Making Food... Ninja Style

Once upon a time, one of my favourite things to do was to go to Costco and peruse their samples.  Fred and I even had a name for it... Redneck Dim Sum. 

Before you decide we're totally lame, let me preface that for you. We used to be broke.  Like totally and completely broke.  Our grocery budget was $20 a week.  One of the ways I would keep the budget down is we would take advantage of coupons, 2 for 1 meals, eating at the Costco food court, and when we had no money left... Redneck Dim Sum.  Yes, we would eat Costco samples as a meal.

Ah, the good old days!

And you could always tell it was going to be a good day if the "Blender People" were there.  The wonderful people that would churn out sample after glorious sample of yummy goodness.  If you parked yourself by their table you could get an entire meal... soup!  Smoothie!  Ice cream!  I vowed that one day I would own one of these machines.

So when I was offered the chance to try out a Ninja Blender (with Auto-IQ one-touch intelligence!), I was a little excited. And try it, we did!

The Machine
I won't lie to you, I was a little overwhelmed when I pulled it out of the box.  The base has lots of buttons.  The one you press depends on what you're trying to do.  Plus, as well as the blender pitcher, you also get 3 smaller cups of different sizes; 18, 24, and 32 oz.  So I had to sit and look at the manual to figure out what cup to use, and what button to press.  Sounds easy, but try doing that when you have three kids yelling, 'Smoooooooooooothie!" in your ear at the same time.

The base feels very sturdy and has little cups on the bottom to suction it to your counter. The buttons are big and respond well when you press them. The Ninja is pretty loud when in use, but I think that's true of any of these types of blenders.

The Equipment
The blender pitcher is quite large and is capable of holding many servings of your creation.  The total crushing blades did a great job of pulverizing all the ice and frozen fruit I used in my smoothies... no annoying lumps!

I also really liked the smaller cups for making smaller portions.  My favourite things about those are that they double as a cup (it comes with 3 lids), and can be put in the dishwasher for easy cleanup.

Let's Blend!
Honestly, I haven't used the Ninja to make anything other than smoothies yet.  I will at some point, but let's face it, smoothies are pretty easy to make and my kids love them.  Our first creation was Elise's recipe:

We used the 18 oz. cup and used fresh and frozen strawberries, half a banana, 1/2 c of OJ, and about 2 tbsp. of the protein powder.  We weighed all the ingredients to figure out the carb factor (don't know what that is?  Click here to learn all about carb factors).

Calculating... and we have a carb factor of .10. I have notebook upon notebook with these scribbles.  

And the finished product.  Super yummy and smooth!  Elise really enjoyed it and has asked for it repeatedly.

The boys wanted a some more fruit in their smoothie, so I broke out the 32 oz. cup and threw in some frozen pineapple, fresh and frozen strawberries, half a banana, a peach, OJ and protein powder.

This one was definitely my favourite, the sweetness of the peach really came out.  If you read the instruction manual, it tells you exactly how to layer the ingredients so it blends well. 

For these smoothies, I used the "Ultra Blend" button, which pulsed the blender on and off automatically for 60 seconds at irregular intervals.  I'm guessing this method helps to blend it completely, because we never had any lumps in our drinks.

One thing I love about smoothies (and using blenders in general) is that you can sneak healthy ingredients in and the kids are none the wiser.  Spinach, kale, avocado are all things I've used in the past.  The Ninja came with a book of 25 recipes including several smoothies, chocolate mousse, and even a margarita recipe!

It also came with another book called Eat to Lose, Eat to Win. It also had some recipes as well as healthy eating tips, but I found the author's overall tone to be a little holier-than-thou and rather off -putting. The advice was good, but I didn't care for how she made it sound like she never made poor food choices, just everyone around her did (if she did, I might not have made it that far into the book... I just didn't care for her writing style).

So Joanne, is it worth spending up to $200 for a blender? That depends how much you will use it.  I have one of the older models of another big-name blender and I use it almost everyday.  I've made smoothies, soup, peanut and almond butter, butter, waffle batter, ice cream as well as varying types of flour.  For me, it's a useful addition to my kitchen and I can't imagine not having one. For me, it's well worth the money, and the Ninja blender will always have a spot on my counter.

My sweet boy and his smoothie.  My other two will rarely pose for pictures anymore

***Though I was provided the Nutri Ninja Blender for free, that doesn't mean my opinion can be bought. This review is comprised of 100% honest thoughts and feelings that are completely my own.

Throwing my wildcard down

Honestly, if my brain was working these days, I would love to come up with a  "Fantasy Diabetes Device" (sounds naughty).  But I'd really just be phoning it in with something like:

My "Fantasy Diabetes Device" would be a cure.  The end.

