Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

I am a big advocate of making smoothies for dessert. I recommend for most of my clients to invest in a Magic Bullet or any generic individual-sized blender so that they can make a quick smoothie everday and have very easy cleanup (instead of having to dismantle the blender every time). Smoothies are a great way to get in your dairy and fruit servings... and if you get adventurous, you can even add in some leafy greens to get some veggies in there too (and perhaps peanut butter for your protein group). Smoothies are also a cool summertime treat that can be very low in calories and a great alternative to ice cream. During this summer, I will try to post a new recipe regularly to get you all enthused about making your own frozen treat.

I love canned pumpkin and have posted previously about how nutritious and versatile it is. Below is one of my favorite desserts that I have made into a smoothie recipe (my favorite easy dessert is just cottage cheese, pumpkin butter, cinnamon and canned pumpkin mixed together into a mousse-like dessert). Even if you don't like cottage cheese, I recommend you try it in a smoothie because it makes it thicker (i.e: more milkshake-like) than yogurt does.

Kelly's Pumpkin Pie Smoothie Recipe

1/3 cup canned pumpkin

1/3 cup Breakstone’s 30% reduced sodium 2% cottage Cheese

1/3 cup vanilla unsweetened almond milk

½ cup ice cubes

Dash of vanilla extract

Dash of pumpkin pie spice

1 tbsp pumpkin butter (Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods)

* Variations:

- Top with nonfat whipped topping if desired

- You can substitute no-sugar added pumpkin butter for fewer calories, or use honey (or any other sweetener) if you don't have pumpkin butter on hand

- Substitute a light vanilla or plain nonfat yogurt if you don't have cottage cheese

- Add more liquid or ice if it isn't the right consistency or you want to add more volume

Makes 1 serving:

Nutrition facts: 160 calories, 3 g fat, 241 mg sodium, 16 g carb (3 g fiber), 14 g sugar, 9 g protein,

Good Source of Vitamins A & D

Kelly’s Ultimate Trail Mix Recipe

I created this trail mix recipe over many months of adding to and substituting new alternatives for traditional ingredients.Finally, I got it down right. This trail mix is extremely delicious and healthy, and is chock-full of fiber.  You get a much larger serving size for fewer calories than traditional trail mixes. Enjoy as an afternoon snack or while your hitting the trails!

Ingredients

1 1/3 cup Trader Joe’s High Fiber Fruit & Nut Multigrain Medley

1 cup Newman’s Own High Protein Pretzels *

¼ cup Dried Cranberries

¼ chopped Dates

¼ cup carob or chocolate chips

¼ cup Emerald Cocoa Roast Almonds

¼ cup Raw Almonds

¼ cup Roasted Peanuts

Directions

Mix all ingredients together. Put in a re-usable container to take to school, work, or to put in your hiking backpack.

*Newman's Own High Protein Pretzels are available at Whole Foods in the snack aisle. You can also get the nuts and dried fruit in the bulk bin section there.

Nutrition Info

Makes about 9 servings

Per serving (~ 1/2 cup)= 150 calories, 8 g fat (1.5 g SFA, 1.8 g  MUFA, 4.1 g PUFA ), 1 mg cholesterol, 59 mg sodium, 21 g carbohydrate (4.5 g fiber, 8.6 g sugar), 5 g protein

Trader Joe's Original Hummus

Last year I posted a blog on "My favorites at Trader Joe's." Among one of my favorite items at the store is their Original Hummus. I tell all my clients that this is the creamiest and most delicious hummus I have ever tasted, which is surprising since it is "original" flavor (I  normally like exotic things, but in this case I prefer the regular!).

Hummus is made from chickpeas and usually contains tahini, which is a sesame paste. Other typical ingredients in hummus include olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic. To get other flavors, manufacturers often blend in other vegetables (artichokes, red peppers, etc) and spices (curry, chilis, etc.).

Normally I recommend making things yourself instead of buying them pre-made. I do enjoy making my own hummus, however, I have found that I am unable to get the delicious and creamy texture that is found in Trader Joe's Original. My hummus usually ends up somewhat gritty and it's just not the same.

