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Filtering by Category: recipes

getting back to normal...

Andrea

Helllllooooo!  I finished my deadline!!!!!!!!!  WooHoo!!!!!!!!  That means that I should be posting regularly again, until I go out of town this weekend...no promises then.  :)   THANK YOU ALL!!!! for the sweet comments on my blog yesterday!  Aww, you totally made my day and reinforced that I made the right decision for my body. I am constantly amazed at the support you all give and am truly appreciative of your thoughtful messages.  :)  And you're right, I made the decision for me and was totally secure with it before posting, I just love that you all recognized that and supported me fully.  So, THANK YOU! Yesterday's eats are not even worth mentioning.  I did have a lovely bowl of oatmeal as I was writing my tome about running, but it all went downhill (WAY downhill) from there.   My time in the office wound up being far longer than I anticipated (11 hours!  on Sunday!) so I found myself completely unprepared for meals.  I didn't bother with pictures...you wouldn't be interested.  Trust me.  I did manage to make it to my favorite Sunday YOGA class though (are you proud, Heather?!?!  :)   ) so all was not lost. I woke up early so that I could have extra time in the office before my submittal at 4pm.  Knowing that today was going to be extremely stressful I decided to treat myself with chocolate for breakfast...!   Well, healthy chocolate, in the form of PB&Co Dark Chocolate Dreams... Breakfast:  toasted Ezekiel muffin with 1-1/2 tbsp dark chocolate dreams PB and 1 cup of sliced strawberries...divine! [336 cal] 090216-b1 This weekend, in the midst of my V-Day activities and crazy work schedule I found time to make a trip to the grocery store.   I was short on time so I decided to go to Harris Teeter instead of Whole Foods because it was closer, bigger, and had a better chance of being less crowded.  The trip was pretty exciting...I found two blog-famous items that I've never tried before, Arnold's Sandwich Thins and Flat Out Wraps!!!   Lunch:  veggie + hummus on a whole grain Flat Out Wrap [176 cal]  I know this is really light, but I had intended on eating the snack below with lunch.  I just didn't have time... 090216-l2 I was so busy today right at lunch, so I wolfed down the wrap and saved the rest of my lunch for a snack later.  The flat out wrap was REALLY good!  The shape is genius.  Seriously.  The texture was lighter than my typical whole wheat tortillas, and only 100 calories as compared to 130 calories.  So far, I'm impressed.  I've heard that the ingredients aren't particularly thrilling, and I honestly don't have the energy to get up and go to the kitchen to look at the back of the bag.  So I'll report on that some other time.  :) Snack:  1 orange, 4 strawberries and 1/4 cup Fage 0%. [156 cal] 090216-l1 Tonight I finally made it to another yoga class at the studio where I have an unlimited pass for the month. What timing.  I don't think I could have picked a worse month to invest in an unlimited yoga pass!  My work schedule has just been way to crazy.  The class was awesome, I'm so impressed with both instructors that I've met at the studio.  It was a 90 minute Ashtanga class and I loved the pace and time taken to really get into poses.  We did lots of back bends and plank variations...I'm definitely going to feel it tomorrow.  There's nothing like going to a class and having an instructor help you to improve your practice.  I feel like its worth the money not only for the class itself but for the added benefit I get when I practice on my own at home.  I've got lots of catch-up to do to make my pass purchase worth it, and I'm hoping that now that my deadline is over I will be able to make yoga a more regular part of my routine again. Exercise:  90 minutes of Ashtanga While I was at yoga my hubb started on dinner.  I picked out a recipe for Root Vegetable and Mushroom Pie with Rosemary Biscuit Topping out of this month's issue of Bon Appetit.  When I walked in the door at our house I was hit by an aroma so amazing...a home cooked meal!  It had been way too long.  There was still a lot of work to do...this recipe is NOT a quick one, and I definitely don't recommend it for week night cooking.  My hubb started when he got home at 6:45 and we didn't eat until 9:15!  However, it was worth it.  SO worth it.  Just make it when you have LOTS of time and well before you anticipate getting hungry! Dinner:  Root Veggie Pie with Rosemary Biscuit Topping [446 cal] 090216-d6 We had to modify the recipe quite a bit because I was missing a few ingredients.  I have a terrible habit of not reading recipes thoroughly before going to the store...often missing ingredients and minor details such as the ridiculously long prep time. Root Veggie Pie with Rosemary Biscuit Topping [modified from Bon Appetit, March 2009] makes 6 servings 446 calories, 14.3g fat, 8.1g sat. fat, 65.2g carbs, 12.5g fiber, 15.2g protein Ingredients: Filling
  • 6 cups beef broth
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped to 1/2" dice
  • 4 stalks celery, chopped
  • 2 large parsnips, chopped to 1/2" dice
  • 1 large rutabaga, peeled and cut to 1/2" dice
  • 1 large turnip, peeled and cut to 1/2" dice
  • 1/2oz dried shitake mushrooms
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 3 cups chopped onions
  • 4 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 tsp minced fresh rosemary
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup soy milk
  • 1/4 cup red wine
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • salt + pepper
Biscuits
  • 2-1/4 cups white whole wheat flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp minced fresh rosemary
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 6 tbsp chilled unsalted butter, diced
  • 1-1/2 cups buttermilk
Method:
  1. Bring broth to a boil over medium heat.  Add carrots, celery, parsnips, rutabega, turnip, mushrooms and onion.  Simmer until veggies are tender, about 7 minutes.  Drain, but reserve veggies and broth separately.
  2. Melt butter in same pot over medium heat.  Add garlic and rosemary and stir for 2 minutes.  Add flour, stir for 1 minute.  Gradually whisk in reserved broth, then soy milk and wine.  Cook until sauce is thick and reduced to 4 cups, whisking often, about 8 minutes.
  3. Mix in reserved vegetables and parsley.  Season with salt and pepper.
  4. Transfer filling to a buttered 13x9x2-inch baking dish.  Preheat oven to 400* and bake until bubbling, about 60 minutes.
  5. Meanwhile, prepare biscuits by mixing flour, baking powder, rosemary and salt in a mixing bowl.  Add chilled butter and use fingertips to blend until mixture resembles course bread crumbs.  Gradually add buttermilk, tossing with fork until dough is evenly moist.  Add more buttermilk if needed to make dough bind.
  6. Pull filling from oven when ready.  Drop biscuit dough onto hot filling by heaping tablespoonfuls.  Bake uncovered for an additional 45 minutes, until toothpick inserted into biscuit comes out clean.
090216-d1 photo courtesy of my hubb 090216-d5 090216-d7 I also made my favorite drink using one of winter's best fruits, the Meyer Lemon.  You know, in celebration of completing my deadline.  :) 090216-d2 Bella Eats Lemon Drop Martini makes 2 drinks, 300 calories each
  • 2 parts vodka
  • 1 part limoncello
  • 1 part sour mix
  • 1/2 part simple syrup (1:1 sugar and water)
  • juice from 1/2 lemon
Just shake it all up with ice and enjoy! 090216-d3 And...its bed time.  Or, at least, reading a good book in bed time.  :)  I hope you all have a great Tuesday!
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categories breakfast, dinner, lunch, recipes
tags ezekiel, fage, flat out, lemon drop, martini, root veggies

