Hello, Internet.
I've been poking around a lot, but unfortunately it's all been cute baby animals, oddly specific signs, and internet memes. And not very much research.
So, for the past two days I fixed that, mostly.
Hello, people who read my blog!
I have some good news, and some bad news. I'll give the bad news first, so that we can work off of the good news and try to fix the bad things.
Bad News: I have not lost any weight, and I've had dreaded fast food a lot recently. Like 3 times a week. My school hasn't given me my refund yet for my Saturday class yet, so I've been flatter-than-a-pancake flat broke. The money issue and my lack of enthusiasm has contributed to my current weight.
Good News: I have a Detoxification plan relatively well mapped out, in such a fashion that when I get my paycheck tomorrow (Hooray!) I'll be able to follow through for the 2 weeks I feel would be best for the dietary change, and then gently shift into the Alton Brown Diota I talked about in my last post.
Also, I ate tofu for lunch. Baby steps, right? :)
Doubly also, I've got a basic theme for my cookbook all picked out, and I can't wait to start compiling all the recipes I'll need. I won't tell you guys just yet what I'm planning, but I will tell you I'm on a quest to learn how to make Sukiyaki, and real Ramen. (No, it's not an all Japanese cookbook, but good guess!)
So, what's my detox plan? Well, I'm going to take the idea of a breakfast fruit smoothie, and change it into an all-day food smoothie. It will have soy milk and fruit (maybe a few vegetable) juices, and will be supplemented by other foods, so that I'm not on a juice fast. While I'm doing my detox, I'm going to do my best to get my energy levels high, and sweat out all the icky stuff that's stored away. This means I have a goal of working out 2-3 times a week, and riding our new recumbent exercise bike 2-3 times a week, making for a total of at least 5 days a week of doing some kind of physical activity.
My mom and I also recently purchased pedometers, so I'm going to make a conscious effort to park as far away as I can, so that even those steps will be steps in the right direction. (See what I did there? Took a real life situation and made it into a metaphor.)
So, I'm happy and relatively confident that I can get this detox done, and I plan to do it for 10 to 14 days, and updating this little blog of mine will keep me honest, and it'll also be a good food diary so I can track my journey into the Land of Good and Healthy. :)
For now, I'm off to go look up breakfast replacement smoothies, and I'll let you all know my progress as soon as I can. It most definitely won't be another two weeks between posts. :P
So remember kids, don't ever do a juice fast, unless you want to lose muscle mass.
Diet smart and be safe!
Friday, February 19, 2010
Monday, February 1, 2010
Did She Die? No! She was Lazy!
I figured that if I waited until tomorrow to update, then it would have been exactly 2 full, Holiday-filled and gut-busting months since my last update. So, I wanted to nip my procrastination in the bud!
Well, at least the procrastination of updating.
My apologies, dear readers. You're probably wondering why it took me so long to come back to this dusty keyboard, and bang out a couple cool ideas.
Honestly... it's hard looking in the mirror, and pointing out your flaws. And even harder when you have to make it entertaining for other people to read. Like you lovely people out there, wandering the interwebs.
So! I may be a month late with starting my New Year's Resolutions (or Reallocation of Energy's, as I call them), but at least I'm starting them, and this little blog is keeping me honest.
Oh, Christmas presents? Yeah, lemme fill you in a little on what you guys missed out during the holiday season.
I got a bread machine. And it's pretty. :D
I got snowboarding gear, a snowboard rental, and went out once so far. I fell a bunch. :( Mah bum hurts, but it was good exercise.
I had a Yule party between Christmas and New Years, complete with a little ritual. The outcome was a great success, and a nice bonding experience for myself, Art, and our friend Lew, since we're all Asatru, and led the little ceremony. :)
My weight is right back where I started, meaning i gained like 10 pounds back during the holidays. :(
I Will overcome that hurdle!
Hope that's enough filler arc for ya. Now, onto the main event.
Recently, I rummaged through my garage (which has shelving units that double as extra pantry space and cooking appliance storage) and cleaned off a shelf all for myself. Over the past few weeks, I've gone shopping and collected a few great ingredients that I need to put to delicious use.
