Dabbling in the Kitchen: Chicken Broiled Parmesan with Penne & Spinach

Ever since I found the Broiled Tilapia Paremsan recipe a few weeks ago, I've been using the paremsan concoction on EVERYTHING.

Tonight: on chicken breasts tossed with wheat pasta and blanched baby spinach. OMGYUM.

I'll admit - the idea didn't come to me tonight. It came to me last week when I did broiled chicken parmesan over some left over pasta. It was good - but I decided it'd be better with some spinach tossed in. I was right.

It's fairly simple.

Just broil chicken for 3 minutes each side. Then coat the top side of your chicken breasts with the parmesan mixture (see Dabbling in the Kitchen: Broiled Tilapia Parmesan for the recipe).

Meanwhile, boil your pasta. Before draining your pasta, coat the strainer with your baby spinach. Drain the pasta over the spinach to quickly blanch it. Toss the spinach and pasta together with a drizzle of olive oil.

Then, cut up your chicken and toss in. Delicious!

While I didn't add any tonight, another drizzle of shredded parmesan could be a good addition.

I did add some sea salt and garlic powder to the parmesan mixture this time around. The garlic was a nice addition. I went a little overboard on the sea salt, but then again, I don't usually add any salt to anything - so even just a little salt is too much in my opinion.

Chris wasn't a huge fan of the chicken over the pasta. I think he didn't like the blanched spinach or that there was a little more olive oil on his serving. Oh well. Always room for improvement.

Either way - I personally REALLY liked it. Luckily, there's even enough for lunch tomorrow.

Until next time - happy eating! :)

Dabbling in Adventure: Turville Point Park

I'm sure I'll say this a lot - Madison has GREAT parks. One of the cool things that the Parks Department does is give guided tours of the city's conservation parks. The first tour was tonight - in Turville Point Park along the Lake Monona shoreline. It's AWESOME.

Unfortunately, tonight was cold and drizzly.

Despite the unpleasant weather, we bundled and joined the group. And for such a miserable weather there was a pretty good turn out.

We learned a lot about how the city is working to conserve the 60 acre park and return it to a more natural setting. Several decades ago, the city purchased the land from the Turville family. Some of the foundations of the families homes still sit on the land and the guide says there are still spots where you can find rows of daffodils from when the family grew flowers as part of their farm and flower business (they sold their wares at the Farmers Market downtown).

We also saw deer!

We also heard loons calling to each other which was pretty cool. :)

I'm excited to go back when things are nicer out. The trail is pretty easy. It was a good hour and fifteen walk - nothing too strenuous, which was good after Sunday's expedition. (My legs ALMOST don't hurt.)

I wish I could remember a few more of the details about the conservation efforts. The main thing I took away is that they use controlled burning to get rid of brush that is not naturally found in the area and that spring ephemerals are really cool - even if they don't stick around for very long.

Next week is another conservation hike - I hope that we're able to make it. The parks department does them once a month through October - here's a link to the list: http://cityofmadison.com/news/view.cfm?news_id=2624

Well, until next time - happy adventures!

Dabbling in Fitness: Lessons Learned from a DVD

We've been using dvds at home to work out. In the morning, I've been doing 15 minute yoga sessions (sometimes 2 in a row, sometimes just one). In the evening, Chris & I do the Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred.

I'll start with the yoga.

I highly recommend this dvd. It has 4 workouts that are each 15 minutes in length. Each workout targets a different muscle group: Abs, Upper Body, Lower Body and Total Body Conditioning.

I like doing the total body conditioning - especially if I'm only doing one session. Yesterday I did both the total body and the lower body because my legs were hurting after that monster walk on Sunday and I felt I needed a little extra stretching.

While I've done yoga off and on for years and have several different dvds, this one has been my favorite. It's basic movements that give a deep stretch - and just 15 minutes DOES make a difference. It helps me wake up better than anything else I've ever tried. But, watch out for the relaxation pose at the end... this morning I laid there for a little longer than I should have and almost fell back asleep on the living room floor.

Lessons learned --
Morning yoga is now a must. I feel so much better when I do it.
15 minutes is a major impact on the day
I need to get a lightweight blanket to put over my mat for back rolls. This morning it was a bit tough to do them because my back was achey.

Now for 30 Day Shred.

Now - we've only done the shred 4 times. It's way more intense than I thought it would be and I can't even begin to imagine what levels 2 & 3 are like.

