There’s no denying it—it’s officially cold season.

And no, I don’t mean the season of weather outside. I mean the sniffling/coughing/fever-type of “cold season” that descends on innocent good-intentioned hand-washing, arm-sneezing, flu-shot getting, vitamin-taking* people every year during the months of November and December.

{*Okay…well in all honesty I may actually only remember to take my vitamins like once a week. That is, unless my mother is reading this…in that case, I totally take my vitamins every day. Scout’s honor!}

Despite all of our precautions and good intentions to take vitamins, almost everyone gets some type of sniffle or pukey virus this time of year. Our bodies don’t seem to care that it’s holiday season and there are a myriad of events, parties, and delicious seasonal foods to be enjoyed. And really, if you ask me this is the greatest travesty of our bodies succumbing to the dreaded common cold: when your nose is stuffed up you can’t taste the foods that you only get to indulge in once a year.

As a woman who is obsessed with food, this is (of course) what I focus on when I have a cold. You may think I’m crazy lady to be more upset about not being able to taste food than not being able to breathe out of my nose, but luckily I married a man who believes the exact same thing.

How do I know we’re on the same page on this? Let me tell you a story…

Just last week, Tom got terribly ill two days before Thanksgiving. He was so sick, but even in his dehydrated, feverish state he had but one wish: to be well by Thanksgiving so he could eat the big meal. Fast forward forty-eight hours (and lots of Smartwater* later) he was a new man—a man who despite being on his deathbed days earlier managed to eat two huge plates of dinner and three pieces of pie at the Thanksgiving meal. With that miraculous turnaround, I couldn’t help but think that his sheer will and determination to get better so he could eat was a big reason why he got back up on his feet so fast.

{Note: For the love of all those who don’t want you to end up with pre-diabetes like me,  PLEASE DO NOT DRINK GATORADE WHEN YOU’RE SICK. Smartwater gives you the same electrolytes without the sugar and crazy food dye. If you need the shot of sugar, nibble on some unsweetened applesauce—I promise it does the same trick!}

Now that I’ve established that my husband and I have a potentially unhealthy adoration of food, let me get to my point: when you have a cold, it stinks. You’re usually not sick enough to stay home and Netflix-binge, but you’re also not healthy enough to sit through a meeting at work without people giving you nasty glares every time you try to hold in your hacking cough. It’s the worst.

In this predicament, I can think of but one solution to make me feel better: to cook

Cook comfort food. Cook easy food. Cook yummy food that will warm you from the inside out and create lots of leftovers…so you don’t have to cook more than you have the energy to do so!

When we get sick, Tom wants us to cook mashed potatoes…but I don’t want to eat something that will make me feel even worse after I eat it.

So…where’s the compromise?

Here’s our solution:

• Replacing the notion of “starches=comfort food” by creating a dish that leaves you just as satisfied with none of the heavy carbohydrates
• Filling the dish with lots and lots of veggies—fighting your virus by pumping your body with lots of natural vitamins and immune-boosting foods…especially if you’re not very good at remembering to take your daily multivitamin…
• Adding comforting, flavorful spices that are mild enough not to upset your tummy…but add enough punch that you can actually taste something
• Cooking a large enough quantity to ensure that you will have substantial leftovers…so you only have to cook once!

 

| All Stuffed-Up Stuffed Peppers |

Serves: 4 Tom’s or 6 Alaina’s, plus enough filling to use for 2-3 other meals for two people

Ingredients Needed:

For the filling base:

• 1.5 lbs ground turkey
  • We use the Costco ground turkey because it’s so much cheaper per pound, but that only comes in 1.5 lb package. That being said, if you have 1 lb. package that works too!
• 6 bell peppers (any color), seeded and with the tops removed
• 1 large onion, chopped
  • This is about 1 ½ to 2 cups
• 2 cups mushrooms, chopped
• 2 cups celery, chopped
• 2 tsp. minced garlic
• 1-2 tsp. olive oil

For the filling sauce:

• 1, 29 oz. can tomato sauce
  • Just sauce—not seasoned, not sweetened—it should just be tomato puree!
• 4 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 2 tsp. oregano
• 1 tsp. crushed red pepper
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• ¼ tsp salt

For the love of cheese:

• 1 cup mozzarella or parmesan cheese, shredded

Directions:

First, get everything prepped:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
• Chop/prepare all veggies, set aside
• Measure out all spices in a separate dish, set aside
• Spray and oven-safe dish with cooking spray and place prepared peppers in dish, set aside

Next, make your filling base:

• Brown ground turkey in a large enough pan and/or stock pot that can hold all ingredients once completed
• Once just browned, add in celery, onion, mushrooms, garlic, and olive oil and cook until softened

Now that your house smells delicious and you feel a little bit better already, add the sauce:

• Add tomato sauce and seasonings to pan—stir to combine

• Once combined, remove from heat

All that’s left is to put your peppers together and throw ‘em in the oven:

• Sprinkle a small amount of cheese into each pepper

• Spoon small amount of mixture into each pepper and top with a sprinkle of cheese

 

• Repeat until each pepper is full to the top (really stuff these babies!!) and top with sprinkle of cheese

• Cover dish with aluminum foil
• Place peppers in oven and cook for 1 hour

While your peppers are cooking…

• Package up your leftover “filling” in a microwave-safe dish. This filling will be your best friend for the next week as your regaining your strength and getting better. Why? Because you can made so much with it!
  • Add it to tomato soup for a hearty stew
  • Use it as a sauce for your favorite pasta/spaghetti squash/broccoli slaw dish
  • Add it to scrambled eggs and top with sambal oelek
  • Make enchiladas by spooning leftovers into Flatout tortillas, rolling ‘em up, placing them in an oven-safe dish, topping with cheese, and baking for 30 minutes at 350 degrees for thirty minutes
  • Eat it plain!—it’s delicious heated up with a sprinkle of cheese and dollop of plain greek yogurt on top!

Your timer is going off!

• Now that an hour has passed , remove from oven and serve
  • Be careful removing the foil from the pan–the steam that escapes is so so hot!

 

It might seem silly, but these stuffed peppers actually make your stuffed-up self feel a heck of a lot better–it’s comfort food, but it’s comfort food that makes your body feel better after eating it.

Why? This dish is literally “stuffed” with nutrient dense veggies–especially the vitamin C-packed bell peppers and tomatoes…the perfect cold-fighting boost your body needs when it’s under the weather.

So while you may be miserably sneezing, sniffling, and coughing all the day long, I hope that when you finally get to sit down in your comfies* you can sit back, relax, and let this comforting and cozy meal warm you from the inside out. Your body will thank you for giving it some nutrient-dense food to help fight your nasty virus, and your mouth will thank you for skipping the bland mashed potatoes.

{*Note: “Comfies” are what Tom and I call our comfy clothes. For example, for Tom its’s basketball shorts and t-shirt. For me it’s leggings, a sweatshirt, thick socks, and my electric blanket that I drag along with me everywhere like Linus from November through March}

So until this cold season passes, take heart. Use this time of year to slow down, take a deep breath, and curl up on the couch with your loved ones and read a good book or watch a Netflix marathon of your favorite TV show.

And, just for the record, I will say that sometimes mashed potatoes may be the answer to make your sick husband feel better. I may or may have not made mashed potatoes for Tom last week when it was the only thing he could stomach.

Why? Because at the end of the day cooking for someone is an act of love, and I love my husband more than anything in the entire world. As I always say, there is no such thing as a bad food or a good food. So if potatoes are what the situation calls for, make some dang mashed potatoes.

…and add lots of butter and half and half while you’re at it…because if you’re going to make mashed potatoes, really make ’em!

Here’s to making many more culinary compromises…all in the name of love.

xoxo,

alaina

To put it simply, I’m a planner.

I’m really actually probably putting it a bit too normal-sounding…I’m actually more likely categorized as an excessive planner. I literally have a plan for everything; whether it be my outfit for tomorrow or when Tom and I want to have babies…there is a PLAN.

{Note: Why the second after you’re married do people start asking you when you’re having kids? It’s very odd. I don’t want to share my husband with a kiddo right now. It feels selfish…but he’s the most handsome, amazing man I’ve ever met. I just want to focus on him for a little while!}

Anywho, while I know this can seem overwhelming to some, I find extraordinary comfort in simply having a plan. The plan can change (and it often does), but I feel better about life when I feel like I’ve at least thought about what’s happening next and the most efficient and effective way to tackle it.

{Note: I am totally that person when there isn’t a plan to jump in and just take over. This was confirmed both by an assessment I took two weeks ago in my project management class as well as this weekend at Tom’s sister’s wedding. Does there need to be a plan on how to have perfectly spaced tables? Heck no! Do I for some odd reason feel the crazy need to create one? YES.}

The most important plan I make every week is our meal plan. Every Saturday or Sunday Tom and I sit down and make a grid that outlines every day of the week with lunch and dinner columns. As we decide what to have, we make a grocery list below it laying out what we need from Costco vs. Target to make the meal plan a reality. Then we go shopping…ideally on a Saturday afternoon where we can eat all the delicious samples at Costco while we shop.

