Today's Afternoon Pick-Me-Up: The Muddy Banana

I joke that my husband likes to do yard work until "black dark" once spring and summer roll around, and because I'm a morning person in a household of night owls, I'm often ready for an early supper long before others are.  So a late-afternoon snack is a real boost to get me through to suppertime, usually 7 or later.  Today  I wanted a bit of stimulant as well, so I made up this blender drink:



The Muddy Banana

1 large banana, frozen
1 small handful of fresh kale (about one large leaf)
1 rounded tablespoon cocoa powder (I used the good stuff from Penzeys Spices.*)
1/2 - 1 cup water

Blend all ingredients in a Vita-Mix, ideally, and serve over ice with a straw.  It's a terrible shade of dark brown, sure to keep the kids away, but it's rich and satisfying, and only slightly sweet.  About 170 calories, with over 6 grams of fiber and almost 6 grams of protein.

Verdict: Very Good. I'd say Excellent except for the aesthetics. :-)

*The Penzeys store in the Strip District in Pittsburgh is a real joy to visit. I could spend a lot of money there fast.  I'm relishing their cardamom in my morning oatmeal with apples and walnuts and just gave someone one of their little gift boxes of four small jars of spices.

Moroccan Eggplant-Chickpea Stew and The Latest Green Smoothie

Subscribers to drfuhrman.com received this week a recipe for "Moroccan Spiced Eggplant and Chickpea Stew," and I made the most of our garden bounty today with that for supper, with alterations, of course.  The original recipe is fairly bland and needs a little more sweetness (raisins) AND hotness (fresh hot pepper), as well as the bite of vinegar in the hot sauce I added. You can see the original at the website in the recipes section if you're a paying member, or you can see a similar recipe here.  Here's my version:

MOROCCAN EGGPLANT-CHICKPEA STEW

1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
3 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
1/2 green pepper, chopped (The original called for red, which would be pretty, as would yellow)
6 small Japanese eggplants (1 large one is fine, but I liked the coin-like slices of mine)
2 large tomatoes, diced (You may want to save one of them to add late in the cooking to retain discernible pieces)
water to give the right consistency (I added probably about three cups)
1 teaspoon each cinnamon and cumin
1/2 teaspoon each coriander (fresh-mortared is great!) and paprika (I think you could leave this out--it didn't add much to mine)
1 minced hot pepper, 1/4 tsp dry cayenne pepper, and/or a dash or two of hot sauce to taste (I used all three, but not a lot)
1/4 - 1/3 cup raisins
1/2 tsp salt if you need it as much as I (and my family) did :-)

Water-saute the onion and carrot and garlic until softened, then add the other ingredients in turn, waiting for the spices until the pepper is softened, and simmer for at least 30 minutes, up to an hour, perhaps reserving the raisins and part of the tomato and the salt (taste it all first!) until the last 15 minutes of cooking. I suspect this will be better the next day or two or three.

Verdict: Very Good. My husband thought it was Excellent!  We ate this in small bowls at supper, with other things on the side, but it would be very nice over rice or couscous or with a flatbread on the side.

Green smoothies can actually come in all kinds of colors, including a deep, dense purple brown from lots of dark berries. Those are pretty ugly, however delicious. But I really like it when a green smoothie is just pretty.  Today's was bright, vibrant green from the addition of golden fruits:

GOLDEN-GREEN SMOOTHIE

1 frozen pear (I put the whole fruit in the freezer and then microwave briefly to make it possible to slice down against the core on three or four sides to separate the fruit from the stem and seeds)
several chunks of fresh pineapple
several chunks of frozen mango
2 large kale leaves
about two cups water

Combine all ingredients in the Vita-Mix or other blender and blend until the kale is smoothly incorporated with only tiny discernible flecks. Add a tablespoon of flax seed meal to the first of two tall glasses of this concoction and enjoy!

Verdict: Excellent, as green smoothies usually are.  The nice thing is that I can taste at the end and add a little of this or that to correct the flavor. Usually I find a new smoothie experiment needs a bit of citrus to brighten it up.

Resuming

Despite my silence here, I've been keeping daily food logs for months at drfuhrman.com . I've decided to post again here--if not every day, then when I have something interesting to share from a day's menu, in the way of a recipe or method. This is a summer endeavor--I may cave to time pressures again in the fall.

