Healthful Bites

Confession: Until the very recent past, I had never cooked with tofu. I had prepared dishes with soy products of other forms—from soy crumbles in taco salads to turning soy beans into milk during an astronaut cuisine class in college (that’s a tale for another time!). But I had left the tofu prep to the restaurant pros until the kind folks at Nasoya approached me with an opportunity to try a few of their products. I took that message as the universe telling me that it was time!

Having seen scrambled tofu on the menu at a few of my favorite brunch restaurants and curious to taste it, I decided that this would be dish number one. I did a few Google searches for a basic idea how to start and hit the kitchen on Sunday morning! Thanks to Gena at Choosing Raw, I knew to prepare on Saturday—stacking my tofu between two plates and weighing the top one down with a few water bottles to squeeze out the excess liquid. But I didn’t prepare quite so well in other ways…my refrigerator was nearly empty so I had to improvise in terms of my mix-ins.

Little did I know that plain tofu is really a blank slate. Unlike beef, chicken or turkey, tofu really doesn’t taste like anything if you just cook it without significant spices or other ingredients. So when I tried just crumbling up the tofu in a pan with some random spices, the results were less than stellar. I could see the potential, but wished I had some bell peppers, onions, garlic and more to add to the party!

In the future, I think I’ll stick with some tested and proven recipes like these:

• This Tofu Scramble posted on SparkPeople is spiced up bell peppers, onion, garlic and curry powder.
• Post Punk Kitchen adds cumin, thyme, tumeric and nutritional yeast.
• And Eating Bird Food combines these two ideas for a sure-to-be flavor-packed mixture.

And will also possibly try these other uses for tofu…

• Tofu Noodle soup from FITNESS is foolproof, basically just pour, stir, heat and eat!
• Chocolate Covered Katie’s high-protein mushroom stroganoff sounds like a tasty blend of tofu, veggies, white wine and spices.
• Who knew you could make carrot cake with tofu? Nasoya, obviously!

Now time for your holiday hook-up! You can have your own kitchen adventure courtesy of Nasoya, as they passed along an extra coupon for a free product! Not a tofu fan? They also offer hummus, noodles and wonton wraps (I hope to try these as ravioli skins soon). Leave a comment below by next Thursday, December 15 at noon EST telling me about your biggest kitchen fail—who am I kidding, this is to make me feel better :) —and you’ll be entered to win a coupon for a free item by Nasoya. You can also enter by tweeting me @karla522. Good luck, everyone!

Around the holidays, traditional green bean casserole is the norm—cream of mushroom soup, fried onions, butter, you name it. But my Mom and I were discussing possible ways to (slightly) lighten up our Thanksgiving table and make another nutritious options available, and we decided to make over the green beans! These veggies are high in antioxidants and vitamins (C, K and A) and low in calories. It was a natural choice then for a slimmed-down dish!

As luck would have it, I stumbled upon an easy recipe in Hy-Vee’s Seasons magazine a day later, and tweaked it just a bit for our holiday table.

This is also a perfect option for those big meals where the oven is already packed since you can stew the beans on the counter in a slow cooker. The result is really tasty too! It came out a touch salty for us with regular stock, so that’s why I recommend low-sodium (not to mention it’s just a good choice in general since many soup distributors put in way more salt than is necessary for a tasty product).

Less than five ingredients and about five minutes of prep time? Don’t mind if I do!

So Simple Garlicky Green Beans

Adapted from Seasons magazine

• 2 pounds fresh green beans, with ends trimmed
• 1/4 cup chicken stock, low-sodium if possible
• 8 cloves garlic, peeled and cut in half or quarters
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1. Toss beans and garlic in a slow cooker and top with red pepper flakes, then stock.
2. Cover and cook on high for 2 1/2 hours or until beans are to your desired tenderness.

Does your family enjoy similar recipes on Thanksgiving and on Christmas or your winter holiday of choice? If so, this might be a fun option to try in a few weeks!

Let the countdown begin: Thanksgiving is less than one week away! While it seems like most people have their protein of choice set (be it turkey, a vegetarian option or even a turducken!), sides are generally more flexible territory. Thanksgiving is a special day and it’s more than OK to indulge on occasion, but you can also still make some nutritious choices with all of the same flavors if you and your guests prefer!

