January Progress

Ok, I didn't do so good on the blogging front in the month of January. I found myself getting distracted by all the other things going on in my life and I just never got around to it. I've been doing pretty good on the reading front though - I've read 10 books so far in the month of January! I'll post more about that later on. Tonight I wanted to talk a little bit about my "eating healthy" resolution. Yeah.... that hasn't gone so well. I did GREAT the first week. I took my breakfast and lunch with me to work every day and didn't eat out at all the first week. But then, things went south. In a major way. It's been really cold lately and I find myself wanting to constantly eat. Which is never good, but most especially so when you're watching what you eat. This week has been a little better than last week and I'll explain why in a bit. Ok, OK, I can't wait.

I've discovered the joy of Mason Jar Salads.

Seriously about 45 minutes on Sunday afternoon and I had 5 awesome salads to eat for lunch! I found my recipe for this week from Organize Yourself Skinny (Formerly known as Skinny Mom's Kitchen). Go HERE to see her awesome and fantastic blog. She actually provided all my workday meals this week - breakfast and lunch! So what's the deal with Mason jar salads? Basically, by layering up the ingredients in the right order, you can pre-make your salads and they stay fresh for up to 5 days! MUCH easier than trying to put together a salad in the morning before work, because if you're anything like me, you're barely getting out of the house on time anyway! I made Tammy's Chopped Black Bean and Corn salad (direct link HERE)with a minor change or two.

 

Here's what I used:

5, 1-Quart mason jars with lids

1 1/4 cup salsa (I used Tostitos Restaurant Style Medium Salsa)

6 ounces Greek yogurt

1 quart cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 red onion, chopped

2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained

16 oz frozen corn (I did not thaw mine)

2 small avocados, peeled and diced and tossed in lime juice

5 ounces pepper Jack cheese, diced

4-5 cups chopped romaine lettuce

1/4 cup cilantro (I used Gourmet Garden's Cilantro Paste)

 

Mix the cilantro paste and Greek yogurt then layer in this order:

1/4 cup salsa cilantro

yogurt mixture

cherry tomatoes

onion

black beans

corn

avocado

cheese

romaine

 

There are quite of few things you could alter or substitute if you were looking to cut out spiciness or calories. I enjoyed these salads the way they were though and definitely plan on making more of them in the future. I liked the ease of having a healthy, filling lunch ready to go without it being a pre-packaged, processed meal, plus I don't feel guilty if I want a snack later on in the day. I didn't care for the amount of prep/clean up time though. It was definitely close to 45 minutes just chopping stuff and then cleaning up. I also didn't realize you need to take a bowl with you to dump the salad out into. I thought originally you just shook them up and could eat them out of the jar. The biggest issue I had with them though is that because the recipe makes 5 jars, I was stuck with the same thing to eat 5 times this week. I'm someone who likes a lot of variety and found that to be a little frustrating so in the future I will probably adapt my salads to 3 servings at a time.

 

 

So not only did Tammy help me with lunches this week, she helped with breakfast too! I made her basic Bacon, Egg and Cheese breakfast sandwich (link HERE). I'll start of with saying that I am not a huge fan of English muffins but these were not bad at all and will definitely look for this brand again. This recipe is super easy and you can easily adapt how many you want to make at once. I made six because that's how many muffins were in the box.

 

 

 

So you need:

  6 whole wheat english muffins (I used Thomas brand but could not find the high fiber version Tammy talks about on her blog)

6 slices pre-cooked bacon (I used Hormel thick cut fully precooked bacon)

6 eggs (I used egg whites only since I really don't like egg yolks)

6 slices cheese (I used Velveeta's sharp cheddar slices)

 

I like the precooked bacon because it A)Eliminates a step, and B)I don't get splattered by frying bacon. I hate frying bacon more than just about any other food. I always get splattered and burned. So yeah, I don't love cooking bacon at all. I love to eat it, but not enough to cook it myself. So anyway, I fried my egg whites in a non-stick butter flavored sprayed pan until they were not quite done and then added the cheese and let continue to cook until done. Once eggs are done, transfer to english muffin, top with folded piece of bacon and "lid" of muffin. Let cool slightly then wrap either in plastic wrap or a sandwich bag.

 

These were great - I really liked these a lot and they took no time whatsoever to make. I think for all six it took me 10-15 minutes. Like I said before, I'm not a big fan of english muffins but these were very good and I will definitely be trying these again. Again a big huge thanks to Tammy at Organize Yourself Skinny! She was my lifesaver this week and helped me get back on track!

New Year, New Goals!

