Thursday, January 31, 2013

Cucumber Salad- a perfect light sidedish or middle or the night snack!!!!

I love cucumber and pickles.  Plus, they are a negative calorie food.....  So cucumbers are always in my refrigerator, on my lads and available for munching. However sometimes I want more and I do not mean pickles on burgers or cucumbers on a head of lettuce. And when I do, I make this recipe which satisfy that pickle/ cucumber craving without just being pickles or cucumbers.  It also satisfies my sour, salty, savory and crunchy craving too!!!

Now before you start making faces or assuming this is like your grandma's/aunt's/cousin's or whoever's cucumber salad.  You are wrong this is not southern style at all.  Hey-there are no onions in this dish.  Plus, the use of rice wine vinegar makes the taste different then what you find at your favorite comfort food eatery (Hello Lady and Sons).
One of the reason, I like this dish some much is because it is great for snacking on.  But also pairs well at a picnic, with burgers, fish, or on it's own. It is a great and simple pot-luck dish to bring to events like BBQs or work functions.
What you need
2 LONG cucumbers
5 small tomatoes (I used capri's)
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup mirin- rice wine vinegar
2 splenda packets
4 cloves of garlic
1 tbsp of Italian Seasoning
1 large plastic container with lid
1 cutting board
1 knife
What I did

  1. Mix the apple cider vinegar, mirin, splenda, and  Italian seasoning in the plastic container.
  2. Peel and smash the cloves of garlic cloves.  Then add to the vinegar mixture in the container
  3. Peel the cucumbers.  Then slice the cucumbers. Thickness matters.  The thinner you slice the cucumbers the quicker they will brine and become pickle like.  So if you want more pickle like cucumbers, slice thinner.  If you would like less acidic and more crunchy cucumbers, slice thicker.  Then add to the vinegar mixture in the container.
  4. Quarter the tomatoes.  Then add to the vinegar mixture in the container
  5. Place lid on top of container and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving/snacking.

TIPS
  1. The longer this salad  sits the more pickle-like the salad will become.
  2. Don't drink the ALL juice....I did and my stomach hated me for quite some time
  3. Do mix this with Feta Cheese and lettuce to create a funky take on a Greek Salad.
  4. Lastly, hide this in the back of the fridge......... (trust me on this)

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Need a healthy and yummy lunch fast, check out a Zalad at Zaxby's

Ok- from the fact I have a blog about food, you can deduce I LOVE FOOD! I like eating !!! So, skipping meals and living on only celery will NEVER EVER EVER happen.  This is why I am not a size zero but that is a discussion for another day.

However, I do always have a few fast and cheap  food options on my list for when I want to eat....shall we say healthy.
For Breakfast, I lean towards McDonald's oatmeal.
For lunch, it is a Zalad!!!!
Never heard of a Zalad??????
Well, I am typing about the popular regional fast food chain, Zaxby's take on a salad.  Their house salad with grilled chicken, my personal favorite, includes cheese, cucumbers, tomatoes, fried onions, and lettuce comes in at a whopping 425 calories without dressing.  I find the crunch of the cucumbers with the crispy fried onions and rich cheese leaves me satisfied and full!  A filling salad? Crazy right!!!!!!
The salads come with toast which I recommend skipping (it adds 150  calories which i would rather spend on dressing or sweet tea).  Did I mention they have good sweet tea?
My brother actually loves it and requests we go there when he visits!!!!

Zaxby's on UrbanspoonTheir chicken fingers and wings are quite yummy!!! But you are better off at with Wendy's chicken nuggets if you are watching your caloric intake!!!  As for their chicken sandwich, I am sorry to type but Chick-fil-a wins that races everyday of the week!!!!!

BASICALLY- this is a safe-ish place to go in you want a salad!!!  Plus, the sweet tea rocks!!!



