How to caramelize onion without oil

Sautéing and caramelizing onion is an essential skill to have if you're trying to lose weight and improve your health without counting calories or eating less.  You can easily save 100-400 calories by omitting oil when you cook and using water or veg stock instead.  

Just one tablespoon of oil has 120 calories and 12g of fat.  That's a "whole-lotta" calories and fat in the smallest quantity of food on earth!  Oil is scientifically the most calorie dense food on the planet.  

However, it takes more than just adding water to a pan to get awesome flavor sautéing without oil.  I've seen people pour a 1/2 cup of water into a cold pan and then add their onion just as they turn the stove on.  Ahh!  

That's going to taste more like a water-logged, steamed onion.  Not, sweet and golden brown onion that's full of flavor.

Learn how to sauté using vegetable stock instead of oil to create immense flavor on today's blog video below.  

There's also a correct temperature you want your pan to reach before you add any liquid or food to it.  I'll show you how to know when you've reached that correct temperature in today's video too.

Once you watched the video, scroll down and answer today's Take Control Now Question by clicking 'comment.'

Take Control Now Question

Have you sautéed without oil before?  What do you like and dislike about it?

4 ways to eat healthier during Lent

Lent starts tomorrow and signifies a time when you give up and sacrifice something you really enjoy.  For many people, that's food!  

Today I share "4 ways to eat healthier during lent" to help you achieve your healthy eat Lent goals.  

Once you've watched the video, answer today's Take Control Now question by clicking 'comment' below.

Take Control Now

What food/s are you giving up for Lent?

Pineapple Salsa and Trisha's Healthy Table in Garnet and Black Magazine

I was badly cross-eyed as a kid.  I'd look up at you smiling with my left eye looking straight at you and my right eye -- well, it'd be completely turned in. Kind of like it is in this article of Garnet and Black magazine that just featured our healthy meals to-go service, Trisha's Healthy Table (only slightly).

The article was incorrect a few times (there is fiber in salad and Trisha's Healthy Table started in October, 2016, not January, 2017). Plus they didn't mention our chef's name (my husband)... it's Erik Hoffman!

We're happy to be featured in Garnet and Black, slight crossed-eye and all :)  

So what does my crossed-eye have to do with pineapple salsa anyway?

Well, we gave Erik's pineapple salsa recipe for the printed Spring, 2017 issue of Garnet and Black Magazine which I wanted to share with you today (see below).

Here's a photo of me as a little one too :)  It's probably the harshest cross-eye photo I have, but it's the only one I have of me "like this" in South Carolina.  But, it's me :)

Pineapple Salsa

From Chef Erik Hoffman and Trisha’s Healthy Table

Ingredients:

• 1 whole pineapple (or 1 20 oz can of pineapple rings without added sugar)
• 1 small red onion
• 1 red bell pepper
• 5 scallions
• 2 limes
• 1 tsp Sriracha chili sauce
• 1 Tbl kosher salt

Instructions:

Carefully cut the skin off of the pineapple and remove the core (if using canned pineapple, drain well).  Dice the pineapple into ¼ inch square pieces as best you can. Place in a large mixing bowl.  Next finely dice the red onion and red bell pepper (a little smaller than the pineapple dice) and add to the bowl.  Remove the root end of the scallions and slice them into ⅛ inch rounds using the white and green parts.  Add scallions to the mixing bowl. Juice both of the limes and add the juice to the bowl and stir well.  Then add the sriracha and salt, mix a couple more times.  Let sit covered for at least 5 minutes in the fridge.  When ready to use remove from fridge and stir a few more times before using.  

Add an optional diced jalapeno to the relish for added heat or honey or agave (to taste) to sweeten it up.  

How to use:

It’s a great topping for many asian dishes, soups, as a dip or on top of tacos.  It’s great with rice and beans too.  Try it on whatever you want and get creative.  It lasts about three days in the fridge.  The fresher it is, the better it tastes!

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Take Control Now

What would you do with pineapple salsa or eat it with?  

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I'd love to hear from you.  Click 'comment' below to share your thoughts.

How to Peel and Cut a Mango

Do you never buy mangoes because you don't know how to peel them?  Or, do you buy them and then they go bad because you don't know an easy way to eat them?

