tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18155740244780869002024-03-14T04:31:00.280-07:00Lisa's Tiny KitchenThe adventures of college student who loves cooking in her little kitchen!Lisa-24-7http://www.blogger.com/profile/04346850898084786458noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1815574024478086900.post-64192156216938779852016-06-03T20:27:00.000-07:002016-06-03T20:44:01.107-07:00Recipe: Italian Sausage Tacos with Chard and Zucchini <div style="text-align: center;">
It's been awhile since I shared anything on this blog, but today I made this amazing dish and it needed to get posted. </div>
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Before I share the recipe though, I want to give a shout out to two of the products that made these tacos happen.</div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/earthgalleyfarms/">Earth Galley Farms</a> is a local farm that does Seasonal Produce Baskets weekly, and for a (very reasonable price) you get a ton of veggies to work with. I often make salads for the week but I often struggle with what to make from the "non-salad" ingredients. </div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/JBSausageCo/?fref=ts">Jimmy Bobby's Sausage Co</a> is the husband of my boss at the Cafe that I work at. He recently started making sausage to see at local markets and prides himself in the fact that he's just meat and spices - all natural. And man is it delicious.</div>
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Ok now onto the recipe!</div>
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<b><u><span style="color: orange; font-size: large;">Italian Sausage Tacos with Chard and Zucchini </span></u></b></div>
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<b><u><span style="color: orange;">Ingredients:</span></u></b></div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><b><u>(to make about 4 tacos)</u></b></span></div>
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1 lb of ground italian sausage, divided (I used about 1/4 lb for my four tacos)</div>
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1 clove garlic </div>
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2 leaves of chard with their stems</div>
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1 small red onion (Ok actually you really need like 1/2 of a red onion)</div>
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1 small zucchini squash (or half of a large one)</div>
Salt, pepper to taste<br />
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oregano to taste</div>
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Feta cheese for topping</div>
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4 flour tortillas</div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><u>Recipe:</u></span></div>
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1) Brown your italian sausage, if you are like me and plan on making more later, brown the whole pound, or just brown what you need. Don't let it get fully cooked!!</div>
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2) While the sausage is browning, clean and prep your veggies.<br />
Dice your zucchini into small pieces, Rough chop your chard and it's stems (but keep them separate). Dice or thinly slice your onion. Mince your garlic.</div>
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3) Once your sausage is about 3/4 done, add the chard stems, garlic and onion. Saute for a couple minutes until the onion starts to soften</div>
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4) Now add the zucchini. Saute for another couple minutes then add the chard leaves and your spices. </div>
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5) Let cook until chard has wilted. You may cover if you like, but you don't have to.</div>
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6) Warm your tortillas using desired method, then portion out your taco mixture into them. Top with feta and serve warm !</div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rmraXwOtW9w/V1JJfHjDD-I/AAAAAAAAGqg/UPEqlznYATInHmJDHRNOUGV5KELcaAR-QCLcB/s1600/tacos2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rmraXwOtW9w/V1JJfHjDD-I/AAAAAAAAGqg/UPEqlznYATInHmJDHRNOUGV5KELcaAR-QCLcB/s320/tacos2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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** I bet these would be even better with homemade tortillas, which I have a recipe for, but didn't have time to make**</div>
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** Consider a dressing as well? Or adding other veggies. It's super open ended**</div>
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** The fact that I know the source of 90% of this dish makes me really really happy!**<br />
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<span style="color: orange;"><b>Have a wonderful week!</b></span></div>
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<br />Lisa-24-7http://www.blogger.com/profile/04346850898084786458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1815574024478086900.post-77707603936550194272016-01-18T13:04:00.000-08:002016-01-18T13:04:20.922-08:00Food Review: Marion's Kitchen Thai Kits<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Today's post is a quick review of a product I tried last week. </div>
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I recently purchased a <a href="http://marionskitchen.com/">Marion's Kitchen Thai kit</a> at my local Kroger on clearance. I had seen them before and was curious, but would never have paid full price for it. So yellow sticker clearance made me pretty excited. </div>
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These kits are designed just like any other. They come with the sauces and seasonings, you provide the protein and veggies. In this case, you got the curry paste, coconut milk, peanuts and spices.<br />
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Chicken (or protein) is sauteed in the paste, then the milk is added, along with potatoes and onion. As it simmers, you add the peanuts and spices. </div>
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After that it's pretty easy. Let it simmer until you get it to a thickness you want - atleast 30 minutes. </div>
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The dish itself is served best with rice, and I added broccoli to brighten up my plate. Something I wish I had done (that the box suggested) would have been to leave the Thai chilis completely out from the spices, they got way to spicy. </div>
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Since I live alone< I eat leftovers all week. One thing that made me was was out thick the sauce got over the course of the week. I would like to find a way to keep that from happening again.</div>
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Overall, I would give this kit a 4 out of 5 starts. The box does an odd job of explaining the product unless you know the chef. Also, the price point is a bit high, even if it is "All natural". The meal was great, but I felt like maybe it was missing something. But I would buy it again if I could find it on sale.</div>
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~Lisa </div>
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<br />Lisa-24-7http://www.blogger.com/profile/04346850898084786458noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1815574024478086900.post-81646581523820779032016-01-04T18:33:00.001-08:002016-01-04T18:33:05.640-08:00Recipe: Mini Pie Bites/Cookies <br />
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So it's been almost a year since I posted. I haven't had many recipes to share though, so I guess that's an excuse, right?</div>
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Either way, I want to get back into this, starting with this simple recipe inspired by a segment I saw on my local news a few weeks back. The recipe they did was for "Fig bars" but I am calling these "Pie Bites" because that is really all they are.</div>
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<b><span style="color: orange; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><u>Mini Pie Bites</u></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: orange; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b><u>Ingredients:</u></b></span><br />1 roll of store bought pie dough - thawed</div>
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(some packages come in two, so that can also work for a bigger batch)</div>
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Desired filling. Jam, pie filling, or any type of mashed fruit.</div>
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(I used apple butter)</div>
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Sugar/honey/cinnamon/etc to sprinkle on top. </div>
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<span style="color: orange; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b><u>Recipe:</u></b></span></div>
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1)Preheat oven to 325</div>
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2)After thawing your dough, lay it out flat on a cutting board/cookie pan<br />3) Cut the best you can into small rectangles/squares. Mine were about 1inch tall and 1/2inch wide.<br />4)pipe or spoon filling onto the center of each rectangle.</div>
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5) Fold each rectangle over so that it forms a nice seam. Take rolled/folded bars and place on a cookie pan (lined with parchment if desired)</div>
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6) Bake for approx. 10 minutes then remove from oven and sprinkle with toppings if desired. I drizzled honey and cinnamon</div>
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7) Bake for an additional 5 minutes or until golden brown. Different sizes and fillings can affect your time.</div>
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<b><u><span style="color: orange; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Tips and ideas:</span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1) The video I saw used homemade fig spread to make a "Fig newton". You can use any type of filling you like, from homemade to store bought sugary stuff.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2) Same goes for toppings, whatever goes well with your flavors</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">3) If you are really ambitious, make the pie dough yourself also! haha.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">4) Seriously, parchment paper. I never used it until I started a kitchen job and now I swear by it. More on that for a later post.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">So easy and so delicious. I have already eaten half my batch!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Until next time!<br /><br /><br />~Lisa </span></div>
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Lisa-24-7http://www.blogger.com/profile/04346850898084786458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1815574024478086900.post-53949062642426422492015-02-06T07:51:00.002-08:002015-02-08T06:49:59.248-08:00Recipe: Baked Steel Cut Oats<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">These past few weeks I have been joining in on the "mini-pledge" from 100 Days of Real Food, one of my favorite blogs. If you haven't checked it out you should. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This week's pledge was to try two new "whole foods" that you have never tried before. Surprisingly, this was hard for me because I have tried so many! But then one group member shared an oatmeal recipe and I decided to give Steel Cut Oats a try. I am so glad I did, because they are fantastic!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I wish I could say this recipe was all my own, but sadly it's not. The original is<a href="http://orangette.blogspot.com/2013/03/we-have-rhythm.html"> here</a>. I did, however, modify it quite a bit when I made mine.</span> </div>
