Picture this.  You have about 15 minutes to get dressed, 17 minutes if you put your lip gloss on in the car.  You’re standing in front of your closet, and everything you see looks like the leftovers you have from dinner three night’s ago.  The vapid articles of clothing hanging before you will do, but they’re nothing for which you’re going to do the happy dance.   You moan, “I have nothing to wearrrrrrr…” just one more time before you give up on your search.  So, you throw on the first thing you can grab (and that’s clean) and head out the door.  You’re dressed, but certainly not impressed.  Sound familiar?

Image Credit – myescapehatch.blogspot.com

Well, I’ve definitely been in that situation more than a few hundred times, and more recently, this has carried over to my choices in healthy snacking.  While my fridge has the usual suspects of apples, oranges, Greek yogurt, some carrot and celery sticks, and my cupboards are stocked with raw almonds, dried cranberries and rice crackers, I can’t help but want to utter, “I have nothing to eattttttt…!”  Enter Megafruit™.

Just when I was about to reluctantly eat yet another baby carrot, the samples from Megafruit™ arrived at my door.  They came in an unassuming little brown cardboard box, but when I opened it, I was pleasantly surprised.  My samples not only came in this vibrant and adorable packaging, but they were  safely nestled in a Megafruit™-branded wooden crate.  I’m a sucker for presentation and first impressions; this knocked my socks off!  Similar to how one would bring home fresh produce from a farm or farmers market, my Megafruit™ arrived as if it were handpicked.  Plus, I can only imagine the ways I can reuse my nifty new crate (Healthy Chow’s gotta lotta schiz that needs to be organized, if you know what I mean!).

Just a plain lil’ box…

Bam!  So surprisingly cute!

According to their website, “Megafruit™ is the next generation of Superfruits; products that have exceptional nutrient and antioxidant qualities whose benefits are not yet widely known.”  My samples of Megafruit™ came in 3 different flavors (the company’s initial product offering): mangosteen, baby pineapple and lychee.  While I’ve heard of these fruits, I must admit that I had no idea about their nutritional benefits.  Here are some of my favorite facts on each fruit:

Ever seen a mangosteen?

Mangosteen

• Called the queen of fruits
• Has been called the most delicious fruit in the world
• High level of Xanthones – considered to be the most powerful of all antioxidants

Oooh, baby!

Baby Pineapple

• Contains a myriad of beneficial minerals including:
  • Micronutrients may protect against cancer and break up blood clots
  • Bromelins that may block reduces swelling related to arthritis, sore throat, sinusitis
  • Manganese, aiding the healthy growth of tissue and bones
  • Fiber that will help in digestion and stimulate kidneys and aid in flushing toxins from the body

Lovely lychee

Lychee

• Has been claimed to be the fruit the Tang Dynasty Emperor used to woo his loved one, making it a fruit synonymous with love and romance
• Just 9 lychees or a handful of the fruit meets an adult’s recommended daily requirement of Vitamin C (contains 72mg per 100 grams)
• Contains flavonoids which have proven to be effective against the growth of cancer cells

Now that’s some fruit with some mega power!  And guess what?  The taste isn’t what I would call weak either.  Even though Megafruit™ doesn’t contain any sugar, preservatives or additives, it doesn’t mean this dried fruit is lacking in flavor.  In fact, they are delicious!  I’ve never tried a mangosteen before, so I had no idea what to expect.  The mangosteen was the first fruit I tried, and while the flavor is subtle, it is unique and has an indescribable exotic taste (sweet, yet a tad sour at the same time) that had me almost inhaling the entire bag in one sitting.  The baby pineapple is naturally sweet, not artificial tasting like some dried pineapple can taste.  Because the baby pineapple comes in large pieces, they were fun to chew and had a great texture.  This is Patrick’s favorite.  My favorite, hands down, is the lychee.  If you’ve never had lychee, please do yourself a favor and try this, NOW!  My grandmother used to serve us lychee after dinner over a bowl of ice water.  She would peel the fruit and stick toothpicks in them and I swear, I would eat at least 20 at a time.  I haven’t had lychee in years, so for both nostalgic and taste reasons, the lychee is number one for me.  A fresh lychee is crunchy like a grape, but has a much more fragrant and sweet taste.  Megafruit™’s version magically captured a fresh lychee’s essence.

If you can’t already tell, I’m a mega fan of Megafruit™.  For me, there is nothing like a piece of fresh fruit.  However, fresh fruit such as bananas, pears, grapes, etc., can get a bit mundane.  But what do you do when the not-so-common fruit that you do crave, and that tickles your palate is no where to be found?  The answer is in these little goodies that graced my taste buds the other day.  Not only are the flavors of Megafruit™ probably like nothing you’ve ever tasted, but they can provide you with health benefits like nothing you’ve ever known.  Similar to the dried fruit snack I reviewed in this post, Megafruit™ is a wholesome snack that is just the fruit in its most natural form.  There aren’t any fake colors or enhanced flavorings added to the dried fruit to make it appear more appealing.  The Megafruit™ pieces are rustic in appearance, and simply delectable.

The Terrific Trio…

If you’re looking for a quick snack that’s easily portable, healthy and unique, I highly recommend Megafruit™ (available soon on Amazon).  Reach for it the next time you’re in need of a nutritious boost, whether it be sitting at your desk at the office, after a good butt-kicking workout or when you’re on your 5th hour of running errands.  Or, maybe you can snack on a handful as you’re unenthusiastically trying to pick out Monday morning’s outfit.

