80--- Persimmon Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette

Persimmons take the stage once again.  They are not an overly sweet fruit, so they make a perfect addition to a wintery salad. Add some pomegranate and POOF you have a holiday staple.

Persimmon Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette
Serves 2

1 cup fresh arugula leaves
1 cup fresh baby spinach leaves
1 persimmon, sliced
1 Tbsp pine nuts
1 oz crumbled goat cheese

DRESSING
2 Tbsp pomegranate seeds
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
Dash fresh ground black pepper

Toss together salad ingredients in a large bowl.

In a mason jar, muddle pomegranate seeds until juice is released.  Add in remaining ingredients and shake to mix.

Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat.

Enjoy!

Nutrition Info per 1 serving: 186 calories, 9 g fat (3 g monounsaturated, 2 g polyunsaturated), 5 g protein, 20 g carbohydrates, 5.5 g fiber

Nutrition Tip: Get your Handle on the Holidays

During the holidays the average American gains 0.8 lbs. Huh? That's not that bad, right?

Unless you never lose that 0.8 lb.  Then in 20 years you will be 16 lbs heavier (yes I needed my calculator for that).  

There are two paths that you can take when it comes to healthful holiday eating.

1. You can indulge occasionally, then get back to your healthful eating plan the very next meal because you KNOW that you will stick to it.

2. You can strive to make your holiday meals healthful and avoid the indulgence because you KNOW that once you veer you will not easily come back.

Which path is yours? Neither is right nor wrong, but I feel that it is necessary for you to pick one and know your plan in advance or things could get a bit out of control.

Moderation is key, unless you are unable to practice it........

80---Healthy Pauper's Potato Soup

Potato soup is a classic winter dish but it is typically laden with cream and calories (and bacon, as my hubby oh so subtly pointed out).

Here is a soup that won't break your holiday calorie bank. I roasted my veggies to prevent them from getting overly mushy. Keep the skins on your veggies for added fiber!

Healthy Pauper's Potato Soup
Serves 8

12 cups vegetable broth
1 head cauliflower, cut into chunks
2 Tbsp olive oil
12 medium red potatoes, coarsely chopped as desired
4 stalks celery, trimmed and sliced
1 sweet yellow onion, coarsely chopped
3 parsnips, coarsely chopped (no need to peel!)
1 cup frozen peas
1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely minced
1 tsp fresh sage, finely minced
Salt & Pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 

Bring vegetable broth to a boil in a large stockpot.  Add cauliflower and cook for 20 minutes, or until soft. 

Place celery, onion, and parsnips in a large bowl and drizzle with 1 Tbsp olive oil.  Toss to coat, then spread onto a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Toss potatoes with 1 Tbsp olive oil, then spread on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Place both baking sheets into preheated oven and bake for ~20-30 minutes or until softened (my potatoes were done 5 minutes sooner than the remainder of my vegetables but it depends on the size of your chunks!).

While vegetables cook, remove cauliflower from broth with a fine mesh colander and place chunks into a food processor with 1 cup broth.  Mix until a smooth puree is formed, then transfer mixture back to broth, add in sage and rosemary, and whisk to combine. Keep on low heat until vegetables are ready.

When vegetables are roasted, spoon them into the broth and bring to a low boil.  Simmer until heated through.

Nutrition Info per 1 1/2 cups: 300 calories, 4 g fat, 17 g protein, 48 g carbohydrates, 8 g fiber

Augie and Lola Giveaway Winner

The winner of my final maternity leave giveaway is #9 NovaBrite (chosen randomly).

Stay tuned for some more Eighty Twenty recipes coming very soon!! 

Thank you everyone for your input! Great ideas!

80--- Caramelized Persimmons

Persimmons are in season!  If you live in a metropolis, these fruits are readily available this time of year.  If you live in my not-so-tropolis then you just get lucky when you pass by them at Costco. They are an Asian fruit and full of vitamins A and C-- perfect for preventing those nasty head colds this time of year!

Broiling a persimmon brings out the sweetness and makes the flesh custard-y (yes, it's my word).  Great for breakfast!

Caramelized Persimmons
Serves 4

2 medium persimmons (firm but ripe), cut in half crosswise
2 Tbsp light brown sugar
2 Tbsp lemon juice

Heat oven to a low broil and place a rack ~6-8" from the top of the oven.

Place persimmon halves, cut side up, on a baking sheet and sprinkle each half with ~1/2 Tbsp brown sugar.

Broil for ~6-8 minutes or until flesh is soft and tops are caramelized.

Remove from oven and douse each half with 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice.

Enjoy!

Nutrition info per 1/2 persimmon: 33 calories, 0 g fat, 
0 g protein, 8.6 g carbohydrates

80(ish)--- Cran Apple Bread Pudding

It's hard to create a pretty picture of bread pudding.  It's just not one of those desserts.  But you know that it's delicious, right?

I typically create the desserts for our family's Thanksgiving dinner.  This year things are simplified thanks to my wee one.  This dessert is so easy, so tasty, and a little bit healthier than my past creations.

