I Miss Mexican - Chicken

By now I can say I'm not craving any food and I don't really get that hungry.  However, I do have a few foods that I sorely miss.  Believe it or not, I miss having oatmeal in the morning, I miss my beloved pasta, ice cream is a no-brainer for me and I miss Mexican food!  Perhaps it's that cheesy goodness or the spice that I enjoy.  Hmmm, maybe it's the margarita that compliments the food from south of the border.  It's like having pasta without wine!

So.... looking for substitutions was my quest the other day.  Although I've had tomatillas many times, I've never cooked with them, myself.  I always viewed them in the grocery store but figured I could live without them.  Until now.  I was wanting a Mexican dish I could safely eat, yet spicy and flavorful enough to enjoy.

First, you have to understand that this slim down plan is VERY limiting so here's what I came up with!

Mexican Chicken for one

1 chicken breast, no skin, no bones

garlic powder
salt & pepper

1 Tbsp olive oil

1-2 tomatillas, remove skin and cut into thin wedges

1/2 cup juice from salsa

In a non-stick skillet heat the oil and place the chicken (already spiced with seasonings) into the pan to brown.  After about 8-10 minutes, turn and continue to cook on the other side.  Throw the tomatillas into the same pan and stir until browned or lightly charred.  Add the salsa juice to help the chicken stay moist.   When done, place the sliced chicken onto a bed of lettuce or cabbage and add more salsa to taste.  Not too bad!

Quilt-free Orange Smoothie

As with any diet slim down plan, you  will hit a plateau, sooner or later.   I haven't actually hit that point, yet, but I felt as though I had hit a wall, emotionally.  I was feeling a bit deprived as people around me were eating cookies, candy, pizza and ice cream.  Realizing that their eating had virtually nothing to do with my body composition, I forged ahead and made this frosty treat.

Orange Smoothie

Ingredients:

1 cup ice

1 large orange

1 drizzle fat free half and half

1/2 packet Truvia sweetener

1 -2 drops of vanilla flavoring

First crush the ice in a blender then add the rest of the ingredients, and puree.  This is a no-brainer, not considered a recipe but a tip for when you're feeling deprived and need that extra luxury as you drop those pounds!  Just wanted to share that with you...

Friday Night Bruschetta in Roma

Of course, I'd like to say I enjoyed this bruschetta at a trattoria in Rome.  Heck, I'd even like to enjoy it in my kitchen.  But, the slim down continues.  The prize is in the future...the carrot is dangling in front of me!  Will it be a trip to Roma, where I can continue my Italian adventures?  Will it be a vacation in the tropics?  Hawaii, Mexico, Belize or Costa Rica?  Not sure, but the wheels are in motion...those famous 2 words have been whispered!  "BOOK IT".  And, I'm not one to disobey!

In the meantime, here's a bruschetta variation from the archives.  I prepared this for dinner as a main course but it would really be a great appetizer for several people.   Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 tomatoes, large and cut up with seeds removed

handful of chopped basil

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

2-3 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp good balsamic vinegar

About 12 baguette slices

1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp olive oil

4 mushrooms, sliced thinly

1 cup spinach, fresh chopped

2 Tbsp onions

1 more clove of garlic, minced

1/4 -/12 lb shrimp, cleaned and cut up

To make the tomato base, mix the first 5 ingredients and put in a small bowl, mixing well and set aside.  You can even make ahead of time for maximum flavor.

In a large skillet with the 2 Tbsp of oil, saute the mushrooms, spinach onions, and garlic until the mushrooms and spinach are limp.  At the last minute add the shrimp and continue cooking until done.  Set aside.

Now, place the bread slices onto a cookie sheet and brush with about 1/4 cup olive oil.  Put the slices into a preheated broiler on high, but watch them carefully.  Don't let them burn!  When lightly browned you can brush the warm slices with a garlic clove or just start assembling, placing the shrimp, spinach mixture first, then the tomatoes and finally some good Romano cheese!   All that's missing is a great glass of wine! (and a one-way ticket to Italy!!)

Countryside outside of Rome from Tivoli

Outside the Vatican before a canonization ceremony



All the carved statues...very impressive!



Pasta of the Month - Hungry Man Orzo

As September is flying by I realized I haven't posted a pasta recipe in a long  while.  Could it be that it's not on my list of "allowable foods"?  Probably,  because not much of what tastes good is on that list!   Pasta,  along with bread and sweets is my Achilles 's heel.   But, if you love egg whites for breakfast, you'll fit right into this "protocol".

Getting a meal on the table these days takes alot of creativity and planning.  I find I just can't resort to a slab of white chicken breast, lettuce and a cup of veggies, plain.  It's not in my nature to eat bland food!  The other night I was able to have a steak (something I don't usually eat much of) along with my lettuce, whoopee!  For a side dish I literally threw hubby's orzo together at the last minute.  No sense in subjecting him to my way of starving eating!

I didn't make a very large portion (serves 2 or 1 hungry man).

Ingredients:

1 garlic clove, minced

1-2 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp sliced shallot or onion

handful of beet tops (or spinach)

4 button mushrooms, sliced

a handful of fresh from the garden tomatoes, preferably Romas

1/2 cup orzo

reserved pasta water

Parmesan for garnish

In a heated skillet, cook shallot until limp, a few minutes.  Add the garlic beet tops, and mushrooms.  Meanwhile boil water for the orzo.  You can salt the water after it boils, add the orzo and cook according to directions, usually about 10-11 minutes.  Reserve some pasta water before draining,  Once drained add the orzo to the skillet along with the tomatoes.  Stir completely, adding a ladle or so of water to moisten.  And maybe, a drizzle of more olive oil.  Then serve.  Hopefully this was good for hubby...I was too busy scarfing down my lettuce!  Enjoy!

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner - Shrimp Marinade

After our kitchen remodel, there were several people I needed wanted to have over for dinner.  They so graciously invited us into their home while the kitchen chaos was being played out.  These friends, and they know who they are, probably fretted a bit over what to feed us.  After all, I write a food blog, and I must be this world renowned chef!  Truth be told, I fretted over what to serve them!

I decided to serve grilled shrimp and gnocchi for one couple.  A few weeks later I served steak and the exact same grilled shrimp.  This marinade recipe is a "keeper" and with a few revisions it morphs into a great salad dressing or vinaigrette.

Grilled Shrimp Marinade:

1/2 cup olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp dried rosemary

2 Tbsp lemon juice

1-2 tsp honey

about 1lb (16-20) uncooked, cleaned shrimp, tail left on (for appearance only)

Mix all the above and place all but 1/4 of the marinade into a plastic bag along with the shrimp.  This will easily marinade about 20 pieces.  Put the bag into the refrigerator until ready to use.  Place the 1/4 reserved liquid in a small bowl and refrigerate also.    This you will use for brushing the shrimp with on the grill.

After guests have arrived all you need to do is skewer the shrimp and put them on the BBQ. 

With one simple revision, substituting the honey with "truvia sweetener", I was able to have these after I started my current "slim down" plan.