Chicken Salad, Two Ways

So far, this "carb detox" isn't so bad. Maybe I've reached that threshold where cravings have subsided, OR I'm still in that initial motivational high period that I hope lasts beyond the first few weeks! What is it about dieting that has me thinking about food 24/7? Night-time reading is a stack of cookbooks, though I'm reading about healthy recipes and figuring out how to transform those not-so-light recipes into something I can actually have. I am optimistic about this effort and figure, if I have everything I need at hand, then I WILL do this! So yep, food on the brain these days. Well, at least I am thinking about healthy, hearty food that can only be good for me.  And with that in mind, last night (while watching Downton Abbey!) I poached two chicken breast halves (boneless, skinless) in lightly salted water, and put them away for today's meals, and tomorrow's. For lunch, I cut one up into large chunks and added celery and chopped walnuts for a really satisfying chicken salad, and took half of that to work with me and the rest will be lunch tomorrow. Typically, I'd add dried cranberries but they're too high in sugar for now. This chicken salad is delish!

For dinner, I sliced half of the remaining breast into thin strips which topped an abundant plate of romaine lettuce, veggies, hard boiled eggs, tomatoes, walnuts, and goat cheese crumbles.  

Here's how I poached the chicken:

Place boneless, skinless chicken breast halves in pan and just cover with water. Add a few shakes of salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover leaving a little crack for steam, and simmer for 15 minutes. Cut into one to see if it's cooked through (no pink).

Place cooked chicken on plate and drizzle with balsamic vinegar dressing. Cover and refrigerate over night.

CHICKEN SALAD #1:

1 cooked chicken breast half, cut in 1/2-inch chunks
1 stalk celery, cut in 1/2-inch chunks
1 tablespoon chopped walnuts
salt/pepper to taste
1-2 tablespoons mayonnaise (even less is fine, and use light if you have it)

Stir all of the above ingredients together.  Divide in half and package in to-go containers.  Makes 2 servings.



CHICKEN SALAD #2:

2 cups cut-up romaine or other lettuces
1 stalk celery, cut up
1 hard-boiled egg, sliced
1/2 of cooked chicken breast half, sliced thin (save the other half for another salad)
a few slices tomato
sliced cucumbers
6 olives
1 tablespoon chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon goat cheese crumbles
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar dressing

Arrange all of the above ingredients in large salad bowl or dinner plate.  Drizzle with balsamic dressing.

Be prepared to be VERY satisfied with this great salad!

Coming soon:  more good-for-you snacks and desserts!

Lemon Ricotta Cream

I've promised to bring you healthy yet delicious snacks and desserts, and this is the first of those recipes. Shannon, my nutritionist, shared a recipe with me for ricotta cream desserts, with three variations. Tonight I made lemon ricotta cream, a simple and sweet swirl of ricotta cheese (I used part-skim), freshly grated lemon rind, lemon and vanilla extracts, and a little bit of sweetener. The texture is a little bit rustic, so don't expect the creaminess of a pudding. For those of us working hard to eat well, this is a delicious and satisfying snack or dessert. It could be easily packed for lunches-to-go, as well, mixed right in the container.

Let me know what you think (and I'm trying out a fancy new photo trick!).

LEMON RICOTTA CREAM
(1 serving)

1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 tsp. freshly grated lemon rind
1/4 tsp. lemon extract
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1 packet sweetener (I used Domino's sugar/half stevia blend, 5 calories per packet)

In small mixing bowl, thoroughly blend all ingredients.  If you want to make it fancy, pipe through a pastry bag.

Grate a little extra lemon rind over the ricotta cream for a pretty finishing touch.  Serve chilled.

Nutritional information:  100 calories, 4 g carbohydrates, 3 g sugars, 7 grams fat, 7 g protein

Variations:

Vanilla Ricotta Cream:  use 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Almond Ricotta Cream:  use 1/4 teaspoon almond extract.  Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of slivered almonds.

