Stretch that dough! Eating healthy on a budget.

I try to approach grocery shopping with the best intentions – planning ahead for the week, making a list, etc.  But as you know, it doesn’t always work out that way.  The week derails before it’s even left the station, and I’m left with “what are we having for dinner” and an empty fridge on Monday at 6 pm.

Does this sound familiar?  It’s so easy to fall into the “let’s just go out,” trap or throw a frozen dinner in the microwave.  But in order to live a healthy lifestyle, we have to make smarter food decisions.  Couple our perpetual time crunch with the increasing cost of food, gas, everything, and we’re left wanting to choose the path of least resistance.

When I talk to people about moving toward a healthier lifestyle, I rarely hear them say that the food doesn’t taste good.  Rather, the two most common complaints are “I don’t cook” and “healthy food is too expensive.”

Merely a stumbling block, I say in reference to the first complaint.  My recipes are easy and come together in minutes.  I don’t want to spend all day in the kitchen, either.  Who has time for that?  Once I show them (in person, or through the blog or cookbook), they usually rise to the challenge.

To the second complaint, I say this.  False.  Wrong.  Though I understand where they’re coming from.  Here’s how I see it.  Best case, you make a grocery list.  And it keeps getting longer and longer as you think about all the things you “need.”  Then when you get to the store, the cart fills up even more.  By the time you check out, you’ve spent $50, $100, even $200.  Your heart races and you think to yourself, “Healthy food is too expensive.  We can’t live like this.”  And just like that, it’s back to old habits.

I get it.  I have sticker shock in the checkout line, too, even with the best plans.  I’m not a coupon clipper.  Maybe I should be (I know I should be!), but I haven’t found the motivation or dedication to make it work for us.  But I know now that it’s all in how you approach the groceries once you leave the store.  How often do you get home, put everything away, cook one meal, and then lose track of your weekly meal plan and end up throwing away an entire head of lettuce seven days later?  It happens to the best of us.  But I want to walk you through a few tips and a recipe sample that will help put this into perspective – eating healthfully is not more expensive than a diet of junk food and takeout.

Yesterday I went to the grocery store for the sole purpose of research.  No store sale flyer, no coupons.  Just me in the store pricing what my desired ingredients cost.  I wanted to test this theory and make eggplant Parmesan for dinner, serve it with a green salad, and pick up a few other things for the rest of the week (I had no weekly plan….again.  Oops.).  For the sake of argument, let’s assume that I have “pantry staples” necessary for a healthy diet – cooking spray, minced garlic, spices, salt/pepper, olive oil and vinegar.  If you’re just starting a healthy plan, you’ll have to buy these things – but trust me, you won’t need to replenish often.

Here’s what I got:

- Head of lettuce - $1.24

- 3 cucumbers - $2.25 ($0.75 each)

- 4 tomatoes - $3.78

- 3-pack of boneless, skinless chicken breasts - $9.00 (yikes!)

- Pork tenderloin (did you know there are two in there?!) - $11.54 (sheesh!)

- 1 eggplant - $1.50

- 4 cans of low sodium diced tomatoes - $3.96 ($0.99 each)

- Shredded Parmesan cheese - $3.50

- Part-skim mozzarella cheese - $2.39

- Can of panko breadcrumbs - $2.50

- A dozen eggs - $1.69

- 2 bags of frozen vegetables (16 oz each) - $3.00 (gotta love the store brands!)

- Loaf of whole wheat bread - $2.69

- 1 pound low sodium deli turkey breast - $6.50

- Fresh basil - $1.69

- London broil ($4.49/pound) - $11.00 (if only I’d picked a sale week!)

- 6 bananas ($0.59/lb) - $1.18 (one banana weighs about 1/3 pound)

OK, drum roll please.  My quick stop at the store to make eggplant Parmesan has turned into a somewhat manic “I need to fill the fridge!” escapade.  Grand total?  $69.41.  Ack!  For ONE meal and a “couple” things!  I could have taken us out for dinner!  Ordered a pizza (several pizzas)!  (Initiate heart palpitations and panic attack.)

But it clearly isn’t just one meal’s worth of food, even though that’s what the shopping trip was for.  The next step is making the commitment to use what you purchased so you don’t have to throw away rotten tomatoes and brown bananas at the end of the week.    

For now, though, let’s start by making dinner.  The recipe is listed below with a cost of exactly the amount we use for this recipe from the groceries above (and some I’ve labeled staple since they’re already in our pantry). 

The Svelte Gourmet Baked Eggplant Parmesan

Serves 6

For the eggplant:

1 medium eggplant, sliced crosswise into 1/8 inch slices (I used a mandolin slicer) ($1.50)

Salt (staple)

1 egg, beaten ($0.14)

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs ($0.47)

3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese ($1.32)

1/4 tsp garlic powder (staple)

1/4 tsp dried oregano (staple)

Cooking spray for misting (staple)

Line a large colander with the eggplant slices and sprinkle with salt. Let them sit for about an hour. The salt will help to drain excess water from the slices. Pat them dry.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mist 2 baking sheets with cooking spray. Mix the Parmesan, panko, garlic powder and oregano in a shallow dish. Dip each slice into the beaten egg, then dip into the cheese mixture, pressing to coat. Place the slices in a single layer on the baking sheets. Mist the tops with cooking spray and bake for about 40 minutes or until golden brown. Rotate the sheets halfway through baking if one is browning more quickly than the other.

For the sauce:

1/2 tsp olive oil (staple)

1 tsp minced garlic (staple)

2 14-ounce cans diced tomatoes (undrained) ($1.98)

1/2 tsp dried oregano (staple)

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (staple)

1/4 tsp salt (staple)

6 fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped or torn ($0.66)

In a medium saucepan, heat oil. Reduce heat to medium and sauté garlic for two minutes or until it starts to be fragrant. Add diced tomatoes with juice, oregano, crushed red pepper and salt. Simmer, stirring, for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Just before assembly, stir in chopped basil leaves.

