Penne and Chicken Tenderloins with Spiced Tomato Sauce

Yield: 4 Servings (About 1.5 cups)

1  teaspoon  ground fennel seed
1  teaspoon  dried basil
1/2  teaspoon  salt
1/2  teaspoon  ground coriander
1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
1  pound  chicken breast tenders, cut into (1-inch) pieces
1  tablespoon  olive oil
4  garlic cloves, minced
4  cups  canned diced tomatoes, undrained
1  cup  white wine
8  ounces  uncooked penne
1/4  cup freshly grated Parmesan                                    
1/4  cup  chopped fresh basil

Combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl; rub over chicken.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 4 minutes, turning once.

Remove from heat; set aside.

Reduce heat to medium. Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds or until garlic is soft. Add tomatoes and wine, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes. Add chicken, and simmer 5 minutes.

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain. Toss pasta with sauce in a large bowl. Sprinkle with cheese and basil.

Calories: 446 (15% from fat); Fat: 7.2g (sat 1.9g,mono 3.2g,poly 0.8g); Protein: 38.5g; Carbohydrate: 6.5g; Cholesterol: 70mg; Iron: 4.2mg; Sodium: 774mg; Calcium:153mg; Fiber 57.1g

 

**My Notes**

- I suggest draining one of the cans of tomatoes. 

Blacken Salmon and Rice

 

Yield: 4 Servings

2 cups instant rice (such as Minute Rice)

2 1/2 tablespoons paprika

3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter

juice of 1 lemon 

4, 6-oz salmon fillets

1 11-ounce can of corn, drained

1/3 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

1 lemon, cut into wedges

1. Heat oven to 400° F. Cook the rice according to the package directions.
2. Meanwhile, in a shallow bowl, combine the paprika, cayenne, thyme, garlic powder, and ½ teaspoon of the salt.
3. In a saucepan, over medium heat, melt 2 ½ tablespoons of the butter. Add the lemon juice.
4. Working with 1 salmon fillet at a time, dip the top and bottom halves first in the lemon butter, then in the spices.
5. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the salmon until blackened, 2 minutes per side. Transfer to the oven for 8 minutes.
6. Stir the corn, parsley, and remaining salt and butter into the rice. Transfer the salmon and rice to individual plates and serve with the lemon wedges.

Countenance

Is there any denying the bond that exists between humans?

The desire to be loved, appreciated and affirmed.

I am such an emotional being. Sure, it takes me on some rides I'd rather sit out but most of the time certain moments leave me in awe of the intricate weave that is life. There are so many dimensions, whether it's family, husband/wife, children, friends, coworkers or the stranger walking down the road. Of course, I know in my soul that God is in the heart of each of these whether they know Him or not.

I've developed a little obsession with reading quotes from inspirational people. I received an amazing bonus from my new job that really hit me in a good way. I wrote thank you cards for each of the five members of the management team, and included a quote that I felt described their work ethic. I got an email back from one of them this morning.

Andrea,

Thanks for the great card. You’re doing an awesome job. Merry Christmas.

Joe

At first, it didn't make any sense why it made me tear up or why it got to me. But you know what? I crave affirmation, attention, and appreciation. We all do. I think I need someone to tell me that I am a person worth loving, and a person worth living. I mean that in the most innocent way possible. Just the stripped down truth of it all. 

What is so amazing is this - people aren't perfect at the universal duty of affirming others. But God is. He is a God who created and performed an entire story titled "You're Worth It." He thought we worth it to create us. He thought we were worth it to send His Son to save us. What I realized today is that He even thinks I'm worth putting work into - by sending others into my life to reaffirm his message to me. I want to complete the circle of life-giving reinforcement. 

Daniel - You are an incredible husband. You are so honest and genuine in everything that you do. You love me through all of my imperfections, and as cliche as it sounds, not in spite of them, but because of them. My whole life, I dreamed of having a husband like you. You are so good in so many ways, but you never lessen who I am when I am not as good as I should be.

Angie - You are absolutely amazing. It's evident that you have raised a son who is full of light and goodness. You manage a home, raise boys, lift up your husband, work full time, faithfully serve God - and all the while you are beautiful doing it. Thank you for holding me accountable.

Megan - You are my role model. I have never known someone who is so consistent with their walk with God. I love how you are always mindful of your priorities - making hard decisions because you know it's what you are called to do. We share a special bond - because we both have walked such a similar path - and mine was made easier because I had footprints to follow.  

