A Change for the Better!

I'm on a mission to get my rear in gear.

I've always been a fairly slender person, but I've not always been the healthiest. In high school I was in good shape due to a strenuous marching band program, but once I got to Bryan College, my exercise was limited to the short walks to class. Then I got married, and I started to pack on a few pounds due to constantly cooking delicious treats and maintaining a fairly stagnant lifestyle, with the exception of the occasional ski trip.

My husband, Colton,  has been gone for a few weeks to screen his short film at film festivals in the East, and so I've been thinking up ways to occupy myself. I have three major projects going:

1) The Kickstarter for my jewelry business
2) The redecoration of the living room
3) The diet and fitness overhaul

I guess I'm just on an improvement kick!

But seriously guys, I feel SO GOOD. After reading about clean eating on a few websites, I decided to try cutting out added sugars and refined grains. (No white flour, rice, etc.) After eating this way for a little over a week, I already feel such an improvement. I had no idea how much sugar and refined flours I was eating until I cut them out, and I didn't even know that I felt bad! I've also been doing exercise daily. Nothing too crazy, and I switch it up alot so I don't get bored. I've been taking alot of long walks and long swims. My friend is teaching me to play racquetball! (I'm not very good, but I still have fun!) I also like dancing, so I made a little dance workout playlist on youtube which you can try out yourself!

It's been so good for me. I've finally started realizing that exercise can be fun, and that cooking more healthily doesn't mean cooking with less passion or skill. Healthy food can taste good! In fact, here's a picture of my beautiful lunch.

Brown rice bowl with black beans, sweet peppers, cilantro, cumin, sea salt, cayenne, and a dollop of sour cream and fresh hummus.

I've also been experimenting with whole wheat pastry flour. It seems like many bread recipes using 100% whole wheat flour call for dough conditioners and other additives to make the bread less dense, but I had great success with this recipe last night without having to buy these extras from the health food store!

I don't think I've ever felt so confident and in control of my body. I'm giving it what it needs, instead of feeding it with empty calories but starving it of nutrients! I feel like I already look better (I'm not totally sure, though, because I didn't take photos, measurements, or my weight at the start. I don't want my focus to be weight loss), and I can definitely jump higher and run faster. I think alot of this also has to do with my water intake - I've never liked water too much, but I've been drinking two glassfuls with every meal and a few in between.

I'll make sure to update on my progress as time goes on. I feel really excited to see how my thoughts and body adapt to a healthier lifestyle :)

Easy Fried Egg Sandwiches with Radicchio

Sometimes dinnertime sneaks up on me.

Especially when we have a late lunch, like today!

(We went to Umami Burgur in Studio City. I wish I had taken a picture! I dug both my truffle burger and the swan taxidermy on the wall.)

So here's one of my favorite meals to fix on the quick!

You'll need:

-Eggs

-Bacon

-Radicchio, or another bitter lettuce

-French or sourdough bread

-Grainy or Dijon mustard

-Red wine Vinegar

-Olive Oil

-Butter

Begin by slapping a few slabs of bacon in a pan over medium. Being a bacon lover, I wish I had made a few more slices!

Begin to prep your Radicchio - slice it and remove to a bowl.

 Make a simple vinaigrette by whisking together equal parts of olive oil and red wine vinager with about a tablespoon of grainy mustard (or dijon). Season with pepper.

 Pour over the radicchio and toss to coat. The bitter lettuce and bright vinaigrette really cut through the salty bacony eggy part in a beautiful way.

Butter the tops of the bread slices and toast under the broiler until golden.

 Once the bacon is crisp, remove to a paper towel and crack your eggs into the grease, seasoning with salt and pepper.

 Don't forget to take your bread out! I've burnt alot of bread this way...

 When the eggs are done, layer them on the non-toasted side of the bread with the bacon and radicchio.

Yum! Cheese is also an option. I meant to put a slice of aged swiss on top of the bacon, but I forgot until the sandwiches were already built. Whoops!

Good Eats: Chili Time!

I think that humility is a very important trait.

However, one thing I tend to be a little boastful about is my chili recipe.

It is award winning after all...

(See? There I go again.)

