Mango, Pineapple and Papaya Smoothie

Boy do I hate summer.  I dislike heat over 80 degrees.  You can imagine what 106 and HORRIBLY humid does to me.  YEAH, Poor Tom.  I am not a nice person in the heat.  I get cranky and sad.  I am continuing my running, weights and exercise videos, but it's just gross in the heat.....YUK.  I will take 65, partly cloudy ANY DAY. 

And COOKING?  Well it's a just a chore when it's so hot and horribly uncomfortable.  AND, since it's my hobby and something I am truly happy doing, I hate feeling like that.  BUT the summer blahs are here.

I will get used to it and grind through the summer.  But the heat came on so hard and so fast that I literally feel fried.  So a fresh fruit smoothie sounded so good, so easy, so cool and so satisfying.  Thank goodness for blenders!!  It's like having summer in a cup!! (only healthier and without the darn heat!!)

I almost always have pineapple and Mexican papaya's (the pink fleshed ones) peeled and cubed in ziploc baggies  in the freezer.  I put them in serving sizes of 1 cup each.  This way, when I want the fruit in a recipe (think salsa, sauces, smoothies, or fruit cocktail) I can just pull them out when I need them and I don't have to mess with preparing the fruit each time.  Trust me...when you want a smoothie, you want it NOW.....so it's kind of cool to be as prepared as your local smoothie shop....just pour everything in and GO!

SUPER REFRESHING.  This is the stuff HAPPINESS is made of when it's hot outside.  You and your family will be refreshed AND nourished without digging into high calorie ice cream treats!

Pineapple, Mango and Papaya Smoothies
Makes 2 filling servings

1 cup mango

1 cup pineapple
1 cup Pink fleshed papaya
1 8 oz container of Greek yogurt ( Chobani or Fage) FAT FREE (I used plain because that's what I had, but vanilla, peach, etc..would be awesome)
1 cup ice cubes
1/2 cup warm water if your fruit is NOT FROZEN, don't add the water.
1 packet (or more to taste) Artificial sweetener

Prepare your fruit into chunks and get out your yogurt.

In your blender, in this order, place yogurt, water (if using), sweetener, all three fruits, and the ice cubes. 

 ** I snapped the picture Prematurely - without the water and ice cubes.  Yep....it happens to the best of us....!  LOL

Blend until very smooth and creamy, and pour/scoop into your desired glass. 

** If your blender gets frozen, stop it and add more warm water and blend again until desired consistency is reached.

The result?  A VERY creamy, ice cream like smoothie that is perfect for Breakfast, or anytime you need to be refreshed.  It's definitely a cure for all of us heat exhausted peeps!!  Try adding different fruits, flavored yogurts and/or herbs (mint, a bit of basil ??)....Have fun with it!

From my home to yours, ENJOY!!

Polenta and Eggs

Polenta.  It evokes different things in different people.  Some people have never eaten it.  Others think of it as cheap peasant food. Still, others see it as a gourmet delight.

The truth is Polenta is really just cornmeal mush.  Yep.  That's right.  It's not very exciting.  Just the word "mush" sounds sad, boring, unappealing.and tasteless, doesn't it?  But somehow Polenta is comforting, warm, filling and inexpensive.  It's also the EASIEST thing to make for ANYONE who ventures into the kitchen.  ANYONE can make good polenta.  I promise.

In the grocery store, you can find fine ground cornmeal in the baking section.  It's so much less expensive .  Alternatively you can buy the stuff in the Italian aisle called Polenta...sometimes it's a bit finer...but it's pricier. (you can get fine Italian polenta in small packages at Valley Produce Market for a great price if you are local to Santa Clarita)  Polenta is also available "ready to use" in tubes.  You may want to buy the ready made kind for this recipe if you don't want to make it.  ME?  I would never spend $3.00 to $5.00 on a tube of polenta you can make for about a buck, but that's me and I am cheap like that.

Hereis how to make polenta in an itty-bitty nut shell: 

1 cup fine cornmeal (polenta)
1-1/2 cups to 2 cups water

Boil the water.....Add the polenta in a slow stream whisking constantly to avoid lumps (definitely avoid lumps).  Continue whisking while it's cooking over med-low heat until it's thick.  THAT'S IT.

Now I say "that's it" very tongue and cheek.  Seriously......That's BORING, right?  But the greatest thing about polenta is its ability to latch onto flavors.  Herbs, spices, sauces, CHEESE, vegetables, special oils and vinegars, and the list goes on.  Be creative, add all kinds of things, bits of meat and cheese, Sweet peppers and onions, cheese and mushrooms, basil, garlic, pine nuts and cheese (pesto style)......just don't forget to add the most important cooking ingredient - the Salt and Pepper.  Serve it soft like mashed potatoes, firm or anywhere in between. 

