Man, let me tell you, if I skied I would be rockin' this Iowa winter. Yes, it's coming down like the background of a bad holiday movie again. This time, the world isn't panicking though and there are very few delays and closings, it helps that school is out.
Me, I am getting ready to take Lori out to dinner at Dos Rios and to the play "The Santaland Diaries". I finally told her what her gift was this morning. She really liked it. But she liked it more that it turned out not to be too weird. I had her a little freaked out by asking her to dress nice.
The recipe today is mine. Everyone is a little suspect about the sour cream in this classic, but it gives it a nice zing. I throw in the peppers and mushrooms to sneak in extra veggies. The onions are not fried, my apologies to the traditionalists, but get real, there is NOTHING healthy about fried onions.
I do not have the nutritional break down on this, because I made it up. But it's not too bad, if you don't eat half a pan.
Kate’s Green Bean Casserole
Ingredients:
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup (98% Fat Free)
1/4 cup milk
1 container low fat sour cream (if you’re in Iowa it can only be AE)
1 tsp. Worcester sauce
½ teaspoons ground black pepper
5 cups cooked cut green beans (start with fresh and blanch them or go with frozen and thaw them, because canned beans are full of sodium and frankly, soggy)
½ red pepper chopped
1 cup white cap mushrooms chopped (the ones you typically find in the produce section)
1 medium yellow onion thinly sliced or chopped very small
Directions:
For the onion topping:
Use parchment paper or spray pan onto a cookie sheet, spread onion thinly. Bake in 400°F oven until they begin to brown and crisp. Pull out and put aside.
For casserole:
MIX soup, milk, sour cream, Worcester sauce, black pepper in bottom of casserole pan until thoroughly mixed and smooth. Add beans, mushrooms and peppers and stir until coated completely.
BAKE at 350°F. for 25 minutes or until hot.
Pull out and sprinkle onions on top. Bake 5 more minutes.
Yours in health, Kate
Showing posts with label side dish recipe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label side dish recipe. Show all posts
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Dish #4 & Tired
Sorry I am not posting much tonight. It's getting far too late for me to be up. I worked, visited my dad, worked out (those last two were of course the highlights of the day) and I volunteered. I love to volunteer, but tonight it was at a union hall where smoking is allowed, it made my throat sore - that makes me cranky.
Oh well, this recipe makes me happy. I am a big believer there should be a green veggie at every meal, even at the holidays.
Broccoli and Peppers
Ingredients:
1 pound broccoli, cut into florets
1 red or yellow sweet pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons reduced-calorie margarine or regular margarine
1 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Directions:
1. Place broccoli and pepper in a steamer basket over simmering water. Steam, covered, for 8 to 12 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Drain.
2. Arrange on a serving platter. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan melt the margarine. Stir in lemon peel, lemon juice, and pepper. Drizzle over broccoli mixture. Makes 6 servings.
Nutrition facts per serving:
(Servings Per Recipe 6 servings)
Calories 42
Total Fat (g) 2
Saturated Fat (g) 0
Cholesterol (mg) 0
Sodium (mg) 63
Carbohydrate (g) 5
Fiber (g) 3
Protein (g) 2
Vitamin A (DV%) 23
Vitamin C (DV%) 131
Calcium (DV%) 3
Iron (DV%) 4
Yours in health, Kate
Oh well, this recipe makes me happy. I am a big believer there should be a green veggie at every meal, even at the holidays.
Broccoli and Peppers
Ingredients:
1 pound broccoli, cut into florets
1 red or yellow sweet pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons reduced-calorie margarine or regular margarine
1 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Directions:
1. Place broccoli and pepper in a steamer basket over simmering water. Steam, covered, for 8 to 12 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Drain.
2. Arrange on a serving platter. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan melt the margarine. Stir in lemon peel, lemon juice, and pepper. Drizzle over broccoli mixture. Makes 6 servings.
Nutrition facts per serving:
(Servings Per Recipe 6 servings)
Calories 42
Total Fat (g) 2
Saturated Fat (g) 0
Cholesterol (mg) 0
Sodium (mg) 63
Carbohydrate (g) 5
Fiber (g) 3
Protein (g) 2
Vitamin A (DV%) 23
Vitamin C (DV%) 131
Calcium (DV%) 3
Iron (DV%) 4
Yours in health, Kate
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Dish #3 & Pictures of me
I met with trainer Traci at Fitness World West today. After my nice hard workout, I lent her a hand with her new brochure. She is looking for new clients in the new year and after everything she's done for me, I was glad to knock out a quick testimonial. However, she also wanted new pictures - of me. We took them with no protest from me, but it got me thinking.