Now here’s the dose of reality: despite having perfectly planned meals for the entire week in a beautifully formatted grid…we almost NEVER stick to the plan. Tom gets busy and doesn’t have time to eat lunch one day, I have a work event that pops up one afternoon, or there’s a last-minute family gathering one night. That’s just life!

But here’s the dealio…when it’s 5:15 and you all of a sudden have something happening at 6:00 and you have exactly 25 minutes to make, eat, and clean up dinner that beautiful plan to eat spaghetti squash that takes an hour to cook goes FLYING out the window.

In this time-crunched scenario, you have a few options:

• Grab fast food on the way
  • This is Tom’s pre-marriage preferred option. It meant “Hey! I have a reason to get McDonald’s! YAHOOOOO!”

• Skip dinner and grab a snack
  • This option is usually followed by devouring your entire fridge when you get home at 10PM

• Have one of your back-up meals you have handy for JUST this such occasion 

Now because I am such an excessive planner, YES we always have some frozen leftovers or something that can be put together for a quick, healthy meal.

BUTTTT here’s the thing…you don’t have to be an insane planner like me to be able to throw a quick & healthy meal together when time-crunched evenings inevitably arise. In fact, it’s so easy to keep everything on-hand for our favorite go-to meal when time is limited and you’re STARVING.

So when Tom wants McDonald’s, I want healthy food, and we both want it FAST…where’s the compromise?

Here’s our answer:

• Using pre-cooked rotisserie chicken for the base of the meal
• Keeping the ingredient list short & simple–as well as easily interchangeable if you don’t have something on-hand
• Saving yourself time by using store-bought greek-yogurt dressing

| In-a-Hurry Buffalo Chicken Wraps |

Serves: 6 Tom’s OR Alaina’s (just depends how much you fill the wraps!)

Ingredients Needed:

For the filling:

• 1 1/2 cups onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups celery, chopped
  • If you don’t have celery, swap in carrots instead
    • Don’t have carrots either? Just omit this ingredient!
• 2 cups rotisserie chicken, chopped
  • GET IT AT COSTCO. IT COMES PRE-PULLED. #gamechanger
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese
  • Any kind will do–I like to use a cheddar jack if possible
• 6-10 romaine leaves, washed & dried
  • Or any type of lettuce…or omit it if you don’t have any!
• 6 Flatout wraps
  • Store these in the freezer so you always have them on-hand
  • You can find these by the bakery in Target stores or by the packaged bread/tortillas at Costco

• 6 tbsp. Bolthouse Farms Chunky Blue Cheese Yogurt Dressing

For the sauce:

• 1 cup Frank’s Red Hot
• 2 tbsp. butter
  • Don’t freak out. Yes, it’s butter. Yes, you need it. NO this little bit will not hurt you. Butter is your friend!

Directions:

First get your veggies going…

• In a large pan, saute your onion and celery in a little bit of olive oil until just softened

While that’s cooking, get your sauce on the stove…

• Add your Frank’s and butter to a small saucepan
• Heat ingredients on medium-high heat until your butter has melted, stirring occasionally

Now finish your filling…

• Once your veggies are softened add your chopped chicken to the pan

• Pour your sauce into the pan

• Stir ingredients together

• Once chicken is heated through, remove pan from heat

Now just put it all together!

• On a cutting board, lay out your wrap
• Sprinkle 1-2 tsp. of shredded cheese down the middle
• Spoon 1/4 cup (or however much you want) of filling over the top
• Pour 1 tbsp. dressing over the filling
• Sprinkle more cheese…because cheese is yummy
• Top with a romaine leaf or two
• Tightly wrap together and cut wrap in half to serve

Here’s a visual representation for all you visual learners out there…

Annnnd…voila! That whole process took just 20 minutes to create a restaurant-quality easy-peasy buffalo chicken wrap that’s chock full of fiber, veggies, and protein.

The beauty of this dish is that even though you’re Sandra Lee-ing it and some elements are only semi-homemade, the packaged items you use do not sacrifice health for convenience. The wraps are low in carbohydrates and high in fiber, the greek yogurt dressing has zero added sugar, and the pre-cooked chicken from Costco is just chicken–no preservatives or filler.

On top of all this, this dish is so versatile and easy to keep the ingredients on-hand. The only ingredients that are more difficult to have fresh on-hand are the lettuce and celery…and you know what? If you’re in a pinch just omit them if you don’t have them! It will still taste delicious!

The crazy thing about this dish is that we almost never actually plan to make it. Yes, the crazy planner (me) rarely builds it into the meal plan…even though Tom thinks it rivals the version from one of our favorite places to go out to eat. It’s that good. 

So for all you planners and non-planners out there, take heart! If you’re in a rush or need a last-minute change to the meal plan the answer doesn’t have to be fast food or throwing in a frozen pizza. You can make easy, healthy meals with ingredients you have on-hand that still taste delicious and are good for you.

So while Tom may be bummed that his visits to McDonald’s may have lessened since we got married, he does agree that this wrap is way better than anything he could have gotten at McDonald’s…

…except for the fries. Maybe that’s my next challenge?

Here’s to making many more culinary compromises…all in the name of love.

xoxo,

alaina

For the first few months of our marriage, I honestly felt like I was married to a tiger mom’s over-involved ten year-old who had their sights set on making it into Harvard.

No, seriously.

Tom was in a myriad of weekly activities that were very well-rounded and would look mighty impressive on any college application:

1.  Baseball in Hispanic Baseball League
   • No, he doesn’t speak Spanish. Yes (or should I say “si”) this meant he could literally not communicate with some of his teammates.
2. Kickball in Work League
3. Softball in Local Rec League
4. Men’s Bible Study/Book Group

Now being that there are only seven days in a week, you can see that Tom was a busy man. Layer in church, spending time with friends, and work being insane for both of us…well, you could say we were a bit time-strapped.

Now that we’ve moved into fall and winter, I wish I could say we’re less busy. But swap in fall ball, me taking a class at St. Thomas*, and the ever-approaching hockey and broomball season…and I can tell you that we’re not.

{*VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: I may be spending two very long evenings a week at St. Thomas, but this does not change my feelings one iota: Gustavus>St. Thomas. BY A LONG SHOT. #beatembustem #gustieswillshine}

I digress…

Anywho, oftentimes when we’re in seasons that are busy the first thing to go is the health of our diet. In the midst of juggling our responsibilities we will often prioritize food that is quickly prepared (or bought) instead of food that takes cooking of any kind. We tell ourselves that we simply don’t have time to meal plan or actually make a recipe that requires chopping something–so we justify our frozen meals, take-out, or on-the-go “health” shakes and bars that often contain more sugar, sodium, and/or carbohydrates than we need in an entire day.

On top of all this, many of us will even succumb to skipping meals in our busy seasons. The easiest meal to skip? You guessed it: breakfast.

When the alarm goes off before 6AM the last thing Tom and I want to do is put together a well-balanced meal that will get our metabolisms ready for the day. We literally wake up at the last. possible. second. necessary to get up and get out the door. In our perfected “thirty-minutes-from-sleeping-to-leaving” routine we only have time to grab and GO.

{Note: In our morning routine we actually manage to shower, get ready, make the bed (yes, we make our bed everyday. yes, I know that’s weird), get our food together, and get out the door in thirty minutes. We have literally timed ourselves to when the WCCO morning news has different segments come on to know if we’re behind schedule. For example, if they’re on the “4 Things You Need to Know” segment and you’re not dressed yet? YOU ARE GOING TO MISS THE BUS. }

And due to the fact that (as I’ve already mentioned) grab and go options do not tend to be good for you, we have needed a solution that can give us the energy we need to kick-start our day, be something low in sugar and carbohydrates, and also keep Tom full until lunch (this is the tough one. woof.)

In these rushed mornings, Tom’s default is to grab a Costco muffin and an apple, but Costco muffins are kinda, sorta intense…like how Tom’s favorite blueberry-variety has 609 calories, 71 carbs, 40 grams of sugar kind of ‘intense’. My default is just to grab an apple…but then I need like eight tablespoons of peanut butter to make me feel full. In all frankness, neither of our default options are all that good for us.

So…where’s the compromise?

