tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55793529957497570882024-03-14T12:17:36.797-05:00Will Cook for FoodChronicles of my cooking adventuresSarahPLizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14487604677008278734noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579352995749757088.post-6685192147397543152011-09-11T17:49:00.000-05:002011-09-11T17:49:38.567-05:00Lactation Cookies/ Breakfast Bars V2I have almost perfected last week's recipe. I'm trying to figure out a way to add more protein and fiber, but for now, this version is much tastier and the texture is much better than last weeks. Since I'm going back to work this week, these will become my breakfast and afternoon snack. (changed amounts are highlighted):<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #555544; font-family: tahoma, 'Trebuchet MS', lucida, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #555544; font-family: tahoma, 'Trebuchet MS', lucida, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Preheat oven to </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555544; font-family: tahoma, 'Trebuchet MS', lucida, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;">325</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">In a small cup, mix 2T flax meal and 4T water</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">Cream together:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">3/4c Virgin coconut oil</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;">3/4 </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">c white sugar</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;">1 c </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">brown sugar</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">2T Stevia + 2T molasses (or another 1/4c brown sugar)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">1/4c peanut butter (we use fresh, just crushed peanuts, no salt or sugar)</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">Add in :</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">2 large eggs</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">1 t vanilla extract</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">flax meal slurry</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">and cream until fluffy.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">Mix in a separate bowl:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">2t salt</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">1t baking soda</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;">1.5</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> c unbleached all purpose flour</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;">1/2 </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">c brewers yeast or nutritional yeast flakes</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">Add wet ingredients to dry and mix well. Add in:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;">4c</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> old fashioned oats</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">1c raisins</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">1/2 c</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;"> sliced almonds</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">Spread mixture into a parchment lined sheet cake pan or cookie sheet and bake for </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;">30-35</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> minutes, until browned. Cool completely and cut into 24 bars.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #555544; font-family: tahoma, 'Trebuchet MS', lucida, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #555544; font-family: tahoma, 'Trebuchet MS', lucida, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small; line-height: normal;"></span></span><br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 255px;"><tbody>
<tr><td colspan="3"><span style="font-size: x-small;">24 Servings<br />
</span></td></tr>
<tr height="5"><td bgcolor="black" colspan="3" height="5" nowrap="nowrap"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="30"><td colspan="3" height="30" nowrap="nowrap"><div align="center"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><b>Amount Per Serving</b></span></div></td></tr>
<tr bgcolor="#faffdc" height="3"><td bgcolor="black" colspan="3" height="3" nowrap="nowrap"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td colspan="2" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><b> Calories</b></span></td><td height="35" width="56"><span style="font-size: x-small;">258.5</span></td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="#D7D7F9" colspan="3"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td colspan="2" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><b> Total Fat</b></span></td><td height="35" width="56"><span style="font-size: x-small;">10.7</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> g</span></td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="#D7D7F9" colspan="3"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td height="35" width="16"> </td><td colspan="1" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Saturated Fat</span></td><td height="35" width="56"><span style="font-size: x-small;">6.5</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> g</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#D7D7F9" colspan="3" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td height="35" width="16"> </td><td colspan="1" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Polyunsaturated Fat</span></td><td height="35" width="56"><span style="font-size: x-small;">0.9</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> g</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#D7D7F9" colspan="3" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td height="35" width="16"> </td><td colspan="1" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Monounsaturated Fat</span></td><td height="35" width="56"><span style="font-size: x-small;">1.6</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> g</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#D7D7F9" colspan="3" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td colspan="2" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><b> Cholesterol</b></span></td><td height="35" width="56"><span style="font-size: x-small;">15.4</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> mg</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#D7D7F9" colspan="3" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td colspan="2" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><b> Sodium</b></span></td><td height="35" width="56"><span style="font-size: x-small;">267.4</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> mg</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#D7D7F9" colspan="3" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td colspan="2" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><b> Potassium</b></span></td><td height="35" width="56"><span style="font-size: x-small;">141.9</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> mg</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#D7D7F9" colspan="3" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td colspan="2" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><b> Total Carbohydrate</b></span></td><td height="35" width="56"><span style="font-size: x-small;">36.5</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> g</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#D7D7F9" colspan="3" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td height="35" width="16"> </td><td colspan="1" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Dietary Fiber</span></td><td height="35" width="56"><span style="font-size: x-small;">2.6</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> g</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#D7D7F9" colspan="3" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td height="35" width="16"> </td><td colspan="1" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Sugars</span></td><td height="35" width="56"><span style="font-size: x-small;">22.5</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> g</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#D7D7F9" colspan="3" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td colspan="2" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><b> Protein</b></span></td><td height="35" width="56"><span style="font-size: x-small;">4.8</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> g</span></td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="#D7D7F9" colspan="3"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 273px;"><tbody>
