Healthier Mini Meatloaves

 A few weeks ago, My Oldest decided he wanted to have meatloaf.  An interesting request, and since it's not something I normally make I made a "mental" note of it and pushed it to the side for a bit.  I remember eating meatloaf when I was growing up, I think everyone had some version of it with ketchup topping it off.  I think it was usually served with mashed potatoes.  Something about that combination seems, well... kind of "right".

I've been incoporating more healthy recipes into our weekly meals and picked up a copy of EatingWell 500-Calorie Dinners Cookbook recently.  I plan to do a full review of it after I make a couple more recipes, but so far I'm enjoying the book.  Which leads me to how we ended up making a healthy version of meatloaf!

As I was paging through and marking recipes to try, I noticed a pretty simple, yet lightened up version of meatloaf made in a muffin tin.  The meatloaf is made into portions ahead of time!  A fabulous way to ensure that you only eat the amount you want without going over your calorie needs for the day.  I also liked that it was just plain ketchup poured on top of the mini-meatloaves, it was kicked up by adding Worcestershire sauce (can anyone really say that word without tripping over their tongue?).

Since My Oldest was the one who wanted meatloaf, I enlisted him as the main "chef" for dinner that night.  I gathered the ingredients and helped him with the measurements, but the mini meatloaves were really prepared entirely by him.  And, he was so proud!  He has learned how wonderful it feels to make something and share it with the family ... and, have them enjoy it!  Yes, this recipe was a hit with all of us and we'll be making it again... or rather My Oldest will be making it again as it is now on his list of recipes that he can make for us.  I love that he has become so interested in cooking lately.

The only change I had to make to the recipe was to use 1/2 turkey breast and 1/2 lean ground beef because I couldn't get ground pork at my grocery store the day I went.  The place was a madhouse and the meat counter was too busy for me to bother waiting for my turn.  Next time, I do think we'll try it with the combination of three meats to see how we like it that way, but if you can't do it that way making this slight change will work with great results.

Eating Well has posted the full recipe on their site, so I am referring you there for the recipe (click HERE).  Give it a try, you may decide you enjoy this version of meatloaf better than the traditional one.

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Please note that all photos and content belong to Patsy Kreitman, unless otherwise noted. If you want to use something please ask first.

Chocolate Dipped Cake Balls

 Something sweet is the best way to end a meal with friends, right?  I think so!  I was looking for something simple that I could make and share with friends last weekend... when I suddenly remembered a detailed post by Pioneer Woman when the famous Bakerella visited her ranch and demonstrated her Cupcake Pops.

 Now, I'm still working on my decorating abilities, so I opted for the simpler version that Bakerella first shared on her site for Red Velvet Cake Balls.  I chose to use a chocolate cake mix rather than red velvet.  I know there are many people out there who will knock doing this, but there are times when using a mix is completely justified.  This is one of those times.

The simplicity of making this is really beyond words.  It does take a bit of time to form the balls and then to dip them, but really there are about 4 actual steps to making them (refer to the recipe shown on the link for Bakerella's site above).

During the holidays we often trade tins of goodies with our neighbors.  This year, two of our neighbors made versions of these cake balls with additional add-ins that took them up a notch further.  One of them added in crushed mint Oreos and I must tell you... they were REALLY hard to resist!  Sssshhh... I didn't actually share those with the family!  The other made them without the mint, and My Boys would have eaten a whole tray of them if we had them... thank goodness she didn't fill the entire tin with them!  I'm still working off the fabulous holiday treats they gave us as we speak... but, they were so worth it!

Please note that all photos and content belong to Patsy Kreitman, unless otherwise noted. If you want to use something please ask first.

Simplicity = Roasted Garlic!

 I can't remember how long ago it was when I first tasted the buttery goodness of roasted garlic.  What I do know is that it's one of the most addictive things you can make and add to a slice of crusty French bread.

Last weekend, we were invited to hang out with friends for the evening so we wanted to bring garlic bread and a dessert (a post that is coming later in the week!).   We picked up some garlic bread from Costco... but, as My Husband started thinking about making the garlic bread, he asked how to make roasted garlic.

We have one of those cute little garlic roasters... somewhere in the house.  I imagine I've put it away somewhere in the back of a cabinet simply because we weren't using it much and it was taking up space.  But, you know what?  You don't need a special contraption to make roasted garlic!

Look at how gorgeous those heads of garlic look!  A simple process of slicing off the tops of the garlic and drizzling with just a  little bit of olive oil.  They were roasted at 400 degrees on a piece of aluminum foil.  It took about 30 minutes or so for the garlic to become slightly golden and buttery enough to spread on toasted bread slices.

