Almond-Dipped Strawberries & Homemade Crunch Bars

One of my latest creations was one that I made for my family this past Easter... Almond-Dipped Strawberries and Homemade Candy Bars. Everyone knows how much I love almond flavoring (if not, see my Almond Cupcakes for Two), and seeing as chocolate gives me migraines (no joke), I wanted to try something a little different than the cliché chocolate-covered strawberries. Enter almond bark. 

I had seen strawberries dipped in orange-colored almond bark before to imitate carrots, and figured Easter would be the ideal time to try and give this recipe a go.

I will be honest and say that although this recipe seems simple enough (melt and dip, right?), it actually is quite an art to try and keep the almond bark from crystalizing/hardening and taking the consistency of a thick icing. After a few cubes, I finally realized the trick was to heat it over the stove (not the microwave), turning the heat on low and off every few seconds while stirring. Also, don't worry about adding the food coloring until you have the consistency that you want (also, to use 3x more yellow coloring than red).

Knowing these secret tips now would really help speed up this process in the future for an easy and simple treat. But not knowing this along the way lead to the creation of my homemade candy bars (again, chocolate-free for those who are intolerant like myself... I'm literally sparing myself the headache here). Instead of a nice melting mixture, I had a whole bowl full of thick icing-like almond bark. Now when life hands you lemons, you find a friend with some sugar and vodka and have a party. When life gives you goopy almond bark, you add crunchy cereal and make your own (non-chocolate) Crunch bars.

Obviously both recipes are loaded with sugary-goodness and by no means fall under my "healthy" eating recipes, but they are both wonderful treats for a special occasion or party. Enjoy!

ALMOND-DIPPED STRAWBERRIES & HOMEMADE CRUNCH BARS

Servings: Enough to feed a party of 20+ people!

Nutritional Information:

WW Points Plus: 0+ for the strawberries, other points depend on amount of almond bark used...

Ingredients:

• Almond bark cubes
• Food coloring
• Strawberries
• Corn Chex cereal

Directions:

Almond-Dipped Strawberries:

1. Wash strawberries and dry using paper towel to remove any excess water. Set aside.
2. In a small stovetop pan, heat a few cubes of almond bark for a few seconds on low, consistently stirring the mixture. DO NOT allow the mixture to get too hot or it will crystalize and become hard, giving chunks to the dip. To prevent this, turn off the heat after a few seconds of melting.
3. When mixture is the correct consistency, add food coloring (3x as much yellow than red).
4. Dip strawberries into almond bark and set on plate covered in wax paper.
5. Allow strawberries to cool in order for the coating to harden.
6. Enjoy!

Homemade Almond Crunch Bars:

1. In either a microwave or small stovetop pan, heat a few cubes of almond bark on low. Stir in coloring food coloring.
2. Gradually add in crumbled Corn Chex (or any other type of crispy cereal), stirring into the mixture.
3. Pour mixture into cookie cutter shapes on top of wax paper and let set in the refrigerator.
4. When cool, pop out the shapes from the cookie cutters.
5. Enjoy!

(Vegan-Friendly) Lentil Loaf

I'm sure you've all seen it, that commercial where the girl invites a guy over to her house for lunch and her mom prepares a nice meat and cheese tray for them to enjoy. The girl then says, "No, not good! He's a vegetarian!" and she and her mom quickly take to the internet to find some good vegetarian recipes (sadly, I couldn't find the commercial on the internet, so I've included Veganville with Justin Timberlake for your video link enjoyment instead). Now take the guy in the commercial and make him a vegan instead of a vegetarian. Obviously, your go-to dish is....? And pause. Crickets begin chirping. Ummmm... I don't have any tofu in the house, but fruits and veggies are vegan, right? Now what recipe do I have that I can I make using just those ingredients....? Hmmmm... let me look on the internet at my favorite cooking blog.

Have no fear, Cooking Cadenza is here! 

This recipe was inspired by my friend Daniel who joined my family for our Easter celebration this past Sunday. While my family's typical Easter brunch usually consists of vingadolge (Portuguese pickled pork), scrambled eggs, breakfast casserole (sausage, egg, cheese), and pastries, none of those foods are typically consumed by a vegan. So Daniel went ahead and sent me a recipe for lentil loaf, which when paired with veggies/fruits can make for a nice vegan dish. So next time you have a vegan joining you for dinner, you'll be prepared. Enjoy! 

