Half Guilt Spinach Artichoke Dip

Spinach artichoke dip is everywhere - and with good warm creamy reason. I find myself trepidatiously singing the praises of this traditional appetizer. Many restaurants load up the full fat cheeses, oils and additives in this dish. As a life long dieter, there is almost no place I would order spinach artichoke dip without feeling guilty. So I wanted to share a version of the dish with you all that you can feel good about eating at about 220 calories per half a cup serving - that's compared to popular restaurants such as Applebees with over 1500 calories per serving!

Since you know I love recipes that can do double duty - this one is no exception. I use this as an alternative to mayonnaise on a sandwich or as a filling in a baked sweet potato for a quick dinner.

Ingredients:

10 oz. frozen spinach (1 block)

1 can artichoke hearts (in water)

6 oz. fat free cream cheese or tofutti

¼ c. reduced fat sour cream (or vegan sour cream)

1 c. shredded cheese (preferably gruyere or swiss, can sub vegan)

¼ c. (vegan) parmesan

4-6 cloves of roasted garlic

¼ tsp. sea salt

¼ tsp. red pepper flakes

Directions:

1.       Preheat oven to 350 degrees farenheit.

2.       Wrap garlic in foil and heat for 30 minutes.

3.       Chop garlic and artichoke hearts.

4.       Defrost spinach in microwave and press through a strainer to eliminate excess water.

5.       Combine all ingredients in a bowl.

6.       Grease a dish and bake dip for 40 minutes until brown and bubbly on top.

7.       Enjoy with pita, veggies, or on a sandwich instead of mayo.

***inspiration provided by Annie Eats http://annies-eats.com/

Pumpkin Hangover

Although Thanksgiving has passed, my obsession with pumpkin is alive and well. I have big plans to stock up with a cabinets-worth in the near future. Pumpkin works in everything: from savory dishes like lasagna to sweet dishes like pumpkin pie bread, and these spicy pumpkin delights are no exception. I find these cookies to have seasonal flare from fall through early spring. Something about my spicy addition to the frosting lightens the sweetness and tops off the cake-y cookie like no other. I must give credit to an old friend who introduced her pumpkin cookies to me years ago, which served as one of the inspirations for this recipe. As always, I booty-fied and kicked up some of the ingredients to create a moderately healthy cookie. Good luck keeping these babies in the house!

Pumpkin Spice Cookies with Spicy Creamy Frosting 

Cookie Ingredients:

½ c. apple sauce

¼ c. earth balance OR butter

1 c. pumpkin

½ c. agave nectar (or honey)

½ c. splenda OR sugar

1 c. all purpose flour

1 ½ c. whole wheat flour

¼ tsp. salt

1 tsp. aluminum-free baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 ½ tsp. pumpkin pie spice

** 3/4 c. dark chocolate chips (can omit frosting and add cc for another twist)

Spiced Frosting Ingredients:

6 oz. fat free cream cheese OR tofutti

¼ c. earth balance OR butter

1 ½ c. confectioners sugar

½ tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:

1.       Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2.       In a large bowl, cream together all wet cookie ingredients.

3.       In a medium bowl combine all dry ingredients.

4.       Add 1/3 of dry mixture at a time to wet mixture until combined.

5.       Use a cookie scooper or two spoons to drop dough onto greased cookie sheet.

6.       Wet the back of a spoon and flatten the center of each cookie.

7.       Bake about 12 minutes, or until cookies feel firm.

8.       Let cool before applying frosting.

9.       Whisk room temperature cream cheese and butter.

10.   Add in other frosting ingredients and mix until thoroughly combined.

11.   Using a spoon add about at teaspoon of frosting to each cookie and spread with the back of the spoon.

12.   Allow to set for an hour.

Sweet Redemption

Sweet Cornbread - we'll get to this later...

