So I haven't blogged anything in a while...but the truth is I haven't been cooking much. It's finals time and I have been photographing projects like a mad woman, and writing papers and eating a lot of soup. On top of all of this, I am packing and preparing to move back to Michigan in 6 days, so not a lot of time for adventures in my Gluten free kitchen. So hang tight folks and I will be back to cooking for real once I am back in the cold frozen arms of Ann Arbor.
See you all soon! xoxoxox
Friday, December 2, 2011
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Reminds me of those trips to Frankenmuth
I have been away for a while...finishing up 3 final portfolios and an installation project takes time away from blogging. I've been shooting and editing and ordering books and prints and writing papers and pondering major life changes(again).
I have also been a bit sick this week, which is frustrating since I was feeling so much better after having cut gluten out of my diet that to be hit with some energy sucking snuffly nose, migraine inducing bug was rather annoying. Hopefully I am on the mend, since this weekend and the week to follow are going to be nothing short of busy! My mum is coming to town for thanksgiving and we will be having our first gf turkey day! gf pie, gf stuffing gf everything!!! I will be sure to photograph and blog about that adventure...Promise...
I haven't been cooking much as of late, mostly just making basics or canned soups. Can I just say Amy's Soups brand is AMAZING. I have soft spot for lentil soup and theirs is delicious. As is the southwest veggie. Om nom...that about sums it up. I can't wait to try more, and most of their soups are gf...
I have adventured to the land of gf pancakes, however the box mix I got was meh at best so I will have to keep trying on that one. I am also missing me some fresh fruit right now, for some reason the stores around here do not have good looking fruits; which greatly dampers my ability to have snack foods because most actual snack foods are gluten filled or if they aren't they are expensive! So fruit is a wonderful substitute, when you can find it that is.
But enough ramble I did get the bug to play in the kitchen a few nights ago and whipped up these tasty little candied almonds. I have ALWAYS loved them, and every time my mom and I ventured up to Frankenmuth MI I absolutely had to get some, well that and fudge but we all know that Mackinac Island has the best fudge really...
Click here to view where I got the original recipe
What you need:
1 egg white
1 tea spoon or so of vanilla
1 table spoon water
1 lb almonds hint: I buy the pre-salted ones when I can so I don't have to add salt later ;)
3/4 cup sugar
ground cinnamon
a pinch of sea salt if you aren't using salted almonds.
preheat oven to 250F
in a bowl mix egg white, vanilla and water until it gets "frothy"
add almonds and coat throughly. Combine the sugar, cinnamon and salt (if needed) and add
to mixture, mix until almonds are coated all the way. Spread them evenly on a cookie sheet, you can either cover the cookie sheet with parchment paper or if you're like me and fresh out just coat the sheet with some butter.
Bake for 1 hour being sure to stir them every once and a while.
And then let the nomming immense
Sorry I don't have a good picture, I will get back on the picture taking of my food soon, I promise!
xoxoxox
I have also been a bit sick this week, which is frustrating since I was feeling so much better after having cut gluten out of my diet that to be hit with some energy sucking snuffly nose, migraine inducing bug was rather annoying. Hopefully I am on the mend, since this weekend and the week to follow are going to be nothing short of busy! My mum is coming to town for thanksgiving and we will be having our first gf turkey day! gf pie, gf stuffing gf everything!!! I will be sure to photograph and blog about that adventure...Promise...
I haven't been cooking much as of late, mostly just making basics or canned soups. Can I just say Amy's Soups brand is AMAZING. I have soft spot for lentil soup and theirs is delicious. As is the southwest veggie. Om nom...that about sums it up. I can't wait to try more, and most of their soups are gf...
I have adventured to the land of gf pancakes, however the box mix I got was meh at best so I will have to keep trying on that one. I am also missing me some fresh fruit right now, for some reason the stores around here do not have good looking fruits; which greatly dampers my ability to have snack foods because most actual snack foods are gluten filled or if they aren't they are expensive! So fruit is a wonderful substitute, when you can find it that is.
But enough ramble I did get the bug to play in the kitchen a few nights ago and whipped up these tasty little candied almonds. I have ALWAYS loved them, and every time my mom and I ventured up to Frankenmuth MI I absolutely had to get some, well that and fudge but we all know that Mackinac Island has the best fudge really...
