Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice

Let's have a moment of honesty.

How many of you (us) have tried "diet" food?  I'm talking meal-replacement shakes and bars, frozen meals, and even just those brands that try to sub out your favorite flavors for a super food stand-in?  Uhh, sorry, but there's no way you're convincing me that those cacao nibs are better than milk chocolate chips, so stop trying to put them in "sweets".  Not only is the taste different (or lacking), but it's more expensive because it's supposedly better for me.

I'm going to probably hate myself for admitting this, but if I had to guess, I would estimate that I've spent over $2,000 in the last 10 years on food that was imitating the food I really wanted.  

TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS!

That's like, six designer handbags.  That's a decent down-payment on a new car.  That's half of my tuition for next semester...

It's also an embarrassing chunk of change to admit to.  And, the worst part is, that's not even counting the non-edible investments I've made to lose weight.  I'm talking the punching bag I bought and never used, the physio-balls, the free weights, the stationary bike, the gym memberships, the subscriptions, the prescriptions and all that other nonsense.  

I don't even want to guess how much money I've wasted.

Nowadays, I try to be a little wiser.  I know myself enough to know that those things won't work, mostly because they consistently haven't worked.  My next focus has been on taking foods that are inexpensive, easy to find and worth eating anyway, and use them in meals to replace the bad stuff.

The biggest problem I've had is convincing my brain.  When I'm missing the feel of chewy bread or silky smooth pasta or creamy potatoes, a salad is generally not going to trick me into thinking I'm satisfied.  That's one reason I truly believe that people (like me) can be addicted to carbohydrates.  

If I want to succeed, I have to find things that legitimately fool me into fullness. 

This is one of the only things I've found so far that has worked for me, so naturally, I have to share it with you!

Cauliflower rice is, like, my new thing.

I'm not even a habitual rice eater, as I much prefer pasta, but this is definitely working.  I've been experimenting with cauliflower as mashed potatoes, breadsticks and even pizza crust, but the rice version has been by far the most believable thus far.

This Cilantro Lime version is great for me because I love rice in burritos, but the redundancy of carbs in burritos is insane.  I mean, rice wrapped in a tortilla shell?  That's overkill.  Delicious overkill.  

I love that I can keep my burrito shell, and still feel content with the cauliflower rice.  If I really want to go low-carb, I can make a burrito bowl without the shell and still feel full afterward.  

WIN!

Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice

1 head cauliflower
1 cup water
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
2 tbsp lime juice
Salt & Pepper to taste


Cut cauliflower into small florets and pulse in a food processor until you get the size of grains of rice.

In a large pot, cook the cauliflower rice with water over medium heat for about 10-15 minutes, or until cauliflower is soft.  Remove from heat and add the rest of the ingredients.  

Serve hot.

Yellow Squash & Onions

Summertime is here.

Not officially.  We still have a couple weeks.  But, where I'm at in upstate New York, it already feels like summer with temperatures reaching 80+ degrees already.  One of my favorite things to do, especially when I'm trying to eat well, is grill meat and veggies.

This recipe for squash and onions caught my eye because I felt it was something I could saute in a pan or in a foil packet on the grill.  I like versatile dinner sides like that.

Eating well has always been a struggle for me.  I've always been obsessed and addicted to carbs.  That's what I'm loving about trying all of these new recipes.  Yellow squash is a great way to get a minimal amount of energy-producing carbs in without splurging.  It also makes me feel full without gorging myself on bread and pasta.

I've also found that the heaviness of a lot of carb-heavy foods has the opposite of its intended effect on me.  Instead of filling me with energy, it makes me tired and without ambition.  Something like a potato or squash seems to have the opposite effect.  I'm energized and ready to do all sorts of fun things.  I'm excited to see if this continues as I venture away from grains for good... maybe.

Here's an easy recipe for squash and onions that you can cook a variety of ways, depending on what you're doing or where you are.  As I said, this could easily be sauteed in a pan for an indoor dinner, but in honor of the weather, I'm going to put this in a foil packet and cook it over the grill!
















Yellow Squash & Onions

1 yellow squash, sliced into thin discs
1/2 yellow onion, sliced into thin ribbons
1 tbsp brown sugar
Salt & Pepper to taste
2 tbsp butter, halved

Arrange two large pieces of foil on the countertop.  Use a non-stick spray to grease the foil.

