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Category: Dieting
Almonds Rock!
I love almonds! They are easily thrown into my Vitamix to make almond meal, almond flour or almond butter to spread on my morning toast, added to my smoothies to add healthy fat & as a protein boost, and, as it turns out, they are great for your health!
I’m going into the kitchen now to grab a bowl to munch on during the football games. A much healthier alternative to our usual chips & dip!
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Best Way To Cook Cauliflower Rice
Anyone who has tried to diet, lose a few pounds, or who just wants to cut down on the many, many carbohydrates in the average American diet has likely heard of substituting white rice with cauliflower grated down into a low-calorie, gluten-free rice substitute that is also a good source of protein, fiber, and vitamins C, K, and B6.
I have yet to master “cauliflower rice.” The methods I have used so far have left me with either a pile of mush (something close to Cream of Wheat) or rock hard mini chunks that in no way resemble rice…UG!
Thankfully the test kitchen at epicurious.com did the hard work of trying out the many methods we’ve all seen on pinterest and gave us the method that they found to be the best tasting and closest in consistency to rice so that home cooks like me can stop screwing it up so badly. The one thing that they did note, for consistency, was that they added olive oil to all preparations (except raw).
The following is taken directly from the article found at http://www.epicurious.com: The Best Way to Make Cauliflower Rice; by KATHERINE SACKS 04.22.16
COOKING METHOD 1: NONE
They tasted the grated cauliflower in its natural state, as it is sometimes added to couscous-like salads raw and simply tossed with a rich, acidic dressing that helps break down some of its tough structure. But although the raw form is the easiest—no cooking required—it had a crunch that was too vegetable-like to approximate rice.
Epinion: Raw cauliflower rice is crunchy, and works to add texture to a salad, but it doesn’t mimic cooked rice.
COOKING METHOD 2: STEAMED IN CHEESECLOTH
Steaming the grated cauliflower is the most minimal cooking process. But since the cauliflower granules are so small, they had to use several layers of cheesecloth to hold the cauliflower in the steamer basket. The texture here was great, and the flavor was clean and fresh, very similar to the blank canvas of white rice. But removing the tiny cauliflower pieces from the cheesecloth was a pain, and some cauliflower rice was lost in the process.
Epinion: This process yields great results, but it’s too fussy.
COOKING METHOD 3: STEAMED IN WATER, THEN GRATED
They then tried steaming the whole cauliflower florets first, using a traditional steamer basket set into a medium-sized pot. Once cooled, the cooked cauliflower was grated. Although this greatly simplified the process, the cauliflower rice tasted waterlogged and was mushy.
Epinion: Steaming whole cauliflower florets doesn’t work.
COOKING METHOD 4: COOKED IN WATER
Next they tried cooking the grated cauliflower as if it were traditional rice: they added the grated cauliflower to a small amount of simmering water, covered the pan, and let the cauliflower cook until the water evaporated. Again, this yielded watery mush.
Epinion: Cauliflower rice shouldn’t be cooked the same way as rice.
COOKING METHOD 5: BOILED
Not wanting to give up on the ease of water-cooking, they tried dunking some of the grated cauliflower in a pot of boiling water and then in ice water to try out quick-blanching. But yet again, the cauliflower rice was wet and squishy.
Epinion: Water + tiny granules of cauliflower rice = soggy cauliflower.
COOKING METHOD 6: MICROWAVED
They placed the grated cauliflower into a microwave-safe bowl, stirred in the tablespoon of oil, covered the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and cooked for about 3 minutes. And viola! Super easy, delicious texture with distinct rice kernels, and clean flavor, very similar to the steamed version, minus the mess of the cheesecloth.
Epinion: For the easiest and cleanest white-rice—esque cauliflower, use the microwave.
COOKING METHOD 7: SAUTÉED
Finally, they tested high-heat methods of cooking the cauliflower, heating up the olive oil in a pan and sautéing the grated cauliflower until lightly cooked. The taste was much richer than the microwaved cauliflower (or any of the boiled/steamed versions), but the cruciferous flavor was much stronger.
