White Chocolate Pretzel Peanut Butter

As I wander through the land of foodie blogs, I never know what will catch my eye. Many times I am looking for dinner. Many times I am only browsing, which is when I stopped at this recipe. White chocolate. Check. Pretzels. Check. Peanut Butter. Love it. I had to try this recipe and fast.

I don't think I have ever had as much fun with a recipe as I did watching this come together. The science of cooking is something I put on the back burner, if you will. Yet, I loved watching these peanuts turn into the smooth consistency. I felt it and tasted it. What a transformation!

Trust the recipe. Every ingredient brings its own unique flavor.

White Chocolate Pretzel Peanut Butter

Source: Mom's Sunday Cafe

Yield: approximate 2 cups

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups roasted unsalted peanuts

1 bar (100g) good quality white chocolate

1/2 cup salted pretzel sticks

Directions:

1, Place the peanuts in a food processor and pulse until the peanuts are coarse. Remove about 1/3 cup and set aside. Continue processing until the mixture is very smooth. This may take some time but it will happen. Scrape down the sides if you see that it's not mixing evenly.

2. Break the white chocolate into pieces. Put all of it into the food processor and mix until smooth again.

3. Add in the pretzels and pulse until the pieces are fairly small in size.

4. Mix with reserved peanut pieces.

Notes: Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Leftover Brown Rice Salad

When you don't have a meal plan, you end up eating six kalamata olives, two celery sticks, two carrot sticks, and three Oreo cookies. You are left wondering what happened to your lunch hour and why you do not feel satisfied. Not that I do that, of course! Right? Well, let's just say that is a bad habit that leads to overeating later.

When I am really on top of things, I know what I'm having for dinner and for lunch the next day. Thus, the case after yesterday's lunch fiasco. The question, however, was what to do with brown rice. One cup of dry rice yields a lot of rice! I'll admit brown rice is not my favorite grain, and I have never been able to find a recipe I truly liked but I ate it because it was good for me - like liver.

Until now... fit foodie find posted a recipe for leftover brown rice that is used in her Cooking Matters class. Disco. I. Love. This. Recipe. That is saying a lot considering I never really liked brown rice and I never liked green peas.

Leftover Brown Rice Salad
Recipe by Lee at fit foodie finds
(Directions changed slightly to reflect true leftover rice.)

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked leftover brown rice, prepared according to package directions
1 cup mandarin oranges
Juice from mandarin oranges
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup dried cranberries

Dressing:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons mandarin orange juice
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions:
Remove refrigerated leftover rice and fluff gently with fork. Mix all ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl. Whisk together olive oil, mandarin orange juice, honey, salt, and pepper. Pour over rice mixture. May serve at room temperature or chilled.

Notes: If preparing salad from hot brown rice, refrigerate at least an hour or longer.

Salsa Verde Yellow Squash Sauté

Yellow summer squash - we stew it, fry it (naturally), stuff it, boil it, steam it, grill it, stir-fry it, blend it into soups, and add it to casseroles. Someone has probably figured out how to turn it into a cocktail by now. And, if they haven't, they should.

I picked up some fresh yellow squash at the farmer's market Saturday specifically for this recipe, a yellow squash saute. My presentation could use a little work, but in terms of taste, it was even better than it sounded.

Some people dislike the herb, cilantro. I believe I'm correct in saying my hero, Ina Garten (the Barefoot Contessa), said it tasted like soap to her. I suppose basil could be substituted but, to me, the cilantro, fresh lime juice, and hot pepper sauce really brought this recipe to life. It was good the day I prepared it and, although the recipe says serve immediately, I found it to be even better the next day for lunch. I reheated it in the microwave and added a few shakes of pepper sauce. Definitely a keeper!

Salsa Verde Yellow Squash Sauté

Recipe: U.S. Dry Bean Council

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

¼ cup cilantro, chopped

2 tbsp. fresh lime juice

1/8 tsp. hot pepper sauce (I used Louisiana tabasco peppers sauce.)

