The Fat Girl's Guide to Living

When was the last time you had s’mores? I’m not talking about a S’more Pop-Tart or a bowl of S’more Crunch Cereal (anyone remember that?). I’m referring to crispy, gooey, chocolatey, honest-to-goodness s’mores (short for “some more” as in, “try one and you’ll beg for s’more!”). This delectable dessert was the stuff your childhood camping trip dreams were made of, right?

There’s no need to wait until you find yourself sitting in front of a roaring fire on a summer night to enjoy the goodness of this classic treat. In fact, you can whip up a little campfire nostalgia any time you like, and it only takes a few minutes. You can keep it simple and go with the classic configuration or you can jazz it up a bit by using caramel filled chocolate pieces, dark chocolate, or incorporating a little peanut butter. You can keep it simple or make it sexy (gooey marshmallows and melty chocolate? oh yeah!). S’mores aren’t just for kids anymore, my friends, and they’re not just for the campfire, either. You can do it all in the oven, toaster oven, or even in the microwave (if you must).

Think you’re not in a position to indulge, campfire or not? Never fear, where there’s a will there’s a way! Go with an “open-faced” s’more, forego the chocolate bar, and substitute a decadent drizzle of chocolate syrup–classic fun factor and flavor for half the calories! We don’t have to deny ourselves, we only have to think a little outside the graham cracker box!

The Classic S’more
2 graham crackers (one sheet, broken in half)
1/2 ounce chocolate (Ghirardelli Squares are my fave!)
1 standard size marshmallow

Place one graham cracker on a small cookie sheet. Top with chocolate and marshmallow. Broil for 2-3 minutes (watch it closely, it’ll burn when you’re not looking!) until marshmallow is lightly toasted. Remove from oven, top with remaining graham cracker and smoosh. Indulge.

Yield: 1 S’more

S’more Light
1 graham cracker (one half of one sheet)
1 standard size marshmallow
1/2 teaspoon chocolate syrup
Place one graham cracker on a small cookie sheet. Top with marshmallow. Broil for 2-3 minutes (watch it closely, it’ll burn when you’re not looking!) until marshmallow is lightly toasted. Remove from oven and drizzle with chocolate syrup. Indulge.

Yield: 1 S’more

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Compromise. It’s a fine art when trying to balance somewhat responsible eating habits with really good food. Especially when you find yourself undeniably hooked on good-tasting but not-so-healthy eats, like bar food. Case in point: I’m addicted to the boneless wings with spicy garlic sauce at Buffalo Wild Wings. While on a five day ‘staycation’ last week, we ate lunch at Buffalo Wild Wings three times. You read that right: three times in five days. The meaning of moderation was clearly lost on me. So, when the vacation was over and it was time to get back to reality, I had a hard time breaking that craving. I wanted my wings!

Not one to deny myself much when it comes to food, I set out to find a way to not only make my own boneless wings at home, but to find a good approximation of that spicy garlic sauce. I wanted something I could enjoy on a more regular basis without having to either let out my pants or break the bank, while still reserving trips to the wing joint for splurges and special occasions. So, I pulled out an old baked chicken strips recipe and put it to work as my husband hit the Internet to see what people were saying about this addictive wing sauce. The results were pure magic – healthier than pub grub but just as tasty.

Because the baked cornflake breading is more delicate than a traditional deep-fried coating, I opted to serve the sauce on the side to keep the textures fully intact. But you can certainly give the nuggets a quick run through the sauce for a more “authentic” wing feel. Don’t like spicy sauces? Give a nice honey mustard or barbecue sauce a try.

Boneless Chicken “Wings”
12 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
2 cups cornflakes (unsweetened), finely crushed
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Cut chicken into approximately 1 3/4-inch by 1-inch chunks. In a shallow bowl, combine the egg, honey, and mustard. In a separate dish, stir together the cornflake crumbs and pepper.

Dip chicken pieces into the egg mixture and roll in the cornflake crumb mixture to coat completely. Place a wire cooling rack onto a rimmed baking sheet and spray lightly with cooking spray. Arrange chicken pieces on the rack.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, until outsides are golden and chicken is no longer pink.

Yield: 4 servings

Almost BWW Spicy Garlic Sauce
(modified from Meemo’s Kitchen)
1 cup hot sauce
1/3 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon sugar
3 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons water
2 teaspoons cornstarch

In a small sauce pan combine first seven ingredients. Heat over medium heat until sauce begins to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for five minutes. Remove pan from heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

Whisk egg yolk and water together. Add cornstarch and continue to whisk until cornstarch is completely dissolved. Slowly add warm hot sauce mixture to egg mixture. Continually whisk to create an emulsion.

