Recipe Test: Oven Dried Strawberries

Credit:  Pinterest (unknown)

Pin said:  "Strawberries dried in the oven.  Tastes like candy.  3 hours at 210 degrees."

I got a huge container of strawberries at Whole Foods for this.  Perfect to try it since they are in season. 

Only problem ... after three hours they still were super moist ... 

And even after almost 5 hours they still were moist.  I don't know if maybe I needed to slice them thin?  Or if you really do need a dehydrator for this kind of thing.  I didn't want to waste them so I put them in a tupperware in the fridge.  They don't taste bad ... but I'd have rather eaten them fresh.

Eh ... such is life when you try new things!

June comes early

I went to the grocery late Saturday and loaded up for my 'Just Do It June' ... yes I know it isn't quite June yet but since I had no goal in may I figured I'd get a head start on June's!  

As you can see I'm fully stocked! 

Green green and more green! 

That huge container in there is the leftover paella and this was after a week of eating it!  

And of course the juice bin is ready!

Say hello to my new blender!   I was looking at the vitamix but come on - $400 for a BLENDER?!  Seriously?  Not unless I go vegan or raw and am using it constantly.  For now I asked around and my neighbor had gotten one of these Ninjas.  She said it worked well and really liked the fact that you could blend single servings - it comes with two little containers as well as the big one.  Of course on my first go I had to use the big one!

Tah dah!  (Up close it looked like confetti.   Recipe to follow shortly.)   The blender is LOUD but really? Who cares.  It is working well so far and no smoke or just plain old quitting like my last one.  

My official start is today (Monday 5/20) as Hubby has left on business travel so I don't have to worry about him.  However I'd already started eating closer to my plan this weekend.   Friday night we went to McFoster's (if you are in Omaha try it!: http://www.mcfosters.com/) and I had an awesome salad!  They call it a health nut salad and it has literally everything in it!   From the menu: 

"Charbroiled peppers and oinions, honey glazed pecans, tamari roasted cashews, blanched brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower and other veggie treasures decorate Omaha's #1 salad adventure.  Whole wheat garlic bread and raw milk cheddar or vegan mozzarella on the side."   

I just had a half order because their full size is huge!  The dressing I chose was Ginger, garlic, lime, dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar and honey ... I have to figure out how to make it at home! Sooooo good!

Saturday I had 2 eggs and an apple for breakfast.  Since doing the veggie paella I've decided to experiment with tumeric and threw some on my eggs ... yum!   And I had no idea that tumeric is one of those spices that is supposed to be really good for you.  

From ingredientsinc.net: 

Turmeric is a great source of vitamin B6, essential for maintaining your blood vessels and preventing heart disease. This spice is also a great source of iron, manganese, potassium and fiber. Turmeric has been called a “magical healing substance”.  It contains curcumin which is a powerful anti-inflammatory. Because inflammation is a contributor to so many diseases, including Alzheimer’s and arthritis, the curcumin in turmeric is a precious find.

  

Read more at: http://www.ingredientsinc.net/2013/05/health-benefits-of-turmeric/#.UZoaZLW1GuJ

Of course I just think it tasted good!

Saturday for lunch I had the smoothie you see above in the blender.  For dinner I had leftover paella - of course!  (Sunday that damn paella went in the garbage!) 

Sunday I had a date with my bestie for lunch and shopping.  For breakfast I had eggs again - with tumeric!  I also had hot tea with lemon - no honey!   Before I left to pick up Bestie I tried the green juice recipe that I'll be drinking this week.  Not bad!  (recipe to follow!)

And for dinner a salad that has become a favorite of both mine and Hubby - "Farmers Market Salad" ... sooo good!  

I did have a caffeine withdrawal headache in the afternoon and felt a little fuzzy without it but that was expected since I tend to have 2 cups of 1/2 caff every day.  Not too bad though!  It'll be out of my system fast.  

