what is healthy contd...

scallops are delicious AND healthy, right? Except for me, they feel like boogers in my mouth.

i always felt scallops was one of those foods that looks better than it tasted. until...i started it with balsamic vinegar. no more booger-y feel in my mouth!

this dish was simple, no full recipe needed. i cooked the scallops in a frying pan with B.V. and put it over a bed of mixed greens. to the greens i added coarsely chopped chives and shallots, then drizzled more b.v. on top.

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what is healthy?

low fat, low sugar, low calorie, low sodium, low low low ... that's all i hear and read when it comes to what is considered healthy foods. for me that translates to yucky, bland, un-appetizing food. it doesn't make me look forward to eating. so typically in the morning, i eat greek yogurt with some kind of fruit flavoring added. sugar content:HIGH.  so i decided to try to put my own yogurt concoction together to reduce all that refined sugar. 

in a bowl, i threw in some blackberries, blueberries, figs and non fat greek yogurt. overtop, i drizzled some honey and oven roasted oats. WOW! i was impressed at how much more delicious this was then the peach-greek-yogurt i'd been buying from the store. this fit all the "low" criteria AND visually/tastebud pleasing!

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i need some fast...food

when i am hungry, i need to eat food right. now.

i don't have time for this cooking, chopping, sauteeing nonsense. i need to be fed. for me, making a soup is the fastest way for me to conquer The Hunger Monster. the soup above is a mashmash of ingredients i had laying around. i threw them in with some low fat, low sodium chicken soup, and 15 minutes later (or even less i wasn't counting), i had enough for TWO bowls of soup!

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throat pokers

kababs are really easy to assemble and make. i don't really think there needs to be a "full" recipe on this "dish". the thing that gets me about kabobs is the skewers. people tell me i can always slide the meat and veggies off the bamboo sticks and eat it that way, but i feel like it defeats the whole point of having a kabab. however, i also have this irrational fear that as i am tearing away at the meat, i'll lose mouth-to-hand control, and jab myself in the back of the throat with the skewer. that mental image is strong enough for me to hesitate to make kababs very often.

.the ingredients.

meat! (any kind you like)

vegetables (any kind you like! but ones that can stand up to being skewered)

bamboo sticks

.the recipe.

- cube the meat and veggies into edible portions

- skewer onto the bamboo sticks

- place on grill

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green is not just for tea! (green tea short bread cookies)

with the wrong shade, green can quickly become an ugly color - kind of like a model with a bad camera angle. when green is done right, it becomes a soothing color - think martha stewart celedon. love it.

these green tea short bread cookies are a nice soft green, almost girly. the softness of the color matches the delicateness of the cookie. it's crumbly but also a tiny bit chewy, and not overly sweet. perfect with green tea (ha ha) or coffee.

Green Tea Short Bread Cookies Recipe After the Jump

.Ingredients. (original recipe from lovescool)
3/4 cup (2.25 oz) Confectioners sugar
5 oz Unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1 3/4 cup (8.5 oz) All-purpose flour
3 Large egg yolks
1.5 TBS Matcha (powdered green tea)
1 cup Granulated sugar (for coating)

.Directions.
Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Whisk the confectioner’s sugar and green tea together in a bowl.
Add the butter and green tea/sugar mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix until smooth and light in color.
Add the flour and mix until well combined.
Add the egg yolks and mix just until the eggs are fully incorporated and a mass forms.
Form the dough into a disk and chill in the refrigerator until firm (about 30 minutes).
Roll the dough out to ½” thickness.
Cut the dough with a leaf cookie cutter.
Mark top of each cookie with desired shape (or leave blank)
Toss each cut cookie in a bowl of granulated sugar to coat.
Place the sugar-coated cookie on a parchment lined pan. Bake at 350F for 12-15 minutes, or until slightly golden around the edges.

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airheads

Soufflés are my favorite type of dessert. i like the airy fluffy center when my spoon breaks through the top shell. plus, it's pretty to look at and appears totally decadant. it's probably the perfect dessert for blondes, or a cheerleader. ok i'm stereotyping, but i'm sure there is a vein of truth in there somewhere. ; )

chocolate soufflé recipe after the jump

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a gorgeous day for mothers

i made orange grapefruit yogurt loaf cake for The Fam this past weekend. i've been wanting to try this recipe for some time because i love yogurt - type cakes/muffins/ basically anything with carbs. i spooned some grapefruit & orange glaze ontop to punch up the citrus flavor.

Grapefruit & Orange Yogurt Cake recipe after the jump

.Ingredients.
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
1/2 cup plain yogurt (i used the greek 0% fat kind, but any kind should do)
1/2 cup orange juice + 1 freshly squeezed juice from grapefruit
2 Tablespoons finely chopped or grated orange zest
1 tablespoon grated grapefruit zest
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
fresh fruit to add ontop (optional but tastes better with it!)

Optional syrup (but tastes better with the syrup)
1/3 cup orange juice + 1 freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
1/4 cup granulated sugar


.Directions.
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Place butter and sugar in a large bowl and use an electric mixer (I use a hand held mixer) to cream until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.

3. Add eggs, vanilla, yogurt, orange juice & zest, grapfruit juice & zest and beat 1 minute.

4. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and mix well.

5. Pour batter into a greased 9" x 5" loaf pan and bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Ovens vary, so start checking for doneness after about 45 minutes. Let cool on wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes and then carefully remove cake from pan.

6. Combine remainder orange & grapefruit juice and sugar and stir until sugar dissolves, then spoon or brush over cake. Slice and serve. Add fresh fruit (strawberries, blackberries etc) w/ whipped cream and/or ice cream to make it super fabulous.

recipe adapted from FarmGirl Fare

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