Green Juice!

So I watched Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead and it made me miss my juicer.  A while back we had new siding installed on our house and I forgot to remove our juicer and food processor from a shelf that was attached to the wall.

Needless to say the shelf was knocked off the wall.  We lost the juicer.  However, the food processor survived the mighty fall.  Go Cuisinart!!

So I ordered a new juicer and it came today.  Here is the juice that I made with it.

Just look at that color!!!!  I don't know about you, but the greener a smoothie or juice is, the more nutrient rich it looks to me.  My heart actually starts to beat a little bit faster!

Here are the ingredients I used:

2 oranges (rind removed, seeds and pith in tact)

1 peeled, de-seeded asian pear

1/2 cup cut carrots that were already peeled (unfortunately)
1/4 of an English cucumber, peel left on.
A ball of spinach, about a handful worth

This was really tasty.  I actually loved drinking it!

My four year old's response was something along the lines of "BLECH! I do NOT like green juice!"

So I mixed it 1/1 with apple juice and he had two glasses.  My only reservation about that is whether or not that will digest well in his little body.  Next time I will make sure to dilute the juice a bit to protect his stomach.

So, there will be more juice recipes to come!  I also can't wait to start utilizing the pulp of these juices in other cooking and baking, and in my smoothies!  More to come!!!

Refreshing Cranberry-Orange Green Smoothie

Winter can be a difficult time in terms of desiring green smoothies.  Most of us want something warm in the mornings, not something composed of ice and frozen produce.  However, I find that the idea of a refreshing drink, even if it is cold, is nice when facing a dreary day.  This smoothie takes advantage of the plethora of frozen cranberries available during the fall and winter months.

In this version I added two things that I would suggest you avoid if you aren't an avid green smoothie drinker- whole chunks of lemon and spirulina powder.  I say this because the whole lemon can be a bit strong and most people starting out with smoothies need something sweet.  The spirulina is also something I would avoid if you aren't accustomed to earthy flavors.  It does carry its own strong scent and flavor, although it is crazy healthy!  Additionally it really gives the smoothie that green color you see in my pic.  The spinach doesn't usually present that obviously.  If you, or others you may be sharing with, are affected by the aesthetic appearance of the smoothie, spirulina may not be for you!

The addition of ground cloves is also a matter of flavor preference.  Personally I associate orange and clove mixtures with this time of year.  Adding in the ultra nutrient rich cranberries gives this smoothie a nice holiday/winter feel.

Refreshing Cranberry Orange Green Smoothie

Ingredients

1/2 c. Orange Juice

1/2 c. Frozen Cranberries

1/2 c. Fat Free Cottage Cheese

1 Banana (Frozen or not)

1/2 c. Natural, no sugar added apple sauce

1 tsp. Bee Pollen

1 tsp. Spirulina Powder

1 c. Spinach

1/4 Lemon

1 c. filtered water

Pinch of ground cloves

Put all the ingredients into the blender and blend!

Overall, this is a rather tasty smoothie.  I have mentioned this before, but I will say it again, do not underestimate the value of cottage cheese in smoothies.  It is high in calcium, doesn't overwhelm with its flavor and blends completely so that it looses that signature texture that makes most people cringe when they read my recipes.

Nutritional Information (click on images to enlarge)

Enjoy!!!

Stuffed Peppers

I love the taste of sausage and peppers together.  But, I am not a big fan of really soft peppers.  This is my variation on stuffed peppers. 


Here is an approximate recipe.

Ingredients:

Stuffing:


Tomatoes-chopped

Fennel-chopped

Onion-chopped

Garlic-minced

Red, yellow and orange peppers-chopped

Kale-shredded

Healthy sausage-out of casing and crumbled

Green peppers for stuffing- tops cut off and set in a oven safe dish so that they are not falling over. :)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Take the casings off the sausage and saute it in a tiny bit of olive oil.  Once it is cooked add all the vegetables and cooked them until they are softened.

Once they are softened I add the shredded kale and let it get a bit soft.

Stuff the peppers with the stuffing and place in the oven for 20-25 minutes.