Usually I'm not a big fan of workout dvds - especially cardio/weight training ones. All of the workout gurus are a bit annoying in the voice overs. Too perky and faux-motivational. I know they have to be - but it just grates on me. Jillian Michaels is no exception - but the dvd has this feature where you can do the workout only to music - not to her voice instruction.

I don't recommend it. We did it yesterday and it was a little freaky. Plus, you have to pay MUCH closer attention to the dvd. And everything feels like it takes twice as long. Seriously, no matter how obnoxious you think she can be - don't turn off the voice instruction.

When we first did the dvd, we both started with too much weight. While it wasn't way too much weight - it did make things even more intense than we really needed for day one. Now that we're at the right weight level things are getting better.

There are a few moves that I groan every time I hear them mentioned. One is "jump rope" (where you pretend to jump a rope). I hate it because it makes the arches of my feet cramp up. Not much hurts worse than jumping on cramped up arches. Usually I just substitute in "butt kicks" (where you literally try to kick yourself in the ass with your heels - I actually like those). It keeps my heart rate up and doesn't cramp my feet.

So lessons learned:
Start with less weight than you think you need. It's easier to work up if you're not injured from using too much weight.
Use the voice instruction - it makes things go faster.
Jump ropes suck - but subbing in more "butt kicks" seems to help.

I have some other dvds that I'd like to rotate into the mix sometimes - but it'll take awhile for us to work through the 30 Day Shred. We'll see how it works out.

Tomorrow we're planning on going on a free guided tour at Olin-Turville Park - so if it doesn't rain, be ready for a fun "adventure" blog. :)

Until next time!

Dabbling in the Kitchen: Chicken Stir Fry with Rice Noodles

I've always loved stir fry (and Chinese food in general). But it was always hard for me to find the right balance of soy sauce and other spices. Putting soy sauce on the stir fry after everything was done either resulted in tasting too salty or just runny without any real taste. Then a few weeks ago I had a cooking epiphany. Cook the chicken IN the soy sauce.

It's so simple and makes a HUGE difference. Another piece of the stir fry puzzle - add about a teaspoon full of corn starch to help thicken things up.

I have to admit - I was a little nervous to share this one. My uncle was born and raised in Hong Kong and my dad makes some pretty killer stir fry. In fact, everyone in my family can cook  pretty well - so I'm always curious as to what they'll say about what I've made.

There's not a set recipe. Pick a meat (I like chicken because I usually have some in the freezer), the veggies you like (I usually do a packaged veggie medley and a box of mushroom slices) and either rice or rice noodles. I've started using rice noodles because they are a nice change of pace.

So, tonight - as I was working out I started the rice noodles soaking. By the time we were done with the workout the noodles were ready. I cut up the chicken and started sauteing them in a touch of olive oil and a few tablespoons of soy sauce. Once the chicken was cooked through I added two teaspoons of cornstarch (which was too much - whoops. Just add some more soy sauce until you have a creamy consistency).

Once the chicken & soy sauce is cooked, add in the veggies and rice noodles. (Or, if you are doing regular rice - cook the rice according to the package while you're cooking the stir fry.) Don't forget to add a little water to help steam the veggies.

It took about 8 minutes to get the veggies cooked and the noodles the right consistency. I usually cover with a lid and stir occasionally.

The first time I made the stir fry with the noodles Chris didn't really like it - but I didn't let them soak as long as the package called for. Tonight I allowed them to soak a little extra. Verdict? "It was good, but the noodles were a little too soft." Well. Next time I'll get it... ;)

I've got one more food blog planned for the week - Thursday is the plan. We'll see if it happens. :)
Until then - happy eating!

Dabbling in Adventure: Walking Lake Monona

We took the opportunity on Easter Sunday to enjoy what the Lord made - nature! :)

It was a beautiful day - and especially lovely along the lakefront.

We packed a picnic and found a nice spot right on the edge of the shore. I believe it was right up on Turville Point.

In the picnic - sandwiches (whole wheat sandwich thins, summer sausage, hard salami, baby spinach and a teensy bit of mayo), cheddar cheese and soda (I had a San Pelligrino Aranciata, Chris had part of a Coke). I also packed some blood oranges in case we were looking for something sweet.

It was nice to sit and chat and take in the view as we ate. It also gave us the chance to get a pretty awesome family photo (thanks to the timer on my "new" camera).

After that, we snapped some photos and ate our lunch we started our trek. It was incredibly nice - low 50s, slight breeze and sun high in the sky. (More on *that* later.)

