The shape of things

This post may seem out of place - but it isn't. I'm going to post a recipe for a very easy tiramisu that will be so much more better than any of those little candies you have lying around from Halloween. So you can choose between eating 1 snickers bar (270 calories) or a slice of tiramisu (about 215 calories).

If you decide on the tiramisu, I'd suggest taking that leftover candy and sending it either to work with your husband, or to school with your kid, or somewhere out of sight and reach. Of course, after one bite of this dessert, you'll have very little use for all that candy. :)

This recipe takes about 15-20 minutes of prep, and then it needs to chill for 2-8 hours. I made a half recipe because the mascarpone cheese at the grocery store was $6 for 8 ounces, and I wasn't about to spend $12 on a pound.

Tiramisu - Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis
Ingredients:
6 egg yolks
3 tablespoons sugar
1 pound mascarpone cheese
1 1/2 cups strong espresso, cooled
2 teaspoons dark rum
24 packaged ladyfingers
1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate shavings, for garnish

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat egg yolks and sugar until thick and pale, about 5 minutes. Add mascarpone cheese and beat until smooth. Add 1 tablespoon of espresso and mix until thoroughly combined.

In a small shallow dish, add remaining espresso and rum. Dip each ladyfinger into espresso for only 5 seconds. Letting the ladyfingers soak too long will cause them to fall apart. Place the soaked ladyfinger on the bottom of a 13 by 9 inch baking dish, breaking them in half if necessary in order to fit the bottom.

Spread evenly 1/2 of the mascarpone mixture over the ladyfingers. Arrange another layer of soaked ladyfingers and top with remaining mascarpone mixture.

Cover tiramisu with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to 8 hours. Before serving, sprinkle with chocolate shavings.

Here are my tips:
1. If you choose to do a half recipe like me, just use a smaller square baking dish
2. Instead of pulling a ton of shots of espresso, go to the store and buy a can of Starbucks Double Shot, it's 6.5 ounces per can, so if you're making the full recipe, buy 2.
3. I didn't have dark rum on hand, so I substituted amaretto
4. Use some of that chocloate candy lying around for the shavings, don't buy a bar of bittersweet chocolate.

Per my calculations, if you make a full recipe and cut into 18 pieces, it comes to about 215 calories per slice. Enjoy!

I'm not sure if any of you attempted any of the EASY recipes from last week, but I had so much fun putting it together that I decided to do it again this week. So get shopping and start cooking some meals that will blow your family away.

Sunday: 5-Vegetable Fried Rice with 5-spice pork this one is a little higher in the calorie content BUT the HUGE amount of veggies in it makes up for it (in my book) This makes a ton, so it's a great leftover for a few lunches...

Monday: Moroccan Beef Patties - These are delicious. I usually make up some rice instead of couscous and serve with a small salad. I also sometimes make them a bit smaller than the recipe calls for therefore the nutrition content stays down a bit and we have leftovers the next day.

Tuesday: Pulled Chicken - This recipe is actually for a sandwich which Rachael smothers in cheese but I modified it for more of a dinner by just making the chicken and serving it with a great side dish. This chicken tastes amazingly like you got it at a small BBQ joint - and it's so light!

Wednesday: Pineapple Shrimp Kebabs - These take a little longer to prepare (cutting the veggies and soaking and threading the skewers) but they are so great - light, fruit and veggie filled. Yum.

Thursday: Marinated Flank steak - This dish is great and you marinate it for 45 minutes - 2 hours and it comes out tasting like it's been soaking all day! So lean and light (but remember to eat about 4 ounces - size of the palm)

Friday: Lemony Chicken Milanese - This is a surprisingly easy dish that comes out tasting pretty gourmet, get a bottle of white wine or light red wine (mmm... pinot noir). Not quite as "healthy" as the others, but it's Friday so you can splurge a little, right?

Saturday: Sausage, Egg and Cheese Turnover - Breakfast for dinner - perfect for saturday evening. These taste great. Italian sausage, egg and cream cheese all up in a puff pastry turnover. Sigh. So great - and around 400-435 calories per turnover - priceless.

