Vegetarian Mock Fish Cakes ~ Meatless Monday

Vegetarian Mock Fish Cakes - Meatless Monday has never been so tasty!  I used a vegetarian 'Mock Tuna Salad' recipe as my base, tweaked it a little bit & turned it into Vegetarian Mock Fish Cakes. 

I've gotten on the Meatless Monday bandwagon.  These Vegetarian Mock Fish Cakes are a quick and tasty way to enjoy your Meatless Monday without feeling like you are missing out on a satisfying meal.  You can add a beaten egg if you like the texture a bit firmer. If you choose not to add a beaten egg, this dish would be Vegan Mock Fish Cakes.

We love any type of  fish cakes around here, so I thought I could tweak my basic recipe for salmon or crab cakes & turn it vegetarian.  It was a success!  I used the Mock Tuna Salad recipe from over at Happy Herbivore as my starting off point & then added a few things from my own fish cake recipe. 

To make these I add a few ingredients to the original salad ~ a little Dijon mustard, breadcrumbs, dill, smoked paprika & form the mixture into flat, round patties. I press the formed Mock Fish Cakes into more breadcrumbs & cook them in a skillet with a little EVOO, until golden.  We like to top them with a little sour cream, plain yogurt or buttermilk ranch dressing.  If you want your Mock Fish Cakes to be a bit firmer, add one beaten egg to the Mock Tuna Salad before forming the Mock Fish Cakes.  These become a ~ golden on the outside, savory on the inside ~ little bundle of YUM!

Tomato & Cucumber Salad with Vinaigrette
When I make any type of fish cake for dinner, I like to add a simple salad of Tomatoes & Cucumbers.  I'm fond of Red Wine Vinaigrette, but a Buttermilk Ranch Dressing would be good on this, too.  To round out the meal, I usually serve the Vegetarian Mock Fish Cakes with some rice & steamed veggies.
 
I have become a big fan of garbanzo/chickpeas.  They really give this dish a wonderful taste & texture.  I think I shall have to explore more ways to create meals using this savory, little bean.

Since this meal isn't heavy, we might splurge a bit on dessert.  Just because it's Meatless Monday, it doesn't mean you can't spoil yourself a little.   :)



Dutch Baby Pancakes ~ Such a simple & easy breakfast or brunch

Dutch Baby Breakfast ~ We had this for breakfast last weekend. What a huge baked pancake! It was REALLY good. I even had leftovers, so I turned them into a "French Fruit Tart" ~ http://honestcooking.com/2012/01/20/dutch-babies-recipe/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=dutch-babies-recipe
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Dutch Baby with Fresh Fruit



The other day my Facebook feed showed a post for Dutch Babies, from the online magazine ~ Honest Cooking.  The name was intriguing.  After looking at the recipe & photos, I decided it would be good for a Saturday morning breakfast. I am so glad to say, it was a smashing success!  It is actually a spin on a German dish, even though they call it a Dutch Baby.



Dutch Baby, baking in the oven





The batter was super easy to make.  My trusty cast iron skillet was the perfect thing to bake it in.  The hardest part was waiting for it to come out of the oven...




My big, beautiful Dutch Baby



By the time it was ready to come out, the whole thing had risen up very high & was a delicious shade of golden brown.  Then, just a few minutes after coming out of the oven, it fell gracefully into a big, beautiful pancake.

We tried it two ways - the traditional way with lemon & powdered sugar and with maple syrup.  Maple syrup was our favorite.  It was so big, we couldn't finish it all.

I knew I could do something special with the leftovers, so for dessert that night I turned them into a...



French Fruit Tart with Raspberries
French Fruit Tarts    

It was the simplest dessert ever.  I spread some vanilla pudding (from a pudding cup)  on the leftover Dutch Baby, added fresh fruit, chilled, and ~ VoilĂ ! A light, tasty dessert. It was like we had just brought home a special treat from a French pastry shop.



French Fruit Tart with Mixed Berries


This will definitely go into my breakfast /brunch rotation.  It would be perfect for a lazy weekend treat.  Or, maybe I'll just turn the whole thing into a French Fruit Tart next time.  Why bother with going to the French pastry shop if I can make it at home.  Roy would be so pleased...

