thenextmile

This is one of my favorite things to make when we’re having a picnic or need to take something to a party.  It’s easy, makes a lot, and you can mix and match veggies to your liking.  You can also add cooked chicken, pork, shrimp, or ahi tuna if you’d like to make it more of a meal.

Ingredients

• Peanut sauce:
• 1/2  cup  creamy peanut butter
• 1/3 cup water
• 4  tablespoons  low-sodium soy sauce
• 2  tablespoons  rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons chile paste with garlic
• 2  teaspoon  sugar
  Pasta:
•  1 box Whole Grain Spaghetti noodles (12 ounces uncooked)
• 1  red bell pepper, cut into julienne strips
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1/2  cup  diagonally cut green onions
• 1 small bag of cole slaw mix
• 3  tablespoons  chopped roasted peanuts
• 2  tablespoons  cilantro leaves
• 4  lime wedges (optional)

Preparation

To prepare sauce, combine the first 6 ingredients; stir with a whisk.

Cook pasta and drain.  Combine pasta with peanut sauce and vegetables; toss well. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges, if desired.

Ok, I admit, I’m a sucker for chips and dip, and am known to buy pre-made French Onion dip on occasion.  But a couple years ago, I found this recipe and decided to give it a try.  It turned out so much better than any French Onion dip you can buy, and better than the sour cream/onion soup mix mixture as well.  Plus, it’s a lot lower in sodium and actually has some real nutrients.

I’ve done this both ways - I’ve done the onions on a stovetop, and I’ve roasted them.  Both work equally as well, just make sure the onions are really tender and cooled before making the dip.  And another must is you have to make this the day before, because the flavors do really meld in the fridge overnight.

Enjoy!

• 3  cups  chopped onion (about 2 medium)
• 3  tablespoons  low-fat sour cream, divided
• 3  tablespoons  block-style 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
• 3  tablespoons  light mayonnaise
• 1/4  teaspoon  Worcestershire sauce
• 1/8  teaspoon  salt
• Dash of ground red pepper

Preparation

Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook 20 minutes or until golden brown, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; cool.

Combine 1 tablespoon sour cream and cream cheese, stirring well. Add remaining sour cream, mayonnaise, and remaining ingredients, and stir well to combine. Stir in onion. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

If you’re not eating breakfast, you’re missing out. There’s a reason it’s called the most important meal of the day – it helps put a jump start your metabolism for the hours ahead, helps get blood moving to your brain, and helps you stay on top of daily tasks. But if you’re like many people, finding the time to enjoy a healthy breakfast is the biggest obstacle. Whether you have 5 minutes for 50 minutes, there are some easy and healthy breakfast ideas that will help you kick start your day.

Step One – Plan ahead. Sounds simple enough, right? If you know you’re going to be rushed for time in the morning, just throw a few things together the night before when you’re cleaning up dinner. Fruit, some yogurt, and a whole wheat bagel can all be eaten on the way to work, and won’t fill you up on empty calories like with doughnuts and rolls.

Step Two – Whole Grains. Whole grains are great because they contain a good amount of fiber which takes up more room in your stomach and makes you feel fuller, longer. A whole grain bagel, toast, instant oatmeal or cereal are great ways to start your day and get a jump on your recommended daily fiber intake (at least 25 grams). They take minimum preparation and time.

Step Three – Think fruit. Fruit is for the most part, easy, portable, and full of vitamins and minerals. Enjoy some berries in your morning bowl of cereal, a banana, apple, or orange with your toast, or a bowl of melon if you have a few extra minutes to sit down. Fruit is low in calories, and contains some fiber as well.

Step Four – Get your protein! Protein helps promote muscle growth and also helps repair damaged muscles. Scramble up an egg, enjoy some yogurt or cottage cheese with your bagel, or have some milk or cheese. If you look to dairy such as milk, cheese, or yogurt for your morning dose of protein, you’re also doing your body a favor since dairy also contains calcium. Calcium helps build strong bones, and it’s suggested you get three servings of calcium each day.

With just a bit of planning, getting a healthy breakfast in just a few minutes is easy if you know where to look. When possible, look to get a serving of whole grains, fruit, protein and calcium with your breakfast. It can be as easy as a whole grain bagel with yogurt and fruit. Or oatmeal made with skim milk and berries.

Studies have shown that those who take the time to eat a healthy breakfast eat less during the day and generally weigh less than those who skip out on breakfast. So plan ahead, make smart choices, and eat up – your mind and body will thank you.

