Wednesday, February 29, 2012

::eggs:mushrooms:cheese::

I wrote this entire thing about writing being cathartic last week...I will post that up sometime soon...for now I will post more recipes. I found another great recipe for breakfast & it is definitely a good one for vegetarians. 
I am definitely not a breakfast person & to be honest, the boyfriend wasn't the most fond of it either until we started hitting the gym. 
But he is a huge fan of eggs and in the beginning I was so terrible at making them. I know that the yolk can be quite runny as long as the white is firm but he thinks half the time that I am trying to give him food poisoning. People, if you cook an egg sunny side up, all you have to do is make sure the white is firm and you're good to go. At least, that is what I have read in the past on my Google searches. 
Anyways, I found this recipe and the picture looks so delicious. 
It's funny how I cannot eat but everything looks so yummy to me.
Anyways...here is another recipe from Dahl's book on page 18.

Bon Appetit. 


Poached Eggs on Portobello Mushrooms with Goat's Cheese
I make this when I'm a bit breaded out, but hungry. Portobello mushrooms have a satisfying meatiness about them that sates without the heaviness of a full English breakfast. 

Serves 2.

Ingredients
2 generously sized portobello mushrooms
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
2 thick rounds of soft goat's cheese
2 eggs
1 teaspoon of white vinegar {for poaching}
1 sprig of fresh tarragon, chopped

Preheat the broiler. Wash the mushrooms and remove the stems, season with salt and pepper and give them a glug of olive oil; a spoonful should do. Crumble the goat's cheese. 

Pop the mushrooms stem side up under the broiler for about 5 minutes. While they are searing away, poach the eggs in a pan of gently boiling water {a teaspoon of white vinegar should stop them from separating}. 

You can do one of two things with the goat's cheese; you can add it on top of the mushrooms when you put them under the broiler, so it browns; or you can put it on just after they come out. 

You should poach the eggs for about 3 minutes if you want them soft in the middle {5 if you want them stern and unyielding}. Drain them, put them on top of your crumbly goat's cheese/mushroom mix, scatter some chopped tarragon on the top, grind on a bit of pepper and voila!


-S.*

::wants:you:to:be:happy::

The last few days have been really really hard for me. I really didn't want to get out of bed and I didn't for the most part and I still haven't been able to eat but I know that I gotta force myself. The boyfriend is trying and he is trying to get me out of the house and back to the gym but without any energy this is going to be really interesting. 
I got gorgeous flowers from a lady that works at the University that I talked to a lot named Marie and her husband Mike. She said that she knows exactly what I am going through and it is comforting to know that she is there for me. The flowers are really cute and dainty, just like Sky.


I didn't have the greatest sleep last night and kept waking up every hour...every time I went to get a drink of water I wondered if Sky took a sip as he was sneaky and sometimes tried to do this. Alas, I know that he didn't. 
I finally woke up at around 7:30am and felt a bit of peace...not much, just a bit..and knew he was saying that everything was going to be okay. That won't change the fact that I won't sleep with his pillow. 
I am sitting here in the spare bedroom, which I have never done and it is a nice change but I just wonder where he would sleep if he were here with me. 
Nestled under all the thirty blankets that sit on the bed in the spare bedroom...or on the big floor space near the boxing bag...or he would probably just try to escape to go upstairs. 
Nothing right now is going to take this hurt away. My heart still really hurts. But I know he is in a better place and I will see him again at the Rainbow Bridge. I know he is waiting for me. For now he is playing with other little darlings and seeing some of the people that have passed on the last few years. 
I miss him so much.

I have to remember the good times...for example, he would sleep with the bf and I all day on Sundays and be lazy with us. He would be right next to me while I watched little clips on YouTube of "The Delightful Miss Dahl". I think him, like me, liked to listen to her soft and soothing voice and the fantastic music, all while talking about food. 
So, for him, I am going to blog...and the first post since a while, and since the last post, it is going to be a recipe from Sophie Dahl's "Miss Dahl's Voluptuous Delights".
Since he was a cat and loved fish, I will post a fishie recipe. Just like his Mommy. Loved seafood. :) I wish he could have tried shrimp...although, I think he has had his fair share of culinary extravaganzas of leftovers that were precariously left on the counter overnight.
For you Chichi. 

