Berry Clafouti

Wait...there are RECIPES on here? No way!

Heh.

I didn't actually MAKE this, my mom did, but it was really good. Plus it's simple enough that I COULD make it and I plan to VERY SOON.

Anyway. Here it is.

Oh you wanted the recipe. Oh ok.

Here.

FRESH FRUIT CLAFOUTI - taken from The New Family Cookbook for People with Diabetes (via National Nutrition Month's 2008 Newsletter)

1 1/2 cups fresh fruit (peaches, cherries, a fruity mix, whatever)
2/3 cup fat-free evaporated milk
1 large egg, beaten or 1/4 cup egg substitute
2T all-purpose flour
2T sugar
1/2t pure vanilla extract
1/8t nutmeg (freshly grated is best)
1/8t salt
1T sifted powdered sugar

Preheat the oven to 375F. Prepare an 8 inch glass pie plate with nonstick pan spray. Layer the fruit in the plate.

Combine the milk, egg, flour, sugar, vanilla, nutmeg and salt in a food processor. Process until smooth, then pour over the fruit.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm sprinkled with powdered sugar.

ENJOY!

Sweet Vegetarian Chili

Hi! Since I was trapped inside due to a "snowstorm of unequaled proportions" (actual quote from a local meteorologist), I made something new for dinner! It was good!


WARNING: This is a pre-packaged food EXTRAVAGANZA. I didn't have the time nor ability to get to the store for fresh ingredients. Maybe I'll come up with a new recipe using more homemade items, maybe not. In any case, the packaging made it easier to calculate nutritional crap so there.

Michael's Sweet Vegetarian Chili

1 large box of Pacific Farms Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup
2 cups frozen vegetables (anything you'd like to have in soup will do.)
1 regular can kidney beans
1 regular can white beans
1 cup SHORT GRAIN brown rice
3 wedges Laughing Cow Reduced Fat Swiss Cheese
Basil to taste
Garlic powder to taste
Paprika to taste
Sea salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
Cholula to taste
Olive oil cooking spray

Put the rice in a pot to cook. While it is cooking, pour the soup in a large saucepan and add the vegetables, beans and spices. Let it simmer.

Once the rice is done mix in the Laughing Cow cheese, inducing creamy cheesy goodness. Stir goodness into the soup (which was simmering if you remember) and mix together.

Allow soup to simmer and reduce somewhat (15 minutes?) and serve with SOMETHING CRUNCHY (we had triangle-cut baked corn tortillas with ours).

MMM.




Nutritional Info (per cup)

166 calories
2g fat
30g carbs
6g fiber

WW Point Value: 2.7

There are about a million ways you could go with this dish. Have fun with it and tell me if you tried anything different!

Very simple.

Hello. Here is the recipe I promised. It's incredibly simple and involves packaged food...sorry about that.

First, I made this.



EXCEPT I added a can of kidney beans, a can of garbanzo beans, and some frozen vegetables (green beans, carrots and corn).

It was really good.

The multigrain biscuits from last time were made again, except I formed them with my hands for a thicker, puffier biscuit.

Combined together with a dusting of parmesan it was DELICIOUS.



Nutritional things!!!

(Please note THESE FIGURES ARE APPROXIMATE and are coming from someone who FAILED COLLEGE ALGEBRA THREE TIMES IN ONE SCHOOL YEAR.)

(Just F.Y.I.)

Soup (per cup)

110 calories
2g fat
1g fiber

Weight Watchers Point Value: 2.2

Biscuit (per biscuit)

105 calories
5g fat
14g carbs
1g fiber

Weight Watchers Point Value: 2.3

MMMMM!!!

Trader Joe's Multigrain Biscuits

Hello!

So yesterday I DROPPED OFF TO SLEEP without warning. When I awoke I was on my bed, stretched out like a chalk-drawing with a hood flopped over my head.

No, it was my hood. I had been wearing a hoodie.



