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It’s easy to get carried away during the holidays – trust me, when my family of 30-something people get together for the holidays, we have, like, 5 different desserts, a huge turkey, yummy Vietnamese food, and a showcase of side items (my family is full of talented cooks and bakers!). Ooph, I already feel my jeans getting tighter just thinking of it!
Here’s an easy way to still eat the things you like but not feel deprived – portion size! I found these cute bon-bon baking cups in the craft store, and thought, what better way to share than to make a whole bunch of mini pumpkin cupcakes with cinnamon cream cheese frosting for my work? These bite-sized morsels are things you need not fret about – you can eat two and it’s still less than one cupcake. Dainty and delectable as petit fours, they’ll be sure to please!
This week, I decided to do some experimenting. Artificially flavored orange anything hasn’t really been my thing – ever. I love eating oranges, but I still don’t like chocolate with orange flavoring, or orange-flavored cookies, etc. It just tastes strange to me – maybe because everything I’ve tried has had too much orange flavor, or maybe it was those screwdrivers in college that did it. Blech. Years later, I still cringe. So I don’t know what got in to me this weekend when I decided to bake with orange juice. I wanted to use less butter, and use plain yogurt and OJ together to see if I could produce a moist muffin bread (meaning I wanted a muffin I could slice) without the heaps of fat.
Now, Phong’s not so much of a sweets kind of guy, but this orange-blackberry muffin bread I made was just right for him. I didn’t use too much sugar, so it’s not the stick-to-your-teeth kind of thing. It has just a hint of orange flavor, from the fresh-squeezed orange juice and a little bit of orange zest. I didn’t use too much because I was afraid I would freak out again. I added some juicy blackberries because I the tartness heightens the flavor. You have to top it off with the walnut glaze – it’s perfect with your morning coffee. I made this during the weekend and it was all gone by this morning!
Orange-blackberry muffin bread
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup plain, lowfat yogurt
1/2 cup fresh-squeezed orange uice
1 tsp freshly grated orange zest (LOVE my microplane!)
1 whole egg + 1 egg white, lightly beaten
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup blackberries
For the glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbsp (or more, if you want it runnier) skim milk
2 Tbsp chopped walnuts
1. Preheat the oven to 375° F. Spray a 9″ x 5″ loaf pan with nonstick baking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter, yogurt, orange juice and zest, eggs, and vanilla extract until well-incorporated.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture, stirring until all the ingredients are just combined and moistened (do not overstir). Fold in the blackberries, and pour the muffin bread mixture into the loaf pan.
4. Bake for about 30-38 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow to cool for about 20 minutes. To make the glaze, simply stir the powdered sugar and milk until the glaze forms. Add more milk if you want the glaze to be more runny. Stir in the walnuts, and spoon the glaze over the muffin bread.
After a good workout at the gym, Phong and I were ready to eat! As part of our lunch, I decided to whip up this fantastic salad. This salad is so good to eat, especially when you’ve got all the fun bits to pick at – you won’t drive yourself into iceberg lettuce boredom. Made of watercress packed with vitamin C, pomegranate seeds brimming with antioxidants, avocado, and walnut pieces, it’s definitely a winner. It’s loaded with good monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) from the avocado and walnut pieces. These fats help lower your risk of heart disease and can increase your HDL (healthy cholesterol) levels. Let it flow with an olive-oil vinaigrette of your choice, and man, you are doing your body some good!
O…mega tasty salad
3 1/2 cups watercress, torn into pieces
1/2 avocado, peeled and diced
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
2 Tbsp chopped walnuts
Simply combine all ingredients and serve with the dressing of your choice. Yields: 2 servings, about 2 cups each
Make your own vinaigrette by whisking together some good-quality extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice or balsamic vinegar, cracked pepper, and salt or sugar to your liking. Some other good dressing choices would be raspberry vinaigrettes or other light, fruit-based dressings.
Nutrition Analysis (without the dressing, per 2 cup serving): 148 calories, 10 g fat (good fat!), 15 g carbs, 3.5 g pro.
We’ve all had a mojito, right? Well, this drink is a twist on that – muddling herbs with sugar, lime, and ice into a cooling, tasty drink. This one has no alcohol in it, though – it’s great for a brunch or spa day with your girlfriends. I use Thai basil here – it’s a type of sweet basil with a hint of licorice flavor. You can find it in Asian markets – you’ll see the difference because Thai basil has purple stems and little purple flowers on it…very pretty!
