Lean Libation: Giada's Aloha L.A. Cocktail

Happy Saturday!!

The weekend means it is time to relax and kickback. It is time to reward ourselves for the hard week of work we just put it. It is time for a cocktail! This Aloha L.A. Cocktail from Giada De Laurentiis has "summertime" , "fun" and "relaxation" written all over it! Packed with fresh fruit and topped off with some diet ginger ale, this cocktail qualifies as a finalist for the "Lean Libation Hall of Fame!" So, get the blender out. It is time to set this cocktail makin' session in motion.

ALOHA L.A. COCKTAIL

Serves 8

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 ripe pineapple; peeled, cored & cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons honey (or agave nectar)
• 1 cup light rum
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (2-3 limes)
• 2 cups ice
• 1 (1 liter) bottle diet ginger ale

DIRECTIONS:

Garnish: 2 limes, cut into wedges

In a blender, combine the pineapple, rum, honey (or agave nectar), and lime juice. Blend until the pineapple is almost pureed. Pour the pineapple mixture into a large pitcher. Add the ice and stir. Slowly pour in the diet ginger ale.


Pour the cocktail into glasses and garnish with lime wedges.


RESULTS:


While writing this post and looking outside at the beautiful day we are having, these just might be the drink of choice this evening. They are light and fruity, yet no overly sweet. Cutting down the amount of rum saved us some calories. I know what you are thinking. Boooo! I took the fun out of it. But really, a serving of liquor is about 1 fl. oz. So we really only need about a cup for 8 people. I also subbed diet ginger ale for the real thing. In the end, we were able to save around 60 calories per cocktail!!

NUTRITION FACTS (per serving):

BEFORE: 183.75  calories;  .08g fat;  27.29g carbohydrate;  .36g protein;  .88g fiber

AFTER: 124.38 calories;  .08g fat;  12.58g carbohydrate;  .38g protein;  .88g fiber

SAVES: 59.37 calories & 14.71 carbohydrates

Those are some pretty sweet savings! Now you know that you can always leave out the rum for a non-alcoholic summer cocktail, right? That will save tons of calories too. It just all depends what you want this cocktail to do for you!

Oh, one little tip on making this drink; buy the containers of already peeled and cut pineapple in the produce section. It saves a little time and it is all the same.

Cheers!

*PRINT~FRIENDLY*

Cooking Light with Giada De Laurentiis: Asparagus Lasagna

I feel like every family has their "go-to" vegetables they like to have at dinner. Our favorite veggie of choice around here is asparagus. We just throw it on a baking sheet with a little EVOO, salt, pepper and garlic; then toss it in the oven. It is simple and guaranteed to be a hit every single time! Because of our love for asparagus, Giada's recipe for Asparagus Lasagna immediately grabbed my attention. We love asparagus and we love lasagna, therefore there is no doubt we will love the two together. My instincts were right! Even "The Caveman" (aka, my husband) was happy with making dinner that night a meatless meal. Now that is sayin' something!

ASPARAGUS LASAGNA

Serves 8

INGREDIENTS:

• 9 WHOLE WHEAT lasagna sheets OR 1 medium egg plant**
• 1/2 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 (8.5-ounce) tubs sun-dried tomatoes (not in oil;found in produce section)
• 1-1/2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 bunches asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1" pieces
• 1 (15-ounce)  container FAT FREE Ricotta cheese
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups REDUCED FAT  (2%) shredded mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes for dried pasta or 2 to 3 minutes for fresh pasta. Drain pasta.

**If using eggplant, skip the above step. Instead, slice the eggplant lengthwise into very thin sheets. Try to slice them as thin as possible. Use the eggplant slices in place of noodles for the remainder of the recipe.

In a food processor combine the sun-dried tomatoes and basil. Pulse until the mixture is combined. Transfer to a small bowl. Stir in 1/4 cup Parmesan. Set aside.


In a large skillet , add 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, onion, and garlic and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Add asparagus and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Add the ricotta, salt, and pepper and stir to combine.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a 9 by 13-inch baking dish sprinkle some of the sun-dried tomato mixture on the bottom of the casserole dish. Place some lasagna (or eggplant)sheets, then half asparagus mixture. Next sprinkle some mozzarella cheese and some of the remaining Parmesan. Continue for 1 more layer. Top with lasagna (or eggplant) sheets, some sun-dried tomato mixture, mozzarella, and Parmesan. Bake until the ingredients are warm and the cheese is melted, about 25 minutes.