For some reason, multigrain biscuits sounded REALLY good right then. Really good. I happen to have some mix that my parents got last time they were in California.



I wandered into the kitchen and made some. They were delicious!



The best part about their mix are the oats. There are nice, whole oats in the biscuits and grains making them nice and thick. I had two for lunch today with my soup. Holy crap! So good!

IF you decide to make multigrain biscuits and HAPPEN TO HAVE this very mix, here is the nutritional information BROKEN DOWN PER BISCUIT since they don't have it on the box.

1 biscuit

105 calories
5g fat
14g carbs
1g fiber

Weight Watchers points value: 2

They are great with vegetable soup! Mmm!

Go get some.

BBQ Veggie Rice

Okay.

This is hilarious.

I made dinner tonight.

(HHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHA!!!)

Kidding. Obviously that's not the funny bit. No, I made dinner tonight and it was a vegetarian meal. Do you know what I was craving as I pondered what to make for dinner?

BARBECUE VEGGIE RIBLETS.

They are made by Gardenburger and I've always liked them BUT THEY SEEM to resemble SOMETHING VERY FRIGHTENING that I may or may not have experienced recently.

Holy crap.

But I made the dish anyway because I really like it and it looks/tastes completely different so deal with it. I'm a tool. There. Now you know.

TIME FOR THE FOOD PART.

Michael's Awesome BBQ Veggie Rice!

2 bell peppers, any color
1/2 white onion
1 bunch green onions
2T Olive oil
2 cups short grain brown rice
1 box Gardenburger Veggie Riblets (DON'T SAY IT.)

You could also make any veggie patty you want and add BBQ sauce.

Stop looking at me like that.

Chop all the veggies small like you're making stir fry. Because you are. Basically.

NEXT...get a big freaking sauteé pan with a lid. Lightly coat the big freaking pan with olive oil and sauteé the veggies until the white onions are transparent. (Does this sound familiar?)

Sizzle Times.

Add the rice and continue to sizzle until the onions are a little bit more transparent (because that's how exact a science this is WHICH IS WHY I HAVE INCLUDED PICTURES).

Oooooh.

Add roughly 6 cups water and let it simmer, covered until it stops steaming underneath the lid, around 20 minutes or so. You know, like how you normally boil rice. It's nothing you can't handle.

Trust me.

When the rice is nearly done, microwave the riblets according to the package directions. The riblets that come in this box.



Cube the riblets and SAVE THE SAUCE FROM THE PACKETS. DO NOT GET RID OF THE SAUCE. It will flavor the rice.

The rice should be done. Remove from heat, add the riblets AND THE SAUCE. Mix it all up crazy style.

Mmm.

Serve with some steamed vegetables! I recommend broccoli and carrots.

DEELISHUS.

Here's the nutritional crap I calcumalated per serving because I'm wicked awesome.

PER CUP

237 calories
17g fat
40g carbs
4.5g fiber

Weight Watchers Point value: 5.5
(Without steamed veggies which are 1 or 2 extra.)

Now.

Go make it.

Seriously. Go.

Go now.

NOW.

NOOOOOW.

Fine. I'll just make it. More for me.

PEACE OUT.

Friend Blog and Casserole Idea.

Hello!

I must be brief as I am at the coffee house and forgot the power cord (BAD MICHAEL) so here we go.

Want some awesome and fun hand-crafted items?? Go to my friend Tanya's blog Alternate Bliss for some fun stuff! Yay!

Also...I made a casserole last night that turned out halfway decent so I thought I'd share. Yes, it IS a CASSEROLE but it was quick, easy and delicious so it's worth looking into.

I took mezzi tubetti (you could use any other small pasta really), and added mushroom marinara, basil, oregano, soy meat replacement (one last bag from that time in my life we are not to speak of), about 1/4 of a package of light shredded cheese and topped it with Italian seasoned bread crumbs. Mmm.



My friends Sean and Lanisa came over and Sean had, like, 4 servings so it must have been awesome! Go me!

Anyway that's about it. I have to go before my laptop dies on me. BYE!

