Lightened Up Pumpkin Coffee Cake

I know, I know.  We started with the pumpkin in September – but I’m not done yet.  I have 4 cans left from the case I hoarded this year (ONLY 4, I know!). 

I actually only used pumpkin in this recipe as a substitute for applesauce.  Based on Sara’s Cinnamon Streusel Protein Cake recipe, I made a few slight changes (including cutting back on the topping and icing).

Pumpkin Coffee Cake (adapted from Cinnamon Streusel Protein Cake, courtesy of Nourish and Flourish)

Cake ingredients:

1 cup oat flour

3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour

2 scoops French Vanilla Designer Whey

6 drops vanilla Stevia

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 Tbsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ginger

1/8 tsp allspice

6 oz plain greek yogurt

1 cup pumpkin

1.5 Tbsp light butter spread, melted

1/4 cup vanilla almond milk (as needed)

Topping:

1/3 cup quick oats

2 Tbsp brown sugar Splenda Blend

3 drops vanilla stevia

1/8 tsp salt

1 Tbsp light butter spread, melted

1) Pre-heat oven to 350.  Spray baking dish (I used a shallow brownie pan).

2) Combine dry cake ingredients in a large bowl.

3) Seperately, combine wet ingredients (beginning with  until well mixed, then stir in to dry just until combined.

4) Spread batter evenly in baking dish.

5) Combine topping ingredients, mixing well.  Sprinkle over batter.

6) Bake 25-28 minutes, until corners start to pull away from pan & toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Top with icing, if desired (I made a quick mixture of powdered sugar and almond milk).

Approximate nutrition (1/15th of cake, without icing): 110 calories, 3 grams fat, 15 grams carbs, 6 grams protein

The icing (using approximately 3/4 cup of powdered sugar) added about 25 calories per slice, but I thought it tasted just fine without it.

I’m still not tired of pumpkin.

Definitely stocking up on two cases next season.

Working on improving my photos.  These ones are making me hungry.

Are you pumpkin-ed out? 

Sweet Potato Poppers

Did everyone have a crazy night out on New Years Eve?

My husband and I got chinese take out, rented a Redbox movie, and each had half a glass of champagne before calling it a night.

We’re pretty crazy.

The sushi was delicious and a quiet night in with my husband was just fine with me.  We did VIP bottle service at a club last year and South Beach the year before that, so this was a fine change of pace.

New Years day was more of a celebration – trying  out a sweet potato version of Jess’s delicious looking potato puffs to take to my aunt’s house to watch the Steelers beat on the Browns.

I omitted the milk, parmesan, and green onions, and used some almond flour, graham cracker crumbs, cinnamon, and puffed rice cereal instead of the bread crumbs.

The parmesan must play a roll in the resulting texture, but I couldn’t figure out any other substitution (other than almond flour).  Maybe a spicy, savory version with chili powder, parmesan, and rosemary?

They were still tasty, but more like dessert.  I plan on trying the original version soon.

Any ideas?

Make any great recipes over the long weekend?  Have you ever spent a quiet New Years Eve in?

(Almost Too) Sweet Chex Mix

You’ve probably figured out by now that I have quite a sweet tooth – almost nothing is “too sweet” by my standards.  This recipe is adapted from my best friend’s version and I don’t really know what to call it – toffee or butterscotch Chex Mix, maybe?  It does contain some salt from the pretzels in the mixture, just enough to give it that satisfying sweet/salty balance.

My grandmother is a big fan of this mix – she actually asked me to make a batch last weekend, and who can turn down their 95 year old Nana?

Typically I try to post “lightened up” recipes on Thursdays – this is anything but light – filled with butter and sugar (although I did make a few substitutions).  But it makes a huge batch and is a great party or football snack. 

I’m sure Nana was glad I didn’t mess with this recipe.  At least I know where I got my sweet tooth from.  And if you eat too much, you’ll get a stomach ache.  Trust me.

BFF’s Sweet Toffee / Caramel Chex Mix

5 cups Rice Chex

5 cups Corn Chex

1 cup mini pretzels

2 cups pecan halves

1 stick + 2 Tbsp I used Olivio Light (or butter)

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup brown rice syrup (or honey)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1) Pre-heat oven to 225.

