Yogurt parfait

Yogurt Parfait? Seriously? This is what I have been reduced to writing about?

My friends are always asking how to eat healthy. I hear them talk about the big fat bagel with all the cream cheese on it. Or those breakfast burritos you get at work in the cafeteria. You can't eat that stuff everyday. Incorporating a breakfast like this a couple of times a week is a great start. When I say I have yogurt for breakfast I get this reaction like eeeew! Hey wait a minute. Continue reading.

It's quick, it's good for you, and it can be thrown together in a minute. You will get the protein in the yogurt, as well as some low fat calcium that is especially important for the women. The fruit is a great source of vitamin C, it has natural sugar for the body, and if you eat the blueberries you also get the antioxidants, in addition to fiber the fruit provides. The granola is whole grain with some nuts, usually walnuts, another food high in antioxidants. Seriously, this is some healthy food. I make this a little extra special by using a nice looking cup or bowl so it looks beautiful, and it adds to the brief moment of joy. And I do mean brief! Giving it a special name like parfait also helps.

I buy the Fage Greek yogurt. It is the only yogurt I can find that only has 8 grams of sugar. I have read every label on every brand of yogurt out there and they all contain excessive amounts of sugar. It makes me crazy, but that seems to be what the people want. I mean lets face it, sugar makes things taste good. That's what I want too, but I can't have it. If you have no issues with sugar then have it and be happy. Damn you! But I can't consume that much sugar anymore, my body cannot handle it.

So back to the point. I use one container of yogurt and I add some vanilla or cinnamon to it, give it good stir right in the container. Sometimes I might even add a little Splenda or some organic agave syrup, which is my fav. Then it is simply a process of making layers of yogurt, fruit and granola. I use a glass because I can see through it, and it looks so pretty when it is prepared. Start with 1/3 of the yogurt, then some fruit, then more yogurt, then some fruit, the last of the yogurt, some more fruit and then hit the top with the granola. 

I like to use berries, any kind, I love them all, but usually blueberries and strawberries, and raspberries. You can use fresh pineapple or papaya or banana, or any combination you wish. (Speaking of banana's, have you ever tried mashing a banana into your oatmeal?)

 

And don't even get me started on granola. That's another thing that contains tons of needless sugar. I make my own when I can and that adds even more enjoyment out of eating this.

If you want to boost it up a notch, add some flax seed or chia seeds and some walnuts.

This breakfast satisfies me. I feel good about eating it, it tastes delish, and I am satisfied so I don't snack.

It you can't sit in the morning and enjoy this in a beautiful container put it in a paper coffee cup and take it to go. Once you get to the office you can dig in. It's so much better than going to the cafeteria for that breakfast burrito!

Grilled Squid

I have to admit that grilled squid is not a food item that has been on my to do list. I mean, it's not like I have been reading cookbooks and dreaming of cooking a big ol' squid one day. But what are you supposed to do when stuff just arrives at your door? The truth is my stepson, Eric, went fishing and he caught a slew of big calamari or squid, we don't really know what they are. All we know is that they are really really good!

I pulled several of my cookbooks and read all I could about squid and what to do with it, and what not to do with it. I will tell you there are some very strange recipes out there. The more I read the more I started to understand how to handle it, how tough it can get, how using really simple good ingredients could make for a delicious dish. I decided to keep it as simple as possible however I really was not sure if it was going to come out edible or not. Just in case it was a total disaster I decided to make some pasta with it, that way we could fill up on the pasta if the squid did not work out.

It turns out I had nothing to worry about. The end result was so surprisingly delicious we can't wait to make it again. Thank goodness Eric brought us enough for several meals. Thanks Eric!!!!

You must start with clean fresh fish. If you buy it the fishmonger will clean it for you. I was concerned that it would be tough so I pounded mine between two sheets of plastic wrap. If you do this be very careful as it does break down and will fall apart if overworked. I then marinated it for 20 to 30 minutes. Don't let it sit any longer than 30 minutes. The lemon can make the fish break down if I sits on there too long. Put the squid in a dish or platter for marinating.

The marinade and sauce:

• 4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Zest of 1/2 lemon
• 1/3 cup very good quality olive oil
• 1/2 tsp dried Oregano
• Fresh cracked pepper

Now that the fish is all prepared, use 2/3 of the marinade to cover the fish. Marinate for 20 minutes.

Prepare the grill. You want a very hot grill and you want to cook the fish very quickly. Cook the fish 1 1/2 minutes per side. No longer. It overcooks very quickly and will get tough. Take it off the heat and allow it to sit for a couple of minutes. The residual heat will continue to cook the fish slightly.

Use the remaining 1/3 of the marinade to drizzle over the cooked fish. Serve.

It is tender, and it tastes of the sea, no salt is needed, and the lemon is wonderful. Because this is so simple you can see why the quality of the olive oil is very important.

Watch your dining partners eyes roll back in his head and be sure to pour the wine. Cheers!

Asparagus Frittata

Isn't this pic beautiful? As it should be, nicely brown, the white part in the middle is the cheese, all melty and gooey.


With the prices of food going up I have been more aware recently of just how much we spend on our food budget. Times are tough, therefore I am more aware of what I purchase. It's amazing what you really can do without if you need to. I am practicing restraint and when I buy an ingredient I want to use it for more than one meal. This requires a little planning ahead, which can be challenging, but it sure helps with the grocery bill.


Recently I had some organic whipping cream left from the night I made pasta for my husbands good friend Ray. ( He loves the pasta so much we nicknamed it Ray's pasta!) I needed to use it up so I made the pumpkin gratin. Additionally I purchased some Gruyere cheese to use in this frittata and also used it in a pumpkin gratin. The asparagus bunch I bought was divided between the soba noodles and the frittata. This is just an example of how I am trying to keep our costs to a minimum but still put some good food on the table. I hate buying something and then not using it or having to through it out.


So here are the ingredients for the frittata:

1 tbsp Olive Oil
1 onion, sliced thinly
Small bunch asparagus, cut into bite size pieces
Salt and Pepper
2 tsp butter, 1 to saute the onions, 1 to coat the gratin dish
1 cup Gruyere cheese, grated
6 eggs
1/2 c milk

In a saucepan, with some olive oil and butter, slowly saute the onion until soft and lightly brown. Be sure to season them with salt and pepper. This usually takes about 20 minutes. (When you get home from work start the onions, then go change your cloths, open the mail, and pour yourself a glass of wine. The onions will be done.) Set aside. In the same saucepan cook the asparagus in a little olive oil, salt and pepper, for 3 minutes until slightly done. Remember, when added to the eggs they will be cooking more in the oven so don't over cook them here.


Lightly butter a gratin dish. Lay the onions on the bottom. Add the asparagus. Grate 1 cup of gruyere cheese and add that to the gratin dish.


In a small bowl whip 6 eggs, add 1/2 cup of milk and some salt. Pour over the other ingredients in the gratin dish. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. The top should be slightly brown and the middle should not wiggle indicating the eggs are done.


I serve this with a green salad, but then I serve everything with a salad. Getting into the habit of having a salad almost every night is one of the best things we have ever done for ourselves. It's so easy to do, you can buy lettuce in a bag now, and I always make my own vinaigrette. I can change it up depending on the vinegar and oil I use, plus it takes me about 30 seconds to make, and that way I know what's in it and what we putting into our bodies. I also play around with different lettuces, there are do many varieties readily available and most are delish. I usually always combine a few different varieties to make it more interesting.

This frittata served two for dinner and I had one serving leftover for lunch the next day. You know how much I love that!