Learning to Live...in Europe

NEW apartment ideas: getting inspired

2011-07-04T08:41:00.000-07:00

I've been perusing Apartment Therapy since we're getting ready to move into a new and bigger apartment! I really like the foyer and living room layout in Johanna and Dennis' home. Matt and I are also trying to come up with a good, warm neutral paint color that we could accent later with a bolder color. We are trying to get moved OUT and IN in the next 2-3 weeks so we can take a much-needed vacation with friends to Nice, France! This will mean getting a few holes in our current walls patched, walls painted white, bigger IKEA furniture disassembled, books, dishes, and such boxed up, and everything moved OUT of our current place, while the new place is being painted, hopefully before we move most of the stuff IN. And we may live for a couple of days in a third location as the chaos ensues! Nice beckons!

Kitchen Island

2011-07-04T08:34:00.000-07:00

Yes, I have a kitchen island in our 44-square-meter apartment's galley-style kitchen. It's a luxury, I know, but it's also multi-purpose:

(our washing machine!)

Banana, Ginger, and Green Tea Smoothie

2011-06-30T14:18:00.000-07:00

I finally put fresh ginger in a smoothie, per Jamie Oliver's idea in his recipe for Turbo Charged Smoothies. I love his recipe, but I've always made it without the "thumb-sized" piece of fresh ginger. Well, today I had some on hand and I was surprised at how good it made this smoothie--giving it a magical, invigorating feeling or something. I couldn't find the original recipe online, but here it is translated into German, thanks to Ohhh...Mhhh...

Here's my own version of the smoothie that I threw together after a tiring shopping outing with baby (serves 2 adults):

--quite a bit of natural, plain yogurt, 1.5-3.5% fat (probably at least a cup)
--about the same amount or less of soda water, depending on the thickness you want
--a thumb-sized piece of peeled ginger (I peel it well with a vegetable peeler)
--about half a bag of frozen raspberries, 250 grams
--some honey, Traubenzucker, a spoonful of Splenda, or some fruit sugar (to taste)
--a whole peeled banana

whiz in the blender until smooth, sweetened to taste

And to store the rest of the ginger, I cut the root up into small pieces and foil-wrapped them, then stuck the pieces in a large ziploc bag for the freezer. I think I read somewhere that you can freeze ginger for later use.

Today after a much-needed jog, I came up with my own smoothie recipe: Banana, Ginger, and Green Tea!

Banana, Ginger, and Green Tea Smoothie
(serves 2)
--about 300 g thick plain yogurt, more or less, adjusted to your consistency preferences
--one "thumb-sized" chunk of peeled ginger
--one whole peeled banana
--one heaping tablespoon of honey
--one tea cup of brewed green tea (I used vanilla green tea)
--a handful of ice cubes, if the tea is still hot

It had a mild and pleasant flavor, I thought. I think the vanilla flavor in the tea really added something, but if you use plain green tea, vanilla yogurt might be nice, or even some vanilla extract or powder. Enjoy!

Here are some more interesting smoothie ideas from the Good Food Channel. Do you have your own awesome smoothie recipe? Please share! You could win a no-expenses paid trip to see me in Vienna (ha--no giveaways on this blog, sorry)!

Manly Snack: Firey Hot Almonds!

2011-06-27T07:38:00.000-07:00

Almonds are a great healthy snack, but my husband doesn't enjoy eating the plain ones. He likes the kind that have some sort of spice or at least a good dose of salt on them. Well, after enjoying some spicy "buffalo wing" flavored almonds in the States, I got inspired to find a recipe to make flavored almonds at home. I have yet to see the pre-spiced variety here in Vienna, but I'm able to buy plain whole almonds for cheap at one of the discount grocery stores (Lidl). This recipe came out great, and although they turned out way too spicy for me, my husband loved them. I'll have to experiment with a spice mix for my own batch!

Random Ramblings on Outer Beauty

2011-06-10T00:34:00.000-07:00

Men, this one's for the ladies, but feel free to listen in.

Maybe it's because I'm a new mom, or in my 30's now, or both, but I'm becoming more practical when it comes to outer beauty. For a couple of years now, when getting ready to go to the salon, I've found a picture of a celebrity hairstyle online, printed it, and brought it with me in order to illustrate the kind of haircut I'm wanting. Some say that it's good to bring an example picture with you to the salon to have a better chance of getting what you want in a hairstyle. Forget the fact that my hair will never cooperate with being as perfectly straight and smooth as Gwyneth Paltrow's as she sports the perfect "long bob", or that a stylist is always there to do Gwyneth's hair before the Hollywood events where her picture gets taken--every stylist has his or her own definition of "long bob", and after looking at the picture will just go ahead and proceed with cutting your hair the way he or she imagines a bob should be. Add to this the extra special challenge of communicating in a foreign language, and the quest for the celebrity hairstyle becomes hopeless. With my latest visit to the stylist, (granted it was in the States and I could communicate in English), I gave up on asking for a bob and just asked for something a bit shorter with side-swept bangs. So it seems I get better results just talking through simple instructions and being realistic about what my hair will and will not do for me.

About makeup: as I was nearing the end of my pregnancy, I was going through our home trying to organize and simplify just about everything. At that time I also simplified my makeup bag. I feel like at this point in my life I'm getting tired of experimenting with a bunch of eyeshadow shades and am settling in with what I know works for my color of eyes and skin tone, etc. I've also decided that simple, neutral makeup makes me look younger and more rested than the whole "smoky eye" look. And what's with all of the black eyeliner these days?

As for clothing, adjusting to a post-pregnancy body that may or may not return to its pre-pregnancy weight, but not to its exact pre-pregnancy shape, has really helped me simplify my wardrobe. For example, I've found that my feet have gone up to the next half size in shoes. Perfect time to simplify my shoe collection! I've given all of the too-small shoes to the local clothing donation drop box across the street and have decided not to add shoes unnecessarily to my collection--which is also good for our European living space challenges (read: a 470-square-foot apartment with limited storage space) and our budget!

Lemon Cup Cheesecakes

2011-02-24T05:29:00.000-08:00

Once in a while I'll peruse a British cooking magazine or recipe online and have found some great stuff. It has been a fun challenge to use the different measurements and to make use of a kitchen scale when baking. This recipe is a quick dessert (no baking required!) that I go to a lot!

from Sainsbury's Magazine (UK), July 2010
serves 4
prep: 10 minutes
total time: 1 hour 10 min, including chilling

5 Tbsp icing sugar (I use a silverware tablespoon and fruit sugar)
juice of 1 lemon, plus a little zest
150 ml double cream (I use whipping cream and my liquid measuring cup with "ml" markers)
200 ml thick natural yogurt
4 ginger biscuits (I use whole grain "butterkeks" or dry cookie crumbs from old snickerdoodles; graham crackers would be nice)
4 Tbsp raspberries, blueberries, or chopped strawberries

1) Dissolve the icing sugar in the lemon juice. Whip the cream to soft peaks and mix with the yogurt and lemon mixture.
2) Crumble the ginger biscuits into the bottom of four cups or glasses (I suggest skipping this if preparing for the next day; crumble on top before serving) and add a spoonful of fruit to each. Spoon over the yogurt mixture and top with some lemon zest. Chill for an hour or so before eating.