Here’s our answer:

• Swapping white flour-based muffins and bars for a oat/banana mixture that creates a dense, chewy, and filling base for the breakfast cookie
• Using raisins to maintain the sweetness Tom loves from his Costco muffins…but avoiding the refined sugar
• Adding lots of cinnamon for a flavor kick and to create the flavor profile of a delicious oatmeal raisin cookie

| Oatmeal Raisin Breakfast Bites |

Serves: 6 Tom’s (3 per serving) or 9 Alaina’s (2 per serving)

Ingredients Needed:

• 2 ripe bananas
• 1 cup quick-cook oats
• 3/4 cup raisins
• 2 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
• In a large bowl, mash ripe bananas into a puree

• Stir in quick-cook oats, raisins, and cinnamon

• Using a cookie-scoop (or spoon, let’s get real), drop tablespoon-sized “bites” onto an ungreased cookie sheet or silpat-lined cookie sheet

• Bake for 15 minutes (or until slightly crisp on the edges of the bites)
• Once baked, let cool on the cookie sheet for five minutes and then transfer to a wire cooling rack to finish cooling

  

• Once cooled, place in a freezer-safe zip-top bag and toss in the freezer!
  • These bites are now READY TO GO anytime you need them. Grab two to three on your way out the door and let them thaw on your desk until you’re ready to eat ’em! 

So here’s the dealio…these bites are delish. They literally taste like an oatmeal raisin cookie…yet they have absolutely no refined sugar and only four ingredients. And while they may look tiny, these bites pack a punch of flavor…and yet only have 46 calories, 10 carbs, and 5 all-natural sugars per bite. Each bite has just enough “oopmh!” to make you feel satisfied after eating them and (most importantly) keep you feeling full until lunch.

With recipes like these breakfast bites in my back pocket, it makes our crazy schedule feel a little less overwhelming. It’s simply comforting to know you have easy, healthy options for meals (or snacks!) that can be ready-to-eat whenever your hunger strikes. And on top of all that, as a wife it makes me feel good that I can have a healthy option for Tom that he loves and actually chooses over a Costco muffin.

It may seem silly, but little victories like having your husband choose the healthier option willingly make me feel like like I’ve won the lottery. Why? Because it’s one thing to just cook food that I can eat that Tom will tolerate–it’s another to cook food that he loves and that he asks for again and again.

As I’ve said before, I believe cooking is an act of love and I love my husband more than anything in the world…but it’s also so important to me that if he’s eating healthy he’s also happy. And with these bites I can say he is definitely both happy AND healthy.

So in closing, here’s the “4 Things You Need to Know” about these bites:

1. A serving for a “Tom” is 3 bites; a serving for an “Alaina” is 2 bites.
2. If you’re extra hungry, the bites are delicious paired with an apple.
3. I like whipping these bites up on a weeknight evening or Sunday afternoon–they only take thirty minutes in total to put together…including prep and clean-up!
4. In a pinch, they can also be served as a dessert. Just throw some on a plate an hour (or however long you have) before your company arrives and POOF you have delicious (and sneakily healthy) homemade “oatmeal raisin cookies” to serve your guests.

So there you go: the “4 Things You Need to Know” are that simple. But since this segment is happening I better run…I have an odd sensation that I’m late for something. And with our busy schedule, there’s actually a pretty good chance I probably am….

Here’s to making many more culinary compromises…all in the name of love.

xoxo,

alaina

In life, I wholeheartedly believe less is more. But when it comes to food…I have a bit of a different opinion. More chocolate is better. More cinnamon is better. Bigger servings are better.

In general, I can some it up as follows: MORE= ALWAYS BETTER

Now before I come off as completely gluttonous, I will say that my style of cooking usually complements this mentality. I like to cook and bake with ingredients that you can eat a lot of and still feel good on the inside and out when you’re done eating. I tend to create recipes that over-index in nutrient-dense ingredients like fruits, veggies, and lean proteins that are all (as the characters on Sesame Street call them) “anytime foods.”

This strategy works pretty well for a majority of the year…until my favorite holiday comes around: Thanksgiving.

Like most people who have a love affair with food, I am obsessed with Thanksgiving. Besides the main event being “eating delicious food,” Thanksgiving is a relatively calm holiday—one where your only priority besides eating is spending time with those you love and simply being thankful.

Besides being thankful for my amazing husband, family, and friends on this day of reflection, on Thanksgiving I find myself most thankful for the following food items:

{*Note: Rutabegas are also called Swedish turnips. They’re a root veggie that makes your kitchen smell like an old gym sock and your mouth feel like it’s won the lottery. It sounds weird because it is…but DANG it’s delicious.}

Looking at these above items, I know that there is no way that I will ever try to change my grandma’s classic mashed rutabaga recipe or even TWEAK my mom’s amazing, life-changing gravy recipe. On Thanksgiving, my “more=always better” motto continues to hold true for these items…buuutt these items’ lack of nutrient-density makes me a bit uneasy about eating a lot of them.

So as I was thinking about Thanksgiving this year, I realized that my third favorite Thanksgiving food actually had the potential to actually include more good-for-you ingredients…could this classic dish be the place where “less=more?”

Less sugar + more nutrient-density sounded like a recipe for a successful pie that delivered a heck of a lot more than the traditional pumpkin pie I was used to.

So with the pie that is the epitome of Thanksgiving on the line, I set off this past week trying to create a pumpkin pie that was both low-sugar and delicious. 

Now, in doing so, I learned a few things very quickly:

1. Greek yogurt does NOT work in pie. YUCK.
2. Figuring out the correct number of eggs/egg yolks to use in your pumpkin pie is tricky.
3. My husband is a saint to willingly try all the different weird pie versions I put in front of him.

And you know what? After quite a few cans of pumpkin and bunches of ripe bananas later…I did it. I made a pumpkin pie that my husband would actually choose to eat when placed next to the Costco-version monstrosity that he adores.

So…where’s the compromise?

Here’s our answer:

• Ditching the crust and embracing the less-is-more food philosophy for the first time in my life
• Embracing the pumpkin-ness of the pie by using fiber-packed real canned pumpkin (not the canned pumpkin pie filling!)
• Using only bananas for the sweetener–no refined sugar, maple syrup, or agave here!
• Telling yourself that some FAT IS NOT BAD FOR YOU and using low-sugar & low-carb half and half as the creamy base of the filling
• Using a crap-ton (technical term) of fall spices…because that’s what truly makes a pumpkin pie a pumpkin pie

| Crustless-is-more Pumpkin Pie |

Serves: 8 Tom’s or 10 Alaina’s

Ingredients Needed:

• 1, 15 oz. can pumpkin puree
  • NOT PUMPKIN PIE FILLING!
• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
  • The riper the bananas the sweeter the pie!
• 3/4 cup half and half
• 1 egg & 1 egg yolk, lightly scrambled
• 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. salt

Directions:

First get everything prepped…

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
• Using cooking spray, lightly coat a 9 inch pie pan

Next start mixing everything in a bowl…except the eggs…

• In a medium/large bowl, mash your RIPE bananas

• Add your pumpkin, half and half, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt and whisk together well

• Now taste your filling–do you like it? Everyone has different spice-level preferences. This is your chance to taste and add more spice before you add your eggs!

Once it’s tasting delicious, add your eggs…

• Gently add in your lightly whisked egg and egg yolk and whisk together until well combined

Now just get it in the pan and in the oven…

• Pour your filling into your pre-sprayed pie pan

• Bake for 40-45 minutes–checking for doneness beginning at 40 minutes
  • How do you check for doneness? You know it’s done when the edges have lightly pulled away from the edge of the pan and when a knife can be inserted into the middle and come out clean

• Let your pie cool until it becomes room temperature and then store in the fridge for at least 6 hours to let the pie set
  • If making for Thanksgiving, I recommend making this pie the day before. It gives the pie enough time to set, but it still tastes super fresh!

So there you go…it’s literally THAT easy to create a deliciously healthy pumpkin pie. There’s no way I would ever skimp on anything in the main part of our Thanksgiving meal, but the pumpkin pie is a surprisingly delicious place to embrace the “less is more” philosophy….and it may have just converted me into believing that less can actually sometimes be more when it comes to food.

Now I’m not going to lie to you, this pie is not the super-sweet pumpkin pie version you may be used to. It has a more subtle sweetness…but it’s a sweetness that allows for the lovely pumpkin flavor to really shine through. It’s a true pumpkin pie…and it’s absolutely delicious.

{…and did I mention it has only 71 calories, 7 carbs, and 4 sugars a slice?…just saying…}

Now while I may have been an easy convert to this new “less is more” philosophy when it comes to dessert at the Thanksgiving table, the true test was Tom…would he choose my healthier version of pumpkin pie when compared to his beloved Costco version?

The answer? Yes, he likes it and he doesn’t miss the crust…but as you can see, it needs to have whipped cream for him to love it.

So while I’d normally be anti-adding sugar…you know what? A little whipped cream really does make it better. So add whipped cream away to your heart’s content (and maybe even a sprinkle of cinnamon) and take heart…because your less-is-more pie is still good for you.

And the best part? Compromising on things like whipped cream is what makes this pumpkin pie a true example of marrying tastes–marrying what Tom loves (traditional whipped cream on your pumpkin pie) and marrying what I love (low-sugar and diabetic-friendly) and creating a new recipe that we both adore.

Here’s to making many more culinary compromises…all in the name of love.

xoxo,

alaina

I married a very patient and understanding man.

