This year has posed some interesting challenges in my dietary world. One - I got married (yay!) and we moved in together. Did you know learning how to efficiently share a fridge is a skill? Two - I decided to go vegetarian. Combine that with my dairy intolerance, and let's call it "90% vegan diet" to account for the occasional days I just don't want to "be that guy" but forgot to pack my lunch or pre-eat.
A few of the hardest adjustments to these lifestyle changes:
1) Sharing the fridge (as mentioned above)
2) Sharing the pantry (almost as challenging as 1)
3) Coming up with recipes we can both enjoy.
My shopping cart looks like this: 75% fruits / veggies 10% protein (tofu/beans) / 10% "snack" like nuts or kind bars / 5% nonsense (condiments/other processed foods).
His shopping cart looks like this: 90% meat / 5% veggies / 5% nonsense.
We also consume alcohol differently. He likes beer, most days. I like wine, 1-2 days max. His preference can take up a lot of valuable refrigerator real estate, but luckily for both of us, we have a beer fridge and a wine rack on the counter. No problemo.
However, we approach leftovers differently. I like to finish them off as soon as possible, then move onto the next recipe. I also like to cook large batches of certain foods ahead of time so that meals can be thrown together quickly.
He. hates. leftovers.
He says he doesn't, but when I find cooked meat that's been in the fridge for two weeks, or ask "what's in the fridge?" response: crickets, I begin to question that statement.
What's a girl to do?
Plan. Plan, plan, plan. Then prep, write instructions, and delegate. If I make a meal and put it in front of him, he usually doesn't question it. The trick is striking a balance.
We both like hot meals for dinner. We both like little fuss for lunch. We both eat pretty much the exact same breakfast, day after day and week after week.
My latest dinner strategies? Keep it simple: Grain. Vegetable. Protein. I swap the protein for something meatless, at a little sauce to something to make him happy, and voila. We have a meal together.
Thursday, March 16, 2017
Tuesday, September 8, 2015
Chopped Salads - from Spicy Asian to Spicy Southwest
The other day I came across the most amazing pin: 24 Easy Healthy Lunches to bring to work in 2015. Lately, I have fallen in love all over again with Asian food, so naturally I started with the 5-minute Spicy Asian Chicken Salad.
When it comes to ingredients, I don't usually pick convenience over price, but as luck would have it, my local grocery was either a) only offering these items in pre-made packages or b) had a great deal on the item. So, I bought
Kale (pre cut & wash)
Asian cabbage slaw (includes cabbage & carrots)
Rotisserie chicken
Jalapeno (whole)
I already had soy, lime juice, and sesame seeds. Wow! This salad was so amazing I ate it 4 lunch/dinners in a row and shared a bite with anyone willing. When the weekend hit I was out of town, and so I came back to 1/4 kale, slaw, and chicken left over (no jalepeno though womp womp). I also had an avocado to use up, so today I made a spicy southwest chicken chopped salad with honey lime dressing as follows:
Base:
Kale
Asian slaw
Rotisserie chicken
Avocado
Salsa (dollop) or diced tomatoes
Dressing:
2 tbs Lime juice
2tbs Olive oil
1/4 tsp honey
Dash Cayenne pepper
Dash Garlic
Salt & pepper to taste
I didn't measure the ingredient for the base since I was only making one serving, but I used approximately one chicken breast which was enough for a bite of chicken almost every bite. Next time I'll try adding some corn & blackbeans for extra color. You could try adding tortillas for even more crunch, but with the kale/cabbage base they'd really just be extra calories. Enjoy!