A Good-For-You Breakfast Omelette

Now that breads and cereals are off the option list for the short-term, I'm moving to eggs to give my morning a good start. Here's a breakfast omelette you can make in a flash.  A non-stick pan and rubber spatula make the process very simple.


This omelette uses one whole egg and one egg white.  You can serve it as is, or fill it with your choice of add-ins.  I'm using veggies from yesterday's ratatouille and a tablespoon of shredded Parmesan cheese (day 2 of this omelette for me!). I'm going to make eating healthy as delicious and interesting as possible!!!  Here are photos of how it comes together, followed by the recipe:

HEALTHY OMELETTE

Tools:  Non-stick skillet and heat-proof rubber spatula

Non-stick vegetable spray.
1 egg
1 egg white
Choice of filling (cut up cooked vegetables, low-fat cheese, Canadian Bacon, etc. - up to you)
Seasoning to taste

Spritz pan with non-stick cooking spray and turn heat to medium.

In small bowl, whisk one egg and one egg white with a fork until well blended.  No need to add any liquid.

Pour beaten egg into pan and turn to spread the egg to cover bottom.  Leave it alone until the egg is opaque and cooked through.

Spread filling in center of left side of omelette.  Sprinkle any cheese.  With rubber spatula, pick up the right side of the omelette and fold over.  Turn heat to low and allow omelette to heat through and melt the cheese.

Slide out of pan onto serving plate.

And, a bonus -- here's a photo of Henry taken yesterday as we took an afternoon walk.  He insisted on carrying that snowball the entire time!

My buddy...

Warm Up to a Bowl of Ratatouille!

Winter storm Nemo spared our area, with just about 5 inches of snow after an anticipated foot or more. We were prepared for a bigger dumping, but are relieved because it could have been much more difficult, realizing that coastal areas of New York and New England really got hit hard.  Russ (my bf) is in Bridgeport, CT, this weekend, and that area is in a state of emergency with reports of up to 3 feet of snow!

Figuring that this would be a snow-bound weekend, I prepared a big pot of ratatouille.  It's such a simple recipe, basically a stew/soup of chunky vegetables immersed in a tomato sauce.  In the middle of winter, it's like a warm serving of summer with a sprinkling of parmesan.  We're so fortunate to find fresh vegetables like zucchini and peppers in February!  And even better, it's so completely healthy!  With just a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, the vegetables join together to eventually simmer into a beautiful medley of fresh flavor. I can't wait to wrap my hands around a warm bowl!  (I even added some of the vegetables from the pot to an egg-white omelet this morning, making for a mighty fine breakfast!)

My car under the snow!

Here's my version of the recipe, with a couple of photos to bring summer's color to this snowy-white day!

RATATOUILLE

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 sweet onions, cut in wedges
2 small zucchini, cut in 1/2 inch slices
2 small yellow squash, cut in 1/2 inch slices
1 each -- green, red, yellow peppers, cut in 1/2 inch chunks
8 ounces mushrooms (I used baby bella)
2 cans crushed tomatoes
1 4 ounce can tomato paste, with seasoning (Italian herbs, etc.)
3 cups water or vegetable stock
Parmesan cheese

Add olive oil to large, heavy pot or dutch oven.  Add cut-up vegetables and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables wilt and zucchini and squash are translucent.  Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and mushrooms.  Add water or stock.  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat. Simmer slowly, stirring now and then, for a few hours.

Serve with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

Waiting for Nemo and Planning A Cozy Weekend

Schools were closed in this area of upstate New York today, in anticipation of a winter storm named Nemo.  It's almost 6:40 pm, and Nemo has, so far,  only whispered that he's planning to show up. From weather reports on television, he may not hit with full force until very late tonight, and 8-14 inches of snow are predicted for Middle Grove.  I'm grateful I was able to get to and from work without having to deal with him while I was on the road.

