Tasty Tuesday : Salad Pointers

Tasty Tuesday is a weekly feature designed to share low-carb and / or healthy recipes. 

So, as I was making my lunch today, I had an IDEA. Yep, so big that I needed to shout it out in CAPS ;) Many women, but not all, who have PCOS also have a problem with losing weight. Some women turn to low carb diets, others to the paleo diet, etc etc etc. Regardless of the program, however, we could all benefit from a few more veggies in our lives including SALAD. I know, I know - you're thinking that salad gets old. Salad gets boring. How could I possibly ever (EVER) eat another pile of leafy green YUCK?

Let me be the first to admit that I understand. I get it. Salad is not the first food I reach for. There are days when it is difficult (read, impossible) to choke down a salad no matter what yummy accoutrements I adorn it with. But there are ways to counter that. There is still inspiration to be found when it comes to the salad. And so, as I was crafting my very own pile of leafy green YUM, I had an IDEA.

In addition to Tasty Tuesday, I'm going to be starting another food-related series here on the ol' blog. I think I'll call it "Salads on Saturday" just because I adore alliteration ;)

The posts will be specific combinations of ingredients that will hopefully inspire you or offer up a new combination you haven't yet thought of. To kick things off, today's Tasty Tuesday post features salad pointers - things to make your life easier, things to make it so that eating a salad is more enjoyable and less of a "choking it down" experience. If you have any ideas of your own on how to make salad-eating more enjoyable, please feel free to comment!

Six Salad Pointers to Take Greens from So-So to Sensational

1. Pre-cut and prep as many ingredients ahead of time as you possibly can. It seems common sense, but how many of us actually do it? I know that I fail at this task a good 75% of the time. It's something I intend to do, but sometimes fall short. In an effort to avoid wasting food and money, I do want to be better about this. It's super easy, really - whatever produce or salad fixin' you bring home from the grocery store, immediately wash it, chop it, prep it however it needs to be prepped so that you can quickly and easily make salads over the next few days. If you buy lettuce by the head instead of the pre-chopped and pre-washed bags, you can easily chop it, wash it and bag it yourself. It will keep for a few days in a Ziploc bag. Throw a paper towel in the bottom of the bag to catch any extra moisture. You can hard boil eggs and peel them at the start of the week so that they are ready to be chopped, wedged or sliced - however your mood strikes you. You can pre-shred carrots and cabbage, pre-slice mushrooms, peppers and onions, pre-wash and cut broccoli.... I think you get the point. (PS - You can also pre-make homemade salad dressings!)
2. Balance time and money. This directly relates into #1. If you are a busy woman living a hectic lifestyle, you might not have the time to wash and chop your own veggies. There is absolutely no guilt in buying the bagged salad mixes. To help you out, you can buy pre-shredded carrots, pre-sliced mushrooms - even eggs that are already hard boiled! But, if you're like me and the grocery budget is on the smaller side because the overall budget is on the smaller side - it is definitely more economical to buy the produce in its most whole state and prep it yourself. You also can control the quality a lot more that way. Case in point: I like Romaine Lettuce. I do not like the ribs that go up the center of each leaf, however. If I buy the bagged salad mixes, the Romaine Lettuce still has all those ribs so I end up sorting through the salad and pulling out the obnoxiously large pieces of rib. If I buy a whole head or a bag of Romaine hearts, I can separate each leaf from the remainder of the head and cut out the rib of each leaf. Does it take more time? Yes. But am I happier with the lettuce at the end? Yes. For me, it's worth it. To you, it might not be - and that's OK. Know what is realistic for you and what you need to make happen in order for you to eat that salad. 
3. Don't ignore the leftovers. Last night's dinner can easily become part of today's salad. Leftover steak, chicken breast or piece of fish? Slice it up and throw it on top. Leftover taco meat? Make a southwest salad. You can even "cheat" a southwest salad if you have leftover chili or sloppy joe (wimpie) meat. Leftover steamed veggies? Throw them on too! This tip is fantastic if there is a little bit of something left over that isn't quite enough to be a meal. 
4. Don't forget the protein! Protein will help give your salad some staying power in terms of fullness and will help to ensure that the salad goes from a side dish to a well-rounded meal. Protein can be meat, but it doesn't have to be. Eggs, cheese, cottage cheese, nuts and beans all add protein. 
5. Duplicate your favorite restaurant salad. If you have a salad at a restaurant that you absolutely love, don't be afraid to purchase the ingredients to make it on your own! The first installment of Salads on Saturday will be one of these salads. 
6. Remember - salad didn't get you here. Salad did not give you the extra pounds around your middle. Certainly it is a good idea to not overdress your salad and to watch the extra fats and sugars that are sneaking into your salad bowl - but the veggies themselves did not get you to the point where you are trying to lose weight. The eating program that I follow requires counting, and I've seen some women get very hung up on the value of a carrot. Seriously? That carrot didn't put those pounds on you. Learn when to be flexible and learn when to moderate your foods. The benefits of eating a salad tend to outweigh the negatives, as long as you are mindful of the traps - like overdressing the salad. (As an interesting factual side note, certain vitamins are not water soluble. Instead, they are fat soluble. This means that your body cannot absorb them without some fat being present in your diet, preferably at the same time as when you ingest the vitamin. So, getting some fat with your salad, whether through the dressing, some nuts sprinkled on top, or some avocado slices is actually a GOOD thing!)

