cooking Cooking COOKING!

Today I was a cooking MACHINE! My mind has been on super overdrive, and today my hands and body were finally ready to keep up! After reading my new cookbook cover to cover: (Tosca Reno, you are a genius!) and adding it to all the other recipes I've found, my little brain has been on planning overload! The wheels are really turning people, change is in the air... I feel like I am constantly thinking of new recipes, different ways to tweek them (so everyone in my life is satisfied), and how I can't believe I'm just discovering all of this! I think I may have discovered my calling! Food Network here I come- move over Martha and Rachel!! haha

Today, after my shopping date at the grocery store, I went on a nonstop cooking spree that lasted about 4 hours!...possibly more. I made:

1. Clean Egg Salad (I posted this recipe earlier, special note* cucumbers are are a good substitute for celery if you don't like celery. *Also, putting the cottage cheese in the blender gives it a MUCH nicer texture.
2. Clean Chicken Salad (This recipe was also posted before. Special Note* Boiling the chicken makes it very moist.
3. Kale and Sweet Potato Chips with Tomato Sauce! Here's a new one for you, especially you anti-cookers! This recipe is easy as pie (which I never really understood that saying, because making pie is not easy...) but this recipe is! All you need is...

1 bunch of kale, washed and torn
1 large sweet potato
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil (use a 0 cal oil spray if watching fat intake)
pinch of red pepper flakes
3 garlic gloves minced (if you don't have fresh thats ok, just use powder)

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Mix ingredients together, and line on baking sheet. If using spray, line on baking sheet then spray.
3. Cook 15-20 min, turning half-way through. Serve hot!

TOMATO SAUCE (Combine all ingredients together in bowl and serve!)
4 tbs low-sodium tomoato paste (if seasoned, you don't need to add extra seasoning)
3/4 c low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 c chopped tomato (or salsa!)
2 tsp Italian Seasoning
Tobassco Sauce (optional)
I also added chili powder

This recipe was written by Tosca Reno for Oxygen Magazine. This is great for an appitizer, and as a substitute for greasy chips! Indulging without the guilt- sounds good to me!

4. For dinner I made: THAI STIR FRY. I found this recipe in Muscle and Fitness Magazine, and modified it to my taste. It's a filling and tasty meal that combines protien, veggies, healthy fats, good carbs, and a whole lotta flavor!

Stir-Fry
20 baby carrots, halved
1 med red pepper, sliced
1 tsp Olive Oil
*14 oz of any of the following: shrimp, firm tofu, lean turkey, or chicken.
2 tsp low sodiom soy sauce
2 tbs ginger
4 minced garlic cloves
2 c cooked brown rice

Peanut Sauce
2 tbs Natural Peanut Butter
1/2 c water
1 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp crushed rep pepper
1/4 tsp black pepper

1. Steam carrots and peppers. (About 5 min) Then set aside.
2. Pour Olive Oil of large skillet under med-high heat . Add protien of choice, 1 tsp soy sauce, and sautee for 5 min. Add ginger, garlic, and second tsp of soy sauce; sautee again for 5 more min.
3. Place all peanut sauce ingredients in a blender (10-15 sec) until creamy. Pour over stir-fry mixture. Reduce heat to low, and simmer till sauce is thickened.
4. Serve in order on plate: rice, veggies, stir-fry mixture.

This recipe is great because it is so interchangable! You can change the vegetables or the protien to suit your needs, and your taste buds!

5. And a day wouldn't be complete without something SWEET! This recipe is a bit of a combination from Tosca Reno's Cook Book and the recipe on the back of Muffin Mix I bought. If you search the organic isles in the grocery store there are often premade mixes that include nothing but whole wheat flour and other unproccesed, good ingredients. I found a bran mix that include ww flour, flaxseed, wheat germ, organic brown sugar, and molasses. I added:
1 egg white
1 egg
1/2 c unsweetened apple sauce
1/4 c oranic orange juice
1 c chopped dates

*unsweetened apple sauce makes the muffins moist, and sweet!

Cook at 375 for 10-15 min! Enjoy, these are delicious!

Phew! I'm tired just looking at all the food I cooked! I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as I did!