I think you know that I love to cook. I wish I were able to come up with recipe all by myself (I am just not that talented), but alas, I accept my limits.
So, I wanted to share with you where I get some of my ideas for recipes.
Hungry Girl: Her website and books are amazing! She loves Fiber One Cereal and butternut squash and her recipes for desserts are actually really good!
Green Lite Bites: This is Roni, who lost a bunch of weight on Weight Watchers and not dedicates her life to cooking healthy. I have many a wonderful cooking experience with her recipes and I love that she will often have video to show how to do certain things (like cutting butternut squash).
AllRecipes: This is a fantastic recipe website that I use regularly. But what I love about this website is that you can input the ingredients that you have and it gives you recipes that includes those ingredients.
Skinny Taste: This is a website that I just recently discovered. The recipes look simple enough and if her pictures are any indication, I think the food will be delicious!
You don't have to be a gourmet cook in order to eat well. It comes down to being dedicated to eating right and putting in the effort to cook. And don't forget that you can cook extra and have lunch for the next day. Or freeze the food for a night that you don't feel like cooking...
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
hummus: not as gross as it looks or sounds.
hummus.
let's traffic in a few alarmingly false stereotypes (but, possibly, some that you may still hold), shall we?
in short, many people believe that hummus is gross, overpriced, and not good for anything except a strangely exotic, somewhat out-of-the-box appetizer for a lame potluck.
i hate to tell you this, but if you think any of these things, you are 100% dead wrong.
(i'll give you a moment to let that sink in.)
hummus is, in fact, an exceptionally good and healthy ingredient to have in your refrigerator, as it makes an excellent snack, meal, or building block to a vegetarian feast.
i have been a fan of hummus for a while now. when i eat sandwiches that require condiments, i will often use flavored hummus (one of my go-to favorites is roasted red pepper) as a substitute for mayonaise or mustard. it gives the lunch meat flavor and texture in lesser quantities than the fatty mayo would. also, because it is made with olive oil and ground chickpeas, it contains monounsaturated fat as well as protein and fiber. it also makes for a tasty lunch with some pita bread, which is probably its most traditional incarnation. i've been eating it regularly for about two years now.
but you may be wondering why i'm suddenly writing about hummus now. why now, teachergirl...why now?
well, i've been...not a fan of meat lately. it just doesn't do anything for me, and in the course of trying to remember what i was doing when i was successfully losing weight, i realized that i was eating a lot less meat. but mainly? i just don't want to eat much meat anymore. so i've been trying to find ways to incorporate more meatless dinners into the teachergirl/musicboy household.
let me just stop a minute and tell you that, when asked for a game for my bridal shower what his favorite snack food was, musicboy said meat. the boy would be thrilled if he could eat meat and bread at every meal. in fact, i'm pretty sure he would think he had reached a level of nirvana.
however, knowing what i know and dearly hoping to have him healthy and happy and with me forever, i don't let that happen. but his meatloving tendencies have made a dent in my dinner planning.
until i stopped wanting meat. then i started to get a bit more aggressive with the meatless meal planning and, bless him, my dear musicboy tries anything i make with a willingness of heart that i hope all husbands, friends, children, and guests show. he's a wonderful person to cook for.
in the course of doing this, i have found a few new wonderful ways to use hummus.
these discoveries have made me even more of a hummus lover. i was converted before, but now i might be close to a fanatic.
i encourage you, if you haven't already tried it, to give it a whirl. choose a flavor that you think might work for your particular likes (if you're a garlic fan, choose a heavily garlic-infused flavor; if you're a fan of spice, might i suggest that you look for something with jalapeno?). incorporate it slowly into your diet, and see if you find yourself appreciating the rich flavor that it offers. before you know it, you'll be hooked--and you can feel good about choosing something good to eat and good for you!
let's traffic in a few alarmingly false stereotypes (but, possibly, some that you may still hold), shall we?
- hummus is the food of hippies, those people who won't eat meat and refuse to eat real bread, instead eating only things with sprouts and pita.
- hummus looks and tastes like spackle.
- hummus can only be found in overpriced, strangely flavored portion sizes at crunchy health food stores and local restaurants whose main side dish is quinoa.
in short, many people believe that hummus is gross, overpriced, and not good for anything except a strangely exotic, somewhat out-of-the-box appetizer for a lame potluck.
i hate to tell you this, but if you think any of these things, you are 100% dead wrong.
