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Lite'n It Up Group Feature: Tofu Pumpkin Pie

FitSugar — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 13:30:00 -0700

To me, nothing says fall more than pumpkin pie, and I think user llendril read my mind when she posted a tasty recipe for Tofu Pumpkin Pie in the Lite'n It Up Healthy Recipe Group. What's more? She paired it with my new favorite, goat's milk ice cream. Yum!

To see the recipe, just read more

Tofu Pumpkin Pie from llendril

fall is here.
it's obvious-- from the weather to the changing leaves to the crop of non-rerun television shows.

and then, of course, to the grocery store produce section.
the pomegranates have arrived. the apples look wonderful. squash lie around in abundance.
and, of course, there is no better time to enjoy the wonderful, autumn-appropriate flavor of pumpkin pie.

if you know me or my cooking style at all, i never can seem to just leave well enough alone. i enjoy finding ways to make things more healthy, or perhaps just slightly more interesting. so when i came across the following recipe for pumpkin pie, i was sold on both counts.

tofu pumpkin pie
adapted from morinu.com

* 18 ounces lite extra-firm tofu
* 2 cups canned (or cooked) pumpkin
* 2/3 cup honey
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
* 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
* 1 9" reduced-fat prepared graham cracker crust

1) preheat oven to 350°
2) drain tofu. place in a food processor and process until smooth
3) add remaining ingredients. process until well-blended
4) pour into pie crust. bake for about an hour
5) remove from oven and chill until firm

this pie is ridiculously easy to make (especially when using a store-bought crust). throw everything into a food processor and . . . you're pretty much done. it's even easier if you choose to use 1 tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice instead of the individual spices listed above. i went with the individual ones and i have to admit, something seemed slightly off. if i make this again in the future, i will probably make sure to have the pre-mixed pumpkin pie spice on hand first.
aside from that, i thought this pie was very pleasant. i ate it with vanilla goat milk ice cream (the best ice cream i have come across to date). the combination was wonderful. the pie on its own was very tasty-- forget flour and sugar and evaporated milk or whatever ingredients a normal pumpkin pie will generally include. tofu and honey are apparently all you need to produce a nicely-textured and delicious pumpkin pie dessert. this is dairy free and quite good for you, between the tofu and the pumpkin. i see no faults with this whatsoever, and would even consider serving it as the main pumpkin pie at thanksgiving.

t.g.i.f. - thank goodness it's fall!

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Healthy Recipe: Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Walnuts

FitSugar — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:50:57 -0800

One vegetable delight of Autumn is the Brussels sprout. These small leafy balls are packed with fiber as well as taste, and they deserve a place at your Thanksgiving table.

My favorite method of cooking Brussels sprouts is to roast them. It's a simple preparation, but I have added nuts, balsamic vinegar, and cheese to fancy up the dish. While I have often had Brussels sprouts with bacon or pancetta, adding walnut imbues them with a meaty flavor while providing some healthy fats not found in bacon. This recipe is simple to make and is a crowd-pleaser for all ages - my 4-year-old ate three helpings!

Check out the recipe when you read more.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Walnuts
Modified from Recipezaar

Ingredients

1 stalk of Brussels sprouts (or about two pounds of sprouts)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesean cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Take Brussels sprouts off the stem, wash, and rip off outside leaves.
Chop sprouts until they are a uniform size, leaving the small ones whole and possibly cutting the larger ones into eighths.
Boil Brussels sprouts for 5 minutes. Pat dry.
Place Brussels sprouts in roasting pan and pour in olive oil and vinegar and stir until sprouts are coated well. Salt and pepper to taste.
Roast for 20 minutes, stirring Brussels sprouts to ensure even roasting. After 20 minutes, add chopped walnuts and roast for 5 more minutes or until walnuts are browned.
Sprinkle roasted sprouts with cheese and serve warm.

Serves 6.

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Healthy Recipe: Apple Pear Oatmeal Crisp

FitSugar — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 05:50:44 -0800

It's harvest time for apples and pears, and nothing says Autumn like warm crisp featuring both Fall fruits. Here is a variation of a recipe from RecipeZaar. I substituted a few things like Sucanat for brown sugar, whole wheat flour for all-purpose flour, and Earth Balance margarine in place of butter. The soft, cinnamony fruit and crunchy oat topping are a perfect combination, and it was so delicious that my family polished off the entire crisp within a day.

