panKates

Sausage and Sweet Potato Skillet

So I finally got around to making a healthy knock-off of this awesome sweet potato "hash" breakfast dish from my favorite brunch spot in Charlotte.  I really needed to come up with a DIY version, because while I can't get enough of the place, Russ would rather spend his Saturday morning studying for the bar exam (have I mentioned how much we hated that?) than be caught having brunch there.  I think he secretly knows the place has good food, but no Mississippi boy could ever admit liking a place that features things like organic tofu and vegan soup on their menu.

But before that description makes all of you start agreeing with him, you must know that this particular menu item is a TDF (to die for) plate full of goodness that makes up for all the other funkiness on the menu.  In fact, this is what I order every time I go (which has been a grand total of 4 times, thanks in large part to the aforementioned disdain Russ harbors for the place).

Anyway, I was there again this past weekend with a friend who moved to town a few months ago, and I was reminded that I need to get on this.  So I did.  And here it is.  (Can you see the sweet potatoes peeking out from the bottom of the skillet?)

Sausage and Sweet Potato Skillet (serves 2 - big portions)
1 large sweet potato (about a pound), peeled and grated
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1/2 package of Gimme Lean ground sausage
1 egg plus 5 egg whites*
1/4 cup fat free shredded cheddar
2 green onions, chopped (2 stalks, not 2 bunches!)
salt and pepper, to taste
hot sauce (optional)

Saute onion over medium-high heat in large skillet, with some fat free cooking spray.  Once onions are translucent, add the chopped garlic, and saute for another minute or so.  Then add the grated sweet potatoes...this is basically like making sweet potato hash browns.  Stir occasionally, letting sweet potatoes cook down a bit and get a little crispy.  This will take a good 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a separate skillet, brown the Gimme Lean.  While the sausage is browning, beat the egg and egg whites, add a little salt and pepper, and a few dashes of hot sauce.

Pour the beaten eggs over the browned sausage, and scramble 'em up.  Once the eggs and sausage are scrambled, gently add them on top of the sweet potatoes in the first skillet.  Top with shredded cheese, then cover the skillet and let the cheese melt for a few minutes.  Once the cheese has melted, sprinkle the green onions on top and serve.

*You can use whatever combo of eggs and egg whites you like...or use some Egg Beaters.  We're big fans of egg whites around here, but using an extra yolk or two wouldn't hurt, and might add a bit more flavor.

To make the skillet experience seem a little more authentic, I served this with some Pillsbury Golden Layers biscuits, which have 110 calories each.  All things in moderation.

Now, I'm always honest about these things, so I'll admit that the full fat version is a bit tastier (isn't that usually the case?), but we both loved this and I'll definitely be making it again.  You could throw in some chopped tomatoes, maybe try a little fat free feta, or dress it up however you like.  But the combo of the sweet potatoes and the sausage makes it a winner. 

Nutrition info (per serving - and this makes 2 big servings))

Cal.: 380

Fat: 2.5

Carbs: 55

Fiber: 6

Protein: 33

 
Random side note: if you look in the very upper left corner of the picture, you might see what appears to be a blue and white pot holder.  In case you were curious (you were, right?), this is no ordinary pot holder.  This was hand-crafted by none other than yours truly at the tender age of about 5, back when my brother and I used to run a lemonade stand every summer in my grandparents' front yard in Bay Head.  But of course it was no ordinary lemonade stand.  We also sold Jello Jigglers (don't all lemonade stands offer Jigglers?) and handmade pot holders.  My grandfather used to pay us upwards of 5 bucks for one of those masterpieces.  I can't remember if my brother ever got involved in the pot holder weaving, but I'm sure he wouldn't want his reputation ruined by even the suggestion of it, so I'll go ahead and take all the credit.  I think all he really did was collect the money and come up with some explanation for why he was entitled to more than half...in fact, now that I think about it, I never remember seeing any of that money...not surprising given that he's now an accountant.  But his lovely new wife reads my blog now, so I better leave it at that. :)

Anyway, since vintage is in style these days, and since very few of my family members seem to have an appreciation for style, I've gone around collecting the ones that can be found from my mother and grandmother so they can be proudly displayed on our dining room table (as Russ rolls his eyes at me...).  Maybe I'll send a few to my brother for his upcoming first anniversary...

