I’ve been meaning to introduce more fish into my cooking routine for a while now. Choosing fruits of the sea can be a bit intimidating, what with all the guidelines regarding sustainable species, mercury levels, and other health-related concerns. Although I order a variety of seafood when dining out, I typically stick with purchasing shrimp, wild Alaskan salmon, and canned albacore tuna at the grocery store. Needless to say, I wanted to break out of my routine fish-buying rut.

Enter tilapia from Trader Joe’s frozen foods section. Affordable, sustainable, healthful, and neutral-tasting, tilapia is the perfect blank canvas on which to add your favorite flavors. For this particular meal, I chose to feature a homemade lightened tartar sauce draped across grilled tilapia filets and tucked into a whole wheat sub roll. A mere tablespoon of canola oil mayonnaise mixed into plain Greek yogurt provided enough of a rich tang for my taste, but you could stir in an additional tablespoon if you’d like. The finely chopped dill pickle and red onion contributed not only a welcomed crunch to the otherwise smooth sauce, but also a nice “kick” when paired with freshly squeezed lemon juice and garlic powder.

As the warm weather draws near, I can envision many homemade seafood meals accompanied by this light & fresh tartar sauce: lump meat crab cakes, pan-sauteed wild Alaskan halibut or cod, skewered shrimp… there’s an ocean of possibilities!

Lightened Tarter Sauce

Ingredients

Directions

Combine mayonnaise and Greek yogurt in a small bowl. Mix thoroughly to combine.

Stir in remaining ingredients. Chill until ready to serve.

Gather Your Ingredients

Before you start, make sure you have all the ingredients on hand. This recipe uses Greek yogurt and light mayonnaise as a base to create a creamy texture with fewer calories than traditional tartar sauce.

Mix the Base

In a mixing bowl, combine the Greek yogurt and light mayonnaise. This combination provides the creaminess you crave in tartar sauce without all the excess fat. Mix them together until well combined.

Add Flavor and Texture

Next, it’s time to add the flavor and texture-enhancing ingredients. Stir in the chopped dill pickles, finely chopped capers, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, and fresh lemon juice. These ingredients bring a tangy, briny, and slightly spicy kick to the sauce.

Season to Taste

Season the sauce with salt and black pepper to taste. Remember that pickles and capers are naturally salty, so be cautious not to overdo it with the salt.

Freshen Up with Dill

To give your lightened tartar sauce that fresh, herby flavor, add in the chopped fresh dill or dried dill if that’s what you have on hand. Stir it into the mixture until evenly distributed.

Chill and Serve

Once everything is well combined, cover the bowl and refrigerate your lightened tartar sauce for at least 30 minutes. This time allows the flavors to meld together for a more delightful taste.

Serve and Enjoy

When you’re ready to enjoy your lightened tartar sauce, serve it alongside your favorite dishes. It’s a fantastic accompaniment to fish and chips, seafood, grilled chicken, or as a dip for fresh vegetables. The creamy, tangy, and slightly zesty flavors will elevate your meal without weighing it down.

Estimated Nutrition Per Serving

Please note that the nutrition values provided here are approximate and can vary based on the specific brands of ingredients used and portion sizes.

• Calories: 25 kcal
• Total Fat: 1 g
  • Saturated Fat: 0 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
• Cholesterol: 2 mg
• Sodium: 160 mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 2 g
  • Dietary Fiber: 0 g
  • Sugars: 1 g
• Protein: 2 g
• Vitamin D: 0%
• Calcium: 2%
• Iron: 0%
• Potassium: 25 mg

Keep in mind that these nutritional values are based on a standard serving size and may vary depending on your actual portion size and the specific brands of ingredients you use. It’s always a good idea to check the labels on your ingredients for the most accurate nutritional information. Enjoy your lightened tartar sauce while keeping your nutrition goals in mind!