Click here to view where I got the original recipe
What you need:
1 egg white
1 tea spoon or so of vanilla
1 table spoon water
1 lb almonds hint: I buy the pre-salted ones when I can so I don't have to add salt later ;)
3/4 cup sugar
ground cinnamon
a pinch of sea salt if you aren't using salted almonds.
preheat oven to 250F
in a bowl mix egg white, vanilla and water until it gets "frothy"
add almonds and coat throughly. Combine the sugar, cinnamon and salt (if needed) and add
to mixture, mix until almonds are coated all the way. Spread them evenly on a cookie sheet, you can either cover the cookie sheet with parchment paper or if you're like me and fresh out just coat the sheet with some butter.
Bake for 1 hour being sure to stir them every once and a while.
And then let the nomming immense
Sorry I don't have a good picture, I will get back on the picture taking of my food soon, I promise!
xoxoxox
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Don't add the mayonnaise
Last night I made this casserole that I have made before. Its really tasty, when you remember to omit the mayo that the original recipe calls for. Lord only knows why they call for mayo in it, because it does not help the flavor at all! It's way better without. Of course I was not thinking last night when following the recipe and I added the mayo(or the vegan version of mayo) So here is this tasty quick casserole minus the mayo part...
Chicken Veggie & Rice Casserole
1 cooked chicken cut up. (I usually cook up about 2 chicken breasts)
3 cups cooked rice
2 stalks of celery( if you want) cut into 1/4in pieces
2 carrots cut or shredded(up to you)
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup broccoli florets (if you want)
2 16oz cans french style green beans
4oz mushrooms (if you want) Can you tell you can pretty much add or subtract any veggie you want?
1 10.5oz can of cream of celery soup
(For the gluten free version I just mixed up some(like 1/2ish) organic chicken broth and a little corn starch
to thicken things a bit)
1cup(give or take) parmesan cheese(non dairy or otherwise)
1/2 a stick of butter (or vegan butter)
Preheat the oven to 375F
Cut your cooked chicken up into cubes & set aside.
Saute the onion and veggies in the butter until tender.
Once veggies are done mix them, chicken, rice, soup(or soup substitute) together
fold in green beans and add any spices you feel it needs.
place in a 13x9" pan or whatever size it will fit into and bake 30-40 min until bubbly.
I warn you this makes ALOT of food...so you might wanna cut things back if you aren't going to feed an army, or all of your friends like I usually do.
And there you go....yummy veggie filled casserole...just remember...
Don't add the mayo!
xoxox
Chicken Veggie & Rice Casserole
1 cooked chicken cut up. (I usually cook up about 2 chicken breasts)
3 cups cooked rice
2 stalks of celery( if you want) cut into 1/4in pieces
2 carrots cut or shredded(up to you)
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup broccoli florets (if you want)
2 16oz cans french style green beans
4oz mushrooms (if you want) Can you tell you can pretty much add or subtract any veggie you want?
1 10.5oz can of cream of celery soup
(For the gluten free version I just mixed up some(like 1/2ish) organic chicken broth and a little corn starch
to thicken things a bit)
1cup(give or take) parmesan cheese(non dairy or otherwise)
1/2 a stick of butter (or vegan butter)
Preheat the oven to 375F
Cut your cooked chicken up into cubes & set aside.
Saute the onion and veggies in the butter until tender.
Once veggies are done mix them, chicken, rice, soup(or soup substitute) together
fold in green beans and add any spices you feel it needs.
place in a 13x9" pan or whatever size it will fit into and bake 30-40 min until bubbly.
I warn you this makes ALOT of food...so you might wanna cut things back if you aren't going to feed an army, or all of your friends like I usually do.
And there you go....yummy veggie filled casserole...just remember...
Don't add the mayo!
xoxox
Thursday, November 3, 2011
I swear I had to make them for a photo assignment
I had this assignment to shoot metal, glass and liquid all in the same image and I have been feeling the urge to bake. It's that season and all. But since I can't use my normal stuff I started looking for alternate recipes. Then it hit me! Carrot cake cupcakes! I could photograph those with metal and liquid and glass in the shot...I have this awesome all purpose gluten free flour mix by Pamela's Products. So I found a recipe using it and tweaked here and there to make oh my God yummy gluten free carrot cake cupcakes...with...maple spice cream cheese frosting! I had to do it for my photo assignment really...
Now for that recipe...
Whatcha need:
A little more than 1/2 Cup of veggie oil (the original called for more oil than I wanted to add so I cut it back by like a 1/4 cup or so)
2 eggs
3/4 Cup of sugar
1 1/2 Cups grated carrots
1 tsp Vanilla
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp salt
2 Cups of Pamela's Baking & Pancake mix
1/2 (I used way less) walnuts (optional)
Beat oil, eggs and sugar together, then mix everything else together. The batter will get thick.