Ps. This cookbook is absolutely gorgeous. She has another cookbook that is only sold on the UK Amazon that I would love to get but I don't even know how much they charge for shipping. I would love to get my hands on this cookbook and see just how gorgeous it is as her last one. Not only are there recipes and gorgeous pictures of the food {and of her} but there are lovely stories peppered throughout that I thoroughly enjoyed reading with Sky right next to me sleeping away. 


This is in Sophie Dahl's book on page 31. 

Bon Appetit.


Baked Haddock Ramekin
Don't make this in the first throes of love or when you have people coming over. Haddock is not, and never will be, a sensory aphrodisiac. It is, however, delicious. 

Serves 2 - already in love

Ingredients
Butter for greasing
1 generous piece of undyed fresh smoked haddock {11-13 oz}
1 cup milk
2 bay leaves
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar
Fresh parsley, to garnish

Preheat the oven to 350F.
Butter two 8oz ramekins. 
Halve the haddock and put a piece in each remekin. 
Pour the milk over the top and add a bay leaf and black pepper to each.
Bake for 10 minutes. 
Remove from the oven and top with Cheddar. 
Turn on the broiler and adjust the rack. Blast the ramekins under the broiler for a few minutes. 
Chop some fresh parsley and sprinkle on top. 


I don't have an image of the recipe - I think this is a first time ever sort of thing. 
But there is a YouTube clip that I shared with you guys in the past where Sophie makes an Omelette Arnold Bennett and she uses the baked haddock. 
So here is the video below again. 
I love the song in the background by Harry Lujon...so pretty...
I wish they renewed a season with her. I enjoyed her show immensely.

Oh, and I am sure you can share this fish with your furbabies. :) 




-S.*

Monday, February 27, 2012

::my:love:my:life::


My boo, when he was a fat happy cat living with Di. 


I wasn't going to blog for a bit...I can't seem to really focus...all I can really do is cry. 
I had to do the most difficult thing that I have ever had to do actually in my life - put my cat down. He was the love of my life. My best friend. He was always there for me. When I wasn't feeling well or had bad anxiety...he was just there for me. Always cuddling. Even at night. He loved to sleep beside me, have his belly rubbed, the covers over him and we would fall asleep like that together. He didn't play often but when he did he went a little crazy and would run around like he was just a kitten, not a care in the world. 
I guess I sort of should of seen it coming. He was acting odd the last little while. He was meowing constantly and would hide behind the toilet and lay there. My bf thought that maybe he was going deaf {because he wouldn't stop meowing and we didn't know what it was that he wanted} and I thought that maybe he was getting Alzheimer's. He seemed like he didn't know what he wanted. He peed on the bed and pooped in the past week and he was trying to tell me something and I just wish I took him to the vet before what happened yesterday. Which was he was weak...he didn't move...and he could barely walk. His hind legs weren't working properly.....
How could he be totally fine on Saturday and than the next day - out of nowhere - he was totally different? Tired. Like he had given up. 
He did look like he gave up. I had to make the decision to let him go. His bloodwork was bad and the vets are a rip off and wanted $1200 just to see what was wrong with him. 
I had the choice to take him back for a night and see if he got better. But the vet said that he really needed to be hooked up to IV. No amount of sub-q fluid would rehydrate him...well...it could have...but at the end of the day. No one knew how much longer he had. He was 15 and getting older. 
I am so sad. I feel like he is mad at me for letting him go. I don't know - it sounds silly. But I hope he didn't think I had given up on him. It was so sudden and everything & everyone was telling me that I had to let go and let him sleep and not be in pain or go through this. 
I can't be fucking selfish and have taken him for another day or night and watch him sit there, not moving, not wanting to eat or drink. That would have been totally selfish on my behalf. 

There are so many emotions running through me and yet not...I feel empty. I don't want to do anything. Everything reminds me of him. It was so hard waking up and feeling a wave of sadness, guilt, regret...everything all over again. 
I just hope he isn't mad at me. 
I just want to vent here...and write a little letter to him. 