(i'll give you a moment to let that sink in.)
hummus is, in fact, an exceptionally good and healthy ingredient to have in your refrigerator, as it makes an excellent snack, meal, or building block to a vegetarian feast.
i have been a fan of hummus for a while now. when i eat sandwiches that require condiments, i will often use flavored hummus (one of my go-to favorites is roasted red pepper) as a substitute for mayonaise or mustard. it gives the lunch meat flavor and texture in lesser quantities than the fatty mayo would. also, because it is made with olive oil and ground chickpeas, it contains monounsaturated fat as well as protein and fiber. it also makes for a tasty lunch with some pita bread, which is probably its most traditional incarnation. i've been eating it regularly for about two years now.
but you may be wondering why i'm suddenly writing about hummus now. why now, teachergirl...why now?
well, i've been...not a fan of meat lately. it just doesn't do anything for me, and in the course of trying to remember what i was doing when i was successfully losing weight, i realized that i was eating a lot less meat. but mainly? i just don't want to eat much meat anymore. so i've been trying to find ways to incorporate more meatless dinners into the teachergirl/musicboy household.
let me just stop a minute and tell you that, when asked for a game for my bridal shower what his favorite snack food was, musicboy said meat. the boy would be thrilled if he could eat meat and bread at every meal. in fact, i'm pretty sure he would think he had reached a level of nirvana.
however, knowing what i know and dearly hoping to have him healthy and happy and with me forever, i don't let that happen. but his meatloving tendencies have made a dent in my dinner planning.
until i stopped wanting meat. then i started to get a bit more aggressive with the meatless meal planning and, bless him, my dear musicboy tries anything i make with a willingness of heart that i hope all husbands, friends, children, and guests show. he's a wonderful person to cook for.
in the course of doing this, i have found a few new wonderful ways to use hummus.
- quesadillas: these are a HUGE hit in our household. spread a little bit of hummus on a small tortilla. add the cheese of your choice and then grill/brown as you normally would. i find roasted red pepper is especially good for this particular dish, as it adds just a kick of spice. you probably only need about 1/2 a tablespoon (if that) for each quesadilla. for your reference: 2 tablespoons of hummus has 60 calories.
- black bean and rice tacos/burritos: i was dying for these about a week ago, and so i made black beans and rice (i use a tomato paste/cumin/chili powder/cayenne/garlic combination of spices in my black beans and then i add yellow rice to them to make the burrito/taco mixture). having just picked up a carton of jalapeno and cilantro hummus that day, i decided that it might make an otherwise DEEPLY vegetarian meal seem more palatable to my dear musicboy. he LOVED them, and so did i. the flavors were incredible, and the hummus only brought out the loveliness of the black beans. i didn't even notice a lack of meat, and neither did musicboy.
- pizza: by far the most surprising of my discoveries, but hummus makes an excellent base for a white pizza. if you get a flavorful hummus (i used the jalapeno one again), and add italian cheeses like normal, you get an outstanding pizza that's just a little bit different.
these discoveries have made me even more of a hummus lover. i was converted before, but now i might be close to a fanatic.
i encourage you, if you haven't already tried it, to give it a whirl. choose a flavor that you think might work for your particular likes (if you're a garlic fan, choose a heavily garlic-infused flavor; if you're a fan of spice, might i suggest that you look for something with jalapeno?). incorporate it slowly into your diet, and see if you find yourself appreciating the rich flavor that it offers. before you know it, you'll be hooked--and you can feel good about choosing something good to eat and good for you!
Monday, August 2, 2010
Making Bread at Home
(The knife and board were only $45 on Amazon and make life about ten billion times easier when making bread. Ten billion.)
Another contributing factor to my decision? Store-bought bread freaks me out a little bit. Have you noticed that it just doesn't mold anymore? Bread is supposed to mold.
I've been searching for good, fool-proof recipes and found one I'd like to share with you. But first, here are a few things I've learned about making bread.
1. The best ingredients make the best bread. When looking for bread flour, it is not the time to go generic.
2. You don't have to have a bread machine to make bread. My Mother-In-Law makes all her bread by hand and it's the best I've ever had.
3. Let it cool. Once your bread is done, get it out of its pan right away and let it cool. Give it a good 30-45 minutes before cutting. If you plan on eating your entire loaf in one setting (like with family dinner), no need to wait, dig in!
4. Get a bread knife. They're the long, serrated things. Don't you dare try to cut your fabulous homemade bread with a non-serrated blade. Bad things will happen.
Honey Wheat Bread
Ingredients:
1 1/8 cups warm water
2 cups wheat flour
1 cup bread flour
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp salt
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
Yields 1-pound Loaf
Bread machine instructions:
Pour all your wet ingredients in first (water, honey, oil), followed by your salt. Next add your flour. Make a small well in the flour to add your yeast. You do not want your yeast and water to meet. Use the wheat bread cycle and bake for a light crust.
