Saucy

Finally! A post not about g. :). Just thought I'd share two sauces that we love.

Makoto Ginger Dressing

This salad dressing is hands down my favorite and it's not available at all grocery stores, so when I buy it, it's a treat. If you like ginger salad dressing from Japanese restaurants, then you'll have to try it. I think it's better than most restaurant dressings. It's sold at my Super Target in the refrigerated dressing section.

Allegro Marinade

This was on display at Market Street so I thought I'd try it. We're trying to do better about cooking at home and we need quick meals. I think it's excellent! (As evidenced by the empty bottle.) I've used it on chicken and tilapia - both great! The ingredients include soy sauce, lime juice and garlic. Yum!

Cinnamon Sugar Butter

If you're The Pioneer Woman, you'd probably make your own, but if you're me, you buy this!  So delicious!  (Actually it'd be pretty easy to DIY in a mixer and you could use real butter not "butter spread.")

Land O Lakes Cinnamon Sugar Butter "Spread"

Peanut Butter Pretzel Bites

I'm a big fan of any kind of peanut butter-chocolate-pretzel combo. Ben and Jerry's Chubby Hubby is my #1 love! When I saw this recipe on pinterest (thanks, Nikki!) I had to make it. The ingredient list is short and may even be things in your pantry already.

I made a small adjustment to the original recipe after my chocolate wouldn't melt and coat like it was supposed to.

Peanut Butter Pretzel Bites
Source: Tasty Kitchen

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
5 Tablespoons powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon softened butter
1 cup crushed pretzels
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1 Tablespoon shortening

1. Combine peanut butter, powdered sugar, butter and pretzels.
2. Roll into a small ball (or drop with a spoon) and place on parchment paper.
3. Freeze peanut butter balls for 30 minutes.
4. Melt chocolate and shortening. Stir to combine.
5. Drop peanut butter balls into chocolate and coat with a fork.
6. Place back on the parchment paper and allow chocolate to set. (speed up the process by sticking back into the freezer).

Yield 12 peanut butter pretzel bites.

The only thing that didn't really work for me was the shaping of the chocolate salty balls ;). I had peanut butter all over my hands so ended up just spooning "drops" onto the parchment paper instead. They looked more like haystacks than balls but I didn't care. No picture of my beauties!

http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/desserts/peanut-butter-pretzel-bites-2/

More of My Favorite Things

Another food post!  Shocker. 

Udi's Vanilla Granola

 I've always loved cereal, but lately I've turned into my dad.  My dad likes to combine 4-5 cereals per bowl.  I started doing this with Udi's Vanilla Granola.  Maybe because it's expensive or maybe because granola is high in calories, but I've just been topping off my regular cereals with it and I LOVE it.  I've been buying it at Central Market in the bulk bins, but I just found out the Sprouts by my house sells it too.  I'm a granola purist and don't like many extras (especially raisins!) but  I did pick up a bag of their Cranberry Granola tonight (cranberries and walnuts) just to try a different flavor. 




Honeycrisp Apples

It's Honeycrisp apple season!  I don't think these are around too long so next time you're at the store, try one.  Sweet, crunchy, juicy and the perfect afternoon snack.  They were $2.99/# at my local store tonight, but so worth it. 

These are a few of my favorite things: Food edition

I guess I like to incorporate music lyrics or song titles into my blog!  :)

 Thought I'd share a couple of my food favorites that I think are a little uncommon.

Mr. Q Cumber

 If you like "spa water" or the refreshing taste of cold cucumbers, you have to try this drink!  I like that it's 7 oz. (portion control!), does not contain high fructose corn syrup and is only 90 calories.  I bet it would be delicious in a cocktail. The only downside is, it's not sold everywhere.  Right now on Facebook, they are trying to get their fans to request shelf space at Whole Foods.   For locals, I buy it at Market Street.  


From their website:  "It's Absolutely Delicious. "Mr. Q. Cumber" is America's first all natural crisp and refreshing drink that taste like you just bit into a ice cold cucumber."

Amy's Organic Brown Rice, Black Eyed-Peas & Veggie Bowl 

If I don't have leftovers from dinner, I usually take a frozen meal to work for lunch.  It's not the best habit but even with the preservatives and sodium that some frozen meals contain, I still stand by their convenience, portion control (there I go again!) and some of the time - veggies, fiber and low calories.  Plus they beat fast food any day!

This one from Amy's is my favorite!  I limit myself to only buying one per week so I don't get sick of it.  Plus, it's a little more expensive than other frozen meals.  It's 290 calories (perfect for lunch) and has 8 grams of fiber.  It's also: gluten free, dairy free, lactose free, no cholesterol, tree nut free, vegan and certified Kosher.

From their website:  "A balanced combination of organic brown rice and black-eyed peas with organic broccoli and carrots in a tasty ginger sauce."

From my website:  "It's DELICIOUS!"      

Be careful with Amy's, while most are very good, not all are low in calories.  They do have a new line called "Light & Lean" (which I have requested at Market Street but they're still not there).  I went to Central Market today and picked up two.  They all sound pretty good!