Roasting garlic makes the flavor more mellow.  You could serve it as shown in the photo or spread on smaller slices of a baguette as appetizers for a dinner party.  Adding another layer of flavor by topping the bread slices with brushetta or a small slice of proscuitto or pancetta would dress it up even more.  

Please note that all photos and content belong to Patsy Kreitman, unless otherwise noted. If you want to use something please ask first.

10 in '10 - Week 4

I know I’m a couple days late in getting my 10 in ’10 Healthy Challenge post up… but, we had a busy weekend and I never seem to write my posts ahead of time these days. Anyway, last week was good as far as my goals are concerned.

Got a good workout in 5 out of 7 days and even had a session with a personal trainer on Thursday. Of course, I paid for that for another 2 days, but did manage to get back on the treadmill on Saturday to try to walk it out a bit. I’ll be adding this session 2 to 3 times a week going forward. Building muscle is so important while trying to drop a few pounds and for keeping bones healthy as I get older… I have a small frame so that is something I have to be concerned about.

Since I sit at a desk all day for my job, getting up and moving throughout the day is something I have to remember to do. I can get caught up in what I’m working on and before I know it, I haven’t gotten up in a really long time. I’m going to work on getting up at least once an hour just to take a quick walk to stretch and get a few more steps in during the day.

I kept my portions in check last week, even though you have seen several sweet treat posts recently. I have a sweet tooth, and while most days I can manage to skip them… I can’t promise to never have them. Because if I say I can’t have sweets at all, then I will ‘NEED’ them every day. Trying to keep everything in moderation and not go overboard on any one thing.

Over the weekend we took the boys to Chuck E. Cheese for lunch as a treat since we never take them there. We had one extra cheesey pizza, which is cut into smaller pieces than a traditional pizzeria. So, my 2 pieces were more like one if we had gone somewhere else… but, the success moment was deciding that I was satisfied and not going for a 3rd piece just so we wouldn’t be leaving too much to be thrown out. I did think about it, but really didn’t want it all that much (and the pizza isn’t that good there anyway).

For the upcoming week, I did make a “loose” menu plan using some cookbooks I’ve borrowed from the library recently. Some healthy recipes that don’t look light… but, use ingredients in different quantities to satisfy and not encourage overeating.

Overall, these changes are helping in small increments. I’ve got a ways to go still, but I’ll take whatever small dips I see each week. Summer will be coming before I know it (it’s wishful thinking since I prefer warmer temperatures) and I’ll want to feel good baring my arms and legs to the world … even if they are white as can be, if I feel like they look good I’ll be happy with that.


Please note that all photos and content belong to Patsy Kreitman, unless otherwise noted. If you want to use something please ask first.

Chocolate Bundt Cake with a Vanilla Glaze

Last weekend, we had the pleasure of having dinner with some good friends of ours who are also neighbors.  They invited us over and treated us to some delicious Greek appetizers, then we traveled to Italy (via our stomachs) for Lasagna Rolls.  It was oh, so good!
I brought dessert again, but I wanted to try a slightly different recipe from last week's Chocolate Cake.  I recently borrowed a copy of The Best Light Recipe from the library.  I'm always looking for great tasting light recipes and wanted to see what C.I. had to share.  This time, I opted to make a Chocolate Bundt Cake with a simple Vanilla Glaze over it.

I did make a couple of slight changes and still ended up with a perfectly moist and chocolatey cake.  While My Husband wasn't as thrilled with this cake as he was with last week's, I think this one had a better chocolate flavor.  Our friends also seemed to enjoy it as well.  I opted to use dark chocolate instead of bittersweet chocolate... mainly because that is what I had in the pantry.  I also chose not to dirty more dishes by partially mixing it in the food processor then moving to my stand mixer.  I didn't see any adverse affect by skipping that piece of the recipe.
This cake stayed moist even two days later and has a really rich chocolate flavor... I'd suggest a glass of milk to go along with a slice!
Chocolate Bundt Cake (click HERE for printable recipe)
Inspired by The Best Light Recipe
Ingredients
Non-stick cooking spray with flour
3 ounces dark chocolate, fiinely chopped
3/4 cup Dutch process cocoa
1 teaspoon instant espresso
1 cup boiling water
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups light brown sugar
1/2 cup canola oil2 large eggs (edited to add this ingredient as it was missed when originally posted)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Powdered sugar - for dusting or a vanilla glaze (1 cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon low-fat milk & 1 tablespoon vanilla extract)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and make sure that your oven rack is in the lower-center of the oven. Spray the inside of your standard bundt pan with the cooking spray and set aside.
Combine the chocolate through boiling water in a bowl and cover. Allow to sit for 5 minutes, then whisk until it is a smooth consistency.
In another bowl, add flour through baking soda and whisk to combine.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the chocolate mixture with sugar through vanilla. Then, sift half of the flour mixture and add to the chocolate mixture in the bowl. Mix until combined, then repeat with the remaining flour mixture.
Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan. Bake for about 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then invert onto the serving plate. Allow to cool completely, then sprinkle powdered sugar or drizzle glaze over the top.