<tr height="3"><td bgcolor="black" colspan="2" height="3" nowrap="nowrap"></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="#EBEBFF" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Vitamin A</span></td><td bgcolor="#EBEBFF" height="33" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">0.5</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Vitamin B-12</span></td><td height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">0.7</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="#ebebff" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Vitamin B-6</span></td><td bgcolor="#ebebff" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">1.8</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Vitamin C</span></td><td height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">0.3</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="#EBEBFF" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Vitamin D</span></td><td bgcolor="#EBEBFF" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">0.8</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Vitamin E</span></td><td height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">2.9</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="#ebebff" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Calcium</span></td><td bgcolor="#ebebff" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">3.4</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Copper</span></td><td height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">5.0</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="#EBEBFF" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Folate</span></td><td bgcolor="#EBEBFF" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">3.2</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="white" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Iron</span></td><td bgcolor="white" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">9.2</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="#ebebff" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Magnesium</span></td><td bgcolor="#ebebff" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">3.4</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="white" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Manganese</span></td><td bgcolor="white" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">7.2</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="#EBEBFF" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Niacin</span></td><td bgcolor="#EBEBFF" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">2.7</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Pantothenic Acid </span></td><td height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">0.2</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="#ebebff" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Phosphorus </span></td><td bgcolor="#ebebff" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">2.7</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="white" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Riboflavin</span></td><td bgcolor="white" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">2.2</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="#ebebff" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Selenium</span></td><td bgcolor="#ebebff" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">1.0</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Thiamin</span></td><td height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">3.5</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="#ebebff" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Zinc</span></td><td bgcolor="#ebebff" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">1.0</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 255px;"><tbody>
<tr><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 257px;"><tbody>
<tr height="3"><td align="center" bgcolor="black" height="3" width="257"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr><td align="center" width="257"></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #555544; font-family: tahoma, 'Trebuchet MS', lucida, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span>SarahPLizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14487604677008278734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579352995749757088.post-75556108402417886872011-09-05T18:15:00.000-05:002011-09-05T18:15:27.927-05:00Got Milk? Need Some?So it seems that the holy grail of breastfeeding is a surefire way to increase your supply, without medication (domperidone). Lets face it, Mother's Milk tea (fenugreek) is just plain gross, and can have the side effect of lowering your blood sugar too much, or so the lactation consultant at the ER told me. I love oatmeal, but eating it 3-5x a day is not on my list of things I like to do. Of course you have to drink tons of water, take your vitamins, and get plenty to eat, but everything else is a crap shoot.<br />
<br />
Then I came upon this recipe for <a href="http://rumbleinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2009/01/oatmeal-chocolate-chip-cookies-aka.html">Lactation Cookies.</a> Hmmmm, cookies you say? I can deal with that! The ingredients that differentiate these from regular oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are the brewers yeast and flax meal, which have special properties that are supposed to support lactation. I thought I'd give them a try.<br />
<br />
Notice the first ingredient is butter, however. I, and some of my fellow lactators, try to reduce dairy in our diets for the purpose of helping our babies have less gas and general yucky tummy. I read several articles lately about the health benefits of using coconut oil in low temperature cooking applications, in the place of butter or other oils. Apparently, the healthiest one is the virgin coconut oil, but it still tastes like coconut. YOu can get possibly hydrogenated coconut oil from large manufacturers like LouAna, but that was not recommended in the articles I read, even though those more processed oils have less coconut taste. I'm not a fan of coconut, but I figured I'd give it a try.<br />
<br />
I altered the original recipe to include some natural sugar substitute, and take out the chocolate. I also added raisins and pepitas (dry roasted, unsalted pumpkin seeds). I just plain like raisins with oatmeal, and the pepitas have more protein than any other seed/nut available in the bulk section of my local grocery. I also added a bit of peanut butter, just because... well, why not! I plan to use these as breakfast bars so I don't have to actually make oatmeal to eat in the morning. Between feeding, pumping, and getting us both ready to get out of the house, I need something quick and nutritious.<br />
<br />
So without further ado:<br />
Preheat oven to 350<br />
<br />
In a small cup, mix 2T flax meal and 4T water<br />
<br />
Cream together:<br />
3/4c Virgin coconut oil<br />
1 c white sugar<br />
3/4c brown sugar<br />
2T Stevia + 2T molasses (or another 1/4c brown sugar)<br />
1/4c peanut butter (we use fresh, just crushed peanuts, no salt or sugar)<br />
<br />
Add in :<br />
2 large eggs<br />
1 t vanilla extract<br />
flax meal slurry<br />
<br />
and cream until fluffy.<br />
<br />
Mix in a separate bowl:<br />
2t sal<br />
1t baking soda<br />
2c unbleached all purpose flour<br />
1/4c brewers yeast or nutritional yeast flakes<br />
<br />
Add wet ingredients to dry and mix well. Add in:<br />
3c old fashioned oats<br />
1c raisins<br />
1/2 c pepitas<br />
<br />
Spread mixture into a parchment lined sheet cake pan or cookie sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes, until browned. Cool completely and cut into 24 bars.<br />
<br />
The nutrition info didn't turn out like I thought it would, but you have to remember that while the coconut oil is technically a saturated fat, its a different type of saturated fat (medium chain) from normal animal fats (long chain) and are therefore better for you.<br />
<br />
They ended up tasting pretty good, but a little cakey for my taste. Next time, I'll probably go with just a cup and a half of flour, and add more oats. Also, the pepitas were a bit overpowering, so I might use almonds even though they don't have as much protein. I may also experiment by decreasing the white sugar and increasing the stevia and molasses combination, as that would also help the iron content.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"></span><br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 255px;"><tbody>
<tr><td colspan="3"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> 24 Servings<br />
</span></td></tr>
<tr height="5"><td bgcolor="black" colspan="3" height="5" nowrap="nowrap"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="30"><td colspan="3" height="30" nowrap="nowrap"><div align="center"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><b>Amount Per Serving</b></span></div></td></tr>
<tr bgcolor="#faffdc" height="3"><td bgcolor="black" colspan="3" height="3" nowrap="nowrap"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td colspan="2" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><b> Calories</b></span></td><td height="35" width="56"><span style="font-size: x-small;">246.7</span></td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="#D7D7F9" colspan="3"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td colspan="2" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><b> Total Fat</b></span></td><td height="35" width="56"><span style="font-size: x-small;">9.7</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> g</span></td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="#D7D7F9" colspan="3"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td height="35" width="16"> </td><td colspan="1" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Saturated Fat</span></td><td height="35" width="56"><span style="font-size: x-small;">6.4</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> g</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#D7D7F9" colspan="3" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td height="35" width="16"> </td><td colspan="1" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Polyunsaturated Fat</span></td><td height="35" width="56"><span style="font-size: x-small;">0.7</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> g</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#D7D7F9" colspan="3" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td height="35" width="16"> </td><td colspan="1" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Monounsaturated Fat</span></td><td height="35" width="56"><span style="font-size: x-small;">0.9</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> g</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#D7D7F9" colspan="3" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td