healthy

On the Menu: Big Salad, Big Sun, and Chuck Palahniuk

Posted on April 1, 2012July 5, 2012 by stilllearning2b

It’s spring break! No Tupperware for me today! My initial (active) plans for today were scuttled by the protestations of my tummy, so I gave in to a day of reading and sunning on the deck.

Lunch today was a BIG salad. First, I prepped by baking some tofu. I made this batch spicy, adding lots of crushed red pepper along with Trader Joe’s 21 Seasoning Salute and some smoked paprika. I love to bake it until it is soft on the inside and firm on the exterior.

Asparagus was on sale at Kroger, so of course I stocked up. These were not the usual slender tender stalks of spring, these were large and succulent. These big boys hold up well to grilling, so that’s just what I did with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Then, it was time to put it all together. I started with a base of mixed spring greens and added cucumbers, red onion, red pepper, baby bella mushrooms, tomatoes, avocado, asparagus, pumpkin seeds, and tofu for mine (the boyfriend prefers chicken). This was all topped with my boyfriend’s favorite dressing: garlic, pomegranate seeds, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper all mixed in the blender. We both love these big and satisfying salads.

I decided to search for new books by some of my favorite authors. You can tell by my find (Damned, October 2011), that I don’t do this very often:) Chuck and I are having a glorious day in the sun along with the dog. The cat, as you can see, prefers the shade.

On the Menu: Lemon Pepper Pasta and Verdant Sides

Posted on March 25, 2012 by stilllearning2b

This meal is a true vitamin C bonanza. I think it would offer one protection against scurvy for at least a year or two. In fact, this is the meal Blackbeard’s mum should have made for him before he set off to pillage the seven seas.

Lemon Pepper Pasta

This comes from my first vegetarian cookbook, Lean and Luscious, and Meatless (out of print now, unfortunately). When I first started using this cookbook in high school, I had fallen hard for the low fat, high carb craze. It is funny to see my notes on the pages where I used only nonfat dairy products and shunned even the smallest amount of olive oil, while eating huge quantities of breads and pastas. Fast forward to today, and I rarely eat bread or pasta, mainly because the gluten-free varieties are not very good and full of simple carbs.

This recipe is super easy. I now use spaghetti squash for the pasta, but any sort of spaghetti will do. The amounts are variable; I never bother to measure for this one.

2-3 cups spaghetti of choice, cooked

2 tsp olive oil

3-4 red, yellow, and orange bell peppers, cut into strips

1-2 tbsp grated lemon peel

1/4 tsp pepper

1 cup skim milk

1-2 cups reduced fat sharp cheddar, shredded

Saute peppers in oil for 5 min over medium-high heat. Add lemon and pepper and stir. Reduce heat, add milk, cheese, and pasta and stir until cheese is melted and ingredients are blended.

Roasted Asparagus with Mustard Cream

Sounds oh-la-la, doesn’t it? It’s actually really easy and really good. This one came from my newest cookbook, 125 Gluten-Free Vegetarian Recipes. I made one small adjustment, subbing nonfat Greek yogurt for the sour cream.

Steamed Broccoli

Uhh…broccoli. Steamed. Added a little pepper and leftover lemon juice. ‘Nuff said.

And for dessert…

Citrus, of course!

I am now set to sail the world with only a bit of hardtack to tide me over. Or not, actually.

On the Menu: Cancer-Fighting Tacos, Black Beans Plus, and Banana Chocolate Chip Chia Pudding

Posted on March 19, 2012 by stilllearning2b

I have today off (yippee!), so I am doing my cooking today. I started off this morning with a doctor’s appointment. It went really well. She was the one who took care of me at my lowest (emotionally and physically, as I lost 20 lbs after he left). It was great to see her and she enjoyed seeing me healthy and happy. Now that I’m back to fighting weight, let’s get to the menu!

Soft Tacos With Mushrooms, Cabbage and Chipotle Ranchero Salsa

My main dish this week consists of these unique tacos from The New York Times. I love their flavor, ease of cooking, and low calorie stats. I have never bothered to make the salsa; I simply stir a little Tabasco Chipotle Sauce into my normal, cheap, industrial size salsa. The queso fresca is so delightfully salty and tangy that I never feel the need to add any additional salt.

Black Beans Plus

I wanted some extra protein as well as some red veggies for the week. I began by lightly sauteing red bell peppers, onion, and a little garlic in olive oil. I then added some black pepper and chipotle seasoning from Penzey’s Spices. Next, I stirred in 2 cans of black beans (drained) and simmered gently to let the flavors mingle. Finally, I topped it with some freshly squeezed lime juice and some tomato slices.

Banana Chocolate Chip Chia Pudding

One of my boyfriend’s favorite local restaurants is known for their banana chocolate chip pudding. Their version is decadent. Mine is not, but it still tastes pretty darn amazing. I mixed the following in the blender: 1 ripe banana, 2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk, 2 scoops vanilla protein powder, 1 tsp vanilla, and a dash of cinnamon. I pored this into a bowl and added 1/3 cup chia seeds and 1/3 cup mini dark chocolate chips. Leave out for 1 hour, stirring frequently. Transfer to fridge. It will set in a few hours. Top with additional chocolate chips to serve.

I had some of the taco filling left over, so it became my lunch:) I kept myself away from the pudding though…

On the Menu: Chickpeas Three Ways

Posted on March 11, 2012 by stilllearning2b

Some might see an entire menu centered around the lowly chickpea as overkill. Not me. I see it as inspired, creative, and adventurous. Okay, I made that up. Kroger had a great sale on chickpeas and I figured that if I was going to get out the food processor, I would make sure that I got enough use out it.

The Main Dish: Baked Falafel

This is another one from Appetite for Reduction. (I promise I do own more cookbooks, but every time I open this one to make the recipe for one week, I spy one I want for the next. Yes, it is THAT packed with good recipes.) This is a really easy recipe that requires very little chopping (which is where the majority of my kitchen time usually goes). You just throw everything in the food processor, form the result into patties, and bake. I eat it with spinach, red onion, cucumbers, and tomatoes with a squeeze of lemon. And, the best part for my crazy 15 minute lunch period, I don’t even have to reheat it!

The Side: Red Bell Pepper and Broccoli Hummus

The only problem with the above dish is that it does not contain enough veggies for me. So, to make up for that, I made some broccoli hummus (gearing up the food processor again) and sliced some red peppers.

The Dessert: Cookie Dough Dip

I know what you’re thinking. I said chickpeas THREE ways, and you’ve only counted two: falafel and hummus. Your math isn’t off. I stumbled across this recipe and I just had to try it. Now, a more sane person would hold off until the menu was not already packed with the chickpea, but I never claimed to be sane. It is a good thing this cookie dough dip is healthy, because it sure is addictive!

So, there you have it: a main dish, a side, and a dessert all made from chickpeas!