Getting Inside My Head

5 Minute Zucchini Parmesan

2012-04-18T21:19:00.001-07:00

Ok, it’s not really five minutes, but prep time is about 5 minutes and bake for 30 minutes, freeing you up to do something else, like knock out a blog post about 5-Minute Zucchini Parmesan (with salad).

5-minute Zucchini Parmesan

Ingredients

3 or 4 zucchinis
1 16 oz. jar pasta sauce
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Cooking Directions

Heat oven to 375 degrees.
Grease or use non-stick spray on 9x13 baking dish.
Slice the zucchini, it doesn't matter how. Place in baking dish, covering bottom thoroughly.
Pour the pasta sauce over the zucchini and stir to coat.

Sprinkle cheese over mixture.

Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes or until zucchini is tender.

Serve with salad.

Bon apetit!

Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings

2012-03-21T12:20:00.000-07:00

A bowl of chicken and dumplings with vegetables served at Nicoll's Cafe, 255 Main Street, Pine City, Minnesota (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 6-8 hours
Total time: 8 hours, 25 minutes
Yield: 4-6 servings
Ingredients

Chicken Stew

2 lbs chicken, chopped into 1" cubes
4 carrots, chopped
1 large potato
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped or 2 teaspoons garlic powder
14 oz low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
9 oz frozen peas
1 tbsp Italian seasoning

Dumplings

1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk
6 tablespoons butter (or 1 cup half & half instead of milk+butter)

Cooking Directions

In a 4-6 quart slow-cooker, layer potatoes, carrots, onion, garlic, mushrooms, and chicken. Mix broth and Italian seasoning and pour over chicken and vegetables.
Cover crockpot and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours until chicken is thoroughly cooked and no longer pink in center. Add peas and cover again. Cook on HIGH for 20 minutes until peas are hot.
In small bowl, combine flours, baking powder, salt, milk, and melted butter and mix just until combined. Do not over mix.
Drop dumplings by tablespoons onto hot, bubbling chicken stew in crockpot. Cover and cook on HIGH for 20-25 minutes until dumplings are cooked through, fluffy, and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

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Menu Plan Monday

2012-03-05T12:07:00.000-08:00

Last night I discovered Pepperplate in the in Nook Color app market, I think I am in love. Menu planning may have just gotten enjoyable (along with cleaning the toilet, it's one of the chores I hate the most). It's much easier to use than BigOven or Allrecipes. I feel like I'm taking pictures to the grocery store.

I already have a bunch of recipes pinned on pinterest, and it's been a cinch to go to that board, pick the recipes I want, open the source page, and hit the pepperplate bookmarket. Within seconds it's on my Nook. I know it sounds like a lot of work, but I'm going from a source other than straight from the web. This will make menu planning so much easier! I can search for vegetarian on EatingWell, other people's recipes on pinterest, and of course, I have almost 10 years of favorite recipes on Allrecipes, most of which I have printed into my own personalized cookbook, but it would be nice to have them digital again.

I like the fact that from the website or the app I can add to my weekly menu or shopping list. Much slicker than BigOven.

From the Nook app, if you click on share, you get the typical Android share menu -- mine includes Dropbox, Email, Seesmic, Springpad, Stumble, Taptu, Taptu Food, and Twitter. This was shared from the app to twitter

Check out my recipe for Thai Chicken, Mango & Pineapple Salad on Pepperplate!bit.ly/w1ctaU
— Annette(@daNanner) March 5, 2012

My only beef with Pepperplate is that the shared recipes do not show the picture.

The menu
I have Monday and Tuesday ingredients on hand, but I'll have to go grocery shopping for the rest of the week. We've been eating down to (almost) bare cupboards again -- I only go grocery shopping about every three weeks -- which is a savings, even if my kids think they are starving! I've also discovered that no matter how much I love leftovers, my son (aka the Human Garbage Disposal) won't eat them, and The Hunk and I get tired of eating the same thing three days in a row for lunch, so I now only make 4, maybe 5 portions. Portion control is the only reason I am still losing weight!

Monday: White Bean and (Chicken) Sausage Saute
Tuesday: Moroccan Chicken Stew
Wednesday: Crockpot night - Sweet Potato and (Chicken or Pork) Stew
Thursday: Chicken & Mango Salad
Friday: Curried Veggie Cubes
Saturday: Sweet Potato Veggie Burger

What's on your plate this week?

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Chocolate Cake for a Flat Belly

2012-02-21T08:51:00.001-08:00

Source: i.imgur.com via Annette on Pinterest

No, really, at least according to Dr. Oz. I don't have a trifle pan, but this works well on a plate too, considering how fast it disappeared!

5-Layer Flat Belly Dessert

Recipe by Gail Simmons

This was featured on the Dr. Oz show. We actually skipped the flax and walnuts mixture when I made it, but I will add it the next time. We thought it would last a few days, but my teenage son ate about half of it when he got home. I only got one slice! The only one who didn't like it was my daughter, apparently she doesn't like coconut!

Nice to know that I can replace egg and oil with Greek yogurt (or probably any yogurt).

