Counting My Macros – Make ahead Korean Beef Rice bowls

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I’ve been tracking my macros for 3+ years now, but the one thing that makes my life easier is make a head lunches because I am usually in back-to-back meetings from 9 AM until 5 PM 😵‍💫

I usually focus on protein first and then everything else second. Start to finish this meal prep took 20 minutes, you can serve it with rice or quinoa, cauliflower rice or you can even put it in tortilla shells. Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

2 packs – 454 grams Extra lean ground beef – 96/4 I’m taking EXTRA LEAN .. I always buy the grass fed free ones from Loblaws (picture below)

500 grams zucchini grated and squeezed out in a towel

4 spring / green onions diced

Cilantro steams about 3 tablespoons finely minced.

Sauce:

4 tablespoons soya sauce

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons gochujang (my FAV condiment)

1/2 tablespoon sesame oil

3 garlic cloves minced

2 tablespoons brown sugar

How to make:

This couldn’t be easier, take all of the sauce ingredients and mix them all in a bowl with a whisk and set aside.

Get a large cast-iron frying pan or regular nonstick frying pan and start cooking your beef. I don’t use any extra oil.

Once it is 80% cooked (5-8 mins or so) add in your grated zucchini, your cilantro stems and your spring/green onions continue to cook for another 5 to 6 minutes until the zucchini is soft. You do not need to add salt because ofthe soya sauce.

Dump in your sauce… simmer for another five minutes or so and voilà!

I always add some extra Sriracha to it, cilantro leaves, everything but the bagel seasoning, sometimes a Thai bird chili for a little extra kick. I served it with 100 g of cooked white rice.

Total macros for this dish (including the rice) is 52P/41C/11F. Since it is loaded with protein, it keeps me full. After I heat it up, sometimes I top it with a half of a diced avocado for a little extra fat and some more Sriracha, because I love the heat.

Enjoy and let me know what you think!

Jumbo triple chocolate muffins

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Start to finish the recipe takes 30 mins. Makes 12 extra large bakery style muffins. Perfect for breakfasts on the go for always running late teenagers.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 cup white sugar

• 1.5 cups chocolate chips, semi sweet, milk chocolate and dark mini chips (1/2 reserved)

• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 cup vanilla high protein yogurt

• ½ cup milk

• ½ cup vegetable oil

• 1 large egg

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) or 375 degrees if using convection bake. Line 12 muffin cups with paper muffin liners.

2. Combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, and baking soda in a large bowl.

3. Whisk yogurt, milk, oil, egg, and vanilla in separate bowl until smooth. Add 1 cup chocolate chips to wet mixture.

4. Pour yogurt mixture into the chocolate mixture and stir until batter is just blended.

5. Fill prepared muffin cups full and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips.

6. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Personally after 10 mins I rotate the pan in the oven. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.

7. Devour

I’m obsessed with Tuna Poke!

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This easy poke recipe is a refreshing Hawaiian salad of fresh ahi tuna steak cubes tossed with soy sauce, sesame oil, and green onions for a dish full of umami flavor. I serve it with radishes, pickled red onions, avocado. Serve it on rice, in tacos, on salad, with potato chips… anyways it’s DELISH.

When you find yourself with fresh ahi tuna steaks, Tuna poke is one of the easiest seafood dishes you can make (seriously, it only takes 15 minutes to prep) and you will never be disappointed by the rich umami flavors the fish has to offer. I get my flash frozen sashimi grade tuna from Sealand.

All you need is 10 mins prep.

What Is Poke?

Poke (pronounced POE-keh) is a Hawaiian dish. Its name derives from the Hawaiian word “to slice or cut.” The name is a good indicator of what the dish is because poke is traditionally sliced raw fish (usually tuna or octopus) that’s marinated in a savory, umami-rich sauce made with soy sauce, sesame oil, and green onions.

Every year when we go to Maui I eat Poke daily. I’m obsessed with it.

This easy poke recipe only has a few ingredients, most of which you probably already have on hand.

Ahi Tuna
Because you eat it raw, be sure to buy sashimi-grade tuna.

Soy Sauce
Soy sauce provides umami-rich flavors.

Sesame Oil
Sesame oil lends a nutty flavor to the marinade.

Green Onions
Green onions add color and a hint of flavor.

Toasted Sesame Seeds
Toasted sesame seeds will add a crunch to the poke as well as a light nutty flavor.

