Baked Oatmeal

I did not grow up eating oatmeal.  Yuck...I am just not a fan!  The appearance and the texture of it makes my stomach turn.  The only time I can remember ever purposefully asking for it was when I tried Weight Watchers in high school.  

Despite my misgivings about it, oatmeal is very nutritious.  It packs in lots of fiber which can help you feel fuller longer and also lower your cholesterol.  How does it do this? The soluble fiber that oats contain reduces the absorption of LDL cholesterol (the bad stuff) in your bloodstream.  For lack of a better explanation, it "soaks it up" and moves it out of your body.  

Apart from granola, this recipe for Baked Oatmeal is my favorite way to have eat oats!  It isn`t gross in appearance like regular oatmeal, yet it still packs in the same health benefits.  Give it a try and let me know what you think!

This is the base recipe I used from Taste of Home: Baked Oatmeal Recipe

However, I made a "dark chocolate-coconut" variation by adding the following prior to baking:

1/2 c sweetened shredded coconut

3/4 c semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 c chopped walnuts (or pecans)

additional 1/4 c skim milk

*I also recommend using skim milk because the additional fat is unecessary!

Other add-ins/variations to this recipe...

Cran-Orange Baked Oatmeal: Add 1/2 c orange juice, 3/4 c dried cranberries, 1/2 c chopped walnuts prior to baking.

Banana-Nut Baked Oatmeal: Add 1 c bananas (chopped/chunked), 1/2 c chopped walnuts or pecans, additional 1/4 c skim milk prior to baking.

Apple-Cinnamon-Raisin Baked Oatmeal: Add 1 c raisins, 1 c unsweetened apple sauce, and double the cinnamon prior to baking.

*Sources: Taste of Home

Kashi Fruit Crumble

Kashi cereal...some love it, others loathe it.  I happen to think it`s quite tasty, but for those of you who don`t....try baking with it!  Muffins, cookies, cobblers, etc. You can get the benefits of the fiber and protein it contains, without having it eat it straight from a cereal bowl (Borrring!)

Kashi Crumble

1 1/2 c Kashi Go Lean Crunch cereal
1/4 c brown sugar
light maple syrup
2 T butter
2 cups no sugar added canned peaches (or tropical fruit medley), drained

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spread fruit in the bottom of an 8 x 8 inch square baking pan.  Crumble Kashi cereal evenly over the fruit.  Then do the same with the brown sugar.  Next, drizzle the syrup over the entire mixture (you don`t need much).  Finally, the the butter up into small chunks and drop on top of the crumble.  Bake for 30 minutes and serve warm.

*Sources: sparkpeople recipe

Cabernet-Poached Peaches with Creme Fraiche

I am a HUGE red wine fan and appreciate any food that incorporates it!  I typically add it in my tomato-based pasta sauces and drink a glass or three during the process... ;-)

I had always wanted to try poaching fruit in wine and found a recipe from the food network that I altered just a bit.  I omitted cloves because I don`t like the taste and also left out the peppercorns.  Instead of peaches, I used nectarines because the skin is a smooth texture and not hairy (ughhhh).  I assumed this would have a more pleasing effect on the palate.  Here is the link to Food Network`s recipe for peaches poached in red wine: Poached Peaches by Rachael Ray

My version...

Cabernet-Poached Nectarines

3 c Cabernet Sauvignon (any brand)

1 c sugar

Cinnamon to taste

Nutmeg to taste

1/4 c orange juice

2 large nectarines, halved and pitted

Combine wine, sugar, spices, and juice in a sauce pan and bring to a boil.  Lower heat to the point where liquid continues to bubble, but will not boil out of pan (medium heat).  Add nectarine halves (skin-on) to liquid with the flesh side facing down.  Allow to cook for 7-10 minutes, spooning liquid over the peaches often.  Serve warm with a dollop of sweetened creme fraiche (see recipe below).  Note: Creme fraiche has to be made at least a day in advance.  