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<span style="color: orange; font-size: large;"><b><u>Baked Steel Cut Oats</u></b></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="color: orange;">Ingredients:</span></u></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20.7999992370605px; text-align: left;">2 cups steel cut oats, organic if possible</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 20.7999992370605px;">½ cup (or desired </span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 20.7999992370605px;">amount</span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 20.7999992370605px;">) chopped pecans (luckily, I had some from my backyard. Other nuts work good too!)</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20.7999992370605px; text-align: left;">1 teaspoon baking powder</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20.7999992370605px; text-align: left;">1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20.7999992370605px; text-align: left;">½ teaspoon fine sea salt</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20.7999992370605px; text-align: left;">¾ to 1 ½ cups raisins (or fruit or really anything)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20.7999992370605px; text-align: left;">2 cups Almond milk (original recipe calls for whole milk. I chose almond as a health alternative)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20.7999992370605px; text-align: left;">1/3 cup maple syrup (but honey works too). Get natural of course!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20.7999992370605px; text-align: left;">1 large egg</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20.7999992370605px; text-align: left;">1.5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly - I actually used Ghee since it's all I had on hand. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20.7999992370605px; text-align: left;">2 teaspoons vanilla extract</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SH9AFHoeWms/VNTgw3NOBZI/AAAAAAAAD0Y/MdachMgQy1A/s1600/IMG_5681.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SH9AFHoeWms/VNTgw3NOBZI/AAAAAAAAD0Y/MdachMgQy1A/s1600/IMG_5681.jpg" height="267" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><b><u>Recipe:</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20.7999992370605px; text-align: left;">1) Preheat the oven to 375°F.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20.7999992370605px; text-align: left;">2) In an 8-inch square baking dish, mix together the oats, the nuts, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Scatter the raisins on top or mix in with the dry ingredients. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 20.7999992370605px;">3) In another bowl, whisk together the milk, maple syrup, egg, about half of the butter, and vanilla. Slowly drizzle the milk mixture over the oats. Gently give the baking dish a couple of thwacks on the </span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 20.7999992370605px;">counter top</span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 20.7999992370605px;"> to make sure the liquid moves down through the oats. BUT DO NO MIX THE INGREDIENTS.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20.7999992370605px; text-align: left;">4) Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the top is golden and the oat mixture has set. Remove from the oven, and allow to cool for a few minutes. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;">Of course this tastes best fresh out of the oven, but if you are like me and don't have that much time, make it ahead and microwave throughout the week. Still tastes just as good! </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;">I like the nutty flavor of the steel cut oats and the way the milk was absorbed into them to make it a bit crumbly when I reheated. I also love the cinnamon/raisin combo. But like I said, experiment with your toppings. I wander what it'd be like with chocolate chips?</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;">~Lisa </span></span></div>
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<br />Lisa-24-7http://www.blogger.com/profile/04346850898084786458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1815574024478086900.post-22364130935892161312015-01-14T20:31:00.000-08:002015-01-14T20:31:05.608-08:00My Thoughts: Restaurants and Their Calories Lists. Something I want to try and do a bit more this year is to post my thoughts on different food and diet related subjects. I have a lot of thoughts about certain food subjects and don't have very many other outlets to share them (My mom has heard it enough), so why not share it here.<br />
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The information I will be talking about is my own personal opinion and it is not my intentions to offend anyone with my comments.<br />
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Tonight I wanted to talk about something I've seen a lot of lately: restaurants offering special, low-calorie, portions of their menus. Maybe you've seen or heard of some of these?<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L9hY_FOfpCQ/VLc-qpJwxQI/AAAAAAAADzE/YCH06vKjqJE/s1600/applebees.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L9hY_FOfpCQ/VLc-qpJwxQI/AAAAAAAADzE/YCH06vKjqJE/s1600/applebees.jpg" height="162" width="320" /></a><br />Applebee's Pub- menu, including whole grains and light sauce</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-15IJDXfA4po/VLc-qpMMoUI/AAAAAAAADzA/zUiJ2SfjBsY/s1600/Fridays.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-15IJDXfA4po/VLc-qpMMoUI/AAAAAAAADzA/zUiJ2SfjBsY/s1600/Fridays.jpg" height="152" width="320" /></a><br />TGI Friday's Cut back menu</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-enAcidy8Bbw/VLc-rHO_50I/AAAAAAAADzI/j1GNEbfkc1c/s1600/olive%2Bgarden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-enAcidy8Bbw/VLc-rHO_50I/AAAAAAAADzI/j1GNEbfkc1c/s1600/olive%2Bgarden.jpg" height="163" width="320" /></a></div>
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Olive Garden trying to go light.</div>
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Normally, I would be really happy that so many restaurants are making strides in helping people stick to their diets and be more conscious of their food decisions, but lately I've been thinking otherwise. </div>
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If you know me well enough, you know that I am a bit of an advocate for the idea of "ingredients over calories". Because of this, I find the fact that so many restaurants are required to post calories a bit disturbing and frustrating. If I'm eating out, I would rather NOT know that I ingesting 1000 calories with my appetizer. </div>
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But back to my main concern. When a restaurant adds a special "light" menu, it's implying that the rest of their menu is unhealthy, caloric, and simply dangerous. It's making people (or I hope it is) feel guilty for picking something that isn't on this menu. Or for picking something without the nutrition info posted. And when a menu only has calorie info in certain areas, I see it as their way of hiding the whole truth about their food from consumers. </div>
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A great example is an experience I had this past summer when I was counting calories (which for the record, I never want to do again). My family visiting Chili's and I was debating between fish off the light menu and a flatbread off the regular menu. The fish (and everything on the light menu) had calorie info, while the flatbread did not. Luckily I was able to get on my sister's smart phone and find the info online. I'm glad I did,because even though the flatbread had "healthy" ingredients on top, it clocked in at almost 1,000 calories. I ordered the fish...</div>
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I think that we need to stop worrying about calories and start worrying about what is actually in our food and how it's prepared. I bet the quinoa and whole grains in that dish aren't even as nutritious as if you made them at home. Don't get me wrong, it's great that places like Applebee's are offering whole grains and quinoa, but I think that these ingredients should be staples on their entire menu, not just shoved in a corner of a page. If such ingredients were to become staples on menus, I believe that more people would accept them and we could finally start the transition to eating healthy, natural foods on a regular basis. </div>
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At the end of the day, we all feel the way we feel about our food and make our own decisions. But for me, I think I'm going to just avoid these restaurants as much as I can. If I can't pick something off the menu without wondering why they don't have the numbers with them, it's not worth my time.</div>
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~Lisa </div>
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<br />Lisa-24-7http://www.blogger.com/profile/04346850898084786458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1815574024478086900.post-80853018502309362402015-01-09T12:34:00.001-08:002015-01-09T12:34:45.314-08:00Recipe: Tomato Gnocchi with Parmesan Pork ChopsNew year new food! I can't wait to share all of my yummy ideas with you guys. And hopefully more often than before.<br />
<br />So tonight I wanted to share a recipe I made up over the holidays, that I found really yummy.<br />
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<span style="color: orange; font-size: large;"><b><u>Tomato Gnocchi with Parmesan Pork Chops</u></b></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AWxdPUcxB4g/VLA5WvFPl9I/AAAAAAAADyk/INJJNxBEzOw/s1600/IMG_4719.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AWxdPUcxB4g/VLA5WvFPl9I/AAAAAAAADyk/INJJNxBEzOw/s1600/IMG_4719.JPG" height="277" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><b><u>Ingredients:</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span></div>
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For Gnocchi:</div>
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two normal sized (forgot amount!) of diced or stewed tomatoes</div>
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1 package of store-bought gnocchi</div>
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Italian seasons to taste</div>
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Pork chop recipe:</div>
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<a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/italian-style-pork-chops/detail.aspx">Italian style pork chops</a></div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><b><u>Instructions:</u></b></span></div>
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1) In a large skillet, add the gnocchi and one can of the tomatoes (with the juice!). Turn up the heat so it can begin to cook.</div>
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2)Once it starts to bubble, cover and let simmer. By covering you are allowing the gnocchi to fully soften up. <br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pzoewOc1PuE/VLA5YV20lhI/AAAAAAAADys/59Ni7drbIL8/s1600/IMG_4708.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pzoewOc1PuE/VLA5YV20lhI/AAAAAAAADys/59Ni7drbIL8/s1600/IMG_4708.JPG" height="238" width="400" /></a></div>
