Noshtopia

Garlic Shrimp and Lemony Kale with Shallots on Top of Quinoa

 

The other day I tweeted a recipe for Spicy Garlic Shrimp with Kale and Quinoa which @drwinnie had created. The dish looked so delicious that I wanted to make a version that was dairy free. Also, instead of using tomato because I've been plenty of tomato sauces this week, I went with a lemony twist. 

 

Kale and Quinoa are two of my favorite power foods because they both have lots of flavor packed with nutritional benefits. Quinoa has plenty of protein and is a good alternative when you're cutting down on meats or want more protein in food you can chew versus adding protein through protein powders for shakes and drinks.

Plus, this recipe is pretty easy to make. The only real time consuming thing is cooking the Quinoa.

Ingredients (makes 2-3 servings):

 

• 20-24 medium shrimps, thawed. I just bought some pre-frozen shrimp in a bag.

• 1 big handful of cut kale. I used enough to fit into a 2-cup bowl. Kale shrinks when it's cooked but not as much as spinach. I'd guess to about 1/3 it's original size. If you like kale, use more.

• 1 cup uncooked Quinoa. Makes about 3-cups when cooked.

• 1/2 lemon

• Diced garlic about 5 cloves

• 1 small shallot sliced

• Garlic powder 

• EVOO(olive oil)

• Sea salt

Let's get cooking:

• Make the Quinoa first. Here's how I cook Quinoa. The shrimp and kale part of the dish take almost no time to make, so since the Quinoa can take almost an hour, if you do the pre-soaking like I do, it's best to cook the Quinoa first and then let it cool down while you cook the shrimp and kale.

• Thaw the shrimp if you bought pre-frozen. What I do is take the frozen shrimp and then soak them for about 10 minutes in a bowl of medium warm water from the sink. Using too hot water will start cooking the shrimp, so warm is good.

• In a saute pan on medium heat, put in about 1-1/2 tbsp of EVOO and add in the garlic and shallots. Saute until it starts to soften, then add in the shrimp and season with a few shakes of garlic powder and about a pinch or two of sea salt. Continue to saute the garlic, shallots, and shrimp and cook until the shrimp starts to turn pink.

 

• Toss the kale into the pan, and squirt about 1 tbsp of water on top of the kale. The water will help steam the kale. Mix the kale in with the garlic, shallots, and shrimp. Cover the pan for about a minute  so the kale can steam and shrink. Check on the kale to see if it's at the level of softness you like. Mix it around. If you want the kale softer, cover the pan again. I like the kale to have a little bit of crunch so I don't steam for too long.

• Now that the shrimp is cooked, taste one of the shrimps. If it needs more seasoning, add more garlic powder or salt. I added a little bit of pepper. Continue to mix everything.

• When the kale is to your liking, take the pan off the heat, and then squeeze the half lemon around the dish. Mix everything again in the pan.

Place the cooked Quinoa on a plate, and then top it with the garlic shrimp and lemony kale with shallots

Enjoy!

all pics taken with an iPhone 3GS

Stop wallowing in the Snuggie & 5 other things to do to not be miserable about Valentine's Day

This year, part of me is really tempted to wallow in the pity pool this Valentine's Day swaddled in a Snuggie reading trashy romance novels and noshing on chocolate covered woe-is-me because I'm still single and my Ex is now married.

I know. I know. I should be grown up and just get over it like any other mature adult but I'm just going to be honest and admit that a part of me still feels a little bit of the bitter sting around the heart more because I thought I would have at least had a serious relationship by now, but I do not. If I think about it too much, it makes me want to bundle myself up in a sleeved blanket of fleece and cry me a river with Justin Timberlake. Say hello to my woeful drama queen side.

BUT!

We are not going to wallow in pity or stuff bon bons in our pie hole as tempting as that may be because all that's going to get us is frown lines and make us look like the morose spinster wrapped in some ridiculous As Seen on TV getup which really omg! is even too pathetic for a Lifetime movie.

SO! To help both you and me be in a more positive mood about Valentine's Day coming up this weekend, here are 5 other things you can do to not be miserable and maybe even have a wonderful day of love.

