Hi Everyone, YES! I can say this now because I know people are actually reading. Hurrah!
Tonight is the big graduation formal with my little itty bitty dress. I think I way overdid it on food yesterday so if my dress doesn't look so wonderful I will probably not post pictures.
Tonight is the big graduation formal with my little itty bitty dress. I think I way overdid it on food yesterday so if my dress doesn't look so wonderful I will probably not post pictures.
The getting-ready process will not be long since I've already got my nails did and the weather is AWFUL so there will be no straightening of the hair either. That just leaves the decision: to Spanx or not to Spanx. I haven't ever tried them, but have heard good things and will have just enough time to run out and grab a pair if I must.
Goals for the eveining: 3 alcoholic beverages (1 red wine, 1 white wine, 1 well drink), no cheese (THIS will be my biggest challenge), no chicken (it's always overdone at these things anyway), no pasta. I will have tastes of any and all seafoods and will try whatever red meat Boyfriend picks up. No eggplant (also because I don't appreciate catered eggplant). 2 pieces of dessert (or 3 if really mini like truffles). There will also be little apps floating around for cocktail hour and the same criteria will apply for these. Another goal: will try to photograph some stuff.
Goals for the eveining: 3 alcoholic beverages (1 red wine, 1 white wine, 1 well drink), no cheese (THIS will be my biggest challenge), no chicken (it's always overdone at these things anyway), no pasta. I will have tastes of any and all seafoods and will try whatever red meat Boyfriend picks up. No eggplant (also because I don't appreciate catered eggplant). 2 pieces of dessert (or 3 if really mini like truffles). There will also be little apps floating around for cocktail hour and the same criteria will apply for these. Another goal: will try to photograph some stuff.
Ok, on to some cooking. Like I said in the previous post, I do a lot of cooking at once, so these were actually made a few days ago, along with the tofu.
I went out and bought a nice big spaghetti squash again!
Boyfriend did the heavy duty cutting.
Coring these things out is quite a pain and you have to do it with your hands so it can get messy. But worth it! Make sure to really scrape it down because you can really feel those fibers if you don't (lesson I learned from spaghetti squash adventure #1).
I went out and bought a nice big spaghetti squash again!
Boyfriend did the heavy duty cutting.
Coring these things out is quite a pain and you have to do it with your hands so it can get messy. But worth it! Make sure to really scrape it down because you can really feel those fibers if you don't (lesson I learned from spaghetti squash adventure #1).
Into the oven these guys went, face down in a casserole dish in about 1 inch of water. 375 degrees, probably about 1 hour (I just went until I could easy put a knife through the outer rind.
Then the fun part! Making spaghetti! I am all about combing these guys and making little hairstyles.
I need better lighting...or a camera flash =(
Note: I didn't bother seasoning it this time, no olive oil, no salt, nothing. So obviously, it comes out tasting much like nothing. There's a LOT of it, good for about 3 lunches and 3 snacks =)
My favorite seasoning: 1) curry+cayenne = super spicy! 2) seafood seasoning + dash of salt 3) BBQ sauce 4) a little vinegar and parmesan cheese. I've heard tomato sauce works too! Probably whatever goes on pasta can just as easily go on these.
Natural light....does a picture good.
Next up: FALAFEL! No, I do NOT make my own falafel, are you crazy? But I do make it my own way. Many years ago, I picked up a box of Caravan Falafel Mix for a shabbat dinenr and peeked at the nutritional info. 100 calories/serving dry, 220 prepared. Whaaaat??? Oh, I see, it's because you have to fry them in oil. But lo and behold, on the side of a box, a tiny tiny blurb: For baking, follow all steps but bake at 375 for 20 minutes, turning once. All the "steps" were adding water and waiting 10 minutes. THIS was a recipe for me.
It's not pretty, but it's definitely tasty!
Yes, I know this is complicated. Add water (1.25 cups or whatever your package tells you), wait 8-10 minutes and make into little patties. I always wind up with about 12 (so 2.5 patties per 100 calorie serving). Here's what the mix looks like.
