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Monday, November 30, 2009

Lemon Thyme Roasted Turkey Breast

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This turkey is nothing short of fantastic. Clearly, I've been away from butter for too long. I splurged for Thanksgiving, and welcomed butter under the skin of my turkey with open arms. And it was utterly delicious, perfect in every way!

Easy Roast Turkey Breast with Lemon and Thyme
Source: Reworded from Cook's Illusrated, November/December 2007
  • 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 3/4 teaspoon table salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 medium garlic cloves, minced, pressed or grated (about 1 tablespoon)
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 teaspoon grated zest from one lemon
  • 1 whole, bone-in, skin on turkey breast ( 6 to 7 pounds), trimmed of excess fat and patted dry with paper towels
  • 1 cup water
  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Mix butter, salt, pepper, thyme, garlic, and lemon zest in medium bowl with rubber spatula until thoroughly combined. Carefully separate turkey skin from meat over breast; avoid breaking skin.
  2. Place half butter mixture under skin on one side with a spoon, repeat with other side.  Using hands, work butter mixture under skin on both sides to evenly distribute butter over breast. Spray V-rack with nonstick cooking spray and set inside large roasting pan. Place turkey in rack with skin side facing up; pour water into roasting pan.
  3. Roast turkey for 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Continue to roast turkey until thickest part of breast registers 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer, about 1 hour longer. Transfer turkey to carving board and let rest for 20 minutes. Carve and serve.

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Clean Eating Recipe Index

Welcome to my Clean Eating Recipe Index! I hope this makes it easier to find recipes you want to try. I've sorted recipes by category, though some recipes will fall under multiple categories.
(Q/E) Denotes recipes that are Quick and Easy.

My Take on Clean Eating

Beverages
The Green Monster
Hot Cocoa Mix


Bread
Bulgur Dinner Rolls
Cinnamon Raisin Bread
Cranberry Pecan Bagels
Whole Wheat Bagels
Whole Wheat Burger Buns (or Sandwich Bread)
Whole Wheat Hearth Bread
Whole Wheat Pita Bread
Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

Breakfast
Baked Oatmeal
Chicken Breakfast Sausage Patties 
Cinnamon Raisin Bread
Citrus Scones
Cranberry Orange Muffins
Cranberry Pecan Bagels 
The Green Monster (Q/E)
Homemade Granola  
Maple Bars
Oatmeal Banana Pancakes 
Pumpkin Banana Oat Muffins
Pumpkin French Toast
Whole Wheat Bagels

Crockpot
Chicken San Marco 
Southwestern Chili 
Whole Chicken in a Crockpot

Dessert
Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Cranberry Pumpkin Pecan Biscotti (almost clean)
Deep Dark Chocolate Cookies 
My First Attempt at a Clean Cupcake
No Bake Chocolate Chip Cookies
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies  
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Grilling
Artichoke Stuffed Turkey Burgers  (Q/E)
Chicken Gyros with Tzatziki Sauce 
Chili Chicken Kabobs  (Q/E)
Chili Turkey Burgers (Q/E)
Herbed Balsamic Chicken 
Jerk Chicken Wings  
Lemon Basil Chicken  (Q/E)
Lemon Oregano Chicken (Q/E)
Lime Marinated Chicken
Turkey-Jack Burgers with Mango Salsa (Q/E)

Lunch Ideas
Bagel Sandwiches
Gazpacho 
Pesto Chicken Salad
Squash Burritos

Main Dishes
Artichoke Stuffed Turkey Burgers  (Q/E)
Baked Coconut Chicken Curry
Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta (Q/E)
Chicken Chili Verde
Chicken Divan
Chicken Gyros with Tzatziki Sauce 
Chicken Piccata (Q/E)
Chicken San Marco 
Chicken Shawarma
Chili Chicken Kabobs   (Q/E)
Chili Turkey Burgers (Q/E)
Cilantro Ginger Tilapia (Q/E)
Easy Herbed Chicken (Q/E)
Eggplant Parmesan with Bulgur and Pine nuts 
Farfalle with Roasted Eggplant and Ricotta 
Fish Tacos with Avocado Cream  (Q/E)
Ginger Sesame Chicken with Boy Choy
Herbed Balsamic Chicken 
Jerk Chicken Wings  
Lemon Basil Chicken  (Q/E)
Lemon Oregano Chicken (Q/E)
Lime Marinated Chicken
Mediterranean Chicken 
Mediterranean Chicken Packets (Q/E) 
Moussaka 
Orange Saffron Chicken
Pumpkin Penne (Q/E)
Quinoa with Black Beans and Cilantro (Q/E)
Quinoa with Zucchini and Avocado Dressing  (Q/E)
Roasted Cauliflower with crab, lemon, and breadcrumbs (Q/E)
Sesame Chicken and Noodles
Southwestern Chicken Pizza 
Soba Noodle Salad with Chicken and Scallions (Q/E)
Southwestern Chili 
Spaghetti with Tuna, Lemon, and Breadcrumbs (Q/E)
Spiced Cilantro Shrimp  (Q/E)
Spicy Red Pepper Pasta with Eggplant (Q/E)
Stuffed Zucchini 
Sweet Potato Gnocchi 
Turkey-Jack Burgers with Mango Salsa (Q/E)
Turkey Sausage Ragu
Walnut Crusted Chicken with a Cinnamon Sage Sauce 
Whole Chicken in a Crockpot
 