I've mentioned before that the second most asked question of me is a request for my "before" pictures. I have also mentioned, I can't find any. That's because no one wanted to take my picture before. People weren't trying to exclude me or be mean, it just wasn't a priority for anyone, including me. Especially me.
I had let myself become someone I did not recognize, nor particularly like. Neck-up mirrors were plenty for me and only necessary if I had to adjust my hair. The idea of putting what I was seeing into a permanent record of film or megabytes was simply too much to consider.
It was one of the things that led me to photography as a hobby - I could control the image, I was behind the camera. The number of times I have been able to insist, "No, you get in the picture..." and send someone else before the lens is innumerable and yes, sad. Photographically there are years missing in my life. Times I might now like to recall with pictures to help me suss out the details of the memory. They're gone.
Gone, like the times I had to not climb that hill because I couldn't breath or my knees hurt. Gone, like the times I missed chasing Caelen as a toddler because I couldn't keep up. Gone, like the friendships I missed having because I was too closed off to start a simple conversation.
Yet now, like the sun squeezing through the clouds after a storm, all of that is gone as well. The pain, the self-retribution, the lack of confidence - G-O-N-E. And like the 109 pounds I have lost so far, those negative things that held me back are gone and I will never let them come back.
So, take my picture, I want to remember this moment.
Now, on to the recipe of the day. Healthified side dishes being our theme, nothing vexes more people than stuffing or more to the point, dressing. I say dressing, because the chances you are actually going to bury your broken bread in a fowl's behind are slim. I like to avoid salmonella as a general rule anyway.
Dressing with Cranberries
Ingredients:
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
10 slices whole-wheat bread, toasted and cut into cubes
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped fresh cranberries
1 cup whole water chestnuts
1 cup chopped apple
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly coat a 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray.
In a large skillet, heat the chicken broth over medium heat. Add the celery and onion and saute until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
In a large bowl, combine the bread cubes, parsley, tarragon, paprika, nutmeg, cranberries, water chestnuts and chopped apples. Add the onion and celery mixture. Stir to mix evenly.
Spoon stuffing into the prepared baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 more minutes. Serve immediately.
Nutrition: (Makes 6 servings)
Serving size: 1/2 cup
Calories-147; Total fat-2 g;Saturated fat-0.5 g; Monounsaturated fat-1 g; Cholesterol-1 mg; Sodium-263 mg; Carbohydrate-29 g; Fiber-5 g; Protein-5 g; Potassium-256 mg; Calcium-51 mg.
Yours in health, Kate
I've mentioned before that the second most asked question of me is a request for my "before" pictures. I have also mentioned, I can't find any. That's because no one wanted to take my picture before. People weren't trying to exclude me or be mean, it just wasn't a priority for anyone, including me. Especially me.
I had let myself become someone I did not recognize, nor particularly like. Neck-up mirrors were plenty for me and only necessary if I had to adjust my hair. The idea of putting what I was seeing into a permanent record of film or megabytes was simply too much to consider.
It was one of the things that led me to photography as a hobby - I could control the image, I was behind the camera. The number of times I have been able to insist, "No, you get in the picture..." and send someone else before the lens is innumerable and yes, sad. Photographically there are years missing in my life. Times I might now like to recall with pictures to help me suss out the details of the memory. They're gone.
Gone, like the times I had to not climb that hill because I couldn't breath or my knees hurt. Gone, like the times I missed chasing Caelen as a toddler because I couldn't keep up. Gone, like the friendships I missed having because I was too closed off to start a simple conversation.
Yet now, like the sun squeezing through the clouds after a storm, all of that is gone as well. The pain, the self-retribution, the lack of confidence - G-O-N-E. And like the 109 pounds I have lost so far, those negative things that held me back are gone and I will never let them come back.
So, take my picture, I want to remember this moment.
Now, on to the recipe of the day. Healthified side dishes being our theme, nothing vexes more people than stuffing or more to the point, dressing. I say dressing, because the chances you are actually going to bury your broken bread in a fowl's behind are slim. I like to avoid salmonella as a general rule anyway.
Dressing with Cranberries
Ingredients:
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
10 slices whole-wheat bread, toasted and cut into cubes
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped fresh cranberries
1 cup whole water chestnuts
1 cup chopped apple
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly coat a 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray.
In a large skillet, heat the chicken broth over medium heat. Add the celery and onion and saute until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
In a large bowl, combine the bread cubes, parsley, tarragon, paprika, nutmeg, cranberries, water chestnuts and chopped apples. Add the onion and celery mixture. Stir to mix evenly.
Spoon stuffing into the prepared baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 more minutes. Serve immediately.