Thai Basil Refresher
5-7 Thai basil leaves, torn into small pieces
1/2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and sliced
Juice of 1 lime
1 tsp honey
1 Tbsp sugar (or to taste)
1/2 cup crushed ice
2 cups cold water
1/2 cup frozen pineapple chunks (don’t need to thaw)
In a tall glass, combine the basil leaves, ginger, lime juice, honey, sugar, and crushed ice. Using a muddler or wooden pestle (now, I don’t have either, so I used the handle of my wooden rolling pin – don’t laugh, it’s all about being creative and using what you’ve got!), mash the ingredients together. The sugar will dissolve and the ginger and basil wil release their flavors. Once frothy, add the cold water and stir until combined. Divide the drink into two cups, remove the pieces of ginger, add extra crushed ice if you wish, and drop in a few pieces of frozen pineapple into each cup. (I always keep these on hand to snack on – they’re so good!). Serve and enjoy!
I recently had a craving for miso salad dressing and wanted to whip one up myself. So, I run to the grocery store…no miso. Go to another grocery store…no miso. That dream of having miso salad dressing a few weeks ago then had to be succumbed to boring salad. But recently, I saw this in the grocery store by our house: Galeo’s “World’s Best Miso Roasted Sesame Seed Dressing, Marinade and Dip.” And hey, with a heading that says, “You’ve Waited Long Enough” (and did I!), this HAD to be good. And it was worth the wait! I made this tasty salad for my mother-in-law when she came to visit and she loved it (whew!).
So here’s a simple, down-to-earth salad made with all-natural ingredients. I usually make it with soybeans (edamame) but when I opened my freezer today – whoops, no edamame. Bummer. So I subbed with my other favorite green round veggie – sweet petit peas. You’ll love it either way!
Miso Lovely Salad
6 cups shredded Napa cabbage (or any other cabbage)
3 cups grated carrots
1 cup frozen green peas (or edamame), thawed
1 cup green onions, sliced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp Galeo’s miso dressing
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup honey-roasted peanuts, ground
1. Super easy: Combine all ingredients, except the peanuts, and make sure the miso dressing coats the salad. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes so the miso blends in with the salad. To serve, top the salad with the peanuts. Serves 5, 2 cups each.
Nutrition Analysis (for a 2-cup serving size): 151 calories, 7 g fat, 18 g carbs, 6.4 g protein.
Today was a great day! Phong came home from his deployment, and as a welcome home dinner, I made Seared Scallops with Citrus-Honey glaze. I served it with slightly steamed green beans and mushroom-herb risotto from Trader Joe’s. Yes, so some of you may know that we don’t have Trader Joe’s in Hawaii (but why the Aloha decor IN Trader Joe’s? They’re just teasing me!). So when I go home to visit family in California, I stock up! The risotto we buy is a once-in-a-while thing, so what better day to crack it open than today?
Scallops have a wonderful texture; tender, chewy and with a delicate flavor. A typical serving size (3 scallops) provides only 100 calories, 1 gram of fat, and 17 grams of protein – a great lean protein source. Here, I prepare them seared over olive oil but with a tiny bit of butter to help with the browning and caramelization. The citrus-honey glaze is a savory and surprising compliment over it all. I hope you all enjoy it as much as Phong did!
Seared Scallops with Citrus-Honey Glaze
For the glaze:
1/4 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp Maggi seasoning sauce (or soy sauce)
1/2 Tbsp honey
1 garlic clove, minced finely
1 Tbsp green onion, finely chopped
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
For the scallops:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 Tbsp butter
1 pound scallops
1/2 lb fresh green beans, trimmed
For the glaze, combine the orange juice, seasoning sauce, honey, garlic, green onion, and black pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.
In a 12-14″ skillet over high heat, add the olive oil and butter. When the fat starts to smoke, gently add the scallops. Sear both sides of the scallops, about 2-4 minutes each side. The scallops should feel firm to the touch but still tender inside – beware of overcooking them, as they will dry out. Remove the scallops and set aside. Turn the heat off, and add the citrus-honey glaze. Stir it around in the pan, scraping up the good bits. Let the glaze bubble and concentrate for a couple minutes; set the pan aside.
For the green beans, you can either steam them, roast them, sautee them – I chose to lightly steam them.
Putting it all together, place 3/4 cup of risotto or other starch you’ve decided to use. Arrange some of the green beans on the starch, and finally place 3 scallops on top of everything. Scoop one tablespoon of your citrus-honey pan glaze and drizzle over the scallops. Serves 4. Bon appetit!
For dessert, Phong had a tasty surprise for me. On the way back home, he had a layover in Japan and picked up a couple of fun things. I opened up these pretty packages and found dainty little mochi (sweet rice cakes) and a “Tokyo Sweet Roll,” which was a cute little matcha green tea cake that was not too sweet and very light. Kind of too cute to eat! I always am excited to get oversea goodies! Thank you hubby – so glad you’re home now!