For the casserole:

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan ($0.43)

3/4 cup shredded mozzarella (part-skim) ($0.89)

Sauce

Baked eggplant slices

Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Mix the Parmesan with the mozzarella. Add a spoonful of sauce to the bottom of a casserole dish, spreading to coat. Layer with some of the eggplant, followed by a sprinkle of cheese, then more spoonfuls of sauce. Resist the urge to completely cover with sauce, as we want the eggplant to stay crispy. Repeat until the eggplant slices are gone, finishing with sauce and cheese on top. For reference, I got 2 layers of eggplant out of mine in a medium-sized oblong casserole dish. Bake covered for 20 minutes, then remove lid and bake for another 10 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.

Yum!  This eggplant Parmesan makes 6 servings at only 220 calories per serving (now THAT’S eating light!).  Couple it with a serving of green salad made with 1 cup of lettuce ($0.25), ¼ of a cucumber ($.019), half of a tomato ($0.47) and a splash of balsamic vinegar (staple) and you have yourself a NICE dinner.  This is so nice, in fact that it’s dinner party worthy.  And guess what – the eggplant Parmesan only costs $1.23 per serving.  $1.23!  That’s cheaper than fast food or a can of soup!  The salad set me back $0.91.  That’s $2.14 a person for a NICE meal.  Serve this to six people at a dinner party for $12.85.  That’s cheaper than a pizza, which won’t even feed six! 

Not convinced yet?  Remember, this only works if you continue to eat from the fridge.  For the sake of argument (and easy math!), let’s calculate the remainder of the discussion as 1-person servings.  So out of my meal above, I have 5 servings of eggplant parm left.  Instead of leaving this in the fridge to go bad or eating the same meal for days in a row, I package each serving separately and freeze – makes a perfect lunch to grab on the way to work or dinner for a night when I don’t want to cook.  What else?  At 3 meals a day for 7 days, eggplant parm alone isn’t going to cut it.  So here’s how the rest of the week might look.

Breakfast ideas:

- 1 packet oatmeal ($0.62) and a banana ($0.20)

- 2 eggs ($0.28) and half a sliced tomato ($0.47)

- 1 slice of whole wheat toast ($0.12), 1 egg ($0.14) and a slice of tomato ($0.15)

Lunch ideas:

- 2 slices wheat bread ($0.24), 2 oz turkey breast ($0.81), tomato slice ($0.15), mustard (staple)

- 1 can diced tomatoes (.99), a bit of minced garlic/salt/pepper, a leaf of basil ($0.11) and a bit of water blended with immersion blender then heated.  Cheaper than canned soup and MUCH less sodium.  Tastier, too!

- 2-egg omelet ($0.28) with ¼ cup mozzarella ($0.29), ½ a cucumber ($0.37) sliced on the side.

I know it’s hard to argue with ramen noodles at $0.25 a brick, but this healthy food is worth the tiny bit of extra cash!  And it is only a tiny bit.

Dinner ideas:

- Pork loin ($0.73) with steamed frozen broccoli ($0.37) and green salad ($.91) (by the way, that pork loin I bought was nearly 4 pounds….that will feed me roughly 16 times using 4 ounce serving sizes! Break it up into smaller portions before you freeze it.)

- Grilled chicken (that 3-pack of chicken breasts contained  nearly 24 ounces of meat – that feeds me 6 times at $1.50/serving) with steamed frozen green beans ($0.37) and a green salad

- Leftover eggplant parm and salad (you get the idea)

- London broil (at roughly 2.5 pounds, this will feed me 9 times at $1.22/serving!  Again, split into easier portion sizes before freezing!), broiled ½ tomato sprinkled with parmesan, basil and garlic ($0.65) and salad ($0.91).

- Need some filler?  I bought a 20-pound bag of basmati rice at the big box store.  Did you know that basmati rice is AS LOW as whole grain brown rice on the glycemic index?  It won’t spike your blood sugar, it keeps you feeling full, and it cooks in only 20 minutes!  Rejoice!  Anyway, this bag of rice contains 200 servings.  And it was $15.00.  So that’s about $0.07 per serving.  (So add it to every meal if you’re feeding a crowd!)

Even after all these meals, you still have a ton of food left over – some cheese, a lot of meat split up and frozen, veggies, leftover eggplant parm, the remaining eggs and bread.  For just under $70 I fed myself for one week AND stocked up the fridge and freezer to avoid future “Ugh, let’s just go out” nights.  Feeding a family works the same way, you just have to commit to eating at home and not wasting the fresh foods.  If you can, buy meat on sale.  Stock the freezer!  This will save you a ton!  (Sometimes I vow not to shop until we eat everything in the freezer – good thing I can make chicken 37 different ways!)  Always package leftovers in easy to grab and reheat portions.  And look for recipes that have simple, everyday ingredients – that filet mignon and lobster may be pretty lean, but it won’t feel that way on your wallet. 

Best of luck – let me know how it goes!  If you find yourself left with a couple random ingredients that don’t seem to go together, send me an email and I’ll try to come up with something creative.  I love a challenge!

The Svelte Gourmet: A Month of Main Courses cookbook is full of creative, healthy recipes!  Order yours today at www.thesveltegourmet.com/products.html.  Enjoy!

"Grab-worthy" granola bars! New recipe!

I don’t know who invented the term “lazy days of summer,” but it certainly doesn’t apply in our house!  Having the kids around more is great, but we’re all just so busy.  I can’t remember being this busy growing up, but I guess I was once I hit the teenage years.  Work and friends and running around – there aren’t enough hours in these long, hot days!

