Weekend Waffles

Happy Saturday!  Bond and I had tough work weeks.  I fully admit Bond's was tougher than mine due to him having several 4 a.m. mornings and an overnight business trip.  By Friday night exhausted didn't really seem to be a strong enough word to describe us.  We had planned on going out to dinner.  Instead we picked up Chili's to go and called it a night early.  So it didn't surprise me that at 6 a.m. this morning I woke up and could not go back to sleep.  I got up quietly so Bond could sleep a bit longer while I got up to let the dogs out.  Then I decided to make a yummy waffle breakfast.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon sunflower oil
1/4 cup skim milk
2 egg whites
1/4 cup water

First heat the waffle iron to desired level.  I like level 4 or 5 because they are a little brown but not quite crispy.  Mix the flour, salt, and baking powder.  Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.

Spray the top and bottom of the heated waffle iron with pam cooking spray.  Pour a half cup of the mixture onto the center of the waffle iron and close.

This makes one pretty perfect waffle...

Continue to spray the waffle iron with Pam in between each waffle and use the remaining mixture.  It makes 2 to 3 waffles @ 170 calories per waffle.

I like to add lite syrup @ 100 calories per 1/4 cup, and some powdered sugar to mine.  And of course I have to have my coffee!

How do you like your weekend waffles?

Paper Salmon

Bond and I participate in Foyer Groups at our church.  It is a small dinner group that changes members twice a year so you get to meet and socialize with new people.  Each person or couple takes a turn hosting.

A new group just started and we hosted the first dinner over the weekend.  The host makes the main dish and then the other people bring sides, salads, and dessert.  I made a delicious and healthy Salmon baked in parchment paper.

Ingredients per serving @ 170 calories
4 oz. Salmon Filet
Fresh Green Beans
1 Tablespoon Capers
Lemon zest
1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Square of parchment paper

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.  Place salmon filet in the center of parchment paper, add green beans, capers, lemon zest.  Drizzle olive oil over fish.

Fold the parchment paper in on the sids and twist the ends like a piece of candy.  Place the pouches on a tray and bake for about 20 minutes.  They go in like this....

And come out like this....

You can serve directly in the pouches!

It was great with the potatoes and caesar salad brought by out guests.  The fourth couple couldn't make it so I put together a dessert too, a Chocolate Banana treat!

Ingredients for 8 servings @ 290 calories per serving
4 bananas halved
1 jar of Hot Fudge topping
1 cup of granola
8 craft sticks

Peel the bananas and slice in half.  Insert a craft stick into each banana half and place on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper.  Place into the freezer for 2 hours or until hard.

Place granola into ziplock back and roll with rolling pin to crush granola.  Then place granola on a shallow plate.  Heat the chocolate jar until liquid and place on a second shallow plate.  Roll the banana in the chocolate topping using a spatula to completely cover, then roll in the granola and place back on pan.

Freeze for another 2 hours or until hard.  Allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving.  These were a big hit!

What would you add to the Salmon? Or Chocolate Bananas to make it your own??

Egg Salad Sandwich

Bond and I had a great Saturday.  We ran a few errands this morning, including getting father's day cards.  Then we just hung around the house, got a few things done, but mostly relaxed!  On lazy summer days and the occasional weekday lunch I love light meals.  This wonderful summertime egg salad recipe was another one from the great book my sister game me...

I really like this book it was a great find, thanks Laura!

Egg Salad Ingredients:
6 hard cooked eggs
3 tablespoons reduced-fat miracle whip
1/2 cup dices green onion
1 1/2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
Serving size 1/2 cup @ 82 calories; yields 4 servings

I adjusted the ingredients for my own taste so feel free to adjust for yours.  For example, I used miracle whip instead of mayonnaise because I like it better.

Tip for hard-cooked eggs, place the eggs in a single layer in pan and add cold water to cover the eggs by about an inch.  Bring to a boil over high heat then cover and remove the pan from the heat letting stand 15 minutes.  After 15 minutes pour off the water, cover the eggs with cold water and allow to cool before peeling.