Dear Sky,
I miss you so much. 
I love you so much. I wish that I didn't have to let you go but you looked so sick and I didn't want to put you in anymore pain. It was so sudden for the both of us. 
How could you be such a kookoobird one day and than barely move, eat, drink, do anything the next. 
I feel so bad that I had to let you go. I wish I was rich, I would pay anything and everything to keep you here with me and make it as painless as possible. 
I don't know why I had to make this decision. I wish I didn't have to but at the same time I am glad that you were with me. I am glad I stayed with you until the very end and please know that I love you beyond anything in the world. 
I still do. I just want you back, so badly. 
Everything reminds me of you. I am still keeping your toys where you kept them and your little placemat. 
I want to just have another night where we cuddle under the blankets and fall asleep together. 
You always attacking my clothes when I am trying to get dressed. You sleeping in the laundry baskets and always trying to escape the apartment to explore or steal Nellie's food or water even though you had all the food and water in the world. 
I wouldn't ever complain again of you crapping yourself or peeing on the bed or puking everywhere. 
Just to see again you jumping up on the dresser just so that you could feel like you were outside by the window...every time you heard a bird...
You didn't like going outside too much though but I would try and get you out there so you could get reacquainted again since you loved to sit in the long grass. 
You laying on all my books or magazines when I was trying to read or simply sitting on the laptop when I was using it. 
You always trying to get into Travis' armpit {hahahaha} because you loved the smell of people. :) 
You always rolling around in his work clothes - I guess you liked the smell of tires. 
You running to the fridge and trying to get in there because you knew your food was there.
Drove me crazy when you jumped on the kitchen counter since that was the one place you weren't allowed to go...but I realize now that you did that to try and tell me something was up. You sleeping in Travis' cubby hole thing on his side of the bed...
You really loved that bed. The new King size bed for a King. You loved the feather down duvet even more which we had to put away because you liked to pee on it and the dry cleaning bill was a bit ridiculous. 
You also always warned me if there was a spider around - remember that time it was on the ceiling in the middle of the night? I thought you were just kookoo but I turned on the light and a huge f**ker was right there, above us. 
You protected us from spiders...mind you, you would pat them with your paw, look at me like "I ain't eating that shit" and walk away. 
I was like "YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO EAT HIM!" Needless to say, I had to discard of our pesky visitors. 
You were also always so nice to everyone who came to visit...unless that person was under the age of 10 - you, like me, don't like children. I, unlike you, can't attack them. Hahaha. Just joking here people. But you just didn't like 'em. {*hushed voice* - I can't blame you!}.
You hated our loud music nights and would usually  hide in the bath tub or the King Sky bed. You also liked to knock stuff down sometimes for fun and puke on brand new magazines and books and the Marc Jacob's tote bag from Diana. 
You liked to puke or crap on Diana's stuff too. Haha. 
You also loved to jump up and hang off her pants as she walked by when you were little. You had an obsession with running taps and of course Diana taught you how to drink from water bottles and you would go ballistic if you ever saw one. 
You also went ballistic whenever you saw the Vaseline jar...I still have yours. I will still keep it. You loved it. It was like cotton candy. I wish I gave you more treats...
You hated baths...sometimes I had no choice because you are a white haired kitty with long hair and pooh is not a good look for you. 
Diana liked to dress you up with bandana's...I know you loved hanging over there with D, Leyman and Pizzo. 
I know you loved hanging with me more because you were beyond spoiled and allowed to do anything and everything you wanted. 
You loved Mom and Dad a lot. You had a lot of respect for them. Well, Mom, you turned into a big pile of mushy goo and never attacked or did anything. 
Dad, you were kinda afraid of him I think...you tried to tell him you were King and he tried to tell you that he was King...I think there was a bit of a power struggle there between the two of you. And as retardedly allergic Dad was to you...well, I think deep down - and he won't admit it - he loved you A LOT. 
You were a family member. You were a Gaweda. 
Hell, who doesn't want to be a Gaweda?? 
At the end of the day Sky. 
I love you so much. I love you more than anything in the world. 
I want you back...every second...is really kinda painful...I keep thinking you are sleeping on the bathroom counter or in the tub...waiting for me to turn the water on. 
I know I sometimes took you and wouldn't let you go...but it was because I loved you so much...and just wanted everything to do with you. Because you were such a happy kitty...even when sometimes you were sick and in pain...you were happy. 
When I held you yesterday...and you didn't seem like yourself...as soon as I took the water bottle out you perked up a bit...
For Diana, I gave you water from the bottle...
You wouldn't drink it...but I knew you were still Sky, but tired and old. 