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Please note that all photos and content belong to Patsy Kreitman, unless otherwise noted. If you want to use something please ask first.

Pannini for Lunch

 Today, I was off due to the Martin Luther King, Jr holiday... so, that meant I could make lunch at home! I took advantage of being able to make something I wouldn't normally have for lunch on a weekday - a pannini!

I have been keeping a container of the master dough recipe from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day in the fridge the last few weeks.  So, today I pre-heated the oven and made a small ciabatta that I sliced up for my pannini, something extra time at home allowed me to do.  You could also use a purchased loaf of ciabatta or even sliced focaccia for the bread when making one of these sandwiches.

I dug around in the fridge to see what I had hanging around that would make a tasty sandwich.  I used about 1/2 ounce of proscuitto, 1 ounce of thinly sliced fontina cheese, 2 sliced sun-dried tomatoes and about 1-2 teaspoons of Trader Joe's Artichoke Antipasto inside the sandwich.  Then, I pulled out some balsamic vinaigrette and brushed the outside of the sandwich with it before putting it in my Cuisinart Cuisinart Griddler.

It was such a filling and satisfying sandwich! It would be fantastic to enjoy one of these each day with different meats and veggies inside.

It's kind of funny though that I got the Griddler a couple of years ago, and I've only used it to make pannini a couple of times... and that was the main reason I had to have it!  We have used it to make pancakes, hot wrap sandwiches and quesadillas on a regular basis, but I don't always have the right bread on hand for a really good pannini.  The price has come down quite a lot since I got mine, so if you don't have one click on the link above and you'll find a good deal over at Amazon on them.

Link Note:  the cookbook and Griddler link will take you to Amazon where you can learn more about the product and purchase if you choose to.  I receive a minimal amount for referring readers there if they purchase something.
 



Please note that all photos and content belong to Patsy Kreitman, unless otherwise noted. If you want to use something please ask first.

10 in '10 - Week 3

 My posting has been very off this week, did you notice?  Well, besides last week being crazy busy, I also had a small cold that drained me of energy early on... which of course put a kink in my workouts last week.  I opted to take it easy and get my energy back up rather than run myself down further.

Can't say that I saw another decrease, but with less exercise I wasn't expecting anything to happen.  I did work on getting my water in each day, which was easy since I tend to do that anyway when I'm not feeling well.  It seemed to do the trick as I was feeling better by Friday.

I am jumping right back into my challenge goals this week!  Today, I hit the treadmill and have managed to keep my calorie intake in check today.  So, I feel like I'm back on track and hope to add that strength training with the personal trainer at my gym this week.

Keeping this short tonight because I want to watch the gorgeous people on The Golden Globes, but I'll be back tomorrow with a new recipe to share!


Please note that all photos and content belong to Patsy Kreitman, unless otherwise noted. If you want to use something please ask first.

A Lighter Chocolate Cake (and it's so Moist!)

 Today we were invited to have lunch with some friends that we had not seen since late last summer.  It's so hard to get together in the fall months with the start of school and the various activities the kids are involved in, so it was so nice to finally get to catch up again.

Our friends are British and treated us to a traditional Sunday Roast.  It was quite a feast for a mid-day meal, and everything was so delicious!  We had an assortment of steamed and roasted veggies along with roasted chicken that was so perfectly moist.  My friend also made Yorkshire Pudding to share with us, which was new for us as we had never had it before and quite honestly, I thought it would be a true pudding.  Not the case, it's more of a puffed up pancake that is savory in flavor.  My Oldest has already asked that I try to make them at home, so yes they were quite a hit with us!

Since they prepared this fabulous meal for us I had asked what I could bring to contribute to our first get together after so many months.  Dessert it was!  As you might notice... I do love to make desserts so, when I'm asked to bring one I go searching for something that I know will taste like a true indulgence... and these days I like to find something that is also lighter on the calories.  I ended up back at Cooking Light's website and found a recipe for a Chocolate Bundt Cake.

As you can see, I didn't make it in a bundt pan.  I didn't have a 6-cup size pan so I opted for the suggested substitute - a 9-inch round cake pan.  This also made it easier to add a simple cream cheese frosting to the cake.