Get your cup cake papers in your pans and spoon batter into them.
Heat your oven to about 350F and bake for about 20-25 min depending on how your oven handles. Just keep an eye on them!
Now for that frosting...I will admid that I used real cream cheese and butter because, I live about an hour away from a Whole Foods where I can buy vegan cream cheese and I really didn't feel like using my vegan cream cheese up...I have a recipe using non dairy and I will try it another time and let you know how it tastes...
Maple Spice Cream Cheese Frosting
8oz of cream cheese at room temp
1 stick of unsalted butter at room temp
1 Cup sugar
1/2 tsp Vanilla
1 TBS (or more) Maple Syrup
Allspice
Mix the cream cheese and butter together first until smooth
then add everything else. From here it's sort of by taste. Make sure you use real maple syrup!
Add the allspice according to how you like it and then you're all set!
Frost your cupcakes once they are cool!
 |
| Here is one of the images I am submitting for my project. |
Whatcha need:
A little more than 1/2 Cup of veggie oil (the original called for more oil than I wanted to add so I cut it back by like a 1/4 cup or so)
2 eggs
3/4 Cup of sugar
1 1/2 Cups grated carrots
1 tsp Vanilla
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp salt
2 Cups of Pamela's Baking & Pancake mix
1/2 (I used way less) walnuts (optional)
Beat oil, eggs and sugar together, then mix everything else together. The batter will get thick.
Get your cup cake papers in your pans and spoon batter into them.
Heat your oven to about 350F and bake for about 20-25 min depending on how your oven handles. Just keep an eye on them!
Now for that frosting...I will admid that I used real cream cheese and butter because, I live about an hour away from a Whole Foods where I can buy vegan cream cheese and I really didn't feel like using my vegan cream cheese up...I have a recipe using non dairy and I will try it another time and let you know how it tastes...
Maple Spice Cream Cheese Frosting
8oz of cream cheese at room temp
1 stick of unsalted butter at room temp
1 Cup sugar
1/2 tsp Vanilla
1 TBS (or more) Maple Syrup
Allspice
Mix the cream cheese and butter together first until smooth
then add everything else. From here it's sort of by taste. Make sure you use real maple syrup!
Add the allspice according to how you like it and then you're all set!
Frost your cupcakes once they are cool!
 |
| YUM! |
Thursday, October 27, 2011
I have a freezer full of food I can't eat...
Today, this gluten free diet pissed me off. I looked in my freezer and to my horror there was NOTHING short of frozen ham lunch meat that I could eat. I mean everything right down to my meatless burgers had gluten in them! I was sad...and mad...
I also realized that perhaps the reason I had a headache today was because I ate some vegan "sausage" that also after I read the ingredients in more detail also had gluten in them. I didn't think to re-read the ingredients because I had bought them prior to going gluten free and I sort of assumed that they would not have gluten in them. Needless to say, I have felt icky and had a headache all day and didn't know why. So after much pouting about my freezer full of food I could not eat, I settled for lentil soup...
Then I made gluten free chocolate chip cookies. They are a win...I followed this recipe and it worked great!
So in conclusion; I am still mad that I have a freezer full of food I can't use...and mad that I unintentionally had gluten and feel icky for it, but I learned that gluten free cookies can be AWESOME.
Next I will be posting about my experience with gluten free bread. I tried one bagged mix and it came out pretty good. At least better tasting than the stupid pre made rice bread. *gag* that stuff was just gross.
So there you have it.
xoxox
I also realized that perhaps the reason I had a headache today was because I ate some vegan "sausage" that also after I read the ingredients in more detail also had gluten in them. I didn't think to re-read the ingredients because I had bought them prior to going gluten free and I sort of assumed that they would not have gluten in them. Needless to say, I have felt icky and had a headache all day and didn't know why. So after much pouting about my freezer full of food I could not eat, I settled for lentil soup...
Then I made gluten free chocolate chip cookies. They are a win...I followed this recipe and it worked great!
Next I will be posting about my experience with gluten free bread. I tried one bagged mix and it came out pretty good. At least better tasting than the stupid pre made rice bread. *gag* that stuff was just gross.
