Skinny Snacks - Have Your Sweets and Eat Them Too!

I try to stave off my late afternoon sweet tooth by eating a late lunch.  But eventually I just need a something sweet no matter how late I had my soup and salad.  Rather than having a giant cookie or candy bar, I have a two-pronged approach to having my snack and eating it too! 

First, I always have a box of Teddy Grahams on my desk.  I have as many of them as I want - 24 pieces are only 130 calories with 35 coming from fat. I might have 12 pieces if I'm really hungry.  They satisfy my craving but so I don't feel totally bereft I mix in a little bit of chocolate.

Frans Chocolates

 

I usually buy a bar of high quality dark chocolate.  The flavors are so intense that one square is all I need.  But every so often someone will send chocolate as a gift.  Recently Camilla, a colleague from our Bevery Hills office, sent me Frans chocolates.  They are the perfect size and sprinkled with sea salt.  Between the two along with a cup of coffee (with Splenda) my snack attack is defeated. 

 

So, next time you want something sweet try combining low cal with a little bit of decadence!

 

Skinny Cautionary Tale?

Ready for my close-up?

 

At this time three weeks ago today, I was waking up in the recovery room at the Hospital for Special Surgery.  I had a very large tear in my right shoulder rotator cuff.  You have four tendons attached to your rotator cuff.  Pictures from the surgery showed that three of mine had torn completely away from the bone with just one hanging by a thread.  Dr. Lawrence Gulotta anchored the tendons back in place.  I also had a torn bicep tendon which he couldn't repair.  He told me that he's operated on Yankee team members who also had torn bicep tendons that couldn't be repaired and they're still playing.  So, hopefully I'll be back on the Yankee roster next year!  It's frustrating not being able to use my right arm.  I've even grown my hair back in (what's left of it) because I don't have the dexterity to shave my head.

 

I've had quite a summer.  I had my varicose veins fixed in May - three sessions of very painful shots.  At least they're healing nicely and I should have great gams soon!  In early June I was diagnosed with a herniated disc (L5 S1).  I had a series of steroid injections, accupuncture and physical therapy.  I am slowly getting better.  And the pain associated with the herniated disc far surpassed the pain in the shoulder.  However, I have been getting injections in my shoulder since 2010.  The shots worked like magic.  I instantly felt better (not so with the shots for the back).  But I think the combination of steroids and pain killer in the injections just masked the problem as it got worse.

 

Was too much exercise the culprit?

 

Besides reminding me that I'm getting old, a lot of people say my exercise regime may be to blame.  (And if one more person says I'm old they will pay the consequences!)  I'm torn (pun intended).  I have never felt better, and had a sense of accomplishment, when I finished taking boot camp, Pilates, yoga and spin. When I leave the West Side Y after a workout, I feel like a million bucks.

 

I have a long road of physical therapy ahead and I'll work with the therapist on setting up an exercise plan where I can stay in shape without enduring another health crisis.  Fortunately, my Skinny Gourmet Guy diet is keeping me trim.  I've actually lost 10 pounds since June (as I've posted before).  Admittedly, I don't have much of an appetite, but it's returning slowly but surely.  I'll post about my progess in the coming months.

 

Happier times - with my friend Hank Swank

on Fire Island last summer

 

 

Skinny Scallops!

Simple, delicious and skinny!

 

My gameplan to stay skinny while I'm recovering from my back injury is to keep everything low fat, to avoid carbs and make preparation quick and easy.   And by avoiding fat, I even mean to limit the "good" fats like olive oil. 

I dust the scallops in flour to help them brown on the grill

 

Extra virgin olive oil is good for you, but I have a few tablespoons on my salad at lunch (along with balsamic vinegar) so I'm already getting a good daily dosage.  The George Foreman Grill has a non-stick surface so I don't need oil on the grill when cooking scallops.  If you don't have a George Foreman Grill you can use a cooking spray like Pam.  The instructions on my grill says not to use Pam on this surface - but if you're using a regular frying pan Pam, spray away!  There's no calories or fat.

