Healthy Side: Roasted Broccoli

Roasted broccoli? It will surprise you!

I never heard of roasted broccoli (or ever thought to do it) until coming across this recipe. It's amazing how baking the broccoli totally changes the consistency of the vegetable. It's crispy and delicious.

The original recipe (found here) tops the broccoli with parm cheese and uses kosher salt. Since we are following paleo, I skipped the cheese and used sea salt and it was still great!!

Here's what you need:

• broccoli florets
• 3-4 Tbsp olive oil
• Juice from half a lemon, about 1 Tbsp.
• Sea salt
• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
• Freshly ground black pepper

 

1 Preheat the oven to 425°F. In a large bowl toss broccoli florets and fresh chopped garlic with olive oil and fresh lemon juice until lightly coated. Sprinkle salt over the broccoli and toss to coat.

2 Arrange the broccoli florets on foil sheet. Roast for 16-20 minutes, until cooked through and nicely browned.

Serve immediately. I refrigerated leftovers and still thought it tasted great the next day!



My new favorite side!

 

Healthy Sides: Fun with the white stuff!!

Let me start by saying....I used to hate cauliflower. It looks weird and never liked the taste, especially raw on veggie trays.

 

After beginning paleo, I decided to give this vegetable another try. I was amazed of how when cooked the taste, not just consistency, is changed dramatically. Below are two of my new favorite ways to cook cauliflower as a delish and healthy side or snack.

Cauliflower "Mock" Mash Potatoes

My mock mash: topped with baked chicken, seasoned with salt and pepper.

 

 On the paleo diet, potatoes are a big no-no (exception: sweet potatoes). So when I came across this cauliflower mash potato recipe, I was excited to try. I was blown away by how much they really tasted like mash potatoes. They are spot on and GUILT free, as they are low carb and high in nutrients. This is such a healthy alternative to those fatty mash potatoes.

1. Steam florettes until soft.
2. Put in food processor with fresh garlic. Process until mash potato consistency.
3. Add salt and pepper to taste. (If you are not on a paleo diet or following strictly, add butter or margarine for better flavor).

Cauliflower Buffalo Bites

My buffalo bites!

Okay so this recipe is not really paleo. This recipe I used Franks Red Hot Wing Sauce, which contains a gum and preservative, both not allowed on paleo. Honestly will it wreck your diet? Probably not. This is just a relatively healthy recipe, with the sauce and cauliflower being the only 2 ingredients, especially compared to fried buffalo wings from a carryout. Overall this particular sauce contains no sugar, fat, or carbs.

 

I found a recipe for cauliflower with hot sauce, boasting it as an alternative to buffalo chicken bites. I was hesitant when making this recipe for the first time, but gave it a try and was glad I did! Full of flavor and with a great consistency (I wasn't honestly expecting) these are a great as a snack or as a side. There are some homemade paleo "ranch dressings recipes" out there. I'm sure pared together it would be great!

1. Toss florettes in hot sauce.
2. Bake at 450 degrees on foil lined baking sheet for about 10 mins. Flip. Bake another 10 mins.

Be careful to not over cook, or they will be soggy.

O's, Bohs, and Cupcakes!

Friday April 5, 2013

 

 

Orioles Home Opener is like a holiday in Maryland. People play hooky from work and begin drinking way too early.

 

No I'm not joking!

 

This year I made some baseball and O's cupcakes. Yellow cake with cream cheese frosting.

 

 

Sporting my Nike O's tank

 

 

 

Yummy Salad Recipe

I stumbled upon this gem of a salad and had to share!

It's healthy, easy, and great for lunch or as a side.

Ingredients

• 1 can (14 ounces) cannellini beans (or any white bean...see below) rinsed and drained
• 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• Coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, toss together beans, tomatoes, scallions, oil, and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper.
2. To store, refrigerate up to 1 day.

Cook's Note

This bean salad gets even better as it sits. You can make it up to a day ahead.


From Martha Stewart

My Note

White Beans come in various varieties with the 3 most popular being: Cannellini, Great Northern and Navy. For more on these check out go here.

Wine me up....

In past blogs, I have discussed creative ways to reuse wine bottles (here) and corks (here). In a more recent post, I highlighted how a high school friend is re purposing bottles for his candle company (here).

 

Here are some more creative ways to recycle your bottles into awesome new things!

Simple wall feeder instructions here

 

This bird feeder is adorable!

Go here for the easy step by step instructions for this hanging feeder.

 

 

Halloween decor!

For the how to go here

 

 

and Christmas decor!

I don't have a link to step by step, but this is achieved with glitter and modpodge.

First use stickers on the bottles, glitter, and peel off stickers once dry.

 

 

 

 

As you can see there are many varieties of wine bottle shelves. These take a little more work then some of the other projects, but with the help of you hubs, boyfriend, or dad I'm sure you could knock this DIY project in a day!

 

Go here for the second pic's how to

 

 

 Looks like Pottery Barn :)

 

Directions here

 

 

 

These lanterns are great!

 

If you don't want to hassle of making, you can buy them here

 

 

 

Here is a wine bottle light tutorial!

 

 

 

 

or make a lamp! Go here!

 

 

These bottles are beautiful as candle covers and would be great outside to keep them from blowing out!

 

To do this simply cut off the bottom of the bottle and remove the label. Stick over top of a candle and you are done! For more go here.

 

 

 

 

Unwined Candles

It's great to hear a success story involving someone you know. Yesterday it was awesome to open up The Baltimore Sun and see this....

