Vegetable Mind Games-Eggplant

When I picked up my CSA basket and saw purple I wasn't sure if I should be excited or bummed out. Eggplant was something I had been hoping for... but I didn't think that through. What on earth do you make with this stuff?!? So after several days of staring at the alien looking bulb that hid in my fridge and scouring the internet, I devised a plan. Ratatouille. Not knowing what eggplant would taste like on it's own, I figured hiding it in with other veggies I already liked would be smart. (Aka; I could pick it out if it was nasty and eat the rest of the veggies.)
Now, I'm not the type of person to carefully layer veggies and wait while it bakes so I knew that I needed something easier. In fact, if I was gonna make ratatouille, it needed to be quick enough to make during the week, and tasty enough that I would want to. After consulting a co-workers wife, Regana, who is not intimidated by alien looking vegetables, the Weeknight Ratatouille was born.

Weeknight Ratatouille
1 eggplant
4 zucchini (or 2 zucchini and 1 large yellow squash)
1 onion
3 cloves garlic, pressed or finely chopped
1 package sliced mushrooms
3 tablespoons olive oil
2-4 tomatoes (depending on size)
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon basil
1 tablespoon thyme
salt and pepper to taste
Chop the eggplant and zucchini into bite sized pieces. Slice the onion into strips.  Add olive oil to a very large skillet and add the eggplant, zucchini, onions, mushrooms, garlic and seasonings. Saute until the eggplant is brown. Chop the tomatoes into bite sized pieces. Add those tomatoes and the can of stewed tomatoes to the pot with the veggies. Cook another 10-20 minutes. I personally like to eat this over rice, couscous or on a piece of whole wheat toast, but it is really good on its own.

There is nothing in this dish that is considered a starchy veggie, all the veggies in this dish actually count as veggies! One word of caution though... it is REALLY easy to overeat on this because it's so good. One serving is 1/2 cup. If you have it for dinner you can get away with 1 cup to fulfill the 2 veggie requirement. If you manage to eat 1 1/2 cups don't beat yourself up...just count it as your carb for that meal.

Vegetable Mind Games - Creamy Spinach

Back again with spinach, why? Because it is super healthy. Duh.

When someone first mentioned Creamed Spinach to me, I have to admit that I turned up my nose. It didn't sound appealing in anyway and I honestly have no idea what made me decide to try it.
Perhaps I figured that it wasn't a big loss if it failed. After all a bag of spinach is fairly cheap, so if it bombed I could throw it away guilt free.

Well, we definately did not throw it away. In fact, my husband stole my test version so I made another batch. Plus I picked up more spinach to make it again this week. Let me introduce you to my new comfort food:

Creamy Spinach with Garlic

1 tbs garlic, minced
1 tbs olive oil  
1 bag (10 oz) fresh spinach

1/2 cup fat free sour cream

1 tablespoon garlic power
2 tbs Parmesan
1/8 tsp nutmeg

salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large skillet. Saute garlic and add in handfuls of spinach, allowing them to wilt before adding another. Once all the spinach is in the pan, reduce the heat, add in sour cream, seasonings and Parmesan. Remove from heat and let rest a minute before serving.

Compared to classic Creamed Spinach that can cost you as much as 280 points and 23 grams of fat, 15 of that are from saturated fat, this is so much better for you. I do have the benefit of not ever having the calorie laden version, so I'd love to know how they compare and if this really can quench that craving.

This recipe was divided into 3 one cup servings. One cup of cooked spinach is equal to 2 vegetable servings.
A serving of this delicious Creamy Spinach will also cost you 1.5 fat and your free exchange.
Calories     123.5
Total Fat     7.1 g
     Saturated Fat     2.7 g
     Polyunsaturated Fat     0.8 g
     Monounsaturated Fat     3.3 g
Cholesterol     6.7 mg
Sodium     312.4 mg
Potassium     550.7 mg
Total Carbohydrate     9.3 g
     Dietary Fiber     2.9 g
     Sugars     3.1 g
Protein     8.4 g

Low Fat Chicken Gyros

I love gyros but my favorite restaurant ones are not allowed anymore because of the fat content. I've wanted to make a healthy Chicken Gyro for a very, very long time, and I haven't. That was a mistake. I am sorry.
To make things right you, I will eat these Gyros every day this week. What, you want a bite? No, I'm not sharing with you! Are you nuts?! Make your own!
Ok, fine... just a bite though...