I have some dried quinoa, dried black beans, brown rice, mild green chiles, and more fat-free refried beans, to name a few things on those shelves from memory.
I'm half-way tempted to do some kind of detox diet, and start fresh, but I did a little research, and there is no quick-fix with a detox, and it can last up to 4 weeks to do it correctly, before coming back to a normal food assortment.
And quite frankly... I'm a college kid. I'm lucky if I eat correctly 2 days in a row, let alone limit my nutritional intake for 28 days in a row.
so! Back to that alluring idea of $7-a-day organic eating!
If I watch for coupons, I can make shopping at Whole Foods much easier, and it really is my best choice for Organic grocery shopping that's close to home.
Alton Brown, the ever inspiring geeky hunk of love that he is, made a change to his diet and lost 50 pounds in 9 months. I don't want to shed that much ugly fat, but his approach is something I can live with.
(The following is my interpretation of his material, from his show Good Eats. I don't own this it's his intellectual property, and all that stuff.)
The best thing you can do for your body is to have a food assortment high in nutrients, and lower in energy (or calorie) density.
So, there are certain foods you should eat Daily.
Foods like:
Fruits, Leafy Greens, Nuts, Carrots, and Green Tea.
There are certain foods that should be eaten 3x A Week, at least.
Foods like:
Oily Fish, Yogurt, Broccoli, Sweet Potato, and Avocado.
Now, here comes the Will power. There are certain foods that should not be eaten more than 1x A Week.
Foods like:
Red Meat, Pasta, Alcohol, and all Desserts.
Then, the hard part, foods that should not be eaten at all, or 0x A week.
These foods are:
Fast Food, Soda (except club soda), Processed Meals, Condensed Soups, and "Diet" Anything (Anything with artificial sweeteners).
I'll do my best to stick to these guide lines, but I need to go get some sweet potatoes, fresh broccoli, and avocados before I can get this kick-started.
As for news on the Recipe Side of the Story, I made Brussels Sprouts the other day. And they were tasty. Then again, anything with the right seasonings, kielbasa, and some caramelized onions will be tasty.
Recipes that I've made up along the years, or anything I've edited or revised from any of my many sources, will soon be compiled in my very own cookbook. I might even bind some of them, and sell copies. But that won't be until the summer. I'm still in my research phase. :)
I think that's all for now. And Hopefully I can be a better little duckie and update every week, maybe twice a week, to keep you posted on my culinary adventures, and use this as inspiration to shed some un-wanted pounds.
Until then, I bid you Good Eating,
And Remember Kids:
A Role Model, like Alton Brown, is sometimes all the inspiration you need.
And it doesn't hurt that I think he's hot.
Well, at least the procrastination of updating.
My apologies, dear readers. You're probably wondering why it took me so long to come back to this dusty keyboard, and bang out a couple cool ideas.
Honestly... it's hard looking in the mirror, and pointing out your flaws. And even harder when you have to make it entertaining for other people to read. Like you lovely people out there, wandering the interwebs.
So! I may be a month late with starting my New Year's Resolutions (or Reallocation of Energy's, as I call them), but at least I'm starting them, and this little blog is keeping me honest.
Oh, Christmas presents? Yeah, lemme fill you in a little on what you guys missed out during the holiday season.
I got a bread machine. And it's pretty. :D
I got snowboarding gear, a snowboard rental, and went out once so far. I fell a bunch. :( Mah bum hurts, but it was good exercise.
I had a Yule party between Christmas and New Years, complete with a little ritual. The outcome was a great success, and a nice bonding experience for myself, Art, and our friend Lew, since we're all Asatru, and led the little ceremony. :)
My weight is right back where I started, meaning i gained like 10 pounds back during the holidays. :(
I Will overcome that hurdle!
Hope that's enough filler arc for ya. Now, onto the main event.
Recently, I rummaged through my garage (which has shelving units that double as extra pantry space and cooking appliance storage) and cleaned off a shelf all for myself. Over the past few weeks, I've gone shopping and collected a few great ingredients that I need to put to delicious use.
