Make It: Black Bean Turkey Chili from According to Lia
I know, I know. I’ve been totally MIA lately. Things have been extremely busy around here, and it doesn’t look like they’re going to ease up. But I didn’t want to leave you without a delicious recipe to make, so here’s another winner from Lia. This one would make fabulous leftovers!
Black beans are my weakness! Note to self: MAKE THIS!
Don’t think of it as a diet.
I read this all the time and I think it’s sort of trite, but, like all cliches there is some truth there. For me, if I can’t have pizza on the regs or have to stop drinking Coke, then it’s a diet. But there are so many negative connotations to the word “diet”: that it’s restrictive, that it has to be difficult, that food should not be tasty. That’s the beginning of the end, I’ve found, if that’s how you think about eating healthier.
Harness your frustration and anger.
We should be angry about how unhealthy foods are marketed relentlessly. Images of foods of chemically-enhanced and chemically-fabricated foods are constantly in our faces. Get pissed off, man! And then use that anger to get driven about learning how to make even tastier snacks that don’t have 7-syllable chemical words in them.
Learn to cook, explore the grocery store, try new things.
Seriously. Cooking and trying new ingredients adds an intellectual element to food that distracts me from actually needing to eat. At least for me, food can sometimes be an emotional crutch, but sometimes just reading about how to do it soothes me and gives me something to look forward to.
Focus on filling your plate with non-starchy vegetables and having smaller portions of starchy foods and meats. You don’t need any special tools or have to do any counting. It’s simple and effective — draw an imaginary line on your plate, select your foods, and enjoy your meal! You may have heard of this as the “Plate Method.” Once you’ve changed your portion sizes, you can work on making healthier food choices from each food group.
Think oatmeal is boring? Think again!
REMIX YOUR BREAKFAST: SAVORY OATS — By Nutritionista
Oatmeal for breakfast is a great option because it contains plenty of protein, fiber, and won’t leave you hungry before lunch. If I eat dry cereal, I find I’m soon hungry again. But for as much as I talk about how great oatmeal is and how many different items can be added to it (fruit, nut butters, squash or pumpkin purees, coconut, spices, flaxseed, etc.), I know regular old oatmeal can get tiring.
Recently, reader Kristen reminded me of another way of preparing oatmeal: savory style! If you think of oatmeal as a sort of rice or grain, it’s easy to see how it could work well as savory fare. As we’re approaching fall, savory oats in the morning could be a warm and hearty way to start your day (ugh, that rhymed… totally unintentional). If you’re going to go savory, I’d especially recommend using steel-cut oats instead of regular rolled oats for better texture. Some savory ideas to get you started:
- CLASSIC: A tiny dab of butter, salt, and pepper.
- CHEESY: All of the above with added sharp cheddar, parmesan, feta, or goat cheese. Use a strong cheese and a little will go a long way.
- ASIAN: Scallions, sesame seeds, and a splash of soy sauce. You could even experiment with adding tofu!
- FIESTA: Sauteed green peppers, onions, black beans, hot sauce, and a sprinkling of sharp cheddar.
- EGGS & BACON: Scramble eggs into oatmeal as you’re cooking (if you’re making stove top oats) and add bits of crispy turkey bacon cooked in the toaster oven or microwave. Another option is topping a bowl of oats with a sunnyside up egg.
- GREEK: Spinach, diced tomato, and feta.
- BURGERS: Using eggs as a binder, form your oatmeal into patties, season, and then lightly pan-fry.
- INDIAN: Chickpeas and curry powder.
- ITALIANO: Fresh or canned diced tomatoes, basil, oregano, and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese. You could also add some chicken sausage if you’re up for it.
With any of these recipes, if you want to really infuse some flavor, you can cook your oatmeal in fat-free chicken broth instead of water. I know some of you might not be up for this kind of food so early in the morning, so I recommend easing into savory oatmeal by starting with the Classic and then expanding from there. Think of savory oatmeal as an omelette. Anything you’d put in eggs would be good in oatmeal! Give savory oats a try and expand your breakfast horizon.
Having not done my laundry for 3 weeks, this hint is super relevant in my current life. :-)
You can keep your clothes smelling fresher with vodka — really! Simply spritz your duds with the stuff, then hang to dry in a well-ventilated area. (Do a spot-test first to be safe.) Vodka kills odor-causing bacteria, but doesn’t leave a scent when dry.Read more: The Daily Green
Want. To. Make. This!
1. Garlic
2. Tomatoes - Fresh and Canned! Crushed tomatoes are really helpful sometimes!
3. Chicken Stock - I don’t have time to make my own, so I buy it in cartons.
4. Onions - I buy yellow and white
5. Balsamic Vinegar
6. White Wine - Buy something good!
7. Olive Oil
8. Eggs - Ok, these next few are not exactly “pantry” but they are essential in the kitchen!
9. Butter - Unsalted, of course!
10.Heavy Cream
The ingredients below are not essential, but they are pretty darn important!
11. Tomato Paste
12. Rice
13. Pasta
(via youaremyfave)
Just so you know, Internet, I used to have that exact same laptop. The End. Also, I love the yellow floral.
(via secretary)
So, I have a butt-ton of zucchini… and not sure if I can eat all of it. I was looking for frugal, but healthy recipes and found this fun recipe. This recipe might be a really good way to use my veggies up before they go bad PLUS I get portable, easy-to-freeze muffins for snacks or breakfasts!
my stash of fun facts and helpful hints from the internets centered around living frugally, eating healthy, and design. i'm in no way an expert or "good at" this kind of stuff, but maybe by proactively collecting and collating the information it'll get in my brain? feel free to stick around, but this is mostly for my personal benefit.
email: rachael.hodder(at)gmail(dot)com
aim: merelycargo