2 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 large garlic cloves, minced

1 lb. yellow squash, quartered, cut in ½-inch thick pieces

¾ lb. tomatillos, peeled, rinsed, cut into sixths

1- 15 oz. can black beans, drained, rinsed

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine cilantro, lime juice and hot pepper sauce.

2. Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until soft and translucent.  Stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds. Increase heat to medium high. Add squash and tomatillos and cook, stirring constantly for 5-6 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. 

3. Stir in black beans, salt and pepper and cook 1-2 minutes, or until heated through.

4. Remove from pan and stir in cilantro mixture. Serve immediately.

Nutritional analysis per serving (serving size: 1/6):

Calories 142

Fat 5 grams

Sodium 233 (if no additional salt added to recipe)

Dietary Fiber 6 grams

Carbohydrate 18 grams

Protein 6 grams

Graham Cracker Brownie Bars

This recipe caught my eye when it was reprinted in The Tuscaloosa News.  It is hard for me to think of it as an "old" recipe since it was published in a 1996 cookbook. But, time, it is a flying.

These are gooey rich and delicious! Best of all, they are super easy to prepare, just a little crushing and stirring are all that is required. As an extra bonus, it is okay to eat the batter, as there are no raw eggs! I had about two tablespoons of butterscotch chips remaining in the pantry so I added those to the mix and with good result. Butterscotch can only make it better, right? This also gave me an opportunity to use the shelled pecans I bought over Christmas that were waiting patiently in my freezer. I imagine this recipe lends itself well to a variety of additions and substitutions.

Graham Cracker Brownie Bars
Recipe by Camille W. Cook, Nothing but the Best, and reprinted by The Tuscaloosa News

Ingredients:

2 cups crushed graham crackers

1 (6-ounce) package chocolate or butterscotch chips

1 cup chopped pecans

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together and press into a greased pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes. Cool. Cut into bars.

Note: The recipe did not indicate to what consistency the graham crackers should be crushed. I put mine in the food processor and pulsed to a finer consistency.

Watermelon Pizza Supreme

My memory bank overflows with memories of eating watermelon in the summer. Growing up in Mississippi, icy cold watermelon, tomatoes and homemade ice cream are what kept us cool, happy and healthy. The idea of putting anything on watermelon other than salt is really unnecessary as far as I am concerned and just possibly a risky way to ruin a sweet slice of melon.

Despite that, I had to try this recipe idea. I think it is a grand idea for a party. It's colorful, sweet, and refreshing, and it can be decorated for sweetness (below) or savory (feta cheese, kalamata olives, chopped parsley and/or mint, and extra-virgin olive oil). Slicing the melon to achieve an even thickness is tricky. Anyone have any suggestions to share on how best to accomplish this?


Watermelon Pizza Supreme
Recipe courtesy of the National Watermelon Promotion Board
Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:
1 (8-to-10 inch round and 1-inch thick) watermelon slice, placed in a paper towel to remove excess moisture
1 cup strawberry preserves
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Directions:
Place the watermelon slice on a serving platter and cut into 6 wedges, leaving them in the shape of a pizza. Spread the preserves over the watermelon and sprinkle the toppings over the top.

Calories: 381

Leftovers and Bulgur Wheat

I think I may be catching on to this cooking thing finally, i.e., planning ahead and using leftovers more effectively. As stated here before, my ultimate goal has been to prepare a meal using whatever is in the pantry/refrigerator.

For lunch Friday I prepared a Cucumber, Tomato and Feta Salad. Saturday, I prepared bulgur wheat hot cereal, added more freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley and mint, and turned those leftovers into Tabbouleh, a popular Middle Eastern salad and one of my absolute favorites. I reserved one-half cup of the hot cereal for Sunday breakfast. I am seriously proud of myself!

What is Bulgur Wheat and why do we want to eat it??

Bulgur wheat is a whole wheat grain that has been cracked and partially pre-cooked. As a whole grain, it is a naturally high-fiber, low-fat, low-calorie vegetarian and vegan food ingredient. Bulgur wheat is not suitable for those on a gluten-free diet.  

