Ch...Ch...Ch...Ch... CHANGES!!!

Ok, so waking up earlier.  Not doing so well on.  I am though getting more active, which is making me start to feel better about myself.  And by getting more active... I mean I am on day 2 of a workout regimen.  :)

I first switched my diet plan on Weight Watchers.  Instead of doing the typical tracking method, I am now trying their Simply Full plan.  Basically you don't count points daily, but you are supposed to stick to what they consider "Power Foods" and have a weekly allowance of points for the foods that aren't a "Power Food."  After going through it, I realized I was mainly eating the recommended foods anyway, so I figured I would try it for a week just to see how it worked out for me.  Already I have lost 2 pounds, even with some of the Taco Bell binges I have had.  You may think that is disgusting, but I get horrible late night Crunchy Gordita cravings that just have to be quenched.  SORRY READERS!!

On the exercise side, I joined a website called DailyBurn that I am liking so far.  It's only $10/month with the first 30 days free so you can try it out.  But you go on the site, tell them what you want to achieve, how much time you have daily to put forth towards a workout, and if you prefer a "Drill Sergeant" or a "Friend" as your trainer.  From there, they recommend a program best suited for you and you do it!

It was initially suggested for me that I do a yoga program, which I absolutely would have been fine with any other time.  However, I want more cardio as I really want to build up my strength for running, so I switched it, which you are allowed to do at any time with this program.  Another perk to this site.  :)

I began today with a Hip Hop class with a really fun instructor... all right in my living room.  I just hooked up my computer to my TV and had an absolute blast. In the short 25 minute class, I was sweating like crazy in the end, and my legs are already feeling the burn.  Not only that, but while you work out each day, they give you challenges that you update as you go through the class, and if you do well, you get money towards their store which sells workout essentials.  Not a bad perk if you ask me!

But then with shaking my ass comes the craving for sweets!  So I took the rest of my time before heading out to work to make cupcakes to share with my fabulous coworkers.  Technically, I was using them more as guinea pigs to improve my baking skills, but I knew they wouldn't complain.

Goodies for Fox 25 Crew

I found an awesome recipe on FoodGawker for a pumpkin spice cupcake with a brown butter maple frosting.  It fit so perfectly as I just made some homemade pumpkin puree earlier in the week.  Allowing me ti make these cupcakes completely from scratch... and feel that much more damn good about it.

My baby plate of rejects all for me!!

And the cupcakes... an instant hit at work!  I put them at the Assignment Desk at 3:30... by the end of the 6... they were all gone!  One of my coworkers even came up to me and said how the frosting was the best maple frosting he has ever had, and he should know... he grew up in the heart of Maple Country in Vermont.  Then Assign Guy himself told me he was starting to feel awkward with the cupcakes at the desk because of all the "love-making" noises people were making as they were eating them.  If that doesn't make a baker feel good... I don't know what will!

Now I'm working on making a menu for my Halloween Party this year, and FoodGawker is giving me some fantastic ideas!  Can't wait to share when it is set!

All that was left by the time I got out of the Control Room

 

Cooking with Quinoa

Finally did it!  Got up early this morning and made the Eggplant Parmesan Quinoa Casserole I mentioned earlier this week.  Not only was this going to be my first of hopefully many recipe try-outs from all the books and blogs I follow.  It would also be my first time cooking with quinoa.

So the recipe I used came from a blog I found while messing around on StumbleUpon one night.  It is called "The Iron You" and it is written by a guy named Mike who is a "triathlete, yogi, health enthusiast and food lover." And man, are his recipes enticing! This one immediately caught my eye and partially why I wanted to start posting about the awesome meals I have been making.

I'm not going to get into the full recipe... that's why I am linking to it here.

But here are some snazzy pics of what I did!

For starters, instead of using a canned tomato sauce, I always just used canned tomatoes and make a mix of my own. So for this recipe I took my favorite canned brand, Hunt's Basil Oregano Diced Tomatoes, then diced up a few more Roma tomatoes I had on hand, and blended them up. I don't know why I don't do this more. I could've ate this straight.

Then it was quinoa time.  With such a weird name, this country bumpkin always thought quinoa would be difficult to make and expensive to boot.  Not so!  I bought a couple bags of these at Star Market for about $5/bag.  And just like rice, a little uncooked turns into A LOT when cooked.  The bag says I can cook it in my rice cooker too.  So healthy and easy?  Hellz yeah I'm making this more often. 

The recipe called for crushed red pepper to be added to the quinoa as it was plain.  I did mine to taste, but I have to say, once you bake this up, the red pepper really becomes more prominent.  So next time I may back off just a wee bit.

Another thing I noticed is when cooking the onions, the recipe called for 1 Tbsp of olive oil.  Cooking nearly a whole onion then adding the eggplant after to the same pan I thought nothing of it.  However, just like with the red pepper, once baked, the flavor really came out.  It wasn't bad, in fact I was stoked that I could taste it.  But just a warning, you may want to reduce the amount if you aren't a fan.

Then it was time to combine all the sauce aspects and let it simmer.  Seriously, my house was smelling amazing during the 30mins this took.  The combination of all the ingredients were very aromatic, especially as I was able to use a handful of the basil from my garden.  That right there was satisfaction enough with this whole recipe. 

After the simmering stage, you just toss in the quinoa with some Parmesan, put into a baking dish and pop it into the oven.

This whole recipe took about an hour, maybe a little more to make.  It was completely worth it though, and the portions are a decent size.  I was worried being on WW that the portions would be small, but when I divided it up into six servings, it was quite a bit.  And anyone out there on WW, it is only 8 points per serving (obviously though it depends on how much cheese you put in).  So I just added some lemon drenched greens with mine to make a meal and both satisfied and full in the end.

