Healthy Tip #2

As a mother of little kids it can be hard to work out like I wish I could. So, I try to find chances to exercise whenever I can. One thing I like to do it walk, whenever I can...to a neighbors, while kids ride bikes, park farther away at the grocery store and walk in, whatever you can do. I think every little bit helps! I have gotten really lazy about this, but I am going to start being good again. Walk, walk, walk!

Steak Subs

Isn't that picture mouth watering? I am a huge steak sub fan!!! That ooey gooey melty cheese, delicious grilled veggies and hunks of beef . . . I'm sold. These were so awesome, they just went in my monthly family dinner rotation. Thanks to Melanie at My Kitchen Cafe, she is fabulous. The link to her original post is here. Try serving with steak fries for a real diner experience.

*Makes 4-6 large sandwiches

3-4 pounds sirloin steak, about 1 inch thick (or whatever steak is cheapest!)
1 tablespoon sauté spice (equal parts black pepper, salt, and garlic powder)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, sliced thin
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced thin
8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced thin
2 tablespoons steak sauce (used A-1 bold and spicey, hubby's fav)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
4-6 (6 inch) sub rolls, slit partially open lengthwise
6 ounces thinly sliced deli provolone cheese

Adjust oven rack to upper middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Pat steak dry with paper towels and rub saute spice liberally into each side. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium high heat until rippling. Cook steaks until well browned, 5 to 6 minutes per side (this is all the cooking time the steaks get so cook them according to your preference). Transfer to plate and tent with foil. Let them rest for five minutes, then slice thinly against the grain.

Meanwhile, add remaining oil, onion, bell pepper, mushrooms, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to empty skillet and cook until vegetables are softened and golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Off the heat, stir in steak sauce, oregano, and sliced steak until well combined.

Divide steak mixture among rolls and top with cheese. Arrange sandwiches on rimmed baking sheets and bake until cheese is melted and rolls are golden brown around edges, about 5 minutes. Serve.

ps- these are Melanie's exact instructions, not my words.

pps- just as good the next day. Refrigerate the innards and pick up with the baking in the oven step.

Coconut Cream Pie

This is a different take on the coconut cream pie and I loved it!! I mean, come on, who doesn't like chocolate added to their desserts. Just try this puppy and see if you can eat less than I did.

COCONUT CREAM PIE

Everyday Foods November 2009

For the crust:

30 chocolate wafer cookies, broken into pieces (I used 15 whole chocolate graham crackers)

1/4t. coarse salt

5T. unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1/3cup sweetened shredded coconut

For the topping and filling:

1 3/4cups sweetened shredded coconut

2 3/4 cups whole milk

4 large egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup corn starch

3/4t. pure vanilla extract

1/2t. coarse salt

1 1 /2 cup heavy cream

Make crust: Preheat oven to 325*. In a food processor, combine cookies and salt; process until fine crumbs form. With machine running, slowly pour butter through feed tube and process until mixture resembles wet sand. Stir in coconut. Press crumbs in bottom and up side of 9 inch deep dish pie plate. Bake until crust is set, about 25 minutes. Let cool completely in pie plate on wire rack.

Make topping: Increase oven to 350*. Spread 1/2 cup coconut on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until golden, 10-12 minutes, tossing occasionally.

Make filling: In a small saucepan, whisk together milk, eggs yolks, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla and salt. Cook over medium high heat, whisking constantly until bubbles form at the edge and mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a large bowl and stir in 1 1/4 cups coconut. Pour filling into cooled crust and smooth top. Refrigerate until filling is chilled and completely set, about 2 hours (or wrap tightly with plastic and refrigerate up to two days.)

To serve, whip cream until soft peaks form. Top pie with whipped cream and toasted coconut.

