Have you been observing Lent?  Congratulations to those who have and those who have not been eating meat on Fridays.  If you’re a vegetarian or vegan it probably was not too tough for you, but us carnivores have a little challenge remembering that chicken, beef, pork etc. may not make participate in our meals on these days.  Remember that while I’m not married to observing Lent and the meatless Fridays tradition, I do generally follow it since I eat with Bryan most Friday nights.

Here is one more dish that is quick and super tasty for your last meatless Friday!  The tomato-coconut broth is velvety smooth and tastes indulgent, but this is a Skinnytaste recipe so your fat content is far less than what you might assume as you munch away (10 g fat/ servings with 4 total servings in this recipe).  Have a fabulous Easter weekend!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 lbs jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined (weight after peeled)
• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced thin
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
• 1/2 cup cilantro
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• kosher salt (to taste)
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (to taste)
• 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
• 14 oz can light coconut milk (50% less fat)

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, heat  OO over a low heat. Add red peppers and sauté until soft (about 4 minutes).
2. Add scallion whites, 1/4 cup cilantro, red pepper flakes and garlic. Cook 1 minute.
3. Add tomatoes, coconut milk and salt to taste.
4. Cover and simmer on low about 10 minutes to let the flavors blend together and to allow the sauce to thicken.
5. Add shrimp and cook 5 minutes. Add lime juice.
6. To serve, divide equally among 4 bowls (or 2 for double servings.  You’re looking at around 520 calorie meal if you have 2 servings/person like we did) and top with scallion greens and remaining cilantro.

Just north of San Fran’s Golden Gate Bridge is beautiful Mount Tamalpais.  The views are simply spectacular capturing Marin County hills, San Fran Bay, the east bay, Mount Diablo and the Farrallon Islands 25 miles out to sea depending on where you are viewing from.  There are 50+ miles of trails in the Mount Tamalpais State Park system.  On the various trails, a hiker may come across all sorts of animal life (even bobcats/ mountain lions although you hope NOT to have a run in with those guys), the tall and majestic Redwood trees, and all sorts of plant and fauna life.  It’s so vast and the beauty just sucks you in.  That is probably why it was so easy to get lost when I hiked this with one of my oldest friends (who now lives in Sacramento and attends McGeorge Law School of the University of the Pacific).

Ohhhh yeah did we ever get lost.  Becca put me in charge of navigating the map which had suggested trail routes  that the ranger had outlined for us.  I know people will just say this plenty of the time, but truthfully I generally have a great sense of direction.  Somehow we just got sucked into the beautiful scenery and lost our way.   See the photo below.  The yellow indicates the route we were supposed to embark upon.  The purple shows where and how early in (about 1/2 mile) we started heading the wrong way.  The “You Are Here” indicates where we ended up.  We were about 2 miles off route.  We realized this around 5:45 pm and while the days have gotten longer, the sunlight is not on your side for several more hours by that time.  We hoofed it back up hill- pretty steep up hill to boot.  Somehow we got back in an hour or less even in spite of the incline. 

Even this directionally challenged incident did not ruin our time.  It was pretty entertaining actually.  We also got much more of an awesome workout than we thought we would.  Here are few more photos of this beautiful hike in Cali.  Go check it out if you visit the San Fran area anytime soon!  My only caution is to pay BETTER attention to your map

The key ingredient for February cooking club/competition with my co-workers was cocoa.  I have plenty of treat recipes I could have gone with, but I wanted to challenge myself to a savory cocoa-laced dish.  I came upon this chili recipe from Snack Girl which sounded exactly like what I was going for.  The only shortcoming was that it was being hosted on a Friday night.  Bryan and several others (I assumed) could not eat meat.  No problem!  I would put together a meat and a meatless version for the lent observers.  To mimic some level of meatiness, I would also try my hand at roasting eggplant.  I did a little Googling and figured that out.  The veggie version would also feature zucchini.  Similar to pumpkin chili recipes, the cocoa was subtle enough to avoid overpowering the recipe yet still present enough to be detectable.  It was a winning dish, but not the winner.  That coveted spot went to Kirk with his pork mole tacos.  Mole is no joke to make and the sauce was quite  good.  I’m just thrilled with the amount of left-overs I have truthfully.  I’m set for those last minute lunch or dinners thanks to some frozen on-the-ready portions I’ve got on hand.

