Yum, yum, give me some....Shrimp Spring Rolls

My husband and I often frequent a local Vietnamese restaurant in D'Iberville, MS.  We love the authentic cuisine they offer because everything is SO fresh!  Many of the dishes come with a side plate full of fresh bean sprouts, basil, limes, and cilantro.  One of my favorite little appetizers is the spring roll.  This spring roll is fresh- NOT fried.  Usually, they are packed with some type of meat (like shrimp or pork), shredded lettuce and carrots, and fresh basil.  The texture of the spring roll wrapper is almost chewy, but easy bite through.  I love fun textures when I'm eating! 

About a year ago, I stumbled across the spring roll wrappers sold in one of the Vietnamese grocery stores in town, but I've also found them at local grocery stores in the oriental cuisine section.  So, I started making them myself, and they are so good!  The other night, we made shrimp spring rolls...here's the yummy recipe!

Shrimp Spring-Into-Action Rolls:
Spring Roll Wrappers
Chopped or Shredded Lettuce
Fresh Basil
Fresh Gulf shrimp
Garlic
Olive Oil
Red Pepper Flakes
Low-Sodium Soy Sauce (optional)
Siracha Sauce (optional...sold at Walmart, known as Rooster sauce as well)

First, you will need to prepare the shrimp.  In a skillet on medium heat, drizzle a small amount of olive oil in the pan and add some fresh garlic.  Let the garlic simmer so that the flavors are released.  (Or you can use boring garlic powder, and add to the shrimp).  Once the garlic just starts to brown, add your shrimp and spices.  Let the shrimp cook (shrimp is cooked when the flesh is solid white, not transparent).  (I also added some chopped cabbage at this time and let it cook down for a couple of minutes..but that's because I had it on hand, so it's not totally necessary) Now, put the shrimp off to the side and let it cool.  Cut up your lettuce and fresh basil, after you wash it of course! 

Now, for the wrappers.  The spring roll packaging should have directions on how to prepare them, but I'll give a brief summary as well.  Basically, take a pyrex dish large enough to fit one wrapper.  Fill it with hot water, only about 1" deep.  Take one wrapper and soak in the water.  Work it with your hands until it becomes limp and the texture dissappears.  On a clean dishtowel, pat it dry, then take it to your cutting board.  Pile in your shrimp, lettuce, and basil in the center, and wrap it up like an egg roll.  That's it! SO easy, and SO delicious.  Now, serve it with some soy sauce and siracha sauce!  Yum-yum, give me some!!

Fish Tostada..you bet!

So, I have to admit that I am not the biggest fan of wheat tortillas.  Personally, I'd rather just eat the inside of whatever is in that wheat tortilla; however, I keep finding new uses for them!  I often use corn tortillas (the soft ones--NOT fried), and I've toasted them in the oven.  Well, the other night, my husband wanted to use some leftover grilled fish we had from Father's Day.  What he wanted was fish tacos.  So, naturally, I decided to trick him and make it healtheir--ha! I won! I took those somewhat rubbery wheat tortillas and toasted some flat in the oven, and I draped others over the rack so that it created a "taco" shape. 

Want to know what happened when Jarrid tried them- he loved it!  The texture of a crisp, wheat tortillas is quite lovely and light! I think I actually prefer it to corn! 

Check out the recipe below for a delicious taco/tostada option! 

Fish Tostada (or Taco if you prefer):

Wheat Tortillas (however many you need)

Leftover grilled fish (if you don't have any, any grilled or baked fish will do.  Just season it with a little salt, pepper, olive oil, and lemon)

Sliced Tomatoes
Reduced Fat Shredder Cheddar
Fresh Cilantro
Salsa Verde
And...whatever other FRESH vegetables you'd like to add!