Tough Love ~ Bottom Round Steak ~ how to turn a cheap, tough, budget cut of steak into a tender meal

Swiss Steak ~ Have you ever bought some 'steak' on sale & then realized when you got it home it is not the kind of steak you can grill, but it is the really 'cheap steak' that must be braised to be edible? Well, then this is the recipe for you. It takes about 2 hours to make, but most of that time is just simmering. Roy really likes it, me too. :)

There I was, at the market, standing by the meat case, when I saw it.  ~ STEAK SALE! ~  My heart raced & I just knew it was my lucky day! I found a few nice sized steaks, for a really good price.  So, into the cart they went & I patted myself on the back for being such a thrifty shopper.

That night at home, I decided to treat myself to one of the steaks.  I seasoned & cooked it like I normally do and...it was a medium rare, tough, tough, tough piece of steak.  I was NOT a happy camper.  Then I went to the packaging & really looked at the tag & found out it was a ~ Bottom Round Steak...ut oh.  Cheap steak, unfamiliar name, better look it up on the net.  I found out all about it, mystery solved.

A Bottom Round Steak is a very lean cut that comes from a well exercised part of the cow.  It is a cut that is often turned into Cube Steak & also goes by the name Swiss Steak. (Swiss stands for the process of running the meat through rollers that cut into the meat & tenderize it, not for the country) For it to turn out tender, you need to slow cook it & braising is the best method.  Ohhh...that is where I went wrong...

Cuban Beef Stew ~ This was made using the leftovers from the Swiss Steak dinner.  It was amazing & really very quick since the meat was already cooked from the other night. I love it when you can create a new dish out of what is already in the fridge. Check out the recipe ~ here ~ if you're starting from scratch.

So, for the next few pieces of steak, that is what I did. I first made a traditional Swiss Steak recipe, with tomatoes, mushrooms & onions.  And then I make a Cuban Beef Stew.  Boy, what a difference!  When cooked the proper way, the tough, dry ol' pieces of steak become tender & tasty.  Of course whatever you braise it in helps in the flavor department - tomatoes, wine, sherry - I found out the list goes on & on.  Since it's a lean cut you're not getting any flavor from the fat, so ya gotta get it from somewhere. I say whatever it takes to make a good meal out of a cheap cut of steak/beef works for me...and my shopping budget.

Roy really liked the Swiss Steak.  He said it reminded him of some good meals he had back in England.  I really liked the Cuban Beef Stew that I made using the leftover meat from the Swiss Steak dinner.  Since the meat had already been braised, it was just a quick bit of adding a few additional ingredients & an entirely new meal was created.  There are a few other recipes I came across while trying to figure out how to cook the tough beef I had, so now I think I will keep an eye out for another ~ STEAK SALE! ~ and try my hand at those recipes.  I'll let you know how they turn out.

After learning about it, I think Tough Love is alright by me....  :)



Vegetarian Haggis~ A twist on a traditional Scottish dish ~ Happy Robbie Burns Day!

Vegetarian Haggis with Neeps & Tatties ~ This was such an enjoyable meal.  I will definitely make it again, the 'meat' mixture would be very versatile in other dishes. Neeps are mashed turnips, usually with carrots & Tatties are mashed potatoes.  This recipe is a tasty one & is the one I made.  The recipe is about 1/2 way down the post.

Today is January 25th.  In Scotland, everyone is enjoying the sounds of bagpipes, eating haggis, drinking whiskey & general merry making.  Why you ask?  Well, they are celebrating the birthday of their famous poet, Robert Burns (1759-1796)  Happy Robbie Burns Day!

I have found that looking for celebrations to inspire my cooking has been pretty easy so far, January has had a lot to offer.  J is enjoying all the different things I have been making, some more than others, but that's OK.  He tries it all & that is the important thing.   :)

Since trying to find haggis in the Midwest is almost impossible, I thought I would cook a vegetarian haggis version so we could party with the rest of the Scots. It seems many people are now enjoying celebrating with a veggie version & why not - it tastes good & is easy to do.  I have eaten the real deal before and it is a very tasty dish.  If you can get past what is in it, then you will be in for a treat.  If you think about it, haggis is really no different than many other sausages or meat mixtures.  Just read the labels of some of them & you will see what I mean. 