Keep an eye on your kale to make sure it doesn't burn, and keep an eye on your peppers to make sure they don't get softer than you would like them to be. 


My husband is currently doing a diet which excludes grains.  If he weren't eating this dinner, or if I felt like adding grains tonight I would have included some barely or some wild rice.

Enjoy!!

Seafood and Chicken Stew

Oh man..... this soup is amazing! It has everything but the kitchen sink in it, but it all works together perfectly!

Ingredients

Stock:
White wine
Chicken stock
Fresh tomatoes
Canned tomatoes
Clam Juice


Cooked or marinated in stock:
Shrimp
Salmon
Clams
Chicken breast
Fresh kale
Fresh spinach
Carrots


Sauteed in olive oil and a tiny bit of black truffle oil:
Onion 
Fennel
Celery
Garlic
Baby portobello mushrooms
Red, yellow and orange peppers


Spiced with:
Smoked Paprika
Old bay
Pepper
Wild Mushroom infused salt
Marjoram


Topped with Freshly chopped parsley.


I am not going to provide all of the nutritional info, or the detailed instructions, simply because of the time it would consume.  Hopefully this list of ingredients and basic description will inspire you to have some fun the next time you want to make some soup/stew!

Mocha Green Smoothie

Hello again!  

A lot of things have been happening in my life to keep me busy.  I was attending classes online to get my degree in nutrition science and now have six classes left until I am finished.  I worked hard on my classes until October when I took a break to concentrate on staying healthy during my pregnancy!  I spent four months being very ill and hardly keeping any food in my body, then around week 20 of my pregnancy I felt much better!  


Since then I have been renovating my house, travelling and taking care of my three year old and trying to keep healthy during the holiday season while wanting to eat EVERYTHING I SEE!  


I have continued to work on developing new recipes these last many months, but I have failed to post them here.  Instead they usually end up on my facebook profile for my friends to see.


But, today I made a wonderful smoothie that I couldn't keep from posting.  The sad thing is that I forgot to take a pic before I downed the entire two servings. It was that good!!!  So, here is a pic of the empty cup. :)

Here are the ingredients!

1/2 c. skim milk
1/2 c. fat free cottage cheese
1 c. decaf coffee (cooled down)
2 Tbsp. Hershey Chocolate Syrup with Calcium
1 c. of ice
1 frozen banana
2 tsp. of flax meal
1 tsp. of bee pollen
1 small handful of fresh spinach (close to a cup)


Put in the blender and mix!


This smoothie is surprisingly amazing.  While I do not feel that the coffee and chocolate are really healthful items, they do function as great vehicles for taking in some wonderful nutrients found in the rest of this smoothie.


This recipe makes two ample sized servings.

Here is some nutritional breakdown for two servings:
Click on the graphics to enlarge them.

Here is some additional information regarding some of the ingredients.

Bee Pollen:
"Bee pollen is a nutritional source for drone bees. It has been described as “nature's perfect food” and is a highly concentrated food source containing a complex supply of quality nutrients. A number of traditional Chinese herbal formulas contain bee pollen. It is rich in vitamins, minerals, trace elements, enzymes, and amino acids, and contains approximately 30% protein, 55% carbohydrate, 1% to 2% fat, and 3% minerals and trace vitamins. Vitamin C concentrations of 3.6% to 5.9% have also been found in some samples. Promotional literature lists up to 100 vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids, antioxidants, and other identified compounds. However, the physiologic importance of many of these components is poorly understood. Bee pollen preparations often contain mixtures of pollens from diverse types of plants that vary with geographic origin."

-http://www.drugs.com/npp/bee-pollen.html

Flax Meal:

"Flax contains several disease-fighting compounds, primarily the omega-3 fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), fiber, and lignans. Flaxseed is one of the richest sources of ALA, a polyunsaturated fat that offers unique heart health benefits. Flax is an excellent source of both soluble and insoluble fiber, providing three grams of fiber per tablespoon. Flax also is packed full of lignans, natural cancer-preventative phytonutrients. Flax also is full of vital vitamins and minerals such as folate, vitamin E, vitamin B-6, copper, zinc, magnesium, and (dry ounce for ounce) more potassium than seven bananas. Flax has been shown to help prevent heart disease and lower its risk factors, reduce symptoms of inflammatory disorders, protect against cancer, reduce cholesterol, and even ease the effects of Type 2 diabetes. Learn more about the health benefits of flax and make it an important part of your daily diet."

