Parmesan Sweet Potato Fries - Recipe

I love sweet potato fries for two reasons.  First, they are sweet and delicious!!! (Always a good thing!!)  And secondly, they have fewer calories since they are baked and not fried.  If I have a regular french fry ala Micky-D's, all I taste is the oil and salt.  Try these great fries, with a touch of Parmesan cheese.

 

Parmesan Sweet Potato Fries

 

Ingredients:

1/2 pound sweet potatoes, cut into 1/4" thick sticks
1 Tbs. grated reduced-fat Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. paprika
Pinch of cayenne
Salt to taste

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F
2. In a medium bowl, toss the potatoes, cheese, olive oil and spices
3. Place potatoes in a single layer on a medium nonstick baking sheet
4. Bake for 8 minutes
5. Flip the potatoes and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and browned
in spots.
6. Serve immediately

Makes 2 Servings

Nutrition Facts:
125 Calories, 2.5g Protein, 25g Carbs, 2g Fat, 4mg Cholesterol, 3.5g Fiber,
119mg Sodium, (3 Points+ Plus)

Six Doctors

The best six doctors anywhere
And no one can deny it
Are sunshine, water, rest, and air
Exercise and diet.
These six will gladly you attend
If only you are willing
Your mind they'll ease
Your will they'll mend
And charge you not a shilling.

~Nursery rhyme quoted by Wayne Fields, What the River Knows, 1990

Yummy Left-Over Meat Pocket Sandwiches

This recipe is becoming my "go to" recipe for left-over meat.  I made it last night with my left-over Perfected Pulled Pork (see my recipe on Sept. 12, 2011).  It was fantastic!  Light, flakey, and full of flavor.

YUMMY LEFT-OVER MEAT POCKET SANDWICHES

1 can (8 biscuits) Pillsbury Grand Biscuits

2-2/3 cups left-over shredded & chopped meat (I used pulled pork, but you can also use chicken, beef, etc.)

Your favorite BBQ seasoning or rub

1 egg white

1 tsp water

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

1.  Flour surface and rolling pin and roll each biscuit into a 6" round.

2.  Lightly sprinkle the top (which will become the "inside") with BBQ seasoning or rub.

3.  Place 1/3 cup of shredded and chopped left-over meat on the front half of the 6" round of dough.

4.  Pull the back half of the dough gently over the meat (to make a 1/2 moon shape) and press the edges together when they meet.  Crimp the edges with a fork.

5.  Mix the egg white and water together in a small bowl, and then brush the mixture over the filled dough.

6.  Sprinkle a little more of the seasoning or rub over the top of the pocket sandwich.

7.  Place on a baking sheet covered with parchment, and bake at 350 degrees until golden brown (about 20 minutes.)

8.  Serve with barbecue or other sauce for dipping.

Serves: 8

I served my pulled pork pocket sandwiches with left-over cole slaw and baked beans from our party.  It was an excellent, but simple dinner for under 600 calories.





Perfected Pulled Pork -- Recipe

I have been fiddling around with this pulled pork recipe for a few weeks (well, since I got a great bargain on organic pork!!)
It is the easiest recipe ever.  Since it is made in a crock pot, you can put it together in 15 minutes before you take off for work, and dinner is ready when you get back home.

We had a pot luck with our neighbors yesterday, and I served this dish ... everybody loved it.  Even my gluten-free friends.

Perfected Pulled Pork

2 large red onions
3-4 lbs pork shoulder, pork butt or pork loin
1-12oz can of root beer (I used diet Barq's)
1-18oz bottle of barbecue sauce (I used Sweet Baby Rays)

1.  Cut the red onions in half, and then slice in small strips.  Take the strips from one onion and separate and fill the bottom of your crock pot.

2.  Take the pork and sear it on all sides to seal in the juices, and then lay it on the bed of onions in your crock pot.

3.  Cover the pork with the separated strips from the second onion.

4.  Pour the root beer over the pork.

5.  Pour the barbecue sauce over the pork.

6.  Cover the pot and set to Low (Slow Cook), and cook for 10-12 hours.  (If you are in a hurry, set the pot on high and cook for 5-6 hours)

7.  After cooking for 12 hours, pull the pork and onions out of the pot and toss the juices left in the pot.

8.  Take two forks and pull the pork in two directions until you get the pork shredded to small pieces.

9.  Return pork to the crock pot and if necessary, pour in an extra 1/4 to 1/2 cup barbecue sauce.

Nutritional Info:
Calories  159
Total Fat  3g
  Sat Fat  1g
  Trans Fat  0g
Chol  41g
Sod  411g
Total Carbs  15g
  Diet. Fiber  0
  Sugar  14g
Protein  17g
Calc  0%

I make a sandwich with those new thin 100 calorie buns, so the whole sandwich only contains 259 calories.  We also like to put a dab of low fat cole slaw on top of the meat (which I make with non-fat organic mayo, cabbage & carrot shreds, and 1/2 cup of dried cranberries.)  Even with the cole slaw, the sandwhich is less than 280 calories.