Rating: ****** Will definitely make again

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Yield: 12 servings give or take
Ingredients

1 box devil's food cake mix
1 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
1 cup water
4 cups fat-free ricotta
1 cup coconut milk, well stirred
1 cup shredded, toasted sweetened coconut
4 tablespoons agave syrup
1/2 cup toasted oats
1/2 cup ground flax seeds or flax seed meal
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts, lightly toasted if desired
4 cups total any combination of fresh well-washed berries (strawberries, hulled and halved, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries)
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, for shaving

Cooking Directions
Note: Ingredient quantities depend on size of pan. This recipe is for a 9-inch trifle dessert pan

Preheat oven to 350° F degrees.
Prepare two 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray or butter and lightly flour each pan.
In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, combine the cake mix, yogurt, and water and mix well until no lumps remain. Divide batter evenly into prepared cake pans and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake emerges cleanly. Allow the cakes to cool completely in the pans.
While the cake is cooking, mix the ricotta, coconut milk, shredded coconut and agave. With a rubber spatula, gently fold them together to fully combine.
In a large resealable bag, combine the oats, flax seeds and walnuts. Seal the bag and shake well.

Layer 1: Cake
Layer 2: "Whipped" topping
Layer 3: Walnuts, flax, oat mixture
Layer 4: Berries

Remove the cake from its pan and place in desired glass dish with high sides (or on a plate). Evenly spread half of the whipped topping mixture on top of the cake.
Sprinkle half of the mixture evenly over the ricotta, then top with the berries to cover the whole cake surface.
Repeat all 4 layers with the other half of the ingredients. Using a vegetable peeler, shave the bittersweet chocolate decoratively over the top (Layer 5). Serve dessert by scooping portions of the cake and all its layers into shallow bowls.

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Recipe: Whole Wheat Corn Bread

2012-02-16T10:41:00.000-08:00

Modified from a classic cornbread recipe. It's not as bright yellow as traditional corn bread because of the whole wheat flour, but it's just as tasty with butter and honey.

Whole Wheat Corn Bread

Recipe by Annette Holland

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
Yield: 8-12 servings
Ingredients

2/3 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 cup yellow corn meal
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 cup sugar in the raw
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 egg
1/3 cup olive oil or unsalted butter (melted)

Cooking Directions

Preheat oven to 400 F and grease an 8x8 pan. Set aside.
Mix all wet ingredients together.
Mix all dry ingredients together.
Mix all ingredients together until moist. Batter will be lumpy. Pour into greased pan and bake for 25-30 minutes. Corn bread is done when a knife or toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean.

*Recipe formatted using Recipe SEO

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Wordless Wednesday: Bread of Life

2012-01-25T11:02:00.001-08:00

Nothing like a fresh loaf out of the breadmaker, a photo by Nannerlady on Flickr.

Nothing like a fresh loaf out of the breadmaker.

Turn this Mutha Out - Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T23:30:00.000-08:00

Image from
http://www.duy.im/2011/10/happy-new-year-2012.html

This has been quite the year! Last year about this time I thought I was dying, but it was just a kidney infection. This New Year's Eve I am stuffed up and alternating between being a mouth-breather and imitating Niagra Falls. I can't remember the last time I had a good New Year's Eve. Probably back in Oregon when I threw Shindigs (as in Browncoat parties).

I've been debating for days what this last post of 2011 should be. A Best of? A collage? A worst of? A general summary? I'm still debating. I'm just glad it's over. It wasn't a bad year overall, started out sick, ended sick, and in between ... I managed to finally lose ten pounds and gain about five of it back in the last two months.

I have about (1)50 posts in drafts, so if you read my blog via RSS, you're not going crazy, I'll just be knocking out the relevant ones.

So let's try the recap approach. I take photos almost every day of the year. Big things I put into albums. I love my phone because I can select a bunch of photos and create an album lickety-split. The only problem is when I switch phones and SD cards. I've gone through 3 this year!

2011 in Review
January started out with some magic. Seeing Disney on Ice was pretty fantastic. I want to do it again in 2012, but I don't think that's going to happen.

We also got snow in Lancaster. There is something really peaceful about snow in the high desert. Not the driving on the icy streets, but watching my backyard fill up with snow was ... relaxing.

February: Cooking with Fresh and Easy. That was a LOT of fun. I love hanging out with Oakley and Catalina and really wish I could do it more often.

I also went to a Honey Board sponsored event at Mo-Chica with Chef Ricardo Zarate in Los Angeles that I live tweeted but alas - that post is in draft too. I really need to stop doing that! To sort of make-up for that, here's one of the awesome treats we were served.

Chicken breast with root vegetables and honey blue cheese sauce

Organic Chicken Breast with Honey Blue Cheese Sauce(4 portions) Ingredients: For the chicken breasts:4 whole organic chicken breasts
2 cloves of garlic, choppedTouch of olive oil
Salt and pepper (to taste) For the saikio miso sauce:2 cups honey2 cups apple vinegar8 tbs aji amarillo paste3 cups saikio miso paste½ cup olive oil
For the honey blue cheese sauce:1 cup honey
1 lb blue cheese1 ¼ cup apple vinegar
For the vegetables:Root vegetables (fresh veggies of the day such as baby carrots, potatoes, etc)5 tbs olive oilSalt and pepper (to taste)2 tbs pure honey (for glaze)2 tbs butter (for glaze) Notes: Aji Amarillo paste is a yellow Peruvian chili paste available in Latin supermarkets. You may also use any chili paste of your choice.

March: We finally moved from Lancaster to Burbank. Thank Goodness!!! No more four-hour commute! There's another draft I need to finish in there. I also went to the new Sony Store opening and gawked at all the cool tech and celebrities who showed up. Yeah, that's Anthony Anderson. And Marlon Wayans, and the Smurfs.

I also used Groupon to go on a wine tour in Temecula Wine Country

I never wrote that post, but the wineries were pretty good, I joined a wine club. I should go again to refresh my memory :D

April

The highlight of April was NABShow

After that, I went to a blogger brunch hosted by Dannon and Mia Hamm. Joy got to meet the cast of Disney Prom. Aimee Teegarden made her night since she wasn't having a party.