First, I have a kitchen confession: in honor of Vegan MoFo, a month where bloggers showcase vegan recipes to show the world just how un-scary it is to be vegan, I attempted vegan marshmallows. And here's what a butt-load of corn syrup and sugar turns into:

I followed directions to a T and whipped that puppy for 15 minutes. And still, it looked like something that comes out of the body, not something that should go in it. Never fear, I didn't let that stop me from making the all important marshmallow fluff that is one of the (not so) secret ingredients in my mother's famous sweet potatoes. However, I turned to a vegetarian recipe that incorporated eggs. Out of respect for Vegan MoFo, I'll be posting that recipe in December.

Now onto my successes in the kitchen in keeping with my pre T-giving schedule! Using a down home cornbread recipe passed around the family from a legendary nanny, I altered the recipe to give it a healthier - and vegan, if you like - outcome. Now I preface this recipe with a few details: number one, if you like a crumbly cornbread, you will love this one, number two, this is the PERFECT cornbread for cornbread stuffing (more of that to come tomorrow!).

Ingredients:

2 c. yellow cornmeal

1 c. whole wheat flour

1 ½ c. non-dairy milk OR buttermilk

¼ c. agave nectar OR honey OR sugar

½ c. apple sauce OR butter

3 eggs OR equivalent in egg substitute

1 Tbs baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

Directions:

1.       Preheat oven to 400 degrees Farenheit

2.       Combine all dry ingredients, sifting flour

3.       Create a well in dry ingredients and mix together milk, agave nectar, apple sauce, and egg.

4.       Grease a baking dish – if you like thinner cornbread use 9 X 13.

5.       Bake for 35 minutes or until knife comes out clean.

Experiments with Tofu Part 1: Loaf

Although I have been a vegetarian for years. I only tried tofurkey for the first time last year. For some reason, I was intimidated enough by the idea of a tofu loaf that I did not include a homemade one on my Thanksgiving menu. So in the spirit of the holiday season, I ventured into loaf land with a guinea pig taste tester (bf, Grant Park) willing to swallow down my latest concoction.

Doesn't that kinda look good for a loaf of mashed tofu? That's essentially what any meat-like loaf is, and this tofu loaf is no exception. I kept the recipe seasonal with my use of herbs; next time I'm taking it down home. Grant Park and I waxed nostalgic about the meat loaf of our childhood - ketchup and breadcrumb laden. However, if you're looking for a vegan alternative for the holidays, this tofu loaf and accompanying mushroom gravy are a safe bet.

Also, feel free to note the new table upon which some of these photos were taken. Oh yes, finally a REAL table. Photos to come later. Safe to say the furniture collection has a French name, mon dieu!


Tofu Loaf

Ingredients:
1 package extra firm tofu
1/2 c. rolled oats
1/4 c. organic marinara sauce
1/4 c. low sodium soy sauce
1 Tbs. dried thyme
1/2 Tbs. dried parsley
1 tsp. rosemary
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease loaf pan.

2. Drain and smoosh tofu with a fork.

3. Add in remaining ingredients and stir.

4. Place contents in loaf pan, with clean hands press mixture into pan.

5. Bake for 1 hour.

6. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before flipping loaf out onto a serving dish.



Mushroom Gravy

Ingredients:
1 tsp. olive oil
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1/2 onion, diced
1/4 tsp. celery salt
2 Tbs. butter of choice or olive oil
2 Tbs. whole wheat flour
1 1/2 c. vegetable stock
1/2 Tbs. thyme

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a pan and add mushrooms and onions.

2. Sprinkle celery salt into pan and sauté until mushrooms become tender and begin to release juices.

3. Place mushrooms in a bowl off to the side.

4. In the same pan melt butter.

5. Whisk flour into butter and add 1/2 c. vegetable stock stirring mixture until lumps are removed.

6. Add remaining veggie stock to the pan and allow mixture to simmer stirring frequently. (You may add more veggie stock to thin the mixture).

