton plain fat-free yogurt
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
- 1/3 cup fat-free sour cream
- 2 (8-ounce) blocks 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
- 1 (8-ounce) carton egg substitute
Directions:
- Firmly press crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray.
- Place a colander in a 2-quart glass measure or a medium bowl. Line the colander with four layers of cheesecloth, allowing cheesecloth to extend over outside edges of the bowl. Spoon yogurt into the colander. Cover loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 12 hours. Spoon yogurt cheese into a bowl, and discard the liquid.
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup, and level with a knife. Combine drained yogurt, flour, and the next 5 ingredients (flour through cream cheese) in a large bowl; beat at medium speed of a mixer until blended. Slowly add egg substitute, and beat until combined. Pour cheese mixture into prepared crust.
- Place in a large shallow baking pan, and add hot water to pan to a depth of 1 inch. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Remove sides from pan, and cool to room temperature. Cover and chill at least 8 hours.
Nutritional Information: 263 calories [32% from fat], 9.4 g.m. fat, 12.7 g.m. protein & 1 g.m. fiber
Eat Skinny Be Skinny: Lunch box sandwiches
I can’t say I’m a perfect eater [no one is!] but one thing I know I do right is I eat a healthy lunch. 95% of the time, I bring my lunch to work. Sure it’s not as exciting or adventurous as going out, but its kept me in check with my weight, keeps my hunger at bay [thank you fiber] and doesn’t hurt my wallet either! However, I can’t say that I don’t tire of the same turkey-spicy mustard-LF cheese-on wheat I eat everyday. So instead of eating another turkey sandwich or blowing my wallet on a $12 salad, I found two delicious alternatives to my tired sandwich that are healthy and can be made a head of time. Recipes are courtesy of Fitness Magazine.
TLT
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon adobo sauce from canned chipotle peppers, (see Ingredient note), divided
- 14 ounces water-packed extra-firm tofu, drained and rinsed
- 4 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
- 8 slices crusty whole-wheat bread, toasted
- 4 pieces green-leaf lettuce
- 2 medium tomatoes, sliced
Directions
- Preheat oven to 475 degrees F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
- Combine mustard, soy sauce and 1/2 teaspoon adobo sauce in a small bowl. Slice tofu crosswise into eight 1/2-inch-thick pieces. Pat dry with a paper towel and place on the prepared baking sheet. Using a spoon, spread half the mustard mixture on one side of the tofu. Turn the slices over and spread the remaining mixture on the other side.
- Bake the tofu for 20 minutes.
- Combine mayonnaise with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon adobo sauce in a small bowl. Spread the mixture on toasted bread. Divide the tofu, lettuce and tomato among 4 slices of toast and top with the remaining toast to make 4 sandwiches. Cut in half to serve.
Nutritional Information: 363 calories, 9 g.m. fat, 17 g.m. protein
Grilled Portobello & Goat Cheese Sandwich
Ingriedents
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 red bell pepper cut into 4 and seeded
- 1 yellow bell pepper cut into 4 and seeded
- 1 zucchini, sliced lengthwise
- 4 portobello mushroom caps
- 4 ounces goat cheese
- 2 tablespoon skim milk
- 4 2-ounce Kaiser rolls, cut in half horizontally
- 1/4 chopped fresh basil
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- salt and pepper
- cooking spray
Directions
- Heat grill to medium-high, spray with cooking spray
- Combine the next seven ingredients (vinegar through portobellos) in a large bowl, season with salt and pepper to taste and toss with hands to coat vegetables evenly.
- Place vegetables on grill, reserving excess vinegar mixture. Flip zucchini after 3 minutes and cook for another minute. Remove to cool. Flip remaining vegetables after 5 minutes and drizzle with remaining marinade. Cook another 4 minutes or until tender. Remove from grill and cut peppers and zucchini into bite-sized pieces.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine goat cheese and milk and stir until cheese is thinned and smooth. Spread 1/4 of the goat cheese mixture on each of the rolls and then layer on one mushroom, the rest of the vegetables and 1/4 of the herbs.
