A better day and more self control

Well, it may help that I have been quite ill the past couple of days but I have been losing weight again.  I said that I had gained my weight back that I had lost.  Now, I'm down 5 pounds of water weight again.  Hooray!  I have been eating my soups that I made and froze.  They are just as delicious as they were when they were first made.  Good to know they freeze well!

I still feel pretty awful and I've been looking toward getting some food items prepared for my Christmas craft show that is in November.  I know; that seems a long ways away.  But with school starting in a month and working full time, I find that I am lacking the time needed to prepare my scrumptious (and fattening) goodies to sell. 

Have a good day everyone.

Boy, have I been screwing up!

I have failed terribly at keeping myself at bay with my healthy foods.  It began a couple weeks ago when we ate out.  I got healthy food compared to the rest of the gang.  Then, I took a bite of my partner's lunch and that was it. 

Salt, fat and sugar are like crack.  They are addicting.  I am an addict.  A food addict.  It seems that once those three vices move past my taste buds, down my throat and get transferred throughout my blood stream, I am as helpless as a junkie trying to give up their drugs.  My legs have since swollen up once again and my health has gone down.  I am presently on anti-biotics due to a severe ear infection.  This wouldn't have happened if I hadn't back tracked.  My immune system wouldn't have gotten weaker and I would have been able to keep myself healthy.

Now, I have gained back the water weight that I had lost.  My ankles are no where to be seen again and I feel pretty crappy.  I even broke down and got macaroni and cheese and hot dogs for my kids because I haven't been in the mood to cook healthy the past week.  Having no money doesn't help either. 

I have to get back to my resolve.  I have to.  I have to realize that this unhealthy eating is toxic to my mind and my body.  I loved feeling lighter and thinner even though I was still the size of a whale.  I felt less full.  Light on my feet and I had no ankle pain.  This is typical of me.  Throughout my whole life I have started out strong and weakened at the end.  My family isn't very enthusiastic about becoming healthy people.  This makes it very difficult for me. 

I need to look in the mirror each day and tell myself I am worth it.  I am worth it.  Maybe if I say it enough times, I will believe it.  Just maybe.

I'm a Canning Machine!

Well, I tried to can my homemade sauce for the first time tonight.  I changed the recipe too and I think it is even better than my first salt free recipe.  A local farm market had Roma tomatoes on sale for .99 a pound so I was able to get 15 pounds of tomatoes for 15.00.  Amazing!  I'm not sure I did the canning right?  I filled the jars with my sauce; left some space at the top, put the sterilized tops and screw on bands over the top and put them in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes.  Only one popped.  So, I put the other 5 jars back in for 15 more minutes.  I don't see any of them popping yet...I guess that means refrigerator time and lots of sauce dishes for us if that's the case!  :(    I also made salsa as I'm thinking of entering a local salsa contest.  I will put the recipes below.  We've misplaced our camera so I couldn't take pictures of the process. 

Kick me in the butt, sizzling salsa

Put the following ingredients into a large blender:

7 large, cut Roma tomatoes
1/3 cup chopped and seeded jalapenos
1/2 large cucumber, washed and chopped
2 large cloves of garlic
1 can tomato paste
2 TBL oregano
1 TBL each thyme, sage, marjoram
4 large green onions, washed and chopped

Puree the ingredients together until well blended.  Chill and enjoy!


Salt Free Fresh Spaghetti Sauce

Put the following ingredients in a very large cooking pot:

6 pounds of fresh, Roma tomatoes, washed and cut
2 cups fresh baby spinach
1 cup fresh white mushrooms, washed and cut
1 cup each fresh cilantro and Italian parsley
2 large sugar sweet onions, chopped
1 cup each red, yellow and orange bell pepper
1 large zucchini washed and chopped

24 oz. salt free tomato paste

32 oz salt free tomato sauce

10 cloves fresh garlic, chopped

1/8 cup each thyme, marjoram, rubbed sage, oregano and rosemary

Cook over medium heat covered until boiling.  Stir every five minutes.  Turn heat down to simmer over med/low heat; stir every 15 minutes.  Simmer for 1.5 hours.  Turn off heat and remove lid.  Let mixture cool.  It will be very chunky with vegetables at this point.  Once mixture has cooled about 1/2 hour, put parts in a blender and puree.  Do this until you have pureed all of the mixture.  You will have a smooth sauce now.