Some creations I made with my Megafruit™:

Piña Colada Oatmeal – Megafruit™ baby pineapple, dried coconut and nonfat ricotta cheese

Tropical Lychee Orange Delight – Megafruit™ lychee, orange sherbet, Kashi Go Lean cereal and dark chocolate cocoa roast almonds

***If you’d like to win some of your own Megafruit™, not to mention a $100 gift card to Lululemon, check out the fantastic giveaway that Megafruit™ is having here!***

If you had to pick one, what would it be – fruits or vegetables?  What do you do to get out of a ‘wardrobe rut’? How about a ‘food rut’?

Namasté,
Nicole

I know I’m an avid yogi.  I talk about how it’s best to take your time, that we must have patience and how often times, we can learn from finding comfort in our own discomfort.  And while I still believe all those things are true, and certainly worth practicing in life, sometimes I just don’t want to wait.

Image Credit – icanhascheezburger.com

For example, I’m ready for spring.  I’m done with wearing my winter coat.  I’m sick of all this cold and dreary rain.  And I’m all set with craving things like inhaling a big bowl of steaming cheesy chili, being buried under a sea of blankets, and sipping mugs of hot tea.  But you can’t hurry the weather along (although the forecast says it’s going to be in the upper 70’s by this weekend) and you can’t help what you crave.  So what do you do when it’s not exactly warm enough for frozen mudslides, and you have a cupboard filled with hot chocolate?

Make chocolate cake!

Instant Hot Cocoa Raspberry Coconut Cake
Serves 1

• 1 packet of diet hot cocoa (I used Swiss Miss Sensible Sweets)
• 1/2 TBSP of cocoa powder (I used Hershey’s brand)
• 1/4 cup of oat flour (dry oats ground until they reach a flour-like consistency)
• 1 TBSP of all-purpose flour
• 1/2 TSP of baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1 TSP of organic dried coconut (I used Woodstock Farms brand)
• 1/4 cup of liquid egg whites
• 1 TSP of vanilla extract
• 2 TBSP of nonfat Greek yogurt (I used Trader Joe’s Greek Style Nonfat Plain Yogurt)
• 1 TBSP of sugar free raspberry preserves
• 2 TBSP of nonfat Greek yogurt (for topping, optional)

1) Lightly coat a shallow microwaveable bowl with cooking spray (I tried using a mug.  It was too deep, and my cake didn’t cook properly).

2) Combine the diet cocoa, cocoa powder, oat flour, flour, baking powder, salt and coconut.  Then, add the egg whites, vanilla extract and Greek yogurt.  Mix everything together until well-blended.

3) Smooth the mixture down into the bottom of the bowl and form the shape of a pancake.

4) Microwave for 45 seconds covered with a paper towel.

5) Carefully remove from microwave and stir in the raspberry preserves.  Smooth the mixture down again and shape into a pancake.  Microwave for another 35 – 45 seconds.

6) Eat straight from the bowl or remove to a plate.  Top with Greek yogurt, ice cream, frozen yogurt, agave nectar, whipped cream, chopped nuts, etc.  Instantly enjoy your hot chocolate-y dessert!

One word.  Sensational.  When I plopped all the above ingredients into a bowl and hit ’start’ on the good ole’ micro, I’ll have to admit that I was a bit leery.  I wanted a warm and sweet baked good, but wasn’t sure how cake-like (and how tasty) this would actually turn out.  I’ve made these microwaveable goodies before like here and here, and while they were quite appetizing, they were definitely more ‘breakfast’ than ‘dessert’.  My latest creation could be eaten at the start of the day, but I think it would be best having it post-dinner.  It’s definitely something with which you want to finish off your night.

The cocoa mix and cocoa powder gave this recipe just the right punch of chocolate and sweetness, while the dried coconut and raspberry preserves added to the layers of flavor.  For me, coconut just gives food an exotic and unique flare, and raspberry with chocolate is always a winning combination in my book.  The next time I make this recipe, I think I’ll add some chocolate chips and/or chocolate chunks at the end of the cooking time to give it a more ooey-gooey, rich chocolate texture.  Plus, I like having something to mop up with my cake.  It gives me something to do, so I can slow down the consumption of my dessert. (Make up your mind, Healthy Chow!  Do you wanna hurry up or slow down?!)

If you’re like me and you have a hard time waiting for things, I highly suggest you give my quick cake recipe a spin.  I guarantee it will put an instant smile on your face, but make your tummy and taste buds singing your praise for some time to come.

How do you practice patience?  Do you have any tips to help yourself slow down?  What’s your favorite quick dessert recipe?

Namasté,
Nicole

Initially, I was going to include a disclosure with this blog post.  I was going to tell you that while this is supposed to be a healthy food/lifestyle blog, most of the food you were going to see was by no means healthy, and something that should be consumed on a regular basis.  And then I realized, the dinner I had was mouthwateringly delicious, satisfying and each and every morsel was savored.  Thus, there was no need for an apology or a warning.

Image Source – flickr.com

A couple of weeks ago, FHC (Father Healthy Chow) invited me, Patrick, my sister and her boyfriend to dinner out in Chinatown.  While I love me some Chinese food (not Chinese-American food), I have a tendency to go a bit overboard and stuff myself silly.  It’s really quite hard to have self-restraint when everything tastes so dang good!  Plus, I like seeing the proud look on FHC’s face when he knows he’s ordered too much and then has to listen to us all moan, “Oh man!  How in the world are we going to be able to eat all of this?”  And then, I love watching him laugh when all of the dinner platters have been cleared – completely.

Being that there are so many restaurants in Chinatown, and to be perfectly honest with you I can’t tell the difference between them all, I let FHC make the selection.  He chose New Golden Gate Seafood Restaurant.  We had all been there before and had a wonderful meal, so no one had any objections to this being our dining destination.