May: Camping at Mcgrath. I wish the funds had been available to keep this campground open. We've got another trip planned for 2012 and honestly I can't wait. It's nice to get away from it all and I need to do that more often.

Also in May was the Ren Faire with Oakley. This is an annual tradition now for me - I think 3 years in a row! (more photos on Picasa)

June: Miel Pura, I learned all sorts of things about honey and started experimenting with my pancakes.

Can't Stop the Serenity -- meeting Nathan Filion and Feleicia Day.

July: Once again unemployed and trying not to panic. 2011 family reunion in Santa Rosa. Road trips are always fun with my kids. The only thing missing was my dog.

4th of July in Long Beach. The kids were nice to each other, the weather was great, I picked up a cute new hat, and we all enjoyed the fireworks out in the harbor.

August: Soccer season resumes. Joy gets better at positions other than goalie. This coach isn't as competitive as last year's, so the team doesn't make it to play-offs. I was Team Mom. That was an experience.

September - New York! New York!

October: Employed! Hallelujah! I'm back at the House of Mouse in Moms & Family. It's a purely short term contract but I am so grateful to be employed through the holidays. Unemployment doesn't pay enough.

November: Cruising with Disney, first vacation in like a decade! - (another post I need to write, the (unedited) photos below)

December: Christmas back East with the Hunk's family- that was quite the adventure and I might write about it some day. I must thank @MintCool for giving me ideas when it looked like it was all going to hell in a hand-basket.

So, good by 2011 and hello 2012.

Portobello Mushrooms with Summer Squash

2011-08-22T11:07:00.000-07:00

We're back to almost vegetarian in my household and Sunday nights are either gourmet or leftovers. We're out of leftovers.

Tonight's dinner is Portobello mushrooms with a side of summer squash and baked potatoes. It took about 20 minutes - less if your grill doesn't run out of gas!

Portobello Mushrooms with Summer Squash

Recipe by Annette Holland

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients

4 portobello mushrooms
1/2 cup Fresh & Easy Classic Balsamic Vinaigrette
1/2 cup Fresh & Easy Burgundy Wine Simmer Sauce
1 package summer squash
4 Yukon Gold potatoes

Cooking Directions
Grilled portobello mushrooms are delicious, but our grill was out of gas and it was too hot to broil. I made due with the griddle.

Lightly oil with olive oil, then spoon either the balsamic vinaigrette or burgundy wine simmer sauce over the mushrooms until soft, turning at least once. If grilling, marinate the mushrooms for a few minutes.
Saute the summer squash to desired tenderness.
Serve with a baked potato.

The Intrepid Princess still prefers steak to mushrooms, but The Teen and The Hunk both loved it.

Summer Squash

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Pancakes

2011-08-21T10:04:00.001-07:00

I've been playing around with the recipe for a few weeks now and I think we have a winner. The Hunk called last week's batch the best ever, so I'm going to try to duplicate it this week and document it.
Ingredients :
2 cups whole wheat flour (I use Gold Medal)
1 cup Coach's Oats
1tsp baking soda
2tsp baking powder
1/2tsp salt
1/4 sugar in the raw (honey can be substituted)
2 eggs (flaxseed can be substituted)
2tsp vanilla
1.5 cups milk (coconut or almond milk can be substituted)
1 cup water
Optional:
Pecans, dried or frozen berries
Combine dry ingredients. Mix liquid ingredients in a separate bowl, then add to dry. Mix well. Let sit while you heat your griddle. Batter will appear watery, but any thicker and you will have *really * thick pancakes.
Pour out batter in 1/4 cup increments. Cook until both sides are golden brown.
*posted using the blogger app, sorry about the formatting

Pina Colada Oatmeal

2011-08-11T08:50:00.001-07:00

Good morning everyone!
I've noticed I tend to practically pass out at the end of spin class if I only have a light breakfast or a protein bar. This morning I plan on going on a fairly full stomach.
I like to mix things up a bit with breakfast. Including oatmeal. Food should be fun, even when you're trying to lose weight.

Pina Colada Oatmeal

Recipe by Annette Holland

Prep time: 1 minute
Cook time: 4 minutes
Total time: 5 minutes
Yield: 1
Ingredients

1/3 cup Coach's Oats
1 cup water
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup pineapple chunks
1/2 tsp. rum extract

Cooking Directions

Cook oatmeal according to directions. Add coconut, pineapple, rum extract and nuke for 30 seconds or until pineapple is no longer frozen.

Enjoy!

Crowd-Sourced Dinner

2011-07-20T13:36:00.001-07:00

Sometimes I can't pull dinner out of a hat. I have the ingredients but no clue how to pull them together. It's rare. Today was one of those days. We are on a mission to eat everything in the house before going grocery shopping again. Too much food has been going to waste. The chest freezer is almost empty (which the Teen pointed out has never happened in his memory).

Recipes:
Butternut Squash Soup
It's a little watery since I omitted the heavy cream, but both the Hunk and the Teen approve.

Ingredients

2lbs butternut squash, diced
1 onion - diced
2 cloves garlic or equivalent garlic powder
4-6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
nutmeg, salt, pepper, and cinnamon to taste
1 TBSP olive oil

Directions:
Saute the onion and garlic. Add the butternut squash and broth. Boil, then simmer for 15-20 minutes until the squash is tender. Using a slotted spoon, remove squash and blend. Add back to broth. Season to taste with nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and pepper.

I started with 6 cups of broth but ended up pouring off 2 cups or so before blending.

