I didn't have any crunchy bread so I decided to make some focaccia bread for some yummy steak sandwiches.
Foccaccia Bread (Mormon Cookbook):
1 1/2 T active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1 1/2 T sugar
Let yeast do its thang!
Mix together:
3 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup warm water
2 T EVOO
yeast from above
Then, after mixing, use another 1/2 cup warm water to mix and then knead the dough for about 5 minutes. Let rise for 1-2 hours and then place into 9 inch greased pan, pinch tops and let rise for 30 minutes (maybe more cuz my 30 did not do much!) Preheat oven for 400 degrees and then bake for 20-25 minutes.
Meanwhile, work on the steak sandwich (Martha Stewart Food Magazine, Fast Issue) as follows... first, mix:
1 T dijon mustard
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 T EVOO
salt and pepper for seasoning
Marinate 1 lb skirt steak for about 15 minutes and in the meantime, cut one red onion into long pieces and season with salt and pepper.
Cook the skirt steak and red onions in a medium sauce pan on medium-high for about 5-7 minutes each side.
After the steak is done, take the remaining red onions and chop it in a food processor for a bit and then add about 2 T of vinegar.
Grab some argula, some mustard, and put together your sandwiches with the foccaccia bread, steak and onions and then you're done!!!!!!
Monday, April 11, 2011
Thursday, April 7, 2011
I'm Packing 32 Pounds
I know I'm pregnant and that's why I'm packing 32 pounds - mostly in my belly, some of it distributed to my swollen feet, legs, and bigger chest.... but mostly it's in my belly. So I've been wondering lately, isn't it uncomfortable to have a big belly if you're not pregnant? Isn't it uncomfortable to not visually see your feet when you look down, without bending over because your stomach is in the way? Sometimes, when I sit next to men at work, our bellies are comparable - theirs from years of too much beer, not enough exercise, and mine from a growing baby!
I know I can't do anymore ab exercises on my back (I can do them with an angle, put some pillows behind my back, etc.) but how I miss them.
Here are some of my favorites that I can still do.
Sit on a big bouncy exercise ball. It strengthens your core.
Sit up straight when working. It helps your stomach stay in versus letting it all hang out. The muscles start to train itself to tuck in and reduce the image of a large belly.
Pretend like you're a belly dancer or ballroom dancer or hip hop dancer and move your hips, pump up your legs and twist and shout. It really does work.
Use a hula hoop with weights. Hula much? Just get a hoop - the Asian ones have a padding with weights under it - and hula!
I miss doing ab exercises. The above are the easiest.. there are also far more challenging ones that probably work quicker, alas, for another day though...
Tortilla Soup
Ever notice that any healthy soup you try to make requires purchasing more ingredients you don't have on hand? Since I made bread (not so healthy) last night, I wanted to pair it with a healthier soup. In my mind, I kept thinking black bean or lentil... maybe even a good tomato basil without too much cream in it. But everything required a lot of work soaking beans overnight or going to the store to buy some more stuff I would only use once.
It's as if I forgot about my favorite trusty compliance, the Vitamix. So I quickly googled the Vitamix Tortilla Soup recipe and granted I was without some items.. I had enough - and I changed it up a bit - so here's MY tortilla soup Vitamix recipe!
Tortilla Soup via Vita Mix
Ingredients:
1/4 cup cooked chicken diced
1/4 cup cooked corn (from can or frozen corn defrosted)
1/4 cup of tortilla chips
3 cups boiling water
4 sticks of celery
1 tomato
1 slice of onion (as if you were slicing onion for a burger - with all the layers in it)
1 slice of red pepper (about 7 little slices that one would use with hummus .... mmmmm)
1 garlic clove without skin
1 cut of a lettuce head (as if you were slicing for a burger)
1 chicken bouillon block for flavoring
1 T Season-All seasoning
Put above ingredients into Vitamix on Variable 1, speed 1 and immediately go to speed 10 and then immediately to Variable 2 and let it cook for 3-4 minutes.
Drop to Variable 1, down from speed 10 to 2 and drop in the chicken, corn and tortilla chips and let it mix for about 10 seconds and ....
DINNER IS SERVED!
With the bread from last night of course. And some cheese - we need our dairy.
It's as if I forgot about my favorite trusty compliance, the Vitamix. So I quickly googled the Vitamix Tortilla Soup recipe and granted I was without some items.. I had enough - and I changed it up a bit - so here's MY tortilla soup Vitamix recipe!
