Foodie Faux Pas

As I am sure I have mentioned before, I consider myself to be a foodie.  Some may say that I am not a real "foodie" because there are certain things I do not eat.  The foodie gods and goddesses frown upon me because my palate has a disdain for one pretty major source of protein and omega 3: seafood.  I hate it.  If it's from the sea, it's not for me. 

Does my hatred for all things underwater deny my right to call myself a foodie??? I think not.

While my taste buds dislike anything that swims in, or inhabits our world's beautiful bodies of water, I always make an attempt to try such creatures. I have tried salmon*, cod, trout, halibut, tilapia and I am sure MANY other forms of fish, some of which were somewhat palatable. I have tried lobster and crab and actually didn't find them to be all that offensive.  I mean, anything that is a vessel for butter is fine in my books.

*Salmon is the worst of them all.  It smells and it's fishy and gross.  Anyone who has ever told me that it's a mild fish and shouldn't smell if it's fresh, is a liar. Even at it's
 freshest, it smells.

My most recent attempt to like seafood (I really want to like it) involved my brave foodie self trying mussels at a lovely French bistro. Mussels!  You know, those slimy things inside a clam-like shell...I ate them.  I actually ate three of them. And, to my delight, I kind of liked them! It was likely the creamy white wine sauce that smothered the little critters, but nonetheless, I ate one and went back in for more.

As weird as my dislike of seafood may seem, it gets even weirder. I really like tuna salad.  You know, that flaked tuna that comes in a can...I love the stuff. I will make a clarification here: I like it when combined with heaping spoonfuls of mayonnaise and crunchy pieces of celery.  It's the best.

While I will try anything once and sometimes twice, I will never order fish or seafood off a menu at a restaurant, nor would I eat it if it was served to me at a dinner party. I know, I know, it's rude to not eat what I am served when I am invited over for dinner.  However, the alternative of me gagging on every bite is even more rude. Thus, I reserve my right to refuse fish- unless it's tuna salad.

My point is, do not criticize my foodie ways.  I may not like seafood, but I am always willing to try it. This makes me a very adventurous nemotarian*.

*Unfortunately I can't take credit for the word nemotarian.  I found the term on internet forums used to describe people who don't eat fish or seafood.

Super Fruit

As the weather starts to warm up, I start to crave refreshing treats. Ice cream, gelato and Popsicles are usually a must.   Since I have adopted a new healthier way of being, I have traded in my after dinner ice cream treat for a much healthier alternative: grapefruit.

It's tart, tangy, sour and sweet and has certainly been satisfying my after meal need for a sugary treat.  Grapefruit is jam-packed with health benefits and actually helps to curve hunger.  It's the perfect end to any meal or a great accompaniment to a balanced breakfast.

I am slightly ashamed to admit that I watch a lot of Dr. Oz.  He is an alarmist and scares the crap out of me by making claims that pretty much everything causes cancer. But, his show is like a train wreck- I just can't seem to look away or change the channel.  Like myself, Dr. Oz is a big fan of grapefruit.  Last week, he named grapefruit a superfood.  This prompted me to do some reading and here is what I found out:

Grapefruit is high in dietary fibre, vitamin C and potassium. It contains lucopene which is said to have anti-tumor activity and helps to fight oxygen free radicals, making this super fruit a great source of antioxidants. Grapefruit helps in lowering cholesterol, lowering the risk of kidney stones and helps protect against colon cancer.  And...it 's low in calories. 

I'm no expert, but the benefits of eating grapefruit seem to outweigh my alternative dessert choices.

I also read that grapefruit can interact negatively with certain medications, so ask your doctor if you are taking any prescription meds.

Not only is grapefruit a perfect dessert alternative, it is also a great addition to any summer salad. Try this refreshing salad recipe on a warm summer's day:

Grapefruit, Orange & Avocado Salad
serves 4

Ingredients:

• romaine lettuce
• 1 large grapefruit peeled & sliced
• 1 large orange peeled & sliced
• 1 avocado, sliced
• feta cheese

Directions:
Place lettuce on four salad plates.  Arrange slices of fruit in alternating layers on top of the lettuce. Squeeze grapefruit and orange juice over top.  Top with some crumbled feta cheese and zest from both citrus fruits.

