Spoonful of Sugar Free

Registered Dietitian

Dinner

Where are the Veggies?

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I’m back! Whew that was a long trip! While I was out of town and on the road, I missed having my stocked kitchen with fresh produce. All I wanted when I got home was a huge plate of veggies. I craved them. Therefore, I made myself a gigantic salad for dinner when I got home. Thank goodness the vegetables stayed fresh in the fridge while I was gone!

Hard-boiled eggs, purple onions, avocado, apples, celery, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, pickles (yes they are  good on salads), pecans, and spinach. All drizzled with homemade Dijon Mustard Dressing: Dijon mustard, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, oregano, rosemary.

While on the road, though, I managed to find some healthy eats. Sometimes it is difficult to find healthy food on the road. I try to stick to veggies, fruit, and meat, and then I supplement with the snacks I pack. Here are some of my favorite on-the-road restaurants and what I usually order:

On-the-Road Restaraunts

  • Fast-Mexican: Chipotle, Moe’s, Qdoba, and Panchero’s are my favorite. It is so easy to order a “Burrito Bowl” at any of these places. Rice, beans, meat, veggies, salsa, and guac! I love how Chipotle’s meat is hormone-free, and they try to use as many local ingredients as possible. I also really like Qdoba’s Mexican Gumbo: rice, beans, and veggies all topped with a spicy broth. $4.99-$9 depending on the meat you get and if you add any extras.
  • Subway: It’s hard to find lots of vegetables on the road, and I love how I can load up on bunch of them at Subway. I get their spinach salads with all the veggies (except jalepenos) with oregano and pepper. I suggest using oil and vinegar as the dressing, though, instead of their pre-packaged dressings loaded with high-fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils. $5.
  • Wendy’s: Huh? Yep, you heard right! I love getting their small chili with a baked potato. Filling and inexpensive-only $2.49 for both! Their chili is chock-full of beans and tomatoes. I  would stay away from their sour cream and “butter-spread,” though (hydrogenated oil heaven). I am not a big fan of fast food “healthy” salads. The “salad” is basically a few pieces of lettuce wit some industrial chicken, shredded cheese, and a side of bad dressing. I don’t think the lettuce is very fresh, either
  • Local Supermarkets: Almost every town, no matter how small, has a supermarket. You can always go in and buy some fresh produce, nuts, or ingredients to make a pb&j! The supermarkets I visited these past couple weeks even had salad bars in them.
  • Panera: Yes, Panera sells a lot of cookies, bread, and cream-based soups, but they also sell salads and non-creamy soups!  My favorite salad is the Classic Salad, and I love the black bean soup. You can always ask for no cheese on salads that contain cheese, and again, beware of the dressings because they use sugar. Ask for no dressing or dressing on the side. You can always use lemon juice as a salad dressing! Also, skip the side of bread and go for an apple.
  • Cracker Barrel: Cracker Barrel is known for comfort food, but you can also find healthy options on the menu. I love the veggie plate (four sides) with green beans, pinto beans, corn, and boiled cabbage. Just a heads up-the side of carrots are glazed and sugared carrots. Also, the grilled pot roast is magnificent! It is a rather large portion of meat, but it is topped with wonderfully grilled onions and mushrooms.
Also, don’t forget to sign up for the Sugar-Free Challenge before June 1st!

Thought-provoking, mind-prodding question of the day:

Do you miss your veggies while you are on the road? Also, what are your favorite healthy meals at seemingly unhealthy places? I would love to see what other meals or restaurants I might be missing out on!

Your Dinner Tonight

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Have you tried Socca?

I have made it a few times thanks to the Pure2Raw Twins, and have loved it plain and as a sandwich. Then one night I wondered, “Why not make it into a pizza?”

Oh my goodness! I am so glad I did! It was the best dinner I had all month! The pizza was extremely filling, but oh so satisfying. I only had one slice, and I was stuffed!

 

Pesto Socca Pizza with Grilled Veggies and Chicken Sausages

~The pizza can be made vegan/vegetarian by simply omitting the sausage. Dairy-free, gluten-free,  and of course, sugar-free!

