Homemade Applesauce

The change of seasons is not just a cue for a change of wardrobe…. I like to think of a change of season as a change of flavor. With summer’s bounty behind us, it’s time for heartier, comforting meals featuring fall flavor. Using in-season fruits and vegetables is a great way to center a meal. I like to look up what’s is in season and check what’s on sale in my grocery store and then use that ingredient as a guide for my next cooking adventure. This week: Gala apples. With fall’s plentiful apple crop closely approaching, I want to share with you a delicious and easy way to enjoy homemade applesauce.

Applesauce is a wonderful way to capture the crisp, sweet flavor of fall apples. It is also a canvas for flavor; you can easily jazz up applesauce with other fruits such as cranberries, pears or plums. Simply add them while cooking the apples and continue processing. You can also experiment with different spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and ginger. 

Rustic Homemade Applesauce

Ingredients:

4 cups peeled, chopped apples (about 3 medium apples)

3 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon lemon juice

½ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (typically a mix of cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and allspice)

Dash of salt

1 tablespoon fat free sour cream 

Method:          

Add first 6 ingredients to a medium saucepan. Cook, covered, over medium heat for 10 minutes. Remove lid and cook an additional 10 minutes. Using a potato masher, mash to desired consistency (I like mine extra chunky!) Alternatively, if you prefer more of a pureed consistency, pulse in a blender or food processor. Stir in fat free sour cream.

The touch of sour cream at the end makes this chunky, rustic applesauce extra rich and decadent.

Enjoy warm or chilled, as a side dish or a dessert.

Makes, four ½-cup servings

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 63

Total Fat: 0.2g

Saturated Fat: 0g

Cholesterol: 0.6mg

Sodium: 62.1mg

Carbohydrates: 16.6g

Fiber: 3g

Sugars: 11.9g

Protein: 0.6g

Breakfast of Champions: Omelettes

Move over Wheaties, Egg-Substitute Omelettes are the new Breakfast of Champions. Of course all of you have heard “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day” thousands of times. To me, it’s the most important meal not only because it starts up your metabolism and keeps your mind and body energized for the day, but because, if eaten right, can help you stay on track with your diet for the rest of your day. Think about it: if you eat a nutrient-less bowl of sugary cereal or a greasy plate of eggs and sausage for breakfast, when it comes to lunch are you really going to want to eat something healthy? No, your day is already shot! Now, if you were to eat a healthy, satisfying breakfast you will probably be more likely to eat a little healthier throughout the day since you already got off to a great start! (Just think about the Nutri-Grain Bar commercial and apply it to a much more filling, savory breakfast)

While your typical carb-stars are what you would probably turn to for a quick and easy breakfast, cereal, oatmeal, and English muffins can get a little repetitive. Using an egg-substitute in your daily breakfast routine can significantly increase the amount of protein in your diet. One serving (1/4 cup, equivalent to one large egg) has just 30 calories, 6 grams of protein, 0 grams fat, and 0 mg cholesterol.  One large egg, on the other hand, has on average 70 calories, the same 6 grams of protein, 5 grams of fat, and 211 mg of cholesterol! And who makes eggs with just one egg? If you were to have a standard 3-egg omlette, that would be 15 grams of fat and 633 mg of cholesterol, before you even add cheese… That’s more than double the recommended amount of cholesterol for your whole day!

Think maybe you can slim down an omelette with veggies? If you ordered a Spinach and Mushroom Omlette at IHOP to avoid the 1,400+ calorie Big Steak or Bacon Omelette, you would STILL pack in 132% of your daily saturated fat allowance and 248% of your cholesterol allowance. Still think the veggie option is okay? Your best bet when it comes healthy breakfast is definitely cooking it up at home, but if you are eating out at a restaurant, ask for an egg-substitute or egg whites and either no or a very small amount of cheese.