According to CalorieCount, one cup of cooked bulgur wheat provides 151 calories, 0.4 grams of fat, 8.2 grams of dietary fiber (that's about 33% the recommended daily value), and a healthy 5.6 grams of protein. Bulgur wheat is naturally cholesterol-free food. (Source)

Tabbouleh
Adapted from (you guessed it) Barefoot Contessa

Preparing the cereal:
1 cup Bulgur Wheat with Soy
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1/4 cup olive oil

Place the bulgur in a large bowl, pour in the boiling water, lemon juice, olive oil, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt. Stir and cover. I use a dishtowel or you could cover with clear wrap. Allow to sit at room temperature for an hour.

Ingredients:
1 cup scallions, white and green parts, minced or chopped
1 cup fresh mint, chopped
1 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, medium-diced
2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted, halved
4 ounces feta cheese, cut in bite-sized pieces


Chop scallions, mint, parsley, cucumber, tomatoes, olives and feta cheese. Stir chopped vegetables and cheese into bulgur. Add salt and pepper. Stir. This actually gets better the longer it sits.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ideally, I would have prepared the cereal with water and/or milk for breakfast. I will in the future but this is about planning and using leftovers. This is my own creation based on available pantry ingredients.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup bulgur wheat with soy cereal, prepared per directions on the box or as above
2 tablespoons dried cranberries, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons walnuts, roughly chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tablespoons honey

Directions:
Roughly chop the dried cranberries and walnuts. Add to cereal. Stir in ground cinnamon and one tablespoon honey. Stir. Top with 1/2 tablespoon honey.

This was okay - it tasted like healthy food - and I felt great about eating something nutritious. It ain't Krispy Kreme, but that is the point, right? Try it with fresh fruit and milk or whatever ingredients you have available or prefer. As the box says: Your only limitation is your own imagination. 

I Like Vegetables Video

Cucumber Tomato and Feta Salad

This is a classic summer salad and one of my favorites. I eat it as a simple salad, but it also works well mixed with bulghur wheat for tabbouleh or served with lamb. The lemon dressing also works well over a simple green salad or to flavor a serving of couscous.

Cucumber, Tomato and Feta Salad

Recipe, The Bon Appétit Test Kitchen

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

• 6 cups coarsely chopped English hothouse or Persian cucumbers (about 2 pounds total)
• 2 large tomatoes (about 1 pound total), coarsely chopped
• 1 bunch scallions, chopped
• 1 cup assorted pitted olives (such as Kalamata or Gaeta), halved
• 1 7-ounce package feta, crumbled, divided
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint
• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Combine cucumbers, tomatoes, scallions, olives, half of feta, and mint in a large bowl. Whisk oil and lemon juice in a small bowl; season dressing with salt and pepper. Pour dressing over salad; toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle remaining half of feta over and serve.

Summer Market Blackberries

The Pepper Place Farmers' Market was still booming when I arrived mid-morning last Saturday. I'm not an early riser so I sometimes have to choose from what is left over. I found a table with a few blackberries remaining by the gallon, quart and pint. My taste-testing proved the berries sweet and juicy so I left with a pint. I wanted a gallon but there is only so much I can carry in this heat!

Now... what to do? Cobbler is certainly a favorite and there is always a blackberry crisp. I wanted to do something with this bounty before I ate them all straight up. I searched for a recipe that sounded easy and refreshing. The recipe below added extra sweetness for those few berries that needed help and a citrus complement, while tenderizing and pulling out those wonderful blackberry juices.

Summer Blackberries
Recipe, Kitchen Daily
Yield: 4 servings (65 calories/serving)

Ingredients
• 3 tablespoons orange juice
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 3 cups fresh blackberries

Preparation
1. Combine orange juice, lemon zest, lemon juice and sugar in a medium serving bowl, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add blackberries and toss to combine.


Does this deserve a post? Sure, it does! What is better than fresh blackberries enhanced with citrus? I can prepare a cobbler with frozen blackberries next fall. Plus, this gave me a wonderful opportunity to try the GaGa SherBetter. It's sherbert. It's ice cream. It's sherbert. It's ice cream....

