Category: Recipes

How to cook it… YUM

Skinny Margarita?

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I really like margaritas, but I don’t love the calories that come with them. So I’m forever in search of a “skinny” version I actually enjoy. While killing time, waiting for a friend I wondered into Williams Sonoma and saw this “Skinny Cocktail” mix. The combo sounded right and they were having a 20% off sale, so 15 minutes and $13 later I wondered back out with the bottle in hand. I gave it a whirl that night and I’ll say that for 15 calories and the cost, it was a good buy. The mixer made the tequila more interesting and didn’t taste like chemicals.  Is it a delicious margarita? No. Does it make a good substitute when you are trying to save some calories but still want a mixed drink? Yes. I’m actually looking forward to trying it with bourbon.

Decadence: Breakfast Naan

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My favorite make-at-home-savory-decadent-brunch: BREAKFAST NAAN!  img_2535

It is so delicious and easy.  When you are ready for some decadence but don’t feel like doing much work, this may just become your go-to. Seriously, there are few restaurant “treat meals” I’d prefer to this AND you use minimal dishes so clean up is a snap.

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What you need to make 2 (which you can cut in half and serve with a salad for 4 people, though it’s not hard to eat a whole one) :

1 package naan

½ cup shredded cheddar

½ cup fresh or shredded mozzarella

2  tbs ricotta (full fat or skim)

2 tbs cream cheese (full fat or light)

2 eggs

2 – 4 pieces cooked bacon, crumbled

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What you need to do:

Heat the oven to 400 degrees

Place the naan bubble side up.

Spread 1 tbs cream cheese on each naan

Sprinkle half the mozzarella and half the cheddar on each naan

Split the ricotta and dollop onto each naan

Mush a whole in the middle of the cheese and then crack an egg in the middle of each naan

Sprinkle the bacon over each naan

Place in the oven for 10-12 minutes (depending on how dippy/runny you want your egg)

Pour yourself a mimosa

Enjoy

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It’s basically assembly line production (once you’ve cooked the bacon).  If you have kids they can each make their own, or invite your friends over and have a make-your-own-breakfast-naan party.

 

You can add any other ingredients you like, cooked mushroom, spinach, sausage…get creative! Just don’t skimp on the cream cheese, using that as the base layer really makes a huge and delicious difference.

 

Credit for this idea, to the Moxy NOLA, where my husband and I had breakfast naan for the first time, on our wedding weekend.

 

 

 

 

Light and Cheesy Sandwich

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Despite having spent most of my adult life toying with Paleo and Low Carb dieting I really enjoy a sandwich.  When trying to find the balance between something to itch that carby scratch but not blow up my food budget I like usually turn to an egg white sandwich. I’ll pair it with soup or a salad if I’m trying to make a meal, but mostly tend to just eat this as a delicious snack. It takes about 5-6 minutes to make.

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All the ingredients are in the photo above, minus:  salt, pepper and cooking spray.

  1. Toast the English Muffin
  2. While it’s toasting separate the yolk and egg white (I use to save the yolk pretending I’d make custard but I was lying to myself, you do what’s best for you and your conscious with the yolks, I “discard” them)
  3.  Spray a pan with cooking spray and set it to medium heat
  4. Once the spray starts to brown, dump the eggs
  5. Your English muffin should be toasted by now
    1. Spread one half with mustard
    2. Put the cheese on the other half and put it under the broiler until melted. (you can skip the melting part but it ALWAYS tastes so much better)
  6. Flip the egg once the whites start to firm up and turn off the heat. They will keep cooking as you prep the rest of the sandwich
  7. Put the basil and tomato on the mustard half of the English muffin. Salt and pepper if you like
  8. Add the egg to the cheesy side
  9. Smash it together and enjoy

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So, yeah, in the above photo I am measuring my cheese.  When I have the time, I do this, it helps with portion control. My mind can’t get around how small 1 oz of cheese looks, BUT when I use this amount for a snack it normally satisfies. #stopsovereating

 

 

 

Sometimes You Gotta Treat Yo’ Self

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Strawberry Margarita By Light of the Christmas Tree

Sometime you gotta treat yourself, and by sometimes I mean every damn day.

I used to struggle with doing something good for myself. I really enjoyed being a martyr of sorts. If I had “extra” time or money I gave it to someone else:  a friend, a family member, a boyfriend (the boyfriends got a lot of my “extra” ). Then I realized that I don’t have “extra” anything until I start taking care of myself first. I learned by burning out and being unable to save money, that I needed to add me to my list of people I’d go the extra mile for.  And you know what, it’s working out for me just fine. Quite well in fact. I can actually give more deeply to those I love because it’s not coming from  a place of emptiness any more. And…I’m happier! Amazing right.