Put any left overs in a sprayed plastic container  ( tupperware ) - this is how you "mold" it.

I am excited when I have left over polenta.  It makes the best breakfast!

Polenta and Eggs 
6 WW/PP (depending on your egg and olive oil qty)

MOLDED Polenta (mine had salt, pepper, sauteed onions and sweet red peppers)
Eggs (depending on how many you will eat and how many peeps your cooking for)
1 whole roma tomato per person - sliced and ROASTED with seasonings (I used zataar seasoning, salt and pepper)
1/2 triangle light laughing cow cheese - mozerella and sun dried tomoato flavor
Fresh basil (if you have it or want to buy it)
Olive oil and white balsamic (or regular balsamic vinegar)  I use 1 teaspoon per person of each

Remove the polenta from the Mold.  Evenly slice it, and thinkly slice the basil (if using):

Spray your saute pan and one side of the poleta and put it spray side down hot skillet and let them "fry"until pretty browned.  Spray the opposite side, turn them over and let the other side get pretty browned.  While these are frying, roast your tomatoes. We have discussed roasting tomatoes a lot.  Just as before, line a pan with foil.  place sliced tomatoes on the foil....season them with salt, pepper and other seasonigs (just salt and pepper are fine) and pop them under a hot broiler.  Turn them once if you wish and remove when they are roasted to your liking.

Mix a teaspoon of oil and vinegar together ( I used roasted garlic olive oil and white balsamic - devine!)

When the polenta is done.  Remove them to a plate, spread half the triangle of laughing cow on hot polenta ( I know, Im using 1/2!  It really doesnt need more but feel free to add it if you want it) - pile the tomatoes on top

Fry your eggs to your liking, lay them on top of the tomatoes and top with fresh basil. Ppour your oil and vinegar around the plate so you can "dip" each bite into it.

The result?  A truly decadent and upscale breakfast/brunch that transforms polenta into a gourmet affair. Every bite is perfect and balanced.  It's anything BUT peasent food.!

From my home to yours, ENJOY!

Roasted Tomato Breakfast Sandwhich

BREAKFAST!  Some people don't like breakfast (SAD really) 

ME??? I HAVE to have breakfast! Especially on the weekends.

As you might imagine a simple bowl of cereal does not "do it" for me.  I want the perfect breakfast bite that makes me happy, puts me in a good mood for the day (not an easy task - Tom, care to comment??) and gives me the that big breakfast feeling (without the BIG!)

Is there really anything better than a simple roasted tomato?  If you haven't had one, then I challenge you to make whole roasted roma tomatoes, as soon as possible.  I serve them with dinner next to couscous, basmati rice, kabobs, simple roasted chicken and potatoes.  I actually crave them, but, I love tomatoes regardless.  Fresh, roasted, sauteed, canned or on the grill.  Roasting these little guys changes everything...they get super sweet with that incredible roasted flavor and OH!!!  Those little sweet beautiful "burnt" edges of goodness??? YUMMY with ANYTHING!  I sometimes refer to them as "tomato candy"!  But roasting a whole tomato properly takes time.  Plus they stay too juicy in the center to use them in any sort of sandwich.

Making sliced roasted Romas:

Turn your broiler on to high and let it pre-heat.  Meanwhile get a large sheet of aluminum foil and/or line a baking pan. (I just use the foil)

For this recipe I used 2 large romas.  Slice them about a 1/4 inch thick and lay them on aluminum foil (you can spray the foil if you want - I do only sometimes)  Believe it or not Tomatoes can be hard to slice - use a sharp knife  or a serrated one. (we have already "talked" about my incredible knives. As knives go, they are sexy.....LOVE THEM.  OK - I am over it again)  Lay the tomatoes flat in one layer, sprinkle with salt and pepper and pop them under the broiler on a rack positioned 4-6 inches from the flame or infrared heat  (some may be lucky enough to have an infrared broiler....sadly, I am not that lucky person)

These take a bit more time than you would think because they are so wet.  You want them to dry a bit and brown/blacken - Once they are browned, turn the tomatoes over:

 

I use my fingers for this. DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME (like the disclaimer?) use a utensil so I don't get emails about how you burned the heck out your fingers.

Put them back in the broiler and remove when the other side is roasted and a bit dried:

***The other side of these tomatoes are pretty blackened so I didn't let this side get too black. - use these for lunch sandwiches, or any other place where you would use tomatoes (I sometime just eat them plain!)

TO MAKE 2 SANDWICHES:
6 WW PP if you use 1 point bread and 1 egg

4 pieces of bread (I use low fat/low cal 1 pt bread)
4 Triangles of Laughing Cow LIGHT cheese spread (any flavor)
2 or 3 eggs (for the men, they might want an extra egg- Tom did)
sliced roasted tomatoes
salt and pepper
Non-stick spray

Lay your bread out on a cutting board or the counter and Spread one triangle of cheese on EACH piece of bread.  Is this excessive?  I think NOT.  But you choose. If you like less then use less.  The melty creaminess is really spectacular.  Try not to skimp unless you are a cheese hater!!  Since I don't believe it's possible to hate cheese, lets just go with 2 light triangles. OK?

