Ghosts of Christmas Past

Day After Christmas with Dad ... just part of the food we served

A lot of people feel justified  to eat whatever they want during the holidays. For some reason, "It's the holidays" has become an acceptable reason to make unhealthy food choices. 

As I looked around at the foods served at the various holiday gatherings I was blessed to attend, I was scared. Scared for my family, scared for our society and scared for myself.

I realize the word "scared" may seem a bit melodramatic, but it's the only word that aptly applies.

I am scared out of my mind of gaining my weight back. I have nightmares about it - and I wake up in a cold sweat and am scared to look in a mirror in case it turns out that losing weight was only a dream.

And so, the holidays freak me out. 

When I look at what my friends said they were eating over the holidays - and the menus planned by my families, I feared for them too. Most of the people in my family are over weight. Some try to fight it - feebly - and others have completely given up. Instead of looking to the new year with an attitude on healthy living, they are embraced by the ghosts of Christmas past and their recipes. You know the ones - full of butter, oil, sugar, and heavy cream - passed down through the generations. Recipes that are acceptable if you spend hours a day working the fields and farm animals, but don't fare so well for those who sit in front of a computer each day and night.

Check it:
Christmas Eve: Tortilla soup, bean and cheese tostadas, chicken enchiladas, pecan pie

Christmas Day: Venison breakfast sausage and eggs with cheese, mashed potatoes, gravy, chicken-fried venison, peanut brittle nut mix (aka crack in a can!), biscuits and English pea salad (it may sound healthy, but the cheese and mayo take care of that quite quickly), and snacky sweets. At least I took along Hungry Girl's Peppermint Pie (which is AMAZING!), Then later that night, during the Cowboys game it was chips and queso, chocolate-covered cherries and various other sweets.

Day After Christmas: Oreos (3, as my breakfast), Dr. Pepper, brisket, ham, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, macaroni and cheese, fruit salad, sausage balls, and mini candy bars.

And yes, I ate it.

I was in a strange position. First, people expect me to be snobby about food (and while I am, I don't want to show that as a guest in their home!) and refuse to eat the "bad" stuff. My usual solution involves taking my own dishes that are healthy and satisfy me. I did the best I could this weekend: I took low calorie desserts and made a low-fat version of my grandmother's mac and cheese to go alongside the "original recipe" version. Second: There just wasn't the option to eat only healthy foods - because there weren't any! The only choice I had was to eat small portions and avoid the worst of the dishes.

I didn't go back for seconds either - a change from my past years. Instead, I packed up as many leftovers as I could and brought them home with me to be enjoyed throughout the next week, in reasonable proportions, served with healthy sides, etc.

Why we can't change a few of our traditions? Is it really necessary to serve ham AND brisket? Sweet potatoes AND mashed potatoes? Does the venison steak need to be fried? If so, then can we choose between potatoes OR biscuits? Of course we can! It's easy to say "Don't eat it all" but that's hard in practice when you know the trouble the cooks went to when cooking. But how about those heirloom recipes? Do they have to be followed as if Jesus himself handed them down? Hello - fat free milk! I made two versions of my grandmother's mac and cheese and the butter-free version was complimented as much as the original recipe!

You see, I don't expect everyone to abstain from the indulgences of the holidays - that's why I did my little Christmas Kitchen Advent Adventure. The idea was to indulge a little throughout, rather than a lot in a few days. Of course, I just can't seem to let myself indulge any more - most of the advent was low in calories and fat - and I'm not complaining! I was VERY happy going into Christmas weekend.But I just can't get behind letting myself forget all the healthy habits I've worked so hard to learn over the past year.

I thought about letting down my guard, and a couple of times did, but I didn't like it. I felt out of control and like a cheater. Can a drug addict allow themselves to let down their guard because "it's the holidays" and that means it's ok to snort a little cocaine? How about an alcoholic and the New Year's bubbly? No! Then it makes sense that a food addict can't either! I don't feel bad about my discipline either. Especially since I have very little guilt from the weekend except that pound I gained. Gr. I've worked so hard to lose this weight, that I'm not cool with the idea of it coming back, even a single pound. It's a heck of a lot easier to gain a pound than it is to lose it!

NCKAA: 3 Days Until Christmas!

Self Magazine Sugar Cookies

3/4 c flour
3/4 c whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
pinch salt
4 tbsp butter, softened
1/4 c Sugar substitute
1/4 c Sugar
2 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla extract

Whisk flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt in bowl.

In another bowl, beat butter and sugars with hand mixer until light and fluffy - add egg whites and vanilla. Beat until just combined.

Gradually stir flour mixture into butter mixture until formed.

Roll dough into log and refrigerate at least 3 hours.

Cut into shapes and bake at 350 for 6-8 minutes.

Makes 40 two-inch cookies.

Nutritional Information Per Cookie: Calories: 38, Fat: 1g; Carbs: 6g, Fiber: 0g; Protein:1g
NOTE: The cookies in the photo were dipped in the glaze used for the doughnuts below.

Minty Mini-Doughnuts

Sugar cookie dough
Cooking SPray
2 tbsp powdered sugar
1 tbsp skim milk
2 medium candy canes, crushed

Heat oven to 350. Coat 2 cookie sheets with spray. Take sugar cookie dough above, cut into 4 equals pieces. Then cut each of those pieces into 16 pieces. Roll each piece between your fingers to form a 1.5 to 2-inch log. Pinch together ends of each log to form rings and place doughnuts 1 inch apart on cookie sheet. Bake 1 batch at a time until dough puffs, 5-6 minutes.

Which sugar and milk in a bowl until smooth. Dip top of each warm cookie into sugar glaze; press into candy. Let cool on wire racks.

Makes 64 doughnuts

Nutritional Information Per Doughnut: 28 calorie; 1 g fat; 5g carbs; 0g fiber; 0g protein

Finally! The search for the perfect sugar cookie recipe for the holidays is over. Self Magazine to the rescue. The doughnuts are super cute and tasty, too.