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3) You shouldn't need to simmer it for more than 5 or so minutes. Check on it to make sure that it isn't burning, and add extra can of tomatoes if needed. The gnocchi has a lot of starch, which will thicken the tomato sauce a lot.</div>
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4) Once it is almost ready, add your Italian seasonings. I always like basil and oregano, but you can add whatever you choose.</div>
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5) Remove from heat and serve with pork and veggies ! </div>
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This went really well with the pork chops, and even better with Italian roasted veggies. Overall, this is a good recipe for those who like gnocchi but never know what to do with it! </div>
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~Lisa </div>
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<br />Lisa-24-7http://www.blogger.com/profile/04346850898084786458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1815574024478086900.post-1648739307711256522014-12-22T10:02:00.000-08:002014-12-22T10:02:02.247-08:00Recipe: Italian Chicken Panini PLUS Tomato Soup!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Man, it has been a long time since I posted a new recipe. I haven't been making as many new things lately though - random experiments but nothing worth sharing.</div>
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Today though, I have a recipe that I came up with completely from scratch and got completely positive reviews from my family. </div>
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<b><u><span style="color: orange; font-size: large;">Italian Chicken Panini</span></u></b></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1E_moJdQcdg/VJhZxb9vmbI/AAAAAAAADwA/nqOhmW57TPQ/s1600/IMG_2109_Main.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1E_moJdQcdg/VJhZxb9vmbI/AAAAAAAADwA/nqOhmW57TPQ/s1600/IMG_2109_Main.jpg" height="268" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><b>Ingredients:<br />(To make 5 paninis)</b></span></div>
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5 chicken breasts, cut and trimmed</div>
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Olive oil<br />Basil/Italian seasoning</div>
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1 loaf of french or italian bread.<br />Garlic butter (either homemade or bought)</div>
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1-2 tomatoes</div>
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Spinach</div>
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5 thick slices of provolone cheese</div>
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<b><u><span style="color: orange;">Recipe:</span></u></b></div>
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<u>Prepare the chicken first as follows: </u><br /></div>
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Pour some oil into a frying pan and allow pan to heat up.<br /><br />Place as many chicken breasts as you can in pan and sprinkle with basil and seasonings (I actually was using basil-infused oil so I didn't need extra seasons).</div>
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Cook chicken until no longer pink on inside. </div>
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Set aside/keep warm while you cook the rest of the chicken.</div>
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<u>Prepare your paninis as follows:</u></div>
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Cut the bread into 1/4 inch slices (or as thick as you want to get 10 slices).</div>
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Slice your tomatoes and place 2 slices per sandwich on top of 1 slice of bread.<br /><br />Next add provolone cheese.</div>
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Then chicken, followed by spinach.</div>
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Place 2nd slice of bread on top and spread with the garlic butter.</div>
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Place butter side down on your panini press, and spread some butter on the exposed side.</div>
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Allow to cook until cheese is melted and bread is golden brown.</div>
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Remove from press and serve.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QWK5HIDKUiQ/VJhZxZjxk3I/AAAAAAAADv8/C_4j_k-M7C4/s1600/IMG_2113.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QWK5HIDKUiQ/VJhZxZjxk3I/AAAAAAAADv8/C_4j_k-M7C4/s1600/IMG_2113.jpg" height="217" width="400" /></a></div>
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I made a delicious <a href="http://lowfatcooking.about.com/od/lowfatsoups/r/Tomato-Basil-Soup.htm">homemade tomato-basil soup </a>to go with these paninis and they tasted so perfect together. I highly recommend trying them both. You can also add other things to your paninis, such as mushrooms, onions, peppers, etc. </div>
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I think the biggest shocker of the evening was when my dad said "This is delicious". He NEVER says that about my cooking, so I think I must have done something right.</div>
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What's your favorite type of panini? </div>
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~Lisa</div>
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PS: It was really hard to photograph these !</div>
<br />Lisa-24-7http://www.blogger.com/profile/04346850898084786458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1815574024478086900.post-58713715729877464652014-10-22T17:15:00.001-07:002014-10-22T17:15:18.152-07:00Recipe: Eggplant and Quinoa ParmesanIf you're like me, you've probably had (and loved) any kinda of chicken parmesan. If you're also like me, you have probably never, or seldom, had eggplant parmesan. Well, yesterday I was able to score a nice pile of fresh picked farm eggplants for about $4.00 - a total steal - and knew I wanted to make eggplant parm.<br />
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The next question was, how did I want to do it? I wanted something different and healthy. Pasta just wasn't going to cut it this time. So I turned to my tried and true favorite - quinoa. I have never had quinoa with marinara sauce before, but after tonight it's safe to say I will be eating it this way a lot more often.<br />
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<b><u><span style="color: orange; font-size: large;">Eggplant - Quinoa Parmesan</span></u></b></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hU55yXwwJkY/VEhD7mkslFI/AAAAAAAADpc/ZuUg0fdmg4M/s1600/IMG_3772.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hU55yXwwJkY/VEhD7mkslFI/AAAAAAAADpc/ZuUg0fdmg4M/s1600/IMG_3772.jpg" height="286" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><u><span style="color: orange;">Ingredients:</span></u></b></div>
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1 cup quinoa, cooked with garlic and basil (for cooking directions, this is my tried and true favorite <a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cook-quinoa-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-63344">tutorial</a>).</div>
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2 small (or 1 large) eggplant, sliced and dried. (once again, see <a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/soggy-bitter-eggplant-just-add-salt-173792">this tutorial</a> on how to dry your eggplant)</div>
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1 - 1.5 cups of breadcrumbs (I actually<a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/homemade-italian-breadcrumbs-recipe.html"> made my own</a>!)</div>
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1 large egg</div>
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1/2 - 1 cup milk </div>
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1/2 standard jar of your favorite marinara sauce</div>
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1 package of shredded mozzarella cheese</div>
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Desired seasonings - basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, garlic, etc</div>
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<b><u><span style="color: orange;">To cook eggplant:</span></u></b></div>
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1)Preheat oven to 425</div>
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2) Mix your egg and milk together in a small bowl. Have another bowl prepared with the breadcrumbs</div>
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3) Get a cookie sheet and spray/rub with olive oil</div>
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4) Dip your eggplant slices in the egg/milk then breadcrumbs then place on pan.</div>
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5)Once all eggplant is dipped, place in oven and bake 10-15 min (until crispy)</div>
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6) Take out of oven, do your best to turn over the slices and bake for another 5 min.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xG_rAU6xOwE/VEhDwJW9O8I/AAAAAAAADo8/j9L7tI57qEo/s1600/IMG_3744.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xG_rAU6xOwE/VEhDwJW9O8I/AAAAAAAADo8/j9L7tI57qEo/s1600/IMG_3744.jpg" height="277" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><b><u>To prepare the dish:</u></b></span></div>
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1) Prepare your qunioa and eggplant. To save time, you can actually do these at the same time.</div>
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2) Once eggplant and qunioa are ready, begin preparing the casserole. Lower oven temp to 375. </div>
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3) In a rectangular pan, spray with oil and then add a thin layer of marinara. Season the marinara if desired. </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Yf5Mpi6gICs/VEhDu08IYfI/AAAAAAAADo0/3D4xGDvBWMg/s1600/IMG_3739.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Yf5Mpi6gICs/VEhDu08IYfI/AAAAAAAADo0/3D4xGDvBWMg/s1600/IMG_3739.jpg" height="250" width="320" /></a></div>
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4) Now layer in your quinoa. Don't expect it to layer perfectly - odds are the quinoa and sauce will end up mixing together. That's ok :) </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hJ4EPm4iqC0/VEhDwpLrPpI/AAAAAAAADpA/nd_XHd3T010/s1600/IMG_3748.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hJ4EPm4iqC0/VEhDwpLrPpI/AAAAAAAADpA/nd_XHd3T010/s1600/IMG_3748.jpg" height="171" width="320" /></a></div>
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5) Place cooked eggplant on top, in a single layer if possible. </div>
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6) Pour more sauce on top, as much as desired. </div>
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7) Cover the pan and cook for 10-15 min, or until hot all the way through.</div>
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8) Remove from oven and sprinkle with cheese and more seasonings. Place back in oven and cook uncovered for 5 more minutes, or until the cheese is melted.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0uguQLQEfMU/VEhD3ByeX_I/AAAAAAAADpU/fXK0zvBzIIw/s1600/IMG_3766.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0uguQLQEfMU/VEhD3ByeX_I/AAAAAAAADpU/fXK0zvBzIIw/s1600/IMG_3766.jpg" height="215" width="320" /></a></div>