Creme Fraiche

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 tablespoon buttermilk

In a medium saucepant over low heat, heat the cream to 105 degrees F. Remove from heat and stir in buttermilk. Transfer the cream to a large bowl and allow this mixture to stand in a warm environment while loosely covered.  The desired end consistency is thick, but still able to be poured.  Stir and taste every 6 hours.  The thickening will take 1-2 days to occur, depending on how warm the room is. The creme fraiche is ready when the desired consistency is reached and there is a nutty, sour taste (kind of like plain yogurt).  Chill creme in the fridge for at least 2 hours before using. Creme fraiche may be made and stored in the fridge for up to 10 days. To serve with a dessert, add a 1/2-1 T of sugar and beat with a mixer on high until the creme doubles in size and becomes the consistency of whipped cream.  

*Sources: foodnetwork.com

Orange-Coconut Cake with Yogurt Glaze

This cake is scrumptious...simply because of the icing!  The yogurt adds a tangy flavor that sets it apart from butter-based glazes.  The cake itself is hearty because of the whole wheat flour, yet semi-tropical with the coconut and the orange flavors!  If you like, add some coconut flavoring into the glaze.  This is a great brunch option....



Orange-Coconut Cake with Yogurt Glaze

For the cake:

1 c whole wheat flour

1 c all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 c sugar

1 egg, slightly beaten

1/3 c vegetable oil

1 c orange juice

1/2 c skim milk

2/3 c sweetened shredded coconut

the zest of one orange

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Combine first three ingredients.  Stir in sugar.  Make a well in the middle and add egg, oil, juice, and milk.  Stir into dry ingredients until just combined.  Fold in coconut and zest.  Pour into a greased 8 x 8 inch square pan (or greased bundt pan).  Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.  Let cool.

For the glaze:

6-oz nonfat Greek yogurt, vanilla flavor

1 c powdered sugar

lemon flavoring to taste

Combine all ingredients and drizzle over cake pieces individually as you serve them.  OR...If you bake it in a bundt pan, drizzle over entire cake after it has cooled.

*Keep glaze in fridge before you serve it.  Or if you pour it over the entire cake, keep the cake refridgerated. (Due to the yogurt in the glaze)



*Sources:  Nada!

Alternatives to 100 Calorie Packs

I remember when Nabisco first came out with these a few years back.  They were all the rage with my college friends!  Everyone bough them on spring break trips, brought them to class, used them as 3 a.m. re-charge food.  I`ve only had them a time or two and even before I began checking the nutrient label on the back of every single packaged food I encountered (true story), I knew they were basically empty calories.  Sure, 100 calories is a great amount for a snack....but wouldn`t you like to put those 100 calories to good use?  Why not pick something that will help hold you over till the next meal and give you energy to get through your afternoon activity.  Try these 100-calorie snack suggestions that more nutrient-rich than the Nabisco treats....

1/2 cup Kashi Go Lean Crunch cereal (4.5 g protein, 4 g fiber)

1 6-oz cup Dannon Light N Fit yogurt (15% DV calcium, 5 g protein)

14 raw almonds (4 g protein, 47 g calcium, 122 mg potassium)

8 oz skim milk (8 g protein, 30% DV calcium

1 cup fresh berries (4-8 g fiber)

 

Tip: Make your own snack!  Mix and match your foods and experiment with different amounts....calculate the calories and other macronutrients yourself, using this exchange list:

Healthy Eating Exchange List 

*Sources: pic adapted from http://www.staples.com/Nabisco-100-Calorie-Ritz-Snack-Mix-6-Bags-Box/product_723963?cid=PS:GooglePLAs:Office_Supplies:Food_Snacks_&_Beverages:723963:00609,

National Heart Lung and Blood Institute

Women: Healthy is the new Skinny!

When it comes to diet and exercise, we women could seriously use some balance. On one hand, there is a morbid obesity epidemic that has spread across the nation and is showing up in kids as young as toddler-stage!  On the other hand, celebrities like Kate Moss and Kiera Knightly are gracing the covers of popular magazines with their scantily-clad, skeleton-with-a-little-skin-over-it bodies!  It`s like we are either eating like rabbits or wolfing down an entire cake.  