2) Coat a large roasting pan or disposable tin with cooking spray.

3) Combine all dry ingredients and place in roasting pan.

4) Bring butter, sugar, and syrup to a boil for 5 minutes.

5) Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

6) Pour mixture over dry ingredients and bake for 20 minutes, stir, and bake for an additional 20 minutes.  Repeat for a total of 1 hour.

7) Spread into single layer on waxed paper until cool, then break apart in to pieces.

Instead of sharing the nutrition info for this one, let’s just call it a holiday indulgence.

I added in a handful of leftover butterscotch chips as the mix was cooling.  There are unlimited substitutions you could make with this – I think Cheerios and other nuts would be delicious.  The pecans are my favorite part!

What’s your favorite Chex mix recipe?

I really dislike the traditional savory one – I’m not a fan of pepper!

Friday Five (and a Breakfast Cake)

1) I had a guest post on becoming an RD on Peace, Love, and Oats last weekend while Katie was prepping for her finals.  Go check it out.

2) Melissa said this popcorn is available at Whole Foods.  Could be bad news for my waistline.

3) I’m going to run a few miles a week in addition to my regular workouts.  Instead of 2-3 miles at a time, which tends to be painful on my injured ankle [perioneal tendonitis], I’ll add 1 mile at a time in addition to spin classes or strength days, just to build up my ankle strength.  Hopefully this gets me back to running without pain - even if it takes time.

4)  New favorite Starbucks treat: tall cafe’ misto (brewed coffee with steamed milk) with 1 pump sugar free vanilla & 1 pump sugar free cinnamon dolce – 60 calories!  Holiday flavor but not gross like their gingerbread and not as many calories of pumpkin spice.  Try it!

5) New breakfast obsession.  I went to spin class last night and again early this morning (I’m working a late shift at work), and I was famished for a filling breakfast – oats or eggs just wouldn’t do.

I wanted to try one of Ashley’s famous buckwheat bakes, but I was also pressed for time.  I used Bob’s Red Mill 10 grain hot cereal mix (which I never make on its own) to make a microwave breakfast cake.  Protein packed, warm, dense, and super filling.

10 Grain Microwave Breakfast Cake

Ingredients

1/4 cup Bob’s Red Mill 10 grain hot cereal (I’m sure any kind of grains would work here, but these add protein, fiber, and tons of vitamins)

1 egg white

1/2 banana, mashed well

1/2 scoop protein powder

3 Tbsp almond milk

3 drops vanilla stevia

1 tsp cinnamon

1) Mix all ingredients VERY well.  The mixture should resemble a thin pancake batter.

2) Pour into greased microwave safe dish.

3) Cook 1:45-2:00 minutes – be careful it doesn’t over flow!

Approximate nutrition facts (without cinnamon raisin PB & syrup): 300 calories, 46 grams carbs, 5 grams fat, 22 grams protein

The texture was way better than microwaved protein cakes I’ve made in the past (which were always too eggy/chewy) – I think the flax in the 10 grain mixture helps to make it fluffy too.  This would have been amazing topped with some Chobani but I’m all out!  Time to restock this weekend.  Can’t wait to try this with pumpkin.

5b) Did you miss my lightened up buffalo chickpea dip? 

Nine days till Christmas!  Who’s ready?

Have a great weekend! <3

Lightened Up – Buffalo {Chicken} Chickpea Dip

After the first few times I mentioned this dip on my blog, I got a bunch of requests for the recipe!  Here it is!

My mom’s buffalo chicken dip is a mainstay for Sundays during football season.  Before I went vegetarian I loved it, often eating it until I felt sick.

I still long for it when I smell it baking, so I had to make a vegetarian version.  And lighten it up, of course.  The following substitutions are a no-brainer:

Shredded chicken -> chickpeas

Cream cheese -> 1/3 less fat cream cheese

Ranch dressing -> fat free ranch

1 cup shredded cheddar mixed in -> 1/4 cup really strong, flavorful cheese on top

Baked until bubbly and delicious.

And I feel like I can eat even more, because it’s healthier.

Oven baked tortilla “chips” are just another reason for one more bite..

