Summer Weight Loss- Week 14

This week's tip is all about whole grains. From fiber to protein, whole grains got you covered and will keep you full and healthy!

What the hell are whole grains anyways?

Following is the official definition of whole grains, approved and endorsed by the Whole Grains Council in May 2004:

Whole grains or foods made from them contain all the essential parts and naturally-occurring nutrients of the entire grain seed in their original proportions. If the grain has been processed (e.g., cracked, crushed, rolled, extruded, and/or cooked), the food product should deliver the same rich balance of nutrients that are found in the original grain seed.

Below is a complete list of grains...

• Amaranth
• Barley
• Buckwheat
• Corn, including whole cornmeal and popcorn
• Millet
• Oats, including oatmeal
• Quinoa
• Rice, both brown rice and colored rice
• Rye
• Sorghum (also called milo)
• Teff
• Triticale
• Wheat, including varieties such as spelt, emmer, farro, einkorn, Kamut®, durum and forms such as bulgur, cracked wheat and wheatberries
• Wild rice

 Okay enough of the introduction, you get it. People tell you alllll the time how awesome whole grains are. Well they are and they are NOT boring guys, you are just not used to them!

I am sure you guys have heard of quinoa the most. The thing about whole grains is that they are way more than carbs, they have fiber and protein. Not only do they keep you full longer, they also are good for digestion and for your heart health. They're GREAT for diabetics too. Processed carbohydrates like pasta can cause a spike in sugars to your system and then a crash of the sugar levels. Whole grains take longer to break down so you get a more gradual sugar release giving you more sustained energy.

So let's get real here... some of these may seem weird and scary, but like that quote last week said, "Life begins outside your comfort zone." So I challenge you guys to try one on this list you have never had before!

I am committed to try and cook farro the very first time!!

How about you? What whole grain would you like to try?

Summer Weight Loss- Week 13

You love food, that is why you are reading this website. Food is one of the things that brings you joy. To me food is definitely one of life's greatest pleasures! Funny enough, I became a lot more adventurous with it when I started my journey into healthier living. As much as I loved food, I was stuck in a box.

I only ate American, Italian and Greek Food. I knew what I knew and I ate in larger quantities. Food was great to me, but I didn't have much respect for it. I wanted lots of it and I wasn't that picky an eater.

Roasted Beet Salad with Valencia Orange Dressing

A salad that is bursting with fresh seasonal summer flavors, it's like summer exploded in your mouth!

You guys may have figured out by now, I love the color Magenta, it is my signature color! So how could I NOT love beets, they dye my hands and everything they touch magenta! YAY! Besides their awesome hue they're sugary sweet and good for me! I was inspired after going to a restaurant and ordering roasted beet salad, with orange vinaigrette and goat cheeese. I mean how awesome does that sound? Sweet salty, slightly acidic and creamy! WOAH! But when I got this salad for me, it totally fell flat. It was some roasted beets cubed and tossed with field greens and almost creamy orange dressing, that really didn't taste that orangy. Then there were no orange slices as garnish- FOR SHAME!

Summer Weight Loss- Week 12

This week's tip for the summer weight loss challenge- Be a portion pro! Eating in the proper portions is most of the battle when living a healthy lifestyle!

Eating healthy, nutritious foods is only part of the battle of the bulge. Knowing how much to eat is JUST as important or even more so! Knowing what a portion is really opened my eyes when I started my journey into a healthy lifestyle...

I literally filled a plate with pasta, that is totally just a serving, right?! WRONG! 1 cup of pasta is a serving. So still to this day I measure my pasta since I tend to be heavy handed with it! Same with rice, couscous, etc. A serving of meat, who knows what a serving a meat is... oh it must be that steak you gave me. WRONG! It's just 3 oz.! So same thing goes for meat I weigh it. Though now I have gotten good at eyeballing it. A serving of meat is the size of a deck of cards.

Here is a list of what portions look like...

