USVI-On-Line

I need some help with dinner tonight.

As you know, I am trying to get serious about eating right and going to the gym everyday. This has been interesting to do while dating a "meat and potatoes" guy who appreciates that I have dinner on the table most nights.

Tonight, I am going to try this recipe for these healthy buffalo chicken wraps (I think it came from Eating Well magazine). I am thinking for sides I will do healthy french fries and celery and carrots with low-fat ranch or blue cheese.

My question is for the healthy french fries. I know I cut them up and spray them with olive oil and then put some type of seasoning on them. I know I could just put salt and pepper, but the gears got to turning, and I wondered:

Do you think I could use Cruz Bay Grill rub as the seasoning on the fries?

Or do you have another recommendation.

Also, I'm trying to think of desserts. I'm thinking maybe some sorbet or something, if anything...

I have used the grill rub on fries using both regular and sweet potato. Tasty.

I have had, however, limited success in getting my oven fries to crisp. More often then not, mine are down right soggy. I hope you have better luck.

yes you can use CBGR - good idea.
crisping takes some high heat and some olive oil. mine usually come out crispy although it's a rare thing to have a potato in this house. I'm not a huge fan and much prefer a sweet over a regular.

DELETED

If you want to skip the potatoes, you could sub in oven roasted parsnips and carrots cut into the shape of french fries. Spritz them with oil, season with salt and pepper, put in a single layer in a baking pan, and cook at 400, turning a couple of times, until browned and crispy in spots. OK, they are not french fries, but they do taste good!

I like potatoes, and I could eat much worse things.

I am just starting to like sweet potatoes, but I only have some yukon golds that were supposed to go in a beef stew that I haven't made yet. Maybe this weekend, since I'll have leftover carrots, too!

Just a couple of things to mention. Watch those "lite" dressings. Often times, you are better off to get the regular ones because they actually have less sugar in them. May seem strange, but true.

If you really want a potato, go with yams. They have considerably less sugar (go figure, with a name like sweet potato) and if you slice them thinly, you can spray them with Pam, and bake them to a light crunch.

Pete and I have been on a great diet since last July.
We've both lost the 20 pounds we wanted to lose, and now are in maintain mode. Still watching our sugars and carbs and calories but, so much can be done with fresh ingredients and, if you like meat, lean cuts.

Good luck with the menu and let us know how it goes!

Marcia (Mrs. Pete) wrote:Just a couple of things to mention. Watch those "lite" dressings. Often times, you are better off to get the regular ones because they actually have less sugar in them. May seem strange, but true.

Isn't that weird? It's really true with many light or low fat/fat free items. They take out certain things and replace with sugar or fake sugar or worse!

I am a notorious label reader. I also don't worry too much about carbs, because as I ramp up for my half-marathon training, I won't be able to skimp on my carbs. I've already gone to the gym for water aerobics today, and Chris and I are going this afternoon so I can log my miles for today. I have a lot of work to do to be ready for my race at the end of April.

For the potatoes, here is a recipe I pulled from cooking light a couple of years ago. They are really, really good. This makes six servings, so adjust accordingly.

Oven Garlic Fries, from Cooking Light

Ingredients
4 teaspoons canola oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 pounds peeled baking potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons butter
8 garlic cloves, minced (about 5 teaspoons)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°.

Combine first 3 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag, tossing to coat. Arrange potatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 50 minutes or until potatoes are tender and golden brown, turning after 20 minutes.

Place butter and garlic in a large nonstick skillet, and cook over low heat 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add potatoes, parsley, and Parmesan cheese to pan; toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Information
Calories:256 (27% from fat)
Fat:7.7g (sat 3.3g,mono 2g,poly 2g)
Protein:5.9g
Carbohydrate:42.3g
Fiber:3.5g
Cholesterol:12mg
Iron:1.9mg
Sodium:386mg
Calcium:55mg

Oh, Becky, you are a lifesaver! I knew you all would come through for me.

Maybe everything will be pretty, and I'll take a picture for you. Probably not, but maybe...

lulu--it might be too late for this, but i buy the olive oil spray and spray VERY thinly cut potatoes (i use a mandoline and make them like Mc'd's size--then HOT oven (400-425) and I sprinkle with herbs de provence (i happen to like that) but also a bit of garlic and s and p work well.
i toss them once during cooking.

have you tried cauliflower puree? really great and very low cal.

loria wrote:lulu--it might be too late for this, but i buy the olive oil spray and spray VERY thinly cut potatoes (i use a mandoline and make them like Mc'd's size--then HOT oven (400-425) and I sprinkle with herbs de provence (i happen to like that) but also a bit of garlic and s and p work well.
i toss them once during cooking.

have you tried cauliflower puree? really great and very low cal.

Cauliflower puree...sounds straight from the South Beach diet. That's what we went on to take off the 20 pounds. After the first phase, it's really not that bad.

Hey Lulu...We often make sweet potato fries (homemade, baked in oven)...Usually, I do the olive oil, then some garlic powder, pepper, maybe a little garlic salt.

But, I made them monday night, and decided to try the St. John Jerk seasoning from Ruth, and they came out great! So if you wanted a little kick, you could try that maybe.

Doesn't anyone else want to know what happened with LuLu's dinner??