This is an easy lunch to make and take. It is good with left over grilled chicken or canned.
2 grilled chicken pieces (I prefer breasts) in medium diced pieces about 2 cups
1/2 c each,
cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
green onion, the white and the green
chopped cilantro
1/2 c cottage cheese
1/2 c sour cream (I use low fat or non fat)
Directions-
Mix together all ingredients, with cottage cheese. Add sour cream a little at a time until you reach desired consistancy. Serve with tortilla chips, on tostada shells, with crackers, or on top of a green salad.
The cucumber adds a nice crunch. If you make it with left over grilled chicken that is already seasoned, wait until it is all done to add salt or pepper. This is a really good use of leftover, chicken from chicken tacos, Pollo Asada, whole rotisserie chicken, or even thanksgiving turkey. It stores well for about three days, but it won't last that long. Hubby likes a little shredded cheese on top.
Sometimes, we do this as a trio of salads, chicken salad, egg salad and tuna salad or a green salad. That way it is really nice on a hot day.
Love Sara
Saturday, August 4, 2007
Friday, August 3, 2007
Spicy Black Beans and Con Gris
Ok. So we are going to cover two recipes. Spicy Black Beans, a super yummy, easy dish that takes no time, and Con Gris a Cuban classic, that is easy, and tasty.
Spicy Black Beans
2 cans of Black Beans (drained and rinsed)
1-2 serrano chiles
1/2 onion diced
1/4 c cilantro chopped
16 oz of chicken or vegetable stock
Directions- If you want the beans to be not too spicy, use only one serrano and leave it whole, medium spicy, cut it in half and remove all the seeds and white pith from inside, Med-hot use 2 serranos sliced, and cleaned (all the seeds and white pith) then dice, Hot (this will not melt the roof of your mouth, but it will be a pleasant heat for those of us that like it) use 2 serranos and either slice, or dice leaving in the seeds. Saute' onions in 1 tbs of olive oil. In a baking dish (ceramic, not metal) combine all ingredients. Add salt and pepper to taste, bake 350* for 20 -30 minutes. Less time in the oven means more sauce, more time means less sauce and richer taste.
Con Gris
2 cans black beans (drained, reserve liquid)
1 1/2 c rice (white or brown)
2 Tbs minced garlic
1/2 c diced onion
salt, pepper
water or chicken stock
In a large pot saute' garlic and onion in 1 Tbs of olive oil. Add water to reserved bean liquid to bring up to three cups. Add beans and rice to onions and garlic. Add water and bean liquid. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a low simmer and cover and cook for the time recommended on the rice package. White it is usually 20-30 minutes, Brown it is 30-45 minutes. The rice will look grey and the beans will have flavored all of it. VERRRRYYYYY GOOODDD. This is really good as a side dish to steak, carne asada, grilled chicken or even fish. Optional toppings include, queso fresco, or shredded cheddar, sour cream, and cilantro. This only gets better as leftovers and is easily frozen. To use after freezing allow to defrost in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave with a wet paper towel over. Hubby loves it the next morning, reheat about 1/2-1 c of con gris and fry or poach (I prefer poached) One or two eggs, place eggs over the top and mix it all up, (so the egg yolk mixes in and you get a little of everything in each bite). YUMMY especially in the winter.
Love Sara
Spicy Black Beans
2 cans of Black Beans (drained and rinsed)
1-2 serrano chiles
1/2 onion diced
1/4 c cilantro chopped
16 oz of chicken or vegetable stock
Directions- If you want the beans to be not too spicy, use only one serrano and leave it whole, medium spicy, cut it in half and remove all the seeds and white pith from inside, Med-hot use 2 serranos sliced, and cleaned (all the seeds and white pith) then dice, Hot (this will not melt the roof of your mouth, but it will be a pleasant heat for those of us that like it) use 2 serranos and either slice, or dice leaving in the seeds. Saute' onions in 1 tbs of olive oil. In a baking dish (ceramic, not metal) combine all ingredients. Add salt and pepper to taste, bake 350* for 20 -30 minutes. Less time in the oven means more sauce, more time means less sauce and richer taste.
Con Gris
2 cans black beans (drained, reserve liquid)
1 1/2 c rice (white or brown)
2 Tbs minced garlic
1/2 c diced onion
salt, pepper
water or chicken stock
In a large pot saute' garlic and onion in 1 Tbs of olive oil. Add water to reserved bean liquid to bring up to three cups. Add beans and rice to onions and garlic. Add water and bean liquid. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a low simmer and cover and cook for the time recommended on the rice package. White it is usually 20-30 minutes, Brown it is 30-45 minutes. The rice will look grey and the beans will have flavored all of it. VERRRRYYYYY GOOODDD. This is really good as a side dish to steak, carne asada, grilled chicken or even fish. Optional toppings include, queso fresco, or shredded cheddar, sour cream, and cilantro. This only gets better as leftovers and is easily frozen. To use after freezing allow to defrost in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave with a wet paper towel over. Hubby loves it the next morning, reheat about 1/2-1 c of con gris and fry or poach (I prefer poached) One or two eggs, place eggs over the top and mix it all up, (so the egg yolk mixes in and you get a little of everything in each bite). YUMMY especially in the winter.