 

Food Network star Anne Burrell says when you flour food before grilling you should only do it for a few seconds before cooking.  Don't leave your scallops in the flour for longer than that.  It will cake up.  Grill the scallops until golden brown  - about 80 seconds on each side. When they're just about done, drizzle champagne vinegar over them.  I was out of champagne vinegar last night and substituted balsamic - it worked like a charm.

 

Served with grilled asparagus, grape tomatoes,

lemon and garlic - recipe to follow!

 

Scallops are low in fat and calories.  They make for a delicious star of your main course and are quick and easy to cook.  The asparagus, tomato and garlic side dish takes longer to cook.  Here are the nutritional facts on scallops:

 

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1unit 2 large or 5 small (30 g)

Per Serving % Daily Value*

Calories26

Calories from Fat 2

Total Fat 0.2g 0%

Saturated Fat 0.0g 0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.1g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.0g

Cholesterol 10mg 3%

Sodium 48mg 2%

Carbohydrates 0.7g 0%

Dietary Fiber 0.0g 0%
Sugars 0.0g

Protein 5.0g

Vitamin A 0% · Vitamin C 2%

Calcium 1% · Iron 0%

A delicious, easy to prepare and skinny dinner!

Ingredients

 

5 - 6 sea scallops per person

1/4 - 1/2 cup flour

2 tbspns champagne vinegar (or your favorite kind)

Lemons to taste

Herbs de Provence or parsley to garnish

 

Method

 

Pre-heat grill to medium/high heat

Dredge scallops through flour when about to cook, shake off excess

Cook until golden brown - about 80 seconds per side - but eyeball it

After you've flipped scallops drizzle with vinegar for the final 20 - 30 seconds

Close lid of grill

I cut a lemon in half and put on grill after transferring scallops to plate

Sprinkle with Herbs de Provence or chopped parsley

 

Serve and enjoy!

 

 

 

Skinny Nightmare: Sidelined by a Back Injury

I've lost 12 lbs since this picture was taken last summer

 

 

At the beginning of June, I started having intense pain going from my right lower back all the way down the leg to my foot.  I've had some bumps and bruises but nothing compares to this.  I went to a pain management doctor, had an MRI and found I have a herniated disc (L-5 S-1) that's impinging on my sciatic nerve.  Yes, boys and girls, I have sciatica.

 

Taking 11 classes a week on a regular basis for the past 8 years, I thought I was indestructible.  From "indestructible" I went to being unable to walk.  I was in intense, radiating pain 24/7.  I went several days without sleep because I literally could not find a position where the pain was relieved.  I couldn't even force food down and lost 12 pounds in a matter of weeks.  I've gone from my usual 150 lbs to 138 lbs (very light on a 5'10" frame).  Now, six weeks later and after a series of painful steriod injections, acupuncture and physical therapy, I am on the road to recovery.  But I am far from out of the woods and I am unable to do any rigorous exercise for the foreseeable future.

 

Healthy Choices

 

 

So, I will be posting how I maintain my weight without my usual punishing workout schedule.  I am ahead of the curveball having lost weight and become the "too skinny chef."  But as I get better my appetite will return.  My challenge will be to maintain my 150 lb weight while enjoying delicious food that won't pack on the pounds until I'm able to exercise again.  For now, walking is about it so keep checking back as I get creative with skinny recipes.  And please share your experiences with healthy choices while recovering from injuries.

 

Stay skinny!  

Skinny-Not Chicken with White Wine Mushroom Sauce

This was my Christmas dinner.  Not exactly skinny, but delicious!

 

Every so often you have to go off the diet.  You have to live a little, and I think throwing a dietary curveball to your system is a good thing.   I've heard if you eat the same diet foods all the time, your metabolism gets used to it and it becomes harder to lose weight.  This really isn't based on scientific fact, but it's a good enough reason for me to throw caution to the wind and chow down.

 

Start by grilling your chicken

 

I start by heating up my George Foreman Grill.  If you don't have a countertop grill you can use a cast iron skillet - a must for every serious home cook.  I set my grill to 400 degrees - it beeps when it's pre-heated.  If you're using a skillet, turn on medium high and let sit for at least 5 minutes.  Next, I dry the chicken with paper towels and then pat with oil.  You can use Canola oil or Extra Virgin Olive Oil. 

