The EatSmart Blog

Providing Tools and Tips to Live Healthier, Happier Lives

09 Apr 2013

Easy Recipe Substitutes for Healthier Meals

We all want to eat healthier, and sometimes it is really easy to do so. With ingredient substitutions you can still use your favorite recipes that you love, just with less fat and more nutrition. Here are some of my favorite substitutions that give all of the flavor of the original but in a healthier way:whole-wheat-pasta-2

  1. Plain yogurt for sour cream – While I would not recommend putting yogurt on your tacos, in a recipe it works as a great substitute for sour cream. I have a Mexican casserole recipe that I love but it is full of cheese and sour cream. Now I have learned how to make it with less cheese, and low fat cheese at that, and substitute in yogurt for the sour cream. My family still has not noticed the difference!

  2. Whole grain pasta for regular pasta – I don’t know about you, but my family loves, loves, loves pasta. From mac and cheese to angel hair, fettuccini, and lasagna they can’t seem to get enough of it. However I knew it was not giving them the healthy lifestyle they needed. That is when I made the switch to whole grain pastas. Though at first they may seem a little more wheat flavored then normal you can find a brand that fits your family’s tastes. I love one that is white wheat with extra fiber and protein. It fills up my kids in no time and sticks with them all day!

  3. Spaghetti squash for pasta – Who ever thought a vegetable could be a good substitute for pasta? Well the first time I tried spaghetti squash I was hooked. Gluten free, tasty and healthy for you, spaghetti squash tastes great with the same sauces you love on your pasta. It is also fun for kids to help make. They love that a gourd becomes this stringy, pasta like food! Just bake until a fork goes through and then cut it in half, take out the seeds and toss them, and scrape out the delicious innards to make your own veggie pasta.

  4. Brown rice for white rice – My family are big rice eaters. My brother alone can clean out an entire pot of white rice with butter, salt, and pepper all over it. However white rice just doesn’t have the nutrients to sustain a healthy lifestyle. That is why I have switched to brown rice. Not only is it better for you but it has a great flavor and slightly crunchier texture that I find wonderful. There are many ways you can cook brown rice, but my favorite is the boil in bag version that is so easy to cook on busy days. I also love wild rice. Mixing brown and wild rice together with some spices makes for a great side dish that will make anyone happy.

  5. Egg whites or applesauce for whole eggs – I have always used whole eggs in my cooking but after figuring out how much fat that adds now I have changed my mind. After all, if you can’t tell the difference in your food then why add the fat? Now I substitute egg whites for whole eggs whenever I can. Two egg whites work for one whole egg or you can get the egg whites in a carton and use a quarter cup per whole egg. You can also use a quarter cup of applesauce to substitute for one large egg when baking. Although I would not recommend doing that in white or yellow cakes because the apple flavor comes through!

These are just a few of the many substitutions that you can make in your cooking to ramp up the nutrition and tone down the fat or sugar. The next time you find yourself pulling out a family favorite recipe try to come up with ways to make it better for your family without losing the flavor you love.

About the Author: This guest post is contributed by Debra Johnson, blogger and editor of www.liveinnanny.com. She welcomes your comments at jdebra84@gmail.com.

Posted in EatSmart Products, Healthy Living Tips, Nutrition Tips | Leave a Comment
05 Apr 2013

Vegetarian Burrito Bowls

IMG_4822Ingredients:

  • Brown Rice, boil-in-the-bag – 1 bag
  • Cooking Spray – As needed
  • Corn, frozen – defrosted – 1 cup
  • Black beans, canned, no salt added – 1 can
  • Cumin, ground – 1/2 teaspoon
  • Cayenne Pepper, ground – 1/2 teaspoon
  • Lime, juice and zest – 1 zested then sliced into wedges
  • Avocado – 1 pit removed, and flesh scooped out
  • Cilantro – 2 tablespoons chopped
  • Salsa – 1/2 cup, divided
  • Lettuce, mixed greens – 1/2 cup, divided
  • Cheese, shredded – 1/2 cup, divided

Method of Preparation:

In a medium sauce pan bring 4 cups of water to a boil and add the brown rice (boil-in-a-bag) and cook on medium high heat for 10 minutes. Once cooked, remove from water and drain slightly over the sink. Divide evenly between the two bowls.