I made only slight adjustments to the recipe based on the reviews I found.  I used unsweetened applesauce to replace the butter and skipped the espresso coffee ground and added about 1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips to the batter.  It baked up beautifully and was so moist that I really couldn't tell that there was no butter or oil in the cake.

The cream cheese frosting uses the 1/3 less fat cream cheese and 1 cup of powdered sugar and just a teaspoon of vanilla.  I added about 1 teaspoon of milk to moisten it up a bit more.  My Boys thought the cake needed a bit more added to it, so they sprinkled some mini chocolate chips across the top.

The cake was a huge hit with everyone today, with only a small wedge left!  I will definitely want to make this again to share with friends and family.  If you want to give it a try, the full recipe can be found HERE at Cooking Light.



Please note that all photos and content belong to Patsy Kreitman, unless otherwise noted. If you want to use something please ask first.

10 in '10 - Week 2

 So, I'm heading into week 2 of the 10 in '10 challenge that I mentioned last week.  How did the first week go?

I worked out 5 out of 7 days this week, and am going to start working with the personal trainer at the gym next week.  I needed to get back to where I should be with my cardio workouts before I could get myself "ready" for adding strength training.  I know that working with a PT will definitely push me to work harder in the gym.  It's way too easy to stick to the same exercises each workout and get "comfortable".  When that starts to happen it's time to change things, and I know that she will make me do that at least every two weeks.

As you may have noticed from the posts this week, I've been incorporating more healthful meals.  I've added salads to my weeknight meals and have skipped the pasta a couple of those nights all together.  Another change I've done is to pack my lunch and snacks each day and take them to work with me.  This puts me more in control of the number of calories that I take in during the day.

These small changes feel good and I've seen a small dip in the number on the scale.  I'm happy with that because slow and steady is the best way to reach my goal.  Ideally, that will also enable me to maintain it once I get there.

So, week 1 was good and I plan to incorporate more changes next week.  For me, I think change a few things at a time gives me a better chance at success than an all-or-nothing mentality.  Next week, I hope to see another dip in the number at the scale and my energy level to continue to increase!

Please note that all photos and content belong to Patsy Kreitman, unless otherwise noted. If you want to use something please ask first.

Flavorful Baked Tilapia

 A few weeks ago, My Oldest made a request.  He asked if we could have fish at least once a week.  How could I say no to a request like that?  Asking for something healthy and adding variety to our "usual" meals of the last few months... of course, we can do this!

So, I made a trip to the grocery store on my lunch break because I have this thing about buying fish the day I intend to serve it for dinner.  I just like it to be as close to super fresh as possible.  The preparation of the fish is really so simple, yet it has plenty of flavor and makes for a satisfying protein to go with a salad.

 There really isn't a recipe to go along with this, but you need to have some key ingredients.  Start by squeezing the juice of half a lemon over about a pound of tilapia fillets.  Then, I sprinkled a seasoning mix I purchased from O & Co. a few months ago, salt and herb  mix for fish.  This seasoning mix has sea salt and a blend of herbs that tastes like spring it's so refreshing.  Lastly, I drizzled just a bit of olive oil over each fillet before putting into a 425 degree oven.  It took about 15 minutes for the tilapia to cook completely.

I served mine over sweet baby greens and a bit of oil & vinegar salad dressing.  The rest of the family had theirs with some rice pilaf and creamed spinach.   There was NOT A SPECK left of the fish tonight!  Some nights I have fish leftover, but not tonight!  This is a quick and easy meal for a weeknight and definitely kid-friendly!

 Note:  as stated in my post, I purchased the O & Co. seasoning blend and am sharing it here because I love the product.  There was no compensation from O & Co. involved.

Please note that all photos and content belong to Patsy Kreitman, unless otherwise noted. If you want to use something please ask first.

Stuffed Shells with Smokey Marinara

 After my post a few days ago saying how I'm working towards a healthy new year, I'm sure you are thinking that I've abandoned the 10 in '10 challenge already with a recipe for Stuffed Shells so soon.  That's where you would be wrong... very wrong indeed!

I've had this recipe bookmarked since it first appeared in Cooking Light several years ago.  And, then I marked it again when I purchased Cooking Light Five Star Recipes.  I've looked at this recipe many times, but this week it made it to the menu plan and shopping list.