I scoured some of my favorite recipe sites to bring you a wealth of options for healthy spins on traditional side dishes and desserts. Here are 10 stand-outs, some of which may land on my table this year! Think of this as a compilation of my “Pinned” recipes for future holiday meals. (By the way, are you on Pinterest? If so, you can find me here!)

Bread Items

• Maple Cornmeal Biscuits: Your guests will never guess that these simple whole-wheat bites from Happy Herbivore get their moisture from a banana. I love the idea of using just a touch of maple syrup for sweetness! (106 calories, 1 g fat)
• Save the Day Stuffing: This veggie-packed swap is not for sausage-filled stuffing purists, but Hungry Girl’s recipe is a simple way to cut major calories from your plate. (89 calories, 1.5 g fat)
• Quinoa Cornbread: Whole Foods sneaks extra protein into this sweet side. I can’t wait to try this as an accompaniment to some veggie chili too! (120 calories, 2 g fat)

Veggies and Potatoes

• Heart-Healthy Cheesy Potatoes: Heart-Healthy Living offers a cornflake-topped hashbrown casserole that’s very similar to one my mom whips up for many holiday meals! If you are interested in trying a version closer to hers, try fat-free plain yogurt in lieu of the sour cream. (129 calories, 3 g fat)
• Vegan Green Bean Casserole: Don’t worry green bean casserole purists! Fat-Free Vegan cuts back on, but doesn’t eliminate, those French fried onions. In fact, she pairs them up with whole-wheat breadcrumbs for added crunch. (102 calories, 4 g fat)
• Creamy Mashed Potatoes: Who would ever think of adding cream cheese to potatoes for a smooth, rich texture? The genius Roni over at Green Lite Bites, that’s who! (190 calories, 0 g fat)

Desserts

• Triple-Berry Granola Crisp: Quicker than a pie, but just as fruity and tasty, this crisp by eatbetteramerica is more assembly than baking. Perfect if you’re more of a cook than a pastry chef, and ideal if you’re short on time too! (130 calories, 2 g fat)
• Mini Apple Tarts: SparkPeople shares another fuss-free option that with all the flavors of a slice of apple pie that would be a perfect two-bite end to a big meal. Everyone has room for dessert, right? (124 calories, 4 g fat)
• Skinny Pumpkin Pie: I’ve had an aversion to pumpkin for as long as I remember, but Skinny Taste’s slices are so pleasing to the eye, they might actually tempt me into trying a bite. Click on over to check out her simple slimmer pie crust trick. (172 calories, 6 g fat)
• The Ultimate Chocolate Fudge Pie: Chocolate-Covered Katie has an awesome option for those of us who aren’t huge fans of pumpkin or pecan—and I’ve been meaning to find a dessert to sneak tofu into. I’d wager that you can’t even tell it’s included! (143 calories, 6 g fat)

Photo courtesy of Flickr user knm3290

To learn more about two Thanksgiving superfoods, click here!

What dish are you most looking forward to on your Thanksgiving table?

True story: From age five to age 12, I’d estimate that I ate some variation of chicken fingers/strips/nuggets at least two times a week. It was my go-to order nearly every time my family dined out. In fact, I can still list the ranking of the fast food nuggets that would determine my restaurant of choice if Mom was nice enough to give me the option. (Wendy’s, Burger King, McDonald’s by the way—duh! :) )

Crispy chicken and fries most likely played a role in the fact that I entered junior high on the pudgy side. Eventually, I decided to start eating healthier and getting in better shape during my early high school years, and fried food was the first thing that I decided to cut back on. I made a simple switch, opting for a grilled chicken sandwich with baked potato. Later on, I focused on picking healthier snacks, proper portions, etc., but this one diet change (coupled with 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week) helped me get on the path to a healthier weight and even inspired me to experimenting more with food. A salad as a side? Why not try it?

(Now’s a good time to mention that fried chicken and/or potatoes are completely fine to have as a splurge every so often if you like! The part of the story that makes this unhealthy is how common I ate this meal and how it kept me from eating more nutritious foods. Although I would opt for the “strips” over the “nuggets.” Have you seen what nuggets are made from? Eek. Don’t click if you’re of the faint of heart. /tangent)

Since that time, chicken nuggets have held a nostalgic quality, reminding me of childhood but also of those less-than-healthy-eating days. So when I spotted a more nutritious swap on the shelves at Whole Foods, I snapped them up and decided to give them a try. So what if “Kids” is written in big crayon-scribbled font on the front of the box?

