Turkey Fried Rice
I survived the day of indulgence, well, attacked is probably a better word. I definitely let myself have the day off and it was glorious. It's amazing the things you realize that you miss, like dark meat, and sour cream, and good old SUGAR. Needless to say, we had a very delicious day, but I'm happy to be back on the Livefit wagon.
This is a recipe that's come in handy quite a few times. One of the most important parts of our meals is that we're getting in the right balance of protein, complex carbs and veggies. This dish covers it all in one big skillet, and it's so delicious and filling. Brown rice with egg whites and ground turkey. It might not sound as appetizing as the real thing, but it's flavored so well that I honestly couldn't tell much of a difference. The kids loved it and it's very filling. Go ahead and use chopped up leftover turkey if you still have some in your fridge.
Turkey Fried Rice
Adapted from The Best of Clean Eating from Clean Eating Magazine
Ingredients
1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon olive or safflower oil, divided
1 lb lean ground turkey
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
2 teaspoons plus 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce, divided
1/2 yellow onion, sliced thinly
1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 bunch broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces (1 cup)
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
sea salt, to taste
3 minced garlic cloves
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
3 cups cooked brown rice
4 egg whites (or two regular eggs)
1 tablespoon fish sauce (optional)
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
fresh cilantro for garnish
chile sauce for garnish
Directions
In a very large nonstick skillet or wok, heat one teaspoon oil over medium high heat. Add turkey and break up to form a single layer in pan, season with pepper. Brown meat, stirring occasionally until cooked through, three to five minutes. Stir in two teaspoons soy sauce. Remove turkey and set aside.
Return skillet to stove and add remaining tablespoon of oil. Add onion, red pepper, carrot, broccoli and ginger and season with salt and black pepper. Cook over medium-high heat until vegetables are slightly soft, about five minutes. Add garlic and cook for two more minutes.
Stir in peas and rice, and cook until completely heated through, about five minutes.
Push rice mixture over to one side of pan and add eggs to now empty side. Allow eggs to fully cook, stirring occasionally, three to five minutes, and then stir eggs into rice mixture.
Add turkey and any accumulated juices to skillet. Stir in fish sauce, remaining two tablespoons soy sauce and green onions. Garnish with cilantro and chile sauce if desired.
Country-Fried Steak with Mushroom Gravy
Wow, what a week! We just started Phase II of Jamie Eason's LiveFit Program, which involves a lot of lifting, a lot of cardio, and a few less calories. Needless to say, Aubrey and I are SORE. Luckily, it's also been a lot of fun. I got to do lifts I've never done before (barbell step ups, holy cow!), and I had more energy this week then I've had in a long time.
If you're familiar with Jamie Eason, you know that she's very big on Clean Eating. It's exactly what it sounds like. We eat clean, lean and as unprocessed as possible. Lots of lean meats, veggies and whole grains. We keep sugars to a bare minimum and temporarily have said goodbye to cheese, fatty meats, and junk food in general. It was a shock to my system at first, my stomach didn't know what to do without being consistently lined with fat and sugar, but I'm learning to love it. The benefits far outweigh the candy and Cheetos that I miss on occasion. I sleep better, my skin and hair seem healthier, and I haven't been sick in a long time. I'm still a firm believer in moderation and I don't think having a cookie or slice of pizza is the end of the world, but I definitely want to keep eating as clean as possible long after I'm done with this program.
Since our day to day eating is fairly basic, my husband and I decided that Sunday we would make an extra effort for a really nice dinner. This is what we had tonight and we loved it so much that I'm skipping a bunch of stuff to share it with you now. London Broil, pounded and breaded in a flavorful whole grain breading and cooked to a medium-rare. It was delicious, but the mushroom gravy was the best part, and made such a great topping to the steak and potatoes.
I made mashed potatoes by boiling red and sweet potatoes. Drain and mash with a splash of skim milk and a spoonful of greek yogurt which is tangy and makes a great substitute for sour cream. I can't even tell a difference. I highly recommend this dish, give it a try!
Country Fried Steak with Mushroom Gravy
Adapted from The Best of Clean Eating, by Clean Eating Magazine
Ingredients
10 ounces sliced white or cremini mushrooms
1 lb lean round steak, trimmed of fat and cut into 4 equal pieces
sea salt and black ground pepper to taste
3 tablespoons whole wheat flour, divided
2 large egg whites
3 slices whole-wheat toast (Ezekial bread), cut into 2 inch pieces
1 tablespoon dried minced onion
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
3 teaspoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves minced
1 cup low sodium beef broth
1/2 cup skim milk
Directions
Using a meat mallet, rolling pin or bottom of a heavy skillet, pound steaks to quarter-inch thickness. Season both sides of steaks with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Place two tablespoons of flour in a shallow dish. Place egg whites in a separate shallow dish. In a food processor, combine toast, onion, oregano, thyme and garlic powder. Process until mixture resembles bread crumbs. Transfer crumbs to a third shallow dish.
Add steaks to dish with flour and turn to coat both sides. Shake off excess flour and transfer steaks to egg whites. turn to coat both sides and transfer steaks to bread crumb mixture. Again, turn to coat both sides.
