[bizi]

WEll here we go again!
lol
I have started the low carb, high fiber, exercise diet.
Slim fast has joined the low carb diet drinks and south beach diet has the lowest carb, good tasting bars that I can find.
Each has fiber and sugar alcohol grams that don't affect our blood sugars so we get to subtract them from the total carbs amount.
For our 10 year wedding anniversary(which I forgot about...bad wife!) we went to outback steak house and I had the best meal!
Had chicken with artichokes and sundried tomatoes with alfredo sauce and steamed veggies and a salad. I was stuffed!
I am not really counting carbs I am just avoiding them as best as I can and trying to eat healthier foods. Like I avoided their bread and croutons and potatoes.... and chose veggies instead.
I went to the gym this morning and tried as best as I could to keep up with the basic cardio step aerobics class. It is getting easier each day that I go and join them...lots of people. I have a friend who has just started and it was fun knowing someone there....someone to groan with...lol
bizi

[Curious]

now bizi....you gotta watch that ole exercise diet.....munching on dumbells can really add too much iron. but the "eye candy" in the free weight area is awesome dessert....and NO CALORIES and deffinatly NO FAT!

just had to pop on over and say howdy!!! we built a new gym. hehehe...just what we needed huh? more work. pm me and fill you in. don't want to make the board take a snooze or bore them to tears.

[bizi]

It is pretty slow over here...folks have not gotten word...
so please fill the void!
thanks
bizi

[bizi]

Originally Posted by Curious

now bizi....you gotta watch that ole exercise diet.....munching on dumbells can really add too much iron. but the "eye candy" in the free weight area is awesome dessert....and NO CALORIES and deffinatly NO FAT!

just had to pop on over and say howdy!!! we built a new gym. hehehe...just what we needed huh? more work. pm me and fill you in. don't want to make the board take a snooze or bore them to tears.

hey there curious!
You can tell me about the gym if you want to! not many folks here...lol
bizi

[waves]

hehe bizi, i've heard that statement before... yeah, it oughtta come with a warning sticker about what or how much to do! (me, packed and hoisted and unhoisted and unpacked stuff... sigh... me too, the back.)

maybe we need to reconsider what "for ourselves" means to us? I mean i know yardwork and moving is for ourselves, sorta - i mean it ain't for anybody else, but... is that the spirit of the saying... you know?

ok, here goes with the SpinaCotta (separate post - i have to ubb it first.) no eggs in this. egg/spinach is a popular combo... may have something like that tho.

hugs ~ waves ~

[waves]

Spinacotta

This is an old recipe I came up with during my college days when I knew nothing about cooking. It was an experiment that turned out really well.

Ingredients (4 portions):

Spinach, frozen 10 oz package, thawed, drained well
Ricotta Cheese, 1 cup
carrot, 1 large
Onions, ground 1 to 2 tbsp.
Ginger, fresh 3-6 slices
Coriander, ground, 1/2 tbsp.
Cumin, ground, 1 tbsp
Lemon Juice, 2 tbsp.
Olive or Peanut Oil, 3 tbsp
Butter, 1/2 tbsp.
Water, 1/2 cup
Salt and Pepper to taste

Tools:

Frying pan: 10" or larger

Directions:

1. Quarter the onions and slice thinly.
2. Cut carrots into matchstick slivers. If you aren't big on matchstick-cutting, use 2mm thick slices instead.
3. Heat oil in pan and add onions, ginger, cumin and coriander. Combine well and let simmer until onions are clear.
4. Add water and carrots. Cover and bring to simmer. Cook 5-10 minutes, or until carrots just lose their crunch.
5. Add spinach and combine well. Cover and bring to simmer. Cook another 3-7 minutes, until spinach and carrots are fully cooked.
6. Mix in butter and ricotta cheese. Increase heat momentarily if necessary to "reduce" (eliminate excess liquid).
7. Remove from heat, let sit several minutes, then mix in lemon juice.

Serving Suggestions:

Entree: Serve hot as a vegetarian entree., with a baked potato or with fresh tomatoes on the side.

Side dish: Serve hot as a side dish, with chicken, hardboiled eggs, ham...

PitaCotta: (my favourite! ) Use as a pita bread filling (warm or cold), or, grab a fork and munch it right out of the container, bachelor style.

~

[bizi]

wow this sounds really good!
It does have more ingrediants that I would have to go out and purchase...guess that I would then have them on hand.
thank you for the receipe!
have a great day!
bizi

[waves]

bizi you made an interesting point. i wonder if you were referring to the spices - not everyone keeps or even can get fresh ginger.

ok so here are some substitutions/generalizations to the recipe that might simplify things...

1. The spices - Ginger, Coriander, Cumin - need not be exact. They can all be substituted with a single ready mix such as Curry Powder, Garam Masala or similar blends you might have on hand. Try to avoid very sweet blends, such as those with a lot of cinnamon.

2. Alternatively, the spices may be omitted altogether.

3. Lemon Juice can be omitted. It can always be added upon serving. I liked the taste better with; also i believe it helps make available the iron from the spinach (absorption enhanced by vit. c).

4. Cooking oils need not be specific. Use what you have: peanut, corn, sunflower oils, butter, marg... (Just put sun' grease in'ere! WD40 or whatever. )
~

[waves]

Mushroom & Tomato Salad

Ingredients (3-4 portions):

Mushrooms, 16 oz. very fresh
Tomatoes, 2 or 3 juicy ones, ripe but firm
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 2-3 tbsp.
Lemon Juice, from 2-3 lemon halves
Salt and Pepper to taste
Basil, fine chiffonade of 4-5 large fresh leaves (small pinch dried)
-- or--
Thyme, 4-5 fresh sprigs (a pinch dried)


Directions:

1. Slice the mushrooms very thinly (1mm); put them in a large salad bowl.
2. Slice the tomatoes thinly (2mm); place them in a layer to cover the mushrooms.
3. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. If using fresh thyme or any dried herb, add these now.
4. Drizzle oil and lemon juice over tomatoes.
5. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
6. Mix gently but thoroughly, using spoons or flat utensils - nothing pointed, to avoid mangling all the delicate mushrooms slices.
7. Refrigerate at least another 30 minutes, stirring occasionally if possible.
8. If using fresh basil, add it just before serving.

Notes:

Serving suggestion: Green onions, finely minced garlic, or black olives can be mixed in, used as garnish, or served as toppings.

Advance preparation: This salad retains its texture for 4-6 hours, so can be prepared early.

Other uses: Leftover salad will become soft and more cohesive - tastes good alone, in sandwiches or in other salads.

[bizi]

ok so what is chiffonade?
I looked in my dictionary....not there....I guess I could goggle this and get my answer...
lol
bizi
edited to add.....
Chiffonade




Stack the leaves one on top of the other and roll tightly into a cylinder. Slice the cylinders of leaves crosswise into thin strips.