Dish #10 — Cold hot sweet peppers

About 5 minutes — About $5 — Serves 1-2 per pepper

Red bell peppers are sweet. Green ones are a bit dry. Yellow and orange ones are good, too, for mixing up flavors, but you really just need to start with one or two of any color bell pepper. Slice it up into chunks — bite sized pieces.

Throw all your pieces into a plastic bowl and shake cajun spice mix and cayenne pepper over the top. Shake the bowl to mix everything together.

The result is a 100 percent fat free snack with a heck of a kick. The cajun spice adds a great flavor, but it’s not overwhelming. If you really want to get out of hand you can use a lot more cayenne pepper or even some hot sauce.

On a health kick, my father threw together baked chicken tenders, and, if done right, it’s a healthy and delicious way to eat chicken.

When I retire and open a bar in 40 years, we will serve these little bundles of joy —

Virtually Fat-Free Chicken Tenders with Veggies!

Dish #4 — Virtually Fat-Free Chicken Tenders

40 minutes — About $15

You can save a few dollars buying whole boneless chicken breasts and cutting them yourself, but they sell handy tenderloins, already cut up.

Pre-heat a traditional oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

You need two things to bread meat: a batter and a breading.

To prepare the breading, pour about half a standard-sized canister of Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs into some kind of flat container that’s large enough to fit the chicken pieces. Add a teaspoon of salt, tablespoon of ground black pepper, two teaspoons of cayenne pepper, a tablespoon of paprika, and two teaspoons of parsley. These are rough estimates. Just shake some in.

Shake it up.

You can be creative here. You can crush Ritz crackers or saltines or even Cheese-Its!

To prepare the batter, pour some liquid egg whites into another flat container. Add a quarter cup of water and a few teaspoons of olive oil. Mix well.

You can use whole eggs, but you are adding a bit more fat and cholesterol. I use whole eggs usually, because I have them lying around. Liquid egg whites are amazingly useful but a bit expensive.

The eggs and olive oil are the only real fats in the chicken. The olive oil is needed because it helps brown up the chicken. You can take it out if you’re really concerned about the fat, but it’s all good, trust me.

Take each chicken piece and trim any visible white stuff (fat and some tendons).

Now, this next part is very important.

Crumbs, egg, crumbs!

Flip the chicken over in the crumbs. Then place it in the egg and make sure all surfaces are coated. Allow the excess to drip off. Then flip it a few more times in the crumbs. With two fingers, pat the breading firmly onto the chicken. Flip. Repeat.

Place each chicken tender on a non-stick baking pan and bake for about 30 minutes. Flip the chicken over at the 15 minute mark. Make sure both sides are browned, and serve.

If you did it right, you’ll have delicious, crispy, tender, browned chicken tenders that only have a drop of healthy olive oil baked in.

Not fried. You’ll feel good afterward. Enjoy!

These go great with a cup of brown rice or some sauteed peppers and onions. I’ll be showing you how to make both in a few weeks!

The move will be a big hit with the one percent of the world with Coeliac disease, a genetic autoimmune disorder of the small intestine caused by a reaction to gliadin, a gluten protein found in wheat.

“Food allergies are a very serious, sometimes life-threatening, issue for many Americans,” said Uno CEO Frank Guidara in a statement. “Pizza is our signature product, and we wanted to offer a gluten-free pizza so all of our guests could enjoy it when dining at Uno.”

“Consumer reaction was so positive in the gluten-free community that our restaurants began receiving requests to carry the new pizza,” noted Richard Hendrie, senior vice president of marketing for Uno. “Because the demand was so strong, we decided to pull out all the stops to get the gluten-free pizza into our 200-plus locations as quickly as possible.”

Uno claims the title of “America’s Healthiest Chain Restaurant” and already has one of the largest gluten-free menus in the country.

Guidara said that Uno spent over a year of research and development come up with a recipe that worked.

“While we want to meet the needs of guests with allergies, we never forget that we are about great taste and choice, and that means developing new dishes that are healthful without sacrificing great flavor.”

Uno was also the first national chain to stop using trans-fats.

There are more than 200 Uno Chicago Grill restaurants found in 31 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates, according to the restaurant’s website.

The problem with cooking healthy is that it is a widely-known fact that the flavor is often in the fat. But fresh herbs, however daunting that section of the produce department is, are the secrets to dishes that are packed with healthy flavor. If you want a dish that rises above a salt or pepper shaker, you might want to stray to the land of funny leaves and stems — even if only once in awhile.