Tuesday, January 29, 2013

What to do with the leftover Broccoli Stems? Broccoli Chips

 As I have mentioned before in my previous posts on broccoli,(steamed broccoli and broccoli soup), the green vegetable and I have had a troubled relationship. But chips, these things are my loves, my comfort, my guilt pleasures, my sorry Husband I pick the chips over you (just kidding- kinda).  So when
I saw this recipe on the blog, Keep it Simple Foods.  And as a chip lover and a reformed Broccoli hater, I had to try this.  And these things are not bad.  These give a nice crunch. But to be honest,  I think of these more like fry substitutes then chip substitutes despite there shape. These would be great with burgers.  Or as an afternoon snack.  I probably would not serve these at a Superbowl party because they would get over shadowed by all the greasy and fatty foods and then get cold and soggy too fast..  However, these would be great at a dinner party.  The broccoli chips are  something different.  Until the blog post, I had never heard of them.


After some trial and error, here is what I have learned!

  • Do not try this with bread- You will get sandy chips.  They are not bad....just grainy- See right photo
  • Do not use garlic salt- my bad.....I only used a 1/4 tsp and it was OVERPOWERING
  • Do not wait and serve these hours later, they kinda have a window of yumminess.....before the crunch gets soggy
  • Do sprinkle the extra crumbs over the top of the chips
  • Do broil at the very end for a golden brown results. But not too long

What you need
Broccoli- THE WHOLE STEM- sorry you cant use the frozen bag of florets
 1 cup panko bread crumbs
 1/4 tsp pepper
garlic powder
onion powder
Italian seasoning
chili powder
1 egg for each bundle of broccoli
Other stuff that may come in handy
two bowls
a cutting board
knife
aluminium foil
baking sheet
What you need

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Beat the egg until blended nice and yellowy
  3. In a separate bowl, mix the panko, garlic powder, chili powder, Italian seasoning, pepper and onion powder
  4. Wash the broccoli then slice the stems of the Broccoli thin. Place the heads of the broccoli off to the side to use for another meal-ie steaming
  5. Place the sliced Broccoli into the egg wash.  And make sure to coat thoroughly.
  6. Dredge the egg wash coated broccoli slices in the seasoned panko then place on a aluminium foil over baking sheet. repeat until all broccoli has been panko-ed.
  7. Bake for 20 minutes.  If not crispy and golden brown, turn the broil on and bake for 2-3 minutes.
  8. Remove from oven and serve.













Monday, January 28, 2013

Apple Crumble is OMG good and healthy too!


To be honest, this recipe came about because I did not have enough peaches to make a peach crisp and I needed to make a dessert. All I had was a big bowl of Apples, so this recipe like many was born from necessity.

However, what surprised me, was how everyone RAVED about this dish.  I mean RAVED.  I was a little surprised because this is a low carb recipe. But it was a huge hit!!!!!  So, I figured I would share!!!  
I do warn you there is a lot of ingredients for me, but it is mostly spices!!!
                                        What you need
The Filling
5 large apples I used Honeycrisp Apple's but it is a any type will work
5 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp all spice
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp chili powder
5 tbsp Brown sugar
5 tbsp splenda
1/4 cup lemon juice
The Topping
1 cup pecans
1 cup almonds
 1/4 cup Brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 sticks or 12 tbsp of butter 
For Everything
 blender
 glass baking dish
 knife or Apple cutter
 peeler
Bowl (a large one)
What you do
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Take out butter to soften.
  2. Peel, Cut and core the apples. I like my apples in about 1 inch cubes, but you can do slices. However cubes make it easier to serve. 
  3. Toss the cubed apples with the lemon juice, splenda, flour, brown sugar, chili powder, cinnamon,ginger, all spice and salt.  Let sit while continuing on to step 4.
  4. Place the pecans and almonds in the Blender. Blend on HIGH until the are finely chopped into crumbs or crumble.
  5. Mix the 1 cup of the soften butter with the ground nuts, salt, brown sugar, splenda, and cinnamon.
  6. Pour the apple mixture into a large baking dish.
  7. Top with the butter and nut mixture.  Make sure to evenly distribute the mixture.  So there is an even crust.
  8. Top that with the last of the butter.
  9. Place the dish in the oven for 45-60 minutes or until the apples are cooked and the top is crispy.
  10. Make sure to let cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.  
      Top with ice cream for an extra treat!


