Either water bathe can jars of sauce (it will make 6 quart size jars) or freeze in freezer bags or containers.

Happy cooking!  I am loving trying out the new recipes and creating more.

How about some dessert?

I have tried to find some dessert recipes that I can tweak for low sodium, low sugar and low fat.  I think I have been successful in doing so!  Hope you like.....Bon Apetit!

Peanut Butter Cookies

¾ cup low sodium peanut butter

½ cup olive oil

1 ¼ cup brown sugar

3 TBL fat free milk

1 TBL vanilla

1 large egg

1 ¾ cup flour

¾ tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Combine all wet ingredients in a mixer.  Add brown sugar.  Slowly add dry ingredients until blended.  Drop by rounded tsp onto greased cookie sheet.  Flatten slightly with a fork .  Bake 7-10 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool 2 minutes on cookie sheet.  Transfer to cold counter or cooling rack to finish cooling.

Cashew Peanut Butter Balls

¼ cup low sodium peanut butter

¼ cup low sodium cashew butter

½ cup honey

1 cup toasted wheat germ

1 TBL powdered milk (fat free)

1 cup coconut (optional)

Mix ingredients well and shape into balls.  Roll in coconut if preferred.  Store in fridge.

Pumpkin Cream Spread

8 oz. fat free cream cheese

½ cup canned pumpkin

¼ cup sugar in the raw or sugar substitute

¾ tsp pumpkin pie spice

½ tsp vanilla

Beat all ingredients until smooth.  Chill.

Zucchini Bread

1 and ¾ cup of flour

2 Tsp baking powder

1 Tsp each baking soda and cinnamon

¼ Tsp nutmeg

1 cup brown sugar

¼ cup each olive oil and natural applesauce

1 egg

1 egg white

1 Tsp vanilla

1.5 cups shredded zucchini

2/3 cup of Grape-Nuts cereal

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all dry ingredients  in a bowl and set aside.

In another bowl, whisk brown sugar, oil, applesauce, egg and egg white and vanilla.  Add to flour mixture.  Mix until moistened.  Add zucchini and Grape Nuts.  Batter will be very thick.

Spray a large loaf pan with olive oil spray.  Put batter into pan.  Bake for 45-50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Cool.

Peach Pie

1 large pie plate with a graham cracker crust

(In food processor, put a pack of graham crackers, 2-3 TBL non-salted butter and mix.  Add more cracker if needed.  Press into pan and bake at 350 degrees for 13 minutes or until firm.)

¾ cup sugar substitute

2 TBL lite corn syrup

5 TBL cornstarch

1 cup boiling water

¼ cup peach flavored Jello powder (sugar free)

8-9 medium peaches, peeled and sliced thinly

Combine sugar, corn syrup, cornstarch and boiling water in a medium saucepan.  Cook and stir over med/high heat until mixture gets thick and clear.  Remove from heat and stir in jello.  Cool to room temperature.  Add peaches and fold until evenly coated.  Put into pie crust.  Refrigerate a couple hours before serving.  Use fat free cool whip as a topping.

Chocolate Cake

1 cup flour

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

1.5 Tsp baking powder

1 Tsp baking soda

¾ Tsp cinnamon

1 and ¼ cup brown sugar

1 egg

2 egg whites

3 TBL olive oil

1 Tsp vanilla

1 cup fat free sour cream

½ cup dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix flour, cocoa, baking powder and soda, cinnamon and set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix brown sugar, eggs, oil with a mixer.  Add vanilla extract and sour cream.  Beat on low until blended.  Add flour mixture gradually to wet mixture on medium speed.  Fold in dark chocolate chips.