Heat two teaspoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add steaks and cook two to three minutes per side, until brown on the outside and pink on the inside. Remove from skillet and cover in foil.
Prepare gravy. Heat remaining oil in same skillet. Add sliced mushrooms and garlic and cook for about five minutes, or until liquid is released. Add beef broth and bring to a simmer. In a medium bowl, whisk together milk and remaining tablespoon of flour. Add milk mixture to mushrooms and simmer three to five minutes, until mixture thickens. Spoon gravy over steaks just before serving.
Serves 4: 313cal, 9g fat, 27g carb, 5g fiber, 35g prot, 302mg sod
Blue Cheese Polenta with Vegetables
Wow, you guys brought tears to my eyes with your sweet comments and words of support. We really do belong to a wonderful community don't we. Thank you so much for that, it's helped to motivate me all the more.
There is now a blog that you can go to for updates on our progress and any fitness tips and experiences we are having along the way. It's written by Aubrey, her sister Christa and I. Both of these girls really know their stuff, so I feel so lucky to be on board with them. The blog is called She Sweats and She Tells. Check them out, say hello :)
This dish is not something I'm able to eat right now, but it's still so healthy and delicious. The more I've eaten polenta, the more I like it. There's almost something romantic about it. It's creamy, smooth, practically seductive, and the perfect canvas for so many toppings. This polenta is particularly wonderful because it's full of pungent, tangy blue cheese. Top that with bright, gorgeous veggies and you have yourself a plate that you might just want to eat by candlelight.
Blue Cheese Polenta with Vegetables
Cooking Light September 2011
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 (4-ounce) packages presliced exotic mushroom blend
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced sweet onion
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
3 cups 1% low-fat milk
1/2 cup water
2/3 cup quick-cooking polenta
3/4 cup (3 ounces) crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Directions
1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to pan, and swirl to coat. Add mushrooms and thyme; sauté for 4 minutes or until the mushrooms are tender. Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, onion, bell pepper, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper; sauté for 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
2. Combine milk, 1/2 cup water, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon black pepper in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Stir in polenta; cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat, and stir in cheese. Serve with vegetables. Sprinkle with parsley.
What's a'Going on?
I've gone back and forth whether to post about this or not, but I feel like I owe you guys an explanation for my absence on my blog, as well as my absence on your blogs, which I feel worse about. But my explanation comes with a bit of a back story.
My weight has always been a bit of an issue, and every single year I'd start the new year with a resolution to lose it. And of course that would last for about a month before I was back to my old ways. Well I don't know if it was turning thirty, or just an extra strong desire, but this year I was actually accomplished my goal of a twenty pound weight loss, which on a 5'0 body, is fairly significant. Since then I've become a bit obsessed with fitness and nutrition and just started a new weight lifting regime called LiveFit, created by Jamie Eason.
So basically my life has been revolving around eating a TON of protein and spending a lot of time in the gym. It's been a tough, but very rewarding challenge. However there's absolutely nothing exciting going on in my kitchen, unless you find grilled chicken and brown rice to be a total party. Oh gosh, the foodie in me just died a little by writing that.
I feel a bit silly posting about this since I still feel very new to this world. A year ago I wouldn't have been caught dead in a weight room. I will be back to normal in a few months, but probably with a few less "sweets" recipes :) I'll also do my best to visit as often as I can because you guys are always posting such amazing recipes!
And now, a few pictures for you...
This was me a month ago, 130 lbs. I'm posting this first because I do not want my before pictures to be on everyone's feed, haha! Since then I've lost five pounds, but have gained some muscle. I'm currently at 30.0% body fat, so I've still got a ways to go, which I'm excited about. You'll notice my midsection is a bit lopsided, that's due to some medical issues I had forever ago. I'm hoping that as I lose weight it becomes less and less noticeable.
Before pictures, between 150-155 pounds. I feel like this is the part where I should say how nasty I used to look, but I'm not going to do that. I know that I didn't look my best back then, but I'm not going to put myself down. I was doing the best I could with what I had at the time, and I was happy with that.
So that's what's a'going on right now. It's been a really exciting year, this is the first time in my entire life that I've ever been this involved with health and fitness and it's been really fun. I've made a great friend who's been doing the program with me, which has only added to the enjoyment. I'll definitely keep you posted on my progress, and now that I've publicly announced this on my blog, I don't feel like failure is an option! I may also be posting my progress on another blog, which I'll link up in a few days.
In the meantime I hope you're all doing well and that you're enjoying the cooler fall days!
My weight has always been a bit of an issue, and every single year I'd start the new year with a resolution to lose it. And of course that would last for about a month before I was back to my old ways. Well I don't know if it was turning thirty, or just an extra strong desire, but this year I was actually accomplished my goal of a twenty pound weight loss, which on a 5'0 body, is fairly significant. Since then I've become a bit obsessed with fitness and nutrition and just started a new weight lifting regime called LiveFit, created by Jamie Eason.