Tortilla Soup via Vita Mix
Ingredients:
1/4 cup cooked chicken diced
1/4 cup cooked corn (from can or frozen corn defrosted)
1/4 cup of tortilla chips
3 cups boiling water
4 sticks of celery
1 tomato
1 slice of onion (as if you were slicing onion for a burger - with all the layers in it)
1 slice of red pepper (about 7 little slices that one would use with hummus .... mmmmm)
1 garlic clove without skin
1 cut of a lettuce head (as if you were slicing for a burger)
1 chicken bouillon block for flavoring
1 T Season-All seasoning
Put above ingredients into Vitamix on Variable 1, speed 1 and immediately go to speed 10 and then immediately to Variable 2 and let it cook for 3-4 minutes.
Drop to Variable 1, down from speed 10 to 2 and drop in the chicken, corn and tortilla chips and let it mix for about 10 seconds and ....
DINNER IS SERVED!
With the bread from last night of course. And some cheese - we need our dairy.
I Made Bread!
For the first time EVER, I made bread last night.. from SCRATCH, without a bread maker. The recipe is my mother in law's and I snatched it from our cousin in law who has it on her website - only mine will be for amateurs like myself who have never made bread from scratch.
French Bread Recipe (makes two loaves)
Ingredients:
2 T yeast
1/2 cup of warm water
2 cups of hot water
cinch of sugar
3 T of sugar
1 t salt
1/3 shortening (melted)
6 cups of flour
1 egg white
Pam spray
cookie sheet
Yeasts of Fun: Put 1/2 cup of warm water in a bowl, sprinkle 2 T of dry active yeast (Costco kind is the best!) and a pinch of sugar - I'm not sure what pinch is so I just did about 1 t. Set aside and let the yeast do its thang (about 5 minutes)
Meanwhile, melt 1/1 cup of shortening and in a separate bowl, mix the following:
2 cups hot water
3 T sugar
1 t salt
1/3 cup of melted shortening
Mixing: Add the above mixture to the yeast that has been sitting for at least 5 minutes or until it's yeasty beasty. Next, add 3 cups of flour and mix mix mix with a mixer. Then, add 3 more cups and this time, mix with a spoon. A big wooden one is what I used. Now after you've mixed it... you let it sit for 10 minutes... come back and mix it... let is rest for 10 minutes.. come back and mix it... and so on and so forth - for a total of 5 times. I'm not sure if my yeast sat too long because I had to knead it since my mixture was huge and doughy - but apparently, you are supposed to just use the spoon. My wooden spoon failed and I had to resort to using my hands.
Once done, divide the dough into half - and here comes the fun sculpting part.
THAT'S DOUGH FUN: You roll out your dough on a floured board/table, and then you roll it up like into a cylinder... once you can't roll it anymore, you pinch the top so that it stays together in your cylinder form and pinch the sides so it comes in. You then pam your cookie sheet, put the formed dough cylinder with the cinched part on the bottom, and brush the sides and tops with the egg white (makes it crustier). Repeat with other roll.... let the two loaves sit and rise for 60 minutes, preheat your oven to 400 degrees and go do something else.
When ready, bake for about 20 minutes and POOF - you have just made your first set of bread loaves from scratch like moi!
French Bread Recipe (makes two loaves)
Ingredients:
2 T yeast
1/2 cup of warm water
2 cups of hot water
cinch of sugar
3 T of sugar
1 t salt
1/3 shortening (melted)
6 cups of flour
1 egg white
Pam spray
cookie sheet
Yeasts of Fun: Put 1/2 cup of warm water in a bowl, sprinkle 2 T of dry active yeast (Costco kind is the best!) and a pinch of sugar - I'm not sure what pinch is so I just did about 1 t. Set aside and let the yeast do its thang (about 5 minutes)
Meanwhile, melt 1/1 cup of shortening and in a separate bowl, mix the following:
2 cups hot water
3 T sugar
1 t salt
1/3 cup of melted shortening
Mixing: Add the above mixture to the yeast that has been sitting for at least 5 minutes or until it's yeasty beasty. Next, add 3 cups of flour and mix mix mix with a mixer. Then, add 3 more cups and this time, mix with a spoon. A big wooden one is what I used. Now after you've mixed it... you let it sit for 10 minutes... come back and mix it... let is rest for 10 minutes.. come back and mix it... and so on and so forth - for a total of 5 times. I'm not sure if my yeast sat too long because I had to knead it since my mixture was huge and doughy - but apparently, you are supposed to just use the spoon. My wooden spoon failed and I had to resort to using my hands.
