The Cardiologist's Wife

Pimento Cheese, Not Your Grandma's Spread

Pimento cheese is one of those foods that has been so corrupted by the food industry that it has become synonymous with other crappy foods like Spam. I'm not even certain what store bought pimento cheese might contain, nor do I want to find out. It's a shame because pimento cheese can be a delightful treat, even if it does Read the full post…

Plum Good BBQ Sandwiches

In a few days it will officially be fall but the temperatures are still warm enough for me to continue swimming for a few more days. The breeze was a little cool but that didn't stop me from swimming several laps this morning and I felt great afterwards! Have you exercised lately? With fall's cooler temperatures and fewer insects, you Read the full post…

Shingles Vacine and Treatment

A friend of mine was recently diagnosed with shingles so I felt I should discuss this nasty virus once again. If you ever had chicken pox, you are at risk for getting shingles and believe me, you don't want it. Shingles is a painful rash with blisters that scab over and may take 4 weeks or more to heal. The Read the full post…

Vegetarian Tacos are muy delicioso!

There are times when I think I could easily become a vegetarian, especially when I try a new dish that is as good as the vegetarian tacos I had at Local Lime restaurant in Little Rock and the tofu fried rice at Sai Tai here in Jonesboro. My husband and I celebrated our 23rd anniversary this past weekend by spending Read the full post…

Midyear Health Check

Summer is winding down , the year is more than half way over and our January resolutions are long forgotten. It's time for a health reality check. First of all, how is your health lately? If you have enjoyed good health, are you thankful? Take some time to appreciate how wonderful it feels to be healthy, for your family to Read the full post…

Vacation Lessons For A Healthier Life

I'm back from a lovely beach vacation and I wish I was still there with all my heart. Wouldn't it be nice if our every day life was as nice as a vacation? If we could relax, eat well, sleep and exercise just enough without having to worry about bills, work, illnesses and school, our lives would be perfect. But Read the full post…

1 2 3 4 5 6

Two Versions Of Frozen Fruit Salad

[ Post by Lisa Tedder ][ Post on December 10, 2012 ][ In Diet Tips and Better Eating Ideas, For new Mom's, Salads ]

I am always searching for new recipes that are easy but pack in as much nutrition as possible. A couple of weeks ago, I thought of a fruit salad that my mother in law frequently makes when we visit so I asked for her recipe. Actually, I wanted it because Mary Beth liked fruit and yogurt and I was going to make it for her but never got the chance. Thanks to Camille for the recipe.

Frozen Banana Salad

2 cups sour cream

3/4 cup sugar

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 cup chopped nuts

1/2 cup chopped maraschino cherries

9 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained

2 ripe bananas, mashed

Mix ingredients well. Pour into paper lined muffin tin and freeze. Serve as a salad or dessert.

My mother in law’s version is very good but I wanted to tweak it some for Mary Beth and to cut the amount of fat and sugar. Here is my version.

Frozen Banana Salad

2 cups non fat plain Greek yogurt

1/4 cup sugar

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup chopped nuts

2 cups halved frozen cherries, not maraschino

9 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained

1 cup frozen blueberries

2 ripe bananas, mashed

Mix all ingredients well and pour into paper lined muffin tin to freeze OR serve as is.

Now I am not a nutritionist but anyone can see that you save ALOT of fat when you use non fat plain Greek yogurt as just 1/2 cup of sour cream contains 24 grams of fat, 3.6 grams of protein and 246 calories. The Greek yogurt has much more protein at 11 grams but just 65 calories and 0 fat grams. I also used 1/4 cup of sugar so I saved more calories there and with all the fruit, the sugar was not missed. I added extra fruit and nuts to the mix for more flavors, anti-oxidants, fiber and vitamins.

This concoction is delicious anytime but it will really be a nice frozen treat next summer. The other lesson to be learned here is that you can take a favorite recipe and tweak it to make it more nutritious and leave out some of the bad stuff. Look for ways to cut sugar, fat and salt in your cooking without sacrificing taste. I frequently substitute non fat plain yogurt for sour cream in my dishes and reduce the amount of salt or sugar in recipes.