Think flipping omelettes is out of your league? With the help of an egg-substitute, a small skillet, and a rubber or silicon spatula you can have a perfect omelette at home any day of the week, in under 10 minutes! Follow these simple steps…

(I actually do measure out my egg-substitute to get the perfect omelette every time.) 

Basic Omelette Steps:

Preheat a small skillet to medium heat. Spray with olive oil cooking spray. Sauté your choice of veggies for 2-4 minutes. Add 2/3 cup of egg-substitute and let set. Once egg starts to set (about 3 minutes), gently lift up one edge of the egg mixture with a rubber spatula and tilt pan to let the liquid flow underneath. Repeat 2 more times on opposite sides of the pan. Once egg is complete set (can still be a tad runny on top) lift up entire egg sheet and flip with your rubber spatula. Cook for just a few seconds, then using the spatula again flip over to the initial side. Sprinkle cheese on one half of egg sheet and fold over. Enjoy!

The nutrition information for a standard omelette with 2/3 cup egg-substitute, 1/8 cup fat free cheese, and an array of veggies is:

154 Calories

Total Fat: 2.3 g

Saturated Fat: 0.3 g

Cholesterol 2.5 mg

Sodium: 539.2 mg

Carbohydrates: 10.8g

Fiber: 1.2 g

Sugars: 6.5 g

Protein: 21.5 g

Supplement your hearty, protein-filled breakfast with a piece of fruit, fat free yogurt, or toasted low calorie bread with sugar free preserves and you have started off your day with a very well-rounded breakfast J

Some of my favorite omelette combinations are:

• Garden: spinach, zucchini, onions, FF mozzarella cheese
• Southwest: green peppers, red peppers, onions, FF cheddar cheese
• Herb: parsley, dill, thyme, garlic & herb flavor light laughing cow cheese (just add the herbs right into the egg-substitute and schmear on the cheese instead of sprinkle)
• Hearty: deli ham, mushrooms, onions, FF mozzarella or cheddar cheese

Honestly, you can use whatever is in your fridge. Whatever leftover veggies, meats, and cheeses will do!!

Diet-Friendly Kitchen Staples

Having a well-stocked kitchen can make a huge difference when attempting to follow a healthy diet. I try to make sure that I always have an array of key ingredients to create healthy meals or snacks, that way I don’t get tempted by the drive-through or box of Cheez-Its. 

When it comes to grocery shopping, one can easily get overwhelmed with the vast variety of choices. Reading the nutrition labels carefully helps guide healthy choices, but comparing calories per serving, servings per dollar, and so on can be confusing and time-consuming. To help make your shopping trip a little less daunting, I’ll list my must-have kitchen staples and diet-friendly brands.

(FF = fat free)

Meats/Seafood/Protein

• Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts or Cutlets (I buy them whenever they are on sale, keep one or two packages in the refrigerator for the week and freeze the others)
• Ground Turkey (same deal with buying them on sale and freezing some)
• Frozen shrimp
• Imitation Crab
• Swanson White Premium Chunk Chicken Breast in Water (for easy, quick chicken salad)
• Starkist Chunk Light Tuna in Water
• Boca or Morningstar Ground “Beef” or “Sausage” (great for throwing into marinara sauce for a quick and healthy meat sauce for pasta) 
• Morningstar Veggie Sausage Patties
• Gardein Beefless Tips (found in the frozen section, usually near the Morningstar and Boca products. SOOO good stir-fried with broccoli and soy sauce)
• Boca Original Vegan Burger (This version is much lower in calories and fat than the All-American or Flame-Grilled variety)
• Morningstar Spicy Black Bean Burgers  and California Turk’y Burgers 
• Lite Firm or Extra Firm Tofu 

 
Produce

• Portable fruits – apples, bananas, pears
• Spinach – always in my fridge for salad bases and omelettes
• Dipping veggies – carrots, celery, green peppers, raw broccoli (if you want to save some time buy the prepared veggies in the produce section, otherwise save some moo-lah and wash/cut your own) Great with FF sour cream mixed with ranch seasoning.
• Seasonal fruits and veggies – get what’s in season for best flavor and best price!