Likewise, where a potato leaves something to be desired in nutritional content, its funny-colored cousin is a perfect substitute. Sweet potatoes are one of the most nutritious vegetables on earth (and they are also one of the oldest veggies known to man).

Thus, these sweet potato wedges with crispy sage is a snack that only take a few minutes to prepare, satisfy a quick, healthy carb fix and deceptively doses you with nutrients that you didn’t even know you wanted.

Plus its about 80 calories per serving, and zero fat.

That’s 80 calories. No fat.

Bon apetit!

Dish #3 — Baked Sweet Potato Wedges with Crispy Sage Leaves

30 minutes — Market Price — 80 calories per serving

You’ll need:

• 2-3 medium-sized sweet potatoes
• A pack of sage (it’s in that department, as mentioned)
• Olive Oil
• Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 465 degrees. Coat the bottom of a cookie sheet with non-stick spray — like Pam.

Peal two medium-sized sweet potatoes. If you don’t have a peeler, all the better, cut the sweet potato peels off on each side. It should resemble something like a brick.

Slice the sweet potato like thick chips. I like to cut on the angle, then turn the potato and cut the opposite side. Repeat.

They should resemble a wedge. Don’t make them too thick, and remember, the more uniformed the slices, the more evenly they’ll cook.

In a large bowl, place the wedges and pour a tablespoon or so of olive oil. Then a tablespoon of black pepper, and three teaspoons of salt.

Next, separate the all the sage leaves in the package from their lengthy stems. Rip the leaves into thirds and throw then into the bowl of oil, salt, pepper, and sweet potato.

Mix the ingredients until the veggies are all coated with the herb mixture. Spread them out onto the cookie sheet (leave some space between the wedges, so they don’t become soggy when cooking).

Bake for 20 minutes, and remove. Let the sweet potatoes cool for 5 minutes before plating. Sprinkle with (a bit more) salt, and enjoy.

Dipping sauces are always welcome. Watch out for butters and things that add fat and calories, though.

It didn’t happen overnight for me either.

I was the pickiest eater in my family growing up, and forget about veggies. I actually gagged the first time I really sat down to eat a plate of broccoli when I was 17. But it was all in my head.

When I learned how to cook, I first got good at cooking food that wasn’t good for me — obviously. Last year I dieted to the tune of losing 50 pounds, and one of the things that really made it happen was my learning how to prepare vegetables that would taste good without sacrificing health.

So I figured out how to make broccoli that tasted good.

Dish #2 — Tasty Broccoli

20 minutes — Under $5 — 43 calories per cup

I like to buy the massive bag-o-broccoli from Costco (or any local bulk shopping club) because it’s the cheapest way to buy, and the broccoli is already cut into florets. If you really like the stems, you can buy fresh broccoli or whole frozen broccoli.

This is a perfect case study in the three T’s of cooking: Time, Temperature, Taste. Cooking Tasty Broccoli is all about flavoring them right, cooking them at the right temperature, and for just enough time.

Start by adding however much broccoli you want to a medium sized-medium depth pan. Spread about a tablespoon of minced (read: jarred) garlic and drizzle about the same amount of olive oil around the veggies.

Then take my favorite spice on the rack, Adobo, and sprinkle it lightly over the surface of the broccoli. You can substitute garlic powder, salt and black pepper if you can’t find Adobo. This seasoning is usually reserved for meats, but it works here. Add some cracked black pepper as well. If you are feeling gutsy, I like to add a liberal amount of Cayenne pepper as well.

Fill the pan about 1/3 the way with tap water and stir to mix everything up.

Make sure you lower the heat when you cover the pan!

Drain the pan and add some more Adobo to the pan. Not too much, and you should skip this step if you are really trying to avoid salt.

Enjoy broccoli that tastes good!

Got an idea for a No Fries in ‘09 feature? Email me!

We need to talk.

The years have gone by so fast for us. From my first McDonald’s fry 24 years ago to the wide crinkle cut deliciousness at Glenwood in Connecticut and Town Spa in Stoughton.

It’s always been good. That was never the problem.

Something changed between us. It became all about you. I was changing, and you were staying the same.

We’re going in different places. It’s obvious, and I think we both know that.

Oh, I guess it started in high school when I would order two Wendy’s Biggie Fries with my Crispy Chicken Nuggets. It’s my fault I suppose. I was stuck at a desk sitting on my ass and you were always just there. So convenient. And … God … so good.

But it wasn’t good. When we were together — in the moment — I didn’t really care, but afterward I felt dirty. Unfulfilled.

