Little Bit of This and a Little Bit of That

“The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once.”
~Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein, on you I call bullsh*t. Everything is happening at once on my end these days and it's consuming my tiny bit of free time...which in turn, disables me from cooking....which leads to eating pre-prepared foods...which leads to this AWFUL mood and negative levels of energy. Ay, Ay, Ay!
I have no fancy or creative meals to show you and I'm just as disappointed as you (assuming you give a freak).
I do, however, have an intersting little vittle for you to chew over. Check this out:

A few weeks ago, I was at Kroger minding my own business in the Organic/Clean foods section. I stumbled upon this cereal (shown in picture). I was in a rush so didn't read the indgredients, assuming it was, eh hmmmmm...clean. Not so much.
Check out the front of the box, make your assumptions about the nutrition level of this product, then check out the label I've posted. If you did not know before, the ingredients on food is listed in order of the greatest amount in the product...so, what we see here is that SUGAR is the second highest ingredient in this cereal. Ummmm, no. I don't eat cereal with SUGAR. Also, not that it matters at this point, but it also contains High Fructose Corn Syrup. Yo, is this the early 90's? Are we really thinking it's ok to consume that? The makers of this cereal are ho bags. Steer clear and ALWAYS read the labels before wasting your money on crap.

Also, I want so badly to have time to make these silver dollar sized pancakes. YUMMY! I have to have you, darling ricotta/blueberry buckwheat pancakes....who wants to come over for brunch this weekend and DEVOUR THEM!!!!??? http://cleaneatingmag.com/Recipes/Recipe/Mini-Blueberry-Buckwheat-Ricotta-Dessert-Pancakes.aspx
I would make them for mi hombre when he's in town but alas, he doesn't enjoy sweets (lab results are still out confirming his status as human...i'll keep you posted).

Sorry for the randomness but I hope you were able to get something out of this post.
Have great days, my precious readers!!!

I have no idea how this happened....

....but I'm sure glad it did.
This week is beyond exhausting. I have way more than my share of things going and it's been keeping me on the run CONSTANTLY. I finally got home from work last night around 7:45 and my dogs were barking (my feet were tired). I wasn't really hungry, but knew that I didn't wanna bring a frozen meal for lunch today, so I got to cooking.
Somehow, in a haze of exhaustion, I ended up with spanish onions, chicken breast, broccoli, and artichokes all hanging out in my sautee pan. Once they were ready, I poured a can of low-sodium french onion soup over the concoction and TA DA! It ended up being super tasty and light. I had enough for a giant dinner and then a lunch today.

Teriyaki Time!!!

SOY VAY! (Get it, hehehehe. Nothing like a good Judaic-slanged pun to get your day started). This stuff is a DREAM. A bit of an expensive dream, but worth every drop...plus it goes VERY far. I got my bottle at World Market for 4 bones. Much cheaper than at Westborn or other quality grocers where you may pay up to 6 bones. Anywho, let's discuss what I've done here.

Marinated a 1/3 lb salmon filet in Soy Vey for 15 minutes turning once. Put in the sautee pan (where I've already prepared my red onions and spinach) with a touch of olive oil and cooked for 5 minutes or so on each side. It smelled insanely good. I had difficulty not eating it straight out of the pan, but alas, then I would starve today. I added everything to 1 cup of brown rice and VOILA! Today's lunch AND dinner.

So, what can you do with Soy Vay? Sautee (or wok/stirfry) veggies, any fish, pork, steak, chicken, add a bit to your steamed veggies for a kick. ANYTHING! This stuff is the best, I'm happy to have it live in my fridge amongst my other edible friends. :)

I Yam Your Root-Vegetable Authority

I cannot tell you how good these taste. I don't even want to begin to describe it. Let me just say that if I had to choose between regular french fries and my perfectly seasoned Yam Fries....the yams win, hands down.
I'm just gonna tell you how this happened and leave it at that. No sense in mindlessly babbling about an indescribable flavor and heartiness. ooohhhh, baby.

PREHEAT OVEN TO 450
Two Medium Yams (sweet potatoes) cut into strips (like carrot stick size, long and thin)
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon of garlic powder
1 tablesspoon of ground cumin
1/4 tablespoon of ground sea salt
1/4 tablespoon of ground pepper

Combine yam sticks and all ingredient a medium-sized mixing bowl. Stir until ingredients are evenly combined or put plastic wrap over bowl and shake like crazy to cover the sticks evenly.