"As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend." - Proverbs 27:17

   

Spiced Shrimp with Green Beans and Lime

Yield: 4 Servings

1 cup long grain white rice
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 pound green beans, halved crosswise
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 to 2 red jalapenos, thinly sliced
kosher salt and black pepper
1 1/2 pounds peeled and deveined shrimp
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1. Cook the rice according to the package directions. Fluff with a fork and fold in the cilantro.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Add the green beans, garlic, jalapeños, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and black pepper. Cook, tossing frequently, for 3 minutes.
4. Season the shrimp with the chili powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper and add to the skillet.
5. Cook, tossing occasionally, until opaque throughout, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the lime juice and serve over the rice.

**My Notes**
- Caution: This dish will make your lips go numb.
- It is absolutely the best dish I have made to date.

Ciao

Hello world. Did you think I would leave you hanging today? We have catching up to do!

This weekend was a huge struggle for me. Saturday morning Daniel made puppy chow. He then proceeded to sit down in his recliner (across from my cozy spot on the couch) and eat it slowly and with much enthusiasm. How could I resist? Totally out of bitterness, I marched into the kitchen, filled a bowl with little squares of goodness, and practically inhaled it. We split a slice of lemon pound cake (490 calories total) from Starbucks for lunch and had pizza that night with friends. Ah! What a mess!

Sunday was a LITTLE better, but I still gave in and had some more puppy chow. We went to PF Chang's for lunch with Daniel's family, and I chose the Shanghai Shrimp. It was the lowest calorie meal I could find, and held 402 of them. For those of you who have smart phones with app capabilities, Lose It! is a great app to look up nutritional information on the go.  You can do the same thing on their website. For dinner that night, we had a Voila! stir fry meal, which tasted wonderful and was only 360 calories for a serving and a half.

This week, we are on a mission to consume the leftovers we have from my cooking projects. Usually the recipes I make produce 4 servings so there is plenty leftover. I won't leave you empty handed for dinner recipes though, so I will be posting some favorite recipes I've used in the past. Tonight, try Turkish Pizza, which is absolutely a top recipe for my taste. It was delicious!

Today's Total: 1,325
Carmel Popcorn: 130
Pizza Lunchable: 300
Granola Bar: 190
(1.5) Chicken Taquitos: 325 
Lemon Bar: 380

P.S. Taking the stairs is kicking my tail!!!!

"Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory." - Romans 8:17

Turkish Pizza

Yield: 4 Servings

2 pitas, halved crosswise
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 bunch fresh spinach
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
4 large eggs
1/2 cup Feta, crumbled

1. Heat oven to 425° F. Place the pita halves, cut-side up, on a baking sheet. Brush with the oil and sprinkle with ¾ teaspoon of the paprika; set aside.
2. In a skillet, over medium heat, melt butter.
3. Add the spinach, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook, tossing frequently, until the spinach has wilted, about 2 minutes.
4. Divide the spinach among pitas. Make a well in the center of each bed of spinach and crack 1 egg into it. Sprinkle the egg with the remaining paprika, salt, and pepper and the Feta.
5. Bake until the eggs are set, about 11 minutes for runny yolks.                                                          

Calories 325; Calories From Fat 64%; Fat 8g; Sat Fat 8g; Sodium 823mg; Carbohydrate 19g; Fiber 2g; Sugar 3g; Protein 14g 

**My Notes**
- Careful with the paprika on the pitas. Too much and it will overpower the other flavors.

Piggies

This morning a co-worker accidentally left some dog treats in her pockets, she laughed about them and put them on my desk to show me. After talking about our crazy furry children, she walked off and forgot them. Ok, you know it's bad when dog treats make your mouth water. Now before you start judging me and calling me crazy, they look just like pigs in a blanket! I haven't had those in years, but today, I got the craving! : )

See for yourself!











So yesterday was definitely a success compared to the day before. My goal is to stay around 1,500 calories a day, and yesterday I came short. Today I will revamp my approach by eating more in the morning so that I don't end up engorging myself at night to make up for calories. Mmmmm, I enjoyed a cinnamon swirl bagel and a peanut butter granola bar.

Last night Daniel tried to sabotage me by begging me to make puppy chow. Oh Lord, did I silently pray that this stumbling block would be removed from my path of straight and narrow waistlines! I was ready to cave, I really was, for his sake. When we visited my brother we discovered that his lovely wife had made puppy chow earlier in the week and had some leftover. This is Daniel about a minute after we left.