 

Refrigerated Items

• Milk – FF Milk, Westsoy FF Plain Soymilk, Blue Diamond Unsweetened Almond Milk
• Yogurt – Dannon Light & Fit (any flavor), Fiber One Yogurt (any flavor), Fage Total 0% Plain Greek Yogurt
• Egg Substitute (Store-brand is much cheaper than Egg-Beaters brand and has same taste/consistency)
• Tofu Shirataki Noodles (found in the produce section with the other soy/tofu products)
• Laughing Cow Light Cheese Wedges  (any light flavor, usually found on an aisle end, unrefrigerated with pepperoni)
• Kraft Fat Free Singles (any flavor)
• Kraft Fat Free Shredded Cheese (mozzarella or cheddar)
• FF cream cheese
• FF sour cream (Publix brand is cheaper and lower in calories)
• Jell-O Sugar-Free 60-Calorie Pudding Snacks (any flavor)
• I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Fat Free Spread

Frozen Items

• Frozen Dinner Entrees (I looooove Kashi’s Chicken Florentine and Tuscan Veggie Bake, Morningstar’s Lasagna with Sausage-Style Crumbles is also great. Lean cuisine also has a large selection of diet-friendly entrees.
• Frozen Vegetables (chopped spinach, vegetable medleys, corn, peas)
• Green Giant Just for One Broccoli and Cheese Sauce
• Skinny Cow Ice Cream Sandwiches or Truffle Bars 
• FF Cool-Whip (the Publix brand tastes better!)

Carbohydrates

• Grains – Brown rice, Quinoa, Bulgur Wheat, Quick-Cooking Barley, Fiber-Gourmet Pasta
• Bread – Nature’s Own Double Fiber Wheat and 35-Calorie Honey Wheat 
• Crackers – Fiber Gourmet Wheat Snacks and Cheese Snacks (they are copy cats of wheat thins and cheez-its)
• Cereal (When it comes to cereal, I’m all about volume. Mix and match a puffed cereal with your favorite variety to get more cereal for less calories!) – Fiber One Original, Kashi 7 Whole Grain Puffs, Quaker Puffed Wheat, Kix
• Old Fashioned Rolled Oats (not instant)
• La Tortilla Factory Low Carb High Fiber Tortillas
• Portion-Controlled Snacks (Nabisco 100-Calorie Snacks, almonds, dried fruit, popcorn, etc)
• Snack Bars – Fiber One Bars  (Oats & Strawberries with Almonds, Oats & Peanut Butter are my favorites) South Beach Living Protein Fit Bars (any flavor, NOT the high calorie meal bars)

Pantry Items

• Beans (get the reduced sodium if its available) – Black beans, chick peas, kidney beans, cannellini beans, etc.
• Canned tomatoes – diced, crushed, stewed
• Salsa
• Light Soups – Progresso Light, Campbell’s Select Harvest 
• FF chicken broth
• Canned pumpkin - great as a substitute for oil while baking
• PB2 (Delicious 45-Calorie Peanut Butter!)
• Smucker’s Sugar Free Preserves
• Splenda, Granulated
• Coffee-Mate Sugar Free French Vanilla Powdered Creamer (not only great for flavoring coffee, but also wonderful for baking)
• Sugar-Free, Calorie-Free Syrups (Torani or Da Vinci Gourmet)
• Whole Wheat Flour
• Seasoning Packets (Hidden Valley Ranch, Taco Seasoning, Kikkoman fried rice and stir fry seasoning
• Light Salad Dressing – There are so many options, but Newman’s Own Lighten Up Low Fat Sesame Ginger Dressing is hands down the best low calorie salad dressing. I also really like Maple Grove’s FF Poppyseed Dressing 
• Non-stick Cooking Spray – Pam Olive Oil, Pam Butter Flavor
• Spices – Cumin, Chili Powder, Coriander, Cinnamon, Crushed Red Pepper, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Cayenne Pepper, Paprika, Oregano (most other herbs besides oregano are much better fresh)

