30 Apr 2010

31 Whole Days Challenge

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Praise God April is (almost) over. Its been a great month, but not for the eating/exercising/weight part of it. May will be different!
I love starting new things, having goals, etc.
Happy Herbivore is doing this and when I saw it – I thought I could do this. It is not RAW, but unprocessed – I think there is a difference.
My friend Sarah is doing it and she has made her own tweaks to make this be balanced and work for her.
So, this month:
1. Going to keep a food journal and really assess how easy or hard it is to eat whole, unprocessed foods (with receipts).
2. Going to apply this wholly while I am at home, but slack some while at restaurants. Try to eat as whole as possible out, but knowing I can’t control everything on a menu.
3. Will keep up with my recipes from magazines and will try to just bake then I can give them away and not eat them. I don’t have any whole, unprocessed magazine recipes.
4. Will post the highlights and lowlights each wknd for the month of May.

Looking forward to the challenge. Are you up for it?

30 Apr 2010

Couscous Chicken Salad with Vegetables (2010.16)

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I really like couscous and I like chicken and I like vegetables. Thought this would be good. That’s about it – it was good.

Here you go:
This is from Easy Summer Meals (Cooking Light)

1 1/2 cup water
1 T evoo
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup couscous (uncooked)
1 yellow pepper, diced
1/2 finely chopped zuk
1/2 cup chopped mushroom
1 1/2 cup chopped chicken (I cooked mine and saved the broth for some soup I am going to make this wknd)
1/2 cup diced carrots
3 green onions, chopped
3 T dried currants
1 T dried chopped mint (or fresh)
pepper

Dressing:
1 cup plain ff yogurt
3 T lemon juice
1 T honey (less because it was really sweet, or Agave nectar)
1 T apple cider vinegar (or what you have)

Chop all veggies. Chop chicken. Cook couscous according to directions. Mix up dressing. Combine all. Best served over mixed greens for a light lunch.
1 1/2 cups: 368 cal, 8 fat, 4 fiber
11 Apr 2010

Two Bean Italian Soup (2010.14)

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Does a recipe ever surprise you? This was my question when I tasted this soup this afternoon – shortly after it perfumed my apartment with wonderful smelling-ness!

BHG’s February 2008 magazine gave me this Tuscan Bean Soup. I only made 2 alterations to it. And, it is very yummy. I could drink the broth by the gallon!

So easy too. Don’t be afraid of soups in the spring/summer…

1/2 bag baby carrots, chopped

1 smallish onion, chopped

1 large garlic clove, minced

2 T olive oil

2 cans reduced-sodium chicken broth (or make your own)

1 can great northern beans

1 can garbanzo beans (both beans, drained and rinsed)

3 tsp italian seasoning

1 pkg spinach

black pepper

Saute first two in olive oil till softened, add garlic. Then add the broth and the beans. Let simmer. Add the spinach and cook for about 30 seconds – then it is done. How easy and surprisingly healthy and good.

2 Apr 2010

Baked Grits – 2010.13

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My Dad is from the South and he loves grits. So, when I knew he was staying for a few days to help me get settled here in Raleigh, I knew I wanted to make this recipe. I halved the recipe and glad I did because their serving sizes are huge! This was rich, creamy, nutty (due to Parm cheese). So good. Cooking Light has a winner here.

2 cups milk (I used skim, in a glass, from a local farm: delish)
2 cups water
pinch of salt
3/4 cup quick cooking grits (scant, I just like them thicker)
2 oz grated parm cheese (about 2/3 cup)
2 1/2 egg whites
pinch of black pepper
2 T chopped fresh chives
pinch of salt

Bring milk, water, and salt to boil. Stir in grits, turn down to simmer, cover and let cook, stirring occassionally, for 8 minutes. Meanwhile, grate cheese, seperate egg whites, chop chives.
Whisk egg whites to stiff peaks (don’t over beat) with pinch of salt. Add chives, pepper, and salt to grits when they are done. Fold in the egg whites (don’t deflate them). Pour in greased 8×8 pan and bake at 350 for about 25-30 minutes. Lightly browned, little wobbly in middle.
Enjoy. I cooked some eggs and decorate the plate with remaining chives.
About 200 calories – and worth it!
1 Apr 2010

