January Item of the Month

I figured I would start this feature with a simple item most of us eat on a regular basis. Yogurt!

In particular I am a fan of the Trader Joes's yogurt six packs that come in the following two multi-packs:

Vanilla & Cream /Blueberries & Cream ( an equal variety of both flavors in each 6 pack)

Strawberries & Cream/Banana's & Cream ( an equal variety of both flavors in each 6 pack)

These are smaller yogurt cups at 140 calories a pop that give you just the boost you need in the morning or can help curb a late night sweet tooth.

Each six pack ( of yogurt my friends...lol) contains 3 of each variety.

My personal favorite is the vanilla & cream, it has a whipped texture and an excellent vanilla flavor that pairs perfectly with fresh berry mix-ins or my new favorite... frozen chocolate chip morsels (great when your craving a guilty ice cream fix).

Me & hubby go through these mighty quick during the work week so I stock up on 2 six packs to make it last!

Give them a try, you can find them in the dairy case at your local Trader Joes.


Secondly, you've probably heard of the Greek yogurt craze and have probably seen the different brands popping up at your local grocer. A recipe I recently made called for the speciality yogurt, so here's my verdict! Greek yogurt boasts more protein per serving and definitely has a richer taste than your regular yogurt varieties. It held up excellent as the main base for a chipotle cream sauce I used in a fish taco recipe ( recipe to post shortly:) . Eaten alone you will notice a creamy pudding like texture that is not overly sweet but a little tart. Definitely does well with mixing in flavor like the strawberry sauce from Ellie Krieger's whole wheat pancake recipe and a drizzle of honey.

The brand I tried was the Chobani nonfat plain yogurt and I found it right in the dairy aisle at my local Stop & Shop. They boast other varieties , plus being gluten free!

Check out their website and if you give it a try post your comments.

http://www.chobani.com/


Hope you enjoyed this yogurty review!

Nite Nite

Aimee



Enjoy!

Good for you food that tastes good!

Well if you've talked to me in the past couple of days you know I've been cooking up a storm trying out recipes from my new favorite chef & nutritionist, Ellie Krieger. The name of the book is The Food You Crave, I checked my copy out from my local libray but it's on my wish list to purchase soon. Please give this one a try! A speedy & healthy version of jerk chicken. The chicken is cooked on the stove top rather than slowly in the oven and calls for lean chicken breast. I recommend butterflying the chicken before pounding it.

Try serving it like I did with her side dish recipe for mashed sweet potatoes with orange essence. They are a new take on sweet potatoes which is always a healthy option.

Top it off with some roasted asparagus. (Drizzle asparagus spears with olive oil & salt and pepper and roast at 400 for 10-12 minutes)

A tropical dinner in the middle of winter...sounds like a hot ticket to me! If you try it post your comments and let me know what you think.

Stay Tuned, more recipe reviews from the cookbook to follow as well as a new thread I like to call , "Tastalicious Treat of the Month".

(hmm we may have to tweak that...LOL)

Toodles!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/mashed-sweet-potatoes-with-orange-essence-recipe/index.html

http://www.blogger.com/www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/chicken-with-jerk-sauce-and-cool-pineapple-salsa-recipe/index.html

Never to buy Pancake Mix again!

So, I recently checked out Ellie Krieger's cookbook from the library, so far I am in love with every single recipe I've tried. This one takes the cake though...the pancake! ( I crack myself up!) It is a half all purpose flour half whole wheat flour concoction that makes the fluffiest pancakes I've ever tasted. Not to mention they are an excellent source of nutrition loaded with calcium, fiber and other essential nutrients. The recipe yields 12 pancakes and 3 pancakes with the accompanying strawberry sauce are only 310 calories! Now that I have whole wheat flour as a pantry staple why would I ever need to buy a store bought mix loaded with junk I don't need. It also passed the hubby test, he loved them!

Move out the way Rachael Ray, Ellie Krieger's becoming my new fav celebrity chef! She's got fresh and nutritious down pact!

Here is the link to getting the recipe off the food network website:

www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/healthy-appetite-with-ellie-krieger-/heart-shaped-whole-wheat-pancakes-with-strawberry-sauce-recipe/index.html

CT Winter Farmer's Market

I read an interesting article in the Hartford Courant today that was promoting Farmer's Markets in CT throughout the cold winter months. I have yet to visit one but it sounds like an adventure of yummy local grown treats ranging from fresh produce and herbs to locally grown breads, jams and dairy products.
Many are starting 2009 with a goal to eat fresh and go green, kill two birds with one stone by visiting a farmer's market and supporting local growers.

A list of winter markets in CT can be found at

www.ct.gov/doag/cwp/view.asp?a=3260&q=398996

You'll have to copy and paste the web address in your browser.


Let me know if you visit one.

Ciao