Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

I love baking cookies. There are endless varieties, you can whip them quickly, most of the ingredients are always on hand, and you can easily bring them to a party, work, or send them across the country to surprise a friend. The problem is, like many desserts, cookies usually have loads of sugar and fat. So here it is, a great cookie that is little healthier than your standard cookie but with no compromise to flavor and great taste. The oats in this recipe is add fiber, walnuts with omega-3's, and egg whites cut down on fat. 

The Recipe:

Canola oil spray
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 cup quick-cooking oats (not instant)
1/3 cup chocolate chips or raisins
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 large egg white
3 Tbsp. coconut oil (you can use butter but it will take away from a little of the sweet flavor)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup peanut butter (natural and unsalted)
1 tsp. vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 2 baking pans or cookie sheets with oil spray.

2. Whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg in a mixing bowl. Mix in oats, chocolate chips and nuts.  

3. In a blender on medium speed, mix egg white, butter and sugar until smooth. Blend in peanut butter and vanilla until mixture is smooth. Pour peanut butter mixture into bowl with dry ingredients, mixing with spatula until well combined. Batter will be fairly stiff.

4. Drop batter by walnut-size spoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets, spacing cookies at least 2 inches apart. Flatten them slightly with the back of a wet spoon, wetting spoon frequently between cookies, to make 2-inch cookies.

5. Bake 10 minutes.

Pad Thai

When I think about Thai food my mind goes straight to take-out! Call in your order, say your spice level and within ten minutes your on your way home with dinner. But why not make it yourself?  The best part about it is that you can customize it with anything you wish. The options on what you can put in pad thai are limitless. You can add a variety of vegetables, and use any type of protein you like: chicken, shrimp, beef, or make it vegetarian by adding tofu. Many of the ingredients were not in my cupboard and my initial grocery list was not too small but most of the ingredients can be found at any grocery store. Another plus is that you only use a bit of each ingredient so you will be stocked up on many common Thai spices to continue making a variety of your favorite Thai dishes without having to go to the store again. Overall it may seem a little more expensive than take-out but I feed 3 people and had leftovers not too mention all the ingredients in my cupboard still waiting to be used many times again!

Recipe: 

8 oz. uncooked flat rice noodles

2 TBS. dark brown sugar

2 TBS. soy sauce

1 1/2 TBS. fish sauce

1 1/2 TBS. fresh lime juice

1 TBS. sriracha or chili garlic sauce

3 TBS. canola oil

1 cup (2 inches) green onion pieces

8 oz extra firm tofu, or your preferred choice of protein

5 cloves garlic

1 cup fresh bean sprouts

1/4 c. chopped peanuts

3 TBS. fresh sliced basil

Recipe courtesy of Cooking Light magazine 

I added mushrooms and broccoli to add a few more vegetables to the entree. I sauteed them along with the onion, tofu, and garlic. The vegetables not only add extra great nurtrition into your meal but they also help to fill you up on fewer calories thus making this dish much healthier than ordering it from a restaurant. 

 1. Cook noodles and drain. Combine sugar and next 4 ingredients in small bowl. 

2. Heat skillet over med-high heat (or wok) add oil. Add onion, tofu and garlic and stir fry 2 minutes.

 

3. Add cooked noodles and toss to combine. Stir in sauce and cook 1 minute. 

4. Arrange 1 cup noodle mixture on each of 4 plates and top each with 1/4 c. bean sprouts, 1 TBS. peanuts and 2 tsp. basil. 

Butternut Squash-White Bean Soup

March is National Nutrition Month and the theme is COLOR! Adding a variety of foods in your diet specifically foods of various colors helps you to get all of the nutrients and important vitamins in your diet. Every color of food has different properties, each having disease fighting and health promoting properties. Studies show a plant based diet reduces the risk of chronic diseases including obesity, diabetes, and many types of cancer. 

The weather is still not warming up and soups are not only a great way to warm you up in the winter but also a great way to increase your daily intake of vegetables. This soup contains high amounts of fiber, protein and vitamin A. The combination of sweet butternut squash and hot spices adds a great flavor and warms you up from the inside out. 