ITALIAN STIR-FRY

2 tsp olive oil
8 oz. bag frozen Italian-style green beans (the flat, diagonally-cut ones)
1 red bell pepper cut into strips (I used the delicious long "Ancient Sweets" in a plastic bag)
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic
big tablespoon pesto (mine is frozen homemade from last summer)
big handful (2 oz?) fresh spinach
grated asiago cheese to garnish

Heat the oil in a pan and add the green beans, stirring a bit before adding the pepper, onion, and garlic, then pesto, and finally spinach at the end to wilt it.  The idea is to leave the peppers and onion the slightest bit crunchy and colorful.  

Optional: I tossed my portion of this with whole grain penne and topped it with a little jarred marinara heated with a dash of wine

Verdict:  VERY GOOD.  I really enjoyed this satisfying recipe for supper. (I had about half of it with 2/3 cup pasta and a couple of tablespoons of marinara and a grating of asiago.) It's probably fine to omit the tiny bit of oil and the asiago, but you need something in the way of the pesto to perk it up, especially with no added salt. 

PEACHY-GREEN SMOOTHIE

1 peach and 1 nectarine, pits removed
1 navel orange, peeled
3 hand-sized leaves of kale
a tray of ice cubes and a cup or so of water

Combine in blender (Vita-Mix is best!) and whirl until smooth, with little flecks of nectarine skin.

Verdict:  VERY GOOD. It's good this way but has a slightly sulfur cast. I threw in a couple of chunks of fresh pineapple to improve the second glass. Lemon would probably fix it, too.  This makes over a quart, and I add a tablespoon of flax seed meal to my first glass.

Doesn't look like much for breakfast?  Remember it's over a quart of smoothie, sweet and refreshing, so it's satisfying and filling, for sure. I ran the nutrition on this recipe (including flax, not counting pineapple), and it's under 250 calories, with 7 grams of protein (about the same as a small egg), 4 grams of fat (mostly from the flax), and 10 grams of fiber. It has over twice the RDA of Vitamin C, almost all the RDA of Vitamin A, half the RDA of copper and manganese, and at least a quarter of the RDA of Vitamin B6, magnesium, phosophorus, thiamin, and niacin.  And it's all fresh ingredients, the flax seed meal the only processed item. Having this at 8 a.m. will have me properly hungry for lunch about noon.

Breakfast Salad?

I am a traditionalist. I like breakfast in its recognizable forms, especially--hot or cold cereal, eggs and grits, waffles, citrus fruits, cheese toast, bagels, that kind of thing.  On a nutritarian life plan only the hot cereal and citrus fruits make the cut.  So I have oatmeal two or three times a week and green fruit smoothies the other days, and that works pretty well.  I've thought "yuck" when I've seen other nutritarians' breakfast reports including leftover chili, big salads with tomatoes and vinegar dressings, and so forth.

What's a girl to do?

Well, I think about what I expect from breakfast--warm comfort or bright flavors--and I go from there.  Several times I have actually made a breakfast salad, based on what sounds good as I approach the kitchen, and one successful recipe, Apple-Carrot Salad, was a good option a time or two--my recipe was accepted on the Member Center recipe collection on drfuhrman.com . 

This morning I probably had that recipe in mind when I put together this one, a nice variation, that sneaks in some green veggie as well:

PEAR BREAKFAST SALAD
(Serves one)

1 cup broccoli slaw
1/2 cup shredded or matchstick carrots
2 dried apricot halves, snipped (optional)
2 tablespoons plain lowfat yogurt or substitute
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon powdered ginger (fresh would be fine, better, probably!)
1 pear, diced
1/2 oz. toasted slivered almonds (optional)

Combine broccoli, carrots, and apricot snips. Top with yogurt and spices, stirred together on top of the salad and then combined.  Dice the pear over the top and stir to combine, then top with the almonds.

Verdict:  Excellent.  The veggies and nuts are crunchy, the pear meltingly cool and sweet, and the occasional apricot bits chewy and sweet. This is kind of like a deconstructed smoothie, with broccoli instead of greens. I added my daily flax seed meal to this, and it blends in nicely.

Ongoing Review: "Aggressive Weight Loss (non-vegetarian)"

In an effort to jump back into nutritarian eating more fully, with some quick jump-start results, I decided to try the "Aggressive Weight Loss (non-vegetarian)" plan available within the members' area at drfuhrman.com . This plan offers a week's menus with recipes, and I thought I'd review a few of the recipes, because they're definitely a mixed bag!  Where possible, I'm providing links to the recipes available outside the members' center.

The plan follows the six-week entry into nutritarian eating outlined in the Eat to Live books, here:

Some of the recipes are repeated for later meals, and I've mostly been following the recipes pretty closely (especially for me!). I haven't finished up my week yet, so perhaps I'll post a follow-up later.  But here's the deal so far . . .

