To Buy or to Grate

Does that whet your appetite?  Maybe if the Pioneer Woman or Deb over at Smitten Kitchen posted it then it possibly could look a little more appetizing??  I don’t think so.  I don’t think any amount of amazing photography or food eloquence could make us excited to eat wood pulp, yet you have probably eaten more recently than you realize.

Have you ever noticed that pre-shredded cheese doesn’t taste the same as cheese freshly shredded at home?  In fact, nowhere near as good?  My sisters and I were commenting about that one time at my parents house and my dad responded that perhaps we should read the ingredients on our bag of preshredded cheese and we would find out why.  The answer?  Calcium sulfate, Cellulose, and Silica–essentially plaster, wood, and sand.  Getting hungry yet?  They put them there to prevent the cheese from drying out or from clumping together and though said not to be dangerous in small amounts, is that really want you want to put in your body??

And cheese is not the only packaged food out there feeding us this wood pulp–the use of cellulose by the food industry is on the rise.  They use it to thicken or stabilize foods, replace fat and boost fiber content, and cut the need for ingredients like oil or flour, which are getting more expensive.  It is commonly used in low-fat versions of foods to make them creamier.  So sad because I was really excited about those low-fat ice creams.  You can find a larger list of some specific foods with cellulose here.

The Wall Street Journal had an interesting article I found when I got curious about these additives, and I also saw a blogger’s take on that article that you can peruse if you are curious about things that you are perhaps unknowingly putting into your body.  This form of cellulose is apparently very different from that naturally found in foods like fruits and vegetables that provide a good source of fiber.  It is indigestible by humans, created in a lab, and can sometimes have acid added to it to help break it down.

Again, not that appealing.  But maybe you don’t care about chemicals and cancer…just grate your cheese yourself because it tastes better!!

Eight Months Pregnant

So I haven’t posted anything since last July.  That is a long time.  I know, a really long time, especially in the world of social media.  I have many many excuses, but I don’t think you really care.  You probably have forgotten completely that I even had this blog…most days I have forgotten too!  But since we have a baby coming in a month, I wanted to hop back on here and recommit myself before things get even crazier.

This pregnancy has wiped away my strong commitments to healthy living that made me start this blog in the first place.  But now that I am large to the point of being ready to burst, I am coming back to the blog to hold myself accountable to the best decisions health-wise.  In the next month I hope to do some catch up, maybe even some back posting if I get really crazy.  Then after the baby comes we will hopefully get even crazier as I share my efforts to burn that baby weight so we can all help keep each other in line.

Yes I Have a Sweet Tooth

And quite frankly I don’t understand how people can’t!  I wish I could understand that.  When Aaron and I first started dating, I remember him telling me that he didn’t really like a lot of sweet things and I wondered at that point how this relationship was possibly going to work.

Of course I am always trying to find ways to curb it (impossible?) or satisfy more wholesomely, which you can see from this blog.  I have been sharing so many treats that I promise I will post some more real food soon.  In the meantime, I had to share a yummy recipe that I pinned forever ago and finally had the occasion to make.

The occasion was finding 70% dark chocolate Scharffen Berger bars for $3 each at Wal-Mart!!  Yum yum yum.  Apparently they are now owned by Hershey, but they thankfully don’t taste a thing like Hershey bars.  If you haven’t tried this chocolate before, you should definitely find your own occasion to do so.

If the thought of Wal-Mart is too much for you, I have also seen it at QFC.  Or I also love the Endangered Species dark chocolate they sell at Fred Meyer.  Anyone have other favorite kinds of chocolate I should try?  My mom said this one was the best part of the cookie…so she wasn’t a huge fan of the cookie…but don’t let that deter you from making it.

Unless you don’t like bananas.  That would probably deter you from it because these have a STRONG banana taste.  These are a vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free cookie that uses the banana to replace the sugar and the eggs, and some of the butter.  So you could play around if you have a banana hatred (which I know some of you do) and replace some of the banana with more coconut oil/applesauce/eggs.

Personally I thought they were delicious and can’t wait to try some more recipes from 101 Cookbooks.  I will say though that traditionally I lean toward an underdone gooey cookie, but these tasted better with a little crispy edge to them.  So if you are in doubt when deciding to take them out, go ahead and give them another minute.