Serves 6

Ingredients

Socca:

  • 1 cup garbanzo bean flour
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil

Preheat oven to 425*. Mix all ingredients together except the olive oil. Batter will be thin. Spread the olive oil on a 10-12 inch round pan (I used a cast iron) and place in hot oven for a few minutes. Then pour the batter into the pan and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the socca is brown on the underside. Flip the socca carefully onto a dish you can put back into the oven (you will be broiling it later).

NOTE: I’ve seen socca made many ways. Some bake it, some broil it, some flip it half way through. This is up to you! If you like it extra crispy-try broiling it. If you like it soft-bake it. Pure2Twins have many different recipes HERE.

 

Vegan Pesto

~This pesto is vegan, raw, dairy-free, gluten-free, and of course, sugar-free!

  • 1 large bunch of basil (about 2 cups loosely packed)
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1/2 cup walnuts
  • 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
  • 4 Tablespoons of olive oil
  • 2 Tablespoons Nutritional Yeast

Place all ingredients except olive oil in a food processor or strong blender (I used my magic bullet). Process until finely ground. Then add the olive oil a tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.

The nutritional yeast and walnuts give it a creamy taste without the dairy. It keeps in the fridge for 5 days. I didn’t use quite all of it on my pizza. You can use the leftovers on sandwiches, pasta, and as a dip for crackers.

Pizza Toppings

~You can use whatever topping you like! Omit the sausage for a vegan/vegetarian pizza.

  • 2 cups spinach
  • 1/2 green bell pepper
  • 1/4 onion
  • 5 artichoke hearts
  • 2 Tablespoons capers
  • 2 chicken sausages
  • 1 clove garlic

First, boil the sausages in a pan for about 10 minutes, covered. Then, slice them and brown them on a pan slightly coated in olive oil. Remove. Chop the onions, bell pepper, and garlic and saute in olive oil. Add the spinach and cook until slightly wilted.

 

Assemble Pizza

Spread the pesto on the socca in an even layer. Then add the sauteed veggies and the artichoke hearts, capers, and sausages. Broil on High for 3 minutes or until the tips of the veggie and socca brown.

Let cool for a couple minutes and serve hot! Bon Appetit!

 

 

 

Health Benefts

  • Garbanzo Bean Flour: Also known as chickpeas, these beans are protein power houses with 10g per 1/4 cup. They contain an amazing amount of fiber with 8g per 1/4 cup. An excellent source of the trace mineral molybdenum, garbanzo beans help in the process of detoxification of sulfites. This mineral is an important component of the enzyme sulfite oxidase, which is involved in this detoxification process.
  • Leafy Greens: Our parents always told us to “eat our greens,” and for good reason, too! Leafy greens contain a lot of Vitamin K which protect our bones, regulate blood-clotting, and help prevent diabetes. Lutein and zeaxanthin are carotenoids found in dark-green leafy vegetables that are concentrated in the eye lens and macular region of the retina. The carotenoids play a protective role in the eye.
  • Basil: This herb has been used for centuries to help cure colds, coughs, and sore throats. It is also known as an anti-stress agent, and can help reduce blood cholesterol.
  • Nutritional Yeast: Nutritional yeast is full of nutrients (hence the name). It contains 18 amino acids and 15 minerals that are all good for you. Especially known for its vitamin B content, it helps maintain ideal intestine ecology, improve blood production, maintain cholesterol levels, and improve liver function.

 

 

Thought-provoking, mind-prodding question of the day:

What is your favorite meal of the day?

Mine is Breakfast. I could seriously eat “breakfast food” all day long! Sometimes I do…

 

Healthy Comfort Food

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Hello all! Is it still cold in your neck of the woods? I hope so, so that you can make this wonderfully comforting Chicken Pot Pie! (Although I know you would like it any time of year 😉 )!

Sarah from the Smart Kitchen challenged me to make a healthy Chicken Pot Pie. So by golly I made that pie!

Gluten-Free Healthy Chicken Pot Pie

~This Pot Pie is not your typical artery-clogging pastry dish. Gluten-free, Dairy-free, and of course, sugar-free! It can also be made vegan if you omit the chicken.