Not Your Average Jerk

A few months back, I attempted a jerk chicken recipe.  It turned out mildly disastrous.  I marinated the chicken in a very aromatic jerk spice blend for 24 hours...probably about 23 hours too long.  The chicken turned out so over-seasoned that I was breathing the spicy fire of jerk for days.

In an attempt to rectify my jerk experiment and actually do justice to this delicious Caribbean inspired spice blend, I decided to revisit jerk.  This time, no marinating.

I love Mexican food, and I especially love fajitas.  We have a fajita night at my place almost once a week and I usually come up with some variation of a Mexican fajita. This time, I decided to make jerk chicken fajitas. I really like Caribbean food and I really like fajitas, so why not combine the two???

Thankfully they turned out much better than my last attempt at a jerk chicken dish, which is why I am happy to share this recipe.

You can buy a jerk spice blend at any grocery store, but I prefer to make my own.  The ones you find in the store usually contain sugar and are very high in sodium.  You can make this blend by combining the below spices. You can store the mixture in an old school film container (pre digital camera era), or small Tupperware.

Jerk Seasoning Blend:

• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 tbs onion powder
• 2 tsp ground thyme
• 2 tsp ground allspice
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp garlic power
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves

Jerk Chicken Fajitas: 

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground chicken (you can use turkey)
• 2 tbs of Jerk Seasoning Blend (half for the chicken and half for the veggies)
• 1 Roma tomato chopped
• 2 bell peppers (I used green and red) cut into strips
• sliced mushrooms
• 1 yellow onion
• the juice of one lime
• fresh pineapple
• tortilla shells (I like to buy whole wheat or flax shells- they usually have more fibre than the traditional corn shells)

Directions:
Saute veggies until they start to soften.  Add half of the Jerk Seasoning Blend.  Once the veggies are almost done, squeeze half of the lime juice into the pan and saute for a minute longer. add pineapple pieces and set aside.  Meanwhile, in a separate pan saute the chicken until it starts to brown.  Add the other half of the Jerk Seasoning Blend and the chopped tomato and continue to cook until chicken is done (juices will run clear), then add the other half of the lime juice.  Place some of each mixture on a tortilla and top with shredded lettuce or whatever fresh veggies you like (If you want to cut the heat a bit, you can top with a dollop of low-fat sour cream). Fold and enjoy!

Apocalypse Now: My Last Supper

Okay, we've all seen the signs and read the ramblings of fatalist nut cases who are claiming that tomorrow is the end of the world- REALLY?!? Are we buying into this Armageddon bullshit???

Assuming for the purpose of this posting that today is my very last day of existence, I might as well tell you what the fat girl inside of me is asking for as her last meal:

The starter would be fettuccine alfredo followed by a 12 oz cut of juicy prime rib with a side of garlic mashed potatoes loaded with sour cream (yes, that's right, I like sour cream, and sometimes ketchup, on my mashed potatoes).  For dessert, I would have a big slice of chocolate fudge cake, cookies AND ice cream.  Then I would cleanse my palette with a small bowl of grapefruit gelato.  Once I snap out of my food coma and have taken at least a two hour nap, I would probably order a thin-crust pizza from Pizza Nova.  Sounds like a glutinous last night on earth, doesn't it?

Well, it's likely not my last night on earth and I will be spending my long weekend away at a friend's cottage.  I'm sure there will be some indulgences while I'm there, but I'm thinking I will not be eating a heart-attack-on-a-plate: fettuccine alfredo (although I have been craving it for months!).

Instead, I will indulge on the delicious peanut butter cookies that I will be bringing to share with my friends. 

Here is an easy recipe for Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of peanut butter
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• 1 egg

Yes, those are the only ingredients.  I have tried making these with natural peanut butter and Splenda brown sugar blend.  If you decide to go this route, add a package of plain instant oatmeal- otherwise, the batter is way too runny and the cookies will turn out like flat blobs of melted mush.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Mix all the ingredients together and form into two-inch balls.  Place cookies on cookie sheet (not greased) and stick in the oven for approximately 20 minutes.  Cooking times may vary.  Allow to cool and enjoy!

Personal Torture...oops, I meant Training.

A few weeks ago, I decided it was time to kick my workout sessions into high gear.  I am afraid of the gym, mostly because I don't know what I am doing, so I decided to get myself a personal trainer (torturer) to show me the ropes.