During the 15 minutes dice the 1/2 cup green onions.  Then add to them the pickle relish, celery seed, and a dash of salt and/or pepper if you like.  Place the miracle whip in a separate bowl.  When the eggs are ready peel the shell and separate the yolks.  Add two yolks to the miracle whip and mix well.  Discard or save the other 4 yolks (I put mine into tupperware for snacks later in the week).  Next dice the 6 egg whites and stir into mixture.  Last stir in the onion, relish, spice mixture.

Eat the eggs salad however you like.  In a pita, on bread, in a tortilla or by itself!  I like to toast some whole wheat bread, add some spinach and a tomato slice.  How will you eat your egg salad?

What is your favorite light summer meal??

Sweet Potato Enchiladas

Bond and I enjoy hosting friends and family.  We recently had a small dinner party, 8 people and one of our guests was a vegetarian.   Most of my recipes have meat so I searched recipe websites, books, and some of my favorite blogs for a recipe.   I found the winning recipe on www.HealthyTippingPoint.com, one of my favorite blogs.  I made a few small changes for my own personal likes and it was a big hit, everyone wanted the recipe so here it is...

Ingredients and Nutrition info:
4 cups cubed sweet potatoes @ 180 calories per cup
Black beans rinsed and drained 1/2 cup @ 105 calories
Pinto beans rinsed and drained 1/2 cup @ 80 calories
Fresh baby spinach about 1/2 cup per tortilla @ 10 calories
1 jar salsa verde (1 tablespoon @ 5 calories)
5 large whole wheat tortillas @ 200 calories each

Serves 5 enchiladas @ about 450 calories (3/4 cup potato, 1/4 cup of each bean, 1 tortilla, about 3 tablespoons salsa, and 1/2 cup spinach)

Boil the cubed sweet potato for about 15 minutes or until tender.  Then drain and place in food processor.  Process until smooth.  Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray and preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Put about 1/5 of the sweet potatoes into a tortilla and top with desired amount of black and pinto beans, and spinach.  Roll the tortilla and place in to pan.  Repeat until pan is full (should hold about 5 enchiladas).  Top the pan with the jar of salsa verde and bake in oven for 15 minutes.   Remove and serve with any desired toppings.  I like to add an ounce or two of shredded cheese and 1-2 tablespoons of sour cream.

Bond takes his with extra salsa.

The original recipe I found processed spinach and pinto beans with the potatoes.  I added black beans and decided not to process them.  What would you add?

Biltmore Chardonnay

On of my favorite wines is now for sale in Oklahoma! It is the Biltmore Chardonnay.






It is on of my favorites for two reasons. One, it taste good. Two, Bond and I took our honeymoon to the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina! It was so beautiful and interesting.  In addition to seeing the estate itself, we stayed at the inn built on the property, dined at several of the on site restaurants, toured and tasted at the winery.  I love historical homes and we did every tour of the house, including the roof top tour. Check out the view...






In case your not familiar with the Biltmore Estate, which has been featured in quite a few movies, here it is...






It currently sits on approximately 8,000 acres of what what originally 100,000 acres.  The house itself is 4 acres square foot!  It is full of amazing art and furniture and so worth the hike.  You have to make time for the grounds too, they are amazing...

It was wonderful to relax with a glass of wine and just enjoy the view (from our balcony)...

Every Biltmore wine we tasted was great, but I am enjoying Chardonnay's this time of year.  Stay tuned for more wine news as I prepare and plan for my trip to Napa Valley at the end of the summer.

Where is your favorite wine from?  Have you made a visit to the winery?

- Posted using my iPad 2

Roasted Red Pepper Picante Chicken

It has been a long time since my last post, but with good reason! My little sister graduated from Loyola in Chicago. So Bond and I made the trip. We love visiting Chicago, but this was not our normal trip. I actually drove up on Wednesday in my old car, a ford focus. I gave the car to my sister as her graduation gift. My mom and mother-in-law road with me, making it was a nice little girls road trip. Bond, his dad, and 2 buddies flew up and met us on Friday.

It was a busy weekend! One road trip, a graduation, two Cubs vs Giants baseball games, a late night movie, drinks, and a lot of eating later I had a great time, and no energy. By the time I flew home Sunday all I wanted was a nap!

