Some like it sweet, some like it sour....i like both

Chinese food....I have a love/hate relationship with it.  I get extremely grossed out by ordering it from those little hole in the wall places.  I don't know the quality of the meat they are using, the amount of sodium they are adding to their food and most importantly the cleanliness of the establishment.  Yes this holds true for all restaurants however it seems to bother me the most with Chinese places.  I don't know why.....I am strange.  Most of you know about my chicken phobia.  One to many bad experiences and I am not a chicken snob. I pretty much will only eat it if I cook it.  I get so grossed out by the fat and veins.  Enough to make me not eat it and eat vegetarian half of the time.  It has been years that I have been like this I honestly don't think it will change.  I have come to terms with it and most of my friends are aware of this issue and accept it! :)  I try not to be obvious when I am a dinner guest but sometimes it is to much for me to bare.

Ok enough about my wierdness! :)  I read about this recipe on one of my favorite blogs.  According to her it is the best Chinese food recipe she has found to make at home.  While I love it i do not get it often therefore I was chomping at the bit to try this one.  This is now the second time I have made this recipe and it is a keeper for sure.  This recipe also heats up great!  I made some brown rice and served it on the side.  The sauce does dry up a little bit after the dish cools down so if you are a sauce lover I would suggest making extra :)

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 30 minutes | Bake Time: 1 hour

For the Chicken:
3-4 boneless,skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, slightly beaten
¼ cup canola or vegetable oil

For the Sauce:
¾ cup sugar
4 tablespoons ketchup
½ cup vinegar (preferably rice or white)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2. Season chicken with salt and pepper.

3. Working in two batches, toss the chicken pieces in cornstarch and then coat with the egg. Heat the oil over medium-high heat and again in two batches, brown the chicken, turning it so that all sides are browned.

4. Place the chicken in a single layer in a 9×13 baking dish.

5. Whisk together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and pour evenly over the chicken. Turn the chicken to ensure each piece is coated.

6. Bake for 1 hour, turning the chicken every 15 minutes.

Enjoy my friends!!

I'm baaaaaaaack

I know some of you have been bugging me to post something.  I am so sorry I have been out of the loop.  Honestly....life got in the way and I have been busy and when I am not busy I want to be lazy.  I moved.....a MONTH ago.  Holy h*ll.  I didn't realize it had been that long until just now.  Wow I really have been away for a while.  This post is not going to have any food tips, tricks, or recipes in it.  It's more of a hellllo I am still here and this is what is going on! :)

Since the move I feel like my life has been non-stop.  I have plans generally 3-4 nights during the week and at least 1.5 days during the weekend.  I have enjoyed a couple lazy nights or day on the weekend but for the most part I am constantly doing something.  This has the obvious pros and cons.  I have a social life.  This is not a bad thing at all, but sometimes its nice not to.  Does that even make sense?  I love and adore my friends and don't know where I would be without them but sometimes I just need some me time.  I feel like I have not taken any in a long time.  It's one of those things that I know I need some alone me time but when it comes down to it I get bored and feel like I am missing out.  What is wrong with me?  Why must I constantly need to be involved and knowing what is going on?  I don't! 

The past couple of weeks I have been struggling with quite a few things.  Some are known to some of you, some are not.  I came to realization this week that I NEED me time to get some of this figured out.  Life is about challenges, fun, excitement, hurt.....and so many other things.  No one has a perfect life..and mine is far from it.  I have flaws that I desperately want to rid myself of or at least improve.  The one that always ranks high on my list is always a constant struggle for me.  I haven't been vocal to anyone but really close friends regarding this but if you know me you can assume what it is.  Controlling my weight.  It is constantly a daily battle.  Everything I put in my mouth I am analyzing, criticizing and beating myself up about.  I count every single morsel one day and then the next I "don't give a f*ck" and then go back to beating myself up.  Will it ever end?  Nope.  It is something I will need to deal with and learn out to deal with.  Some people will never have to worry about this in their lives...consider yourself lucky.  This is miserable!  For the first time in years I do not have a gym membership.  Well ok that is a lie....i have one but it is currently paused.  I wasn't going.  I haven't gone. And I don't want to go.  I was paying $41 dollars a month for something I wasn't using.  Yes my company pays for a majority of it but I still couldn't justify it.  I can use the company money towards something else like a massage.  I paused it in the hopes that I will un-pause it soon.  We will see if that happens.  I talk about losing weight ALL the time.  I am educated in it and could probably blow some of your minds with all the knowledge I have.  I am constantly reading blogs, magazine and articles about it.  I have all the tools but no motivation.  Where is it?  Will I ever get it back?  I have done it before and it's not easy.  It takes a lot of work and time.  I know I am the only person that can do this.  No one can do it for me.  PERIOD! Ugh! 

