Beat It or Eat It – Blueberry Peach Cobbler

Beat It:
4th of July weekend is here (YAY summer!), which means BBQs, picnics and parties. In other words, food! It also means peach season is here (I’m going peach picking this weekend), so I have a yummy waist saving recipe swap for a peach blueberry cobbler that you can indulge in. Other cobbler recipes tip the nutritional scales at 562 calories (42% of those calories come from fat – yikes!), 26.8g fat, 12.8g saturated fat, 77.3g carbs, 4.8g fiber, and 7.7g protein. And that’s for only one serving! Check out this recipe, courtesy of Eatingwell.com, below.

Eat It!:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup reduced-fat milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 ripe but firm peaches, (about 1 pound), pitted and sliced into eighths, or 3 1/2 cups frozen
2 cups (1 pint) fresh or frozen blueberries

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Place butter and oil in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet or a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Heat in the oven until melted and fragrant, 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, combine flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Add milk, sugar and vanilla; stir to combine.
4. Add the melted butter mixture to the batter and stir to combine. Pour the batter into the hot pan. Spoon peaches and blueberries evenly over the batter.
5. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the top of the cobbler is browned and the batter around the fruit is completely set, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Remove to a wire rack to cool for at least 15 minutes. Serve warm. (serves 10)

And now for the best part – check out these nutrition stats per serving: 182 calories, 8g fat, 3g saturated fat, 26g carbs, 3g fiber, 3g protein. That’s a savings of 380 calories! I’m definitely going to be making this after I go peach picking this weekend.

So, don’t get distracted by all the high calorie treats. Come prepared and come Monday you won’t have to “get back on track”.

TIP: If you’re not hosting the party offer to bring a dessert with you. No one will refuse that!
Also, Be a kid again and catch some fireflies! It’s a good reason to leave the buffet and stop eating, plus maybe you’ll burn some of those calories off too.

Beat It or Eat It – Fries!

What’s yummier than an awesome french fry? Maybe some awesome mac n’ cheese….but that’s for another post. Today we’re talking fries, because they seem to pop up with summer backyard barbecues, and instead of avoiding them completely just learn how to make even better ones that you don’t have to resist (in fact, I doubt you’d even be able to if you tried).

Beat it:
A small 3oz. serving will run you 271 calories and 14.5g fat, 31.9g carbs, 3g fiber, and 3.2g protein. The fiber is great, but let’s get real. It’s a potato — it doesn’t need all that fat!

Eat it:
Sweet Potato Fries

– 1lb. sweet potatoes
– 1 egg white
– 2 tsp. chili powder
– 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
– 1/4 tsp. onion powder
– 1/8 tsp. salt
– parchment paper

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Peel and cut potatoes (a ton of vitamins and lots of fiber is in the skin, so if you prefer to keep it on you can.)
3. In a bowl, combine egg and seasoning. Beat well.
4. Add potatoes and mix to coat.
5. Spray a baking sheet and line with parchment paper. Place potatoes in a single layer on sheet.
6. Bake, uncovered for 20-25 minutes, until golden.

And voilà, awesome “fries” for only 71 calories, 0.2g fat, 15.9g carbs, 2.6g fiber (more with the skin), and 1.9g protein! I know, they aren’t exactly fries, but I promise you’ll want seconds!

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