Once done, divide the dough into half - and here comes the fun sculpting part.
THAT'S DOUGH FUN: You roll out your dough on a floured board/table, and then you roll it up like into a cylinder... once you can't roll it anymore, you pinch the top so that it stays together in your cylinder form and pinch the sides so it comes in. You then pam your cookie sheet, put the formed dough cylinder with the cinched part on the bottom, and brush the sides and tops with the egg white (makes it crustier). Repeat with other roll.... let the two loaves sit and rise for 60 minutes, preheat your oven to 400 degrees and go do something else.
When ready, bake for about 20 minutes and POOF - you have just made your first set of bread loaves from scratch like moi!
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Spicy Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches
I love using the crock pot for cooking - it's so easy! This dish takes a bit of prep work before loading up the crock pot, but it's well worth it, and it's from my favorite all time magazine, the Food Everyday, a Martha Stewart magazine, the light issue!
1 T EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
Kosher salt
Ground pepper
1 medium yellow onion, diced small
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced small
3 garlic cloves, chopped (or if lazy like me, use the minced garlic in a jar)
1 can (14.5 oz) crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup hot-pepper sauce like Frank's(go less if you don't want too much kick, I used a teaspoon of Cayenne pepper and 1/3 cup of BBQ sauce since I didn't have any sauces!)
3 T Worcestershire sauce
3 T yellow mustard
1 T unsulfured molasses
Serves 8 - so 8 wheat hamburger buns to be healthier, OR, if you like, use Hawaiian rolls (we LOVE these and they are super cheap at Costco)
Prep: Heat oil over medium-high, add chicken thighs, season with salt and pepper, cook until meat is done - about 5 minutes, repeat with chicken breasts. Then, move (without oil) to crock pot. Next, add onion, garlic and bell pepper and cook over medium, about 6 minutes (until onion is translucent), then add 1/4 cup of water and continue cooking for about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and move to crock pot.
Crock Pot Prep: Add can of crushed tomatoes, hot-pepper sauce, molsasses, mustard and Wrocestershire. Stir with chicken and veggies made from prep above and cook for 4 hours on high until chicken is very tender. Shred chicken and wa-la! Ready to serve on buns!
1 T EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
Kosher salt
Ground pepper
1 medium yellow onion, diced small
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced small
3 garlic cloves, chopped (or if lazy like me, use the minced garlic in a jar)
1 can (14.5 oz) crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup hot-pepper sauce like Frank's(go less if you don't want too much kick, I used a teaspoon of Cayenne pepper and 1/3 cup of BBQ sauce since I didn't have any sauces!)
3 T Worcestershire sauce
3 T yellow mustard
1 T unsulfured molasses
Serves 8 - so 8 wheat hamburger buns to be healthier, OR, if you like, use Hawaiian rolls (we LOVE these and they are super cheap at Costco)
Prep: Heat oil over medium-high, add chicken thighs, season with salt and pepper, cook until meat is done - about 5 minutes, repeat with chicken breasts. Then, move (without oil) to crock pot. Next, add onion, garlic and bell pepper and cook over medium, about 6 minutes (until onion is translucent), then add 1/4 cup of water and continue cooking for about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and move to crock pot.
Crock Pot Prep: Add can of crushed tomatoes, hot-pepper sauce, molsasses, mustard and Wrocestershire. Stir with chicken and veggies made from prep above and cook for 4 hours on high until chicken is very tender. Shred chicken and wa-la! Ready to serve on buns!
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Wow, that's absolutely FIBBERIFIC!
When I used to travel for work, I always knew to pack a bottle of Metamusil due to my irregular bowel movements that seemed to increase when I was away from home. Not having a familiar bathroom always made me nervous. When I first went away for college, the same thing happened, and my mom visited and brought along with her a big bottle of prune juice and dried prunes. Prunes were my best friend.
I thought getting married might fright my bowel movements again but I have learned to accumulate fiber through normal and snack foods since my prune college days and Metamusil newbie days. Theses days, I am fiberrific, stocking up on beans, berries, broccoli, spinach, eggplant, and avocado! Yes, these are all high fiber foods! To supplement any fiber not gained from these natural foods, I have the power of Fiber One snacks and cereal, Go Lean Kashi bars and even popcorn.