Think the problem just ends there?  Think again.

What about the Jillian Michaels-loving, protein shake-chugging Cross-fitters who have turned exercise into an obsession?  And on the flip side of that are those who think walking to the fridge or lifting a beer to their lips counts as exercise!

Whatever happened to moderation?  Whatever happened to the phrase "within reason"?  What I`m getting at is this: Not everyone is going to be a model, queen, or pageant winner.  Not everyone is going to be a bodybuilder, celebrity fitness guru, or world famous marathoner. 

Even the ancients knew moderation was important:

"Throw moderation to the winds, and the greatest pleasures bring the greatest pains." -Democritus

"Never go to excess, but let moderation be your guide." -Marcus Tillius Cicero

So why do we take everything to the extreme?  A lack of balance and self-control.  Thanks to the media, a new health fad appears every so often and gets blown way out of proportion.  This is typically a miracle food, wellness tip, or diet.  The public then takes this fad and runs without doing any legitimate research!

My advice? (Not that you have to take it...) Practice a little non-attachment in your life!  Don`t attach yourself to the idea of looking like Angelina Jolie.  Get the myth out of your head that all carbohydrates are bad.  Don`t jump on the latest band-wagon diet just because your friends are.  Instead, make healthy and practical changes that are realistic!  Focus on the word healthy, not skinny.  Work on becoming fit,  not necessarily jacked or ripped.  Make goals for yourself that you can first achieve and then continue to practice throughout your life!  

....My thighs are too big and I can never achieve the six-pack abs that my older sister was born with.  So what?  I`m active and within the normal body weight range for my height. I love fruits and veggies and whole grains, but once in awhile...I eat a cupcake!  My point: Change your attitude, do your best, and strive for overall balance in your daily diet and fitness routine....avoid extremism.

Tips for dietary/nutritional changes:
Rate your plate!
Portion sizes
Eating out at restaurants
Avoiding Empty Calories

Tips for staying in shape:
Increasing Activity
Anti-Couch Potato
Get up and get out

*Sources: choosemyplate.gov

The Restaurant Wrestle

Does eating out often leave you feeling guilty due to the types of foods you consume at the restaurant?  Do you dread when your hubby or friend suggests dinner at your favorite local joint?  You are not alone!  When I first began my journey towards a better lifestyle, I had the same anxieties! However, if you calm down and think things through in a logical way, you can make better choices simply by weeding through what`s on the menu and the ingredient list of each dish.  Most restaurants nowadays offer lower-fat and lower-cal options, but what if you aren`t in the mood for salmon and broccoli or soup and salad?  Try asking for these alternatives or healthier takes on your favorites...

Habachi:  Choose steamed rice or brown rice & veggies over shrimp fried rice. (Go ahead and gobble up that miso soup!)

Chicken sandwiches or burgers: Instead of the fried chicken sandwich, opt for the grilled chicken one!  If you must have fries, get the smallest size.  (Stay away from the milkshakes, please.)

Subs: Get the sandwich you want!  Just leave make sure it`s on whole wheat bread and leave off the mayo or oil and do not order extra meat and cheese!...no one needs that, okay?  

Seafood: Get the fish or seafood you want!  Just avoid any buttery dipping sauces and make sure that you order it grilled or steamed.  Limit your hush-puppy intake to 2. 

BBQ: Order extra lean brisket or smoked poultry.  If you must have that calorie-packed BBQ sauce (I HAVE to have it!), then order it on the side rather than all over the meat.  Skip the mayo-based slaw and potato salad and order a side salad instead!

Mexican: Tacos are the best!  Ask for extra lettuce and tomatoes and for the cheese to be on the side, so you can add it in moderation.  If you need extra "sauce", add salsa to everything, instead of sour cream or queso dip.  (No chimichangas or taco salads, por favor.)

Italian:  Skip the garlic bread and order whole wheat pasta always!  When you can, stick to tomato-based sauces rather than cream sauces (such as alfredo). Stay away from those dishes which pack on the cheese, like lasagna and chicken parm.  

*Sources: My own restaurant-battle.