Skinny Carrot and Avocado Salad

Today was the first day of my vegan experiment, and I have to say, it was entirely enjoyable.  I had a green monster smoothie (I'll post that recipe later in the week), an iced coffee with coconut milk, veggies and hummus, and a lovely carrot and avocado salad.  I feel satisfied, and stayed well within my points for the day.  The carrot salad was fantastic.  It is possibly the easiest dish I have ever made, and absolutely delicious.  You must make this as soon as possible.  Do it.

Skinny Carrot and Avocado Salad
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
Serving Size: 1/4 recipe
WW PointsPlus Value: 4

6 large carrots, washed and scrubbed
1 avocado, sliced
1 Tablespoon lemon juice, fresh squeezed
2 Tablespoons olive oil
salt, pepper, and cumin to taste

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Cut carrots into chunks, then toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, and cumin.  Bake on a baking sheet for 30 minutes, or until nice and dark.  
• Place on a plate and top with avocado slices and drizzle a bit of lemon juice on top.
• That's it!  It's almost too easy.  This would make a great first course for a dinner party. Since it requires so little prep time, you could spend more time and effort on the main dish.

Skinny Post-Vacation Vegan Cleanse

Summer is fading away.  The Back-to-School section of Target is set up, which is how you know the end is near.  I took the summer off blogging, and weight watchers, and the time has come to get back into both.  While I haven't put on an extrodianry amount of weight (thank you portion control), I do need to get back into a healthier diet.  I just got back from vacation in France and Spain where the food is often too delicious to pass up seconds (not one, not two, but three dishes of Patatas Bravas at La Dolça Herminia in Barcelona), so I think a cleanse is in order.  Now when I say "cleanse," I am by no means talking about an insane lemonade fast, or chalky shakes, or even this weird cookie thing.  I'm talking about a clean, healthy, vegan diet loaded with fresh fruit, veggies, beans, nuts, and rice.  I am going to post recipes later in the week as I make them, but above is a pic of my menu board for the week.  The menu chalkboard is a great way to visualize your meals for the week.  I list all the dishes I plan on making in a week, then cross them off as I make them.  This way, I can keep track of everything and don't end up wasting fresh produce hidden in the crisper drawer because I forgot I was going to make zucchini fritters...or beet cake...or jalapeno poppers...you get the idea.

Skinny Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

If you're like me, when you see the word "vegan" in a recipe, you think "yuck", ignore it, and go back to perusing other eggy/meaty/milky/cheesy recipes. However, in the baking world, vegan recipes tend to cut lots of fat and guilt out of cookies and cakes and other yummy treats. I finally got over my vegan-phobia and tried a chocolate cupcake recipe and you know what? They were pretty good! These little cupcakes are so moist and fluffy, you don't even notice their veganness. Plus they're so light, you can splurge on a rich frosting. I opted for a cream cheese frosting from my favorite blogger's cookbook, Joy the Baker. What better way to prepare for bathing suit season than eating yourself skinny with cupcakes? Okay, so there's some yoga involved, but mostly cupcakes :)

Skinny Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes
Serving Size: 1 Cupcake
WW PointsPlus Value: 2

1/2 cup buttermilk, lowfat
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup apple sauce, unsweet
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 6-muffin tin with cupcake liners. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and distribute evenly into liners. It will be a little runny, but don't worry, they'll come out nice and fluffy.

Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for 15 minutes, then frost and devour!

Skinny Cream Cheese Frosting
Adapted from the Joy the Baker Cookbook
Serving Size: 1 teaspoon
WW PointsPlus Value: 1

2 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
2 Tablespoons light butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Beat all ingredients until creamy. Apply to cupcakes and refrigerate any leftovers. Sneak to the fridge at midnight and eat the leftover frosting.

Skinny Cinco De Mayo: Taco Salad and Margaritas

Cinco de Mayo is this weekend, and what better excuse to eat lots of guacamole and drink margaritas? Since the chips, dip, and drinks are non-negotiables, I decided to make a taco salad to lighten the meal up. There are so many different ways to make a taco salad ranging from healthy to not-so-healthy to heart attack. I decided to make a healthier version of one that falls somewhere in the middle category. When I was a kid, one of the school lunch options was a "taco salad." This "taco salad" was a DIY situation that came in a styrofoam box and contained the following items: iceberg lettuce, salsa, shredded cheese, sour cream, beef chili, and one bag of nacho cheese flavored Doritos. I would carefully empty all contents in the styrofoam box, making sure the chips were crumbled into bite-sized pieces, then close the box, and shake it all up together. When opened, it looked like what you'd expect to find in a broken garbage disposal, but once that first plastic sporkful hit my tastebuds, it was nothing short of heavenly. I wanted to recreate something similar that would both satisfy my gustatory nostalgia (a la Swann's Way), while still appealing to my more sophisticated adult tastebuds. I finally decided on a salad using iceberg lettuce, lean ground beef, black olives, shredded cheese, pepper jack flavored tortilla chips, and a zesty homemade French dressing. It was perfect. Serve with chips and guacamole and a skinny margarita (recipe below).

Skinny Taco Salad
Serving Size: 1 salad (entire recipe)
WW PointsPlus Value: 5

2 oz cooked lean ground beef (seasoned with taco seasonings)
2 cups iceberg lettuce, chopped
1 Tablespoon sliced black olives
1 Tablespoon lowfat shredded cheese, Mexican style
5 cherry tomatoes
3 flavored tortilla chips, crushed
2 Tablespoons French or Catalina style dressing

Directions:

Mix all ingredients and serve on a large plate (or in a styrofoam box). Enjoy with a skinny margarita (or two).


