Spring Salad Shakeups

Are mornings as crazy at your house as they are at mine? Holy cow...it seems like I put in a full day before I even leave the house! Lately, my husband and I have been trying trying to adopt a healthier lifestyle. What this means to us is that it's even crazier in the morning as we try to get our "healthy" lunches put together. 

A few weeks ago, Red Gold Tomatoes sent me a "Spring Shake-Up" pack to help me get motivated for the new season. There were, of course, several cans of diced tomatoes, but they also included some great Springtime recipes and a big canning jar so that I could make a little shake-up of my own. Now, I realize I'm a little late to the salad shakeup party...but I am totally hooked!

I actually started experimenting with different salad combinations right after Easter. Hello--leftover eggs and ham? Luckily, I had two jars since my husband was totally on board with having his own to bring to work. 

There are no real rules for making these things, except maybe to keep the salad dressing on the bottom, so nothing gets too soggy. If you like croutons, bring them along separately. Then, just layer your favorite salad fixings or leftovers in the jar. Make it as colorful as possible...all of your co-workers will be jealous! 

I like to use a light ranch or a vinaigrette so that the salad dressing isn't too thick to shake. To help it along, I actually turned the jar upside down for a few minutes. Need an easy recipe? Here you go:

Honey-Balsamic Vinaigrette

A quick and easy salad dressing!

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon coarse ground mustard
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Whisk all the ingredients together until well-blended. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 00 hrs. 05 mins.

Total time: 5 mins.

The best part about these salads is that you can make them up ahead of time using whatever you have on hand. Chicken and bacon? How about a Chicken Club Shake-Up? Leftover steak? A Philly Cheese Steak Shake -Up would make a great meal.

What about Spring inspires you? For some quick and easy recipe inspiration, visit Red Gold Tomatoes ..... While you're there, share with them your own Spring Pinterest Pins for a chance to win a Picnic Basket worth $350! Hurry--this promotion runs from April 22-May 20.

Disclosure: I was given Red Gold Tomato samples for inspiration, but was under no obligation to post. All opinions are my own.

Oatmeal, Peanut Butter, and Dark Chocolate Cookies

I read the other day that the secret to successful weight loss is to start small...change one bad habit at at a time. So, I swapped out a cup of white flour for white whole wheat flour in these cookies. This is not diet food--way too much butter and sugar for that--but it's got dark chocolate and some whole wheat flour! And peanut butter! If you haven't guessed, I'm in the midst of trying to lose lead a healthier lifestyle. My motto has always been "everything in moderation". Somehow, that moderation got away from me....time to reel it in.

Oatmeal, Peanut Butter, and Dark Chocolate Cookies

Simply swap one cup of regular flour for one cup of white whole wheat flour to make these tasty cookies just a bit healthier!

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup white whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups quick cooking oats
• 1 (12 oz) package dark chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.; line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. Beat together the butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
3. Add the vanilla and eggs; continue to beat for another one to two minutes.
4. Combine the flours, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a medium bowl. Whisk until well combined. Fold the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Add the oatmeal and mix thoroughly. Fold in the chocolate chips.
5. Drop the dough by rounded tablespoons onto the prepared cookie sheets. Bake for about 12 minutes, or until the cookies just start to brown around the edges. Allow the cookies to set on the cookie sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Makes about 4 dozen.

Yield: 4 dozen
Prep Time: 00 hrs. 10 mins.

Cook time: 00 hrs. 12 mins.
Total time: 22 mins.

Nutrition

• Calories: 138
• Fat: 6.9 (g)
• Totalcarbs: 19 (g)
• Dietaryfiber: 1.3 (g)
• Protein: 2.1 (g)
• Sodium: 143.4 (mg)
• Cholesterol: 16.4 (mg)

Tags: cookies, oatmeal, peanut butter, healthy, dark chocolate

Use a cookie scoop to get them all the same size.....

Next time, I'm going to freeze these dough balls to make fresh cookies quick.

Believe it or not, this changing one small thing at time thing is working quite well. I may never be a health fanatic, but I've learned to appreciate all things cauliflower (have you tried cauliflower rice? life changing!) and exercise is becoming routine. Cookies, however, will always be part of my diet. 