Chili oil, cilantro, furikaki all optional (but I use them)

Making poke is so incredibly easy. Simply combine all the ingredients in a bowl and allow it to marinate in the fridge for at least two hours. Serve as desired.

Ingredients

• 3 – 6oz fresh tuna steaks, cubed

• 1/4 cup ponzu (citrus soy)

• 1/4 cup chopped green onions

• 2 tablespoons sesame oil

• 1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro

• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

• 1 tablespoon furikaki

• 1 tablespoon momofuku chili oil

Place diced tuna in a medium non-reactive bowl. Add ponzu sauce or soy sauce, green onions, sesame oil, sesame seeds and mix well. (I always used cilantro, momofuku chili oil and furikaki) Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

I hope you love it as much as I do!

Eating my Feelings Vanilla Bean Pound Cake

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This rich and buttery pound cake is simple to make but so elegant to eat while wearing jammies and watching “90 day Fiancé” or “My 600 Pound Life.”

Number of Servings: 1, perhaps 8, or even 12 depending how one is feeling that day 😉 This blog is a judgement free zone.

Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: 50 Minutes

Total Time: 1 Hour 5 Minutes of drooling in front of the oven

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 tablespoons milk (skim, low fat, or whole)
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste or a vanilla bean
  • 1-1/3 cups cake flour … but seriously any flour you can find during this pandemic (I used AP), spooned into a measuring cup and leveled with a straight edge aka knife.
  • 3/4 cup white sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 13 tablespoons salted butter, softened (no need to cut it in pieces) 16 tbls is a cup so y’all need to do some math or buy the butter in the sticks. Yes Salted … to be honest I only bake with salted butter. I remember saying it to my French instructor at Le Cordon Bleu and he almost fainted 👀 I’m too old to care anymore.

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Lightly grease an 8-in x 4-in x 2½-inch loaf pan with butter like you are in an episode of Mad Men. Dust with flour, shaking off any excess. (Alternatively, use a nonstick cooking spray with flour in it, since we are 6 weeks into a pandemic the 1950s way suited me just fine.)
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, and vanilla until just combined.
  3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or with a hand mixer), place the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix on low speed for about 30 seconds or until blended. Add the butter and half of the egg mixture. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase the mixer speed to medium (high speed if using a hand mixer) and beat for one minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the remaining egg mixture, in 2 separate additions, beating about 30 seconds after each addition to combine. Do not over-mix. (The batter may have a slightly curdled or grainy appearance — that’s okay.)
  4. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and a thin wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
  5. Place the cake on a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes. Then remove the cake from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack. Wrap the cooled cake in plastic wrap or store in a large sealable plastic bag.
  6. The wrapped pound cake will keep for several days (it will never last the long) at room temperature, for one week when refrigerated.
  7. Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cake can be frozen for up to 3 months. After it is completely cooled, double-wrap it securely with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap, or place it in a heavy-duty freezer bag. Thaw overnight on the countertop before serving.

Easter Egg Flourless Chocolate Torte

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I love Nigella Lawson, always have, always will. I read her cookbooks like novels. Her cookbooks are fun to read and evoke memories of my own childhood.

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I am hosting 12 for dinner tomorrow to celebrate Easter and I wanted to mix it up in the dessert department. I made a carrot cake (my favorite) but I know my husband loves chocolate. Hello flourless chocolate torte! It really easy to make and will be easy to eat I am sure.

If you are looking to try something new tomorrow, try this!

Happy Easter!

 

🐰 Easter Brunch Frittata

30 Saturday Mar 2024

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This year I am not doing an Easter dinner but instead I am hosting a brunch.

On the menu this year is cheesy sundried tomato and spinach frittata, arugula salad, tomato salad, avocado toast and eton mess with lemon curd and strawberries 🤤

I love a frittata because you can make it ahead and it is DELICIOUS!!

Ingredients

• 12 eggs

• 500 grams fat free cottage cheese

• 225 g shredded Gruyère

• 3 cups spinach chopped

• 3/4 cup sundried tomatoes diced

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1/4 tsp black pepper

• 150 grams feta crumbled

Directions

1. Preheat oven 400 degrees (I always do convection bake)

2. In large bowl, place eggs and beat them lightly.

3. Add cottage cheese, gruyere cheese, spinach, diced Sundried tomatoes, salt and pepper.

4. Mix well and pour into parchment pepper lined 9 by 13 pan

5. Bake approx 40 mins… check at 35 you don’t want it jiggly in the middle

6. Let cool in pan – I serve in squares – serves 12

7. Serve with arugula salad topped with feta and lemon balsamic

Mix up your Taco night with Tostadas!