The place was crowded!  Fortunately, FHC knows the management of the restaurant and was able to get us a big table.  Score! The waitstaff was rushing around taking orders and bringing out food, as their hungry patrons slurped up their meals and warmed up their bellies.  I pretended to peruse the menu, even though there was not a snowball’s chance that I was going to do any of the ordering.  FHC knows what we like, and we know we’re in good hands when he’s at the food ordering helm.  And while I was chitchatting with my sister and her boyfriend, I must have stopped paying attention for a split-second because all of the sudden, I saw an enormous sea creature coming towards me.

The one and only FHC!

People gettin’ their grub on!

They don’t call it a ‘king’ for nothing…

Oh yes!  It was an Alaskan King crab!  This is most certainly a delicacy (and an expensive one at that!), and one we only devour enjoy on special occasions.  This crustacean was big enough to feed a small army.  It was served three different ways: steamed with garlic, wok-fried with ginger and scallion, and poached (in its shell) with egg and pork.  They were each unique, and insanely scrumptious in their own right.

Steamed with fresh minced garlic

Wok-fried with ginger and scallion

All together…

Poached with egg, ground pork and scallion – ah-may-zing!

A lil’ bowl o’ deliciousness…

Next, came the vegetable (sadly, the only veggie of the night, but at least it was good!).  It was sautéed Chinese broccoli with Chinese sausage.  Chinese broccoli tends to be a bit more bitter than its American counterpart.  However, the Chinese sausage was salty and mildly sweet, which complemented the veggie quite nicely.  And if we didn’t have enough seafood already, soon arrived our deep-fried flounder.  My sister and I had asked for it to be steamed, but the waiter declined and advised that having it fried would serve as a much tastier version.  OK, twist my arm! The flounder was soft, succulent and fried to perfection.  Along with some soy sauce and fresh scallion slices, this could have been dinner on its own (but lucky for us, it was NOT!).  And just when we thought there was enough fried goodness to last us a lifetime, there was more in the queue.  However, Michelle and I requested our final dish to be ’sweet and sour pork’, and FHC heard ’salt and pepper pork’.  Not that the salt and pepper pork was something we’d send back to the kitchen, but the sweet and sour was something to which the table was looking forward.  This dish was a tad too salty, and really tasted more like batter than pork.  But who am I kidding?!  I ate it anyway!  Hehehehe!

Chinese broccoli with Chinese sausage – love that shade of green!

Crispy-fried flounder – hey fishie, fishie, fishie…!

Salt and pepper pork

At least I was eating off of an appetizer-sized plate!

We shared all of the dishes, as they were served family style.  There isn’t any ‘excuse my reach’ or ‘can you pass me that?’ going on at this dinner.  We simply Chowed and grabbed what we wanted to eat.  Dinner with FHC is usually relaxed, entertaining and filling.  That night’s dinner was no exception.  The food we enjoyed was exceptional, and the service we received was fast and attentive (I think FHC may have had something to do with that).  But, my favorite part of the night was seeing my dad and spending time with him.  He truly is one-of-a-kind.

Hi Dad!

To end our meal, we were served a warm and sweet red bean soup.  If you’ve never had this, you’re missing out.  It’s made with azuki beans, tangerine peel and brown sugar.  The combination may sound odd, but once you taste it and feel the warmth inside your tummy (and on top of all that food), you won’t find anything strange about it.  In fact, it’s said to aid in digestion.  Perfect!  And of course, no Chinese meal would be official without the fortune cookie.  Both of these sweet treats were a great way to finish our savory dinner.  I was happy as a clam (which is yet another dish FHC tried to order, but we quit while we were ahead)!

Warm red bean soup – good for digestion and for your taste buds!

Sorry, I forgot to take a picture of the actual fortune!

I hope you appreciated my recap of all the indulgent and delectable dishes we feasted upon in Chinatown.  It’s such a treat when I am able to dine like this, and I always look forward to it.  I get to have dinner with some of my favorite people, happily gorge myself on lip-smacking good food and enjoy a fun family night out.  When the night is filled with such wonderful things, how can I be sorry?

***Would you like a chance to win a new kitchen accessory?  If so, check out Meghan’s blog for her incredible giveaway!***

Do you like seafood?  What’s your favorite kind and your favorite way to prepare it?  If not, why not?

Namasté,
Nicole

Who can resist a baked good?  I certainly can’t.  And you won’t be able to either especially when you find out what’s inside these little treats…

We’re nearing that point in winter where all I can picture is warm weather, riding in the car (once I get mine back) with the windows down, wearing open-toed shoes and sporting less than four layers whenever I’m outside.  But that also means we’re nearing that time where the few pounds and inches that weren’t there on my body in the summer, are now making a guest appearance.  What can I say? When it’s cold and snowy outside, Healthy Chow likes her comfort food.  And comfort to me means lotsa melted cheese, fried goodness, things dipped in ooey-gooey chocolate and sugar-laden baked goods.  While those foods might be comforting to me in my time of winter depression and boredom, they really don’t make my tighter waistbands feel any more comfortable.

Image Credit – ehow.com

That said, when I was craving something sweet the other day and went to reach for a handful of my favorite chocolate covered peanuts with the hard candy shell, I suddenly stopped myself.  Realizing that when I overindulge in overly indulgent treats, it triggers my binge eating and I’m left feeling even worse.  But how can I deny my sweet tooth?  I don’t like depriving myself because I know I will end up doing even more damage down the road, our bodies don’t respond well to deprivation and it’s just not fun.  With that in mind, I started brainstorming recipes for baked goods that I could somehow ‘healthify’, pack with ingredients that would give me a boost in energy versus a sugar crash and quell the often deafening cries from my sweet tooth.

