The New Food 'Pyramid'

I realize that the new food pyramid is old news. But, I wanted to reflect on some things. I think my food blog is a good place to do this.

Eating is something you do roughly 3 times a day 365 days a year. You should know the proper way to eat. So why is it that I only vaguely remember learning about proper nutrition? I think we talked about it once in elementary school and then in high school when I elected to take a health course.

The new My Plate approach seems a lot easier to understand than a pyramid. I mean look at that image. If I have the proper size plate (not the huge 10-12" things most of us use) then I can design my plate exactly as it appears above and know that I'm getting a balanced meal. Simple.

Here are some things I've learned recently that (like My Plate) make eating healthy easier for my family.

• Carbs are NOT bad. I feel like I've believed carbohydrates (bread, pasta, rice, grains) were the enemy for WAY TOO long. In fact, you need them and you should be eating more grains and breads than meat. The kicker? You need to eat the right kind of carbohydrates. Things like beans, whole grain breads and brown rice. 

• You need a lot more vegetables than you are probably eating. Don't like vegetables? I didn't either until I started forcing myself to try new things and cooking with fresh ingredients. You can also try adding a romaine leaf (iceberg doesn't count) salad to every meal...it's a start. 

• Protein doesn't have to come from meat. It's ok to leave meat out of a meal. Try replacing one meal a week with a vegetarian menu. It will help you get more veggies and force you to try something new occasionally. 

• STAY AWAY from processed foods. If it comes in a box, it's probably not very good for you. The food companies are trying to make money off of you. Health food is popular right now. Of course the food companies are going to market their food as healthy! They can throw a little extra iron in their cereal and say it's iron fortified...they conveniently forgot to mention that they added a whole extra cup of sugar to the cereal in the process. The only way you know exactly what you are eating is if you have control of all the ingredients...I'm not going to get into organic ingredients right now. (Which by the way, I do not buy organic...at least not yet.)

• You don't have to eat perfect all the time. Follow the 80/20 rule. Eat good 80% of the time and you can live a little the other 20%. Just be careful because 20% can evolve into 30% and it can make a big difference.

• Small changes. Drink some more water this week. Next week buy apples instead of chips. You get the idea?

Edamame Salad

I found this recipe at Shape Magazine's website. It was in a feature for summer salads with 5 ingredients each. Can't beat 5 ingredients. It makes things super fast, easy and cheap!

I adapted the recipe a little since I am trying to like tomatoes but still haven't succeeded.

I really don't have a use for corn. I think it's just a low-calorie filler. I have been using it for that reason, though. It's much lower in calories than the edamame in this recipe. Plus, it adds some color and it does taste good.

Edamame Salad

1 bag of shelled edamame
1bag frozen corn
1/2 avocado
1 lime
1Tbs. olive oil
pepper to taste

Mix olive oil and lime juice by whisking. Add pepper to taste.

Boil the edamame and corn according to directions (about 3 minutes). Once done, immediately cool edamame and corn combo in cold water.

Pour lime/olive oil dressing over edamame and corn. Peel, pit and dice the avocado half and mix with the edamame and corn.

I put the salad in the fridge for a few minutes to make sure it was nice and cold. After all, it's 105 degrees here.

Eat. Yummmmm.

Chickpea and Cucumber Salad

This is a quick lunch salad to beat the heat. I found the recipe on the back of a can of Goya Chickpeas and adapted it to use ingredients that I actually had.

1 can of Goya chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
1 bell pepper
3 cloves of garlic, minced (I use the cheese grater as a cheat)
1/2 of a cucumber
1 teaspoon of olive oil
2 teaspoons of light balsamic vinaigrette
a little oregano

Chop the veggies the way you prefer. Throw everything in a bowl and mix it all up. Put in the fridge to chill and you have a yummy, cold, summer salad.

I had a side whole wheat couscous with mine, too.

The Best Tacos You've EVER Eaten.

That statement's true if you've never had Torchy's Tacos. Those are, in fact, the best tacos in the world. No contest.