So there you have it.
xoxox
Monday, October 24, 2011
Hi, my name is Sarah and I am going gluten free
Okay, this is sort of not on the topic of fast healthy food and more on the topic of my new journey in the food department of life. I have been dealing with some major allergy issues the past few months. I've always had allergies and been super sensitive to stuff, but noticed it getting worse over the summer. I did some digging and discovered it could have to do with an allergy to Casein one of the proteins in dairy. Most of my issues happened after I ate something with dairy. So I, to my great sadness began a non dairy diet. (I really love cheese and yogurt) but since moving down to Florida and becoming busy with school I've noticed that while cutting out dairy has helped quite a bit with my issues it hasn't fully removed all my symptoms, so I did some more sleuthing and talking and found that maybe I might need to cut glutens out of my diet. O__O WHAT?! You mean cut out even more of my favorite foods?! Well I decided to try it because I would rather feel better...So yesterday I went out and pretty much restocked my kitchen (let me just say that not having a Whole Foods here in Daytona sucks) I had to go to 3 different stores to get the stuff I needed and boy did it cost me an arm and a leg!
Tonight I had my first gluten free dinner, pretty good. So far no major allergies or anything. I am hoping this will help with my headaches and the other various issues I have had that seem to relate to gluten intolerance. When I go back home in December I am going to have my Dr test me for both the casein allergy and gluten sensitivity, but in the mean time it's just the process of elimination to figure it out.
That brings me to my next point. While this blog is suppose to be geared to healthy living for the busy student type, it's going to probably shift for a while to healthy eating and learning to adjust to a gluten free life. Obviously I want to keep it focused on the easy meals and budget friendly because I am still a busy student...Just be aware that its gluten and dairy free from here! Also I plan to post my adventures to learning how to bake and cook my favorites gluten free now. It's a new journey one of many I am facing this year...when it rains it pours eh?
Big love everyone...and here are my frist gluten free baking/meal making experiences.
Thank Jesus (or whomever you want) for Betty Crocker and their cake mix! I am impressed. The cupcakes I made with this turned out wonderful!
I made a batch of my normal frosting. It's a Wilton recipe and I think, not only is it perfect for cake frosting etc. but it is just the right amount of sweet for me. I hate overly sugary tasting frostings so if you want that recipe let me know. *nom nom*
Now for dinner tonight.
This was a SUPER fast meal to whip up and the only thing I had to worry about being gluten free was the tortila I used.
So in a bowl mix:
2(ish) Tablespoons of olive oil
2(ish) Tablespoons of lemon juice
then add 2 to 3 cans of tunafish. I only used 2...
now for the fun part! You can pretty much add anything
that tickles your fancy.
I chopped up some tomato and red onion
added parsley a little salt and garlic powder.
Then the recipe calls for pita bread so you can fill the pocket with your
tuna mixture, but I could not find gluten free pita bread so I used my
tortila bread, added a little lettuce and ta da fast, tummy healthy dinner!
Enjoy!
:)
Tonight I had my first gluten free dinner, pretty good. So far no major allergies or anything. I am hoping this will help with my headaches and the other various issues I have had that seem to relate to gluten intolerance. When I go back home in December I am going to have my Dr test me for both the casein allergy and gluten sensitivity, but in the mean time it's just the process of elimination to figure it out.
That brings me to my next point. While this blog is suppose to be geared to healthy living for the busy student type, it's going to probably shift for a while to healthy eating and learning to adjust to a gluten free life. Obviously I want to keep it focused on the easy meals and budget friendly because I am still a busy student...Just be aware that its gluten and dairy free from here! Also I plan to post my adventures to learning how to bake and cook my favorites gluten free now. It's a new journey one of many I am facing this year...when it rains it pours eh?
Big love everyone...and here are my frist gluten free baking/meal making experiences.
Now for dinner tonight.
This was a SUPER fast meal to whip up and the only thing I had to worry about being gluten free was the tortila I used.
So in a bowl mix:
2(ish) Tablespoons of olive oil
2(ish) Tablespoons of lemon juice
then add 2 to 3 cans of tunafish. I only used 2...
now for the fun part! You can pretty much add anything
that tickles your fancy.
I chopped up some tomato and red onion
added parsley a little salt and garlic powder.
Then the recipe calls for pita bread so you can fill the pocket with your
tuna mixture, but I could not find gluten free pita bread so I used my
tortila bread, added a little lettuce and ta da fast, tummy healthy dinner!
Enjoy!
:)
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Etsy...
I decided to try and sell some of my fine art photography prints on Etsy...I am also planing on creating a Etsy for my crafty arts soon...
