Deconstructed Eggroll Stir-Fry

...or Poor Man's Stir-Fry...or Exploded Eggrolls....I couldn't make up my mind as to what to name this dish.  Whatever the name, it is DELICIOUS!  Not only is it delicious, it is super flexible.  Not only is it super flexible, it is pretty dang healthy.  That makes it a winner, winner, chicken, ...err I mean stir-fry(?) dinner in my book!

Poor Man's Stir Fry

Recipe Source:  Kitchen of Siggy Spice

• 1 pound of Ground Beef (you could also use Ground Turkey, Chicken, or Pork)
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 4 TBSP Toasted Sesame Oil
• 4 Garlic Cloves, minced
• 5 Green Onions, white and green parts sliced
• 14 ounces Coleslaw Mix (or finely shredded cabbage)
• 4 TBSP Low Sodium Soy Sauce or Braggs Liquid Amino (more to taste)
• 1 tsp Sriracha Sauce (more to taste)
• 1 tsp Fresh Ginger, paste or grated.  (more to taste)
• 2 packets Truvia (or sweetener of your choice)
• 2 tsp White Vinegar
• 1 bag (14-16 ounces) Frozen Stir-Fry Veggies.  I use the Trader Joe's Hodgepodge Harvest, but feel free to use what you like
• 2 cups cooked Brown Rice.  Trader Joe's makes a handy dandy pre-cooked frozen brown rice that is wonderful here, you could also make cauliflower rice to go carb free.  

Brown Ground Beef with Salt and Pepper to taste.

Remove from pan and set aside.

Heat up Sesame Oil in pan and saute Garlic, Green Onions, Coleslaw, and Stir Fry Veggies until desired tenderness.

Stir in the Soy Sauce, Sriracha, Ginger, Truvia, and White Vinegar

Add the Ground Beef and Brown Rice into the veggies and mix well.  Taste it and make sure it is seasoned well for your tastes, adding more Soy Sauce, Sriracha, Ginger to taste.

Enjoy!



Hump-Day Confessional

photo courtesy of photo x.chng

I thought I would kick off this week sharing another live-stock fiasco...I have lots of those up my sleeve, lol!

I confess...When I was 15, I was riding in the car with my Mom.  It was a black night on a black road in the country.  We hit a black cow.  Hard.  It was like hitting a freaking brick wall going 55 mph.   It rolled up into the windshield, exploding it all over us.  Once I got out of the car, the cow started chasing me.  Let me just repeat that....The cow.  Was.  Freaking.  Chasing.  Me.  It wasn't dead, and it was pissed.  You can only imagine the cow jokes I had to endure for the remainder of my high school life.

I confess...The night we got into the cow accident, we were driving to my Mom's bakery.  My Mom owned the small town bakery, the Sweet Shop.  The decor was disgustingly pink, pink, and more pink.  I literally was the girl who had to get up and "Make the donuts".  I hated that job.  I think that is why I LOVE sleeping in and napping now.  Way too many early mornings in my childhood. 

I confess...I was a band geek.  Complete with 8 years of band camp (camper then counselor),  and flute playing, lol!  I played through college, but sold my instruments after.  I never thought that I would want to play again once I didn't have an audience to play for.  I was wrong.  I intend to get another instrument and play again once we get moved...of course, it has been 15 years, so we will see if I can still play.

I confess...I can't draw...at all.  Even my stick people look wonky.  It is a talent I desperately want though.  If I could draw, I would totally become a tattoo artist!

I confess...I look at the clock everyday at 11:11. 

Well, that's it for me this week  ;) 

Menu Plan 3/26/2012 - 3/31/2012

Happy Monday!
I hope you all had a great weekend.  Ours was pretty good.  Kiddo B and I went to go see the Hunger Games on Friday afternoon.  Loved it, though it doesn't live up to the book...it never does.  I have to say the worst part of going to see a teenage movie is all the teenagers in the movie theatre, lol!  There was some smart-ass kid that screamed "Bless you!" everytime someone sneezed, coughed, or made really any kind of noise.  Then, the hormonal tween (not my hormonal tween) sitting next to me started sobbing HYSTERICALLY during the movie...I mean, like loud.  Then she used her pig-tails to dry her eyes...oh yeah, good times. 
THEN, on Saturday we surprised kiddo C with an iPod.  Her and Daddy drove the convertible (our date car) to Best Buy to "look at things" and was told she could pick an iPod.  Unfortunately, apparently the $10 off sale Best Buy was having on iPods meant there was NONE.  So, we went to Target and got her a pink Nano.  When we got home, we realized that basically Apple downgraded the Nano's in hopes you would have to upgrade to the iPod touch.  GRR!  You can't watch videos with the new Nano and none of the games we have are compatible.  So, basically, it was a Shuffle that cost $70 more.  Sunday, we went back to Target and exchanged it for a Shuffle.
Anyway, that was our weekend.  This week, I have a big-ol-list going to prepare for our move in ONE month! 
Onto the menu plan for the week:

