Hummus

$3.52 total / $0.11 per serving

It's Super Bowl Sunday and many of you are making game day snacks to be enjoyed by many. I can imagine lots of chicken wings, pizza and beer. Don't get me wrong, those things are delicious but there are other things you can put out to help curb your appetite and not over indulge. Something like hummus. Hummus is one of my favorite appetizers. I absolutely love it! Pair it with pita bread, carrots, sliced bell peppers or celery and it is a winner nutritionally as well as being super tasty.

Nutritional Highlight: Tahini. I make tahini from scratch to save money and ease my mind just by knowing exactly what is added. Tahini is made with sesame seeds and olive oil. It's such a simple combination but it can cost you a pretty penny pre-made - around $7 a jar! Tahini is a good source of carbohydrates and protein per serving as well as having a good balance of healthy fats. Fatty acids like Omega-3 and Omega-6 cannot be made by your body, so it is important to get them into your diet for a healthy brain and heart. The fat offered from the tahini and other ingredients in this hummus are mostly from monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. So while it is a high fat food, these are good fats that are vital to your health. 

Hummus  (makes about 4 cups)

1/2 cup Sesame Seeds
6 Tbsp Olive Oil, divided
2 cans Chickpeas, rinsed and drained (or garbanzo if you can't find chickpeas)
5 Garlic cloves
1 tsp salt
2 Lemons, juiced
2 Tbsp Water
1/2 tsp Sriracha
1 tsp Cumin

In a food processor, pulse the sesame seeds until they are almost ground. Slowly add up to 2 Tbsp of the olive oil to form a paste, scraping down the sides as needed. When you have the sesame paste or tahini, add in the rest of the ingredients except olive oil and water. Add the oil and water as needed to make the desired consistency. I like my hummus thick and creamy. The water helps make it creamy without so much olive oil. Eventually I ended up using 4 more Tbsp of olive oil and 2 Tbsp of water to make mine the consistency I wanted.

Serve with a little extra olive oil drizzled over the top. Cut up your favorite vegetables or pita bread to serve along side this as a dip.

Nutritional Analysis:

Per 2 Tbsp serving: 68 calories, 3.9g fat (.5g saturated, .8g polyunsaturated, 2.3g monounsaturated), 7g carbohydrates, 1.7g protein

Peanut Butter Cup Martini

$1.89 per martini 

Valentine's Day is coming up and I was trying to think up a yummy chocolate themed menu for my sweetie when I remembered this gem. Reese's Peanut Butter Cups are one of my favorite treats, especially the mini's! So obviously this martini is a winner in my book. My Mom came to visit me last summer and she showed me how to infuse vodka. We tried our hand at several variations and I was the most concerned about the peanut vodka we were making. I wasn't sure how it would turn out. Pineapple vodka? Sure! Peanut vodka? Wait, what? 

However, all of my doubts were put to rest when we mixed up all the ingredients for this cocktail. I cannot even begin to describe how delicious this is -or- how it tastes exactly like a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup!!! If you want to impress someone with your bar-tending skills or just love the peanut butter and chocolate combination, then you have got to give this cocktail a try!

***Side Note: Unless you are on a weight loss plan, you should never have 'forbidden' foods. Denying yourself will only lead to the desire to binge. The key is moderation; don't keep sweets and junk in the house but occasionally, it is just fine to enjoy a treat. How you define 'occasionally' is up to you. For me, it is less than twice a month but especially on my Birthday and Valentine's Day, this girl's got to have her chocolate!***

Peanut Butter Cup Martini  (serves 1)

2 parts Cream Soda
1/2 part Chocolate Syrup
2 parts Peanut Vodka

Peanut Vodka:
1 cup Unsalted Roasted Peanuts
2-3 cups Vodka

Place peanuts in a glass container with an airtight seal. Cover the peanuts with vodka so that there is about 1/2 inch covering the top. Fit with the airtight lid and store in a dark, room temperature place. Swirl mixture every day for 4 consecutive days. On the 4th day, strain the peanuts from the vodka and discard. Place the strained vodka in the freeze until ready to use.

Combine all ingredients in a chilled cocktail shaker, using a shot glass to measure.

Vigorously shake for 15-20 seconds.

Strain the liquid into a chilled martini glass. You can garnish with mini Reese's Peanut Butter Cups or if you have some Nestle Quick, you could rim the glass with that!

Get ready to be amazed!

Nutritional Analysis:

Per Martini: 210 calories, 0g fat, 20g carbohydrates, 0g protein

Fancy Roasted Pork Loin

$6.39 total / $0.64 per serving

This Christmas, my husband's family came to visit and I decided to make Christmas dinner. So of course, I racked my brain to think of what to serve as the main course. Last year I made a prime rib roast so I knew I had some big shoes to fill! I finally decided to make roasted pork loin stuffed with all sorts of yummy things like garlic, rosemary and parsley.

