This blogging thing has been pretty pretty cool, but as it turns out, it DOES come with some obligations! When my dad was going to deliver two of my mom's paintings to our apartment, he expected (?) me to make a delicious nutritious dinner. Well I definitely wanted to but between work and working out, having dinner ready to go by his 7:30 arrival was going to be quite hard. So I made the easiest things I could. First, the baba ganoush was made for dad. I had baked and cleaned the eggplant the night before, so all I had to do was throw all the yogurt/spices into the blender and give it a whirl. Ok, appetizers were done. Popped open a bottle of wine, broke a few crackers in half....simple.
Now the main courses. My dad isn't a huge dinner eater. He, like me, prefers to get most of his food during breakfast/lunch. Or when going out. Guess who I take after! So I decided a fish and a veggie would be just fine.
Easiest thing: tilapia (already had the filets thawed) and asparagus!
Now the main courses. My dad isn't a huge dinner eater. He, like me, prefers to get most of his food during breakfast/lunch. Or when going out. Guess who I take after! So I decided a fish and a veggie would be just fine.
Easiest thing: tilapia (already had the filets thawed) and asparagus!
Here it is, clockwise from 12 o'clock it's the asparagus (way overpriced, not even that fresh!), a panko-black sesame seed crusted tilapia (will describe below) and the baba ganoush with crackers. Lots o' wine on the table and, as usual, my tankard of water.
I force myself to drink tons of water all the time, it really is great for you. Flushes stuff out, keeps you hydrated, fills you up. Etc Etc Etc.
I force myself to drink tons of water all the time, it really is great for you. Flushes stuff out, keeps you hydrated, fills you up. Etc Etc Etc.
For the tilapia (no good pics, but this was a huge hit so I'll be making it again) I took 4 of these filets and brushed them with a balsamic/soy sauce/wasabi sauce (I would call it 2 parts balsamic, 1 part soy, big ol' squirt of wasabi).
Then I put about a cup of panko seeds and about 2-3 tbsp of black sesame seeds (these things are getting a LOT more mileage than I thought they would!) on a shallow dish (use a big dish, I didn't and regretted it later). I rolled the liquid brushed tilapia around in it and tossed it on a pan (coated in Pam).
This next part took some patience. First of all, I hand-crusted the top part with more panko/sesame. Then I waited....Then I had to flip. So carefully. This fish is really delicate. In the end one of the filets broke apart. Oh well.
Then I put about a cup of panko seeds and about 2-3 tbsp of black sesame seeds (these things are getting a LOT more mileage than I thought they would!) on a shallow dish (use a big dish, I didn't and regretted it later). I rolled the liquid brushed tilapia around in it and tossed it on a pan (coated in Pam).
This next part took some patience. First of all, I hand-crusted the top part with more panko/sesame. Then I waited....Then I had to flip. So carefully. This fish is really delicate. In the end one of the filets broke apart. Oh well.
The day I went shopping for my dad's dinner, I also ran into this. A mix for only 6 muffins. This is great because 12 muffins become more of an obligation of consumption after a while.
I figured I would definitely not add the oil and use skim milk instead of regular.
I figured I would definitely not add the oil and use skim milk instead of regular.
Here it is: corn muffin mix, 1/3 cup milk, about 1/2 cup yogurt (to sub for 2 tbsp oil) and 1 egg. I also decided to put in 1 cup of canned corn kernels to beef up the bread a bit.
At the last minute I added a tsp of baking powder, so that I'd get extra fluffy muffins.
At the last minute I added a tsp of baking powder, so that I'd get extra fluffy muffins.
And at the VERY last moment, I chopped up 3 pieces of super-lean turkey bacon.
For the 10 extra calories, I should have just used regular turkey bacon. Bah.
Actually if I ate pork, I would have thought regular bacon would be even better.
For the 10 extra calories, I should have just used regular turkey bacon. Bah.
Actually if I ate pork, I would have thought regular bacon would be even better.
Here they are, they turned out looking gorgeous and tasting great (just not like bacon). Also, they came out to 7 instead of 6!
In fact, as great as I think they tasted, I only got to have 1! Friends ate 3, Boyfriend had 2 in one sitting and 1 a few days later. They sat happily in the fridge for about 3 days and probably would have sat longer.
Lesson learned. Also, they could have used some jalapeno or some scallion perhaps. Challenge accepted.
On a personal note, it seems last weekends excesses have finally caught up to me, as I knew they would. It's infinitely sad to me that I can feel so good about overdoing it for a few days because the "extra" just doesn't show up until at least several days later when you least expect it.
The parting note is this: if you are "back on the wagon" after a big feast weekend, don't get discouraged when things aren't going as you feel they should be. It's just the stuff from the weekend making a home in your body. If you stay healthy for a while, it will begin to feel unwelcome and depart =)
Write to you soon,
<3 Jules
In fact, as great as I think they tasted, I only got to have 1! Friends ate 3, Boyfriend had 2 in one sitting and 1 a few days later. They sat happily in the fridge for about 3 days and probably would have sat longer.
Lesson learned. Also, they could have used some jalapeno or some scallion perhaps. Challenge accepted.
On a personal note, it seems last weekends excesses have finally caught up to me, as I knew they would. It's infinitely sad to me that I can feel so good about overdoing it for a few days because the "extra" just doesn't show up until at least several days later when you least expect it.
The parting note is this: if you are "back on the wagon" after a big feast weekend, don't get discouraged when things aren't going as you feel they should be. It's just the stuff from the weekend making a home in your body. If you stay healthy for a while, it will begin to feel unwelcome and depart =)
Write to you soon,
<3 Jules
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