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

If your fish is left over, like mine was, you'll want to heat it up in the oven, either on a baking pan or in some foil.  (If you need to cook your fish, then you'll need to do that ahead of time.  Fish is quite easy to bake, so just you can put your fish in a baking dish, drizzle with olive oil, lemon juice, and whatever spices you like.  It's ready when the fish becomes white and flaky.) Now, while you're heating up your left over fish like me, put the wheat tortillas in the oven.  This will only take 5 to 10 minutes, depending on how crispy you like them.  (If you want a tostada, lay them flat.  If you want a taco, drape them over the rack to create your taco shape. )Once the fish is warm and the tortillas are toasty, take both out and let cool for just a minute.  Then, add all of your toppings, and enjoy! (If you wnat the cheese to melt, just stick it back in the oven for another minute).  Try drizzling the salsa verde all over.  It really pairs well with fish!

Women, Food, & God

I wanted to mention a great book I read not too long ago.  I was watching Oprah one day, and she mentioned a book called Women, God, and Food by Geneen Roth.  She said it changed her life! Well, I though to myself- if it can change Oprah's life, I bet it could change mine too! Oprah was right (of course).  This book is wordy at times, but the overall messages are really great.  It seems as though it's all stuff you know, but you need to be told (or at least I do).

I really took away two important things from this book.  First, the author really made me realize that I need to recognize why I'm eating when I do.  She made me take a look at myself to discover that sometimes, I eat when I'm bored or antsy.  I work from home, so I found myself grabbing a snack when I really wasn't even hungry.  This idea is something I already knew, but I just need to remind myself...every single day. 

Another part of the book that really hit home was recongizing those voices in our heads.  You know, the voice that says "You're too fat to wear that" or "You might as well eat, there's no hope for you" or how about the voice that sees everyone else and tells your body could never compare.  This book taught me to tell that inner voice to SHUT THE HELL UP.  That's right- when you find yourself saying "I'm fat," tell that inner voice to get the F out of your head- it's not welcome anymore.  I know this idea might seem silly to some, but for me it was rather empowering.  When I find my innerself having negative feelings about my body image, I just say SHUT UP.  I am loved, and I love, and that's all that matters.  Screw that negative voice!  I've got a new, louder voice now!

If you want to check this book out, just click on the image of the book...

Mexican Madness!

My husband loves tacos, burritos, enchiladas, etc.!  So, I try to come up with options that are a little healthier than white tortillas, taco meat, and loads of cheese!  The other night, he begged me for enchiladas, so we came up with a compromise that turned out to be super delicious!

Not-Your-Average Enchiladas:

Ingredients:
1 lb. of lean ground turkey meat
1/2 tbsp. cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tbsp garlic powder
1/2 tbsp salt
1/4 cup chopped jalepenos or green chiles
1 cup of light sour cream
1/2 cup salsa verde
1/2 cup fresh red salsa
1/2 cup reduced fat shredded cheese (cheddar is better, but mozzarella will due)
6 to 8 wheat tortillas

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

In a skillet over medium heat, cook the turkey meat.  (If you've never cooked turkey meat before, it doesn't turn brown like hamburger meat.  It actually turn more of a white color.  You know it's cooked once there is no more pink in the meat.)  If you have any liquid left in the pan, drain it.  Then, add all of your spices, stir, and keep on a low heat.  Allow the flavors to really soak into the meat.   After a few minutes, taste the meat.  If you need a little more of the spices, feel free to make it to your liking. 

Next, remove the meat from the heat and let cool for a few minutes.  Add the sour cream to the meat and mix.  The sour cream is just meant to let the meat stick together.  In a 9x13 glass dish, make open-ended burritos using the wheat tortillas and ground meat.  You'll probably be able to fit anywhere from 6 to 9 tortillas depending on how thick you make them.  If you have any meat left over, spread it along the sides of the dish.  Now, add your green salsa down the middle and the red salsa along the sides.  Then, add your shredded cheese all over the top.  (If 1/2 cup of cheese isn't enough, add another 1/4 cup.)

Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes or until bubbling.  Let cool, and then serve!  Yum!

Need a snack? Try this!