Ingredients

Crust:

  • 1 cup brown rice flour
  • 1/2 cup garbanzo bean flour
  • 1/2 tsp xantham gum (acts as gluten to stick gluten-free flours together. if you don’t have any, no worries! The crust just won’t stick together as much)
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3 Tablespoons olive oil
  • Tablespoons of water as needed

Filling:

  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • 4 carrots
  • 2 celery stalks
  • 5 mushrooms
  • 1/2 cup chopped cabbage
  • 1/2 onion
  • 1/2 cup green peas
  • 3/4 cup chopped/shredded cooked chicken
  • 1/4 cup chicken stalk (or water)
  • 1 Tablespoon brown rice flour
  • 1/2 tsp each of salt, pepper, and thyme

NOTE: The two gluten-free flours I used are both inexpensive compared to most gluten-free flours. They can be used in a wide variety of recipes, too. Examples: Pancakes, cornbread, or socca. However, whole wheat flour can be used instead.

NOTE 2: You can use any mix of veggies you have. This just happens to be what I had in the fridge at the time. Try adding potatoes, squash, zuchinni, broccoli, or any other veggies you have.

Directions:

First, mix the dry ingredients of the crust together. Then add the olive oil and stir. Add tablespoons of water as needed until the dough sticks together to roll into a ball. Refrigerate dough while you prepare the filling.

For the filling, chop all the veggies into bite-sized pieces. In a skillet on medium-high heat, place all the veggies in to brown slightly. Add a dash of water as needed to prevent burning. Next, add the chicken, chicken stock, flour, and spices. Mix and cover for a few minutes.

Pour the filling and it’s juices into a pie pan or a oven-safe dish. I used my grandma’s french oven le-creuset 🙂

Take the dough out of the fridge and roll onto a flat surface. Use extra flour as needed to prevent sticking. Lay the rolled out dough on top of the veggies. If the dough breaks apart, don’t worry! It looks really fun when the crust is laid in pieces. I even took the extra dough and shaped it into a heart for decoration!

Bake at 400* for 20 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the filling bubbles.

Serves 6 hungry people

Best eaten in bowls 🙂

Thought-provoking, mind-prodding question of the day:

What things do you do that make you lose track of time? You know when you get caught up in something you are so engaged in that you forget to look at the clock or think about your “to-do” list?

I sometimes get this way when I cook, or when I am playing my best tennis, or even when I’m writing an essay on a topic I connect with.

P.S. if you ever run out of oatmeal-add ins, look at all the comments on my last post. There are some really great ideas!

Easy Ginger-Miso Dressing

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I have been hoarding this recipe for a long time…

It is my absolute favorite homemade salad dressing! I have been searching and searching for my favorite salad dressing served at Japanese Steakhouses, and when I made this dressing I realized it tastes just like it!

Ginger-Miso Dressing served atop fresh kale, red peppers, grapes, cucumbers, and avocado

Easy Ginger Miso Dressing

~This salad dressing is gluten-free, nut-free, dairy-free, vegan, gluten-free, and, of course, sugar-free!

Serves 1

  • 1 Tablespoon minced ginger
  • 1 teaspoon miso
  • teaspoons of lemon juice or water

In a small bowl, mix the ginger and miso together. Add a teaspoon of lemon juice (or water), and whisk. Add more lemon juice (or water) in teaspoonfuls until desired consistency is reached.

I like my dressing thick, but thin enough to pour. Feel free to double or triple the dressing as needed depending on the size of your salad and the number of people you are serving this to.

Health Benefits

  • Ginger: Ginger is best known for helping digestion. Ginger can help when you feel nauseated or cramped. It can also minimize the symptoms from colds, allergies, and respiratory conditions.
  • Miso: Made from soy, miso is high in iron, copper, manganese, vitamin B12, and vitamin K. It naturally contains probiotics that help the digestive system. Studies have also shown that consuming miso reduces the chances of getting Breast Cancer for women.
  • Lemon Juice: Helps stimulate and aid in the digestive system, and helps to get rid of toxins in the body. It can help the skin stay healthy and clean while decreasing the amount of phlegm in the body.

Compare all of these wonderful benefits of the Ginger-Miso dressing America’s most popular salad dressing, Ranch.

2 tablespoons of Hidden Valley ranch dressing has 140 calories, 14g fat, 2.5g saturated fat, 260mg sodium, 1g sugar, 1g protein.

