Slow Cooked Pernil (Puerto Rican Pork)

Several months ago, I pinned a recipe for Skinny Slow Cooked Pernil that sounded amazing! After making it last night, I can say it most definitely was! Visit skinnytaste.com for the original recipe but I'm reposting here for your convenience:

yummy, simple ingredients

Slow Cooked Pernil

Ingredients: 

• 3 lb pork shoulder blade roast, lean, all fat removed
• 4-5 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp coarse salt
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tbsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp crushed black pepper
• 3 oranges, juice of (1/2 cup)
• 2 limes, juice of

Directions:

Using a sharp knife, cut slits into the pork and stuff holes with half of the crushed garlic. Combine the remaining ingredients and pour over pork. Place in the ceramic part of the crock pot, cover and refrigerate, turning pork occasionally so the marinade covers all of pork.

Super good!

The next day, remove the crock pot and cook on low, 8 hours.

After 8 hours, remove pork and shred using two forks. Remove liquid from crock pot and add pork back to crock. Add about 1 cup of the liquid back and adjust salt, pepper and cumin (you will probably need to add more). Let it cook another 15-30 minutes.

This was delicious. I served it with avocado, tomatoes, onions, jalapenos (I like it spicy) and cucumbers - oh and the kids liked a sprinkle of cheese and tortilla. Give it a try!

Chicken Cacciatore with Roasted Radishes

Moment of truth - I really dislike chicken. I know it's healthy and blah blah blah but I'd prefer a nice marbled steak. Because I know chicken is a good option, I'm always on the lookout for recipes and this week I decided to attempt a Chicken Cacciatore recipe. 

I scoured Pinterest for the perfect picture and came to this recipe from a blog called Proud Italian Cook. The photos had me hooked! I've never had this so I can't gauge the "authenticity" of this recipe but I can tell you it was AWESOME! To be "on plan" - I did make a few modifications so here is my version:

My Chicken Cacciatore simmering

Chicken Cacciatore

Ingredients

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (note the original recipe called for whole chicken)
• 8oz. mixed mushrooms, like crimini and shiitake
• 1 onion, diced medium
• 1 small yellow and red pepper, diced medium
• 2 small carrots, peeled and sliced
• 5 garlic cloves, shaved
• pitted kalamata olives, a large handful
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup chicken broth plus 2 tbsp lime juice (this was my substitute for white wine in the original recipe)
• 1 14 oz. can crushed tomatoes (no sugar added)
• 5 whole tomatoes chopped
• Assorted herbs, parsley, basil, oregano and thyme
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

• Season chicken with salt, pepper and sprinkled oregano.
• Heat a heavy cast iron skillet, drizzled with olive oil.
• Place chicken in pan and do not move it until it reaches a deep golden brown and it's easy to turn, brown other side for a few minutes. 
• Remove chicken and set aside.
• Add vegetables, garlic, salt and pepper to taste, a few twigs of thyme, saute for 5 minutes.
• Add chicken and lime juice mixture and let it reduce.
• Add chicken broth and tomatoes.
• Toss in 1 teaspoon of salt, pepper and chopped fresh basil.
• Place the chicken back into the pan and sink into the juices.
• Simmer on low uncovered on the stove top for about 45 minutes. (Note: I was in a hurry or I would have simmered this even longer so that the chicken would sort of falls apart. The original recipe said to cook until chicken falls off the bone.)
• Garnish with fresh parsley.

Of course, Proud Italian Cook suggested serving with cooked pasta, polenta or warm crusty bread and we know that's not on plan! I didn't necessarily need any more veggies but I like the feeling of having a "side dish" so I used the opportunity to try another recipe....another Pinterest find of course. Have you ever thought of roasting radishes? Me either - until this recipe crossed my path. I'd say this one is worth trying but it's a little odd. I'd make it again for something different but I don't know that it will end up in my regular rotation.

Roasted Radishes

Ingredients:

My roasted radishes

• 2 bunches radishes, cleaned, trimmed and cut in half lengthwise
• spray with Pam
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Place all ingredients into a large mixing bowl and toss together. Spray with Pam. Season with salt and pepper.
• Spread radishes onto a baking sheet and roast for 20 to 25 minutes or until radishes have crisped and browned around the edges and have become almost fork tender.
• Lightly adjust seasonings and finish with lemon zest, if desired. Serve.

Delicious dinner. Give it a try!