split pea + sausage soup

Andrea

Another busy day today, but lots of satisfying eats!  I'm going to keep it quick again, and I apologize.  I have so many things that I want to talk with you all about, but just don't feel like I have a coherent post in me tonight.  I know I've promised a few things, a post on photography, reviews of calorie counting websites, and I definitely owe you a training update.  But I've been using so many brain cells at work that I get home and my mind kinda turns to mush... Hopefully I'll have some time to think and write a bit more clearly this weekend.  And until then, thank you.  For continuing to read.  For commenting.  For being supportive.  I'm a very lucky girl to be involved with such an outstanding community.  :) Breakfast: banana, date, flax, almond butter oats...yum!  I woke up thinking about this breakfast, and it totally hit the spot.  I tried the Heart Healthy portion (3/4 cup) I've been seeing pop up in the blog world to see if it would make my bowl stick with me longer, but I was still hungry right at noon.  I think I'll stick with my standard 1/2 cup from now on, to keep my calories a little lower. [487 cal] 090205-b1
  • 3/4 cup rolled oats, 1-1/2 cup water, pinch of salt
  • 1/3 cup mashed bananas
  • 1 tsp real maple syrup
  • 1 tsp ground flax
  • 1 chopped date
  • 1 tbsp almond butter
Lunch: 1/2 slice veggie lasagna and a bell pepper/cucumber salad [297 cal] 090205-l1 The lasagna was excellent reheated for lunch, just like it should be.  :)  My salad contained:
  • 1 cup red and orange bell pepper
  • 1/2 cup cucumber
  • 1 tsp grapeseed oil
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
Snack: 3/4 cup cottage cheese.  I didn't eat my apple, too busy and not hungry enough.  I also had 3 large green olives while preparing dinner with my hubb. [166 cal] 090205-s1 Dinner: the best split pea soup I've ever had!  And a slice of homemade honey wheat bread that I pulled out of the freezer. [502 cal] 090205-d3 I've never made split pea soup before, but it was so easy and so deliciously warming on this very cold winter night.  The hot italian sausage added the perfect amount of heat, just at the back of the throat.  It was the perfect complement to the sweetness of the peas and carrots.  And the rosemary?  Divine.  Just the right touch of earthiness. This soup has made its way solidly to our list of regulars, I feel certain. 090205-d41 Split Pea + Sausage Soup [inspired by the kitchen sink, adapted from A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen] makes 6 servings 375 calories, 15.4g fat, 5g sat. fat, 59.5g carbs, 23g fiber, 34g protein Ingredients:
  • 2.5 cups dried green split peas
  • 2 stalks of celery, chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 5 cups of water
  • 4 cups of chicken broth
  • 1 pound hot italian sausage
  • 2 medium leeks, diced
  • 2 large carrots, chopped
  • salt + pepper
Method:
  1. Rinse and drain peas.  Sort and pick out bad peas.
  2. Combine water, broth, peas, celery, rosemary, parsley and bay leaf in large soup pot.  Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a brisk simmer.  Allow to simmer for about 30 minutes, until peas start to split apart.
  3. Meanwhile, brown sausage in skillet.  Once browned, add too soup pot.
  4. Saute' leeks and carrots until soft, about 10 minutes.  Add to soup pot along with salt and pepper to taste.  Let simmer (briskly) for about 20 more minutes, until peas get pretty mushy. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Daily Totals:
  • calories consumed = 1,452
  • calories expelled = none other than the usual...
  • net calories = 1,452
Goodnight!
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categories breakfast, dinner, lunch, recipes, soup
tags oats, salad, soup, split pea