I have some dried quinoa, dried black beans, brown rice, mild green chiles, and more fat-free refried beans, to name a few things on those shelves from memory.
I'm half-way tempted to do some kind of detox diet, and start fresh, but I did a little research, and there is no quick-fix with a detox, and it can last up to 4 weeks to do it correctly, before coming back to a normal food assortment.
And quite frankly... I'm a college kid. I'm lucky if I eat correctly 2 days in a row, let alone limit my nutritional intake for 28 days in a row.
so! Back to that alluring idea of $7-a-day organic eating!
If I watch for coupons, I can make shopping at Whole Foods much easier, and it really is my best choice for Organic grocery shopping that's close to home.
Alton Brown, the ever inspiring geeky hunk of love that he is, made a change to his diet and lost 50 pounds in 9 months. I don't want to shed that much ugly fat, but his approach is something I can live with.
(The following is my interpretation of his material, from his show Good Eats. I don't own this it's his intellectual property, and all that stuff.)
The best thing you can do for your body is to have a food assortment high in nutrients, and lower in energy (or calorie) density.
So, there are certain foods you should eat Daily.
Foods like:
Fruits, Leafy Greens, Nuts, Carrots, and Green Tea.
There are certain foods that should be eaten 3x A Week, at least.
Foods like:
Oily Fish, Yogurt, Broccoli, Sweet Potato, and Avocado.
Now, here comes the Will power. There are certain foods that should not be eaten more than 1x A Week.
Foods like:
Red Meat, Pasta, Alcohol, and all Desserts.
Then, the hard part, foods that should not be eaten at all, or 0x A week.
These foods are:
Fast Food, Soda (except club soda), Processed Meals, Condensed Soups, and "Diet" Anything (Anything with artificial sweeteners).
I'll do my best to stick to these guide lines, but I need to go get some sweet potatoes, fresh broccoli, and avocados before I can get this kick-started.
As for news on the Recipe Side of the Story, I made Brussels Sprouts the other day. And they were tasty. Then again, anything with the right seasonings, kielbasa, and some caramelized onions will be tasty.
Recipes that I've made up along the years, or anything I've edited or revised from any of my many sources, will soon be compiled in my very own cookbook. I might even bind some of them, and sell copies. But that won't be until the summer. I'm still in my research phase. :)
I think that's all for now. And Hopefully I can be a better little duckie and update every week, maybe twice a week, to keep you posted on my culinary adventures, and use this as inspiration to shed some un-wanted pounds.
Until then, I bid you Good Eating,
And Remember Kids:
A Role Model, like Alton Brown, is sometimes all the inspiration you need.
And it doesn't hurt that I think he's hot.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Two Bean Soup
After a Turducken-filled Thanksgiving, and much delicious chili made with the leftovers of said Turducken, I finally had a chance to sit down and write up my Two Bean Soup recipe! Now, there's a variation on this soup that I'll mention at the end, but this was my first version, a Beta soup if you will.
If I can find any way to improve upon it, I'll surely post it.
Variation: A possible variation to this recipe would be to take the onions, carrots, and half of the black beans (reserving some of the liquid, then rinsing the beans) and buzz them up with a Food Processor. This mixture could then be heated, the rest of the steps followed, and then the other beans added as normal. This would produce a much creamier soup, with a few whole black beans for presentation.
I hope you enjoy my little spin on the two bean soup recipe, and remember kids:
Love, Hugs, and Lollipops!
Chef Angie
If I can find any way to improve upon it, I'll surely post it.
Two Bean Soup
Ingredients:
1 T Vegetable oil
1 c Carrots, medium dice
1 c Onion, medium dice
1 heaping T garlic, or to taste
1 15 oz can Black Beans, drained and mostly rinsed
1 15 oz can Fat-Free Refried Beans
2 c Chicken or Vegetable Broth
Seasonings: (Suggested, can be altered to your liking)
1 T
1 T Red Wine Vinegar
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Black Pepper
Italian Seasoning
Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- In a large saucepan (3 Qt or more) over Medium heat, add oil, carrots, and onion. Sweat for 5 minutes, until carrots and onions look soft.