(383 cals; 22 g fat (13 g saturated); 46g carbs; 41g total sugars; 0.2g salt)

I've also made this with much less cream and without the cookie crumbles and it has turned out good. If you're making it for the next day, I'd actually recommend not putting cookie crumbs in until ready to eat. I'd like to experiment with using chocolate yogurt someday and skipping the berries or only using raspberries or strawberries. Let me know if anyone tries this!

Weekly Menu Plan

2011-02-23T18:51:00.000-08:00

I wanted to share a link where you can print a blank template for a weekly menu plan. It may or may not be helpful to you, depending on how organized or flexible you are with the cooking and what your circumstances may be. I actually use this sheet in a backwards way, but it has been a system that has worked for me. Instead of planning a whole week of meals before I've cooked them, I just write down what we've had for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (sometimes with snack and dessert ideas) as the week goes on. That way, I have a record of all the things I made with the ingredients on hand and shopped for that week, and I can use that in the future (assuming we liked all the meals) to shop easier and save money. I have a folder of 5-6 weeks worth of weekly menus to peruse, which comes in really handy when my brain can't think of ONE MORE idea of what to cook, or I'm too overwhelmed to be creative, or I'm busy with a new baby (in the near future!) and a stand-in cook needs some ideas : ). Happy cooking!

WEEKLY MENU PLAN TEMPLATE

French Toasted Pineapple!

2011-02-23T18:25:00.000-08:00

My genius husband came up with this one and it made my day! He was making French toast for our Saturday morning breakfast and ended up having leftover dipping liquid. He found some fine dried breadcrumbs in the pantry ("Semmelbrösel" here in Austria), dipped canned pineapple slices in the crumbs, then in the French toast liquid, then cooked them up! Serve with powdered sugar ("Staubzucker")!

Limes and Carrots, or Just Limes...

2010-06-04T02:47:00.000-07:00

So I had a bag of carrots and a bag of limes in the fridge and wondered what I could make with them. I thought that there are surely recipes out there that combine the two, it just sounds like something gourmet people would do. Or people with limes and carrots in their fridges. Anyway, I tried this recipe for "Carrots with Lime" and it was pretty good--a different take on cooked carrots, not as sweet. We ate it with meatloaf.

Then, from the same source, I saw this tempting lime dessert called, "Lime Esponjado." I haven't tried this yet, as it's a little more labor intensive, but it sounds delicious! I still have a bunch of limes, so I may just make some key lime bars for a church gathering this weekend (sorry, that recipe was cut out of "Women's Day.")

Best of the Web #3

2010-03-04T06:00:00.000-08:00

I'm not the type that can scour the infinite number of food blogs out there on a regular basis, but every few months or so, I stumble upon some great new resources. Today I was perusing the Foodie Blogroll (where SERIOUS food bloggers are featured) and I noticed a blog dedicated to low-glycemic eating (aka, South Beach-friendly and suitable for controlling diabetes). It's called: Lose the Boredom! I especially enjoyed the post from March 2 entitled, "How to Switch to a Low GI Diet." From there, I followed another helpful link with a glycemic index list of foods.

We've come to make Tuscan Baked Eggs from Kalyn's Kitchen a "new old standby" in our home. Instead of the individual baking dishes, I double the sauteed veggies and tomatoes part of the recipe, put it into a large rectangular pyrex dish, and then crack 8 eggs on top, making 4 servings total. Since I don't ever have fresh thyme laying around, I use dried, or substitute dried basil. This is an awesome make-ahead breakfast. We've also occasionally had it for a quick dinner, and I'm not kidding, it makes you think you're eating lasagna! I haven't tried making these yet, but "Eatin' on the Cheap" featured these Egg Cups and they look pretty good.

Also in the news has been Jamie Oliver's winning of the TED prize. If you didn't see his presentation about wanting to teach America to eat healthily, watch it here now! And finally, I must give another shout-out to Snow Professor, because I enjoy their instruction videos so much!

Snowboarding Adventures

2010-03-03T04:55:00.000-08:00

It's true. My husband has talked me into snowboarding. I went for the first time for two days after Christmas while we were in Missouri. Yes, there is a ski hill in Weston, MO called Snow Creek. Here we are after our first lesson:
I was definitely terrified before trying snowboarding, and for me the worst part was the anticipation of something scary. But after the lesson the first day, I was able to stay upright on the board for short distances toeside and fall safely when needed (which was needed often). After that first day, every muscle was aching, so the hot tub at our amazing bed and breakfast was great therapy!

Before snowboarding this last weekend in Austria, we watched some great lesson videos on Snow Professor. When we got to Stuhleck my very patient coach (hubby) was able to help me improve some skills. I successfully exited the chair lift for the first time, and boarded down (actually, traversed--I wasn't ready to pick up speed) a real mountain (although it took all day and involved some sliding and hiking). I was surprised that I wasn't as sore afterward as the first time. Perhaps making myself take the stairs all over the city instead of using elevators helped.

Since Stuhleck is not far from Vienna, the next goal is to go for a day or an afternoon to work on my heelside boarding skills on the baby hill. We'll see if there will be anything left of the ski season in March, or if spring has really set in already. Otherwise, we'll be ready with our gear for next year!

Sugar Substitutes and "Cheesefake"

2010-03-02T10:51:00.000-08:00

Here in Austria I buy "Fruchtzucker" (fruit sugar) because it is lower in glycemic index value. I've baked with it, made maple syrup and caramel sauce with it, and it's all natural! It's handy to have when I'm trying to ration my Splenda or have run out of Splenda. I usually make my "Cheesefake" with Splenda, but I bet the fruit sugar would work well. My "Cheesefake" is a take-off from the "Ricotta Creme" recipe found in the original South Beach Diet book. I adapted the ingredients for Austria/Europe (I'm not always able to find Ricotta where I shop).

"Cheesefake" (makes 2 servings):

Take a 250-gram package of "Mager Topfen" (lowfat curd cheese/ farmer's cheese) in a small mixing bowl. Add 1/8 to 1/4 cup of Splenda or fruit sugar to taste. Cut a lemon in half and grate it across a grater about 25 times to make about 1/4 teaspoon (?) of lemon rind shavings. Add a few drops of vanilla extract if you have it. Mash/mix well with a fork, and voila: Cheesefake!

"Cheesefake Deluxe" (2 servings):

In a mixing bowl, use a handmixer to blend one 250-gram package of Topfen (see above) until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl to get all of it blended. Stir in the other ingredients abovem or replace the lemon with about 1/8 cup to 1/4 cup (or more to taste) of plain cocoa. In a separate mixing bowl, use the handmixer to whip up about 125 ml of Schlagobers (whipping cream), "light" if you can find it (meaning 20% fat over here). Fold in the whipped cream and serve. This recipe is a little more decadent and also has a smoother texture.

As a side note, once you've run out of your vanilla extract rations from the States, here's a recipe to make your own, that is, if you can find whole vanilla beans--I think I've seen some at DM (Drogeriemarkt)!