I love you so much Skiusz. 
I miss you so much Chichi. 
I will cry everyday for a long time. 








Likes / Dislikes

*Likes*

Vaseline
His Christmas treats from Ma, Pa and Di.
Open window's.
The fan blowing on him on "his" bed. 
Travis' armpit. 
Sleeping with me. 
His heart pillow. 
Running taps. 
Water bottles. 
Nellie's food/water.
Laundry baskets.
Bryan Adams & Sting.
Anything that has strings. 
Travis' work clothes.
Visitors - particularly Ma, Pa & Di.
Food Network.
Lazer pointers.
Toronto Maple Leafs. 
House plants.
Watching big fat snowflakes outside.
Being brushed.
Eating leftovers off the counter overnight.
Attacking pretty much anything.
Sleeping in SUNSHINE.


*Dislikes*

Water aka. baths.
Children.
Cars.
Anything too loud - aka. Kid Cudi full blast. 
Beyonce & Rihanna. {maybe this is just me...I dunno.}
Vinegar.
Stickers - anything sticky.
Vets {obviously}. 
Thunderstorms. 
Diana when she was younger. {haha Ma told me to write that}
Wind.
Cilantro.
Montreal Canadiens. 

HAHAHAHA.


I love you Sky. 



-S.*

Friday, February 24, 2012

::meat:loaf::

Okay, so I slept in this morning and am wide awake and it is just after 11pm. I have been blogging a bit and been looking through my Everyday Food cookbook {I keep saying this} but I just can't help it...there are so many fantastic recipes in there that I just have to recipe vomit all over my blog - okay that was a bit too much. I know. 
Alright! So here we go! 
This isn't a random pick but I was looking through it and thought, "hmm, interesting..."...I am not a "meatloaf" fan...in fact...I find the word itself sort of disgusting...and when I see meatloaf...it usually looks like a dry piece of pooh {am I getting a bit too graphic here? ha ha - AND it's a recipe post!}. Anyways! I really just think it's one of those American type fatty gross tasteless Monday through Friday craptastic meal idea's...
Hold up! This is just my opinion!
So when people tell me that they are having meatloaf for dinner I cringe inside and say "omg..gross"...
It wasn't until my Mom told me that she recently had meatloaf and it wasn't that bad that I maybe-sorta-kinda second guessed myself...
And than another realization hit me...
A meatloaf is just a gigantic oversized hamburger patty! 
YES! And that is how I am going to think of meatloafs from now on! It is NO longer meatloaf! I dub it "gigantic oversized hamburger patty".
I thought of this especially after seeing this recipe in the book and realizing that the recipe was so very similar to the turkey muffins I am going to be making. Except the muffins are bitesized and the meatloaf you slice...
Or hamburger patties that you can make from scratch...
So hey, I can't knock it until I try it and I definitely will now...BUT with leaner meat...so instead of the beef that the recipe calls for, I am going to use ground lean turkey and add lots of veggies to keep the turkey moist {as it tends to dry out a lot quicker since there isn't a lot of fat}. AND this can be eaten during the week and is a great source of protein for all us that are pumping iron during the week.
 So here we go with the recipe! :) 
Ps. Don't ask me why the recipe is called what it's called...
Oh and it's on page 74/75. 

Bon Appetit!