Lightly spray a small sautee pan and heat over medium-high heat. Add corn and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. You are looking for a nice roasted color on the corn, you may need a little more or little less time depending on your stove. Be careful not to burn them.

In a small sauce pan add the canned beans (no salt added or low sodium is best). Add the cumin, cayenne pepper, a pinch of lime zest (1/4 teaspoon), and the juice of 1/4 of the lime. Cook over medium heat for 8-10 minutes.

In a small bowl add the flesh of the avocado and mash it up with 1/8 teaspoon cumin, and 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Squeeze 1/4 of the lime into the bowl and mix well. Set aside.

Add the remaining 1/2 of the lime juice, cilantro and lime zest evenly into the bowls with rice and mix well.

Top the rice with roasted corn, black beans, guacamole, lettuce, and shredded cheese. Serve with additional lime wedges if desired. Also great served with tortilla chips.

About the Author: Jenny Manseau is a Chef, Culinary Nutrition student and author of the blog Creative Cooking Gluten Free. Jenny created her website after being diagnosed in 2008 with Celiac Disease and takes many “regular” every day recipes and alters them to the gluten-free diet.

Posted in Recipes and tagged | Leave a Comment
02 Apr 2013
1 Comment

Never Waste Food Again! 10 Tips To Use Your Leftovers

As a child, my parents often reminded me that there were starving children in the world, so I was told to either finish my food or don’t take so much.

healthy-ways-to-eat-leftovers-artPerhaps that’s why I try to use everything I can while cooking. If your goal is to avoid food waste, you can find a great use for pretty much anything. It just takes a bit of creativity, but it’s so worth it when it’s tasty, healthy and saves you money!

Want to know some of my tips and tricks? Here you go!

1. Overripe bananas? Break into chunks and freeze in a ziplock for smoothies. Also, great for banana bread.
overripebanana2. Extra onions? Chop them up and use for a rice pilaf, stir fry or even in your scrambled eggs.
3. Extra brown rice? I often purposely make too much, JUST so I have leftover to make rice pudding (recipe here!). Also great to toss in tomato soup (or any soup!) and make brown rice pilaf.
4. Extra tomato soup? Have a little extra tomato soup but not enough for a meal? Sauté some onion (that’s possibly leftover too!), add the tomato soup to your extra brown rice and you have Spanish Rice! Ole!
5. Overripe fruit? Cut out the not so pretty parts and chop up the rest. Then cook it down as a compote or fruit topping for waffles, pancakes, oatmeal, hot cereal or over ice cream!
6. Extra avocado? Even a small piece of avocado acts as a great thickener for smoothies and desserts. Make guacamole or add to canned tuna or salmon instead of mayo.
7. Extra mint? Add this to your fruit salad, hot or iced tea (I LOVE fresh mint hot tea!), watermelon cooler, or freeze in ice cubes for use later.
8. Extra fruit or veggies? Make a soup, smoothie or juice.
9. Leftover potatoes? Depending how they are prepared, you could mash them, use them in shepherd’s pie (recipe here!), make a hash brown or toss in your eggs, make gnocchi (recipe here!)  or make baked fries!
10. Leftover bread (gluten free or regular)? Make French toast (challah is best!), bread crumbs, bread pudding or croutons!

BONUS TIP!
Lemon peel? Lately I’ve been peeling my lemons for my green juice and then with the leftover lemon peels (pith removed), I make candied lemon peel!

Abby-Phon-oatmeal-160About the Author: Abby Phon is a Certified Holistic Health Coach. She leads corporate workshops on nutrition and lifestyle, conducts food tours, cooking demonstrations and offers individual health and nutrition coaching around the world. She is also a certified Shiatsu practitioner, a licensed massage therapist, an AFAA nationally certified group fitness instructor, an IntenSati Leader and a certified Oneness Blessing (Deeksha) Giver.

