Tag Archives: comfort food

White Chicken Chili

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We’re stuck in a never ending winter here in the good old Midwest. And while it’s completely, soul-suckingly depressing (and cold), there’s not a whole lot you can do to change it (I mean, unless you move). So, if you can’t beat Mama Nature, you can at least make Mama Ruthie’s White Chicken Chili…and let the warm spiciness transport you somewhere warm.

My mom usually doubles this recipe and freezes half. I’d recommend you do the same, so that way you’ll have soup on hand for when the snow flies on Memorial Day…stupid winter…

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White Chicken Chili
Makes about eight 1 1/2 cup servings

Ingredients
1 tbsp butter (I use light butter)
1 1/2 C celery, chopped
1 C yellow onion, diced
1  green pepper, chopped (when doubling the batch, Ruthie uses 1 green and 1 yellow/red/orange pepper)
3 cloves garlic, minced
28 oz. reduced sodium chicken broth
2 cans great nothern or cannellini beans (look for reduced sodium varieties)
1 C chunky salsa (I use Mama Ruthie’s salsa because it’s the best, duh)
3 C chicken, cubed (about 2-3 chicken breasts)
2 tsp cumin
2 bay leaves
1/2 C fat-free half & half
2 tbsp cornstarch
salt & pepper


Directions

  • In a large dutch oven, melt the butter and add the celery, onion, pepper, and garlic. Add a dash of salt and pepper, and saute the veggies until softened.
  • Add the chicken broth, beans, salsa, chicken, cumin, and bay leaves. Stir to combine.
  • Place the half & half and cornstarch in a bowl and whisk to combine. Slowly stir the slurry into the soup.
  • Bring the pot to a boil and cook for 2 minutes or until slightly thickened.
  • Reduce heat and continue to simmer for 10 minutes or longer. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Chocolate Protein Pancakes

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Lazy, gray Sundays call for extra coffee, a permanent spot on the sofa…and pancakes.
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Lots of pancakes.
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But these are not your average carby, fluffy, full of calories flapjacks. These babies are loaded with protein, low in calories and carbs, and just as indulgent as the real deal.

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You just won’t need to full guilty all day after you scarf down a plateful. Or four.

Chocolate Protein Pancakes
Makes 6-7 smaller pancakes

Ingredients:
1 ripe banana, smashed
1 scoop chocolate protein powder (I love Designer Whey)
2 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
2 Tbsp flour of choice (optional, but helps thicken the batter)
dash of salt

Directions:

  • Mash the banana with a fork. Mash it real good.
  • Mix in the remaining ingredients.
  • Spoon the batter into pan. These cook up pretty quickly, so watch them closely. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side (if that). Cover in maple syrup, slather in peanut butter, top with sliced strawberries…the possibilities are endless!

Eat Your Veggies!

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Carbs are my weakness. Above any and everything else, I love carbs. Bread. Oh my god, I love bread. And cake and cookies. Potatoes? In every form, yes.
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For some reason, I’ve always thought of cauliflower as a high-carb vegetable. It looks starchy and the white color is misleading, in my opinion. But it’s not. One cup of cauliflower has only about three grams of carbs and 25 calories. That stinky veggie has got some great stats!

Similar to when I discovered overnight oats, a lot of bloggers have been posting their recipes for cauliflower pizza crust—a super low-carb substitute for the carb-heavy, gluteny, flour-based real deal.
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3 angleI’ve got to say: this stuff is legit. After several misfires, including a burned bowl of cauliflower and a crust I couldn’t get off the tinfoil, I perfected the perfect alternative pizza crust.
burnAnd the real test? I got my dad to eat it. And he even enjoyed it! Right, Dad?

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Oh, and Mama Ruthie helped me perfect the recipe. Really, though, she just stood around, looking pretty…
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Now I’m intrigued to try all the other vegetable-based alternatives to some of my favorite carby dishes: cauliflower mash and rice, pumpkin brownies, almond flour in my breads. Gotta sneak those yucky vegetables into my diet any way I can!

