Scenic Sunday, this week's meal and an anniversary.

This is going to be a long one today, so I'm chunking it into three parts.

Part One: Scenic Sunday:

Well, it's Memphis is May, that means rain, and lots of it.  I got lucky to find a spot of time to go for a run around the pond at my appartment complex.  I know, not very adventurous but it was exciting for two reasons. 
One: the turtles.  The pond is crawling with turtles of all shapes and sizes and I love to watch them swim around while I run.



And the second reason it was such a good run:  It was my first time using my Garmin Forerunner 110 to its full capacity and I love it!  Plus: I BROKE 10 MINS PER MILE!

 

The circled bits are the running portions, and LOOK AT IT!  I broke 10 minutes per mile!  That's one goal checked off the goals list!  WOO!

Part Two: The Week's Fare:
 
Since it's Sunday, that means its the weeks cooking night.  This week, I've decided to make something that it hearty, but still healthy and reminds me of home.  Plus it uses a lot of my take from the farmer's market.

Italian Marinated Baked Chicken

3lbs of frozen chicken breast or chicken tenderloin

1 bottle of your favorite Italian dressing

1. To marinate the chicken, combine frozen chicken breast and Italian dressing in a resealable plastic bag. Place in a shallow dish and refrigerate to thaw overnight.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

3. Place thawed and marinated chicken in a shallow baking dish, either lightly greased, or with a small layer of marinade.  Bake for about an hour until juices run clear.

Serves 6

Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Baby Red Potatoes

1 pint raw brussel sprouts cleaned and halved

1 lb baby red potatoes cleaned and quartered

3 tbs olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Toss the brussel sprouts, potatoes oil salt and pepper to coat in a resealable plastic bag or a large bowl.

3. Layer the mixture on a foil lined baking sheet and bake for an hour, turning half way through.
Serves 6

This hearty meal will feed me for the whole week, but would be great for a large family as well.  Despite how some people feel about starchy potatoes, they really are healthy for you in moderation.  Root vegetables contain tons of vitamins and minerals that other veggies don't have.  They may be very calorie laden, but when prepared correctly, they are quite good for you.

Part Three: An Anniversary

Today is the one year anniversary of my first half marathon. Not being there makes me feel a little guilty, but also reminds me that I did that once and I'm going to do it again.  I miss home, and I miss the city of Pittsburgh.  I know all of my friends in the 'Burgh who were running today did well, and I wish I could have been there.  Someday I will return and run the whole marathon. 

I am and always will be a Runner of Steel!

Friday Night Treat: Chicken Wings

Every Friday, I like to reward myself with a little bit of a splurge food.  My high stress job and rigid workout schedule makes me feel like I deserve some kind of respite.  The catch is that I find a way to make it more healthy.  Tonight, I am having a craving for some hot wings.  When you get hot wings from your favorite restaurant, they are fried in fat, sometimes breaded and smothered in rich sauces.   I decided to experiment and make a healthier version to "splurge" on, on a Friday night.  Here's my  method and recipe.

"Healthy Choice" Chicken Wings

12 chicken wing sections
2 tablespoons olive oil

salt, pepper, garlic powder and cayenne pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

2. Combine wing sections, olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder and cayenne in a resealable plastic bag.  Shake to coat wing sections.

3. Place wing sections on a foil lined baking sheet and bake for 1 hour until golden and crisp.

If you want saucy wings, combine your favorite sauces with a splash of water in a large bowl and toss the cooked wings in the sauce.  Serve with vegetables for a balanced meal.

 

This cooking method drastically reduces the amount of fat in this "junk food" treat.  If you choose a skinless chicken wing, this will also reduce the amount of fat and calories you are consuming.  This cooking method may be a lot more time consuming than good old fryer chicken wings, but are just as tasty and way less guilty.

Have a favorite "splurge food" that you want me to feature a healthier version of?  Let me know.  I am up for suggestions and experimentation in the kitchen!

Cooking for One

I don't know how many of my readers out there are cooking for one, but it was one of the biggest things that have sabotaged my progress since I moved to Memphis.

My problem: I love to cook, but all my recipes were for servings of 4 or 6 and were nearly impossible to make just one serving of.  So I would inevitably end up overeating.  As my mother always said, "Don't eat like a fish, their eyes are bigger than their stomachs."  (I don't know where the fish part came from, but oh well.)

Here's my solution: Weekly meal planning.
Most people are pretty busy on week nights anyway, so my solution can apply to anyone.  Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, I pick 3 meals, make them for 4-6 servings, eat my one serving and split the rest up into individual serving containers.  Then, I plan out my meals for the week.  These 3 nights of cooking usually last me until the next Friday if I space them out with my standard lunch of a turkey sandwich, fruit, veg and yogurt.  This way, I can plan exactly what I am eating for the whole week, and have more time just in case we have a late faculty meeting, or the Wind Symphony or Choir has a concert.  It also gives me more time for workouts, social functions and just plain relaxation during the week and I still get to cook whatever my little heart desires on the weekends.

So far, this little trick has been working wonders for my schedule.  I used to come home after school, exhausted and as myself: "what am I going to have for dinner?"  Which usually led to too many processed foods or trips to Popeyes.  Plus the sitting around thinking about what I wanted to cook would make me skip workouts!  Now, I have all week to think about what I want to cook over the weekend when I have all the time in the world to cook.  I think it's genius and it leaves little room for calorie errors.  Don't get me wrong, I still indulge every now and again, but have stayed much more consistent this way.

This week's meal: Stir Fry Pork and Peppers
 
16 ounces of pork cut into small pieces (I used pork chops)
3 bell peppers cut into small pieces
1 red onion cut into small pieces
1 tbs minced garlic
1 tbs grated ginger
2 tsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tsp rice wine or dry sherry
1 1/2 tsp corn starch
salt and pepper
2 tbs hoisin sauce
1 tbs Sriracha or hot chile sauce
2 tbs olive oil divided

(This goes by quick, so have your ingredients ready)
1. Combine the pork, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, 2 teaspoons rice wine, cornstarch, salt and pepper in medium bowl.  Stir to combine.  Mix hoisin sauce, chile sauce and the remaining rice wine in a small bowl.
2. Heat a 14 inch flat bottomed wok over high heat until a bead of water vaporizes within 1 to 2 seconds of contact.  Swirl in 1 tablespoon olive oil.  Carefully add the pork in one layer. Cook undisturbed for 1 minute, letting it sear.  Then stir-fry until lightly browned, but not cooked through (about 1 minute).  Transfer to a plate.
3.  Swirl the remaining oil into the wok, add the onion and cook until just translucent (about 30 seconds).  Add the peppers and stir until combined.  Return the pork and any juices to the wok.  Stir the hoisin sauce mixture again and swirl it into the wok.  Stir-fry until the pork is cooked (about 1 minute).


Here's the finished product:

I served mine with half a cup of quinoa and it was delicious!   With the quinoa, according to Lose It!  this recipe has just 515 calories and 17 grams of fat.  It's well balanced with plenty of fiber rich veggies.  And don't forget pretty!

A recipe that is fast and easy, plus easy to split up and reheat for meals the rest of the week.  This one's a keeper!