Epinion: For a sweeter, more cauliflower-forward rice, sautéing is a great option.
COOKING METHOD 8: ROASTED
For the final test, they tossed the grated cauliflower with the oil, then roasted it on a baking sheet at 400°F for about 12 minutes. This version had the sweetest flavor, thanks to the caramelization of the cauliflower. But again, that earthy, cauliflower funk was much more apparent than in other cooking methods. Cauliflower rice made this way makes a great side dish on its own, seasoned simply with butter, salt, pepper, and perhaps some cheese, but for a white rice alternative, the microwaved rice was the clear winner.
Epinion: For a quick-cooking, caramelized cauliflower side dish, roasting is the way to go.
I can see now that my mistakes were:
- I wasn’t adding any olive oil when cooking
- I was adding too much water
- I was overcooking the riced cauliflower in the microwave
Knowing where I failed, plus taking the expert advice of the Epicurious test kitchen, convince me that my next attempt at cauliflower rice is going to be much better!
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Cauliflower Pizza Crust
Pizza is my weakness anytime I’m trying to lean out. The ooey, gooey, cheesy goodness just warms my insides at the mere mention. But I know it also will leave me bloated and sorry I gave in to my craving afterward. This crust, from Eat. Drink. Smile. solves that problem!
CAULIFLOWER PIZZA CRUST RECIPE
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 cup riced, then cooked cauliflower
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 tsp italian seasonings
- 1/2 tsp crushed garlic
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (for topping)
- pizza sauce & additional toppings of your choice
DIRECTIONS:
- To rice the cauliflower, cut florets into chunks and pulse in a food processor until you see rice-like bits. You could also use a cheese grater to produce the tiny pieces. Do not over process, you don’t want mush.
- Microwave the riced cauliflower in a bowl for 5-8 minutes depending on your microwave. No need to add water. After microwaving, transfer riced cauliflower to a fine mesh strainer and drain completely, gently pressing out excess water. Once drained, transfer riced cauliflower to a clean dish towel and wrap the sides around the cauliflower while gently pressing out excess water. This drying process is important!
- One large head of cauliflower will yield about 3 cups of riced cauliflower. Use it to make more pizzas immediately, or store in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup riced, cooked cauliflower, 1 egg and your parmesan cheese. Next, add Italian seasonings, crushed garlic and salt. Making sure everything is well mixed, place your “dough” on the cookie sheet and pat out a 9″ round. Be sure not to press it too thin as it’s easy to create holes.
- Bake your dough at 450 degrees for 15 minutes.
- Remove from oven. Add sauce, mozzarella cheese, and your favorite pre-cooked toppings to your pizza. Place pizza under broiler just until cheese is melted, be sure to keep an eye on it!
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Weeknight Salmon in Parchment
For all of us trying to get more fish, and heart-healthy Omega-3’s, into our diets, this quick and easy recipe from Tastemade (the link takes you to the video – which is handy if you have trouble folding the parchment) takes 15 minutes from prep to cook to table!
INGREDIENTS
- 30-inch long piece of parchment paper
- ½ bulb of fennel, thinly sliced
- 1 large scallion, cut into 2-inch-long pieces
- 4 oz salmon fillet
- Salt
- Paprika
- 1 slice lemon
- ¾ Tbsp butter
- Preheat oven to 425ºF.
- Fold parchment paper in half and cut out a large heart shape. Fold open the heart.
- In the middle of the right side of the heart, place 3–4 pieces of scallions and a few pieces of fennel.
- Place the salmon skin-side down on top of the scallions and fennel.
- Top salmon with salt, paprika and the lemon slice. Add the pat of butter on top.
- Fold the heart-shaped paper over the fish until the edges meet. (This means the crease will lift off the table.) Begin overlapping folds from the top left and work your way around to the bottom left, at which point you can twist it or paper clip it.
- Transfer to a baking sheet and place in oven for 8 minutes, or until meat thermometer reads 140ºF. Serve in the bag on a plate.
Toss a salad together while the salmon is baking and you’ve gotten a completely healthy meal on the table in under 30 minutes on a weeknight!