Mix the squash, onions, brown sugar and seasoning in a bowl.  Pour 1/2 the squash mixture into the center of one piece of foil.  Top with 1 tbsp of butter, preferably cut into several pats and arranged over the top of the mixture.  Take the two ends of the foil and bring them up towards each other so they meet.  Fold the ends over to secure the foil over the squash.  Fold up the ends to fully enclose the squash in the foil.

Repeat with the second piece of foil.

Cook over a grill for about 20 minutes.  Serve hot.

Maple Dijon Chicken

Last year, I went on a no-carb diet.

It lasted all of a few weeks.  You may remember it, as I brought you all along.  In those few short weeks, I felt slimmer, healthier and more energized than I had in a long time.

Then... bread happened. 

I missed it so much.  I thought I was fastened securely inside the wagon only to be violently chucked to the curb, unable to get back on. 

Cut to today, and I'm a hot mess.

Why?  Well, because last week, we enjoyed a nice relaxing vacation in Atlantic City.  Nothing big, just a little reset button after I finished school for the semester.  When I got back, I was horrified to find that the scale in my bathroom was hovering on a number I hadn't seen since my senior year of high school.

Now, mind you, after I graduated high school, I got good and small.  Apparently, I looked really good.  In a case of what I self-diagnosed as mild body dysmorphia (the altered perception of one's body), I never saw what other people saw when I looked in the mirror.  I never felt thin, or good in my clothes.  I still saw the same girl from high school.

Now, I am officially the same girl as I was in high school.

People, this is a terrible thing for me.  I see exactly what my problem is.  An intense addiction to food.  A severe lack of willpower.  A million stressors on my plate.  All day.  Every day.

So, today, I have decided to change everything.  First and foremost, I'm going to allow this website and it's readers to hold me accountable.  I've set plans in motion for the sake of my health and I intend to prove to you that I can achieve my goals.

I watched a couple documentaries about food on Hulu and Netflix so I've officially scared myself off some foods for the next 3-4 days.  I've made a list of 5k runs and 1 sprint triathlon in August that I plan to accomplish.  This should help motivate me to improve my fitness.  I'm also going to get back into the habit of searching out lean protein and vegetable ideas to try and share with you.  This helped me last time, so I'm hoping to do well again.

Send words of encouragement because I'm descending into the low-carb vortex again and it's going to be awfully dark and sad for a while.  Hope to see my slimmer, healthier, sunnier disposition on the other side!






Maple Dijon Chicken

1 lb. chicken breasts

Maple Dijon Sauce:
3 tbsp melted butter
3 tbsp dijon mustard
2 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp onion powder
Salt & Pepper to taste


Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a large bowl.

Combine the chicken in a plastic bag with half the sauce.

Marinate for at least one hour.

Grill chicken breasts on a grill until thoroughly cooked.  Remove from heat.

Pour the second half of the sauce over the chicken prior to serving.

Bulletproof Coffee

Can we talk about sleep?

Recently, I've been trying to improve my overall health and well-being by changing my eating and fitness habits.  Since I was taking a long break from work to go on vacation, I thought it would be a good time to start my new plan.

Then... I went back to work.

Being a night-shifter for several years, I never realized the toll that a lack of sleep could have on me.  

The days leading up to my return to work were great.  I didn't feel hungry.  I had a new goal in life and it felt realistic.  I was exercising.  I was LIKING vegetables, like, at every meal.  It was only a few days, but it felt like a huge positive change.  

Then, the morning following my first shift back, everything changed. 

My energy was gone.  My willpower was gone.  I felt it dissipate as soon as I got to work.  The constant temptation of office desk candy and late-night pizza deliveries loomed over me.  Working night shifts is something I truly feel contributed to my obnoxious and embarrassing weight gain.  The sleep cycle changes screw up my metabolism.  The meal time changes screw up my mindset.

It seems wholly unfair that you can mistake bored for hungry, but also tired for hungry.  Why is it that at 3AM, I just want to plow 150 grams of carbs into my face?  And, sometimes, I do.  And, it never helps.