Handmade instructions:
1. Mix all wet ingredients and salt together, either with a stand mixer with dough hook attachment, food processor, or by hand with a wooden spoon, then add the flour and yeast and kneed until smooth (about 15 minutes). It should feel tacky, but if the dough feels too sticky, add a little more flour. If it feels too dry, add a little more water.
2. Place dough in a large, greased bowl, turning once to grease top of dough ball. Cover with a clean towel and let rise until doubled (40-60 minutes).
3. Punch dough down and knead for a few minutes until smooth. Form into a loaf and place into greased loaf pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place until almost doubled (30-40 minutes).
4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes. If top of loaf is looking too brown, loosely cover with foil (just lay it on top) and continue baking.
5. Remove from oven and let rest a couple minutes before removing to cooling rack.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
300 Only Sounds Like a Lot
Greetings from the Buckeye State!
In spite of the fact that this Gator girl is surrounded by Ohio State fans, I'm having an awesome time with my 6 (yes 6!) girl cousins, my mom, my aunt, (and my poor uncle) in Columbus, Ohio. It's like an over the top slumber party and I think it goes without saying that our eating has not been the healthiest.
Because of this, we have had to work in fitness where we can (in between shopping, gossiping, and all the other things girls do when they get together). Though my cousins range in age from 7-17, they are all rockstars of athletics (which p.s. - I was not!). In the group, we have a soccer player, two varsity cheerleaders, two lacrosse players, and a gymnast. This has made it easy and fun to work out.
The oldest of the rockstars, Michaela, graciously demonstrated a fabulous lower body/ab workout for us today. The fitness series is called 300s...and it sounds much scarier than it is. Basically, you are doing three basic moves in sets of 10 - and then you repeat ten times. In no time, you've hit 300!
Start in a standing position with your legs about hip width apart. Bend your knees and hips to lower your torso, but remember to contract your abs while doing so. Then return to the upright standing position. Always keep your knees in line with your toes.
Face down on the floor and balance on your hands and toes/knees. Position your hands wider than your shoulders and try to keep your body as straight as possible (don't push that butt in the air or let it sag!). Bend your arms slowly to lower your body to the floor (keeping it straight!) and stop when your arms reach a 90 degree angle. Push yourself back up and repeat.
Start by laying flat on your back, with your hands behind your head.
Sit up and bring your knees in while also bringing in your elbows.
Touch your elbows to your knees, lean back to the ground, and repeat.
Integrating the 300 series into your cardio, weight training, and healthy eating is a great way to build those abdominal muscles.
Links to Health:
Target Heart Rate
Fitness Magazines 2010 Healthy Food Awards
The Best Weight Loss Drink
Chelsea Clinton's Vegan and Gluten Wedding
An Interview With the Queen of Clean
In spite of the fact that this Gator girl is surrounded by Ohio State fans, I'm having an awesome time with my 6 (yes 6!) girl cousins, my mom, my aunt, (and my poor uncle) in Columbus, Ohio. It's like an over the top slumber party and I think it goes without saying that our eating has not been the healthiest.
Because of this, we have had to work in fitness where we can (in between shopping, gossiping, and all the other things girls do when they get together). Though my cousins range in age from 7-17, they are all rockstars of athletics (which p.s. - I was not!). In the group, we have a soccer player, two varsity cheerleaders, two lacrosse players, and a gymnast. This has made it easy and fun to work out.
The oldest of the rockstars, Michaela, graciously demonstrated a fabulous lower body/ab workout for us today. The fitness series is called 300s...and it sounds much scarier than it is. Basically, you are doing three basic moves in sets of 10 - and then you repeat ten times. In no time, you've hit 300!
300s
10 Basic Squats: Squats are a great lower body exercise, as they easily target the glutes, quads, hamstrings and calves all at once.
Start in a standing position with your legs about hip width apart. Bend your knees and hips to lower your torso, but remember to contract your abs while doing so. Then return to the upright standing position. Always keep your knees in line with your toes.10 Pushups: Pushups are one of my favorite total body workouts.
Face down on the floor and balance on your hands and toes/knees. Position your hands wider than your shoulders and try to keep your body as straight as possible (don't push that butt in the air or let it sag!). Bend your arms slowly to lower your body to the floor (keeping it straight!) and stop when your arms reach a 90 degree angle. Push yourself back up and repeat.10 Crunches: Because I am pretty sure everyone knows how to do a basic crunch (and like me, hates them), I had Michaela demonstrate a V-Tuck style crunch.
Start by laying flat on your back, with your hands behind your head.