-http://www.healthyflax.com/flax-faq/

Spinach:
"Among the World's Healthiest vegetables, spinach comes out at the top of our ranking list for nutrient richness. Rich in vitamins and minerals, it is also concentrated in health-promoting phytonutrients such as carotenoids (beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin) and flavonoids to provide you with powerful antioxidant protection."

-http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=43

Cottage Cheese:
"ne serving of cottage cheese is a good source of riboflavin with 0.2 mg, or 11 percent DV. It also contains 0.5mcg, or 8 percent DV, of vitamin B12 and 0.6mg, or 6 percent DV of pantothenic acid. Other vitamins include vitamin A at 3 percent DV, thiamin at 2 percent DV, vitamin B6 at 3 percent DV and folate at 3 percent DV. . . Cottage cheese contains 180mg, or 18 percent DV, of phosphorus; 11mcg, or 16 percent DV of selenium; and 68mg of calcium. Other minerals include magnesium, potassium, zinc and copper . . . Cottage cheese is a very good source of protein with 14g in one serving."

- http://www.livestrong.com/article/247189-cottage-cheese-nutrition-facts/#ixzz1iVBQdpXq

Sprouted Pasta Dish, 5 WW Points Plus, 310 Calories

Sprouted Whole Wheat Pasta Dish

So, I have been working on making healthy sauces lately. I have also been taking classes to get a degree in nutrition, hence the scarse posts!  So, back to the sauces.  I am sure that my ideas are not super original, but I am enjoying making them be a realistic part of my recipe collection.

So, here is the recipe for today's experiment:

Ingredients:

1 serving of 100% Whole Grain Sprouted Flour pasta (57g uncooked)

1 Tbsp. Freshly Grated Parmesan

1/4 c. Skim Milk

1 c. Pureed Yellow Squash

1/2 Tbsp. Hemp Hearts

1 + Tbsp. Minced Fresh Tarragon

salt and white pepper to taste (easy on the salt b/c the parmesan is naturally salty)

Directions:

Make the pasta as indicated (cooks very quickly)

Combine milk, half of the parmesan, half of the tarragon, and the squash in a pot 

to warm up and cook together

Add fresh pasta to warmed sauce

Put it on a plate and sprinkle with the rest of the tarragon, salt, pepper, and the rest of the parmesan

Eat.

Ok, here are the nutritional facts about this dish. Click on graphic to enlarge.

I used this particular pasta, although I hear that Trader Joe's also makes a comparable pasta.

Here are the hemp hearts that I used:

Hemp hearts are a new addition to my pantry.  They are high in iron, and healthy fat and protein.  

If you want to check them out, go to this site:

hemphearts.com

The nutrient breakdown for 5 Tablespoons is this:

Calories: 340

Fat: 28 g

Saturated: 3 g

Cholesterol: 0 g

Sodium: 0 g

Carbohydrates: 4 g

Fiber: 2 g

Sugars: 1 g

Protein: 17 g

Calcium: 4% DRI

Iron: 60% DRI

There is a lot of information on this site, some of which I think sounds hokey, but I do like the nutritional qualities.

The pasta I used is supposedly digested in a manner similar to vegetables.  You can read more about that on this site:

http://www.essentialeating.com/products.asp

Overall, I liked this pasta dish.  It wasn't amazingly filling.  If you want to make it more filling you could add more vegetables, or more hemp hearts at 2 pts. per tablespoon, about a 68 calorie increase from what I posted.  If I had some nice ripe tomatoes, I would have diced them and added them because they would have perfected this dish!!!

Yellow squash is wonderful.  It tastes incredible and has a great texture when pureed.  It is also one of the easier vegetables to cook and puree b/c you don't need to add water to puree it and you don't need to peal it.  