This would make a great dessert for Thanksgiving, because it's a cinch to whip up. To see the recipe read more.

Healthy Recipe: Apple Pear Oatmeal Crisp
Adapted from RecipeZaar

Ingredients

2 apples, sliced
3 firm pears, sliced
2 tablespoons Sucanat
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice
2/3 cup water

Topping

1 cup oats
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup Sucanat
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons of Earth Balance, melted

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Remove the cores and slice the unpeeled fruit. Place slices in the bottom of a greased nine-inch dish. Drizzle with lemon juice.
Sprinkle two tablespoons of Sucanat, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and water on the fruit.

In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Add melted Earth Balance and mix until crumbly.
Spread the crumb mixture evenly on top of the fruit.
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, so the top is lightly brown and the fruit is bubbly.
Serve warm or cold with vanilla ice cream, vanilla yogurt, or enjoy by itself.

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Here's the nutritional info for this Apple Pear Oatmeal Crisp. RecipeZaar suggests that a serving size is one-sixth of the crisp, but I found one-eighth of the crisp to be a more appropriate portion.

Serving Size	1/8 of the crisp
Calories	330
Total Fat	5.3 g
Saturated Fat	1.5 g
Cholesterol	0 mg
Sodium	165 mg
Carbs	51.7 g
Fiber	4.5 g
Sugar	30.6 g
Protein	4.2 g

If you have a healthy recipe to share, please post it in the Healthy Recipe group.

Healthy Recipe: Roasted Beet, Goat Cheese, and Sweet Pecan Salad

FitSugar — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 10:00:10 -0700

I was surfing the FitSugar community page, checking out the recipes in the Healthy Recipes Group and I saw this amazing salad delorganic added to the page.
It looks really tasty and is a great way to incorporate nutritious and colorful beets into your meal. Do you have a healthy recipe to share? Join the my recipe group, since healthy food is a cornerstone to living the fit life. To check out the recipe and possibly learn a new technique for roasting beets, just read more.

Roasted Beet, Goat Cheese, and Sweet Pecan Salad
Original Recipe

The sweet-salty contrast of the roasted beets, the tang of the goat cheese and crunch of the pecans is a delicious combination and the colors are absolutely beautiful.

Ingredients

2 beets, green cuts off, and skins trimmed
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/4 cup goat cheese crumbled
3 cups mixed greens
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
6 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt and black pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Thinly slice the beets (about 1/4-inch thick slices) and toss with coconut oil and season with sea salt. Place on baking sheet in single layer, roast for 15 minutes, Remove pan from oven and turn beets over using a spatula. Return beets to oven and roast for another 10 minutes. Set aside and cool completely.

After beets are out of the oven, lower temperature to 250 degrees. Toss pecans with the maple syrup and spread out on a cooking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, stir and then bake another 15 minutes until pecans are dried and crispy. Set aside to cool.

In a small bowl whisk together balsamic vinegar and olive oil. In a large bowl toss mixed greens with 3/4 of the salad dressing. Season to taste with sea salt and pepper and add more dressing if needed. To assemble, divide salad greens on four plates. Divide the beets evenly and place on top of greens. Sprinkle with maple pecans and goat cheese. Serve immediately.

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If you would like to read up about coconut oil, my pals at Nutrition Data have some great information on the subject.

Healthy Recipe: Apple-Walnut Bread Pudding

FitSugar — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 04:00:00 -0800

When the weather turns cold, I love to bake. I don't necessarily think of dessert when I think of Runner's World, but this recipe I found in the running mag piqued my interest and I had to try it. I did substitute agave nectar for the sugar in the pudding, but I couldn't imagine a streusel topping without brown sugar. I also left out the optional booze and raisins (in my opinion raisins belong in trail mix, not baked goods).

