Who ever thought I could have fun with oatmeal? I've been jazzing up the usual oatmeal lately and I'm so please without how it turned out. Now I have so many oatmeal ideas I just want to eat different oatmeal recipes all day.
It started off with discovering a box of Trader Joe's Whole Grain Instant Oatmeal with Cranberries in my pantry. The bag of steel cut oats was looming on the top shelf but I was hungry and wanted to eat soon.
Yesterday I mixed the oatmeal packet with water and added a bit almond butter. After heating I added some sliced banana. I didn't miss the packet of sweetener I usually add to oatmeal.
Slightly Jazzed Up Oatmeal
1 Packet Trader Joe's Whole Grain Instant Oatmeal with Cranberries
1/2 water
1 tsp Almond Butter
1/2 small banana chopped
Yesterday I picked up a few healthy items at Publix. In fact, by the time I checked out I was feeling like a bit of hippie health freak. I can't say it was a bad feeling. I had a cart full of stuff I usually never buy. I'm excited to start adding them into the foods I already make to improve the nutritional value.
I started my mad scientist additions with my oatmeal for this morning's breakfast. It was so good!
I made the oatmeal like yesterday's but I used vanilla soy milk instead of water. I also added a teaspoon of milk and egg protein powder (which I already had on hand). Now for the really fun stuff...I bought the Publix Greenwise Whole Flax Seeds from the dried fruit and nut section. I also picked up a container of wheat germ. I added a bit of both along with the usual sliced banana and tad of almond butter. It was thick, rich, nutty and sweet. Again, I didn't miss the missing sweetener packet. It was also very filling. According to the calorie counter on My Fitness Pal it totaled up to about 306 calories.
Jazzy Nutty Oatmeal
1 Packet Trader Joe's Whole Grain Instant Oatmeal with Cranberries
1/2 c Vanilla Soy Milk
1 tsp Almond Butter
1 tsp. MLO Milk and Egg Protein Powder
1 tsp. Publix Whole Flax Seeds
1 tsp. Wheat Germ
1/2 small banana chopped
Combine all of the ingredients except for the banana and zap for 1 minute in the microwave. Stir and add on any additional time if needed. I noticed the soymilk didn't absorb as fast as water and I cooked it for 1:20. Add chopped banana and enjoy.
This afternoon I discovered another blogger at Eating Bird Food who loves oatmeal and I'm excited to try her overnight oats recipe.
She also adds in Chia seeds. I've seen them have never tried them. I suspect they will be in my next hippie shopping basket full of stuff.
I'll try to post pictures. I just get so hungry the food is gone before I think to take a photo.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Non-Dairy Cole Slaw
This is a quick and easy cole slaw recipe. It's super fast and cheap to make. This cole slaw travels much safer than the mayo (dairy) containing recipes. This makes a great side dish and won't add many calories to the meal. It's great to mix up Sunday evening and have for sides for the rest of the week. I like the cole slaw mix with the red cabbage and carrots mixed in but get what you like.
"In its raw state, cabbage contains iron, calcium, and potassium. High marks are given for its vitamin C content. Cabbage is also high in vitamins B1, B2, and B3. Lengthy cooking tends to lower the nutritional value considerably. "
Prep time: Less than 5 min.
Cook time: None
2-3 tbsp on Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1-2 tbsp of champagne vinegar or apple cider vinegar
1/4-1/2c fresh dill-roll it up and rough chop it
1 bag of pre-shredded cole slaw mix from produce section
Salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste
Optional: 1/2 tsp celery seeds
Add oil, vinegar, salt, pepper and dill to bowl. Dump the cabbage on top and toss with your hands to distribute the dill and liquid.
Cover tightly and refridgerate. Can be served immediately but flavors are better after a little time.
"In its raw state, cabbage contains iron, calcium, and potassium. High marks are given for its vitamin C content. Cabbage is also high in vitamins B1, B2, and B3. Lengthy cooking tends to lower the nutritional value considerably. "
Prep time: Less than 5 min.