Love Sara
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Mahi Tacos
This is a recipe that I created in an attempt to recreate something from one of my favorite restaurants (Rubios). While the restaurant is famous for the fried fish tacos, I love their grilled fish tacos.
I use frozen Mahi Mahi. These are individually wrapped in 5-8 oz pieces. One piece usually makes two well stuffed tacos. I base all my recipes on the fact that it is Hubby and I eating. But the recipes can be doubled quite easily.
Recipe-
2 frzn Mahi Mahi fillets ( These defrost fastest under cool running water. I put them in a bowl or a pitcher, still wrapped, and turn the water on to a little more than a trickle)
1 lemon and 1 lime, juiced and zested.
1/2 bunch of cilantro, chopped.
1 tbs Mrs. Dash (I use the Table Blend, but the Extra Spicy works well too.)
2-3 tbs olive oil
In a large ziplock bag, combine juice, zest, olive oil, all but 1Tbs of the cilantro, and the Mrs.Dash. Seal the bag and shake to combine. Add the fillets, reseal and push as much of the air out as possible. Allow to marinate in the fridge for 15-30 minutes (any longer and you are making ceviche. Also a yummy, healthy food, but not what we are going for.)
While that is marinating, make the sauce.
1 c sour cream
1 lemon, juiced
Cilantro, the remainder
1/2 Tbs Mrs. Dash
1 tsp each garlic, and parsley.
Mix all the ingredients. The lemon juice should thin the sour cream, just a bit to make it like a sauce, and not a dip. refridgerate until time to serve.
Heat the barbeque. I like to oil my barbeque grates, and then heat it up for about 10 minutes ( I use a gas grill). This gets the grill really hot. Place the fish, and give them about five minutes on the first side and about three on the flip side. DON"T FUSS WITH THEM. Leave them alone until you are ready to flip, and use a spatula to flip rather than tongs. When they are ready, the meat should pull apart easily and be white all the way through. Transfer them to a plate or pan ( I use a pie pan) and cover with foil.
Slice about 1/2 a head of white cabbage really thin. Dice up 1 tomato and one avocado. Shred cheddar cheese, or open the package. Warm two corn tortillas per person.
Using a fork, seperate the fish. Start at one end or corner of the fish and pull the fork through the meat, this should give you nice chunky flaky bites.
Assembly-
Lay out tortilla, spread one tsp of sauce down the center. Add fish, cheese, cabbage just to cover, tomatoes and avocado. I like green tomatillo style salsa on mine, hubby likes a little bit more lemon. Repeat and eat. Two fillets usually make 4-5 tacos. We usually eat this just as is, but it could be served with spicy black beans (recipe soon...) and rice. This recipe also makes excellent Mahi burritos, trade out the corn tortillas for burrito sized flour tortillas, and build the same way, then fold, roll and eat. Hubby prefers no cabbage and more fish on the burritos.
I use frozen Mahi Mahi. These are individually wrapped in 5-8 oz pieces. One piece usually makes two well stuffed tacos. I base all my recipes on the fact that it is Hubby and I eating. But the recipes can be doubled quite easily.
Recipe-
2 frzn Mahi Mahi fillets ( These defrost fastest under cool running water. I put them in a bowl or a pitcher, still wrapped, and turn the water on to a little more than a trickle)
1 lemon and 1 lime, juiced and zested.
1/2 bunch of cilantro, chopped.
1 tbs Mrs. Dash (I use the Table Blend, but the Extra Spicy works well too.)
2-3 tbs olive oil
In a large ziplock bag, combine juice, zest, olive oil, all but 1Tbs of the cilantro, and the Mrs.Dash. Seal the bag and shake to combine. Add the fillets, reseal and push as much of the air out as possible. Allow to marinate in the fridge for 15-30 minutes (any longer and you are making ceviche. Also a yummy, healthy food, but not what we are going for.)
While that is marinating, make the sauce.
1 c sour cream
1 lemon, juiced
Cilantro, the remainder
1/2 Tbs Mrs. Dash
1 tsp each garlic, and parsley.
Mix all the ingredients. The lemon juice should thin the sour cream, just a bit to make it like a sauce, and not a dip. refridgerate until time to serve.
