you are here: home posts by date

25
Jul
2011
 Beet Chips



I have been on a veggie kick lately. I was getting bored of salads, and plain boring vegetables. This is summer, after all. There are plenty of fresh veggies ready to be eaten. So, I chose beets to experiment with (and they are in season!). However, I don’t really like beets that much. I have only enjoyed beets when shredded to make a pickled salad.

Since beets remind of something in the sweet potato family (they are a root vegetable), I figured I could make chips out of them. And I am glad I did because they were delicious! They tasted like a sweeter and more flavorful potato chip. Similar to a sweet potato chip.

So pretty. They look like rose petals.

Beet Chips Recipe
Makes 2 servings, or about 1 to 1 1/2 cups cooked. I would recommend making 2 batches (or more) because they shrink so much upon cooking.
Ingredients:

  • 4 small to medium size beets
  • salt
  • olive oil spray

Directions:

  1. Cut off the root end of the beet.
  2. Peel the outer layer with a vegetable peeler.
  3. Using a mandolin (this is a necessary and useful kitchen tool), slice the beets into thin slices.
  4. Spray a baking sheet with olive oil spray, and place beets on the baking sheet in a single layer if possible. Mine overlapped a little, and turned out just fine. Then, sprinkle with salt and spray once more with olive oil spray.
  5. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Stir halfway. At 40 minutes, take out the pieces that have crisped up, and bake the rest that still aren’t crispy for another 10 to 15 minutes.
    The chips lighten up (the bright red ones in the picture) when they are done. The darker colored ones still usually need a little longer in the oven.

This recipe was actually a lot easier and quicker than I had imagined. These chips were very tasty, are healthy, and a lower calorie option instead of regular potato chips. One beet is only 35 calories, 8 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, and is a good source of folate. I estimate that one serving can be about 70 calories (half of what I made and half of what this recipe calls for).

24
Jul
2011
 Gnu Flavor & Fiber Bars



I tried these fiber bars that my friend is obsessed with. I have only found them at Whole Foods so far. The good thing about these bars is that they super filling, probably because of the high fiber content.

Besides keeping you full, these are great for heart health and regularity (like the cute label says). Increasing your fiber intake can really help to lower cholesterol for those that have high cholesterol.

Anyway, these bars have a moderate amount of sugar, but I tolerate them because the sugar mostly comes from dried fruit. They don’t even taste that sweet.

This particular flavored bar has the least amount of sugar (7 g).

The Taste
Some flavors taste better than others. The banana walnut was probably my favorite so far. My least favorite, surprisingly, was the peanut butter. I mostly tasted the distinct wheat bran flavor. These bars crumble pretty easily, but that didn’t make them less enjoyable. If you don’t like bars like Kashi and Lara bars, you may not like these. They taste “healthy”, but I am used to that, and loved them.

I will probably buy these bars again, but when they are on sale, or for a cheaper price. Or, maybe I will try to make my own. Plus, I am not in any serious need of extra fiber in my diet. I get plenty already from fruits and vegetables.

18
Jul
2011
 First Time Juicing



After a long night out at the Britney Spears concert, my friend and I were in need of some antioxidants to perk us up.
She wanted to get some fresh juice at Whole Foods. I have never tried juicer juice because I am just not a fan of regular bottled juices, so I was a little hesitant.

My friend ordered kale, beet, carrot, and lime juice. I tried hers, thought it was OK, and ordered my own.
The Benefits
I do think juicing is a great way to get in vegetable servings in the day, and help detoxify your body. When using a heavy duty juicer, you still get some of the pulp and therefore, most of the phytonutrients and vitamins and minerals. You do miss out on some of the fiber that you would get in the whole fresh fruit or vegetable.

The Taste
Since I was not used to juicing, my beverage tasted OK for the first few minutes, and then it made me want to puke. It quickly became unappealing to me. It tasted like I was drinking a forest with a hint of lime. Gross.
This is as much as I could stomach before I threw it away. I did drink a little more than what is shown because I kept adding ice to it to try to make it taste better.

