i have recently realized that i am a bit of a bully. not to others (well, maybe sometimes to others), but to myself.
at this point, i should be pretty pleased with myself, right? sure, i've had some help. i never could have done any of this without my amazing pilates teachers (thanks Marina & Claire! - seriously, if you have ever even thought about doing pilates call these ladies, it will change your life), and obviously the Weight Watchers program is basically the key to my success. but these things are just tools. i'm still the one doing the work.
even though i recognize all of this on an intellectual level, i find it hard to give myself credit. when i'm alone, it's fine, but as soon as i've got someone to compare myself to, all of my proud feelings go out the window.
i was noticing this last night in this exercise class i've been taking. it's this suspension training system called TRX that was developed by Marines or something... anyway, it's hard.
so i'm in this class, struggling to do these exercises where i've got to lift all of my body weight with just my biceps, and i start to look around at these girls who are half my size and twice as strong, and i get super discouraged. now, i know suspension training is easier when you weigh less because there's less weight to lift, but my typically literal and logical mind can't seem to remember that when i'm in a room full of people, trying as hard as i can and still occasionally failing.
now logically, i realize this is dumb. everyone's body is unique and we're all at different levels and the only thing that matter is how you feel and you and me are free to be you and me etc... so, from now on, i'm gonna stop picking on myself.
so what if that girl over there can do push-ups in a split only using her pinkie! i'm not her and that's ok! right?
i suspect it will take more than just a blog entry and some sarcasm to get over a habit 20 years in the making, but this is a start and hopefully the beginning of a new way of looking at myself... and not so much at others!
-V
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
chicken pasta?
so i have some pretty strict rules when it comes to pasta dishes, they are as follows:
-chicken does not belong in pasta
-unless we're talking about macaroni & cheese, neither do most cheeses (other than parmesan or pecorino of course)
-don't put a bunch of crap in it
-it should not be flavored with things Italian people have never heard of
you see, part of the beauty of a great pasta dish is the way the flavors of the pasta itself combine with whatever sauce you've got. that's why wafer thin linguine goes so nicely with the delicate flavors of seafood and a robust and chewy rigatoni goes so well with spicy boldly flavored sausage.
so for these reasons, i believe pasta dishes are at their best when kept extremely simple. unless of course, we're talking about whole wheat pasta. why? because it sucks. no, seriously, it does. it tastes like dirty cardboard and when it's "al dente" you could cut your gums eating it. so in my experience, whenever i've tried to just sub it out for semolina pasta, i was most disappointed.
so when i'm cooking with whole wheat pasta, i'm basically just trying to make a sauce flavorful enough to cover up that taste i don't like very much and all of my very serious pasta rules go out the window. so that's how we've found ourselves here. with a recipe for a dish that wouldn't seem out of place on a TGI Fridays menu (seriously, why would anyone ever want to eat buffalo chicken pasta??).
i know many of you will be skeptical and you probably should be. gouda cheese? cream cheese?? i mean come on! but i made this last night for my roommates and i think they would agree with me when i say, it was a hit.
Whole Wheat Pasta with Roasted Tomato Cream Sauce & Chicken
serves: 6
points plus value per serving: 10
2/3 pound whole wheat pasta (i like penne for this recipe, definitely not spaghetti)
2 cups cherry tomatoes
12.5 ounces boneless skinless chicken breast, cut in to bite sized chunks
5 cups cremini mushrooms, sliced
9oz baby spinach
1 medium sized shallot, finely chopped
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp cream cheese
1/2 cup low sodium/salt free chicken stock
4oz gouda cheese, cut in to small cubes
1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
3 tsp olive oil
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
kosher salt
black pepper
1 tsp paprika
preheat oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit.
place cherry tomatoes and 1 tsp olive oil on a baking sheet, season heavily with salt and pepper. roast in oven till tomatoes have burst and reduced in size by about half (approx 30 mins). set aside to use later.