"Parking for Expectant Mothers"

So I just got home from the grocery store and was all riled up to write a post that would have been something to the effect of an open letter to the random dude at my fave Harris Teeter parked in one of the two spots with explicit "Parking for Expectant Mothers" signs.  I'm one of those people (even in my current state -- did I mention I'm pregnant?  For those of you who didn't know, I am!) who usually just drives into a parking lot and pulls into the first open space I see -- usually fairly far out from the store -- since I think circling to find a close spot actually wastes more time than it takes me to walk from a further spot, and hey, we can all stand to burn a few more calories by walking an extra 30 feet.

Anyway, as I'm driving into the lot, I notice it's unusually full, so it dawns on me that maybe I'll just pull up to the front and grab an "Expectant Mothers" spot.  In my 20+ weeks of pregnancy (granted, I've technically only known I was an expectant mother for like 16 weeks, but whatev), I think I've parked in one of these spots once.  Maybe twice.  Maybe.  (Pregnant women need exercise too.)  I was on the phone with my Mom at the time, so she gets a play-by-play that goes something like this: "[Interrupting whatever story she was telling] Dang, it's really crowded here...ahhhh, maybe I'll park in the good ol' 'Expectant Mothers' spot [laughter ensues on her end as she repeats this to my Dad...apparently such spots aren't common down in York]...wow, that's odd, both of them are full...WAIT A MINUTE...there's some random DUDE parked in one of the spots loading groceries into his trunk!  And he's by himself!  No expectant mother with him!  No expectant mother sitting in the car!  What the...?!?!" 

So I keep driving (he had a full cart of groceries and there was no way I was gonna wait for him to finish...see above re: wasting time in parking lots).  Those who know my Mom may or may not be surprised to hear that her response was something like this: "I think you need to park your car and then go give him a piece of your mind!"  This from the woman who, when seeing someone throw trash out of their car window, would FOLLOW them for miles until they pulled into their house, a store, etc. to tell them of the evils of littering.  Seriously, that is one of my earliest memories of my Mom.  Fortunately, my Dad put a stop to that years ago when he warned her of the evils of pissing off rednecks annoying a certain segment of southerners who, among other things, think the side of the road is a trash receptacle  (trying to clean up my language before this child gets here).

The whole time I was in the grocery store, I was wondering what exactly goes through the mind of a 50-year-old guy who decides to park in an "Expectant Mothers" parking spot (should I blame this on my hormones?  I'm acting completely rational, right?).  Does he think pregnant women get too much special treatment, like a certain male co-worker of mine who thinks maternity leave is a vacation?  As in, "Gee, Kate, I really wish I had a 3-month vacation coming up."  This is the same co-worker who, whenever he sees me eating (i.e. .lunch or a snack at my desk) loves to stick his head in my office and say "remember, pregnancy is not an excuse to eat whatever the heck you want."  This happens roughly 2-3 times per week.  But don't worry, I grew up with two brothers, so I generally tell him to MYOB and get back to work.

So I tried to give the guy the benefit of the doubt...maybe he thinks pregnant women need to be getting more exercise.  Perhaps, but I'm pretty sure that doesn't apply to me, and that's not really for him to decide anyway ("I'll show those lazy pregnant women...I'll just take the expectant mothers spot, then they'll be forced to get some extra exercise by parking further out!").

I've come up with all kinds of other excuses for the guy, including that pregnant man story, the possibility of him being handicapped (but there were 4 open handicapped spots...and he didn't seem to have any trouble walking), and the possibilty that maybe he couldn't read the sign (but that makes me worry about his ability to be driving in general).  Am I missing any other options?