Pan-Seared Mahi-Mahi
I really, really, really wanted to do my signature marinade for this, but we were out of soy sauce (remember, no grocery shopping until the cupboards look like Old Mother Hubbard's). Breading the fish is out of the question for the next 50lbs. So ... pan seared with olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Mango Peach Salsa
I got the idea for this salsa from Costco. I have frozen mangoes, canned peaches, and canned diced tomatoes. We'll see how this goes.

Ingredients:

3/4 bag of Fresh and Easy frozen mangoes
1 can peaches, in water or pear juice
1 sweet onion, diced
1 can diced tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
juice of one lime
dash salt and pepper

Directions:

Combine all ingredients and chill.

Quinoa (instead of rice) - prepare according to package directions. It was the first time I had made it.

All in all, dinner turned out pretty well.

Honey-licious

2011-06-14T14:18:00.000-07:00

Last Tuesday I had the opportunity to attend a Miel Pura/National Honey Board Natural Energy event with Barbara Trujillo-Gomez, author of "...Barbara por Atras" A Latin Woman's Guide to Fitness at the beautiful Japanese Garden of the Kyoto Grand Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles.

I learned there really are no excuses when it comes to working out. Instead of aiming for 30-60 minutes of straight exercise, I can aim for 10 minutes 3-6 times per day. I can wake up ten minutes early and do some planks and jumping jacks (OK, jumping jacks). Instead of coffee I can have a pomegranate apple honey shot. There are so many beneficial uses of honey for athletes, I think you'll be surprised.

Some fun facts:

Honey is an all-natural energy booster. It's a carbohydrate that your body can easily use to give you a little extra oomph when you need it.
Honey has 17g of (good) carbohydrates per tablespoon. That's fuel for your muscles pre- and post- workout.
Honey is great for working out:

When consumed before working out, it is released into the bloodstream at a steady rate.
During exercise (a dash of honey in your water) it helps delay muscle fatigue.
After working out (Whey Better Berry and Honey Shake) it's a great ingredient to add for refueling your body and decreasing muscle soreness.

My son isn't crazy for liking peanut butter, honey, and banana sandwiches. These ingredients are a good nutritional combination of carbs, protein, and fat.
Add some honey to your water for a sweet way to stay hydrated all day long. Make sure it is pure and natural (pasteurized) or raw (not pasteurized) honey.
1 TBSP Honey = 1 ½ to 2 TBSP Sugar.
Honey can be used instead of neosporin on small cuts and abrasions
Honey is a great natural moisturizer for the skin.

Recipes, exercises and giveaway are below the jump

Recipes

Pomegranate Apple Honey Shot

Ingredients:
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 2 ounces of pomegranate juice
• a touch of apple juice

Preparation:
• Blend or mix all ingredients by hand
• Serve in a glass or small glass and enjoy a quick energizing boost

Whey Better Berry and Honey Energy Boost Shake
Serves 2 - 3

Ingredients
3 - 4 tbsp honey
½ cup water
½ cup skim milk
1 scoop vanilla whey protein
½ cup strawberries
½ cup blueberries
¼ cup raspberries
½ banana
3 cubes of ice

Directions
Slice strawberries and banana.
Combine all ingredients in a blender.

Blend. Be sure ice is crushed and all ingredients are well mixed before serving. Enjoy a great breakfast on the go!

High Impact Honey Vanilla Ricotta Spread with Pear
Serves 1 - 2

Ingredients
•2 tsp honey
•½ cup part skim ricotta cheese
•¼ tsp vanilla extract
•1 pear in half

Directions
1. Mix together ricotta cheese, honey and vanilla.
2. Spread honey vanilla ricotta over the pear and serve chilled.

I'll highlight more honey recipes in the weeks to come, so visit often!

Exercises

The orginal videos from Miel Pura are in Spanish, so I have included English instructions and in some cases, English videos from the event.

Figure Eight - A great exercise for the arms, core and back

Stand with legs shoulder-width apart and hold medicine ball with both hands, arms extended over your right shoulder.
In one continuous motion bring the ball down at an angle toward your left leg in a curve-like motion, bringing the ball up straight over your left shoulder and down toward your right leg and back up to the right.
One movement, one flow, as if you were making the figure eight.
Bend your knees slightly as you are bringing the ball toward that leg.
Keeping body fully engaged, belly tight.
Perform 3 sets of 12 reps.

Figure 8 with weights

Medicine Ball Oblique - Great for the core and obliques

Lie on your back and bend your knees at a 90 degree angle so that your calves are parallel to the floor.
Place the medicine ball between your bent knees and hold tightly.
Holding the ball between your knees and keeping them at a 90 degree angle, bring both legs to the right and get as close to the floor as you can without letting them touch, then back to center and hold.
Repeat over to the left and return to the center. Be sure to keep your back as flat on the ground as possible so that you are using your core to move and hold your legs on each side.
Perform 3 sets of 12 reps.

Ball Toss - Fantastic for the arms, core and back

Stand firm, feet hip-width apart.
Hold the medicine ball with both hands.
Bring ball up in front of your chest and slightly toss up and catch.
Toss up and down, keeping feet firmly on the ground only using the core muscles and arm movement.
Repeat tossing upward and catching.
Perform 3 sets of 12 reps.

* If you do this exercise with a partner, toss the ball back and forth as opposed to up and down.

Squats - Squats are a great exercise for those who want to tone their lower body: hips, glutes and thighs.

Stand with your legs shoulder-width apart.
Bend your knees so that you are in an upright sitting position and hold for a few seconds.
Bring yourself back up in standing position and repeat.
After 15 reps stay in squat position and hold for 10 seconds.
Keep your arms along your sides, keeping your abs tight and body fully engaged.
Add 15 jump squats for added challenge.