NCKAA: 5 Days Until Christmas

Snow Chili

8 oz cubed chicken breast
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cans Navy beans (or 3-4 cups homemade)
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup uncooked white rice
5-6 slices of jalapeno
1 tsp white pepper
2 tsp cumin
Optional: 1 cup white corn (If you've got it handy, but don't use yellow corn ... you know what they say about the yellow snow!)

Saute onions and cook chicken breast in frying pan. Combine all ingredients in crock pot, cook on high 2-3 hours, until rice is done. Enjoy!

Nutritional Information: Calories: 253.5; Total Fat: 1.2 g; Cholesterol: 18.9 mg; Sodium: 710.5 mg; Total Carbs: 44.1 g; Dietary Fiber: 7.1 g; Protein: 16.7 g

I can hardly believe I forgot to post this recipe when we had our first snow day last week! It's officially tradition for me to make Snow Chili on the day of the first snow.

I know a lot of white chilis cal for ground turkey, but  the chicken is SOOOOO much better - juicier and moister and I highly recommend it in any turkey chili recipe. For reals.

The point of Snow Chili, of course, is to have something warm and festive to eat after hours of snow ball fights and snow man building. I love living where it snows!!! We are heading to Texas for Christmas, so I'm not likely to have a white one this year (though we did last Christmas!!!!). But there has been snow on the ground for the past week up in Kansas City and it's been a lovely winter wonderland. This was a great way to celebrate the first flakes too.

NCKAA: 7 Days Until Christmas

Orange Smiles

1 orange

Cut orange into 8-10 segments. Enjoy!

Note: Save the orange peel to make Crandied Orange Peel :-)

Nutritional Information:  Calories: 87; Fiber: 4.4g; Carbs: 21.7g; Protein: 1.7g

Sometimes, it's the simple things that can make you smile. For me, oranges make me think of Christmas and that makes me smile.

I've got several more recipes on my list for Natalie's Christmas Kitchen Advent Adventure, but for some reason, Orange Smiles were calling out to me today.

I also have another batch of craisins in the dehydrator. This time, I cut each cranberry in half (tedious, but no big deal if you use cooking shears and have a favorite tv show in the background), dissolved 1/2 cup Splenda in 1 cup water (boiled to dissolve) and soaked the berries in the sugar water for 30 minutes (save the berry water for Crandied Orange Peels!). Then I spread them on the dehydrator and have had it going all day. These look a lot prettier than the batch I made a few weeks ago. I've got baking plans for some and breakfast plans for the rest (we love them in oatmeal and cream of wheat!).

NCKAA: 10 Days Until Christmas

Hot Dr. Pepper

12 oz. Dr. Pepper (1 can)
2 slices lemon

Heat Dr. Pepper until just boiling.

Place lemon slice in bottom of mug and pour hot Dr. Pepper over it.

Let cool until drinkable. Enjoy!

Serves 2. 

Nutritional Information: Calories: 75; Carbs: 28; Protein: 0g; Sodium: 40 mg

Hot Dr. Pepper is a Texan delicacy. My mother told me it was the first thing my parents made when they bought their first microwave. Our generation doesn't make it much (well, except me), but you can still get it at the Dr. Pepper Museum soda fountain in Waco.

There is just something soothing about the bubbly, thick, sweet caramelly goodness of hot Dr. Pepper on a cold day. Tonight, I'm drinking it to inspire me for my final final exam. I have 11 hours to write ten pages ... and I'm not even confident enough in the subject to bs a single page, must less 10. Wish me luck!

NCKAA: 12 Days Until Christmas

Don't judge me. It's finals week!

Finals Frozen Pizza

1 Supreme frozen pizza

Follow directions on back of packaging.

Nutritional Information: 1/3 of pizza: 330 calories ... I'm in!

When we last visited the grocery store, I had several challenges before me. 1) We are both broke so I didn't have a big budget to use for my weekly groceries 2) I'm in the midst of finals week and that means the study munchies have set in hardcore.

Imagine my surprise when, looking at low-cost dinner choices, I found a pleasant surprise in the information on the back of Tony's Supreme Pizza! I conveniently failed to look past the calorie count ... so you know, don't ask me about the fat, protein or sodium. At least I got a kind with vegetables on it!

Oh and it was a nice little holiday splurge, thank you very much. Plus, the crust was thin and I figure limited in the carbs. It's definitely got better fat and calorie stats than delivered pizza. At $1.98 a pizza, it was a lot cheaper than delivery, too!!!

NCKAA: 16 Days Until Christmas

Grilled Grinch Hands
(aka grilled cactus)
(aka grilled nopales)

Any number of nopales paddles (1 per serving)
olive oil spray

Carefully hold prickly paddles from the thick end. Using a sharp knife, scrape down the paddle to remove the prickles. Rinse.

Lightly spray olive oil on each side of every paddle and grill 5 minutes each side.

If you really want it to look like the Grinch's hands, cut down each paddle 4 times, to create fingers.

Don't these look like Grinch hands????

Nutritional information: 10 calories a paddle, plus stats from your oil; Protein: 2g; Carbs: 2 g; Fat: 0g

Cuddly as a Cactus Grinch Fingers

4 nopales paddles
1/2 medium onion, cut into strips
3 cloves garlic, minced

Prepare paddles as above. Cut into bite-size strips. Rinse again.

Sautee onions and garlic in large pot. Add nopales and enough water to cover. Bring to boil, let simmer 20 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Great for stews, salads, salsas or as a vegetable side dish.

Nutritional information: 10 calories a cup; Protein: 2g; Fat: 0g

Nopales con Huevos

4 oz. cooked nopales
1 egg
1/4 c egg substitute
1/4 c red pepper, chopped and sauteed

Mix all ingredients in frying pan and scramble together. Top with pepper jack cheese if you're feeling brave. Enjoy!

Nutritional Information: Calories: 135.0; Total Fat: 5.2 g; Total Carbs: 7.8 g; Dietary Fiber: 3.6 g; Protein: 14.6 g


So, this is officially a new holiday tradition for me! Though, technically, cactus season is in the late spring and early summer. I just love the idea of playing off the Grinch song and making it festive. And the left overs are delicious for breakfast!

