Couscous

Hey friends,

You hungry? Get there, cause this is good. I found a way to a man's heart. It's couscous. I've recently come up with a great way to use all the left-over veggies in my fridge! As we all know (lol, yeah right), couscous is not grain, but rather tiny balls of pasta. Pasta pretty much always = delicious (yeah, you did know that). I find this a great go-to side because it's ready to eat in about 15 minutes and you can throw just about any veggie in and end up with something wonderful. I use whole wheat couscous, but that's up to you.

What you need:

1 tsp. olive oil or butter

1 c. whole wheat couscous

1 1/3 c. broth or water

1 clove minced garlic

1/2 yellow onion (or 2 medium sized shallots) diced

salt n' peppa

veggies of your choice

I usually use: asparagus, peas, corn, bell peppers, edamame (or any mix of these)

How you do it:

In a medium sized pot, satay your onions and garlic in the oil over medium heat for about 3 minutes, throw in your veggies, let them soften a bit (5 ish minutes), add your broth. Bring to a rolling boil and take off heat. Add your couscous, stir and let sit for 5 minutes. You're done. Eat your heart out.

Yes it really is that easy.

Yes it really will make men fall in love with you.

Not so sure about the ladies... Let me know, guys. 

Maude 

A Perfectly Seared Steak

   

    Fastest way to a man's heart? A perfectly juicy, medium rare filet. That's it, he's yours, game over... LOL, I wish, but it's definitely one route. I can't tell you how many times I've seared a steak... and I still screw it up sometimes. I end up kicking myself over a slightly less pink piece of meat than I'd prefer. How silly? I get phone calls on Friday nights from my brother, my roommate, my best friend... "Maude, how the F do I sear a steak like you?!" No worries, I'm gonna tell you.
    First things first, if you're looking for that gorgeous caramel crusted steak, you're gonna need to get you a cast iron. To some, just the words may be intimidating, less the weight and the care process for a good cast iron. But don't worry, you can pick one up at Pretty much any place that has cookware or camping cookware (Target, Walmart, Marshall's. Academy) for under $20. Your steaks will never be the same.
    Secondly, you are never going to get a top notch tasting steak out of a bottom grade piece of meat, so keep dreamin'. Red meat, especially in it's whole form like we Americans love so much, is actually really hard for a our human bodies to break down. It takes a lot of time and energy to break that thing down and use it for energy. Not to mention the high cholesterol and fat content. SO there's my nutrition rant for today... My point it, if you're going to go all out and make yourself a bad ass steak, sink a few extra dollars into that higher quality piece, just don't go off and have a steak everyday. I really love those baby medallions (wrapped in bacon, so naughty) you can find at almost any grocery store, but a solid NY or Center Strip should do the trick. I like to stick with 1/2 a pound per person as a general average. I can never eat as much as I think I'm going to be able to, but it's all good cause that means steak & eggs in in the morning!

    Alright, let's get down to the nitty gritty.
 
You need:
    -Cast Iron
    -Oven & Range Top
    -Paper towels
    -Aluminum foil
    -Coarse grain salt
    -Black pepper
    -Olive oil (or another high heating plant oil)
    -A small pad of butter for each steak
Steps:
    1. Bring your steaks to room temp and dry with paper towels
    2. Apply a thick coat of salt and pepper to all sides of your steaks (be generous, it gives it that wonderful crust)
    3. Preheat oven will cast iron inside of it to 450 degrees
    4. When oven reaches 500, pull the cast iron our and place it on the range at high heat for 3 minutes
    5. Add about a tablespoon of oil to your cast iron and coat the surface
    6. When oil begins to smoke, place your steaks in, they will sear hard
    7. For every 1/2 inch thick your steak is, you will sear each side for one minute (you've got an inch thick steak, sear it for 2 minutes on front and back, and 2 minutes and two sides)
    8. Place in the oven for 5-7 minutes depending on your steak size
    9. Remove from the cast iron and place pad of butter on each steak.
   10. Cover lightly in aluminum foil tent and let sit for 4 minutes

     There ya have it. You win. A wonderful steak. You're welcome.
     PS. don't be afraid of a little butter, it's actually really good for you. :)

 
 

Clean Salmon Dinner :)

Hey friends,

I've got an awesome clean dinner combo to throw at you. Even if you're only interested in one or two of the components, no worries, look back through the blog and there are plenty of sides and entrees to substitute! Tonight at the new house I made baked asian marinated salmon with mushroom and onion quinoa and wilted spinach with shallots and pine nuts. I know that sounds like a mouthful (and it is), but really the hardest part is waiting for the delicious quinoa to finish cooking! This is one of my favorite ways to enjoy salmon and I'm very excited to share it with you!

Salmon marinade: makes enough for up to 1 lb. of salmon

-I used sockeye salmon, it is wild caught and more pure than Atlantic salmon, a little more expensive, but it was on sale today at HEB :)

   -4 tbsp. soy sauce

   -2 tbsp. honey

   -1 tbsp. olive oil

   -1 clove garlic (grated)

   -1 tsp. fresh (grated)

   -pinch of black pepper

   -handful of cilantro (chopped finely)

-Whisk together all ingredients

-Pour over salmon in a gallon baggy, zip up air tight and let sit for an hour

To cook: Heat oven to 350 degrees, add cast iron skillet with dash of olive oil to oven for 10 minutes

Add salmon skin down to cast iron and bake for 7 minutes.