It’s estimated that the average adult gains anywhere from 2 to 7 pounds between Halloween and the New Year. And while you may drop some of the weight after the holidays are over, the pounds that stick around will add up year after year. That extra piece of your child’s Halloween candy, to Aunt Linda’s famous pecan torte are once a year treats you might feel you need to enjoy. And that’s fine, since there are some simple strategies that can help you enjoy all the holiday treats this season while keeping your waistline in check. Moderation is key, and with it you’ll be able to indulge without the guilt.

First, create a plan before the holidays. Have an idea how you’re going to incorporate a workout routine into your busy schedule. Studies show even a 30 minute walk three times a week can help ward off weight gain. And the more you move the better, you’ll burn more calories and have more room for that piece of pie. Don’t put your fitness goals off until the first of the year, finish the year strong and you’ll be able to start the year off without pounds to lose.

Second, be prepared for treats. If you work in an office, you’ll often find that the holidays often come with treats from coworkers and clients. Be prepared ahead of time and bring your own healthy meals and snacks so you won’t be tempted to overindulge on office goodies during that afternoon snack attack.

When you know you have a party or event to attend, eat something first. That’s right, eat something before you go. A piece of fruit, yogurt, or a slice of whole grain toast with peanut butter will cut the hunger pains so you won’t feel that you need to overindulge in everything. Enjoy a few treats, but don’t go overboard. When people deprive themselves all day to “save up calories” they get themselves in trouble because they find themselves so hungry it’s difficult not to overeat.

At holiday dinners, go easy on the dressings, gravy and high calorie condiments and enjoy seconds on vegetable and lean meats.

On days when you’re feeling tired or sluggish but still feel you need to get a workout in, commit to just 10 minutes of exercise. 10 minutes can get your heart rate up, and a little can go a long way. 10 minutes may also help pull you out of a slump and you may find yourself going for longer. To sneak in even more exercise, park far away from your destination and walk.

Seek out healthy options first. When you’re at a party, load up on healthy selections such as veggies, fruit, lean meats and dairy. You’ll not only get more nutrients, but you’ll also load up on fewer calories and be able to enjoy that dessert guilt free.

Watch the alcohol. The average alcohol drink can contain anywhere from 15-300 calories. Enjoy a glass of wine or a beer, then switch to water or diet soda. This can help cut hundreds of calories a day.

With a little planning you can enjoy the holidays, not gain weight, and stay in shape. It just takes a little bit of preparation.

Meatloaf isn’t generally this healthy, but this one is lower in calories and higher in fiber than traditional recipes.  The key is using ground round instead of chuck, and replacing breadcrumbs with oatmeal.

• 3/4  cup  ketchup, divided
• 1/2  cup  quick-cooking oats
• 1/4  cup  minced fresh onion
• 2  tablespoons  chopped fresh parsley
• 1  tablespoon  brown sugar
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  pepper
• 2  large egg whites, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2  pounds  ground round
• Cooking spray

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine 1/2 cup ketchup, oats, and next 6 ingredients (oats through egg whites) in a large bowl. Add meat; stir just until blended. Shape meat mixture into an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Brush 1/4 cup ketchup over meat loaf. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

I love black bean soup, but I’ve never really found *the* recipe.  Last night I adjusted a recipe I tried before, and it came out even better.  I’m still not there yet, but closer.

Yield

6 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)

Ingredients

• 1  tablespoon  olive oil
• 1/2  cup  diced celery
• 1  minced onion
• 1  diced green bell pepper
• 1/2 cup   chopped carrot
• 1 jalapeno, minced
• 1  tablespoon  minced garlic
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  ground cumin
• 1  teaspoon  dried oregano
• 1  teaspoon  chili powder
• 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 8 oz. smoked andouille sausage
• 2  cups  vegetable broth
• 1  cup  water
• 3  (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• Sliced green onions (optional)

Preparation

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add celery, minced onion, bell pepper, and carrot. Cook 10 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and the next 5 ingredients (through sausage); sauté 3 minutes. Add broth, water, and beans; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes. Cool slightly.

Place half of soup in a blender, and process until smooth. Pour into a bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining soup. Garnish with sliced green onions, if desired.

Last night with the cornbread I made some Jambalaya.  I based it off a recipe I’ve used before, but made some additions.  We like things a little spicier, so I added extra hot sauce, and I also used more veggies than the original recipe.  Sometime I’d like to put some chicken thighs in it as well.