Enjoy!!

Surviving the Salad Bar

I used to feel so virtuous whenever I would go to a restaurant and JUST have the salad bar.  Now that I have been changing my diet up a bit, I realize that walking down the salad bar line was a bit like walking through a field of land mines.  Here are some tips from SparkPeople I have started using to assure me safe passage as I tip-toe through the veggies!


Take the safe path and apply these strategies to avoid salad bar traps:

• Use a smaller plate; limit the number of trips you make.
• Start with the nutrient-rich dark green, leafy vegetables, such as spinach, romaine, and endive.
• Fill up your plate with vegetables like lettuce, cucumbers, peppers, broccoli and tomatoes.
• Power on the protein with legumes, beans, lean meat, turkey, and crabmeat.
• Take only a small taste of the high-fat food items such as pasta salad, potato salad, macaroni salad, and coleslaw.
• Go easy on extras like croutons, chow mein noodles, crackers, nuts, seeds, crumbled bacon, and shredded cheeses.
• Dress your salad for success with 2 tablespoons of a low-calorie or light salad dressing, OR only 1 tablespoon of regular salad dressing. For a new taste twist try a splash of flavored vinegar.
• If the salad bar contains soups, go for a broth-based version over a cream-style selection.
• Allow only a small taste of the whipped topping-jello-fruit combinations.
• For dessert, return to the salad bar for a small plate of fruit topped with a little yogurt or cottage cheese.

Use the following guide to chart your course while maneuvering through your next salad bar excursion:


Salad Bar Guide

Food	Amount	Calories	Fat Grams
Vegetables
Artichoke Hearts	1/4 Cup	20	Trace
Avocado	1/4 Cup	75	8
Bean Sprouts	1/4 Cup	8	Trace
Beets	1/4 Cup	15	0
Bell Pepper	2 Tbsp	3	Trace
Broccoli	1/4 Cup	6	Trace
Carrot, shredded	1/4 Cup	15	Trace
Cauliflower	1/4 Cup	6	Trace
Cucumber	1/4 Cup	4	Trace
Green Peas	2 Tbsp	30	Trace
Lettuce	1 Cup	10	Trace
Mushrooms	1/4 Cup	5	Trace
Olives, ripe	2 Tbsp	30	4
Radishes	2 Tbsp	2	Trace
Spinach	1 Cup	10	Trace
Tomato	1/4 Cup	15	Trace
Fruits
Fruit Cocktail, canned in juice	1/4 Cup	35	0
Mandarin Oranges, in juice	1/4 Cup	25	0
Melon, fresh	1/4 Cup	15	0
Peaches, canned in juice	1/4 Cup	25	0
Pineapple, canned in juice	1/4 Cup	35	0
Raisins	2 Tbsp	60	0
Strawberries, fresh	1/4 Cup	10	0
Beans, Nuts, Seeds
Chickpeas	1/4 Cup	40	< 1
Kidney Beans	1/4 Cup	55	Trace
Sunflower Seeds	1 Tbsp	80	7
Meat, Poultry, Fish, Eggs
Eggs, chopped	2 Tbsp	25	2
Ham, chopped	1 oz	35	1
Shrimp	1 oz	30	< 1
Turkey	1 oz	35	< 1
Tuna, canned in water	1 oz	35	< 1
Cheese, Dairy
Cottage Cheese, creamed	1/4 Cup	60	3
Cottage Cheese, 1% low fat	1/4 Cup	40	< 1
Cheddar Cheese	2 Tbsp	55	5
Mozzarella Cheese	2 Tbsp	40	4
Parmesan Cheese	2 Tbsp	45	3
Others
Chow Mein Noodles	1 Tbsp	15	<1
Croutons	1/4 Cup	27	4
Bacon Bits	1 Tbsp	25	2
Mixed Salads
Cole Slaw	1/4 Cup	45	5
Macaroni Salad	1/4 Cup	100	10
Potato Salad	1/4 Cup	100	10
Tuna Salad	1/4 Cup	190	10
Three Bean Salad	1/4 Cup	60	0
Dressings
Blue Cheese	2 Tbsp	155	15
Italian	2 Tbsp	160	15
French	2 Tbsp	135	15
Italian, low calorie	2 Tbsp	15	0
Lemon Juice	2 Tbsp	8	0
Oil and Vinegar	2 Tbsp	100	8
1000 Island	2 Tbsp	120	10
Vinegar	2 Tbsp	4	0

How to Build a Salad that Satisfies

With all of our veggies becoming ripe at the same time, we are eating a lot more salads.  I found this article on CalorieCount.  Now I am really ready to take on all those vegetables in our garden.