1. Did you watch the vice presidential debate last week? Even if you didn’t tune in, I’m sure you’ve read all about Vice President Biden’s almost constant grinning and chuckling. Even as an Obama/Biden supporter, I found his antics rather obnoxious, and cracked up when I read this quip: “Biden’s teeth are so white, they’re voting for Romney”.

Politically incorrect? Yes. Funny? Absolutely.

2. Speaking of the VPs, (I apologize to any Paul Ryan fans out there), this is hysterical.

3. A quick pregnancy update: As of tomorrow, I will officially be 30 weeks in! Time has flown by, and I get positively giddy every time I think about holding our little baby girl in my arms in a mere 10 weeks =).

I’ve been feeling great, (other than almost daily heartburn episodes), and have maintained my thrice-weekly (or sometimes 4 x per week) long hikes in the woods with Shelby, once weekly prenatal DVD workouts, once weekly prenatal yoga DVD practice, and – for the most part – healthy eating habits. Raw vegetables haven’t been as appealing to me during pregnancy as they were prior, but now that it’s roasting season, I plan to included more veggies into my diet.

I have noticed an increase in my appetite over the past couple of weeks, so I won’t be too surprised if my weight gain starts to pick up (I’m about 15 lbs up from my pre-pregnancy weight).

John has finished painting the nursery (a gorgeous soft yellow color) and I have two baby showers to attend in early November. I’m looking forward to checking things off of our registry list!

4. I’m falling in love with the town we moved to over the summer. It’s quintessentially New England with a tree-lined main street, small businesses, and a scattering of restaurants.

We were lucky enough to buy a house within walking distance of the town center, so on Saturday night we decided to walk to a Japanese restaurant down the road. I’ve always ordered sushi when out at a Japanese restaurant, but obviously my choices are limited while preggers. I decided on an udon dish with stir-fried veggies and thinly sliced beef, and was super impressed by how fresh and tasty it was!

Lesson learned that entree dishes at Japanese restaurants can be just as good as the sushi.

5. It’s apple week over at The Back Burner, and I’ve concocted a phenomenal sandwich that includes sweet sauteed apples, melted sharp cheddar cheese, and hearty dried fruit- & nut-studded bread.

I loved this Apple Pie Grilled Cheese so much, I’m already planning on making it again sometime this week. Seriously SO GOOD!

Ingredients

For the Apple Pie Filling

• 2 apples (any variety you prefer), peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• A pinch of salt

For the Grilled Cheese

• 4 slices of your favorite bread (such as sourdough or whole wheat)
• 4 slices of sharp cheddar cheese
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Instructions

1. Prepare the Apple Pie Filling

In a skillet, melt the 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat.

Add the sliced apples, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and a pinch of salt.

Cook the apples, stirring occasionally, until they become tender and caramelized, about 5-7 minutes. Set aside.

2. Assemble the Grilled Cheese

Take two slices of bread and spread a generous amount of softened butter on one side of each slice.

Place a slice of sharp cheddar cheese on the unbuttered side of two bread slices.

Divide the prepared apple pie filling between the two slices of bread with cheese.

Top each sandwich with another slice of sharp cheddar cheese.

Place the remaining slices of bread on top, buttered side out, to form two sandwiches.

3. Grill the Sandwiches

Heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat.

Carefully transfer the sandwiches to the hot skillet.

Cook until the bread turns golden brown and crispy, and the cheese is melted, about 3-4 minutes per side.

4. Serve and Enjoy

Remove the Apple Pie Grilled Cheese sandwiches from the skillet and let them cool for a minute.

Slice each sandwich in half diagonally.

Serve them warm with a side of Monday Musings – a moment to reflect, recharge, and enjoy the delicious blend of flavors and memories.

Estimated Nutrition Per Serving (1 sandwich)

• Calories: 435 kcal
• Fat: 24g
  • Saturated Fat: 15g
• Cholesterol: 67mg
• Sodium: 486mg
• Carbohydrates: 49g
  • Dietary Fiber: 5g
  • Sugars: 25g
• Protein: 9g

Please note that these nutrition values are approximate and can vary based on specific ingredients and portion sizes used in the recipe.

