Clean Eating Italian Wedding Soup

Makes 14 servings, 1 cup each (I think…)
I first made this soup when my superbly awesome and wonderful sister, Anthea, was visiting me over the summer. (Hi, Anthea!) We eat a LOT of soups in our house because it’s such a great vessel for throwing a ton of veggies into which my kids will happily eat because they are soft and too hard to pick out. Also, soups freeze exceptionally well which is always a plus in my book. If you search for Italian Wedding Soup you will find literally thousands of different recipes… so naturally I couldn’t follow any of them and had to make my own :)

I poured over the bazillion variations to get a general idea of what the main idea of the soup should be and then made some substitutions and adjustments. It made a HUGE pot… and I'm not totally sure how many servings it was because we ate it so fast I didn’t get a chance to count. All of the kids scarfed it down with little to no coercion, even my super picky nephew. And then we made it again and again and again.

How I “healthified” it:
Many of the recipes used ground beef or fattier types of ground pork for the meatballs. I stuck to ground turkey and added some chopped sundried tomatoes and some other seasonings to tasty them up.

Many of the recipe were basically just broth, eggs, and cheese with little to no veggies. I added carrots and celery to my broth because these tend to do really well in soups and lend a nice texture. Plus I bumped up the greens from a measly ½ or 1 cup to 5 cups and used kale for it’s power packed nutrition profile. It shrivels and gets all soft in the soup anyway so you don’t even really notice it’s in there. I like to get as much greens into my family as possible :)

Many of the recipes used orzo or some other type of pasta. None of my stores carry whole grain orzo and Anthea insisted that big pasta was just not right so we used quinoa instead. Quinoa is great in soups because it softens but doesn’t lose it’s texture and it’s a complete protein all in itself. Plus it gets those curly ribbons when it’s cooked so it’s just fun.

I substituted some of the broth for water because, when we made it with all broth, it was too salty. Plus, I knew for a fact that we were going to sprinkle a little extra parmesan cheese on top before serving which would make it even more salty.

Finally, a LOT of the recipes had an egg or two and a bunch of parmesan cheese stirred into the soup. I felt like the soup was tasty enough and a nice texture without this addition and I like to sprinkle my little bit of parmesan on top at serving so I skipped it. I’m sure this means that this is not an “official” Italian Wedding Soup but I’m cool with that.

The results: Only 143 Calories but it packs a whopping 12g of protein, 2g of dietary fiber, 118% of your daily value of Vitamin A and 51% of your daily value of Vitamin C. In one little bowl of soup… that my kids will happily eat… and tastes delicious while being filling. Yay :)

Ingredients:
Soup –

• 7 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 3 cups water
• 4 tsp minced garlic
• ½ tsp pepper
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into thin rounds
• 2 stalks of celery, sliced
• 1 cup uncooked quinoa
• 5 cups of kale (or other greens)
• 1 Tbsp dried fennel (Anthea did NOT like this addition and she felt it was a weird taste [not that it stopped her from inhaling two full bowls mind you] so the next time we made it we didn’t put it in. I thought the second batch was missing something and that the fennel really added a nice flavor so, when she’s not here, I always add it. I say, if you have fennel on hand, sniff it and if you think it would be a taste that you’d like, throw it in there. It kind of has a licorice flavor but it worked for me.)

Meatballs-

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1/3 cup finely diced onion
• 3 big sundried tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• ¼ cup whole wheat bread crumbs (I use unfrosted miniwheats ground in the blender)
• ½ cup parmesan cheese

ONE: Add a little drizzle of olive oil to a big pot and toss in the onion, garlic, carrots, celery, fennel (if you’re using it) and quinoa. Cook over medium high for about 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until the onions just start to soften and the quinoa is slightly toasted.

TWO: Add the broth, water, and pepper and bring to a gentle boil. While the soup mixture is heating up, begin cutting the kale into small pieces and adding it into the liquid. I hold a bunch of kale in one hand and use my kitchen scissors to snip the leaves into the pot. Discard any stems or tough pieces.