colspan="2" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><b> Cholesterol</b></span></td><td height="35" width="56"><span style="font-size: x-small;">15.4</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> mg</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#D7D7F9" colspan="3" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td colspan="2" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><b> Sodium</b></span></td><td height="35" width="56"><span style="font-size: x-small;">274.1</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> mg</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#D7D7F9" colspan="3" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td colspan="2" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><b> Potassium</b></span></td><td height="35" width="56"><span style="font-size: x-small;">131.7</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> mg</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#D7D7F9" colspan="3" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td colspan="2" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><b> Total Carbohydrate</b></span></td><td height="35" width="56"><span style="font-size: x-small;">34.0</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> g</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#D7D7F9" colspan="3" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td height="35" width="16"> </td><td colspan="1" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Dietary Fiber</span></td><td height="35" width="56"><span style="font-size: x-small;">2.0</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> g</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#D7D7F9" colspan="3" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td height="35" width="16"> </td><td colspan="1" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Sugars</span></td><td height="35" width="56"><span style="font-size: x-small;">21.5</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> g</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#D7D7F9" colspan="3" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td colspan="2" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><b> Protein</b></span></td><td height="35" width="56"><span style="font-size: x-small;">4.2</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> g</span></td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="#D7D7F9" colspan="3"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 273px;"><tbody>
<tr height="3"><td bgcolor="black" colspan="2" height="3" nowrap="nowrap"></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="#EBEBFF" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Vitamin A</span></td><td bgcolor="#EBEBFF" height="33" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">0.5</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Vitamin B-12</span></td><td height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">0.7</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="#ebebff" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Vitamin B-6</span></td><td bgcolor="#ebebff" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">1.7</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Vitamin C</span></td><td height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">0.3</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="#EBEBFF" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Vitamin D</span></td><td bgcolor="#EBEBFF" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">0.8</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Vitamin E</span></td><td height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">0.3</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="#ebebff" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Calcium</span></td><td bgcolor="#ebebff" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">2.7</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Copper</span></td><td height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">4.0</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="#EBEBFF" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Folate</span></td><td bgcolor="#EBEBFF" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">3.9</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="white" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Iron</span></td><td bgcolor="white" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">8.4</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="#ebebff" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Magnesium</span></td><td bgcolor="#ebebff" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">2.7</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="white" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Manganese</span></td><td bgcolor="white" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">4.6</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="#EBEBFF" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Niacin</span></td><td bgcolor="#EBEBFF" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">3.0</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Pantothenic Acid </span></td><td height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">0.2</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="#ebebff" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Phosphorus </span></td><td bgcolor="#ebebff" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">1.8</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="white" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Riboflavin</span></td><td bgcolor="white" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">1.3</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="#ebebff" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Selenium</span></td><td bgcolor="#ebebff" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">0.8</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Thiamin</span></td><td height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">4.0</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="#ebebff" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Zinc</span></td><td bgcolor="#ebebff" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">1.5</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
SarahPLizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14487604677008278734noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579352995749757088.post-62710443836924994202011-02-28T19:37:00.000-06:002011-02-28T19:37:20.046-06:00Recipe Review- Breaded Tandoori ChickenWow, its been a while, hasn't it. Much has changed. I learned that cooking ahead doesn't work for us. In my early stages of this pregnancy, I couldn't even grocery shop more than 2 days worth at a time because I had no idea what I'd be willing to eat that far in advance. Now things have calmed down, so I'm trying out some new recipes.<br />
<br />
At some point I signed up for a subscription to <a href="http://www.cleaneatingmag.com/">Clean Eating Magazine</a>. They haven't posted this recipe for <a href="http://dinnerwithsarah.blogspot.com/2011/02/baked-tandoori-chicken.html">Breaded Tandoori Chicken</a> yet, and I tweaked it to add some much needed salt (sorry, its so true), so I have to retype it anyway. I'll also admit that I didn't make the veggies because I can't stomach any more carrots today. I plan to use the veggie portion with another recipe later, though.<br />
<br />
This was pretty easy to make, despite all the steps and the limited space in my kitchen. Prep is key. In short, I loved it, and I'll make it again, for these reasons:<br />
<br />
<ol><li>What is not to like about toasted pita with feta? nothing, I tell you. It was the best part!</li>
<li>The chicken was insanely delicious for chicken, which I haven't been able to stomach for weeks now. It was very flavorful.</li>
<li>I want to re-try the tandoori sauce with a finer dice of onions, so its not so chunky. I have a problem with the texture I got. </li>
<li>The boy loved it. Hands down, no complaints, loved it. That's good enough for me. </li>
</ol><br />
So try it, love it, or let me know what you think. I'm generally not very excited about Indian food or curry, but this was awesome.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://dinnerwithsarah.blogspot.com/2011/02/baked-tandoori-chicken.html">Baked Tandoori Chicken</a>SarahPLizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14487604677008278734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579352995749757088.post-90274434086544902892011-02-28T19:34:00.000-06:002011-02-28T19:34:06.163-06:00Baked Tandoori ChickenAdapted from <a href="http://www.cleaneatingmag.com/">Clean Eating Magazine</a>, March 2011, page 74<br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
3 whole wheat pitas<br />
4 oz reduced fat feta cheese<br />
2 tsp curry powder, divided<br />
2 egg whites<br />
1/2 lb green beans, trimmed<br />
2 large carrots, cut into 1 in long matchsticks (or precut, whatever)<br />
3 tsp olive oil, divided<br />
1/2 tsp ground ginger<br />
1 small, tiny yellow onion, finely diced<br />
4 cloves garlic, pressed or finely diced<br />
4 oz nonfat plain greek yogurt<br />
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, butterflied until 1/2" thick, cut into at least 4 portions<br />
Dried parsley for garnish<br />
2 dashes of salt<br />
<br />
Directions:<br />
<br />
<ul><li>Preheat overn to 350 F. Use a knife to cut along the edges of 2 pitas, separating each into 2 circular halves. Lay 4 halves on a baking sheet or 2, and crumble 1 oz feta on each pita. Bake for 15 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside. Sprinkle with dried parsley</li>