Excellent

• Broccoli Oriental (sauce of a touch of sesame oil, garlic, soy  sauce [or liquid aminos], tiny amount of sugar and cornstarch)
• Walnut-Pear Green Salad
• Banana-Walnut "Ice Cream" (simple smoothie of frozen banana, a few walnuts [I confess I toasted mine], and a bit of milk to combine--I added nutmeg)

Pretty Good

• Black Bean Mango Salad (blogging friend Ali has a a fancy twist on this recipe, but the original is a nice combo of the named ingredients with red bell pepper, lime, cilantro, garlic, corn, green onions, cumin, and chili powder marinated together and then served over romaine)
• Black Bean Lettuce Bundles (I just used the ingredients to top a salad, subbing the orange-avocado dressing below for the avocado in the original recipe. A similar recipe is here, but leave out the oil.)
• Blueberry Orange Smoothie  (no need for the dates--plenty sweet)  
  
  

Not Bad

• Quick and Creamy Vegetable-Bean Soup (includes canned tomato soup, broccoli, spinach, carrot juice, white beans, onions, tomatoes, basil, garlic powder, and then blended cashews and pine nuts for creaminess)
• Special Oatmeal (too much fruit!  But I liked the coriander. This link also has a reference to and photo of the anti-cancer soup below.)
• Spaghetti Squash Primavera (squash served separately from the rest, and I tossed mine with some pesto instead of the pasta sauce)

So-So

• Dr. Fuhrman's Famous Anti-Cancer Soup  (not very inspiring, but the mushroom addition at the end is nice, and I'm glad to have plenty frozen for quick meals later)
• Eat Your Greens Fruit Smoothie  (boy is this green, and muddy green, too -- I'm better at making these myself, and I'd rather have the extra greens content in my salad, so it doesn't overwhelm the drink)
• Avocado Orange Dressing (maybe it's better with the papaya, but I used some canned apricots as a sub--just a blend of avocado, orange, papaya, and a sweet vinegar)
• Scrambled Veggies and Eggs (again, I'd rather have some of the veggies on the side and taste the egg more, especially since it's a rare inclusion on this menu--only two animal product meals this week)

Emily Boller mentions a number of these items in her review of Dr. Fuhrman's Health Getaway. I look forward to trying some of her favorites in that listing, as they're in the Eat for Health book, I believe.

Footnote on Surviving This Menu Out in the World

At a ladies' retreat at church today I took a peek at the offered lunch and had to duck out and walk six blocks to a convenience store / gas station and scan the shelves--I'd been hoping for a lentil soup or something.  The closest working thing there was pork and beans (not bad--140 calories a serving, 15 from fat). But then I noticed they had a sub station with wraps, and I saw I could get a veggie wrap (whole wheat) with some good ingredients in it. But I stood in line for about ten minutes behind a single person ordering a LOT of deli meat (odd store) from a slow clerk. I finally gave up and grabbed the beans, took them back to church and heated half the can in the microwave and grabbed some banana chunks from the continental breakfast spread (which also had o.j. and donuts I left alone). It was enough--and the whole focus of the retreat was on contentment, so that works, doesn't it?!

Vroom Vroom Vitamix!

I guess I've entered the ranks of the crazy folks -- I bought a Vitamix! I didn't get exactly the one in this ad, but similar, and I paid less (remanufactured) at the Vitamix site.  For $400 I was expecting a lot, so I couldn't help but be a bit concerned at the plastic container, after the nice glass one on my Oster Fusion (RIP). But I've decided to give it a chance and so far I'm getting more optimistic.

SALSA MEXICANO

In the instruction booklet they advise that you start with their recipes and branch out after that.  So I made their version of salsa, which consists of only tomatoes, a bit of tomato paste I omitted, cilantro, jalapenos, and some salt.  It was okay for what it was, but the machine didn't process the slightly leathery peppers I dropped in without getting to the point of liquefying the tomatoes, so I just picked out the big hunks of pepper afterwards.  I then used the chopping feature to do some onion and garlic since we like that in our salsa, then I did another batch (2 cups) of their recipe. Mixed all together, it's very nice.


SMOOTHIE

This morning I tried my first smoothie, with a frozen banana, about 1/3 cup frozen peaches from a local farm (our trees didn't bear this year), an orange, and about one medium windfall apple (Gala type) from down the road. I added a bit of water to get the right consistency, and then I added flax seed meal to my glass afteward. That was nice, too, and I saved about a third of it as a smoothie starter for another time. This was not their recipe, but quantities as in the Vitamix booklet recommendation.