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Meal Prepping Made Easy
I came across a post on Twitter last night that is so simple, I can’t believe I haven’t seen it dozens of times before!
What is the one thing, besides tracking your meals and exercise, that all diets rate as a “must do” for weight loss success?Meal Planning. Hand and hand with pre-planning what you’ll eat and when you’ll eat it, is making sure the food you’re supposed to be eating is ready and able to be eaten with minimal fuss to keep you from resorting to fast or unhealthy food choices.
Meal prep for the week is a great idea, but what is the most common complaint? Boredom. One can only eat so much grilled chicken! This brilliant idea from Fit Men Cook takes care of boredom without adding more than 5 or 10 minutes to your weekly meal prep time!
By simply using foil to create sections on a cookie sheet, you can create individually seasoned portions of the protein you’ll be adding to your lunches and dinners for the week and, by doing it when you pre-cook it, save time when you eat it during the week. You can create different salad choices, bowl themes, stir fry mix-ins, fillings for lettuce wraps, toppings for zucchini noodles, the options are unlimited.
When you have a specific goal in mind (losing weight, adding muscle, or if you are an athlete) you need to consume specific amounts of protein. Meal prepping using a scale, sectioned cookie sheet for baking, and zip bags or storage containers, is a great way to keep you on track.
Most of us need at least 50 grams of protein a day, and significantly more if we’re working out a lot or trying to lose weight. This graphic shows what 25 grams of protein looks like in a variety of foods, so you can eat a few of these portions and know you’re on the right track.
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Top 38 Diets of 2017
It’s estimated that more than 45 million Americans, and an untold millions more worldwide, start a diet each year. To assist those who are looking for the best and healthiest way to battle the bulge, U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in rankings and consumer advice, today released its annual assessment of the year’s Best Diets.
For the seventh year in a row, the DASH diet has been rated Best Diet Overall, followed by the Mediterranean diet, up from fourth place last year. The MIND diet, second last year, comes in third, and is followed by a four-way tie for fourth place: the Flexitarian diet, Mayo Clinic Diet, the TLC diet and Weight Watchers.
U.S. News’ Best Diets 2017 offers rankings of 38 diet plans across nine categories: in addition to the Best Diets Overall, this year’s lists can help people find the Best Weight-Loss Diets, Best Fast Weight-Loss Diets, Easiest Diets to Follow, Best Commercial Diets, Best Diets for Healthy Eating, Best Plant-Based Diets and best diets for conditions such as diabetes and heart disease.
I’ve found links to all of the 38 diets with information about the diets. I would Google any of the diets you are more interested in and pay particular attention to the opinions of people who have tried the diets. For instance, the Engine 2 diet is one that is very difficult to stick to – it was developed by a professional athlete who was becoming a firefighter: so NOT like the rest of us. Read the honest opinions and the pros and cons, especially the food limitations, so that you can make a well informed decision before committing to a diet. It’s very depressing to fail at something when it could have been avoided if only you’d have done your homework beforehand.