Spring Roll Stir Fry

On Friday night Jordan, Kevin, Jackie and I thought it would be nice to get together and make spring rolls. I was in charge of bringing the ingredients. Being the forward thinker that I am, I left everything to the very last minute and couldn't find spring roll wrappers ANYWHERE at ANY SUPERMARKET as I rushed, already 20 minutes late, to get the crap we needed.

This is how I felt.



But luckily they're all very easy going people so we made do with what we had. I stir-fried (is that a word?) the veggies and served them on top of the vermicelli rather than rolling it all up in a wrapper. This is what I did.

Michael's Spring Roll Stir Fry

1 large red pepper
1 bunch green onions
1 large cucumber (or zucchini)
1 small bag baby carrots
Garlic salt to taste
Parsley flakes to taste
1 package rice noodles
3T soy sauce

Chop all the vegetables into chunks and simmer with soy sauce, garlic salt and parsley covered on very low heat for about 10 minutes like this.



Don't simmer too long lest they get mushy. Soften the vermicelli in hot water (about 10 minutes after the water comes to a boil - it's on the package) with some parsley while the veggies simmer. Drain the noodles and set aside.

Place a bed of noodles on a plate and pile on the veggies.



DELICIOUS WITH WINE.



Have fun!

Summer Squash Crunch

Do you have extra squash or zucchini lying about? Try this. I made it last night and it was lovely. Nothing was really measured out (as is my m.o.) so it's really up to you to decide how much to use.

Two people have commented on the deliciousness today (I brought some to share).

Summer Squash Crunch

1 large squash (or zucchini OR EGGPLANT EVEN)
Olive oil
Sea salt
Fresh ground black pepper
Oregano
Panko bread crumbs
Parmesan cheese
Marinara (for plating)

Wash and slice the squash, lie slices flat on a glass baking dish. Coat one side lightly with olive oil and sprinkle on sea salt, ground black pepper and oregano. Turn the pieces over and repeat, but add the parmesan and bread crumbs.

Bake at 450F for 15-20 minutes or until crispy. When plating, pour marinara on the plate first and place the squash on top.

Delicious with a fresh green salad. Mmm.

Independence Day

Happy Fourth of July!

Well...that is...if you're in the United States. Or...actually you could be in another country but FROM the United States as well I suppose...oh hell...not that you HAVE to be from the United States just to celebrate the Fourth of July...if you...ahh...

Forget it. Just Happy Fourth of July.

SO. What did you do? I don't know what you did but I made soup! Seriously! It's really good too! It was inspired by a recipe I saw last night on t.v. and a recipe on the bag of lentils I bought for the soup because I didn't quite remember the recipe I saw last night and hadn't written it down (of course).

HERE IT IS.

Michael's Fourth of July Lentil Soup

1 lb. lentils
1 small chopped white onion
1 large chopped carrot
1 small chopped zucchini
2 chopped stalks of celery
4 cans stewed tomatoes (the pre-seasoned "Italian" ones are great)
64 oz. vegetable broth
2T Basil
2T Italian Seasoning

Throw everything in a pot. You don't need to add salt because of the tomatoes. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 45 minutes or so, stirring occasionally.

PICTURES

The soup with an inspirational saying.

Bogie wants some.

This is far from over. I want to experiment and tweak the recipe, maybe with spinach added, maybe something else. Sour cream? I dunno. Regardless, this is what was made today and I will keep you posted as more things get tried.

Yum!

Paprikas Rellenas/Stuffed Bell Peppers

Hello!!

Yesterday my friend Jackie and I went to IKEA (are you surprised?) where she found a new alarm clock and I found an extra place setting of my silverware.

Actually, Jackie found it in the clearance bin. It was 99 cents.

Jackie is amazing.

Anyhoo, after that we went running errands, then decided to go back to my place and make vegan stuffed bell peppers. They were AWESOME!

Jackie took a picture with her phone.



Here's the recipe from VegCooking.