MONDAY

Italian Sausage and Roasted Pepper Spaghetti (made with Trader Joe's High Fiber Pasta), Caesar Salad

TUESDAY

Roasted Red Potato and Green Bean Soup, Buttered Sprouted Toast

WEDNESDAY

Baked Tilapia with Orange Cashew Rice, Salad De Maison

THURSDAY

Strawberry Chicken Salad, Buttered Sprouted Toast

FRIDAY

BBQ Country Pork Ribs, Crash Hot Potatoes, Mini Corn on the Cob

Have a great week!

Hump-Day Confessional

photo courtesy of photo.xchng

Happy Hump-Day!  I hope you are all having a great week so far.  I have been purging and packing this week...bleck!  What have you been up to? 
Allrighty, let's get this thing started!

I confess...I am SO excited for the Hunger Games to come out this weekend.  I read the series over Christmas/New Years and loved it.  Yes, I am just like a teenage girl, lol!  Give me some good  Y.A. reads and I am a happy gal...Twilight, Happy Potter, Hunger Games....good stuff. 

I confess...I have a cookbook addiction.  Cookbooks, cooking magazines, food blogs...oh yeah baby!  It is part of the reason I started my food blog...so I could share the amazing recipes I was finding.  Cookbooks and recipes are my porn. 

I confess...When I was 12 years old, I was bit by a horse.  We used to have these white turkeys that would try to eat the horse grain from the troth.  It was an unfortunate decision that I wore a white t-shirt one day to go feed the horses.  Our stud horse, Mr. Twister, apparently thought I was a turkey and picked me up by the back, shook me, and threw me through the fence.  I still have a giant horse-mouth scar on my back.  Though I was an avid, fearless rider my entire life prior to that point, I never really rode a horse after that.  When we get moved to Texas, I want to get back on a horse and ride.  The thought scares the bejesus out of me!

I confess...I grew up in an itty-bitty small town in Eastern Colorado.    So small that my graduating class had 32 people in it.  So small that I was part of the "Dirty Dozen" ...a group of kids that started Kindergarten and graduated together.  So small that you never really dated anyone new, you just took your turn.  So small, we didn't (and don't) have a stoplight.

I confess...I HATE thunderstorms!  Growing up in the fore-mentioned small town in Eastern Colorado, we had BIG thunderstorms and ran the risk of tornadoes.  My mom was somewhat of a freak when the storms would come...she would run through the house opening the windows saying the house could blow up if there was a tornado.  To this day, whenever there is a thunderstorm, I think a tornado is coming.  Know what I hate worse?  Thunderstorms in the middle of the night.  The lightning is SO much brighter, the thunder SO much louder.  I think in the 2 1/2 years I have been in North Carolina, I have only been in 3 day-time thunderstorms.  The rest were at night.  And by rest, I mean about 100.  I am SO happy to be moving because this is making me a jumpy spastic freak!

Allrighty, who wants to share a confession this week?

Thank it and Release it....

photo property of Sieglinde Rouse

I believe in releasing things that no longer serve you.  There are things/situations/people that served a great purpose for you at one time.  The problem is, sometimes we hold on so tight to those people and things that we can't see when it is time to let go.  And quite honestly, we are scared to death to think about what life would be like without them there.  That relationship that brings you more tears of sadness than tears of joy...it no longer serves you, thank them for what they brought to your life and release it!  That friendship that was great at one point in your life, but since has become a drain on your spirit, thank it for the purpose it served and release it!  The hurt you feel when you think about a particular person or event, release it!   The weight that is now causing you great sources of physical as well as emotional pain, acknowledge it, thank it, and release it!  Holding onto these things are putting your mind, spirit, and body in a place where you are asking for more of the same...more hurt, more anger, more disappointment.   Get your head and heart free and happy to bring in more happiness, more joy, more freedom to do what you want!

In applying these principals to weight loss, it is helpful to acknowledge where your weight came from, thank it for serving its purpose, and release it.  Sounds strange right?  Here is an exercise I have been doing that I find incredibly therapeutic.  I start by breaking down where my weight gain came from:

·         20 pounds gained grieving the death of my father. 