The other thing there isn’t enough of, apparently, is food in the house.  I feel like all I do is grocery shop.  And I’m going broke with the ever-growing price of groceries.  I had just returned from the store and was putting away the groceries when….

Courtney: “I’m hungry.”

Me: “The pantry and fridge are full!  Make yourself a snack.”

Courtney: “But what is there?  I don’t know what to have.”

Taylor (walking in the door from work): “We need ‘grab food.’”

Grab food.  Hmmmm.  I guess my suggestions to “cook a chicken breast, boil an egg or make a salad” weren’t quite what they were expecting.  So I perused the overflowing pantry in search of “grab food.”   Turns out they’re right….sort of.  I’m always in favor of self-sufficiency, so I don’t take well to blank stares or “I don’t know how,” when I suggest making a sandwich or cutting up an apple.  However, I do appreciate that sometimes you just want something you can grab and eat on the run, throw in your purse, etc.

Granola bars!  They’re supposed to be healthy, right?  I can just keep a bunch of granola bars on hand and they can pair it with fruit for a healthy snack.  That will be our “grab food” for these types of emergency appetite flare-ups.  Back to the store I went.

I could not believe it.  $5.49 for a box of 6 tiny granola bars.  SIX.  Six will last a day in our house.  The grocery budget I try to live by isn’t going to support this “grab food” habit, I can tell already.  Well at least they’re healthy, right?  I try to ignore for a second that they’re covered in chocolate as I turn the box around…fiber, a little bit of protein, not too high calories….some brands pretty high in sugar….an ingredient list a mile long, corn syrup, partially hydrogenated stuff.  Urg.  And they’re $5.49 for SIX!  And the “healthier” they get, the more expensive they get.  Guess this will be my next challenge!

I set out to create a granola bar that’s tasty, filling and wholesome.  I wanted to make it from whole grains and include some sources of protein and fiber.  Here we go.

Me: “I made homemade granola bars!  Try them!”

Keith: “They’re missing something.”

Me: “I know.  Taste.”

Keith: “Well, they’re perfect for dieters.  No one will be tempted to eat two!”

OK then.  I’m now on experiment recipe number four, and I’m happy to say that we have a winner!  These granola bars taste just like banana bread – seriously!  Here are the stats: 125 calories, 3 grams of fiber, 3.5 grams of protein and only 8.5 grams of sugar (and nearly 1/3 of that is from fruit and rolled oats).  AND, they’re only $0.25 each -- roughly $2.00 for the whole batch of EIGHT!

I’ll be experimenting with these!  I can’t wait to try pumpkin instead of banana, add some natural peanut butter or throw in some mini-chocolate chips or chopped nuts.  The possibilities are endless, so I’ll let you know what I come up with.  In the meantime, try these.  So easy, so healthy, so affordable – so “grab-worthy!”

TSG Banana Bread Granola bars...grab this!

“Banana Bread” Granola Bars

Makes 8 bars

1 ripe banana, mashed

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

2 tbsp honey

1 egg white

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp + 1 tsp Splenda brown sugar blend (divided)

2 cups rolled oats

2 tbsp milled flax seed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix all ingredients through brown sugar, saving 1 tsp of brown sugar for the top.  Mix oats and flax seed in a separate bowl, then add to liquids.  Stir well to combine, then press into small baking pan with sides (misted with cooking spray) or simply form into a 1/2-inch thick rectangle on a cookie sheet (also misted with cooking spray) -- it will hold its shape.  Sprinkle with remaining brown sugar and bake for 30 minutes.  Invert onto a cooling rack and cool completely before slicing. 

Give ‘em a whirl and let me know what you think!  Also, if you have more ideas for healthy “grab food,” I’m all ears!

The Svelte Gourmet: A Month of Main Courses cookbook is available at www.thesveltegourmet.com/products.html.  I challenge you to eat with me for a month – you’ll love the results!

Look Ma, no weeds!

Ladies and gentlemen, I am in complete disbelief.  I may go as far as to say that my brown thumb, for the first time EVER, may be turning green.

As I wrote in my last post, I am trying out a "lasagna garden" this year -- that is, using nothing but layers of cardboard, paper, grass clippings, kitchen scraps and a layer or two of manure as the planting medium.  I wasn't at all confident in this approach, but with the promise of no weeds, I had to give it a try.  If you recall, I simply started with the weed-bed I had left over from last year and put my first cardboard layer right on top!  No weeding, tilling, nothing.

So what happened?  WELL, I am happy to report that my garden is growing.  I have literally found and pulled THREE weeds (no doubt airborne invaders, as their roots were only in the top layer).  THREE.  In over a month.  I am a believer, and for the first time, I may be able to share some recipes with you in a little while using tomatoes and cucumbers from MY garden (that is, after all, what this blog is really about -- healthy cooking).  I am giddy with excitement!  Check it out!

The photos on the top were taken on May 8th.  The photos on the bottom were taken June 2nd.  Yippee!

I promise you more recipes and cooking tips shortly.  In the meantime, The Svelte Gourmet: A Month of Main Courses cookbook is available at www.thesveltegourmet.com/products.html.  Enjoy!

Go ahead, flaunt that muffin top!

OK, I know what you must be thinking...but I didn't mean it that way! The term "muffin top" has developed a bad reputation of late, due in part to the increasing popularity of the hip-hugging skinny jean. With only the skinniest of skinny able to wear them, it's no wonder the rest of the world experiences some some spill-over.

This season makes me crave comfort food like no other season. But I want to wear my favorite jeans, body-skimming sweaters and cute boots without looking like I'm stuffed into them -- or coming out over the top!

At some point over the past few years, bakery muffins got bigger. You may still own a standard-sized muffin tin, but you'll be hard pressed to find a standard sized muffin at your regular breakfast place, bakery or coffee house. Instead, you'll find giant, crumb-topped masterpieces that are sure to ruin any diet. In fact, you could have two doughnuts for the same calories as that muffin -- not that you should! While a muffin may seem like the healthier choice with its fruit and nut-filled goodness, don't be fooled!