‘Beef’ and Orzo-Stuffed Peppers

Beautiful and satisfying stuffed peppers make the perfect presentation for a special dinner with friends or family. Serve them with crusty bread and herbed vegan margarine.

1 cup orzo pasta
4 peppers (green, orange, red, or yellow)
2/3 cup tightly packed fresh parsley
1/4 cup soy parmesan “cheese”
2 Tbsp. chopped walnuts
1 1/2 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. salt, divided
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
12 oz. faux ground beef-style crumbles
1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
1 12-oz. jar tomato sauce

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.

• Cook the orzo pasta according to the directions on the package. Drain and set aside.

• Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Cut the tops off the peppers (save them) and scrape out the insides, removing the seeds. Place the peppers into the boiling water, simmer for 3 minutes, remove from the water, and invert them onto a paper towel to drain.

• Place the parsley, soy parmesan, walnuts, basil, 1/2 tsp. of the salt, and the garlic into a food processor and pulse until blended. With the food processor running, slowly add 1/4 cup of the olive oil and continue processing to form a smooth pesto.

• In a large skillet, brown the beef-style crumbles in the remaining oil over medium heat. Stir in the orzo, pesto, the remaining 1/2 tsp. of salt, and the chopped tomato. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the mixture is heated through.

• Pour the tomato sauce into an 8-inch glass baking dish. Fill the peppers with the “beef” mixture and place them into the baking dish. Put the pepper tops back on and bake for 20 minutes.

Makes 4 servings

This is what they looked like before we snarfed 'em.





I have two left over. YUM.

Me gusta cocinando/I like cooking

LAST NIGHT WAS THE NIGHT OF A THOUSAND RECIPES.

Or...more accurately...two.

First I made tuna casserole. It wasn't awful (that means you get to see pictures).

Granted, I couldn't remember exactly WHAT goes in a tuna casserole, and was slightly hindered as I have never actually MADE one, but walking around the supermarket was helpful enough. It made sense eventually.

This is what I did.

Michael's Wingin' It T-role (you must say "T-role.")

1 package spaghetti noodles
1 small container lowfat cream cheese
1 regular can of lowfat/low sodium cream of mushroom soup
1 regular size bag of frozen peas
2 cans tuna
Italian seasoned bread crumbs
Parmesan cheese
1 bag shredded 2% milk cheddar cheese

Cook noodles. While cooking mix all the other crap in a bowl except the parmesan and bread crumbs. Add noodles to the bowl when done cooking them. Mix. Put in a 9x13 casserole dish. Cover with parmesan and bread crumbs and bake at 450 for 10 minutes or until bubbly.

Here is the APPROXIMATE nutritional information.

1/6 of a 9x13 pan

410 calories
12g Fat
Something fiber I can't remember but it's a lot because of the bread crumbs.

PICTURES!!

MMM. Taste the flavoury goodness.

After that I made my usual rice dish. The recipe has been posted before here. I was sad though because I forgot the safflower which makes it a nice yellow color.



I didn't figure the nutritional information for the rice but I will do that soon because now I'm curious. Hmm.

Here is a picture of me pretending to fall off the curio in the living room.

Here is a publicity shot with a dangerously hot saucepan.

Food night was a good night.

Delishooz Sammich

Hey hey!

I'm finally getting caught up at work! Woohoo!!

Anyway...in honor of the fabulous sandwiches at New Seasons Market (and due to the fact I can't have one now), I made a REALLY good veggie sandwich that just has to be shared. It's easy to eat AND make! Combo bonus!!

So here's the crap.

PSEUDO-NEW SEASONS MARKET SAMMICH (sic)

2 slices heavy, whole grain wheat bread
Mustard (any kind you like)
4 slices cucumber
4 slices ROMA tomato (MUST BE ROMA)
4 slices mushroom
1 ring out of a slice of red onion (just a tiny bit)
2 slices provolone (or some other schmancy cheese)

Place the bread down on the counter. Spread mustard on each slice and cover with slices of cheese. On one slice of bread, place the 4 tomato slices, followed by the cucumbers, then the shrooms all on top of each other in a square pattern. Top with onion ring (not the fried kind silly). Take the other slice of bread and top off the sammich!

