I sent my lens off to Canon last week and hopefully they will be able to send me a new one ASAP. I am sure missing it something fierce. I have an ancient piece of crap to work with and I’m trying to make the best of it. I hope you don’t mind 🙂 I have a great roasted pork loin with POM reduction recipe, along with a new twist on grilled pizza, and my first attempt at making coffee! (more…)
July 11, 2010
December 4, 2009
Fort Collins is awesome
When I left you last we decided to make a drive into Fort Collins to walk around downtown and grab some dinner. I am in love with this city! It was just so neat and quaint, with tons of unique shops. There were tons of bikes all over the city even in the winter! How cool!
I had to get a picture of these bikes. How does one ride this thing?! Or even get on it?
When we first arrived we decided to stop at a cute little coffee shop. I’m not a coffee drinker but I couldn’t resist! I got a decaf fru fru drink and it was divine! There was even a bookstore attached.
Lots of vegan baked goods . . .
Ice Skating!! The little kiddies had garbage cans to help them stay up, but I would have to have one too. I’m terrible at skating 🙂
We grabbed dinner at a chicago pizza place. It was yummy! I had this slice and 1/2 of another.
After dinner we decided to grab some dessert at The Melting Pot. I had never been there and it was quite a treat! Boy, I’d like to have a wine cellar like that!
We ordered the milk chocolate for 4 along with a dessert-type red wine that was a bit too sweet for me on its own but went really well with the chocolate. It was heavenly! I’d love to go back there for a special occasion. It’s too bad they don’t have any in Vegas anymore 🙁 Chris and I shared this platter.
It was such a fun trip! Then we had to head back to reality on Sunday morning. . .
Goodbye Colorado, I will miss you!!!
After all that good eating, here’s a quick pistachio recipe that’s a little lighter on the waistline . . .
Pistachio Couscous Patties
(Adapted from CookingLight)
Serves 6 (two patties)
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 c chopped peeled tomato (used about 3-4 romas)
- 3/4 cup uncooked whole wheat couscous
- 1/4 cup chopped sweet onion
- 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
- 1-2 tsp canned tomato puree
- 3/4 cup shelled dry-roasted pistachios, finely ground
- 1 tsp dried oregano, all-purpose seasoning, garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp paprika, dash of cayenne
- 3/4 tsp salt
- Ziki Sauce for topping
Preparation
Combine first 5 ingredients in a food processor and pulse till ground but not soupy; let stand 15 minutes. Add pistachios and next ingredients (through salt); mix well. Press bulgur mixture into a (1/4-cup) dry measuring cup; unmold onto a cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining bulgur mixture to form 12 patties total. Chill for 15 minutes and serve on a flatbread or pita and top with ziki sauce. I also dusted them with a bit more ground pistachios.
They don’t ‘form’ like patties that well, but are still pretty yummy. In two patties there’s 170 kcals and 6 grams of fiber 🙂
I put them in a flatbread, added some spinach and topped it with some ziki sauce. It was light but very filling!
I also used them in a nice salad.
Even though I still like to enjoy all the delicious holiday treats, it’s important to balance those out with activity & healthier eats of course!
What are some holiday strategies that you use to stay on track?
—> Real Time Update —> well, my computer hard drive files were saved thanks to Chris! I don’t know what I would do without him. I have both my presentations done and done & need to start studying for finals next week. Then I’ll really be done! Woo-hoo! Thanks for all your well wishes . . . motto of the week: This too shall pass 🙂
July 28, 2009
fun ride, great dinner
As you know, last time I went on a group cycling ride with my mountain bike I about died and was far behind the group, so I’ve been searching and wanting to get road bike for awhile now. Well, I got one this weekend!! Just the baseline model, something to get me started (and I’ll be paying off forever!). It’s crazy there are some bikes out there upwards of $8,000!!!