- One the onions and carrots are to your liking, add the Vinegar, Cooking Wine. Let this cook for about 1 minute, then add Garlic.
- Allow mixture to cook for about 5 minutes, adjusting the heat to Medium-Low.
- Add the mostly drained Black Beans, seasonings, and half of the stock.
- Add the refried beans, stir well, and add the rest of the stock.
- Get out your favorite potato masher, and gently work the majority of the mixture to a pulpy consistency.
- Turn the heat to Medium High, and bring to a boil.
- Once the soup boils, drop the heat to a simmer, and allow the flavors to marry for about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
Tortilla Chips
Ingredients:
2 Whole Grain Tortillas (Recommended Brand:
Olive Oil Flavored Cooking Spray
Salt, to taste
Preheat Oven to 350° while preparing the first 3 steps of the soup.
- Cut the tortillas into 8 triangular pieces. Spray a baking sheet with Cooking Spray. Place the Tortillas on the sheet, and spray the tops with a little more Cooking Spray.
- Put into the oven for approximately 5-7 minutes.
- As soon as the chips come out of the oven, sprinkle salt on them and allow them to cool.
Serving Suggestion:
2 Chips, placed on the bottom of the bowl. One ladle (one cup) of soup on top, and one more chip in the center for presentation.
Enjoy! Makes 4-6 Servings, for a snack or main course.
Variation: A possible variation to this recipe would be to take the onions, carrots, and half of the black beans (reserving some of the liquid, then rinsing the beans) and buzz them up with a Food Processor. This mixture could then be heated, the rest of the steps followed, and then the other beans added as normal. This would produce a much creamier soup, with a few whole black beans for presentation.
I hope you enjoy my little spin on the two bean soup recipe, and remember kids:
Love, Hugs, and Lollipops!
Chef Angie
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Moving in a Good Direction, After a Dietary Mis-step
So, this weekend was filled with food, fun, and debauchery as most of my weekends are.
After eating a heart-stopping 40 Points(R) worth of food at Applebee's, spending a 25 dollars that I totally couldn't afford to lose, I came to a realization:
I will never, ever lose weight eating this way.
I now finally understand that even if I eat crappy one day out of the week, I will probably stuff all of the week's worth of crappy food into that one day.
Damn.
Also, convenient foods are great for me, since I spend so long at school with little money in pocket, but all that sodium is keeping my water weight in tact.
Double damn.
Since I am paying 40 dollars a month for the Momentum Plan(R) through Weight Watchers, I am currently throwing that money away.
Triple damn.
My solution to all of this? A three pronged plan:
Work out at school and at home. Cook a lot more foods at home that can easily be eaten at school. And change the way I think about food.
My inspiration:
I found an old print-out from the internet I saved for myself from MSN Health, about being able to eat Healthy and Organic for $7 A Day(The article is still available online). Yes, Seven dollars for one day's worth of eating. Two dollars for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner; and One Dollar for snacks.
That's a bit of a challenge, but an amazing idea for a college student who wants to work on their health, their food consciousness, and their portion sizes. I fit all of those criteria: Hooray!
So, Step One:
I made soup yesterday! 2 Bean Soup to be exact. I made the recipe off the cuff, after staring at two cans of beans with a sad and rumbly belly.
I used onions, carrots, fat free re-fried beans, cooked black beans, and chicken stock to make 4 servings worth of a very hearty soup. Once I refine the recipe a bit, and make the soup again, I'll post the recipe. Right now, the 'recipe' looks like about 10 ingredients on a paper with numbers placed about, either for amounts or cooking times. It needs a few touches.
Step Two:
I scoped out a local Whole Foods today for inspiration, ideas, and a general idea of the new foods I'll be eating soon. Things like cooking my own short grain rice, millet, quinoa, and other grains I can use to replace white rice, pasta, and more expensive grains like them.
I'll also need to cut the cheese. Out of my diet, that is. Oh, and most meats too.
What? No! HELL NO. I'm not going vegan. I'm going smart.
Don't believe me? I'll make some turkey chili soon to prove my point. Maybe I'll even top it with Cheddar or a Mexi-cheese blend. AND keep it within my budget. Challenge? I think Yes!