7. Once base of the gravy is desired consistency, add the mushroom mixture back to pan and stir.

Lists Are Friends

With Thanksgiving right around the bend, and a short workweek upon us, I find myself feeling hectic and a little stressed, with excitement, of course. Since one of my triggers to overeating is stress,  making lists and planning ahead is an important part of my holiday season. The most coveted lists for Thanksgiving are my daily T-giving prep and my activity plans. Check out my plans below, and I encourage you to put yours together too!

Thanksgiving Daily Prep:

Sunday

• Homemade Marshmallow Fluff (for sweet potatoes)

Monday

• Select serving dishes
• Decide on a center piece
• Purchase Specialty Grocery Items

Tuesday

• Honey Buttermilk Cornbread 
• Pumpkin Cookies
• Gravy 

Wednesday

• Chocolate Pumpkin Pecan Pie
• Spinach Artichoke Dip 
• Mashed Sweet Potatoes
• Wash & Chop Veggies

T-Day

• Tofurkey
• Stuffing
• Roasted Asparagus
• Vegan Gravy
• Reheat and finish previously completed dishes

T-Giving Activity Schedule:

• Sunday: 25 minutes M.O.B. Pump, 25 minutes hill setting cardio
• Monday: 45 minutes cardio interval training, 5 minute abs
• Tuesday: spinning class
• Wednesday: 30 minutes M.O.B. Pump, 30 minutes cardio
• T-day: 30 minutes workout of choice*
• Friday: 30 minutes L.A.B. (Leg, Ab, Butt) routine, 30 minutes interval training cardio
• Saturday: Rest & A HAIRCUT! (Ok, that's not so much a physical activity, but I'm psyched!)

*On a holiday where I am cooking most of the meal, I say it's a win if I make physical activity a part of the preparation. My plan is to actually go to the gym and get in a high intensity cardio workout. If I feel crunched for time, I have a dvd at home that I can run through in a pinch. Give yourself options if you know your day will be full and filling, but I do recommend a quick sweat session to balance out all that yumminess on T-day.

Thanksgiving Surplus & Polenta Crust

With the turn of events in my family I find myself hosting Thanksgiving - for the first time! On Saturday I was on caretaker duty and scanned recipes of my mom's famous dishes. Her stuffing is particularly memorable, but I find that everyone's family stuffing is the one they prefer most. The ingredients list for this recipe simply reveals the seasonings - no measurements. Real helpful. It just might be my mom's way of remaining indispensable. As a result she has been given the duty of official taste tester to make sure the dishes stay intact with all their historical flavors. 

After menu planning, I tackled my Thanksgiving shopping, with the help of a sister. I found myself buying many items in bulk as a car ride to the grocery store is rare for this city (er, train riding) girl. When I unpacked all my goodies I noticed I had a remarkable amount of corn meal, both in my cabinets and on the counter. I scoured my favorite cookbooks for something inspiring and settled on a Mollie Katzen recipe for deep dish pizza. I share with you a variation of the crust. Mollie, a vegetarian chef, gives readers a fabulous foundation - I kicked it up with some additions. I'm adding this recipe to my rotation as a crust for other dishes. I think this would substitute well for many dishes requiring a savory crust. 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c. cornmeal

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. olive oil

1 1/2 c. cold water

2 c. boiling water

cooking spray

Directions:

Heat oven to 375 F

Combine all ingredients, except hot water

Boil water, and add in cold ingredients

Cook for 10 minutes, whisking, over low heat whisking

Grease a pie pan, and spread an even layer

Bake for 50 min

Perfect Oats

This morning I woke up with a headache and an incessantly itching brother dog. Yes, that coned creature in my last post kept me up, and I was hardly in the mood to make a baked oatmeal souffle has planned for my mom and co. Once in a while magic happens in the kitchen, usually when you least expect it - like at 7 in the morning when you can't sleep. This was one of those moments. I make oatmeal three days a week. I like oatmeal. It's usually nothing too special. This oatmeal? Oh, it's special, deliciously special.