When I arrived home, I visited Katie, Bill, and the boys in their part of the house.  They were sitting down to a dinner of Shepherd's Pie (beautiful!), and I was so happy to hear Katie say she made a dinner for me, too (such a sweet daughter I have!).  She had steamed french-style green beans as well as a generous serving of shrimp. This was especially kind since it seems my days of indulging in such great meals as Shepherd's Pie are over, as I have been recently diagnosed with adult-onset diabetes, type 2.  Fortunately, it has been discovered early enough that I can avoid medications and injections, as long as I do what I'm instructed. There have been many medical appointments, and I feel very "high maintenance" right now, something not my usual style. But, I have decided to let the experts direct this course of my life, to use their experience to show me how to live from this moment on.  Much will change, beginning with the foods I buy at the market, the meals I prepare for myself, and even my relationships around baking.  It was necessary to end a long and cherished business relationship with a family I baked for, for years. I am sad about that, but to bake that much, that often is not in the best interest of my health.  I will continue to bake cakes for friends and family, but will not be baking the same standard goodies as often (but will now and then, and donate to friends at work!). Instead, I will be concentrating on made-over and delicious offerings of favorite foods that will become new standards in my recipe box.

For now, I'm limited to mostly vegetables and protein, just for the first few weeks. Very low carb living for the immediate future. It's been going well so far, though it's just been a few days. I will very slowly, very gradually bring whole grains and fruits back in to the fold, but not yet.  It will be so nice to crave an orange instead of a cookie! My nutritionist said that it only takes three days to break the carb addiction, and believe me, I am SO addicted to carbs that I could use a 28-day residential detox program! I was joking with my good friend Liz that I would love to be "committed" to a month-long stint at Canyon Ranch in Arizona, where all healthy meals and planned activities would be scheduled and followed in grateful bliss!  Who wouldn't want a month of such self-indulgence?

Well, this isn't Arizona and the therapeutic warmth of real sunshine seems months away, so I will comfort myself this weekend with fuzzy socks, a warm robe, and maybe even pajamas all day! Tomorrow morning I'm putting a big pot of ratatouille on to cook long and slow, and will so appreciate the warmth and goodness of such a satisfying dish. I'll take photos and post the recipe as I go along. I have always loved ratatouille.  This time I'm making it with zucchini, yellow squash, onions, and peppers -- green, red, and yellow.  To that, I'll add tomatoes and baby bella mushrooms, and let it simmer all day. Each serving will come to life with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Wherever you are this weekend, get cozy, relax, and enjoy some time for yourself.  And please do follow along on this new healthy journey of mine. I'm so inspired, and I hope that the foods and recipes I post along the way will be inspiring to others, as well.

Take care!

If This Is Oatmeal, Give Me More!

When my doctor told me to eat oatmeal for breakfast as often as possible, I turned up my nose.  I don't like oatmeal. Never liked the texture. I like my cereal to be crunchy, a little bit sweet, and swimming in icy cold milk.  I was never one of those kids who warmed up to a bowl-full of steaming oatmeal, Maypo, cream of wheat, etc. Yuck. Never.  My kids, on the other hand, always loved it, so I didn't let my prejudices influence their breakfast options!  Still, I'd never eat it.  But, now that my doctor "ordered" oatmeal-for-breakfast now and forever, along with other dietary and life-style changes (yes, the baking/testing and overall love of good food has made its physiological impact known, not a shocker), I am motivated if not inspired to be a good girl and do exactly as the doctor orders.

So, the baker in me has reconciled that, if I must eat oatmeal, I'm going to eat it on my terms, make it interesting, and if possible, delicious.  I always keep a canister of old-fashioned rolled outs in my pantry (for cookies, of course).  But for breakfast, the choice is steel-cut oats which carry even more nutritious impact than the rolled variety.  Oatmeal as breakfast is going to be as un-processed as possible - no paper packets of flavored and sweetened quick oats can provide the health boost I'm looking for.  While the packets are convenient, making a pot of real oatmeal is not a big chore.  It's relatively quick, especially if you buy the steel-cut oats that come up to a boil and simmer for just 5-7 minutes.  The water-to-oats ratio is 3:1.  For a single serving, you'd use 1/4 cup oats to 3/4 cup water.  Since it will be breakfast for me most mornings, I made a larger batch with 6 cups of water to 2 cups of oats.  Now I have a VERY quick breakfast every morning -- just have to scoop out a cup and microwave for about a minute, and my morning will be off to a warm and hearty (and yes, delicious!) start!