We decided to go on a ride on Sunday with the owner of JT’s bicycle shop, the place where I actually bought my bike from. They have a great shop and are such nice people. It was supposed to be a 20 mile ‘C’ ride, but there were only the 3 of us (Jim, chris and I), so we decided to go further on the River Mountain Trail towards Lake Mead. It turned out to be 33 miles total! For my first time on a road bike, it actually wasn’t too bad. My legs and butt weren’t sore, but by the second hour my shoulders and neck were screaming! I did have to buy a pair of cushy butt shorts for next time. I think I just have to get used to being in that position for so long and have Chris give me a good back rub haha. Road bikes are an entirely different animal! It feels like you can actually get speed and going up hills isn’t a complete battle. It was really amazing! If you hate bike riding because it seems like you can’t go anywhere without killing yourself, really consider a road bike because it really makes a big difference in speed and efficiency. Here’s me trying to be a serious rider . . . lol
Now speaking of speed, there were a few hills, well three actually, that they call the 3 sisters on the River Mountain Trail. Whoa, I was freaking out! I still have to get used to going so fast and turning fast because I get really scared I’m going to totally biff it. One of the hills felt like a rollercoaster where you slowly reach the top and shoot down really fast, yikes! I was riding my brakes down the whole way. I’ll probably have to get my brakes serviced sooner than most because I’m a little brake happy at the moment haha! But it was a lot of fun and I ate a lot too. Here are my eats for the day . . .
Breakfast
- piece of WW toast, two egg whites (in the micro)
- 1/2 banana with peanut butter slather
- 2 cups H20
During the Ride
- 1 packet Luna Moons – blueberry flavor (I actually really liked these because liquid carbohydrate drinks usually upset my stomach) I will be experimenting with others.
- 1 liter of H20 + about 12 ounces of water mixed with this sample I got at the bike shop (I think I liked this too because I am a very salty sweater)
After the Ride (at a nearby coffee shop)
- 1/2 liter water
- 1/4 bagel with grape jam (shared with Chris who was ravenous so I could barely grab a bite!)
Rest of the Day
Big smoothie with milk, frozen fruit, peanut butter, amazing grass (bought this myself), chocolate whey protein, chia seeds in a fun glass from Nawlins- about 3 oz of leftover roasted chicken, 1 rib, 1/2 corn muffin from Famous Dave’s
- flatbread sammie with mozzarella and leftover roasted veggies, 1/4 cup cottage cheese, handful of pretzels
- more water!
Dinner
- Cedar-planked maple salmon with cous cous, avocado and grilled veggies
- glass of chardonnay (not the best to have with exercise)
- bowl of cookies and cream yogurt blends I found at Walmart. These are really yummy, creamy and 120 kcals per 1/2 cup serving; I had one cup. I want to try more flavors! Do you ever go down the frozen dessert isle thinking you shouldn’t but just want to look, and you’re secretly hoping you’ll find something to try? haha
- more water!
Whew! That was a lot. I’m sure I forgot a few munchie stuff in there too haha But, my HR monitor said I burned about 1,000 kcals. I’m not sure how accurate this is since some of the time we were coasting, but my heart was sure racing from the adrenaline!
On to the the yummy dinner . . .
I’ve never tried using cedar planks on the grill, but oh man, it sure gave it a great smoky flavor! Make sure you have a fire extinguisher and a spritzer bottle of water nearby just in case. We had a few flare-ups, oops!
Cedar-Planked Maple Salmon
Yield: 4 for dinner
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 2 tbsp soy sauce (low sodium)
- 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
- juice from 1/2 an orange (you will need 2 oranges total)
- splash of rice wine vinegar
- 1 tsp each sesame oil and canola oil
- 1 pound wild Alaskan salmon (if possible, I found this on sale otherwise it’s a bit too pricey for me)
- 1 cedar plank soaked in H20 for at least 1 hour (I put it in a baking dish, covered with water and topped with another baking dish to weigh it down)
For the cous cous:
- 1 cup whole wheat cous cous
- 1 cup water with juice of other orange 1/2
- 1 orange, zest and segments
- various grilled veggies – bell peppers, green onions
- handful of walnuts
- splash of the maple sauce above
- salt and pepper
Soak cedar plank for at least 1 hour in H20. Prepare grill to about medium. Combine the first 6 ingredients in a medium sauce pan. Boil gently until reduced down and syrupy. Reserve a little for the cous cous. Once cedar plank gets slightly smoky on the grill, place salmon on plank. Baste with maple mixture every 3 minutes for about 15-20 minutes until slightly pink in the center.