Enjoy!

• 1  tablespoon  olive oil
• 1  cup  chopped onion
• 2 bell peppers, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups frozen okra
• 1  tablespoon  minced garlic
• 10  ounces  smoked  andouille sausage, sliced
• 1  cup  uncooked long-grain white rice
• 1  teaspoon  paprika
• 1  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 1  teaspoon  dried oregano
• 1/2  teaspoon  onion powder
• 1/2  teaspoon  dried thyme
• 1/4  teaspoon  garlic salt
• 1  bay leaf
• 2  cups  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 3/4  cup  water
• 1  tablespoon  tomato paste
• 1 1/2   teaspoons  hot pepper sauce
• 1  (14.5-ounce) can no salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1/2  pound  peeled and deveined medium shrimp
• 2  tablespoons  chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion, chopped bell pepper, okra, minced garlic, and sausage; sauté 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Add rice and the next 7 ingredients (through bay leaf); cook 2 minutes. Add broth, water, tomato paste, hot pepper sauce, and diced tomatoes; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes. Add shrimp; cook 5 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Stir in parsley.

For years, I’ve been on the lookout for a great cornbread recipe.  I made one tonight that I kind of adapted my own recipe from a Cooking Light one.  Colin says it might be the best cornbread he’s ever had.

1 cup flour

1 cup cornmeal

2 tbs. sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

pinch of salt

1 cup buttermilk

2 tbs. olive oil (other other oil)

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup corn

3 green onions, chopped

2 jalapenos, minced

Combine the flour, cornmeal, baking soda, sugar and salt in a bowl.  Make well in he center.  Combine buttermilk, olive oil, and eggs in another bowl.  Stir in corn, green onions and jalapenos.  Add to dry mixture and stir until just moist.Spoon batter into a 9-inch square pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 30 to 35 minutes or until done. Cool 5 minutes in pan on a wire rack.

This is a recipe I’ve been holding onto a couple weeks, just waiting for the right day to make it.  Now that tomatoes are in full bloom and it’s a miserable/rainy day out, I figured it was a perfect time.  This recipe was given to me by a friend, who found it on this food blog .

This is one of the most delicious things I’ve ever tasted.  If you like tomatoes and pesto, you will LOVE this.  And don’t fear the fact it’s a pie - I don’t make pies, and I even mastered this dough recipe.

Farmgirl Susan’s Savory Tomato Pesto Pie
Makes One 9-Inch Pie

For The Pesto:
Makes about 1-1/2 cups (you’ll need 1 cup)

1/2 cup (about 2-1/2 ounces) raw or roasted whole almonds
4 ounces fresh basil leaves (about 4 cups packed, but it’s best if you weigh it)
6 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 cloves of garlic, peeled
1/2 cup finely grated pecorino romano cheese
10 ounces tomatoes (about 3 smallish ones), any kind, quartered
1/2 teaspoon nice salt

If using raw almonds, spread them on a baking sheet or piece of aluminum foil and place in a 350 degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes–a toaster oven works great for this, especially in summer.Mix all ingredients, including almonds, in a food processor until thoroughly combined and the consistency you like. Or you can use a giantic mortar and pestle if you’re trying to build up your arm muscles. Add more salt to taste if necessary.

Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.

For The Crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour (I use Heartland Mill organic)
4 teaspoons baking powder (make sure it’s fresh!) **
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick/ 4 ounces) cold butter
1 cup (about 2-1/2 ounces) finely grated pecorino romano (or other hard cheese)
3/4 cup milk

Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Mix in the butter using a pastry blender, fork, or your fingers until the largest pieces are pea-size. Stir in the pecorino romano. Pour in the milk and use a fork to gently form a soft dough. Do not overmix. Divide the dough in two pieces, making one slightly larger than the other.

On a generously floured surface, use a rolling pin to gently roll out the larger piece of dough into a circle about 12 inches across, rolling from the center outward. Sprinkle dough with flour if sticky. Gently fold the dough in half and transfer into a 9-inch pie pan. If the dough tears, simply press it back together with your fingers. Roll out the remaining piece of dough into a slightly smaller circle and set aside (or wait until you have the filling in the pan and then roll it out).

