Entries categorized as ‘dinner’
Ok, so I need to get studying. That’s what I’ve said to myself for the past couple of hours..the past weekend.
Why do I do this to myself…
Anyways, I went for a fast bike ride today–9km. I was DEAD at the end of it. I went out for a run afterwards and just couldn’t get going.
I took four days off this weekend and I think that it’s affected my pysche a bit. I just felt drained today. Totally drained.
I then had 1 1/2 cups of the Potato/Leek/Carrot Soup–freezes well w/ 3/4 c. rice
I also snacked on about 1/2 c. baked beans and 2 bites of chicken.
I need to get back to this–this is going to be my life for two years.
Ok..back at it. Must.Take.Test.Tomorrow.
BUT..before then..here are some great posts you should read:
Alright, I am out. Gotta hit the books. Did you know that there are two types of Endoplasmic Reticulum in your cells?…nevermind….
What is a post/blog that you’ve read lately that you’ve loved? Please let me procrastinate more..I beg of you.
~M
Categories: dinner · food/diet · lunch · recipes · thoughts
Tagged: dinner, life, Recipe, soup, studying
This is the first of six posts from amazing bloggers who are taking my little bloggie hostage. Perhaps I can get some good loot while driving a bus load of Americans Down South. I hope that you enjoy the posts over the next couple of days.
I am SO excited that Joanna from Fitness & Spice is posting for me. She has such great ideas for everything. Also, she has put together this GIGANTIC e-book of blog posts and stories which you can purchase to help support Breast Cancer research.
She’s always been such a lovely and cheery support throughout my blog experience as well as on twitter. I wish I didn’t live in Australia sometimes. I told her that she should make her own pumpkin puree–why not? It’s easy and it’s natural. Have you ever had a pumpkin pie from scratch–you will die and never buy canned pumpkin again!
Here’s a GREAT recipe…I am going to eat my computer screen. ~M
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Pumpkin Olé! ~Joanna, Fitness and Spice
I eat pumpkin all year round. I kid you not. I could eat pumpkin 365 days a year. Just ask my former co-workers who used to roll their eyes at me when I would make pumpkin soufflé in the office microwave for breakfast almost every morning. When I was telling Michelle I was having a hard time finding canned pumpkin puree earlier this month she insisted I could make my own. And guess what? She was right!
Ever since devouring my first batch of homemade pumpkin puree no gourd has been safe! In fact, this weekend, with a little help from Rachel Ray Magazine, I made an amazing recipe using acorn squash. I wanted to share this recipe with you today because I thought about Michelle the entire time I was preparing this dish. Without Michelle’s coaching I would have been busting open a can of puree instead of busting open a relative of my beloved pumpkin.
This soup also reminds me of another conversation I had with Michelle who mentioned she was having a hard time finding good Mexican food in Australia. I don’t think you’ll find a soup exactly like this on any Mexican menu, but I think Mexican restaurants around the globe might reconsider if they had a batch of…
Fitness & Spicy Chili con Chili
- 1 large acorn squash (about 2 pounds), cut into quarters and seeded
- 3 dried red chilies
- Boiling water
- 1 t chili powder
- 3 poblano chilies
- 3 T extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- One 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed
- 1 T chopped fresh oregano
- Salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt (I use Chobani. Learn why I love it here!)
Preheat the broiler. Microwave the squash on medium-high power until fork-tender, about 10 minutes; let cool slightly. Scoop out the flesh and transfer to a food processor; discard the skin.
In a bowl, soak the red chilies in just enough boiling water to cover until softened, about 15 minutes; drain. Discard the stems and seeds. Add the red chiles and the chili powder to the food processor; puree.
Place the poblano chiles on a baking sheet, and broil, turning occasionally, until charred all over. Transfer to a bowl, cover and let sit until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. Discard the stems and seeds, then chop.
In a saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the squash puree, poblanos, black beans, oregano, and 1 cup water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Stir in the Greek yogurt.
I hope you’ll give this recipe a try. It just might squash your need to run to the border!
Categories: dinner · lunch · recipes
Tagged: chili, mexican food, pumpkin, Recipe
Potato Leek Carrot Soup
7 cups
‘honestly, you’ll want to eat the whole thing in one sitting. hearty w/ a touch of sweet’
8-10 very small potatoes or 4-6 medium-large ones, skin on, cut into small chunks
2 huge carrots, cut into thinish circle pieces
2 huge leeks, cut into thinish circle pieces
5-8 cloves or garlic, pressed
2 TB EVOO
2 vegetable (vegan) bouillon cubes
3 1/2 c. of water
1 c. of rice milk (that makes it sweet. you could also use regular milk, cream or soy milk)
1 TB salt, 1 TB pepper
1. In a large sauce pan heat oil and saute garlic and leeks for about 2 minutes
2. Add in carrots w/ about 1/2 c. of water and saute for about 2-3 minutes
3. Add in potatoes and saute about 2-3 minutes
4. Add in water, rice milk and bouillon cubes, salt and pepper
5. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 25-35 minutes–until potatoes and carrots are soft–but not falling apart