So, I wanted to come up with something I could make in the middle of the night that could stave off cravings, keep me energized and get me through until morning.

First, I tried vegetables.  Now, I'm not calling myself a genius, but my mind does know the difference between candy and cucumber slices.  My mind was also unwilling to be satiated by veggies made of mostly water.

I researched ketogenic fat bombs, but the ingredients list is far too specific.  My pantry consists of things that I can use in several recipes.  I don't have baking chocolate made with 99% cocoa, or MCT oil, or whatever erythritol is.  If I need a fat bomb that bad, it's going to be the real thing!

Then I found bulletproof coffee.  It sounded...disgusting.  Butter in coffee?  What???

Trying to be a little less cynical, I decided to, at least, look it over.  No harm in a little reading, right?  I had coffee at home.  I had butter.  I had coconut oil, which has these MCTs in them that everyone seems to be raging about these days.  If it sounded somewhat legit, I'd be worth trying it.

I had to sift through a ton of a debatable "research" and just decided to go with it.  Everyone, it seems, on the internet has an opinion about what type of ingredients to use.  Grass-fed vs. Grain-fed butter.  Coconut oil vs. MCT oil.  Espresso vs. Coffee.  I don't know that I believe there is a huge nutritional benefit one way or another.  Plus, I'm not using this as a stand-in for my veggie-laden omelets or my vitamin-packed smoothies.  I need something to keep me from drowning in carbs at random hours of the night while I work.  I used grass-fed butter because I buy it from a local Amish establishment that sells it.  I buy coconut oil because it has several other applications in my life.  And, I drink coffee normally, so I stick with that over espresso.

So, this is the recipe I tried, and it's actually... not that bad.  It definitely doesn't compare to a Frappuccino or an Iced Capp from Tim Horton's, but it's an easy meal/snack replacement I can do at work that does make me feel a little fuller.  I can't say that it's a true meal replacement option for me.  I wouldn't sacrifice my normal breakfast options for this.  But, I think it gets me over the 3AM hump, so I can get out of work in the morning without reaching for candy.  It keeps me awake, and keeps me away from the snacks.












Bulletproof Coffee

1 cup of brewed coffee
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp coconut oil


Combine ingredients in a coffee mug and sip as you would coffee.

I tend to use a little natural sweetener in this also.  I've read some posts about using cinnamon and cocoa powder as well, but I have not tried it.  You can sweeten and flavor this any way you want!

Roasted Carrots with Maple Dijon Sauce

Last year, I went on a no-carb diet.

It lasted all of a few weeks.  You may remember it, as I brought you all along.  In those few short weeks, I felt slimmer, healthier and more energized than I had in a long time.

Then... bread happened. 

I missed it so much.  I thought I was fastened securely inside the wagon only to be violently chucked to the curb, unable to get back on. 

Cut to today, and I'm a hot mess.

Why?  Well, because last week, we enjoyed a nice relaxing vacation in Atlantic City.  Nothing big, just a little reset button after I finished school for the semester.  When I got back, I was horrified to find that the scale in my bathroom was hovering on a number I hadn't seen since my senior year of high school.

Now, mind you, after I graduated high school, I got good and small.  Apparently, I looked really good.  In a case of what I self-diagnosed as mild body dysmorphia (the altered perception of one's body), I never saw what other people saw when I looked in the mirror.  I never felt thin, or good in my clothes.  I still saw the same girl from high school.

Now, I am officially the same girl as I was in high school.

People, this is a terrible thing for me.  I see exactly what my problem is.  An intense addiction to food.  A severe lack of willpower.  A million stressors on my plate.  All day.  Every day.

So, today, I have decided to change everything.  First and foremost, I'm going to allow this website and it's readers to hold me accountable.  I've set plans in motion for the sake of my health and I intend to prove to you that I can achieve my goals.

I watched a couple documentaries about food on Hulu and Netflix so I've officially scared myself off some foods for the next 3-4 days.  I've made a list of 5k runs and 1 sprint triathlon in August that I plan to accomplish.  This should help motivate me to improve my fitness.  I'm also going to get back into the habit of searching out lean protein and vegetable ideas to try and share with you.  This helped me last time, so I'm hoping to do well again.