Sunday, January 27, 2013

Still no opening date for Trader Joes

I know probably doesn't warrant a post of it's own and I already did a post on it, but still.....
THERE IS STILL NO OFFICIAL OPEN DATE FOR TRADER'S JOE'S!
TRADER JOE'SHere is my guess:  It looks like Whole Foods is going for a summer 2013 opening.  I would guestimate Trader Joe's will open at the earliest summer but more likely fall 2013.

Urban Tallahassee has a great update on the shopping center TJ's is going into.  For more info, click here.

Basically- You and I will have to wait till late 2013 to experience the amazing priced produce and cheap wines of Trader Joe's.  I think a Sarasota or Atlanta TJ run may be in my future.

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Negative Calorie Foods in Apple and Feta Salad with Lemon Vingrette


-I love to eat salads for lunch.  But the same old salad get boring. And then eating salads become a chore.  I like to create a colorful salad that makes everyone look and comment.
So here is one of my favorite.  I often serve this salad when I have guest (it looks impressive )!
This recipe uses two negative calorie foods
      Lettuce
          apples
               Lemons
And I love it!!!!

                                   Here is what you need
10-12oz of lettuce which is the size of most salad bags
1/2 cup of chopped/sliced pecans or walnuts
2 apples
1/2 cup or 4 oz crumbled feta
1 tsp honey or splenda
1/4 cup balsamic
1/4 cup EVOO or OO
1 tsp mustard (Dijon is best)
the juice of 1 lemon or 2 tbsp of lemon juice
Here is what you do

  1. Open a bag of lettuce and put into a large salad bowl
  2.  Cut apples into either slices or cubes depending on prefer- leave the skin on because it has tons of vitamins and looks pretty. Make sure to remove the seeds.
  3. Coat the cut apples with the lemon juice (this will stop them from turning brown)
  4. Top salad with nuts, feta, and cut apples.
  5. In a salad dressing container, cocktail shaker or protein shake bottle (basically you need something that will close tight and you can shake without spilling)  pour in Oil, Vinegar, mustard and sweetner.
  6. SHAKE until mixed
  7. Then either dress salad or pour into a pretty gravy boat or container 
  8. Lastly, serve then eat!!!!

Tips

  1. If you are short on time, you can get the pre-cut apples in the refrigeration selection of the produce section and pick up a balsamic dressing. I really like the brand Marie's.  this will save you two steps
  2. If you use two different color apples, the salad will look extra pretty.
  3. Leftovers make great lunch!
  4. This also can be the main course if you add chicken.

Sunday, January 20, 2013

What to do with leftover broccoli? Broccoli and Cheese Soup of course

The ultimate kitchen question is
What to do with the leftovers?
Let's face it, once broccoli has been steamed (recipe talked about two days ago), reheating it is not....Well eatable.
Here is the trick to reusing that sad looking broccoli leftovers-turn it into broccoli cheese soup
The portions depend on your left overs, so the hardest part of the recipe is the math.  But this soup is super healthy and easy.  Plus you can make this for one person or a whole family!  Additionally, you can make this vegetarian or not!!!  Basically this is a great lunch on a cold day- Like today in Tallahassee.
What you need

leftover  cooked broccoli
broth- I prefer chicken but veggie works
1 tsp worcester sauce
1 tsp of lemon juice
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
cheddar cheese
What to do
  1. Place the leftover broccoli in the blender or food processor with a little broth and blend until pureed.  
  2. On my blender and most I have seen, there are measurements on the side. You want a nice 1 to 1 ratio of broth to broccoli. 
  3. Add worcester saucer, lemon juice  garlic powder and onion powder.  Then blend until smooth.
  4. I HIGHLY recommend running the soup through a sifter. This will give your soup a smoother texture.
  5. Pour the soup into a pot and cook on medium for about 230 minutes.
  6. When you are ready to serve sprinkle cheese on the bottom of your mug/bowl or serving item.  Then pour the soup on top.  Then top with cheese.  This will allow for even cheese distribution!!!  Plus the cheese will thicken the soup.
I recommend serving this with bread for dipping or a grilled cheese sandwich.