 

I'd love to share with you a few of my favorite recipes and create a "menu" for this next week. You won't find the nutrition content count on these recipes but it's not too difficult to calculate them yourself. Part of what I learned when I started cooking is that having the exact count isn't always necessary. Be aware of the ingredients and make sure the not-so-good ingredients are in moderation. 

Sunday - Hoison Pork Roast - a slow cooker meal. It cooks all day and comes out so tender. Make it in the morning and have it at dinner. You'll have leftovers for lunch all week long!

Monday -  Hot Pepper Chicken under a Brick - I made this one last night and it was delicious. It takes about 30 minutes top. Love it. Little prep too, so it's a perfect Monday recipe.

Tuesday - Flank Steak with Chimichurri - This one also takes very little prep time and you cook the steak in a broiler so no need for the grill. Comes out delicious. Flank steak is one of the leanest steaks but make sure you eat around 4 ounces, not more than that. (It's about the size of a palm)

Wednesday  - Spinach Salad with Shrimp and Feta - This recipe is very easy and it's delicious. The sauce on the shrimp and salad is very light and you can go easy on the feta to keep the calories in check.

Thursday - Middle Eastern Lamb Burgers - This one is a little higher in calorie/fat content, but it's lovely. You can make the burgers smaller in size to keep the nutrition content in check and you can use half a whole-wheat pita instead of a roll as your "bun." 

Friday - Chicken Frico - I think chicken gets a bad rep for being "boring" but this recipe is far from it. The chicken's cooked in the broiler so it's super fast. The "gremolata" is incredibly simple but delicious. The frico is optional (cheese crisps).  

Saturday - Parmesan-Crusted Tilapia - Not your typical "healthy fish" (grilled with no flavor). These fish are dredged in parm cheese and then baked. Hey, cheese has calcium and it's better than frying them. ENJOY!  

Happy eating!  

Part of living a healthy lifestyle is eating healthy. In fact, it's a HUGE part. You can exercise your heart out, but if you're eating too much or eating an unhealthy diet, you'll see little - if any - results.

Many women (and men) start a healthy diet with full force - counting calories and fat and trying to get the right amount of water/veggies/fruit etc. Unfortunately a lot of times this leads to a very blah diet. They'll eat chicken and veggies every night for dinner and the same salad for lunch. Obviously this would be very tough to keep up for a lifetime.

I made this mistake. But, soon after I started a healthy lifestyle I got married and found out that I love to cook. Before, I'd make very small, healthy and unimaginative meals for myself. They were a little boring, very blah and very similar. But with a new husband, I wanted to cook something more exciting, tasteful and yummy. I started using recipes from Rachael Ray and Bon Appetit.

At first I was very scared because the recipes called for olive oil! Which I knew had a lot of calories - but as I did my research I found out that the fats in olive oil are good fats and that without good fats in your body it's hard for it to function well. I read about how people on low-fat diets don't get enough heart-healthy fats which actually puts them more at risk for some diseases. 

To be honest, it's very difficult to keep a blog up when you get no comments or feedback. You do all this research, writing, coming up with ideas, you post it, and then - nothing.

So that's my excuse for taking off a year from this blog. I stumbled on it recently and forgot how much fun it was to learn all these great tips, ideas, and research and then share them with - well probably nobody, but just share them to the wide open Web.

Basically what I'm trying to say is - I'm back. I really still think there is a void of good women's health and fitness information in blog format, and I believe I can somehow in a small way put a dent in the void.

My update: Since last year I've run two 5-ks, a 3-k and my first 10-k. I'm loving running. It's such a great workout and an even better way to release steam and feel like you're accomplishing things. Therefore, don't be surprised if a lot of my new posts are running-related. Not a runner? Well no fear, I'm a relative newbie also, and will try to use this space to give advice and encouragement to all you who wish to venture to the other side. The running side.

I got married in December and recently found that I have a passion (and a little bit of talent) for cooking and baking. I've been making some pretty elaborate meals for my husband, and he's loving it. I'm maintaining my weight even amid all the new food by practicing portion control. I make a recipe that says "two servings" and give my husband two thirds of the thing - sometimes more than that. I get this great-tasting meal, right sized portions, and no weight gain. Life couldn't be better. :)