boil large pot of heavily salted water and cook pasta until just-under done. drain and set aside reserving some of the pasta water.
heat large non-stick sauce pan with 1 tsp olive oil over medium high heat. add shallots & garlic and cook until wilted, being careful not to burn garlic. add mushrooms and cook until wilted. season with salt & pepper once mushrooms reach desired consistency. add remaining tsp of olive oil & chicken and brown on all sides. re-season with salt & pepper. add worcestershire sauce and paprika. add roasted tomatoes including any juices left in their roasting pan. reduce heat to medium and add chicken stock and cream cheese. cook over medium heat until cream cheese has melted and combined with all other liquids to create a sauce. add cheese and cook until cheese melts into sauce. add spinach and cook until wilted. check for taste and re-season if necessary.
add cooked pasta to sauce pan and toss to combine. add a couple ladles of pasta water, reduce heat to low and cook pasta and sauce for a couple minutes.
toss in parsley and serve.
so there's my pasta abomination. sacrilegious and delicious! maybe i should see if Chili's wants to buy the recipe off of me...
enjoy!
-V
-chicken does not belong in pasta
-unless we're talking about macaroni & cheese, neither do most cheeses (other than parmesan or pecorino of course)
-don't put a bunch of crap in it
-it should not be flavored with things Italian people have never heard of
you see, part of the beauty of a great pasta dish is the way the flavors of the pasta itself combine with whatever sauce you've got. that's why wafer thin linguine goes so nicely with the delicate flavors of seafood and a robust and chewy rigatoni goes so well with spicy boldly flavored sausage.
so for these reasons, i believe pasta dishes are at their best when kept extremely simple. unless of course, we're talking about whole wheat pasta. why? because it sucks. no, seriously, it does. it tastes like dirty cardboard and when it's "al dente" you could cut your gums eating it. so in my experience, whenever i've tried to just sub it out for semolina pasta, i was most disappointed.
so when i'm cooking with whole wheat pasta, i'm basically just trying to make a sauce flavorful enough to cover up that taste i don't like very much and all of my very serious pasta rules go out the window. so that's how we've found ourselves here. with a recipe for a dish that wouldn't seem out of place on a TGI Fridays menu (seriously, why would anyone ever want to eat buffalo chicken pasta??).
i know many of you will be skeptical and you probably should be. gouda cheese? cream cheese?? i mean come on! but i made this last night for my roommates and i think they would agree with me when i say, it was a hit.
Whole Wheat Pasta with Roasted Tomato Cream Sauce & Chicken
serves: 6
points plus value per serving: 10
2/3 pound whole wheat pasta (i like penne for this recipe, definitely not spaghetti)
2 cups cherry tomatoes
12.5 ounces boneless skinless chicken breast, cut in to bite sized chunks
5 cups cremini mushrooms, sliced
9oz baby spinach
1 medium sized shallot, finely chopped
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp cream cheese
1/2 cup low sodium/salt free chicken stock
4oz gouda cheese, cut in to small cubes
1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
3 tsp olive oil
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
kosher salt
black pepper
1 tsp paprika
preheat oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit.
place cherry tomatoes and 1 tsp olive oil on a baking sheet, season heavily with salt and pepper. roast in oven till tomatoes have burst and reduced in size by about half (approx 30 mins). set aside to use later.
boil large pot of heavily salted water and cook pasta until just-under done. drain and set aside reserving some of the pasta water.
heat large non-stick sauce pan with 1 tsp olive oil over medium high heat. add shallots & garlic and cook until wilted, being careful not to burn garlic. add mushrooms and cook until wilted. season with salt & pepper once mushrooms reach desired consistency. add remaining tsp of olive oil & chicken and brown on all sides. re-season with salt & pepper. add worcestershire sauce and paprika. add roasted tomatoes including any juices left in their roasting pan. reduce heat to medium and add chicken stock and cream cheese. cook over medium heat until cream cheese has melted and combined with all other liquids to create a sauce. add cheese and cook until cheese melts into sauce. add spinach and cook until wilted. check for taste and re-season if necessary.
add cooked pasta to sauce pan and toss to combine. add a couple ladles of pasta water, reduce heat to low and cook pasta and sauce for a couple minutes.
toss in parsley and serve.
so there's my pasta abomination. sacrilegious and delicious! maybe i should see if Chili's wants to buy the recipe off of me...
enjoy!