Pasta
Evelyn's Favorite Pasta
Farfalle with Roasted Eggplant and Ricotta 
Lemony Almond Spinach Pesto Pasta
Pumpkin Penne  (Q/E)
Soba Noodle Salad with Chicken and Scallions (Q/E)
Spaghetti with Tuna, Lemon, and Breadcrumbs (Q/E)
Spicy Red Pepper Pasta with Eggplant (Q/E)
Sweet Potato Gnocchi 
Turkey Sausage Ragu
Tuscan Style Couscous (Q/E)
 
Poultry
Artichoke Stuffed Turkey Burgers  (Q/E)
Bagel Sandwiches
Baked Coconut Chicken Curry
Chicken Breakfast Sausage Patties 
Chicken Chili Verde
Chicken Divan
Chicken Gyros with Tzatziki Sauce 
Chicken Piccata (Q/E)
Chicken San Marco 
Chicken Shawarma
Chili Chicken Kabobs   (Q/E)
Chili Turkey Burgers (Q/E)
Easy Herbed Chicken (Q/E)
Ginger Sesame Chicken with Boy Choy
Herbed Balsamic Chicken 
Jerk Chicken Wings  
Lemon Basil Chicken  (Q/E)
Lemon Oregano Chicken (Q/E)
Lime Marinated Chicken
Mediterranean Chicken 
Mediterranean Chicken Packets (Q/E)
Moussaka 
Orange Saffron Chicken
Pesto Chicken Salad
Sesame Chicken and Noodles
Soba Noodle Salad with Chicken and Scallions (Q/E) 
Southwestern Chicken Pizza 
Southwestern Chili 
Stuffed Zucchini 
Turkey-Jack Burgers with Mango Salsa (Q/E)
Turkey Sausage Ragu
Walnut Crusted Chicken with a Cinnamon Sage Sauce 
Whole Chicken in a Crockpot

Sauces 
Chicken Gyros with Tzatziki Sauce 
Sun-dried Tomato Spread
Tomatillo Salsa
 
Seafood
Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta (Q/E)
Cilantro Ginger Tilapia  (Q/E)
Fish Tacos with Avocado Cream   (Q/E)
Roasted Cauliflower with crab, lemon, and breadcrumbs (Q/E)
Spaghetti with Tuna, Lemon, and Breadcrumbs (Q/E)
Spiced Cilantro Shrimp   (Q/E)

Side dishes
Balsamic Baked Potatoes
Butternut Squash Fries (Q/E)
Cannellini Beans with Tomatoes, Bulgur, and Spinach   (Q/E)
Coconut Saffron Risotto
Eggplant Parmesan with Bulgur and Pine nuts 
Gazpacho 
Garlic Mashed Cannellini Beans (Q/E)
Herb Roasted Onions 
Lemony Almond Spinach Pesto Pasta
Oven Baked Fries 
Quinoa with Black Beans and Cilantro (Q/E)
Quinoa with Zucchini and Avocado Dressing  (Q/E)
Tuscan Style Couscous   (Q/E)

Snacks
Homemade Granola 
Maple Bars
Pico de Gallo 
Roasted Garlic Hummus
 
Vegetables
Butternut Squash Fries (Q/E)
Eggplant Parmesan with Bulgur and Pine nuts
Gazpacho 
Herb Roasted Onions 
Pico de Gallo  
Squash Burritos

Friday, November 27, 2009

Cranberry Ice Cream

Ice cream is just one of those things I can't give up. White sugar and white flour have been no big deal for me, but ice cream (and all it's heathen saturated fat) will never leave my diet. Instead of eliminating it, I just try to find ways to reduce the amount of heavy cream while still keeping a reasonably palatable final product. I've recently started using agave nectar in ice cream, in place of sugar, and realized that the agave really keeps the ice cream soft. It was an unexpected, but very welcome, bonus.

So, what to do about the cream. I don't like to use more than 8 ounces (1 cup) of cream (in a batch that yields 4-5 cups of ice cream). I try to keep it down to 4 ounces. Previously, I made up the remaining volume with fat free half and half, and whatever milk we had, either 2% or skim. Fat free half and half, I've decided, has too many chemicals for me to using it on such a regular basis, so that ingredient had to go. But making up the rest with milk would yield some very crystal-y (yes that is now a word) ice cream.