Lightened Up Buffalo Chickpea Dip

1 can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained

1/4 cup 1/3 less fat cream cheese

1/4 cup fat free ranch dressing

1/4 cup buffalo wing sauce OR 2 Tbsp Red Hot/Tobasco

1/4 cup strong cheese, shredded (I used a mix of beemster and smoked gouda)

1) Pre-heat oven to 350.

2) Mash garbanzo beans in a bowl until about 1/4 remain whole.

3) Add in cream cheese, ranch, and wing sauce or hot sauce.

4) Spread evenly in a sprayed casserole dish and top with shredded cheese.

5) Bake 20-25 minutes, until top is brown and bubbly.

6) Cheer for the Steelers and eat ’till your heart is content. 

Makes approximately 6 1/3-cup servings (of if you’re me, 3  2/3-cup servings). 

Approximate nutrition (per serving): 125 calories, 4 grams fat, 17 grams carbs, 5 grams protein

Those stats are for the dip only – don’t forget that tortilla chips add up quickly!  Try dipping some celery, carrot sticks, or kale chips instead.

What’s your favorite game day / tailgating food?  Do you try to keep it healthy or just indulge?

15 Bean Fiber Frenzy

As a lacto/ovo pescatarian, I get most of my protein from a few sources – fish, yogurt, eggs, and legumes.   A lot of non-meat eaters think that being a vegetarian is instantly a healthier choice – but not when your diet turns in to choices from a typical “vegetarian” restaurant menu – fettucine alfredo, fried eggplant parmesan, or cheese quesadillas.

I’ll admit that it took me a while to get used to eating beans as a protein source – although they weren’t as foreign as tofu or tempeh, I still wanted beans to taste good.

Over time I became more skilled at working beans into different dishes – salads, stirfries, even baked goods - but a good Mexican black bean soup still steals my heart.  I’ve raved about the vegetarian soups at Au Bon Pain before, but $5 a pop adds up pretty quickly.  When I saw this bag of beans on sale at Aldi, I had to grab it.

I remember from my previous cooking experience and food science classes that beans take forever to soak from their dried state, so I chose the “quick soak” option – which still took about 1.5 hours before the soup making even began!

In addition to the beans, I amped up the soup with a can of diced tomatoes, one sweet potato, three carrots, a red onion, a few cloves of garlic, chili powder, fajita seasoning, thyme, and a bay leaf.

The soup cooked for about 2.5 hours before it changed from really thin to nice and hearty.

Why are beans so great?  Not only do they provide protein, fat, and carbohydrate, but they are also a great source of fiber.  You all know the “magical fruit” rhyme – right?  Benefits of fiber include helping you feel full, lowering your risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes, and helps to keep your bowel movements “regular”.  You don’t want to increase too quickly over time, or you can experience the negative effects that people often complain about.

I have a strangely high intake of fiber (just based on my diet and lifestyle), but you want to increase slowly and try to keep your intake relatively constant over time.  As a general guideline, women should aim for 25g per day and men can shoot for 35g per day.  Drink extra water as you increase your fiber intake to help with digestion.

The soup was even better eating it for lunch the next day, after the flavors intensified.

Monday’s fiber intake (just from higher fiber foods, there is a negligible amount in other foods I ate):

• 2 clementines – 4 grams
• 2 slices whole grain bread – 3 grams
• 1/3 cup oats - 4 grams
• 1 medium banana – 3 grams
• 1.5 cups bean soup – 20 grams (!)
• Total = 34 grams

Do you think you get enough fiber in your diet?  Are you afraid of beans?

Lightened Up – Low Fat Pumpkin Spice Granola

Don’t get me wrong, I love granola.  I love that it’s mostly whole grains and that the flavor possibilities are endless.  My favorite brands so far have been Nuts About Granola (Warrior Crunch) and Love Grown (Sweet Cranberry Pecan), but neither one is sold locally.

I liked my last pumpkin granola, but I wanted something with more crunch and a more savory, spiced flavor. 

And being me, I wanted it to be lower calorie.  Many commercially prepared granolas have a ton of added sugar and fat.  Oats are very calorically dense – so I made the base of my granola from an equal combination of oats, puffed millet, and puffed brown rice.

