Caution...cooking without a shirt is a bad idea :p

I was cooking in a sports bra....(bad move number 1)! When I flipped my pancakes a little too vigorously (bad move #2!) and some searing hot olive oil splashed on my stomach :O Learned my lesson!
Why didn't I use PAM?!? (bad move #3) LOL!
It is a few months old though...it looked a lot worse.
One of the benefits of working at a Derm's office...samples ;) Ya baby!

Anyway, I'll be updating my pics and recipes this week! 

Eggs and Oatmeal...My favorite breakfast :)

I woke up today hoping for some beautiful weather to go hiking and guess what?!? It's raining...
It has rained almost every day for the past week and a half. That's Florida --> sunshine state that rains and is humid in the summer :)

To take the rainy blues away, I made my favorite breakfast! A four egg Omelet and cinnamon raisin oatmeal....Yes it sounds boring but it doesn't have to be :) I eat this meal  a lot! I usually exclude the cheese though, except on rare occasions.

My Omelet

Ingredients
4 eggs
Pam non-stick spray
Salt and Black pepper to taste
2 slices of your fav cheese --> I love either gouda, mont. jack, cheddar or american on mine
Things to add (optional)
A little bit of cold pressed Olive Oil 
Spinach
Onions
Tomatoes
Green peppers

Preparation
Dice the veggies into small pieces
Pour a little Olive oil to coat the bottom of a pan and put on medium heat
When hot, put all veggies into pan except tomatoes (add those when the other veggies are already soft to avoid making the tomatoes flavorless)
Cook until the veggies are no longer hard/crunchy
Take the pan off the burner
Cover or keep warm until ready to insert into omelet

Directions
Spray the pan with Pam and put the stove on medium heat
Beat 4 eggs (yolk and all!) in a bowl
Pour into hot pan (don't let it get too hot that the pam burns/turns brown)
Wait until the egg begins bubbling and gets a bit firmer, use the spatula to raise the edges of the omelet to allow the uncooked (liquid) parts to go under. This ensures a fully cooked middle :)
When all the runny parts look like they are firm, make an invisible line down the center and add the cheese and veggies to that half. Fold the other part over to cover the cheese and veggies, and cook for a minute or two letting the cheese melt.

Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal! Yum!

Serves 1
Ingredients
1/2 cup of oatmeal
1/2 cup of unsweetened soy milk (or you can use vanilla soy milk)
cinnamon
a handful of raisins


Directions
Turn the burner on medium heat
Put the soy milk in a small pot and place on burner
Wait until it starts bubbling a bit and add the oatmeal
When it starts bubbling again, turn the heat down to low and cook until the consistency is no longer liquidy.
Add desired cinnamon and a handful of raisins

Korean Grilled Skirt Steak

I just devoured 3 sushi rolls YUM! What's the reason for the celebration ? I just took my 1st Organic Chem 2 test of the summer and I think I did pretty good :) If that's not a good reason to celebrate, then I don't know what is!

What's on the agenda for my Friday night? Relaxation! A movie, and a couple glasses of red wine....for starters ;) And of course something yum for dinner!

**Update: 6/7/10 --> I got a 91 on my Organic test.... :) YaY!**

I went to publix today and stocked up for the weekend..... On the menu tonight is ->

Korean Grilled Skirt Steak alla Judi 

Recipe Courtesy Judi :)

Ingredients

3/4 -1 lb. Skirt Steak 

Marinade

1/4 Cup Lite Soy Sauce

1/4 Cup White Vinegar

3 cloves crushed Garlic (or if you are lazy like me, I buy them pre-chopped)

3 finely chopped Scallions (both white and green parts)

2 tsps. Dijon Mustard

2 tsps. fresh Ginger grated

Black pepper and salt to taste

Directions

Score the meat deeply crosswise @ 1/2" intervals. This allows the marinade to really soak in and allows the meat to cook evenly. Combine the marinade ingredients in a bowl or oblong pyrex.  Place the steaks in your pyrex and marinade for at least an hour (turn @ 30 mins). Double the marinade recipe if you are a saucy person like me so you have extra to pour over the cooked steaks :)

Preheat the grill and cook meat 3-4 inches from heat source for 3-4 minutes per side for rare (adjust for your desired doneness). If you don't have access to the grill, use your broiler ;) Tastes just as amazing. Just make sure you don't cook it in the marinade, because it makes a mess in the oven.

