Day 11: Steak Frites with Shallot Pan Reduction

Tonight was a quick dinner. I still can't give an estimate on pricing because these petite sirloins came out of my freezer. Last month the grocery store had a sale on sirloin steaks- buy one package, get one free. For 1 pound of sirloin it was about $8 but I got the 2 for 1 special. The only thing I didn't like about this meal, and Taylor would probably agree is the steak was too tough. Maybe I should have marinated it first but I didn't have time for that. It was still pretty tasty. I don't have the right nutritional information, because the steak is supposed to be accompanied by steak frites (french fries) which I substituted with steamed broccoli (no butter or other fats added). I"ll go ahead and post the original recipe since that's all I've got. It will take longer to make this if you add on the fries.

Steak Frites with Shallot Pan Reduction

Ingredients

• 1 3/4  pounds  baking potatoes (about 2 large potatoes), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch sticks
• Cooking spray
• 3/4  teaspoon  kosher salt, divided
• 2  teaspoons  chopped fresh thyme, divided
• 1  pound  boneless sirloin steak, trimmed
• 1/2  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 2  tablespoons  finely chopped shallots (shallots are better but you can use finely chopped onions if necessary like I did tonight bc I didn't have time to go to Whole Foods)
• 2  tablespoons  brandy
• 3/4  cup  less-sodium beef broth
• 1  tablespoon  Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  butter

Preparation

1. Position 1 oven rack on the highest setting. Position another rack on the lowest setting.
2. Preheat oven to 450°.
3. Arrange potatoes in a single layer on baking sheets. Coat with cooking spray; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Bake at 450° for 40 minutes or until golden brown, stirring potatoes and rotating pans halfway through. Toss potatoes with 1 teaspoon thyme.
4. Heat a 12-inch heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle both sides of steak with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Add steak to pan; sauté 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from pan; keep steak warm.
5. Add shallots to pan; sauté 2 minutes. Add brandy; bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add beef broth, Dijon mustard, and remaining 1 teaspoon thyme; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to 2/3 cup (about 3 minutes). Add remaining 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Add butter, stirring with a whisk.
6. Slice steak. Serve with shallot pan reduction sauce and potatoes.

Nutritional Information

Calories:347 (fewer without the fries) Fat: 6.8g (sat 2.7g,mono 2.4g,poly 0.4g)

Protein:28.9g Carbohydrate: 37.7g Fiber: 2.7g Cholesterol: 73mg Iron:4.9mg

Sodium:612mg Calcium: 39mg

 

 

 

::Tip of the Day:: Make use of your leftover herbs. When a recipe calls for fresh herbs, go ahead and buy them and freeze the rest! You'll need an ice cube tray or two. Rinse the herbs and break into smaller pieces if necessary to fit inside 1 cube. Place in ice cube tray, pour water over, and freeze. Once they're frozen, pop the herb cubes out and place in a freezer safe bag or container. Whenever you need to use, just pull out and defrost under hot water (only takes like 20 seconds)

 

I read this tip one time. I am always pulling these herbs out of my freezer. You usually don't use a whole package of herbs so it goes to waste but now you have a plan. I currently have thyme, rosemary, mint, parsley, and dill in my freezer. 2 herbs I still need to try that I use a lot are sage and basil. I don't think the basil will freeze as well but we'll have to see!

Day 10: Tomato Tortilla Soup

Too tired to blog. I had a meeting for work tonight and Taylor took an extra long bike ride. He ate this Tomato-Tortilla Soup that I made a few weeks ago. One of those meals you just pull out of the freezer. Here's the recipe:

Tomato-Tortilla Soup

Ingredients

• 2 (6-inch) corn tortillas
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon canola oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 small onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
• 1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 (14.5-ounce) cans no salt added diced tomatoes. with juice
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Brush both sides of each tortilla with oil, using 1 tablespoon of the oil. Cut the tortillas in half, then cut each half into 1/4-inch wide strips. Arrange the strips on a baking sheet, sprinkle with the salt, and bake until crisp and golden, about 12 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

Heat the remaining 1 teaspoons of oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft and translucent. Add the garlic, jalapeno, cumin, and oregano and cook for 1 minute more. Add the broth and tomatoes, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes. Stir in lime juice.