Or

I would love a device that is a meter, pump, lancet, CGM, wireless device that would upload data to the internet, alcohol wipe dispenser, insulin cooler/carryer, smarties (for lows) holder, and blood ketone checker.  I would also like it to load/empty my dishwasher, fold my laundry and vacuum my house.

Could you imagine such  monstrosity? 

Since I can't be serious, I'll contribute something useful.  Like a recipe.  Enjoy.

Day 4 - DFeast Wildcard

These days my meals tend to be two things... quick and easy. I get bonus points if it's something everyone will actually eat. And by everyone, I mean Elise and Mattias; the latter one vacillates between I-don't-want-to-eat-anything-ever-again, and noshing on anything that remotely resembles food. Ugh... shoot me now.


Anyway, this recipe has long been a favourite of Fred's, so I pulled it out the other day.  To my utter amazement, both kidlets not only ate it, Elise said, "mmmmm, Mama, this is so good!", AND requested it for lunch the next day. Well, poop in my shoe and call me stinky.Anyway, here's the recipe. So simple and it's husband and kid approved!  The meat itself is pretty much no carb, so the carb count will depend on the bread you choose to serve it on.

Italian Beef Crockpot Sandwiches

Ingredients
3 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon onion salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 bay leaf
1 (.7 ounce) package dry Italian-style salad dressing mix (see below to make your own)
1 (3-5 pound) roast (I've found pretty much any cut will do)


Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients (except meat) in a saucepan. Stir well, and bring to a boil.
2. Place roast in slow cooker, and pour mixture over the meat.
3. Cook on Low for 10 to 12 hours, or on High for 4 to 5 hours. About 30 minutes before serving, remove meat and bay leaf. Shred meat with a fork and return to crockpot.
Serve on a toasted hogie roll with some melted cheese (we like havarti), and you're good to go. Happy eating!

Make your own Dry Italian Dressing Mix(no need to add other spices if you use this instead of a store bought one)1-½ tsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. onion powder
2 tbsp. oregano
1 tbsp. dried parsley
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. ground basil
¼ tsp. thyme
½ tsp. dried celery leaves

Meal Ideas: Steel Cut Oats

One of my favourite breakfasts is steel cut oats. I. Love. Them. What I don't like is the cooking time.

Steel cut oats are less processed than quick-cooking or rolled oats and thus take a longer time to cook. I don't know about anyone else, but I really don't have 25 minutes in the morning to throw this meal together.

Enter the crockpot. With this recipe, you can assemble everything the night before, and the oats cook through the night. A warm, yummy bowl of goodness awaits with very little fuss!

How you do it:


1. Take aluminum foil and roll them into little balls. This is what you'll be setting your bowl containing the oats and liquid on. It's important that water is able to circulate underneath the bowl. Place them into the crockpot (I use a 6 qt.) comme ça:




2. Fill a pyrex (or some other comparable bowl that will not shatter when heated) with the oats and liquid. The ratio is 1 cup of oats to 4 cups of liquid. I usually put 1 cup of milk and 3 cups of water in mine. Place bowl onto aluminum foil balls (he he he - balls).




3. Fill the crockpot with enough water that is is level with the level of liquid inside the inner bowl. Cover and set on low.

4. And voilà... your oats await you! I love to top mine off with a bit o' brown sugar and some milk. Or if I have them readily available, I simmer some blueberries and blackberries in some water until they are liquidy and put that on top. Anyway you fix them, steel cut oats are YUM!

Mattias doing his, "please sir, I want some more" impression. He LOVES this stuff. This morning he ate 4 bowls full and polished off the rest of mine.

Unfortunately, Elise is not really a fan... I think it's a texture thing. The one time I did figure out the carb factor, it came out to .15 (without any added milk or brown sugar).

Enjoy!

D-Feast Friday - Drinkable Yogurt and Popsicles!

The other day I spent about 20 minutes in the frozen treats section of my grocery store trying to find a relatively healthy, cool treat for Elise. The problem was, almost everything I looked either had way too many carbs for just a snack, or it at had at least one of my no-no ingredients; food dyes, high fructose corn syrup, or a sugar substitute.

Call me weird (and many do), but when it comes to that last item, I would much rather Elise have the real thing.

One post on this blog that gets a ton of hits is my drinkable yogurt recipe, which I make and then freeze in popsicle molds for a cold, HEALTHY treat. I posted it quite awhile ago, so I though I'd dust it off and re-post.