So basically my life has been revolving around eating a TON of protein and spending a lot of time in the gym. It's been a tough, but very rewarding challenge. However there's absolutely nothing exciting going on in my kitchen, unless you find grilled chicken and brown rice to be a total party. Oh gosh, the foodie in me just died a little by writing that.
I feel a bit silly posting about this since I still feel very new to this world. A year ago I wouldn't have been caught dead in a weight room. I will be back to normal in a few months, but probably with a few less "sweets" recipes :) I'll also do my best to visit as often as I can because you guys are always posting such amazing recipes!
And now, a few pictures for you...
This was me a month ago, 130 lbs. I'm posting this first because I do not want my before pictures to be on everyone's feed, haha! Since then I've lost five pounds, but have gained some muscle. I'm currently at 30.0% body fat, so I've still got a ways to go, which I'm excited about. You'll notice my midsection is a bit lopsided, that's due to some medical issues I had forever ago. I'm hoping that as I lose weight it becomes less and less noticeable.
Before pictures, between 150-155 pounds. I feel like this is the part where I should say how nasty I used to look, but I'm not going to do that. I know that I didn't look my best back then, but I'm not going to put myself down. I was doing the best I could with what I had at the time, and I was happy with that.
So that's what's a'going on right now. It's been a really exciting year, this is the first time in my entire life that I've ever been this involved with health and fitness and it's been really fun. I've made a great friend who's been doing the program with me, which has only added to the enjoyment. I'll definitely keep you posted on my progress, and now that I've publicly announced this on my blog, I don't feel like failure is an option! I may also be posting my progress on another blog, which I'll link up in a few days.
In the meantime I hope you're all doing well and that you're enjoying the cooler fall days!
Chicken Enchilada Pasta
Happy Friday everyone! How has your week been? Is it just me, or does October always feel uncharacteristically busy? Maybe it's the upcoming holidays, or maybe I'm finally just getting my stuff done instead of reading a book for a change, ha! Either way, it's flying by.
Pinterest came to the rescue with this dish after realizing that it was 5'oclock and I had absolutely no idea what we were going to eat that night. It was honestly one of the best pasta dishes I've ever had, the flavors were delicious, and it was so easy to make. My husband and I had to fight over who got the leftovers :) And of course, any dish that my kids will eat is an instant winner in our house. Make this pasta, I promise you won't regret it.
Check out the recipe here, Pearls, Handcuffs, and Happy Hour is an adorable blog. Enjoy!
Berries and Chocolate
Growing up with my parents meant learning how to say thank you. You say thank you when someone passes you the broccoli at the table, you send a thank you card when given a gift, and when someone goes out of their way to really do something nice, you say thank you in style, like this platter of berries and chocolate.
My mom really wanted to say thank you to a local dental office after they went above and beyond to beautify her smile. We put our heads together and decided on a platter of fruit and chocolate. Costco had a gorgeous selection of Rainier cherries, strawberries and blackberries, so we went with those. We then set to work making Funfetti cakeballs, raspberry cheesecake bites, and Ghiradhelli brownie bites (from the boxed mix).
It turned out to be a really fun platter to deliver, and it was definitely a crowd pleaser. You could do something like this for a shower, a party, or a fun way to surprise a loved one. And of course, it's a wonderful way to say thank you!
Baked Potato Soup
Sometimes I don't think that the potato gets the credit it deserves. Sure, it's a homely root that grows all over the country, but they're also delicious, velvety and filling. i love their versatility, and I'm convinced that, if needed, we could feel the world with potatoes. I remember growing up we had "potato bars" which was basically a baked potato drowning in as many sides as possible, chili, cheese, beef, sour cream, broccoli, chives, onions, and if mom was in a good mood, Fritos. Insanely satisfying, great for kids and very inexpensive. Ah, the great potato.
When I found this recipe I realized how long it had been since I'd cooked with a tater and quickly got busy. I love this recipe because, since the potato is already dense with a lovely texture, you really don't need to add much to the soup for it to be rich. We piled this with bacon, cheese, and chives and ate like kings, for cheap!
Baked Potato Soup
From Skinnytaste
Ingredients
2 russet potatoes, washed and dried
1 small head of cauliflower, stem removed cut into florets
1 1/2 cups fat free chicken broth
1 1/2 cups 1% reduced-fat milk
salt and freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 cup light sour cream
10 tbsp reduced-fat shredded sharp cheddar cheese
6 tbsp chopped chives, divided
3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (you can use turkey bacon if you prefer)
Directions
Pierce potatoes with a fork; microwave on high for 5 minutes turn over and microwave another 3 - 5 minutes, until tender. Or if you prefer to use your oven, bake at 400° for 1 hour or until tender. Cool. Peel potatoes.
Meanwhile, steam cauliflower with water in a large covered pot until tender. Drain and return to pot. On medium heat, add chicken broth, milk, potatoes and bring to a boil. Use an immersion blender to puree until smooth. Add sour cream, half the chives, salt and pepper and cook on low another 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat. Ladle 1 cup soup into each bowl. Top each serving with 2 tbsp cheese, remaining chives, and bacon.
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