 

In the last year, there has been a growing buzz over a homemade candle company from small town Eldersburg and it's owners and creators, husband and wife duo Dave and Anna Neith. Especially when they were invited to the CMA's in Novemeber.

 

The two came up with the genius concept of the cleverly named company Unwined Candles. These homemade soy candles, which come in a variety of scents, are in recycled wine bottles. The candles not only smell great, but they last (we accidentally left ours burning over night). The packing is simple, creative, and sharp and each candle color is unique as the glass bottle it comes in.

 

Great for your home and also a fabulous gift (so much so they were sold out this past Christmas holiday) and are priced oh so affordable at only $20.

 

I love mine :) I have the flavor "Farmer's Market"

The company isn't all about profits- their product boasts recycling, local community, and giving back. Last year they donated portion of sales to a charity that aids wounded U.S. Soldiers. This year they have already participated in a fundraiser for another local business owner who is battling Lymphoma.

 

You can get yours at select local retailers, on their website Unwined Candle Company, or find the owners selling them at all the local Wine Festivals throughout the year.

 

For more and to order- http://www.unwinedcandlecompany.com/


 

Halloween 2012: Costume

ARMY TIME! Here was this year's costume!

 

Now I'm older I am so against dressing like a total whore bag and also against purchasing some cheaply made costume for some ridic price.

 

Here is the breakdown to my no cost costume:



Under Armour's Wounded Warrior Collection- with a portion of the proceeds going to help our service men and women.

Bates Combat Boots, from when I was in the Police Academy.



Gold Aviators, Nordstrom

The real deal Army hat and pants, borrowed from my neighbor. A little big, but they did the trick!

Vintage Gold Dog Tag necklace, which I have blogged about before Here

Baking from Halloweenland

 Happy Halloween!

 

As Maryland gets ready for Hurricane Sandy this weekend, my hubs and I are attending a Halloween Party tonight.



Jack Skelleton, the Pumpkin King from Tim Burton's, The Nightmare Before Christmas.
 

I saw discovered this cupcake design from a link on Pinterest and just had to make them.

Easy and cute!

Here are my skull cakes....

 Chocolate cupcakes, vanilla frosting, and black decor icing.

 Tomorrow I will post my costume :)

For a look back at last years....go here.

Kabobs!

When we moved to Baltimore just over two years ago, Jas and I would spend random weekend mornings exploring the local restaurants, shops, and back roads. One afternoon, just outside of town, we discovered the small historic town of Oella, nestled in between old Ellicott City and Catonsville.

In Oella we discovered what has now become a weekly shopping destination- a meat market by the name of J W Treuth and Sons. Upon arrival you will notice the sign with their motto "Fresh Killed" and the long line of patrons waiting in line for their turn at the counter to select their goods.

My typical purchase usually consists of buying their fresh boneless skinless chicken breasts (which at my Friday visit were only $2.99 per pound), bone in pork chops (for Jason and are usually about $1.70 each) and lastly my personal fav filet. The last two trips, I did pick up some of their lovely beef cubes which happen to be perfect for kabobs! I would be doing huge disservice if I failed to mention that this is also the place to get your Boston Butt for pulled pork, chicken wings, or some ribs!

Outside the store, there is a small produce stand from Howard County called Harbin Farms. Lately I have been snagging up their corn and peppers. Everything looks beautiful and is so inexpensive.

Enough about the meat market, lets get to the kabobs (which is really just jargon for skewered meat).

There is no right and wrong when it comes to what to put on each skewer, the basic rule of thumb is to space enough so each item can cook evenly, not to over stuff so skewer can break, and to put meat items on, that will cook the same- meaning their size is all similar.

For my kabobs I used-

• Green Pepper
• Red Pepper
• Yellow Onion
• Beef Cubes

Simple fresh ingredients.

Yes, really that simple. You can use chicken, pork, sausage, and shrimp. Just remember the shrimp dry out quickly on the grill so do not use those on the same skewer as say the chicken which takes longer to cook.

How to:

1. Take wood skewers and soak in water. I used a tray and filled it so they could all lay flat.
2. Cut peppers and onion to similar size about one inch cut.
3. Season beef. I used Grill Mates Montreal Steak Seasoning in the grinder.
4. Arrange skewers.
5. Grill.

Yes, really that simple :)



Kabobs pre-grill

I made these a few weeks back, used Campari tomatoes and red onion. I don't recommend using larger tomatoes as these were, they split open and remained really hot (held heat) and were messy.

No lame homemade gifts here!

Maybe this will be the year I will make creative gifts....

Chalk Board Paint Wine Glasses....LOVE!

Easy to do....here

Awesome Coasters...I have never found any I like...maybe I will make these for myself too :)

Duh, from the creativity queen herself.....Martha Stewart

Appliqued Tote Bag or maybe a Stamped Tote Bag....anything no sew

Tote how to...also Martha

Glass Block Snowman....this is pretty easy. I have seen these kits at craft stores.

How to here

Have you found any good ideas online? Please share, I'd love to see more :)

Make this....you will thank me

Awesome
http://www.marthastewart.com/354133/winner-winner-chicken-dinner

It tastes as good as it looks!! I have made it twice now and just love it :) One advantage to my crappy schedule at work- daytime TV. In addition to my morning news, I either watch or DVR Martha Stewart and Mad Hungry. The host of Mad Hungry is the head chef at the Martha Stewart Show and her recipes are easy and usually don't require a million ingredients.

If you didn't already know, I am a HUGE Martha Stewart fan :)

Wish this was my kitchen!

We sat on stage!!



I have a great fiance! He not only took me to NYC but he sat though a taping of Martha :)