Joanne's Strawberry/Banana Homemade Drinkable Yogurt
(all measurements are in weight grams... because that's what I use to figure out the carb factor)

Ingredients
450g of plain yogurt (carb factor = .05)
200g strawberries - you can use fresh or frozen (carb factor = .08)
85g bananas (carb factor = .20)
note: substitute any of your favourite fruit... Elise just loves strawberries and banana
1 1/2 Tbsp. agave nectar (total carbs = 24g cho)
*or* any other sweetner of your choice. I used honey the other day.

Approx. carb factor when using the above measurements = .10

Directions:

-In a heavy-bottomed sauce pan, simmer the fruit on low/med in enough water so it covers the bottom of the pan (don't use too much water, it will dilute the taste). It usually takes about 10-15 minutes.

-When fruit is completely cooked down, add to yogurt and blend using a blender or hand blender. If you do this while the fruit mixture is still warm, it helps to thin out the yogurt, making it more liquidy.

-After completely blended, add agave (or other sweetener). I add it at this stage so I can judge the sweetness after each 1/2 Tbsp. I add. You may need more or less, depending on your taste buds.

Enjoy, and stay cool!

***The popsicle Elise is holding in this picture has 8g of carbs

D-Feast Friday: Fruit Dip

I consider myself lucky... Elise is pretty good about eating her fruits and veggies. I know a lot of Moms are not so fortunate and worry that their kids are not eating enough of the "good stuff".

One tip I've always been given is that kids LOVE to dip their food. I don't like a lot of the store-bought dips/dressings because they have so many unnecessary ingredients in them. I can't remember where I came across this recipe for a fruit dip, but it is so, so good. We usually eat it with grapes, but I bet strawberries would be good too.

Cream Cheese Fruit Dip
1 brick (8oz.) cream cheese - room temperature
1 tbsp vanilla yogurt (I use greek)
1/4 c sugar (I usually cut it down to 1/8 and it tastes fine to me)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients and mix with a hand mixer. Chill for about an hour.

That's it! Easy, right? I bet this would also be yummy with some orange zest added. Or some cinnamon and nutmeg. Or all of those together!

The carb factor for this usually comes out to about .20, or close to 5g of carbs for about 3 tbsp.

D-Feast Friday: Italian Sausage and Tortellini Soup

I've said it before and I'll say it again. I love this time of the year and all the soups and stews that the cold weather inspires me to make. I love the smell that permeates the house from a pot full of soup, simmering on the stove top. I love cleaning out all the veggies that are about to head south, out of my crisper. Love, love, love.

Here is one of my favourite recipes... mostly because it uses wine in the broth. Pour some in the broth, pour some in me. Pour some in the broth, pour some in me. Since I'm nursing right now, it all goes into the broth. Boo.

Ingredients:

1 lb. sweet Italian sausage
1 small onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced or chopped
7 c of beef broth
1 c water
3/4 c red wine
4 large tomatoes, seeded, peeled and chopped OR
1 can of diced tomatoes
1/2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
1 tsp dried oregano
8 oz. tomato sauce
2-3 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 zucchini, chopped
1 yellow squash, chopped
1 pkg (8 oz) fresh tortellini
3 tbsp. fresh parsley

1. Brown sausage in a large pot. Remove and drain fat, reserving 1 tbsp of drippings.

2. Saute garlic and onion. Stir in broth, water, wine, tomatoes, basil, carrots, oregano, sauce and sausage.

3. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Simmer (without lid) for 30-45 minutes.

4. Skim fat from soup (ugh, HATE this part, but SO worth it!)

5. Add zucchini, squash and parsley. Simmer for 30 more minutes.

6. Add pasta in the last 10 minutes.

This soup is so rich and flavourful. The carb factor (without pasta) comes out to about .03. I usually spoon out a bowl of soup without the pasta for Elise, then add the pasta after I weigh it. I think I've figured that the Buitoni tortellini I use have about 2g of carbs each.

This soup is also yummy if you sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on top. Enjoy!

D-Feast Friday - Beef Stew

Fall is here, fall is here! Time to get out the jackets, scarves and hats!

Okay, seriously, we've had one cool-ish (mid-60s) day here in Texas and it's supposed to go back up to the high-70s next week, but one hint of cool weather was enough for me to break out my stock pot and make my all-time favourite Beef Stew! This recipe is courtesy of my sweet friend, Liz.