Since last night was my first time to cook cactus myself, I decided to try grilled and boiled and decide which I like best: Grilled won. MMmmm.

The paddles were a lot easier to work with than I thought they'd be, which was nice. I only got poked by a needle once and that was at the grocery store when I was bagging them. If you buy your own, avoid the limp paddles, by the way. You want them to be sturdy, not slumpy.

Here's more on the awesomeness that is edible cactus.

NCKAA: 17 Days Until Christmas

"Egg in the Middle of Toast"

1 slice bread*
1 egg
Spray butter
Cooking spray

1. Remove middle of toast. I usually make a smaller hole than this, but since this is part of my advent, I chose to go festive!

2. Spray both sides with butter, spray frying pan with cooking spray and put on medium heat.

3. Crack egg into hole.

4. When the egg is cooked enough (you should be able to slide the toast around the pan easily), flip! Cook until other side is done. If the bread isn't toasty, keep flipping, but don't cook it so long that the yolk cooks.

5. "Pop" the yolk and smear over the toast. Since you can't see the gingerbread man anymore (though deep inside we know he's there), I decided to serve his cut out as toast.

*I use Wonder Smart White Bread because it's 50 calories a slice and has the same amount of fiber as whole wheat bread. Adjust the nutritional information based on your bread. 

Nutritional Information: Calories: 125; Total Fat: 5.5g; Protein 8.2 grams; Carbs 11.6 g.

Growing up, "Egg in the Middle of Toast" was a household staple. Some people call it Toad in the Hole and other such things, but my family is pretty pragmatic and says it like it is.

This was a favorite breakfast for us all and I was bound and determined to make it healthy. It's not like it was hard, after all. I just swapped real butter for spray butter and went with a low-calorie bread. Lately, I've been missing home so having this for breakfast really hits the spot in many ways. 

At the starting line

A brief email exchange this Weigh Day (141.2!!!) has given me the inspiration to write a blog that's been on my list since I reached my first goal weight.

Many have asked me why I want to keep losing weight. In fact, some people have expressed concerns about me losing too much weight. Sure, when you look at my before and after, it's extreme. But that's only because of where I started.

The end of the healthy weight spectrum for me is 145. If I weigh an ounce more than that, technically (according to my BMI), I'm unhealthy. While that may or may not be set-in-stone truth, it's the guide I've chosen to follow. I never want to be an unhealthy weight again. In fact, I'm mad at myself for living with an unhealthy weight for so long. I should have started fighting to lose weight the moment I crossed into "overweight" not when I realized I was "obese."
There never should have been a day in my life when I got over 145 (or it's equivalent when I was growing up).  Weighing 145 pounds is only "skinny" to me because I started at 195. My start should have come when I first hit 146.

When I look in the mirror, I don't feel skinny because I'm not - yet. I am seeing a truth in myself. Sure, 145 is awesome and I'm thrilled to be healthy, but my perspective has always different than it should have been because I've always been overweight. I'm glad that 145 isn't satisfying to me. Because one day I will look at this size as the enemy, not the goal.

It isn't about how far I've come, though I am very proud of myself. It's all about the destination. I want to be physically fit, healthy, sexy, toned and energetic.  I want 145 to be my extreme. Weighing 145 should be too much for me. And from now on, it is.

No, going from 195 to 145 was just me getting into my healthy place. It was my walk from the parking lot to the starting line. Now, the gun has gone off and I'm really starting.

NCKAA: 19 Days Until Christmas

Everyday Green Bean Casserole

8 oz fresh green beans*
1 tsp. salt
1 can low-fat Cream of Celery soup
1 piece bread
1 pat butter

1. Wash green beans. Snap tips from each and break in half.

2. Bring water to boil, with salt. Preheat over to 350.

3. Boil green beans for 5 minutes. Remove from boiling water and immediately immerse in ice bath for 5 minutes to stop cooking.

4. Drain green beans well, use paper towel to pat dry.

5. Place half the green beans in bottom of small casserole dish. Cover with half the cream of celery soup. Put remaining green beans on next layer and finish with remaining soup.

6. Cook uncovered for 45 minutes. During last 5-10 minutes, butter the bread and toast well.

7. After the green beans have cooked 45 mins, use a knife to scrap crumbs from the toast, both sides. Crumble crusts etc.

8. Return casserole to oven and bake 10 more minutes.

9. Enjoy!

Serves 4.

*If you're in a time-crunch, I suppose you can use frozen green beans ... if you must. Start at step 4.

Nutritional Information: Calories: 70.8; Total Fat: 2.5 g; Cholesterol: 3.1 mg; Sodium: 398.2 mg; Total Carbs: 11.7 g; Dietary Fiber: 3.2 g; Protein: 2.1 g.

Here's the thing about green bean casserole: I love it! I forgot how much I love it until last Thanksgiving when I found a recipe similar to this in Hungry Girl (she uses water chestnuts and soy crisps). It's such a simple dish and so tasty that I can't, for the life of me, figure out why we save it for the holidays only.

Sadly, Kevin isn't a green bean fan so I can only make them when he's not here for dinner - like tonight! I didn't have any this Thanksgiving because it was my job to make it using someone else's ingredients and I wanted to throw up when I saw the calorie count in the 2 CANS of Cream of Mushroom soup that was there. No thanks! It's not like I was going hungry by abstaining anyway.

I added it to my list of holiday goodies to enjoy throughout the season. I feel it is getting much more attention from me because of this.

P.S. Green beans are full of potassium and help ladies deal with pains that come at a certain time of the month.

NCKAA: 20 Days Until Christmas

Gingerbread Oatmeal Casserole

2 eggs (or 1/2 c egg substitute)
1 cup milk
1/2 cup apple sauce
1/4 cup molasses
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
3 cups oatmeal (not instant)

Combine above ingredients, mixing well. Pour into greased pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Makes 8 servings.