In addition to a well-stocked refrigerator and pantry, a well-equipped kitchen allows for endless possibilities. Besides the obvious pots & pans, having a few of these more obscure items will undoubtedly allow you to get creative in the kitchen. I'll list just a few of the things I can't live without: blender and/or food processor, crock pot (easiest meals around), kitchen scale (though I don't measure while I cook, I do like to portion out snacks that easily get the best of me), microplane (for zesting), box grater, grill pan, muffin pan (for portion-controlled mini meatloaves!), and ice cube tray (for flavored ice cubes). If your collection of kitchen supplies is not up to par you can get cheap brand-name utensils and appliances at places like Home Goods or Tuesday Morning.

This list is just a sample of some of my favorite and most-used ingredients. Many of these ingredients have a long shelf life, so if you stock up (when they are on sale preferably) you can have healthy ingredients on hand at all times. Having instant access to just a few ingredients will allow you to mix and match to create a simple, healthy meal whenever hunger strikes.

If you have a product you love to incorporate into your healthy lifestyle share with the rest of us! Leave a description of what your favorite product is and why you like it in the "Comments" of this post.

Tip: Most grocery stores have weekly specials posted on their websites. Look up what’s on sale at your local store before shopping to avoid missing a sale on your favorite ingredients.

Comfort Food

Whenever my mom used to ask me “what do you want for dinner?” I would always answer “Chicken and Mushroom Bowtie Pasta”. Last year, when I realized that it had 751 calories and 23 grams of fat, I stopped asking for it and decided to give it a healthy makeover instead. I use Fiber Gourmet pasta (with 40% fewer calories than regular pasta), bump up the protein-pasta ratio with extra chicken, omit the oil and butter, and substitute a creamy combination of fat free sour cream and laughing cow cheese instead of heavy cream. The result is a hearty, creamy, comforting pasta dish that definitely stands up to the original.

Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Pasta

4 servings

Ingredients:

8 oz box Fiber Gourmet Penne or Rotini

1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

½ cup leeks, sliced* or 3 medium shallots, minced

1 lb mushrooms, sliced

½ cup chicken broth

½ cup fat free half and half

¼ cup fat free sour cream

4 wedges light laughing cow cheese, original flavor, room temperature 

1½ tablespoons thyme, chopped

Optional garnish: grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente (tender, but still firm). Drain and set aside.

In a small bowl combine laughing cow cheese wedges and sour cream. Set aside

Preheat a high-sided large skillet to medium heat. Spray skillet with cooking spray and add chicken, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook until chicken is just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.

Respray the same skillet with cooking spray and add leeks/shallots and mushrooms. Cook over medium heat until tender, about 5-7 minutes. If the vegetable mixture is dry, you can add a splash of chicken broth to help break down and moisten the vegetables.

Once vegetables are cooked through, add the remaining chicken broth, half and half, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

Once mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat to low and add cooked pasta, chicken, thyme, and cheese-sour cream mixture. Toss lightly and cook 1-2 minutes until heated through. Serve with parmesan cheese, if desired.

*Cook’s Note: Leeks are extremely gritty. You must wash them thoroughly before using. To prepare leeks, first trim off both ends. Slice leek lengthwise and then crosswise to create small slices. Place in a large bowl of cold water. Shake the leeks around with your hands, allowing the sand and grit to sink to the bottom. Remove leeks and drain.

Nutritional Information (1/4 of recipe):

Calories: 367

Total Fat: 4.5 g

Saturated Fat: 1.5 g

Cholesterol: 97.6 mg

Sodium: 866.8 mg

Carbohydrates: 48.9 g

Fiber: 18.7 g

Sugars: 6.8 g

Protein 47.1 g

So, the next time you are craving a big bowl of pasta, turn to this quick and comforting recipe for the heartiness you need, without the extra fat and calories :) Happy Eating!