I thought I’d give you a hug – in chocolaty banana bread form – on this Monday morning. Even though I don’t work out of the house, I occasionally get a case of the Mondays.

Who doesn’t, right?!

Anyway, I’m not suggesting that you eat your emotions; but let’s be honest, knowing there’s something this delicious waiting for you at the end of a tiring day has the ability to make the first day of the workweek go by just a little quicker.

This bread – in my opinion – most definitely qualifies as dessert. It’s sweet, cakey, and chock full of chocolate chips. If you feel so inclined, you could indulge in a slice for breakfast, but I think it’s better suited for an after-meal sweet treat; especially when it’s toasted to crispy perfection and served with a scoop of ice cream.

Regardless of what time of day or night you eat it, you’re going to love this bread… and hopefully it will make you Monday a bit more tolerable.

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

by Lauren Zembron

Ingredients (1 loaf)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg (if using), and salt.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk mashed bananas, oil, both sugars, egg, and vanilla extract until well-combined.

Add dry ingredients to wet and stir just until combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a wooden tester (or toothpick) inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let sit in pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Estimated Nutrition Per Serving

• Calories: 225 calories
• Protein: 2 grams
• Carbohydrates: 35 grams
• Dietary Fiber: 2 grams
• Sugars: 20 grams
• Fat: 9 grams
• Saturated Fat: 5 grams
• Cholesterol: 30 milligrams
• Sodium: 210 milligrams
• Potassium: 200 milligrams
• Calcium: 20 milligrams
• Iron: 1 milligram

Please note that these nutritional values are approximate and can vary based on specific ingredients and portion sizes used in your recipe.

This cookie dough dip happened by accident.

Or rather… the ingredients that I whipped together accidentally turned into a dip.

My original intention was to make cookie dough balls, but the mixture I ended up with was too thin to form into anything other than a gloppy mess.

As I stood in the kitchen eating mini spoonful after mini spoonful of what I figured was a failed recipe, the idea of cookie dough dip came to me.

Thick, rich, sweet, and completely decadent… yep, this dip tastes just like cookie dough!

Now this isn’t exactly a light snack, but the calories come from healthy sources of fat (almond and walnuts) and the amount of added sugar is fairly low. Think of it as a concentrated pureed trail mix; in other words, it’s fueling and filling and fantastic =).

Smear it onto toasted bread, dunk crunchy graham crackers or crisp apple slices into it, spoon it on top of hot oatmeal, or eat it straight out of the jar.

Just make it. And tell me what you think!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup smooth natural unsweetened salted almond butter, at room temperature and well-stirred (I used Trader Joe’s)
• 1/4 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup finely Oh! Nuts ground walnuts (or sub in ground almonds/almond meal)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or milk of your choice)
• 1 Tbsp brown rice syrup
• 1/3 cup roughly chopped grain-sweetened chocolate chips

Directions

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, (or using an electric mixer on medium speed), beat almond butter and brown sugar until well-combined. Beat in vanilla extract, ground walnuts (or almonds), milk, and brown rice syrup. Add chocolate chips and fold in with a rubber spatula.
2. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Nutritional Information Per Serving:

150.1 calories, 12.5 grams fat, 1.6 grams saturated fat, 2.1 grams fiber, 6.4 grams sugar, 2.9 grams protein

Estimated Nutrition Per Serving (1/12th of the recipe)

• Calories: 265
• Total Fat: 18g
  • Saturated Fat: 11g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
• Cholesterol: 49mg
• Sodium: 104mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 24g
  • Dietary Fiber: 0g
  • Sugars: 18g
• Protein: 2g

Please note that these nutrition values are approximate and can vary based on the specific brands of ingredients used and serving sizes. It’s always a good idea to consult with a registered dietitian or use a nutrition calculator for precise dietary information, especially if you have specific dietary restrictions or preferences. Enjoy your Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip in moderation!