Lay sticks in a single layer on either non-stick baking sheet or cover baking sheet with aluminum foil/parchment paper.

Bake for 15-20 minutes flipping the sticks over with a spatula every 7-8 minutes.

Enjoy alone or with your favorite condiment. Mine were devoured with natural Ketchup (the "no high fructose corn syrup" kind, of course).

And yes, that's kale next to the fries...I have a problem, it's true.

Try My Couscous (that's what she said)

So I'm gonna be honest with you. I had very little time in the kitchen last night because I spontaneously went out for drinks around 7. Most definitely worth it, but after two Stella Artois, I was the buzzed chef (another beauty of eating clean...it takes VERY little alcohol for you to have a good night out). Anyway, I came home last night around 10:30 and decided to make Couscous. It only takes about 2 minutes total to boil and then on the adjacent burner I sautee the veggies. Considering I was in a creative state of mind, I just started throwing things in. I only had a few bites before bed but made an entire lunch for today and dinner for tonight out of it.

Ingredients of intoxicated couscous:

-whole wheat couscous

-tomatoes

-artichokes

-grilled chicken breast

-broccoli

seasoning: garlic, cracked pepper, herb mix

Sooooo good and the protien in the chicken will keep me full for hours!

I have an appointment about 40 minutes away tonight so i also brought some kashi go lean crunch cereal to put in my greek yogurt before I leave work. The WORST thing ever is letting your blood sugar drop so low that you binge on whatever you can find first. I also have a banana in my purse for the ride home tonight before I get to the leftover couscous.

I know it seems like I carry a lot of food around, and I do, but it's SO much better than spending money or breaking down and eating out...this can always be avoided. I'd rather be overprepared than find myself booty calling Dominos (sick, i would never do that but you get the point) in a panic.

Anyway, i ramble again. Enjoy!

3 Parsnips, 4 Potatoes, and a Priest walk into a bar...

Sit down and make yourself comfortable, for I will now tell you the story of how I became a parsnip-whore. Once upon a time, in a near-distant suburb, lived my vision of the perfect family. Pon, Kate, and their 4 angelic offspring. At the time (fall, 2009) I was in a less-than-perfect life situation (translation: my life was super fucked up). The outlook was grim and I had very little hope in my world...until I met....the parsnip.

Pon and Kate were kind enough to invite me to dinner in their lovely home. When the vegetables that Pon roasted came around, I took a healthy serving and dug into them immediately (for those of you who don't know, a hot meal wasn't something that I was experiencing often during this time in my life...i was a savage guest). While eating, I noticed that Pon was genius enough to include thick steak fries in his roasted mix, assuming it convinced the offspring to eat their veggies. When I inquired about said fries, Pon laughed, "No, no. Those are parsnips. Haven't you ever had a parsnip?"

After asking approximately 246 question regarding parsnip origin, uses, recipes, and nutritional value, I was on a mission. I f'ing love parsnips. My favorite preparation method is to roast them while tossed in olive oil with sea salt, pepper, and thyme. The taste always reminds me of the warm home of kind friends. And, if I use enough oil, of french fries. :)

Oh my darlin', Clementine

the stores are filled to the brim with Clementines right now...get it while the getting is good. I've found the most interesting ways to get through my massive sack, but today's recipe was especially exciting. Clementine upside down cake. HOlla!

I got the recipe from this awesome healthy chic. Not only is she the shiznit for deciding to lose her extra weight for good, but she is incredibly creative! What an amazing idea...to make tiny single serve, healthy desserts. I subsituted 1% milk for her almond milk and agave nectar for her honey, but it turned out soooo tasty and not too sweet.

I LOVE ME SOME DESSERT, but I have NO control when it comes to portion sizes or number of helpings. This way, it's all portion-controlled for me. I even did some kitchenware shopping today to get some ramekins. This is what you make the single-serve dishes in. Personally, I find it genius for my situation. I live alone and love to try new things but don't want a ton of food here to eat with no one else to help.