This recipe is Guy Approved!

Power Smoothies

Ever eye a Tropical Smoothie Cafe on your way home from school or work and think “I’ve had such a hard day, I deserve a treat.” Well, you do! But I’ve got the answer: make your own! It’s so easy to make a nutritious smoothie that will not only satisfy your sweet tooth, but will also keep you full and give you a powerful boost of energy for the remainder of your day. These smoothies are great for breakfast or an afternoon pick-me-up when life has gotten the best of you.

The secret to these “power” smoothies is nonfat Greek yogurt. Nonfat Greek yogurt has double the amount of protein in regular nonfat yogurt, with just half the amount of sugar. This yogurt is a nutritional powerhouse, especially for those of you who frequently hit the gym. It has an ultra-thick, creamy texture that is great for smoothies. Just add a little ice, your favorite fruits, and either reduced calorie juice or nonfat soymilk, blend it up and you have nutritious, energizing, (and portable!) breakfast or snack to keep you going. After strenuous workouts, I also add a scoop of protein powder.

I'll let you in on the my low-cal staples for smoothies. The lowest calorie nonfat Greek yogurt I've found is Fage Total 0%. It comes in either individual 6 oz containers or larger 17.6 oz tubs. The lowest calorie nonfat soymilk is WestSoy Plain Nonfat Soymilk, which comes in at 70 calories per cup. Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Breeze almond milk has just 40 calories, but does include 3g of fat. Lastly, there are some great diet juices out there, both artificially and naturally sweetened. I like Trop50 Juices because unlike some of the other lower calorie juices that taste more like a flavored water drink, this stuff tastes like the real thing. For lower calorie options, check out Ocean Spray's line of diet juices.

Smoothies are a great place to play around with different flavors. There are many different ways to add your favorites to your treat. You can opt for straight up extract (vanilla, coconut, almond, etc) or sugar-free, calorie-free syrups such as Torani or Da Vinci Gourmet. For rich peanut flavor, I use PB2* for a fraction of the fat and calories of regular or reduced fat peanut butter.

Some of my favorite smoothie combinations are:

Berrylicious Smoothie: 4 ounces nonfat Greek yogurt, ½ cup frozen blueberries, ½ cup frozen strawberries, 2/3 cup Trop50 Pomegranate Blueberry Juice, 5 ice cubes

            Calories: 151

            Total Fat: 0.5g

            Saturated Fat: 0g

            Cholesterol: 0mg

            Sodium: 50mg

            Carbohydrate: 28g

            Fiber: 3.5g

            Sugars: 22.5g

            Protein: 11g

Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie: 4 ounces nonfat Greek yogurt, 1 small banana, 2 tbsp PB2*, ½ cup nonfat plain soymilk, 5 ice cubes

Calories: 230

Total Fat: 1.8g

Saturated Fat: 0.1g

Cholesterol: 0mg

Sodium: 190.8mg

Carbohydrates: 37.7g

Fiber: 5g

Sugars: 22.5g

Protein 19.1g  

Tropical Orange-Coconut Smoothie: 4 oz nonfat Greek yogurt, 4 oz Fiber One Vanilla Yogurt, ½ banana, ½ cup Trop50 Orange Juice, 1 tablespoon coconut sugar-free calorie-free syrup, 5 ice cubes

Calories: 225

Total Fat: 0.3

Saturated Fat: 0.1

Cholesterol: 2.5 mg

Sodium: 104.3mg

Carbohydrate: 47.2g

Fiber: 7.6 g

Sugars: 26 g

Protein: 14.4g

For a more decadent dessert smoothie, Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie: 4 ounces nonfat Greek yogurt, 1 Jell-O Sugar-Free Pudding Snack (any chocolate variety), ½ medium banana, 2 tbsp PB2*, ½ cup nonfat plain soymilk, 5 ice cubes

Calories: 133

            Total Fat: 1.6g

            Saturated Fat: 0.5 g

            Cholesterol: 0 mg

            Sodium 180.4 mg

            Carbohydrates: 22.4 g

            Fiber: 2.4 g

            Sugars: 9.7 g

            Protein: 10.4 g

Tip: If you have the luxury of crushed ice out of your freezer, use that. If not, put the ice cubes in the blender first and pulse until crushed. If there are still a few large chunks just pull them out before adding the rest of your ingredients.