I finally came up with this…

Plenty o’ Protein Chocolate Orange Cranberry Bars
Makes 9 servings

• 1 15 oz. can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup of lite silken tofu (I used Nasoya brand)
• 2 TBSP of Smart Balance Light
• 1/2 cup of evaporated cane juice (I used Florida Crystals)
• 1/4 cup of dried cranberries, chopped
• 1.3 oz of dark chocolate cocoa roast almonds, finely chopped (I used Emerald brand)
• 1/3 cup of oat flour (dry oats ground until they reach a flour-like consistency)
• 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour
• 2 TBSP of cocoa powder (I used Hershey’s brand)
• 3 TBSP of orange juice
• zest from 1 medium-sized orange
• 2 TSP of vanilla extract
• 1/4 TSP of salt

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2) Lightly coat an 8×8-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

3) In a blender or food processor, blend the tofu until it is completely smooth.  It’s important that there are no lumps (or else you will get chunks of baked tofu in your bars).

4) Add the rest of your ingredients to the blender or food processor and blend until everything is close to being smooth (don’t worry, it will be a thick batter).  If you want a more textured bar or one with visible pieces of nuts, orange zest and cranberry, blend the tofu and cannellini beans until smooth and pour into a mixing bowl.  Add the rest of your ingredients to the bowl and mix until everything is well-blended.

5) Pour the batter into your baking pan and bake for 15 – 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out mostly dry and the top looks dry.

6) Let the bars cool for about 10 minutes in the pan.  Once cool, cut into pieces and then let them cool completely in the fridge before removing.

I’m not gonna lie, these bars were insanely delicious!  They were moist and pleasantly sweetened by the cocoa almonds and dried cranberries.  The flavor duo of the orange and cranberry was the perfect match for the subtle chocolate.  These bars were thick and fudgey, much like a brownie, but not as springy and cakey.  They are also pretty dense and filling being that they’re filled with cannellini beans and tofu.  You couldn’t taste either one of the ingredients at all.  I definitely believe that blending both of these very well helps to achieve a ‘bean and tofu-free’ tasting bar.  But then again, the fruit essence in this baked good more than takes over any other flavor that could emerge.  I drastically cut the amount of fat and oil in this recipe by only using a small amount of a butter substitute, along with a blend of silken tofu and bean purée.  There is more than enough moisture from these ingredients to keep this treat far from being dry and from lacking in richness.  If you haven’t tried using bean purée and/or silken tofu in your baked goods….really, what are you waiting for? Plus, because I didn’t have to use any eggs or dairy, this recipe is also vegan (note: Smart Balance Light is vegan)!

These bars were certainly a hit.  Not only did I totally dig them, but I didn’t have to twist Patrick’s arm to eat more than a few pieces.  In fact, his exact words were, “I’m not sure what you did to these, but they taste really good.  I can’t believe there’s actually bean and tofu in here.  It’s so weird, but in a good way.” HA!  I cracked up when he told me that, but totally knew it was a compliment.  Another benefit of these bars is that they will leave you feeling energized, and not lethargic as one tends to feel post-sugar high.  But while eating these bars won’t help me shed any of my winter weight, they are definitely a good alternative to some of the other ‘not-so-good’ treats I tend to find comforting.  And even though the warmer weather won’t come any sooner by eating any kind of food, perhaps my sweet tooth may finally go into hibernation…at least for a little bit.

A girlie magazine, a glass of cold milk and a sweet, but healthy, treat…my idea of comfort!

If you could compete in any Olympic event, winter or summer, which would it be?  Why?

***Speaking of sweet, check out the giveaway that Kerstin is holding on her blog right now!  If you’re a fan of crème brulee (and who isn’t?), this is for you!***

Namasté,
Nicole

“You’re once, twice, three times a layyyydddddddeeeeeeeee….”

Image Credit – east-side-patch.livejournal.com

I love reading blogs, whether they be healthy food, healthy lifestyle, yoga, cooking, baking, shopping or DIY, I love them all.  I enjoy reading how people create things, how they come up with these ideas and what the end result turns out to be.  Essentially, I love learning new things and reading blogs is one of the best ways for me to do so.  For example, I was fascinated by Kath’s Pumpkin Pie Cake (I demonstrated that here) ever since I read about it months and months ago and most recently, I’ve been consumed (some pun fun) by Tina’s 3-Minute Oatmeal Raisin Cookie.  Both of these recipes are so easy and seem so tasty that I had no choice but to give them a try.  Plus, they literally take minutes to assemble.  And the less time I have to wait and the faster I can eat means the sooner I’m a happier Healthy Chow.  That said, I kept these two recipes in the back of my mind (there’s actually an echo back there – hahahahaha!) and started doing some experimenting in the kitchen.

Image Credit – tumblr.com

My first foray into the world of microwaveable healthy sweet treats went pretty well.  I used a 1/2 cup of pumpkin, 1/4 cup of liquid egg whites, 1 TBSP of whole wheat flour, 1/2 TSP of baking powder, 1/2 TSP of cocoa powder, a sprinkle of cinnamon and a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice.  I plopped that all into a bowl I covered with cooking spray, mixed it all up and then microwaved on high for 2 1/2 minutes.  I topped it with some nonfat ricotta cheese and it tasted pretty good.  However, it seemed a bit ‘wet’ and didn’t have the cake-like consistency that I was looking for or for which I was craving.  Not bad, but not perfect either.