Side Dishes 

 Sweet potato

My fav sweet potato recipe

It's extremely simple, but I'm writing it down anyway!

• Wash the sweet potato really well
• Wrap it completely in foil
• Turn your broiler on
• Put the foily sweet potato on a cookie sheet or in a pyrex dish
• Cook for 30-60 minutes on broil depending on the size of the sweet potato
• You can check it at 40-45 minutes by sticking a knife in it....if the knife slips into it with no resistance then it is technically done....I love mine really really done like syrup dripping off of it because it is so done.
• Be careful though because oven temperatures vary and my 60 minutes may mean your 40....etc...Experiment with the timing to find your "perfect" sweet potato :) 

To dress up my S.P. I just sprinkle it with some cinnamon. It's almost like a dessert because it's so sweet.

Roasted Beet Salad

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

• Level: Easy
  
  
• Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Close

Times:

Prep

10 min

Inactive Prep

--

Cook

10 min

Total:

20 min

Ingredients

• 2 (15 1/4-ounce) cans sliced beets, rinsed and drained
• 1 1/2 cups crumbled feta cheese
• 1/2 cup pitted ripe olives
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
• Salt, pepper and garlic powder, to taste
• Dash hot sauce

Directions

Remove broiler tray from oven and coat with nonstick cooking spray. Replace tray and preheat broiler. After beets are drained place on coated broiler tray. Place under hot broiler, turning every 2 to 3 minutes until edges start to brown, approximately 8 to10 minutes. Remove beets from oven and allow to cool. Mix remaining ingredients with cooled beets. Toss and serve.

**My variation: So here is how I eat my veggies! Covered in yummy stuff  to hide the taste :)  I use fresh beets. Don't slice them too thinly or else they burn too quickly under the broiler.
Please note: I love to eat this as soon as I make it but others say it tastes even better if you let it sit overnight and really let the juices sink in. ** Another thing I love to add to this is baby spinach....mix it all up in the sauce and yum! Can't taste any veggies :D

Paula Deen minus the butter  

Italian Baked Chicken and Pastina

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis
Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 40 min

Ingredients

• 1 cup pastina pasta (or any small pasta)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup cubed chicken breast (1-inch cubes)
• 1/2 cup diced onion (about 1/2 a small onion)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 1 tablespoon butter, plus more for buttering the baking dish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until just tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Drain pasta into a large mixing bowl.
Meanwhile, put the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes. Add the onions and garlic, stirring to combine, and cook until the onions are soft and the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes more. Put the chicken mixture into the bowl with the cooked pasta. Add the canned tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Place the mixture in a buttered 8 by 8 by 2-inch baking dish. In a small bowl mix together the bread crumbs and the Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle over the top of the pasta mixture. Dot the top with small bits of butter. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes.

**My variation: I use Barilla Plus elbow pasta because it has protein. I cook the pasta by following the directions on the pasta box. Sometimes I add other cheeses into the mix to be extra crazy!


For the chicken, I coat the cubed uncooked chicken in italian bread crumbs and bake@ 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Always try to cut the chicken as small as your patience can handle because I hate bland chicken and the bigger the pieces the more bland they are!!! 