banana date pancakes

Andrea

Sunday mornings usually involve a late and elaborate breakfast for my hubb and I.  I woke up on this particular Sunday thinking about dates, knowing I had a BSI recipe to come up with.  I was also thinking about pancakes, because many Sunday mornings also involve pancakes in our house.  I saw this recipe in the NY Times a couple of weeks ago and had planned on making it for our company last weekend but we wound up having brunch out instead.  This morning seemed as good a morning as any to try it out, especially since I had ricotta in the fridge that was going to go bad in the next day or two. 090201-b1 We usually use a Dr. Oetker pancake mix from Whole Foods and add assorted dried fruits, nuts and chocolate to spice them up.  But making pancakes from scratch is really not difficult or time consuming, and I was intrigued by the addition of ricotta cheese to this particular recipe.  I substituted a few ingredients to healthify the 'cakes a bit, but then we cooked up some bacon to go with them so I think my efforts were canceled out. 090201-b2 I was concerned that the dates would stick together if I added them to the mix, so I just pressed them into the tops of the pancakes with the bananas after I poured the batter onto my griddle. 090201-b3 The pancakes were very light and fluffy in texture, and the pairing of bananas and dates with real maple syrup was fabulous.  I just wish we'd eaten them as they came off of the griddle instead of keeping them warm in the oven while my hubb cooked up the bacon.  They flattened out just a bit and probably would have had a better consistency had we consumed them immediately.  The batch made 15 pancakes so I'll be freezing leftovers for future mornings.  Yum. 090201-b4 090201-b6 I don't think this will be my official BSI entry because I've got some other baking planned for this afternoon.  This was more of a warm-up.  :) Banana Date Pancakes [adapted from this NY Times article] makes about 15 small pancakes Ingredients:
  • 1 cup fat free or reduced fat ricotta cheese
  • 1 cup fat free plain yogurt
  • 3 eggs, separated
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
  • dash salt
  • 1 tbsp turbinado sugar
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice (about 1/2 a lemon)
  • zest from 1 lemon
  • butter or grapeseed oil as needed (i used grapeseed oil)
  • 2 bananas, sliced thinly
  • 5 medjool dates, chopped finely
Method:
  1. Blend together the ricotta, yogurt and egg yolks.
  2. Beat the egg whites until stiff, but not dry.
  3. Sift together the baking soda, flour, salt and sugar.
  4. Heat a griddle or nonstick pan on medium low heat.
  5. Add dry ingredients to ricotta/yogurt mixture and blend together, but do not beat.
  6. Add the lemon juice and lemon zest.
  7. Fold in the egg whites, but don't mix completely. You should still be able to distinguish the egg whites in the batter.
  8. Oil or butter hot griddle.  Add batter 1 heaping tablespoonful at a time.  Press banana slices and dates into tops of pancakes.  Cook until golden brown on bottom, 3-5 minutes.  Flip, and cook until golden brown on opposite side.  Serve immediately with real maple syrup.
Breakfast:  3 banana date pancakes with real maple syrup, 2 slices bacon, 5 fresh strawberries, coffee [pancakes + syrup = 420 calories, bacon = 100 calories, strawberries = 36 calories] 090201-b5 I hope you all have had a great weekend so far!  I had a fabulous time at the shower yesterday.  My friend Christine is SO cute.  She's due in 2 months...I can't believe it!  Here's me with the proud momma-to-be... shower And the adorable ice cream cake that I of course had a piece of...along with other bad-for-me food.  It was a lot of fun though, and luckily I don't go out of town very often!!! shower-2 Thanks for all of your great road food suggestions!  I was happy to have my snacks on the way down and to supplement my breakfast Saturday morning, but they didn't do a very good job of deterring me from eating a fast food dinner both Friday and Saturday nights.  :(  Next time I need to pack sandwiches to take with me, or at least more satisfying meal-type items.  Or push harder for Subway stops...  :) And now I'm off to bake up my BSI recipe...I'll be back later with the results!
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categories breakfast, recipes
tags bananas, dates, pancakes

bella eats pan-glazed tofu

Andrea

I've had several comments and questions about my pan-glazed tofu, so I thought I would do a tutorial post to go through my method.  If you've seen this before, I apologize.  I just thought it would be easier to have the method in one condensed post rather than buried in several... I originally found this recipe in Jack Bishop's A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen, which is probably the most-used cookbook in our house.  My hubb and I have tried many different ways of cooking stovetop tofu (amazingly enough we've never baked it!  I know!) and were never happy with the texture.  We love the feel and taste of the tofu from our local Chinese restaurant but I just know its deep-fried, which I refuse to do.  So I was really excited when I flipped through the Winter section of Jack Bishop's lovely book and found several tofu recipes, all using this method, with Jack claiming that it was the best tofu he'd ever cooked.  We tried it, and had to agree.  And for a bonus, its really quick!  I can have tofu prepared and on our plates 25 minutes after removing it from its packaging.  Gotta love that. There are endless variations that can be made to the glaze, you can see some of mine here, here and here. I think this one is my favorite though... Bella Eats Tofu Glaze [for 12oz of firm or extra firm tofu]
  • 1/4 cup water or veggie broth
  • 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tsp minced fresh ginger
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • pinch of salt
The glaze has 2 main components that you should keep in any variation you make:
  1. liquid (deglazes the pan and helps coat the tofu)
  2. syrup (thickens the glaze when heated in the pan as the liquid evaporates)
*The liquid can be water, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, broth, orange juice, or any combination of the above. * For the syrup I've used both honey and maple syrup - both turn out well. Bella Eats Pan-Glazed Tofu Method [inspired by A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen, by Jack Bishop] I use firm or extra firm tofu for this recipe.  I think that extra firm comes out the best, with a firm but silky texture inside and glazed crispiness on the outside.
  1. Cut tofu into 1/2" thick slabs.  Size can vary, but thickness should always be around 1/2".  Any thinner and it gets tough.
  2. Place tofu pieces on 3 layers of paper towels.  Put 3 more paper towels across the top and press down on tofu firmly with the palm of your hand, until paper towels are saturated.  Repeat once more.
  3. Heat 1 tbsp oil on medium heat in non-stick skillet.
  4. When oil is hot, place tofu in pan.  You may need to do two batches if your pan isn't big enough to fit all of the tofu.
  5. This is the hardest part...LEAVE IT ALONE!  Don't touch the tofu for 5-6 minutes.  No stirring, no pan shaking, no flipping.  Just let it sit and sizzle.  After 5-6 minutes, check the bottom of the tofu for color.  Once it is a beautiful golden brown, flip it.
  6. And again, LEAVE IT ALONE!  Let it sizzle on the second side for an additional 5-6 minutes, until golden brown.
  7. Meanwhile, mix all of your glaze ingredients together.
  8. When tofu is golden on both sides, pour glaze over tofu into pan.  Now you can stir, coating the tofu with the glaze.  Let simmer for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all liquid as evaporated and the glaze has thickened.  Remove from pan and serve, pouring leftover glaze in pan over the tofu.
Sorry for the repeat of pictures... tofu after first flip tofu after first flip tofu simmering in glaze tofu simmering in glaze tofu ready to serve tofu ready to serve If I'm using the tofu in a stir fry with veggies, I cook the tofu first, remove from pan, cook the veggies in pan, then add the tofu back in when the veggies are tender along with a sauce of some sort. tofu-4 tofu veggie stir fry Enjoy!
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categories recipes
tags glazed, pan-glazed, stovetop, tofu