Anyway, maybe no one else finds this as interesting as I did (Russ thought I was a little crazy when I walked in the door still a bit riled up an hour later), but I'm pregnant, and  it's my blog. 

Speaking of the blog, which is supposed to be more about recipes than parking lot drama, I'm working on one for this week that could climb to the top of my list of all-time faves if it turns out well.  So hopefully it won't be another four months before you hear from me again.

The pregnancy is going well...I was feeling pretty sick for the first trimester, and the only cooking I did was putting Eggos in the toaster and/or fixing a bowl of cereal.  I also had some crazy food aversions (the thought of a hamburger, much less seeing one, just about sent me over the edge).  Baby hormones are so strange.  But I'm now feeling great and we're all excited (and if you've noticed that the economy seems to be improving, you can thank the two grandmothers-to-be who have already purchased enough clothing for this child to get him through his freshman year of college).  Oh, and it's a BOY!

New recipe hopefully on the way soon...

Mexican Lasagna

Finally!  A new post!  I know you've all been dying of anticipation for this day.

We made it through the bar exam and are now preparing for another round of weddings and all the festivities that go along with them.  The biggest of them all will be my little brother's in May.  So excited.

Anyway, it's nice to be cooking again, and I hope to get back into trying out new recipes more often as well.

This Mexican Lasagna recipe is slightly modeled after a seven layer dip (and who doesn't love seven layer dip?!), and I wanted to call it "Seven Layer Lasagna."  But Russ said people would think it was an Italian version of seven layer dip, not a Mexican version of lasagna.  Or something like that.  So there you have it.

 

Mexican Lasagna (makes 6 big servings)
1.25 pound package of extra lean ground turkey
1 packet of low sodium taco seasoning mix
4 low calorie tortillas (my grocery store sells some decent sized ones that have 80 calories each)
1 cup of fat free shredded mozzarella (about half a bag of the Kraft fat free stuff)
1 cup of fat free shredded cheddar
1 16 oz. jar of all natural chunky salsa (you don't want this to be too runny)
1 can of low sodium black beans
1/4 cup of sliced jalapeno peppers*
1 avocado
1 cup of fat free sour cream
1 large tomato, chopped
2 tsp. of ground cumin
juice of 1/2 lime
a few dashes of salt, pepper, and hot sauce
Cilantro, for garnish

Preheat oven to 400.

Brown ground turkey on stovetop with taco seasoning mix (follow seasoning mix directions). 

Meanwhile, in food processor, combine avocado, sour cream, chopped tomato, cumin, lime juice, salt, pepper, and hot sauce. Process until just smooth, but not too thin.

In a separate pan on the stovetop, heat up each of the tortillas for a couple minutes per side until crispy.

Heat beans in a bowl in the microwave for a couple minutes

Once ground turkey is ready (again, follow the directions on the taco seasoning mix), begin assembling the lasagna in a 9x13 pan, in the following layers:

- Salsa (entire jar)
- Half of the ground turkey
- 2 tortillas (side by side to cover the meat)
- Beans (entire can)
- Half of the cheese (use half mozzarella and half cheddar)
- Avocado/sour cream mixture from food processor (entire mixture)
- Jalapeno slices (all of them)

Then repeat the following layers:
- 2 other tortillas (again, side by side)
- Remaining half of meat
- Remaining half of cheese (half mozzarella, half cheddar)

Bake for 10 minutes, but keep an eye on the cheese to make sure it doesn't burn.  Garnish with chopped cilantro.

*If you're not a fan of heat, you could leave out the jalapenos.

Nutrition info (per serving - remember, this is for 6 servings, which will be on the bigger side):

Cal.: 376

Fat: 7.5

Carbs: 32

Fiber: 25.5

Protein: 43

Free Caribou - Jan. 30

Though I'm technically in the middle of working on some outlines for the bar exam right now, thought I'd take a quick break to share some useful info from our friends over at Caribou Coffee: tomorrow, January 30, they'll be offering free cups of decaf from noon until closing. 