That's all for now. Once I get a paycheck, and my wallet stops crying at me, I'll organize my shopping list and show you the bounty I'll be purchases, as well as a plan of attack.
Enjoy your turkey days, I'll keep you posted on my progress.
And remember kids:
Building vocabulary makes us seem cool. Or funny, like when we say "Quinoa" (Pronounced Keen-wah)
After eating a heart-stopping 40 Points(R) worth of food at Applebee's, spending a 25 dollars that I totally couldn't afford to lose, I came to a realization:
I will never, ever lose weight eating this way.
I now finally understand that even if I eat crappy one day out of the week, I will probably stuff all of the week's worth of crappy food into that one day.
Damn.
Also, convenient foods are great for me, since I spend so long at school with little money in pocket, but all that sodium is keeping my water weight in tact.
Double damn.
Since I am paying 40 dollars a month for the Momentum Plan(R) through Weight Watchers, I am currently throwing that money away.
Triple damn.
My solution to all of this? A three pronged plan:
Work out at school and at home. Cook a lot more foods at home that can easily be eaten at school. And change the way I think about food.
My inspiration:
I found an old print-out from the internet I saved for myself from MSN Health, about being able to eat Healthy and Organic for $7 A Day(The article is still available online). Yes, Seven dollars for one day's worth of eating. Two dollars for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner; and One Dollar for snacks.
That's a bit of a challenge, but an amazing idea for a college student who wants to work on their health, their food consciousness, and their portion sizes. I fit all of those criteria: Hooray!
So, Step One:
I made soup yesterday! 2 Bean Soup to be exact. I made the recipe off the cuff, after staring at two cans of beans with a sad and rumbly belly.
I used onions, carrots, fat free re-fried beans, cooked black beans, and chicken stock to make 4 servings worth of a very hearty soup. Once I refine the recipe a bit, and make the soup again, I'll post the recipe. Right now, the 'recipe' looks like about 10 ingredients on a paper with numbers placed about, either for amounts or cooking times. It needs a few touches.
Step Two:
I scoped out a local Whole Foods today for inspiration, ideas, and a general idea of the new foods I'll be eating soon. Things like cooking my own short grain rice, millet, quinoa, and other grains I can use to replace white rice, pasta, and more expensive grains like them.
I'll also need to cut the cheese. Out of my diet, that is. Oh, and most meats too.
What? No! HELL NO. I'm not going vegan. I'm going smart.
Don't believe me? I'll make some turkey chili soon to prove my point. Maybe I'll even top it with Cheddar or a Mexi-cheese blend. AND keep it within my budget. Challenge? I think Yes!
That's all for now. Once I get a paycheck, and my wallet stops crying at me, I'll organize my shopping list and show you the bounty I'll be purchases, as well as a plan of attack.
Enjoy your turkey days, I'll keep you posted on my progress.
And remember kids:
Building vocabulary makes us seem cool. Or funny, like when we say "Quinoa" (Pronounced Keen-wah)
Friday, November 20, 2009
Welcome to the Haunted World of... My Kitchen
Aha! So you've found me. Did it take long to shuffle past all the Chinese food boxes, dirty laundry, and unwashed dishes? Don't worry, I'll wash them tomorrow. Or I'll make Art do it.
You'll soon find out a few things about me, and so this is an appropriate time for me to list them:
1. I have a beau, his name is Art. We cook a lot in his tiny apartment kitchen.
2. I live with my parents, and I get to cook in their big kitchen.
When possible, I'll go to friend's houses, and use their kitchen.
All of these things make me a very well versed cook, and pretty flexible when it comes to cooking.
I usually require a plate, a bowl, a knife, a wooden spoon, and a heat source (this does include microwaves) for me to cook just about anything, just about anywhere.
3. I am a Food Network junkie. I choose to watch it all the time, find it better than news, sports, and other entertaining programs (most of the time). I find inspiration in chefs such as Alton Brown, Bobby Flay, Tyler Florence, and occasionally Rachel Ray. I'm not a fanatic about any of them, nor do I own any of their fancy gadgets or cookery, but I enjoy all of their recipes.
