Happy Valentine’s Day to those of you who celebrate. For those of you who don’t celebrate, this is still a treat – so make it for yourself, your friends, your family. Enjoy!
Continue reading “Happy Valentine’s Day! This is a treat…”Tag: healthy
Recipe: How to make a great wrap!
I am hooked on wraps right now. I’ve made so many different version, each as wonderful as the next. None of my wraps have included meat, but you certainly could!
Start by buying good tortilla’s. Read the ingredients. Many of the grocery store brands have horrible ingredients, (if you’re trying to be healthy) like one of the top three (listed by quantity) ingredients being Interesterified Soybean Oil, Hydrogenated Soybean Oil and/or Palm Oil. What? Yep, if you can’t say it DON’T EAT IT!
I found some wraps at EarthFare the healthy grocery store near us Maria & Ricardo’s tortillas... they’re amazing. I’ve tried the flour tortilla and the spinach, both are fabulous. NO INTERESTEREFIED anything in these tortilla’s… organic, non GMO, etc.
Step 1: I set out a tortilla on a piece of wax paper. Let it sit and come to room temperature while you prepare the ingredients.
Step 2: Spread your “base” (a bit off center, you want it to be more to one side), and add a little to the side of the tortilla to help hold it after you roll it.
Two options that I’ve tried are hummus and avocado (or guacamole)! Both are fabulous, they’re different, but oh so good!
Step 3: Add a slice of cheese (I have been using Havarti, sliced thin, and set out for a few minutes to be more pliable so it will bend when the wrap is rolled).
Step 4: Add some veggies. I like some crunch so I’ve used radishes and cucumber. But whatever you like would work perfectly here. I’ve also added sliced avocado, tomatoes, etc.
Step 5: Add greens. I’ve used arugula, bean sprouts and kale micro greens. All are fabulous! You could also use lettuce. Whatever you like!
Step 6: Optional: you can add some leftover chicken, turkey or whatever else you’ve got.
W O R D O F C A U T I O N . . .
Do not pack too much onto this tortilla or you won’t be able to roll it. Sounds like I might have done that, huh? Oh yeah. Fred made a wrap the other day, and it was hilarious. He stuck a knife through it to hold it together because there was so much in it, ha ha… wish I would have taken a photo of that!
To roll the tortilla, fold up a little at the bottom, (in photo above, fold up to cucumber slice at bottom. Then fold the left side over the pile of wonderful ingredients, try to roll it kind of tight so it doesn’t fall apart. Roll until the “glue” (hummus) has been rolled over. Now just tuck in the top portion of the wrap. Sometimes it’s easier to eat if you roll the wrap lightly in wax paper and put in fridge for a minute.
There is no wrong way to roll a wrap, I’ve Google’d it and read many different versions, use whatever is easiest for you. Some just roll it up, and tuck in the sides.
Owie! You’re going to love this!
What do you put in your wrap? Let me know! Catch you back here tomorrow!
Photo: Charleston Farmers Market – Starts TODAY!
In case you missed my post yesterday… THE CHARLESTON (SC) FARMERS MARKET STARTS TODAY in Marion Square! WOOT WOOT! Open from 8AM until 2PM… head on down and load up! It’s going to be a big time!
Hope to see you there! Catch you back here tomorrow!
A granola recipe you will make for the rest of your life!
Years ago, well, 2002 to be exact my sister was telling me about this wonderful granola recipe she was addicted to. She sent me the recipe, and I made it several times, it was wonderful, I think she got it out of a magazine in a waiting room somewhere… since then I have made a few notes, sometimes I use less sugar, more cinnamon, different nuts, different dried fruit. It’s just granola, so add more of what you like and less of what you don’t! It’s wonderful on top of yogurt, in a bowl with milk (and fruit) or all by itself! I add more cinnamon if I think i’ll be eating it out of hand, less if I think I’ll be topping yogurt and fruit, but it’s up to you my friend, do what you like! This is what I do…
Hint… this is especially good… plain Greek yogurt, a swirl of honey, a few tablespoons of granola and a sliced banana… it will keep you going strong for hours!