After following the instructions for cleaning the container with warm water and a couple of drops of dish liquid, then running it on high for 30 seconds, I could still detect some apple residue (I'm guessing) on the sides of the container, so I'm a little concerned about getting it really clean between uses.

PESTO SAUCE
(My reduced-fat variation)

1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup parmesan, grated
3 cloves garlic
2-3 cups packed fresh basil leaves
3 tablespoons toasted walnuts

We have a big crop of basil and I was looking forward to making some pesto once I had some kind of workable machine in the house. (My wedding-gift Sunbeam food processor has only the shredding/slicing attachments functional now, so it's limited, and the Oster Fusion blender died, so I was READY for a Vitamix!)  Of course I discovered that I didn't have any pine nuts left, but I did have walnuts, and they work just fine.  I reduced the oil and parmesan in the Vitamix booklet recipe by 30% or so and increased the basil, and the result was EXCELLENT, with no need for the salt and pepper in the recipe.  The texture is very smooth, which is fine with me, and the flavor is nicely balanced.  Now, to increase the nutritional value, I want to cut back even more severely on the oil and cheese and see how little I can get away with.  I have in the past frozen a basil puree that I use as I would pesto in some applications. 

I saved about a quart (four batches) of the Vitamix (but reduced-fat) pesto in four snack-size Ziploc bags in a quart-size Ziploc bag in the freezer. I hope to use it in those quantities or even clip the corner of the bag and squeeze out what I need--I expect that's going to be messy.  I even saved a little in the fridge so we can use it in the next few days.

I was concerned that I couldn't get all the pesto out of the container beneath the blades, and the Vitamix people want me to remove the blade assembly only if absolutely necessary (and they'll then sell me a tool to do it with). To be fair, since I used less oil I created a bit more of a problem for myself. But I solved it in part by adding water to the container at the end and swishing it around by hand, then dumping it into a bean/pasta soup I was making for my lunch. It was perfect!  After the soapy cleaning routine I thought I could feel a bit of oil residue, so I'm not crazy about that.

This afternoon I need to start processing some other produce--mostly tomatoes and green beans. I'll report back if I decide to use my Vitamix for any of it. :-)  I also had fun browsing through the 3-ring recipe book they included--some good things in there!

Sweet Success

Last evening my 12yo son and I were the only ones at home after his school program, and he asked if I could make him some kind of dessert. (I think others may have been going to a local ice cream shop.) I considered what I had around the house and then asked if a smoothie sounded good, and he said yes!

So we discussed what kinds of fruits I had to make one--bananas, strawberries, cherries, blueberries, pineapple, oranges, pears, etc., and I suggested some of the more "treat-like" ingredients, like coconut and peanut butter, proposing some interesting combos. Finally he decided that banana, strawberry, and blueberry sounded the best, and no, he didn't want any milk or yogurt in it.

So I filled the blender with about two cups of frozen blueberries, one banana, and eight or so big frozen strawberries, adding water to get a good consistency. I asked him to taste it to see if he wanted me to add any sugar or Crystal Light, as I feared it might not seem enough like a dessert. But he tasted it, thought a moment, and said, "That's just right!" I smiled, handed him his, added some flax seed meal to mine, and we both lived happily ever after. :-)

Nutritarianizing Supper: Burrito Burgers and Tropical Smoothie Fizz

I've been trying to eat more in the nutritarian way the last few days, and though I've not been as purist with it as I should, overall it does make me feel better even done modestly!

Today I had leftover steel-cut oatmeal with pears and apples mixed with some other steel-cut oatmeal I made another day with apples and sour cherries I preserved last summer in a bit of light syrup. I put leftover toasted pecans and a few cashews on top.

For lunch I had "beans and greens" at an Italian restaurant--a bowl of spinach (pretty sure about that) and white beans and chicken stock that didn't seem to be very fatty. I also had a couple of ounces of hubby's stromboli.

For supper I needed something quick for the family, and I had some Costco sirloin burgers, so I cooked them in the oven with some taco seasoning sprinkled on top. For the regular servings I made a "Burrito Burger" for each person, centering the cooked patty on a flour tortilla, topping the patty with a slice of good cheddar and then folded over the tortilla so just a bit of cheese peeked through the hole in the middle. I then flipped the package into a hot, dry skillet, open side down, and toasted it until I heard the cheese melt enough to sizzle, then I flipped it over and toasted the other side. I slid each of these onto a plate and people could dress them as they liked with the side items.