Chicken Gyros - Hypo Style
Tzatziki Sauce
1 large seedless cucumber
1 cup fat free sour cream
2 tablespoons Greek seasoning
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon dill

Chicken
1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast
1/2 white onion, diced
2 tablespoons dried parsley
2 tablespoons Greek Seasoning
salt and pepper

Other Stuff
3-4 medium tomatoes, sliced
1/2 white onion, sliced
6 whole wheat pita bread circles

Shred cucumber and squeeze all liquid out using a cheese cloth or towel. Mix cucumber and remaining sauce ingredients together. Chill in the fridge at least 30 minutes, overnight is best if you have that sort of planning ability.
Cut chicken into bite sized pieces. Combine the chicken, onion, parsley, Greek seasoning and olive oil in a skillet. Cook on medium heat until the chicken is done.
To serve, warm the pita in the oven or microwave. Slice in half and fill each pocket with chicken, tomatoes and cucumber sauce.  If your pitas fail to open into a nice pocket like mine did, just make them taco style by piling the ingredients on top and folding the pita in half.

As you can see from the picture, I clearly did not follow portion control. Normally (if I behaved) this meal will provide you with 1 carb, 2 protien, 1 veggie, 1/2 fat. Mine looked more like 2 carb, 4 protien, 1 veggie, 1 fat.
I'd feel bad, but at a whopping 353(ish) calories, it didn't break the caloric bank.

When behaving you can round out your dinner with a Spinach and Strawberry salad with light garlic vinaigrette and sunflower seeds to add on the remaining 1 1/2 allowed fat, the 1 fruit serving and another veggie. This meal was so incredibly good and healthy that I had to share the nutrition as calculated by the Spark Recipe Calculator.
(Please note that this makes 12 hypo servings. If you are feeding real people, increase the amount accordingly.)

Nutrition Facts  12 Hypo Sized Servings
  Calories 176.5
  Total Fat 1.9 g
       Saturated Fat  0.5 g
       Polyunsaturated Fat  0.5 g
       Monounsaturated Fat 0.3 g
Cholesterol 34.8 mg
Sodium224.7 mg
Potassium 322.9 mg
Total Carbohydrate 22.9 g
     Dietary Fiber  2.9 g
     Sugars  1.9 g
Protein 17.6 g

Vitamin A               6.0 %             Vitamin B-12               3.6 %
Vitamin B-6           21.2 %            Vitamin C                     9.3 %
Vitamin D              0.0 %              Vitamin E                      2.3 %
Calcium                 4.5 %              Copper                         7.4 %
Folate                    5.0 %              Iron                              8.6 %
Magnesium            10.8 %            Manganese                   30.3 %
Niacin                    36.9 %            Phosphorus                  20.3 %   
Riboflavin               5.5 %              Selenium                      34.7 %   
Thiamin                  11.2 %            Zinc                             6.7 %

Vegetable Mind Games - Zucchini Fries

I've wanted to like zucchini for awhile. Ok, let me rephrase, I've wanted to like zucchini in a form other than Zucchini Bread for awhile. (Note to self: Hurry up and make a whole-wheat, low-fat, sugar-free zucchini bread...or cake.)

Anyway, the first time I tried this method I cut the zucchini into rounds and breaded them shake and bake style by tossing them in a bag. It didn't really work, the coverage was less even and more clumpy. I also tried a higher heat for a shorter time, and I had to force feed myself the mess I made.

I had all but given up on the idea of zucchini chips when my CSA tossed them into my weekly fruit and veggie basket. Not one to waste food, I knew I had to give them another chance. I'm seriously glad I did. Maybe I should start giving all veggies a second chance.

Zucchini Fries
4 zucchini, cut into wedges
3/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 tablespoon Greek seasoning
1/2 tablespoon oregano
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
2 egg whites
Preheat the oven to 425. Spray a large baking sheet with nonstick spray. Mix together the bread crumbs, Parmesan and seasonings on a plate. Crack the egg whites into a bowl. Dip zucchini wedges into the egg whites, then dredge through the breadcrumb mixture. Place on a the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, then flip them and bake another 10 minutes.

You can't shouldn't have fries with out a dip, it's just weird.
And speaking of weird, you gotta try this sauce with your zucchini fries.
Zucchini Fry Sauce
1/2 cup Vodka Sauce (or leftover spaghetti sauce)
2 tablespoons Frank's Hot Sauce
Mix. Heat. Dip. Eat. Smile.