Spoonful of Sugar Free

Registered Dietitian

Health

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!

Watch my Oatmeal Grow…

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Isn't this the cutest mug? My sis bought it for me for Christmas. I love it! It keeps everything inside nice and warm...
I like my cherries on the top, not on the bottom! Silly mug...
Warm Oatmeal (mixed with ground flax and vanilla extract)...
Fruit. Fresh Blueberries and Sliced Bananas...
I'm nutty for Pecans!...
Cacao nibs, coconut shavings, and a Blueberry on top!

Now time to Enjoy!

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

What are your favorite oatmeal toppings?

A Healthy Snack for Kids of All Ages

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When I heard Foodbuzz was teaming up with Frigidaire and Jennifer Garner to help raise money for the Save the Children Foundation, I knew I had to help. They are trying to inspire families everywhere to roll up their sleeves and get cooking together. You can join Frigidaire Kids’ Cooking Academy to get great recipes, how-to videos and tips, all designed to help involve kids in the kitchen.

When you join, Frigidaire will donate $1 to Save the Children Foundation to help make sure that more children have access to healthy foods. Plus, to help spread the word, everyone who participates will be entered for a chance to win the daily prize, a kids’ apron set, and the grand prize: a new Double Oven Range from Frigidaire. http://www.maketimeforchange.com/

Also, for every blogger who publishes a post with a kid-friendly recipe, $50 will be donated to the Save the Children Foundation. This is where I (and my adorable little brother) come in!

 

Crazy Healthy Granola Bars

~This granola bar recipe is extremely versatile, and can be made to suit any diet. Gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and, of course, sugar-free!

Makes 30 bars

Ingredients

  • 1 cup of squash puree (ex. pumpkin, butternut squash, or just throw in a baked sweet potato!)
  • 1/2 cup nut butter (peanut butter, almond butter, walnut butter, coconut butter…)
  • 2 eggs or egg substitutes (I used a mix of flax egg and chia egg. Mix chia or flax with water and let sit for 20 min)
  • 2 cups grains (oats, puffed millet, dry cereal…)
  • 2 cups of extra add-ins (dried fruit, chopped nuts, chocolate, spices…)

Preheat oven to 375*. In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients. Feel free to add whatever you want to it. The mixture should stick together when raw. If it does not stick together, simply add more nut butter and squash. You may halve, double, or triple the recipe at your pleasure.

 

Spread on a cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until golden and firm. Let it cool for 5 minutes until cutting into bars.

 

For those stuck on granola bar add ins, try these ideas:

  • PB&J bars: peanut butter, chopped peanuts, dried blueberries and strawberries, oats. Eat sandwich style with jelly.
  • Elvis Bar: Substitute mashed banana for the squash. Peanut butter, and bacon bits.
  • Carrot Cake Bar: oats, shredded carrot, raisins, coconut.
  • Alex’s Bar: My favorite combo. Bananas, unsweetened chocolate, and peanut butter. Must I say more?
  • Apple Crumble Bar: oats, almond butter, sliced almonds, cinnamon, apple chunks
  • Fudge Bars: Take all the chocolate and cacao you have in the house and dump it into the batter with cocoa powder.
  • Reese’s Bars: Chocolate and Peanut butter.
  • Gingersnap Bars: almond butter, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg.

Your children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, friends, and adorable siblings will love creating their own healthy, sugar-free granola bars! Let them search through the grocery store for their favorite ingredients, and help them learn the difference between healthy and unhealthy foods. If your child can read, teach them how to identify “bad” ingredients from the ingredients list.

 

 

They will have so much fun using their hands to mix the ingredients together. Just make sure they wash their hands first! While the granola bars are baking, help them create labels to individually wrap their bar creations. They will have fun with naming their own special bar and creating a fun label with paper, crayons, markers, pencils, stickers, and tape. I named my first batch “Crazy Bar” because I literally tossed in any nut, grain, fruit, or unsweetened chocolate piece I could find in my cupboard!

 

These granola bars are the perfect snack for the young and old. Instead of reaching for a candy bar, grab this tasty, unsweetened treat to satisfy your hunger cravings. Kids will more likely eat their own creations anyway 😉

My little brother is so excited to make granola bars!

Now you go have fun, and make some healthy granola bars while teaching the little ones around you how to be healthy! If they start forming good habits now, they can stay healthy throughout their life.