(Vegan-Friendly) LENTIL LOAF

Servings: 6

Nutritional Information:

WW Points Plus: 5+ (not counting fruits/veggies), 7+ (fruits/veggies included)
Note: Nutritional value listed below is for 1/6 serving and includes all fruits/vegetables

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked lentils (about 1 c uncooked, with 3 cups water)
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1/2 c walnuts, chopped
• 24 Ritz crackers, crushed (about 1 cup)
• Bag of frozen vegetables
• Garlic salt, to taste
• 1 cup natural applesauce
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• Optional: 1/4 cup BBQ sauce, 1/4 cup oatmeal

Directions:

1. Cook lentils according to package directions. Be careful to not use too many lentils, as they will expand with the water (think quinoa/rice).
2. Preheat oven to 350° F.
3. Chop 1/2 onion and and set aside.
4. Crush about 24 crackers (or about 1 cup) and set aside.
5. When lentils are finished cooking, add in onion, walnuts, and crackers and stir.
6. Next, mix in the bag of frozen vegetables, applesauce, and ketchup, adding garlic salt to taste.
7. Pack mixture into a small baking pan and top with ketchup/barbeque sauce and sprinkle some oatmeal on top.
8. Bake for about 40 minutes and enjoy!

Zucchini Pasta Bowl

If you were to walk into Noodles & Co. and order something off their menu (unless it's the Kid's Menu), it will more than likely come as a huge portion loaded with calories, and therefore WW Points Plus (yeah, even the small bowls are loaded with calories... maybe it's because I always fall prey to their awesome Wisconsin Mac & Cheese). 

Or, you can save yourself some cash and make your own healthier pasta dish at home for around 400 calories. Win.

CREDIT

This dish is living proof that cooking is about 80% presentation (mind you 4 out of 5 statistics are made up on the spot... and 4 out of 5 dentists would recommend Colgate toothpaste). While I didn't really do anything "special" with this dish, presentation CAN change the way that someone perceives what they are eating. My family almost always used to make simple spaghetti, put beef in a pan, add sauce, top it over spaghetti, and put a veggie on the side of the plate. If you grew up in any American household that ate pasta, you know what I'm talking about (if not, look to your right).

But when you cook healthier spaghetti (Barilla Plus offers versions with a bit more protein from lentils, beans, etc), use no sugar-added sauce, substitute the meat for ground turkey, and add some veggies (and mix it all together in a bowl) you get a whole new ball game. The dinner magically becomes healthier for you and looks a bit more fancy in the process. Not only does what you're eating LOOK good, but it TASTES good, too!

ZUCCHINI PASTA BOWL

Servings: Depends on amount of pasta made (assume about 2 oz/person)... 1 bowl = 1 person

Nutritional Information:

WW Points Plus: 9+ per bowl 

(1 c cooked pasta, 1/2 cup sauce, 2 oz ground turkey, cup of zucchini, 2.5 TBSP Parmesan cheese)

Ingredients:

• Barilla Plus Spaghetti
• Light Ragu (No-Sugar Added) Pasta Sauce
• Lean Ground Turkey
• Zucchini (I used three)
• Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Boil water and cook pasta according to package directions.
2. Heat ground turkey on the stove until brown, adding sauce when cooked (I actually kept them separate for measuring purposes so I knew the portions of what I was eating).
3. Cut up zucchini and cook over the stove until tender.
4. Add 1 cup of pasta, 1/2 cup of sauce, about 2 oz of meat, and 1 cup of zucchini to a small bowl. Top with some Parmesan cheese and stir.
5. Done! As my piano teacher used to say, "easy as cake." Okay, not really... but did some one say cake? Hmmm... sounds like it's time for some Almond Cupcakes. Enjoy!

Sausage & Sauerkraut

Imma be honest with ya'll up front. This dish has ZERO nutrition. It's comprised of sodium, salt, sodium, and more salt. Oh, and some fat (not the kind that's good for you). That's it. So if you are trying to "lose weight" or cut down on those unhealthy things in your life/reduce your sodium intake, I suggest you try 80% of the other recipes on this blog. 

That being said, this is one of my family's favorites for its simplicity (um, hello TWO ingredients and a microwave) and taste. 

My best suggestion is to only have a few spoonfuls of sauerkraut to help cut down on salt intake (everything is good for you in moderation, and it's suggested that you can actually have about 2000-2500 mg a day, which is quite a bit) and to only take one serving size (2-3 oz) of meat. While that may seem small, this dish is packed with flavor... so I would suggest that you go ahead and pair it with some fresh veggies or another light dish like a salad (or be bold, and pair them with my Homemade Mashed Potatoes like I did). While I probably wouldn't suggest making this the night before a weigh-in or the day before meeting with a trainer, you shouldn't feel guilty for splurging every once and a while!