Recently, I have had a new obstacle - pregnancy hormones. They get in the way and make pooping difficult! I have had to enlist the help of Colace pills, one a day through my first and second trimester, and now, into my third trimester, I am at two pills a day and still not even entirely regular. I think that means I have to revisit my Fiber One snacks on a more regular basis ... eek!
I thought getting married might fright my bowel movements again but I have learned to accumulate fiber through normal and snack foods since my prune college days and Metamusil newbie days. Theses days, I am fiberrific, stocking up on beans, berries, broccoli, spinach, eggplant, and avocado! Yes, these are all high fiber foods! To supplement any fiber not gained from these natural foods, I have the power of Fiber One snacks and cereal, Go Lean Kashi bars and even popcorn.
Recently, I have had a new obstacle - pregnancy hormones. They get in the way and make pooping difficult! I have had to enlist the help of Colace pills, one a day through my first and second trimester, and now, into my third trimester, I am at two pills a day and still not even entirely regular. I think that means I have to revisit my Fiber One snacks on a more regular basis ... eek!
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Strawberry Peach Smoothie
We got 4 servings of fruit this morning all from one easy to make smoothie!
I always keep our freezer stocked with Costco's frozen blueberries and strawberries, for the sole purpose of making smoothies!
One peeled (with as much white stuff left as humanly possible) orange
3/4 banana
10 frozen blueberries
6 frozen strawberries
1 cup vanilla soy milk
1/2 Yoplait light peach yogurt
*Add water depending on how frozen the mixture is while mixing
Blend until smooth and it becomes like a liquid.
I call this the strawberry peach smoothie because the taste of the banana and blueberries are very subtle, mostly you get strawberries and peaches! Pair it up with a piece of toasted wheat bread (no butter please) and you got yourself a well rounded breakfast. Miam!
I always keep our freezer stocked with Costco's frozen blueberries and strawberries, for the sole purpose of making smoothies!
One peeled (with as much white stuff left as humanly possible) orange
3/4 banana
10 frozen blueberries
6 frozen strawberries
1 cup vanilla soy milk
1/2 Yoplait light peach yogurt
*Add water depending on how frozen the mixture is while mixing
Blend until smooth and it becomes like a liquid.
I call this the strawberry peach smoothie because the taste of the banana and blueberries are very subtle, mostly you get strawberries and peaches! Pair it up with a piece of toasted wheat bread (no butter please) and you got yourself a well rounded breakfast. Miam!
Monday, January 24, 2011
Marketing Genius or Scum?!
There's a book called Skinny blank (rhymes with witch but starts with a B) and the other day, I was in a maternity store with my mum when I saw another version of the book, titled Skinny Witch (with a B): Bun in the Oven. I couldn't figure out what was worse - the fact that the book (I have the first and it's so stupid... they convince you to basically become a Vegan, encourage you to work out (duh), remind you that fruits and vegetables are good for you (double duh), and tell you that pooping is a good thing - wow, all things I never knew!!! *sarcasm) was in existence or that I actually chose to waste 5 minutes of my life skimming through it. Probably the latter... but anyhow, as I scanned its contents, the only thing I could think of was, do people really buy into this? The two women who wrote the book are both very skinny indeed, but their poor lives are minimized to eating Vegan (which I love by choice, but not all the time.... I'm all for a veggie sandwich every now and then but I still love a medium rare steak cooked to perfection!) and they probably go to sleep a bit hungry every night just so they can keep their too skinny bodies in shape to sell their books.
We have to be careful what we read or what we see portrayed by the media. They are all out to market, market, market, because ultimately they want to sell, sell, sell!!! You can still trust some of what you hear (a salad with creamy dressing and fried chicken is not healthier than some chicken and rice, croutons are not making your salad healthier, portion control is important considering America's decline to HUGE DOUBLE, TRIPLE sized portions!) but all of it will be logical. Yes, eating a homemade hamburger is healthier than eating one from Red Robin, because they indeed slather butter on the buns, the meat, and probably the veggies that go with it (that's why it's so dang good!). Yes, eating a homemade smoothie is less sugar than one from Jamba Juice (who uses sorbet in almost all their drinks and also add sugar on top of the natural sugars found in the blended frozen fruit). These all make sense right? But telling your body no more carbs so you can lose weight? ERROR. Telling your body to cleanse itself with lemon juice, cayenne pepper and some sort of water mix? FAIL!
