My version of fried rice

Okay, so this blog isn't all about baby... Thought I'd post a recipe that I came up with to use up all sorts of leftovers and things about to go bad in the fridge. Now, I've never loved fried rice- it's too dry I think. So, I blended risotto and fried rice recipes and came up with something yummy!



The recipe isn't exact because I tend to just throw things in the pot. Use up the leftovers you have- you don't have to add the same things that I did.

I started out crisping about three pieces of bacon in my wok. Remove the bacon to a paper towel when crisp and then add in half a chopped onion (the other half from an earlier meal), a few chopped up stalks of celery and diced carrot (both were in the bottom of the fridge and on the floppy side) and cook for a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper and whatever else you want.

Add a couple cups of cooked rice (I mixed leftover brown and white rice that I had) and about half a cup of chicken broth or water. Stir and when the rice has absorbed the liquid, add more. Continue doing this until the consistency is what you like. Then, add in chopped meat (I used leftover chopped turkey) and any quick cooking vegetables like corn or peas. Add the bacon back in and scrambled egg if you want.

I topped mine with crunchy chow mein noodles. I much prefer this to dry fried rice and by adding all the veggies and meat, this is a meal in itself.

Enjoy!

Protein, protein, protein

A few studies have shown that adequate protein while pregnant can prevent pre-e. So, I'm under strict instructions to get 80 to 100 grams of protein a day. Yeah, that's a lot of protein. I tried protein shakes and there is no way I'm getting that or keeping that down.

Well, I discovered an awesome recipe for Cottage Cheese Pancakes that has an obscene amount of protein. The batch makes about 6 pancakes and has 50 grams of protein in it. I was able to add an extra 1o grams to the batch with ground flax seed and toasted wheat germ. And, while the name may be a turn off, give them a try. They are very moist and even fluffy.

1 cup cottage cheese
3 eggs
1 cup flour
2 Tbs. ground flax seed
2 Tbs. toasted wheat germ
Pinch of salt (I usually leave this out)
3 Tbs. melted butter

Directions: Mix all ingredients except butter in bowl. Pour melted butter over and mix in. Cook on preheated skillet until dark golden brown, turning only once.

Simple as that! 10 grams of protein per pancake. I usually eat three for breakfast along with an 8 ounce glass of milk. So, I start my day with 38 grams of protein. I think the only other way you can get that is by drinking one of those disgusting protein shakes.

I have topped mine with honey, syrup, apple pie filling or blackberry syrup. The apples help get in a daily fruit but I think the blackberry syrup is my favorite. It was home canned by my grandma and has the perfect blend of sweet and tart. It's almost like eating a blackberry pie for breakfast!

The best carrot muffins ever!

Carrot Muffins

2 apples, peeled and grated
2-3 peeled and grated carrots (about two cups)
2 cups flour
1 ¼ cups sugar
¾ teaspoon baking soda
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 cup toasted wheat germ
1/8 cup ground flax seed
3 large eggs
¾ cup oil (You can replace some of this with applesauce but the muffins won't be as tender)
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract


Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place rack in center of oven.

In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil and vanilla. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, along with the carrot and apple. Stir until ingredients are just moistened. Do not over mix. Divide batter into greased or papered muffin cups. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Remove from oven and let cool on wire rack. After 10 minutes, remove from muffin tins. Cool completely before frosting.

Another step: Cut out the fake creamer!

So, I cut out our Coffee Mate creamer, effective this morning. I found the recipe by googling creamer recipes. There were lots of options but I chose one using sweetened condensed milk, regular milk and flavoring.

Here's the recipe:
One can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 cups regular milk
Any flavoring you want!

I added a capful of vanilla and a capful of almond (which, by the way, goes a LONG way... there was a lot of almond flavor from that small capful.)

I mixed it together in an old Ragu jar (16 ounces)- see I knew those saved jars would come in handy! We just have to remember to shake it well before pouring it into the coffee.

I have to say that it was good. I did add a little more sweetened vanilla syrup to my cup, but it was really good. And it was nice to know that my coffee actually had milk in it and not some milk derivative. Have you ever read the label on a Coffee Mate bottle? Yeah, not so much cream in there!

Next step- actually getting reusable grocery bags and remembering to use them!

The problem with juice

I've never liked juice. I was the strange kid who would ask for water or milk instead of sugary Kool-aid, juice or sodas. I VERY rarely drink anything other that water, tea, milk and coffee.

My husband is a different story. He drinks juice by the gallon- like a gallon every two days! He doesn't really care what kind of juice. The real 100% fruit juices from the refrigerated section can get spendy and the ones you buy in big jugs that don't need to be refrigerated before being opened are pretty much high fructose corn syrup with some fruit juice added.

(On a side note, our children will not drink juice because they will not be offered juice as an option. That may sound mean but it's empty calories and so much sugar!)

So, I mulled over this dilemma for a little while. I thought about getting a juicer but I think the cost of that along with the cost of all the fresh fruits and vegetables would be just as spendy and I doubt I could juice enough to keep up with my husband's drinking!

After we moved, I noticed that I had two LARGE bottles of lemon juice. I used to buy the cute little lemon shaped ones from the grocery store since I use it in cooking but realized that with how often I was buying it and the cost, it didn't make sense. So, I bought it from Costco for about the price of four little lemons and got about a gallon of it! Lo and behold, there was a recipe on the back for lemonade. Now, there was a workable idea.