Nutritional Information: Calories: 175.2; Total Fat: 3.5 g; Cholesterol: 52.3 mg; Sodium: 153.7 mg; Total Carbs: 31.0 g; Dietary Fiber: 3.2 g; Protein: 6.2 g

As part of my gingerbread experiments, I made a tasty oatmeal casserole today. I used a fork to crush up the "slices" in a bowl and covered them with milk (next time I'll warm the milk first). YUM! It could use a bit more fiber for my liking, but as a breakfast "treat" it's a win! I just need a pan like this for next time!

NCKAA: 21 Days Until Christmas

Oh my goodness I've been soooo busy! I'm working a part time job, finishing up classes (and that grand 20-page paper that ended up being a whopping 34 pages), gearing up for finals, entertaining visitors and trying to maintain my sanity.

Unfortunately, writing my Advent posts is getting a little sloppy - but enjoying my Advent treats isn't!Today's entry isn't a recipe - no time to cook this week and it's bringing me down - it's a collection of holiday happiness that can be eaten almost guilt free!

Pizzelle: First, if you haven't met them yet, run to the nearest store and buy a package of Vanilla Pizelles. These Italian-style cookies are a mere 23 calories each and they are bigger than the top of a coffee mug! They aren't super sweet (only 1.3 g of sugar a cookie) and are wonderful with your morning (or, in my case, afternoon and evening) coffee. Reko, the brand I bought, claims to be preservative free and has a list of simple ingredients - all words a 7 year-old could pronounce. A serving size is 6 cookies, but I find 2 to more than satisfy my sweet tooth!

Mini Candy Canes: They might be pure sugar (though according to their ingredients they are also corn syrup, peppermint oil and artificial color), but these little treats are great for satisfying a holiday craving for "traditional" tastes. Three of them is only 35 calories. That's less than 12 calories each! I bought a box of 40 for $.99 so they are also budget-friendly. I read somewhere that peppermint is a good appetite suppressor and munchie-fighter. Sure, we'll go with that since it's a plus, too.

Amaretti Cookies: I just recently (today) discovered these amazing little macaroon-esque cookies. They taste like light, crispy, cherry-flavored air. Kevin wasn't a fan, but at 19 calories a piece (Lazzaroni brand), they have a new place in my heart. A serving size is 7 cookies (130 calories), but 3 works great for a sweet shot with "fine" wine or liquers. Or, you know, as a snack. These are available at gourmet grocery stores and I've found a couple of recipes (Like this one!) that show them to pack some nut power. I haven't tried making my own yet, but you can be sure that I will when I get the time!

Gingerbread Cookies: So, my register at the store has a big can of gingersnap cookies that are free to guests as a sample. And they stare at me all day. Their spicy aroma tickling my nose ... almost as much at their nutrition info tickles my fancy. At a mere 23 calories each, it's hard to keep my hands out of that cookie can! Most gingerbread cookies are a better alternative to other cookie recipes and I've been baking it up like crazy - though I have yet to find a recipe that makes me happy enough to post here. When I do, you'll be the first to know!

NCKAA: 23 Days Until Christmas

Oatmeal with Pomegranate!

1/2 cup quick cook oats
1 1/2 cup water*
1/3 cup pomegranate seeds, divided

Heat water to almost boiling. Add all but 1 tablespoon of the pomegranate seeds.

When water boils, add oatmeal and cook 3-5 minutes.*

Top with remaining pomegranate seeds, let cool and enjoy!

* The box calls for 1 cup of water. However, I've found that if I add an extra half cup and cook the oatmeal longer than the recommended 1-2 minutes, I get more out of it without adding calories. Kevin thinks it's a bit watery so he sticks to the usual recipe. Feel free to do the same.

Nutritional Information: Calories: 176; Fat: 3.1g; Sodium: 1.2mg; Carbohydrates: 33.6; Protein: 5.4g; Fiber: 4.2g

This may seem like a simple recipe that doesn't have much to do with the holidays, but to me it isn't. My grandmother has an amazing pomegranate tree and every year would send us home with a dozens poms, at least! They are one of my favorite holiday treats. Little did I know until I was old enough to pay attention how expensive they are to buy at the store!

Now that I'm grown and living 500 miles from my grandmother's tree, they aren't free for me. So, when I buy a pomegranate (yes, just one!) I savor it. The particular pom I opened this morning is a good one - perfectly ripe, super juicy and yielded about a cup of seeds!

There are a couple of other recipes I might try, but to be honest, pomegranate seeds are one of my favorite snacks all by themselves. They take a lot of work (I tend to suck the seed then spit it out) so it tricks my body into thinking it's eating more than it is. When the study-time munchies hit, a pom just might be a lifesaver!

NCKAA: 24 Days Until Christmas

No, you didn't miss the 25 Days Until Christmas post ... I didn't write one. Yesterday was a sad day and didn't involve any cooking or culinary creativity. My dog passed away and I ate ice cream from McDonald's instead. Solace in food is bad, I know. But he loved ice cream!

Anyway, I owe you two recipes so I am going to divulge two ways to use Reduced Fat Crescent Rolls for breakfast.

Hungry Girl Monkey Bread

3 tbsp. No Calorie Sweetener (granulated), divided
2 tsp. cinnamon, divided
2 tbsp. light whipped butter or light buttery spread (like Brummel & Brown)
2 tbsp. sugar-free pancake syrup
2 tbsp. brown sugar (not packed)
1 package Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations Seamless Dough Sheet
1/2 tsp. baking powder

*If you don't have the dough sheet, use reduced fat crescent rolls and smoosh the edges together to create a "seamless" sheet. It doesn't matter how perfect it looks.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Mix 1 tbsp. Sweetener and 1 tsp. cinnamon in a large bowl or container. Set aside. Spray six cups of a muffin pan with nonstick spray, and set pan aside as well.

3. Place a small pot on the stove, but do not heat it. Add butter, syrup, brown sugar, 2 tbsp. sweetener, and 1 tsp. cinnamon. Leave this on the unheated stove, to be melted and mixed later.