Just wash it, cut it up, boil it, let it cool, put it in the blender and blend.  You don't need a very high power blender to do this and this puree is amazingly versatile.  Yellow squash is not very expensive either, especially when it is in season.  You can puree it, freeze it in cubes and use it later, like I just did!

Notes on Tarragon:

Medicinal value of tarragon

Tarragon is mainly used to treat stomach disorders and also acts as a mild anaesthetic and sedative. Tarragon is also said to:

• Stimulate the appetite and therefore can help treat eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia.
• Numb aches and pains due to its anaesthetic properties.
• Act as a mild sedative and sleep inducement.
• Treat hyperactivity and promote calmness, especially when taken as a tea.
• Aid digestion, particularly the break down of meat fats and proteins.
• Release and flush out toxins from the body.
• Relieve stomach cramps, indigestion, wind and colic in babies.
• Ease menstrual pains.
• Alleviate rheumatoid and arthritic pain.
• Act as a laxative and relieve constipation.
• Help depression if taken with fennel.
• Help people with heart problems and obesity if taken as a substitute for salt.

According to: http://www.helpwithcooking.com/herb-guide/tarragon.html

Notes on Yellow squash (click on graphic to enlarge):

according to: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=62

Hydrating Smoothie

I was recently listening to a book on tape that talked about how your choice in food choices reflects your outlook on life.  It seems a little hokey, but I think there is some merit to the idea.  It made me think about my food and eating preferences.  The conclusion that I came up with is this: I must have a dissociative identity disorder when it comes to food!

One day I will think of the most healthy food that I can manage to make.  I'll make my own applesauce from apples I hand picked, and then dehydrate them to make fruit leather.  I'll create a smoothie that is so packed full of nutrients and flavor that it makes me beam with pride!

Then there are the other days where all I really want in this world is a perfectly created cupcake or a juicy cheesy burger topped with pickles and onions.

That being said, I think what it comes down to is this:  I do not focus on healthy food because I fear unhealthy foods.  I do it because I love them!  I have developed a taste for whole foods and I eat them for the same reason I eat the occasional donut.  They taste good!

A few people and I have had the "fast food" conversation. In no part of my mind do I recognize "fast food" as food.  I think of it more as "convenient, high calorie, high fat, emotion inducing grub".  When I was pregnant my brain craved fast food constantly.  Thankfully I didn't give in all the time, but the craving was there.  I liked the way that the food made me feel.

So my question here is:  Do you like food because of the way it tastes or because of how it makes you feel?

I am sure we all can agree that both reasons play a part in our daily food intake choices.

I recently went for a run that was strenuous for me.  It was further than I had run in a long time, and when I got back from it I was parched and sweaty.  My son's babysitter watched as I grabbed a few items and threw them into the blender.  Then she watched in horror/fascination when I actually drank the fluid I had concocted.  I asked her if she wanted to try the smoothie and, to my surprise, she said ok.

The main ingredient in the smoothie? Celery.

Here is why I choose to feature this vegetable in my smoothie:

http://www.bushmanfitness.com/articles/tips/tips-to-thrive-on-in-combating-dehydration/502/

Her reaction was interesting.  She said it was very "celery-y" and she didn't like it but it fascinated her.  I think that this experience was giving her an insight.  Sometimes we don't really taste a food until we really taste the food.  She kept drinking by the way.  She certainly looked confused by her desire to do so.

I created a smoothie this morning that I wanted to share with you.  It is not for the novice smoothie drinker, unless you want to amp up your tolerance and appreciation for the true taste of food that isn't altered by excessive fat, salt or sugar.

I like to drink this after a long run or when I wake up from a mid-day nap feeling groggy and blech.

Hydrating Smoothie

1 peeled cucumber

1/2 c. baby spinach leaves

1 large celery stalk

Fresh juice from 2 small limes or 1 big lime

2 tsp. of honey

2 cups of water

3 cups of ice

1/2 cup of natural applesauce (nice sweetener, huh?)

BLEND!

If you choose to make this smoothie, let me know what you think. I am on my second huge glass of it today.  It is amazingly refreshing!

Banana "Ice Cream" 1 WW Point

NUM YUMMY!