Cook time: None
2-3 tbsp on Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1-2 tbsp of champagne vinegar or apple cider vinegar
1/4-1/2c fresh dill-roll it up and rough chop it
1 bag of pre-shredded cole slaw mix from produce section
Salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste
Optional: 1/2 tsp celery seeds
Add oil, vinegar, salt, pepper and dill to bowl. Dump the cabbage on top and toss with your hands to distribute the dill and liquid.
Cover tightly and refridgerate. Can be served immediately but flavors are better after a little time.
Ma Po Tofu with Faux Sausage
Ma Po Tofu with Faux Sausage
This recipe has been simplified for American cooking. (The original had some pretty obscure ingredients.) I've also made it (semi) vegetarian (oyster sauce has oyster extract). It's really hearty and has great flavor. It's spicy!
Ingredients
* 1 (1 lb) package reduced-fat firm tofu, cut into 6 slices for draining
* 1-2 tablespoon vegetable oil
* 3/4 cup vegetable broth
* 1 tablespoon cornstarch
* 2-3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
* 1 1/2 tablespoon oyster sauce
* 1-2 teaspoon chili-garlic sauce (I use 1 1/2 since I add red pepper)
* 1 package/tube of Gimme Lean or other vegetarian bulk "sausage"
* 1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger or 1 tablespoon diced fresh ginger
* 3 garlic cloves, minced
* 2 cups cooked brown rice, while it's still hot
* 3-4 dashes of cayenne pepper, to taste (optional)
* 1/3 cup green onion, chopped
Directions
1. Place tofu slices on several layers of paper towels, cover with additional paper towels. Place a dinner plate on top of covered tofu; let stand 30 minutes. Remove plate, discard paper towels. Cut tofu slices into 1/2-inch cubes.
2. Combine broth, cornstarch, soy sauce, oyster sauce and chili garlic sauce, stirring with a whisk.
3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil. Add faux sausage; cook 3-4 minutes or until done, stirring to crumble. Add red pepper to spice up sausage if vegetarian brand isn't spicy enough. Add tofu; cook 4 minutes or until golden, stirring frequently. Add ginger and garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add broth mixture to pan. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute or until mixture thickens. Remove from heat.
4. Add cooked rice to pan and stir to coat. Sprinkle with onions and serve with chopsticks.
Tip: To make for meat eaters you can replace veggie sausage with extra spicy pork sausage. You may want to reduce the cayenne pepper.
Shopping tip: Oyster sauce and the chili-garlic sauce can be found in the Asian food aisle. The chili-garlic sauce is in a plastic jar with a green lid. It has a serious kick. It also goes great on fried rice and eggs.The vegetarian sausage is usually near the meat substitutes and tofu.
Very important: Drain your tofu and chop it up before you start cooking. This cooks very quickly and you'll burn the faux sausage if you chop as you cook.
This recipe has been simplified for American cooking. (The original had some pretty obscure ingredients.) I've also made it (semi) vegetarian (oyster sauce has oyster extract). It's really hearty and has great flavor. It's spicy!
Ingredients
* 1 (1 lb) package reduced-fat firm tofu, cut into 6 slices for draining
* 1-2 tablespoon vegetable oil
* 3/4 cup vegetable broth
* 1 tablespoon cornstarch
* 2-3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
* 1 1/2 tablespoon oyster sauce
* 1-2 teaspoon chili-garlic sauce (I use 1 1/2 since I add red pepper)
* 1 package/tube of Gimme Lean or other vegetarian bulk "sausage"
* 1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger or 1 tablespoon diced fresh ginger
* 3 garlic cloves, minced
* 2 cups cooked brown rice, while it's still hot
* 3-4 dashes of cayenne pepper, to taste (optional)
* 1/3 cup green onion, chopped
Directions
1. Place tofu slices on several layers of paper towels, cover with additional paper towels. Place a dinner plate on top of covered tofu; let stand 30 minutes. Remove plate, discard paper towels. Cut tofu slices into 1/2-inch cubes.
2. Combine broth, cornstarch, soy sauce, oyster sauce and chili garlic sauce, stirring with a whisk.
3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil. Add faux sausage; cook 3-4 minutes or until done, stirring to crumble. Add red pepper to spice up sausage if vegetarian brand isn't spicy enough. Add tofu; cook 4 minutes or until golden, stirring frequently. Add ginger and garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add broth mixture to pan. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute or until mixture thickens. Remove from heat.
