Spoonful of Sugar Free

Registered Dietitian

vegetables

Roasted Sweet Potato and Rosemary Frittata

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Lately, omelettes, frittatas, and eggs have replaced my bowls of oatmeal and pancakes. Savory foods with capers, olives, and oregano are on my mind.

With family in town, it makes more sense to make large quantities of food rather than making breakfast individually. Frittatas take much less hands-on time, in my opinion, so I have more time to play with this cutie while breakfast cooks:

Yet even though there are more mouths to feed, leftovers still arise. Last night we made a huge batch of Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Rosemary. Instead of simply heating up the leftovers, I threw them in with some eggs and a handful of spinach. Whisk, pour, cook, cover, and serve with a dash of salt and pepper.

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Roasted Sweet Potato and Rosemary Frittata

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 6 large frittata slices

Calories per serving: 160 per slice

Roasted Sweet Potato and Rosemary Frittata

~Dairy-free, gluten-free, paleo, vegetarian, soy-free, and sugar-free.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Either use leftover roasted sweet potatoes with rosemary, or make it fresh by chopping approximately 2 sweet potatoes (or 2 cups) with skin on. Toss in 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 Tablespoon rosemary, and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Lay on baking sheet and roast at 450* for 40 minutes, or until slightly brown and soft. Stir occasionally while it bakes.
  2. Preheat a 12 inch pan with a dab of oil to prevent sticking.
  3. Beat eggs until fluffy and stir in spinach.
  4. Place roasted sweet potatoes in the preheated pan and pour egg-spinach mix on top so that it evenly covers it.
  5. Cover and cook on low heat until a toothpick comes out clean (about 10 minutes).
  6. Slice and serve with salt and pepper, to taste.
https://www.spoonfulofsugarfree.com/2012/03/22/roasted-sweet-potato-and-rosemary-frittata/

Health Benefits:

  • Eggs: Great source of protein, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fat. They are great for your eyes because of the carotenoid content. Also great for your nervous and cardiovascular system because of the choline content. Contrary to previous belief, moderate consumption of eggs does not have a negative impact on cholesterol, and it is one of the only foods with naturally-occurring vitamin D.
  • Rosemary: Rosemary is rich in calcium, magnesium and potassium. It has good amount of phosphorus, sodium and iron with small amount of zinc, copper, manganese and selenium. It is also useful in increasing blood circulation, improving concentration and digestion. It stimulates the immune system, reduces the severity of asthma attacks and helps prevent breast cancer.
  • Sweet Potatoes: Click HERE for a post about the benefits of sweet potatoes.

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

When you have guests over, what is your go-to breakfast/brunch?

I love making pancakes, frittatas, or baked oatmeal!

P.S. Don’t forget to enter my Digital Measuring Cup Giveaway!

Day 18: Butternut Squash Soup

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Welcome to day eighteen of the Sugar Free Challenge!

Thanks for all your words of advice for my wisdom teeth extraction! I pre-scheduled this post, so I am probably getting them extracted while you read this.

Here is today’s sample menu:

Breakfast: Mini Frittatas

Lunch: Spinach Salad with Balsamic Dressing, Hard Boiled Egg, and Socca.

Snack: Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Apple

Exercise Option: For those of you who chose to take part of the exercise challenge, your challenge today is to do 50 crunches, 10 squat jumps, 15 pushups, 20 1-legged calf raises (10 each leg).

Dinner: Butternut Squash Soup (the recipe I promised yesterday).

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Butternut Squash Soup

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Yield: 4-6 servings

Calories per serving: 100

Butternut Squash Soup

~This butternut squash soup is super creamy without the cream. It is thick and full of flavor. If you enjoy curry, feel free to add a dash or two in while simmering. Dairy-free, vegan, gluten-free, paleo, soy-free, nut-free, and sugar-free.