Old Tyme Beef Stew

Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb. cubed stewing beef
1 small onion
3 - 6 cloves garlic
1 1/2 C beef stock (sometimes I double the amount of liquid, just remember to double the amounts of all the following ingredients, except veggies, if you do)
1/2 C water
dash pepper
dash salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 large bay leaf

This is the best part of this meal, you can pretty much use any veggies you have in your crisper that need to be used! This is what I usually throw in the pot:
3 med. carrots
2 stalks celery
potatoes (amount depends on what kind you use, I like red potatoes)
about 1 C of frozen peas (I do this with about 10 mins left)

At the end you will also need about 1/4 C of broth and 1 tbsp of flour to thicken (you can also leave this out to make this into a soup instead of a stew).

Directions:
-Heat up oil (med. heat) in stock pot, add beef. Cook until brown on the outside, then add onions and garlic.
-Saute, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Add broth and water (you can use all broth if you want).
-Add all the rest of the ingredients (except veggies), cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.
-Add veggies, cook for another 30-45 minutes
-Bring to a boil.
-Mix 1/4 C of broth and 1 tsbp of flour together (remember to double if you doubled the liquid), and add to pot
-Boil until thickened, then turn down heat, add peas and simmer for another 10 minutes.
-Serve with a lovely, crusty bread and ENJOY!

***I would love to give you a carb count on this, but of course it depends on what (and how much) you put into your stew. My carb factor usually comes out to .05 to .08.

Recipes: Citrus Smoothie

I love smoothies. Love them. In fact, I could probably go on an all smoothie diet and not miss solid food at all. Maybe I'm just too lazy to chew my food. Anyway, if I were to buy my smoothies at those fancy-schmancy smoothie places, I'd go broke in a hurry. But they are so easy to make at home. Here's one of our family favourites.

Joanne's Citrus Smoothie:
(all measurements are in weight grams... because that's what I use to figure out the carb factor)

What you need:
*approx. 170g of plain yogurt. I use my homemade recipe that can be found here. (carb factor = .05)
*200g strawberries - I use both fresh and frozen (carb factor = .08)
*65g bananas (carb factor = .20)
*65g frozen pineapple (carb factor = .13)
*125g (about 1/2 C) of orange juice. I use Tropicana w/ added calcium (carb factor = .108)
(I have been known to do a 50/50 juice to water mix too)

Approx. carb factor when using the above measurements = .09
These measurements make enough for a small glass for Elise and a tall glass for me... YUM!

To Make:
*If you don't know how to make a smoothie, I just don't know how to help you.

Why it's so great:
*So easy to make.
*Cheap, cheap, cheap!
*Healthy, because you control what gets put into it
*A great meal idea (or part of a meal) when you are on the go. I just pour it into a plastic cup with a lid and straw for Elise, and she can drink it while we're in the car.

A few notes about his recipe:
*I sometimes throw a handful of blueberries in there too (carb factor = .145)
*By no means should you follow my exact measurements... I love more strawberry taste than the rest, so I use a lot of strawberries. My husband would probably want me to put two whole bananas in there. It's all up to your taste buds!
*The best (and cheapest) way to have a good supply of frozen fruit on hand, is to buy it fresh when you find a good deal. Then just wash it, cut it up, put it on a cookie tray in your freezer, then put it in a Ziploc bag when it's frozen. Don't just put it into a bag before you freeze it, or it will freeze all clumped together.
*If you don't use frozen fruit in this recipe, you will need to add ice.

D-Feast Friday - Low carb pancakes

I was really looking forward to taking part in this blog-fest; posting my recipe with pictures and all, but life has been a wee bit tricky over the last few days. So here's my rather lame attempt at joining in on the fun.

Low Carb Pancakes
(You may want to double this recipe if you're making it for more than two people)

What you need:
2 eggs
1/2 cup cottage cheese - I use 4% fat (carb factor = 0.04)
1/8 cup whole wheat flour (cf = .725)
(you can use all-purpose if you want)
1 tbsp sugar (cf= .998)

Of course, you can add all sorts of other stuff to the batter, which will change the carb factor. Some of our favourites are cinnamon, mashed up banana, blueberries, and (gasp) chocolate chips. Just not all at the same time... unless you're weird like that.

Approx. carb factor = .12

To Make:
*Throw all ingredients in a blender, or use a hand blender and mix.
*Cook in a pan, or on a griddle just like you would any other pancake.

Edited to Add: A comment on this post reminded me that not everybody uses carb factors (or knows what they are). If you haven't heard of them and are interested, I wrote a post about it awhile back... you can find it here.

Recipes: Tzatziki

One of my favourite meals to make used to be Greek Wraps. They were so easy and yummy, I'd make them all the time. One of the key ingredients is Tzatziki Sauce. I remember wanting to make it one time after we moved to Texas, and trying to find it at a local grocery store. Make that 3 local grocery stores. One was an uber chi-chi store with all sorts of gourmet items... but no Tzatziki. Everyone we asked had never even heard of such a thing. So I set about finding a good recipe, and after a few trys, I put something together that worked. Fred tweeted about it the other day and a few people were interested in the recipe, so I thought I'd post it for you (with carb amounts for all my D-peeps!)