This oatmeal recipe is so good, I'd even eat a little bit of this for dessert!  To the just-cooked oatmeal, I stirred in chopped walnuts, dried cranberries, brown sugar, and little bit of pumpkin pie spice. For six-plus cups of oatmeal, there's just three tablespoons of brown sugar, and I believe the fiber and protein of the oatmeal off-set this little bit of natural sugar.

Here's my recipe for a big pot of oatmeal and photos of how it comes together (very easy!):

STEEL-CUT OATMEAL
(serves 6-8)

2 cups quick-cooking steel-cut oats
6 cups water
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon spice (I used pumpkin pie spice - you can use cinnamon)

In large pot bring oats and water to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 7 minutes.  Remove from heat and let sit for about 5 minutes. Stir in walnuts, cranberries, and brown sugar.

Serve warm, and if you are inclined, add a little spritz of whipped cream!

rolled oats (left) and steel-cut oats (right)

Taa Daa!

A Couple of Cakes to Welcome February!

First of all, congratulations to my niece Sarah Eddy Strouse who won January's comment contest.  Sarah gets to choose her prize -- cake, cookies, scones, cinnamon rolls, or something very chocolate (her preference) or lemon (her husband Bob's favorite). And even though Sarah is my niece, she won fair-and-square.  Her name was dropped into the hat along with everyone else who commented in January (one entry per comment), and my friend Lynn D pulled it out, even though she had a couple of entries in there herself. A generous act, I must say! (Thanks Lynn!). I'm happy that Sarah won, and look forward to continuing this contest beyond April, beyond the year that I had originally envisioned.  I don't see this monthly celebration of my commenters going away any time soon, so be sure to add your own comment or three when you have a chance.  Odds are GREAT that it will pay off!

Anyway, this is a two-cake weekend, both delivered this morning. The first is a birthday cake for my friend Mimi's son Paul.  The second is for my friend and co-worker Helen, whose husband is a huge Mets fan.  I am fairly certain neither men read my blog, so it's probably safe to show photos of these cakes which will be part of their family celebrations tomorrow.  There are cupcakes as well for Mimi's family, to be delivered to her front door in the morning.

Paul's birthday cake is a light yellow vanilla cake with a very buttery buttercream frosting (recipe follows).  It was decorated in a pretty simple design of vines, leaves, and little pressed flowers. Mimi, Paul's mom, always asks me to bake cakes for her family celebrations.

Helen's cake, the same vanilla, has a white buttercream frosting, and decorated for her husband's favorite baseball team, the Mets.  I hope he'll love it.

That's all the baking I had scheduled for this weekend.  It's been such an intense time at work, in the middle of our busiest season, and January is now behind us.  I'm grateful for a low-key weekend to decompress, to say so-long to frigid January and welcome the much-closer-to-spring February! With nothing on the schedule other than meeting my good friend Liz at Starbuck's very early in the morning (too early for most of my other friends!), the weekend is off to a good start.  I'm looking forward to spending some time catching up not only with Liz, but also my own little life here in Middle Grove, New York.  Have a GREAT weekend everyone!

This weekend's cakes...

Mimi's Cupcakes

Very Buttery Buttercream Frosting

1 cup soft butter (room temperature - I use unsalted)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
5 cups confectioners sugar
up to 1/2 cup milk (more or less for desired consistency)

In large mixer bowl, beat 1 cup soft butter until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla extract  Dump confectioners sugar all at once into the bowl, and at very low speed, very slowly add milk, a bit at a time, scraping bowl as you go along to make sure it all gets incorporated. Increase speed, and add more milk if necessary.  Stop adding milk when you get to the right spreading consistency.