Remove the pan from the heat and puree with an immersion blender or in 2 batches in a regular blender until the soup lightens in color but chunks of tomato remain, about 30 seconds. Serve the soup topped with the tortilla strips, a dollop of sour cream, and a sprinkle of cilantro.

Per Serving:

Calories 270; Total Fat 10g (Sat Fat 2g, Mono Fat 3.5g, Poly Fat 2g); Protein 9g; Carb 36g; Fiber 4g; Cholesterol 8mg; Sodium 335mg

Excellent Source of: Vitamin A, Vitamin C

Good Source of: Fiber, Niacin, Phosphorus, Iron, Vitamin K, Protein

I plan on beginning to include meal costs with each recipe. I just haven't been able to do that yet because pretty much everything I have made so far has been pre-planned or I've had some/most of the ingredients or I don't have the receipt for the cost of the item. So, coming next week, I will try to start including prices. 

::Tip of the Day:: Consider purchasing products that make a difference. That doesn't always mean spending more money. Whole foods has a line of Whole Trade products. Whole Trade is committed to ethical trade and the environment. More on Whole Trade here

Day 9: Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake

We are having a potluck at our small group tonight. It's Mexican-themed so I was going to bring some healthy gaucamole or something but apparently they are lacking in desserts so I stepped up.

From time to time (mainly random holidays like Thanksgiving, Halloween, Valentine's Day, etc) my sweet grandma sends me a card decorated with stickers, a little poem about the holiday and some other anecdotes. Sometimes it even includes a gift card. She has been doing this for as long as I remember. Taylor's mom has also started doing this for holidays and we love it! For St. Patrick's day we got green clover napkins, I got a pair of St. Patty's Day socks, and Taylor got a sweet green tie with clover leaves and beer mugs. :) If you want our mailing address let us know. :)

Anyway...so in one particular card last fall, my grandma sent me a recipe for "Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake" by Paula Deen. Apparently she got it from my (second) cousin Jocelyn, whom I have always deemed to be healthy. She's very fit and she'd be the last person I would have thought to recommend this thing! Besides yesterday's chocolate cake this is the worst recipe I have ever made- not in taste .Oh no..definitely not in taste. How could it be with 2 sticks of butter, a bar of cream cheese and a WHOLE BAG of powdered sugar!! I don't have a calorie breakdown but let's just address those 3 things..There are 810 calories in one stick of butter- multiply by 2, along with 91 grams of fat (141% of the recommended daily value), 243 g of Cholesterol, and 650 g of sodium (I use unsalted butter so this should be less). Cream Cheese- I use Neufchatel Cheese which has 1/3 less fat than cream cheese. But, it still has 560 calories, 48 g of fat, 100 mg cholesterol, and 880 g of sodium. That bag of powdered sugar? 3,600 calories and 870 g. sugar. I could only bring myself to use half the bag, so make that 1,800 and 435.

Today I decided to look up this Paula Deen lady. I know she's a cook but I wanted to know more about her and the food she cooks. In summary she's from the South and as we all know, Southern Cooking is not the healthiest (no offense to all my new Southern relatives) and she loves butter. I also found that she is being sued for $40 million. The reason? Cussing on the job and not cooking enough. Hmmm..interesting.

Anyway..I love butter too. I really do. But everything in moderation. Unfortunately I couldn't find the nutritional information for this cake, but I don't think anyone really wants to know, do you? At least no one is eating the whole cake. That would be a real problem. But one little piece, well, everything in moderation, right? There are a few good things in this recipe.

Pumpkin- It's high in potassium, Vitamin A, manganese, copper and one of the B vitamins, riboflavin. It also contains considerable amounts of magnesium, phosphorus, iron, folate, vitamins E and B6, niacin, thiamin and pantothenic acid — and is low in salt, cholesterol and saturated fat. Good, that makes up for all that butter. You know how some foods lose a lot of their nutritional value when they're cooked or put in a can rather than fresh? Pumpkin is an exception, so you don't have to worry about using the canned.