 That bag of puppy chow didn't stand a chance.











Today for lunch, I will enjoy a rather bland Lean Cuisine meal. Don't feel sorry for me though, because tonight I'm having Seared Scallops with Fresh Linguine and Romano Cheese. Wish me luck, I've been watching way too many chef-wannabes being yelled at for under or overcooked scallops so I'm nervous.

Today's Total: 1335

Bagel - 270
Granola Bar - 100
Water - 16 oz.
Lean Cuisine -300
Almonds - 170
Seared Scallops with Fresh Linguine and Romano Cheese  - 495

"Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." Lamentations 3:21-23

Seared Scallops with Fresh Linguine and Romano Cheese

Yield: 4 Servings

1  (9-ounce) package refrigerated linguine
1/4  cup  plus 2 tablespoons (about 1 1/2 ounces) finely grated fresh Romano cheese, divided
2  tablespoons  olive oil, divided
2  tablespoons  chopped fresh basil
1/2  teaspoon  black pepper
1/8  teaspoon  salt
1 1/2  pounds  sea scallops
4  lemon wedges

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain pasta in a colander over a bowl, reserving 2 tablespoons pasta water. Combine pasta, reserved 2 tablespoons pasta water, 1/4 cup cheese, 1 tablespoon oil, chopped basil, and pepper in a large bowl; toss well.

2. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large cast-iron skillet over high heat. Sprinkle salt evenly over scallops; add scallops to pan. Cook 1 minute on each side or until golden.

3. Place 1 cup pasta mixture on each of 4 plates; top each serving with about 3 scallops and 1 1/2 teaspoons remaining cheese. Serve with lemon wedges.

Calories: 495 (23% from fat); Fat: 12.5g (sat 3g,mono 5.8g,poly 1.5g); Protein:51.7g; Carbohydrate:42.4g; Fiber:1.9g; Cholesterol:110mg; Iron: 5.6mg; Sodium: 872mg; Calcium: 177mg

** My Notes **
 - The key to obtaining the perfect sear on the scallops is to cook them in a very hot pan. Fresh linguine has a silky texture that provides a nice contrast to the browned crust on the scallops.

Muffie

After yesterday's utter failure (you can thank the Christmas tree cakes and the ice cream), this morning I got dressed and mustered up the courage to stare at myself in the mirror. Hello! Has anyone been to Panera? They have the best pumpkin muffins I've ever had in my life. A paper cup full of moist goodness, while the top overflows with it and is covered in powdered sugar and crumblies. It's the best part!! Well, they are fully aware of that fact, so they sell what's called a "muffie," which is just the top of the delicious muffin. (Pumpkin muffin - 530 cals; pumpkin muffie - 270 cals)

Alas, in my moment of reflection, I realized I have a muffie. : )

You would be proud of me, for I have resisted temptation. Oh yes, the bad kind of temptation. It was in the form of a Sonic bacon, egg, and cheese breakfast burrito. A manager at our company brought in breakfast for us (kind of a tradition of Thursday mornings so stand in the gap with me on this) and laid all the burritos out on the counter. I got really close and breathed in the wonderful aroma of saturated fat and artery clogging goodness. I thought about it for a minute, but not until checking out Sonic's Nutrition Guide and discovering that these bad boys contain 450 whopping calories. So, I went with oatmeal and an iced latte.

Today for lunch Daniel and I are going to Subway. I'll have a 6-inch, 9-grain wheat bread black forest ham sandwich with pickles and spinach only. I used a nifty Subway calorie calculator to figure out the total calories. Try it! You can specify each item so you get an accurate count.

I've been convinced to start taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Can you believe that taking the stairs going up and down twice daily can burn 95 calories? Crazy!

Tonight's dinner is Roasted Tilapia, Potatoes, and Lemons. I am the world's worst at buying groceries in mass and then letting half of them go bad, so I suggest stopping by the grocery store and picking up individual items needed for one or two night's dinners.

