Cookies!!

The hubby and I are still trying to eat healthy and light and this led me to look for a light cookie recipe. Actually my stomach was leading me to look for a cookie recipe and the diet thing insisted it be light. SO, I found something that made my tummy rumble in anticipation and was very pleased with the results.

The recipe I found is called Chewy Chocolate Cherry Cookies (try saying that 10 times in a row!).
Click here for the recipe.

These cookies are like little bite-size brownies with Craisins in them (oh yeah, I used Crasins instead of dried cherries because I had those on hand). They were SO yummy. My only complaint with the recipe is that they serving size is just one. ONE!??? I'm on a diet here, I need a cookie recipe where the serving size is 10!

The batter is a little dry when you are mixing it up so it is best to used a mixer rather than a spoon. I suppose getting your hands dirty and mixing with your hands would work well too and then you'd have an excuse to eat a little more when you lick your fingers. :-O

Biscuits and Lettuce Wraps

I have a few things to cover in today's post. The first is a photo of my new-fangled biscuits but I have to make a few apologies first. You should know now that I am NOT a photographer and I do NOT have a photographer's camera so I can't even make that great of an attempt at faking it. That said, the biscuits were very tasty and did not look this out of focus in person (even bright and early and before putting in the contacts). [When I previewed this post the picture doesn't look quite as bad as the full res version...Whew!!]

The other night, my dear husband and I were eating some yummy P.F.Chang's food and he asked if I would make some lettuce wraps sometime. So, I found a recipe for Spicy Asian Lettuce Wraps and decided to give it a go. I attached a photo even though I'm a little embarrassed by the way it looks. I could not find any cellophane noodles at the 3 stores I tried and used rice vermicelli instead. The result was a bit mushy. For the original recipe, and a MUCH better photo, check out this link: Spicy Asian Lettuce Wraps




I really think I would have liked the firmer texture of the cellophane noodles so I will be making a trip to one of our many Asian grocers before repeating this recipe. Until then, here's the low down...

YUM - 4 1/2 stars - VERY flavorful and I loved the spiciness. It is too spicy for small children, however, so it is not necessarily a good family meal. Again, next time I try it I will be using cellophane noodles.

EASE - 5 stars - It took me about 10 minutes to put this meal together. I used pre-cooked chicken to speed it up.

HEALTH - 4 1/2 stars - Light and filling. A great combination!

Bang Bang Shrimp

Tonight is date night...Yay!! And we're going to Bonefish...double Yay!!! And I'm having Bang Bang Shrimp...There's not enough Yay for this one!

I once posted a copycat recipe for Bang Bang Shrimp on my Facebook page (a friend found it). I have not tried it so I can not attest to how well it actually measures up, but I thought I'd share it nonetheless. Let me know how it turns out if you try it!


Almost-Famous Spicy Fried Shrimp from Food Network Magazine, April 2010 page 66

Sauce:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbspn plus 1 tspn Asian chili sauce (such as sambal oelek)
2 teaspoons honey
kosher salt
water

Shrimp:
vegetable oil for frying
2 large eggs
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
1 1/4 lbs small shrimp, peeled and deviened
Bibb lettuce leaves for serving
thinly sliced scallions

1. Make the sauce: mix the mayo, chili sauce, honey, 1/4 tsp salt and 1 Tbspn water in a large bowl;set aside.

2. Prepare the shrimp: Heat about 2 inches of vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs in a shallow bowl. Whisk the flour, cornstarch and 1 tspn each salt and pepper in another shallow bowl.

3. Working in batches,dredge the shrimp in the flour mixture, shaking off an excess, dip in the beaten eggs, then return to the flour mixture, turning to form a thick crust. Fry the shrimp in the hot oil until lightly golden, 1 to 2 mins, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain the oil temperature. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon.

4. Toss the shrimp with the prepared sauce. Arrange the lettuce in a shallow serving bowl or on individual plates. Top with the shrimp and garnish with scallions.

An Experiment

Today I conducted a little experiment. I know it can be dangerous experimenting in the realm of baking. Experimenting with a tried and true baking recipe can easily become a flop and mean throwing out a bunch of dough (realistically and figuratively). However, I have really been wanting to make some changes to my family recipe for Freezer Biscuits (previously posted) to use butter instead of shortening and to use whole wheat flour in place of at least some portion of the all purpose flour.

I talked it over with Mom first to see if she had any suggestions for the experiment and she thought I might at least want to let the dough rise some before rolling it out in order to let the yeast increase. Hmmm....makes sense.