Website: feedyourmindbodyspirit.com
Facebook: AbbyPhon
Twitter: @AbbyPhon
Pinterest: AbbyPhon

Posted in EatSmart Products, Healthy Living Tips
29 Mar 2013
2 Comments

Sweet potato, quinoa and salmon cakes

quinoa-sweet-potato-cakesIngredients:
1 cup (150g) plain (all-purpose) flour (gluten-free or regular)
1 teaspoon salt
3 eggs, lightly beaten
♦ 4 cups reserved undressed Sweet potato, quinoa and edamame salad (See below)
1 large salmon fillet (about 300g/10 oz), skinned and finely chopped
2 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce
2 tablespoons chopped chives
4 tablespoons olive oil, for frying
Chilli mayo, to serve

Directions:
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl.
Gradually add the eggs to the dry ingredients, whisking until smooth.
♦ Add the reserved undressed Sweet potato, quinoa and edamame salad.
Add the chopped salmon, chilli sauce and chives, and mix thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate until required.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Place four oiled egg rings into the pan and fill each with fritter mixture. Flatten lightly with a spatula. Fry about 3 minutes, carefully remove the egg ring, and turn cakes over to cook the other side. Cakes should be golden and firm to touch.
Repeat with remaining mixture. Cakes can be kept warm in a low oven until you’re ready to serve.
Serve quinoa cakes with a simple green salad and chilli mayo.

Sweet potato, quinoa and edamame salad with miso dressing

quinoa-sweet-potato-and-edamame-saladIngredients:
2 tablespoons (30g) white miso paste
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 orange sweet potatoes (about 750g/1½ lb), peeled, cut into 2cm cubes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
800g (28 oz) frozen unshelled edamame, or 400g (14 oz/2 cups) frozen shelled edamame
2¼ cups (450g) white quinoa
3 cups coriander (cilantro), chopped, plus extra to serve
¼ cup black sesame seeds (or white, if unavailable), toasted
MISO DRESSING:
2 heaped tablespoons (40g) white miso paste, extra
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons soy sauce (gluten-free or regular)
Small piece ginger, grated and chopped, about 1 tablespoon
1 tablespoon (15ml) water
1 tablespoon (15ml) rice wine vinegar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 200°C (390ºF).
Mix 2 tablespoons miso paste and olive oil together to form a paste. Toss with the sweet potato in a large bowl, until well-coated. Place sweet potato onto a baking tray lined with baking paper. Season. Roast for 20 minutes or until tender. Set aside.
Meanwhile, blanch unshelled (or shelled) edamame in boiling water for 3–4 minutes. Drain and allow to cool. If using unshelled edamame, squeeze the beans from their pods. Add edamame to the roasted sweet potato.
Combine quinoa and 3 cups of water in a saucepan. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stand, covered, for ten minutes or until water has been absorbed. Spread quinoa out on a tray and set aside for ten minutes to dry. Add to the sweet potato and edamame, along with the coriander and sesame seeds.
♦ Reserve ⅓ of the undressed Sweet potato, quinoa and edamame salad (about 4 cups) for the Sweet potato and quinoa fritters.
Meanwhile, make miso dressing. Place miso, honey, soy sauce, ginger and water in a small saucepan and warm over a low heat, stirring, until miso and honey are dissolved (1–2 minutes). Stir in rice wine vinegar. Set aside to cool. Drizzle dressing over the remaining salad, and toss gently. Scatter with extra sesame seeds and extra coriander.
Salad serves 5–6.

About the Author: Saskia Ericson, graphic designer by day and passionate foodie by night; is the author of the blog One Equals Two, which promotes creative cooking with ‘planned-overs’ (planned leftovers). Planned-overs are easily transformed into a delicious and different second family meal in a flash; saving time, energy and money. You can also find Saskia on Facebook.

Posted in EatSmart Products, Recipes and tagged
26 Mar 2013

Charity of the Month April 2013 – Manna Food Pantries

EatSmart fans will continue to select each Charity of the Month in 2013. Fans will submit short stories about the charity’s mission and why it’s meaningful to them. We began our Charity of the Month donations in 2011.

MannaFoodPantryApril’s Charity of the Month has been chosen by loyal EatSmart Fan, Erica House. She selected Manna Food Pantries.