I usually do my weekly shopping as part of my Sunday routine, but when I finally got home I was completely unmotivated so I relied on a staple recipe. After a full day at the office on Monday I did get myself together to grocery shop. This was mostly due to the great new cookbook my sister gave me in Chicago.





So here is the first recipe I used, with a few modifications of course...




Ingredients
1 lb chicken tenders cut in bite sized pieces
12 oz whole wheat egg noodles
1 cup picante sauce
1 cup roasted red peppers, diced
1/3 cup of water
1 tsp ground cumin
Makes 4 servings @ 415 calories per serving

Directions
Cook egg noodles according to package directions minus salt, oil, or butter
Heat a medium sauce pan with cooking spray on medium high heat.  Add the chicken and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.  Then add the picante sauce, roasted red peppers, water, and cumin.  Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heath to low-medium for about 10 minutes.  Sauce will thicken (but not a lot).  Then serve over pasta.

Bond's portion is below...




I added a little over 1/2 oz. of grated cheddar jack cheese to my portion.  This added about 65 calories to my total, but was so worth it!





How do you get inspired to try new recipes?  Cookbooks, internet, blogs??

- Posted using my iPad 2

Staple Food

I have some foods that are always in my house. These are my staple foods that I can always go to for a favorite quick and easy meal. One of my staple foods is chicken asiago spinach sausage. I discovered them at Sam's, which I love (more on that later). These sausages are also healthy at 110 calories, 4.5g fat, and 15g of protein.

You can put them just about any dish and they are delicious. They ate also great alone on the grill.





My favorite thing to do is slice up a package of 5 links and cook them in a skillet. I cook a box of whole wheat spaghetti and a can of quartered artichoke hearts.









Then mix them all together.




Nutrition/diet info:
Whole wheat spaghetti 1 cup @ 190 calories
Chicken sausage 1 link @ 110 calories
Artichoke hearts 1/4 cup @ 18 calories

Bond likes to add salsa to his, while I add 2-3 teaspoons of grated parmesan. This makes about 5-6 servings depending on your serving size. Since it's just Bond and I, the leftovers are great for lunches!





What is a staple food in you house?

- Posted using my iPad 2

Cheese 101

Let me start by saying I love cheese!  In February took my Grandmother-in-law to a cheese class for her birthday.  It was hosted by a local (I think) chain, Forward Foods.  We got to try 8 different cheeses ranging from soft to hard, and light to stinky.  They also provided things to pair with the cheeses to enhance the flavor.  There were several things I had never thought to pair with cheese that turned out to be delicious.  My favorite new pairings are honey, fruit preserves, and dried apricot.  They offer additional cheese classes including one that teaches how to pair cheese with wine.  I will definitely do this again and highly recommend it to anyone who has the opportunity for something similar!

Ladies Book Club

I currently participate in 2 book clubs.  Last Friday I hosted one of them.  I hosted the, not so originally titled, “Ladies Book Club” which has between 10 and 15 members at any given time.  On average 3 to 8 members make it to a single meeting.  A total of 9 women were in attendance, so I deem it a great turn out, especially since most of them had even read the book! 

We had three new people join which always livens up the conversation. The ladies book club turned 2 in December 2010, and reads a variety of genres, lengths, and authors.  The only real criteria are that the books will lead to discussion and is available in paperback. 

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For this most recent meeting we read The Secret Lives of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd.  The book chronicles the journey of a young white girl as she runs away from home and her father, in hopes of discovering the truth about her deceased mother.  She is accompanied on her journey by a fugitive black woman that served as a care taker for her after her mother died.  The book provided some good discussion topics including the queen bee mother figure and what that represented to the narrator,  The volatile relationship between the narrator and her father and how it developed to that point, issues about race relations in the deep south during the 1960’s, and more.  The book is relatively short, an easy read, and has lots to discuss.  If you are in a book club or thinking of starting one, this is a great choice.  Also, as the host I got to serve honey with everything.  I like it when the book lends itself to a theme and the honey was a smash hit!

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This book club meets again at the end of April and we will be reading The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb…Stay tuned for details.