Use immediately or cover and chill until needed.

Yield: 1.5 cups

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Spring has sprung! The weather in many parts of the world is finally beginning to warm up, and with the sunny days and warm breezes comes my craving for summery mixed drinks on the patio. Though it’s not quite warm enough to justify pulling out the blender for slushy drinks like frozen mojitos, the weather’s perfect for a pitcher of something over ice.

I really enjoy stirring up a pitcher of cocktails. It feels a little more luxurious than mixing them drink by drink, and it’s more efficient! And don’t worry–this punch doesn’t require a multitude of liquors you’ve never heard of and may never use again. In fact, it’s just rum and fruit – which makes it one step removed from health food, right?

Celebrate spring with a pitcher of punch this weekend! Enjoy!

Pineapple-Rum Punch
(recipe courtesy of Martha Stewart)
1 can (46 ounces) pineapple juice
2 cups spiced rum
1/2 cup fresh lime juice (6-8 limes)
Lime slices, for garnish

In a large pitcher, stir together pineapple juice, rum and lime juice. Refrigerate until chilled. Serve over ice and garnish with lime slices.

Sweet tooth. Most of us have one. Some of us (okay, it’s me) have an insatiable one. This is why I’m always on the lookout for sweet treats that I can make in small portions, individual servings, or that keep well so I can stash the leftovers away for future sweet tooth moments. And this is why I love to freeze cookie dough.

I’ve learned enough over the years to know that if I bake a big batch of yummy cookies that they’re as good as gone if I don’t shuffle them off to work, dole them out to the neighbors, or find some other way to get them out of the house. If I know they’re in the kitchen, I’ll find any excuse to go in and snag one after another until there’s nothing left but crumbs (and I just may snag those, too). Makes for a happy sweet tooth, but not such a happy waistline. Enter the sage compromise of freezing cookie dough. Whip up a full batch, bake enough to make the sweet tooth happy, freeze the rest of the dough on a cookie sheet until solid, and then remove to a freezer bag. Throw the bag into the deep freeze and you’ve got cookies ready to bake anytime you want them! Bake them from frozen at the regular temp — just adjust your cooking time by a few minutes to allow for the defrosting process.

For those of you who love the sweet-salty flavor combination, this one’s for you. Sweet butterscotch and flaky sea salt is a marriage made in heaven and the oats back it up by delivering a nice, chewy texture.  Bake the whole batch and share with your family and friends, or bake just a few and freeze the remaining dough for future cravings or drop-in guests!

Salted Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies
(adapted from Poppytalk)
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup skim milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup wheat or white-wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups oats (regular or quick cooking)
2 cups butterscotch chips
flaky sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine flours, baking soda, and the first salt measurement in a medium bowl.
In a second bowl, beat together butter and sugar until fluffy. Add milk and vanilla until combined. Slowly add in flour mixture and mix until just blended. Add oats and butterscotch chips until incorporated.

Spoon large tablespoons of dough onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a Silpat, leaving about 2 inches of space between each cookie. Lightly press down on each cookie to slightly flatten and sprinkle a flake or two of salt on each cookie. Bake for 12 – 14 minutes, or until cookies are golden brown. Transfer to wire rack to cool.

Yield: 24 – 30 cookies

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Have you tried spaghetti squash? It’s an amazing vegetable whose meat, when cooked, separates into little strands that resemble spaghetti noodles. It’s wonderfully easy to cook (just split, seed, microwave, and comb out the “noodles”), and its light flavor can be paired with everything from your standard red sauce to a vibrant pesto to a little butter and garlic. The possibilities are endless, and I’m pretty sure I’ve never met a spaghetti squash meal I didn’t like. But today’s recipe is my hands-down favorite so far: Greek Spaghetti Squash with Chicken.

Not only is this recipe virtually carb-free, it has lean chicken for protein, red bell pepper for vitamin C, and spinach for iron. In addition to being gorgeous and rich with color, the spaghetti squash is loaded with carotenes, which fight Type 2 diabetes and heart disease, among other things. This dish shows that eating well doesn’t have to translate into bland, uninspired meals (and it leaves room for the occasional decadent dessert!).

Though spaghetti squash is a “winter” squash, it can be found in most areas year-round. Keep an eye out for them in your supermarket or at your local farmer’s market and give this recipe a try. You’ll be happy you did!