4. Roll out the dough on a clean dry surface (smoosh if using rolls), and sprinkle evenly with baking powder. Gently smooth baking powder into the sheet with your fingers.
5. Cut dough sheet widthwise into six strips equal in size. Cut each strip into four squares. Using your hands, roll each square into a ball, for a total of 24 dough balls.

6. Place 12 dough balls in the bowl with the sweetener-cinnamon mixture. Lightly toss to coat, and then place them gently in the muffin pan, with four dough balls in each of three cups. No need to press the dough balls into the pan -- just let them fall naturally. Repeat with remaining dough balls, so that each of the six muffin cups contains four coated dough balls. Set aside.

7. Bring the small pot on the stove to medium heat. Stirring frequently, heat just until butter has melted and contents are mixed well. Evenly spoon the butter mixture over the dough balls.

Bake in the oven for 15 - 20 minutes, or until puffy and firm. Allow to cool slightly, and then plate and enjoy! There will be gooeyness in the bottom of the cups - I make sure to scoop that out and drizzle it on top of each "muffin."

Serves 6.
Nutritional Information: Calories: 154; Fat: 7.5g; Sodium: 369mg; Carbs: 21g; Fiber: 0.5g; Sugars: 6.5g; Protein: 2g

It's worth the hassle to make these (I know it looks complicated, but it really isn't!) because they look pretty impressive. But if you just don't wanna go through the steps, here is a similar recipe from my mom that is a Christmas morning tradition for us (The monkey bread, however, will soon be added to the list of traditional eats).


Tiny Cinnamon Rolls

1 8 ounce can refrigerated reduced fat crescent rolls
1 ½ teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Unroll crescent roll dough and put the pieces together to make one rectangle of dough.
Pinch the seams together to seal

Stir together the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle evenly over the dough rectangle –
leave one edge plain (so the dough will stick together after you roll it)

Roll up, starting with a long side. Go slowly and try to keep the roll from being too
loose. Press the edges to seal.

Cut the log into 12 slices and place in a lightly greased 8” cake pan – or into mini-muffin
pans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes

Icing:
1/3 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 teaspoon milk (or more)
1 drip vanilla extract

Combine powdered sugar, milk and vanilla, stirring until smooth; drizzle over warm
cinnamon rolls.


I haven't calculated the nutrition stats for this, but the icing holds a lot of extra sugar, to be honest. It might be yummy to make this with the syrup from the Monkey Bread recipe!

Linking and Thinking More

Here is a round-up of links I've received lately ... the good ones, at least.

Can you be healthy at any size?
Women's Health is asking a question we all want answered. Is BMI really that important? Can you be healthy and still "overweight"?

Cut your Carbohydrate Footprint
The guys over at Eat This, Not That point out hidden sugars in what have become everyday "health" foods - like store-bought granola!

31 Days to Healthier Holidays
Sparkpeople has provided daily tips to get us through the next month of holiday hoopla. Hooray! They provide a nice calendar that will look great hanging on fridges or cubicle walls.

The 9 Best Winter Foods
Another winner from Eat This, Not That is a great introduction to winter fruits and veggies that might spark some creativity in your kitchen. I know it did in mine!

NCKAA: 26 Days Until Christmas

Waste not, want not ... right? Since Thanksgiving is over, Kevin's roommates are clearing their house of fall decorations. This includes the 3 large carving pumpkins they bought. Thinking of my baking, they sent the pumpkins my way and I've been working up a storm.

Generally, carving pumpkins aren't meant for baking. However, when you're poor like me, you make it work. A can of pumpkin costs about $1.50. Since a 5-pound gourd can yield the equivalent of 4 cans, I'm pretty excited. I cut into the first pumpkin yesterday and removed the seeds. Then, I peeled it, cut the meat up in small cubes and boiled it for about 30 minutes. The cooked pumpkin then found it's way into my blender. A few zaps in there and voila! Pureed pumpkin!

Here are the recipes I've already made:

Cajun-Spiced Pumpkin Seeds

1 cup pumpkin seeds
1 scant teaspoon Cajun seasoning, or to taste
paprika, for more color, if desired
a little salt, depending on saltiness of the seasoning
2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 300°.

Rinse seeds well and get as much of the pumpkin pulp off of them as possible. Some of the small pieces are going to adhere so don't worry about perfection here. Pat dry with paper towels.

Toss pumpkin seeds with seasonings. Combine oil and Worcestershire sauce; stir into seeds until well blended and coated.

Roast, turning from time to time, for about 45 to 60 minutes, or until nicely browned and crunchy.

Egg Noodles with Pumpkin Sauce

1 cup onion, chopped fine
1.5 cup red bell pepper, chopped fine
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin
1 cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons almond milk
6 oz egg noodles, whole wheat
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan as an accompaniment

In a large skillet saute the onion, bell pepper, and garlic over moderate heat (use olive oil spray or water to saute), stirring, until the vegetables are softened, stir in the pumpkin, the broth, the water, the almond milk, and salt and pepper to taste, and simmer the sauce, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until reduced by a third. While the sauce is simmering, in a kettle of salted boiling water boil the noodles until it is al dente, ladle out the reserve about 1 cup of the cooking water, and drain the egg noodles well.

Add the egg noodles to the sauce, cook the mixture over moderate heat, stirring and thinning the sauce as desired with some of the reserved cooking water (I rarely have to thin the sauce), for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the pasta is coated well, and stir in the parsley. Top with Parmesan and cover skillet for 1-2 minutes.

Serves 4.
Nutritional Information: Amount Per Serving: Calories: 201.7; Total Fat: 2.9 g; Cholesterol: 4.9 mg; Sodium: 250.7 mg; Total Carbs: 39.6 g; Dietary Fiber: 6.5 g; Protein: 9.9 g

Peeling pumpkins is a HUGE pain, both literally and figuratively. For Pumpkin #2, I am going to try a roasting method instead of a boiling method to cook the pumpkin. All it involves is cutting the pumpkin into chunks and roasting it in the over at 375 or so for a more than hour. When the flesh is cooked, you apparently just scoop it out and puree or mash it. Since I've made roasted pumpkins like this for breakfast a lot this fall (just with tiny pumpkins), I'm pretty sure this will work out. I'll leave comments below to let you know how well it works.

