Category Archives: Recipes

Eat This/Not That

I have said many times before that wrapping whatever in a tortilla is great for any meal or snack, but you can also use this trick for lovely and even elegant appetizers.

Lay down any type of tortilla and spread it with lite cream cheese or Laughing Cow. If I am using fruit I like to spread with flavored cream cheese like strawberry or pineapple. Finely chop your filling.

For fruit I use strawberries, blueberries drained canned pineapple, chopped apple and cinnamon, or really just about anything. Do NOT pulse this in your blender. It makes the filling much to finely chopped and damp. I use my little hand chopper.

If you prefer vegetable, use broc, cauliflower, BLT, tomatoes or again just about anything. Spread your cream cheese or Laughing Cow and add filling on the tortilla and wrap tightly. With a sharp knife, slice the roll very thinly. The spirals are quite festive, and if you dress the platter with curly Italian parsley or cilantro, it makes a lovely appetizer tray.

You can take this anywhere!

Eat This, Not That-Smoothy

Yes, be alert even in Smoothy World! If you use ice cream instead of frozen yogurt or ice cubes you may be in trouble. Do you use full fat yogurt? Do you use whole milk? Have you tried the 5 Calorie Cran-Apple drink as your liquid? Have you checked to see how many calories there are in your protein powder? (If not, get ready for a shocker, and next time read the label!) Did you know that one of those little Dole fruit cups that come in the 4 pack has only 40 calories?

Your good morning Smoothy can be a total calorie bomb instead of a healthy breakfast alternative. BTW, vegetable smoothies are fantastic and usually only 1/2 the calories of fruit. Try a cup of vegetable broth, low sodium of course, and add some broc, celery, and fresh spinach, and ice cubes. Yes, it is rally good and if you add your protein powder, it can set you up for the whole day.

Eat This/Not That

Eat This/Not that is a brand new buzz phrase that should and does resonate with all of us. In fact I am so taken with it that I will be using it as a headline for many features, wellness tips, and recipes. Take a look at the picture and you will immediately get the idea. Look at all of those yummy foods then think, and not in a good way, about cookies, ice cream, and your heart! Finally, think about YOU being soo happy and healthy. I am not saying no cookies and ice cream, but I am saying “In Moderation!” I will also put out there that fat free frozen yogurt is very good, and it is also lots of fun to make your own ice cream and that puts you in total control of your calories, carbs, and fat.

PS

When you make a salad, forget just ice berg lettuce and tomato. Go for it with avocado, an egg, bib lettuce, crunchy broc and cauliflower, and for a texture treat, add chopped walnuts.

Banana Fanna Fo Fanna

Yes, Mr. Banana even has his own song-remember it? The lowly banana is, in reality, a big star. Not only are bananas delicious, everyone knows also that one banana is a whole days worth of potassium. At only 100 calories, that is quite a deal

This is really only the beginning of the banana story though. For example, I NEVER make a smoothie without a soft banana or two. Does anyone-I think not. It goes best, in my opinion, with a cup of unflavored Greek yogurt, a scoop of protein powder, some blueberries and strawberries, some ice cubes and my secret ingredient-a cup of 5 calorie cranberry juice.

Also, you can make that non dairy ice cream that is so very good. Freeze some banana chunks, add your favorite flavors like a bit of vanilla or some chocolate syrup, use any non-dairy milk, I prefer oat milk, and blend. Add or use less liquid to determine your texture. Freeze and enjoy.

Some people use a mashed banana as a moisturizer too, but to be honest, I have not tried that. I have used avocado though and it works! Try the banana facial and let me know!

PS if you have extra bananas that are going black, freeze them right away for future use in a bunch of different things.

Corny But Good!

I love corn. On the cob is good. In salad is good. In chili is good too. Best of all though is a really corny winter supper-corn soup with corn bread-don’t forget a little honey for the corn bread. I use Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix. I thought everybody did???

Corn Soup

Chicken Broth (I am a vegetarian so I always use vegetable broth)

Diced Celery, onions, and carrots,

fresh or frozen corn

Noodles-Any type you like, I use penne or broken up linguini

If you are not vegetarian you may want to add some chicken or if you are a vegetarian, add Quorn, my favorite veggie chicken substitute.

