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Marriage is all about compromise, isn’t it?
I asked my husband if he wanted pizza for dinner. That was a mistake. I had pictured a heavenly grilled veggie pizza, and began taking ingredients out of the frig. Mike’s response wasn’t what I had in mind.
“I’d like beef on my pizza. please.”
 Drick's Mexican Seasoning Hmmmmm. Unfortunately for me, ground beef was also in the refrigerator.
In the spirit of compromise, I caved and created this beefy Mexican pizza. Mike’s beef was sautéed with peppers, onions and Drick’s Mexican Seasoning, then the pizza dough was spread with a light Ranch dressing just for the fun of it.
You know what? Compromise isn’t such a bad thing. I guess that’s why we’ve been married for 29 years.
Happy cooking!
 Beefy Beef Mexican Pizza Beefy Beef Mexican Pizza
Serves 8
1 large pizza dough
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup peppers, chopped
3 tablespoons Drick’s Mexican Seasoning
⅓ cup light Ranch dressing
½ cup salsa
1 cup low fat Mexican Cheese
1. Preheat the oven to 450.
2. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat and add onion and peppers. Cook 5 minutes until softened, then add crumbled ground beef. Cook 5 – 8 minutes until beef is cooked through. Drain excess fat from the pan.
3. Spread Ranch salad dressing over pizza crust. Top with beef mixture, drizzle with salsa, and sprinkle with cheese.
4. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes, depending on how thick your crust is, until cheese melts and bubbles and dough is cooked through.
What’s good for me in this dish?
Grass-fed beef is a bit pricier, but grain-fed cows tend to have more fat. The fat in grain-fed beef isn’t as high in those heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids that we all want in our diet for their blood pressure lowering, heart attack reducing benefits. Not to mention the fact that grass fed beef doesn’t contain residues of antibiotics used to keep disease away.
Lean beef is also a terrific source of protein. Protein is a fundamental part of every cell in your body. We use it for growth and also to repair our organs, skin, hair, and nails. In addition, protein is involved in the building of our bones, muscles and blood. Pretty important stuff! Just 3 or 4 ounces can provide a person with half a day’s requirement of this macronutrient.
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 166
Total Fat: 7.70g
Cholesterol: 52mg
Sodium: 327mg
Total Carbs: 2.53g
Dietary Fiber: 0.28g
Sugars: 0.37g
Protein: 19.51g
Weight Watchers Points 4
Nutrition details obtained from whfoods.org, nutritiondata.com, about.com, and abouthomecooking.com.
 
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Who Says Creamy Salad Dressings Are Fattening!
I have a friend who eats her salads sans dressing. I watch her take bite after bite of fresh, crunchy lettuce and wish I could follow her example. After all, I’d save a few calories.
As much as it pains me to say, I have to have my salads and veggies dressed to the nines. A salad without some form of dressing or vinaigrette is just plain wrong. The creamier – the better!
Buttermilk is naturally low in fat and creamy in texture, so it seemed like the perfect match for the very ripe avocado sitting on the counter. While it’s true that avocados are higher in fat, the fat is a healthy fat, so I didn’t feel the least bit guilty when I chopped it into the blender.
After the addition of some spicy garlic, onions and a dash of Dijon mustard, my dressing was ready for the table and the colorfully sweet carrots waiting on my plate.
Happy cooking!
 Light and Creamy Avocado Buttermilk Salad Dressing Avocado Buttermilk Dressing
Serving Size 2 tablespoons/12 servings
1 small avocado
⅔ cup buttermilk
½ cup low fat 1 % milk
2 tablespoons onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Blend ingredients until smooth and chill for 30 minutes to blend flavors.
What’s good for me in this dish?
Avocado contains vitamin K, fiber, potassium, folate and vitamins B6 and C. Avocados contain a monounsaturated fat called oleic acid, that could lower cholesterol. The potassium in avocados help lower blood pressure. The folate promotes heart health.
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 66
Total Fat: 4.03g
Cholesterol: 1mg
Sodium: 17mg
Total Carbs: 2.71g
Dietary Fiber: 2.20g
Sugars: 1.06g
Protein: 1.20g
Weight Watchers Points 2
Nutrition details obtained from whfoods.org, nutritiondata.com, about.com, and abouthomecooking.com.
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Waste Food?
I just can’t do it. Nope. Can’t waste food. The tiniest scrap doesn’t escape my attention. After all, I can use it in a salad the next day, or in this case, a crunchy, creamy sandwich.
 Salmon Salad I over-estimated how much salmon we could chow down, and had plenty left for this heart healthy salmon sandwich.
