It’s update time! Let's start with two weekends ago... that was a weekend full of festivities! One of my friends from college came out to visit. It was really awesome to see her again. After graduation, we lost touch and it was fantastic to be reunited again. When I move back to the states, I’m going to make a conscious effort to visit/see her. I’m starting to realize as I’m getting older, I miss a lot of my friends that have drifted away. I look back and am saddened that I didn’t make more of effort to keep in touch, but I’m happy that I have reunited with one recently. After she left, I was running around to make sure everything was perfect for Will’s birthday on Friday. Since I was throwing Will a birthday party on a Friday, we decided to have a romantic birthday dinner with just the two of us the night before. I decorated the apartment all over with happy birthday banners and balloons before he got home from work. Then I took him to a very nice steak house called Gaucho. It’s his favorite steak restaurant in London. It was absolutely delicious and it reminded me of my favorite argentenian steak restaurant in New York. After dinner, he got to open the various birthday presents that I have gotten him. It was a very nice and romantic evening.... and the food was DELICIOUS!
On Friday, Aug 27th, was his actual birthday and he had a party. It was really nice to gather all of his friends that he has made since moving to London. There were quite a few of us out on Friday. Since we both had a lot going on lately, it was nice to relax and enjoy an evening with our friends. The next morning, we decided to do a spontaneous day/night trip to Nottingham. One of my friends from school is living in London and her fiancée lives in Nottingham. She is planning to move there as well at the end of September, so we decided to go to Nottingham to get away from London to visit them. We made a nice dinner and she cooked her broccoli dish w/ bread crumbs and roasted carrots. We made our own tomato sauce for spinach and ricotta tortellni. For starters, we made brushetta on toasted bread. It was absolutely delicious. I loved her broccoli dish and I’m going to ask her for the recipe and post it for the blog.
The next morning we all woke up to go into the city. We walked around the lace market and the old market square. Then visited Nottingham Castle which was more of a museum rather then a monument but it was still cool to visit . We winded down the day with a nice cold pint at the oldest pub in London. It was basically in a cave and it is absolutely amazing that this pub is still open since 1189.
Monday, 30th of August was a bank holiday. I’m not sure what this bank holiday was about but it was good to have the day off and spend it with my husband. We realized with friends in town and his birthday weekend, we’ve been eating too much meat and drinking too much booze. So we decided to detox and become vegetarians for 5 days mon-Friday. Sounds easy, but since we are huge meat lovers it seems really hard. So the first vegetarian dinner, I made was eggplant parmanesan.
Recipe of the day: Eggplant Parmansean
Grocery List: £8.04
2 medium eggplants – £2.38
1 small container of ricotta cheese – £1.19
1 block of mozerella cheese- £1.59
½ cup of parmeasan cheese – had it already
1 cup of bread crumbs – had it already
1-2 jars of tomatoe sauce – £2.00
Fresh chopped basil. – £0.89
Fresh ground pepper
Fresh sea salt or salt
First wash and cut the eggplant into ¼ inch disc. Preheat the oven to 420 F . Spray or brush olive oil on each side of the eggplant and dash pepper and salt. Cook for 12-15 minutes. Turn the eggplant when cooked half way. Now in a baking dish, add a thin layer of tomato sauce at the bottom. Start adding a layer of eggplant. Then add a thin layer of sauce, sprinkle the chopped basil, then add ricotta, parmensean and shreddede mozerrella. Then repeat again starting with the layer of eggplant. When you are on your last layer of eggplant (the third or fourth layer) , add just a layer of sauce, now the breadcrumbs covering the whole dish and sprinkle parmensan cheese all over. (get a nice golden breadcrumb, spray olive oil all over the bread crumb). Lower the oven temperature to 350 F and place dish to cook for 20 minutes. Add slice/shredded mozzerealla all over the top 10 minutes before it’s done. Dinner is served!
Thursday 2 September 2010
Sunday 22 August 2010
Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms w/ Cous Cous
Well helllloooo....
Sorry to keep you all waiting! I started a new job about 3 weeks ago and moved to a bigger flat (finally) just last week! Things have been nothing but hectic for me the past month. Time to settle down, right? When I first began this blog, I had no idea of all the challenges that I would have to face these past few months. Let me tell you, it was a lot to handle and I struggled to cope as each life changing event came appeared one by one. I thought to myself, "is this just part of life? Have I now experienced what adulthood is?" For the last four months, I've been afraid of all the major life changes in my life. Now that I've settled in, I look back and smile. Everyone was right..."everything will be okay". So my advice for anyone that is experiencing a lifestyle switch, remember: "everything will be okay". I think to myself now and know that I've grown up and I am ready to start a down a new path in life.
Enough about all that; let's now talk about "The Challenge". Since, I started my new job, I'm not going to lie, I've been eating out much more and packing on the pounds. I have cooked but it's been repeat recipes from previous posts. I've really only cooked one meal in my new kitchen and I love it. It's literally more then double the size of the kitchen in the old flat. It really makes life so much easier. Now I can ask my husband to help me prep and he can't give me any excuses anymore! ha! (I'll talk more about the new flat in my next blog) Anyways... today's recipe will be a healthy and tasty dish. I normally make them as appetisers, but these can be perfect for a light dinner too.
Recipe of the day : Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms and a side of Cous Cous
Grocery List/ Ingredients: Total Spent - £12.14
4 large Portabella Mushroom – £ 2.00
5-6 small closed cap white mushroom - £0.89
1 small onion - £0.18
1 package of spinach - £2
½ cups of Parmesan cheese - £1.90
Slices of mature cheese - £2.00
bread crumbs - £1.09
2 lemon - £0.60
1 tablespoon of butter - had it already
1 package of fresh thyme - £0.89
1 package of cous cous £0.59
First chop the closed cap mushrooms and add about tablespoon of fresh thyme and juices from one lemon in one bowl. While that marinates, heat a skillet on medium high. Place a knob of butter and melt into the skillet. Place in the large portabella mushrooms and cook on each side for 2 minutes. While cooking, squeeze juices from the lemon all over the mushrooms. Lightly butter an oven dish and place cooked portabella mushrooms within. (top facing down) On a skillet,place a dollop of olive oil and cook the chopped onion and minced garlic on medium high. Cook until the onion is slightly brown. Now add the chopped mushrooms. Cook for 2 minutes. Next add spinach and cook until wilted. Lastly, add parmensan cheese and mix it all together. Cook for about 1-2 minutes. Now spoon the filling into the large portabella mushroom. Place bread crumbs all over the mushrooms. Spray olive oil (or drizzle if you don't have spray) all over the bread crumbs. Place dish in the oven for 15 minutes on 350 degrees F. After cooking for 10 minutes in the oven, place strips of mature cheddar on top of the mushroom in the oven until cheese melt. Serve with Cous Cous. Dinner is served!
I went over the 10 gbp challenge amount…but it was well worth it. It was delicious and my husband was very happy with the meal. Hope you all enjoy the recipe!
Sorry to keep you all waiting! I started a new job about 3 weeks ago and moved to a bigger flat (finally) just last week! Things have been nothing but hectic for me the past month. Time to settle down, right? When I first began this blog, I had no idea of all the challenges that I would have to face these past few months. Let me tell you, it was a lot to handle and I struggled to cope as each life changing event came appeared one by one. I thought to myself, "is this just part of life? Have I now experienced what adulthood is?" For the last four months, I've been afraid of all the major life changes in my life. Now that I've settled in, I look back and smile. Everyone was right..."everything will be okay". So my advice for anyone that is experiencing a lifestyle switch, remember: "everything will be okay". I think to myself now and know that I've grown up and I am ready to start a down a new path in life.
Enough about all that; let's now talk about "The Challenge". Since, I started my new job, I'm not going to lie, I've been eating out much more and packing on the pounds. I have cooked but it's been repeat recipes from previous posts. I've really only cooked one meal in my new kitchen and I love it. It's literally more then double the size of the kitchen in the old flat. It really makes life so much easier. Now I can ask my husband to help me prep and he can't give me any excuses anymore! ha! (I'll talk more about the new flat in my next blog) Anyways... today's recipe will be a healthy and tasty dish. I normally make them as appetisers, but these can be perfect for a light dinner too.