:D
Sarah Raven Photography on Etsy
:D
Sarah Raven Photography on Etsy
Vampire Punkins
Damn you Martha Stewart for being so awesome!!!
I made these guys today and let me tell you they are super fun! However I couldn't stand the idea of
just leaving their insides in to rot(I was using pumpkin pie pumpkins) so I pulled as many seeds as I could from each little guy to make a tasty treat, which I will share with you!
Toasted pumpkin seeds are super tasty, good for you and super easy to make!
For starters, after you gut that pumpkin (or pull it's innards out through its mouth in my case) clean the seeds off...
Once they're mostly clean lay them out on a cookie sheet and cover with sea salt. Heat your ovan to 350 and bake the seeds for about 15 min or so, it really depends, mine took a really long time because they were super soggy. Just keep an eye on them.
And there you have it! Tada! Crunchy, salty, not a potato chip ;)
And now here are my little pumpkin fellas! (I had to use black fangs I couldn't fine the big white ones)
xoxox
I made these guys today and let me tell you they are super fun! However I couldn't stand the idea of
just leaving their insides in to rot(I was using pumpkin pie pumpkins) so I pulled as many seeds as I could from each little guy to make a tasty treat, which I will share with you!
Toasted pumpkin seeds are super tasty, good for you and super easy to make!
For starters, after you gut that pumpkin (or pull it's innards out through its mouth in my case) clean the seeds off...
Once they're mostly clean lay them out on a cookie sheet and cover with sea salt. Heat your ovan to 350 and bake the seeds for about 15 min or so, it really depends, mine took a really long time because they were super soggy. Just keep an eye on them.
And there you have it! Tada! Crunchy, salty, not a potato chip ;)
And now here are my little pumpkin fellas! (I had to use black fangs I couldn't fine the big white ones)
Friday, October 14, 2011
Cold and Flu Season Arsenal
Since I have been feeling under the weather today I thought I would post about my cold and flu season arsenal.
This is not my arsenal in full...There are other things too...but lets talk about the basics...
As soon as I either get stressed out or the weather starts shifting or people around me get sick I start in with the Echinacea...
My favorite would be the tincture they make at Castle Remedies in Ann Arbor because it's so fresh and freshness is the key with herbals and homeopathics. You can mix this in some orange juice or anything you want really. It is an amazing Immune booster!
EmergenC is also a godsend for an energy and immune boost. I swear by that stuff.
Now, when I absolutely feel a cold coming, you know that Oh My God moment when you wake up in the morning and you know you are doomed from this moment forward to suffer the effects of a cold? Well there are still a few things you can do to avoid the ick. You have to act fast though...
Start with...
Aconite, I will blog later in more detail about homeopathics, but the short story is they are amazing and wont interfere with any other medications you might be taking, they wont cause side effects (except to maybe make you feel worse for a moment, but if that happens it means your immune system is responding and you are taking the right remedy) They are not like herbals so you can't have an allergic reaction to them...
Now, aconite is a great all around "first sign of a cold" remedy. You can find mass market homeopathics at most health food stores, like Whole Foods and even the little places. Take this as soon as you feel like you are getting a cold.
As soon as I either get stressed out or the weather starts shifting or people around me get sick I start in with the Echinacea...
My favorite would be the tincture they make at Castle Remedies in Ann Arbor because it's so fresh and freshness is the key with herbals and homeopathics. You can mix this in some orange juice or anything you want really. It is an amazing Immune booster!
EmergenC is also a godsend for an energy and immune boost. I swear by that stuff.
Start with...
Aconite, I will blog later in more detail about homeopathics, but the short story is they are amazing and wont interfere with any other medications you might be taking, they wont cause side effects (except to maybe make you feel worse for a moment, but if that happens it means your immune system is responding and you are taking the right remedy) They are not like herbals so you can't have an allergic reaction to them...
Now, aconite is a great all around "first sign of a cold" remedy. You can find mass market homeopathics at most health food stores, like Whole Foods and even the little places. Take this as soon as you feel like you are getting a cold.
P.S. You don't need any more than a 30c
Next vitamin C! Now would be a good time to mix up one of those EmergenC packets (but remember to wait 30min before and after taking a homeopathic to eat or drink anything) Personally when I know I am getting a cold after I dose myself with Aconite the next thing I run for is and Odwalla C-Monster. Seriously, I have been to the point were I thought there was no turning back, I didn't get to the aconite soon enough and I drank a whole Odwalla C-Monster and BAM cold gone....