The Broccoli Littles are animal-shaped vegetable patties with a simple ingredient list: broccoli, potatoes, onions, egg whites, potato flakes, canola oil, arrowroot and garlic. I put some of the frozen bites on a pan and popped them in a 400 degree oven (see picture at top) for about 15 minutes, and flipped them halfway through. They came out lightly browned, and I served my Broccoli Littles with a bit of Simply Heinz ketchup, a grilled whole-wheat sandwich with turkey and Laughing Cow Light cheese and a fresh fruit salad (not pictured).

The verdict? Quite tasty, with a nice slight crunch! I enjoyed the fact that you could spot sizable pieces of broccoli in the Littles, and they made for a super-simple side. And the nutrition comparison presents a strong case:

• Broccoli Littles: 80 calories, 5 g fat/ 4 pieces
• Chicken nuggets (average): 192 calories, 12 g fat/ 4 pieces

What foods remind you of childhood? Do you still enjoy them today?

Just in time for National School Lunch Week last week, Mrs. Q (aka Chicago elementary school speech pathologist Sarah Wu) released a book spinoff of her popular blog Fed Up With Lunch. School lunch is a captivating topic, in my opinion, since it’s something that nearly everyone can relate to and the issues at play have so much more going on than meets the eye.

Soon after Fed Up With Lunch was available I downloaded the book on my Kindle and devoured almost as quickly as the kids at the author’s school could finish the almost daily side of six tater tots! On her blog, Wu used photos and brief descriptions to chronicle her experience eating school “hot lunches” for one full calendar year. Soon after its launch, nutrition advocates caught wind of her project and an extensive dialogue about public school lunch offerings began. This book explains the behind-the-scenes work that went into the blog (Wu had to scurry back to her room each day to snap a picture of her meal. She was afraid school officials wouldn’t be so keen on the concept—hence the pseudonym.) As a result of several meals that looked like this and this, Wu became more interested in nutrition and public policy, and shares what she learned, along with many of her lunch photos, in her book.

While I didn’t learn anything particularly new from a policy level since I had already read up on the topic for a few college projects, Fed Up With Lunch provides a pretty thorough overview for those who may have forgotten all about that time when regular milk was called “white milk.” For any reader, whether well-versed in the topic or not, it’s pretty fascinating to try to brainstorm ways to improve the current system while considering all of the cooks in the proverbial school lunch kitchen (government organizations and subsidies, large-scale food distributors set in their ways and don’t think about trying to implement neat programs like those suggested by the folks behind Edible Schoolyard or Alliance for a Healthier Generation…). It seems to all boil down to a money issue, but there has to be some way to put out food that’s better than rib-shaped mystery meat on a bun, French fries and a sugary juice box. Because how healthy is it if you eat that 180 times each year? And what does it teach kids about how they should be eating for the rest of their lives?

Photo courtesy of Flickr user USDAgov

I’m no saint through—my bagged lunchduring grade school might have included a turkey bagel sandwich, apple, bag of chips or pretzels and a Nutty Bar (remember those?) or cookie. What did you eat during your school lunches and how does that compare to what you enjoy for lunch now?

And do you have any suggestions for how our country can makeover the current school lunch program?

Tailgating usually means a few things to people: Meaty chili, beer, maybe some nachos or burgers. But if you surround your fellow fans with nutritious eats, they’ll be able to enjoy the food while focusing on the plays (or pregame fun) rather than worrying about their waistlines. And if you offer some hearty meat-free dishes, you’ll be sure that no guest gets stranded with just chips and salsa or a reheated freezer-burned veggie burger!

October has been classified as “Vegetarian Awareness Month”—a somewhat strange holiday in my view! :) I think we’re all pretty well aware that vegetarianism is an option, but it’s what we do about that fact that may make a difference in the health of our diets. (Research has shown that, as a general trend, non-meat eaters weigh less and eat fewer calories and fat grams that carnivores. But those who eat meat can surely be healthy as well!) Personally, I consider myself more of a “flexitarian:” someone who has two to five meatless days per week.