THREE: Once the soup is boiling, reduce to a simmer. In a medium bowl combine all of the meatball ingredients and mix well. (I use my hands which is totally gross-feeling but does the best mixing job)

FOUR: Using your hands, roll the meatball mixture into mini meatballs and drop them into the pot. (If the mixture seems too dry and the meatballs won’t stick together, add a splash of egg whites.) After about every 10 or so meatballs, use a spoon to push them down into the soup. You might need to add a little extra water or broth if there’s not enough liquid to submerge them all.

FIVE: Once the last meatball is in the pot, increase the heat to medium and let the mixture simmer for 10 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through, the veggies are tender, and the quinoa has little curls. Serve garnished with a bit of extra parmesan cheese if desired.

Freeze leftovers using the medium/large portions method to feed your freezer stash. Defrost in the microwave or on the stovetop.

Nutrition info:
Per 1-cup serving – 143 Calories (40 Calories from Fat), 4g Fat, 1g Saturated Fat, 26mg Cholesterol, 160mg Sodium, 14g Carbohydrates, 2g Dietary Fiber, 1.5g Sugar, 12g Protein, 118% DV Vitamin A, 51% DV Vitamin C, 10% DV Calcium, 10% DV Iron.
:)

Clean Eating Unstuffed Peppers Casserole

Do you want to eat something AMAZINGLY delicious for dinner tonight? Look no further!

Those of you who know me know that I almost never follow a recipe exactly. I can't help but tweak or modify as I go. But my very good friend, Mandy, has made this casserole for me a few times and when I make it for myself, I follow the recipe word for word :) It seems so simple but it is to die for. 

The thing I like best is that I can throw it together so quickly using my freezer stash. Two of the main ingredients are cooked brown rice and chopped bell peppers. I always have cooked brown rice at the ready in my freezer and when bell peppers are on sale I buy a bunch, chop them all up, and throw them in a freezer bag to use  in recipes just like this one.

This recipe is Clean as long as you read the label really carefully on the pasta sauce and choose one without anything undesirable added. The only modification I might make would be to decrease the amount of cheese from 2 cups to one. My family loves cheese and we aren't trying to eat a reduced fat or calorie diet so I use the full amount. However, if you are trying to lose weight or lower your cholesterol or something, there will still be plenty of flavor with less cheese. 

For the full recipe, check out the post on my friend, Mandy's, blog HERE! Thanks, Mandy!!!!!!!:)

Clean Eating Whole Wheat Banana Pecan Waffles

Makes 12-15 waffles
We LOVE waffles in our house. And I especially love them when all I need to do is pull them out of the freezer and pop them into the toaster. I'll make a big batch every few weeks and we'll eat them fresh for breakfast and then freeze the leftovers. Then every couple of days I can give my boys a nice hot breakfast without actually having to cook :) These are especially great for when we are rushing to get somewhere in the morning because they can be eaten mess-free in the car. Always a plus in my book!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (I use King Arthur's White Whole Wheat)
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp wheat germ/ground flax seeds
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 3 egg whites
• 1 1/4 cups skim milk
• 3/4 tsp almond extract 
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2-3 very ripe bananas, mashed

ONE: Preheat the waffle iron. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, wheat germ/ground flax seeds, and pecans.

TWO: In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg whites, milk, almond extract, oil, and mashed bananas until well blended.

THREE: Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir until just blended.

FOUR: For each waffle, lightly mist the waffle iron with cooking spray and pour 1/4 cup of batter onto each grid, spreading it out to mostly cover the grids. Close the iron and cook about 4 minutes or until lightly browned. (You may need to do more or less batter depending on your brand of waffle iron. You want to use just enough that the grids are covered with a thin layer. If you do too much, it will spill over and stick to the sides and pull the waffle apart into a big mess when you open it. Not that I speak from experience or anything....)

Freeze leftovers using the tray freeze method to feed your freezer stash. We reheat ours in the toaster oven but you could also use a toaster, microwave, or regular oven.