Curtsy Lunge - This twist on the classic lunge is excellent for your legs and glutes.

Stand with feet hip-width apart and hands on hips.
Take a big step back with your left leg, crossing it behind the right.
Keep your belly/core tight, shoulders back and body fully engaged.
Bend the right knee and lower the hips until the right thigh is almost parallel to the floor.
Repeat motion with the opposite leg.

Plank - Full body action and toning.

Lie face down on a mat resting on the forearms, palms flat on the floor.
Push off the floor, raising up onto toes and resting on the elbows.
Keep your back flat, in a straight line from head to heels.
Tilt your pelvis and contract your abs to prevent your rear end from sticking up in the air or sagging in the middle.
Hold for 20 to 60 seconds, lower and repeat for 3-5 reps.
For an extra challenge, do 20 push ups (modified is OK) followed by a 30-second plank.

Kickbacks - Excellent exercise for the glutes.

Kneel on the floor and get on all fours with your knees hip-width apart and back parallel to the floor.
Place hands slightly wider than the shoulders.
Keep head steady as you lift the left leg until thigh is in line with torso.
Bend knee and slowly push flexed foot up toward the ceiling.
Squeezing butt, hold for one second and continue the slow movement for 12 reps.
Bring leg down, back on all fours, and repeat on opposite leg.

* Don't do this one if you have low back trouble

Back to the Basics – We all know what they are, but we just forget how great they are for the body. These can be implemented when you travel or even during your lunch break.

Jumping Jacks
Jump Rope - a few minutes worth burns as many calories as going for a light jog or a brisk walk
Hula Hooping
Walk/Run Intervals - up/down increase and decrease in heart rate helps you burn more calories longer
Power Walks
Heel Walking - great for your legs, calves, and your balance
Push ups

For a total body workout, don’t forget the arms! Grab your 2 lbs jars of honey and work those biceps and triceps!

Giveaway
Now to thank you for reading this far, I have a giveaway. One lucky commenter, chosen by random.org, will win the following:

A bottle of sage honey (from a local SoCal honey producer), a Miel Pura water bottle, a yoga mat, and a mielpura.org bag. My daughter keeps trying to run off with the yoga mat for her own purposes.

In the comments, tell me what you use honey for and/or if this has changed your mind about how to use honey. Also, of the eight exercises above, which is your favorite.

Thanks for playing!

*Open to U.S. residents only.

Resources: National Honey Board, Miel Pura, B&B Fit LLC / Barbara Por Atras

About the National Honey Board
The National Honey Board is a federal research and promotion board under USDA oversight that conducts research, marketing and promotion programs to help maintain and expand markets for honey and honey products. These programs are funded by an assessment of one cent per pound on domestic and imported honey.

Roughing It - Camping at McGrath State Beach

2011-05-10T23:25:00.000-07:00

I had a FABULOUS weekend, even if I did end up gaining a pound this past week. The Hunk and I have been talking about camping for over a year now, I love it, but haven't had anyone to go with. My son didn't think I was capable of doing it even though I used to take him. Apparently getting my nails and hair done these days disqualifies me from being able to "rough it".

A few weeks ago The Hunk was trying to surprise me with a reservation but wasn't having any luck. Research goddess that I am, I found an open beach-side reservation at McGrath State Beach.

Before we got there, I didn't know that the campground would be closing soon. Our only criteria (by the time we got frustrated with Reserve America's reservation system), was beach and open some weekend in May. And not too far from Santa Barbara.

McGrath is on the border of Ventura and Oxnard (before this past weekend I thought Oxnard was IE or up by Lompoc. It just *sounds* like it belongs in the Central Valley), about 30 minutes south of Santa Barbra on the 101. Perfect!

We got a bit of a late start, but arrived at the campground before nightfall. We had a brand new Coleman tent (sleeps 10 or fewer and you can create bedrooms) that later proved entirely too roomy. Too much cold air! The tent advertised a set up of 20 minutes. Maybe if you knew what you were doing ... I haven't been camping in nearly a decade and was used to simpler setups. I'm not sure when the last time the Hunk went camping, but I have a feeling it was in childhood.

An hour later after much arguing and trying to decipher the not entirely clear instructions we finally got it set up. It was color coded, go figure.

Then it was dinner time (menu below the jump). After freezing our butts off all night, we woke up, had breakfast, and took a nice long walk on the beach. I left my phone in the car, so don't have any pictures of that, but it was gray, and windy, and cold. By lunch time we were ready to head up to Santa Barbara.

We acted like tourists, rented bikes, saw a duck with one leg, ate some good food, and generally enjoyed ourselves. I felt renewed. The best part, I didn't have to cook dinner.

Menu:
We stuck to the P90x menu as best as possible. High protein, low carbs.

Friday Night - turkey burgers, roasted yellow peppers, water

From McGrath SB

Saturday Morning - Coach's Oats with honey and orange juice

From McGrath SB

I had pre-measured enough oats for two days, eyeballed the water. The Hunk thought it was going to come out watery since we usually nuke the oatmeal. It came out beautifully if I do say so myself. We used honey as the sweetener.

I really rocked the fire cooking.

Saturday Night - Steaks marinated in Fresh & Easy Chipotle marinade, coleslaw,

Chipotle marinade and a proper outdoor fire cooking. Heavenly. And The Hunk cooked the steaks so nicely we were able to cut with a plastic knife.

From McGrath SB

and, of course s'mores.

From McGrath SB

This time I made mine with Ghiradelli's Intense Dark Twilight. Just one square and I was pretty much satisfied.