Tasty Tuesday : Roasted Asparagus

Tasty Tuesday is a weekly feature designed to share low carb and / or healthy recipes. 

Regardless of what type of diet / healthy eating plan your are following, vegetables are important - and if you're like me, finding an appealing way to get more of them into your diet can be a challenge. Growing up, vegetables were almost always out of a can from the store or something my mother had canned. Frozen vegetables were rare, as was doing anything different with the vegetables. Plain boiled vegetables were the norm, so you can imagine that it's been difficult for me to find ways to make veggies appetizing.

When I moved out on my own, I learned a lot of cooking techniques from TV, especially Rachel Ray. Say what you will, but I learned as much from watching her as I did from watching my mother in the kitchen. (Mom's veggies may have been blah and boring, but that wasn't true for the rest of her cooking.) One of the cooking methods I picked up from the TV was the idea of roasting vegetables. I'm sure this is old hat to some of you, but let me tell you - it's one of my favorite ways to eat my veggies, so I think it's worth sharing with you!

There's just a few ingredients, but quality is important - so I've included some tips and comments for you.

Roasted Asparagus


1 bunch asparagus

Look for the skinniest stalks you can get (about the size of a pencil), since they are the most tender. To remove the tough ends, grasp the spear by the ends - one end in each hand - and flex the stalk. The asparagus will naturally snap off at the point where the woodiness really starts, 

and you'll be left with the most tender stop section. 

Typically, you'll snap off an inch or two in this process. 

olive oil

Olive oil is considered to be a healthy fat and it contributes great flavor when used for roasting.

minced garlic -OR- minced shallots

Shallots are a milder cousin to the onion. Either garlic or shallots will work in this recipe. 

I've used both - it really just depends on what flavor I want and what ingredients I have on hand. 

For the garlic, fresh is best, but the jarred minced garlic will do in a pinch. 

Use 2 cloves of garlic or 2 small to medium shallots for the standard size bunch of asparagus.

Parmesan cheese (optional)

I'm not talking about the powdery cheese in a shaker. I'm talking "real" Parmesan cheese that is grated or shredded. You can buy it pre-grated or buy a block and grate it yourself. 

You won't need a lot - just enough for a light sprinkling. We're not going for a melty puddle of cheese. 

salt & pepper

When you're roasting anything - vegetables or meats - larger particles of salt and pepper will add more to your flavor than their finely ground counterparts. So, for roasting, I prefer to use Kosher salt and pepper that I grind with my pepper grinder. No measurements - just a sprinkling to taste. 

Preheat your oven to anywhere between 375 and 425 degrees. Roasting is a very flexible process, which makes it great for meals where you are already cooking another dish in the oven. 

Begin by prepping the asparagus (snap off the woody ends and wash the stalks). Be sure to let the stalks drain well or blot off the extra water with a paper towel or kitchen towel. Place the spears on a cookie sheet or baking pan. My preferred pan for this actually has ridges on the bottom of it, so that grease and excess cooking liquid can drip away. I find that this helps the asparagus from getting too soggy and soft. If you don't have a ridged baking dish, simply place a cooling rack (like you would use to cool a cake or cookies on) onto a cookie sheet with sides and then place the asparagus on top of the rack. 

Drizzle the asparagus with olive oil and roll it around so that all the spears are evenly coated. Add the garlic or shallots and mix so that it becomes evenly distributed. Place the pan, uncovered, in your hot oven for anywhere from 12 to 20 minutes. The timing depends on how hot the oven is and how much asparagus you are trying to cook. Keep an eye on it, and remove it from the oven when it's done to your liking. 

Immediately upon removing the asparagus from the oven, give it a good sprinkling with salt and pepper, then add the Parmesan if you are using it. 

This recipe / technique is also great for Brussels sprouts and green beans, but you may want to steam them ever so slightly before roasting - it all depends on how crunchy you want the veggies to be. 

Tasty Tuesday : Low Carb Muenster Spinach Pie

Tasty Tuesday is a weekly feature designed to share low carb and / or healthy recipes. 

A low carb diet has been suggested as an appropriate method for weight loss for women who have been diagnosed with PCOS, but as always, please consult a medical professional (doctor, dietitian, nutritionist) before embarking on any healthy eating plan. 

Low Carb Muenster Spinach Pie

Source: www.food.com

12 ounces muenster cheese, sliced

2 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed & drained

2 eggs

1/3 C grated Parmesan cheese

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

salt to taste

pepper to taste

garlic powder to taste

1) Preheat oven to 350F (325F if using a glass dish).

2) Line quiche dish or 9 inch pie plate with 8 ounces of muenster cheese slices.

3) Carefully pres all of the water out of the spinach and place in a large mixing bowl.

4) Add eggs, Parmesan cheese, cream cheese, salt, pepper and garlic powder and mix well. 

5) Spoon mixture into cheese-lined pan and top with remaining slices of muenster cheese.

6) Bake for 35 minutes. Allow to set up for 10 minutes before serving. Yield = 8 servings. 

I selected this recipe because it reminds me so much of the spinach dish they serve at our local Chinese buffet. 

NOTE : If you are following Weight Watchers, this works out to be 8 Points Plus per serving.