A Month in Pictures

Let's try something different. Most of my posts are word heavy, picture light. Time to switch it up. Here is what I was up to in February, using pictures.

After a month of eating healthy and trying to rid myself of holiday bloat,

I indulged.

Superbowl Sunday blessed us with this gorgeous day, so we took advantage and hiked while everyone else was glued to their sets.

 As wonderful as my husband was to accompany me, he still had to check the score



The San Diego Zoo is amazing. I go about once a week.

And have for years. I never get tired of this place

 The view from above

My wedding site getting retrofitted

February had some smashing sunrises.

Fortunately for me, my work hours allowed me to see almost all of them

Dave thought after 6 months of ownership,

it was time to detail Ovary1 (his name choice, not mine)

So we spent 5 hours on a Sunday making her pretty.

The shortest month of the year was all about

eating healthy, doing yoga and cutting alcohol

Brussel sprout chip salad

 Zucchetti and Meatballs

 Cabbage, beet, lemon, apple juice. Delicious. Really.

And my obsession for the month of Feb (and continuing into March) has been house hunting.

I drive all around San Diego scoping neighborhoods, peeking in windows and backyards, timing how long the walk/drive to grocery/park/work/friends houses would be. I love it. Dave, not so much.

    How was your month?



Zucchetti and Meatballs

I love me some carbs.

Pasta, bread, potatoes, rice, tortillas, cookies, cake, crackers. I love em all!

But at 35, it seems carbs no longer love me. Traitors.

So I try to limit them where I can. Like this dandy little substitution.

The other night I had a hankering for spaghetti and meatballs.

It was rainy and cold, and I wanted some thing comforting.

But I didn't want that bloaty, tired feeling that comes after I eat a plate full of pasta.

What to do?!?!

A few minutes on the Internet and I had my solution: Zucchini Pasta!

I know, you are thinking: "Are you serious? There is no WAY those are going to taste anywhere near the same as the real deal."

And if you were eating only plain pasta, maybe you could tell.

But when smothered with a delicious, rich tomato sauce and some meatballs, trust me, you can't. 

This would also be a great way to sneak some veg into a picky child's dinner.

And with all the calories you are saving, you can now eat some dessert, guilt free :)

RECIPE

Zucchetti & Meatballs

1 large zucchini per person

Your favorite meatball recipe

Your favorite sauce recipe

Using a mandolin, julienne the zucchini on the smallest setting. Boil a large pot of water, salt liberally.

Cook the zucchini for no more than 1 minute. Drain and immediately place in an ice bath to shock and stop the cooking. Once cooled, drain well, pat dry on a kitchen towel to remove excess water and toss with hot sauce. The zucchini has a high water content, so I suggest making your sauce on the thick side so it doesn't turn out watery like mine did. Plate and serve with meatballs and a side salad.

Why I Will Never Succeed At Keeping the Weight Off

Once the scale shows me a number I like, I cheat.

I tell myself, "well look at how good you are doing! It's ok to have one Samoa."

And that one Samoa turns into half a box of Samoas.

And then I figure, I have already messed up today, might as well indulge in a few other treats I have been depriving myself of.

So I eat half a bag of PB pretzels.

And a quesadilla.

And wash it down with half a bottle of wine. 

And then I am so pissed at my weakness, I berate myself and eat some chocolate covered caramels to feel better.

This is why I am destined to fail. I have an addiction. Seriously, I am addicted to food.

Do they have a 12 step program for that?

Maybe I should start one...

$60 well spent (times 2)

In the past 3 days I have spent $120 to purchase 2 items that I think (hope) are going to better my life.

The first was a juicer.

I have known about the benefits of juicing fresh fruits and veggies for a while, but I have been slow to pull the trigger on purchasing one.

Not exactly sure why, maybe it was the thought of spending $200-300 on something that might end up like my guitar, or painting set, or crocheting supplies, or snowboard (I Miss you Snowboard!). Forgotten about once the novelty wore off (or a pelvis got broken snowboarding), and shoved in a closet.  

Then I checked Consumer Reports, and found this guy: The Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Juicer.

CR gives it the 2nd highest rating of all the centrifugal models they tested,

including Jack Lelane's Power Juicer.