Complex carbohydrates, I’m gonna try real hard to quit you once and for all, you delicious devil.

Cauliflower Pizza Crust
Makes 3 crusts

Ingredients:
1 head of cauliflower
2 large eggs
1/2 C grated parmesan cheese (reduced-fat, if you can find it!)
1 tsp basil
1 clove garlic, minced or 1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried oregano

Directions:

  • Remove cauliflower florets from the stem, chop into small-ish pieces. Toss cauliflower into food processor and pulse until it’s the consistency of rice.
  • Cook cauliflower in a large bowl in the microwave for approx. 8 minutes. To ensure it doesn’t burn, stir it every few minutes.
  • Once cooked, let cool for several minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients and scoop on to baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  • Shape into a crust and bake for 10-12 minutes at 375° until crust is lightly browned.
  • Top with your favorite pizza toppings, making sure they’re all pre-cooked since the pizza won’t be in the oven long. Return the pizza to the oven and cook for 3-4 additional minutes.

Balsamic Turkey Meatballs

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Not much has changed over here—I’m still a bit of an emotional hot mess. A little less of a hot mess, but a mess I am nonetheless :)

When I‘m feeling a little raw around the edges, one of the things that helps keep me physically on track is indulging in my favorite comfort foods–once I’ve made them over into healthier options, of course. When I’m stressed or bummed out, a giant salad is just not going to cut it. If I go that route, history has shown time and time again that I’ll be shoveling the Ben & Jerry’s into my face in a matter of minutes. So tricking myself with delish secretly good-for-me food is the way to go.

On that note, let me tell you: I love a good a meatball. Slather it in a gravy or red sauce, slap it on a hoagie bun or pop ‘em on a pile of pasta and I’m a happy girl.

Healthy? No way. But swap the ground beef for turkey, sauté some mushrooms and onions with balsamic vinegar, bake them instead of fry, and you’ve got the makings for a revamped, slimmed down meatball that you can toss in just about anything. Like a giant salad.
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See? Compromise. It makes the world go ‘round.

Balsamic Turkey Meatball
Makes approx. 2 dozen meatballs

Ingredients:
½ Tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
4 oz. mushrooms, chopped
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 20 oz. package of extra lean ground turkey
1 large egg
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp basil
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
dash of chili powder

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Add olive oil to a pan and heat over medium heat. Add onion and saute until onions are softened and translucent.
  • Add the mushrooms and cook for 3-4 minutes. Stir in balsamic vinegar and let the mixture cook until the vinegar is mostly absorbed. Remove from heat and let cool.
  • Meanwhile, mix ground turkey, egg, and spices in a large bowl. Add the cooled onion, mushrooms, and balsamic mixture and mix to combine.
  • Begin to form the mixture into balls—it will be very wet, so I wouldn’t recommend attempting to roll them into balls. Form the balls gently with your fingers, then place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  • Bake for about 30 minutes and then eat up!

Overcome

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I don’t meant to overstate this, but in all seriousness, I recently had a day unlike any other I’ve experienced. I’m still processing the why’s and how’s, so I’m not sure I can properly articulate what a screwy day it was. But let’s try, shall we?

I woke up feeling decently energetic—something I hadn’t felt for a few days, as I was knee deep in a no sugar/caffeine/dairy/gluten cleanse. I wasn’t craving coffee (that badly, anyway) and I felt physically light (always a good thing).

As the day progressed, I noticed that my hunger did, as well. I grew hungrier and hungrier, even though I had all my planned-out meals, snacks, and gigantic water bottle by my side. I ate my food, and I drank bottle after bottle of water. Each time I felt a craving or mentally thought about my hunger, I took another few gulps.

And then it was the afternoon—that perilous time in my day where I’m hungry, sleepy, and constantly talking myself out of my evening workout. That day was a bit different. After lunch, I started thinking about how delicious a McDonald’s cheeseburger sounded. Then it was cookies. And ice cream. Then I wanted a giant bag of sour cream and onion potato chips. I finally found myself thinking that it was an okay idea—a good one, even, that I deserved it—to, after work,  buy enough food to feed a family of six (just like I used to do in the not-so-distant past) and then sit my fat butt down in a chair at home and eat it all in front of the TV.