Enter: tofu. Firm silken tofu, to be exact. I started this time with 4 ounces, blended up with 1 ounce of milk. I was reserving the remainder of the package for another dish, so 4 ounces was all I had to spare for the ice cream experiment. I also decided to make it part custard by making an egg yolk base with 4 ounces each of cream and milk, and two egg yolks.

The comparison of the nutritional information from the original recipe to mine is startling. The calories per serving were cut in HALF! Total fat was reduced by over 15g, saturated fat by over 11g. Even the cholesterol was reduced! On the plus side, I increased the potassium, fiber, and protein content. All around, a huge win for ice cream!
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I almost forgot - how does it taste?  It's pretty awesome.  There is a perfect balance between tart cranberry and sweet agave nectar!

Cranberry Ice Cream
Yield: 5 cups

1 package (12 ounces) fresh cranberries, washed and picked over
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 ounces heavy cream
18 ounces milk (I used 2%), divided
2 egg yolks
4 ounces firm silken tofu
1/2 cup agave nectar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt

1.  Heat cranberries and water in a small saucepan until boiling. Cover, reduce to a simmer and cook 10 minutes, until the cranberries pop and become soft. Let cool 10 minutes.  Pour into a food processor and pulse until finely chopped, but not pureed.  Add cinnamon and set aside.
2. Scald cream and 4 ounces of milk in a small saucepan.  Place egg yolks in a small bowl.  Add 4 tablespoons of heated cream, 1 tablespoon at a time while whisking constantly, to warm up the yolks.  Add yolks back to pan with heated cream.  Stir gently with a wooden spoon until custard thickens, coating the back of the spoon.
3.  Blend tofu and 1 ounce of milk in food processor until smooth.
4. Combine cranberries, custard, tofu, salt, agave nectar and remaining 13 ounce of milk in a large bowl and blend well.  Chill at least 4 hours, or overnight, then freeze in an ice cream maker.

Nutritional Information, per 1/2 cup serving:

Reduced Original

Calories: 153.4 310.7

Total Fat: 6.5 22.2

Sat. Fat: 3.8 15.4

Poly Fat: 0.1 0.0

Mono Fat: 0.4 0.0

Cholesterol: 62.5 88.0

Sodium: 66.8 22.0

Potassium: 3.8 0.0

Carbohydrate: 20.3 23.3

Fiber: 0.9 0.0

Sugar: 14.7 19.2

Protein: 3.3 0.1





















































































Deep Dark Chocolate Cookies

In my never ending quest for clean eating approved desserts, I saw this recipe on The Way the Cookie Crumbles and could not wait to try it.  All I needed to do to make it clean was switch out the sugar source!  The original recipe calls for powdered sugar, so I got to thinking... if you can make powdered sugar at home by grinding up regular sugar, then I should be able to make powdered sucanat by grinding up regular sucanat.  It worked like a charm!  Per Bridget's suggestions, I cut down the amount of sugar, and found that they were still sweet enough to have reduce it even more, next time.
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I think I slightly under-baked mine, but I loved how they turned out because they were still soft.  Bridget mentioned they were much like meringue cookies, and that was true of my version - but only around the edges.  The centers were soft and gooey and deliciously chocolatey!  Mine spread quite a bit more than Bridget's, so perhaps next time I will chill the cookies in the fridge while the oven finishes warming up. 

Deep Dark Chocolate Cookies
Source: Adapted from The Way the Cookie Crumbles, originally from Bon Appetit June 2008
Servings: Makes about 13
BA note: Made without butter or flour, these dense, chewy cookies will satisfy even the most intense chocolate craving.
  • 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips (about 6 ounces), divided
  • 2 large egg whites, room temperature
  • 1 cup sucanat, ground into a powder, divided
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line one large baking sheets with parchment paper. Melt 1/2 cup chocolate chips in glass bowl in microwave, stirring twice, about 90 seconds. Cool slightly.
2. Using electric mixer, beat whites in large bowl to soft peaks. Gradually beat in 1/2 cup powdered sucanat. 3. Continue beating until mixture resembles soft marshmallow creme. Whisk 1/2 cup powdered sucanat, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt in medium bowl to blend. On low speed, beat dry ingredients into meringue. Stir in lukewarm chocolate and ½ cup chocolate chips (dough will become very stiff).
4. Scoop 1 rounded tablespoon dough onto prepared sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake until puffed and tops crack, about 10 minutes. Cool on sheets on rack 10 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool.