INGREDIENTS
4 cups old fashioned oats (any brand will do, but old fashioned and not the quick cooking, it won’t be the same, I speak from experience!)
1 1/2 cups (or more) slivered almonds (this is key… the thicker crunch, the TASTE of the almond, oh yeah, SLIVERED, not SLICED)
1/2 cup (or less) LOOSELY packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon (or less) cinnamon
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon (real) vanilla
1 1/2 cups (more or less depending on your taste) of dried tart cherries (you can use ANY DRIED FRUIT YOU LIKE, I find cherries to be especially scrumptious, decadent and GOOD FOR YOU!) – Note: dried fruit is optional. Often I skip the dried fruit and opt for fresh berries when I’m ready to eat it…
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. If you’re using a dark pan, you might want to bump it down a bit, every oven is different, just keep an eye on it!
In a LARGE bowl, mix together the oats, almonds, sugar, salt and cinnamon with a wooden spoon. (This is the pre-stir together pic, go ahead and stir it up good, but gently, don’t want to break up the oatmeal).
HINT: when measuring this mixture, use the measuring cup to measure the OLIVE OIL first, then the honey, it will slide right out!
Warm the olive oil and honey mixture. You warm this mixture by placing it in a small pan on the stove (low), or in the microwave if you PROMISE not to walk away from it, you don’t want it HOT, you just want it warm enough to mix together… it doesn’t take long! Hmmm, sounds like I’ve repeated this step before, doesn’t it?
Once the olive oil and honey mixture is WARM (not hot), add the vanilla… PURE vanilla if you’ve got it.
Now you want to drizzle the warm honey/olive oil/vanilla mixture over the dry oat mixture. You want to drizzle and not pour like I did in this photo… Do what I say, not what I do… ha. I was trying to take a photo and pour, apparently I don’t have those skills down pat… yet! Give me time! Good grief, what part of DRIZZLE didn’t I get?? It’s all good, some quick subtle stirring is needed to coat the oat mixture with the oil mixture… gentle, remember you don’t want it to be the consistency of flour when you’re done…
I know, I know! This looks a tad pale… trust me, after it basks in the warm glow of the oven it will turn a magical color… Now pour this mixture onto an ungreased 9 x 13 cookie sheet. It’s ready for the oven! Bake it at 300 degrees for 40 minutes total… STIR IT AROUND EVERY TEN MINUTES!
After it’s done, pull it out of the oven and let it cool on a wire rack.
Once cooled, go ahead and add the dried fruit. In my batch, I’m adding dried tart cherries.
Store the granola in an airtight container and it will last for 7-10 days(+), or freeze it and it will last 3 months!
Catch you back here tomorrow!
Healthy whole grain “snack” that is addictive it’s so good! That’s Popcorn Indiana!
Ok, so it’s not the cheapest popcorn you’ll ever find, but it is one of the very best out there. I grew up eating popcorn, so I’m somewhat of an expert on this subject. When you need a snack, that should be more healthy than not… what comes to mind? Carrot stick? Nope… POPCORN! Not from the movie theater but from your local store. It’s the popcorn in the red bag, it’s delicious, it’s PERFECT. If you haven’t tried it I highly suggest that you do, you won’t believe how good it is. Crunchy and perfectly salted, I like the “Touch of Sea Salt” but they have many varieties, that’s just my personal favorite! So if you’re craving something… give it a whirl!
Catch you back here tomorrow!
Thanks to Paula Deen’s sons for a lighter fried chicken recipe!
I am excited to try this… long ago, Oprah Winfrey had her chef, Rosie talk about the different recipes she made for Oprah, she then came out with a cookbook, I bought it and one of my favorite recipes was the unfried fried chicken. It was fabulous. This one is different and worth trying! This recipe came to me in an email from Doctor Oz. No, I don’t know Dr. Oz personally, but I do subscribe to his newsletter, full of fabulous information, and here’s a great recipe to try… It’s from Paula Deen’s sons… From the newsletter:
When Jamie and Bobby Deen heard how unhealthy Vita’s fried chicken recipe was, they had no choice but to show up at her door. Below is their alternate recipe: a healthy twist with un-fried chicken that still packs a satisfying crunch. Click here to purchase your copy of The Deen Bros. Get Fired Up.