And now for another homeopathic, you've probably seen this one at Walgreens!
I love this stuff, now you have to be careful with combo remedies because some homeopathics don't work well together and will cancel each other out, defeating the entire purpose! But this stuff works great to take the edge off without the funky fog a lot of cold medications leave you with.
Speaking of mixing things...as a random note, you know how most cold remedies or immune boosters have vitamin C and Zinc? Well C and Zinc cancel each other out, so pic one or the other for your immune booster.
Drink lots of water and tea, and eat foods rich in vitamins and good stuff.
Also a day on the couch watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer doesn't hurt either. ;)
Monday, October 10, 2011
Infusing Vodka....
So I don't drink, but if you are looking to keep things a little more natural and fun, check this out!
Infusing your own Vodka!
;)
Infusing your own Vodka!
;)
Lunch on the go go go
So I have been super busy the last few days. Running around for classes, doing homework, looking for respectable employment. I have this bad habit when things get like this of forgetting to eat things like lunch, but I am trying to change that because missing lunch is not the greatest thing to do. For yesterdays lunch...
So Delicious coconut milk yogurt and the healthiest granola I could find(I had to pay a pretty penny down here for it too :-/ ) But this was a yummy fast lunch, and healthy too. You don't have to do coconut milk yogurt if you don't want to, I just can't do dairy. I would stay away from brands like Yoplait that have lots of artificial preservatives. Go with a brand like Wallaby or StoneyFeild Farms.
I highly recommend eating yogurt though, it's full of good stuff for your body and immune system. Kefir is another amazing thing! I miss being able to have that because it was a life saver.
Today's lunch was Morning Star's vegetarian mini corn dogs. Pretty tasty. Though their ingredients list is rather long, I didn't see anything too alarming.
And finally, tonight's dinner is...A nice salad with the rest of my left over chicken tenders tossed in. Yum!
I highly recommend eating yogurt though, it's full of good stuff for your body and immune system. Kefir is another amazing thing! I miss being able to have that because it was a life saver.
Today's lunch was Morning Star's vegetarian mini corn dogs. Pretty tasty. Though their ingredients list is rather long, I didn't see anything too alarming.
And finally, tonight's dinner is...A nice salad with the rest of my left over chicken tenders tossed in. Yum!
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Chicken Tenders Minus The Fast Food Bag...
I don't know about you, but I love chicken tenders. They're easy to eat, and pretty darn tasty! But chicken tenders from a fast food place(where we all usually get them from) are not the best. I wont get to nitty gritty because by now most people know the kinds of things that get put into fast food, but it's safe to say there are a lot of things in fast food chicken tenders that are not very food like. So here is my slightly altered version of Giada De Laurentiis Spicy Chicken Tenders...
The prep time is about 15min and the cook time is around 20min.
You're going to start with well, chicken. You can usually find "chicken tender" cut chicken anywhere. Make sure it's boneless skinless. Now, I am a big proponent of organics; particularly with meat but sometimes you can't find it(like me here in Daytona). If you can't find organic just make sure it's antibiotic free, this goes for organic too, sometimes they sneak that stuff into "organic" meats.
1 1/2 lb of chicken. This is not an exact, you can add or take away.
Olive oil for drizzling
Salt (I like sea salt)
Breading:
1 Cup all purpose flour
1 Cup cornmeal, or breadcrumbs (I use bread crumbs)
3 eggs
3 Tablespoons hot sauce of your choosing
2 Tablespoons(ish) of cajun seasoning, or chili powder
Sprinkling of red pepper flakes
Spray a cookie sheet with veggie oil spray so they tenders don't stick, and set it aside.
Now for the mixing part. You'll need 3 pans or bowls. In the first pan mix the Flour and salt and set aside. Next mix the eggs and hot sauce, then in the 3rd bowl mix the corn meal and seasoning and pepper flakes.
Pre-heat oven to 425
Coat the chicken in Flour, then the egg mixture (let it drip a little) and finally coat in the cornmeal mix and set onto the cookie sheet. Once you've done that for all the chicken drizzle some olive oil over the tops and then place them in the oven and bake for 15-20 min until the chicken is fully cooked and crispy outside.
You can also make a honey mustard to go with it if you want. I didn't because I just don't like honey mustard.
In a small bowl mix 1/3 of a cup of Dijon or whole-grain mustard and 1/3 of a cup of honey and blend until smooth.