Sit up and bring your knees in while also bringing in your elbows.
Touch your elbows to your knees, lean back to the ground, and repeat.Integrating the 300 series into your cardio, weight training, and healthy eating is a great way to build those abdominal muscles.
No guarantee that you won't be giving me the look of death at the end though:
:)
Links to Health:
Target Heart Rate
Fitness Magazines 2010 Healthy Food Awards
The Best Weight Loss Drink
Chelsea Clinton's Vegan and Gluten Wedding
An Interview With the Queen of Clean
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
tuning in.
it's coming to the end of the summer semester, and the beginning of fall looms. musicboy and i just moved into a new, bigger place. i graduate in a week and a half with the Big Degree, the one that makes you elicit promises from your nearest and dearest that if you ever, under any circumstances, mention going back to school, they will promptly do something drastic to sort you back into your right self. musicboy begins his stint in a huge, famous, amazing marching band in fall, which means i'll never see him, along with starting his new degree program.
we've got stuff going on is my point.
with all of these momentous changes come goals. i am a goal setter. i am not always a goal keeper, but whenever i feel a little left-of-center, i make goals and i figure out how to achieve them. sometimes this manifests itself in planner explosion, when i figure out what i have to do hour by hour during the day in order to make a dent in a too-long to-do list. sometimes this manifests itself in creating a long list of manageable but perhaps overambitious long-term goals. sometimes this manifests itself in mega-micromanagement.
it's that last one that has got me thinking. i've been musing on it for a while now, but this weekend really cemented some things for me.
(i hate to shamelessly link to my other blog all of the time, but i'm a gal who likes context but also dislikes when people go on and on and on...so there you go. read if you wish.)
now it's time to put that revelation into practice.
one of the ways i'm planning on letting go is to tune back into my body, with all of its quirks and strange behavior. for the longest time, i was a sensational eater. if it tasted good, i wanted more of it because of the sensation i got when i ate it. it wasn't about being satisfied physically; it was about satisfying some other sense. or i was a time eater. if it was time for dinner, well, i guess i'd better eat something regardless of how i feel.
i really want to learn how to listen to what my body is telling me, to cut through the madness of bad social conditioning and habits that have been weakened, if not completely broken. i want to be able to interpret the messages that i'm getting. i want to have wisdom about what works for my body.
i want to eat pizza and stop when i'm full.
i want to be able to eat lunch not when it's 12 on the dot but when my stomach says that breakfast is most assuredly gone and, hey lady can we get some sustenance up in here?
i want to learn the difference, in my body, between hunger and thirst. i think we often get them confused.
i want to know how far i can push my body in a workout but also know that moderate work is doing something great too.
i want to feel my muscles working and to feel successful when i have accomplished something well.
i want to get out of my head and into my heart, my lungs, my body in all of its majesty and wonder. in so doing, i want to learn how it works, how it's different than anyone else's, and how beautiful it really is.
we are works of wonder. i want to stand in awe.
we've got stuff going on is my point.
with all of these momentous changes come goals. i am a goal setter. i am not always a goal keeper, but whenever i feel a little left-of-center, i make goals and i figure out how to achieve them. sometimes this manifests itself in planner explosion, when i figure out what i have to do hour by hour during the day in order to make a dent in a too-long to-do list. sometimes this manifests itself in creating a long list of manageable but perhaps overambitious long-term goals. sometimes this manifests itself in mega-micromanagement.
it's that last one that has got me thinking. i've been musing on it for a while now, but this weekend really cemented some things for me.
(i hate to shamelessly link to my other blog all of the time, but i'm a gal who likes context but also dislikes when people go on and on and on...so there you go. read if you wish.)
now it's time to put that revelation into practice.
one of the ways i'm planning on letting go is to tune back into my body, with all of its quirks and strange behavior. for the longest time, i was a sensational eater. if it tasted good, i wanted more of it because of the sensation i got when i ate it. it wasn't about being satisfied physically; it was about satisfying some other sense. or i was a time eater. if it was time for dinner, well, i guess i'd better eat something regardless of how i feel.
i really want to learn how to listen to what my body is telling me, to cut through the madness of bad social conditioning and habits that have been weakened, if not completely broken. i want to be able to interpret the messages that i'm getting. i want to have wisdom about what works for my body.
i want to eat pizza and stop when i'm full.
i want to be able to eat lunch not when it's 12 on the dot but when my stomach says that breakfast is most assuredly gone and, hey lady can we get some sustenance up in here?
i want to learn the difference, in my body, between hunger and thirst. i think we often get them confused.
i want to know how far i can push my body in a workout but also know that moderate work is doing something great too.
i want to feel my muscles working and to feel successful when i have accomplished something well.
i want to get out of my head and into my heart, my lungs, my body in all of its majesty and wonder. in so doing, i want to learn how it works, how it's different than anyone else's, and how beautiful it really is.
we are works of wonder. i want to stand in awe.