RESULTS:

Not only did I take a major risk with my husband by leaving out the pancetta, I replaced the lasagna noodles with eggplant too! It was a noodle-free and meat-free lasagna. And guess what? The Caveman ate it AND liked it! This dish is great if you are into "Meatless Monday" or if you are vegetarian or gluten-free. Even if none of those things apply to you, it is still a satisfying, light dish. I took this lasagna to the extreme by leaving out the noodles, but if you replace regular noodles with whole wheat, you are still doin' your body a favor. It's a smart swap that hardly anyone will notice.

Here is how the "Cookin' Lean Version" compares to the original:


NUTRITION FACTS (per serving/prepared using eggplant):

BEFORE: 528.75 calories;  30.61g fat;  40.33g carbohydrate;  30.28g protein;  9.78g fiber

AFTER: 239.5 calories;  7.2g fat;  26.34g carbohydrate;  25.25g protein;  9.68g fiber

SAVES: 289.25 calories;  23.4g fat;  13.99g carbohydrate



Want to add a little more nutrition to this meal? Have it with a nice glass of red wine! You can bet I did! ENJOY!

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Livin' Lean Topic Tuesday: How to "Spike" Your Dishes

One of my reasons for starting "Cookin' Lean" was to see if it was possible for healthy food to taste great. I didn't want it to just be so-so. I wanted healthy food to be "so good-you don't miss the real thing-maybe better than the real thing-good". That's what I was shootin' for. I am very excited and proud to say that after almost two years, I believe to have proven this concept to be possible. Healthy food can be exciting and delicious! But it doesn't just happen. You gotta use the right tricks and the right ingredients; sometimes even the right brands.

A lot of my tricks include; substituting low-fat or fat-free variations of the original ingredients, using whole grains and finding fresh ways to add flavor through vegetables and herbs. Another trick I like to throw in from time to time is the "Spike-It-Up" technique. Unfortunately for me, it's not anything that is going to leave you in admiration of my cooking abilities. This particular secret to adding fat-free flavor comes in a little glass jar. All I do is find the best Spike Gourmet Natural Seasoning to fit my dish and I sprinkle it on. Simple as that!

ABOUT SPIKE:
Spike Gourmet Natural Seasoning was developed by acclaimed nutritionist Gayelord Hauser. He wanted to share his philosophy that gourmet taste and good nutrition go hand-in-hand. Each seasoning blend adds a variety of delicious tastes without adding fat or calories; some ranging from salt free to very low sodium! And all of the seasoning products are made from the earth's purest, most natural ingredients, without additive, preservatives or fillers. For a woman that is trying to add excitement to healthy foods, these Spike seasonings have been wonderful to have around. What I love most is the variety of spice blends available. It seems like there is a Spike for everything. Here are the Spike Seasonings I have tried:

• 5 Herb
• Lemon Pepper
• Garlic
• Onion
• Hot N' Spicy
• Vegit
• Tenderizer
• All-Purpose (Original & Salt Free)

"The SPIKE® family of seasonings, featuring SPIKE® ORIGINAL MAGIC! are all-natural; made without preservatives or additives, and have ZERO calories per serving – so you can FLAVOR your meals, SAVOR your meals – with no guilt. A dash of any SPIKE seasoning will add ZIP and ZEST to your favorite foods – and save you the trouble of adding one more item to your “food database”! Forego the fat and go with SPIKE®! THE Healthy Lifestyle Seasoning. SPIKE® Seasonings are available at your local health/natural food stores and many select grocery stores." ---taken from www.spike-it-up.com.

It can be tough to add flavor to food sometimes, especially when you are cutting out things like bacon and butter! Having something natural and guilt-free like SPIKE® Seasonings is helpful in making up for lost flavor.

So I guess you can say that when it comes to seasoning your food, don't just spice up... SPIKE®  it up!

Have a great Tuesday!


** For more information on Spike Seasonings, visist www.spike-it-up.com and www.modernfearn.com.