I know it can totally be scary and the MOST annoying thing like EVER! Believe me I resisted weighing and measuring my food for a while, but that is why I did not see much success before. Once I started weighing and measuring my food it really gave me the momentum and the power to learn proper eating habits! Just do it, seriously! It make a BIG difference and it's not so bad. Also if your plate doesn't look like enough... add some veggies, you can NEVER go wrong adding more veggies!

To make measuring and weighing much less of a hassle, I hung my measuring cups and spoons in plain sight where I prepare my food. This made it a lot less of a pain in the ass!

Summer Weight Loss Challenge- Week 11

This week's tip, You shall burn for your sins.... not in hell but with some exercise!

Sounds brutal right? Though you WILL NOT burn in hell though, not really. You're gonna burn them calories at the gym! To make up for some of those eating sins.

Here is how I used to handle eating badly: beat myself up for it, make myself feel like a horrible person, a failure etc.... Then I would eat MORE since I felt a failure to try and make myself feel better.

BAD PATTERN!

So here is how I deal now- I take action! I made some eating mistakes, okay that is life and I LOVVVVE food and beer. So I had tooooo much to drink and too much to eat. All I can do NOW about it is make better choices today and BURRRRRN some of those calories with some exercise. NOT as punishment, but to be good to my body and to make sure I can lessen or even negate the bad behavior I already had!

Case in point- I had one hell of a week. Good Beer (a beer and food event in NYC) on Thursday, Maroni's 16 course chef's tasting on Friday for my in-law's anniversary and a party on Saturday when battle ship beer pong was played.... (because if battleship beer pong IS a thing and I NEED to play it, even though I sucked miserably at it)

Yes lots of excessive eating a drinking and somehow I escaped a hangover both times... I try and tell people I don't drink a lot, but ummmmm people see this on social media and it just does NOT look good for my case.

I did not wanna run today- but I did- I ran and ran with some killer music for a mile and a half thinking about all the fun I had, but also about the scale that I have a date with Tuesday. Then I came home and dug up grass for the patio we're building for more exercise. So yes I am gonna burn for my sins in a good way.

Overall, as I explained it was a pretty epic week, a beer and food event, a chef's tasting, and a party with old friends and more good beer. If I do go up on the scale, I will own it because I had a GREAT time and that is really what life is about. Plus it's not usually so many food and beer events are in just one week!

Summer Weight Loss Challenge- Week 9

Week 9's tip is to start the day f%$^*n healthy! When you start well you have a better chance of keeping that groove going the rest of the day, the converse is the same. If you start with a sweet you will be craving it ALL day long!

This is a lesson I learned along my journey to healthier living. It took trial and error but I totally realized how you start your day totally impacts the rest of it! This can be said for eating as well as everything else.

I noticed if I caved and had a cookie and called in breakfast I would be craving sugar the rest of the day. Then there is the old "Oh I already had an unhealthy breakfast may as well write this day off..." There is this domino effect, if you start with a healthy choice odds are that you will make another healthy choice.

For example this morning I started with a smoothie, went to work and spied a chocolate cake in the kitchen. I was totally tempted by the fudginess, the gooeyness, how moist it was and the smell of chocolate wafting in the air at me. That bitch was calling my name... BUT I didn't wanna undo the good I already did, so I completely gave that cake the cold shoulder.

But I really wanna know... how do YOU start the day healthy?

My Week 8 Recap

High Points- I got in exercise and went to a beer event that night, didn't even have 1 whole drink and I ate a snack when I got home since I forgot to eat dinner. (but ummm it was a cookie, DUMB!)

Low Points- Didn't plan enough in advance, ate a lot and did some wine tasting on Saturday. Resulted in lots of snacking and eating a sandwich called "The Heart Attack" this would have been okay if I remember I ALSO had my father's birthday the next day. I sampled pastries and dinner was eggplant parm and meatballs. Did my best to control my portions, but OUCH! Let's see what the scale beholds, but I am not feeling too lucky!