Well 2014 has finally come upon us. I can't say that 2013 was a bad year; nothing truly bad happened and many good things happened in my life. My boyfriend and I took a fantastic road trip to Las Vegas and we got to see all different parts of the country. We are talking about another road trip this summer and I can't wait! My work finally moved to a nice new building and we are no longer working in a trailer park (I cannot even tell you how happy that makes me!). My family has all been well as well as my friends so I really can't complain. That doesn't mean there aren't things I want to change, however. I feel like I got very complacent with my life last year. I didn't make a lot of changes and I spent more time than I'd like to admit just sitting and watching TV (and usually snacking while I did it). So this year, I decided to make resolutions. I know, I know, resolutions don't work for 90 percent of us, but I'm going to at least try. So what are my resolutions this year?

Let's start at the top and work our way down, shall we?
1. Get more organized - I really didn't used to have a problem getting everything done in the week that I wanted to, but my life has been a lot busier in the last year and I've discovered its not as easy as I thought. I find myself not getting my housecleaning or cooking done, instead opting to spend my whole weekend cleaning (or not doing it at all sometimes) and just grabbing something quick to eat on my way home from work. I've been looking for ideas on Pinterest (you can follow me here) and have gotten some great downloadable calendars and schedules to get me started.

2.  Blog more - obviously, I haven't been blogging. My last post was from September and now it's January... again, I think it comes from the lack of organization, so my goal is to set aside a specific amount of time for blogging each week and my goal is to start off with one blog a week. I know that probably doesn't seem like a lot to you big time bloggers out there, but hey, a girl has to start somewhere. That also means my blog won't focus just on recipes anymore. I'd like to incorporate some of the other things I'm working on this year too.

3.  Eat better - this is a hard one for me. I love comfort food, carbs and junk food. I like eating out too. I'm hoping that by organizing my food plan each week and sticking to it, I will be able to decrease the amount of pure crap that I eat. Cause trust me, it's a lot. I need to add a lot more fresh fruits and veggies and cut back in the processed carbs. I'm hoping to incorporate this into the blog as well.

4.  Get more physical activity - another challenge for me. I'm not someone who enjoys exercise. Never have, can't imagine that I ever will. But, that doesn't mean I can't be more active. My plan is to start small. I have an elliptical machine, Netflix and 20 minutes every day. There's no reason I can't do this aside from my own lack of willpower. I'm also using a 20 minute program from the magazine "All You". You can find the program here. Let me take a sidebar here though. I love this magazine. It has style stuff, recipes, health stuff, relationship stuff, and coupons. And it's only $2.99 a magazine. What a steal! Let me caution you against one thing though - don't get the tablet version. Yes, it's cheaper, but there's a reason. You don't get the coupons and if there's something you want to clip and save, you can't since you can't print anything from it.

5.  Get craftier - I used to make stuff all the time. I made homemade cards and paintings and just tons of other crafts. I barely do any of that now. Mostly because I'm just sitting in front of the TV most nights and because my craft room has gotten so unorganized I can't find anything. See how everything is tying together?? The most important thing for me this year is getting organized because all of this other stuff is tied to that.

6. Last but not least, I am challenging myself to read 100 books this year. I've already got 4 down this month and am getting ready to start #5. It's a lofty goal, but I'm sure I can make it! Each month, I will post a blog with the books I've read and my thoughts on them.

You've probably noticed by now there's a recurring theme: Organization. Time. Activity.  These are the major items I want to get better with this year and really focus on making good habits with.  You might have noticed I didn't put "lose weight".  I have resolved to lose weight year after year and it just never happens.  So this year, I'm putting the focus more on the things that will bring about losing weight as a side effect, i.e., getting more active and eating better.  I hope you've made some resolutions - post some of your thoughts in the comments below and I'd be happy to check in with you and see how you're doing.  I hope you will check back and follow my progress in 2014. 

Slow cooker Enchilada Chicken Soup

As a big fan of chicken tortilla soup, this is a version that I came up with - I think it came out very nicely!

Here's what you need:

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 (15.25 oz) can whole kernel corn, drained
2 (14.5 oz) cans Ro-Tel (I used mild for this recipe)
1 (32 oz) box low sodium fat free chicken broth
1 (10 oz) can enchilada sauce
1 cup diced onion
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (I used the pre-cut cilantro in the tube)
2 bay leaves
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste. 

Here's what you do:

Rinse and pat dry the chicken thighs. Place in the bottom of a slow cooker (I used a 4 QT for this recipe).  Add the corn, Ro-Tel, broth, sauce, onion, cilantro, bay leaves, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper.   Cook on Low for 6 hours. Remove the chicken thighs to a plate or cutting board.  Allow to cool slightly, then use two forks to shred chicken.  Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and continue cooking for 30 to 60 minutes.  Serve topped with cheese, sour cream and/or avocado. 

