Poached Eggs & Bulgur with Bacon Crumbles

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breakfast, brunch, bulgur, bulgur wheat, egg, food, foodie, healthy eating, poached egg, recipe

Blame it on the extra sunshine, warm temperatures, and abundance of fresh produce, but I always feel healthiest in the summer months. With school being on summer break, I actually have time to focus on me.

If I even mention the word “healthy”, Hubster cringes and it becomes a challenge to get him to try something. My healthy breakfast options are usually prepared for myself.  Meanwhile, he’s more content eating cereal or bacon, eggs, and potatoes.

Forgive the dark photo, it wasn’t quite bright enough (plus it’s rainy) yet to get a decent photo.

Poached Egg with Bulgur & Bacon Crumbles

Individual Serving:
Ingredients:
1/3 c. boiling hot water, 1/3 c. quick-cooking bulgur, 1-2 eggs, 1 Tbsp. fresh chopped parsley, 2 Tbsp. (turkey) bacon crumbles, fresh ground sea-salt, fresh cracked black pepper

Directions:
Mix together boiling water and bulgur and set aside for at least 30 minutes. Mix in parsley and bacon crumbles. Poach egg and place over bulgur, sprinkle with salt and pepper.

What’s in your breakfast bowl?

XOXO,
Young Wifey

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Red Cabbage Salad

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apple, cabbage, cabbage salad, carrot, edamame, food, foodie, grilled shrimp, healthy eating, honey, postaday2011, recipe, red cabbage, rice vinegar, salad, seafood, sesame, shrimp, side dishes, slaw, summer, vegetarian

Hubster is working late this week, so that means I can indulge my palette… time for meatless dishes and seafood…

Red Cabbage Salad

Red Cabbage Salad Ingredients:
shredded red cabbage, edamame, green apples, shredded carrots, sesame seeds, lemon juice, rice wine vinegar, honey, sesame oil, fresh ground sea salt, fresh cracked pepper (I used a four-color peppercorn blend)

Red Cabbage Salad Directions:
Add edamame, water and salt to saucepan and bring to boil. Simmer over medium heat for a few minutes. Remove pan from heat, and allow to cool slightly. Remove beans from pods and set aside to cool. Chop, cut or shred green apples, immediately place into lemon juice. Whisk together sesame seeds, rice wine vinegar, sesame seed oil, honey, salt & pepper. Toss together carrots, cabbage and edamame. Pour vinaigrette over cabbage salad and mix. Let rest & chill. Toss in apples just before serving. Garnish with sesame seeds.

*Serve this red cabbage salad as a side dish at a BBQ or picnic.

Non-veggie suggestion: Place  layer of the red cabbage salad on plate. and add grilled ginger shrimp or chicken.

Grilled Ginger Shrimp & Red Cabbage Salad

What’s on your dinner plate???

Simple Stir Fry

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dinner, food, foodie, health food, healthy eating, lunch, pasta, peppers, postaday2011, prawn, recipe, rice, sauteed vegetables, shrimp, side dishes, stir fry, supper, vegetables

Stir Fry 101
Like a curry, stir fry is so versatile and easy. It’s a perfect dinner that’s quick to prep andhealthy. With fresh vegetables more readily available, stir fry is one of my favorite Spring dinners. One pan for dinner makes clean-up easy too!

Simple Shrimp Stir Fry

1. Heat pan, then warm oil. Add seasoning.
Suggestions: vegetable oil, sesame oil, olive oil, canola oil, etc…
Suggestions: garlic, ginger, shallots, onions…

2. Add meat or protein source and cook until done.
Suggestions: beef, pork, chicken, shrimp, scallops, lobster, tofu or tempeh

3. Add veggies and cook.
Suggestions: bell peppers, baby corn, carrots, green beans, Italian beans, squash, broccoli, snow peas, water chestnuts, alfalfa sprouts, mung bean sprouts,

 4. Add sauce and stir well.
Suggestions: white wine, red wine, liquid aminos, teriyaki, brown sauce, vinaigrette

5. Toss in rice or pasta or serve over rice or pasta.
Suggestions: basmati, brown rice, angel hair, penne, couscous, barley, etc…

6. Garnish
Suggestions: sesame seeds, poppy seeds, mustard seed, parsley, cilantro…

I prepared mine with shrimp, ginger, red bell peppers, orange bell peppers, baby corn, Italian green beans, water chestnuts, carrots and white white.

What is your favorite stir fry combo? 

Maple Ginger Salmon

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amino acids, Bragg's, brown rice, cooking for two, dinner, dinner for two, edamame, fish, food, foodie, ginger, gluten-free, grilling, health, health science, healthy eating, liquid aminos, lunch, meals for two, nutrition, omega 3, omega-3 fatty acids, postaday2011, recipe, rice, salmon, seafood, seasoning, side dishes, soy beans, soy sauce, vegetable protein, vegetable protein seasoning

I usually make my salmon with a lemon marinade and creamy dill sauce over top. Last Friday, my mother mentioned salmon and I’ve craved it ever since. On Wednesday I spotted this recipe on Weelicious after I made dinner, so I planned to make it for dinner on Thursday. Then Thursday night ended up being Girl’s Night with some work friends, so I put off making it another day. Tonight, I finally got to indulge in my salmon.