Every so often my son gets a hankering for ice cream.  But, being a health conscious person who is very aware of their own self control issues, I rarely  have any ice cream in the house.

That is where Dr. Joel Fuhrman and frozen bananas come in handy.  In his book "Eat For Health" Dr. Furhman gives a recipe for what he calls "Frozen Banana Fluff".  This dessert is a wonderful alternative to fatty, high-calorie ice cream.  Also this recipe grants you a great deal of versatility based on what you have in your fridge, freezer or pantry.

Here is what you need:

A strong food processor.  This is really important.  You don't want to make this in a lower powered food processor and kill it. I  have a friend who did that and she wasn't too happy.

I use this food processor by Cuisinart.  It is a lovely little machine that rarely lets me down.

Here are your ingredients:

1/4 Cup "milk" 

2 bananas that were ripe when frozen

A dash of vanilla extract

2 Tbsp. of ground flax seed (optional)

Any other elements for flavor*

Instructions:

To make this as easy as possible on your food processor, put in your s blade and add the "milk".

Then add the frozen banana pieces one at a time.  Add the vanilla and mix until you have a nice creamy texture that looks like this.

Flax Seeds

You can add the ground flax seed as a topping to add even more nutrients if you wish.  If you have a nut allergy you may want to abstain from this.  Also, if you grind your own flax seed in a coffee or spice grinder, keep the meal in your fridge but for about two weeks.  Here is an awesome site full of wonderful information on flax seeds and their nutritional benefits:

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=81

Flavoring:

*Let's get into the flavoring issue.  I like to add fresh strawberries, or frozen, depending on what is on hand.  You can also alternate what extracts you use.  Get creative.  Use raspberry or almond, or orange.  Or just add some blueberries or real raspberries.  Just note that if you add more solids you are going to have to compensate with more liquid.  That means more "milk" and that could mean more points or calories.  Just keep that in mind.  You could also replace some of the banana with another fruit.  But be aware that your creaminess is coming from the bananas.

If you don't mind adding some calories (and points), you can add some chocolate.  A low calorie option for adding chocolate is to take a zester/grater and zest some semi sweet baking chocolate into the banana mixture.

"Milk":

Now another note, this one is concerning "milk".  If you are vegan you can opt for soy or rice milk.  Trader Joe's makes an amazing Grain Milk made from millet, amaranth, brown rice and quinoa.  Talk about nutrients!!

I chose to use Trader Joe's rice drink, and fresh strawberries, to make the "ice cream" pictured above.  I used about 1/2 a cup to compensate for the added strawberries.

Not only does it already have a nice vanilla flavor incorporated, but it is also enriched.  Here are the facts on this beverage:

Points:

If you calculate the WW points on this beverage it is 3 points per cup.  The points in your dessert depends on how much of the liquid you use to make the ice cream (which depends on if you add more fruit than bananas).  Don't forget that with the new points plus Weightwatchers system all fruit is FREE!! So your only calories are going to come from your liquid in this recipe.  

If you aren't a vegan and you choose to use skim milk you'll find yourself with even less points because one cup of skim milk is only two points.

Freezing Bananas:

Now, some  advice on the bananas.  Grab some bananas that are already ripe, and therefore on sale, at the grocery store.  Take them home, slice them up and freeze them on a baking sheet with parchment, or a cooling rack.  You want to freeze them this way or you will end up a ball of frozen bananas that are hard to separate in your freezer.  Once they are frozen you can toss the into a nice thick reliable freezer bag for storing.

I reference this process on a more detailed level in this post:

http://cookeattype.blogspot.com/2010/07/banana-processing.html

My kid loves this stuff, as do I.  I have impressed quite a few visitors to my house with this recipe.  Just eat it right away b/c it doesn't keep that well.

Enjoy!