Below is evidence Exhibit A- Me and "The Heart Attack"

Summer Weight Loss Challenge- Week 7

Today it's my birthday and I enjoyed this weekend to it's fullest! It was my birthday and it only happens once a year so I am gonna enjoy it MY way.

Bacon and Beer!

My party had a bacon theme and it served as a bottle share. (A bottle share is when people bring all different types of beer and you sample them all as a group).

Yes it is the summer weight loss challenge BUT it's also my birthday and I am gonna have fun and own the consequences on the scale if there are any.

BUT.....
I also planned for this indulgence by getting in plenty of exercise. Went hiking almost every day of the weekend so I could minimize the damage and you know what? I will be heading out for MORE exercise in a few!

So I am taking control and owning my debauchery and undoing as much damage as I can. It is a MUCH different feeling when you eat too much on your birthday and didn't plan for it... then when you eat lots and DID plan for it. I'm in control- I got this.

While I am all mmmmmm bacon and beer- I accounted for this and allowed it to happen.

This may explain my brown butter and bacon ice cream that will find it's way onto the blow this week.

80% healthy 20% bacon and beer-- it ALL ties together!

My week's recap

The last couple weeks I have stayed the same weight (even with my lady time). So I take that as a good sign. But I know I gotta push through harder and detox from all the sweets and fat from this weekend. I am also joining a gym for the days it's too hot to run outside (i'm not a morning person). Like I said, got lots of exercise. BUT I also drank lots of beer and ate a bacon cheeseburger. Will I lose tomorrow? Guess I will find out! But if I didn't I am okay with that, I had a great week and enjoyed it all!

Summer Weight Loss Challenge- Week 6

This week's Summer Weight Loss Challenge Tip is 80/20 RULES! Eat healthy 80 percent of the time, the other 20 indulge in whatever you love most!

This is my favorite philosophy and I like to explain it as 80% healthy and watching portions 20% bacon and beer! I mean you guys know following me on Facebook and Twitter just how much I love the tasty things in life and my passion for craft beer. A lot of people wonder how do you maintain your weigh loss when you love those things? The answer is I love them in moderation and I don't keep lots of things like that in my house.

I think this photo illustrates 80/20 pretty nicely, a well balanced portion controlled dinner after a workout with a pint of beer. A little indulgence with lots of veggies!

You can see 80/20 as weekdays are strictly healthy, weekends you loosen the reigns a bit. So usually during the week for me there is no beer. I mostly eat salads for lunch, a smoothie or Greek yogurt with fruit and granola for breakfast and a light dinner. On the weekend I may go to a brewery for a tasting, have a couple pints with friends, or eat a nice piece of cake. I choose my indulgences and don't beat myself up for them since I am in control. I decide when to indulge and how.

During the weekdays when you want some ice cream, think about it... DO I want this now? Would it taste sweeter on the weekend on the beach? Just think about when you indulge and how often. If you can remember you indulged in a Carvel Sundae the night before, you want to second guess indulging again for the next couple days.

When I was on Weight Watchers they gave us points. Every week you had an extra 49 points to blow on whatever you liked. Sometimes I would blow it all in one day, one meal or spread it out through the week. You can think of the 80/20 the same kinda way. If you go have a 12 course chef tasting you will need the count that as the entire 20% LOL! But if you wanna have a little chocolate every night you can do that too!

What is WONDERFUL about 80/20. It means I can each EVERYTHING I want, just not all at once. But knowing you CAN eat something doesn't make you obsess over that cake. You may have a sliver and call it a day and give yourself a pat on the back for having that cake!

What does 80/20 mean for you? How can you implement it into your life?!

Chicken Beeriyaki with Asian Slaw #beermonth

I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Millennial Central for Kirin. I received product samples to facilitate my review as well as a promotional item to thank me for my participation. All ideas presented are my own.