We can also buy Agave Nectar here, in stores like DM and Spar grocery store. I believe it's less expensive at Spar. Agave is a good replacement for honey and also bakes well. I like to put a bit in my oatmeal at breakfast. Drizzle some Agave over some plain lowfat yogurt and add some thawed frozen raspberries for a treat. Add a dash of cinnamon and a few walnuts if desired.

Rich Chili-Stew with 'Shrooms

2010-02-04T11:32:00.000-08:00

I see this as a cross between a chili and a stew because I decided to go crazy and add mushrooms, and therefore didn't feel like I could simply call this "chili", although it has the thick, meaty consistency of chili and I did use ground beef. So here you go, an original creation I threw together with the stuff we already had at home! This is not a hot-and-spicy chili, but I'm sure you could add some cayenne or
Tabasco sauce to taste, if heat is desired. For y'all in the States, sorry about the use of "grams", but this is how things come in the store here. You can easily convert these amounts through Google.

Rich Chili-Stew with 'Shrooms
(serves 6; South Beach phases 2-3)

2 pounds lower-fat beef (I get this at the Turkish market)
1 large onion
3 small bell peppers
6 cloves garlic
250 grams whole champignon (white) mushrooms, halved or “thirded”
Paprika and oregano to shake
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
5 Tbsp tomato paste
2 Tbsp sugar beet syrup or dark molasses
2 Tbsp chili powder
2 Tbsp cumin
2 cans diced tomatoes
A sprinkling of salt
1 square (10 grams) of dark chocolate (at least 65% cacao), or more to taste
1 can dark red kidney beans, drained (optional)

1. Sautee diced veggies and minced garlic in a small amount of olive oil for about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the surface of the veggies in the pot with paprika and oregano and mix. After the veggies have softened, remove the veggies along with their juices from pot into a bowl.
2. Add ground beef to the emptied pot and brown over medium-high heat. Then add the Worcestershire sauce, dijon, tomato paste, syrup (molasses), chili powder, cumin, and mix well, cooking a bit until you can smell the aromas.
3. Add the tomatoes, stir, and bring to a simmer. Then turn the heat down to low and simmer for about 20 minutes. If you need to add some water at this point, add about 1/3 of a cup. Add the beans (if desired) toward the last 5 minutes of cooking to warm through. Add the reserved veggies along with their juices and warm through. Salt the chili to taste. At the very end, drop in the chocolate square and stir until melted. Serve with a sprinkling of shredded Parmesan or Grana Padano cheese.

Cafe Prückel

2010-02-04T11:12:00.000-08:00

I love this place! I'm there at least once a week for afternoon coffee with my friend Amy. This past Tuesday, after I realized that I'd left my cell phone there the night before, I went there straight after German class. We had been sitting in a smaller, closed-off section of the cafe, so I thought it may be worth checking to see if my phone might have been noticed by the waitstaff before it could've been stolen. After practicing in my head what I would say in German to the staff, I went in, and a tuxedo-clad waiter stopped his quick stride to ask if he could help me. I said my phrase about having left my phone (in all the wrong word order), and he politely answered me in English that a phone had been left, and that he would find out about it. After a few moments, a manager-type had me follow her to the downstairs level, where she had me call my phone on her cell phone to make sure it was really mine (and it was!). The staff could not have been nicer, and now I love the place all the more.

New Old Stand-bys

2009-12-17T10:26:00.000-08:00

Welcome to, "New Old Stand-bys." These are recipes that I come back to time after time because they are fairly easy and so delicious! My hope is that some of these new discoveries, which for me have been fairly fail proof, will save you some time in the kitchen this time of year.

Breakfast Casserole:

In the States, I usually use Jimmy Dean turkey sausage links found next to the bacon and lunch meat. In Vienna, I've made it with kosher miniature hot dogs I found at the Turkish market.

Maple Apple Crisp: In the States, I use sugar-free maple syrup or Agave nectar, which is found in the syrup or honey aisles. I also use whole wheat flour for the crumble topping; you could substitute Smart Balance spread for the butter, and Splenda or part Splenda for the sugar. In Vienna, I use real butter, Agave (found in the health-food aisle of DM), and dark sugar or fruit sugar.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread/Cake: This was delicious—I made it in a glass, rectangular pan as a cake and baked it for 30 minutes. I actually made it without the nuts, and maybe that's why it seemed more cake-like to me. I would also love to try this as cupcakes. I bet you would bake them up to 20 minutes, but I'd do the toothpick test after 10 minutes to see how they're doing. You could frost them with cream cheese frosting, although they wouldn't need any topping, really.

Zucchini Fritters: Yum! I hope you still have zucchini in your area this time of year!

Foil-Baked Salmon with Pesto: I always keep a small jar of pesto on hand for this quick recipe! It also works great with tilapia. I recommend thawing the fish first, even if the package says you can bake them frozen.

Healthier Meatloaf: My favorite meatloaf! In the States, I make this with ground turkey. In Vienna, I go to the Turkish market and get low-fat beef.

Pioneer Woman's Fave Burger: With the quantities she uses for two burgers, which is what is in this recipe, I usually make 4-5 (or half the recipe for 2-3 burgers). The carmelized onion trick is something I'll use from now on! In Vienna, I get some whole grain "Semmeln" to use for buns. Yum!

Cauliflower Gratin: I made this with a little smokey cheddar, and it was great!! Next, I can't wait to try Onion Gratin! When I get around to making it, though, I'll have to throw in some garlic for hubby. Sounds like it would go great with some brisket and a big salad!

Well, I hope you enjoy some of these new old stand-bys and that they become some of your new favorites, too! Merry Christmas!

Tzatziki Chicken Salad

2009-12-17T10:03:00.000-08:00

South Beach Grilled Chicken Salad with Liz's garlicky, chunky Tzatziki Sauce

Chicken:

1 ounce extra-virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon oregano

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

To make the chicken: Combine the oil, lemon juice, oregano, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish; add the chicken. Refrigerate at least an hour. Drain and discard marinade. Grill the chicken until the thickest portion registers 160 degrees F (or, grill in nonstick skillet on medium-high, until both sides are golden and the thickest part of the chicken, when cut into, is no longer pink and the juice runs clear).

Liz's sauce:

1 cup plain nonfat/low fat yogurt, liquid on top drained

3/4 cup peeled and seeded cucumber, finely diced (peel with potato peeler, cut in half lengthwise, gently scoop out seeds with spoon like you would a melon; then finely dice)

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp white vinegar

dash of salt

Mix all sauce ingredients and chill in refrigerator until chicken is done. Serve chicken whole or julienned on a bed of shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes, and sauce drizzled on top. Serves 4.

Tomato Soup for Four

2009-11-10T18:20:00.000-08:00

A side note: this blog has been on extended vacation for a while. Although I'd like to keep it updated much more frequently, it looks like that's not going to happen. Since this blog is not my full-time job (and like you all, I have a life I'm trying to keep up with), I've realized it's unrealistic for me to hope to have weekly original recipes complete with beautiful photos of every step. So, now that I've let myself off the hook and have set my sights a little lower, let's just call this a real-life-expat-mostly-healthy food-adventure blog for my friends.