Ingredients

  • 1 medium butternut squash
  • 1 medium yellow onion
  • 1 Tablespoon coconut oil
  • 3 cups broth (vegetable or chicken)
  • 1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk
  • 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400*.
  2. Slice the butternut squash in half lengthwise, remove seeds, and place on baking sheet, skin up. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the squash is very tender.
  3. In the meantime, chop the yellow onion and saute with oil until browned.
  4. Scoop the flesh of the butternut squash out of the skin and place in blender with onions, milk, broth, and spices. You may wish to split the soup into different batches before blending. Puree until smooth and pour into large saucepan.
  5. Simmer for a few minutes to warm, and serve. You may serve with a swirl of coconut milk and a sprinkle of nutmeg.
https://www.spoonfulofsugarfree.com/2012/01/18/day-18-butternut-squash-soup/

This recipe has become a favorite of mine. I’ve made it about three times already! It is super creamy without any cream, and it has just the right balance of spices to compliment the squash without overpowering it. I also love the thickness. You may wish to make several batches and freeze for future use! For instance, when you get your wisdom teeth extracted and are on a liquid diet for a while…

Health Benefits:

  • Butternut Squash: Contains many antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, and is low in calories and high in fiber. Contains more vitamin A than pumpkin, which is essential for vision health and healthy skin.
  • 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!
  • Nutmeg: This spice has strong antibacterial properties, and it is effective in killing a number of cavity-causing bacteria in the mouth. Contains eugenol, a compound that may benefit the heart. Nutmeg can help to combat asthma and relax the muscles.

THOUGHT-PROVOKING, MIND-PRODDING QUESTION OF THE DAY:

What is your favorite way to eat squash?

Remember that you can track what you eat on the printable Challenge Checklist. 

 

Day 16: Processed vs. Whole Food Sugar

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Welcome to day sixteen of the Sugar Free Challenge!

Today’s Reason to be Sugar-Free: 

Processing techniques have created sugar that has been extracted from these whole, natural foods, and is devoid of essential vitamins, minerals, and fibre. A simple way to understand this concept is to consider a large chocolate bar and a can of soda. Together they contain approximately 100 grams of sugar. If we want to eat the equivalent of 100 grams of sugar from whole apples, we have to eat approximately 6-7 medium apples. Of course, many of us become full in eating just a few apples, but we are more than capable of eating a chocolate bar and drinking a can of soda in one sitting. So by eating foods that have been processed and concentrated, we put a great deal of stress on our organs, which is a significant cause of low energy and illness. ~Dr. Ben Kim

Here is today’s sample menu:

Breakfast: Fried egg (coconut oil) atop a bed of sauteed kale, bell peppers, mushrooms, and tomatoes.

Lunch: Plum Socca Tart with Rosemary

Snack: High Protein Cookie Dough Dip

Dinner: Slow Cooker Chicken with Olives and Artichoke

Dessert: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites

Exercise Option: For those of you who chose to take part of the exercise challenge, your challenge today is to do 50 crunches, 10 squat jumps, 15 pushups, 20 1-legged calf raises (10 each leg).

THOUGHT-PROVOKING, MIND-PRODDING QUESTION OF THE DAY:

What is your opinion of whole fruit sugars vs. processed sugars?

Remember that you can track what you eat on the printable Challenge Checklist. 

Day 15: Halfway There!

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Welcome to day fifteen of the Sugar Free Challenge!

We are now officially halfway through with the challenge! Wahhoooo! Great job everyone.

Here is today’s sample menu:

Breakfast: High Protein Cookie Crisp Cereal.

Lunch: Heart-Stopping Chicken Salad. Vegan Option: substitute chickpeas for meat.

Snack: an assortment of fresh fruit, veggies, and a bar of unsweetened chocolate (if you don’t like unsweetened chocolate, substitute a small handful of nuts).

Dinner: Hobos. Take a piece of ground beef and roll into a patty. Top with peppers, potatoes, onions, and carrots and wrap in foil. Bake at 375* for one hour. Tastes great drizzled with dijon mustard or Homemade BBQ Sauce. Vegan option: Two Cans and a Potato

Dessert: Slow Cooker Cinnamon Applesauce with Cinnamon

New Workout

The Exercise Challenge changes this week. For those of you who chose to take part of the exercise challenge, your challenge today is to do 50 crunches, 10 squat jumps, 15 pushups, 20 1-legged calf raises (10 each leg).

This option is for those who do not exercise regularly and would like to jump start their new year with an easy exercise routine. Each round of exercises take just a few minutes to complete. It would also be wise to add a bit of cardio to your day like walking, jogging, bike riding, or jump roping. Right when you get up in the morning, during lunch breaks, or before bed would be an excellent time to complete this routine.

THOUGHT-PROVOKING, MIND-PRODDING QUESTION OF THE DAY:

How has the challenge been going for you so far? We are halfway through, so how do you feel?