I also use 3 chicken breasts instead of 1/2 cup because I love to have lots in each bite. And I leave out the butter, and you can't even tell the difference.** 
Because I pre-cook the chicken, I take it out of the oven as soon as the cheese melts and looks gooey. I have also tried adding 1 Tablespoon of roasted tomato pesto to it for additional flavor. It was delicious!**

Chicken pasta

Stuffed Chicken Breast

From wholefoodsmarket.com

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 teaspoon finely chopped thyme
6 cups baby spinach
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup drained and chopped jarred roasted red peppers
3 tablespoons chopped pitted Kalamata olives
1 tablespoon capers, chopped
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
2 boneless, skinless whole chicken breasts, halved and pounded out to 1/4-inch thickness
4 ounces mild goat cheese, at room temperature
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Method

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, shallots and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add spinach and cook, tossing often, until just wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then remove from the heat and set aside to let cool.

Preheat oven to 375°F. In a small bowl, mix peppers, olives, capers, vinegar, salt and pepper; set aside.

Arrange chicken on a clean surface in a single layer. Divide spinach mixture between the 4 pieces of chicken, then top evenly with the goat cheese and red pepper mixture. Roll up each piece of chicken tightly, folding the end pieces in before sealing each roll. Transfer chicken to a baking pan, cover with foil and bake until almost cooked through, about 25 minutes. Uncover, brush chicken with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and bake until golden brown and cooked through, about 10 minutes more.

Set aside to let rest for 10 minutes, then slice chicken, transfer to a platter and serve garnished with parsley.

**My variation: I love it so much just the way it is! Make sure that you use thin chicken breasts though... cut the chicken breast in half (butterfly style) and put toppings on both halves!*** Enjoy

Yum!

Turkey Burgers

• From food network kitchens
• Cook time: 25 mins 
• Level: easy
• Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 clove garlic
• Kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, plus 1 teaspoon
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons hot sauce
• 14 ounces lean 93% ground turkey meat
• 6 ounces lean ground sirloin
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 4 whole-wheat buns or pita bread, toasted

Garnishes:

• Lettuce
• Tomatoes
• Mustard
• Ketchup

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Smash the garlic cloves, sprinkle with some salt, and, with the flat side of a large knife, mash and smear the mixture to a coarse paste. Whisk the garlic with the balsamic, Worcestershire, and hot sauce in a small bowl.
Crumble the turkey and beef into a large mixing bowl. Pour the garlic mixture over the meat and form into 4 (5-ounce) burgers. Cover and set aside while you cook the onions.
Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned but not mushy, about 15 minutes. Season the onions with the remaining teaspoon of balsamic and salt and pepper, to taste.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for a minute. Brush 1 side of the burgers with the oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook seasoned side down until browned, about 2 minutes. Brush and season the top of the burgers, flip and cook until other side is brown, about 2 minutes more.
Transfer burgers to a baking dish and bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted side ways into the burgers registers 160 degrees F, about 5 minutes. Place the burgers on the buns or in pita and let rest for a few minutes. Serve with the caramelized onions and garnishes of your choice.

**My variations: I use spicy organic mustard, and I add about 2 TBs tiny crunchy dried onions from the seasoning section (not fried!) I cook some mushrooms with the onions in balsamic vinegar or worcestershire sauce and put it on top the patty. And you can also add avocado too if you're feeling crazy!

I have excluded the beef many times and it still tastes delicious with all the toppings...just make sure reduce cooking time because it can be dry!**

Burgers

Mushroom-Crusted Lamb Loin with Red Wine Glaze

Recipe from wholefoodsmarket.com

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 cups (about 6 ounces) white or cremini mushrooms
2 racks of lamb (8 ribs each) or lamb loin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon canola oil
3/4 cup red wine
3/4 cup low-sodium beef or chicken broth
1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
1 tablespoon chopped thyme

Method

Place the mushrooms in a food processor and process until finely chopped. If you do not have a food processor, finely chop the mushrooms by hand. Remove any resulting liquid from the mushrooms by placing them in a paper towel and gently squeezing. Transfer the chopped mushrooms to a large plate.