If you prefer a thicker soup, use half chicken broth called for.  Adjust spiciness by using a hot Ro-Tel or more chili powder.  You could even add some jalepenos for more heat.  This recipe is very easy and great for a rainy or cold day!

 

Popovers!

I decided to try something new tonight - Popovers! I've heard of them before but I'd never eaten them, much less baked them before.  This particular recipe came courtesy of Martha Stewart - check out her page here: http://www.marthastewart.com/333104/popovers - I actually saw it first on Martha Bakes on PBS but looked it up to try for myself. 

Here's what you need:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 scant teaspoon salt
3 large egs

Unsalted butter, room temperature

Step 1 -
     Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Generously butter a 6-cup popover pan tin; Set aside.

Step 2 -
    In a medium bow, stir together flour, milk and salt.

 

Add eggs, one at a time, and stir to combine (some small lumps may remain): do not overmix.

 



Step 3 -
    Using a 1/2 cup measure, gently pour batter into the center of each prepared popover cup.

 

 

Transfer to oven and bake for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue baking until puffed and golden, about 20 minutes more.  Immediately invert pan to remove popovers and serve.

 

 

 

This recipe was really easy and I think they turned out pretty well.. having never had them before I think they were good. Texturally, they reminded me of French toast; slightly dense and eggy.  I tried them with Laughing Cow French Onion spread and some homemade strawberry jam and I liked them both ways.  Woohoo!

 

 



Plum Amazin'!

The holidays are officially here! I've begun trying to treats and have met with a few challenges along the way (cherry pistachio nougat - don't even ask) but this recipe was so easy and very delightful! I hadn't made any apple butter before but wanted a spread for the Cranberry Orange Scones (next post LOL) that I had planned to make for Thanksgiving morning and thought it would be a nice complement.  I was really happy with how quick and painless this apple butter is. It doesn't make a huge amount, so it's good for a few people and could easily be doubled or even tripled if needed.  You don't have to process in a water bath, it just goes in the fridge when you're done - can't beat that with a stick!

So here's what you need:

• 3 medium fresh plums, pitted and quartered
• 2 medium tart apples, peeled and quartered (I used Granny Smith as they're my favorite)
• 1/4 cup water
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (I just used the 1/4 and there was plenty of cinnamon for my taste)
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• Dash ground allspice

Place plums, apples and water in a large saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until tender.  Cool slightly.

Place in a blender or food processor; cover and process until pureed.  Return all to the saucepan and add the sugar and spices.  Return to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes or until thickened, stirring frequently. 

Cool to room temperature.  Cover and store in refrigerator for up to three weeks.

Yield 1 1/4 cups.

Enchilada Chicken

If you like chicken enchiladas but don't want to cave to the carbs - this is a great recipe for you! It's spicy and gooey and so tasty! 

Here's what you need:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (6 oz each)
• 2 tsp salt free Southwest Chipotle seasoning blend
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup enchilada sauce
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 2 Tbsp minced fresh cilantro

Sprinkle chicken with seasoning blend.  In an ovenproof skillet, brown chicken in oil.  Top with enchilada sauce, cheese and cilantro.

Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until a thermometer reads 170 degrees. 

These chicken breasts are SO tasty - they're so good with rice or salad.  These have become a staple in my house. I make them a couple of times a month now.  Try them - you won't be sorry!

Chicken Tacos!

Surprise, surprise, I cooked with chicken! You could definitely classify me as a chicken fan... I probably cook 60% or more of my meals with chicken.  It's just very versatile and can be cooked just about any way I can imagine.  This time it was Chicken Tacos with Avocado Salsa. 

Here's what you need:

 

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch strips
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 medium ripe avocado, peeled and cubed
• 1 cup fresh or frozen corn
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 2 tsp lime juice
• 8 taco shells, warmed

 

 

In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, brown chicken.  Add water, chili powder, sugar, onion powder paprika, cumin, oregano, salt and garlic powder.  Cook over medium heat for 5-6 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink, stirring occasionally. 

Meanwhile, (I love the word meanwhile - it always makes me think of a old time-y melodrama... but I digress) in a small bowl, gently combine the avocado, corn, tomatoes and lime juice.  Spoon chicken mixture into taco shells; top with avocado salsa.

 

 

I enjoyed these tacos, but I did feel they would have been better served by a soft taco instead of the regular taco shell.  The chicken was pretty spicy but I really liked it.  It had a tiny bit of sweet in there too which was nice. I think next time I will used ground chipotle pepper instead of the chili powder and see how that turns out. 

Hang on to them burritos!

Let's face it - these burritos are going to go fast! In a household where leftovers often become forgotten, all 8 servings of these babies were eaten up!  They're pretty simple, very tasty, and can be customized to fit your flavor profile.  Don't like black beans? Use pinto.  Add jalepenos for spice or cumin for smoke.  Lots of possibilities here.  So let's get to it!