• Be completely selfish: Think about all those couples who have to share and make compromises so both of them are happy on that day. Remember how stressful that was when you were once in coupledom. Now solo, you get to do whatever the hell you want without anyone's permission, having to consider anyone's feelings, or to compromise on what you really want to do. Make Valentine's Day all about you and go do something you've always wanted to do.

• Give your inner Ms./Mr. Perfect the day off: Typically the voice in your head that is making you feel miserable about being single on Valentine's Day is that inner perfectionist who has a set image of perfect love or an image you're supposed to be hooked up with another because that is what everyone else is doing and you're supposed to be a part of a twosome because well....because we're all brainwashed to believe that we are incomplete until we find that one that completes us like in Jerry Maguire, "You complete me." The only one that completes you is you darling.

• Get glammed up and go party with your other single friends: No doubt that you are not the only one who is single on Valentine's Day so instead of each of you caving it up in your homes, get gussied up, put on the gloss & floss (G-string), and take your hot selves out to celebrate friendship and friends whom really our some of the great loves of our lives. Boyfriends/Girlfriends, Husbands/Wives, may have come and gone but your friends were still there with you. Life is short and do you really want to look back on this day and see yourself either sour-faced on the couch or giggling sipping on cocktails with your friends.

• Make love to yourself: Here's the beauty of solo lovemaking. You know you are going to get lucky. You are guaranteed an orgasm, and you will get exactly what you want in bed because are you going to say no to you? No way! This is a chance to make sex all about you because heaven knows many of us know what bad sex is like. No one is more qualified to please you sexually than yourself.

• Write down 5 things you do have: When we are in miserable mode it is usually because we are mentally focused on what we don't have, what we lack, like I DON'T HAVE a relationship. I DON'T HAVE a one and only, I DON'T HAVE a date. The DON'T HAVEs start to look really big when that's all you center your attention on. So, get a paper and pen, and jot down at least 5 things you DO HAVE like for me I'd put I DO HAVE freedom. I DO HAVE parents who love me unconditionally. I DO HAVE love all around me.

The commercialization of Valentine's Day makes us believe that you only have love if it looks like being part of a couple. The image of coupledom is what we buy into as having love but that is not true. If  you just look at love as love, energy, a feeling, and not package it or brand it like it's some kind of product, you will start to see that you actually are surrounded by all kinds of love, it just looks different than what you have been focused on.

This Valentine's Day weekend, one of my single girlfriends from California is coming out to visit me, and the two of us are going to have fun this weekend, doing something, I have no idea yet. But it will be fun because the intent and the friendship is there :)

Feel the love and enjoy your day of joie de vivre!

Weaning Wednesday: Ellen Degeneres Is Going Sugar Cold Turkey & We're Doing Sugar Little

Ellen announced on her show that for this season, at least, she is completely cutting sugar out of her daily eating. Yup, she's going cold turkey on the sweet stuff because she wants to have natural energy versus sugar-induced energy.

I'm excited about Ellen's announcement, and secretly since the beginning of the year, I have made a commitment to start weaning from sugar myself. Admittedly, one of  two healthy habit changes I want to make for myself is to cut down my sugar consumption, and to wean from night eating. I am a notorious sweet tooth and night eater, and usually what I eat at night is sweet stuff like chocolate, ice cream, and cookies.

I like cold turkey better on a sandwich

I know there are many people who are working on either cutting out sugar or cutting way back on the sugar from their daily eating as well. My motivation is for overall health because I do know I eat too much sugar, and diabetes runs on both sides of my family. I may not avoid getting diabetes, but I can sure prolong it, and I'm all about prevention versus reaction.

On Twitter @puppyshine and I have been chatting about our journey to cut out the sugar in her case, and cut back in my case. In fact, if you go to her blog Whole Pup, she is blogging her nearly day-to-day experience of cutting out sugar. Brave woman!

For me, I cannot go completely cold turkey on the sugar. If I did, I will most surely have a nervous breakdown and be miserable. There is also no medical reason for me to go cold turkey, so I'm not going to aim for sugar free. I cut out artificial sweeteners about four years now, and it's the best thing I've ever done.

 
"Oh how I love the delectable crunchiness of caramel covered popcorn!"