You can click here to find a location near you...though I seem to recall from living in Michigan and California that they're primarily in the southeast.  And for the love, do not be tempted by the Caribou equivalent of a 500-calorie frappucino.  As a general rule, if Britney thinks it's a good idea, it's probably not.  Don't get me started...see this post for my feelings on those "beverages" (they're more like "meals," if you ask me).

Caribou is doing this in response to Starbucks' announcement that it's planning to stop the continuous brewing of decaf in the afternoon.  More details here

Some of you may have no use for this decaf freebie, but I'm in a huge decaf phase these days.  I pretty much gave up coffee after college, went on a tea drinking kick in law school, and eventually switched to green tea (which I still drink pretty religiously).  I started drifting back to coffee until I got to my first law firm job and the stuff they served in the office was downright nasty.  Blegh, I can't even go there.  Anywho, my new firm in Charlotte offers up some lovely Dean & Deluca brew from time to time, so I got hooked again when we moved here (this in addition to my green tea).  But now I'm transitioning back off, with a daily cup of decaf being my primary tool for the weaning (and yes, I know decaf still has some caffeine in it).  I plan to get back on the decaf-green-tea-only train after the bar.  Not sure why I felt the need to share my history with hot caffeinated beverages, but there you have it.

Anyway, go enjoy some free coffee on Caribou's dime!

Feta-stuffed pork tenderloin

Seasons greetings!  It's been a while since my last post, but I wanted to quickly share this easy, low-cal way to jazz up a pork tenderloin. 

Things at work have been a bit crazy for the past couple months, so our dinners have basically been your standard meat, veggies, bread, and maybe potatoes (if we're lucky).  Every night.  But as long as it's healthy, balanced, and has some kind of taste, I'm happy with it.  Anyway, I've been grilling pork tenderloin on the George Foreman every week or so, and decided to see if I could dress it up a bit last week.  There are tons of recipes out there for fancy stuffed pork tenderloin, but I've been in one of those phases where I walk in the door from work and want to spend no more than 10 minutes prepping dinner.  So I found some fat free feta cheese in the fridge, and in about 3 minutes was able to butterfly it open, spread the cheese inside, close it back up, and throw it on the grill.

Here's a pic of a couple slices of the finished product (served with sauteed spinach and spaghetti squash):

 

The feta added a nice, subtle flavor...nothing super-fancy, but a small step above the standard pork tenderloin with little effort, and no more than an extra 50 calories per serving.  Next time I might throw in some chopped spinach for a little color.

Our basic meat/veggies dinners will likely continue for the next 2 months, as we dive into the lovely task of studying for the February bar exam (b/c taking the California exam a few years ago just wasn't enough fun for us!).  I'm looking forward to March, when I can get back into creating new healthy recipes and sharing them on here.

Best wishes for a healthy and happy 2009!

Spaghetti squash

I'm sure many of you already know about this easy-to-prepare, vitamin-loaded winter veggie, but I just tried making it for the first time last night and am now hooked.  My mother has been trying to get me to cook with squash for years (as I also mentioned in my previous post)...she raves about how good it is for you, how easy it is to cook and serve, etc., etc....and much to my dismay, she has again been proven much wiser than me on the subject of vegetables.

Anyway, this post is for any of you who are looking for a new side dish to add to your fall/winter quick-cooking dinner lineup.  I bought one 2+ pound squash and cooked half last night and the other half tonight.  It turned out to be the perfect amount for Russ and me both nights...you could probably serve 3 people with one half, but this stuff is soooo good (and so low-cal) that I just gobbled up the extra. 

So easy to prepare: cut in half lengthwise (this is probably the hardest part), scrape out the seeds, place in microwave safe dish cut side up, add 1/4 cup of water to dish, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave for 12 minutes.  Carefully remove plastic wrap, transfer to cutting board (or other dish, so you don't have to mess with the piping hot dish that just came out of the microwave), then shred the squash with a couple forks.