The sweetener I used was brown rice syrup (my first time experimenting with it), which also acted as a binder with the sunflower seed butter (a natural fat source).

Low Fat Pumpkin Spice Granola

1 cup puffed millet (or another unsweetened cereal of your choice)

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup puffed brown rice (Rice Krispies would do just fine)

1/4 cup raisins

1/4 cup slivered raw almonds

1.5 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice (more or less according to your preference – I used a mixture of 1/2 tsp ginger, 1 Tbsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp allspice, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, and a pinch of ground cloves )

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup brown rice syrup

1/4 cup sunflower seed butter, warmed in microwave

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1) Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheet with parchment paper.

2) In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients until well mixed.

2) Mix syrup, sunflower seed butter, and vanilla.

3) Add syrup mixture to dry ingredients, stirring to distribute evenly.

4) Spread mixture on to baking sheet in an even layer (I sprayed my palms with Pam to keep it from sticking to my hands as I pressed it down).

5) Bake for 20-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes (I used the convection setting and mine was a little over cooked after 25 minutes).  Granola is done when nuts begin to look toasted.

6) Cool on baking sheet for 20 minutes, then break in to desired size chunks and cool completely.

This is a very crunchy granola – not chewy.  Exactly what I was hoping for.  Most granolas are between 120-150 calories per quarter cup serving, but this one has 100 calories.  For a food to legally be called “low fat”, it must have 3 grams or less per serving – this granola makes the cut!

Approximate nutrition: (per 1/4 cup) 100 calories, 3g fat, 17g carbs, 2.5 g protein

Of course you can change the add-ins – next time I want to try it with some protein powder to increase the protein content.

What’s your favorite granola flavor?  Do you make your own granola or buy it at the grocery store?

Thanksgiving – Lightened Up

My pie crust was a success!  No butter, oil, or shortening added!

I used 1 cup of almond flour, 1 cup of dates (soaked in hot water and drained), 1/2 tsp vanilla and 1/2 cup of oats.  Baked for 20 minutes until golden brown and delicious!

The cheesecake filling was based on IGE’s pumpkin cheesecake recipe.

It was absolutely worth the time it took to bake and cool completely.  I’ll be making this every Thanksgiving from now on.

The “main dish” that I made was a vegetarian stuffing with veggies, apples, figs, and Lightlife “sausage”.

I used half a loaf of light wheat bread (35 calories a slice) and only cooking spray to sauté the veggies.  Topped with some dried sage and rosemary, and held together with 2 whipped egg whites.

It was tough to find a vegetable stock!  I do like their trademark though – “live love eat”.  I had to buy this brand.

It turned out pretty well!  I wasn’t a fan of the crunchy seeds from the figs and would probably use raisins or another type of dried fruit in the future.

My favorite part of my vegetarian Thanksgiving was definitely my carrot souffle.  I make it based on a Cooking Light recipe, and it never fails.  It’s got a hint of sweetness to it that makes it almost good enough to be dessert.  I made it even lighter by subbing in Chobani greek yogurt where the recipe called for sour cream.

Carrot Souffle [based on this recipe]

2 lbs carrots, chopped and cooked until soft, cooled

1/4 cup Splenda Blend (or 1/2 cup sugar)

1/4 cup Chobani Plain Greek Yogurt, 0% fat

3 Tbsp AP flour

2 Tbsp light margarine, melted

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup egg substitute, beaten

1) Pre-heat oven to 350.

2) Puree carrots in food processor until smooth.

3) Add remaining ingredients & pulse to combine.

4) Spread mixture into greased baking dish and bake 40 minutes, until edges brown.

Approximate nutrition: (per half cup serving) 130 calories, 3.5 grams fat, 18 grams carbohydrate, 5 grams protein

The dessert spread: my mother in law’s Polish “cookies”, pecan pie, pumpkin pie, and my pumpkin cheesecake.

I’ve been enjoying stuffing and carrot souffle leftovers all weekend!

What was the star of your Turkey day meal?

Check out my post on holiday shopping to make the most of today’s Cyber Monday sales!

Heart Healthy Banana Bread

Every year, downtown Pittsburgh hosts “Light Up Night”, when all of the office buildings stay lit up and the stores stay open and everyone walks around and enjoys the first holiday sights and sounds of the season.   They light a large tree and have live music, ice skating, fireworks, and other events spread throughout the city.