We will be donating 50 cents for every new Facebook LIKE during the month of April. (So spread the word!)

Read why Erica picked Manna Food Pantries :
First, I’d like to thank EatSmart for giving me this incredible opportunity and for being one of the best companies I’ve had the pleasure of working with! When I was approached to select a charity my mind raced with possibilities. I’m an avid animal rights activist (and proud FIV+ kitty mama) so my first instinct was to choose an animal shelter. After a bit more reflection my heart told me to think of all the people in my own town who live in such poverty that they cannot afford food, and so I selected Manna Food Pantries.

Manna is located in Pensacola, Florida which is part of Escambia County – one of the poorest counties in the state. Over 15% of the population of Pensacola lives below the poverty line. While working as an academic advisor at Pensacola State College I assisted countless students who told me how hard it was for them to financially support their families and keep food on the table for their children. (24% of children in Escambia county live in poverty!) As a personal trainer and health/wellness writer, I know how absolutely essential a nutritious diet is to leading the happy, healthy life that we all deserve.  

Manna serves over 40,000 people annually and I am thrilled that any monies raised by this partnership with EatSmart will help them to continue the incredible work they are doing in Pensacola!

Click here and EatSmart will donate:

About Erica: Erica House has her Masters in Psychology and has been teaching at the University level since 2007. She is certified as a Personal Trainer and freelance writer. After maintaining her own 50 pound weight loss she is passionate about helping others on their journey to lifelong happiness and wellness. She blogs daily on her website EricaDHouse.com

If interested in submitting a charity for consideration, please email karen@eatsmartproducts.com. The donation amount will be capped at 500 new followers/likes.
Posted in Charity, EatSmart Products and tagged , , , | Leave a Comment
22 Mar 2013
1 Comment

Cointreau Cherry Brownies

A splash of orange liqueur and a dash of pepper are the small additions that make a big impact in these unusual brownies. Word of caution though—they’re addictive. You can swap the Cointreau for another liqueur such as hazelnutty Frangelica, to change the flavor to your own favorite.IMG_0298

Ingredients
8 ounces dark chocolate, 70% cocoa, divided
8 tablespoons butter, chopped and chilled
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 ounce Cointreau orange liqueur
1/2 cup chopped cherries
Pinch of ground red pepper

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. If you’re unsure about how accurate your oven is, use
an oven thermometer. The temperature needs to be accurate.
2. Grease an 8 x 8-inch baking pan, line it with parchment paper, and grease the
parchment paper. Dust with powdered sugar.
3. Chop the chocolate coarsely.
4. Combine six ounces of the chocolate with the butter in the top of a double boiler
over two inches of simmering water. Melt, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Set
aside.
5. Combine the eggs, sugar, vanilla, Cointreau and salt in a large mixing bowl. Beat
with a stand mixer or hand mixer on medium until the you can see trails in the
mixture, about 5 minutes.
6. Slowly mix in the melted chocolate. Add the flour one-quarter at a time, mixing it
in thoroughly before adding more.
7. Add the cherries, remaining chocolate and pepper to the batter. Stir in by hand
until well mixed.
8. Pour into the baking pan. Bake for exactly 40 minutes (the sides should be pulling
away from the pan). Allow to cool in the pan for one hour before cutting.2012 2014

Notes: This recipe was used using the Precision Elite Digital Kitchen Scale. The Precision Elite is the big brother to my original scale, the Precision Pro. As much as I loved my Pro, I’ve become dependent on on the Precision Elite. It’s solid construction seems custom-made for the rigors of a busy kitchen. I test recipes and edit and write cookbooks for a living, so I need durability in everything I use in my kitchen and the Elite has that in spades. But more importantly, it maintains the qualities that made me such a fan of the Precision Pro–it’s super easy to use (especially the “tare” feature, where you can zero out a container’s weight), and a breeze to clean.

precisionelitekwI work fast in my kitchen, and I’m not a big tech person. So it was a real boon to find a scale that is intuitive and easy to use. I must admit, I also like the look. Very understated, very “professional kitchen.” It’s a sharp looking piece of equipment. I’m especially fond of the huge scale plate, which ensures that no matter what you’re measuring, the container is not likely to block the numbers on the screen.

