Egg in The Hole

Sometimes you gotta give in. Cravings, laziness, whatever it is. That's my philosophy anyway. Real life. It was going to be a day full of stuffing and gravy, potatoes and wine, so yeah, I could have had a yogurt for breakfast. I might have made myself a fruit plate. But I didn't. I had egg in the hole. This is a little preparation I first saw in the movie Moonstruck - Olympia Dukakis and Cher in the kitchen complaining, worrying, commiserating, reflecting on the good and the bad. The stuff of life. Ree, The Pioneer Woman, did a segment on her Food Network show and a taco version on her blog. I've even seen someone dare make this with red pepper rings instead of the bread. Oh come on! In my version there was Rosemary and Olive Oil Ciabatta. Put some butter in a fry pan, Add the hollowed out bread slice. Cook until just crisp but not brown. Flip the bread and crack the egg into the hollow. Add a few slices of ham or bacon to the pan to fry alongside. Once the white is mostly set flip the bread again and cook until the yolk is the firmness you desire. One pan, one complete breakfast served with a steaming cup of coffee and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on the iPad!

Not a Turkey Recipe

So tomorrow is turkey day. Thanksgiving. If you have a television or read the newspaper or even listen to the radio, basically if you interact with the living, breathing world in ANY way, you've had your fill these past 2 weeks of turkey recipes and how-to's. As in how to calculate the size turkey you need, how to deep fry a turkey while not burning your house down and how to use every last bit of leftover turkey. Well today I offer you a brief respite from all the turkey talk. I present to you an elegant yet simple, rich yet healthy little meal. I've already talked to you about the joys of pork tenderloin here and here. For tonight's meal I've sliced up some of my cooked tenderloin and popped the slices in the microwave. This works best if you have the time to take the meat out of the fridge and bring it to room temp. That way you can heat it through in just a few seconds without taking that pretty pink blush off it. Alongside: a lightened up version of zucchini pie, also made in advance, in easily re-heatable single-serving souffle dishes plus a nice salad of crisp greens. And oh what the heck - a little sip of white wine never hurt anyone!

Cranberry Chocolate Chip Scones

Aren't these lovely? Oh my they look good. And I LOVE scones. All buttery and subtle and melt-in-your-mouthy! They are sly little devils too because they seem a bit dry and crumbly when you take your first bite. Then the magic happens as the butter warms and kicks off a little party in your mouth. Oh yeah! Unfortunately these scones are not like those scones. These scones are healthy, whole grain scones. Bleck. I have tried making these 3 times now and I guess I am ready to finally call them a lost cause. I think it's because - like shortbread or croissants - without the butter there is no such thing as a tasty scone. The original recipe called for a bit of canola oil, whole wheat pastry flour, pecans and cranberries. I thought they were okay so I tried making them with a bit more oil the next time. It didn't improve them much. This time I thought if I swapped the pecans for chocolate chips it might make them more moist. It did improve the flavor but the texture remained coarse and overall a bit sour. So I guess scones will remain one of those special treats for a special day.

Ricotta Parfait

Ice cream? No. Whipped cream? No. Creme anglais? No. This little parfait is cheese. Yikes! But of course - sweet cheese...beautiful, creamy, fresh ricotta cheese. I buy the organic and - I admit it - the whole milk variety. It' s more calories but if you're a stickler for those kinds of things you can reduce the serving size a bit - it's totally worth it. You can even substitute farmer's cheese if you prefer. When I do that I add just a little honey. The recipe is simple: 1/3 cup of Ricotta or Farmer's Cheese, 1/4 cup Mini Chocolate Chips, 1/4 cup of Dried Cranberries. Top with 1 tablespoon of Oat Bran, Wheat Germ or - because I never have those in the house - some Cheerioes! Make this parfait even more special by serving in an elegant brandy snifter and garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.

