Tag Archives: food

Super Snack Bowl

31 Jan

superbowl_trophyI love sports. Not playing them (I’ve never really been an athlete). But watching them is my thing.

More than anything, I love the Super Bowl. When I was a kid, we would go to my dad’s friend’s house for a Super Bowl party. The adults would be downstairs with the bar and the two large TVs to watch the game. The kids would be upstairs flipping back and forth between the game and cartoons. As we got older, it stayed on the game.

Since then, I’ve been an avid fan of Super Bowl parties. I do my best not to work on that special day, but I was in the office the night of Janet’s nip slip. Being at work afforded me the opportunity not to overindulge myself of all the treats that abound at a typical party.

I’ve been to some that serve only meat. Wings, sliders, beef nachos, the works. If you’re out Sunday evening, chances are you’ll be tempted to stray from your dietary plan. Temptation is mother. But there are ways to keep yourself on track.

1. Bring a couple of light side dishes. Just as most house parties are BYOB, you can BYOD. Make a salad to bring with you. Go to the grocery store and bring pre-sliced fruits and veggies. You’re not beholden to what’s available at the party. And if you’re in the sharing mood, bring lots. Someone else will also want more than the variety of wings available.

2. Stay hydrated. Common staples of any Super Bowl party are pizza, beer and wings. If you’re not planning to walk out of there bloated, I suggest you drink water before you go and possibly bring a bottle of water with you. Maybe you don’t want to BYOD. That’s fine, but if you don’t want to regret the number on the scale the next day, drink some water.

3. Eat before you go. Super Bowl parties aren’t known for their meals. If you don’t want to linger by the charcuterie plate the entire night, have a decent meal before you go. Just realize this will be a long night. The game may start around 6:30, but there’s hours of pre-game and commercials to contend with. Eating ahead of time will cut down on your snacking.

4. Get in a workout beforehand. So maybe the idea of an evening of pizza, beer and wings doesn’t throw you off. Working out earlier in the day won’t be such a bad plan for you. That way you’ll free up some room for the extra calories. Just remember there’s a lot of fat in the food you’re about to shovel in, and no matter how much you worked out earlier you’ll feel heavy later.

Snacking isn’t a bad thing. It actually helps keep your metabolism up between meals. But when you’re faced with the ultimate snackfest, it’s best to have  a plan of action so as not to ruin all your good works.

I’ll be hydrated and prepped with corn tortilla chips and salsa on Sunday. Buzzfeed also offered a list of non-meat treats for your Super Bowl party.

What’s your Super Bowl plan? And who are you rooting for?

photo credit: seng1011 via photopin cc

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You Don’t Need to Clean Your Plate

24 Jan
Honestly, I don't even know what all is on this plate. I do know you don't need it all, though.

Honestly, I don’t even know what all is on this plate. I do know you don’t need it all, though.

Living your life means enjoying all of life’s pleasures. One of those pleasures for me is going to a nice restaurant. Lucky for me, New York has no shortage of them.

One of the things I noticed when I moved here is what I like to call New York-sized portions. As a girl from St. Louis, I’m used to food being piled high on my plate. I’ve seen steak covered in roasted potatoes taking up every inch of my plate, with my vegetables brought out in a separate bowl. Depending on where you go here, you’ll have the tiniest sliver of steak sitting atop a bed of sauteed spinach with a couple of potatoes dotted on the plate. And that’s your full meal.

This isn’t typical of every place, but it’s not uncommon. But maybe you’re not a steak eater. Maybe you’re in the mood for fish. It doesn’t really matter, because you’ve got a food plan you’ve got to stick with.

No matter how much or how little food is on your plate, remember you’re not a child anymore. You don’t have to clean your plate. But how do you enjoy your dining out without paying heavily for it in the morning?

Save some for later: Many restaurants give you way more food than you need. One of the tricks I learned early on is to slice the dishes on my plate in half and and take the rest home in a doggy bag. If that’s not your thing, a lot of restaurants give away food at the end of the night to people in need. You can offer up your extras, or maybe you’ll pass someone in need on your way home. Now you’ve done a good deed and avoided wasting food. Don’t you feel better about yourself?

Water is your friend: One of the many added benefits of water—besides lubricating your joints, hydrating your skin and keeping you alive—is that it can help as an appetite suppressant. When I get cravings, I drink water and chew gum. If I’m still hungry in about 15 minutes, it’s time to eat. When you drink water before meals, you’re keeping yourself from overeating. And it’s water! I love water (weird but true). A nice cold glass of water will get me every time.

Knowledge is power: There are certain chain restaurants that boast a healthy menu when it’s loaded with sour cream and cheese and cooked in salted butter. I like a hearty meal as much as the next gal, but if you’re on planned eating regimen, you should know what you’re putting in your body. Ask the server how your meal is prepared. See if it can be cooked a different way. Or ask your server for a lighter suggestion. There are plenty of places that offer lighter fare on the menu. Try  out something new.

Dining out doesn’t have to be the death of your new healthy lifestyle. Look at it as a new beginning. You can try smaller portions of different foods that work with your plan. Just don’t forget the water.

