Parsnip, Roasted Apple, and Pear Soup!

For my last post of 2014, here's a delicious recipe sure to keep you warm during the holiday season.  I've adapted it from the original by cutting WAY back on the oil, using a dollop of fat free sour cream or crème fraiche on top rather than putting it into the soup itself, and making the portions a little smaller (remember that during holiday season especially, portion control is key!).


INGREDIENTS:

• 1 kg parsnips, peeled and cut into 1/2" pieces
• 1 large apple (use a sweet variety like Gala or Honeycrisp), peeled, cored & seeded
• 1 pear, peeled, cored & seeded
• 2 leeks, white part only, cut into half moons, 1/2" wide
• 1/8 cup olive oil + 1 tbsp extra
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp cider vinegar
• salt to taste

DIRECTIONS: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss parsnips, apple, and pear with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Spread out on a sheet tray and roast until tender, about 10-15 minutes. Set aside to cool.

2. In a medium pot, combine leeks, olive oil, rosemary and bay leaf. Cook over medium heat to sweat, not color, leeks (about 10 mins).  If leeks start to brown, turn heat to low. Add parsnips, apple, pear, and leeks. Add water to cover and bring to a simmer.

3. Remove bay leaf and rosemary stem. Transfer to blender and puree in batches. (Do not cover blender completely, hot liquid will explode!)  Season with salt and thin with water as needed. Add a tablespoon of cider vinegar as needed to balance flavor. Ladle into bowls and serve warm.

Add an optional dollop of fat free sour cream on top.

MAKES 6 SERVINGS. PER SERVING: (approximate)

• calories: 240
• protein: 2g
• carbs: 44g
• fat: 6.5g

Enjoy!   Thanks so much to my friend Mona for the heads' up on this great recipe. 

Happy holidays, and a bright 2015 to all!

Follow me on twitter! @drsuepedersen

www.drsue.ca © 2014

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Deliciously Healthy Fall Pumpkin Recipes!

It's that time of the year again ... time to pull out the turtleneck sweaters and curl up by the fireplace after spending some time in the brisk outdoors.  With fall comes pumpkins - pumpkin carving, Hallowe'en decorating, roasting pumpkin seeds... so much fun!

Pumpkin can be enjoyed in many healthy, delicious ways, without an abundance of excess calories. Below, I've collected for you a few of the healthy pumpkin recipe posts I've shared on drsue.ca over the years:

Crustless Pumpkin Pie (my personal favorite!)

Pumpkin Banana Spiced Custard

Pumpkin 'Cheesecake'

Iced Pumpkin Fiber Muffins

Holiday Pumpkin Pancakes

Mmm mmm... enjoy!

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www.drsue.ca © 2014

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Quiche With A Spaghetti Squash Crust!

In pie-style foods, it is often the butter-laden and carb-heavy crust that comes with most of the caloric burden, while the contents can often be quite healthy.  I love this solution to make quiche easier on the waistline - using spaghetti squash to make the crust!  

I've taken the original recipe and modified to lose the egg yolks and I've cut down on the milk a bit as well, as I like to use lots of veggies and the extra moisture requires a little less fluid in the recipe. You can also try a leaner cheese, though the kick of the swiss cheese really tastes great.



INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb Asparagus
• ½  of a small yellow onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
•   1 cup of egg whites
• 3/4 cups skim milk
• 1 cup swiss cheese
• ½ teaspoons salt
• ¼ teaspoons pepper
• 3 cups cooked spaghetti squash (about 1 small squash)

(You can cook your spaghetti squash by preheating your oven to 400ºF, lining a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper, slicing the squash in half, placing it face down and putting it the oven for about 20 minutes. Or if you are in a pinch, you can cook it in the microwave - but take it from me, that's a whole lot messier!)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.  Preheat oven to 400ºF.

2.  Cut off the woody ends of the asparagus. Chop the onion, mince the garlic, and cut the asparagus spears into 1-inch pieces. Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat, and saute onion and garlic for several minutes, until the onion is soft. Add the asparagus and continue to saute until the asparagus has turned bright green and is soft but not limp.

3.  Whisk together the egg whites, milk, cheese, salt, and pepper.

4.  Grease a pie pan. Press the cooked spaghetti squash to the sides and bottom of the pan, forming an even crust. Pour the egg mixture into the pan. Add the asparagus, onion, and garlic on top of the egg mixture; be sure it sinks in.

5.  Bake for 40 minutes until quiche is firm. Enjoy!

Makes 6 servings.  Per serving, approx:

• Calories: 135
• Fat: 6g
• carbs: 9g
• protein: 11g

Thanks to Bridgette for the heads' up on this awesome recipe!