What I Have Learned About Juicing

  1. If you are new to juicing start with mild vegetables like cucumbers, celery, romaine, and spinach. I started with kale which is only for the experienced juicer because it is so bitter.
  2. It is important to add ingredients like lemons, limes, and a small amount of fresh cranberries. These ingredients help improve the flavor. My experienced juicing friend always asks for double the amount of lime.
  3. Do not include too many fruits as it can become a high calorie beverage that way.
  4. You have to drink the juice as soon as it is made because it spoils quickly (has no preservatives), and will begin to lose its nutrients.
  5. Most people recommend only to drink 4 to 8 ounces when first juicing. I did not know this, and was trying to down a 12 or 16 ounce beverage. No wonder my stomach felt nauseated. You have to let the body adjust.

I will probably give juicing another try (at Whole Foods). I will not be spending money on a juicer anytime soon unless I know I enjoy juicing.

More mild recipes to try:

  • spinach (maybe), cucumber, celery, carrot, apple, lemon
  • grapes, pineapple, wheatgrass

If anyone else has any other suggestions, let me know :)

17
Jul
2011
 Food in St. John: Part 2



For breakfast, with a view of the ocean (one of my favorite things this trip), my Mom made her famous french toast. The key to excellent french toast is getting big fluffy bread and baking it with the egg mixture.
Other mornings my brothers would eat these ridiculously unhealthy cinnamon buns:
Too much saturated fat, not enough fiber, too much sugar, too much sodium…

Anyway, we stopped at some local restaurants including Vie’s Snack Shack. This is a true local stop. I think the owner said they have been there 50 years.
They are known for their conch fritters, garlic chicken with Johnny cake, rice and beans, and limeade. Most conch fritters I have tried have always been like hush puppies–all breading and not much flavor. These conch fritters were the best I have ever had. They came with a tasty dipping sauce which I think had cumin in it.
Even though this food was fried, it was nice to be able to try something completely different from what I would normally eat. I am not a big fan of chicken on the bone and fried, but everyone else loved it and said it was the best fried chicken they have had. The Johnny cake tasted like a fluffy, fried, doughnut pancake.
Perhaps the most popular place in Coral Bay, St. John is Skinny Legs. It is a bar that is known for their burgers, and you can even play a game of darts, or shop at the connecting small local stores.
We decided that my Dad should be the mascot for Skinny Legs because his legs are the skinniest I have ever seen. Apparently the owner has very skinny legs. Our waitress said they could possibly be tied for the skinniest legs.

And of course we had to go to the famous Woody’s. They have a well-known happy hour from 3 to 6 where you can get $1 drinks! Crazy. And my 18 year old brother could legally have a drink in St. John (even though it is part of the US). No one even asked for his ID.
I ordered a salad with shrimp:
I also ordered another shrimp salad at Aqua Bistro (the best restaurant in Coral Bay, in my opinion):
I have always loved salads with shrimp. This salad (pictured above) is probably higher calorie than you would think because it is tossed with a creamy Caesar dressing. Caesar salad is never a lower calorie menu option. I wasn’t looking to watch calories. I wanted some cold, and fresh tasting.

Another pretty looking fish entree at Aqua Bistro:
The Drinks of Vacation:
Big Kahuna Rum Shack in St. Thomas had the best frozen drinks so far. The ice was nice and thick, and it was not too sweet. We also stopped at this smoothie truck in the middle of nowhere. They were offering free rum with smoothies. I noticed that the Virgin Islands likes to giveaway rum.
I got some kind of coffee smoothie. Starbuck’s doesn’t giveaway free rum. Oh, and there is actually no Starbuck’s in the Virgin Islands. I should open one up there, and then I could live in paradise all year long!

And we made plenty of frozen drinks and margaritas at the rental house thanks to my cabana man.
Well, that’s all for now. I am going to start planning my next trip…

14
Jul
2011
 Food in St. John: Part 1



Plane Food
Did you know that Delta now has some food available for purchase in-flight? My Dad ordered a chicken salad sandwich that looked full of mayo, cheese, and white bread/croissant.
Not my idea of a healthy lunch. The red wine is a nice idea though. I grabbed a salad at the terminal earlier–smarter idea. I tried to check the nutrition facts of Delta’s menu items, but have not found any yet. They are trying to be somewhat healthy though. Delta has a Greek yogurt and Kind bar option for breakfast, and always has a fruit and cheese plate.