I know a vegetarian haggis is not quite the same thing as a regular haggis, but my thoughts & heart are in the right place... and the right place is on my plate!

Eat Haggis & Ceilidh On!

Happy Chinese New Year ~ The Year of the Dragon

Today is January 23, 2012. Today is the Chinese New Year ~ The Year of the Dragon.

Tropical Beef w/Brown Rice~ I just love Martin Yan's, Quick & Easy cookbook. Check it out & try some of the wonderful recipes that really are quick & easy. He should have added Incredibly Tasty to the book title, too.  I've loved  every single one of the recipes that  I've made. Over a dozen & counting.
 
I don't now about you, but I LOVE Chinese food. I like to go out to eat it, as well as to make it at home. Since you do all the prep work in advance of the cooking, it comes together quickly once the cooking starts. I appreciate that when I want something on the table at a certain time, prep work makes all the difference.

My favorite Chinese chef is Martin Yan.  My favorite cookbook of his is Martin Yan ~ Quick & Easy.  I have yet to find a dish that I didn't like & they truly are quick & easy.  Check out the book from the library or get a copy for yourself & see what I mean.  You'll be enjoying a home cooked Chinese meal in no time flat.

Take me home tonight...

Sometimes I just don't feel like cooking.  Sometimes J wants sushi. Sometimes we get take-out.  On these nights, I don't even mind cleaning up the dishes...  :) 

Sushi & other delights ~ Every so often, J & I will go to THE FRESH MARKET when Roy is gone for the evening.  We will hit the sushi counter, seafood counter & bakery. We take as much time as our stomachs will allow, looking over all that is available.  We take home our containers of foodie delights & then the fun begins. J matches me bite for bite. I have never met a kid who will ask to have escargot & sushi for dinner. He likes the California Rolls & Unagi & also likes to get coconut shrimp, crab stuffed shrimp & crème brĂ»lĂ©e for dessert. It is truly a feast!
 
And for dessert....
Crème Brûlée ~ These are really, really good & you get to keep the imported Italian terra cotta ramekins, too. (I just looked online & a set of 4 ramekins goes for $40 at William Sonoma!) These desserts are a steal at $4 each. I'd get these for a special dinner, or just because, ANYTIME! When we are there, J turns on the charm & can usually talk the baker out of a cookie & a petit four. He does have his ways.... :)

French Women Don't Get Fat ~ Enjoying fresh, low fat & low carb eating... the French way

Basic Vegetable Soup ~ From the book, French Women Don't Get Fat. ~ This soup recipe is very basic & very good. It calls for pureeing the soup (bottom bowl), but I also like it with the veggies whole (top bowl). Tasty stuff, very low cal & low carb. (if you leave out the potatoes) www.frenchwomendontgetfat.com/content/basic-vegetable-soup
Do you remember all the fuss when the book, French Women Don't Get Fat, came out in December of 2007?  There was a run on leeks, you couldn't find them anywhere.  I must admit, I was right in there with all the other readers, searching for leeks, all over town, in the dead of winter.  I was thrilled when the third market I went to actually had them.  I paid for my little bundle of green 'gold' & set off to make the Magical Leek Soup that was the secret of so many French women. 

I enjoyed the book ~  I read, I cooked, I ate, I tried wearing scarves, I recommended it, I purchased the second book, French Women for All Seasons ...then I put the books on the bookshelf & forgot about them. Life with a preschooler can do that to you.

Basic French Omelet ~ Since you leave it soft in the middle, it really tastes like there is cream it in, but nope, just egg. Check out the new school way of how to make a French omelet   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auQx0HTKK3A  ~ vs. the old school, classic Julia Child TV show version    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWmvfUKwBrg

Now that the preschooler has turned into a first grader, I have a bit more time to read.  As I was going through my cookbooks the other day, I found them again.  I will have to give them a second read, as well as the two additional books that author, Mireille Guiliano, has written - French Women Don't Get Fat CookbookWomen, Work, & the Art of Savoir Faire.