For Pumpkin #3, I plan to make pumpkin flour. I did it once earlier this fall. To do it, you peel the pumpkin (boo!), cut the meat into quarter-inch strips and dehydrate them. Then, you grind the dried pumpkin into a fine powder. Though I haven't tried cooking with it yet, I understand you can replace 1/4 of the flour in most recipes. This is a big calorie saver!

Can't blame Thanksgiving

So, I was quite proud of myself on Thanksgiving - I limited my calorie intake to just 1600 calories for the entire day! I didn't eat until I was uncomfortable and I didn't go home feeling guilty for overindulging.

And then the weekend came ... and so did my mom.

I am proud to say that Mom has lost 25-30 pounds on WeightWatchers and we love to share recipes and weight loss tips. We are both concerned with what we eat and how much - until she comes to visit. Then we go a little hog wild - pun intended.

Kansas City is a wonderful town for those who like food. Sure we have great barbecue here, but there are many other good eateries as well. When I get visitors I tend to take them on an eating tour of KC - and it's pretty tragic for any diet, much less one recovering from Thanksgiving damage!

I honestly can't blame Thanksgiving for the weight gain I've seen each time I've stepped on the scale since Friday morning. Friday was a lovely day for me and the scale - I saw 141.8 for the first time ever! But it was fleeting - Saturday gave me 142.8, Sunday showed 143.4 and this morning was a lovely 145.4. Gulp. I can only blame a food-packed weekend. At least it was good food instead of junk food. I can use that an an explanation, at least.

Saturday started with diet-friendly A-muesling French Toast. But then the day saw the obligatory visit to Oklahoma Joe's (Mom's fave bbq in town) for a lunch of ribs - no comment regarding the calorie count there - and a visit to Julian for dinner. Julian is a restaurant owned by Mom's fave reality star, Celina Tio, who lost in the semi-finals of the Next Iron Chef a couple of weeks ago. Ms. Tio actually delivered our food, cleared our plates and stayed to chat with Mom for a few minutes! It was a great experience and just another reason I love Kansas City.

The food was good too. I had seared whole trout, brown and wild rice, and braised celery with lemon. It seemed healthy, but who knows what actually went into it. Kevin had pasta and Mom had pork tenderloin with brussel sprouts and parsnips. Oh, and we ordered a side of Boulevard Pale Ale Mac and Cheese (Boulevard is our local brewery). All I know is that it was all super tasty! Plus, we shared three desserts that were amazing and I know they weren't healthy: butternut squash cheesecake, "banana cotta" with strawberries and chocolate, and salted chocolate puddin' with ginger donut. "Good" doesn't even begin to describe it.

On Sunday, following a breakfast of cinnamon and sugar monkey bread and cream of wheat, I then arranged lunch for us Sunday at Hereford House, a KC original and famous steakhouse. The idea was to have a light lunch of steak soup. But we decided to split the 8 oz KC center cut that helped make the steakhouse famous. Kevin ate 4 ounces of the steak and Mom and I each had a couple of ounces. Plus, the soup was as thick as gravy! It was very filling and I ended up bringing half of mine home.

Overall, I think we did a good job of mitigating damages while still enjoying, tasting, and savoring, but I certainly didn't stick to 1300 calories a day this weekend. And Thanksgiving isn't to blame one bit. I shifted into some form of vacation brain and lost my mind a little. I made my dinner selections with calories in mind, but wasn't nearly as meticulous as I usually am. It didn't help that I failed to drink my usual 80 ounces of water each day and drank about 80 ounces of coffee instead.

Sunday dinner was the Thanksgiving Meatloaf recipe I posted yesterday - and it was healthy and very low in calories. At least I didn't let Thursday get out of hand!

NCKAA: 27 Days Until Christmas

Ok ex-pats ... do you have access to cranberries and ground turkey? If so, then you can totally make a quick and easy Thanksgiving dinner thanks to this recipe! I hope you're enjoying Natalie's Christmas Kitchen Advent Adventure as much as I am!

Thanksgiving Meatloaf

2 pieces low-calorie bread, toasted and cut into 1-inch squares
1/2 cup nonfat milk
1/4 c egg substitute
1 c celery, finely chopped
1 small onion, diced
1/4 cup dried cranberries* (13 calories)
3 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary, divided
1 pound lean ground turkey
1/2 cup whole-berry cranberry sauce* (~50 calories)
1/2 cup ketchup
1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

In a large bowl, combine toast cubes and milk. Let stand for 10 minutes; break up bread cubes with a fork. Stir in the egg substitute, celery, onion, and cranberries. Add half the rosemary. Crumble turkey over mixture and mix well. Pat into an ungreased 9-in. x 5-in. loaf pan.

Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 25 minutes; drain if necessary. Combine the cranberry sauce, ketchup, pepper sauce and remaining rosemary; spread over meat loaf. Bake 20-25 minutes longer or until no pink remains and a meat thermometer reads 165°.

*My dried cranberries are homemade, using Splenda. I used them in my cranberry sauce as well. If you use store-bought craisins, this will change the nutrition information for both the dried cranberries and the cranberry sauce. I included the calories for these ingredients next to them. That way you can subtract my numbers and enter your own if you use ingredients with more calories.

This recipe is adapted from a Taste of Home recipe.

Makes 6 servings.

Nutritional Info: Amount Per Serving: Calories: 179.2; Total Fat: 5.6 g; Cholesterol: 53.8 mg; Sodium: 387.8 mg; Total Carbs: 14.5 g; Dietary Fiber: 2.4 g; Protein: 18.2 g.

I served this tonight with baked sweet potatoes and green beans. For dessert, I made a banana pumpkin custard. Since Mom was in town, it was the best Thanksgiving dinner ever!