What you need:
*2 small to med. cucumbers (carb factor = .022)
*2 C plain yogurt. I use the Greek variety (carb factor = .04)
*2 tsp salt
*2 tsp minced garlic (carb factor = .33)
*2 tsp dried (or 2 Tbsp fresh) dill weed (not worth counting the carbs)
*1 Tbsp lemon juice
*1 Tbsp olive oil

Approx. carb factor when using the above measurements = .045

To Make:
*Peel and seed cucumbers. You can either chop them into small pieces, or use a grater. Either method works, it just depends on which texture you like. Place cucumber (plus 1 tsp of the salt) in a colander to drain the excess liquid (pressing down if you need to). I usually let it sit for 15 minutes.

*Mix yogurt, garlic, salt, dill, lemon juice and olive oil in a bowl. Add cucumber when ready.

*Place in fridge and chill for at least 1 hour for everything to blend. You can serve it with all sorts of things, our favourites being chips, pita, fresh veggies, or crackers.

Why it's so great:
*So easy to make.
*Will save you money on the store-bought stuff (if you can find it!).
*Greek yogurt has a lot of protein in it.
*Kids LOVE to dip stuff
*It can be served with so many different foods as part of a main course, or it's just great for a snack.

Recipes: Drinkable Yogurt

I was reading Leighann's blog post the other day on all the horrible unnecessary ingredients that are found in everyday products at the grocery store, and in several comments, people were lamenting the cost of things like yogurt that are made by companies that don't use high fructose corn syrup, or dyes.

And it got me thinking about the drinkable yogurt that I make for Elise. I know it's healthy because I know EXACTLY what I put into it, it's cheap (when I can find good prices on the fruit I use), and Elise LOVES it. I've never written down the exact amounts I use (I always weigh all the ingredients, I just never bother to remember), but I did when I made some today, so I could share it with you!

If you haven't checked out my post on making homemade yogurt, go here. It is so, so easy and will save you even more money. This is the yogurt I use when making this recipe.


Joanne's Strawberry/Banana Homemade Drinkable Yogurt
(all measurements are in weight grams... because that's what I use to figure out the carb factor)

What you need:
*approx. 450g of plain yogurt (carb factor = .05)
*200g strawberries - you can use fresh or frozen (carb factor = .08)
*85g bananas (carb factor = .20)
note: substitute any of your favourite fruit... Elise just loves strawberries and banana
1 1/2 Tbsp. agave nectar (total carbs = 24g cho)

Approx. carb factor when using the above measurements = .10

To Make:
*In a heavy-bottomed sauce pan, simmer the fruit on low/med in enough water so it covers the bottom of the pan (don't use too much water, it will dilute the taste). It usually takes about 10-15 minutes.
*When fruit is completely cooked down, add to yogurt and blend using a blender or hand blender. If you do this while the fruit mixture is still warm, it helps to thin out the yogurt, making it more liquidy.
*After completely blended, add agave (or other sweetener). I add it at this stage so I can judge the sweetness after each 1/2 Tbsp. I add. You may need more or less, depending on your taste buds.

Why it's so great:
*So easy to make.
*Will save you money on the store-bought stuff.
*Healthy, because you control what gets put into it
*You can also freeze this recipe and make yogurt popsicles... YUM!

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family does!

Recipes: So Very Yummy Pumpkin Pie made with Agave

I should have posted this closer to Thanksgiving, but what the heck... better late than never. Ours was a hit at the Thanksgiving dinner we were invited to, and we'll be taking another one to the Christmas lunch we managed to finagle an invite to. Oh the lengths you have to go to when you don't have family around... bribing people with food!

What you need:
16 oz can of pumpkin (CF = .09, or about 38g cho total per can)
1/2 agave nectar (CF = .76, or 95g cho total)
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (CF = .69, or about 3g cho total)
or (but not both)
1 tsp cinnamon (CF = .80)
1/2 tsp ginger (CF = .71)
1/2 tsp nutmeg (CF = .49)
3 slightly beaten eggs
5 oz evaporated milk (CF = .09, or 15g cho total)
1/2 c milk (CF = .05, or 6g cho total)

I use store-bought crust because I'm lazy. For the Pillsbury crust, I find it's about 105g cho total.