Recipe Test: Kale Orzo Salad

credit: Ingredientsinc.net

INGREDIENTS:

• Kale
• Olive oil
• Lemon
• Dijon mustard
• Orzo pasta
• Cucumber
• Red onion
• Red bell pepper
• Pine nuts
• Fresh basil
• Feta Cheese

This is another one I made last week and it made a huge portion so we had lots of leftovers!  Hubby did eat this one - he loves pasta of any kind.  

It's a cold salad so be sure to make the pasta and saute the kale with enough time for it to chill before you have to serve it.  This would be perfect to bring to a cookout or serve alongside something else.  I just had it by itself as my dinner ... and the leftovers were a nice quick lunch during the week.  

Recipe Test: Fully Loaded Kale Salad

Credit: lunchboxbunch.com

INGREDIENTS:

• Kale
• Hemp seeds (I used flax)
• Raw sunflower seeds
• Apple
• Avocado
• Cherry Tomatoes
• Mandarin Oranges
• Sweet Onion
• Black Pepper
• Tahini
• Rice Vinegar
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Oil 
• Grade B Maple Syrup 

I improvised a little on this one in terms of size because Hubby was not remotely interested and clearly is craving a big juicy steak or burger!  Whatever ... I'm the one cooking - he can fend for himself!  He did it for YEARS before this adventure of mine so he knows not to bitch and moan (too much) when I cook something he doesn't like.  

I'm not sure if maybe I did something wrong but the dressing was pasty / chunky.  I tasted great and I was able to toss the kale in it so I just went with it.  This is the first time I've had kale raw like this - it is so much thicker than lettuce or spinach but it works.  The fruit and nuts balance this out.  I probably could have done without the avocado (I know - shocking that I say that since I love avocados) as it's flavor kind of got lost in the rest.  

Recipe Test: Spring Veggie Paella

Credit: foodandwine.com

INGREDIENTS:

• Olive oil
• Onion
• Pimentos 
• Tomato
• Garlic
• Salt
• Tumeric
• Brown Rice
• Chicken or Vegetable Broth
• Parsley
• Asparagus
• Peas
• Artichoke Hearts
• Cannellini Beans

This is a meal I made early last week.  Hubby said "bland" and didn't touch the leftovers which sucked because there were A LOT of leftovers.  I finally threw out the rest yesterday as I'd had enough to be sick of it.  I did like it though.  I ended up adding more Tumeric (never had it before now and I LOVE it!) and a dash of salt to my individual servings to jazz it up a bit.  That worked really well.  

Tomatoes are making me so glad the weather is getting warmer.  I can't wait to get the backyard done and have my own veggie garden! 

I used my big cast iron pan for this as I don't have a paella pan... actually I have no idea what a paella pan even looks like!  But the recipe said you don't need one - any large frying pan will do.  

Asparagus from the farmers market .. I don't know why but I've always thought asparagus is pretty the way the green and purplish colors blend.   Of course after 'it's pretty' my next thought is 'here comes Hubby's commentary for the next 24 hours on how it makes his pee smell...'  sigh.  

The recipe didn't specify if the rice should be cooked or not so I put it in dry - thinking that it would soak up all that nice broth.  Problem is it took FOREVER - much longer than the recipe said ... we finally ate it when it was still a little crunchy because it was getting so late.   I think next time I'll partially cook it in the broth and then throw them in at the same time. 

It was really good and loaded with veggies.  Of course Hubby said "where is the meat?!" but tough shit ... I'm the one cooking!  

Just Do It June

So far this year I'd done a goal each month.  January was about getting started with learning to cook and following a real / whole foods diet.  February was about portion control.  March was "mostly fruit & veggie March".   May I just didn't know what to do and half the month has slipped by without a decision.

As you know, this journey of mine is about my health and a big part of my health is my weight.   I've been blessed so far in life not to have any chronic or serious issues other than being overweight (at times to the point of being clinically obese) since I was in my early twenties.  I feel really good about what I've been doing.  I've given it almost five months and it truly is becoming a lifestyle, not a fad.  I still love cooking and eating like this.  However what hasn't happened is the weight loss.  Initially I did lose about 5 pounds but mostly I've maintained these few months.   It's time to jump into some additional changes to get it going.  So I've decided that June will be in the theme of "just do it".   It is time to get active and also to actively eat in a way that will allow me to start getting this unhealthy weight off.