swiss chard, i think i love you

Andrea

I am a BIG fan of leafy greens.  Collards, kale, mustard greens...you name it, I probably like it.  Except for swiss chard.  I've never been convinced of swiss chard.  Now to be fair, I haven't given it many chances.  I made a chard gratin many years ago with the stems and it turned out mushy and bland.  I sauteed the leaves and they were a little bitter.  And then I gave up because I already had a long-term relationship with collard greens and didn't really feel the need to rock the boat.   090126-d4 Last week I decided that maybe it was time to give chard another chance, in the name of trying new things and expanding my veggie-loving horizons.  I bought 2 bunches and planned to try preparing them using this recipe.  And then I got busy, and the chard went bad.  So on Saturday I bought another two bunches and made sure to plan a meal with them at the beginning of the week so that there wouldn't be a repeat of last week's waste.   090126-d3 We had a couple of ingredients in the fridge leftover from this weekend, bacon and heavy cream, two items I don't get to cook with very often in my quest to eat healthfully.  So, in the name of not wanting to waste more ingredients in my fridge, this recipe was born. Swiss Chard + Bacon Linguine with Butternut Squash Cream Sauce makes 4 servings Ingredients:
  • 1 pound swiss chard, preferably rainbow or red-stem
  • 1/4 pound bacon
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 8oz butternut squash puree'
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
  • 3/4 pound whole wheat linguine
  • salt + pepper
Method:
  1. Wash chard and separate leaves from stems.  Course chop both, separately.
  2. Boil linguine for 10-12 minutes, until al dente.  Drain and set aside.
  3. Fry bacon in large, nonstick skillet.  Set aside on paper towels.
  4. Saute' onion in nonstick skillet for 2 minutes, until translucent.  Add chard stems and saute' for an additional 2 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add 1/2 cup of water to pan along with chard leaves.  Cover with a cookie sheet and allow to simmer for 3-5 minutes until stems are tender. Remove from heat and keep warm.
  5. Whisk squash and cream together over medium high heat.  Bring just to a boil then lower heat to simmer, whisking constantly.  As sauce thickens add parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.  Remove from heat.
  6. Pile noodles on plate.  Drizzle with a bit of sauce.  Add chard mixture and crumble bacon on top.  Drizzle additional sauce across the chard.
090126-d5 This was really delicious.  Swiss chard and I are now good friends, and I think we have quite the future ahead of us... What vegetable have you tried in the past but written off because of an unpleasant first experience? 090126-d6 Ahh routine.  I LOVED spending so much time with friends this weekend and having an excuse to eat several meals out and drink lots of wine, but my body is thanking me for getting back on track.  I was starting to feel a little blah what with all the unhealthy eats, vino and lack of exercise due to a sore foot, so today was definitely a welcome change.  Granted, my dinner included a small amount of bacon and cream, but at least it was whole and homemade.  :) I started the morning off inspired by the custard oats I've seen pop up on both Sarah's and Heather's blogs.  These two ladies are really fabulous, and their blogs are daily reads of mine. Check them out if you haven't yet! Breakfast:  custard oats topped with cinnamon, flax seeds, dried figs and a PB spoon. 090126-b1 To make the custard oats I combined 1/2 cup soymilk, 1/2 cup water, 2 egg whites and 1 tsp vanilla in a small pot on the stovetop.  I set the heat way too high and walked away from the stove, resulting in a very smelly mess of boiled over milk and eggs.  Thank goodness for glass cooktops!  Yuck.  I didn't want to give up, so I quickly jumped back on Heather's blog to read that I was supposed to keep the heat on medium and whisk the ingredients constantly until they thicken a bit.  MUCH better.  At this point I added 1/2 cup of rolled oats and kept the heat on medium, stirring occasionally for 8-10 minutes.  After the oats had thickened quite a bit more, but were still a little runny, I removed the pot from the heat and covered it to allow for additional thickening while cooling. I topped my bowl with:
  • a sprinkle of cinnamon
  • 1 tsp flax seeds
  • 1 dried fig
  • 1 tbsp natural peanut butter
The verdict?  Well, the oats were certainly very creamy, but I think I prefer the texture of my standard oats much better.  The banana doesn't cream-ify the oats quite as much, and lends such a wonderful sweetness to the whole bowl.  With the egg whites I kept thinking I could taste them, and worried about whether or not they were actually cooked.  Eggs freak me out a little. Don't judge.  :)  I'm glad that I tried them though, thanks ladies! Lunch:  the other 1/2 of my Amy's Curried Lentil Soup and a big salad.  Look familiar?  It was SO welcome. 090126-l1 090126-l3 This beauty contained:
  • spinach
  • red bell pepper
  • cucumber
  • hearts of palm
  • garbonzo beans
  • a tangelo
  • poppyseed dressing
YUM!  I finally remembered to take a picture of the dressing bottle for you too.  Its SO tasty, but definitely not low-cal.  Does anybody know of a good low-cal creamy poppyseed dressing?  I'd love to know about it!  I'm addicted to poppyseed dressing on top of fruit on top of salad. The bottle says that its good drizzled on fresh peaches...hmmmm.   090126-l2 Snack:  a peanut butter cookie larabar.  After witnessing several of my fellow bloggers ignore the salmonella scare and refuse to waste their favorite bars, I decided to do the same.  Its my favorite flavor, and I can't find them ANYWHERE (or at least can't remember where I found this one) so I decided to risk it. Probably stupid, huh?  It was tasty though!  :) 090126-s1 Ok, this post has been really long.  I'll quickly tell you that I didn't get a run in tonight because I had to work late, but my foot is feeling much better! There is still slight pain, so its probably best that I gave it another day before pounding the pavement.  I do have plans for some yoga tomorrow morning though, and I can't wait! Oh, and I almost forgot!  Look what was waiting for me when I got home tonight...Quaker True Delights bars from Foodbuzz!!! 090126-d2 I've been dying to try these new bars from Quaker since seeing them on Jenna's and Kath's blogs last fall, so of course I said YES when Foodbuzz asked if I wanted to try them!  Thanks Foodbuzz!!! The hubb and I split the dark raspberry almond flavor for dessert and it was SO good.  I think I'm in love with a new granola bar...move over Kashi!  :) Ok, now its bed time.  G'night!
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categories breakfast, dinner, lunch, product review, recipes
tags bacon, butternut squash, cream, larabar, oats, pasta, quaker, salad, swiss chard