So, get creative and enjoy some "ice cream" void of any and all guilt.  And check out the book it came from.  It is full of many other uber-healthy, tasty, creative recipes.s

Hiatus Cleansing Smoothie

Well, since the holidays are now over I am more free to do all the other fun extras that I enjoy, like food blogging!  How were your holidays?  Mine were rather nice.  They culminated in a week long trip to NYC filled with irresponsible and decadent eating!  The nice thing is that even though I took that week off of my WeightWatchers lifestyle, I only gained 2.5 lbs.  I have already lost .5 and am sure to loose the other two sooner than later.  I love this program.  To date I have lost a total of 26 pounds (and that includes adding two pounds for the week of debauchery and overeating, I think I had 8 cupcakes in two days. . . ).

So this morning I decided to get back into another good habit (other than doing WeightWatchers), and that is making a green smoothie each morning.  Not only will it help to make me feel more healthy mentally, but hopefully physically too.  I am fighting a gross cold today... ugh.

So, WeightWatchers changed up their system recently to be even more healthy, which I find beautiful and exhilarating.  A week and a half after they updated the program I was able to break through a plateau I had been on for weeks and drop an additional 4 lbs!

One of the new additional changes to their plan is that all fruit and most veggies (excluding those obvious starchy ones) are now zero points.  That means that my smoothies are now really low in points.

So today's smoothie is blueberry focused.  Like I have said before on this blog, blueberries are great b/c they are very healthy and hide the green element of green smoothies from those who are more aesthetically sensitive.

Blueberry Num Yum Smoothie

1/2 C. Trop50 Blueberry Pomegranate Juice (1 point)
1/2 C. Skim Milk (1 point)
1/2 C. Frozen Wild Blueberries (0 points)
1 Frozen Banana (0 points)
1/2 C. Frozen Strawberries (0 points)
1 Cube Frozen Pureed Spinach, better to use fresh if you have it (0 points)
1 C. Filtered Water
1 Packet of Truvia (0 points), or you can just use a Tbsp. of Agave Nectar for 2 points.

Total Yield: A little more than 3 cups at 1 pt. per 1 1/2 cup serving.

Now... let's talk nutrients.  I choose to use the Trop50 juice simply because I had it in the fridge.  I grabbed it to try out.  It is decent and does have less sugar and half the points of regular apple juice. I found this article online and found it interesting:

http://www.topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/lawsuit-news/930-tropicana-trop50-pomegranate-blueberry-juice-class-action-

As for Truvia. Here is an interesting article analyzing it's safety and value as a "natural" calorie free sweetener.

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/the-truth-on-truvia/

I used it today simply b/c I somehow found some in my pantry... no clue how it got there.  Usually I use agave nectar, but I am all out and too sickly to make the trek through the snow to procure some more, so Truvia it is this morning.

If you added 1 Tbsp. of Agave (a much more natural sweetener) to this smoothie, each serving would be 2 pts.  I personally think it is worth the extra point to avoid suspect sweeteners.  Having said that, I am not sure how often I'll use the Truvia.

This is a pretty tasty smoothie and it feels really good to know how many nutrients I am getting just sitting here sipping my drink!  For my WeightWatchers friends you can click off three servings of fruit and veggies, one serving of low fat dairy, and one serving of water.  Not bad!

Hopefully I will get back into the swing of things and start posting again on here!  I know that I have a very healthy (low points) cherry cake waiting in the back of my mind for posting.  I think I will wait until I feel less crappy to type that one up.  I am more eloquent when I am not wiping my nose every few seconds. 

So, here is to a new year full of healthier choices and more fulfilling living!!!

Cumin Bean Cakes

Dipping.  It seems to be the quintessential catalyst for toddler food consumption.  You don't want to eat your  ______ ?  How about some ketchup with it?  Here you go persnickety toddler! Eat up!

And since I have now established the attractiveness of dipping things to children, let's move onto dip worthy food.  I find that cakes (as in pancakes) of some sort usually tolerate and accentuate the dipping experience.

That being said, I will introduce you to the recipe of today.  Cumin Beans Cakes.  These are a take on a recipe that I found and altered in "Toddler Menus" by Penny Preston.