Fortunately I already don't do the fake sweets

The only sugars I do eat are either raw cane sugar, agave nectar, or any natural sugars that Whole Foods uses in their baked goods or drinks they carry. Ditto with Trader Joes stuff. It may be higher quality sugar, but it's still sugar and too much of it. Whole Foods is my sugar dealer as I am at the bakery almost every day. In fact, when I lived in the Bay Area, one month I spent $40 just in vegan cookies. Yeah, I know, it sounds like a sugar addiction. Luckily, there are no vegan cookies here in Phoenix which is both a bummer but good because the temptation has been eliminated.

If you go completely sugar free that also means many alcohols like my favorite Mojitos go to because they contain sugars in them, and ahem, I am sorry I am a writer and I need my booze. How else am I supposed to live my tormented creative life like Hemingway and Fitzgerald? Yeah okay, I have delusions of grandeur, but no matter, me cannot be completely alcohol free or sugar free. I need some vices even if it's only tiny amounts like airplane liquor bottle size.

We go sugar little

So, in 2010 I am going sugar little which means I can have sugar in my life but in smaller doses. Right now, I did some food journaling and I'm eating about 80-90g of sugar a day which equals to about 6-1/2 to 7 tablespoons of sugar. According to the American Heart Association, the ideal amount of sugar intake in a day is about 25g or 2 tablespoons. So, yeah, like the average American, I am way over the ideal amount.

The eye opening part of my sugar consumption is that the bulk of it comes from drinks. Yeah, yikes! I drink most of my sugars in the form of sweetened iced teas, coffees, bubbly fruit drinks, juices, and Whole Foods 365 brand sodas. The other chunk of my sugar consumption comes from the fact that I eat some form of dessert every night in the likes of cookies, ice cream, rice krispy treats, or cake like doughy things.

And when it comes to desserts, I am also notoriously naughty at consuming the dairy and eggs because coming by vegan desserts besides sorbet at restaurants is nearly impossible. I totally forgo the food allergy attention because the sugar junkie in me doesn't care. MUST have sugar! So, going sugar little is also going to help me get more disciplined about heeding my food allergies.

My sugar little goal

My goal is to get to the AHA ideal of 25g/ day or 175g/week. I figure, there might be times when I know I have to go to sweet laced events like a birthday party or a fancy dinner, and I want to enjoy a piece of cake or sorbet so I can conserve sugar rations on some days before the event and still stay on the 175g/week ideal.

I am going to do what I did when I weaned from Diet Coke, and not put a time deadline on reaching my ideal intake, and will it do it slowly and naturally. It took me nearly two years to completely wean from Diet Coke because I was seriously addicted to the stuff. I was drinking like 2-3 cans/day for years. I started by cutting out one can/day and doing that for about a month. Then I cut down to one can/day, and did that for about a month or two, then cut down to one can every other day, and so on.

I'm okay doing the slow wean because for my body and psyche namely the Inner resistance monster who hates change, tiny changes and slowly detaching makes the process less painful and makes the change stick for good. Today, I take one sip of Diet Coke and I become physically ill.

Come join the fun!

If you are weaning from sugar too or cutting it out, and would like some additional support and some ideas, check back here every Wednesday, as I will do Weaning Wednesday and report on what I'm doing that week in going sugar little.

Are you blogging or tweeting about your sugar wean/cut journey? Let me know in comments as I too am looking for others doing the same thing.

One of My Typical Post Workout Meals

 

I usually workout in the mornings or at lunch time...one of the bennies of being a pro blogger. I do think that what you eat post workout is important because your body is feeling mighty awesome after that heart pumping exercise you've just done, so to keep the health goodness rolling, it's ideal to eat something equally awesome.

What I typically eat post workout is a salad loaded with greens, my favorite being the Trader Joes Herb Salad Mix, and a cup of soup. In the picture, is some Amy's Organic low sodium Split Pea soup. Ideally, I'd like to eat made from scratch soups like this simple 4-Ingredient, Creamy Dairy-Free Harvest Medley Soup I made the other day, but I don't always have the time or money, so I get canned organic soups.