 

 

Multi-task if you dare

 

 

If you are super-focused you can start on the mushrooms while the chicken grills.  Otherwise, tend to the chicken first, set aside, and then saute the mushrooms.  I buy the mushrooms already sliced.  These are just plain old buttom mushrooms.  But you can use cremini, mini portabello - any one of your favorites, or you can get creative and combine a few different types.  I cooked them in an oven safe skillet as the pan will be transfered to roast to cook the inside of the chicken.  Grilling only cooks and browns the outside and leaves the center raw - not a good thing with chicken. 

Necessity is the mother of invention

 

As the mushrooms are just about finished browning, add the additional ingredients.  I had planned to use cherry or grape tomatoes, but found I was out of both when I started to cook.  I did, however, have sun dried tomatoes.  These turned out to add a wonderful depth of flavor to the sauce and I'll use them from now on when I cook this dish.  The last of the dry ingredients is chopped garlic cloves.  They burn very quickly so toss them in when the rest of the mixture is just about done.  Overcooked garlic tastes bitter and will ruin the dish.  Next I deglazed the pan with white wine.  As Ina Garten, aka the Barefoot Contessa, says - use a wine that you would drink.  Don't use cooking wine you find at the market.  

Ready for the oven

 

Here's the part where we enter a parallel universe and I  use the B word.  Butter.  Throw in a hardy tablespoon or two.  Leave the butter on the counter for the afternoon so it's nice and soft when you're ready to cook.  And add salt and pepper to taste.  Squeeze a half to a full lemon over the sauce.  Let the mixture cook down a bit. 

The finished product

 

Add the chicken to the sauce and place in a pre-heated 250 - 300 degree oven till finished.  I like to cook it low and slow so I don't have to worry about the chicken burning or coming out dry.  Cook it for about 30 minutes.  You know it's finished when the aroma of delicious chicken and wine start to waft through the house.  You can keep it warm in the oven at 200 degrees while you set the table or have a pre-dinner cocktail or glass of wine. 

 

While certainly not the usual Skinny fare, this holiday meal was delicious.  And still better than turkey with stuffing and gravy which contains more fat and tons of carbs.  I'm not waiting until Christmas to have it again!  It would be especially good on a snowy night like tonight.

 

Ingredients

 

1/2 chicken breast per person

1/2 - 1 full cup white wine suitable for drinking

1/2 package sliced white mushrooms or 2 cups of your favorite mushrooms chopped into slices

3 garlic cloves

1/4 cup sundried tomatoes

2 tbspns Canola or olive oil

Butter to taste - 1 - 2 tbspns

Juice of one lemon

Salt & pepper to taste

 

Method

 

Pre-heat grill or skillet until piping hot - 400 degrees for grill

Warm an oven safe nonstick skillet for the mushroom gravy

Dry the chicken breast with paper towels

Smear 1 tbspn oil on chicken breast

Place skin size down and brown - about 3 - 5 minutes - keep an eye on it

Flip breast and cook other side for about 3 minutes

Meanwhile, turn up heat on skillet

Add olive oil and butter

Toss in mushrooms - about 2 cups

As they brown add 1/4 - 1/3 cup sundried tomatoes, cut in slivers

Add garlic cloves, crushed

Add in 3/4 cup white wine

Add in lemon juice

Add salt and pepper to taste - about 1 tspn salt and 1/2 tspn coarse ground pepper

Bring to a simmer and let reduce - about 5 minutes

Add the chicken breast (when it's been browned)

Transfer to pre-heated 300 degree oven

Cook for about a half hour

Reduce heat to 200 degrees to keep warm until you're ready to serve

Check with a meat thermometer - it's done when 160 degrees

Serve and enjoy!

 

 

 

 

Skinny Brussell Sprouts!