Cran Apple Bread Pudding
Serves 8

1 cup pureed apples (I left the skin on)
1 1/2 cups vanilla almond milk
4 eggs
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
6 cups cubed crusty bread (a wee bit stale works best)
1 cup coarsely chopped apple
2/3 cup fresh cranberries
1/2 cup caramel sauce (packaged or make your own)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Lightly coat a 8x8" baking dish with baking spray.

Whisk together eggs and milk, then stir in pureed apples, sugar, and cinnamon.  Remove 3/4 cup of mixture and set aside in refrigerator. Fold in chopped apple, cranberries, and bread cubes.  Allow to sit for 20 minutes to allow mixture to soak into bread, stir occasionally.

Transfer mixture into baking dish and bake for 20 minutes.  Pour remaining refrigerated liquid mixture over bread cubes and return to oven for additional 15-20 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

Serve warm, drizzled with caramel sauce, if desired.

Nutrition Info per 1 serving: 265 calories, 4 g fat, 7 g protein, 49 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber

Augie and Lola Giveaway

One last giveaway!  

Augie and Lola is one of my favorite Etsy shops.  Krista makes beautiful baby blankets, lovies, bibs, and shoes.

Her blankets have soft minky on one side and fantastic prints on the other!  Vonn has two of them already and they are so beautiful and soft and wash up really nice!





This giveaway is for one bib, print of your choice!

I really want this one for my babe for Christmas!



To enter this giveaway, please post a comment with 1) your email and 2) a recipe/food that you would like to have health-ified (I will be getting back to creation and recipe posts shortly!)! Winner will be chosen randomly and announced on Saturday.

Birdie Num Num Giveaway Winner

The winner of the Birdie Num Num Giveaway is #4 (randomly chosen): Phillippa Chadd.

Stay tuned for the final giveaway of my maternity leave tomorrow!

Thanksgiving Table-Worthy Recipes

Feast your eyes on these:

Bacon-Wrapped Dates

Feta & Date Cheese Balls with Walnut Arugula Crumbs

Arugula Pear Salad

Rosemary-Scented Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Wild Rice and Cornbread Stuffing-Stuffed Mushrooms

Easy Roasted Roots

Holiday Pesto Pinwheel Rolls

Punkin Puddin'

Apple Pie Panna Cotta

Pecan Pie Tartlets

Rustic Pumpkin Tiramisu

My Hubby's Favorites

My willing hubby will always eat what I cook.  He does raise his eyebrows at a few recipes, however.  Sometimes he is surprised by the goodness of things.  Here are a few of his faves:

Wheat & Berry Puffed Pancake

Tuna Tartare

Pepitas Shrimp Skewers

Little Mama's Chicken Pot Pies

Polenta-Stuffed Poblano Rellenos

Pistachio Meringues

Green Tea Cookies

Birdie Num Num Giveaway

Here's a giveaway for all you non-baby-toting peeps out there. The necklaces and other goods from Birdie Num Num are handmade out of eco-friendly materials in Chile!  I own three necklace and a bracelet.  They are so bright and fun and I always get tons of complements when I wear them!  

This is the prize:

The "Tribal" necklace in the color of your choice!  Check out her Etsy shop for options!

To enter this giveaway you must: (1) "like" Birdie Num Num's facebook page and (2) post a comment with your color choice of necklace AND email address (required)!

Winner will be chosen at random and announced Saturday, November 17th!

Just for fun, here are some other fantastic pieces from her shop!

Stephanie Smith Giveaway Winner

And the winner (chosen randomly) is Anonymous: 


Atareen13@yahoo.com


Stay tuned for another giveaway tomorrow!

When I Dip You Dip We Dip

Dips are some of the easiest appetizers to bring to a holiday  party.  Delicious too.

Mediterranean Six Layer Dip

Healthy Spinach Artichoke Dip

Edamame Dip with Sea Salt and Cracked Pepper Wonton Chips

Chipotle Black Bean and Bacon Dip

Beautiful Beet Dip

Walnut and Roasted Red Pepper Dip

Stephanie Smith Giveaway

Hand-knit booties are always special.  But Stephanie Smith's booties are really special .  They have a little funk to them.  They are so well made and beautiful!

Crocheting is on my bucket list.  But for now I will have to just continue to support artists like Stephanie.

Visit Stephanie's shop on Etsy to check out her creations!

Here's a few:





Stephanie is generously allowing me to give away one pair of booties from her Etsy site!  Winner will choose their style, size and color.

To enter giveaway, post a comment with 1) your email and 2) what's one craft on your bucket list?  Do you want to learn to play the piano? Paint an ocean sunset?  

Winner will be chosen at random, announced next Saturday, November 10th, and set free in Stephanie's bootie shop!

Chocolate Recipes

Halloween candy is upon us.  I will trade you all of my bubble gum for one mini snickers.

If you have also used that line before here's some more chocolate recipes that might appeal to you:

Chocolate Dipped Tortilla Chips with Strawberry Basil Salsa

Chocolate Merlot Mousse

Light Chocolate Muffins

Dark Chocolate Blueberry Pistachio Bark

Salted Fudge Cookies

O Sew Happy Giveaway Winner

Congratulations to #2 Jenny! You are the winner of one pair of baby legs of your choice!

Please stay tuned for another fantastic giveaway tomorrow!