12 Monday Feb 2024

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Don’t get me wrong, one of my favorite things to eat is tacos, but sometimes they get boring.

Instead of a regular taco night switch it up this Tuesday with tostadas, same ingredients, just a few minor tweaks.

Instead of buying premade taco shells spray some corn tortillas with avocado spray sprinkle with salt, put them on a baking sheet and place in a 400° oven between five and eight minutes a side until they are crispy and then set them aside.

Use whatever taco protein you want beef, chicken, tofu, chorizo, anything…

Condiments can be anything you want cheese, slaw, salsa, crema, avocado, cilantro, refried beans, pickled red onion, jalapeños the list could go on and on.

Then assemble.

Take a crispy corn tortilla that you toasted in the oven until it is really crispy. I like to top it with a few tablespoons of either a refried beans, guacamole, or a crema. Then lay on your protein, then top with salsa, avocado, slaw, herbs, hot sauce, pickled red onions (one of my favs) … whatever you want and enjoy.

Repeat as many times as you want until you are full!

Guten Appetit!

Olive Garden creamy gnocchi and chicken soup – copycat recipe

04 Sunday Feb 2024

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There’s nothing better than a make a head soup. I don’t need to think about it during the week and I already have a meal ready to go.

This soup I have made more healthy … there is no cream but it’s still is extremely creamy, full of protein and absolutely delicious.

I didn’t have spinach on hand, if I did I would have added 2-3 cups to the soup at the end. Again soup recipes are guidelines, just use what you have!

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoons Butter
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium onion finely diced
  • 2 -3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 750 ml 1%milk
  • 1 chicken bouillon cube in 2 cups of water
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
  • 1 cup carrots finely diced
  • 1/2 cup green onion thinly sliced
  • 600 grams roasted chicken breast cooked and cut into small cubes (I used 2 large chicken breasts and roasted them in the oven 400 degrees for 25 minutes and I seasoned them with salt and pepper and garlic)
  • 1 500 gram package ready-to-use mini gnocchi (if you use regular size gnocchi, cut them in half)
  • Sriracha (because I put this on everything)

Melt the butter and olive oil in a large pot or a Dutch oven over medium heat.

Add the chopped onion, carrots and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally until the onion becomes translucent. 

Whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and simmer until thickened.

Whisk in the hot water and bouilion cube. Simmer until thickened again. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper to taste, nutmeg (if using), green onion, chicken, and gnocchi.

Simmer until the soup is heated through and the gnocchi is cooked approx 3-5 minutes. Before serving, taste, season with additional salt if needed, and sriracha.

A 350 gram serving is 35 protein, 35 carbs and 7 fat. Solid macros ⭐️

Guten appetit

Roasted butternut squash soup

04 Sunday Feb 2024

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February in Ottawa Canada is pretty gray so this is a perfect soup to make to brighten up your day. 10 ingredients is all you need.

As with any soup, the ingredient list is a suggestion, use as much or as little as you want. I made a big batch this morning so I will have it for the whole week. I love a little spice so I used two types of chili peppers.

Here’s what you need:

1 kg butternut squash, peeled and diced small to roasted quicker

1 small onion diced

6 cloves of garlic peeled keep whole

1 can light coconut milk 400 ml

Spices: I used Turmeric, cayenne, ginger, garam masala, 1 dried chili and nutmeg .5 or 1tsp depending on your tastes.. you can always add more later but you can’t take it away.

Chicken stock or a bouillon cube and hot water

Salt and pepper

Oil for roasting (avocado/olive)

How to make it

Preheat your oven to 425° or if you’re using a gas oven to gas Convect and set it to 400°

Start by peeling your butternut squash, cut it up into 1 cm x 1 cm cubes just so it roasts quicker in the oven add in the whole peeled garlic cloves so that they roast and caramelize in the oven top with onion and spices, salt and pepper and then drizzle with olive oil a couple of tablespoons.

Roast in the oven for approximately 45 minutes until soft and a few pieces are caramlized. Next up get your blender.

Open up a can of light coconut milk and dump it into your blender add in a bouillon cube and a cup of hot water, and then dump all of your roasted butternut squash.