Be healthy folks. Eat a balanced meal full of whole grains, veggies, protein, fruit, dairy and make exercise a part of your daily routine. No time to work out? Fine, take the stairs! No time on the weekend? Do something active with your family and friends! There's this thing called the park, I hear it's free and has lots of places to walk around, play tennis, sometimes handball and even basketball! Oh, and try to limit your sugar intake. Desserts are indeed fun and pretty, but they are dangerously high in calories and bad fats that are harder to burn. If you are accustomed to having dessert every night, try mixing in some fruity desserts and slowly weening yourself away from a chocolate cake, cheeseecake or cookie and soon, you may finding yourself just wanting some apples, watermelon or pineapple (also sugary but better).
We have to be careful what we read or what we see portrayed by the media. They are all out to market, market, market, because ultimately they want to sell, sell, sell!!! You can still trust some of what you hear (a salad with creamy dressing and fried chicken is not healthier than some chicken and rice, croutons are not making your salad healthier, portion control is important considering America's decline to HUGE DOUBLE, TRIPLE sized portions!) but all of it will be logical. Yes, eating a homemade hamburger is healthier than eating one from Red Robin, because they indeed slather butter on the buns, the meat, and probably the veggies that go with it (that's why it's so dang good!). Yes, eating a homemade smoothie is less sugar than one from Jamba Juice (who uses sorbet in almost all their drinks and also add sugar on top of the natural sugars found in the blended frozen fruit). These all make sense right? But telling your body no more carbs so you can lose weight? ERROR. Telling your body to cleanse itself with lemon juice, cayenne pepper and some sort of water mix? FAIL!
Be healthy folks. Eat a balanced meal full of whole grains, veggies, protein, fruit, dairy and make exercise a part of your daily routine. No time to work out? Fine, take the stairs! No time on the weekend? Do something active with your family and friends! There's this thing called the park, I hear it's free and has lots of places to walk around, play tennis, sometimes handball and even basketball! Oh, and try to limit your sugar intake. Desserts are indeed fun and pretty, but they are dangerously high in calories and bad fats that are harder to burn. If you are accustomed to having dessert every night, try mixing in some fruity desserts and slowly weening yourself away from a chocolate cake, cheeseecake or cookie and soon, you may finding yourself just wanting some apples, watermelon or pineapple (also sugary but better).
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Healthy Sloppy Joe's?
I know nobody thinks Sloppy Joe's are healthy... but they can be a little bit MO' healthy with the following twist:
1) wheat bun instead of white (I'd never go wheat with a normal burger but with sloppy Joe's, it doesn't taste half bad!)
2) Add mo' onions and some black beans - normally, I'd use 1/4 cup of onions with 3 pounds of beef... but really, that's just to flavor it but by adding more, you are changing up the mixture to be a little more veggie infused while the beans just add protein (you get full quicker) and are fiberliciously tootful and whatever else you do afterwards!
3) add a healthy side - instead of chips or fries or a creamy potato salad, try a green salad
4) add a boiled egg - talk about your protein fix! I had three freshly boiled eggs to add to the salad but the husband decided to slice it up and add it to his Sloppy Joe. Great idea! For an EVEN healthier kick, take out the yolk and egg whites only!
5) Anytime you decide to go healthier, make sure the flavor is not gone. We've decided to add some cayenne pepper to our mix to give it a kick!
Basic Recipe (for two):
1/3 lb of ground beef
1/2 small white or yellow onion
Cook ground beef in a medium skillet on medium until brown, add onions and cook until tender.
Add following sauces:
1/3 cup ketchup
1/2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
couple dabs of apple cider vinegar (or any other vinegar will do)
shake of some salt
shake of some cayenne pepper (optional)
After mixing sauces, add in about 1/2 a can of black beans.
Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 30 minutes while you go make a healthy side salad. Toast dem wheat buns right before serving, add a little bit of cheese if you prefer before tossing on the hot Sloppy Joe mix! Serve with salad.
Miam!
1) wheat bun instead of white (I'd never go wheat with a normal burger but with sloppy Joe's, it doesn't taste half bad!)
