PUB FARE! TGIF: Bread Pudding

Since this week`s theme is “Pub Fare”, I tried to think of what would be the most popular bar dessert.  I pondered all things Kahlua, bourbon, scotch, and beer-related. For TGIF (Thank Goodness I`m a Foodie) this week, I decided on a traditional bread pudding.  I like bread pudding not just for it`s yummy-ness, but also because it`s a sustainable and simple dessert.  My grandmother told me that it was one of the few desserts they had during the depression: They saved all their old bread that was too stale to eat, but too precious to toss out and made dessert with it.  This creation uses simple ingredients that are fridge and pantry staples: milk, eggs, sugar.  It doesn`t require you to go out and purchase fancy ingredients and it eliminates bread waste!  My kitchen staff at the facility where I work keeps extra muffins, loaf bread, rolls, and even some cakes and makes a fabulous holiday bread pudding out of them.  (I`m lucky to have a Kenyan chef genius as my coworker and partner in crime!)

The recipe I modified was from Cooking Light and can be found under this link: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/irish-bread-pudding-with-caramel-whiskey-sauce-10000000222953/  My version is alcohol-free (just simply because I have not kept whiskey in my pantry since college!) and lower in sugar. The sauce and bread components were also different.  I replaced french bread with 100% whole wheat  loaf bread and replaced 1% milk with skim.  Caramel intimidates me, I must admit.  I encourage you to try the sauce that is listed in the link above (although I would omit the cream cheese...that sounds unnecessary).  If you choose the wimp`s way out, try topping it with warm, low-cal pancake syrup (ex. Cary`s Sugar-Free, 1/4 c=30 calories!) or warm, sugar-free caramel topping (ex. Smucker`s Sugar Free, 2 T= 90 calories!) See what you think!...

Bread Pudding

Pam cooking spray

1/2 loaf of 100% whole wheat bread (12 oz)

1/2 c raisins

1/4 cup apple juice (no added sugar)

1 3/4 c non-fat milk

2/3 c granulated sugar

1 T vanilla

1 (12 oz) can evaporated skim milk

2 eggs, beaten

Ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Lay the bread slice by slice down on the baking sheet.

Spray with cooking spray and place in the oven for 7 minutes.  Remove from oven, turn each slice over, and spray with cooking spray.  Place back in oven for another 7 minutes.

Remove bread and let cool for 30 minutes.

Place the raisins in a bowl.  Pour apple juice over them and let soak for 10 minutes.  

While they are soaking, combine both milks, vanilla, and sugar.  In a large bowl, beat eggs slightly.  

Whisk in milk mixture.  Then add raisins and juice.  Whisk until well combined.

Spray a 9x9 glass baking dish with PAM.

 Tear bread into pieces, slice by slice.  Once all bread has been torn, layer these (roughly, not perfect) in baking dish.  

 Pour custard mixture over the bread and let sit for 5 minutes.  

 Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown on top, yet still moist.

Cut into square portions and serve warm with a drizzle of sauce of your choice (see above).

Per serving (1/12), not including sauce...

Calories? 185

Protein? 7 g

Saturated Fat? 0.6 g

Carbohydrates? 36 g (about 2 carb servings)

Fiber? 3 g

Sodium?194 mg

Cholesterol? 36 mg

Sources used: cookinglight.com, Frank Miyienda (the Kenyan chef genius), Sarah Caroline Fulton (my late grandmother)

PUB FARE! HDF: Fish-N-Chips

Happy Hump Day!  Wednesday is always a good day for anyone who works...it`s halfway thru the week and halfway to the weekend.  The glass is both half empty AND half full!  So why not congratulate yourself on making it this far through the week? Take a break from the daily grind, pop the top of your favorite brew, and pretend you are in a pub in Ireland...or Scotland...or England.  Tonight we are making Fish `N Chips!  But not just any old, greasy fried fish and potatoes.  We are having baked (yes, I said baked) fish and sweet potato oven fries!  Don`t worry.  You`ll still get your crunchy-battered fish.  It just won`t be that thick, deep-fried stuff they serve at Long John Silver`s.  No sir.  This is a dietitian`s version...delightful, yet better for you.

The recipe I spun my fish recipe off of came from Cooking Light and can be found at this link: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/fancy-fish-sticks-50400000113037/ . I subbed salted sunflower seeds for the pumpkin seeds and omitted the added salt (because of the sunflower seeds). They even list a coordinating sauce, which sounds quite good.  However, mine was completely different and used a favorite secret ingredient....plain Greek yogurt!

The "chips" are sweet potato oven fries.  If it has to be a potato, make it the orange kind!  They are lower on the glycemic index which means they won`t spike your blood sugar as quickly and they will also "stay with you" longer because of this.  Need to understand this visually?  Look at the comparison between a white potato and a sweet potato below:

Crunchy Baked Fish

1 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 c flour

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 c light beer

1 Tbsp yellow mustard

the juice of 1/2 small lime

2 egg whites

1 egg

1 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/2 cup salted sunflower seeds (hulled)

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

12 tilapia fillets 

lime wedges and/or cilantro for garnish

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Line 3 baking sheets with aluminum foil.  Drizzle with the oil and put all three in the oven for 10 minutes. 