4. Add cooked rice to pan and stir to coat. Sprinkle with onions and serve with chopsticks.
Tip: To make for meat eaters you can replace veggie sausage with extra spicy pork sausage. You may want to reduce the cayenne pepper.
Shopping tip: Oyster sauce and the chili-garlic sauce can be found in the Asian food aisle. The chili-garlic sauce is in a plastic jar with a green lid. It has a serious kick. It also goes great on fried rice and eggs.The vegetarian sausage is usually near the meat substitutes and tofu.
Very important: Drain your tofu and chop it up before you start cooking. This cooks very quickly and you'll burn the faux sausage if you chop as you cook.
Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers
I put this together with stuff I had around the house. Each pepper is enough for one person. It cures my Italian cravings without all those nasty pasta calories. The dish is low fat and lower in calories than the meaty option. With all the other seasonings you don't miss the beef. You can probably make the mix a day before and refrigerate. Since you are really just heating things through there is very little chance for error. If you have picky non-veg eaters you can probably make this with beef. It's ok to eyeball the quantities to get the consistency and taste you want...that's what I do. It's hard to goof this up.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 medium onion
2 bell peppers (get the wide and squatty ones and look for ones that will sit upright
1 bag of 90 second brown rice or 1-1/2c of cooked brown rice
1/2 bag of Boca (fake ground beef) crumbles
1/2c diced baby bella mushrooms
2 c Marinara Sauce (eyeball it)
1 tsp Italian seasoning, adding extra oregano and basil is optional
Red pepper flakes (optional)
1-2 cloves of garlic
2 tsp chopped or 1 tsp dried parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
Wash peppers. Cut the tops out to create a bowl. Rinse out any loose seeds and use your fingers to pull out any white pith. Boil a pot of water and par boil the peppers for about 3-5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to move them around if the water doesn't cover the entire pepper. Take them out, and turn upside down on a clean towel to cool. Dice onions and saute in a saucepan at medium heat until the onions are soft. Add spices except for garlic. Stir to combine. Add in crumbles and stir through to heat. Add rice and make sure rice is distributed and not clumpy. Add garlic, diced mushrooms and stir through. Add parsley and 1/2-3/4 c of the marinara sauce to the mix. The mix should hold together and be thick. It's cooked so it's safe to taste. Add spices to taste. Remove from heat and allow to cook while you prep peppers.
Scoop the mixture into the pepper bowl and compress with a spoon.
Add EVOO to the bottom of a bake pan to prevent sticking. Sit the peppers upright in the pan. Spoon the rest of the marinara sauce over the stuffed peppers.
Bake at 350 for 30-40 until the peppers are cooked.
Tips/suggestions: For kids, you can also hide other diced veggies by adding to the mix to conceal them. To hide the mushrooms you can saute those with the onion. Adding them later gives nice texture.
One pepper is a filling meal. Cut in two to serve as a side dish or look for small peppers. Because there is no meat it travels and re-heats well.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 medium onion
2 bell peppers (get the wide and squatty ones and look for ones that will sit upright
1 bag of 90 second brown rice or 1-1/2c of cooked brown rice
1/2 bag of Boca (fake ground beef) crumbles
1/2c diced baby bella mushrooms
2 c Marinara Sauce (eyeball it)
1 tsp Italian seasoning, adding extra oregano and basil is optional
Red pepper flakes (optional)
1-2 cloves of garlic
2 tsp chopped or 1 tsp dried parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
Wash peppers. Cut the tops out to create a bowl. Rinse out any loose seeds and use your fingers to pull out any white pith. Boil a pot of water and par boil the peppers for about 3-5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to move them around if the water doesn't cover the entire pepper. Take them out, and turn upside down on a clean towel to cool. Dice onions and saute in a saucepan at medium heat until the onions are soft. Add spices except for garlic. Stir to combine. Add in crumbles and stir through to heat. Add rice and make sure rice is distributed and not clumpy. Add garlic, diced mushrooms and stir through. Add parsley and 1/2-3/4 c of the marinara sauce to the mix. The mix should hold together and be thick. It's cooked so it's safe to taste. Add spices to taste. Remove from heat and allow to cook while you prep peppers.