When it comes to ingredients, I don't usually pick convenience over price, but as luck would have it, my local grocery was either a) only offering these items in pre-made packages or b) had a great deal on the item. So, I bought
Kale (pre cut & wash)
Asian cabbage slaw (includes cabbage & carrots)
Rotisserie chicken
Jalapeno (whole)
I already had soy, lime juice, and sesame seeds. Wow! This salad was so amazing I ate it 4 lunch/dinners in a row and shared a bite with anyone willing. When the weekend hit I was out of town, and so I came back to 1/4 kale, slaw, and chicken left over (no jalepeno though womp womp). I also had an avocado to use up, so today I made a spicy southwest chicken chopped salad with honey lime dressing as follows:
Base:
Kale
Asian slaw
Rotisserie chicken
Avocado
Salsa (dollop) or diced tomatoes
Dressing:
2 tbs Lime juice
2tbs Olive oil
1/4 tsp honey
Dash Cayenne pepper
Dash Garlic
Salt & pepper to taste
I didn't measure the ingredient for the base since I was only making one serving, but I used approximately one chicken breast which was enough for a bite of chicken almost every bite. Next time I'll try adding some corn & blackbeans for extra color. You could try adding tortillas for even more crunch, but with the kale/cabbage base they'd really just be extra calories. Enjoy!
Friday, April 17, 2015
The quest to find the perfect Schnitzel
Most of you might be wondering what the heck Schnitzel even is: flattened, breaded, fried meat.
You may have heard of "weiner schnitzel" which is a german version where the meat is often veal. I am chicken fan myself, and let me tell you - chicken schnitzel is very hard to get right.
My boyfriend first introduced me to schnitzel by talking about it. All talk, no meat. I pried and prodded and one night he surprised me with a schnitzel dinner. The seasoning was perfect, it was delicious, but he was the first to admit it came out a little dry.
He came to visit me for the first time in my new place (in a new state far far away) and I decided I was going to make a special dinner. Best way to keep a guy around is food, right??
I scoured the internet for the "perfect schnitzel" and eventually came across a recipe that got me close, but not close enough. I still had to bake the chicken at the end and when it was cooked through most of it was dry.
Le Sigh.
I read tips online and gathered from other schnitzel cookers that the key is to make sure its very very flat.
So one night, I put my chicken in a plastic bag, got out the unopened wine bottle I would tap into later, and began to beat the chicken with all my might.
Five minutes later, I had well-aerated wine AND wonderfully flat chicken breast. Voila.
Below, may I present to you, the perfect schnitzel.
Step 1: The beating.
Using whatever tool you wish, beat your chicken breasts until double in width. Don't give up until its really really flat. An unopened wine bottle worked great for me, just don't crack it on a hard surface in the process.
Step 2: The breading.
Season your breasts with paprika (be generous), a pinch of cayenne, your favorite green herbs, and salt and pepper. Crack eggs (1 for 1-2 breasts, 2 for more) in a shallow dish. Dip the breasts in the egg, coat both sides of the egged breasts with breadcrumbs (i like panko) spread on on another shallow dish.
Step 3: The wait.
Let the breaded breasts sit in the fridge for 30-45 minutes. This is key if you don't want all that hardwork to fall off later.
Step 4: The sizzle.
In a cast iron skillet, add enough oil to be about 1/4-1/2 inch deep. Heat to 7 (I have an electric stove, you want the oil to be hot but not popping). TIP: use an oil with a fairly high smoke point (like canola) so you are less likely to end up with a dark schnitzel. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side (if you beat it enough, this is enough time, trust me). When you've done each side, throw onto a pan into an oven at 250. This gives you time to cook the next one without overcooking the first.
Step 5: The sauce.
In the pan you cooked the schnitzel in, drain the excess oil. Melt as much butter as you can stomach, add some white wine, and finish with some lemon juice (go easy don't get to sour). Pour over the schnitzel and enjoy!
You may have heard of "weiner schnitzel" which is a german version where the meat is often veal. I am chicken fan myself, and let me tell you - chicken schnitzel is very hard to get right.
My boyfriend first introduced me to schnitzel by talking about it. All talk, no meat. I pried and prodded and one night he surprised me with a schnitzel dinner. The seasoning was perfect, it was delicious, but he was the first to admit it came out a little dry.
