You Rock Joy Bauer

All photos and recipes courtesy of Joy Bauer

Nowadays, I must snack more mindfully because I don’t want to weigh 300 pounds. To a certain extent, I’ve always been a healthy eater, never fasting and never starving myself with unhealthy, unbalanced diets, but when I was younger, I could get away with eating more calories. Not anymore. Yet, one thing remains the same: I will not starve myself!

Today I was very impressed watching nutritionist, Joy Bauer (whose recipes I often like), prepare 3 snacks on The Today Show. She lightened up tasty treats you could make for family or party guests, using healthy ingredients with a good dose of protein. I’ll post Joy’s recipes below, i.e., on my electronic recipe box (with a link back to her) so Savvy Shoppers and savvy eaters (including me) can for sure find them time and again. (I never know what will disappear from the internet):

In general, I don’t like chicken on my pizza, but this recipe is really barbecue chicken on pizza crust. I'll use a combination of mozzarella and extra-sharp cheddar. Joy’s original recipe follows:

Barbecue Chicken Pizza -recipe #1

INGREDIENTS

Dough

¼ cup whole wheat flour, white-whole wheat flour, or 1:1 gluten-free flour½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch kosher salt
¼ cup nonfat Greek yogurt

Toppings:

2 tablespoons BBQ sauce**¼ cup packed shredded chicken mixed with 1 to 2 tablespoons BBQ sauce
A few thin slices of red onion
2 to 4 tablespoon 2% shredded sharp cheddar or Mexican blend cheeseOptional chopped cilantro and hot sauce for garnish

INGREDIENT DETAILS TO KNOW 

*Pour off liquid before measuring**For gluten-free, choose a gluten-free brand of BBQ sauce.

INSTRUCTIONS

 

1) Preheat oven to 450º degrees. Mist a baking sheet with oil spray and set aside.

2) In a small bowl, add the flour, baking powder, and seasonings. Mix to combine everything. Add the yogurt and stir until you have a crumbled mixture.

3) Using your hands, press and fold the flour into the yogurt until all of the pieces come together to form an elastic dough. While at first the dough will be fussy and crumbly, after about a minute of pressing and folding it will come together. Form one ball about the size of a baseball.

4) Place the ball on the prepared baking sheet and flatten with your palm. Roll it out into a thin circle using a rolling pin or a soup can until it has about a 7-inch diameter. Your shape can be somewhat artisanal or you can make it perfectly circular by pinching the outside perimeters with your fingers.

5) Place in oven on the middle rack for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and add the BBQ sauce on the crust and spread it out evenly. Add the saucy chicken, red onion slices, and sprinkle on the cheese.

6) Place back in the oven for another 5 to 8 minutes until the cheese is melty and the crust is crispy and browned around the edges. Garnish with optional chopped cilantro.

Mini Corn Dog Muffins - recipe #2

INGREDIENTS

1 cup white whole-wheat flour, or all-purpose flour*
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1½ teaspoons kosher salt1 (15-ounce) can sweet corn, drained (or 1½ cups frozen corn, thawed)
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup nonfat or low-fat vanilla yogurt
¼ cup honey
2 tablespoons milk or water
8 pre-cooked chicken or turkey sausages, each cut into 5 pieces (about 40 pieces total)

Optional Toppings and Dips: Honey, hot honey, ketchup, mustard, BBQ sauce

INGREDIENT DETAILS TO KNOW

* For a gluten-free version, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend in place of the white whole-wheat flour.If you’re making these gluten-free, double-check that your sausage brand is gluten-free too.

INSTRUCTIONS

1) Preheat the oven and prep the pans. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly coat two mini muffin tins with nonstick cooking spray.

2) Mix the dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined.

3) Add the wet ingredients. Add the corn, melted butter, eggs, yogurt, honey, and milk or water. Stir until everything is combined and the batter is smooth. Be careful not to overmix—the batter should be thick and scoopable.

4) Fill the muffin cups. Spoon about 1 heaping tablespoon of batter into each mini muffin cup. Press one sausage piece into the center of each cup, gently pushing it down so the batter rises around it and partially covers the sides.

5) Bake and serve. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden and the cornbread is set. Let the muffins cool in the pan for a few minutes, then carefully remove them. Serve warm with honey, hot honey, ketchup, mustard, or BBQ sauce.

Caramelized Onion Dip - recipe #3

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 medium onions, thinly sliced (~6 cups worth)

1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 cup lite sour cream, or nonfat or 2% Greek yogurt

½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

INGREDIENT DETAILS TO KNOW 

*You can use nonfat or 2% plain Greek yogurt or light sour cream. Pour off any liquid that may have settled on top of the container before measuring. You can also half the sour cream or yogurt with light mayo.

INSTRUCTIONS

1) Add the oil to a large skillet and warm over medium heat. Add the onions with ½ tsp salt. Allow them to cook, stirring often, for about 60 minutes, until they’re nicely browned and fragrant. If the onions start to burn, lower the heat to low. 

2) Also, if the onions become too dry at any point, add a tablespoon of water to the pan. The onions will reduce in size to yield about 1 cup when they’re caramelized.