Chocolate Cherry Waffle

This recipe is adapted from one of Prevention's most touted dishes. And why not? Who can say no to chocolate for breakfast? When I first made this I thought the cherries needed a little help to first, brighten the flavor and second, to prevent the waffle from getting soggy. Now I like to thicken the sauce and add just a touch of maple syrup but you can easily omit those if you want to hold true to the slightly leaner original recipe. Here's how I do it: Toast one Van's Lite Totally Natural Waffle. In the meantime place 1/2 cup of Cascadian Farms Frozen Dark Pitted Cherries in a small saucepan with a tablespoon of water, over medium heat. As the cherries start to defrost and release their liquid, add 1/4 cup of Smucker's Sugar Free Apricot or Peach Preserves. Stir frequently until the cherries are warmed through and the sauce thickens considerably. Slightly cool the waffle, then top with the cherries, 1/4 cup of Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips and 2 Tablespoons Pure Maple Syrup. Have a sweet day!

Pasta Salads

There are few things more satisfying or easy than a bowl full of pasta. I guess by now we've all heard this debunking of pasta as a high-calorie indulgence: "it's not the pasta but what you put on it." Well - kinda. It is certainly true that cream-based sauces and meaty additions kick up all the numbers in the Nutrition Info chart. But all alone pasta is, I think, still quite high in calories per ounce. This is an especially meaningful distinction if, like me, you come from a good ol' Italian household where a bowlful of spaghetti meant a bowl FULL of spaghetti. And I don't mean a little cup-sized bowl - I mean a big, nearly-serving-dish-size bowl! So rather than give up this beloved staple I have chosen to re-imagine pasta. It is now one of my go-to options for a great workday lunch. The key: start with a small serving of pasta (2 oz, dry) then layer in all kinds of goodness. I cook up a half (or sometimes a whole) pound of Rotini almost every Sunday. If I do half a package, I cook it, I drain it and I portion off 1/4 of the batch to each of four 2-cup containers and pop them in the fridge. Then in the morning I can grab one, throw in some flavor-makers and take-along for a very satisfying lunch at my desk, the park or in the lunchroom. Here are some of my favorite combinations:

{1} Mediterranean Olives, Applegate Farms Roasted Turkey, Crumbled Goat Cheese with Lemon Juice and Olive Oil {2} Avocado, Heirloom Tomatoes, a Crumble of Feta and Pine Nuts with Balsamic Vinaigrette {3} Pumpkin Puree, Sliced Cooked Pork, a Dash of Cinnamon Sugar, Olive Oil and a Sprinkling of Feta Cheese {4} Warm Chicken, Black Olive Tapenade, Gaeta Olives, Heirloom Tomatoes {5} Grape Tomatoes, Diced Celery and Carrot, Applegate Farms Maple Breakfast Sausage and a Dollop of Pesto

Sweet Open Faced Pork Sandwich

Mmmm. Pig. The other white meat. This dish is one of my creations. I really like pork roast - tenderloin or fresh ham - both ring my bell. While the fresh ham is a bit more flavorful, thanks of course to the higher fat content, a pork tenderloin is easy and quick. And prepared with the right combination of flavor profiles, it can be just as enjoyable. I often like to buy the prepared pork from my food market's rotisserie and have it ready to go for several meals. Last weekend however I was feeling energetic so I made my own. Since this pork would be the base for a variety of recipes I thought I would use restraint in choosing my ingredients. I created a dry rub of five-spice powder, salt and pepper and some fresh parsley and thyme. I cut a tenderloin in half, coated all sides with the rub and braised the pieces in a fry pan over high heat with a little oil to brown on all sides. Then I lowered the heat and let them cook through.  Fruit is always a great choice to accompany pork and I love this particular combination of sweet and savory. So here's what I did: toast 1 slice of Ezekiel's Bread for Life Sprouted Raisin Bread. Once crisp spread with one tablespoon of Smucker's Sugar Free Peach Preserves. Top with 2 oz. of your beautifully roasted, thinly sliced Pork Tenderloin. Sprinkle with some Balsamic Vinaigrette-Dressed Spring Mix and 1 tablespoon of chopped Pecans. Chicken? Who needs chicken?

