A New Year...

noreply@blogger.com (General Contractor) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 17:33:00 +0000

A new...everything?

I wanted to get the X-mas decs put away by the weekend, but with a semi-injured Foreman & a high maintenance Demo-man @ home, combined with some passive-aggressive laziness it didn't happen. Today it's down with the tree! I have been using alot of my time trying gluten-free recipes for DM and healthy ones for us that fit into the parameters of the http://www.17daydiet.com/. It's basically another low-carb diet we've done to kick-start weight loss. It helps me to stay motivated when I see fast reults. Last time it was 10 lbs in 17 days. Although I'm not doing as well this time 'round. Must be all the gluten-free taste testing. A bite here, a taste there....

The Namaste Foods Brownie Mix were almost as good as regular ones. (I have not been paid, or even asked, to review this or any product at this time.) I've had no luck with muffin mixes or scratch muffin recipes as of yet. DM's been a trooper, for a picky eater. He'll at least try some of his old faves.

Today I baked stuffed peppers based on this recipe. But I omitted the bread crumbs and subbed minced portobellos. I also subbed tomato paste for the ketchup. I added 1 Tblspn each dried oregano and dried basil. I used ground turkey breast, and topped with fat-free mozzarella cheese during the last few minutes of baking. The filling made just enough to fill 3 large red peppers, halved lengthwise. Hopefully the Foreman approves, as he let me know, this past weekend was not exactly my best in the culinary dept. I just ate one, and though it's not the same as a ground beef stuffed pepper with rice you may be used to, it was good, healthy food.

I'm not much of a water drinker, essential for good health, diet or no, so I'll leave you with an unsweetened iced tea I've been enjoying in place of my former addiction to sn@pple peach tea:

Materials:
Tea or electric kettle
Coffee carafe or pyrex pitcher (10 cup size)
Spoon

Ingredients:
1 strong Irish or English black tea bag (I prefer Barry's or Bewley's decaf. Most decf black teas are pretty gross, in my opinion. But to me, these have good flavor. Twinnings is a good back-up, but I need to double bag, at least!) If using regular black tea use 2-3 bags.
2 Bigelow Peach tea bags
5 cups boiling water
5 cups cold filtered water
Juice from one 15 oz can peaches (optional)
Sweetener of choice (optional)

Directions:
Boil water. Place tea bags in carafe. Pour hot water in to 5 cup mark. Allow to steep until room temperature, a few hours or overnight. Add peach juice (if desired) and fill carafe with cold filtered water. Stir and refrigerate and serve over ice. Sweeten as desired.

I like to make brewed iced tea because I can control the ingredients. A heat-safe pitcher cuts down on dishes as I don't have to pour from a teapot to a pitcher once the tea has cooled. A few drops of vanilla stevia per glass finishes of a glass for me.

Currantly Remodeling

A New Year...