<li>Rip remaining pita into bitesize pieces and pulse in a food processor until the pieces have become medium-fine bread crumbs. In a flat bottomed bowl, combine the bread crumbs with 1 tsp curry powder and a dash of kosher salt. Place egg whites in another flat bottomed bowl, beat until frothy with a fork, and set aside both bowls.</li>
<li>Fill a medium pot halfway with water and bring to a boil on high heat. Add beans and carrots. Reduce heat to medium high and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain. Toss in 1 tsp oil and ginger and set aside.</li>
<li>Heat one tsp oil in a medium skillet on medium for one minute. Add onion and cook for 3 minutes. Add garlic and remaining tsp of curry, and a dash of salt and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat, stir in yogurt, and set aside. </li>
<li>Heat one tsp oil in a large nonstick pan for 1 minute. (I used stainless, but it burnt, so go for the nonstick). Dip the chicken in egg white, then into the bread crumbs, and then directly into the pan. You may need to do this in batches. Cook 3 minutes on one side and 2 minutes on the other, or until done. The thinner you butterflied your chicken the faster it will go. </li>
<li>Serve 4oz of the chicken (so 1/4 of the total) with 2 tbsp tandoori sauce (yogurt), 1 pita half, and 1/2 cup of the beans/carrots</li>
</ul><div>Nutrition Info:</div><div>Calories: 333</div><div>Total Fat: 9g</div><div>Sat Fat: 3g</div><div>Monounsaturated Fat: 3g</div><div>Polyunsaturated Fat 1g</div><div>Carbs 38g</div><div>Fiber 5g</div><div>Sugars 4g</div><div>Protein 40g</div><div>Sodium +612mg (because I added a little salt)</div><div>Cholesterol 75mg</div>SarahPLizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14487604677008278734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579352995749757088.post-5798973090766677052010-07-25T14:39:00.000-05:002010-07-25T14:39:24.918-05:00Hungry TeenagersThe bootcamp I attend has a summer camp for kids. Its 3 1-week sessions. The teenaged counselors are paid peanuts to come help with the camp, which provides lots of scholarships for the campers. They make no money, and even lose money every year, but they do it for the kids.<br />
<br />
The director is one of my trainers and he asked for volunteers to cook for the kids each Monday and Tuesday. They are staying at the home of the head bootcamp trainer and her mother, and have presumably been eating cold cuts or PB&J for the rest of the week, as I know the head trainer does not cook.<br />
<br />
I volunteered for 2 Mondays and a Sunday. Last Monday, I made B<a href="http://dinnerwithsarah.blogspot.com/2010/07/baked-ziti.html">aked Ziti</a>, inspired by a recipe by Knottie Rosie109, green salad, and these lovely <a href="http://dinnerwithsarah.blogspot.com/2010/07/cupcakes-that-love-you-back.html">Lemon Cupcakes</a> decorated with lemon Jelly Bellies.<br />
<br />
This week, I decided to make <a href="http://dinnerwithsarah.blogspot.com/2010/07/easy-crock-pot-french-dip-sandwiches.html">French Dip Sandwiches</a>, Sweet Potato French Fries, chocolate <a href="http://dinnerwithsarah.blogspot.com/2010/07/cake-mix-cookies.html">Cake Mix Cookies</a> with white chocolate chips, and<a href="http://dinnerwithsarah.blogspot.com/2010/07/lemon-meltaway-cookies.html"> Lemon Meltaways</a>.<br />
<br />
I have an issue with actually cooking the 2 rump roasts, as I have a small crock pot and can only cook one roast at a time. I guess I'll cook one this afternoon and one overnight and just combine and heat them before I bring them to the kids. I'm also afraid that they will have non-toasted bread and non-melted cheese, but I'm sure they will still be grateful.<br />
<br />
Now off to cut up 14 lbs of sweet potatoes. Wish me luck!!SarahPLizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14487604677008278734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579352995749757088.post-68480161176861543922010-07-25T14:33:00.002-05:002010-07-25T19:23:03.390-05:00Lemon Meltaway CookiesRepost from <a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Lemon-Meltaways-2/Detail.aspx">this</a> recipe on Allrecipes.com. Reportedly yields 30 cookies, but I guess I made them small because I got about 45<br />
<br />
<br />
3/4 cup butter (no substitutes), softened<br />
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar<br />
1 teaspoon lemon juice<br />
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour<br />
1/2 cup cornstarch<br />
FROSTING:<br />
1/4 cup butter, softened<br />
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar<br />
1 teaspoon lemon juice<br />
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel<br />
3 drops yellow food coloring (optional)<br />
<br />
1- In a mixing bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy; beat in lemon juice.<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>2- Combine the flour and cornstarch; gradually add to the creamed mixture.</div><div><br />
</div><div>3-Shape into two 8-in. rolls; wrap each roll in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm.</div><div><br />
</div><div>4-Unwrap and cut into 1/4-inch slices. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. </div><div><br />
</div><div>5-Bake at 350 degrees F for 8-12 minutes or until the cookies are firm to the touch. Remove to wire racks to cool.</div><div><br />
6- For frosting, in a small mixing bowl, combine the butter, confectioners' sugar, lemon juice, lemon peel and food coloring if desired; beat until smooth. Frost cooled cookies.</div>SarahPLizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14487604677008278734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579352995749757088.post-41055097998193006122010-07-25T14:30:00.001-05:002010-07-25T14:34:27.383-05:00Cake Mix CookiesI don't know about you, but random cake mixes are a pantry staple in my house. If you are in a bind for cookies (surprise! there's a bakesale at school tomorrow, mom), Cake Mix cookies are a life saver.Makes about 2 dozen, depending on how big you make them and how much batter you eat.<br />
<br />
1 boxed cake mix (whatever flavor you want or have on hand)<br />
1 stick of butter, softened but not melted<br />
2 eggs, beaten<br />
1 cup of chips (chocolate, white chocolate, peppermint, butterscotch, etc) or nuts<br />
<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 350.<br />
<br />
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl until moistened thoroughly. Portion by spoonful on a ungreased cookie sheet.<br />
<br />
Bake for 10 minutes and then allow to cook for at least 5 minutes on the pan before attempting to remove them to a cooling rack. They will be very soft and will fall apart if they are too hot. If it makes you feel better, you can cool them completely on the cookie sheet.SarahPLizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14487604677008278734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579352995749757088.post-39945418843669578552010-07-25T14:19:00.001-05:002010-07-25T14:34:44.967-05:00Easy Crock Pot French Dip SandwichesAdapted from AllRecipes.com user lonwolf32<br />
<br />
Reportedly yields 9 servings:<br />
<br />
4 pounds rump roast<br />
1 (10.5 ounce) can beef broth<br />
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed<br />
1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed French onion soup<br />
1 (12 fluid ounce) bottle of Guiness<br />
9 slices of provolone<br />
9 French rolls<br />
<br />
Trim excess fat from the rump roast, and place in a slow cooker. Add the beef broth, garlic, onion soup and beer. Cook on Low setting for 7 hours.<br />
<br />
Remove the meat from the slow cooker, slice diagonally, and place back in the sauce. Leave this in the slow cooker up to 1 additional hour on low.<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), Split French rolls, and top with cheese. Bake 10 minutes, or until heated through and cheese is melted. Place beef in roll and use au jus for dipping.SarahPLizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14487604677008278734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579352995749757088.post-22138975304802189142010-07-25T14:10:00.001-05:002010-07-25T14:34:59.290-05:00Baked ZitiThis recipe was inspired by a recipe from Knottie Rosie109. I initially tripled it to feed 20 people (with leftovers). This one makes 8 generous servings.<br />
<br />
1 lb whole wheat penne pasta (or ziti)<br />
24 oz container of fat free ricotta cheese<br />
8oz shredded mozzarella cheese<br />
1 large jar Prego spaghetti sauce<br />
1 lb extra lean ground beef<br />
1 clove garlic, diced or pressed<br />
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese<br />
1 egg<br />
<br />
1- Preheat oven to 400.<br />
<br />
2- Brown the ground beef with the garlic and drain. Cook the pasta in boiling, well salted water until al-dente (approx 8 minutes). Drain and rinse the pasta under cold water.<br />
<br />
3- Beat the egg in a large bowl. Add in the ricotta, salt, 3/4 the mozzarella and 1/2 the spaghetti sauce.<br />
<br />
4- Add the hamburger and pasta and mix well.<br />
<br />
5- Place the whole mixture in a greased lasagna or 9x13 pan. Top with remaining spaghetti sauce and mozzarella, and the entire amount of Parmesan.<br />
<br />
6- At this point, you can either refrigerate for cooking the next day, or bake for 30 minutes, or until bubbly and brown. If you refrigerate, increase the cooking time by 15 minutes to account for the initial temperature difference. Allow to rest 10 minutes before cutting.SarahPLizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14487604677008278734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579352995749757088.post-28884451578086325502010-07-18T17:11:00.000-05:002010-07-18T17:11:25.263-05:00Cupcakes that love you back!I love sweets. It is an addiction, for sure. I have always loved candies and cakes, but alas, they do not love me back. In the past year, I have discovered the secret to low fat baking, and NO, it is not applesauce.<br />