In my green salad, I'll top it off with a protein like shredded chicken, turkey, or baked tofu, and a bunch of fixings from the salad bar like shredded carrot, beets, edamame, peas, lentils, and mandarin oranges. I'll also add, walnuts or pumpkin seed to add some MUFAs. I go very light on the dressing because it's good to savor the veggies and not drown it in Thousand Island.

So, what do you typically eat post workout?

Checking Out Giada's Cookware For Target

Yesterday, I was at Target because I needed laundry detergent and contact lens solution. As I come through one of the aisles in the Health & Beauty section, bam, I'm smacked with this huge display of Giada De Laurentiis' new cookware and food.

Of course, the wanna-build-an-empire-of-my-own part of me is intrigued so I must go check out Giada's goods. I am particularly intrigued because there isn't just cookware but food is included too like pasta, oils, and dressing.

The marketing/designer in me already likes the look and feel of the display, the cookware, and the packaging of the foods although it does look a bit Martha-ish. I like the color scheme because I'm partial to orange as you can see from my blog design. As usual Giada is looking like her perky radiant self. I still want to know what this woman's secret is for being able to be around carbs, cheese, and desserts all day and yet stay so slim.

 

Being the touchy feely person I am, I go and nab a muffin pan, I grasp the pasta server and wooden spoons, and I clutch a saute pan. I want to feel the weight of these items and experience how it feels in my hands. I envision myself baking vegan banana nut muffins or sauteing garlic and shrimp in olive oil. I'm a sensory type of cook and I like my cookware to feel good and heavy thus my lust for cast iron.

I was kinda sad because these beautifully designed and packaged pieces of cookware felt limp in my hands. In fact, all the steel items felt like IKEA quality cookware. Now, I love IKEA but I never buy cookware there because again I like heavy and sound feeling. I'll buy plates and glasses from IKEA but IKEA like cookware reminds me of my college days and early 20's living in an apartment with three other girls. If you're in that place in life right now or on a budget, then Giada's stuff would be awesome to have a designer look at low cost then say shopping at Sur La Table , my cookware playground.

The one Giada item that I did think was cool and would consider buying is the Panini Pan with Press because wait for it....it's cast iron. Not available until Feb. 21, there is also a cast iron Braiser Pan with Lid and Dutch Oven .

As for the food, I looked at the ingredients and the pastas are basically just semolina and water. The dressing I saw was a vinaigrette and I got all the ingredients, no science project going on there. I don't think I'd pay almost $3 though for a box of pasta when I can basically get the same stuff organic and cheaper at Whole Foods or Trader Joes.

I think it's exciting that Giada has her own line at Target and it's a good fit of the personalities. It's nice to see other food celebs besides Martha in a mainstream chain.

Have you checked out Giada's Target cookware or bought any of the pieces? What do you think?

Ideas: 5 Things Steph Snacks On This Week

Instead of just writing one of those generic lists we see all the time like, "5 Great Healthy Snack Ideas," I thought today I'd just share some of the things I snack on to give you all a glimpse of what happens in my world :)

I go through these phases with food because although I have things I love and like to eat often, I do try and mix it up because well it's fun!

So, here are 5 things I've been snacking on lately:

 

• Spicy Tuna or Vegetable rolls w/ avocado chunks: At Whole Foods in the sushi bar, they have these spicy tuna rolls that come in a pack of 8 rolls which are only tuna, rice, and seaweed. There are also simple vegetable rolls with carrots and cucumber. I'll eat 4 one day, and 4 the next day. I'll go buy an avocado because lately they've been on sale for $1/each. I get way more avocado and save some money than getting the rolls with the avocado in them.

• Sea's Gift Korean Seaweed Snack : This snack you can find at Whole Foods or an Asian market in small individual sizes. What's awesome about this snack is that you don't even realize you're eating seaweed because it's crunchy, sweet, and just tasty. I LOVE it!  The seaweed is shredded so I like to add it on sushi rolls and even sprinkle it on green salad. It's a nice twist instead of croutons, and it's gluten-free. I'll cut a slice of avocado and roll it in this shredded seaweed and eat it just like that. (in the pic above next to the roll is a small pile of the seaweed.)