Boil water and juice for the cous cous, add cous cous, stir, turn off heat, cover and let sit for 5 minutes. Place in a large bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients to combine.
Plate and enjoy! This is really really good! Sorry for the terrible lighting. It was getting late and that good sunlight was dwindling!
I also grilled some bok choy and served it with 1/4 of an avocado. Bok choy has a wonderful popcorn-like flavor when it’s grilled and green onions taste like sweet candy. I can just eat them whole!
I paired it with this chardonnay that was recommended to me at Lee’s when I couldn’t find my favorite buttery chard from Ravenswood. While this chardonnay wasn’t really that buttery at all, it was very bright with grapefruit and citrus flavors. Honestly, it didn’t go to well with the buttery-ness of the salmon and avocado and kind of cut into the flavor characteristics of this dish for me. Oh well, it was still pretty refreshing and mellowed out a little as it warmed up. It’s still fun to try a new wine, but sometimes you just wish you could have got your tried and true favorite, no?
Tonight for dinner I made a salmon cous cous salad, just love leftovers! And what’s a good salad without some dried fruit, crumbled goat cheese and a dollop of greek yogurt?!
Close-up! Glorious salmon . . . I wish I could eat this every day.
Any new activities, products, recipes you’ve stumbled upon that turned out pretty darn good?
March 21, 2009
one fish, two fish, red fish, green fish . . .
I still have quite a bit of fish left in my freezer at the moment and it is literally packed to the gills! (no pun intended haha) I have to open the freezer door slowly for fear of sheer collapse of our perfectly orchestrated freezer stack. Do any of you guys have this problem too? . . . Oh the day when I can have a sub zero with a plethora of fridge and freezer space . . . uh-em back to reality!
Fridays are the days when Chris and I try make dinner and enjoy a little vino since we usually don’t get a chance to eat together much during the week. It seems like whenever he’s coming home, I’m leaving or when I’m leaving he’s coming home! We also found out recently that our offer on a foreclosure here has been accepted and we have opened escrow! Boy has it been a long process looking and dealing with short-sales. We started looking the end of January and we are just getting the ball rolling on one of our offers. I will have to post pictures of it because we are going to look again this weekend, just for fun! I am both excited and nervous for this new investment in our lives and hope everything works out.
On to the recipe . . .
Pesto Crusted Halibut
with Roasted Veggie Cous Cous
For the Pesto Paste:
-
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
-
Large bunches of fresh basil leaves (about 4 oz by weight)
-
1/4 cup roasty toasty pine nuts
-
1/4-1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
-
zest and juice of 1 1/2 medium lemons
-
2 tbsp of olive oil
-
1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
-
salt and pepper
-
4 large halibut fillets (or you could use your favorite white fish)
For the cous cous:
-
couple glugs of olive oil (2 tbsp)
-
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
-
1 tbsp honey
-
garlic powder and herbes de provence (italian seasoning)
-
salt and pepper
-
1 lb. finely chopped carrots (about 2 1/4 cups)
-
1 lb. finely chopped zucchini (about 4 medium)
-
1 cup grapes, halved
-
1 1/2 cups whole wheat cous cous (you could certainly make quinoa too)
-
1 1/2 cups low-sodium veggie broth
-
1 roasted bell pepper, drained and chopped
-
1/3 cup goat cheese, crumbled
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
Place the olive oil, balsamic, honey, garlic and spices into a zippy bag. Place the carrots, zucchini and grapes inside and let sit for about 5 minutes. Strain the veggies, reserving the marinade, and place on a foil-lined baking sheet.
Bake for about 30-45 minutes, turning and tossing halfway through and basting with reserved marinade if they look dry. Just make sure the sugars don’t get too burned.
To make the pesto pulse everything, except the fish, in a food processor until a paste consistency forms. Slather this mixture on each fish fillet and place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Turn the oven down to 350 and bake fish for 8-10 minutes, or until it flakes easily with a fork. Be careful not to over cook! Then you can broil for a few minutes to get it crusty. Alternatively, I’m sure you could grill it really quickly while slathering on the pesto.