What? Where did this come from?

I was so disturbed and shaken up from this nagging thought process that I had to get up from my desk and find something to seriously distract myself. Seeing as how I couldn’t just leave work and head to the gym (I so wish I could!), I opted for a walk around the building and some positive but stern self-talk:

“Your end goal in all of this is so much more important, so much better than any amount of food.”

“Think about how horrible you’ll feel—physically and emotionally—if you cave into this.”

“Why are you craving this right now? What’s going on?”

And that’s what I don’t understand—the why. Where did this incredibly strong urge to binge come from—especially after a very successful few weeks? Was it hormones? Was it the damn cleanse that I not-so-secretly hated?

Or is it just part of my continued recovery?

During the course of this…whole…thing, I read Emily’s post on binging. I saw so much of myself in that post—including the recovering addict. Yes, I believe I have a food addiction. Yes, that’s a real thing. Yes, I’ll continue to struggle to overcome that which has consumed me for the better part of my 28 years. But, yes, I will continue to fight.

With another sip of water.

Another spin class.

Another courageous, common sense, difficult, healthy choice.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: the mental aspect of this journey, as I’m learning, is far, far more challenging than the physical. People tend to ignore it, but as I recently learned (and shared), that’s not the best idea. That beast will rise up when you least expect it and, if you’re not careful, throw you completely off course. I’m not yet sure how to squelch it, or even really address it. But, again, I will continue to try and fight it the best I can. One healthy (in every sense of the word) decision after another.

Brrr…

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Over the past week or so here in Minnesota, temperatures have been consistently below 0°, forecasters correctly predicted wind chills (how cold it feels outside) as low as -45°, and we’re now waiting for an ice/rain/snow storm. So, in other words, it’s basically your typical Minnesota January. The cold doesn’t bother me so much—I am a lifelong Midwestern—but I do miss things like heat, sunshine, warm weather clothing, and just the general ability to be outdoors for extended periods of time without having my breath taken away. Also, having to go out and warm up your car at 5:00 am on a Monday? Yeah, sucks.
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One of the best things about this weather, though, is that it gives you the excuse to sequester yourself at home, lazily sip on warm coffee, watch guilty pleasure movies (Hello, Lifetime afternoons!)…and make batch after batch of soup.
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My mom, also a fan of the coffee/Lifetime-afternoon combo, has an amazing vegetable soup recipe that I’ve literally been making over and over recently.  It’s a great way to get your fiber and eat your veggies without feeling like your actually eating your veggies (in case you hate them like I do). It’s also an extremely easy, versatile recipe–hence why I never get sick of eating it.
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Got a bunch of leftover veg hanging out in the fridge, about to spoil? You can put just about anything into this soup and it will turn out scrumptious. Like what, you ask? Well, the original recipe calls for your standard carrot/celery/potato combo. But I’ve made it with zucchini, summer squash (oh, summer…), green beans, swiss chard, and spinach and it has always been a winner. For something a bit heartier, you can also add meat—ground beef/turkey/chicken work great. Play around with the ingredients and the quantities; experiment!
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So if the weather’s a little chilly where you are, or if you just want a new super healthy and hearty kick-butt soup recipe, give this one a shot—I promise it will warm your little heart right up!

Vegetable Soup
Makes about 4 quarts

Ingredients
2 C yellow onion, diced
2 C carrots, diced
2 C celery, diced
2 zucchini
2 summer squash
1 bunch swiss chard (remove leaves from stems)
2 15oz cans cannellini or black beans
2 qts crushed tomatoes
6 C water
3 tsp salt
½ tsp basil
½ tsp thyme
2 bay leaves
1 Tbsp olive oil

Directions

  • Dice all vegetables and drain and rinse the beans.
  • In a large dutch oven or soup pot, heat the olive oil and sauté the onion until translucent.
  • Add the rest of the vegetables, tomatoes, water and seasonings.
  • Cover and let simmer for 1½  hours, stirring occasionally.
  • This soup can also be made in a crock-pot, simmering for 6-8 hours.