Recipe of the day : Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms and a side of Cous Cous
Grocery List/ Ingredients: Total Spent - £12.14
4 large Portabella Mushroom – £ 2.00
5-6 small closed cap white mushroom - £0.89
1 small onion - £0.18
1 package of spinach - £2
½ cups of Parmesan cheese - £1.90
Slices of mature cheese - £2.00
bread crumbs - £1.09
2 lemon - £0.60
1 tablespoon of butter - had it already
1 package of fresh thyme - £0.89
1 package of cous cous £0.59
First chop the closed cap mushrooms and add about tablespoon of fresh thyme and juices from one lemon in one bowl. While that marinates, heat a skillet on medium high. Place a knob of butter and melt into the skillet. Place in the large portabella mushrooms and cook on each side for 2 minutes. While cooking, squeeze juices from the lemon all over the mushrooms. Lightly butter an oven dish and place cooked portabella mushrooms within. (top facing down) On a skillet,place a dollop of olive oil and cook the chopped onion and minced garlic on medium high. Cook until the onion is slightly brown. Now add the chopped mushrooms. Cook for 2 minutes. Next add spinach and cook until wilted. Lastly, add parmensan cheese and mix it all together. Cook for about 1-2 minutes. Now spoon the filling into the large portabella mushroom. Place bread crumbs all over the mushrooms. Spray olive oil (or drizzle if you don't have spray) all over the bread crumbs. Place dish in the oven for 15 minutes on 350 degrees F. After cooking for 10 minutes in the oven, place strips of mature cheddar on top of the mushroom in the oven until cheese melt. Serve with Cous Cous. Dinner is served!
I went over the 10 gbp challenge amount…but it was well worth it. It was delicious and my husband was very happy with the meal. Hope you all enjoy the recipe!
Monday 26 July 2010
Ben and Jerry's Festival
I notice that I haven’t really updated my blog lately, not because of lack of interest but lack of time. My job search has really picked up. Tomorrow I have another job interview…so everyone cross your fingers and send good vibes. Lately I haven’t really cooked anything new. I still cook, but it’s basically the same recipes that I have already posted here on this blog. I’ll change some one or two ingredients, but nothing brand new. These next couple of weeks are going to be really busy for me. I apologize in an advance for the limited blogging. My husband and I are moving in two weeks to a bigger place! (Yes, I’ll have a bigger kitchen!) So we are pretty excited and getting ready to pack soon.
Anyways, this weekend I went to the Ben and Jerry’s Festival. It was a lot of fun and a great way to spend a sunny Saturday afternoon. There were activities, food, music and of course FREE Ice Cream! We basically listened to live music and ate way too much food and ice cream. There were many activities for all ages, but, to be completely honest, I was a bit hung over from Friday night (Drinking/Meeting Will’s coworkers) to fully participate. What I love about London in the summer is that there is always a festival going on. Pretty much every couple of weekends there is either a food or music festival in one of the various parks across London. They are lots of fun!
Well I have to prep for my interview tomorrow, wish me luck….
Anyways, this weekend I went to the Ben and Jerry’s Festival. It was a lot of fun and a great way to spend a sunny Saturday afternoon. There were activities, food, music and of course FREE Ice Cream! We basically listened to live music and ate way too much food and ice cream. There were many activities for all ages, but, to be completely honest, I was a bit hung over from Friday night (Drinking/Meeting Will’s coworkers) to fully participate. What I love about London in the summer is that there is always a festival going on. Pretty much every couple of weekends there is either a food or music festival in one of the various parks across London. They are lots of fun!
Well I have to prep for my interview tomorrow, wish me luck….
Friday 16 July 2010
Back in Action
So you all probably notice I haven't been doing my challenges lately. I sincerely apologize for my lack of blogging. The last two weeks have been keeping me really busy. Since my last recipe, I've been cooking meals that I've already posted. Well, today is a new one! Yesterday, I had no idea what to make since I wanted something light and healthy. I asked my husband what he wanted for dinner and he told me, "Shrimp Tacos". In my head, I was saying "Shrimp Tacos... I can't imagine that being good!"When people tell me they had fish tacos, I've always wondered if they were any good. I'll admit it: I've never tried tacos that didn't have the standard beef, chicken, pork or veggies. So Shrimp Tacos it is....
Recipe of the day : Shrimp Tacos
Ingredients/Grocery List: Total Spent: £13.83 (went over but it fed more than two servings :) )
2 packages of peeled and cook shrimp (about 1 pound) - £5.98
2 medium riped avocados - £1.00 (on sale for £0.50p each
2 medium tomatoes - £1.38
3 garlic cloves minced – (had it already)
1/4 cup of cilantro/corriander(how the UK says it) - £0.79
3 limes - £0.90
Shredded Lettuce - £1.00
Jamaican Jerk Seasoning - £1.06
Corn Tortilla - £1.72
Fresh Ground Pepper
Sea Salt
Preheat the oven for 200 C. Wrap corn tortilla in foil and place in oven for ten minutes.
First, cut and dice the tomatoes, and avocado. Place it in the bowl but don't mix it yet. Add the minced garlic cloves, chopped cilantro/coriander, a few dashes of fresh ground pepper and sea salt to the bowl. DO NOT mix the bowl. Now grate rind of two of the limes. Add this to the bowl. Now you can mix the ingredients very gently with a big spoon. Cover with film or foil and place in the fridge for at least 20 minutes before serving. While the filling is being chilled, start chopping the lettuce and set aside. On medium heat, place the shrimps in the skillet and add few dashes of Jamaican jerk seasoning. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Assemble the taco and Serve! Dinner is Done!
I must admit, I didn't think shrimp tacos could be good, but boy was I wrong. I absolutely loved this meal. It was light, healthy and, of course, delicious. Oh, and it is extremely easy and quick to make. My husband enjoyed it as well and asked me to repeat this meal again sometime in the future. This meal will definitely be repeated. Now, I can't wait to try fish tacos. Hope you all enjoy this meal!
Recipe of the day : Shrimp Tacos
Ingredients/Grocery List: Total Spent: £13.83 (went over but it fed more than two servings :) )
2 packages of peeled and cook shrimp (about 1 pound) - £5.98
2 medium riped avocados - £1.00 (on sale for £0.50p each
2 medium tomatoes - £1.38
3 garlic cloves minced – (had it already)
1/4 cup of cilantro/corriander(how the UK says it) - £0.79
3 limes - £0.90
Shredded Lettuce - £1.00
Jamaican Jerk Seasoning - £1.06
Corn Tortilla - £1.72
Fresh Ground Pepper
Sea Salt
Preheat the oven for 200 C. Wrap corn tortilla in foil and place in oven for ten minutes.
First, cut and dice the tomatoes, and avocado. Place it in the bowl but don't mix it yet. Add the minced garlic cloves, chopped cilantro/coriander, a few dashes of fresh ground pepper and sea salt to the bowl. DO NOT mix the bowl. Now grate rind of two of the limes. Add this to the bowl. Now you can mix the ingredients very gently with a big spoon. Cover with film or foil and place in the fridge for at least 20 minutes before serving. While the filling is being chilled, start chopping the lettuce and set aside. On medium heat, place the shrimps in the skillet and add few dashes of Jamaican jerk seasoning. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Assemble the taco and Serve! Dinner is Done!
I must admit, I didn't think shrimp tacos could be good, but boy was I wrong. I absolutely loved this meal. It was light, healthy and, of course, delicious. Oh, and it is extremely easy and quick to make. My husband enjoyed it as well and asked me to repeat this meal again sometime in the future. This meal will definitely be repeated. Now, I can't wait to try fish tacos. Hope you all enjoy this meal!
Wednesday 14 July 2010
Tomorrow is a new day!
Sorry I haven’t updated the blog lately. My husband and I went to Germany for 5 days and nights. We went to Berlin for three days and Munich for two days. We had a lot of fun. My sister and her family were vacationing in Berlin as well. It was nice to see them for three days because I was feeling a little homesick. I highly recommend going to Germany. The people there are so friendly and Berlin and Munich are absolutely amazing. The trip was really relaxing and it allowed me to escape reality. I had to return yesterday and was dreading coming back to London. We arrived to a typically cold and rainy London. After eating unhealthily for so many days and back to feeling down about things, I reminded myself yesterday that “Tomorrow is a new day”.