You can eat a heaping 1 cup portion for less than 80 calories, and you'll get 145% of your RDA for vitamin A...plus lots of vitamin C, potassium, fiber, and folate.  I like to eat it as is, and Russ likes it with a bit of hot sauce drizzled on top.

Hope each of you have a healthy and happy holiday weekend.  I'm looking forward to eating Russ's famous pecan pie (an old recipe from his family), putting up Christmas decorations, and spending time with the fam.  This will be my first Thanksgiving with my family since my college days, and will also be the first holiday we all celebrate together with my older brother's new wife and my little brother's fiancee.  Nice to finally have some more girls in the family.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Butternut squash chili

I'm a bit behind in posting recipes, so here's a quick one we just had for dinner.

I've never cooked with butternut squash, but my Mom does it all the time and raves about it.  And it's loaded with vitamins.  One cup has almost 150% of your RDA of vitamin A, in the form of beta carotene (hello, antioxidants!).  It's also a great source of vitamin C, potassium, dietary fiber, and folic acid.  

For any squash-challenged readers, here is what the butternut version looks like:

 

Anyway, I keep seeing it at the grocery store lately, so I decided that I'd try incorporating it into chili.  Might sound kinda crazy...but I'm constantly looking for basic recipes I can jazz up with extra veggies (a.k.a. extra vitamins).  Spinach is a favorite for adding to recipes.   I also wanted to incorporate garbanzo beans, as I recently read some research about their effects on LDL cholesterol.

So I took an old chili recipe (click here for a low-cal chili recipe I posted last year), eliminated the cans of beans and the bag of cabbage called for in this recipe, and then added:

1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
2 bags of spinach (10 oz. per bag)
2 cups of diced carrots
1 can of low sodium sweet corn
1 can of low sodium garbanzo beans

Put all ingredients in the slow cooker, and cook on low for 8 hours. 

The finished product was both colorful and tasty.  And while my meat-and-potatoes-loving husband initially raised his eyebrow at this, he loved it too!  We topped it with some fat free cheese and a little hot sauce, and it was de-lish.  Russ even commented that I could (brace yourselves) eliminate the ground turkey and make a vegetarian version!  All the veggies really take on the flavor of the chili seasoning, so you still think you're eating chili, not some vegetable soup.  This will serve 8+. 

An apple a day...

To celebrate the arrival of fall, I thought I'd remind everyone of the fabulous health benefits of one of fall's nutritional superstars: apples.  And lest anyone question whether I have experience in this area, I present a really embarrassing picture of what I was up to about 15-20 years ago:

Yes friends, that's my Dad and me making apple cider...not long after the start of our family apple cider business.  Note my rockin' bangs.  And the awesome red scrunchy holding my ponytail.  To those of you who knew me back then (you and I both know who you are), I'd like to ask why you didn't stage an intervention re: those bangs.  Yes, it was the 80s.  But still.

Anyway, everyone knows an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but do you really know why?  I often like to give myself a refresher on the specific vitamins, nutrients, and other beneficial aspects of the fruits and veggies we eat every day.  I think the eating experience is more enjoyable when you know how you're helping your body. 

Rather than try to present all the info myself, below are a few excerpts of what the folks over at the World's Healthiest Foods have to say about apples.  As you'll see, apples are great for (among other things) keeping your cholesterol in check and preventing heart disease and cancer.  I really encourage you to read this, and read up on the benefits of other fruits and vegetables while you're at it. 

Health Benefits of Apples

According to the latest research, the old saying, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away," is fact, not just folklore. The nutritional stars in apples-fiber, flavonoids, and fructose-translate into apples' ability to keep us healthy.

Cardio-Protective Fiber:

Apples contain both insoluble and soluble fiber. One medium (5 ounces) unpeeled apple provides over 3 grams of fiber, more than 10% of the daily fiber intake recommended by experts. Even without its peel, a medium apple provides 2.7 grams of fiber.

Apple's two types of fiber pack a double punch that can knock down cholesterol levels, reducing your risk of hardening of the arteries, heart attack, and stroke.

