Ready for... Love, Soup, and Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread!!

Ready for Love

I'm home sick with a cold so I thought I would do a long overdue post.

I am now getting to do a lot of music therapy on my own at work. So far I have 3 main areas of focus. To start I have been co-treating with the physical therapist. We see patients 1:1 and I never know who we're going to see. I have figured out that as long as I have an auto harp and a hand drum I can play music to compliment the physical therapist. This has been challenging for me to think on the spot to be therapeutically effective, but I am loving that challenge. Like I spoke about in previous posts I am working on the forensic unit doing groups and 1:1. And my new area of focus is with the adolescent girls. I had no idea that I was going to enjoy working with this population so much. I really didn't think that I was good with kids at all, but with the adolescents I am loving it.

Last week I did a song writing workshop with them and I was so pleasantly surprised at how they embraced it and wrote some amazing lyrics. I don't know if you have ever heard of the song "Ready for Love" by India Arie. I have used it in the past for different things. Its a good lyric analysis and conversation starter for each person to express what they are ready for.

I am ready for love
Why are you hiding from me?
I'd quickly give my freedom
To be held in your captivity

I am ready for love
All of the joy and the pain
And all the time that it takes
Just to stay in your good grace
Lately I've been thinking
Maybe you're not ready for me
Maybe you think I need to learn maturity
They say watch what you ask for
Cause you might receive
But if you ask me tomorrow
I'll say the same thing

I am ready for love
Would you please lend me your ear?
I promise I won't complain
I just need you to acknowledge I am here

If you give me half a chance
I'll prove this to you
I will be patient, kind, faithful and true
To a man who loves music
A man who loves art
Respects the spirit world
And thinks with his heart

I am ready for love
If you'll take me in your hands
I will learn what you teach
And do the best that I can

I am ready for love
Here with an offering of
My voice
My Eyes
My soul
My mind

Tell me what is enough
To prove I am ready for love

I am ready

I started with the song in the original form, sang it and then we discussed it. I tried to get them thinking outside of the box about love. We discussed love within ourselves by accepting who we are. I then got them thinking about what they were ready for and gave them fill in the blank lyric sheets with the original song as a template for them to personalize it. Some of the things that were written were: "I am ready for freedom," "I'm ready for a second change," and "I'm ready for a new life." After each of them filled their song I gave them each the opportunity to perform it in any way they wanted; Singing, speaking, rapping. And all 8 girls did it!! I was so impressed with them and I could tell that they were all so proud of themselves for accomplishing something like writing their own song. I'm excited to work with them more.

Ready for Soup...?

Since I haven't updated in so long, I have 2 recipes for you. Last month I tried a soup at a restaurant that was a roasted cauliflower soup and it was so delicious I couldn't quit thinking about it. So I did some research and came up with this recipe to fulfill my cravings. This soup is soo creamy and rich you would think that cream and butter were a main ingredient. But there is not even a drop of either!!

Roasted Cauliflower Soup

1 Head Cauliflower (cut in small florets)

2 Small Turnips (quartered)

1 Small Yellow Onion (cut in large pieces)

2 Small potatoes (cut in half)

4 Garlic Cloves (smashed)

Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper

1 Cup Vegetable Stock

Preheat oven to 425F. Place vegetables on baking sheet in single layer. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes or until browned. Place vegetables in a large pot or blender. Add 1 cup of vegetable stock and puree with an emersion blender or in the blender.

Ready for Peanut Butter, Chocolate Chip Banana Bread...? Yes please!

This recipe is a little bit indulgent, but I have taken some measures to cut the fat and calories out of what could be incredibly bad for you by using applesauce and more banana in place of butter and eggs! This means that this recipe is also vegan because the chocolate chips are dark chocolate and therefore have no animal products in them!

Peanut Butter, Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

1 cup All-Purpose Flour

3/4 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1/4 tsp Salt

1 tsp Cinnamon

2 Ripe Bananas (mashed)

1/4 cup Reduced Fat Peanut Butter

1/4 cup Sugar

1/4 cup Brown Sugar

1 tsp Vanilla

1/4 cup Apple Sauce (unsweetened)

1/4 cup Skim Milk

1/4 cup + 1 tbsp Mini Dark Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 350F. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl. In a large mixing bowl combine banana, peanut butter, sugar, brown sugar, applesauce and vanilla. Beat with mixer for about 2 minutes. Slowly beat in the flour mixture until combined. Stir in milk and 1/4 cup chocolate chips. Pour into 2 greased mini loaf pans or into 1 large loaf pan. Bake for 40-50 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining tbsp of chocolate chips and bake for 5 more minutes.