So how do I take care of myself first? Let me count the ways, I make time to work out and get my nails done, I eat foo that makes me feel good (like healthy and energized but ya know also like YASSS can I have s’more please, currently I’m working on that balance) and I try to do something nice for myself everyday. I struggle with not making that “nice” thing a consumable (aka food or booze) but hey, I’m a work in progress.

Right now, I’m having a bit of a staycation during the week between Christmas and New Years.  Being nice to myself this week doesn’t mean continuing to stuff my gullet with Christmas leftovers. I put that on ice (literally I froze most of the deliciousness that was left) and even worked out today (go me!!!). BUT while staycation can be relaxing, I’d rather be in the Caribbean somewhere sipping on a frosty adult beverage under a palm tree as I watch the cabana boys go by. So, tonight I made myself a frosty cold Margarita in my Nutribullet.  Tomorrow, we’ll see what I do for me…I’m thinking a walk through Grand Central sounds good (I seriously LOVE that building and have the time to make time to explore).

Strawberry Margarita

1 ounce tequila ( I like Espolon)

1 ounce Cointreau (seriously DO NOT USE triple sec, the difference is real, Grand Marnier ain’t too shabby as a substitute and neither is Gran Gala* which is like two thirds the price of the aforementioned two )

1 ounce fresh lime juice (it’ll take between 2 and 3 limes)

4-6 frozen strawberries (you can use fresh it just wont taste so icy, and so if you do I recommend shaking with ice before serving)

Directions:

Dump everything in a Nutribullet or blender and blend.

Instructions:

Sip, savor and imagine yourself in the warm sunshine

Also, let’s be real I NEVER make just one (I think my husband would take that as a personal assault) Feel free to triple or quintuple or whatever you like, just make sure to use equals parts of everything every time.

*Grand Gala has a strong flavor, when I sub with that I cut back to 3/4 of an ounce, so actually it’s cheaper AND you use less. Grand Gala for the win.

Balsamic Chicken

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Time: About 25 minutes

Take everything out and then start cooking

Take everything out and then start cooking

So I’m not much a measurer… I’ll do my best for y’all though

What you need:

2 -4 chicken breasts, pounded thin

1 handful of fresh basil (I have a bail plant I rip it off of, you can get one at the grocery store)- rough chopped

4-6 campari tomatoes (you can use roma too, but the camparis really make it special)- quartered

1 small handful of pitted kalamata olives- chopped

2-4 TBS of crumbled feta, 1 for each chicken breast

2 Sliced red peppers

1/2 large yellow onion, rough chopped

6 cloves garlic smashed and chopped

1/2 cabbage sliced

1 cup of chicken broth

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar ( I used a fig balsamic but you can use what you like)

Seasoning: Salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, nutmeg

Some grape seed oil (or olive, I like grape seed ’cause it can be cooked at high temps and is without flavor).

Step 1: Pull everything you’ll need out of the fridge

Step 2: Put one sautee pan and one deeper pan (not sure what it’s called, see picture) on the stove. Both on medium high heat

Step 3: Add some oil both plans

Step 4: Split the onions between the pans

Step 5: Add 3-4 pinches of cayenne to the deep pan and a few pinches of salt

Step 6: Sprinkle salt, pepper, cayenne and nutmeg on both sides of the chicken (wash your hands)

Step 7: When the onions are brown add the red peppers and 1/2 garlic to the sautee pan and the cabbage and 1/2 garlic to the deep pan

Double Duty

Step 6: Add chicken stock to the deep pan and cover.

Step 7: When the peppers are brown pour them into a bowl

Step 8: Add a little oil and the chicken to the sautee pan

Step 9: When chicken is brown on one side (5 minutes or so) flip it. Let is sit 3 minutes

Step 10: Cabbage should be done, remove from the heat and take the lid off

Step 11: Dump peppers/onions , basil tomatoes and olives on the chicken

Step 12: Pour on balsamic.

Let it sit for 3-4 more minutes until chicken is cooked through. Plate, sprinkle with feta and serve.

Chicken in pan with the good stuff on top

Chicken in pan with the good stuff on top

Chicken on a plate

Chicken on a plate

YUM!

Primal (Low Carb) Enchiladas

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Egg white "pancakes" replace the tortilals

Egg white “pancakes” replace the tortillas

Primal (low carb) Enchiladas.  Amazing. Egg white crepes replaces the tortillas.. Stuff with seasoned ground turkey. Top with cheese (optional)  and sauce. A little guacamole on the side… That’s eating!!

Egg White Crepe

8 Egg Whites

Splash of Water

1 medium hot skillet

Beat the egg whites and water. Spray the pan with cooking spray.  Pour enough egg mixture  to cover the bottom of the skillet. Allow to cook through .  Slide out of the pan with a spatula. Voila!

You can use these to make enchiladas, breakfast burritos, reuglar burritos, or as a sandwich wrap.