Today is a new day…. I woke up at 8:00am and ready to tackle the everyday little challenges. I’m ready for applying for more jobs, organize the house and of course my cooking challenge. Applying for multiple jobs each and every day and hearing no or negative responses, you start to get a sense of hopelessness. But, like the saying goes, “Tomorrow is a new day”. If you are feeling down today, or your are frustrated at work, or things aren’t going your way today….there’s always tomorrow.
Today is a new day…. I woke up at 8:00am and ready to tackle the everyday little challenges. I’m ready for applying for more jobs, organize the house and of course my cooking challenge. Applying for multiple jobs each and every day and hearing no or negative responses, you start to get a sense of hopelessness. But, like the saying goes, “Tomorrow is a new day”. If you are feeling down today, or your are frustrated at work, or things aren’t going your way today….there’s always tomorrow.
Tuesday 6 July 2010
Red, White and Blue
July 4th is one of my favorite holidays. There is nothing more better then BBQ with friends and family. Since I’ve been feeling homesick, I was determined to find a place in London that was celebrating the Independence Day of America. After a couple days of intense internet search, I was truly shocked that I actually found a few places that celebrated July fourth. I mean we did declare our independence from the Brits. so I can imagine this country wouldn’t want to have Americans priding their freedom all around town. We decided to go to Strongroom’s American Beer Festival. It had various beers from all over the States along with a Texas grill, American music and it even had a mechanical bull. I was overjoyed to hear so many American accents in one place. For a second it had me feeling like I was back in the states. I didn’t get to see any fireworks that night, but it was a very good alternative to celebrate the red, white and blue. Here are some pictures from July fourth.
Wednesday 30 June 2010
The Grass is always Greener on the otherside......
There is no cooking challenge. Today is a different challenge. Yesterday, I was going through a bit of a funk but I guess we all get funks I suppose. Sometimes, I just want to go back being a kid and having no stress or worries. It’s been really stressful here and I’m trying desperately to find a job. I mean it almost seems impossible. I haven’t given up, thanks to my husband, family and friends. So whoever has a job, be thankful because the job market is not looking good right now. Being jobless and alone for the majority of the day is really quite depressing. It really annoys me how people think that my life is so wonderful. They have this perception that I have this fabulous life of not working and living in a non stressful life. I laugh and think to myself…the grass is always greener on the otherside. Sure, there is many positive having a lot of free time but there are a lot of negatives as well. Being unemployed, your life is really unstructured. There is so much stress and worries that you wouldn’t imagine that came along with it. I am a type of person that will stay positive in any situation but in reality I’m real; I get sad, I get depressed and I get funks. I ask myself everyday, How am I going to keep it together? Everyday I have to force myself to exercise, be active, eat right, and most importantly feel happy to keep my life together. Cooking the recipes are a challenge, but the job hunt right now is the biggest challenge…. I hope soon that I will overcome it.
Monday 28 June 2010
Summertime!
Yey, Summer is finally here. It was a beautiful, sunny weekend in London. No challenges this weekend because it is very rare that we get weather like this in London. And besides…who likes to cook in hot weather, especially in an small apt?!?! To celebrate the nice weather, we decided to make sure we would spend our time outside as much as possible. On Saturday, my husband and I were invited to go to a Tapas and Wine Festival down around Tower Bridge. I love going to events in London because the city is spread out hence making events much more enjoyable to attend. I know I could just picture this same event in New York City….it would be so cramped and overly crowded. Anyways, we arrived at the festival in the afternoon. Once you walked in, you could pay £2 for 4 tokens to use on wine samples. There were so many stations of wine and food vendors. We had a fabulous time listening to latin music in the sun, tasting wine and eating tapas. It was a perfect day to enjoy the festival.
This weekend was the round two of the World Cup starring the USA vs. Ghana and England vs. Germany matches. On Saturday, we went to a place called Café Kick to watch the USA vs. Ghana game. There were so many people gathered at this venue watching the game. On Sunday, we went to a quiet pub just around the corner where we live called the Queen Bodecia. It was a good spot to end the weekend. Even though both the USA and England lost their game, I still had a good time experiencing watching the World Cup in Europe.
My husband and I decided to end the weekend with a nice picnic at the park. In London, there are many little secret small parks. We tend to walk around the city on the weekends and find many small little parks all over. It’s great to go to one of them when it’s nice out because you get to enjoy the sun with only a couple of people if not by yourself. Well, I hope the weather stays like this for this week/weekend because it was an absolutely perfect weekend.
This weekend was the round two of the World Cup starring the USA vs. Ghana and England vs. Germany matches. On Saturday, we went to a place called Café Kick to watch the USA vs. Ghana game. There were so many people gathered at this venue watching the game. On Sunday, we went to a quiet pub just around the corner where we live called the Queen Bodecia. It was a good spot to end the weekend. Even though both the USA and England lost their game, I still had a good time experiencing watching the World Cup in Europe.
My husband and I decided to end the weekend with a nice picnic at the park. In London, there are many little secret small parks. We tend to walk around the city on the weekends and find many small little parks all over. It’s great to go to one of them when it’s nice out because you get to enjoy the sun with only a couple of people if not by yourself. Well, I hope the weather stays like this for this week/weekend because it was an absolutely perfect weekend.
Thursday 24 June 2010
Bruschetta
There’s no dinner challenge because we had leftovers, so instead I decided to do an appetizer challenge. Growing up I never ever had to eat leftovers. I would be lucky if there was enough dinner to eat on that night! I grew up with a very big family. I am the youngest out of seven siblings. When dinner time came that meant you better hurry up to the table and get your portion or else it’s gone. So I guess growing up I was fortune enough to rarely eat leftovers. I love pasta and the Chicken and Mushroom Fettuccine Alfredo was just as good the night after! To make dinner a little more different, I decided to make the following starter:
Recipe of the day: Homemade Bruschetta
Ingredients/Grocery List: Total Spent – £3.55
4-5 small tomatoes on the vine – £1.99
½ of red onion – £0.19
3 Cloves of Garlic - £0.25
1 Small Baguette – £0.33
2 Tablespoon of Olive Oil (had it already)
2 Tablespoon of chopped Basil – £0.79
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning (had it already)
½ Tablespoon of Light Pesto Paste (had it already)
2 teaspoon Fresh Ground Pepper (had it already)
1 teaspoon Fresh Ground Salt (had it already)
First, add the oil, italian seasoning, finely minced garlic, pesto paste, salt, pepper and basil together in a bowl and mix it. Now dice the tomatoes and set aside in a different bowl. Then finely chop the red onion place it in bowl with the seasoning in it and mix it together. Now toss the chopped tomatoes in the bowl and mix it all together. ( you can always drain out some of the tomato juice if there's too much before you add it to the bowl). Place it in the fridge for at least 1 hour before serving. You can serve it with toast crackers, or do what I did: I took a small baguette, sliced it into about ½ inch thick pieces and placed them on a cookie sheet. Next spray or brush lightly with olive oil. Place in oven on 200 C for 10 minutes. Then add a the bruschetta on top of the toasted bread.
This recipe always makes a tasty, light appetizer when cooking pasta. You can also make this if you want to bring something over for a dinner party. It’s a great, light snack for the summer. Next time when I make bruschetta, I will be having it with a nice chilled cocktail and soaking up in the sun. Enjoy!
Recipe of the day: Homemade Bruschetta
Ingredients/Grocery List: Total Spent – £3.55
4-5 small tomatoes on the vine – £1.99
½ of red onion – £0.19
3 Cloves of Garlic - £0.25
1 Small Baguette – £0.33
2 Tablespoon of Olive Oil (had it already)
2 Tablespoon of chopped Basil – £0.79
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning (had it already)
½ Tablespoon of Light Pesto Paste (had it already)
2 teaspoon Fresh Ground Pepper (had it already)
1 teaspoon Fresh Ground Salt (had it already)
First, add the oil, italian seasoning, finely minced garlic, pesto paste, salt, pepper and basil together in a bowl and mix it. Now dice the tomatoes and set aside in a different bowl. Then finely chop the red onion place it in bowl with the seasoning in it and mix it together. Now toss the chopped tomatoes in the bowl and mix it all together. ( you can always drain out some of the tomato juice if there's too much before you add it to the bowl). Place it in the fridge for at least 1 hour before serving. You can serve it with toast crackers, or do what I did: I took a small baguette, sliced it into about ½ inch thick pieces and placed them on a cookie sheet. Next spray or brush lightly with olive oil. Place in oven on 200 C for 10 minutes. Then add a the bruschetta on top of the toasted bread.