6. Take out 1/2 of the soup mixture and blend down in a food processor, blender or with a stick blender
7. Add puree portion back to chunky portion
8. Dig in!
Categories: dinner · lunch · recipes · side dish
Tagged: candida recipe, gluten free, lactose free, potato, Recipe, soup, vegan, vegetarian
Tuna Cakes #2
4 small cakes
4 oz (125ml) canned tuna–the flakes kind is best. drain well
2 tsp salt
pepper
3 TB diced onion
1/4 c. flour
3 TB milk–I used rice milk
2 tsp butter
2 tsp EVOO
1. Mix the tuna, s/p, flour onion and milk together
2. In a large frying pan heat butter and EVOO
3. Separate the tuna mixture into four equal serves and place in the pan like pancake..flatten out
4. Fry for about 3-4 minutes and then flip
Categories: dinner · lunch · recipes
Tagged: dairy free, dinner, gluten free, Recipe, tuna
Today was the end of the audit. It was so good to talk about all of the wonderful things that I do with my job. Watching unsuspecting and naive Americans come over for 41/2 months to discover who they are..is priceless.
To get me through the day I had this awesome lunch of an organic chicken leg/thigh seasoned with Thai seasoning, 1/2 c. rice, and roasted butternut squash.
I snacked on 1/2 c. homemade apple sauce, 1/3. c. rice, 3 TB rice milk and cinnamon
I got home and CRANKED out my THIRD Tri workout.
- 10 minutes of medium-high biking
- 15 intervals: 20 hard, 40 sec medium
I WAS DEAD. My legs are sore and I was tired today. Working out had also made my crave carbs and honestly sugar. I actually think it’s because I am not drinking enough water–living off of coffee at work 
I came home and made such a yummy salad. Look I have a friend visit me.
My salad had:
- Organic corn
- Tuna cakes (4 oz tuna, 3 TB milk S/P, 1/4 c. gf flour–fried in 2 tsp EVOO and 2 tsp butter). It made 4 tuna cakes..I only ate 2 of them.
- I made a dressing 2 tsp Tahini and 1 tsp rice milk and 1 tsp EVOO.
- JALAPENOS!!!!!!
I got a SWIMMING SUIT today & goggles and an awesome swimming cap.
I am starting my swimming tomorrow–YIKES! I love this suit because the back zips up!
Who really likes to try on a swimming suit?
However, after my post this morning about ending fat talk and starting LOVE talk I said to myself: ‘You know what Michelle, this suit is gonna look even better after all of your tri workouts.’
I hope that you help to support Fat Talk Free Week it’s such an important thing to do.
I am off to watch Gossip Girl and spread the love of my baking binge 
Anzac Biscuits..if you haven’t tried them..then you should!
what’s you favourite thing to bake?
~M
Categories: dinner · exercise · food/diet · health · recipes · thoughts
Tagged: baking, swimming, working out
Man today has been one of those days when I’ve had to PEEL myself out bed all day long. Ever have one of those days?
After today’s running around, grocery shopping and cooking–I was POOPED! I crawled into bed and took a 1 1/2 hour nap–who am I?
I woke up and got going on my TRIATHLON training program. Three weeks from today I will be doing my first ‘mini tri’–HOLY GOD!
I was ECSTATIC about the whole run. I did the following:
- 10 minutes run
- 1 min walk
- 10 minutes run
It was a bit hard at the end. I haven’t done that in awhile, but honestly I am SO excited about doing this. I am challenging myself to do things that I would have NEVER done before.I wanted to cry a bit when I started running. It felt F-ing awesome to be running. It felt so good to be doing something that I want to DO!
After my run I was hungry for something light. Salad w/ 1/4 avo/ 1.c. roasted butternut squash/1 roasted carrot/cuc/tom/2 TB skinny hummus/ 2TB salsa. I love adding hummus as a dressing. It’s divine!
Tomorrow I have some AWESOME news about friends and family joining me in my fitness adventures…I am REALLY excited to say that least.
What is your favourite salad topping?
~M
Follow me training here
Follow me eating here
Follow me tweeting here
Categories: dinner · exercise · food/diet · recipes
Tagged: running, salad, triathlon training
Last night I was SO tired that I couldn’t possibly muster up the strength to blog…so this is what I gots up to yesterday.
I work in an office of about 10 people..so well decided that we wanted to go out for lunch. We headed over to Little Creatures. It’s this funky brewery that draws in tons of people and does a great job of catering to huge groups of people.