Nikki’s Healthy Cookie Recipe

3 large, ripe bananas, well mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup coconut oil, barely warm
2 cups rolled oats
2/3 cup almond meal
1/3 cup coconut, finely shredded & unsweetened
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
6 – 7 ounces chocolate chips or dark chocolate bar chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, racks in the top third.

In a large bowl combine the bananas, vanilla extract, and coconut oil. Set aside. In another bowl whisk together the oats, almond meal, shredded coconut, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined. Fold in the chocolate chunks/chips.

Drop dollops of the dough, each about 2 teaspoons in size, an inch apart, onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 12 – 14 minutes.

Dessert Dates

Remember how I used to be a blogger??  Yeah, I almost can’t!  It’s seriously been a long time.  Isn’t that what I was saying in my last post?  This is getting to be like my personal journal–every time I make a new entry I have to apologize for a long absence.  I have three whole weeks at home before heading out yet again, so maybe I will have time to do a little catch-up.

Yet my desire to post here is low, as my desire to eat unhealthy foods is high!  Yes, it happens to the best of us.  Hence the need for a dessert post to at least get my foot in the door so to speak.

I know what you are thinking.  Becca, that doesn’t look like dessert.  That looks disgusting.  This is my attempt to capture in photo how easy this was to make.  It’s one of those fabulous, dump everything in the food processer and it turns into food recipes. 

This is a recipe that I got from my sister who called it the best treat on earth, so I’m not really sure it’s real name.  But since she made it, you can rest assured that it adheres to the Paleo Diet, which I am sure you were concerned about.  It is also gluten, dairy, and sugar (added mind you, dates are FULL of sugar) free, which is why I made it since this was at the time of Aaron’s allergen-free days.  I am SOOOOOO glad those days are over, though I do wish there did turn out to be some end to Aaron’s skin issues

I thought they tasted pretty good, a LOT like a Lara Bar, if you like those.  If you don’t like those, maybe stay away from this one.  But if you need a guilt free treat and just plain fruit isn’t cutting it for you anymore, give it a try!  Costco has some super yummy dates right now.

You notice that I only dipped half mine in coconut, because personally I am not a fan and Aaron is a big one.  Turns out though that I thought these tasted better both ways, so you can experiment.

“Best Treat on Earth”

20 pitted Medjool dates (juicy ones preferred)
1/2 cup almond butter
1 TBSP cinnamon
2 TBSP cocoa powder
1/4 cup coconut flour (you can use reg whole wheat flour if you aren’t concerned about gluten-free

Blend all in food processor until smooth.  Roll into balls and dip into unsweetened coconut flakes.  Personally I flattened some and rolled some.  Taste wise obviously it’s the same, I guess it just depends on if you want to pretend like you are eating a cookie or a truffle…your choice!

And YES, that IS a rose from my own backyard.  It is a miracle that I have not yet managed to kill ALL my plants. 

 

Sweet Potato Fries

I am super slow in posting.  I have been busy being putting my feet up to rest from twisting my ankle playing volleyball.  Sadly it was not during some game winning play that makes for a great story or made the pain worth it.  I simply landed wrong after hitting the ball in the net.  At least we did end up winning the game so it wasn’t totally worthless.

I have been wanting to continue highlighting all the great foods in the 150 Top Healthiest Foods that I read on vacation.  The sweet potato is one of my favorite foods and main reason I look forward to fall.  Thanks to Costco though I can eat them pretty much year-round.

So what makes them so good for us?  One has over 700% of our daily recommended value for Vitamin A.  700%!!!  Crazy. Vitamin A promotes eyesight and helps us see in the dark; aids in the differentiation of cells of the skin (lining the outside of the body) and mucous membranes (linings inside of the body); helps the body fight off infection and sustain the immune system; and, supports growth and remodeling of bone. In addition, dietary vitamin A, in the form of beta carotene (an antioxidant), may help reduce your risk for certain cancers.

Then there are the 4 grams of protein (who knew), the 7 grams of fiber, and the 65% of daily Vitamin C.  Failing to get enough vitamin C causes inflammation of the gums, scaly skin, nosebleed, painful joints and other problems associated with scurvy, and we all know what failure to get enough fiber can lead to….