Mangoes are very sweet so they're great to always have in the kitchen when you're craving treats.  Unless, you don't know how to peel them.

Today, I show you how to easily peel and cut a mango is this two minute and thirty second video. 

It's easy!  Here's the peeler we use in the video too.  It's Chef Erik's, from Trisha's Healthy Table, favorite peeler ($10 for 3 of them). Now I'd love to hear from you....

Take Control Now Question

Do you have a different way to peel mangoes that works even better?  We'd love to hear!  Or, what holds you back from buying or eating mangoes?

Click 'comment' below to answer.

Five ways to use cashew sour cream and how to make it

I have a student who wants to buy a $400 blender just so she can make cashew sour cream.  It's that life-changing to her and maybe it will be for you too!

If you haven't tried cashew sour cream yet, it's a delicious alternative to regular or even low-fat sour cream.  I think it tastes better too.

Cashew sour cream also has more fiber (regular sour cream has none) and has zero cholesterol (which regular sour cream has).

We serve cashew sour cream with our Trisha's Healthy Table meals almost weekly.  That's how much we love it.  The texture, taste and especially the appearance, makes it a favorite condiment for our members and customers.

Because we love it so much, today I share a great recipe for cashew sour cream and five ways to use it.

Cashew Sour Cream Recipe

(Thank you Angela Liddon for introducing us to this recipe and the many things we now love to cook because of you).

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups (225 g) raw cashews, soaked
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Soak cashews:

Soaking option one (if you're in a pinch): Place cashews in a microwave safe bowl with enough water to completely cover the cashews.  Microwave for two minutes.

Soaking option two: place cashews in a bowl and cover completely with water.  Let sit with a lid or plate on top for 8 hours.  You can do this overnight.

Soaking option three:  boil enough water to completely cover the cashews and pour the boiling water on-top of them. Soak for about an hour.

2.  Rinse and drain the cashews (you don't want the soaking liquid in your cashew sour cream).

3.  Place the drained cashews in a high-speed blender (you can use a regular blender but the final texture won't be as smooth.  It'll be slightly grainy but still good).

4. Add the water, lemon, vinegar, and salt to the blender with the cashews. Blend on high until really smooth. You may need to blend for about three minutes straight.  Stop half-way and scrape the sides of blender if need be.  

5.  Place in a small bowl with a lid and put in the fridge until chilled.  It'll thicken slightly as it cools.  Then use it in one of these five ways.  If you have a different idea, let us know in the comments section below how you'd use cashew sour cream.

Five Ways to Use Cashew Sour Cream

1.  On a baked potato.

Cashew sour cream is awesome on a baked potato with just chives, or with salsa and black beans or, with chili.  We serve a Loaded Baked Potato with chili, scallions and cashew sour cream as one of our rotating menu items at Trisha's Healthy Table and, it's a hit!

2.  On anything Mexican.  

Whether it's rice and beans, sweet potato enchiladas with mole sauce (another Trisha's Healthy Table meal), or lentil-walnut taco meat, cashew sour cream is awesome with most things Mexican.

3.  As a base for other dips and dressings.

Erik (my husband and Trisha's Healthy Table chef) uses cashew sour cream as a base for making his cashew Caesar dressing and raita sauce for Indian food.  Experiment and turn cashew sour cream into a healthier ranch dressing, 1000 island dressing or veggie dip.

4.  For breakfast on a toasted bagel with cucumber, red onion and tomato.

I don't why but I feel hip and trendy when I get to eat this dish for breakfast.  I think it's because in some weird way, it reminds me of people eating a salmon lox bagel.  It's really good!

5.  As a dip for fries.

Making oil-free potato fries is one of our go-to snacks and sometimes even meals during the week.  And you know what's awesome to dip fries into!? You guessed it, cashew sour cream! Sweet potato fries are great with cashew sour cream too.

If you're ever in need of cashew sour cream and aren't up for making it, Trisha's Healthy Table is happy to make it for you (if you can pick it up in Columbia, SC that is).  

Take Control Now Question

What's your favorite way to eat cashew sour cream?  Have another way we didn't list? Let me know by clicking 'comment' below.