Maple Ginger Salmon with Edamame & Rice

Maple Ginger Soy Salmon Ingredients:
2 salmon filets, 2 Tbsp. Bragg’s Liquid Aminos, 2 Tbsp. maple syrup, 1 Tbsp. rice vinegar, 1 Tbsp. fresh grated ginger

Maple Ginger Soy Salmon Directions:
Whisk together Bragg’s, syrup, vinegar and ginger. Pour marinade over salmon and let sit for 30  minutes. Bake, broil, pan-sear or grill your salmon to completion. I like to remove the skin before serving. Serve hot.

Pan-sear about 3 minutes eat side, bake 450ºF covered for about 9 minutes, broil high for about 7 minutes, grill 3 minutes each side…

I looks like Catherine served her salmon with soy or lima beans and brown rice, the pairing was simple and sweet for her toddlers. For my consumption, I felt the need to turn it up a notch. I served my salmon over a bed brown rice drizzle with Bragg’s Liquid Aminos and edamame sprinkled with crushed red pepper flakes. Yum!

What was on your plate tonight?

Baking Recipe Makeovers

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baking makeover, baking substitutes, diet, diet desserts, dieting, diets, healthy eating, healthy swaps, recipe makeovers, recipes

These are some of the healthy baking swaps I’ve been working on incorporating into my old and trusted recipes. I’m trying to be more sensitive to my family & friend dieters.

Everyone has heard of using applesauce for a fat substitute. While most do not notice the subtle change, those with a sensitive pallet may not enjoy the swap. Instead puree your own favorite, mashed banana, canned pears, canned peaches, even fruit baby food.

*Add 1 c. of puree cannelloni beans to a box brownie mix and bake. This cuts down on fat and increase your protein intake.

If you add cinnamon, nutmeg, or cloves they enhance the natural sweetness of food, so you can use less sugar.

If you’re substituting for fats, bake about 25° cooler and check a few minutes earlier.

Leave out coconut or nuts from ingredients if not necessary, this can cut down on the fat.

When trying to reduce sugar, use half sugar, half Splenda when baking.

Crustless Quiche

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atkins diet, crustless quiche, dieting, diets, healthy eating, leftover ideas, leftover meals, low carb recipe, low-carb diet, quiche, recipe

First I want to apologize to the lack of pictures, I still cannot find the warranty for  my camera!

Hubster has decided to go on a diet. Every time he tries to slim down he attempts a low-carb diet.  It had worked for him once in the past… but he was also exercising a LOT! His more recent attempts weren’t so successful and yet he still seems to think this is the right approach.  Each time he starts, I try to be a good wife by providing low fat meals and even give him the calorie count and portion controlled meals. It’s up to him whether he decides for second or thirds. Being a carbohydrate lover, I make a side of pasta, rice, or potatoes for myself. I, personally, do not like the idea of a low-carb, high protein diet. I believe that making a permanent change is healthier than making a temporary change. Then again, I haven’t had the need to diet, therefore never feeling that food is the enemy. I try to listen to my body: If I crave ice-cream, then I must be needing calcium, if I crave spinach (and I do), then I must be needing iron. I try to be sensitive to his desires of a low-carb approach, yet try to keep the fats in control. I decided to start rethinking some of my favorite recipes and wanted to share this one with you.

Crustless Quiche
I first made a quiche 9 years ago, it was the recipe of a friend’s mother. I’ve been making it for years, tweaking it and making it my own. Then newest twist is for Hubster.

I don’t always measure ingredients, but I estimate my best.

I started out by preheating my oven to 350ºF and spraying non-stick spray into my 9″ glass pie dish. I chopped half a package of turkey bacon and added to the pie dish, sprinkled with 3 Tbs. of minced onions, and a handful of shredded cheddar cheese. I mixed fresh black paper, fresh ground sea salt, eight eggs (I like tall quiche, not thin, small quiche) and a splash of milk. I poured the egg mixture into the pie dish (checked to make sure the bacon and cheese was coated) and popped it in the oven for 35 minutes. The top was beautiful and it was just as delicious as a regular quiche. If you cut into 8 pieces, It’s only one egg per serving. Quiche reheats in the microwave really well, about one minute for a slice.

I made another one with 1 pkg. frozen spinach, 1 bell red pepper and cheddar cheese. I was able to use 6 eggs instead of 8 for this recipe.

I plan to make a broccoli, turkey ham and swiss one in the future.

Almost any combination of your favorite veggies, cooked meats and cheese can work. This is actually a great way to use up any leftover meats, veggies and cheese in the fridge.