So here's the original recipe again:

Freezer Biscuits
Ingredients
5 cups of all purpose flour (I recommend Gold Medal)
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup shortening
2 pkgs yeast
1/4 to 1/3 cup warm water
2 cups buttermilk

Mix together the dry ingredients. Cut in the shortening. Dissolve yeast in water. Add yeast mixture to flour mixture and mix. Add buttermilk and beat until incorporated. Turn dough out onto a floured dough board and knead. Roll out to about 3/4 - 1 inch thick. Cut biscuits and put them on a pan that can be placed in your freezer. Once the biscuits are frozen, you can store them in a large ziploc bag in your freezer. When you are ready to use them, thaw and bake at 400 degrees until golden brown.

And here, is the new recipe:
Whole Wheat Freezer Biscuits
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour (I recommend Gold Medal)
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (I used Pillsbury)
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter
2 pkgs yeast
1/4 to 1/3 cup warm water
2 cups buttermilk

Mix together the dry ingredients. Cut in the butter. Dissolve yeast in water. Add yeast mixture to flour mixture and mix. Add buttermilk and beat until incorporated. Let rise for about 45 min to an hour. Turn dough out onto a floured dough board and knead. Roll out to about 3/4 - 1 inch thick. Cut biscuits and put them on a pan that can be placed in your freezer. Once the biscuits are frozen, you can store them in a large ziploc bag in your freezer. When you are ready to use them, thaw and bake at 400 degrees until golden brown.

The outcome? I'm surprised to say that I actually like the new recipe BETTER! I'll go through the entire batch and get in lots of taste tests before I give the final verdict, but they were super yummy! I can't wait to try them with a little honey in the morning.

Good night, all! Sweet biscuit and honey dreams!

Burgers and Pictures

The other night I was getting up to make turkey burgers and REALLY was not looking forward to a bland turkey burger. But then I remembered I had a bunch of ingredients on hand to make them awesome and did a quick search on the Rachael Ray site for a recipe. I came up with one and made a few alterations and the results were WONDERFUL!!! This is how I will be making all turkey burgers in the future.

Oh, and as far as pictures...While I was eating my turkey burger I got to thinking that I should start posting pictures of some of this food. It was too late for the burger (I'm sure you did not want to see my half eaten burger) but hopefully I will remember to take a picture of dinner before we eat next time. By the way, tomorrow night we're having taco salad. YUM!

YUM - 5 stars - Yep, it was that good. Could even replace a regular burger for me.

EASE - 4 stars - Quick and easy if you have the ingredients on hand.

HEALTH - 5 stars - Very low in fat, calories and all of that unless you add a lot of unhealthy stuff to your burger.

Curry Turkey Burgers
Recipe by...me (with a little help from Rachael Ray)

1 lb ground turkey
1 tsp ground ginger
2 green onions chopped
5 tbsp fresh cilantro chopped
2 tbsp curry powder

Mix ingredients together. Form into patties and grill, broil, or fry. I cooked mine in a skillet without any oil.

Yummy Couscous Recipe

This Herbal Cleanse continues to make dinners challenging. However, I came across this recipe that I think even my vegan friend could use if he didn't add the chicken. And, it was really good! I'll actually use this recipe again, even when we are not doing the cleanse thing.

So, here it is...

YUM - 4 1/2 stars - It's no peach cheesecake but it was flavorful. The combination of flavors makes it interesting. I was afraid that the orange flavor would be overpowering but, if anything, it could use more. And I didn't get tired of it before I finished, which is always good.

EASE - 4 stars - A good bit of prep work unless you buy the items already prepped for you.

HEALTH - 5 stars - Another one of them there health foods! (read that with a hick accent)

Orange-Scented Couscous Salad with Almonds, Cilantro, and Cucumber
(I'm not sure why it is called "Orange-Scented Couscous..." seeing as how it has orange juice in it I think they could have just called it "Orange Couscous...") :)

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)

Ingredients
1 cup orange juice, divided
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
1 cup uncooked couscous
1/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1 1/2 cups chopped, cooked chicken breast
1 cup chopped cucumber
1/3 cup prechopped red onion
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard (I left this out because I can't have vinegar)
1 1/2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil (I thought about leaving this out or reducing it but I didn't)

Preparation
Combine 3/4 cup orange juice, water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, coriander, cinnamon, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Remove from heat; add couscous and cranberries. Cover and let stand 5 minutes; fluff with a fork. Transfer couscous mixture to a large bowl.

Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add nuts to pan; cook 3 minutes or until toasted, stirring frequently. Add nuts, chicken, and next 3 ingredients (through cilantro) to couscous; toss.

Combine remaining 1/4 cup orange juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, lime juice, and mustard, stirring with a whisk. Gradually add oil to juice mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Drizzle juice mixture over couscous mixture, tossing to coat.