But, these are a close second to Torchy's. Now, all you tofu snobs, don't panic. This is a tofu recipe and it was my first attempt at cooking with tofu (I've eaten it before). I can tell you with 99% certainty that you will like this taco. But, if you insist on not trying tofu then you can substitute chicken or (even better) fish. 

Here is the recipe. I followed this recipe exactly.

In my opinion, this is the best veggie recipe I've made. In Mark's opinion, it is a close second to a black bean burrito recipe that I'll post later.

This is tofu. The consistancy is similar to scrambled eggs.

Slaw for the tacos.

Yogurt dressing. Don't freak out...it makes the tacos. Promise!

Finished Product. I'm going to eat the leftovers from last night. Right Now.

Chickpea Patties

Told you I'm loving Chickpeas right now. I think I told you that. Who knows. This is another recipe from The Kind Life. You can find the recipe here. I left out the celery. The reason? I'm not a big fan of celery and I didn't want to buy a whole bunch when I only needed one stick. I don't think the recipe missed it. I certainly didn't.

These were really good. I'm not sure if I prefer these or the black bean patties. I guess it doesn't matter since they will both be making it into my cookbook as go-to meals.

Twofer

As in, two for one. I'm back on my health kick. I'm not going into details but the past few weeks have taken a toll on me. My body has really gotten used to non-processed, earthy meals.

This hot pickle salad that I've been making has been my go-to lunch most days. I stole/borrowed it from Elena. Pardon the picture. It's an iPhone pic. This salad is Romain lettuce, chickpeas (which are delicious), diced hot pickles and I added some croutons...a girls gotta live a little. I've been using a Garlic Asiago dressing because low calorie garlic dressing is hard to find. Most of them are creamy garlic. Beware anything that says creamy. My only complaint with this meal is that I end up picking up the chickpeas with my hands. They are quite difficult to get onto the fork. haha. But it's sooo good it doesn't matter!

This next recipe is delicious! I promise you'll love it. I got it from The Kind Life website.






It's Black Bean Burgers and Guacamole. 

You need:

• 1 Avocado
• 1tbsp. of lime juice
• a little pepper
• 1/4 cup of bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup of chopped garlic
• 1tsp. of cumin
• 2 tsp. of Olice Oil (reduced from original recipe which recommends 3 tsp.)
• 1/4 cup chopped tomato (I omitted this)
• 15 ounce can of Black Beans

What to do:

1. Make Guac. (maybe you have a better recipe but this worked fine) Mash up avocado in a small bowl, add lime and season to taste with pepper. Put in fridge until you are ready to eat.
2. Open, drain and rinse can of beans. Put into bowl with bread crumbs, garlic, cumin and olive oil.
3. Use food processor or potato masher to mix ingredients until they are well blended.
4. Add small amount of olive oil to pan. Form bean mixture into 4 patties.
5. On medium to high heat, heat oil. Add patties and cook 5 minutes per side until heated through and browned.
6. Slab on some guacamole and enjoy!

This was a recipe Mark enjoyed A LOT! His only complaint was that he needed a little more food. I didn't make anything to go with it.

Healthy Lunches

So I've mentioned that lunches are difficult, right? I never know what to do. I'm guilty of falling into fast food traps at lunch because: "how do make a lunch for one?" I'm not a big fan of at home sandwiches or salads. My favorite deli meat is bologna and it doesn't really fit into my diet plan. So lunches stump me.

Elena had some good suggestions on her blog. Have I mentioned her blog before? I have (on Granthamania)? Yeah, I'm a big fan of her blog right now. haha. I've tried two of the recipes she posted and they were fantastic!

Tuscan Panzanella Salad

Hop over to her blog for the Tuscan Panzanella Salad recipe and a few others.

This tuscan salad was pefect because:

1. The leftovers will refridgerate and save well for tomorrow.
2. Everything in the salad (minus croutons) are bite size for Miss Chloe and she enjoyed it!

When on her blog, please note the recipe for the Chickpeas Salad. It was so yummy. I didn't have chichpeas so I substituted white beans. It was a good substitute but I'm springing for the chickpeas next week at the store.