Okay, let's talk about sugar. Sugar is not my friend! I try to avoid excess sugar whenever I can, although it's often hidden in things that appear to be "healthy." One of my favorite snacks is Greek yogurt with fruit in it. Unfortunately, all of the pre-mixed Greek yogurt I find in the grocery store is packed full of sugar. I've heard of people mixing in artificial sweetener with plain Greek yogurt, but like I've said before, I prefer to use natural sugar instead of artificial.

If you are wondering what the deal is with Greek yogurt, well, it's packed full of protein! It's a great filling snack, but has the much needed protein that isn't found in regular yogurt.  One thing is- it's pretty sour.  So, it took me a while to get used to it.  Pairing it with sweet fruit like strawberries really tones it down.

So, here's my solution to a less sugary snack: Plain Greek yogurt with homemade fruit sauce! I've got a freezer full of berries, so guess what type of sauce it will be- mixed berry! I love berries because they are sweet, but they have that punch of flavor that mixes so well with other things! I'm also going to mix in some Thai Basil from my garden to make it a little more flavorful.

Greek Yogurt with Berry-Thai Basil Sauce:
Plain Greek Yogurt (only 70 calories for 1/2 cup, packed with 11.5g of protein!)
1/4 cup mixed berries (I used blueberries, raspberries, & strawberries..peaches would be a good substitute!)
1 tbsp. water
Couple of leaves of sweet Thai basil (if you have it)

Two sliced strawberries

In a small bowl, mix berries, water and Thai basil. Either cook down in a small skillet, or if you're in a hurry, heat it up in the microwave. If you are using the skillet, cook on medium heat at first to heat up the berries and the water. Then switch to low heat and let simmer until berries start to fall apart, and the water and berries meld together. If you are using the microwave, microwave for about 30 seconds, then stir and mash the berries. Microwave for about 20 more seconds.

Let the sauce cool completely, and remove the Thai basil leaves (you can leave them in if you want). After it's cool, spoon the sauce over a small cup of plain Greek yogurt. Then top it with some strawberries, and enjoy! (If it's too sour for you, add another sliced strawberry, or maybe drizzle some honey on it until you get used to the unique taste of Greek yogurt).

*If you want to make a larger batch of sauce, go for it!  You can refrigerate it and use it throughout the week!

Yummy Lunch with a friend...

This past Friday, I invited over my good friend, Stacy, to come have lunch with me at my house! I had recently tried a recipe for margharita pizza for my husband, and it was such a success! Stacy and I love a local pizza place called Leo's, and we always get their version of the margharita pizza.  However, let's just say it's not the healthiest choice with it's white dough and pizza sauce!  Well, I wanted to show her MY version of it.

I cook this pizza on our gas grill, which makes it smoky and crispy!  You can also cook it in the oven, so I'll give the directions for that as well.

My recommendation for anything is to use FRESH when you can get it!  I'm growing my own tomatoes and basil, which not only saves money, but they always taste better too!  The tomatoes I used on this pizza came from Stacy's coworker's garden because mine aren't quite ready to pick yet!  Whenever I can, I always try to used sliced tomatoes instead of pizza sauce to eliminate that unnecessary salt and sugar.

As for the crust, I used a wheat dough. I have this great book called Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg, MD and Zoe Francois.  If you use their basic dough recipes, you make enough for about four loaves to use through the week.  Although I love baking breatd and kneading it, working it, watching it rise, etc- this book uses a no-knead method.   This method allows for a much quicker process, and the bread is great!  I used the Whole-Wheat Bread with Olive Oil for my dough crust.  I will include a simplifed verison of the recipe in case you want to try it!  Look on Amazon.com for this book- it's great to have in your cookbook collection! Take a look at it (just click on the pic):


Mouth-Watering Margharita Pizza:

For the crust (this will yield four loaves or crusts, so half the recipe if you don't want that much):
7 cups whole wheat flour
1-1/2 tbsp granualted yeast (or 2 packets)
1 tbsp kosher salt
1/4 cup vital wheat gluten
3-1/2 cups lukewarm water
1/2 cup olive oil