You may be wondering why I mention this, so let me give you some recent context…

Characters:

• Tom, loving husband who is half-asleep
• Alaina, constantly-moving wife who is wide awake

Scene:

It is 11PM on a weekday night–about five minutes after the couple has said “goodnight” and turned off all the lights. The room is dark, quiet, and still.

• Alaina: Babe, I can’t sleep.
• Tom: Mmphh?
• Alaina: Seriously, I’m wide awake.
• Tom: Mmmmph
• Alaina: Like WIDE awake.
• Tom: [Suddenly more verbal] The sky’s asleep so you should be asleep.
• Alaina: [Laughs at clever Frozen reference] Fiiiiine.

{Five more minutes pass, wife continues to toss and turn, mind wandering}

• Alaina: [Without warning, jumps and startles herself and sleeping husband and jumps on him like Anna jumps on Elsa in the movie Frozen] TOM, I HAVE AN IDEA!!!
• Tom: [Completely startled, looks somewhat afraid] What? What is it?!
• Alaina: I COULD MAKE HOTDISH WITH BROCCOLI SLAW INSTEAD OF PASTA!!!
• Tom: Huh?
• Alaina: Oh my gosh. Tom. Imagine. I could take the slaw and add onions and peppers and tomato sauce and BABE I COULD USE GROUND BEEF IF YOU WANTED!!
• Tom: Sure, babe. Sounds great.
• Alaina: Oh my goodness. I’m so excited!

{Wife is quiet for a few more minutes…husband thinks he may actually finally get to go to sleep}

• Alaina: [Again, abruptly] CELERY!!!!!!!
• Tom: What?!
• Alaina: I forgot I should add celery! My grandma’s recipe always had celery! Ooh! Ooh! And I should add red pepper flakes.
• Tom: Ah.
• Alaina: I’ll go to bed now. DANG THIS SOUNDS DELICIOUS IN MY HEAD. I’m going to dream about what I would call it!
• Tom: Can’t wait, babe. I love you. Goodnight.
• Alaina: [At much too loud a decibel for 11:30PM] Whoa! It’s late! We have to go to sleep!!! Goodnight!

{Husband, a saintly man,  says nothing… although he was definitely thinking that it was late and we needed to go to bed for the entirety of the exchange}

So, I know the above exchange may portray me as a crazy person, but here’s the deal. I get really excited about food. And I get even more excited when I think of a recipe that I can create that Tom will love and that I will feel good about eating.

Now, to back up, I did not just have a hotdish epiphany out of the blue. As the weather has been turning cooler, my mind and tastebuds and have been wondering towards oven meals and comforting dishes that warm you from the inside out. And there is nothing more comforting (or Minnesotan) than the hotdish.

To pause for a second, if you’re wondering what a hotdish is…you’re most likely not from Minnesota.

Here are some examples of tried and true Minnesota hotdishes–usually including a heavy starch base (pasta/rice/tater tots), a condensed soup sauce, some meat (usually ground beef), and some veggies thrown in so we can call it “healthy” when we serve it to our families:

Now here’s the deal–you don’t mess with Minnesotans and our hotdish. Every tried and true Minnesotan family has an old family recipe that’s simply called “hotdish” and there is no descriptor necessary. Grandma makes it for the entire crew when everyone’s together (since these dishes can feed a crowd–it’s just part of their magic), and it’s something everyone loves. Why? Because it’s carbs, meat, and sauce. There is literally nothing that would not taste good made of these things.

Growing up, my family’s version of “hotdish” was of the spaghetti-based variety. Being that Tom’s favorite food is spaghetti, I knew there had to be a way to transform this traditional hotdish that consists of spaghetti, condensed tomato soup, ketchup, and breadcrumbs into something that delivered upon the same comforting flavors in a healthier manner.

So…where’s the compromise?

Here’s our answer:

• Swapping carbohydrate-heavy spaghetti for broccoli slaw
  • One of my favorite spaghetti substitutes–and it’s easier than spaghetti squash to make!
• Maintaining the rich, creamy tomato flavors by using real tomatoes and greek yogurt married with some traditional Italian spices 
• Enhancing the nutrient-density (and texture!) of the dish by adding lots of onion, garlic, bell peppers, & celery
• Utilizing ground turkey instead of ground beef (because you can’t tell the difference)
• Adding shredded parmesan/mozzarella cheese because cheese is delicious
• …and using home-seasoned breadcrumbs to cut back on the sodium-levels (and up the flavor!)

 

| Hot (Diggity-Dang) Dish |

Serves: 6 Tom’s or 8 Alaina’s

Ingredients Needed:

For the sauce:

• 2, 15 oz. cans tomato sauce
  • I use Market Pantry, but for whatever brand you choose check the back. It should be JUST tomato puree, water, and some seasonings. No sugar, no oil, no words you can’t pronounce!

• 1  15 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
• 2 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp. oregano
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup plain 0% greek yogurt

For the “pasta”:

• 2, 12 oz. packages broccoli slaw
  • I buy the Archer Farms or Trader Joe’s versions–but any ready-to-eat slaw will work! You find it in the produce section.

For the yummy fillings:

• 1 lb. ground turkey
  • You can use lean ground beef as well…but you honestly cannot tell the difference!
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • The flatter they are, the sweeter they are…try to find the flattest one you can!
• 2 tsp. minced garlic
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 3 bell peppers (any color), chopped
• 1 cup mozzarella/parmesan shredded cheese
  • I buy this combination pre-packaged (Market Pantry brand…are you surprised?), but if you can’t find it just use 60% shredded mozzarella and 40% shredded parmesan 

For the topping:

• 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
  • Like the tomato sauce, look for the packaged breadcrumbs with the fewest ingredients. Processed foods are often where sneaky sugars, salts, and oils hide–you don’t want this in your food! This is a big reason you season these yourself–you don’t need the other stuff that’s put in pre-seasoned breadcrumbs.
  • Just FYI, the cheapest I’ve found is Simply Balanced Plain Breadcrumbs–it’s Target’s organic house-brand. And yes, I did look at the price and ingredient deck of every single brand in the store. And yes, I know I’m a crazy person. 

• 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. onion powder
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1/4 tsp. salt

 

Directions:

First, make the sauce…

• Place the tomato sauce, drained diced tomatoes, and seasonings in a sauce pot and bring to a simmer on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally

• While that’s working to simmer, place your greek yogurt in a bowl
• Once simmering, remove the sauce from heat and take 1/2 cup of the sauce and stir into the greek yogurt to temper it

• Once combined, add yogurt/sauce mixture back into the sauce and whisk to combine

 

After setting your sauce aside, cook your slaw..

• Bring a large skillet to medium-high heat
• Add the slaw and 1/2 cup water

• Stir occasionally, essentially “stir frying” slaw for about five minutes
• After five minutes have passed, remove from heat and set aside

Next up, make the rest of the yummy filling…

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F
• In a dutch oven or other stovetop-to-oven dish, brown your ground turkey
  • Note: If you don’t have a dutch oven or stovetop-to-oven dish, simply brown this in a pan that can hold all the meat and veggies

• Once the turkey is almost fully cooked, add your onion, garlic, celery, and peppers and cook until all ingredients are softened (especially that celery!!)
  • Due to all the liquid from these veggies, you may need to drain or spoon out some liquid once everything is softened. Use your own discretion–but remember a little liquid won’t hurt!

Now you just have to put it all together!

• In your dutch oven that has all your fillings, stir in your cooked broccoli slaw, sauce that you previously made, and that delicious shredded cheese
  • Again, if you don’t have a dutch oven, simply combine all ingredients in an oven-safe dish

• While that sits, quickly make your seasoned breadcrumbs by combining all seasonings with your breadcrumbs in a bowl and mixing well

• Top your hotdish with the seasoned breadcrumbs
  • You may not use all of the breadcrumbs you seasoned–it’s okay! Depending on the surface area of the top of your dish, you may need slightly less. You want a thick enough layer to have a crust, but you don’t want so much that your topping won’t brown. 

• Place in oven and bake for 50 minutes
  • If after 50 minutes your breadcrumbs have not browned enough, you can broil your dish for 2-3 minutes on high.  This creates a nice crunchy crust. 

You did it! Now serve!

• Serve warm and top with parmesan cheese
  • Like I said in my earlier blog about spaghetti, we recommend Mama Francesca’s parmesan/asiago/romano mix. It’s so flavorful and delicious!

• If you desire, serve with a green salad or other veggie. That being said, you have so many in the dish…you really don’t need to!

So that’s all, folks. It’s that easy to make a healthy, hearty hotdish that’s good enough to serve to even the pickiest native Minnesotan hotdish-lover. Beyond being scrumptious to the eyes (it’s so colorful!), this dish is packed with delicious flavors from the copious amount of veggies and seasonings it contains. And you even get to maintain the classic crunchy breadcrumb topping from traditional hotdishes–it’s just a bit healthier and easier to (literally) swallow when you don’t pair it with pounds of pasta.