When Self magazine gave this dessert one of their healthy food awards in 2011 (the stick at 100 calories), I wanted to check it out myself. As a registered dietitian, I can stab a dagger in the heart of just about any fun claim about healthy food (sorry!).

As per the container: 
GaGa (adjective)  1. Cazy, infatuated, marked by wild enthusiasm.
(As in Lady GaGa, I suppose.)

Serving size: 1/2 cup
Calories: 160
Calories from fat: 35 (22% calories from fat)
Total carbohydrates: 30 g
Total protein: 2 g
Vitamin C: 100% (lemon)

My assessment:
For taste: tasty, smooth, good mouthfeel, different from anything I have tried before
Nutrition: no real savings in total calories but otherwise not too bad in fat calories
Base for my summer blackberries: Refreshing and one of my better ideas
Cost: regularly $3.99 for a pint (yikes!)
Recommended: Yes
Note: Much, much better with blackberries than leftover Oreos. Oreos do not complement this flavor of GaGa at all. Thank goodness, if you know what I mean.

Four-Spice Salmon

So you think salmon is sooo last decade or two? It is. In fact, this is a "vintage" recipe by The Minimalist himself, Mark Bittman. Bittman described the ground spices as "a take on the French quatre épices, with cumin and coriander adding an ambiguously Asian or Middle Eastern savor". I couldn't make that up or come up with it myself (thank goodness for Google). Since he threw in Asian, I felt I could comfortably add my cucumber pickles as a side (recipe).

The mixture of the four spices provides this perfect crust. I used ground spices and had the butcher cut the salmon fillets, but otherwise stayed on script. It is now on my favorites list, vintage or not. I.loved.it.

Four-Spice Salmon

Yield 4 servings

Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 6-ounce, skinned salmon fillets
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds or ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon whole or ground cloves
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seed or ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil, grape seed or other neutral oil, or clarified butter

Method

• 1. Season fillets on both sides with salt and pepper. If necessary, combine spices and grind them to a coarse powder in a coffee or spice grinder. Press some of the mixture onto the top of each fillet.
• 2. Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the oil or butter and, when it shimmers, place the fillets, coated side down, in the pan. Cook about 2 to 3 minutes, or until the spice mixture forms a nicely browned crust.
• 3. Turn the fillets and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, or until the salmon just slightly resists when pierced with a thin-bladed knife.

Source: The New York Times

Sweet and Sour Cucumber Pickles

Martha Rose Shulman, who writes Recipes for Health for The New York Times, may not be as well-known to everyone but I almost always find a recipe I want to try in her column. It is hard for me to think of this as a "pickle", but I attribute this to my somewhat limited eating experiences. Shulman recommended using these on sandwiches and with cottage cheese, fish, and Asian dishes. I ate mine straight up. They are so easy and quick to prepare that I can see using these in the future to dress up an otherwise plain meal. They add color, crunch and interesting flavor without adding a lot of extra calories.

I understand that not everyone keeps rice vinegar and sesame oil in the pantry. I recently added these to my staples' list because of their wonderful flavors and how often I find these in the various recipes that catch my attention. Also, this recipe says the hot red pepper flakes are optional; I say, add them!

Quick Sweet and Sour Cucumber Pickles
Recipe, Martha Rose Shulman

Ingredients:

1 long European style cucumber, or 3 or 4 Persian cucumbers, or 2 regular cucumbers

Salt

1/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar

1 teaspoon dark sesame oil

Pinch of hot red pepper flakes (optional) 

Directions:

1. If you cannot find unwaxed cucumbers, peel them. Slice thin, and toss in a colander with about 1/4 teaspoon salt. Place in the sink, and let sit for 15 to 30 minutes. Rinse and drain on paper towels. 

2. Place the cucumbers in a bowl, and toss with the vinegar, sesame oil and pepper flakes (if using). Refrigerate for 15 minutes or longer before serving.

Advance preparation:  

The marinated cucumbers will keep for several days in the refrigerator.