Nutrition: (Makes 6 servings)
Serving size: 1/2 cup
Calories-147; Total fat-2 g;Saturated fat-0.5 g; Monounsaturated fat-1 g; Cholesterol-1 mg; Sodium-263 mg; Carbohydrate-29 g; Fiber-5 g; Protein-5 g; Potassium-256 mg; Calcium-51 mg.
Yours in health, Kate
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Dish #2 & A Chorus of Angels
All right, let the hallelujahs begin! The scale has moved! I lost two pounds this week! After two months on the rocky plateau of 153, I am down to 151.
I can't thank trainer Traci enough. Last week we talked about how to get through this brick wall I was sitting at. While I have understood for some time that I was putting on muscle and getting leaner, (losing inches) I am also brutally aware there is still fat.
So, we took a hard look at my food, back to basics with whole foods and hardly any protein bars anymore. They had become a crutch anyway. And the workouts needed to be broken up more, a little cardio, a little strength, etc. I am so grateful it is working. I will maintain this pattern of not having a pattern from now on, or until I hit another seemingly insurmountable plateau and have to figure it out again.
Funny thing, Traci was just asking yesterday if I would do a testimonial in her pamphlet at Fitness World West. I told her it was the least I could do, now I have more reason than ever!
Today, the recipe is for one of the ultimate comfort foods and a holiday staple - Mashed Potatoes. Here they are "healthified". (I love that word.)
Mashed Potatoes
3 lb unpeeled red or Yukon gold potatoes - I highly recommend these as they have a naturally 'buttery' taste (about 8 medium), cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil - a seriously healthy oil instead of butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 to 2/3 cup buttermilk - despite its name, very little fat
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, if desired
Directions:
1 In 3-quart saucepan, place potatoes; add just enough water to cover. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender; drain.
2 In same saucepan, mash potatoes, oil and salt with potato masher just until lumpy. Gradually add buttermilk, mashing until combined but still lumpy. (Amount of buttermilk needed to make potatoes creamy depends on variety of potatoes.) Season to taste with pepper. Stir in chives.
Nutritional Information
1 Serving (it doesn't say what the serving size is, but usually with mashed potatoes it's 1/2 cup):
Calories 130 (Calories from Fat 15); Total Fat 1.5g (Saturated Fat 0g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 135mg; Total Carbohydrate 25g (Dietary Fiber 3g, Sugars 2g); Protein 3g % Daily Value Vitamin A 0%; Vitamin C 15%; Calcium 4%; Iron 15% Exchanges 1 1/2 Starch, 0 Fat Carbohydrate Choices 1 1/2
Yours in fitness, Kate
I can't thank trainer Traci enough. Last week we talked about how to get through this brick wall I was sitting at. While I have understood for some time that I was putting on muscle and getting leaner, (losing inches) I am also brutally aware there is still fat.
So, we took a hard look at my food, back to basics with whole foods and hardly any protein bars anymore. They had become a crutch anyway. And the workouts needed to be broken up more, a little cardio, a little strength, etc. I am so grateful it is working. I will maintain this pattern of not having a pattern from now on, or until I hit another seemingly insurmountable plateau and have to figure it out again.
Funny thing, Traci was just asking yesterday if I would do a testimonial in her pamphlet at Fitness World West. I told her it was the least I could do, now I have more reason than ever!
Today, the recipe is for one of the ultimate comfort foods and a holiday staple - Mashed Potatoes. Here they are "healthified". (I love that word.)
Mashed Potatoes
3 lb unpeeled red or Yukon gold potatoes - I highly recommend these as they have a naturally 'buttery' taste (about 8 medium), cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil - a seriously healthy oil instead of butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 to 2/3 cup buttermilk - despite its name, very little fat
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, if desired
Directions:
1 In 3-quart saucepan, place potatoes; add just enough water to cover. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender; drain.
2 In same saucepan, mash potatoes, oil and salt with potato masher just until lumpy. Gradually add buttermilk, mashing until combined but still lumpy. (Amount of buttermilk needed to make potatoes creamy depends on variety of potatoes.) Season to taste with pepper. Stir in chives.
Nutritional Information
1 Serving (it doesn't say what the serving size is, but usually with mashed potatoes it's 1/2 cup):
Calories 130 (Calories from Fat 15); Total Fat 1.5g (Saturated Fat 0g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 135mg; Total Carbohydrate 25g (Dietary Fiber 3g, Sugars 2g); Protein 3g % Daily Value Vitamin A 0%; Vitamin C 15%; Calcium 4%; Iron 15% Exchanges 1 1/2 Starch, 0 Fat Carbohydrate Choices 1 1/2
Yours in fitness, Kate
Monday, December 17, 2007
Dish #1 & Eat This, Not That
Sorry I was lazy over the weekend and did not post. I kept myself pretty busy with work and the Winter Market on Saturday and family stuff and baking with Lori on Sunday. Both days I worked out hard at Fitness World West.
