Meatless Monday: Broccoli Cheddar Spaghetti Squash Cups

20 May, 2013 by Claire | Leave a comment

Spaghetti squash annoys me.

I always see them in the grocery, crates piled high with the bulbous, vibrant yellow vegetables. Obviously I’m attracted. It’s like Peacocking 101. Inevitably I buy one, reassuring myself that I’ll figure out a way to use it.

So why is it still sitting on my counter one week after aforementioned shopping trip? Because every time I even halfway think of using it, my mind has already thought of eight excuses not to. They’re too hard to cut; it’ll take too long to bake; it’s huge and I’m one person; it doesn’t even actually taste like spaghetti.

Consider this recipe my response to some of those annoyances. Yeah, you still have to cut and bake it, but with a sharp enough knife and a little forethought, you shouldn’t be in the woods for long. And, since it’s a (cheese-filled) side dish, it doesn’t even matter that spaghetti squash actually tastes nothing like spaghetti.

Nothing like having your cupcake-shaped cheesy veggies and eating them too.

Broccoli Cheddar Spaghetti Squash Cups
Makes: 6 cups | Calories per cup: 62
Fat: 2.0 g (Sat Fat: 0.8 g) | Carbohydrate: 7.2 g | Fiber: 1.3 g| Protein: 4.4 g

ingredients:
half of a small spaghetti squash
1 C frozen broccoli, thawed and chopped
1/2 oz reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese
2 T fat free cream cheese
1 t minced garlic
1 large egg
1 t salt
1/2 t cracked black pepper
3 T Italian breadcrumbs

directions:
1. To cook the spaghetti squash, slice it in half lengthwise and place on a baking dish cut side up. Bake for an hour in a 350° oven, until the flesh is fork tender. Once cooked and cooled, scrape out the inside using a fork. Half of a squash should yield about 2 cups.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cooked and shredded squash, broccoli, cheddar cheese, cream cheese and garlic.
3. In a small bowl, scramble the egg and then pour into the squash mixture.
4. Season the squash with the salt and pepper. Add in about half of the breadcrumbs.
5. Divide the squash mix evenly between six greased muffin tin cups. Sprinkle the tops with the remaining breadcrumbs.
6. Bake in a 350° oven for 20-25 minutes until the breadcrumbs are browned.
7. Let the muffins cool before loosening from the cups using a small knife before removing from the muffin tin.

Q + A, Part 4

15 May, 2013 by Claire | Leave a comment

Today I’m answering another handful of the questions y’all have submitted. Be sure to readpart 1, part 2, and part 3 to see if I answered your question or just to check out the answer to something you probably wanted to know anyway. If you’re still feeling snubbed, please submit any question you’d like!

Will doing 100 ab crunches a day for thirty days give you evident results?
The most definitive answer I can give you to this question is no. Unfortunately, you can’t really target fat loss that way and, more often than not, the moves you make in the kitchen will deliver more results than the moves you make in the gym. Think about it this way: you can consume calories far faster than you can burn them. So, if you’re looking to get bikini-ready abs, I’d suggest a calorie-conscious diet full of whole foods, cardio, and strength training (including those crunches, if you’d like).

You mentioned that you did Weight Watchers when you were younger. What are your thoughts on it now?
I’ve had a couple stints with Weight Watchers and excluding my undergraduate nutrition education, it has probably provided me with the most knowledge about healthy eating. Recording your food as PointsPlus is a great way to exercise portion control and hold yourself accountable for what you put in your mouth.

My only qualm about their new system (assuming this is still how it works) is that fruit is zero points. For most people who don’t particularly enjoy fruit as a snack, this is probably an effective way to get them eating more. And while fruit is a nutrient-dense alternative to many snacks that are nutritionally empty, it still has calories. As someone who loves fruit, I was happy I could consume cups of it between meals to stifle my hunger without dipping into my daily PointsPlus for the day. That extra couple hundred calories or so, however, definitely stifled my weight loss, as well.

I have the BIGGEST sweet tooth ever, which has been a problem since I am trying to lose the 20 pounds I gained freshman year. What can I do to keep me away from the sweets?
I think your best bet will be to indulge in your cravings from time to time, but in a slender way. There are lots of lower calorie alternatives to satiate a sweet tooth, and totally avoiding the things you love is just going to set yourself up for failure. I like to have a 100-150 calorie “safety net” left over at the end of the night for sweets that satisfy my sweet tooth. This includes things like sweet slender nachos, single serving mug brownies, or chocolate Greek froyo.