Best Diets Overall
1. DASH Diet – Information, diet books, recipes and more: http://dashdiet.org/default.asp
2. MIND Diet – Information, recipes, and more: https://www.southdenver.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Mind-Diet-for-web.pdf
2. TLC Diet (tie) – Information, diet books, recipes and more: http://tlcdiet.org/
4. Weight Watchers – Information, diet books, meetings, recipes and more: https://www.weightwatchers.com/us/
4. Mayo Clinic – Information, diet books, recipes and more: http://diet.mayoclinic.org/diet/home
4. Fertility – Information, diet books, recipes and more: http://health.usnews.com/best-diet/the-fertility-diet
4. Mediterranean (tie) – Information, diet books, recipes and more: https://authoritynutrition.com/mediterranean-diet-meal-plan/
8. Volumetrics (tie) – Information, diet books, recipes and more: http://guidedoc.com/volumetrics-diet-menu-plan-recipes
8. Flexitarian – Information, diet books, recipes and more: http://www.webmd.com/diet/a-z/flexitarian_diet
10. Jenny Craig – Information, diet books, recipes and more: http://www.jennycraig.com/
11. Biggest Loser – Information, diet books, recipes and more: http://www.biggestloser.com/
11. Ornish (tie) – Information, diet books, recipes and more: http://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-and-nutrition/the-ornish-diet.aspx
13. Vegetarian – Information, diet books, recipes and more: http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/HealthyEating/Nutrition/Vegetarian-Diets_UCM_306032_Article.jsp#.WG27pRsrLIU
13. Traditional Asian (tie) – Information, diet books, recipes and more: http://health.usnews.com/best-diet/traditional-asian-diet/recipes
15. Slim Fast – Information, diet books, recipes and more: http://slimfast.com/
15. SparkPeople – Information, diet books, recipes and more: http://www.sparkpeople.com/
15. Anti-Inflammatory (tie) – Information, diet books, recipes and more: http://www.drweil.com/diet-nutrition/
18. HMR – Information, diet books, recipes and more: https://hmrgettherefaster.com/
18. Flat Belly – Information, diet books, recipes and more: http://www.prevention.com/weight-loss/flat-belly-diet
18. Nutrisystem (tie) – Information, diet books, recipes and more: http://www.nutrisystem.com/jsps_hmr/home/index.jsp
21. Vegan – Information, diet books, recipes and more: http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20773383,00.html
21. Engine 2 – Information, diet books, recipes and more: https://engine2diet.com/
21. South Beach – Information, diet books, recipes and more: http://www.southbeachdiet.com/how-it-works/index.jsp
21. Abs (tie) – Information, diet books, recipes and more: http://www.absdiet.com/uof/absdiet/abospl/
25. Eco-Atkins – Information, diet books, recipes and more: https://www.atkins.com/how-it-works/library/articles/the-eco-atkins-diet
25. Zone – Information, diet books, recipes and more: http://www.zonediet.com/
25. Glycemic-Index (tie) – Information, diet books, recipes and more: http://www.dummies.com/food-drink/special-diets/glycemic-index-diet/glycemic-index-diet-for-dummies-cheat-sheet/
28. Macrobiotic – Information, diet books, recipes and more: http://www.nutritionsecrets.com/what-to-eat-on-the-macrobiotic-diet/
28. Medifast (tie) – Information, diet books, recipes and more: http://www.medifast1.com/index.jsp
30. Supercharged Hormone – Information, diet books, recipes and more: http://www.doctoroz.com/article/dr-natasha-turners-supercharged-hormone-diet-reset
30. Acid Alkaline (tie) – Information, diet books, recipes and more: http://www.webmd.com/diet/a-z/alkaline-diets
32. Fast – Information, diet books, recipes and more: http://www.webmd.com/diet/a-z/fast-diet-review
32. Body Reset (tie) – Information, diet books, recipes and more: http://www.harleypasternak.com/index.php/body-reset-diet/
34. Raw food – Information, diet books, recipes and more: https://draxe.com/raw-food-diet/
34. Atkins (tie) – Information, diet books, recipes and more: https://www.atkins.com/
36. Dukan – Information, diet books, recipes and more: http://www.dukandiet.com/
36. Paleo (tie) – Information, diet books, recipes and more: http://thepaleodiet.com/
38. Whole 30 – Information, diet books, recipes and more: http://whole30.com/whole30-program-rules/
For Weight Loss
1. Weight Watchers
2. Biggest Loser Diet
3. Biggest Loser Diet
3. Jenny Craig
3. Raw Food Diet (tie)
Easiest to Follow
1. Fertility Diet
2. MIND Diet
3. Weight Watchers
For Heart Health
1. Ornish Diet
2. TLC Diet
3. DASH Diet
Best Plant-Based Diets
1. Mediterranean Diet
2. Flexitarian Diet
3. Ornish Diet
For Fast Weight Loss
1. Biggest Loser Diet
1. HMR Program
3. Atkins
3. Weight Watchers (tie)
For Diabetes
1. Fertility Diet
2. Biggest Loser Diet
2. DASH Diet (tie)
For Healthy Eating
1. DASH Diet
2. TLC Diet
3. Mediterranean Diet
3. MIND Diet (tie)
Best Commercial Diets
1. Mayo Clinic Diet
1. Weight Watchers (tie)
3. Jenny Craig
I have made it habit not to make New Year’s Resolutions, but want to wish good luck to all of us who may or may not be starting off 2017 with a diet or change in eating habits in our plans.