Now, I'm in the mood for a little French flair in this American home.  Time to break out my Julia Child cookbooks, Julie & Julia DVD, Edith Piaf CD, a few scarves and a little red wine with chocolate...  Bon AppĂ©tit!
                                               

Navy Bean Soup ~ Cold Weather Comfort

Today was cold, really cold.  22 degrees of cold, but, at least it was sunny.  They say we are in for snow tomorrow & a low of 15.  Ouch!  Sounds like a good day to make some soup.

Navy Bean Soup is a favorite of ours and, with a side of cornbread, I can forget about the cold weather.  At least until I get to the bottom of the bowl... 

Navy Bean Soup ~ The time for soup is now here. We enjoyed this last week when it was wet & cold. You just gotta have cornbread with bean soup. I think it is an unwritten law, somewhere... ~ http://whenthedinnerbellrings.blogspot.com/2010/12/low-fat-navy-bean-crock-pot-soup.html
 

Making Zucchini Into 'Fettuccine Noodles' ~ my low carb stand-in for quick pasta dishes

Zucchini 'Fettuccine' with Mushrooms ~ I made 'fettuccine ribbons' from a medium zucchini, using my veggie peeler. I nuked the 'ribbons' for a minute, drained off the liquid, added some I Can't Believe It's Not Butter spray, Parmesan cheese, canned mushrooms, Italian spices & then gave it all another quick turn in the microwave. It turned out really good.  It satisfied the pasta craving I was having & it was on the table in under 15 minutes.


When I'm feeling the need for pasta, but want to keep it low carb, I turn to zucchini.  I've tried those Tofu Shirataki Noodles & I am not a fan of them, at all.  To me they have a funny smell & really odd texture/taste, not to mention the cost.

But, I have found that zucchini, when peeled into thin strips using a veggie peeler & then microwaved, will give me a 'noodle' that will satisfy my pasta craving.  I've tried using both a veggie peeler & a mandolin slicer; I like using a veggie peeler much better.  It takes a little longer, but I can create a better 'fettuccine' ribbon that way.  That being said, I do prefer the mandolin slicer for making zucchini 'lasagna noodles' for my low carb Veggie Lasagna. 


Zucchini 'Fettuccine' Marinara with Mushrooms ~ I made 'fettuccine ribbons' from a medium zucchini, using my veggie peeler. I nuked the 'ribbons' for a minute, drained off the liquid, added some canned mushrooms, Trader Joe's Basil Marinara Sauce, Parmesan cheese & dried basil. I than gave it all another minute & a half in the microwave. Another 'pasta' dinner on the table in under 15 minutes. I will be making both of these meals again.

I love it when craving & inspiration collide & create something really tasty and healthy!  Add a little chicken or maybe Trader Joe's Sun Dried Tomato Chicken Sausages & it just keeps getting better.  No guilt with these meals, at all.  :)


                         

I'm a Hungry Girl ~ Going back for seconds...

I Can't Believe It's Not 'Potato' Salad ~ (make with CAULIFLOWER instead of potatoes) - I made a bunch of low carb recipes from my Hungry Girl cookbook. THIS MOCK SALAD IS AWESOME!!! Wow, who knew you could make a cauliflower salad that tastes like potato salad. GREAT way to still get this summertime treat w/o all the carbs, fat & calories. It's a keeper!!


Yesterday I posted about how much I love the Hungry Girl cookbooks, website & cable show.  I knew I had more pictures around somewhere & I finally found them.

I'm also reposting the Hungry Girl Martini recipes, (I posted these last month), just in case you missed them during the holiday rush.

Hope you enjoy going back for second round of Hungry Girl recipes!



Vanilla Coffee Frap ~ Starbucks has nothing on this! What a great way to use up left over decaf coffee. Not to mention VERY easy on the pocketbook. I had to fight J off with the straw. :)  Hungry Girl ROCKS!