Directions for the crust:
Whisk flour, yeast, salt, vital wheat gluten in a large bowl.  Add liquid ingredients and mix without kneading using a spoon, food processor with bread attachment, or stand mixer. Cover bowl with a towel and allow to rest (leave sitting on your counter) for about 2 hours, until it rises and collapses.  Dough can be used immediately or refrigerated (with a loose lid) for up to a week. When ready to cook the dough,  cut off about a grapefruit-sized ball.  Dust with flour.  Shape dough into a ball by stretching it around to the bottom on all four sides.  On a cutting board or pizza peel, flatten the dough out with your hands and then use a rolling pin to create a 1/8" thick crust.  Make sure the crust is dusted with flour on the top and bottom.  Perforate the dough with a fork (all over). 

To Make the pizza:
Handful of washed/dried fresh basil
One large homegrown tomato, sliced very thin
8 oz. of fresh mozarella, sliced thin (about 60 calories for one ounce)
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Wheat crust (see above)

Preheat your gas grill with medium flames.  It should be hot enough within just a few minutes.  Take all of your ingredients outside, minus the salt and pepper.  Slide the crust directly onto the grill grates, and then close the grill.  (If you have a hard time transferring the crust, try folding it in half and the gently unfold onto the grill grates- be careful!) Wait about 2 or 3 minutes, and open the grill.  Crust should be somewhat bubbled up.  Flip the crust with a metal spatula, and then add your sliced tomatoes, basil, and then the cheese!  Drizze olive oil  over the pizza, but don't be too liberal with it.  Close the grill, and let it sit for about four or five minutes.  Once the cheese is melted and the crust is crispy- it's ready to transfer back to the cutting board or pizza peel!  (Don't forget to turn the grill off!)

Salt and pepper it to taste, and let cool for a few minutes while everyone sits around it drooling! Cut, serve, and enjoy! 

Stacy loved it!!!

Feeling like something hearty and southern for breakfast....what to do?

Ok, this morning I woke up and wanted something a little different.  I eat oatmeal for breakfast a LOT, and for good reason.  It's a complex carb, which means it keeps you fuller for longer and it takes longer for your body to process.  I have seen a lot of people eat oatmeal, and it looks like soup.  If I wanted something soupy and mushy, I'd eat cereal that's been sitting in milk too long- no, thanks! I'm not an 80-year old woman, so I like my food to have texture, but hey if that's what you like- more power to ya! 

I make my oatmeal from whole rolled oats (NOT the instant kind).  Oatmeal is cheap and it seems to last forever, so make the $2.00 investment and get a canister!  Like I said, I eat oatmeal quite often since it seems to be one of the only breakfast foods that doesn't make me want to devour a cake 30 minutes after eating it.   What I like to do is mix in other ingredients to change it up a bit.  In my opinion, the best thing to mix in is fruit!  The great thing about fruit is that it's sweet and easy to come by.  It's a great replacement for sugar or artificial sweetener.  Natural sugar is always better---I mean, come on, it's straight from nature! 

So, here is my oatmeal rendition from this morning.  I tried it with blueberries, but you can use any type of berries like blackberries, raspberries, or strawberries.  I use blueberries a lot since my parents just recently went blueberry-picking, so I've got a couple of bags in the freezer....plus, I love them! This dish reminded me of blueberry cobbler, but without the guilt!

Blueberry Breakfast Oatmeal (approx. 117 calories):

1/4 cup rolled oats, dry
Water

1/4 cup blueberries (or whatever berry you like)

A few sliced almonds (I used three chopped raw almonds)

A dash of cinnamon or apple pie spice (optional)

In a microwave safe bowl, pour in the oats.  Just barely cover the oats with water (unless you want it soupy, then add more water).  Microwave for about 30 to 45 seconds.  (If you don't want to use a microwave, you can cook it on the stove instead.)  Add in the blueberries, and let sit for just enough time for the blueberries to warm.  Then mix it all together and mash the blueberries in.  Then, top with almonds if you want, and maybe a couple more blueberries.  If you like cinnamon or apple pie spice, mix it in, and enjoy!