And like all truly good hotdishes, this meal is a crowd-pleaser that even your pickiest seven year-old niece or ninety year-old great uncle will love. Why? Because it tastes like  spaghetti and meatballs. And everyone loves spaghetti and meatballs.

So as the holidays approach, neverfear! Take a lesson from Minnesota and serve this classic, simple hotdish at your next family gathering. Everyone will love its robust flavors and comfort-food flair…and you’ll love how good it feels to be feeding your family hearty food that’s truly good for them.

I think you’ll be surprised just how much your family loves this dish. I know I was surprised how much Tom loved it. He went back for seconds…and thirds. He just couldn’t get enough.

In fact, Tom loved it so much I wouldn’t be surprised that if next time we’re thinking of what to make for dinner, he breaks out into song a la Frozen’s “Do You Want to Build a Snowman“…

I can hear it now: “Do you want to make a hotdishhhh?!”

Here’s to making many more culinary compromises…all in the name of love.

xoxo,

alaina

 

 

I had been dating Tom for over six months before I learned something very important about my now-husband: the man loves to dance.

Being that I grew up as a competitive dancer from the age of three, I was so excited that my then-boyfriend would be my partner on the dance floor for life. There’s only one problem–Tom needs one of three things to get out on the dance floor and shake his made-for-dancing hips:

• His best friends (usually at one of their weddings)
• His brother (so they can dance while their mom isn’t looking)
• The security of his own home…and his speakers bumping his latest favorite dance tune
  • For reference, I’ve been hearing a lot of a club-mix of the latest Selena Gomez track lately

Since I’ve learned of Tom and I sharing this common passion of loving to dance, I have definitely taken advantage of it. In the mornings when I can tear myself away from watching the channel 4 news (it’s hard…I love that darn weather watcher!), it’s fun to get ready for the day dancing with my husband to some dance tune. In the evenings, our dance routines pair nicely with making dinner or doing the dishes.

{Note: For reference, Adele’s new single “Hello” can actually make for great cooking music. Just be careful if you turn it into an expressive interpretive dance that you don’t hit a limb on the refrigerator…we may have learned this the hard way…}

Anyways, after getting into a baking mood last week (and it’s FALL…so I’m basically in a baking mood 24/7), I started wondering if I could make a dessert that would be SO GOOD that it would actually give Tom another reason dance…while also being something that was pre-diabetic friendly.

Since I love brownies (I don’t like cake very much, but I love brownies—how weird is that?), I decided that this would be the item that I would try to make dance-worthy. But in my pinteresting and pondering, I realized that every “healthy” version of a brownie that I had even seen or tasted included one (or many) or the following:

• Black beans
• Prunes
• Coconut oil
• Nut flours
• Avocado
• A LOT of honey, maple syrup, or agave

Now here’s the deal, these brownie versions are often pretty good, but I rarely have the ingredients I need on-hand to make them. And while they say that they’re “diabetic-friendly” and it is true that using honey or maple syrup are good lower-glycemic options, they typically call for a CUP of these sweeteners…which equates to 279 grams of sugar in honey, 148 grams of sugar in agave, 214 grams of sugar in maple syrup.

Ummm…WHAT?!!

While I totally appreciate the effort here, these recipes sort of end up making me feel like calling them “diabetic-friendly”  or “healthy” is a bit of false advertising. And, on top of it all, they never really taste like those delicious, fudgy brownies that you are craving. They tend to be a bit denser, have a gritty/off texture, or even sometimes don’t ever really seem to bake-through.

So…where’s the compromise?

Here’s our answer:

• Keeping the ingredients as simple and as pantry-friendly as possible
• Utilizing mashed bananas as the sweetener to keep the sugar levels down
• Upping the intensity of chocolatey-goodness by using a lot of unsweetened cocoa powder
• Keeping just a little flour and baking soda in the mix keep the texture right
• …and, most importantly, not being afraid to use butter–because, you know what? A little bit of fat isn’t going to kill you (and it adds some salt!)

| Dancing Brownies |

Serves: 9 Tom’s or 12 Alaina’s

Ingredients Needed:

• 4 ripe bananas, mashed
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 tbsp. vanilla
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda

Optional Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

First, prep your oven and pan…

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F
• Using two pieces of parchment paper, line an 8×8 baking pan as seen below

Next, mix your wet ingredients…

• In a large mixing bowl (or stand-mixer bowl if you have it) break your RIPE bananas into pieces and mash them well using a fork or small potato masher
  • Note #1: You want RIPE bananas. They’re sweeter!
  • Note #2: This small masher is in my top 5 favorite kitchen tools. Get one. Watch your life be changed. 

• After your bananas are mashed, add your melted butter, egg, and vanilla and mix using a mixer (or a whisk) until combined

Now you need to mix and add your dry ingredients…

• In a separate bowl, add your flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda and whisk to combine

Now combine your wet and dry mixtures…

• Gradually stir your dry mixture into your wet mixture and combine well using a mixer or spoon

Next, we have an optional (yet delicious) step…

• If desired, stir in chocolate chips or nuts

All that’s left now is to get this baby in the oven!

• Carefully pour your mix into your pan (ensuring to scrape out any bits that stuck to the bowl–you want every delicious bit of this mix to be baked!)
• Bake for 25 minutes

Now…when you remove from the oven…

• Let the brownies stand for 10 minutes

• Then, carefully holding all four pieces of parchment paper, lift brownies out of pan and onto cooling rack

• At this point, you could let it stand for an hour to cool before covering lightly with plastic wrap…or if you have no self-control you could eat them
  • Pssst…I recommend the second option!

Now, here’s the deal. I know I’m biased because I made these brownies, but I honestly think they’re some of the best brownies I’ve ever had. There’s a slight hint of banana to them, but not enough that I’d be able to pluck out that flavor without already knowing there were bananas in them.

These brownies are the epitome of what brownies should be: a delectable, rich, gooey, fudgy, melt-in-your-mouth chocolatey experience. And the best part? One brownie (that’s good-sized, mind you–whoever said an 8×8 brownie pan makes 16 brownies is seriously disturbed) has only 13 carbs and 5 sugars–almost ALL of which come from the bananas. And if you add the chocolate chips, it only adds 4 carbs and 4 sugars (which, in my opinion, is TOTALLY worth it).

Now, as I said earlier, my challenge this week was to give Tom another reason to dance. And since a picture is worth a thousand words, I’ll let you decide if these brownies made my amazing, dessert-loving husband swing his hips in celebration:

And well, like Shakira, the man’s hips don’t lie…

Here’s to making many more culinary compromises…all in the name of love.

xoxo,

alaina

Although I haven’t shown much of it here, I love to bake.

To me, nothing beats whipping up a batch of chocolate-chip cookies or a basic bundt cake and having the entire house be filled with aromas that just envelop you with warmth and comfort. I love how baked goods bring people together and how they can almost always bring a smile to someone’s face (especially my husband’s face…the man loves his cookies).

In fact, I love to bake a bit too much. When I (I mean we…whoops) got a kitchen-aid mixer for our wedding I about died. It was the ONE item I wanted more than anything…specifically so I could bake even more.

{Confession: I gained five pounds the month after we got married because I was baking (and eating what I baked) constantly. It was a magical, butter-filled time of my life.}

When fall comes around, I swear my baking instinct goes into overdrive. Pumpkin this! Maple that! I want to make it all.

One problemo: While I love to bake and I looooooove the flavors of the season (Pumpkin! Cinnamon! Ginger! Allspice! CARDAMOM!!!!!), pumpkin-spiced things tend to lend themselves to overly-sugared items that a pre-diabetic shouldn’t really be eating that much of. Pumpkin spice lattes, oreos, donuts, waffles, yogurts, you name it–I’d be willing to put money on it that it isn’t low in sugar.

And while I will most definitely bake a few loaves of pumpkin bread and some pumpkin chocolate-chip cookies before the snow flies, this week I was on the hunt for something pumpkin-spiced that wasn’t a dessert that Tom and I could enjoy as a meal.

Enter: The Sorensen Meatloaf

Now I know what you’re thinking, “Meatloaf? Really? A loaf of meat? No thank you” But here’s the deal–meatloaf is the most forgiving, versatile, perfect-for-fall dish you can imagine. Growing up, my mom took her mom’s recipe and tweaked it to make it diabetic-friendly so my dad could eat it. She swapped in oatmeal, used a lower-fat ground beef, and added a lot of cayenne and chili flakes–making it a delicious (and spicy) meal that we had at least once a week.

And this week, I decided that it was time for the third generation to give it a twist–a twist that would turn this simple dish into something even more nutrient-dense that would be bursting with fall-flavor.

And Thomas? He was more than on-board. He’s been begging for us to use more ground beef, and I’ve been struggling to find a way to incorporate it. I’m a die-hard believer that “turkey is better” in just about everything that calls for ground meat.

So…where’s the compromise?