I have had a hard time locating canned pumpkin ever since I started making pumkin recipes last fall. I can't find any articles online, but every time I go to the grocery stores (I have to go to multiple to even find any) they tell me that they are very limited because apparently there was a bad freeze last fall that killed off a lot of the pumpkin crops.

The other 2 good ingredients are cinnamon and nutmeg.  Cinnamon is an amazing spice that has been around for a long long time. Here's a quick list of its health benefits. Studies show that just 1/2 teaspoon a day can do the following: lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, regulates blood sugar (good for people with diabetes or hypoglycemia), helps you lose weight, has an anti-clotting effect on the blood, and helps with arthritic pain to list a few.

Nutmeg: Warning: Nutmeg is toxic in large amounts so don't start eating it by the spoonful. Nutmeg is rich in potassium, calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, Vitamin A, and Vitamin C. Nutmeg also has anti-inflammatory properties, increases blood circulation and stimulates the cardiovascular system, helps with respiratory problems such as the common cold, it can cure stomach aches and diarrhea, and is also good for digestion.

Okay, are you ready for the recipe?

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake

Ingredients

Cake:

• 1 (18 1/4-ounce) package yellow cake mix
• 1 egg
• 8 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:

• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 8 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well with an electric mixer. Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13 by 9-inch baking pan.

To make the filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter, and beat together. Next, add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mix well. Spread pumpkin mixture over cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Make sure not to overbake as the center should be a little gooey.

::Tip of the Day:: Use butter versus margarine. There are so many things I could say about this but I'd like to direct you to the following article for a fascinating research study on butter vs. margarine. http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.com/2009/10/butter-vs-margarine-showdown.html 

I will ALWAYS  ALWAYS choose butter over margarine. Butter may be high in saturated fat- so use just a little, but it doesn't contain hydrogenated oils like margarine. Hydrogenated oils cause all sorts of health problems. There is a hot debate out there over this topic but my belief in butter is firm. Butter haters always talk about how it is high in cholesterol- research has proven that the cholesterol in foods does not affect the cholesterol levels in the body. That's why, all of a sudden it's okay to eat the yolks of eggs again. Fat, however, such as saturated fat, will raise blood levels of cholesterol. The American Heart Association will recommend margarine over butter, but I disagree. Butter is far more natural than that disgusting, processed fake margarine. Any food listed as hydrogenated, or partially hydrogenated should be avoided at all costs. Trust me on this people. 

For the last 5 decades, Americans avoided animal fats such as butter based and instead increased their consumption of polyunsaturated and hydrogenated fats. In direct correlation, the rate of heart disease has increased, as has obesity and many immune system disorders. (Source: The Maker's Diet by Jordan Ruben)

Read this article if you have time: http://www.drcranton.com/nutrition/margarin.htm

Sources:
http://www.indepthinfo.com/nutmeg/health-effects.shtml
http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/10-health-benefits-of-cinnamon.html
http://www.organicfacts.net/nutrition-facts/herbs-and-spices/nutritional-value-of-cinnamon-and-nutmeg.html
http://www.healthcastle.com/butter-or-margarine.shtml

Day 8: Spinach-Artichoke Dip and Chocolate Cake

Well, here goes another day of dessert. It's a whole weekend loaded with sugar and fat pretty much, but the good news is that Taylor and I are not eating this all ourselves. Tomorrow is my friend Jennie's birthday. I decided to have a surprise birthday party for her. Last week I inconspicuously asked what her favorite dessert is and she gave me this recipe for a chocolate cake.

I also made my Aunt Cristy's famous recipe for Spinach and Artichoke Dip. I don't even like artichokes but this is seriously the best stuff. I don't have nutritional information, but it is one of those things that we'd all probably just rather eat and not know.  I sauteed the onion in the butter and omitted the olive oil. Then I combined all the ingredients in the miniature crockpot that I also got from my Aunt Cristy and Uncle Tim and let heat on low for a couple hours. If you don't have a lot of time, you can add the frozen spinach into the pan until it is heated then combine in the crockpot. I like using the crockpot because it keeps everything warm for hours.