3) When the onions are done cooking, let them slightly cool. Lay them on a cutting board and chop into tiny pieces. Alternatively, you can use a pair of kitchen scissors and snip them into small pieces right in the skillet.

4) In a mixing bowl, blend the sour cream, remaining salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Mix in the onions. Taste and season with extra salt, pepper and minced herbs. 

5) Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. If it becomes thicker than you’d like, simply mix in a few extra tablespoons of yogurt or sour cream.

NOTES

• Caramelizing such a large amount of onions in one pan will take some time, about 60 minutes over medium heat. While a smaller amount of onions (just one or two) will caramelize more quickly, you’ll need this full amount for the addictive, onion-y flavor. Trust me on this. Use the largest and widest skillet you have on hand. Once your onions get started, I suggest putting on some great music and multitasking while they cook; you can dance, tend to other food items that need prepping, or catch up on a juicy episode of whatever you’re currently watching. You’ll need to stir them occasionally, so don’t stray too far from the kitchen!

• You can opt to caramelize the onions ahead of time and store in an air-tight container for up to 3 days or freeze them for up to 3 months.

• I use 3 medium yellow onions (~6 cups worth of slices), which will cook all the way down to just about 1 cup, if you can believe. You can use any onion but I recommend using yellow or sweet onions.

• If using nonfat Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, 2 tablespoons provide about 35 calories, 2g fat, and 2g protein.

🍅🍴🧅🍴🌽🍴🍅🍴🧅🍴🌽🍴🍅🍴🧅🍴🌽🍴🍅🍴🧅🍴🌽

Even as a teenager, I skipped dips as empty calories, empty nutrition. With Joy’s low-fat, protein-dense onion dip using Greek yogurt, I get to experience what I missed! If you make all 3 snacks for a gathering, you’ve got meat, whole grains, and vegetables. Pour a glass of wine and add strawberries and blueberries for dessert. That’s a complete meal in my book! Hat’s off to Joy Bauer!👏

You may also enjoy:

Healthy Fast Food

Intense Orange Julius

Don’t Buy Pricey Shrinking Snacks

Inflation Busters: Look For Value Natural Snacks

#Shorts: Old Navy Dress Alert!

What a darling summer dress the Old Navy Fit & Flare Mini Dress is! 100% cotton in the floral pattern I like best, the dress comes in a total of 8 colors and patterns. With a sweetheart neckline, wide straps, fitted top and a flared skirt, this little number is machine washable. Oooo, look, you get side pockets too!

Although customers are reporting the length isn’t too mini, um short, I’d likely order it in tall. Love summer dresses that are above the knee, yet I’ll no longer wear super short dresses like I could get away with in my younger years. Moreover, a bit of extra length gives a summer dress more versitility.

Last year Old Navy’s mini dresses were not too short or as mini as one would think, and the only way to know about this year’s dress styles is to go into the brick-and-mortar store and try one on! If only the dress came with a lovely yet unhealthy bronze tan and a bright sunny day!

You may also enjoy:

Step Into The World Of Ideas

#Shorts: A Red Wine Boldness Chart

#Shorts: Bad Bunny’s Dark and Sparkly Style

Catherine Of Wales Suited In Alexander McQueen

Milk Street’s Stir-Fried Cumin Tofu

Photo: Milk Street

Take a look at what I’m making for dinner tonight! Often, I have a packaged block of tofu in my refrigerator. It’s a no-fuss protein that rarely spoils, and usually I toss cubes of it into my sesame noodles to make the dish more substantial. Tofu makes quick meals in less than 30 minutes!

So how thrilling to come across another fast meal that uses totu! Cumin is a strong spice, but when used in the right amount, it’s super tasty. I love cumin on roasted carrots, among other foods. In this dish, we’ll use cumin and red pepper flakes to spice what is, on its own, flavorless tofu.

The recipe featured on a 2022 episode of Milk Street was shared with Katu here. Check out both websites. I love watching Milk Street episodes. For our convenience, I’ll also put the recipe below. If only linking, it might disappear one day, and as a reader of online content myself, I appreciate not having to click, click, click just to see a recipe:

Milk Street’s Stir-Fried Cumin Tofu

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, divided
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
14-ounce container firm OR extra-firm tofu, drained, patted dry, halved lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick planks
1/4 cup cornstarch
3 tablespoons grapeseed or other neutral oil, divided
1 medium yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
4 teaspoons cumin seeds, lightly crushed OR 2 teaspoons ground cumin
4 medium garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Directions:

In a pie plate or shallow bowl, stir together 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of the vinegar, and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and black pepper. Add the tofu and toss to coat. Let stand at room temperature for at least 15 minutes or up to 1 hour. Pat the tofu dry in the pie plate. Sprinkle with the cornstarch and toss to coat, gently pressing to adhere.

In a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil until shimmering. Add the tofu, distributing it in an even layer, and cook until golden brown and crisp on the bottom, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the tofu and cook until golden brown on the second side, another 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate; set aside. Wipe out the skillet.

