Baby got back

So I know it has been a while February has been a bit nutty, need a few more days. I have also become a bit lazy in the kitchen, but this week have stepped it up. After doing some serious grocery shopping.
Last night for dinner I made halibut fillets with a pepper and bean salsa on top and some baby vegetables. Baby vegetables are cute, tender and tasty. I love the peppers and zucchini, if you are not a  pepper fan they are sweeter and have a mild flavor compared to their larger counter parts.
I also found a new use for a great dip. At parties my family at times makes a chip dip called cowboy caviar, there are many variations of the recipe but the general idea is pinto beans, black beans, green pepper, red pepper, celery, and the dressing is apple cider vinegar, vegetable oil, black pepper and some sugar. I like things a bit tangy and less oily so I alter the ratios a bit. I put this on my fish last night and it was tasty. A great compliment to the light fish flavor while adding some extra fiber, protein, vegetables and flavor.
Thinking outside the box can lead to some pretty interesting creations.

For the spore of it....

In my quest to eat responsibly and frugally it has brought on the conclusion as stated previously that many things need to be done from scratch, whole chickens, stock made at home, dried beans ect. However there is an area where I am willing to spend the cash and take the convenience. Mushrooms!I love them in almost anything, soups, salads, with meat, as the main entree, sandwiches, ect. However and I am not exactly sure why I think it may stem from having to peel mushrooms in my internship, yes didn't know you could peel mushrooms did you? Believe me it is NOT necessary. A task I am sure a preceptor came up with when she couldn't think of anything else for me to do. When it comes to the tasty little fungi I will go cleaned and pre-sliced. No matter button, portabella, chanterelle, ect, I actually don't mind the cutting part its the cleaning, it just seems its hard to get that dirt of and I will give it to the prepared section for the mushrooms. Being rich in niacin, riboflavin, folate, and selenium it would be a shame for  a little dirt to get in the way. Happy Friday all and hope you have a great weekend!

Snowed over it.......

I am soooo over all this white stuff outside. It appears however I have little influence on it sticking around. One plus side to it is its great resistance for my dog so our walks are about half as short due to the extra exertion. Also it has allowed for some down time and catching up on new shows. I am not sure if you all are as lucky as I am to have only about 6 channels 2 of which are home shopping and 2 in Spanish so it really only leaves 2 real channels. I came across a show called "Harry's Law" it stars Cathy Bates and is a cross between real issues and unreal comedic layers but is quite entertaining. I was struck last night when one of the cases was an over weight lady and her overweight children, the mother suffered a heart attack and took it to court to sue the fast food restaurant that she and her family frequented. I tried to you tube the episode so I could share with you the monologue from the attorney but no luck. They gist of it was that responsibility was placed on both the mother and the fast food company. It was a really interesting speech for a sitcom/law show. If you can find it it is definitely worth checking out.
AAAANND get excited! Pictures are coming soon to the blog!

Food for Fido..

After two days of shoveling out and being snowed in, I hate to say it feels good to be back to a routine. My pantry getting low I need to hit the grocery store tonight but I first hit the pet store yesterrday to make sure my crazy pup had something to chew on, literally. I found that due to her not getting quite as much exercise because of the weather giving her something to chew on keeps her busy and occupied. She chewed up a good bone and then I gave her another chew yesterday which must have been a good one cause she whined for about 15-20min prancing panicking around the house trying to find somewhere to hide her new treasure. However what caught my attention was while at Petco there was a whole new look. The colors had changed from bright blue and red to more neutral browns and greens. Everything had a more spa and open look and front and center was a huge sign that read " Free Nutritional consult for your best friend".  Even our pets can now get spa days, play dates, day care, and yes nutritional consultation. It is becoming more apparent that we may take better care of our pets than ourselves. I know my dog gets two meals a day and one treat with plenty of exercise. She doesn't eat if she isn't hungry. She listens to that little voice in side of us that we learn to ignore at an early age...instinct.Aside from the butt sniffing, self cleaning, and mud rolling (this may just be my dog) it seems we can learn a lot from the way are pets live.

Diggin out

So the snow came and is everywhere! I went to my moms to help her out little did I know that her snow blower was apparently only suitable for a light dusting of snow. So the old fashioned way it was, after shoveling for almost and entire day and a half I can feel all my muscles way too well. However I did help dig out a Deacon and two Nuns so I feel that will generate some good karma. I was also rewarded in food of stuffed shells, sausage and peppers and garlic bread. All just what the shoveler ordered. I also squeezed in about 10hours of sleep due to exhaustion. This morning feeling I needed something warm for breakfast I searched the cabinets. What I found wasn't too much in the breakfast department so I took some Kashi harvest wheat squares poured skim milk over them, heated it up in the microwave for about 1.5min and presto sweet, warm, heart cereal. If you look at things with just a bit of a creative eye you can come up with many new meals. Cold cereal can easily become how with a little liquid (milk, ect) and heated in the microwave for a minute, or you can heat the milk or other liquid on the stove and pour over the cereal, let absorb and enjoy. My mom likes to put honey and or cinnamon on top as well.

What creative ideas do you use for breakfast?

Some white stuff

Hope all had a good weekend and are ready for this little snow we are about to have all around the country. Although it may be a bit inconvenient we shall make the best of it. Plus it will only be for a couple days, we will live. Over the weekend I had a great sushi dinner with friends Friday night, and a great Tilapia dinner with my mom Saturday night. A fishy theme. I had an amazing shrimp, avocado, mango, and red onion salsa. It is so great to think outside the box and try different ingredients. The creamy avocado and bright mango worked really well together, add a little lemon. Today for lunch I have portobella mushroom soup with chicken and rice. Nice hearty and warm for this cold weather.
One of my favorite things for snacks or breakfast is Greek yogurt and fruit, nuts, and or granola. It is thick, creamy, high in protein and calcium...YUM. However it can be costly as with all rich foods. I have discovered however that you can make it at home!!! Buy plain yogurt, put it in some cheese cloth for a coupe hours or over night covered and let the moisture drain out. What you have is a think creamy Greek yogurt!!

I was told this weekend I was cheap, YUP!

Stay safe out there!!