Banana-Pear Chewy Granola Bars #Chiquita®Bananas

What kind of recipe would you put together if you had to include bananas, pears, and cinnamon? That was my challenge a couple of months ago when Chiquita® Banana had an awesome 8 week contest going on. I was slightly late to the party since I didn't even think about entering until week 7, but I gave it my all that week and entered at least 4 recipes. Can you even begin to imagine how excited I was when I won the grand prize for week 7?! Yup...here they are and they are healthy to boot: Banana-Pear Chewy Granola Bars!

These are so easy to make and really quite versatile. The mashed bananas, a little honey, and some dried fruit are all of the sweetness the recipe needs. I added some dried cranberries and blueberries, but any dried fruit would work. The flaxseed offers some awesome Omega-3's, but make sure you refrigerate the rest of the bag...those little seeds can spoil if they aren't stored correctly.

Chiquita® Banana-Pear Chewy Granola Bars 

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

2   cups large flake rolled oats

1/2   cup coarsely chopped almonds

3   medium, very ripe Chiquita® bananas

1   Tbsp. coconut oil

2   Tbsp. honey

1   tsp. cinnamon

1/4   tsp. allspice

1/4   tsp. sea salt

1/4   cup flaxseed

1   Bartlett pear, peeled and diced

1/2   cup dried cranberries

1/2   cup dried blueberries

Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on both long sides of the pan. Set aside.

Spread the oats and the almonds on a large baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until the oats are just starting to brown. Cool slightly.

In a large bowl, mash the bananas. Stir in the coconut oil, honey, cinnamon, allspice and salt. Fold in the flaxseed, pear, cranberries, blueberries, oats and almonds.

Transfer the mixture into the prepared pan, packing it down with a spatula. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until firm and set. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Lift out of pan and continue to cool completely.

Cut into 12 bars.

I finally found a use for the baker's twine!

I've made these several times already, and keep them wrapped in parchment, in the fridge, and at the ready to grab for a quick breakfast or to bring to work as a snack. Not a bad start to some healthier eating, eh? 

Be sure to visit the Chiquita® Banana recipe page for some more awesome and healthy banana recipes....everything from smoothies, to banana bread, to...granola bars!

What is your favorite Banana recipe?

Orange-Vanilla Muffins

I can hardly believe that Spring (notice I had to capitalize it) is finally here. After such a long winter, I'm ready for something a little sunny. Sunny? What I mean to say is fresh, light, and...well..citrus-y. Not to worry--chocolate is never very far away from me--let's just change things up a little for now.

Just look at how refreshing this orange looks! I used one large orange for this recipe.

I'm a little schizophrenic eclectic when it comes to food. One minute I'm all about healthy and the next I'm stuffing my face with muffins. Seriously, though, look at all of the vitamin C going into this batch of Orange-Vanilla Muffins...... 

A little yogurt and coconut oil makes these even healthier. Believe it. Negates the sugar and white flour. Still feel guilty? Swap 1 cup of  white whole-wheat flour for 1 of the cups of all purpose flour.

My inspiration for these citrus-y muffins came from a new flavor of yogurt that I found while I was at the grocery store....Orange Vanilla. I love that flavor combination. It reminds me of creamsicles. I couldn't wait to try it in a recipe. Feel free to sub plain or vanilla yogurt if you can't find this one.

Orange-Vanilla Muffins

Printable Recipe

1-2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest, divided

3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 (5-6 oz) container Orange-Vanilla Greek yogurt (sub plain or vanilla, if desired)

1 egg, slightly beaten

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

6 tablespoons melted coconut oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.; line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.

In a small bowl, stir together 2 teaspoons orange zest and 1/4 cup sugar; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

Place the yogurt, egg, orange juice, and coconut oil in a microwave safe bowl or large measuring cup. Use a fork to blend the mixture. Microwave on high for 30-40 seconds, or until the mixture is at room temperature (and the coconut oil stays melted). Stir in the vanilla and the remaining orange zest. Add the liquid mixture to the flour mixture and gently stir with a rubber spatula until just blended--batter will be lumpy.

Spoon the batter into the lined muffin cups. Sprinkle the sugar/orange mixture over the tops of the muffins. Bake for 17-20 minutes, or until the tops spring back when lightly touched. Remove the muffins from the pan and cool on a wire rack.

How would you like to wake up to these??!!

The orange infused sugar on top gives these muffins a nice crunch...