The next stab was kinda meh.  I decided I would use the same ingredients as in my first try, but added in some finely ground almonds (I chopped up 10 raw almonds in my food chopper until I got a finely ground consistency).  For whatever reason, the extra kick of almonds made this recipe taste weird.  Plus, it was a bit too pumpkin-y for my taste (le horror!) and still a bit too wet.  If at first you don’t succeed (and at second), try, try again!

Ding!  Ding!  Ding! The third time was a charm (or a lady)!  This time, my results were spot-on.  I achieved the consistency I was striving for, in addition to the flavor I was hoping to create.

Fee-Fi-Faux-Yum! Pumpkin Cake
Serves 1

• 1/4 cup of Libby’s 100% Pure Pumpkin
• 1/4 cup of old-fashioned dry oatmeal, finely ground (I measured out a 1/4 cup of dry oats and then ground them in my food chopper – it might be a tad less than a 1/4 cup after it’s been ground )
• 1/4 cup of liquid egg whites
• 1 TBSP of whole wheat flour
• 1/2 TSP of baking powder
• 1/4 TSP of cocoa powder (I used Hershey’s brand)
• a generous sprinkling of cinnamon, plus more for garnish
• a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice
• cooking spray
• agave nectar or maple syrup (optional)

1) Coat the bottom and sides of a shallow bowl with cooking spray.

2) Mix together the pumpkin, the ground oatmeal, the egg whites, the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice in the coated bowl until well-blended.  Spread the mixture down evenly at the bottom of your bowl until you get something that resembles a pancake.

Dry oats

Presto!  Finely ground oats…

In the mix…

Ready for baking (or microwaving…)

3) Microwave on high for 2 1/2 minutes, covered with a paper towel.  Be careful when taking the bowl out of the microwave as it will be extremely hot!

Hot!

4) Allow the cake to cool for about a minute.  Remove to a plate or eat straight from the bowl.  Top with a drizzle of agave nectar or maple syrup.  Sprinkle with a bit of cinnamon and devour!

It’s like magic…!

Incredible!  It’s a good thing I have a bit of stamina or this little diddy may never have come to fruition.  While my first couple of tries at this were less than stellar, the final attempt was a huge success.  This tasted just like a piece of carrot cake, even though there wasn’t a speck of carrot in it.  Plus, the combination of the cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and the agave nectar made this healthy treat taste more ‘treat’ than ‘healthy’.  The addition of the ground oatmeal helped to give this dish the much needed fluff factor.  My other attempts fell sort of flat (more pun fun) because there wasn’t enough substance to the recipe.  Plus, I reduced the amount of pumpkin in order to make this more cake-like versus bread pudding-like.  There was just the right amount of sweetness and protein to make this dish both appetizing and filling.  This is definitely going in the rotation for both breakfast and dessert!

Can’t wait to dig in!

What a cake walk!

“Hello?…Is it me you’re looking for?” – yes, my Fe-Fi-Faux-Yum! Pumpkin Cake, you are what I’m looking for!

Is there any music you remember from your childhood that you now love?  My mom used to always play Lionel Richie, Michael Jackson, Luther Vandross, Barry White, etc. in the house and they have now become some of my favorites.  What are some of yours?

Namasté,
Nicole

If you read my last post, you’ll know that I was in cookie heaven this past weekend.  I attended my first cookie swap and was excited to see what all the party guests were going to bring.  But, if I was excited to find out what they were going to be making and bringing to the party, I figured they were all anticipating the same about me.  Thus, I wanted to find a recipe that was different, somewhat ‘healthy’, delicious (obvi) and something that I could easily execute.  With all the various criteria I wanted in my cookie recipe, it took me more than a few minutes of searching both on and offline to find the right one.  Just when I was about to give up and go with the standard chocolate chip cookie, I found the perfect recipe!

Lemon Almond Cranberry Crescents
Inspired by Whole Living
Makes 3 dozen

• 1/4 cup of evaporated cane juice (I used Florida Crystals)
• 1/8 cup of agave nectar (I used Trader Joe’s brand)
• 1/2 cup raw almonds, finely ground (I used close to 2 individual serving bags of Trader Joe’s raw almonds)
• 6 TBSP of Smart Balance 50/50 Butter Blend Stick (thank for the idea, Shannon!)
• 1/2 cup of unsweetened applesauce
• 1 TBSP of fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 TSP of lemon zest
• 1/4 cup of dried cranberries, chopped (again, more Trader Joe’s brand)
• 1 1/2 cups plus 1 TBSP all-purpose flour
• Vanilla sugar, for rolling

1) Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix until combined, about 2 minutes (I used my hands).

I used my food chopper to chop up my almonds until they were finely ground…

The ground almonds with the Smart Balance and unsweetened applesauce…

Now with the all-purpose flour, dried cranberries, lemon juice and lemon zest…

Once giant ball of dough…

2) Let rest at room temperature for 2 hours.

3) Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Roll 1 tablespoon of dough into a crescent shape.  Place on a baking sheet.  Repeat.  Bake until light golden brown, 20 – 25 minutes.  Cool on trays for 10 minutes.

Roll a tablespoon worth of dough into a long tube shape …

Bend into a crescent shape until it looks like an um,…a crescent!

Ready to bake!

4) Roll in vanilla sugar*

It’s more of a ‘vanilla sprinkling’ versus a ‘vanilla rolling’…

*From giftsfromyourkitchen.com – To make vanilla sugar, combine 2 cups of evaporated cane juice (or sugar) and 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract.  Mix until well-blended.  Spread vanilla sugar onto a wax paper-lined tray.  Let dry for about 4 hours.  Place vanilla sugar in a sealable plastic bag.  Seal and crush vanilla sugar with a rolling pin until smooth.  Or, place vanilla sugar in a large bowl and crush with the back of a spoon until smooth.  Store vanilla sugar in an airtight container.  You can also make vanilla sugar by splitting two vanilla beans and placing them in an airtight container with 2 cups of evaporated cane juice (or sugar).  Let stand overnight and up to 3 months.