A long time ago, while living overseas for my first extended period of time, I had to learn to make tomato soup. Back then, this prospect seemed very absurd. I thought, "Is it possible to MAKE tomato soup? How is it done? I thought you always had to get it from a can!" Since then, I've tried to remember the ratio of ingredients I had used from the recipe my roommate had found on the internet six years ago (THANKS, Joy H!). Well, thanks to some input from friends (THANKS, Linda W., Judi and Jenny D!) and a second round of taste-testing from my hubby (THANKS hubby!), here we go:

Tomato Soup for Four
serves: 4

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp butter
1 small red onion, finely diced
2-3 garlic cloves, finely diced
1 Tbsp dried basil
2 Tbsp flour
1/2 cup whole milk
1 liter tomato juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
shredded Parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top before serving

1. If you have a food processor, use it to chop up the onion and garlic until it has a slight "pulp" consistency. (Simply chopping very finely by hand works too, if you don't mind some texture in your soup. For a very smooth soup, use a hand blender after adding the tomato juice to the pot).
2. Melt 2 Tbsp of butter over medium heat and then sautee the onion and garlic for about 5 minutes. Toss in the basil and stir. Add the 2 Tbsp flour and stir well. You may need to turn the heat down to medium-low.
3. After the flour is well mixed-in, add the milk, stirring often until the consistency is a bit like gravy. Then, pour in the tomato juice. Bring the soup to an almost-simmer over medium-low to medium heat, stirring frequently. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon of salt, then serve with a sprinkling of Parmesan on top.
Linda W. also suggests adding a bit of sugar to the soup to cut the acidity if desired. I've found that a half of a Splenda packet also works well. Judi says that baking soda would do the same thing. You may also want to use wheat flour if you're following the South Beach Diet and are in phase 2 or 3. You may also substitute olive oil for the butter, but I prefer the butter taste to the soup. If you live in Europe, I recommend Rauch "Happy Day" tomato juice. It tastes great and has a nice color. Jenny D. sent me this link for another version with fresh tomatoes.

Best of the Web #2

2009-08-29T12:30:00.000-07:00

As the fall approaches and hopefully the weather is getting cooler where you live, you may have the urge to go for a nice run outside. "Map My Run" is a great site that will give you routes in your town, whether you want to run, bike, or hike. I even found Vienna! Thanks to the Diets in Review blog for the great info!

As I was checking in with The Frugal Duchess, I found some great tips in, "How to Get Free E-Books". I'm checking out DailyLit at the moment, so I can try to read some Chekov. I'm having 3 installments sent to me weekly through my email, at 12:30 pm Vienna time. How cool!

Make-them-yourself mixes, sauces, and convenience foods courtesy of the Hillbilly Housewife are handy for saving money, and for saving your usual recipes, if you happen to be an expat without access to readily available items like these. I used the recipe for "Buttery Garlic Rice" yesterday to go with roasted chicken, and it was delicious! I only used one tablespoon of margarine and one bouillion cube (since the ones I have are HUGE), and it came out great. As a side note, I successfully roasted my first chicken, combining tips from Kalyn's Kitchen (turning the oven temperature down for the last part of the cooking time); and Eatin' on the Cheap (with her recipe for herbed butter). As a sub-side note, I did not use a roasting pan, because I don't own one yet. I wouldn't recommend doing this unless you have a ton of Easy Off oven cleaner and a maid. Lesson learned.

Food Adventure: Ranchman's Cafe

2009-05-24T15:46:00.000-07:00

So here's a plug for Ranchman's Cafe

in Ponder, Texas.
We had delicious steak...

fried green tomatoes...

and cobbler! Go there!

Food Adventure: Crawfish

2009-05-24T15:42:00.000-07:00

Before heading to Austria, we headed down to south Texas to visit family. Here's me trying crawfish at Pincher's Boil'n Pot. It was a very messy experience! It tasted okay, but it's not something I think I'll be craving. It must be something you have to grow up eating to really appreciate.

Pioneer Corn Muffins: South-Beach-on-a-Budget Style

2009-05-09T20:04:00.000-07:00

Perfect served with Red Chicken Stew! Crumble half a muffin on top of the stew, and serve the other half on the side with Smart Balance Spread. These have a honey-sweet taste, and you could probably use even less agave than I did to make them less sweet.

South Beach 2-3
makes 12 muffins
modified from Pioneer Corn Meal recipe

for a printable version click here.

Ingredients:
1 cup Pioneer Yellow Corn Meal
1 cup wheat flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup agave nectar
1 cup skim milk
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1. Preheat oven to 450 F. Oil or spray 12-serving muffin pan generously.
2. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl.
3. Mix egg, agave nectar and milk in a separate bowl; then mix into dry ingredients.
4. Stir in vegetable oil and mix well. Fill each muffin cup 2/3 full and bake 10 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in a muffin comes out dry.

Red Chicken Stew

2009-05-09T19:50:00.000-07:00

Is there anything more comforting and delicious than the smell of garlic sauteeing in olive oil? I'm not sure anything's better in my book, although freshly ground and brewed, strong coffee and chocolate chip cookies in the oven are definitely in the top three. Anyway, back to the garlic! This recipe is garlicky, hearty, and is a comfort food in our family! Read this article to find out why garlic is healthy for you.

This recipe is really simple if you already have some cooked chicken in the freezer that you can de-thaw--I did, as well as some chicken stock from when I boiled a whole chicken. For tips on cutting up a whole chicken, click here.

For a printable version, click here.

Serves: 4-5
South Beach 1-3

Ingredients:
2 stalks of celery
4 garlic cloves
1 medium onion
1 Tbsp each paprika, basil, oregano, thyme
2 cups cooked shredded chicken
28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
1 cup chicken broth
1 can great northern beans
dash of salt

1. In a food processor, mince the garlic, then scrape down the bowl. Gradually add onion and celery pieces through the feeder tube with machine running. Stop to scrape down bowl when needed. Continue processing mixture until it is the consistency of a slightly juicy pulp.

2. Heat 1-2 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat in large saucepan. Add the dried herbs and stir for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the vegetable mixture from food processor and sautee, stirring frequently, until veggies are tender, somewhere between 5-7 minutes.

3. Add cooked chicken and all other ingredients to crock pot and cover. Cook 4-6 hours on high or 7-8 hours on low. If desired, serve with corn muffins during phases 2-3 of The South Beach Diet, or with a large salad during phase 1.

The Grocery Store: Going in with a Game Plan

2009-05-08T09:24:00.000-07:00

Check out this great article, "Spend Less, Eat Healthier: The Five Most Important Things You Can Do" on Cheap, Healthy, Good. I found it very helpful and easy to implement into my life! Here's a related article to help you be aware of the marketing tricks in the supermarket, "How Supermarkets Lure You to Buy More", featured on the CBS Early Show. I also enjoyed the article, "How To Fight Back Against Overpriced Cereal" on Casual Kitchen, which also gives ideas on other things to eat for breakfast. Personally, I still buy cereal, but since it's so expensive, I've lately been sticking to less-expensive versions such as Uncle Sam and the store-brand version of Grape Nuts, both of which still fit into our "South Beach on a budget" lifestyle. We also make our cereal last for a while by mixing up the breakfast choices with oatmeal, eggs, breakfast casserole, smoothies, and the occasional made-from-scratch whole wheat pancakes. Visit Kalyn's Kitchen for more breakfast recipes.

