Adding to the "Diet Food" Repertoire

"Diet food" can be SUCH a drag...carrot sticks...celery...ground turkey...more celery.  I'm FOUR days into my "New Year's Resolution" diet, and have lost three pounds, so it's working, but temptation is EVERYWHERE!!!

This morning Duane and I went to a cupcake place that we really like, Sweet Bebe Cakes in South St. Paul, because today is their final day of business.  After two years of DELIGHTFUL cupcakes...like the salty dog...

...they are calling it quits. 

Cupcakes don't usually tempt me, but these are DIVINE.  I will really miss them.  We bought TWO DOZEN assorted cupcakes...

...and are freezing them for a cold winter day...which...apparently...will be tomorrow (a temperature of -12, and a wind chill of -9,000,000, I think...).

Anyway...what was I talking about.  Oh yeah...dieting.  I managed to only eat a QUARTER of a chocolate ganache cupcake before they were put in cold storage, but needed something TASTY to compensate.

I found the following recipes recently...the Super Sloppy Joes were in a recent edition of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, and the Cauliflower Casserole came from Pinterest.  Neither are chocolate, and I wouldn't drive twenty minutes to buy them, but, for "diet food", they're pretty darn good!

Not my actual sandwhich....although it looks just like this.

Photo from:  http://www.lazarocooks.com/2010/06/quick-and-healthy-tempeh-sloppy-joes.html

Super Sloppy Joes

 

1 small white onion, finely diced

2 ribs celery, finely diced

1 small red bell pepper, finely diced

2 carrots, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 pkg. (1 1/4 lb.) ground turkey

1 can (8 oz. ) tomato sauce

1/4 c. ketchup

1 T. Worcestershire sauce

1 T. brown sugar

salt and pepper to taste

whole-wheat buns

 

In large skillet, saute onion, celery, pepper, carrots and garlic over medium-high heat for 4 minutes, or until they begin to soften.  Add turkey.

 

Continue to cook, using spatula to break up meat, for 5 minutes or until turkey is cooked through.  Add tomato sauce, ketchup,Worcestershire, brown sugar, salt and pepper.

 

Stir.  Reduce heat to medium-low.  Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until flavors blend, and sauce thickens.

 

Serve on whole-wheat buns.

 

 

Cauliflower Casserole

 

1 head of cauliflower, cut into pieces
1/2 c. water
garlic powder, salt, and pepper, to taste
2/3 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 c. skim milk

Cut cauliflower into bite sized pieces, and place in large saucepan with water. 

Steam until cauliflower is tender, drain water.

Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  Add milk.

With a fork, two knives, or a potato masher, mash the cauliflower with milk until only slightly lumpy.

Add cheddar cheese and stir.  Place in casserole dish sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Remove and top with mozzarella cheese.

Place casserole dish under the broiler (uncovered) for 3-5 minutes, or until cheese is brown and bubbling on top.

Here's hoping YOU have a couple of healthy "go to" foods to make you forget things like cupcakes and chocolate too (yeah right....)!!!