Nutritional Information: 317 calories, 10.5 g.m. fat and 14 g.m. protein
Superfood of the Week: Nuts & Seeds
I have a double dose of superfoods this week, but when you think about it, nuts and seeds are quite similar after all! Nuts and seeds have amazing health benefits on their own, of course, but when these two team up, the health impact is profound! Nuts and seeds decrease your risk of cancer, heart disease and diabetes, control your weight with no hunger pangs and reduce the visible signs of aging like wrinkles and sagging skin! Those are some pretty big reasons to “go nuts!”
Heart Health
Like most of my other superfoods, nuts and seeds provide some real heart health benefits. According to Dr. Perricone [as featured in Oprah] a study that was done involving more than 3,000 African-American men and women found that those who consumed nuts at least five times a week cut their risk of dying from CHD [coronary heart disease] by 44 percent, compared with those who ate nuts less than once weekly! Another study found that of the 21,000 men who were tested, those who consumed nuts and seeds at least twice a week cut their risk of sudden cardiac death by 53 percent!
Proven Cancer Fighter
The particular antioxidants and proteins found in most nuts and seeds have been proven to prevent cancer. The coating found on most nuts and seeds is very rich in the antioxidant polyphenol, which has been proven to reduce cancer. Also, according to Oprah Magazine, Beta-sistosterol and campesterol, which are two of the phytosterols in most nuts, appear to suppress breast and prostate tumors. In partnership with those phytosterols, the amino acid arginine [protein] found in most nuts also inhibits tumor growth and boosts immunity!
Diabetes prevention
If you have a high risk for diabetes, start munching on nuts and seeds immediately! The healthy fats found in nuts work with our bodies to improve the efficiency of insulin. A study that took more than 86,000 women followed over 16 years, found that those who consumed an ounce of nuts at least five times a week cut their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 27 percent.
So grab a pack of almonds or sunflower seeds and start munching! For a full list of nuts and seeds and their individual nutrition information, visit The Vegetarian Society.
Meal Makeover: Breakfast
Don’t worry readers, this is not another rant about how important breakfast is for our bodies and metabolism [because we already know that by now, right?!] Right. However friends, not all breakfasts are created equal. Some people are so happy that they are eating breakfast that they forget exactly what they are eating. Some breakfasts can contain up to 1000 calories and 50 grams of fat! Let me prove my point. Below is a picture of the famed Denny’s Grand Slam breakfast.
This breakfast looks harmless and healthy enough, right? WRONG. This popular breakfast has 785 calories, 50 grams of fat and 2237 m.g. of sodium! The Mayo Clinic recommends only having 2300 mg of sodium in a day, so this breakfast is a major salt-buster.
Let’s play this game with another popular breakfast. Below is the IHOP big steak omelete. Sure it sounds more gut blasting than the previous, but you think “it’s eggs and steak, how bad can it be?” Pretty bad. And I know people who eat the entire thing. In one sitting.
This giant omelete contains 1000 calories and 72 grams of fat. 72 GRAMS OF FAT. and 27 grams of saturated fat. That’s half the amount of calories a healthy adult is recommended to have, and 7 more grams of fat! Yikes!
These prove my point that all breakfast’s can not be created equal. Keep your breakfast’s simple, yet full of fiber, healthy fat and protein so you stay fuller longer without derailing your diet! Steel cut oatmeal, egg white omeletes, whole wheat pancakes, greek yogurt and fiber rich cereals [Fiber One and Kashi Go Lean] are perfect breakfast go-to’s for the healthy adult on the go.
For those of you with a little more time in the a.m., try this recipe [courtesy of Eating Well] below, which is full of fiber, whole grains, calcium and protein! [And um, how delicious does it look?!]
Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 3/4 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg white
- 1/2 cup nonfat buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons canola oil, divided
- 3/4 cup fresh or frozen (not thawed) blueberries
Preparation:
- Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and nutmeg in a small bowl. Whisk ricotta, egg, egg white, buttermilk, lemon zest and juice in a large bowl until smooth. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined.
- Brush a large nonstick skillet with 1/2 teaspoon oil and place over medium heat until hot. Using a generous 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake, pour the batter for 2 pancakes into the pan, sprinkle blueberries on each pancake and cook until the edges are dry and bubbles begin to form, about 2 minutes.
- Flip the pancakes and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes more.
- Repeat with the remaining oil, batter and berries, adjusting the heat as necessary to prevent burning.
Nutritional Information: 238 calories, 8 g.m. fat, 12 g.m. protein
Superfood of the Week [and a recipe!]: Watermelon
Summer’s not over yet, friends, at least in the food world! This week’s superfood is a staple in summer picnic baskets and on the beach due to it’s light and refreshing taste. However, if you think this fruit is made up of mostly water and no nutrients, you are sadly mistaken! True, the light color and sweet taste give us the impression that it’s lacking nutrients, but lacking it is not! Watermelon contains just as many, if not more, nutrients than some other popular fruits and vegetables!
Skinny Minny
Are you trying to lose weight and want a snack that will not only fill you up but not ruin your daily calorie budget? If so, watermelon should become your new best friend! Containing only 46 calories per cup, watermelon is one snack that won’t set you back. Because of the low calorie count, watermelon delivers more nutrients per calorie than most other fruits! Containing almost 92% water, watermelon will also fill you up and keep you fuller longer, which prevents you from snacking on other summer favorites, like ice cream. Because it contains so much water, watermelon is also a good way to stay hydrated on those hot summer days.
Disease fighter
Keep watermelon warmer for the most lycopene!
Watermelon’s distant cousin, the tomato, is known for containing lots of lycopene, which is a caratonoid that is known to fight off cancer. However, what many people don’t realize is that watermelon contains more lycopene than a tomato! To make sure your piece of the fruit contains the most lycopene, keep the watermelon out in room temperature [it produces more caratonoids this way than if it were put in the fridge]. According to an article by WH Foods, the antioxidant function of lycopene, which is its ability to help protect cells and other structures in the body from oxygen damage, has also been linked in human research to the prevention of heart disease.
Rich in vitamins & minerals
Take a bite to better health!
Ontop of fighting off evil illnesses, watermelon is also chock full of essential vitamins and minerals! Watermelon contains 25% of the recommended vitamin C intake, as well as 10% of Vitamin A and Vitamin B6! These powerful antioxidants travel through our body neutralizing free radicals [the substances that can can lead to artery build up, inflammation of joints and removes the skin of the colon, which can lead to cancer]. Luckily, the vitamins found in watermelon work to prevent and fight off any free radicals that enter our body. Along with fighting off danger, the Vitamin B found in watermelon is necessary for energy production.
Versatility
Biting into a slice isn’t the only way to eat this fruit either, although it may be the most popular! Watermelon is showing up in some unlikely places, like in soups, on the grill and in casseroles! As an added bonus, I’ve included a recipe for Watermelon Gazpacho below [courtesy of Eating Well]! If you’d much prefer to indulge in the sweeter side, watermelon is a popular ice cream flavor and cocktail mixer! Whatever your preference, grab a melon for a health infusion!
Watermelon Gazpacho
Ingredients
- 8 cups finely diced seedless watermelon, (about 6 pounds with the rind) (see Tip)
- 1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and finely diced
- 1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
- 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons minced shallot
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
Preparation
- Mix watermelon, cucumber, bell pepper, basil, parsley, vinegar, shallot, oil and salt in a large bowl.
- Puree 3 cups of the mixture in a blender or food processor to the desired smoothness; transfer to another large bowl.
- Puree another 3 cups and add to the bowl.
- Stir in the remaining diced mixture. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
Nutritional Information [per serving]: 116 calories, 5 g.m. fat, 2 g.m. protein