Baked Parmesan Edamame

14 May, 2013 by Claire | 1 Comment

The end of a semester means the beginning of having more time for things like blogging, watching movies, and slender movie watching snacks like today’s recipe. Feel free to cozy up to a lil bowl of these baked parmesan edamame and rejoice in the fact that something so crunchy and delicious has 11 grams of filling protein and requires that you lick your fingers after eating.

Yum.

Baked Parmesan Edamame
Calories: 121 | Fat: 3.9 g (Sat Fat: 0.9 g) | Carbohydrate: 9.2 g | Protein: 11.3 g

ingredients:
1/2 C frozen shelled edamame (this means out of the pods)
1 T shredded parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
PAM Original nonstick spray

directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 400° and coat a small baking sheet with PAM.
2. Pour your edamame in a colander and run cold water over them until thawed. Pat dry with a paper towel.
3. Spread the edamame in the baking sheet in an even, single layer. Lightly spray with PAM.
4. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese evenly over the edamame and season with salt and pepper.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes, shaking the pan every 10 minutes or so until the edamame have crisped up.

recipe from allrecipes.com

Dark Chocolate Energy Bites

9 May, 2013 by Claire | Leave a comment

I told myself I wouldn’t do this. I told myself to stay on top of it throughout the semester so I wouldn’t have to neglect the blog in favor of cramming a semester’s worth of material into my brain in between cups of coffee.

Since I haven’t posted in two days, I’ll let you be the judge of how successful that one was. Oops.

So, let’s keep it short. Last semester I brought you brainola, my low calorie version of granola that’s packed with healthy fats, whole grains, protein, fiber, and antioxidants. Good for the brain and body. This semester, I’m bringing you dark chocolate energy bites. These are a great alternative to the yucky processed snack bars you might have hiding in your backpack now.

Plus, you won’t be that annoying kid fiddling with their wrappers on the silent floor of the library. Everyone hates that kid.

Dark Chocolate Energy Bites
Makes: 24 servings | Calories per serving: 55
Fat: 2.1 g (Sat Fat: 0.5 g) | Carbohydrate: 7.0 g | Fiber: 2.1 g| Protein: 2.8 g

2 C instant oats
1 C chocolate PB2, dry
1/4 C ground flaxseed
1/4 C chia seed
2 t vanilla extract
2 oz dark chocolate, chopped
2 T granulated Splenda
1 t cinnamon
1 T cocoa powder
3/4 C water

directions:
1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients except for the water. Mix well until everything is evenly incorporated.
2. Add in the water 1/4 C at a time, stirring between each addition.
3. Refrigerate the mix for at least 30 minutes.
4. Remove the mix from the refrigerator and, using your hands, roll them into balls. Refrigerate until eating!

Sweet Slender Nachos

17 April, 2013 by Claire | Leave a comment

There are two kinds of people in this world– those who think dessert nachos sound like a bangin’ idea, and those who have never thought of the possibility of dessert nachos. Luckily, I don’t discriminate on The Slender Student, but if you’re part of the latter group, prepare to be converted.

Sweet Slender Nachos | The Slender Student Sweet Slender Nachos
Calories: 157 | Fat: 5.3 g (Sat Fat: 1.2 g) | Carbohydrate: 27.0 g | Protein: 2.3 g

ingredients:
1 small corn tortilla
1 t granulated Splenda
1/4 t cinnamon
1/2 small banana, sliced
1 t nut butter (I like almond butter because I’m human being who is alive)
1 t mini chocolate chips
PAM Original nonstick spray

directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 350° and coat a small baking sheet with PAM.
2. With a sharp knife, slice your corn tortilla into 6-8 triangles. Lay these on your baking sheet and lightly spray with PAM.
3. Sprinkle your corn tortilla triangles with the Splenda and cinnamon. Place in the oven for 5 minutes; flip and then bake for 5 more minutes, or until crispy.
4. Remove the crispy tortilla chips from the oven and top with banana, nut butter, and mini chocolate chips. Bake for 3-5 more minutes, until everything is melty and delicious. Keep an eye on them so nothing burns. I refuse to be held liable for your ensuing sadness.