Mini Chocolate Lava Cakes

2009-04-10T11:57:00.000-07:00

I modified this recipe from one I saw in February's Everyday with Rachael Ray magazine called, "S'mores Lava Cakes." I made it "friendlier" for phases 2 and 3 of the South Beach Diet as a special treat, because sometimes, you've just gotta have CHOCOLATE!!! You can half this recipe pretty easily to make only 4 servings at a time, or make the whole batch and freeze some of the cakes if you don't have company coming over. Served fresh out of the oven, you'll enjoy an ooey-gooey "lava" center. Eaten the next day, the texture is more like a moist, fudgey cake. Either way, these cakes will satisfy your chocolate craving!

For a printable version, click here.

Serves: 8
South Beach: 2-3, as a special treat
Prep time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:
1 stick (4 oz) Smart Balance Butter Blend, plus more for greasing
1/4 cup Agave nectar
4 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 large eggs plus 2 large yolks, at room temperature
1 Tbsp wheat flour
fat-free Cool Whip for topping

1. Preheat oven to 425 F. Grease 8 sections of a 12-serving muffin tin. In a medium bowl, microwave Smart Balance Butter Blend and chocolate at medium power for 2 minutes; stir until smooth.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks and Agave until foamy. Whisk in the chocolate mixture, then the flour. Fill the prepared muffin tin sections two-thirds full with the batter. Bake until the edges are puffy, 7-9 minutes. Watch this carefully as ovens vary.

3. When baking is done, carefully go around each cake with a rubbler spatula to help separate the sides from the tin. Then, use a spoon the remove each cake and invert the cakes on a plate. Don't worry if some of the cake (bottom of muffin) sticks to the pan, because you'll top it with a dollop of fat-free Cool Whip!

Best of the Web #1

2009-03-09T10:34:00.000-07:00

I'm starting a new feature on this blog called, "Best of the Web." I peruse several blogs related to health, exercise, and finances on a regular basis and would like to pass on helpful items from these blogs. So, here it goes!

Here's a helpful post on core exercises. Although I don't personally do all of these, I regularly do the "plank" and "bicycle", because they are easy to fit into my normal workout. A lot of these don't require special equipment or a gym, so they are great if you're traveling for work or just working out at home. For the really advanced, try the "superman on stability ball!"

Finishing a great workout calls for great food! Here's a simple, healthy, and DELICIOUS soup I found: "Spinach, White Bean, and Turkey Sausage Soup." It's also South Beach friendly for phases 1-3!

For a lower sugar, flourless cookie, try "John's Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies." I recommend using Skippy Natural creamy peanut butter. I also used 1/2 cup of Splenda and 1/2 cup brown sugar instead of 1 cup sugar. These were yummy and are suitable for a special treat during phases 2-3 of South Beach.

Finally, I found some very helpful info on investing advice in these crazy times. Check out the report, "The Wisdom of Great Investors" on Dave Ramsey's website. Click on the video above the download-able report to hear why Dave recommends continuing to invest when the market is down.

Savory Beef Stew

2009-03-05T17:11:00.000-08:00

For this stew, I cubed up half of a roast that was too big for the crock pot. You could also use beef stew meat or beef chuck cut into 1" pieces, removing the fat. If you already have some "Three-Way Veggie Goodness" stew base on hand, this recipe is a breeze!

for a printable version click here.

Serves: 4
South Beach: 1-3
Prep time: 35 minutes, assuming base is already prepared

Ingredients:
1 pound (or slightly more) beef stew meat, cut into 1" pieces, fat removed
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
1 can beef broth
1 can diced tomatoes with juice
stew base ("Three-Way Veggie Goodness")

1. In large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add meat, turning frequently and cooking for about 15 minutes or until browned.

2. Add broth, tomatoes with juice, and "Three-Way Veggie Goodness" and stir. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Three-Way Veggie Goodness

2009-03-05T14:47:00.000-08:00

I was watching the Food Network show, Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, and got inspired when I saw a cook in an Italian restaurant making a big vat of marinara sauce. I thought, "I want to try making my own fresh, veggie-packed sauce!" I then had the idea of making a big batch that could be used for multiple meals in a week. That's how I came up with my idea for "Three-Way Veggie Goodness." The idea is to use this to get a head start on three different meals for the week: Beef Stew (serving 4), Wheat Pasta with Marinara (serving 4), and Chicken Parmesan (serving 4). The Beef Stew is my own recipe, which will be featured in my next post. The Chicken Parmesan recipe came from Kalyn's Kitchen (In place of the poultry seasoning, I used 1/4 tsp sage and 1/4 tsp Italian seasoning. I replaced the 1/4 cup of bread crumbs with 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts, and I used 1/2 cup reduced-fat grated Parmesan cheese. These modifications make it South Beach-friendly for phases 1-3).

for printable version click here.

Makes: Base for beef stew (serving 4); base for marinara sauce (serving 6-8)
South Beach 1-3
Prep time: about 30 minutes

Ingredients:
8-10 garlic cloves (slightly crushed with the heel of your hand over chef's knife, for easy unpeeling)
2-3 medium yellow onions, peeled and quartered
4 celery stalks, chopped into sticks
1-2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1-2 Tbsp basil
1-2 Tbsp sage or oregano
1/2-1 Tbsp paprika

1. In a food processor, mince the garlic, then scrape down the bowl. Gradually add onion and celery pieces through the feeder tube with machine running. Stop to scrape down bowl when needed. Continue processing mixture until it is the consistency of a slightly juicy pulp.

2. Heat 1-2 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat in large saucepan. Add the basil, sage, and paprika and stir for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the vegetable mixture from food processor and sautee, stirring frequently, until veggies are tender, somewhere between 5-7 minutes.

3. Divide the mixture in half. Save one half to make marinara sauce. (When you're ready to make marinara, simmer the veggie pulp together with one 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes for 20 minutes. You may also wish to add 1-2 Tbsp of tomato paste and 1-2 Splenda packets). Save the other half of the veggie pulp to make beef stew.

Go Nuts!

2009-02-17T16:06:00.001-08:00

Nuts are healthy, an easy snack, and good for adding protein to many dishes. However, they can be expensive if bought in the wrong places. I've learned that nuts can be less expensive in the baking aisle than in the nuts/snacks aisle. This one-pound bag of almonds has 16 servings, and I bought it on sale for $5. I also check the Walgreens ads and sometimes find good deals on nuts and high-fiber cereal there. I try to stock up on nuts during sales whenever possible and just keep them on hand. During phase 1 of the South Beach Diet, enjoy 1/4 cup of plain almonds for a snack. In Phase 2 and beyond, I recommend adding 6 semi-sweet chocolate chips! In addition to getting almonds, I head to the baking aisle for finely chopped walnuts. I buy the cheapest 10-ounce bag I can find and it actually lasts a long time as an oatmeal or yogurt mix-in or sprinkled on top of chocolate pudding and Cool Whip. I've also been experimenting with grinding up the chopped walnuts in the food processor as a flour substitute (which I'll explain in my next post)! In upcoming days, I'll also post a great Chicken Parm recipe that's baked and uses nuts for the "breading."

food

Pumpkin Pudding-tinis

2009-02-17T16:04:00.000-08:00

The inspiration for this dessert came from one I found in Woman's Day magazine by KRAFT FOODS-sponsored cook, Katie Brown, for "Turtle Pumpkin Pie." I adapted it to add some variety to the sugarfree pudding that begins to get all-too familiar, especially during South Beach phase 2. My husband took this lovely photo of the result! I served these up in plastic martini glasses to make them extra appealing. Another idea for "dressing up" your normal pudding would be to layer sliced strawberries in white chocolate or cheesecake-flavored Jello pudding and top with a dusting of sugarfree cocoa mix or 5-6 chocolate chips.