NUTRITION INFO: 

Per waffle - 120 Calories (45 Calories from Fat), 5g Fat, 0.5g Saturated Fat, 0mg Cholesterol, 99mg Sodium, 16g Total Carbohydrates, 1.5g Dietary Fiber, 4g Sugars, 3.4g Protein, 1% DV Vitamin A, 3% DV Vitamin C, 8% DV Calcium, 5% DV Iron
:)

Clean Eating Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies (Flourless Cookies)

Makes 48 small cookies or 36 mid-sized ones
I have no idea why I haven't posted this sooner because we literally make a batch every week (actually right now Danielle makes us a batch every week, but you know what I mean). This is a Clean Eating recipe all the way back from the March/April 2010 issue. I saw it when it was first published and was hesitant to make them because it used a whole cup of Almond Butter. Let's be honest, that stuff is expensive! I basically ration it out in our house. 


My very good friend, Martha (Hi Martha!) thought the same thing until her mom, Danette (Hi Danette!!) made them. Apparently after trying them, Martha's dad said that there would never be a need to make any other cookie they were that good. Since we started making them I literally have not made any other kind of cookie unless I was making it for a specific reason (like using up leftover veggies). We've made them using just almond butter and using half almond butter and half peanut butter and they are scrumptious both ways. We ALWAYS make a double batch so I'm not even going to bother posting the single recipe. 

Ingredients:

• 2 cups unsalted almond butter, stirred well (or any other combination of nut butters equalling 2 cups)
• 1 1/4 cups Sucanat
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips

ONE: Preheat oven to 350. Stir everything together adding the chocolate chips in last.

TWO: Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheets and bake for 10-12 minutes until lightly browned. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer them to a wire rack.

Once they're completely cool, we store ours in a cookie tin. You could definitely freeze them using the tray freeze method... it might help you eat them a little slower, lol!

NUTRITION INFO:

Per small cookie made with only Almond Butter - 110 Calories, 8g Fat, 1.5g Saturated Fat, 10g Carbs, 1g Fiber, 3g Sugars, 2g Protein, 55mg Sodium, 10mg Cholesterol

:)

Clean Eating Black Bean Burgers

Makes 10 Burgers
This recipe came about because we had "nothing" in the house and a pack of hungry kids. By nothing I mean I didn't have my standard go-to protein sources of chicken breast and ground turkey. Since we're not vegetarian, we generally have some type of meat with dinner. But when I don't have any in the house it makes me realize how single-minded my cooking is in some ways. Combining whole grains and beans creates a complete protein and we have about a million cans of black beans in our house from a totally awesome sale a few months back so we decided to give black bean burgers a try. They were a HUGE success. The toddlers devoured them including my super picky nephew and Matt, Anthea, and I all got to eat ours with two hands without having to force feed anybody. That's a big success in my book :)

Ingredients:

• 3 medium carrots, grated
• Half a medium onion, finely chopped (I grated mine since I was already grating the carrots)
• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup kale
• 1/2 cup packed cilantro leaves
• 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 3/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs (I used ground unfrosted mini wheats)
• 1 tsp salt

ONE: Spray a skillet with cooking spray and place over medium heat. Add the onions and carrots and saute for 2 minutes. Stir in the cumin, chili, garlic, and onion powder and continue to cook until the veggies are soft. Remove from heat and set aside in a large bowl.

TWO: Place drained beans, kale, and cilantro in a food processor and pulse several times until beans are mostly mashed but a few chunks still remain.

THREE: Add the beans, mustard, bread crumbs, and salt to the bowl of veggies and stir to combine. Scoop out scant 1/3 cup portions and form into patties.

FOUR: Heat the skillet you cooked the veggies in over medium heat and spray generously with cooking spray. Place the patties in the skillet a few at a time and cook 4 minutes a side until lightly browned and heated through.

TO FREEZE: Before cooking, form the patties and place them in a single layer on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Place in the freezer for about 20 minutes to flash freeze the outsides and then place them all together in a freezer bag. Defrost overnight and cook according to the directions above.

After cooking, follow the same directions as above and reheat in the microwave.

