The "S" Squad Chronicles

Small Calorie Breakfast, Big Taste!

You may have noticed that I've added a new link to the S Squad Comrades section, the My Fitness Pal link.  I have been using this site for about a year now to help log my calories consumed and the exercise I've done.  I love how easy it is to find and log any type of food I eat and if it's not in the database, I just add to it!  Try it out, you'll love it!  One of the many topics of discussion on the forums there are what is good to eat that's ow calorie for breakfast.  I thought I'd share one of the many breakfasts that I eat regularly.  It's quick and easy to make, plus it's full of vitamins, nutrients, and taste!  The following information was found on various websites:

HealthMad.com
Vegetarian Nutrition
The World's Healthiest Foods

Asparagus ~

• It is high in vitamin K and Folate
• Eat asparagus when you are pregnant or thinking about conceiving – because of it being high in folic acid it helps prevent birth defects such as spina bifida
• Great for your heart
• Helps w*Helps menstrual cramps with fertility problems         
• Great for your gastrointestinal tract and your colon
• Helps menstrual cramps
• Great food to help treat depression
• Has been known to increase the success rate of chemo therapy
• Is considered a diuretic which means it is a good anti-inflammatory – best for arthritis, asthma rheumatism, and even water retention…PMS
• Help get rid of warts
• Helps detoxify your body
• Add more asparagus to your diet to lover cholesterol
• Great for nursing mothers stimulating milk production
• Has antioxidant agents – prevents the effects of aging
• Has antifungal and antiviral qualities
• Great for your kidneys – cleansing your body by stimulating urination and preventing kidney stones
• Helps prevent bladder and urinary tract infections
• Use to be used as an a aphrodisiac – increase sexual and comforting feelings
• Helps with treating HIV
• Helps prevent multiple sclerosis
• Helps prevent scurvy
• Asparagus has anti-cancer agents – especially lung cancer
• Helps fight chronic fatigue syndrome
• Helps fight off high blood pressure
• If you bruise easily – eat more asparagus
• Is considered a laxative – eat an asparagus if you have diarrhea and constipation
• Great for your capillaries – eat more asparagus to avoid varicose veins
• Great for your eyes preventing cataracts
• If you are experiencing hair loss- eat more asparagus
• Helps treat toothaches

Eggs ~

    Eggs contain lecithin, which in our body is converted into choline, and he in turn participates in the brain and is essential for good memory. In addition, eggs – very satisfying and simultaneously low-calorie food (in one chicken egg, only about 70-80 cal).  You can even get omega 3 engineered eggs!  Chickens are fed flaxseed, marine algae, and fish oil, with the intent to increase the egg content of omega 3 fatty acids.

Papaya ~

• Promotes digestive health
• Anti inflammatory effects
• Immune support
• Protection against Macular Degeneration: Data reported in a study published in the Archives of Ophthalmology indicates that eating 3 or more servings of fruit per day may lower your risk of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), the primary cause of vision loss in older adults, by 36%, compared to persons who consume less than 1.5 servings of fruit daily. In this study, which involved over 110,000 women and men, researchers evaluated the effect of study participants' consumption of fruits; vegetables; the antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E; and carotenoids on the development of early ARMD or neovascular ARMD, a more severe form of the illness associated with vision loss.
• Protection against Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Promote lung health
• Papaya and Green tea team up to prevent Prostate Cancer: Choosing to regularly eat lycopene-rich fruits, such as papaya, and drink green tea may greatly reduce a man's risk of developing prostate cancer, suggests research published the Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition (Jian L, Lee AH, et al.)

Chives ~

Population studies have shown that a higher intake of allium vegetables is associated with a reduced risk of several types of cancers. The organosulfur compounds they contain inhibit tumor growth and cell proliferation, and arrest the cell cycle in tumor cells. Allium vegetables, including chives, especially have a protective effect against both esophageal and stomach cancer as well as prostate cancer. The highest antioxidant activity in chives is observed in the leaves, which are also rich in flavonoids. 

Now that you know how healthy it is, here's the make up and nutritional information on my yummy breakfast:

1 whole egg
2 egg whites
1 Laughing Cow light Swiss Cheese wedge
1 tbsp. fresh chives
6 spears of Asparagus
sea salt
pepper

Scramble egg and egg whites with Laughing cow mixed in.  Blanch asparagus for 2 minutes in boiling water, quickly removing them and dunking into ice water.  Add salt and pepper and DONE!  For papaya, just cut in half and scoop seeds out with a spoon.  ENJOY!

Calories: 266
Carbs: 26
Fat: 9
Protein: 26
Sodium: 763
Sugar: 14

Halibut with White Beans in Tomato-Rosemary Broth

I made this great fish meal this afternoon for lunch and thought I'd share it with you all!  Plus, as a bonus it's from Cooking Light so it's low in calories!  It's quick and easy to make so try it out today!