And is was only $60 on Amazon!

SOLD to the lady with the short attention span.

It arrives today.

I will be leaving work with boxes of produce in my trunk.

The second item I picked up will also help to contribute to my healthy eating by minimizing (or maybe altogether eliminating) the lunches I purchase during the work week.

I am pretty much chained to my desk for 8 hours a day.

If I leave, inevitably someone comes looking for me with a problem that needs an immediate solution,

I get a call on my cell, and have to hightail it back to the office.

So I have just found it easier to eat lunch at my desk.

And on the days that I forget or am too lazy to bring my lunch, I have 2 options for delivery.

Option #1 is a place called Gourmet Bagger.

They make sandwiches. I don't eat processed meat (Read all about Nitrates/Nitrites here).

Their one veggie option has lettuce and tomatoes

along with 3 types of cheese, avocado, mayo and cream cheese.

Gag.

How is that even close to healthy? And if I ask them to remove the cheese, mayo and cream cheese, I still end up paying $6 for a LTA sandwich.

No thanks.

Option #2 is a Greek/Mexican/American cafe.

I really love their food.

I love their tuna melts, their grilled ham and cheese, their burritos, their hamburgers...

Can you see where I am going with this. Again, not the healthiest options.

In the past I have tried to stock our break room fridge with things to have on hand for the days I am lunchless.

First I had to get over the disgust and mild paranoia I felt about putting my food in this:

Have you ever seen anything so gross?

Who knows how many people go through that thing.

Or don't from the looks of it.

Opening other peoples containers out of desperate hunger, sampling their goods. It kinda skeeves me out.

Not to mention the rank odor that often develops from lack of cleanliness.

Plus it seems some mysterious Bermuda Triangle thing exists in there because several times,

when I have gone to retrieve said food, it has disappeared!

This leads to frustration and anger, which again, are not healthy.

So New Year, New Me decided to buy a mini fridge for my office.

My very own that I could stock with all my healthy treats and feel safe knowing that no one would

take them, taste them, or touch them.
Finding one on Craigslist was simple enough, there were about 17 for sale.

So Monday morning, I bought myself this little beauty for $60.

And Tuesday I came to work with canvas bags full of goodness.

Yogurt, almond flax butter, tuna, hard boiled eggs, chopped veggies, salad mix, light string cheese and a drawer full of fruit.

And now the only excuse that I have left about why I eat poorly during the work day is weakness.

I refuse to be weak.

What Happened?!? (and a PSA)

WARNING: This is more of a rant than a blog. Just a heads up.

Ok, Who jacked my blog? It's ok, you can tell me, I promise not to get mad. Who changed up the header, the font,  and shrunk the main picture? Do you have any idea how long i worked to get that just the way I wanted it? And I am NOT computer savvy, so you can bet it was a long time.

A loooooong time.

And now I have no idea how to fix it, so I have just left it like this since last week when I discovered it.

Maybe it's your way of getting back at me, Blog, for neglecting you for so long. And you'd be right to do so, I let other things become more important.

But I am back now, and I will make this right, I promise.

As soon as I find out how I set this thing up in the first place...

And now for a PSA:

I love Trader Joe's. I love them even more today, after discovering they were closed New Year's Day when I had decided to do my major grocery shopping.

I was forced to go next door to Ralph's.

Ralph's.

Even the name is gross (sorry to any Ralph's out there, I am sure you are great people).

When did groceries get so $$$??? 

Or should I ask, Why is TJ's able to keep it so reasonable? 

I think I spent 30% more at Raaaalph's then I would have for the same items at TJ's, and everything I bought was on sale! 

Insert righteous indignation here.

But on to the real reason for this PSA. Yesterday I finally made it to TJ's for the things that poop's did not carry. And I was feeling lazy in the dinner making department, so I grabbed these babies

Don't these look scrumptious? Turkey meatloaf, topped with spinach and Parmesan mashed potatoes! And they were surprisingly not that bad for you. Hey, I can't cook healthy every night, we all slip up sometimes.

So i eagerly added them onto our plate of salad with 8 veggies, and waited as my taste buds sampled what I was sure was another of TJ's masterpieces

(Ham and Cheese Pastry Puffs, need I say more?)