White Pizza

When I was younger pizza was all about cheese and tomato sauce. That's it. No variety. No crazy toppings. No choice of crusts. And I loved it! When I lost lots and lots of weight in a relatively short time some years ago, I got many compliments and some good-natured ribbing. Friends "worried" that I would waste away to nothing. My stock retort was "fear not - if you see that happening just shove some pizza in my face: problem solved!" I adore pizza. And I'm not a pizza snob either - I can totally get behind everything from wood-fired artisan pies to the English Muffin pizzas my Mom used to make on meatless Fridays. So it is nice to find a really, really tasty healthy version of my favorite dish. This one starts with a Thomas' Whole Wheat Pita Pocket. Turn the whole pocket upside down (the slightly concave shape will hold your toppings better). Brush with 1 Tablespoon of Pesto and sprinkle with fresh minced Garlic. Scatter 1/4 cup of Low-Fat or Fat-Free Ricotta in large spoonfuls over the entire pocket. Top with 1/4 cup of Organic Valley's Italian Cheese Blend. Broil for a minute or two until the cheeses melt and bubble. Indulge.

Sizzled Shrimp and Heirloom Tomatoes

This is a dish I got right off the Prevention website and - oh! - is it ever full of summer goodness. I saw the recipe and planned to make it last week because I had an unexpected craving for shrimp. Happily I decided to stop by the local natural food co-op to pick up the few ingredients I needed and lo & behold I found absolutely gorgeous pints of mixed, locally grown, organic patio tomatoes - perfect for this quick and easy recipe. One serving of this recipe is only about 250 calories so you can add a nice bit of pasta or rice, a side salad or tortilla to round out the meal. I recommend you do whatever must be done to get real tomatoes - not those mealy, mushy, flavorless pink fruits sold year-round at the supermarket. Although a few sun dried tomatoes and sweet corn contribute a lot to the flavor, this dish really relies on farm fresh summer tomatoes to knock it out of the park!

Farmer's Breakfast

I am a cheater. Done. Said. It's all out there now. Sunday is a particularly good day for me to cheat. I like to keep one day of the weekend without firm plans. I can get up when I want to, do what I feel like. I often feel like having an early cup of coffee in bed and a big, old-fashioned breakfast later on which offers a fine opportunity for cheating. On my "diet" that is. There I finally said it! You can't "cheat" on a meal plan but you sure can "cheat" on a diet. But I am also a liar because it's not really cheating. This luscious version of the classic diner bacon-egg-n-hash brown breakfast is less than 400 calories, relatively low in saturated fat and cholesterol AND has lots of veggies packed in it as well! So if you're going to cheat - please - let it be as harmless as this: Add 2 tsp of Olive Oil to to a hot, non-stick fry pan. Add 2 frozen Dr. Praegar's Broccoli Pancakes. Cook, untouched until crispy and brown - about 2 minutes. While the pancakes are cooking separate and place 3 Egg Whites in a small bowl with a little cayenne pepper or whatever seasoning you prefer (crushed red pepper flakes, sriracha sauce, salt and black pepper, fresh herbs are other good choices). Thinly slice about 1/4 cup of your favorite vegetables - this morning I used some Heirloom Patio Tomatoes and Red Onion. When crisped on one side flip the pancakes. Add the veggies and 2 slices of Applegate Farms Sunday Bacon to the pan. Once the bacon is done and the pancakes crisped on the 2nd side remove to a paper towel, transfer to a serving plate and keep warm. Spread the vegetables out in the pan and continue to cook until tender. Give the egg whites a good whisking and quickly dump into the pan with the veggies, cover and cook over low heat until set. Fold the omelet in half and transfer to the serving plate. Chow down!