I have used a couple of her recipes, and have shared reviews of them on this blog.  So, you may be familiar with that image.  I took her already healthy recipe and amped it up a bit.  I will explain my alterations.
First off, I halved the recipe.  This is a precaution I like to take when trying a new recipe that can be halved.  You can always make more if it is a well received dish, but you cannot go back in time and waste less if no one will touch it (including yourself).  For those of you who are shy about trying new recipes in the fear of wasting time and ingredients, this can temper the blow and help you take that plunge into exploration with food.

Regardless of how the dish turns out, you will learn something so your time is never wasted.  Keep telling yourself that when you are begging your kid to swallow that chipmunk cheek of stored and resisted food.

Cumin Beans Cakes

Ingredients:

1 c. corn kernels.  I am a huge fan of Trader Joe's Organic Super Sweet Frozen Corn.
1 c. black beans, drained and rinsed.  To save time I used canned. (Originally, red kidney beans)
2 Tbsp. of Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
2 Eggs, beaten
Spices to taste: Black Pepper, Cumin, Onion Powder and Salt.  I used about two pinches of each.  I used a Red Chili infused Sea Salt.
Salsa, cilantro and Nonfat sour cream.

Directions:

1.  Mix your beans and corn together in a bowl.

2.  Stir in flour, wheat germ and beaten eggs, and spices.

3.  Heat some vegetable oil in a skillet.  I used spray oil.

4.  Put about a tablespoon of batter in skillet.  Flip after a couple of minutes and brown the other side.

5.  Mix up some minced or pureed cilantro with sour cream, and serve it with the cakes and some salsa.

Review:

My take on this recipe?  Well... I had to change it a lot to make it work for me.  I added another egg to the halved recipe b/c the original one batter wasn't binding well enough to make a usable and realistic patty.  I used black beans because I like them more than Kidney beans.  I also used the specific spices I did because I am not a big fan of bland food, and the original recipe only used pepper.  I also added the wheat germ, and changed the flour from all purpose to whole wheat pastry, to add more nutrients.
As for the sour cream, to compensate for the fat free-ness I took a frozen cube of pureed cilantro from this summer and thawed it, and then mixed it into the sour cream.  It added freshness that compensated for any heaviness the pastry flour and oil from frying added to the dish.
I LOVED eating my version these little cakes.  And any extras you make can be frozen, pulled out, and heated up later for easy feeding of the family.

Nutrition:

This entire recipe yields 12 points and I would say about 4 servings.  So, each serving is about 3 points.  You get vegetables, protein and whole grains in this one item.

Wheat germ: The germ at the center of the wheat seed is a concentrated source of nutrients. Two tablespoons provide a good source of thiamin, folate, magnesium, phosphorus, iron and zinc. Sprinkle over cereals, yogurt and salads. Or use it in muffins, cookies and pancakes. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/49475.php

Black Beans:  There is a plenitude of information on these little guys.  From fiber and protein to antioxidants, these beans pack quite a nutrition filled punch. Here is a great website if you are interested.

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=george&dbid=72

Corn: This food is low in Saturated Fat, and very low in Cholesterol and Sodium.

http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/cereal-grains-and-pasta/5687/2

Pumpkin Ravioli

I am a member of Costco, and so somewhere in my head I thought that meant that I could never join another megalomart superdooper shopping warehouse club store.  I attribute that irrational thought to an excessively frugal woman I once knew who balked at the idea.  Somehow that little ditty of misinformation lodged itself in my brain.

That being said, I received an invitation to visit BJs Warehouse Club.  Even though I think the name of that place was not thought out well enough, I took a trip to the store and checked it out.  While perusing the goods I found a new cookbook to buy and bring home to my excessive collection.  So I joined the club, and now I am welcome at two different mega-buy-a-lot-o-shit stores! Gasp!

The cookbook that I bought is titled "Double Delicious".  It is the younger sibling of Jessica Seinfeld's first cookbook titled "Deceptively Delicious".  I have mentioned that book a few times on here, as all of you loyal and attentive readers know....yeah.  Anyway, here is a link to the book if you want more info on it.



The first recipe that I decided to work on was for pumpkin ravioli.  'Tis the season, right?  While making these ravioli I kept thinking to myself.  "These better be good or I am going to do my first negative review of a recipe on my blog and BLAST IT, simply because of the tedious work this recipe requires."  *See photo of my counter below.