Nutritional Information, per cookie:
Calories: 137
Total Fat: 5.4 g
Sat. Fat: 3.1 g
Sodium: 96.2 mg
Carbohydrate: 23.3 g
Fiber: 1.2 g
Sugar: 20.1 g
Protein: 1.8 g

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Buffalo Wings

Somewhere over a year ago, we discovered a place serving up buffalo wings near our house. Things started out innocently enough, as we ordered wings for the first time when my parents were visiting. Over the course of the next year, there were one or two more meetings with this lovely buffalo wing joint (no pun intended). Recently, my husband has been requesting it more and more often. I caved one night and agreed. Then he said, "We should do this every Thursday!"  Hold the phone. Definitely not! I had to find a way to make good wings at home, because once a week wing ordering was NOT going to happen here!

Tucked away in the back of my mind, for quite some time now, was Alton Brown's buffalo wing episode of Good Eats (The Wing and I). It was definitely time to bring up that recipe and put it to good use! After waiting over a month for the darn wings to go on sale at the store, I finally was able to pick some up and prepare wings, at home, for my buffalo-adoring husband. The method, although not at fast as picking up the phone and driving a mile down the road, worked out quite well and produced wonderfully moist and flavorful roasted wings. I ended up using a bottle of buffalo sauce we got from the Anchor Bar ages ago instead of Alton's sauce, but when that bottle runs out I will surely be trying Alton's.

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Buffalo Wings
Source: Alton Brown

  • 12 whole chicken wings
  • 3 ounces unsalted butter
  • 1 small clove garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup hot sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  1. Place a 6-quart saucepan with a steamer basket and 1-inch of water in the bottom, over high heat, cover and bring to a boil.
  2. Remove the tips of the wings and discard or save for making stock. Using kitchen shears, or a knife, separate the wings at the joint. Place the wings into the steamer basket, cover, reduce the heat to medium and steam for 10 minutes. Remove the wings from the basket and carefully pat dry. Lay the wings out on a cooling rack set in a half sheet pan lined with paper towels and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
  3. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
  4. Replace the paper towels with parchment paper. Roast on the middle rack of the oven for 20 minutes. Turn the wings over and cook another 20 minutes or until meat is cooked through and the skin is golden brown.
  5. While the chicken is roasting, melt the butter in a small bowl along with the garlic. Pour this along with hot sauce and salt into a bowl large enough to hold all of the chicken and stir to combine.
  6. Remove the wings from the oven and transfer to the bowl and toss with the sauce. Serve warm.

Monday, November 23, 2009

Spaghetti with Tuna, Lemon, and Breadcrumbs

It's good to have an arsenal of quick, easy, delicious meals in your recipe file for when you...well... need something quick, easy, and delicious. This recipe definitely fits the bill.  It has a bright lemon flavor, and is done in the amount of time it takes to boil water and cook the pasta.  I used my toaster oven to make the breadcrumbs since it takes even less time to heat up than the regular oven.
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Spaghetti with Tuna, Lemon, and Breadcrumbs
Source: Everyday Food, January/February 2009


  • Coarse salt and ground pepper
  • 2 slices whole-wheat sandwich bread
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 3/4 pound spaghetti
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest, plus 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 3 tablespoons slivered Kalamata olives
  • 2 cans (6 ounces each) chunk light tuna in water, drained

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, in a food processor, pulse bread and 1 teaspoon oil until coarse crumbs form. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Bake until golden, tossing occasionally, 6 to 8 minutes.
  2. Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water; drain pasta, and return to pot. Add lemon zest and juice, parsley, olives, and 1 tablespoon oil; toss, adding enough pasta water to coat. Add tuna; toss gently. Serve sprinkled with breadcrumbs.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Homemade Granola

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This recipe was actually for breakfast bars, but they didn’t stay together for me (I think due to my under baking them).  However, they work great crumbled up into granola and tossed into some greek yogurt.  I’m a huge fan of greek yogurt, but I’ll be honest – I usually eat it plain.  I don’t see it as something to try and make sweet.  I love it the way it is!  The granola is not really sweet, so for me, it makes a perfect addition to yogurt.  Together, they are a great breakfast or snack!  A great add-in to the yogurt and granola is natural peanut butter - that is officially my favorite way to eat this!
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Homemade Granola
Slightly adapted from: Clean Eating Magazine, November/December 2009, page 48
  • Olive oil cooking spray
  • 1 cup unsalted pecans, chopped
  • 1 cup unsalted roasted almonds, chopped
  • 1/2 cup dried unsweetened apricots
  • 1 cup dried unsweetened figs
  • 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened golden raisins
  • 1 1/2 cups unsweetened brown rice cereal
  • 3 egg whites
  • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup or raw organic honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Lightly mist a 13x9-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
  2. Combine pecans, almonds, apricots and figs in a food processor.  Lightly pulse until chopped.  Transfer pecan mixture to a large mixing bowl; add oats, raisins and cereal. 
  3. In a separate bowl, combine egg whites, syrup or honey, cinnamon, salt and vanilla, stirring well.  Add to pecan mixture, mixing well.
  4. Spread mixture onto prepared pan, pressing down gently.  Bake 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned.  Allow to cool 15 to 30 minutes before crumbling into granola. Store in ziplock bags in the refrigerator or freezer.