For printable version of recipe click here.

Serves: 4 (3/4-cup servings)
Prep time: 5 minutes plus refrigeration
South Beach phases 2-3

Ingredients:
2 cups cold skim milk
1 package sugarfree instant vanilla Jello pudding mix (3.4 oz)
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup fat-free or lite Cool Whip
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
additional Cool Whip and 5-6 semi-sweet chocolate chips for topping each serving, if desired

1. Whisk together milk and pudding mix according to package directions. Add the canned pumpkin, 1/4 cup Cool Whip, nutmeg, and cinnamon, and whisk until well-blended and smooth.
2. Pour mixture into 4 plastic martini glasses or small dessert dishes. Each serving will be about 3/4 cup. If making dessert ahead of time, cover each serving with plastic wrap before refrigerating. Dessert should be ready to eat within 10 minutes.
3. Before serving, top with dollop of Cool Whip and chocolate chips or finely chopped walnuts or pecans.
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Couponing Without Going Crazy

2009-02-17T16:03:00.000-08:00

I've fairly recently entered the world of "couponing", by which I mean buying the Sunday paper for the purpose of cutting out the coupons, searching for good online coupons to print out, and matching up coupons with store sales. My husband actually got me started with coupon mania when he signed up with The Grocery Game in order to save us money, and it has been great! The Grocery Game will let you print a list of advertised and unadvertised weekly sales going on at your local grocery store (for a small fee) and will tell you which coupon to use with the sales items in order to give you the best deals. This saves me a ton of leg-work time so that I don't have to flip through all the store circulars and calculate which deals are the best. Coupon Mom is a free website that has a list of advertised sales for your area and store. Be sure to read her free e-Book, "Cut Your Grocery Bill in Half" (on the home page of the website) for lots of strategic shopping tips.

One of the most important things I've learned is to have my shopping list and coupons ready before going to the store, and I only take the coupons I'll be using for that shopping trip. Since I love cutting out all of the coupons at once for some reason, I store them in envelopes by category: groceries, toiletries, cleaning supplies, etc. Then, when my shopping list is made, I put the list, along with only the coupons I need, into a ziploc baggy in my purse. I know of others who may use a coupon organizer or index card organizer, and one friend stores her coupons in baseball card sleeves for easy visualization. Another way to keep your coupons organized simply is to keep the coupon pages intact, write the date at the top, and store in a file folder. Then, just clip the ones you need when it's sale time!

For the majority of my purchases, I try to buy only what's on sale, or even better, what's on sale plus I have a coupon for it! I admit, it takes discipline and focus to bypass items that aren't on my list, but I'm getting better at it. If I absolutely need a certain item for a recipe that week, I'll buy the generic if the brand name isn't on sale. Even if I have a coupon to go along with the sale, I still check the generic prices and buy them if they're still cheaper. Another way I try to save money is to plan the meals I'm making that week around what I already have in my pantry/fridge, what I need to use up, and what's on sale.

Here are some more fun coupon ideas:
1. Find a coupon exchange buddy. Give each other the coupons you won't use and you'll accumulate duplicate coupons in order to stock up on sale items!
2. If you don't want to buy the Sunday paper, ask around at work, your neighborhood, family, or church to get your hands on an unused Sunday coupon section!
3. Keep an envelope of extra coupons in your purse and give them to a different friend each week (okay, I'm a dork)!
4. Don't throw out coupons you won't necessarily use, like for diapers. Think of any new parents you know of that could really appreciate multiple coupons for diapers! Better yet, use the coupons to buy diapers for a single mother in your neighborhood.
5. Even if limited living space doesn't allow you to stock up on sale + coupon items, or you're only cooking for one or two people, take advantage of the sale and donate food to a local food bank!

Restaurant-Style Hummus

2009-02-12T15:55:00.000-08:00

(from COOK'S magazine, May/June 2008)

Makes about 2 cups. The hummus can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 5 days. If you do not plan on serving it immediately, refrigerate hummus and garnishes separately. When ready to serve, stir in approx. 1 tablespoon of warm water if the texture is too thick. Liz's notes: a hand-held lemon juicer tool comes in handy for this. I use a small steamer basket over a bowl to catch the seeds and keep them out of the juice. Fresh lemons are usually cheap and nice to have on hand for many recipes.

for printable version click here.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

South Beach 1-3

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp juice from 1-2 lemons (or 1/8 of a cup)
1/4 cup water
6 Tbsp tahini, stirred well (find tahini in the international foods aisle)
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 (14-oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 small garlic clove (I use 3 cloves)
1/2 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp ground cumin
Pinch cayenne
1 Tbsp minced fresh cilantro or parsley

1. Combine lemon juice and water in liquid measuring cup. Whisk together tahini and 2 Tbsp oil in second small bowl or measuring cup. Set aside 2 Tbsp chickpeas for garnish.

2. Process remaining chickpeas, garlic, salt, cumin, and cayenne in food processor until almost fully ground, about 15 seconds. Scrape down bowl with rubber spatula. With machine running, add lemon juice-water mixture in steady stream through feed tube. Scrape down bowl and continue to process for 1 minute. With machine running, add oil-tahini mixture in steady stream through feed tube; continue to process until hummus is smooth and creamy, about 15 seconds, scraping down bowl as needed.

3. Transfer hummus to serving bowl, sprinkle reserved chickpeas and cilantro over surface, cover with plastic wrap, and let stand until flavors meld, at least 30 minutes. Drizzle with olive oil and serve. For South Beach phase 1, serve with fresh veggie sticks like celery and bell peppers. In phases 2-3, you could also add whole wheat pita triangles or whole wheat crackers. I like 100% whole grain Wheat Thins!

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Coconut Tilapia with Apricot Dipping Sauce

2009-02-12T12:14:00.000-08:00

My good friend Tiffany Marts modified this recipe which she found on allrecipes.com. She made it South Beach-friendly for phases 2and 3 and did her own delicious twist on the sauce. I assure you this will quickly become a staple dish in your house as it is in ours. Even if you're not usually excited about eating fish, I dare you not to love this recipe! I find frozen tilapia very inexpensive at the grocery store. Another money-saving tip: you could use a combo of eggs and egg whites broken in a liquid measuring cup to measure 4 ounces instead of using egg substitute. Serve tilapia with mixed vegetables, salad, and/or long grain brown rice or couscous.

For printable version click here.