Back in April, hubby and I went to the Kokua (Hawaiian for “help” – environmental cause) festival at the Waikiki Shell. I think my cousin would agree that was THE BEST (well, aside from her NKOTB concert) concert we’ve ever been to – you get Jack Johnson, DMB, Paula Fuga all in one! Woo! Well anyways, we met Randy and Kym, a couple who just moved to HI and were sitting in front of us at this concert. Ever since then, they’ve been great to hang out with on this isolated little island we now call home. Tomorrow, Kym is going to cut my hair (she’s an awesome hairstylist), and to repay her, I’m making the both of them lunch (or dinner, whatever). These peanut-hoisin noodles are so healthy to make and never boring – I’ve made them for work potlucks with rave reviews, and you can basically add/subtract whatever ingredients to your liking! This recipe makes A GRIP of food – so it’s great for sharing at parties, with family, coworkers, etc. I’m estimating that it will serve 12-14 people. Easily.
Wait, but let me do a plug for this new pasta on the market. Barilla Plus thin spaghetti, per serving, provides 4 grams of fiber (that’s a good source!), and a whopping 10 grams of protein (more than an ounce of meat). In addition, it provides alpha-linolenic omega-3 fatty acids that regular white pastas do not provide (28% of your daily value per 1/4 box). Omega-3 fats are a heart-healthy fat found in walnuts, wild-caught salmon, flaxseeds, and other foods. And best of all, it has a great taste, a little nuttier than regular pasta, but still light and smooth in texture.
Peanut-hoisin noodles with shrimp, pork, and veggies
Ingredients:
1 box (14.5 oz) Barilla thin spaghetti
4-5 garlic cloves, minced and set aside
4 oz boneless pork chop or chicken breast, thinly sliced
1 tsp fish sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp black pepper
3/4 lb shrimp, deveined and shelled
1 Tsp olive oil
1 carrot, peeled, sliced thinly (about 1/4 inch thick)
2 1/2 cups snow peas or sugar snap peas (trim the tough ends)
3 cups green cabbage, cut into 1″ x 2″ pieces (or if you don’t care, that’s fine!)
3 cups bean sprouts
1/2 cup water
For the peanut-hoisin sauce:
1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp hoisin sauce
1/2 cup smooth, reduced-fat peanut butter
2 Tbsp chili-garlic sauce
1 tsp low-sodium soy suace
1/4 tsp sesame oil
3 Tbsp water
At the end:
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup green onions, sliced into 1-2″ pieces
You can do a lot of the prep work (boiling the noodles, cutting the veggies, marinating the pork) a day ahead. I’m all for making things easier on myself!
1. Boil the thin spaghetti according to the direction on the box. Drain the noodles and set aside.
2. In a small bowl, combine the pork, 1/2 of the minced garlic, fish sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and black pepper.
3. In a 12″ saute pan or larger, heat over med-high heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil.
4. Add the pork mixture and saute, about 2-3 minutes until browned on both sides.
5. Add the shrimp and cook for another 5-6 minutes, until the shrimp become translucent and the pork is no longer pink. Remove the pork and shrimp mixture; transfer to a small bowl.
6. In the same pan, combine the carrot slices, snow peas, cabbage, bean sprouts, and water. Stir and cook for about 7-8 minutes, until the vegetables become cooked but still have a slight bite (al dente veggies? Sure!). After they are done, transfer the veggies to a large bowl.
7.In a medium microwaveable bowl, heat the hoisin sauce, peanut butter, chili-garlic sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, and remaining water for 20 seconds at a time, until you can stir and incorporate it all into a uniform sauce.
8. In a large stockpot/pan/wok (whatever you can hold all that pasta in!), heat the 2 Tbsp of olive oil over medium heat. Add the rest of the reserved garlic; stir for 30 seconds. Add the pasta and the peanut-hoisin mixture until well-incorporated. Now (finally, I know!), add all the veggies, pork, shrimp, and turn off the heat. Add the green onions – the heat residual will slightly soften the green onions. Add black pepper to your liking.
If you’re cooking for less, just make half the pasta and throw in whatever veggies/meats/tofu you like, and reduce the sauce by half. That makes enough for two to last a few meals (very easy to pack for lunch the next day!). It’s an all-in-one meal – you have your protein, veggies, fiber, and complex carbohydrates to last you for a few hours. Thanks Kym – I hope you enjoy your meal!
Being that my hubby is currently deployed, here I am on a weeknight, totally unmotivated to cook my dinner. I always live like a single gal when he’s gone in the fact that I make enough food on the weekends to last me a few meals, and then, groaning, realize it’s Wednesday and have to whip up something new. Well, you might realize it’s only MONDAY and I was too lazy to cook ahead on the weekend! This is so silly – when Phong’s home, I’m a cooking machine and get uber-creative. But for now, I’ll settle for finding creativity in simplicity.
