I love bar food. I try to stay away from it, for obvious reasons, but sometimes you just need some greasy fried goodness. I try to find ways to satisfy those cravings whenever possible.
This is based of a recipe I used to make, with one small tweak to make it even more healthy! I used to use Cornflake crumbs as a breading for the cheese sticks. However, Uncle Sam Original Brand Toasted Whole Wheat Flake Cereal makes these even healthier and even adds some nutritious flax seeds!
The S/C Value for two cheese sticks is 0/1. This determination is assuming that you use the full amount of the coating on the cheese sticks (which I never do).
Oven-Fried Cheese Sticks
(serves 4)
1 1/4 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 c. whole wheat white flour (I used King Arthur Brand)
2 egg whites, beaten
Tbsp. water
1 c. of Uncle Sam wheat flake cereal, crushed into fine crumbs
1 8 ounce package of mozzarella string cheese (8 sticks)
Combine garlic salt, oregano, and the crushed wheat flakes. Set aside.
Mix egg whites and water together.
Coat each string cheese with a thin layer of the flour. Dip floured string cheese in the egg mixture, then roll in the wheat flake mixture. Make sure the string cheese is completely coated with flour, egg, and the wheat flakes to avoid the cheese sticks melting out of the breading while baking.
Refrigerate the cheese stick for about 30 minutes (This also helps keep the cheese sticks from oozing.)
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cover a cookie sheet in foil and spray or coat the foil with a thin layer of oil. Bake the cheese sticks on the pan for about 7-8 minutes, or until melted and golden.
Serve with low sugar pizza sauce and enjoy while hot!
Friday, October 30, 2009
Healthy (and inexpensive) Microwave Popcorn
So a few weeks ago, I heard a news report on how bad microwave popcorn can be for you, and how you really should never eat it. Apparently the bags are coated with some chemical that has been linked to cancer.
I found some information online about making your own microwave popcorn. It is really easy and really delicious. It also allows you to use your preferred oil, good quality popping corn, and whatever seasoning you like.
My favorite variety thus far is Jamaican Jerk Popcorn!
2 tsp. oil (I have used coconut oil and Smart Balance Oil, and both are great)
1/2 tsp. Jamaican Jerk Seasoning (I used Island Spice brand that I got in Jamaica this spring), plus more for sprinkling after the popcorn is popped.
In a brown paper lunch bag, add ingredients and shake to coat the kernels. Fold the top of the bag over three times to seal. Place the bag on a paper towel in the microwave, and microwave on high for about 2 1/2 to 3 minutes, depending on your microwave. The best way to figure out the time is to stand by and stop the microwave when the pops slow down to about 3-5 seconds between each pop. You can always re-pop any kernels that do not pop the first time.
To make Old Bay Style Popcorn, substitute 1/2 tsp of Old Bay Seasoning.
I found some information online about making your own microwave popcorn. It is really easy and really delicious. It also allows you to use your preferred oil, good quality popping corn, and whatever seasoning you like.
My favorite variety thus far is Jamaican Jerk Popcorn!
Jamaican Jerk Popcorn
1/4 c. unpopped popcorn kernels2 tsp. oil (I have used coconut oil and Smart Balance Oil, and both are great)
1/2 tsp. Jamaican Jerk Seasoning (I used Island Spice brand that I got in Jamaica this spring), plus more for sprinkling after the popcorn is popped.
In a brown paper lunch bag, add ingredients and shake to coat the kernels. Fold the top of the bag over three times to seal. Place the bag on a paper towel in the microwave, and microwave on high for about 2 1/2 to 3 minutes, depending on your microwave. The best way to figure out the time is to stand by and stop the microwave when the pops slow down to about 3-5 seconds between each pop. You can always re-pop any kernels that do not pop the first time.
To make Old Bay Style Popcorn, substitute 1/2 tsp of Old Bay Seasoning.
Not so Crazy Mocha
Back in Pittsburgh, there is an awesome coffee shop called Crazy Mocha. I was lucky enough (or unlucky enough healthwise) to have one on the first floor of my office building.
Crazy Mocha's signature drink used to be The Crazy Mocha, a sweet, creamy, heavenly blend of coffee, ice, ice cream, and chocolate. Last time I was there, they stopped serving ice cream and no longer had the Crazy Mocha.