Perfect Oats for two

Ingredients:
1 c. vanilla soy milk
1 c. water
1 c. rolled oats
dash of salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 Tbs. maple syrup
1 egg (can be omitted)
3/4 c. blueberries

Directions:

1. Pour soymilk, water and oats into a pot.

2. Heat pot on medium high heat. When it bubbles, start stirring and turn down heat to low.

3. Add in salt, cinnamon, and syrup.

4. Stir occasionally for the next 3 or so minutes. The oats should be coming together at this point and become firm.

5. Once oats look almost to your desired consistency, crack the egg into a separate dish and whip with a fork until frothy.

6. Pour egg on top of oats, using your fork whip egg into top layer of oats.

7. Stir oat mixture to combine egg.

8. Turn heat off, and stir in blue berries gently.

9. Allow oats to sit for a few minutes before devouring! YUMMMM

5 Minute Barbecue Beans

Cone of Shame

If this picture doesn't make you laugh, then your heart is frozen. 

Back to the point of this post...

Do you ever find yourself with a full fridge that feels empty? I had one of those nights where I wasn't interested in taking time to prepare a "real" dinner. Instead I scoured the cupboards and my brain for a quick and easy recipe. It doesn't get any easier then these baked beans and sweet potatoes. Filling and nutrient-rich this recipe does the trick and yields leftovers. Double win.

Ingredients:
2 baked sweet potatoes
1 can white kidney beans
1/2 Tbs. olive oil
1 yellow onion
2 c. frozen broccoli
2 garlic cloves
1 Tbs. low sodium soy sauce
1 Tbs. agave nectar
1/2 c. vegetable broth
1 Tbs. organic bbq sauce
salt
pepper

Directions:

1. Chop onion and saute in olive oil.

2. Clean, poke, and microwave sweet potatoes in two minute increments until cooked.

3. Add chopped garlic and broccoli.

4. Toss veggies with a dash of salt and pepper.

5. Rinse beans, and add can to pan.

6. Mix contents and add soy sauce, veggie broth, bbq sauce, and agave nectar.

7. Turn heat on high for a few seconds. When sauce bubbles, turn down and stir.

8. Cut sweet potato in half and spread bbq beans over top.

Pumpkin Lasagna

For the next few weeks I'll be filling a new role - nurse, caring for a family member. As such, I find myself gravitating towards dishes that create an infinite amount of leftovers to freeze and bring with me. I rarely eat full bore lasagna, as much as I love the gooey traditional version. I find the traditioinal dish rather heavy, but this lightened and veggie-filled version is wholesome and filling without overdoing it. The noodles can be cooked in advance and the veggies can be chopped when you get home from the grocery store. It takes me about 45 minutes to put this together from scratch, which is worth it in my book to have leftovers for two days.

Ingredients:

9 lasagna noodes
16 oz. canned pumpkin
1 zucchini
1 red onion
1 c. cherry tomatoes cut in half
1 jar organic marinara sauce
1 c. tofutti OR goat cheese
2 Tbs. (vegan) parmessan

Directions:

1. Cook lasagna noodles according to package.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and grease 9x13 pan.

3. Chop all veggies.

4. Spread a thin layer of sauce.

5. Place 3 noodles in pan.

6. Spread a layer of pumpkin over noodles.

7. Sprinkle tofutti/goat cheese.

8. Add 1/2 of all veggies.

9. Repeat 4-8 one time.

10. Place 3 lasagna noodles on top and remainder of sauce.

11. Sprinkle (vegan) parmessan.

12. Bake for 25 minutes.

13. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before cutting.

Spicy Szechuan Stir Fry

 
After a whirlwind couple of days, it was lovely to be back in my kitchen on Sunday evening to cook a veggie-packed meal. The fact that I was traveling and then playing caretaker - a role I will be jumping into every few days for the next couple of months - meant little control over my meals. Somehow it always seems that my vegetable intake lags behind as salads become less and less interesting from the same hotel restaurant. 
 
Luckily, I stock my freezer with veggies. I highly recommend snatching up a few bags of spinach, brussel sprouts, green beans, or whatever variety you prefer. Research suggests little difference in the nutritional content of frozen and fresh vegetables. If you find produce spoils quickly in your fridge, go frozen!
 