St. Thomas Welcome Drink
As soon as we got off the plane in St. Thomas, they had free shots of rum and were playing music. I thought it was hilarious. And then there was a bar at the ferry terminal which is where we had our first rum drinks!
Shipwreck Landing
Our first night we went to get some seafood at Shipwreck landing in Coral Bay, St. John. I had some tasty shrimp, and this rice cake side that I have never had before. It was delicious, and makes me want to think of a way to make a healthier brown rice cake.
Homemade Dinners
We were staying at a rental house, so we made quite a few dinners at home. If you travel to the Virgin Islands, be warned that the grocery prices are very expensive (more on this later). Turkey was over $10/pound. Grouper was over $20/pound (locally caught). A box of triscuits was about $8. A can of tuna was $4.

Pasta dinner one night:
Ok, I know this picture is a little ridiculous with my man standing there looking off into the distance. Just silly. We had a lot of dinners out on this deck with such a great view. It was my favorite thing. And yes, I did make my Mom buy wheat pasta which she was annoyed with because she likes authentic Italian food (she is part Italian).
Arroz con Pollo night:
Served with mango, plantains, and a salad.
Shrimp and Mashed Cauliflower:
I made the mashed cauliflower which my whole family enjoyed including my brothers. I carmelized onions, steamed the cauliflower for a while, and added spices while steaming. I mashed the onions into the cauliflower with some whipped butter, sour cream, and a small amount of cheddar cheese.

Dinner by candlelight:
My Dad made grouper–finally, some truly fresh seafood. You could taste the difference. This grouper had a more sea salt flavor, and meatier texture because it was so firm and fresh.
Psycho Baker’s aka “Trixie Treats” Dessert: Key Lime Pie
I kept telling my Mom there was no way she was going to find all the ingredients to a key lime pie at a tiny island grocery store. But, she was determined and she did find the ingredients–even the key lime juice!
This whole pie cost about $30 to make since the ingredients were so expensive. Graham crackers were $6 and these weren’t even organic! Psycho baker insisted that it was worth it. So, I let her bake away. Hey, if she was going to all this trouble to make the pie, I was going to eat it even if it wasn’t my idea of healthy.
To be continued…

5
Jul
2011
 Spinach Ricotta Bake



Hope everyone had a good 4th of July. Mine was rained out, so we put on our own fireworks and laser show with some bottle rockets and a laser pointer.

Anyway, a few days ago I wanted to make a quiche with ricotta (love ricotta… I buy low fat). Well, it turned out to be less of an egg dish, and more of a vegetable and cheese dish.

The last quiche with spinach I made turned out well, but this dish was even better. The trick is to cook the vegetables first to get out all the excess moisture.

Ingredients:

  • 1 package (10 oz) frozen spinach, squeezed dry
  • 1/2 carton mushrooms, sliced
  • 1/2 large yellow onion, sliced
  • 2 eggs and 1 egg white
  • 1 small container low fat ricotta
  • 1 cup part skim mozzarella
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2 tsp dried parsley
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1/2 tsp ground rosemary
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • salt and pepper

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
  2. Cook the mushrooms and onions in a saute pan until most of the moisture is cooked out. Add the spinach that is squeezed dry to the saute pan and stir in the spices. Allow this mixture to cool to room temperature.
  3. Mix the eggs and ricotta in a separate bowl. Add the vegetable mixture, and mix until combined. The mixture should be pretty thick.
  4. Pour into a quiche dish. Top with shredded mozzarella.
  5. Bake at 350 for 45-55 minutes until golden brown.

While baking, it will puff up, but then upon cooling the bake will sink down. Do not be alarmed, your final product is more of a vegetable and cheese bake like I said. It is delicious if you like ricotta. The only modification I would make would be to add another vegetable to it. I am not sure what yet, perhaps a few diced artichokes?

Enjoy! I am off to St. John for a week on vacation, and will be back to document the food on my travels…

Back in a week!

Welcome to my blog!

My Recent Pins

Followed by: 514 people, Likes: 23
Follow Me on Pinterest 
My Pinterest Badge by: Jafaloo. For Support visit: My Pinterest Badge

Sponsors

Groups I am part of:

Nutrition Blog Network NEDPG LocalEats featured blog

Reading Corner

What I am Reading Now

Disclaimer

This site is no substitute for medical advice. For medical advice please seek your doctor. This site is in no way affiliated with my employer.