These cookies (or crescents) were great!  While they technically were ‘cookies’, I felt that they had more of a tea biscuit/biscotti taste.  The original recipe seemed a bit bland when I first read through it, but served as a good base.  I felt that it needed some sprucing up and could use a little zing.  But, I didn’t want to add any more sweetener or too many more calories.  Thus, I threw in some dried cranberries, lemon juice and lemon zest to give this recipe some much needed tartness and zip.  The result was fantastic!  While I was skeptical about the vanilla sugar and the impact that it would make on the cookies, the vanilla sugar actually gave the cookie a nice subtle sweetness that paired well with the lemon flavoring.  The size of these crescents were also perfect – both for the cookie swap and for my consumption.  Like potato chips (and french fries), I can’t just have one cookie.  But because these cookies were small and were only about 60 calories each, I didn’t feel so bad eating a few at a time

I felt my crescents were a nice addition to the smörgåsbord of cookies at Shannon’s party.  Just like every person has their place on this earth, my cookie had its place at the swap.  I liked what Elina said on her blog post best, “Nicole’s lemon almond cranberry crescents – such light, sophisticated little bites.”  Thanks Elina! That said, I’ll hold my pinky up, sip my tea and enjoy another one of my cookies (in addition to the rest of glorious treats I brought home).

Does anyone know any good hand stretching techniques?  My left thumb is getting achy from constantly using the left mouse-click on my laptop.  Maybe I need to do some hand yoga?

Namasté,
Nicole

***Guess what?  Vee is doing a series of interviews with bloggers about their take on both mental and physical health.  I had the honor of being her first interviewee!  You can check it out here.  Thank you again, Vee!  It was a blast!***

Life as a food blogger is so hard…

Yeah right!  When Shannon invited me to her cookie swap, I was so excited that I practically yelled at my computer screen.  I had never been to a cookie swap before and the thought of attending one with local food bloggers was enough to make me jump for joy.  I immediately replied yes to Shannon’s email (after all, she can’t hear me yelling through my computer) and began my search for the ultimate cookie recipe.

Image Credit – newenglandcoaching.com

But finding the ultimate cookie just wasn’t as easy as I had anticipated.  Do you know how many recipes there are out there?  Holy moly!  And because my blog is called ‘healthychow’, I wasn’t sure if I should make a recipe that was ‘guilt-free-esque’ or if I should just throw that idea out the window and make a cookie that was fully indulgent, fully fattening and chock full of calories.  I didn’t want to stress over this little matter, but I also wanted my first cookie swap recipe to be pretty darn good.  But then I realized, cookies are cookies and the whole point of a cookie swap is to be able to taste a vast array of these baked goods and to see and appreciate all kinds of recipes.  So, I just went with my gut (lame pun intended) and baked the cookie that sounded the best to me.

Finally, the day had arrived!  I was so happy all day Sunday before the swap.  I’m not sure if it was because I just love a good party or if it was in anticipation of all the yummy treats I was going to be consuming.  Whichever the case was, I was psyched by the time I reached Shannon’s door.  Shannon’s home was cute and cozy and so inviting.  Because Shannon literally lives down the street from me, I was able to burn off a few calories while taking my brisk walk over to her house.  I felt that if I could burn a few calories before consuming a few thousand, it was better than nothing.  Right?

Image Credit – foundation.wchob.org

I can’t believe the amount of cookies!  There were a total of 10 guests at the party, meaning there were going to be 10 different kinds of cookies and each guests was going to be taking home about 3 – 4 cookies of each.  Ummm, that meant we were all going to be taking home a shiz-nit load of cookies!  Oh.em.gee!  Among the guests were Shannon (obvi), Adrienne, Mary-Kate, Elina, Tina, Kerstin, Kelly, Rebecca (Shannon’s friend who was also present at my apple picking adventure), Bridget and me (another obvi).  I was so impressed!  Each of the cookies present were so unique and had their own individual flare, much like the guests and their respective blogs.  I was in blogger and cookie heaven!

Cookies galore!

And so we wouldn’t go into an immediate cookie coma, Shannon, being the wonderful host that she is, provided us with some delicious snacks.  After all, it wouldn’t be appropriate to just eat cookies all afternoon…or would it ?  We all slowly nibbled on the savory finger foods in order to prep our bellies for the main event.  Everything was so tasty and I wanted so much to eat more of the snacks, but I knew I had to save room.  It’s a good thing I wasn’t wearing a baggy pair of stretchy sweat pants!

Salmon mousse with crackers and cucumber slices

Coconut-chai almonds (made by Shannon – so good!), smokey bacon potato chips (brought by Elina), mini pear, walnut and Gorgonzola quiches (made by Shannon – loved the sweet and savory combo!)

The guests of honor:

Cookie Dough Truffles by Kelly and Chocolate Crinkle Cookies by Elina

Lime Meltaways by Adrienne

Maple Toffee Bacon Cookies by Shannon

Break-up Bars (Chocolate Caramel Bars) by Rebecca

Butterscotch Chocolate Chip Bars by Tina

Black and White cookies by Mary-Kate

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars by Kerstin

Lemon Almond Cranberry Crescents by Me

After we devoured sampled all the various types of cookies and packed up the rest to take home, we let our sugar highs slowly come down by playing a round of Foodie Fight.  This was a Trivial Pursuit type of game that only involved questions about food.  How perfect!  We took turns reading off questions and answering them until we were able to fill all the ‘pies’ (hahaha!).  I couldn’t believe how tough some of the questions were, but even more so, I couldn’t believe the party guests actually knew the right answers.  Needless to say, we laughed a lot and learned a bunch and fortunately, we didn’t eat anymore cookies!

