Warm Soba in Broth with Spinach and Tofu

Spring is not fully here on the East Coast yet, so on a recent chilly day I tried this recipe from Food and Wine Magazine and it hit the spot! I had some tofu in the fridge because it was on sale at Shaw's and I am a sucker for anything on sale! As I was trying to find a new recipe for tofu I came across this one and it made me feel ready to take on all of that school work that I have ahead of me. It has taken me awhile to truly enjoy anything with a seaweed or sushi taste, because when I was younger my brother took me out to eat and we went to a sushi place. He neglected to tell me that sushi was raw fish and because I have always hated fish you can imagine how I reacted when he told me to eat a huge piece with eel in it. Ever since then I have been scarred when it comes to anything seaweed tasting but luckily I have overcome this fear!

If you are ready for a filling soup that is sure to put a smile on your face try this and try to tell me you don't love it :)

Ingredients:
Serves 4

4 large shiitake mushrooms, stemmed
Vegetable oil cooking spray
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons sugar
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons mirin (see Note)
10 ounces soba noodles (see Note)
5 cups boiling water
2 teaspoons instant dashi or 1 tablespoon miso paste
4 ounces firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 cups baby spinach leaves
1/4 cup finely shredded daikon
1 scallion, thinly sliced
1 sheet nori seaweed, cut into 1/8-inch strips



Directions:

• Preheat the broiler. Spray the mushroom caps with vegetable oil cooking spray, season with salt and pepper and broil 6 inches from the heat, turning the caps once, until lightly browned and tender, about 6 minutes. Let cool, then thinly slice the mushrooms.
  In a small bowl, stir the sugar into the soy sauce and mirin until dissolved.
• In a large saucepan of boiling water, cook the soba noodles, stirring once or twice, until just tender, about 8 minutes. Drain the noodles, rinse under cold water and drain again thoroughly.
• Add the boiling water and instant dashi to the saucepan. Add the tofu and shiitake and simmer just until heated through, about 2 minutes. Add the spinach.
• Transfer the soba to 4 deep bowls and spoon the dashi mixture on top. Garnish the soba with the daikon, scallion and nori and serve right away, passing the soy sauce mixture alongside.

Nutritional Information:

1 Serving

328 calories, 3 gm total fat, 0.1 gm saturated fat, 64 gm carb.

Apple Cobbler

Another amazing low-calorie recipe from Hungry-Girl! I am all about desserts and sweets so any time I can find something as amazing as this that only has 126 calories for 1 cup I will try it no matter what! Luckily this turned out to taste as good as it looks! Apples and cinnamon, I don't think there is a better combination especially for dessert. I love chocolate, don't get me wrong but every now and then I want something that is a little lighter and I don't have to feel as guilty about after I finish. Try this recipe the next time you are craving something sweet and it will definitely not disappoint!

Ingredients:

Serves 4

3 cups peeled apple chunks (any sweet, not tart, variety)

1/2 cup Fiber One bran cereal (original)

2 sheets (8 crackers) low-fat honey graham crackers

2 tbsp. fat-free liquid egg substitute

2 tbsp. no-sugar-added applesauce

3 tbsp. Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated), divided

2 tbsp. brown sugar (not packed)

1 tbsp. cornstarch

2 tsp. cinnamon, divided

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. salt

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine 2/3 cup of cold water with brown sugar, cornstarch, 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon, vanilla extract, salt, and 1 tbsp. of the Splenda. Stir well.
• In a medium-sized pot, combine apple chunks with this mixture. Heat the apple mixture over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once liquid thickens to a syrupy consistency and begins to bubble, reduce heat to low and cover. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes, and then transfer mixture to a medium-sized round baking dish. Set aside.
• Next, break graham crackers into small pieces. Place graham pieces and Fiber One in a blender or food processor, and grind to a breadcrumb-like consistency. Transfer crumbs to a microwave-safe dish, and add egg substitute, applesauce, 1 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon, and the remaining 2 tbsp. of Splenda. Stir well.
• Microwave graham mixture for 1 minute. Use a fork to break up the toughened mixture as much as possible, and then allow it to cool for a few minutes. Transfer graham mixture to a food processor or blender, and pulse until crumbly and uniform.
• Evenly distribute graham topping over apple mixture. Place the dish in the oven, and bake for 10 minutes. Allow cobbler to cool slightly before serving.

Nutritional Information:
Serving Size: 1/4th of cobbler (about 1 cup) Calories: 126 Fat: 1g Sodium: 236mg Carbs: 33g Fiber: 5.5g Sugars: 16g Protein: 2g

What is your favorite dessert food combination?

Lose Your Soda Habit!

As I was reading Yahoo I found this interesting article about 4 easy ways to cut soda (yes even diet soda) out of your life all together! We all know that soda isn't good for us so why do we keep drinking it? Water can get dull after a period of time to some people so Yahoo along with Hungry-Girl came up with these 4 alternatives!

Stevia-Sweetened Soda!