To Make:
Combine pumpkin, agave, and spices. Mix.
Add eggs. Mix some more.
Gradually add both milks. And mix some more.
Pour into prepared crust in 9 inch pie plate (I always end up with more mix than the plate can hold).
Wrap crust of the pie with foil (very important or crust will burn).
Bake in 375 degree oven for 30 - 40 minutes.
Remove foil and cook for about 20 - 10 minutes more (total cooking time is 50 minutes).
Pie is done when a knife is inserted into the centre and comes out clean.

I've found that a whole peice of the pie (crust and filling) has a carb factor between .23 - .27. If you're only eating the filling (like Elise does), then the carb factor is around .16 - .18. Enjoy!

Meal Ideas: Best Apple Butter EVER!

I know the title is misleading... I would never advocate the eating of apple butter as your meal. Except if you are me and your husband is out of town and you are too tired to make a "real" meal.

But really, this is the best apple butter I have EVER tasted. And I should know. I've eaten apple butter on TWO separate occasions, which in my mind, makes me an expert.

Seriously, you should make this.

What you need:
8 - 10 apples, or approx 900 - 1000 grams. (carb factor for apples is .13)
(I used a mix of honey crisp and gala... it was what Kroger had on their clearance fruit shelf. I paid $2.00 for 14 apples... score!)
1/2 c (or less, depending on how sweet you want it) agave nectar (carbs for that amount came to 134)

or (but not both)

2 C white or brown sugar (sorry, don't have a carb count for that)
3 tsp ground cinnamon (5.4g of carbs)
1/4 tsp ground cloves (.325g of carbs)
1/2 tsp ground allspice (.7g of carbs)
pinch of nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt

To Make:
*Core, peel and dice all of the apples.
*Combine all ingredients in a crockpot (at least 4 Qt). Set on high for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
*Set crockpot to low and leave for 12 hours. My big crockpot cooks a bit warmer than my smaller one, so I had it on low for about 4 hours, then set it to keep warm before I went to bed. As a added bonus, your house will smell AMAZING. You know, if you like apples and spices and stuff. And if you don't, well then you are just weird.
*Puree with a hand blender or some other similar contraption.

Why It's a Great Meal:
*The whole family can enjoy the apple-y goodness
*I like that I can use the agave nectar to sweeten it and it tastes just fine.
*Ummmm, did I mention that it is so, so good?
*I mix the apple butter in with some of my homemade yogurt and top it off with some homemade granola (recipe coming soon) for a quick, healthy breakfast.

The carb factor for the batch I just made came in at around .28. This, of course will vary depending on how many apples you use, or how much and what type of sweetener you use.

If you're unsure of what apple butter is, you can read all about it at Wikipedia, here.

Meal Ideas: Low-carb Pancakes

The first time I made pancakes for Elise, she hated them. I can't remember if it was pre or post diabetes, but I was crest-fallen. I thought it would be a great food for Elise to gum, since at the time she didn't have teeth.

Since then, I've found a healthier, low-carb pancake recipe that Elise LOVES! I made them for her this morning, and she when she was done she asked for more (the only thing she's eating well right now). So I thought I would share the recipe. The recipe I use is cut in half from the original, but I know the carb factor for it, so that's how I'll post it.

What you need:
2 eggs
1/2 cup cottage cheese - I use 4% fat (carb factor = 0.04)
1/8 cup whole wheat flour (cf = .725, or 9g of carbs)
1 tbsp sugar (cf= .998, or 12g of carbs) - I used agave nectar instead, maybe half a tbsp (8g of carbs, sorry, I don't know the carb factor)

***I'm still trying to figure out how to substitute the agave nectar for sugar. The batter came out a little runnier than normal, but otherwise cooked and tasted fine.

Carb factor when made with sugar = .12
Carb factor when made with agave nectar = .105

To Make:
*Throw all ingredients in a blender, or use a hand blender and mix.
*Cook in a pan, or on a griddle just like you would any other pancake.

Why It's a Great Meal:
*Elise will eat it.
*It's a lot healthier than a normal pancake recipe.
*Protein, protein, and more protein!
*Agave nectar has a low glycemic index and won't cause BG spikes like granulated sugar will.

I have also blended some banana into the batter, or added blueberries when it was all mixed. But of course that will alter the carb factor, so I wrote out the base recipe to make things easier. Enjoy!

Meal Ideas: Homemade Yogurt

Would you believe me if I told you that you can make yogurt at home, in a crock pot? It's true, and I do it all the time; saving a bunch of money. It's not a labour-intensive project, but does take the better part of a day. The recipe is from the website A Year of Slow Cooking, but I've slightly tweaked the method (I find my version comes out a bit thicker than if I use hers). By the way, that website has a ton of gluten free recipes on it as well.