This recipe always makes a tasty, light appetizer when cooking pasta. You can also make this if you want to bring something over for a dinner party. It’s a great, light snack for the summer. Next time when I make bruschetta, I will be having it with a nice chilled cocktail and soaking up in the sun. Enjoy!
Tuesday 22 June 2010
Chicken and Mushroom Fetuccine Alfredo
I’m typically not one to cook really fattening foods. I tend to cook healthy and that’s why I like to cook because I actually know what goes in my meals. When I asked my husband what he wanted for dinner, he said “ Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo”. In my head I was thinking “is this guy serious?”…. Come on girls, we all read in the magazines that Fettuccine Alfredo is one of the most fattiest food to eat. I was hesitatant to make this meal, because I only eat Fettuccine Alfredo if I feel like I have lost weight and wanted to gain it back. So you can imagine NEVER! So today’s challenge wasn’t just making sure if the cost was under 10 but also a healthier version that still had the same great taste.
Recipe of the Day: Chicken and Mushroom Fettuccine Alfredo
Ingredients/Grocery List: Total Spent: £9.85
Serving: 4 (I know in a regular recipe it will say 6 … but we’re real people and we can eat!)
1 Package of Boneless Chicken Breast (3 Breast) – £3.49
1 Package of small closed cap mushrooms – £0.86
1 Package of Authentic Italian Pasta or Fettuccine – £1.99
2 Cups Light Heavy Cream - £1.28
1 Cup of Grated Parmesan Cheese - £2.23
¼ cup of unsalted butter – (had it already)
2 dashes of nutmeg – (had it already)
Italian Seasoning – (had it already)
Fresh Ground Pepper – (had it already)
5 gloves of garlic – (had it already)
Olive Oil
First wash and cut the chicken into strips. Add a dollop of olive oil, minced garlic, a few dashes Italian seasoning and fresh ground pepper. Use your hand and mix the ingredients with the chicken. Cook with a large skillet on Medium until cooked and browned. Set aside. Using the same skillet, add a dollop of olive oil to the pan. Add the sliced mushrooms (take out stems first) and cook until tender and done. Set aside and remove the juices. Cook the pasta according to the package. You want to cook it until “al dente”. While the pasta is cooking. In a saucepan or large skillet, heat on low, and add the butter until it melts. Now add two cups of the cream. Using a whisk, mix the butter and cream. Lower the heat to simmer. Now add ½ cup of the parmesan cheese and add the nutmeg and fresh ground pepper. Keep mixing until warm. Throw in the cooked chicken and mushroom. Mix it in the sauce. Cook for 2 minutes. Now cool the sauce, (it should thicken). Drain the Pasta and add the sauce. (only add ½ and keep adding, according to how much pasta you made) It might look like the sauce is runny. (don’t worry it will thicken) Throw in ½ cups of more parmesan cheese. Cook on simmer and keep mixing for about 2 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Dinner is done!
This meal isn’t the healthiest, but I would say it was really good. My husband really enjoyed this meal as well. Getting one or two low fat ingredients makes a big difference. Also, not adding salt or lessen the salt will make a difference to your health too. I tend to not use all low fat ingredients in my meal. You need the taste and the low fat ingredients don’t do the meal justice sometimes. I’m a true believer on the saying, “all in moderation”. I feel that you can live a fuller and happier life if you stick to that motto. Hope you enjoy the meal!
Recipe of the Day: Chicken and Mushroom Fettuccine Alfredo
Ingredients/Grocery List: Total Spent: £9.85
Serving: 4 (I know in a regular recipe it will say 6 … but we’re real people and we can eat!)
1 Package of Boneless Chicken Breast (3 Breast) – £3.49
1 Package of small closed cap mushrooms – £0.86
1 Package of Authentic Italian Pasta or Fettuccine – £1.99
2 Cups Light Heavy Cream - £1.28
1 Cup of Grated Parmesan Cheese - £2.23
¼ cup of unsalted butter – (had it already)
2 dashes of nutmeg – (had it already)
Italian Seasoning – (had it already)
Fresh Ground Pepper – (had it already)
5 gloves of garlic – (had it already)
Olive Oil
First wash and cut the chicken into strips. Add a dollop of olive oil, minced garlic, a few dashes Italian seasoning and fresh ground pepper. Use your hand and mix the ingredients with the chicken. Cook with a large skillet on Medium until cooked and browned. Set aside. Using the same skillet, add a dollop of olive oil to the pan. Add the sliced mushrooms (take out stems first) and cook until tender and done. Set aside and remove the juices. Cook the pasta according to the package. You want to cook it until “al dente”. While the pasta is cooking. In a saucepan or large skillet, heat on low, and add the butter until it melts. Now add two cups of the cream. Using a whisk, mix the butter and cream. Lower the heat to simmer. Now add ½ cup of the parmesan cheese and add the nutmeg and fresh ground pepper. Keep mixing until warm. Throw in the cooked chicken and mushroom. Mix it in the sauce. Cook for 2 minutes. Now cool the sauce, (it should thicken). Drain the Pasta and add the sauce. (only add ½ and keep adding, according to how much pasta you made) It might look like the sauce is runny. (don’t worry it will thicken) Throw in ½ cups of more parmesan cheese. Cook on simmer and keep mixing for about 2 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Dinner is done!
This meal isn’t the healthiest, but I would say it was really good. My husband really enjoyed this meal as well. Getting one or two low fat ingredients makes a big difference. Also, not adding salt or lessen the salt will make a difference to your health too. I tend to not use all low fat ingredients in my meal. You need the taste and the low fat ingredients don’t do the meal justice sometimes. I’m a true believer on the saying, “all in moderation”. I feel that you can live a fuller and happier life if you stick to that motto. Hope you enjoy the meal!
Monday 21 June 2010
I got the blues.....
Well it’s been quite cold and gloomy here in London this weekend. The weather reminds me of September weather in New York. It’s late June and it’s 55 degrees here. Where is the summer? My husband was in a very cranky mood this weekend. He loves the sun shine (well who doesn’t?) and when there is no sunshine, Will is not happy. I wonder since the country is rainy and gloomy majority of the time , if people are more depressed here? I notice that it was really hard for me to motivate Will and myself out of the apartment this weekend. We did manage to meet friends at night. At dinner, they were talking about London in winter. I visited London for only two weeks in the winter time but I was focusing on visiting my husband who I haven’t seen in about a little over a month. So basically it could have been below freezing point and I wouldn’t have noticed. Anyways, they carried on the conversation about London weather and they got me scared. I was complaining about the weather to them and they all stared at me, the winter is worst and you better get use to it. Oh no, what am I going to do? How can it possibly any worse? Hopefully I’ll have a job by then to keep me busy from realizing that the weather here stinks!
Even though the weather stinks here, I will say that there are tons of fun stuff to do in London. On Thursday, I went with a friend to Shakespeare’s Globe to watch Henry IV. I was only in there for 20 minutes before my friend almost fainted! The Globe was small and felt a little claustrophobic but it was really neat to see that it was restored. It made you feel like you were an audience from back from the days. I love the fact that London has so much history.
Even though there aren’t any challenges for this weekend, my husband and I decided to cook breakfast for each other. I cooked Saturday’s breakfast and he cooked breakfast on Sunday. I love when he cooks because it gives me a break. Plus, I love when he makes breakfast…It’s so good!
Even though the weather stinks here, I will say that there are tons of fun stuff to do in London. On Thursday, I went with a friend to Shakespeare’s Globe to watch Henry IV. I was only in there for 20 minutes before my friend almost fainted! The Globe was small and felt a little claustrophobic but it was really neat to see that it was restored. It made you feel like you were an audience from back from the days. I love the fact that London has so much history.