About the author: Chris is a cookbook editor, writer and recipe tester and you’ll find more of his recipes in A Man’s Whirled: Every Guy’s Guide to Cooking with the Blender.

Posted in EatSmart Products, Recipes and tagged ,
19 Mar 2013
280 Comments

10,000 Twitter Follower Giveaway Celebration

Much thought has been given on how to best celebrate EatSmart Products breaking 10,000 followers on Twitter. We decided the best way is to host a MEGAwatt giveaway with everyone!

The party begins with one lucky fan winning a $100 Amazon Gift Card to spend on whatever makes them happy.

100-dollar-amazon-gift-cardgiveaway

Festivities continue for a second EatSmart supporter who will walkaway with an EatSmart Scale of their choice. Whether a kitchen, bathroom or luggage scale, you decide and let the fun begin.

EatSmartGiveawayCelebrationv2

The third and final prize for yet another lucky winner is the newest addition to our kitchen scale line, the Precision Elite Digital Kitchen Scale – sleek, stylish, stainless and ready to wow!

PrecisionElitethirdplaceprizeParticipating in the giveaway is easy and can be done through the form below.  To enter, simply complete the form and click on the submit button. Good luck to all of EatSmart’s many followers, supporters and friends, all 10,000+ of you!

Giveaway ends on Monday, April 1st at noon EST. The lucky winner will be selected at random and notified by email. They will have 48 hours to reply back before a new winner is selected. (Sorry, but it’s limited to US residents only!)
Posted in EatSmart Products, Giveaway and tagged , ,
15 Mar 2013
1 Comment

Best Cauliflower Side Dish Ever

This is a remake of an older recipe I had on my other blog. It’s quick and satisfying and makes a large portion which I like, because I can eat the leftovers for a few days.

cauliflowersidedishIngredients:
1 head cauliflower, grated
1 package, shittake mushrooms
6 green onions
2 shallots, minced
1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
3 tbsp coconut aminos (no soy sauce or tamari, please)
3 eggs
Coconut oil
Meat of choice (I used grilled steak)
Sesame oil for garnish*

Directions:
1. Grate the cauliflower using a food processor (or if you have time and the patience of a saint, a box grater).

2. Prep the veggies (slice the green onions and mushrooms thinly and mince the shallot/ginger).

3. Heat a large skillet/wok to high heat. Add a spoonful or two of coconut oil. Saute the mushrooms, shallot and ginger for ~3 min or until they begin to soften, stirring often.

4. Add the cauliflower, green onions and coconut aminos. Saute for ~5 min.

5. Push the veggies to the side of the skillet and create a well. Crack the eggs into the well and scramble (yes, kind of like you’d do with fried rice). Stir everything to combine.

6. Top with a meat of your choice. I prepared it this time with slices of grilled steak on top. Shrimp is also delicious with this.

7. *Garnish with a drizzle of sesame oil, if preferred. Please do not cook the veggies with sesame oil as it’s high in Omega 6′s and will oxidize easily at high heat. A nice drizzle at the end to finish off the dish after it’s been plated is super yummy.

About the Author: Stephanie is a Paleo food blogger and is currently studying to be a Certified Holistic Nutrition Practitioner. Her blog, Stupid Easy Paleo, is a collection of quick, simple and delicious recipes for people who want to eat good food.

Posted in EatSmart Products, Recipes
12 Mar 2013

St. Patrick’s Day Treats

St. Patrick's DayMarch 17th is nearly here. Are you ready for the wearing of the green? On St. Patrick’s Day everyone is Irish — at least in spirit. So why not celebrate with more than a green t-shirt or “Kiss Me I’m Irish” button? I tend to go a little over the top: I’ve got earrings and hair accessories, buttons and suspenders, not to mention recipes galore. I always make an effort to enjoy the day, especially with some Irish (or just green) foods.