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9) Remove from oven, let stand for a bit and then serve. It's best with steamed veggies, like broccoli or asparagus. </div>
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Normally I'd give the nutritional info, but this one is a bit harder with all it's components. Just take my word that it tasted amazing!</div>
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I think the thing I like the most about this dish is that, although I used a few tutorials to make the components, I came up with the idea from complete scratch. And it turned out so amazing. I definitely am glad I took the time to dry out my eggplant, that helped it so much. I bet this would be amazing with parmesan cheese added also, or layered like lasagna, or if the eggplant was mixed with the quinoa. Man, the possibilities are endless here!</div>
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What a fun experiment. I can't wait to do more. </div>
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~Lisa </div>
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Lisa-24-7http://www.blogger.com/profile/04346850898084786458noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1815574024478086900.post-31223464599752541482014-10-10T11:32:00.001-07:002014-10-10T11:32:10.799-07:00Recipe: Baked Chicken with Herbed Mushroom Gravy (and gnocchi!)I come bearing yet another recipe from my "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/More---Less-Cookbook-World-Community/dp/083619103X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1412964986&sr=1-1&keywords=more+with+less+cookbook">More with Less Cookbook</a>" that I tried this past week. I was flipping through pages and stumbled upon this one. I think what drew me in was that my mom makes a very similar dish at home, using cream of mushroom soup. The idea of making my own "gravy" was really intriguing and I knew I had to try it. <div>
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The nice thing about this book is how simple the recipes really are and how well they explain everything. I am hoping to do a review here in a few weeks with more information. The muffins in the last post also came from this book, fyi.</div>
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<span style="color: orange; font-size: large;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Baked Chicken with Herbed Mushroom Gravy</u><br />(Shown served with gnocchi and green beans)</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f1K9aLxErg4/VDgi_9aSAUI/AAAAAAAADnA/bl3FxF6jY7E/s1600/IMG_1886.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f1K9aLxErg4/VDgi_9aSAUI/AAAAAAAADnA/bl3FxF6jY7E/s1600/IMG_1886.jpg" height="277" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><b><u>Ingredients:</u></b></span></div>
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Sauce:</div>
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4 Tbsp Margarine</div>
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1/4 c chopped mushrooms</div>
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1 Tbsp chopped onion - I used dried onion flakes</div>
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4 Tbsp Flour (you can alter the thickness by adding more or less flour and margarine)</div>
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1/4 tsp salt</div>
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1 c milk</div>
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Chicken:</div>
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1 lb chicken (I used boneless breasts, but you may use what you prefer)</div>
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1 1/4 c of the sauce (1 batch basically)</div>
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1 tsp lemon zest</div>
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2 Tbsp lemon juice</div>
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1/2 tsp salt</div>
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1/4 tsp basil</div>
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1/4 tsp oregano</div>
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Any other seasonings you prefer - I added thyme</div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><b><u>Recipe:</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span></div>
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To make the sauce:</div>
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In a saucepan, add the margarine, mushrooms and onion. Saute until mushroom are fairly cooked.</div>
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Add in the flour and salt and stir and cook until bubbly.</div>
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Add milk with a whisk and cook just until it's thickened and smooth.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hXNPNTzVuok/VDgkz-ptCJI/AAAAAAAADnM/EB6ZrgDo7VA/s1600/IMG_1882.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hXNPNTzVuok/VDgkz-ptCJI/AAAAAAAADnM/EB6ZrgDo7VA/s1600/IMG_1882.jpg" height="287" width="400" /></a></div>
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To make chicken:</div>
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Preheat oven to 325 degrees</div>
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Place cleaned chicken in a glass pan (I used a 9x9 square).</div>
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Combine the mushroom sauce with the rest of your ingredients and poor over the chicken.</div>
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Bake uncovered for an hour and 15 minutes. </div>
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Serve with desired sides. It tastes really good with cooked gnocchi!</div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><b><u>Nutrition Info:</u></b></span></div>
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(serving size - 1/4 lb chicken, 4 serving per recipe)</div>
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313 calories</div>
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11 gram fat</div>
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3 gram sat fat</div>
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11 gram carbs</div>
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4 gram sugar</div>
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37 gram protein</div>
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This was a super delicious dish, and the addition of the herbs and lemon to the sauce made it so amazing - I never would have thought to have done this. If you are too scared to try making the sauce from scratch (But come on! It wasn't that hard) you can buy a can of cream of mushroom soup instead. I am sure it will taste good regardless.</div>
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<br />Have a great weekend all.</div>
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~Lisa</div>
Lisa-24-7http://www.blogger.com/profile/04346850898084786458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1815574024478086900.post-89229083155579604512014-10-04T17:58:00.002-07:002014-10-04T17:58:43.377-07:00Recipe: Pineapple-Coconut (whole wheat) MuffinsTonight's recipe is one that I tried about a year ago and never got around to making again. I popped open my cookbook tonight and decided to give it another go.<br />
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<span style="color: orange; font-size: large;"><b><u>Pineapple-Coconut Muffins<br /></u></b></span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lc1Ux_MUTko/VDCUHIv8kfI/AAAAAAAADmo/YNs-ou0TdcM/s1600/IMG_3631.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lc1Ux_MUTko/VDCUHIv8kfI/AAAAAAAADmo/YNs-ou0TdcM/s1600/IMG_3631.jpg" height="321" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><b><u>Ingredients:</u></b></span></div>
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1 cup white flour</div>
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1 cup wheat flour</div>
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3 tsp baking powder</div>
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1/2 tsp salt</div>
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1/4 honey (or sugar...if you must)</div>
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1/4 softened margarine</div>
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1 large egg</div>
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1 cup crushed pineapple with juice</div>
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1/4-1/3 cup shredded coconut</div>
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coconut sugar (optional)</div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><b><u>Instructions:</u></b></span></div>
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Preheat your oven to 400 degrees</div>
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In a bowl sift/stir together the flours, baking powder and salt. Set aside</div>
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Mix the honey and margarine in a separate bowl and once mixed add the egg.</div>
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Beat well and then stir in the pineapple and coconut.</div>
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Mix the wet ingredients with the dry and stir just until the flour is moist.</div>
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Fill your muffin tins 2/3 of the way full and sprinkle with coconut sugar.</div>
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Bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove from tin as soon as they are ready. </div>
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Best served warm. :) </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SrZdQ6qTQhA/VDCUIefOfTI/AAAAAAAADmw/v4fytMyAQ44/s1600/IMG_3630.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SrZdQ6qTQhA/VDCUIefOfTI/AAAAAAAADmw/v4fytMyAQ44/s1600/IMG_3630.jpg" height="268" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><u><span style="color: orange;">Nutrition Facts:</span></u></b></div>
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<span style="color: orange;">Serving size - 1 muffin</span></div>
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114 calories</div>
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1 g fat</div>
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4738 mg sodium</div>
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24 g carbs</div>
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8 g sugar (but remember, it's from the honey and pineapple)</div>
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3 g protein</div>
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The coconut was something I added to the recipe, and I replaced the sugar with honey. I think I could have baked mine a bit longer (I just did 15 min) but we will see when they cool. Overall, these turned out much better than the last time. I bet there are lots of other things you could add to amp up the flavor!<br /><br />~Lisa</div>
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Lisa-24-7http://www.blogger.com/profile/04346850898084786458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1815574024478086900.post-64874515385562526342014-09-26T18:20:00.001-07:002014-09-26T18:20:20.106-07:00Recipe: Sweet Potato with Onion and DillI have another quick and healthy meal to share with you today. A friend turned me onto the idea of sweet potato with dill about a year ago and ever since I've been experimenting with it. Tonight I want to share my experiment.<br />