Quinoa: serves 4 -takes up to 45 minutes

-Ingredients:

   -1 c. tri colored quinoa (rinse well)

   -1/2 yellow onion (diced)

   -1 large portobello mushroom (diced)

   -2 c. water (or chicken broth)

   -2 cubes chicken bouillon (optional)

   -1 clove garlic

   -big pinch black pepper

   -big pinch paprika

-Directions:

   1. Heat medium sized pot over medium heat with olive oil

   2. Add onions and satay until caramelized

   3. Add rinsed quinoa, spices (including garlic), and mushrooms

   4. Continue to stir over medium heat for 5 minutes

   5. Add water and bouillon cubes or broth 

   6. Bring to a full boil for 7 minutes

   7. Bring heat down to simmer and cover for 30-40 minutes or until liquid has dissipated

-use minimal stirring to have fluffy quinoa :)

Spinach: (takes about 5 minutes)

-large shallot

-1/2 tsp. butter

-pinch salt

-pinch of pepper

-2 large handfuls of spinach per person

-1 tsp. pine nuts per serving

In a medium sized skillet, heat butter on medium and add shallot, sautaay for 3 mintutes

Add pine nuts

Slowly add spinach, stirring while wilting

ENJOY! :)

The Journey to Better Health

Hello friends,
     I've been inspired. If any of you follow my on Instagram you may have noticed I was recently hospitalized. We all know hospital stays SUCK and let me tell you, this was the epitome of suckage, but some very good things came out of it. First of all, I'm going to be alright! I was diagnosed with Chronic Gastritis, which is inflammation and small tearings along the stomach lining. This was most likely brought on by the tremendous amounts of stress I've been under for the last few months. But that's all over now! I'm fully dedicated to restarting, de-stressing, and working towards a healthy me! 

The plan:
1. Follow a dedicated clean eating meal structure
2. Work-out 5-6 days a week. Incorporating low and high intensity days. 
3. Take up meditation and study Buddhism to decrease my stress and anxiety level

The rules:
1. List of foods NOT to eat is extensive
2. No alcohol!
3. Low stress lifestyle

Stick around the next few months as I learn all about how to heal myself from the inside out with food and exercise. 

Some other, more exciting things going on in my life right now (for those of you interested): I'm a senior (lol, in a sense) at TXST now! I finished my minor in business and will be in a lot more challenging and interesting classes from here on out, buckle up! I'm all moved out of the river house and in the sweetest pad smack dab in the middle of SM, enjoying every minute of it thus far. AND I HAVE A LOT OF AWESOME RECIPES COMING UP FOR YOU!

XOXO,
Maude

Chicken Tenders, Roasted Taters, & Grilled Asparagus

Hey Y'all!,  
   Woo it's been a busy week! I have so much going on between school and my two jobs I can hardly even think about coming up with new recipes. Thankfully I've got some of my old faves to catch you all up on! One of my most favorite "cheat" meals has got to be chicken strips & french fries. Preferably deep friends, and preferably from Whataburger, but hey, we can't win 'em all. Whataburger chicken strip meals not only cost you like $9, but they're also loaded in useless calories! So I challenged myself a long time ago to come up with something comparable to my fave Whataburger treat, but half the calories and double the micronutrient content, and here's what I've come up with... I even served it on paper plates... Okay, maybe that's cause I'm lazy ;)

Baked Crusted Chicken Strips w/ Roasted New & Sweet Potatoes, and Grilled Asparagus (gotta have something green, of course)

Roasted Potatoes: Serves 2

Ingredients- 
3 new potatoes
1 large sweet potato
2 tbsp. olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
2 pinches garlic powder
2 pinches onion powder
2 pinches paprika
1 tbsp. parsley
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese

Directions-
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Slice potatoes into cubes or shape of your desire
3. Soak in cold water for 5 minutes and drain (this removes excess starch from the potatoes!)
4. Dry potatoes using paper towels
5. In a small bowl mix all herbs and spices
6. Coat potatoes in olive oil and herb/spice mix
7. Places on greased baking sheet
8. Bake for 15 min, flip
9. Repear 2X (for total of 45 min baking time)
10. You can leave them for longer if you want them crispier :)

Chicken Strips: Serves 2

Ingredients- 
1 lb. chicken tenderloins or breasts (just slice em into "fingers")
2 tbsp. whole wheat flour
3/4 c. panko bread crumbs (a much lighter version of the breadcrumb)
1 egg
2 egg white
1 garlic clove (minced) or frozen garlic cube
1 tbsp. parsley
1/4 tsp. paprika
pinch of red pepper (cayenne)
salt & pepper to taste
oil spray (like Pam)

