In Love & Tornadoes

Saturday 3-3-12 proved to be a trying day for me. I work full time as property manager of two communities in Valdosta, Ga. Tuesday - Saturday. Putting out fires is my main job description, and let's just say the fire nearly consumed me that day. I was frazzled and at my breaking point by noon. After talking to my boyfriend (and numerous other people in my contacts list) I was feeling pretty calm. My amazing boss, on the phone with me pretty much every step of this truly testing day, even told me to go home an hour early. Awesome right? NO.

What I failed to mention is that it was a torrential downpour pretty much all day, and though I work in Valdosta, I live in Lakeland, Ga. If you watch the news, this may sound familiar about now. Here's a news blip http://www.mysouthwestga.com/news/story.aspx?id=726664#.T1Vrw_GPUSY.

It took me 4 HOURS to get home... about 15-20mi from where I work. The tornado touched down at the end of our road, ripped up trees, power lines, houses, pecan orchards, etc. I'm feeling very lucky to have a home at this point, so when the main road to my house is close, I think no big deal, I'll just go the other way. UMMMM yeah... I'm not very familiar with this state yet, I've only lived here about 7 months, and it's not like I'm driving when we go tour back roads.

My car will not make it down any dirt roads, so I have to stick to the main roads. I got diverted to Ray City, another half hour out of the way, only to get there and have that road shut down, in which I got diverted to another several highways (South Georgia "highways" are one step above a two lane gravel road, ok)... an hour or so later I end up in the town of Lakeland to take the back way to my house... nope, shut down. SO I drive all the way back to Valdosta because I heard the main road was now open, only to find out that yes, the main road was open, BUT MY ROAD IS CLOSED with no estimate of when it will open.

I won't even lie about this because at this point I am 3 hours into this trip home after a particularly bad day and I am bawling my ever loving eyes out. AND the cell service out at my house wasn't working apparently, so I couldn't get ahold of my boyfriend, who I count on like I count on air to breath.

I call my mom, my friends, everyone CRYING and pissed and tired and just wanting to be home with my man and dogs.

BUT Josh finally calls me... and in my heaving cries I tell him I just need him to come save me and find me a way home. He drops everything to come to my rescue... my night in shining camo, and finds a way to get home that won't beat up my beautiful car (it's still raining, I can hardly go down a dirt road when they're dry) & we make it home safe and sound...

Except we have no power. Not surprising, but my dear wonderful man has beer in the cooler (Eff my diet for the day, ok, I deserved it) and the grill in the garage, music on the fully charged iPad, and we had each other, beer, wine, and deer meat pasta.

So now I'm saying bring on the zombie apocalypse because not only is my man my rescuer, my night in shining camo and big truck, but he's a survivor, and not only will we survive, but we'll make a party out of it.

Yeah, I'm a lucky girl.

Josh cooking while I sit on the 4 wheeler & drink beer. Did I mention I'm a lucky girl? And yes, his deer meat pasta was gooder-n-fuck.

The recipe? I was feeling the beer and wine by then, but it had penne pasta, deer cube steak, zucchini, garlic, onion powder, sriracha.... and I don't know what else, but it was basically amazing & I'm not just saying that because I've been on a diet, was having a bad day, and was slightly tipsy. Nope, not at all.

Baked Apple Slices (hCG)

CRAVING something sweet. I am very much so in the mood to bake, so that means there will probably be some newly posted non-diet goodies this weekend, because if I can't eat them and be fat and happy, I will make sure everyone else is. I'm thinking nutter butter and/or peanut butter truffles. Thoughts?

Anyhoo, here's something I can eat: apples. This is not my normal baked apple. It would usually be in the form of a crisp with massive amounts of butter, brown, sugar, cinnamon... ok I'm drooling... BUT this is a really good substitute for those flavors that am really missing right now. You know, all calorie loaded sweet ones?

If you're watching your waistline, (bikini season is right around the corner), try baked apple slices!

Ingredients:


1 apple (macintosh apples are my fave)
I can't believe it's not butter... spray (in my best Fabio voice)
1 stevia packet
cinnamon

Instructions:


Preheat oven to 400. Slice apple, spray with butter spray, sprinkle with stevia and cinnamon, bake on foil (or a in a baking dish if you are so inclined to have a dirty dish to wash. Foil works fine as you can see above) for 15 minutes.

I'm not going to lie, it's pretty yummy.

The calorie count is somewhere around 80-95 depending on what size apple you use.

Jalapeno Ranch Fish & Zucchini (hCG friendly)

Ok, whether I am on a diet or not, this is absotoodalootly one of my favorite meals, hands down. It's super quick, easy, & tasty... nothing wrong with that! The beauty in this meal is that I bake it in one dish. ONE DIRTY DISH well, besides plates, but still... amazing. Josh is also a fan... as long as I don't use mushy fish.

The last time I made this for him I used flounder that I had in the freezer for maybe a little bit too long. It's not like it went bad or anything, but when you cook it, it gets a gawdawful smushy gritty texture from being in the freezer too long that just kills it. Sorry babe! Note to self: buy more flounder.

BUT I wouldn't do that to y'all, no way! I'll post it with fresh swai... well, freshly frozen non-smushy swai. But really, I've used tilapia, cod, flounder, halibut, salmon (not hCG friendly!), and now swai.

Swai reminds me of flounder. It is an amazing flaky white-fish, but it's heartier than tilapia. I really only bought it because the big frozen bags were on sale at Walmart, and I am all about a good deal! The result? YUM-O! Thank you Walmart for having a sale (oops, "roll-back") on this fantastic fish.

I firmly believe that zucchini is one of the best vegetables on the face of the planet, and it is so versatile. When it's not in season, I get mad. Really. I've gone off on tangents about "stupid" stores not having zucchini when I want it.