However, the minute I took my first bite all that labor was forgotten.  It was like giving birth to a tiny little pumpkin pocket of ravioli love and forgetting all about the hours of work.

So... my assessment of this recipe?  MY HELL, YUM!

My assessment of this book?  BUY IT!

Not only are the recipes easy and interesting, but Jessica Seinfeld included the nutrition information.  I went through and calculated all the points for the recipes so I know what I am getting myself into when I start to slobber and lust over a page of cherry jubilees brownies.  Ahhh.... YUM!  That will be coming to the blog soon, by the way.

So, for this recipe one serving is six ravioli, and you end up with about 6 servings.  Each serving equals 7 weight watchers points and is about 352 calories if you follow Mrs. Seinfeld's recipe to the T.  I, however, am not capable of doing this.  I made mine a little less calorific by taking away one ingredient and lessening another.  You'll see as you check out the recipe.

Pumpkin Ravioli

Ingredients: (my changes are noted below the bold typed original items)

1 (15-0unce) can low-sodium white beans, such as navy, rinsed and drained.

I used about 7 ounces of pureed garbanzo beans instead, because that is what I had and garbanzo are a little higher in calories than navy beans.

1/2 c. canned 100% pumpkin (not the pie mix) 
I put in 1 full cup to make up for bulk of the beans I didn't add.  Pumpkin is lower in calories than both garbanzo and navy beans.

1/2 c. part-skim ricotta cheese
It is rumored that somewhere in the universe there is nonfat ricotta.  I have yet to discover this animal.

1/4 c. grated Parmesan

3/4 tsp. garlic powder  

1 large egg

72 wonton wrappers, about 1 1/2 (12 ounce) packages 

I only used about 60 of them to make 30.  Froze half the ravioli uncooked, and put the rest of the filling in rolled whole-wheat tortillas that I baked, and then froze for later consumption.

1 tbsp. cornstarch

1 1/2 c. jarred marinara, warmed up.

I didn't use the marinara to save myself some calories.  Instead, I used fake butter spray, sea salt and ground pepper for flavor. 

Directions:

1. Fill stockpot with water.

2. In small bowl, beat egg with about a tablespoon of water.

3. Set wonton wrappers on a clean counter.  Put about a tablespoon of filling in the middle of each one.  

I have also seen online where someone used less filling and just folded the wrapper in half to form a triangle.  

4. Turn burner to high to boil your water in the pot sitting on the stove already.

5. Brush the edges of the wonton wrapper with egg wash.

6. Put another wonton wrapper on top and make sure that the two are sealed around the filling.

7. Use the bottom of a can, or a stainless steel measuring cup, to make the ravioli circular if you want.

8. Sprinkle them with cornstarch.

9. Put them in the boiling water to cook.  When they float they are done and need to be fished out gently with a slotted spoon or a skimmer.

 

I do not have a skimmer, yet.  I will get one today to remedy my feelings of inadequacy after having to use a slotted spoon, the indignity. 

10. Put ravioli on a plate with marinara, or put them on a plate and spray with that lovely toxic low calorie spray butter crap (selling you on that one aren't I?) and sprinkle with pepper and salt.

11.  Eat, YUM!

Nutrition Facts:

Pumpkin:

The good: This food is low in Saturated Fat, and very low in Cholesterol and Sodium. It is also a good source of Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Pantothenic Acid, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Copper, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Iron and Manganese.

The bad: A large portion of the calories in this food come from sugars.

-http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2602/2

Garbanzo Beans:

The good: This food is very low in Saturated Fat and Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin B6 and Folate, and a very good source of Manganese.

The bad: This food is high in Sodium. *if taken from a can

-http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/legumes-and-legume-products/4327/2 

Part-skim Ricotta:

The good: This food is a good source of Calcium, Phosphorus and Selenium, and a very good source of Protein.

The bad: This food is high in Saturated Fat.

-http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/dairy-and-egg-products/36/2

Interesting post on Parkay

http://higherbar.wordpress.com/2007/01/07/a-healthier-you-2007-spray-butters-and-food-labels/