NOW THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. Cut the sandwich into 4 squares. CAN YOU SEE THE EASINESS OF EATING?! Since you stacked the veggies on top of each other in a square pattern it makes 4 little mini sandwiches that are easy to eat! Hot damn! If you don't do this it makes yet another sloppy floppy sandwich and NOBODY LIKES THAT.

NOBODY.

So you can have this great 'wich and the stuff won't fall out! SEE?! Go make one. NOW!! What are you waiting for?? I don't even have a picture of one BECAUSE I ATE IT TOO FAST. So go forth and make one!!

I had a lot coffee today.

Soup/La soupe

I just made this:



and had it with pieces of Triscuit stirred in. It was DELICIOUS! The soup was rich and creamy with a hint of milk and the size fits in my crazy soup bowl perfectly!

Crazy Soup Bowl

The Triscuits were nice and crispy even though they were logged with soup.

MMM.

I highly recommend it. Yum.

Delicious/Delicieux

Ooh. Mmm.

Wanna try something yummy? Take fresh broccoli, cauliflower and baby carrots, steam them, spritz on some olive oil and mix it up, then add sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

IT IS SO GOOD. WOW.

Why didn't you tell me about this sooner?

PooooTATOTOMATOZUCCHINI.

HI!

I'm sitting here with my friend Jackie and writing about our dinner. Rather, she is going to the bathroom and I am out here.

LET ME TELL YOU WHAT WE MADE!!

My coworker gave me a recipe of hers that she likes. It's called Potato Tomato Zucchini. You have to say it fast and all together for the full effect.

PoooTATOTOMATOZUCCHINI.

Hahaha. Anyhoo, it's pretty self explanatory. Here be the recipe.

POTATOTOMATOZUCCHINI

3 small potatoes
3 roma tomatoes
1 medium sized zucchini
1 small bag baby carrots
2 tsp basil
2 tsp oregano
3 tbsp parmesan
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil (a spray will work best)
1 cup of LOVE (Jackie made me say that)

Slice the veggies, but not the carrots. Spray olive oil on the pan and place the veggies in. Spritz the veggies with a bit more oil and love (again, Jackie). Sprinkle the parmesan, basil and oregano all over the top. It should look like this:



Then place in a preheated oven at 375 for 45 minutes. It will serve 2-3 peeps. While that bakes, make the delicious rice to go with it! YAY!

DELICIOUS RICE TO GO WITH IT

1/2 cup brown basmati rice
1/2 cube vegetable bouillon
2 pinches safflower

Place all the crap in a pot with 1 1/2 cups water or broth. Cook like rice. Done and done.

When everything is all complete, your delicious plate will look something like this (Oroweat Oat Nut toast optional):



DELICIOUS!

You know what else is good? Dessert. We took this sorbet:



and paired it with fresh pineapple! Could it be that I actually made a dessert that doesn't look awful?? Could it BE??!!



MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM.

Was there liquor? Of COURSE there was liquor!! We had amaretto sours. They were awesome.



On an unrelated note, here is my new t-shirt that I love very much as seen from an EXTREMELY DIRTY mirror in reverse. The little jumpy guy is saying "I am unique!" It's from Threadless. Ain't it cute?



ALSO...here is the snow hat I made with my friend Natalie. Hey Nat! It's DONE!! It's done and it doesn't look horrid!! YAY!!



Okay so that's all. I've had a bit to drink and so has Jackie so it's time to go now.

PEACE OUT!!

Meatless Enchiladas/Enchiladas sin carne

Okay. Hi.

My friend Jackie came over again and we were all goofy crazy as usual, but what we made was STELLAR and I just have to share. It was delicious. It was rich and hearty!!

It was tofu enchiladas.

