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PICKLED EGGS

This is an old fashioned snack that fits into lots of current diet plans. It makes a good protein snack and is easy to keep on hand. I like to eat a few peppers with an egg. This is especially good when I pop into the house after being out and feeling hungry. Pickled Eggs Ingredients 1 (12 ounce) jar hot yellow peppers with brine 1 1/2 cups water 1 cup white wine vinegar 2 tablespoons pickling spice (see mix below) 1 tablespoon white sugar 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon ground turmeric 12 hard-boiled eggs, peeled Directions Stir peppers and brine, water, vinegar, pickling spice, sugar, salt, and turmeric together in a 1/2 gallon container with lid. Add eggs to pepper mixture and seal container. Refrigerate for at least 2 days. Pickling Spice Mix (adjust the amount made to meet your needs) 1/4 cup mustard seeds 1/4 cup dill seed 1/4 cup coriander seeds 2 Tbsp. crushed chili peppers 2 Tbsp. crushed bay leaves 1 Tbsp. celery seeds 1 Tbsp. white
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Mindful Eating

Here is an exercise in mindful eating I found on NPR. It is a good exercise for you to try and it could help you slow down your eating which will translate to satisfaction sooner which means less calories consumed! If you're curious to know what mindful eating looks like in practice, here's one exercise, excerpted from a review written by Stephanie Vangsness of Brigham and Women's Hospital. She writes: "Do this exercise with a friend. You will need one small slice of an apple for each person. One person reads the instructions listed below while the other person completes the exercise. 1.Take one bite of an apple slice and then close your eyes. Do not begin chewing yet. 2.Try not to pay attention to the ideas running through your mind, just focus on the apple. Notice anything that comes to mind about taste, texture, temperature and sensation going on in your mouth. 3.Begin chewing now. Chew slowly, just noticing what it feels like. It's normal that your mind will w
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Spiced Lentil Soup

Filling and nutritious, lentils are really a great food. They are full of protein and fiber. I think of them as starter legumes or beans. They are fast and easy to cook and don't need to be soaked. If you really like them you can use them for the base of a salad or even eat them like a grain with other proteins or vegetables. Try this soup. It makes a lot and can be eaten for a quick lunch, heated in the microwave, or for the center piece in a healthy filling dinner. If you feel intimidated by all the ingredients, notice this soup is simple and fast. Most of the stuff on the ingredient list are spices you probably have in your home already. This combination of spices is typical in Moroccan foods. 1 Tablespoon olive oil 1 onion, coarse chop 5 small potatoes, 1 in dice 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 lg carrots, cut to 1 in chunks 2 ribs celery, diced 2 bay leaves 1 teaspoon cumin 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon ground clove 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne or red
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Baked Oatmeal

My friend Kevin made this version of baked oatmeal for me. I was not sure about baking oats but this is really good. He gave me the recipe and I made some modifications for you. I tried it out on my friend Arlene and it is a keeper! It is like a baked oat cake. When you get up in the morning you will look forward to putting a slice in the microwave. Top it off with fresh fruit and some plain yogurt for a real treat. You might even find seasonal substitutes for the blueberries. BAKED OATMEAL WITH BLUEBERRIES 6 Servings 1 1/2 cups skim milk 1/2 cup egg beaters 1 tablespoon canola oil 2 1/2 cups old fashion rolled oats 1/2 cup brown sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon 2 teaspoons vanilla 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional) 1 - 2 cups frozen blueberries Optional toppings: fruit, milk yogurt Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray 1 ½ quart casserole (8 X 8) with no-stick cooking spray. In medium bowl, combine milk, eggs, oil, and vanilla. Mix well. Set aside. In large bowl, c
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Pho bo - Vietnamese beef and noodle soup

This may seem like a bit of work but it is super easy for a fantastic result. The portions are 10 points plus, but I promise you a big bowl that will fill you up and make you feel all good inside. If you like Asian food you will love this. Anyone you serve it to will think you are a genius! Pho Bo Makes: 4 servings 5 whole cloves 4 thin slices peeled ginger root (about an inch) 3 star anise pods 1 stick cinnamon 8 cups beef broth (total – I used broth from Italian beef, 1 qt of broth and 2 cups of water) 26 ounce container of Italian style beef 1 onion, sliced 1 teaspoon black peppercorns 2 tablespoons soy sauce or nam pla (fish sauce) 4 ounces dried medium rice stick noodles 1 tablespoon cup canola oil 6 shallots, sliced 2 small red chilies, stemmed, seeded, thinly sliced (include stems and seeds if you like spice) 1 small bunch each: cilantro leaves, mint leaves, Thai (or other) basil leaves 1 cup bean sprout 1 lime, quartered Hot sauce such as Sriracha Combine cloves, ginger, star
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Eggplant Parmigiana as good as Mom's

This is a recipe from Terri and John at my St. Bens meeting. I have never been a big eggplant fan except when my mother made eggplant parmigiana. Of course, her version began by frying the eggplant which absorbs oil like a sponge. I usually avoid it just for that reason. In this version the eggplant is baked not fried. The results were so good, we ended up eating double portions at our house. This is one of those things I make over and over again! EGGPLANT PARMIGIANA 1 eggplant (1 1/2 - 2 lbs), peel and cut into 1/2" thick slices and lightly salted 1/4 cup egg beaters (or egg white) w/ 1 T water, lightly beaten 1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs (or 1 cup fresh crumbs) 2 cups reduced fat pasta sauce (or your own version of sauce) 1/2 cup part skim mozzarella cheese, grated 3 Tablespoons grated Romano or Parmesan Heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray two cookie sheets with cooking spray. Dip eggplant into egg mixture and then toss in bread crumbs. Don't worry if they are not completely co
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Tzatziki - Greek Yogurt Sauce

This sauce is so easy to make - so low in PointsPlus - and it tastes good on fish, chicken, vegetables and more! Whip up a batch and put some zing into your food. Cut up some veggies and enjoy a refreshing healthy snack. Use this instead of mayo on your wrap. Go crazy with this delicous sauce! TZATZIKI 1 cup peeled, seeded and grated cucumber (this is the hardest part) 1/8 tsp salt 1 cup plain FF yogurt 1/2 tsp dill weed 2 tsp lemon juice 1 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced 1/4 tsp salt Salt the cucumber with 1/8 tsp of salt and allow to sit for 20 minutes. Squeeze out excess water. Mix all ingredients together. Chill for an hour to let flavors come together. 1/2 cup of this is only 1 PointsPlus.
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