Sunday, October 27, 2013

Pumpkin Ricotta Parfaits


Serves: 8

Recipe Level: Easy

I got this recipe from my boyfriend's mother and made a few small additions. It is a great update to traditional pumpkin pie and can be dressed up for entertaining. I know it sounds like a weird combination, but the savory flavor and creamy texture of the ricotta pair perfectly with the sweetness of the pumpkin custard. A traditional piece of pumpkin pie is about 325 calories (without any whipped cream on it). This recipe cuts 100 calories and 20 grams of carbs, and more than doubles the protein. There aren't a lot of desserts out there that pack in 12 grams of protein per serving, so this one will actually fill you up and you won't feel the desire to eat half a pie!

Pumpkin - 2 cups roasted & pureed or 1 can
Fat Free Evaporated Milk - 1 can
Truvia Baking Blend - 1/2 cup (if substituting sugar or Splenda, use 1 cup)
Eggs - 2 whole
Pumpkin Pie Spice - 1 1/2 tbsp.
Vanilla - 1 tsp.
Low Fat Ricotta - 2 cups 
Cinnamon Roasted Almonds - 2 oz. (about 40-50 nuts)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

2. I hate doing extra dishes, so I mix this up in the same dish in which I bake it. In a deep casserole dish, mix together pumpkin, evaporated milk, Truvia, and pumpkin pie spice. I crack the eggs into the evaporated milk can and beat them up with the vanilla to avoid dirtying another bowl. (Did I mention I really hate doing dishes?) Then combine the eggs into the pumpkin mixture, making sure everything is well mixed.


3. Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes or until it is completely cooked through and the center is set.

4. Remove from the oven and let cool.

5. To create the parfaits, use a clear class. (I used wine glasses, but any kind will work, you just want to be able to see the layers.) I did a more rustic interpretation, just layering them in with a spoon, if you wanted a cleaner presentation, you could use a piping bag or a zip top bag with the corner cut off and pipe each layer in. Start with a layer of ricotta, then ad a layer of pumpkin, then a layer of ricotta, then pumpkin and so on. You want about a 1/4 cup of ricotta and 1/8th of the pumpkin mixture in each parfait.

6. Top the parfaits with cinnamon almonds. You can buy them or make your own by taking raw almonds, tossing them in agave and cinnamon and roasting in the oven at 400 degrees for about 10-15 minutes. 


Nutrition Information per serving from Myfitnesspal.com
Pumpkin Ricotta Parfaits - 225 Calories, 11g. fat, 25g. carbs, 12g. protein

Friday, October 25, 2013

Creamy Cauliflower Pear Soup with Balsamic & Pecans


Serves 6

Recipe Level: Easy


There is a local restaurant that does a delicious cauliflower soup that gave me the idea for this soup. My boyfriend is not a big fan of tomatoes, so this soup has become our go to for soup and sandwich night. It pairs really well with grilled cheese! This recipe is vegan, if you are not you could substitute chicken stock in place of the veggie stock and top with bacon bits or whatever other garnishes strike your fancy. I love this combination for the play of sweet and salty.

Cauliflower - 1 medium to large head
Pears - 1 medium
Onion - 1 small or 1/2 large
Garlic - 5 cloves
Olive Oil - 1 tbsp.
Vegetable Stock - 1 box low sodium
Pepper - 1/2 tsp
Rosemary - 1/2 tsp
Nutmeg - 1/4 tsp
Salt - to taste
Pecan Halves - 20 pieces
Balsamic Vinegar - drizzle

1. Chop cauliflower, pears, onion and garlic. You want everything to be about the same size so they have the same cooking time but they don't have to look perfect as the soup will be being pureed.

2. Heat 1 tbsp. of olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the cauliflower, pear, onion and garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add pepper, rosemary, nutmeg and a heavy pinch of salt.

3. Pour a full box (32 oz.) of vegetable stock or broth into the pot, reduce heat to low and cover with lid. Cook for 30 minutes or until all the veggies are very tender. You want them almost overcooked, so they puree nicely.

4. If you have a stick or hand blender, you can blend the mixture directly in the pot. If using a tradition blender, you will want to blend in batches. Either way, be very careful as the mixture will be extremely hot.

5. Taste the mixture to make sure you have it to your desired smoothness, and also check for seasoning. Add more salt or pepper if needed.

6. Chop pecans and top each bowl with about a tablespoon and a delicate drizzle of balsamic vinegar.



Nutrition Information per serving from Myfitnesspal.com
Creamy Cauliflower Pear Soup with Balsamic & Pecans - 102 Calories, 6g. fat, 11g. carbs, 4g. protein

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Cheesy Chicken Bacon Spaghetti Squash Cauliflower Alfredo


Serves 6

Recipe Level: Moderate

You are not going to believe this recipe. When I put in all the information to calculate the nutrition information on Myfitnesspal.com, I couldn't believe it. A lunch size portion of fettuccine alfredo at Olive Garden is 800 calories, 48 grams of fat and 69 grams of carbs. This lightened up version still satisfies that craving for creamy, cheesy goodness, but it comes in at less than one third of the calories. It is also a great way to sneak in veggies for the kids...they'll never know the sauce is made out of cauliflower.


Spaghetti Squash - 1 whole
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts - 2 whole
Bacon - 2 slices
Cauliflower - 1 head
Garlic - 8 cloves
Chicken or Veggie Stock - 2 cups
Greek Yogurt - 1/2 cup
Fontina Cheese - 1.5 oz. 
Asiago or Parmesan Cheese - 1.5 oz.
Salt & Pepper - To taste

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Cut one spaghetti squash in half and remove seeds and any goopey strings. Place on a baking dish with the skin side down and coat the fleshy side with a dash of salt. 