Apple's insoluble fiber works like bran, latching on to LDL cholesterol in the digestive tract and removing it from the body, while apple's soluble fiber pectin reduces the amount of LDL cholesterol produced in the liver. Adding just one large apple (about 2/3 of a pound) to the daily diet has been shown to decrease serum cholesterol 8-11%. Eating 2 large apples a day has lowered cholesterol levels by up to 16%!

A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine confirms that eating high fiber foods, such as apples, helps prevent heart disease. Almost 10,000 American adults participated in this study and were followed for 19 years. People eating the most fiber, 21 grams per day, had 12% less CHD and 11% less CVD compared to those eating the least, 5 grams daily. Those eating the most water-soluble dietary fiber fared even better with a 15% reduction in risk of CHD and a 10% risk reduction in CVD.

LDL cholesterol isn't the only harmful compound on apple's removal list. Pectin grabs toxins like the heavy metals lead and mercury, and ushers them out of the body. Both the soluble and insoluble fibers in apples have cancer-protective activity since they relieve constipation and send potentially toxic substances out with the stools.

When it comes to bowel regularity, apple's two types of fiber tackle the job-no matter what it is. Both the insoluble fiber in apples and their soluble fiber pectin help relieve constipation (thus helping to prevent diverticulosis and colon cancer). The insoluble fiber works like roughage, while the pectin, which is found primarily in the skin, acts as a stool softener by drawing water into the stool and increasing stool bulk. On the other hand, because pectin firms up an excessively loose stool, it's also used to treat diarrhea.

Cardio-Protective Flavonoids:

A type of pigment in apples that helps provide their color, flavonoids have been extensively researched and found to help prevent heart disease. Researchers in Finland followed over 5,000 Finish men and women for over 20 years. Those who ate the most apples and other flavonoid-rich foods (such as onions and tea), were found to have a 20% lower risk of heart disease than those who ate the least of these foods.

Apples have been singled out as one of the small number of fruits and vegetables that contributed to the significant reduction in heart disease risk seen in a recent meta-analysis of seven prospective studies. Of the more than 100,000 individuals who participated in these studies, those who diets most frequently included apples, tea, onions, and broccoli-the richest sources of flavonoids-gained a 20% reduction in their risk of heart disease.

Apple skin and onions are the two major food sources of a potent flavonoid called quercitin. If, in addition to eating an apple a day, you add 2 tablespoons of onion and 4 cups of green tea (also rich in flavonoids) to your menu, you, like the men who consumed these foods in another study, may have a 32% lower risk of heart attack than people who consume less of these foods.

Quercitin's benefits derive from its antioxidant activity, especially when it teams up with another antioxidant, vitamin C, also found in apples, to bolster the body's immune defenses. This dynamic antioxidant duo provides another way (in addition to fiber) through which apples protect against cancer and also helps prevent the free radical damage to LDL cholesterol that promotes heart disease.

Fructose for Stable Blood Sugar Levels:

Apples derive almost all of their natural sweetness from fructose, a simple sugar, but one which is broken down slowly, especially when combined with apples' hefty dose of fiber, thus helping to keep blood sugar levels stable.

For full article, click here.

Blue cheese burgers

I'm always trying to think of new easy, tasty ways to serve up lean burgers.  We often have burgers near the end of the week when I've run out of dinner ideas and/or am too lazy for anything too involved.  My Wal-Mart had 96% lean ground beef on sale for $2.00/pound (!) last weekend, so I loaded up our freezer and decided to try making one of Russ's favorites: a blue cheese burger.  Incidentally, my Dad also loves blue cheese burgers, so hopefully he can benefit from this as well (hint hint, Mother).

Anyway, I was watching the Food Network last week (I know, shocking) and one of the chefs was making a blue cheese dipping sauce out of sour cream, blue cheese, and a few other ingredients.  That gave me the idea to take regular blue cheese, and sort of dilute it with fat free sour cream before putting it on a burger.  An easy way to cut the fat and calories in the cheese.  Since blue cheese has such a strong flavor, the finished product doesn't taste weak.  And the sour cream gave it a lovely, creamy consistency on the burgers.  Delish!