Other entries included: Cocoa Dusted Chicken with Rice, Chile Chocolate Lime Martini Pudding, Red Wine Chocolate Cake w/ PB Mascarpone Icing, Peanutella Brownies with a Nutella Icing, and two versions of Popcorn- one Dark Chocolate and Sea Salt and the other a Milk Chocolate with PB and Vanilla.  A great food occasion as usual with this crowd!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground beef (80% lean)
• 3-15 oz cans different beans (black, light and/or dark kidney, white, pinto, etc.)
• 1-28 oz can plum tomatoes
• 4 TBSP chili powder
• 2 TBSP cocoa powder
• 1 TBSP cumin
• salt to taste 
• hot sauce (optional)

Directions:

1. Brown ground beef in large sauce pan over medium high heat. When meat is brown, drain beans and add.
2. Pour in tomatoes with their juices and add spices. Heat to a simmer and taste for salt.
3. Cook for about 20 minutes at a low simmer and serve!

Modified ever so slightly to a more semi-homemade version (I used jarred sauce instead of making my own and made a few other minor adjustments), this Skinnytaste recipe simply put floated my boat (see what I did there?!)   Ironically I had chosen this recipe to another the night I made it thinking it would be less labor intensive.  Not the case and I ended up shoveling down before a yoga class, but it was SO worth it.  Like stuffed peppers, this recipe has your protein atop/inside your main veggie.  You can almost eat it like finger food.  I stress almost.  It is a little messier than that!  I am going to try changing this up with some alternative ingredient/flavor combinations as I was so impressed how this recipe came together.  Enjoy!

Ingredients: 

• 1 jar marinara sauce
• 3 medium zucchini
• 1 tsp oil
• 1/2 small onion, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
• 12 oz lean Spicy Italian chicken sausage, removed from casing
• 1/2 cup reduced fat shredded mozzarella
• 8 tsp grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil and preheat oven to 400°.
2. Cut zucchini in half lengthwise and using a spoon or melon baller, scoop out flesh, leaving 1/4″ thick walls of the zucchini. Chop up the scooped out flesh of the zucchini into small pieces and set aside.          
3. Drop zucchini halves in boiling water and cook 1 minute. Remove from water.
4. Place 1/4 cup of sauce in the bottom of a 9 x 12″ baking dish, and place zucchini halves cut side up.
5. In a large saute pan, brown sausage, breaking up as it cooks into smaller pieces until browned; set aside.
6. Heat oil and add onion, garlic and bell pepper. Cook on a medium-low heat for about 2-3 minutes, until onions are translucent. Add chopped zucchini, season with salt and pepper and cook about 2-3 minutes. Add sausage and cook a few more minutes.
7. Using a spoon, fill each hollowed zucchini with 1/3 cup cooked sausage, pressing firmly. Top each with 2 tablespoons each of sauce, 1 tablespoon each of shredded mozzarella cheese and 1 teaspoon each of parmesan cheese.                                                                                                                      
8. Cover with foil and bake 35 minutes until cheese is melted and golden brown on top and zucchini is cooked through.

I had made this dip back in February for a Super Bowl party (YAY RAVENS!), but I certainly think it is fabulous for any sort of entertaining/ large gathering event you may come across.  I am labeling this as a “sinner meal” even in spite of lightening it up from my friend’s original recipe on her blog, Table for Two.  Reason being that I think it is good to be real with yourself that lighter does not mean light.  Cheese and pepperoni are certainly amongst ingredients you want to be moderate with in your diet.  So make this, eat it, and enjoy it- all while remembering that moderation guiding principle!  Shout out to Table for Two one of many doozy recipes.  I’m certain your palette will be pleased!

Ingredients:

• 2 (8 oz.) packets of reduced-fat cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup light sour cream (or plain greek yogurt)
• 1 cup reduced fat mozzarella cheese, shredded, plus more for topping
• 1 cup pepperoni, sliced to half moons, plus additional whole pepperoni slices for topping
• 1/4 cup chopped basil
• 2 tbsp. olive oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream (or greek yogurt), mozzarella, pepperoni, basil, and olive oil.   
3. Spread mixture in a rectangular casserole dish and smooth out the top using a spoon.
4. Cover the top with more mozzarella cheese.
5. Arrange whole pepperoni rounds on top of the mozzarella.             
6. Bake for 25 minutes, or until mixture is bubbly and cheese is good and melty.
7. Serve hot with tortilla chips or sliced bread.  Be cautious not to burn your mouth!

