Well, autumn is here, whether the weather feels that way or not. After spending all summer avoiding my stove and oven, it's time to break out the apron and indulge my cooking and baking cravings for the best time of year to snuggle up with a warm bowl of goodness.
The average American puts on 8 pounds between October 31st and January 1st every year. If you're not working hard in the gym to get all that weight off, then in a mere 5 years, you've gained 40 pounds that you gets harder to lose the older you get. The answer to most people seems simple:
1. Binge eat during the holidays
2. Pledge to work it off with a new year's resolution
3. Lose some of the holiday weight/water weight and feel overly confident
4. Burn out on workouts by February
5. Step on the scale and see a number that is still higher than last year
I do not subscribe to this line of thought. I think anyone should be able to eat whatever they want, when they want. You should also be smart about your food choices and make a habit of lightening up old favorites so that they still taste great, but don't affect your waistline. Below are a few of my favorite comfort food recipes, lightened up to be at least half of the calories in their original counterparts. Stay tuned in a couple of weeks for my post on how to lighten up Thanksgiving favorites!
"Faked" Potato Soup
Calories: 212 Restaurant Baked Potato Soup Calories: 410
Ingredients:
32 oz fat free chicken broth
6-8 medium potatoes, diced
1 onion, diced
4 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
8 ounces Velveeta reduced fat cheese
1/4 cup 0% fat Greek yogurt
3 tbsp chopped chives
2 tbsp flour
3 tbsp skim milk
Directions:
Combine chicken broth and potatoes in large stockpot. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, until a fork cleanly goes through potatoes. After potatoes are cooked, add chopped onions. Stir in cheese and Greek Yogurt, and simmer until cheese melts. Mix milk and flour together and use to thicken soup to taste. Serve with bacon and chives on top. (Serves 12)
Directions:
Texas Cheese Fries
Calories: 208 Restaurant Cheese Fries Calories: 2520!!
Ingredients:
2 medium russet potatoes, washed and dried with skin on
2 tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp cajun seasoning
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 tsp chili powder
dash salt and pepper
1 slice center cut bacon, cooked and finely chopped
1/3 cup sharp shredded cheddar cheese
2 tbsp diced green onions
1 tbsp sliced pickled jalapeno
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Farenheit. Line baking sheet with foil and coat lightly with cooking spray. Cut each potato lengthwise into 1/4 inch slices. Toss in a large bowl with olive oil and seasoning. Place potatoes in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Turn fries once, then continue to cook for 15-20 more minutes, depending on thickness of each slice. Remove fries from the oven and place into an oven safe dish. Top with cheddar cheese, sliced jalapenos, bacon, and scallions, and return to the oven for 2 minutes, or until cheese melts. (Serves 2)
Parmesan Pea Risotto
Calories: 175 Restaurant Parmesan Risotto Calories: 385
Ingredients:
2 tsp olive oil
1 uncooked onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1&1/2 cups uncooked arborio rice
5 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cups fresh parsley, chopped
4 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp lemon zest
dash of salt and pepper
Directions:
Bring chicken broth to a simmer in a medium pot. Heat oil in a large saucepan with high sides over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, saute for 2 minutes, take care not to burn the garlic. Add rice and stir constantly until rice becomes translucent, for another 2 minutes. Ladle chicken broth into rice, one cup at a time, and stir until all chicken broth has evaporated into the rice. Continue ladling until all chicken broth is gone. Add Parmesan cheese, butter, salt, and pepper. Grate in lemon zest, add peas, and serve immediately. Garnish with parsley. (Serves 4)
The average American puts on 8 pounds between October 31st and January 1st every year. If you're not working hard in the gym to get all that weight off, then in a mere 5 years, you've gained 40 pounds that you gets harder to lose the older you get. The answer to most people seems simple:
1. Binge eat during the holidays
2. Pledge to work it off with a new year's resolution
3. Lose some of the holiday weight/water weight and feel overly confident
4. Burn out on workouts by February
5. Step on the scale and see a number that is still higher than last year
I do not subscribe to this line of thought. I think anyone should be able to eat whatever they want, when they want. You should also be smart about your food choices and make a habit of lightening up old favorites so that they still taste great, but don't affect your waistline. Below are a few of my favorite comfort food recipes, lightened up to be at least half of the calories in their original counterparts. Stay tuned in a couple of weeks for my post on how to lighten up Thanksgiving favorites!
"Faked" Potato Soup
Calories: 212 Restaurant Baked Potato Soup Calories: 410
Ingredients:
32 oz fat free chicken broth
6-8 medium potatoes, diced
1 onion, diced
4 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
8 ounces Velveeta reduced fat cheese
1/4 cup 0% fat Greek yogurt
3 tbsp chopped chives
2 tbsp flour
3 tbsp skim milk
Directions:
Combine chicken broth and potatoes in large stockpot. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, until a fork cleanly goes through potatoes. After potatoes are cooked, add chopped onions. Stir in cheese and Greek Yogurt, and simmer until cheese melts. Mix milk and flour together and use to thicken soup to taste. Serve with bacon and chives on top. (Serves 12)
Directions:
Texas Cheese Fries
Calories: 208 Restaurant Cheese Fries Calories: 2520!!
Ingredients:
2 medium russet potatoes, washed and dried with skin on
2 tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp cajun seasoning
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 tsp chili powder
dash salt and pepper
1 slice center cut bacon, cooked and finely chopped
1/3 cup sharp shredded cheddar cheese
2 tbsp diced green onions
1 tbsp sliced pickled jalapeno
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Farenheit. Line baking sheet with foil and coat lightly with cooking spray. Cut each potato lengthwise into 1/4 inch slices. Toss in a large bowl with olive oil and seasoning. Place potatoes in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Turn fries once, then continue to cook for 15-20 more minutes, depending on thickness of each slice. Remove fries from the oven and place into an oven safe dish. Top with cheddar cheese, sliced jalapenos, bacon, and scallions, and return to the oven for 2 minutes, or until cheese melts. (Serves 2)
Parmesan Pea Risotto
Calories: 175 Restaurant Parmesan Risotto Calories: 385
Ingredients:
2 tsp olive oil
1 uncooked onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1&1/2 cups uncooked arborio rice
5 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cups fresh parsley, chopped
4 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp lemon zest
dash of salt and pepper
Directions:
Bring chicken broth to a simmer in a medium pot. Heat oil in a large saucepan with high sides over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, saute for 2 minutes, take care not to burn the garlic. Add rice and stir constantly until rice becomes translucent, for another 2 minutes. Ladle chicken broth into rice, one cup at a time, and stir until all chicken broth has evaporated into the rice. Continue ladling until all chicken broth is gone. Add Parmesan cheese, butter, salt, and pepper. Grate in lemon zest, add peas, and serve immediately. Garnish with parsley. (Serves 4)
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