NUTRITION INFO:


Per Serving (1 burger) - 124 Calories (7 Calories from Fat), 1g Total Fat, 0mg Cholesterol, 463mg Sodium, 22g Carbohydrates, 6g Dietary Fiber, 4g Sugar, 6g Protein, 75% DV Vitamin A, 13% DV Vitamin C, 5% DV Calcium, 36% DV Iron

:)

Clean Eating Sale... Act Now!!!!!!

Hurry!!! This offer ends at 10 EST tonight (6/26/11)!! Go HERE and order a year's subscription to Clean Eating Magazine for only $5.99 (Regularly $35+).

Click Buy, change the quantity to 2 if you want 2 years instead of one, and then click Proceed to Checkout. Enter in your mailing info and click Continue. The total will say $24.99. In the second box down where it says Discount Code type in EATING and it will reduce the total to $5.99 for one year or $11.98 for 2 :)

Hurry!!!!!!!

Clean Eating Red Beans and Rice with Sausage (Crockpot)

Makes about 8 servings, 1 cup each
This smells like a little bit of heaven while it’s cooking :) I’m a real wimp when it comes to spicy food but this has just enough kick that the kids and I can eat it without complaint while having that slightly spicy New Orleans feel. My nephew, Chase, can sometimes be a picky eater and is VERY resistant to trying new foods, but even he ate this. In fact he fed it to himself without any coercion and said, “I never tried this and I like it.” A very big compliment coming from him.

You may have been shocked to see that there are no veggies in this dish. A rarity coming from me because you know I'm all about the one dish meals that include veggies so I don't have to cook any sides :) I almost always stir in some finely chopped cooked broccoli or brussel sprouts before serving. You could also add 1 1/2 to 2 cups of finely chopped raw sweet potato or carrots in at the beginning of cooking or stir cooked pieces in before serving like with the broccoli. Or I've sometimes thrown 2 cups of very finely chopped raw kale in during the last 1/2 hour of cooking but DON'T STIR it in until you're ready to serve (see Tip below).

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups uncooked brown rice
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 lb lean turkey or chicken sausage, sliced into medallions
• Small yellow onion, chopped
• 2 celery ribs, chopped (I've made it without this in a pinch but I think it adds a little something in the moisture and texture department)
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 ½ tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp pepper
• 1/8 tsp cayenne
• 1 tsp salt
• Optional: ½ tsp Tabasco (I didn’t add this but if you like spicy things have at it!)

ONE: Toss everything into the crockpot and cook on high 4-5 hours or on low 6-8 hours.

TIP: Stir it all together when you first put it in but DON’T stir again until you’re serving. The rice in this dish is meant to be a little more mushy and sticky than plain brown rice but stirring while it’s cooking will make the outside layer break down and let the gummy part out. Picture Cajun rice pudding.

OR:
Dump everything into a gallon-sized freezer bag and freeze. Toss the whole frozen chunk into a crockpot/slowcooker and cook on high 5-6 hours or low 7-8 hours. Make sure you freeze it in such a way that the frozen lump will fit in your crockpot. I set my bag inside a big circular tupper so that it freezes into a narrower cylinder.

Freeze leftovers in 1-cup portions using the medium/large portions method to feed your freezer stash.

NUTRITION INFO:

Per 1-cup Serving - 354 Calories (65 Calories from Fat), 7g Total Fat, 1.5g Saturated Fat, 35mg Cholesterol, 943mg Sodium, 51g Total Carbohydrates, 7g Fiber, 1.5g Sugar, 22g Protein, 1% DV Vitamin A, 6% DV Vitamin C, 7% DV Calcium, 20% DV Iron

:)

Clean Eating Saucy Chicken

Makes 4 servings, 3/4 cup each
This is a warm, creamy bit of deliciousness that absolutely screams comfort food... but won't send you screaming from the bathroom scale :) I got the original idea for this recipe from a Publix Family Style Magazine article. It's simple and satisfying and we love it served over Cornbread Waffles with Grilled Asparagus.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 2/3 cup skim milk
• 3 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp dried sage
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/8 tsp pepper

ONE: Poach chicken breasts by placing them in a small, heavy-bottomed pot that is just large enough so that they fit snugly together in a single layer. Cover with water (or chicken broth). Heat on high until it's just started boiling and then reduce heat to low. Partly cover the pot and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove pot from heat, cover completely, and let the chicken sit in the hot water for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through. Shred and set aside.