Blue cheese burgers (serves 4...or 2-3 really hungry folks)
1 pound of extra lean ground beef (again, I use 96% lean...try to find the leanest you can)
4 low-calorie whole wheat burger buns (I think Sara Lee makes some with 120 calories...I think they're called "Heart Healthy" or something)
2 tablespoons of crumbled blue cheese
4 tablespoons of fat free sour cream
1 tablespoons of  finely chopped green onions

Prepare blue cheese spread by combining cheese, sour cream, and chopped green onions (use a fork to break up the crumbles).  Grill burgers, and top with blue cheese spread (about a heaping tablespoon per burger).

Top with sliced tomatoes, lettuce, onion, or anything else you like. 

These are soooo good (and easy), we just had them again tonight!

Nutrition info (per serving)
Cal.: 290
Fat: 8.5
Carbs: 24
Fiber: 2
Protein: 30.25

Sausage & cheese balls

Hard to believe it, but football season is upon us again.  Which means fall will be here in just a few weeks (my favorite time of year!), which brings cooler temps, my parents' apple harvest festival, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and (eeek!) Christmas!  Ok, I'm getting ahead of myself, but oh how I love this time of year.  

I generally enjoy football season too...before going to Michigan for law school, I really paid little attention to the sport.  But after living in Ann Arbor for 4 years (and rarely missing a home game), it's hard to not be glued to any Big 10 college game.   

However...as many of you may know, Michigan's season got off to a rough start with a loss from Utah last weekend.  We watched the game at a friend's house and left so depressed that I honestly forgot they would be playing again this weekend.  Seriously.  I went off and made plans to go shopping with my little bro's fiancee on Saturday afternoon, smack dab in the middle of the Michigan game.  So not only was Russ surprised to not see me wearing my Michigan jersey Saturday morning (he thinks the jersey should be worn all day on game days, even if you're out running errands), but he was shocked to hear that I'd be out gallivanting around Charlotte with Jenn while our dear Wolverines were fighting for their first win of the season.

So to make up for this grave indiscretion, I decided to make some kind of football game finger food to leave with him while I was gone.  I've always loved sausage-cheddar balls (I think they're a southern thing?), and I remembered seeing a recipe for them in my Paula Deen cookbook a few weeks ago.  They only have 3 ingredients, and I thought I could substitute each one with something healthier.  Instead of just cheddar cheese, I actually used both cheddar and feta, to amp up the flavor (when you're working with fat free cheeses, the flavor isn't always as strong).  But don't let that freak you out...you can't really taste that there's feta in there.

Anyway, the finished product was pretty good.  And you can have 3 for just over 100 calories and less than 1 gram of fat.  I won't lie, this is one of those "healthy" recipes that you can kinda tell is a healthy knock-off (they aren't quite as greasy and crispy as the real thing).  Regardless, we really liked them, and Jenn (who arrived just as they were coming out of the oven) tried one and gave her stamp of approval.  I think these will make frequent game-time appearances on our coffee table this fall.

 

Sausage & cheese balls (makes about 3 dozen)
1 1/2 cups of reduced fat Bisquick
1 package of Gimme Lean ground sausage (make sure you buy the "ground sausage" style, not the "ground beef" style)
1/2 cup of shredded fat free cheddar cheese
1/2 cup of fat free feta cheese

Combine all ingredients (using your hands) in a large bowl, then form into small balls.  I'd say a little smaller than a ping-pong ball.  As you can see in the pic, mine were more like golf ball sized, but I think they'd cook up better if they're a little smaller.  (And when I say this makes 3 dozen, that's if you make them more on the smaller, ping pong size.)

Place each ball on baking sheet (sprayed with fat free cooking spray) and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, until starting to turn golden brown.

Best if served immediately, while hot.

Nutritional info (per ball):
Cal.: 36
Fat: 0.3
Carbs: 5.2
Fiber: 0.9
Protein: 3