Diary of a Not-so-Fat Fat girl

Basil Mint Soba Noodle Salad with Shrimp and Peaches

1/2 cup rice vinegar

2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

3 garlic cloves, crusehd

1/2 fresh red chili, finely chopped

1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil

grated zest and juice of 1 lime

1/2 cup cup basil leaves, chopped (if you can get use some Thai basil, but much less of it)

1/2 cup mint leaves

2 1/2 cups cilantro leaves, chopped

1/2 red onion, very thinly sliced

1 cup chopped peaches

Marinate shrimp in lime juice and garlic salt and parsley and a bit of pepper to taste. 

In a small saucepan gently warm the vinegar, sugar, and salt for up to 1 minute, just until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and add the garlic, chile and sesame oil. Allow to cool, then add the lime zest and juice. 

Cook the noodles in plenty of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally. They should take 5-8 minutes to become tender but still al dente. Drain and rinse well under running cold water. Shake off as much of the excess water as possible, then leave to dry on a dish towel.

Sautee shrimp in skillet with cooking spray until just good through, about 3 minutes. 

In a mixing bowl toss the noodles with the dressing, peaches, shrimp, half of the herbs and the onion. You can now leave this aside for 1 to 2 hours. Whne ready to serve add the rest of the herbs and mix well, then pile on a plate or in a bowl. 

Adapted via Yotam Ottolenghi’s Soba Noodles with Eggplant and Mango and Wholeliving’s Papaya, Shrimp, and Soba Salad

You know you are loved by your closest friends when they spend hours making you a multi layered and colored epic alien cake for your on your 25th birthday. 

Tofu its what for dinner! Did you know peas have more protein than 1/3 a cup of walnuts!?? No joke. It may not look like anything wonderful…but OH how it is. My favorite human right now is Kath Patalsky. She makes the most wonderful and gorgeous vegan dishes. This my latest trial of her recipes.

Truffled Tofu Scramble with

Umeboshi, Peas, Onion.

mildly adapted

serves 2-3

16 ounces firm tofu
2 Tbsp Braggs liquid amino
1 tsp black truffle oil (or any other unusual oil you have on hand)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast 
1 tsp safflower oil
2 Tbsp umeboshi vinegar (ume vinegar) 
1/4 tsp fine black pepper
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup sweet onion, chopped

optional: 1 tsp turmeric (for extra color)

To Make:

1. Heat safflower oil in skillet.
2. Crumble drained/squeezed dry tofu into pan.
3. Add in the nutritional yeast, tamari, pepper, truffle oil, onion and vinegar. (And optional turmeric).
4. Saute until the tofu begins to brown and firm up a bit - about 4-5 minutes.
5. Add in the frozen peas - cook for another 2 minutes until peas are hot. Add in optional vegan butter.
6. Plate and serve!

She recommends serving it with her “cheesy hash browns” but I decided to served this with a side of my own sweet potato hash browns. Recipe coming soon for that one. 

<3 <3 <3 

robotheartrecipes:

Cranberry Muesli
Serves 2

I have really come to enjoy overnight oats and muesli type concoctions over the last year or so. Prior to making this version, I had only used almond milk. Since I have been reincorporating a tad of dairy into my diet, I decided to try this recipe which uses yogurt instead. I really liked the consistency and flavor of the final product. I used non-fat Greek yogurt instead of regular to give it a thicker texture and more of a “stick to your ribs” feel.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt

1/2 cup unsweetened or fruit-juice-sweetened cranberry juice

6 tablespoons old-fashioned rolled oats, (not quick-cooking or steel-cut)

2 tablespoons dried cranberries

1 tablespoon unsalted sunflower seeds

1 tablespoon wheat germ

2 teaspoons honey

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

INSTRUCTIONS

Step One: Combine yogurt, juice, oats, cranberries, sunflower seeds, wheat germ, honey, vanilla and salt in a medium bowl; cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 1 day.

Source: Eating Well, November/December 2007. View the recipe on EatingWell.com.

calivintage:

liberty root vegetable print apron.

Oh hayyyy I love me some root veggies

Hellllooo healthy whole-wheat lavash fish tacos! 

I made these beauties with the left over ingredients from last nights Pacific Orchestra Symphony Picnic. Smoked Salmon Taco with Lime Cilantro Fiesta Slaw and a Crab Taco with Lime Cilantro Fiesta Slaw. Oh heaven. 

Recipe for Slaw: Adapted from Family Kitchen.

Cilantro Jicama Fiesta Slaw
makes about 5-6 cups

3 cups red cabbage, shredded
1 cup jicama, thinly sliced
Squeeze of citrus juice like orange or mandarin 
1/4 cup white onion, diced
1/2 tsp citrus zest (I used lime and orange)
2 Tbsp jalapeno, diced 
2 Tbsp cider vinegar

1 Tbsp Lime Juice

1 cup cilantro (stems and leaves), chopped
1/4 tsp cayenne
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Prepare all your veggies – I used a mandoline to shred my cabbage and slice my jicama.

2. Combine all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl – toss well. Customize the moisture-level of your slaw – to ‘wet’ your slaw a bit more, add in extra citrus juice. I added in about 1-2 Tbsp extra lime juice because I like my slaw nice and juicy. Salt and pepper to taste.

3. Chill in fridge until ready to be served.

The new most precious items in my life. My BEAUTIFUL Shun 8” Chef Knife, 6” Utility knife, and 3.5” pairing knife. BAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH So excited. 