When the juice fiend finished off a gallon plastic jug of his high fructose corn syrup, I rinsed out the container, added lemon juice, sugar and water, mixed well and tested. It was good! The husband likes it- it costs us nothing since it's all stuff I have in the pantry. When I need to replenish those supplies... OK, I just figured out, with overestimating the cost of the lemon juice and sugar, it is LESS THAN $1 for a gallon of lemonade! I figured out a formula so I only have to measure lemon juice and sugar into the container, then I just add the water to fill.

So, this is my new strategy for saving some money and for keeping the husband in his juice addiction. I'm going to experiment with some additions to it as well. I think if I get some frozen strawberries, I can blend them in the blender and add it in for some variation.

Eco change numero uno!

Okay, my first post about a change I've made that reduces my impact on the environment. And probably something that will make me healthier!

I don't have time for breakfast at home in the mornings. But, it's important that I eat it otherwise I will snack all day at my desk. So, I was buying those Quaker oatmeal packs and eating them soon after I came to work in the morning.

It's about $4 for each box of 10-12 packets I think. That's not too much money. And sometimes when Grocery Outlet had them, I'd buy several boxes and save a few dollars. I never did check the nutritional value on them. I mean, oatmeal is good for you, but I can't imagine how much sugar was in each of those packets! Plus, there was the box that went in the trash and each little packet that was thrown away, so definitely not eco friendly.

So, when my most recent box ran out, I decided to try to mix my own. Here's my recipe that I've hashed out so far. It might change a little as I continue to eat it. But, this morning's oatmeal tasted great!

Emilie's instant oatmeal
1/4 cup instant oats
1 Tbs each, milled flax seed, toasted wheat germ and brown sugar
Handful of raisins or chopped dried fruit (I'm going to try mangos next!)
Spices to taste (I add a sprinkle of cinnamon)

Mix thoroughly and seal in small container until you need it (for now I'm using a ziploc baggie that I will reuse until I can find a glass container it fits well in.) To make, heat about 1/2 cup water in microwave about 1 minute. Mix in oatmeal and stir. Let sit about 2 minutes until it's thickened. Enjoy!

It does taste different from the Quaker oatmeal, obviously. But, I kind of prefer less sweetness and I really like the raisins in it. Fruit and whole grains!

I'm going to go to Goodwill and see if I can find small glass containers to keep it in Five would be good because then I could make five portions for the week each weekend and just keep them in my desk. Then take home the containers as I use them, wash and reuse!

The most amazing banana bread ever!

My sister gave me this recipe awhile ago and I made it then. I remembered it being really good but hadn't made it since then. This weekend I had some bananas going bad so I decided to pull out the recipe. OH MY! So much better than I remembered it being... So, I thought I would share the recipe.

Banana Bread
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
four bananas (mashed)
1/2 cup yogurt
2 cups flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
Wheat germ/ flax seed (if desired)

Directions: Preheat oven to 350. Butter two loaf pans or muffin tins.

Cream butter and sugar. Add egg and continue beating. In another bowl, mash bananas and yogurt together until smooth (or leave some chunks if you like your bread that way.) Mix with butter and egg mixture.

In another bowl, sift flour, baking soda and baking powder together. I added 1/8 cup wheat germ and milled flax seed to mine, but it's up to you!

Add flour to the wet ingredients and stir until flour has disappeared. Don't overmix! Pour or scoop into your pans. Bake loaf pans 50 minutes, muffin tins 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out mostly clean.

My house smelled so yummy while it was baking. It's perfect by itself but I'm sure it would be very good with butter and honey as well!

Enjoy!

Recipe post: Chicken adobo

I love to cook. Have I ever mentioned that? That fact is responsible for the extra 15 (OK 25) pounds on me right now.
So, I thought I'd post a recipe that I make a lot for my husband.

Chicken adobo is a Filippino dish that my husband LOVES. He says the way I make it is better than his mom (who actually agreed with him when she visited- talk about a nice mother in law!).

So, here it is. Try it with steamed rice and vegetables.

Ingredients:

2 or 3 chicken breasts, thawed and cut into strips (you can use any part of the chicken really, I use chicken breasts because that is what I have.)

Half an onion, sliced into rings

3 cloves garlic, diced

2/3 cup vinegar (any kind is fine)

1 1/3 cup soy sauce

1 Tbl black pepper

1 Tbl garlic powder

Directions:

Heat a little oil in a deep skillet and brown the chicken. Remove the chicken and put it on a plate (it will go back in to finish cooking once the sauce is ready so don't worry about pink insides!) While your chicken is browning, mix your soy sauce, vinegar, pepper and garlic powder in a bowl (I use a 2-cup glass measuring cup).

Once your chicken is removed, soften your onions in the same pan.

Add the garlic and saute until fragrant- about a minute. Make sure to stir it so it doesn't burn!

Pour in your soy sauce mixture and bring to a boil. Add the chicken back to the pan, reduce heat to low and simmer until the chicken is cooked through.

Serve with steamed rice and enjoy!

Note: With a tablespoon of pepper it is pretty spicy. If you don't like as much spice, use less pepper, if you want more, use more!

Also, this makes enough sauce to double the amount of chicken you put in without having to double the sauce! My husband likes to pour it over his rice while I prefer my rice clear of sauce to balance the spice!