I'm left with only one option, since I'm craving a muffin -- reinvent comfort foods! Hopefully this will become a series for fall, as I already have some ingenious recipes planned. The first, however, is one of my favorites -- my mom's blueberry muffins, reconfigured.

Let's get one thing straight. My mom is a wonderful cook and she's always kept a keen eye towards feeding us healthy food. She's my inspiration! Where she doesn't use substitutions to make the ingredients healthier, she is always careful to keep portions to a reasonable size. I've taken her recipe for this standard-sized muffin and made just a couple tweaks to make it even lighter! I hope you love it as much as we do -- this is one muffin top you can be proud of! And they're so easy, the kids whip them up by themselves on a regular basis!

Mom's Blueberry Muffins
Makes 1 dozen

1 tsp salt
1 cup sugar OR 1/2 cup stevia-based granular sweetener
2 cups flour (all purpose or whole wheat)
3 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 egg beaten
1 cup milk (skim or lowfat)
2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen (if frozen, do not thaw)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine dry ingredients, cut in applesauce (it will give you a texture like meal, as cutting in a fat would), combine beaten egg with milk and turn liquids into the batter. Stir vigorously for about a minute, then fold in blueberries. Using a long-handled 1/4 cup measure, fill muffin cups (greased with cooking spray or lined with muffin cups) 2/3 full. Lightly sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 15-20 minutes in the center of the oven until the tops start to brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Play with the ingredients and see what you like! Using regular sugar in this recipe yields a muffin with about 150 calories and virtually no fat (just what's in the milk and egg). Using a sweetener instead of sugar cuts the calories in each muffin down to 100. Try it with both kinds of flour and see what you like -- the whole wheat will keep you feeling fuller longer! What I can tell you is that I've played with the combinations and one thing is certain -- you'll end up with a delicious, crackly-topped muffin that pairs perfectly with your morning coffee.

Enjoy!

The Svelte Gourmet: A Month of Main Courses cookbook is available at www.thesveltegourmet.com/products.html.

Ready, Set, Blog! (Why The Svelte Gourmet is The Next Food Blog Star!)

The freedom to choose is a wonderful thing. For all intents and purposes, the world is my oyster (literally, as I live in Charleston, South Carolina where oysters abound!). I am fortunate to be in a time and place where I can choose who I want to be, where I want to go, and what I want to eat.

Choosing what I want to eat is the tough one. I like to try everything, and I like everything I try. I suppose being a picky eater would be worse, but my situation is not without issues. Let's put it this way -- no one has ever accused me of eating "like a bird." I'm not proud of this, but I'm over it. It is what it is. I love to eat.

Food is trendy. It's a good time for us! Eaters rejoice! Then repent. Because it seems to me that in our world of choices, the hardest decision we have to make is between eating "healthy" and eating "tasty." My life used to be in a perpetual state of turmoil. I was eating out, enjoying my social life and on a culinary adventure. Or I was on a diet, bored and deprived -- but thrilled with the results! I would work really hard to look fabulous in that dress so I could go out and....eat. Vicious cycle.

But we're not really eating that badly, are we? We grab lunch at the deli or eat out on weekends. We have a milkshake, but we'll skip lunch to make up for it. Not too bad, right? That's what I used to think, but now I know better. There's an obesity epidemic in this country, and it's no wonder. And we're drawn to a good deal, but guess what? We don't need to eat all we can eat! A little digging elucidated that the milkshake with all fresh ingredients I was having "as lunch" had 2,000 calories -- more than I should be eating in an entire day! During my diet phases, I'd stick with a salad that I later learned had 1,200 calories in the lunch portion. Wow. Who knew? More digging proved it -- eating out was a losing battle in my battle to lose.

I'm tired of choosing. I want both. Healthy and delicious. The Svelte Gourmet was an experiment -- a challenge. Could I create food that was both figure friendly and foodie-approved? Could I come up with recipes that were special enough for a dinner party but simple enough for a Wednesday? Could I publish a cookbook that would give us a month of variety without cheating on our diets? I don't want to choose anymore -- and I'm sharing my successes, failures and follies with you so you don't have to either.

So why should I be The Next Food Blog Star? Because I'm having a blast. And I've learned that I'm not alone in this. Many of us struggle with this every day. You've told me your stories, you've inspired me to keep writing and you've challenged me to recreate your favorites so you can eat them more often. I'm happy because I'm making you happy. I've loved every minute of it, good and bad. I'm putting myself out there and I've had my share of ridicule. Maybe I'm not "authentic" in my cuisine or educated on the "proper" ways to prepare dishes, but that's ok. Thai Tuesdays at the Foxes satisfy our cravings despite the substitution of whole grain pasta and bean sprouts for rice noodles in my Pad Thai (and if you're like me, you'll understand why finally finding seedless tamarind paste in Charleston raised my heart rate more than any sweat session at the gym!). "Unfried" Fridays rival our old nights out on the town (and the "Faux"jitos don't hurt, either). Make-your-own-pizza night is a family favorite, and the fact that it's healthy gets lost in the fun.

I write for the "every day cook." Those of us who love to (have to) put meals on the table every night -- after we get home from work. Those of us who want great food without having to spend hours in the kitchen followed by hours at the gym. Those of us who don't want to choose between healthy and tasty.

I'll keep writing whether I win Project Food Blog or not. I've tried to make changes so my life didn't revolve around food, but it didn't work. This blog is my outlet and you're my muse. If you enjoy what I write and love what I cook, please vote for The Svelte Gourmet. Thank you for reading!