Spinach and Artichoke Dip

¼ cup butter

2 ½ tbsp olive oil

½ cup chopped onion

Sautee the above over low heat.

½ cup flour

1 pint whipping cream (I use½ and ½)

½ teaspoon salt

Pinch of sugar

10oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed

½ cup parma cheese (I use grated)

½ cup sour cream

14oz can of artichoke hearts chopped

Mix all the above into onion mixture, cook 15 min. until warm.

As I was cleaning up the kitchen I looked over and noticed I had 2 very ripe avocados. So I made a basic guacamole, but added roasted corn and a little bit of cumin powder. It was sort of based off a recipe for "Roasted Corn Avocado Salsa" that I got from my mom but I didn't have all the necessary ingredients so I just made my own thing. Too tired to write the recipe now but just know it was good. Here's a picture.

Shoot..just realized I deleted the chocolate cake recipe. Jennie had sent me an email and when I was done making it I deleted it so I would never be tempted to make it again! I realized right before people came over that it was also our friend Caroline's birthday this week. So we got to celebrate both!

::Tip of the Day:: You can never have too much garlic. That is my motto to live by. Pretty much, whenever a recipe calls for garlic I use double or triple what it calls for. I Love Garlic. And....it's good for you!! Garlic is a powerful natural antibiotic and research shows that garlic in its raw state is best. I don't know about those garlic powders out there.... So don't be afraid to eat lots of garlic (it'll keep the vampires away).

Day 7: Barley-Beef Burgers, Steak Fries, and Lemon-Blueberry Cheesecake

This recipe was supposed to be later on in the week but I wasn't in the mood to cook a big meal, plus I had to make a dessert that needed to bake and then be refrigerated for 3 hours.

 I made a recipe off  of Whole Foods' website once for Beef and Bulgur Burgers. View the recipe here. The addition of bulgur wheat gives you more food, adds fiber, and lowers the fat content. Since I didn't get the chance to make it to Whole Foods, I substituted some extra Barley I had laying around. Barley is a great source of fiber and selenium. It is also a very good source of phosphorous, copper, and manganese.

This is just your basic hamburger with the addition of barley. I cooked the barley on the stove first- the ratio of barley to water is about 1:2. Then I put everything in the bowl: barley, meat, 1 clove of crushed garlic, freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 1/4 cup), Worcestershire sauce (This is a MUST for hamburgers!), and a blend of seasonings including sea salt, black pepper, dried brown mustard, paprika, chile pepper, basil and rosemary. Very simple. To make the most basic hamburger you just need a little bit of salt and worcestershire sauce. Next step was to put it on our indoor grill for about 5 minutes and it's done. The steak fries weren't homemade this time. I'll admit they came out of a bag.

I realize that ketchup isn't the best for you- in fact it contains high fructose corn syrup (remind me to get into that later) and several other ingredients that aren't the best. But I do love it so, and I am not willing to give it up. I haven't ventured into organic ketchup just because I think Heinz does it best!
Of course this was paired with a whole wheat bun. My favorite trusted brand is Oroweat Whole Grain 100% Whole Wheat. 41 grams of whole grain, 0 grams of Trans Fat, Heart Healthy, and NO High Fructose Corn Syrup.

There is something very important I've been meaning to mention about food.