Sprinkle the lamb loins all over with salt and pepper, then rub the mustard all over the loins, avoiding the ends. Roll loins in mushrooms on the plate, pressing down gently to make sure the mushrooms adhere well.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add lamb and sear on all sides. This should take about 3 minutes per side. Once seared, either reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook, covered, on the stove or transfer the uncovered skillet to a 350°F oven and continue to cook until lamb is medium rare (125°F internal temperature), or longer if desired. Remove the loins from the skillet and let them sit for a few minutes prior to slicing so that the meat redistributes its natural juices.

Meanwhile, add wine, broth and sugar to the skillet and simmer on medium high heat until it reduces so that it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. (The sauce should reduce by approximately half of its volume.)

Slice each loin on a bias into eight slices. Drizzle some sauce on the bottom of each plate and arrange four slices of lamb on top. Top with thyme and serve.

**My variation: I use the leanest cut of lamb available at the grocery and slice any extra fat off, low sodium broth, exclude the sugar, don't forget to allow the sauce to cook down** Yum I love lamb :) I eat this with a sweet potato covered in cinnamon.

Mushroomy lamb 

Breakfast Pizza

Recipe from wholefoodsmarket.com

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 medium red potato, diced
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons water
Sea salt to taste
Pepper to taste
2 small or 1 large turkey breakfast sausage links, casing removed
1/4 cup onion, finely diced
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 whole wheat pitas
1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/4 cup of your favorite salsa

Additional topping ideas
Jalapeño slices
All natural salami slices
Ham or smoked turkey
Feta or goat cheese
Mozzarella or provolone cheese
Sliced Roma tomatoes
Avocado slices or guacamole

Method

In a small saucepan, cook the diced potato in 2 teaspoons of olive oil and approximately two tablespoons of water, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until tender, stirring often. While potato cooks, sauté onion and turkey sausage in the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil, breaking up with a fork or spoon until sausage is cooked. Add beaten eggs and gently scramble until just cooked. Place egg and sausage mixture on pitas. Top with potatoes and cheese. Toast in a toaster oven or in a regular oven until cheese is melted and pita is hot and slightly toasted. Remove from oven and top with your favorite salsa.

**My variation: I love eggs so I add more than 2, the salsa from the skirt steak recipe below tastes great on this, and I add avocados for omega 3...Don't need to use as much oil as the recipe says**

Love this one!

Sweet and Hot Pepper Chicken, Asian Style!

Recipe of Emeril Lagassee

Level: Easy

Yield: 6 servings 

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced into 1-inch cubes
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 4 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons minced ginger
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons minced green onion bottoms
• 10 dried red chiles
• 1 jalapeno, stemmed, seeded and thinly sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and thinly sliced
• 1 cup sliced yellow onion
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine the soy sauce, dark soy and cornstarch. Whisk to blend well, and add the chicken to the sauce. Toss to evenly coat the chicken and set aside for 15 to 20 minutes.
In a medium bowl, combine the ketchup, stock, chili garlic sauce and sugar. Stir to combine and set aside until ready to use. Place a wok over high heat and add the vegetable oil to the pan. Swirl the wok to be sure to coat well with the oil. Add the ginger, garlic, green onions, dried chilies and jalapenos to the wok. Cook, stirring often until the garlic is fragrant and the chilies begin to brown, about 20 to 30 seconds. Add the chicken, bell peppers and onions to the pan and stir-fry until the chicken is no longer pink, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the sauce to the pan and bring to a boil, being sure to toss well in order to coat all the chicken and vegetables evenly, about 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle the sesame seeds, sesame oil and cilantro into the pan and toss to combine. Remove from the heat and serve on a platter with steamed white rice.

**My variation: I use brown rice instead of white, substitute regular ketchup with sugar free organic ketchup, exclude the dark soy sauce (couldn't find it), use low sodium chicken stock, and it tastes better the smaller you cut the chicken squares!**

Asian chicken!