I also made a salad and used a light vinaigrette and toasted a couple of slices of sour dough bread that I got fresh from the bakery. Just pop the bread in your broiler for a few minuets until toasty.
The prep time is about 15min and the cook time is around 20min.
You're going to start with well, chicken. You can usually find "chicken tender" cut chicken anywhere. Make sure it's boneless skinless. Now, I am a big proponent of organics; particularly with meat but sometimes you can't find it(like me here in Daytona). If you can't find organic just make sure it's antibiotic free, this goes for organic too, sometimes they sneak that stuff into "organic" meats.
1 1/2 lb of chicken. This is not an exact, you can add or take away.
Olive oil for drizzling
Salt (I like sea salt)
Breading:
1 Cup all purpose flour
1 Cup cornmeal, or breadcrumbs (I use bread crumbs)
3 eggs
3 Tablespoons hot sauce of your choosing
2 Tablespoons(ish) of cajun seasoning, or chili powder
Sprinkling of red pepper flakes
Spray a cookie sheet with veggie oil spray so they tenders don't stick, and set it aside.
Now for the mixing part. You'll need 3 pans or bowls. In the first pan mix the Flour and salt and set aside. Next mix the eggs and hot sauce, then in the 3rd bowl mix the corn meal and seasoning and pepper flakes.
Pre-heat oven to 425
Coat the chicken in Flour, then the egg mixture (let it drip a little) and finally coat in the cornmeal mix and set onto the cookie sheet. Once you've done that for all the chicken drizzle some olive oil over the tops and then place them in the oven and bake for 15-20 min until the chicken is fully cooked and crispy outside.
You can also make a honey mustard to go with it if you want. I didn't because I just don't like honey mustard.
In a small bowl mix 1/3 of a cup of Dijon or whole-grain mustard and 1/3 of a cup of honey and blend until smooth.
I also made a salad and used a light vinaigrette and toasted a couple of slices of sour dough bread that I got fresh from the bakery. Just pop the bread in your broiler for a few minuets until toasty.
There you have it. Spicey Chicken Tenders that are not full of chemicals and didn't take you that long to make! With some easy side dishes you have a full, healthy meal, and left overs. You can even make up some french fries if you feel so inclined. Just make sure to read the back of the packaging if you're using frozen fries. My tip for the day is read the labels. If you can pronounce and know what the ingredients are chances are it's not to bad for you.
Beware the long odd sounding words.
The price break down:
Chicken $4.71
Flour $2.00
Bread Crumbs $1.70
Hot Sauce $1.80
Bag o' Salad $3.00
Bread $1.81
Whole meal= $15.02 and if you divide that by the roughly 3 meals you get out of this recipe makes it about $5.00 a piece.
Plus things like the hot sauce, flour and bread crumbs are good for other things.
The price break down:
Chicken $4.71
Flour $2.00
Bread Crumbs $1.70
Hot Sauce $1.80
Bag o' Salad $3.00
Bread $1.81
Whole meal= $15.02 and if you divide that by the roughly 3 meals you get out of this recipe makes it about $5.00 a piece.
Plus things like the hot sauce, flour and bread crumbs are good for other things.
xoxo Enjoy!
Friday, October 7, 2011
That first post...No Excuses
I have always been the type of person who eats healthy. I never had much care for fast food, or things of that nature. My mom always cooked, and I learned from her how to eat right, meal plan and have fun in the kitchen all at the same time. At 12 I was diagnosed with Type 1 Juvenal Diabetes and my eating habits had to change even more. But, keeping track of carbs and portions is actually helpful and while I wish my diabetes would just disappear( I would eat a whole cake if that happened, calories be damned) having this disease has made me ten times more aware of my body and what I put in it.
Once I hit college age, my habits of eating didn't alter much, while most of my friends were snarfing down fast food and pizza I was making salads and bagging my lunch to school and work. By this time it was just my mom and I. I took over most of the responsibility with meal planning and cooking. This is an even bigger deal to me now that I am living on my own.
Over the years I've noticed a bunch of my friends possess frankly, very awful eating habits. For a variety of reasons. They don't have time, they don't know how...they don't have the money...to these weak excuses I say!
There is always time to cook/meal plan/grocery shop:
I am busy, trust me I know how hectic it is when you are in school or working full time, but that doesn't mean you should neglect your body. In fact now's the time you need good nutrition! With all that running around, stress etc. your body is susceptible to sickness, tiredness and a slew of other annoying issues. Eating right is just one of many things you can do for yourself.