Roasted Orange Chive Salmon

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Is oatmeal a meal? Good, I agree. Its not. Therefore, my first real meal I cooked was SO GOOD. I told my Dad while eating it – that it was the best salmon I have ever had second only to the time I was in Craig, Alaska and had it right off the boat.

zest of one mandarin orange
1 tsp chopped fresh chives
8 oz fresh atlantic salmon (w/skin, got it from Whole Foods)
evoo
s/p

425 degrees. Place aluminum foil on a small baking sheet. Spray with pam.
Pat dry salmon. Drizzle with evoo. Zest orange and chop the chives over the top. Bake for about 15 minutes, maybe a little more till the fish easily flakes.
Enjoy. I served mine with roasted asparagus and roasted new pototoes.
23 Mar 2010

Lemon Bars (Gluten and Dairy Free) – SO YUMMY!

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I love hanging out with other healthy foodies. I learn so much. My friends Jenny and Michelle and I hung out for lunch today. Michelle has a hard time with her diet – trying to figure out what her body will and won’t “accept”. She made these amazing bars! I loved how full of protein they were and how amazingly delicious they were, also.
My Papa would love them – never knowing they were healthy for him.
I will definitely be making these – so incredibly good to take on a picnic or somewhere during the summer because they are tangy and summer-y!

17 Mar 2010

St. Patrick's Day Green Smoothie

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This was so yummy! 🙂 Maybe my fave green smoothie to date!
At Whole Foods on Sunday, I bought a little packet of this stuff. I had tried it in there one day, didn’t want to pay a TON for it, so then I saw this little packet – that’s my style. Added good nutrients to my already good for me smoothie.
Also in the smoothie was 1/4 cup of this yummy stuff! More nutrients and added good smooth texture! Got it at Whole Foods too!
Also normal stuff: 1 1/2 cup frozen strawberries (from Huber’s last year), 1/2 red pear, 16 oz water, 1/2 banana, 1 1/2 big handfulls of spinach.

This was so good. I drank half and will drink the other half for breakfast this morning. I anticipate being full until my lunch at Cheesecake Factory!

5 Feb 2010

Product Review: Two Moms in the Raw Blueberry Granola Bar

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Love the perks of knowing the baristas at your neighborhood Starbucks. They give you samples. My friend broke into the new items – Two Moms in the Raw granola packs – and gave me a sample.
Here are my thoughts:
1. I know its healthy for you. All natural and organic ingredients. All raw and sprouted. There are definitely health benefits.
2. It is way expensive.
3. It you are going to call something blueberry granola, then the product better taste a whole lot like blueberry. This didn’t. The only ingredients in the list after blueberries were agave, cinnamon, and sea salt.
4. Good crunch for the granola bar.
5. 220 cal 9 fat 4 fiber
6. Good for those who are allergic to wheat or gluten or dairy.
7. I wouldn’t trade any granola bar I’ve had so far for it. Kind Bars are great and Starbucks has started carrying those.

Two Moms in the Raw – any other products I can review? I am always up for samples. And from past experience, just one disappointing food adventure doesn’t always lead to others.

22 Jan 2010

Week of Oats: Day 4 – Chocolate Banana

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Since I am definitely feeling under the weather I went for a tried and true recipe this morning as I dragged myself to work.

1/3 cup oats
1/2 cup water
2 tsp chocolate peanut butter dreams
3/4 of a banana (the other 1/4 of it was bad)

So good – especially laying on my new couch while eating it! Washed down with a glass of water and some vitacraves gummy multivitamins.

Check back for my last day of oats tomorrow.

20 Jan 2010

Week of Oats: Day 2 – Egg White Oats

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One thing about reading food blogs – you make things you would never even DREAM of making. I tried a new bowl of oats this morning. Honestly – it wasn’t my favorite – but I might try it a little different at least one more morning.

1/3 cup oats
2 egg whites
2/3 cup water
1/4 cup pumpkin
1 1/2 tsp pb (from Trader Joes – crunchy salted. Just nuts and salt. Good stuff! Actually tastes like peanut butter)
1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Cook oats/eggs/water for about 1.35. Stir well the other ingredients into it. Eat. These are filling. Just not sweet enough for me. We’ll see… Any tips? These are very healthy too:
227 cal, 6 fat, 6 fiber = 4 points