Monday, November 16, 2009

Crispy Tofu with Garlic and Broccoli

We like tofu, but have kind of been in a tofu rut - we only make one dish with it. I saw this and decided to give it a try, and see if we can like tofu in other dishes. I decided to serve it with japanese soba noodles, and it was a great pairing. The sauce it great, though next time I might reduce the amount of broth and/or add a thickener. Either way, a delicious meal!


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Crispy Tofu with Garlic and Broccoli
Source: Mary Ellen’s Cooking Creations
  • 1 block firm tofu, cut into thirds
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • Approximately 1 tbsp chopped white onion
  • 2 tbsp cooking sherry
  • 1 small head broccoli, chopped into florets
  • 14.5 oz chicken broth
  • 1/4 c low sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp Hoison
  • 1 tsp (or less) red pepper flakes
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 green onion, chopped
Directions
  1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add tofu; remove after 5 minutes. Drain and press some of the water out. Chop into bite sized pieces.
  2. Heat 2-3 tbsp olive oil in a large non-stick pan.
  3. Add tofu and cook until browned on all sides, about 12-15 minutes. Once cooked, remove tofu and let drain on a plate covered with a paper towel. Note - the tofu will still be somewhat wet so be careful when you add it to the oil! I wore an apron tonight to protect me from the splatter.
  4. Add the onions and garlic to the pan; saute 2 minutes. Add cooking sherry, cook 1-2 minutes. Add broccoli and red pepper flakes; saute 3-4 minutes.
  5. Add chicken broth mixed with soy sauce, brown sugar, and Hoison. Bring to a simmer for 5 minutes.
  6. Remove a few tbsp of the sauce to a small bowl and whisk in the cornstarch. Pour the mixture into the pan and stir.
  7. Return the tofu to the pan along with half of the green onions. Let simmer for a few minutes.
  8. Serve over noodles and top with the rest of the green onions.

Friday, November 13, 2009

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

I've been desperate for cookies lately.  Since August I have avoided making cookies, with my commitment to eating clean.  Most cookies I've made before use a hefty amount of butter, and I'm trying to avoid that.  I knew the July/August 2009 issue of Clean Eating Magazine had oatmeal cookies, but I never got that one and my subscription began with the following issue.  Luckily, The Happy Texan posted it (and her ice cream sandwiches look great!).  I happened to be making oatmeal cookies for my husband at the same time, and Baking Illustrated suggested using ground nutmeg in this type of cookie instead of cinnamon, since it can be over-powering.  I decided to use that suggestion in these cookies as well. 

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I was so excited to make these because they looked so good, and they definitely did not disappoint!  They are soft, chewy, and sweet, with a high oat to flour ratio.  Much better than I expected!  I grabbed one before they cooled completely, and the large chunks of bittersweet chocolate were still warm and gooey.  I think the icing on the cake for me is that each cookie is under 100 calories, and packs 2 grams fiber and 2 grams of protein! 

Now, it's November, and I'm obsessed with cranberries, so I added some to half the batch.  I've been getting accustomed to the natural sweetness of foods and I was surprised at how sweet these cookies were, so adding the cranberry helped to take the sweetness down a notch.  
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Chocolate-Spiked Oatmeal Cookies
Source: Slightly adapted from Clean Eating Magazine, July/August 2009, as seen on The Happy Texan Cooks
Yield: 16 cookies

  • 1 1/4 cup quick-cook old-fashioned oats
  • 1/2 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
  • 2 tsp ground flaxseed
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup agave nectar
  • 1 large egg white
  • 2 tsp. unsalted almond butter or natural peanut butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup dark mini chocolate chips
  • 1/4 cup chopped cranberries (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, flour, flaxseed meal, nutmeg, baking powder and salt.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together agave, egg white, almond/peanut butter and vanilla. Add egg mixture to dry ingredients all at once and combine. Stir in chocolate chips.
3. Scoop 2 teaspoons of batter per cookie onto prepared baking sheets, evenly spaced.  Using the back of a slightly dampened spoon, flatten each mound into 2.5 inch circles (if desired). Bake 9-10 minutes, until golden. Cool on sheets for an additional 10 minutes before transferring to racks to cool completely. Stored in an airtight container, cookies will keep fresh for 2-3 days.