Press liquify. Depending on the size of your blender, you may need to do this in two batches. If you do not have a blender use one of those immersion blenders. And if you don’t have one of those ask to borrow your neighbours. Add more water to get it to the right consistency. I have added a roasted apple to this in the past if you like your soup a little sweeter.

Season to taste, enjoy with a piece of crusty bread and butter. It’s like eating a bowl of sunshine.

Guten appetit!

Bourbon Sables with Chocolate

13 Sunday Nov 2022

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A must for Christmas this year 🎄

Rich and buttery shortbread cookies infused with bourbon and chocolate! What’s not to love! Inspired by the lovely Sarah Kieffer.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Refrigeration Time 2 hours

Servings 20 – 24 cookies (I did personally triple the recipe as these fly off the baking sheet)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup [227 g] salted butter at room temperature
  • 1 cup [200 g] granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg yolk at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla bean paste or extract if that is all you have
  • 2 cups [284 g] all-purpose flour
  • 227 grams of dark chocolate (I used a mixture of bar chocolate cut into chunks and dark chocolate chips
  • 2 tablespoons of bourbon
  • 1 cup [200 g] turbinado sugar or sanding sugar

Instructions

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the granulated sugar and salt, and beat again on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl and add the egg yolk, bourbon and vanilla, and mix on low speed until incorporated. Add the flour and mix on low speed until just combined. Add the chocolate and mix again until combined.
  • Transfer the dough to a workspace and form the dough into a 12 inch [30.5 cm] long log. Place the log on a large piece of plastic, a few inches longer than the log. Sprinkle the turbinado sugar over each side of the log, covering the outside of the dough. Gently press the sugar into the dough with your hands. Wrap the log in plastic and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours. I personally froze all three logs!
  • Position the oven rack in the middle of the oven, and preheat the oven to 350F [180C]. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • Using a serrated knife, slice the dough log into ¼ inch [6mm], and place the rounds about 2 inches [5 cm] apart on the prepared pans.
  • Bake, one batch at a time, until the edges are very light golden brown and the centers are still pale, 14 to 16 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking. Move the pans to wire racks and let cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

15 minute Holiday Appetizers- Prosciutto Arugula Bites

12 Sunday Dec 2021

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The holidays are busy, prior to this pandemic I would be entertaining hand over fist. Sure entertaining has slowed down, but you should always have elegant, quick and easy appetizers in your kitchen repertoire. Here is one that looks elegant but start to finish takes 15 minutes.

  • 12 slices of prosciutto but you can use Serrano ham too
  • 1 ball of cranberry and pepper Boursin
  • 24 pecan halves (toasted in a fry pan)
  • 1 cup of arugula
  • 1/2 cup of balsamic (I used a white cranberry balsamic) put it in a pan and reduce it until it turns into a thick syrup- takes about 5 to 8 minutes on low. – you should have 2 tablespoons once it is reduced
  • 2 tablespoons of dried cranberries

Now it’s time to put it together. Lay the slices of prosciutto out on a cutting board. Section the Boursin into 12 each portions ~ 3/4 tbls. Put the cheese on one end, top with 2 pecans and a generous pinch of arugula. Roll them up and slice in half. Then drizzle the top with the reduced balsamic glaze and a few dried cranberries.

I’m not going to lie, I could eat all 24 😉

Enjoy!

Blueberry Cornbread Muffins

18 Sunday Jul 2021

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Mixing up the usual … these are gloriously delish 🤤

The slight crunch of the cornmeal make a perfect backdrop for blueberries, which burst as they bake, creating pockets of juice that keep the muffins tender. Serve warm with a pat of butter 💥

Ingredients:
3/4 cup milk
1-1/2 cups all purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
2 large eggs
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 stick or 1/2 cup salted butter, melted

Set oven to 350, 325 for convection bake.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

Place the blueberries in a small bowl and toss with 1 teaspoon of the flour mixture. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and vanilla. Add to the dry ingredients, along with the melted butter. Stir until just blended; and then stir in the blueberries. Do not overmix. The batter comes together in about 5 minutes.

Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared muffin pan, filling each cup very full and please use liners as the blueberries will make everything very sticky. Bake for 28 to 30 minutes, or until the tops are set and golden around the edges. Cool the muffins for a few minutes in the pan, then serve warm with butter or transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!