<br />
Applesauce contains too much water and really doesn't give the creaminess or tenderness you get baking with oil and butter. I can always tell when something was made with applesauce.<br />
<br />
My secret weapon: <b>Fat Free Greek Yogurt! </b><br />
It can be subbed in most baking recipes for oil (1:1) and egg yolks (1 tbsp per yolk). It adds calcium and protein and totally replaces the fat in the oil and egg yolks. It is amazing, and the texture is fluffy and moist.<br />
<br />
I used this secret when I made 300+ cakeballs for Christmas, and it was on point. I didn't feel so guilty tasting my handiwork when I was done, although I should have stopped at just 1 : / <br />
<br />
I am making cupcakes for some hungry teenagers tomorrow night, so this is my recipe:<br />
1 Duncan Hines Lemon Cake Mix<br />
1 c water<br />
1/2 c + 3 tbsp Fat Free Greek Yogurt<br />
3 large egg whites<br />
<br />
I always mix the wet ingredients together with the mixer first, to add some volume to the egg whites. Then I add the cake mix and just mix and bake according to the box directions.<br />
<br />
When frosted generously with Betty Crocker Fluffy White Frosting from the dry mix, each cupcake is only 120 calories, 1.5g fat, 24g carbs, 10.3g sugars, and 2.3g protein.<br />
<br />
We'll see how the kids like them tomorrow!SarahPLizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14487604677008278734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579352995749757088.post-53653662178686757942010-07-16T09:00:00.000-05:002010-07-16T09:00:00.151-05:00Smoothie ThrowdownLast night I was challenged to a Smoothie Throwdown by one of my bootcamp trainers. I am assuming he was joking, because no one can beat this one as a post workout meal. <br />
<br />
<strong>Super Duper Strawberry Smoothie:</strong><br />
1 cup HEB Mootopia Milk (Skim)<br />
3 heaping tbsp <a href="http://www.genisoy.com/HostedStore.LassoApp?-ResponseLassoApp=detail.lasso&ID=15808e89a0c65254">MLO Super High Protein Powder</a><br />
2 tbsp <a href="http://www.naturesway.com/?pid=15395">Alive Whole Food Energizer Liquid Vitamin</a><br />
2/3 cup frozen blueberries (unsweetened, I freeze my own to be sure)<br />
6 medium strawberries, frozen (also unsweetened, frozen by me)<br />
1 tsp granulated stevia (natural sweetener, no calories)<br />
<br />
Whiz it all up in the <a href="http://ninjablender.org/">Ninja</a>, and enjoy. I don't know any premixed smoothie on the market that can beat this one: no added sugar, no artificial sweeteners, a bazillion vitamins and minerals.. and it tastes good! Look at the nutrition on this bad boy:<br />
<br />
Calories 295.2 <br />
Total Fat 1.3 g <br />
Cholesterol 5.0 mg <br />
Sodium 401.5 mg <br />
Potassium 284.7 mg <br />
Total Carbohydrate 28.6 g <br />
Dietary Fiber 4.2 g <br />
Sugars 23.7 g <br />
Protein 39.1 g <br />
<br />
Vitamin A 247.3 % <br />
Vitamin B-12 3,368.0 % <br />
Vitamin B-6 2,538.9 % <br />
Vitamin C 1,790.7 % <br />
Vitamin D 125.0 % <br />
Vitamin E 707.3 % <br />
Calcium 86.6 % <br />
Copper 139.7 % <br />
Folate 119.7 % <br />
Iron 57.4 % <br />
Magnesium 43.0 % <br />
Manganese 273.9 % <br />
Niacin 662.5 % <br />
Pantothenic Acid 1,288.3 % <br />
Phosphorus 32.4 % <br />
Riboflavin 1,511.6 % <br />
Selenium 131.5 % <br />
Thiamin 1,706.0 % <br />
Zinc 136.3 % <br />
<br />
So bring your blender, Brandon.. its on!SarahPLizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14487604677008278734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579352995749757088.post-87978637785880199532010-07-10T16:16:00.001-05:002010-07-10T16:17:41.781-05:00Mmmm... Soda!In an effort to stay away from artificial sweetners and excess sugar, I haven't had a soda, diet or otherwise in about 5 months. I feel great, but I just really miss burping sometimes. Last night I experimented with creating my own Sprite-like drink, with no sugar or artificial sweetners. I have now perfected it, and I think it is pretty darn awesome. <br />
<br />
I started with a 20oz water bottle, and squeezed half a lemon and half a lime into the bottom. I then mixed in 1.5 tsp of granulated <a href="http://www.truvia.com/">Stevia</a>, which is a NATURAL calorie free sweetner, made from the extract of a leaf. I added regular old plain club soda to fill the bottle, and voila! Yummy Soda!!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.zevia.com/products_twist.html">Zevia </a>makes a lemon lime soda sweetened with Stevia, but it costs upwards of $1/can, and doesn't taste as good or as fresh as mine. I am so happy I can make my own version, fairly cheaply, without all the calories OR artificial stuff.SarahPLizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14487604677008278734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579352995749757088.post-68634308231892023352010-07-09T13:58:00.001-05:002010-07-09T13:59:24.971-05:00Supercharged BreakfastSome of you who know me personally know that I go to bootcamp every morning before work. When I get home, I don't have any time to eat, even though I should eat right after I work out. For 2 weeks now I have been making protein smoothies for breakfast, so I can sip on them on my way to work. Normally, I want to chew something, and my hunger is not satisfied with drinks. However, I've perfected a smoothie that is so thick its is almost like ice cream. Its thick enough that it actually satisfies my need to chew. <br />
<br />
In our new Ninja blender (thanks to R's father), I whoosh together the following:<br />
1 cup milk<br />
3 heaping tbsp <a href="http://www.genisoy.com/HostedStore.LassoApp?-ResponseLassoApp=detail.lasso&ID=15808e89a0c65254">MLO Super Protein Powder</a><br />
2 tbsp <a href="http://www.naturesway.com/?pid=15395">Alive Whole Food Energizer Liquid</a><br />
6 peach slices, frozen<br />
3/4 cup blue berries, frozen<br />
<br />
<br />
The nutritional info on this is freakishly awesome:<br />
310 cal, 1.4g fat, 372 mg sodium, 733mg potassium, 42.5 g carbs, 5.5 g fiber, 32 g protein and at least 100% if not more, of all of the RDA listed vitamins and minerals. <br />
<br />
My frugal tip: Buy peaches and blueberries in season and freeze them yourself. Peel and slice the peaches, and wash and dry the blueberries on a paper towel. Lay each in a single layer on a cookie sheet and place in the freezer for at least an hour. Take them out, store them in an airtight container or bag in the freezer, and you'll always have frozen fruit on hand. The same method works for most berries and fruits that I know of. I haven't tried bananas frozen in slices yet, but I might this week. We'll see!<br />
<br />
P.S. Those vitamins kick major butt. I haven't had caffeine in months, and I am WIRED by the time I get to work, just off of the vitamins in that smoothie. Amazing!SarahPLizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14487604677008278734noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579352995749757088.post-34081908692854493782010-07-04T18:33:00.001-05:002010-07-04T18:36:27.481-05:00The Omnivore HundredI copied this from <a href="http://wifeonabudget.blogspot.com/">Wife on a Budget</a>, who got it from <a href="http://www.verygoodtaste.co.uk/archives/399">Very Good Taste</a>:<br />
<br />
<em>Here are the directions:</em><em><br />
</em><br />
<em>Below is a list of 100 things that I think every good omnivore should have tried at least once in their life. The list includes fine food, strange food, everyday food and even some pretty bad food – but a good omnivore should really try it all. Don’t worry if you haven’t, mind you; neither have I, though I’ll be sure to work on it. Don’t worry if you don’t recognise everything in the hundred, either; Wikipedia has the answers. </em><br />
<em><br />
</em><br />
<em>Here’s what I want you to do:</em><br />
<em>1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.</em><br />
<em>2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.</em><br />
<em>3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.</em><br />
<strong>SarahPLiz's Omnivore Hundred</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>1. Venison</strong><br />
2. Nettle tea<br />
<strong>3. Huevos rancheros</strong><br />
4. Steak tartare<br />
<strong>5. Crocodile (Alligator)</strong><br />
6. Black pudding<br />
<strong>7. Cheese fondue</strong><br />
<strong>8. Carp</strong><br />
9. Borscht<br />
<strong>10. Baba ghanoush</strong><br />
<strong>11. Calamari</strong><br />
<strong>12. Pho</strong><br />
<strong>13. PB&J sandwich</strong><br />
14. Aloo gobi<br />
<strong>15. Hot dog from a street cart</strong><br />
16. Epoisses<br />
17. Black truffle<br />
<strong>18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes</strong><br />
<strong>19. Steamed pork buns</strong><br />
<strong>20. Pistachio ice cream</strong><br />
<strong>21. Heirloom tomatoes</strong><br />
<strong>22. Fresh wild berries</strong><br />
<strong>23. Foie gras</strong><br />
<strong>24. Rice and beans</strong><br />
<strike>25. Brawn, or head cheese</strike><br />
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper<br />
<strong>27. Dulce de leche</strong><br />
<strong>28. Oysters</strong><br />
<strong>29. Baklava</strong><br />
30. Bagna cauda<br />
31. Wasabi peas<br />
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl<br />
33. Salted lassi<br />
34. Sauerkraut<br />
<strong>35. Root beer float</strong><br />
<strike>36. Cognac with a fat cigar</strike><br />
37. Clotted cream tea<br />
<strong>38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O</strong><br />
<strong>39. Gumbo</strong><br />
40. Oxtail<br />
41. Curried goat<br />
<strike>42. Whole insects</strike><br />
43. Phaal<br />
44. Goat’s milk<br />
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more<br />