Even though there aren’t any challenges for this weekend, my husband and I decided to cook breakfast for each other. I cooked Saturday’s breakfast and he cooked breakfast on Sunday. I love when he cooks because it gives me a break. Plus, I love when he makes breakfast…It’s so good!
Thursday 17 June 2010
Stuffed Roasted Peppers
Today I forced myself out of the apartment and went to not one but TWO gym classes and boy I’m I beat. I’m not the exercising type, so I was definitely dreading going to the aerobic class. When I arrived at the class, the instructor was so bubbly and already wearing the microphone headset. She popped in a dance mix and began straight away into the routine. At first I couldn’t stop smiling because I couldn’t believe that I was doing these routines, but then I got really into it. It was so much fun and energic! Everyone in the class seemed to have a good time. After 45 minutes of working out, I decide to do the next class. I’m definitely aching, but it was well worth it. Working out really helped me sweat my stress and worries away. Plus, it keeps me busy since I’m still out of a job. These classes makes exercising really fun!
Anyways, Here is a challenge that I truly enjoy cooking:
Recipe of the Day: Stuff Roasted Peppers
Ingredients/Grocery List: Total Spent: £9.34
Serving size: 2
3 Bell Peppers (Red is my fav, but you can use any color) – £2.61
1 400g Lean Beef – £2.50
1 small-medium onion – £0.15
1 package of small closed cap mushroom (15 pieces) - £0.86
3/4 cup of cooked brown rice or white - £0.78 for a pack of 4 boil in a bag
1/2 jar of basil tomato sauce - £0.94
4 cloves of garlic - £0.25
Shredded or sliced Cheddar Cheese – 1.25
Salt
Olive Oil
First cook the rice. In a medium pot, fill water a little over half and boil. Add salt to the water before boiling fully. Cut the top of the bell peppers and remove the seeds. Place the bell peppers in the boil salt water for 5 minutes. In a deep dish pan grease the bottom with butter. Drain the peppers and place it in the pan. Preheat the oven now to 210 C
Filling: In a skillet or wok, place a tablespoon of olive oil and two cloves of minced garlic. On medium heat, add the sliced mushrooms. Cook until tender and set aside in a bowl. In the same skillet, add a dash of olive oil and cook the chopped onion and 2 minced garlic cloves. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Now add the meat and cook until browned. Try to drain the excess oil and juices. Now add the cook rice and mushroom. Cook on medium for 2 minutes. Now add the half a jar of tomato sauce. Mix and cook for 2 minutes. You can add crushed peppers and cayenne peppers to make it spicy. Stuff the peppers with the filling. Place about 1-2 Tablespoon of tomato sauce on each pepper and place in the oven. Cook in the oven for 35 to 40 Minutes. Add the chedder cheese 10 minutes before it’s done.
My husband loves stuffed peppers. He’s always begging me to make this every week. I enjoy this meal as well. FYI: No challenges for the rest of the week and weekend. I’m going to the Shakespeare Globe to watch Henry IV on Thursday and on Friday, I will be watching the USA World Cup footy match. I’m really excited to watch the play because Shakespeare originally held his works there. I’ll take lots and pictures and blog away at the end of the weekend. Hope you all enjoy this recipe and have a great weekend!
Anyways, Here is a challenge that I truly enjoy cooking:
Recipe of the Day: Stuff Roasted Peppers
Ingredients/Grocery List: Total Spent: £9.34
Serving size: 2
3 Bell Peppers (Red is my fav, but you can use any color) – £2.61
1 400g Lean Beef – £2.50
1 small-medium onion – £0.15
1 package of small closed cap mushroom (15 pieces) - £0.86
3/4 cup of cooked brown rice or white - £0.78 for a pack of 4 boil in a bag
1/2 jar of basil tomato sauce - £0.94
4 cloves of garlic - £0.25
Shredded or sliced Cheddar Cheese – 1.25
Salt
Olive Oil
First cook the rice. In a medium pot, fill water a little over half and boil. Add salt to the water before boiling fully. Cut the top of the bell peppers and remove the seeds. Place the bell peppers in the boil salt water for 5 minutes. In a deep dish pan grease the bottom with butter. Drain the peppers and place it in the pan. Preheat the oven now to 210 C
Filling: In a skillet or wok, place a tablespoon of olive oil and two cloves of minced garlic. On medium heat, add the sliced mushrooms. Cook until tender and set aside in a bowl. In the same skillet, add a dash of olive oil and cook the chopped onion and 2 minced garlic cloves. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Now add the meat and cook until browned. Try to drain the excess oil and juices. Now add the cook rice and mushroom. Cook on medium for 2 minutes. Now add the half a jar of tomato sauce. Mix and cook for 2 minutes. You can add crushed peppers and cayenne peppers to make it spicy. Stuff the peppers with the filling. Place about 1-2 Tablespoon of tomato sauce on each pepper and place in the oven. Cook in the oven for 35 to 40 Minutes. Add the chedder cheese 10 minutes before it’s done.
My husband loves stuffed peppers. He’s always begging me to make this every week. I enjoy this meal as well. FYI: No challenges for the rest of the week and weekend. I’m going to the Shakespeare Globe to watch Henry IV on Thursday and on Friday, I will be watching the USA World Cup footy match. I’m really excited to watch the play because Shakespeare originally held his works there. I’ll take lots and pictures and blog away at the end of the weekend. Hope you all enjoy this recipe and have a great weekend!
Monday 14 June 2010
Born in the USA
Sorry I haven’t been doing these cooking challenges more frequently, but I've been really busy trying to find a bigger apartment. Anyway, this weekend was filled with the big hype of the World Cup. Soccer/Football in England is the equivalent of American Football and baseball combined to the US. There was England merchandise everywhere... literally in every single store! Being in London was really exciting this weekend because England was playing the USA on Saturday. I knew about this game months before and had already invited some of our friends to watch it with us at a pub by where we live. On Saturday, we had a group of 3 USA fans, 3 England fans and an Aussie Fan at the pub. The pub was packed with local England fans by 6pm! (the game didn’t start until 7:30!) I started to get little worried that the England fans were going to beat me up, considering I had a huge flashy USA imprinted on my tank top. When the game started, my friend and I started to chant USA, USA. There were also a couple of other USA fans at the pub screaming "GOOOO USA!" which was met by waves of Boos from the England fans. I was surprised at how friendly the banter was between us USA fans and the England fans. It was a lot of fun and I was extremely overjoyed that I had gotten the experience to watch a World Cup football game in a local London pub and cheering USA. It was absolutely PRICELESS!
It’s always great to have a juicy burger once in a while. I haven’t had a real good burger in London so I guess I took matters into my own hands. Sometimes I wonder am I really in London? I tend to still manage to have a American lifestyle while I’m here. I think overtime, I will start to become “British”. With this strong accent…yeah right! I promise I won’t go Madonna on you guys.
To keep in theme with the good US performance, I thought a traditional US BBQ was a must. So I decided to do…
Recipe of the Day : Burgers, Corn on the Cob and French Fries.
Ingredients/Grocery List: Total Spent £9.48
1 Package of 500g Lean Red Meat - £2.50
1 Package of Slice Leicester Cheese - £1.25
1 Package of Whole Wheat Buns - £1.00
1 Lettuce - £0.50
1 Tomato - £0.54
1 Onion - £0.15
1 Package of Frozen French Fries - £1.79
2 Corn - £1.50
3 Cloves of Garlic - £0.25
Unsalted Butter (had it already)
Olive Oil (had it already)
Balsamic Vinegar (had it already)
Fresh Ground Pepper (had it already)
Sea Salt (had it already)
Preheat the oven for 230 C. Butter the Corn and dash fresh pepper and sea salt. Wrap the corn in foil and place in oven for 25-30 minutes. Now cut the onion into rings and try not to separate it. Brush olive oil then dash pepper on each side of the onion. Grill or cook on skillet for 2 minutes. For the Burger: Start by mixing and kneading the meat with your hands. Divide the meat into four balls and then flatten the meat with the palms of your hand. (about inch) Dash fresh pepper, seasalt, and finely minced garlic on each side of the burger. Now add a drop of balsamic vinegar on each side of the burger for a bit more flavor. Cook the burger on medium to low heat. About 10 minutes for well done. Add Cheese a minute before the burger is done to your liking. Slice tomato, wash lettuce for garnish. Serve with French fries or a bag of chips.