Line up three shallow saucers or dishes.  In the first, mix together the flour and pepper.  In the second, mix together the beer, mustard, lime juice, egg whites, and egg.   

Separately, process breadcrumbs, seeds, cumin, and pepper flakes in a food chopper until an even crumb mixture forms. Put the crumbs in the third dish.

Pat fish dry with a paper towel (particularly if you are using previously frozen fillets).

 First, dredge fillet in flour/pepper mixture. 

 (both sides)

Then the egg mixture.... 

Then the seed/panko mixture,                                                                  making sure to cover completely...

Repeat this procedure for every fillet.  When all have been covered completely, transfer to pre-oiled and pre-heated baking sheets. Bake for 15-20 minutes (fish should flake easily with a fork).  

Chili-Lime Yogurt Sauce

6 oz. plain Greek yogurt

1 tsp seasoning salt

1/2 tsp chili powder

1 Tbsp Zatarain`s Creole Mustard

the juice of 1/2 small lime

Mix all ingredients together and chill before serving with fish (as a dipping sauce). 

Sweet Potato Oven Fries

8 large sweet potatoes, washed and patted dry

olive oil

2 tsp kosher salt

sprigs of fresh rosemary

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Cut potatoes (carefully!) into long strips, leaving skins on.  Make them as thick or as thin as you like, but do one or the other consistently.  (Reason?  The thinner ones cook faster!  If you mix, you`ll end up with an uneven product.) Add to a large prep bowl. 

   Drizzle generously with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt.

 Toss with your hands!  (Make sure they have been washed and sanitized!)

 Transfer to prepared baking sheet.

Spread the potato cuts evenly across the pan.

 Add some fresh rosemary....

Bake in preheated oven for 15 min on one side (if fries are thick, only 10 min if they are thin!).  Then, remove and turn each fry over.  Bake on this side for another 10-15 minutes.  Remove and serve hot.

Meal Presentation & Assembly

Step 1                                                                                                         Step 2

 Step 3

 Step 4: Present with a squirt of ketchup for the fries and yogurt sauce in a ramekin for the fish!

Torso shot model: my brother-in-law, JB =)

Estimate per serving (1 fish filet, palm size serving of fries)...

Calories? 414

Protein? 31 g

Saturated Fat? 2.5 g

Carbohydrates? 53 g (3.5 carb servings)

Fiber? 7.25 g

Sodium? 452 mg

Cholesterol? 75.5 mg

T.O.M: To process or not to process? That is the question...

March`s Topic of the Month  (T.O.M.) is an explanation of some common food labeling misconceptions.  I would like to touch on terminology misuse in our food media.  Please feel free to comment as you please at the bottom.  I would LOVE to turn this into a discussion!

Most of us have been victims of marketing gimmicks, especially food-related ones.  It seems like foods that we once thought of were "bad" are now labeled with terms that lead us to believe that they are good for us.  Example?  Goldfish.  YOU know...those little cheese crackers that you can easily chow down on without stopping?  They now are supposedly "made with Whole Grain".  Whether they are or not, does this really make them a healthy food?  To the average consumer, it probably does.  The term "whole grain" makes us think of fiber and overall health.  Do you suppose cheese crackers packed with sodium and fat give you a healthy dose of fiber and make you skinny?....Think again.

Terminology breakdown:


* "Natural"- The FDA has not developed a definition yet for this. Reason?  Click on this: http://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/Transparency/Basics/ucm214868.htm


* "Processed"- Per a 2008 Federal Law, a characteristic(s) of the food have to have been altered in some way in order to be considered processed.  Examples? The ADA lists raw nuts (unprocessed) vs. roasted nuts (processed), edamame (unprocessed) vs. tofu (processed), etc.

* "Local"- The food has to have been grown/produced in close proximity to where you live.  This term does not necessarily mean that the food has been grown by use of sustainable or eco-friendly methods.