46. Fugu<br />
47. Chicken tikka masala<br />
48. Eel<br />
<strong>49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut</strong><br />
50. Sea urchin<br />
51. Prickly pear<br />
52. Umeboshi<br />
53. Abalone<br />
54. Paneer<br />
<strike>55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal</strike><br />
<strong>56. Spaetzle</strong><br />
57. Dirty gin martini<br />
58. Beer above 8% ABV<br />
59. Poutine<br />
<strong>60. Carob chips</strong><br />
<strong>61. S’mores</strong><br />
<strike>62. Sweetbreads</strike><br />
63. Kaolin<br />
64. Currywurst<br />
<strike>65. Durian</strike><br />
<strong>66. Frogs’ legs</strong><br />
<strong>67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake</strong><br />
68. Haggis<br />
<strong>69. Fried plantain</strong><br />
<strike>70. Chitterlings, or andouillette</strike><br />
<strong>71. Gazpacho</strong><br />
72. Caviar and blini<br />
73. Louche absinthe<br />
74. Gjetost, or brunost<br />
75. Roadkill<br />
76. Baijiu<br />
<strong>77. Hostess Fruit Pie</strong><br />
78. Snail<br />
79. Lapsang souchong<br />
80. Bellini<br />
81. Tom yum<br />
<strong>82. Eggs Benedict</strong><br />
83. Pocky<br />
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.<br />
85. Kobe beef<br />
<strong>86. Hare</strong><br />
<strong>87. Goulash</strong><br />
<strong>88. Flowers</strong><br />
89. Horse<br />
90. Criollo chocolate<br />
91. Spam<br />
<strong>92. Soft shell crab</strong><br />
93. Rose harissa<br />
<strong>94. Catfish</strong><br />
95. Mole poblano<br />
96. Bagel and lox<br />
97. Lobster Thermidor<br />
<strong>98. Polenta</strong><br />
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee<br />
<strong>100. Snake</strong>SarahPLizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14487604677008278734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579352995749757088.post-49845707397427067022010-07-03T11:14:00.000-05:002010-07-03T11:14:17.829-05:00Well, its been a whileOur schedule got all messed up with an impromptu trip to Florida a couple weekends ago to visit R's family. We got to go snorkeling, but I didn't get to plan a menu or even go grocery shopping on the weekend. Also, work has been getting really hectic. I think this is going to change my plan, as during the week we really don't eat from a recipe. I really don't see a grilled chicken breast and steamed broccoli as a recipe. My new goal is to post 2 recipes that I will be making that week, and I'll try to remember to take pictures and edit the recipes with the pictures after I make them. <br />
<br />
This week I'll be using a tried and true <a href="http://dinnerwithsarah.blogspot.com/2010/07/Easy-Italian-Beef.html">Italian Beef</a> recipe, which can be served with rice or on a crusty roll with some provolone for a kick-but sandwich. The original recipe calls for a 3-4 lb chuck roast, but I don't think that will even fit in my crock pot, so we'll go for half that recipe. I don't want to have to throw it out because we didn't eat it all. I have made this recipe before, but was reminded of its <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">yumminess</span> by a friend this weekend. Now I am all excited about it. <br />
<br />
I will also be trying a <a href="http://dinnerwithsarah.blogspot.com/2010/07/creamy-taco-mac.html">Creamy Taco Mac</a>, made with ground chicken and leftover salsa. This recipe is supposed to end up like Hamburger Helper, without the red meat (we'll have plenty of that) and preservatives. I am adapting it for our personal tastes from <a href="http://www.delish-blog.com/2010/03/creamy-taco-mac/">this</a> recipe on the <a href="http://www.delish-blog.com/"><span class="goog-spellcheck-word">Delish</span></a> blog, which is a new recipe source for me.SarahPLizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14487604677008278734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579352995749757088.post-88333962253901972362010-07-03T10:47:00.001-05:002010-07-04T18:34:56.437-05:00Creamy Taco Macmakes 4 servings, 441 calories and 46 grams of protein each. Adapted from Delish blog. <br />
<br />
<br />
1 lbs extra lean ground chicken breast <br />
<br />
8 oz quinoa pasta +1 cup pasta water<br />
1.5 cup fresh or canned salsa (we prefer Ana's)<br />
2 Tbsp mild taco seasoning<br />
3 oz fat free cream cheese <br />
1/2 cup nonfat greek yogurt<br />
salt & pepper<br />
1/3 cup cheddar cheese<br />
<br />
<br />
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook pasta per directions. Reserve one cup of pasta water.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Over medium heat, brown ground chicken until no longer pink. Add taco seasoning and salsa. Allow to simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Add cooked pasta, reserved water, cream cheese and sour cream. Give it a good stir until cheeses are melty and incorporated. Simmer over low heat for 2-3 minutes. Season with salt & pepper, as desired. Top off with cheddar cheese for extra cheesy goodness.SarahPLizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14487604677008278734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579352995749757088.post-42304721847456220672010-07-03T09:43:00.001-05:002010-07-04T18:34:56.443-05:00Easy Italian BeefThis recipe is SO easy, and relatively healthy for low-carb people. Chock full-o-protein. Makes 8 servings with approximately 350 calories and 33 grams of protein in each serving. <br />
<br />
1-2 tbsp olive oil<br />
2 lb chuck roast, trimmed<br />
4 garlic cloves, peeled and halved<br />
1 3/4 cup beef broth, low sodium<br />
3 tbsp Itailan seasoning<br />
1/2 of a 16 oz jar of pepperoncini peppers, with juice<br />
<br />
<br />
cut slits in the beef with a knife, just big enough to insert the garlic. In a heavy skillet or dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the roast and sear on all sides, including the ends, for 4-5 minutes per side.<br />
<br />
Dutch Oven cooking:<br />
Preheat oven to 275. After earing beef, remove the dutch oven from the heat and add the rest of the ingredients.Cover dutch oven and bake for 5-6 hours, until the meat is falling apart. <br />
<br />
Crock pot recipe:<br />
Remove the roast from the skillet and add it to the crockpot. Add the beef broth to the hot skillet and use it to deglaze the pan. Scrape up all the good yummy burnt bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the broth to the crockpot, along with the rest of the ingredients. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, until the meat is falling apart.<br />
<br />
<br />
Remove the meat from the pot, shred it with a fork, and then return it to the pot with all the juices.<br />
<br />
Serving suggestions: On rice, with juice as gravy, or on a crusty piece of baguette with cheese, to make a sandwich. I have also used it in tortillas for a twist on tacos, and it can be added to pasta for a quick leftovers meal. SarahPLizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14487604677008278734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579352995749757088.post-51189355434214493672010-06-13T17:42:00.000-05:002010-06-13T17:42:07.210-05:00Menu- Week of June 14, 2010Well, some of last week's recipes got not so hot reviews from R, but one was outstanding. He really liked the Sirloin Tips with Mushrooms, and requested a repeat performance this week. That's fine by me, because it was really easy to make.<br />
<br />
Another realization I have made is that R doesn't like leftovers, and won't bring his lunch, or come home to eat. I have tried rationalizing that it saves us money and is more nutritious, but we end up wasting money every week on food that goes bad because he won't eat it. This week, I will make only enough for me to have lunch for 4 days, and then our dinners for Sunday-Thursday.<br />
<br />
We leave for a weekend trip to Florida to see R's parents on Friday, so the menu is really short this week. I will probably end up posting next week's menu on next Monday, and it will be a rushed week anyway. I'm not looking forward to that. <br />
<br />
Without further delay, here is this week's menu:<br />
<br />
<strong>Sunday-</strong> <a href="http://dinnerwithsarah.blogspot.com/2010/06/sirloin-tips-with-mushrooms.html">Sirloin Tips with Mushrooms</a> (using the crock pot method, since I need my skillet for other things)<br />
<strong>Monday-</strong> <a href="http://dinnerwithsarah.blogspot.com/2010/06/chicken-spinach-lasagna.html">Chicken and Spinach Lasagna</a> (my lunch menu for the week)<br />
<strong>Tuesday-</strong> <a href="http://dinnerwithsarah.blogspot.com/2010/06/stuffed-portabellas.html">Stuffed Portabellas</a><br />
<strong>Wednesday-</strong> Grilled Chicken with <a href="http://dinnerwithsarah.blogspot.com/2010/06/mamaliga-and-beans.html">Mamaliga and Beans</a><br />
<strong>Thursday-</strong> Leftover lasagna and grilled chicken, and any veggies we have left in the fridge<br />
<br />
I have been told that I need to post pictures of these recipes, so I will post them as I make the recipes. Last week I found the camera battery and charger, so it should be all ready for this week. Enjoy!SarahPLizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14487604677008278734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579352995749757088.post-16518164536815008662010-06-13T17:31:00.000-05:002010-06-13T17:31:19.518-05:00Mamaliga and BeansMamaliga is the Romanian equivalent of Polenta, which is the Italian equivalent to thecorn meal mush my dad and Mema used to make me as a kid. It is used as a starch, an alternative to rice or bread. R's mom showed me how to make it quickly in the microwave, but I prefer my version on the stovetop. <br />
<br />
Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens "Polenta and Beans"<br />
Yeild 4 servings<br />
<br />
2 cups water<br />
