Two weeks in -- Chicken Salad Rocks

And, I have some favorite new meals including the Fuji Apple Salad at Panera, Almond Milk, and homemade chicken salad.

The trick so far is to eat before I'm normally hungry so I don't make bad choices. Prepping lots of food for the fridge and making sure I have healthy snacks on hand for those craving moments when they are serving birthday cake in the breakroom.

So here is my Chicken Salad Recipe

Olive Oil
1 onion diced
1 Tablespoon Cumin
Minced Garlic
2 cups Chicken Broth
1lb Chicken Boneless Skinless Breasts
Green Onions
Red Bell Pepper Petite Diced
Grapes Cut in Half
Mayonnaise
Mango Chutney (or oregano if you don't have Mango Chutney on hand)

This is the same chicken  I use for Chicken Enchiladas
Heat oil in a dutch oven, or large skillet (you will need a lid) add onion and brown over medium heat, add Cumin and Garlic and let the ingredients release their aroma (about 30 seconds) add chicken broth and chicken pieces - cook until internal temperature is 165 degrees.

Cube chicken and add the remaining ingredients - season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cookie free Diet at Christmas? - yep.

So for about a month or so I've been battling quite an episode of asthma related trouble. Wheezing, hacking, barley breathing -- it's been an adventure.

An adventure I'd like to avoid in the future. So I'm trying (on day 5) of an elimination diet to help get my body back in sync with reality. It is something my allergist suggested years ago and tried to stick to -- and was successful for about 15 days.

But, it is time again with all the gluten free options at the local grocery and my failed attempts before I have a pretty good idea of what works for me, what doesn't work, and how to clean my house of all things cookie/sugar etc.

So last Thursday night while trolling the aisles of Meijer to pick up a few things it hit me - I should be doing this diet - it worked before, and has worked for others so what is/was stopping me.

I LOVE cookies -- I'm probably addicted to sugar and well the thought of giving it up made me hungry.

But -- I'm on day 5 and a co-worker just loaded the table outside of my office with a selection of holiday treats and I'm not getting up to eat them. My mouth isn't watering and I made it almost 12 hours without need of a breathing treatment.

I've even made creme brûlé and oatmeal cookies in the past few days -- and didn't eat them. Small wins --

Caprese Pizza - My way

See the post about pizza crust and then add my favorite ingredients.


1. Slice Tomatoes
2. Fresh basil compliments of Kim
3. Mozzarella (the good kind)
4. Parmigiano (the good kind)
5. Splash of Balsamic Vinaigrette, Salt, & Pepper.

And, voila

Roasted Red Pepper Curry Soup

This was an absolute blast - from roasting my own red peppers, to using my hand held mixer stick thing. The soup reminds me of the Pumpkin Curry Soup but with a bit more substance to it. (Provided by the potatoes)

It was DELICIOUS.

I added cumin, curry powder, and a dash of cayenne pepper (which stings quite a bit when you get it in your eye! We use a paste of milk and baking soda to get the burn out)

Check it out on the food networks website - courtesy of Giada De Laurentils

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/creamy-red-pepper-soup-recipe/index.html

Sanitation & Jazz

I have a 17+ year old calico cat, she has aged well sleeping with me every night since 6th grade.

Recently my little furry friend has taken to drinking from the toilet (gross!) & tub after we shower (double gross!) luckily we don't leave any chemicals in either, so she is still alive.

But, this morning my husband caught her doing something a bit more surprising.

That is my kitchen sink! Those are dishes my husband used to warm up his dinner last night. I'm not sure if she was eating dried bits of steak or a pool of water from the drippy faucet. And, I really don't care. I think it is NASTY. Mostly because I watched her drink from the tub just a few hours earlier.

I don't wash my dishes in toilet water, and I don't like the idea of Ms. Jazz spreading bathroom germs to the kitchen. (Note: I'm not really worried about common cat germs)

So, after class tonight, and after I scoop the KL for trash night. I'm cleaning the kitchen... and maybe installing a door into the hallway to our bedroom so she can't visit the kitchen when I'm not looking.

Oh, and we do provide her fresh water on a daily (mostly twice a day) she apparently likes these "fresher" sources better. Maybe it is time for a kitty fountain.

Vodka, Shrimp & Okrah

Last night I needed to make a quick dinner. We haven't been grocery shopping in over a week so options are limited to begin with, but I hadn't thawed anything. The solution?

Shrimp Tempura, Misc Tempura Veggies & rice (I think we have rice or pasta with every meal)

Cook's Illustrated had an interesting recipe for the coating - it included Vodka. My husband, a former bartender, appreciates anything that includes alcohol. (bread pudding coating in rum sauce, beer bread, tiramisu, me after bottle of wine, etc.) So when I finally returned home from class I/we got started with the quick and easy dinner. Of course I was missing seltzer, so Jordan ran off to the store as I chopped veggies and cooked the rice.

The result (after quite a few minor burns from popping grease) was a delicious plate of fried food. Not our healthiest dinner, but it sure was delicious.

Note: Subscriptions to Cook's Illustrated are 50% off right now. I DO NOT get any kick backs for you signing-up (but if you get the 2011 Buying Guide I'd love to see it)

Naan Bread

This past Sunday I had the pleasure of getting together with some dear friends from grade school. The menu for the night was something unique that could please eveyone's pallet.

Naan Bread
Chicken Tikka Masala
Rice
Bread Pudding (made by Nikki)



For quite a long time Naan bread has interested me. The texture, the taste, and the fact that only fresh naan bread from a semi-authentic Indian restaurant would ever fulfill my craving. After careful research (a quick google search) I found a recipe with over 1000 positive reviews on Allrecipes.com

I tried cooking it two different ways. First, in a skillet on the stove top using olive oil and a nonstick pan. It looked great and tasted delicious (when you add the butter is tastes familiar maybe like a flat bread version of Little Caesars Crazy Bread) Then I thought I'd get creative and cook the rest in the oven on a pizza stone.

Both methods worked well - however the stove top cooking gave me more control (and I was able to keep a MUCH closer better eye on it)