Super Sized Oatmeal ~ Great tip from the Hungry Girl site. You use 2x's the water, cook for 2x's as long & let it sit for a lil' bit & bada bing, bada bang - you've got a HUGE serving of oatmeal. Why didn't I think of this?



Mounds Bar Martini ~ Gotta love a drink that tastes like one of your favorite candy bars! I don't know how Hungry Girl comes up with these low cal alcoholic recipies, but, I am sure glad she does!

  



Kickin' Key Lime Pie Martini ~ Great low cal recipe from the Hungry Girl site. No guilt here & it tastes YUMMY!





Orange Creamsicle Martini ~ 50/50 bars were always my favorite as a kid. This is the low-cal adult version. :) Thank you Hungry Girl!  

Are you a Hungry Girl?


Green Tea Swappuccino ~ Another winner from the Hungry Girl cookbook. I love the fact that I can make this Starbucks version, at home, for a fraction of the calories & cost. I go a bit light on the green tea powder, depending on my mood & if I REALLY need more caffeine. :) Rock on, Hungry Girl!!
I'm a Hungry Girl.  I'm a Hungry Girl who likes to eat.  I'm a Hungry Girl who has to watch her calorie intake.  I'm a Hungry Girl who likes to make the recipes from the Hungry Girl cookbooksHungry Girl website.


Bacon 'n' Cheese Bell Pepper Skins ~ Fun with Bell Peppers - I made a bunch of low carb recipes from my Hungry Girl cookbook. The 'mock' potatoes skins, on the left, were really good. But what isn't good w/a little cheese, onion, bacon (bits) & sour cream (ok, yogurt). The 'pizza slices' on the right were good, too.

 If you are already a Hungry Girl, you know what I'm talking about.  If you are new to being a Hungry Girl, you are in for a treat (literally) & then some! As I was putting this post together, I went through my copy of ~ Hungry Girl 200 Under 200 ~  & found over 20 recipes that I have already made. (I put a happy, neutral or sad face in the Index to help me remember what I've tried & what I thought about it. High tech, no. Fun & silly, yes.)  Many of them were made before I started photographing the things I've cooked, so now I have a lot of recipes to make again.  :)


PB & J Super Shake ~ This is another recipe from the Hungry Girl cookbook, tweaked a bit to use what I had on hand. J LOVED it! I used some of J's cereal, F/F milk, yogurt, a bit of jam/peanut butter & frozen strawberries. No need to buy something special if you don't have just what the recipe calls. Adopt, adapt & improve. We will make this again & again. 
I'm not sure how Lisa Lillien comes up with all of her great recipes, but I'm sure glad she does. You can even catch her on the Hungry Girl Cooking Show on the Food Network's, Cooking Channel.


Bloomin' Onion - I made a bunch of low carb recipes from my Hungry Girl cookbook. This one uses Fiber One for the coating & you bake the onion, instead of frying. It was ok, but I would rather splurge & get the real thing once a year.
 
So many low calorie ways to satisfy your hunger, I just love it.  This is the one time being a Hungry Girl is a good thing!



Healthy Spiced Apple Cake ~ from Gordon Ramsay's cookbook ~ Healthy Appetite

Spiced Apple Cake ~ This is wonderful, tasty, moist, healthy cake from Gordon Ramsay's cookbook - Healthy Appetite. The apples rings are pretty on the top, but I probably won't bother next time. They would be a nice touch if you are taking it to a potluck, though. This batter would make great muffins! ~ Check out the recipe!


Since J was studying different holiday traditions last month at school, I have been on the lookout for more celebrations that might be fun to learn about.  I read about a very old tradition that is celebrated mid-January in England.  This unusual celebration, known as 'Old Twelvey Night'  (January 17th) or ~ Wassailing, has been going on since medieval times.  Spiced Apple Cake fits right in with celebrating the apple.  It showcases apples to perfection. 


The Orchard-Visiting Wassail is an ancient custom of visiting apple orchards, pouring cider around the base of the oldest/largest tree, putting cider soaked bread in the branches, singing to the trees & making lots of noise to scare away any evil spirits.  All of this has been done for centuries to ensure a bountiful harvest for the coming year.