Soft and orange-y--just like I wanted them to be!

What's your favorite spring food?

Cheerios: Smart About Diabetes....#SmartAboutDiabetes #Cheerios

   

Did you know that February was Heart Healthy Month? I know you wouldn't know it by my blog posts...full of sweet rolls, lasagna, and banana bread. The truth is, we don't eat like that all of the time at my house. We have to practice moderation because my husband has Type II diabetes. That's not to say we don't fall off the wagon. In fact, February was especially hard for us--perhaps all of the cold weather had something to do with that...

Some of you may remember me talking about Pete's encounter with diabetes. We both thought that he was simply run down, stressed out from all that was going on in our lives. When I finally talked him into going to an urgent care clinic, he was just hours away from a diabetic coma! What followed was a full year of insulin shots and learning how to eat correctly (this was a big benefit to me too, as I was diagnosed with some fairly high cholesterol).  Luckily, he was able to reverse some of the damage that the diabetes had done. His eyesight went back to normal and he lost about thirty pounds of excess weight. Eventually, he was able to stop the insulin shots. While he does still take medication, the modifications he made to his diet really turned things around.

Adapting a new eating style wasn't as hard as it sounds. We were pretty much scared straight from the effects of Pete's diabetes, so we started by measuring out our foods and learning how to count carbs. One food that we didn't have to give up was our favorite breakfast food....Cheerios!

I'll bet you didn't know that Cheerios:

Contains beta-glucan, which can help to lower cholesterol*

Is a One Carb choice product

Has just One Gram of Sugar

Has 100% Whole Grain Oats as the first ingredient

*Three grams of soluble fiber daily from whole grain oat foods, like Cheerios cereal, in a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease. Cheerios cereal provides 1 gram per serving.

While Pete prefers regular Cheerios, my favorite is the new Dark Chocolate Multigrain Cheerios....Oh my! Look at this stuff!

Seriously, just add some coconut-almond milk and you have the equivalent of a candy bar in your bowl...only better for you! 

Have I talked you into wanting to get healthy? Start by making one small change and see what kind of impact you can make with your health. Visit SmartAboutDiabetes.com and take The Pledge. I dare you.

Disclosure: General Mills provided me with product and a gift card through Platefull Co-op. As always, all opinions are my own.

Mixed Berry Muffins...a healthier option

Well folks, believe it or not, my elliptical has been dusted off and I've officially started exercising at least once a day. Don't get too worked up, though. I'm not switching over to posting diet food...but I did manage to make some muffins a tad bit healthier. I hope you don't mind if I share....

Diets really don't work out very well for me. If I deprive myself, I end up craving things that I wouldn't normally even think about eating That said, I need to make some changes or my health is going to suffer. So what is a food obsessed gal to do? As it turns out, nothing terribly drastic.

I'm thinking that if I trim a few calories here and there, and use some common sense, I should be able to shed a few pounds, no? Let's start with my basic muffin recipe. If you want a the full-calorie version, you can find it here: Strawberries and Cream Muffins Now, here's what I did to change it up:

Mixed Berry Muffins

Printable Recipe

1 cup all purpose flour, divided

1 cup white whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus an additional 2 tablespoons for topping

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon grated orange peel

1 1/2 cups frozen mixed berries

1 (6 oz) container low-fat Greek yogurt (I used strawberry)

1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk

1 egg, slightly beaten

1/4 cup canola oil or coconut oil

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.; line cupcakes pans with 18 liners.

You may want to spray the liners with a little cooking spray. I found the lower fat muffins stuck to the paper.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup all purpose flour, 1 cup white whole wheat flour, baking powder, sugar, and orange peel; set aside.

Toss the frozen berries (if the strawberries are huge, cut them into smaller pieces) with the remaining 1/4 cup flour. Mix the yogurt, buttermilk, egg, oil and vanilla together in a small bowl or measuring cup. Add the berries and the yogurt mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until just mixed...batter will be lumpy...don't over mix.

Yikes, there are some huge strawberries in there...I cut them into smaller pieces. Keep the fruit frozen so your batter doesn't get all discolored.

With a cookie scoop, divide the batter among the muffin cups. Sprinkle the remaining sugar over the batter. Bake the muffins for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes. Serve warm.