2) Add mo' onions and some black beans - normally, I'd use 1/4 cup of onions with 3 pounds of beef... but really, that's just to flavor it but by adding more, you are changing up the mixture to be a little more veggie infused while the beans just add protein (you get full quicker) and are fiberliciously tootful and whatever else you do afterwards!
3) add a healthy side - instead of chips or fries or a creamy potato salad, try a green salad
4) add a boiled egg - talk about your protein fix! I had three freshly boiled eggs to add to the salad but the husband decided to slice it up and add it to his Sloppy Joe. Great idea! For an EVEN healthier kick, take out the yolk and egg whites only!
5) Anytime you decide to go healthier, make sure the flavor is not gone. We've decided to add some cayenne pepper to our mix to give it a kick!
Basic Recipe (for two):
1/3 lb of ground beef
1/2 small white or yellow onion
Cook ground beef in a medium skillet on medium until brown, add onions and cook until tender.
Add following sauces:
1/3 cup ketchup
1/2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
couple dabs of apple cider vinegar (or any other vinegar will do)
shake of some salt
shake of some cayenne pepper (optional)
After mixing sauces, add in about 1/2 a can of black beans.
Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 30 minutes while you go make a healthy side salad. Toast dem wheat buns right before serving, add a little bit of cheese if you prefer before tossing on the hot Sloppy Joe mix! Serve with salad.
Miam!
Friday, January 14, 2011
Endorphins Really Are Uplifting!
I've been more consistent with my workouts and boy, can I feel the difference. I'm more upbeat, energetic, and I can't wait for the next endorphin pumping session. I've been able to make time for working out by leaving work at 5 PM for the past two days (miracle in itself!) which gives me a decent half hour and still time to make dinner and enjoy it with the husband.
It really does take a push to get into the initial mode of things. At first, exercise is bleh. I didn't really exercise via gym until post college (growing up, there was always the dance team and classes and then in college, there was the ballroom dance team).
On another note, I've decided to review all my ballroom knowledge. Having actually gotten to gold level in standard and silver in latin, I know enough to teach friends the basics so I should ensure I have the information to share. It's all about sharing and collaborating and though I can do it myself, it seems useless if I can't share. Maybe I can even get a gig teaching at Arthur Murray?
It really does take a push to get into the initial mode of things. At first, exercise is bleh. I didn't really exercise via gym until post college (growing up, there was always the dance team and classes and then in college, there was the ballroom dance team).
On another note, I've decided to review all my ballroom knowledge. Having actually gotten to gold level in standard and silver in latin, I know enough to teach friends the basics so I should ensure I have the information to share. It's all about sharing and collaborating and though I can do it myself, it seems useless if I can't share. Maybe I can even get a gig teaching at Arthur Murray?
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Spice-Rubbed Fish with Lemony Rice
I love Martha Stewart! Her stuff is just GOLDEN! Her wedding website was awesome and as a result, I not only got a sweet seating chart scaled to size that I inputted, but following the big day, I wrote a couple reviews for my vendors and now get a free Food Magazine by Martha Stewart that has TONS of awesome recipes! I am only beginning my adventure with her magazine but man, do I love having a photo and easy recipes that don't take longer than 1 hour and normally consist of items I already have in my kitchen!
Tonight, I made "spice-rubbed fish with lemony rice," with a substitution of cucumber for zucchini (because that's what Andy got for me but in reality, it's like he knew because I prefer cucumbers!).
First, I made the spice mix for the fish rub:
1/4 cup ground coriander
1 tbls ground ginger
1 tbls paprika
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1/4 cayenne pepper (I added this myself)
Any extra spice can be sealed and stored up to 3 months. I put what we had left in a ziploc bag and I think it will probably make one more fish but only time shall tell.
Ingredients:
4 tsp butter
1 small yellow onion - diced
1 garlic clove (or I use the already chopped garlic in a bottle cuz I don't like how it makes my hands smell after handling it)
1 cup rice (we used white but brown also works)
1 lemon
2 cups chicken broth (low-sodium preferably)
1 cucumber
fish pieces - we used tilapia
So, first you chop up the onion, get your garlic ready, zest your lemon and cut it in half, and slice up your cucumber.