Saturday, January 19, 2013

Chicken Salad Chick is coming to Tallahassee- more good eat coming to tallahassee

Chicken Salad Chick
While the Hubby and I were out to dinner in the Market Street area, we  noticed a new restaurant under construction.  Of course my Hubby noticed their amazing sign which of course he worked on ( Great work Bill's Signs).  Me, I was caught by the name and the awesome logo.  Yes, you did a great job on the sign Honey!!
A chicken salad place, what???
     Seriously?
Do they only serve chicken salad?
     I am intrigued!!
So I looked them up! Like their name says this is a chicken salad place where you can get chicken salad 15 different ways like Luau Lydia with pineapple and macadamia nuts or  Rooster's Choice with cayenne  bacon and cheddar cheese. The sides look awesome with options like chips, broccoli salad, grape salad (What is this?) and fresh fruit! They do offer other things besides chicken salad like Ham, turkey and Roast beef.   Here is the full menu.

There is no opening date listed anywhere, but on their Facebook page they mention they are a month off from opening.  So, look for a chicken salad sandwich sometime in late February/ early March.

Here is the address if you want to drive by and see the awesome sign 
     1410 Market Street
     Suite D-3
     Tallahassee, FL 32312

For more info on Chicken Salad Chicks, check out their website.
For more on the details of the opening and its impact on Tallahassee, please check out Urban Tallahassee



Friday, January 18, 2013

Steamed Broccoli- a microwavable negative calorie recipe


My worst enemy as a child. Seriously, I only recently like in the past few years started eating this green super food again.  And I only eat it COOKED.  Raw broccoli makes me gag.....Sorry to all you lovers out there...please eat my portion!!!

FUN FACT- Did you know that eating steamed broccoli reduces your risk of a heart attack!  And since they run in the Hubby's family, don't think I am not cooking this at least once a week!!!

Conveniently,  the easiest way to make broccoli is steamed in the microwave which takes less then 10 minutes.
Here is what you need
A large Bag of frozen broccoli florets or heads
1/4 cup water
salt to taste
1/2 the juice of a lemon or 1tbsp of lemon juice
2 cloves of garlic zested or diced
2 tbsps of EVOO or butter if needed
 Here is what to do
Open the bag of frozen broccoli and place the contents in a microwave safe bowl.  Fill the bowl with the water, lemon juice and garlic. Mix till all frozen greens are coated.  Cover.  Microwave for 4-6 minutes on high based on the strength of your microwave.  Drain.  Then taste!  Add salt and/or butter/ oil if needed!

I told you this was simple
Tips-

  1. I like to serve this with chick or fish.  I also toss this in with my pasta or fried rice for extra vitamins without the calories.
  2. This is great if you want to add a little chilli powder for a little spice and metabolism boaster

More Details about why you should eat your broccoli click here






Thursday, January 17, 2013

I am neutral on Ruby Tuesday


My Hubby worked at Ruby Tuesday while in college. So I am VERY VERY VERY familiar with the chain.  Although, the restaurant has change SIGNIFICANTLY in the past 5 or so years.  Ruby now offers more healthier side options and TONS of different sliders. Also, the salad bar now counts as a side-no up-charge! We decided to check out all the changes first hand with my grandparents-in law.


"Well, Ruby Tuesday has sure tired to go more upscale" was my first thought as we all sat down at the table covered with white papers and 4 biscuits- one for each person.  FANCY

We all ordered and got the salad bar.  All great and yummy with tons of options like any good salad bar should have.  The food came in a timely manner.  But the food....well that is the issue.  That is where the problems came.....here is where it is apparent Ruby Tuesday's is a chain more like Appleby's and not a chain slightly more upscale like Ted's Montana Grill!

20130104_194218.jpgMy grandfather in law ordered the parmigiana steak pictured right. He opted for the salad bar, which is why the plate looks so bare. His very sweet wife asked for a bite of his steak which was give and she promptly spit it out. The small bite was all gristle.  MY grandfather in law tried another bite and found more gristle.The problem with this is his entree was $14.99.  You could go to Longhorn and order the Flat Iron or Sirloin steaks for cheaper and get better quality.  One the positive side the steak was cooked to the right temperature.
20130104_194135.jpg
I ordered the Chicken Bella with spaghetti squash.  The chicken was quite and taste.  The squash ...well, I applaud Ruby Tuesday's for putting it on the menu and offering this healthy option, but it was bland! Very Very Very bland.
 I know it is listed at 41 calories but seriously add some Mrs. dash or salt free seasoning.