Here is the first group celebration of #beermonth my friends! My blogger pals have all joined together to bring you their take on beer recipes. I am super excited to introduce you all to Lauren of Hall Nesting, Heather from girlichef and Jessica from Jessiker Bakes! I love all these ladies and I want you to show them love to by checking out there blogs (I love them all and read them all every week!) and by checking out their recipes at the bottom of this post!  

This is my very first sponsored post, I often shy away from these things unless I genuinely think you guys wanna read about it. With this one, I knew I should be involved with this one. It is #beermonth after all! So when the opportunity arose for me to sample and cook with Kiran Ichiban, I was totally on board.

If you haven't heard of Kiran Ichiban it is THE Sushi Restaurant go to beer to represent Japan. To learn more about the beer, visit their website! I hadn't tried it before, so my expectations were low. But it was pretty decent, crisp and clean. Absolutely perfect to accompany any Asian dish. I think it represents Japanese cuisine pretty well; it is a simple yet elegant beer and very balanced. Not overly malty or hoppy you can pair this with most anything. But you know I don't just pair beer with food, I make food with beer!

Asian beer, Asian inspired dish! All you foodies- don't hate on me, I have a confession. I don't like sushi- nope- I tried it all and it ain't my thing. So that was out and I was glad, it's a whole lotta work. So I made something completely different with my beer. Chicken Beeriaki, it's like chicken teriaki, but like WAY better.

Everything is better with beer, but I also made this super easy too! All you have to do is brown some chicken and prepare the sauce in the food processor, then added the fresh Asian veggies. No cooking of veggies required, so it kinda makes an Asian slaw. I paired it with some sushi rice for that authentic feel. So I got what I like about sushi- protein, the sauce and that awesome sticky rice without the seaweed taste. I made a roll out of the ingredients, but I tasted it and I don't care for the seaweed AT ALL! If you do like sushi and seaweed wrappers this can easily be made into a roll. You can see I included a piece of the roll on the pictures so you could see it.

 Why is this a Foodgasm?

Chicken teriyaki is a staple- but kicked up with beer?! Even better. I find the beer flavor intensified and enhanced this and accompanied it even more than I imagined! This sauce is one of my new favorite things and I think it will be yours too! Even for the skeptical- try it! It will surprise you! Plus it is easy to make and low in fat and calories!

What you need

2 chicken breasts, cut into strips
1/3 cup flour
salt and pepper to taste
Olive Oil as needed for browning

1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon pickled ginger
1/2 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 cup Kiran Ichiban beer

2 cups chopped Asian salad (the kind you buy in a bag)

 

How to make it

1- Dredge chicken in mixture of flour, salt and pepper.
2- Brown chicken on both sides in a skillet on medium heat.
3- In a food processor, combine: 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 tablespoon pickled ginger, 1/2 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon minced garlic and 1/2 cup Kiran Ichiban beer.
4- Mix together the Asian chopped salad with some of the sauce.
5- Serve atop Sushi rice.

Nutritional Information

Each serving includes chicken sauce and vegetables. Additional calories for white rice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#Beermonth recipes

 

Roasted Vegetable Pizza

Vegetables remind you of Spring right?! Spring is looooong overdue here in NY and I needed some Spring inspiration mixed with a heartier cold weather food. So this pizza is just what I needed. I am sure I have told you about the magic of roasted vegetables- they are so so sweet. Some of you may be like a 2 year old and pouting with your arms crossed and your face all scrunched up saying, "Ewwwww." Well don't be a baby and put them arms down. Have I ever really steered you wrong? The magic of roasting vegetables is the flavor it adds! As the water inside the veggies evaporates out, the flavor and sugars get concentrated- similar to how caramelizing onions makes them sweeter.