To vote for The Svelte Gourmet, please click the Project Food Blog Official Contestant box to the top left of this post. Voting on this first challenge is open September 20-23. Thank you!

"Mary, Mary, quite contrary..."

"Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow?" A lot better than mine! (Mary being my mother...)

What's the opposite of green? Because that's what color my thumb is. You'd think gardening would go hand-in-hand with cooking, but unfortunately, my mom didn't pass her green thumb onto me. My parents have a beautiful yard with gorgeous blooms virtually every month of the year, but the summer vegetable garden is my favorite. I don't think there is anything else in the world like that first bite of summer tomato from my parents' garden. I don't even waste time with a fork, I just bite right in. YUM. I eat so many that my stomach hurts and I break out into a rash, but I don't care. They always were, and still are, my favorite food. No cooking required!

Unfortunately, my tomato-growing experience has been less than fruitful (pun intended!). I was relegated to container gardens for most of my adulthood (apartments in Washington, DC don't usually come with a garden plot!). My container plants always yielded a few red beauties, but I would eat them right there on the porch as they ripened. So really not much use in the kitchen -- or for anyone else! Then there was the year I tried those tomato planters that hang upside-down. I planted Better Boys and Early Girls...and I got beautiful, red, juicy tomatoes that were the size of large peas. Arg!

My mom claims it took her years to get it right, but I'm sort of (really) impatient. Last summer, we were just finishing the new house, and Keith built me a garden for my herbs. This year, though, is the year for veggies! And it couldn't come at a better time, when I get to chronicle my experiences for you -- if nothing else, it will keep me diligent about the weeding and feeding. I hope.

This weekend I planted. The weather was gorgeous and the sun was shining. My garden still has some stoic survivors from last year -- fragrant rosemary, which was fantastic with pork last night, and enough mint for me to open a mojito bar. That stuff is coming up everywhere, and it smells really good. Especially since Keith weed-whacked a bunch of it and there's now chopped mint all over the place. No worries, though, it's really resilient!

This year, I added basil and oregano on the herb side and peas and Roma green beans on the veggie side (and of course I saved room for some tomato plants!). Cooking with bright, bold fresh herbs are a great way to keep your meals full of flavor, without adding fat. Yum! I'm also looking forward to the peas (I love eating them right out of the pods), and steamed beans with a drizzle of olive oil and some garlic, salt and pepper are amazing. I can't wait! Fresh veggies are one of the best ways to stay svelte -- arm yourself with a bag of fresh peas in the pods to snack on, and you're good to go! And my favorite way to eat green beans is raw. Try it, I promise I'm not crazy. They are SO good.

So here's the current picture of my garden. You can see the rosemary, and that giant bundle of sticks is last year's basil bush. I think I'll trim it down to the base, and maybe it will grow back...thoughts? Anyway, I hope to have beautiful "during" and "after" pictures to show you -- along with recipes! What are you planting this year? Anything you love to grow, but need a great recipe for? Most importantly, any tips for those of us without green thumbs?!

Maybe someday I'll have a giant garden with a lot of variety, but for now, I thought I'd start small and see what happens...farmers' markets, stand by!

Thanks for reading!

The Svelte Gourmet: A Month of Main Courses cookbook is available at www.thesveltegourmet.com/products.html. Enjoy!

Recipe Makeover #1 - Svelte Macaroni & Cheese!

What?! Yes, you heard that correctly. Traditional, homemade baked macaroni and cheese. YUM!

I'm saying "yum!" now, but this week in The Svelte Gourmet test kitchen did NOT run as smoothly as usual. Last week, as you may remember, I blogged about eating at home and sending in your favorite "not-so-svelte" recipes for a makeover. Many of you jumped on the opportunity to send me scrambling! And I'll tell you, this one was certainly a challenge.

The suggestion for a lightened version of mac 'n cheese came from Amanda Cook, creator of one of my favorite blogs, Vintage Savoir Faire. Taking a cue from her tag line, I tried my best to make my great-grandmothers proud! But it wasn't easy...

So first, let's break it down. What is macaroni and cheese? Well, first there's macaroni. Pasta. Not svelte, especially when consumed in large quantities, since one ounce has 100 calories. And cheese. Oh, glorious cheese! Cheese is quite good for you if you exercise portion control -- but just one ounce (yes, ONE!) of most cheeses packs a whopping 100 calories. So what do we have? A dish based solely on pasta and cheese (each 100 calories per ounce). And I promised you I'd try to keep it under 200 calories per serving, so already you can see the challenge!

Since Amanda didn't have a specific recipe in mind and there are a million ways to make this traditional dish, I browsed some of my favorite cooking websites -- both gourmet and home style -- to figure out some common themes with mac 'n cheese. Here's what I found to be average for most of the recipes that serve 8 as a side dish (1/2 to 1 cup serving size):

1. 2-3 cups of cheese (one TV chef's recipe had 6 cups of cheese -- for 6 servings! Ahhh!)
2. At least 4 tablespoons of butter (at 100 calories per tablespoon!)
3. A cup of whole milk or sometimes heavy cream (gasp!)
4. 4 tablespoons of flour (often cooked with the butter to make a roux)
5. Varying amounts of breadcrumbs
6. Typically 8-12 ounces of pasta
7. About half the recipes included at least 2 eggs

So let's say that this is our recipe. Calculating this conservatively (with 2 1/2 cups of cheese, milk instead of cream, etc.), I get 433 calories and 20 grams of fat per serving! For a side dish! Does your recipe resemble this one? Yikes!

So how in the world am I supposed to make a dish that has virtually NOTHING healthy in it "svelte?" Let's just say I started on Sunday and we've had failed mac 'n cheese every night this week. But I never give up!