20130104_194117.jpgThe Hubby ordered turkey sliders which were good.  Very good!  I am excited that a chain restaurant is offering more non-red meat options for the cholesterol conscious.
The fries were good. Nice and hot and crispy.

We also tried the side of zucchini which was very greasy and not recommendable.
Ruby Tuesday on Urbanspoon
BASICALLY- Ruby Tuesday  has made itself into a great accommodating restaurant. I highly recommend the sliders and salad bar.  The sides seems to be hit or miss based on the line cooks in the back.  However there are lots of options. But if you want a good steak, go to Longhorn or for 6-8 more dollars go to Ted's or for WAY more go to Shula's.
So...I wouldn't recommend Ruby Tuesday's because for the same price in Tallahassee I could eat at Voodoo Dog or Joe's Woodfire Pizza and have better food.  However, I will not be agruing against anyone to return.  Therefore, I am neutral on Ruby Tuesdays.

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

The perfect on the go breakfast-Mango smoothie, protein powder is optional



I love idea of breakfast, but I just don't have time (or dont want to sleep less) to make a full balanced breakfast of eggs and turkey sausage with whole grain toast and preserves.  It only happens on weekend.  And when it does happen, breakfast is normally serve around 11am which make it more like brunch!

While Burger King and Dunkin Donuts are so tempting with their quick drive thrus, the calorie count is so absurd.  (I have excluded McDonald's because we all know I can eat their oatmeal any day of the week. Here is the link to my previous gushing)
Dunkin Donuts
 the bagels at  begin at 300 calories and that is without butter or cream cheese
the muffins begin at 410 calories and that is for the reduced fat option
the donuts begin at 270 (but who eats just one donut????)
Burger King
breakfast burrito 830 calories
Sausage egg and cheese biscuit 770 calories
Mango smoothie under 300 calories!  
Plus mangoes have fiber which will make you feel even more full!
With today's markets getting mangoes is easier than ever.  At Trader Joe's you can buy mango precut frozen. At most super markets you can get mangoes pre-sliced for your convenience. (You know I so get mine at costco!)  However, if you want to get a fresh mango to cut up yourself, here is a great website.


Here is what you need
1 mango cubed or sliced.  
1/2 cup or 4 oz of milk, almond milk or sweetned coconut milk
OPTIONAL 1 scoop vanilla protein powder

Here is what you do
Put everything in the blender and mix on high.  If the mixture seems too thick please add more milk!
 Pour in to go cup and ride on into the sunset!!!

This sounds so simple and it is!! that is probably why I love this recipe!

TIP-

  1. I prefer almond milk in this smoothie because it adds protein and skips the diary!!! For more about my love of almond milk read my previous post here
  2. add a dash of chili powder for a little kick!  Not only will it taste awesome but chili powder is known to boast your metabolism.


For more details and info on why you should eat mangos click here or here

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Greek Cucumber Dip- another recipe using those negative calorie foods

I like veggies!!  But if I am being honest with myself and you, I like them better with dip. I will force myself to eat celery and carrot sticks because I know it is good for me.  However, if you give me  some french onion dips, ranch dip or whatever with my veggies!!  I will scarf them down.

THE PROBLEM.  Dips are normally pretty high in calories. For just 2 tbsps which is way less then I use on my salads, most dips will be 140-300 calories. So if you are sitting done with 1/2 cup which again is low balling it. Seriously, how many mini containers do you through with you eat wings?

The recipe below makes about 1.5 cups or 12 oz of dip.  The whole thing has less then 300 calories.  So you can sit and eat the WHOLE recipe for the same amount of calories as you would just having 1/4 cup of most dips!  So basically, you can pig out on dip and not feel guilty.