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<b><u><span style="color: orange; font-size: large;">Sweet Potatoes with Onion and Dill</span></u></b></div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><u><b>Ingredients:</b></u></span></div>
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1 sweet potato, peeled and sliced/chopped</div>
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1/4-1/2 large white onion, chopped</div>
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Dill seasoning*</div>
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Small amount of olive oil </div>
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*You can used dried or fresh. Or a mixture. I have a special blend I bought that has dill, parsley, caraway, lemon, and garlic in it.</div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><b><u>Instructions:</u></b></span></div>
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Spray/sprinkle pan with olive oil. </div>
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Add your potatoes and onion to the pan and begin to sautee</div>
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Once it starts cooking, add the seasoning and any extra oil you desire</div>
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<br />Stir frequently. Sweet potatoes do take a while to get tender, and it's up to you how soft you want them. </div>
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When done, serve as a side or main dish. I really like them with pork chops, or as pictured with an egg/cheese burrito. </div>
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<b><u><span style="color: orange;">Nutrition:</span></u></b></div>
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<span style="color: orange;">Serving size: 1 potato and 1/2 onion</span></div>
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232 calories</div>
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2g fat </div>
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80 mg sodium</div>
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49 g carbs</div>
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15 g sugar (mostly natural from potato)</div>
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6 g protein</div>
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These are so tasty, I find myself desiring them quite frequently. What do you normally do with your sweet potatoes?<br /><br />~Lisa</div>
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Lisa-24-7http://www.blogger.com/profile/04346850898084786458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1815574024478086900.post-34248228130678211322014-09-15T08:34:00.000-07:002014-09-15T08:36:13.079-07:00Whole Wheat Honey Pancakes <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
It's been awhile since I updated on here again, but I have good excuses. Moving to Texas is the main one. </div>
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But seriously, I have a back stock of things I have been meaning to post so hopefully I can get back into it again. For today I want to share with you a variation on one of my mom's recipes. These are definitely one of my favorite breakfast foods when I am in the mood to exert the effort to make them! </div>
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<span style="color: orange; font-size: large;"><b><u>Whole Wheat Honey Pancakes </u></b></span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-afSXT4F8Mng/VBcC23nELRI/AAAAAAAADkA/ksVYIMBa3_c/s1600/IMG_3020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-afSXT4F8Mng/VBcC23nELRI/AAAAAAAADkA/ksVYIMBa3_c/s1600/IMG_3020.jpg" height="277" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><u><b>Ingredients:</b></u></span></div>
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<span style="color: orange;">(this is for a single batch, I generally double the recipe)</span></div>
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1/2 cup whole wheat flour</div>
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1/2 cup white flour</div>
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1 Tbsp honey (can add more to taste)</div>
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2 tsp baking powder</div>
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1/4 tsp salt</div>
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1 large egg</div>
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1 cup milk (can add more or less depending on how thick you like yours)</div>
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2 tsp oil (or melted butter)</div>
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Toppings of choice! </div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><b><u>Instructions:</u></b></span></div>
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Combine dry ingredients first, then add the wet ingredients. Stir just to mix. </div>
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Let sit a few minutes for the baking powder to rise (thus making fluffier pancakes)</div>
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Turn your griddle onto high (or your stove/pan). Pour mixture onto surface once hot. Size doesn't matter, but since the dough tends to be thick, watch out because they can get really dense if you made too big!</div>
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Cook evenly on both sides then remove from heat and enjoy!</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HbLtW8h6LNk/VBcDbs4czoI/AAAAAAAADkM/pM8-Ie_3I5M/s1600/Image09142014101556.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HbLtW8h6LNk/VBcDbs4czoI/AAAAAAAADkM/pM8-Ie_3I5M/s1600/Image09142014101556.jpg" height="400" width="328" /></a></div>
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I highly recommend topping these with real maple syrup or natural honey. They're even better with bananas and raisins :) </div>
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<b><u><span style="color: orange;">Alterations:</span></u></b></div>
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If you wish, you can change your flour amounts around. I like to do 1/2 cup wheat, 1/4 cup white, and 1/4 cup oatmeal. You can also do 3/4 wheat and 1/4 white, or try other flours also!</div>
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They taste really good with mix-ins, like raisins! I bet they'd be amazing with chocolate chips also.</div>
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Experiment and have fun. No matter how you like your pancakes, I am sure they'll be delicious!</div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><u><b>Nutritional Info: </b></u></span></div>
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<span style="color: orange;">(per serving. One serving - approx 2 large pancakes)</span></div>
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445 calories </div>
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19g fat </div>
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865 mg sodium</div>
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56 g carbs</div>
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15 g sugar (Before syrup/toppings)</div>
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15 g protein</div>
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So not the greatest, but way better (ingredient wise anyway) than standard pancakes.</div>
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Happy Monday everyone!</div>
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<br />Lisa-24-7http://www.blogger.com/profile/04346850898084786458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1815574024478086900.post-39054047817880907342014-08-20T08:29:00.003-07:002014-08-20T08:29:55.806-07:00Wednesday Recipe: Easy Breakfast ScrambleIt seems like a good time to share another yummy recipe I concocted with you guys! <div>
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As we all should know, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. And also that time when we are supposed to eat the most of our calories (but I bet most of us don't actually do that!). So I have been messing around with changing my breakfast meals up and came up with this super simple breakfast egg scramble that I find both delicious and easy!</div>
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<span style="color: orange; font-size: large;"><b><u>Easy Breakfast Scramble</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><u><b>Ingredients:</b></u></span>2 large grade A eggs (or whatever eggs you have in the cabinet).</div>
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Milk to taste (I generally just use a tablespoon)</div>
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Organic Spinach (about 1/4 - 1/2 cup)</div>
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Grated Cheddar Cheese (about 1/4 cup)</div>
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Organic Baby Tomatoes (about 4 - 5, cut in half)</div>
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Whatever other things you want to mix in. I have used ham/lunchmeat and fresh pepper before.</div>
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Cooking spray (to spray the pan, if needed)</div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><b><u>Instructions:</u></b></span></div>
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Spray your pan, and add the 2 eggs plus the milk. Turn the burner onto high and watch for it to begin cooking.</div>
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Stir eggs as they cook and turn down heat if needed.</div>
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Once they start to fluff up, begin adding other ingredients (generally, it's best to wait until eggs are all but done)</div>
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After adding ingredients, continue cooking so that cheese melts and veggies get cooked/warmed a bit. </div>
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Transfer to plate, sprinkle with extra cheese if desired, and enjoy!</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NFVQtdYfMhA/U_S72ofk0gI/AAAAAAAADgk/W6R_Y5ihI7A/s1600/IMG_2996.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NFVQtdYfMhA/U_S72ofk0gI/AAAAAAAADgk/W6R_Y5ihI7A/s1600/IMG_2996.jpg" height="391" width="400" /></a></div>
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Even better with a bowl of cereal and fresh fruit!</div>
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<b><u><span style="color: orange;">Nutritional Info:</span></u></b><br /><span style="color: orange;">(per serving; one serving - 1 recipe)</span></div>
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256 calories </div>
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16 g fat (mostly from eggs)</div>
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302 mg sodium</div>
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8 g carbs</div>
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7 g sugar </div>
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19 g protein</div>
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This is really one of my favorite things to make on the weekends for breakfast. It's so simple and so fast. And tastes so good. And the cleanup is easy also. I hope you have a chance to try it - let me know if you find any yummy ingredients!<br /><br />~Lisa </div>