My crazy co-workers
Food: I ordered a porotbello mushroom sandwhich. I didn’t eat the bread and only ate about 1/2 of the fries. I was really REALLY proud of myself. I just ate until I was full.
My co-workers pizza with anchoives..SICK
I then went over to Ervina’s to have what us Americans called ‘Chinese Fondue’. First some of my great friends–Julie and Nicole and Ervina and I
How does Chinese Fondue work? You throw all of this into a big of chicken stock.
Those white things are amazing. They are pork filled yumminess. The brown balls are vegetable balls–they are also amazing. The crab stick things I am not too sure that I would like and I LOVED them.
Wait, there’s more!
See those monsters ont the right..they’re headed prawns..SICK. Chinese cabbage, mushrooms and tofu. YUMMY!
What do you do? Throw it all in the pot together.
This is what it ends up looking like.
This is my bowl. Well I may have had about four of the..they are small..and man were they delicious.
I even be-headed four of those bad boys..yes..they do look like they are looking at you. SICK.
An awesome cake which Julie made..I only had two bites.
Nicole and I then headed to a baseball game..she has a ‘friend’ who plays. Cute.
I had such a great night. I didn’t over-eat. I didn’t feel like I needed anything more than to enjoy the people who I was around. I hope that you all had/are having a great Friday Night.
I am off to meet up with a friend..I have BIG news to share with you later on today..yikes…a big life changer..yikes.
Have you ever had to de-head a prawn before?
~M
Categories: dessert · dinner · food/diet · lunch · thoughts
Tagged: thoughts, life, dinner, chinese food, baseball game
Tonight I decided that it would be a good use of my time to cook for TWENTY hungry vultures as I call them.
What do you make for 20 hungry American Study Abroad students?
Homemade Hummus w/ Olive Oil Basil roasted bread w/ rice crackers
The Mexican Pile Up! It’s basically nachos w/ salad–somewhat healthy…right?
That’s five bags of chips—they almost ate six of them.
Finished product–I am SO FULL!
Then I made Pig Lickin’ Cake! It’s amazing..you should make it..you wont regret it AT ALL!
Even nicole likes it!
I have over eaten tonight…that is how I kinda feel right now..thank Nic!
Check out my new page and challenge–’Un-Stuff This Turkey’. You don’t have to do what I am doing–but challenge yourself to do something til Thanksgiving. Are you gonna make this five weeks count or not?
I am off to go and get my pink yoga mat laid out..positive routines…here I come!
Have you ever cooked for more than your family before? What did you think?
~M
Categories: dessert · dinner · thoughts
Tagged: cooking, family, life, thoughts
Hey there,
I told myself this week that I was going to put myself on a budget. I honestly have never had to put myself on a budget before. However, now that I am going back to school I have to think about clamping down on spending.
This starts w/ food…well I have to eat. And I have to eat healthy—I can’t eat Dairy, Gluten or processed sugars. So, Ramen Noodles, cheap frozen meals, pizza, etc. OUT the window if not for my health..but for my waist as well.
So, how do you eat healthy and stay on a budget?
- First: Start with what you have.
- Second: Get some books, look up recipes, get inspired
- Third: Plan of attack
- Four: Shop w/ a list and don’t get distracted
So here’s my grid of what I’ve eaten today (Sunday) until Friday of this week.
I have to admit, I like to cook. So I can throw things together. However, I KNOW that there are some of you who don’t have it that easy and/or don’t know where to begin.
Don’t panic here are some great sites which might help you with recipes:
- My own recipes page — has everything labelled for Dairy/Candida/Veg/Vegan/Gluten Free
- Tasty Kitchen — has gluten, dairy and sugar free tabs
- Allrecipes.com –great place to punch in the ingredients that you have and things you don’t have…then it will crank out all the recipes which you can cook with.
- Dawn @ Menu for the week is a great place to start. You even get a whole weeks worth of menus, awesome!
- FeastontheCheap — GREAT recipes broken down by cost.
- MyRecipes — another great recipe website with tons different categories
Sometimes the hardest thing is to get started. I think that the best thing to do is to do things that you know and then start venturing out. If you haven’t or have loved cooking–don’t try to out do yourself. I think that many times, especially if you’re cooking for other people, it’s more that you’re cooking for them…not about blowing their socks off.
Enjoy planning this week, your food. I love planning food. Let me tell you, I spent about 1/2 as much money this week, because I have things planned out. Not only that, but it means that I only have what I need. Which reduces over-eating and eating when I shouldn’t.
So, what are you going to plan this week?
~M
Categories: Breakfast · dinner · food/diet · health · list · lunch · recipes · weight
Tagged: candida, candida cooking, cooking, dairy free, food, gluten free, meal planning, recipes