Directions-
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees (should already be there)
2. Grease a baking sheet
3. Prepare your raw chicken into "strips" and dry using paper towels
4. Prepare coating materials in 3 bowls:
       Bowl 1: Whole wheat flour plus salt, pepper (both kinds), paprika (stir together)
       Bowl 2: Egg and garlic (whisk)
       Bowl 3: Panko, parsley (stir together)
5. Dip chicken into bowls consecutively, thoroughly coating with each mixture and lay on greased sheet
6. If you have some of the egg and panko mix left, you can dip strips again for more of a crunchy coat!
7. Bake for 15 min. flip and bake for 10 more. 
8. Always check internal temp. of chicken and make sure it gets up to 165 degrees before consuming
9. Let strips rest 3-5 min before eating :)

Grilled Asparagus (I know this recipe is located in the earlier posts of the blog, but it's still my very favorite and most simple way to make asparagus I know. Thanks Mason for showing me this so long ago).

Ingredients:
Asparagus
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Directions:
1. Heat up your George Foreman or you can pop these babies in the oven too
2. Trim and wash asparagus
3. Place in a row on sheet of foil
4. Coat in olive oil, salt and pepper to taste
5. Wrap using another sheet of foil on top
6. Put on the Foreman for 6 min, flip, 6 more min.
or pop in the oven for 20 min

I'm backkkkkk - Stuffed Bell Peppers

Hey friends,
   I apologize for my recent lack of dedication to the blog...
   I'm back! ...and I brought stuffed peppers :)



So I made these guys with a bison/ground turkey/quinoa mix 1:1:1, but feel free to use any ground meat and any whole grain, like brown rice.

Fun facts about why this meal is healthy :)

--> So I know I've talked about quinoa before, but did you know that quinoa is one of only TWO plants that are considered a "complete protein"? The only other one is soy, that's why they make all those protein shakes and stuff out of it! Unfortunately, 99% of the soy produced in America is GMO and contains large levels of phytoestrogens and other plant hormones...
--> Bell peppers are super bright in color, which means they contain large levels of phytonutrients (phyto- meaning plant). Each specific color in plants indicates a different phytonutrients. These phytonutrients are beneficial to different functions of our bodies. Reds, for instance, play an active role in antioxidation.
--> Why bison? I know some people are turned off by unconventional foods, but the truth is, what is unconventional to you, is everyday for someone else. Bison is super high in protein while remaining low in fat. Which is awesome, I'm sure you know why.

     I know this seems like a lot of steps, but I tried to break it down and make it as simple as possible to understand. If you guys have any suggestions or questions, let me know! Email me at maudelyse15@hotmail.com
I served this with velveeta shells cause I was feelin' crazy, ENJOY!

Ingredients:
1/2 lb. ground turkey
1/2 lb. ground bison
1 c. uncooked quinoa
2 c. chicken broth or water
1 yellow onion
3/4 c. mushrooms
1 clove garlic (minced) or frozen cube of garlic
salt and pepper to taste
two pinches of paprika
1 tsp. basil
1 tbsp. fresh parsley
4 good sized bell peppers (color of your choice)
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 egg

Instructions:
1. Rinse uncooked quinoa
2. Heat a small pot on medium high with 1 tbsp. olive oil
3. Add quinoa, salt, pepper, paprika, and basil
4. Stir for 5 minutes
5. Add chicken broth or water
6. Bring to boil for 5 min. and then turn down to low and cover for 35-45 min. or until liquid is gone
7.Bring a large pot of water to boil
8.Preheat oven to 375 degrees
9. Core your bell peppers so they're hollow
10.Prepare an ice bath in a large bowl
11. Drop them in the boiling water for 5 minutes
12. After the 5 minutes, drain each pepper and place in the ice bath
13. Drain after 5 minutes and set them aside to dry
14. Bring a large skillet to med-high heat with olive oil
15. Drop your ground meats in and brown
16. Halfway through browning, turn heat down to medium and drop in your diced onion, mushrooms, garlic, and spices/herbs (you can always spice it up as you wish!)
17. Cook until onions are transparent and it smells awesome
18. Add 1 or 1 1/2 cups of the cooked quinoa (depending on the consistency you're going for)
18. Remove from heat and allow to cool for minutes
20. Add egg and mix
21. Stuff the mixture into your bell peppers
22. Bake in a greased casserole dish for 45 minutes

See ya next time,

Maude

Spinach Power Salad

    I used to absolutely hate salads. I thought they were the worst. But now salads are my go-to food for something quick and tasty. My favorite? Spinach salads. Spinach is sweet, and we all know I have a huge sweet-tooth. I went to this awesome restaurant out near where I work and I had their spinach salad and fell in love with this simple and awesome recipe. The only thing I wish I knew was their recipe for the salad dressing. It was some sort of yogurt poppy-seed dressing that was to die for! I'll let y'all know when I recreate it successfully! For now, though, I've been using this awesome low calorie Rasberry Merlot salad dressing by Bolthouse Farms, which is an awesome company! (I also LOVE their protein smoothies). So here's my recipe, which is pretty simple!

Spinach, Strawberries, Feta, & Walnuts!

AMAZING!