Serves: 4
South Beach 2-3
Prep time: 10-15 minutes
Bake time: 8-10 minutes in 375 F oven

Ingredients:
1 cup unsweetened flaked coconut, finely chopped
2 Tbsp whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp Creole seasoning, like Tony Cachere's (Tiffany makes her own by mixing paprika, thyme, oregano, pepper, garlic powder, a little cayenne, a little salt)
4 (4oz) tilapia fillets
1/4 cup cornstarch
4 oz egg substitute (or mixture of egg and egg whites)
Apricot Dipping Sauce:
1/2 cup sugarfree apricot jam
2 tsp brown mustard
1 tsp lite soy sauce
1 tsp worcestershire sauce

1. Toss together coconut, flour, and Creole seasoning in a bowl or pie plate. In a separate bowl or pie plate, toss tilapia with cornstarch and shake off excess. Pour egg substitute in a third bowl/pie plate and dip fillets. Then press fillets into coconut mixture, coating all sides.
2. Preheat oven to 375 F. Place coated fillets on lightly greased baking sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes or until coconut is slightly brown. Prepare dipping sauce by stirring together ingredients in small bowl. Serve with the fish.
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Crustless Quiche

2009-02-05T08:56:00.000-08:00

I usually thaw the spinach half a day in advance in a bowl in the fridge. Packaged shredded cheese saves time as well, and it's usually not a huge price difference between it and block cheese.

For printable version click here.

Safe for South Beach phases 1-3
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: about 1 hour (325 F)
Serves: 5-6

Ingredients:
5 eggs and 3 egg whites, beaten
1 1/2 cups skim milk
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion, sauteed
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
dash of ground nutmeg
3/4 cup chopped cooked ham or turkey kielbasa
8 ounces chopped frozen spinach, thawed
1 cup shredded 2 % (reduced fat) sharp cheddar cheese

1. Sautee chopped onion in nonstick skillet with cooking spray or a little olive oil over medium heat until soft, about 3 minutes. In a 9-inch deep stoneware pie plate, completely cover interior with a double layer of foil (first layer top-to-bottom; second layer side-to-side) and press to secure. The idea is not to have any gaps so the liquid won't escape behind the foil. Then, spray foil with cooking spray.

2. In a large bowl stir together egg mixture, milk, and the rest of the ingredients. Bake in a 325-degree (F) oven for an hour, or until knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

During phase 1, serve with coleslaw, salad, or raw veggies with low-sugar Ranch dressing or hummus. During phase 2, serve with the above or with fruit.
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Eating Plan

2009-02-03T06:42:00.000-08:00

You know, I really don't like the "d" word ("diet"). In my opinion, The South Beach Diet should be renamed The South Beach Eating Plan. But they didn't ask me. I propose, though, that each of us should make the edit in our minds every time we think about the food we're eating. Just as Dave Ramsey says we should think about our budgets as "spending plans" so as not to focus on the restrictions, I think the same principle applies here. The purpose of a spending plan is to actually give you more freedom with your money and to be able to have more more money laying around in the long run that you can "tell what to do." This eating plan we are following has many options and can be tailored to our tastes and lifestyles. The beauty of the South Beach plan is that it's not about counting calories in our "budget." It's about making better food choices as a lifestyle and figuring out what your body can handle and how it runs best. It's about not being too hard on yourself, giving yourself some grace when you happen to "stray", and to just get back on the plan. Following this plan consistently, we will have more energy, better health and body function, and greater ability to use our lives to serve God and others. What do you say? Let's do it!

Crock Pot Recipe for Kielbasa

2009-01-27T14:07:00.000-08:00

I revised this recipe for "Hot Kielbasa and Potato Salad" from my Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook. My version uses cabbage instead of potatoes and is safe for phases 1-3 of The South Beach Diet. You may want to coordinate and make this recipe within a week of the fish tacos or another cole slaw recipe to use up any remaining cabbage. If you want to make 2 servings instead of 4, use the remaining 1/2 package of turkey kielbasa not used in the Black Bean Chili (below).

for printable version click here.

Prep: 25 minutes

Cook: 6-8 hours on low/4-4 1/2 hours on high

Makes: 4 main-dish servings

Ingredients:

1/2 medium cabbage, cut in large pieces

1 pound cooked turkey kielbasa (smoked sausage), cut into 1-inch pieces

1 cup chopped onion (1 large)

1 cup chopped celery (2 stalks)

1 cup water

2/3 cup cider vinegar

1/4 cup Splenda (or store brand)

3/4 tsp celery seeds (could also try carraway)

1/4 tsp black pepper

4-6 cups fresh spinach leaves

1. Place the cabbage chunks into a 3 1/2 to 4-qt slow cooker. Add sausage, onion, and celery. In medium bowl stir together water, vinegar, Splenda, celery seeds, and pepper. Pour over sausage and vegetables in slow cooker.

2. Cover and cook (see settings above).

3. To serve, divide spinach among four dinner plates. Drizzle 2 Tbsp of the cooking juices over spinach on each plate. Using a slotted spoon, remove cabbage and sausage from cooker and arrange on top of spinach. Yum!

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Black Bean Chili

2009-01-21T14:25:00.000-08:00

I've modified this slow cooker recipe from its original version found in Cook's Country magazine, June/July 2008 issue, page 8. I've made it more South Beach-friendly and economical. It works for The South Beach Diet phases 1-3. I also modified it to fit into my medium-large, oval Crock Pot. This is a nice recipe to make on the weekend for the coming week, since it's a little time intensive. It makes a big batch and freezes well.

For printable recipe click here.

Serves: 8
Prep Time (before turning on Crock Pot): 1 hour
Ingredients:
1 to 1 1/2 onions, chopped
2 bell peppers (any color), seeded and chopped
2 jalapeno chiles, seeded and chopped fine (be sure not to touch your face when handling!)
1/8 to 1/4 cup chili powder
2 Tbsp ground cumin
2 Tbsp dried oregano
5 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups water
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 pound dried black beans, rinsed
7 ounces turkey kielbasa/Polish sausage (preferably lower sodium), sliced
1 can (14 oz) no added salt diced tomatoes
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained
3 Tbsp lime juice

1. Cook onions, peppers, and jalapenos in Dutch oven in 2-3 Tbsp olive oil until softened, about 8 minutes. Transfer half of sauteed veggies to medium bowl, wrap with plastic, and reserve in fridge. Add chili powder, cumin, and oregano to pot with remaining veggies (add about 2 Tbsp of water if pot becomes too dry) and cook until deeply fragarant, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in water, broth, dried beans, and turkey keilbasa slices. Bring to a boil and let simmer 5 minutes.

2. Make sure your kitchen sink is clean and empty. Dry with a paper towel. Place the inner stoneware "crock" of your slow cooker in sink, then pour the bean mixture carefully into it. Put "crock" back into slow cooker and arrange a piece of foil on surface of liquid. Cover and cook on low until beans are tender, 7-9 hours (or 4-6 hours on high).

