Good Eats

Yesterday, the hubby and I decided it was a lazy Saturday...I didn't do much, other than watch TV, knit a little and do some laundry. I did force myself to get out and run, although I didn't make it very far. This Omaha wind is INSANE...I couldn't take it. Here's my breakdown:

Mile 1: 13:03
Mile 2: 26.08
Mile 3: 39.25
Mile 4/Total: 53.08
Avg min/mil: 13.24

So, although my run felt miserable, I definitely improved my mile time, go figure! :)

                                                                                                                                                                 

Well, I have been a cooking/baking-machine lately...and I've been trying to cook at least 1 meal each week. It's really hard with just two people, I've always said that (and been told that). After making a big meal, we end up with all of these left overs, and I am just not a left-over type person. But, I've been trying to cook some things out of my cook books and since it's been getting cooler, soups and chili have definitely sounded yummy. So, here are some eats out of our kitchen:

Okay, so this is the making of Trader Joes beer bread...now, this stuff couldn't be easier to make! And if you haven't tried it yet...you are missing out BIG time. Basically, all you do is combine the mix and 1 bottle/can of beer...SO easy. I have tried a few different types of beer over the years and Heineken is our favorite. Oh, and the baking of it makes your house/apt. smell incredible.

And...before I realized that I didn't have a picture of the result, we had eaten half of it. Haha, you get the idea!

[Disclaimer: ignore the messiness of the pan!] These are my stuffed mushrooms...I could eat them all day long, I swear. So easy...mushrooms stuffed with stuffing (that has been combined with the chopped up mushroom stems) and sprinkled with parmesan cheese. Great combination of ingredients! I made these at Thanksgiving last year, as an appetizer, and they were gone in about 5 minutes...I learned that I should always make more!!

 This is homemade corn chowder that I attempted...but don't go being all amazed, I used a recipe out of a vegetarian cookbook I got a few months ago. But, I was very pleased with how this turned out. It is such a perfect soup for a cold, fall/winter day! I added yukon potatoes, broccoli, red pepper, yellow pepper, red onions and CORN, of course...lovely!

And, of course, you have to top it with cheddar cheese! :)

Okay, so I did NOT make this one...but I had to feature it. It's 'beer-cheese' lasagna from a local Italian place called Lanskys. This dish was SOOOO good...lasagna noodles, beer-cheesy goodness!! Mmmmm, I'd like to see if I can replicate a similar recipe!

And this week, it was chili. This is a pic of the pre-cooking...black/kidney/pinto beans, tomatoes, red onions, red & yellow peppers, zucchini and Mornning Star's meatless meat crumbles. It cooked on low all day and I came home to a great smelling apt. 

And, don't think that I forgot to enjoy a glass of wine with all of my good eats! :) This is a local sweet red wine we picked up, very nice!

Please don't think that I'm boasting about making all of this good food...cooking is enjoyable for me, but I really don't cook that often. I'm trying to branch out, try new recipes and makes some things that I can share with you all. And if you want any of the recipes, just let me know! :) Bon Appetit!

You Don't Have to Feel That Guilty!

I present to you...

Trader Joe's Reduced Guilt Brownies

I picked up this little box at Trader Joe's, thinking, what the heck...I'll try these brownies, even though all the instructions called for was the mix (inside the box) and 2/3 cup of non-fat vanilla yogurt. Seemed like a strange combo to me...but also sounded healthier than Little Debbie's versions! :) And voila!

Right smack out of the oven!

These puppies are freakin' awesome!! Even the hubby likes them...and I think he was questioning my cooking abilities when he saw me add yogurt to the mix. They are so yummy and so addicting...I had to share with you all! Now, I know that not all of you are close to a Trader Joe's...which is such a shame!! I have become quite obsessed with all of Trader Joe's "treasures" that I have found. I could post about a dozen more...but I think it's time for another brownie!! :)

Day 1 of No Red Meat!

Happy New Year everyone and welcome to 2010! Wow, that just sounds so weird. Here's to forgetting it's 2010 and still writing '09 on everything! I do that for at least a couple of weeks. ;)

I told you I would post more on my decision to become a vegetarian. Well, in all actuality, I will most likely be a semi-vegetarian. Semi- meaning that I plan on continuing to eat fish (I can't imagine my life w/o sushi!). This all started when I read:



My boss recommended it to me...and now, the book is written by vegans who basically just describe all of the bad (awful!) things that we put into our bodies. It's written in a very fun/sarcastic kind of tone; it makes you laugh, but it was also hard to get through at times. When I got done, I was just like..."Wow, I need to make some changes!" Now, it's easier said than done, especially if you've been eating the same way for your entire life. Originally, after reading it, I switched my sugar/sweetener...you should read all of the horrible things about Splenda! So, that was Step 1. I stopped drinking soda for a couple of months (yes, I currently am back to drinking it at the moment). At the end of the book, the authors said that if the best you can do is start taking steps towards healthier eating habits, then that is great! It doesn't suggest that you should just wake up one day and vow never to eat meat and dairy products again. It's like setting yourself up for failure right away.

So, starting today, I am giving up red meat. No more hamburgers, no more steaks, etc. I honestly don't think this will be too hard. Chicken might be a bit more difficult...and this will be given up after January.

Now, you ask why am I doing this? Well, one reason is for health benefits. By not eating meat, I think it will force me to branch out to healthier substitutes. And after reading the chapter about slaughterhouses in the book, it is really hard to see a piece of meat and not think about the torture that animals go through. Granted, I know this is a bit hypocritical...I mean if I was all about 'no cruelty to animals' I would go vegan. And I agree, it's hard to say, I won't eat meat from a cow but I will still eat cheese and drink milk made from that same cow. However, I am starting out slow with this stuff. Who knows, maybe someday it will lead me to become vegan. Baby steps...I mean, a little effort goes a long way.

That's the plan for 2010...definitely eat healthier. I have already begun a new love for Trader Joe's!! Look at all of the yummy stuff I got there the other day:



Soy Vanilla Ice Cream (um, yeah...it's yummy)
Organic Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper Soup
Margharita pizza (with fresh mozzarella and a package of basil for topping)
Clementines
Dark Chocolate Pomegranate Seeds (MMMmmmm)
Cranberry Apple Butter & Pumpkin Butter (to top on the Soy Ice Cream)
And, Swiss Beer Fondue (maybe not so healthy, but Cody and I love fondue)

In addition, I also got their Vegan frozen vegetable fried rice, frozen Orange Chicken, and Sweet Potato Frites! Overall, I would say it was a successful shopping trip.

Well, I hope everyone is enjoying a relaxing New Years Day!

What is everyone's New Year's Resolutions?