So to honor both this kooky holiday and a kickoff (Go Pack Go!), here are four recipes from around the web that are perfect for your next tailgating event:

• Zucchini Pizza Bites: Slice-inspired appetizers? Yes, please! Skinny Taste makes the perfect party food that will leave one hand free for your beverage, the remote or a football! (125 calories, 6 g fat)

• Garden Sliders: A feast for the eyes as well as the mouth, these stacked sandwiches from Better Homes and Gardens get extra flavor from a homemade bean spread. Score extra points by selecting veggies that come in the colors of your team! (120 calories, 2 g fat)

• Baked Chili Surprise: Hungry Girl jazzes up a quintessential tailgating dish with extra veggies and a doughy topping. It’s like chili pot pie! Bonus: The meal is semi-homemade, so it comes together in a flash. (215 calories, 3 g fat)
  

• Jojo’s Party Mix: Eating Well’s lightened-up snack blend is flavored by a touch olive oil and a sprinkle of Parmesan rather than a stick of butter. (61 calories, 2 g fat)
  

Talk about a delicious menu. The best part? If you like, you can enjoy a serving of each over the course of the evening (one dish per quarter, perhaps?) for less than 525 calories!

More fitting recipes from Healthful Bites:

• Southwestern Bean Salad (serve with baked tortilla chips!)
• Farmers Market Roasted Veggies (perfect between bread or in a wrap too)

What do you love to serve at your tailgates?

Not only is soup a great vehicle for tasty veggies, but it’s also soul-warming and comforting on even the coldest of days. How can you not feel cozy with your hands cupped around with a big mug of steaming goodness?

Since fall is here, there’s no better time to put a pot of soup on and grab a spoon! I recently tried Dr. McDougall’s Light Sodium Garden Vegetable (seen below at left, and picked up at Bed, Bath & Beyond, because why wouldn’t you find soup there? :) ) and enjoyed the crisp bite of green peas, the creamy potatoes and fantastic nutrition stats.

While in the Denver airport a few days later, I stopped at a little establishment called Itza Wrap Itza Bowl. The Asian noodle soup sounded satisfying for lunch (which of course would be balanced with a dessert of Mountain Blackberry TCBY topped with strawberries!). The soup started with udon noodles and steamed veggies, all of which was topped with chicken broth. It was delicious, but as you might be able to see (above, right), I could have used a little more broth and a little less noodle. But overall, a pretty good choice for airport food!

Next up on my soup tour: Trying out my own chef skills with these three recipes.

• For a protein punch: Moroccan Lentil Soup from Happy Herbivore (124 calories, 1 g fat, 8 g protein)
• The perfect sandwich dipper: Tomato Basil Soup from Midwest Living (37 calories, 0 g fat)
• For a light take on creamy bowls: Fully Loaded Baked Potato Soup from Hungry Girl (130 calories, 1 g fat)

What foods scream “fall” to you?

As much as I try to not be partial to my New York City boroughs, Manhattan is the place to be for healthy eats. (Case in point: On my two block walk home from the subway to my apartment in Queens, I pass a donut shop, two fried chicken joints, a pizza parlor and a Chinese takeout stop.) So I often grab dinner in Manhattan before heading home after work if I’m not cooking for myself.

So I was more excited than is probably reasonable when I discovered Ripe Juice Bar & Grill in Forest Hills, Queens, just a few short stops away on the train. Why? This is no greasy fast food restaurant. Ripe claims to serve meals made “fresh to order” using “only the highest quality ingredients.”

The bright, modern-looking spot certainly brought across that fresh vibe, and one look at the menu made it clear that it was going to take a while to decide which of all of the delicious options I would order! Eventually, I opted for the Mexicali Bowl: Brown rice topped with grilled chicken, turkey bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion and cilantro, then spiced up with hot sauce.

Despite the less-than-fancy table settings (see Styrofoam plate and unpictured plastic utensils), the meal tasted flavorful, delicious and packed plenty of heat—which I appreciate! The crunchy lettuce provided a nice contrast to the chewy brown rice, and the whole dish had a nice balance of protein, a bit of fat, whole grains and some veggies. As a salsa-lover, it would have been awesome to include some of that as a topping as well, but that’s my only complaint!

Don’t live near Ripe? You could easily recreate this meal at home with some quick-cooking rice, chopped veggies and grilled meats.

What draws you in when searching for new restaurants to try?