Asparagus-Bacon Frittata

Did you know eggs are allowed on the 5&1 plan? There are people who don't and sometimes I forget. The other night I wanted something different and I didn't want to go to the store. I looked through my fridge and found that I had turkey bacon, eggs, asparagus and decided a fritatta sounded delicious. For a "guidelines" I found this recipe on Pinterest. It was DELICIOUS! 

You can follow the link for the original recipe but here's my recipe with edits:

Asparagus Bacon Frittata

• 3-5 slices turkey bacon
• ½ yellow onion, sliced
• 1-2 cloves garlic, chopped finely
• ½-1 lb. asparagus, sliced on the bias
• 5-6 eggs, beaten

To Cook:

• Cook bacon in a large cast iron or oven-safe, nonstick skillet until crispy. Remove from pan and let cool on paper towels.
• Warm a 2 tsp olive oil in skillet and add sliced onion. Keep heat at medium low and let onions cook slowly to get caramelized (about 10 minutes). Stir occasionally.
• When onions are soft, add the chopped garlic and stir. Let cook one minute until garlic is fragrant.
• Add asparagus and turn heat up to medium. Let cook for 5-10 minutes, or until asparagus is cooked to desired doneness.
• Meanwhile, chop your cooled bacon into small strips. Turn on the oven to the broil setting.
• When asparagus is done, stir in chopped bacon. Then pour the eggs over the asparagus mixture and make sure it covers everything evenly.
• Let cook on the stovetop for about 2 minutes, then transfer to the oven (on a middle rack). Cook in oven for 5-10 minutes or until the eggs are cooked through and no longer appear wet on top.
• Remove from oven and serve!

As you can tell from the photo, I did add a bit of low-fat mozzarella to the top near the end of cooking. It was delicious! I served it with a salad and fresh sliced tomatoes! Yum!

What to Do with Wilt-y Salad Mix

I eat a LOT of salad. It's easy, convenient, fast, healthy, and delicious. My favorite is the Earthbound Organics Herb Salad Mix. It has a variety of greens, herbs, and is a great price. I buy it for about $5 for a big giant tub of it.

my favorite salad mix

Buying it in a big tub has a drawback. Occassionally, the mix gets a little "wilty" before I eat it all and so I find myself throwing it out.

Last night, I was faced with throwing out more than half a container. Disappointing on two levels....

First, I haven't gone to the grocery store and so my choices are limited. There goes my plan to have salad - now what?

Second, I really hate throwing something I paid for out.

So I got "creative" - now I'm sure there are those of you who are going to think "duh" but I decided to cook it. DELICIOUS!

First, I took a tsp of olive oil. Added a bit of minced garlic and cooked it until fragrant (about a minute). Added some very thinly sliced onion. Cooked about another 2-3 minutes. Then added about 3 handfuls of the salad mix. Cooked it (tossing it a bit) for about 2 minutes. Put it on a plate and voila - an easy side dish.

Give it a try!

Spring = Asparagus

There are many things I love about Spring but one of them is asparagus. At close to $4/lb the rest of the year, Spring brings prices that are affordable. I recently picked up asparagus for just 99 cents a lb! Of course, I bought an insane amount of it and then have been looking for different ways to use it. Here's a recipe I found recently that is delicious! (Note: medifastcenters.com is a great resource for healthy delicious recipes)

Chicken and Asparagus Salad

Ingredients

• 1 lb raw, boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into ½” slices (should yield two 6-oz cooked servings)
• 4 cups field or Italian salad greens
• ½ cup (6 medium or 12 small/thin 5-¼” to 7” spears) asparagus
• ½ cup (4 medium) cherry tomatoes, chopped
• 2 Tbsp Ken’s® Red Wine Vinegar & Olive Oil
• 4 tsp lemon juice
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• ¼ tsp Mrs. Dash® Original Garlic & Herb Seasoning Blend

Directions

In a small bowl, whisk together salad dressing, lemon juice, Mrs. Dash®, salt, and black pepper. Trim asparagus ends, but leave the rest whole. Bring pot of water to boil; add asparagus and cook 7-10 minutes or until al dente (tender-crisp). Slice chicken and chop tomatoes; set aside until asparagus is cooked. Drain asparagus, then add, chicken, tomatoes, asparagus, and dressing mixture to pot and cook over medium heat until mixture is warmed through and chicken is no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes. To serve, line plates with 2 cups salad greens; add chicken and asparagus mixture over greens.