Oreo-Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

I'm not much of a baker so when I see a recipe that I can adapt and only assemble then I think, why not! A favorite homemade chocolate chip recipe or a chocolate chip cookie mix could certainly work here, but I used the refrigerated cookie dough. I do NOT want too many sweets around the house so preparing two to three cookies at the time works better for me anyway. Are they good, you ask? Absolutely! Plus, this would be a great recipe to get your children involved in the kitchen.

Oreo-Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

Adapted from recipe by Lee at fit foodie finds

Yield: 3 extra large cookies

Ingredients:
1/2 package chocolate chip cookie dough
3 Oreo cookies

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350-degrees or according to package directions and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. Using a small scoop, make two balls of cookie dough. Place one ball on the cookie sheet, top with an Oreo cookie, and place a second ball of cookie dough on top of the Oreo. Press down firmly to completely enclose the Oreo cookie.
3. Bake 10-14 minutes or according to package directions. Cool.

Caution: These are super rich. I suggest eating with a cold glass of milk!

Food Pyramid Replaced With Food Plate

The food pyramid has been officially retired and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has introduced the new food plate to be used as an instructional tool for teaching people, particularly school children, how to eat for healthier bodies.

As a registered dietitian, I have moved from the four food groups to the food pyramid to now the food plate. To me, the message remains the same: eat more fruits, vegetables, dairy, and grains and eat less fats and meat.

No, the visual does not automatically make your eating decisions for you or turn you in to our culture's definition of a 'hottie'. I say that because of how it has been reported up until now. It is a guideline - and a very good guideline, I might add - for healthier eating. The rest is left up to the consumer.



For more information, go to Choose My Plate.

Cutting Calories on Snack and Drink Favorites

You recognize this scenario, right? You get a basket of fried tortilla chips with salsa or guacamole or queso or other specialty dip. You're hungry and it is really, really good. Before you realize it, you've eaten a full basket of chips. Wash that down with a margarita the size of a Buick and you've consumed over a day's allotment of calories before your actual meal arrives.

With the help of Hungry Girl, I prepared and enjoyed these favorites at home, reducing the portion sizes AND the calorie count. By using and baking corn tortillas, I reduced those calories to 110 (two 6-inch white corn tortillas). The spicy salsa was purchased at Pepper Place Market this year from Spradlin Farm in Vinemont, Alabama. Salsa adds so few calories that I don't even count it. Much to my delight, the chips became crunchier as they cooled.

Low-Calorie Corn Chips
Recipe from Hungry Girl, Cooking Channel
Serving: 1

Ingredients:
Two 6-inch corn tortillas
1/8 tsp. salt

Directions: 
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut each tortilla in half. Cut each half into 3 triangles, for a total of 12 triangles. Spray a baking sheet lightly with nonstick spray. Place tortilla triangles close together on the sheet. Cover triangles with a 1-second spray of nonstick spray (optional). Evenly sprinkle with salt. Bake in the oven until crispy, about 8 minutes, carefully flipping about halfway through bake time. Eat alone or with salsa.

:

As Hungry Girl pointed out, it is the taste of the alcohol we desire in an alcoholic beverage, not the mixes. Many times, most of our calories come from those mixes. Here, with the use of low-calorie beverages, HG was able to reduce the caloric content to around 115 calories! One can drink a margarita the size of a Buick for the calories of a VW Beetle!

I must admit I was skeptical about the margarita, but it actually turned out quite good. It reminded me of the pre-prepared margaritas served at many restaurants. Adding salt around the rim would help cut some of the sweetness but, all in all, I'm impressed and will be preparing this often!

Low-Calorie Margarita
Recipe by Hungry Girl, Cooking Channel

Ingredients:
1 packet sugar-free lemonade powdered drink mix, such as Crystal Light or Wyler's Light
6 ounces diet lemon-lime soda (I used Diet 7-Up.)
1 ounce (2 Tbsp.) freshly squeezed lime juice
1 1/2 ounces (1 shot) tequila

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a glass or shaker. Stir to dissolve drink mix. Pour into a margarita glass with lots of ice. Garnish with lime slice, if desired.