Easy

Panzanella


Panzanella
Serves 2

Such simple ingredients. Stale bread, ripe tomatoes, onion, basil, olive oil and vinegar. It’s amazing how basic items can be used to create delicious food and good lives. We talk about make simple changes on MakeYourSomedayToday, my twice a week motivational podcast.

2 tablespoon olive oil (use the best you can afford, because you will tastes the difference in low quality oil)
2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
2 pieces of bread, dried completely and broken into bite sized chunks
2 medium tomatoes, cut into 1/8ths or 8 cherry tomatoes, halved
3-6 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade cut (Roll the leaves into a tight tube, and then cut across the tube into thin strips.)
1/4 cup diced red onion

  1. Combine first three ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
  2. Combine the last five ingredient in a bowl. Toss to mix.
  3. Pour the dressing on top, toss and let the bread soak up the dressing for 3-5 minutes.
Nutritional data:
Calories:       178
Fat:            14.4g
Sat fat:         2.0g
Chol:            0mg
Sodium:    110mg
Carbs:        12.6g
Fiber:           3.7g
Protein:        2.8g
Note: you can use any bread that you prefer. I use Healthy Life’s High Fiber because of the good fiber content along with the low calories and sodium. It also tastes good, dries well, and is easy to find in stores.

I used a very high quality olive oil from Olivada Oils in Sheboygan, WI which was a Chipotle Infused Olive oil. It gave this salad a delicious heat and a nice kick to balance the sweet tomatoes and tart vinegar.

I think another variation would be to replace the red wine vinegar with a white balsamic (I think a traditional balsamic may overpower the other flavors, but that is a theory that is untested as of right now.) Olivada carries excellent balsamic vinegars, too. (I receive no compensation from Olivada, I just like promoting local businesses with great products. They will sell online and ship to you.)

Question of the day:
You are abandoned on a deserted island. Which THREE vegetables would you bring (and only three veggies, no fruits)? After I get responses from at least 10 people, I will tell you my three choices.

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Make Your Someday Today is a twice-weekly podcast, where we talk to successful people in all walks of life and around the world on Monday, and then on Thursday, I take a specific message from the previous guest and give my “Trevitorial”, where I help you apply that message to your life. The entire purpose of the show is to help all of us overcome our challenges and fears and become the person we want to be, the person we deserve to be.

A Busy Week!

Sorry that yesterday’s blog post was so long. The recipe had several steps and I wanted to include pictures at the various stages.

I also wanted to show you how to make minor modifications to other recipes. It is relatively easy to create good delicious foods that will fit in your calorie budget. In almost any situation, it is possible to reduce the fat and sugar in a recipe and still create a delicious end result. In the case of that cake, it was unbelievably moist as a result if swapping the oil for applesauce.

It has been a hectic week here at home. Our eldest son stayed at college all summer, working for one of his professors as a research assistant, and in addition to that, he is preparing to spend a semester abroad in the fall. That entails a lot of planning and organization. Yesterday, our youngest moved into his own apartment (with a fair amount of help from us, naturally.)

Hello, “Empty Nest!”

Well,  not quite empty. We still need to move some of his stuff out. Possibly by the weekend. And then….we will finally have a room dedicated to be our office!

More on that as it happens!

Thanks for reading. Keep coming back to see what is next!

Mac ‘n Cheese, Baked

Mac ‘n Cheese, Baked
Serves 4

Note: this is not an ooey-gooey cheese-dripping version of Mac ‘n Cheese. It uses relatively small amounts of cheese, but the end result is still a rich-tasting, warm comfort food meal.

2 cups dry shell pasta (8 ounces by weight)
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (5 ounces by weight)
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (2 ounces by weight)
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (1 ounce by weight)

  1. Preheat oven to 450F.
  2. Prepare pasta according to directions on package.
  3. Spray a 1 or 1.5 quart casserole with cooking spray (makes clean up easier).
  4. Drain cooked pasta.
  5. Combine pasta and remaining ingredients. Add to casserole.
  6. Bake uncovered, until the cheese melts and gets browned (about 10-15 minutes).

Nutritional data:
Calories:        301
Fat:               6.5g
Sat fat:          3.3g
Chol:             19mg
Sodium:       145mg
Carbs:         43.9g
Fiber:               2g
Protein:       15.6g

As I served it with my Roasted Carrots and Peas.