* "Organic"- Defined by the USDA as animal products that come from animals that are not raised using substances to stimulate their growth (such as steroids, hormones, etc.) or plant products that are grown without use of chemicals and unnatural farming methods (ionization radiation). See the 3 categories of organic below:
                      ~ 100% Organic: made of only organic components (also "fully organic)
                      ~ Organic: at least 95% of contents are organic
                      ~ Made with organic ingredients: at least 70% of the contents are organic
                 
********100% Organic and Organic both will have the USDA seal for certified organic!  The third category will not.

Long story short...If you are truly trying to eat healthy, stop looking for food-fad terminology and start using what you already know about foods.  Common sense tells us that an organic apple is nutritionally identical to an non-organic apple.  The word "organic" does not change the genetic makeup, it simply defines the way that apple was cultivated.  Common sense also tells us that the fewer complicated ingredients that a packaged food has, the better.  When you are buying a granola bar or meal bar, look on the back.  If you see ingredients that you recognize as actual food or products...then that is a processed food worth buying.  If you see a bunch of chemical jibberish, set it back on the shelf.  You don`t have to miss out on new foods just because they were "processed"...because you now know that process could mean something as simple as roasting a peanut! :-)

Resources used: eatright.org, fda.gov

PUB FARE! SNN: No-Chub Pub Mix

This week`s theme is a trademark cuisine that we associate with the British Isles...PUB FARE!  I have been to many a pub because this is my super-petite-skinny-sister`s favorite type of food.  She loves the fish-n-chips, the shepherd`s pie, etc. I`ll reveal the other meal components later on this week in my Wednesday and Friday posts.   But for the Sunday Night Nosh (SNN), I put a spin on the ever-so-popular "pub mix".  This is sometimes replaced with beer nuts.  I don`t really know what beer nuts are, but they don`t sound too good.  My "No-Chub Pub Mix" is different from the typical you find at bars...less "added fat" (see olive oil below) and lots of good protein and healthy fats from the types of nuts it contains.  You also get the added benefit of iron from the raisins.  The original recipe is from the magazine Cooking Light and is called "Honey Roasted Nuts and Fruit".  Here is the link: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/honey-roasted-nuts-fruit-10000000671001/
I took their recipe and added some things, took away others.  Mine is listed below. See whatcha think...

No-Chub Pub Mix


1 teaspoon olive oil
1/8 cup honey
1/8 agave nectar
1/4 c chopped macadamia nuts
1/4 c chopped hazelnuts
1/4 c pecan halves
1/2 c sunflower seeds (shelled and unsalted)
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon (or more to taste)
pinch of nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a jellyroll pan with aluminum foil and spray it liberally with PAM.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over low-medium heat (at about 4 or 5 on my stove).

 Stir in honey and agave nectar.  Mixture will begin to bubble quickly. 

Add all nuts/seeds, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla.  

 Continue to cook in bubbling sugar mixture while stirring to coat every minute or so.  Make sure mixture is coated completely.  Cook for 6-8 minutes, but be careful not to overcook.  

 Remove from heat. Add raisins and stir to mix

 Transfer mixture onto prepared baking sheet.

 Bake in preheated oven for 5-7 minutes.  Let sit and cool.  Mixture will be fairly sticky.  If a dryer consistency is desired, bake longer.  

Yields 8, 1/4 c servings.  Enjoy! :-)

 Per 1/4 cup serving....

Calories? 188 

Protein? 3.4 g

Saturated Fat? 1.5 g

Carbohydrates? 22 g (1.5 carb servings)

Fiber? 2.5 g

Sodium? 48 mg

Cholesterol? 0mg

We all scream for Ice Cream! or Fro-Yo....NEW PRODUCT REVIEW

Can you believe it?? Greek FROZEN YOGURT!  It`s like a match made in heaven!

Ice cream + nutrition= a happy marriage for both a health-concious mind and keen taste buds

I found this yesterday at a Tom Thumb grocery store.  The brand is Open Nature there are 4 flavors available: Vanilla, Honey, Pineapple, Blueberry.  I tried the pineapple and thought it was quite delightful: the texture is heavy and creamy, unlike typical low-fat fro-yo...there`s just more substance to it!  The taste was good, but mild.  Not too sweet, but definitely not bland.  It actually has a cream-like taste, rather than the sourness that is characteristic of yogurt. Here is how it matches up to both regular low-fat fro yo and also double-churned (lower in fat) ice cream, 1/2 cup serving size:

	Low-Fat Fro Yo	Double Churned Ice Cream	Greek Fro Yo
Calories	100	110	150
Total Fat	2g	3.5g	0g
Sat Fat	1g	2g	0g
Cholesterol	20mg	10mg	5mg
Sodium	45mg	90mg	65mg
Carb	19g	18 g	21g
Protein	3g	3 g	6g
Calcium	10%	8%	15%

...Keep in mind that these are just examples and don`t hold true to every single brand, flavor, etc. The values vary depending on many factors!

I support Greek Fro-Yo 100%...you get the same satisfaction as you would when eating regular ice cream but you are also receiving a substantial amount of protein and calcium!

Ben & Jerry`s has its own version which Tom Thumb also carries, but I decided to skip this brand given that I think it to be an adversary to nutrition.  I know not how strong your own will power is, but when my eyes spot a pint of B & J`s it`s like gluttony instantly takes over. So, to avoid Seven Deadly Sin #2, I have requested that my skinny-petite-always a size 2-sister try it and let me know how it is!  

Reply back and lemme know if you try this product and like it!  I highly recommend =)