For valentine's day, mi hombre will be in town and I'm gonna make the first course of his v-day meal in a ramekin....it's a recipe for seafood casserole and I think it'll be adorable in the tiny little dish. Anyway, I ramble.
So, I'm getting ready to make a giant batch of sauteed kale to munch on while I watch a movie so I'll see you on the flip side. :)

I F'ING LOVE PIZZA

Like every other living, breathing creature, i am obsessed with pizza.
It's hard to find a good whole wheat crust...plus, i'm a complete topping whore. One day I like it thin with tomatoes, basil, and light cheese. The next day I'm on the hunt for a thick little number with pinapple and canadian bacon. Either way, I want it how I want it....so tonight, I learned to make whole wheat pizza crust and the beauty is...i know EXACLY what I'm eating, no preservatives, no chemicals...only what I've included.

Here is the crust recipe. I used agave nectar instead of sugar.

Anyway, this pizza was a bit complicated because of the way I prepared the toppings (sauteed them first with garlic and oregeno) but it was worth every minute and dirty dish...

I call this pizza, the Petra. Vanderbun was sniffing into the air like a crazed person while it was baking. It was hysterical and since she can't even taste it, I'm naming it after her.

Toppings: Red onion, artichoke, and fresh spinach all sauteed in olive oil. Cheese: light feta.



When I took the first taste, I squealed with delight! It is PERFECT. Exactly what i wanted. I am soooooooo pumped about this new crust making ability. SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

inspirational website

Some badass sites for you to peruse. My favorites :)
http://www.cleaneatingmag.com/
www.greenlitebites.com
http://www.thecleaneatingmama.com/
http://www.glamour.com/health-fitness/blogs/vitamin-g/

that should get you started. Share with me some of yours! Somebody...say something before I shut this thing down! :D

Patience, please!

I will be back asap...i have been working like a dog and haven't had time to post. Plus, I have to go grocery shopping tonight at o'dark thirty when i finally get off work. I plan to post a dinner tomorrow night when i have a minute to breathe and cook. Speaking of, i never hear from any of you so I've decided to take requests...what is your favorite food that you'd like to see prepared more healthy? Challenge me!
But for now, a freakin' adorable picture to temporarily provide you with happiness.

Hope everyone is wonderful and making good choices!

Spinach to the Rescue!

Last night I was the biggest Debbie-downer. Seriously, it was very uncool. Normally, when I'm feeling so awful I use it as an excuse to eat like CRAP and then that makes me even more down...and the cycle repeats. Yuck.

Luckily, I had a plan to use up some spinach that I apparently bought in bulk so my meal was saved. Spinach salad with red onions, garbanzo beans, tomatoes, shredded provolone, and artichokes...dressing: Ken's light Asian sesame. Also (not pictured), I cooked up four slices of low-sodium bacon for a little protein and pork-taste.

P.S. I have two red pears that are PEAK in ripeness so I brought one to work today, sliced it and tossed it into my oatmeal with cinnamon....dude....dude....it's unreal. PLUS, the oatmeal could only handle half of the pear so I get to eat the rest alone and I've got juice dripping down my arm...ahhhh, classy.

ehhh hemmmm.....

Kale is my boyfriend. We're gonna go all the way.

http://www.glamour.com/health-fitness/blogs/vitamin-g/2011/01/healthy-eating-5-reasons-to-fa.html