The key to a good stir fry is heat. Be careful not to throw the ingredients in the pan, rather slide them down the rim of the pan. Make sure to give the veggies time to crisp up and brown. That's what makes this dish crisp and tasty.
 
Ingredients:
1 red onion
3 garlic cloves
2 celery stalks
2 c. frozen brussel sprouts
4 c. frozen green beans
1 package of extra firm tofu (I used firm and ended up with a slightly crumbled tofu)
2 Tbs. sesame oil (or canola oil)
2 tsp. siracha (chili paste)
2 Tbs. low sodium soy sauce
1 Tbs. apple cider vinegar (or rice vinegar)
2 Tbs. asian wine (or white wine)


Directions:

1. Prepare your tofu by pressing using this method.
 
2. Heat wok/pan on high heat.
 
3. Chop the onion, garlic and celery.
 
4. Place onion, garlic and celery in wok. It will sizzle. Give them a moment on each side and nudge.
 
5. Add brussel sprouts and green beans.
 
6. Saute for 6-8 minutes, giving veggies a minute on each side before nudging with spoon.
 
7. Empty contents of pan into a bowl and place to the side.
 
8. Chop tofu and heat 1 Tbs of oil in wok.
 

9. Place tofu in wok and saute in the same manner as veggies for about 4 minutes.
 
10. Add vegetables to wok along with sauce contents. It should steam up. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the pan and loosen the leftover seasoning.

 
11. Serve while still hot with chopsticks. :)
 

 

Rolling With The Unexpected

Well I have certainly been updating you all a lot less than planned. It turns out, a family emergency has arisen, and I'm heading back to Chicago ahead of schedule. Not to worry, everything is under control - or will be as soon as I'm back. Who else is good in a crisis?

Thank goodness for working out! My favorite stress buster. I found myself doing the M.O.B. Pump and some serious cardio in the hotel gym.

Thank you to those who have continued to read up on Mind Over Booty, and I promise to have some fun recipes - a recreation of a Mexican lentil dish I had in New York - on the blog next week.

Stay tuned and have a lovely weekend!

Miss M

Simplicity At Its Best: Baked Apples

Last night I found myself once again packing for a work trip. This time I am venturing to New York City for 5 long days. There will be little downtime, but I hope to update you all on my trip as I try to stay true to my healthy living identity aka eating well and staying active.

When I pack, and feel frantic, I find myself snacking endlessly. These baked apples are naturally sweet and the lemon juice produces a tangy syrup to knock the socks off of any sweet tooth. I realize this recipe is almost too simple to post, but I know there are those of you who sometimes wonder how to break down something such as baked apples or roasted squash. I'm here to say no recipe is too simple or too complicated that this booty won't give it a try!

Ingredients:

4 apples
1 lemon
dash of sea salt
1/4 c. splenda OR sugar
1/4 c. rasins
2 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit

2. Wash and thinly slice apples.

3. Squeeze lemon over apples and toss with the rest of the ingredients.

4. Bake in a dish for 40 minutes.

5. Serve topped with granola or a bit of non-dairy milk.

Creamy Eggplant Pasta

 

 
For as many years as I have been dieting (aka my whole life), I have searched for a creamy healthy pasta dish. Once I allowed and accepted (good) carbs back into my diet, whole wheat pasta opened my eyes to the possibilities.

While I am not vegan, I do limit the animal products, in particular cow products, in my diet. Meanwhile, Grant Park (the bf), LOVES dairy products, in particular cheese. I came across a recipe in an Italian cookbook that used smashed beans as a base in a cheesey sauce. This recipe is my take on that lovely pasta dish. You'll notice I hit the jackpot recently in the form of a food processor. No doubt bribery from Grant Park to cook more complex dishes. If you have yet to hit the kitchen jackpot, a blender will do, or a potato masher.
 
