This is my birthday week and I went in to see the doctor for my annual check-up. The news was not what I wanted to hear. The winter’s procrastination on going to the gym and the “comfort” foods I’d been indulging in not only had my weight up, but my cholesterol and triglycerides as well. But, for the first time in my life, my blood sugar was too high. It isn’t diabetic yet, but too high.
Zig’s check-up was okay, but he, too, needs to change his life-style. So, instead of getting depressed and stopping at the Dairy Queen to cheer ourselves up, I decided I really needed to find food that we would both enjoy that would be healthier.
I really like vegetables and whole grains—I am also fond of chicken and tolerate fish pretty well—but Zig is definitely a meat and potatoes man. For someone who likes to cook and experiment as much as I do, it is a bit frustrating to be married to a man who is very content to have hot dogs and beans or hamburgers—who buys his own white bread if I don’t and loves cookies, pie, cake, ice cream… In his defense, he is very appreciative of all the cooking I do and eats what I make. But it isn’t as much fun to cook for someone who you know isn’t crazy about the food. So, many times I fix dinners I know he will really like even if they aren’t super healthy.
The challenge is on to find food we both really like and that is healthy. I have so many resources to turn to that I decided that I had no excuses and really must do it this time. The challenge has just started and I’m not sure how it will go, but the first meal that I made was a big success.
Menu
Macaroni and Cheese
Stir-fried Vegetables
Gingerbread with Lemon Sauce
Baked Macaroni and Cheese
3 Tbsp cornstarch
3 cups skim milk
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
2 Tbsp. grated onion
¾ tsp. dry mustard
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1 (16-oz) pkg. elbow macaroni cooked al dente without salt or fat
½ cup low-fat cottage cheese
Cooking spray
¼ tsp. paprika
Combine cornstarch and milk in saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook, stirring constantly for 5 minutes or until slightly thickened; remove from heat. (Be careful not to scorch). Add Cheddar cheese, 3 Tbsp. Parmesan, grated onion, mustard, salt, pepper, cooked macaroni and cottage cheese and mix well. Spoon mixture into a 13x9x2-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp. Parmesan and paprika. Cover with foil. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Yield: 8 servings at 337 calories per 1-cup serving.
Stir-Fried Vegetables
1 ½ tsp. cornstarch
1 ½ tsp. sugar
¼ tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. pepper
½ cup water
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 ½ pounds fresh broccoli
Cooking spray
2 tsp. canola oil
½ cup thinly sliced onion
1 cup diagonally sliced carrots
1 cup coarsely shredded cabbage
1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds
Combine cornstarch, sugar, ginger and pepper; stir in water and lemon juice, mixing well. Set aside. Remove flowerets from stems of broccoli and set aside. Prepare all vegetables as above. Coat a wok with cooking spray. Pour oil around top of preheated wok. When wok is hot add onions and stir-fry 4 minutes. Add broccoli and carrots and stir fry 5 minutes. Add cabbage and stir-fry for 2 more minutes. If mixture becomes too dry, add a tablespoon of water to wok. Add cornstarch mixture to wok and cook, stirring constantly until thickened. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve hot. Makes 8 servings at 53 calories per serving.
Gingerbread with Lemon Sauce
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup yellow corn meal
¾ tsp. ground ginger
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
¼ cup apple sauce
¼ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
½ cup mild-flavored molasses
½ cup buttermilk
Grease 9” round cake pan; set aside. In bowl sir together flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder and baking soda; set aside. In large mixing bowl beat sugar, oil and applesauce until well blended. Add egg and molasses; beat 1 minute. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk to mixture, beating on low speed after each addition until combined. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake at 350 for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool for 30 minutes. Serve warm with lemon sauce.
Lemon Sauce
2/3 cup sugar
½ cup water
¼ cup lemon juice
4 tsp. cornstarch
2 tsp. finely shredded lemon peel
1 Tbsp. butter
Few drops yellow food coloring
In a small saucepan stir together the sugar and cornstarch. Stir in the water, lemon peel and lemon juice. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute. Stir in butter and food coloring. Serve warm over gingerbread.