Today's Total:1137

Oatmeal - 160
Cream (for coffee) - 30
Subway sandwich - 280
Water - 48 oz.
Special K Fruit Crisps - 100
Fudge Shoppe Cookies - 100
Roasted Tilapia, Potatoes, and Lemons -467 (add 93 calories for an extra piece of tilapia)

"Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts. "Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you."” 
-  Isaiah 35:3-4

Roasted Tilapia, Potatoes, and Lemons

From Real Simple

Yield: 4 Servings

1 lb baby potatoes, about 12, halved
1 lemon, thinly sliced
8 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tablespoons, plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
salt and pepper
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives
4 6-ounce skinless tilapia fillets
1/2 teaspoon paprika

1. Heat oven to 400° F.
2. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the potatoes, lemon, thyme, 2 tablespoons oil, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer.
3. Roast, tossing once, until the potatoes begin to soften, about 20 minutes.
4. Toss the olives with the potato mixture; nestle the fish in it. Drizzle the fish with the remaining oil and season with paprika and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper.
5. Continue to roast until the potatoes are golden brown and crisp and the fish is opaque throughout, 12 to 15 minutes.                                                                                                                          

Calories 374; Fat 25g; Sat Fat 3g; Cholesterol 85 mg; Sodium 567 mg; Protein 37g; Carbs 23g; Sugar 0g; Iron 3mg

 ** My Notes**
- I hate olives more than anything, so I won't be adding those to this mix.

Pilot

I have many loves.

I love my husband. I love the true and everlasting God that I serve. I love to write and unfortunately, I love food.

Here's what I don't love: exercise. Oh, and salad. And more recently, I'm not in love with my level of health. So what am I to do?  I'm embarking on a journey... and I'm inviting you to come along with me. I'm asking you to keep me accountable, and yes, I'm talking to you, the world wide web.

I plan on being honest - so here's the first bit of truth: this morning for breakfast I had a diet Dr. Pepper and two Christmas tree cakes. Yep, that's the kind of stuff I'm talking about. It's not going to be easy, but I'm doing it.

Through my feeble attempts at being healthy in the past, I have learned a couple things. First off, planning is key. You have to plan everything so you're not left vulnerable to eating out or snacking on hot tamales and a soda for dinner. : )

Today's lunch was trail mix and a bagel... ok, not that great but give me a break! I've got to get the hang of this!

This is going to be a work in process for me, so for now, I will start with posting one meal at a time. Tonight, we're having Lemon Pepper Shrimp Scampi from Cooking Light.

Today's Total: 1,723 Calories

Diet Dr. Pepper 
2 Christmas Tree Cakes - 400 (Gulp!)
Trail Mix - 130
32 oz. water 
Cinnamon Bagel - 270
Trail Mix - 130
Cream (for coffee) - 30
Lemon Pepper Shrimp Scampi - 403
Popcorn - 40
Chocolate Ice Cream - 320

I admit, I ended this day horribly. But it's my first day, so from now on - I'll be better planned! It has opened my eyes to how quickly things can add up.

I can't think of anything that is better paired with a meal than precious words from the Book of Life. My heart belongs there, and there is no better closing to a day.

"... And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." - Ephesians 3:17b-19

Lemon Pepper Shrimp Scampi

From Cooking Light

Yield: 4 servings

1 cup uncooked orzo

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1/2 salt, divided

7 teaspoons butter, divided

1 1/2 pounds of peeled and deveined jumbo shrimp

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1. Cook orzo according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain. Place orzo in a medium bowl. Stir in parsley and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cover and keep warm.

2. While orzo cooks, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle shrimp with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add half of shrimp to pan; saute 2 minutes or until almost done. Transfer shrimp to a plate. Melt 1 teaspoon butter in pain. Add remaining shrimp to pan; saute 2 minutes or until almost done. Transfer to plate. 

3. Melt remaining butter in pan. Add garlic to pan; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in shrimp, juice, and pepper; cook 1 minute or until shrimp is done.

Calories: 403; Fat: 10.4g (sat 4.8g,mono 2.2g,poly 1.4g); Protein: 40.1g; Carbohydrate:34.7g; Fiber:1.7g; Cholesterol: 276mg; Iron: 4.3mg; Sodium: 549mg; Calcium: 97mg

Sauteed asparagus makes a fine accompaniment. 

**My Notes**

- I didn't have a clue what orzo was, so I'm going to assume that neither do you. "Orzo is a type of pasta which is made in the shape of a grain of rice. Orzo pasta is often about rice-sized, as well. This pasta is very versatile, and it can be used in a range of recipes, with many people consuming orzo in soups. The word orzo is Italian for “barley,” and a reference to the size and shape of the pasta."

-  We don't have this mysterious type of pasta around, so I figured since it's shaped like rice, I'll use rice. I'll try orzo on a different night, it sounds good!
- Be sure not to overcook the shrimp.