Making this reminded me of many make-shift holidays meals from my past. My first Thanksgiving in college was spent home alone while all the roommates went to see friends and family so I made a Turkey Pot Pie and watched football. The first Thanksgiving I spent with my ex away from our families - we made turkey drumsticks and boxed stuffing. The first Christmas Kevin and I celebrated together involved him working. An hour before he got done I decided to go ahead and cook something "fancy." The only store open to buy the fixin's was 7-11. Can it be called fancy when dessert is a fried gas station pie and turkey from a Lunchable?

NCKAA: 28 Days Until Christmas

When company comes to visit, it's fun impress them with your breakfast skills. In my house, eggs over medium just doesn't cut it. Today, I served up A-muesling French Toast Sticks for the most important meal of the day.

A-Muesling French Toast Sticks

2 slices low-calorie bread (I use Wonder Smart Bread)
1/3 c nonfat milk
1/4 c egg substitute
1 tsp vanilla extract
.5 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp Muesli (I use Hodgson Mill's Apples & More Muesli)
.25 c sugar-free maple-flavored syrup

1) Mix egg substitute, milk, vanilla and cinnamon in shallow pan.

2) Cut bread slices into 3 "sticks" each.

3) Soak the bread sticks for 15 seconds on each side (you shouldn't have any egg mixture left by the end).

4) Spray skillet with non-stick spray. Cook on medium heat, flipping every couple of minutes, until golden brown and cooked on all sides. Make sure to check the edges of the bread sticks.

5) Top with muesli and syrup. Garnish with grapes or apple slices (optional, not included in nutritional data). I used craisins. Yum.

Serves 1.
Nutritional Information: Calories: 258.4; Total Fat: 2.7 g; Cholesterol: 2.2 mg; Sodium: 477.7 mg; Total Carbs: 43.3 g; Dietary Fiber: 7.6 g; Protein: 16.3 g


This is such a great meal to start the day. I stay full almost until lunch thanks to the amount of fiber and protein in this dish. Plus, it's helpful on a day full of calories so that you don't get too snacky.

Our day has had more calories than Thanksgiving! We went for ribs at the barbecue place near my house (I only had a little) and ate the rest of the Pumpkin Chili with that. Tonight we are going to Julian, a restaurant run by a finalist for Next Iron Chef. I'm thinking seared trout, but am not quite sure yet. No matter what, I'm sure there will be some extra calories in there!

We did a lot of shopping this afternoon and I came home with some new cookie cutters. I'm super excited to take them for a spin!

NCKAA: 29 Days Until Christmas

Jo Anne's Pecan Tarts

Forgive the presentation - they drove 550 miles to get to me.

Ingredients: Mom's homemade pecan pie, made in cupcake tins.

Directions: Clean house like a mad woman for hours until it's ready for Mom's visit. An hour of "heavy cleaning" burns 278 calories if you're my weight. That means you can enjoy the goodies Mom brings!

Nutritional Info: Unavailable. However, a slice of pecan pie is usually around 450 calories a slice.

My mom came to visit for the weekend and brought pecan tarts with her. Sure, pecan pie is a major diet no-no, but Mom (who has lost 30 pounds in the past 8 months!) made her pie into mini "portion-controlled" tarts. And she brought some to me.

Pepper and Pumpkin Chili: Because this isn't really a recipe for you, here is a link to the Pumpkin Chili I put in the crock pot to be ready by the time Mom drove into town. I added leftover Thanksgiving turkey and used chicken broth instead of veggie broth. But I maintain that the red peppers are what really makes this recipe standout from others.

Nutritional Info: 128 calories, plus turkey calories

NCKAA: 30 Days Until Christmas!

Today's Christmas Kitchen Advent Adventure comes from the gas station. Sure, it's not exactly my kitchen, but it's great when you're on the road! Kevin introduced me to it last year and it's become a winter favorite. Sure, I can make it at home and save a lot of calories, but part of what makes this special is that it warms you up, and peps you up, on long drives.

Kevin's Hot Choffee

8 oz. Hot Chocolate
4 oz. house blend coffee

Mix together. Enjoy!

Nutritional Info: Calories 200 (This depends on the mix used at the gas station. If you make it at home, then it's more like 80 calories).

For Thanksgiving, Kevin and I drove three hours south to Wichita to visit with his family. His brother is finally home after 5 years in the Army (stationed in Germany and deployed to Afghanistan) so it was the first time for me to meet him and the first time the full family had been together in years.

It was a lovely day full for family, food, and only a little blood. But because of my new part-time job, we could only stay the day and had to leave after the Cowboys game. On the way home, we stopped at our usual gas station to stretch our legs and decided it was definitely cold enough for our favorite winter drink: Kevin's Hot Choffee. No matter how you take your coffee, there is no need for cream and sugar in this tasty winter-time road trip treat! It did the trick and we are home after a long day.

We're stuffed and happy - and I'm thrilled to say I kept my calories at less than 1600 thanks to eating moderate servings, cutting calories where I could, and focusing more on the family than the food. It was a great day!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Ok, Ladies (and Gentleman), I know a few of you are out of the country, and as such you are immune to the food struggles that come with Thanksgiving (trying to give you a positive to cling to if you're feeling homesick!).

For the rest of us, here is a scary statistic according to the editors of Men's Health: The average American consumes 4,500 calories and 229 grams of fat on Thanksgiving day. The folks at the American Council on Exercise say it's 3000 calories.

Either way, that's A LOT!

So, here is to wish you smart decisions. You can still enjoy Thanksgiving without giving in to your ultimate health goals. Count your calories while counting your blessings! Using the fact that it's Thanksgiving and there is a lot of good food as an excuse to overeat is dangerous and, frankly, dumb. We are all strong and we can have a great, enjoyable Thanksgiving without hurting our overall goals.