The recipe is really simple in spite of the lengthy list of ingredients.  I think that is why I haven't made it before, the long list of ingredients has turned me off.  Don't let that happen to you though!  And, make sure to seek out the Muir Glen Fire Roasted Tomatoes, they had a layer of flavor to the sauce that will make you save a bit for another purpose... maybe dipping breadsticks or pouring over spaghetti.  It was so tasty and I had a little leftover that I'll find another use for later in the week.

I decided to make half of the recipe as written because I wanted to try it before putting a second tray of them into my freezer.  Can't see making twice as much only to end up tossing most of the ingredients in the garbage, and yes, that does happen in my kitchen with some new recipes!

The only ingredient I didn't adjust was the spinach because I figure the more the better when it comes to adding veggies to meals.  I think it worked out very well, and My Oldest liked the shells but wasn't crazy about the sauce.  That is to be expected because he is not a fan of tomato based sauces.  I'm still working on him.  My Youngest did try them and couldn't be bothered after one big bite.

Looks like I've got lunch figured out for the next few days and all I need to do is add a nice salad to go with it to make it complete.   With a serving consisting of four shells and 1/2 cup of sauce at 470 calories that makes a filling lunch.  Next time, I'll make the 2nd tray and keep it in the freezer for one of those busy weeknights that we always seem to have as we head into the warmer months (and I can't wait for those months to get here... I'm not enjoying this deep-freeze we are living with right now).

Interested in trying this recipe? You can find the full recipe at Cooking Light - just click HERE for the full recipe.

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Please note that all photos and content belong to Patsy Kreitman, unless otherwise noted. If you want to use something please ask first.

Strawberry Bliss Bars for New Year's Eve

 I know it's a few days after the fact, but I couldn't imagine not sharing this recipe with you!  I initially wanted to make a version of the Cranberry Bliss Bars I've seen all over the place the last couple of months, but the cranberries I bought just didn't look as good once I started dicing them... fortunately, I have bags of frozen fruit in my freezer all the time so I could make a quick change without running out to the store.

Every year for New Year's Eve since we've lived in our neighborhood, our neighbors have graciously invited us and a good number of other neighbors over to celebrate together.  It's always a lot of fun and the kids have a great time together while we get to hang with the adults.  It has to be one of our favorite parties to go to each year.  Since they always provide the appetizers and other foods to nibble on, guests are invited to bring a dessert.  The last two years, another friend and I have managed to bring similar desserts - without planning it that way!  So, this year we made sure that we were bringing something different.

 I've had the recipe for Cranberry Bliss Bars printed since I first saw it on Good Things Catered awhile back.  I wanted to make them with cranberries, but that was not to be... and my adaptation was a huge hit not only with BOTH of My Boys, but also with the friends we shared them with on New Year's Eve.

The cookie base has a scattering of chopped strawberries and white chocolate chips throughout.  Make sure not to overbake and allow it to cool completely before adding the icing.  I used frozen strawberries and didn't think they would work out as well sprinkled on the icing, so I opted to use a bit of red food coloring in the drizzle to make them a bit prettier.  While I did allow them to chill for several hours before cutting into them, you can see in the photo that the icing has a really nice gooey, sweet drizzle effect.

Since these are not light on the calories, save them for a special occasion, perhaps for Valentine's Day next month!  Share them with that special someone, they will love them!

Strawberry Bliss Bars
Adapted from Good Things Catered, who adapted the recipe from Recipezaar

 Ingredients
 For the cookie base:
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup chopped frozen strawberries (or fresh if they are available)
3/4 cup white chocolate chips

For the frosting
6 ounces reduced fat cream cheese, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
4 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

For the drizzle
1 cup powdered sugar
3-4 drops of red food coloring (or whatever color you like)
1 tablespoon milk (I used probably 2 1/2 tablespoons to get it to the correct consistency)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13 baking pan with cooking spray.

Using a stand mixer, beat the butter and brown sugar until fluffy and light in color - around 2 minutes.  Add the eggs through salt; beat well.  Gradually mix in flour and then fold in the strawberries and white chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 30-35 minutes - the edges will be light brown.  Set on wire rack until it is completely cooled.

Prepare the frosting by combining the cream cheese through extracts in a mixing bowl.  Blend until completely smooth.  Invert cake onto a cutting board and spread the frosting evenly over the top.

Prepare the drizzle by mixing the last cup of powdered sugar with milk - adding a little bit at a time until it becomes smooth and a consistency that will drizzle easily. Pour the drizzle into a plastic zip top bag, then cut off a small piece from a corner and drizzle over the top of the frosted cookie bars.

Place in refrigerator for at least 2 hours to allow frosting to set up prior to cutting into pieces.

Please note that all photos and content belong to Patsy Kreitman, unless otherwise noted. If you want to use something please ask first.