Nutritional info: 2 servings, 380 calories, 12 g total fat, 2.5 g sat fat, 145 mg cholesterol, 650 mg sodium, 11 g total carbs, 4 g fiber, 56 g protein

Delicious! Enjoy! 

Emotional Eating Tips

It's been a rough couple of weeks emotionally for me. I won't go into all the particulars but just know that I've had the strongest desire to drown my sorrows in chocolate, cheese, calorie-laden coffees, and whiskey/coke.

It's been a great lesson for me however. With 87 lbs lost and a whole lot of willpower, I really thought I had my emotional eating habit under control....I've totally got this.

Confession: It's taken every tool and trick I can think of to stay on plan. It's not been easy.

Here's my tips:

Remind yourself why you started: Surround yourself with reminders of what you really want. I pulled out my structural tension chart, made a few copies, and keep them around me.

Journal: I write down everything I eat or drink plus post photos of sayings, outfits, or lifestyle events I want to accomplish.

Challenge: I ask myself, "Will I regret not eating this?" when I'm faced with temptation like chocolate, a piece of cake, or a donut.

Substitute: Make healthy comfort foods instead of fat and calorie laden ones. For example, I love potatoes and cheese and dips. Here's a few:

Cheddar Mashed Cauliflower

•             2 medium heads cauliflower, broken into florets

•             1/3 cup 2% milk

•             1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary

•             1/2 teaspoon salt

•             1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese

In a Dutch oven, bring 1 in. of water to a boil. Add cauliflower; cover and cook for 5-10 minutes or until tender. Drain; return to pan. Mash cauliflower with the milk, rosemary and salt. Stir in cheese until melted.

Parsnip Fries

Be Shallow: It feels noble and "right" to use optimal health and a long life as motivators but sometimes, those just aren't what motivate me. Sometimes I just need to be "shallow" - sometimes it's a cute skirt, the thought of wearing a bikini, the desire to be sexy, or the ability to prove someone wrong that motivates me.

Forgive yourself: Sometimes, I just make the "wrong" decision and it's ok. If I eat a piece of chocolate, I just get over it and get back on plan right then instead of waiting for tomorrow or Monday.

And there you have it...the ways I've stayed on plan. What tips work for you?

Weekend Sabotage

Paula, Stacy, Me and Laurie pose in front of the
Salmon River sign

I woke up this morning with achy joints, a slight headache, a bit of bloating, and some regrets. This weekend marked my annual girls fishing trip. We drive 10-12 hours to arrive in tiny Riggins, Idaho, get up early the next morning, spend the day on a freezing river and attempt to catch fish. We spend the next day exploring this part of Idaho and then drive 10-12 hours back. I look forward to it all year long.


I did not eat well...hence, my regrets. But as I drank my medifast hot cocoa this morning, I couldn't help but feel like I was somewhat victorious over my unhealthy habits. Did I eat a piece of bread, drink a soda, and devour three or four peanut butter fudge bars? Yes I did. And this morning, I regretted it. And I physically feel like I ate crap.

 

The ice on the river had to be broken up for us to fish

But I want to take a moment to look on the bright side. Let's compare....

All of us stalking those steelies! 

In year's past, I would have ate chips in the car on the way. Drank calorie-laden coffees all the way there. When we stopped for lunch, I would have had a burger and fries. I would have drank several vodka drinks mixed with sodas. I would have eaten a plate full of Laurie's mom's peanut butter fudge bars. I would have eaten lots of sandwiches (i.e. lots of bread). I would have eaten breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks snacks snacks.






Now let's talk about this year....I had one calorie laden coffee drink. A small one on the way home. I chose water or coffee mixed with my medifast hot cocoa. I did have two cans of soda mixed with whipped cream vodka. But only two. I ate two small handfuls of wasabi peas instead of chips (not sure it's a better choice but they're HOT and I couldn't eat as many lol). I ate a salad at lunch on the way there, a bowl of french onion soup at lunch the day we went to McCall, and I stayed on plan for my dinners. On the way home, I splurged on a mini blizzard at Dairy Queen.

The canyon where we fish...beautiful

Did I make all the right choices? No. But I didn't completely blow it either. And more importantly, this morning, I'm right back on plan. I'm not waiting until Monday. It starts again now.

I'd call that progress!