In case you don't know, stevia is an up-and-coming, all-natural, calorie-free sweetener (currently sold in packets for drink-sweetening). Well, not too long ago, Coca-Cola filed dozens of patent applications for their very own form of stevia to use in some of their sodas. But you don't have to wait 'til that stuff arrives, 'cuz Zevia's already on the market! In Cola, Orange, and Twist (lemon-lime flavored), this 5-calorie-or-less-a-serving stuff is the ultimate solution for the soda-obsessed who want to nix artificial sweeteners without turning to regular high-calorie sugary soda. FYI, the Orange is the best and the Twist is good, too. But we're counting on Coke to come out with the perfect cola...

Metromint Water!

Tired of those silly calorie-packed waters (Vitamin Water, SoBe Life Water, Snapple Anitoxidant Water!)? Seeking flavored water with no artificial stuff? Check out Metromint's line of 0-calorie H20s. This stuff is made of just purified water, mint, and natural essences. Besides the standard Peppermint and Spearmint, there's also Lemonmint, Orangemint, Cherrymint, and (our latest fave) Chocolatemint! They're all subtly flavored and super-refreshing. We can't wait to see what the folks at Metromint come up with next ... Watermelonmint, Vanillamint, Rootbeermint?!

Zenergize Vitamin Infused Drink Tabs!

One of these all-natural, 2-calorie tablets will turn your glass of water into a fizzy flavorfest! They come in a gazillion flavors, from Orange + Pomegranate to Tropical Punch. And it's pretty fun to watch the little disc dissolve in your glass (really -- try it!). The bubbly consistency makes these a fantastic soda swap. They're also PACKED with vitamins and other energizing stuff!

POM Light Tea!

Typically, all-natural iced tea is either crammed with calories from sugar or it's unsweetened and super-bland. Well, neither is the case with this awesome line from Pom Wonderful. With pomegranate extract and just enough sugar, you get a fruity-licious tea drink for only 35 calories per 8-oz. serving. It comes in Light Wildberry White Tea, Light Orange Blossom Red Tea, and Light Hibiscus Green Tea. Sayonara, soda. Wonderful, POM!

Herbed Tofu Lasagna with Zucchini

I LOVE Vegetarian Times!! This recipe made me weak in the knees! I know that a lot of vegetarian lasagna recipes can be really boring or have the same old ingredients but when I saw this one, there was something right away that intrigued me. Normally when I see lasagna that doesn't include meat they substitute all of the meat with a lot of cheese, and that means a lot of calories!! This has a great fresh taste and that special something that you can't put your finger on. I served this to a few hungry college students and they couldn't get enough! A side note, this recipe does make a LOT of food so it is best for parties or if you want to have a lot of leftovers so be prepared! While yes this is a little high in calories, you still need to let yourself have some guilt-free days! And trust me....this lasagna is worth the few extra calories!

Ingredients:
Serves 10

2 14-oz. pkg. firm tofu, well drained
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 Tbs. lemon juice
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. sugar
1 Tbs. olive oil
4 medium-size zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch slices (about 3 cups)
5 cups marinara sauce
16 no-cook lasagna noodles (9 oz.)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350F. Coat 13x9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Combine tofu, basil, parsley, pine nuts, garlic, lemon juice, salt, red pepper flakes and sugar in food processor; blend until smooth and similar to ricotta in texture.
• Put oil and zucchini in large nonstick skillet. Sauté 3 to 5 minutes over medium-high heat, or until just tender.
• Spread 3 Tbs. marinara sauce over bottom of prepared baking dish. Cover with layer of noodles, overlapping slightly, half of tofu mixture and half of zucchini mixture. Top with another layer of noodles, remaining tofu and zucchini, and 1/2 cup sauce. Finish with another layer of noodles and remaining sauce.
• Cover with foil, and bake 1 hour. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Nutritional Information
Per Serving:
Calories 314, Protein 18g, Total fat 12g, Carbs 36g, Sodium 617mg, Fiber 6g, Sugars 10g

What is your favorite Italian recipe that you can't seem to get enough of? I love anything with noodles :)

A Soothing Burrito Recipe

I ironically found this recipe in the San Francisco Chronicle and decided to try it out. To my surprise it came out pretty good! While it still doesn't come close to the amazing Mexican food I ate living in San Diego it was an interesting twist on an old favorite. It is an Asian spin on a Mexican dish. I know that sounds like a weird description but I guarantee if you are feeling adventurous and getting tired of the same old foods you should try this out and let me know what you think!
Supposedly it is meant to soothe your soul....but with all of the stress of school and graduating I think it would take a lot more than one burrito to do that, but I guess I did feel a little calmer after eating it. Although that could have just been the feeling of fullness from all the food!
Ingredients:

Serves 1
2 teaspoons canola oil
1/2 cup spinach
1 egg
1 teaspoon mirin
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 green onion, chopped
1 small garlic clove, chopped
1 large burrito-size (about 9 1/4 inches wide) flour tortilla
1/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese with jalapenos (optional)
1 teaspoon black sesame seeds
1/4 cup canned black beans (optional)
1/4 cup steamed rice (optional)
1/3 cup mung bean sprouts
Sriracha sauce or regular salsa
5 cilantro sprigs, chopped
1/2 fresh lime