Mis en place

I love brussells sprouts but they tend to be the also-ran of the culinary world.  It may be because they're often boiled and can come out as a mushy, unappetizing mess.  That's a shame because not only are they delicious when prepared correctly - but they have strong anti-cancer properties that are lessened when they are boiled.  Research shows that grilling and roasting do not diminish their anti-cancer compounds.

  

Before becoming an avid tabletop griller, I roasted my Brussell sprouts, which is a great way to go, too.  This recipe does a bit of both.  If you don't have a grill (I've been using the George Foreman grill) you can use a cast iron skillet that has the lines so you get grill marks.  But if you're a serious home cook you should definitely buy an electric grill.  I may trade up to a better brand at some point, but at this point my George Foreman gets the job done.  And I bought it for $50!

 

Transfer from grill to oven-safe skillet

 

I start by cutting the Brussell sprouts in half. Baby Brussell sprouts do not work well with this recipe. You want the larger, meaty sprouts. Not only do they cook faster when you cut them in half, they don't roll around the grill.  I only grill them long enough to get the char marks on both sides.  Next, I transfer them to an oven-safe skillet and place them in a 250 degree oven.  If I want to serve them in short order, I'd put them in a 350 - 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes.

Chopped cherry tomatoes and garlic for a topping

 

I like the slow method.  When I get home from work I like to get everything underway for dinner and then relax before dining.  The Brussell sprouts can stay in the oven at this low temperature for a half hour to 45 minutes.  This way, I can unwind and snap dinner up in minutes when I'm ready to eat.  It also frees up the grill so I can cook the rest of dinner on my single grill.  When I'm about 15 minutes or so from eating I grill chopped cherry tomatoes and garlic until they start to brown.  Then I put the mixture on top of the Brussell sprouts and return the skillet to the low heat oven.  I grill a lemon and toss that in the pan.  It looks good an infuses its lemony goodness into the dish.

 

 

My main course is usually fish or chicken breast which cook up quickly, so that element goes on the grill 5 or 10 minute prior to serving. 

And I call myself the Skinny Gourmet Guy?!

 

The meal pictured above was my New Year's dinner.  I ended the year with a bang by tossing aside the Skinny Gourmet Guy rulebook and grilling a ribeye steak.  However, I always say it's important to splurge and this fat, juicy steak was worth the extra miles logged in spin class to burn it off.  The Brussell sprouts with tomato and garlic side went very well with it.  But whether it be steak or chicken or fish, this Brussell sprouts recipe elevates the also ran to the star attraction!

 

Ingredients

 

1/2 cup Brussells sprouts cut in half length-wise

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes cut in half lenght-wise

3 - 4 garlic cloves smashed an thickly diced

1 tbspn canola or extra virgin olive oil

1/2 lemon

Salt & pepper to taste

 

Method

 

Pre-heat electric grill at 400 degrees, or warm cast iron skillet over medium heat.

Toss the Brussell sprouts in oil and add salt & pepper.

Put on grill or pan, cut side down.

Wait until they start to char (about 1 - 2 minutes depending upon size) and flip over and develop char on the other side of the sprouts.  I don't close the grill top.

Transfer to oven-safe skillet and bake in oven at 250 degrees. Bake for 30 - 45 minutes.

15 minutes prior to serving, grill the tomatoes.  After a minute or so add the garlic.  Grill for approximately 2 - 3 minutes.  I do close the grill top for this.

Add to Brussell sprouts and return to oven.

Grill lemon until it develops a char; add to Brussells sprouts, tomatoes and garlic.

Bake for anther 15 minutes or so.

You may want to pick out the garlic bits from the mixture, though I just serve the whole thing and avoid eating the garlic.

Serve and enjoy!

 

 

 

 

Skinny Eggplant Parmesan

The finished product - easy, skinny and delicious!

 

I really love eggplant parmesan.  I love chicken parmesan, too.  But the classic versions call for deep frying the eggplant or chicken in oil.  Many recipes call for lots of grated parmesan.  No wonder it's delicious!  But my version is pretty tasty, too.  But it's not deep fried in oil - my recipe calls for no oil at all.  And instead of tons of parmesan there's just a little bit - along with lower fat goat cheese. 