Personally, I enjoy hummus with both raw vegetables and baked carrots (carrots are like sweet potatoes- delicious when baked/roasted). Hummus can also be used as a sandwich spread, mixed into pasta dishes or other meals to give a creamier texture, and is a much healthier alternative as a party dip compared to the cream-cheese laden spinach & artichoke, buffalo chicken, french onion, crab, and other artery-clogging dips.

The nutritional content of hummus varies depending on how it is prepared. In general, it can range from 50-120 calories for 2 tbsp (depending on the amount of oil & tahini in it), 1-5 grams of protein (depending on the chickpea content), and usually clocks in at 1-2 grams of fiber (depending on chickpea and vegetable content).

Currently, Trader Joe's Original Hummus costs $2.99 for a container, but it is well worth it (and is still cheaper than you will find in a grocery store). I finally took a picture of it (see above) so my clients, and now you, know exactly which product I am talking about (TJ's has about 20 different types of hummus, in different containers, "organic"/non-organic, and other original flavors so it is easy to buy the wrong one).

Fun Fact: Trader Joe's Original Hummus used to be labeled as having 50 calories and 3 grams of fat. This year they changed it to 80 calories and 5 grams of fat. I don't think the recipe has changed, I think they just had the nutrients re-evaluated. I always rememberd thinking that it was wayy to creamy and delicious to only have 50 kcals and 3 grams of fat. Lesson: never eat a lot of something just b/c the label shows it is healthy (similar lesson was learned with Pirates Booty which people woofed down, only to find that the label underestimated fat & calories, whooops!).

The Greeks are taking the hearts of many a woman... because of their yogurt that is (and maybe swarthy good looks and accent?)

Greek Yogurt is the latest food fad. Almost every client I have had, and every woman I have talked to, asks me about Greek Yogurt and if it is good for you. Most people tell me that since Greek Yogurt is such a thick and creamy form of yogurt, it is comparable to eating ice cream. Imagine, a yogurt that people can happily subsitute for ice cream?! Talk about a dietitians dream come true!

What is Greek Yogurt? Apparently I have been eating "Greek Yogurt" for years without realizing it. I have always been a fan of making yogurt cheese, and that is exactly what Greek Yogurt is. It is just a regular yogurt that has been strained of most of the whey in order to make a thicker product. It is also called Labneh for those of you who have been to the middle-east or enjoy the regions cuisine.

Is Greek Yogurt better than regular yogurt? Yes (if you are comparing protein content and not calcium). Since Greek yogurt is a more concentrated yogurt (with less whey, and also less sugars, salt and and water), it contains more protein by volume. If it is made with low-fat or fat-free milks, it will also be low-fat or fat-free, but will probably contain a few more calories than plain regular yogurt. However, many people eat yogurt to get part of their calcium requirement, and most varieties of Greek contain 30-40% less calcium than regular yogurt.

Greek Yogurt is expensive, any recommendations? Yes, Greek yogurt really hits the wallet hard with one serving costing over $1 (whereas you can buy regular yogurt for anywhere from $0.33-$0.60 at most supermarkets). This is probably why I choose to make it at home instead (see next paragraph). However, if you have a Trader Joe's near you, the chain does offer it's own brand of Greek Yogurt (even flavored varieties) for much cheaper than Fage, Chobani, Dannon, or other brands.

How do I make Greek yogurt at home? When someone asks me about Greek yogurt I always tell them how simple and easy it is to make at home. Simply put, you just buy regular cheap yogurt, and set up a funnel into a mug (so that the whey and water can drip into the mug).
1.   Preferably you would use cheese cloth, put the cheese cloth into the funnel.
2.   Scoop the yogurt onto the cheese cloth/funnel apparatus (I don't have cheese cloth lying around so I just use a coffee filter which works just as well).
3.   Put the yogurt apparatus into the refrigerator over night (you can cover it so it doesn't take on scents and flavors of things in your fridge). Make sure the bottom of the funnel isn't hitting the bottom of the mug you use, there needs to be space for the water to flow out of the funnel.
4. The next morning you will awaken to a thickened (Greek) yogurt!
5. Simply scoop the yogurt out of the cheesecloth/coffee filter and top with your favorite fruit and sweetener.
6. ENJOY!