There is also a festive drink called Wassail.   It is used in the Wassailing ceremony & is also a popular hot drink.  I think any celebration that helps to break up the monotony of cold, dark winters sounds like fun to me!  Check around your area, maybe you will be lucky enough to have an orchard close by that is hosting a Wassailing celebration this January.  ~ Waes Hail! ~

Healthy Appetite ~ Gordon Ramsay Style

Fresh Broccoli Soup ~ Gordon Ramsay is my new cooking hero. I've been watching Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares, UK. I just love it!  He made this in one of the episodes. I boiled it in plain water & used Chicken "Better Than Bouillon" instead of adding salt, just added it when blending. Roy thought it was too green, but J & I loved it! Low cal/carb, quick & really tasty. What's not to love? http://www.bigoven.com/recipe/161419/broccoli-soup-gordon-ramsay

I am a big fan of Gordon Ramsay.  His shows are entertaining & his recipes are good.  I especially like his more recent cookbooks, the ones where he focuses on healthy foods/recipes that are easy to find & kid friendly.  I read through his newer cookbooks from time to time & they not only inspire me to try a recipe, they inspire me to actually go into the kitchen to make it for us, right then & there.  As long as I can find the actual ingredients needed, or something close, it's cooking time.  :)

Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins ~ from Gordon Ramsay's 2008 cookbook - Healthy Appetite, they were wonderful. We ate them all by breakfast the next day. :) The recipe made a doz regular muffins & 18 mini muffins. ~ http://plumtart.blogspot.com/2010/03/whole-wheat-blueberry-muffins.html

One of my favorite cookbooks of his is ~ Healthy Appetite (in paperback March 2012).  It is full of recipes that I enjoy making & we all enjoy eating.  Check out a copy from your local library & see what you think.


Spiced Banana Oatmeal Muffins ~ This is another recipe from Gordon Ramsay's - Healthy Appetite. I also made some cookies out of the batter & liked them much better that way. The muffins took too long to cook all the way through & got a bit too dry. I'll make the recipe again, but only as an Spiced Banana Oatmeal Cookie. They made an excellent oatmeal cookie ~ http://www.takethoufood.com/2009/01/banana-oat-muffins.html
  

Making Friends With Tofu

Chipotle Grilled Tofu with Fresh Corn & Black Bean Salad ~ Turned out I had all the fixin's for a great salad. Love when that happens! :)

J & I really like tofu, Roy, not so much.  I usually use the extra firm tofu for cooking & firm silken tofu for dips or puddings.  I have found the secret to cooking with tofu is not to try to make it something it isn't.  It just doesn't have a real 'meaty' texture, so if I want a meatless 'meat' substitute, I'll use seitan.  That being said, dress up tofu with BBQ sauce or Teriyaki sauce & it makes a great meal, just not a meaty textured one. Enjoy tofu for what it is & savor the meal. 
Oven Roasted Portobello Mushroom, Red Pepper & Tofu ~ What is not to love when you get to eat a mushroom that is as big as a CD?
To cook extra firm tofu, I usually thin slice it, pan saute or grill it on my George Foreman Grill.  I'll  cut it into cubes & add to brothy soups.  It also makes a decent 'egg salad', just crumble, add some turmeric (to give it a yellow color) & then finish it just like your favorite egg salad recipe.  I also make a tasty tofu 'TLT' (a spin on a BLT) using the great Pork Chop Seasoning from Penzey's Spices to season the tofu. After posting these pictures, I've got a craving for tofu.  Now, I have to decide which one to make for dinner...   :) 
TLT (tofu, lettuce & tomato) Sandwich - Another big hit with both J & me. He begged for seconds. He wants me to make it for Roy... not holding my breath for the same response from daddy. Used my new spice mix from Penzeys, it gives the tofu a 'baconish' flavor. Excellent!! Go get some!
http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/p-penzeysporkchop.html 

Wishing For My Salad Days...