So that’s where we’re at. We need some time apart, and that’s all there is to it.

I never stopped caring. I just wish there was another way.

Love,
John

There you have it, folks. French fries got dumped. I am pledging to go one year without eating a single French fry.

It’s going to be a year-long feature for Blast, and I’ll be posting 50 side-dish and food ideas and recipes that aren’t fries or as unhealthy as fries.

Stay tuned

Hostess is expanding on the portion controlled 100-calorie revolution to put out more of its products that dieters can munch on. Try to restrain yourselves.

Available nationwide, each Hostess 100 Calorie Pack of Twinkie Bites contains three mini Twinkie cakes filled with the brand’s signature creme filling, Hostess said in a statement

“Since we introduced Hostess 100 Calorie Cup Cakes in early 2007, consumers have been asking, ‘When will you offer a 100 Calorie Twinkie?’” said David Leavitt, vice president of snack marketing for Interstate Bakeries Corp., the makers of Hostess products. “Even though a regular Twinkie only has 150 calories — a fact many consumers don’t know — Twinkie Bites are sure to appeal to families looking for portion control and convenience from one of their favorite snack brands.”

Hostess is also introducing 100 Calorie Pack Strawberry Cup Cakes, three strawberry cakes with cream cheese icing and creme filling.

So now its:

• Chocolate cup cakes with chocolate icing and creamy filling
• Carrot cake cup cakes with cream cheese icing and creamy filling
• Banana muffins with streusel topping
• Cinnamon coffee cakes with streusel topping (these are really good, but they’re never on sale!)

“This great tasting product will help KFC continue to evolve and increase our relevance among consumers looking for nonfried menu options,” said Gregg Dedrick, president of KFC. “And, as always, it will deliver the great flavor our customers have come to expect.”

In an all-too-fashionable healthy twist alternative for fast food restaurants, KFC says the new grilled item will have 60 to 180 calories and 3 to 9 grams of fat. Original Recipe chicken has 130 to 360 calories and 8 to 24 grams of fat, they said.

For the company, the challenge fell to them to develop a product that was healthy and fit Colonel Sanders’ original restaurant model.

“We have worked tirelessly to develop a grilled product that would have met Colonel Sanders’ high expectations for flavor and taste,” commented Doug Hasselo, Chief Food Innovation Officer at KFC. “It truly is finger lickin’ good.”

KFC says the grilled item is part of a larger effort to make the restaurant healthier. In a statement Monday, they said they were making strides to remove trans fats from their cooking processes and reduce salt in other menu items.

Kentucky Grilled Chicken is being test marketed in Indianapolis, Colorado Springs, San Diego, Oklahoma City, Jacksonville, Fla., and Austin, Texas. Grilled chicken is expected to appear on menues nationwide next year.

UPDATE: In response to reader questions, Miller 64 is 2.8 percent alcohol by volume, according to a spokesman for Miller Brewing Company.

Miller Brewing Company is rolling out its 64-calorie Miller Genuine Draft, “MGD 64,” which is a reformulation of the original MGD Light, and they are touting it as the lowest calorie beer on the market.

“MGD 64 is a sensible choice for consumers working hard to keep up with the pace of their life,” said Grant Leech, marketing director for the Miller Genuine Draft brand. “Whether they are out with a group of friends or taking a break at the end of the day, MGD 64 provides all of the great beer aroma and flavor consumers want but with about 35 percent fewer calories than the typical light beer.”The beer is being launched in a limited roll-out in the Midwest and some West Coast areas. Miller is saying they will also market MGD 64 to active places like health clubs and spas — pushing MGD 64 on the healthy beer drinker.

MGD 64 has 2.4 grams of carbohydrates per 12 ounce serving, which is just a bit less than Michelob Ultra’s 2.6 grams.

Miller offers the following comparisons:

• A 6 ounce glass of red wine contains 128 calories — twice the amount in MGD 64
• A 6 ounce gin and tonic contains 172 calories — almost three times as many calories as MGD 64
• A 6.5 ounce margarita contains 246 calories — nearly four times the calories of one MGD 64

“The math is pretty simple,” Leech said. “Differences such as those between MGD 64 and competitive light beers and other alcohol beverages add up pretty quickly. For consumers who want great beer refreshment that doesn’t slow you down, MGD 64 is the clear choice.”

According to Miller, MGD 64 was initially launched last summer in Madison, Wis. People liked it there, and they’re expanding it. But we’re not seeing it on the East Coast just yet