baby, its COLD outside!

Andrea

Whew!  I have a bit of catch-up to do!  :)  I wish I could say that my lack of post last night was the result of a rowdy night out on the town, but sadly I just fell asleep while watching a movie with my hubb.  I'm feeling old.  :)  Is anybody else totally beat by Friday night?  I'm happy to go out Saturday or even Sunday nights, but Fridays?  Pop a movie in the dvd player and give me a bowl of popcorn and I am a happy girl.  I am thrilled to say that I got a whopping 12 hours of sleep last night!!!  We had the alarm set for 7am to meet the training group for a long run, but when I checked the temperature at that early hour and realized how cold it still was I made a snap decision to go for a later run (with much encouragement from my hubb!).   When we finally rolled out of bed around 10am, I fixed myself a light pre-run breakfast.  I'm going to be experimenting with some of your wonderful suggestions after last weekend's run so that I will be ready with my best fuel for the 10-miler race on April 4th. Breakfast:  1/2 sliced banana and a piece of whole wheat toast with 1 tbsp natural peanut butter and a drizzle of honey. 090117-b1 My hubb and I ran 5 (ridiculously hilly) miles today!!!  I tell you what, I really paid for not running all week.  It was tough!!!  But I finished, and that's all that matters!  My hubb was so sweet and stayed with me the whole way, slowing down to wait for me on several occasions.  There is no way that I would have finished if he hadn't been just ahead of me encouraging me to keep going.  For the first 2 miles I was miserable.  I had layered myself with Under Armor Cold Gear, a fleece vest, windbreaker, gloves, ear warmers and SmartWool socks, but I was still frozen.  My toes and lips were numb and my lungs burned from the 18* (felt like 7*) air.  The whole time I was thinking "why am I doing this?  i don't like to run!  this is crazy!".  But after 2 miles I got in the groove and realized I had to keep going because I would just get colder if I stopped to walk.  I finally warmed up, my toes gained feeling again, but my lips stayed frozen.  When we finally finished I couldn't talk right, it felt like I'd been numbed for a dental procedure or something.  Quite funny.  :)  I don't think I could have chosen a hillier route...what was I thinking?  But, it makes me even prouder to have finished because not only did we increase our distance from last week but we added a ton of hills in as well.  We rock!  :) My breakfast fuel held me over really well.  No tummy growling this week.  But when we got back I was ready for lunch. Lunch:  leftover roasted potatoes + squash (recipe below...SO good) on top of leftover bulgur and fresh spinach.  Also, a side of 1/2 cup Fage 0% and strawberries, which my hubb helped me finish. 090117-l1 090117-l2 This combo was SO tasty.  The spinach wilted a bit when I microwaved the bowl to heat up the squash and 'taters, making it more flavorful and the perfect consistency with the rest of the dish. 090117-l3 So a quick recap of yesterday is in order.  I'll try to keep it brief, but definitely hold out for the simple Roasted Squash + Potatoes at the bottom because it is a winner! Breakfast:  same as thursday, a toasted Ezekiel Cinn Raisin Muffin with 1 tbsp natural peanut butter, cranberry ketchup and apple slices.  Such a good, filling breakfast.  My second favorite, the first being oats.  :) 090116-d3 Lunch:  leftover stuffed acorn squash filling with roasted garlic hummus and fresh spinach wrapped up in a 8" whole wheat tortilla.  A side of extra hummus, 1/2 a red bell pepper and a carrot finished it off. 090116-l1 Snack:  My office had our weekly wine and cheese "yay its friday!" celebration, so I had more cheese, crackers, and wine than I probably should have.  :) It was "use up stuff in the fridge before we shop tomorrow" night, and it turned out SO well!  We had leftover baked chicken breast, an acorn squash, some red potatoes that were growing eyes, and a lot of fresh produce to use up.  I knew I wanted to make something with the squash and potatoes, and dreamed up this simple combo while at work. Rosemary Roasted Butternut Squash + Potatoes Ingredients:
  • one small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced into 1" cubes
  • 6-8 small red potatoes, bad spots peeled but remainder of skin left on, diced into 1" cubes
  • 1/2 an onion, diced into 1" pieces
  • 3 tbsp butter (yes, butter.  the hubb convinced me and i'm so glad he did) cut into 3 pieces
  • salt + pepper to taste
  • one sprig of fresh rosemary
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnut pieces
Combine everything but the walnuts in a baking dish, with the rosemary buried in the center.  Roast on 375* for 45 minutes.  Put walnuts on a cookie sheet, place in oven on rack underneath roasting veggies, turn oven temperature up to 400* and continue to roast for an additional 10 minutes.  You may want to toss the walnuts at the 5 minute mark, just watch them so that they don't burn.  Remove rosemary and serve immediately, with walnuts sprinkled on the top. 090116-d1 090116-d2 I can't tell you enough how good this was!  Please, please, please try it!  :) The rest of dinner consisted of a HUGE salad and 1/2 a chicken breast seasoned with Chef Paul's Poultry Magic. 090116-d4 The salad contained:
  • fresh spinach
  • broccoli
  • red bell pepper
  • hearts of palm
  • celery
  • strawberries
  • blood orange pieces
  • creamy poppyseed dressing
YUM!!! 090116-d5 Its no wonder I passed out shortly after consuming this feast... Allison asked me yesterday to explain the difference between a blood orange and a regular orange.  Here goes! 090116-d6 The blood orange is one of my favorite winter fruits.  I look forward to it every winter similarly to how I look forward to currants at the end of fall and peaches in the summer.  It bas beautiful crimson flesh and a distinctive taste that is somewhere between an orange and a grapefruit.  It is tart, leaves a dry feeling on your tongue like the grapefruit but has a sweet finish like an orange.  You see them most often made into dressings, gelato/sorbet and drinks.  If you haven't tried one, go for it!!!  They are just coming into season so should be hitting your grocery stores any week now. And now I'm off for some grocery shopping with my hubb.  I hope you all are having a fabulous Saturday!
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categories breakfast, dinner, lunch, recipes
tags blood orange, butternut squash, ezekiel, fage, potatoes, running, salad