Next, in a medium saucepan, heat the butter on medium and then add the onion and garlic for about 4 minutes or until the onion is soft. Next, stir in the rice and cook for 1 minute. Now, stir in the lemon zest, squeeze half a lemon, the cucumber slices and season with some salt and pepper (I used kosher salt and ground pepper). Bring the mix to a boil and then let it simmer for about 13 minutes. While you wait, wash the dishes you already used, fold some laundry (all things I did) and get the fish ready by putting the spice mix on one side. Next, put the fish on top of the rice with the spice side up and cover the saucepan for about 7 minutes (fish cooks fast!). Wa-la! Dinner is served!!!!!
The recipe is supposed to make 4 servings but between Andy and me, we about 1/3 cup of rice left with a tiny piece of fish left (think one tim tam). Not sure what that means but it was delicious and we got our vegetables, grains (sorta) and protein!
Tonight, I made "spice-rubbed fish with lemony rice," with a substitution of cucumber for zucchini (because that's what Andy got for me but in reality, it's like he knew because I prefer cucumbers!).
First, I made the spice mix for the fish rub:
1/4 cup ground coriander
1 tbls ground ginger
1 tbls paprika
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1/4 cayenne pepper (I added this myself)
Any extra spice can be sealed and stored up to 3 months. I put what we had left in a ziploc bag and I think it will probably make one more fish but only time shall tell.
Ingredients:
4 tsp butter
1 small yellow onion - diced
1 garlic clove (or I use the already chopped garlic in a bottle cuz I don't like how it makes my hands smell after handling it)
1 cup rice (we used white but brown also works)
1 lemon
2 cups chicken broth (low-sodium preferably)
1 cucumber
fish pieces - we used tilapia
So, first you chop up the onion, get your garlic ready, zest your lemon and cut it in half, and slice up your cucumber.
Next, in a medium saucepan, heat the butter on medium and then add the onion and garlic for about 4 minutes or until the onion is soft. Next, stir in the rice and cook for 1 minute. Now, stir in the lemon zest, squeeze half a lemon, the cucumber slices and season with some salt and pepper (I used kosher salt and ground pepper). Bring the mix to a boil and then let it simmer for about 13 minutes. While you wait, wash the dishes you already used, fold some laundry (all things I did) and get the fish ready by putting the spice mix on one side. Next, put the fish on top of the rice with the spice side up and cover the saucepan for about 7 minutes (fish cooks fast!). Wa-la! Dinner is served!!!!!
The recipe is supposed to make 4 servings but between Andy and me, we about 1/3 cup of rice left with a tiny piece of fish left (think one tim tam). Not sure what that means but it was delicious and we got our vegetables, grains (sorta) and protein!
Monday, January 3, 2011
Celery with Peanut Butter
celery is supposed to be a zero calorie food item so I guess celery with peanut butter is just eating peanut butter but exercising your mouth while doing so.
Need some more variety? Put some raisins on top of the peanut butter.
Miam!
Need some more variety? Put some raisins on top of the peanut butter.
Miam!
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Easy Fish for Dinner
I made this last night for our New Year's even dinner (from my favorite Mormon cookbook) and it surprisingly took only 45 minutes from start to finish (including waiting for the oven to heat up and not really knowing 100% what I was making until maybe 15 minutes in...)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Ingredients:
2 salmons
4 baby carrots
1 red bell pepper
1 red onion
1 lemon
salt and pepper
lemon pepper
butter
thyme
Chop up 4 baby carrots, 1/4 of a red bell pepper and 1/4 of a red onion - put aside
Put 2 salmons on a generous sheet of foil on a 12 x 9 pan
Squeeze one lemon's juice on the fish
Flavor with salt, pepper and lemon pepper
In separate bowl, warm 2 tablespoons of butter and mix thyme in
Drizzle butter and vegetables over salmon, wrap the foil so that salmon is fully covered
Put in oven for 20 minutes.
Enjoy!
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Ingredients:
2 salmons
4 baby carrots
1 red bell pepper
1 red onion
1 lemon
salt and pepper
lemon pepper
butter
thyme
Chop up 4 baby carrots, 1/4 of a red bell pepper and 1/4 of a red onion - put aside
Put 2 salmons on a generous sheet of foil on a 12 x 9 pan
Squeeze one lemon's juice on the fish
Flavor with salt, pepper and lemon pepper
In separate bowl, warm 2 tablespoons of butter and mix thyme in
Drizzle butter and vegetables over salmon, wrap the foil so that salmon is fully covered
Put in oven for 20 minutes.
Enjoy!
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