TWO: In a large saucepan heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant but not browned, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour and then add broth and milk. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.

THREE: Stir in Parmesan and spices; cook another minute. Add shredded chicken and heat through.

Freeze leftovers in 3/4 cup portions using the medium/large portion method to feed your freezer stash.

NUTRITION INFO:

Per 3/4 cup serving - 299 Calories (119 Calories from Fat), 13g Fat, 3.5g Saturated Fat, 105mg Cholesterol, 315mg Sodium, 6g Total Carbohydrates, 2g Sugar, 37g Protein, 3% DV Vitamin A, 1% DV Vitamin C, 12% DV Calcium, 11% DV Iron

Clean Eating Whole Grain Cornbread Waffles

Makes 8 servings, 1 waffle each
Cornbread is one of my absolute favorite foods so I love, love, LOVE these waffles. This recipe is actually adapted from a recipe from the Publix Family Style Magazine. I have actually never made these for breakfast. Don't get me wrong, we all happily eat the leftovers for breakfast, but I always cook them with the intention of eating them for dinner. I had never thought of a "dinner waffle" until the Family Style article but it is an awesome idea, especially if you're feeding toddlers. My boys are so excited to be eating waffles for dinner that they would eat almost anything on top of them. Tonight I topped them with the taco filling from the Best Ever Veggie Tacos but usually I top them with Saucy Chicken. Or you could just be normal and make them for breakfast :)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour (I use King Arthur White Whole Wheat)
• 1/2 cup whole grain cornmeal
• 2 Tbsp honey/sucanat
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup skim milk
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 egg whites

ONE: In a large bowl whisk together the flour, cornmeal, honey/sucanat, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. In a separate bowl combine the milk, olive oil, and egg. Whisk the liquid mixture into the flour mixture until just combined.

TWO: Preheat a waffle iron and spray lightly with cooking spray. Pour a generous 1/4 cup of batter onto each waffle grid and cook 3-4 minutes until lightly browned (or according to your waffle makers instructions).

Freeze leftover waffles using the flash freeze method to feed your freezer stash.

NUTRITION INFO:

Per waffle - 175 Calories (65 Calories from Fat), 7g Fat, 1g Saturated Fat, 1mg Cholesterol, 216mg Sodium, 24g Total Carbohydrates, 1g Dietary Fiber, 6g Sugar, 4g Protein, 2% DV Vitamin A, 0% DV Vitamin C, 6% DV Calcium, 6% DV Iron

:)

Blog Update

Hi, remember me. I'm Briony. I used to post great things all the time like a weekly menu and couponing tips. So what happened? Have I forgotten all of you and moved on to other pursuits? NEVER!! We've just had a VERY busy time in our house the past few weeks. I started my swim season teaching Survival Swim Lessons to children and I have been totally flooded with students. Then we had family from England visit plus some very special friends from Jacksonville (Hi Martha!!). From the very beginning, I promised Matt that I would only do this blog in my spare time (HAH!!! Well what counts for spare time for a mom of 2 toddlers) and that I wouldn't let it stress me out or take me away from the family.

Just to prove I haven't been totally slacking off, here's a video of Theron at 23 months

Plus, I'll let you in on a little secret.... I haven't cooked a regular meal in over three weeks. Our freezers were so packed and we had so many other things going on that we decided to have a freezer month. Meaning we ate dinner out of the freezer for an entire month with the exception of one week when we had visitors... but I even fed them some meals out of the freezer :) Can you imagine being able to just decide not to cook for a month and still be able to eat a healthy, home-cooked meal every night? It's pretty awesome. So awesome that we're doing it next month too because the freezers are STILL packed.

Thankfully, the lovely and talented Barb has stepped up with some wonderful guest posts (stay tuned for Barb's story coming soon!) and there are more to come. But it got to the point where even my own sister (Hi Anthea!!) was messaging me on Facebook asking why I wasn't updating the blog. So I thought maybe the rest of you were thinking the same thing.