·         10 pounds gained becoming a food blogger.

·         30 pounds gained from being pregnant.

·         20 pounds gained as a teenager and young adult.

·         20 pounds gained as an older child - teenager.

So, there, I acknowledged it.  Now, I go through each one and thank it for serving its purpose, and release it. 

·         To the 20 pounds I gained while grieving the death of my father:  I used you to stave off that tidal wave of grief.  I stuffed food on top of all that sadness instead of dealing with the crippling reality.  That was simply putting a bandage over a wound.  A wound that got infected because it was not cleaned and dealt with properly.  Thank you for what you provided at the time, but I no longer need you.  I am dealing with my grief is a healthy and productive way.   I release you.

·         To the 10 pounds I gained while becoming a food blogger:  Thank you for all the wonderful food I tried over and over again so I could present what I thought my readers wanted.  I met some of the MOST AMAZING people through my food blog.  However, I no longer need you.  Those wonderful people whom I now count as friends are just as happy to read about my low sugar/low carb recipes as they were to read about my sugar laden cakes and desserts.  The reality is that they just wanted to hear me!  I release you.

·         To the 30 pounds I gained with 3 pregnancies:  Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for providing my amazing children the nourishment they needed to grow and be healthy!  You have given me my life's greatest pride and joy.  But, I no longer need you.  I am no longer pregnant.  My children ARE strong and healthy.  I release you.

·         To the 20 pounds I gained while a teenager:  I have to admit, I used you.  I used you to keep the boys uninterested in me so I would not become pregnant and married at 16 like my older sisters.  When I was 8, I saw what that did to my family.  I saw one sister drop out of high school and no longer have the future she wanted.  I saw another sister give birth to a severely handicapped child because her young body could not handle the pressures of pregnancy.  I saw my parents become grandparents at the age I am now.  I wanted no part of that.  So, thank you weight for keeping the boys at bay so I didn't even have to worry about that.  I now know that I could have just said "no", lol!  But, I am now married to a man who saw past the fat and saw my soul and has loved me far more than I ever thought possible.  I release you.

·         To the 20 pounds I gained as a child:  I admit, I used you too.  It was a double edged sword really.  I never fit in with my family.  My Mom was a model, my Dad was the ultra-cool vice and narcotics cop....kinda Miami Vice-ish, haha.  They were two very beautiful people that were very busy with their own lives.  My extended family was all overweight.  I used you to not only get my parents to notice me, but I used it to fit in with part of my family.  I didn't work.  It no longer matters to me.  I release you.

I challenge you to think about your weight and ask yourself the question if it still serves you.  If not, are you ready to release it?  The reality is, until we are seriously ready to release the weight from our mind, we will never be able to release it from our bodies, no matter how many different programs we try. 

I hope you all had a fabulous weekend and will have an even better week ahead!

XOXO

Hump-Day Confessional

Ahhh, Wednesday.  Another Hump-Day.  Another Confessional.  Let's get to it, shall we?

I confess...I am exhausted.  This time change has thrown me for a loop.  My body is so attuned to the sun, getting up before it is even peeking out is just EXHAUSTING.  Bleck I say...B. L. E. C. K.  Stupid Spring Forward = tired Siggy = crabby Siggy.

I confess...I love naps.  I mean, I LOVE naps.  Napping is a hobby.  Napping makes me happy.  Sadly, I do not get to nap often.  My daughter C and I still talk about the best nap EVER...I was laying on the Love-Sac (giant 4 person type of bean bag thing) in front of the fireplace..and it was cold and dark out...and my sweeet C-girl snuggled up with me and we crashed.  Best.  Nap.  EVER.  Siesta = HAPPY Siggy!   

I confess...My floors are disgusting right now.  They need to be swept, Swiffered, Vacuumed, Mopped...all of it.  With 4 kids, an old-lady Chocolate Lab, and a spooky-bratty-teenage-boy kitty, let's just say, it isn't pretty.  My floors are continually littered with hair balls, some kind of glitter, Legos and other toys, fuzzy things that I am pretty sure were part of a stuffed animal that the above-mentioned spooky-bratty-teenage-boy kitty has attacked and made his bitch, pieces of the outdoors, and yet even more more dog/cat hair...UGH!  I can't keep up!  Groddy floors = crabby Siggy.

I confess...I should be purging, cleaning, dealing with my nasty floors, and packing today.  But I think I am going to play hooky with my sweet blue-eyed boy and go play.  Maybe a picnic at the park?  Maybe a walk around the lake?  Playing hooky to play = HAPPY Siggy!