Mary-Kate and Kerstin

Shannon reading some trivia questions

Bridget, Tina and Kelly

Kerstin, Adrienne and Elina

If you couldn’t already tell, I had a blast at my first cookie swap.  Shannon gave a great get-together (that’s a lot of ‘G’s’!) and was a gracious host (one more ‘G’).  I had so much chatting it up with the ladies and of course, tasting all of their heavenly creations.  Even though this was a cookie swap, we also traded laughs, smiles and stories that I’ll be sure to remember for quite some time.  And while I may have eaten more cookies than any normal person should on one given day, I would never swap this good time for anything else.

My loot

I’m having a serious sugar overload at the moment (oh yes, I had more cookies today!).  Do you have any tips to help me snap out of this? I think I am going to drink some hot water with lemon…

Namasté,
Nicole

OK, this might be weird, but I’m gonna throw it out there anyway.  Do you ever have the need or craving to eat a piece of fruit (mainly citrus) after a heavy, savory and filling meal?  Even if I am filled to the gills, that taste for something cold and citrus-y makes me feel better (or at least it makes me think I’m going to feel better).  Similar to how Chinese food restaurants will often times serve a plate of sliced oranges or pineapple chunks post-dinner, I look for fruit to help cut down on that greasy taste in my mouth and belly.  For whatever reason, it seems to work (for me at least).  For that reason, when I was perusing the internet for dessert recipes for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, I was looking for something on the ‘lighter’ side and something that involved a fresh fruit taste.  I knew that we’d all be stuffed with heavy foods like lasagna, mashed potatoes, roast beef, roast turkey and stuffing that by the time dessert rolled around, we’d be looking for something to cut that ‘ugh’ feeling one tends to get after a big holiday meal.  I remembered my sister’s boyfriend’s key lime pie that he made for MHC’s birthday dinner and how I kept thinking it was so light and almost seemed to magically get rid of the heaviness in my stomach.  That said, I decided to make a Healthy Chow version of this classic dessert.

So Fly Key Lime Yogurt Pie
From Eat Better America
Serves 8

• 2 TBSP of cold water
• 2 TBSP of fresh lime juice
• 1 1/2 TSP of unflavored gelatin (I used Knox brand)
• 4 oz. (half 8-oz package) fat-free cream cheese, softened
• 3 containers (6 oz each) Yoplait® Light Thick & Creamy Key lime pie yogurt
• 1/2 cup frozen (thawed) reduced-fat whipped topping plus more for garnish (I used Cool Whip Lite)
• 2 TSP of grated lime peel/zest plus more for garnish (you will need about 3 limes, 1 lime doesn’t give much zest)
• 1 reduced-fat graham cracker pie crust (6 oz.) (I used Keebler brand)

1) In small saucepan, mix water and lime juice.  Then, sprinkle the gelatin on the lime juice mixture and let it stand for 1 minute.  It will start looking very gelatinous (like Jello!).

Clearly magical!

2) Heat mixture over low heat, stirring constantly, until gelatin has completely dissolved.  Then, let the gelatin mixture cool slightly for about 2 minutes.

3) In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese.  I used a fork and mashed the cream cheese around until it was well-blended (since it’s already been softened, it doesn’t take much effort).  Add the yogurt and lime juice mixture to the cream cheese and mix again until well-blended.

Just beat it!

Like a light green cloud…

4) Add your whipped topping and lime zest and fold into the cream cheese mixture.

It kinda looks like ranch dressing…

5) Pour the cream cheese mixture into crust.  Make sure it is spread out evenly.  Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.

Ready to chill…

6) Garnish with more lime zest and lime slices and serve with a dollop of whipped topping.  Dig in!

Lotsa lime zest (in a reused margarine container – gotta think green!)

As I mentioned in my previous post, because this was such a breeze to make and I like to make things easy as pie (get it?) for myself, I decided to make a double-batch of this recipe on Christmas Eve morning.  This was a tad risky on my part considering I had no idea how it was going to taste and I was going to bring this dessert to two separate events.  Well, I gambled and I won!  This dessert was a hit both times!  The guests at both parties really seemed to enjoy the tartness of the lime and how ‘light and airy’ this dessert tasted.  In fact, they had a tough time believing that this dessert was low in calories and low in fat.  I had to giggle at times because the main ingredient in this dessert was just key lime pie flavored yogurt and people kept asking how I made this creation.  I wish I could have told them that I slaved over this recipe for hours, but I can’t tell a lie.  Nevertheless, my key lime pie received rave reviews and managed to achieve what I had in mind – make my full belly feel lighter and cut the grease from the heavy foods.  And if lime is not your cup of tea, you can use lemon, vanilla or orange flavored yogurt as a substitute and add in lemon or orange zest/juice or vanilla bean.  Not too shabby, huh?

Image Credit – theproducersperspective.com

So let’s run through this again.  This recipe is easy to make, is a relatively healthy treat, contains inexpensive ingredients, tastes amazing, is versatile and helps in digestion (at least in my mind)…I think it’s time to label this recipe with a gold star and bookmark it in my recipe folder.  It’s definitely a KEY-per!  Hahahahaha!

What’s your favorite kind of pie?  Or, do you prefer a savory pie (meat pies, Shepard’s pie, pizza pie)?