Here’s our answer:

• Use uber-lean ground beef…but ensure we add in delicious cheddar cheese to balance out the fat in the dish
• Maintain my mom’s trick of swapping oats for breadcrumbs to keep the carbohydrates down
• Increase the nutrient-density of the dish by adding the harvest trifecta of apples, carrots, and onions
• Utilize all of the spices fall has to offer–including cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and cardamom
• Top with a maple glaze to seal in the moisture of the loaf and add a savory-sweet tang into every bite

| Harvest Meatloaf with Maple Glaze |

Serves: 4 Tom’s or 5 Alaina’s

Ingredients Needed:

For the Loaf:

• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup skim milk
• 2 tsp. pure maple syrup
  • Yes, pure–you want maple syrup…not corn syrup! It’s better option for blood sugar-issue friends as well
• 2/3 cup yellow onion, finely diced
• 2/3 cup carrots, finely shredded
  • I use my food processor for this, but you can also buy shredded carrots and just chop them up a bit!
• 1 medium to large apple, finely diced
  • As always, I recommend a crisp apple like SweeTango or Honeycrisp
• 1 lb lean ground beef
  • I used 93%, but you can of course use any type of ground beef 
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
  • I buy the pre-shredded cheddar cheese in the bag–it’s easier than shredding it myself…but you totally can!
• 1/2 cup quick cook oats
• 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom
  • If you don’t have cardamom on hand, you can sub in more cinnamon instead–but cardamom is delicious!
• 1/4 tsp. salt
  • This is on the more conservative end–don’t be afraid to add more salt when serving!

For the Glaze:

• 5 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 5 tbsp. pure maple syrup
• 2-3 dashes of cinnamon

Directions:

First, prepare your pan and oven…

• Using non-stick foil, line a rimmed cookie sheet with foil
• Preheat your over to 350 degrees F

Next, mix together your loaf…

• In a large bowl, whisk together your egg, milk, and maple syrup
• Add in your apple, carrots, and onion and stir to coat

• Crumble in your ground beef in small pieces
  • This makes it easier to combine…trust me!

• Dump in your cheese, oats, spices, and salt
• Using your hands, combine well
  • You really want your spices to be mixed throughout–this step is key!

That was easy! Now you just have to make your glaze…

• In a small saucepan, add your vinegar, syrup, and cinnamon

• Bring to a boil, whisking constantly
• Once boiling, reduce the heat and continue to whisk until all maple syrup has dissolved and your glaze is slightly thickened (about 1-2 minutes)
  • Note: It will not get very thick–you really just want it to be a nice, dark caramel color with all of your ingredients dissolved
• Once complete, remove from heat and pour into a small bowl

You’re basically done–now you just need to get this loaf in the oven…

• Take your mixture from the bowl and dump onto your foil-lined cookie sheet
• Form meat into a flat oval–trying to ensure that it is the same thickness throughout the loaf
  • This may seem odd–but avoiding putting this in a loaf pan means that any grease that presents itself can drip away from the loaf…not get soaked into it! (note: this tip brought to you by mama ramsburg)

• Using a basting brush, liberally brush the loaf with the maple glaze

• Place loaf in the oven and cook for 1 hr and 20 minutes–ensuring you brush the loaf with the glaze every twenty minutes
• Once the hour and twenty minutes have passed, brush the glaze on the loaf one final time and bake for a final five minutes
  • For those counting at home, this means you will brush the loaf a total of four times: 20 minutes, 40 minutes, 60 minutes, & 80 minutes
  • Also for those at home, this means the loaf will bake for a total of 1 hour and 25 minutes 

Now get that loaf on a plate!

• Immediately after removing from the oven, use a spatula to remove the loaf from the pan and place on a plate
  • By doing so, you are removing the loaf from any grease/leftover glaze that has leaked away from the loaf during baking. Huzzah!

• Now serve!
  • I recommend serving with the chicken salad (minus the chicken!) from my post from a few weeks back…it complements this dish beautifully!

When you remove this harvest loaf from the oven, it’s an amazing moment. The savory-sweet smell that will fill your kitchen is a crazy combination reminiscent of both apple cider and a delicious roast. It’s truly the epitome of fall flavors coming to life.

When you serve this dish, be prepared for a robust first bite. The sweetness of the apples, onions, and carrots is what hits you first–followed by the savory sensations of the deliciously-spiced beef. And just as this meatloaf makes you completely rethink your earlier doubts regarding if meatloaf can be good, it hits you–the tangy/sweet sensation of that maple glaze.

This harvest loaf is a crazy mix–but it’s absolutely delectable. Tom went back for seconds…and thirds...and I don’t think he even realized the pure amount of vegetables and fruit he was getting with every serving. On the flip side, I was beyond surprised how much I could enjoy eating ground beef–it really makes the dish, and I don’t think that ground turkey would have had the depth of flavor needed to make this dish what it is.

In all, I took a gamble this week by trying to make yet another food item pumpkin-spiced…but I think it paid off. Unlike the pumpkin-spice items being advertised in every aisle, commercial, and newspaper this time of year–this is one that is low in sugar and something you can feel good about eating.

And the best part? My husband was thrilled. He’s been craving ground beef and we found a way to marry our tastes in creative way that left us both satisfied.

{…but that being said…I really could go for a pumpkin chocolate-chip cookie….and that mixer hasn’t been used in over a week…and what’s  delicious dinner without a delectable dessert?…hmmm…}

Here’s to making many more culinary compromises (and maybe some cookies)–all in the name of love.

xoxo,

alaina

 

To me, all food is comfort food…or at least cooking all food is comforting.

The aromas, sizzles, and steady rhythmic motions of chopping and whisking calm my heart and soul. The kitchen is where my stresses and fears melt away and my hands and senses take control. Recipes are simply suggestions and my taste buds and mood determine the amount of cinnamon or cayenne that will end up in my dish.

Cooking with others is fun as well…but in a different way. As a textbook extrovert, I oddly love being in the kitchen by myself–experimenting, guessing, and always imagining what those I’m cooking for would love to taste and eat.

{Note: The only thing I don’t love is doing dishes–which is why I’m so thankful and blessed that I married a man who’s okay with our split of the kitchen duties–that could have been ugly. Phew!}

As I’ve said before, I wholeheartedly see cooking as an act of love. And for me, trying to take classic, traditional dishes that my husband loves and making them something we can both enjoy is a prime example of that.

In fact, I think I would say that cooking people food that they love in a way that’s good for them is my specific “cooking love language”

{Note: I know there is no such thing as cooking love languages…but “Love Languages” are my favorite so I’m making this a thing. Just roll with it…

If my cooking love language is “Makes people food they love in a way that’s good for them”…maybe others could be “Brings surprise desserts for coworkers” or “Makes freezer meals to deliver for people who need them” or “Hosts dinner parties for friends”?

Oh my. I love this. Now all I want to do is talk about cooking love languages. I have issues. Anybody else?}

Anyways…before I got all excited about love languages, my point was that cooking is an act of love. And there is no man that I love more than my amazing husband…although cooking food for him that he loves in a way that’s good for him is an on-going challenge.

Why? Because Tom (like most people) doesn’t see all food as comfort food. He sees comfort food as laden with creamy, potato-y, pasta-y, cheesy goodness. And comfort food can be pretty darn difficult to make low in sugar and carbohydrates.

In fact, there is one food that (up until now) I couldn’t figure out how to make pre-diabetic-friendly no matter how hard I tried: the ever-elusive chicken pot pie.

Now here’s the deal–Tom loves chicken pot pie. We literally cannot go to Costco without the man longingly looking at the pre-made ginormous chicken pot pies and giving me puppy-dog eyes that are just begging for us to buy this item that weighs as much as an small child.

Now because I love the man, we have bought this monstrosity before and had it for dinner. Tom literally eats half of it and he’s in heaven for those twenty minutes during our meal while he’s eating…but an hour later he’s insanely thirsty due to all the sodium he just ingested and basically comatose because of the carbohydrate crash.

And this is not just the case with the Costco version–in fact, the Costco version is arguably better for you since they make the pie-crust in-house. The real problem with the versions of chicken pot pie that I’ve tried to buy or make is that they all include (usually canned) filling that’s full of sodium and some-sort of pre-made dough that has ingredient labels ladened with preservatives and ingredients that I couldn’t pronounce if I tried:

So, with the cards stacked against me, it’s no surprise I’ve struggled trying to make an updated version of this dish. To put it simply, my “cooking love language” saw this dish as the ultimate challenge.

So…where’s the compromise?

Here’s our answer:

• Ditching all things from a can and making surprisingly-simple from-scratch condensed cream of chicken soup
• Using rotisserie chicken to cut-down on the cooking time
• Upping the veggie-content by including celery, onion, peas, green beans, carrots, and corn…and leaving out the potatoes
• Making homemade four-ingredient/protein-packed/beyond-simple cheddar jack biscuits to top your hot-pie/pot-dish

| Chicken Hot-Pie/Chicken Pot-Dish|

Serves: 6 Tom’s or 8 Alaina’s

Ingredients Needed:

For the Condensed Soup:

• 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
  • Broth is fine too if that’s all you have on-hand!
• 3/4 cup skim milk
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1/2 tsp. onion powder
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
  • Yes, you need the thyme. Yes, I know you may not have this in your cupboard. It makes it the dish. Trust me. 