Send words of encouragement because I'm descending into the low-carb vortex again and it's going to be awfully dark and sad for a while.  Hope to see my slimmer, healthier, sunnier disposition on the other side!






Roasted Carrots with Maple Dijon Sauce

6 large carrots
Olive oil
Salt & Pepper to taste

Maple Dijon Sauce:
3 tbsp melted butter
3 tbsp dijon mustard
2 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp onion powder
Salt & Pepper to taste



Preheat oven 400F.

Arrange carrots on a baking sheet.  Sprinkle with olive oil on both sides and season to taste.

Bake for about 30 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the sauce ingredients.

Set carrots out onto a serving dish and drizzle sauce over them.  Serve hot.

Greek Bean Salad

Last year, I went on a no-carb diet.

It lasted all of a few weeks.  You may remember it, as I brought you all along.  In those few short weeks, I felt slimmer, healthier and more energized than I had in a long time.

Then... bread happened.

I missed it so much.  I thought I was fastened securely inside the wagon only to be violently chucked to the curb, unable to get back on.

Cut to today, and I'm a hot mess.

Why?  Well, because last week, we enjoyed a nice relaxing vacation in Atlantic City.  Nothing big, just a little reset button after I finished school for the semester.  When I got back, I was horrified to find that the scale in my bathroom was hovering on a number I hadn't seen since my senior year of high school.

Now, mind you, after I graduated high school, I got good and small.  Apparently, I looked really good.  In a case of what I self-diagnosed as mild body dysmorphia (the altered perception of one's body), I never saw what other people saw when I looked in the mirror.  I never felt thin, or good in my clothes.  I still saw the same girl from high school.

Now, I am officially the same girl as I was in high school.

People, this is a terrible thing for me.  I see exactly what my problem is.  An intense addiction to food.  A severe lack of willpower.  A million stressors on my plate.  All day.  Every day.

So, today, I have decided to change everything.  First and foremost, I'm going to allow this website and it's readers to hold me accountable.  I've set plans in motion for the sake of my health and I intend to prove to you that I can achieve my goals.

I watched a couple documentaries about food on Hulu and Netflix so I've officially scared myself off some foods for the next 3-4 days.  I've made a list of 5k runs and 1 sprint triathlon in August that I plan to accomplish.  This should help motivate me to improve my fitness.  I'm also going to get back into the habit of searching out lean protein and vegetable ideas to try and share with you.  This helped me last time, so I'm hoping to do well again.

Send words of encouragement because I'm descending into the low-carb vortex again and it's going to be awfully dark and sad for a while.  Hope to see my slimmer, healthier, sunnier disposition on the other side!









Greek Bean Salad

2 cups green beans. cooked and blanched
1/4 cup diced red onion
1/4 cup red bell pepper
1/4 cup diced tomatoes
1/4 cup diced kalamata olives
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup Spiedie sauce


Combine everything in a serving dish.  Serve cold.

Wintergreen/Spearmint/Mint Extract

I am obsessed with homemade extracts.

I see you rolling your eyes at my dramatic use of the word "obsessed", or perhaps you're just bored with it because I'm seemingly obsessed with everything I make. 

But seriously, I'm so so so so so into making my own homemade extracts.

They taste so much better than store-bought versions, and I've been placing them in these cute little corked bottles and using them as decorative accents in my kitchen.  It's called killing two birds with one stone, people.  I need extracts, and I need cute decorations.

Classy and crafty.

Previously, I've made vanilla extract, habanero extract and a slew of citrus extracts.  Now that I've been experimenting with my herb garden, I'm ready to try some green extracts that introduce a lot of fresh flavor into dishes even out of season.  

I'm trying out wintergreen leaves, which you can easily grow in your own herb garden.  This extract could do in a pinch when you don't have any fresh herbs on hand and you don't want to use the dried variety.

So, here's an excellent recipe for you to use to make your own batch of homemade wintergreen extract!









Wintergreen Extract

1/2 cup wintergreen leaves
2/3 grain alcohol


Insert wintergreen leaves into a mason jar or decorative glass bottle.

Pour alcohol over the wintergreen leaves.  Seal with a lid.

Let sit for 2-4 weeks before using, shaking the bottles every couple days.