We saw lots of ducks and Canada geese - and TONS of beautiful houses. We might as well title the hike the "That house wouldn't suck" tour because we saw SO many homes we'd absolutely adore to live in. We'll NEVER be able afford. Many were on the lakefront or very close. Many were also historic landmarks. I know that would be lots of work - but it'd be amazing to live in something with the history that some of those homes have. This was one of my favorites...

We walked and walked and walked and walked and walked. In fact, we walked 12 miles. That's almost a half-marathon! No wonder it took us 6 hours to walk the whole thing!

For the most part it was fun and wonderful and we thoroughly enjoyed it. In fact, Dexter kept giving us faces like this one...

That is, until about 8 miles into the walk. At that point we started getting blisters. And I started getting hip muscle cramps. Those hip cramps were forcing me to stop every half mile or so to stretch. That wasn't fun. And by the end of the 12 miles I thought I was going to cry and vomit. (I did neither - go me!)

We got home - and all three of us were EXHAUSTED and sore. Chris and I are both sunburned. Despite the sun being out and looking beautiful - we forgot sunscreen. And hats. As one of my co-workers stated today - my face looks like it is on fire. It's a little ridiculous.

Since we got home last night - Dex has been basically in one position - curled up.

As for today - we're all still a bit stiff. Dex is waddling more than he is walking. I got up and did 30 minutes of yoga - which I think was a HUGE help. I hope that I can continue to get up and do at least 15 minutes in the morning before work every morning. Not only does it make me feel nice and stretched out - it really helps me wake up. After work we did our 30 Day Shred dvd - and while our legs (and blistered feet) are still a bit stiff and sore - it was a good workout and felt good! I take that as a good sign. We're already planning on doing it again tomorrow - which means we're (slowly) making it a habit.

Looking forward to the rest of the week - we're hoping to go for a guided hike with the Madison Parks Department on Wednesday. Once a month through October the Parks Department is offering up free guided tours of the local conservancy parks (Madison has quite a few - and LOTS of parks in general - LOVE it). If it's not raining and we make it out, I'll share our experience with you all. And - if you're in the Madison area - you should come on out. Here's a link to the list of hikes: http://www.cityofmadison.com/parks/parks/conservation/tours.cfm

Until next time - happy adventures! :)

Dabbling in the Kitchen: Black Bean Soup

I have a new food obsession: black beans. I like them in burgers. I like them as soup. I like them in tacos and burritos and quesadillas. I like them plain with some rice. I like black beans.

So tonight - black bean soup and salad with "Morrocan" dressing.

I found the recipe on RealSimple.com (which is where I find a TON of my recipes):
(Serves 4. Hands on time: 10 minutes)
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 pint store-bought fresh salsa
1 16-ounce can refried black beans
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed
1 14.5-ounce can vegetable or chicken broth
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 1/2 cups of the salsa and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes.
2. Add the refried beans, black beans and broth and brng to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Divide among bowls and top with the sour cream, cilantro, and remaining 1/2 cup salsa.

I opted for vegetable broth and no fresh cilantro. Chris has a slight allergy to it, so I tried to find a salsa that had very little cilantro in it.

In all it really only took about 15 minutes from start to finish to make and it was GOOD. Not as thick as I usually like it - but I think boiling for a little longer would've helped. Additionally, since there are only two of us - there's enough left over to freeze!

For the salad - it was really simple. Some hearts of romaine lettuce drizzled in a lime dressing. Here's that recipe:
1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 Tablespoons lime juice
Red pepper flakes and salt to taste

While the lime juice can be overpowering, the citrus balanced nicely with the soup.

Overall it's a great recipe. Could use a tweaking to make it perfect - and I plan to play around with it in the future. Delicious. :)

Try it out - let me know what tweaks you make and what you think. Happy cooking!

Dabbling in Fitness: What's working

Every year I make the resolution to "get fit". 2011 was no different to start. Then I had my physical and my doctor told me I need to lose 30 pounds. So with a little more oomph, I've been working to get there (both "fit" and lighter).

I've tried a variety of ways to get closer to the goal. I've also said I'd do a lot of different things that haven't happened quite yet (getting back to running... rock climbing... hot yoga...)

At this point - after losing 5 pounds or so - I thought it would be a good idea to reflect on what is working.

1. Drinking LOTS of water.

I took the time to measure out how much water I get each time I drink a full bottle so that I could better keep track of how many ounces I'm drinking every day. Each bottle is 24 ounces - and I'm easily drinking 4-6 bottles a DAY. For someone who a few short years ago refused to drink water unless it was flavored - that's a HUGE deal.