I bought some Alii mushrooms at the grocery store this weekend just because they looked fun, as well as some button mushrooms. I’ve never gotten Alii mushrooms before; they look like huge oyster mushrooms and are cultivated here in Hawaii by Hamakua farms. I’m feeling a little soupy today so wanted to make a cleansing soup that wasn’t too heavy and could compliment some chicken on the side. You can totally add whatever you want to this soup and it’ll be great – some shredded chicken breast, a few shrimp, cubed tofu – whatever you like! Here’s the plain version. No joke, this took me LESS THAN 15 minutes!
Mushroom-Ginger Soup
2 cans (10.5 oz each) low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup water
2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and sliced lengthwise into 4 pieces
1.5 cups Alii mushrooms, sliced (you can use oyster, shiitake, or whatever mushroom you have on hand)
1.5 cups white button mushrooms, sliced
1/2 tsp red chili oil
1 cup green onion, cut into 1-2 inch pieces
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
In your 5-quart stockpot or whatever soup pot you want to use, combine the chicken broth and water. Add the ginger slices. Heat the broth mixture over med-high heat until it boils. When it does, add all your mushrooms, red chili oil, and green onion. Let simmer for a few minutes, until the mushrooms are tender (about 6-7 minutes). Okay, really now, you’re completely done. SO easy! Top with black pepper to your liking. Serves: 3; serving size: about 1 1/2 cups
Nutrition Facts (per serving): 60 calories; 2 g fat; 6 g carbohydrate; 5.5 g protein
Sounds decadent right? It tasted like it too, but without the guilt! I woke up one Saturday morning and decided to make my husband and I something other than the normal day-starter we usually rush through. (Our breakfast rut? Whole-wheat toast with peanut butter, glass of milk and a banana for me, and dinner leftovers for Phong). Yes, it was time for a change.
I usually buy a sweet potato or purple potato every time I go to the grocery store. My dad doesn’t cook, but he showed me that you could nuke a potato (please poke holes in it first with a fork unless you want mashed potato all over your microwave) with a little water, wrapped in plastic wrap for a few minutes and – tada! – instant comfort food. When Phong and I went to Vietnam, we ate sweet potatoes grilled over a makeshift campfire and that was the best thing on that freezing day in the Sapa mountains. I’m seriously veering off track. Now you know how much I love sweet potatoes – they’re also bursting with Vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene, complex carbs, and lots of fiber if you eat the skin.
So back to my Saturday morning – I had a random sweet potato. Here’s what I did with it:
2 slices of center-cut, lean bacon, cut in ¼ inch slices
1/2 tsp brown sugar
½ cup onion, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups peeled, shredded sweet potato (I do this quickly through the food processor)
3 eggs plus 2 egg whites, lightly beaten (just enough to break the yolks)
Salt, pepper, and garnish with cilantro to taste
Preheat oven to 350 F. With an oven-safe pan (if you don’t know whether that rubber handle melts in extreme heat, don’t put it in the oven!), turn the heat to med-high on the stovetop. Throw in the bacon and let them sweat for a little, just till they become a little crispy. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the bacon and crack some black pepper on them – they’ll look super appetizing. When a lot of the fat has sweated out (I don’t know how else to explain it!), pour some of the fat out of the pan and start cooking the onions, for about 3-4 minutes. Make sure you toss and turn them a bit until they get soft and a little caramelized.
Next, add your shredded sweet potato. This takes a while to cook, and you may have to add a tablespoon of water now and then till it softens the potato and cooks it down. Cover the pan with a lid; the steam generated inside the pan will speed up the cooking.
When the sweet potato is tender and slightly browned (just take a bit and bite it! It should not taste like a raw potato), pour the eggs and egg whites over the sweet potato mixture. Don’t scramble them. Continue cooking the eggs for a minute on the stove, then transfer to the preheated oven. After about 4 minutes, the whites will set and (with an oven mitt, please!), take out the frittata. Allow to cool for a couple minutes, then you can slide the whole thing out onto a plate. Garnish with black pepper, chopped cilantro, and salt (just a sprinkle – the bacon adds salt already). Cut into 4 pieces, serve with a slice of whole-wheat toast and 1/2 cup of sliced strawberries to round it out. One serving: 1 piece.
Hi all! I hope you enjoy my new blog..it’s for those foodies out there who love to get creative with cooking. As a registered dietitian/nutritionist, I’m always thinking of ways to incorporate an extra punch of health in my families’ meals – gotta take care of your loved ones! When I can, I’ll try to add in Nutrition Facts to the end of each recipe…you’ll be able to find out how many calories and grams of fat, carbs, and protein each serving provides. This will give you an estimate of what each recipe will give you. Thank you for reading!