Pop them onto a Pammed cookie sheet and into the oven for 10-15 mins. Flip. Return to oven. Take them out another 10 minutes later and serve or refrigerate! This is the easiest thing ever. Are they as tasty as the fried ones? Is anything baked as tasty as fried? No. But they are still really yummy and healthy.
Pop them onto a Pammed cookie sheet and into the oven for 10-15 mins. Flip. Return to oven. Take them out another 10 minutes later and serve or refrigerate! This is the easiest thing ever. Are they as tasty as the fried ones? Is anything baked as tasty as fried? No. But they are still really yummy and healthy.
The falafel and the squash get combined to form this: A 1/4 of a wrap (60 cals for the whole thing, not too shabby) topped with a bit of spinach, a bit of spaghetti squash and then a broken up 1/2 falafel piece. Obviously I repeat this 3 more times to finish up my 2 falafel balls and wrap. This is a nice leisurely lunch and doesn't even need high-salt mustard or any other condiment. I eat a nice 1/2 cup of my granola for dessert and/or an apple. Totally sets me up for the rest of the day.
Note: I frequently feel like food that takes a long time to eat (or when I take a long time to eat food) is much more satisfying. If I finish my lunch in only 30 minutes, I feel like that's 30 minutes of (frequently unsuccessful) avoidance of a snack. So something like this that takes some time to prepare and to eat is pretty useful in my book. Does anyone else have this issue?
Well I'm off to get ready for drinking, eating and dancing. Somehow I feel that this is all out of order. Shouldn't it be eating, drinking then dancing?
On a separate note, my friend The Nurse will also be attending as a date and this is wonderful because it will give me something to do while Boyfriend schmoozes. Also luckily for me, I went to medical school with half of these people so I wont be totally bored and alone!
Note: I frequently feel like food that takes a long time to eat (or when I take a long time to eat food) is much more satisfying. If I finish my lunch in only 30 minutes, I feel like that's 30 minutes of (frequently unsuccessful) avoidance of a snack. So something like this that takes some time to prepare and to eat is pretty useful in my book. Does anyone else have this issue?
Well I'm off to get ready for drinking, eating and dancing. Somehow I feel that this is all out of order. Shouldn't it be eating, drinking then dancing?
On a separate note, my friend The Nurse will also be attending as a date and this is wonderful because it will give me something to do while Boyfriend schmoozes. Also luckily for me, I went to medical school with half of these people so I wont be totally bored and alone!
I hope you've made it to the bottom of this post, even though it was SUPER long. That's BECAUSE I have one final announcement/recipe. Whether it was the begrudgingly purchased chia seeds, or the fat free vanilla yogurt, or just getting rid of the stupid wheat germ, my doughy smoothie finally tasted good. For 300 calories (a little high but it's super filling and takes a while to eat!) it looks just like the beautiful other less tasty ones, BUT tastes yummy.
1/3 cup oats
1/2 cup fat free vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup chocolate almond milk (unsweetened, 45 cals/cup thing)
1ish (maybe less?) cup frozen blueberries (or any berries!), unthawed
1 tbsp chia seeds
A little drizzle of Walden Farms calorie free chocolate
Toss all of this together into a blender overnight and refrigerate. In the morning, blend!
Works amazingly, and is nice and thick so you can eat it with a spoon in a bowl!
If you don't want to use the chemcially chocolate syrup (tastes good but I can see how it might be frightening), put in a tbsp of cocoa powder or some maple syrup/vanilla/agave syrup/honey/sugar/sweetener.
<3 Dr. Jules (new signoff, like? dislike?)
1/3 cup oats
1/2 cup fat free vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup chocolate almond milk (unsweetened, 45 cals/cup thing)
1ish (maybe less?) cup frozen blueberries (or any berries!), unthawed
1 tbsp chia seeds
A little drizzle of Walden Farms calorie free chocolate
Toss all of this together into a blender overnight and refrigerate. In the morning, blend!
Works amazingly, and is nice and thick so you can eat it with a spoon in a bowl!
If you don't want to use the chemcially chocolate syrup (tastes good but I can see how it might be frightening), put in a tbsp of cocoa powder or some maple syrup/vanilla/agave syrup/honey/sugar/sweetener.
<3 Dr. Jules (new signoff, like? dislike?)
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