Edible Derangement

If you're anything like me, you are in udder shock and disgust at the price of edible arrangements (if you're not, this will change your mind: http://www.ediblearrangements.com/fruit-baskets.aspx?CategoryID=35&ArrangementID=16&Section=3). So, now that you know they charge 90 bones for a few slices of cantelope, I think we're on the same page. I won't get started on how sick it is to make a healthy gift so inaccessible to those who aren't Daddy Warbucks...it's just sick.

Well, I put an end to the madness. My very good friend, Kate, wanted an edible arrangement the months leading up to her bday. Knowing me and my comical salary, that wasn't gonna happen. But I did what I always do when I need something I can't afford. I freaking made it...so that is what you're seeing here, Kate's happy bday homemade edible arrangement. Let it be inspiring to you to get creative and stick it to the man!

as promised...Wonton Fruit Cups!

First things first, I have to thank my favorite website http://www.eatbetteramerica.com/ for this fan-freakin-tastic recipe. They are soooo fancy looking but soooo simple. Can't wait to make them again!

Two wonton wrappers for each cup. brush a tiny bit of melted butter over the wontons, place them in cupcake tins, bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes. Pull out and let cool a bit. Insert flavored yogurt (i added honey and berries to the yogurt) and top off with gorgeous berries. VOILA!

I will admit that they're difficult and a bit messy to eat, but most fancy desserts are. The taste is outstanding and each is only 100 calories (for those of you who count them). Enjoy!

RIP Billy D. Basil

The last of my basil plant, Billy D. Basil, has sacrificed himself to make this enticing dish. It's not really a pizza and it's more than a focaccia. I don't have a name for it, but I can promise you it's is nothing but DE-LISH! My genius friend, Lisa, suggested I use pesto for a pizza sauce and ever since then, i've been stalking Billy, urging him to grow grow grow!

Whole wheat flaxseed crust, pesto spread on the crust (artichoke hearts, basil, lemon, garlic, and olive oil), and sauteed squash and red pepper. I didn't have the right cheese in the house so I made this sans the cheese. I was pleasantly surprised and will probably be skipping cheese on many of my pizzas from now on...depending on the toppings of course.

What would you call this dish?

Let Them Eat Carrot Cake!

I love the idea of eating carrot-cake, such a novel concept to me. I could never have it growing up because people littered it with walnuts and well....tree-nuts are my cyanide. Anyhow, even better is relatively bite-sized servings of carrot cake so that it lasts foooorrrreeevvveerrr! Wheeeeee!

So, my ma gave me this recipe for clean carrot-cake cookies that she found in the newspaper. I went a step between cookies and cake and made carrot cake muffins. they have pineapple and currants and carrots and honey and oooohhh so much good stuff. Let me know if you want the recipe, but for now...bask in the glory of their pictures.

Bonkers for Brunch!

One of my very favorite things to do while vising NYC is walking in the morning til i get super hungry and then sliding into one of their THOUSANDS of awesome brunch spots. Seriously, New Yorkers know how it's done. For Detroiters, imagine clean and relatively healthy Coney Island restaurants on every corner and they somehow ALL look like the Seinfeld restaurant...but alas, no Seinfeld.

Meanwhile, sometimes on the weekends I like to make giant healthy brunches if I have time in the morning. This time, I did something extra good. Egg white omelette which contains sauteed onion and spinach, thyme, swiss cheese, and sea salt. Seriously, excellent flavor and the egg whites and cheese have so much spinach I was full for soooo long.

Peach yogurt with a peach chopped on top of it and wheat toast is the rest of the meal, but that's a given with any brunch, right? Seriously, skip the hash browns and grease and get creative with your omelettes, you'll be so pleased :)

Luuuunnch!

I have a few peeps asking about what I bring to work for lunch. For those of you who don't know me, it's a rarity to see me eating lunch from a restaurant. Number 1, I rarely have time at work to leave for lunch. Number 2, I always feel far too heavy and my wallet feels far too light after going out to lunch. I bring a variety of things to work for lunch. Some days it's just two pieces of fruit and an odwalla bar (if you've yet to discover the godliness of the odwalla bar...click here and become familiar. $.99/each at Kroger in the organic section).

Anyhow, sometimes I bring in a can of healthy select, low sodium soup or a frozen Amy's burrito ($2.14 in the frozen organic section at Kroger) but usually it's leftovers from the night before. I LOVE leftovers.

However, many of you have families who actually eat the leftovers so pictured is an idea that's full of flavor but just the right combo to keep you full. Whole wheat tortilla (you can use wheat bread, of course), swiss cheese, salami, lettuce, brown mustard. It's a great combo of good fats, protein, and whole grain carbs to keep you full all afternoon. And of course, an orange is a surprisingly sweet and nutritious ending to this wrap.

I hope this is helpful and you consider bringing your lunch to work too!

Heart-healthy and Wallet-friendly Pasta Dish

This Italian NEVER thought that subsituting an oil-based, tomato-based, or creme-based pasta sauce with reduced-sodium chicken broth would cut the mustard, but I've been schooled. This is quite possibly one of the most fresh and satisfying recipe I've made thus far and I've got plenty of leftovers to enjoy it for days to come. I ate a large portion last night (far too large, couldn't help myself), then I put the remainder of the meal in three separate tupperware container and off they went to the freezer for quick easy lunches that aren't housed in a chemical-laden box. Tip: always freeze leftovers in portions that you can easily snag and take to work. Sometimes we waste leftovers cause we're sick of them or we just eat them cause their there...make use of your food and be wise about not wasting. I assume everyone reading this is smart enough bring your lunch to work (unless you travel for work or if you're rich and can eat out daily), so make it easier on yourself by freezing leftovers.

Recipe:

8 oz whole-wheat angel hair pasta
sliced grape tomatoes (they go in very last)

4 cups spinach

1 large yellow onion

1 cup reduced sodium chicken broth

2 large chicken breasts

oregneno

garlic

Sautee the onions in a bit of oilve oil until transparent, add bite sized chicken pieces, seasonings, and finally spinach. Once the spinach has been sauteed, add 1 cup of chicken broth, 1 tbs butter, and let simmer for 5 minutes. Add the broth combo to the cooked angel hair pasta and mix together well. Add grape tomatoes at very end. Most importantly, squeeze fresh lemon over your serving...it absolutely completes the package.

This entire meal (which divided into many meals) cost approximately $7.20...you can't even go out to one lunch for less that that these days, PLUS you have tax/tip....but this $7.20 made me one giant dinner and three lunches. SO, $3.00 dinner and three $1.40 lunches. You gotta use your melon, peeps. :)