All posts filed under: Eat

healthy recipe: garlic shrimp and grits

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Lately I have honed in on recipes which read gluten free and it’s not because I was medically diagnosed with any stomach related issues, it’s just I find the meals lighter  on the stomach and easily digestable. And, since I am always looking for ways to eat healthy, here is a recipe that I am actually happy to try out this week. Ingredients 3/4 cup instant grits Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 1/4 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails intact 2 large cloves garlic, minced Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional) Juice of 1/2 lemon, plus wedges for serving 2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh parsley Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat, covered. Uncover and slowly whisk in the grits, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the parmesan and 1 tablespoon butter. Remove from the heat and season with …

healthy recipe: chile with chocolate and chipotle

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I love chile, but hate the ground meat version of it, so for this weekend’s football party I wanted to make a pot of chile and serve it up with some amazing San Francisco sourdough, cheddar cheese and lots of chopped onions. Check out the recipe I found here Ingredients Cooking spray 2 cups diced onion (about 1 large) 1 cup chopped red bell pepper 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 1/4 pounds ground turkey breast 3 tablespoons brown sugar 2 tablespoons ancho chile powder 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained 2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained 1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth 2 chipotle chiles, canned in adobo sauce, minced 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped 1/2 cup light sour cream Chopped green onions (optional) Preparation Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, and turkey to pan; sauté 8 minutes or until turkey is browned and vegetables are tender. Add sugar and next 9 ingredients (through chipotle) to pan, stirring to blend; bring …

light recipe: glazed figs with mascarpone cream

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I love fresh figs and will probably eat an entire basket of them any chance I get, so last night or early this morning, since I couldn’t sleep, I decided to search online for a recipe I wanted to try over the weekend and found it here. The funny thing is, around the bay area, we can find fresh figs at a local market pretty much the entire year, no matter if they are out of season. Anyway, check out the recipe and let me know what you think? Keep in mind if you have nut allergies, to avoid the walnuts. Ingredients Cream: 2 cups mascarpone 1/2 cup heavy cream 2 tablespoons icing sugar (confectioners’) Glazed Figs: 1/2 cup orange juice 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 1/4 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon orange zest 1 pint fresh figs, halved 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped Special equipment: an electric mixer Directions For the cream: In an electric mixer whip the mascarpone until smooth. Continue whipping and slowly add the cream in a steady stream. Add the sugar and whip for 3 minutes. For the …

comfort food – lasagna with caramelized onions

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Eating healthy is a challenge during the colder months of the year, and although I maintain a pretty regimented meal plan on a weekly basis, once in a while I crave the greasiest, the fattiest meal and no matter how much I fight the crave, I give in to it, once a week. Here is a recipe I found, as usual from my favorite site here, which I cannot wait to try over the weekend and of course share with everyone, who is very loyal to my blog. Let me know what you think? Ground Beef, Caramelized Onion, and Spinach Lasagna: Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net 1 tbsp olive oil, more if needed 2 sweet yellow onions, sliced thickly 1 pound of lean ground beef (I used 93/7) 1 tsp dried basil 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 tsp dried oregano 1/4 tsp onion powder 1 pinch of red pepper flakes Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste 5 cloves garlic, minced 1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese 1 egg 1 …

healthy eating: creamy light mac and cheese

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Who doesn’t love mac and cheese America? Sorry everyone else, but the thing is, mac and cheese is probably the most consumed food in the U.S., especially by folks with little kids and  those who are very young at heart. Of course, although delicious, the dish comes with a price to pay, because it is basically full of “probably” everything that isn’t good for you. Because of my family’s commitment to eat healthy, I  have stayed away from  making mac and cheese for the longest time, until of course today, when I decided to search for a healthier mac and cheese recipe, so that I could introduce this tasty dish back into my household. You can either go here to get the recipe or scroll below and if you happen to make it, please let me know what you think of this version? Ingredients 3 cups cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1 [1-pound] squash) 1 1/4 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth 1 1/2 cups fat-free milk 2 garlic cloves 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons fat-free …

chasing french and italian countryside in napa

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Over the weekend I needed to get away from the cold and the fog and find some sun. So what  better way to do that then to take a trip to Napa and emerse myself in a  mini replica French and Italian countryside escape, while taking in the sun. We got an early start because we wanted to stop off  for breakfast in Sausalito before the town was packed with tourists. We usually eat at my favorite breakfast place, Sausalito Bakery and Cafe  (I don’t care if it’s touristy spot) because of the ambiance, a great cup of coffee and a slice of blueberry and cottage cheese strudel made with filo dough. (It’s actually really delicious and much lighter than the typical strudel made with regular dough). While we sipped coffee we discussed our course of action for Napa, knowing very well we would end up at our usual favorite wineries. Finally or actually after forty five minutes of sipping coffee and watching the restaurants and shops open up and prepare for business, we head …

miette – a san francisco treat

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It is becoming almost impossible to stay cheery and upbeat with the weather we are having in San Francisco (as usual) this Summer. Getting bundled up is really not my favorite part of our Summers here and because of it I am always looking for ways to escape the gray and the cold. Miette came to mind on friday as a pick me up, when I stepped out to lunch from my job. So  I walked over to the Ferry Building at the Market Street and treated myself to my favorite chocolate wafers (pictured above) with a cup of hot coco. Yes, hot coco in the middle of Summer. I must say, even if it was only for thirty minutes in the middle of the day, I felt really warm and fuzzy 🙂 inside. What I love is the fact I discovered they actually have a recipe book here and guess what, I am now a proud owner of a copy from Barnes and Nobles. So, while you are visiting our wonderful city by the …

healthy cooking: greek pasta

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Although I have my own rolodex of recipes I follow and some I learn as I watch my mother cook, I often times borrow recipes from some of my favorite bloggers. Here’s one I absolutely love and of course found here. But just in case you don’t really want to click away from my blog, I have detailed the recipe below for you to consider trying. Greek Pasta: Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts Angel hair pasta, cooked per instructions 1 tbsp olive oil 1/4 small red onion, diced Handful of grape tomatoes 1/4 tsp oregano 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste 3 cloves of garlic, minced Handful of kalamata olives, halved 1/2 cup of chicken broth 1 cup of baby spinach Feta cheese Toast the pine nuts in a DRY skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Set aside. Cook the pasta per instructions. While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in …

inspirational woman over 40 – Ines de la Fressange

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A woman who I have admired for a long time now, is of course a French fashion icon, Ines de la Fressange. I am not going to detail her bio on this blog entry, but will happily give you a link here  so that you can use it to get some background about her. The interesting thing is that, she became well known around the fashion world as a result of her connection to Chanel throughout most of her 20s. Anyway, she had written a book a while back titled, Parisian Chic, which I have picked up and read from cover to cover, just so I can truly understand Parisian women, their style, even more so than I already do, in order to satisfy my obsession with the French lifestyle, culture, and fashion. Of course the book validates the fact my core makeup and way of thinking and living  is French and I am very happy about that. The transition to living in France someday soon will be very easy for me. So, check out the …