Namasté,
Nicole

***I wrote this post a few months back but wanted to post it after our friends, Matt and Laura, left for Italy.  As a tribute to them, I thought I would post it today.  Matt, Laura and Giulia – I hope you are having fun in Italy! ***

I have a sweet tooth.  While I think I have more of a french fry tooth (and no, I don’t have a ranch tooth.  But that would be hilarious if I did!), my sweet tooth does have a tendency to rear its ugly head more often than I would like.  So, while I try to quell it with things like dried figs dipped in honey, dark chocolate melted over strawberries and peanut butter covered apples, sometimes all Healthy Chow wants is a little brownie.

Image Credit – allstarhealth.com

Now, I’m not trying to say there’s anything wrong with craving a real baked good every now and again, but the problem is, once I start, I just can’t stop.  So instead of denying myself the pleasure of having a piece of pastry, I allow myself to have that treat.  But, I try to do it in as smart of a way as I can.  Thus, when my friend, Laura, asked if I would like to come over to her house to bake and then test the No Pudge Brownies, Healthy Chow was all in!  Plus, I had the chance to cook in someone else’s kitchen (which I love) and it was a good way to spend girls’ night in with two of my favorite ladies – Laura and her two year-old daughter, Giulia.

Laura was as excited as I to try out this product.  We had seen it at Trader Joe’s, the regular grocery stores and even at Target, and while we were both intrigued, we had both never opted for a pudge-free baked good.  Laura is one of those lucky people that just doesn’t seem to have a craving for sweets.  Unless she hides it too damn really well, I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen my friend indulge in a baked good.  She claims she just really doesn’t crave sweets.  Huh?! Is this possible?  Not in the world of Healthy Chow! Hell to the no!  But Laura and I both strive to eat well and know the importance of a well-balanced diet and exercise.  That said, we’re constantly trading health and fitness secrets and sharing tips on how to make everyday meals and the foods we love a little more figure friendly.  And we could both chat for hours on just about any topic, so our ‘bake n’ bitch’ was a perfect way to end a long week.

After getting Giulia bathed and settled into bed with one of her favorite DVD’s, we made a b-line to the kitchen to get our brownies going.  Like any other brownie mix, the instructions could not be any easier.  You simply take the mix out of the box and dump into a bowl and then mix in some nonfat vanilla yogurt (or you can substitute plain nonfat yogurt with a teaspoon of vanilla extract).  Once that is blended well, you dump it into a greased pan.  Bake and voilà!  The brownies are done!  Easy as pie (actually, pies are a lot tougher to make).

We used a food processor instead of hand mixing in a bowl – gotta make sure it’s smooth!

We used Stonyfield Farm yogurt…

with vanilla extract…thanks for modeling, Laura!

Ooohh, looks like ice cream!

While the brownies were baking and Giulia was still trying to find Nemo, Laura and I enjoyed a cup of tea and caught up on just about everything.  We talked about her upcoming job interview in Milan and how if things went well, she and her family would be moving as soon as the beginning of next year.  While it was sad to know a close friend of mine could possibly be moving to another country, I was happy for her and excited that she had this amazing opportunity.  Selfishly, I wish she and her family would stay in Boston because they are such great friends and support systems to both me and my husband.  Patrick and Laura’s husband, Matt, are very close friends, practically brothers, and Giulia is our goddaughter.  Needless to say, there’s going to be a void in our lives if Laura is offered the job and accepts.  But life is about exploration, growth and change and as good friends, the only feeling we can have is true happiness.

Like her mom, little Giulia likes shoes…

After about 30 minutes, the brownies were done baking and we were ready to eat.  They smelled incredible (but then again, when do baking brownies don’t?) and looked just like the any other brownies would.  And the taste?  They were quite good!  They didn’t have that velvet-y and soft consistency like a traditional fudge flavored brownie and they certainly weren’t as dense and rich, but then again they didn’t have the added oil and/or eggs either.  Considering we only added yogurt to the mix, these brownies were not dry at all and were quite chocolate-y tasting.  I’d even venture and say that they almost had a ‘dark chocolate’ taste versus a ‘milk chocolate’ taste.  Combined with our hot tea, these brownies were definitely a winner!  Although making your own ‘healthier’ brownies from scratch would not be that much more difficult than making the No Pudge brownies, this was definitely a great option if you’re looking to fix your chocolate craving in a fast and ‘less-pudgy’ way.  We both thoroughly enjoyed our baking job for the evening and savored each and every bite.

Hmmm, fresh out of the oven…

A few days ago, Laura made the announcement that she was offered the job in Milan and accepted.  While we weren’t shocked that she was made the offer (Laura is a very hardworking and talented individual), we were surprised that Laura would have to move as early as this November (the whole family would move in January 2010).  Moving to Italy was always something Laura and Matt considered doing, but when it became a reality, it definitely hit me hard.  Being able to have such wonderful friends live so close by and being able to watch our goddaughter blossom into a beautiful little girl is truly a blessing.  It’s that comfort of knowing you have your very close friends living only minutes away from you that I’m honestly going to miss.  But it’s the strength our our friendship that I’ll always value and our strong bond that will continue – no matter how many oceans apart we are.  Spending time with Laura and Giulia at our girls’ night in is something that I’ll cherish and remember, especially after November.  But like the brownies we baked tonight, life must be enjoyed and can’t be kept in a box.  We have to be open to trying new things and see the possibilities that our lives can brings us.  And when we do take the chance to venture out and spread our wings, life can be sweet and definitely worth indulging in.

Delish!

hello, sweetie…

As Sting says,

If you love somebody,
If you love someone,
If you love somebody,
If you love someone, set them free
Set them free…
Set them free…
Set them free…

So maybe in Italy I’d be called Healthy Ciào?!  I like the sound of that…!

Would you ever move to another country to take a job?

Namasté,
Nicole