1/2 cup fat free sour cream
1/8 cup chopped cilantro
1 tsp chopped onion
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp lime juice

Burritos:
2 cups cubed cooked chicken breast
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (11 oz) can Mexicorn, drained
1 cup shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese
1/4 tsp salt
8 whole wheat tortillas (8 inch) warmed
cooking spray
salsa, optional

 

In a small bowl, combine the first five ingredients.  In a large bowl, combine the chicken, beans, corn, cheese, salt and 1/2 cup of the sour cream mixture.  Spoon 1/2 cup chicken mixture onto each tortilla.  Fold sides and ends over filling and roll up.  Spritz both sides with cooking spray.

In a large non stick skillet coated with cooking spray, cook burritos in batches over medium heat for 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown.  Serve with remaining sour cream mixture and salsa if desired.

 

 

I made a few substitutions on this recipe, mainly because I didn't have everything on hand I needed.  I swapped a can of cooked chicken for the 2 cups of cooked chicken breast and fiesta blend shredded cheese for the reduced fat cheddar.  I also left out the additional salt (actually by accident but you really don't need the salt if you don't want it).  I found it a little difficult to roll up the burritos and get them to stay so I had to fasten them with toothpicks, which still really didn't help so my burritos were not cooked evenly.  Also, 3-4 minutes was too long of a cooking time and several of my burritos scorched (but honestly they were so good I ate them anyway!) I really liked these burritos - they were super easy and quick and I had most things on hand already and was able to substitute for what I was missing.  Get cooking already!

Pork Chops with Mango Salsa

I have gotten to where I love cooking pork chops - I've baked them, fried them, grilled them, etc. and this was a really nice grilled option. Again, these have come from my Taste of Home Healthy Cooking magazine. I apologize for the photo here - I didn't realize it was as blurry as it was.

 

 

 

Here's what you need:

 

 

• 4 (7 oz) bone-in pork loin chops
• 3 Tbsp cider vinegar
• 1 Tbsp salt free grilling blend
• 1 Tbsp olive oil

• 2 chopped, peeled mangoes
• 1 cup chopped sweet onion
• 1 seeded and finely chopped jalapeno pepper
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp honey

Combine the cider vinegar, grilling blend and olive oil.  Marinate the pork chops in the vinegar mixture for at least 2 hours.  Remove chops from marinade and discard marinade.  Grill chops, covered, over medium heat for 4-5 minutes on each side or until a thermometer reads 145.  Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.  Meanwhile, combine the mangoes, onion, jalapeno, lemon juice and honey.  Serve salsa with chops. 

I ended up using my George Foreman grill for this so I had to remove the chops from the bone in order to cook them.  I cooked them for 4-5 minutes on each side.  I also substituted lime juice for the lemon juice in the salsa and red onion for the sweet onion.  I would not do the red onion again - it completely overpowered the rest of the salsa.   

Makeover or not to Makeover?

So I've been trying a lot of recipes lately out of my Taste of Home Healthy Cooking magazines - I've been trying to watch what I eat and not only are they tasty, typically easy recipes, they also include nutritional information, which a lot of recipe books and magazines don't do.  One of their features lately was making over restaurant favorites including Red Lobster's Cheddar Bay Biscuits.  Now as someone who actually used to work at Red Lobster and knows what gets done to these biscuits to make them so amazingly tasty, I was skeptical of a recipe that claimed to cut half the fat and 1/3 of the calories.  While these did not match the Red Lobster goodness that we all know, they were pretty close and if you're really watching your calories and fat, they're a good way to have a small indulgence. 

 

So here's what you need:

 

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cake flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder, divided
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 4 Tbsp cold butter, divided
• 1/3 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 tsp dried parsley flakes

 

 

 

In a good size bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, 1/4 tsp garlic powder and baking soda.  Cut in 3 Tbsp butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs; add cheese.  Stir in buttermilk just until moistened. 

 

Drop by two tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart on a baking sheet greased with cooking spray.  Bake at 425 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.  Melt remaining butter; stir in parsley and remaining garlic powder.  Brush over biscuits and serve warm. 

 

 

So overall, these are a good biscuit.  Are they Red Lobster quality? Hell no.  For my taste, they needed additional salt and garlic and something was still missing from the biscuits.  Texturally, they did remind me of the Red Lobster biscuits but lacked in flavor.  The dough was also a pain to get onto the baking sheets as it was incredibly sticky.  And when they say serve warm, if you don't plan on eating them all when they come out of the oven, it means don't make them.  After they cooled, they were very dense and mealy.  Long story short, if you can afford the extra calories, just go to Red Lobster, but if not, then these are a decent substitute.