Better Berry Muffins

Remember how I said I like to bake for breakfast? I've tried Cranberry-Pecan Scones. Eh. In the spirit of the Olympics, I give 'em a 7.5. Using only whole wheat pastry flour and very little sugar or fat - they were a little dense and bitter. Next time I think I'll substitute some or all of the nuts for chocolate chips. I tried the Lemon Blueberry Buttermilk Muffins which are quite good - a solid 9. The fresh fruit adds a natural sweetness, allowing more calories to be dedicated to a bit of canola oil for a nice texture and mouth feel. The Double Corn and Pecan Muffins - well the BATTER went in the garbage. It looked and smelled so bad - with a significant amount of soy flour  - that I didn't even want to bake them! Today's recipe is from Chef Meg over at Spark and this, my friends, is a big winner! As pointed out in several of the "user" reviews these muffins are high in sugar and therefore not appropriate for a  diabetic-friendly diet. But one of the great things about a 4-4-4 meal plan is that there is very little sugar consumed in an average day. So the 20 grams per muffin is not something I'm going to worry about. It makes me feel better that some of that comes from the amazing fresh blackberries and strawberries I used. The recipe calls for them to be chopped but I left them whole or in big chunks and oh boy are they tasty. I stuck pretty close to the recipe, reducing the brown sugar by just a bit and adding a 1/4 cup of chopped pecans to the topping. By a rough estimate these fantastic breakfast treats are under 150 calories each! The American judge gives them a 10! That's good math.

Belgian Waffle

Stuff happens sometimes. Sometimes you make a cake to help celebrate a friend's special event. Sometimes you have gobs of gorgeous whipped cream left over. Sometimes what you planned to have for breakfast morphs from an egg white and turkey sandwich to a Belgian Waffle. Hey - don't judge me. Life is for living. But guess what? This super good finger food is only about 350 calories. Really. I mean the beauty of freshly whipped cream is that it only takes a few tablespoons of liquid to yield a nice big dollop. So here's what I did: toast 1 Frozen Organic Multigrain Waffle. As soon as it is crisp remove and spread with 2 tablespoons of Smucker's Sugar Free Peach Preserves. Top with 1/2 cup of Fresh Blueberries, 1/4 cup of Whipped Cream and 1 tablespoon of chopped Macadamia Nuts. Enjoy with a steaming cup of fresh, strong coffee, no fork required.

Hummus Platter

I am NOT a creature of habit. Left to my own devices I might wake at 6am or 10am. I could spend an hour in bed, watching tv or listening to the radio or I might hop immediately into the shower. Is this too much information? What I was trying to get at is that I like flexibility. Always have. I've never been one to do the same thing at the same time all the time. I like being able to open the fridge and whip up a meal based on what's in there and what is going on in my day. I like to be able to mix and match any meal at any time - breakfast, lunch, dinner or snack. I can have Egg and Avocado Toasts for breakfast or dinner. A Yogurt Parfait can be an easy brunch or mid-afternoon snack. When I  get up late on Saturday I might have breakfast around 10, a quick lunch while I'm shopping, an early dinner and a late night snack. Work days I'm up and out early so I might grab a couple of Lemon Blueberry Buttermilk Muffins for the ride to work, have this Hummus Platter spread at my desk, add a snack to break up the afternoon and enjoy a quiet dinner after I wind down around 8. My fridge is always full of a few basic items (whole wheat pitas and english muffins, reduced fat cheeses, salad veggies and avocadoes, Applegate Farms' sausage, turkey bacon and ham, Morningstar's meatless meatballs and Boca's veggie burgers) while the cupboard always has a selection of nuts and dried fruits, some whole wheat pasta, olive oil packed Italian goodies. The basics: mix 'em up however it suits you. That's the 4-4-4 way!