I finally got to relax and get a good start on Kathy Reichs' Deja Dead in front of a roaring fire. I've been reading a lot of fantasy and steampunk lately and needed a good mystery to work the other parts of my brain.

From McGrath SB

Sunday morning we had to break down and head back to L.A. in time to meet Oakmonster and friends for the Ren Faire.

Full album

Mouthwatering Monday: Herb-Roasted Lamb Loin Chops

2011-04-18T13:54:00.000-07:00

Herb-Roasted Lamb Loin Chop

Last night I was at a loss as to what to prepare for dinner. We had these tasty lamb loin chops from F&E that I was saving for Easter dinner, but two people I cook for don't like mint jelly. What's up with that???? Also my daughter was going to be at her Dad's for Easter, and since lamb is a family tradition I opted to make it early.

I present herb-roasted lamb loin chops. Sides were F&E brand three cheese risotto and steamed broccoli.

[x-posted on Temple of Fresh & Easy]
I apologize, I only had my phone on hand when I took the picture.

Herb-Roasted Lamb loin Chops with three-cheese risotto and broccoli

I did something you are NOT supposed to do, but I was multi-tasking and needed to save time. I baked/roasted from frozen. The loins still came out tender enough to cut with a plastic knife.

Ingredients
4-6 large garlic cloves, pressed (or garlic slices if you're like me)
2 tablespoons Italian Seasoning
2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 1-1/4-inch-thick lamb loin chops

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Mix spices and 2 tablespoon olive oil in baking dish. Add lamb; turn to coat.
Set a timer for 25 minutes.
Bake for 20-25 minutes as you cook the three-cheese risotto. Follow directions on box.
Steam the broccoli the last 10 minutes of cooking.

Transfer lamb to platter, cover, and let rest 5 minutes.

Undoubtedly this tasted wonderful and would taste even better with fresh herbs, but hey, I got dinner on the table in 30 minutes.

Mouthwatering Monday: Shortcut Red Beans and Rice

2011-01-24T14:54:00.001-08:00

Red Beans and Rice

I love foods with Cajun spices even though I was raised in CA and not introduced to them until college. I haven't made Red Beans and Rice in a long while (the proper way takes quite some time), but I got this made in less than an hour. When you have all the ingredients on hand I think this falls into one of those 30-minute-or less recipes.

Ingredients

2 16oz cans (undrained) kidney beans (I prefer S&W)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried sage
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning (can also be made from scratch using ingredients you probably already have in your cupboard -- which is what I had to do the other night. Omit or severely reduce the salt if you are watching your sodium intake).
1 pound andouille sausage, sliced (or other sausage, turkey or beef kielbalsa work well too)
2 cups long grain white rice

Directions

Prepare rice according to directions. While the rice is cooking ...
In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Sautee onion, bell pepper, garlic, and celery in olive oil for 3 to 4 minutes.
Add sliced sausage and seasonings. Cook about 5 minutes.
Add beans, stir together, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

If you want more tasty recipes, head over to A Southern Fairytales - Mouthwatering Mondays. The soup this week is going on my must try list.

African Sweet Potato Soup

2010-10-18T16:17:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
1 small onion - chopped
2 garlic cloves - minced
1 teaspoon canola oil
1 quart chicken stock
1 sweet potato (or yam depending on where you live) - peeled and cubed
1 potato - skin on, cubed
1 can diced tomatoes (15oz)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon sea (or kosher) salt.
1/4 cup chunky peanut butter.

Directions:

Sauté the onion and garlic in the canola oil.
Add the chicken stock, sweet potato, potato, diced tomatoes, spices and peanut butter.
Simmer 10-12 minutes. (You can end the cooking here or proceed to step 4)
(This is where it exploded on me. The consistency didn't look right and I knew my kids would not eat sweet potatoes looking the way they did.)Take 1/3 to 1/2 of the soup and blend in a blender. May also work if you have a potato masher to mash the potatoes and give the soup a thicker consistency. Mix with remaining soup.

Serve with whole wheat rolls and a salad.
Serves 3 as is. I added 2 extra cups of water to make enough for my family of 4 and have enough for lunch leftovers. Even with wasting about 3 cups due to blender failure, there was still plenty and it's very filling. Blending it creates a thicker consistency.

Mouthwatering Mamavation Monday

2010-10-18T14:37:00.001-07:00

In the interest of killing two birds with one stone, I am combining A Southern Fairytales' Mouthwatering Mondays with Mamavation Monday. Why? Because I miss posting delicious recipes on Mondays for your enjoyment, and two, I am going to try to pledge to the sistahood. Delicious and healthy can be done. Even for a carb addict like myself.
Regarding the Sistahood, I can't do everything they want a pledge to do because of my work and commute schedule, but I can do my best to get moving. And in fact did this past weekend (oh boy my arms!). Remembering to post pictures will be hard, but I can do that tonight. I got in 60 of the proposed 100 minutes of movement yesterday. Come to think of it, I walked on Tuesday and Thursday, so I think I went over the 100, woot! Thank goodness for CardioTrainer.
Last week I actually had time to menu plan, and all the new recipes went over swimmingly, even the one that exploded in my face. There have been no complaints about having to eat leftovers on the weekend.
Now to the good stuff.
Chicken Chili (Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Soup)
I found this recipe when I was menu planning on the Albertson's website. Since I was home that day I boiled the chicken first and shredded while the rest of the ingredients cooked in the crockpot. Then I added the chicken to the mixture and set it on high for 4 hours. This chili freezes well and is one of those meals that tastes better the next day. Serve with cornbread. I also used the Homemade Gourmet Southwest Seasoning instead of taco seasoning.