 Sadly, these were no pastry puffs. they were more like tasteless discs of meat substance with mashed potatoes on top. Just mashed potatoes, no salt, no butter,

No Cheese.

Wah wah. 

So my PSA for today: Stay Away from TJ's Turkey Meatloaf surprise.

Turning over a new Kale Leaf

2012 is the year to get healthy!

Notice I didn't say thin, or skinny or anything about losing weight?

Because ultimately, what we should all strive for is health, not how we look in a bikini.

 

I have been researching some new types of eating plans that I have heard about. Most of them are useless drivel, but this one makes sense to me and I thought I would share to encourage a healthy 2012 for everyone!

 

There is something out there called the ANDI score, you may have noticed it if you shop at Whole Foods. 

It has been around since 2009 I believe, and it is gaining momentum having been recognized the the American Heart Association. It basically calculates how many nutrients per calorie each food has. The goal of course is to eat foods with a high ANDI score, getting the most bang for your buck.

 

Along with this score comes the idea of a Nutritarian diet. Simply put, a nutritarian is a person who strives for more micro nutrients per calorie in their diet-style, one where 90% of your daily food intake comes from the highest nutrient dense foods (Veg, fruit, seeds, nuts, legumes and whole grains) with only 10% coming from other sources called macro nutrients (meat, poultry, fish, dairy, processed grains etc...). These nutrient dense foods also work to fight disease, such as cancer and heart disease, among others. You can read more about it here  and also here

 

Here is a food pyramid that shows a nutritarian style of eating:

And here is the link to the ANDI list of most foods, for your reference

 

 

As we get older, it becomes harder to keep off the weight, stay healthy and feel energized.

We are more suceptibel to disease and injury.  

The food you use to fuel your body helps with all of that.

We don't have to starve ourselves, or eat nothing but twigs and berries, but we do have to try our best to treat our bodies right.

 

Now onto juicing!

I am excited to announce that I just bought my very own juicer.

 

And as with any purchase, I did the requisite research about how I would use this product.

Of course my mind was filled with ideas of delicious apple, watermelon strawberry juices.

But after hours and hours of research (literally, Dave watched almost 3 football games while I was internetting), I came to discover that many of the people who get started with juicing concoct heavily fruit laden beverages that provide little in the way of a healthy meal.

Fruits are sugar.

And if you are only drinking the juice of said fruit, you aren't even getting the fiber.

And all that sugar = weight gain!

So the ratio that I found to be beneficial when juicing is said to be 1:3.

For every serving of fruit you juice, you must juice 3 servings of veg (the exception being lemons and limes, these don't count as fruit servings). And carrots and beets don't count as veg, too much sugar!  You want those dark and colorful leafy vegetables. Kale, watercress, spinach, radishes, cabbage, swiss chard...

The benefits of these juices are amazing.

 

 If you have any interest, watch the documentary Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead for free on Hulu.

It will make you want a juicer too.

So now that I have bored you to tears (if you have even gotten this far), I will leave you with a recipe that I love. It is in keeping with what we've discuessed ehre today, plus it is easy, healthy and delicious!

 

Stuffed Zucchini

Ingredients:1 tbsp Greek yogurt1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt1/4 tsp curry powder1/2 tomato1 tsp thyme2 zucchinis1 onion
3 Kale leaves (ribs removed)
1 yellow bell pepperSmidgen of cheesepepper

Directions:Preheat your oven to 400 (200C).
Give the zucchini a good scrub, then slice them in half length-ways. You can trim the ends if you like. I never do, I kinda like how rustic it makes them look. 

Spoon out the insides and leave about 1/2 an inch of thickness until you end up with boat like shells.

Now give the zucchini pulp a good chop, also chop a small onion, the yellow bell pepper, kale and 1/2 a tomato while you’re at it. Sautee.  When the onions are almost done, add 1/4 tsp curry powder and cook everything for an additional 30 seconds. No longer or the curry powder will turn bitter. When they’re done, transfer them to a big bowl.