I like the use of light Ranch dressing in place of light mayonnaise. Not because there was a big difference in calories, but the herby dressing jazzed up what would have been the same old salmon salad.
My advice? Don’t throw that food in the trash. Use your creativity and save a few pennies.
Happy cooking!
 Salmon Salad Sandwich Wild Alaskan Salmon Sandwiches
Serves 4
8 ounces wild Alaskan Salmon filets, cooked and shredded
¼ cup onion, finely chopped
¼ cup celery, finely chopped
1 small carrot , shredded
2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
4 tablespoons Light Ranch Dressing
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 ea Oroweat Sandwich Thins
Combine ingredients, excluding Orowheat Sandwich Thins in a bowl. Top each sandwich thin with 1/4 of the sandwich mixture and lettuce or spinach as desired.
Mother Rimmy’s cooking light tip . . . pump up the nutrition by shredding veggies like carrots or zucchini into your sandwich. You’ll love the crunch and you’ll get that extra serving of vegetables in for the day.
What’s good for me in this dish?
Salmon is loaded with tryptophan, vitamin D, omega 3 fatty acids, selenium, protein, vitamins B3 and B12, phosphorus, and magnesium. Salmon is another powerhouse of nutrition that promotes brain health, heart health and healthy blood pressure.
I prefer Wild Alaskan salmon. It’s a bit pricier, but farmed fish contains more inflammatory-producing omega-6 fatty acids, as well as antibiotics to eliminate disease and parasites. In contrast, wild salmon has more protein, fewer omega-6 fatty acids, and is considerably higher in omega-3 fatty acids. What a powerhouse of nutrition for heart health!
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 169
Total Fat: 8.75g
Cholesterol: 51mg
Sodium: 247mg
Total Carbs: 7.95g
Dietary Fiber: 10.79g
Sugars: 3.74g
Protein: 15.92g
Weight Watchers Points 3
Nutrition details obtained from whfoods.org, nutritiondata.com, about.com, and abouthomecooking.com.
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 Lauren and Kiery When I saw this recipe I immediately thought of my two favorite girls – Lauren and Kiery. Both are an inspiration when it comes to healthy eating and staying fit.
These young professional women, don’t have a lot of extra time on their hands, so the simplicity of this salad will fit perfectly into their busy schedules.
This recipe came with our weekly csa from the Maltby Produce Market. They credit bestapples.com, and the credit is well deserved.
I made a few modifications to lighten up the calories by reducing the oil by 1/2 tablespoon and using grape seed oil instead of vegetable oil.
Creamy kidney beans add the protein Lauren and Kiery need to get through the day, and apples and celery are fresh and filling. I really enjoyed this salad, I hope the girls do too!
 Crunchy Apple and Bean Salad Apples and Kidney Beans? Crunchy Apple and Bean Salad
1 can low sodium kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 medium apples, cored and chopped with skin
¼ cup green onion, finely chopped
¼ cup celery, finely chopped
¼ cup mild peppers, finely chopped
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon grape seed oil
1 pinch salt
Combine ingredients and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Servings: 4
Calories: 128, Total Fat: 3.67g, Cholesterol: –, Sodium: 243mg, Total Carbs: 21.33g, Dietary Fiber: 4.92g, Sugars: 9.82g, Protein: 3.82g, Weight Watchers Points 2
What’s good for me in this dish?
Beans and legumes are an excellent source of antioxidants, folic acid, potassium, dietary fiber and complex carbohydrates. Filling and a great source of protein. Folic acid is important for the formation of red blood cells. Potassium is important for our nervous system and promotes a healthy heart rhythm. Fiber is important for digestive health.
Nutrition details obtained from whfoods.org, nutritiondata.com, about.com, and abouthomecooking.com.
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It’s time for another recipe from Travelin’ Local!
Bothell, Washington has a cafe on Main Street, Alexa’s, that serves up the most amazing tomato basil soup. I’ve never asked the recipe – I don’t want to know. I’m sure it’s loaded with calories; thus the savory, Parmesan cheesy bite after bite of my favorite soup.
 Light Tomato Basil Soup My recipe is light in calories, but full of flavor thanks to farm fresh tomatoes and fresh, green basil. I was short on calories for the day, so I left out the sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, but if you can afford the calories, I would go for it. You can’t beat tomato basil soup topped with nutty Parm!
Happy cooking!
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Ha! I’ll bet you think I have a garden full of zucchini that I can’t get rid of. You would be sadly mistaken.