The big ingredient in this is cucumbers!  Besides being a negative calorie food, Cucumbers can help with heart health and give you vitamins A,B,C and D.  Not too shabby.... However, the recipes also uses garlic and lemons which both offer their own great nutritional values..
Here is what you need
1 Cucumber
8 ozs of Greek Yogurt
1 tbsp Greek seasoning
1 tsp of lemon juice (fresh is best but the stuff from the bottle works great too)
1 clove of garlic minced or zested (2 if you want to scare some vampires)
salt to taste
Here is what you do
Begin by peeling your cucumber. I prefer using a potato peeler, but a knife works as well.

Next, slice the cucumbers in half the long way. (See pic on left.)

Scoop out the seeds and place in bowl.  You may need to kinda mash up the seeds to make the membrane around the seeds mix in easier with the yogurt (This is a great job for kids.)

Finely dice the leftover cucumber. (See pic right) Then place this off to the side.

Next add into the bowl, the yogurt, garlic, lemon juice,  and Greek seasoning.  Mix thoroughly.

Add the diced cucumbers.

Then salt to taste.
A little Q and A
What kind of Greek Yogurt should I use?
Honestly, it doesn't matter.  It is a taste preference. Personally, I find the non-fat Greek yogurts a little dry and lacking of flavor.  While using the full fat Greek yogurt is best, that adds more fat and calories.   So i compromise with myself and  use low fat Greek yogurt. I find that the flavor is better and I don't feel as guilty.

Where can I find Greek Seasoning?
You can find it in the spices aisle at your local food store. I have seen it in Wal-mart and Publix here in Tallahassee. Or you can try your hand at making it, click here for link.

What if I don't have fresh garlic?
You can use garlic powder instead! I just tend to prefer fresh options when possible. 

I like my dips smooth.  How can I alter this dip to be so?
I like my dip with texture and crunch.  If you prefer a smoother textures, instead of dicing finely shred the cucumber and/or puree it. This will create a smoother dip.   Pair this with Celery instead of bread or chips for more negative calorie fun

What can I do with the leftover dip?
This dip is great on sandwiches.  Plus, it has way less calories than mayo.  Also, the dip is great as a sauce  for chicken (I love this with simple grilled, boiled, or cooked chicken tenders).  Lastly, if you thin the dip out with water, it becomes a great salad dressing!!!! Use the dress on a regular salad or to be fancy add olives, feta and tomatoes for a twist on a Greek salad.

MORE INFO-For more details on why cucumbers rock, check out whfoods.com.


Thursday, January 10, 2013

Herbes de Provence Asparagus- the perfect negative calorie side dish

As I noted in my in "My New Year Weight Loss with Negative calories," I am trying to substitute, things out of my normal diet/food intake with this negative calorie foods.

Mashed potatoes can be anywhere from 150-500 calories depending on the amounts and types of milk, cream, butter and cheese used.

This dish is about 50-100 calories depending on how much oil you use.  So this simple substitute will save you anywhere from 50-400 calories.  Not too bad right.


Basically, this dish is a win win for me.  And always looks great for guests!!!  Afterall, Herbes de Provence sounds all classy and fancy. It is french after all and includes lavender.  Here is the wiki page so you can sound knowledgeable to your guests or co-workers.    Also, you can find Herbes de Provence in the seasoning aisle at your local grocery store ( if I can find this in  my Publix in Tallahassee, you have no excuse) or online.

Here is what you need

  • Asparagus
  • Herb di Provence
  • EVOO or OO or oil
  • baking dish
  • 1 large plastick bag

Alright, place the washed and cut (you need to cut off the white part) asparagus in the plastick bag.  Drizzle enough oil to coat the asparagus.  Then add a healthy amount of Herbes de Provence. Zip up bag and massage/ turn/ toss/ throw/ or whatever until the asparagus is evenly coated with the oil and seasoning.  Now, I like to let the asparagus sit for a bit or overnight if I can.  But that is not needed.  Pour the contents of the plastick bag in a baking dish or a cookie sheet lined with aluminuim foil.  Make sure to spread out the spears evenly. Then bake/roast for 25 minutes on 400 degrees.

And that is it!  Simple right?