Nutritional Information
Calories:396 (24% from fat)
Fat:10.7g (sat 1.5g,mono 6.4g,poly 1.8g)
Protein:24.1g
Carbohydrate:49.7g
Fiber:4.1g
Cholesterol:45mg
Iron:1.4mg
Sodium:690mg
Calcium:58mg
David Bonom, Cooking Light, APRIL 2006

Wow! 2 posts in 2 days!

We're now on day 5 of 10 for our Herbal Cleanse and tonight we are having leftovers from a pizza I made the other night. Eating really healthy really isn't too bad if you get creative. :) For the pizza I used a whole wheat pizza crust, tomato sauce with garlic and oregano sprinkled on top, lean ground beef, green peppers, onion, and a sprinkling of soy cheese. I'm not a fan of the soy cheese in large amounts so I just put a sprinkling on there to get a bit of the cheese taste but not an overwhelming soy taste (which, in my opinion, is yucky!). The pizza turned out pretty good and tasty and I am actually happy to be having it for leftovers tonight. Of course, tonight is a gaming night for Peter. On gaming nights, the guys usually put away a large amount of very unhealthy foods, like oreos, chips and dip, and copious amounts of southern sweet tea and soda. So, after his pizza for dinner, he will be going to gaming and taking with him some baked corn tostitos, fresh salsa, and water. And I might pack him a carrot or two. :)

It's been awhile!

So, I took a little hiatus from this blog. I'm really not sure how it happened except that life with two energetic boys is BUSY! :) But here we are at the beginning of a new year and I'm trying lots of new recipes again. This week I've been inspired by a "diet" we are doing. I put that in quotes because it is part of an Herbal Cleanse (by Advocare) that we are hoping to survive and there are a few BIG restrictions on what we can eat for the 10 days of the cleanse. We are on day 4 and the hardest restrictions to work around are the "no dairy" (including cheese) and "no vinegar" restrictions. The no vinegar thing rules out salad dressings and I just am not a bare salad kind of girl. There's also no white foods (pasta, rice, bread, etc), no mushrooms, no fatty foods, no fast foods, no fried foods, no processed foods, etc. :) I bet you're wondering what we CAN eat. Yeah, me too. We're on day 4 and I'm still trying to figure that out.

I was told we CAN have "TONS" of fresh fruits and veggies, soy milk and cheese, whole grain rice and pasta, 100% whole wheat bread, chicken, fish, and lots of water (among other things...I am going with the assumption that if it doesn't fall into any of the categories described in the NO list that its also free game).

So, this has forced me to get creative with our meals. Tonight I'm sharing our omelet dinner recipe, which was actually pretty good. Not SO-GREAT-WE'LL-BE-EATING-THIS-TWICE-A-WEEK, but pretty good nonetheless.

It was Omelet with Summer Vegetables served with a side of berries (I LOVE berries).

YUM - 3 1/2 stars - It was very yummy but I usually like my omelets with lots of greasy meats. :) The berries get 5 stars even though they were expensively out of season.

EASE - 4 stars - A little chopping involved and you have to separate eggs, but that is the worst of it.

HEALTH - 5 stars - May be one of the healthiest meals I've posted on here.


Ingredients

* Cooking spray
* 2/3 cup frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed
* 1/2 cup chopped zucchini
* 3 tablespoons chopped green onions
* 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
* 2 tablespoons water
* 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
* 3 large egg whites
* 1 large egg
* 2 tablespoons shredded smoked Gouda cheese (I used soy Veggie Shreds)

Preparation

Heat a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add corn, zucchini, onions, and 1/8 teaspoon salt to pan; sauté 4 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Remove from heat.

Heat a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Combine 1/8 teaspoon salt, water, pepper, egg whites, and egg, stirring well with a whisk. Coat pan with cooking spray. Pour egg mixture into pan; cook until edges begin to set (about 2 minutes). Gently lift the edges of omelet with a spatula, tilting pan to allow uncooked egg mixture to come in contact with pan. Spoon corn mixture onto half of omelet; sprinkle corn mixture with cheese. Loosen omelet with a spatula, and fold in half over corn mixture. Cook 2 minutes or until the cheese melts. Carefully slide omelet onto a plate.

Nutritional Information

Calories:
281 (33% from fat)
Fat:
10.3g (sat 4.3g,mono 3.4g,poly 1.4g)
Protein:
24.8g
Carbohydrate:
25.3g
Fiber:
4.2g
Cholesterol:
229mg
Iron:
2.1mg
Sodium:
947mg
Calcium:
162mg

Karen Levin, Cooking Light, JULY 2004

I must say I'm looking forward to our date night after this 10 days is over. We'll still be "good" but just not THAT good. :)

Hopefully there is more to come soon....