That being said, if you fall victim to overeating, for whatever reason, here are a couple of tricks:

1. Skip the turkey skin. That's where most of the meat's fat lives.
2. Drink milk with high fat foods. It helps your body eliminate fat.
3. Go for a long walk AFTER the meal. Heavy workouts before often make people feel entitled to eat a lot, because they burned a lot of calories in the day. But, to burn 3000 calories, you need to run for 4 HOURS at a moderate pace.Of course, running 5k before and then walking a couple of miles after dinner isn't such a bad idea ... unless you use it as an excuse to engorge!
4. Pillsbury crescent rolls have 110 calories in them.
5.  Half a cup of sweet potatoes, baked, is 90 calories - that's without marshmallows, butter, or brown sugar.
6. 3 ounces of turkey breast is 89 calories; 3 ounces of dark meat is about 165 calories. That's before butter is added (often used in roasting a turkey).
7. The leftovers are just as dangerous - that means multiplying the over eating by numerous meals. Think about healthy leftover ideas. (I posted a few here as well).

Overall, don't beat your self if you do go a little crazy. But at the same time, don't find yourself saying "It's Thanksgiving. It's supposed to be about a lot of food." Because it isn't.

It's Thanksgiving. It's supposed to be about being thankful. And I am thankful for the support y'all have sent my way this past year! I hope you have a great Thanksgiving

NCKAA: 31 Days Until Christmas!

My crandying paraphernalia :-) MMmmm

Next up in Natalie's Christmas Kitchen Advent Adventure ...

Crandied Orange Peel

3 oranges
1 tablespoon salt
4 cups water
1/2 cup cranberry water *

*When I made craisins earlier this week, I set aside the juices from blanching them and used them in my candied orange peel. If you don't have this - no idea if cranberry juice will work but I don't see why not - then use 2 cups of sugar and 1/2 cup water.

Cut peel of each orange in eighths; loosen from pulp with bowl of spoon.  (Eat orange sections as 65 calorie snack.)  Add salt to 4 cups water; add peel.  Put water, salt and peels in large freezer bag and let stand overnight.

Drain; wash thoroughly.  Cover with cold water; heat to boiling.  Drain.  Repeat three times.  This helps remove bitter taste.

Cut peel in strips 1/4 to 1/5 inch thick.  In saucepan, combine 2 cups peel, sugar, and 1/2 cup cranberry water. (If using sugar and water, heat and stir till sugar dissolves).  Cook slowly till peel till peel is translucent. This can take about 45 minutes.  Drain, roll in granulated sugar.  Dry on a rack for several hours. Keep away from all animals. Cat hair is murder on these!

After about 5 hours, I wiped the excess sugar from the strips and set it aside (for oatmeal - it's cranberry-sweetened!). Then, I let the peels keep drying. 

_________________________________



Today is also Weigh Day and Measurement Day. Slowly, but surely, things are still going down! (Except my cursed calves, of course. Grrr)

My Measurements:
Weight: 142.8 ... overall loss of 52.2!!!
Waist: 27.75 inches ... 0.25 inches smaller than last month
Hips: 37.75 inches ... 0.25 inches smaller than last month
Thigh: 19 inches ... 0.5 inches smaller than last month
Arms: 11 inches ... no change from last month
Calf: 15 inches ... no change from last month, again.

Last Month's Measurements:
Weight: 146.2 pounds 
Waist: 28 inches
Hips: 38 inches
Thigh: 19.5 inches
Calf: 15 inches
Arms: 11 inches

Starting Points:
Weight: 195 lbs
Waist: 40 inches
Hips: 47.25 inches
Thigh: 28.5 inches
Upper Arm: 15.5 inches
Calf: 17.25 inches
Push ups: 4
Crunches: 15

NCKAA: 32 Days until Christmas

Glossary:
Torte: A rich cake, originating in Austria, usually decorated or filled with cream, fruit, nuts, and jam.
Tort: A wrongful act, not including breach of contract, that results in injury to another's person, property, reputation, or the like, and for which the injured party is entitled to compensation.

But no worries, there is nothing wrongful about eating or making these tortes! They are diet-friendly.

I made the dessert for today's Non-Traditional Law Student Association Thanksgiving Lunch and am very excited to take them to school. These Torte-lettes ring in at a mere 186 calories each!

Natalie's Pumpkin TORTE-lettes
1 box yellow cake mix
1 can pumpkin
--
4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 tub whipped cream (like Cool Whip)
4 tsp sugar substitute
1/2 cup pumpkin
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 serving McDonald's caramel sauce (from Apple Dippers) - you can use ice cream caramel, but this is easier for portion control.
1/3 c chopped pecans

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Mix cake mix and can of pumpkin. Divide into muffin tins, filling each 2/3. Should make 17 or 18.

3. Bake as directed - about 25 minutes.

4. Put on rack to cool, them transfer to cake pan, cover with plastic wrap and freeze for several hours. This is important when cutting the muffins, otherwise they will crumble.

ONCE FROZEN THROUGH, make frosting.

5. Beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy.

6. Add sugar substitute, 1/2 c pumpkin and pie spice. Beat until smooth. Fold in whipped topping.

7. Cut each muffin into three: remove top, cut bottom in half horizontally.

8. Spread frosting on top of each muffin piece - about a quarter-inch thick. Stack each muffin back together. This is easiest if you do a single muffin at a time.

9. Empty McDonald's caramel into small sandwich bag. Cut small hole in corner and use to draw caramel on each muffin. Sprinkle with pecans. Store in refrigerator.

Serves 17.

Nutritional Info:Servings per recipe: 17; Calories per serving: 182.6; Total fat: 5.4 g; Sodium 263.3 mg; Total Carbs: 30.8 g; Dietary Fiber: 1.3g; Protein: 2.9 g.

I'm not going to lie, like most tort lawsuits, there are a lot of elements involved in this creation. I included step-by-step photos to help you out. Trust me, these are super delicious (I split one with Kevin last night) and worth the work and time involved. Hello, they are covered in creamy frosting with nuts and caramel! I was inspired by this beautiful creation and challenged myself to make a low-calorie, low-fat version. I succeeded!