So much cheaper and not that labor intensive, right?

My Recommendations: I recommend that you do consume Greek yogurt if you like it. If you don't, that is fine, stick with regular yogurt! Always choose low-fat or fat-free varities (apparently 0% is considered comparable to the high fat versions by most people). As with other yogurts and cottage cheese, be cautious of pre-flavored and sweetened varities. I'm not aware of any "light" Greek yogurts yet (as in the "light" yogurts such as Dannon Light 'n fit that are flavored and sweetened, but low in calories). So, I recommend you buy plain 0% Greek yogurt, add either a little sugar, or Splenda, Truvia, agave, honey, etc (your favorite sweetener), and some fruit for a delicious breakfast, snack, dessert or meal add-on!

My Favorites at: Trader Joe's

Another new blog category came to mind today… I’m calling it “My favorites at: ______”. For this I will list my favorite food items you can buy at a particular store, restaurant, or point of interest (Ball Park, street, town, mall, etc.). So, for my first post in this category, I am writing about my favorite grocery store: Trader Joe’s.
Oat Bran:
For <$2.75 you get a bag of TJ’s brand oatbran that lasts weeks (for one person). This is super cheap compared to other packaged oatbran products and very high quality. Throughout my blogs, you will notice I am a big advocate of Oat Bran (so look for future postings with recipes).

Whole Wheat Pizza Crust
I keep this frozen in 2 oz. portions so I can just de-thaw, then whenever I am using the oven, I roll this out to make a whole wheat flatbread. Bake for ~8 minutes in a 375 degree oven… and now you have a healthy whole-grain side to any meal! Sooo doughy and delicious.

Hummus
Seriously, Trader Joe’s has the creamiest and most delicious hummus I have ever tasted- their Original Hummus. This is a great alternative to a dip at parties. Lots of people think hummus is bad for you because it is thought to be high in calories. However, as I try to remind people, calories aren’t the determining factor in what is “healthy”, and hummus is lower in calories than most dips you will have at a cocktail party. TJ’s hummus contains only 80 calories and 5 grams of healthy fat in 2 tbsp.

High Fiber Cereal
TJ’s brand cereal is very cheap compared to other commercial brands, and in general, usually natural and healthy. My favorite are their “High Fiber” varieties- the original is the best to mix into your other cereals to get that added fiber in your morning meal…. but the High Fiber with fruit & nuts also works well on it’s own- it tastes good and is good for you! (~90 calories for 2/3 cup).

Unsalted Peanut Butter (Natural)
Just peanuts. This PB gets some taking used to, but once you try it, you will be hooked. It is very liquidy, but that makes it easier to spread (and use less if on a diet). This is my favorite peanut butter because it has no hydrogenated oil, no added sugar, and no added salt- all natural, all peanuts!

Frozen Unshelled Edamame
Just boil these babies for a few minutes and you have an incredibly healthy snack or addition to any meal. Also known as soybeans, Edamame is very high in healthy fat, fiber, folate, thiamin, Vitamin K,  and protein. TJ’s gets it right when judging price, prep, and taste of the product.

Dark Chocolate
I don’t advocate eating lots of dark chocolate, but for those of you that want something sweet after a meal, this is for you. TJ’s has numerous varieties of dark chocolate, and they even sell one bar for less than 30 cents! Their chocolate is high quality and pretty cheap.

These are just a select few of the items on my shopping list when I go to TJ’s (usually weekly). There are dozens of other products I buy there, because TJ’s has fair prices and they offer many healthy products. If you haven’t visited a Trader Joe’s, I highly recommend it- it is quite the experience. Be sure to bring you re-usable bag and stop by the back to try a free sample of coffee and food of the day!

http://www.traderjoes.com/