staying warm

Andrea

I have a confession to make...I haven’t run since my 5-mile accomplishment on Saturday.  :(  The problem with living in Virginia in the Winter is that its cold.  Really cold.  I know I’m a wimp to complain about 20* weather when so many of you live in places FAR colder but you have to understand that I grew up in Florida...this whole temperature getting below 50* in the Winter is still fairly new to me.  Each day this week I have planned on running, and each day I have chickened out.  Maybe its because the window in my office is so drafty that I have to wear my wool coat and scarf all day, and even then my poor little fingers are still icicles.  Or maybe its because when I get home all I want to do is create a meal that will be so satisfying and hearty that I will be warmed from the inside out after consuming it, like last night’s Ravioli Lasagna and Brussels Sprout Spaghetti. 090114-d13 This idea came from Tina at Carrots & Cake, and originally from Real Simple magazine (I couldn't find a recipe link).  Lasagna noodles and ricotta are replaced with prepared ravioli pasta...I chose 365 Brand frozen 5 Cheese Ravioli. 090114-d32 The raviolis are layered with pasta sauce (also 365 Brand), frozen spinach (thawed, excess water squeezed out) and part-skim mozzarella.  There are so many variations that could be played with.  I was thinking about an amazing portobello ravioli that a local pasta shop creates and how good that would be layered with additional mushrooms, olives and capers...yum! 090114-d41 Were I to create the lasagna for a dinner party again I would probably use fresh ravioli in lieu of the frozen.  This would make the cost of the dish significantly higher, which is why I would reserve it for special occasions only.  The frozen raviolis were good, just chewier than fresh would have been.  Even with frozen raviolis this dish is more expensive than a classic lasagna with noodles would be, but its a fun take on a classic favorite that I will surely make again. Basic Ravioli Lasagna (I encourage you to try different variations...next time I will add more veggies) Ingredients:
  • (3) 8oz packages of fresh or frozen ravioli
  • (1) jar of pasta sauce
  • (1) 10oz package of frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed to remove excess liquid)
  • 1-1/2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella
Method:
  1. Ladle 1/2 cup of sauce into bottom of 9x9 glass baking dish.
  2. Layer one package of ravioli on top of sauce.
  3. Top with 1/2 of spinach and 1/2 cup of mozzarella.
  4. Ladle 1/3 of remaining sauce over mozzarella.
  5. Repeat steps 2-4.
  6. Layer last package of ravioli on top of sauce.
  7. Ladle remaining 1/3 of sauce over ravioli and top with last 1/2 cup of mozzarella.
  8. Bake at 350* for about 20 minutes, until lasagna is bubbly and top layer of cheese is just starting to brown.
090114-d51 While the lasagna was baking I worked on a new brussels sprouts recipe.  Our go-to method for cooking brussels has been to roast them, and I'm getting a little tired of it.  We have them weekly, so I wanted to play around with different methods of preparing them.  A friend of mine told me about a recipe he and his wife cook often, where you slice the brussels into 1/8" pieces, essentially turning them into a slaw-like consistency.  You then sauté them in butter, toss them with linguine and serve.  I was intrigued, so we tried it. Brussels Sprout Spaghetti Ingredients:
  • lots of brussels...we probably had 20 medium-sized
  • 1 shallot, minced
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • whole wheat pasta (I used spaghetti, but will use angel hair next time)
  • juice from 1/2 a lemon
  • parmesan cheese, shaved
Method:
  1. Boil the pasta until soft.
  2. Meanwhile, saute' the brussels and shallot in 1/2 the butter until fragrant and beginning to brown.
  3. Drain the pasta and add to the brussels pan.  Add the last 1/2 of butter and toss all together. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  4. Serve with shaved parmesan on top.
090114-d61 This dish was delicious, although I will definitely reduce the amount of pasta used next time, and will probably substitute angel hair for the spaghetti noodles.  The shaved parmesan really makes the dish, and I think it would be divine with bacon or pancetta added in. 090114-d72 090224-d81 The evening was delicious, warm and satisfying.  But if I'm going to keep making dishes like this, I have to get over my fear of the cold and get back on the road for some runs!  Here's hoping the weather warms soon...
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categories breakfast, dinner, recipes
tags brussels sprouts, ezekiel muffin, fage, lasagna, ravioli