Top Chef, Bitches

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Drinking whilst cooking is definitely the way to go. In fact, for all future cooking endeavors, I refuse to lift a spatula without a mimosa firmly in hand. What’s that kids? You want mommy to make you pancakes for breakfast? Well, make a mommy a martini (extra dry, with a twist) and grab the griddle!

I kid, obviously. But seriously, you guys, the dinner I made tonight was Top Chef quality—and I think I owe it to the vodka soda I was a-swilling. And that I’m still a-swilling. That swilling is also the reason for my serious lack of pictures from tonight. Sorry, y’all!
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Last time my momma was in town (yet another shout out to Mama Ruthie!), we went out to one of my favorite restaurants and had a ridiculously indulgent meal. While there, I had a fillet of salmon resting on greens and roasted potatoes, coated in this crumbly, salty, crispy, bacon-cranberry crust. I said that night that I was determined to recreate the dish at home, hopefully making it a bit healthier in the process.
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Cut to tonight when I finally had time to actually cook beyond the reheating of leftovers. Now, I Googled like crazy to find a recipe for inspiration here, but I found nothing. So, with the liquid confidence of my buddy Abby Absolut, I went to work creating this thing from the ground up.
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I buy my salmon in giant fillets like this:

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It’s way less expensive and for most people, just as good as buying fresh. I defrosted the giant fillet overnight, then let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before portioning it out. Each smaller fillet is about 3-4 ounces.
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While the salmon came to room temp, I fried up some bacon. Try to resist the urge to gobble it all up straight from the pan. I mean, sneak a piece or two if you must, but…
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Once the bacon cooled, I crumbled it into my food processor along with the dried cranberries. A few quick pulses later, it was time to move on to searing the fish. I let each piece cook on each side for about 1 minute before pulling it from the pan. Then on went a quick coat of egg white, helping the cranberry-bacon mixture stick when I glomped it on. Yes, glomped. Back into the pan went the fish, skin side down. A few minutes later and dinner was served!

Oh! I almost forgot! I also made a pomegranate balsamic reduction. Remember? Top Chef? Oh yeah.

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The reduction is super simple: pom juice (I used reduced sugar juice), balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Whisk it all together, bring it to a rolling boil. Let it continue to boil until the mixture reduces to half. And then spoon that silky smooth glaze over your bacon and cranberry covered fish and go. Crazy.
Photo 7PS: for a real treat, make yourself a little garlicky cheesy bruschetta and dunk that mess in your leftover reduction. Worth the carbs, 100%.

Bacon-Cranberry Crusted Salmon with Pomegranate Balsamic Reduction

Makes 6 fillets

Ingredients

For salmon:
6  3-4 oz salmon fillets, skin on
8 pieces bacon
¼ C dried cranberries
1 egg white

For sauce:
16 oz pomegranate juice
½ C balsamic vinegar
3 Tbsp light brown sugar
1 Tbsp cornstarch
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper

Directions

  • In a small saucepan, combine all ingredients for the sauce and whisk together. Bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce the heat slightly and allow it to continue to cook until it reduces by half.
  • While the sauce reduces, fry up the bacon. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
  • Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Spray pan with cooking spray.
  • Sear fish on each flesh side for about 1 minute.
  • Remove the fish from the pan and place skin-side down on a plate.
  • Meanwhile, crumble the bacon into the bowl of a food processor and add the dried cranberries. Pulse the mixture until it comes together.
  • Brush the egg white on to each fillet. Place a small amount of the bacon-cranberry mixture onto each piece, pressing down slightly.
  • Carefully place the fish back into the hot pan, skin-side down, and cook for 4-5 minutes or until fish bounces back ever so slightly when touched.
  • Remove the fish from the heat and let it sit for a few minutes.
  • Spoon the sauce onto the fish and eat up, babies!