Scoop the mixture into the pepper bowl and compress with a spoon.
Add EVOO to the bottom of a bake pan to prevent sticking. Sit the peppers upright in the pan. Spoon the rest of the marinara sauce over the stuffed peppers.
Bake at 350 for 30-40 until the peppers are cooked.
Tips/suggestions: For kids, you can also hide other diced veggies by adding to the mix to conceal them. To hide the mushrooms you can saute those with the onion. Adding them later gives nice texture.
One pepper is a filling meal. Cut in two to serve as a side dish or look for small peppers. Because there is no meat it travels and re-heats well.
Low Calorie Omelets
So this is a take on the South Beach omelet. I've never made that one before but my former boss did. I've jazzed this one up a bit but the cooking is similar...
 |
| Behold! A super hi-tech frying pan. |
Preheat oven to 350. Spray PAM in a muffin pan that holds 12 muffins. Yes, muffin pan, no lie.
1 pint Egg Beaters
1/4 c Soy chorizo
1/4 c diced portabella mushrooms
1/4 c chopped bell peppers
1/4 c chopped green onion (1-2 stalks)
1/4 c low calorie shredded cheese
Salt and pepper to taste, go easy, the chorizo has lots of flavor
Paprika (optional)
Spray a saute pan with PAM and add the soy chorizo (I like Trader' Joe's). Brown the chorizo over medium heat for 5-7 minuets until you see little brown pieces starting to form.
In a bowl, add all the other ingredients, stir to mix and add to the muffin pan using a 1/4 cup measuring spoon.
 |
| The veggies before adding eggs |
 |
| Veggies with browned soy chorizo and Egg Beaters |
Bake for about 20 minutes or until the egg sets.
Makes 12 1/4 c omelettes. 93 calories per serving (according to My Fitness Pal).
I put the extras in a zip top bag and have two each morning for breakfast with a 100 calorie English muffin.
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| I like a little smoked paprika on each one. Makes it festive! |
Friday, July 23, 2010
The Real Housewives of Atlanta
I've only seen a minute or two of the TV show. It was enough to make my ears bleed and want to poke out my eyes with sticks. I'm a housewife, a real one and I live in Atlanta. I've never been botoxed, I don't host swanky parties and if I ever behaved like that in public I would hope someone would toss water on me, call an exorcist or give me a swift kick in the butt. Not that I wouldn't mind getting botoxed, I am at that age after all.
When you say "See ya" to work you also kiss that regular paycheck goodbye. I was a REALLY good consumer. Shopping was my past time and I did it very well. Stepping away from shopping and spending was one of the hardest things to do when I quit my unnecessarily stressful and well paying job with Clear Channel Radio. I also had to give up things like girls trips to Vegas, eating out 10-15 times a week and the "holy hell" bar tabs from dining out with friends and clients.
I'm the world's most underqualified housewife. I'm domestically retarded. I'm learning to cook, learning to clean, and learning to live a little. I'm finally getting a chance to do all those things I couldn't do when I was a slave to corporate America. It's a trade off. I can't afford to travel Europe, but I am learning to appreciate everything that I can do that won't put us in the poor house.
When you say "See ya" to work you also kiss that regular paycheck goodbye. I was a REALLY good consumer. Shopping was my past time and I did it very well. Stepping away from shopping and spending was one of the hardest things to do when I quit my unnecessarily stressful and well paying job with Clear Channel Radio. I also had to give up things like girls trips to Vegas, eating out 10-15 times a week and the "holy hell" bar tabs from dining out with friends and clients.
I'm the world's most underqualified housewife. I'm domestically retarded. I'm learning to cook, learning to clean, and learning to live a little. I'm finally getting a chance to do all those things I couldn't do when I was a slave to corporate America. It's a trade off. I can't afford to travel Europe, but I am learning to appreciate everything that I can do that won't put us in the poor house.
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