Skinny Margarita
Serving Size: 1 drink
WW PointsPlus Value: 6

2 oz tequila
1 oz fresh lime juice
1/2 oz agave nectar
1 oz sparkling water
salt (optional, for rim)

Directions:

Combine all ingredients and serve over ice with a lime slice for garnish.

Skinny Takeout-Style Asian Dinner

I love takeout food. I blame all of my weight problems on cheap, delicious Thai food that can be at my doorstep with just the snap of a finger anytime I want. While you can defintely still enjoy eating out while watching your weight (I sure do), it's not something you want to make a habit of. Plus, you can easily make this dinner in less time than it would take to order in from a restaurant.

Skinny Ginger Salad Dressing

Serving Size: 1 Tablespoon

WW Points Plus Value: 1

1 cup carrot, roughly chopped

1 Tablespoon ginger, chopped

3 Tablespoons orange juice

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 Tablespoon sesame oil

2 Tablespoons rice vinegar

Directions:

• Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Blend well and chill. Serve over romaine lettuce and fresh avocado slices.

Skinny Broccoli and Shrimp in Garlic Sauce

Serving Size: 1 cup

WW Points Plus Value: 3

1 bunch broccoli florets

5 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 lb shrimp, raw

1/2 cup fat free beef broth

1 Tablespoon soy sauce

1 Tablespoon cornstarch

1 Tablespoon sesame oil

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place broccoli on a baking sheet, spray with a light mist of cooking spray and salt well. Bake until tops are browned and crispy, about 30 minutes.
• Combine garlic, broth, soy sauce, cornstarch, and oil in a large frying pan. Cook over medium-high heat until thick, then add broccoli and stir well. Turn heat to low and place shrimp under a broiler and cook for 3 minutes per side. Add to broccoli when done and gently stir in. Serve over rice, with an egg roll, or any way your little heart desires.

Exercise + 2 Skinny Spring Recipes

It's been a while since I've posted (sorry), but I thought I'd make up for it with some of my thoughts on exercise and a couple of delicious asparagus recipes.

I've already written a post about my complicated history with exercise, but I wanted to elaborate on my recent weight loss, and the exercise that played a part in it. I'll call this my Guide To Exercise For People Who Hate To Exercise:

1. Walk...everywhere. Anywhere within 2 miles should be walked to, if possible. Walking is free and easy. I try to walk as often as possible. I don't have a car, so walking is my main form of transportation. If you live in a city where you need a car, I'm sure there are times when you drive a short distance you could easily walk instead. Try to walk more, you'll be surprised how good it feels.

2. Dance! Dancing is great cardio, and it's fun so you don't realize how much work you're doing. You don't even have to go out to dance, just put on some music when you're at home doing chores and bust a move (nobody has to know).

3. Yoga. Yoga is my new favorite form of exercise. It's a calm, relaxing activity that leaves you feeling happy and serene. Plus it's a great total body workout where you can't believe how sore you are the next day.

4. When you do some exercise, reward yourself (not with food). Go out to a movie, or buy a new outfit. Give yourself incentive to do a little bit of work during the week. If everytime you took a walk, there was something fun at the end of it, you'd walk a lot more.

Now that you've got some exercise tips, I'll reward you (get it?) with a couple of spring asparagus recipes. I'm so excited for spring vegetables (and warmer weather) this year! The first warm day of the year, I went out and bought a big bunch of asparagus which starred in a delicious dinner and lunch the next day. My new favorite method of preparing asparagus is ribboning it. You just take a vegetable peeler and peel the asparagus into thin little ribbons which can be eaten raw. I tried them on a pizza and then in a delicious salad. Here are the recipes:

Skinny Asparagus Sausage Pizza

Serving Size: 2 slices

WW Points Plus Value: 5

1 pre-made whole wheat thin pizza crust

1/2 cup part skim mozzerella

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

1/4 lb spicy Italian style ground turkey sausage, cooked

1 bunch asparagus, ribboned

1 teaspoon olive oil

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Put the asparagus in a bowl and drizzle with the olive oil. Salt and pepper well, toss, and let sit for about 5 minutes.
• Top the pizza crust with cheeses, turkey sausage, and asparagus. Cook directly on rack in oven for about 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Serve with a white wine, or Peroni.

Skinny Strawberry and Asparagus Salad

Serving Size: 1/3 recipe

WW Points Plus Value: 2

1 bunch asparagus, ribboned

2 cups strawberries, very thinly sliced

2 Tablespoons pine nuts

2 Tablespoons white balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Whisk together oil and vinegar in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and toss gently. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Would be great as a side, or on its own for a light lunch.

Skinny Irish Soda Bread Scones

Traditional Irish soda bread is a very simple bread served with dinner. It usually consists of just four ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt, and buttermilk. However, if you go to an American grocery store around St. Patty's Day, you'll find Irish soda breads which are sweet, and filled with raisins and caraway seeds. I decided to make a more American interpretation. They're less of a dinner roll and more of a scone/muffin hybrid, but aren't as sweet. I had them with a bit of light butter and they were delicious.

Skinny Irish Soda Bread Scones

Serving Size: 1 scone (1/6th recipe)

WW PointsPlus Value: 3

1 cup white whole wheat flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon light butter
1 Tablespoon honey
1/2 cup lowfat buttermilk
1 egg white
1/4 cup raisins

1 teaspoon caraway seeds

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees and spray a muffin tin with butter flavored cooking spray. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl, then cut in butter until the texture resembles wet sand. Mix in remaining ingredients and pour into muffin tin.
• Bake for about 20 minutes and serve immediately. Happy St. Patrick's Day!