Warning!! This can be kind of addicting.

First Food Blog Post: Pad Thai.... Sort of

I have fantasized for a long time about having my own food blog. However, at this point in my life I don't have enough time, energy or money to cook enough for a whole blog. So I thought I would combine my internship blog with a few food entries when time allows.

Recently I have been a little obsessed with finding healthier alternatives to some of my favorite unhealthy dishes. My main goal has been to make dishes that are normally filled with calories and fat in a more healthy version that still tastes delicious. My first endeavor, SUCCESS!

One of my favorite dishes to both cook at home and to order out is Pad Thai. However, a serving of Chicken or Tofu Pad Thai can have anywhere from 500-700 calories, 20 grams of fat and over 60 grams of carbs. The high numbers in these nutrition facts are due to the amount of oil used to stir fry everything, the type of noodles used, the eggs, and the sugar content in the sauce. However, I have figured out a way to make a pad thai inspired stir fry with all of the same flavors and half the calories!!

Ingredients:

8oz Tofu Shirataki Noodles

4oz Boneless Skinless Chkn Breast

1/2 cup Egg Beaters

2 Garlic Cloves (minced)

1 tbsp Canola Oil

Green Bell Pepper

Red Bell Pepper

Diced Green Onion

Soy Sauce

2 tbsp Pad Thai Sauce

1 tsp Chili Garlic Sauce

Juice of Half a lime

For Garnish:

Cilantro

Lime Slices

Diced Green Onion

Chopped Peanuts (optional)

*(Before I begin I want to preface by saying that I know some of these ingredients are not traditionally in Pad Thai. Soy sauce and bell peppers are not normally used, but they work for this healthier version and it is just as delicious.)

I would like to start with the best discovery ever for pasta lovers: TOFU SHIRATAKI NOODLES! They are made with only two ingredients: tofu and water. I know this could sound a bit strange, but trust me its not. They work really well in asian dishes (I have yet to try them in italian dishes, but I have heard mixed reviews about that). They come packaged in a liquid in 8oz bags. And the best news.... There is only 40 calories and virtually no carbs in the entire package!!!

They are normally located in the refrigerator section next to the tofu. I buy the spaghetti or angel hair kind. I don't think that the fettucini kinds has as good of a texture. To prepare the noodles drain the liquid and rinse them. The liquid has a slight odor that is a bit fishy, but from someone who hates the smell of seafood it is very slight. Boil the noodles for about 2 minutes and drain. They are already cooked but boiling them gets rid of any of the smell from the liquid completely.

Next, prep all of your ingredients. Do not start cooking until everything is ready to go because once you start stir frying it goes really fast. Chop your peppers, onion, garlic, chicken, limes and cilantro. For the sauce I use a pre-made sauce and add a few things. Yes, making your own pad thai sauce would be better, but it is time consuming. I take 2 tbsp of the sauce and add 1 tsp of chili garlic sauce, the juice of half a lime and some cilantro to make it a little more tangy and spicy.

Now it is time to start stir frying! Part of the reason that pad thai has so much fat normally is the amount of oil used during cooking. So when you start to cook hold off on the oil for the first two steps.

Season your chicken with pepper and soy sauce. Heat a few tbsp of water in the wok and begin cooking your chicken. Push the chicken to the side of the wok and add another tbsp or two of water and begin cooking the egg beaters, scrambling them. Push the eggs to the side.

Now you can add the oil! Once the oil is hot, sauté the the garlic and peppers just for about 2 minutes.

Add the sauce and mix all of the ingredients in the wok. Add the noodles and stir fry with rest of the ingredients. Add the green onion and mix.

Garnish with cilantro, fresh green onion, a lime slice and ENJOY.

Recipe makes 2 servings. Cal: 250; Fat: 9 grams; Carb: 20 grams; Fiber: 6 grams