Another change I made was to make the muffins smaller...I divided the batter into 18 muffins instead of 12. I also used a little less sugar for the topping.

I had forgotten that I had some dried orange peel from Penzey's in the fridge. I mixed some in with the sugar that I used for the topping...in fact I made a little extra orange-sugar and used some on my oatmeal during the week.

So what do you think? They are smaller, have less fat, and have a little more fiber. The orange peel and the flavored yogurt gives them some good flavor...I really wasn't missing anything. The only other thing I did was to freeze them all---that way I'm not tempted to eat more than one. I just nuke one for about 30 seconds when I take it from the freezer. Feel free to use fresh fruit in your version...the berries here weren't looking very pretty, yet.

Now, just so you don't think I've completely given up all the good stuff, stay tuned for my next post--Orange-White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cinnamon Rolls...all packed neatly in a freezer bag right next to my healthy muffins... 

Berry Baked Oatmeal

I was struck with the Pinterest bug again....this time a beautiful picture of oatmeal (!) worked its magic on me. Now, I've always been an oatmeal fan, but beautiful oatmeal? Seriously? Yes--when it's mixed up with  fruit and nuts and baked to perfection. This is my new favorite thing, and the kicker? It's healthy!

Toasted walnuts give this dish great flavor and texture.

Before I get to the recipe that I eventually used, let's give a little shout out to the blog that started this new obsession of mine. Thanks go to So, How's It Taste? for the gorgeous picture that turned me on to this idea that apparently started with the Amish (they know how to cook!). I looked around, of course, and found similar baked oatmeal recipes all over the blog-o-sphere, some healthy and some bordering on dessert. I actually tried different versions and found that all of them turned out to be tasty...this is definitely something that can be adapted to your own taste. In the end, I chose the healthier route, in part because a recent visit to my doctor revealed some icky cholesterol levels, but mainly because the taste is in no way compromised by using a healthier version.

Berry Baked Oatmeal

Printable Recipe

2 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

a pinch of salt

2 cups skim milk

1 large egg, slightly beaten

1 tablespoon coconut oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 ripe bananas, sliced

1 1/2 cups raspberries or blueberries

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.; spray a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, 1/4 cup of the walnuts, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

In another bowl, or in a large measuring cup, mix together the milk, egg, coconut oil, and vanilla.

Distribute the sliced bananas evenly on the bottom of the casserole dish.

Sprinkle two-thirds of the berries over the top of the bananas. Cover the fruit with the oatmeal mixture. Evenly pour the milk mixture over the oats, then tap the dish gently on the counter to distribute the liquid.

Sprinkle the remaining walnuts and berries over the top of the oatmeal. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the top is golden and the mixture is set. Serve warm with a splash of milk, if desired.

As I mentioned, one of the great things about this recipe is how easily adaptable it is. If you want to cut out the sugar, but like the sweetness, simply substitute 1/3 cup sugar-free maple syrup for the brown sugar (add it to the liquid mixture instead of to the oats). I've also subbed steel cut oats for the rolled oats--it was fine, but the texture was definitely more chewy. Don't have coconut oil? Use butter or just cut it out completely. I've done both and it's all good.

So, there you have it....baked oatmeal. Fancy enough to serve to your guests, but easy and versatile enough to bake ahead and portion out for your own breakfast during the week. I highly recommend it.

Peanut Butter-Banana Dark Chocolate Chunk Muffins

So, now I'm trying my hand at a "healthier" muffin. Peanut butter is replacing the butter, a banana is replacing some of the sugar, and I've even added a little whole wheat flour. The motivation? Well, besides wanting needing to cut back on some excessiveness going on with my own diet, I also feel a little responsible for my hubby's need for healthier eating. So there. Of course, it helped that I received an overnight package with some remarkable organic chocolate from Green & Black's. Take a peek at this treasure:

Am I lucky, or what? The variety is awesome--besides the Milk Chocolate and the Espresso that you see front and center, there is a 70% Dark Chocolate, a Mint Chocolate, a Toffee Milk Chocolate, an Almond Milk Chocolate, a 60% Dark Chocolate with Cherries, and a 60% Chocolate with Ginger. And this was just my sample...there are more kinds available at the store. But, I digress...back to the muffins...