What do you do to stay on track while dining out? And if you’re a cafe fanatic, like myself, Well+Good did a great post about what to get at your local coffee shop.

 photo credit: jypsygen via photopin cc

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Recipe: Pepper and White Bean Soup With Rotini

8 Jan

Pepper and White Bean Soup With Rotini

Time: about 15 minutes to prep, 25-30 to cook

vegetable_whitebeanIngredients

  • 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 8 ounces frozen bell pepper and onion stir-fry
  • 1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise, then sliced crosswise
  • 1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon dried basil, crumbled
  • 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 6 ounces dried rotini pasta
  • 15-ounce can no-salt-added navy beans, rinsed if desired and drained
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil (extra-virgin preferred)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Preparation

  1.  In a Dutch oven, bring the broth to a boil over high heat. Stir in the bell pepper and onion stir-fry, zucchini, tomatoes, basil and red pepper flakes. Return to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, prepare the pasta using the package directions, omitting the salt and oil. Drain in a colander.
  3. Stir the beans into the bell pepper stir-fry mixture. Cook for 5 minutes, or until heated through. Remove from the heat. Stir in the olive oil and salt.
  4. Put the pasta into soup bowls. Ladle the soup over the pasta.

Courtesy of American Hear Asssociation Low-Fat, Low-Cholesterol Cookbook (third edition)

Verdict

This is one of my go-t0 recipes. It is so simple, so quick to make and so tasty. If I don’t have the frozen stir fry in the freezer, fresh onions and green pepper work jut fine (and taste better). I also don’t have a dutch oven, so a regular sauce pan does the trick. Spicy food is my thing, so sometimes I can go overboard with the red peeper. And don’t forget the olive oil and salt at the end, unless you have high blood pressure. Those two ingredients at the end really help, though.

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Picking Up the Challenge

23 Dec
photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/40969262@N08/8376090493/">skw234567</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/">cc</a>

Heeeyyy, Mrs. Carter!

Jay and Bey have gone vegan for 22 days, and their challenge ends on Christmas Day.

Sure, they can celebrate Christ’s birth with a rack of lamb and shout “Joy to the World,” but what did this challenge really entail?

Jay decided to take up the challenge before his 44th birthday with the encouragement of a friend (read: Gwyneth) who wanted him to only have plant-based breakfast. With the serendipity of the numbers falling into place along with the bonus of a Christmas ham likely waiting for him at the end of this, Jay decided to put down steak knife and pick up the almond milk.

According to Marco Borges’ 22 Days Nutrition site, which has been partnering with the Carters on this journey, the benefits to plant-based living include preventing cancer, lowering cholesterol levels, and preventing and even reversing diabetes.

“Your body will enjoy a greater variety of vitamins and minerals and your reduced intake of animal products will have a positive effect on the environment.”

—22 Days Vegan website

Who doesn’t want that?

Between touring and releasing secret “visual albums, Mrs. Carter has been updating her Instagram account with vegan options, some of which look kind of tasty.

But I don’t know if I could go full-on vegan. I have friends who are vegetarians and pescatarians. Most of the recipes I post on this site are vegetarian. However, sometimes a girl’s got a taste for a Five Guys burger.

While I’ve never gone vegan—or vegetarian for that matter—I know what it means to give up a food you once enjoyed. I haven’t eaten pork for more than 15 years. It was difficult in the beginning because in my mind, nothing could top a good ham and cheese sandwich. I never stopped cold, but eventually it became passing on the pork chops, then the bacon, and soon enough it was bye-bye ham.

I applaud Bey and Jay (as if they need my approval) for taking this on. It is hard to give up the things you once enjoyed in order to better yourself. Living is challenging enough without creating hurdles for yourself. The Carters gave themselves less than a month to decide if this was something they could stick with.

I understand that wholeheartedly. That’s how the weight-loss journey began for me: I’ll give it a shot for a little while and see if I like it. I challenge you to do the same. Find something that makes you step outside your comfort zone. What is it that scares you a little? It doesn’t have to be anything big, or anything health related, for that matter.

Maybe you’ve never gone to dinner alone. Maybe you’ve never tried that crazy-looking contraption at the gym. Or just maybe you’ve been wanting to spark up a conversation with the cutie across the way.

The point of a challenge is to test your limits and see what you are capable of. What do you think you can do?

photo credit: skw234567 via photopin cc

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Recipe: Bourbon Street Red Beans and Rice

18 Dec

Bourbon Street Red Beans and Rice

Time: 30 minutes prep; a little less than 2.5 hours (but well worth it)

redbeansandriceIngredients

  • 1 cup dried red beans
  • 2-3 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 cup chopped green bell peppers
  • 1 cup chopped celery
  • 1 finely chopped jalapeno chili
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon oregano leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper sauce
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 4-6 drops liquid smoke
  • salt, to taste
  • 4 cups cooked rice, warm

Preparation

  1. Cover beans with 2 inches of water in large saucepan; heat to boiling and boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 1 hour; drain and return to saucepan.
  2. Add two cups broth to beans and heat to boiling; simmer, covered, 30 minutes.
  3. Add vegetables and herbs; simmer covered, until beans are tender, 30-45 minutes, adding more broth if necessary (beans should be moist but without excess liquid). Discard bay leaves.
  4. Stir in red pepper sauce, cayenne pepper and liquid smoke; season to taste with salt.
  5. Serve over rice.

Courtesy of 1,001 Low-Fat Vegetarian Recipes, Fourth Edition

Verdict

I’ve always made my red beans and rice the quick way: from the directions on a side of a can of Goya beans. I have to say that this way, while a little more complicated and with a longer cook time, is so much better. The flavors are so full. I used a bullion cube to make my broth, but I made it while the beans were soaking, so as not to add to my cook time. Also, while the beans are soaking, you can make other things. There’s no sense in watching beans soak when you could be adding to your meal. I never wanted to cook with dried beans before because it just takes so long, but I understand why now. Good things take time. I highly recommend this one, especially in these frigid temps.

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