Who doesn't love a good smoothie? And they're so good for you, right? Most of the time, yes. However, if you're trying to lose weight like I am, you may want to know that even the most nutritious of smoothies can add up significantly on the calorie count. Yogurt, milk, protein powder - all add up to calories, even though they're good ones. Don't get me wrong - I'm not knocking the good proteins in smoothies! But when I'm looking for is a quick snack... those types of smoothies aren't the best choice for me. My other dilemma? I really hate skim milk. I don't mind 1% ... but something about that last little percentage means a lot to my taste buds. :) Solution? Light vanilla soymilk! It makes an awesome base for my afternoon smoothie craving, and at 80 cals per cup, it's also a great choice for my waistline. Here are two recipes I've made this week that have been big winners. But feel free to use whatever fruits you love! The great thing about smoothies is that you can mix and match with the flavors that suit you from day to day. Have fun with it!
Cranberry-Pineapple-Mango
1/4 cup Just Cranberry juice (50 cals per cup)
1/2 cup Trop50 pineapple mango juice (50 cals per cup)
1 cup light vanilla soymilk (80 cals per cup)
1 teaspoon stevia sweetener
Blend until frothy and enjoy! No blender available? No problem. A spoon with work just fine on this one.
Cherry-Mango (Courtesy of my brilliant husband!)
1/4 cup cherries, frozen
1/4 cup mangoes, frozen
1 cup light vanilla soymilk
Blend in blender until smooth and enjoy! Add a splash of the Trop 50 pinapple-mango juice for an extra kick.
Smoothie tip: A very popular smoothie fruit is the banana - be careful with this one! Tasty? Yes. But very high in sugar. This can drive up your smoothie calorie count by 100 calories if you use a whole banana. I'm not knocking bananas, but if you're watching your calories, it's best to skip the banana for a less sweet fruit, and add a little stevia or Splenda instead.
Happy Blending!
2.20.2011
2.14.2011
Breakfast of Champions - Maple Cranberry Oatmeal
Breakfast. *sigh* Breakfast and I have a love-hate relationship. I love the sugary, syrupy, high-calorie breakfasts of loaded pancakes and bacon. However, my diet doesn't come close to accommodating that kind of splurge, so here's my semi-sweet alternative. Low-cal enough to enjoy every day if you like.
Maple-Cranberry Oatmeal
1/4 cup quick oats
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 Tbsp Smart Balance Light butter spread
1/8 cup lite pancake syrup
Mix the oats and water and microwave for 1.5-2 minutes depending on your microwave strength. Mix in the remaining ingredients and enjoy! Makes 1 serving, 165 calories.
** Need some variety? Switch up the fruit! Apples or raisins would be great choices too!
Maple-Cranberry Oatmeal
1/4 cup quick oats
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 Tbsp Smart Balance Light butter spread
1/8 cup lite pancake syrup
Mix the oats and water and microwave for 1.5-2 minutes depending on your microwave strength. Mix in the remaining ingredients and enjoy! Makes 1 serving, 165 calories.
** Need some variety? Switch up the fruit! Apples or raisins would be great choices too!
2.13.2011
Mashed Potato Lovers, this one's for you!
It's no secret in my family that my sister and I LOVE mashed potatoes. Well... potatoes in any form, really. I knew that if I was going to succeed in this diet thing, I was going to have to come up with some alternatives for my favorite things, and this was a big one. I had heard of this cauliflower mash alternative, but I confess I'd been just too wary to give it a fair shake. But one day, my desire for the real thing outweighed my concern about the possible failure of this alternative. I'm pleased to announce - I thought it was awesome, and my husband enjoyed some too! We all know that's the real test - if the husband will eat it, it can't be all bad. ;)
So here it is - enjoy!
Cauliflower Mash
1 head cauliflower (approx. 6 cups florets)
1/2 cup fat free sour cream
2 T. butter or margarine (I used Smart Balance)
1/4 teaspoon onion salt
salt to taste
Steam the cauliflower until soft. Don't boil it! This will change the consistency and also change the ratio of ingredients needed! Let cauliflower cool enough to handle, and place in a food processor with the sour cream, butter and onion salt. Blend until smooth and add salt to taste. It doesn't need much, so be careful.
Serve along with any meal where you'd normally enjoy mashed potatoes, or even just by itself as a meal!
Important Note: Keep an eye on the amount of cauliflower in the head you've got - they can vary quite a bit. Be sure to adjust the other ingredients accordingly.
So here it is - enjoy!
Cauliflower Mash
1 head cauliflower (approx. 6 cups florets)
1/2 cup fat free sour cream
2 T. butter or margarine (I used Smart Balance)
1/4 teaspoon onion salt
salt to taste
Steam the cauliflower until soft. Don't boil it! This will change the consistency and also change the ratio of ingredients needed! Let cauliflower cool enough to handle, and place in a food processor with the sour cream, butter and onion salt. Blend until smooth and add salt to taste. It doesn't need much, so be careful.
Serve along with any meal where you'd normally enjoy mashed potatoes, or even just by itself as a meal!
Important Note: Keep an eye on the amount of cauliflower in the head you've got - they can vary quite a bit. Be sure to adjust the other ingredients accordingly.
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