In the same skillet over medium-high, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil until barely smoking. Add the onion and cumin; cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is charred in spots and slightly softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and pepper flakes, then cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds. Add the tofu, remaining 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, remaining 1 tablespoon of vinegar, and 2 tablespoons of water. Cook, stirring often, until the liquid has evaporated, about 1 minute. Off heat, taste and season with salt and black pepper.

Debra’s Tweaks:

I’ll either tenderize broccoli florets or mixed vegetables (green beans, carrots, corn, and peas) to toss into the dish after the onions are charred. Perhaps I’d also make brown rice as a side for a complete dinner. This would also make a delicious dinner if you had a dinner guest over, by adding a glass of wine and a cheese platter while they wait for this main course to arrive on the table!

Fast food never has to be junk food!

You may also enjoy:

Healthy Fast Food

Jambalaya Made Easy

Easy French Onion Soup

Stove Top Roast Chicken With Gravy

Fanyil We The People 250 Bottle

When I saw this 250 Anniversary Bourbon Bottle, I immediately thought of long-time blog reader and journalist, Barry, who has an interest in following the bourbon industry. Barry is a casual expert on all things bourbon. Some bourbon enthusiasts say, "The bottle matters almost as much as the spirit inside.”

The Fanyil We The People 250 bottle is a collectible for bourbon aficionados, patriots, and history buffs alike. It has a Liberty Bell airtight vacuum stopper to preserve the complex notes of a favorite bourbon you put inside it. The bottle is created from thick, lead-free crystal with a weighted base, and its 1776 - 2026 stamp, commemorating the nation’s birthday, could make the decanter a historic relic in future years. 

But I always say, buy a material article only because you love it, not as an investment of future value, which is never a certainty. It should be a piece you enjoy seeing on your desk, shelf, or home bar. Currently, the bottle sells for $50 as a limited-edition commemorative. Perhaps Barry will see my blog to tell us what he thinks and if he’s tempted to buy it.😁

You may also enjoy:

A Well-Stocked Bar

Let’s Plan A Wine Party

Rita Fox’s Bourbon Fruitcake

Angel’s Envy In The Tradition Of  Kentucky Bourbon

2 Mediterranean Diet Recipes From Facebook

Photos and recipes by Emily Smith here and below

When I happened upon these two recipes on Facebook, they made my mouth water! I’m sharing them for several reasons: I plan to make them. My blog is my recipe keeper! They’re quick and easy to prepare with simple ingredients, and most of all they’re healthy and filling. I also appreciate that the FB page I’m pulling them from is transparent, not making it difficult to find the recipes. I dislike having to provide my email or click off the page to get recipes. This page seems to just want to share recipes, so check it out for healthy meal ideas!

🍕🌮🍕🌮🍕🌮🍕🍕🌮🍕🌮🍕🌮🍕🍕🌮🍕🌮🍕🌮🍕

Says page administrator Emily Smith: "Craving pizza but sticking to keto? Try these cheesy Pepperoni Pizza Quesadillas for a deliciously guilt-free treat!”

Cheesy Pepperoni Pizza Quesadilla (Made it. Like✅)

*What you need*

- 2 large low‑carb tortillas (or regular flour tortillas)

- ½ cup shredded mozzarella (or a blend of mozzarella & cheddar)

- 10‑12 pepperoni slices

- 2 Tbsp pizza sauce (sugar‑free) – optional

- A pinch of Italian seasoning – optional

*How to make it*

1. Heat a non‑stick skillet over medium heat.

2. Lay one tortilla flat, spread the sauce (if using), then sprinkle the cheese, pepperoni, and a dash of Italian seasoning.

3. Top with the second tortilla.

4. Cook 2‑3 min per side, pressing gently, until the cheese melts and the tortillas are golden‑brown.

5. Slice into wedges and serve with extra sauce for dipping.

Enjoy that melty, pizza‑and‑quesadilla mash‑up in under 10 minutes! Let me know if you want a low‑carb twist.

Recipe #2 --

3 Ingredient Cottage Cheese Pizza

*What you need*

-1 cup of cottage cheese (full fat, small curd)

- 1 large egg

- ½ cup shredded mozzarella (or your favorite cheese)

*How to make it*

1. Pre‑heat oven to 400 °F (200 °C). Line a baking sheet with parchment.

2. Mix cottage cheese and egg until smooth. Spread into a thin circle (about 8‑inch).

3. Top with mozzarella (and any other low-carb toppings you love).

4. Bake 15‑18 min, until the crust is golden and cheese melts.

''Enjoy a protein-packed, low-carb pizza! Let me know if you want topping ideas.’’

🍕🌮🍕🌮🍕🌮🍕🍕🌮🍕🌮🍕🌮🍕🍕🌮🍕🌮🍕🌮🍕

For questions or topping ideas, go to Emily Smith's FB page, which is linked. I topped the Pepperoni Pizza Quesadilla with chopped onions, green peppers, mushrooms and red pepper flakes. Oooh, how delish!

You may also enjoy:
Let’s Plan A Wine Party
All Beef Salisbury Steak
Homemade Chicken Fingers
Top Round London Broil Steak