2. Daily vitamin
I've started taking a daily multi-vitamin. While I try to make sure that I'm getting the vitamins and nutrients I need in my diet - I'm not 100% sure I'm doing that every day. I picked "Nature Made Multi for Her" because it appears to be a well balanced vitamin.

3. Basic diet plan I can follow every day. Even on the weekends
I've really formulated out an easy diet plan to follow. And while it would work on the weekends, I don't have to follow it on the weekends. Here's basically what I do:
Breakfast - poached egg & fruit Chobani
Lunch - mini Clif bar (I use a variety pack so that I'm not eating the SAME thing every lunchtime)
Afternoon snack - blood orange (and sometimes a handful of nuts or a mini-Babybel cheese)
Dinner - varies
Night snack - varies

Now - this does vary on the weekends. I typically have a larger lunch and no snack. I'll also swap out the egg & yogurt for some whole oat cereal and skim milk. Or a fruit smoothie made at home.

4. Eating more fruit

I've always liked fruit. This spring I rediscovered Blood Oranges. I LOVE them. When I was little they kind a freaked me out (weird, I know), but now I can't get enough of them. If we have them in the house, I'll have at least one a day. When we're out I substitute in bananas. I've also rotated in raspberries and blueberries. The one fruit I haven't been able to rotate in regularly has been apples. I don't know why... but I just can't get into apples. I love apple juice - but eating an actual apple has no appeal for me. Weird.

5. Journaling

I've got two journals (mainly because I ran out of room for part of my journaling in my first journal.
Here's the journal that's helped me the most: The food journal.

In my food journal I write down EVERYTHING I eat and I *try* to keep track of how many calories and calories from fat are in each. I also keep track of how many bottles of water I've had to drink. Here's why it's helped me so much: I am more aware of the food choices I'm making. When I first read about food journaling I thought it was silly. Now that I do it, I'm so glad I do. It's also helped me realize where I can improve those decisions. One place I need to improve is in my calorie counts. I need to be more consistent when it comes to a total calorie count. One day I'll barely hit 1200 and the next I'm at nearly 1700. I'd really like to be consistently hitting 1200-1300 calories a day. We'll see if I can be better at getting there.

The other journal I've been keeping is a "Wellness Journal" by Moleskine. I LOVE it.

There are several sections in the Wellness journal and I don't use all of them. I do use the exercise section to track how often and how hard I'm working. I used the food section until it was full and I've created some of my own sections to track my weight and the events I've signed up for. It also has a section for inspirations and goals that I plan to make better use of.
6. Working out (I know, right?)

I know it seems like a no-brainer, but I think exercise is where I struggle the most. There's always something else that needs to be done or seems more important. And I have this weird misconception that I MUST work out EVERYDAY for HOURS at the GYM. That mindset makes it so much harder to actually work out. While I do use the gym we're members at (I used to just pay the membership and not go - oops), I've also found some new ways to exercise...

This is one of the things I've found that helps me work out at home. I don't watch Biggest Loser and I think that Jillian Michaels is a little scary and annoying - but this dvd kicks my butt. (Well, I just started using it, but it DOES kick my butt.)

7. Making it a family affair

Part of my success is always due to my husband. He helps motivate me to get up and moving on the weekends and even after work. When I took up running last spring/summer he came out running with me. When I started going back to the gym, he came with me and is even taking "body sculpt" with me even though he is often the only guy in the class. When we work out at home - he does the 30 Day Shred with me. :)
And, I can't leave out the Dexmonster...

This guy keeps us hitting the trail on the weekends. There's nothing quite as satisfying as hitting the trail and seeing his crazy happy puppy face. It makes me want to hike and walk every day. And that is a great thing. When we're not hiking (and only taking a long walk), I strap on some wrist weights which helps give me a more complete work out.

9. A Reese's egg a day

I LOVE Reese's eggs. Especially frozen. Since it's Easter time, there are bags upon bags of these amazingly delicious treats available EVERYWHERE. I love it. I picked the mini-eggs to help cut down on calories and fat and whatnot. I feel that giving myself this one small indulgence every day really helps cut down on the chances that I'll overindulge ever. I'm allowed to have one thing that I absolutely LOVE each day so that I'm not tempted to eat an entire pint of ice cream down the road.

That's what's working. I still have things to work on. Like getting up and working out before going to work or getting out and running or finally make it to hot yoga. (I've taken hot yoga in the past and adored it - now I just need to make that 4p Saturday class WORK.)

Here's to making the rest of it work - and keeping up on the things that do work! :)