1 cup milk<br />
1 cup yellow cornmeal<br />
1 cup water<br />
1 teaspoon kosher salt<br />
2 garlic cloves, pressed<br />
1 tsp butter<br />
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained<br />
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained<br />
1 cup bottled salsa with cilantro or other salsa<br />
3/4 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend (3 ounces)<br />
<br />
<br />
1.For mamaliga, in a large saucepan bring the 2 cups of water and 1 cup milk to boiling. In a medium bowl combine cornmeal, the 1 cup water, and salt. Stir cornmeal mixture slowly into the boiling water. Add garlic and butter. Cook and stir until mixture comes to boiling. Reduce heat to low. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes or until mixture is thick, stirring occasionally. If you can spin your spoon around in the middle, take it out, and see the bottom of the pot for about 5 seconds, its thick enough. <br />
<br />
2.Meanwhile, in a large skillet combine the beans, undrained tomatoes, and salsa. Bring mixture to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir 1/2 cup of the cheese into the polenta. Divide mamaliga among four shallow bowls. Top with the bean mixture and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.<br />
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I like to serve with a grilled chicken breast, but this can also be a vegetarian entree.SarahPLizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14487604677008278734noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579352995749757088.post-2193837694226188802010-06-13T17:20:00.000-05:002010-06-13T17:20:18.621-05:00Stuffed PortabellasAdapted from Sparkrecipes.com<br />
<br />
Yeild: 2 main dish or 4 side dish servings<br />
<br />
4 Portabella Mushroom caps (stems and gills removed with a spoon)<br />
1 large diced shallot<br />
1/4 c. red bell pepper, diced<br />
1/4 c. yellow bell pepper, diced<br />
1/2 c. zucchini, diced (with peel on)<br />
4 c. baby spinach (bagged, or remove stems from bunches)<br />
1 garlic clove, smashed<br />
4 Tbsp flax seed meal<br />
1 Tbsp olive oil<br />
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar<br />
1 roma tomato, sliced thin<br />
2 oz mozzarella cheese<br />
4 Tbsp shredded parmesan cheese<br />
<br />
1- Preheat oven to 450<br />
<br />
2- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium flame. Add shallot, bell peppers, and zucchini and saute for 1 minute.<br />
<br />
3- Add. the spinach and cook until tender, about 2-3 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and set aside<br />
<br />
4- Spray the bottom of each mushroom with non-stick spray, or brush with olive oil, and place on a cookie sheet. Heat the mushrooms in the oven 1-2 minutes, until they are just warm.<br />
<br />
5- Rub the inside of each mushroom with the smashed garlic clove, and sprinkle on the flax seed meal.<br />
<br />
6- Divide the veggie mixture and fill the mushrooms. Top with tomato slices and cheese. <br />
<br />
7- Bake about 6 minutes, or until the cheeese is melted and bubbly.<br />
<br />
8- Drizzle vinegar over the mushrooms before serving.SarahPLizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14487604677008278734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579352995749757088.post-42272146322738805972010-06-13T17:19:00.000-05:002010-06-13T17:19:08.451-05:00Chicken & Spinach LasagnaAdapted from Cooking Light March 2006 "Creamy Spinach Lasagna"<br />
Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 piece)<br />
<br />
Ingredients<br />
<br />
1 tablespoon olive oil<br />
2 1/4 cups chopped onion (about 2 medium)<br />
2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced<br />
1 lb ground chicken breast<br />
1 (16-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry<br />
1/3 cup all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 ounces)<br />
3 cups 2% reduced-fat milk<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper<br />
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper<br />
1 (26-ounce) jar marinara sauce, divided<br />
Cooking spray<br />
18 cooked whole wheat lasagna noodles, divided<br />
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided<br />
Parsley sprigs (optional)<br />
<br />
<br />
1- Preheat oven to 375°.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
2- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add ground chicken breast and cook or until onion is browned and chicken is cooked. Stir in garlic and spinach. Reduce heat, cover, and cook 3 minutes or until spinach is tender. Set aside.<br />
<br />
<br />
3- Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, milk, salt, black pepper, and red pepper in a small saucepan, stirring with a whisk. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer 1 minute, stirring frequently.<br />
<br />
4- Add 2 cups milk mixture to spinach mixture. Cover remaining milk mixture, and set aside.<br />
<br />
5- Spread 1/2 cup marinara sauce in bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.<br />
<br />
Layer as follows:<br />
3 noodles- 1/3 spinach & chicken- 3 noodles- 3/4 c marinara- 3/4 c cheese<br />
3 noodles- 1/3 spinach & chicken- 3 noodles- 3/4 c marinara- 3/4 c cheese<br />
3 noodles- 1/3 spinach & chicken- 3 noodles- remaining marinara- remaining milk mixture- remaining cheese. <br />
<br />
6- Bake at 375° for 50 minutes or until lasagna is browned on top. Garnish with parsley sprigs, if desired.SarahPLizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14487604677008278734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579352995749757088.post-5475968257367074402010-06-07T22:45:00.002-05:002010-06-14T15:35:50.656-05:00Chicken Pot Pie<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong>Note: after making this, I realized that it needs more flavor and some salt in the crust. Next time I'll try something different. If you come up with anything, please post a comment and let me know!</strong><br />
<br />
Adapted from Pampered Chef "It's Good For You" cookbook</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR8FmqjER59xPmp-UkqUBVLoHFSg_xWfsgR0v6ZEXNqzIp4rrSdeZB3E95HB6ExE7uiZGEEW8T3qrtu0JYZM71fLWfPosQBf4HkvUDLtsIMw0OS-80h9NO4LjNvyg8CoI3iLNGEX0lCio/s1600/chicken+pot+pie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR8FmqjER59xPmp-UkqUBVLoHFSg_xWfsgR0v6ZEXNqzIp4rrSdeZB3E95HB6ExE7uiZGEEW8T3qrtu0JYZM71fLWfPosQBf4HkvUDLtsIMw0OS-80h9NO4LjNvyg8CoI3iLNGEX0lCio/s400/chicken+pot+pie.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Yield: 6 servings</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Ingredients:</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">2 cups boneless skinless chicken breasts or tenders, cut into 1 in. pieces</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1 tbsp olive oil, divided in 2</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1 cup thin sliced carrots</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1/2 cup chopped sweet onion</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">2 cups broccoli florets (frozen baby spinach works well)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">2 tbsp water</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1 can low fat and sodium cream of chicken soup</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1/4 cup low fat milk</div>1 garlic clove, pressed or diced<br />
1/4 tsp. dried thyme<br />
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper<br />
<a href="http://shop.tonychachere.com/lite-seasoning-8-oz-p-21748.html">Tony <span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background: yellow;">Chachere's</span></a> to taste<br />
<br />
1 1/3 cups Heart Healthy Bisquick<br />
1/2 cup low fat milk<br />
a pinch of salt<br />
1 egg white<br />
<br />
1- Preheat oven to 400<br />
<br />
2- Heat a skillet over medium heat, with a little olive oil in the bottom (about 1/2 tbsp). Add the chicken and cook until it is just pink. Remove the chicken from the pan and add another 1/2 tbsp of olive oil.<br />
<br />
2- Add onions to the skillet and sweat them down (do not caramelize= no browning) until they are translucent. Add the garlic, then crank up the heat to medium-high and add the carrots, broccoli, and water . Cover and cook up to 5 minutes, until the water disappears. This should cook the carrots and broccoli until they are just tender-crisp. <br />
<br />
3- In a bowl, whisk together the soup, broth, milk, thyme and black pepper. Stir in chicken and vegetables and pour into a casserole pan of some sort. I have found that they type doesn't really matter, as long as the entire mixture and topping fit in it.<br />
<br />
4- Make the biscuit topping by combining the Bisquick, milk, and egg white until just moistened. Either roll out on a floured surface or use a spoon to scoop out the dough. Lay the rolled dough on top of the wet stuff in the casserole pan and cut a few slits to let the steam escape, or plop the scoops of dough out onto the top of the casserole, like a drop biscuit. <br />
<br />
5- Bake 30-35 minutes until the topping is brown and the filling is bubbling. to protect your oven from bubbling filling, put the casserole pan on a cookie sheet lined with foil (easy clean up).SarahPLizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14487604677008278734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579352995749757088.post-22081488126436175952010-06-07T22:43:00.000-05:002010-06-07T22:43:27.583-05:00Beef Tamale Bake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwhPy27lWIYtJa_oGm5Yo4SN-SRGdRh_fibGGgA2k7cnTCrFscpP2u0nnqHlonsa0lfUG5AxPFdLTPRIp5jCsROu9NQkRn7Lcha29l1nv0UoBL1QACL55BQGMgqgAwfIcuPLGEOub1aMo/s1600/tamale+casserole+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwhPy27lWIYtJa_oGm5Yo4SN-SRGdRh_fibGGgA2k7cnTCrFscpP2u0nnqHlonsa0lfUG5AxPFdLTPRIp5jCsROu9NQkRn7Lcha29l1nv0UoBL1QACL55BQGMgqgAwfIcuPLGEOub1aMo/s320/tamale+casserole+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Adapted from Pampered Chef "It's Good For You Cookbook"<br />
