4th of July Strawberries...Yummy!

The 4th of July is coming its such fun with barbecues, family and friends, and lots of parties.  So creating great food for it is a blast!

I wanted to make a few goodies to have on hand while our house was full of hungry 20-somethings. I saw a photo of similar dipped strawberries and thought these would be about as fast and festive as it gets. It took me 10 minutes to dip all of these. A few minutes in the fridge, and they were ready to eat. T-Man pulled the platter from the fridge within 5 minutes of arriving home from the airport last night.
In an earlier post, I explained how to make chocolate covered strawberries with blue sugar..




Ingredients
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup white chocolate or vanilla chips
24 strawberries, washed and dried
2 tablespoons canola oil
red,white/clear & blue decorating sprinkles
Directions
Put semi-sweet chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl with 1 tablespoon canola oil. Cook on full power, checking at 20-30 second intervals, stirring each time. Stop heating when most, but not all, of the chips are melted--there should be a few chunks left. Stir until it is smooth and chips are completely melted.  Be careful not to overcook. Divide out half of strawberries and dip in melted chocolate, holding by the stem, turning until berry is coated almost to stem; let excess drip off. Immediately roll or dip in sprinkles. Place on parchment or waxed paper lined pan.  Repeat with remaining half of strawberries using melted white chocolate chips. Chill until chocolate is set--approx. 30 minutes. Store, uncovered or loosely covered, in fridge or cool place for up to 8 hours.

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Watermelon Fizz

Today it is time for Holiday Recipe Club again!  If you are interested in joining in the fun, make sure you contact Erin.  This time we are getting you ready for Memorial Day.  Our challenge ingredients were watermelon, beer, or pork.  I really thought about different things I could make with all 3.  It was really hard to pick a winner.  But in the end, I was thirsty



I made this without any alcohol, but if you want to turn it into an adult beverage some Gin would work well in here.  I made these the other day while my husband was at work.  He came home at lunch, and I was drinking one.  He made the comment “You are starting early today, huh?”  It took a little while to convince him, that no I was not drinking at 11:30 in the morning, by myself, and these were in fact non-alcoholic.  I almost made them the night before and shared them with my 7 year old, but it was getting dark, and I was lazy.


The watermelon and the lime work really well together in this drink.  It is just the right amount of tart and sweet together.  I am not usually a Ginger Ale drinker, but here I liked it.  I think Sprite would work well too.  Plus if you use diet soda, there are hardly any calories in here! I am giving you the recipe for 2 big glasses.  You could easily make a big pitcher of this to have at your Memorial Day get together.


Watermelon Fizz

4 cups watermelon, diced
 2 limes
 1 1/3 cup Ginger Ale
 A few chunks of watermelon frozen, for garnish
 lime wedges, for garnish
 3 oz Gin (optional)

Puree the 4 cups of watermelon in a food processor or blender.  Pour through a strainer.  You should have about 1 cup of watermelon juice.  Fill each cup with ice.  Pour about 1/3 – 1/2 cup of watermelon juice over the ice.   Into each glass squeeze the juice of one lime. If using Gin add 1 1/2 oz to each glass.  Pour in 2/3 cup of Ginger Ale, and stir.  Garnish with frozen watermelon, and a lime wedge.

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12 Recipe Substitutions that Save Mega Calories

When we think of potato salad, fried food, cookies, and cakes, we think of those as high calorie, fattening foods.

But, what if you could easily make a lower calorie and tasty food with a simple recipe substitution?
Greek yogurt for mayonnaise: I recommend using half the mayonnaise needed in a recipe, and the other half substitute with Greek yogurt. Ex: Recipe calls for ½ cup total, so use ¼ cup yogurt and ¼ cup mayonnaise. This is a great way to make a lighter potato salad.Greek yogurt for sour creamGreek yogurt for butter: Substitute ¼ of the butter amount with yogurt. Ex: Recipe calls for 1 cup butter, so use ¾ cup butter and ¼ cup yogurt.Applesauce for butter: This works for baking recipes like cookies or vanilla cakes only.Pureed prunes for butter in chocolate cake or chocolate cookie recipes. You can puree your own prunes, or buy a jar of prune baby food!Pumpkin for oil in a baking recipe.Whole wheat bread crumbs, panko bread crumbs, or crushed whole wheat crackers for breading and baking instead of frying foods.Olive oil spray instead of vegetable oils or butters. You can make your own olive oil mister with a clean spray bottle filled with ¾ cup water and ¼ cup oil.Flaxseed (1 tsp) and water (1/4 cup) to substitute 1 egg in a baking recipe.Ground oats or almond meal for flour in a recipe. This can help to add fiber, a healthy fat, and a small amount of protein to the recipe!Stevia for half of the sugar.Avocado can replace most of the oil, butter, or shortening in recipes.
If you feel like you know your way around the kitchen, you can use your judgment to scale back on some of the higher calorie ingredients.