The Best One Yet! -French Bread Pizza-

This is the best recipe I've posted. Cross my heart...stick a needle in my eye. It's good because it uses french bread. I know what you're thinking. Carbs are bad. Au Contraire, Mon Frère! Just don't eat too many.


The only thing that bugs me about this one is the fact that I don't get to use whole wheat bread. I'm thinking I'll use whole wheat hamburger buns next time. 


This recipe would be easy and fun for kids to help make. (Obviously, they shouldn't chop the veggies.) Also, you can easily add to or take away to make the topping the your own.

iPhone photo...doesn't do it justice

INGREDIENTS


1 c diced Roma tomato
1 c diced asparagus (I use only tips)
1 c diced red bell pepper
1 c diced green bell pepper
1 Loaf french bread
1 T minced garlic
1 jar pizza sauce (I used Ragu brand)
shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese


DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut loaf of french bread in half length wise. Place one half on baking sheet and save the other half for whatever you want. (lunch tomorrow?)
2. Place tomato, asparagus, bell peppers and garlic into a bowl and toss to coat everything with garlic.
3. Slice the loaf into 4 separate pieces and spoon pizza sauce on each piece. (about 1/4 c per piece)
4. Put your veggie mixture onto each piece (use as much or little as you want...I always have leftover and I put them into the fridge for later...great for a salad or more pizza tomorrow.)
5. Sprinkle each slice with some cheese and put into the oven for about 10 minutes.

DONE!

Can't remember where this recipe came from but the calorie information I wrote down says 252 calories a slice. Not bad.

I promise not to post about pizza again for a while. 

A Lunch Idea - Quinoa & Black Beans

Healthy or not, lunch is difficult. Cooking for one (or one and a half in my case) is tricky. I don't want to eat salad. If I do, I'll end up eating a bunch of junk afterward. I also want lunch to be quick and easy. I spend a lot of time in the kitchen for supper and I don't want to do the same for lunch.

Aside from waiting for the Quinoa to cook, this recipe was quick (and easy). The recipe was on Eating Well's website. Again, it was found in the vegetarian menu.

original recipe

I made a few swaps:

• Used Red Bell Pepper 
• No onions (ran out yesterday)
• Added three cloves of garlic (I LOVE garlic)
• Added a few mushrooms 

• INGREDIENTS
• 1 teaspoon canola oil
• 1/2 bell pepper, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup canned black beans, rinsed
• 2 tablespoons broth, (or water)
• 1/2 cup hot cooked quinoa

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add bell pepper and onion and cook until almost tender. Add beans and broth (or water) to the pan. Cook until heated through. Stir in quinoa.

Serving size: 1/2 cup

Calories: 162 (before I made my adjustments)

A Delicious Alternative to Pizza

Mark walked in the door tonight and said, "What smells so good?" The aroma did not disappoint. This Caramelized Onion & White Bean Flatbread was MMMMMazing!

This is a recipe that's easy to play with...add garlic and or mushrooms...take away the tomatoes...whatever.

Original Recipe from Eating Well

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced lengthwise
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 20 ounces prepared whole-wheat pizza dough, (see Note), thawed if frozen
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano, or 2 teaspoons dried
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 15-ounce can white beans, rinsed (see Note)
• 3 tablespoons water
• 2 teaspoons white-wine vinegar
• 2 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 1 cup finely shredded smoked Gouda, or Cheddar cheese
• 2 tablespoons pepitas, (see Note), optional

Directions:

1. Place oven rack in the lowest position; preheat to 450°F. Coat a large noninsulated baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Combine oil, onion and salt in a medium saucepan. Cover and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until the onion is softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, uncover and cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft and golden, 5 to 8 minutes more.
3. Meanwhile, roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to the size of the baking sheet. Transfer to the baking sheet. Bake until puffed and lightly crisped on the bottom, 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Stir oregano and pepper into the onion. Transfer half the onion to a small bowl. Add beans to the remaining onion; cook over medium heat, stirring often, until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the bean mixture to a food processor, add water and vinegar and pulse until a coarse paste forms.
5. Spread the bean paste over the pizza crust. Top with the reserved onion, tomatoes, cheese and pepitas, if using. Bake on the bottom rack until the crust is crispy and golden and the cheese is melted, 11 to 13 minutes. Slice and serve.