If you use Facebook and are interested in the things I may not devote an entire blog post to: things like health articles, my favorite recipes, fun drinks, food facts, nutritional information, restaurant reviews, photos and other things that make my mouth water, I have a very active page on Facebook you can visit too:https://www.facebook.com/ThisGirlLovesHerFood
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Wine Before Bed = Lost Weight
COUNT ME IN!
Marie Claire says it’s true, so who am I to dispute this fantastic piece of scientific weight loss news? Don’t believe me? Want to look a gift horse in the mouth? I’ll share the article with you just as it appeared in the pages of Marie Claire Magazine – no edits, no comments:
Drinking wine before bed helps you lose weight. Seriously. Science says so
By This is a wine related Public Service Announcement
Dear everyone who thought it appropriate to sneer and cast a judgmental eye over us when we’ve admitted to enjoying a glass or few of wine before bed. You can go firmly back in your boxes, because scientists have discovered that drinking wine late in the evening aids weight loss.
The above paragraph is what music to our ears looks like.
Now let’s get scientific with the help from Washington State University and Harvard. In wine there is a chemical called resveratrol which works in the body as a means to stopping fat cells gaining more fat, therefore helping you slim.
And this isn’t one of those incidences when we’re told we can drink wine, but only a thimble mixed with vinegar every other Wednesday, according to scientists, drinking at least two glasses – half a bottle a day can help beat obesity by 70%. There’s no messing around with a number like that, is there?
The reason why coiffing your best glass of Blue Nun in the evening is best, is because the 
calories help keep you full and reduce the need to late night snack, which is one of the biggest culprits when it comes to weight gain. *Glances towards Pringles under bed*
To back this up with even more scientific evidence, the University of Denmark found that people who drank everyday had slimmer waistlines compared to their sober 
counterparts, while Harvard’s weight gain study of 20,000 people revealed that out of all of those that gained a large amount of weight, none of them were drinkers.
Oh science we love you. Now we’re off to celebrate your innovative findings by climbing into bed with a bottle of Prosecco.
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How Often Do You Overeat?
How many of us have powered down dessert when we really didn’t want or need it? We’ve all done it. We’ve let our eyes be bigger than our stomachs: we ate every bite of a filling meal, then compounded the problem by ordering a huge sundae, using the excuse that everyone else is ordering dessert, so we follow suit and then finish it all.
We then covertly unbutton the top of our jeans, back of our skirt, or adjust our clothing that has suddenly become very, very uncomfortable because we just ate way too much.
Unfortunately the uncomfortably full, bloated feeling isn’t the only discomfort we have caused our body when we consume too much food in a single sitting:
- Your body has to work overtime to digest all of the (often) high fat food you’ve just consumed, causing you to feel tired and sluggish;
- You’ll feel gassy and look bloated as your digestive process goes to work;
- You may experience acid reflux;
- You could (and probably will) gain weight;
- You can then increase bad fat around your organs and create other health issues.
Tips to avoid overeating:
- Use a smaller plate.
- Slow down and enjoy your meal. Taste what you’re eating and really appreciate your food.
- Drink water while you eat. It will help fill you up and slow you down so you give your brain time to respond to the sated hunger signals from the food you’ve already eaten.
- Portion your plate using the 25-25-50 rule: 1/4 of your meal should be lean protein, 1/4 whole grains and 1/2 filling fiber like grilled vegetables.
- If you order a meal that is large, immediately request a to-go box and place at least half of the meal inside.
- Make it a habit to move around, even just take a leisurely walk, after your biggest meal of the day, so that your digestion process can get underway and you can begin to burn off a few of the calories you’ve just consumed.