So the reason this roasted vegetable pizza was born was necessity. My husband and I are trying to eat less meat. Not necessarily become vegetarian, but just cut down on animal proteins. We all have our own reasons and I don't wanna convince you this is what you must do. We all walk our own road. But since I have been blogging about food, I have learned more about all things food. Meat in this country is mass produced, has all sorts of hormones and antibiotics and I am sure you can imagine the animals are not treated too well. I was blissfully ignorant. Ignorance is not bad, I didn't wanna know. So I want to try my best to eat farm raised meat when I can and cut back in general. I just want to share with all of you since you all read this blog. This is something I am trying out and trying on for size.

Pina Colada Pound Cake

Why is this a Foodgasm? 

Piña Colada is the stuff summer is made of and I don't know about you, but I could use a slice of summer. If you're in the part of this country where you experience the bitter cold...I know you are sooooo done with all of this. I have the answer here! A lowfat easy and delish  piña colada poundcake. 

Loaded with not only fresh pineapple and coconut milk- it also has coconut oil and is covered in toasted coconut. This dense and delish cake is a treat you don't have to feel any guilt for at all! 

What you need

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup coconut oil, warmed up in microwave to become a liquid.
3/4 cup crushed pineapple
1 egg + 1 egg white
1 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups white whole wheat flour
 1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

How to make it

Preheat oven to 350º
1- In a mixer with paddle attachment, cream together sugar and coconut oil.
2- Add in the egg and egg white with the Greek yogurt, coconut milk and vanilla extract, be sure to scrape sides if you see the sugar and coconut oil sticking to the sides.
3- With the mixer on low, slowly add in your dry ingredients and mix until well combined.

4- Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Will be very moist!

Spinach and Feta Strata

I cannot get enough of the spinach and feta combo. I made Spinach and Feta Orzo, I made a Spinach and Feta Salad and now I got for you a Spinach and feta Strata. It is part quiche, part potato and part fritata. In fact, I had a really had time naming this, LOL. But a food bloggers friend of mine came up with something sorta like this and called it a strata, so thanks Joanne from Joanne Eats Well with Others. You saved me on this one!

Why is this a Foodgasm?

Spinach and Feta, it is magical and delicious and totally Greek. I like to give a nod to my hetitage when I can and they knew what they were doing with this flavor combo. Salty, creamy and you got a little bitter from the spinach, it just works. Then of course I add in some caramelized onions, garlic and you got yourself a full blown Greek-gasm. I love that this has a layer of potatoes too. It's a great filling meal, especially nice with a side salad for breakfast, brunch, lunch or even dinner.

Eggplant Parmesan "Meat"balls

So my gratuitous v-day post was last week, but I made this recipe around the same time and all I could say is "Damn these are good" every single time I ate one. I never posted my recipe for veggie infused meatballs, but this is a staple to me. The perfect transformation of a food I love so very much to something soooo much healthier. The secret is that I add lots of hidden veggies to my meatballs. Seriously, no one will know since they a chopped up in the food processor. So I though why the hell not add the meat at all.... and use eggplant!! Since you are going to cover it in marinara anyways later on, why not add a little fresh mozzarella cheese over top. So this magical concoction was born!

Why is this a Foodgasm?

This has EVERYTHING you love about Eggplant Parmesan, even the breading, in a crispy little ball dripping in marinara and melted mozzarella cheese. They are NOT fried, they're baked! So you are losing LOTS of calories and fat and keeping ALL the flavor. These are sooooo good, I am making them twice and I almost NEVER make the same thing twice! Even better: they are not nearly as time consuming as Eggplant Parmesan.

So I don't have kids yet. But you know, I think that kids would eat these guys up! If you have vegetarian friends coming over- you can make this and both eat meatless, healthier and be completely satisfied. Actually this is one dish that makes me think, maybe I can be vegetarian someday. It is that good. Another great thing is you can make this as an appetizer or serve these over pasta as an entree.