I modified mine as follows, and this recipe could easily be adapted to a veggie burger:

BURRITO BURGER

1/3 cup refried beans, heated
Hamburger patty, cooked and sliced crosswise into a thin patty
OR whole veggie burger, cooked
Whole wheat flour tortilla large enough to wrap around the sides of the patty and meet in the middle (or almost)
One third slice of cheddar cheese (or weird veggie "cheez" if you must)

Preheat a dry skillet. Spread the refried beans in the center of the tortilla, topping them with the burger and then the slice of cheese, then wrap the edges of the tortilla around to meet in the middle. Holding the package carefully, place it open side down in the hot skillet and toast until desired brownness, then flip and toast the other side. Transfer the package to a plate and surround with "fixings."

Verdict: Very Good. No, I should say Excellent since my 12yo said this new experiment (his was the full-burger version without beans, plus a full slice of cheese) should win the Nobel Prize of cooking. Well! :-) I topped my package with salsa and then built a salad to the side of shredded romaine, purple onion, chopped tomato, and a few dollops of guacamole. It was very satisfying to cut into the toasty package to get a bite followed by a bite of the salad.

On the side we had . . .

TROPICAL SMOOTHIE FIZZ

One frozen banana
One cup frozen strawberries (home grown from last year!)
One cup fresh pineapple and a bit of the juice from the container (Costco special)
Juice and flesh of one lime
Can of diet 7-Up or, for purists, perhaps some club soda?

Combine fruits and juice in the blender with water as needed, then pour enough into glasses to leave room to add the soda to the remainder, then top each glass with the soda/smoothie mixture. For adults, add a splash of Cointreau. :-)

This is a beautiful blush color and retains a fizzy top until each serving is gone. It makes enough for four LARGE servings or six medium ones.

Verdict: Very Good. It's a biting recipe, not terribly sweet (except for the addition of the soda), but celebratory and refreshing, which is what I was going for on a Saturday night with salsa in the main dish.

Simple Substitution

I was tempted to have a Wendy's Frosty today at lunch, and when I got home I made an alternative that was very satisfying on many levels. It is utterly simple.

COCOA-BANANA FROSTY

3 frozen bananas, slightly softened
3 tablespoons or so cocoa powder

Combine in the blender until perfectly smooth, then top with nuts if desired.

Verdict: Excellent. I wasn't sure this would quite do the trick for my craving, but it did, really, and with virtue to boot! This makes two good servings.

Side note--I had the Mandarin Chicken Salad at Wendy's, using less than half the dressing, for a total of about 400 calories--romaine and spring mix greens, mandarin orange pieces, grilled chicken breast, sliced toasted almonds, crunchy noodles for the top (only about 60 calories). Not bad for eating out.

I'm Back

I'm heading off to bed with a compelling book, but first I want to get back into the groove here:

TODAY'S MENU

Breakfast--Smoothie of frozen banana, small cara-cara orange, 3/4-1 cup frozen blueberries, handful of fresh spinach, tablespoon or so of flax seed meal, and water to blend

Lunch--Dry-sauteed large zucchini, half an onion, clove of garlic, and several mushrooms, with a half cup or so of garbanzo beans, several garlic-stuffed olives, and 1/3 cup or so pasta sauce; golden apple with peanut butter

Snack--Small handful (ounce or so?) roasted almonds

Supper--Half grapefruit (in chunks before supper); iceberg lettuce (all we've got!) topped with refried beans, sauteed green peppers and onion (picked out of the fajita mix I made for everyone with beef), a stray sliver of beef here and there, raw onion and pepper and tomato, mix of guacamole and plain yogurt for dressing, topped with some salsa, and a single corn taco shell on the side

Snack/Dessert (because I'm hungry at almost 11 p.m.)--130 calories or so of roasted edamame and another apple (I need to do some grocery shopping soon)

Day on the Fly

TODAY'S MENU

Breakfast--Smoothie of strawberry, banana, flax seed meal, and lots of spinach--this was greener than I would normally like, and I added a little Crystal Light to it for flavor. If I'd had more time I would have added some more fruit.

Lunch--Leftover CREAMY POTATO-TURNIP SOUP, Giant Eagle Prince Edward Medley vegetables (mine aren't quite what the link has, but close enough, and wonderful!) topped with FUSION HUMMUS--ITALIAN, golden apple

Snack--Roasted edamame, unsalted roasted peanuts (tablespoon), snipped dates (about four), for a total of about 1/2 cup

Supper--2/3 cup canned baked beans with <2 ounces crumbled sirloin burger; salad of spring greens with pear and a couple of walnuts and dijon vinaigrette (homemade by another talented daughter); generous slice of homemade sourdough bread with a bit of butter; orange

On the Run . . .

