Tonights dinner turned out just as I had hoped. Everything was tasty, but totally well rounded. I had legumes, veggies, lien protein. It was flavorful with tons of fresh herbs and whole ingredients. Rather than typing the recipes up, I'm just going to put the links.
A quick note about the Meatloaf, I half the recipe, use half fresh half italian seasoned breadcrumbs, and I use slightly less chicken broth. The recipe won't be any good with dried herbs...so don't try that as a shortcut. I have tried this recipe 5 times now and have finally come up with what I believe is the best variation.
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Turkey-Meatloaf-with-Mushrooms-and-Herbs-355229
The Black-eyed Peas and Collard Greens was good just as it was but it serves 6 so half the recipe if you don't want to eat it for leftovers for days as Erik and I will be doing.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/27/health/nutrition/27recipehealth.html
Enjoy this healthy meal with whole, fresh ingredients! We did.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Pot Roast w/ Potatoes, Carrots and Onions
I found a pot roast recipe from my trusty Cooks Illustrated book (that I have been borrowing from my brother for the last few months....Thanks Chris!). I started cooking at 4:14 or so and I didn't have the roast in the oven until 5 because of all the browning and then sauteing of the veggies and the other series of ingredients. So it took me 45 minutes to prep and then it had to cook in the oven for 3.5 hours. This wouldn't be that bad if it were for the fact that you have to flip it every 30 minutes for 3.5 hours. Then I had to add the potatoes and carrots and let it cook for 30 minutes longer. THEN I had to separate the fat, add red wine, and boil it for 20 more minutes to finish cooking the veggies.
All of this work and was it worth it? What do you think? NO NO NO. If it had been, you would see the recipe posted. I decided that throwing all those ingredients into the slow cooker and pressing "8 hours" on the timer produced a much better Pot Roast that this million step process.
I just want to quickly justify why I always go to cooks illustrated first for recipes. If you have ever picked up a Cooks Illustrated cookbook you discover that before every recipe, they thoroughly discuss how they came up with the recipe as well as any cooking techniques that you need to know to create the meal. If you don't know how to cook and want to learn...Pick up a cooks illustrated magazine which has 30 for just under $10 and get your cooking going. There is lots of joy in creating a healthy meal for you or your family that tastes great!
All of this work and was it worth it? What do you think? NO NO NO. If it had been, you would see the recipe posted. I decided that throwing all those ingredients into the slow cooker and pressing "8 hours" on the timer produced a much better Pot Roast that this million step process.
I just want to quickly justify why I always go to cooks illustrated first for recipes. If you have ever picked up a Cooks Illustrated cookbook you discover that before every recipe, they thoroughly discuss how they came up with the recipe as well as any cooking techniques that you need to know to create the meal. If you don't know how to cook and want to learn...Pick up a cooks illustrated magazine which has 30 for just under $10 and get your cooking going. There is lots of joy in creating a healthy meal for you or your family that tastes great!
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Pork Loin w/ Creamy Pesto & Whole wheat pasta
Last night I made an easy meal that was low in fat and had good flavor.
I used 2 pork loins, cut in half so I had 4 pork logs. I heated oil in a 9 inch skillet until just smoking (that way the meat browns well and doesn't stick). I browned the meat on all sides, about 10 minutes. Then I transferred them to a 9x13 pan lined with foil and placed them in an over preheated to 450 degrees. I cook them for 15 minutes and removed from the oven and wrapped the foil around the port to continue cooking the meat until it reached 150 degrees. Then I sliced it into 1/4 inch slices and covered it with a glaze. With the pan I used to sear the pork, I made a glaze.
Glaze:
Juice from 1 orange
Juice from 1/2 lemon
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp chipotle chili powder
2-3 Tbs of honey
I simmered the glaze until it was thick and rich and drizzled it over the port after cutting.
The Creamy Pesto was a Cooks Illustrated recipe from their Light cooking book. After having made it once, I would opt for slightly more olive oil so it coated the pasta better. It may have something to do with the Wheat pasta, but since thats a staple in my diet now, I have to adjust to that! Here is the recipe (with my modification)
4 Medium garlic cloves, unpeeled
3 cups fresh basil
1 oz fresh grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 shallot, minced
2 Tbs olive oil (I would use 3 or 4 Tbs)
Start by toasting the garlic in a dry skillet on the stove. flipping them a few times to get even roasting. Remove, cool, peel, then put the a garlic press. Place basil in a large ziplock back and beat with meat mallet or rolling pin (I used a mug) until the leaves are bruised. Put Garlic, basil, parmesan, ricotta, shallot, oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt in the food processor. Process until smooth, about 30 seconds, stopping to scrape the sides down. Add salt and pepper to taste.
I tossed it with hot whole wheat pasta. The recipe is 80 calories for 2-1/2 Tablespoons of pesto. It was easy and delicious.
I used 2 pork loins, cut in half so I had 4 pork logs. I heated oil in a 9 inch skillet until just smoking (that way the meat browns well and doesn't stick). I browned the meat on all sides, about 10 minutes. Then I transferred them to a 9x13 pan lined with foil and placed them in an over preheated to 450 degrees. I cook them for 15 minutes and removed from the oven and wrapped the foil around the port to continue cooking the meat until it reached 150 degrees. Then I sliced it into 1/4 inch slices and covered it with a glaze. With the pan I used to sear the pork, I made a glaze.
Glaze:
Juice from 1 orange
Juice from 1/2 lemon
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp chipotle chili powder
2-3 Tbs of honey
I simmered the glaze until it was thick and rich and drizzled it over the port after cutting.