• Kiwi: Kiwis are little, so I'll slice a whole one up and just eat it plain. Kiwis are a little bit more fun than your basic apple or orange which tends to make me feel like I'm eating "I'm on a diet" food.

 

• Trader Joe's Pita Bite Crackers w/ fresh ground peanut butter: I just discovered these Pita Bite Crackers at TJs and what is cool is that 9 of these crackers are 120 calories total. The bites are about 1-3/4" in diameter, and 9 crackers is pretty filling.

I've also been getting fresh ground peanut butter because at Whole Foods you can ground exactly the amount you want and it's nothing but peanuts and salt. I don't like buying whole jars of PB because I get tempted to eat way too much. With the ground-to-order, I get about 1/2 cup max and can make that last quite awhile. I guess it's just a mental thing.

• Watermelon juice: This is a snack where I drink my calories. The other day I took a snapshot of my desk as I was working on a proposal sipping on watermelon juice. It's a nice change of pace from coffee.

So, what have you been snacking on lately?

Are You Eating Too Many Creme Filled Cookies Because You Have You Lost Yourself In Servitude?

 

Let's sip on some water as we sit at the bar waiting for our plate of Butternut squash enchiladas to arrive. I'll share with you my story of, "Lost in Servitude" which takes place in many households.

I used to deal with my feelings of loneliness and abandonment by eating bags of Oreos. There was something very calming to me about separating the cookie and then licking the luscious creamy center just like in the commercials. When Double Stuffed Oreos came out, I was in creme heaven. I didn't always eat the cookie part as I mostly just wanted the creamy center. In reflection, it seems clear that some part of me was looking for a similar situation, I wanted to be a center.

Finding our self in secondary position

What is Eating Wellness?

One of the things that greatly contributed to me not only shedding 30lbs and keeping it off for two years now, but also aided in creating a healthier me is my food philosophy which I call, "eating wellness" which is basically eating your way to vibrant health through better food choices.

I can tell you from personal experience that I had a myriad of health issues like depression, cantankerous bowels, gas, rashes, eczema, and weight gain all but disappear once I started eating better foods suited to work well for my body.

In this quick video, I explain what eating wellness means to me, and how it can help you on your journey to more vibrant health.

Simple 4-Ingredients: Creamy Dairy-Free Harvest Medley Soup With a Twist

 

I got creative with the soup action this week. I wanted to make a simple butternut squash soup, and headed over to Trader Joe's to buy a bag of pre-cut butternut squash. I love how TJ's will cube and package in a handy bag those hard to cut veggies like squash. The hardest part of cutting up a whole squash for me is skinning it. I lose patience and end up driving to Trader Joe's. On this day though, I found something new...

Two Cents: The Best Ready-to-Eat Bagged Green Salad Combo

 

Normally, I'm not into the bagged salad greens because at Whole Foods in the produce section you can get in bulk mixed greens, spinach, arugula, or in select WFs stores fancy schmancy exotic mix with things like beet greens and chards. When I get the bulk greens, I feel more like I'm at the farmer's market on the weekend than at a grocery store.

On lazy days, the thing I do appreciate about bagged salad greens is that all you have to do is open the bag, grab a handful, put it on a plate, and voilah, salad is ready to eat. There is one bagged salad green combo that I absolutely love, and it's Trader Joe's Organic Herb Salad Mix. 

 

Here's why I LOVE this combo mix:

• It's certified USDA organic

• At my local TJ's, the mix is around $2/bag, and a whole bag can last me four salads which I can easily do in two days or stretch out to three days if I make sure to keep the salad air tight.

• The mix includes four of my favorite things: dill, frisee, arugula, and radiccchio. I love the texture of frisee, and the pinches of dill make a HUGE taste difference. I love dill, but I don't like to buy a whole bunch just to put a little in a green salad. Whoever at TJs thought of adding the dill is a genius in my book.

• The other greens in this Herb Salad mix include: romaine, oak leaf, Lollo Rosa, tango, red & green chard, mizuna, parsley, and cilantro. This mix of greens not only make for a great taste and interesting texture combo but also make a beautiful presentation.

Try out the mix and let me know what you think. What other ready-to-eat bagged salad green brands/combos do you like?