Butternut Squash-White Bean Soup Recipe:

1 cup chopped onion
2/3 cup chopped celery
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups (3/4 inch) cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1.5 lbs)
1/4 cup white wine
4 cups fat-free, less sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon ground cumin 
1/4 teaspoon red pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 cup whipping cream 
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 (15oz) cans great northern beans (these are sometimes hard to find, you can also get white beans, try to get reduced sodium)  rinsed and drained. 
3 tablespoons unsalted pumpkinseed kernels, toasted

1. Add onion, celery, and garlic to pan, cook 3 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add squash, cook 3 minutes stirring occasionally.

-Don't worry about getting the squash soft by this point, it will continue to cook and soften as you add liquid ingredients.

 2. Add white wine; cook until almost all liquid evaporates. Stir in broth, cumin, red pepper, cinnamon, and cloves; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer 5 minutes or until squash is tender.

3. Stir in remaining ingredients, leaving out seeds. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with pumpkinseeds.

Red Velvet Souffles with Whipped Yogurt Cream

There is absolutely nothing bad to say about this airy and decadent dessert. The souffle is a rich chocolatey cake, topped with a dollop of whipped yogurt cream and some berries to add a hint of tart and refreshing flavor. You can make the batter ahead of time and freeze it for baking later and serve it warm fresh out of the oven.

The Recipe: 

Souffles:

1 Tablespoon butter

3 Tablespoon granulated sugar

4 oz. bittersweet chocolate baking bar, chopped

5 large eggs, separated 

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3 Tablespoons skim milk

1 Tablespoon red food coloring

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 pinch of salt

2 Tablespoons granulated sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom and sides of 6 (8oz) ramekins with butter. Lightly coat with 3 Tablespoons sugar. Place on baking sheet. 

2. Microwave chocolate in a large bowl for 1 minute or until melted. Stir at 30-second intervals. Stir in 4 egg yolks, 1/3 cup sugar, and next 3 ingredients. (discard remaining egg yolk).

3. Beat 5 egg whites and salt at high speed with electric mixer until foamy. Gradually add 2 tablespoons sugar, beating until stiff peaks form.

 4. Fold egg white mixture into chocolate mixture, one third at a time. Spoon into prepared ramekins. Run the tip of your thumb around the edges of ramekins, wiping clean and creating a shallow indentation around the edge of the mixture (this will help the souffles rise properly).  

5. Bake at 350 for 20 to 24 minutes or until the souffles rise and a toothpick can be removed with a few moist crumbs. Dust with powdered sugar, serve immediately with the whipping cream.

 To make the whipping cream:

3/4 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup fat free plain yogurt
2 tablespoons sugar

Beat all ingredients together at medium high speed for about 45 seconds or until just lightly whipped. Spoon onto top of souffles. You can add a small amount of melted 70% dark chocolate and fresh berries to top it off.

   

Pork Tenderloin with Cocoa Nib Crust

If you want to impress a loved one on Valentines Day this entree is perfect for you. It sounds fancy and looks incredible to whom ever you make it for. The best thing about it is how easy it is to make; anyone can pull it off!

The Recipe: 

2 Tablespoons cocoa nibs ( roasted cocoa beans separated from their husks, I found them at a health food store)

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon cumin powder

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 1/2 lbs pork tenderloin 

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a spice or coffee grinder, or with a mortar and pestle, grind the nibs until broken into smaller bits. Mix with remaining spices.

 2. Trim off the pork's silvery skin, then rinse and pat dry. Lightly coat pork with olive oil. Rub with a generous amount of the cocoa spice rub.

3. In a skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium high heat. Add pork and sear until golden brown on all sides, about 8 minutes total. Transfer to oven and roast pork until a thermometer in the thickest part of the pork reaches 145 degrees, about 15 minutes.

 

4. Let rest 10 minutes before thinly slicing and serving with mango salsa.  

 The mango salsa adds color to the plate and a fresh citrus taste to the pork. If you want the salsa to be a little more juicy use a mango that is soft to the touch,  the color of the skin is not a good way of knowing when the mango is ripe.