Salt and pepper to taste

I have not given any specific amounts. Think about the number of people you are serving and what you like and don’t like and go from there.

Tips-I never use raw honey and I don’t recommend it. Remember, this is a soup, not a chowder. Quorn is available in most vegetarian sections of grocery stores. It is the #1 selling vegetarian product in the UK. It is not made from soy, but whey and wheat products so not gluten free.

“I Hate Eggs”

Eugenia Martin

Believe this or not, I had a Facebook friend tell me, after I went to all of the trouble to find so MANY great egg recipes for breakfast, that she actually hates eggs. While I do not personally know a bunch of egg haters, I am prepared to acknowledge that they do exist and I am up to the challenge. Check out these “Not Eggs” yummy things to have for breakfast. Remember also, breakfast is good any time of the day-we don’t judge!

  1. Pancakes with blueberries, chocolate chips, strawberries, wrapped around a sausage or pieces of bacon or go bold and wrap a pancake around a slice of ham or even bolder-smoked salmon.
  2. Biscuits- Too many recipes to count and that is not even mentioning the ones that come in the ever so hard to open tube. My personal favorite is Bisquick rolled not dropped.
  3. Another personal favorite is OVERNIGHT OATS. There are so many variations on this popular dish that can also easily be taken along for lunch or snack. Just one idea: In your carry container put a packet of apple/cinnamon instant oatmeal. Spoon a layer of apple cinnamon yogurt next. Drizzle about 3 tablespoons of honey. Add a chopped apple. Sprinkle chopped walnuts on top. Put in the fridge overnight and enjoy the next morning. This works with blueberry, strawberry, or literally anything YOU like.
  4. Just good old oatmeal. I like it with honey and walnuts or chopped apple and walnut. If you are seeing a pattern here with the walnuts, you are right.
  5. Finally, but in actual fact there are many more, how about anything on toast. Also, anything on anything. I like english muffins, a bagel, any kind of bead, like cinamon swirl, wheat toast, Naan bread etc. and top with avocado, jam, tomato and cheese, peanut butter, etc.

Breakfast your way-egg haters now have no excuse. Oh, did I mention smoothies??

BKFST! How EGGciting!

I have promised to write a big breakfast section like we did with dinners and I am starting with probably the most common breakfast food around-the egg. Eggs for breakfast in all of its many forms has become an American staple. If you are a Jimmy Dean fan you can put your little cup in the microwave and have something to eat. I think that is the lowest form of breakfast, the highest being Eggs Benedict on the patio next to your pool and fountain. Anyway, here is the word on eggs from the Uphill Skater!

  1. Scrambled eggs-Add cheese of any kind, any vegetable, any meat, actually there is almost nothing you can’t add to scrambled eggs.
  2. Fried eggs-You can fry your egg in butter or marg. or (God forbid) even bacon grease. Fry bacon, sausage, or ham next to your egg in the pan and after it is done to your taste, add a piece of bread to fry in what is left in the pan. BTW-you did not hear that from me.
  3. Boiled eggs-Quick, easy, no pan to scrub, my favorite. I always boil one more egg than I need and put the extra in my lunch or in the fridge for a chopped egg sandwich later.
  4. Omelets are also quick, easy and versatile. I always crack my eggs into a cup and whisk before I add to the warm pan and I always put just a bit of butter into pan just for flavor. I love a cedar cheese and veggie omelet, but again you can really customize to taste.

PS-When I said you could put ANYTHING in an omelet or scrambled eggs, I really meant it. I do suggest the apple and banana as a “side of fruit” but of course, we don’t judge!

5. My last egg suggestion (I am sure you have many more) is eggs in a casserole. I love those overnight casseroles with bread, eggs, and crumbled sausage that you take out and bake in the morning. Oh, when I say sausage, I really mean Morning Star Farms sausage crumbles by the way.

Eggs have lots of protein, only 60 calories, and as you can see, they are more versatile than a kindergartener in a playground! ENJOY!!

Easy Valentine Cake-Who Knew??

How easy is this? All you do is bake one round layer and one 9 in. square layer. You only use one package of any type of cake mix you like. Move the square to be a diamond shape, cut the circle in half and BAM!

Frost with red or white frosting and decorate with anything Valentine!