My entire family liked this dessert, but I will tell you, it tasted healthy. It is not an indulgent dessert, but I ate a huge satisfying piece and still felt great afterward. Since the amount of sugar is low and the fiber is high, it is truly a remorseless dessert. I will be making it again, but not for a fancy dinner party.

To see the recipe, just read more.

Apple-Walnut Bread Pudding
Modified From Runner's World

Ingredients

4 cups whole-wheat bread, cut in 1/2 inch cubes
4 tablespoons agave nectar
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
2 Granny Smith apples, thinly sliced
1 cup Egg Beaters (or 1 egg and 3 egg whites)
1 can evaporated skim milk
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup bourbon or brandy (optional)
2 1/2 tablespoon light margarine, melted
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
plain nonfat yogurt for topping

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray a 2-quart Pyrex casserole dish with nonstick spray and spread half of the bread cubes over the bottom.
Mix 3 tablespoons agave nectar with cinnamon and nutmeg. Sprinkle two teaspoons of agave-spice mixture over bread in dish. Alternate layers of apple slices and raisins (if you're using them) with sprinklings of agave-spice mixture until all are used up. Arrange remaining bread cubes over apples.
Combine Egg Beaters, milk, water, remaining tablespoon agave nectar, and vanilla as well as bourbon (if you're using booze). Mix well, then pour over bread, moistening all the bread on top.
Cover dish with lid and cook in oven for 5 minutes. Then lower heat to 250 degrees and bake for 1 hour and 45 minutes.
While pudding is baking, mix margarine, brown sugar and walnuts.
At end of baking time, remove pudding from oven and set oven to 400 degrees. Sprinkle walnut and sugar mixture evenly over top of pudding and return it to the middle rack of the oven for 5 minutes or until sugar/walnut glaze is browned and crusted - be careful not to burn it!
Serve with a dollop of yogurt and enjoy.

Serves 6 with generous portions.

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Do you have a healthy snack or recipe to share? Then share it in the Lite'n It Up - Healthy Recipe Group and I might just post it on FitSugar.

Healthy Recipe: Halibut Stir Fry

FitSugar — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 06:00:00 -0700

After buying some fine-looking frozen halibut at Trader Joe's last week, I went in search of an unexpected but healthy way to prepare it. I turned to the spiral-bound basic wok cookbook I recently purchased along with my new wok. Since it imparts a lot of flavor with not a lot of oil, a wok is a great piece of equipment to have in your healthy kitchen.

The black bean paste adds a salty flavor to the sweet marinade; if you can't find it at your local Asian food market, try using soybean paste instead for a similar effect. To up the nutrition factor, toss in even more types of veggies. To get the recipe, read more.

Delicious Sliced Fish With Black Bean Sauce
Wok Cooking Made Easy: Delicious Meals in Minutes

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds fish steaks of fillets (such as tuna, halibut, snapper, sea bass, or swordfish)
2 tablespoons oil
3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons black bean paste (tau cheo)
6 green onions, cut into sections
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
2 sprigs fresh cilantro, minced, as garnish (optional)

Marinade
2 tablespoons rice wine
1 teaspoon sesame oil
3 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced

Directions
Serves 4.

Cut the fish into bite-sized chunks. If using steaks, remove the bones. Place the fish in a mixing bowl.

Mix the marinade ingredients, pour over the fish, and turn to coat fish evenly. Cover and set aside to marinate for about 30 minutes.

Heat the oil in a wok over high heat, and add the marinated fish and garlic. Stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes, until the fish changes color. Add the black bean paste and continue to cook for another 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the green onions, sugar, and coarsely ground black pepper, stirring for 1 more minute to blend the flavors. Transfer to a serving dish.

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Healthy Recipe: Indian-Spiced Chard

FitSugar — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 07:00:35 -0700

As the weather turns cooler, I like adding spice to my meals. Nothing warms me up like a little curry. Last night I cooked up some red Swiss chard with some garam masala and tofu. Chard is one of my favorite leafy greens, which is why it's one of my must haves for October.

This Indian-spiced chard makes a great main dish, or leave out the tofu for a side dish. I served it with toasted whole wheat pita - my easy replacement for naan - or you could serve it over rice and cauliflower with turmeric as a side. It's a tasty meal and even better as leftovers.