Spray with non-stick spray an 8 x 8 pan.  Spread batter evenly.  Bake for 40-45 minutes until wooden pick comes out clean.  Check cake at 40 minutes to make sure it doesn’t over bake.

Remove from oven and cool. 

Brownies

½ cup flour

3 TBL unsweetened cocoa

¼ Tsp baking powder

1/3 cup fat free cream cheese

1 cup sugar substitute

3.5 oz. dark chocolate chips, melted

5 Tsp olive oil

1 egg white

2 Tsp vanilla extract

1 cup frozen raspberries (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Coat an 8 x 8 pan with olive oil spray.

Stir together flour, cocoa and baking powder. 

With a mixer, beat together cream cheese and sugar until creamy.  Add chocolate and oil.  Beat in egg and vanilla.  On low speed, add flour mixture.   Fold in raspberries if preferred.

Bake for 35 minutes or until firm.

Phyllo Apple Pie

3 TBL orange juice

6 cups sliced, peeled green apples

2 TBL fresh lemon juice

¼ cup light brown sugar

2 TBL flour

½ Tsp cinnamon

Olive oil spray

Pinch of ground cloves

6 sheets of phyllo dough, thawed

1/3 cup finely ground low fat graham cracker crumbs (about 4-5 crackers)

2 TBL sugar free apricot jam, warmed

In a small bowl, toss apples with orange and lemon juice.  In another bowl, mix sugar, flour, cinnamon and cloves.  Sprinkle over apples and toss to mix.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lay a damp dish towel on counter with wax paper over it.  Lay phyllo dough sheets on wax paper.  Fold towel and wax paper with phyllo sheets in half like a book.  As if reading a book, open the wax paper and open the first sheet of phyllo dough.  Spray with olive oil spray and sprinkle with cracker crumbs.  Continue until all sheets are sprayed and coated with graham cracker crumbs.  Then, flip and do the same on the other side to the phyllo sheets.

Work quickly so phyllo doesn’t dry out.

Coat a 10 inch pie plate with olive oil spray.  Lift 3 phyllo sheets together and lay across the pie plate.  Lift next set of sheets and lay opposite way across pie plate.

Spread jam on phyllo sheets at the bottom of the pie pan.  Pour apple mixture into phyllo and bring up edges to cover the apples.  Center of the pie will remain open.

Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes until apples are soft when tested with wooden pick and phyllo is golden brown.  If phyllo starts to brown too much, tent aluminum foil over it.

Gingerbread Cake

¼ cup non-salted butter

½ cup boiling water

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup mild molasses

1 egg white

1 TBL ginger

1 Tsp grated lemon zest

1 ¾ cup flour

1 Tsp baking soda

½ Tsp cinnamon

¼ Tsp each ground cloves and nutmeg

Preheat oven 350 degrees.  Coat a Bundt pan with olive oil spray. 

Cut the butter into small cubes.  Place in medium bowl.  Pour boiling water over the butter and stir until it dissolves.  Whisk in brown sugar, molasses, egg, ginger and lemon zest. 

Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves over butter mixture.  Pour into prepared pan.

Bake 25-35 minutes or until wooden pick comes out clean. 

When gingerbread is done, cool in pan for 5 minutes.  Turn out onto a platter.

Dust with confectioner’s sugar.

Bring on the Meat!

I love to cook meat in a healthy way.  My family is made up of meat eaters and so they aren't crazy about meatless dishes all the time.  Here are some ways to prepare meat in a healthy way...