He came to visit me for the first time in my new place (in a new state far far away) and I decided I was going to make a special dinner. Best way to keep a guy around is food, right??
I scoured the internet for the "perfect schnitzel" and eventually came across a recipe that got me close, but not close enough. I still had to bake the chicken at the end and when it was cooked through most of it was dry.
Le Sigh.
I read tips online and gathered from other schnitzel cookers that the key is to make sure its very very flat.
So one night, I put my chicken in a plastic bag, got out the unopened wine bottle I would tap into later, and began to beat the chicken with all my might.
Five minutes later, I had well-aerated wine AND wonderfully flat chicken breast. Voila.
Below, may I present to you, the perfect schnitzel.
Step 1: The beating.
Using whatever tool you wish, beat your chicken breasts until double in width. Don't give up until its really really flat. An unopened wine bottle worked great for me, just don't crack it on a hard surface in the process.
Step 2: The breading.
Season your breasts with paprika (be generous), a pinch of cayenne, your favorite green herbs, and salt and pepper. Crack eggs (1 for 1-2 breasts, 2 for more) in a shallow dish. Dip the breasts in the egg, coat both sides of the egged breasts with breadcrumbs (i like panko) spread on on another shallow dish.
Step 3: The wait.
Let the breaded breasts sit in the fridge for 30-45 minutes. This is key if you don't want all that hardwork to fall off later.
Step 4: The sizzle.
In a cast iron skillet, add enough oil to be about 1/4-1/2 inch deep. Heat to 7 (I have an electric stove, you want the oil to be hot but not popping). TIP: use an oil with a fairly high smoke point (like canola) so you are less likely to end up with a dark schnitzel. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side (if you beat it enough, this is enough time, trust me). When you've done each side, throw onto a pan into an oven at 250. This gives you time to cook the next one without overcooking the first.
Step 5: The sauce.
In the pan you cooked the schnitzel in, drain the excess oil. Melt as much butter as you can stomach, add some white wine, and finish with some lemon juice (go easy don't get to sour). Pour over the schnitzel and enjoy!
Thursday, January 8, 2015
Elimination Diet Week One: Pt 3
This morning I had a fruit smoothie for breakfast. Incredibly basic - fruit, almond milk, done. After yesterday's debacle, I wanted to keep the food basic. For dinner, I had turkey, sweet potato, and rice recipe as well as an apple. Today, my sleepiness (despite being woken at 2am by my puppy) and crankiness have lifted as compared to yesterday. GI issues always linger, but I am hoping those will be gone by EOD or tomorrow.
Before the elimination diet, if I had a smoothie in the morning I would have been ravished by noon. Today, I haven't had the sugar crash and intense hunger that I am used to. Coincidence? We'll see.
Before the elimination diet, if I had a smoothie in the morning I would have been ravished by noon. Today, I haven't had the sugar crash and intense hunger that I am used to. Coincidence? We'll see.
Wednesday, January 7, 2015
Elimination Diet: Week One Pt 2
Today I made the mistake of running out of home cooked food. As a result, I stopped at Arden's Garden on the way to work. I got the Power Fuel boost around 8:30am and now I am having a serious sugar crash.
Ingredients included the following: Flax seed, sesame seed, brewer’s yeast, lecithin, psyllium, spirulina, blue-green algae, chlorella, wheatgrass, barleygrass, Norwegian dulse
Tired, achy, stomach (surprise surprise) issues. Not sure how I missed these very obvious culprits, but its clear to me - wheat is going to be on my permanent out list.
Ingredients included the following: Flax seed, sesame seed, brewer’s yeast, lecithin, psyllium, spirulina, blue-green algae, chlorella, wheatgrass, barleygrass, Norwegian dulse
Tired, achy, stomach (surprise surprise) issues. Not sure how I missed these very obvious culprits, but its clear to me - wheat is going to be on my permanent out list.
