healthy & yummy aren't mutually exclusive

when i'm feeling less that inspired to blog but somehow have the time and the inclination, i have a few fall back topics to whip out: celebrities, babies (and any combination of the two), memphis happenings and food.
guess what? tonight i'm facing a writers block so we're talking about the latter: food!

i posted some weeks ago here about how i've never been very good at dieting so my best bet lately has been to make what i love healthier. and frankly, it's just ridiculous not to share if you've managed to do that so here are some recipes for dishes that i've modified.

guacamole

america should apologize to the avocado for ruining its signature dish with sour cream, particularly when it's really unnecessary to make the dish yummy. 

this recipe makes about 1 1/2 cups. i recently made it for a girls night of eight girls and i tripled it (but i should have made more).

two avocados
a quarter cup of chopped fresh tomato
2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro

2 cloves chopped garlic
1 tablespoon of chopped red onion

2 teaspoons of lime juice

1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce

half a teaspoon of black pepper

three quarters of a teaspoon of any hot sauce

three quarters of a teaspoon of salt

combine in a bowl. if your avocados are ripe enough, you shouldn't need to bother with a food processor, a fork and the strength of a four year old should be all you need. i also chopped up some extra cilantro to use as a garnish for the girls night but it's not totally necessary. 

french toast

one of the best things my mom ever taught me how to cook was french toast. i makes really awesome french toast. trust me. but back in the day, powdered sugar and syrup being a topping on breakfast wasn't a huge concern and now i figure, cut the corners where i'm not really sacrificing flavor. so here it is, healthier. oh and adam and reed love this and don't really know the difference.

four egg whites
a teaspoon of vanilla extract

a teaspoon of maple syrup

4 slices of whole or multi grain bread (it helps if it's a tad stale, but it's fine if it isn't)

combine the first three ingredients in a (shallow) bowl and whisk
coat bread on both sides in the egg white mixture

cook on a nonstick pan on medium heat for 2-3 minutes per side.
top with fresh fruit (anything in the berry variety is my favorite) and a little bit more (real) maple syrup.

another pasta recipe

it's no secret, i love pasta. 

this love affair began when i used to actually need carbohydrates because i was so physically active. now i need carbs because i have an inner fat woman that gets pissed off when she isn't fed. however, not every pot of boiling water needs to end up being white fettuccine noodles with alfredo sauce made with heavy whipping cream. 

there are healthy alternatives. 

i made this particular recipe (same portions) for ellie and i a few weeks ago and it passed muster for her and i always figure if I please a Haire, well then now i can breathe again. 

8 ounces of whole wheat/grain pasta (i used angel hair)

two cups of bell peppers in a combination of colors, sliced in thin strips

half a cup of chopped onion

a cup of halved grape tomatoes 

basil

olive oil

two teaspoons of salt and pepper each

teaspoon of crushed red peppers
a quarter cup of parmesean cheese

(i'm not going to explain how to make pasta but do know that the whole grain/whole wheat variety take a minute of two longer to become tender).

saute onion and peppers in olive oil over medium heat and season with salt and pepper

add tomatoes, crushed red pepper and more salt/pepper if necessary. 

add noodles, top with parmesean cheese and sprinkle basil on top. 

i hope someone enjoyed that because my stomach is growling now and it's 11:30pm so it's officially too late to eat anything :)