Flavor Tip from Cooking Light: If the fresh tomatoes at your market aren't at their best, substitute 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained.  I used Muir Glen's no salt added fire roasted diced tomatoes.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 (6 ounce) halibut fillets
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups chopped plum tomato (about 4) OR diced tomatoes (see note above)
1 1/2 cups fat-free, less sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 (16 ounce) can cannellini beans or other white beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

Directions:

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle fish evenly with salt and pepper.  Add fish to pan, cook 5 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness.  Remove fish from pan, keep warm.  Add garlic to pan, cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly.  Stir in tomato, broth, wine, and beans; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes.  Remove from heat; stir in rosemary.  Serve immediately with fish.  Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 fillet and about 3/4 cup bean mixture).

Calories: 299
Fat: 7.9g
Protein: 39.8g
Carb: 14.9g
Fiber: 4g
Chol: 54mg
Iron: 3.2mg
Sodium: 535mg
Calc:117mg

Kitty Litter Cake

THIS IS NOT A REAL KITTY LITTER BOX!!! ITS A CAKE!! I came across this cake years ago at a Halloween party and have been dying to make it myself since.  It looks so real and disgusting...Perfect for Halloween!  Little Todd made the "turds" and they look so real!  Some people were afraid to eat it because it looked so real.  The key is to make sure you by a NEW kitty litter box and scooper...Yummo!

Kitty Litter Cake

• 1 (18 ounce) box spice cake mix or German chocolate cake mix

• 1 (18 ounce) box white cake mix
• 1 (6 ounce) box vanilla instant pudding mix
• 1 package white sandwich cookies
• green food coloring
• 12 small Tootsie Rolls
• 1 new kitty litter box
• 1 Pooper Scooper
  
  Directions:
  
  Prepare cake mixes and bake according to box directions (any size pan). Prepare pudding, chill until ready to assemble. Crumble sandwich cookies in small batches in food processor, scraping often.  Set aside all but 1/4 cup.  To the 1/4 cup of crumbs, add a few drops of green food coloring and mix using fork or shake in a jar.  When cakes are cooled to room temp, crumble into a large bowl.  Toss with half the remaining cookie crumbs and chilled pudding.  You probably won't need all the pudding, mix the cake and "feel" it, you don't want it soggy, just moist; gently combine.  Put mixture into box.  Put 3 unwrapped tootsie rolls in microwave safe dish and heat until softened.  Shape ends so they are no longer blunt, curving slightly.Repeat with 3 more tootsie rolls and bury in cake mixture. Sprinkle the other half of cookie crumbs over top.  Scatter green crumbles lightly over top (chlorophyll in cat litter).  Spread remaining tootsie rolls over top; take one and heat until pliable, hang over side of litter box, sprinkle with cookie crumbs. ENJOY!
  

Mushroom Risotto

Here it is!  The awesome Mushroom Risotto I made a while back.  This was the first time I ever made a risotto and it was great.  Todd says it looks like brain matter...what does he know!?!?  It was good and I highly recommend you try to make it too!

Ingredients:
4 cups low sodium chicken broth/stock
12 oz. assorted mushrooms (I used Cremini and Portobello), wiped clean and thinly sliced
1 ½ cups Arborio rice
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 small onion, diced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme (1/2 teaspoon dried)
½ cup dry white wine
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup chopped fresh chives

Directions:
In a large heavy skillet/saucepan, heat the oil and melt the butter over medium high heat.  Add the onions and garlic, and cook, stirring until fragrant and soft, about 3 minutes.  Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring until wilted and their liquid is evaporated, 4 to 5 minutes.  Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly, until the grains are opaque and coated with the butter and oil, about 1 minute.  Stir in the thyme.  Add the wine and simmer until almost evaporated, about 3 minutes.  Add ½ cup of warm stock and stir until almost completely absorbed, about 2 minutes.  Continue with remaining stock, adding ½ cup at a time, and allowing each addition to be absorbed, until the rice is tender to the bite and the mixture is creamy, about 20-25 minutes.  Remove the pan from the heat.  Stir in the Parmesan, chives, salt, and pepper.  Transfer the risotto to a serving bowl.  Serve immediately.

***To reheat risotto:  Actually leftover risotto leaves much to be desired, no matter how you reheat it. Try not to produce too much of leftover, but if it’s unavoidable Foodsave your leftovers and reheat by placing the Foodsaved bag into boiling water.

October Wine Tasting Party

Our monthly wine tasting party was hosted by moi this month.  I chose Cabernet Sauvignon.  I had three wines ranging from $1.99 to 20.99 and covered them all with fabric sleeves making it a blind taste test.  The first wine is from California.  It's only sold at Trader Joes for the great price of $1.99.  EVERYONE knows it as 2 Buck Chuck, but it's labeled Charles Shaw.

The mid range wine I picked was Root One.  This is one of my favorites here in Hawaii since we have no Trader Joes.  This wine is from Chile and has spicier notes then the mild Chuck Shaw.  Root One ranges between $8.99 to $10.99 depending on where you get it from.

The last wine I chose was also out of California named Silver Palm.  This wine is aged for 12 months in 77% French and 23% American oak barrels.   Its smooth, luxurious finish makes it an ideal companion to grilled and broiled meats. 

In the end we tried all of the wines, blindly and everyone voted on their favorite.  Once we revealed everyone was surprised to find out their favorite was Charles Shaw!  The cheapest of all the wines!  All in all it was fun and educating.  Next month will be at someone elses house but the wine of choice is still undetermined.  I'll keep you updated though!