Kitchen Update

Soooo we're going on Day 4 without being able to walk in our kitchen. The house is in disarray, I keep having panic attacks that one of us will step on the tile and obviously RUIN the whole project (because I'm a little type A like that), we've been endlessly shuffling the dogs around, and worst of all I haven't been able to cook.

anything.

in well over a week.

So, in the midst of my panic tonight when at 11 pm I realized I havent had anything decent to eat since practically eternity I reached for the most obvious answer out there-

Marshmallow Fluff.

Yes, readers, I ate a whopping spoon full of Marshmallow Fluff. And ya' know what? It made me a bit happier inside. Hopefully, the kitchen will be done soon and I'll be able to share our beautiful new floors with you. Until then I encourage you to grab a spoon.

Update- New goodies coming this week

I have not abandoned the blog! I've been a bit sickly because of the weather and its been my birthday week which has meant lots of eating out! I have a few updates planned this week, so check back later for some brand new goodies to try out!!

Lowfat Mac and Cheese!

Ok, so I really need to stop using tri-colored noodles, especially the green ones. This photo doesnt necessarily look tasty, but I promise you that it was. This is a really yummy, healthy alternative to boxed mac and cheese that even a kiddo enjoyed! This excellent recipe was created by the Moosewood Restaurant.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups lowfat cottage cheese

1 1/2 cups nonfat or lowfat buttermilk

1 tsp grain mustard

1/2 tsp cayenne or chili pepper

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 cup shredded or small cubed extra sharp cheddar

1/2 pound UNCOOKED macaroni or farfalle

2 tbsp granted parm cheese

1/2 cup bread crumbs or panko

Directions

Oven to 375. Prep a 9 inch baking pan with olive oil or cooing spray.

In a blender or food processor, combine cottage cheese, buttermilk, mustard, cayenne, salt and pepper and pulse until smooth.

In a large bowl, combine puree with macaroni and cheddar. Mix well. Pour mixture into prepped pan.

Sprinkle the parm cheese on top of the macaroni mix, then top with panko.

Bake 45 minutes, or until the top is brown and center is firm.

Nutrition

Oye! We have totally forgotten how many servings this is for :0( Sorry we dropped the ball, but I do not have nutrition for this dish.

Enjoy!

Shake and bake tofu

I know just what you're thinking.... 'really Dori, shake and bake tofu???'. Oh yes my friends. And it's glorious. Our attempt at shake and bake tofu actually came out of a sort of conundrum to figure out if it would work and boy did it! This is the perfect side dish to the upcoming Lowfat Mac and Cheese. For days that you're just craving comfort food you cant go wrong here!

Ingredients

1 package of extra crispy shake and bake

1 block extra firm tofu

Optional:

Marinade- I used honey and a little cider vinegar mixed together, but feel free to go crazy!

Directions

** although you're using 'shake and bake', you risk having very mushy tofu of you actually shake it. I recommend dumping the bread-crumbs into a flat plate or bowl to create more of a dredging station.

Oven to 500.

Remove tofu from package and press. Slice pressed tofu into 1/2 inch squares.

If marinading, dip individual tofu pieces into the marinade and immediately place into dredging bowl to cover with bread-crumbs. Arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet.

If you're not marinading, just place individual tofu pieces into the breadcrumbs for a quick roll around. Arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet.

Bake for approximately 30 minutes, until nice and crispy, flipping every 10 minutes or so.

Enjoy!

Portobello 'Pizza'

This is a SUPER easy, quick meal to make for lunch or dinner. I literally ran home over a break during class, did about 5 minutes of prep and ate a delicious (and healthy!) lunch less than 20 minutes later. Awesome!

Ingredients

1 Portobello mushroom cap

2-3 Tbl Spaghetti sauce, whatever you have on hand (I used a traditional tomato basil)

A good sprinkle of shredded mozzarella cheese

(I also added a little sprinkle of a parm mix I had on hand)

Directions

Lightly wipe down the mushroom cap with a damp napkin. Trip out the stem.

Oven to broil.

Place upside down mushroom cap (stem portion up) on baking sheet. Spoon in spaghetti sauce, and top with choice of cheese.

Broil for abut 10 minutes, or until the cheese is nice and bubbly and you're confident that the mushroom is cooked throughout.

Nutrition

This recipe is for 1 serving.

Est WW points: 3

Calories: 120

Fat: 5.3g

Sodium: 274

Carbs: 4.5 g

Fiber: 1.2 g

Sugar: 3.1 g

Protein: 8.5 g

Notes:

If you happen to have a little oregano or basil laying around dont be scared to cut it up and toss right on top. This dish makes an excellent lunch, especially when paired with a nice crusty bread and a little olive oil!

So, what do you eat anyway?

Surprisingly, I get this question a lot. I understand that for a lot of people, it's really hard to imagine their lives without meat and heaven forbid that you lighten up a little on the dairy. Fortunately, there are LOTS of really great meat substitutes out there! While we dont eat them very often, we do have our favorites that we keep in the house so I thought I'd share what we consider to be the 'best' meat and dairy substitutes out there.

When I first though of giving up meat, honestly one of the hardest things for me was bacon. I have NO IDEA why, really its pretty gross when you think about it, but dang it sure can be tasty when used in the right dish. I was THRILLED when I found Morninstar Farms Veggie Bacon Strips- they smell just like traditional bacon, are excellent inside of a grilled cheese and at only 60 calories per serving infinitely healthier than the real thing.

If bacon's not your thing Morninstar also makes an excellent veggie sausage pattie. I like the traditional, but Jason likes the maple. When J (Jasons little brother) was over for breakfast one day he didnt even believe me that these were veggie based- I actually had to show him the box to get him to believe they were not meat. If you're looking for a great transition piece, we highly recommend this one!

For lunch or dinner, the most flexible source of protein has got to be tofu. It soaks up any marinade you might throw at it, is quick and cheap! I use tofu in our recipes often, and find that I prefer the extra firm texture the best. Dont get disheartened if the first few times you venture into tofu land you lose your way a little- once you find the perfect cooking method for you it becomes much easier! Tofu can now be found in most grocery and big box stores and can be either conventional or organic. If you dont use the whole block, it's easy to store in a sealable container with fresh water and will keep for 5-7 days.

For nights that we're craving convenience or burgers, our go to is the Gardenburger. I prefer garden burgers because they are vegetable based, but if that's not your thing Bocas are soy based and Morningstar has a black bean based. Veggie burgers can be highly subjective, and it's entirely normal to love some and hate others. I recommend that you grab a few boxes next time you grill out and make 1 of each to sample :0)

The last thing I want to share is a dairy alternative. I am vegetarian- which means that I do eat eggs and dairy on occasion, but I've been making a conscious effort to limit my dairy to only baking or food prep. I'm not a huge fan of soy milk, or rice milk however I LOVE almond milk. Several brands carry an almond option, including Almond Breeze and Silk. I use unsweetened for most baking, and the sweetened vanilla for oatmeal or chai tea. Yum!

I hope this has been helpful- especially for those of you joining us for Meatless Mondays! With so many healthy and tasty options out there, it's easy to eat green!

Can I just say

that I have never, ever felt better about what I'm eating. I love that I'm finally eating for me- ethically, clean and local.