I think that everyone should have an easy chili recipe on hand, because it's cheap, it freezes well, and it's an easy way to feed alot of people. Who doesn't love a one pot wonder? Make it ahead if you need to, because the best chili needs to simmer for a coupla hours.

Here's my recipe.

You'll need:

1 lb ground beef 

(I actually used 1/2 lb this time - I've gotta stretch my grocery money, baby!)

1 green bell pepper

1 yellow or brown onion

1 can tomato sauce

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can rotel or other brand diced tomatoes with green chiles

1 can black beans

1 can red beans

salt and pepper

2 heaping Tbsp chili powder

1 heaping Tbsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp cayenne (or 1 minced jalepeno or serrano chile)

optional: 1 1/2 cups brewed coffee or 1 tsp cocoa powder

 Roughly chop 1 onion and 1 green bell pepper. Mince the fresh hot pepper if using. (I forgot to get one at the store, so I just used ground cayenne!)

 Combine with the ground beef and a generous sprinkling of fresh ground pepper and kosher salt in a 4 qt pot, and cook over medium until beef is browned.

 While the beef is browning, begin to open up the cans. There are alot of them! I always give myself a wrist cramp with my manual can opener :)

Go ahead and drain and rinse the beans. (Feel free to use other varieties, although I swear by the black beans. They make good chili. Besides, kidney beans freak me out. They're a little big. It's a miracle I eat beans at all. From the time of my birth to about 16 years of age, I ate approximately 10 beans.)

When the beef is evenly browned, add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and rotel. Next, add either a can's worth of water OR brewed coffee. (Don't worry - it doesn't make your chili taste like coffee! It adds a nice depth in flavor.) Finally, mix in the beans.

 Spice time! This is where the magic happens.

 You want a heck ton of spices in the pot. I mean it, people! Start with 2 heaping tablespoons of chili powder, 1 heaping tablespoon of ground cumin, plenty of black pepper, and 1/2 tsp cayenne if using. If you used water instead of coffee, add 1 tsp cocoa powder. You won't regret it!

Stir, and peer closely at your chili. Can you easily see the spices? If not, add some more! You want them to be visible in the juices.

And that's that! Just bring it to a simmer, slap the lid on, reduce the heat to medium low, and let it simmer for about three hours. Check it once in awhile - you want it to be bubbling, but not going TOO crazy. If you want to simmer it longer, just add extra water as needed so it doesn't burn.

 

 There ya go! Easy-peasy. And check out those fall decorations.

Serve with grated cheddar, sour cream, and fritos!

Heaven on my toast!

Sometimes, I need something indulgent.
Sometimes, I need something creamy.
Sometimes, I need to make something that seems fancy.

If you sometimes need these things too, then have I got the answer for you.

Ricotta.

Now, don't get me wrong - I've never really been a huge fan of ricotta cheese. I'll eat the heck out of some good lasagna, but I've never been one to use ricotta as a spread, and have certainly never been tempted to eat it with a spoon.

But that has changed, my friends.

With this recipe. Thank you, smitten kitchen.

Apparently, making simple cheeses in an apartment is not only doable, but easy-peasy.

I just heated up some milk and cream til it boiled, added a little lemon juice, then poured it into my straining contraption.

(Technically, you're supposed to use a strainer and a few layers of cheesecloth, but I don't have either, so I used a mixing bowl, a dish towel, and a lot of clothespins. It worked beautifully.)

After about two hours of straining, I found myself with a heavenly cloud of something that resembled a richer, creamier version of the ricotta I was used to - more delicate in flavor, and somewhat reminiscent of creme fraiche or a stiff whipped cream, but with more body.

I immediately made a few french bread toasts and smeared them with the cheese, then drizzled on some honey and some freshly ground black pepper for a little kick. Colton should feel very honored that I ignored my greedy thoughts and shared with him.

 

Finally, for dinner, I decided to make stuffed pasta shells. I made a stewed tomato-meat sauce, and mixed the ricotta with some grated parmesan and basil which I stuffed inside the shells, then baked with the sauce until everything was hot and gooey.

My goodness!!!!! Easily the best pasta dish I've ever made.

(Good for the heart, not so good for the thighs. Not that I care right now.)