Brown Cow Yogurt

Along with my leftovers or frozen meal, I always have a yogurt.  Brown Cow is my favorite brand.  I usually buy the Nonfat Vanilla or Strawberry (because those are the only two nonfat flavors Market Street carries) but my absolute favorite is Cream Top Maple.  It's definitely a treat with 7 grams of fat, but it's so good.  No high fructose corn syrup or artificial sweeteners.  It's thinner than most yogurts and not quite as sweet. 


From their website:  "We’ve removed the fat but kept the creaminess and full flavor. With just the right combination of cultures and a touch of natural evaporated sugar cane juice, we’ve created this incredibly creamy, rich, tasty nonfat yogurt."  


What are your favorite lesser known foods that I need to try?

Portion Control: Chicken

Vegetarians and Vegans - Skip this post!


via Google Images

Just thought I'd share my latest trick for portion control with chicken breasts.  My local grocery store (Market Street - love it!) sells boneless, skinless chicken breasts that are already pounded.  Perfect for Chicken Marsala, but I usually buy them regardless of what I'm making because they are so much smaller than the regular ones.  It cuts back on the cooking time and makes it easier to reach the right cooking temperature.  (Otherwise, I tend to overcook chicken because of my salmonella paranoia.) 

Yes, they are more expensive and you could do it yourself at home, but I don't mind paying for convenience when it comes to raw chicken!  They also seem to be trimmed better than the regular ones, so that saves you time too.  Besides the calories (which of course chicken breasts are considered lean), it also helps us eat LESS meat overall.  Win-win.

Cost comparison:
Regular:  $3.38/#
Pounded:  $4.08/#

Weight comparison:
Regular:  8 oz./serving (technically two servings!)
Pounded:  4 oz./serving (one serving)

6 regular chicken breasts = 48 oz. (3#) = $10.14
6 pounded breasts = 24 oz. (1.5#) = $6.12

So really, you're saving money AND calories!

Produce Update

Pretty close, but not perfect.  Only had two casualties.  (a soggy orange at the beginning of the week and I never got around to using the kale before it went bad.)

Fried Okra with Ranch

Okra - half sauteed w/ EVOO, onion, garlic & tomatoes, half fried (Paula Deen's recipe!  Turned out great, but we couldn't eat them all - so while that sounds as waste too, health-wise it was a smart move not to eat it all.)
Green Beans - sauteed w/ EVOO, s&p
Oranges - ate 2, threw away 1
Bananas - ate them all
Beets - boiled, peeled, sliced then eaten plain for snacks (just me - Chris won't eat them!)
Cauliflower - roasted w/ EVOO, s&p, cayenne
Celery - ate as a snack w/ salad dressing
Carrots - ate as a snack w/ salad dressing
Onions - 1 sauteed w/ the okra, still have 2 left
Sweet Potatoes - diced then roasted w/ EVOO, s&p, cayenne
Potatoes - 1/3 roasted w/ the cauliflower, 1/3 diced then roasted w/ the sweet potatoes, still have two left
Kale -wah, wah... I planned to make kale chips but it never happened and I had to throw out the bunch
Avocado - topped chicken breasts (served w/ roasted cauliflower & potatoes)
Plums - ate as is

If it were cooler out, the celery, carrots, onion and potatoes would have been perfect for a roast.

Two onions and two potatoes left... until tomorrow's new bin!

A PSA from Vegetables

My apologies if you are offended by cussing carrots...




 Courtesy of Natalie Dee.

Eat your veggies!

We are members of a neat little store, Urban Acres, that offers "co-op style" produce shares every other week.  On my scheduled day, I drive down to Irving to pick up my 15# share from one of the several "farm stands" throughout the Dallas area.  (or as my Dad says "What did you get from this hippies this week?") 

Their priorities are 1.  local & organic and 2.  organic.  So often we do get random organic fruits & vegetables that are most definitely not local to North Texas.  (bananas!)  It's a good way to get quality produce, support local (and not so local) organic farmers, support a local Texas business and try new foods!

Since you have no say in what you get in your 15# of produce, it forces us to eat outside of our comfort zone.  This can also be bad because if you're not on top of things, produce can go bad quickly - especially if you have no idea what it is or how to prepare it.

SO... here comes the accountability of the new blog!  I hate food waste.  Of course we would still have some food waste buying produce at the farmer's market or grocery store, but when paying $2/#, I try my best to use it up.  (a compost bin would be a great solution!) 

This is what we have in our bin this week and I'm going to try my best to use it before it goes bad.  This week should be fairly easy because we like and know how to prepare everything in the bin.  (Except for the onions that Chris won't eat!)

Okra
Green Beans
Oranges
Bananas
Beets
Cauliflower
Celery
Carrots
Onions
Sweet Potatoes
Potatoes
Kale
Avocado
Plums

Fruits & Veggies More Matters! 

I'll report back how we do.  (Y'all didn't know this blog was going to be so riveting!)