The key is planning, once you have your favorite recipes (and the occasional new one) sit down and plan out weakly meals. This saves you time at the store because you know what you need! Don't forget some days you can have left overs. I usually try to make those the days I know I am going to be super busy and not feel like or have time to cook.
Food freezes! Make enough so you can freeze some of it and next week or a few weeks after that you'll have a quick meal right there. (use freezer approved bags though or it won't turn out pretty)
There are TONS of places to get recipes and you don't have to be super cook to make them:
When I started doing this I surfed the web for recipes I knew I would want to eat, and that were easy to make. Well not all of them, sometimes I like a challenge but you get my point. While you are sitting there on facebook doing nothing, pop open some recipe sites and search for things you would want. If there are family foods that you just love, ask people for copies of those recipes. I copied down nearly 3 of my moms cookbooks and most of those were things she took from her mom, or things she altered for herself. Plus, taking a few moments to prepare and cook a meal is really relaxing, we all need a few moments to breath. I also feel like I should tell you, my mom didn't always know how to cook. She messed up boxed mac and cheese once when she was my age. She is pretty awesome in the kitchen now; so if she can learn you can learn.
It costs way more to eat fast food then it does to cook at home:
I promise you will be amazed how much money you save just cooking at home. Not to mention you'll start to feel better too. With all the chemicals and processing they do with fast food and quick packaged foods, you'll find yourself feeling drug out, sluggish and the list goes on. If you shop right and actually stick close to your list for your meals you'll save. Coupons can be your friend and you have to keep your eyes on the stores sales (and no it doesn't take that much time to look over the weekly ad).
So there is the first blog my friends. I will be sharing other facts and info about healthy living, cooking and other fun things as I go along. Tomorrow, I am going to share some facts about your favorite fast food chicken fingers...and show you how to make your own, minus the Dimethylpolysiloxane....google that shit...
<3
Once I hit college age, my habits of eating didn't alter much, while most of my friends were snarfing down fast food and pizza I was making salads and bagging my lunch to school and work. By this time it was just my mom and I. I took over most of the responsibility with meal planning and cooking. This is an even bigger deal to me now that I am living on my own.
Over the years I've noticed a bunch of my friends possess frankly, very awful eating habits. For a variety of reasons. They don't have time, they don't know how...they don't have the money...to these weak excuses I say!
There is always time to cook/meal plan/grocery shop:
I am busy, trust me I know how hectic it is when you are in school or working full time, but that doesn't mean you should neglect your body. In fact now's the time you need good nutrition! With all that running around, stress etc. your body is susceptible to sickness, tiredness and a slew of other annoying issues. Eating right is just one of many things you can do for yourself.
The key is planning, once you have your favorite recipes (and the occasional new one) sit down and plan out weakly meals. This saves you time at the store because you know what you need! Don't forget some days you can have left overs. I usually try to make those the days I know I am going to be super busy and not feel like or have time to cook.
Food freezes! Make enough so you can freeze some of it and next week or a few weeks after that you'll have a quick meal right there. (use freezer approved bags though or it won't turn out pretty)
There are TONS of places to get recipes and you don't have to be super cook to make them:
When I started doing this I surfed the web for recipes I knew I would want to eat, and that were easy to make. Well not all of them, sometimes I like a challenge but you get my point. While you are sitting there on facebook doing nothing, pop open some recipe sites and search for things you would want. If there are family foods that you just love, ask people for copies of those recipes. I copied down nearly 3 of my moms cookbooks and most of those were things she took from her mom, or things she altered for herself. Plus, taking a few moments to prepare and cook a meal is really relaxing, we all need a few moments to breath. I also feel like I should tell you, my mom didn't always know how to cook. She messed up boxed mac and cheese once when she was my age. She is pretty awesome in the kitchen now; so if she can learn you can learn.
It costs way more to eat fast food then it does to cook at home:
I promise you will be amazed how much money you save just cooking at home. Not to mention you'll start to feel better too. With all the chemicals and processing they do with fast food and quick packaged foods, you'll find yourself feeling drug out, sluggish and the list goes on. If you shop right and actually stick close to your list for your meals you'll save. Coupons can be your friend and you have to keep your eyes on the stores sales (and no it doesn't take that much time to look over the weekly ad).
So there is the first blog my friends. I will be sharing other facts and info about healthy living, cooking and other fun things as I go along. Tomorrow, I am going to share some facts about your favorite fast food chicken fingers...and show you how to make your own, minus the Dimethylpolysiloxane....google that shit...
<3
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