Recipe Backlog: Super Bowl Recipe Review

Over the past 2 weeks I have been slacking... first my computer was loaned out and I was unable to communicate to the world- which ultimately resulted in me following out of my regular blogging routine. Then, when I got my computer back, I had so many recipes to write about- I'll be honest- I got a little overwhelmed.

Now, with two cups of coffee and a little brainstorming, I think I am ready to tackle my recipe backlog-

First, lets reach back to the overwhelmingly popular Super Bowl Extravaganza post....
I was so pleased with the responses I received from that post! Then I realized I never followed up with how my Super Bowl eats turned out.

I ended up having just a small get-together with 6-8 people, and WAY too much food. All the recipes that I posted for Super Bowl were completely new- so I was super anxious/excited that my health-ier creations would turn out! The four recipes that I ended up making included:

• Slow Cooker Spinach and Artichoke Dip
• Jalapeno Poppers
• Creamy Garlic Herb Dip
• Rachel Ray's Indian Summer Turkey Chili

To start of the review, I was really pleased with the Slow Cooker Spinach and Artichoke Dip. It was fairly simple to make, and no one noticed that it was the "healthier" version of the traditional dip (aka caloric catastrophe). 

My dip got a little watery after I added extra the spinach and kale. Typically I try to add extra if I can get away with it, but this recipe you definitely can not. The additional moisture makes the cheese (oily ingredients) separate from the water released by the kale and spinach, making for a not so appetizing dip. To remedy this, I simply poured out the water that had separated and stirred. 

It is important to note that the yield is ENORMOUS. I had so much left over! If I make this dish again I will either (1) invite more people, or (2) cut the recipe in half! On the plus side, the dip kept well and we ended up eating it on pita bread, Triskets, and even flat bread pizza. Overall I would give it a 3 out of 4 forks.

The Jalapeno Poppers were a BIG hit. Unfortunately I waited until the last minute to do my Super Bowl shopping, and when I got to Winco, they were completely out of fresh jalepenos!! SO, I simply bought the bigger/less spicy version, Pasilla peppers. I made a few changes to the recipe which included: (1) I subbed the bread crumbs for whole wheat bread crumbs, (2) added diced Serrano peppers to the cheese mixture to make them more spicy and (3) used Neufchâtel cheese instead of fat free cream cheese (its found in the same section right next to the cream cheeses). I give these 4 out of 4 forks, and I will definitely be making these again!!

The Creamy Garlic Herb Dip turned out so-so. It had good flavor but left a very, very, strong garlic after taste. I am a BIG fan of garlic and usually throw an extra 1-3 cloves of garlic into recipes depending on what I am making. But even for me, the garlic flavor was a little over the top. Definitely not something you would want to eat if you plan or receiving or giving any kisses. I am going to give this recipe 1 out of 4 forks- I don't plan on making this again.


Last but not least, Rachel Ray's Indian Summer Chili. One word. YUM. YUM. YUM. Traditionally I prefer chili with beans- this is the first all-meat chili I've made and it turned out WONDERFUL! All my guests really liked it, and I had enough left overs for lunch the next day (always a plus). Typically I make a few variations to recipes as I go, but this I stayed 100% true to Rachel's instructions and she didn't disappoint. I topped the chili with some fresh white onion and shredded low-fat cheddar cheese. I give this recipe four out of four forks!! I will most definitely be making this recipe again.

Too Busy to Cook

After a weekend/week of moving and 5 days of eating out…my body is saying, “no more fast food”! Everyone has busy weeks where they simply don’t have time to grocery shop, let alone make dinner. Well this last week, was “that” week for me. Saturday and Sunday were dedicated to packing; Monday through Wednesday was moving, cleaning, painting, spackling etc. Needless to say I didn’t have any time to cook.

But instead of not posting anything I decided to do a little digging into what kind of fast foods I could eat without committing a caloric catastrophe. I compiled a list of our fast-food favorites, and broke each item down by calories, fat, carbs, sodium and sugar content.

Some items were just as bad as I thought- Chinese Food, Taco Bell’s Cheesy Gordita Crunch (*note to self, anything with “chubby” in the name- DO NOT EAT). While others were a little surprising. For example, I would assume that crunchy tacos at Taco Bell would have more calories than soft tacos because the hard taco shells are deep fried. On the contrary, looking at the breakdown, it’s just the opposite! After thinking about it for a while I think those “extra” calories are hidden in the tortilla. Although the crunchy shells are deep fried, the crunchy shells are corn compared to the soft flour tortillas.

Another big surprise was 5 Guys Burger. I figured that since the burgers were grilled, made fresh, fresh toppings that the burgers couldn’t be thhhhhhat bad. Man-o-man was I wrong. I am not a big fan of hamburgers in the first place... typically I opt for chicken or a veggie option. But every once in a while I get a craving and about 5 months ago Frank and I tried out 5 Guys Burgers. Needless to say I was hooked. They seriously make one of the best burgers I have ever eaten. Their burgers have converted me into a burger craving carnivore. And much to my dismay I was shocked when I saw how many calories were in one of those “little” cheeseburgers. YIKES! Frank’s favorite, the Bacon Cheese burger, is about ½ of your daily caloric intake weighing in at 920 calories and 62g of fat.

On the positive side, I did eat some good things too! Whole Food’s sushi- delicious, quick, easy AND healthy! I have picked up their sushi a couple times, and it’s not always consistent. I would stay away from anything with tempura and try their brown rice rolls before you totally commit- they have a unique texture that I don’t particularly like.

Subway is kinda a given as long as you don’t indulge in their cheesy breads and creamy-based sauces. Another one, that I was happy to see, was Starbucks and McDonald’s breakfasts. I have read in the past that McDonald’s Egg McMuffin is one the best things you can get for a fast food breakfast. With 300 calories and 18g of protein, it keeps me full well into lunch.

My good friend Amanda introduced me to Starbuck’s Low-Fat Turkey Bacon Breakfast sandwich- equally delicious AND filling. It’s rarely displayed on their breakfast menu, but I haven’t been to a Starbucks that didn’t have them. I was surprised to see that Starbuck’s sandwich actually had more calories than the Egg McMuffin. But on an overall comparison, it has lower fat content and made on a whole-wheat English muffin- which pumps up the fiber content.

To read more about healthy fast food options, check out this article published on FitnessMagazine.com, “I Lost Weight on a Fast-Food Diet”. Hopefully this helps you navigate those fast-food menus, and avoid some caloric catastrophes when you’re too busy to cook.