I re-created this drink this morning for breakfast, but took out the sugar and added some protein and a little fiber. I used a small scoop of my Chocolate Ice Cream that I made last night (maybe a 1/4 cup) to give it the rich chocolatey taste. You could use up to 1/2 c of the ice cream for an S/C Value of 0/1.
1/2 c. cold coffee
1/2 scoop of Jay Robb's vanilla protein powder (this is the best kind I have ever had and is all natural)
1 small scoop of Sugar Free Chocolate Ice Cream (see below)
2 tsp. Benefiber
Blend everything together until smooth!
Crazy Mocha's signature drink used to be The Crazy Mocha, a sweet, creamy, heavenly blend of coffee, ice, ice cream, and chocolate. Last time I was there, they stopped serving ice cream and no longer had the Crazy Mocha.
I re-created this drink this morning for breakfast, but took out the sugar and added some protein and a little fiber. I used a small scoop of my Chocolate Ice Cream that I made last night (maybe a 1/4 cup) to give it the rich chocolatey taste. You could use up to 1/2 c of the ice cream for an S/C Value of 0/1.
Not-So-Crazy Mocha
1/2 c. ice1/2 c. cold coffee
1/2 scoop of Jay Robb's vanilla protein powder (this is the best kind I have ever had and is all natural)
1 small scoop of Sugar Free Chocolate Ice Cream (see below)
2 tsp. Benefiber
Blend everything together until smooth!
New to Me: So Delicious Coconut Milk
I love dairy products and have been looking for a low sugar alternative to dairy (other than drinking straight cream which I am sure cannot be good for me). A lot of people have suggested Almond Milk as a substitute. I am deathly allergic to nuts, so that would not work out so well for me.
Someone suggested So Delicious Coconut Milk during the first week of our online meeting. I went to Whole Foods later that week and bought it. You can find it in the refrigerator section near the sugar-filled milk. The unsweetened kind only has 1 gram of carbs and 0 grams of sugar in 1 cup and tastes a lot like real milk. My husband said it reminded him of skim milk, but tasted pretty good! The coconut taste is very very slight and may not be noticed if you did not know what it was.
This morning I had it on my cereal and it was great subsitute to regular milk.
I am going to try to make yogurt out of it next week!
Someone suggested So Delicious Coconut Milk during the first week of our online meeting. I went to Whole Foods later that week and bought it. You can find it in the refrigerator section near the sugar-filled milk. The unsweetened kind only has 1 gram of carbs and 0 grams of sugar in 1 cup and tastes a lot like real milk. My husband said it reminded him of skim milk, but tasted pretty good! The coconut taste is very very slight and may not be noticed if you did not know what it was.
This morning I had it on my cereal and it was great subsitute to regular milk.
I am going to try to make yogurt out of it next week!
Thursday, October 29, 2009
American Heart Associations Advice on Limiting Sugar
Here is an article from the AHA regarding how dangerous high intake of sugar can be to your health. Scary stuff!
The AHA says, regardless of whether you are trying to lose weight or not, people should limit their added sugar intake. The AHA recommends less than six teaspoons of added sugar each day for women and less than nine teaspoons for men.
To put that into perspective, consider the following: there are about 9 teaspoons of sugar in a 12 ounce can of Coke alone!!
Obviously we all know how much sugar is in soda. But what about some supposedly "healthy" foods?
The AHA says, regardless of whether you are trying to lose weight or not, people should limit their added sugar intake. The AHA recommends less than six teaspoons of added sugar each day for women and less than nine teaspoons for men.
To put that into perspective, consider the following: there are about 9 teaspoons of sugar in a 12 ounce can of Coke alone!!
Obviously we all know how much sugar is in soda. But what about some supposedly "healthy" foods?
- One 6 ounce container of strawberry yogurt sweetened with sugar has about 5 teaspoons
- One packet of instant apple cinnamon oatmeal has about 3 teaspoons!
Chicken Fried Rice
So, I am a huge fan of fried rice. Sometimes I break down and eat it even though it is one of the worst things a diabetic could eat because of the insane amount of carbs in one serving.
Tonight, I made a version of fried rice that uses grated cauliflower instead of rice. It was delicious! I gave it to my husband without telling him that it was cauliflower, and he did not even notice that the rice was missing.
I got the recipe for which I based my version of the fried rice on Healthy Indulgences (wonderful website!!)