Now fry your eggs in a non-stick skillet with some spray.  I break the yolks a bit:

Ummm yeah...that third eggy? His yolk got broken at the last second because I wanted him a bit runny....

Flip the eggs over and fry until your desired doneness. (dont overcook -  they become rubbery)

Put the eggs on one side of the bread:

And Top with those GORGEOUS, DELICIOUS, SWEET, roasted tomatoes (OMG - you wont be able to stand it):

Cover with the top piece of bread.....heat your skillet (same on for the eggs...don't clean it) and spray the top of the bread with non-stick spray.  Put the sandwich in the pan, sprayed side down and cook until golden brown.  While that side is cooking...spray the top side of the sandwich.

Flip them and cook other side until golden brown:

While cooking slice up some melon, oranges or other fruit of your choice.

Serve the sandwich sliced on the diagonal (unless your a rebel - then cut it straight down the center) and serve.



The result?  A perfectly creamy, contemporary version of the grilled cheese and egg sandwich.  It meets my  criteria....the perfect breakfast bite that make me happy and puts me in a good mood for the day!  I hope it does the same for you.

From my home to yours, ENJOY!

"Skinny" Huevos Rancheros

I have been busy preparing  my menu for Easter dinner.  Normally that includes a ham.  But the last time I ate ham and then tried to weigh in, I almost killed myself (I retained billions of pounds of water from that darn salt). You see, my weight watcher days are Monday evenings.  (I am starting to HATE it.  I mean really, what idiot decides to weigh in on the day AFTER a weekend and expects not to have some retained effect?)   Even though I am on program through the weekend, my food choices change.  I end up "grazing" more, eating saltier foods (think SUSHI), and I usually use some of my weekly 49 points.  Imagine throwing Easter on top of it! That's enough to make you jump off the roof (well, maybe not you...but ME!!)

I am going against the grain.  I say "NO to HAM " this year.

In thinking about what Easter means, it seems only natural that I make lamb.  After all, we are praising THE risen Lamb of God.  Symbolic.  I like it.

So, there you have it.  It's Leg of lamb - in some sort of Mediterranean, Greek or Middle Eastern preparation (still working this part out!).  The Lamb will be served with Roasted Lemon Asparagus (so good, I will post about them) and Smashed potatoes (I have to skinny up my recipe in the next day - not sure how yet !! - will also post).  For the bread, Middle Eastern Flat bread crackers (Valley Produce Market ROCKS).  I love these for this occasion because they are yummy, not so filling, points friendly and it's respecting a bit of Passover.  Steph is making WW brownies (thanks Steph) and I will make a LOW FAT carrot cake.  And lets not forget the WINE!!  A nice Petite Syrah  and chardonnay (for the red wine haters), both from Cakebread Winery in Napa Valley.  THAT SHOULD DO IT and I believe I can stay "on program" for the most part. 

This brings me to Breakfast.  What to do for breakfast this weekend?  Especially on Easter.  Sure, everyone wants a great breakfast on Easter, elegant and satisfying but fast and easy.  After all, you may attend the sunrise service and come home STARVING (plan for it!) or you might be making breakfast for lots of people.  Whatever the situation is, I have just the thing.  My easy and yummy take on Huevos Rancheros.

First things first.  You can use regular corn tortillas.  However I have found the best tortillas product. LaTortilla Factory, handmade style white corn tortillas.  These are great because they have some wheat flour in them to keep them soft and supple.  Obviously, if you are wheat intolerant, these are not for you.  In that case, stick with a good corn tortilla.  These have a very nice, Chewy texture and a mild corn taste...they don't break apart like regular corn and they don't need to be fried to be good!   I think I bought these at Albertson's.

The dish uses Mexican tomato sauce.  What I am referring to is El PATO (or something similar)

This breakfast really filled us up (I put 2 eggs on Tom's) and kept us full for a long time...in fact, I wasn't hungry when it came to lunch, so I just had a WW shake.  I think the reason is that it's packed with protein;  Beans, Eggs, Lite cheese.  When I asked my husband to tell me one word to describe the dish, he said "satisfying".  We even like the idea of this for dinner.....maybe with the addition of chicken?