What you need:
*8 C of whole milk (88g cho)
*1/2 C of store-bought natural, live/active culture plain yogurt. This is your starter yogurt. Once you have made your own, you can use that as a starter. (8g cho)

To Make:
*Using at least a 4-quart crock pot, set on low and add milk. Cover, and let it sit for at least 3 hours. I'm sort of lazy on the timing thing and last time I made this I think I left it for about 3 1/2 hours. It still came out fine.
*After 3 hours have passed, turn off crock pot and let sit for 3 more hours (again, I've let it sit a bit longer, maybe by 30 minutes).
*After the next three hours are done, open up your crock pot, scoop out 2 cups of milk and put into a bowl. Add the 1/2 C of plain yogurt and whisk together. Add the mixture back into the crock pot and stir.
*Cover and wrap the crock pot in a thick towel. Let sit for at least 8 hours (when I make this recipe, I usually start at about 3:00 pm. That way I'm wrapping the crock pot to let it sit for the 8 hours right before I go to bed).
*At the end of the 8 hours you will have a HUGE batch of plain yogurt! YUM!

Why It's a Great Meal:
I'm still selling Elise on the plain yogurt, but she's getting there. I suppose she's just been too spoiled eating Yobaby all this time. What I love about this is I can use it for all sorts of other recipes and it is so much cheaper than store bought plain yogurt. Today I simmered some strawberries and banana together, then blended them with the yogurt to make some yogurt pops for Elise to enjoy this afternoon.

I'm also hoping to add granola to Elise's repertoire when she finally gets more of her teeth in, and I think the yogurt would be great over fruit, with some granola sprinkled on top.

The plain yogurt has a very low carb factor, usually coming out to .05, and keeps for about 7-10 days.

***edited to add: It took some convincing, but Elise came around and really likes the yogurt pops I made for her. There's no added sugar, so they are a bit on the sour side. I bet I could get away with adding a tiny amount of sugar, but I'd rather Elise get used to the no sugar added variety.

Meal Ideas: Pumkin Soup

Sure it's about 90 degrees here in Texas lately, and fall is 5 months away; but I make this soup often for Elise because she loves it so much! I've put all the carb amounts (and fiber too) in brackets next to the ingredients.

What you need:
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour (5g cho)
3 C chicken broth
15 oz can pumpkin (39g cho, 5g fiber)
1 tbsp honey (or agave which has 16g cho) (17g cho)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg (<1g)
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk (36g cho)

To Make:
*Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook for 2 minutes *Gradually add broth, stirring constantly until thick.
*Stir in pumpkin until combined. Add honey, salt, and nutmeg. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
*Stir in milk and heat for 3 more minutes.

Carb Count:
The total carb count for this recipe is 97g of carbs. It usually has a carb factor of about .08 (so to figure out how many carbs are in Elise's bowl, I just weigh it in grams and multiply it by .08. For a more detailed explanation of carb factors, click here).


Why It's a Great Meal:
*Elise will eat it. In fact, Elise LOVES it. In fact, Elise cried the other day when I took her not-quite-finished bowl away to re-heat what was left. "Waaaaaaaah! Soup!" She said.
*I can make a bunch and re-heat the extras for another meal. I also freeze amounts that I pre-measure in a muffin tin. After it freezes, I pop them out, wrap them in saran wrap, and put them in a freezer bag labelled with what it is, when I made it, and how many carbs are in each serving.
*Lunch for me, too!
*Cheap and easy to make.
*The pumpkin has lots of fiber as well as cancer fighting properties, vitamin C and potassium.

I usually pair this with some yogurt, crackers or whole wheat toast and some fruit. It's a nice, light meal that Elise loves.

***Edited to add: don't just take my word on the carb counts, check your labels! I made some more soup today with a different brand of pumpkin and evap. milk, and both carb counts were different from the ones I had used previously.

Meal Ideas: Chicken Soup

It's a balmy 31 degrees F as I type this (about 0 degrees C), and ice is threatening to fall from the sky. My mind keeps wandering back to last Friday when it was almost 80 (about 25). Texas has some weird, weird weather. So it seemed only natural to post a good, EASY chicken soup recipe.

What you need:
*A crockpot
*1 carton of chicken stock (32 oz), or you can make your own.
*1/2 C water
*1 C Boneless, skinless chicken breast (cooked) - chopped into bite-sized pieces. I'll sometimes use the leftovers from a whole roast chicken I've made the day before.
*2 cloves of garlic - chopped or minced.
*2 fresh basil leaves - chopped.
*1 C of fresh or frozen veggies - chopped (I use celery, zucchini, carrots, peas, beans, corn - whatever is in my crisper and about to go bad).
*1/2 C of elbow macaroni or any other pasta that would go well in a soup (if you have gluten issues, you could substitute rice).
*I also throw in a pinch or two of dried parsley.

