Indian Chili

A more exotic and adventurous chili recipe that’s very nutritious and tasty too! Using canned lentils makes it very quick and easy to make.

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
2 cups chopped carrot
2 cups peeled, cubed eggplant (cut into small 1/4th inch cubes)
1 cup chopped white onion
¾ cup tomato sauce
¼ cup chicken or vegetable broth
1.5 cups cooked lentils (I used canned, Westbrae)
1.5 cups cooked kidney beans (I used canned from Trader Joes)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
¾ teaspoon curry powder
¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

Add the olive oil, garlic, carrots, eggplant and onion to a large pot and sauté on medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring often. Throw in the tomato sauce, broth, lentils and spices and heat 7-12 minutes, until the lentils are very soft and the vegetables tender.
Makes 5 cups, 5 servings

Serving size: 1 cup Calories 180 Protein 11 g Carb 34 g Fiber 13 g Sugars 8 g Fat 2 g Saturated fat 0 g Sodium 570 mg

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Pumpkin Spice Cake

Put the pumpkin pie on hold and try out this amazing cake for the holidays instead!
You can finish with a dusting of powdered sugar on top or try my recipes for Maple Glaze or Light Cream Cheese Frosting!

Ingredients:

1 ¼ cups oat flour (if you are on a gluten free diet use a brand such as Bob’s Red Mill or you can make your own to by grinding gluten free oats in food processor)
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 egg or ¼ cup egg substitute
1 cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup margarine, softened (I used Earth Balance)
¼ cup light maple syrup
½ cup 0% Greek yogurt
1 cup pumpkin puree

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix flour, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and baking powder in a small bowl. In a larger bowl, mix the brown sugar, maple syrup, egg, margarine, Greek yogurt and pumpkin. Slowly start adding the flour mixture to the larger bowl with the egg/sugar mixture until soft thick batter is formed. Add batter to a 9 X 9 inch pan coated with cooking spray. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.

Makes 12 servings

Serving size: 1/12th of recipe Calories 180 Protein 3 g Carb 29 g Fiber 2g Sugars 15 g Fat 6 g Saturated fat 2 g Sodium 260 mg

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New Segment: Fabulous Food Finds

Being a dietitian, food blogger and self-proclaimed consumer and promoter of healthy foods means that I am always on the lookout for new, nutritious and yummy foods to use to create my recipes, snack on, recommend when planning diets for clients etc… So I thought I’d start a segment which highlights some of these products I discover and LOVE. A little disclaimer though- I am not paid to endorse any of these products, all the “promotion” comes from my own opinions and interest. If I do receive samples from a company I will mention that in my post and will still give my honest un-biased thoughts!

So with all this mentioned, let’s get to my first Fabulous Food Find ….

Product Reviews

Reduced Sugar Fruit Spreads

I am a big fan of these, especially since my toddler is addicted to PB and J’s. A couple of companies including Welch’s, Smuckers, Trader Joes have their own lines of these fruity spreads that have less calories, sugar and carbs but contain NO artificial sweeteners. How do they do it? I think adding a bit more water to the product is a possibility. They are not as sugary sweet as the regulars but impart just enough fruit flavor. At 20-30 calories,, 5-7 grams of carb and sugar per tablespoon they contain about 50% less calories and sugar than regular varieties and have no fat or sodium either (plus they are gluten-free)! My family and I love them on sandwiches, toast, ricecakes, waffles and I have even used them in a few recipes, like my PB and J bars and Ridiculously Easy and Healthy Fruit Yogurt. So until I figure out how to make my own, I’m sticking with these!

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Three Mushroom Pizza-ettes

These make a great appetizer for a entertaining or throw a couple on your plate for a main meal.

Ingredients:

10 mini pita circles, preferably whole wheat (I got mine at Trader Joes)
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped (about 2 teaspoons)
¼ cup diced red onion
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon chicken or vegetable broth (if n/a just use water)
One cup chopped shitake mushrooms
One cup chopped Portobello mushrooms
One cup chopped white button mushrooms
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon fresh chopped basil
5 tablespoons crumbled goat cheese (or feta)
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon finely shredded parmesan cheese
salt and pepper (optional)
cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Add the teaspoon olive oil, garlic and onions to a large pan or skillet and sauté on medium-high heat for a few minutes until lightly browned. Throw in the mushrooms plus the tablespoon broth (or water) and cook for 3- 5 minutes, stirring often, until mushrooms are soft . Add the 10 mini pitas to a large baking sheet coated with cooking spray. To each pita add: 1 heaping tablespoon of the mushroom mixture, then 1 teaspoon chopped basil, and finish with ½ tablespoon goat cheese. Bake for 10 minutes, then sprinkle each with 1 teaspoon parmesan and continue to bake for a few more minutes until the cheese is melted. Add salt and pepper to taste if desired.

Makes 10 pitas, 10 servings

Serving size: 1 pizza-ette Calories 107 Protein 5 g Carb 15 g Fiber 2 g Sugars < 1 g Fat 3 g saturated fat 1 g Sodium 250 mg

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