coconut mango white chocolate bread pudding

Andrea

I've mentioned that my family is very attached to the city of New Orleans and all that comes with it...food, music, architecture, people and culture.  One of our favorite food traditions when we visit is to stop in the Palace Cafe for their famous  White Chocolate Bread Pudding.  After one visit my stepfather decided to create his own version of one of our NOLA favorites.  We had it this year (and most years) for Christmas Day dessert. bread-6 Coconut Mango White Chocolate Bread Pudding Ingredients:
  • 2 tbsp melted butter
  • 4 large eggs
  • 3 cups unsweetened coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup rum
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp ginger
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1-1/2 cups diced mango
  • 1/2 cup shredded coconut
  • 4 oz white chocolate
  • 6 cups cubed day-old crustless bread
Steps:
  1. Melt white chocolate in coconut milk on stovetop over medium-low heat.  Set aside and allow to cool slightly.
  2. Whisk eggs and add to white chocolate mixture. (you want the white chocolate mixture to be cool enough so as not to scramble the eggs...)  Add all spices and whisk together.
  3. In large buttered baking dish combine the cubed bread, mango sliced and coconut.  Pour the chocolate mixture over the bread mixture and let soak for 30 minutes.
  4. Bake at 350* for one hour.  Serve with rum sauce.
Rum Sauce Ingredients:
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup rum
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
Steps:
  1. Combine run, sugar and 1-1/2 cups of cream in medium saucepan.  Bring to a simmer and remove from the heat.
  2. Dissolve the cornstarch in the remaining 1/2 cup of cream.  Add to the rum mixture.
  3. Return to heat and simmer for 4 minutes.
bread-1 You will probably need two medium-sized loaves of bread...Italian is what we typically use.  If you remove the bread from its packaging and sit out over night it will be sufficiently stale the next morning.  Remove all crust and cut into 1" cubes. bread-2 bread-3 The recipe is really quite simple  and the combination of flavors is absolutely perfect.  I actually made this for my co-workers for breakfast once and they were very, very happy... bread-4 bread-5 I hope that some of you will try it and let me know what you think!
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categories baking, recipes
tags bread pudding, coconut, mango, rum sauce, white chocolate

"healthified" meat loaf + macaroni and cheese

Andrea

Hello bloggies!  I'm going to try and catch up on some recipe posts from my first few days in Florida.  It was such a whirlwind around here with the holidays that it was all I could do to keep up with food journal posts (and I didn't do that great of a job at that!).  So, stay tuned for a flurry of posts over the next 48 hours, I'm hoping to be all caught up before we leave for Virginia Tuesday morning.  I promise to keep the writing as short as possible so that you can easily skim... Our first night in town we had my stepfather's meatloaf and my momma's mac & cheese...a perfect combination if you ask me.   meatloaf-2 Joe's Meatloaf (a fabulous, healthier version of a classic favorite...) makes 6-8 servings Ingredients:
  • 1 lb ground pork
  • 1 lb ground turkey
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 celery stalk, chopped
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
  • 1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
  • 2 eggs
  • splash of worcestershire sauce
  • splash of hot sauce
  • squeeze of tomato paste
  • Provencal herb mix (thyme, oregano, parsley) to taste
  • 1 tbsp roasted garlic, minced
  • salt + pepper to taste
Steps:
  1. Blend all ingredients together in mixer.
  2. Form into loaf in large baking dish.
  3. Bake at 350* for 1 hour 15 minutes.
meatloaf-1 Momma's Mac & Cheese (I did a slightly healthier version here) Ingredients:
  • 1 lb macaroni noodles
  • 2 bags of shredded cheese (about 4 cups) - I like cheddar and monterrey jack or mozzarella
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • extra milk
  • salt + pepper
  • 3 tbsp butter, cut into pieces
Steps:
  1. Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray.
  2. Boil macaroni noodles until al dente.
  3. Spread about 1/3 of the macaroni noodles in the bottom of the baking dish.
  4. Sprinkle about 1/3 of the cheese over the noodles and sprinkle with salt + pepper.
  5. Repeat until you have 3 layers, ending with the last of the cheese.
  6. Whisk together the 2 eggs and 1 cup of milk. Pour over the top of the casserole dish.  Add enough milk until it reaches 1/2 way up the side of the casserole dish. (its easier to tell if you use a clear glass dish, but you can wiggle an opaque dish back an forth to see where the milk level is).
  7. Spread the pats of butter across the top of the casserole.
  8. Bake at 350* for 1 hour.
mac-1
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categories dinner, healthified favorites, recipes
tags macaroni and cheese, meatloaf

quiche + chicken veggie soup + veggie broth oh my!!!