While the veggies and fish are baking, boil the veggie broth; remove from heat, add cous cous, cover and let sit for about 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and place in a large serving bowl.
When the veggies are done add them, along with the roasted bell pepper and goat cheese, to the cous cous and toss all together.
Serve the pesto-crusted halibut atop a nice scoop of the roasted veggie cous cous!
I had a bit of pesto paste leftover which I will use in a pasta dish, or as a slather for a roasted veggie sandwich, yum!
I also like to make a balsamic reduction to drizzle on pretty much anything: Just boil down about 2 cups of balsamic and a little honey gently, stirring frequently, until it gets thick and syrupy. It makes such a great accompaniment and presentation. Sorry, I’m in dire need of a better camera!
And for the vino spotlight . . .
Elderton’s 2007 Unoaked Chardonnay
First I have to tell you my beginnings with wine . . . When I first tasted wine (it was a red, bad idea), I couldn’t believe that people would actually drink this stuff! It was dry, pungent and burned my throat. I could hardly stand it. But, it’s funny, our palettes are very adaptable (as in the case with lower sodium) and can adjust to many different flavors, and like many things, wine can be an acquired taste for some. 
Chris and I have a lot of fun trying new wines and even went to Napa a few spring breaks ago to visit my aunt who works at some of the wineries there. Here is a picture of us touring Pride Winery – breathtaking views! Good memories!
When you first start out drinking wine, you have to start easy, and that means white. Rieslings were my absolute favorite starting out. Light, refreshing, sweet and easy to drink. Chardonnays are a more advanced white, usually heavier, and most have a bit of oak. I’m not a fan of oaky chards, I would much rather have butter (a fuller mouthfeel sensation created from using Malolactic fermentation). Now I really prefer red wines like red Zinfandel, and am currently trying to get more educated about different Italian varietals.
A great buttery chard for a great price would have to be Ravenswood (the winery in the first picture), although the one we tried at the winery is the best, but I can’t find it anywhere! This one doesn’t age too well, so I would get the youngest year you can find.
Unoaked chards are in a class by themselves. They are aged in steel rather than oak, so all you get is fresh, bright fruit essence that is not overpowered by heavy oak. The Elderton chard is a wonderful example of this. Bright, fruity and a little bit of mineral. It has a fresh pear taste; crisp with hints of peach and melon.
But, really the most important part about drinking any wine is that YOU like the flavor! And most great wines you can get for $15 and under.
What’s your favorite type of wine? I’d love to hear all about them!
January 6, 2009
Happy New Year!
I can’t believe yet another year has come and gone already! Along with all the New Year’s resolutions and returning to the daily grind, I hope you all had a joyous holiday season and can approach this year with an optimal outlook for the future.
After spending Christmas with my dad, step mom and cute kiddies, I went to Mooresville, NC to visit with my family there and had a really great time. There’s is nothing like going to the comforts of home and family to make a person feel calm, content and back on track. When it seems like everything may be crumbling around us, family is always there, no matter the circumstance. I know that I am truly blessed to have the family that I have.
If we must speak of resolutions, I myself have a few to keep in my back pocket and hopefully they will stay there as a reminder. Resolutions should really be lifestyle changes, because quick fixes don’t really stand strong in the long term. And then we get frustrated with ourselves when we make such unrealistic ambitions that don’t really work in real life. Really look at things that need changing in your life and try to come up with doable strategies that will work for you. Then make a commitment to gradually adjust and become aware of the triggers that may bring you back to your old habits. Simply recognizing they are there is the first big step to change.
For me, of course I need to get back on my usual gym schedule since I didn’t get a chance to go when I was out of town. I would also like to incorporate more vegetables into my diet. I do eat them of course, but I want to try new ones and experiment with them in new unconventional ways. Chris got me a cookbook titled “The Splendid Table,” which highlights the cuisine of northern Italy. I would like to try some of these interesting, regional recipes and try new Italian wines. I want to get away from the traditional wines from California that are most commonly known, and understand the regions and names of international wines. Fish is another great health food that I don’t eat enough of. Too many resolutions can also be detrimental to sticking with them, so I am going to stop now! But, just one more thought . . .