This roast is spiral cut and stuffed so the presentation is beautiful. Spiral cutting takes a bit of patience and a good sharp knife. My knives aren't the best so I got frustrated half way through; if you are like me, it's ok. Just take your time and go slowly. Eventually it will come together. There are a bunch of tutorials on youtube for the specific process if you are unfamiliar as well.

Nutritional Highlight: Parsley. I always thought parsley was a little useless and honestly didn't bother buying it if it was called for in a recipe. However, I've learned a few things. Parsley, along with other micro-greens, are really good for you! It adds a light, fresh flavor to your foods while providing Vitamin K, chlorophyll and a ton of antioxidants like Vitamins A & C for your body. 

Fancy Roasted Pork Loin  (serves 8-10)

2.5 lbs Pork Tenderloin
1/2 bunch Parsley
12 unpeeled Garlic Cloves
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 1/2 tsp fresh Rosemary, chopped
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
1/4 tsp Sugar
2 Tbsp Butter
Kitchen Twine

Bring roast to room temperature for more even cooking. Preheat the oven to 325º and heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Toast the unpeeled garlic for about 6-8 minutes or until the outsides are browned and the garlic is fragrant - be careful not to burn them. Keep in mind, smaller cloves will need to be removed first. Cool the garlic and then reserve 2 cloves for later use. Peel the remaining 10 cloves.

In a food processor, add peeled garlic, red pepper flakes, parsley, olive oil and salt. Pulse until combined. This is going to be your filling for the pork.

Starting at about 1 inch above the base, slice into the pork with a sharp knife. Continue to slice the pork while rolling it away from the knife. You should be able to keep rolling the pork away from the knife until you have cut the pork all the way open. Generously spread the filling all ove the inside of the pork. Starting from the end, roll the pork loin back up gently as to not displace the filling. Secure the pork with a couple knots from the kitchen twine.

Place in roasting pan and cook in a 325º oven for 1 hour - 1 hour 20 minutes. The pork should register at 145º internally. Meanwhile, peel the remaining two garlic cloves and mince them. Combine the butter, sugar and garlic in a small microwave safe bowl. Melt the butter mixture in the microwave for about 30 seconds.

Once the pork is removed from the oven, brush the garlic butter over the top of the roast. Tent the roast with foil and let rest 15 minutes.

Slice and Enjoy!

Nutritional Analysis:

Per 4oz serving: 196 calories, 7.6g fat, 2g carbohydrates, 33.5g protein and over 15% daily value of Vitamin A, Vitamin B-6, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Magnesium, Niacin, Phosphorus, Riboflavin, Selenium, Thiamin and Zinc

'Happy Wife, Happy Life' Eggs

$1.81 total / $0.91 per serving

Can I tell you something? I have the best husband. Fact.

Ok, Ok. I'm sure those of you who are married have pretty great husbands too. :)

Anyway, as usual, my morning was a little crazy due to assignment deadlines, class today and plans to meet with our House Church tonight. My husband and I sat down and had a little 'think tank' session on organizing our time so that I could get all of my activities done today without being completely overwhelmed and we could still spend time together.

As I sit in our office completing my first assignment, I hear Jake hustling and bustling in the kitchen. A little while later as I am typing away on our computer, he comes in and announces that breakfast is served. That was sweet enough. Seriously, I don't know how many times I've rushed off to campus and been famished by 2:00 because I forgot to leave time to eat! Well, Jake to the rescue. Not only did he make me breakfast, he made me the most delicious breakfast I've had in ages. Crushed it.

Nutritional Highlight: Steaming. By steaming the vegetables after the eggs are cooked you can maximize your nutrient intake. Instead of sautéing the vegetables on a high heat first, which can destroy heat-sensitive nutrients like Vitamin C and Folate, steaming retains the crisp texture of the vegetables while also preserving nutrients.  

Look at all of that yum!

'Happy Wife, Happy Life' Eggs  (serves 2)

5 Eggs
4 strips Bacon, sliced into 1 in. pieces
1 quarter of a Red Bell Pepper
1 quarter of a Yellow Bell Pepper
3 Green Onions, diced
2 Garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup Cheddar Cheese, grated
1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes

Brown the bacon over medium-high heat until slightly crisp. Drain off the fat and add the garlic, cook until fragrant - about 1 minute. Add eggs to the skillet. Scramble the eggs in the pan until almost cooked through. Add in the red pepper flakes and vegetables. Reduce heat and and cover to let vegetables steam - about 5 minutes. Add the cheddar cheese and mix well. Turn up the heat slightly while mixing occasionally to melt the cheese.

Plate up and enjoy!!!

Nutritional Analysis:

Per serving: 375 calories, 28g fat, 4.7g carbohydrates, 26.6g protein and over 15% daily value of Vitamin A, Vitamin B-12, Vitamin B-6, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Calcium, Folate, Phosphorus, Riboflavin  and Zinc