[source]

Meeting up with Katie, Beth, and Amy for lunch and shopping yesterday was great.  We hope to meet once a month – other Pittsburgh bloggers and readers are welcome to join too!  Head on over to Katie’s post to see a pic of us (and her pathetic salad).

Monday mornings are made infinitely more tolerable by a delicious breakfast.  I broke into my Kodiak Cake mix from Big Lots.

The mix is great because it’s whole grain (this is whole wheat and oat), doesn’t have a ton of ingredients, and you only need to add water!

I added pumpkin (about 1/3 cup mix, 1/3 cup pumpkin) and 1/4 cup of almond milk to get the right consistency.

It made six small cakes and I had 3 this morning and saved 3 for later in the week.

I was planning on making another loaf of pumpkin bread, but instead decided to use up the two sad looking brown bananas on the counter.

I used Chobani to replace oil in the recipe and used flax eggs – only because I didn’t have real eggs in the house!  Although flax is a source of fat (unsaturated), it is also a great source of fiber and omega-3 fatty acids – combined with whole wheat flour, this is a fiber packed breakfast treat!

Heart Healthy Banana Bread (with chocolate chips)

1.5 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp sea salt

2 Tbsp ground flax (added to 6 Tbsp warm water to make 2 “eggs”)

1/4 cup Splenda Sugar Baking Blend (equivalent to 1/2 cup sugar)

1/4 cup light brown sugar

2/3 cup mashed, very ripe banana

1/2 cup 0% plain Chobani greek yogurt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup almond milk

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1) Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees & grease loaf pan.

2) Combine all dry ingredients (except sugars) and whisk to mix well.

3) Mix mashed banana, milk, yogurt, flax eggs (when thickened), vanilla, milk, and sugar. 

4) Add wet mixture to dry and stir until incorporated.  Add chocolate chips.

5) Pour into prepared pan and bake 1 hour, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool in pan for 5-10 minutes and then on a cooling rack.

Makes 1-12 slice loaf.

Approximate nutrition (per slice): 180 calories, 4 grams fat, 32 grams carbs, 4 grams protein

You could reduce the fat and calories by using egg whites (instead of flax, which I had planned on!) or not including the chocolate chips.  The ripe bananas give the bread so much sweetness that you could probably further reduce the sugar.  You would never know it was loaded with fiber.

Does your town do a holiday kick-off event? 

Lightened Up – Baked Oatmeal

A recipe for traditional baked oatmeal has 394 calories and 15 grams of fat.

For all of you oat lovers who haven’t tried baked oats yet, you haven’t lived.  And no, the microwaved version isn’t quite the same (in my humble opinion).

Of course you can make lots of variations to this recipe – play with the fillings, fat replacers (pumpkin for applesauce, etc), or use flax/chia eggs.  This time I used a combination of overripe banana and applesauce, with raisins and toasted slivered almonds.

Light Baked Oatmeal

2 cups old fashioned oats

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

2 Tbsp slivered almonds, lightly toasted (I did them in a skillet with no fat)

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 Tbsp Splenda blend

1/4 cup raisins

1 egg white, beaten

1 1/2 cups almond milk

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 super ripe banana, mashed

1/2 cup applesauce (I used the sweetened Mott’s variety because it was all I had)

1) Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

2) Combine dry ingredients, mixing well.

3) Combine wet ingredients, add to dry, and mix until combined.

4) Pour into greased 8×8 pan and bake 25-35 minutes, until lightly browned and solid.

Makes six large servings.  Best served hot.

Approximate nutrition information (per serving): 200 calories, 4 grams of fat, 44 grams of carbohydrate, 6 grams of protein.

I had intended to add some protein powder to increase the protein content, but completely forgot.  Some protein “frosting” (powder + almond milk) and a shake of extra cinnamon did the trick.

This breakfast, which feels more like dessert, will keep you full and satisfied for hours!  It’s also good reheated.

Have you tried baked oatmeal yet?  What’s your favorite ingredient combination?

A blueberry coconut, strawberry cocoa, or pumpkin spice version is next on my list!