A New-fangled Meatloaf

2 TBL olive oil

2 cups Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped

¾ cup of onion, chopped

2 pounds of lean, ground turkey

½ cup each quick cooking rolled oats and fresh parsley, chopped

1/3 cup fat free milk

2 egg whites

1 TBL salt free ketchup

1 clove of garlic, minced

¾ Tsp marjoram

½ Tsp each of sage and black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Saute apples and onion in the olive oil.   Cook over medium heat until onions are tender.  Cool.

Mix this with the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl.  Mix well.

Spray a loaf pan with olive oil.  Pat mixture into pan.  Spread extra ketchup on the top if you wish (my kids love this).  Bake an hour or until no longer pink in center.  Pour off extra liquid.  Serve.

Crock Pot Turkey Stew

3 cups peeled and cubed red potatoes

1 cup sliced, fresh mushrooms

2 cups baby carrots

1 cup onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup celery, sliced

2 pounds cubed, lean turkey breast

1 TBL each thyme, basil, black pepper, tomato paste

2 TBL flour

½ cup dry white wine

½ cup low sodium/low fat chicken broth

¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

Put 1^st 6 ingredients into a greased crock pot.  Add thyme, basil and pepper.

Coat turkey cubes with flour.  Put over vegetables and spices. 

Mix wine, broth, tomato paste together and pour over turkey.  Add parsley.

Cover and cook on low for about 8 hours.  During last hour, stir once or twice. 

Enjoy!

Crock Pot Pork Roast

1 boneless pork loin roast, sliced into large pieces (for stacking)

2 cloves garlic, sliced

1 Tsp red wine vinegar

¾ Tsp thyme

½ Tsp sage

¾ cup reduced sodium/fat beef stock

¾ cup unsweetened apple juice

¼ cup low sugar orange marmalade

1.5 cup of peeled, chopped, Granny Smith apples

1 TBL fat free sour cream

1 TBL flour

Cut slits into the pieces of loin roast and insert garlic slices.

Mix vinegar, thyme and sage into a small bowl.  Use a pastry brush to coat the roast.  Place in a greased crock pot.

Warm the broth, apple juice and marmalade in a saucepan over medium-high heat until marmalade melts.  Pour over roast.  Arrange apples around roast. 

Cover and cook on low for up to 8 hours. 

Take ½ cup meat juices.  Remove rest of juice and apples and put into medium saucepan.

Take ½ cup meat juice and whisk with sour cream.  Add flour and mix again. 

Boil pan juice and apples and whisk in juice/sour cream mixture.  Cook over medium heat until bubbly and thick.  Serve this gravy over the roast.

Pecan Oven Fried Chicken

1 and ½ cups fat free buttermilk (or low fat)

1 TBL garlic, minced

2 Tsp grated fresh ginger

1 Tsp cumin

1 pound of chicken, skinned and cut into large pieces

½ dry, unseasoned, homemade bread crumbs

¼ cup unsalted pecans, finely ground

In sealable plastic bag, combine first 5 ingredients.  Shake to coat and refrigerate about 8 hours.  Turn occasionally.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In flat dish, combine bread crumbs and pecans.  Take chicken from marinade and coat with crumb/pecan mixture.  Place on foil lined baking pan.  Discard marinade.

Bake uncovered 20 minutes then turn oven to 350 degrees.  Bake 15-20 more minutes until meat is no longer pink.

Crock Pot Beef Stew

1 cup flour

½ Tsp ground black pepper

1 pound lean stew beef, cut into ¼ inch cubes

1 TBL olive oil

1 cup dry red wine

1 cup each onion (chopped), carrots (sliced) and cubed, peeled, red potatoes

2 cloves garlic, chopped

¼ Tsp thyme

15 oz. low sodium/low fat beef stock

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1  cup fresh green beans

2 TBL flour

In bowl, combine flour and pepper.  Add beef and toss to coat with flour/pepper.  Shake off excess.

Grease crock pot.  Coat  all vegetables with garlic and thyme.  Put in bottom of crock pot. 

In bowl, combine 2 TBL flour and broth.  Whisk together.  Add wine.  Whisk again.  Pour over vegetables. 