One of our favorite ways to cook them is to make an oven baked fry.  I have been trying for years to figure out how to get them crispier without sacrificing health, when I came across a trick in Clean Eating that I finally had time to try.  I was disappointed to find the results not any crispier than the quicker, more traditional method.  But perhaps it was user error, so feel free to try either and let me know if you get that crispiness.  Or if you have an even better method that works, please let me know!!!

Crispy Baked Sweet Potato Fries 

Ingredients

For Fries
2 medium sweet potatoes or yams
1 egg white
sea salt to taste
herbs or spices to taste (I used smoked paprika but garlic and cilantro or basil would be delicious) \

Directions

1. Peel the potatoes and cut into strips or wedges with even thickness (you choose on how thick you want, just make sure the thickness is the same to ensure even cooking). Soak in a bowl of cold water for 30 minutes to allow all starch to be removed. Drain and pat completely dry (you don’t want excess moisture!!). Meanwhile prepare dipping sauce (if using). In a small bowl, add all ingredients and set in fridge for flavors to meld.
2. Preheat oven to 425 F (convection is best*). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. In a large bowl, add egg white and beat until slightly foamy. Add potatoes, salt and choice of herbs/spices to taste. Toss to coat.
4. Spread potato slices onto baking sheet and make sure they do not overlap and are not crowded or touching.
5. Bake for 15 minutes. Take out  and flip the fries over and return to oven for another 15 minutes or until cooked through. The thinner the fry, the shorter the time, so keep an eye on them! Reduce heat to 200F and let the fries dry for another 15-20 minutes.

*If you do not have a convection oven, occasionally vent the oven the allow the steam to escape. This will help crisp up the fries more.

The Best Use for Strawberries?

Typically I am not a big fan of chain restaurants.  I picked that snobbery up while living in Seattle, where it always seemed you could go out every night and never go to the same place twice.  You want Chinese?  Got it.  Thai?  No problem.  Sit on the floor for some Moroccan?  Sure, and it comes with a side of belly dancers too.  Ethiopian?  Russian?  Brazilian?  Check, check check.  Yet, with all of that, I still can’t overcome my love of the Cheesecake Factory.  I hate it.  It is always crowded, the nutritional stats are off the charts ridiculously unhealthy, and now it is 45 minutes away.   Thank goodness for that!

According to their website, their Fresh Strawberry Cheesecake has been their #1 seller for 30 years.  No doubt because of its deliciousness, not for its 733 calories per slice and 32 grams of fat per slice!!!  That is why I got sick the time I tried to eat one by myself.  If you have the craving for a little cheesecake, Eating for Life has a super healthy, protein packed one.  You can see from it’s picture that it is definitely smaller than the piece from cheesecake, which of course makes it less calories, but I promise you won’t miss them!

Eating For Life – Strawberry Cheesecake

Ingredients

1 c. Low Fat Cottage Cheese
1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract
3 Tbsp Splenda
12 oz Fat Free Cream Cheese, softened at room temp.
1 c. Egg Substitute
1 Keebler Ready Crust – Reduced Fat Graham Cracker Crust
1/2 c. Fat Free Sour Cream
2 tsp Splenda
1 c. Strawberries, sliced
Directions

Preheat oven to 350.

Spoon cottage cheese into blender and blend until smooth (about 30 seconds). Add vanilla extract & Splenda; blend for about 15 more seconds.

Add the softened cream cheese and blend for about 30 seconds, scraping down sides as needed. While blending, gradually add the egg substitute and continue to blend until smooth (about 45 seconds).

Pour cheese filling into Ready Crust and bake until set, about 35 minutes.

Remove cheesecake from oven and cool for about 15 minutes. Then, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Prior to serving, in a small mixing bowl, combine sour cream & 2 tsp of remaining Splenda.

Slice cheesecake into 8 portions, top with sliced strawberries and sour cream.

NUTRITION: Calories 208 / Fat 4 g / Carbs 24 / Protein 15 g / Fiber 2 g

 

If you are searching for something a little in between these two extremes of health and taste, I made Cooking Light’s version for my niece’s birthday to rave reviews.  I even substituted blended for one of the blocks of cream chese for a little extra protein (not include3d in nutrition info) and it still passed her picky standards!

