something from nothing

something from nothing

I've never been the type of cook that can walk into an empty kitchen and create something from nothing.  I completely admire those types of cooks.  However I have a sneaky solution to that.  About once a week I make what's called a big salad.

I generally keep lettuce on hand, and use "the big salad" as a vehicle use up all of the extra fruit/veges I have.  In the world of the big salad anything goes.  You can do savory or sweet or better still a mix of both.

Lettuce-use romaine and a mixed baby spinach or the like
Olives-I like black and green, whatever you have on hand will work
Protein-chicken breast (warm or cold), turkey, hard boiled eggs or some of everything
Cheese- Goat cheese, shredded cheese, yellow or white cheddar.  I like to pick one, typically if I can going with a sweet salad I choose goat cheese, a more savory salad I go with some type of cheddar
Fruit- apples and pears add nice depth of flavor
Carrots and cucumber - one or both add great crunch
Avocado

Dressing- super secret healthy recipe ( you can sub lemon juice for rice vinegar)
1 part olive oil
1 part rice vinegar
2-3 garlic cloves through a micro plane
Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

Easy dressing
1 part Balsamic syrup
1 part Olive oil
Salt
Pepper

challenge day

challenge day

today's challenge is to think small.  When I knew that I needed to make a change with my weight the amount seemed overwhelming...the only way I could wrap my mind around it was to get through each week with small goals...

So this week set a small goal and follow through.  This weekend will be my first real time to enjoy bikini weather...so all I am thinking about is getting in all of my workouts, 6 in total, and eating clean 6 meals a day for 5 days...

donuts

donuts...

donuts are my drug of choice.  They are everything I am not supposed to have...sugar and carbs.  So this is not going to be an inspirational article of strength and commitment, this is about having a donut.

I recently saw a great article LinkedIn featured about donuts in fast food...read at your own risk (it gives numbers when it talks about calories)

http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-04-18/why-more-extreme-foods-are-creeping-onto-menus

In any case apparently I am right on trend with my Donut French Toast.

Mix 4 large eggs, 1 cup milk, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, sprinkle nutmeg, allspice and ground cloves to taste.  Split the donut in half, as if you were cutting a bagel and dip the halves into the egg mixture.  Grill on a pancake skillet until each side is golden about 2 minutes per side on medium heat.  You can top with syrup (see homemade syrup recipe previously posted) or you can top with fresh fruit, as this is already pretty sweet without the syrup, even for TFG.

Donut over do it on the donuts...

dont waste the bananas

don't waste the bananas

So every week I buy bananas, we all know they have huge health benefits and I eat them throughout the week...but there are times when they get over ripe before I can eat them...

Enter TFG

Don't waste the bananas!  Make them into banana bread, as a great treat. 

Preheat oven to 375

1/4 cup butter softened (10 seconds in the microwave should do it)
1/2 white sugar
1/3 cup of brown sugar

cream together in a mixer until combined
add 1 egg and mix until combined
add 2 bananas and 1/4 cup of Greek yogurt, my favorite is either honey or vanilla

run mixer until combined

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tablespoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 pinch kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

mix together. Scoop into lined cupcake pan.  I like to fill each about 3/4 full.  Bake at 375 for 20 minutes or until cooked through.  Allow to cool. 

For an extra treat frost with vanilla frosting

trying to lose weight?

trying to lose weight?

For me it has to be an all around attack.  I was trying to lose weight and was eating healthfully, with the exception of the weekly girls night.  I wasn't loosing weight and couldn't figure out why.  Girls night is the best, and a must...the eating and drinks not so much. 



The problem with cocktails is they are very high in calories.  I had no idea I was drinking so many calories in just one drink...and then to add insult to injury, I was eating bar food...

So I started suggesting places and times where we could have dinner.  When I eat a real meal, I am less likely to want a drink, and if I do, my go to is white wine, which typically has only about 100 calories.   I have been lucky, my friends got on the bandwagon, our get togethers are just as fun, and now they are healthier.

summer is here

summer is here

I tell people all the time I live in SoCal for a reason.  Part of the reason is it's April and I am enjoying 80 and 90 degree temps.  When the temperature starts to rise I start to crave fresh food.  One of my most favorite summer foods is bruschetta.  The tomato and basil mixture is fresh and can go on anything from bread and pasta to chicken...

4 vine ripened tomatoes chopped
4-5 fresh basil leaves sliced Julienne
1 large shallot chopped
3-4 cloves of garlic chopped
2-3 tablespoons each of olive oil and rice vinegar
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

**Don't forget to use kosher salt and good olive oil. It makes a HUGE difference.

Let the mix marinate over night.  Spoon on to toast, angle hair pasta or chicken for a ton of fresh flavor.

challenge

challenge day

When I was growing up going through the grocery store was like going through a maze.  We walked up and down the aisles, and our basket was full by the time we got to the fruits and vegetables section.

Today as I was going through the grocery store, I jetted in and went straight to the butcher.  I never go to the grocery store with a plan, a habit I picked up while we lived in London.  While we were there food is so fresh you don't have the option to shop for a week, you have to shop for the day, and use what is fresh.  So I jetted straight to the butcher and picked up some fresh meat for the week (I try to buy organic and kosher because I believe they are healthier).  I went to the dairy section, along the back wall.  I meandered in the middle aisles for just a moment to pick up sparkling water and then back out to the eggs and cheeses.  As I neared the end of the store I noticed that my cart was pretty empty...but I as I added up the items, I had picked up enough food for dinner and snacks for the week.  I was left to get the fresh fruit and vegetables needed to complete the meals.  I made my way around the vegetables stalls and picked up Brussels and artichokes (my faves) then to the fruit stalls to get apples and berries and grapes...by the time I was ready to leave my basket was full...

The challenge here is staying away from the middle aisles which generally house the food that is the most processed and worst for me and getting enough food to eat 6 times a day for a week.

How do you go through the grocery store?  This may give good insight on how you are eating....