#HolidayDetox Part 4- Guilt Free Snacks

This week my focus is snacks and I still got my girl Jennifer from Peanut Butter and Peppers on board to provide you with even MORE healthy recipes. Who doesn't love to snack? Myself, I am more of a meal kinda girl. So last week's post was my favorite, I am a dinner girl to the end! But I have come to realize that snacks can be very important. Like that moment in between meals, the moment that you would eat cardboard if you had to because your stomach is stabbing and nagging at you to eat. Well we gotta be prepared for this crisis and even if you don't think you will need them, pack yourself some snacks!

What kinda foods do you think of as snacks? Usually people think of the usual suspects: cookies, chips, candy, pretzels etc. These are common snacks, but the irony is none of these things fill you for long. They are all simple carbs and fats make your energy literally crash and burn. Yup more evidence we are what we eat!

I used to eat these kinds of snacks until I knew better. I wanna share with you some quick easy healthy snack recipes. Snacks that are delicious, easy to prepare, have some great nutrition and will get you to your next meal without the "hanger".

First up- I developed my very own Peanut Butter Spread! Because who doesn't love peanut butter, but who does like all the fat?!

Don't forget to see the bottom of this post for pics of Jennifer's recipes and a direct link to them!

Reduced Fat Peanut Butter Spread

Why is this a Foodgasm?

Peanut Butter is soooo good, but really high in fat. So I usually don't eat it much. You ever hear of Better n' Peanut Butter? It is a low fat peanut butter spread cut with some tapioca so it has a lot less fat. Well I came up with the idea to try and make my own natural peanut butter spread, but cut it with chickpeas. I figure the texture should blend well with it all. So I roasted some peanuts in the oven for a few minutes to make them fragrant and release the natural oil, them put them in a food processor and combined in some chick peas and additional oil as well as some honey for flavor. The texture is not the same as regular peanut butter but it is spreadable and it tastes really good. You can't taste the chickpeas nearly as much as the peanuts.  

Seriously I think sometimes the fact I am not a trained chef can be as much as strength as a weakness. When it comes to low fat recipes you really gotta think outside the box and I am really proud of the ingenuity I used with this one! Seriously, chickpeas and peanut butter, who woulda thought of that?! It is actually good too!! Like I was really enjoying every bite!

What you need

1 1/2 cups unsalted peanuts
1 cup chickpeas
7 tbsp canola oil
4 tsp honey

How to make it

1- Roast peanuts in the oven at 350 for 7 minutes
2- Put all ingredients into a food processor and let it run until mixture is creamy

Nutritional Info 

 All the protein punch of Peanut butter with 30% less fat!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Roasted Red Pepper, Basil and Goat Cheese Hummus

Why is this a Foodgasm?

Hummus is something I have really come to love. It is a dip made of ground chickpeas and it's packed with flavor and protein and very low in fat! Of course you don't eat it by itself. I LOVE hummus with baby carrots! So I decided to make my own variation with goat cheese, because I am obsessed with goat cheeese soooo sweet and creamy! Also been loving the combo or roasted red peppers and basil. So I added these flavors together to give you this Mediterranean masterpiece. A trip to Italy for your mouth. If you cannot afford the real thing, if you close your eyes and really concentrate you may see yourself in a villa in Tuscany, but no promises. This is a little sweet, a little spicy and very savory. It would also be amazing with toasted pitas! Why not add it to a sandwich?

What you need

2 cups chickpeas
1 roasted red pepper
2 tsp chopped garlic
1 teaspoon chili Oil
5 basil leaves
2 tbsp goat cheese

 How to make it
1- Combine ALL ingredients until creamy in food processor
2- Top with some extra goat cheese if desired and serve with the dipper of your choice.

Nutritional Info

Lots of vitamins up in here!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Salt and Vinegar Kale Chips

Why is this a Foodgasm?

So I totally jumped on the Kale bandwagon guys, it happened. Mark this day on your calenders, LOL. So I will let you in on the secret, Kale chips are NOT potato chips, don't expect them to be. If you don't expect it to be a potato chip and take it for what it is they are quite tasty.