Use your smarts to swap out white flour, and use wheat flour, or use less olive oil than the recipe calls for. Also try adding extra herbs and spices to enhance the flavor of the recipe.

See Also: A Great Collection of Healthier Makeover Recipes.

Do you have an ingredient swaps that you use?

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Lose 26 Pounds Eating at Home

Does this sound like you?
“I am so frustrated with my ability to lose weight. I exercise 5 days per week, and still can’t seem to lose weight. I make all the right choices when eating out, too.”
Think about how many times you eat out. As simple as it seems, eating half (or more) of your meals at restaurants can make it extremely difficult

to lose weight even if you “make the right choice”.
We often lose track of how many meals we are eating out, and then seem mystified as to why we can’t see the pounds drop.

Restaurants sneak in extra oils, butters, and mystery sauces creating high calorie foods.

By cutting 2 tablespoons of butter or oil, you can save 200 to 300 calories. That equals half a pound of weight loss every week!

At restaurants, you don’t have as much control over the portion that is on your plate. When at home, you can easily follow the half plate vegetable rule.

However, the restaurants will serve up double or triple what you need to eat for a meal, and likely, not enough vegetables. You can also use smaller plates at home.

Make sure to plan out your grocery shopping list and the meals that you will have for the week. When we fail to plan, it is easy to resort to take-out food.

The extra 10 minutes is worth it—for your health and wallet! You will be trimming your waistline and your budget.

The key to succeeding is to be committed. Stick to the rule of eating from home, and your health will improve.

Here are a few of my favorite healthy recipe websites for home cooking:

Do you have any tricks for eating at home more?

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3 BEST Healthy St. Patrick's Day Recipes and Menus

Everyone's Irish on St. Patrick's Day! Whether you want to serve traditional Irish fare, cook with beer or go with a green theme, we have a variety of healthy St. Patrick's Day recipes for you to choose from. We hope a few of these St. Patty's dishes make it onto your table for a delightful—and healthful—celebration this March 17.

1. Corned Beef Hash

INGREDIENTS

• 2 teaspoons canola oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 cups diced cooked potatoes, or frozen hash-brown potatoes
• 1 cup chopped lean corned beef brisket, (4 ounces, see Tip)
• 1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 4 large eggs

• PREPARATION

  1. In a large cast-iron skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute; until it starts to brown, 5 to 8 minutes. Add potatoes and cook, stirring, until they brown in spots and become crusty, about 8 minutes more. Stir in corned beef and broth and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until liquid is absorbed, 5 to 8 minutes. Add parsley and season with salt and pepper.
  2. Meanwhile, fill a large skillet with 2 inches salted water and bring to a gentle simmer. Break eggs, one at a time, onto a saucer and slide into the simmering water. Poach eggs until set to desired firmness, 4 to 5 minutes.
  3. Divide hash among 4 plates. Place eggs on top of hash.

TIPS & NOTES

• Tip: Corned beef can be purchased at your supermarket deli. Be sure to specify lean: it has 1 gram fat per ounce and an ounce of regular corned beef has 5 grams fat.

NUTRITION

Per serving: 320 calories; 13 g fat ( 4 g sat , 6 g mono ); 240 mg cholesterol; 36 g carbohydrates; 15 gprotein; 3 g fiber; 493 mg sodium; 695 mg potassium.

Cheddar-Ale Soup

Our cheese- and beer-lover's potato soup has only a fraction of the fat and sodium of a traditional recipe. We use low-fat milk and only a little oil and keep the flavor strong with zesty, sharp Cheddar cheese. Precooked diced potatoes, which you can get at many supermarkets, keep this recipe super speedy. Regular diced red potatoes also work—you'll just need to increase the cooking time.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 12-ounce bottle beer, preferably ale
• 2 18-ounce bags precooked diced peeled potatoes, (see Ingredient Note)
• 1 14-ounce can vegetable broth, or reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 2 1/2 cups nonfat or low-fat milk
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided
• 1 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced or finely chopped

• PREPARATION

  1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add beer; bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. Add potatoes, broth and water; cover and return to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and mash the potatoes with a potato masher to the desired consistency.
  2. Whisk milk and flour and add to the soup. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook, whisking occasionally, until thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in 1 1/4 cups Cheddar and stir until melted. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with the remaining 1/4 cup cheese and bell pepper.

  TIPS & NOTES

  • Ingredient note: Look for precooked diced potatoes in the refrigerated section of most supermarket produce departments—near other fresh, prepared vegetables. To make your own, peel 2 1/4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces and boil until tender (about 15 minutes).

