Portabello Mushroom “Pizzas” {Money Matters}

April 19, 2011 by · 38 Comments

Yesterday was beyond productive. Morning workouts are such a love-hate relationship, but I think I’m leaning more towards love than hate :) My evening are just too precious…and short. So are my mornings, but I really can make things work in the morning…many mornings. Not all, but many. And on days like yesterday when I really don’t have time to workout in the evenings, mornings make workouts possible. So my rear is feeling much more so in gear…and I have another morning workout planned for tomorrow :) I’m working out this afternoon, too. I have a plan and I’m sticking to it! :-D

Yesterday was also a successful dinner – 20 minutes from start to finish (including cook time!) and cost-effective, too. Oh, and did I mention healthy? Win-win-win!

I made these as I was finishing up my prep for class last night. Mr. Prevention didn’t make it home before I left to teach, so I called him to let him know there were 2 portabello mushroom pizzas in the fridge for him. I was thinking he would ignore them and pull off his usual Monday/Wednesday routine: frozen pizza. Much to my pleasant surprise, he gobbled up both pizzas! He really, really like them. Pizza Man loved’em. Got that? ;) These are keepers.

Portabello Mushroom “Pizzas” slightly adapted from My Kitchen Adventures

4 portabello mushrooms
1 cup pizza sauce
2 oz part skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 tomato, halved and thinly sliced
8 turkey pepperoni slices, halved
Italian seasoning, to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 F. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.

With a spoon, scoop out gills of the mushroom and cut the stems down as small as possible. Set the mushrooms, cap side down on the prepared baking dish.

Divide the pizza sauce evenly among the three mushroom caps. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese evenly among the mushrooms. Top with pepperoni and tomato and sprinkle with Italian seasoning.

Bake for 10 – 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and mushroom is soft. Yield: 2 servings (2 pizzas each).

Nutrition Information (per serving): 186 calories; 6 g. fat; 21 mg. cholesterol; 730 mg. sodium; 19 g. carbohydrate; 6 g. fiber; 14.5 g. protein

Result: Delicious! These definitely hit the “pizza spot”…even for Mr. Prevention. These would be a great low-calorie or low-carbohydrate option for pizza lovers. I added quite a bit of cheese from Renee’s recipe…and pizza sauce, too. I like lots of goodies on my ‘za! If you’re not buying into the portabellos…you can always use English muffins! Enjoy!

Price: The 4 portabellos cost $4.99 (not on sale). The pizza sauce was a generic brand, scored for $1.19. Shredded cheese I buy on sale for $0.21/oz, so 3 ounces came in at $0.63. Half a tomato ran ~$0.20 and 8 turkey pepperoni ~$0.24. Total cost: $7.25 — $3.63/serving.

I got some good news yesterday. I was chosen to speak at a Moderation Nation nutrition party sponsored by the American Dietetic Association. I sent this information to all my RD friends, and I hope some of them applied and got chosen as well! Anyone!? The opportunity sounds so unique and fun — going into a local home and working with a personal trainer to give nutrition/healthy living advice to the party host and their guests. My party is next Sunday – can’t wait! :-D

Today is another busy day…and weigh-in day. Grumble.

Question: What’s your favorite QUICK, healthy meal?

Be well,

Filed Under: American Dietetic Association, carb-controlled, dietitians, exercise, fiber, guilt-free, low-carb, money matters, quick meals, recipe ·

Shrimp in Creamy Horseradish Sauce & Happy RD Day!

March 9, 2011 by · 20 Comments

Today is…National Registered Dietitians Day! Wooo! (Yes, it is also Ash Wednesday for those of you who guessed what “holiday” is today). And I forgot until yesterday afternoon that yesterday, March 8th marks 2 years since I became an RD :-D

On the American Dietetic Association website they had a great article posted on the Top 10 Reasons to Meet with an RD. Here was the list:

1. You have diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or high blood pressure.
2. You are thinking of having or have had gastric bypass surgery.
3. You have digestive problems.
4. You’re pregnant or trying to get pregnant.
5. You need guidance and confidence in breastfeeding your baby.
6. Your teenager has issues with food and eating healthfully.
7. You need to gain or lose weight.
8. You’re caring for an aging parent.
9. You want to eat smarter.
10. You want to improve your performance in sports.

Most everyone’s needs falls into one of the above scenarios and as a young dietitian, I have counseled individuals with all of the above requests and needs — I think this is what makes being a dietitian so much fun! In the coming years, I wish nothing more than to have increased access and affordability of RD referrals and visits. Our healthcare system does not do an appropriate or adequate job of educating people on the powers of nutrition for treatment or prevention.

Just think the impact that could be made if people could visit an RD for any of the above reasons by simply paying a co-pay through their private insurer, or have such services included in Medicare and Medicaid coverage. Ah…to dream :)

Switching gears, last night’s dinner was wonderful. Quite possibly because I was STARVING -and- I proved to Mr. Prevention that he likes horseradish. When Mr. P asked what was for dinner, it was met with a big, long, disapproving sigh and an, “I don’t like horseradish.” Wrong. He loved it…he was dipping his potatoes in the creamy horseradish sauce, even. Men…

Shrimp in Creamy Horseradish Sauce adapted from Kalyn’s Kitchen, originally from Lose Weight the Smart Low-Carb Way, as seen on Cara’s Cravings

a few thin slices of lemon
generous pinch of salt
1 lb large or jumbo raw shrimp, thawed if frozen
1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp prepared horseradish
1 Tbsp (1/2 oz) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1 large scallion, thinly sliced
salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

Fill a wide, deep saute pan with 1-2 inches of water. Add the lemon slices and salt and bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, whisk together the lemon juice, mustard, olive oil, horseradish, and yogurt in a medium bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Reduce heat to a simmer and poach shrimp in boiling water for approximately 2-3 minutes, or until cooked through. Drain the shrimp and add to the bowl with the yogurt mixture; toss to coat. Serve immediately. Yield: 3 servings.