I confess...I am getting slightly stressed about finding a house in Austin.  We have found two houses that we were super interested in only to find out they won't work for us.  We are moving in 45-ish days and I still don't have an address...EEK!  I am like a Super-Virgo and am somewhat of a control freak, so this is hard for me....to go with the flow...to trust that things will work out.  Not knowing everything at the moment = stress = Crabby Siggy.

That's all I've got for you today!
Come on...cleanse the soul...what do you have to confess today?
 

Menu Plan 3/12/2012-3/16/2012

My scale is going wonky.
It seems to add weight every time it gets stepped on.  So, whoever weighs-in first in the morning gets the lowest read, whoever weighs-in last gets a not-so-accurate read.  This morning I was first, and it showed a drop of 3.2 pounds.  I am not sure if I should believe it though.  We are getting a new scale today.  We will get a new baseline weight tomorrow morning.  I mean, I want to do this right.  The thought of setting up a new baseline scares the crap out of me as to the mind game that could do.  UGH!  If I step on the new scale and the weight is higher...BOOOO!!!  I know Rosalie went through the same situation, but still...I will see tomorrow I guess!
Last week I did a really good job at not eating legal carby stuff at dinner-time.  We had some AMAZING salads that I am SO excited to have again.  I am not sure if I told you, but we are eating this way as an entire family.  The kiddos have been total troopers adjusting to it, and the hubby is kicking ass on his weight loss too!  This week though, I am adding in a few days of the legal carbs for dinner.  I find that if I can nip a craving in the butt before it gets too bad, it is a lot easier to stay in control and we are all happy campers.  The girls have been begging me for some kind of spaghetti dish.  I found some AWESOME High Fiber Pasta at Trader Joe's that is lower in carbs and higher in fiber than whole wheat pasta. 
So, here is my MENU PLAN for this week:

MONDAY

Spasagna (made with the Trader Joe's High Fiber Pasta), Caesar Salad

TUESDAY

Hot Chicken Salad, Salad De Maison

WEDNESDAY

Ranch House Crockpot Pork Chops, Mashed Cauliflower, Wedge Salad

THURSDAY

Biltmore Pecan Chicken, Green Beans, Wild Rice Pilaf

FRIDAY

Bacon Cheeseburger Salad, Baked Potato Wedges

What's on your menu for the week?

Boursin Roasted Chicken

FRIDAY!!  Hip-hip-hooray!!  For some reason, I have been a day ahead all week in my mind.  I hate when I am so excited that it is Friday only to look at a calendar and realize it is in fact Thursday.  Not to mention this week was the first week back in school for the girlie's since the 3-week-we-were-sick-the-whole-time-trackout.  So, needless to say, our sleep schedule hasn't adjusted yet...just in time to change the clocks this weekend.
Anyway...
I made this recipe before the plague descended on our home.  It was un-freaking-believable!  This recipe is easy enough to make weeknights or fancy-pants enough for guests.  If you have never had Boursin cheese, you are missing out!  It is a super creamy, herb-y, garlic-y cheese that makes an appearance at our house A LOT.  You can buy it most anywhere, but I have found the best prices for it to be at Trader Joe's, Costco, or Sunflower Market.  The cheese makes such a luscious coating to the chicken, leaving it super moist and flavorful.  Then the sauce that is left on the bottom of the baking dish is to die for.  OH, btw, that is not lumpy mashed potatoes you see there, it is lumpy Mashed Cauliflower...I do not have an immersion blender (gasp) or a food processor (double gasp). 
Anyway...
Definitely give this recipe a try...it is amazing!

Boursin Roasted Chicken
Recipe Source:  Emeril Lagasse

• 1 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil 
• 1 (3 1/2 to 4-pound) whole chicken
• Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper
• 2 (5.2-ounce) packages Boursin Cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat the bottom of a roasting pan or shallow casserole dish with the oil.

Rinse the chicken well under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Season the chicken well, inside and out, with salt and pepper. Place the chicken in the prepared roasting pan and place 1 whole block of cheese inside the cavity of the chicken. Cut the remaining block of cheese into fourths and pat 1/4 of the cheese spread over the breast portion of the chicken. Allow the remaining 3/4 of the block of cheese to sit out at room temperature while the chicken is roasting.

Place the roasting pan in the center of the oven. After about 10 minutes, once the cheese has softened and begun to melt on the top of the chicken, remove the pan from the oven, and using the back of a spoon, spread the Boursin all over the chicken. Return the pan to the oven and roast for 25 minutes, until the chicken is golden brown on top.

