I'm sure this may not look like much to you but to me, it tasted like heaven! For a little over two weeks now I've had no coffee, no sugar, barely any meat, mostly turkey, chicken and fish. No alcohol (okay, I sipped 2 ounces one night and 2 ounces the next) And no cheese, no carbs except for the allotted 1/2 cup of brown rice per day. Why? Because it's necessary ! Has it been easy? no...the first two days were a struggle. Have I lost some weight? Yes, teetering on 7-8 lbs. Is that enough? No...but now I've hit a plateau for the past few days.
Does this stubborn scale make me crazy? Yes! So...I'll "break the fast" so to speak for a day and return to the plan. Maybe that will shake things up. In the mean time here is a simple way to incorporate pinto beans into your diet. I made a big batch the other day and simply throw a few into salads or a faux wrap (without using a tortilla, lettuce works). Beans are a great source of protein, they fill you up and stave off cravings, I've found.
On a bed of spinach, add about 1/3 cup beans, sliced turkey, avocado and salsa for dressing and there you have it! Very satisfying, filling and delicious.
STAY TUNED for a restaurant review possibly. I haven't done one of those in a while!
I guess it's no longer a secret, huh? This recipe goes back to 1997 or so, when my son had relocated to Monterey California. We went to visit for Easter and took him out to a quaint restaurant (name unknown, darn it) which was housed in an old Victorian home. Each room had a few intimate tables, service was great as was the food.
I love pasta but didn't want the "red sauce" kind. The dish I chose was a penne pasta with simple garlic, spinach, mushrooms and pine nuts. Perfect! As I devoured it, I secretly "picked it apart" ingredient by ingredient so I could replicate this at home for my family. Job well done, she says! It's my "go to" signature pasta now. I can probably make it in my sleep!
Ingredients:
2 cups dry penne pasta
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/3 yellow onion, sliced
3 cups spinach
7-8 mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup raisins
2 handfuls of pine nuts, toasted or not
2 ladles of reserved pasta water. extra drizzle of olive oil
Parmesan cheese for garnish (optional)
Boil water for the pasta. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute the onions first. Add the mushrooms, garlic and spinach and cook until spinach is limp. Add the raisins, then the cooked pasta, remembering to drain and reserve some water. Add the pasta water to moisten, the extra drizzle of olive oil and pine nuts. Stir well and serve. Great left over, too!
NOTE: Sorry..no picture. I'll post it next time I make this wonderful pasta!!
If you've been around these parts for at least 25 years, you would recognize the name, Lancers, as being the restaurant that burnt to the ground on Mount Rose Highway. It had a prime spot for viewing the lights of Reno and evidently the food was amazing. I did manage to salvage their spinach salad dressing recipe, which in my opinion, is the best!
I made a batch for Easter dinner and now that my spinach is maturing in my garden it may be time to make more. It's that good!
Ingredients:
1/2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 Tbsp salt
1/2 Tbsp dry mustard
1/2 Tbsp steak sauce (like A-1)
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 cup burgundy wine
1/4 cup ketchup
1 cup olive oil
1/4 cup wine vinegar
1/4 cup honey
Mix all the ingredients in a 4 cup capacity bowl. Pour into a jar and shake. Serve over spinach. Delicious!