For the Filling:

• 2 cups skim milk
• 3 cups rotisserie chicken, chopped
  • Remember–get it at Costco! It’s already pulled off the bone! 
• 2-12 oz. bags steam-in-the-bag frozen pea/corn/green bean/carrot mixed veggies
• 1 1/2 cups celery, chopped
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 2 tsp. minced garlic
• 1 tsp. olive oil

For the Biscuits:

• 3 cups self-rising flour
• 2 1/2 cups 0% greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup skim milk
• 3/4 cup cheddar jack cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup. all-purpose flour
  • This is for dusting your working surface and biscuit-cutter–not for going in the mixture!

Directions:

Before you do anything, make sure you have a big enough dish! This hot-pie/pot-dish is almost-all filling…so you need a big casserole dish. The one I use is  a 9 by 13 lasagna pan that’s almost 3 inches deep. If you don’t have this large of a dish…never fear! Just split the dish between two oven-safe dishes

First, prep your ingredients!

• Chop and pre-measure everything and separate into what you need for the condensed soup, the filling, and the biscuits. Set aside.
  • I know this sounds crazy…but if you do the prep work you will save yourself a LOT of grief. The recipe goes fast if you spend 15 minutes prepping! If you don’t….well, it doesn’t go fast (I may have learned this from experience…)
  • This also includes microwaving those steam-in-the-bag veggies–just pop them in one at a time as you’re chopping the rest of your veggies!

Next make your condensed soup

• In a large soup pot that can fit all of your filling ingredients, bring your chicken stock to a boil over medium-high heat
• While the stock is trying to boil, whisk together your flour and milk until the flour is dissolved (it’s okay if it gets a little frothy!)
• Once the stock is boiling, s-l-o-w-l-y pour you milk mixture into the stock–whisking constantly to avoid burning
• Once the milk is added, KEEP WHISKING and add in your seasoning
  • This is why you pre-measured your spices. You are so smart! You would have needed a third hand to measure spices while also whisking. It would been no bueno.
• Reduce heat to medium and bring the mixture back to a boil whilst NEVER STOPPING WHISKING for about three to four minutes or until thickened
  • I know your wrist is getting sore. Be strong. This is going to be delicious.
• Once thickened, stir in your chopped chicken and reduce heat to medium low
  • You did it! I am so proud of you! You JUST MADE CONDENSED CHICKEN SOUP!!! #winning

Now you get to turn that soup into filling…

• Stir your milk into your condensed soup
  • Ensure you are scraping the bottom as you stir so you don’t leave any delicious condensed chicken soup stuck to the bottom of the pot. You worked HARD for that soup!!
• Stir in your pea/corn/green bean/carrot mixture you steamed earlier
• While continuing to stir the filling occasionally, saute your celery, onion, and garlic in the olive oil on a neighboring burner

• Once the celery and onion have softened, add the mixture to your pot of filling
• Continue stirring occasionally–keeping the pot on medium-low heat

You’re almost done…now you get to make your biscuits!

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F
• Using the all-purpose flour, dust your working surface generously
  • Biscuits are super sticky–trust me on this
• In a medium mixing bowl, combine your self-rising flour, yogurt, milk, and cheese
  • DO NOT OVERMIX. I’m serious. Just stir it until it’s just mixed!

• Take your dough and roll it out to be about 1/2 inch think
• Using a floured glass or round cookie cutter, cut out your biscuits
  • You will need to re-flour your cutter every 2-3 biscuits
  • The dough should make about 15 biscuits–if you have more you can set aside and make some biscuits for later after your hot-pie/pot-dish has cooked!
  • PS–Have you been remembering to stir your filling mixture? 🙂

All that’s left is to put it all together!

• Leaving your biscuits where they are for minute (aka on the counter), carefully pour your warm filling mixture into you casserole dish
  • Remember, if you don’t have a dish big enough…it’s okay! Just split it between two oven-safe dishes!

• Once poured, line your biscuits (yes, raw biscuits. they will cook. I promise) onto your mixture in tight rows
  • I recommend brushing off any excess flour…I forgot to and that’s why mine look a bit flour-y! But hey…it still tastes delicious even if you forget! 
  • If you’re using a 9 by 13 pan, you should be able to fit three rows of five biscuits

• Place your hot-pie/pot-dish into the oven and set your timer for 15 minutes
  • Remember, all you’re doing is baking your biscuits–everything else is already cooked!
  • TIP: You may want to put a cookie sheet on the rack under your casserole dish…especially if you don’t have a very deep one. This mixture can get pretty bubbly–you don’t want to have to clean up any spillage! 

• After 15 minutes, check your biscuits. They will not turn golden brown –but check for done-ness by simply pressing down on a few of your biscuits. It should feel crisp and slightly hardened.

And that’s it! Now simply serve! 

• With the pure amount of veggies and protein in this dish AND the biscuits on top–I consider this dish a meal in and of itself. You can of course serve with another veggie or salad–but I promise it will fill you up all on it’s own!

WHOA. Take a second and bask in the glory of what you just did. You just made chicken pot pie completely from scratch. Nice work!

Now I’m telling you–this dish is good. It may be a better-for-you version of chicken pot pie…but while it does have a LOT less sugar, carbohydrates, and sodium it does NOT have any less flavor.

This dish is bursting with chicken flavor, tons and tons of crunchy veggies, and topped with cheesy biscuits that have an amazingly fluffy texture and perfectly crispy crust.

{And did I mention that the biscuits have only 15 carbohydrates and over 5 grams of protein each? HECK YES.}

I literally thought Tom was going to ask me to marry him all over again after I served him this dish. In fact, in all honesty I don’t know if I have ever made or will ever make again anything he loves more than this version of chicken pot pie.

The best part? This dish is comfort food at its finest. It warms your entire body and soul from the inside out…and you don’t feel gross after you eat it.

With this dish I got to use my “cooking love language” and make one of Tom’s favorite dishes in a way that we can feel good about eating together…and Tom knows the perfect way to show the girl with an actual love language of physical touch how much he appreciates me doing so: a great big hug.

Here’s to making many more culinary compromises–all in the name of love.

xoxo, alaina

In my first job out of college, I was paid to eat ice cream every day. For a little over two years, I tried every flavor, brand, and type of ice cream you could imagine–from Blue Bell to Ben & Jerry’s to Bomb Pops.

{Brief moment of pause to reflect on my life decisions…I moved on from a role where I got to eat ice cream as a part of my job. Every single day. For free. What in the world was I thinking?! Sigh. Moving on…}

In those two years, I learned a lot. Most relevant to this venue, I learned the following:

• All ice cream is good–some ice cream is just better than others
  • One exception: Chicago Brick ice cream is disgusting–it’s a neapolitan-like mix of vanilla ice cream, orange sherbet, and caramel ice cream.

 

• The higher the milkfat % and the lower the overrun the better (ie: more premium) the ice cream

 

• Market Pantry Ice Cream is the best ice cream you can buy for your money
  • Why? Because it’s actually ice cream…look at the fine print of your scround of name-brand ice cream in your freezer…I am willing to bet it might say it’s “frozen dairy dessert”

 

• You should avoid eating ice cream every day
  • To be fair, sometimes it would just be tasting a spoonful during a vendor meeting…but it still definitely adds up!

 

This last one was a biggy…but also really tough to avoid when you were surrounded by ice cream on a daily basis. I also regularly brought ice cream home…which meant that both Tom and I were eating this frozen, creamy, and delicious treat more than we probably should have been.

Now, I do have to admit…ice cream is one of our two main weaknesses. Tom and I will make exceptions and eat sugar-filled delicious items on two occasions:

• Homemade/good ice cream is involved and/or it is voted the “best ice cream” in a new city we’re visiting
• Homemade/good donuts are involved and/or it is voted the “best donut” in a new city we’re visiting

I wish I could say that beyond these occasions we don’t crave ice cream. But here’s the thing…despite having a different job and now being married, old habits die hard. We still want ice cream. All the time. Like every night.

But…that’s not really reality. Or healthy. Or even possible for me and my prediabetes.

So…where’s the compromise for satisfying our sweet tooth while keeping my blood sugar in-check?