Back to running regularly this month for the first time since the Army 10-miler back in late October.  I like to do a charity race each year, particularly through the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Team In Training (TNT) program  which trains beginner to advanced athletes for endurance events like running races, bike races, and triathlons in exchange for raising funds for the fight against blood cancers.  To date, this is my 5th season with TNT.  I have started training for the Inaugural DC Nike Half Marathon (13.1 miles) in late April and have been simultaneously involved with a number of efforts to fundraise (Here is my page.  I’d love your support! http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/nikewhlf13/cbeanx) such as an indoor cycling class at Revolve, a % of sales day at my favorite local smoothie and wrap spot South Block, a volunteer day at my local IHOP for National Pancake Day, and ad hoc awareness raising via email and social media.  I’ve got about $500 more to raise (my page does not reflect all monies raised presently), but I’m confident I’ll get there! 

I really enjoy TNT for the cause, camaraderie, and ability to combine two passions- community service and a workout challenge.  Running is perhaps the toughest workout for me.  I don’t get that runners’ high thing and it just doesn’t come easy for me.  But man oh man when I finish do I ever feel accomplished.  In the month ahead, I will be climbing from 4 all the way to a 10 mile run in my training plan.  Thank goodness I just bought these super sexy new running shoes and fun new gear!  Also, I have made some new TNT friends who will be here for me and I for them on these long runs where you can really use a little extra encouragement to get it done.  Wish me luck!

The Lenten season has arrived which means no meat Fridays around our house.  I am not a very religious person and thus don’t have to follow this, but I usually do to help Bryan stay on track.  Completely vegetarian meals don’t appeal to us much so getting creative with fish dishes is a must.  I stumbled upon this recipe in a recent edition of Women’s Health Magazine.  I love these tropical flavors and have never cooked with coconut oil before so it was a new cooking adventure.  You can buy liquid or solid coconut oil for cooking.  I found that the solid coconut oil was cheaper and a little more reasonable health stats wise.  It melts very quickly too so you’re not adding a lot of time to your prep.  This is what it looks like below.  It is very subtle and almost waxy like consistency.  Hope this is a meal you’ll consider for your Lenten season!   

Ingredients:

• Zest of 3 limes
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted, divided (This can be found at a local health food store or somewhere like a Vitamin Shoppe)
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil, melted, divided
• 4 (5 ounce) tilapia fillets
• 8 cups fresh spinach
• 1/4 cup lime juice (fresh is best)
• 1 tablespoon lime juice

Directions:

1. Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. In a small bowl, combine lime zest, garlic, salt, pepper, and 4 teaspoons coconut oil.

2. Coat tilapia fillets with the oil mixture on both sides. Place fillets, two at a time, in the pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until golden and crisp.

3. In a large bowl, toss spinach with the remaining tablespoon of coconut oil and 1 tablespoon lime juice. You may sautee the spinach or serve fresh- more like a salad.  I opted to do a quick sautee and serve with couscous.  Divide amoung four serving plates with a fillet, and drizzle with lime juice.  If the table is for two, consider saving the second filet for lunch!

The January edition of my co-worker cooking club/Iron Chef competition centered around the ingredient ginger.  The funny thing is that I threw that ingredient out there jokingly having initially thought, “What the heck can you do with ginger?”  I came to find that it is actually a very versatile ingredient and the dishes at this gathering were a testament to that.  I made Asian-Style Turkey Burger Sliders with a ginger soy sauce that was simply to die for.  They were so good that you would be shocked to know the recipe comes from a Weight Watchers cookbook I borrowed from my Mom.  Other contributions included: homemade ginger ale for Dark and Stormy’s, Moscow Mule (has ginger beer in it), lemon ginger scones, a chicken curry dish, orange ginger beets, and ginger snap breaded fried chicken with apple and onion slaw.  What a treat it all was for the tastebuds! This group continues to amaze me with their culinary know-how.  Besides the fantastic eats, the ambiance was particularly welcoming.  Our host, Scott, had us at his almost finished house which he had spent countless months upgrading into a nothing shy of a masterpiece home.  February’s cooking club appropriately requires the ingredient cocoa.  I wonder if this will be a mostly dessert-focused gathering.  I wouldn’t mind a bit