Recipe of the Day : Burgers, Corn on the Cob and French Fries.
Ingredients/Grocery List: Total Spent £9.48
1 Package of 500g Lean Red Meat - £2.50
1 Package of Slice Leicester Cheese - £1.25
1 Package of Whole Wheat Buns - £1.00
1 Lettuce - £0.50
1 Tomato - £0.54
1 Onion - £0.15
1 Package of Frozen French Fries - £1.79
2 Corn - £1.50
3 Cloves of Garlic - £0.25
Unsalted Butter (had it already)
Olive Oil (had it already)
Balsamic Vinegar (had it already)
Fresh Ground Pepper (had it already)
Sea Salt (had it already)
Preheat the oven for 230 C. Butter the Corn and dash fresh pepper and sea salt. Wrap the corn in foil and place in oven for 25-30 minutes. Now cut the onion into rings and try not to separate it. Brush olive oil then dash pepper on each side of the onion. Grill or cook on skillet for 2 minutes. For the Burger: Start by mixing and kneading the meat with your hands. Divide the meat into four balls and then flatten the meat with the palms of your hand. (about inch) Dash fresh pepper, seasalt, and finely minced garlic on each side of the burger. Now add a drop of balsamic vinegar on each side of the burger for a bit more flavor. Cook the burger on medium to low heat. About 10 minutes for well done. Add Cheese a minute before the burger is done to your liking. Slice tomato, wash lettuce for garnish. Serve with French fries or a bag of chips.
It’s always great to have a juicy burger once in a while. I haven’t had a real good burger in London so I guess I took matters into my own hands. Sometimes I wonder am I really in London? I tend to still manage to have a American lifestyle while I’m here. I think overtime, I will start to become “British”. With this strong accent…yeah right! I promise I won’t go Madonna on you guys.
Thursday 10 June 2010
MUMBO GUMBO
It’s been pretty rainy and gloomy here in London. I guess it’s a good thing because I have tons of things I need to catch up on. Nothing really exciting happened the last few days that I can think of…..I got my new glasses. I love them…I think I’m going to wear them more often. I always been a contact lens kind of person. It’s nice to have options, nowadays glasses is a accessory trend that can make you look more sophisticated. And of course, it helps to appear smarter…I wonder why glasses have the connotation that if you wear them, than you are smart. Instead of thinking that glasses are really for people who are semi-blind!
Anyways, I didn’t know what to make for dinner today. I asked my husband what he wanted and he said "Chicken Gumbo". So, I came up with this:
Recipe of the Day: Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
Ingredients/Grocery List: Total Spent £8.51
2 Boneless Chicken Breast - £2.50
1 Package of Polish Kabanos (Smoked Sausage) - £1.49
3 Celery Sticks - £1.09
1 Green Pepper - £0.87
1 Medium Onion - £0.13
1 Can of Chopped Tomatoes - £0.87
1 small can of tomato puree - £0.25
2 tablespoon of Flour (had it already)
2 tablespoon of unsalted butter (had it already)
4 Chicken Stock Cubes - £0.63 (or 1 ¼ pint of chicken broth)
1 package of white rice (1 cup) (had it already)
Few springs of Fresh or Dry Thymes - £0.68
3 Bay Leaves (had it already)
Cayenne Pepper (had it already)
Crush Pepper (had it already)
Fresh ground Pepper (had it already)
Heat two tablespoon of olive oil in a medium pot. Add diced chicken breast and cook until it’s slightly browned. Then cut and add the smoked sausages. (cut about ¼" thick) Take a chicken stock cube and crush it over the chicken and sausage. Mix and Cook for three minutes. Now place the chicken and sausage in a bowl set aside. Add 2 tablespoon of unsalted butter. Once melted, add the chopped celery, diced peppers and onions. Add a few grinds of fresh ground peppers. Mix and cook until the veggies start to turn soft. If you like your gumbo spicy, go ahead and add a dash of Cayenne peppers, one tablespoon of hot sauce. (I also add a dash of crushed peppers) Mix for 1 minute and add the flour. Cook for 2 minutes. Now add the chicken broth, ( I desolved 3 stock cubes to a 1 ¼ pint of boiling water) and the bay leaves. Add the can of chopped tomatoes (drain half the juice then add) and a good four tablespoons of the tomato puree. Once it boils again, add the chicken and sausage. Cook on simmer for about 8-10 minutes. Keep mixing occasionally. Serve with cooked white rice. I like to throw green onions on top for garnish.
My husband absolutely loved this meal! I bet you it’s because he’s from St. Louis and they love thier Gumbo! Haha. I am happy I made this challenge because making my husband really happy about my cooking makes me overjoyed. He told me yesterday that is was his favorite meal that I made for the blog challenges so far. So I hope you all enjoy this one.
Anyways, I didn’t know what to make for dinner today. I asked my husband what he wanted and he said "Chicken Gumbo". So, I came up with this:
Recipe of the Day: Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
Ingredients/Grocery List: Total Spent £8.51
2 Boneless Chicken Breast - £2.50
1 Package of Polish Kabanos (Smoked Sausage) - £1.49
3 Celery Sticks - £1.09
1 Green Pepper - £0.87
1 Medium Onion - £0.13
1 Can of Chopped Tomatoes - £0.87
1 small can of tomato puree - £0.25
2 tablespoon of Flour (had it already)
2 tablespoon of unsalted butter (had it already)
4 Chicken Stock Cubes - £0.63 (or 1 ¼ pint of chicken broth)
1 package of white rice (1 cup) (had it already)
Few springs of Fresh or Dry Thymes - £0.68
3 Bay Leaves (had it already)
Cayenne Pepper (had it already)
Crush Pepper (had it already)
Fresh ground Pepper (had it already)
Heat two tablespoon of olive oil in a medium pot. Add diced chicken breast and cook until it’s slightly browned. Then cut and add the smoked sausages. (cut about ¼" thick) Take a chicken stock cube and crush it over the chicken and sausage. Mix and Cook for three minutes. Now place the chicken and sausage in a bowl set aside. Add 2 tablespoon of unsalted butter. Once melted, add the chopped celery, diced peppers and onions. Add a few grinds of fresh ground peppers. Mix and cook until the veggies start to turn soft. If you like your gumbo spicy, go ahead and add a dash of Cayenne peppers, one tablespoon of hot sauce. (I also add a dash of crushed peppers) Mix for 1 minute and add the flour. Cook for 2 minutes. Now add the chicken broth, ( I desolved 3 stock cubes to a 1 ¼ pint of boiling water) and the bay leaves. Add the can of chopped tomatoes (drain half the juice then add) and a good four tablespoons of the tomato puree. Once it boils again, add the chicken and sausage. Cook on simmer for about 8-10 minutes. Keep mixing occasionally. Serve with cooked white rice. I like to throw green onions on top for garnish.
My husband absolutely loved this meal! I bet you it’s because he’s from St. Louis and they love thier Gumbo! Haha. I am happy I made this challenge because making my husband really happy about my cooking makes me overjoyed. He told me yesterday that is was his favorite meal that I made for the blog challenges so far. So I hope you all enjoy this one.
Monday 7 June 2010
Spinach, Tomato and Shrimp...OH MY!
Being away from my family and friends in London, you can imagine how lonely I can get especially since I haven’t had a job to occupy my time. Hanging out with the husband 24/7 is great….but I have to meet new people. Today, I meet up with someone who is my mother-in-law’s friend's son’s girlfriend's sister. WOW. Yea totally random, but I’m glad I did it. She was awesome, super nice and brought me to a really cool lunch place called Abeno Too. Abeno Too is a Japanese Okonomiyaki Restaurant. What’s Okonomiyaki?…I was thinking the same thing before I went. Here’s a link to explain it : http://www.abeno.co.uk/about_okonomiyaki/index.html
After lunch, I went to my favorite pilates/yoga class. It helps me feel really relaxed. So today is Monday, I’m back to schedule and it’s time for my challenge.
Recipe of the Day: Spinach, Tomatoes and Shrimp with Pesto Linguine and Homemade Garlic Bread.