Lemon Blueberry Buttermilk Muffins

I made these muffins the other day. I made a dozen. I ate a dozen. No - not all in one day. But two at a time, nearly everyday for - well - a week. I wasn't expecting them to be so good - I got the recipe from Prevention Magazine, part of their 400-calorie meal promotion. They are tasty, tender and sweet. They are not, as you can see, particularly bulbuous or inflated. They are modest. I can grab 2 of these muffins and pop them in a paper bag to eat in the car, on the go, with my morning Starbucks' and that is, by my reckoning, a great start to the day! Most of the meals I prepare are "assembled" - no recipe required. I choose a few of my regular ingredients and throw them together in different ways for a little variety. I do however like to bake a treat each week that #1 satisfies my emotional sweet craving and #2 gives me a no-preparation alternative for those mornings when I am running out the door with one shoe on my foot and one in my hand! Fresh sweet blueberries and lots of lemon zest (I doubled what the recipe calls for and substituted vanilla extract for the lemon extract since I hate lemon extract) make these muffins fragrant and tasty. Canola oil makes them moist, providing enough fat to deliver the flavor and keep the crankies away!

Polenta Tapenade

I've been sharing with you the meal plan I have been enjoying for the last few weeks. As you might have noticed each of these posts has featured what in the recent past was referred to as a "small meal". The plan's premise is rather simple - enjoy 4 small, well-balanced meals - at about 400 calories each - per day. The theory is that eating smaller meals at regular intervals, no more than 4 hours apart (the 4-4-4 plan) prevents blood sugar spiking and keeps you satisfied, avoiding cravings and that "too-hungry-to-wait-for-anything-other-than-a-candy bar" feeling! The menus that I create also rely heavily on whole grain, natural and organic choices. Finally the real reason I love and can easily follow this plan is that full flavored fats are allowed - actually required - in rather generous quantities. Each dish includes a small serving of a monounsaturated fat, generally about 100-150 calories. Foods that fit that category are considered staples of a Mediterranean-style diet: avocados, dark chocolate, olive oil, canola oil, high-oleic safflower oil, olives and nuts. Well, yum! Once you get your pantry stocked with a few go-to staples it's easy to create new dishes, or tweak existing favorites. This dish was inspired by the polenta that used to be a regular treat in my house when I was growing up - before it was served in every Italian restaurant not called a pizzeria. Cut 3 slices from a tube of prepared Polenta (4 oz) and grill, preferably on a ridged, non-stick griddle coated with a bit of cooking spray. When heated through and crisp, arrange on a plate. Top each with Black Olive Tapenade (3 T), Marinara Sauce  or Tomato Bruschetta (1/2 c), Fat Free Ricotta (1/2 c), Low Fat Mozzarella (1 oz) and some Fresh Herbs. Buon appetito!

Bistro Box

My weekends can look like one of 2 things - watching tv from bed, my recliner or my desk while thinking about as little as possible OR driving all over 4 counties visiting, shopping, running errands etc! When it is the former I usually manage to rouse myself long enough to trudge into the kitchen and assemble a simple meal. When it is the latter I am challenged to stay out of the Burger King drive through and find a healthy-ish alternative to over-salted, pre-frozen fast food and fat-saturated casual dining menus. Lately it has been Starbucks to the rescue. This might not come as much of a surprise to my friends and co-workers who know that I am on a first name basis with everyone in my local branch. But much as I am a sucker for their always-fresh, bold brews and beans, I never used to think of them for a decent meal. That changed when I discovered their Bistro Boxes. Each of the pre-packaged snack platters run about 400 calories (from a low of 270 to to a high of 480). Some are more nutritious overall while others can be rather high in saturated fat or sodium. But as an occasional on-the-go meal they will do fine. The "Chicken & Hummus" box is the leanest, with carrot or tomato and cucumber, grilled chicken breast and a mini whole wheat pita with hummus dip. The most decadent variety in my opinion, is the "Salumi & Cheese" which is chock full of cheese, salami and prosciutto plus crackers, grapes and a bit of lettuce. No matter how many times I read the label I am still shocked it weighs in at only 360 calories! Try them all - find your favorite and know, if there's a Starbucks nearby (and really, where is there not?) - you're covered!