Thank-you for listening.  That is all for now :)  I have been cooking more recently now that I am all moved in and back into a routine I will hopefully be posting at least once a week.  Stayed tuned and keep the comments coming.  I love hearing from everyone out there and it helps to know that someone is listening sometimes!

Cheers!

xoxo

Karin

Sunday funday = cooking and packing for me! :)

I am moving one week from day....technically at this time next Sunday (fingers crossed) I will be completely moved.  I sure hope so!

This morning I woke up feeling refreshed and awake after a night out to dinner and the movies with girlfriends.  We went to Kona Grill and saw bridesmaids.  If you have not seen this movie you have GOT to see it.  It is hilarious!!!  I met my friend Katie and her daughter Ella for breakfast at Scottys Lakehouse and had a yummy skillet for breakfast.  My next stops were Whole Foods and Kroger.  Once I got home my cook-a-thon began.  This week is going to be pure madness and my apartment is going to be in shambles.  I am a planner.  The thought of all my stuff being all over the place and between two places makes me feel anxious and annoyed at the same time.  The one thing I can control this whole week are my meals!  I have been on a weight watchers kick recently and found all of these recipes on their websites.  So not only are these recipes yummy but they are healthy too :) 

Once I got home and unpacked all my groceries I dug right in and started to make a slow cooker barbecue glazed turkey meatloaf.  Yes you are reading correctly....slow cooker meatloaf.  I thought the same thing, that can't be good.  But WRONG.  It turned out great and was SO EASY.  The slow cooker is seriously my best friend.  You throw everything in and in a couple hours you have a meal.  Its unbelievable!

Barbecue-Glazed Turkey Meatloaf

6 servings, 4 WW points

·         1 ¼ pounds(s) uncooked ground turkey breast

·         1/3 cup dried bread crumbs, seasoned ß I used panko as I had that on had

·         ¼ cup low-fat shredded cheddar cheese

·         ¼ cup onion, minced

·         1 large egg, lightly beaten

·         1 tsp dried oregano

·         ¼ tsp table salt

·         ¼ tsp black pepper

·         2 Tbsp ketchup

·         2 tsp packed light brown sugar

·         2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

·         1 tsp spicy brown mustard

Directions

·         Fold a 24-inch length of foil in half lengthwise. Fit into the bottom and up the sides of a 5–6-quart slow cooker insert.

·         Put the turkey, bread crumbs, cheese, onion, egg, oregano, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl; mix with hands until well combined. Shape the mixture into a loaf and place on the foil in the slow cooker.

·         Cover the slow cooker and cook until the meatloaf juices run clear or an instant read thermometer inserted in the center of the meatloaf registers 165°F, 3–4 hours on high or 6–8 hours on low.

·         Combine the ketchup, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard in a small bowl. Spoon the mixture over the meatloaf, spreading it smooth. Cover the slow cooker and cook until the glaze is heated through, about 30 minutes longer. With the help of the foil, lift the meatloaf from the slow cooker and transfer to a platter. Discard foil and cut the meatloaf into 6 slices. Yields 1 slice meatloaf per serving.  

I separated my meatloaf into 6 portions and put them in Tupperware to eat throughout the week.  To the left is my lunch for tomorrow :)  A simple salad of spinach, pea sprouts and arugula.  My salad dressing is spicy mustard (from the farmers market a couple weekends ago), olive oil, S&P and a tad of honey.  Topping for my salad as I love a little crunch is croutons and pepitas (pumpkin seeds) and of course my favorite dried cherries.  I also threw an apple in my lunch bag too.  I am so excited to eat this for lunch tomorrow.

While my meatloaf was cooking away, I made some quinoa and apple breakfast cereal.  I don't know about you but I get so sick of my breakfast choices.  I have to come of up with new items to keep me on track and wanting to actually eat breakfast.  I am typically not that hungry when I wake up and could just drink coffee if I didn't know that breakfast was the most important meal of the day.  I have so much more energy throughout the day when I eat breakfast and often times snack a lot less too.

