Pumpkin Peanut Butter Cups (Vegan)

Here's a pretty simple, low calorie recipe to satisfy your sweet tooth! You can use plain old chocolate chips if you don't have carob (also eliminate coconut oil if you use chocolate) and 2 T of peanut butter if you don't have/like pb2.  Why use carob? Compared to chocolate, carob has more calcium, less calories, and much less fat.

Pumpkin Peanut Butter Cups

Ingredients

1 T natural peanut butter

1 T pb2  (+ 1/2 T water)

2 T pumpkin

1/4 c carob chips

1 t coconut oil

splash of vanilla 

carob paste

Directions

Place carob chips in a microwave safe bowl and heat for about 40 seconds; stir and heat for 40 more seconds. Crush the warmed carob into a powder.  Melt 1 t of coconut oil and add to carob; add a splash of vanilla and stir to form a paste. (The carob may be warm enough that simply putting the coconut oil on it will melt it.)  Place about 1/2 tsp of carob mixture into the bottoms of 9-11 candy wrappers and place in freezer to set (you should have about half remaining).

Meanwhile, mix together the peanut butter, pb2, water, and pumpkin.  Once the carob has set, press about 1/2 tsp of peanut butter mixture on top. Add another 1/2 tsp of carob mixture to cover the filling and return to freezer to set. (If you use coconut oil, these are best kept in the fridge.)

Nutrition (per 1 candy, based on a yield of 11):

Calories: 30

Total fat: 1.9 g

Total carbs: 2.8g

Fiber: 0.4g

Protein: 0.8g 

Stay healthy!

Easy Homemade Hummus

Here's a recipe that meets the criteria of being both FIT and FRUGAL! When I looked at hummus in the grocery store, I was surprised at how expensive it is. So, I decided to make my own - saving money while only using exactly the ingredients I wanted. Not to mention, it's super easy to make!

While the initial cost of the tahini ($6 for 16 oz) was high, I'll be able to use it for many batches of hummus as well as other recipes.  The amount I used in the recipe costs about 38 cents.You can get chickpeas on sale for 75 cents a can (maybe less), and the small amounts of the other ingredients makes the cost negligible for them.  So, if I add in a few cents for the olive oil, this recipe costs about $1.25 to make (versus $4.50 for one of the leading brand name versions) or about 9 cents a serving. 

Chickpeas are full of fiber, which helps to keep you feeling full longer.  They also have a high amount of protein that, in combination with a healthy fat like olive oil, creates a well-balanced snack. 

This version yields hummus that is less creamy and tangy than store bought, which is how I prefer it. You can always add more lemon juice and some of the juice from the can of chickpeas to make it more creamy.

Homemade Hummus

Ingredients

1 can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans) ~ approximately 1 3/4 cups

1 T extra virgin olive oil

2 T tahini

2-3 cloves of garlic

fresh ground pepper to taste

dash of fresh lemon juice

Directions

Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Put everything into a food processor and blend until smooth!

Nutrition (makes about 14 2-tablespoon servings):

Calories: 58

Fat: 2.5g

Carbs: 7.4g

Fiber: 1.5 g

Protein: 1.9g

Stay fit and save money!

Potato Salad

So, with summertime comes all of those great picnic foods that can be loaded with fat and calories from heavy dressings and sugary sauces.  Here's my take on a lighter potato salad that still has lots of flavor! 

Light(er) Potato Salad

Salad Ingredients

6 eggs, hard boiled

5-6 medium sized red potatoes

2 stalks of celery, finely chopped

1/4 cup onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup carrots, finely chopped

fresh parsley (to taste) 

Dressing Ingredients

1 T white vinegar

1 T spicy brown mustard

2-3 T miracle whip

Directions

Boil potatoes until soft.  Hard boil eggs (place eggs in cold water, bring to a boil, turn off heat and let stand for 12-15 minutes in hot water. Place in a bowl of ice water to cool - it also makes them easier to peel!).  Chop veggies - a food processor makes it so easy! Remove the skins from the potatoes and dice (skin will peel off easily after boiling).  Peel the eggs and chop 4.  Add eggs and potatoes to veggies.

Prepare the dressing in a separate bowl by mixing all ingredients together.  Pour dressing over the potato mixture and stir carefully.  Slice the remaining 2 eggs and place on top of salad; sprinkle with paprika and refrigerate.

Nutrition (based on 8 servings):

Calories: 145

Fat: 5.2 g

Carbs: 18.4g

Sugars: .4g

Protein: 6.7 g

Stay healthy!

Cauliflower Crust Pizza

Cauliflower Crust Pizza

If you're like most people, you probably love pizza. And like some people, you may feel guilty for indulging - not any more! When using cauliflower as the base for your crust rather than white flour, you add nutrition and subtract calories without sacrificing taste.  I adapted this recipe from an awesome foodie blog called Eat.Drink.Smile. 

The recipe was very easy to make and can be tweaked to suit your own personal tastes!  Most of the calories comes from the cheese, so feel free to substitute low fat/light cheese to lower the calories even more. This recipe is also low-carb and naturally gluten-free! 