I started the week fully believing I could perform miracles. Let's just take all the bad stuff out, add some healthy (and sneaky!) substitutions, and OF COURSE it will taste authentic. Makes sense, right?! And of course I have to make it gourmet. That's what I was going for originally, so my first version starred Gruyere and white truffle oil. YUM! At least that's what I hoped. Trying to make a roux with whole wheat flour just wasn't a good idea. The Gruyere is usually a stand-out flavor, but it was overshadowed by the faulty roux. The truffle oil added a nice touch, but that was about the only redeeming quality. NEXT!

OK, so the next night, humbled, I went back to the old standbys. No more showboating. I have to get it right this time! So I went with cheddar, but instead of a lot of regular cheddar, I opted for considerably less "extra sharp" cheddar. I thought the best way to get it to coat the pasta, since I didn't have that much cheese to work with, was to make a cheese sauce. So off I went, heating the milk (I skipped the roux after the first incident!), and melting the cheese. I wanted to use whole grain pasta, since you know I prefer whole grains over those stripped of their fiber. Oh, and I thought a little crushed red pepper would give it a nice pop of flavor.

Well. What I had this time was what tasted like chili pepper and wheat, with maybe a hint of cheese somewhere in there. Dry as a bone, too. Where did all the cheese sauce go?!?! Foiled again!

One more shot...I figured if it didn't work this time, I would have to just tell you to eat less (or none!) of the real stuff. That would have gone over like a lead balloon, I'm sure! So I had to do a little compromising. After all, you're looking for comfort food, and I really wanted to deliver.

Tonight, my friends, I had success! I loved the end result and Keith said it tasted like real mac 'n cheese! It was the perfect texture, full of flavor, and not at all dry! And get ready for this -- it has less than half the calories and a quarter of the fat of our traditional recipe above! At only 195 calories and 5 grams of fat per 3/4 cup serving (that's big!), consider Macaroni & Cheese made over! Now promise me that you'll read the whole recipe and don't be alarmed by the secret ingredient! I'll explain at the end!

The Svelte Gourmet Macaroni & Cheese
Serves 8

7 oz elbow or shell pasta (NOT whole wheat)
4 cups cauliflower florets, roughly chopped
1 1/2 cups lowfat (2%) shredded cheddar or cheese blend (I used lowfat 4-cheese Mexican blend and it was fabulous!)
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan
2/3 cup 2% milk (skim would make the fat and calories even lower!)
1 egg
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp butter, melted
2 tbsp panko bread crumbs
butter spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Boil pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain well. Steam cauliflower florets until very soft, drain. Let pasta and cauliflower cool a bit while you prepare the other ingredients. Shred the cheese if it's not pre-shredded. Beat the milk, egg and salt together in a small bowl. Mix the melted butter with the panko in another bowl.

Mash the cauliflower with a potato masher, a whisk, or whatever you have handy. Mix it with the pasta until well combined, being careful not to break up the noodles. Take a pinch of each of the cheeses and toss them with the panko/butter. Set aside. Combine the rest of the cheese with the pasta and cauliflower. Spray the bottom and sides of your casserole dish lightly with spray butter, then spread the mixture evenly in your casserole dish. Pour the milk/egg/salt mixture over the top. With your mixing spoon, carefully stir and fold until the milk mixture is combined with the pasta/cauliflower. Sprinkle with the panko/butter/cheese mixture and bake, uncovered, for 30-40 minutes or until the top just starts to brown. Voila!

OK, hold on. Who said anything about Macaroni-Cauliflower & Cheese? That's cheating! But trust me on this, you will not be able to taste the cauliflower at all. I had it in all three versions, and despite how terrible the first two were, Keith had no idea there were veggies in any of it. The bite of the cauliflower disappears and it melts into that lovely, cheesy, custardy texture that you're looking for. Try it! I think you'll be surprised. It adds volume to the dish with negligible calories, and you won't even know it's there! Magic!

Is this version as good as the "real thing?" Some may think so, some may not. But try it and then ask yourself this -- is the fattening one really worth it? 433 calories and 20 grams of fat? Maybe for a special dinner, but at least with this new one, you can enjoy it more than once a year without the guilt!

I truly hope you enjoy this recipe -- I wouldn't have dared attempt mac 'n cheese if it weren't for Amanda's suggestion, and I hope you all continue to share your suggestions and ideas with us! Thank you, Amanda!

For more "magic" recipes, try The Svelte Gourmet: A Month of Main Courses cookbook, available at www.thesveltegourmet.com/products.html.

Enjoy!

Creamy Broccoli Soup -- As Seen On TV!

Good morning! I am honored to be joining Louis Yuhasz from Louie's Kids on Lowcountry Live (ABC News 4) this morning at 10:00 a.m. to talk about our participation in the BB&T Charleston Wine + Food Festival. I'll be cooking my Creamy Broccoli Soup on the air, as well!

For the recipe for Creamy Broccoli Soup, please click here.

To purchase The Svelte Gourmet: A Month of Main Courses cookbook, please click here. A portion of sales will be donated to Louie's Kids (fighting childhood obesity).

To inquire about "personal training in the kitchen" cooking lessons or parties, please click here.

Thank you for watching and reading! Enjoy!

Chicken Masala with Coconut Milk (New Recipe...and wait 'til you hear what else!)

Sometimes I get so excited, I can hardly stand it. Now is one of those times. I know that not all of you share my passion for cooking, but I'm sure wherever your passion lies, you know this feeling. And for those of you who do share my passion for cooking, you know exactly how I feel -- sometimes you just have to share!

So Keith wanted The Svelte Gourmet chili for dinner. He's requested that we have chili in the crock pot or in the fridge or freezer at all times, so I try to oblige. I love when he loves my food! But I didn't want chili, I wanted to make something new. I've been on this international kick lately, and I wanted something warm, spicy and exotic. I was discussing recipes with a friend this morning and she inspired me. Indian food!