I live in Clearview, Washington, a suburb of Seattle - farm country to most Seattleites. Today Seattle is living up to it’s reputation for rain, and while we haven’t had a horribly rainy summer, it’s been cloudy and cold. Not the best for producing an abundance of luscious fruits and vegetables.
 Mother Rimmy's Dilapidated Vegetable Garden Keep in mind, I’m living in a new house, so I’m still learning the landscape. Other Seattleites could be having a different experience, but I’m not holding out hope. Reports from family and friends confirm my suspicions.
 Sauteed Zucchini and Leeks
 Zuccini Bake Ready for the Oven So, as I said in the title of this blog post, I don’t have zucchini coming out my ears, and that’s why I’m going to make the most of it. No zucchini bread, but zucchini baked in a savory spaghetti sauce with a crusty, cheesy topping.
Happy cooking!
 Zucchini Bake Italian Zucchini Bake
Servings: 4
2 medium zucchini, sliced on a diagonally 1/4″ thick
1 small leek, finely sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
⅔ cup sugar free spaghetti sauce
½ cup panko bread crumbs
¼ cup parsley
¼ cup low fat mozzarella cheese, shredded
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spray a large non-stick skillet with olive oil cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add leeks and garlic and saute for 3 – 4 minutes to soften. Add zucchini, pushing leeks to the outside of the pan so they don’t burn, and cook another 8 – 10 minutes to brown on each side and cook until crisp tender.
3. Spread 1/3 cup spaghetti sauce on the bottom of a small baking dish. Layer 1/2 of the zucchini and some of the leeks. Spread with remaining spaghetti sauce and leeks.
4. Combine panko, parsley and mozzarella cheese and spread over zucchini.
5. Bake for 20 – 30 minutes until bread crumbs brown and zucchini is tender when pierced with a fork.
 Mother Rimmy
Light and healthy cooking tip . . . If you have the funds, invest in a set of good non-stick pans. My brand of choice is Calphalon Unison. I saw them demonstrated at Williams-Sonoma and had to have a set. I can use very little added fat to saute foods to perfection, and cleanup is a breeze.
What’s good for me in this dish?
Zucchini squash is high in vitamin C, manganese and magnesium. Zucchini is helpful for prostate health. It’s also good for cardiovascular health.
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 121
Total Fat: 2.41g
Cholesterol: 3mg
Sodium: 348mg
Total Carbs: 19.80g
Dietary Fiber: 2.23g
Sugars: 5.05g
Protein: 5.71g
Weight Watchers Points 2
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“I need a treat!”
Some people crave sweet treats. Some people crave salty treats. I’m the salt craver in this household, so it’s not often that I make something sweet unless I hear my husband grumbling. This is when I break down and hit my stash of baking supplies and see what I can come up with.
This pie recipe adapted from Recipe Secrets was just the ticket. I had a pile of bananas and strawberries sitting on the counter, and a ready made graham cracker crust tucked away in the pantry.
 Pie Custard
 Pie Filling Needless to say, Mike was in sweet treat heaven when the pie was finally set and he could dig in.
 Banana Strawberry Cream Pie As for me? I’ll stick with chips and salsa. Happy cooking!
Banana and Strawberry Cream Pie
Serves 8
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups skim milk
3 egg whites
1 tsp. vanilla
1 9″ lite graham cracker crust, store purchased
2 bananas, sliced
1 cup blueberries
fat free whipped cream (optional)
1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat combine sugar, flour and salt.
2. Stir in 1 cup of milk, mix until smooth. Bring to a boil stirring constantly until smooth and thickened. Remove from heat.
3. In a bowl combine eggs and the remaining cup of milk.
4. Slowly add egg mixture to the slightly cooled milk mixture and blend.
5. Return saucepan to the heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly, lower heat and simmer until mixture thickens a bit more.
6. Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla.
7. While mixture is cooling, spread sliced bananas and strawberries to the bottom of the piecrust.
8. Pour mixture into the pie crust.
9. Cool completely and serve topped with fat free whipped topping.
What’s good for me in this dish?
Bananas are high in vitamins B6 and C. They also contain potassium and a signifant amount of fiber and manganese. The potassium and fiber in bananas promote heart health and good blood pressure.
Strawberries are off the charts in vitamin C, a powerful anti-oxidant. They also contain manganese and fiber. Strawberries protect against rheumatoid arthritis. Strawberries are a natural anti-inflammatory and cancer fighter, as well as supportive for good blood pressure.
Per serving: Calories 200, Protein 4.6g, Carbohydrates 42.5g, Fat 2.2g, Weight Watchers Points 4
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If you aren’t familiar with my background, then you’re probably wondering what qualifies me to tell you how you should cook your food.
