Spicy Friday; its getting HOT, HOT, HOT!

I have a confession to make.  I have a Ph. D. in Smartassery. What's that you ask? Its the art of being a smartass and everything it encompasses. For instance, I could go over to the neighbors house right now with my grown up pants on and explain that their radio is loud enough for me to hear the words whilst I was in the shower... or, in true Ph.D fashion, I could tell them I thoroughly enjoyed their blaring rendition of "The Real Slim Shady" and ask if there are any dance accompaniments but that hands down, "Its about to get Crunk in here" is their Pièce de résistance (inserting a french laugh and putting a finger mustache over my mouth for added effect).  What does this have to do with today's post you wonder? Nothing, but I got your attention, didn't I. 



We all have cravings, some are weirder than others. A few weeks ago I was craving macaroons. Why, I have no clue. Another craving that I get when I'm not feeling well is... well, I'll call it family recipe of sorts.... a cheddar cheese sandwich (must be sharp cheddar cut off the block) with mustard (preferably Webers mustard, the best mustard EVER) on rye with spanish olives cut up and put in on the sandwich. Yes, a cheese, mustard and olive sandwich. My sisters and I ate those things all the time growing up. Sometimes, we even took it to another level and made a grilled cheese on rye with spanish olives in it... or even macaroni and cheese with spanish olives in it. You get cheese, salt and delicious carbs all in one setting. 

Horseradish mustard...NOM! Seriously, the best mustard ever. My dad has it shipped in. 

The reason I bring that up is to be creative with what you eat.  You may not necessarily want a veggie burger instead of a real burger... but you can get a Morningstar Farms Black Bean Chipotle burger, cook it and serve with avocado, salsa, cilantro, pico...the options are endless. Just because you are changing out one food for another to eat healthier, doesnt mean you have to compromise on the flavor. Variety is the spice of life so why not make your life spicy and spice it up!


 I'll admit, I use crushed red peppers on most everything. It adds that element of heat that I'm looking for. Cilantro adds a lot of flavor for a little bitty leaf.  People overlook mexican oregano but I love to cook with it. It is a different flavor than regular oregano ... I actually use it in my salsa for that added oomph of flavor. David's dad made some deviled eggs one time that we came to visit. I love deviled eggs to begin with, but there was something different about them that I couldnt put my finger on. You know what it was? Horseradish. I would have NEVER thought to do that. You can find many, many spices that can substitute for flavor and you arent sacrificing calories. 


You can add many low calorie substitutions to your cooking and in most instances, no one will taste the difference. I like to substitute unsweetened applesauce instead of vegetable oil in cakes and muffins. I usually use the same proportion of applesauce as I would oil- most cakes call for about 1/3 of a cup. I just substitute one of those individual serving cups of applesauce instead. I do that with my pumpkin bread, gingerbread cake... anywhere that I can because it cuts back on the calories and fat content. I know there is a recipe for a diet company (no naming names) that takes a can of pumpkin and a box of no pudge fudge brownie mix and omits the eggs and oil. My sister also said that you can take black beans and drain them, puree them and add them to the box of brownies (instead of the pumpkin) and you'd never know. 


The options for spices in cooking are endless. You can always play to see what you like and what you don't care for. I hated mushrooms until I turned 30. Then, all of a sudden... Mushrooms are delicious. Don't be afraid to try new things like a different vegetable or fruit. You may find that you like it better than something you've eaten all along! 


I'm attaching a link for a site that gives you some substitution ideas for something you might be craving. You can see what options there are and play around with the suggestions to modify to your taste. The best inventions often are produced by accident (read: cheese, mustard and spanish olive sandwich)


Healthy Alternatives


Happy Friday and thank you for continuing to read!