1 mango
1/2 red onion
1 red pepper
2 Tablespoon orange juice
1 teaspoon lime juice
If you would like the salsa to be hot add a small jalapeno.
Mix all ingredients together and let sit for at least 2 hours for flavors to mix.

This is a perfect meal to make for Valentine's day or any time you want to impress someone with a romantic dinner. With a little taste of bitter chocolate and spice from the paprika and cumin you'll have all of your senses stimulated.

Corn and Smoked Mozzarella Pizza

With a combination of flavors like the sweetness of roasted corn and a rich smokey flavor of cheese you can't go wrong. I was trying to think of something new to try during the super bowl that was not too cliche. This pizza can be cut into great finger food for the super bowl or make for a main dish any time throughout the year.

Recipe:

  2 ears shucked corn
  Cooking Spray
  2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
  1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  1 garlic clove, minced
  1 pkg dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
  3/4 cup warm water (100- 110) divided
  2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
  2 tablespoons 1% low-fat milk
  1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
  2 tablespoons cornmeal
  1 cup (4oz) shredded smoked mozzarella cheese ( I used gouda, any smoked cheese is good)
  1 cup very thinly sliced red onion
  2 tablespoons chopped chives
  1 1/2 teaspoons grated lime rind
Recipe complements of Cooking Light

1. Prepare grill or broiler

2. Place corn on grill rack or broiler pan coated with cooking spray, cook 10 minutes, turning occasionally. Let cool.

3. Place 1 tablespoon oil and red pepper in a small bowl; microwave on high for 3 seconds. Stir on garlic, set aside.

 4. Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm water in a large bowl; let stand 20 minutes. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cups and level with knife. Add 1/2 cup warm water, 2 cups flour, milk, 1 tablespoon oil, and 3/4 teaspoon salt to yeast mixture; mix well.

 5. Turn dough onto floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic; add flour a little at a time to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel tacky).

6. Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turn dough to coat the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85), 40 minutes or until about doubled in size. To tell if it is done lightly push finger into dough, if indentation remains, dough has risen enough. Punch the dough down, cover and let rest 5 minutes. 

7. Preheat oven to 500 

8. Divide dough in half; roll each half into a 9-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. If you do not have a rolling pin a good alternative is a wine bottle. If you would like more of a flat bread pizza roll the dough more thin to get a very crispy crust. Don't worry about making a perfect circle, it will look rustic and more homemade if its not perfect. Place dough onto baking sheet covered in cornmeal. Crimp the edges of the dough to form a rim.

 

 9. Brush dough with oil mixture, sprinkle with cheese, corn and onion. Bake at 500, for 8 minutes or until golden. Sprinkle with chives and lime rind.

  

Cut the pizza into small pieces and serve warm. 

Spicy Black Bean Hummus

February is Heart Heath month so I decided to try and make some great super bowl food that is also "heart healthy." This is a great spin on bean dip but what makes it even better is that it is low in fat and high in fiber with a spice that will keep the everyone coming back for more. Not only is is it a healthy snack but it is extremely fast and easy to make.

Spicy Black Bean Hummus:

 Ingredients:

    1 garlic clove (minced)
    2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice (I used orange juice)
    1 teaspoon ground cumin
    dash of salt*
    1 can (15oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
    1 small jalapeno pepper, diced (about 2 tablespoons)
    dash of red pepper (add to taste at the end)
    2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
Recipe from Cooking light

   

 Place all of the ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Add a sprinkle of crushed pepper at the end to increase spice if preferred.

Cut whole wheat tortillas into triangle pieces and bake in the oven until warm or as crunchy as desired. By using your own tortillas rather than store bought chips you cut down on the sodium and add fiber.

Serve hummus with tortillas, vegetables, sweet potato chips, or anything that sounds tasty to you!

  The other great thing about this hummus is that you can save the left overs and it can double as a spread for a grilled cheese or turkey sandwich later in the week. 

* The American Heart Association recommends consuming less than 1500mg of sodium per day, adding less salt to what you make cuts down on sodium and makes for a more heart healthy snack.