Deadliest Catch Turned Healthy

While the rest of the world mourned the loss of Capt. Phil Harris, I took my own little stab at some crab. Lump crab to be exact. I'm ashamed to say that until this past Sunday, I had never even tasted crab. (Except in sushi which doesn't count.) But after watching Marcela Valladolid of the Food Network's Mexican Made Easy create these Spicy Crab Cakes, I just couldn't wait to get crabby.

I already knew the nutritional benefit of crab. For a 4 oz serving of lump crab (which literally refers to pieces of crab pulled from the shell in big lumps), you only consume ~80-100 calories, 0-1g fat, and nearly 15-20g of protein. You can't go wrong with that!* But what you can go wrong with is turning crab into cakes. Most crab cakes are fried, giving them that nice crispy outer layer. I still wanted that crunch for my cakes, but opted for a healthier way to do so. All you need to turn those panko crumbs (which I used sparingly by the way) a nice golden brown is just a very thin coating of olive oil or cooking spray on your pan. These cakes turned out to be perfectly crisp, but without all the absorbed, added fat from a thick layer of oil if I had chosen to really fry them.

Look how colorful the crab cakes turned out with all the cilantro in it. So pretty! I topped if off with some homemade guacamole (not pictured) like the recipe suggests for the perfect Mexican finish.

*I should point out some people consider crab meat to be high in cholesterol. A 4 oz serving of crab has about 80-90mg of cholesterol. However, it has little to no saturated fat, which are the fats that can also increase your body's cholesterol levels. As long as you choose low cholesterol foods throughout the rest of the day, I see no reason to avoid crab in your diet. This recipe does call for one egg (to help hold the ingredients together), and eggs are high in cholesterol. To reduce total cholesterol intake from these cakes, consider using Egg Beaters or egg whites in place of the yolk.

Pesto Change-O

When people hear I'm a dietitian, they always want to know two things: What should I eat, and what do you eat? My goal for starting this blog was to show you ways to pick real foods for real life. There are so many ways to eat healthy without living off salads and Lean Cuisines. And while I wish I was creative enough to whip up my own, original recipe for each meal I eat, the reality is I am not, and neither are most people. Thank goodness for the Food Network!

I know the rest of the world jumped on the Food Network bandwagon several years ago, but it's only recently that 46 has become my go-to channel. One of my favorite shows is Giada at Home. Unlike most of the men I know, I actually do watch it for the recipes. :) Her food is GOOD, and most of the time pretty healthy. (And how cute is her little family?) Giada recently made these Chicken and Arugula Pita Pockets, and I couldn't wait to try them out. I LOVE arugula. Even the name sounds cool. And pesto? Yes, please.

These sandwiches include something from every macronutrient group (remember: fats, carbs, and protein), which is key for a healthy meal. You've got your protein coming from the chicken, the whole wheat pita pockets rocking some fiber and healthy carbs, and good fats from the olive oil in the pesto. *Pesto is one of those sauces that looks deceivingly unhealthy to the untrained eye due to its fat content, but most of the fat is coming from olive oil and pine nuts in a traditional pesto recipe, which are both heart healthy fats.*

Unfortunately, I couldn't find any pita pockets at the grocery, so I opted for some sandwich thins instead. If you haven't tried sandwich thins yet, they look like sandwich buns but they're, well, much thinner and only 100 calories! Can't beat that.

So, there you have it. My version of Giada's Chicken and Arugula Pita Pockets. I served it with watermelon for a sweet finishing treat. And because I'm realizing my food never looks as pretty as when the real chefs make it, please access the link above for the recipe and a better picture.

(I would like to thank my roommate and fellow dietitian, Amber Barnes, for the title of this post.)