Note: it is best to keep the bars refrigerated because they will last longer.

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

Is there a little kid in your life who you would make granola bars with and teach them healthy eating habits?

Also, what is your favorite granola bar flavor (if you like granola bars)?

Rings on my Fingers and Bells on my Toes

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Ride a cock horse to Banbury Cross
To see a fine lady upon a white horse
With rings on her fingers and bells on her toes
She shall have music wherever she goes…

 

These were the rings I made as gifts for all my female friends and family for Christmas. I made them with wire and beads. What do you think? Would you wear one? Maybe I could giveaway one….hmmm….

Anyways, here is a recipe I have been keeping in my photos folder for a long time.

Baked Coconut Forbidden Rice Pudding

~This rice pudding is dairy-free, gluten-free, and, of course, sugar-free!

Serves 6

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups coconut milk
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup cooked forbidden rice (also known as black rice)
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut
  • optional: 1/2 cup chopped dates or raisins
  • optional: 1/4 tsp nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350*. First, whisk together the eggs, milk, and vanilla. Then, mix in the rice, coconut, and dried fruit and nutmeg (if using). Pour mix in a 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Put this dish into a 2 qt baking dish, and pour hot water in the 2 quart dish. Bake for 30 minutes, or until knife comes out clean. Serve warm or chilled.

Health Benefits:

  • Coconut-Coconut is widely misunderstood because of it’s high fat content; however, coconut’s saturated fat is made up of medium-chain fatty acids. These medium-chains are easy to absorb and digest, and are converted quickly into energy. This means that the body has no opportunity to store the medium-chain as fat. Coconut is also a great source of dietary fiber with a whopping 5 grams per oz.!
  • Forbidden Rice-Forbidden rice is a black rice that turns slightly purple when cooked. This gives the short-grain rice a rich, nutty flavor. It has 5x more flavonoids than regular white rice, and is a great source of anthocyanin antioxidants. It is an anti-aging agent, and has 10g protein and 4g fiber per 1/2 cup.

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

When you were a child, what was your favorite comfort dessert your parents or guardians made you?

My favorite comfort dessert was always a stovetop pudding. I loved it when my mom surprised me with a homemade chocolate pudding, rice pudding, or tapioca. I loved skimming the film of the top of the pot, and curling up under a blanket while I watched my favorite cartoons. The perfect comfort food for winter, and when I was feeling under the weather.

 

 


McDonald’s Redeems Itself

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Remember my post about McDonald’s “Real” Fruit Smoothies?

When McDonald’s makes something seemingly healthy, it has to be questioned. When I started seeing the commercials for McDonald’s new Fruit & Maple Oatmeal, I had to hop on over to their website to investigate.

According to Mickey D, the restaurants have two options for oatmeal: with or without brown sugar. Which is great because it gives you the choice to omit all that unnecessary sugar! Therefore eliminating 14 extra grams of sugar.

You also have the choice of adding the following toppings: cranberry raisin blend, diced apples, and light cream. Personally, I would not add the cranberry raisin blend because dried cranberries are always sweetened with extra sugar. They are just too tart for most people if they don’t sweeten them. I also wouldn’t add the light cream because I’m not a fan of pasteurized dairy.

Take a look at the nutritional information for yourself:

All in all, its a great breakfast when your on the road. It has a good amount of protein and carbs to get you through the morning. I’m glad McDonald’s has started selling this because I am going to be on the road this weekend. It also has a great price, $1.99. Also, they serve the oatmeal all day at most stores!

Some other great fast food places that serve oatmeal include:

Starbucks Perfect Oatmeal-Served with optional nuts, dried fruit, brown sugar, and milk of choice. $2.95

 

Jamba Juice Steel Cute Oatmeal-Slowly cooked in Soymilk, and served in a variety of flavors including apple cinnamon, berry cherry, blueberry & blackberry, fresh banana, or brown sugar. $3.45

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

Have any of you tried McDonald’s new oatmeal? I haven’t tried it yet, but I expect it to be an instant oatmeal like Starbuck’s. I’ve never tried Jamba Juice’s either. Have any of you tried it?

How do you eat breakfast on the road? I usually bring a bag of snacks with me wherever I go, nuts, fruit, bars, and I like eating the oatmeal from Starbucks.

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!