*PB2 is an AMAZING find for any peanut butter lover. Can’t stand consuming 190 calories and 12 g of fat for a measly 2 tablespoons of "reduced fat" peanut butter, but still can’t stand living life without it? PB2 is for you! It’s an all-natural, powdered peanut butter that you mix with water to reconstitute. No chemicals, no artifical crap, just roasted peanuts that have had 85% of the oil removed. Same peanuty flavor, for 45 calories per 2 tablespoons. Yes, I said 45 calories for peanut butter!! Click here to find it near you at specialty food store or order online.

If you were to stop to pick up a smoothie from a local chain, you will be spending an average of 300-600 calories if you do not choose wisely, not to mention the lack of protein (usually only around 1-2g) and unnecessary amounts of sugar (about 40-50g). No one wants to drink that!!

Simple Substitutions

Almost any recipe, even some of the most horrificly high calorie/high fat ones, can be slimmed down just by using a few simple substitutions. Calling all Paula Dean lovers!!! Don’t crack that egg... just use ¼ cup Egg Beaters. Don’t start cutting pats of butter... scoop out a little I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Fat Free Spread. Don’t settle for regular sour cream or cream cheese... use the reduced or fat free version instead. Granted, if you are just having cream cheese on a bagel, if you are not used to the fat free stuff I wouldn’t go slathering it on. But, if you are incorporating these lower calorie and lower fat ingredients into recipes with other delicious ingredients you will never even notice the difference! 

Try this: take any recipe, and swap out a few of the not so good for you ingredients for the more figure friendly options. It’s that easy!!! I’ll show you how using Rachael Ray’s recipe for Everything Salmon Burgers. This recipe is a take on salmon and cream cheese on an everything bagel. Simply swap out the heavier ingredients for lighter options. For this recipe, I substituted fat free sour cream and cream cheese for the regular versions and choose a lighter 100-calorie bun instead of a carb packed kaiser roll. I also added more dill and lemon juice, just because I love those flavors. The result, a lip-smacking nutrient packed salmon burger, full of heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids. (Note, I halved the recipe for 2 burgers instead of 4)

Ingredients:

¾ lb skinless salmon fillets, cut into chunks

½ tablespoon grill seasoning

½ tablespoon poppy seeds

½ tablespoon sesame seeds

3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

¼ cup fat free cream cheese, room temperature

¼ cup fat free sour cream

2 scallions, chopped

½ tablespoon lemon juice

A few romaine leaves, tomato slices, and sliced red onion

2 100-Calorie Buns (I used Thomas Multi-Grain Light English Muffins)

Method:

Combine cream cheese, sour cream, scallions, lemon juice, and 1 tbsp dill in a bowl. Set aside.

Preheat a skillet to medium-high heat.

Place salmon chunks in a food processor and pulse a few times until it is in a coarse grind. Transfer to a large bowl and season with grill seasoning, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, and the remaining 2 tbsp dill. Split the salmon mixture into two even amounts and form each into a patty.

Spray the preheated skillet with non-stick cooking spray. Cook burgers for 3 minutes on each side for rare salmon, a little longer if you like it cooked all the way through. Remove from heat.

If you would like, you can toast your bun or English muffin. Top with the burger, lettuce, tomato, onion, and a generous slathering of cream cheese mixture. 

Have some leftover cream cheese mixture like I did? Mix it up with some egg beaters and maybe add some more dill if you’d like, and voilà you have some gourmet scrambled eggs the next morning!