How to Build a Salad that Satisfies
By Brittany Mullins



People often think of a salad as an appetizer, diet food or something that won’t fill them up for longer than an hour. This isn’t always the case. With a little planning you can make a nutritious salad that will satisfy your taste buds and keep you feeling full for hours. You don’t even need a recipe! The key to building a meal-sized salad that won’t break the calorie bank is having about three quarters of the salad be fresh vegetables and the other quarter protein and a healthy fat.

Simply choose your favorite greens as a base and top with veggies, a protein and a healthy fat. Here’s a list of items to help you get started creating hearty, healthy and delicious salads:

Greens:

• Spinach
• Arugula
• Romaine
• Spring mix
• Kale

Vegetables: (It’s best to choose veggies that are in season)

• Tomatoes, fresh or sun-dried
• Cucumbers
• Zucchini or other squash
• Mushrooms
• Yellow, orange, red, or green bell peppers
• Cabbage, sliced
• Carrots
• Beets, roasted or boiled
• Radishes
• Sweet corn
• Sweet potatoes, roasted or steamed
• Peas
• Onion
• Artichoke hearts
• Roasted red peppers
• Hearts of palm

Protein:

• Lean cuts of grilled or baked meat – chicken, turkey pork or beef
• Shrimp, crab meat, scallops or other seafood
• Salmon, tuna or other fish
• Tofu, plain or cooked
• Tempeh, plain or cooked
• Edamame
• Beans - black beans, garbanzo beans, kidney beans
• Hummus
• Crumbled veggie burger
• Hard boiled eggs
• Cottage cheese
• Low-fat cheese

Healthy Fats:

• Avocado
• Nuts (I like almonds, walnuts and pine nuts)
• Sunflower seeds
• Sesame seeds
• Olive oil based dressings
• Flax seed oil or ground flax seeds
• Hemp seeds
• Olive oil (and vinegar)
• Olives

 Other Notes:

• Don’t drench your salad in dressing. If the salad ingredients are fresh and in season they’re often very flavorful on their own.
• Throwing leftovers on salads is the best- leftover grilled and roasted veggies (straight from the fridge) make great salad toppings.
• Complex carbs are a fun addition as well – wheat berries, whole grain cous cous, quinoa or orzo are all great options
• Fruits are also a great addition to salads in the summer time – try adding strawberries, blueberries, pears, and figs.

As for preparing the salad, simply toss the ingredients of your choice into a large bowl (or small bowl for a single salad) and enjoy. You can plan ahead and prep some of the more time consuming items early. For instance you can chop veggies and cook a pot of beans on Sunday evening so weekday lunches or dinners can be thrown together in a flash. Have fun trying out the endless number of salad possibilities!

 

The Green Thing (cute story that makes you think!!)

In the line at the store, the cashier told an older woman that she should bring her own grocery bags because plastic bags weren't good for the environment.

The woman apologized to him and explained, "We didn't have the green thing back in my day."

The clerk responded, "That's our problem today. Your generation did not care enough to save our environment."

He was right -- our generation didn't have the green thing in its day.

Back then, we returned milk bottles, soda bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could use the same bottles over and over. So they really were recycled.

But we didn't have the green thing back in our day.

We walked up stairs, because we didn't have an escalator in every store and office building. We walked to the grocery store and didn't climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time we had to go two blocks.

But he was right. We didn't have the green thing in our day.

Back then, we washed the baby's diapers because we didn't have the throw-away kind. We dried clothes on a line, not in an energy gobbling machine burning up 220 volts -- wind and solar power really did dry the clothes. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing. But that old lady is right; we didn't have the green thing back in our day.

Back then, we had one TV, or radio, in the house -- not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief (remember them?), not a screen the size of the state of Montana . 

In the kitchen, we blended and stirred by hand because we didn't have  electric machines to d everything for us.

When we packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, we used a wadded up old newspaper to cushion it, not Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap.

Back then, we didn't fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut the lawn. We used a push mower that ran on human power. We exercised by working so we didn't need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity.

But he's right; we didn't have the green thing back then.

We drank from a fountain when we were thirsty instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time we had a drink of water.

We refilled writing pens with ink instead of buying a new pen, and we replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull.

But we didn't have the green thing back then.

Back then, people took the streetcar or a bus and kids rode their bikes to school or walked instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour taxi service.

We had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances. And we didn't need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 2,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest pizza joint.

But isn't it sad the current generation laments how wasteful we old folks were just because we didn't have the green thing back then?