Remember that you can track what you eat on the printable Challenge Checklist. 

Mini Frittatas and Lazy Sunday Breakfasts

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I love Sunday mornings. Lounging around in pj’s, sipping on coffee, and then off to church. Breakfasts should be special on Sundays, yet easy enough you can make it in your pajamas and unbrushed hair.

These mini frittatas meet my “Lazy Sunday Morning” standards. They’re fast, easy, and adaptable. Simply whip up the ingredients and stick them in the oven. While they’re baking you can arrange a fresh fruit bowl or simply sip on a cup of coffee or tea. Whatever qualifies your “laziness” rules that morning.

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Mini Frittatas

Yield: 4 servings

Serving Size: 3 mini frittatas

Mini Frittatas

~Dairy-free, Gluten-free, Soy-free, Nut-free, Grain-free, Paleo, and Sugar-free.

Ingredients

  • 8 Large eggs (may substitute some/all for egg whites if desired)
  • 2 cups chopped vegetables (ideas below)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh herbs, optional
  • pinch salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375*.
  2. Whisk eggs until fluffy in bowl with salt and pepper.
  3. Add in chopped vegetables and herbs and mix.
  4. Lightly grease a muffin tin (you will nee 12 muffin cups).
  5. Pour the egg mix into each muffin cup.
  6. Bake for ten minutes or until slightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean. The frittatas will puff up in the oven and then settle down after you take them out.
  7. Let cool for a few minutes before removing from tin and serving.
https://www.spoonfulofsugarfree.com/2011/12/12/lazy-sunday-breakfasts-giveaway/

Ingredient Ideas:

  • Mexican: tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, black olives, and cilantro. Top with salsa and guacamole.
  • Greek: Bell peppers, spinach, kalamata olives, leeks, and capers.
  • Meat Lover’s: bacon, ham, beef, an whatever else is in your fridge.

Some of my favorite Brunch Recipes include the following:

(Please excuse my “Lazy Sunday Morning” attire: extra-large t-shirt).

To help me make this Sunday Breakfast, Oxo sent me a Egg Beater to try out and use. You can read more about the product HERE.

Thanks so much, Oxo! I love it. Very easy to use, and it whips the eggs perfectly. I can’t wait to create a healthy meringue and whipped coconut cream with it.

They also sent me an extra egg beater to send to one of you!

This Giveaway is now Closed. Thanks to everyone who entered.

Thanksgiving Recipe Ideas

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Thanksgiving Countdown: 1 day left

Are you ready? Do you know what you will be serving? Here are some ideas to help you out.

Guests are in town, and they all need breakfast! You can whip up a batch of Baked Banana Oats, Grain-Free Pumpkin Pancakes, or some Pumpkin Spice Latte Granola. All are quick and easy to whip up, and can be served with some fruit and coffee.

Now let’s get down to the nitty gritty: the real Thanksgiving Meal.

First you’ll need to give your guests something to drink. How about a Apple Cider Spritzer? Simply mix equal parts apple cider with sparkling water.

For Appetizers you can serve

Apple Crisps with Peanut Butter Hummus
Antipasto Sausage Skewers

For the main dish, I am having a spiral ham this year. Personally, I like ham better than turkey. What do you prefer?

For sides, mashed potatoes (made with almond milk), sweet potatoes, applesauce, and brussels sprouts are in order. Try some of these recipes:

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Apples and Pecans
Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Rosemary Wild Rice
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Apples and Bacon
Crockpot Cinnamon Applesauce

Dessert will, of course, be Pumpkin Pie with Whipped Cinnamon Cream.

 Not a fan of pumpkin pie? Well, you’re crazy.

Just kidding! How about Apple Pie, Sweet Potato Spice Cookies, or even a Fig and Plum Crisp?


I might have a post up on Thanksgiving, or I might not. If not, here is a Happy Thanksgiving wish from me:

Have a fantastic holiday! Fill yourself up with good food, cheerful conversation, and love from family and friends. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! 

THOUGHT-PROVOKING, MIND-PRODDING QUESTION OF THE DAY:

What is your favorite Thanksgiving dish? Please share your recipes!

Mine is, hands down, the pumpkin pie. Always has been. However, that spiral ham and the Roasted Sweet potatoes sure do give the dessert a run for its money!