The Creamy Pesto was a Cooks Illustrated recipe from their Light cooking book. After having made it once, I would opt for slightly more olive oil so it coated the pasta better. It may have something to do with the Wheat pasta, but since thats a staple in my diet now, I have to adjust to that! Here is the recipe (with my modification)
4 Medium garlic cloves, unpeeled
3 cups fresh basil
1 oz fresh grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 shallot, minced
2 Tbs olive oil (I would use 3 or 4 Tbs)
Start by toasting the garlic in a dry skillet on the stove. flipping them a few times to get even roasting. Remove, cool, peel, then put the a garlic press. Place basil in a large ziplock back and beat with meat mallet or rolling pin (I used a mug) until the leaves are bruised. Put Garlic, basil, parmesan, ricotta, shallot, oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt in the food processor. Process until smooth, about 30 seconds, stopping to scrape the sides down. Add salt and pepper to taste.
I tossed it with hot whole wheat pasta. The recipe is 80 calories for 2-1/2 Tablespoons of pesto. It was easy and delicious.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Shakeology Review
I ordered my first shakeology bag and have been drinking my shake for almost one week. I'm trying to view the product as just a meal replacement shake initially to see if the claims are true. Here is my review:
Its good. I doesn't taste like a chocolate milk shake in the traditional sense but its good. I drink it for breakfast, but I enjoy it more for lunch. I mix it with a little peanut butter and a banana if I have one on hand. If I ate it for lunch every day, it would be worth every penny. It keeps me full for 4 to 5 until dinner.
As far as the health claims, I have noticed a few changes. First, I don't crave sweets or salts as much anymore. Seriously! Second, my nails are longer and stronger after just one week of shakeology. While that doesn't seem a big deal to most, I was suffering from sad, sorry nails when I stopped taking my prenatal vitamins after my son was born. The last thing that actually came as a surprise to me was I stopped feeling bloated. After almost every meal of the day, I used to feel bloated with a tummy ach. That has completely gone away.
I would suggest this product to ANYONE.
www.shakeology.com/mommyhobbie
Its good. I doesn't taste like a chocolate milk shake in the traditional sense but its good. I drink it for breakfast, but I enjoy it more for lunch. I mix it with a little peanut butter and a banana if I have one on hand. If I ate it for lunch every day, it would be worth every penny. It keeps me full for 4 to 5 until dinner.
As far as the health claims, I have noticed a few changes. First, I don't crave sweets or salts as much anymore. Seriously! Second, my nails are longer and stronger after just one week of shakeology. While that doesn't seem a big deal to most, I was suffering from sad, sorry nails when I stopped taking my prenatal vitamins after my son was born. The last thing that actually came as a surprise to me was I stopped feeling bloated. After almost every meal of the day, I used to feel bloated with a tummy ach. That has completely gone away.
I would suggest this product to ANYONE.
www.shakeology.com/mommyhobbie
Working (and working out) from home
I'm at day 49 of my P90X fitness program . P90X and all of the Beachbody products are designed to help you work out at home and get in AWESOME shape. I realize after just 30 days that this product really works. Then I realize I can "Coach"- its an opportunity to talk about beachbody products and help others. So now I'm working from home.
My entire adult life I have been trying to sell products. Mortgages, Merchant Services, Mary Kay, and now this...Fitness. The difference is, I finally found something that fits my personality. The idea is this, to 1) Help people meet their fitness and weight loss goals and 2) Recruit people who might want to help others do the same while they are on their own fitness journey. Doesn't that make sense? Then why is it so hard. Why do people ask about P90X (or other Beachbody products) and then not take the leap? I guess its because most things in life that are worth any value are often not that easy to obtain. They require sacrifice and dedication and money.
Well, with tons of time on my hands and an almost fit body....I'm giving it my all. I'm working out hard and I'm doing it from home, and I'm working hard...and I'm doing that from home too. If you want to know more...check out my site: www.beachbodycoach.com/mommyhobbie
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Baking a cake
So Erik requested a chocolate birthday cake with chocolate frosting this year. First he said he thought I should buy him a cake from a bakery because we were both so pleased with the cake he bought me for my birthday. However, I decided I was perfectly capable of baking and frosting a cake all by my self. Why on earth would I pay a baker for that! So I did. I used a recipe from America's Test Kitchen and I got going. It took me just a little over an hour from start to finish of the cake portion of the recipe. I cleaned up the kitchen and enjoyed the smell of the cake while I cleaned. The kitchen was spotless and the cakes were done. PERFECT!
Then I realized I would need to make the icing. So I got everything back out and waited for the cakes to cool. I pulled out the recipe for the icing and got mixing. I think I used every piece of measuring equipment I had in the kitchen. This frosting recipe was a beast. I had to use the double boiler, the kitchen aid, and ice bath for the kitchen aid bowl, and a number of other stirring utensils to achieve the perfect texture of the chocolate icing. DONE.
Then came assembling the cake. I used my brand new cake plate from Sur La Table and frosted the cake just as they did on the demonstration. I let it chill after frosting layer one and did a second layer so it would be thick and rich.
My point in all of this was to set out to prove that I could make a cake just as good as the bakery cake. The results:
A cake way better than a cake from the bakery. It was moist and fluffy, but didn't fall apart. The cake was just sweet enough to offset the semisweet chocolate frosting. To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure I could have done it any better. I'm convinced that baking has mostly to do with one's ability to follow directions (assuming you have basic kitchen knowledge).
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