Vanilla Cheesecake

Ingredients

• Crust:
• 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons water
• Filling:
• 3 (8-ounce) blocks fat-free cream cheese, softened
• 2 (8-ounce) blocks 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 (8-ounce) carton fat-free sour cream
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°.

To prepare crust, combine first 3 ingredients, tossing with a fork. Add 2 teaspoons water; toss with a fork until moist and crumbly. Gently press mixture into bottom and 1 1/2 inches up sides of a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 5 minutes; cool on a wire rack.

Reduce oven temperature to 325°.

To prepare filling, beat cheeses with a mixer at high speed until smooth. Combine 1 cup sugar, flour, and salt, stirring with a whisk. Add to cheese mixture; beat well. Add sour cream; beat well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean; stir seeds into cheese mixture, reserving bean halves.

Pour cheese mixture into prepared pan; bake at 325° for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until cheesecake center barely moves when pan is touched. Remove cheesecake from oven; run a knife around outside edge. Cool to room temperature. Cover and chill at least 8 hours.

NUTRITION: Calories 324 / Fat 11 g / Carbs 43 / Protein 12 g / Fiber 1 g

Strawberry Spinach Salad

It has been awhile since I have posted.  I have pretty much been on vacation for the past two weeks.  Try not to be jealous.  That includes a lot of road trip time with a toddler and an infant, if that makes you feel any better about it!  For part of my “things-to-do bag” as we called them in road trips of youth, I picked up a book at the library, The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth.

This was a terrible and fabulous decision at the same time.  On the one hand, it made me very conscious of what I was eating in a time when I had to eat out a lot more than usual.  On the other hand, it made me very conscious of what I was eating.  It is hard to eat healthy while on vacation!!!!   Do you have any tricks for doing so?

It did give me a good idea though to highlight the foods in the book in the recipes that I choose to share so that we can talk about what the foods we eat are doing for us instead of just the number nutritional value.  Though I am still in vacation, I thought I’d share something I made just before I left that features three foods from the book that are all “superstars”, which means they are the best of the best.

I am sure we have all heard spinach is good for us, but why?  The calcium content in spinach and the other dark leafy greens strengthens bones.  The flavonoids in spinach help protect against age related memory loss.

The A and C vitamins in spinach plus the fiber, folic acid, magnesium and other nutrients help control cancer, especially colon, lung and breast cancers. Folate also lowers the blood levels of something called homocysteine, a protein that damages arteries. So spinach also helps protect against heart disease.

The lutein in spinach makes it one of the best foods in the world to prevent cataracts, as well as age related macular degeneration, the leading cause of preventable blindness in the elderly. Foods rich in lutein are also thought to help prevent cancer.

Strawberries contain a range of nutrients, with vitamin C heading the group. They also contain significant levels of phytonutrients and antioxidants, which fight free radicals. These antioxidant properties are believed to be linked to what makes the strawberry bright red. Free radicals are elements that can damage cells, and they are thought to contribute to the formation of many kinds of cancer.

In addition to vitamin C, strawberries also provide an excellent source of vitamin K and manganese, as well as folic acid, potassium, riboflavin, vitamin B5, vitamin B6, copper, magnesium, and omega-3 fatty acids.

More on those to come!  I feel like you may be falling asleep at your computer reading all this info so far!  Let’s just get on to the yummy salad recipe.  I only put half the dressing on to lower the calories and fat even more.  If you are feeling hungry, you can easily make this into a meal salad by adding some smoked salmon and avocado…two more of the star performers in the book!

Ingredients

2 TBSP sesame seeds
1 TBSP Poppy seeds
1/2 C sugar substitute
1/4 C Olive oil

1/4 C water
1/4 C balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 tsp Worcesestershire Sauce
1 TBSP minced onion
10 oz fresh spinach
1 quart strawberries, sliced
1/4 C almonds blanched and slivered

Directions

In a medium glass or plastic bowl, whisk together the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sugar, olive oil, water, vinegar, paprika, Worcesesershire sauce and onion.Cover and chill for 1 hour

in a large bowl, combine the spinach, strawberries, and almonds.

pour dressing over salad and toss

refigerate 10 to 15 minutes before serving

 

NUTRITION: 117 Cal / 10 g fat / 7 g Carbs / 3 g Fiber / 3 g Protein