Ingredients

2 cups of riced cauliflower

1 cup of part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

1 egg, beaten

2 cloves garlic, chopped

.5 teaspoon oregano

.25 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Directions

Ricing the cauliflower:  remove leaves and cut cauliflower into small florets. Pulse in a food processor until the cauliflower resembles grains - be careful not to pulse too long or you will puree the cauliflower! (Eat. Drink. Smile suggests using a cheese grater if you don't have a food processor.)  Place in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for about 6-8 minutes.  This will soften and somewhat cook the cauliflower.  While the cauliflower is in the microwave, pre-heat the oven to 450.

After removing the cauliflower from the microwave, add the remaining ingredients and mix.  The heat from the cauliflower will help to melt the cheese.  

Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray. Spread the cauliflower mixture onto the cookie sheet and pat down with the back of a spoon.  Cook the "crust" for 15 minutes.

Top with whatever you like and pop it back in the oven under the broiler for 3-4 minutes! So easy!

Nutrition (serves 2, information is for 1 serving; does not include sauce or other toppings)

Calories: 205

Fat: 12 g

Carbs: 6.2g

Fiber: 3g

Protein: 19g

Stay healthy!

Spelt Tortillas - Simple!

Homemade Spelt Tortillas

  Tonight's venture was to try making tortillas from scratch - success! This recipe was super easy and turned out really well with extras for the freezer.

Ingredients

2 cups of spelt flour

1 tsp salt

1.5 tsp baking soda

1 T olive oil

.75 cup of hot water

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.  Cover bowl and put in a warm place for about 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, separate the dough into 8 or 16 pieces depending on the size of tortillas you want. I separated the dough into 12 pieces to have some large (~7") and some small (~5").  Let set for another 20 minutes.

Roll the dough out very thin (I didn't need any extra flour - the dough didn't stick to the rolling pin or the cutting board).  Heat a skillet on medium and place tortilla into the pan (no cooking spray necessary).  The tortilla will begin to bubble - flip it and heat it for an additional 30-60 seconds.  Place tortillas on a plate, separated by damp paper towels to preserve the softness.  

They were fantastic fresh; I put my leftovers in the freezer (minus the paper towels) for another time!

Nutrition (per 1 tortilla when you make 8 from the dough)

Calories: 135

Fat: 2.8g

Carbs: 22g

Fiber: 4g

Protein: 4g

Stay healthy!

Sugar Free Frozen Pistachio Pie

So, I had some milk leftover from a (not so healthy) cake I recently made and wanted to use it before it expired.  What to do with cow's milk that I can't do with almond? How about pudding! (Pudding made with almond or soy milk won't set.) Here's my modified recipe for a sugar free, frosty pie!

Sugar Free Frozen Pistachio Pie

Ingredients (Crust)

1.5 cups crushed low-fat graham crackers (or cracked wheat cereal or whatever you have on hand)

2 T butter

1 T unsweetened apple sauce

Ingredients (Filling)

1 oz package sugar-free instant pistachio pudding

6 oz neufchatel cheese

1 cup skim milk

1/4 cup almond milk

4 oz lite cool whip (half a container)

Directions

Melt butter in the microwave; add graham crumbs and applesauce to butter - mix.  Press mixture into the bottom of a pie plate coated with non-stick spray (I had more than I thought was enough for the pie plate so I put the extra into 3 ramekins.).  Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes or until brown. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

Whisk pudding into milk and set aside until soft set.  Beat cream cheese until smooth; add pudding to cream cheese and mix.  Fold cool whip into pudding mixture. Spoon mixture over prepared crust and freeze  (or refrigerate) for 4 hours before serving.

Nutrition (makes about 11 servings)

Calories: 139

Total Fat: 7 g

Total Carbs: 15 g

Sugar: 5 g 

Protein: 3g

Ingredient notes:  I skimped on the butter in the crust to lower the calorie count; if you want your crust to stick together better, add 4 T of butter rather than 2.  The original recipe called for 1 1/4 cups of milk; I am still trying to figure out the minimum amount of cow's milk needed to make pudding set, but 1/4 cup of almond milk substituted had no effect on the pudding setting well.

Stay healthy!

Superfood Snack: Kale Chips!

Since all of my posts so far have been about desserts, I thought it was time for a recipe that's a little salty, rather than sweet.  Kale is a leafy green vegetable that is an awesome source of Vitamin K, Vitamin A, and Vitamin C; it is also full of anti-oxidants.  Kale is touted for its cancer fighting power in that it activates enzymes in your liver that help neutralize carcinogenic substances.  Read all about kale at the World's Healthiest Foods Site.  Even if you've never heard of it, kale is easily found in most supermarkets near other cruciferous veggies. Get rid of the potato chips - try kale!

Baked Kale Chips

Ingredients

bunch of Kale (organic if you can!)
olive oil or non-stick cooking spray
sea salt

** Try any blend of spices you like to season the kale**

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 350. Cut the curly leaves of the kale from the center rib (the rib is bitter) and tear into pieces.  Rinse well and allow to drain (you can also pat them dry with paper towels).  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or spray a sheet if you don't have parchment); place kale on baking sheet and mist with non-stick cooking spray. (You can also toss the kale with a teaspoon or 2 of olive oil in a bowl before placing on the baking sheet.)  Bake for about 7 minutes; sprinkle with sea salt, toss kale and return to oven for another 8-10 minutes.  There's a fine line between baked kale and burnt kale - make sure to keep your eye on it! When it begins to brown, remove from oven. 

Nutrition

Calories: 36 (in 1 cup)

Vitamin K 1328 % DV
Vitamin A 354% DV
Vitamin C 89% DV

Stay healthy!