To Make:
*Combine all ingredients except pasta (or rice) into crockpot. Cook on low for 4 to 5 hours. I usually add the pasta in the last hour.

Carb Count:
This is a tough one... it really depends on when veggies you throw in there. I've made it with as little as 3.5g of carbs per 1/2 C and much as 10g of carbs per 1/2 C (although that last one I think I used more pasta than I usually do). The way I figure it out is I add up all the carbs in the soup, and after it's done cooking, I weigh it. Say the total weight comes to 1550 g and the total amount of carbs is 90. I then see what a 1/2 C of the soup weighs, say for example it's 110 g. So using my fancy solving for x equation it looks like this:

1550 - 90

_________

110 - X

In this example, 1/2 C of soup has about 6.5g of carbs. If you totally didn't get how I came to that number, read this post.

Why It's a Great Meal:
*Elise will eat it.
*I can make a bunch and re-heat the extras for another meal. I also freeze amounts that I pre-measure in a muffin tin. After it freezes, I pop them out, wrap them in saran wrap, and put them in a freezer bag labelled with what it is, when I made it, and how many carbs are in each serving.
*Lunch for me, too!
*Cheap to make, and it's a great way to get rid of veggies that need to be used.
*It's healthy! You've got vitamins from the veggies, and protein from the chicken. Serve it with some whole grain toast and some yogurt for a good meal.

Meal Ideas: Sweet Potato Fries

I guess the title of this post is a little erroneous. I don't mean for this to be a meal by itself, but a good compliment to a meal. In any case, thanks to my Mom for giving me the idea!

What you need:
1 small Sweet Potato
Approx. 1 tsp olive oil
1 pinch of salt (optional)

To Make:
*Cut skin off of sweet potato.
*Cut sweet potato into desired length and thickness for fries. I prefer skinner, smaller pieces because they cook faster and are easier for Elise to eat.
*Put pieces into a bowl and toss with olive oil. The amount of oil you use may vary, depending on the size of your sweet potato. Add a teeny, tiny pinch of salt, if you want.
*I use a toaster oven to make mine. I bake them at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes, or until the sweet potato can easily be pierced by a fork. Make sure you flip the pieces every few minutes or so, or they will burn. (I'm guessing the temp/time would be the same for a conventional oven)
*Let cool, and serve!

Carb Count:
It depends on how much you give to your child. Sweet potatoes have a carb count of 26.8g of carbs per 5.2 oz (according to calorieking.com). So if I give Elise 2 oz. of sweet potato fries, then she is getting about 10g of carbs, using the formula I talked about in this post. I always weigh them after they are cooked.

Why It's a Great Meal:
*Elise will eat it.
*I can make a bunch and re-heat the extras for another meal.
*Cheap to make.
*Easy to make with very little clean-up.
*Sweet potatoes have a low glycemic index rating. That’s because the sweet potato digests slowly, causing a gradual rise in blood sugar.
*Sweet potatoes are a good source of protein, vitamins A and C, iron and calcium.

Meal Ideas: Quesadilla

Coming up with new and exciting meal ideas for an almost-toothless toddler is no easy task. But I have found a favourite by slapping some cheese and chicken together between two tortillas!

What you need:
Shredded Cheese (any kind - I use sharp cheddar)
Chicken (or any meat for that matter - I use Kroger's Boars Head Oven Roasted Chicken Breast)
Two tortillas (again, any kind - I use Mission)

To Make:
*Warm a skillet (or frying pan - something the tortilla will easily fit into) up on med/low heat. Put a tortilla in the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle some cheese on the tortilla.
*Layer some chicken over the cheese.
*Sprinkle a bit more cheese over the chicken (this is important because it helps the second tortilla stick to the chicken), and place the second tortilla on top.
*When cheese on the bottom has melted, flip so the cheese on the other side melts too. The quesadilla is done when all the cheese has melted.
*Use a pizza cutter to cut into bite sized pieces.
*Serve with a bit of sour cream for dipping.

Carb Count:
I give Elise 1/4 of the quesadilla, which is 1/2 of one tortilla. For the Mission brand of tortilla that I use, that comes out to 8.5g of carbs. The sour cream is 1g of carbs per 2 tbsp, but I never give her that much.

Why It's a Great Meal:
*Elise will eat it
*I can use whole wheat tortillas if I want a healthier option
*Add some fruit and it's a pretty balanced meal
*The 3/4 of the tortilla that she doesn't eat, ends up being MY lunch!