I usually just throw a few things together to make my smoothies several mornings a week, but this one is worth an actual recipe:

BLUEBERRY-GRAPEFRUIT SMOOTHIE

Frozen banana
Two cups (maybe 1-1/2) frozen blueberries
One pink grapefruit
Handful of kale
Tablespoon or two flax seed meal
Water to blend

Combine all in blender and whirl.

Verdict--Excellent. The combination of grapefruit and blueberry was beautifully refreshing, and the color was luscious. I tried with a smaller amount of blueberries at first, but it was too tart, so I tipped in the rest of the bag. :-)

TODAY'S MENU

Can't do it today!

Church Dinner Choices

I was pleased with how the church dinner went today--I was satisfied with my healthy choices. Since I have blood work after a 14-hour fast in the morning, I'm eating a bit past full for supper, which I'm having at about 5:30.

TODAY'S MENU

Breakfast--Smoothie of 2/3 pink grapefruit, banana, frozen homegrown peach chunks (yum!), kale, and flax seed meal

Lunch--VEGETARIAN CHILI (about one cup); one serving each (about 3 cups total?) pre-prepared salads at church dinner--one was Greek with a smidgen of tomato and olive and feta and great dressing, and the other spring greens and balsamic dressing; small homemade shortbread cookie

Snack--Half a Harry and David pear; one ounce mixed roasted nuts

Dinner--Half a cup of Lundberg Jubilee rice (prepared yesterday--see that post) with two ounces baked chicken and about 2/3 cup steamed broccoli florets; mini whole wheat bagel (about 80 calories) spread with EGGPLANT HUMMUS; two or three melon chunks

Another Eggplant Hummus

I have a recipe for Eggplant Hummus earlier in this blog, but I didn't refer to it when I made this one tonight.

EGGPLANT HUMMUS

Small eggplant, baked to softness
Can of garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
Two to three ounces of tahini
Four cloves garlic
Two teaspoons parsley
Juice of half a lemon
Salt to taste

Combine all in blender and blend to a smooth, creamy consistency, adding a bit of water if needed. Serve as a salad topper, sandwich spread, or dip.

Verdict--Excellent. This makes at least four cups, and I look forward to enjoying it for many days to come. It's particularly spicy/biting from the garlic and eggplant. I like that the eggplant and smallish amount of tahini make for a lower-fat version than is usual.

TODAY'S MENU

Breakfast--Smoothie of frozen banana, strawberries, a few blackberries, kale, and flax seed meal

Lunch--One cup leftover KUSHERIE base (lentils, brown and white rice, quinoa) with a large zucchini dry-sauteed with one small onion and a clove of garlic, garnished with a tablespoon of reduced-fat feta cheese; honeydew, cantaloupe, and watermelon chunks

Snack--Ounce of mixed roasted nuts and a large Pink Lady apple

Supper--Large salad of spring greens and a bit of romaine, with green peppers and onion, topped with about half a cup of EGGPLANT HUMMUS and a drizzle of low-cal Italian dressing; small sliver of ciabatta sub sandwich the family was having; small serving of potato chips

Snack/Dessert--Half ounce or so of the banana coffee cake the family was having; two tiny clementines

Blackberry-Pear Smoothie and Offline For a While

It seems an extravagance to put a perfectly beautiful Harry and David Royal Riviera pear in a smoothie, but when I start feeling sorry for myself about what I don't get to eat, I figure I should have something that makes me feel privileged. So there.

My modem died today and I will not have another until perhaps Monday or so, so I will be suspending my entries here for several days. I hope to have a good report for Monday anyway!

BLACKBERRY-PEAR SMOOTHIE

One large ripe pear
Cup frozen blackberries (from our garden)
Frozen banana
Leaves from one large stem of kale
Water to blend

Combine all ingredients and blend to smoothness.

Verdict--Exellent. The pear and banana give it smoothness and the blackberries tart depth. I left out flax seed meal today because I figured the kale and berries would put in plenty of graininess--they do. I had about 3/4 of this and saved the rest for NEVER-ENDING SMOOTHIE. :-)

TODAY'S MENU

Breakfast--BLACKBERRY-PEAR SMOOTHIE

Snack--(was feeling a little nauseated) 1/3 piece of leftover cheese toast

Lunch--1/2 package Tasty Bite Multigrain Pilaf topped with leftover RATATOUILLE SAUCE, navel orange, 100+ calories' worth of chocolate with almonds

Supper--Half ounce of peanuts; apple; 2/3 cup of leftover brown rice, two ounces or so baked chicken (no skin), 1/3 cup canned diced tomatoes, 1/4 cup diced red onion, blop of salsa--I microwaved all the but last two ingredients to take with me for a supper on the run. I will probably have something else when I get home after posting this.