Now… for the recipe! Click HERE to go directly to the link on Doctor Oz where you can easily print the recipe…
THE DEEN BROTHERS’ LIGHTER FRIED CHICKEN
Ingredients
Serves 8
8 skinless boneless chicken thighs, trimmed of all visible fat (about 1 1/2 lbs)
1/2 tsp Paula Deen’s House Seasoning (1/4 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp ground black pepper, 1/8 tsp garlic powder)
1/4 cup light mayonnaise
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 egg white
1/2 tsp hot sauce
1 1/4 cups cornflake crumbs
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a large shallow baking pan with non-stick spray. Sprinkle the chicken with the house seasoning. In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, lemon zest, juice, egg white, and hot sauce. Add the chicken; toss to coat.
Place the cornflake crumbs on a sheet of wax paper. Dip the chicken into the crumbs pressing so the crumbs adhere. Place the chicken in the pan and lightly spray with nonstick spray.
Bake until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through, 40 – 45 minutes. Do not turn.
Nutrition Facts
Per Serving:
227 calorie
25g protein
11g total fat
3g saturated fat
4g monounsaturated fat
5g carbohydrates
0g fiber
0g sugar
13mg calcium
1mg iron
288mg sodium
87mg cholesterol
Original Recipe courtesy Paula Deen. Revised recipe courtesy of Bobby Deen and the Paula Deen Test Kitchen.
Oh yum, does that ever sound good right now!
Catch you back here tomorrow!
Shrimp and Broccoli Stir Fry… Dinner this eve??
I made a few changes, one reason was that I was cooking for two and didn’t want leftovers… the other, I didn’t have any sesame oil… I made this a few times before I feel it was perfected. The first time I halved everything, BUT I kept the amounts for the sauce the same. There wasn’t enough. It was a tad dry… I didn’t measure the broccoli, so perhaps I had too much AND I had more shrimp… For two, I made these changes: 3/4# shrimp, and however much broccoli you want, it’s awesome so we ate quite a bit, probably close to 4cups… I used 1/3 cup of low sodium chicken broth, 2 1/2 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar and 2 1/2 Tablespoons soy sauce and 2 1/2 teaspoons of cornstarch.
If this sounds tasty to you, view the recipe below, or click HERE to go to their website for easy printing… NOTE: start your rice long before you start the stir fry because it goes quickly. I start the rice, and then start getting the other ingredients ready. Once the rice is almost done (or is done) THAT is when I start tossing ingredients into the wok!Enjoy!
Shrimp and Broccoli Stir-Fry
Stir-fry a zesty shrimp dish for a quick weeknight dinner. Spoon over basmati or jasmine rice. Try the recipe with chicken or steak, too.
- YIELD: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup)
- COURSE: Main Dishes
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 tablespoon canola oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon bottled minced garlic
- 1 pound peeled and deveined large shrimp
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups small broccoli florets
- 1 cup vertically sliced onion
Preparation
Combine first 6 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk.
Heat 2 teaspoons canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add ginger and garlic to pan; stir-fry 30 seconds. Sprinkle shrimp with salt. Add shrimp to pan, and stir-fry 3 minutes or until done. Remove shrimp mixture from the pan.
Add remaining 1 teaspoon canola oil to pan. Add broccoli and onion to pan; stir-fry 4 minutes or until broccoli is crisp-tender. Add shrimp mixture and broth mixture to pan; cook 1 minute or until thickened, stirring constantly.
Jackie Mills, MS, RD, Cooking Light
JANUARY 2008
Catch you back here tomorrow! If you get a chance, check out my photo blog at http://almostdailypic.wordpress.com !
Happy St. Patty’s to ya… Hot Corned Beef-Potato Hash…
This is a recipe I found in Cooking Light magazine years ago… it’s a keeper! Quick and easy too… if you get a chance, give it a try! It’s a nice alternative the otherwise heavy St. Patrick’s Day meal.
This recipe is fabulous! UPDATE: Cooking Light removed the link to this recipe… am going to write a new post about this because it’s truly that good. Will add a link here to access once it’s written!
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