Heat the barbeque. I like to oil my barbeque grates, and then heat it up for about 10 minutes ( I use a gas grill). This gets the grill really hot. Place the fish, and give them about five minutes on the first side and about three on the flip side. DON"T FUSS WITH THEM. Leave them alone until you are ready to flip, and use a spatula to flip rather than tongs. When they are ready, the meat should pull apart easily and be white all the way through. Transfer them to a plate or pan ( I use a pie pan) and cover with foil.
Slice about 1/2 a head of white cabbage really thin. Dice up 1 tomato and one avocado. Shred cheddar cheese, or open the package. Warm two corn tortillas per person.
Using a fork, seperate the fish. Start at one end or corner of the fish and pull the fork through the meat, this should give you nice chunky flaky bites.
Assembly-
Lay out tortilla, spread one tsp of sauce down the center. Add fish, cheese, cabbage just to cover, tomatoes and avocado. I like green tomatillo style salsa on mine, hubby likes a little bit more lemon. Repeat and eat. Two fillets usually make 4-5 tacos. We usually eat this just as is, but it could be served with spicy black beans (recipe soon...) and rice. This recipe also makes excellent Mahi burritos, trade out the corn tortillas for burrito sized flour tortillas, and build the same way, then fold, roll and eat. Hubby prefers no cabbage and more fish on the burritos.
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Eat More Lose Weight?
So, I have described th daily plan for eating for my Gestational Diabetes. It is what usually comes out to between 3-5 cups of food for every meal. Plus snacks and fruit. Since my diagnosis and being put on this diet I have gained 3 lbs, and nothing since my last appointment 2 weeks ago yesterday. My Nurse Practioner yesterday said that this is a very healthy diet and one that I could lose weight quickly on after the baby.
Now, here is the logic behind it. When you skip meals, your body doesn't know where or when the next source of nutrition will come, so it starts to conserve energy. (energy is stored as .... FAT) However when you eat a diet with large portions of easy to use (fruit, dairy and vegetables) and complex energy sources (carbs and protein), your body barely finishes using one meal before you start putting more in. Your body needs constant fuel. That is why the best "Diet GURU Corporations" all incorporate snacks into their well portioned meal plans. So what should the regular person trying to eat healthy and lose weight take from this. Eat breakfast, (Your mother was right it really is important). Have a mid-morning snack, (like a piece of fruit and some cheese and crackers, or yogurt and part of a muffin or bagel). Have lunch, and eat your salad with it. Green vegetables help our system to run smoothly, and they are easy to burn food. If you eat a salad first you are less likely to overeat when lunch comes, and at the very least you will eat slower. Have an afternoon snack, a piece of fruit, or a fruit cup. This will be much better that another cup of coffee, diet soda, or a frappaccino. Have a healthy dinner. Have two veggies and one starch, a protein and you can even have a roll.
First of all is you eat like this you will almost never be hungry. You will burn energy all day long, and you will start to lose weight. This is a healthy life style change type of eating rather than a quick fix DIET that teaches you nothing except that 1) Grapefruit and tuna do not a meal make or 2) That you never want to see another popcorn cake as long as you live.
This is a way to enjoy eating again, rather than stress over how much this will add to the waistline. After all, who wants to just eat to live, we should WANT to eat, we should live to eat good food...
Love, Sara
Now, here is the logic behind it. When you skip meals, your body doesn't know where or when the next source of nutrition will come, so it starts to conserve energy. (energy is stored as .... FAT) However when you eat a diet with large portions of easy to use (fruit, dairy and vegetables) and complex energy sources (carbs and protein), your body barely finishes using one meal before you start putting more in. Your body needs constant fuel. That is why the best "Diet GURU Corporations" all incorporate snacks into their well portioned meal plans. So what should the regular person trying to eat healthy and lose weight take from this. Eat breakfast, (Your mother was right it really is important). Have a mid-morning snack, (like a piece of fruit and some cheese and crackers, or yogurt and part of a muffin or bagel). Have lunch, and eat your salad with it. Green vegetables help our system to run smoothly, and they are easy to burn food. If you eat a salad first you are less likely to overeat when lunch comes, and at the very least you will eat slower. Have an afternoon snack, a piece of fruit, or a fruit cup. This will be much better that another cup of coffee, diet soda, or a frappaccino. Have a healthy dinner. Have two veggies and one starch, a protein and you can even have a roll.
First of all is you eat like this you will almost never be hungry. You will burn energy all day long, and you will start to lose weight. This is a healthy life style change type of eating rather than a quick fix DIET that teaches you nothing except that 1) Grapefruit and tuna do not a meal make or 2) That you never want to see another popcorn cake as long as you live.
This is a way to enjoy eating again, rather than stress over how much this will add to the waistline. After all, who wants to just eat to live, we should WANT to eat, we should live to eat good food...
Love, Sara
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