Especially important since Lori made pralines yesterday. Thank god we shipped all but four of what was left after we ate too many to friends on the east coast. They are pure sugar, butter and pecans. Not a single redeemable quality. There is even the chance that they are the devils work - but they are damn tasty.
Speaking of tasty, you will find our first side dish recipe of the week for the holiday. But first, I wanted to share a quiz with you that actually had me saying, "really?!" and shaking my head a lot. It is called "Eat This, Not That" and it is from one of my favorite magazines "Women's Health". It puts two foods in front of you and then asks you to choose which one is healthier. After you choose, it gives the proper answer and a nutritional break down of the options.
Now there are common sense decisions like - pumpkin pie or pecan pie - pumpkin of course, very little fat in the core ingredient there. But it also has a 'course' on fast food - you will truly be frightened into not eating a number of your quick fix and comfort foods after you see them broken down. So give the quiz a quick spin.
As for the side dish - I like my sweet potatoes roasted or mashed solo, no additives except maybe a little salt or pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. But, especially this time of year people want to sweeten this nearly perfect vegetable. Here is a way to avoid coating it in corn syrup or marshmallows and still get your sweet side.
Apple Sweet Potato Bake
Ingredients:
5 cups thinly sliced sweet potatoes (or yams), about 1 1/2 sweet potatoes
2 cups thinly sliced apples, such as pippin or Granny Smith (about 2 small)
1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons reduced-calorie pancake syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup apple juice or orange juice
1/4 cup walnut pieces or chopped walnuts
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, toss the sweet potatoes, apple slices, and brown sugar together. Spoon into a 9x9-inch or similar-sized baking dish.
3. In a small bowl, blend syrup with cinnamon. Stir in the apple juice. Pour evenly over sweet potato mixture. Sprinkle walnuts over the top.
4. Cover baking dish with lid or foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake about 15 minutes longer (or until apple and sweet potatoes are cooked throughout).
Yield:
6 servings
Nutritional Information:
Per serving: 128 calories, 2 g protein, 24 g carbohydrate, 3 g fat (0.2 g saturated fat, 0.7 g monounsaturated fat, 2 g polyunsaturated fat), 0 mg cholesterol, 2.2 g fiber, 24 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 21%.
This is from MedicineNet.
Yours in health, Kate
Especially important since Lori made pralines yesterday. Thank god we shipped all but four of what was left after we ate too many to friends on the east coast. They are pure sugar, butter and pecans. Not a single redeemable quality. There is even the chance that they are the devils work - but they are damn tasty.
Speaking of tasty, you will find our first side dish recipe of the week for the holiday. But first, I wanted to share a quiz with you that actually had me saying, "really?!" and shaking my head a lot. It is called "Eat This, Not That" and it is from one of my favorite magazines "Women's Health". It puts two foods in front of you and then asks you to choose which one is healthier. After you choose, it gives the proper answer and a nutritional break down of the options.
Now there are common sense decisions like - pumpkin pie or pecan pie - pumpkin of course, very little fat in the core ingredient there. But it also has a 'course' on fast food - you will truly be frightened into not eating a number of your quick fix and comfort foods after you see them broken down. So give the quiz a quick spin.
As for the side dish - I like my sweet potatoes roasted or mashed solo, no additives except maybe a little salt or pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. But, especially this time of year people want to sweeten this nearly perfect vegetable. Here is a way to avoid coating it in corn syrup or marshmallows and still get your sweet side.
Apple Sweet Potato Bake
Ingredients:
5 cups thinly sliced sweet potatoes (or yams), about 1 1/2 sweet potatoes
2 cups thinly sliced apples, such as pippin or Granny Smith (about 2 small)
1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons reduced-calorie pancake syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup apple juice or orange juice
1/4 cup walnut pieces or chopped walnuts
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, toss the sweet potatoes, apple slices, and brown sugar together. Spoon into a 9x9-inch or similar-sized baking dish.
3. In a small bowl, blend syrup with cinnamon. Stir in the apple juice. Pour evenly over sweet potato mixture. Sprinkle walnuts over the top.
4. Cover baking dish with lid or foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake about 15 minutes longer (or until apple and sweet potatoes are cooked throughout).
Yield:
6 servings
Nutritional Information:
Per serving: 128 calories, 2 g protein, 24 g carbohydrate, 3 g fat (0.2 g saturated fat, 0.7 g monounsaturated fat, 2 g polyunsaturated fat), 0 mg cholesterol, 2.2 g fiber, 24 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 21%.
This is from MedicineNet.
Yours in health, Kate
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