TIPS-I like to make this recipe in bulk. Therefore, I take a trip to Costco and get the big 3 lb bag at (Yes- I am obsessed with Costco) and cook it all at once. I then use the leftovers throughout the week to add extra vitamins and stretch my meals. The leftovers are great in stirfrys, thrown in with pasta,  on top of a salad, think antipasti, or on sandwiches think the Mediterranean Sandwich at Jason's Deli.
Or if all else fails, puree the leftovers, thin out with chicken broth and season to taste/ preference for a nice soup.

More info-Click here for why asparagus is good for you or click here for how to pick out asparagus.

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Baked Apples- the perfect negative calorie dessert

 While I am not the biggest pastry love (don't get me wrong I LOVE bread, but not cake)  I do enjoy dessert.  Of course desserts can almost double your dinner caloric intake.

Cheesecake from the Cheesecake factory- 500 calories
Creme Burlee- 575 calories
Krispy Kreme Donuts- 200 calories EACH (like you ever eat just one)

So instead of skipping dessert and feeling like you are cheating yourself out of a treat, try this baked apple recipe.  I got this from my Mom.  And I totally thought she was crazy but it works. Seriously  if you skip all the butter and sugar and honey and brown sugar...baked apples are low in calories and super good for you.
That is exactly what this recipe does.
All you need is
1 apple
vanilla extract
cinnamon
aluminium foil
Start by cutting or spooning out the core of the apple.  There are a lot of different different methods to do this.  I prefer a knife, but I like to leave on the edge. (Click here for tips and more detailed instructions) Next coat the apple in vanilla extract. DON'T BE STINGY!!!! Once the apple is nice and moist with vanilla yumminess put a heavy coat of cinnamon all over it.  And by heavy I do mean heavy.  (I know it sounds weird but it works.)  Then wrap the apple in aluminuim foil.  Pour a little more vanilla extract in for good measure.  Then bake in the oven for 40 minutes on 350 degrees.

Simple, less then 5 ingredients and no measuring cups need. 

TIPS- You can make these in bulk then microwave them as needed or even freeze these babies too! My Mom's freezer is full of them!

MORE INFO-And though this will not be as rich and sinful as Cheesecake Factory's Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake, this recipe is comforting and great for winter. And to top it off, apples are good for your heart and immune system. For more great healthy facts about apples check out the Huffington Post and Mayo Clinic.

Monday, January 7, 2013

New Year Weight Loss with the negative Calorie Foods

If you haven't met me or facebook stalked me, then you don't know I am average weight.  Maybe upper average if i am being honest.  But pretty normal. I exercise and eat.  Did I mention I eat.  I like food!!!!! Like love food. Hence the food blog.  But after my 2 week honeymoon, thanksgiving, Hanukkah  Xmas and NYE, I need a little healthy eating to balance things out!

So, the next few weeks, I will be posting recipes using negative calorie foods.
What is a negative calorie food, you may ask or at least someone out there will?
A food that burns more calories to digest then eat.( click here for a more elaborate explaination)
Wooooooooooo hooooooooooooo

  1. Celery- The ultimate well known negative food
  2. Broccoli
  3. Lemon
  4. Garlic
  5. Cabbage
  6. apples
  7. mango
  8. watermelon
  9. asparagus
  10. lettuce
  11. pickles
  12. cucumber

Sounds, perfect right? Not quite.  There are two flaws with this.
First, these foods are not always filling so you cant ONLY eat negative calorie foods.  Well you could but you would be hungry.  (Click here for the Mayo clinic's article on it)
Second, who wants to eat these foods all the time on their own.  I mean eating an apple is nice.  Five raw apples, not so much.

Hence, I will be coming out with fun healthily recipes incorporating these negative calorie foods.
Now I am not Jenny Craig, so i am not promising you will loose 20 lbs.  But replacing some chips, cookies , candy and other HIGH sugary calorie snacks with these might just help you drop a little of the fluff you gained this holiday season.
Good Luck y'all!


Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Happy New Year 2013- now what should I eat this year

Happy New Year!!!
As I welcome in 2013, I seriously wonder about all the crazy and amazing food experiences I have had this past year.  I have eaten traditional food in a Bendouin Tent in the middle of the desert (food was AMAZING but never again). I ate octopus ceviche in Aruba with fried cornbread topped with this unusual cheese.  I tried country fried steak for the first time and I am gaining 5 lbs just remembering it!!! I learned to cook enchilada's  worked on my baking with protein powder and am hungry for more.
2012 was an amazing food year for me!!!!
 So I took the quick quiz, 100 foods to eat before you die.I scored a 79 out of 100 which I think is decent because I am not even 30 yet You can take the quiz here to see how you rank.

