Crazy Good

This past week I made crispy pork chops with brown rice, green beans and a bean sprout salad. For leftovers I put together the brown rice, green beans and bean sprout salad. Let me tell you that combination was crazy good! The bean sprout salad tasted so much better the next day and the jalapenos gave it a spicy kick. This is how I made my green beans and bean sprout salad:

Green Beans:

1 1/2 lbs of fresh green beans
1 yellow onion sliced
2-3 cloves of garlic minced
1/2 inch section of ginger (I press mine in a garlic press to release the juices)
1 tsp crushed red peppers
1/4 cup soy sauce
4-5 tbsp olive oil
Salt to taste

1. Boil the green beans until a little soft in the center but crisp on the outside. Drain and cool.
2. Heat up a sauce pan with 2-3 tbsp olive oil and add the onion slices on medium heat and caramelize. I add a little salt and 1 tbsp of soy sauce for flavor. Once the onions are done I add the garlic and ginger for a minute or two.
3. Add the green beans, the rest of the olive oil and toss with the onion mixture. After 5 minutes add your soy sauce and red pepper flakes and taste to see if you need more salt.
4. Cook until desired doneness on green beans.

Bean Sprout Salad (Mung Beans)

1 package of bean sprouts
1/2 bunch cilantro leaves
1 jalapeno seeds taken out and diced
1/2 inch section of ginger pressed
2 limes juiced
Salt to taste

1. Add the ingredients all together and let it sit for a couple of hours. It tasted best the next day.

Cook brown rice and add green beans over the rice and the bean sprout salad on top. It is spicy, you can taste the ginger and tangy from the lime. I ate this 3 times this past week!

Meal Plan Saturday

It's time to think of what I am going to make this coming week. I need to use up what is in the frig. It's the end of the month clean the frig out! I have some chicken in the freezer, lots of lettuce, green beans, fruit and tons of pasta in the cabinets. This is how I will use up what I have:

Sunday- BBQ at a friends, I am in charge of making dessert. I am making a strawberry rhubarb crisp and brownies with a hazelnut topping.

Monday- Our annual Memorial Day trip to Leemore to put flags on hubby's grandpa's grave and then out to Hanford to Superior Dairy for sandwiches and ice cream. Dinner will be whatever is left over in the frig.

Tuesday- Chicken Marsala and salad. I also need to make another batch of whole wheat bread.

Wednesday- Rotisserie Chicken with hummus, flat bread, olives and veggies. I have a coupon for a free side when buying a rotisserie chicken at Whole Foods, so whatever looks good.

Thursday- Cajun style shrimp with crusty bread and salad (This is one of my favorite meals).

Friday- Out to dinner

Calories

This week I tried to cut my calories to 1200 a day, but I needed a little more. I added 200 more calories to take it to 1400 a day. Let me tell you, it adds up fast! Today has gone like this:

Breakfast:
2 Whole wheat waffles 170 cal
2 tbsp almond butter   170 cal
1 tbsp blue agave         60 cal

Snack:
Mini bag of Wheat Thins 60 cal

Lunch:
Smart Ones lasagna    300 cal

Dinner:
Crispy pork chops, green beans, brown rice and asian bean sprout salad. I have been so hungry lately that I ate some meat. I think my body is telling me to eat some more protein! I am sure I went over my calorie limit, just have to work hard tomorrow.

Lots of water!!

This takes me to 760 cal, only 640 calories left for the day which is easy to consume. I was so hungry this morning that I ate a little more than usual. This week is my rest week from Insanity, but I am still teaching my classes and making my classes do my "rest" exercises from the video. Next week I start Max Interval Training. I am still only down 3 pounds, so I hope with the next butt kicking 4 weeks of Insanity I will lose some more! One good thing though, I can tell my stomach is shrinking since I got full on a Smart Ones meal.

Blueberry Muffins with Cinnamon Crumb Topping

Muffins:

* Lighter version

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar (*brown sugar)

2 tsp baking powder

1 beaten egg

3/4 cup milk (*non-fat)

1/4 cup cooking oil (*coconut oil or applesauce)

3/4 cup fresh blueberries

In a mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder and 1/4 tsp salt. Make a well in the center. Combine egg, milk and oil; add all at once to the flour. Stir until just moistened. Put muffins in a regular muffin pan or mini-muffin pan as I did. Bake at 400 degrees. Regular size muffins will take 20 minutes, mini-muffins about 12-13 minutes.

Cinnamon Crumb Topping

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 tbsp flour

1 tsp cinnamon

2 tbsp unsalted butter

In a bowl mix these ingredients; cut in butter till crumbly and top muffins before baking.

Meal Plan Monday

Monday- Cheeseburgers, fries and fruit (I am going out with the girls and making dinner before I go).

Tuesday- BBQ pork chops, mashed red potaotes and green beans.

Wednesday- Baked chicken chimichangas with fiesta beans and guacamole.

Thursday- Crispy pork chops with bean sprout salad and rice.

*Bean sprout salad- Lime juice, cilantro, green onions, jalapenos and bean sprouts on top of the cripsy pork chops.

Friday- Out to dinner.

Need a yummy and easy dessert?

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

I made this last night for my dad's birthday dinner and all of it was eaten up! It was simple, not too many ingredients and really yummy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

• 4 cups fresh rhubarb, 1-inch diced (4 to 5 stalks)
• 4 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and halved, if large
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons grated orange zest
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup quick-cooking (not instant) oatmeal, such as McCann's
• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced
• Vanilla ice cream, for serving

 

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the fruit, toss the rhubarb, strawberries, 3/4 cup of the granulated sugar and the orange zest together in a large bowl. In a measuring cup, dissolve the cornstarch in the orange juice and then mix it into the fruit. Pour the mixture into an 8-by-11-inch baking dish and place it on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
For the topping, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, the remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar, the brown sugar, salt and oatmeal. With the mixer on low speed, add the butter and mix until the dry ingredients are moist and the mixture is in crumbles. Sprinkle the topping over the fruit, covering it completely, and bake for 1 hour, until the fruit is bubbling and the topping is golden brown. Serve warm with ice cream.

Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower, Tomatoes and Crispy Breadcrumbs

1 head cauliflower cut into small pieces

1 small onion thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic thinly sliced

2-3 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp black pepper

(I added Italian sausage, nitrate free)

Favorite pasta
4 cups sourdough bread cubes
4 tbsp unsalted butter melted
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained reserve juice (I used tomatoes with oregano and garlic)
1/4 cup capers
1/2-1 tsp crushed red pepper
Freshly shaved Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a baking dish, toss cauliflower, onion and garlic with olive oil, coating the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper and roast for 35 to 45 minutes stirring half way through. While veggies are in the oven, heat a large pot of salted water over high heat and cook pasta according to the directions.

Whirl bread in a food processor to make crumbs. Heat a large heavy skillet over medium heat and add butter. When butter is melted and bubbling, add the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring until crispy, about 8-10 minutes.

When pasta is cooked, drain and return to the pot. Add roasted vegetables, tomatoes, capers and crushed red pepper and cook over medium heat, stirring, until heated through. If the mixture looks too dry, add a bit of the reserved tomato juice. Stir until well combined. Serve with breadcrumbs and garnish with cheese.