Lighter Blue-Plate Special
Serves 4 :: Prep Time: 30 minutes :: Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients
2 small carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1/4 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup panko {Japanese breadcrumbs}
1 large egg white
3/4 pound ground beef sirloin
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1/4 cup homemade or store-bought barbecue sauce
1 pound russet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/2 inch thick
3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 pound green beans, stem ends removed
1 teaspoon olive oil 

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 450F. Process carrots, celery, onion, and panko with egg white in a food processor until finely chopped and combined, about 1 minute. Transfer to a large bowl; mix in beef, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. 

2. On a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet, form meat mixture into a 6-inch-long loaf; brush with half the barbecue sauce. Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted in loaf registers 160F, 25 to 30 minutes, brushing halfway through with remaining sauce. 

3. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, cover potatoes in cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil; add salt. Reduce to a simmer, and cook until potatoes are easily pierced with the tip of a paring knife, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain, return to pan. Stir over medium until a starchy film forms on bottom of pan, about 1 minute. Remove from heat; mash with buttermilk until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. 

4. While potatoes cook, set a steamer basket in a pot filled with 1 inch of simmering water. Add green beans; cover, and cook until crisp-tender and bright green, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; add oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss.

5. Serve meatloaf with mashed potatoes and green beans. 

PER SERVING: 327 calories; 5.9 g fat {2.2 g saturated fat}; 24.7 g protein; 45.2 g carbohydrates; 7 g fibre. 


Why It's Light
Made with lean sirloin, and studded with chopped carrots, celery, and onion, this meatloaf is just as delicious as the diner classic, but better for you. The meat mixture is bound with an egg white, not the whole egg, as well as the flaky Japanese breadcrumbs known as panko. Even the potatoes are lighter, since they are mashed with low-fat buttermilk {rather then butter, cream or whole milk}.


-S.*

::excitement::

So this weekend has been quite the uneventful one - the boyfriend has been doing carpentry work on his Mom's house so most of my days consist of seeing how he's doing, reading and cleaning up. Another day of this today on Family Day - but as he says - as much as he is tired - that it must be done.

On another note...I went through my books, which I FREAKING LOVE!!! OMG. They are amazing! The books are filled with AMAZING recipes as well. I cannot wait to share them with you all! 

Here are some pics! :D 









*UPDATE*
That post above was from last weekend...I began posting away and than things just happened and I never finished...which is unfortunate because I told my buddy Kev that I would post pictures of the book and after taking numerous photo's with my iPhone and putting it through Instagram and Diptic {very time consuming btw} I just have to post these...they are pretty awesome too. :) 
I went through the cookbooks and they are awwwwesome! Lynn's book is a tad bit more gourmet but the recipes are so easy to follow and the pictures are gorgeous! The cookbook in itself looks rustic - the paper isn't glossy but the recipes, font and photograph's are so lovely. 
The Looneyspoons cookbook is so fabulous; with the recipes, doodles, funny little things that are scattered throughout {their puns in particular that can be found on the show as well} and their nutrition nuggets. Omg. If you are a dietician or a nutritionist you will LOVE this book and recommend it to everyone! There is so much in there and I am definitely going to share with you some of the tips that are in that book. I will also be writing it out in my own little notebook so that I ingrain it into my brain so that I remember these "nutrition nuggets" for the future. 
And you know my thoughts on the Everyday Food Light cookbook = amaaazing. Great low-cal and healthy recipes. Perfect for anyone's healthy living lifestyle!
The two book-books I haven't read yet - but will and Dr. Shapiro's book is very interesting. I was quite shocked by some of the information in there! And in a good way. 
So all in all, these books are seriously awesome and did NOT disappoint and I advise you pick 'em up. :) 

But wait...you might just ask me, if I had to pick one, which one would it be?? Omg...this is totally difficult because I love ALL of them...could I put them in order? Probably...but I have to pick just ONE??? 
Okay...oh boy...