I have known my trainer, Nate Bower, for over a year now.  He teaches boxing classes on Saturday mornings, which I go to with a couple of my girlfriends.  I have also attended a few of his boot camp classes- 4 weeks, 8 sessions, sheer torture...in a good way if you are into that sort of thing.

I love/hate Nate Bower.  I love that he encourages me to reach my potential but hate him while he is telling me to do just "four more push ups!" (I can barely do one). We have developed a rapport in which he encourages me to push myself to my limits and I call him names and tell him to eff off at least 15 times during my training sessions.  I make claims that he is trying to kill me and scream bloody murder so loudly that the entire gym can hear.  I don't think he minds though.  I'm pretty sure he finds this more amusing and less abusive than it seems.

As a fitness novice, I truly recommend personal training.  My one-on-one sessions with Nate give me the confidence I need to work out on my own in order to achieve my personal fitness goals.

While Nate has not hired me as his PR rep (yet), I figure after all the abuse and name calling, the least I can do is plug his website: http://www.natebowerfitness.com/.

Stinky Spice

No, I am not talking about one of the Spice Girls.  I am referring to cumin- oh how I love/loathe thee.

For the past six months or so, I have been cooking a lot of Mexican and Indian food.  This means that cumin has become a staple in my pantry.  This also means that four days a week, my condo smells of this stinky spice.

After making a delicious pot of chili last night, my place, and everything in it, reeked of cumin (and chili powder, of course).  Today I can still smell the stank of cumin.  It has embedded itself in my car, my clothes and even my purse.

I have a super-human sense of smell, so the rankness of cumin probably bothers me more than most.  But, I do love this stinky spice. So much so, that I will continue to walk around smelling like a bowl of chili for the next day or two.

Here is one of my favourite recipes using cumin.  I also love cilantro so this recipe has become a bi-weekly favourite. It's quick, easy and delicious!

Spicy Chickpeas with Beef and Cilantro:
Serves 3-4
Recipe is adapted from Mark Bittman's Quick and Easy Recipes from The New York Times

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lbs of lean ground beef (I usually buy organic or beef that is free-from antibiotics)
• 2 cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed, saving the liquid
• chicken broth (combine with the chickpea liquid to make 2 cups)
• 2 tbs EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
• 1 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder (or any other kind of chili powder you like)
• 1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• S&P to taste
• Splash of Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro (or more if you love it as much as I do)

Directions:
Drain chickpeas, saving liquid. Add chicken broth to the liquid to make 2 cups and set aside. Heat 1 tbs (or less) EVOO in a large fry pan, add beef and a splash of Worcestershire and saute until beef is browned.  Add the chickpeas and saute together with the beef until the chickpeas are well browned and starting to pop (about 10 minutes or so). Add cumin, chili powder and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the chickpea liquid/broth, season with S&P.  Reduce heat and let simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated (approx. 10 minutes). Turn off heat, add cilantro and 1 tbs of EVOO. Taste and adjust seasoning accordingly.  I like to add a splash of habenero hot sauce to give it even more of a kick.  Serve hot and enjoy!

Prologue

I am a fat girl in a little coat.

At times, I feel like I was born in the wrong body- not that I am complaining or anything.  My appetite for food (and life) is far bigger than my body mass index.  I am a little girl who loves to eat.

Okay, well, I am not exactly a little girl.  As I slowly approach the age of 30 (1.5 birthdays away), my love of cheese, cake and all things chocolate is beginning to catch up to me.  This is not to say I was not warned that after the age of 25 my metabolism would slow down to a geriatric runner's pace.  I knew this would happen.  I could not go on forever eating baked mac 'n cheese and pizza every other day. (Also, my boyfriend with higher than average cholesterol has taught me all about saturated fats.  Cheese is not so good for the heart.  This fact has almost ruined cheese for me...almost).

My jeans, which I have been wearing since the age of 19, have become too tight and I have been forced to admit to myself that I am no longer a size 2. I am also no longer 19, but that's just a side note.  This is okay.  In an attempt to preserve my twenty something body well into my thirties (and hopefully my forties), I have made a decision- eat healthy, get fit and indulge modestly.

Thus, my blog is born.  I will share recipes, fitness stories and my many indulgences with you as I attempt to live a healthier lifestyle while still enjoying one of life's greatest pleasures- good food.