Snack Time

I am really, REALLY trying to be healthier with my eating habits. I am attempting to eat WAY less processed foods and more whole foods that make me eat clean. My start is adding more fruits and veggies, then I will attempt to lower the meat consumption.

Wednesday night I turned into Martha Stuart (you know the cooking and baking side...no illegal actions done here), and made a couple snacks. My food processor was a busy little guy.

The first thing I made was kale pesto. I'm learning what a super-food kale is for you. Did you know that kale is one of the healthiest veggies on the planet? It can protect from cancer, lower cholesterol, it is high in antioxidants. It is a good source of Vitamins A, C, and K and contains a source of minerals copper, potassium, iron, manganese, and phosphorus.

 Kale Pesto:
Ingredients
1 bunch of kale (about 12 ounces) washed
2 cloves raw garlic
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbs. lemon juice
pinch of kosher salt
black pepper, a few grinds.

Instructions
1. place all ingredients in a food processor. Puree until pasty and well combined, 30-60 seconds.
2. scrape into a lidded container and store in refrigerator until use.

*Washing the kale
especially if you have picked it from your back yard, where aphids hang out, wash the kale under very hot water to dislodge critters. This will begin to soften it slightly, and it will turn bright-dark green.

I eat mine with multigrain chips and the above a delish...they are gluten free and all ingredients are easily pronounced!

I found this recipe on pinterest from Shockingly Delicious


My next snack of the evening was vanilla cinnamon almond butter, and it is yummy. It adds just the sweetness and flavor to my apples that I'm looking for. Plus it adds protein and good fat, I say that's a win- win.

Ingredients
2 cups roasted almonds
1/2 Tbs. vanilla
1 Tbs. cinnamon
1 Tbs. olive oil

Instructions
1. place almonds in the bowl of a food processor and process until finely ground.
2. add the rest of the ingredients and blend for a few minutes at a time, making sure to scrape the sides of the food processor bowl frequently (if mixture sticks).
3. process for about 5-7 minutes, or until smooth and creamy.
4. store in a closed jar or container.

I found this sweet treat on pinterest as well from greatist{dot}com

I hope you enjoy these tasty super-food snacks!

Mediterranean Cooking Round 2

I have not given up on Mediterranean cooking, in fact, I thought I would give it another go. Not Paella of course or Spanish food, but I moved on to Italian, and man was it a hit! I'm not a newbie to making Italian food, but I thought I would try something new that was not in my repertoire and I think I will be making it again.  I made Giada De Laurentis' Pork Chop with Fennel and Caper Sauce.

And...FLOP!

Last night I tried making Paella (a Spanish dish) for the first and last time ever. Needless to say it was a big flop, and I will be leaving it to the pros for the making. Unfortunately I got busy talking with my good friend Jenn who came over for dinner and I wasn't paying attention and the bottom turned completely black! I burned dinner and this is not common practice for me and I was filled with disappointment. To top it off, the rice was not finished cooking and no one likes crunchy rice. Everyone politely ate the dinner, but the leftovers were thrown out, which was a shame that it was not so good, because the flavor was delish. If you are brave and decide to try it out, or Mediterranean cooking is your forte then be my guest. The recipe was from Tyler Florence, his Ultimate Paella!

Chili Night

It has finally gotten cold enough where I can justify a chili night. Chili just doesn't sound good to me on a warm night. So I (I mean Drew) cooked up a pot of chili and we had our GREAT friends over! We enjoyed a time of eating, fellowship, and games (the boys whooped us in Trivial Pursuit). When you make it through my post, you'll find the recipe at the end :)

The boys...they're silly. We couldn't get one of the girls because a member of the group felt she was not dressed up enough :)
We have Goody (Jason), Drewski (Drew), Ry-Ry, and KiKi (Kain)...Thanks for the nicknames Ry-Ry!

Ry-Ry and Mindy

Ryan's best friend Kendall

Lesly and Kendall playing games and having a blast!

Hamming it up for the camera

Lucy hanging out under the table

Lots of love between the girls

Looking for a good chili recipe? I just so happen to have one (thank you Vaughn).

Ingredients:
2 lbs. ground beef
1 medium onion diced
1 large bell pepper diced
4 cloves of garlic (minced)
3 jalapenos (if you like is spicy, 1 if you like it mild) diced
4 cups chicken stock
2 cups water
1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
1 can tomato paste
2 Tbs. salt
2 Tbs. chili powder
2 Tbs. pepper
1 Tsp. cayenne pepper

Directions:
Brown ground beef in large skillet. Drain half of drippings, add onion, bell pepper, garlic, and jalapenos saute until veggies soften.

Transfer to a large pot. Add chicken stock, water, tomatoes, sauce, paste, and spices/seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 3-4 hours.

Serve with cornbread, potatoes, and cheese.

Man, I feel like a wife...AGAIN!

Today was our last day of school and it feels so good to be done! My after school job ended Monday, so when I got home I was able to relax a little before jumping into my wifely duties. It is so nice to not be exhausted by the time I get home. When I got home today at 4:30 I was able to sit and relax, get a load of laudry in, and get dinner ready. To be honest I can't remember the last time I actually made dinner. I love being a wife and all that it entails, I love cooking and cleaning, taking care of my hubby, and taking care of the home. I love summers because I feel like I get to be a wife again.


Tonight I made Grilled Chile-Lime shrimp with couscous.

1 tsp. Finely grated lime peel
i/1 Tbs. lime juice
1 jalapeno seeded and finely minced
2 Tbs. low sodium soy sauce
3 tbs. olive oil
1 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 Tbs. honey
2 Tbs. cilantro
1 1/2 lb. medium shrimp (6 per person)

Mix all ingredients except shrimp in a bowl. Peel shrimp except for tail and devein. Place shrimp in bag and dump marinade on top. Marinade for 20 minutes. Place shrimp on cutting board and place them in groups of 6. Using 2 skewers for each group, skewer the shrimp together. Grill shrimp on an oiled grill rack for 2 minutes per side. I paired it with couscous mixed with parsley...delicious!

Enjoy a lower calorie meal.