The Never-Ending Smoothie

This morning I used the last third of the GRAPEFRUIT-BERRY SMOOTHIE I made the other day, but it wasn't going to be enough for my breakfast, so I added a navel orange and more flax seed meal. Too tart and "weak" (navel orange wasn't the best quality). So I thought to add a few frozen blueberries and accidentally tipped too many into the blender. But I blended away and wound up with too much for today's breakfast. So I wonder how many incarnations this smoothie will have before I'm done with it! What should today's be called? Maybe 2X2 SMOOTHIE, having two citruses and two kinds of berries. But that doesn't account for the flax, spinach, and banana in there, too. Whatever.

MOTLEY CHILI SOUP

I started with a desire to make white bean chili, but I didn't have enough flavorful ingredients to make it work, and then it ended up thinner than I intended and we didn't have time to let it cook down sufficiently. So here's what I did, one step at a time.

tablespoon canola oil
small onion, chopped
half a green pepper, chopped
three cloves garlic, sliced
about three or four cups cooked navy beans with a bit of liquid
half a large can diced tomatoes
two teaspoons cumin
quarter cup sliced home-canned jalapenos (briny, not too vinegary)
two tablespoons chicken soup base
two tablespoons chili seasoning
water as needed (probably a pint to a quart)
small bag frozen corn
can chili beans with their liquid

Sautee the chopped veggies in the oil and then add the other ingredients, letting water come to a boil before adding the corn, then the chili beans. Adjust seasoning.

Verdict--Very Good for just thrown together at 9pm. I put a pinch of shredded cheese on top of mine and had a toasted corn taco shell (45 calories?) with it.

TODAY'S MENU

Breakfast--Smoothie described above, handful of nuts and raisins

Sunday Dinner--Pink lady apple, 2 oz. lean pork chop with cranberry sauce, leftover Indian rice and lentils from last night, cup of cauliflower (seared, steamed, and dressed with a bit of tomato relish), huge salad of dark greens and other veggies with low-cal balsamic dressing and a touch of ranch, square of chili-cherry dark chocolate. :-)

Snack--I succumbed to a number of emotional pressures this afternoon and had probably a third cup of chocolate chips and pecans, then about four bites of a chocolate chip cake my daughter made. Sigh.

Supper--Navel orange, MOTLEY CHILI SOUP, pinch of shredded cheddar, toasted corn taco shell (45 calories?)

Grapefruit-Berry Smoothie and Ruby Salad

GRAPEFRUIT-BERRY SMOOTHIE

1/2 large or whole small pink grapefruit
frozen banana
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
eight or so frozen strawberries
handful of fresh spinach
tablespoon flax seed meal
water to blend

Combine all ingredients in blender. I actually started without the strawberries and found the mixture too tart.

Verdict: Excellent. Very refreshing, and I'm having about 2/3 of it for my breakfast today.

RUBY SALAD

Mixed dark romaine and red leaf lettuces, torn into pieces
Red onion sliced into rings
Thinly sliced radishes
Finely sliced red cabbage
Dried cranberries

Arrange lettuces in a bowl and top with pretty arrangement of all the red and purple things. Serve with a creamy white dressing. (I used a tablespoon of cucumber dressing with a tablespoon of lowfat plain yogurt.)

Verdict: Very Good. It's just a salad, but it's really pretty, and the onion and radishes give it bite while the cranberries give it sweetness.

TODAY'S MENU

Breakfast--GRAPEFRUIT-BERRY SMOOTHIE, two bites of Wolferman's English Muffin with a bit of butter

Lunch--2 cups MINESTRONE SOUP, Arnold's Sandwich Thin Multigrain (100 calories, good amount of fiber I've forgotten the count of) topped with peanut butter and part of a pear

Snack--Ounce of roasted edamame and mixed nuts

Supper--Taste of the homemade turkey pot pie I made for the family (really good!), 3/4 cup or so of mixed canned baked beans and navy beans, navel orange, RUBY SALAD with dressing as described

What to Do With Sunday Pot Roast?

I made pot roast for the family for Sunday dinner today, seasoned with onion soup mix and additional dried minced onion, garlic powder, and red wine. I wanted to adapt it for me to be more nutritious, so I sauteed some mushrooms in a dab of butter and put most of them in the crock pot with the roast, but to the rest of them in the skillet I added a half cup of cooked brown rice, a half cup of cooked white beans, an ounce of the pot roast, and some of the pot roast juice from the crock pot, with some fresh thyme. It was pretty good!