Nutritional Information 
Per cookie, using bittersweet chocolate chips and without cranberries

Calories: 94
Total Fat: 2.5 g
Sat. Fat: 1 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 52.6 mg
Carbohydrates: 17.3 g
Fiber: 2 g
Sugar: 9.2 g
Protein: 1.9 g

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Pumpkin Ice Cream

I love pumpkin. I love ice cream. This was clearly a match made in heaven!  This ice cream is perfect with chopped pecans sprinkled on top.
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Pumpkin Ice Cream
Source: Slightly adapted from The Novice Chef / Ben & Jerry's
  • 2 large eggs (I used the equivalent amount of eggbeaters)
  • 3/4 cup sugar or 1/2 cup agave nectar
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup fat free half and half
  • 1 cup low fat (1% milk)
  • 1 cup unsweetened canned pumpkin
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. ground nutmeg

Whisk eggs in a mixing bowl 1-2 minutes, until light and fluffy. Whisk in the sugar, a little at a time, and continue whisking 1 minute more, until completely blended.  Pour in the cream, half and half, and milk and whisk until blended.  Pour 1 cup of the mixture into a separate bowl. Add the pumpkin, nutmeg and cinnamon to the mixture. Stir until blended. Return the pumpkin mixture to the cream mixture and whisk to blend. Refrigerate mixture for at least 4 hours.  Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze according to the directions.

Monday, November 9, 2009

Farfalle with Roasted Eggplant and Ricotta

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I needed to use up some ricotta and eggplant, so I went off in search of...something different.  I didn't want lasagna or some other eggplant/cheese/red sauce bake.  As soon as I saw this recipe, I couldn't wait to make it.  With my soft spot for baking, I was intrigued at the thought of using cocoa powder in something other than a sweet treat. 

When the eggplant was finished roasting and I pulled the tray out of the oven - I immediately knew I'd picked the right recipe.  Just as the author states - the cinnamon wafts up to your nose, and the cocoa is just barely there.  They both add a wonderful dimension to the dish, which, with the creamy ricotta sauce, serves as a fantastic alternative to marinara based recipes for ricotta and eggplant. 

Farfalle with Roasted Eggplant and Ricotta
Down-sized and slightly adapted from: Burp! Recipes
Serves 2-3
  • 3/4 pound eggplant, cleaned and cut into small cubes
  • 1/2 medium sweet onion, diced
  • 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp cocoa powder
  • salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • olive oil, for roasting
  • 2 tablespoon chopped walnuts
  • 5 oz low fat ricotta cheese
  • 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf Italian parsley or 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
  • 1/3 cup pecorino romano cheese, grated
  • 6 ounces farfalle pasta (whole wheat, or our favorite - Barilla Plus)
1.  Preheat oven to 425ºF. Toss eggplant and onion with cinnamon and cocoa powder. Arrange on a large baking sheet. Drizzle liberally with olive oil. Bake, stirring occasionally until tender, about 25 minutes. Scatter the chopped walnuts on top of the eggplant and return to the oven, cook an additional 10 minutes.

2. In a large bowl, mix ricotta, parsley, romano, and salt and pepper (to taste). Set aside.

3.  Cook pasta until al dente. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta water when draining the pasta. Add the pasta to the ricotta mixture, adding enough pasta water to loosen the sauce. Add the roasted eggplant and mix well.  Serve immediately.

Friday, November 6, 2009

A Tale of Two Biscotti

I've been in love with biscotti since discovering this chocolate biscotti recipe. I love making it at home because you can make it really crispy or a little on the softer side - whatever your preference. With an open can of pumpkin in the fridge, I set out to find a pumpkin biscotti recipe and epicurious.com came through with one for pumpkin pecan biscotti. I also had fresh cranberries to use up, so I decided they were going in, too.
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On the left, standard. On the right, cleaner.

The original recipe calls for shaping the dough into three logs, that would later be sliced to make the individual cookies. I decided to cut the recipe in half and try a direct comparison between the standard recipe and a cleaner version, using substitutes for the flour, sugar, and butter.  My old stand-by whole wheat pastry flour and my new friend sucanat fit the bill for flour and sugar, but what about butter?  I have been reading up on the vegan buttery sticks for baking from Earth Balance, and had those in mind for this recipe comparison.  I went to Whole Foods to try and get them, but they only had the non-hydrogenated shortening from Earth Balance.  With a quick read of the label, I decided it would be just fine.

Differences were apparent as soon as I mixed up the two doughs.  The clean dough required a little manual mixing to fully saturate the dry ingredients and form the dough, but because of that low moisture level, the log was easy to form.  The standard recipe came together more easily with a spoon, but then was very sticky and harder to shape into a log on the pan.  As expected, the standard recipe expanded quite a bit more than the clean recipe while baking. Perhaps my butter wasn't cold enough.  I also forgot to refrigerate the logs for 15 minutes before baking. Oops.
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On the left, standard. On the right, cleaner.