Greek Spaghetti Squash with Chicken
(adapted from Taste of Home)
1 medium spaghetti squash (2 pounds)
1 boneless skinless chicken breast half (6 ounces), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup marinated artichoke hearts, drained
1/3 cup chopped pitted Greek (calamata) olives
2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese

Cut squash in half lengthwise; discard seeds. Place squash cut side down on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 15-18 minutes or until tender.

Meanwhile, in a skillet, saute the chicken, onion, red pepper, garlic, oregano, basil, salt and pepper in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Stir in the spinach, artichokes and olives; cook until spinach is wilted.

When squash is cool enough to handle, use a fork to separate strands. Serve chicken mixture over 2 cups of squash; sprinkle with feta cheese. (Save remaining squash for another use.)

Yield: 2 servings

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After a week of coffee-and-granola-bar breakfasts, I’m dreaming of spending Sunday morning languishing in bed for as long as possible, only heading to the kitchen when hunger calls to prepare these amazing Whole-Wheat Oatmeal Pancakes. We discovered this recipe one weekend after debating the nutritional merits of pancakes and trying to justify a high-calorie, carb-heavy (but uber-yummy) breakfast that would leave us hungry again within a matter of hours. So, I searched online for ways to improve upon pancakes beyond simply switching to whole-wheat flour.

Happily, this wonderfully nutty, nicely textured recipe from Epicurious was one of the first recipes I came across, and it includes both oats and wheat flour. Know what that means? These pancakes will not only satisfy my occasional pancake craving, they’ll hold me over until lunchtime while helping manage my cholesterol levels–a pretty sweet deal!

We usually top these with bananas and either a drizzle of syrup or a dollop of freshly whipped cream. They’re wonderful either way, and this weekend I’m going try slathering some peanut butter under the bananas for an extra protein boost. I’ll bet these would also be great with blueberries or strawberries, too – I can’t wait to experiment on another relaxing Sunday morning!

Don’t fret if you don’t have buttermilk on hand or are reluctant to buy a big container you’ll never finish -  just make your own!

Whole-Wheat Oatmeal Pancakes
(adapted slightly from Epicurious)
3/4 cup oats (regular or quick-cooking)
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons well-shaken buttermilk, divided (or make your own)
3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
sliced bananas

Soak oats in 3/4 cup buttermilk (30 minutes for regular / 10 minutes for quick-cooking).

Meanwhile, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl.

Stir egg, butter, brown sugar, remaining 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk, and oat mixture into dry ingredients until just combined. Do not over-mix.

Heat a griddle or large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat until hot and lightly brush with oil. Working in batches, pour 1/4 cup batter per pancake onto griddle and cook until bubbles appear on surface and undersides are golden-brown, about 1 minute. Flip with a spatula and cook other side, about 1 minute more. (Lightly oil griddle between batches.)

Yield: 8-10 pancakes

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I have a secret: I’m a carboholic. Potatoes? Love ‘em. Bread? Yes, please. Pasta? Pass me a fork. But, in spite of my love for all things carby, I also recognize that moderation is my friend and it wouldn’t kill me to skimp on the starchy stuff every so often.

This Thai shrimp is one of those recipes that helps me forget about my beloved carbs. Sturdy and crunchy, the cabbage stands in nicely for the usual noodles while providing lots of fiber and vitamin C. The edamame and shrimp contribute a ton of protein, but you can sub other veggies and meats if you’re inclined. We’ve made this with chicken and love that version, too. Finally, don’t panic if your local grocery store doesn’t carry Thai seasoning — it can be omitted without negatively affecting the recipe (or you can order some here).

I promise, when you’re staring down this bowl of goodness, you won’t even notice the lack of carbs. Enjoy!

Thai Shrimp with Cabbage
1/4 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 cups shredded cabbage
2 teaspoons canola oil, divided
1 teaspoon sesame oil, divided
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups oriental blend frozen vegetables, thawed
1 cup edamame, shelled
7 ounces shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 teaspoon Thai seasoning (optional)
1 teaspoon sesame seeds, divided

In a medium bowl, make the Thai sauce by whisking together chicken broth through red pepper flakes. Set aside.

In a medium skillet, stir-fry the cabbage in 1 teaspoon canola oil and 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil for 2 minutes or until crisp-tender. Remove and keep warm. In the same skillet, stir-fry garlic in remaining oils until tender. Add the oriental vegetables and edamame. Once warmed through, add the shrimp and Thai seasoning and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes or until shrimp turn pink. Add in Thai sauce and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.

Serve over cabbage. Sprinkle each serving with 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds.

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Yield: 2 servings