Assembling The Pie:
1 cup pesto, divided
2-1/2 pounds of the best plum tomatoes you can find, sliced lengthwise into 4 or 5 slices each (I used San Marzanos & Golden Romas to add extra color as well as more flavor)
8 ounces mozzarella, grated or thinly sliced (I used a fresh log which can’t be grated)
1/2 cup (about 1-1/4 ounces) finely grated pecorino romano (or other hard cheese)

Using a spoon, spread 1/2 cup of pesto over the bottom layer of dough in the pie pan. Layer about half of the tomatoes over the pesto. Cover the tomatoes with about 2/3 of the mozzarella. Layer on the rest of the tomatoes (you may not need them all to fill the pan). Carefully spread the remaining 1/2 cup of pesto over the tomatoes. Cover with the remaining mozzarella and the pecorino romano.

Roll out the second piece of dough if you haven’t already, and carefully place it over the pie. Fold the edge of the bottom piece over the top piece and press together to seal. Use your fingers to make a crimped design around the edge. If any dough falls apart, simply press it back together with your fingers. Don’t worry if it isn’t perfect. The handmade look has much more charm.

Cut four slits in the top of the pie for steam to escape. Bake at 375 degrees F in the center of the oven until the crust is golden brown, about 40 minutes. Cover the edge with foil if it starts to brown too quickly.

Let cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before serving. Crust edges may be sampled much sooner. (As with nearly any fruit pie, if you cut into it while it is still warm, some juice will seep out. If you plan to store any leftover pie right in the pan, simply drain off the juice so the bottom crust doesn’t become soggy.) Or cool pie completely, cover, and refrigerate.

Vibrant colors, crisp air, and plenty
of eye catching scenery – it’s fall in Northern Michigan. Fall
colors generally peak around the tip of the lower peninsula the first
week of October, but the colors can be vibrant anytime between
mid-September and late October. To get the most of of the season,
enjoy a day trip along the picturesque Lake Michigan shoreline from
the quaint town of Charlevoix on up to Mackinac Island.

Charlevoix is an excellent spot to
start your adventure. The town is full of shops and art galleries
and swells in population in the summer months. The town sits between
Lake Charlevoix and Lake Michigan. If you’re in the mood for more
lengthy color tour, try taking the ferry over to Beaver Island. The
island is known as America’s Emerald Isle and is about a 2 hour ferry
ride from Charlevoix.

When leaving Charlevoix, travel up the
coastline along US -31 to Petoskey. Along the way, you’ll notice a
bike path that runs along the shoreline. This path, known as the
Little Traverse Wheelway, extends 26 miles from Harbor Springs to
Charlevoix and is always bustling with bikers, walkers and runners.
It’s a great way to enjoy the colors and get in some exercise. There
are a couple roadside parks along this route that are excellent spots
for a picnic lunch.

Once in Petoskey, be sure to stop and
enjoy the downtown gaslight district with all it’s shops, art
galleries and fine restaurants. For those literature buffs, enjoy a
meal at the historic City Park Grill in downtown Petoskey. The
restaurant was once a favorite spot of author Ernest Hemingway.

Continuing north on US-31, just north
of Petoskey is the community of Bay View. Bay View was founded in
1875 by a group of Methodists who used the community as a summer
retreat. Century old homes and cottages dot the tree lined streets
and overlook Lake Michigan’s Little Traverse Bay.

From here, take M-119 north to the town
of Harbor Springs, which lies on the north side of Little Traverse
Bay. Here’s you’ll find a resort town that resembles what you’d
expect to find on the east coast. If you continue north on M-119,
you’ll find yourself in Michigan’s famed “Tunnel of Trees.” This
stretch of M-119 that runs from Harbor Springs to Cross Village is
known for stunning lake views, wooded scenery, and plenty of photo
opportunities.

Once in Cross Village, you’ll find
yourself at Legs Inn. This authentic, Polish restaurant sits atop a
bluff along the shore of Lake Michigan. It’s a great place to enjoy
the region’s million dollar sunset while having a great meal.

From Cross Village, you can head up to
Wilderness State Park which is just north to enjoy the scenery of
Sturgeon Bay Beach, or head over towards Levering and up to Mackinaw
City. In Mackinaw, enjoy some famous fudge and stroll the historic
Fort along waterfront, or catch a ferry over to Mackinac Island. The
island is known for it’s ban on motorized vehicles – so once you’re
there, you’ll have to get around by foot, bicycle, or horse.

With so much to do in Northern Michigan
this fall, you might just have to make a weekend of it!