Check out the recipe.

Healthy Holiday Recipe: Healthy Pumpkin Pie

FitSugar — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 03:30:00 -0800

What's a Thanksgiving meal without a slice of tasty pumpkin pie? Even though this dessert is technically made with a vegetable, it's traditionally high in saturated fat because of the butter used to make the crust, the whipped cream or condensed milk, and not to mention eggs. More than a few of you asked for a pumpkin pie alternative and here's a lowfat version made with silken tofu (to add protein and creaminess), and a pre-made graham cracker crust (it's lowfat and also makes your life easier).

To see how I make a healthier version of this Thanksgiving favorite read more.

Lowfat Vegan Pumpkin Pie
VegWeb.com

Ingredients

1 can (16 ounces) pureed pumpkin
3/4 cup sugar or Sucanat (or 1/2 cup maple syrup)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 tablespoons cornstarch to firm up the pie filling
1 package (10-12 ounces) silken/soft tofu
1 9 inch graham cracker crust pie shell (I used one from Arrowhead Mills)

Directions

Preheat oven to 425° F.
Mix the pumpkin and sugar. Add salt, spices, cornstarch and tofu, mix thoroughly.

Pour mixture into pie shell and bake for 15 minutes.
Lower heat to 350° F and bake for another 60 minutes. Chill and serve.

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Do you have a healthy snack or recipe to share? Then share it in the Lite'n it Up - Healthy Recipe Group and I might just post it on FitSugar.

Healthy Recipe: Waldorf Salad

FitSugar — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 03:47:41 -0700

Early Fall is a wonderful and tasty time. Summer produce is still abundant and Fall's early harvest is available too. One of my favorite veggies, celery spans the two seasons beautifully. Last night for dinner I made a simple Waldorf salad that pairs crisp celery with crisp apples, merging Fall and Summer into one healthy, refreshing salad.

I replaced the traditional mayonnaise with nonfat yogurt, making the dish even healthier. It was a hit with the entire family - even my young daughters liked it. To see the recipe, keep on reading.

Healthy Recipe: Cranberry-Pear Wild Rice Stuffing

FitSugar — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 08:00:00 -0800

Thanksgiving is exactly one week from today, and I'm getting into the spirit of this food-centered holiday by testing out a couple of healthy side dishes before serving them on the actual day. This vegetarian cranberry-pear wild rice stuffing is made with whole grain bread instead of the usual white or sourdough, and does not call for even a dab of butter. While I followed the recipe exactly on my first attempt, it is easily adaptable and I could picture substituting apples for the pears or dried apricots for the dried cranberries.

My home was filled with smells of the season when this was in the oven, and while it would complement a Thanksgiving table perfectly, it was a satisfying warm side to a crisp green salad on a cold Fall evening. This would also make a yummy main dish when served inside Winter squashes. I'll be making this dish again, though next time I'll leave out the pepper because it was a to bit too prevalent in the aftertaste.

To get the recipe, read more.

Cranberry-Pear Wild Rice Stuffing
In a Vegetarian Kitchen with Nava Atlas

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, or 2 1/2 cups water with 1 vegetable bouillon cube
2/3 cup raw wild rice
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 large celery stalk, diced
2 medium firm pears (such as bosc), cored and diced
4 cups finely diced whole grain bread
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
2 teaspoons salt-free seasoning (like Spike or Mrs. Dash)
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, to taste
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup apple or pear juice, or as needed

Directions
1. Bring the broth to a simmer in a small saucepan. Stir in the wild rice, then cover and simmer gently until the liquid is absorbed, about 35 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
3. Heat the oil in a medium-sized skillet. Add the onion and sauté until translucent. Add the celery and sauté over medium heat until both are golden.

4. Combine the onion-celery mixture with the cooked wild rice and all the remaining ingredients except the apple juice in a mixing bowl. Stir well to combine. Drizzle the apple juice in slowly, stirring all the while, until the mixture is evenly moistened.

5. Transfer the mixture to a lightly oiled, large shallow baking dish. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the top begins to get slightly crusty.

Serves 8 or more.

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