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Lisa-24-7http://www.blogger.com/profile/04346850898084786458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1815574024478086900.post-32282516388060912022014-08-12T08:16:00.002-07:002014-08-12T08:16:21.099-07:00Product Review: The VeggettiDisclaimer: I am not getting paid/compensated for this review. It is all a matter of personal opinion and I by no means am endorsing the product.<br />
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Today, I wanted to take a moment to share with you a cool kitchen gadget I <strike>impulse bought</strike> invested in this past week. Every time I go into Walmart (which isn't often, trust me), I see this product by the checkouts and finally just decided to buy one.<br />
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Introducing <a href="http://buyveggetti.com/Default.asp?bhcp=1">the Veggetti</a>! This cool little funnel like contraption claims it will turn vegetables into spaghetti like strands. I have tried zucchini 'pasta' once before and loved it. Plus the idea of pasta without the carbs had me intrigued.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OT63XPRuI3U/U-oszOyVBKI/AAAAAAAADfI/e9r45xcxWJw/s1600/IMG_3081.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OT63XPRuI3U/U-oszOyVBKI/AAAAAAAADfI/e9r45xcxWJw/s1600/IMG_3081.jpg" height="319" width="320" /></a></div>
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So I decided to make zucchini pesto pasta this week for my lunches - what better way to try it out then with the main vegetable it emphasizes?<br />
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Upon opening up the package and reading the instructions, we learn that it has two sides, one for thin noodles and one for thick. I decided to try the thick side for yesterday's lunch. The instructions are fairly simple: Place your vegetable in the hole for the desired side and twist. The noodles will come out the slot on the side. You will likely have to pull them apart with your hands a bit, but for the most part it's fairly simple to use.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TsyF2vTOsys/U-otZ6ch9wI/AAAAAAAADfQ/eAFUEsz9lBA/s1600/IMG_3083.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TsyF2vTOsys/U-otZ6ch9wI/AAAAAAAADfQ/eAFUEsz9lBA/s1600/IMG_3083.jpg" height="318" width="320" /></a></div>
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Once your vegetable gets low, it comes with a pusher/lid to help finish the rest off, but of course that still doesn't get the very bottom. So I ended up with an end cone of zucchini that I couldn't make noodles with. Instead of throwing away, I just cut it up and added it to my other vegetables. </div>
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The instructions also say that once you finish up the whole vegetable you should bunch it up and cut it all in half to make it more manageable, but I found that it was fine long also. </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1gMinXclA7w/U-ougMUhT0I/AAAAAAAADfk/GSF9VIDtvqA/s1600/IMG_30861.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1gMinXclA7w/U-ougMUhT0I/AAAAAAAADfk/GSF9VIDtvqA/s1600/IMG_30861.jpg" height="262" width="320" /></a></div>
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After you have finished up your noodles, there are several things you can do with them. You can eat them raw (like on salads and such), boil them like pasta, or stir fry/saute them. I decided to just boil mine like pasta. The best part is that you don't have to boil for more than 2-3 minutes, which is nice. </div>
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While those were boiling, I cooked up some chicken and other veggies. I decided to top the noodles with those and some homemade pesto sauce (recipe to come soon!). </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qWjczazBe28/U-oufMBXnMI/AAAAAAAADfc/-XmhMC6hkcU/s1600/IMG_3089.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qWjczazBe28/U-oufMBXnMI/AAAAAAAADfc/-XmhMC6hkcU/s1600/IMG_3089.jpg" height="292" width="320" /></a></div>
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Overall, I think that I will continue to use this for a while. I do like that I can make low carb lunches so easily, and still get filled up. I want to try it with marinara sauce - pesto didn't go quite so well with it all. My only quam it that little end piece. I also am not sure how this cleans up (my mom did the dishes that night so I'll have to ask her). </div>
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<b style="color: orange; font-size: x-large;"><u>Lisa's Review:</u></b></div>
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<b>All points out of 10 (1 lowest)</b></div>
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Usefulness: 9</div>
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Ease of use: 7</div>
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Price Point: 5 ( $14.99 at Walmart is a bit steep to me)</div>
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Clean up: 5 (may change after I mess with it more)</div>
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Tastiness: 10 ( I would def add seasoning to the water!)</div>
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Would I buy this again?: Yes, if it were cheaper. </div>
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I hope you enjoyed this review. Feel free to ask any and all questions you have about this product. It may seem like a gimmick, but it really is a cool little gadget for all those vegan/paleo/vegetarians/dieters out there. </div>
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~Lisa</div>
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<br />Lisa-24-7http://www.blogger.com/profile/04346850898084786458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1815574024478086900.post-52473094089073614702014-08-05T06:21:00.001-07:002014-08-05T06:21:56.097-07:00Healthy(er) Chocolate Coconut CakeAbout a month ago I was in my local health food store and found an organic cake mix on a clearance rack. Given my obsession with all things chocolate, I decided to pick it up. It's been sitting in the pantry since, mostly because I have been just too busy to care. But I had last Friday off, and decided to see what I could come up with.<br />
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<b><u><span style="color: orange; font-size: x-large;">Healthy(er) Chocolate Coconut Cake</span></u></b></div>
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<b><u><span style="color: orange; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></u></b></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-p4C-d2bteUw/U-BSDXzdrAI/AAAAAAAADdA/DdzHBzR-ZWI/s1600/IMG_3014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-p4C-d2bteUw/U-BSDXzdrAI/AAAAAAAADdA/DdzHBzR-ZWI/s1600/IMG_3014.jpg" height="444" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><u><span style="color: orange;">Ingredients:</span></u></b></div>
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1 chocolate cake mix ( I bet it would work with any kind, but why not go organic? I used <a href="http://www.madhavasweeteners.com/baking-mixes/organic-baking-mixes/">Madhava</a>)</div>
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1 cup coconut milk (or whatever amount the box calls for)</div>
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1/2 cup coconut oil (or whatever amount the box calls for)</div>
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3 eggs (or whatever amount the box calls for)</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mmXAG0JCBec/U-BR-oYiwmI/AAAAAAAADcw/fyv3AqLIkNI/s1600/mixes-choccake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mmXAG0JCBec/U-BR-oYiwmI/AAAAAAAADcw/fyv3AqLIkNI/s1600/mixes-choccake.jpg" height="400" width="299" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><u><b>Instructions:</b></u></span></div>
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Preheat oven according to box. For mine, it's 325.</div>
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If needed, melt your coconut oil in the microwave (no more than 30sec should do it). </div>
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After you have the melted oil, mix all the ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Make sure you get it mixed really good so the oil doesn't separate.</div>
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Pour into a greased cake pan. (I greased my pan with more coconut oil)</div>
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Bake as instructed, for mine it was 35 minutes</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9TpUrpNl-ME/U-BSC6uGg4I/AAAAAAAADc4/hIraQMrG1F0/s1600/IMG_2989.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9TpUrpNl-ME/U-BSC6uGg4I/AAAAAAAADc4/hIraQMrG1F0/s1600/IMG_2989.jpg" height="268" width="400" /></a></div>
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Allow to cool at least 10 minutes before removing from pan (if you plan to remove from pan). </div>
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Allow to cool at least an hour before frosting.</div>
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So frosting is another story. I mean, what's the point of a "Healthy" cake if you buy that hydrogenated, trans-fat laden Pillsbury frosting at the grocery store? I went in search of the perfect frosting for this cake and struck gold.</div>
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<span style="color: orange; font-size: x-large;"><b><u>Chocolate/Coconut Frosting:</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><u><b>Ingredients:</b></u></span></div>
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1/2 cup dutch cocoa powder</div>
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1/4 cup coconut oil (softened)</div>
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1 Tbsp raw honey or pure maple syrup</div>
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1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract</div>
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pinch of sea salt (although I did not use this because we didn't have any)</div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><b><u>Instructions:</u></b></span></div>
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Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl and pour/spread over cooled cake. </div>
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Top with shredded coconut, sea salt, strawberries, fruit, etc. </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5Jmk4qt13fM/U-DZMFLRVtI/AAAAAAAADdQ/w9I85eeCTB4/s1600/IMG_3011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5Jmk4qt13fM/U-DZMFLRVtI/AAAAAAAADdQ/w9I85eeCTB4/s1600/IMG_3011.jpg" height="320" width="400" /></a></div>
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I think my favorite part of this cake was eating it. After refrigerating for a bit to stiffen the frosting, it became more like a dense chocolate bar and less like a cake. It has so much texture and flavor. My sister says she thinks it really tastes like coconut. Even my dad liked this, and he's usually only into traditional recipes. In my book, that's a seal of approval. Just watch out - coconut oil has quite a bit of saturated fat, the good kind, but still. Overall, I think I will probably find myself making most of my cake mixes (organic or not) this way again. I wonder what vanilla would taste like?<br />
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~LisaLisa-24-7http://www.blogger.com/profile/04346850898084786458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1815574024478086900.post-70317502102111977562014-08-02T09:44:00.003-07:002014-08-02T09:44:44.746-07:00Citrus Chicken with Garlic-Parm Potatoes and Steamed GreenbeansI have decided to start a new on the whole food blogging thing. I've been doing so many different things in my kitchen lately that it just makes sense.<br />