Ingredients:

1 onion, chopped
1 (16 ounce) can chili beans
1 (15 ounce) can black beans
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle beer

2 (10 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning
3 whole skinless, boneless chicken breasts
shredded Cheddar cheese (optional)
sour cream (optional)
crushed tortilla chips (optional)

Directions:

Place the onion, chili beans, black beans, corn, tomato sauce, beer, and diced tomatoes in a slow cooker. Add taco seasoning, and stir to blend. Lay chicken breasts on top of the mixture, pressing down slightly until just covered by the other ingredients. Set slow cooker for low heat, cover, and cook for 5 hours.
Remove chicken breasts from the soup, and allow to cool long enough to be handled. Stir the shredded chicken back into the soup, and continue cooking for 2 hours. Serve topped with shredded Cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips, if desired.

Wordless Wednesday: Hot gooey goodness

2010-07-07T10:00:00.000-07:00

Hot gooey goodness
Originally uploaded by Nannerlady

Nothing says summer better than s'mores.

Ingredients

1 large marshmallow
1 graham cracker
1 (1.5 ounce) bar chocolate candy bar
kabob for roasting marshmallow

Directions

1. Heat the marshmallow over an open flame until it begins to brown and melt.
2. Break the graham cracker in half.
3. Layer graham cracker, chocolate, marshmallow, graham cracker.

It's easiest to get the marshmallow off the kabob (or stick if camping) by sliding it off using gentle pressure from the top graham cracker.

Chicken Tandoori

2009-09-14T16:38:00.000-07:00

It’s not red/orange because you don’t use any food coloring and well, I don’t have a tandoor oven or BBQ.

This moist, delicious, and simply NOM recipe has an equally interesting history. There is also an alternative recipe on that site.

This is as homemade as you can get without buying the Tandoori sauce from somewhere like Trader Joe's.

Prep Time: 8 hours, 45 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:

1 (3-pound) chicken, cut into serving pieces, skinned and trimmed of all visible fat
1/2 cup to 1 cup plain yogurt (start with 1/2 and add more yogurt to taste. Yogurt will cool the heat of the spices)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon peeled and grated or crushed ginger root
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves (an equal amount of all-spice can be substituted for the coriander, cardamom, and cloves – that would be 1.5 teaspoons)
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1 teaspoon garam masala
optional spices : cayenne or paprika for heat, turmeric for color
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
Vegetable oil, for brushing
Fresh cilantro sprigs for garnish, slices of cucumber, red onion, tomato and lemon

Preparation:

Prick the flesh of the chicken all over with a fork. Then, using a sharp knife, cut slashes in the flesh to allow the marinade to penetrate. Place the chicken in a large glass or plastic shallow dish.
In a glass or plastic bowl, combine the yogurt, lemon juice or vinegar, garlic, ginger, cumin, ground coriander, cayenne pepper, cardamom, cloves, black pepper and salt (and any optional spices). Stir until well-mixed, then pour the mixture over the chicken and rub it into the flesh, turning the chicken several times.
Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight. (Do not marinate for longer than 2 days.) Remove the chicken from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before cooking.
The chicken may be grilled or roasted. If using a charcoal grill, prepare a fire for direct-heat cooking. Position the grill rack 5 inches from the fire. Allow the coals to burn until white ash covers them and the heat is moderate.
Remove the chicken from the marinade, pressing lightly to extract excess marinade, and brush with oil. Place the chicken pieces on a well-oiled grill rack and; grill, covered, with the vents open, turning 3 or 4 times, 45 minutes or until the juices run clear when a piece is pierced near the bone with a knife.
If roasting, preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place the chicken on a rack in a roasting pan, brush with oil, and cook, turning once, 25 to 30 minutes until the juices run clear when a piece is pierced near the bone with a knife.
Serve with sprigs of cilantro and slices of cucumber, red onion, tomato, and lemon.

Yield: 4 servings

Kick this Flu on it’s Butt Citrus Chicken

2009-08-13T18:29:00.001-07:00

I hate being sick. I’ve had enough of chicken noodle soup. So for dinner tonight I am tossing together something tasty out of the ingredients we have on hand. Yes, I’m one of those “organic cooks” so I did this one by eye and smell. Since I’m sick my mom tasted the sauce for me.

Ingredients:

crushed pineapple (without juice) and orange marmalade in equal amounts (at least a 4 oz though)
canola or olive oil – approx 1/3 cup
garlic fresh or crushed, ginger fresh is better, I only had ground on hand, cayenne pepper flakes to taste. More of each to combat illness (links go to Wikipedia entries for each explaining the health benefits)
3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
optional – honey if you like it sweeter, but the orange marmalade makes it plenty sweet. Honey also has excellent antibacterial properties.

Directions:

Heat oven to 350°F, line baking pan with foil. Place chicken breasts in pan. Mix remaining ingredients in a bowl. Adjust seasonings to taste, should be sweet with a little kick from the pepper. Pour mixture over the chicken, coating thoroughly. Bake 30-45 minutes, or until chicken is done.

Serve with rice and steamed vegetables.

Steak Fajitas

2009-07-27T17:21:00.001-07:00

The next few weeks, recipes will be brought to you by

Since I know from experience that Fresh and Easy isn't everywhere, I will provide ingredients and/or substitutes where necessary.

Bon apetite!