3. Put two boneless skinless chicken breasts on another baking dish. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. 

4. Place the squash in the oven for 45 minutes or until the flesh is nice and soft. Put the chicken in the oven  until it reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees (35-40 min. depending on the size.)

5. While the squash and chicken are baking in the oven, start cooking the bacon in a deep skillet with lid or large sauce pot. (you are going to cook the cauliflower in the same pan, so you are going to need a pretty large pot)

6. While the bacon is crisping up, cut up a head of cauliflower and the cloves of garlic. When the bacon is done cooking, remove from the pan with a slotted spoon or fork. Leaving about a tablespoon of the fat in the bottom of the pan. 

7. Add the cauliflower florets and garlic to the pan and saute for 1-2 minutes before adding the vegetable or chicken stock. After adding the stock, bring to a boil, then reduce and let simmer for 20 minutes, until the cauliflower is nice and very tender. (You want it pretty soft, almost overcooked.)

8. Spoon the cauliflower out and put in a blender or a deep narrow cup or bowl if using a hand blender. Blend the cauliflower, slowing adding in the liquid until it reaches the consistency of Alfredo sauce. Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste.

9. Stir in 1/2 cup of Greek yogurt once the Alfredo is mostly cooled. 

10. Once the squash and chicken are done cooking, let them cool for 10 minutes or so. Then shred or dice the chicken breasts. Scoop out the squash into a casserole dish with a fork. It will look just like spaghetti strands. Once you have all the squash strands in the baking dish, add the chicken and Alfredo sauce and stir everything together.

11. Top the casserole with your favorite cheeses (I used Fontina and Asiago) and the bacon crumbles and bake for 25 minutes. 

12. Grate a little extra Asiago or Parmesan over your dish and enjoy the ooey gooey goodness without the guilt!


Nutrition Information per serving from Myfitnesspal.com
Chicken Bacon Spaghetti Squash Cauliflower Alfredo - 243 Calories, 9g. fat, 18g. carbs, 28g. protein

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Homemade Pumpkin Tortillas


Serves 16
Recipe Level: Easy


This recipe stems from my boyfriend's unhealthy obsession with sweet potato tortilla trips. I had some pumpkin I had just roasted and was planning on making tortillas, so why not just throw them together. It's a similar flavor combination to those chips he loves, mixing corn and sweet potato. The experiment was a success. The pumpkin actually added some moisture giving them a softer texture. Plus it's a great way to sneak in some vitamins to what is otherwise a food that is pretty much devoid of nutritional value.

Masa Harina - 2 cups
Roasted  & Peeled Pumpkin - 2/3rd cup (or canned pumpkin)
Warm Water - 3/4 cup
Salt - 1/4 tsp.

1. Combine Masa, salt, and pumpkin in a large mixing bowl. Ad water a few tablespoons at a time and mix in with your hands until the dough comes together. You are looking for a stiff consistency that is not too dry and definitely not sticky. If it gets too wet, you can always add more masa, or if it seems too dry you can add more water.

2. Transfer dough onto plastic wrap spread out on your counter. Roll the dough into one large log and cut the log into 16 even pieces. (Cut in half, then cut each of those in half and so on)


3. Take each piece into your hand one at a time and roll into a ball and set the balls aside.

4. Get another piece of plastic wrap and put the ball between the two sheets. Using a rolling pin, flatten and roll until it is about an 1/8th in thick and as round as possible. (If you have a tortilla press, you would use it in place of the rolling pin, with a layer of plastic covering the top and bottom.)

5. Once the tortillas are rolled, transfer to a hot cast iron or non-stick skillet that has not oil. You want to cook the tortilla about one minute on the first side and 30 seconds on the second side. Then transfer to a plate or basket and cover with a towel to keep warm while you cook the rest of the tortillas.

6. Serve with your favorite tacos and toppings.


Nutrition Information per serving from Myfitnesspal.com
Homemade Pumpkin Tortillas - 51 Calories, 1g. fat, 11g. carbs, 2g. protein

Monday, October 7, 2013

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon


Serves 4

Recipe Level: Easy

With the change in seasons and the weather cooling off, I thought it was time to post a nice fall recipe. One of my favorite fall foods is Brussels Sprouts, especially when you add bacon to them. These make a great side dish for hearty pork or chicken dishes.

Brussels Sprouts - 30 sprouts
Garlic - 3 cloves
Olive Oil - 1 tbsp.
Bacon - 2 slices all natural
Salt - 1 tsp.
Pepper - 1/2 tsp.
Lemon - 1 whole

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Wash brussels sprouts removing the outer delicate leaves.Cut off the stem and cut the larger sprouts in half and leave the smaller ones whole. As you cut the sprouts, some more outer leaves will come off. Save these! They are great in soups, stir-fries or pastas.


3. Chop the garlic and zest the lemon. Toss the brussels sprouts in a casserole dish with olive oil, add salt, pepper, garlic and lemon zest. Mix the sprouts to make sure they are coated evenly.

4. Put the brussels sprouts in the oven and set timer for 20 minutes.

5. While the sprouts are in the oven, saute two slices of bacon in a skillet over medium heat. You want them cooked through, but not too crispy. Drain them on a paper towel to remove excess fat, then chop the bacon into small pieces.

6. After 20 minutes in the oven, take the sprouts out of the oven and mix in the bacon bits in with them. Put back into the oven and bake for another 10 minutes.

7. Remove the sprouts from the oven and squeeze 1/2 of the lemon over them before serving.


Nutrition Information per serving from Myfitnesspal.com
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon - 114 Calories, 6g. fat, 14g. carbs, 6g. protein