Caramel Apple Yogurt Dessert

Yoplait has a new flavor (new to my area, anyway) called Apple Turnover. One day I was inspired to chop a few apple slices and mix them into this yogurt, with great results. But I really prefer the flavor and the thick, creamy consistency (to say nothing of the higher protein content) of Oikos 0% plain yogurt, so I did this mixture, with even better results:

4 oz. plain Greek yogurt (or 4 oz. Oikos 0% with honey)
1/4 of an apple, peeled and diced (if you can't eat apple at all, try no-sugar-added applesauce)
sweetener to taste (optional)
1 tablespoon sugar-free caramel sauce
1 tablespoon chopped walnuts (optional)

Adding the raw apple and nuts to the yogurt gives you something to chew, plus some fiber and healthy fats, and that results in greater satiety from a small portion of food. Gotta love that! You could skip the caramel sauce but I happen to love caramel and it turns the yogurt into a desserty treat.

Sardines on Toast

Sardines on toast? Sounds like a desperation meal, but we actually like sardines. You can serve this as an appetizer, but we have it as an entree. When I can't eat toast, the sardine mixture is tasty by itself. You can use kipper snacks instead of sardines.

1 4-ounce can boneless, skinless sardines packed in olive oil
1 plum tomato, seeded and chopped
1 scallion, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped parsley or mint
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 slices multigrain bread or 12 slices whole-grain baguette

Preheat oven to 350F.

Flake the sardines into a small bowl. Don't mash the fish, but keep the pieces small. Add the tomato, scallion, parsle, olive oil, and salt and mix gently.

If using whole slices of bread, cut each slice into 4 pieces (square or triangle). Place the bread on a baking sheet and bake until crispy and golden, 12-14 minutes. Remove from oven. Top each piece of toast with fish mixture. Serve immediately

Avocado Olive Salad

I love avocado, and it does have healthy fat in it, but at 276 calories for a medium avocado, 42% of which is fat, I have to be careful with it. This is a great recipe because it adds some chewing satisfaction to an otherwise mushy food. The saltiness of the olives is surprisingly good with the bland creaminess of the avocado.

2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon wine vinegar (red or white)
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)
1 ounce black olives, sliced (I use Kalamata)
2 avocados, peeled, pitted and diced
1/2 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced

In a medium bowl, whisk together lemon juice, lime juice, vinegar, garlic salt, pepper & olive oil. Add parsley, olives, avocado, and cucumber and gently toss to combine all ingredients. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until serving time.

4 servings

Culinary Disasters

Recently I pledged to resume the regular posting of menus and recipes, but I have been confounded by some culinary disasters.

Like the Cauliflower Latkes recipe. Substitute nutritious, low-carb cauliflower for potatoes, and still get your potato pancake fix. Not. It turned into Cauliflower Soup In A Skillet, not even faintly resembling pancakes. Nothing wrong with heating soup in a skillet. As Shirley Jackson, talented writer (and obese person) and author of the short story The Lottery which many of us were made to read in high school, wrote in one of her hilarious books about domestic life (I think it was Raising Demons), the quickest way to re-heat coffee (in pre-microwave times) is to put it in a skillet.

But when you have your face fixed (as my mom would say) for pancakes, you don't want soup in a skillet. You want the danged pancakes, nice and crispy and browned.

Portabella Pizza

Why didn't I think of this before? I ask myself. This is so much easier than making pizza with a pureed broccoli or cauliflower crust, and it tastes wonderful.

Preheat your broiler.

Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Place 4 portabella mushrooms (wiped clean, stems removed) gill-side up on the baking sheet. Spray with cooking spray.

Cover the mushrooms with your favorite pizza toppings (see below for what I used, but you can use pizza sauce, pepperoni, turkey sausage, veggies, etc of your choice). Broil 4" from the heat for 10-12 minutes.

Note: if you prefer your veggies cooked softer, broil the mushrooms for 3-4 minutes per side before you load them with the pizza toppings.

My toppings:

Combine in a bowl:
1 can white beans, rinsed and drained, mashed with a potato masher
1/4 cup red wine
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 onion + 1/2 red pepper + 1/2 zucchini, chopped and sauteed in a non-stick skillet until softened
1 tsp dried rosemary, basil, oregano, or the herb of your choice

Spread this mixture over the mushrooms. Sprinkle with shredded cheese (Italian blend, cheddar, mozzarella) and Parmesan. Spray with cooking spray (I use olive oil flavor).