Here's my plan for the rest of the summer. I'm not foreseeing my swim schedule lightening up at all (Yay for babies learning how to not drown!) so I will be taking a break from the weekly menu. However, I am going to aim to post at least 2 (but hopefully 3) new recipes a week (likely with help from Barb and some of my other wonderful gal pals) plus a workout each Friday (likely with help from the fabulous Joan) and the occasional super great deal or tip. When I do start cooking again, I will post my meal plan based on the sales but it will probably not include the grocery list with coupon match-ups until my swim season is over because you would be AMAZED at how long it takes to do that part.

Not quite the level of service that I was offering previously but hopefully this blog can still be a resource to you for healthy, delicious meals. Also, maybe the thought of 2 months without cooking will help you jump start your freezer stocking efforts :) As always, if you have a great recipe that you'd like to share, please e-mail it to me (with a pic if possible!) at FreezeYourWayFit@gmail.com. Thanks for sticking with my blog even though I've had a bit of a hiatus. Happy Cooking!

~Briony

:)

Asian Style Rice Wraps

These wraps are so fun to make and so versatile. There are probably a thousand combinations of different flavors you can include! I bought my rice paper at my local international market, but if you can't find it or you don't want to bother with such an interesting ingredient, you could use traditional flour wraps for the same type of effect. I like these wraps for their simple, fresh flavor. Included with a dipping sauce, they are like summertime comfort food. In the example below I used salmon and veggies with a doctored up sweet chili sauce, but you could easily add in left-over rice, or baby shrimp, or left-over chicken, or radishes, or spinach or make a peanut sauce or a hoisin sauce. Uhhh, you get the idea!

Oh, I wish I would have checked to see how blurry this picture was before I started chowing down!

Ingredients:

Wraps -

• 5 to 6 rice wrappers
• 2 small carrots, cut into small sticks
• 1/2 small cucumber, cut into small sticks
• a few slices of white onion
• handful of lettuce greens
• 1 large piece of broiled salmon (I cooked mine in the oven specifically for this meal, but you could use a left-over fillet or even a canned fillet!)

Sauce - 

• 2 Tbsp sweet red chili sauce
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tsp water

ONE: Organize your ingredients onto your work space so it will be easier to grab them when you're ready to start rolling the wraps. Pour a bit of warm water onto a dinner plate to use for softening the rice paper.


TWO: When the wrap is soft (it should feel like a wet noodle!) take it out of the water and place on a dry plate or cutting board. Immediately put another dry wrap into the water so it can soften while you work on the assembly. Layer the softened wrap with a little of each of your prepared ingredients. Drizzle with a little of the sauce.

 
THREE: Wrap the rice paper over the meat and veggies by first folding in the sides (perpendicular to your filling) and then fold the top down. Make sure you're wrapping tightly as you go, and keep in mind the rice paper is super sticky, so you can't really unfold. Finish rolling the wrap by bringing the partially covered filling down onto the bottom portion of the paper.

FOUR: Serve whole wraps (I don't recommend cutting them because they fall apart!) with any remaining sauce. If you don't want to bother making the wraps yourself, let your family make their own. It's fun!

Posted by Barb! :)


:)

Fitness Friday: Workout 1

I've mentioned the fabulous Joan Dandeneau several times before (like when I posted this totally delicious Hummus recipe). She is a crazy busy mom of three who teaches the most amazing workout class ever, Stroller Strength. If you live anywhere near Jacksonville, FL or Winston-Salem, NC you should totally check the class out. She looks great, feels great, and has tons of energy because of eating clean and working out. Plus she's setting an excellent example for her 3 little girls and motivating countless women to make healthy changes in their lives too.