Roasted Carrots and Peas

Roasted Carrots and Peas
Serves 6

6 large carrots, peeled, and cut in quarters lengthwise
2 cups frozen peas, thawed
1 tablespoon olive oil
Seasoning (black pepper, coriander, garlic powder, onion powder is what I used)

  1. Preheat oven to 450 and place a baking pan in it while heating.
  2. Place carrots in a Ziploc baggie.
  3. Top with olive oil and seasoning. Toss to coat.
  4. When the oven is hot, put the carrots in the hot pan.
  5. Roast for 25 minutes.
  6. Add peas, mix together. Roast another 10 minutes.

Nutritional data:
Calories:   79
Fat:           2.7g
Sat fat:      0.4g
Chol:           0mg
Sodium:  90.3mg
Carbs:     11.9g
Fiber:        3.7g
Protein:     2.9g

Easy Guacamole

Easy Guacamole
Makes about 2 cups

2 ripe avocados
The juice of 1 lime
1 clove garlic, mashed and minced
1 tablespoon fresh minced onion (or 1 teaspoon dried minced onion)
Cumin and black pepper to taste

  1. Avocados are ripe when the stem end is soft when gently pressed with your thumb.
  2. Slice avocados with a sharp knife. Use the knife to pop out the seed. Use a spoon to scoop the meat out of the shell.
  3. Add remaining ingredients.
  4. Mash together. Cover in airtight container and refrigerate until ready to serve. Use within 1-2 days. Air will cause it to turn brown, but that does not change the nutritional values (just the color.)

Nutritional data (for approximately 4 tablespoon):
Calories:        57
Fat:              5.2g
Sat fat:         0.7g
Chol:              0mg
Sodium:       2.7mg
Carbs:          2.9g
Fiber:           2.3g
Protein:        0.7g

Easy Complete Breakfasts

Easy Complete Breakfast
Serves 1

Note: This has a dumb name. I’d take any suggestions on what to call this meal. It has a texture similar to a muffin, but without the crispy top.

Take a microwave-safe soup bowl or large (10-12 ounce) coffee mug. Spray with cooking spray.

Into this, add:

1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon brown sugar (loosely packed)
1 dash cinnamon
1/4 cup regular (not instant) oatmeal
1/4 cup berries (fresh, or thawed frozen berries)

Stir together. Don’t expect it to become completely uniform, you are just trying to make sure it is mixed together.

Microwave for 1.5 – 2 minutes (depending on your microwave.)

Eat from the directly from the dish, or place a plate over the mug/bowl and invert it. I topped mine with a little whipped topping.
Nutritional data: (for the first picture, and for the version served with slices of cantaloupe)
Calories:         194
Fat:                 6.7g
Sat fat:               2g
Chol:              212mg
Sodium:            80mg
Carbs:           24.7g
Fiber:              2.9g
Protein:           9.7g

You can use almost any fruit, as long as it is about 1/4 cup. In the first picture I used 1/4 cup blueberries, and in the second picture (using a coffee mug) 1/4 of a mashed banana.

The other version in the second picture is a more robust version. I started with the basic recipe (above) and for fruit, 1/4 of a mashed banana. But then I added 2 tablespoons milled flax seed, 1 tablespoon peanut butter and 1 tablespoon semi-sweet Ghirardelli chocolate chips.

Calories:         434 (for the more robust version)
Fat:                24.9g
Sat fat:             6.5g
Chol:              212mg
Sodium:       157.6mg
Carbs:           42.6g
Fiber:              8.5g
Protein:         17.3g

My wife noted, and I agree, that using a soup bowl instead of a coffee mug creates a meal that is more visually filling. It looks like there is more food (even though it has the same amounts.) I’d recommend using the bowl just for the psychological factor of feeling more satisfied.