MMMM I love veggie-tastic lunches. This is my grilled Grilled Balsamic Eggplant Basil Sandwich with fresh heirloom tomatoes and a bit of part-skim mozzarella. 

Recipe:

1 Eggplant sliced lengthwise 1/4 inch thick (I just grill em all and reserve the extra slices for later)

Fresh Basil (as much as you want)

2 slices heirloom tomato 

1/4 cup shredded part skim mozerella 

1 TBS Balsamic 

1 tsp Oregano 

Salt and Pepper to taste

Pre-heat the grill. Then I mix the balsamic and oregano and salt and pepper and then I brush the glaze on both sides of the eggplant slices. Then I spray the eggplant with some olive oil pam and put them on the grill on high for about 10 minutes on each side or until I meet my desired softness. Lastly I put the sandwich together by stacking the basil, cheese and tomatoes in between two eggplant slices and then I place the sandwich back on the grill until the cheese is melted. Voila! Healthy veggietasticness. 

Caramelized Wild Salmon with Cherry Salsa

I love trying new things and this one was really quite different. My only issue was that I thought perhaps the cherries distracted from the salmon flavor a bit. I didn’t have mangos on hand so perhaps if I had added those the dish would have been more cohesive. Howeverrrrr the glaze is highly recommended. (I went very light on the sugar and stronger on the citrus and salt.)

Dinner this evening:

Peruvian Ceviche with Sweet Potato, Corn and Romaine

This is the most incredible dish especially when served with some lovely fresh basa-swai fillets (which I purchased this afternoon at the 99 Ranch Market) and gorgeous freshly squeezed limes. My other adaptations included a bit of garlic parsley salt and I used serrano and jalapeno chili peppers instead of habanero (since I didn’t have any on hand.) I ate them like little lettuce tacos with a bit of corn and sweet potato wraped around the ceviche. They all pair so wonderfully together. Nomz nom nom nom.

Here are two appitizer items from my book club French food night!

Recipe for the French Tomato Tart 

I used a little less oil and made a whole wheat tart dough instead of the regular to add more of a rustic taste. 

Here is the recipe for the Cheese Gougeres

They originally call for Gruyere but I really enjoyed the nuttiness of the Hollander Nord

The rest of the meal included pan-seared shallot mushroom stuffed chicken breasts, a butter-less haricot verts and a traditional (albeit lightened) dijon beet salad and ended with a lightened up Julia Child’s Cherry Clafouti.  

One of my favorite Roses I drank in France. Let’s go get some! 

Here is my Asparagus Soup, Zucchini Corn Bread, Summer Squash Summer Salad, and Grilled Tilapia with a Watermelon Basil salsa I during my Tspoons seasonal cooking day. 

Here was the entire menu we created:  Asparagus Cream Soup, Brie and Sundried Tomato Panini with Wild Arugula, Grilled Tilapia with Watermelon and Basil Mint Oil, Zucchini Corn Bread, Shaved Summer Squash and Heirloom Tomato Salad. 

Fresco Style Veggie Stuffed Poblano Chilies 

Omg I’m so in love with my little adaptation of Avilas Fresco Style Poblanos. I think I could eat this every night. 

(I serve this with Spicy Cayenne Lime-Cumin Black Beans with Cilantro and a California Chili Powder Spiced Quinoa) Sometimes I add garlic salt and red pepper flakes and jalapenos as well. 

Directions:

Broil Poblano on high in oven for about 15 minutes until it starts to char. (Turn the chili half way through.) When finished place in a tightly covered container for about 20 minutes. 

Cut up whatever fresh veggies you have at the time. For 3 people in this recipe I had about:

2/3 cup Broccoli maybe even a little more

A few portobello mushrooms

1/4-1/3 a cup chopped carrots (this is a must for crunch) I do them very chunky

2 Zucchinis chopped in rounds

1/2 a Red and Yellow Bell Pepper

1/2 a Yellow Onion thickly sliced

I spray lightly with olive oil spray in a bowl and mix and season with a healthy dose of chopped minced garlic, red pepper flakes, jalapeno, sea salt and pepper, california chili powder. 

I put the veggies on aluminum foil on a baking sheet and broil for about 4-6 minutes until they begin to crisp and then place on the side. 

To assemble you take your poblano chilies and discard the flaky skin. Place a slit down the middle of the chili and pull out some of the seeds. (I personally like them so I like to leave a few in.) Then you place your chili on your plate and stuff with as much of the vegetable mixture as you want and if you prefer you can put some light mexican cheese on top to add some more protein and place in the broiler for about a minute just for that gorgeous melty effect. 

(Pardon the picture as I was quickly trying to eat everything in sight.)

NOM YUM YUM

Favorite Morning Breakfast right now: 

Chilled Vanilla Fig-Cherry Almond Oatmeal 

1/2 cup Dried Rolled Oats (or Cooked Steel Cut Oats if I’m feeling ambitious) 

1-2 Chunky chopped Figs

1/4-1/3 cup chopped Cherries

1/2 tsp Ground Flaxseed

1/2 cup skim and vanilla almond milk mixture

1 chopped up almond

Dash of Cinnamon

Dash of Vanilla Extract 

Dash of Grapenuts and Kashi Go lean

Orange Zest

(Sometimes I add unsweetened flaked coconut too!) 

I usually like this placed in the fridge or freezer for about 10-20 minutes before I eat it. It makes it so refreshing in summer and more like a tasty swiss style museli.