Zig’s check-up was okay, but he, too, needs to change his life-style. So, instead of getting depressed and stopping at the Dairy Queen to cheer ourselves up, I decided I really needed to find food that we would both enjoy that would be healthier.
I really like vegetables and whole grains—I am also fond of chicken and tolerate fish pretty well—but Zig is definitely a meat and potatoes man. For someone who likes to cook and experiment as much as I do, it is a bit frustrating to be married to a man who is very content to have hot dogs and beans or hamburgers—who buys his own white bread if I don’t and loves cookies, pie, cake, ice cream… In his defense, he is very appreciative of all the cooking I do and eats what I make. But it isn’t as much fun to cook for someone who you know isn’t crazy about the food. So, many times I fix dinners I know he will really like even if they aren’t super healthy.
The challenge is on to find food we both really like and that is healthy. I have so many resources to turn to that I decided that I had no excuses and really must do it this time. The challenge has just started and I’m not sure how it will go, but the first meal that I made was a big success.
Menu
Macaroni and Cheese
Stir-fried Vegetables
Gingerbread with Lemon Sauce
Baked Macaroni and Cheese
3 Tbsp cornstarch
3 cups skim milk
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
2 Tbsp. grated onion
¾ tsp. dry mustard
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1 (16-oz) pkg. elbow macaroni cooked al dente without salt or fat
½ cup low-fat cottage cheese
Cooking spray
¼ tsp. paprika
Combine cornstarch and milk in saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook, stirring constantly for 5 minutes or until slightly thickened; remove from heat. (Be careful not to scorch). Add Cheddar cheese, 3 Tbsp. Parmesan, grated onion, mustard, salt, pepper, cooked macaroni and cottage cheese and mix well. Spoon mixture into a 13x9x2-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp. Parmesan and paprika. Cover with foil. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Yield: 8 servings at 337 calories per 1-cup serving.
Stir-Fried Vegetables
1 ½ tsp. cornstarch
1 ½ tsp. sugar
¼ tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. pepper
½ cup water
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 ½ pounds fresh broccoli
Cooking spray
2 tsp. canola oil
½ cup thinly sliced onion
1 cup diagonally sliced carrots
1 cup coarsely shredded cabbage
1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds
Combine cornstarch, sugar, ginger and pepper; stir in water and lemon juice, mixing well. Set aside. Remove flowerets from stems of broccoli and set aside. Prepare all vegetables as above. Coat a wok with cooking spray. Pour oil around top of preheated wok. When wok is hot add onions and stir-fry 4 minutes. Add broccoli and carrots and stir fry 5 minutes. Add cabbage and stir-fry for 2 more minutes. If mixture becomes too dry, add a tablespoon of water to wok. Add cornstarch mixture to wok and cook, stirring constantly until thickened. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve hot. Makes 8 servings at 53 calories per serving.
Gingerbread with Lemon Sauce
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup yellow corn meal
¾ tsp. ground ginger
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
¼ cup apple sauce
¼ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
½ cup mild-flavored molasses
½ cup buttermilk
Grease 9” round cake pan; set aside. In bowl sir together flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder and baking soda; set aside. In large mixing bowl beat sugar, oil and applesauce until well blended. Add egg and molasses; beat 1 minute. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk to mixture, beating on low speed after each addition until combined. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake at 350 for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool for 30 minutes. Serve warm with lemon sauce.
Lemon Sauce
2/3 cup sugar
½ cup water
¼ cup lemon juice
4 tsp. cornstarch
2 tsp. finely shredded lemon peel
1 Tbsp. butter
Few drops yellow food coloring
In a small saucepan stir together the sugar and cornstarch. Stir in the water, lemon peel and lemon juice. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute. Stir in butter and food coloring. Serve warm over gingerbread.
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