Ingredients/ Grocery List: Total Spent: £8.93
1 package of Cooked Shrimp - £3.49
1 package of spinach - £1.64
2 package of tomatoes on vine - 2 for £2.50
1 package of linguine (cooked 1/2 of the package..had it already)
1 garlic (had it already)
1 light pesto (had it already)
1 baguette - £0.45
1package of basil - £0.85
Parmanean Cheese (Optional) had it already
On Medium Heat, place a good amount of olive oil in a skillet. Add 3 cloves of minced garlic. Wash and add the spinach. Cook until it’s wilted and then add the shrimps. Then after 1 minute, throw in the diced tomatoes. (make sure you drain the juices) Lower the heat after it’s been cooking for about 5 minutes. Cook the linguine according to the package. Then spread a small amount, about 2 tablespoons, of pesto on the linguine.
Homemade Garlic Bread: Cut the baguette in half. Butter the bread, then take drizzle olive oil all over. Sprinkle Italian Seasoning and then spread 4 cloves of minced garlic all over the baguette. Place in Oven at 200 C for 10 minutes.
A very nice meal to end a Monday. Pastas are my favorite to make. They are quick, easy and deliciious. Hope you all enjoy this one!
After lunch, I went to my favorite pilates/yoga class. It helps me feel really relaxed. So today is Monday, I’m back to schedule and it’s time for my challenge.
Recipe of the Day: Spinach, Tomatoes and Shrimp with Pesto Linguine and Homemade Garlic Bread.
Ingredients/ Grocery List: Total Spent: £8.93
1 package of Cooked Shrimp - £3.49
1 package of spinach - £1.64
2 package of tomatoes on vine - 2 for £2.50
1 package of linguine (cooked 1/2 of the package..had it already)
1 garlic (had it already)
1 light pesto (had it already)
1 baguette - £0.45
1package of basil - £0.85
Parmanean Cheese (Optional) had it already
On Medium Heat, place a good amount of olive oil in a skillet. Add 3 cloves of minced garlic. Wash and add the spinach. Cook until it’s wilted and then add the shrimps. Then after 1 minute, throw in the diced tomatoes. (make sure you drain the juices) Lower the heat after it’s been cooking for about 5 minutes. Cook the linguine according to the package. Then spread a small amount, about 2 tablespoons, of pesto on the linguine.
Homemade Garlic Bread: Cut the baguette in half. Butter the bread, then take drizzle olive oil all over. Sprinkle Italian Seasoning and then spread 4 cloves of minced garlic all over the baguette. Place in Oven at 200 C for 10 minutes.
A very nice meal to end a Monday. Pastas are my favorite to make. They are quick, easy and deliciious. Hope you all enjoy this one!
Sunday 6 June 2010
Moroccan Melody Dinner
For the first time, since I moved to London, I finally felt settled in this weekend. On Friday, we went out to dinner at a nice local restaurant. It was decent meal for a decent price. Afterwards, we went to a place called the Big Chill to watch one of Will’s footy mates Dejaying. It was my first time there, and it was just off the famous Brick Lane. London’s weather was beautiful this weekend, so there were tons of people out. I arrived at the Big Chill and it was crowded with people in line to get in. Since we knew the DJ, we skipped the queue and walked right in. The music was upbeat and it was great to see so many British people having a good time. I really enjoyed my Friday night. It felt like I was finally “home”.
Saturday, Will and I got invited to a BBQ at one of Will’s friend's flats. We brought homemade tomato and mozzarella ball pesto salad and an enourmous bowl of fruit salad. I had a really good time and met some really cool people but I must admit, I miss my family BBQs. They are the best!
After a weekend of drinking and eating lots of meat, Will and I wanted to eat healthy. So we came up with……
Recipe of the Day: Veggie Moroccan Melody with Cous Cous and Pita and Hummus
Ingredients/Grocery List: Total Spent: £9.82
1 medium Eggplant - £1.18
4 medium tomatoes - £2.00
1 Yellow Pepper - £0.87
1 Red Pepper - £0.87
1meduim Onion - £0.15
1 can of Chickpeas - £0.69
1 package of Mushrooms - £0.46
1 small jar of Moroccan tagine paste - £1.75
1 Package of Cous Cous ( had it already)
2 Whole Wheat Pita - £0.40
Hummous - £1.45
Olive Oil
In a Saucepan, heat 2 tablespoon of olive oil at a medium temperature. Add the chopped onion. Cook for 2 minutes. Throw in peeled and chopped tomatoes with about 4 tablespoons of the Moroccan paste. Cook for 2 minutes and then lower the heat. Next add the chopped eggplant (or aubergines as they call them here!) and sliced mushrooms. Drain the canned chickpeas and add them to the saucepan. Cut the red and yellow peppers into thin strips and add to the saucepan. Cover and cook under a low heat for about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally. Cook the cous cous according to the package. Toast the pita in the toaster. Dinner is Served.
Saturday, Will and I got invited to a BBQ at one of Will’s friend's flats. We brought homemade tomato and mozzarella ball pesto salad and an enourmous bowl of fruit salad. I had a really good time and met some really cool people but I must admit, I miss my family BBQs. They are the best!
After a weekend of drinking and eating lots of meat, Will and I wanted to eat healthy. So we came up with……
Recipe of the Day: Veggie Moroccan Melody with Cous Cous and Pita and Hummus
Ingredients/Grocery List: Total Spent: £9.82
1 medium Eggplant - £1.18
4 medium tomatoes - £2.00
1 Yellow Pepper - £0.87
1 Red Pepper - £0.87
1meduim Onion - £0.15
1 can of Chickpeas - £0.69
1 package of Mushrooms - £0.46
1 small jar of Moroccan tagine paste - £1.75
1 Package of Cous Cous ( had it already)
2 Whole Wheat Pita - £0.40
Hummous - £1.45
Olive Oil
In a Saucepan, heat 2 tablespoon of olive oil at a medium temperature. Add the chopped onion. Cook for 2 minutes. Throw in peeled and chopped tomatoes with about 4 tablespoons of the Moroccan paste. Cook for 2 minutes and then lower the heat. Next add the chopped eggplant (or aubergines as they call them here!) and sliced mushrooms. Drain the canned chickpeas and add them to the saucepan. Cut the red and yellow peppers into thin strips and add to the saucepan. Cover and cook under a low heat for about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally. Cook the cous cous according to the package. Toast the pita in the toaster. Dinner is Served.
Thursday 3 June 2010
Chicken Fajitas and Homemade Guacamole
So the last couple of days I've had a visitor in town. Since I am home a lot searching for jobs and somewhat playing/pretending to be a house wife, having a visitor is the highlight of my day. I love playing host and it’s a good break from reality. It was surprisingly sunny in London yesterday and the weather is suppose to continue the shine all this week! I wish everyday was like this in London! Today, I’m going to venture out to a new small park and sit down and read a book. It’s rare that it’s this sunny, so I try to take full advantage of it. Now with all the visitors gone, I’m back to schedule. I have to start exercising, eating right and finish my errands that I’ve been delaying since last month!
Recipe of the Day: Chicken Fajitas and Homemade Guacamole
Ingredients/ Grocery List: Total Spent: 10.76 (over by .76p)
2 boneless chicken breast – £2.00
1 Whole Wheat Tortilla – £1.70
1 Red Pepper - £0.87
1 Green Pepper – £0.87
1 Medium Onion£ 0.14
1 package of Fajita Seasoning - £0.65
1 package of Mexican Rice – (had it already)
2 Medium Tomatoes on Vines – £0.56
1 package of shredded Cheddar Cheese (had it already)
Lettuce - £1.00
2 ripe Avocado - £2.67
1 Lime – £0.30
Fresh Ground Pepper
Sea Salt
Olive Oil
Hot Sauce (optional)
Salsa (optional)
First Preheat the oven for 200 C. Wrap 4 whole wheat tortilla shells in foil and place in oven for 10 minutes. Wash and cut the chicken breast into thin strips. On a skillet, place 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil on Medium Heat. Add Chicken and cook until it’s done. Now add the onion, peppers and fajita seasoning. (about ½ the package) If it dries out as it cooks add a tablespoon of water at a time, but make sure it’s not too watery. Cook themixture until the onion and peppers are semi soft. Cook the Mexican Rice according to the instructions onthe package. Dice one medium tomato and chop the lettuce for garnish.