Here is a great little workout she wrote for me that you can do right in your own home. The only equipment you'll need are some dumbbells (I used big cans of crushed tomatoes in bags at my Mom's b/c I didn't have dumbbells!) or resistance tubing

Workout 1

• 2 x 15 step ups each leg (use a stable chair or bench)
• 2 x 20 full range sit ups with a jab cross to either side
• 2 x 15 push-ups (try to perform these on your toes and palms, but if you have to, drop to your knees)
• 2 x 20 pop squats (start with feet together, jump out and squat down, jump together and repeat)
• 2 x 10 each leg mountain climbers (in plank position, alternate pulling knees into chest, as you progress, speed up the legs)
• 2 x 15 bicep curl overhead shoulder press (standing, hold tubing, do a bicep curl, rotate palms and press overhead, repeat) This may be too tight, if so, stand on tubing with only one leg and alternate arms if needed (if you don't have tubing, use dumbbells)
• 2 x 25 body weight squats fast, stand on tubing and separate feet to create some resistance, hold handles at shoulders and squat (or hold dumbbells on your shoulders)
• 2 x 20 each side seated oblique twists holding something heavy like a medicine ball, dumbbell, bag of flour, (or baby!)
• 2 x 15 dips off chair or bench

Optional: Sprint in place for 1 minute in between sets for a little extra cardio

Basic hand-kneaded Whole Wheat Bread

Makes 2 loaves, 16 slices each
Briony has been trying to get me to buy a second-hand bread maker for years, and I just haven't. Seriously, I like making bread by hand! I like feeling the dough and kneading it to perfection, and I guess it makes me feel connected with my grandmothers to do something I know they also did for their families. My favorite basic recipe is derived from the book that my Kitchen Aid Mixer came with. I altered the method a little (since I like to proof my dough) and add in a little Vital Wheat Gluten, which helps whole wheat loaves be more light and airy.


Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup plus 1 Tbsp sugar, divided (with sugar it is not "clean", you can use honey or sucanat instead)
• 2 cups warm water (105 to 115 degrees F)
• 4 1/2 tsp (or 2 packages) active dry yeast
• 5 to 6 cups whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup dry milk powder
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup oil

ONE: "Proofing" yeast means to activate before adding it to the flour. So, add the 1 Tbsp of sugar to hot water and stir to dissolve. Whisk in the yeast and let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes.

The yeast mixture before and after. Note how much it has puffed up.

TWO: Measure 4 cups of flour into the bowl of your stand mixer (such as a Kitchen Aid). Add the powdered milk and salt. Use the dough hook and turn your machine on to mix the dry ingredients together. Slowly add the yeast mixture while the dough hook is spinning and make certain you get all the bubbles that cling to the side. Add the oil.

THREE: Allow the mixer to bring the dough together until all the flour has been incorporated. You may have to scrape the bowl a time or two and you may have to increase the speed a bit if the motor sounds like it's struggling. Add the remaining 2 cups of flour half a cup at a time. The dough should start to form a ball and the sides of the bowl should be relatively clean.

FOUR: Finish the kneading by hand. Turn the dough out on to a lightly floured surface and knead it for 6 to 8 minutes. If the dough is sticking to your work surface, add another tablespoon or so of flour. Be careful to not add too much flour as this can dry out your dough. Remember that it is okay if the dough is sticky, you just don't want it to stick!

On the left is the dough just as I tipped it out of the bowl, and the right is
after I kneaded it for 8 minutes. Note how there isn't any flour
on my work surface after I kneaded.

FIVE: Let the dough rest while you wash your bowl, dry it well and grease it. Place the dough in the prepared bowl and cover it with a clean towel. Let it rise in a warm spot (the top of your running clothes dryer is a great location!). Let the dough rise for 1 hour.

The dough before and after the 60 minute rise.

SIX: During the last few minutes that the dough is rising and prepare your loaf pans by greasing them well. (Don't tell Briony but I started using shortening a while ago and I haven't had a loaf stick since. For me, it works better than olive oil spray, butter, parchment paper or any other thing I've tried. Briony would use coconut oil.)

SEVEN: Turn the dough out of the bowl and flatten it a bit to push out some of the air bubbles. Knead it for about 30 seconds and then shape it into a loaf. Drop the dough into your prepared loaf pan and let it sit for a few minutes. This short rest will allow the dough to relax so you can manipulate better. Push the dough down so it is flat and the edges touch the edges of the pan. Let the dough rise again for 45 minutes (or up to an hour if you need). During the last few minutes of rising, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

On the left is the shaped dough, and on the right you can see

I flattened it and pushed it towards the edges of the pan.

