Strawberry Smoothie with whey protein

May 31, 2009

On a hot day, all I want is something cold to cool me off. Too lazy to go to out anywhere, I decided to make my healthy protein smoothie that I usually have after a workout. I always have frozen strawberries or mixed berries in the freezer so that I can always make it anytime. This smoothie was inspired by the Abs Diet. This shake is simple and less fattening than the regular Strawberry Shake that calls for ice cream.

Ingredients:
1 cup of frozen strawberries or any frozen fruit you like
1 cup of vanilla soy milk
1 tbs of chunky peanut butter for an added crunch
1 tbs of honey
whey protein (optional)

Directions:
In a blender combine all the ingredients until smooth

BLT Sandwich

May 30, 2009

A simple Sandwich for a lazy Saturday afternoon. I forget how easy a BLT is to make and decided to make one. Instead of pork bacon, I thought I'd use Turkey bacon for a healthier version.

Ingredients:
2 pieces of wheat bread or any bread you'd like to use
2 slices of beefsteak tomatoes
4 pieces of turkey bacon
1-2 pieces of iceburg lettuce leaves
Mayonnaise, and Mustard

Directions:
Fry, mircrowave, or broil turkey bacon
Toast 2 pieces of bread in toaster
Spread mayonnaise, and mustard on toast
Place lettuce, tomatoes, and bacon

Simple and Easy!

Herb Roast Chicken

May 28, 2009

I usually buy roast chicken at the store whenever I was in the mood chicken or at a drive-thru to satisfy my cravings. Being on a budget, it made more sense to purchase the cooked one than to pay the same price or more for an uncooked one. I was at the grocery store and saw .99 cents/pound. A deal I couldn't pass up. Every time I purchased chicken at the grocery store, I always got the lemon herb chicken and so I've decided to try to make it.

Ingredients:
4-5 lbs whole chicken
1 stick of butter at room temperature
2 tsp of dried rosemary
2 tsp of dried basil
2 tsp of dried thyme
2 tsp of dried sage
3 fresh glove of garlic, minced
pinch of salt and pepper

Stuffing:
4 cups of season croutons or day old french bread cut into cubes
1/4 cup of butter
3/4 cup of water or chicken broth, beef broth, or red wine
1/4 cup of chopped carrots
1/4 cup of chopped celery


Directions:
Remove the giblets inside the chicken cavity, and set aside
Rub salt all over the chicken and underneath the skin, carefully removing any slime under cold running water
Set chicken aside under wire rack to drain off any water, pat chicken with paper towel
Mix thyme, sage, garlic, basil, rosemary, salt, and pepper with butter.
Rub herb butter mixture underneath the skin and over the skin.
Stuff chicken
Close the chicken cavity with 2 wooden skewers, cross the legs of the chicken, pierce through right leg of the chicken and through the end of the cavity, repeat with left leg. Or use cooking twine to wrap legs and by piercing skin together.
Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees
Place chicken on roasting rack
Make a tent foil and cover the bird
Cook for 2 1/2 hours or until thermometer reads 170 degrees by inserting it between breast and thigh.

Enjoy!

Fried Rice with bacon, hotlinks, chicken, and eggs

Fried rice is a treat for me growing up, and it's comforting food for me as an adult. Fried rice is easy because you use whatever you have available. It so happens I had hotlinks, bacon, eggs, and leftover chicken. A lot of recipes call for peas, carrots, and eggs but use what you have and what you like.

Ingredients:
3 cups of cooked rice
3 pieces of bacon
1 hotlinks
2 eggs
2 tbs of soy sauce
1 tsp of ground pepper
2 - 3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbs of butter
1 tbs of olive oil or vegetable oil

Preperation:
Eggs:
Beat the eggs with salt and pepper
In a frying pan or wok, heat olive oil.
Add eggs and spread thinly like a crepe, tilting pan in a circular motion to evenly coat the pan
Cook the eggs for 2 minutes until the eggs are golden brown
Losen the eggs, and flip to the other side
On a plate, roll the eggs and slice them from the end, and set them aside
Rice:
Saute garlic in frying pan with olive oil and butter until golden
Add bacon, hotlinks, and chicken until lightly brown
Add rice and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally
Add soysauce, add more or less depending on taste, add pepper
Add eggs, and stir.
Add chives at the end

Broccoli Omelet with cheese

May 26, 2009

I love breakfast, eating and cooking it. Growing up, my parents made me the works for breakfast: eggs, bacon, sausages, pancakes, and waffles. They believed that breakfast was the most important meal of the day and it helped your brain function throughout the day. I chose broccoli and cheese omelet because I had some in the fridge. The recipe is quick, easy, and healthy.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup of broccoli, cut into small bite sizes pieces
3 eggs
1 garlic clove, mince
1/4 c shredded cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1 tb of butter (optional)
1 tb of olive oil

Preparation:
Add butter and olive oil in medium high pan.
Saute mince garlic clove, add broccoli, cook until fork tender, take out of pan
Beat eggs, add to pan, let it set.
Add broccoli in the middle of the eggs, sprinkle shredded cheese on top of broccoli
Fold the eggs over the broccoli and eat

Santa Cruz Burger at Boulder Creek Brewing Co

May 25, 2009

Santa Cruz Burger at Boulder Creek Brewing Company

Happy Memorial Day! I checked out the Boulder Creek Art and Wine Festival in Boulder Creek, a small town near Santa Cruz. The festival was small with a few food vendors, and the wine was over priced. A wine glass cost$16 which includes 4 tickets, and additional tickets cost $1 each. The cost of wine is 4-5 tickets in each booths. Also, you'd have to purchase tickets for food, the first I've ever encountered. I ended up getting beer which cost me $5. The food choices were slim and decided to try Boulder Creek Brewing Company. I had a juicy burger called The Santa Cruz which had mushroom, avocado, and swiss cheese, and a Red Ale to wash it down.

Pork Adobo

May 24, 2009

Filipino Pork Adobo is one of the most popular dishes and my favorite. It is easy to make and there are so many varieties you can make, such as using chicken, pork, and beef, and even use all three. Every time I cook Adobo, it brings back so many childhood memories of eating it with my family at dinner time, and at filipino gatherings/parties. The sauce is sweet and sour, and the meat is tender and buttery that it melts in your mouth.

Recipe:

Ingredients
3 lbs of pork shoulder, or pork belly, cut into bite size cubes
1 garlic head fresh garlic, minced
10-12 pepercorns
2 large bay leaf
3/4 cup of white vinegar
1/2 cup of soy sauce
1/2 cup of water
2 medium potatoes (optional)
3-4 tb of cooking oil
1 tb of suger (optional)


Directions
Sautee mince garlic in hot oil
Add pork, and brown.
Add vinegar, soysauce, water, peppercorns, bay leaf, and sugar.
Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until meat is tender.