Remove the pan from the oven and turn the chicken over so the back is now facing up. A small amount of cheese will probably begin to ooze out of the chicken cavity at this point, so take a bit of it and spread it all over the back side of the chicken. Return the pan to the oven and roast until the back side of the chicken is golden brown, about 25 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven one more time. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F and turn the chicken over again, so the breast is once again facing up. Continue to cook until the chicken is done, 20 to 30 more minutes. Test for doneness by inserting a knife at one thigh joint and making sure that the juices run clear.

Remove the chicken from the oven and transfer to a platter or cutting board. Set aside, loosely covered with aluminum foil. Carefully remove and discard as much rendered fat from the roasting pan as possible. Add 1/2 cup hot water and the remaining cheese to the roasting pan. Remove any remaining melted cheese from the cavity of the chicken and add to the roasting pan.

Carve the chicken into serving pieces, allowing the juices from the chicken to run onto the platter. Add the juices to the roasting pan and mix well with the Boursin, drippings, and water. Serve the sauce spooned over the carved chicken.

ENJOY!

Hump-Day Confessional

photo courtesy of stock.xchng

I have to admit, I am LOVING the Hump-Day Confessionals!  I love sharing bits-o-me and LOVED hearing your confessional as well!  So, come on, join the fun and confess some fun/serious/quirky/scary/fabulous things about yourself!

I confess...We are moving in less than 60 days.  Our adventure in Raleigh has come to a close and I honestly could not be happier about it.  I really did not like it here.  I never really plugged in here.  We opened ourselves up to where we should move next.  We have been beaten about the head with signs that we should move to Austin. 

I confess...I believe in signs with all my soul. 

I confess...I have about 4 loads of laundry folded on my dining room table waiting to be put away.  It has been there for 2 days.

I confess...My.  Ears.  Are.  Still.  Freaking.  Plugged.  I am so over it.

I confess...I was so very sad to tell my daughter's teacher yesterday that we were moving.  She was the ONE person I dreaded telling.  I will never be able to find the words to tell her how very much she has meant to us.    I think she should just move to Austin too!

Your turn!

One Pound?!

So, yesterday was my weekly weigh-in and I saw the scale go down 1.4 pounds.  I don't think it was all that bad since I was on so much Sudafed and Prednisone in the weeks before which just sucked all the water out of my system, so my body is working on re-balancing and re-hydrating itself. 
Then, I went on Pinterest and saw this and had to share:

photo Courtesy of Pinterest

'Nuff said.

Menu Plan 3/5/2012 - 3/9/2012

Keeping this short and sweet today...you know, since it is already almost 9:00 pm.  UGH!  I am not sure where my day went.
Anywho, here is our eats for the week :

MONDAY

Taco Night

TUESDAY

Melt in Your Mouth Parmesan Chicken, Garlicky Almond Green Beans, Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing

WEDNESDAY

Grilled Steak, Sauteed Mushrooms and Onions, Salad De Maison

THURSDAY

Asian Pork Tenderloin, Roasted Sesame Broccoli, Shanghi Cucumbers

FRIDAY

Easy Peasy Chicken Legs, Cheesy Cauliflower, Ranch Wedge Salad

Rosemary Ranch Chicken Kabobs

It is about this time of  year that I CAN'T WAIT for summer and grilling weather.  I am sick of the heavier-type comfort food and am ready for the lighter fare you get when the temperatures are soaring.  I found this recipe on Pinterest and immediately put it on my menu for the week.  I am so glad I did...it was AMAZING!  I paired it with some veggie kabobs that I brushed with some Extra Virgin Olive Oil and seasoned with some herbs, salt, and lemon pepper.  Seriously fabulous!

Rosemary Ranch Chicken Kabobs
Recipe very slightly adapted from:  Allrecipes

• 1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/2 cup Ranch Dressing
• 3 TBSP Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 TBSP minced Fresh Rosemary
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Lemon Juice
• 1 tsp White Vinegar
• 1/2 tsp fresh ground Black Pepper, or to taste
• 5 skinless, boneless Chicken Breasts - cut into 1 inch cubes

In a medium bowl, stir together the olive oil, ranch dressing, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, salt, lemon juice, white vinegar, and pepper.  Let stand for 5 minutes. Place chicken in the bowl, and stir to coat with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat the grill for medium-high heat. Thread chicken onto skewers and discard marinade.
Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill skewers for 8 to 12 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, and the juices run clear.