Start your day right with a green smoothie. Fresh fruits and veggies will never lead you astray. I also love Irish soda bread. It’s easy to make, only takes a few ingredients and produces a delicious and hearty loaf of bread. It pairs really well with a bit of butter, nutella, apple butter or jam.

Soda Bread

I make my soda bread in a cast-iron skillet, but you can use just about any baking dish. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl mix 2 cups of flour (whole wheat or regular) with 1 teaspoon of baking soda and 1 teaspoon of salt. Slowly add in 1 cup of buttermilk (low fat is fine). The dough will be very sticky. You can mix it with your hands, but I find it easier to mix and manipulate it with a rubber spatula. Make a round ball of dough and place it in your baking dish. Using a sharp knife, cut an “x” shape into the top of the dough. Bake for 25-35 minutes. Finished bread should be golden brown. You can tell it’s done by flipping it over and tapping the bottom. It should sound hollow.

Soda bread is best served warm and only lasts about two days. If the bread is cold, just slice a piece and warm it in a toaster oven. You’ll be glad you did.

If you’re feeling extra traditional you can dine on corned beef and cabbage for lunch. While I like it, I know many people that aren’t big fans (or refuse to try it). If that’s not so much to your taste, try a shepherd’s pie. Fish and chips (with malt vinegar, never ketchup) also sate my taste buds when I’m feeling Irish.

Shepherd’s Pie

I make my shepherd’s pie with a pound of ground turkey that I brown and season lightly. After the meat is brown, I add in some corn and baby peas and let the flavors come together for a few minutes and get the veggies warm.

At the same time I start the meat, I cut up and boil two large potatoes. Once the potatoes are tender enough to fall off a fork, I drain them and put them in a bowl. I add butter or margarine and non-fat milk to taste. (I know “to taste” isn’t really helpful, but I don’t measure. Start with about a heaping tablespoon of margarine and a quarter cup of milk). Using a hand mixer (unless you want to mash the old-fashion way) beat the potatoes until they are mixed with the milk and margarine and nice and creamy. If the texture isn’t smooth enough, slowly add more milk and/or margarine and keep mixing. Feel free to add some garlic salt or powder to kick the potatoes up a notch.

Once your meat and potatoes are ready, spoon the meat and veggies evenly across a square casserole dish. Cover with the potatoes and serve. Feel free to add some shredded cheddar cheese.

What’s your favorite Irish meal? We’d love to hear from you in the comments!

About the Author: Janice Carr is a freelance writer who shares her tips and recipes with readers online.

Posted in EatSmart Products, Recipes and tagged , | Leave a Comment
08 Mar 2013
1 Comment

Chocolate Avocado Muffins (Gluten-Free and Vegan)

Adapted from a recipe in Living Without Magazine – February/March 2013 Issue.
chocolateavocadomuffinsmakes 12 muffins

Wet Ingredients
6 tablespoons avocado oil (or your choice of oil)
1 1/2 cups milk (your choice – I’ve tried both almond milk and goats milk)
1/2 cup natural cane sugar (unrefined)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 avocado peeled and mashed up (about 1/2 cup)

Dry Ingredients
1/2 cup coconut flour* (see note above)
1/2 cup almond meal* (see note above)
1 cup all purpose gluten-free flour mix* (see note above)
1/2 cup raw cacao powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 teaspoons aluminum free baking powder

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350° F. In a stand mixer with paddle attachment or a large bowl with a hand mixer on a low setting, mix all the wet ingredients together until smooth. In another bowl whisk together all the dry ingredients.  Add the dry ingredient mix to the wet mix and using your mixer on low speed blend everything together (be careful not to over-mix, stop mixing once it is combined). Divide the batter into a lined muffin pan or a greased muffin pan with 12 spaces (I like to use a ice cream scooper to help with this part).  Sprinkle on your topping of choice or leave them plain. (I topped mine with finely chopped almonds) Bake 20-25 minutes or until they pass the toothpick test. Set them to cool on the counter or cooling rack.

About the Author: Sandra is a full time mom with a passion for healthy cooking and baking. Kitchen Apparel was created as a place to create and share healthy ideas and recipes.

Posted in EatSmart Products, Recipes and tagged , , ,

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