Egg and Avocado Toasts

Oh my - this is one of my favorites! A great weekend breakfast or lunch, this open-face sandwich is a picture of contrasts - crunchy and smooth, warm and cool, green and red, well  - you get the idea. It all starts with 2 slices of Ezekiel Sesame Sprouted Wheat Bread, nicely toasted. This means watch the bread closely and - if you are toasting in an oven like me - turn the slices halfway through! While the bread is toasting, hit a non-stick skillet with a light coating of cooking spray and place over medium-high heat. Crack 3 egg whites and up to 1 yolk into a bowl. Add a dash of cayenne pepper and a few very thin slices of red onion. Fork scramble and pour this mixture into the hot pan. While the eggs cook, spread one wedge of The Laughing Cow's Light Garlic & Herb Cheese on the warm toasts. Once the eggs are just set, place atop the cheesey toasts. Top with a chopped plum tomato, 1/3 of an avocado and some shredded romaine. Add a bit of fresh herb and enjoy immediately. Guess what? This filling and rather elegant dish is just over 400 calories. Yeah, remind me to tell you about that next time!

Veggie Burger

I once made my world famous turkey burgers for a guy on our second date. He was so impressed he had one and a half burgers! He told me later that he hated my turkey burgers. He had another because he thought it would be a dead giveaway if he said he liked them but didn't ask for "seconds" Oy. It wasn't so much that he hated MY turkey burgers as that he objected to the concept of turkey burgers. For him a burger is beef. Period. I beg to differ. I really like the entire concept of the burger: so like a sandwich - my favorite thing in THE world - yet so different. There is nothing really like that warm, dense and chewy patty with a hint of charcoal; the substantial bun that can stand up to serious toppings. Why forego the whole experience just to trim some major calories? Instead I give you the ultimate Veggie Burger. I prefer the Boca brand "Flame Grilled" variety. They do the grilling so I get that great char flavor but I only have to pan fry them, in a drop of olive oil. From there dress up your "burger" just as you would the beefy version. To keep it healthy I plop my patty on an Alvarado Street Bakery's Sprouted Wheat Burger Bun and top with red onion, a generous amount of avocado and a dollop of salsa. For just around 400 calories, you have a very satisfying meal, al fresco if you like. Try that on sliced bread!

Vanilla Macadamia Nut Parfait

Diets. Bleh! A world full of color is not - in most minds - associated with dieting. However I recently found what I like to call a meal plan that makes a pretty valiant effort at challenging that thinking. My rules to live by, when it comes to healthy eating are: #1, you better like what you're eating {or it will automatically classify as a fad diet - one you will be done with in short order} #2, it should be relatively easy to follow and fit well with your lifestyle {or you'll find yourself cheating more often than sticking to it} and #3, never start your meal plan on Monday - if you have to wait until "after the weekend" to dive into it, you probably don't want to do it badly enough! This plan is one I lived with for quite a few months last year but, as per usual, I kind of let it run it's course. I am back into it now and would like to share, just a bit, with you. I am not advocating this "diet" nor do I intend for it to make me a food blogger. I only want to show you, from time to time, what I am eating, maybe figure out how attractive I can make the dish and see how creative I can be in coming up with new "recipes." This first item is a spin on the ubiquitous yogurt parfait. It is made with one 6 ounce container of Stoneyfield Farm's Fat Free French Vanilla Yogurt layered with 1 cup Kashi Whole Grain Honey Puffs Cereal and 1 tablespoon of chopped raw Macadamia Nuts! I really like the balance of sweetness, the punch of macadamia and the cool, smooth yogurt - all for under 400 calories. This makes a really pleasant afternoon snack and it's easy to take with - just keep the crunchy parts separate from the gooey part and assemble in a cup or glass just before eating.