4. I live on a shoe-string budget, or the typical yo-yo budget of a college kid. When I have money, all of my friends are happy because I love treating for them and cooking semi-fancy things. When I don't have money, I'm sad, and sometimes revert to what is known as the "Ugly Soup" method (see the Ugly Soup blog for more info). My pantry is my best friend at these times, and I can usually whip up something tasty and kind-of good looking.
5. I'm a Biology and Education major, hoping to be a Biology Teacher when I graduate. But that is not the end of the journey for me, oh no. I want to be a Chef. With the Culinary School and everything. So why aren't I in Culinary School now? Because I came to this realization last year, when I already owed Kean XX,000 dollars for my education. So I think I'll finish one career before hopping to another. In the meantime, I am working on whatever skills I can refine, taking a few nutrition classes, and when I have the money over the summer, I hope to take a few cooking classes at some local schools, just for kicks.
6. What do I like to cook? ...Everything. I am Italian, Irish, Lithuanian, and a touch of Polish (though that's disputed within the family), and I worked in a Chinese/Japanese restaurant for 5 years, am currently part-time employed at a big chain Bakery, and I can be found cooking at home at least once a week. I like to keep my horizons wide, and am always willing to take suggestions and post my pictures/results.
So, there we have it.
Oh, once more thing... I'm Norse Wiccan. So any recipes connected to any holidays on the Wheel of the Year will also be tried out and posted here.
I think you'll find these food adventures fun, different, and hopefully humorous.
So enjoy your Freaky Friday, and remember kids:
Be a winner, not a weiner.
Angie
You'll soon find out a few things about me, and so this is an appropriate time for me to list them:
1. I have a beau, his name is Art. We cook a lot in his tiny apartment kitchen.
2. I live with my parents, and I get to cook in their big kitchen.
When possible, I'll go to friend's houses, and use their kitchen.
All of these things make me a very well versed cook, and pretty flexible when it comes to cooking.
I usually require a plate, a bowl, a knife, a wooden spoon, and a heat source (this does include microwaves) for me to cook just about anything, just about anywhere.
3. I am a Food Network junkie. I choose to watch it all the time, find it better than news, sports, and other entertaining programs (most of the time). I find inspiration in chefs such as Alton Brown, Bobby Flay, Tyler Florence, and occasionally Rachel Ray. I'm not a fanatic about any of them, nor do I own any of their fancy gadgets or cookery, but I enjoy all of their recipes.
4. I live on a shoe-string budget, or the typical yo-yo budget of a college kid. When I have money, all of my friends are happy because I love treating for them and cooking semi-fancy things. When I don't have money, I'm sad, and sometimes revert to what is known as the "Ugly Soup" method (see the Ugly Soup blog for more info). My pantry is my best friend at these times, and I can usually whip up something tasty and kind-of good looking.
5. I'm a Biology and Education major, hoping to be a Biology Teacher when I graduate. But that is not the end of the journey for me, oh no. I want to be a Chef. With the Culinary School and everything. So why aren't I in Culinary School now? Because I came to this realization last year, when I already owed Kean XX,000 dollars for my education. So I think I'll finish one career before hopping to another. In the meantime, I am working on whatever skills I can refine, taking a few nutrition classes, and when I have the money over the summer, I hope to take a few cooking classes at some local schools, just for kicks.
6. What do I like to cook? ...Everything. I am Italian, Irish, Lithuanian, and a touch of Polish (though that's disputed within the family), and I worked in a Chinese/Japanese restaurant for 5 years, am currently part-time employed at a big chain Bakery, and I can be found cooking at home at least once a week. I like to keep my horizons wide, and am always willing to take suggestions and post my pictures/results.
So, there we have it.
Oh, once more thing... I'm Norse Wiccan. So any recipes connected to any holidays on the Wheel of the Year will also be tried out and posted here.
I think you'll find these food adventures fun, different, and hopefully humorous.
So enjoy your Freaky Friday, and remember kids:
Be a winner, not a weiner.
Angie
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