Here’s our answer:

• Replacing the cold, creamy base of the old standard with frozen bananas
• Using just enough semi-sweet chocolate chips to satisfy your sweet-tooth
• Adding chopped peanuts to mimic the crunch you get from the inclusions in your favorite flavor

|  Banana Bites/Yummies* |

{*Note: We’re still agreeing on the name…I call them “Banana Bites”, Tom calls them “Banana Yummies”}

Serves: 3 Tom’s or 4 Alaina’s

Ingredients Needed:

• 2 bananas, sliced
• 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup salted cocktail peanuts

Directions:

First, prepare your ‘naners…

• Line an 8 by 8 metal baking pan with parchment paper
• Lay banana slices in rows across the entirety of the pan–being careful to avoid overlapping any slices
  • They should be touching each other–just avoid the overlap!
• Set aside

Then get your peanuts ready…

• In a small ziploc/other baggie, dump in your peanuts and seal the bag while removing as much air as possible
• Using a heavy non-breakable cup or can, pound the bag to crush your peanuts until they are finely chopped
  • I always use my metal travel mug for this–it works perfectly
  • Be careful not to over-crush–you don’t want peanut powder!
• Set aside

Next, get that chocolate melted…

• Melt your chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl ensuring that you stir halfway through the melting process to avoid burning
• Immediately after melting, use a spoon to evenly drizzle the chocolate over the bananas
  • This is where having the banana slices touching each other is helpful–you don’t waste any chocolate when drizzling!

Finally, add your nuts…

• Sprinkle the crushed peanuts evenly across your banana slices
• Once complete, slightly press the peanuts into the warm chocolate
  • This helps the nuts set into the chocolate when they freeze

Now throw ’em in the freezer!

• Place pan, uncovered, in the freezer for at least 3 hours before enjoying
  • You can leave them in there for up to 3 days–but no more than that! Then they turn into frozen ice chunks. Yuck.
• Once ready to eat, use a fork to loosen the bananas from the parchment paper and from the other banana slices
  • If you try to do this before it’s been at least 3 hours you’ll regret it–the chocolate will not have set to the bananas and will pop off into separate pieces. No bueno. 
• If you’re fancy, you can throw them on a plate…otherwise just eat from the pan!

{For reference, that’s what Tom and I do…we make a batch before dinner, patiently wait until 8 PM, and then break out the banana bites/yummies and watch an old episode of Food Network Star. We really live life on the edge…I know.}

So I know what you’re thinking: there is NO way this tastes like ice cream. But here’s the thing–the texture of frozen banana on your tongue is actually very similar to the mouth-feel of ice cream. Paired with the smoothness of the semi-sweet chocolate and the salty crunch of the peanuts…it gives you a crazy reminiscence of a big spoonful of your favorite ice cream flavor.

I’m not going to lie to you–you’re smart enough to know that this isn’t ice cream. But it is a heck of a lot easier than a lot of the other “fake” ice creams out there that you can make or buy–as well as a lot better for you. Even if you buy actual ice creams that are no-sugar added, made with non-cow’s milk, or say they’re “all natural”–they are still chock-full of sugar. There is a little bit of refined sugar in the chocolate chips used in this recipe, but the entire recipe only uses 1/4 cup of chocolate chips–which equates to the same amount of sugar (a little less than 30 grams) in one serving of ice cream.

These banana bites/yummies (we really need to agree on a name for these…) are something that Tom and I enjoy at least one to two times a week. They are a delectable treat, super easy, and crazy inexpensive.

Most importantly, these little slices of deliciousness fulfill our nightly craving for ice cream in a way that’s relatively healthy and low in refined sugar. It’s a habit we don’t feel guilty about…and one that pairs well with our love to cuddle on the couch at the end of a long day.

A sweet treat + a sweet man? Life just doesn’t get much better.

Here’s to making many more culinary compromises–all in the name of love.

xoxo, alaina

Let me pose a question for you: What’s in chicken salad?

Imagine it in your mind before you keep reading…

• What vegetables are included?
• What’s in the dressing?
• How do you serve it?

This may seem silly, but as I’ve posed this question to more and more people, I’ve found that everyone has a different idea on what should be included in this basic dish.

For example, look what pops up when you type “chicken salad” into Google…there’s no clear consensus on what it should look like:

As you can see, this traditional dish can take many forms. Salty, sweet, crunchy, creamy–you name it, there’s a version of chicken salad that embodies it. While this is typical of many traditional recipes, the point of contention arises when you ask someone what it should look like.

And as it turns out…our relationship was not immune to the lack of agreement on this issue.

{Pause for storytime}

…A few years back when Tom and I were dating, I told Tom that I was making chicken salad for dinner. He was pumped and I was so excited to make it for him since I’d been told multiple times by him and his family that it was one of his favorite foods. 

Tom showed up after work for dinner and I still remember his exact words–said in his oh-so-polite and tremendously sweet demeanor:

“This looks great, babe…but this isn’t chicken salad“

Ummm….what? I was baffled. Of course what I gave him was chicken salad. What was he thinking?!

This event began the great debate in our household: what is supposed to be in chicken salad?

Here were our thoughts:

• My idea: Chicken, Miracle Whip, & Celery
• Tom’s idea: Chicken, Pasta, Peas, Egg, Celery, Mustard, Miracle Whip, & Mayo

As you can see, the simple chicken salad I served Tom that evening left him with a lot to be desired compared to the more bountiful salad he was used to. And on my end, I argued that if there’s pasta in it, it’s pasta salad not chicken salad.

We’re both not typically stubborn people, but on the “chicken salad debate” we both weren’t budging. In the days following, I remember asking almost everyone I came in contact with about what they thought should be in traditional chicken salad

{I know, I know–I’m a riveting conversationalist–chicken salad is my hot topic}

At the time, I thought that my then-boyfriend was crazy to think that pasta was included in chicken salad…and he thought I was crazy to think there wasn’t.

Turns out, Tom and I weren’t alone in our disagreement over something so seemingly simple. As humans, we have an emotional tie with the food we ate growing up. It’s not just about the food–it’s about the memories and feelings that we associate with those meals. For both Tom and I, this basic traditional dish was a meal we were raised on…and one that we couldn’t imagine being served to our own family in any other way.

With such (surprisingly) strong beliefs held on both sides, compromising on chicken salad wasn’t as simple as swapping ingredients.

So…where’s the compromise?

Here’s our answer:

• Re-imagining the dish by removing the creamy dressing and replacing with an Asian-inspired vinaigrette
  • This dressing is based on my grandma’s dressing for her ramen salad–if you’ve ever had this type of salad and liked it, you’ll love this dish!
• Adding texture and body by adding chopped apples and sweet yellow onions–ingredients that we both love
• Elevating the nutrient-density by making the base of the dish tri-colored slaw–including carrots (Tom’s favorite), red cabbage, and green cabbage
• Keeping it simple by using pre-pulled rotisserie chicken

| The Johnson’s Chicken Salad |

Serves: 6 Tom’s or 8 Alaina’s

{Slightly embarrassing note: I know I said this dish serves 6-8…but Tom and I have been known to devour this salad between the two of us in two days…it’s that good}

Ingredients Needed:

For the salad:

• 2 packages tri-color coleslaw, pre-washed
• 2-3 heaping cups of rotisserie chicken, chopped
  • Get it at Costco. Watch your life be changed forever.
• 1 large sweet yellow onion, diced
• 3 medium apples, diced
  • Honeycrisp is our favorite here (what’s new)–but SweeTango or Fuji are delish as well!

For the dressing:

• 3/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
• 1/2 cup oil
  • Use olive oil if possible–but any oil will do
• 2 tbsp. sugar
  • You can substitute sweetener–and as a pre-diabetic I’m tempted–but you only end up using 75% of the dressing and the recipe makes eight servings…so just use the sugar. It’s (arguably) better for you than putting chemicals in your body!
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. black pepper

Directions: 

First make your salad…

• In a large bowl, dump in both packages of slaw
• Add chopped chicken, apples, and onion
• Toss ingredients together until they are mixed well
  • If ingredients look unbalanced–add a little more of whatever you like best! You can’t screw this dish up. 

Then make your dressing…

• In a dressing shaker or other jar/bottle with a lid, add all dressing ingredients
• Shake well

Then put it all together…

• Pour about 60-70% of the dressing on the salad; toss
• Taste–if well-combined and coated…you’re done! Otherwise, keep adding and tossing until the salad has the ratio of dressing to salad you like best
  • For reference, I usually use about 75% of the dressing

Then serve!

• This chicken salad is truly a one-dish meal–but feel free to serve it with a side to make it more substantial
  • We love having a slice of Swedish Orange Limpa on the side–the subtle sweet flavor of this bread pairs perfectly with the sweet tang of the dressing on the salad
  • If you don’t have limpa handy (I know most people don’t) any subtly sweet bread like a rye or beer bread also pairs well

 

This recipe is truly one of our newly-formed family’s favorites. It’s beyond simple, it tastes delicious, and it makes for amazing leftovers (and lunches!) for up to four days after.

All in all, what this dish has taught us is that there isn’t always an easy compromise when it comes to cooking…or to marriage. Sometimes it’s less about compromising and more about co-creating something entirely new for our little family of two.

So far, our married life has meant new foods, new traditions, and new ways of working. Marrying our tastes is not always easy–but it’s definitely worth it. 

Here’s to making many more culinary compromises–or, in this case, culinary creations–all in the name of love.

xoxo, alaina