This recipe serves two, but it can be made for tons of people - and nobody will know it's "SKINNY".  The WW recipe builder shows this at 8 PP (these corn tortillas are 2 points, so reduce if you use another brand that is less points)

Here's what you will need:

2 LaTortilla Factory corn tortillas
1 can Fat Free refried beans
1 can Mexican tomatoe sauce, such as El Pato (yellow can, or your favorite)
2 eggs (or more if you want an additional egg)
Sargento Light Cheese slices, your favorite flavor (I used colby)
olive oil
Fresh lime
Cilantro, chopped ( about a half cup)
2 plates, oven proof

Turn on the broiler

Put the refried beans in a small pot.  Heat them until hot and add about a half a can of El Pato, Juice of 1/2 the lime and cilantro to taste.  Stir until combined and keep flame on low to keep warm.

Heat a skillet on high until hot.  Add your corn tortillas to a dry skillet and sort of "roast" them on each side until they turn golden on each side.  When done, put one on each plate.

Put about 2 - 3 teaspoons of olive oil in the skillet and when hot, crack the eggs. (OMG!  if you havent had eggs done in olive oil....you will love this)  Fry until the one side gets nice and golden and then flip over (careful not to break yolks) and turn off flame.

To assemble:
Put 1/4 cup of Refried beans on top of the Corn tortilla (Swirl around so it covers) 
Top with the Egg
Add a slice of light Cheese

Pop the plate under the broiler let cheese melt and get bubbly

Top with more El Pato, fresh cilantro and more lime juice to taste!!  

Serve with Fresh fruit or melon.

The result?  A satisfying dish, full of flavor that will keep you from nibbling until much later!

From my home to yours, ENJOY!

Just what the HECK are STEEL CUT OATS?

This morning it was cold, overcast and damp.  MY FAVORITE kind of weather!

Perfect weather for oatmeal...but not just any oatmeal.  Hearty, creamy steel cut oats. yummm 

Sadly, I realized this weather is going to go away very quickly leaving only hot, dry, scorching days.  The thought of warm comforting oatmeal in the morning will be a thing of the past, replaced by Cold melons, cold cereals, yogurt and the like.

Then another thought popped in my head. Warm fruit compote like my grandma used to make!!  She would cook dried fruits (prunes, apricots, raisins, cranberries or cherries) with fresh chopped apples, a little water and some sugar.  Sometimes she would add roasted nuts as well.  The result?  Super yummy warm or cold, cobbler worthy fruit.  I've made it often through the winters of my adulthood and still love it the same as when she made it.   I eat it plain, serve it over cottage cheese, ice cream or angel food cake.  Yummy, comforting and fairly healthy.

Now, Let's talk about those steel cut oats.  If you have never had them then trust me.  You don't know what you are missing.  VERY different than a bowl of oatmeal with rolled oats.  Almost like eating a rice dish!!

So what the heck are they???   Steel-cut oats are whole grain groats (the inner portion of the oat kernel) which have been cut into only two or three pieces by steel rather than being rolled.   They are golden in color and look like rice.  Steel-cut oats are also known as coarse-cut oats, pinhead oats, or Irish oats. This form of oats takes longer to prepare than instant or rolled oats due to its minimal processing.  Steel-cut oats also have a lower glycemic index than instant oatmeal (42 vs. 66, respectively), causing a lower spike in insulin levels when consumed.  The flavor of the cooked oats is nuttier than other types of oats and are blissfully chewy.

Uncooked, they look like this:

I love them.  They become kind of creamy, chewy and very filling.  Almost like breakfast risotto! Oatmeal, using these oats, are satisfying in a way that other oatmeal only WISHES it could be and sadly isn't.   Because of the extended cooking time, it's perfect for my little thoughts of cooked fruit compote! I threw things together quickly, but wrote down what I did so I can share it with you!  

This recipe makes enough for 2 servings (about a cup each) and is very filling.  For those of you who are weight watchers, the recipe builder calculates it at 6 PP, excluding the milk.

I hope you try this super healthy, satisfying breakfast....ENJOY!


Steel Cut Oat Compote

1-3/4 water

1/3  cup steel cut oats

1/3-1/2 fresh apple, diced (skin on) any type

2 apricot halves, diced

4 prunes chopped up

Artificial Sweetener  packet

2 tablespoons or so blueberries (or any other fresh fruit of choice), divided

2 Tablespoons brown sugar, divided

½ cup fat free milk, divided (optional)

 

Boil water in small pot.  Add oats, stirring quickly.  Bring back to a boil and add Apples, prunes and apricots.  Cover and let simmer until oats are cooking but  aldente.  (that means there is a slight firmness/chewiness to them) about 20  minuets or so (taste for doneness) – turn off fire and let sit for 2 minutes.  Add 1 packet of sweetener (or more to taste)

Top with Blueberries or other fruit (bananas, strawberries, more apples, raspberries….well, you get it!!) and a tablespoon full of brown sugar and the milk, if using.

The result?  A sophisticated, texturally pleasing oatmeal with the goodness of old fashioned fruit compote!

From my home to yours, ENJOY!