Vanilla Spice and everything nice... :-)

Mmmmm so today in western PA it's pretty chilly and rainy. What a great day for something in that warm spice category, right? Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg - and no I'm not making a pumpkin spice latte. Today's recipe is for vanilla spice oatmeal, a warm, comforting and surprisingly healthy dish. Old-fashioned oats fit right into the whole-grain goodness that your body needs, and with the dark brown sugar, it's less processed and more heart-healthy. Whole grains like these oats are great for your heart and digestive system, so eat up and lower that cholesterol at the same time. :) Enjoy your last day of September tomorrow! Christmas is coming soon....

Vanilla Spice Oatmeal - yield 4 servings

3.5 cups water
2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of nutmeg
1/4 cup dark brown sugar, plus more
1/8 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp cinnamon
lowfat milk, optional

Bring the water to a boil and add oats. Turn down heat to low and simmer for 5-10 minutes until oats are cooked. Remove pan from heat and stir in vanilla, nutmeg, brown sugar, ginger, and cinnamon. For each individual serving, you may pour lowfat milk over it if you prefer. Definitely top it with a little extra sprinkle of brown sugar!

Mmmmmmm Potatoes!

So those of you who see my stuff on Facebook may have already seen my posting there about this one. This one came one night when I knew I needed to use the rest of the potatoes before they spoiled, and was trying to stick to a healthy diet at the same time. It's a more healthy version of a cheesy potatoes recipe, and it passed the taste test - if the husband likes it, it's gotta be good! ;-)

Of course you could always use full-fat ingredients if you like, but that kinda takes the originality out of it. Take the plunge and try it this way for a change!

Makeover Cottage Potatoes - yield 8 servings, approximately 150 calories each as written

5-6 potatoes, peeled
2 egg whites (1/3 cup)
1 cup fat free sour cream
3/4 cup reduced fat cheddar
1 tsp minced onions
salt/pepper to taste

Slice potatoes 1/8-1/4 inch thick - a mandolin slicer makes this easy if you have one! Separately mix the egg whites, sour cream, onions, salt/pepper and half of the cheese. Layer half of the potato slices in the bottom of a baking dish which has been sprayed with cooking spray. Pour half of the egg white mixture evenly over the potatoes. Layer the rest of the potatoes on top and pour the rest of the mixture over the potatoes. Top it with the remaining cheese and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees, until golden brown.

Sarah's BLP

Yep - you read that correctly - BLP. Bacon, Lettuce and.. ... ... Pineapple! Stay with me now. :) I've taken the traditional BLT and revamped it to fit two criteria - more healthy (using turkey bacon) and minus the tomatoes (it was a bad year for tomatoes out here where I live). I think I could eat this every day... and considering how much bacon I have left over - I just might!

Be brave, kids - trust me on this one and enjoy!

Sarah's BLP - yield 1 sandwich

2 slices turkey bacon
1 pineapple ring slice
1 tsp light mayo
1 slice of your favorite cheese (I used cheddar)
2 slices low-calorie bread
2 leaves of crisp iceberg lettuce

Cook the turkey bacon in grill pan until crispy. Add the pineapple into the pan and cook 2 minutes on each side until golden brown. Toast the bread in the toaster - and don't skip this step! The pineapple juice will make the bread soggy if you don't. Assemble your sandwich: Spread the mayo on one slice, layer on the slice of pineapple, then the bacon slices, then the cheese slice and lettuce. Top it with the last slice of bread and cut it in half if you like. Enjoy while it's still warm!

The obligatory first post...

Welcome to my food perspective! I come from a long line of southern cooks who believe that butter, sugar, cream and bacon make everything taste better (and they're right!). Unfortunately, neither my figure nor my wallet can afford for me to cook that way all the time. However, armed with the knowledge they've passed on to me, my stubborn curiosity and my passion to make and share great food, I've decided to start documenting my experiments with sustenance here for others to enjoy.

The recipes I share are typically founded on an original recipe or idea that I've found elsewhere that I've modified or adjusted to suit my preferences, budget or current cravings. I also love to take an original foundation recipe or ingredient and stretch it into several meals' worth of ideas - succulent surplus!

The first recipe I want to share is one that I found and revised to fit my measuring standards and tweaked a bit for fun. This one is best enjoyed warm from the oven, and if you can afford the extra calories - a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Enjoy your edible creations!

Pear-Berry Crumble

3 pears, peeled and sliced

1 cup berries

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup flour

3 T. vegetable oil

1/2 cup granola



Mix the sliced pears, berries and 1/4 cup of the sugar and pour into pie plate or other oven-safe dish. Mix together remaining 1/4 cup of sugar and the flour together in a separate bowl. Add the vegetable oil to the flour mixture and crumble together with your fingers. Sprinkle the crumble mixture on top of the fruit. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes until the top is just slightly golden. Sprinkle the granola on top and bake for an additional 10 minutes.