With that being said, you will need:


White fish filet (usually 3.5-4oz per serving)
Zucchini
I Can't Believe it's Not Butter Spray
Buttermilk ranch dressing powder
Hoot N Holler jalapeno powder (the link for which can be found in my HCG Diet Log)
Cumin

Instructions:


Preheat oven to 350.

Slice zucchini and place in baking dish with fish (I don't even bother to defrost my fish. WHAT?!? That's what the oven is for. Don't judge me). Spray fish and zucchini with butter spray, sprinkle with jalapeno powder and ranch powder. Sprinkle fish only with cumin.

Bake for 20-30 minutes.

See... easy peasy.

hCG Friendly Basic Shirataki Noodle Stir-Fry

This stir-fry can be made in many different ways, and I will post each way (as I make it), but this is the most basic. This has quickly become one of my favorite hCG recipes. Just because you're on the hCG diet doesn't mean you have to cut out delicious flavors, and this recipe really packs a punch!

Check my HCG DIET LOG for more information about the hCG diet.

Basic shirataki stir-fry:

Ingredients:

3/4 cup stir-fry mix
1 tbsp chili garlic sauce
1 tbsp sriracha
1/2 tbsp beef base (better to use organic, low sodium beef broth 1/4cup)
3/4 cup water
7oz shirataki noodles

Instructions:


Drain noodles.

**Try not to smell them! It's not too bad, but it is rather unappealing**

In a large skillet, bring 3/4 cup water to boil, add noodles, reduce heat to medium. Drain water after 2-3 minutes. Add 1/4 cup broth (or beef base and 1/4 cup water), chili garlic sauce, and vegetables to pan. Cook for 10 minutes on medium-low heat. You'll need to stir frequently to break up the noodles and get them mixed in with the vegetables. Drain excess liquid. Top with sriracha sauce.

I make this dish at night and bring it to work for lunch the next day. It heats up in the microwave nicely & gives a chance for the flavors to mingle.

Calorie Count:


Shirataki noodles: 0
Chili garlic sauce: 0
Sriracha: 5
Beef base: 5
Vegetables: 30
Total: 40

hCG Diet

Well, It's that time of year again... How many of you made a New Year's Resolution to lose weight? Food for thought: don't obsess with your weight! That number displayed on the scale does not define you. Work on being healthy, not being skinny.

Since I love food so much, I have to spend a good amount of time in the gym just to stay the same weight/size. I've recently decided I want to be smaller and more toned (and I need to shed a few pounds), so I'm revisiting the hCG diet. Stay tuned for hCG diet friendly recipes (for those that work out and those that don't), and don't forget to check out my hCG Diet Log Page for tips... please feel free to comment or contact me if you have any questions or need some support!

**All hCG recipes will be under the HCG DIET label.**

No worries, I still cook for my fabulous honey bunches, so I'll still be adding wonderful non-diet recipes :)

Crockpot Chicken Curry

This is one of my all time favorites; I love love love the intense flavor provided by the spices.

Ingredients:

1/8 cup curry powder (I use a mix of hot madras curry and regular curry)
1tbs tumeric
1tsp cumin
1tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp ginger
dash of white pepper
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup bell pepper (I use all red, orange, yellow), chopped
1 small yellow onion, roughly chopped
fingerling potatoes (about have the bag, or 2-3 golden potatoes), sliced
1 can coconut milk
1 can chicken broth
1 can cream of chicken
8oz sour cream (optional)
1 bay leaf
1.5lbs chicken (roughly)
rice

Instructions:


Add all ingredients (except bay leaf, sour cream, rice and chicken) to crockpot, stir until thoroughly mixed.

Boil chicken for 15 minutes, let cool, shred.

Add chicken to crockpot, top with bay leaf, cook on high 4 hours. At 4 hour mark, stir sour cream into curry. Cook rice.

Serve over bed of rice.... YUM!

Smothered Pork Chops

Are there even words? Fall off the bone fried pork chops smothered in gravy and onions served with toast or rice to mop up the sauce... It's just Southern home cooking at its best.

Ingredients:

2-2.5lbs center cut thick pork chops
1 small-medium onion
2-3 cloves garlic
1tbs beef base
1 package onion gravy
1 package brown gravy
1tbs worcestershire sauce
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can golden mushroom soup
1 3/4 cups flour
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp black pepper
pepper sauce
vegetable oil
eggs/egg beaters

Instructions:


Mix together flour, garlic powder, cayenne, black pepper & pour 1 1/2 cups flour mix on plate, and set aside 1/4 cup of the mixture. In a large skillet, pour in enough oil to cover bottom about 1/4 inch. Double dredge pork chops in egg (or egg beaters like us lazy folk) and flour. fry pork chops until golden brown, flip and fry until golden brown on the other side (I did them one at a time, it was easier). They do not need to bee cooked entirely as you are going to put them in a crock pot.

Place pork chops in a 5qt crock pot. Pour remaining grease out of skillet, leaving the fried bits and pieces in, if any.

Slice onion and garlic and place on top of pork chops.

*Optional*
If you have bacon drippins, pour about a tablespoon into the same skillet you fried the chops. Unfortunately, I didn't have any bacon drippins, but since I started this in the morning, I fried up some bacon and used that grease.

In your skillet (on low heat), pour in gravy packets, water according to packets, 1/4 cup flour mixture, 1tbs beef base, 1tbs worcestershire sauce, and mushroom soups. Stir constantly for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Pour sauce on top of pork chops, add 1-2tsp pepper sauce. I even put a few peppers in there because we like our food spicy, and I love those little tobasco peppers. Cook on low heat for about 4 hours.

You'll definitely want some bread or rice to soak up all that WONDERFUL gravy.