-V
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
some calm in a sea of chaos
hello friends!
i haven't been around for a while and that's because i've been working like a crazy person. you should all be very pleased to know that i'm keeping up with everything during my time of insanity and i've lost nearly 40 pounds since this whole shebang started.
often when i'm working this much, making my own dinner is the first thing to go out the window. however, when i do get the chance to do it i'm super thankful because it always calms me down.
so even as i sit here waiting for contract revisions to come from some dude in LA to go to some other dude in Manhattan so i can use a parking lot in Greenpoint (don't ask), i forced myself to make some dinner.
now sometimes, when i'm trying to make a meal on the dregs of my fridge/cabinets, it comes out pretty weird. (anyone remember this?) but sometimes, when i'm forced to get creative, i get a little bit brilliant. i think tonight was one of those instances...
i haven't been around for a while and that's because i've been working like a crazy person. you should all be very pleased to know that i'm keeping up with everything during my time of insanity and i've lost nearly 40 pounds since this whole shebang started.
often when i'm working this much, making my own dinner is the first thing to go out the window. however, when i do get the chance to do it i'm super thankful because it always calms me down.
so even as i sit here waiting for contract revisions to come from some dude in LA to go to some other dude in Manhattan so i can use a parking lot in Greenpoint (don't ask), i forced myself to make some dinner.
now sometimes, when i'm trying to make a meal on the dregs of my fridge/cabinets, it comes out pretty weird. (anyone remember this?) but sometimes, when i'm forced to get creative, i get a little bit brilliant. i think tonight was one of those instances...
behold... Chicken & Waffles!
yes, i made Chicken & Waffles for dinner tonight. i took a little help from my freezer but ya know what? it was great.
Chicken & Waffles
serves: 1
points plus value per serving: 9
serves: 1
points plus value per serving: 9
1 Eggo Nutrigrain waffle
1 breaded chicken cutlet** (see recipe below)
1 serving arugula salad with cherry jam** (see recipe below)
1 tsp maple syrup
to assemble:
toast waffle and place on a plate, drizzle with maple syrup. top with chicken cutlet and place salad on top. eat. **Breaded Chicken Cutlets
serves: 2
points plus value per serving: 3
2 - 2.5 ounce chicken cutlets, pounded thin
2 tbsp panko bread crumbs
1 tsp grated parmesan cheese
kosher salt
black pepper
ground mustard
dried thyme
paprika
1 tsp olive oil
2 - 2.5 ounce chicken cutlets, pounded thin
2 tbsp panko bread crumbs
1 tsp grated parmesan cheese
kosher salt
black pepper
ground mustard
dried thyme
paprika
1 tsp olive oil
season chicken cutlets on both sides with all spices.
place bread crumbs in a shallow dish and season those with all spices as well. mix in grated parmesan. dredge the cutlets in the breadcrumb & spices mixture, coating both sides thoroughly.
heat olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, place chicken in pan and brown on both sides.
**Arugula Salad with Cherry Jam
serves: 1
points plus value per serving: 1
1 & 1/2 cups arugula
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp cherry jam
toss everything together in a bowl.
1 & 1/2 cups arugula
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp cherry jam
toss everything together in a bowl.
anyway, this was my dinner, it was awesome. now i have to go to bed so i can get up at 5:30 in the morning and try to trick some people that i can speak polish... AWESOME!
-V
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