Monday, Monday

I'm pumped about tomorrow. I have a super long day (11 hours) and I need to be fueled the entire time cause it's gonna be BUSY! Just the way I like it. So...let me show you what I've prepared in order to keep me from getting hungry and buying something quick and convenient.
At the top left, you'll notice my baggie of mango. Normally, I carry around the entire mango butthe knives at work blow and I wanted it ready to toss directly into my oatmeal (with agave nectar, remember). BTW, I forgot to tell you about my favorite way to prepare oatmeal...with frozen mixed berries and agave nectar. 1/2 cup of frozen berries, 1 cup of oatmeal, water, and microwave for 2:30. Once it's cooked and stirred, I shit you not it look (and tastes) just like a berry cobbler...mmmmm, mmmm, mmmm! Never eat packaged oatmeal, it's almost as much sugar and artificial bs as soda...But i digress.
Below the mango, you'll see some peculiar-looking chips. They are the sacred "Tera" exotic vegetable chips and they are un-fucking believable. They are also un-fucking believably expensive. I only buy them on sale. that's that. But tomorrow, they're coming to work with mama.
In the middle you'll see Greek yogurt. I've never had it but I plan to use it as a snack when I get peckish during my marathon workday. I'll let you know how it is.
To the upper right of the yogurt is a fuckton of edemame (soybeans). I love edemame with cracked sea salt....oooooh, so good. Gives me ladywood.
Last, but not least, is 1/2 of a Kashi "roasted vegetable" pizza. The other half is in me already. I don't count calories and don't you DARE call this a diet blog, but I just found out that the entire pizza has only 750 calories. THAT'S ALL! That's a nice sized dinner and good times for everyone. Hip Hip Hooray for Kashi pizzas. P.S. get them on sale, when they go down to $4.50 at Kroger, I stock up like a mad woman. They take 10 minutes to heat up after work and they have everything you need! Yippee!

Sooooo, you like (Borat voice)????

carbonated whores

Do you drink Soda (or for my Michiganders, pop)? If so, gross. Seriously, gross. The only beverages I consume are water (tap), coffee, and wine or beer (occasionally a good vodka). I used to drink diet soda like it was going out of style..."how great", I thought. "Zero calories and its tasty". Then I went to the denstist. I don't usually admit this, but I had $3,000 worth of damage done to my enamel from the citric acid in all the diet soda I drank. It was eating away at my teeth! Anything that is that potent should not be consumed, end of story.
I strongly believe that the chemicals found in soda (both diet and regular) are not fit for human consumption. Check the ingredients list, what the freak are those things and why do people rush to drink them? Plus, it's so much better not dragging cases of soda from the grocery store...of course that's minor, but irritating enough to mention.
Drinking only water all day can be boring, i know. I got used to it quickly and noticed a MAJOR difference in my energy levels immediately. Diet soda has caffeine but the effect is negated by the fact that you're drinking soda instead of water...even though your'e caffeinated, you're no where near hydrated. Making sense?
The point is, drinking soda is out. Don't make yourself a beverage victim.

Breakfast/Brunch

As promised, here is my weekend breakfast.
I always eat a BIG breakfast when I can. Today's is a little more diet conscious than normal....the holidays have left me with way more of me than my jeans can handle and it MUST be removed.
Anyway, 3 egg-whites (I never eat the yolk, ick),tri-colored bell peppers, onions, and a touch of cheese melted on the top of omelette. Kale (OB-SESSED) sauteed with olive oil, sea salt, pepper and garlic. And last but not least, an apple. Kinda boring but soooooo tasty and filling.
I eat as many veggies as possible all day everyday. When I don't have enough for a day or two, I feel awful. To be honest, I'm so gaga over sauteed kale that I think about it while I'm at work or when I don't have any at the house. it's so inexpensive, full of vitamins and nutrients, and incredibly tasty. I'd eat it with every meal if I could. I wish I was exaggerating.

ooh la la

I've been waiting all day for you, Mr. Dinner...finally, you are mine.
Sauteed spinach salad with onions, yellow and orange bell peppers. Tilapia pan fried in olive oil with thyme and garlic.
Let's do this.

the only supplement for me...

Super B-Complex is the shiznit...end of story. It's an excellent vitamin that helps me better manage stress, focus, improve energy and mood, PLUS helps with healthy hair (and if you wanna talk good hair...I'm your girl).

But even better than all those benefits is the the wild neon color it turns your pee. Henceforth, you are both healthy and entertained...good times for everyone.

Bottom line, I eat so many freaking vegetables that I don't need to take vitamins...but this one is a great investment if you tend to be a nervous-nelly like myself.

First things first....breakfast!

I do best with a structured plan so breakfast usually consists of the following: Weekdays-plain oatmeal with some type of fruit and a dash of agave nectar. Weekends-Southwestern style veggie egg-white omelette with whole wheat tortillas and salsa.

The picture shown is today's breakfast...mango oatmeal...sooooooo good. The other oatmeal pic is from a while ago, made with raisins, agave nectar, and cinnamon. Hit me up if you want to know EXACTLY how I make my oatmeal.