SAUSAGE & SAUERKRAUT

Servings: 3-5

Nutritional Information:

WW Points Plus: 5+ for 2 oz. serving of sausage, 0+ for sauerkraut

Ingredients:

• Polska Kielbasa sausage
• Can of sauerkraut

Directions:

1. Open can of sauerkraut and place into a small baking dish.
2. Cut Polska Kielbasa sausage into small 2 oz links (about 7 small chunks from the whole sausage) and add them to the dish.
3. Microwave for 5 minutes.
4. Voila! How easy was that?!

Homemade Mashed Potatoes

As a kid, I always requested that my mom make my mashed potatoes "extra lumpy." Ironically enough, that was exactly the same way they turned out this last time I made them, although on accident. Turns out I am quite the "cooking fool" when it comes to mashed potatoes. Such a simple recipe, but guess I still can't exactly handle them yet. While I may not have made them "correctly," I thought they tasted great (and the nutrition wasn't as "bad" as I would have thought... especially using skim milk/light margarine).

HOMEMADE MASHED POTATOES

Servings: No idea.

Nutritional Information:

WW Points Plus: 3+ for 1/2 cup, 4+ for 3/4 cup, 5+ for 1 cup

Ingredients:

• 3 Russet potatoes (about 900 g)
• 2/3 cup skim milk
• 2 TBSP light margarine

Directions:

1. Boil water in a large pan while beginning to peel the skin from the potatoes.
2. In a separate bowl, heat the butter/milk mixture until melted/slightly warmed.
3. Place potatoes in the water and allow them to cook until they are soft (at least 20 minutes).
4. This is the point when I wish we had a potato masher. But alas, we did not (that I could find).
5. Using a knife, cut the potatoes into smaller chunks.
6. Using a hand mixer, begin to blend the potatoes, adding in the butter/milk mixture.
7. Blend until creamy (or until desired... you may like yours extra lumpy like me).
8. Enjoy!

Broccoli Cheddar Quinoa Muffins

Alright, so this was actually supposed to turn out more like a casserole, until I realized that I forgot to buy broccoli to go in my Broccoli Cheddar Quinoa Muffins. When I realized that I had forgotten to include not only the main ingredient but the garnish to go with this dish, I decided to just go with what I had and try another variation of my Cheesy Quinoa Muffins. This was the result. They may not have looked as stunning as I thought they would, but they were actually pretty good. Kind of like a broccoli cheddar soup with some crunchy croutons and a bit more protein (we all know that quinoa is one of the best grains for protein). So all in all, I'd call these a success. Probably should've called them "Broccoli Cheddar Quinoa CUPS instead of "muffins," as they weren't exactly something you would hold and eat but let's not get all tied up in lingo here. These things were a tasty side, and that's all that really matters.

BROCCOLI CHEDDAR QUINOA MUFFINS/CUPS

Servings: 1-6

Nutritional Information:

WW Points Plus: 2+ for one muffin, 5+ for 2

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup uncooked quinoa (2/3 cup water)
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 1 packet Stevia (1/2 tsp real sugar)
• 1/2 c mozzarella
• 1 TBSP skim milk
• 1 TBSP mayonnaise
• 1/2 can of 98% Fat Free Broccoli Cheddar soup
• Additional: If you have a better memory than me and remember to buy this at the store, feel free to add a cup of real broccoli (or zucchini)!
• Also: I decided to experiment and top each tin with some Panko. I'm not sure how much I used and didn't exactly include this in the nutrition facts, but seeing as it was about a TBSP per cup, I don't think it would affect the outcome TOO much...

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Cook quinoa according to package directions (until thin, translucent texture).
3. Then add into the pan spices, sugar, milk, and mayonnaise and stir until coated.
4. Combine with 1/2 can of Broccoli Cheddar soup and stir until well blended.
5. Transfer mixture into small muffin tins and top with mozzarella (or whatever type you want) cheese and then some Panko.
6. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes or until cheese begins to melt/the mixture begins to form more of a muffin-like texture (you could even add Panko to the mix to help facilitate this).
7. Enjoy!

Italian Parmesan Chicken

Give it a go and tell me if you like it or not. My family LOVED it, I not so much (I am not one for zesty foods, and much more prefer my Parmesan Ranch Chicken... they are very similar recipes, though).