TODAY'S MENU

Breakfast--Smoothie of a dozen frozen strawberries, banana, a quarter bag of inadvertently frozen fresh spinach (lovely little shattery leaves fall beautifully into the blender), flax seed meal (I had about 2/3 of this and saved the rest for another day.)

Snack--Apple

Lunch--BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH LEMON (I omitted the almonds, and we found the sauce too lemony and thick, but it was an interesting treatment); rice, beans, mushrooms, and a flavoring of pot roast; tablespoon of leftover Thanksgiving sweet potato casserole; cup of AMBROSIA; about twenty chocolate chips my daughter pressed on me :-)

Supper Before Church--MINESTRONE SOUP (I didn't want to be too hungry when they have a snacky thing after church tonight, knowing we won't be home until 8:30 or so.)

Snack After Church--Romaine salad with beet slices and two or so ounces of white-meat turkey and a snipped scallion, dressed with a tablespoon of ranch dressing and two tablespoons of plain lowfat yogurt; two bites of Toll House pie

Preparing for Thanksgiving

Today I bought most of my groceries--maybe all of them!--for Thanksgiving. I am planning ahead to have some nutritarian offerings I can enjoy fully but that won't be off-putting for our guests. So I have our traditional ambrosia (navel oranges, coconut) that I may put a spin on with a bit of variety in the citrus and less coconut than usual. And I'm planning plain steamed green beans and mashed potatoes without too much additional stuff in them. I'll still make turkey and dressing and gravy and a friend is bringing sweet potato casserole and homemade cranberry sauce, and I've purchased rolls ahead of time. One daughter is making pumpkin pies (not a great temptation to me, but I may have some) and I want to plan one real indulgence--pecan pie or pecan pie bars I made last year and that are wonderful.

I'm determined to have lots of healthy things around the holiday, too, so that I'm not derailed by days and days of holiday food. So I bought clementines and a pummelo today, plus brussels sprouts and a nice green squash I hope is one of the kind that are sweeter than acorn squash but look kind of like them. Tonight I'm making ribs for the family and will make collards and perhaps brown rice to go with that.

TODAY'S MENU

Breakfast--Smoothie made of a mixed-berry one I had last week, frozen banana, lots of spinach, and flax seed meal with water to blend

Lunch--Salad of red leaf lettuce, mostly, with green pepper and jicama and onion and grape tomatoes, with black beans over the top and low-cal Italian dressing, plus a couple of olive bar olives and the teaspoon or so of oil in those; clementine (why are these so expensive this year?!); one reduced-fat Ritz cracker

Snack--1/4 cup Kashi Go Lean cereal with a few pecan halves

Supper--Half cup of brown rice topped with collard greens (cooked in a bit of bacon for the family), then with caramelized onions on top (sauteed in a tad of peanut oil); 3/4 cup of a mixture of 2/3 canned baked beans and 1/3 canned navy beans. The family is having bbq ribs with this, and I got a little for my portion (maybe an ounce of meat). For dessert, we shared my pumello.

Hungry and Another Curry

I woke up this morning pretty hungry (even a bit woozy), so I'm working on making sure I'm getting high-quality calories in there. Beginning tomorrow evening I will have three full days out of town without known access to groceries, etc. I may not post during that time but I'll report when I return.

TODAY'S MENU

Breakfast early--Banana with peanut butter and flax seed meal

Breakfast late--Half whole-wheat bagel (120 calories) with a smear of homemade elderberry jelly; two egg whites and half a yolk microwaved with a bit of milk, half a snipped scallion, a teaspoon of cheddar cheese shreds, salt, and pepper

Lunch--Leftover cup of LENTIL SOUP enriched with canned diced tomatoes, fresh spinach, and dried minced onions; smoothie of red grapefruit, frozen strawberries, and frozen blueberries

Snack--Tablespoon of peanuts and raisins, apple

Supper--SATYAMMA'S FAMOUS CAULIFLOWER CURRY (see sidebar for link to Molly Katzen's website--this recipe is from The New Moosewood Cookbook (Mollie Katzen's Classic Cooking) ), which includes a blended sauce of peanuts, sesame seeds, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, cayenne, coconut, and fresh ginger over sauteed (I used very little oil) onion, cauliflower, and carrots, with lemon juice and garbanzos added near the end. We had condiments of green and red onion, tomatoes, bell pepper in red and green, toasted almond slivers, and I forgot the raisins. :-) The family had it on rice, and I had it on green beans. WONDERFUL! I had a little homemade peanut butter cup (chocolate chips melted in a candy cup with peanut butter filling to finish, feeling a little deprived because the family were all munching cookies around me.