::TIP OF THE DAY: You should be able to recognize the ingredients on the labels of the food you eat. Less is Better. When you see those products with a long list of unrecognizable ingredients STAY AWAY. And another little tip: Ingredients are listed from highest to lowest, meaning whatever comes first is mainly what that product is made of. The last item is the least amount, usually just 1% or less of a certain ingredient.::

Speaking of food labels, last night we watched this amazing show that debuted on ABC called The Food Revolution with Jamie Oliver. He starts his journey in the fatest city in America- Huntington, West Virginia. I encourage everyone to watch it. You can catch up on the first episode at Hulu. Here's a video about the new show. I don't know what I did when I uploaded (frankly I'm surprised I even figured it out). Only half of the video is visible. But you can still hear the words at least :) Maybe Pradeepan can help me widen it? Speaking of Pradeepan, you should check out his blog about jumping rope! http://pradeepanjeeva.blogspot.com/  If you just have to watch the whole video you can watch it here



Tonight our friends Daniel and Jenny came over to play games and hang out. I happened to be browsing food websites the other day and I came across a dangerous one called www.sharedsugar.com. It's about 2 ladies who blog about their delicious desserts. I love this statement from their website:
          "Although we try to use local, seasonal, organic and more nutritious ingredients when possible, we’re not afraid of butter."

Agreed. In moderation of course. Since we were having friends over, I decided to make their Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Bars. These aren't healthy but it's ok to splurge every once in awhile. I used fresh blueberries that Taylor and I picked on my birthday last year. They have frozen well over the last several months.

I will say though- although these bars were tasty, it made my stomach hurt and Taylor's too. I hope Daniel and Jenny are ok! Regardless..we had a fun night including Nerts and Settlers of the Catan!

Day 6: Tuscan Vegetable Soup with Toasted French Bread

This is one of those meals I talked about when I shared on time-saving tips. I made this soup in the slower cooker- put all the ingredients in early in the morning, set the timer for 8 hours on low, came home and it was done. I made this several weeks ago and froze the leftovers. It's currently in the microwave defrosting.

And for the side? I bought some whole wheat french bread, topped it with sliced Gruyère Cheese, toasted under the broiler for a couple minutes, and voila! Dinner is served!

Tuscan Vegetable Soup 

•  1 (15-ounce) low-sodium cannelini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 large onion, diced (about 1 cup)
• 2 carrots, diced (about 1/2 cup)
• 2 stalks celery, diced, (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 small zucchini, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 32 ounces low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can no salt added diced tomatoes
• 2 cups chopped baby spinach leaves
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan, optional

Directions

In a small bowl mash half of the beans with a masher or the back of a spoon, and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, zucchini, garlic, thyme, sage, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, and cook stirring occasionally until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the broth and tomatoes with the juice and bring to a boil. Add the mashed and whole beans and the spinach leaves and cook until the spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes more.

Serve topped with Parmesan, if desired. 

 Serves 6

Per Serving(only the soup): Calories:143, Fat:4g, Protein:8g, Carbs:20g, Fiber:5g, Chol:0mg, Sodium: 323mg

Excellent Source of: Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C 

Good Source of: Iron, Magnesium, Niacin, Phosphorus, and Protein

This is a great recipe to experiment with. For example, I did not use sage or celery. You can experiment with other herbs such as Rosemary, Oregano, and Basil. As I mentioned, you can also prepare ahead in a slow-cooker for an instant meal in the evening.


Tip of the Day: Learn to cook to save money. If you've already been cooking more at home versus going out to eat, you already know how this can save you money. If not, what are you waiting for???

Day 5: Tex-Mex Calzones and the Dirty Dozen

This meal brought to you by Cooking Light March 2009 edition. Rather than typing out the whole recipe, I found a link to it here.

Tex-Mex Calzones with Black Bean Salad

These are made with lean ground turkey, peppers, and onions so you get your protein and fiber along with many vitamins.

April is Earth Month.  I'm going to start including 1 money-saving, earth-saving tip in each post from Whole Foods' April Calendar. 

Tip of the Day: Choose Organic when Possible. Not everything has to be organic (that's way too costly) but you can do your part in little ways. Choosing organic is the #1 way to protect the planet and the health of its inhabitants. Convential farming methods destroy the soil and the life in it. Organic farming supports natural ecosystems by limiting the input of toxic and persistent chemicals into the air, soil, and water. In case you didn't know, organic products go on sale and have coupons too!