Simple Tiramisu

Simple Tiramisu
Serves 12

2 tablespoons instant coffee (instant espresso is best)
1/4 cup boiling water
32 reduced fat Nilla wafers
1 tub (8 ounces) whipped low fat cream cheese
1/4 cup Splenda (or other non-calorie sweetener, or powdered sugar if you prefer real sugar)
1 tub (8 ounces) fat free frozen whipped topping, thawed
Fresh raspberries
1 teaspoon cocoa powder

Dissolve the instant coffee in the boiling water.
Cover the bottom of an 8×8 dish with 16 Nilla wafers. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the coffee.
Mix 2 tablespoons coffee to the cream cheese gradually, mixing until blended. Add Splenda. Mix well.
Stir in whipped topping.
Spoon half the coffee-cream cheese mixture over the wafers.
Cover with remaining wafers, and drizzle the remaining coffee over them.
Top with remaining cream cheese mixture.
Refrigerate at least four hours (overnight is better.)
Cut into 12 portions. Top each with raspberries and a dusting of cocoa.

Nutritional data:
Calories:        117
Fat:                  6.2g
Sat fat:            4.2g
Chol:            13.8mg
Sodium:     100.8mg
Carbs:          15.2g
Fiber:             0.9g
Protein:         1.2g

Pita, with Egg and Avocado

Warm Pita, with Eggs and Avocado
Serves 1

1 pita
2 teaspoon olive oil
2 eggs
1/4 mashed avocado
5 cherry tomatoes, halved

1.  Heat non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, add olive oil.
2.  Place pita into a 6 or 7 inch skillet and warm it (about 1 minute).  Remove and keep warm.
3.  Crack eggs into skillet.  Cook to your preference.
4.  Place eggs on pita. Top with avocado and tomatoes.

Nutritional data
Calories:        468
Fat:              26.2g
Sat fat:           5.2g
Chol:             423mg
Sodium:         178mg
Carbs:          41.7g
Fiber:             5.5g
Protein:        21.1g

Easy Affogato

Affogato
Serves 2

1 cup cold espresso (or if you don’t have an espresso maker–I don’t–make double-strength coffee)
1 cup reduced fat vanilla ice cream (I used Edy’s Slow Churned Vanilla Bean)
Whipped cream for topping
Baking cocoa–OR–instant coffee for garnish

1.  Place 1/2 cup ice cream in each mug.
2.  Add 1/2 cup coffee.
3.  Top with whipped cream and your preferred garnish.

Nutritional data:
Calories:        148
Fat:                  5g
Sat fat:             4g
Chol:             20mg
Sodium:         45mg
Carbs:         22.5g
Fiber:               0g
Protein:            3g

Those instructions are for a nice cold drink. I think it would be even better with hot espresso poured over the cold ice cream. I will try it that way next time.

Grilled Tomatoes and Eggs

Grilled Tomato and Eggs
Serves 1 (well, maybe two, if you don’t eat a lot at breakfast)

1 ripe tomato
2 eggs
1/4 cup hummus (homemade or store bought)
1/2 mashed avocado
1 teaspoon olive oil
Herbs/spices (Your choice. I used Penzy’s Sunny Paris, my favorite on eggs)

1.  Preheat nonstick griddle over medium-high heat. Spread the teaspoon olive oil.
2.  Slice the tomato into 4 slices. Lay on the griddle. Cook, flipping once, for a total of 2-3 minutes. (If you cook them longer, they will just get softer, which is okay, too.)
3.  Carefully crack your eggs on to the griddle (if large enough) or in another non-stick skillet. Cook them to your preference.
4.  Warm the hummus in the microwave until hot.  Scoop onto your plate.
5.  Layer tomatoes and eggs next to (or on) the hummus.  Add avocado.

Nutritional data:
Calories:        380
Fat:              28.9g
Sat fat:           5.7g
Chol:            423mg
Sodium:        215mg
Carbs:         17.6g
Fiber:            8.7g
Protein:       16.9g

I woke up hungry, but not knowing what I wanted to eat. I looked in the fridge and pantry and found these items. I was lucky because yesterday I scored some delicious tomatoes, sweet and ripe, at the local farmer’s market.

When I cook I don’t really use a recipe, I just put things that I like together. But it also pays to keep certain staples on hand at all times. I always keep eggs, avocados, and hummus on hand, and so I know I am always only a few moments away from a hearty breakfast, high in protein and fat to get my day started. I find that when I have a high protein/ high fat breakfast, I am not as hungry the rest of the day. (And it helps me hit my macronutrient goals of 40-50% of my calories from fat, 25% of my calories from protein and 30-35% of my calories from carbs.)