Do yourself and your family a favor... head on over to smitten kitchen and see what she's got cooking.

Chicken Pot Pie!

Image from Things of the Day

There are many schools of chicken pot pie. Biscuit topped, crust over the bowl, double crust, single crust, shredded chicken, diced chicken, soup sauce, broth sauce...

And everyone thinks theirs is the best.

I am no exception. My chicken pot pie is the best.

I am of the double crust diced chicken homemade sauce school.

If you want to join me, here's my recipe. It's not exact - it's one of those cook by feel dishes.

(preheat oven to 375)

Start with chicken. You can use a whole fryer or just a couple of breasts - whatever suits your fancy. Cook thoroughly, cool, and cut into large chunks. (I usually do a fryer... I boil it for about half an hour with a dash of salt, pepper, a bundle of thyme - that way, I have leftover chicken and I can use the broth for the sauce.)

Chop one onion, two stalks of celery, and two whole carrots. (I like the first two diced, and the carrots coined.) Sautee in about three tablespoons of butter until tender.

Add a spoonful or two of flour - enough to absorb the liquid and make a paste that coats the vegetables. Continue to cook, stirring, for another minute.

Add 3/4 cup of chicken broth, plus a teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Stir constantly until thickened.

Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of half and half. (Who am I kidding? Go with 1/2!!!) Again, stir until thickened. Then dump in the chicken and stir to coat.

Pour the mixture into your favorite pie crust (your grandma's recipe, or just a refrigerated one if you're lazy like me) and top with the second crust. Cut a few vents in the top in a pretty design, and pop it in the oven (375, remember?) for about 30-40 minutes, or whenever it looks done. Cut into six pieces, and feel free to eat two. I always do.

YUM! Chicken pot pie has become my ultimate comfort food, which is funny because I'm usually pretty opposed to food touching other food. I can't stomach shepherd's pie - nothing should be mixed with my mashed potatoes. :)

(Be careful to let your pie cool for a little before you eat it - that sauce sure is delicious, but it's like lava in there!)

Happy cooking,
Kelly

Food Stuffs

One of the things that has surprised me most about being married is -

The Difficulty of Keeping the House Running!

Well, I knew that I would have trouble with keeping things tidy,
mainly because I hate keeping things tidy.

I'm still working on that.

But I love to cook, so I thought I would knock it out of the park.

I'm still working on that, too. I've been working off of a $100 per week grocery budget, and so I think it's best to plan the full week of meals and buy all the groceries at the same time so I don't go over. The hardest part is trying to be creative with what I cook but also be Colton-friendly. (That means hearty meals - no girl food!)

My new best friends - the lovely ladies at the Big Girls Small Kitchen blog. Yay! They make planning alot easier, because there are so many yummy recipes that are fun and sort-of fancy, but low key as far as ingredients and time. Last night I made pesto to mix up with fettuccine, potatoes, and green beans. I also made their homemade ginger ale as a treat for our nightly viewing of The Office. Here's the recipe if you want to try it! But I might recommend using club soda instead of sparkling water if you like your ginger ale more on the fizzy side, and less on the sparkling water side. (sparkling water. Blech!)

The other day I had a cooking crisis. Colton got home from work at four. "I'm hungry! I'm hungry!" "Okay, Mister, let's see here..."

I opened the fridge. Nothing. And dinner was in the crock pot and wouldn't be ready for another three hours.

"Hmm. Ummm."

What is a girl to do? Make something up!

I scrounged around for anything we had. I found: Three pieces of bread. Four slices of bacon. Two eggs. Shredded Cheese. Perfect!

So I invented a new Davie family classic. The Kelly Double Decker Breakfast Sandwich Surprise!

It's delicious. Generously butter one side of two of the slices of bread. Fry up however much bacon you have, and two eggs. (I like mine fully cooked, no runny yolk!) Layer everything up, and use the cheese like glue so your sandwich doesn't fall apart - bread with the butter side down, a little cheese, fried egg, bacon, a little cheese, unbuttered bread, a little cheese, fried egg, bacon, a little cheese, bread with the buttered side up. Smoosh it a little. Stick it in the pan and brown on both sides.

Happy Husband! I wish I had taken a picture. It was a masterpiece.