Nutrition Information (per serving): 223 calories; 8.7 g. fat; 203 mg. cholesterol; 558 mg. sodium; 2.7 g. carbohydrate; 0 g. fiber; 31 g. protein

Result: Flavorful, unique, and a true 20-minute meal from start to finish, max! Like I mentioned, Mr. Prevention enjoyed this recipe, too. It’s great to go with very simple, healthy sides like a simple starch and a vegetable to make for a very low-calorie, low-fat meal. Enjoy!

Weigh-in was last night and for the 3rd consecutive week, I am the exact same weight. With only 2 workouts last week and very sporadic eating (much of which was in the form of popsicles and the most amazing granola ever), I had no idea what to expect on the scale. But I got in a great 5-mile run/walk last night and have plans for workouts on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. :-D

A big shout out to all the Registered Dietitians and aspiring dietitians out there! Cheers to the best job in the world!

Question: Do you like horseradish?

Be well,

Filed Under: American Dietetic Association, carb-controlled, exercise, fruits and vegetables, low-carb, quick meals, recipe, Uncategorized ·

Creamy Baked Chicken Taquitos & Happy National Nutrition Month!

March 1, 2011 by · 23 Comments

Happy National Nutrition Month!

March is National Nutrition Month and this year’s theme is “Eat Right with Color“! Each year, the American Dietetic Association puts on this nutrition education and information campaign and its members vote on the theme.

In honor of this year’s theme, I will highlight the various nutritional benefits of several fruits and vegetables throughout the month as they pop up in my cooking! While I never aim to tire you, my dear readers, on every which vitamin and mineral, they truly are amazing and do miraculous work in our bodies each and every day, contributing heavily to our overall health and wellness. So expect to see some fruit & vegetable love this month!

In this taquito recipe, I used the Tomatillo Salsa Verde I featured on yesterday’s post. Tomatillos are a slightly tart, firm, green fruit that make for a delicious salsa verde! And taquitos, well…they’re just a flash from my childhood that I love & adore!

Creamy Baked Chicken Taquitos adapted from Pennies on a Platter and Pink Parsley, originally from Our Best Bites

3 4 oz low-fat cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup salsa verde (I used Tomatillo Salsa Verde)
juice of 1/2 a lime
1 tsp chile powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
pinch cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp onion powder
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
3 Tbs scallions, chopped
2 cups cooked and shredded chicken (about 3/4 lb)
1/2 cup shredded extra sharp 2% cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded Pepperjack cheese (if you can find low-fat, use it! I couldn’t.)
22-24 (6-inch) yellow corn tortillas
coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine the softened cream cheese with the salsa, lime juice, spices, garlic, cilantro, scallions, and salt and pepper, to taste. Fold in the chicken and cheeses. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if necessary.

Working 3-4 tortillas at a time, stack them on a microwave-safe plate and cover with plastic wrap. Cook 30 seconds, or until tortillas are soft and workable.

Spoon about 2 tablespoons of filling onto the lower third of each tortilla, and roll tightly. Place seam side-down on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.

Spray the taquitos lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until the tortillas are crisp and golden-brown. Serve with condiments of your choice, such as sour cream, Greek yogurt, salsa, and/or guacamole. Yield: 22 taquitos.

Nutrition Information (per taquito): 111 calories; 3.5 g. fat; 16 mg. cholesterol; 148 mg. sodium; 12.6 g. carbohydrate; 1.1 g. fiber; 7.3 g. protein

Result: We loved these! I grew up on taquitos, albeit a much unhealthier, frozen version. These came together quickly and were a fun dinner for us! I used white corn tortillas and I don’t think they are pliable and hold together as well as yellow corn, so I changed that about the recipe. I also used about 2 tablespoons of mixture per tortilla and ended up with more than double what the recipe said it would yield. I am A-okay with that, but also changed that about this recipe. I will definitely be making these again with those few changes – I think they would be perfect for a crowd, for kids, or just as something fun, tasty, and relatively healthy! Enjoy!

Note: To freeze for future use, prepare the taquitos, but before baking, place the baking sheet in the refrigerator until the taquitos are completely cold. Wrap in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, and freeze. To bake, unwrap the taquitos and cook in a 425 degree oven for 20 minutes (no need to thaw).

An a note unrelated to nutrition…is it Friday yet? We lost power yesterday morning and had TERRIBLE flash flooding overnight (that on top of a late hockey game and Mr. Prevention talking in his sleep = nearly no sleep for me). The roads were flooded all over central Ohio and getting to work was a challenge. And because our house lost power at 6:40am, I was left with a head of frizzy hair and one candle…awesome. I packed make-up and my hair straightener and got ready in the bathroom at work. I worked a full 9 hours at my clinic before going to class and lecturing for 2 1/2 hours…with 3 hours of commuting thrown in there. Dinner was at 9pm…good thing I packed strawberries and cottage cheese to eat before teaching. Manic Monday much? Oy…:(

…but so glad it’s Tuesday, March 1st, and National Nutrition Month! :-D

Question: What’s your favorite finger food? Do you like taquitos?

Have a great day!

Filed Under: American Dietetic Association, fruits and vegetables, recipe, reduced-calorie, Uncategorized ·