Follow me on twitter: @drsuepedersen

www.drsue.ca © 2014

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Post Super Bowl Crab Wraps!

Got some leftover canned crabmeat after your Superbowl crab dip is polished off?  Here's a great suggestion that I whipped together....

Simply take 2 cans of crab meat, 1 small can of water chestnuts (cut into small pieces), 3 green onions (cut into small pieces), and mix it all together (with pepper to taste) to create a great wrap filling.  To make it stick together, use 2-3 tablespoons of ultra low fat Mayo, or even better, try this delicious yogurt-based Bolthouse Farms Caesar dressing at only 25 calories per tbsp:

As for choice of wrap, I suggest these awesome FlatOut wraps - packed with 8 grams of fiber and 7g of protein, they are the most nutritious wraps I have ever come across:

If you use the above mix for 3 wraps, your total energy intake will be in the neighborhood of 350 calories, and being packed with both protein and fiber, it will keep you feeling full for quite some time!

Follow me on twitter: @drsuepedersen

www.drsue.ca © 2014

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Holiday Recipes III - Kale Cranberry Yuletide Salad!

Need a lighter meal this week?  Here's a festive, healthy salad to enjoy for a break between heavier meals this holiday season.  I've modified from the original recipe, to give less calories but even more flavor!


Ingredients:

1 bunch of kale (about 6 cups)

¼ cup slivered or crushed toasted almonds

½ cup dried cranberries

¼ cup finely shredded parmesan cheese

¼ cup breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic

salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Remove the tough inner ribs on the kale, slice into ribbons and place in a large bowl.

2.  Smash the garlic with the back of a knife, add a sprinkle of salt and crush the garlic until a smooth paste forms.  Add the vinegar and lemon juice to the garlic and then slowly whisk in the olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3.  To dress the salad, pour the dressing over the kale and using your fingers work the dressing into the leaves making sure that everything is well coated.  Add the cranberries, parmesan, almonds and ¾ of the breadcrumbs to the mixture and toss to combine.  Garnish the salad with the remaining breadcrumbs when you are ready to serve.  

Makes 4 servings.  Per serving (approximately):

• 200 calories
• 25g carbs
• 9g protein
• 10g fat

Thanks to my best friend Deb for the heads' up on this great recipe!

Follow me on twitter: @drsuepedersen

www.drsue.ca © 2013

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Holiday Recipes II - Dr Sue's Dessert Collection

As the second of my three-part series of holiday recipes, I've brought together a collection of the top 5 DrSue holiday desserts that I've gathered over the years on my website.   Enjoy!

Baked Pears with Walnuts & Cranberries  - throw a little arugula under this one and it doubles as a salad!

Holiday Pumpkin Pancakes - a Christmas morning crowd pleaser

Chocolate Espresso Brownies (pictured above) - can't beat this, at only 115 calories each!

Crustless Pumpkin Pie - skipping the crust on your pie brings this recipe down to a slim 65 calories per slice!

Blueberry Crisp Yuletide Dessert - a healthy version of a traditional favorite!

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www.drsue.ca © 2013

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Holiday Appy - Cheesy Stuffed Mushrooms!

Searching for a healthy appetizer to dazzle guests this holiday season?  Try out these delicious stuffed mushrooms - for once, I have not needed to 'doctor' this recipe - it is fabulous as is!  At around only 20-25 calories per mushroom (yes, you read that right), you really can't beat it.   The original recipe can be found here - but you can use any brand of cottage cheese, of course. :)


INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (not oil packed)       
1 cup low fat Cottage Cheese      
1/4 cup chopped chives        
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil       
1/8 teaspoon salt        
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper       
16 medium to large button mushrooms, stems removed  
3 tablespoons fresh whole wheat bread crumbs


Directions: 

Place the sun-dried tomatoes in a glass measuring cup. Pour 1 cup of boiling water over the tomatoes; soak for 5 minutes or until softened. Drain the tomatoes. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a baking pan with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, stir together the drained tomatoes, the cottage cheese, chives, basil, salt and pepper. Place the mushrooms, stem-side down, on a baking pan; spray with cooking spray. Turn the mushrooms back stem-side up. Spoon a scant tablespoon of filling into each mushroom cap. Top each with about 1/2 teaspoon of bread crumbs. Bake the mushrooms for 10 minutes or until the bread crumbs are toasted and the mushrooms are heated through. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. 

Tip: 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley can be substituted for the basil. 

Follow me on twitter: @drsuepedersen

www.drsue.ca © 2013

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