Step one:  dry your eggplant

 

The problem with eggplant is that it contains a lot of water.  Unless you take steps to draw out the water, your finished product is going to be soggy.  I chop my eggplant into half moons a few hours before cooking.  I dry them as best I can with paper towels.  Then I cover them in coarse sea salt, wrap them in towels and place a heavy object on top, like a large can of tomatoes, to really squeeze out as much moisture as possible.  I let them sit in paper towels in a colander for a few hours. 

 

Weighty subject - a large can of San Marzano

Tomotoes helps squeeze out extra moisture

 

Before drying the eggplant, I partially peel them.  This is personal preference: you can take all the skin off, leave it all on, or peel ribbons so you have half and half as I did.  Your eggplant looks striped when you're done. I peel about a half inch, leave a half inch, then peel a half inch or so until I'm done.

 

Grill in batches

 

Once the eggplant has dried I grill them in batches.  If you don't have a George Foreman grill you can just saute them in a frying pan using a non-stick spray. (The George Foreman grill has a non-stick surface so you don't need oil, and you're not supposed to use non-stick cooking spray on them.)  Cook them until they start to brown.   

Layer in casserole dish

 

You can make your own marinara or buy it in a jar - just make sure it's a good marinara.  I bought a tomato basil marinara at Trader Joe's and it was AWFUL and ruined the dish.  That's what I get for using a $2.99 jar of spaghetti sauce!  I prefer to make my own, but when I'm in a hurry or feeling lazy, I like Citarella's Spicy Arrabiata sauce.  Mario Batali's Cherry Tomato Marinara is also very good.  For this version I simply used chopped San Marzano tomatoes from a can - the same can I used to weigh down the paper towels and eggplant!  Talk about multi-tasking!

Grilled cherry tomatoes on top

 

What makes my recipe "skinny" - besides the fact that I don't deep fry the eggplant - is that, for the most part, I use goat cheese in the layering.  I make sure the goat cheese is a room temperature, and I dollop spoonfuls among the layers.  A little goat cheese goes a long way.  I use about 5 teaspoons throughout the casserole.  This translates to 102 calories, 75 from fat.

Ready for the oven!

 

As a final touch I grill cherry tomatoes that have been cut in half and add to the top layer of the eggplant mixture.  I don't put the cherry tomatoes throughout as it will make it soggy.  About 20 minutes before it's done I grate parmesan cheese on top, increase the oven temperature, and cook until the cheese is melted and starting to brown. 

Et viola!

 

This is a dish that gets better with age.  In fact, I usually cook it on a Sunday afternoon and have it for dinner on Monday and Tuesday nights.  I had no food in the refridgerator during Hurricane Sandy but fortunately had made this eggplant dish on the prior weekend.  I had it for dinner for several nights while I waited for the grocery stores in my neighborhood to re-open and re-stock.

 

Ingredients

 

1 - 2 medium to large eggplants

Approximately 2 cups homemade marinara or a good store-bought in a jar

5 teaspoons goat cheese

3/4 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half

3 teaspoons parmesan, grated

Coarse sea salt to taste

 

Method

 

Prepare eggplant - I peel 1/2 inch ribbons off, leaving the rest of the skin intact

Slice into rings, then half-moons

Dry with paper towels as best you can

Sprinkle sea salt over the eggplant, wrap in paper towels and place in colander

Put something heavy on top - like a can of tomatoes

Let sit for a few hours

Wipe off excess sea salt from the eggplant

Pour some of the marinara in the casserole dish

Arrange eggplant slices

Dot with the goat cheese (leave the goat cheese on the kitchen counter for the afternoon so it's soft and easy to spread)

Continue until eggplant and goat cheese are used up

Lightly grill or saute tomatoes - they'll cook in the casserole so only grill for a minute or so - don't overcook!

Place in pre-heated 350 degree oven for one hour

Grate the parmesan over the top - increase heat to 450 degrees

Cook until hte parmesan melts and starts to brown - only a few minutes

Let rest and enjoy!