Ingredients: Vegetable oil, egg yolk, sugar, salt, buttermilk, spices, garlic, onion, vinegar, phosphoric acid, xanthan gum, modified food starch, MSG, artificial flavors, disodium phosphate, sorbic acid, calcium disodium EDTA, disodium inosinate and disodium guanylate.

Not only is the ranch made mostly of oil, but it is full of unhealthy preservatives. It also contains harmful MSG. I think I’ll stick to my ginger-miso recipe.

Thought-provoking, mind-prodding question of the day:

What is your favorite salad dressing? Do you like making your own, or is there a certain store-bought variety you like?

Usually I just drizzle some balsamic vinegar and olive oil on my salads, but I fell in love with this Ginger-Miso recipe as soon as I created it!

Eat the Rainbow-in Potatoes

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Remember when I said I ate a purple sweet potato?

Well, here is my lovely new friend:

Purple Sweet Potato smothered with almond butter!

Potatoes sometimes get a bad rep for being full of carbs, but they have good benefits, too!

  • They are full of fiber and are extremely filling (1 large potato contains 7 grams of fiber)
  • The carbohydrates are a great source of energy
  • Contain vitamins B and C-complex to help aid in the absorption of the carbohydrates
  • Contains good amounts of potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, and zinc
  • It can help relieve inflammation of the digestive track

Sweet Potatoes are also great! Personally, I think they taste better, too!

  • One of the best sources of Beta-Carotene. This pre-vitamin to vitamin A prevent night blindness and other eye problems, skin disorders, enhance immunity, protects against toxins and cancer formations, colds, flu, and infections. It is an antioxidant and protector of the cells while slowing the aging process.
  • A great source of vitamin C, manganese, potassium, and copper.
  • Only 100 calories for a medium sweet potato, 4 grams of fiber, and 2 grams of protein.

Above all, potatoes are Cheap! You can buy a whole bag of potatoes for only a few dollars. What a great source of inexpensive energy!

Potatoes don’t only come in white, though, they come in all sorts of rainbow colors!

Red


Orange


Yellow


Green


Blue


Purple

There are so many things you can make with potatoes, too:

  • Mashed Potatoes (Boil potatoes until soft, and then mash with fork and add butter and milk)
  • Twice Baked Potatoes
  • Potato Chips (Slice Thinly and bake on sheet at 375*)
  • Latkes
  • Gnocci

Thought-provoking, mind-prodding question of the day:

What is your favorite way to eat potatoes? Also, do you prefer sweet potatoes or regular potatoes? I love all potatoes, but sweet potatoes are my favorite. My crazy little brother doesn’t like potatoes! Can you believe that boy?

Also, how do you remember the colors of the rainbow? There are so many rhymes out there, but I remember it by the song I sang in my elementary music class, “Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple makes the rainbow bright! Bright! Bright!” Of course, ROY G BIV helps me, too!

Shout out to my potato-loving friend, Kelsey:

She ate 7 potatoes in one sitting! You go, girl!

 

#10 Friends by Recipes: Adobo-Rubbed Pork

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Welcome to day 10 of my Friends by Recipes Challenge! Debpieper sent me this wonderful recipe for Adobo-Rubbed Pork from Clean Eating Mag.

 


This was extremely easy to make, and I love the addition of the black bean pico de gallo. I am so sorry, but I did not get a picture of mine this time! Thursdays are my busy days, and I made everything in the morning so that it would be ready for me to throw in the oven when I got home.

Little did I know that I would be having a 5 hour tennis camp workout with a 15 minute break thrown in instead of 2 hours, 1 hour break, and another 2 hours of tennis. You could say that I was hungry and exhausted.

As soon as I got home, I threw the pork in the oven, took a shower, put some pj’s on, and devoured the meal without taking pictures! Oh well, you can see what I ate on these pictures provided by Clean Eating Mag:

 

Thanks, Deb, for giving me this nourishing, tasty meal when I needed it!

Thought-provoking, mind-prodding question of the day:

What is the most tiring workout you’ve ever done? One that you just felt so tired from that you just wanted to crash? I always think that sledding is so exhausting. It takes 5 minutes to clamber up a snow-filled, steep hill, and then only 15 seconds to sled down it! What would snowy, bitterly-cold winters be like without sledding, though?