So every experience we have shape us weather we realize it or not. When making these I didn't realize it, but they were totally inspired by a dish that I had recently and LOVED, Burnt Sprout Leaves! Basically they were crispy leaves from brussels sprouts with salt and vineger reminiscent to that classic potato chip. The flavor of salt and vinegar lended itself really well with the present veggie flavor. So these were definitely inspired by Jackson's Restaurant, thanks Shelby and Harry!

So I made my own version. These are soooo easy to make and pretty addictive to eat, I could have eaten the entire batch! Really delicious!

What you need

1 large bunch of kale, ripped into bite size pieces.
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Splash of Red Wine Vinegar
Salt to your liking
Dash of pepper

How to make it

1- Preheat oven to 300º
2- Toss kale pieces in 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Salt and pepper (if desired)
3- Bake for about 14 minutes
4- Toss in a drizzle of vinegar and a little more Salt.

Nutritional Info

Can't argue with these stats! AMAZING source of Vitamin A and C! Super low in fat and calories too!

Jennifer's Snack Recipes this week!

Awesome yogurt recipes!!!

Peanut Butter and Honey Oat Bars

Seriously I want one NOW! Great job Jennifer!

Reduced Guilt Shortbread Cookies

Why is this a Foodgasm?

Just in time for the holidays...I know there are lots of you guys that have no idea what you are baking for the holidays, look no further! This is a simple recipe, albeit a little time consuming. But the results are beautiful and delicious!

I don't know about you, but then I was a kid my family always had those tins of Royal Dansk shortbread cookies. They were so simple yet so buttery and sweet and just melted in in your mouth! It is one of the clearest most vivid memories I have of a cookie. My favorite were the thin crispy ones in a wreath like shape and the rounded rectangular ones with the course sugar on top. The holidays tends to bring out this beautiful childhood memories, this one is so vivid and tied with food. So I have been obsessed with shortbread cookies nowadays!

I started making a standard shortbread recipe by Ina Garten (The Barefoot Contessa). There were no variables really. I don't think you know this about me, but I go completely balls to the wall. Like why walk when I can run. BUT I know I am not much of a baker and I am trying to change that. So my husband, more of the slow and steady type, always tells me when you try something you have never attempted before there should only be one variable. Like walk before you can run. So he has a good point. So that is why I went and made totally normal shortbread cookies and then tried to cut the fat after.

So I reduced the fat. I used 1/2 the amount of butter and replaced the other half with light butter. Knowing that light butter melts quicker, I decided to chill the dough longer. I am VERY happy with the result as they are actually softer than full fat shortbreads, but not cakey at all. In a side by side taste comparison, you can tell the difference. I will not lie to you- BUT you also have a softer cookie that is completely delicious and melts in your mouth.

This recipe is a CLASSSIC for the holidays feel free to have fun with them, dip them in chocolate, cover in colored sugar, add nuts, whatever really. They lend themselves well to almost anything!

PS- Enjoy the little gingerbread men and sweet unicorn shaped cookies!

What you need

1 1/2 sticks light butter, you can use cold since it is soft.

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
fancy sugar to top with as desired.

Adapted from Ina Garten's Shortbread recipe

How to make it

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

1- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together the 1 1/2 stick of butter and 1 1/2 stick light butter and 1 cup of sugar until they are just combined. 

2- Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. 

3- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt, then add them to the butter and sugar mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. 

4- Dump onto a surface dusted with flour and shape into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 1 hour (since the light butter is softer I added more time).

5- Roll the dough 1/2-inch thick and cut with any desired cookie cutter. When you have excess roll again to 1/2 inch and repeat as necessary.

6- Place the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges begin to brown slightly. Keep any eye on them though, if cookies are less thick they will take less time to bake and also every oven's temperature varies as does rack position. I had mine in the middle of the oven.

  Nutritional Information

The change I made to the recipe saved you 40 calories and 3 grams of fat! YAY! While preserving what makes it such a pleasure to eat!