  NUTRITION

  Per serving: 389 calories; 12 g fat ( 5 g sat , 2 g mono ); 32 mg cholesterol; 50 g carbohydrates; 16 gprotein; 5 g fiber; 408 mg sodium; 238 mg potassium.
  3. Mini Shepherd's Pies
  
  
  
  
  
  In EatingWell's take on Shepherd's Pie, we replace the potato topping with convenient, delicious frozen squash puree. And they're baked in individual ramekins to guarantee perfectly sized servings and help you get it on the table fast. 
  
  
  

  INGREDIENTS

  
  

  • 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 12 ounces 93%-lean ground beef
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 cup reduced-sodium beef broth
  • 6 ounces baby spinach, chopped
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, divided
  • 2 12-ounce packages frozen winter squash puree, thawed
  • 1/3 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

  
  

  PREPARATION

  1. Position rack in upper third of oven; preheat broiler.
  2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, stir in beef, flour and tomato paste, and cook, stirring, until the beef is mostly browned, about 3 minutes. Add broth, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until the broth is the consistency of thick gravy, about 4 minutes. Stir in spinach, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder; cook until the spinach is just wilted, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
  3. Place squash in a fine-mesh sieve and gently press on it to extract excess liquid. Transfer to a bowl. Stir in the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder. Divide the meat mixture among four 10-ounce broiler-safe ramekins. Top each with about 1/2 cup of the squash. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet.
  4. Broil until heated through and bubbling around the edges, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and broil until it is just melted, about 3 minutes more.

  TIPS & NOTES

  • Make Ahead Tip: Equipment: Four 10-ounce broiler-safe ramekins

  NUTRITION

  Per serving: 310 calories; 13 g fat ( 5 g sat , 3 g mono ); 70 mg cholesterol; 26 g carbohydrates; 29 gprotein; 5 g fiber; 708 mg sodium; 421 mg potassium.
  
  

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5 Things You Didn't Know About Chocolate

If you're like most women, you're totally smitten with chocolate. People have been obsessing over this comfort food for thousands of years (the Mayans considered cocao a cure-all and the Aztecs used it as money). And all that obsessing has yielded some pretty surprising studies—and findings. Here, five things you need to know about your favorite indulgence. 

1. It Can Boost Your Workout

Skip the expensive sports drinks and protein shakes. Research shows chocolate milk is just as effective a recovery aid.

A study published in the journal Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism compared the effects of a recovery drink and chocolate milk on endurance athletes' ability to recover after a series of bike sprints followed by an endurance ride the next day. They found that chocolate milk was just as effective at relieving muscle soreness after the sprints, and preparing the athletes to perform in the endurance test the next day. Better yet, everyone preferred the taste of chocolate milk.

2. It Contains Flavonoids

Flavowhats? Flavonoids are a type of phytochemical, or plant chemical, that are found naturally in chocolate. Due to their unique chemical structures, flavonoids can exert antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cell-protective effects, says Giana Angelo, Ph.D., a research associate who specializes in micronutrient research at the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University. Consuming foods rich in flavonoids has also been associated with a reduced risk of heart disease.

To reap the benefits, stick to dark chocolate. The average commercial dark chocolate contains about 60 percent cocao and has been found to contain 536 milligrams of flavonoids per 1.4-ounce serving. Research has shown that as few as 80 milligrams of flavonoids a day can lower blood pressure.

3. Your Period Doesn't Make You Crave It

Half of American women experience chocolate cravings. Of those of who do, about half crave it right around "that" time of the month.

And while it's nice to have your menstrual cycle to blame when you find yourself noshing on half a package of chocolate chip cookies, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania found that menstrual hormones aren't the culprit. They compared the cravings of pre- and post-menopausal women and didn't find any change. They did, however, find a higher prevalence of cravings among women who suffer from PMS.

Why? Annmarie Kostyk, a chocolate expert who studied at the Professional School of Chocolate Arts, Ecole Chocolat, in Canada, says this has a lot to do with the psychology behind comfort foods. "Chocolate is sociologically considered a comfort food, and people crave comfort foods when they feel terrible," she says.

4. It Won't Wake You Up

It's a common misconception that chocolate is packed with caffeine, says Kostyk. In reality, the amount of caffeine in chocolate is miniscule compared to what's in your other daily pick-me-ups.

An ounce of dark chocolate contains about 20 milligrams of caffeine, while an ounce of milk chocolate contains about 5 milligrams—the same as an 8-ounce cup of decaf coffee. In comparison, a cup of coffee contains about 100 milligrams and a cup of tea contains about 50 milligrams of caffeine.

5. It's Not All Bad for Your Teeth

How could a food that's long been touted as a cavity-causer actually have teeth-protecting properties? It turns out that theobromine, an organic molecule that occurs naturally in cocoa, can help strengthen tooth enamel, according to research from Tulane University.

In fact, it takes 142 times less cocao extract to have about twice the protective benefits of fluoride, according to the American Dental Association. Unfortunately, theobromine isn't too beneficial in chocolate bars, where the sugar and milk counteract the dental benefits.

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