Ingredients:

Turkey Burger Sliders (NOTE: I doubled the below recipe as the cooking club crowd was bigger than your dinner for two or family dinner of four crowd):

• 1 lb 93% lean ground turkey
• 2 TBSP finely chopped onion
• 2 TBSP finely chopped green bell pepper
• 1 TBSP low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• cooking spray
• 1 packages of sliders rolls (usually come in 12 packs so you may have a few left-over rolls)
• lettuce, tomato, onion (optional)

Sweet Ginger Soy Sauce (Adapted from http://disgustinglygood.com/):

• 4 TBSP low-sodium soy sauce
• 3 TBSP sherry cooking wine
• 5 TBSP turbinado sugar
• 2 TBSP minced fresh ginger, or 1/2 TBSP ground dry

Directions:

1. Prepare grill or large cast iron skillet (we used the latter.)
2. Combine turkey and the next 7 ingredients in a large bowl.  Divide into 8-10 equal portions shaping into 1/2 inch thick patties. 
3. Place patties on grill or in your skillet with a healthy amount of of cooking spray.  Cook approximately 5-7 minutes on each side or until done.                                                             
4. For the sauce, simply combine all ingredients with a whisk and cook over a medium heat.  Bring to a boil and allow to simmer for several minutes.  It will thicken as it cools.
5. If desired, toast your slider rolls and melt a little butter to brush on top immediately adding sea salt.  Top with lettuce, tomato, and onion if you wish, but definitely spoon some of the ginger soy sauce for a flavor bomb!

January Cooking Club Spread

You may have seen the Perfect Tortilla infomercial which boasts its product’s ability to provide a healthy and fun way to enjoy a tortilla bowl.  Bryan really wanted this item to be added to our repertoire of fun kitchen items (other such items we own include a tabletop popcorn maker, deep fryer, fondue pot, and Skookie which is a cookie skillet.)  The set comes with 4 tortilla molds and a recipe booklet with sweet and savory ideas. 

I typically buy 10-12″ whole wheat, low carb tortillas and simply heat them in the oven until a little crisp.  I fill them with low-fat browned ground turkey seasoned with El Paso low-sodium taco seasoning.  I’ll top with myriad of extras like lettuce, salsa, Wholly guacamole, a little reduced-fat cheese, and greek yogurt in place of sour cream.  Serve with black beans on the side and you’ve got yourself one flavor-bursting, reasonable meal!  The only change to this is that I used the Perfect Tortilla this time.  I simply put the tortilla in the mold, ensured it was flush with the edges, and baked for about 8 minutes.  It did, in fact, make the normal taco meal I love a lot more fun!  This goes to show that a little novelty can go a long way.  I’m excited to try different recipes  in my Perfect Tortilla. 

Do you have a favorite fun kitchen item that makes a meal 10x more fun?

Photo courtesy of http://www.fitbie.msn.com

One of my goals this year is to up my strength training days from 2 to 3 times per week.  A class that I have really enjoyed and that helps me reach that goal is called UXF Burn.  It was designed by Town Sports International which many of you may know better as your local Washington, New York, Philadelphia, or Boston Sports Club.  It is a cross-training class where you can expect to burn between 450 and 600 calories in 55 minutes.  It incorporates interval strength training and cardio training (greater emphasis on the strength training.) 

Essentially, the class goes through about 8 exercises at one minute each with no breaks.  Then, you do cardio for 90 seconds followed by around a minute break.  Subsequently, you cycle through that same sequence at 45 seconds each exercise, then 30 seconds, and then a Tabata round if time allows.  The Tabata round features the exercises cycle at 20 seconds each with a 10 second breather in between each.  You get pretty fatigued and exhausted from this class, but you burn soooo good!  One thing I love is that most of the strength moves are hitting more than one muscle group so 8 exercises becomes like 16 exercises.  For instance, you might do an alternating back lunge with bicep curl. 

I encourage you to try new classes at your gym and show your body a new challenge.  Even if you don’t have this class at your gym, perhaps try your next strength workout following this technique to change it up.  Happy to share more about the class- just drop me a line!  Have a great week.