Now add 1 tsp dried thyme, 1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt, 1 heaping tbsp yogurt (you can sub sour cream if you prefer), a bit of grated cheese, a good pinch of pepper, the zucchini pulp, the tomato, kale and bell to the bowl. Toss everything really well.

At this point, check your seasoning. Add more if deisred.

Grab a spoon and fill the shells with the mix. Sprinkle some aged cheese on top (I like Romano). Put them in a preheated oven, give them about 20 minutes and then turn on the grill until the top is golden brown. Sprinkle some coarsely chopped Italian parsley on top and you’re done!

Grab a fork and dig in!
 

Meringues and Gougères: getting all Frenchy up in here.

I don't bake.

That being said, this entire post is about... you guessed it: Baking!

Because for a minute there I thought I could.

I mean all you have to do is follow a recipe, for goodness sake.

How hard can that be?

But as most people who know their way around a kitchen can tell you, baking and cooking are NOT the same. And cookie exchange 2011 reinforced my previous conviction that I am not,

and probably never will be, a baker.

But I accepted the cookie challenge head on, and even decided that I would try my hand at meringues. Peppermint ones, dipped in dark chocolate and sprinkled with crushed candy canes. Sounds divine, right?

These were my inspiration, along with the recipe from my new favorite cooking mag: Bon Appetit.

They should have included some sort of warning that meringues are not for the novice baker.

 Mine were sticky and chewy, not puffy and crunchy.

But I handed them out all the same.

I haven't heard much from those ladies since the exchange...I doubt I'll be invited to next year's.

So after that debacle, you'd think I'd have learned that my talents lie elsewhere, and baking should be left to those more qualified.

But nooooooo, I see a post on one of my fave food blogs while waiting for our flight so SF for something called Gougères and decide that I MUST make them for Christmas dinner.

No time for a trial run.

I've never tasted these things before,

I can barely even pronounce them (goo-jair)

They are French, which I interpret as difficult.

And they require that particular skill I lack: the ability to bake.

But I am compelled, I must have these for Christmas dinner!

Basically Gougères are just pate a choux with some extra ingredients.

Have you ever had profiteroles? That's pate a choux.

So I scour the Internet for a simpler version of these delightful puffs of deliciousness.

Success, thank you food network. I found a basic recipe that I changed up with some rosemary and Gruyere.

Minimal ingredients, simple process.

There they are, baking away...

Terrible oven pic



First attempt: success!

These things were easy peasy! And the bang for your buck and wow factor are extremely high.

Light, airy, cheesy, yum.

And the best part? You can make them ahead, pop them in the freezer and have them on hand when needed.

So sadly, there is no peppermint meringue recipe for you today.

Happily I am leaving you with the much better one for Gougères.

The variations are endless!

Gougères

Basic Recipe

1 cup water

1 teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons sugar

6 tablespoons butter, cut in pieces

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour, sifted

4 eggs, beaten

1 cup grated Gruyere
1 Tbsp fresh chopped Rosemary (or more/less to taste)

Freshly cracked black pepper

1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 400 degrees (I used a convection oven and was not so thrilled, I prefer the regular kind)

In a small saucepan over high heat, bring the water, salt, sugar, and butter to a boil, making sure the butter is completely melted. Off the heat, add the flour all at once and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon. Return to the heat and continue beating until the dough forms a solid, smooth mass and pulls away from the sides of the saucepan. Take off the heat and empty the dough into a clean mixing bowl. Little by little add the beaten eggs, beating vigorously in between each addition, until the dough forms a smooth, supple mass. Add the grated cheese, chopped fresh rosemary and plenty of freshly cracked black pepper to the pate a choux. With a kitchen spoon, scoop the pate a choux into approximately 25 (1-inch) round mounds, spaced 1 to 2 inches apart on the parchment paper-lined baking sheet. (If you are making ahead and freezing, here is where you pop the baking sheet into the freezer for 30 minutes, then remove the semi-frozen gougeres from them and pop into a freezer bag to be used later) Brush lightly with the beaten egg and place in the oven. Cook until golden and puffed, about 25 minutes*. Remove from the oven and cool briefly on a baking rack. Serve hot or at room temperature.

*If frozen, add a few minutes onto cooking time.

I am starting to rethink this baking thing again...

Enjoy!