Things That I Know

1. It's another holiday.  Seems like they just keep coming and I can't keep up!  I would like an iPhone app that sends me an alert one week in advance of each upcoming holiday.  

2.  Fellow dietitian, Kristina at Love and Zest, created these.  Sorry if you don't love chocolate, mint, and avocados whomever you are you crazy person.

3.  Check out what Bev made at Bev Cooks.  SO creative! And pretty.  And I'm sure delicious.  Jealous.

4.  I could (and should) make this for my hubbster.  He loves sausage gravy.  He only gets it when his mama makes it for him.  I know, I know, POOOOOOOOOOOR GUY!  Thanks to Cassie at Bake Your Day I may be able to pull it off without feeling like I am giving him heart disease.  Yes- plague of being a dietitian.  Always feeling guilty about giving my loved ones fatty food.

5.  Love these.  All of them.  I think we may need a giveaway, what do you think?

80--- Sort of Scalloped Potatoes with Greek Yogurt Cheese Sauce

I tried to make a health-ified version of scalloped potatoes.

I failed with a capital F.

Greek yogurt turns into rubber in the oven.  FYI.

This was the second best option.

Very tasty, and not rubbery whatsoever.

For your Easter table!

Sort-Of Scalloped Potatoes with Greek Yogurt Cheese Sauce
Serves 8

3 lbs fingerling potatoes, halved (quarter larger ones)
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp salt

SAUCE
3 cloves garlic, pressed and finely minced
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 cup 2% Greek yogurt
2 Tbsp all purpose flour
4 oz shredded Parmesan cheese
3 green onions, chopped for garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a large bowl, toss fingerling halves with olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper.  Spread onto a baking sheet.  Bake for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking. 

For sauce, heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add minced garlic and saute for ~2 minutes.  Add in broth and bring to a low boil.  Whisk in flour, and continue stirring until flour has "cooked" and is evenly dissolved.  Stir in Greek yogurt until smooth, then whisk in Parmesan cheese.  Continue stirring until thickened and cheese has melted.

Serve warm potatoes drizzled with sauce, garnished with green onions.

Nutrition Info per ~ 3/4 cup serving with 3 Tbsp sauce: 231 calories, 6.5 g fat, 12 g protein, 31 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber

20--- Teeny Weenie Baby Food Cupcakes

Sorry to throw another 20 at you so soon.

But this is cause for celebration!!!

My wee babe is 6 months old today.  That is 1/2 of a year.

I feel so accomplished.  

I also feel the need to start planning her first birthday party.

Shall it be a grand gala or a little shindig?

Either way there will be cupcakes.

And what a better way to celebrate a baby's first birthday then with baby food cupcakes?

Any flavor works.

Please avoid the meat purees, however.

That would be gross.

Teeny Weenie Baby Food Cupcakes
Makes ~1 dozen mini cupcakes

1/2 cup baby food puree (I used homemade butternut squash)
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 Tbsp almond milk
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup white granulated sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line baking cups with cupcake liners, or spray lightly with baking spray.

In a medium bowl, use a handheld mixer to combine puree, oil, milk, sugars, and vanilla until smooth.

Sift in flour and baking powder.  Mix until just combined.

Spoon baking cups nearly full with batter and bake for 20 minutes.

Remove and allow to cool to room temperature prior to frosting/storing.

I topped mine with a simple vanilla buttercream frosting.

80--- Ultimate Veggie Sandwich

I eat these, like, daily.  So I thought that I would finally post them.  Nothing special.  Just the best veggie sandwich ever.

Ultimate Veggie Sandwich
Serves 1

1 Everything Bagel Thin, toasted
2 Tbsp low fat canned refried beans (or you can make your own as I have done here)
1/4 avocado, mashed
1 Tbsp chopped roasted red pepper
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/2 vine ripe tomato, sliced
1/4 cucumber, sliced
3 large spinach leaves, washed well
1 slice swiss cheese (or other strong cheese)
Dash vegetable seasoning

*You may layer the ingredients as you wish.  However, if you follow my method things stay in place a bit better.  