For Guacamole: De-seed and Dice 1 medium size tomato. Peel and take out the pit of the avocados. Take a fork and crush the avocados until it’s a chunky paste. Add fresh ground pepper and salt. Squeeze the juice of one lime into the mashed avocado. Lastly, add the tomatoes and mix gently. Place it in the fridge until you are ready to serve.
Having a Fajita night is always fun. You can talior it to your taste buds. My husband and I enjoy assembling the fajitas. We were so hungry that we forgot to take a picture of the food before we scarfed it down our throats! Although I didn't meet my challenge today, it was a very delicious meal.
Recipe of the Day: Chicken Fajitas and Homemade Guacamole
Ingredients/ Grocery List: Total Spent: 10.76 (over by .76p)
2 boneless chicken breast – £2.00
1 Whole Wheat Tortilla – £1.70
1 Red Pepper - £0.87
1 Green Pepper – £0.87
1 Medium Onion£ 0.14
1 package of Fajita Seasoning - £0.65
1 package of Mexican Rice – (had it already)
2 Medium Tomatoes on Vines – £0.56
1 package of shredded Cheddar Cheese (had it already)
Lettuce - £1.00
2 ripe Avocado - £2.67
1 Lime – £0.30
Fresh Ground Pepper
Sea Salt
Olive Oil
Hot Sauce (optional)
Salsa (optional)
First Preheat the oven for 200 C. Wrap 4 whole wheat tortilla shells in foil and place in oven for 10 minutes. Wash and cut the chicken breast into thin strips. On a skillet, place 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil on Medium Heat. Add Chicken and cook until it’s done. Now add the onion, peppers and fajita seasoning. (about ½ the package) If it dries out as it cooks add a tablespoon of water at a time, but make sure it’s not too watery. Cook themixture until the onion and peppers are semi soft. Cook the Mexican Rice according to the instructions onthe package. Dice one medium tomato and chop the lettuce for garnish.
For Guacamole: De-seed and Dice 1 medium size tomato. Peel and take out the pit of the avocados. Take a fork and crush the avocados until it’s a chunky paste. Add fresh ground pepper and salt. Squeeze the juice of one lime into the mashed avocado. Lastly, add the tomatoes and mix gently. Place it in the fridge until you are ready to serve.
Having a Fajita night is always fun. You can talior it to your taste buds. My husband and I enjoy assembling the fajitas. We were so hungry that we forgot to take a picture of the food before we scarfed it down our throats! Although I didn't meet my challenge today, it was a very delicious meal.
Monday 31 May 2010
Stirring it Up Again
After a week of eating out, Will and I definitely want to eat a little healthier tonight. When we want a healthy meal, we like to stick with vegetables. So we usually turn to this…
Recipe of the Day: Vegetable Stir Fry with Rice Noodles
Ingredients/Grocery List: Total Spent: £8.19 (Serves 3-4 people)
2 package of Rice Noodles – £2.60
3 Peppers (Assorted Colors) – 3 for £2.00
1 Bundle of Chinese Lettuce – £1.18
1 Large Onion - £ 0.15
1 Package of Mushrooms – £0.86
1 Package of Bean Spouts – £0.60
Small portion of Ginger Root - . £0.80
2 cloves of Garlic (peeled)
Thai Sweet Chili Sauce
Soy Sauce
Hot Sauce
Sesame Oil
Heat a Wok on Medium . Pour a generous amount of sesame oil to cover the bottom of the Wok. Throw in the chopped Ginger and garlic. Cook for a minute. Slowly add the sliced onions. Be careful, hot oil might burst up. Cook for 1 minute. Add thinly sliced peppers and cook for 5 minutes. Now add the sliced mushrooms and beanspouts. Cook for about 2 minutes. Lastly add the chopped Chinese lettuce and cook for 2 additional minutes. For flavor, add the Soy Sauce and Thai Sweet Chili Sauce. Like I 've said in previous posts, I don’t really measure, so just season to taste. Now add the rice noodle and cook for 3 more minutes. Dinner is Done. I like to add Hot Sauce to my meal after it's on the plate just to spice it up a bit!
I really like this meal for those times I want to eat something healthy without meat. My husband loves stir fry, so I catch myself making a variation of this dish at least twice a month. We made a lot tonight so he can have leftovers for lunch tomorrow. Overall, I’m pretty happy with my challenge today. Not bad since I’ve been out of commission in our kitchen for a week!
Recipe of the Day: Vegetable Stir Fry with Rice Noodles
Ingredients/Grocery List: Total Spent: £8.19 (Serves 3-4 people)
2 package of Rice Noodles – £2.60
3 Peppers (Assorted Colors) – 3 for £2.00
1 Bundle of Chinese Lettuce – £1.18
1 Large Onion - £ 0.15
1 Package of Mushrooms – £0.86
1 Package of Bean Spouts – £0.60
Small portion of Ginger Root - . £0.80
2 cloves of Garlic (peeled)
Thai Sweet Chili Sauce
Soy Sauce
Hot Sauce
Sesame Oil
Heat a Wok on Medium . Pour a generous amount of sesame oil to cover the bottom of the Wok. Throw in the chopped Ginger and garlic. Cook for a minute. Slowly add the sliced onions. Be careful, hot oil might burst up. Cook for 1 minute. Add thinly sliced peppers and cook for 5 minutes. Now add the sliced mushrooms and beanspouts. Cook for about 2 minutes. Lastly add the chopped Chinese lettuce and cook for 2 additional minutes. For flavor, add the Soy Sauce and Thai Sweet Chili Sauce. Like I 've said in previous posts, I don’t really measure, so just season to taste. Now add the rice noodle and cook for 3 more minutes. Dinner is Done. I like to add Hot Sauce to my meal after it's on the plate just to spice it up a bit!
I really like this meal for those times I want to eat something healthy without meat. My husband loves stir fry, so I catch myself making a variation of this dish at least twice a month. We made a lot tonight so he can have leftovers for lunch tomorrow. Overall, I’m pretty happy with my challenge today. Not bad since I’ve been out of commission in our kitchen for a week!
Bank Holiday/Memorial Day Weekend
Wow it’s been about a week since I last update my blog. Sorry, things has been chaotic! Well after posting the last blog, unfortunately, I did not get to do any cooking challenges. Tuesday night, I was rushing all around and prepping for my interview and the arrival of my sister Carrie and my nephew Marcus for a visit. I ate out everyday for a week and man do I feel a few pounds heavier. By the way HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY! Enjoy the sunny day and BBQs??? It’s quite gloomy here in London and it’s 54 degrees outside. I'm missing the States, but having my sister Carrie and her family here, helped out a lot. Since she has visited London before, she didn’t have any desire to do any of the tourist things. So I decided to show her around my neighborhood and of course took her shopping. It was just her and her son Marcus for a couple of days. Her husband had a business trip and joined us on Friday. There was also a bank holiday going on in the UK today which made for a long weekend. Instead of mooping around wishing we were in the sun and barbequing, we all decided to get away to see Stonehenge, Bath and Cardiff. We rented a car and drove to see the countryside of the UK. It was nice to see so much beautiful, open land. I will say that the one thing I love about London as oppose to New York City, is the fact everything is spread out so you do get to see the horizon and don't have skyscrappers blocking your view of the sky all the time. Anyways, our first stop was Stonehenge, which is an interesting monument. It’s just one of those things you have to go and see. Bath, is a nice, quaint euorpean city. Due to the traffic, we were late getting to Bath, the famous roman baths were closed. Even though a lot of things were closing, we still enjoyed walking around the city. The layout of the city was very cute and really felt more like how I imagine a little Tuscan village, than a British city. Will and I are planning to come back here for a romantic getaway. We then headed out to Cardiff and stayed there overnight. When we woke up, we headed straight to the Cardiff Castle. We all had a good time walking around and exploring the castle. It was very interesting and less commercialized than other castles in Europe, which we all liked. Although I wasn’t barbequing or laying out on the beach, I still had a fantastic Memorial Day Weekend in the UK. It was a lot of fun having my nephew in London. He's the cutest and I miss him already. My sister and her family left early this morning. :( Guess I'm back to my challenges...
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