Let me fill you in . . .
More than 15 years ago I lost 40 pounds. Learning to cook light and an active lifestyle has been the key to keeping most of that weight off over the years.
 Zesty Banana and Blueberry Muffins This Zesty Banana Muffin recipe I’ve adapted from Weight Watchers is a perfect example of cooking light. The muffins were my offering for an office brunch and were a hit with my coworkers.
These fruity muffins came out of the oven light and tender. Topped with just a touch of zesty lemon glaze, each bite was sweet and satisfying without making a huge dent in the calories I had left for the day.
See? You can bake light and the results will taste fantastic!
Happy baking!
 Zesty Lemon Glazed Banana and Blueberry Muffins Zesty Lemon Glazed Banana and Blueberry Muffins
1/2 cup(s) sugar
5 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg(s)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup(s) all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup(s) fat-free skim milk
3 large banana(s), ripe, mashed
1 cup blueberries
Icing
1 cup(s) powdered sugar
1 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest, strips, or more to taste
1 tsp vanilla extract
1. Preheat oven to 350ºF and line a muffin tin with 16 muffin liners sprayed with cooking spray.
2. Place sugar and butter in a large bowl and beat with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; beat until thoroughly mixed.
3. In another bowl, mix together flours, baking powder and baking soda. Then add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat well with the mixer. Add milk and remaining flour mixture and beat until batter is combined. Add banana and blueberries.
4. Spoon batter into muffin liners about 3/4 full, and bake until muffins start to brown and a tester inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes.
5. While muffins are baking, combine icing ingredients and beat until smooth.
6. Ice muffins when they have cooled.
What’s good for me in this dish?
Bananas are high in vitamins B6 and C. They also contain potassium and a significant amount of fiber and manganese. The potassium and fiber in bananas promote heart health and good blood pressure.
Berries in general are high in manganese, vitamin C and fiber. Berries are naturally high in phytonutrients called “tannins” that are considered to be responsible for antioxidant activity.
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 174
Total Fat: 4.19g
Cholesterol: 14mg
Sodium: 312mg
Total Carbs: 31.06g
Dietary Fiber: 1.80g
Sugars: 16.75g
Protein: 2.77g
Weight Watchers Points 3
Nutrition details obtained from whfoods.org, nutritiondata.com, about.com, and abouthomecooking.com.
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A quick to fix chili is perfect for dieters and busy families alike.
Stock your pantry with a few cans of chili beans so you can toss them in a pan with chopped veggies and leftover chicken. Simmer your spicy concoction on low for an hour while you get the kids started on their homework, pay the bills or fold a few loads of laundry. Sounds like fun, right?
 Love That Chipotle Chili After you’ve accomplished those evening chores, you’ll be ready to serve your hearty chili with a few baked tortilla chips, a dollop of sour cream, and a sprinkling of low fat shredded cheese.
That’s what I call a nutritious – stick to your ribs – meal.
Happy cooking!
 Chipotle Chili Hot! Love That Chipotle Chili!
Serves 6
32 ounces chili beans with sauce
4 cups pico de gallo
2 cups chicken breast, cooked and chopped
¼ cup tequila
1 small lime, juiced
1 pinch red pepper flakes
½ - 2 tsp chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, depending on the heat you prefer
Combine ingredients in a large pan and simmer on low for one hour.
What’s good for me in this dish?
Beans are an excellent source of antioxidants, folic acid, potassium, dietary fiber and complex carbohydrates. Filling and a great source of protein, beans are perfect for dieters. Folic acid is important for the formation of red blood cells. Potassium is important for our nervous system and promotes heart health and healthy blood pressure.
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 287
Total Fat: 2.02g
Cholesterol: 39mg
Sodium: 1488mg
Total Carbs: 17.19g
Dietary Fiber: 7.57g
Sugars: 13.27g
Protein: 21.81g
Weight Watchers Points 5
Nutrition details obtained from whfoods.org, nutritiondata.com, about.com, and abouthomecooking.com.
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What Will You Find Here? Nutrition information and Weight Watchers points for all my recipes. Life is challenging enough. You don't need to worry about calculating the nutrition information or Weight Watchers points for your meals. I do that for you.
Don't forget to check out my meals under 300, 400 and 500 calories. These meals will inspire you to cook at home and save a few hundred calories!
You can also find more of my recipes at http://travelinlocal.com under Recipes, and http://fitandfabliving.com under Expert Q&A.
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-- Henry David Thoreau
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