3. Remove lid and discard foil. Stir in tomatoes, then cover and cook on high another 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, transfer canned beans to bowl and mash with potato masher until rough paste forms. Stir mashed beans, lime juice, and refrigerated veggies into slow cooker. Cook, covered, until heated through, about 5 minutes. Serve with lowfat sour cream and reduced fat shredded Monterey Jack cheese if desired.
food

Fish Tacos

2009-01-14T06:17:00.000-08:00

I got this recipe from my Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book. It originally called for packaged coleslaw mix, but I shred fresh cabbage in my food processor to save money. A head of cabbage is one of the cheapest items in the produce section.

For printable version click here.

Total time: 20 minutes
Oven: 450
serves 2

Ingredients:
12 ounces fresh or frozen skinless fish fillets (I use frozen tilapia)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp garlic powder
3 Tbsp mayonnaise or salad dressing (I use Lite Miracle Whip)
1 tsp lime juice
1 1/2 cups shredded cabbage
(in later South Beach phases 2 & 3, I serve with 6 soft corn tortillas, warmed)
Large green or red lettuce leaves for phase 1, if desired

1. Thaw fish, if frozen. Rinse fish; pat dry with paper towels. Cut fish crosswise into 3/4-inch slices. Place fish in a single layer in a greased shallow baking pan. Combine olive oil, cumin, and garlic powder. Brush over fish. Bake in a 450 degree oven 4-6 minutes or until fish begins to flake when tested with a fork.

2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl stir together mayo and lime juice. Add cabbage; toss to coat. To serve, spoon some of the coleslaw mixture onto each tortilla and add fish (or serve without tortillas). I've never tried this, but you may want to make these into lettuce wraps for phase 1. May serve with salsa and green Tabasco sauce (to taste). I serve with black beans and tomatoes (see entry below).

To make the coleslaw a little fancier, try this recipe from Rachael Ray:

http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/food/recipes/red-white-and-blue-slaw-salad/

I substitute Splenda to make it South Beach friendly, and I use crumbled Feta cheese (Lite if you can find it) because I find it cheaper than blue cheese.
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Easy Black Beans and Tomatoes

2009-01-13T13:19:00.000-08:00

This is a very basic recipe I threw together that is economical and South Beach friendly for all 3 phases.

For printable version click here.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10-15 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients
1 can black beans, drained
1 can no added salt diced tomatoes, undrained
1-2 teaspoons chili powder (or more to taste)
1-2 teaspoons cumin (or more to taste)
1 teaspoon garlic powder or garlic salt (or more to taste)
Juice from 1 small lime (optional)

Directions
Pour the beans and tomatoes into a medium saucepan.
Add the remaining ingredients and stir.
Cook on medium heat 10-15 minutes or until simmering hot.
Serve in small bowls or use slotted spoon to plate alongside fish tacos or grilled chicken.
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A ton of budget tips

2009-01-12T16:09:00.000-08:00

I found a ton of money-saving tips for doing the South Beach Diet on a budget on this blog:

http://healthyeatingplan.blogspot.com/2006/10/how-to-save-money-and-eat-healthy.html

Some of these tips are really hard core, so pick the ones you think are actually feasible for you and your family. I especially liked the idea of shopping the "bargain bin" in the produce section (in my grocery store, it's usually next to the double doors that the produce staff use). Another good tip mentioned in the above blog was using cottage cheese instead of ricotta. I'd like to hear if anyone ever tried the ricotta dessert recipe using cottage cheese.

2009-01-12T15:52:00.000-08:00

Coupon Sources

2009-01-11T10:05:00.000-08:00

I find good coupons for Laughing Cow cheese, Fiber One cereal, Eight O'Clock coffee, and Heartland wheat pasta at Smartsource.com and couponmom.com (see sidebar links). I also use coupons from the Sunday paper (borrowed or bought on Monday) to play "The Grocery Game" (see "links"). By using The Grocery Game system, along with the double and triple coupons I get at my grocery store (Kroger), I save tons. I recommend doing The Grocery Game, or at least paying attention to the store sale circulars to buy what's on sale and finding a grocery store that will double or triple the value of a paper coupon. If you are shopping at Wal-Mart (still generally the cheapest for produce, dairy items, and canned goods), you can take the Wednesday grocery store circular which comes in the mail, and Wal-Mart will apparently match the sale prices of their competitors. The downsides are that Wal-Mart doesn't double coupons and sometimes doesn't have the same products that are on sale at the other stores. Happy hunting!

South Beach on a Budget

2009-01-11T09:38:00.000-08:00

http://weightloss.about.com/cs/southbeachdiet/a/aa030304a.htm

This article definitely explains my approach to South Beach. Now that we're in phase 2, I hardly ever use the recipes in the book. I'm just adapting my usual recipes. Even in phase 1, I used frozen fish at times instead of fresh to save money, and we never did the ricotta dessert thing just because ricotta cheese is a bit pricey. Instead, we would enjoy sugar-free jello from the box and store-brand sugar-free popsicles and fudgesicles.

http://www.usatoday.com/life/lifestyle/2004-05-02-diet-budget-usat_x.htm

At the bottom of this article are tips for saving money on South Beach. These are also good, except that I stick to buying generic EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) instead of canola.

Spinach 101

2009-01-11T09:27:00.000-08:00

I love fresh spinach, and the unpackaged kind is always cheaper. Here is a handy tip from Rachel Ray to easily clean a fresh bunch of spinach: Put the spinach, unbundled, into a large bowl and fill it with cold water. Let it sit for 30 minutes, and all of the sand and dirt will settle to the bottom. Then, rinse off any of the remaining surface dirt and spin in the salad spinner.

Another spinach trick: when a pasta or quiche recipe calls for fresh spinach, I usually substitute a package of frozen spinach that I've thawed. It can be much cheaper and I usually have some on hand. One word of caution, though--you may need to increase the cooking time just a little because of the extra moisture in the frozen spinach.

Lettuce 101

2009-01-11T06:58:00.000-08:00

One indispensible tool in my kitchen is the salad spinner. Mine is a cheap one that I bought at Wal-Mart about 5 years ago. It makes it so much easier to wash and serve fresh, unpackaged lettuce. It also saves me money. For example, I usually find Romaine lettuce at the grocery store for about $1.48 per head. I'm able to get at least 6 big salads out of it, which comes to about 25 cents per serving. The packaged green lettuce is usually around $2.50 or more, and makes maybe 3 servings, which averages out to 83 cents per serving.

When making a salad, I'll tear the lettuce in pieces and put it into the salad spinner to rinse. Then, I'll spin to dry. Whatever is not used in a salad for that meal I can usually keep in the spinner up to 3 days in the fridge. Another tip for salads: If I'm grilling or baking chicken for dinner, I'll make a little extra in order to cut up and serve on tomorrow's lunch salad.

Purpose

2009-01-10T09:25:00.000-08:00

I've been inspired lately to create a blog to help people follow the South Beach Diet on a budget. Since my husband and I started following this plan about 6 months ago, I've learned to adapt recipes on the plan to make them CHEAPER as well as making favorite recipes SB friendly. Therefore, the address for this blog is, "budgetsb" standing for, "Budget South Beach." I will post shopping tips, recipes, and eventually, exercise tips for people who travel for work, don't have access to a gym, or simply want to save time. Be encouraged: you CAN be healthy, on a budget, and on the go!