Lemon Lavender Fro Yo Pops

Lately, I've been wanting to try making my own frozen yogurt. I've also been wanting to cook with lavender, one of my favorite aromas/flavors. Today seemed like a good day to do so. Still warm enough to enjoy a frozen treat, but cool enough to make me long for warm summer days in southern France.

If you're going to make frozen yogurt, you have a couple of choices. You can either churn it in an ice cream maker or you can make it into yogurt pops. As I didn't much feel like hauling out the ice creamer maker, and I just got some popsicle molds from Ikea, you can guess which option I went with. I must say, they turned out pretty well for a first attempt.

The unexpected ingredient in this recipe is the lavender. You can buy food-grade lavender buds online from places like the Spice House and other specialty stores. Also, you generally have to grind it before using it. I purchased a bag of lavender buds in southern France and ground some of them in my Cuisinart this afternoon.

The buds are on the right, the ground lavender on the left.

Lavender is lovely in cakes, frostings and ice cream, as well as in any savory recipe where you would normally use rosemary. Like many herbs, a little goes a long way. It certainly turned out great in this recipe.

Lemon Lavender Fro Yo Pops
Makes 6 pops
51 calories per serving

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups plain low-fat yogurt
1 tbsp lemon zest
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp honey or other sweetener
1 tsp ground lavender buds
2 drops purple food coloring (optional)

Directions:
1. Zest the lemon, then cut it in half and squeeze out 1 tbsp of juice.

This is the part where I show off my awesome citrus zester.

It captures the zest in a little compartment!

2. Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Mix thoroughly.

While the purple food coloring is optional, it definitely gives that pretty lavender color.

3. Pour mixture into molds and freeze for 1 1/2 or 2 hours, or until solid. If you don't have molds, Dixie cups and popsicle sticks will do the trick!

See how easy that was? Now you have a low-cal treat for your sweet tooth!

Next time I make fro yo pops, I might try adding in a little bit of fat to make them more creamy, or sweeten them up some. There was a lot of acid and tang in these pops, which I personally like, but would maybe add some date sugar to balance it out.

This recipe is very versatile with flavor combinations. Next time I think I'll try chocolate and orange zest or blackberry jam and almond butter. The possibilities are endless!

Spaghetti Squash Alfredo

Everybody loves fettucine alfredo. I mean, what's not to love? Thick, buttery, creamy, garlicky cheese sauce over chewy, delicious pasta. While everyone loves eating it, no one likes how fattening it is. This is why I have concocted a lightened-up version of this Italian classic using spaghetti squash and Laughing Cow cheese.

Let's put things in perspective: one serving of Olive Garden's fettucine alfredo is 780 calories. My version is less than half that at 342. Olive Garden's also has 125 grams of carbs while mine has only 18. The secret is substituting spaghetti squash for the pasta and Laughing Cow cheese and almondmilk for the heavy cream. But don't worry, this recipe still contains the important parts of alfredo: lots of garlic, a little butter, and parmesan cheese.

So let's get to it!

Spaghetti Squash & Laughing Cow Alfredo
Makes 2 servings (plus a little extra squash)
342 calories per serving

Ingredients:
1 large spaghetti squash
1 tablespoon butter
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup unsweetened almondmilk (or other low-fat milk)
6 wedges garlic and herb Laughing Cow cheese
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste (I probably used 3/4 teaspoon each)

Directions:
1. Use a knife to poke holes all over the squash, then nuke it in the microwave for approximately 12 minutes or until slightly soft to the touch.
2. Once the squash is ready, remove it from the microwave--it will be very hot!--and let it stand for a few minutes.
3. When it is cool enough to touch, slice it in half lengthwise.

4. Scoop out the seeds and throw into a bowl. You can either trash this or roast the seeds.

5. Using a fork, scrape out as much of the spaghetti-like strands of squash as you can. Continue until you have enough or until you get bored of scraping.

6. Put your "spaghetti" in a large saute pan and heat over medium-high heat for 4-6 minutes to evaporate the excess moisture. I added a few dashes of salt for good measure. Then turn off heat and begin the alfredo sauce.

7. Add the butter to a saucepan and let it melt until it is bubbling. Saute the minced garlic until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
8. Add in the almondmilk and bring to a brisk simmer.
9. Unwrap all 6 wedges of Laughing Cow and add them in, using a whisk to break them up and get them melted into the sauce.

10. Add the salt, pepper and nutmeg and whisk to incorporate.

11. Once the sauce is smooth, add in the parmesan bit by bit to ensure it is fully integrated.
12. The sauce should be a fairly thick consistency at this point, enough to coat a spoon. If it is too thin, let it simmer a few minutes longer. If it is too thick, add more milk. Mine got pretty thick, but I prefer it that way.

13. Serve by plating a cup of the squash, half the alfredo and a sprinkling of parmesan and/or parsley. Then enjoy your low-cal version of an indulgent meal!

I'm glad I have begun experimenting with spaghetti squash. I love pasta and all Italian food, but the carbs and calories of pasta aren't the best thing for a girl who's watching what she eats. By tricking myself with a spaghetti-like vegetable, I can control the calories I'm consuming and get more nutrition while enjoying some of my favorite Italian goodies!

For instance, this squash would be equally tasty with some low-cal marinara, a quick tomato, mushroom and zucchini sauce or some basil pesto. The possibilities are as endless as they would be with regular pasta! I'm definitely looking forward to lightening up more pasta dishes with this useful seasonal veggie, and I hope you are too.

Caprese Flatbread

With the weather cooling down and the leaves beginning to fall, we're all clinging to the last days of summer. Though I love autumn, I will be sad to see some of the summer foods go. Most of all tomatoes, which I love every which way and can't get enough of.

Anyone who knows me well will be able to tell you my favorite tomato dish: caprese. Who can beat the simple deliciousness of tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and basil? This classic has always had a place in my heart, and if I don't have the time or energy to whip up something more complicated, this is the go-to. A caprese salad probably takes less than 5 minutes to make, and it's always so good!

This recipe is only marginally less quick and easy than a caprese salad. With a few more ingredients to really make it a meal, this caprese flatbread is great for lunch or an appetizer.


Caprese Flatbread
Serves one for lunch or a couple for apps
Calories: 365

Ingredients:
1 Flat-Out (Multigrain with Flax is only 100 calories!)
1 tomato (I used a combination of red and yellow for the color)
3 ounces fresh mozzerella, cubed
A handful of basil leaves
A few dashes pizza seasoning of your choice (a garlic and herb one would work)
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Directions:
1. Heat a grill pan on high heat for several minutes.
2. Add the balsamic vinegar to a small saucepan and simmer on low heat until reduced by half; it will become thicker, sweeter and more syrupy.
3. While the pan is heating and the vinegar is simmering, chop your tomatoes, mozzarella and basil. For presentation, I cut my tomatoes into triangles and my basil into thin strips (a.k.a. chiffonade).
4. Throw the Flat-Out onto the grill pan for a few minutes on each side, or until it is crispy and has grill marks.

5. Add the cheese and pizza seasoning to the flatbread and allow it to melt for a minute.

6. Top with the tomatoes and basil and drizzle the balsamic syrup over the whole thing.

7. Using a tongs or spatula, gently transfer the flatbread from the grill pan onto a clean board. I was not so gentle and ended up with balsamic all over my tank top (thank heaven for OxyClean).

8. Use a pizza cutter to slice it up any way you want!

Finito! Molto bene.

See? That was about as easy as it gets. With a little bit of fancy presentation and a few simple techniques you turn the most basic salad possible into a beautiful, yummy meal. This is one I'll be making until the tomatoes are all gone!