The package of chocolate came on Tuesday. Wednesday morning, before work, I was already elbow deep into the muffin recipe, just so that I could start using chocolate. :) I made it up as I went along, so if you notice anything needs a little tweaking, be my guest.

Peanut Butter-Banana Dark Chocolate Chunk Muffins

Printable Recipe

1 cup all purpose flour

¾ cup white whole wheat flour

¼ cup packed brown sugar, plus 2 tablespoons for topping

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon, plus a dash for topping

1 (3.5 oz) bar Green & Black’s® Dark Chocolate, coarsely chopped

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 (6 oz) container plain Greek yogurt

½ cup low-fat buttermilk

1 ripe banana, mashed

½ cup peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.; line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, 1/4 cup brown sugar, baking powder, and cinnamon. Stir in the chocolate pieces and set aside.

I felt a little like Charlie in the Chocolate Factory, opening that beautiful golden wrapper.

In a small bowl, blend the egg, yogurt, buttermilk, banana, peanut butter and vanilla until smooth. Add to the dry mixture and gently fold together, just until moistened, being careful not to over-mix. Use a cookie scoop to spoon the batter into the muffin cups. Stir the remaining sugar with a dash of cinnamon and sprinkle evenly over the muffin tops.

Bake for 22-25 minutes, or until the tops of the muffins spring back when lightly touched. Remove from oven an cool on cooling rack. Serve warm, if desired.

Considering that I had just minutes to spare, before leaving for work, I think these muffins turned out pretty well. Next time, I may try a tad more peanut butter, because I didn't taste it in the muffin, but overall I was pleased with the taste. The chocolate was really the star--it chopped easily, and it had deep, chocolaty flavor that lent itself well to the banana and the brown sugar. As a bonus, I didn't feel guilty about any of the ingredients...antioxidants galore! These will be made again.

As for the chocolate, I was impressed with Green & Black's background. Certified organic, Green & Black's also uses Fair Trade practices. Now, I'm looking forward to trying the other flavors, particularly the Dark Chocolate with Cherries.

For more information on Green & Black's Chocolate, visit them online at http://www.greenandblacks.com/us/ or on their Facebook page, where you can enter one of their monthly contests.

In the final analysis, I've found that healthy can also be tasty. And what better way to celebrate healthy than with some rich, dark chocolate?

Disclosure: I was given samples of Green & Black's Chocolate for the purpose of review. All opinions are my own.

Cheesy Cauliflower

Many of you are aware of the fact that my husband and my daughter are vegetarians. As a result, I've been eating less meat myself. It's a good thing I'm a fan of veggies, no? My biggest worry for the two of them, is that they get enough nutrients in their diet. My daughter is on her own these days, so I will have to trust that she's eating sensibly. And my husband? Well, he's subscribed to Vegetarian Times Magazine. Now I'm getting suggestions as what to try. How cool is that?

The first issue of Vegetarian Times came just the other day with a glorious looking cauliflower casserole, Mac-And-Cheese Style Cauliflower, gracing the cover. Hubby and I were both drooling over it. I had to make it.

The hardest part was getting the cauliflower into pieces.

The recipe calls for 1/2 cup nutritional yeast. What? Yeast? I had to look it up. Apparently, the yeast is there to provide nutrition--it's different than the yeast you use to make bread. Here's a link to some info on it: Nutritional Yeast. After a little searching, I found it at Whole Foods in the bulk food area. I will say that if the smell of yeast is offensive to you, you can skip this addition (maybe use a little less of the liquid that is called for in the recipe), but I found that the smell totally bakes out and if it adds some nutrition, why not?

The recipe also calls for homemade bread crumbs. While you can sub some Panko crumbs, the homemade ones are really easy. I like to keep a bag in the freezer---whenever I have a day-old baguette, I just swirl the dried out leftovers in my food processor and add it to the bag.

Just spray the bread crumbs with a little cooking spray. I like the olive oil spray. Is it just me or do those fake butter sprays smell funny?

Bake it until it's nicely browned and bubbly.

 A couple of observations: to prevent the moisture from the cooked cauliflower from making the sauce too watery, just keep it in the pan after you drain it, and put it back over the heat for a few minutes to dry it out. Thanks to Chris DeNicolo, for that sage advice. I'm also going to saute some chopped onions with the butter the next time I make it. Other than that, the recipe is perfect. It will be made again.