Mix roasted red pepper into refried beans and spread mixture on one half of the toasted bagel thin.  Sprinkle lightly with vegetable seasoning.  Top with onion slices, spinach, and cheese slice. 

Spread mashed avocado on the other half of the bagel thin, sprinkle lightly with vegetable seasoning, then top with tomato slices, and then cucumber slices.

Place halves together and enjoy.

Nutrition Info per 1 sandwich: 279 calories, 9.5 g fat, 12 g protein, 33 g carbohydrates, 7 g fiber

80(ish)--- Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins

I sort of like mini muffins. For proof see these and these.

I also like the banana chocolate combo.  As exemplified here and here.

Cute and yummy.

Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins
Makes 2 dozen

1/2 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
2 tsp baking powder
3 medium bananas, mashed
1 egg
1/3 cup raw sugar
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup milk (I used almond milk)
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly spray two mini muffin tins with baking spray.

In a large bowl, mix together flours, oats, and baking powder.  In a medium bowl, whisk together mashed bananas, egg, sugar, olive oil, and milk.

Fold wet ingredients into dry until just moistened.  Fold in chocolate chips.

Spoon batter into muffin tins until each cup is filled nearly to the top.

Bake for 10 minutes, checking the center with a toothpick for doneness (yes- it's a word).

Cool prior to storing in an airtight container.

Nutrition Info per 1 muffin: 78 calories, 2.3 g fat, 2 g protein, 12 g carbohydrates

Things That I Know

1.  Ah spring..... yesterday I took my babe on a run to the park and she had her first swing ride.  Today it snowed.  As is life.

2.  Learning how to crochet is on my bucket list.  So I can make things like this.  How fab is that?

3.  Also on my bucket list is riding an elephant. On the beach.  Would it be weird than an elephant would be walking on the beach?  I Googled it and this is what I found:



I guess it happens!


4.  This has me intrigued....... could two of my favorite foods (asparagus and grapefruit) REALLY be eaten TOGETHER?

5.  When I am no longer nursing my sweet babe I will be making these.  And visiting this website a bit more often. 

6.  This is one of the best inventions ever.  It serves me only one purpose: pureeing soups.  But I could honestly not live without it.

7.  These may need to happen today.  Greek yogurt swirl in a brownie? Sounds healthy.  Don't let that fool you.  Not an 80. But I bet delicious.

8.  I made this yesterday.  But without the aleppo and with minced caramelized red onions on top.  Yummo. 

9.  Baked carrot sticks? Yes please.

80--- Spring Bisque with Asparagus, Peas and Pistachios

I am in love with the combo that I created with this salad.  So much so that I needed a soup with similar flavors.

Recent research states that a pureed soup is more filling than a chunky soup of the same contents.

And I think it's prettier too.

PS: Have you noticed that all of my recipes this week have been green?  That was on purpose.  For the bit of Irish in all of us.

Spring Bisque with Asparagus, Peas and Pistachios
Serves 6

2 tsp olive oil
2 shallots, finely sliced
3 cups vegetable broth
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and chopped
1 lb frozen peas
2 Tbsp fresh parsley leaves, chopped
1/3 cup shelled salted pistachios, finely chopped
1/3 tsp fresh ground black pepper
6 oz crumbled feta cheese

Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a large soup pot.  Add shallots and saute for ~2 minutes.  Add chopped asparagus and saute for additional 3-4 minutes.  Pour in vegetable broth and bring to a low boil.  Reduce heat to medium, then add frozen peas, parsley, pistachios, pepper and feta.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cook for ~5 minutes.

Use an immersion blender to blend soup until smooth.  Alternatively, you may transfer batches to a blender and blend until smooth.

Enjoy!

Nutrition Info per ~1 1/4 cups: 208 calories, 12 g fat, 11 g protein, 13 g carbohydrates, 5 g fiber