And so you know, "Iron" Mike says the longer this sits in the fridge, the better it actually gets as the sauce flavors soak more into the quinoa.  I'm excited for these leftovers tomorrow!  And sorry for not showing the serving I ate... it was too good to put my fork down. 

So Fresh and So... Healthy

Hello friends!

So I have yet to make the recipes mentioned in the previous blog as I only just had a chance to go grocery shopping yesterday.  But boy oh boy was it a blast!

My friends and coworkers Aly and Jon told me about this awesome local market right in Watertown.  The store is called Russo's and I checked it out before and loved it!  Fresh/local everything! They also have a deli/cheese counter where they will make gourmet sandwiches to order, plus another counter of pre-made food you can buy by the pound.  They also have an eclectic mix of items from all around the world, so it is easy to go there and get inspired to create recipes.  And I am certainly inspired!

Though I haven't made the recipes yet, I was a good girl and finally stuck to a plan to prepare my fruits and veggies in advance.  I am notorious for buying tons of healthy options, then letting it sit there and rot because I would rather grab something which is unhealthy and go.

One awesome thing I did, I made my own pumpkin puree!  I know it probably would've been easier to just buy a can, but I wanted to take on the challenge, and do it all by myself.

It was actually quite simple to do as well.  Just get a small pumpkin, I bought sugar pumpkins because they were both bulky and petite.  I don't have a good pair of knives, so I actually used the knives from my pumpkin carving kit.  First, cut the top off, divide into 6 pieces, and scoop out all the seeds and pulp from the inside.  you then turn on the stove to 350 degrees, and bake for 45 mins, or until they are fork tender.  Remove skins and then blend, blend, blend!  Nommy!

I used the recipe from The Pioneer Woman so I knew what I was doing.

Also made a delightful sandwich I found on FoodGawker.  It was called a California Sandwich.  Tomatoes, avocados, cilantro... grom nom!  It was quick and easy and quite delightful.  Plus, really low on my Weight Watchers Point scale, so I was even more thrilled!  The recipe is below, I just omitted the cheese to make it healthier.  To be honest, the sandwich itself had so much flavor I really don't believe it needed it in the first place.

Hopefully tomorrow I will make one of the recipes before work.  Maybe some salsa too, but let's not get ahead of ourselves.  It's already a long night working on my off day, but also because the Red Sox/Tigers game pushed our show back, so I'm not getting home til late.  Ce la vie!

My Contract

So the past months have been difficult.  I have slipped back into my old ways of feeling low and need to get back out.  No apparent reason for the fall, just something I need to work on.

One of the things I have been doing with my therapist which really seems to be working is making contracts with myself.  Little things just to make sure I am getting things done, and not falling behind.  The other week, it was things as simple as getting groceries by a certain day, and to start being more active.

As such, I have been trying to find something to engulf myself in to keep me busy.  Something I can make a contract with myself about.  Working out isn't going so well.  Fall is hear so my garden is basically done, especially since the critters REALLY enjoy the noms and have left none for me.

So it suddenly hit me.  What have I been spending most of my time doing every morning before work?  Cooking!  I have been obsessed lately with trying to cook outside the box.  New foods, different spices, new methods.  I have tons of cookbooks that I have, recipes I have copied out of books, magazines.  It's all just sitting there, waiting to be made.

As such, I am making a contract right here, right now that I am sharing with you guys so I have to stick with it.  Not only will I get back to blogging about the good things that happen everyday, but twice a week I am going to make meals out of my cookbooks/blogs/websites.  Not only does it give me something to talk about with you guys, but it also ensures I have good food in my fridge.

Let me begin with what I have cooked today.  Lemon Chicken Nuggets, and Apple Pie Wontons.

The Lemon Chicken Nuggets is a play on one of my favorite family dishes... with a little twist.  Let's begin with what's inside.

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 2 Tbsp fresh Rosemary
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 Egg
• Salt and pepper
• 1 Tbsp grated Parmesan

The directions, UBER simple.  Seriously... I may end up making them this way from now on, for the rest of my life.  Plus, it is like adult food put in kid form, so of course I'm loving it!  All you need to do...

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Line baking sheet with tin foil, sprayed with olive oil.
3. Place all ingredients in a blender/processor... pulse til all worked together.
   (Honestly, this looks gross, but it will taste amazing once all done)
4. Take a spoon and scoop out dollops of chicken mix onto tin foil. Lightly flatten with spoon.  When I did it, I got about 20-22 nuggets out of the amount I prepared.
5. Place in oven for about 15-20 minutes, flipping once.

That's it!  I of course will be eating these with rice as that is how we eat Lemon Chicken traditionally in our household.  Yum yum!!

Next the Apple Pie Wontons.  This is still going to need some work, but they still came out tasty.  What you'll need.

• Premade wonton wrappers
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• Pumpkin pie spice mix (to taste)
• 1 large apple
• Water

Got it?  Good.  Let's get to work then!

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line baking sheet with tin foil, sprayed with olive oil.
3. Dice apple into tiny bits.
4. In a medium bowl, mix together the sugar, honey, spice, and lemon juice.
5. Add in the diced up apple, mixing til the apple bits are all coated.
6. Grab a wonton wrapper, scoop a small amount of apple mixture into center.  To seal, dip your finger in the water and run it along the edges of the wonton wrapper.  Pinch damp sides together.
7. Repeat til wrappers are full ( I got about 20 out of mine).
8. Place filled wontons in the oven.  

Now here is the part that needs work... timing.  I had mine in for about 25 minutes and the shells came out a bit harder than I would've liked.  Still, they were very tasty, especially with some caramel ice cream.  

Coming up this week...

I am going to attempt Eggplant Parmesan Quinoa Casserole, and a Cauliflower Mushroom Bake.