After the second rise

EIGHT: Bake the loaves for 30 minutes or until you can insert a toothpick and have it come out without any dough bits on it. Let the loaves rest in the pan for a few minutes and then remove them from the pans and let them finish cooling on a wire rack.

Posted by Barb! :)

NUTRITION INFO:

Per slice - 126 Calories (23 Calories from Fat), 2.5g Fat, 1mg Cholesterol, 172 mg Sodium, 21.5g Total Carbohydrates, 1g Dietary Fiber, 5g Sugars, 4g Protein, 0% DV Vitamin A, 0% DV Vitamin C, 6% DV Calcium, 6% DV Iron

:)

Clean Eating Asian Style Peanut Butter Slaw

Makes 8 Servings
When I was living by myself I used to live on this slaw. I think I must have made it a dozen times over a six month period; so often I memorized the ingredient list! The dressing keeps well in the fridge for a few days and you can simply pour it over the cabbage as you wish (Storing the slaw "dressed" is not recommended. The cabbage loses its wonderful crunch.) When I took these pictures I was out of green onions and cilantro, so they couldn't be included. And, I promise you, it tastes better than it looks. :-)

Ingredients:

• 1 small head Napa cabbage (the crinkly green kind)
• 1/3 cup green onions, sliced

Dressing-

• 6 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 5 Tbsp natural peanut butter
• 4 tsp reduced sodium soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp water
• 6 Tbsp evaporated cane juice with 1/8 tsp molasses OR 6 Tbsp sucanat
• 4 tsp sesame oil
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• fresh cilantro for garnish

ONE: Slice the head of cabbage in half and carefully cut out the core. Thinly slice the cabbage into strips.

TWO: Combine the ingredients for the dressing in a small mixing bowl. Whisk (slowly at first) until combined and creamy.


THREE: Divide out the portion of cabbage you want to eat with today's meal and add some of the green onions. Pour on a bit of the dressing and toss to combine. Garnish with the cilantro.

Posted by Barb! :)

NUTRITION INFO:

Per Serving with about 2 1/2 Tbsp dressing - 119 Calories (68 Calories from Fat), 7.5g Fat, 1g Saturated Fat, 0mg Cholesterol, 306mg Sodium, 8g Total Carbohydrates, 2g Dietary Fiber, 5g Sugars, 5g Protein, 95% DV Vitamin A, 80% DV Vitamin C, 11% DV Calcium, 7% DV Iron

:)

Clean Eating Breakfast Cookies

Makes 12 cookies
Yes! You can have a cookie (maybe even two) for breakfast! This recipe is amazing. The cookies bake up so light and chewy and are surprisingly sweet considering there only made with a little honey. Next time I bake them, I want to try replacing the banana with pumpkin or using dates in place of the raisins.

Ingredients:

• 1 large banana, mashed
• 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup dry milk powder
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup dried cranberries or raisins

ONE: Preheat oven to 350. Lightly coat two cookie sheets with cooking spray; set aside. In a large bowl, stir the mashed banana together with the peanut butter, honey and vanilla. In a small bowl, combine oats, flour, milk powder, cinnamon and baking soda. Stir the oat mixture into the banana mixture until combined. Stir in dried cranberries or raisins.

TWO: Using a scant 1/4 cup measure (an ice-cream scoop works well for this!), drop mounds of dough 3 inches apart onto prepared baking sheets. With a thin metal or small plastic spatula (or just use the back of the ice cream scooper) dipped in water, flatten and spread each mound of dough into a 2 3/4 round, about 1/2 an inch thick.

THREE: Bake, one sheet at a time, for 9 to 11 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight bag for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.

Posted by Barb!! :)

NUTRITION INFO:

Per cookie - 184 Calories (53 Calories from Fat), 6g Fat, 1mg Cholesterol, 52 mg Sodium, 28g Total Carbohydrates, 2g Dietary Fiber, 16g Sugars, 6g Protein, 0% DV Vitamin A, 4% DV Vitamin C, 6% DV Calcium, 5% DV Iron
:)