But before I get into the Chicken Masala, I have a couple other things to share with you. First is my obsession with my immersion blender. You know by now that I have a thing for kitchen gadgets. Really, though, I like the things that make my life easier. I do love to cook, but it's really the challenge of making recipes healthy and simple that is what I love most. After all, we have to cook EVERY DAY. It needs to be simple. Otherwise, we end up reverting to bad habits. Anyway, any recipe that says "transfer to a blender" immediately turns me off. Until recently. This, my friends, is an immersion blender. It changed my life! You may have one of these tucked away in your cabinet ("because I don't make milkshakes!"), but you should get it out. This baby is super handy. So handy, in fact, that it didn't even make it back into the cabinet after last night's client dinner party.

The immersion blender makes very quick work of pureeing your dishes into beautiful, silky, smooth masterpieces. I first introduced this in my post about the increasingly popular Creamy Broccoli Soup. It literally takes 12 minutes to make -- and 10 minutes of that is boiling the broccoli! With this handheld blender, you can just cook, blend and serve in one pot! I even use it when Courtney and I make spaghetti sauce (she doesn't like the chunks). So if you have one of these babies, dust it off and put it to good use. If you don't have one, consider getting one. They're relatively inexpensive and in my opinion, indispensable!

OK, get ready, because this news is VERY exciting. I recently heard about this from a friend, and I did my requisite due diligence. So here goes. Basmati rice ranks similarly to brown rice on the glycemic index! I feel like running around the neighborhood and spreading the news! The glycemic index measures carbohydrates and the effect they have on blood sugar. As you may have read in my last post, whole grains are lower on the glycemic index than grains that have had the bran and germ removed (white flour, for example). Well, as it turns out, the higher the amylose content of rice, the lower it is on the glycemic index. Amylose is apparently a type of starch and I don't know much about it (yet), but it seems that basmati has it. This is very exciting, because basmati rice is wonderful -- aromatic, fluffy and really yummy. Very exciting news! This may not seem like a big deal to you, but I promise you'll see!

Now onto the main event -- the recipe! Don't be afraid to try some of these spice mixtures (like garam masala), even if you've never heard of them. The flavors are amazing. And I picked these up at my local grocery store!

Chicken Masala with Coconut Milk
Serves 4

For the chicken:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup light coconut milk
2 tbsp finely chopped onion
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp olive oil

Cut chicken into 1-2 inch cubes. Marinate them in the yogurt, light coconut milk, onion and salt for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator. Reserve the oil for browning the chicken later.

For the sauce:
1 tsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz can)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garam masala
1 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup light coconut milk

Heat 1 tsp oil in a skillet over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and saute onions and garlic for about 3 minutes (or until they begin to soften). Add diced tomatoes, salt, garam masala, curry powder, coriander, turmeric and cayenne pepper. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring frequently, for about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and pour into a small mixing bowl. Using an immersion blender, puree until smooth.

Heat remaining 1 tsp oil in the skillet over high heat. Reduce heat to medium. Drain marinade and add chicken to skillet, cooking for about 2 minutes (flipping the pieces after 1 minute for even cooking). Add reserved sauce to pan, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about 5-7 minutes (or until chicken pieces are cooked through). Remove from heat. Remove chicken from skillet with a slotted spoon. Allow sauce to cool in the pan for about 3 minutes, then add yogurt and coconut milk. Blend with immersion blender until smooth. Serve chicken over basmati rice and spoon sauce over the top.

Of course I made the chili, too. But Keith was very happy with his dinner and is ok with saving his chili for tomorrow (or for Munch!). I just wish we had leftover masala...

For more tasty, svelte recipes, try The Svelte Gourmet: A Month of Main Courses cookbook! It's available at www.thesveltegourmet.com/products.html.

Whole Grains: Mystery Solved!

So it seems that I've created some label-reading monsters out there! Which is great, I'm not complaining. By reading food labels, you're hopefully starting to understand calorie counts, portion sizes and all the nutrition (or lack thereof!) that's in the food you're eating. I read the labels for everything -- if I read something bad, I still may eat it. I just like to know what I'm putting in!

Anyway, you're starting to ask some questions, too, which is also great! One I've gotten a lot recently has to do with whole grain, whole wheat and the whole food theory in general. More specifically, I've been asked, "if whole grain flour/bread has the same calories as white flour/bread, then why can't we just eat the white one? Isn't it just calories in, calories out?"

Here's the short answer:
1. Whole grains help stabilize blood sugar
2. Whole grains keep you feeling fuller, longer

How? Well, there are very long, very boring explanations for all this, but I'm going to put it into my own words. Basically, as your body digests carbohydrates (beginning with chewing!), it converts it into sugars (energy) that are absorbed into your bloodstream. If this conversion and absorption happens very quickly, your blood sugar spikes....then crashes. If this absorption happens slowly, your blood sugar remains stable.

A grain is made up of bran (or fiber), germ and endosperm. The bran is on the outside, the germ contains the nutrients, and the endosperm is the starchy part. Your body really has to work hard to digest the fiber and the germ to get to the endosperm. But processed foods (like white flour) are basically the starchy endosperm that's been stripped of the bran and germ. Therefore, they are converted to sugar and absorbed into the blood stream quite quickly. In fact, your body processes the sugars in a piece of white bread much like a piece of cake! Ever wonder why you're always hungry? You eat white bread or other junk food, then an hour later (or less), you want to eat again. That's because your body has very quickly processed and used up what you put into it. However, the whole grain slows things down considerably....

The whole grain has all three parts, so it takes your body longer to digest, convert the sugar and carry it to your blood stream. You feel fuller longer and you don't have the negative effects of your blood sugar rapidly rising and falling! Staying fuller longer ultimately means you'll eat less, which is why whole grains are recommended for weight loss.