Looneyspoons. 
Why? Well, as I said, it isn't only a cookbook but it is a great book for those people that want to become more aware of what they put into their bodies and what is healthy for them. I wish there were more actual photograph's of the food but there is plenty enough in there in general {over 400 pages btw} and I love reading Janet and Greta's little blurbs. It's super colourful and I just love it. 
It's funny, witty and just downright charming. :) 
Noooo, it doesn't have anything to do with the fact that they are Polish. ;) 

I am going to post at some point this weekend some of the novels that I have read the last little while and my reviews on them as well, including; "The Girl Who Played With Fire", "Shelter", "The Woman in Black" and a couple more so stay tuned. :) 


-S.*


{Source: Images by Moi}

::flat:iron:steak::

I am not a beef fan - well, I used to be, I really loved steak and my parents made the best steaks EVER but I decided one day that I wasn't going to eat beef and haven't touched it for about 6 years or so {except that one time my boyfriend's Mom gave me a rack of ribs and told me it was pork and it was actually veal...}. But anyways, lol. 
Since the bf loves beef here is a little recipe just for him...and for all you beef lovers as well. Who know's - maybe one day I will get into beef again...not anytime soon, I am afraid if I get a taste for it - especially during my little weight loss venture, that you probably won't be able to drag me out of Burger King for a month. 
So here is another recipe form Everyday Food Light {page 326/327} and than I am off for a bubble bath and read some Harlan Coben. :) 

Bon Appetit!


Flat Iron Steak with Cauliflower and Arugula
Serves 4 :: Prep Time: 25 minutes :: Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients
4 small flat iron steaks {5 to 6 ounces each}
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 head cauliflower {about 2-1/2 pounds}, cored and cut into florets
2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1/2 cup water, plus more if needed
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for serving
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 bunches arugula {about 10 ounces total}, thick stems removed, washed and well dried
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, shaved with a vegetable peeler

Directions
1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Pat dry steaks and season with salt and pepper. Cook 5 to 6 minutes per side for medium-rare {reduce heat if browning too quickly}. Transfer to a cutting board and tent with foil to keep warm. 

2. Add cauliflower, garlic, and the water to skillet; season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until cauliflower is browned and crisp-tender, 8 to 10 minutes. {If bottom of skillet becomes too dry, add 1/4 cup more water.}

3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together lemon juice and oil; season with salt and pepper. Add arugula, cauliflower, and Parmesan to dressing in bowl; toss {arugula will wilt}. Serve steaks and salad with lemon wedges. 

PER SERVING: 329 calories; 18.3 g fat {6.3 g saturated fat}; 32.8 g protein; 8.8 g carbohydrates; 3.5 g fibre.

Why It's Light
Serving small, lean steaks - only five to six ounces each - along with a lightly dressed salad of cauliflower and arugula keeps this meal low in calories. The only added oil is used in the dressing. The steak is seared in a dry skillet; the cauliflower is browned in the juices left behind.


There is definitely under five recipes in total on this blog that has anything to do with steak, so enjoy this one! Lol. And it's light and healthy if you're on the path of leading a healthy lifestyle! :) 
I am sure I will post more in the future, so definitely keep posted to this blog. 


-S.*

::chicken:cutlets::

Here is another random recipe that can be found in the Everyday Food Light cookbook. It's on page 140/141 and it's chicken cutlets! Yum. I haven't made chicken cutlets - to be quite honest with you; sometimes I am just too afraid to try new recipes in fear that I will either screw up and it will turn into a mess or I will follow it to a T and I will still dislike it...which will obviously lead into it being garbage and a waste of money and to be honest, who wants to throw away money. 
Not anyone. 
My Mom and Dad are GREAT cooks...my Mom usually did most of the cooking and she would make delicious chicken cutlets or pork schnitzels {which I sort of look at as if they were cutlets - with or without the breading} and they were always so delicious with a lovely light salad and delicious potatoes. 
You can season your chicken any way you want...and I can relate if you are at a loss as to how to season your chicken...how much, what kind of seasoning, etc.
So let's just start - step by step - and try this recipe out and we'll go from there. 
The picture definitely looks mouth-watering though...

Bon Appetit!