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 484

Total Fat: 17.1 g (Salmon is a naturally fatty fish, but as you have probably heard, these are the “good” heart-healthy omega-3 fats)

Saturated Fat: 1.8 g

Cholesterol 127.8 mg

Sodium 629.4 mg

Carbohydrates: 31.5 g

Fiber: 8.7 g

Sugars: 5.4 g

Protein: 54 g

Had you had made it according to the original recipe, with regular sour cream, regular cream cheese, oil, and Kaiser rolls these burgers would have racked up an extra 238 calories and 23.1 g of fat, totaling 722 calories, 40.2 g total fat, and 11.1g saturated fat. That is equivalent to eating my slimmed down version + a McDonald’s Hamburger + 14g EXTRA fat!! Why do that to yourself when my version tastes just as delicious?

This recipe is Guy Approved!

The Dish That Inspired It All

The other day I was making myself a tasty little lunch and when my pizzetta came out of the oven, I thought "this is way to beautiful to keep to myself". I took a picture of my creation, intending to just show it off on Facebook, when it dawned on me that I should create a blog to share all of my culinary adventures. 

This dish came to life while trying to figure out what to do with an eggplant I had picked up the other day at an outdoor farmer's market. I scrounged around my fridge to find out what other ingredients I had on hand. When I saw the leftover head of roasted garlic a light bulb went off in my head: Roasted Garlic and Eggplant Pizzetta. I turned on the broiler and got to work. A quick 20 minutes later I had a gourmet pizza at my fingertips.

Here's how I did it:

Ingredients:

1 tortilla (I use La Tortilla Factory Low Carb High Fiber Large Tortillas, only 80 calories per slice!)

Olive oil cooking spray

1/2 eggplant, sliced about 1/4-1/2 inch thick

5 cloves roasted garlic*

1/4 cup onions, white or red, sliced

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup fat free shredded mozzarella cheese

2 tablespoons chopped parsley 

salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Preheat broiler to low. Place sliced eggplant on a baking sheet lightly sprayed with olive oil cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and lightly spray tops with cooking spray.  Broil for 15 minutes, turning once, or until desired degree of doneness. 

Welcome to Caitlin's Healthy Appetite

Hello, and thank you for visiting my blog.

After countless incidences of friends asking me "How did you make that?" or inquiring about what I eat on a regular basis, I've decided to create this blog to share all the food knowledge I have packed into my little brain. I want to share with you how to create delicious, flavorful meals that fit within anyone's caloric budget, whether you are a gym rat or a couch potato.

To me, cooking is more than just preparing food to sustain your appetite throughout the day. Cooking is a release of imagination and creativity that lends itself to a unique experience each and every time.  Each ingredient is carefully selected for a purpose, whether it be flavor, texture, heat, consistency, or nutritional integrity.

With that being said, I rarely ever follow recipes to a tee. Cooking is not an exact science, so let your preferences guide you. If you really like garlic, hey, throw in an extra clove. It's all up to you! That is the beauty of cooking. Whatever you prepare, it will be something you created with you or your guests palates in mind. In my opinion, recipes are a guide to rely on for a method of cooking. Changing up the ingredients, cooking methods, or seasonings is what makes the dish your own. Of course, there are definitely some tried and true recipes which are so perfect in themselves that it might be considered a sin to deviate from the original (in my world this only applies to baking!!!). So, as you continue to read my blog (which I hope you do) keep this in mind: most of my dishes are created on the fly with whatever ingredients are in my kitchen, without regard to measurements. Since I do not measure while I cook, you must take the amounts that I put in the recipes with a grain of salt (no pun intended). Most importantly, taste your food as you cook and adjust your meal to your palate.

I hope that reading this blog will inspire you to get creative in the kitchen. If you are new to cooking, just start out by following simple recipes and slowly put your own spins on them until you are able to create something delicious all by yourself. Undoubtedly, you will be amazed at what you can create!