Yields 8 servings<br />
<br />
1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal<br />
1/2 cup all purpose flour<br />
1/2 tsp baking powder<br />
1/2 tsp salt<br />
1 cup hot tap water<br />
2 egg whites<br />
3 tbsp. melted butter (always the real thing, unsalted)<br />
<br />
1lb. extra lean ground beef<br />
3 tsp. chili powder<br />
1 tsp. cumin<br />
1 garlic clove, pressed or minced<br />
1 jar thick and chunky salsa (we like Ana's from the produce section)<br />
1 large (more than 15.5 oz) can of beans (black, pinto, kidney, whatever you have)<br />
1/2 cup shredded reduced fat Mexican blend cheese<br />
<br />
1- Preheat oven to 400. Spray or butter a 9x13 pan. <br />
<br />
2- Combine corn meal, flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Add the egg whites, water and butter and mix well. Spread the batter evenly in to the pan.<br />
<br />
3- In a large skillet over medium high heat, brown the ground beef with the cumin, chili powder, and garlic until it is no longer pink. Add the salsa and beans and bring to a boil. <br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">4- Spread the beef mixture over the cornmeal mixture and bake 30-35 minutes, until the crust begins to brown. Place a cookie sheet on the rack below the pan if you are worried about it bubbling over and getting the bottom of your oven all <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">grody</span>. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">5- Remove from oven, top with cheese, and let stand 5 minutes before cutting into 8 pieces. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><br />
<em>Amount Per Serving</em><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em>Calories 365.2 </em></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2m5Dw6rCuAQzwHlyqS2T2HoYU_aoj7PKrwXeLCvqzOPNYyhFv56ZSgqAjLCVi5XFkwJIJ5AduMEb6IdH7ww6k5-ZEfKulF5s6A5MyCM2_afVre1RzCsV4FCuQ-aj2glitfed6b2ySUIE/s1600/tamale+casserole+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2m5Dw6rCuAQzwHlyqS2T2HoYU_aoj7PKrwXeLCvqzOPNYyhFv56ZSgqAjLCVi5XFkwJIJ5AduMEb6IdH7ww6k5-ZEfKulF5s6A5MyCM2_afVre1RzCsV4FCuQ-aj2glitfed6b2ySUIE/s320/tamale+casserole+1.jpg" /></a><em>Total Fat 17.0 g </em></div><em>Saturated Fat 7.4 g </em><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em>Polyunsaturated Fat 1.0 g </em></div><em>Monounsaturated Fat 5.7 g </em><br />
<em>Cholesterol 55.8 mg </em><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em>Sodium 722.1 mg </em></div><em>Potassium 375.9 mg </em><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em>Total Carbohydrate 36.8 g </em></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em>Dietary Fiber 6.9 g </em></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em>Sugars 0.7 g </em></div><em>Protein 20.2 g </em>SarahPLizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14487604677008278734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579352995749757088.post-42819760965676026572010-06-07T22:38:00.000-05:002010-06-07T22:38:35.302-05:00Grilled Smorgasboard<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibODE_9ttcV5mM8-8xhPW02fxm7zpvs4U_OAb2a7_iyBq_fYSxVRpHBn1yl57ROyBhdn0SVYGYWivsoAh2T6HRv5lEGp2SKnyh9frW9fbd5tXLFJwNBg3lfErgIn6CE_Fxx0SVKowOfiA/s1600/labor+day+feast+part+2t.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibODE_9ttcV5mM8-8xhPW02fxm7zpvs4U_OAb2a7_iyBq_fYSxVRpHBn1yl57ROyBhdn0SVYGYWivsoAh2T6HRv5lEGp2SKnyh9frW9fbd5tXLFJwNBg3lfErgIn6CE_Fxx0SVKowOfiA/s320/labor+day+feast+part+2t.jpg" /></a></div><br />
This is a go with the flow type of preparation. Notice that we don't use a lot of salt. R is a salt fiend, but we really don't need it here. Go ahead and heat up your grill. Veggies go first, as they can be served room temperature. If you have a larger grill, then you can do it all at once.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDXKjBpASDLQ29JfDO7OjTyYvHvKI-EiYadpERrPBdWIfydaP3bhQ5T7l5QFiHYSnfv039P5jjKnA0AbOd6orKIpcohpsQdIcWEF4X4prpreWwR3Ciz5rPDWsNSOs5kVwVCbkX4S8tP9U/s1600/grilled+veggie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDXKjBpASDLQ29JfDO7OjTyYvHvKI-EiYadpERrPBdWIfydaP3bhQ5T7l5QFiHYSnfv039P5jjKnA0AbOd6orKIpcohpsQdIcWEF4X4prpreWwR3Ciz5rPDWsNSOs5kVwVCbkX4S8tP9U/s320/grilled+veggie.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<strong>Zucchini</strong><br />
Slice lengthwise into thin slices. Sprinkle with your favorite seasoning blend, which should be <a href="http://shop.tonychachere.com/lite-seasoning-8-oz-p-21748.html">Tony <span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background: yellow;">Chachere's</span></a> of course, and brush with olive oil. Grill until you get grill marks and the zucchini is limp.<br />
<br />
<strong>Asparagus</strong><br />
Rinse the asparagus and then cut or snap off the woody part of the stem, leaving only the tender good parts. Brush with olive oil. Grill until they have grill marks and are tender cooked (not too limp). Once you remove them from the grill, sprinkle them with a little kosher salt and squeeze a lemon over the whole lot. <br />
<br />
<strong>Green Onions</strong><br />
Yes, we grill green onions (scallions), and they are sweet and delicious! Rinse your green onions and pat them dry. Cut off the really thin parts at the top (save them for another recipe. They freeze well) and just roots at the bottom. You want to end up with a 5-6" portion of the onion, including all the white part. Brush them with olive oil and grill until the white parts have grill marks and are tender. <br />
<br />
<strong>Portabella Mushrooms</strong><br />
I had to edit the post to add these. I forgot I had them in the fridge, so I figured I'd throw them on the grill before they went bad. I just brished them with olive oil and laid them on the grill, flat side down. They cooked at the same time as the zucchini. When they were tender, I added some parmesan cheese to the top. That's all. <br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>Grilled <span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background: yellow;">Tri</span>-Tip</strong><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghOmNG1c76cCFQqeW_2BzD8w7QsoZYQ6cXhbvn_Gv75KEuUQMBkXgzMAlmMeguORP0ZkdoyZX96n_K8ouQUjYnXpJ9jnzdkAaCFv1_FS0auNqSQiXKXZp4GmTPBrf-Be2knYgc-xSMadw/s1600/grilled+meats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghOmNG1c76cCFQqeW_2BzD8w7QsoZYQ6cXhbvn_Gv75KEuUQMBkXgzMAlmMeguORP0ZkdoyZX96n_K8ouQUjYnXpJ9jnzdkAaCFv1_FS0auNqSQiXKXZp4GmTPBrf-Be2knYgc-xSMadw/s320/grilled+meats.jpg" /></a></div>There are so many ways to do it, but basically I marinate or rub with spices and olive oil, and then just throw it on a hot grill. <br />
<br />
Here is an example:<br />
Start with 1 lb or so of <span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background: yellow;">Tri</span> Tip<br />
<br />
Sprinkle on Pampered Chef <span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background: yellow;">Chipotle</span> Rub (or a mixture of chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and oregano) and a little Kosher Salt<br />
<br />
Massage in the rub with olive oil (not extra virgin, as the smoke point on <span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background: yellow;">EVOO</span> is really low)<br />
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Let the meat sit in the fridge for 30 minutes, and on the counter for about 15 while you heat up the grill.<br />
<br />
Depending on the thickness and your desired level of <span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background: yellow;">doneness</span>, 3-5 minutes per side should be sufficient. <br />
<br />
<br />
Remove from the grill let it sit (try not to puncture it) for at least 5 minutes before serving.<br />
<br />
Always cut meat against the grain so it tastes as tender as you tried to make it. Even a perfectly cooked steak will be hard to chew if you cut it wrong.SarahPLizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14487604677008278734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579352995749757088.post-60018214006710210292010-06-07T21:47:00.000-05:002010-06-07T21:47:22.908-05:00Avocado Quinoa SaladAdapted from <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">allrecipes</span>.com<br />
Yield 4 servings (or 2 if you are like us and love the veggies)<br />
<br />
1/4 cup <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">quinoa</span><br />
1 cup chicken broth<br />
1 large avocado<br />
juice of 1 lemon<br />
2 Roma tomatoes, diced<br />
1/2 English cucumber, diced (with skin on)<br />
salt and pepper to taste<br />
<br />
Cook <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">quinoa</span> according to package directions. If you got yours in the bulk section, then get the broth boiling on the stove, in a pot that has a lid. Add the <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">quinoa</span>, put the lid on, and simmer on low for 15 minutes. Remove it from the heat and leave it covered for 3 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed. Allow to cool and fluff with a fork.<br />
<br />
Cut the avocado in chunks and add to a bowl with the lemon juice. Toss gently, then add the tomato, cucumber, <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">quinoa</span>, and salt and pepper. <br />
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The recipe said to allow it to sit, but I ate it right away and it was delicious. I paired it with some simple grilled chicken breast (olive oil and a pampered chef rub), and it was a great meal!SarahPLizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14487604677008278734noreply@blogger.com0