Here is a list of the "Dirty Dozen" taken from the Environmental Working Group. These are fruits and veggies that contain the highest levels of pesticide residue (even after you thoroughly wash the skins). It's recommended that you buy the following organic whenever possible.

12 Most Contaminated

• Peaches
• Apples
• Sweet Bell Peppers
• Celery
• Nectarines
• Strawberries
• Cherries
• Pears
• Grapes (Imported)
• Spinach
• Lettuce
• Potatoes

Now for the top 12 that contain the least amount of pesticide residue. Basically, you don't have to worry about buying these organic.


12 Least Contaminated

• Onions
• Avocado
• Sweet Corn (Frozen)
• Pineapples
• Mango
• Asparagus
• Sweet Peas (Frozen)
• Kiwi Fruit
• Bananas
• Cabbage
• Broccoli
• Papaya

Day 4: Essential Nutrients for Your Good Health

Usually we eat dinner at home 7 nights a week. Tonight was different because we were meeting with one of Taylor's co-workers and his wife for dinner at McNellies. $3 burger night with sweet potato fries! YEAH! Now I know this isn't good for you but we had been planning this for awhile and those sweet potato fries are just irresistable! So, this post won't be about our dinner tonight but rather, some essential nutrients for your body!

If you read yesterday's post, you probably noticed at the bottom a bunch of Vitamins and Minerals. I'd like to provide a description of each nutrient that is in the recipes I take from "The Food You Crave" cookbook.

NUTRIENT         FUNCTIONS
Biotin                    Helps break down fat, protein, and carbs into energy.
Calcium                Plays an important role in developing and maintaining healthy bones and teeth.
                             Also helps to maintain normal blood pressure.
Chloride               Aids in food digestion.
Chromium            Works with insulin to utilize sugar from food.
Copper                 Helps to develop and maintain red blood cells, healthy hair, and skin color.
Fiber                     Helps regulate the digestive system and may help protect against heart disease.
Folate                   Helps produce and maintain new cells. Also involved in making neurotransmitters,
                             like serotonin, which regulate mood, sleep, and appetite.
Iodine                   Necessary for normal thyroid function.
Iron                      Essential for healthy blood cells, which carry oxygen through the body.
Magnesium          Functions in muscle relaxation and contraction. Also helps convert food into energy,
                             support the immune system, and promote normal blood pressure.
Manganese          Plays an important role in the digestion of protein and carbohydrates.
Molybdenum       Essential for normal growth and development. It's important in releasing iron from
                             storage in the body.
Niacin                  Required to help release energy from carbohydrates.
Pantothenic Acid    Helps break down fat, protein and carbohydrates into energy.
Phosphorus          Aids in the formation of healthy bones and teeth. Also plays a role in many different
                            body functions, such as converting food into energy.
Potassium            Helps maintain fluid balance, and regulates heartbeat and blood pressure.
Riboflavin           Important for normal growth and development, producing red blood cells, and
                            releasing energy from carbohydrates.
Selenium             Works with antioxidants in the body to help prevent diseases like cancer and heart
                            disease.
Thiamin              Helps the body convert carbs into energy. Essential for the function of the heart,
                           muscles, and nervous system.
Vitamin A          Helps promote good vision and build and maintain healthy teeth, bones, and skin.
Vitamin B6        Important in building proteins like hormones and red blood cells. Also regulates the
                          nervous system.
Vitamin C          Helps boost the immune system, promotes skin repair, and may help protect against
                          cancer.
Vitamin D          Helps form and maintain healthy bones and teeth. May also have a role in cancer
                          prevention.
Vitamin E           Functions as an antioxidant in the body to help protect it from diseases.
Vitamin K         Helps to regulate normal blood clotting.
Zinc                   Promotes normal growth and development and helps the immune system.

Sorry for the bad layout but I don't know how to fix it.

Well, I just found out that March has been deemed "National Nutrition Month" by the American Dietetic Association (ADA). This year's theme is "Nutrition from the Ground Up"and reminds us to focus on nutrition basics by eating more fruits, vegetables and whole grain foods to create the foundation for healthy eating and disease prevention.