Waffles

So, there have been a lot of waffle recipes posted, but I think this is the BEST waffle recipe I have come by :). We have waffles every Sunday for lunch so I have tried a lot of recipes, but none quite match up to this one! These aren't sweet (which is a good thing since I like cream and fruit on mine) and they come out of the iron nice and crispy. I used to beat the whites with this one because my mom always did that with her waffles, but in a hurry once I didn't and there was no difference. I think the real trick is not to over mix that batter. That way the baking powder can work as it should.

WAFFLES

2 eggs

2 cups buttermilk

2 cups flour (I use half white, half wheat)

2t. baking powder

1t. baking soda

1/2t. salt

1/3 cup butter (I always cut this way down to make them healthier)

Heat waffle iron. In bowl beat eggs. Add buttermilk, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and melted butter and mix until just combined (there may be a few lumps left). Pour batter onto hot, greased waffle iron and cook until golden brown.

Top with syrup, fruit, cream or buttermilk syrup (our favorite!)

It's that time of year...

Thanksgiving, Christmas, fall...yes, yes, yes. But the time I am referring to is my time of cumpulsive eating. I don't know if it is the cooling weather, the holidays or what, but I do know that I tend to snack more, eat more, bake more, and weigh more. Well, here I am committing to not do that this year. I told my hubby last night that I was making a resolution to stop now. For heaven's sake, we aren't even to Thanksgiving yet.

The thing that is hard about this goal is that I LOVE to cook, bake and eat. I don't want to give that up because I do enjoy it so much. I just need to use a little more moderation. So, for the next little bit I am going to be posting my favorite good eating habits, mainly as a reminder to myself, but also for any of you out there who are like me and want to control the holiday gain.

So, here's to good luck to all of us.

Tip number 1:
Drink lots and lots of water.

I always find that when I am eating more, I am drinking less. Get out a large water bottle (I use the ones I got in the hospital after having my kids) and keep it full. That means that you need to drink, refill, drink refill. This will not only keep us from feeling as hungry, but also help ward off all the winter illness that seems to be going around.

Garlic Pepper Sauce

This is the sauce that goes with the black bean soup.

GARLIC PEPPER SAUCE

3T olive oil

2 large onions, coarsely chopped (4 cups)

2 green bell peppers, ribs and seeds removed, coarsely chopped (2 1/4 cups)

2 red bell peppers, ribs and seeds removed, coarsely chopped (2 1/4 cups)

5 garlic cloves

1t. dried oregano

1t. ground cumin

1 large tomato, cored and coarsely chopped (2 cups)

3 cups mixed cilantro leaves and tender stems

coarse salt and ground pepper

In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion; cook, stirring often, until starting to soften, about 5 minutes.

Add bell peppers, galic, oregano, and cumin; cook, stirring often until pepper are crisp tender, about 10 minutes. Add tomato; cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes more.

Transfer to a food processor. Add cilantro, and puree until slightly chunky. Season with salt and pepper.

If not using immediately, transfer sauce, in 1 cup quantities, to airtight containers. Freeze until ready to use, up to three months.

Black Bean Soup

I asked my hubby the other day what his favorite meal was that I made and this is what he said! The great thing about that is that this is so easy...it is definitely my go to menu item. It is on the stove as I type this in fact.

The garlic pepper sauce can be made in advance and frozen. That is what I like to do. It will make enough for about 6 recipes of soup. One recipe will feed my family with no left overs.

Oh, and this recipe comes from Martha Stewart Everyday Foods...one of my favorite food magazines. Enjoy!

BLACK BEAN SOUP

1 cup thawed garlic pepper sauce (I never thaw it in advance, isn't that what the stove is for??)
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can reduced sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup water

Put (frozen, in my house) garlic pepper sauce, water and chicken broth in a pot and heat until garlic pepper sauce is thawed. Add black beans. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer. Cook 5 minutes.

Puree with an immersion blender or regular blender (though I would totally recommend investing in an immersion blender...they are awesome). If you do it in the blender make sure to work in batches since the liquid will expand when blending. Season with course salt and fresh ground pepper. Stir in 2-3t. fresh lime juice. Serve with sour cream and cheese, if desired.