I read a lot of articles about nutrition and cooking in general.  I have read a lot of articles about quinoa and have yet to try it.  Quinoa is an amino acid-rich (protein) seed that has a fluffy, creamy, slightly crunchy texture and a somewhat nutty flavor when cooked.  Not only is quinoa high in protein, but the protein it supplies is complete protein, meaning that it includes all nine essential amino acids.  I saw this recipe on the WW website and I just had to try it.  The reviews were great and it sounded like something I would really enjoy in the morning. 

Quinoa and Apple Breakfast Cereal

6 servings, 5 WW points

·         1 cup uncooked quinoa

·         2 sprays cooking spray

·         1 Tbsp butter, divided

·         2 medium apples, chopped or dices

·         2 cups water, cold

·         ½ tsp ground cinnamon

·         3 Tbsp packed brown sugar

·         ¼ cup fat-free skim milk

Directions

1.     Soak quinoa in a bowl of water for 5 minutes.

2.     Meanwhile, coat a large skillet with cooking spray; set over medium heat. When skillet is hot, melt 1/2 tablespoon butter until it just starts to sizzle. Add apples and cook, turning occasionally, until apples are soft and begin to caramelize, about 5 to 10 minutes depending on personal taste; set aside

3.     Rinse and drain quinoa. Add quinoa and 2 cups of cold water to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat; boil for 1 minute. Reduce heat to low, cover pan tightly and allow quinoa to simmer for 10 minutes. When quinoa is cooked (a little tail will appear on each grain), remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Add remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter, cinnamon, sugar and milk; stir to combine and fold in apples. Yields about 2/3 cup per serving.

And once again my phone did not save all the pictures I took.  Sadface.  Its time that I get my real camera fixed and stop all this phone non-sense.  There were some great shots of step by step directions of this recipe.  The image to the left is what the quinoa should look like once it is cooked.  Do you see the little tail?  So strange but a good indication that this grain is cooked.  Below is the picture of this recipe all portioned out ready for breakfast this week.  I tried a little nibble before separating these and I think I am going to enjoy this very much :)

The last item I cooked today was what WW calls butterscotch cake but I call a white chocolate blondie.  I have a HUGE sweet tooth and feel the need to have a little something after dinner each night.  Even when I am watching every calorie that I put in my mouth it is nice to end my day on a sweet note.  I figured with all the packing that I will be doing this week and next weekend that I would enjoy this even more. 

Butterscotch Cake

24 servings, 4 WW points

·         1 spray cooking spray

·         1 ¼ cup packed light brown sugar

·         1/3 cup regular butter, softened

·         2 tsp vanilla extract

·         2 large eggs

·         2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce

·         1 cup whole wheat flour

·         1 cup A/P flour

·         2 tsp baking soda

·         ¾ tsp table salt

·         ½ cup white chocolate chips, finely chopped

·         24 halves pecan halves ßI had chopped walnuts on hand so I used them instead

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9- X 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream sugar, butter and vanilla extract. Add eggs and blend thoroughly. Add applesauce and blend. Add both flours, baking soda and salt; blend until just incorporated. Mix in chips with a wooden spoon.
3. Spoon batter into prepared pan and decorate with walnut halves, one for each serving of cake. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes. Cool for about 15 minutes in pan and then remove to a wire rack to continuing cooling. Cut into 24 squares. Yields 1 square per serving.

Race day fun and good eats!

Good Afternoon all!

This is my post from Sunday however I am just now getting around to posting it.  Sorry...it was a long, wonderful day!

It's race day which means its gonna be hot, humid, crazy crowded and lots of booze consumed.  My morning started by packing up my backpack cooler.  This sucker fit 12 beers and 4 frozen water bottles.  I was very pleased with how much it could carry and didn't kill my back.



We started our day around 9 am.  We figured since we had a ride to the track we didn't need to leave as early.  WRONG.  Record crowds this year meant traffic was horrendous.  Last year I got there at 9 and parked in a lot right across from the track.  This year....no where close.  Abby's dad drove us so we didn't have to deal with having a car and worrying about driving.  The closest he could get us was about 2.5/3 miles away from the track.  OYE.  It was a long walk.  TG the sun was behind clouds most of our walk and it wasn't that humid yet.  I was in good company so didn't mind the walk that much but my feet did.  I swear my feet hate me.  I wore some ballet flat gym shoes.  Wrong choice.  I figured we would be doing a lot of walking and these would be comfy.  Um NO!  I had blisters so bad I was limping.  Last minute packing my bag I threw some flip flops in.  TG!  I put those on and had immediate relief.  We made it to the track took our seats and the fly over happened.  I love when this happens at any event I am at.  How can you not get emotional when this happens?? 