Take coated beef and place in a saucepan with 1 TBL olive oil.  Brown until flour has cooked on beef.

Put beef and drippings into crock with other ingredients.

Cook on low around 6 hours.  Stir 1-2 times during cooking time.

Stuffed Pork Chops

1 clove garlic, peeled and cut in half

4 center cut pork chops; fat trimmed off- slit down the middle

½ Tsp each black pepper and paprika

1 TBL olive oil

¼ cup orange marmalade

14 oz. fat free/low sodium chicken broth

½ cup finely diced green onion

2 TBL orange zest

¼ cup orange juice

1 cup uncooked white rice

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Rub garlic all over chops.  Discard garlic.  Mix pepper and paprika.  Rub over chops.

In a skillet with olive oil, braze chops for a couple seconds per side and put in a greased baking pan.

In a saucepan, bring broth to a boil.  Add onion, orange zest and orange marmalade.  When marmalade dissolves, add orange juice and rice.  Cover.  Lightly boil until rice begins to soften up and much of the liquid has soaked up.

Put rice into the slit of each pork chop.  Cover and bake in baking dish for 25 minutes; making sure liquid from the rice is poured over chops and rice. 

Homemade Meatballs

1 pound lean ground turkey

½ cup rolled oats

¼ cup finely chopped onion

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 TBL fresh parsley, chopped

2 Tsp garlic, minced

2 large egg whites, beaten until frothy

½ Tsp each oregano, basil and pepper

Mix above ingredients with moistened hands.  Roll into 1 inch balls.  Take large skillet with 2 TBL olive oil and put about 8 meatballs in at a time.  Cook over medium heat, covering the pan  and turning meatballs as each side begins to cook.  Carefully turn to not break up meatballs.

Store in freezer until ready to use.

Momma’s Lasagna

15 oz. low fat or fat free ricotta cheese

2 cups shredded low fat mozzarella cheese

3 TBL garlic

¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

Mix above ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Boil 9-12 lasagna noodles in a large cooking pot. 

1 pound of ground, lean turkey

3 cups baby leaf spinach

1 cup chopped orange bell pepper

½ cup chopped green onion

1 cup chopped fresh mushroom

1 TBL each oregano, sage, pepper and Italian seasoning

*My homemade spaghetti sauce (or low sodium sauce)

½ cup mozzarella cheese

In large , high sided skillet, put 2 TBL olive oil and cook turkey, vegetables and spices.  If you use lean meat, there will be no extra grease in the pan.  Add spaghetti sauce once meat is no longer pink.  Stir and remove from heat.

Take drained lasagna noodles and lay 3 down in bottom of greased baking dish.  Cover noodles with meat/sauce mixture, then cheese mixture.  Repeat process until top layer has meat/sauce mixture on top.  Sprinkle lightly with ½ cup of mozzarella cheese. 

Put in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Take a piece of foil and bend slightly so it isn’t touching the cheese.  Remove foil 10 minutes before it is done.

A bunch of healthy, low sodium and low fat recipes for you!

What better way to enjoy the warm weather than with yummy, refreshing salads and low cal/sodium dressings!  Hope you enjoy these as much as I do!

Three Colors on My Plate; Pasta Salad

1 large box of tri-colored pasta

1 cup of fresh broccoli, chopped into little bites

½ cup matchstick carrots, or finely sliced carrots

1 cup freshly sliced mushrooms

½ cup each red and yellow bell pepper, finely diced

*Cook noodles according to box; drain and rinse with cold water.  Put in a bowl.  Add fresh vegetables and mix.

¼ cup of red wine vinegar

¼ cup apple juice

3 TBL olive oil

1 TBL lemon juice

3 Truvia (sugar substitute) packets

2 Tsp Dijon or brown mustard

1 clove garlic, minced

1 Tsp each basil, oregano, black pepper

¼ Tsp crushed red pepper flakes

2 TBL grated, low fat Parmesan cheese

Mix red wine vinegar and ingredients following in a bowl and mix with a whisk.  Pour over pasta mixture and stir to coat all ingredients.  Cover and put in fridge to chill.

