sorry, more food.

i hope you all (if there are any readers out there) aren't sick of my food blogs. but i feel like i'm not alone in the world of trying to be healthy but i'm not rich, not blessed with lots of free time, and i want weight loss to be quick and easy (while I know it's not.)



so, here is yet another food blog. this is an actual recipe! i went to my friend's house last night who is suffering from a broken elbow from a sledding incident (such a rock star, let me tell you!!) and i offered to help her cook a meal. i had no idea what we would be making, but it turned out fantastic. so fantastic, in fact, that i am telling the world about it, and plan on making it over and over again.



let's call it, med-italian (because it's a little bit mediterranean and a bit italian)----so, med-italian brown rice bowl.



ingredients:
-pack of sliced portabella mushrooms, rinsed and chopped into 1 inch chunks, if you will
-a large handful of cherry tomatoes, chopped up/sliced/whatever works.
-1 cup fresh spinach
-garlic - to your liking
-1/2 medium onion, chopped into bite-size chunks (really, whatever works here, people)
-jarred sun-dried tomatoes, crushed (about 1-2 teaspoons full)
-about 15 or so artichoke hearts (we had the kind that were marinated in a glass jar in oil and great spices)
-marsala cooking wine
-olive oil
-brown rice (we used the 90 sec. rice b/c it was quick and easy, and v. good for portion control - perfectly split between two people. it left you wanting more, but if I had more, I would have overeaten!)
-salt and pepper, to taste



How to:
-Saute the onion in some olive oil (no measurements were really taken, as you can tell; we kind of just threw this all together!).
-Add mushrooms and art. hearts
-Then add some of the marsala wine - not sure how much she added b/c i was busy chopping, but it seemed like it covered the food in the pan, it cooked down quite a bit.
-Add chopped tomatoes, sun dried toms, spinach, garlic. cover for about 5 mins so spinach wilts.
-add salt and pepper to taste
-pour over cooked brown rice, and ENJOY!



goes GREAT with red wine. All of the ingredients are healthy and very filling. We really didn't even need any cheese, but I imagine some feta would be amazing on there. But if you're trying to be low-cal, leave it off, it's fine without it.



Here's a pic from my phone:

oh, january.

Hello, friends.
Here are two things i've recently eaten (today and last night, actually) that I highly recommend:

Healthy Choice Frozen Pizza, Cheese:

With only 340 cals (not bad for a filling lunch that is, remember, PIZZA!) and 21 g protein and 5 g fiber, this is a fantastic lunch. Nice and crisp (cook in the provided crisper tray), very cheesy, and well-flavored, and filling, I definitely recommend this meal for those of us who love pizza, but are trying to be healthy too. I know, it's a frozen meal, and there's lots of stuff in it I can't pronounce, but I'm realistic about my income, time, and food talent levels (they're all low), so this works great for me! Enjoy.



Also, THESE are fabulous little desserts!! I am indulging on a york one right now. SUCH a delish treat!! Recommended for the woman who can't go a meal without wanting a dessert, and the woman who has a serious relationship with chocolate, but who is trying to refrain from running into Ben and Jerry's and ordering one of everything, because she knows that's what she really wants. ;-)

All in all, the health train has seen a few obstacles this month. I'm doing REALLY good with the not drinking. I'm really trying to squeeze in exercise (in some form or another), and I'm doing really good with food. Not noticing much yet, but I also had family guests in town two weekends in a row, which probably counteracted any good I've been doing. I've been sickly for a week, so that didn't help either. Hopefully February will be a bit easier for me.