Day 3: Sloppy Joes with Zucchini Parmesan Crisps

Both of these recipes are taken from the cookbook "The Food You Crave" by Ellie Krieger. I LOVE this cookbook! Half of this meal came out of the freezer. I made these sloppy joes about 2 weeks ago and froze the remainder of what we didn't eat for a quick meal later on. Tonight calls for a quick meal because LOST is on!

Sloppy Joes                                                                                             
Serves 8 (I cut in half and make 4 servings)

1 pound lean or extra lean ground beef (I used ground turkey this time)
1 med. onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
1 med. red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 15.5-ounce can small red or pinto beans, preferably low-sodium, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups no-salt added tomato sauce
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 T. red wine vinegar
1 T. unsulfured molasses
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. dry mustard
3/4 tsp. salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
8 whole-wheat burger buns

Brown the meat and onion over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, breaking the meat into crumbles. Pour the drippings out of the pan and discard. Add the garlic, jalapeño, and red pepper and cook 5 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Stir in the rest of the ingredients, except the buns (duh), reduce the heat to low, and simmer for another 5 minutes. Place a 1/2 scoop of the mixture onto the buns and serve.

Calories: 265   Fat:4.5 grams   Protein: 20 g. Carbs: 40 g. Fiber: 8 g. Chol: 30 mg Sodium:535 mg.
Excellent source of: Fiber, Manganese, Molybdenum, Niacin, Protein, Selenium, Vitamin B12, Vitamin C, and Zinc.
Good Source of: Copper, Folate, Iron (thanks to the molasses), Magnesium, Phosphorus, Thiamin, Vitamin A, and Vitamin B6.

These taste like your regular sloppy joes, except better! With added fiber and nutrients in the beans and red pepper.

Zucchini Parmesan Crisps                                                      
Serves 4
Cooking Spray
1 pound zucchini (about 2 med)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese (can be found at ALDI- see last post)
1/4 c. plain dry bread crumbs
1/8 tsp. salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 450. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Slice the zucchini into 1/4 inch-thick rounds. In a medium bowl, toss the zucchini with the oil. In a small bowl, combine the Parmesan, bread crumbs, salt, and a few turns of pepper. Dip each round into the Parmesan mixture, coating it evenly on both sides, and place in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake the zucchini rounds until browned and crisp, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

Per Serving: Calories: 105, Fat: 6g, Protein: 5g, Carbs:8.5g, Fiber 1.5g, Chol:1Mg, Sodium:222 mg
Excellent Source of: Molybdenum, Vitamin C
Good Source of: Calcium, Manganese, Protein, Vitamin B6.

These are a much healthier alternative to fries or chips!

Day 2: Healthy Eating Doesn't Have to be Expensive

Mondays have turned into leftover days because we have recently started going to a Young Married Couple's Connect Group at church. If you're married/engaged and living in Tulsa, you should come check it out.

Since this is a no cooking night, I'd like to talk about eating healthy on a budget. Eating healthy does not have to be expensive and I can and will attempt to prove that during these 30 days. 

Over the last 7 months of being married and living on a tight budget, I have learned ways to cut costs. One major way is to buy in bulk. There is no sense in paying extra money for packaging and extra food that you may not even use. Just buy what you need. I don't do this for everything but I do it for things such as granola, trail mix, nuts and seeds, different types of flour, quinoa (more about this fabulous grain in a different post), lentils, couscous, rice, barley, etc, etc. I get just the amount I need from Whole Foods. You can also buy spices in bulk there. This is great for the recipes that call for a spice you've never heard of and/or probably will never use again. Normally, you would be forced to buy a whole jar from the grocery store, but not at Whole Foods. They have a huge variety of spices. Let's say you need 1/2 teaspoon of Ground Cloves. A little bit of that spice goes a long way so you will probably be holding on to the jar far beyond it's expiration date. Solution: go to Whole Foods and put 1/2 teaspoon in a little baggy. Just the amount you need and you don't pay for any extra!