It’s not the end of the world if, occasionally, you eat a larger meal than you intend to. It only becomes a problem if it happens frequently and you fail to take steps to recognize a bigger, perhaps psychological, issue that could be leading you down the unhealthy road to obesity.
Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2009–2010
- More than 2 in 3 adults are considered to be overweight or obese.
- More than 1 in 3 adults are considered to be obese.
- More than 1 in 20 adults are considered to have extreme obesity.
- About one-third of children and adolescents ages 6 to 19 are considered to be overweight or obese.
- More than 1 in 6 children and adolescents ages 6 to 19 are considered to be obese.
We talk about mouth watering recipes here, God knows I love to eat, but, as the sobering statistics from 2010 show, overeating and eating disorders are a serious problem in the United States. I’d be irresponsible if I didn’t occasionally reach out to those who may need a little push to get healthy.
If you are there, you feel like your over or undereating isn’t an occasional issue, and you think you may have an unhealthy relationship with food, there are resources available to you:
- FoodAddicts.Org : For the overweight, underweight, food, weight or dieting obsessed.
- If you’re a Binge Eater, not comfortable in a group setting and have a good home support system HelpGuide.org lays out a recovery plan that may be for you.
- NationalEatingDisorders.org: a national database of resources and tools
Reach out and get help today. If you aren’t ready to talk to a professional, talk to a friend, a co-worker or even your priest or other religious counselor. There are people willing to help you on the road to better health. Search the internet – there are free resources. They won’t shame or out you, they are professionals who want to help you on the road to recovering your health.
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Zero Effort Chicken For Dinner
Between the humidity coming up from a storm in Mexico and the temperature gauge hovering around the century mark, cooking is the last thing I want to do, but with my surgery date now 10 days away, I know that I will be making very few meals for the family due to movement restrictions, so I’m doing the deed today. 😉
The pressure cooker is definitely a cook’s friend on days like this! With this recipe you get a bonus of 2 recipes in one! The chicken, plus a bonus flavorful chicken stock that I am using as the base for my cabbage soup. Yum!
Chicken is the universal meat from which can spring any meal. My Mom’s go-to was the Zacky Farm’s Cut up Whole Fryer, seems like a good place to start, so that’s where I’ll start. I’ll make it early today and then the mood I’m in about an hour before dinnertime will determine how it ends up being served.
Zero Effort Pressure Cooker Chicken + Yummy Chicken Stock
- 1 – 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 lb fryer chicken (cut up)
- 2 TBLS Olive Oil
- Zatarain’s Cajun Spice Mixture (Seasoned Salt)
- 1/2 Medium Yellow Onion
- 1 – Large Poblano Pepper
- 5 Cloves Garlic
It should only take you 5 minutes to get all of the ingredients into the pressure cooker. After that it’s pretty much set it and forget it!
- Set your pressure cooker to the “Brown” setting.
- Pour the Olive Oil into the pressure cooker pan
- Cut the pepper in half, remove the seeds and veins, then cut into about 1″ chunks and place into pan
- Peel and chop the onion into roughly 1″ chunks and add to pan
- Peel the garlic and add to pan
- Sprinkle the Zatarain’s seasoning on both sides of the chicken
- Place each piece of the chicken, skin side down (or on edge so skin is in contact with the sides of the pan) into the pan on top of the vegetables
- Allow the chicken to brown, undisturbed for about 20 minutes, then close the lid of the pressure cooker and set to cook under pressure for 30 minutes
- When cooking cycle has ended, allow the pressure to return to normal naturally
At the end of the keep warm cycle, release the lid and remove the chicken from the cooker to a large bowl. It should be falling off the bones. I take the time to remove the bones, skin and cartilage at this point and use a fork to do a gentle separation of the meat.
Leave the remaining vegetables and garlic in the pan with the meat drippings. Skim ant visible fat and allow to cool.
If you aren’t using it immediately in another recipe, move the cooled Yummy Chicken Stock to a sealable container and refrigerate (up to 5 days) or freeze until ready to use.
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This Girl Loves to Eat! 