Ingredients:

If shopping at F&E

1 pack F&E Beef Fajitas
1 pack F&E Whole Wheat Tortillas
1 bottle F&E Ranch Dressing
1 bag avocados
1 count iceberg lettuce

If shopping at a regular grocery store:

1 lb. flank or bottom round steak, thinly sliced
1 onion, sliced
1 green and/or red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 pkg. fajita seasoning
1 dozen (whole wheat) flour tortillas
1 bottle ranch dressing
4 avocados (preferably Haas)
1 head iceberg lettuce

Directions:

Pit and remove avocados from their skin and place in a mixing bowl.
Add 1-2 tablespoons of ranch dressing per avocado to the bowl and mash with a fork (or blend in a blender like my mother did). Set aside.
Take lettuce and cut head in half, shred thinly.
Heat large saute pan on medium high heat. Once warm, add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil.
Carefully add the contents of the beef fajita pack (or steak, onions, etc) to the pan. Toss ingredients to allow all sides of the meat and vegetables to cook.
While steak is cooking, microwave tortillas for about 15-20 seconds per tortilla.
Plate and serve!

Other sides: Salsa, Cuban Black Bean Dip, tortilla chips, sour cream

Fresh and Easy

2009-07-20T15:44:00.000-07:00

is so fresh and easy! I had a blast last Thursday night. Thank you, Oakley, for letting me be your guest. I think you have made me a convert. Can I join the monastery?

The following review is based on the NOM factor and has plenty of asides. Grab a napkin, you're going to need it for all the salivating.

And now on to the important stuff, THE FOOD.

First, appetizers – wine (La Giosa Prosecco – a sparkling wine, St. Helens Reisling) – there were also two types of red, but I stuck to the whites.

There were also fresh veggies, pita chips, bread, cheese, and NOM artichoke dip. I’ll have to get the list from @Fresh_and_Easy I want more of the cheese.

First off, I must say that @sallieb, @jennifervides, and Chef Mike put me right at ease. Usually I am a wallflower, and would have waited for Oakley to show up, but they got me going right from the start (thanks guys!) It helped that the conversation revolved around food. I really love food. The wine probably helped a little too.

We officially got started about 7:30 making pizza. 10 minutes from start to finish, minus the baking time. And even though it is summer time and often (especially this week in the Southwest!) too hot to turn the oven on, Chef Mike suggested using a toaster oven. Nifty. Who needs Pizza Hut when you have Fresh & Easy?

While the pizza cooked, the teams started on the other menu items.

Oakley, Lupe, and I worked on the avocado ranch dip for the steak fajitas (pictured above), Bernadette and her team worked on the Apricot Chicken Fingers, and Amy's team that worked on the Salmon.

What I loved about this demo is that we were able to improvise a bit (that's what happens when you get a bunch of foodies together). Lupe and I felt the avocado ranch needed a little more *oomph* (Oakley accused us of being ethnic, LOL! but all in love). Chef Mike had just what we needed, some lemon and salt.

The pizza, with extra cheesy goodness -- NOM NOM
The fajitas -- NOM NOM NOM
The salmon (with Thai approved Peanut sauce) NOM - I'm biased. I cook salmon a lot and this was lacking ... something, but it was perfectly flaky and Oakley approved the peanut sauce (something I am not overly fond of).
The chicken fingers with apricot mustard sauce -- OMGNOMNOMNOM -- had these for lunch the next day, leaving the pizza for my mom.
Dessert -- absolutely sinful banana cream pie, divine tiramisu, and ogasmic chocolate cupcake. Need I say more?

For more nommage, check out the slideshow below.

Cow Patties

2009-07-13T05:58:00.000-07:00

Also known as Fudge Drops. My mom made these for a bake sale last week and I gushed about them on twitter. They are QUITE delicious. This post is especially for @crispydragon, who asked for the recipe. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

8 oz. semisweet chocolate and 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds (optional)

Directions:

Heat oven to 350F. Grease baking sheets; set aside. Melt chocolate and butter/margarine in a small saucepan over low heat. Set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, beat eggs. Beat in sugar until creamy. Stir in cooled chocolate mixture and vanilla (make sure mixture has cooled some, otherwise the batter will be thin). Blend flour, baking powder and salt; stir into chocolate mixture. Stir in nuts and remaining chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoons, 2 inches apart, on greased baking sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes. Let stand on baking sheets 2 minutes. Remove from baking sheets; cool on wire racks.

Makes about 36 cookies.

Note: an ice cream scoop or melon-baller make great tools for perfectly round cookies

Mouthwatering Monday: Tangy Broccoli Summer Salad

2009-07-06T16:53:00.001-07:00

Summer is perfect for salads using in season fruits and vegetables. This salad was a hit at a 4th of July potluck this past weekend. Josh used to like it with strawberries. They add an extra bit of sweetness.

Ingredients:
1 cup (fat-free) mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 medium bunch broccoli, cut into flowerets (about 6 cups)
4 cups loosely packed torn spinach
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/4 cup crumbled bacon
1/4 cup raisins
optional: strawberries and pine nuts

Directions
Mix dressing, sugar, and vinegar in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients, mix lightly. Refrigerate for at least an hour.

Serves 10

Beef Broccoli

2009-06-08T08:15:00.000-07:00

This was Sunday dinner. Again, it passed the taste-test of my picky, semi-vegetarian niece.

Ingredients:
1 lb beef, cubed
16 oz pkg frozen broccoli cutlets
1 red bell pepper, diced
optional – mushrooms
2 teaspoons oil

Sauce:
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger

Directions:

Mix all sauce ingredients together, set aside.
Heat oil in a frying pan or wok, add beef. Cook until browned
Add bell pepper, broccoli and sauce
Turn heat to low and cook for 20 minutes
Serve with rice. Serves 6

If you prefer a thicker sauce, you can thicken it with flour or cornstarch in the last few minutes.

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