The French Connection
Hello from Paris!
(Before I start this post, you should know that I love Paris. Love love love Paris. That is all.)
In leaving Barcelona and coming to Paris, I had to leave behind the staff that I had been working with and start new with a different staff. And a new roommate.
My new roommate's name is Julia. Awesome girl, who just moved to DC with her boyfriend. But the really cool thing about her is that her mom is French, so Julia speaks French like a native and spent the summers of her childhood in the south of France (certainly beats my childhood summers!).
The reason I tell you about my new roommate is that you need to know how healthy she is. No, I am not saying that she eats salads at every meal or works out at the gym for hours. I mean her general outlook in life. For example, last night we went to dinner and I got the menu of the day, which included appetizer (French onion soup), entree (roasted chicken) and dessert (crème brûlée). Julia ordered the roasted duck. And had a few bites of my crème brûlée. Her entree was certainly less "healthy" than mine, but her entire meal was more "healthy" than mine.
I hope you are seeing the theme of how to enjoy food but not get carried away. Julia ordered what she really wanted, ate it (leaving some on her plate) and then enjoyed a few bites of dessert. Moderation is the key to achieving the goals that we have set for ourselves. For me, Julia is a case study that I want to understand better.
For more info on French eating: CLICK HERE
(Before I start this post, you should know that I love Paris. Love love love Paris. That is all.)
In leaving Barcelona and coming to Paris, I had to leave behind the staff that I had been working with and start new with a different staff. And a new roommate.
My new roommate's name is Julia. Awesome girl, who just moved to DC with her boyfriend. But the really cool thing about her is that her mom is French, so Julia speaks French like a native and spent the summers of her childhood in the south of France (certainly beats my childhood summers!).
The reason I tell you about my new roommate is that you need to know how healthy she is. No, I am not saying that she eats salads at every meal or works out at the gym for hours. I mean her general outlook in life. For example, last night we went to dinner and I got the menu of the day, which included appetizer (French onion soup), entree (roasted chicken) and dessert (crème brûlée). Julia ordered the roasted duck. And had a few bites of my crème brûlée. Her entree was certainly less "healthy" than mine, but her entire meal was more "healthy" than mine.
I hope you are seeing the theme of how to enjoy food but not get carried away. Julia ordered what she really wanted, ate it (leaving some on her plate) and then enjoyed a few bites of dessert. Moderation is the key to achieving the goals that we have set for ourselves. For me, Julia is a case study that I want to understand better.
For more info on French eating: CLICK HERE
Monday, July 26, 2010
Farmers Market VS Grocery Store
I watch a ton of cooking shows throughout the day and one very common thread amongst all the chefs is their love of farmers markets. I finally decided to heed their words and give my local farmers markets a go.
So I saved all of my produce shopping for Saturday, got myself and Emma Kate up early, and off we went to our first market.
There were several different produce vendors, which was to be expected, but what was a surprise was the price tag.
Here's a great example. Peaches. Peaches at the market were $2.49/lb. Peaches at the grocery store are $0.99/lb. That's 2 1/2 times greater... 150%!
Watermelon at the farmers' market, $5.00. At the grocery store, $3.00.
And the kicker... corn. First let me say, around here there are A LOT of corn fields. Corn should be dirt cheap. And it is... at the grocery store. 8 for $1. At the grocery store.
At the farmers market.... $0.50 - $0.75 an ear!!!
*(*#$U)#I%*$%&#)(Q@)*$&!!!!
(the thoughts that went on in my head when I discovered this)
Another interesting tidbit... most of the produce available at this market was not even grown by local farmers. That's right. Not cheap AND not local.
But I didn't give up with that market. I thought maybe this was a bad one, an anomaly.
So after nap time, off we went, to our second market.
No change. Not only was this market equally as overpriced and stocked with produce from all over the country, the produce wasn't even fresh.
I don't write all this to bash farmers markets, rather to let you know that if you don't shop at one,
IT'S OKAY.
After watching all these cooking shows, I felt almost inadequate as a home cook because I wasn't supporting my local farmers or finding extra ways to save money by shopping at the local markets.
Well I'm here to tell you that's a load of you know what.
I'll probably check out another market once the weather cools down, maybe just to buy some of the other goodies (like local honey), but I'll save my produce shopping for the grocery store.
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