Salmon & Salad ~ Dinner on the table in under 20 minutes.
Today it was in the 50's, (that might sound cold, but it was very nice) sunny & really quite wonderful.  It has been like this for the last week or so.  I have bulbs starting to peek up & buds swelling on the trees.  All of this promise of Spring is coming months too early.  So far, this has been a very mild start to the 2012 Midwest Winter. But, come tomorrow.... in comes the rain, turning into snow & followed by an Arctic blast.  Looks like this little tease, of the upcoming Spring, will soon be over.

Since I have been able to pretend it is late Spring instead of early January, we have been having a lot of salads the last few days.


Chicken & Salad ~ 10/29/11~ Last of our homegrown veggies
The produce is not too bad at the market right now.  Not as flavorful as homegrown, but it is scratching the itch.

I went back through my Facebook photo album, looking for pictures of some of the salads I made last year, using the veggies out of our garden.  Somehow being able to pick your own veggies for your salad feels so right.
Steak Fajita Salad ~ 7/28/11 ~ I made a mixed lettuce salad & added cuc, tom, garbanzos, purple cabbage & cheese. I used John Soules Foods ~ Beef Fajitas. This is a great product I get from Sam's Club or WalMart. Already cooked, just heat up with the bell pepper & onion. It is low in fat & REALLY tasty. Makes for quick & easy meals. It comes in Chicken Fajita, too.





Since we are still eating Fat Flush Plan friendly meals, these salads are just what the diet calls for.  When it looks & tastes this good, eating lower carb is easy.

I'll be wanting soup in the next few days, when the weather tanks, but for right now, I am still enjoying my little bit of Spring.  :)

Breakfast ~ Fat Flush Plan Style

Fried Egg over Sauteed Spinach, Mushrooms &Squash
Eating on the Fat Flush Plan Diet has been a quick learning curve.  I have never been much of a breakfast person, but I do see the wisdom of eating first thing in the morning. It really does start my day off right.

If I don't have a Whey Protein Smoothie for breakfast, I get creative with the veggies/proteins that are on the list of foods that are OK to eat.  This ~ Fried Egg over Sauteed Spinach, Mushrooms & Squash ~ has become a favorite for breakfast.  I like to use a little Pam & V8 juice to saute the veggies. Even J likes it, the kid LOVES spinach.  It also makes for a nice, light lunch, too.  Just add a salad & you're good to go.  You really don't miss the bread when there are so many tasty veggies on your plate.

Whey to go!!

Whey Protein ~ I first found out about Whey Protein when I started the Fat Flush Plan Diet.  This stuff is sooo much better than the old 'slim fast' powders of  decades past.  It comes in many flavors, but we like vanilla the best. 

For us, it can be a quick meal & sometimes it's a snack.  We drink it daily.  It is filling, versatile & quick. You can make it with water, milk or juice. (I really like using V8 Fusion, it's any easy way to get in both a fruit & veg serving)  I also like to add a few slices of frozen banana (for extra creaminess), an Equal (to make it a bit sweeter) & ice. Frozen strawberries or blueberries are a nice addition, too.

It tastes like an indulgence. No wonder we like it so much. :)

2012 ~ Back to Eating Healthier

Fat Flush Soup
OK, the holidays are officially over.  Thankfully all the cookies & treats are now all gone.  Time to get back on the healthy eating bandwagon & back to following the Fat Flush Plan diet. I'm actually looking forward to getting back to basics.  Indulging is great, but after awhile, all I want is something simple & straightforward.

For more about my success with this diet, check out my tab ~ The Kitchen Is Open.   I just posted a new page: Fat Flush Diet Plan ~ How Well It Works For Me!!   

The recipe for this Fat Flush Soup was in an Oct. 2011 issue of Woman's World Magazine, the link to the soup also talks about the diet.  I actually won a contest (on the Fat Flush Plan Facebook Fan Page) with this picture of the crock full of soup that I made.  Time to start eating lots of healthy/hearty soups, fresh salads & grilled veggies.  Oh, yeah!!  :)

Let the 2012 New Year's Resolutions begin!
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