The cleaner biscotti baked up much faster, and the standard dough required an extra 10 minutes of baking time to get the log set enough for slicing, once cooled.  After being cut, the standard recipe require another extended baking time to finish baking the individual cookies.

Then it came down to the taste test. The cleaner biscotti has a hint of that whole wheat character that I have, quite honestly, come to prefer.  The standard biscotti seemed to be missing something, in comparison, but is more sweet.  But, I am being nit-picky.  Either version is a delight!  The sweet biscotti paired with tart fresh cranberries, a hint of cinnamon and spice, and creamy white chocolate chunks all come together beautifully in a perfect fall treat.

Let me go ahead and clarify how much of a treat it is.  I got about 12 slices out of the standard recipe and 11 out of the cleaner one, counting the two ends as one piece since they are significantly smaller than middle pieces.  With that in mind, the breakdown follows each recipe.  Oddly enough, the substitute I used for the butter has more calories and fat overall, so the cookies do as well.  However, the saturated fat is (marginally) lower in the cleaner cookies, the fiber is much higher, and the sugar still has all the vitamins nature intended!  A decent trade off, I think, for something that is a treat no matter what dietary plan you follow.  Having demonstrated the flexibility of this recipe, I will experiment in the future with other butter substitutes, namely the one I'd intended to get, as well as Smart Balance 50/50.
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Cranberry Pumpkin Pecan Biscotti (Standard)

Source: Adapted from Epicurious
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 stick unsalted butter
  • 3 1/2 oz. good quality white chocolate
  • 1 1/3 cups pecans
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin (fresh is best)
  • 1 tbsp. vanilla
  • 1 cup fresh cranberries

Combine first five (5) ingredients in food process. Blend until all ingredients are fully mixed. Cut chilled butter into pieces and feed into processor until a fine meal is formed. Add white chocolate until chopped. Add pecans and process until coarsely chopped, being careful not to over-process.

Combine eggs, pumpkin and vanilla extract in large bowl. Mix until smooth. Add dry ingredients and cranberries and stir until fully incorporated. A moist dough will form.  Grease and flour an 18x12 cookie sheet, or line with parchment paper.

Drop dough by spoonfuls onto cookie sheet, forming 3 logs equidistant from each other. With moistened fingers, shape into 2 inch wide logs. Refrigerate logs for 15 min.

Place cookie sheet on rack in center of oven which has been pre-heated to 350 degrees. Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown. Cool logs completely on rack. Reduce oven temp. to 325 degrees.

Carefully slice logs with a heavy, sharp knife. I slice them on the diagonal about 1/2 inch wide. Place cut cookies on cookie sheet and bake for 10 - 12 minutes until slightly toasted. Longer if a harder biscotti is your preference. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Nutritional Information (per cookie)
Calories: 203
Fat: 9 g
Sat. Fat: 3.8 g
Cholesterol: 28 mg
Sodium: 97 mg
Carbohydrate: 28.8 g
Fiber: 0.6 g
Sugar: 16.5 g
Protein: 2.9 g

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Cranberry Pumpkin Pecan Biscotti (Cleaner)

Source: Adapted from Epicurious
  • 3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1 1/3 cups sucanat
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 stick (8 tbsp) butter substitute of choice
  • 3 1/2 oz. good quality white chocolate
  • 1 1/3 cups pecans
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin (fresh is best)
  • 1 tbsp. vanilla
  • 1 cup fresh cranberries
Combine first five (5) ingredients in food process. Blend until all ingredients are fully mixed. Cut chilled butter substitute into pieces and feed into processor until a fine meal is formed. Add white chocolate until chopped. Add pecans and process until coarsely chopped, being careful not to over-process.

Combine eggs, pumpkin and vanilla extract in large bowl. Mix until smooth. Add dry ingredients and cranberries and stir until fully incorporated. A moist dough will form.  Grease and flour an 18x12 cookie sheet, or line with parchment paper.

Drop dough by spoonfuls onto cookie sheet, forming 3 logs equidistant from each other. With moistened fingers, shape into 2 inch wide logs. Refrigerate logs for 15 min.

Place cookie sheet on rack in center of oven which has been pre-heated to 350 degrees. Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown. Cool logs completely on rack.Reduce oven temp. to 325 degrees.