Before you turn your nose up at that (HEY! WHERE ARE YOU GOING?!) allow me to share the picture we took. MMMMM!



My mother, being the genius she is, made tofuchiladas for my sister and I when we were kids. They are a low-fat, low-cholesterol version of the real deal and are quite tasty. Based on her recipe and suggestions, I modified it a bit and Jackie said they were scrumptious so they have to be good!

Here's the recipe.

TOFUCHILADAS

1 pkg (36) corn tortillas (can be yellow or white though the yellow have far fewer calories and fat grams in them.)
1 pkg extra firm tofu
1 small can red enchilada sauce
1 small can green enchilada sauce (Las Palmas or Tapatio work well for this)
1 can black olives, rinsed
1/2 each of diced yellow, green and red peppers (for color, yo!)
1/2 minced onion
2 pkgs 2% milk cheese (low fat and lurvin' it!)

Crumble the tofu in a large metal mixing bowl. Add the red enchilada sauce, onions, peppers and 1 package of cheese. Mix well and set aside. It's best to let it marinate for a day or so but this is not necessary.

Place the tortillas on a microwave-safe plate. Cover with another microwave-safe plate and heat until pliable, usually around 2-3 minutes.

Spray a 13X9 baking dish and roll the ingredients into the tortillas. When done, cover the enchiladas with cheese and green chili sauce.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until nice n' CRISPY! YUM!

Serve with Costa Rican rice. Here is the recipe for that from a previous post. Notice the duplication of ingredients. This dinner is healthy for your body AND your wallet! Heh.


COSTA RICAN RICE

1 cup rice
1/2 (chopped) green pepper
1/2 (chopped) red pepper
1/4 (chopped) white onion
1 can black beans
1T vegetable bouillon (or 1 cube)
Olive oil (to cover bottom of pan)
A pinch of Safflower

In a large pan, sauté the rice and chopped vegetables in olive oil until the onions begin to look transparent.

Add 2 cups water to the rice, the bouillon and sprinke the safflower on top. Cover and let boil as you would normal rice (about 15 minutes or until the liquid is gone).

While the rice is cooking, drain and rise the black beans so the ookey crap from the can doesn't get in the rice. When the rice is done, add the black beans and serve with a dollop of sour cream and wine! Yay!

Can you feel the flavah? Mmmmm.

Honey Garlic Chicken

Here is the recipe per all of your requests. My friend Rebecca who came over on Saturday (I know 3 Rebeccas) emailed it to me today!

HONEY GARLIC CHICKEN

2 lbs. chicken (whatever pieces you like, but breasts and thighs work best - with skin on looks prettier)
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup olive oil
3T garlic
2T mustard
2t curry powder
1t garlic salt (or other seasoning, to taste)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix honey, olive oil, mustard and curry powder in a small bowl. Season chicken with garlic salt and "Slap Ya Mama" or other such seasoning (basically a spicy seasoned salt). Pour sauce over chicken. Sprinkle garlic on top and in sauce in the dish. Bake for 1-1/4 hours until chicken is golden brown, basting every 20 minutes or as desired until color is achieved. Yum!

From Rebecca's friends in Edmonton, AB. (eh!)
_______________________________________________

Here is the rice recipe from yours truly.

COSTA RICAN RICE

1 cup rice
1/2 (chopped) green pepper
1/2 (chopped) red pepper
1/4 (chopped) white onion
1 can black beans
1T Caldo de Pollo (chicken bouillon)
Olive oil (to cover bottom of pan)
A pinch of Safflower

In a large pan, sauté the rice and chopped vegetables in olive oil until the onions begin to look transparent. Add 2 cups water to the rice, the Caldo and sprinke the safflower on top. Cover and let boil as you would normal rice (about 15 minutes or until the liquid is gone). While the rice is cooking, drain and rise the black beans so the ookey crap from the can doesn't get in the rice. When the rice is done, add the black beans and serve! Yay!

Can you feel the flavah? Mmmmm.