Tuesday, January 6, 2015
Elimination Diet: Week One
Recently, I have been plagued with internal issues like no other. With about two months of feeling sick on an already restricted diet (no dairy, minimal gluten), the mysterious post dinner attacks had to stop. So, I perused Google for ideas to identify and eliminate the culprits. I want to page numero uno in the search engine: http://www.precisionnutrition.com/elimination-diet.
Like every good citizen, I decided I'd start this diet as a New Year's resolution. However, in one big glorious goodbye to 2014 I had ordered pizzas for my friends and I. They fell asleep, so Cameron and I were left with 2 pizzas - one cheeseless (for me) and one with double cheese & meat. Of course I couldn't let some of the leftovers to go to waste and since my dear was taking his time getting out of bed the hunger took over and I had a slice.
That day we made our way to the farmer's market and my shopping list went something like this:
1 lb ground turkey
1 large grouper filet
2 lamb steaks
3 apples
4 bananas
1 package strawberries
1 large butternut squash
1 sweet potato
1 package of celery
1 bunch bok choy
1 bunch spinach
1 head of living lettuce
1 package wild rice - 16 oz
1 cucumber
1 lb carrots
1 zucchini
2 packages of mushrooms
2 onions
1 red pepper ( a cheat )
4 small cans coconut milk
1 package vegetable stock
1 package frozen peaches
1 package frozen blueberries
1 carton unsweetened almond milk
1 red bell pepper ( a cheat)
1 package dried fruit
1 package dried garlic plantains
1 jar almond butter ( cheat)
2 avocados
With this I made the following recipes:
Entrees:
Turkey (3/4 lb), mushrooms, wild rice, and sweet potato
Turkey lettuce wraps
Grouper with Spinach, strawberry, avocado salad
Grilled lamb steaks
Breakfast smoothie - any combination of apples, peaches, blueberries, avocado, squash soup, almond or coconut milk
Sides:
Vegan butternut squash soup (coconut milk, vegetable stock, 1/2 apple, 1 onion) good hot or cold
Carrots, mushrooms, and rice
Mushrooms & rice
Asian carrot cucumber salad ( a cheat for the dressing - used vinegar)
Vegetable stir fry (onion, bok choy, mushrooms, red pepper, carrot, ginger)
Snacks:
Celery and almond butter
Apples and almond butter
Dried Fruit
Dried Plantains
Bananas
Apples
I am an avid coffee drinker, so when I saw both coffee & caffeinated tea were off the list I was worried. Since I started this during my time off ( or a weekend would do), being sleepy the first couple of days was no issues - I had time to take a nap. Now, with days 3 & 4 being at work, I have had more energy than I am used to, little to no GI issues, and feel light. There's something about eating light, clean, healthy foods that reflects outwardly. You really are what you eat.
Like every good citizen, I decided I'd start this diet as a New Year's resolution. However, in one big glorious goodbye to 2014 I had ordered pizzas for my friends and I. They fell asleep, so Cameron and I were left with 2 pizzas - one cheeseless (for me) and one with double cheese & meat. Of course I couldn't let some of the leftovers to go to waste and since my dear was taking his time getting out of bed the hunger took over and I had a slice.