Andrea

Good evening!  I hope you all have had a fabulous day!  Mine was good...I played lots of catch-up in the office after being out all day yesterday.  After work my hubb and I went for a fabulous run...YAY!!!  I was worried after my not-so-great run on Saturday when we didn't run the full 2.5 miles that were scheduled in our training.  We decided that tonight we would try to make up for it, especially since we hadn't been able to do anything the last two days with my overworking. I mapped out a 2.7 mile stretch for us close to our house that involves a looooong hill at the 1/2 mile mark all the way to the 1-1/4 mile mark and again at the 2-1/2 mile mark.    I just discovered the elevation tool on mapmyrun.com...look at that hill!!! 081210-map We made it though!  My hubb was great, he probably could have gone a lot further.  I was a very satisfied level of tired at the end....not feeling good enough for another mile but not completely dead either.  I'm so pleased!!!  :) I have some eats to tell you about, along with some recipes to share as promised.  I hope you can hang in there for one more long post from me... Breakfast:  3/4 cup Stoneyfield fat free french vanilla yogurt with one sliced banana and 1/4 cup of TJ's Spiced Pumpkin Granola. 081210-b1 Now I know what you've all been raving about!  The granola is AWESOME!  :) Lunch:  I pulled some black bean soup out of the freezer and added a dollop of sour cream to it along with an 8" sprouted wheat tortilla. 081210-l2 My office desk doesn't make nearly as nice of a background as my dining table at home... Snack:  I ate about 3 bites of this gala apple before tossing it because it was COMPLETELY devoid of flavor.  We finally finished all 13 pounds of hand-picked pink ladies...sigh.  :( 081210-s1 So instead I ate the other 1/2 of the Clif Builder's Bar I snacked on the other night. 081210-s2 Dinner:  Butternut Squash and Kale soup, modified from Kath's original recipe, along with a piece of my homemade whole wheat bread.  My soup had
  • 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced
  • 2 carrots
  • 2 celery stalks
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 32oz box of creamy carrot soup
  • 1 cup of diced ham
  • 1 15oz can of white kidney beans
  • 6 cups of fresh chopped kale
  • salt + pepper to taste
081210-d1 081210-d2 081210-d3 The soup was really good, but a little thick for our tastes.  I actually had a different soup plan for the butternut squash, but when I realized that I had kale wilting in my fridge it seemed like the perfect opportunity to try out Kath's recipe.  I do think I'll try my original plan next week...the hubb and I discussed it tonight and I think its going to be good! Recipe Recap:  As promised, here are the recipes for the amazing dinners my Hubb made Sunday and Monday nights.  They are both pretty simple, but full of so much home-cooked comfort food yumminess...! 081207-d71 Chicken Vegetable Soup with Homemade Veggie Broth Ingredients:
  • one gallon-size ziplock of frozen veggie parts*
  • 2 frozen cheese rinds**
  • 8 cups commercial veggie broth ONLY if you don't want to make your own
  • 2/3 pound of ground chicken, cooked and crumbled
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 3 stalks celery, chopped
  • 3 carrots, chopped
  • 4 medium russet potatoes, diced
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 1 cup frozen lima beans
  • 1 cup frozen okra
  • 2 15oz cans of diced tomatoes
  • salt + pepper to taste
* We put all raw veggie "waste" into a gallon-size ziplock bag we keep in the freezer.  "Waste" includes the ends of onions, asparagus, carrots, green beans, etc., basically anything that won't break down quiclkly (don't throw potato, squash, mushrooms etc. in there...you need to be able to strain everything out after simmering for awhile) * We keep the rinds of any hard cheese we use in a small ziplock in the freezer to use for soups etc.  Parmesan, parano and gouda are our most common. Steps (starting with veggie broth):
  1. Put all frozen veggie parts and 2 cheese rinds into large saucepan or stock pot.  Fill pot with water until veggies are covered.
  2. Bring to a boil, lower heat and let simmer uncovered for one hour.  If you simmer longer you will have more intense flavor, less time will yield a milder taste.
  3. Strain liquid through a fine colander or china cap (pictured below), collecting the broth in a bowl.
  4. Put your broth back in the soup pot, add the tomatoes, onion, celery, carrots and potatoes and bring all to a boil. Lower heat and simmer uncovered until the potatoes are starting to soften.
  5. Once the potatoes are slightly soft, but still about 10 minutes from being soft enough to bite easily, add the frozen veggies and the chicken.  
  6. When the potatoes are soft and the frozen veggies are heated through you soup is ready!
081207-d1 081207-d2 081207-d3 081207-d4 081207-d81 I LOVE my hubb's homemade soups....they are so incredible.  We typically make the version above completely veggie and add in some barley or israeli cous-cous, but we had leftover ground chicken after making the potstickers a few nights before so decided to throw it in.  That's the beautiful thing about these soups...anything and everything can go in!  And I also love that the homemade broths provide a way for us to use our veggie waste when the compost bin is out of commission during the winter. Monday night's dinner was another favorite of ours...QUICHE!  We always try to keep a frozen pie crust in the freezer so that if we have veggies that need to be used up we can throw together a quiche.  Its a quick, easy, nutritious dinner (as long as you are smart about the crust...!) and so good on a cold night.  I like to add in more egg whites and reduce some of the yolks, but we had exactly 5 eggs so had to use them completely (don't worry, egg yolks never go to waste around here...our dogs love them!) 081208-d1 Ham + Veggie Quiche Ingredients:
  • one frozen whole wheat pie crust
  • 1 head of broccoli, chopped
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1/2 onion, chopped
  • 1/2 pound cooked ham, chopped
  • 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 5 eggs
Steps:
  1. Pull pie crust from freezer and allow to thaw for 10 minutes.  Preheat oven to 400*.
  2. Poke holes in the bottom of the crust, cover with foil, add pie weights (or dry beans) and bake for 10 minutes.
  3. Whisk eggs and add salt and pepper.  Set aside.
  4. Put fillings into crust.  Pour egg on top.  Add more egg if needed, the crust should be about 2/3's full.
  5. Bake @ 400* for 60 minutes on the BOTTOM rack of oven.
081208-d21 081209-d21 Whew!  Another long post complete.  Thanks again for hanging in there...I hope to get some feedback on these recipes as you all try them!  I'm off to bed...
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categories breakfast, dinner, lunch, recipes
tags Clif, black beans, quiche, soup, yogurt