While making the sauce roast 1 small eggplant, chopped and seasoned with salt and pepper, at 400 degrees Farenheit for 30-40 minutes. About halfway through start cooking 3 cups of whole wheat pasta, preferably a penne or rigatoni noodle.


Creamy Sauce Ingredients:

1 Tbs. olive oil
1 lg. onion
6 cloves garlic
1 c. vegetable broth
1 can garbanzo beans
1 tsp. oregano
2 tsp. basil
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper


Directions:

1. Heat olive oil over medium heat, add chopped onion and saute until translucent.

2. Roughly chop and add garlic to pan.

3. Drain and rinse beans thoroughly.

4. Add beans to pan and saute for a few minutes.

5. Add vegetable broth and seasoning to pan.

6. Deglaze pan thoroughly aka scrape off the yummy cooked bits from bottom of pan.

7. Transfer bean mixture to food processor/blender/bowl and puree until smooth. 

8. Taste your creamy bean sauce. Flavoring can be altered with more spices or olive oil.

9. Put sauce back into pan. Add roasted eggplant.

10. Drain pasta and reserve about 1/2 c. pasta water.

11. Mix pasta water and pasta into sauce and eggplant mixture.

12. Grate (vegan) Parmesan over pasta and enjoy!

A Dish That Keeps On Giving

 
Don't you ever wish you were the kind of person who whipped up gourmet meals every night of the week, even when in a pinch? I know I do! There's nothing better than a home cooked meal, and sometimes nothing more daunting at the end of a long day.
 
When I was little I thought left overs happened by accident. That my mom kept those Tupperware containers just in case we didn't finish a meal. Now I know, the smartest home cooks make extras on the weekends so that they have one step, one ingredient, even, prepped for a few meals. Ratatouille, a French peasant's dish, is the answer to squeezing extra veggies and flavor into your weeknight meals. This dish, filled with whatever vegetables you may have on hand, simmers over low heat for an hour permeating every room in your house. What you have at the end of that hour is a dish that keeps on giving, for at least 3 other meals, if you make enough.
 

 
Some ideas for your leftovers:

• Breakfast: ratatouille-filled omlette or tofu scramble
• Lunch: spread hummus on a ww wrap and fill with ratatouille
• Dinner: combine with white beans, or crumble tofu 

And if you still have some:

• Food process ratatouille for a veggie-filled pasta sauce
• Add vegetable stock for a veg soup
• Serve over brown rice or combine with quinoa
• Serve over fresh spinach with olives as an antipasti

Ingredients:
 
1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves fresh garlic
3 stalks of celery
1 c. diced bell peppers
1 28oz. can whole tomatoes (w/ basil)
2 medium zucchini
1 medium eggplant
2 Tbs. Herbes de Provence (or a thyme, rosemary, oregano)
dash of salt
dash of pepper
optional:
1 can of white beans
red pepper flakes


Directions:
 
1. Saute chopped garlic over medium heat in a large saucepan.
 
2. Add chopped celery and stir occasionally, careful not to burn.
 
3. Pour juices from canned tomatoes over veggies, squish whole tomatoes over pan. (Fun and not an exact science)
 

 
4. Chop bell peppers, zucchini and eggplant. Remember ratatouille is a peasant's dish so no need to chop like a professional chef!
 

 
5. Put remaining vegetables in pan. Stir and turn down to low heat.
 
6. Add seasoning (and beans, if using), stir and cover for 60 minutes or until vegetables are desired firmness.

Reason Number 1,999 I Cannot Be Trusted With Popcorn

This week Shape Magazine told me that I can eat air popped popcorn with reckless abandon. Clearly this publication has not been in my kitchen:

Please listen to me when I say: invest in an air popper. For 20 bucks you can have fresh, chemical-free pop corn at the tip of your finger tips. I agree with Shape that popcorn is a healthy and fiber-full snack option, but please do not eat with reckless abandon!

My favorite toppings:

• Parmesan + oregano
• cinnamon + agave nectar
• olive oil and garlic powder
• curry powder