Changes I made:

1. Reduced the amount of Olive Oil to 1 Tbs.
2. Added one diced red bell pepper.

Recipe makes 6 servings

Calories: 365

Fat: 11g

Carbs: 51g

Protein: 13g

Soft Tacos with Southwestern Vegetables

This has been one of my favorites so far. I was even able to save the leftover veggie mix for my 9 month old daughter's lunch the next day and SHE LOVED IT! It's easy and quick to make. Got the recipe here.


Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium red onion, chopped
• 1 cup diced yellow summer squash
• 1 cup diced green zucchini
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced
• 4 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1 jalapeno chili, seeded and chopped
• 1 cup fresh corn kernels (cut from about 2 ears of corn) or 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 cup canned pinto or black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 8 corn tortillas
• 1/2 cup smoke-flavored salsa

Directions:

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft. Add the summer squash and zucchini, and continue cooking until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, tomatoes, jalapeno, corn kernels and beans. Cook until the vegetables are tender-crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the cilantro and remove from the heat. Heat a dry, large frying pan (without a nonstick surface) over medium heat. Add 1 tortilla to the hot pan and heat until softened — about 20 seconds per side. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. To serve, divide the tortillas among individual plates. Scoop an equal amount of the vegetable mixture onto each tortilla.  Top each with 2 tablespoons of the salsa. Serve immediately.

Serving Size: 2 tacos

Calories: 298

Fat: 6g

Carbs: 52g

Protein: 9g

Curried Cashew Burgers

• I know the word 'Curry' scares a lot of people. It does smell strange but it tastes delicious. Mark and I were both a little nervous about this vegetarian recipe but it was pretty good and Mark has requested that it receive a permanent place in our recipe book. I made adjustments to the recipe (the way I posted it is how I made it) but you can find the original recipe here. 

The Eating Well website has been a life saver this week. I decided to try living as a vegetarian for (at least) a week. This website provides a 28 day vegetarian meal plan for 3 different caloric requirements. Superb!

• 
  
• Ingredients:
• 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons water, divided
• 1 cup diced peeled carrots, (2-4 medium)
• 1/2 cup red beans
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 3/4 cup raw cashews
• 1 cup chopped onion, (1 medium)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 3/4 cup fine dry breadcrumbs
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 6 6-inch whole-wheat pita breads

Directions:

1. Combine 2 cups water, carrots, beans and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Partially cover and simmer until the carrots are cooked, 12 to 14 minutes. Drain in a colander, gently pressing out excess liquid. Transfer to a plate; let cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, toast cashews in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring, until golden and fragrant, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool.
3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened, 5 to 8 minutes. Add garlic, curry powder and the remaining 2 tablespoons water; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove from heat and let cool.
4. Pulse the cashews in a food processor until finely chopped. Add the beans and the onion mixture; pulse until the mixture is cohesive but still somewhat textured. Transfer to a bowl and stir in breadcrumbs, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper; mix well.
5. With dampened hands, form the mixture into six 1/2-inch-thick patties, using about 1/2 cup for each.
6. Cook 2 to 4 patties at a time in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until evenly browned and heated through, about 4 minutes per side. Cut small ends off pitas and open the pockets. Serve burgers in pitas.

*Serving Size: 1 burger

Calories: 437 calories

Fat: 15g fat

Carbs: 65g

Protein: 16g

*This information is based on the original recipe (without my adjustments). 

About Granthamania Recipes

This is a place to share some of our favorite recipes. It has been pretty difficult for me to find healthy AND delicious recipes for my family. I figured it may help to share them with others when I find them.

Please let me know if you try any of these recipes. I'd love to get your review. Also, please feel free to share your recipes. I'm always looking for new ones.

Happy, healthy eating...