Chicken Cutlets with Herb Butter
Serves 4 :: Prep Time: 25 minutes :: Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
8 thin chicken cutlets {1-1/2 pounds total}
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley or mint {or a combination}

Directions
1. Place flour in a shallow dish. Pat dry chicken, then season with salt and pepper and dredge in flour to coat. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Working in batches, cook chicken until browned, 1 to 3 minutes per side, adding more oil to skillet as needed. Transfer each batch of chicken to a plate and tent loosely with foil to keep warm. 

2. Add wine and accumulated juices from chicken to skillet and bring to a boil. Cook until liquid has reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Return chicken to skillet and turn to coat. Remove skillet from heat and swirl in butter and herbs. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

PER SERVING: 362 calories; 14.6 g fat {5.1 g saturated fat}; 40.3 g protein; 7 g carbohydrates; 0.3 g fibre.

Good To Know
It takes only a tablespoon {or two} of olive oil to saute chicken cutlets to a golden finish. Dredging the chicken in flour first encourages browning, but the temperature of the pan is the real key: Start with a hot skillet, and let the chicken form a crust before turning. After you remove the chicken from the pan, incorporate the browned bits into a quick sauce with wine, herbs, and some butter. 


Sounds delicious. :) The sides to this chicken are endless! You can even chop it up after cooking and throw it into a stir-fry if you decided to. I would definitely make this with a side of veggies like asparagus and some yummy garlic mashed potatoes. :) 


-S.*

::asian:noodle:soup::

Laziness - what a thing, eh? 
Sometimes I just feel like doing absolutely nothing and other days I am up and at 'em. It is especially motivating to see the boyfriend rip out of bed at 8 in the morning and ready to start the day. To be honest though, Winter-time isn't one of the greatest times...you can barely go outside and do things and I still haven't purchased a decent Winter jacket...that and it is always only cold and there is essentially no snow on the ground, we couldn't even go ice skating this year across the street at the school which we live nearby. 
So it's easier for me to hide under the blankets than to wear thirty sweaters and try to keep warm in my little basement apartment which is cold all year round. 
But enough of my whining about cold temperatures.

There is a definite lack in recipe posting on there lately and I need to step my game up. I got lovely cookbooks as I mentioned to you guys and I need to share! The one book that I got - Everyday Food Light has hundreds upon hundreds of great recipes in there that are ALL under 500 calories {unless you eat all the servings}...
So I just closed my eyes and opened up a page and I am going to share that recipe with ya. I am partial to seafood fare and such and this will "broaden" my recipe collection on here - I hope. Lol. 
So enough rambling and let's get on with it...if you have the book you can find this recipe on page 128/129.

Bon Appetit!


Asian Noodle Soup with Chicken and Snow Peas
Serves 4 :: Prep Time: 10 minutes :: Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients
Coarse salt and ground pepper
8 ounces, flat, wide rice noodles
2 cans {14.5 ounces each} low-sodium chicken broth
1 piece fresh lemongrass {3 inches}, smashed, or 3 sticks dried lemongrass
1 piece {1 inch} fresh ginger, peeled and cut into matchsticks
3 cups water
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves {6 to 8 ounces each}, thinly sliced crosswise
8 ounces snow peas, trimmed and halved
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
Asian chili sauce, such as Sriracha, for serving {optional}

Directions
1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook noodles, until tender according to package instructions. Drain noodles.

2. In a saucepan, combine broth, lemongrass, ginger, and the water. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until fragrant, 10 minutes. 

3. Strain broth mixture through a fine sieve, discarding solids, and return to saucepan. Add chicken and snow peas and simmer until chicken is cooked through and snow peas are crisp-tender, 2 to 4 minutes. 

4. Remove soup from heat and stir in lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. Divide noodles among bowls, and pour soup over noodles. Serve with mint, lime wedges, and, if desired, chili sauce. 

PER SERVING: 355 calories; 1.8 g fat {0.7 g saturated fat}; 27.5 g protein; 55.3 g carbohydrates; 2 g fibre

Good to Know 
To release the citrusy flavour of lemongrass, pound the stalks with a meat mallet or the bottom of a heavy pot. If you can't find fresh lemongrass, look for dried in the spice aisle of your grocery store, or at Asian food markets. 


-S.*