ITALIAN PARMESAN CHICKEN

Servings: About 4 (depends on amount of chicken)

Nutritional Information:

WW Points Plus: 1+/oz of chicken, about 1-2+ for spices (nutrition below was for 1/4 mixture)

 = about 6+

Ingredients:

• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 3 TBSP egg beaters (or one egg white... can also omit this and use water to help moisten the chicken)
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 cup Panko
• 1/2 packet Good Seasonings Zesty Italian mix
• 3/4 cup WW Italian blend cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F and coat a cooking pan with nonstick spray.
2. Note: I did not cut the chicken into strips as we had it frozen, although I would highly recommend that this dish be served in small pieces and not as a large chunk of meat, so slice chicken into small length-wise strips.
3. In a small bowl, combine Panko, garlic powder, Italian mix and some of the cheese.
4. Dip chicken into the egg and then coat in the spice mixture.
5. Place in the pan to bake for about 40-45 minutes at 350° F (if whole chicken, may need to lower cooking time/adjust for strips) or until center of meat is no longer pink.
6. Enjoy!

Blueberry Banana Pancakes

REVISED POST/RECIPE NOTES to make original post DELICIOUS!:

I tried this recipe a few months ago, and it was pretty bad. I vowed that I would try this recipe again, and when I made them again this morning, they were actually good. I didn't make too many revisions, but the small ones I did make made a BIG difference...

• Use 2 eggs, not 1. It makes the WW Points Value 4+, but they taste much better.
• Do NOT add protein powder.
• DO add a few sprinkles of Pumpkin Pie spice (or cinnamon) to taste.
• Spray pan with Pam nonstick spray and cook on LOW heat.

ORIGINAL POST: 
I have made this recipe once before, as it is actually the symbol for the Cooking Cadenza Chef. I did not add any protein powder that time, but I was lacking vanilla/almond extracts, so I tried to plump up the flavor of the mixture by adding cinnamon. Since I used WAY TOO MUCH cinnamon the last time I made these, I thought I would give them another go on this snowy, Sunday morning. I added not only the extracts to the original egg/pancake batter mixture, but also went ahead and threw in a scoop of vanilla protein powder to try and off-set the carbs. I'm not sure if the protein powder was what killed this recipe or not, but I've gotta say, these things did not taste nearly as good as I thought they would. I think I was anticipating something as phenomenally delicious as my Blueberries & Cream Oatmeal recipe.

I believe in creating not only healthy recipes, but DELICIOUS ones that are good for you. This one may have received high marks in its score for health value, but I'm going to be honest, I feel as though these ingredients are better kept separate. One scrambled egg, one banana, Greek yogurt/fresh fruit, and a protein shake on the side. Much better.

Perhaps it was the protein powder that did me in... I'm not quite sure. I would at least like to give this recipe another go in the future... again just egg/banana with some blueberries (you know, keeping things simple). We'll see. That being said, as much as I love bananas, I generally try and avoid them anyways for all their sugar. Sure, they are great for potassium and as my mother says, "no one ever got fat eating a banana," but for 70% of my daily sugar value (albeit natural) and for really being pretty carb-heavy (97% carb), I generally gravitate away from them and toward different potassium-infused, lower-sugar fruits/veggies instead. Honestly, I think they should only be enjoyed more as a treat before/after a long run for added energy and to prevent muscle cramps. Otherwise, they just aren't all that worth it for me.

So my verdict on these deliciously deceivingly good for you pancakes? Just break out the real box of Hungry Jack and have a side of scrambled egg, Greek yogurt, and fruit. You're taste buds will thank you later, I promise.

* Author's Note: I will try this recipe at least one time again in the future when I can play around with some of the ingredients... there has to be a way to get these things to taste good (after all, they do have basically an entire daily value of sugar in them)!

SEE REVISIONS ABOVE to make this recipe DELICIOUS... it is possible!

BLUEBERRY BANANA PANCAKES

Servings: Yields about 6 pancakes

Nutritional Information:

WW Points Plus: 2+ (using one egg), 4+ (using two eggs)

Note: Nutritional values below are for just the blueberry banana pancake mixture and do not include any blueberry yogurt topping or protein powder added to the batter. Nutritional values assume 2 eggs used in the mixture.

Ingredients:

• 2 large eggs
• 1 medium banana
• 1/2 c blueberries (approximately)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• Dash of pumpkin pie spice/cinnamon
• Optional: Vanilla protein powder, oatmeal, etc
• Toppings: yogurt, honey, fruit, whipped cream, syrup, etc

Directions:

1. Break two eggs into a bowl and gently whisk until they are lightly scrambled.
2. Next using a fork, mash a banana into the egg mixture until both ingredients have been thoroughly combined.
3. Add extracts and spices until all of the mixture has been coated as well as any additional ingredients.
4. Grease a pan with either a little bit of butter or non-stick spray before spooning some of the batter onto the griddle.
5. Allow sides to slightly brown before turning pancake over to cook both sides.
6. If you choose to add blueberries, place them on the pancake before flipping it inside the pan.
7. Remove pancakes and top with flavored yogurt, jelly, honey, whipped cream, fruit, or syrup (be creative!) and... enjoy!