 

Needless to say we had a blast at the track.  We were cabbing it back up to the northside so we left with about 20 laps to go.  We figured we would be waiting for a cab for forever if we waited till the end of the race.  We walked out of the nearest gate and had a cab within 30 seconds.  Hooray!! I was beat by the time I got home.  Took a nap and had a slight hangover by the time I woke up.  So not cool.  I was so hot still and just wanted to go to bed.  I knew I needed to eat something before calling it a night.  I whipped up this quick salad and it hit the spot. 

Chickpea and Feta Salad

2 cups chickpeas, rinsed and drained

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

2 Tbsp onion, finely minced

1/2 large red pepper, diced <-----i used roasted red pepper cuz I had it on hand

2 Tbsp parsley, finely minced

9 black olives, chopped

1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

1 Tbsp olive oil

3 Tbsp lemon juice

S & P to taste

1 tsp lemon zest

1. In a medium bowl, combine chickpeas, garlic, onion, red pepper, parsley, olives, and feta; toss to combine.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together oil and lemon juice.  Pour over chickpea mixture and season to taste.  Garnish with lemon zest

It was refreshing, light and yummy.  It was just what I needed before going to bed at 9pm.  YEP....you read that right.  I was asleep by 9 :)  All day in the sun drinking and walking miles will do that to ya!  Hope everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend!! 

Cheers

Grillin' & Chillin'

It's memorial day weekend which means the grills are firing up and the smell of burgers and hot dogs are in the air.  My house was no exception!!  My Saturday started off with a nice trip to the broadripple farmers market with Lauren.  We found out that a lot of the arugula and turnip crops were damaged due to the rain we have had.  That is so upsetting to me.  These farmers work so hard all year round and then in just a few days it is ruined.  My main reason for going to the market was to get some arugula and pea sprouts.  Needless to say no arugula for me.  I did walk away with some yummy pea shots, local spicy mustard, fresh strawberries and asparagus.

All in all I would say a pretty decent trip to the market.  Lauren picked up some local pork bratwurst (we wanted the patties but they were out), asparagus, strawberry pie, fresh garlic bread and spinach.  The night before Lauren had requested that I make a broccoli puree I had made a couple weeks ago.  It was delicious, however I went a little overboard with the pepper flakes and it was just to hot for us. 

Dinner Saturday night dinner consisted of our Farmer's Market pork bratwurst with spicy mustard, broccoli puree and garlic bread.  I took pictures of our plates but somehow the picture did not save and we had demolished our plates by the time I realized it had not saved :( 

The broccoli puree I make is as follows:

• 1 large stalk of  broccoli (florets and stem cut into uniform pieces)
• 3 Tablespoons of pine nuts (toasted)
• 2 Tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves smashed and skinned
• 1 large shallot sliced
• 1 Tablespoon of red pepper flakes (less if you don’t like spicy)
• 1 Teaspoon of chopped and grated lemon zest
• 2 Tablespoons of lemon juice
• Salt and pepper

1. Heat a large pot with olive oil, add the pepper flakes, garlic, shallot, and season with salt and pepper.
2. Once the garlic and shallot are “soft” add the portioned broccoli. Stir until evenly coated.
3. Add 1/2 a cup of water and put a lid on the pot.
4. Cook the broccoli until the water evaporates about 6-8 minutes.
5. Once water is evaporated add the lemon zest.
6. Puree mixture with an immersion blender, potato masher or whatever you have on hand

 

This time around my puree was super thick.  I added about 1/2 cup more of water and a couple more Tablespoons of lemon juice to loosen up the mixture a little.  This really can be made with any mixture of veggies.  The last time I made this I also used carrots and cauliflower.  This time I just had broccoli so pure broccoli puree it is.  No picture of it pureed as it didn't save.  BOO!  But I served it with toasted pine nuts.  We warmed up the garlic bread on the grill and cooked the pork brats until the skin was nicely charred and crisp.  It was the perfect meal to a fun day. 