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Expect lots of great things to come! Including, but not limited to, recipe sharing, cooking/kitchen tips, food reviews and my ramblings about all things foodie.<br />
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Let's start with a recipe!<br />
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<b><span style="color: orange; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Citrus Rubbed Chicken</span></b></div>
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(served with garlic-parm potatoes and steamed organic green beans)</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HWrjHT-48PM/U9w4OXJcZyI/AAAAAAAADa8/HX65kFbQD3M/s1600/IMG_2988.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HWrjHT-48PM/U9w4OXJcZyI/AAAAAAAADa8/HX65kFbQD3M/s1600/IMG_2988.jpg" height="443" width="640" /></a></div>
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This is a recipe I found via pinterest. For the original, visit <a href="https://blog.etsy.com/en/2013/eatsy-citrus-roasted-whole-chicken/">Eatsy</a>. </div>
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<b><u><span style="color: orange;">Ingredients:</span></u></b></div>
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Chicken pieces, at least the equivalent of a whole chicken, but you can generally fit two whole chickens in a large pan. I used Simple Truth free range chicken, but you can use any you like. </div>
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1 tablespoon of salt (we just used the basic table salt)</div>
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2 teaspoons of paprika (or more/less to taste)</div>
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1 teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)</div>
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2 lemons (to zest and juice)</div>
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1 large orange (to zest and juice)</div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><b><u>Instructions:</u></b></span></div>
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Preheat your oven to 400 degrees</div>
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Mix together your citrus zests with the paprika, salt and pepper. Combine well. It will be a bit "sticky"</div>
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Clean your chicken and place in a baking pan. It will cook better if the pan is packed pretty full. </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fDKyYoGGPEI/U90THx4b52I/AAAAAAAADbc/86z9uEEnwyU/s1600/IMG_2963.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fDKyYoGGPEI/U90THx4b52I/AAAAAAAADbc/86z9uEEnwyU/s1600/IMG_2963.jpg" height="228" width="400" /></a></div>
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Apply your zest mixture to the top/sides of your chicken. Rub in the best you can. </div>
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Cut the lemons and orange into wedges, and squeeze a bit of juice over the top of the chicken. Place the wedges in the pan and under the chicken for added flavor.</div>
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If desired, let the chicken marinate for an hour or so.</div>
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Roast your chicken in the oven at 400 degrees for about an hour, or until it is no longer pink all the way through (165 degrees is a good temperature). The fuller the pan, the longer it will take to cook (ours took about 90 minutes).</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xYVEdL7DDtg/U90T2Hb00aI/AAAAAAAADbk/bba5fdpoQFc/s1600/IMG_2984.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xYVEdL7DDtg/U90T2Hb00aI/AAAAAAAADbk/bba5fdpoQFc/s1600/IMG_2984.jpg" height="277" width="400" /></a></div>
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Remove from oven and let it cool a bit before serving.</div>
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The chicken should juice up pretty well as it cooks, this juice is great spooned on top as you eat, as well as squeezing more oranges/lemons on top.<br />
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<u><b><span style="color: orange;">Nutrition info:</span></b></u></div>
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<span style="color: orange;">(per serving, serving size: 1/4 chicken)</span></div>
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44 calories </div>
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1 g fat</div>
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18 mg cholesterol</div>
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2546 mg sodium</div>
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91 mg potassium</div>
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2 g carbs</div>
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2 g fiber</div>
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0 g sugar (unless you count small amount from juicing)</div>
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7 g protein</div>
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13% daily vitamin a</div>
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15% daily vitamin c</div>
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2% daily calcium</div>
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4% daily iron</div>
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If you're looking for a great full meal, I highly recommend my go-to <a href="http://damndelicious.net/2014/03/21/garlic-parmesan-fries/">Parmesan potatoes recipe</a>. If you use fresh grated parm and good quality olive oil, they turn out superb. For veggies, you can't go wrong with organic steamed green beans or broccoli.</div>
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I hope you enjoyed my first new post. I can't wait to share more amazing food adventures with you all!</div>
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~Lisa<br />
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Lisa-24-7http://www.blogger.com/profile/04346850898084786458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1815574024478086900.post-76546913114368839522013-06-05T07:36:00.002-07:002013-06-05T07:36:49.459-07:00Pineapple Chicken Stir-FryIt's been awhile since I used this blog. But I have decided to start again, because I want to share recipes with you all! One of my summer goals is to try 1 new recipe a week.
Last week's recipe?<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Chicken-Pineapple Stir-fry!</span></b></div>
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<a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v377/L2k6000/SAM_0003_zps220ae457.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v377/L2k6000/SAM_0003_zps220ae457.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><b>Ingredients: </b></span></div>
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Chicken Breast (2 - 3, cut into strips)</div>
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1 onion, halved and sliced</div>
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1 cup celery, cut</div>
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1 green pepper, cut into strips</div>
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2 cups of pineapple tidbits or chunks (1 large can)</div>
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2 teaspoons cornstarch</div>
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1/2 teaspoon cinnamon</div>
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11/2 teaspoon soy sauce</div>
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2 Tablespoons margarine or oil. </div>
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Other veggies of choice (I did green beans)</div>
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<b>What to do:</b></div>
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1)Make sauce: combine the juice from the pineapple can, cornstarch, cinnamon, and soy sauce. Set aside.</div>
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2)Over high heat with oil or margarine, saute strips of chicken; sprinkle with salt and stir constantly for 3 minutes</div>
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3)Add onion, celery and pepper, (and any other veggies that may take a bit of cooking). Stir for 2 minutes</div>
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4) Add pineapple tidbits (and any veggies that don't take awhile to cook), the the juice mixture. Stir and bring to a boil. </div>
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5) Reduce heat and cook until just clear.</div>
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My mom says she wants to double the sauce, but it's really up to you. Although cinnamon sounds odd, it really does taste good! I hope you enjoyed my recipe sharing for the week!<br />
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~Lisa</div>
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Lisa-24-7http://www.blogger.com/profile/04346850898084786458noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1815574024478086900.post-31784554924079220632012-08-20T13:49:00.001-07:002012-08-20T13:49:48.532-07:00Improv Chicken ParmA few weeks ago I had a pack of chicken breasts in my freezer, as well as pasta and sauce in the cabinet. I knew I wanted to do chicken parmesan, but was sick of just grilling the chicken. So I looked through one of my cookbooks and found a breaded chicken strip recipe. Deciding to work from that, I created my own variation with Italian seasonings!<br />
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I started the way my recipe said, with flour. After that I added dried basil and oregano, as well as some grated mozzarella I had in my fridge. If I was going to do it again, I wouldn't add the mozzerella, but use parmesan instead. </div>
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Next up I cracked an egg into a bowl and mixed it with a just a small amount of milk. I then dipped the chicken into this mixture, followed by the flour/cheese mixture and then into the skillet, which I had poured a bit of olive oil into (regular oil works too). </div>
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There are a few pieces that I know I burned, but it was really hard to gauge with the breading on it. Overall, I think I did a good job. </div>
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While those were frying, the pasta was boiling, because what is chicken parm without pasta?!?!</div>
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And the end result chicken. It actually tasted really good! Even the burned bits turns out well. </div>
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End result? One amazing tasting meal!<br /><br />~Lisa</div>
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<br />Lisa-24-7http://www.blogger.com/profile/04346850898084786458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1815574024478086900.post-46355829829634603292012-08-13T17:39:00.001-07:002012-08-13T17:39:21.506-07:00Pasta sauce solutionsSorry I haven't posted much, this is still a new blog to me and I am getting the bugs worked out.<br />
<br />Today I wanted to share something I like to do on a college student's budgets for some of my meals: Pasta!<br /><br />
Now, as someone who is trying to stay healthy, I like to do marinara, because it has next to nothing bad in it (if you get the right kind). But it also usually isn't the best by itself either. To save money, I always buy the cans of Hunts for $1 at Dillons, then doctor them up myself.<br />