I'm okay with losing slowly.  I also have no illusions of a certain weight or size.  I'm not a clinician but I've worked in the health care field now for almost 15 years.  You can't help but learn from being around so many nurses, dietitians and doctors.  I've learned about the correlations between weight and health and simply - it's not good.  Healthy for my height is going to be between 120 and 150 pounds.  I'm currently at about 190 and trust me, it ain't muscle!

Credit: webmd

I'm going to get a head start by starting now.  Meal plan for this week is done and I just got home from Whole Foods.  I let Hubby know that he's on his own after Sunday night for dinner because lord knows if he's bitching already about "this vegetarian shit" he is not going to like what I'll be making!  Just like how I've been blogging to keep myself on track and ... well to give me some sense of having to be accountable ... (Even thinking that anyone - even one person out there may be watching this journey of mine makes me more accountable.  That's why I chose to do a blog instead of a journal.) ... I am going to write about this part of the journey.   That will keep me honest and on track.

So what's the plan?   Well ... I'm not sure this is what I'll stick to the entire time - it depends on how my body reacts / responds ... but I'm starting by shifting my diet a bit.  I'll be eating:

1.  Fresh Fruits & Vegetables
2.  Frozen Fruits & Vegetables
3.  Eggs
4.  Dairy
5.  Seeds / Nuts
6.  Beans
7.  Honey & Maple Syrup
8.  Grains
9.  Healthy fats

What won't I be eating?  What's different?

1.  I won't be making or buying desserts, granola, breads or the like.
2.  I will be significantly limiting my milk and cheese intake.
3.  I will be significantly limiting my honey & maple syrup intake - just if they are called for in salad dressings or a specific recipe.  Very little in my coffee or tea.
4.  I will be significantly limiting my intake of things like bread, rice, and the like.
5.  Fats - olive oil, coconut oil & nut / seed oils - very minimal.

The plan for this week is:

Breakfasts:  2 eggs & a green juice
Lunch:  Mostly smoothies - all recipes are made primarily of fruit and dark leafy greens like spinach & kale.
Snack:  Walnuts & homemade dried strawberries or homemade flaxmeal crackers
Dinner:  A small meal very close to 100% vegetables

I did some research to make sure I'm getting all the nutrients and such that I need even though it will be vegetarian and honestly damn close to vegan.  I kept eggs in there for protein and honestly b/c I know where my eggs come from and feel good about it.  Milk I'm using only if a smoothie recipe calls for it.  Cheese I've only got some goat cheese for a salad, some parmesan for the flaxmeal crackers and also for a spinach dish.  Otherwise none.  I'm not sure how much 'detox' symptoms I'll have so I'm going to watch & if I have to take it easy I will  ... but the plan also is to get in activity at least 3x a week.  Be that walking one of the dogs or going to the gym I need to get OFF MY ASS!

One step at a time ... so for now just focusing on this week!

Recipe Test: Baked French Fries

Credit: marthastewart.com

Click here for original recipe

INGREDIENTS:

• Potatoes
• Olive oil
• Dried Italian Herbs
• Romano Cheese
• Parsley
• Butter
• Salt & Pepper

Okay so I decided that Italian was NOT going to work as a side to the black bean burgers so I went off recipe immediately with this one.  Don't get me wrong - it sounds awesome & I will try them exactly to the recipe next time!

I made less than the recipe called for because obviously there are just two of us.  Instead of the Italian Herbs I used Emeril's Southwestern Seasoning (BAM!) and left out the cheese.  

Chopping up the potatoes took a while but it was worth it!  Here they are in the oven above and the finished product below:

Several of them burned but most were perfectly golden & YUMMY.  Not as crispy as fried but definitely hit the 'french fry' taste.  The southwestern seasoning worked really well with the burger - had one hell of a kick!  

I may have to try this with sweet potatoes!