Squatternut Bosh

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Lord, I hope someone reading this gets the joke in the title. Friends is the best ever.

My mama is also the best ever. In her garden this year, in addition to the usual suspects (peas, peppers, tomatoes), she planted onions and butternut squash. I’ve never really had squash before, but for some weird reason, I’ve always been intrigued by butternut squash soup. Never tasted it, but wanted to.

Being the best mom, she brought me two adorable squash and a bunch of onions for my birthday a few months back.
What better time to experiment and try some butternut squash soup! After much research, I decided to follow in the footsteps of my hero, the Barefoot Contessa, and roast the squash with the onions and a little olive oil, salt, and pepper.
45 minutes later I had this delicious pan of root veggie goodness:
I could not believe how good this was! So much pretty for the eyes and the mouth! After roasting, I combine the squash and onions in a blender with some chicken stock. The end product? Simple. Delicious. Amazing.

Bonus! Obviously, like pumpkins, butternut squash have seeds inside them. So while the squash is messy and a pain to dissect…
Once you dig in and figure it all out, you’re left with the scrumptious squash above, and a heap of seeds you can roast with a little canola oil and coarse sea salt. Again, simple, delicious, amazing.
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Serves 6

Ingredients
4 small yellow onions
1 large butternut squash
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
dash of salt and pepper
2 C chicken or vegetable stock

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 375°.
  • Remove peel from squash and onions, and chop into 1″ chunks.
  • Place squash and onions in a single layer on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Toss well to coat.
  • Roast vegetables for approximately 30 minutes, or until squash is fork-tender. Remove from oven and cool slightly.
  • Place vegetables into a blender with 1 cup of the stock. Blend to desired texture, adding more stock as needed.
  • Garnish with sour cream or roasted butternut squash seeds* and enjoy!

*To roast the squash seeds: pat them dry, place in a single layer on a baking sheet, spray with canola oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake at 375° for 15-20 minutes.

Holiday Success

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I always spend the Holidays with my family–real meat and potatoes Midwesterners. Everything is structured around food–when we’re going to eat, what we’re going to eat, etc. We start planning dinner before eating supper, there are trays of candy, cookies, dips, spreads, and nuts everywhere, and overindulging then sleeping it off in front of the TV is wholly encouraged. And then there’s the calorie-laden adult beverages…so, as someone who whole-heartedly loves all things food and drink, this is naturally my favorite time of year.

This is the first year I can remember where I’m not giving myself a pass for the holidays. I’m not going into this season with the mindset that I can just start again when it’s time for New Year’s resolutions. I’m actively planning how to be successful this holiday season. While I’m obviously no expert here, I think it’s really all about the basics and maintaining my schedule regardless of others.

Here are my five tips to stay on track during the holidays:

1. Make your own food
It is the best way to control what, exactly, you’re putting in your mouth. I was scared that I offend my grandmother by doing this. She is an amazing cook, notorious for overfeeding and her use of butter. But after asking, I found she was more than happy to let me invade her kitchen–she has been super supportive of my journey. I also found my family willing to partake in my healthy offerings.

2. Allow yourself one specific indulgence
Choose one thing and really savor the indulgence. What is life if you can’t enjoy it once in awhile? The holidays are my favorite time of year and I want to enjoy them–I can be rigid the rest of the year. For Thanksgiving this year, I chose to indulge in a little liquid therapy: vodka.
3. Exercise
Being away from the gym or home, in wintery climates, etc. is no excuse not to work out. Thanksgiving morning, I got up early and went for a run. I also took some time to complete a workout I found on Pinterest. Seriously, both Pinterest and Self magazine have a bunch of great quick workouts that can be done anywhere with minimal or no equipment. When all else fails, just get out and walk. Or play active games with younger family members. Or stand in a corner and do jumping jacks, some push-ups, crunches…just be active.

4. Log everything
I track my calories and exercise on My Fitness Pal. If you don’t use an online tracking tool like that, write down what you eat in a notebook, keep a running mental list, or, if you have a family member you don’t particularly like, bore them to death by telling them bite for bite what you’ve eaten that day. Having that written or verbal list of what you’ve put in your pie hole is a very effective form of accountability.