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For me, doctoring up pasta sauce usually just involves a bit of Italian seasoning (mixture of basil, oregano, rosemary) but tonight I figured why not try adding garlic too? </div>
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And while I'm at it, why not parmesan cheese? </div>
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Take all of those, plus a pound of ground beef, and mix into the sauce over medium heat.<br />
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Serve with pasta and a veggie and you are good to go!</div>
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Pasta is one of those meals I can get away with for under $5 for a whole week's worth, so I like to do it a lot. As long as I stick with healthy sauce and wheat pasta I am not doing to bad on the diet either. What do you like to put in your pasta sauce ?<br />
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~LisaLisa-24-7http://www.blogger.com/profile/04346850898084786458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1815574024478086900.post-89345070524549087682012-08-08T04:53:00.002-07:002012-08-08T04:53:24.656-07:00Salmon Adventures<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Good Morning! I just have to share with you what I made for dinner last night! It was so yummy. :)</div>
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<a href="http://greenlitebites.com/2010/07/15/salmon-cilantro-lime-rice-kale/">Summer Salmon over Cilantro-Lime Rice with Kale</a></div>
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Salmon is a great meal for anyone looking for their Omega-3 fatty acids, as well as the protein and amino acid content. Overall, salmon is considered one of the healthiest fish you can eat. </div>
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I have had the salmon in my freezer for awhile, I just wasn't sure what to do with it so I put off cooking it. Finally I did some hunting around Pinterest and found a few recipes that sounded good. I settled on this one because it was easy and the ingredients were few and cheap.</div>
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The first thing the recipe calls for in marinating your salmon. It starts with lime juice, which I got fresh via some cheap limes from Farmer's Market. I figured why not? </div>
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2 tsp lime juice,</div>
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2 tsp cilantro (supposed to be dried, but all I had was fresh)</div>
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1 tsp honey </div>
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I actually doubled it since it did not look like enough for the amount of salmon that I had. Once again, being me, I didn't fully measure when I doubled it, I more or less just dropped some cilantro in the mixture and called it good. Recipe for disaster? We'll see. </div>
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The next step is to let the salmon marinate while you prepare the rice. I let it soak in a tupperware container for awhile, as shown below. I attempted to take the skin off part of it, so it would cook better, but that didn't end well for the 2 pieces I had tried, so I left it in tact for the other two. It's so weird to still see scales on my fish though!</div>
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1/2 lb raw kale<br />
1/4 cup cilantro<br />
1 tsp lime juice<br />
pinch of salt<br />
3-4 diced scallions<br />
2 cups cooked brown rice<br />
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Once again, measuring was out the window because I didn't have a scale nor did I care how much kale I had. Never having eaten kale before, I was a bit timid about it anyways. </div>
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Putting the kale and lime juice in a pot, I started to cook it, allowing the kale to wilt. It was already starting to smell amazing!!</div>
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Luckily for me I had a box of brown rice (instant) in my cabinet already, so I prepared that viz microwave. What a pain! It takes FOREVER to cook and then is still a bit tough. Maybe I'll try the stove next time. </div>
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Once I FINALLY got my rice done, I added it, along with the cilantro and did some mixing (you are also supposed to add scallions, but I didn't have any to add so I skipped that step-- where the heck do you find those in the grocery store?!?!)</div>
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By this point my kitchen was beginning to smell amazing and it was finally time to cook the salmon. Pouring a bit of olive oil into the pan, I dropped my salmon fillets and let them cook a bit before flipping over and adding the rest of the marinade. It was basically cooking in the marinade, absorbing as it went, and I think that helped the overall flavor when all was said and done.<br />
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Not really knowing how to tell when salmon is done, I just kept flipping and stirring and flipping and stirring. In the end, I think it was done, or at least I didn't get sick!<br />
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Serving it all up was such a treat! It had taken so long to prepare and smelled so good, that I almost didn't want to eat it. But I did, and you know what?! It was amazing! The perfect balance of sweet and tangy in the salmon, paired with the interested flavors of the the rice lent itself to an amazing dish. If I ever do it again, there are a few things I'd change.</div>
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<li>Less lime juice in the rice.</li>
<li>Watch how much cilantro I add.</li>
<li>Don't attempt to de-skin the salmon.</li>
<li>Add the scallions like it says. </li>
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Paired with broccoli</div>
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One thing you will all come to learn about me is that I tend to cook a lot of one dish. This helps me, being a busy student, in that I can refridgerate the left overs and reheat them all week without having to cook again! So dinner for the rest of the week is this amazing salmon!</div>
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And then...the dishes. Look how many I used in the process. Was it worth it though? Heck yes!</div>
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I hate doing dishes, especially in this little kitchen. But I knocked them out and now my countertop is overloaded with drying dishes! Oh well.<br />
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Happy Wednesday everyone!<br /><br />~Lisa<br />
<br />Lisa-24-7http://www.blogger.com/profile/04346850898084786458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1815574024478086900.post-41507128618634067772012-08-06T17:32:00.000-07:002012-08-06T17:32:36.918-07:00Salsa Explosion!Hello Everyone! Happy Monday!
As my first official post, I wanted to share with you all my adventures in salsa making this past weekend. I was lucky enough to acquire many tomatoes and peppers for free last week and figured why not try? (since I don't like plain tomatoes or peppers anyways)
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With the peppers and tomatoes in toe, I got together the other ingredients I needed for the basic salsa recipe my mom gave me. (note that in the end I DID NOT follow the measurements below)</div>
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<li> 1/4 tsp Oregano</li>
<li>1/2 tsp Garlic powder</li>
<li>1;4 tsp vinegar</li>
<li>cilantro to taste</li>
<li>onions to taste</li>
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I really should have realized from the get go that this wasn't going to end well. Stuff like this never does for me, but I wanted to experiment, and experiment I did.</div>
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Starting the usual way, I chopped up the tomatoes and put them in my bowl, followed by all the other ingredients in their specific amounts. I then started adding peppers at random. I wasn't fully sure what kind of peppers I had, what with them being given to me for free. I knew I had bells, and some larger green long ones, and some small red ones. I started with bell and added a few of the long green ones. I also had some store bought Jalapenos that I decided to add. </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KnFXk_G1FUQ/UCBgnm2bs_I/AAAAAAAABkA/4H9Ho_HA6Zg/s1600/IMG_1647.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KnFXk_G1FUQ/UCBgnm2bs_I/AAAAAAAABkA/4H9Ho_HA6Zg/s400/IMG_1647.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Looks good right?</div>
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This looked really good, really? But somehow it still tasted nasty. I think it was because (as I learned later) the tomatoes I was using were not the kind you should use for salsa and sauces, but more for just eating. Go figure. That and I fell in love with Cilantro, so I think I over added that.</div>
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Thinking maybe, just maybe it would get better, I decided to try blending and grinding it all down in the blender. The result? A somewhat decent tasting salsa that looks like baby puke.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m9i7XIlorG4/UCBhLm6HYdI/AAAAAAAABkI/vokOnJfBxiE/s1600/IMG_1653.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m9i7XIlorG4/UCBhLm6HYdI/AAAAAAAABkI/vokOnJfBxiE/s400/IMG_1653.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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I really does taste all right, but the tomatoes are so acidic that I just don't think my stomach can handle it: two chips yesterday just about killed me! So for now it is sitting in the fridge. It will likely meet Mr. Garbage disposal this week sometime. Still, I learned a lot from this experiment.</div>
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<ol>
<li>Know exactly what types of veggies you are using for things like this.</li>
<li>Always follow instruction amounts of what to add.</li>
<li>Don't use a blender! Or really any type of food processor. When it comes to homemade salsa, chunky is better.</li>
<li>Learn to be O.K. with you mistakes. Things happen, especially when it's the first time. Live and learn.</li>
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I hope you all enjoyed my first post, I can't wait to share more!</div>
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<br />~Lisa</div>
<br />Lisa-24-7http://www.blogger.com/profile/04346850898084786458noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1815574024478086900.post-58797181214298502602012-08-05T20:00:00.003-07:002012-08-05T20:03:44.863-07:00Welcome!Welcome to "Lisa's Tiny Kitchen". You may know me from my other blog, Wicked Artsy, or you may have just stumbled upon me some other way. Either way, welcome.<br />
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This blog is going to be all about the cooking endeavors in the tiny kitchen of my one bedroom apartment. As a college student, my goal is to become a much better cook throughout the year. Part of this goal is to share with you my ideas and recipes, most of which are usually improvised. I hope you will stick around for all the fun I am going to have!<br />
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~LisaLisa-24-7http://www.blogger.com/profile/04346850898084786458noreply@blogger.com1