This next part is gonna blow your mind. There is a grocery store out there that is cheaper than Wal-Mart!! It's called ALDI. This an international company. More about their low prices here. Yes, they have foods just like any other grocery store, loaded with preservatives and high fructose corn syrup (cheapest way to make food these days) but they also have fresh produce and healthy items. For example, last night I got a whole fresh pineapple for $1.99 at Aldi. I went to Wal-mart right after and pineapple was on sale for $3.98. Bargain, huh!

More healthy stuff I get from Aldi at the lowest price: canned tomatoes and beans, whole wheat pastas, veggies (cauliflower, broccoli, peppers, carrots, avocados, celery, zucchini, cucumbers, tomatoes) fruits (lemons, limes, oranges, bananas), dairy (cheeses), and meats (ground turkey and chicken breasts).

You've got to be careful on the meats (some come from farms in China for example). When it comes to meat and produce, the closest you can get to local is best. I do buy ground turkey from there and it is the lowest price you'll find anywhere. While we're on the subject of meat, this is a quick way to lower your budget: eat less meat or go meat-free (I know men don't like to hear that one!).

Another tip that has really helped with healthy and affordable meals is to plan all the meals a week in advance and grocery shop for everything at once. That way there's no opening the fridge and deciding to order takeout because there's nothing to eat! With careful planning, shopping, and cooking, this can be done.

One last thing I do is make double. Most recipes serve 4, so I usually make that amount and it turns into leftovers for lunch the next day or later on in the week. Sometimes it goes in the freezer and gets pulled out a couple weeks later for an easy and quick meal.

Further info for healthy eating on a budget:
http://www.thedietchannel.com/Meal-Planning-Healthy-Eating-on-a-Budget.htm
http://www.thedietchannel.com/Eat-Like-A-King-On-A-Budget-A-Healthy-Diet-Doesnt-Have-To-Be-Expensive.htm
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=511
http://frugalliving.about.com/od/foodsavings/tp/Eating_Healthy.htm
http://frugalliving.about.com/od/foodsavings/tp/Cheapest_Produce.htm
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-reames/healthy-eating-on-a-budge_b_190646.html
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus/collections/healthy_budget_friendly_recipes

Day 1

Well, I am not ashamed to say this is my first time blogging ever. The setup wasn't too difficult but I feel like there is so much to learn.

After learning of the facebook group 30 Day Blogrimage, I started checking out people's blogs. The idea interested me but I wasn't sure I would keep up with the daily blog, or that I had anything worthy of writing about. Even after my husband decided to embark on his 30 day journey without a car, I still was hesistant to jump on the bandwagon. Today an idea popped into my head and because of this I have decided to join the fun. I'm a little late, but better late than never.

I really enjoy all things health-related, especially when it comes to food. I love to cook, eat healthy, and learn more about what's in the food I put in my body. I cook almost every night and it's almost always healthy, so I decided to document 30 days of the food we eat each night. I won't bother with breakfast or lunch. I'd also like to add pictures and nutritional content along with the recipes and a breakdown of costs whenever I can.

Here goes 30 days of fun with food! 

The most interesting thing I think that I have ever ventured to cook occured last night in my very own apartment. I'm warning you- do not judge or let a pre-conceived idea turn you off to this delightful dessert.

I made brownies. Out of the box at that (I've been making them from scratch..yes I said "been making"..dessert is a weakness, especially brownies with ice cream). Several months ago I read about a healthier version of brownies and decided to try them. No added fat, you don't even have to add eggs..there is one secret ingredient. Are you ready??


BLACK BEAN BROWNIES

sounds gross I know. But I promise you cannot tell the difference! Here's what you do.. get a can of low-sodium or sodium-free black beans. Rinse and drain. Add water just to cover the beans and puree in a blender. Add the pureed beans to the brownie mix and stir. Put in the pan and cook 'em up. Voila! Brownies without the extra fat and replaced with extra protein and fiber! I was hesistant to try this but after reading many reviews I ventured into unknown territory and was pleasantly surprised. You've gotta try it sometime!