5. Water
I feel completely different when I don’t get my water in for the day. I feel puffy, my mind feels foggy, I retain water, and I’m crabby. Whether some of that is psychological, I don’t know. But it makes a difference for me. I have taken to buying a few gallons of drinking water whenever I head to my family’s for a weekend, and I set it and my water bottle in plain sight. That way it’s a present reminder to hydrate.

What do you do to stay healthy and on track during the holidays?

Sammiches

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As I stood, bleary eyed, basking in the cool air of my refridgerator on a recent warm late-September morning, trying to decide what to pack for breakfast, I had two thoughts:

1. If my dad were here, he would tell me to, “shut that door, you’re wasting electricity.” He says this every time the fridge door opens, without fail. And it’s hilarious. Sometimes (most times) I leave it open just to get a good chuckle at his (and mother nature’s) expense.

2. I really wish ice cream was an acceptable breakfast item. I so wanted to grab the Skinny Cow ice cream sandwich beckoning to me seductively from the freezer door. But alas, ice cream for breakfast is akin to booze before 5pm: help yourself, but prepare for judgement.

But, you guys, I think I’ve solved my problem. While day drinkin’ and  ice cream at 7:30am are big fat no-no’s, eating delicious greek yogurt, frozen to a thicky and creamy consistency and happily sandwiched between two delightfully chewy, peanut buttery, oatmeal cookies, at 7:30am is thought to be a (mostly) healthful decision. Hello! Healthy fats, complex carbs, and major protein? I feel like I seriously pulled the wool over someone’s eyes here with these fro’mazing sammies.

You know how sometimes people will be all, “oh, carrot fries are a great substitute for real french fries! I can’t taste the difference!” And you’re all, “No way, dude. You’re a dummy. Baked carrot is in no way equal to deep-fried potato.” Well, I’ve gotta say: these froyo sandwiches are an ah-mah-zing substitute for ice cream sandwiches. It’s true. Maybe even better than the real thing. And lest you need another reminder, they are totally acceptable to eat for breakfast. In fact, I’d recommend you do just that. Because then you won’t feel so guilty about wolfing down a few french fries, or another frozen yogurt sammich, later in the day. I know I won’t.

Obviously, the possibilities are endless with these little buddies. The fine folks at Chobani were kind enough to send me some of their delish ‘gurt (have I mentioned how much I love these people and the yogurt they’re slinging?). So I did what I do best: got in the kitchen and started experimenting.

To satisfy my unsatisfiable PB & J jones, I first made peanut butter cookies with strawberry filling. Then, using the same un-recipe for the filling (i.e. hungry) and did a classic chocolate chip cookie with a creamy vanilla middle. And then it was on to pumpkin cookies with an amazing apple cinnamon middle (that recipe is coming later this week!). I’m dying to try sugar cookies with a pineapple Cho filling, for a pineapple upside-down cake type thang.
I think you get the picture: if you can dream it, you can gobble it up–Cookie Monster-style.

Peanut Butter and Strawberry Froyo Sandwiches
Makes 8 sandwiches

For the cookies: follow this recipe

For the filling:
6 ounces strawberry Chobani greek yogurt (or if making a different kind of sandwich, substitute an equal amount of the flavor of your choice
2 tbsp. fat-free whipped topping

  • Mix and bake the cookies, allowing them to cool to room temperature.
  • Meanwhile, stir to combine the Chobani and whipped topping.
  • Once the cookies have cooled, slather a dollop of the yogurt mixture on the bottom of one of the cookies. Top it with another cookie and press down slightly. Repeat this process until you have eight sandwiches.
  • Place the sandwiches on a baking sheet and place in the freezer for at least one hour or overnight.
  • These sandwiches can be wrapped and stored in the freezer for up to two weeks. But if you’re like me, they won’t last that long!

What what would be your favorite combination? Tell me about it…so I can go make it!