Carefully slice logs with a heavy, sharp knife. I slice them on the diagonal about 1/2 inch wide. Place cut cookies on cookie sheet and bake for 10 - 12 minutes until slightly toasted. Longer if a harder biscotti is your preference. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Nutritional Information (per cookie)
Calories: 230
Fat:11.2 g
Sat. Fat: 3.4 g
Cholesterol: 19.5 mg
Sodium: 160 mg
Carbohydrate: 29.7 g
Fiber: 2.9 g
Sugar: 15.8 g
Protein: 3.2 g

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Oat Bran Cranberry Pancakes

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I love cranberries. Seeing fresh cranberries starting to appear in the grocery store gets me all excited because it means that winter is approaching. For many people, winter is the most dreadful part of the year, but I love it! Wrapped in a fluffy wool sweater, enjoying hot cocoa in front of a crackling fire with snow falling outside is one of my favorite places to be.

But I'm getting sidetracked. I'm also excited to see the cranberries appear because I love to cook and bake with them. Each season has it's gems of fruits and vegetables to cook with, and utilizing each of those at the peak of their freshness is the subject of Simply in Season, a cookbook by Cathleen Hockman-Wert and Mary Beth Lind.  Fellow food blogger Wendy is cooking her way through this book and I've enjoyed watching her journey.  There's only one problem - Wendy is allergic to cranberries.  When she asked around for some help making all the cranberry recipes in the book, I gladly offered up my love for cranberries - and pancakes!  I knew from seeing the name of the recipe that it was going to be right up my (clean eating) alley. 

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These pancakes are fantastic!  Fluffy, delicious, packed with fiber and protein for a filling breakfast.  This is definitely my new favorite pancake recipe, as I think it can be adapted for different seasons using different fruit additions.  Next time I might turn up the cinnamon and ginger, because I love those two spices and they weren't quite strong enough for me.  The cranberry syrup thickened nicely with the help of some cornstarch, and really brought the cranberry flavor to the next level for this dish.  I got nine pancakes from this recipe and included the nutritional information (only change being that I used 2% milk instead of whole) per pancake.  I also included the total for the batter so if you make smaller or larger pancakes, it's will be easier to calculate the values for your pancakes.  Huge thanks to Wendy for sharing the recipe and letting me take part in her Simply In Season journey!


Oat Bran Cranberry Pancakes
Directions adapted from: Simply In Season, provided by Wendy
  • 3/4 cup oat bran
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 2 teaspoons honey (slightly warmed)
  • 1/2 cup cranberries, chopped
  • 1/2 cup apple, chopped
Stir together oat bran through ginger in a large bowl.  In a separate bowl, combine milk, egg, oil and honey; stir to mix.  Add wet ingredients to dry, stir just until mixed.  Fold in cranberries and apple.  Heat griddle or pan, then spray with cooking spray.  Drop 1/4 cup of batter onto griddle, repeat with remaining batter.  Heat until bubbles form at the surface and bottom is lightly browned, then flip and cook through.  Serve with cranberry syrup (recipe follows)

Cranberry Syrup
Source: Simply In Season, provided by Wendy

Boil together 1 cup cranberry juice, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and a pinch of ground ginger.


Nutritional Information
For total batter followed by per pancake (based on 9 pancakes per whole recipe)
Calories:  980; 109
Fat: 34g; 3.8g
Sat. Fat: 95.g; 1.1g
Cholesterol: 235 mg; 26mg
Sodium: 3840 mg; 426 mg
Potassium: 280 mg; 31 mg
Carbohydrates: 150 g; 16.7g
Fiber: 34g; 3.7 g
Sugar: 28.5 g; 3.2 g
Protein: 40g; 4.5 g

Monday, November 2, 2009

Hot Cocoa Mix

I love hot chocolate, and we have no less than 4 different varieties of hot cocoa mix in our cabinet (even one we got in Costa Rica!).  With my new attitude towards eating clean, those don't fit in my lifestyle anymore.  I was so happy to see a clean alternative in the November/December 2009 issue of Clean Eating magazine.  The original mix calls for peppermint tea leaves, and while mint is one of my favorite flavors, this time around I was drawn to the intoxicating scent of a fresh jar of Penzeys Cinnamon.  This hot cocoa has a rich chocolately flavor that is perfect on a blistery day, and best of all - it's portable! 
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Warming Hot Cocoa
Adapted from: Clean Eating Magazine, November/December 2009


  • 1/4 cup hot cocoa mix (recipe follows)
  • 1 cup skim milk  OR 1/4 cup dry nonfat milk powder and 1 cup water
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Steam the milk in a small saucepan (or heat the water til simmering).  Add cocoa mix and cinnamon to a large mug (along with milk powder if using water).  Pour the steamed milk or heated water into the mug and whisk or stir vigorously to dissolve mix and chocolate bits. Enjoy.

Hot Cocoa Mix
  • 2 cups dry nonfat milk powder
  • 1 cup sucanat
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup dark chocolate, chopped finely
Add to a large container with a tightly fitting lid and shake to mix well.  Makes 16 servings.