Directions:

• Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the spinach and saute until just wilted. Set aside.
• Beat the egg in a small bowl. Add the mirin, sugar, soy sauce, green onion and garlic. Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon oil in the same skillet and scramble the egg mixture in it.
• Microwave the tortilla between two slightly damp paper towels for 30 seconds. Place the steamed tortilla on a 10-inch-long piece of aluminum foil. Put the cheese in a pile in the middle of the tortilla. Add the scrambled egg and sauteed spinach. Sprinkle the sesame seeds over the egg and spinach.
• Add the black beans and rice, if desired, and mung bean sprouts. Add sriracha sauce to taste. Sprinkle on the cilantro and squeeze lime juice over all.
• Using the foil as a base, fold the bottom third of the tortilla up over the filling, pushing the down on the pile and you roll forward. Take the left side of the tortilla that has no filling and fold it over the filling. Do the same with the right side, shifting the filling as it forms a tube shape.
• To hold the burrito together, wrap the foil around the burrito the same way. Twist close the top if you are saving it for later. This will keep in the fridge for one day. Reheat in a 350° oven for 20 minutes. When ready to eat, simply peel the foil back as you eat.

Nutritional Information:

Per serving: 450 calories, 15 g protein, 51 g carbohydrate, 20 g fat (3 g saturated), 213 mg cholesterol, 768 mg sodium, 5 g fiber.

Angel Food Cupcakes with Raspberry Swirl

I love angel food cake and when I came across this recipe from Food and Wine Magazine I knew I stumbled across something amazing! Raspberries have always been my favorite type of berry or food for that matter. When I was younger everything I got would be raspberry flavored which looking back was good because fresh raspberries are high in antioxidants and rich in vitamin C, folate, iron and potassium. Now that I have a more refined pallet (or just looking for more creative ways to enjoy my favorite pastime) I decided to try these cupcakes out and they truly are as amazing as they look! This recipe is not on the low-calorie side as the rest of them are but you have to splurge every now and then right?


Ingredients:

Serves 18
Filling
3 cups raspberries (3/4 pound)
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
4 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 4 teaspoons of water

Cupcakes
1 cup cake flour
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
10 large egg whites (1 1/4 cups), at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 plump vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
3/4 cup granulated sugar

Glaze
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 1/2 tablespoons water
Pinch of salt

Directions:

• MAKE THE FILLING: In a medium saucepan, combine 2 1/2 cups of the raspberries with the granulated sugar and cook over moderately high heat, crushing the berries, until very soft and broken down, about 5 minutes. Strain the raspberry puree into a small bowl and discard the seeds. Return the puree to the saucepan. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of raspberries and the dissolved cornstarch and bring to a boil. Cook, gently crushing the berries, until the filling is glossy and thickened, about 3 minutes. Let cool, then refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
• MEANWHILE, MAKE THE CUPCAKES: Preheat the oven to 325°. Set 18 foil muffin cups on a rimmed baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine the cake flour with the confectioners' sugar. In a large bowl, combine the egg whites with the salt, vanilla seeds and cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form.
• Gradually beat in the granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the whites are firm and glossy. Sift the flour mixture over the egg whites in 2 additions, folding gently until incorporated.
• Spoon the batter into the muffin cups. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, shifting the pan from front to back, until the cupcakes are springy and golden. Transfer the cupcakes to a rack to cool.
• Using a wooden skewer, poke a 1/4-inch-wide hole in the top of each of the cupcakes.
• Using a pastry bag fitted with a plain 1/4-inch tip (or for those of you who don't have one cut a corner off a plastic zip-lock bag and it will work just as fine), pipe about 1 tablespoon of the filling into each cupcake.
• MAKE THE GLAZE: In a small bowl, stir together all of the ingredients. Spoon a small bit of the glaze over the raspberry hole and let set, about 5 minutes. Drizzle and spread the remaining glaze over the cupcakes and let set, about 10 minutes. Transfer the cupcakes to a platter and serve.

Nutritional Information:

One Serving 153 cal, 1 gm fat, 0.6 gm saturated fat, 34 gm carb, 2 gm fiber.

If that is to calorie heavy for you try this cherry pie it is more diet friendly!

Sexuality promoting vegetarianism

Why is it OK to treat women as pieces of meat while they promote a vegetarian lifestyle (or at anytime for that matter)?

This article from the New York Times discusses how a vegan strip club in Oregon — Casa Diablo — is using sex to try to convert meat eaters to vegetarians as well as a Los Angeles dance group — the Vegan Vixens — that performs at events and trade shows.

The most disturbing line is:

"Vegans who use sexuality to promote the cause say it is a good way to convert carnivores."

I personally do not think this is right in any way. While yes I do enjoy creative ways to help people learn about a vegetarianism lifestyle this is going too far!

What do you think?