 1.Abalone                              2. Absinthe                                    3. Alligator      
 4. Baba Ghanoush                  5. Bagel and Lox                           6. Baklava
 7. Barbecue Ribs                    8. Bellini                                        9. Bird's Nest Soup
 10. Biscuits & Gravy             11. Black Pudding                         12. Black Truffle
 13. Borscht                           14. Bread Pudding                         15. Calamari
 16. Carp                               17. Caviar                                      18. Cheese Fondue
 19. Chicken & Waffle           20. Chicken Tikka Masala              21. Chile Relleno
 22. Chitlins                           23. Churros                                    24. Clam Chowder
 25. Cognac                           26. Crab Cakes                              27. Crickets
28. Currywurst                      29. Dandelion Wine                         30. Dulce De Leche
31. Durian- But is smells       32. Eel                                            33. Eggs Benedict
34. Fish Tacos                      35. Fresh Spring Rolls                      36. Fried Catfish
37. Fried Green Tomatoes    38. Fried Plantain                             39. Frito Pie
40. Frogs’ Legs                    41. Fugu                                           42. Funnel Cake
43. Gazpacho                       44. Goat                                           45. Goat’s Milk
46. Goulash                          47. Gumbo                                       48. Haggis
49. Head Cheese                  50. Heirloom Tomatoes                    51. Honeycomb
 52. Hostess Fruit Pie            53. Huevos Rancheros
 54. Jerk Chicken                  55. Kangaroo
 56. Key Lime Pie                 57. Kobe Beef                                   58. Lassi
 59. Lobster                         60. Mimosa                                        61. MoonPie
 62. Morel Mushrooms         63. Nettle Tea                                    64. Octopus
 65. Okra                             66. Oxtail Soup                                  67. Paella
 68. Paneer                           69. Pastrami on Rye                           70. Pavlova
 71. Phaal                             72. Philly Cheese Steak                      73. Pho
 74. Pineapple & Cottage Cheese 75. Pistachio Ice Cream              76. Po’ Boy
 77. Pocky                            78. Polenta                                         79. Prickly Pear
 80. Rabbit Stew-                  81. Raw Oysters                                82. Root Beer Float
 83. S’mores                         84. Sauerkraut                                    85. Sea Urchin
 86. Snail                              87. Snake                                           88. Soft Shell Crab
 89. Som Tam                       90. Spaetzle                                         91. Spam
 92. Squirrel                          93. Steak Tartare                                 94. Sweet Potato Fries
 95. Sweetbreads                  96. Tom Yum                                      97. Umeboshi
98. Venison                          99. Wasabi Peas                                100. Zucchini Flowers

However, I also have tried a lot of strange things that were not on the list like tripe, duck blood, crocodile tongue, rabbit, sweet shrimp (raw shrimp), poi and so much more.  This all got me thinking of my own personal must eat list.

  1. Blowfish- dangerous and oh so good
  2. Guinea Pig- sorry- I know they are cute!!!!
  3. Sea Urchin FRESH out of the ocean-
  4. Pizza- not just any pizza- Pizza from and in in Italy
  5. While I have eaten Paella, I have yet to have a TRUE paella
  6. Maine Lobster fresh from the ocean
  7. Truly EXPENSIVE caviar- not the stuff I can buy in the store or salomn roe
  8. Spiny Lobster
  9. Hangi- New Zealand style food
  10. Rocky Mountain Oysters
  11. Tarantulas- fried

And of course because I don't want to just eat my way around the world I want to learn how to make it!
Here is my must learn to prepare food too!

  1. Kimichi
  2. Salt crusted fish
  3. BBQ- seriously grills scare me
  4. Buttered Chicken
  5. how to shuck an oyster........this one counts right?
  6. sushi that looks pretty
Well- follow foodies what is on your list?  And please let me know what I am forgeting