I also saw the movie “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” while I was out of town and really enjoyed this movie. The essence of the message behind it was very humbling. I would like to center this message around my life by not worrying so much about everything and just simply being. One’s habits and thinking patterns are hard to break, but I’m going to try! We are truly the creators of our world and we can choose how we react to any situation. I always like my dad’s saying to not have a good day . . . MAKE it a great day!
In light of New Year’s and all the weight loss/health related resolutions out there, I decided to post a recipe that utilizes a grain that most people don’t use or haven’t heard about. Quinoa is a higher protein grain that is a lot like couscous, but with more protein and fiber and is not made from semolina flour. This is great mixed with low-fat cheese, chicken sausage, walnuts and then stuffed into a bell pepper to bake. There is also a great salad that can be used for a refreshing lunch and stuffed into some green leaf lettuce. Hope you have a healthy and happy 2009!
CousCous Salad with Chicken and Vegetables
(adapted from CookingLight)
Yield
4 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)
Ingredients
Salad:
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup uncooked whole wheat couscous or any grain like quinoa or bulgar (just watch the ratio of water because these grains tend to need more and take longer to cook)
- 1 cup chopped bell pepper
- 1/2 cup finely chopped zucchini
- 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
- 1 1/2 cups chopped skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken
- 1/2 cup (1/8-inch-thick) diagonally cut carrot
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
- 1/4 cup dried currants or raisins
- 1-2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint (optional)
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Dressing:
- 1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
- Fresh lemon juice and zest from 2 medium lemons
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
Preparation
To prepare salad, bring water, 1 teaspoon oil, and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan; gradually stir in couscous. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Place in a large bowl; cool to room temperature.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add remaining oil to pan. Add the bell pepper, zucchini, and mushrooms; sauté 4 minutes or until bell pepper is tender. Add bell pepper mixture, chicken, carrot, onions, currants or raisins, mint, and black pepper to couscous; toss gently to combine.
To prepare dressing, combine yogurt and remaining ingredients, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle over couscous mixture, tossing gently to combine and refrigerate. Serve salad in green leaf lettuce cups.
Nutritional Information
- Calories: 368 (20% from fat)
- Fat: 8g (sat 2.1g,mono 4g,poly 1.2g)
- Protein: 24.1g
- Carbohydrate: 49.4g
- Fiber: 6g
- Cholesterol: 46mg
- Iron: 1.8mg
- Sodium: 540mg
- Calcium: 148mg
Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers
(adapted from everyday food)
Yield
4 servings as a filling main, or 6-8 as a lighter dish with a nice salad
- 4 red bell peppers
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 onion, finely chopped
- 2 chicken sausage links (any flavor and removed from casings)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp ground coriander or any blend like Mrs. Dash or Italian seasoning would work
- salt and black pepper
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/3 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup grated Fontina cheese (great nutty flavor), or your favorite type
Preparation
Preheat oven to 450, with rack in upper third. Slice a very thin layer from the base of a pepper so it sits upright. Slice off top, just below stem, and remove ribs and seeds from the pepper, Repeat with remaining peppers. Discard stems; chop tops and set aside.
In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add onion, sausage (remove meat from casings), coriander, and chopped tops; season with salt and pepper. Cook until onion is soft and sausage is cooked through with browning.
Add quinoa and garlic, and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add 1 cup of water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until water has been absorbed and quinoa is tender, 11-13 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in parsley, walnuts, and 3/4 cup cheese; season with salt and pepper.
Divide evenly and stuff peppers with the quinoa mixture; place in a 2-quart baking dish. Place 1 cup water in the dish, cover with foil and bake until peppers are tender, about 1 hour. Uncover, and top with remaining cheese and bake until cheese melts and gets bubbly. Yummy and fillling!
Other great whole grains to try include: Bulgar, barley, wheat berries, brown rice, whole grain pasta, kamut, kasha, wild rice, millet, popcorn, rye and good ol’ oatmeal to name a few. I like to peruse the bins at whole foods market for new grains to try along with their preparation instructions.
I hope you like them! Get out there and try new recipes and ingredients! And remember to make half your grains whole for better health.
“What lies behind us and what lies before us are
tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