If you eat 1/2 of the recipe below, the S/C value would be about 4/2. It tastes so good that I will not miss the carb laden version that I have been eating! If you do not have 4 grams of sugar to spare for dinner, try omitting either the carrots or the onions, or use 1/4 c of each.
Chicken Fried Rice (serves 2-3)
1/2 lb of chicken, cut across the grain in thin slices
1 tbsp oil
salt and pepper
1-2 tbsp oil (I used Coconut, but whatever should work. The coconut oil gives the dish a slightly sweet flavor)
2 c. grated Cauliflower
1/2 c. yellow onion, chopped
1/2 c. of matchstick sliced carrots (I used the pre-cut version)
10 snow pea pods, chopped (about 1/4 c.)
1 clove of garlic
5 tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
1/2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
dash of garlic powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 eggs, beaten
In a frying pan over medium-high, heat 1 Tbsp oil. Add chicken and season with salt and pepper. Cook until cooked through. Take chicken off of heat and set aside.
In a frying pan, heat 1 Tbsp. of coconut oil over medium heat. When hot, add onions and cook until soft. Remove onions from the pan and set aside. Add carrots, chopped pea pods, and garlic and cook until soft and set aside with the onions.
Add cauliflower to the frying pan and saute for a minute or two, adding more oil if necessary. Add 3 Tbsp. of soy sauce, 1/4 tsp. sesame oil, garlic powder, and pepper and stir until all of the cauliflower is coated with the soy sauce. Cook until the cauliflower is soft. Add the remaining vegetables. Stir until combined.
Then, push all the vegetables to the side of the pan. Scramble the eggs in the open space on the pan, using a spatula to dice up the cook egg. When the egg is cooked, incorporate it into the vegetables.
Add the cooked chicken to the vegetable/egg mix. Add remaining 2. Tbsp soy sauce and 1/4 tsp. of sesame oil. Stir fry the mixture until chicken is warm. Serve and enjoy!
Tonight, I made a version of fried rice that uses grated cauliflower instead of rice. It was delicious! I gave it to my husband without telling him that it was cauliflower, and he did not even notice that the rice was missing.
I got the recipe for which I based my version of the fried rice on Healthy Indulgences (wonderful website!!)
If you eat 1/2 of the recipe below, the S/C value would be about 4/2. It tastes so good that I will not miss the carb laden version that I have been eating! If you do not have 4 grams of sugar to spare for dinner, try omitting either the carrots or the onions, or use 1/4 c of each.
1/2 lb of chicken, cut across the grain in thin slices
1 tbsp oil
salt and pepper
1-2 tbsp oil (I used Coconut, but whatever should work. The coconut oil gives the dish a slightly sweet flavor)
2 c. grated Cauliflower
1/2 c. yellow onion, chopped
1/2 c. of matchstick sliced carrots (I used the pre-cut version)
10 snow pea pods, chopped (about 1/4 c.)
1 clove of garlic
5 tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
1/2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
dash of garlic powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 eggs, beaten
In a frying pan over medium-high, heat 1 Tbsp oil. Add chicken and season with salt and pepper. Cook until cooked through. Take chicken off of heat and set aside.
In a frying pan, heat 1 Tbsp. of coconut oil over medium heat. When hot, add onions and cook until soft. Remove onions from the pan and set aside. Add carrots, chopped pea pods, and garlic and cook until soft and set aside with the onions.
Add cauliflower to the frying pan and saute for a minute or two, adding more oil if necessary. Add 3 Tbsp. of soy sauce, 1/4 tsp. sesame oil, garlic powder, and pepper and stir until all of the cauliflower is coated with the soy sauce. Cook until the cauliflower is soft. Add the remaining vegetables. Stir until combined.
Then, push all the vegetables to the side of the pan. Scramble the eggs in the open space on the pan, using a spatula to dice up the cook egg. When the egg is cooked, incorporate it into the vegetables.
Add the cooked chicken to the vegetable/egg mix. Add remaining 2. Tbsp soy sauce and 1/4 tsp. of sesame oil. Stir fry the mixture until chicken is warm. Serve and enjoy!
Follow up to Sugar Free Ice Cream
It is fantastic (see below)!! I skipped the chocolate chips, and I calculated the S/C Value. It is an amazing 0/1 for a 1/2 c. serving.
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