Dessert was a little slice of the local strawberry pie and grilled pineapple with whipped cream.


 
Oh and we officially found a place to live.  We will be moving to broadripple June 17th.  We are really excited to get that stress done with.  Now onto the stress of packing and actually moving.  OYE the joys of moving!  Hope everyone is enjoying their memorial day weekend! :)

Peanut Butter and Brownie paradise!!!

Happy Friday my friends!!

I know I know, you have missed me.  I promise this post with make up for it :)  I have been slacking on the cooking front and if I do cook I haven't taken the time to take pictures or even think about writing about what I cook.  I feel like I have been running around like a chicken with my head cut off and typically have just been throwing together fast meals.  I don't think things will settle down anytime soon and I am going to be moving in about a month.....hopefully.  Lauren and I have been roommates for years and typically bunker down to one place until we get sick of it.  Well that time has come.  Our lease ends in exactly one month from today and we have already told our complex we are not resigning.  That being said.....if we don't find a place soon we will be homeless! I am so stressed about this and hope we find something soon. 

I am looking forward to the long weekend as it is Indy 500 time!  WOO HOO!! I am typically not a race fan but last year I had the opportunity to go and LOVED IT.  I loved the loud cars and the people watching.  My oh my.....the people watching.  There is such a wide spectrum of people that go to the 500 and it is unbelievable to just watch them.  Last year it was over 130 at the track and I felt every degree of that.  I HATE to be hot.  It is one of my least favorites things in the world.  This year they are calling for 90 degrees and near 140 at the track!!! COME ON!  So not cool.  My friend Christi's mom gave her some tickets at turn one (no clue really what that means lol) so we are heading over there early Sunday morning with 2 of her other girlfriends.  I have my insulated backpacks ready and hoping that the cold beer will keep us from dehydrating ;)

Did I mention its Friday and I am so excited.  I need an extra day off to just relax.  Sunday is my boss's birthday so I made her a treat for today at work.  Her favorite is dark chocolate and she loves brownies.  So why not make dark chocolate brownies with reese's cup, dark chocolate fudge frosting and reese's pieces?? I know right!! SHUT UP!  I didn't go completely better crocker and make the brownies from scratch but they still tasted oh so yummy.  I used 1 box of dark chocolate brownie mix, mini reese's, and reese's pieces.  Yep.....i know.  Are you drooling?

I spread half of the batter in a 9x13 pan then layered it with the mini reese's cups cut in fours.  Next I poured the remaining batter and baked at 350 for about 28 mins.  Once the brownies cooled I spread them with dark chocolate frosting and reese's pieces.  The edges were crunchy and center was gooey.  Something for everyone right!!! :)  The batter was pretty thin and barely was enough to cover the entire pan.  Realistically 1.5 boxes would have been perfect.  But in the end they were delicious and my co-workers seem to be enjoying them.  Be safe this weekend and enjoy the sun while it lasts :)

Cheers

long time...no cook

It has been almost a month since my last post.  Oye!  I have cooked but have been lazy about taking the time to take pictures and actually sit in front of my computer to type.  I sit in front of a computer all day at work and sometimes the last thing I want to do when I get home is more sitting in front of the computer.  And with the weather finally starting to warm up...forget about it.  I figured I would share my lunch today as it is delicious, healthy and different from the boring salad I have.  Last night I boiled some artichokes to have this week.  These little suckers can be oh so intimidating but they are well worth the work.

  Artichokes are spiny and rough.  Your first step is to remove the first couple of layers of leaves.  These are tough and don't have much "meat" in them. 

You next step is to trim the stem.  I typically trim the end and then use a veggie peeler to get rid of some of the stringiness of the stem.  Next I chop off the top part with the sharp tips.  Throw the whole choke into boiling water.  Make sure there is enough water to cover them and then place something heavy on top of them.  They like to float. My favorite method is a plate with a canned good on top :)  I also add about 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar to the water to give them a little extra flavor.  Boil them for for about an hour and let them cool.  Once they are cooled chop them in half.  In the middle there are purple leaves and a hairy portion at the bottom.  THIS IS NOT EDIBLE.  Remove all the purple leaves and scrape off the hairy portion.  The portion below the hairy portion is what is called the heart.  This is edible and in my opinion the most delicious part!

I made a little dipping sauce for mine as I like to eat them mostly plain.  Today my sauce is simply olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.  Mango on the side and lunch is served :)