I do not like diets. Not to sound like that "diets don't work" lady but they don't. I would not go on any diet that you could not deal with for the rest of your life. Getting used to eating healthy and doing it 95% of the time. Also portion control is vital I had no idea how much over my daily allotment of calories I was really eating until I did Weight Watchers. I started tracking and it helps you realize that everything you put in your mouth counts. I like it because they teach you how you should eat for life. They don't exclude any thing and you don't have to buy any of the food.
I have been thinking a lot about moms who work outside of the home and how hard it is to cook a healthy meal when you are working. This struck me on the way home when in the window of Black Jack Pizza they had a sign that says " carry out special large pepperoni pizza 5.99." How cheap is that! I have actually done that and I may do it again on occasion. How much healthier would you eat if everything was at your finger tips and easy and fast? Here are some things I do that help us out when we are having a busy weekend or a week night that I feel like being lazy.
Brown Rice cooked ahead and in a quart sized container. You only think you like white rice better because it is what you are used to eating. Do your kids a favor and feed them whole grains and get them aquired to the taste instead of white starchy food like the us. When you start eating Brown you will notice that it has a rich nutty flavor and cooked correctly it is delicious. I suck at cooking rice but this recipe never fails and it is handy made ahead. If you notice most stir fry recipes prefer you to use cold rice anyway. Here is my brown rice recipe I make it and store it in my fridge.
Baked Brown Rice
perfect every time
1 1/2 cups brown rice
2 1/2 cups of water
1 T of unsalted butter
1 t Kosher salt
Preheat the oven to 375
Place rice, butter and salt into a 8 inch square glass baking dish.
Bring the water to boil in microwave or in a kettle. Once the water boils pour it over the rice stir to combine and cover the dish tightly with heavy duty or a double layer of regular aluminum foil. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for one hour.
After the hour, remove cover and fluff rice with a fork. Serve immediately.
Bag of skinless boneless chicken breasts thawed marinated and Grilled. Buy one of those big bags of boneless skinless chicken breasts and grill the whole thing. Slice it or leave it whole and freeze it for later use. Use frozen vegetables and make a stir fry with the brown rice and you have a fifteen minute meal. Take it to work with you and have a salad. There are so many things you can do with chicken.
Here is an easy marinade that I love and it makes a delish chicken taco:
Honey Lime Chicken marinate
Warning do not leave chicken in marinade for more that 30 minutes. It is very acidic and will make the chicken mushy.
1/2 cup of lime juice
1/3 cup of honey
1/4 cup of garlic/ minced
1/2 tsp of cayenne
This is enough marinade for 1.5 pounds of chicken.
Fast Tortilla soup
This is a fast soup "recipe" it is exactly how Carlos O Kelly's (a Mexican restaurant) used to make their tortilla soup. I know because I used to work there.
Chicken breast diced
Salsa
Chicken broth
It is not an exact science I would say maybe 2 parts salsa to one part chicken broth. I would add some canned black beans if you want to add some fiber and extra protein, I "doctor" mine quite a bit. My favorite thing to add is Masa is instant corn flour (corn meal is not the same) if you cant find Masa crunch up a few tortilla chips into teeny tiny pieces and throw it in it while it cooks.
These are great make ahead side dishes that I love and keep well in the refrigerator. I try to find recipes that have lots of protein, fiber and whole grains.
Mediterranean Barley with Chickpeas and Arugula
I have just this week started cooking with pearl barley and oh my gosh, is it filling. Shawn has been taking my pearl barley concoctions in his lunch and he really likes them. He didn't even eat his sandwich one day.
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked pearl barley
- 1 cup packed arugula leaves ( you could use European blend salad mix)
- 1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes, packed without oil
- 1 (15 1/2-ounce) can no-salt-added chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped pistachios
Preparation
- 1. Cook barley according to package directions, omitting salt. Combine barley, arugula, bell pepper, tomatoes, and chickpeas in a large bowl.
- 2. Combine lemon juice, oil, salt, and crushed red pepper, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle over barley mixture, and toss. Sprinkle with pistachios.
Cracked Wheat Salad with Nectarines, Parsley, and Pistachios
Great with grilled chicken, lamb, or salmon, this side-dish salad also packs well for a picnic. Almost any fruit would work well in place of nectarines--try apricots, peaches or plums.
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked Bulgar
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced nectarines (about 3)
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar (I used regular Balsamic vinegar it was fine)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons chopped pistachios
Preparation
- 1. Combine bulgur and 1 cup boiling water in a large bowl. Cover and let stand 1 hour. Stir in nectarines and remaining ingredients except nuts; toss well. Sprinkle with nuts.
I have to go for now but I am hanging in there and I hope you are too.
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