Red Potato Salad with a Twist

3 pounds of red potatoes with skins on, washed

Put a colander over a large pan of water.  Inside of the colander, put  3 pounds of red potatoes (skins on) that are cubed into small cubes.  Bring water to boil and cover colander.  This will steam the potatoes until tender but not mushy.

2 stalks of celery, sliced

½ cup of shredded carrots

2 green onions , chopped

½ small, red onion, sliced into small slices

2 TBL each fresh parsley and olive oil

¼ cup red wine vinegar

3 small packets of Truvia sweetner

½ Tsp each of black pepper, celery seeds and dry mustard

1 clove of garlic, minced

Take potatoes (still firm but cooked) and put in a large bowl.  Add carrots, celery, onions and parsley.  Mix carefully. 

In another bowl, whisk olive oil, vinegar, Truvia, pepper, celery seeds, mustard and garlic until well blended.  Pour over potato mixture and fold gently to mix.  Serve chilled.

Homemade Dressings 

1. Tomato Creamy Dressing                         2. Orange Poppy Seed

1 small can of salt free, diced tomatoes              1 TBL flour

½ cup fat free Miracle Whip                         ¼ cup of sugar substitute

¼ cup low fat buttermilk                                         ¾ cup fat free milk

2 TBL white vinegar                                                  ¼ cup white vinegar

1 garlic clove, minced                                             2 TBL orange juice

1 Tsp of sugar substitute                             1.5 Tsp prepared mustard

½ Tsp oregano                                                         1 clove garlic, minced

                                                                                      ½ Tsp poppy seeds

                                                                                     1/8 Tsp black pepper

Tomato dressing:

Put all ingredients into a blender and mix  until all ingredients are smooth.  Store in  refrigerator.                                  

Orange Poppy Seed dressing:

 Whisk milk, sugar, flour in a saucepan and mix until smooth.  Add other ingredients and  cook on medium until it boils and   thickens.  Let it cool and stir.  Store in refrigerator.

  Couscous

 ½ cup onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 cup chopped tomato

½ Tsp each oregano and cumin

2 cups low sodium/low fat chicken stock

¼ Tsp crushed red pepper flakes

2 cups couscous

¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

Put 1 TBL olive oil into a medium saucepan.  Add onions, garlic and mushrooms. Sautee until vegetables are tender.  Add tomato, oregano and cumin.  Cook for a couple more minutes.  Stir in broth and red pepper.  Bring to a boil.  Stir in couscous and parsley.  Remove from heat.  Let stand for 5 minutes.  Fluff with a fork before serving.

Avocado Replacement Dip

15 oz. chick peas, drained, rinsed well

1 cup thawed frozen peas

¼ cup fat free sour cream

4 green onions chopped

2 cloves garlic, peeled

2 TBL each salt free mild chilies and green hot pepper sauce

2 TBL fresh lime juice

½ Tsp cumin

Put all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth.  Let stand 2 hours in fridge to allow flavors to mellow.

  Mustard Potato Salad

4 cups unpeeled red potatoes, cubed

15 oz. low sodium/fat chicken broth

2 TBL cider vinegar

½ cup diced celery

½ cup finely diced green onion

2 hard boiled eggs

1 TBL fresh parsley, minced

Boil potatoes in broth.  Bring to boil and cover.  Cook for 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender.  Drain and save the broth for a soup later.  In large bowl, toss potatoes with vinegar.

½ cup fat free Miracle Whip

1 TBL Dijon mustard

¼ Tsp black pepper

1/8 Tsp celery seed

In bowl, mix together the above ingredients.  Add cooled potatoes and fold gently to mix with dressing.  Chill before serving.