That day we made our way to the farmer's market and my shopping list went something like this:
1 lb ground turkey
1 large grouper filet
2 lamb steaks
3 apples
4 bananas
1 package strawberries
1 large butternut squash
1 sweet potato
1 package of celery
1 bunch bok choy
1 bunch spinach
1 head of living lettuce
1 package wild rice - 16 oz
1 cucumber
1 lb carrots
1 zucchini
2 packages of mushrooms
2 onions
1 red pepper ( a cheat )
4 small cans coconut milk
1 package vegetable stock
1 package frozen peaches
1 package frozen blueberries
1 carton unsweetened almond milk
1 red bell pepper ( a cheat)
1 package dried fruit
1 package dried garlic plantains
1 jar almond butter ( cheat)
2 avocados
With this I made the following recipes:
Entrees:
Turkey (3/4 lb), mushrooms, wild rice, and sweet potato
Turkey lettuce wraps
Grouper with Spinach, strawberry, avocado salad
Grilled lamb steaks
Breakfast smoothie - any combination of apples, peaches, blueberries, avocado, squash soup, almond or coconut milk
Sides:
Vegan butternut squash soup (coconut milk, vegetable stock, 1/2 apple, 1 onion) good hot or cold
Carrots, mushrooms, and rice
Mushrooms & rice
Asian carrot cucumber salad ( a cheat for the dressing - used vinegar)
Vegetable stir fry (onion, bok choy, mushrooms, red pepper, carrot, ginger)
Snacks:
Celery and almond butter
Apples and almond butter
Dried Fruit
Dried Plantains
Bananas
Apples
I am an avid coffee drinker, so when I saw both coffee & caffeinated tea were off the list I was worried. Since I started this during my time off ( or a weekend would do), being sleepy the first couple of days was no issues - I had time to take a nap. Now, with days 3 & 4 being at work, I have had more energy than I am used to, little to no GI issues, and feel light. There's something about eating light, clean, healthy foods that reflects outwardly. You really are what you eat.
Monday, January 7, 2013
Not yo momma's Mac & Cheese
Last week I went to the grocery store without a list (GASP! I know - I broke my cardinal rule and I was hungry, so really I broke two).
While perusing through the store, I mostly stayed outside of the aisles to stick with the healthy stuff. I had already decided I wanted stir fry, so I picked up: 1 onion, 1 green pepper, 1 red pepper, 1 bunch of kale, mushrooms, and celery.
My cart was so healthful and delicious, until I got too close to Aisle 5 - that's when the $.79 Mac & Cheese lured me in, and I had to pick up a box of the shells.
Once I got home, an idea sparked - why not stir fry all those veggies, then add them to Mac & Cheese so I can pretend like Mac & Cheese is healthy too?? Pure. Genius.
Soon I had the veggies frying, the pasta boilin', and time on my hands while I waited for it all to cook.. So I decided to get a little crazier.
Instead of butter & milk for the mac, why not substitute greek yogurt for those and goat cheese for 1/2 the fake cheese?
What's that? Crazy, you say? Well of course!! They don't call me Chamanda for nothin'.
All in all, a delicious meal. Next time, I'd like to add sunburst tomatoes to the mix. These orange nuggets pair so well with goat cheese you won't know what hit you!
Recipe:
Mac:
1 box 3 cheese shells
3/4 cup Greek Yogurt
Veggies:
(all chopped)
1/2 red pepper
1/2 green pepper
2 stalks celery
1/2 container mushrooms
1/2 onion
2 cups chopped kale
While perusing through the store, I mostly stayed outside of the aisles to stick with the healthy stuff. I had already decided I wanted stir fry, so I picked up: 1 onion, 1 green pepper, 1 red pepper, 1 bunch of kale, mushrooms, and celery.
My cart was so healthful and delicious, until I got too close to Aisle 5 - that's when the $.79 Mac & Cheese lured me in, and I had to pick up a box of the shells.
Once I got home, an idea sparked - why not stir fry all those veggies, then add them to Mac & Cheese so I can pretend like Mac & Cheese is healthy too?? Pure. Genius.
Soon I had the veggies frying, the pasta boilin', and time on my hands while I waited for it all to cook.. So I decided to get a little crazier.
Instead of butter & milk for the mac, why not substitute greek yogurt for those and goat cheese for 1/2 the fake cheese?
What's that? Crazy, you say? Well of course!! They don't call me Chamanda for nothin'.
All in all, a delicious meal. Next time, I'd like to add sunburst tomatoes to the mix. These orange nuggets pair so well with goat cheese you won't know what hit you!
Recipe:
Mac:
1 box 3 cheese shells
3/4 cup Greek Yogurt
Veggies:
(all chopped)
1/2 red pepper
1/2 green pepper
2 stalks celery
1/2 container mushrooms
1/2 onion
2 cups chopped kale
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