Plus, you're getting all that great fiber! Fiber (the bran layer) of food comes in two forms -- soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber (found in fruits, veggies, beans and whole grains) dissolves in water, and is what weighs down your stomach and makes you feel full. Insoluble fiber (often found in the peels of foods and whole grains) is bulky and helps food pass through your intestines. Some experts believe it also helps block some of the fat that your body takes from food -- I like that theory! Yay fiber! You also get a lot of fiber from fruits and vegetables. I like to aim for at least 30 grams of fiber a day.

So to make a long story short (too late!), whole grains are better for your body -- both inside and out! Not only do they help your dieting efforts by making you feel full, but they help keep your blood sugar stable and your digestive tract running smoothly.

Now that you're ready to switch from white bread to whole wheat, here are some things to remember. Back to the label reading! Wheat and whole wheat are not always the same. In order to be considered a whole grain, it must have the three parts (bran, germ and endosperm). So make sure you see the word "whole" or look for this seal. Also, foods high in fiber (like bran cereals), may not contain the other parts of the grain -- so while you're getting the good fiber, you're missing some of the value of the whole grain.

If you have anything to add, either from your own experience or a medical background, please feel free to leave a comment! The more knowledge we have, the more successful we'll be. In the meantime, I'm going to go make some popcorn -- it is a whole grain, after all!

The Svelte Gourmet: A Month of Main Courses cookbook is available at www.thesveltegourmet.com/products.html. A portion of book sales through the end of February will be donated to the relief efforts in Haiti.

And now you know...the rest of the meal!

A couple years ago, Keith and I were in my hometown of Lancaster, Pennsylvania at a local grocery store. A true "southern boy," he suggested we have okra with dinner. I looked around for a bit, then walked up to the produce manager and asked where I could find the okra. He looked at me quizzically and said, "Well, is it a fruit or a vegetable?" I thought Keith was going to pass out! My southern friends are equally as incredulous when they hear this story, but my northern friends just don't understand what the fuss is all about.

Since publishing my main courses, customers and fans continue to ask me what they should have "for the rest of the meal." My advice stays the same -- The Svelte Gourmet Signature Salad and a vegetable (and no, potatoes don't count!). About once a week, I'll make something that includes a whole grain like brown rice or whole wheat pasta. This is what works for us, and I rarely deviate. But in these cold winter months, finding a new and exciting vegetable to cook each night can be difficult (which is why I'm already working on the next cookbook, featuring sides, soups and salads!). In the meantime, here are my thoughts...

In Charleston, 'tis the season for greens! Though we eat spinach daily, other greens -- like collard greens, turnip greens and kale -- have been daunting to me. Collards, in particular, round out cozy, home cooked meals across the Low Country. Until recently, I've never been much of a fan. As you can probably imagine, I stick to steaming or roasting my vegetables -- it keeps their vitamins intact and requires little or no added fat. Perfect for svelte living! However, I very rarely see vegetables around here that are not cooked with some sort of pork product. I understand that this is to give the vegetables flavor, but my mission is to prove to you that vegetables are already loaded with flavor! Salt, pepper, maybe a little garlic or squirt of lemon juice and we're good to go. Anyway, back to my previous aversion to collards....

Collards, I will admit, do benefit from flavor enhancement. However, many recipes use a cut of pork that makes me shake my head every time. "Fat back." Just saying it makes me laugh. Talk about defeating the purpose! Often, collards are boiled for hours, stripping them of their precious nutrients. Then to top it off, they're flavored with "fat back." I'm not superstitious, but I steer clear of things and places named after obesity. For example, you will not find me eating at Blimpie, Fatz Cafe or Potbelly Deli. "Fat back" is avoided for the same reason! If I eat it, I'll get it.

So at the brilliant suggestion of my father-in-law, who dropped off some fresh collards here the other day, I opted to cook them with smoked turkey instead of "fat back" and I only boiled them for a short time. And I must say, thanks to his tutelage, these were the best collards I've ever had. And svelte!

Now for all of you non-southerners who are asking "what are collards?," I'll get back to the point. You, too, can eat local seasonal vegetables, even in winter! Check out this tool from the Natural Resources Defense Council to see what's in season in your area. Even in January, most states have some seasonal options. But if you're in one of those states that doesn't, rest assured. We'll send you some! Here's a tip, though -- many experts say that frozen vegetables are better for you than fresh vegetables from other states or countries. Fresh veggies are often picked before they reach their nutritional peak, then shipped thousands of miles before they reach your grocer. Frozen veggies, on the other hand, are picked and frozen quickly, often within a day of harvest. And as a general rule, try to stay away from canned vegetables, which lose most of their vitamins during the canning process (tomatoes being an interesting exception!).

To steam your vegetables, simply put about an inch of water into the bottom of a pot, insert the steamer basket of your choice, cover, heat to a boil and steam the veggies until crisp-tender (about 5-8 minutes, depending on what you're cooking).

To roast your vegetables, preheat the oven to 400 degrees, mist vegetables with olive oil, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet, sprinkle with salt and pepper and other seasonings of your choice, and roast for 30 minutes, stirring or flipping every 10 minutes for even browning. (The picture shows The Svelte Gourmet Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Browned Butter & Pecans -- healthy with just a little glaze! Coming in the next cookbook!)

Each month, this blog has readers not only from across the United States, but also from countries around the world -- the UK, Australia, Italy, The Netherlands, Ireland, Brazil, Turkey, Philippines, Germany and Switzerland, to name a few! I am honored to have reached so many fans, and though I don't know who you are, I'd like to hear from you! Please leave a comment and let your fellow readers know what's in season where you live and how you cook it. I'm always looking for new ideas to keep meals healthy and interesting!

I will be donating a portion of all cookbook sales through February to the relief effort in Haiti. The Svelte Gourmet: A Month of Main Courses is available at www.thesveltegourmet.com/products.html.